A lightly tanned girl with tan hair reaching a few inches below her shoulders and amber-colored eyes; she was roughly sixteen was walking up a long flight of stairs, secluded in the middle of the forest. She was headed up to a two-story house painted light blue.
The girl was greeted by an older average-tanned man with dark brown hair reaching just above his shoulders and brown eyes.
"So—how was school?" The man asked the girl.
"Yes, Reina; how was school?" A fair-skinned boy with green eyes and messy nape-length honey-blonde hair with two red streaks running through it asked, teasing the girl.
"Haku, when did you get here?" The girl, Reina, asked, watching the boy, Haku.
"Umm… About two hours ago, I guess. This idiot was peeing in a bush because he locked himself out of the house—again." Haku answered in a bored tone.
"Mamoru… You are so lucky we don't have any neighbors!" Reina yelled at the older male.
"My question would be: how on earth does he manage to always lose his keys?" Haku asked, annoyed.
"That hurts—it really does." Mamoru faked being upset.
"Uh-huh… So, Haku; what brings you by?" Reina was unconvinced before asking Haku.
"He needed to get inside—and I'm the one with the cellar key." Haku answered, watching Reina.
"Why is that again?" Reina asked, narrowing her eyes at Mamoru.
"I honestly couldn't say." Mamoru replied, causing Reina and Haku to fall over.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you're always locking yourself out of the house!" Haku snapped.
"You're so mean to me. But on a different news: we're getting a new roommate." Mamoru whined before becoming chipper.
"Who?" Reina and Haku asked, interested.
"Why, Haku of course." Mamoru answered with a smile, shocking the two teens.
"What?!" Reina and Haku blew their gaskets, narrowing their eyes at Mamoru.
"Yep. Haku's moving in—and he starts school with you Monday. Those are the rules for if you wish outside of the estate." Mamoru happily told Reina and Haku before becoming serious, walking inside.
"Well—I suppose at least you haven't missed much: school only started three days ago. At least I'll have someone to have intellectual conversations with." Reina huffed, walking inside with Haku following her.
"Right?" Haku replied.
"How was school today?" Mamoru asked, watching Reina.
"It was ok." Reina answered, grabbing a cookie.
"Did you sign up for that tutor program again?" Haku asked, watching Reina.
"Yes. However, I told them this year, I refuse to work with male students; I prefer female. There were too many close calls last year. Not to mention the one incident." Reina replied, shivering a little.
"Right. Did they pair you up with someone yet?" Mamoru asked, interested—too interested.
"Not yet. But I get to pick who I want this year: one to five students." Reina answered.
"One to five? How do you deal with five students?" Haku asked, stunned.
"It'd be a different student each day, Genius." Reina answered, narrowing her eyes.
"I was just asking, God. Cynical bitch." Haku shot back in defense before mumbling.
"Are you doing that?" Mamoru asked, watching Reina.
"No. I'm just going to focus my attention on one student. Not only is it easier, that one student gets all my focus and attention. It's better that way." Reina calmly answered.
"Did you pick a student yet? When's the deadline before they pick for you?" Mamoru asked, looking at the ceiling.
"Not yet, but I was thinking on this one girl: Tsukimomo, Serenity. She's new to Kaibara; I'm not sure where she's from, but she's not from here. She doesn't talk very much; she very quiet. To me, she seems shy, but friendly enough. She doesn't start until Monday either." Reina answered, eyes starting to twitch.
"Is she cute?" "What's wrong with her?" Mamoru and Haku asked at the same time.
"That's none of your business. As for if there's something wrong with her: no, there's nothing wrong with her. She's just a little slow—especially in math. She does ok in history and science. However, she excels in reading, writing, and art." Reina answered, trying to remain calm as a blood vessel started protruding from her forehead.
"So—if you met her, why doesn't she start school until Monday instead of tomorrow?" Haku asked, watching Reina.
"Why aren't you starting tomorrow?" Reina asked, watching Haku.
"I can answer that one. I have to pick up his uniform for him Friday afternoon. He can't very well go to school without the proper attire, now can he?" Mamoru answered with a cheeky smile.
"There you go: Serenity doesn't start until Monday because she doesn't have the right uniform. Well, she does now; she was picking them up today. But she has some personal stuff to deal with before she can start off. No, I don't know what. But I do know, that unlike some other slacker I know, she picked up her schoolwork for this first week." Reina explained, annoyed.
"Slacker?" "What did you say the girl's name was?" Haku started only to be interrupted by Mamoru.
"Serenity Tsukimomo. Why?" Reina asked after answering Mamoru.
"That name: "Tsukimomo;" it sounds familiar—very familiar. Oh, well. Maybe I read something in the paper or something." Mamoru very seriously started before brushing it off, carefree, causing Reina and Haku to fall over in disbelief. Mamoru just walked away, chuckling to himself.
"Sometimes, he's just too much." Reina and Haku mumbled to themselves.
Three Weeks Later:
"Aren't you supposed to be with that Serenity girl?" Haku asked Reina as soon as she walked through the front door and into the kitchen.
"I was. We were going to go the library to study when she got a call; she ran out of the library faster than I could blink. Whatever it was, it was important; she did apologize before running out." Raina replied, sitting in a chair.
"She still shy?" Mamoru asked, looking over a newspaper.
"Yes." Reina answered.
"Ha! That girl isn't shy; she's beyond skittish." Haku argued.
"Once you get to know her, she's a very nice girl. I've been working with her for two and a half weeks. She didn't speak for the first week. Last week, she only spoke to answer questions. Yesterday, she spoke a little. Not a lot; just a little. We talked a little bit about books and school, and I found out that she's from Ito." Reina countered.
"She doesn't seem like the fishing type." Haku remarked.
"She's not. Just because she's from there, doesn't mean she's into everything everyone else enjoys. Just because you're part of our family, doesn't mean you love or even like our family head." Reina stated, making a point.
"You don't love or even like our family head. That's why you moved out two years ago." Haku argued, also making a point.
"Ok, you two; that's enough. Now, the real question is: what are we going to for dinner tonight?" Mamoru asked, breaking the two up before they could start anything.
"What did you take out?" Reina asked, watching Mamoru, who just blankly stared back at her.
"You didn't take anything out for dinner, did you?" Haku asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I forgot. ~_~" Mamoru sheepishly replied.
"That's fine. That just means he's paying for dinner." Reina stated in a firm tone.
"Oh, right. We did specifically tell him to remember to take something out for dinner. It was his responsibility, wasn't it?" Haku asked, looking at Reina—and ignoring Mamoru's weak waterworks.
"Yes, it was. Come on, Mamoru; it's time to treat us to dinner." Reina replied before ordering Mamoru while Haku led the way.
"My poor wallet. What cruelty awaits it?" Mamoru blubbered, following the teens.
Fifteen Minutes Later:
"Why didn't we get a ride?" Reina complained once they got to town.
"Because this idiot can't drive, and we don't have a bus pass. What's your issue? You usually love walking everywhere; it's better for the environment." Haku answered before asking, mocking Reina.
"Shut up. It is better for the environment, but even I know vehicles are good for going places. It's a waste when you drive somewhere when it's decent out when it's like a ten or fifteen to twenty minute walk. Eh! I'm not done, so don't you even dare think about saying a word. I haven't been off my feet almost an hour; I'm hungry, tired, and my feet hurt." Reina complained.
"Ok. Jeez!" Haku snapped.
"That's enough, you two. We'll be to a restaurant in about five to ten minutes. Come on, Reina; just a little longer. Mmmff." Mamoru calmly told Reina and Haku, breaking them up again; he then made a noise when someone bumped into him.
It was a young fair-skinned girl, roughly fourteen or fifteen, with long peach-colored hair and light violet eyes with glasses.
"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." The girl immediately started frantically apologizing.
"It's—ok." Mamoru replied, stunned, looking at himself.
"Tsukimomo-Chan?" Reina asked, watching the frantic girl in front of them.
"Yes? Oh, Sohma-Senpai—and Sohma-Kun?" The girl, Serenity, softly asked, looking up.
"What are you doing here? Did you get to your emergency? Oh, this is our cousin, Mamoru Sohma." Reina asked Serenity before introducing her to Mamoru.
"Umm… Hello. I had to run an errand; I was just heading back." Serenity softly spoke, rubbing her arm.
"Oh. Do you need any company?" Reina asked, watching Serenity; she felt there was something wrong.
"No, thank you; I'll be ok. But I have to go. See you tomorrow." Serenity replied before heading out.
"She's a little cutie." Mamoru stated with a smile.
"When you say that, it makes me want to gag." Haku responded, sticking his finger in his mouth.
"Get your mind out of the gutter." Reina ordered Mamoru, shaking her head.
"She certainly does look familiar." Mamoru noted, watching Serenity hurry away.
"Never mind any of that; let's go get something to eat." Haku insisted, starting to walk away.
"No. Come on." Reina instructed, following after Serenity.
"What do you mean come on? I thought you were hungry!" Haku complained, watching Reina walk away before following after her with Mamoru right behind them.
"Something's wrong; I can feel it." Reina replied, annoyed.
"It's none of our business." Haku argued.
"Maybe so. But if something happens to her because we didn't do anything to try to at least help, we'll feel guilty. I mean, I know I will. I don't know about you, but I don't want that on my conscious." Reina firmly told Haku.
"Fine." Haku mumbled, following along.
"Maybe someone she knows is sick." Mamoru suggested.
"Why would you say that?" Reina asked, watching Mamoru.
"Because she just walked into the hospital." Mamoru plainly stated, pointing to the hospital about a yard away from them.
"See? There's nothing wrong with her; she's visiting someone. Now, can we go get food?" Haku was becoming impatient.
"It doesn't explain how exhausted she looked. Maybe she's there for an appointment." Reina insisted, getting ready to walk inside.
"It's none of our business, Reina. If she wanted anyone to know, don't you think she would've told someone by now?" Haku asked, making a point.
"I'm telling you something's not right. If you don't want to go in, fine. But I'm going to make sure she's safe." Reina firmly told Haku, putting her foot down before heading in, followed by Mamoru.
Five Minutes Later:
"Gahh! Fine!" Haku snapped before heading inside, giving up.
"Are you a Sohma here with two more Sohmas?" A receptionist kindly asked.
"Uh… Yeah?" Haku asked, looking around.
"Please come with me. Your brother and sister are waiting for you." The receptionist politely instructed, leading Haku to a room—where Mamoru and Reina were sitting on a couch.
"What did you two do?" Haku immediately asked, looking at the two.
"Nothing. We just walked in." Mamoru answered while Reina just sat there, scowling at the receptionist; she had no right to stop them.
What if they were there to see family or a friend?
"Ms. Tsukimomo informed me that you three were following her. No matter how far behind her you may have been, she seems to have a way of knowing. She would like me to let you know that she's fine. She's not hurting or being hurt by anyone. But she also tells me that you most likely won't believe any of that and that you'll continue to find a way to where she may be. She asks that you give her time to try to collect her thoughts and everything; she asks for at least half an hour or so. The cafeteria is down the hall from this room and to the left; she has paid for you to each have $12.00 for food so you may eat—seeing as you're all very hungry. Here are your vouchers. Have a lovely evening. And please—respect Ms. Tsukimomo's wishes. She's a sweet girl—and you'll soon have your answers. She is on the third floor in room W:H23." The receptionist calmly explained, handing the three a voucher each.
"Fine." Reina grumbled, taking the voucher before heading to the cafeteria.
"I told you everything was fine. This isn't any of our business." Haku repeated what he told Reina earlier.
"Everything is not fine. I'm telling you there is something going on." Reina argued before going to get food.
Meanwhile, Mamoru stayed uncharacteristically quiet; he was deep in thought.
Forty Minutes Later:
"Now, what are you doing?" Haku asked, annoyed, watching Reina get up; she was both determined and frustrated.
Reina spent thirty-five minutes eating and stewing over what was or wasn't going on with Serenity. She spent the last five minutes impatiently waiting for the guys to get done.
"I'm not going to sit around here and wait for you two idiots; I'm going to figure out what the hell is going on." Reina answered, beyond annoyed, speed walking to an elevator. Mamoru was following behind her; he just barely made the elevator.
"What is going on in her head? What is it about this girl?" Haku asked himself out loud, heading to the stairs. He made it to the third floor about thirty seconds before Reina and Mamoru due to them stopping a few times to pick up other passengers.
"Let's get this done and over with." Haku told Reina as soon as they saw each other.
"Can you point us to W:H23?" Mamoru asked a receptionist with a polite smile.
"Go west for W, take the first left by the bathrooms. Go straight until you get to another split and go left again. You'll be in the H wing. Just follow the numbers one the left, starting with thirteen. Odd numbers are on the left and even numbers are on the right—so, you'll want to look left." The receptionist answered in a bored tone; she was not happy to be there.
"Thank you." Mamoru thanked as Reina took off.
Three Minutes Later:
"Finally." Reina breathed, looking at the room she wanted.
"Jesus, Reina. Are you going to be ok? What about this girl has you so uptight?" Haku asked, watching Reina.
"I don't know; I just have a feeling about her." Reina honestly answered.
"You and me both." Mamoru spoke up, standing there.
"Well, we're here. Go ahead; open the damn door and find out what you need to know." Haku insisted, motioning to the door.
Reina didn't reply; she just opened the door, only to stare in shock along with Haku and Mamoru…