Tuesday morning, Hikaru grabbed hold of Kaoru's arm. "Come on, Hima's not here yet! Quick, grab the seat on the other side of Haruhi!"

Haruhi looked back and forth, surprised. "Hey guys. Don't you usually sit together?"

"Isn't it better," Hikaru started.

-"that we're ALL together?" Kaoru finished.

She smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess for a change that might be nice. But, y'know, Ina usually sits on that side, Kaoru."

"So, what?" Hikaru answered instead. "She had you all weekend and last week. We can at least sit with you in class without her interference."

"Interference?" Haruhi repeated, confused.

Hima bounded into the classroom, Ina following shortly after. "Good moooorning!" She bounced in and settled in her usual spot behind Haruhi. She looked back and forth between the twins. "Oh fun! We're making a Haru-chan sandwich!"

Hikaru caught Ina's glance at them and he grinned eagerly to see any trace of disappointment, even frustration at them taking her usual spot, but she had no interesting expression at all.

Ina saw the situation, sized up that they were having a good time, and – no change to her stoic expression – she walked to the back of the classroom and took a seat by the window. She tucked her things away and rested her chin on her hand, looking outside.

"That was easy," Hikaru muttered, completely satisfied. "So, Haruhi, we heard you went to mom's salon! How'd you love it?"

"She's a really great lady," Haruhi said. "Pretty forceful, though. I see where you get your personal force."

"Ouch," Kaoru said.

"We're spunky," Hikaru dismissed, "not forceful."

"Have you even met yourself?" Haruhi said.

Hima giggled. "If you thought she was fun, you should meet my mom!"

Kaoru perked up. "That sounds great!"

Hikaru warmed to any idea with more togetherness. "Yeah! All of us should go! What do you say, Haruhi?"

"Well, only if Hima and her family are okay with it. I don't invite myself to things like you two do."

Hima laughed, and while she teased them mercilessly, Haruhi glanced back at Ina.

"Hey, Hima," she asked, "is Inari alright? She doesn't seem herself…"

"She told me she needs some space," Hima said, showing a flicker of concern too. "Things were fine yesterday, but when she came to pick me up this morning, she had something on her mind. I'm sure things will be okay. She's better at things like that than I am… I don't even know if I could help if she asked…"

"Hey," she said, "I'm sure you'd be a great help. We can help together, though, when she's ready. Right?"

Hima seemed cheered by that and hugged her from behind. "Yeah! Okay!"

Hikaru heard that and glowered for most of class. Even from way in the back, Ina was butting in.

Even with the Twins watching closely, Ina stayed at the piano. She didn't even get up to tend snacks or warm tea, so eventually they relaxed their guard.

Only Haruhi was less cooperative a toy than usual.

"No."

"What do you mean, no?" the Twins said together, having just cozied up to her to include her in a fresh twincest moment.

She shoved them off and straightened her jacket. "I said no. I don't mind playing with you guys, but things are different now."

Kaoru's eyes widened and Hikaru's breath stopped for a moment.

"Come on, you never had a problem with us before!"

Kaoru held Hikaru back. "If Haruhi doesn't want to play, she doesn't have to. We can find a game all of us can play, right? Hima?"

Hima nodded, getting his plea for help, and stuck both hands in the air excitedly. "Who wants to play Fruits Basket?! MEEE!"

Haruhi, pleased to have an out, raised her hand. "Yeah! We can have a big group. What do you say, ladies?"

Once everyone who wanted to play, including Tamaki and his herd of more fun-loving guests, gathered their seats in the circle, it was almost a whole club event.

Ina shifted her choice of music to something more playful and light, but her mind was somewhere else and, while accurate and lovely, her music lacked a spark.

Kyoya, not a fan of such party games, set a cup of tea on the piano. "Take a break."

She stopped, but didn't touch the tea, just clasped her hands in her lap and looked down at them.

"Talking about this might help," he said quietly. "We stand together, even through tough times. But we can't help if you don't say something."

She didn't look up, just nodded. "I understand."

He got the feeling she didn't, but she might have got enough. "Eat something. In your condition, you shouldn't fast under stress."

It took all he had to walk away.

Once Haruhi tired of the game, she also came over to the piano. "Hey."

Ina, back to playing now, gave her a weak smile. "Hey. Sorry I didn't come sit with you today."

"That would have been hard," Haruhi said, "considering Kaoru took your spot." She looked at the now cold tea on the piano. "Hima said you had something on your mind. Anything I can do?"

Ina shook her head while her fingers mechanically moved across the keys. "Not really…" She paused and looked up at her. "I… I know I've had a lot of your time lately, but is there a chance you might come over? Maybe tomorrow?"

Haruhi looked back at the game. "I wish I could… The Twins invited me and Hima over tomorrow after school for dinner. I already agreed to do stuff with them and the guys all week… I'm sorry, Ina. Can we talk now? Or after we close up?"

Ina lowered her eyes. "No, no, don't worry about it. I'll try and set something up later."

Haruhi didn't like the look in her face. "Are you sure?"

Ina gave her another smile, sympathetic. "It's okay. Really. We'll work something out."

"Oh… Okay. Just know we're here if you need us."

The Twins appeared behind Haruhi. "Something wrong?" they said, grinning.

Ina stopped playing.

"Lay off, you guys," Haruhi said. "Don't be mean."

"Who said we were mean?" Kaoru said.

"In fact, we're prepared to be very generous!" Hikaru said magnanimously. "If you want to hang out with Haruhi this week, we're prepared to invite you along, Inari!"

"On one condition," they said together. They produced their hats, popped them on their heads, and shuffled who stood where. "You play – and WIN – the which one is Hikaru game!"

The members of the club looked up in surprise.

"I thought you two were over that game," Tamaki said, worried. "We had that whole episode about you both where you finally let people win?"

"Nothing comes from that game but trouble," Haruhi said, frowning.

"Our deal stands," Hikaru said, smiling. "You've already agreed to hang out with us this week to make up for ignoring us completely to go do girl things, so if Inari wants to come along, she's got to play by our rules!" He waved a cautionary finger at her. "And no help from you! You've already won."

Hima looked from them to Ina. "Well, go on, Ina."

She looked both weary and worried. "Are you serious right now?"

Kaoru grinned. "We do our best not be serious unless absolutely necessary."

"But in this case," Hikaru said, "we're dead serious." He smiled fiendishly. "Make your guess, with reasoning, or you're not coming along."

Ina lowered her head and collected her bag. "Noted," she said wearily.

Hima blocked her way to the door. "Ina? Why aren't you playing? You can do it, I know you can!"

Ina took Hima's hand and gave it a squeeze, offering her a little smile. "Just not in the mood, I guess. See you tomorrow?"

"Will you guess then?" she asked.

"Maybe. We'll see." She walked out and didn't look back.

Hima watched Ina carefully the next day. "Why aren't you showing them what you're made of? You can do it! I believe in you!"

"But I can't tell the difference," Ina said, "not when they're together. They don't want me to know, and trying hard enough, I don't think I'll be able to tell even if I wanted to play their stupid game."

Hima stared at her in shock. "You… can't? But you're so smart, Ina, you have to know!" She pointed at each twin. "That one is Hikaru, that one is Kaoru. It's not difficult, Ina, just try!"

"I'm sorry, Hima," she said, "you're better at this than me."

Hima's jaw dropped, and she stayed stunned through most of the school day. By club hours, she had a plan.

"Okay, Ina!" she said, holding up a stack of stickie notes. "I've got it, Ina! We can do this! Haruhi isn't supposed to help, but that doesn't mean I can't! Here, I have these notes! I'm going to put blue ones on Kaoru and pink ones on Hikaru! That way you can guess and be right every time! But you really only have to be right once, right? This'll work, I'm sure of it!"

"I'm pretty sure that's breaking their rules still," Ina said, though the plan made her smile. "It's clever though. It'd be more fun if you wrote things on them so they don't know what you're doing?"

Hima beamed. "What a fun idea! Okay! Watch me, now!" She ran off and hugged each of the twins, planting a stickie on each of their backs. "Mmmm! Missed you guys!"

"Missed us?" Kaoru asked.

"We were just in class, silly," Hikaru grinned, messing up her hair.

"What to sit at our table today, Hima?" they asked together.

"Wait," she pulled away from them and pointed proudly to Ina. "What about your game? I'm sure Ina's going to win now! Just try! Go on, go on!" She smiled widely.

Kaoru's heart sunk, sure they'd set Ina an impossible challenge. He looked at Hikaru, worried Hima would be crushed.

Hikaru, however, smiled at the challenge. "That confident? Fine. Well, Inari? Ready?"

Ina gave them a withering look. "Nope. And I won't be. You don't want me to win, and it's stupid. Haruhi can choose who to hang out with regardless of your silly rules and your stupid game."

Before Hikaru could flip out and Karou could call out her rudeness, Hima stood in front of them. "That wasn't the plan, Ina! They're even marked! How could you just" –

"Marked?" the Twins demanded.

Hikaru whirled on Haruhi. "You weren't supposed to meddle!"

"I didn't," she said.

Hima faced them. "Don't blame Haru-chan. I put the notes on you guys, so Ina could tell. It isn't fair to give her a game she can't win!"

They blinked, suddenly distracted from their mission. "You marked us?"

"Clever," Hikaru said. "We said Haruhi couldn't help Ina, but we didn't think you'd get her help to cheat. We should have given you more credit."

"I don't need Haru-chan's help," Hima said, looking at them in confusion. "I don't understand how this is a game. You look a lot alike, but you're my Kaoru and my Hikaru."

"Reasoning?" Hikaru demanded.

Hima broke into a smile and hugged them in turns. "My Kao is sweet and silly and gets lost in his little head sometimes! And my Hika is prickly and sassy and is particular about everything!"

The others stared in shock as she happily listed off their individual traits while nearly choking them with smothering affection.

"What do you know…" Haruhi said with a little smile. "She really can tell!"

Part 2: How dare you/Ina blows her top

Hikaru pulled his way out of Hima's fussing. "Lemme go!"

Kaoru stayed where he was and smiled at Hima. "Wow. You really do know? We didn't think anyone else could tell, other than Haruhi…"

"It doesn't matter!" Hikaru snapped, then stood straight victoriously. He pointed at Ina. "By not playing, you forfeit! Stay away from Haruhi, got it?"

Haruhi slapped his hand down. "You don't get to call the shots, Hikaru!" she said. "I can make friends however I like. You don't have a right to control who I hang out with, you never have! Now stop being silly about this and let's just get this behind us, alright?"

"And you'd choose her over us, is that it?!" he snapped back.

"I never said that," Haruhi said, "just get off her case, hear me?"

Hima looked up and around. "Wait… Ina?"

Chika pointed to the door. "She left."

"That proves it," Hikaru said. "She doesn't care to fight for you. So, you're ours again by default!" He beamed happily.

"You're crazy," Haruhi sighed, knowing changing his mind was an uphill battle, especially when he was completely off-base already.

Hima looked at Kaoru, worried. "I… Ina doesn't look okay, Kao," she said.

"I'm not sure we really won here," he agreed, watching Hikaru's smugness.

Later that week, a partner assignment was announced in class 2A.

Hima reached over to tug Kaoru's sleeve. "Hey," she said. "Can we be partners for this one? You and me?"

He looked at her hand on his jacket and blushed a little. "Yeah, that'd be fun! Okay!" He grinned, more and more pleased with this idea.

Hikaru watched them with Haruhi and smiled too. "Looks like it's you and me, Haruhi. You wouldn't leave me alone with Kaoru taken, would you?"

"Well, no, but I'm sure you wouldn't want for partners."

"Duh," he sighed, "but none of them are near as interesting as you."

"Thanks," she said, flatly, not sure she was over his outburst at the club before. "Just remember this is a partner project, not group work. Whatever we do has to be different than what Kaoru and Hima are doing." She looked back over her shoulder to where Ina sat looking out the window.

Hikaru blocked her view and dismissed concerns with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry, I know how to do a partner project, it'll be fine."

Haruhi leaned over to see past him, reassured a few different people offered to be Ina's partner, but she still didn't feel good about it. "Right…"

Kaoru caught Haruhi's eye and shook his head sadly, as frustrated as her Hikaru didn't seem to be getting the message.

They walked together with the club, Hikaru with his arm around Haruhi's shoulders and Hima riding on Kaoru's back. "This should be easy peasy for us," Kaoru said, bouncing Hima with each step.

"Whoa-oa-oa!" Hima laughed, enjoying the game.

"We should probably block off the whole weekend to work on it," Hikaru said. "It's easy, but it's big enough we'll need a lot of time."

"Don't you think we could use some of the days this week we've already planned to spend together to do the project?" Haruhi asked, bristling a little at his assumption she'd just drop everything to spend all day with them.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hikaru said. "We've got our evenings booked solid! We've been looking forward to this."

Once at music room #3, they dressed in their traditional cosplay for the day.

Ina came in later, crossing paths with Haruhi at the dressing rooms.

"Hey," Haruhi said, pausing. "Did you find a partner today?"

"Yes, thank you," she said. "Hikaru's determined to keep me at a distance, isn't he?" She shook her head. "Well, that'll be easier before too long…" She looked up at her. "Haruhi… I know you've already agreed to spend time with the Twins, but I really need to talk to you. Not here, though. Is there any way I can convince you to come over this week? Please?"

Haruhi tried to work out what Ina's expression had behind it. "What is going on you can't tell me here? Are you sick?"

"No… No, I'm not sick," she replied, embarrassed. "It's just… I don't want the guys to know. Not yet. And you're so even-tempered, I really hoped you could, I dunno, give me some advice?"

Haruhi struggled. "I'd love to help, but I have already agreed to hang out with Kaoru and Hikaru. … Not that I'm actually all that into the idea."

Ina took her costume off the rack, careful with the silk on the kimono. "I understand. If you change your mind, let me know. Maybe we can sneak a phone call in at some point…" She hesitated and gave Haruhi's arm a friendly squeeze. "I appreciate your honesty."

Once Haruhi rejoined the others, Hikaru was glowering. "What was that about?"

"Ina asked me to make some time for her," Haruhi said, frowning at him.

"And you told her off, then," Hikaru smiled, pleased. "Way to go, Haruhi!"

"Whatever we do or say to each other isn't any of your business," she retorted. "And you know what, I won't be accepting your invitation for this week after all. Sorry."

He stared at her, torn between yelling at her and demanding an explanation. "Where the hell is this coming from?!"

Haruhi sighed. "You can't just monopolize a person, Hikaru. It's not right."

"SHE put you up to this, didn't she?!" he snapped. "You're OUR friend! Our best friend! How can you just toss that aside for somebody who you just met this year!?" He fumed and clammed up. "No. No, this can't be you. This has to be her!" He stormed toward the prep rooms.

Hima looked on in terror and dismay, hurrying to stand with Haruhi. "Hika, don't!"

Tamaki hurried to stand in the way. "Hikaru, what do you think you're doing?"

"I turned you both down, Hikaru," Haruhi said, "leave her alone!"

"Get out of the way, Boss," Hikaru hissed. "I need to hear it from her!"

Ina put her hand on Tamaki's shoulder. "Excuse me, senpai," she said quietly. "Let him say his piece."

"You heard me!" he shouted at her accusingly. "You get some kind of sick pleasure from stealing peoples' friends?!"

Ina straightened up and her eyes flashed. "No. Do you?"

Hima hid behind Haruhi, trembling. "Here it comes…"

"What the hell do you mean?! Don't you throw this back at me!"

Ina glared at him. "Why? Because you know it would stick? I didn't throw a fit like a petulant child when Hima warmed up to you and Kaoru. I'm not sore that she's widening her friendships – that's why we came here. I'm not even upset she cares so much about you both that she can tell you apart!" She leveled a severe look at him. "But what does steam me up is seeing you, with so many friends, ignore all of their efforts and hold back the one person you've let yourself get close to!"

He opened his mouth to shout back, but Ina braced herself and yelled instead.

"HOW DARE YOU! How dare you! You've had these amazing friends roll out the red carpet for you and you're so obsessed with loading all of your attention on a couple of people who don't deserve getting saddled with all of your insecurities! Look around for God's sake!" She gestured to the club members. "Every one of them has thrown themselves wide open to you! And you probably didn't notice, but so did I!"

He blinked, angry and shocked.

"That's right, I wanted to be your friend too!" She teared up. "You're tough, I get it, but you dismissed me the same way you've dismissed everyone else! If you took any interest in a person, you'd get to see there's a lot more to them. We like the same music – or didn't you notice?! And you've taken everybody for granted, despite everything they've done for you! Most people would do anything for a close group of friends like you've got, and every one of them has done as much for you as Haruhi or more!"

She bit back tears and took a heavy breath. "And now you've lost your chance." She turned her head to speak to Kyoya who stood just behind her. "I'll have someone deliver the kimono back, but I can't stay today."

"Wait, what?" Haruhi looked between the two of them, concerned.

"We wish you would stay," Tamaki said, equally confused.

She shook her head. "No offense meant, but I need to cool off." She bowed to Tamaki. "It's only fair to tell you I may not be back next week. I'd hoped for a better way to break this to you and the others, but my father has agreed to an engagement. I don't know what they intend, but there's a strong chance I'll be taken from school as early as next week. I'm on borrowed time already…"

"That's what you wanted to see me about…" Haruhi said, in shock.

Ina glanced at Kyoya who hid behind his glasses. She looked back at Hikaru. "Appreciate what you've got before it's gone, hear me?"

Hima sniffed, trembling. "Why didn't you TELL me?"

"Like I said, I hoped there'd be a gentler way…" Ina shook her head to clear it. "I need to go." She left immediately, hurrying down to the cars to hide her tears before they poured out.