Next chapter up! I have worked extra hard to revive my creativity and I think this will be the right amount of drama for the story. Still, let me not decide by myself and let you tell me what you think, so please R&R? Many thanks :)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own KHR or Hibari or Haru. The rest are my creation as well as the locations here. The plot I also claim as mine and any similarity between it and any other is purely coincidental.
"Ah, Kyo-chan, don't look so moody now. You're with family, aren't you?" said the woman as she neared them. She was very pretty and a little tall. Her fingers were perfectly manicured and her hair was done up perfectly. Her make-up was also very well done and her jewellery served to compliment her flawless skin and perfect wardrobe. Everything about her screamed perfect princess. She did have grey eyes like Hibari's which seemed to be common amongst the other men behind her. They were not all the same shape though.
"Well, are you going to introduce us then Kyoya?" Haru stood her ground feeling suddenly defensive. But maybe she wasn't so bad?
She held her hand out to Haru and smiled. Haru took her hand. It seemed softer than any hand Haru had ever touched. She did notice the glint in the woman's eyes though and it unsettled her a bit.
"I'm Hanazawa Kurumi, Hibari's aunt. You can call me Kurumi-chan. You look so much cuter up close, don't you think so Kyoya?" she asked turning her gaze to him. Hibari didn't reply or look at her for that matter. He seemed more preoccupied with the biodiversity of the grass at their feet. Clearly he wanted nothing to do with these people. Haru bit her lip nervously.
"Well, of course you do. You don't make any mistakes with the girls you choose after all, hmm? What's your name darling?" she asked.
"Miura Haru," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
"Oh, a shy one. Don't worry, we don't bite... much."
Kurumi laughed and turned to the men behind her pulling Haru with her. Haru looked back at Hibari who let go of her hand as she was taken towards the men. "Come, I have to introduce you to the rest of the house. Kyoya can't keep you under lock and key forever, now can he?
"These are my brothers, that's Ryu, the oldest," she said pointing them out to Haru, "this is Keita, the second oldest and Kenji, our youngest brother. The fourth brother is on his way with his wife and their little daughter as well. I hope you're good with children. There are quite a few here. Have you had a chance to see the rest of the house?"
Kurumi dragged Haru away and left the men alone. Hibari didn't for one second believe that they meant the very best. Kurumi had always had something against him so it was no wonder either. He looked at the three men defiantly.
"Come to claim part of the fortune, Kyoya?" asked Kenji with a smirk. He was the one closest to Hibari's age. His hair was dyed dark red and he had pierced his ear. He was decidedly handsome and had had his fair share of trouble with women in the past. He had a grudge against Hibari because the brat had stolen his thunder and his father's affection away from his own son.
"Kurumi is right though. That girl is pretty. Haru-chan, was it? I might just think of adding her to my conquests."
Hibari glared at him for that. Ryu slapped him in the back of the head and crossed his arms.
"You have had enough girls Kenji. Leave Kyoya's girl alone. I didn't think Suki-chan would be very pleased with you if she heard. Speaking of which, go and get that silly girl before she hurts herself."
Keita laughed at that and slapped his younger brother's back.
"Ryu's right Ken-chan. You sure do know how to pick them. Speaking of which, I had better go and see how Maria is doing. She's pregnant again you know... Now it's just up to Kyo-san here to sire an heir. Even Ken-san has a few bastard children to his name, don't you brother? I gather that girl is the one who will bear you that heir, eh?" he said turning to Kyoya with a grin and wiggled his eyebrows.
"That's enough from both of you. Go and tend to your spouses. There is much I have to discuss with our dear nephew," said Ryu with a lot of seriousness. Kenji smirked and shrugged off his brother's hand.
"Very well. I think I'll go and find that cute little Haru-chan. She's obviously going to be family now, isn't she?" He threw his head back and walked away laughing while Hibari glared daggers at him. Keita noticed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Er, I'll go and see that he doesn't get in trouble then. Nice to see you again Kyo-san," he said with a smile and left Hibari with his eldest uncle.
"It's obvious to everyone that father loved you more than his own sons," said Ryu getting straight to the point. That was at least one thing he liked about this uncle. Keita's humour sometimes grated on Hibari's nerves although he admitted that he was no worse than Dino in that respect. Kenji, he didn't like at all. Their rivalry went way beyond that of brothers. If Hibari succeeded at something, Kenji would try to make sure he beat Hibari at something else. Now he was after Haru and he would not allow it if he had to beat the arrogant jerk to within an inch of his life.
"I think he gave you this house if I'm not wrong. He did say he was leaving you to deal with a large part of his inheritance, but you will probably be inheriting as much as the rest of us. He treated you as a son, but he was a fair man.
"I know this will probably bring a lot more enmity between us, but I spoke to the others and asked that in the interest of respecting our father's memory, we at least try to get along during this visit. I won't promise to pretend to like you and I know you don't like any of us. That's an accepted fact and I won't insult my father by pretence. We can at least try to be civil, however.
"After that, we can go our separate ways and never have to cross paths again. Can you promise me to at least try to do this? I will do my best to keep Kenji away from your woman in the mean time and Keita has also promised to try."
Hibari nodded and began to walk away.
"For what it's worth, Kurumi is right. You have chosen a pretty one. I hope she's worthy to carry on the name," said Ryu turning to head toward the gravestones near the temple.
Hibari smirked at that comment and continued walking. He could do civility. He had been doing that for almost all his life, having spent it around people he didn't particularly like. Yes, he could be civil. Right then though, he wanted to find Haru and make sure she wasn't with Kenji. That would be a problem and he would probably break his promise to Ryu.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Haru's head was spinning by the time she was introduced to the last of Ryu's children. She excused herself and went to the kitchen. The place was filled with the smell of delicious food and servants rushed about everywhere. Akino beamed when she saw Haru and asked her to sit while she brought her some water.
"I suppose you have met Kyo-chan's uncles and aunt. The last two are on their way with their own families. This house will be full to capacity and I will have a lot more to do," she said with a sigh. A few servants rushed past with plates of uncooked rice and vegetables to put together. It was a hive of activity and Haru watched enraptured.
"Have you met them all?" asked Akino dipping her spoon into her pot and tasting it. She smiled, added a bit of pepper and continued stirring.
"I think so. Kurumi-chan has been showing me around. I didn't know Hib... I mean, Kyoya-san had a family this big. It's rather nice to know." Haru smiled over her cup and let her mind wander. She had been an only child for as long as she could remember. Her own parents never kept contact with their relatives so she had only seen her grandparents maybe once or twice.
Otherwise, they were never at home. After she had turned sixteen and Tsuna had inherited the title of Vongola Tenth, she had moved into the Vongola mansion with the rest of her friends and she had never had to be alone again.
How nice it must be to have such a large family, she thought. She also didn't understand why Hibari didn't like his family so much. So far, everyone he had met had been very good to her and rather friendly. It was a little strange, she thought, although there was definitely something strange about Hibari's aunt. She was very nice and friendly, but Haru couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a set up. Oh well, maybe she was imagining things.
"There you were," came a silky baritone voice from the doorway. Both Haru and Akino looked up to see Kenji leaning against the doorway with a smile on his face. Haru had seen that smile before and it unsettled her completely.
"Ah, Akino, you were here too. Long time no see, eh? I'm glad to see you're doing well..."
"Hibari Kenji, don't give me that smile. I raised you myself so I know you have something planned. You had better not be planning anything funny or I will take you on myself. I may be old, but I'm not weak," said Akino severely. Kenji laughed and walked into the kitchen chuckling.
"Why do you always suspect me of something? And now you're going to embarrass me in front of a very pretty young lady? That's mean of you Akino-chan..."
"Look at you disrespecting your elder like that. Use the right honorific you manner-less boy. Do you think I'm one of those girls you keep chasing every which way?" He chuckled again and sent an apologetic look towards Haru. Halfway through Akino's rant, he winked at her with a smile Haru was sure was meant for her.
She flushed several shades of red and concentrated on the water in her cup. Was he aiming for her now? She hadn't missed his compliment when he called her a "pretty young lady" either. This didn't look good. He was handsome and he seemed to be rather nice. Haru wasn't sure what it was about Hibari's family that he didn't like, but her instincts told her not to take anything here at face value. Hibari never just disliked anyone without reason.
He hadn't talked much to Haru and Kyoko in the beginning, but he didn't dislike them. He just didn't bother with them altogether. Now, looking at the laughing man before her being chided by Akino-san as if he was seven years old, Haru thought that she would have to be careful.