FASH: I'm going to go see The Spiderwick Chronicles with my little sister today, Freddie Highmore is such an adorable kid...

""-speech

''-thoughts

Mihae frowned solemnly, Sena had seemed a bit skittish after his last play date, even going so far as to insist that he could wait until Takami got settled in high school for his next one.

'But Yomi's boys seemed so sweet, did they just play with Sena a bit too roughly?' She really hoped that was the case, she didn't have many friends with children close to Sena's age, most of them were a fair amount older or younger.

'Sena insists that he doesn't need anyone to play with, but I hate it when he closes himself off in his room to play video games. He needs someone to play with him more gently, but Mamori-chan is busy with school and her clubs...' Her thoughts drifted off as Sena walked into the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and opening the fridge.

"Sena, I know you said you don't need to meet up with anyone until Takami-kun gets used to high school, but are you really sure about that?" Sena poured himself a glass of juice, taking a sip before answering.

"I'm sure mom, I can wait a couple weeks." "Did Agon-kun play nice with you, I remember Yomi saying he was a bit feisty." Sena tensed and Mihae immediately knew the answer was a resounding yes.

"Unsui-san was nice to me." He said in a small voice. "Agon-san just didn't want to play with a kid like me." "Aw, I'm sorry sweetie, next time I'll be sure to-" "You really don't have to find anyone else mom." He finished his juice and set the empty glass down beside the sink. "I'm sure that between Mamori-neechan and Takami-niichan I'll have plenty of fun, and they both can help me study and get my kitty." Sena smiled brightly. "Besides... I have friends in school." He finished somewhat nervously before scurrying out of the kitchen and up the stairs back to his room.

Mihae bit her bottom lip, wanting so badly to call up one of her friends and ask them if she could borrow their children for a bit.

'At least the school year will be over soon and then there's a break before the next semester, maybe I could get Takami-kun or Mamori-chan to come over sometime then?'

Not even a week later Sena was home alone, his father at work and his mother shopping, when he heard a knock on the door. At first he attempted to ignore it until the raps against the doorframe began forming a familiar pattern.

He ran to the door and flung it open with a cry of: "Mamori-neechan!" "Hello Sena, miss me?" She took a step forward and hugged him. "Of course I've missed you! Come in! Come in!"

Mamori stepped into the house and closed the door behind her, slipping off her shoes.

"Sena, I've been meaning to ask you-" She was interrupted by a couple firm knocks on the door. "You weren't expecting anyone were you?" She asked, hand already turning the handle and pushing the door open, blinking curiously at the tall boy on the other side.

"Ah! Takami-niichan! Why are you here?" Sena questioned curiously from behind Mamori.

"Well, I thought I could pay you a visit since I have some free time." Takami adjusted his glasses and crouched down. "So, how have your grades been? Any closer to getting your kitten?" "Well, they've gotten better, but not by much." Sena admitted as he stared at the ground, Takami smiled lightly and stood up, setting his eyes on Mamori.

"I'm Takami Ichiro, it's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed forward and the gesture was mirrored by Mamori. "Anezaki Mamori, the pleasure's all mine." She straightened herself up, eyes taking in every detail of the boy in front of her, lingering on the uniform that she knew was from an elite high school.

"So, how exactly do you know Sena?" "Well you see..."

One summed up explanation later found the three of them comfortably lounging around in the living room, Sena twiddling his thumbs as Mamori congratulated him on making a new friend. "And he's even someone who can help you with your studying and homework." She exclaimed happily, clapping her hands together. "Your mother comes up with some great ideas." She smiled brightly at Takami and bowed. "Thank you for taking care of Sena." "It's no problem, he's a good kid." Sena blushed lightly at the compliment.

A comfortable silence followed until Mamori sprung up suddenly, turning to face Sena so fast you'd think she'd get whiplash.

"Sena!" "Y-Yes?" "I meant to ask you before, you haven't been bullied lately have you?" Takami straightened his impeccable posture a bit. "Bullies?" He asked, fixing his gaze on Sena.

The brunette gulped nervously as two pairs of eyes stared at him, demanding some sort of answer.

"W-well, you know, they're not really bullies per say..." "What does that mean?" Takami questioned at the same time Mamori asked. "You mean you're still being a gopher for the tougher kids?" She leaned in closely, her lips pressed firmly together.

"I don't mind Mamori-neechan, I mean, as long as I do what they say they don't hurt me." Takami leaned forward on his seat. "Sena, how do you-" "I'm back!" Sena's mother called out. "Sena, who's over?" "Mamori-neechan and Takami-niichan." He shouted back, thankful for the slight distraction.

"Really?" Mihae strutted into the room with a large smile on her face. "Mamori-chan, Takami-kun, how are you today?" "Fine, thank you." They answered in unison, both of them smiling brightly at Sena's mother.

'Woah, now that I've seen them together I realize how freakishly similar they are...'Sena blinked at them as they made small talk with his mother politely and a warm smile grew on his face. As long as Mamori and Takami were his friends he really didn't need anyone else, even if he couldn't see them very often because they were in different schools. He allowed himself to sick further into the cushions of the couch as his mother asked if they needed anything.

After a couple minutes of idol chit chat Sena's mother went to the kitchen to put away the groceries and Sena could feel they pairs of eyes slowly coming to rest on his unmoving form.

Takami was leaning forward again. "Where was I... Oh yes, Sena, how do you know they won't hurt you if you do what they say?"

"I already told you it's not like they hurt me or anything-" 'Unless they accidentally push me into a wall too hard.' "And I'm already used to this way of life, there's no point trying to change it." He let out a sigh. "Besides, they really would start bulling me if I actually defied them, being their gopher keeps me relatively safe."

Takami and Mamori exchanged carful glances before Mamori leaned forward, her voice very soft and hardly above a whisper. "Sena, we don't want you to be used to that type of life and we don't go to the same school so I can't protect you anymore. But I really, really want you to try and stand up for yourself okay?" "Well, I don't really know for sure but I figure I get hurt less this way. Besides, I don't mind doing their classroom chores and stuff, it's not like I have anything better to do."

Takami and Mamori shared a look and Sena couldn't but think. 'Not only are they freakishly similar, they also seem to share a telepathic connection.'

"Sena, you have to start standing up for yourself or you'll end up doing chores by yourself for the rest of middle school." Mamori chided and Sena crossed his arms, pouting. "I don't stay after school doing chores all the time." Mamori gave him a look that clearly said 'oh really?'

"I avoided doing it on the days mom arranged the play dates because I didn't want to be late." He said almost regretfully, he knew where this conversation was going to go now.

"Well, don't you think that those are a pretty good solution to this problem then?" Mamori asked in a motherly voice and Sena quickly shook his head. "Why not?" "... No reason in particular..." Mamori sighed. "Alright, then just try to stand up for yourself a bit more okay?"

"Okay, I'll try." Sena lied smoothly without feeling much remorse about it, he highly doubted Mamori or Takami had ever had this type of problem and knew that trying to explain the situation would only make them more worried about it.

'It's not a big deal.' He told himself, not quite sure if he was being truthful. 'I'm used to it, so it's just easier for me to keep going on like this.'

An hours or so later both Mamori and Takami had made their way home, both seemingly satisfied with Sena's 'resolution' to stand up for himself. Ha.

He solemnly stared at the television screen as he expertly handled the video game controller. He was finally fighting the final boss and could afford no lapses in concentration.

"SENA!" His mother burst through the door excitedly and Sena flinched out of reflex, accidentally walking right into the final boss's biggest attack.

'I... I died?' "Sena, tomorrow is you're first day of your second year in middle school, what would you like for lunch?" "Uhhh... Anything's fine mom." Sena said as he stared at the red flashing text the declared the game was over.

"Aw, don't be like that! I'll make you anything you want." "Um, can I have croquettes then?" A wide smile broke out on Mihae's face. "Of course sweetie." She gazed at him for a few long moments before rushing forward and clasped his head gently between her hands and Eskimo kiss. "Ah, my little baby's finally going into grade eight!" "M-Mom!" Sena vainly tried to escape his mother's iron grip without much luck. "Oh, let me have my fun." She cooed at him before letting his face go.

"Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes, okay." She called back to him as she exited his room and Sena nodded before turning back to the screen and sighing. 'Back to square one.'

His second year was shaping up to be very similar to his first, not all of the classmates who picked on him were in his class now, but a couple still remained and he could practically feel their stares stabbing into him.

Apparently they didn't like how he had skipped out on them and made them clean up by themselves after class on the days where he'd gone home quickly for his play-dates and were in the mood to make him pay for it.

'Ah well, they'll probably just get me to run a couple more errands than usual, it's nothing I can't handle.' He thought to himself as he took out his math textbook and began following along with the teacher, frowning ever so slightly.

Just when he'd started getting used to the math he was learning they start teaching him a bunch of new stuff, school sucked. Still, he took notes and followed along dutifully knowing full well that if he ever had any problems there was now another person he could go to for help.

School sucked, but life in general was pretty good as long as he ignored the looks being sent his way by his 'good friends.'

And then school was out, and without even realizing what was going on he had become cornered in the empty classroom while he was packing up his math notes. So now he was stuck between two walls and three fairly large bodies that were blocking his escape route.

He really should have expected this to happen, even if only a couple of his bullies were in the same class they were the most persistent of the lot, the most violent, lazy and easy to anger too.

A fear that had been sleeping undisturbed inside of him since he found out he'd never have to be around Agon again suddenly awoke with vigor.

Sure Agon was the scariest person Sena had the displeasure of meeting, but at least there was only one of him.

"Hey Sena, there's a couple things me and the guys wanna talk to you about." The self proclaimed 'leader' of the group said as he cracked his knuckles and puffed out his chest and even though Sena was sure that he would never dare to actually punch him the nervousness he felt was still there.

If Riku was still here he'd want Sena to run away as quick as he could and damn the consequences, but Sena was of the pessimistic sort and felt that if he ran away now after these guys specifically told him they wanted to 'talk' to him, there would be hell to pay.

And so after a rather short and one sided conversation and a light smack upside the head he ended up staying after class cleaning his home room as the other boys sat around reading manga and carrying all of their bags home. Thanks God it seemed like none of them bothered bringing their texts books to school, he definitely wouldn't have been able to carry the load other wise.

Unfortunately his late arrival home with 'no explanation' was something that put his mother on edge.

"No matter what you say I know what's going on Sena. I know and I want to help, please let me help." She asked as she settled her hands on his shoulders and looked down at him with large pleading eyes that made Sena feel as though he'd be the worst son on the face of the Earth if he denied her anything.

His resolve, which he had tried to defend incessantly, cracked. And so with a sigh he caved in.

'I suppose just as long as I never have to be with anyone like Agon-san again, I'll be fine.'