It was Mori and Hani who ended up at Pumpkin's house, after she'd finally called them and begged them to help with her studies, since Kyouya wouldn't answer her calls and texts.

"Pu-chan, Pu-chan!" Hani called out, ringing the doorbell excitedly.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming! Don't get your bunnies in a bunch." Opening the door, she noticed quickly the boxes of cakes in their hands. "Woah, what's all this!?"

"Fuel! We're gunna need lots of energy to get through this studying mess!"

"We even got dutch chocolate with cherries." Mori's slow vocabulary didn't phase her in the least any more.

"Wow, really?" Pumpkin couldn't help but grin.

"Yea, are there other kinds of sweets you like, Pu-chan?" Hani asked, bounding through.

"Uhm.. gummy bears, actually. And peach rings. But those were easier to get back in Germany. The sweets here are so much more.. traditional! Although mochi is good, too." She led them through to the dining room as she spoke. "But you brought so much! I hope it wasn't a burden or anything."

"Not at all! Takeshi was the one who insisted, especially after how much you said you liked the dutch chocolate!"

"Oh.. you- remembered?" She looked up at the giant who nodded, smiling gently.

"Yes."

"Thank you. But.. I'm sorry I don't have much to give you back in return. I suppose.. we have some noodles?" She laughed dryly. "Oh, but milk! If we have cake, we must have milk." She wasted no time in gathering the cups for them as well as plates and forks.

"You've changed a lot, since we met you, huh?" Hani asked, taking a large bite of strawberry cake after she'd taken a nibble of her own.

"What do you mean?" She asked, sitting across from them.

"When we met you, you acted tough and tried to do everything for yourself. But now, you're very considerate and thoughtful!"

"What- I don't know what you mean!" She felt herself sweat drop. Was he catching on so quickly? She'd been told her personality changed depending on the crowd she hung out with, including mannerisms of speaking, so was he catching on to that? Was that something she actually did? Which made her wonder.. Did she even have her own personality?

"Yea, you act tough, but deep down you're just a big softy! Like getting to the soft ice cream under a hard chocolate shell! Mm, tasty!" Hani took another bite of cake.

"Oh- yea! That's me, all soft and squishie under here!" She tapped her chest with her fist. "In any case.. we should probably get to studying. I'm sorry to push it, but I don't know when my father will be back, and he's not.. necessarily all that supportive of me having male friends. Er- having male friends over, that is!" Lie after lie with her. It made her feel guilty, but sometimes she did what she felt she had to.

It wasn't even an hour later before Hani had fallen asleep, having eaten all the cake. Mori was the one who ended up helping her, having moved to sit closer to her to reach the books better. He was quite intelligent, Pumpkin noted. He'd go far, if Hani wasn't always around to drag him down. Wha- where did that thought come from? She felt embarrassed, but kept her mouth shut. But her mind continued, wondering about Mori's future without Hani. Was Mori even the leader type? Was he one to do things on his own without Hani around, or did he rely on his little brown-haired cousin all the time?

"Sagano-san." Mori said suddenly.

"Huh!" She looked up at him quickly, a little flustered, upset that she wasn't paying attention to what he'd been saying.

"You are in deep in thought, but not about this subject, right?"

"Ah- Y-yea.. Sorry." She glanced away.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." It would be inappropriate to mention it, right? Reaching out for her drink, she miscalculated and knocked her glass over, dumping the contents of it across the table and it dripped into his lap. "Gah! Sorry." She was trying to stay quiet for Hani as he slept, but seeing there wasn't a towel nearby, she pulled her sleeve up into her hand and patted at his leg. "I can see if my dad has a pair of pants he won't miss, but- I think you're much taller than him.. oh man, Mori-senpai, I'm sorry-"

"It's alright."

His hand rested on the back of her head, and she stopped trying to wipe up the liquid. "Huh?" She looked up at him. "What is it?" Sitting up, she watched as it seemed he was struggling to decide on what to say, his hand retracting. It seemed he was getting closer to her, and her eyes darted to his mouth on.. instinct?

"Segano-san. I would be greatly honored, if you would consider becoming my girlfriend!" His body went down, and he bowed to her, his hands under his face as his elbows went outward from his sides.

WHAT?! All of a sudden?! And so formal! "W-what- what if- someone saw us together? Everyone at school thinks I'm gay!"

"We'll go outside of school."

"And the other club members?"

"Would they care?"

Her eyes looked to Hani, his sleeping form unmoving except for his breathing. "And Hani-senpai?"

"He approves."

'He would get in the way!' She imagined the two of them together, and Hani bouncing around with his cake, he'd be like a third wheel! She underestimated him, but not really on purpose. Maybe if they went out, she could encourage Mori to do things on his own without Hani around. Push him to do things on his own. "Mori-senpai.." She wouldd feel guilty for saying no, she didn't know how to turn him down at all, it felt like a trap! "Why don't we go for something to eat?"

He sat up slowly and looked at her. "Is that.. a yes?"

"Perhaps!" She giggled, but the serious look on his face shut her up, and she cleared her throat, back stiffening. "I- Yes! But, I- don't know how?"

Oh man oh man oh man oh man she was really digging herself in a deep hole with no way out. How on EARTH was she supposed to say no? It wasn't like she didn't like Mori, but this was so sudden and out of the blue, not to mention it wasn't really a situation she wanted to be in.

"Pumpkin." His eyes were averted and cheeks slightly reddened.

"Huh!?" She gulped hard. Maybe he figured it out?

"Is this too soon to call you by your first name?"

"No, I'm kind of used to it from back in Germany."

"You can call me by mine. I would.. like it, if you did."

Were they moving fast by Japanese standards? Was this okay? He JUST asked her out! "O-okay, T-Takeshi."

His cheeks went a little redder as he smiled, looking at her finally. "Where would you like to go to eat, Pumpkin?"

"Anywhere is fine!"

Hani sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Unh.. Takeshi, I'm gunna go home, 'kay?"

"Okay."

"And congratulations you two!" Hani grinned widely before picking up his things and bounding out.

"Uh.. Is it.. okay, that he leave like that?" Pumpkin looked at the doorway.

"He is capabale on his own." Mori stood slowly and offered his hand to her. "How about some place.. with cake?"

"Haah.. you really are inseparable, aren't you." She smiled as dread lines appeared behind her head and took his hand.

A/N: It's short chapter this time, but I wanted to establish this quickly.

BWUAHAHAHA!