They arrived home from the beach house Saturday afternoon and Ema couldn't deny she was dreading going to school in a week. She only had seven more days to get done all the gaming she could. Where had the summer gone?

"I'll take your suitcase to your room," Yusuke offered.

"What about yours?" she asked. "I can take care of mine."

"I can carry both," Yusuke said with a shrug. It was a relief to learn he was the only one who thought they weren't well matched as friends. Now he had to make sure he didn't do anything to screw up their friendship. He'd hurt Ema enough. More than enough. He needed to make it clear that he valued her. "You've probably lugged around enough luggage to last a lifetime."

The smile she gave him made his heart race. "Thank you, Yusuke. I'll make us lunch while you bring in our suitcases, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, a smile spreading across his face until he noticed Tsubaki staring at him. As soon as Ema turned her back, he scowled at his older brother, blushing furiously. Why was Tsubaki watching him and Ema? A moment later, Azusa appeared and Tsubaki whispered something to him. Both twins stared at him, so he scowled at them both before grabbing his and Ema's suitcases and going inside.

~.~

Ema was on the way to the kitchen when she ran into Masaomi. "Hey Masaomi!" she greeted brightly. "Did everything go okay while we were gone?"

"Huh?" He seemed distracted, then covered it up with a smile that looked forced. "Yes, everything was fine. Did you enjoy your trip?"

"We did!" She was so relieved everything was okay with Yusuke. Better than okay. Senior year would be so much fun with him by her side and continuing life with the Asahinas. She felt more confident than ever about her decision to attend college somewhere nearby. "It was the perfect getaway before school starts."

"I'm glad," he said, his smile melting into something sincerer. Then it disappeared and his eyes seemed to tighten. "We have a visitor to see you. He's in the living room. We told him you'd be back today, so he's been waiting."

"Okay?" she said, making the word a question. Who would come visit her? And why did Masaomi seem upset about it?

Masaomi turned, leading the way to the living room. There should found Kaname, Ukyo, Wataru, and—"Dad!?" she yelled.

There he was, sitting on the couch next to Ukyo. It had been nearly a year since she'd since him and it felt like a dream seeing him in the Asahina household. "Dad!" she yelled again, running over.

He laughed, standing to meet her and wrapping her in his arms. He squeezed her tight. "I've missed you so much." He pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. "You look beautiful, Ema. I can't believe how much you've grown this past year."

She grinned up at him, covering his hands with hers. "Are you on a filming break between seasons? Was your news you coming to visit?"

"No—well, yes and no. I am on a filming break, but that isn't my news." He smiled down at her, his eyes bright. "It's been lonely this past year, not having you with me, so I talked to my producer and the whole next season will focus on Japan. Ema, I'll get to live with you your whole senior year!"

Her stomach dropped. "W-what?"

"I'll still have to do a lot of traveling, but it'll be like before the show went international. I should be able to be home at least every other weekend and be able to spend a couple days with you at a time. But you'll get to stay in one place and we'll live close so you can still attend the same high school you've been going to."

It would be like before. Meaning she would be alone for weeks on end. She would wake up to an empty apartment and go to bed in an empty apartment. If a storm hit, chances were she'd be all alone. No more loud, happy dinners with everyone talking about their day. No more conversations in the halls after getting up in the morning or heading to her bed at night.

"Ema?" Rintaro prompted. "Aren't you excited?"

"I'm so happy to see you," she said, her words choked, but not from excitement. She was happy to see him. Thrilled. But not if she had to leave her home. Because wherever they lived was never home. It was just a place where they slept. Her room here was hers—decorated with things she'd thought she'd get to keep here for years.

He hugged her again and her eyes caught Ukyo's from the couch. He looked grim and she turned her gaze to the floor so he wouldn't see her eyes.

"I already signed the rent agreement for our apartment," Rintaro said. "I dropped my things off there, but haven't done any unpacking. I wanted to rush here to tell you the news. We'll grab your things and then we can unpack together."

"R-right," Ema said, still hiding her face as she pulled away from the hug.

"He's taking Ema away?" Wataru asked, a whine in his voice.

"Rintaro and Ema are family, Wataru," Masaomi said, his voice gentle. "Rintaro's not taking her away. They're reuniting. And Ema is still our friend. I'm sure she'll still come visit."

"Of course I'll still come," she said, trying to smile at Wataru. "I used to visit you guys all the time before I moved abroad."

"We should get going, Ema," Rintaro said "Do you want my help packing?"

"Uh, no." She wasn't sure she could stop herself from crying. "I have enough experience to be quick at it." An experience she hadn't thought she'd have to repeat for several more years. "And I just remembered I need to check up on Juli. He doesn't like it when I leave without him, so I need to make sure he's okay. I'll be back in a bit." Then she turned on her heel and fled.

Outside her room, she bumped into Yusuke coming out, his eyes on something inside her room. Well, the room that used to be hers.

He jumped when he saw her. "Hey Ema, sorry, I think I upset your squirrel—he didn't seem to like me going in your room."

Her lip trembled. She couldn't hold her feelings back any more and she threw herself at him, sobbing.

"Ema!?" he exclaimed, once again holding confused arms away from her before wrapping her close. "Ema, what happened? Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, barely able to get the words out through her sobs. "M-my d-dad is here. He s-said he's filming his next season in Japan s-so we can live together. B-but he'll still be gone all the time and I'll be all alone again!" She cried harder, her tears wetting his shirt.

Yusuke's stomach dropped. Rintaro was taking Ema away? Right after they'd affirmed that they cared about each other? Just as friends, but still. And her crying broke his heart. She'd just told him last night how hard it had been living with her dad without many friends.

"It'll be different this time," he promised, tightening his arms around her. "You won't be alone. I'll pick you up every morning for school. And we can walk home together every day. If-if you want." Panic gripped him for a moment that maybe she was moving too far away to go to the same school. Just because she was staying in Japan didn't mean she was staying close. "If we're still going to the same high school?"

She nodded against his chest. "I'm-I'm staying. And I want to go to school together and come home together." She appreciated his support. She absolutely did. But he didn't understand what it was like to be alone at home. To have to become self-sufficient at a young age because mostly there wasn't anyone else to rely on. That wasn't something he'd ever experienced.

They stayed like that until her sobs calmed down.

"Do you want help packing?" he asked quietly when she pulled back.

Her lip trembled again. "I don't want to pack at all." She sighed. "But yeah, I would appreciate your help."

Juli chittered away as soon as he saw Yusuke. "You creep, coming into Chi's room without her and now you're coming back? What right do you think—" He broke off when he saw Ema, his eyes widening when he saw how red Ema's eyes were. "You punk!" he shrieked. "What did you—" Ema couldn't deal with this right now, so she picked Juli up and stuck him in the bathroom, locking him in there.

She remembered how much she'd hated this room for one moment when she'd first walked into it because of how bland and empty it had been, just like every other room she'd stayed in for the past six years. She couldn't bear the thought of taking down everything she'd put up. Posters from her favorite games and the anime she'd worked on. Pictures from her adventures with Louis and the other Asahina brothers. A calendar with events and reminders.

She stood staring at everything, not wanting to take any of it down.

"Why don't you leave those for now?" Yusuke suggested, watching her. "You'll be back to visit right? You don't have to take everything right now."

"Okay," she said quietly, opening up her drawers and pulling out her clothes. Silently, Yusuke moved beside her to help.

~.~

Dinner was dead silent that night in the Asahina household, everyone caught up in their thoughts.

Tsubski couldn't believe that Ema was gone just like that and couldn't help resenting Rintaro. He'd dragged Ema all around the world without a thought for her feelings and now he thought he could come here and just take her away from the home she'd built with the Asahinas? Technically, he could since he was her father, but it still pissed Tsubaki off. Ema had seemed subdued when she'd left. The smile she'd pasted on as she'd said goodbye and promised to visit soon seemed forced. He wanted to know how she really felt. What she really wanted. And he wanted her back here where she belonged.

~.~

Making dinner had never bothered Ukyo. He liked making delicious things and he enjoyed taking care of his family this way. But, for the first time, making dinner had felt like a chore. Ema brought so much light into his day. Making dinner with her every night had been the highlight of every single day. A special moment just for the two of them. He didn't want to go back to making dinner without her.

~.~

Masaomi tried to think of something to say to cheer up the mood, but the only thing he could think to say had already been said. They'd see Ema again. Which was true. She hadn't been whisked off to a foreign country this time. But it wasn't the same. And they all knew it.

She'd lived with them for less than a year, but she'd became an integral part of their lives. An essential part. Whether Ema lived with them or not, she was part of the Asahina family now. He needed to make sure she knew that.

~.~

The thought crossed Azusa's mind that with Ema living with her father, his brothers would have less of a chance to make a move on her. But he'd rather have her with them and his brothers flirting with her every second of the day than have her not living with them. She lived close and they would still see her—which was great. But he'd taken her living with them for granted. It felt like something that would continue forever. She was just one girl, but she'd changed the dynamic of the Asahina household so much. And always for the better. He had a new thought in his heart. Yes, he wanted Ema to be with him or Tsubaki more than anyone else. But he also wanted Ema to be with an Asahina more than with anyone outside their family. She belonged with them. Always.

~.~

Wataru pouted at his food as he ate. Ukyo was a good cook, but it wasn't the same without Ema helping. Life wasn't the same without Ema. She'd only been gone a few hours, but those hours sucked. He wanted her to come visit. Now. Why did her dad have to come back? Wasn't Ema happy with them? She seemed happy with them. She'd also seemed happy to see her dad. But not happy to leave with him. If living with the Asahina's made her happier, then shouldn't she be with them?

~.~

Louis kept glancing at his phone as he worked on his clients' hair. Masaomi had texted him that Ema's father showed up out the blue and that Ema would be living with him for at least the next year. Louis knew that Ema loved her dad. He also knew that she'd been incredibly lonely with him. He was worried about how she'd feel, but didn't want to intrude on her first night with her dad in almost a year. But he kept an eye on his phone in case she reached out to him.

~.~

Subaru's gut twisted at Masaomi's text telling him Ema was moving out of Sunrise Mansion, but he couldn't deny that the news had come at a good time. His coach was encouraging him to move onto campus so he could spend even more time practicing. If he wanted to make it into the pros, he needed to up his game. So he would do that. He still wanted to make time for Ema and that would be harder without her living at home—but he hoped he could impress her with how hard he worked and how well he was doing. He'd invite her and Yusuke to his games. And maybe she would decide to attend his college. Then he could spend more time with her than his brothers.

~.~

Kaname felt a flare of disappointment upon reading his brother's text that Ema was moving out, followed by a wave of relief. Things would be less confusing without her close. It would help him sort out his feelings and get over this phase of wanting her. He just hoped that moving out was what she wanted. She'd always been excited to see her dad as a child—but she'd also always dreaded going home to an empty house.

She and Yusuke held sleepovers in the living room in their younger years, but stopped mid-elementary when they became less close. Kaname had always hated the sad, sometimes almost scared look in Ema's eyes when she went home. He and the older brothers always took her home when Rintaro couldn't pick her up. But that hadn't changed the fact that they'd been dropping a little girl off to sleep in an apartment by herself. He hoped things would be different this time around. At least she wasn't a little girl anymore.

~.~

"That's inconvenient," Fuuto muttered at his phone. Did Ema even want to move back in with her dad? She seemed to like being around a lot of people. She thrived being around all his brothers, which baffled him, because he found them annoying. Oh well. At least she wouldn't be surrounded by idiots seeming to hope that she would take note of them. And thank goodness he'd changed his high school plans for the next year. He smiled at the thought. He'd definitely made the right decision switching high schools. He couldn't wait to surprise her in a week.