Even as he put the key into the lock, there was a sense of foreboding that lurked around the house like a bad scent. Nothing there that shouldn't be, or anything like that. It was just facing his father's wrath which made the entire house seem menacing.

"Good evening, Father," Person in question was sitting on the couch, watching the television. News or some documentary. Silence as person in question turned around.

"You're late," Not a good sign.

"I apologise. I was assisting Hayate with some math questions. He seemed to be having some difficulty with them," he glanced down at the floor, nervously.

"What about your math? Have you done all of it?" his father stood up at this, coming over to stand in front of him, about a metre away, rather menacingly. He looked up into his father's eyes. Had he been drinking? He never drank to excess, but perhaps if he had, then he could slip away easier…

"Yes, Father," his arm was beginning to ache. Odd. It hadn't done that before, in fact had been rather painless. "All work done as always,"

For some reason, he had the urge to drink something. Preferably something stronger then water. He wasn't of the age to do so yet, but his father never noticed. Probably too involved in watching the news.

"Don't even think about it," Yes, his father was a mind reader. "You are not going near another bottle of alcohol as long as I'm still around to stop you,"

It must have shown in his eyes. There was no other possible explanation. Either that, or he actually was a mind reader. How demeaning. Now he's even watching my alcohol intake. Whatever happened to autonomy whilst getting older? Mine seems to be diminishing rapidly.

He turned to go to his room, but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait a minute. What makes you think you're going up and holing yourself up in there again? Why aren't you out and causing trouble like any normal teenager your age?"

Even better. Now I'm not normal. "Would you like me to go out and cause trouble, Father? I thought you told me not to do that after I did the last time,"

He had been expecting the glare he got. "Not that sort of trouble. Getting drunk, driving, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't," he said softly.

"Obviously," there was a pause, and he was hoping that he could get away painlessly. No such luck, however. "But that doesn't constitute why you came back late when I told you specifically not to,"

"I apologise," he said heavily, knowing that he could apologise until his face turned blue to no avail. Why am I wasting my breath? All I am doing is postponing the inevitable…

"You are unbelievable," his father sighed in a heavy expelling of breath. "Get out of my sight, before I decide to punish you for being so late,"

He didn't waste a moment. The stairs posed no obstacle. Soon enough, he was in the one place of safe-haven he could be. Solitude.

"Hey, Ayane?" she heard the voice of the person that she most despised at the door. "I was wondering… we got off to a bad start at school, yesterday. Why don't you come and hang around with us instead of Hayabusa and Hayate? The girls are nice. You just have to show them how nice you are, otherwise you'll be stuck in the public school stereotype,"

"No thanks," she said airily. "Unlike some people, I don't try to be anybody I'm not. I'm not that much of a snob to care whether I came from a public school or not, and I have better taste then to try and become friends with that bunch of ditzy imbeciles,"

"You'll like them once you get to know them-" Kasumi began, but Ayane broke her off.

"No, I don't think I will. And besides, I'd rather spend my time with Hayate and Hayabusa. Do you have a crush on Hayabusa? I got that impression. Although…" she trailed off, letting the amber-haired girl think what she wished. The look on Kasumi's face was enough to tell Ayane exactly what her sister had thought.

"What makes you say that?" Kasumi asked carefully. Too carefully. The way she said it was enough to let her know that there was some sort of feelings there.

"The way you stare at him. You think I'm blind? Although I guess it doesn't matter whether you think I am or not, because I don't give a damn what you think. And I think you're a snobby, slutty bitch, so that makes us even,"

Kasumi was about to say something else, but Ayane barged past her before she could.

"What's up, Ayane?" Hayate was staring across the table, looking somewhat concerned. "Is something wrong? You've been quiet all evening. Something must be wrong,"

She picked at her sushi. It wasn't that anything was wrong, it was just that she wasn't in the mood for gossiping. "Nothing," she replied shortly.

"Guess what, Hayate?" Kasumi sounded excited about something. "The school council has just finished organising the formal! Did you hear about it?"

"A little," Hayate said through a mouthful of rice. "I heard that apparently it was told at fairly short notice,"

"Not really…" Kasumi looked slightly wounded. "It's one whole week away. That's not short notice! Who said that?"

"Uh… it was during English, who was I sitting with? You lot don't have it with us, so it couldn't have been you… well, Ryu, and some others… it was one of them that mentioned it. Yeah. I think it was after someone farted during the middle of class or something…"

"Hayate, we're eating," their father, well, her step-father, reminded tersely.

"Not my fault he farted. Anyway, it was just after that. Darn… I know someone said it!" He lay his chopsticks down, thinking. "I can't remember… maybe it was Brad. I know I heard it,"

"We're putting up signs and things tomorrow. It'll be great!" Kasumi had her usual girlie enthusiasm. "Say, Hayate?"

"Mmm?" the person in question had resumed eating now that the thinking time was over. He swallowed, turned to her. "What?"

"Does… err… don't laugh!" She turned to see Hayate grinning. "Does Hayabusa go to these sort of things?"

"Ryu?" Hayate nearly fell out of his seat. "Oh, I get it. You want to go with Ryu, right? Well, too bad, because… because… I'm going with him! Ha! Too bad, sis!"

"You what?" Kasumi, their father and she all exclaimed at once. Hayate's face went into a serious, neutral expression as he dropped his gaze to the carpet.

"Yes, Father, I'm going with Ryu. Because he's so incredibly wonderful and handsome and…" her brother looked up, trying desperately not to laugh, judging by the expression he had. "You should have seen your faces! You thought I was serious? One point to me!"

"Brother!" Kasumi said indignantly. "I thought you were telling the truth then!"

So did I. He's so much happier now then I've ever seen him before. I wonder why?

"No. I don't think he would look good in a dress," Hayate grinned, before the laughter erupted out. "I can't believe you believed me! All of you!"

"So… does he?" Kasumi was looking anxious now. Hayate's grin faded into a serious expression, but with no trace of humour.

"I doubt he will, sis. Remember, Irene…"

"Of course…" Kasumi looked sombre now. "How could I have forgotten? I feel so horrible! I mean, we were friends and everything and I just forget about her like that! I'm so horrible!"

"Yeah, I know. It feels like she's just changed schools or something, doesn't it?" Hayate sighed, gazing at something she couldn't see.

"Who's Irene?" she asked. Hayate and Kasumi both turned to her.

"She… she used to be one of my friends," Kasumi started. To her surprise, there was no hostility. Just her, then. Oh well. She thought. I'll just do enough for the both of us, then.

"And she used to be Ryu's girlfriend. But, remember when he said his girlfriend died? That was her. Car accident, at the start of the year,"

"That's horrible," she said, and it was. "Was he in the same car as her, or was she by herself or something like that?"

"He was," Hayate looked downright uncomfortable now.

"Who was driving?"

Silence. Dead silence. Even their father stopped eating to glance up at Hayate.

Then…

"Me," Hayate said softly, before pushing his chair away from the table, standing up and leaving the room.