The fates were in his office. They hadn't noticed him yet, already shuffling papers on his desk.

Turning away from the glass pane in the door, Hiko drew a hand over his face. He assumed as much when he was told he had three visitors, but damn it, it was always a mixed bag when they were around. He pushed the handle and stepped inside.

Sakura was the first to glance up. Her hair was bound in a looped braid, and she absently smoothed the front of her blouse. "Oh! Welcome back."

"Welcome back, my ass. What are you doing here?"

"It's been a while since we've seen you." Kasumi deflected, moving to greet him. She wasn't wearing her nun's habit, but her ever-present silver cross rested at her neckline. "You look well. You've been eating enough?"

"Yeah, I have." He grunted. Easily, he straightened to look over her head. "Akane! Remove your prying fingers from my filing system."

"I wasn't in it to begin with. I've long given up on that." She snorted. There was more silver in her short bob and lines at the corners of her eyes. In her hands was a small stack of papers, which she held close to her suit lapels. She passed the two chairs normally reserved for guests, to sit on an unfamiliar stool. "Well, we're here to speak with you."

"As I can see." And he had a feeling it was going to be a long conversation. He walked around them, easing into his high-backed chair and swiveling to meet their gazes. "What is this about?"

"So…" Kasumi began. "We were planning the upcoming dinner for a Thursday, but Kenshin said he couldn't. When I asked why, he said it was because of kenjutsu. He's taking lessons at a gym and Sakura looked it up online…"

"A certain person teaches on Thursdays. Kamiya Kaoru." Sakura's smile was far too pleased for his liking. "Isn't that name interesting? Also, Akane, take it away."

Unceremoniously, she dropped the printouts on his desk. Hiko caught the gym's schedule, Kamiya's profile from the hospital's website, the news articles from four years ago, and lastly, a list of the names in Kenshin's group.

"How the hell did you get the last one?"

"Persuasion, with enough name-dropping." Akane folded her arms. "Please say this was an accident."

"Why?"

"Because if it isn't a coincidence that you assigned Kenshin to spend his spare working hours with President Kamiya's daughter, who had so much of an impact on our little brother, yet is unable to remember-"

"Yes, as entertaining as this is," Sakura interrupted, and it was a good thing, because Akane's voice had steadily increased in volume. "That event was a very delicate situation, and we're worried that if it comes up, both of them could get hurt."

"We're looking out for Kenshin, that's all. We just want to hear from you, that this wasn't deliberate." Kasumi softly added.

Hiko had listened in stony silence. Leaning back, he said. "Whatever the algorithm decided, that's how it was."

They exchanged looks, in that furtive way he had never understood. It was something grown from those early days, when they had settled in his house, clinging to each other and grieving with a little redheaded boy. Their anxious faces, red eyes glued to the television screen. Meanwhile, he had stood aside, wondering whether it was better to take back his words and chase them away now, before he would inevitably be hurt again.

If he could go back in time, he would have punched his past self for such stupid thinking.

The silent conference apparently convened. They relaxed, Sakura nodding. "I believe you."

"Thank you for being honest." Kasumi gave a small smile.

Another moment passed, before Akane shrugged. "Fine. But we'll be keeping tabs."

"He's thirty-four years old. The problem is you three, you're too overprotective." Fishing his phone out of his pocket, he tossed it on his desk. "I have this, so why didn't anyone ask me about the time for this dinner?"

"You're always available in the evenings." Sakura protested. "Kenshin's usually the limiting factor, because of surgery."

Suddenly, his phone vibrated and lit up. He reached, trying to slam a hand over the screen, but Sakura was quicker and grabbed it before he could.

"I saw that! An emoji with heart-eyes!" She exclaimed. "Ooh, who's texting you? Hm…Sekihara? Surely, it couldn't be Sekigahara."

"None of your business. Give it back." And what did that even mean, an emoji with heart-eyes?

"Let me see." Kasumi leaned towards her. "Sekigahara would be a strange name."

"He literally has 'baka deshi' as Kenshin's contact name. And ours are the emojis for Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru."

Hiko smirked. "It's funny. Especially now, Mizaru, you should have closed your eyes. Be a good monkey, and give back my phone." So he could analyze Sekihara's text.

Akane's curiosity had awakened too, and she stood behind the other two. She began to read aloud. "'Hiko-san, thank you very much for persuading the board. Please look forward to the kiosk's expansion. You won't be disappointed.' And it ends with the heart-eyes emoji."

…she was a person who liked to express her affection. Unlike him. She was just being friendly. There was no other meaning to the heart-eyes.

"Is that why you said you were eating well?" Kasumi asked. "Because you've been buying food from this kiosk?"

"Kikazaru, I spend my money on good food, wherever it is."

"You once went to a sake tasting event for breakfast." Akane never let him live it down. Not that he had any regrets. "So, you're funding her endeavor?"

"It's her money, I only facilitated the signoff."

"Ah. It is a woman."

"Shut up, Iwazaru." He ignored how her smug expression twisted in distaste, as well as the building itch of nervousness. Too familiar, with these three. He needed his phone back. Immediately.

"How nice!" Kasumi beamed, touching her fingertips together. "When can we meet your new friend?"

"Don't say it like I'm in elementary school."

"She wouldn't if you weren't so antisocial. You gave this Sekihara your number." Sakura whispered the last word in apparent awe. "When did that happen?"

"It was more convenient. Too many administrative e-mails." Sekihara's messages had been buried and well, she didn't text often. That was perfectly fine with him. He had scribbled his number on a receipt and he easily recalled how her eyes widened in surprise.

"Mm-hmm." Akane was tapping away at her phone. "Oh, I found her social media. She looks sweet. Around Kenshin's age, perhaps?" She bent at the waist, Kasumi and Sakura craning their heads to look.

Hiko took that opportunity to snatch his own device from Sakura's loosened grip. As Sakura emitted a dismayed noise, he read the text. Yeah. It was only a friendly message. He wasn't disappointed.

He wasn't.

"Maybe we can visit again, when this kiosk is open?" Kasumi suggested, and Sakura eagerly agreed.

"Good idea!"

Hiko clenched his teeth. "Absolutely not."

"We can spend our money on good food, wherever it is." Akane echoed, arching one eyebrow.

It was always a mixed bag when they visited. A mixed bag of emotions. Right now, irritation was winning out. With a scowl, he gestured to the door. "You've overstayed your welcome, and it's getting late. I'm going home and so should all of you."

To his relief, they headed into the hallway. Sakura waved. "We'll let you know when dinner is finalized."

"Thanks."

When they left, he clicked his tongue. The fates were exhausting, annoying, meddling…but loyal and persistent. And they cared.

After cleaning his desk, returning the unfamiliar stool, and locking up, he caught the glances of the front desk staff. "Are you wondering who they were?" The collective response was an intrigued murmur.

"They're my sisters." He watched their faces contort in surprise, before laughing and striding out.