February. The end of a harsh winter in Hokkaido. Though being this cold, it was not quite the beginning of spring. However, for a quite home hidden in the nooks of Sapporo, something new has still begun.

The phone rang abruptly, the receiver clattering against its polished base. "Hello?" asked the man who had picked it up.

"Katsuya. Help us. She won't stop." A male voice muttered, seemingly exasperated. There was a shrill, but faint noise in the background.

" Daichi?" Katsuya asked in confusion and concern. "Who won't stop what?"

"Mei-chan. She's been crying for hours, saying 'I want to see Kaito!'"

Katsuya chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry about that, man. And while you're on vacation, too. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing," Daichi sighed. "No one can stop her. She's as strong-willed as her mother... Hah! We'll have to drive over. Prepare the spare room, will ya? Something tells me we won't be prying those two apart."

"Sure thing. See you soon!" Katsuya said, ending the call.

Katsuya Shion and Daichi Sakine had been friends for a long time. Since they met in middle school, the pair had been inseparable. They graduated together, and eventually graduated highschool the same way. They even married women they had met together, and before long, settled down with kids. Katsuya came first; four years ago, his wife Haruko gave birth to a boy they named Takashi. Daichi and his wife, Mami, had a beautiful little girl just two years after. They named her Meiko.

Though only alive for a short time, Meiko grew up near the Shions and grew to think of them as family. Naturally, when she heard of them having a new baby, she was exited. This is why, when Meiko heard she had missed the baby's birth by two weeks while on vacation, she was devastated.

"Wahhhh!" a loud sob came from Meiko's little mouth. "I wanna see Kaito! I wanna see him!"

"Yes, sweetie," Mami hushed her child gently, as her husband hurriedly packed their luggage that was scattered across the hotel room. "We're going to see him very soon!"

"Now!" Meiko yelled assertively.

The family finally arrived home after a tedious taxi ride, and an even worse flight filled with glares from passengers, and angry murmurs about how "parents nowadays don't control their kids." Daichi tossed their heavy bags inside the house, as Mami hurried the child into their car. Without a moment of rest, they sped off to the Shion household.

Knock, Knock.

Haruko answered the door quickly. At the sight of the woman's kind face, Meiko's wailing stiffened to a whine.

"Oh dear," Haruko giggled regretfully. " You all look so tired. Bring her right in."

"I'm so sorry about this," Mami shook her head in shame. "You must be so busy with your older son and the new baby, and now this one comes along..."

"Oh no, I'm the one who should be apologizing. You went through all this trouble for the visit!" The woman lead her friends into the dining room. When they sat at the table by Katsuya, she took her leave to watch over the children.

Meiko tottered across the tatami floor, her brown bob bouncing with each step. Mami and Takashi trailed behind her, as they made their way to the nursery room. The young girl struggled with the door handle, raggedly sliding it open with a loud chatter. Upon opening, the dim yellow light spilled out of the room in a dull way. The flickering, ice-cream shaped nightlight revealed glimpses of baby blue wallpaper, toys neatly piled in the corner, a small changing station by the closet, and a white crib in the center of the room. A bunny-themed mobile spun sleepily overhead, and Meiko's eyes lit up as she saw what was beneath it.

Baby Kaito looked up at the spinning contraption with dreamy wonder. His sparkling blue eyes fluttered in time with its movements. Small tufts of blue hair rested on his little head, covered mostly by his small white hat that matched his navy-striped jumpsuit. Silky soft sheets rested beneath him, and a yellow blanket was scrunched beneath his legs, likely kicked off by his wool-covered feet.

"Kaito?" Meiko said excitedly, and a bit too loud.

"Shh!" Takashi put a finger over her lips. "You have to be quiet with babies." He said in a whisper, feeling big-brotherly. A head taller and two years older than Meiko, he had always been a big brother of sorts, but it was different with a real sibling. He felt a special connection with Kaito, especially since they looked alike. With the same unruly, short blue hair, chubby cheeks and round eyes (the only difference being Takashi's were brown, like his father's) the likeness was obvious.

"Kaito?" Meiko tried again, this time with a raspy whisper. She brought her small face up against the cribs lacquered railing, and peeked inside. Kaito turned his gaze curiously. His tired blue eyes met with her anxious brown ones. The toddler stared down at the little baby with a gleam in her eyes, similar to the way the baby had gazed at the mobile.

"He's beauuuuuuuuuutiful." She whisper-yelled.

"You can touch his hand, if you want." Takashi said, flaunting his authority again. "Just clean 'em first." His mother came from behind right on cue. She pulled out a large bottle of hand sanitizer, and spritzed the foam into the girls hands.

Meiko, giddy with glee, shakily reached her hand between the bars and reached out for the little boy. Her small fingers brushed his even smaller ones, and she smiled at the soft warmth she felt.

"Let's be best friends, mm-kay?"