Chapter 23:

It was a new morning at the Tsukamoto residence. In the kitchen, Yakumo was already at work preparing breakfast. The routine had long been ingrained into her and her body would move on its own even without her putting much thought into her actions. However, this time there was more than just the need to carry out this daily task.

Events from the day before were still in her mind and the thought that she and Harima spent almost an entire day together made things seem brighter than usual. All of a sudden this wasn't a chore, but something she wanted to do and looked forward to doing.

She wasn't making a breakfast banquet by any means though. Knowing that whatever she served would be treated equally with appreciation. A little more effort wouldn't hurt, though.

Sarah walked inside the kitchen while rubbing her eyes from any remnants of sleep and stopped once she saw the table. "Wow," she said, casting her eyes over the table. There was a hefty amount of bacon, eggs, and pancakes. The tea was already brewed in a teapot, waiting to be poured into cups. All of it was prepared before she could help at all. So much for watching her calories if this was what would greet her first thing in the morning. "Yakumo, you can go work at a bed and breakfast if being an editor doesn't work out for you."

"Did I overdo it?" Yakumo asked modestly.

"Well, you did prepare all this by yourself this early in the morning. I think you really don't need me here anymore. I better pack my stuff so you two can live together at long last."

Yakumo knew Sarah wouldn't do that but could not help but smile a little.

"But before that happens, I'm gonna enjoy my lovely stay here." Sarah promptly took her seat. "And good morning Yakumo."

"Good morning to you too Sarah." Yakumo replied. Shortly after, Harima entered the kitchen, brushing his hair back and putting his hairband on. His reaction was pretty much like Sarah's but without a hint of a tease.

"Yakumo prepared all this, you know." Sarah said to Harima.

"Go figure. You didn't help despite last night?" Harima said taking his seat.

"Excuse me? Did you help either?"

"It's fine with me, you two." Yakumo said.

"Well, he started it." Sarah pouted.

"You know I didn't mean it." Harima said. "You take first dibs to make it up to you."

"Very well. Would you please pass me the teapot? It would be much better if you pour it in a cup for me." Harima took the teapot, poured some out into a cup, and gave it to Sarah. He poured another cup and gave it to Yakumo.

"Thank you." Yakumo said.

"No, thank you for the breakfast, Imouto-san." Harima replied. Sarah suppressed the urge to tease Yakumo about preparing all of this for him - like a wife for her husband. She was using that term again because the two were like born to be a couple someday. Her earlier remark of leaving the two to live together might not completely be a joke after all.

Sarah washed the dishes this time. It would be too obvious if she kept making excuses for the two to do something together all the time. At this point, it was obvious to everyone aside from Harima. He would most likely notice how Sarah was freeloading and would point that out instead of any alternatives.

How Harima's mind worked was beyond her. She was sure even a literal mind reader couldn't figure his mind out.

The walk to school had returned to normal now that the exam week was over. No more rumors or sightings of the "Flunk-out Phantom" that terrorized some students to no end. The atmosphere had changed from gloomy to excitement for the upcoming summer break. Some were planning where they would spend the short vacation while most were just relieved they could do anything but study.

The trio walked silently as usual but Sarah noticed that Yakumo was closer to Harima. Typically, Harima walked behind them in the middle. This time, he was in step with them. He was talking with Yakumo about walking Shiba later and then something about passing the exams. Sarah had once suggested that Yakumo should help Harima study for the exams until they saw him writing words on his own body and he explained why he was doing it. The two could not talk him out of it especially if it came from Ms. Osakabe, their tea club adviser. It proved to be surprisingly effective last year and Harima was spared from being a year behind. Sarah had inwardly thought that if Harima did fail last year, he and Yakumo could become classmates. Also, Harima was once permitted to enter his second year because he begged admittance. If he hadn't gotten approval, then he would have been in first year.

As rude as that sounded to wish misfortune on someone else, it was interesting to imagine what would have happened if Harima wasn't permitted to enter his second year and was a year behind. Things would not be the same as it was now but Sarah believed that Harima and Yakumo could still become friends. Perhaps in that imaginary scenario, instead of Sarah scaring the dog away from Yakumo, it would be Harima who would show up and thus their friendship would start.

Sarah was still daydreaming until she noticed Harima head to his own classroom after giving a small goodbye, leaving the two behind. For a brief moment, Sarah thought that maybe that daydream wasn't so bad after all.

"It seems like things have been going very smoothly for the two of you." Sarah said to Yakumo. Yakumo simply nodded and smiled in response. The rest of their friends showed up after taking their seats.

"Good morning you two." Haruna greeted along with Satsuki.

"Morning." Sarah replied. "Say, where's Miki –"

"GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!" Miki exclaimed as she entered the room.

"She passed the exams, didn't she?" Haruna asked. Sarah and Satsuki nodded at the same time.

"Good morning, Sarah! Good morning, Haruna! Good morning Satsuki! And good morning to my good friend, Yakumo!" Miki slumped in her seat as if relieved from a heavy burden. "You see what happens? You see what happens if I put my mind into it? Easy."

"It sure does." Satsuki said lamely. "In any case, I'm glad that I won't have to study late at night anymore. I won't get tall if I keep sleeping late like that."

"You just have to put your mind into it like me!" Miki said. "You see, I studied so much that the creepy old man ghost was nowhere in sight this morning so I'm in the clear!" Funny that Yakumo had similarly heard it from Harima during their walk earlier.

"At least we have an optimist here to start the day." Haruna remarked.

"As they say, happiness is contagious." Sarah said. "Right, Yakumo?"

"Yeah."

Miki stared at Yakumo. "Hmm. Yakumo. You look… different."

Yakumo was taken aback. "Different?" Sarah was surprised at Miki's hesitant choice of words since she didn't see any difference.

"How can I put this?" Miki put a hand on her chin. "You're like… beaming now, unlike some days where you look like you have a chip on your shoulders."

"Do I?"

"Miki, do you even know what 'having a chip on your shoulder' means?" Haruna asked.

"Of course! It's like… you're carrying something on your shoulders like something's bothering you!"

Haruna sighed. "Let's just go with that."

"Well, as they say, love brings out the true beauty of women and gives them a glow." The other girls were surprised to hear something insightful come out of Miki's mouth. It also wasn't a quote that they'd heard from anyone else before. "At least she's getting some progress unlike a certain someone here."

"Are you referring to me or to yourself?" Satsuki asked.

"It can be both." Haruna chimed in.

"Haruna! I thought you were on my side!" Miki said aghast. "Sarah, you're on my side, right?" The nun in question smiled uneasily.

"Well, I, uh… I'm cheering for the both of you. So is Yakumo." Sarah was once again to Yakumo's rescue so she wouldn't be asked later.

"This isn't about who is on whose sides." Haruna said. "Anyway, whatever happened with you and your date with Hanai?"

Miki laughed nervously. "Uhh, you know about Hanai and his precious grades. He was preparing for the exams way before the others so I understand if he put aside some things for later. I can't bother him if he's studying."

"Right." Satsuki drawled. "It's not because you accidentally dropped your lunch on the way there."

"WHAT?!" Miki screeched. "How – what the? How did you know about that?"

Satsuki smirked. "I have my little secrets too, you know."

The bell rang signaling the start of class, disrupting any argument the two friends might have stirred up. The conversation died down as everyone prepared for the coming subject.

A chip on my shoulders? Yakumo thought. As a child, she definitely had some frustration, especially when dealing with Tenma's antics. Now, no one would believe that she was like that at one point of her life.

Love brings out the true beauty of women and gives them a glow.

You should smile more often. It suits you best.

A smile out of love would definitely make someone glow.

x-x-x

Harima was listening to the teacher talk about the exam results. He didn't need to worry one bit since the Flunk-Out Phantom had been exorcised to oblivion by his infallible method. Actually, if this method failed him, his last resort was to ask Yakumo to help him review. That was just asking too much, especially since he was the upperclassman. It would also seem like he was always asking for Yakumo's help with every facet of his life.

Now that he thought about it, it was somewhat true. How many times had he asked himself where would he be without her? Even the lunch he had was prepared by her.

At least he was able to repay her in part in other ways like maintaining the house or visiting the zoo with her. The time they had yesterday had gone by in such a blur that he barely noticed until he suddenly woke up from a short nap.

If he didn't know any better, it was almost like a dream.

A dream.

When he thought of the time Itoko locked him out during winter break, the editor-in-chief had commanded him to write a 120-page comic in a week as a punishment for using his work instead of Karasuma's, and then he had ended up staying in the Tsukamoto's house because he had nowhere else to go. It was almost too good to be true and he'd jolted out of his bed from surprise.

His stay had been unexpectedly cut short to his dismay. There was no denying it but he couldn't help but wonder if his situation right now would be terminated suddenly like last time.

He hoped not.

Once the bell for lunch break rang, Harima stood up and started heading towards his place of solitude until he noticed a crowd of girls in the hallway. It was like a mob around some celebrity.

"Well isn't it Mr. Kenji Harima." Harima's eyes sharpened when he heard the familiar voice. The girls parted way, showing Shawn walking towards him.

"Isn't it nice to be at school despite having such a busy schedule." Shawn continued. Harima badly wanted to say that the man only went to school because the exams were over and there was practically nothing to do at school after the exams. But if he said that, he would antagonize the people around him and make him seem like the bad guy. As if his delinquent status wasn't enough already. Eri had taught him well.

"It's nice to see you too Shawn." Harima greeted, his eyes still sharp. "I hope the matter for why you left early during that dinner was attended to properly."

Shawn smiled confidently, also knowing how to play the game of words and insults. "Attended properly I did. It was for the exams after all. I don't have time to be drawing some silly and foolish things while I have some pressing matters to attend to. I'm sure you passed the exams as well?"

"Yeah. I hope to do better in the future."

"I'm sure you will. It would be a shame if it was all for show." Shawn passed by him. "Maybe we should put that to the test next time?"

Harima turned around and only saw the horde of girls following the handsome heir.

Put to the test? Bring it on.

After classes, Yakumo, Sarah and Harima walked back home together. To continue their conversation from earlier, Harima had an idea that Yakumo should be able to walk Shiba even without his supervision. To do this without freaking Yakumo out, she could walk Shiba around the house instead of outside. Sarah added that she would go to her rescue if things went out of hand, not failing to remind Yakumo how they first met.

When they got home, Harima put Shiba's leash on and then gave it to Yakumo. Sarah would follow Yakumo and Shiba at a distance without Harima in sight. He wanted Shiba to be his natural self, as most pets tended to behave better when their masters were around.

Harima watched Yakumo and Shiba walk while Sarah trailed the two. They went out of sight a few seconds later and Harima was left alone. It wouldn't take them too long to return despite the large size of the house.

While waiting, Harima saw some movement out the corner of his eyes. He turned to it and saw Iori on the roof. Once he made eye contact, the cat suddenly looked away. But in that momentary eye contact, Harima felt that the cat was scrutinizing him. It was almost like a baleful stare.

Though Harima had started a good rapport with the cat, Iori started behaving less and less friendly to him after he'd brought in Shiba. It was understandable of course given a cat's tendency to dislike dogs. However, it got to the point that Harima couldn't get along with him no matter what he did. The cat would stare at him and walk past as if ignoring his existence. Harima had always been on good terms with animals but Iori seemed to be a growing exception. He couldn't read Iori precisely anymore. Perhaps because Harima brought Shiba into the house or because Yakumo was now going for walks with a dog was the cause of the issue.

Or maybe Iori was jealous or something.

Before Harima could think of some more outlandish reasons, Yakumo and Shiba came back from encircling the whole house.

"How was it?" Harima asked.

"It was okay." Yakumo answered. "Shiba kept looking back though."

"Yakumo did pretty good!" Sarah said. "I didn't have to bark at Shiba to make him behave."

"Really?" Harima asked. "I don't think I've heard a barking nun before."

"Hey! If I didn't do it that one time, I don't know what would have happened to Yakumo and Iori."

"That one time?"

"The first time I met Sarah." Yakumo said. "She barked a stray dog away from us."

"She… barked at a dog?"

"Yeah. Is there something wrong with that?" Sarah asked.

Harima looked up. "Well, you have to be rather assertive to intimidate a dog."

"Is that a compliment or should I be mad?"

"Don't mistake intimidating as being scary." Harima corrected. "You should slowly back away from a dog and ignore it by not giving it direct eye contact. But in this case, it's better to play it at its own game. That's actually a very brave thing to do."

"Huh. And here I am thinking you get along well with animals because you look scary to them." Sarah remarked.

"On second thought, a barking nun does not seem so unbelievable."

"Uh, Shiba wants to walk around again." Yakumo said trying to pull him back.

"Oh! Then go ahead. I'll be waiting here again." Harima said. The three started their walk again.

After a few paces, Yakumo began to talk. "Sarah? You're not really arguing with Harima, are you?"

Sarah laughed. "Of course not! Why would I be arguing with my future friend-in-law?" Yakumo took a few seconds to realize what Sarah meant. To be honest, she didn't think that word really existed.

"But all jokes aside," Sarah continued. "It really is surprising how things have turned out. Who could have known that last year you were deadly afraid of dogs and now you're walking with one?"

"It was Harima's idea." Yakumo replied. "If he hadn't offered then perhaps nothing would have changed."

"So, Harima has helped you change for the better, one way or another. Maybe that was what Miki saw earlier. But Yakumo, I don't want to be a downer but it won't always be like this forever."

"I know." Yakumo looked ahead and saw Harima waiting from a distance. She could go straight up to him and bluntly confess her feelings and be done with it. But as always, the feeling of doubt crept up in her mind. It was a strange thing. The more time she spent together with him, the more apprehensive the deed seemed to be. It was almost daunting now and it was easier to just let things run their course.

"I'll get to it eventually."

x-x-x

It was Friday. Yakumo was staring out the window thinking of what to do on Sunday. Before, she just let the day pass by without a second thought. It was her sister who usually thought of things to do unless she too was bored to death. Being stuck inside the house felt a little suffocating now that Yakumo had gone out to different places, not including the grocery store. She and Harima would be going to other places just to see the sights next Sunday and Yakumo was at work thinking of any good places to visit. She couldn't always leave it to Harima to decide.

Perhaps, in a very scenic environment, she could reveal her true feelings to him, just like the romantic soaps she had watched before.

"Ms. Tsukamoto?"

"Yes?" Yakumo quickly replied.

"Hmm. Very attentive unlike last time." The teacher said approvingly. "Would you please read the last two stanzas of this song?"

At least it's not in front of the class, Yakumo thought. She grabbed her book and stood up.

-/-

My name is Calypso

I have let him go

In the dawn he sails away

To be gone forever more

And the waves will take him in again

But he'll know their ways now

I will stand upon the shore

With a clean heart

And my song in the wind

The sand will sting my feet

And the sky will burn

It's a lonely time ahead

I do not ask him to return

I let him go

I let him go

-/-

Once again, Yakumo felt a little uneasy after reading.

"Nice diction, Ms. Tsukamoto." The teacher said. "It almost sounded like you were singing it. You may take your seat now."

Yakumo took her seat, trying to ignore the thoughts of other boys regarding her voice. There was that feeling again. Instead of asking her friends later, she read more about the song herself and learned it was inspired from the goddess Calypso from Greek mythology, who saved a man lost at sea and took him into her home. The man, however, became depressed longing for his loved one back at home despite his rescuer's company. Seeing that nothing could be done to change his mood, the goddess set him free.

Why did her teacher always make her read depressing works? It was always about longing and regrets.

Yakumo pushed the thoughts out of her mind.

They were just poems and songs.

The school bell rang signaling the end of the students' weekdays and the start of the new weekend. The three students were walking away from the school grounds when a familiar voice stopped them.

"I think you know what the drill is." Eri said, trying to ignore the other girls by speaking to Harima.

"Yeah." Harima replied. "I would be surprised if you didn't show up."

"You put it like you didn't want to see me."

"I said "surprised", not "relieved". But it can be both depending on how you take it." Eri sighed. This kind of conversation again. Antagonistic or not, perhaps this was just how they talk to each other so she just had to accept it.

"Sometimes, I think that I should let Nakamura grab you straight up so I don't have to bother arguing with you."

Harima smirked. "He's welcome to try. Anyway, will this finish very late again like last time?"

"No." Eri answered.

"That's a relief."

"It will take a few days."

"A few days!?" Harima stressed. Yakumo and Sarah looked at each other. Harima would be gone for a few days in such short notice? "Are you joking? Because I'm not laughing."

"When have I ever cracked a joke with you?" Eri replied, irritated. "And it is not my call to make. I can't stomach it either but I have no choice, and so neither do you."

"But I have to deliver my manuscript tomorrow!" Harima cried out.

"Tsk." Eri pointed at Yakumo. "Then ask her to deliver it for you. She's your assistant, right? Delivering a manuscript wouldn't be too hard even for her."

Harima's eyes sharpened. "She may be my assistant but I do not order her around. She's not your butler Nakamura who you can order around anytime, anywhere. She's more than that." Yakumo and Sarah were surprised by his choice of words, but they only made Eri angrier.

"And what? You want Nakamura to deliver it again for you? He's not allowed to handle it anymore after he got tangled up with that award of yours." The conversation was starting to get heated up, Yakumo and Sarah knew.

"It's okay, Harima." Yakumo finally stepped in. "I can deliver it tomorrow."

"You see?" Eri chuckled. "She can handle it by herself so leave her be."

Harima faced Yakumo. "Thanks, Imouto-san. The manuscript is on my desk, but you probably know that by now. I'll be sure to make it up to you."

"It's okay. You don't have to worry."

"All settled? Well then." Eri grabbed Harima's arm and began to drag him away.

"Hey!" Harima protested while he continued to be led away. "You don't have to do that!"

"But I do." Eri replied. "We've already wasted some time bickering."

"Well, get used to it." Harima looked around. "Say, where's your limousine? We're gonna walk all the way to who knows where?"

"No. We're using his limousine."

His. Harima straightened up when he saw someone standing by a white limousine.

"Mr. Kenji Harima." Shawn said. "I hope you're ready for the next few days. Shall we begin?"

Author's Corner: Dude, this is so long overdue! This chapter is supposed to be longer than what is shown here, but I neatly cut it in half so that it won't be the longest chapter yet. I apologize if the chapter feels a bit short. From here on out, the story would be a little more angsty than usual.

The song "Calypso" here is from Suzanne Vega. It's on Youtube if you want to listen to it. Suzanne Vega sings in a very airy voice and is fairly close to Yakumo's voice in both the English and Japanese dub. It's kinda dreamy and alluring and you can imagine Yakumo singing the song herself. If you remember the previous time Yakumo read, in Chapter 14, this song and that poem have some similarities. Harima once became a sailor in the series so it's a neat reference to that.

The next chapter won't take too long I hope. Shout out to my beta reader sumodog who has the patience of a saint to edit and wait for the next chapter. Oh, it's actually been 3 full years since I've started this story! Time flies! Hopefully, it won't take another 3 to finish this!