Summary:Kanata had already learned not to expect. Five years of Miyu's absence — how could this year be any different? "Hey, long time no see, Kanata." —Actually, it was wildly different.

Disclaimer:I don't own Daa! Daa! Daa! Nor any anime/manga. Even so, I'm satisfied making fanfictions.

Waning Moon

.

Miyu came out of the bath feeling clean, and utterly refreshed. In this cold winter night, the warm water lapping at her skin felt heavenly. Life is good, she thought, letting out a contented sigh. I'm full, I'm clean, and now is a great time for a drink.

She went to find Kanata in the family room to tell him that the bath's now unoccupied, and was pleasantly surprised to find Mikan and Mizuki settling in.

"Mikan! Mizuki! It's been a long time!" Promptly crossing the room, Miyu beamed widely at their guests. She envelops Mikan in a warm, somewhat awkward, hug. The older girl had been occupied with her coat buttons when Miyu attempted to squeeze the daylights out of her. Beside them Mizuki chuckled, enjoying the sight of her sister's startled expression and the genuine happiness in the blonde's face.

"Miyu!," exclaimed Mikan when she finally realized what was happening. The shining mass of blonde hair before her face could belong to no other.

Miyu let go, a little breathless, with a wide grin plastered on her face. Then she spun around to stick her tongue out at Mizuki whose only response was to laugh openly at her.

"Missed us, huh?" Mizuki teased her when he had finally calmed down.

"Not you," huffed the blonde, "only Mikan." She turned to the older sister and said, "It's been years."

Finally shrugging her coat off, she nodded at Miyu. "Yeah, that's why I came when I heard you were visiting," she smiled affectionately, and then pats her brother's shoulder. "Mizuki here is my designated driver."

Done with the pleasantries, Miyu suddenly remembered what she was originally here for. Looking around, she asked the two if they'd seen Kanata around.

And Kanata's voice floated from the doorway leading to the kitchen. "I'm here," he announced, managing to look cool, leaning cozily against the door's frame even when he as he balanced a tray on his left hand. He moved blithely towards the table, depositing the snacks he had gathered for their guests. "I didn't want to interrupt that awkward reunion scene so I waited," he poked fun at Miyu's clumsy hug even as he worked.

Deciding to ride along with his teasing, Miyu countered playfully sarcastic, "Why thank you very much. You're such a gentleman."

"You squeezed the life out of her."

"Wrong. She was just so happy to see me, she could die." And as an afterthought, Miyu added, "The bath's open by the way."

Kanata's curt response was "obviously, since you're here." He then told the Yamamuras (who continued to watch the exchange in unmasked amusement) to feel at home and retreated to the kitchen.

Not wanting to lose, and hoping to get the final word, Miyu called on his back, "Stupid Kanata!"

/

It wasn't long when Kanata was also out of bath, feeling refreshed and generally satisfied with his life. Except for one thing, he mused. Miyu.

While watching Miyu welcome their sibling guests into their home, he couldn't help but notice the apparent closeness between the younger Yamamura and Miyu. Truth be told, his mind immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion he could think of, no matter how absurd that was: Were they dating? Miyu and Mizuki? Miyu never really revealed the name of her boyfriend in her letters. On a scale of one to "yes", what are the odds that Mizuki and Miyu are in fact dating?

Oh, but how he Kanata hated his mind right now!

He usually wasn't one to assume—assumptions are not backed by facts, so what's the point? If anything, Kanata was logical; he would carefully assess situations and react in a calm manner. But when Miyu was involved, somehow, common sense flies out of the window. His heart would take over, and just how rational have emotions ever been?

Right now, he was fighting to suppress his foolish jealousy.

But hopefully, a glass of milk would quiet down his thoughts.

/

Miyu downed her sixth shot. Liquid fire burned a trail down her throat, and Miyu was pleased. Looking at their group, she noticed Mikan starting to nod off, her face pink both from the cold and the alcohol. Even Kanata had crimson tints across his face although he still looked stubbornly sober. She moved onto Mizuki: he wasn't even drinking his sake. The cheat. (True, it really wasn't safe to drive intoxicated, but whatever—chided Miyu's inebriated mind.)

The barely sober Kanata recalled his warm bath a couple of hours ago, and found that he missed it painfully. He made the mistake of wandering into the kitchen to get a glass of milk and had Miyu catch him. Smiling gleefully, she announced that she had found a stash of sake in the kitchen cupboards and wanted to drink to his birthday, to Christmas (almost, in an hour), and to the beautiful moon that "looked too sad all alone". She eagerly pulled at his arm and dragged him outside in the cold.

The entire time, the four of them were catching up. Kanata learned that like Mizuki had also gone to Tokyo for college, and stayed there to worked afterwards. His suspicions about Mikan's brother and Miyu's relationship was growing stronger, especially after Miyu mentioned how obstinate Mizuki was about keeping his place clean and orderly that there isn't a single speck of dust anywhere. Kanata took note of the way she'd speak fondly of him, the way the other man had clamped his hands over her mouth unceremoniously to prevent her from spilling more of his strange quirks. Beside them, Mikan, the most smashed in the group, sloppily nodded at Miyu's assessment of her brother, sometimes muttering a few unintelligible words, which Kanata took as expression of assent.

In all honesty, the scene was a little painful for Kanata to watch, but he was a good actor. This was supposedly a heartwarming reunion and he planned to keep it that way. And so far, his responses had been appropriate, which kept Miyu delighted. He sided with Mizuki, coming to the defense of his fellow male. In mocking jest, he told Miyu that everyone's house is naturally clean and organized—that is, except hers, whose flat, he wagered, looks ravaged by a tornado. (As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized he couldn't know that, for all he knows, Miyu and Mizuki might actually be sharing an apartment. Then, he mentally slapped himself. Of course, trust his mind to imagine of the worst.)

Kanata hastily knocked back another shot.

How he wanted to ask. Are you guys dating? But things weren't as simple as that. His male pride won't allow him. He didn't want to be meddlesome. Miyu could date anyone she wants, and if it's Mizuki—all the better. At least it's someone he knows, and can trust.

While Kanata was biting his the inside of his mouth, to keep him from blabbering the question that had been on the tip of his tongue, Mikan, suddenly sounding a lot more clear-headed, spoke up, "Mizuki, are you and Miyu dating?"

The couple in question promptly looked at Mikan. Kanata watched Miyu's eyes go wide, and noticed her cheeks heat up. She opened her mouth, and closed them again. He could see her warm breath materialize fleetingly like a smoke before her. She was trying to sputter a response but Mizuki beat her to it.

"What makes you say that, sis?" His face showed innocent interest, although there was an underlying mirth on his voice.

"You two seem awfully close, right Kanata?"

To be frank, Kanata did not appreciate Mikan passing the question, and attention to him. Heck, he didn't want to know at all. Oh alright, he actually did want to know. But. He didn't care to ask. What if they said yes? Then he couldn't unlearn that painful knowledge. At least now, he could still pretend—at ease Miyu and Mizuki were with each other, they might not have been in a relationship at all.

But it's too late to turn back now. And his response was already needed, so he grudgingly went along with it. "Yeah," he said quietly, looking down at his drink. That's funny, even with his resolve, a single word was all he could muster.

However, Mikan seemed satisfied for she prattled on—

Only to be cut short by Mizuki. "No, sis, we're not dating." His eyes caught Kanata's, and Kanata could swear those gaze were meaningful.

Meanwhile, Miyu recovered enough to continue, "Yeah, and Mizuki has a real pretty girlfriend too!"

"And your boyfriend—"

"Ex."

"Oh, is that so?"

Something told Kanata that this conversation was being played for his benefit. Mizuki's intense look, the rapid-fire exchange, the less than apologetic response—Mizuki Yamamura was telling him something, and Kanata now understood the reason Miyu's here, not anywhere else, after six years of absence.

AN: Imma cut this short, since the chapter has gone on for longer than I expected. Next time, we'll see Miyu and Kanata spending more quality time, which means, more conversations. I'm a fan of conversations, I could read books where there are only two people talking. (Which is why I love J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey. The exchanges between the Glass siblings were thought-provoking and enlightening.) I'm sorry if you find it boring, but that means I probably need to improve to make even the most mundane of conversations a lot more interesting. Either way, I must improve! And with your reviews I will.

Ah, and I miss drinking with my college buddies. I think it's time to organize another overnight swimming excursion, especially since it's now officially summer(! Yey!), in my country. And let there be booze(! Yey!) (Nope, I'm not a drunk. I only drink when I'm with my most trusted buddies—my class in college—and we get together at least once a year.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And I'd really appreciate it if you review, even flames, just be reasonable—I'll take them all. :)