Time seems to move so slowly

When you're taking it as it comes

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your place is really small."

Missy rolled her eyes and she closed the door to her apartment behind the twins. "You know, Hikaru, I don't think you hate saying that at all."

The older twin shrugged as he walked towards the kitchen. "You're probably right."

"Hikaru . . ." Kaoru chastised before hanging his head in defeat when he noticed his brother going through their friend's cupboards.

A ball of fluff barreled out of Missy's bedroom at that moment, heading straight for the model.

"I was wondering when we would get to see him," Kaoru stated as he reached down to scratch the puppy's ears.

Tilney licked his hand appreciatively and moved closer.

Missy moved to sit on the floor, gesturing for Kaoru to do the same. The host obliged, sitting in front of her couch.

She had chosen to forgo traditional Japanese interior design in favor of a more western style, one that was indicative of her own upbringing. The furnishings were tasteful and simple, but of good quality, something Kaoru immediately noticed.

"Who's a good boy?!" Missy teased the puppy as he moved to sit by her side. The girl was absolutely infatuated with the Samoyed mix and she hated leaving him alone when she was at school.

"Missy, do you have any tea?" Hikaru shouted from where he stood in the kitchen.

Shifting Tilney into her lap with a chew toy, Missy called back, "Second cupboard to the right of the fridge. Bottom shelf."

"I bet you anything he asks you to make it next," Kaoru said, petting Tilney again. The dog was absolutely brimming with excitement at all the attention.

Missy chuckled. "I don't think I should take that bet. I'm not really interested in placing bets with you anymore."

"Hey! You got your dog, didn't you?"

The model's eyes softened as she looked down at the bundle of fluff. "Yeah. And he's pretty great."

Kaoru looked at his friend with gentle eyes. He exhaled slowly, contemplating how to say what he was thinking without causing offense. "I feel better about you living alone because he's here," he admitted. And it was true. It did bother him that she had chosen to leave behind the security that his home offered in favor of her own independence. However, he understood her desire for freedom and he wanted to see her happy, and he knew she would be miserable living in his family's estate for any extended period of time.

She looked up at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"You living alone makes me nervous."

"It shouldn't."

"But it does." He could see her independent streak flaring, the indignation settling in her mind. Kaoru could see that she was coming to the conclusion that he considered her incapable of living alone. As if she was porcelain doll that needed to be looked after and protected.

"I can handle-"

Kaoru held up a hand in surrender. "I never said you couldn't. I know you're capable of living alone. In fact, you mentioned having your own apartment in the states once. However, I still care about your well being and safety. You're apart of the family. It means we have the right to worry about one of our own," he reasoned, hoping it was enough to soothe her ego.

A look flashed across the girl's face, but it was gone too quickly for the young host to decipher it. "I'll be fine," she stated quietly, pointing towards the door. "I bought a new alarm system and I had it installed before I moved in. Besides," she added with a smile, "Haruhi is pretty close by if I need anything."

"That's good to know," Kaoru replied, relief coursing through him.

"Hey, Missy, can you make some tea? I can't figure out how to turn the stove on. . ."

Kaoru and his friend exchanged a knowing glance. Of course Hikaru didn't know how to turn on a stove, and of course he would demand someone else serve him, despite entering the home uninvited.

Missy sighed before standing up and handing Tilney over to the younger Hitachiin. "I'm coming, Hikaru, no need to lose your mind. You didn't burn yourself, did you?"

As the young model disappeared into the kitchen, it gave Kaoru some time to really absorb his friend's home. Standing up, he began to peruse through the photos that the girl had already hung on the wall. The first picture he noticed was that of Missy at about 15, standing next to her brother. They were on the beach, the white foam kissing their feet as the tide came in. The siblings had their arms around each other and big grins on their faces. The next picture showed Missy with a group of teenagers, all smiling brightly while sitting on the hood of someone's black Audi. Missy had sunglasses on, hiding the vibrancy of her eyes.

"Kaoru, do you want some tea?" The model called from the kitchen, pulling the young Hitachiin from his thoughts.

"Yes, thank you," he called back, his attention turning towards the dog that was sitting dutifully by his feet. He really was a good dog, and Kaoru was happy to see that it made the small apartment feel a little more like a home. He reached down to scratch Tilney's ears, the puppy's tail wagging enthusiastically. Kaoru smirked as he straightened and glanced over at the bookcase in the corner.

There were rows of novels filling the entire case. Each row was meticulously organized, and he quickly noted that the entire top shelf was classic literature. He could imagine that these were all books she had read and cherished. Some of them were a little worse for wear, but they looked well loved.

"Kaoru, what are you looking at?" Missy asked as she entered her living, the tea tray held tightly in her slender fingers.

The younger designer turned towards his friend and took the tea set from her grasp before placing it gently on the table. "I was looking at your books. Have you really read all of these?"

She smiled fondly as she took a seat on the sofa. "Most of them, there are a few I still haven't made it to quite yet."

"I'm sorry, do they have pictures? We all know you can't actually read," Hikaru teased as he took the seat across from her.

Missy archer her eyebrow as she leaned back into the sofa. "I can read well enough between the lines to know that you have a crush of Haruhi."

"What-? No! No I don't!" he spluttered indignantly. "Tell her, Kaoru!" he demanded from his twin.

Kaoru only grinned as he took a sip of the tea Missy had poured for him. "You're on your own, brother, I'm not the one that called her illiterate."

The argument between Missy and Hikaru continued, both sending clever digs in each other's direction. Yet, underneath the savage commentary, Kaoru could see the line of mirth and merriment. His brother trusted the model to never push buttons that would trigger a volatile response, and Missy was aware enough to know which buttons those were.

It was a moment of surreal contentment, something Kaoru never imagined seeing with any girl besides Haruhi. But somehow, this bold and loving girl had gained access to their lives. It was subtle and quiet, but oh so real. He liked the peace that came from being in her home, from seeing her life at a different angle.

Kaoru liked having her there, even if he couldn't figure out just how much yet.

A/N: Hey guys!!! Sorry for the long hiatus! Thank you everyone for waiting and being patient with me. I'm a little out of practice with writing, but I am doing my best. It's a short chapter, but I really wanted to let everyone know that I am back and ready to FINISH THIS PIECE OF TRASH.