Chapter 1
Picking Roles
Akito had just finished putting on her yukata when she heard the servants speaking. It was rare for Akito to get visitors, so she just shook her head and sat down on her tatami floor, with her back turned to the fusuma door. The 9 year old girl looks out the window towards the trees when she heard the servant talking again, this time to her.
"Akito-san, you have guests. Would you like to welcome them in?" The servant asked, smiling gently from the other side of the door. Akito could hear other voices along with the servants, and sweatdropped.
"Go ahead." She said, quite curious of who the visitor was. The servant bowed her head in respect before slowly sliding the fusuma door open. Akito's eye twitched slightly when she saw who the visitor was.
"Hello Akito-san! How are you?" A 6 year old girl asked, walking into the room, followed by a few other people.
"Hello Kagura." Akito replied, her eyes resting onto the company. "I'm doing well."
"Akito! Akito! Akito!" The four year old Momiji said, jumping around. Akito got slightly annoyed as she forced out a small smile.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Want a lollipop?" Momiji asked, holding the candy up to Akito's mouth. Akito shook her head.
"No."
It took a while for the word to sink into Momiji's small brain. After a while, Momiji stuck the lollipop in his mouth, whining in disappointment. Akito rolled her eyes.
"What are you people doing here?" She asked, already ready to start yelling to the other children to get out of her room. However, the 4, 5, and 6 year olds didnt have any idea of how Akito was feeling at the moment.
"We wanted to know if you wanted to play house with us." Isuzu said, smiling innocently. Akito blinked.
"House? Why should I?"
"Because its fun!" Momiji started bouncing off the walls again.
"Sit down and stay down, Rabbit!" Akito's anger rose. Giggling, Momiji smiled and sat down on the floor. But instead of staying still, the small boy started to rock from side to side, humming a small, made-up song. "And no," Akito continued after giving Momiji a small, cold glare. "I am not playing girly drama with you people."
"Why not, Akito-san?" Yuki asked, his small hands tightly clenching onto his own shirt nervously. "They said its fun."
"Don't speak to me right now, Rat." Akito said calmly. "You don't know the meaning of fun, so why bother telling me?" Yuki frowned and turned silent. Haru turned his head to Yuki as he ate his ice cream, but turned back away.
"Please Akito!" Momiji whined again. Akito shook her head.
"No."
"Akito-san, more people have come. Would you like for them to come in as well?" The servant was heard again from the outside of the room. Akito sighed in annoyance and nodded.
"Let them in."
Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori entered, followed by Kureno. Akito gave a small grin to the teenagers, and they smiled down to Akito and her gang of the small zodiacs.
"My my, have we came in at a bad time?" Shigure asked playfully. Akito shook her head.
"No, get them out of my room immediately!" Akito yelled.
"Akito, thats mean!" Momiji complained, but received another glare. Pouting, Momiji turned away and turned as silent as Yuki.
"Gure-Nii, do you want to play house with us?" Isuzu asked. Shigure grinned and turned to Ayame.
"Aya, we got an invitation to play!" Shigure said dramatically.
"Gure-san, we shall join! This will be fun!" Ayame said back, just as dramatically as the other said it.
Akito got even more annoyed and was ready to burst out yelling, when the fusuma door was once more opened and a 1 year old toddled into the room, smiling and giggling. Akito slapped herself in the forehead.
"Kisa-chan!" Kagura smiled, and ran to pick up the baby.
"Where are you all coming from?" Akito yelled, annoyed.
"Our houses!" Ayame smiled and crossed his arms, looking quite proud of the answer he had given Akito. Akito just groaned and turned away from the gang.
"So," Shigure smiled to Isuzu. "Who's playing who in House?" Isuzu was about to answer, when Momiji jumped in front of her, smiling big.
"I am playing the Daddy!" He jumped up and down excitedly.
"Momiji-kun, Akito-san's playing the Daddy." Kagura said, pointing towards the girl in the corner, who twitched."WHAT?" Akito turned back to them. "I am not playing!""Yes you are!" Kagura pouted."I never agreed to play House! Get out of my room!"
"But Akito-san, you are the only one who can play the Daddy!" Kagura said."I don't care! I am not playing!" Akito yelled.
"Akito-san, we know you want to play! It'll be fun!" Kagura whined.
"No! Leave now!"
While the fight continued, the gang was already deciding who was who. Rin wanted to play the teenager, and so did Haru, so the two were placed to play a teenager couple. Momiji turned out to become Rin's sister, which he pouted but decided that it's the best role for him at the moment. The racket continued until it became too much to handle for the baby to handle. Kisa started crying loudly, causing the room to go dead silent until all they could hear was a baby cry. Quickly and hesitantly putting Kisa to the ground, Kagura sighed and pointed to Akito again.
"Father." Kagura said and walked to the gang, leaving no time for Akito to argue. Akito clenched her fists and turned away again to pout in the corner. Hatori sighed at the sight of no one willing to calm the crying child, and picked Kisa up and calmed her down until she fell asleep in his arms.
"You're playing my Mommy." Rin said and pointed to Kagura, who blinked in confusion. "You're playing Mommy because you're the only girl left."
"No!" Kagura argued. "I want to play the big sister!"
Honestly, Kagura didn't care who she was playing. She just didn't want to play someone who got married to a person she just had a big fight with. But of course, no one cared, and Kagura ended up with the role.
While most of the children pouted, the others got their parts as well. Shigure played Akito's father, Ayame played Akito's mother (which Akito argued about, but lost again), Hatori played Kagura's father, Kureno played Akito's brother, and Kisa played Akito and Kagura's youngest child.
Then the children started to play.