-Kakyuu-

Haruka was standing in front of the mirror, fretting over her favourite tie, as Kakyuu entered her room.

"Aw, is little Haru-chan nervous to meet her future parents in law?" Kakyuu teased.

"No!" Haruka answered defensively. "I have done this a million times before." Haruka continued to fumble.

"Come here." Kakyuu signalled for the blonde to turn around and started to straighten the tie for Haruka before she loosened it again and opened the top button of the blonde's shirt. "We are going to have 36 degrees today. Just looking at you with that thing around your neck makes me break out in sweat. At least keep it a bit loose so you won't hyperventilate or choke on your breakfast." Kakyuu chuckled as she brushed over Haruka's shirt.

"I won't do any of those things." Haruka shook her head.

"Are you going to tell her?" Kakyuu asked Haruka, as she referred to Michiru.

"No. There is nothing I need to say. There is nothing serious between us and I don't want to start something I might not be able to finish." Haruka said resolutely.

"Don't you think it is a bit too late for that?" Kakyuu smirked. "I would recognise your bite marks under a million others. Don't forget she is not the first of all your girls that I have seen naked." Kakyuu chuckled

"You make it sound dirtier than it actually is." Haruka smirked. "Nothing has been verbalised or done to indicate to anyone that there is anything between us. Nothing has ever really started at all, so nothing needs ending. Don't you think that it is better that way? She cannot miss what she never held dear." Haruka asked in return.

"How do you know how dear or not dear she holds you?" Kakyuu looked Haruka challengingly.

"Well, either way I just need to make her hold me less dear than she does right now." Haruka countered.

"Wow, so the rumours about blondes are true…that plan is so stupid, there are not enough words in the human language to even touch upon its vastness of stupidity." Kakashi butted in.

"People, my room cannot be the only room in this entire Ryokan that everyone needs to be here." Haruka sounded annoyed.

"No, but it is the most entertaining one." Kakashi grinned.

"I hope you don't think that just avoiding the issue will make it magically go away." Kakyuu reminded the blonde.

"There is no issue. Nothing has started, nothing needs fixing. It is already hard enough to eat breakfast with her now, as it is, without all of you reminding me that I will not see her for a very long time. Can we please postpone the Taunt-Haruka-session to later? You can still do that plenty of that when I am knocked out and cannot defend myself." Haruka sighed.

"But that isn't half as much fun as this." Kakashi objected with a wide grin.

"Oh, how could I forget that I only exist to amuse you, old man" Haruka glared at her uncle.

"Haruka-papa!" Hotaru called as she came rushing in, dressed in a cute little yellow summer dress. "Look, Yumi-nee managed to fix the bow." Hotaru pointed out the little bow on the back of her dress.

"Oh, look at you, all prim and proper." Haruka knelled down to have a closer look at Hotaru.

Yumi entered Haruka's room shortly after, beautifully dressed in a summer Yukata, informing them that the car was ready for them.

"Thank you, Yumi. We will be back soon." Haruka answered distracted as she double checked Hotaru's clothes before picking up the little girl and making her way outside with Kakashi. Yumi and Kakyuu followed them to the entrance of the Ryokan and Hotaru waved them goodbye before Haruka drove off.

"You look worried Yumi" Kakyuu commented as she observed the other woman watching the blonde leaving.

"It is not as if my worrying could change anything." Yumi sighed. "Michiru Kaioh is hardly the first woman who has Haruka so wound up." Yumi noted indifferent.

"But she may be the last." Kakyuu commented.

"You and I have seen many women come and go over the years that we know Haruka, like the changing of tides. If Haruka doesn't get bored with them, eventually they will either start to feel neglected or underappreciated due to her erratic absences or leave her because her work and her family will always have top priority with her over everything else that comes and goes in her life. Or they meet someone else, not to mention the case when they find out that they weren't the only one whom Haruka was spending her time with." Yumi stated evenly.

"But here, you still are." Kakyuu looked Yumi up and down as she stood there, dignified and still, her eyes remaining focused in the direction in which the blonde had gone out of sight.

"Yes. Every time any of them leave, I am still here to catch her, to soothe her sorrows and ease her pain." Yumi agreed.

"Why?" Kakyuu asked curious.

"Why are you still here?" Yumi asked in return.

"Not considering a negligible incident, she has always been there for me like family. Like a sibling I never asked for, but would still miss more than words can describe if she weren't around. How could I possibly abandon my favourite blonde idiot who cannot help herself but trip from one disaster to the next? Who would take care of her wounds or make sure she doesn't get herself into worse circumstances?" Kakyuu chuckled.

"I guess it is similar for me. Just that we have a lot more incidences and that I do not see her as a sibling. Haruka has that something about her that makes it is easy to be around her. There is no judgement, no expectations, just being. If you meet or exceed her expectations, she appreciates it, she showers you with care and attention. If you don't, it goes by uncommented, and if you fail her, it will also go uncommented, not unjudged but uncommented. A simple look of disapproval that speaks a thousand words, but that's it. You can choose to acknowledge it, but she leaves you the freedom to ignore it. She doesn't push her opinions or views on anyone but still always stays true to her convictions in her own quiet way. Before the wedding she never asked me to stay, but after it she also never pushed me away when I came to her or asked for her presence in my tea house. I might not have her all the time, but when I do, I truly do. Even if it is just for that moment, I can leave the world be and just be me. You can call me selfish, but I like being myself and I like being myself around her the most." Yumi explained evenly.

"So why did you get married to Katashi?" Kakyuu had always wondered about that, but never had the chance or the time to ask the tea master that very question.

"I was given two choices. It was either getting married or being removed from Haruka for good. After being kidnapped, my grandfather felt confirmed in his views that Haruka was more of a threat than a benefit to be associated with, so he did not back down about me finally getting married. Before he would just accept my refusals, after the incident though, there was no more reasoning with him." Yumi sighed as she finally turned around, returned to Haruka's room and started to tidy up the mess that the blonde had left behind.

"Did you ever tell Haruka about that? Because I clearly remember her not even mentioning any of that even once and just being all doom and gloom about your choice to get married." Kakyuu pointed out.

"No. You should remember how she was after Sayaka. It took a long time for her to share the pain of Sayaka's betrayal with me and then here I was going to make the same move. For different reasons, but the same move nonetheless. It wouldn't have mattered what I would have said and how I would have justified my choice, for Haruka there was only the result, and that was the same as with Sayaka, I would be married and not hers alone anymore. The only difference to Sayaka was just that Haruka knew from the start that I had the obligation to fulfil my responsibilities to my family, and that included to get married to a man to bear children to carry on the lineage." Yumi explained as she folded Haruka's T-shirt tenderly. "That was why we never started a real relationship. We just enjoyed our little escapes from reality at every chance we got to do so. So, I guess we never really ended anything because you cannot end what you have never started." Yumi smirked wryly.

"What about Katashi?" Kakyuu gave Yumi to think about.

"Katashi doesn't care. He knew from the start that I did not love him and still don't love him. He just wanted to erase his name and take mine to start his life over again. What better way than getting married to solidify the connection and to reap the benefits of being a part of the Myamoto clan?" Yumi asked her rhetorically.

"Are you two alright just to stay in such an unloving relationship?" Kakyuu asked sympathetically.

"We have an unspoken agreement. Outside I will be his loving wife, inside I can do whatever I want. It is simple as that. All the girls are under my command and he may conduct his business under my grandfather as my grandfather sees fit, but what is mine stays mine." Yumi explained indifferent. "I chose Katashi for that very reason that he never asked for love nor tenderness. All he wanted was a new start and a clean slate and since my grandfather approved of him, his past couldn't be so bad. If he ever stepped out of line or would bring dishonour to our name in any way, my relatives have a direct kill order from my grandfather." Yumi took out one of Haruka's indigo Yukatas and laid it out ready for the blonde to change into when she would get back. "After Haruka had rescued me and I had seen the carnage she is capable of when she puts her mind to it, I had realised that no one except Haruka would ever come with guns blazing like that to rescue me from the depths of hell that others had imposed on me, and knowing my grandfather he would not let this slight slide if she were ever to move against the family, even if it were for my sake, so the least I could do to return the favour was to cause her as little problems as possible and you cannot imagine the havoc my grandfather is capable of if he feels that the entire family is under threat. So, the marriage with Katashi seemed the lesser evil of all possible outcomes." Yumi concluded melancholically.


-Haruka-

Aiko was in the kitchen putting finishing touches on their breakfasts and Osamu was helping her, while Michiru was setting the table for them.

"So Michiru, how has work been the past couple of weeks" Kakashi asked casually as he sat down at the breakfast table.

"Pretty dull, the director has tasked me with overhauling the training manuals and I have been reviewing some files." Michiru answered indifferent as she put the last bowl on the table.

"What files have you been reviewing?" Kakashi asked her surprised.

"Just mainly file 2381618519." Michiru replied unfazed.

Haruka didn't dare to look at Michiru, knowing fully well what file they were talking about. Instead she focused on helping Hotaru to sit properly on her chair in her dress.

"Oh, that one. But it isn't on the system." Kakashi remarked.

"No, it isn't, but its paper hard copy is just in Setsuna's old office." Michiru stated evenly.

"That is a big file, did you really finish reviewing the whole file already?" Kakashi asked astounded.

"I haven't read all of its details yet," Michiru admitted "but enough to get the picture." Michiru continued.

Haruka could feel Michiru's eyes on her, watching out for a reaction from the blonde, but Haruka stayed calm. At least she didn't need to put any effort into making Michiru hate her now than she already did, anymore, she thought to herself, half relieved and yet completely resigned.


-Michiru-

They were sitting around the table having breakfast, when Aiko suddenly asked: "Don't you think that Hotaru-chan is such a good girl, Osamu?" and Hotaru beamed proudly as she ate her breakfast while Osamu just nodded.

"So Haruka-san, how come that you have taken it upon yourself to take care of cute Hotaru-chan here?" Aiko asked offhandedly.

"Oh, she has been like family to me since the day she was born, so it was only natural to me to take her in after Sayuri passed." Haruka answered unfazed.

"It must be hard for you to take care of a child, all on your own." Aiko answered sympathetically.

"Oh, it is not hard at all. Hotaru is a very good child and I just learn as I go along on how to take care of her. Also, I am not alone. Hotaru still has her uncle and his family." Haruka explained.

"And there is also Kakyuu-nee-san and Taiki-ji-san and Yaten-ji-san and sometimes Seiya-ji-san also look after me." Hotaru added.

"Oh? Who are they, Hotaru-chan?" Aiko asked the little girl.

"They are the people who live in the same house with Haruka-papa but not on the same floor who look after me when I stay with Haruka-papa, when Haruka-papa needs to go to work. Setsuna-ba-san and Kakashi-jii-san also sleep over sometimes and look after me when Haruka-papa is busy." Hotaru explained patiently.

"And who is your favourite Hotaru-chan?" Aiko continued to ask.

"Of course Haruka-papa and Michiru-ma.." Haruka gave Hotaru subtly a small nudge under the table. " ..nee-san. I like Yumi-nee-san a lot too and she also makes me breakfast some time but Michiru-nee-san's French toast is my favourite. Oh, but I love Haruka-papa's Banana Pancakes the most, too." Hotaru added.

"Tomoko would have really loved you, Hotaru-chan. I can't wait for Michiru to bring home our first grandchild, don't you think so, too, Osamu?" Aiko asked her husband who just nodded and continued to eat his breakfast silently. "By the way Michiru, Motoki-kun sends you his regards.".

"Thank you mum, please send him my regards in return." Michiru replied dignified before she continued eating unfazed. Michiru peeked at Haruka, who was sitting diagonally across the table next to Hotaru, from the corner of her eyes, but Haruka seemed unperturbed and just continued eating.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. "I go." Michiru said promptly and got up to check up on the front door.

"Michi-chan, you look more gorgeous every time I get to see you." Her aunt Riko greeted her at the door.

"Riko-ba-chan, I thought you are not going to be here until later." Michiru stepped aside to let her aunt in.

"I took an earlier flight. How could I possibly waste precious time I could spend with my niece with being stuck at airports?" Riko Kaioh chuckled.

Michiru quickly took her aunts luggage and put it into the guest room before they returned to the dining room.

"Hello everybody." Riko greeted everyone there. "Oh, my goodness, is that Kakashi-kun and is that you Ruka-chan? What are you doing here? And who is this little precious lady?" Riko asked surprised.

"I am Hotaru." Hotaru answered.

"She is my goddaughter, Riko-sensei." Haruka added with a smirk.

"You are early." Her father commented.

"I couldn't wait to see you all." Riko chuckled.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Aiko asked.

"Yes, I did. Don't worry about me, please just continue eating." Riko smiled as she sat down next to Haruka.

"Goodness me Ruka-chan, have you grown even taller since I have seen you last? Are you still practicing the Piano?" Riko asked the blonde.

"Not particularly…." Haruka answered sheepishly.

"You were always my worst student, but the best piano player I have ever taught." Riko snickered while Haruka just shrugged.

"Haruka-papa plays a lot of piano, but only when we are alone." Hotaru explained.

"Oh, is that so?" Riko smirked.

"It is not that often." Haruka said easily.

"Do you still write though?" Riko continued to ask and Haruka just shrugged again. "Do you like what your Haruka-papa plays on the piano?" Riko focused on Hotaru who nodded enthusiastically and answered "Yes, a lot."

"You taught Haruka the piano?" Michiru asked her aunt surprised.

"Yes, since she was about Hotaru's size" Riko chuckled.

"Can you teach me, too?" Hotaru asked.

"I am sorry Hotaru-chan, but I have stopped teaching when this one turned twenty." Riko ruffled the blonde's hair.

"Will you teach me then, Haruka-papa?" Hotaru asked.

"When you are older, Hotaru-chan. You should enjoy your childhood first." Haruka explained patiently.


-Riko-

"So, have you met up with Katsuo-oji-san yet, Kakashi-kun?" Riko asked as they moved onto their morning coffee.

"There has been no need to." Kakashi answered evenly.

"I see" Riko nodded empathetically. She knew that Kakashi's father had disapproved of his career choice from the start and only felt confirmed in his views after his beloved daughter and her husband had met their end on an assignment.

"Who is Katsuo-oji-san, Haruka-papa?" Hotaru pulled on Haruka's sleeve and tried to ask as subtly as only a four-year-old could.

"That is my grandfather." Haruka answered, matching Hotaru's childlike attempts on subtlety.

"Does that make him my great-grandfather?" Hotaru continued.

"Yes." Haruka nodded.

"Isn't he with Yui-obaa-san then?" Hotaru asked puzzled.

"Not yet." Haruka chuckled.

"So, I could meet him?" Hotaru continued.

"No." Kakashi answered curt.

"Ok." Hotaru must have noticed Kakashi's unease and looked at him apologetic.

Kakashi looked like he regretted his harsh word and immediately tried to remedy it.

"He is a very busy man, Hotaru-chan." Kakashi tried to explain.

"I understand. So, I don't need to paint a picture for him on my lantern then." Hotaru nodded understandingly.

"Oh, did you make a paper lantern for tomorrow?" Aiko asked Hotaru.

"Yes, one with very many pictures on it. One for my mum, one for Haruki-sofu, one Tomoko-sobo and Haruto-ji oh and Yui-sobo." Hotaru counted on her hand. "But the picture for my mum is not finished yet, but Yumi-nee promised to help me with it later." Hotaru continued to explain.


-Kakashi-

They had just finished breakfast at the Kaioh's and were on their way back.

"How unexpected to meet Riko-senpai there, wasn't it Haruka-chan?" Kakashi asked the blonde who was driving stoically back to the Myamoto run Ryokan.

"I thought you had deleted all records of me at the IIA." Haruka stated evenly.

"I did! All digital records are irreversibly destroyed. The only records left are the ones your grandfather is keeping so old school style in real file cabinets in the IIA and the ones that involve Haruto." Kakashi tried to justify himself.

"Never mind. It is for the best." Haruka sighed.

"What is for the best, Haruka-papa?" Hotaru asked from the back seat.

"We might not see Michiru for a while." Haruka tried to explain.

"Why not? Is it my fault? Did I make Michiru-mama mad? I told you, that she doesn't mind when I call her Michiru-mama. I tried really hard to call her Michiru-nee like you told me to." Hotaru was dismayed.

"No, it isn't your fault. It is my fault." Haruka reassured Hotaru.

"But if you are at fault, then just apologise Haruka-papa. That always fixes it." Hotaru advised innocently.

"But it is for the best this way." Haruka insisted patiently.

"But you said that we won't see Michiru-mama for a while anymore because it is your fault. Why is that for the best?" Hotaru asked confused.

"Sometimes you need to be wrong to do the right thing." Haruka explained.

"That is confusing. Is that another adult thing?" Hotaru sighed.

"Yea." Haruka nodded.

"Being an adult sounds hard…" Hotaru concluded. "…being an adult is stupid." Hotaru added after a moment of thought.

"Yea. Sometimes." Haruka sighed.


-Michiru-

"Hotaru-chan is so cute, isn't she?" Riko commented as she helped Michiru clearing the dishes.

"Yes, she is very adorable." Michiru agreed.

"Who would have thought that that tomboy would ever find someone to have a child with." Riko chuckled.

"Hotaru is not really her child. Her real father just can't take care of Hotaru right now." Michiru explained.

"Oh. Well Haruka seems to master her job as replacement dad well and Hotaru is very well behaved." Riko commented.

"You mean to say 'replacement mother'." Her mother corrected her aunt stern.

"No, I meant replacement parent, more accurately, replacement father because Hotaru calls Haruka Papa and I doubt Hotaru would make a mistake in conveying how she sees Haruka in her life." Riko returned unfazed.

"She is a four-year-old. She doesn't understand all societal norms yet. Encouraging her in continuing her mistakes will only lead her astray and cause further harm for her later on in life." Aiko stayed firm.

"Exactly! She is a four-year-old, shouldn't she have the freedom to create her own reality that makes her happiest?" Riko argued.

"To get it taken away later?" Aiko frowned.

"Does it really matter what society thinks, when she isn't harming anyone with seeing Haruka more as her dad rather than her mum? You were in an all-girls school, I am sure the lines and roles between people there got blurred as well in matters of designated roles and responsibilities." Riko countered.

"You can't compare everything to school days. You aren't in school forever. You do grow up and the sooner you accept the given norms, the less grief you inflict on yourself." Aiko objected.

"Darling, I can't find my reading glasses." Osamu interrupted their conversation by addressing his wife from the living room.

"My dear, you are so hopeless sometimes." Aiko sighed as she left the kitchen to help her father to find his reading glasses.

They were silently finishing off the dishes before Michiru offered to make them some tea.

"How is it possible that you two always have to argue?" Michiru sighed as she put some tea leaves into the teapot.

"Isn't that how it is supposed to be between in laws?" Riko smirked.

"You get along with everyone I know and usually mum gets along with most people she encounters, she even gets adored by many of them. It is just when you two bump into each other that peace and quiet makes way for discussions and fights about the most trivial of things." Michiru remarked while adding the hot water.

"Hmm. Maybe she still hasn't forgiven me for introducing Tomoko to Haruki." Riko mused.

Michiru looked at Riko puzzled.

"Where to start…back in days when I still used to go to school, Kakashi was one of my underclassmen who needed a tutor. Tomoko, Haruka's mother, who had been tutoring him up until I eventually took over for her, had been looking for the most suitable person for that job. You must know that Kakashi comes from a family of scholars, so you can imagine that doing well in one's studies was not just a top priority, but essential to justify one's existence. To the dismay of his father Katsuo, Kakashi was hardly interested in studying through books. Since he was the youngest in family with quite an age gap to his older siblings, no one had any patience, sternness or diligence left in them that wasn't focused on their own endeavours, to make sure that he did his school work except his big sister Tomoko. While his mother Yui adored him, she would often let him get away with things. Tomoko knew that eventually, when she would be going to University in Tokyo, Kakashi would need someone else to make sure that he would keep up with his studies to keep the peace within the Takahashi household and so she interviewed a whole heap of older students of his school and eventually I came into the picture. We got along well and since she was going to study in Tokyo, I thought I might help her out by introducing her someone local to help her to get around and so I introduced her to your father's best friend Haruki, Haruka's dad." Riko recounted. "Aiko and Tomoko had always been very close from Kindergarten times onward and both moving to Tokyo to study together at the same University was the culmination of their friendship. From what I heard Aiko was devastated when Tomoko changed courses midway through her studies to join Haruki in his company and their friendship deteriorated a bit since. They didn't have a falling out, but they did grow distant. For normal people it would have been just another progression in life. Friends come and go, only family stays after all, but even later when Tomoko called me to teach her two little tornados, she would tell me how much she missed their regular talks and the general closeness she had with your mother." Riko continued as Michiru served her tea.

"How come she called you to teach Haruka the piano?" Michiru asked when her aunt was drinking some tea.

"She wanted her kids to learn something that she never had the chance to study herself, but Haruka turned out to be not much different from Kakashi. Getting her to focus on anything to which she held no interest in, took a lot of patience and persistence. I guess she took a lot after her father actually. Haruki was a very passionate and active man, the exact opposite to your father, that is why they got along so well. Osamu would stop Haruki from doing stupid things and Haruki got him to live a little." Riku chuckled. "Haruto and Haruka were very similar, though Haruto was gentler and more diligent like his mother and Tomoko knew that I had a lot of experience with getting people motivated, so she called me and asked me if I wanted to earn some pocket money babysitting and teaching her two little monsters during my studies in Tokyo." Riku continued.

"You said she was the worst student you had ever taught though, how did you manage to teach her for so long then?" Michiru asked wondering.

"Yes, she was the worst student because she hardly ever studied, but she is still the best piano player I had the pleasure to teach and to listen to." Riko reminisced. "Though Haruto was a model student, he always did what he was told and practiced hard on any piece of music I would give him. With his help I got to get Haruka to at least practice the basics." Riko chuckled.

"So how could she possibly be as good as you claim her to be?" Michiru asked confused.

"Hmmm, how to explain it. She just has an immense talent that she keeps perpetually untapped. It started all one afternoon. Haruka and Haruto were watching an episode of Peanuts on TV because Tomoko was strict about the cartoons they were allowed to watch. Haruka had the unfortunate habit of copying anything that looked interesting, so fighting ninjas and transforming cars were not an option at that time. After they watched it, Haruka observed that her mum hummed a tune of it and she sat down at the piano and replayed it. Just like that. It was just a simple tune, but Haruka matched it note for note. I started to slip them music that their mother enjoyed instead of what was recommended on their curriculum and lessons got a lot easier. Haruka engaged more and Haruto had also more fun playing. One day I forgot the score of Clair de Lune at their house and a week later when I returned, Haruka and Haruto could play it already by heart. Since they had such small hands at that age they had figured out to divide up the notes to play it well. When Haruka really wanted something, or really enjoyed something, she could sit and focus on it for hours until it was just right, but give her one of Mozart's Sonata's and she would totally tune out and a lesson was like dragging a donkey through the mud. When their parents had passed, Haruto would mention once in a while how he missed them, but Haruka never talked about it. Instead she mastered Lacrimosa, Chopin's Sonata No.2 in B flat minor and Hallelujah by Cohen in the following months after their passing in every spare moment she got at the piano. You would think that, between a male and a female twin, the girl would be more expressive and articulate about her emotions, but with them the opposite was the case. In general, Haruto was always able to convey his feelings and thoughts accurately for others to empathise and Haruka just didn't share her thoughts and emotions at all, so I think Tomoko knew that and just wanted to give her a different outlet by getting them to get into playing the piano." Riko theorised.

They sat there in silence for a moment and enjoyed their tea while Michiru had to think of the grand piano in the blonde's apartment and wondered how many times Haruka had sat there and just let her emotions flow. "How come you taught them for so long?" Michiru asked curiously.

"Good question. I guess I couldn't leave my kohei alone with two kids. Those two had grown onto me in the four years that I had taught them and Kakashi and I had remained friends since I started tutoring him. It was only natural for me to come by regularly to check on them. Kakashi was just 20 when he suddenly became responsible for two kids. He had just moved out from Haruki and Tomoko's place where he spent his teen years, just to have his niece and nephew follow him involuntarily shortly after. Anyone would have been overwhelmed by that, but I must say they managed well and over time I became more than just a piano teacher and babysitter for them but more of a point of contact when Kakashi didn't know what to do." Riko shrugged.


-Haruka-

They had finally reached the Ryokan and Hotaru was off to draw with Yumi while showered. Haruka changed into the more comfortable Yukata that was laid out for her and pulled out her phone to call Mamoru.

"Moshi moshi" the doctor answered from the other side of the line.

"Still alive?" Haruka asked sarcastically.

"Barely." Momoru sighed.

"Need me to send Minako to take Usagi and Chibiusa away from there?" Haruka asked more empathetically.

"Could she take me with her as well?" Mamoru asked with a hint of desperation.

"No. It is your family and you already see them only twice a year." Haruka chuckled.

"Fine. It is only two more days anyway. Only two more dinners with my obnoxious father and annoying uncle." Mamoru groaned.

"Is Minoru still that creepy dude who can't keep his nose in his own business?" Haruka asked while referring to Mamoru's uncle.

"Yea…he sends his regards by the way." Mamoru sighed.

"Oh great… can I ignore it?" Haruka asked wryly.

"Be my guest." Mamoru chuckled.

"Have you asked Masaru about the team he had sent after you?" Haruka continued to ask while referring to Mamoru's father.

"He denies all knowledge and wrong doing." Mamoru sounded annoyed.

"Just let it go. No harm was done." Haruka shrugged as she looked outside into the small inner garden.

"Yet." Mamoru reminded her.

"He is your father. No father in his right mind would ever harm his own child." Haruka reassured her friend.

"How is it going on your side?" Mamoru asked.

"I met Riko-sensei today again, out of the blue." Haruka informed him.

"You mean the super hot piano teacher you had since you were a kid?" Mamoru asked curiously.

"Please do not talk about her like that. She is my teacher! And yes, that one. Found out that she is Michiru's aunt today." Haruka sighed.

"What a blessed gene pool." Mamoru chuckled.

"You hadn't had any chance to have a private moment with your wife lately, right?" Haruka asked evenly.

"How did you know?" Mamoru asked surprised.

"You are thinking with your downstairs." Haruka chuckled.

"Not true, I am just appreciative of beauty." Mamoru replied defensively.

"Yea, yea…." Haruka just laughed.

"I am just stressed and depressed just being here, so all distraction is welcome." Mamoru justified himself.

"I know. For you, there's only your Usagi." Haruka smirked.


-Kakashi-

It was late in the evening when he entered an unobtrusive looking Ryotei and was led to a special dining room further in the back.

"Good evening Senpai." Kakashi smirked as greeted Riko before he joined her at the table.

"Evening Kakashi-kun." Riko greeted him back as she put down the menu for the evening.

"So, what brings the head of the department for the invisibles of our agency to Kyoto to see me this time?" Kakashi cut to the chase.

"My lead has finally paid off and I have confirmed intelligence that the person who ordered and planned the hit on Haruto and Tomoko is from and in Japan." Riko said evenly.


-Haruka-

It was early in the morning when Haruka was climbing the mountain alone to get to the place where temple workers had started to pile the wood for the fires for the night. She handed them the pieces of wood on which she had written the names of the family members she had lost and watched them being carefully placed on the pile that would be lit tonight. She stood there for a moment, overlooking the intrinsic tranquillity that Kyoto held in the early morning hours and breathed heavily. It hadn't been a difficult hike by any means, but her heart had grown weary over the years of stress and her lungs were burning from the exertion. She took out a small towel from her pocket and wiped the sweat off her forehead as she wondered if Kakashi would have to come here in her stead next year. Suddenly she heard soft steps approaching her but did not react and stayed with her eyes focused on the city below.

"You young people don't seem to be as strong as we were at your age." Katsuo Takahashi commented as stood next to the blonde.

"That is possible Ojii-san" Haruka replied with a shrug and without averting her eyes from the scenery.

"How is my son?" Katsuo proceeded to ask.

"He is well and might even get married soon. It would be nice though if you would ask him that some time yourself instead of ambushing me here every year." Haruka smirked.

"I am not ambushing you. I am merely using the opportunity and knowledge that you come here every year, as you have promised to your brother, to have a simple conversation between two people." Katsuo stated evenly.

"What if I stop coming one day?" Haruka turned to face her grandfather who looked back at her unmoved.

"Then I know that I will have to prepare an extra piece of wood for you." Katsuo replied evenly.

"I leave that in your care then." Haruka sighed and just nodded.

As she was about to turn around to start her descent, her grandfather stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, making her turn around to him once again.

His face was stoic, but the subtle turmoil in his eyes was unmissable to the blonde.

"We might not get along as well as Haruto and I did, but don't make me add another name here next year." Katsuo said stern.

"I try not to, but I am sure mum never intended for you to be writing her name either." Haruka countered calmly. "Take care Ojii-san." Haruka said calmly before continuing her way down, leaving her grandfather behind.


-Michiru-

After another exhausting family lunch with everyone present, Michiru retreated to the garden where she continued working on one of her sketches.

"Haruka and her daughter seemed to have left quite the impression on you." Her aunt commented as she fished out the drawing Michiru had made of the blonde and Hotaru in Hokkaido among all the others in her portfolio.

"I just liked how happy Hotaru looks when she is around Haruka." Michiru replied. She couldn't tell her aunt that she had gone on a trip with the blonde and all that had led to that trip after all.

"Shouldn't Hotaru be laughing instead of sleeping then?" Her aunt asked puzzled.

"Don't you think she looks particularly content and peaceful in Haruka's arm." Michiru pointed out.

"You are right. This is a very realistic looking picture that you have drawn this time around." Riko commented.

"Well, what is reality in the end if not the manifestation of a vision?" Michiru asked her aunt to distract from the truth.

"Answered like a true artist." Riko chuckled. "And here I already feared that you had joined the bandwagon of the little clueless heartbreaker's fan club." Riko laughed.

"Clueless heartbreaker?" Michiru was confused.

"Haruka." Riko clarified her words. "Haruka and Haruto had quite the following back in their days at school, but who can blame them. A pair of handsome twins with a tragic past, good in a variety of sports and arts of various kinds…. Which girl wouldn't get weak knees when one of them would just say hi to them?" Riko chuckled. "It was just luck for Haruka to be a girl, otherwise more hearts would have gotten broken."

"Why would you say that Riko-ba-chan?" Michiru asked curiously.

"Haruka, in comparison to Haruto, was a total dud in recognising if a girl or a guy liked her. I don't know how often she came to me confused why girls got mad with her for talking to other girls or when guys accused her of seducing their girlfriends." Riko chuckled at the memory.

"How is that possible? She flirts from the moment she opens her mouth to the moment she closes it again. Shouldn't she know exactly what kind of effect that has on others?" Michiru frowned.

"Exactly, but she absolutely doesn't. Or better, she tends to ignore it and just has her fun. You know how girls are in their teens. It is all experiments and finding one's ways around life, so Haruka never took anything serious and just played along to kill time outside of playing the piano and doing sports to distract herself from the sadder parts of life. I think back in her teens, she once dated someone more seriously. Someone older, she never told me the other person's name, but to me the person seemed to more experienced in life. Anyway, things went sideways after a year and you know what they say, once bitten twice shy. Haruto was luckier, he made Kakyuu, their neighbour, pretend to be his girlfriend to avoid the whole chaos. He was more serious than Haruka and so he took a lot more precautions, but that didn't stop the girls from swooning over him either. Especially when they had compulsory recitals at school. I wonder if I still have the recordings of their performances." Riko mused.

"You recorded their performances?" Michiru had a hard time holding back her curiosity.

"Of course. Kakashi-kun was always busy with work and I, as their teacher, wouldn't miss a performance of my favourite students. It was also good material to show other students to motivate them." Riko replied. "Want to come along and ask if your father has digitised my old tapes for me yet? I am sure the Tenoh-twins should be among all of my recordings." Riko smiled and Michiru nodded enthusiastically.


-Haruka-

Haruka was watching Hotaru having her afternoon nap when Shinobu knocked on her door.

Haruka got up and opened Yumi's servant the door.

"I apologise for the disturbance Tenoh-sama, but there is a Kaioh-sama here to see you." Shinobu informed the blonde.

"Thank you, Sasaki-san. Is a tea room free in which I could meet her?" Haruka asked in return.

"I have already taken the liberty to ask Kaioh-sama to wait for you in the Crane room." Shinobu continued.

"Very well done. Please watch Hotaru-chan for me while I go and see Kaioh-san." Haruka instructed Shinobu before she left to see which Kaioh had come to see her.

As she entered the Crane room, Aiko was sitting poised at the tea table.

"Good afternoon Aiko-san." Haruka greeted the older woman as she joined her.

"Good afternoon Haruka-san" Aiko greeted her back.

'Oh, oh…no chan' Haruka thought to herself as she braced herself for some serious talk.

Noriko knocked at the door before she entered it to bring them tea and snacks.

"Myamoto-sama sends her regards." Noriko explained as she served them tea and seasonal sweets.

"Thank you, Nakajima-san. Please send Myamoto-san my gratitude." Haruka instructed the young girl as she dismissed her before focusing back on Michiru's mother.

"I do not intend to stay long Haruka-san" Aiko informed the blonde curt.

"I could tell from the way you are sitting, Aiko-san. If I have done anything yesterday to displease you, I apologise for my indiscretion." Haruka bowed.

"I don't think it simply started yesterday." Aiko stated calmly before she took a sip of her tea.

"Oh?" Haruka started to rummage in her mind if she was anything else besides her usual brashness.

"I have seen the way you looked at my daughter." Aiko noted.

"Uh huh." Haruka acknowledged that statement as she took her tea cup and started to drink.

"And I have seen the way my daughter has looked at you." Aiko continued. "I want you to be honest with me and I want you to know that I can tell if you are lying. My husband thinks that I am oblivious to his off the books meetings and dealings with dubious people, but I am well aware of it. I am also well aware that Michiru is not the semi-professional violinist that she claims to be. Just so that we are clear." Aiko stated with unchanged demeanour, causing Haruka to nearly choke on her tea. "Your mother always twitched with her left ear when she was about to tell a half truth or was about to lie outright and I have noticed the same trade in you yesterday. So, there is no point in lying to me. Do you understand that?" Aiko asked evenly.

"I do." Haruka answered calmly.

"Is there anything going on between my daughter and you?" Aiko asked bluntly.

"No." Haruka answered steadfast.

Aiko eyed Haruka intensely but Haruka did not give in nor gave anything away.

"I trust you to keep it that way. There is no future for you two in which you could be happy on the long run. Michiru needs a man who can pull her out of the job she is in and to provide her a life in safety in which she can raise her own children one day. So, if you truly care for my daughter, you will spare her the pain of a broken heart or worse, for her to meet your parents earlier than necessary. You are young, handsome and successful. I am sure you will find a good mother for Hotaru-chan in someone else." Aiko stated before she stood up.

"How do you do it?" Haruka suddenly asked Aiko.

"Do what?" Aiko asked in return.

"Keep their secrets without questioning it." Haruka elaborated.

"I have a lot of practice with it. I used to keep Tomoko's secrets until she stopped confiding in me, too." Aiko answered with a hint of hurt.

"What if my mother just wanted to keep you safe?" Haruka asked.

"Secrets that you don't share with the ones closest to you for them to understand you, will be secrets that will only drag you down and keep no one safe." Aiko stated detached.

"Your husband never told you about his deepest secrets." Haruka objected.

"He actually did. He just never shared them with Michiru and he needed to keep up the illusion for my safety." Aiko admitted quietly, before she turned around again. "I only have one child; I only have Michiru. You know how it is to lose family. You would do anything to protect Hotaru-chan. I am asking you from one parent to another to do the right thing here." Aiko stayed adamant.

"I understand. There is really nothing to worry about. I don't intend to see your daughter for a while. I am sure emotions will cool down soon enough." Haruka reassured Aiko.

"Thank you Haruka." Aiko said earnestly before heading towards the door.

"I will be seeing you out." Haruka stated as she got up and followed the older woman to the main entrance.

"Please get home safely Aiko-san." Haruka told Aiko as she changed her shoes.

"You take care of yourself, too, Haruka." Aiko finally smiled at Haruka her usual gentle smile with a hint of melancholy.


-Riko-

Osamu had given them a small thumb drive with all of her recordings of the Tenoh twins perfectly digitalised and so aunt and niece made their way to Michiru's room to have a look at it on her laptop.

"Wow, those are a lot of recordings that you have made." Michiru commented when she opened the directory.

"Well, they did perform a lot and also when they were younger, I wanted to record it for myself and their parents every time they made a particular good progress." Riko explained.

"Here is a clip from when they were still five." Riko continued as she clicked on the very first clip.

Two small blonde toddlers ran across the screen, the one with the kitchen towel as cape was being chased by a tall, beautiful woman who caught the wilder one of the twins with ease.

"Ruka-chan, how often do I have to tell you not copy the cartoons you see on TV." Tomoko scolded little Haruka while she wiped the dirtied face and hands with the makeshift cape.

"But mum, I want to be able to fly, too, like batman and robin." Haruka explained.

"Me, too." Haruto joined in with a wide grin.

"Ruto-chan, not you, too. Ruki-chan, come here and help me with your children!" Tomoko called her husband.

"Why are they my children when they act out?" A taller, handsome man walked into the picture and took Haruka off her mother's arms, so that Tomoko could clean up Haruto.

"I only jumped off the slide into the sandbox twice." Haruka explained to her father.

"Really?" Haruki sounded excited until he received a reprimanding look from his wife.

"I meant…that is really not good Haruka." Haruki corrected himself with a stern tone before whispering something into Haruka's ear, making the child grin.

"Time for your piano lesson. Riko-sensei has already set up the camera. No more playing around." Tomoko announced, while Haruki fooled around with his kids.

"Haru-chan!" Tomoko called and all three answered promptly. "Yes?"

"Piano! Don't you want to show Riko-sensei what you learned last week?" Tomoko asked the kids who quickly rushed to the Keyboard that was set up for them.

"Ready Ruto?" Haruka asked.

"Ready Ruka." Haruto confirmed and both started to play Clair de Lune.

Letting their hands dance across keys each one of them couldn't reach on their own, but together they made the keyboard sing this light-hearted melody like any adult could be proud of achieving.

Riko watched Michiru being enchanted by the twins' play.

"Impressive for two little kids, isn't it?" Riko asked when the clip was over and Michiru nodded with wide smile. "Of course they made errors in dividing left and right hand, but they divided it perfectly for them to play it just right." Riko chuckled.

"There are a lot of different lengths to these clips." Michiru noted as she looked through the entire list.

"Yea, sometimes during practice sessions I would forget to turn off the camera or Haruka and Haruto would fool around a lot longer before they would start playing as could see. But I thought of it as always so endearing, I couldn't find it in me to cut those scenes." Riko admitted with a chuckle.

"I think this one is a perfect example of that them not doing what they are supposed to do." Riko grinned. " I think they are about fourteen or fifteen." Riko commented as she started the clip.

The Tenoh twins were playing on two Pianos a Sonata by Mozart when suddenly Riko's phone seemed to ring.

"You, two better practice this sonata well. We only get to borrow the school's piano once a week. I will be back in 30 minutes, max." a much younger Riko reminded the twins before she left the room.

"Ruto, I am bored." Haruka whined.

"You are always bored when you are told what to do." Her brother chuckled. "C'mon, the faster we get this done the faster we can go home." Haruto encouraged his sister.

"You don't believe that yourself. If we get this done too fast they will ask us to play something else as well. Anyway, I am thirsty. Get me something to drink?" Haruka suggested.

"Did you spend all your pocket money on snacks again?" Haruto sighed.

"Hey I am still growing and those gummy bears begged me to free them from their miserable existence in the vending machine." Haruka justified her snacking habits.

"Fine, can't have you die of dehydration as well." Haruto got up and left the music room.

Haruka started to stretch herself before she began to play a piano cover of Mad World.

Her whole playful demeanour changed and a sterner, sadder, older Haruka sat there and let her fingers dance across the keys in a slow melancholic pace. Haruka slowly lost herself in the music and didn't notice that another female student had entered the music room and was watching her fascinated. To Haruka only her and the piano existed and she let her emotions flow through her fingers and escape through her fingers.

"That was one on one of Haruki's and Tomoko's anniversaries." Riko explained but Michiru seemed to have only eyes for the young melancholic Haruka who was pouring her heart out into the piano like a tragic figure in a play.

When Haruka was done, the other student, who seemed just as mesmerised as Michiru was right now, approached the blonde with a letter in her hand.

"Tenoh-kun?" the student asked timidly.

"Oh, Tadashi-san are you looking for my brother?" Haruka asked the other light heartedly.

"No, I ….." Tadashi started.

"Did I play too loud?" Haruka asked concerned. "I am really sorry if I disturbed you with my play." Haruka apologised sincerely.

"No, not at all. I …" Tadashi held up the letter just as Haruto and Kakyuu entered the music room.

"Hey, Haruto, you have someone here who wants to talk to you." Haruka gestured towards Tadashi who looked like a deer startled by headlights.

"I must go." Tadashi suddenly told the blonde and left the room with haste.

"You are an idiot." A young Kakyuu exclaimed.

"What did I do?" Haruka asked her puzzled.

"Here, drink before Riko-sensei gets back and we get into trouble for wasting time." Haruto sighed.

"Was Haruka always so oblivious?" Michiru asked stunned at the dismissal of such an obvious case of a budding confession. Again, Riko noticed that her niece didn't use san, kun, or chan, and wondered how close Michiru stood to Haruka.

"Yea pretty much, or well, it only got worse after her first heartbreak. While Haruka has always loved to play around with innuendos, double entendre and ambiguity, she herself always needed clear pointers and always had clear limits." Riko chuckled. "Unless you told her bluntly how you felt, she would not get it." Riko explained. "Or at least she would dismiss all signs and signals you throw at her." Riko continued.

Michiru sighed. "Can I make copies of these clips?" Michiru asked her aunt.

"Oh, sure. Go ahead." Riko waved easily. "In the practice clips you might find her playing some of her own compositions, but generally they only performed the classics." Riko explained.

"She writes music?" Michiru sounded surprised.

"Yes, usually only for the anniversary of their parents, but generally when the mood strikes, she will lock herself in for weeks at a time, sit down and write quite decent pieces." Riko told Michiru. "I really hope that is what she meant when she told Hotaru that she is going on a long trip. I really would love to listen to some of her new compositions." Riko mused.

"Haruka is going on a long trip?" Michiru asked surprised.

"Yes, Hotaru-chan told me that her Haruka-papa would be gone for a really long time, but that Haruka had made her a small video clips for each day, so she wouldn't miss her too much." Riko recounted.

"When?" Michiru asked dismayed.

"Hotaru told me yesterday when I showed her your garden while you made them tea." Riko explained.

"No, what I meant was, when is Haruka going on that long trip?" Michiru clarified.

"Oh, tomorrow after bringing Hotaru back to her uncle and aunt." Riko recalled.


-Yumi-

She watched Haruka's lonely figure standing stoically at the entrance as the blonde watched Michiru's mother leaving.

She wanted to walk over to the blonde to comfort and hold her, but she knew that that was the last thing on Haruka's wanted now.

Haruka slowly turned around to walk back to her room and back to Hotaru.

"Yu...Myamoto-san…thanks for the tea. Oh, I forgot to eat he delicious mochis you sent with it." Haruka suddenly remembered.

"I will send it to your room. You look tired. You should rest for tonight." Yumi suggested.

"Thank you." Haruka smiled gently before she passed her to get to her room.

Yumi walked into the Crane room and saw two half drunken teas and untouched plates of sweets.

They were Haruka's favourites with this tea and yet they had remained untouched.

Yumi was torn between feeling utter sadness for the pain the blonde must be going through and the relief she felt every time this happened.


-Michiru-

The news of Haruka going on a long trip could only mean bad things. Either she was sick again, a lot sicker than she admitted to be, or she was about to embark an extremely dangerous mission. Whatever the case, the longer she would let this uncertainty fester between them, the more likely the blonde would dismiss her feelings and the more likely she would kill her own feelings that she harboured towards Michiru.

"Michiru-chan" Her aunt called her.

"Yes?" Michiru replied absent minded.

"It has been ages since I have been to the Obon. Want to go with me tonight to the river where they will let the lanterns flow?" Riko suggested.

Lanterns…..Hotaru spoke of her lantern yesterday, which meant she was most likely going to release it tonight as well.

"Yes of course, I would love to go there with you tonight." Michiru replied enthusiastically.


-Kakyuu-

They were walking through the busy streets, eating various street foods and buying souvenirs. Haruka was walking slowly next to her with Hotaru holding the blonde's one hand while the other hand held Hotaru's lantern. The boys walked in their close vicinity and Kakyuu felt genuinely relaxed as they strolled between the various stalls slowly towards their usual spot where they would watch the big fires and let Hotaru release her small lantern.

"Haruka-papa, I want a goldfish." Hotaru pulled Haruka towards to goldfish game.

"But Hime-chan, you won't be able to look after it when you go back to school." Haruka objected.

"Yes, I will." Hotaru argued.

"Do you really want to separate one from all his friends?" Haruka gave Hotaru to think about.

"Then you just have to catch two." Michiru suggested as she suddenly stood behind them.

"Michiru-mama!" Hotaru exclaimed happily as she let go of Haruka's hand and ran towards Michiru.

"Hey there Hime-chan." Michiru elegantly bent down to Hotaru in her Yukata and let herself being hugged by the small girl.

"Earth to Haruka, earth to Haruka, close your mouth or insects may mistake it for a landing strip." Kakyuu whispered to Haruka, who suddenly cleared her throat.

"Kakyuu-chan, goodness you have grown to such a beauty." Riko stepped up behind Michiru.

"Oh my, Riko-sensei! How long has it been?" Kakyuu greeted the blonde's former piano teacher.

"Too long, too long. I see you are still babysitting this big baby." Riko teased Haruka.

"What can I say. She would probably forget her own head if it weren't attached to her, let alone looking after herself." Kakyuu joined in.

"I think I go and catch goldfish now." Haruka sighed as she turned around and paid for a paper scoop.

"I want two, Haruka-papa." Hotaru reminded the blonde.

"Yes, yes." Haruka nodded as she pulled up her sleeves and crouched down to the pool.

With a steady hand Haruka caught two fish with one scoop and gave the bowl to the vendor who put them into a water filled plastic bag.

"You are the best." Hotaru cheered as she held out her hands for the fish, but Haruka handed them over to Michiru.

"You got her onto this, you will take responsibility for them." Haruka said stern.

"Wow, since when has Ruka-chan grown so mature?" Riko asked surprised.


-Haruka-

This day just continued to deteriorate by the minute. First Katashi came this morning to remind Yumi of their family appointment at their family's temple his evening.

Then Aiko came by to remind her that life was not a fairy tale where love could conquer all and now Michiru turned up with her Piano teacher who turned out to be the violinist's aunt.

As she watched Hotaru happily chatting away with Michiru, Aiko's words resonated in her head. One day Michiru would have her own kids and be happy with them and her husband, in a safe environment without threats and dangers. The image was extremely clear in Haruka's mind and she cursed her powers of imagination. Why was that just not such a far fetch? Of course, it couldn't be and shouldn't be. Michiru deserved to be happy. Actually, she deserved all the happiness in the world, a happiness, Haruka knew too well, that she was incapable of providing. Aiko was right, if anyone like herself would make a move on Hotaru, when she would be old enough, that person would also be kicked to the moon or beyond by Haruka, just for approaching her little angel. Anyone who was going to spent the rest of their life with this mermaid, walking in human form in front of her, was going to be lucky beyond comprehension.

Haruka sighed and continued drinking her juice as they continued their way to the river.

Michiru looked beautiful in her Yukata and every smile she graced Hotaru with looked genuine and gentle. Actually, Haruka had never seen Michiru look any different than irresistible, even in the plainest of clothes. She just carried herself that well that she always caught the blonde's attention.

"Look Haruka-papa, we are nearly there." Hotaru pointed at Yaten who had already saved them their usual spot.

"Yes, I can see that Hime-chan. Be careful not to run in your Yukata, you might fall." Haruka reminded Hotaru.

"Will you also be staying with us Michiru-mama? Riko-baa-san?" Hotaru asked the women who had joined them on their way.

"Sure, if no one minds us joining." Michiru replied.

"Of course we don't! Have a seat, there is plenty to drink and eat here." Kakyuu pointed out the drinks and snacks Seiya had already brought there before going ahead to the pier where Hotaru would release her lantern.

"And this is?" Riko asked while referring to Yaten.

"This is Yaten-ji." Hotaru introduced them. "Yaten-ji this is Riko-baa-san. She is Michiru-mama's oba-san" Hotaru explained.

As they all got more acquainted Haruka sat down on the blanket and looked up the mountain where they would soon light the fires as soon the sun would have set.

Those fires would be there to guide the souls of her family home who supposedly had come to the earthly side for a visit for the past couple of days and Haruka wondered what her parents were thinking about what she was about to do and if they would come and pick her up if her time was up after all.

As Haruka sat there pensively, Hotaru sat down on her lap and Michiru sat down next to her.

"Haruka-papa, where would you hide a tree?" Hotaru suddenly asked her.

"Why would you ask me that?" Haruka asked puzzled.

"Michiru-mama gave me that riddle." Hotaru explained.

"Hmmm, where would I hide a tree…In a forest." Haruka answered.

"Haruka-papa, how did you know?" Hotaru asked impressed.

"Well, if I had a tree that I wanted to hide from others, then I would put it among a lot of similar trees so whoever would want to take it would have to check the whole forest first before they could find it." Haruka explained.

"What if you searched a whole forest for a tree but couldn't find it?" Michiru suddenly asked her.

"Then you are probably searching in the wrong forest." Haruka shrugged. "But don't take my word for it. I am not a wood enthusiast." Haruka smirked.

"What if someone would hide some other plant in the forest, like for example a unique type of orchid?" Michiru asked.

"Along that logic it is probably best to hide that orchid in the rain forest, because it is the biggest forest and it has also a whole heap of other plants and orchids that will make it difficult to figure out which of all of them would be the wanted orchid. As well as it is it's hot and humid there, an environment Orchids prefer." Haruka concluded still puzzled on where this was going.

"You know so much about hiding stuff Haruka-papa." Hotaru continued being impressed.

"That is just because I used to hide candy from your Haruto-ji" Haruka chuckled.

"Did you not want to share your candy with him?" Hotaru asked surprised.

"We always did share, but some candy was not meant to be shared." Haruka explained with a smirk.

"It has started." Kakyuu drew their attention to the mountain where the Kanji 大 lit up.

Haruka watched for a moment how the fire slowly grew bigger and thought of her parents, Haruto and Sayuri returning to the other side.

"Come Hotaru. It is time to send off your lantern." Haruka stood up and took Hotaru by the hand to walk up to Seiya who was waiting for them with a lighter.

Haruka helped Hotaru to place the colourful painted lantern into the water and watched it slowly floating away. The three of them slowly walked alongside the river and followed the lantern for a while before they re-joined the others.

"Haruka-papa, do you think mum will like my painting that I made for her?" Hotaru asked nervously.

"Of course! She will love it." Haruka reassured the little girl before they sat back down and watched hundreds of lanterns illuminating the river.

With all the excitement Hotaru had eventually fallen asleep in Haruka's arms and Kakyuu suddenly suggested to grab ice cream with the others. Leaving only Haruka and Michiru behind.

With Hotaru deeply asleep in her arms, Haruka had no exit strategy and was stuck with Michiru, watching the many lanterns floating down the river.

"Haruka?" Michiru started.

"Hmmm." Haruka responded noncommittal.

"I have heard you are going to go on a long trip." Michiru continued.

"Hmm." Haruka confirmed with a short nod.

"Were you intending to tell me at all?" Michiru sounded slightly hurt.

"No." Haruka answered honestly. "I didn't think it would make any difference. You should know how I am. I am not the best in inter human relationships. You read the file. I change my partners more often than others change their socks." Haruka shrugged.

"Yes, I read it. All of it." Michiru confirmed and Haruka's heart skipped a beat before sinking into her stomach.

"I do know you and when you lie to me at least have the decency to face me when you do it." Michiru demanded.

Haruka took a deep breath to steady herself before she turned to face Michiru with her well trained poker face.

Michiru looked so beautiful in the dim light of the hundreds of candles floating down the river and Haruka had to think of their dinner at Louis's place in Paris, but this was not the time to go soft. She had to stand firm. Not just for herself, but for the both of them, for all of them.

"How am in the least lying? You read the files and reports, you have seen the pictures." Haruka said evenly while looking into those blue eyes that she never wanted to see hurt or in pain.

"Yes, I have but…" Michiru started.

"But what? Not that I particularly care, but how much more do you need to realise that sticking around me is not good for you?" Haruka interrupted Michiru coldly, trying hard to keep her voice from betraying her true feelings.

"...but I have never found Yumi or myself." Michiru continued undeterred.

"That is because you two weren't even worth mentioning. That is how insignificant you are within my whole collection." Haruka held Hotaru tighter, to remind herself that it was better for Michiru if she would move on and find a better person than herself. The type of person, she would want Hotaru to meet eventually as well.

"Haruka, don't lie. I can see that you love me and I…." Michiru started but Haruka stopped her by placing her trembling fingers onto Michiru's soft lips.

"Don't say it." Haruka begged, her voice cracking.

"Why not?" Michiru wanted to know.

"Because I don't want to hear it." Haruka tried to explain as she looked into Michiru's confused eyes.

"Why not?" Michiru persisted.

"Because I am greedy and if you say it even once then I want to hear it forever and I do not want to share that with anyone else, but soon I won't get to hear it anymore." Haruka continued, her voice was slowly growing shaky.

"Haruka, I want the same and I will say it till the end of my days for you. All you have to do is accept it and say it in return once in a while." Michiru tried to convince her.

"I…" Haruka was struggling against the knot in her throat. "…can't" She finished barely audible, her whole body was trembling and suddenly she got up with a strength she didn't know she had left in her, with Hotaru in her arms, and ran off.


-Michiru-

Michiru was standing up hastily but was stopped by a firm hand on her shoulder.

"I know you want to follow her, but you can't." Kakashi, who had appeared out of the shadows, told her evenly.

"She...I … Haruka…" Michiru fumbled for words, her heart was beating fast and her whole body was aching to follow the blonde, but the firm big hand on her right shoulder had stopped her in her tracks.

"Listen to me carefully. Haruka has made up her mind and nothing will change that now, nor tomorrow, nor in the near future. If you really care for her, then you let her go so that she may face whatever she needs to without the burden of the fear of disappointing you if she fails." Kakashi said firmly.

"She could never disappoint me." Michiru whispered, trying hard to keep her tears from falling.

"Eyes don't lie. Haruka is good at reading them, years of facing fears, hate, anxiety, threat and deception make you good at it, she just chooses often not to do so with the ones that are close to her. She has been and still is one of the best agents I know. Your lips may say one thing, but your heart and mind don't agree and that reflects in your eyes and she will be able to spot that no matter how hard she tries to ignore the signs. I ask you to respect her decision. If you really think that she loves you then you should trust her that her she has taken your happiness into account when she made her choice. Maybe you should take some time to ask yourself if you truly feel what you think you do, or if this is just a reaction to her leaving again. Either way she has made a decision that is final." Kakashi said calmly.

"But who is she to just decide for us both?" Michiru asked no one in particular.

"The person you love." Kakashi stated even.


-Yumi-

She was standing silently in one of the rooms of the temple that overlooked the river with her binoculars focused on a familiar spot, like every year since she got to know the blonde.

She had watched the whole scene unfold and recognised the pained look in Haruka's eyes.

"Yumi, they are asking for you." Kaktashi called her as he stepped into the room.

"I just have a light headache. I will be out any minute." Yumi replied detached.

Katashi only nodded and returned to the family event.

"Sasaki-san, contact the Ryokan and make sure that Tenoh-san's room is ready for her return, as well as a bath." Yumi instructed the girl who had been standing in the shadows the whole time.

"Yes, Myamoto-sama, would you also like me to call the car, so that you may return as soon as possible as well?" Shinobu enquired.

"Not yet. I still have to stay by my husband's side until he is ready to return to the Ryokan, but have it ready for as soon as he stands up again." Yumi finished her instructions by passing the binoculars to Shinobu for her to pack them away again. "Before I forget, please tell Nakajima-san to go ahead back to the Ryokan and to be of service to all Tenoh-san's needs." Yumi added.

She knew that Haruka would not accept any of her visits while Kakatshi was around. It was the blonde's way of respecting their marriage vows, even though they meant nothing to Yumi.

Sighing she stepped away from the window and back out to her family gathering. Katashi came to her side.

"Is your headache any better, would you like to go back to rest?" He asked calmly.

"It is fine. We still have to pay our respects to all of our relatives." Yumi replied evenly.

It was not his fault entirely that they were stuck there, but everything had its order that needed following for her to remain in her position within the family but also to be allowed the freedom she needed to accommodate the blonde within her life, and that was the only reason she submitted to this strict regiment.


-Kakyuu-

It was still early in the morning when Kakyuu woke up to find the blonde missing. Only Hotaru was still sleeping peacefully in the same spot as she did when Kakyuu decided to sleep over in Haruka's room last night.

When they had returned the evening before to the Ryokan, Kakyuu had walked straight away into Haruka's room just to find Haruka collapsed on the futon and Hotaru sitting next to her looking extremely distressed.

Haruka had overdone herself, running all the way back to the Ryokan with Hotaru in her arms, causing her heart stress and for it to beat irregular, resulting in her collapsing and fainting. It hadn't been so bad as she would have needed to call the hospital, since Haruka's condition was fairly stable and most likely the main reason for her passing out was exhaustion, but to be safe Kakyuu had stayed over to watch the blonde and to reassure Hotaru that everything was ok.

But now she was gone again with no clue on where she went. Immediately Kakyuu contacted Taiki, who confirmed that all the guys were still on the premises which meant Haruka had gone out on her own.

Just when she was about to call Kakashi, she received a message from Riko, saying that she had found Haruka on her morning walk and that Kakashi would be bringing her back soon.


-Riko-

The Inari shrine was extremely quiet in these early morning hours as she walked through the hundreds of gates to the top of the mountain on which the temple was located. The rising sun gave this, already very surreal looking place an extra touch of mystery and wonder, making her ascend feel like passing over to another world detached from reality.

As suspected, when Kakashi contacted her this morning as soon as he had noticed that his niece had gone missing, Haruka was sitting on a big stone from which she could overlook all of Kyoto slowly waking up to the rising sun.

"Ruka-chan, don't scare your uncle like that." Riko scolded the absent-minded blonde who looked at her surprised when she sat down next to her.

"How did you find me?" Haruka asked surprised.

"When you were little, Tomoko told me that this was her favourite spot of all the places Haruki used to take her to watch the sunrise when they were here to visit her parents." Riko started to explain. "And knowing you, you would always seek out the highest and most peaceful spot to hide when you have messed up or needed to think." Riko continued.

"Of course you remembered." Haruka chuckled.

"Did you mess up or are you thinking Ruka-chan?" Riko asked the blonde motherly.

"I am thinking about if I have messed up." Haruka smirked.

"Well that is still preferable over messing up what you are thinking." Riko chuckled.

"Mum and dad took Haruto and me here every time we came to visit grandma and grandpa, even that one time before their accident." Haruka explained.

"Sounds like them." Riko reminisced.

"How is Michiru?" the blonde suddenly asked quietly.

"She should be still sleeping but if you want I can call her and ask her." Riko offered.

"No, that's fine." Haruka quickly answered before Riko could pull out her phone.

They sat there silently overlooking Kyoto and listening to the various birds singing their morning songs.

"How long has it been since you have stopped playing the piano?" Riko started the conversation again.

"Hotaru told you that I am still playing. I am just not playing that often." Haruka shrugged.

"I am not talking about lullabies Ruka-chan, I am talking about your music." Riko clarified.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Haruka replied evasively.

"Give me your hand." Riko instructed Haruka and the blonde gave her one of hands to inspect.

"You have a slight tremor in your little finger, how long have you had it?" Riko-asked Haruka evenly.

"I don't know; I might have noticed three years or so ago." Haruka shrugged.

"So, you have stopped since?" Riko asked.

"What makes you think that I would stop because of a slight tremor? I can still play fine…." Haruka replied defensively.

"…But just not perfect." Riko finished the blonde's sentence. "I have been your teacher for nearly two decades. I remember very clearly the one thing you could never stand was playing the pieces you loved anything other than perfectly, especially your own compositions. I remember you being up all day and night just to get the song you wrote for your parents one-year anniversary just right for Obon, for when they might be around to hear you play and even though you played in a room that was utterly empty you gave your all just to get it right." Riko recalled.

"I have changed. I don't need the piano as much as I used to. It was Haruto's pride and joy. I merely fooled around with it." Haruka said dismissively.

"Hmm." Riko could see the denial reflecting in the blonde's eyes but left it uncommented.

They could see other visitors slowly coming closer and decided to descend again.

They walked back through the gates as if on their way to re-join reality and didn't exchange a single world as they enjoyed the tranquillity of their surroundings.

The first souvenir stalls started to open and Haruka decided to get Hotaru a small fox trinket for her phone as suddenly Michiru walked up to Riko while Haruka was in the store.

"Riko-ba-chan, dad sent me to get you for breakfast and you were nowhere to be found. What are you doing here of all places so early?" Michiru asked.

"I am waiting for Ruka-chan to buy a souvenir for Hotaru-chan" Riko smiled as she watched realisation dawning on Michiru. "I better call your father before he starts to worry. Wait for me here. This place has funny reception, sometimes I have a signal, sometimes I don't." Riko winked as she walked away in search for better reception.


-Michiru-

She had not slept all night and thought about Kakashi's words this whole time. Until moments ago, she was sure she would force the blonde to tell her what was going on and tell Haruka that wherever she would go, Michiru would follow her, even if it meant the ends of the earth, but as Haruka stood there in the small store slowly and carefully choosing from various trinkets, carefully weighing her options, Michiru realised that the brash blonde never did anything without thinking about it carefully, at least nothing that did allow for planning time.

All the weeks they had spent planning their mission and even before that, all of Haruka's actions were considerate, deliberate and well thought through. Many people always described her as impulsive and impetuous, but that was only when she hid her true self or when her emotions ran away with her. Like when they had the fight on the roof. This was the real Haruka, considerate, quiet, thoughtful and caring.

Haruka had finished buying several trinkets, probably some for the guys and Kakyuu as well, and was on her way out when she realised that Michiru was there waiting for her.

"Michiru….I…." Haruka was searching for words.

"Riko-ba-san has gone to make a phone call; she has asked us to wait here for her." Michiru explained, which wasn't a lie, but not the whole truth either.

"Oh, I see." Haruka replied perplexed.

"About yesterday…" Michiru started and she could see that Haruka slightly stiffened upon hearing those words. "How long do you think you will be gone?" Michiru continued to ask.

"Maybe a month or two…. maybe even three." Haruka shrugged noncommittal.

"I just want you to know that I wish you a safe trip." Michiru continued.

"I see, thank you." Haruka seemed relieved and yet melancholic.

"We will talk when you get back." Michiru persisted pass the pain that she felt within her chest, but she knew it was better this way than to push too hard and to make the blonde run again.

"What if I won't be back as scheduled?" Haruka asked hesitantly.

"Then I wait for you pass that scheduled time…." Michiru replied steadfast.

"Don't." Haruka interrupted her determined.

"Why not?" Michiru asked in return.

"Because then there is no point in waiting. Happiness is fleeting. Do not wait up for it. When you see it, grab it. Don't ever wait for it." Haruka said quietly as she looked away from Michiru to the shrine. "Oh, speaking of happiness, I got this for you." Haruka started to rummage among all the small paper bags which each held a trinket and passed Michiru one.

"Thank you. May I open it?" Michiru asked as she held it in her hands.

"Of course, it is yours now." Haruka grinned.

Michiru opened it and a small carved wooden fox with a happiness plaque fell into her hand.

"If you don't like it, we can swap it for another one. I got Hotaru the same one for her phone, since she had been asking for …." Haruka started to babble.

"I like it. I want to keep it. Didn't you say I should hold onto happiness when I see it?" Michiru asked in return.

"I did." Haruka replied prompt.

"Have you made a wish here yet?" Michiru continued.

"No… " Haruka admitted.

"Then come." Michiru took Haruka by the hand and dragged her back onto the main shrine grounds.

Michiru put an offering into the box, rang the bell, bowed, clapped her hands before making her prayer and bowing again.

"Now it's your turn." Michiru encouraged Haruka.

"I don't know…this has never really worked for me….." Haruka hesitated.

"Has it ever harmed you?" Michiru asked the blonde.

"Ok, fine." Haruka conceded and did the same as Michiru had just moments earlier.

"Happy?" Haruka asked Michiru when she was done.

"Just come back to me as soon as you can." Michiru hugged Haruka and held the blonde close.

"Only if you promise to continue to live as if you have never met me." Haruka asked somber.

"Only if you promise me that you work your hardest to come back." Michiru buried her face into Haruka's shoulder.

"Deal." Haruka agreed and wrapped her arms around her before caressing her back tenderly.


-Riko-

"Why me? I feel like I would be a monster by breaking them apart now." Kakashi complained as Riko pushed him towards the shrine.

"It is your niece." Riko insisted.

"But your niece hugged my niece first." Kakashi insisted.

"Really? You are going to disrespect your Senpai?" Riko asked unfazed.

"Fine. You pay our next session at Yamaguchi's" Kakashi demanded.

"Deal. As if I have ever let a Kohei pay for me." Riko sneered.

"Yes, yes you have. Remember when I lost that bet?" Kakashi reminded her.

"You lost a bet. That is hardly repaying a Senpai." Riko smirked. "Now go and be your usual evil self."

Sighing Kakashi put on his stern façade and walked towards the hugging couple and cleared his throat.

"Kakashi-sensei" Michiru got startled and let go of the blonde.

"Old man, what brings you here?" Haruka asked unimpressed.

"You. We have a train to catch and Kakyuu is worried sick, so move your butt brat." Kakashi scolded the blonde.

"I got you special fox for victory for your next fight competition." Haruka baited Kakashi.

"Really?" Kakashi looked curious like a child for a moment before he resumed his cold demeanour. "Later Haruka. We have to go. Now." He started to drag Haruka away from the shrine.

"We should get back to home for breakfast, too." Riko told her niece, who nodded and followed her aunt wordlessly.


-Kakyuu-

She watched how Haruka dropped Hotaru off heart-warmingly at the Tomoe estate.

"Thank you again for taking her out." Sachiko smiled at Haruka gratefully before Haruka knelt down to Hotaru.

"You be good and listen to your aunt while I am gone, ok Hime-chan?" Haruka asked Hotaru.

Hotaru just fell around Haruka's neck and held the blonde tight.

"Haruka-papa, you come back soon, right?" Hotaru asked the blonde with a light sob.

"I will try." Haruka said calmly. "Whatever happens, you have to be good, ok? Don't trouble your uncle and aunt and listen to them when they tell you things." Haruka instructed the little girl.

"Of course Haruka-papa." Hotaru nodded.

"I love you, Hime-chan." Haruka whispered into Hotaru's ear.

"I love you, too. Haruka-papa" Hotaru held Haruka tighter.

The drive to the tower was extremely quiet and Kakyuu didn't know how to alleviate this tenseness that she felt. Haruka seemed fine, but she wasn't the one that had received word back from the Professor of cardiology in Kyoto yesterday morning and his assessment of Haruka's heart was beyond hope shattering.

They got back and Haruka got ready for the treatment. The whole time Kakyuu debated with herself if she should be telling Haruka about the adjusted probability of her recovery or if she should just hope that the more positive outlook that she had given Haruka earlier would have some sort of placebo effect and aid the healing process. The boys came by one by one to the clean room to have some last words with Haruka before she would go under the artificial coma and finally the time had come to cut the tower off from the outside world and to concentrate on Haruka's treatment while keeping the safety up for them all while she was under.

Kakyuu connected Haruka to various machines and got the injection ready that would put Haruka into an artificial coma.

As she attached the syringe to one of the lines that went into Haruka's veins, Haruka spoke up.

"Kakyuu, I know what Professor Tadashi has written to you." Haruka said calmly.

"You went through my stuff?" Kakyuu asked exasperated.

"I was looking for a booster for the night." Haruka explained. "You have done nothing wrong by hiding it from me." Haruka added.

"Haruka..I didn't mean to…." Kakyuu started to explain herself.

"Kakyuu, don't worry, whatever happens I will never blame you for whatever happens to me. You have given me more than I should have ever asked of you and I had more time than I would have had otherwise. Thanks to you, I got to live and laugh. I got to see Hotaru for a while longer and I got to see life from the sweeter side for a while." Haruka smiled gently.

"But…" Kakyuu started but was immediately interrupted by Haruka.

"Will you stay with me until I have fallen asleep?" Haruka asked undeterred.

"Of course." Kakyuu managed to say despite the knot in her throat. "I am sorry..." Kakyuu was struggling for the right words.

"Don't be sorry. This is why doctors are not meant to treat relatives, but you do it for me all the time anyway. I have no regrets. I go to sleep now and you have to do all the work. You are the last person I see before I sleep and you will be the first when I wake up again. And if I don't, then I will send Haruto your best regards." Haruka grinned.

"You are an idiot." Kakyuu fought with her tears.

"Lie down next to me. You look tired." Haruka patted the free space next to her on the bed.

Kakyuu just nodded and lay down next to Haruka, caressing the blonde strands.

"I am ready." Haruka said steadfast as she reached for the button that would administer the drug that would put her into a deep sleep. "We have survived worse odds together. I will see you again, one way or another." Haruka's voice was calm and steady as she pressed down on it. "Thank you for everything, Kakyuu" were her last words before she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


-Taiki-

Taiki was watching how the woman he loved silently broke down in tears as his captain fell limp in her arms from the shadows of the hallway through the window to the clean room in which Haruka lay.

He watched how Kakyuu quietly sobbed as she held Haruka tight. There was none of the usual mischief, none of the casual cheek and confidence with which either of them usually carried themselves. There was just grief, sorrow and worry left.

He didn't know what to do, how to comfort her, how to lessen the burden that lay now on Kakyuu's shoulders with curing the blonde, but he knew that he had to keep this place running smoothly because that would be the only way to maintain some sort of normalcy and safety for them all.

He slowly walked towards the elevators and rode up to the offices where Seiya and Yaten were already waiting for him.

"She is resting comfortable." He informed his brothers before commencing the protocol that Haruka and him had worked out in case of that she would not be able to be in charge.

Security was heightened and all business meetings were to be conducted exclusively in Yumi's tea house or the Myamotos' Ryotei and only if they were utterly unavoidable.

Only requests that had been vetted and filtered by the Yamaguchi's or Kakashi himself would be processed and no risks beyond the 12% mark would be taken by any of them anymore. Considering that their previous risks levels averaged at 48%, this would mean a big cut in activity.

He took over the first shift and sent his brothers to sleep and training while he kept an eye on their security as he went through their records to see if they had missed any trends in threats or if anyone they knew of was planning anything that might affect them.

He hadn't been there, long when a call came through the secure line.

"Kakashi, how may we be of service?" He asked the man who had called him.

"Did you seal all the breached tunnels" Kakashi asked him.

"Yes, Yaten did. Why?" Taiki asked in return.

"Tenoh-senior is visiting next week again." Kakashi replied short.