So, here's chapter what, 5? I forget . . .

Anyways, this might go by faster than was expecting . . .

Well, Enjoy! :]

"Um, SuSu-chan?"

Natsume deliberately ignored the concern in her oldest sister's voice, focusing on the soap opera marathon and the carton of ice cream in her lap. A tense silence filled her bedroom as she shoveled ice cream into her mouth. But no matter how many cartons she downed, or how many times she cried/laughed/gasped at the characters and the melodramatic plot, she couldn't get her mind off the fact that she was only useful.

"SuSu-chan," Kaede raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips. "This is ridiculous."

"Go away," Natsume growled, trying to swallow around the lump forming in her throat. She had been on the verge of tears ever since last week when Kaede came home. Kyoya words had hit a sore point, whether she wanted to admit it or not. She bit her lip, closing her eyes and pressing the numb palms of her hands to her eye sockets, hoping the pressure would reverse her tears.

The muted sounds of footfalls on her carpet warned her that Kaede was approaching. With a huff, she stood up and faced her sister, glaring at the silhouette in the light of the doorway. "What now, Kaede? Didn't I apologize already? Are you here to humiliate me even more?"

Kaede let out an exasperated breath, dropping her hands. "Please, SuSu-chan. I'm sorry about last week. But why are you acting like this?" She clapped her hands and Natsume cringed as the lights went into a dim setting. "You shouldn't be in here, like this."

"Whatever," Natsume grumbled, kicking aside an empty carton. "What I do is none of your concern."

Kaede raised a questioning eyebrow as Natsume flopped back on her beanbag chair. "And why do you say that?"

"Because it isn't!" she snapped, throwing a blue plushy pillow at the wall. "Can I just sit in my room and wallow in my self-pity for a little bit?!" Huffing, she threw her head back and folded her arms over her sky blue oversized sweater. "Can't just one person leave me alone today?!"

Kaede squatted beside her, despite her jean skirt, and rested her hands on her knees. "But why? I mean, weren't you trying to beat my- uh, the record for fastest time for building a computer?"

Natsume closed her eyes, wishing she had voice-activated lighting instead of that clap-on shit. But getting voice-activated lights would cost too much money and she had already gone over budget on quite a few things. And Reiji would be less than willing to fork over some money just so she could experiment with whatever her mind came up.

"What does it matter to you anyways?" she muttered darkly, rolling on her side and curling in a ball. "It's not like you care."

"I do. You just don't give me a-"

"What-ever." She rolled her eyes, her back to Kaede. "Just go away. I don't need you 'concern'. I get enough from Yoko."

Kaede sighed, standing up. "Fine. I just wanted to let you know Yoko is planning to have the Ootori family over for dinner. She wants your input."

"Why should I care?" Natsume retorted bitterly, sitting up on her elbows. "It's not like he actually cares. I mean I'm only of use. I'm not anything special." She snorted and tried unsuccessfully to ignore the voice at the back of her mind telling her exactly that.

Kaede stayed silent, studying her sister's eyes. A mixture of hurt, anger and embarrassment swirled in the tawny depths. Kaede crossed her arms in her gray sweatshirt, her eyes narrowing. "Who said that?"

"No one," Natsume replied bitterly, rolling onto her stomach and hugging a pillow to her chest. She folded at the waist and drew her knees in, clamping her eyes shut. "It doesn't matter. Yoko can do whatever she wants. I'm just not going to be there."

"Why not?"

Natsume shot her a glare. "Because it's a free fucking world, Kaede! Quit fucking askin' me!"

"But they're going to become your parents-in-law!" Kaede's rose above her usual octave, her eyes narrowing again. "Tell me what happened. I know something happened, and you can't tell it didn't."

"It's none of your damn business! Kyoya is my fiancé! Not yours!" Natsume dug her nails into the metallic blue material of the pillow, her eyes wide. "What does it matter anyways? I can do whatever the hell I want." Sharply, she twisted her head to the side and breathed out slowly. "Like I said, I'm not going down there. Especially if he is."

"Kyoya?" Kaede watched the anger bubble in her sister's eyes. "What did he say to you? Tell me, Natsume."

"Nothing," she muttered, turning away.

Kaede grabbed the remote and turned the television off, speaking over Natsume's protests, "Well, if nothing's wrong, then I guess you won't mind a nice dinner with the Ootori." She narrowed her eyes as Natsume howled. "Get dressed. Dinner's in twenty."

"Fuck you!" Natsume hurled her pillow at Kaede, who skillfully dodged it. "Why do I have to listen to everybody else in this damn place?! Where do I get a say in what the fuck I do?!"

"I would do something in earth tones," Kaede advised blandly, ignoring Natsume's angry rant. "Possibly slacks and a dressy top. We are at home."

"I don't need you stupid help!" Natsume screeched, stalking across her carpet, hands balling at her sides. "I know how to dress for a get fucking together."

Kudos to Kaede, she didn't flinch as the door to Natsume's private bathroom slammed shut with the force of several charging rhinos slamming into car.

--X--

Natsume was on the volleyball team. Kyoya watched as she dived, smacked, and passed the ball around the court, sweat dripping down her neck and back. She didn't even know he was here, watching the last few minutes of her practice. Quite a few were actually sitting in the bleachers, watching as the nine girls and the coach went through drills and plays.

He propped his elbow on his knee and rested his chin in his palm, watching as she stumbled tiredly around the court. Her laugh, loud and obnoxious like her personality, mingled in with the shouting and directing of the coach. She looked in her element, even though she didn't look her best. There was a band-aid just under her left kneepad, a small cut on her right cheek, but she definitely didn't look in pain. In fact, she looked like she was having the greatest time of her life.

Suddenly, she was sprinting through her teammates. The ball was in the air and he watched, just like the rest, as she jumped high enough to slam her hand into the ball. A loud crack echoed around the room as her hand connected with the ball, only to slam into the ground just inches from the line. The girls had made a big effort to catch her spike, but not even they could catch it.

"Great, Yatatsuba!" the head coach barked, nodding sharply at Natsume, who grinned back. "You're arm is going to get you far!"

"Thank you, ma'am!" Natsume saluted her, before sprinting back to her spot. She didn't even sound like she was breathing hard. Kyoya watched the look in her tawny eyes, the way they sparkled happily. Volleyball was something she was good at. Something her sister's couldn't possibly be able to do because they were too into themselves.

He shifted in his spot, watching with a smirk as she dived for the ball, knocking it back into play. And she was back on her feet; ready to do whatever she could to help them win. She had spirit, and she had the silent encouragement of her friends, who were seated near the bottom, where she could see them best. She didn't know he was sitting up here, watching her.

Another fifteen minutes of diving, passing, spiking and general drills, Natsume was wiping her face with a buttery yellow towel, laughing with her friends. Kyoya slipped down the bleachers and out of the room, but wasn't fast enough. He could feel her glare on his back as he tried to slip out of the doors, practically burning a hole through his uniform jacket.

"Kyoya!" she shouted and he swiveled around, raising an eyebrow at her as she crossed her arms. Her face was blank of any emotion, but her eyes were stormy with anger. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to watch you practice." He tucked his bag closer to his side, turning towards the door. "I was just leaving, Natsume-san."

"No." he froze again, raising an eyebrow at her. She sighed, running a hand through her mused hair, her friends watching with wide eyes and attentive expressions. "I'll join you in a little bit. Give me ten minutes."

He nodded, twisting around again. "I'll have the driver wait for you."

Her voice was soft as she nodded, turning away from him. "Thanks."

It's the little moments that count!

Or, that's what I think anyways XD

But yes, little but little, they slowly fall . . .

Sounds like a poem XD

Anyways until next time

I'm outtie ~CocoaAngel95 :]