When those two idiots came back, Maki was going to strangle them. For whatever reason, Kaito had suddenly called the three of them over to his house. He said he wanted to study with them, but they just finished a unit exam. There was nothing in particular to study. Maki and Shuichi just couldn't find themselves saying no to Kaito though.

Yet, as soon as they had settled down, Kaito abruptly stood up.

" I have to go to the bathroom!" he shouted suddenly. Before Maki could say anything, he suddenly grabbed the back of Shuichi's collar. He continued to shout, over the boy's confusion, "Shuichi does too!" and with that he sped out of the room before the other two could get so much as a single word in.

Maki was left in a stunned silence. She had been left, yet wasn't alone. As she contemplated what her friend was scheming, she felt a light tug on her hair. She instantly turned with a deathly glare to the culprit. Low and behold, it was Kaito's baby cousin. Maki had never bothered to learn his name... She didn't feel she needed to. She tried to avoid the kid after all.

The small child stared up at her with big eyes, seemingly completely oblivious to her murderous expression. In fact, he seemed to find it funny, as he began to giggle, continuing to pull at her hair.

"Stop." Maki said first, her tone dark with warning. When the child continued, she picked him up and though frustrated, she made sure to be careful, tossing him onto the couch nearby. "Stop that."

Again, the child stared with wide eyes, curious, before simply giggling more. Was he having fun? Perhaps Maki should try ignoring him. She pretended to begin working on an assignment that didn't exist. The kid climbed down the couch, stumbling a little on the floor, crawling over to her. She ignored him. He began to pull her hair again. Still, she did not even look to him. He tried taking her pigtails out. She didn't care, in her world this mostly blank paper was much more interesting. Suddenly she heard the child behind her trying to eat her hair.

"That's it." She stood fast and tried to walk out the room to find where her friends had left to, only to find her head abruptly pulled back. Glancing back she discovered her hair tied around the chair legs behind her, a grinning two year old beaming up at her. Her anger flared as she picked him up, tense. "Do you want to d-..." She stopped. She had to pull herself together. This was Kaito's cousin and she didn't imagine he'd be very happy if the kid was scared out of his wits. Begrudgingly she put him back down and worked on freeing herself. He just continued to smile at her. He was extremely devious for his age... But also quite smart it seemed.

After untying all her hair, she sat down again and continued to work. She actually managed to find part of Shuichi's notes that pertained to their next unit. She may as well review until her friends get back from whatever they're doing.

Kaito's little imp of a cousin actually stayed quiet she found now. Half of her worried she had actually scared the kid, though the other half of her didn't care at all. She worked in peace, feeling no tugging or meddling to her hair this time as she studied Shuichi's notes. Hers were no help anymore, and she already knew that even if she managed to suffer through Kaito's atrocious writing, that the content of said writing wouldn't help her either.

The child who was bothering her earlier was still quiet. Had he wondered off? Maki would have been glad for that, though she began to wonder if perhaps she was supposed to look after him while the other two were out. She glanced back, just to be sure, only to see the boy ever so carefully braiding her hair. He noticed her gaze and paused, staring back at her, his face lacking that taunting grin or false innocent curious. She hadn't felt him doing that at all. He was being extremely careful and slow to be sure of that. She was surprised, and somewhat conflicted. She wasn't sure if she should get him to stop or not. He wasn't causing any harm... And if he distracted himself that way, he wouldn't be able to bother her otherwise. She decided it was fine and continued with her work. The child seemed to perceive that as permission to continue!

Not all that long later, Kaito and Shuichi finally came back. Kaito was grinning ear from ear the whole trip over to her. "He likes you, Maki Roll!" he stated in a triumphant tone.

Maki raised a brow. "Why do you sound so proud"

"It's nothing!" he stated with a laugh. "You really are like the Ultimate Child Caregiver!"

"You already know I..." she didn't even bother. She just sighed. Maki knew at this point there was no point in trying to argue with him anymore. Instead, she gave him a look. "So you were trying to make me get along with him, huh?"

"No!" Kaito yelled much too quickly.

Maki just continued to stare at him oddly. Kaito interjected again, "I don't know why you avoided him so much anyways!"

"I don't avoid him." Maki argued.

"I know he can be difficult sometimes but that's just kids! He's not too much trouble anymore!"

"Maybe to you, but-"

Shuichi intervened. "Hey, where did my textbook go?"

The instant manic giggling gave the toddler away as he clumsily ran out of the room, clutching a worn history book high above his head, like some sort of prize.