So Like the Summer Sky

by astherainfell

A more modern, serious take on a traditional story. Kousaku is forced to head to Tokyo, heart heavy from the recent loss of his mother. It may be a loss, but the new start blooms with the possibilities of love, life, and new bonds. A story covering understanding others, growing from grief, and finding love even in unique circumstances. Hope you all enjoy! TW: misgendering

4. Chapter 4: Questions and answers given

"All of my clothes. Every. Single. Piece. Why would someone take my clothes?" She pleaded.

What?

The seconds ticked by as Kousaku's tired brain attempted to process what he'd been told. Her clothes? He watched her quietly next to him, for once looking away from Kousaku. It was strange to see her avoiding eye contact, looking so uncomfortable. Why would someone- Kousaku's eyes widened, memories of a painful yank and black shades filling his thoughts. Of course..

But what could he say? Hibari already looked close to another breakdown. 'Sorry I have to be the one to tell you but your dad hired a hitman to make you be a man?'. It was better, he reasoned, to deal with the boy's emotions now and worry about the issue later.

To be honest, Kousaku had no clue what to do in this kind of situation. His thoughts went to his mom, how she'd sit next to him on his worst days and help him open up. Tentatively, Kousaku reached behind them and pulled his crumpled comforter over Hibari's shoulders, lamely patting him on the shoulder. He hated the way Hibari gave a tiny flinch at the contact initially.

"Hey, I'm here, okay?" Kousaku said placatingly, "I don't- I can't really get what you're going through but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna listen."

He was proud of how steady the words sounded coming from his lips. Mom- Mom would have been proud.

Hibari sniffled quietly, the ticking of the clock the only other sound for several minutes.

"I-I don't know," he said miserably, "I just woke up and all of my clothes were taken. Every single garment. My underwear, my skirts, my sweaters… All that's there now is a bunch of boy's school uniforms! I know I'm being stupid, I just-"

With each syllable Kousaku could hear the hysteria rising again. Without thinking he placed an arm around Hibari's shoulders, pulling him flush against him. He was just glad to hear the boy's voice even out.

"S-so, I just- I don't know what to do.. School is just around the corner and someone pulled this stupid crap on me and I have nothing to wear!" Hibari lamented, scrubbing his palms against his eyes to clear the tears.

Now definitely wasn't the time to tell Hibari about the dragon, that was the only thing Kousaku was certain of. He shifted his weight on the bed, uncomfortable with the tension. He opened his mouth as though to speak but shut it promptly, his idea of Hibari asking Tsubame for help dying on his lips. He knew exactly how that girl felt about this kind of stuff.

"I just.." Kousaku started, "I mean, I don't really know what I can do, I'm sorry."

Hibari gave a dejected look and a tired sigh, his beautiful chocolate eyes clouded with worry.

"I know," he sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm just sitting here moaning and crying to you about issues you can't just make go away.."

Kousaku shrugged lamely.

"Well I guess it's like you told me," Kousaku said, "Bottling up our emotions leads to sucky stuff… Or whatever. I know I can't really help much but uh, you can borrow some of my clothes so you're not stuck with a uniform at least."

The surprised look Hibari gave him left Kousaku blushing.

"Anyways, yeah, um," he stumbled over his words, "I should go get ready for school myself."

With one last look at the boy on his bed, Kousaku grabbed a couple articles of clothing and left without a glance back. It felt strange to him, fleeing his own room, but he just didn't really know how to handle this. It felt weird having Hibari being the way he was, hell, Kousaku couldn't even say why he felt obligated to help! He huffed, annoyed with himself as he walked to the bathroom. The space was thankfully empty. The clock showed he still had a solid bit of time before classes started. Hibari's outcry had woken him earlier than Seiji usually would, it seemed. It left Kousaku wondering if Seiji would miss out on giving him a heart attack this morning. He relaxed into the warmth of the shower, doing his best to clear the stress the day had started off with. Today would be a good one. He'd make sure of it.

It wasn't too long later that Kousaku left the bathroom, freshly washed and ready for the day. Padding back to his room, Kousaku was grateful to find it empty, though he couldn't hide his faint surprise at the freshly made bed that greeted him. After dropping the dirty garments in the hamper and grabbing his bag, Kousaku left his room, doing his best to put thoughts of Hibari from his mind. He entered the dining room, joining Tsubame and Suzume at breakfast. Without saying a word he grabbed some toast.

"Morning Kousaku!" Suzume chirped, a wide smile on her lips as spoke. At least she was acting normal this morning.. It was usually pretty quiet in the early hours, all the kids left to their own devices to get ready for school. Nonetheless, Tsubame sat quietly next to her, face propped on her palm as she stared out the window.

"Morning," Kousaku said idly, giving her a tired smile, "and of course, good morning to you too Suzume."

His words broke Tsubame's fixation, the girl jumping in her seat as though noticing him for the first time.

"Oh!" she said, a light flush coloring her cheeks, "You're up early today!"

"Yeah, the ruckus this morning kinda roused me before I usually get up huh?" he laughed, running a hand through his still-damp hair, "I wonder if Seiji is lurking about somewhere, feeling lost without some poor soul to scare into consciousness this morning…"

Tsubame shifted, eyes dropping to her bowl of oatmeal, "Ah, I guess it was a bit… noisy this morning huh? Sorry about that."

Kousaku waved off her apology, giving a lopsided smile, "Hey it's not like it's your fault, right? My mom always said growing up with siblings could be a bit loud."

"Right.." she said, giving him a small smile in response, "ah! I forgot to ask you last night, but what's your opinion on pancakes?"

"Um.. pancakes?" Kousaku asked hesitantly, caught off guard by the abrupt change in the topic, "they're.. Good? I guess?"

Tsubame's eyes widened, giving a short laugh before responding, "Oh, gosh, sorry! I was just thinking about which cafe we could go to tomorrow and I realized there's probably a lot of food you may not have seen, what with coming from a rural area. I got to thinking about this one place that has really good coffee and also serves souffle pancakes so I just wanted to make sure you liked pancakes before making the plan and-"

Kousaku couldn't help but laugh at the scramble of words the girl released. He held up a hand to stop her, rolling his eyes good naturedly.

"It sounds great, it was thoughtful of you to check in. Now I just need to pray that my teachers don't load me down with homework huh?"

"Ooooh, I love pancakes!" chimed in Suzume suddenly, a smile as bright as the sun on her face. Her bright eyes turned pleading as she looked at her sister, "Can we make them this weekend at some point? Can we? Please?"

Tsubame patted the young girl on the head, nodding in agreement, "I guess it wouldn't hurt, would it? Do you know how to cook Kousaku?" she asked good naturedly.

He swallowed the bite of his toast quickly, giving her an apologetic smile, "Honestly, not really. I won't burn down a kitchen but I shouldn't be trusted with more than eggs and rice."

Tsubame laughed, giving him a placating pat on the arm, "I guess we all have to start somewhere, don't we?"

He shrugged again, an awkward smile cresting his lips. The door clacked open behind the trio, Kousaku giving a light wave as Hibari entered. Even as he raised his arm to do so, his hand stilled in shock, entirely surprised by what greeted him.

The boy had done up his soft blonde locks in a high ponytail, only his bangs still shadowing his eyes. One of Kousaku's sweaters adorned his torso, a cream crewneck with a graphic from a show he used to be fond of, to be precise. The slightly loose fitting garment had the sleeves pushed up and the waist was tastefully tucked into a pair of mid-thigh shorts, they themselves cinched high on his waist. A pair of white knee-high socks completed the outfit, the entire thing looked somehow retro yet chic. He had to admire the tenacity of Hibari, and he felt his cheeks flush at the small smile and knowing wink the boy gave him. How did Hibari make his clothes look so good?

"Good mooorning," Hibari sang, sitting daintily at an empty spot.

"Morning," Kousaku said, trying to hide his embarrassment. He looked away from the boy, eyes instead pulling to Tsubame. The girl looked almost shell shocked, eyes stuck on Hibari before she looked away sharply.

"Good morning Hibari!" Suzume said cheerfully, all while polishing off the last of her oatmeal.

Hibari gave a short laugh, leaning forward to dab the corner with Suzume's mouth with a napkin, "I know you're excited to see me, but don't forget your manners!"

Suzume gave a pout, pushing herself away from Hibari's doting, "I'm not a baby you know!" she said indignantly, "I'm taller than you were at my age!"

"Of course, my apologies, I should tease the house's big girl, is that right?" Hibari replied, sticking his tongue out at the younger girl.

In a proper mature big girl fashion, Suzume copied the gesture defiantly. Kousaku couldn't help but grin. He took another bite of his toast, feeling a little lighter about the day.

"So have you settled on who you're going to let dominate your life?" Hibari asked, leaning on the table towards Kousaku.

Kousaku's eyes shot wide, choking on a sip of water he'd taken. A bright red pulled across his cheeks, whether that was from embarrassment or lack of air was anyone's guess. After clearing his windway, he responded with a very articulate, "huh?"

Hibari grabbed some oatmeal before replying, rolling his eyes at Kousaku, "yknow, a sports team. I wasn't kidding when I said they'd start hounding you before you know it!"

Kousaku laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair. He deflected from his embarrassment with gentle ribbing, "R-right, of course that's what you meant.. Maybe I'll go the route you did and just learn to run away from anyone who asks me."

"Oh hush you," Hibari quipped back, "I'll have you know that running away only made the captain of the cross-country team even more invested in getting me to join! That plan would never work for you!"

Kousaku huffed, puffing out his chest indignantly, "And just why not? I'm strong aren't I? I could outrun them just as well as you could!"

Hibari gave him the same look offered to Suzume earlier, leaning forward to pat his cheek, like admonishing a child.

"Of course you're right Kousaku," he said Placatingly.

Kousaku pushed the offending limb away from his face with a smile on his lips. The pair's banter was broken by the clangor of dishes as Tsubame stood abruptly. The girl left the room, tossing a few quick words over her shoulder.

"School starts in 10 minutes Kousaku, finish up if you don't want to be late."

His eyes darted to the clock, nodding his understanding, "Er, I mean, right! Just about set!" He exclaimed to Tsubame's retreating figure, remembering she wasn't looking at him to see his physical acknowledgement. Hibari caught his attention, rolling his eyes silently. Kousaku shrugged in response, unceremoniously shoving the rest of his toast in his mouth, scrambling to grab his bag. He looked back to where Hibari sat still idly eating his breakfast.

"Are.. are you coming?" Kousaku asked hesitantly, one hand on the door.

Hibari gave a small smile, waving him off with the spoon in his hand. "Go on ahead," he replied pleasantly, "I'll see you in class yeah?"

Kousaku opened his mouth as though to say something, closing it just as quickly. Any words that were to be spoken were cut off by Suzume's exclamation, "Ah! My midday yum yums!"

Before either of the residents of the dining room could react, the short missile of a child launched from the table into the kitchen, the clattering of utensils heard through the still-ajar doorway.

Silence reigned in the dining room as the seconds ticked by.

"Did.." Kousaku started, blinking his eyes a few times, "Did she just call her lunch mid-day yum yums?"

Hibari had yet to close her mouth, spoon dangling from her fingers like a flatware chandelier.

"...Yeah, yeah I think she did.." was the soft reply.

"Kousaku! I already have your lunch!" Tsubame's call from the hallway broke the stunned silence, snapping Kousaku into motion.

"Right! Thanks! Sorry! Coming!" he shouted back, offering a quick wave to Hibari before briskly heading out the door. She really did look good in his sweater.

Without really paying attention where he was going, Kousaku ran down the polished wood floors, nearly running into Seiji around one of the corners. He offered an apologetic wave to the intimidating man as he circled around him, skittering to a stop near the door just long enough to grab his shoes.

He ran into Tsubame at the entrance, awkwardly hopping on one foot as he tried to pull on his remaining shoe. "Sorry, sorry! You didn't have to wait up on me!" Kousaku said through breaths. He gladly accepted the lunch she held extended to him, a sparkle in her eyes revealing her amusement.

"I swear, I don't know how you do so well in class when you nearly forget something every day," she said exasperatedly.

He shrugged lamely as he caught his breath, giving an off-kilter smile in response, "I never claimed it was my strong suit! I mean last night I nearly forgot about the math quiz I had today!" he ran a hand through his hair, laughing at himself lightly, "I swear without you two I'd be starving and failing my classes!"

Tsubame flushed lightly, rolling her eyes at his antics, "Well don't get too comfortable about it."

Kousaku waved her comment off with his hand, pulling his bag onto his shoulder. The two started off in relative silence, the soft chirping of birds in the air the only sound outside their footfalls. The air was crisp, livening Kousaku's senses and tickling his nose with the movement of the wind. With a relaxed sigh he linked his hands behind his head, a casual smile pulling at his lips. He glanced at Tsubame out of the corner of his eye, catching her looking at him. She looked away promptly, Kousaku following suit. An awkward moment passed before Tsubame spoke up.

"This morning was pretty hectic today huh?" she asked, the faux nonchalance clear in the swing of her arms and the tone of her voice, "guess we can both assume what happened though.."

Kousaku shoved his hands in his pockets, tossing a glance over his shoulder to make sure Hibari wasn't within earshot. letting out a heavy breath, he replied sullenly, "Yeah, I guess so," glancing over at his companion, "I know the dragon was going to take action but.." he trailed off lamely, uncertain of the point he was trying to make.

"It definitely was a strange way to start, that's for sure," Tsubame admitted, eyes downcast before abruptly looking up at the road ahead. Her voice sharpened with heat as she continued, face pinched with annoyance, "and it wasn't even effective! He's already found some workaround, and that scheme didn't last even one day! So much for a mob expert.."

Kousaku flinched at her words, a small sachet of guilt twisting in his stomach, "Er- yeah, I guess so huh?"

"Whatever, I'm sure he's got something else planned soon as it is," she continued loosely, shooting Kousaku an apologetic look, "I don't like the dragon much after yesterday, but, well, if he can make Hibari normal again and leaves the rest of us alone, I can't really complain now can I?"

A shrug met her words, Kousaku hesitating a bit before he spoke up.

"I guess so, I just hope he isn't as rough with her as he was with me.." he said quietly.

"Him." Tsubame corrected, rolling her eyes.

"Right, sorry, still tired I guess," Kousaku said, rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably.

"I guess you're right though, the Dragon was completely out of line yesterday with you!" Tsubame said, "but at the same point Hibari has just been getting more intense this week, and all of dad's previous efforts to help correct him haven't worked.."

Kousaku shrugged again, falling silent. The rest of the walk was weighed down by the heavy mood, Kousaku broke free from Tsubame at the door with a simple wave goodbye. He couldn't entirely blame her for the way he felt, hell he didn't know how he felt about the matter. At the same point though, it didn't sit right with him, it couldn't. Today was mild admittedly, but, well, it gave Kousaku a deep sense of foreboding, like the first drops of rain before a typhoon.

He slipped into his desk, letting out a deep breath as he pulled out his books for the first section. The class had already started filtering in, students mingling in small groups around the room. He did his best to put a smile on his face and forget the whole spartan dragon fiasko. It'd work itself out in the end, right? His inner dialogue was broken by a tap on his shoulder.

Shiina sat on top of the desk behind him, looking down at Kousaku. It was almost funny to Kousaku, the school didn't require uniforms but Shiina still wore the button down with the first few undone. The boy looked tired, annoyed, yet still wore that stupid, smug smirk that Kousaku wanted to wipe off his face.

"Hey newbie, where's Hibari?" Shiina asked. God, even the guy's voice set Kousaku on edge.

"How should I know? I'm not her keeper you know." he snapped back, rolling his eyes and turning back to his desk, "and my name's Kousaku, not newbie."

Shiina jumped to his feet, leaning down to look at Kousaku with his hands shoved in his pockets. "That's a lot of words to say no, dipshit. You always gotta act like you're on some high horse huh? Always walking to school with her looking all lovey dovey," he spoke in that arrogant tone that just left Kousaku wanting to deck him. Kousaku gave a heavy sigh, trying to reel in his growing frustration. The guy was a dick, but he didn't have to feed into it.

"Look, I get you're annoyed or whatever, okay? I'm sure Hibari will be here soon and you know she doesn't like seeing us bicker, right?" he said, trying to appeal to Shiina's sense of logic. He gave the guy an exasperated look, waiting for a response.

Shiina straightened back up, watching Kousaku for several quiet seconds before replying, "Whatever, newbie."

He turned around, sitting at his own desk pointedly looking away from Kousaku. Kousaku on the other hand let out a heavy breath, glad to not have to deal with that meathead before the morning bell had even rung. He checked his notes, rolling his eyes at a tiny little hearts written in the margins. Served him right for lending them to Hibari. A few minutes passed as Kousaku gave himself one last refresher, head quirking up with the warning bell for class. Hibari walked in as the last note rang. It was strange how just having her hair up could change her entire look. Chic was the only word Kousaku could use to describe it frankly, or maybe athletic. He couldn't help the flush that crawled up his cheeks seeing Hibari wearing his clothes though. She made them look better than he could have imagined them. Kousaku paused, mentally berating himself for the slip-up again. He gave a small wave as Hibari entered, waiting until he sat to greet him.

"Well somebody cut it close this morning huh?" he teased, pushing away his thoughts.

"Yeah, well I didn't want to have to put up with Tsubame after the crap this morning," came Hibari's short reply, for once not immediately trying to embarass Kousaku. He looked out of breath, his cheeks brightly flushed, not to mention he seemed to be avoiding Kousaku's gaze… Had he been crying or something? Kousaku leaned towards him, doing his best to not draw attention.

"Hey, you doing okay?" Kousaku asked quietly, "your-" he swallowed thickly, "Your dad didn't give you any grief before leaving right? Or, or anybody else for that matter?"

Hibari's rich chocolate eyes locked on Kousaku, cheeks reddening further if anything.

"W-what?" the boy asked faintly, Kousaku couldn't help the small smile crawling to his face in response to the playful boy, finally caught off guard, "Oh! No, nothing like that."

Kousaku gave a relieved smile, "sorry for assuming, you just looked kinda flushed and uncomfortable so I assumed…"

Hibari giggled in response, her gorgeous chocolate eyes leveling with his as she continued in a breathy whisper, "It's just been so distracting, I didn't realize how much your clothes would smell like you, it's like being wrapped in your arms and scent.." Hibari gave him a playful smile, purposely lifting the collar of the sweater and audibly sniffing.

Kousaku, immediately aware of their proximity now, shot back in his seat as though burned, face flaming at Hibari's words, "S-stop being so ridiculous!" he hissed as quietly as he could, ignoring the burning of his ears from embarrassment.

Any further retort from Hibari was cut off by the bell signaling the start of class. Kousaku's heart thudded in his chest heavily, though he himself was uncertain whether it was from Hibari being Hibari or the anxiety of the test due to start any minute. He swallowed heavily, placing his hands against his cheeks, hoping the cool clamminess of his palms would pull the blush with them.

"It's what I get for showing concern.." he muttered under his breath. Any further thought or conversation ended promptly as the teacher began roll call. The minutes seemed to tick by as each name was called. He'd be okay. He studied, he was prepared. It didn't change the clench of his gut though. For Kousaku, it'd always been a bit ironic for him when it came to test taking. Rarely did he actually do bad, but he'd always worry anyways. In fact, the calmer he was about tests, the worse he seemed to do. It was Ironic, really.

"Sakamoto, Kousaku!" his teacher called.

"Er, here!" he replied, almost missing her words.

As he looked back at his desk, a small slip of paper sat all but unnoticed near the top. Curiously, Kousaku grabbed it, opening the folded note. He couldn't hide the small smile at the hastily drawn picture of his housemate and the words "good luck!" scrawled across the top. He quietly shoved it into his pocket, feigning interest in the morning announcements the teacher stated, up until the fateful words.

"Without further ado, books away please, nothing but a pencil and a simple calculator for the rest of class. I'll pass out the test and you'll have 50 minutes to finish. Best of luck." she said, far more chipper than anyone should when handing out a test. Maybe she was some kind of sadist. Grumbling along with the rest of the students, Kousaku accepted his test and got to work.

The test seemed to fly by, his anxiety abating with each question that he recognized. A silent prayer went out to Hibari for all her help as his pencil laid down far before the time allotted. A smile crested his face, using the extra time to double check his work and make sure everything was perfect. The minutes ticked by with only by the scratching of pens to accompany it. Glancing subtly to his right, Kousaku couldn't fight the smirk that pulled to his face at the sight of Shiina anxiously biting the end of his pencil. In what felt like no time at all, the call for pencils down was given much to Shiina's apparent frustration. That is, if the rough clattering of utensil against the desk was anything to go by.

With the weight of the test off his shoulders, class seemed to fly by in a blur. It wasn't long until the tolling of the bell signaled lunch for the students. The din of chatter filled the space, Kousaku pulling the bento so lovingly crafted by Seiji. On cue, The clatter of a lunch box dropped across from his, Hibari turning around in his seat to face him. It had quickly become a habit after the first day, the two eating lunch together.

"How'd it go?" Hibari asked, somewhat chipper.

Kousaku couldn't help but smile. He gave a somewhat worn reply, but nonetheless positively, "well, definitely easier than I expected. Though I figure that has more to do with your help yesterday than the actual difficulty!"

He opened the lid to his lunchbox, happy for the simple, delicious looking fish dish that greeted him. He took his first bite, savoring the strong flavors and care cooked into the meal.

Hibari gave a shrug, digging in himself, "It was a two way street really, you know? We both benefited in the end."

Kousaku nodded in response, giving a lopsided smile, "I guess so, thanks, though. You're the best~"

Hibari's dazzling smile probably didn't actually brighten the classroom, but to Kousaku, it sure seemed to.

The two ate in amicable silence. Honestly Kousaku hadn't realized just how hungry he was before a meal was placed before him. There was something to be said about a home cooked meal and raising one's spirit. Each bite seemed to fill the energy drained from the classes today, even Shiina's goading this morning wiped away with a comforting glaze and bright seasonings.

"It was probably Ibari, huh?" Hibari said mid bite, politely covering his mouth as he spoke

"What?" Kousaku said, glancing up to meet the eyes of his blonde haired companion.

"You know, the clothes this morning." came the rapt reply, Hibari gesturing vaguely with his chopsticks, "Dad probably did it huh? Tsubame looked genuinely surprised when I told her this morning so I doubt it was her. But I could see dad doing it."

Right. This morning. All in all, Hibari seemed to be taking it well. At least from Kousaku's perspective, that was. He wouldn't lie and claim to be an expert on the emotions of Hibari, that was for sure.

"A-ah, I guess that would make sense…" he replied, looking away from his deskmate. It'd just add fuel to the fire to bring up the spartan dragon now. The last thing Kousaku needed was a distraught, or worse, angry Hibari while at school. So he shrugged, taking another bite to avoid having to continue talking on the matter.

"Right? I mean it's weird he waited this long to intervene, but still!" Hibari scoffed, rolling his eyes at nothing in particular, "You know what I'm honestly most mad about? Taking my clothes was messed up, but he couldn't even look me in the eye when doing it. So much for the brave head of the family.." he finished in a low mutter.

Kousaku hummed noncommittally in response. What could he really say that'd make it better? Instead, he opted for changing the subject.

"So I was going to ask, I recognize the shorts and y'know, sweater, but where'd you get the socks and belt? I definitely know those weren't part of my things." he said tentatively, feeling the heat crawl up his neck at the mention of Hibari in his clothes.

Hibari perked up, eyes brightening as he responded with excitement, "Oh! I borrowed them from Tsugumi!" he exclaimed, "Thanks, by the way. I thought it was pretty clever to cinch them a bit higher to give a more feminine look. What do you think?"

Kousaku rolled his eyes, making air quotes with his hands at the next line, "Like how you 'borrowed' Tsubame's underthings when I first arrived? And well,, you look like you."

Hibari slapped his shoulder playfully, giving a small huff of indignation, "No, as in she placed them into my hands when I asked for a belt and some other garments. I don't always take Tsubame's things you know. It's her fault we're the same size after all!"

"And how do you figure that?" Kousaku just had to ask.

"Because she's older! It's not my fault she hasn't gotten any taller now is it?" Hibari laughed, Kousaku unable to contain a small chuckle at the sheer ridiculousness of the statement.

With the meal wrapping up, Kousaku grabbed both their dishes and stowed them in his bag, Hibari offering a small smile in thanks.

"You know you're ridiculous, don't you?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

Hibari stuck his tongue out, quipping back before turning around with the strike of the bell.

"Yeah, but we both know you like it."

Kousaku's cheeks heated at Hibari's words, not deigning to even reply to the absurd statement. Hibari was ridiculous through and through. He pulled out his books, looking anywhere but the girl in front of him, trying to shove his embarrassment away with study.

"Alright class, now that we're all fed and relaxed, let's review the chemistry homework! I hope you all did it?" his teacher spoke up, rising from her desk, "Chemistry is such a wonderful subject, why, it was in my third year of university when I took my first BioChem course and fell in love with the philosophies of applying chemistry to the-"

By the fourth sentence Kousaku had started tuning her out. So much for studying. She wasn't a bad teacher, mind you, more just easily distracted. Kousaku subtly slipped his textbook from the bag at his feet, turning to their last section and taking notes quietly. In the quiet droning of the teacher's tale of her youth, Kousaku found solace in the words and formulas used in chemistry. It wasn't his favorite subject, but he wasn't bad at it either. It was all math after all, and like his mom told him the first time he complained about physics..

"Listen Koko," she'd said, "You're great at math! And if you can do math, you can do the rest! Think of it like this. What's physics other than applied math? Lots of equations, variables, so on! And what's chemistry? Electron relationships, physical properties of molecules.. It's just applied physics! And I think you can see how this will relate to biology, hm? It's… it's a matryoshka doll, each layer peels back until all that's left is math. And if you can do math, you can do anything."

It was even funnier to Kousaku that the monologue was said by a woman with a literature degree. But either way, he appreciated her sentiment even now. He may not be fantastic at math but he understood it, and in retrospect to physics, chemistry was just more rote memorization. He worked quietly on his notes, jumping slightly when he felt someone tap his shoulder. His classmate seated behind him, a quiet rugby player named something starting with a K, whispered to him quietly.

"Sorry for interrupting, you seemed pretty into it. Teach is collecting homework now." Kousaku gave him a thankful smile as he passed him the small stack of papers. Guess the teacher had finally finished her story after all.. With a whispered thanks he turned around to find Hibari watching him expectantly with his bright chocolate eyes. It sent a shiver down Kousaku's spine.

Those eyes, though, they held a playful sparkle matched by a mischievous smirk. Kousaku could feel his skin warming as he dutifully ignored her, pulling his own homework from his bag and adding it to the stack. He wouldn't let her get to him, not here, not now. Glancing up quickly he saw her smile had only grown. Kousaku's hand felt clammy as he passed the papers to Hibari. While he couldn't prove it, he could've sworn her hands lingered on his longer than strictly required. She gave him one more look, a small wink, and turned around promptly.

Kousaku gave a quiet sigh, ignoring the warmth of his face. She was just messing with him, he knew it. He wouldn't let Hibari get the satisfaction of any reaction. He forced his eyes back to the notebook on his desk picking up where he left off as the teacher graded. Right, something about how metals can create stable bonds with- Kousaku couldn't stop the short intake of breath at the small doodle quickly scribbled on his book. Admittedly, it was quite good for being done upside down.

A small depiction of Hibari and a speech bubble proclaiming "I can feel the chemistry between us!" perched just above the molecule matrix of different steels. The hearts for eyes was a nice touch. He grumbled quietly, quickly scrubbing away the mark with an eraser before anyone else noticed it.

Thankfully the doodle was Hibari's last real attempt to bother him as class continued. The seconds ticked by, minutes turning to hours as they moved through chemistry onto history and so on. Despite his best efforts to just focus on the classes though, every time Kousaku's attention would fall on Hibari's sweater a small bead of worry would grow in his gut. This morning had found a peaceful resolution, but clearly the dragon was taking his job seriously. From what Kousaku had seen of the man, he wouldn't take being thwarted lying down. He had been told to be more subtle at the meeting, but what did that really mean? The man had snuck into a girl- into Hibari's room and stolen his clothes while he slept not two meters away! And with his attitude towards Kousaku yesterday… Kousaku shuddered. Maybe the Spartan Dragon would be patient, but either way Kousaku felt on edge.

He fiddled with his pen, uncertain of the proper way to solve this. Was it even his problem to solve? He wasn't some knight in shining armor for his housemate after all!

The bell interrupted Kousaku's melancholy thoughts. Sighing, he roughly shoved his books in his bag as other classmates began packing up.

"Hey! Kousaku, right?" A boy he shared class with caught his eye, giving him a short wave. The boy wasn't exceptionally tall or strong, more lanky and average. He wore a comfortable smile and the most Heinous color of teal Kousaku had ever seen.

"Er- yeah, you're um,," Kousaku trailed off, doing his best to remember.

"Isao. Isao Kurota," the boy, Isao, quickly corrected, waving off Kousaku's apology, "doesn't matter. Point is, are you busy after class?"

"Um- why does that-" Kousaku tried to slow down the boy's quick questions, taken aback by the forward tone and wide grin now brightening the boy's otherwise average face.

"I thought not! You look strong, well, you don't look puny! Point is, we could really use you on the swim team, I'm sure the coach would just love to have you!'' Isao blurted each word like a dam breaking, Kousaku's eyes going wider and wider, "Don't worry about the paperwork, I can help you fill it out on the way!"

"Hey! I've already slotted him for rugby!" a larger boy Kousaku recognized faintly as Yuu cut in, his towering statue making Kousaku shrink in his seat.

"He's not built anything like a rugby player! He's lean! Perfect for swimming!" Isao argued back. The two stared each other down, Isao being dwarfed by the larger classmate but in no way cowed.

Before the two could really take off, Hibari's bright voice cut in, stopping further discussion.

"Unfortunately Kousaku already promised he'd walk me home, you'll have to discuss this another day!" she said chipperly, "and in the future, submit all applications for him to join your sport through me! Don't forget the 1,000 yen application fee!"

The two grumbled but nodded, Kousaku rolling his eyes at the way Isao grew red just being addressed by Hibari. Yuu grumbled acceptance as Hibari swiftly pulled Kousaku out of his seat and through the door by his arm. As they rounded the corner, Kousaku pulled his arm free of Hibari's grasp, fighting a blush of his own.

"You didn't have to do that you know," Kousaku mumbled, glancing out the window of the hall.

"You're right, I could've just let you get mauled by a half dozen people obsessed with sports," Hibari laughed, rolling his eyes at Kousaku's angst, "You sure have a funny way of saying thank you."

Kousaku sighed, pinching his eyes, "Sorry, yeah, you're right. Thanks, I guess."

He felt her warm hand contact his arm, his eyes glancing over to meet Hibari's.

"Hey, you doing okay?" she asked gently, fidgeting her hand anxiously at her side, "it's not.. Is this about last night's stuff?"

Kousaku tried not to notice how cute she looked worrying, he really did. Somehow though it just left her lookinng vulnerable, like the safest place in the room was her arms. He couldn't help but chuckle about the situation, Hibari worrying over him worrying about her fate when she went home. He rubbed the back of his head, breaking eye contact as he replied with a lopsided smile.

"Nah, don't worry about it, I'm fine. Just got some stuff on my mind, that's all. But.. yeah, thanks. Right as rain, I promise."

He could feel Hibari's eyes on him, finally returning to meet the girl's gaze. She took a half step closer.. In those eyes he could see the shift from worried to devious, dread pooling in his stomach as that thrice damned smile of hers pulled at her lips. Soft pink lips that stole his attention at their close proximity.

"A lot on your mind hmm?" Hibari asked in a voice that sent shivers down his spine. She leaned close to him, her breath tickling his ear, "maybe we could find something a bit more distracting to do.."

Kousaku's mouth opened and closed, face flaming as he felt her hand slide up his arm slowly. She always did this, always teasing him and cornering him every chance she got. Kousaku's mind froze, he. It was impossible with Hibari, always being toyed with for the boy's enjoyment. He could feel his frustration growing, eyes widening as he realized exactly where Hibari chose to pull this stunt.

Without thinking, Kousaku reached out, grabbing Hibari around the arms and spinning so that her back was to the window. With as much heat as he could muster, Kousaku retorted firmly.

"Stop teasing me! I've told you a dozen times! I like girls! Feminine, curvy, hot, girls!"

It took him a moment to realize how his voice had climbed over a whisper, loud enough to be easily carry down the hall. Whispers met the sudden silence. The blonde haired brat giggled in his grasp, looking entirely unphased by Kousaku's declaration. Kousaku could feel his ears redden with the giggling and whispers of his female classmates moving past.

As quick as he'd grabbed him, Kousaku released Hibari as though burned, pointing an accusing finger at the blonde's chest.

"Argh! See? This always ends up happening!" he lamented, "everyone thinks I'm a pervert because of you!"

"She doesn't need to do anything to make you look the way you do." The pinched tone of Shiina cut into the moment, the boy pushing Kousaku away from Hibari, "Being all rough with a girl and blaming her for how you act? Despicable."

Kousaku didn't even think, he just snapped back glaring at the offending boy, "Don't talk like you know anything Shiina, you're one to talk about sitting on one's high horses huh?"

"High horses? Coming from a country bumpkin who can't show a lick of appreciation for how lucky he is? What, are you gonna start quoting scripture at me again?" Shiina laughed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

The casual arrogance the kid gave off made Kousaku's blood boil. He stepped forward seeing red, barely registering Hibari's words as he swung at shiina.

"Kousaku! Wait! He's-" she exclaimed.

Kousaku's saw stars as his head reeled from a punch he didn't even see, dropping to the ground from the sheer force behind the hit.

"...a star of the boxing club.." Hibari finished lamely.

His jaw felt sore, tears welling in his eyes but not falling as he held his face. Shiina laughed, already walking away shaking his head.

"Maybe next time you'll think before doing something stupid," he shot over his shoulder as he walked away.

Hibari dropped down next to Kousaku, placing a hand on his arm.

"Hey, take deep breaths, just breathe." he said softly, patting Kousaku gently.

Kousaku gritted his teeth, doing as the boy said. In, and out. Again and again like a mantra. What had he been thinking? He'd been smart this morning. He knew how to keep a level head, yet now he lashed out? He gave a self-depreciating scoff, rubbing the very tender flesh of his cheek. At least he didn't taste much blood. After a minute or two, Kousaku finally worked up the courage to talk, uncertain if his face was red from embarrassment or swelling.

"That was pretty stupid of me huh?" he asked, giving Hibari a pained smile.

Hibari gave a small giggle, her exasperated tone coloring her voice, "Yeah, that was definitely pretty stupid. Come on, lets go get something to make that at least a little less uncomfortable."

Kousaku allowed Hibari to help him to his feet, the pair walking out of the building. Kousaku did his best to ignore the whispering and pointing. Someone out of the corner of his eye caught his gaze, his skin prickling with the distinct feeling of being watched. When he went to check though, nothing was there. His face flushed as he realized Hibari had taken his hand and not let go. For once though, he was grateful, Hibari pulling him swiftly through the gossiping classmates and into the courtyard, dragging Kousaku to one of the vending machines. Sitting Kousaku down on the bench nearby, Hibari approached one of the machines and began fiddling with her coin purse.

Kousaku couldn't help but watch his friend across from him, the soft swaying of his blonde ponytail as he counted coins. He'd been a dick to him multiple times yet here he was, helping Kousaku back to his feet. Shiina was an absolute ass, Kousaku knew that. But he did have a point. Kousaku was rubbish at appreciating how lucky he was to have Hibari as a friend.

"Sorry for y'know, running my mouth," Kousaku said, feeling like he was in grade school again waiting to see the principal, "And er- sorry for lecturing you on Monday, kinda hypocritical of me huh?"

The only immediate response Kousaku received was the clanking of something dropping from the machine. Hibari bent over to grab it, Kousaku averting his eyes from the tempting site and saying nothing. With delicate steps, Hibari walked the two short paces back to the bench armed with a can of melon soda. Her expression sat somewhere between sympathy and exasperation. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a white T-shirt with her name on it, wrapping the can in the garment and offering it to him.

"Has anyone ever told you you apologize too much Kousaku?" she asked softly, "Here, take this. It should help soothe the pain. I know it's not much, but.."

It was like seeing her for the first time all over again. She wasn't perfect, but was caring when it mattered. He took the item with an apologetic smile, giving a gentle sigh as it made contact with his cheek.

"Thanks," he mumbled against the fabric, "I appreciate it."

Hibari gave him a warm smile, "so… home?" she asked.

"Home." he agreed.

As they started to leave the grounds, Kousaku's mind went to the T-shirt against his cheek. The plain white fabric with Hibari's name…

"Hey, Hibari?" He asked hesitantly, "Is this your-"

"Let's not worry about it. We'll get you a proper ice pack when we're home." she said briskly, picking up her pace.

Kousaku wrinkled his nose, following behind her, "At least tell me it's clean!"

The lack of response spoke more words than any answer.

The walk home was brisk and thankfully uneventful. The air had warmed with the day, the bright afternoon sun washing down on the street as the two walked. As Hibari walked ahead of him, his ponytail swayed with each step, Kousaku's eyes following the motion of the strands. He shifted the cool drink against his skin, turning to another cold spot as the fabric warmed. He knew better than to lash out like this. If he were to go home after today his mom would have given him an earful..

Pushing thoughts of mom aside, Kousaku strode through the door Hibari held aloft for him, pulling off his shoes as they entered the house.

"Hey, at least we've got some good news right? No homework!" Hibari said, nudging his arm.

He couldn't help but give a small smile in response, appreciating Hibari's efforts to cheer him up. Kousaku quipped back playfully, "Hey, that's a curse! It just means you'll have more time to be a menace to the rest of us!"

"Keep talking like that and I won't kiss it better, 'Rocky'!" Hibari laughed back.

Kousaku flushed, taking an obvious step away from the blonde, glaring playfully, "Don't start that again! That's what got us in the mess in the first place!"

"I'd say it was you shouting for the world to hear how much you like 'real curvy girls'." Hibari responded, sticking his tongue out good naturedly, mimicking sliding his hands up his hips to reenact the scene.

"Hey! I didn't say it like that! Stop bullying an injured person!" Kousaku grumbled, ears heating with embarrassment.

Occupied in their conversation, neither Kousaku nor Hibari noticed the person round the corner in front of them, the short intake of breath drawing Kousaku's attention though. Tsubame had brought a hand up to her mouth, looking at him. Her gaze darted towards Hibari.

"Don't tell me you hit him!" she asked acerbically, eyes hardening.

Kousaku's eyes widened, glancing at Hibari's expression darkening. WIthout really thinking he cut the boy off, speaking up quickly.

"It wasn't Hibari!" he said, holding up his free hand in a placating gesture, "I was just being an idiot and picked a fight with Shiina, that's all. Hell, Hibari tried to warn me!"

He gave an awkward laugh, said sound dying off as the tension seemed to two glared at each other, Kousaku's palms dampening with each second of painful silence.

"A-anyways, uh, I'm.. gonna go sit down, rest or whatever," he said lamely, trying to scoot by the two to escape to their study room.

As he walked past he heard the harsh whisper of Tsubame whip out, "Really? Getting him into fights in his first week?"

"Don't act like everything is my fault!" Hibari lashed back in a barely contained hushed tone.

"Shiina wouldn't have bothered him if you weren't involved!" Tsubame snapped, voice rising.

Hibari gave an angry huff, throwing his hands in the air, "Not everything is about me! Why is that so hard to get in your head?"

As Kousaku rounded the corner, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, thankful for the two's bickering receding into the distance. He walked the last couple paces to the study room, sitting down heavily at the table. Pulling off the makeshift ice pack, Kousaku flexed his jaw. The soreness found there made him wince, his hand coming up to feel the swollen skin.

He jumped as the door clacked open, Hibari striding in with a pinched expression. Visibly he saw the blonde take a deep breath, some of the annoyance receding with the action.

"You hanging in there okay?" Hibari asked gently, sitting down next to him, "Ah, let's take a look then."

Before Kousaku could do anything, Hibari gently grabbed his face, turning his injured cheek towards her. The delicate fingers felt cool against his skin, small goosebumps running down Kousaku's spine. He could feel his face heating under her touch, their proximity close enough that her soft breathing was audible.

"S-so what's the prognosis doc? Am I gonna make it?" Kousaku stammered out, giving a nervous laugh to ease the tension.

"Mmm it wasn't a good hit to take, but with who it was you got lucky. He could have dislocated your jaw," Hibari murmured, releasing him. He looked at her startlingly bright chocolate eyes, averting his gaze as soon as they made contact. He scooted away slightly, acutely aware of their proximity. Hibari reached past him to the table, grabbing the discarded cold pack and unwrapping the garment from the can. He opened it with a clack, giving Kousaku a mischievous grin.

"On a happier note, the ice pack you've been enjoying is also a refreshing beverage, so at least you have that going for you," he said with a giggle, "And I won't even make you share this time!

Kousaku rolled his eyes, thanking Hibari as he took the proffered can.

"Well at least I won't die of thirst then," he replied, taking a sip, "Should help to wash away the taste of blood too."

The door opened once again, admitting Tsubame. The girl entered with both arms full, a red case in one hand and a bulky object wrapped in a towel in the other.

"I thought you could use a proper ice pack, plus I should treat that before it gets infected." Tsubame's clipped tone cut past Hibari, her eyes not leaving Kousaku as she sat down next to him. Placing the ice pack in his free hand, she started opening the medkit while talking idly.

"Luckily it doesn't look like you dislocated your jaw, though we should still disinfect it and keep it wrapped and cooled until the swelling drops."

"Er- I'm fine, really," Kousaku said, uncomfortable at the attention, "Hibari said it wasn't too bad, I'll probably just need a bit of time to heal."

"He's not a doctor nor an expert," Tsubame replied succinctly.

"It won't hurt to disinfect it, Kousaku," Hibari agreed lightly, reaching past Tsubame to grab out the rubbing alcohol and some gauze.

Before Hibari could take the items back to his lap, Tsubame pulled them from his grip with a stern glare.

"I think you've done enough already." she said tersely, turning back to Kousaku and wetting the cloth.

"I didn't do anything!" Hibari snapped back with a glare, "I'm just trying to help."

"And let me guess, you were trying to 'help' Kousaku socialize before he got hit."

"I don't control the world Tsubame, and I don't control Shiina's actions!" Hibari's voice rising.

Kousaku's eyes widened with each sentence traded, gaze flitting between the two like a tennis match. As Tsubame turned around to retort angrily, Kousaku cut in frantically, "Girls! Stop, please? I'm fine, but this isn't helping at all. It already happened and doesn't matter. Plus, let's face it! Shiina's a dick, but it was my fault for throwing the first punch."

He held up his hands placatingly, flushing as both turned to face him again. After a shared look between the two, silence reigned in the small room.

"Sorry Kousaku," Tsubame muttered quietly, mirrored by Hibari a moment later. Kousaku could almost see the black haired girl suppressing her annoyance, a strained smile replacing her previous anger.

"Well, I uh, guess I'll go get all my stuff put away after school," Hibari replied, face a pleasant shade of pink. He seemed to avoid Kousaku's eyes, an almost shy expression softening his face in a way that made Kousaku flush, "Speaking of which, could I um, have my shirt back please? I should go put it away."

Kousaku blinked, glancing down at the garment.

"Oh, yeah, thanks by the way," He replied. With a lopsided smile he handed it to the blonde as he stood.

"Any time," Hibari said with a small wave, exiting the room shortly after.

"Makeshift ice pack," Kousaku explained at Tsubame's querying look, "What, no lecture about how I shouldn't get into fights?'

Tsubame rolled her eyes, giving him an exasperated smile, "Like that'd do any good. Come on, let's get you fixed up."

"Whatever you say 'doctor' Ozora." Kousaku shot back cheekily, wincing at the sharp lance of pain. Right, no grinning.

It was hours later that Kousaku shuffled out of the dining room with Tsubame in tow, comfortably full from a wonderful meal. Luckily there hadn't been too many questions, and Hibari had been kind enough to be tight-lipped on details. Frankly it was quite unlike him, but Kousaku was grateful to be able to eat in peace.

"So tomorrow around ten thirty then?" Tsubame asked him with a small smile.

He gave her a grin back, "Yeah, sounds like a plan."

As the two made their way out of the room, Ibari's voice cut through the quiet din.

"Kousaku?" the man asked pleasantly, "Would you mind walking with me to my office? I just had a couple small things I wanted to cover with you."

Kousaku blinked, surprised at the man's query. Throughout dinner Ibari had been quiet and withdrawn, looking almost thoughtful. Several times Kousaku could have sworn the mob boss had been looking at him but every time he checked, the man was genially chatting with his kids. Or focusing on the meal. Nonetheless, Kousaku gave him a nod, saying goodnight to the other youth as they passed.

As the rest trickled out, Ibari rose slowly. He took his time dusting off his outer robe and tidying his spot, Seiji entering soon after to clear the plates. As the seconds ticked by, Kousaku couldn't help but fidget nervously. Was this about today? Or was this something bigger?

"Well let's head off then, I don't want to keep you for too long," Ibari said with a smile. The man gestured for Kousaku to follow as he passed, padding softly down the hallway with the sedate pace of an aging man.

"Have I shown you my office before?" the man's voice rumbled deeply, the crow's feet of his eyes showing the smile on his face as he looked back.

"Er- no sir," Kousaku said with a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head.

"I see, well that would make sense," Ibari lamented, "Most of my doings there are business only you see. And it's not the sort of business a normal kid like yourself should be getting mixed up in."

"Mob stuff?" Kousaku couldn't help but ask.

Ibari replied with a shrug, the smaller man looking no more intimidating than a newt. It was so incredible how his emotions could transform the powerful figure before him.

"That's one way to put it, though frankly most of it is accounting and ledgers for taxes," Ibari sighed.

Kousaku stopped for a second to stare. Quickly he hopped forward to catch up, unable to resist asking, "You guys pay taxes?!" he exclaimed in shock.

Ibari gave a deep laugh then, clapping Kousaku on the back with surprising strength.

"Of course we pay taxes Kousaku!" he chuckled with mirth, "Word of the wise, the government doesn't care where you earn your money, as long as you give them their cut."

"Seriously? And, and no one's come by to arrest you?" Kousaku asked faintly.

Ibari gave him a mischievous smile, "...would you believe me if I told you that there's actually special sections on your tax forms for reporting income earned via illicit means? What is it.. Code 40 for prostitution, 73 for robbery and theft, 15 for embezzlement.. Eh, my accountant knows the finer details. Point is, it's the law that they can't arrest us on evidence of our taxes. At the end of the day, the government is just like us, a bunch of greedy bastards taking what we don't always deserve. Only difference is they lie to the public about it."

Kousaku sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"We aren't stupid Kousaku, that's how they got Capone back in the day. The man didn't report his earnings so he was holed up for tax evasion and his little empire came crumbling down."

"Who ever knew the underground organizations were the most diligent on their taxes?" Kousaku laughed good naturedly.

"Right, here we are. Mind um, turning around for a second? I'm quite particular about the door lock.." Ibari said, gesturing towards an otherwise plain looking door, were it not for the brushed steel lock mounted into the wood frame.

Kousaku nodded his assent. The metallic click of a combination being entered rang out behind him as he studied the wall across. With a small tap on his shoulder, He turned to face Ibari.

"Well come on in then, take a seat. Make yourself comfortable." Ibari intoned brightly. He gestured to a pair of leather chairs before an impressive wood desk, complex designs adorning the panels and legs.

Kousaku entered behind him. The cluttered office that greeted him was smaller than he'd expected. The walls looked not dissimilar to the rest of the house, though Kousaku noted that the windows had thin bars and the floor felt dense under his feet. The desk was covered in all shape of documents and ledgers, some bearing important looking seals, others scrawled in some kind of cipher. The shelves on the wall to the right were filled with books, haphazard bookmarks shoved here and there. Spreadsheets lay littered upon different surfaces, inked with red marker to highlight important data. It felt more like the office of a professor than a mob boss if Kousaku was frank. He took a seat at one of the comfortable looking leather chairs.

Ibari dropped into the seat behind the desk with an audible sigh of comfort, closing his eyes a moment and shifting slightly. A moment passed in silence, then another. Kousaku fidgeted in the chair, cringing at the squeaking of the leather beneath him.

"So um,, was there something you wanted to talk about sir?" he asked quietly, the man before him opening his eyes at the words.

"Ah! Yes of course, let me just-" Ibari leaned forward, shuffling around papers before reaching for a thin folio and pulling out some loose pages.

"I wanted to do a check in with you so to speak, I know you finished your first week and wanted to see how you're settling in." Ibari admitted, a nervous smile awkwardly pulling at the aged man's face.

"Oh! Er- everything has been great sir-"

"Just call me Ibari," the man cut in, scanning the paper in his hands, "I can see your grades aren't half bad, solidly in the upper third of your class."

"Ah, yeah," Kousaku replied hesitantly, "It's been.. A bit tough but I can handle it. My mom taught me well after all."

"Have you er- been doing okay with all that?" Ibari asked, shuffling the papers in his hands, "Haru- I mean, with your mom. If you need someone to talk to-"

"It's fine!" Kousaku blurted out, "I'm doing okay, I promise."

The man in front of him looked to one side, expression tight and closed.

After a beat Kousaku continued, "T-thank you for the offer though sir- I mean, Ibari. I appreciate it."

Ibari cleared his throat, looking back at Kousaku. He squared his shoulders, eyes flitting back and forth between the document and Kousaku's gaze.

"Yes, of course," he replied gruffly, "It's my job as your guardian after all."

The clock ticked in the silence, second by second.

"Anyway," Ibari said, shifting forward to lean on the desk, his gaze hardening just a fraction, "has there.. Have you had anything you wanted to tell me about Kousaku?"

Kousaku looked away. He could feel the man's sharp gaze prickling his skin, feeling nothing more than an ant under a magnifying glass.

"N-nothing much," Kousaku admitted, "Just a small fight with another student, but it was my fault. It won't happen again."

Ibari sighed. The man leaned back in his chair, gesturing with a hand to continue.

"Well what exactly led to it?" Ibari queried firmly.

Kousaku gave pause as he mulled over his words. Last thing he wanted was for Ibari to go the route of Tsubame and blame Hibari for the incident.

"One of the kids in my class and I don't especially get along," he said with a half-smile, "pretty typical stuff, both of us don't back down when we should and poke at the other I guess. Long story short, he makes some comments about me. I stupidly rose to that and said something rude back. At the end of the day though I threw the first punch. And frankly, he proved to have one hell of a right hook."

Kousaku let out a bitter laugh, gesturing to his bandaged cheek.

Ibari sat silent for a moment. Kousaku's ears felt full of the sound of his heartbeat. Not even a week into school and he was getting into fights. How would Ibari react to such an incident? Grounding? Would he put him to work?

"Well, it sounds like there's still some lessons you have to learn then Kousaku." Ibari spoke up with a thin smile, deep voice filling the space, "don't start a fight you can't win. You considered the boxing club?"

Kousaku laughed at the man's statement. He gave a small shrug in response.

"Frankly though, I did expect better of you. If you're going to fight, make sure it's for something important. The squabbles of teens aren't worth your health." the man stroked his chin thoughtfully, "I remember fighting a few times in high school, all of them for the same reason. Someone said something about my family. I have a strong attachment to my family you see."

"I figured sir," Kousaku said with a small smile, "you do seem quite proud of them."

"Well yes, a father should be proud of his children. You can't call yourself a man if you don't help them reach their goals." Ibari intoned proudly.

For a moment Kousaku considered asking about his stance on Hibari then, but didn't wish for the confrontation. He bit his tongue as Ibari continued.

"It's actually been a topic of debate between other mob heads and myself. The world of the Yakuza is a dangerous one yet my home is where our mob calls home as well. My children laugh and play among my associates. Some who have done things I'd never wish my daughters to see. 'Ozora,' they say, 'this world is not one for children!'. But how can I call myself their father if they don't see all facets of myself? Being around my children teaches my men gentleness and tranquility in the same way my wonderful children learn to be steadfast and alert. Do you understand Kousaku?"

Kousaku swallowed under the scrutinizing gaze, "I-I believe so" he said in a quiet voice, "Best to let them know both your faces, right?"

Ibari grinned, "Exactly my boy! The dragon and the father are the same being, after all. Just two faces of the same soul."

"That's surprisingly introspective of you sir."

Ibari huffed in annoyance, "Don't call me sir. And what do you mean 'surprisingly'? Are you saying I don't look thoughtful?"

Kousaku jumped at the sharp tone, "N-no! I just meant it was very well reasoned is all! A way of thinking I hadn't considered!"

Ibari laughed, waving off Kousaku's floundering, "Don't take it so seriously, I know you meant nothing rude by it. Though if you had.."

The man's words trailed off, Kousaku swallowing nervously. The seconds ticked by in relative silence. Kousaku wiped his clammy palms on his pants. No matter how many times they spoke, Ibari always had a way of putting him on edge. It was like defusing a bomb. He glanced up at the man, noting the faraway look in his eyes as he sat back in his chair.

"Is there anything else, Ibari? If not I should probably start getting ready for bed." Kousaku said with a nervous chuckle.

Ibari's gaze shifted to Kousaku's, a look he couldn't quite place in the man's eyes. Somewhere close to frustration or.. Confusion? It was hard to tell.

"There is one other matter, I was hoping you'd tell me, but,," The man shifted in his seat again, gaze flicking away from Kousaku from a moment. Ibari stuffed the papers back into the folio.

"The spartan dragon came to me about something today, and I'd like to hear your side of the matter," Ibari muttered softly, "He said that today he'd tried to help Hibari act more like a boy on his own by adjusting the options in his dress."

Kousaku slid his seat back slightly, swallowing heavily.

Ibari gave a deep sigh, continuing on in that same soft, almost disappointed tone, "More to the matter though, he came to me and said you helped Hibari skirt by that this morning. Now I tried to tell him you wouldn't undermine his work, but-"

"Oh!" Kousaku exclaimed in faux shock, "that! I hadn't even thought about how that- you see-"

Kousaku floundered. What could he possibly say that wouldn't get him in trouble? He wasn't trying to mess up the Spartan Dragon, he just didn't want Hibari to suffer! Or,, something like that. Kousaku berated himself internally. What had he been thinking this morning? He knew better than to get involved.

"I was just- that was-," Kousaku swallowed audibly, giving a weak smile, "He took all of Hibari's clothes and left only school uniforms you see! I was um, trying to ease the transition! I mean I know how much it sucked to go in a school uniform on the first day, he'd stand out even more!"

Ibari sat there quietly, tapping his fingers on the heavy wood desk. Each falling of them drummed a deep beat. The man's eyes didn't leave Kousaku's, his gaze watching the young man fidget before him. It was like being under a spotlight. The drumming slowed before coming to a complete stop.

"Allow me to be frank, Kousaku," Ibari intoned quietly, tone dangerously calm, "Were you helping my son, or the woman he pretends to be?"

He couldn't stop the flinch at the sharp words spoken in such an even tone. What kind of question was that even supposed to be? Kousaku felt like he was imploding under the scrutiny, frantically replying to the pointed question.

"Your son sir! Of course your son! Or- er- your,,, heir?" he blurted in response.

Ibari watched him a moment longer before closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair.

"My apologies for holding up your evening. Thank you for humoring an old man," he said in a much less hostile voice, "I'd assumed as such, the dragon has been wrong before. But do be mindful of how you help him in the future. We've seen today just how crafty Hibari can be with any blessing given."

"R-right,," Kousaku replied faintly.

"I've just seen how that boy can get to others, and, well, I care for you. You're a son of Harue's, and to me that makes you family. I know Hibari has greatness in him, but he always uses it for the wrong things! Even the dragon has admitted as such… I just-" the older man gave a strained smile, "Anyway though! Don't let the musing of an old man weigh you down. Go enjoy your night."

"Of course sir, have a good night,," Kousaku said slowly, uncertain what else he could say.

Slowly Kousaku rose, walking a short pace to the door and closing it behind himself; a troubled Ibari in his wake. In the silence of the hall, the deep breath he let out traveled with no resistance. Sedate steps carried Kousaku back to his room through the quiet and dark home.

The relationship between Ibari and Hibari was one Kousaku doubted he'd ever understand. Both clearly disliked the other's choices, but even then Ibari would say things like that, leaving Kousaku wondering if the man still cared, deep down. He had better things to worry about right now though, such as the fact that the spartan dragon was spying on him. Or at the very least, spying on Hibari. It made his skin prickle with discomfort. Just who was this man?

Saturday morning rose over the Ozora household with the languid pace of melting wax. It was warm, sunny, and Kousaku was looking forward to a nice lay in for the start of the day. As usual though, Kousaku's good intentions were not to be.

The boy was ripped from sleep with a heavy "oof!'' as a small missile launched directly into his gut. His eyes shot open, looking around for the threat that'd harmed him so. All that greeted his panicked gaze however was an excited child bouncing on his bed with undisguised glee. He winced as her knee dug back into his stomach.

"Come on come on come on you lazybutt!" Suzume shouted, tugging on his arm.

"Huh? What?" Kousaku asked blearily.

Suzume rolled her eyes, already halfway off his bed.

"Doraemon's gonna be on any minute! Come on!" she said.

"Why does that need me?" Kousaku whined.

"Becaaaaauuusse it's amazing, duh! Now come onnn! Don't make me get Seiji!" she said petulantly.

It was the pout that roused him out of bed. Her cute face scrunched angrily left him with little resistance to her qualms. It would be like kicking a puppy after all! It was in no time at all that he found himself sat down next to the girl at the table, chuckling as she sang along with the theme song. She'd sprawled herself out on the floor nearby with a blanket wrapped around herself and a Doraemon plush held tightly in her arms. Her youthful jubilee was frankly contagious.

"You do know I've never seen this show right?" Kousaku asked, amused at her antics.

She sighed dramatically, looking at him as though talking to a child, the irony not lost on him.

"Well then there's no better time to start than now! I'll catch you up later, don't worry!" Suzume said with a wave of her hand in dismissal.

"Right, right," he relented. It was sweet of her to want to share the film with him. The two sat in relative silence among the din of the TV, interrupted only by the short gasps or raucous laughs of Suzume. Kousaku gave a wistful smile.

When he was younger it wasn't uncommon to spend a Saturday morning like this with his mom, her reading a book and laughing good naturedly along with him. It'd been years since then of course, but he'd always appreciate the fond memories. Even with how busy she could be, she'd always take the time out of her days to spend with him on those mornings.

Without really thinking about it, Kousaku reached out and softly patted Suzume on the head.

"So I see she's roped you into her adoration of morning cartoons."

Kousaku glanced up at Tsugumi as she entered, giving a short wave in greeting. She was dressed casually, A loose sweater adorning her along with comfortable looking shorts. A pair of glasses he hadn't seen perched atop her head. A sketchpad was slung under one arm, the other occupied by a steaming cup.

"I guess so, though It's not a bad way to spend a morning," he admitted sheepishly, "Good morning by the way."

"Mh, it will be in a bit. After I've woken up a bit more," Tsugumi replied with a tired grin. She sat down next to him heavily, setting down her cup of tea and giving a big yawn.

"Did she drag you out of bed?" She continued as she situated herself.

Kousaku offered a small chuckle in response, "something along those lines. Hard to say no to that pout though.."

Tsugumi unfolded the sketchpad and unrolled a small set of pencils. Giving him a small smile and a nod.

"You wouldn't be the first, and definitely won't be the last. That little rascal has half the members of dad's organization wrapped around her little finger I swear," she said in exasperation as she dropped the glasses down onto her nose, "It's cute, but sometimes she gets away with too much I swear. One of the men went around the house in a little froggy hat for half a week because she thought it'd suit his look. Luckily dad put a stop to that after he noticed."

Kousaku gave a chuckle, "That does sound like the Suzume I know.."

"Shhh!" Suzume hissed at the two, "Stop distracting Kousaku, Tsugumi!"

With an exasperated expression shot towards the elder sister, Kousaku fell silent, content to sit back and watch the show. The minutes ticked by quietly, doing his best to grasp the somewhat chaotic yet comedic children's show. Despite his best intentions, his attention was pulled by the soft scratching of pencils on paper. He maintained his silence a bit longer, feigning interest in the shenanigans of the futuristic space cat on the screen before leaning closer to Tsugumi.

"What're you workin' on?" he whispered curiously.

She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, not pausing the swift strokes of the pencil as she worked.

"An ad for a local designer brand. They make women's clothes and need some art to accompany the latest release," she replied quietly, concentration clear on her face.

"Mind if I see?" he asked in response.

She gave him a small nod and a smile, pushing the sketchpad toward him and allowing the full piece to show in the early morning light. She took a small sip of her tea as she began describing the work.

"It's for their summer launch, the theme they're pushing for is bright warmth and a sunny feel," she explained in hushed tones, gesturing around the piece as she talked, "lots of designers prefer photos over drawn works, but this company says that a drawn piece creates a more 'handmade' feel and makes them stand out. I'm happy for the business either way."

Kousaku wasn't any expert in art, but even he couldn't help the small gasp at the beauty and detail in the piece before him. The girl drawn was still in grayscale but even then the work was breathtakingly gorgeous. Her outfit was a comfortable mix of a pair of light shorts and a vibrant blouse. The light-patterned top almost appeared to flow along the model's body, accentuating her curves yet hanging loose along the chest in a fluid-like motion. calf-length white socks made the look appear almost sporty, especially when paired with a stylish pair of sneakers. The addition of a pair of round wireframe glasses just completed the look. It was fashion forward in a way Kousaku didn't entirely grasp but could see the appeal. The eyes though were the thing that held his gaze, a comfortable yet playful look held within them that nearly felt alive, not to mention familiar. With her long, fair hair and pale skin, she struck quite the image as a young woman. She was the epitome of the carefree summer attitude Tsugumi described. It was all in all gorgeous.

"W-wow," he started in shock, "this is amazing Tsugumi! It feels like I could reach out and touch the fabric!"

Tsugumi gave him a bright smile as she slid it back, "Thanks, I still need to fix some of the anatomy to make everything look perfect. Her legs are a bit too long I think, not to mention how her hair covers the blouse here."
"I don't know," Kousaku admitted with a faint blush, "I think you drew her perfectly. She has this chique look to her that's really attractive, or um, captivating."

Tsugumi laughed pleasantly, only to quickly be hushed by an annoyed Suzume.

"Is that so?" she teased, "and what would you say makes her so 'captivating', hm?"

She leaned towards Kousaku, lips quirking in an almost predatory gleam. He could feel his ears growing hot under her apparent curiosity. It was an intense feeling, under her gaze. So completely different to being scrutinized by Ibari. He felt like a small child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, being asked to fess up to what he did. He swallowed heavily, eyes locked on his lap as he mumbled out his answer.

"It's just how you drew her is all… The glasses really bring out those large, gorgeous eyes, kind of drawing the gaze to them. And the legs are a feature, it just accentuates her slim figure and- What I'm trying to say is she doesn't look like she's trying to be beautiful, it comes naturally. Her beauty feels real, not cultivated just to look good. You drew her carefree and confident in a way that's mesmerizing," Kousaku blushed deeply, realizing just how much he said. Much more sedately he squeaked out, "I-I mean I'm sure the advertiser will love it. It definitely screams summer,,"

"Well I must say that was more heartfelt than I was expecting," Tsugumi teased, "I had it under good authority that you liked 'curvy, hot girls'!"

Kousaku buried his face in his hands, flaming cheeks warm against his palms.

"It was a spur of the moment thing, okay?" he exclaimed hotly, "How in the world do you know about that?"

"You're especially cute when you're embarrassed Kousaku, maybe I should have you model for me next? I'm sure I've got offers for male sketches somewhere in my folders," she said with a grin, completely ignoring his question.

"Oh don't even start with that!" he huffed good naturedly, "...and I'm not cute!"

"Fine, fine, say what you will. Though I'll be sure to pass on the compliments. I'm sure Hibari will be thrilled to know you find her 'captivating'," Tsugumi winked, giving air quotes as she spoke.

"Wait-" Kousaku stuttered, "that's-"

"I'm surprised you didn't recognize her with the way you sucked in the detail…" Tsugumi said thoughtfully as she tapped finger against her lips, "I mean admittedly she's never worn glasses around you has she? Maybe I should let her know how much they help draw your gaze to her eyes.."

"You know I didn't mean it that way! I'm not into guys!" Kousaku replied defiantly.

"Shhhh!" Suzume hissed, slapping a hand over Kousaku's mouth, "You can't hear it if you're talking!"

"Yet you're into Hibari, interesting," Tsugumi whispered nonchalantly.

Kousaku glared at Tsugumi with his mouth still covered, uncertain of what to do. Why was he so stupid, how did he not recognize him from the start? It must have been Tsugumi's artistic style, that was it. If Hibari ever found out, he'd never live it down! He huffed against the hand covering his lips, finally reaching up to extract his face from the younger girl's grasp.

"I'm. Not. Into. Hibari." Kousaku hissed firmly at Tsugumi.

Tsugumi rolled her eyes good naturedly.

"I know, it's just so easy to rile you up, I couldn't help myself!" she admitted with a quiet giggle.

Kousaku let out a huff, "Well at least now I know where Hibari learned to be such a pain in the butt."

Tsugumi shrugged in response.

With the lull in conversation, Kousaku did his best to learn a little about the episode they were on, idly asking questions to the younger girl between dialogue. Even as he watched though, Kousaku kept stealing glances at Tsugumi, more specifically her sketch pad. As the show progressed on, she sank into her work, erasing out details she didn't enjoy and correcting them with deft strokes. He'd never noticed she had reading glasses before today.

Despite its beauty though, Kousaku found his mind wandering as he watched her work. It was amazing to him how Tsugumi could capture blonde hair with only a few pencils to work with. She softly smudged along the cheeks to emulate the soft pink Kousaku could picture there. It was that flush he gave when Hibari was excited and joyful. It didn't make much sense to him, was choosing Hibari intentional? He shifted towards her slightly.

"So um, is this piece gonna end up color?" he asked quietly.

Tsugumi glanced up, giving him a nod in response.

"In most cases art starts life as a rough sketch and is then inked over for the dominant lines. Then the pencil is erased and color fills its place," She explained softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and subsequently smudging graphite on her face.

"Right, that makes sense," he glanced down at the piece, "What made you decide to use Hibari as the model?"

Tsugumi shrugged, biting her lip and turning the art this way and that.

"It ended up kind of as a symbiotic relationship, honestly. When I first got started I was broke and could barely afford my supplies," she jotted another bit on the page with concise marks, "See I wanted to prove myself more than just the daughter of 'the great Ozora dragon', so I refused his support. The project, though, was a high detail piece of some companies' latest shoes. And by luck, Hibari was the same size as the pair they'd sent for modeling."

As she worked, her speaking seemed almost distant, her eyes flitting along the page finding flaws Kousaku hadn't even noticed. Tsugumi shot him a quick smile.

"My piece for that was a smashing success. I have to say it was quite gratifying to see something I'd done be in a magazine. The pay wasn't great, but it was enough for a start. When I went to give Hibari her cut though, all she asked for were the shoes she'd worn."

Tsugumi set down her art supplies, pulling free a hair tie and pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail.

"It became a tradition for us I guess. She'd come help me for a few hours by modeling for me and she'd get a new stylish outfit. I actually added it as a clause in my agreements, if you can believe that," she laughed pleasantly, wincing at the hush sent her way by the youngest. In a quieter tone she continued, "It's nice though. Every couple weeks we spend a few hours talking while I work, in trade she gets to expand her wardrobe. It's not like dad would let her buy anything."

Kousaku shifted uncomfortably.

"I can't imagine your dad is too happy with the arrangement.." he said after a moment.

Tsugumi rolled her eyes at him, "What my dad thinks is none of his business. I'm an adult, my decisions are mine alone. Why, do you have an issue with it?"

Kousaku winced at the hostility. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to formulate his thoughts.

"Look, I guess I was just surprised you supported him in all this, I guess." Kousaku admitted.

"Look, Kousaku," Tsugumi sighed heavily, tone almost exasperated, "Whether I support her or not isn't of the matter, she's still my sibling after all."

"But it doesn't make any sense!" he blurted in response, flushing at the look she gave him. It left him feeling small, like a child not understanding a simple math problem.

"Believe it or not, you don't have to understand someone to respect them," she said softly, "Look, I'm not gonna preach to you or tell you what's right, but let me just ask, are my actions hurting me or others?"

Kousaku shrugged lamely, uncertain of what to say. Her words spoke like a ghost of Hibari's earlier in the week. He gave a small nod in answer. The din of the TV filled the silence between the two, Kousaku averting his gaze. The minutes ticked by until finally the episode drew to a close.

Despite the bright outro music playing, Kousaku jumped at the shearing of paper.

Tsugumi held out the sketch she'd been working on, torn roughly from her book.

"It wasn't fitting the image I had in mind after all, I'm just gonna start over," she said with a frown. She glanced at the drawing with some unreadable look in her eyes, "here. I'd rather it go to someone who likes it rather than the trash with the rest."

"Er-" he said flushing.

"Hey, you're the one that called it 'captivating'!" she pointed out with a grin.

"You're never gonna let me live that down are you?" he asked.

"Definitely not."

With nothing better to do, Kousaku folded and tucked the piece into a pocket. It wasn't like he asked for it after all. But it wouldn't be right to just throw it away, would it?

"So?!" came an excited shout from his other side, causing Kousaku to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Oh! Um, it was great, yeah! I uh- really enjoyed how Doraemon helped the main kids after their mess up?" he said slowly piecing together what he could remember.

"His name is Nobita! This is why I told you to stop talking!" Suzume admonished in a huff, "He was so silly getting the…"

Kousaku gave a smile at Tsugumi, an exasperated eye roll punctuating the gesture. He did care about what she had to say, mind you, but more because she cared about it than him actually loving the show. So with the rapt patience of a monk, Kousaku sat and listened to the recap of the episode they'd just watched, nodding in the right places and following along.

It was during the wild gesticulations of Suzume showing exactly how Nobita had flown across the room that another member of the house entered quietly with a bounce in his step. The Hibari that greeted Kousaku was the Hibari Kousaku had come to know. Slim, feminine, and dressed smartly. It was rare to see him in slacks though. Mind you they were clearly women's slacks from the cut, the tan material paired with a belted cable knit turtleneck created an almost vogue feel. He'd even worn makeup today, Kousaku realized, eyes traveling across cherry red lips and bold, alluring eyes. That color of brown was unique to her, this wonderful shade somewhere between oak and chocolate; not to mention caramel in the bright sun. It was-

Tsugumi's words from earlier echoed in his ears. Captivating. Fighting a light blush, Kousaku pulled his gaze away from the blonde, feigning interest in the wood grain. The sisters greeted each other amiably.

"Surprised to see you up so early," Tsugumi commented pleasantly.

"Yes well, I do need to get an early start today, as I'm considering a couple plans," Hibari admitted, the soft thump adjacent to Kousaku signifying his arrival.

"Oh? Well don't start anything too intense, will you?" Tsugumi giggled softly.

"Please, you don't think I'm a troublemaker, now do you?" Hibari asked with mirth.

Kousaku couldn't help but snort at that.

"Are you saying I'm not a good girl Kousaku?" Hibari asked.

Kousaku glanced up at him, eyes locking on those thrice-damned chocolate eyes. The mirth that shined there should have have warded him off, but Kousaku rose to the bait.

"You're very much not a good girl!" he said with a huff, "I mean I've only known you a week and I can tell that much!"

"So I'm your bad girl then?" Hibari purred.

He could feel the heat climbing his cheeks, the flush pulling at his skin.

"Leave the poor boy alone Hibari," Tsugumi cut in, flicking the girl on the nose, "Let him at least wake up before you make him any more red?"

"I'm not red!" he snapped, face hot.

"Of course you're not dear," The two parotted in tandem, Suzume giggling at their antics.

"Regardless of his embarrassment though, Hibari, would you mind helping me out with that project again?" Tsugumi asked politely.

The surprise was clear on Hibari's face at the request, "Well yes, I can come in, but what happened to the last one? I thought we were done," he said quietly.

"Yes well, Kousaku inspired some wonderful new ideas when he saw the piece and I'd love to really make it something worthy of our name, hm?" Tsugumi replied pleasantly.

It felt good to see Hibari being the one with the rosy hue coloring her cheeks, "You showed him? Well- I guess that's good, I'll er, I'll be happy to help, say, tonight?"

Tsugumi gave a nod in affirmation.

"Well um, I should probably go and start getting ready," Kousaku said with a lopsided smile, wanting to get out of the somewhat awkward conversation, "Shouldn't keep Tsubame waiting after all! Have a good day you three!"

Tsugumi waved him off while Suzume wished him well as he exited. Despite that though, Kousaku couldn't just ignore the playful wink Hibari sent his way as he walked out. The picture in his pocket burned a hole as he walked, unable to forget that earlier conversation. Either way though, he schooled his face and entered his room. It was bound to be a fun day ahead, though he couldn't fight the flutters of nervousness in his gut, like a shadow was cast over the coming day.