Author's note: Well, here's an update, after ungodly forever! So far, from the only one I've seen, only one person has voted, and that was to keep Tamaki's mother healthy and the way she is now. I guess I will, because it would be all sweet and nice. So yeah. Next chapter is when the craziness begins to really get added. Lusaun/N. Italy/ Leon/ Mr. L/ Haruhi.

New Girl Next Door

Chapter 3

Meeting the Neighbors.

The next day, after talking it through, and having decided on it, Tamaki and his mother were packing up some cookies they made yesterday for the new family next door, and were getting ready to go. "You're sure everything is ready, Mother? We didn't forget anything?" the blond boy was asking to be sure, for probably the tenth time, making her laugh.

"Oui, Oui, I'm certain. I have my keys, you have the cookies, my phone... We're only going next door though," she points out to him.

"Well, I know, but... I don't want us accidentally forgetting something..." he points out.

"Of course, don't want to just go next door, if for whatever reason, we forget a shoe, or something," she jokes with him, before going over and patting his back. Her eyes glimmered in amusement though with so much love and affection for her son. "Only teasing~. Relax, mon cher. Everything is going to be fine. The teen looks up at his mother, blinking a bit, before frowning.

"...You don't think I made a bad first impression though, do you? Do you think she'll hate me already?" he asked, not being able to help being worried about such a thing. "I really want to be friends with her, and all..." He then felt a gentle hand on his back lightly patting him.

"Oh, Tamaki... Just relax. It will all be fine," she reassured him once more. She then gently runs the hand on his back through his blond hair. The adult gently pushes back Tamaki's bangs, before kissing his forehead. "Don't worry so much. I'm sure Haruhi- that was her name, oui?- is not mad at you, or hates you. You were only trying to help. Now, come on." With those words, she put her purse on her shoulder, her son holding the small container of cookies. They then head next door to their new neighbors' house.

The blonde woman knocked on the door, and waited next too her son, hoping for an answer. Tamaki was honestly hoping it would be Haruhi who answered. However, it was her father. The one before them blinked a bit before smiling kindly, pushing back his long hair a moment.

"Oh, hello there," he greets kindly. "Who may you two be?"

"Hello, I'm Anne-Sophie, and this is my son, Tamaki. We live right next door, and we wanted to come say hello," she explains to him, giggling a bit. "We made cookies." Tamaki smiles as well, giving a small bow, as he offered the plate to the cross-dressing male. The other seemed pleased by this, as he accepts them, laughing a bit.

"Oh, thank you, thank you! Won't you come in? We have just about everything put away," he explains to them, stepping aside, after accepting the plate held out to him. "Haruhi just went to the store to pick some things up that we couldn't bring from moving. My name is Ranka, by the way." The two guests step inside, the teenager closing the door, before they then followed him up the steps of the home. It was true that everything appeared already set up. All the furniture was out, and already placed, picture frames were hung up, though a few seemed to be waiting for that as well.

"Well, it is very nice to meet you, Ranka," Anne-Sophie adds in, before watching the other head into the kitchen, before returning. Ranka gives a small laugh, waving it off a bit.

"Oh, please, it is much nicer to meet you, dear~" he replies to her. "Care to sit down?"

"Oh, oui, merci," the woman replies, before having a seat on the couch across from the chair, where the father figure was sitting. The blond boy took a seat beside his mother.

"You said Haruhi went out to the store, right? Do you think she needs any help?" he asks her father out of curiosity. Ranka sighs and shakes his head.

"No, no... Haruhi is very independent. A very strong woman, much like her mother. She can handle carrying a few bags home, it isn't too far," he answers the other. He then tilts his head a bit. "You were the same boy she was talking about who was trying to help her with her bags, yes? Hm... I think I saw you briefly when you were waving up to her." Tamaki laughs a bit, slightly nervous, before giving a small nod.

"Yeah, that was me," he agrees.

"Yes, she told me about you. Like I said... She can handle things herself. I can understand wanting to help her, but she is perfectly capable of it herself," Ranka then informs him, though gave a small smile. The teenager couldn't help feeling like that was a bit of a silent father threat of 'Don't you dare think of getting too close to my daughter'. He could understand that, but he would never do anything to hurt her! What kind of gentleman would he be if he had hurt her?

Tamaki mostly listened to the two adults talk a moment, not wanting to interrupt them, when he then heard the front door open. After all, the living room was right next to the door, just up a flight of steps. He jumped up, out of habit, hearing a rustling of bags.

"Hey, Dad, I'm home!" a female voice calls, as the door was also closed. The other teen went around to the steps, starting to head down them,seeing she had quite a few bags on her arms. Haruhi then looks up, blinking a bit.

"...And apparently we're not alone. You're here, huh?" she comments, looking to the other boy before her.

"Yes, dear, we have guests! You already met Tamaki, but this is his mother," her father then explained, standing up and moving close to the railing to look down at the younger ones below him. The said woman then stands up as well, smiling kindly, before she waves.

"Hello, Haruhi," she greets her. The brunette girl gives a small wave, while also trying to keep the bags on her arms.

"Hello, ma'am," she greets. She then looked back to her son. "And I've got it, you know."

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Haruhi? I mean, it is a lot of bags..." he points out, frowning a bit. However, stern and determined brown eyes met with his own violet ones.

"Tamaki. I can handle it. I've already walked down the street with them, it's not the biggest problem in the world. I can walk up a flight of steps and about twenty more steps to the kitchen without a problem," she replies to him in a matter-of-fact tone. After deciding she was not about to let him help her, he gives a nod, starting to go back up the steps.

"Alright, if you're sure..." he replies, hearing her soon follow after him. He then went back beside his mother, while the teen girl went through the dining room and then into the kitchen to put the refrigerated items into the fridge. Anne-Sophie seemed to get a thoughtful expression, before clapping her hands a bit, smiling.

"You know, Tamaki and I were planning on going to the pool tomorrow. I know it's sudden, but the neighborhood pool is open, and I was going to make lunch. Would you and Haruhi like to come?" she offers. Ranka smiles and laughs a bit.

"Well, I would love to, but I work tomorrow, actually... I was going to make sure everything is completely settled tomorrow, before I had to work. Though, I'm sure Haruhi would love to," he explains.

"Wait, Haruhi would love to do what?" the said young girl asks, as she comes back out.

"Go swimming tomorrow with Anne-Sophie and Tamaki," he replies to her. "I think it'd be a nice way for you to get out of the house, and make some friends. You've worked so hard making sure everything is set... You deserve to have some fun too." Tamaki looks to the short-haired girl, eyes wide a moment. Would she say yes?! Say yes to spending a day with him and his mother at the pool?! There's no way...!

Haruhi sighs, seeing her father give him a kind of puppy dog look. She knew he wanted her to make friends before school, so she could go in knowing others... And that did sound like a good idea. Even though swimming wasn't exactly her favorite.

""Yeah, alright... I'll go swimming with them," she finally agrees.