The night had been long but pleasant. Takasugi had been treated to multiple fresh pastries while he read, and Kinu had even accepted a special request of raspberry filling in a small cake made from extra batter. Hadn't even batted an eye before offering him something of his choice. And after he left, she had crawled back up to her room and laid out her salvaged parts for her project. The pen he'd snapped in half was beyond saving. She'd tried to piece it back together, to no avail, and eventually gave up, because there wasn't enough tape in the world. Takasugi was a jerk. And that jerk had stood her up. Again. She wasn't sure what had happened to her better judgement, but she was annoyed that he wasn't there when she shut the shop down. Again.

Kinu liked her alone time, but she had plenty of that when she was tossing and turning in bed. A distraction was needed. Welcomed. Even under the circumstances.

Voices echoed in the background. She toweled her hair off and wrapped it into a pile on her head as she stepped into the steaming bathtub. When she sank into the water the arguing grew nearer, then proceeded down the hallway. The door jiggled as somebody tried to pull it open, then went silent.

Deadpan, she glanced at it from the corners of her eyes.

"You do this every single time, Riku!"

"Got damn it, I don't gotta take this from ya!"

"Think about us! Your family! Think about your daughter! She's working herself to death and you're drinking everything away!" The footsteps proceeded, back the way they had come from, and heavier, sloppier steps followed. Kinu stared down at the water, enchanted by the contrasting drop of red that broke as soon as it hit her thigh. A distraction. This was comfortable.

"Don't talk ta me like that! After everything I did fer ya- "

"You're not even trying to find a job! Not helping with the shop. We're losing our home, and you're just watching it happen. What happened to you?"

"Ya know exactly what happened Ai! My leg!"

"Always with that war- that was years ago Riku. You're not a patriot anymore, that's just an excuse!"

Kinu sank further into the tub, and pulled the towel from her hair. Threw it onto the floor, and her ears went under the water, blotting out the sounds she didn't care to hear anymore. She wished they'd shut up.

All was well.

Her mom had been right. Always with the stupid war, and the leg injuries, and the country. Who cared? She hated it all. When the house was silent, and the bath was nearly freezing, the girl dragged herself to her room. Alone, Kinu locked her door and threw the window open, just to look at the people walking down the street. She already knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Smoking would buy her a few hours at best.

So she leaned there on the perch and watched the forms stumbling through the night, all with places to be. Fun to have. Emotions to feel that were more than the bland haze of whatever muck was inside of her, and she imagined being that. Comfortable and on her own. Not worried about her parents, because they were stable and content, and walking down the road taking in all of the lights and oversized signs.

Momo jumped onto the roof beside her, and eased up to her window, chirping deep in his throat, and she scratched behind his ear as he looked out over the street with her. Rubbed himself across her collarbone, chin, and shoulders.

And she was happy.

Then she was bored and took Momo in a bunch into her arms, shut the window, and sat in bed.

For once in the history of the tea shop, every table was full. It was a sight to behold; people actually coming in and staying. Kinu was stretched thin, tending everybody alone, but she was able to keep up as long as she didn't stop to think. The bustling crowd brought familiar faces, though most didn't speak more than necessary. After clearing two tables, Kinu sank back behind the counter. Though her book beckoned, she couldn't lift it for fear of missing something, or not realizing that somebody was standing at the check out.

So she sat back, nibbling on the end of a pocky stick.

"I always heard about this place, and wondered if it was the same Inoue!"

Glancing up at the man across the counter, Kinu nodded. He raised his cup of tea to his mouth and his eyes crinkled at her. The man had caught her skipping out on lessons. Wore his usual white button up, rolled to the bend of his elbows, and black vest, as if he was standing in front of the class still. She'd only asked for an extension. Not a house call. Kinu had been looking at the flowery tattoos on the man's forearm, but the moment he noticed, she averted her gaze. He'd even brought his friend with him; an older man with a silvering streak in his brown hair. Both of them had pulled their hair back. Kinu's teacher, Ishii had enough length to make a bun, while his acquaintance only managed a tiny ponytail. Hipsters.

"Of course, this is more pleasure than business. But about your paper…" He placed his cup back on the plate beside his half eaten slice of cake. "I think you could have managed it sooner. You've been having enough issues this year, I get that, but it doesn't seem like you're applying yourself at all."

"That's not fair. Just give her the extra time! Look at how packed this shop is, she's got her hands full. Right?" The older man looked to Kinu as he spoke and she nodded once. They'd picked a good day to ambush her. Otherwise, she would have had no excuse.

"Amagi-San, you don't know how bad she's been about her work. Even her attendance, just showing up is too hard."

"Oh, come now. Are you running this shop alone?"

Kinu hummed to the man, and he gestured towards her, smiling at her teacher. It wasn't entirely a lie.

"See? It would be hard to get out or do any school work like that. How old are you?" He turned back to her immediately and Kinu's eyes flicked over the shop. Everybody seemed fine.

"Eighteen." She murmured back, and the man's brows jumped.

"Even more impressive. Why, I think you should have more of an extension privilege than the other students." He looked at Ishii, still smiling so hard that his eyes were nearly closed, but the man shook his head.

"Have you started the assignment?"

Kinu nodded again, and he sighed.

"Well… If you're going to turn it in late, the least I could do is look over it. How about I come back around, say, eleven? I'll show you what I'm looking for in essays, and give you some pointers to make it easier."

That sounded kind of weird. Kinu didn't know if she was comfortable with it. The shop wouldn't close at eleven, but it would probably be dead by then, and she didn't like the idea of being alone with some man, teacher or not. Why couldn't they do this over email? Or like, telegraph?

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ishii-san. Is it really appropriate to meet up with your students after hours?" Amagi was the first to speak, and Kinu was thankful that he had. Both men laughed at that. She wasn't sure why. It didn't seem funny to her. Nonetheless, they paid, and left. Like regular customers. Just as the door closed behind them, Kinu Took their plates, then looked at the counter beside the register. A wallet. One of them had left a wallet that was absolutely stuffed with cash, so much so that it looked as though it would burst open and refuse to be bent again. Frowning to herself, she gazed at the door again.

Fuck.

Snatching the leather wallet up, Kinu rounded the counter and rushed out of the door. The men were standing beside it, both lighting a cigarette as she came out, holding the wallet.

"One of you… Uh, you left it…" Holding the object up, Kinu looked over the men. Ishii looked to Amagi, and his nose wrinkled. Smiling, as he had before, the older man took hold of the wallet.

"How careless of me! I'm glad you were the one to find it then, Inoue." He skipped honorifics. Completely left it out, as if he had no obligation to use one. The man grasped her shoulder and tucked his cigarette between his lips as he tilted his head. "You know, this shop is perfect. If you were ever interested in selling, or maybe in need of an investor, I'd be happy to run through some figures with you. We could go over your business model… Of course, you'd still work here, I'd just make a few minor changes."

If the shop was perfect, what minor changes did he mean? Kinu knew she was frowning. Could feel her eyebrows tugging down as the man's grip on her shoulder tightened. Urging her to answer. Instead of sticking around, she shrugged out of his hand, pulled the shop door open and went back inside. Didn't say a word. After they left, the customers thinned out. As if they had all been a single group. Then the shop was empty again.

Business model. What was Kinu's business model? She hadn't thought about it before, but now that Amagi had said it to her, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Nobody had told her how to run a business before, she just kind of picked up where her grandparents had left off. Hadn't changed the menu, or the drinks, aside from teas she wanted to try. Maybe Gintoki would know something about it. Or Shinpachi; he had a family dojo. But he wasn't feeding them, she didn't think.

That was too different.

Gintoki's expertise began and ended with eating her food.

Takasugi though, he seemed to know things. Kinu needed to get her assignment done, but the survival of her family was more important than school. So instead of taking time to finish, then type the essay, she looked over the menu. It was outdated. Even the deserts in the display case, and the easy snacks like rice balls and tea sandwiches, were unimpressive. The cakes were a little cute, but nothing special.

The store was a fossil. Mismatches cups, and all wooden floors and tables. The only color aside from the cups were the dish towels. While Kinu wasn't one for much color, a few splashes couldn't have hurt. She watched the last few of her customers slip away; an elderly couple that came most Thursday afternoons.

"I've got to start my shift in a few."

"Ew, you were serious about getting a job? Why?" Though Kinu didn't mean to listen in, the voices carried in the empty shop. Her last customers were a pair of girls that had been in deep conversation since they'd entered. They were cute, with their hair clips and matching green flower print yukata.

"Dunno, I wanted my own money."

"Why not just ask your parents, like me? You're only twenty, you should be having fun!"

Was that the general consensus? Did most cute girls do that? Kinu hadn't gotten the memo, but when she tried to think of what she'd be doing if not working, nothing came to mind. Something to have fun. She wasn't sure. The girls stood and eventually left, and Kinu was still trying to think of what she'd be doing if she didn't have to work. It was an impossible question.

Maybe she could make a new menu.

Why hadn't she thought of it before? Of course the shop was dying. The competition was growing, expanding, and progressing.

Seeing her opportunity to escape, Kinu quickly emptied the display shelf and threw all of the food into delivery containers that were as old as time itself. New collapsible paper boxes were on the to do list as well. Kinu locked the store door, flipped the sign, and slipped out of the alley entrance.

Facing Gintoki after what she'd told him sounded awful, but she was going to use him to test some things. She had a few places to go, but went to the Yorozuya first, and Gintoki was lazily biding his time as always. He looked up at her when she barged in, and raised a brow, but Kinu wasted no time in setting the five containers on the table between the couches.

"Eat these."

"What?" Sitting up, the man ran a hand through his silver curls. He held his JUMP beside him, on the couch, and stared at the boxes as the girl lifted them from one another and set them all out on the table.

"All of it, eat them."

"All of it?!" Not so dead crimson fish eyes jumped up to the girl as she opened the top of the containers and displayed the food.

"Right now."

"Ki, that's physically impossible! I can't eat this alone! What'd you do, bring the whole store here?"

Nodding, the girl lifted a rice ball and shoved it into his face. Gintoki snatched it from her hands, still gaping at the food as she turned and looked over the room.

"Kagura-chan? She can help."

"She took off this morning," Mouth full, Gintoki reached into another brown paper box and pulled out a cookie. "Are these Ma's?"

"Yeah. Shinpachi-kun?"

"What's this all about? Not like I'm complaining, but you can't just give away all the food and- is the shop closed? Did they kick you out?"

"No, idiot, I just- You and Kagura-chan have to eat all this, and Shinpachi-kun should come with me to the library."

"You're trying to buy a date?!" Nearly spitting his food out, Gintoki jumped to his feet. "Ki you know he's shy! He'd never sell his body for food!"

"What are you accusing me of?!" Snapping back at the man, Kinu snatched another rice ball from the box and chucked it at him. He scrambled to catch it. Barely did as she grabbed another and prepared to launch it.

"Oi! Oi, don't waste my food! I'm gonna eat that!"

"Buying Shinpachi-kun's body!?" Just as she raised the rice ball over her head, the door slid open. Kinu and Gintoki turned to the entrance, deadpan, as the boy in question slowly stepped into the room, bright red.

"I'm, uh… back…"

Quickly looking away, Kinu gawked at the desk at the back of the room. He hadn't heard that. Right? This was awful. Irredeemable. Gintoki had set her up! She carefully placed the rice ball back in the box, not daring to look at the boy as he eased towards the table, and Gintoki huffed back onto the couch.

"Or maybe not. The least you two could do it not leave marks; sucking on each other's necks like virgins."

What?

"Wh- G- Gin-san! We- We haven't!"

Frowning, Kinu looked between the two. Was it really that hot? Gintoki was hallucinating now?

"Don't try to deny it, Patsuan. And Ki! What were you thinking, letting this kid put his dirty mouth all over you!? I'm not trying to raise-"

"No- I haven't touched her! Gin-san what are you saying?!"

A slight note of confusion left the older man, and Kinu felt at her neck. What on earth was he talking about?! It felt normal to her. Just like a neck should. But then again, if there was a mark, she didn't think she had the ability to feel color. Then she thought of the shop. Takasugi. He had to have known exactly what he'd done. If he could spank her without leaving a mark, he could probably do something else to leave one. It hadn't hurt, Kinu had thought he was just toying with her, but Gintoki was frowning at her. Processing whatever he was seeing.

"On… My neck?" The girl asked, and the silver haired samurai leaned up.

"Where the hell else would it be?!"

This had to be intentional. She was going to kill him.

"K- Kinu-san?" Shinpachi took a step towards her, and the leg that had been perched over Gintoki's knee dropped as he dropped his rice ball back into the carry container..

"If… if you didn't..?" Gintoki's crimson eyes set on Kinu and she slowly raised her head. Initiating laser beam sequence. He was going to kill her before she got to kill Takasugi. The girl jumped to her feet and rounded the couch, just as Gintoki pushed himself up. "Oi! Where are you going?!"

Arms out, Kinu ducked to one side of the couch, quickly followed by Gintoki. Then the other, but he was just as fast. The moment she went for the door he was going to get her.

"How the fuck did you get a hickey?!"

"It's not a- that's not what it is!" Shouting back, Kinu tried to go for the desk, but Gintoki was there before her. He rounded the corner and she squeaked; jumping over the couch and table. She hadn't done anything! Not really...

"Then what is it, Ki!? You better have a damn good explanation!"

"It's- I don't know!"

"You don't know!? Now you're lying!?"

Shinpachi darted aside as Gintoki hopped over the couch and onto the floor in front of the door.

"A bee! It's a bee sting!" Kinu declared, glancing to Shinpachi's wide eyes. His arms were out as if for balance, but he wasn't moving. Just stuck there, watching Gintoki try to catch her. Gintoki's eyes narrowed, and he slowly eased out of attack position.

"Why was a bee so close to your neck?"

Carefully easing forward, Kinu faced the silver haired samurai. She rounded him, and he pivoted on his heel, watching as she backed towards the door. How was she supposed to answer that question?! It wasn't like she had the ability to put a bee close to her neck at a moment's notice!

"Ki!" Before the man could lunge after her, Kinu slammed the door between the entrance hall and the living room and made a break for the exit. Gintoki was fast behind her, shouting something she didn't care to hear as she shoved her sandals on, and booked it down the stairs and into the street. Kinu kept her eyes forward as she escaped; thankful for her mother's knack for injury excuses. It had rubbed off on her.

Whether it was a bee sting or evidence was none of Gintoki's concern. Even if he was going to give her a piece of his mind about lewd acts, she didn't have time for it. She didn't stop until she was at the library; safely nestled between the rows of books.