Huh. It's kind of weird. I may just be me, but I think this story is starting to take on a more comedic air...
Anyway, thank you for your reviews and for following this story. Here's Chapter 5.
Rin seemed to grow more receptive as the pregnancy wore on. Haru knew it wouldn't last, though. Sooner or later, the Sohmas were going to find out, and he wasn't quite sure of the best way to break it to them...because by this time, Rin was beginning to show, and anyone who saw her would probably be able to figure it out.
Rin knew this and managed to get out of the house whenever one of the Sohmas came around to Kazuma's house, but Kagura caught her by surprise one day, before she had a chance to escape.
"Isuzu, when did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?" asked Kagura, "I thought we were friends!"
"You're not a friend or anything else to me!"
Kagura slammed a fist on the table. "I see your temperament hasn't improved!"
"I wouldn't be talking about temperament."
"What's your problem, anyway?! Why do you have to be so obstinate?"
"She's always like that", said Haru.
"Stay out of it!!" said Rin and Kagura together.
Haru sensed when he wasn't wanted and went out to the back porch, where Kunimitsu was sweeping.
"I've been banished", said Haru.
"You shouldn't ever get in the middle of a fight between girls", Kunimitsu replied, "It's just asking for trouble."
"I know. I don't think they would hurt each other or anything, but there could still be trouble."
When Rin and Kagura had been reduced to sending each other dark looks across the table, Haru returned.
"Kagura", he said, "...before you leave, there's something I need to ask you."
"What is it? Is it about Isuzu's...condition?"
"Don't talk about me like I have a disease or something!!"
"I'm not! I'm just saying--!"
"Kagura!" said Haru. He didn't want to have to wait for the two of them to battle it out again. "We haven't told anyone else yet that Rin is pregnant."
"Oh, I see...so it's a secret, huh? And you don't want me to tell?"
"...yeah."
"Oh, but you don't have to worry! I won't tell! I'm pretty good at keeping secrets!" Kagura replied.
"Stop sounding so peppy about it!"
"You're just picking for a fight, aren't you?!"
"That's enough, ladies", said Haru.
"That's right!" said Kagura, "Haru, tell your girlfriend to stop being so stubborn!"
"I'm sorry...you ask the impossible of me."
"Stop appealing to my boyfriend! Leave him out of this!" snapped Rin.
"I just hope that the baby takes after its father!"
"Well, so do I!"
The two of them stopped, as it occurred to them that they'd just come to an agreement on something.
"Well, I was thinking it should have Haru's personality", said Kagura more quietly.
"Well, I want it to have Haru's looks", Rin replied.
"What if it's a girl?"
"It could be a girl with Haru's looks and still be cute. Haru could be cute as a girl!"
Kagura and Rin both looked at Haru thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I think you're right..." Kagura replied.
Haru was starting to feel a bit awkward.
"Actually, I think it would be adorable if it had Haru's white hair", Kagura added, "Whether it's a boy or girl!"
"He only has that hair color because he's the ox", Rin replied.
"You're so pessimistic! I'm sure there's some gene or something! Your baby could have white hair!"
"No it couldn't! And it's not a baby until it's born!"
"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard! It's a baby right now!"
"No it's not!"
"Yes it is!"
"I'm the mother, and it's not a baby until I say so!"
"What about Haru?! Doesn't he get a say?!"
"No!! He gets the easy job! I'm the one who has to lug this thing around, so I get to make the decisions!"
"It's not like that's his fault! It's part of the burden of being female! That's why we girls need to stick together! But you have to be difficult."
"Maybe that wouldn't be the case if you weren't so obnoxious! And it is his fault! He's the one who got me pregnant!"
"It takes two, you know."
"Stop patronizing me!!"
Haru should have known that the two of them getting along wouldn't last, but neither one of them was the sort to back down in a hurry, so he decided it might be best to get out of the room before they decided to team up against him.
"Where are you going, Haru?" asked Kagura as he was halfway out the door.
They'd stopped arguing with each other.
"You don't have to worry, Haru", said Kagura, coming over to him, "I'll come back when a certain person is in a better mood."
"Just go home already!!" Rin snapped.
"Remember...don't tell anyone", said Haru.
"Don't worry! I told you already that I won't! I'll keep your little secret...a secret."
"You make it sound like something dirty."
"I can keep those kinds of secrets, too."
"Oh, that's a relief. I've got something good to tell you..."
Rin was on her feet and at Haru's side. He hadn't even known she could move so fast.
"Go home!" she said to Kagura.
"I'm going! There's no need to be so possessive!"
"I'm not being possessive! Oh, and...if you tell that girl...if you even drop a hint...then again, she's so thick, hints won't be sufficient for her to figure it out..."
"Oh, do you mean Tohru-chan?"
"Yes, I mean her!"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that..."
Kagura left.
Rin turned to Haru.
"So...you have a dirty little secret to tell her, huh?"
"...I was kidding!"
Wow...now that I think about, Rin doesn't really get along with any female characters, does she...? She gets along with Tohru best, I guess...but it's not exactly your standard definition of 'getting along'...