A/N: Just a warning, if you aren't comfortable with Kano being unlike, well, cocky, deceiving Kano, you probably should just quit this story all together. If you can tough it out, feel free to read chapter three. :) Enjoy! :)

Chapter 3 - So...

The bed was warm. Kido yawned. Eyes still closed, she realized that her cheek was sticky from being pressed against her pillow all night.

Stretching, she sluggishly climbed out of bed and scratched her messy bed hair.

It was just another normal Saturday morning, so she didn't bother putting on street clothes. After all, the Mekakushi Dan was really laid back, as Kano had pointed out to Shintaro.

Kano... She thought something was wrong concerning Kano. She couldn't quite remember what. Kano was certainly a queer child.

Stumbling into the kitchen, Kido was shocked to see that Kano and Shintaro were both already up. The black haired NEET was sitting at the table, bags under his eyes, looking utterly miserable while Ene yelled to do something from Shintaro's phone.

Kano was cupping a coffee mug with both hands. He and Shintaro were sitting side by side, rather awkwardly. Kano looked up when Kido entered.

"Good morning," he said softly, his cat-like eyes watching her with caution.

Ah, Kido sighed. That's what was wrong with Kano. That's why he wasn't teasing Shintaro like he usually would.

" 'Morning," Kido replied, a little coldly.

Shintaro took a swig of Coca Cola and pushed his chair back. His black shirt was rumpled. "Well, now that you're here, I guess I'll go," he said.

"Wait - " Kido began, but the NEET walked away quickly, muttering about how he always got stuck with the worst jobs. Actually, it was usually Kano who stuck him with the worst jobs...

Kido turned her gaze to the blond boy that she used to know. "So..."

"So..." he echoed.

They stared at each other uncomfortably. Kano had changed into plain clothes, a white t-shirt and black shorts, but his face wasn't a face that he had ever made before. Kido became aware of how sloppy she looked in her light lavender matching pajamas. Sure, they matched, but they were badly wrinkled and her hair was a mess. She blushed.

"My name... it's Shuuya?" He asked it to his coffee, not to Kido.

"Yes..." Kido answered, "but we all call you Kano."

"And you are?"

"My name is Kido Tsubomi. You..." She choked on the words. You call me Danchou. You don't call me Tsubomi, anymore, though. You just did that when we were younger... She wondered why he had stopped being Shuuya, why Tsubomi was gone, and why Kousuke had become Seto. It was like those children had all lost their identities. It was a melancholy thought.

"Kido-san, then," Kano whispered. He paused. "Does my family know that I'm here?"

"We are your family..." Kido fought back her anger. How could this idiot forget about that? About her, Seto and their childhood. About Ayano. About the Dan. About...

He shook his head. "Parents. My parents. And my siblings. Do I have siblings?"

Kido suppressed her fury - or were those tears? "You don't have any siblings. Well, Seto and I are your siblings, sort of. And Ayano was..."

"Seto... He's the boy with the green suit?"

"You always said he looks like a frog," Kido said sadly, a melancholy smile on her lips.

"No, he don't," Kano replied. Hearing that familiar slip in grammar, that old accent, hurt Kido's chest. She felt like she was drowning.

"Well, anyway, that's Seto," she responded quickly, a little harshly.

"And my parents?"

"You really don't remember?"

He shook his head.

"They're dead," Kido told him. "You grew up in an orphanage with Seto, Ayano and me."

"Who's Ayano?"

Kido said nothing. She turned and left so that he couldn't see her face. He was confused, she could tell.

"Kido-san?"

She turned back. "What?"

"... Are you... crying?"

"No," she lied. "No, I just have allergies."

Kano tilted his head innocently. "Okay," he said, in a voice like a little boy who was lost.

"Kido-san?" he called again.

"What?"

"Do I have a girlfriend?"

Kido smirked to herself. "No," she told him. Some things never changed.

He nodded again. "Okay," he said again in that little voice. "Do you have one?"

"I... ah... no..." she stuttered, turning crimson.

"Sorry... I mean... a boyfriend, I mean..." He suddenly glanced in fear at her hands, which she had tucked under her crossed arms.

"N-No..." Kido replied, a little embarrassed.

"So..."

"So..."

Kido stood and Kano sat, cupping his coffee, silently. Kano cleared his throat. Kido strode over to the refrigerator and pulled open the door.

The cold air crept over her skin. She pretended to inspect the contents of the fridge before pulling out the mochi treats that she never let Kano have for breakfast. He had just convinced her to buy them three days ago.

"Want one?" she held out the box of green tea ice cream mochi treats. She didn't really like the gummy skins, but the green tea ice cream inside was delicious, even if she didn't care to admit it.

He shook his head. "No thank you, Kido-san..." He paused, obviously scared that she would take offense and hit him like she had yesterday. "N-No offense, I just... I don't know what it is..."

Kido swallowed the lump in her throat. "Try one," she suggested, gently.

He took one of the treats and nibbled at it gingerly. He looked surprised.

"It's good!" he exclaimed.

Kido laughed. "You were the one who asked to buy it," she reminded him.

His face immediately sobered. "Oh," he whispered, trying to remember the request.

He leaned on the sleek wooden table. There was more silence.

At last, Kano got up from his chair and muttered something about the bathroom. "Can I go... to the bathroom...?" His voice was so timid. Kido thought it was disgusting.

She nodded. Kano would never have asked permission to use the bathroom.

Kano, the strange new Kano lowered his head in embarrassment. Shifting from one foot to the other, looking like he was going to wet himself right then and there, he muttered, "Um... where...?"

"First door on the right," Kido told the strange little boy who was Kano but was not Kano. She really didn't need him urinating in the kitchen.

He looked... bashful. Kano looked bashful. It was too much. A week ago, Kido would have paid to see this. Now, she just wanted this all to be a sick joke Kano was playing.

"Thank you, Kido-san..." he said as he awkwardly headed to the bathroom.

Kido sat down at the table and put her head down. The voice she heard in her mind wasn't timid. It was cocky, slightly annoying, and it called her "Danchou." She missed that voice already.

A/N: I know I said this one wouldn't come out until next week, but I got my omake chapter done early, and people seemed to want to read chapter three, so I hope you liked it! Please give me constructive criticism on how to improve my writing! Thanks for your support and your patience! :)