It was Sunday night, a little past 8. Nagisa and Nanami were watching the final scene of an old animated movie. It seemed to be one of Nanami's favorite movies because they had watched it a lot together.

Nagisa received a text message on his phone and read it quickly.

"Nana-chan?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Nanami looked up to Nagisa with questioning eyes. She was a bit tired. Her eyelids were heavy above her brown eyes.

"Your mother says she will be late and I have to send you to bed. When do you have to go?" Nagisa asked.

"Eh… at 12?" Nanami tried.

Nagisa nearly laughed and shook his head. "I didn't even get to stay up that long when I was your age," he said.

"How long did you get to stay up?" Nanami asked.

Nagisa thought. "Maybe until 8:30, sometimes 9 if I was lucky,"

"9 is fine," Nanami said then.

Nagisa nodded. "Then 9 it is," Originally Miyano-san had written 8:30, but Nagisa wanted to let Nanami decide what she wanted before making a decision of his own. It wasn't what any babysitter would do, but why would he care about that? He wasn't like the average babysitter anyway. Nobody in his family even knew he was a babysitter, except Haruka.

Nagisa found a game and he and Nanami played until it was time for her to prepare for bed. Nagisa helped her with whatever she needed. He was a bit surprised when she asked him to help her brush her teeth and do her hair for the night.

"Oka-san says I have to have someone else brush my teeth until I'm 12 to ensure that it is done properly," Nanami explained when Nagisa confronted her about it.

After the little girl was in bed and Nagisa had told her a bedtime story, his favorite one about the penguins, he went to sit in the living room. He had been instructed to wait until Miyano-san came home from work, but he didn't know when that was at all.

Miyano-san returned about an hour and a half after Nanami had been sent to bed. She was even more tired than Nagisa ever remembered seeing Makoto be. She thanked him for working so late and paid him extra for the trouble, and then sent him off, reminding him that he needed his rest too.

Nagisa opened the door to the apartment as silently as possible and stepped inside. He suppressed a yawn while closing the door behind him. Then he bent down to take off his shoes.

"Where have you been?" Rei asked as he stepped into the hallway. Apparently he had actually heard Nagisa coming.

"I've been out to look at the full moon," Nagisa lied.

"You're lying," Rei determined without blinking.

"No I'm not!" Nagisa argued.

"Yes you are," Rei said. "It was full moon last week,"

Nagisa flashed an awkward smile. "I must have mixed up the dates then?" he tried.

Rei sighed. "Tell me the truth," he demanded.

Nagisa hesitated. He didn't want to tell the truth. He didn't know why, but a gut feeling told him that nothing good would come out of him doing so.

"I…" he stopped himself.

"I'm waiting," Rei crossed his arms, giving off an impatient impression.

Nagisa took in a deep breath. "I'm babysitting a girl whose mother isn't home very much," he said. "That's what I was also doing tonight," he said.

Rei rolled his eyes. "I highly doubt anyone would leave their child in your care," he said.

Nagisa glared at Rei for that comment. "What's that supposed to mean, Rei-chan?" he asked.

"Are you even responsible enough to take care of yourself?" he asked.

Nagisa stopped. Was he?

"That's what I thought," Rei said, clearly interpreting the silence as a no. "Look, before you start taking are of others, it is better that you worry about taking care of yourself," he said. "Being home this late is not part of taking care of yourself,"

Nagisa frowned at this. "Miyano-san had to work late!" he said.

"That's no excuse," Rei said. "You have school tomorrow just like anyone else,"

"What about you, Rei-chan?" Nagisa asked.

Rei looked confused. "What about me, Nagisa?" he asked back.

"Do you have school tomorrow?" Nagisa asked.

Rei stared at Nagisa. "I am going to Osaka tomorrow," he said.

Nagisa pushed past Rei to get to his room. He didn't want to continue this discussion anymore. "I know that, that's why I asked," he said.

Rei reached out and stopped Nagisa from leaving. "How do you know of that?" he asked.

Nagisa turned to face Rei, a harsh expression was on his face. Rei was surprised. He had never seen Nagisa like this before. "Gou-chan and I overheard your conversation with your senpai the other day," he said.

Rei was stunned, then an angry look appeared on his face. "Nagisa, it is not right to go and listen to other people's conversations like that. You should at least consider that people might talk about things they don't want you to hear,"

"Such as leaving your family?" Nagisa asked. "Don't tell me what to do, Rei-chan!" he yelled. Tears welled up in his eyes and he ran down the hallway to let himself into Rin's and Haruka's empty room and lock the door behind him before anyone could follow him.

Makoto stepped out of the living room. "What was that all about, Rei?" he asked the only one left in the hallway.

"Nothing," Rei answered. "I'll go to bed. I have to leave early tomorrow, and I have already been up way longer than I should," he said. "Goodnight, Makoto,"

"Goodnight?" Makoto said it a bit like a question, being surprised that Rei didn't want to answer him. Maybe he could get an answer out of Nagisa tomorrow, but it was far from certain that he could.

The following morning, while the sun had barely risen on the sky, Rei checked his bags to see if he had everything he would need for the trip to Osaka. He looked at the door to Rin and Haruka's room. Nagisa's bed was still empty, so Rei could only assume he hadn't left the other room since last night.

While thinking of the younger boy, Rei felt a slight hint of irritation rise in his heart. He didn't even know what to make of Nagisa's actions last night. He had been so childish and irresponsible, both to himself and to others.

Rei shrugged. Maybe Nagisa was just experiencing a rebellion that came with being a young teen. He had read that in his studies of hormones. But he wondered if Nagisa wasn't too old for things like this. It should have been over a while ago.

"Silly me," Rei said in an attempt to dismiss it all as nothing. Then he grabbed his bag and pulled on his shoes and prepare to head out the house, but a door opened before he could manage to open the front door.

"Rei," It was Makoto.

"I'm going to Osaka now," Rei said.

"I know," Makoto smiled. "I just wanted to say goodbye," he said. "Be safe on your trip," he said kindly as he walked up to Rei. "Make sure we can get in touch with you at all times,"

Rei nodded. "I will, don't worry about that," he said. "You take care as well, Makoto," he said.

Makoto nodded.

They were silent for a bit. Rei was aware that the time was ticking, but in the same time, he had a feeling Makoto wasn't done speaking to him yet. There was something more he needed to get off his chest before Rei could leave.

"You are going to sort things out with Nagisa once you come back, right?" Makoto asked.

Rei didn't know what to answer to that question, but he wouldn't be allowed to leave before he gave an answer.

"I will try," he said

Makoto accepted the answer and they said goodbye one more time before Rei left the house and Makoto closed the door behind him.

I had a very hard time deciding for this chapter's title. I couldn't seem to come up with something really suitable, but thankfully, I managed to come up with something right now, as I was about to publish, so thankfully, I have become satisfied.

Thanks for reading. I hope you still like the story.

Jackie