Haru's POV.

"Will you marry me?" As he said this, Tsuge pried open the little cream box he'd brought along in his coat pocket, displaying a gold ring with a tiny diamond mounted in little gold brackets.

Haru squealed and nodded yes, and she threw her arms around his neck in a warm embrace.

After a moment he pulled back and grinned at her as he closed the box. "Thanks for letting me practice on you, Haru," he said, straightening.

She waved her hand dismissively. "No problem. I'm sure Hiromi will be thrilled."

"I sure hope so. I've been waiting since high school to do this."

Haru grinned as she hugged him again. "So has she. Good luck."

"Thanks. I'll call you if she says yes."

"Don't be so negative. Call me when she says yes."

Tsuge returned her excited grin as he pulled on his shoes and coat and left. When he was gone, she disappeared into the kitchen and found a yogurt in the fridge, returned to the living room, and sat down to watch a movie.

An hour and a half later, the movie was over. And Baron still hadn't returned.

She was worried. She knew he didn't know his way around Tokyo yet, plus with the weather taking a turn for the worse she didn't want him to get caught in the coming storm.

Biting her lip, she glanced out the window as the first drops of rain plopped onto the asphalt in front of her house. Where was he?

After another half hour, she had resorted to pacing the floor. The rain had been light for the first ten minutes, but the level of precipitation was steadily increasing every time she looked at the streaked panes.

"Haru?" Her mother peeked into the room from the kitchen. "Haru, sweetie, is something wrong?"

Haru folded her arms, chewing her lip again. "Baron's not back yet," she mumbled, staring at the door, willing him to walk in any minute now. "He should've been back before the rain started. He promised me he could do it if he walked back by himself."

Her mother stepped into the room and wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders. "I'm sure he's fine, dear. He's a big boy, I think he can take care of himself."

"But Mom, he can't. He doesn't know Tokyo. What if… what if he got lost? Or robbed? Or kidnapped, or—"

"Haru!"

She turned around in her arms, tears brimming in her eyes as she fought to keep her voice steady. "Oh God, Mom… what if… what if…"

"Haru, you're going to work yourself into a fit." Pressing her daughter's face into her shoulder, she rubbed her back. "I'm sure he's fine."

"I'm going to go out and look for him," she said suddenly, pulling away.

"Haru, it's down pouring!"

"And it could be down pouring on him. I don't care, I'm going out there."

Her mother sighed as she stomped to the closet and pulled out a second umbrella, this one a bright purple. "Wear a raincoat and boots, will you?"

"Yes Mom."

"And if you get sick, it's your fault."

"I know." She doubled back to kiss her on the cheek. "I'll be back later, okay?" Moving to the door, she absently glanced through the pane and saw a triangle of black on the sidewalk. Pressing her face to the glass, she saw the umbrella she had lent to Baron when he said he was going to the Refuge. Why was his umbrella abandoned on her front step? Unless… unless he saw… no, he wouldn't have seen Tsuge… but had he?

Her decision was final, and no threats of rain or sickness would stop her now.

"He better be worth it!" her mother yelled as Haru closed the door, but she didn't hear her. By then she had already taken off down the sidewalk, holding the purple umbrella over her head, her heart pounding with fear and worry.

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