Dinner was, despite the situation, pleasant if quiet. Pumpkin found she was initiating the conversation most of the time, and Mori seemed to only respond with a few word answers. Was she unpleasant company? She was dressed a little informally for this place.. some sort of French inspired bistro. Their food was good, at least. But about half way through their meal, she looked up to see him making some sort of weird face, looking behind her. "What is it?" She asked, slowly turning around.

"Oh!" He said suddenly and grabbed her hands, pulling her attention toward him. "Would you go out with me again, tomorrow?"

"Uhm- tomorrow's a school day, would that be okay?"

He nodded, and the murmuring from the booth behind them made her wonder what was going on. 'Maybe the kid from their table was making faces at Mori.' she brushed it off.

"Then, where would you like to go tomorrow?" She asked.

"Anywhere you like." He slowly let her hands go.

"I was thinking of visiting Haruhi at her place, but I didn't want to intrude on her home life. And besides, I think you were meaning a more date-like atmosphere, right?" She sweatdropped as her hands went into her lap.

He nodded. "How about to a sweets shop? There is a traditional one not far from here."

'I'm not Hani!' "Actually. If it isn't too much to ask, I wouldn't mind watching you practice your Kendo."

"Of course."

And that was that. They sat in silence again as they ate, but she noticed he wouldn't take a bite unless she did. But the restlessness of the booth behind them slowly made her insane. How many children did they have! Why were they so loud? "Grr..." As the moments ticked on, she felt her patience pushed and pushed from the whispers and whining until she exploded. "That's it!" She turned in her seat on her kness and peered over the divider on the back of the booth. "Look mother, you need to get a hold on your unruly children!" Was it acceptable to call women 'mother' if they had kids, right? It was for older women, by calling them grandmother. And at first glance, this was a loud, big, western-styled family.

But this was..

Fuck.

"Oooh, you're in trouble, mom! Ahahaha!" One of the 'kids' laughed and patted the 'woman' (wearing glasses) on the shoulder.

"I'll have you know, I explicitly said I wanted no part of this!" Kyouya gritted his teeth.

"But aren't skirts freeing, Kyouya!" Tamaki laughed as he stroked his fake mustache.

"Why am I here, again?" Haruhi muttered, being squished into a corner.

"For the cake, of course!"

"OH MY GOD, you're here, too!?" Pumpkin shrieked. "Why are you idiots here? This was supposed to be just he and I!" She pointed back to Mori.

"We had to check up on you!" One of the twins called out. Hikaru, maybe?

"This has nothing to do with you! Everyone leave!"

"Ma'am, we're going to have to ask you to keep it down, please, you're disturbing all the other guests." The waiter had appeared.

"Ah! Tell THEM to leave!" She pointed at the group. "They were bothering US!"

"Us, ma'am?"

"Huh?" Pumpkin turned around to see Mori had vanished. "Hey, where'd you go!?"

"Here."

She turned to see he'd pulled up a chair at the other table. "What- I'm with them!"

"Then who is paying for the check?"

"Ah-"

"I will take care of everything, as this is my responsiblity." Mori raised his hand.

Pumpkin's head slumped. "Why.. this was supposed to be a date without all you guys."

Haruhi's hand went up.

"You know what I meant!" Standing quickly, she grabbed her plate and sat down on the side the twins and Hani were on, across from Haruhi, Tamaki, and Kyouya. "We spend every moment of club time together, not to mention class time with Tamaki-kun and Ohtori-san, why did you insist on being here now!" She shoved whoever-twin over with her butt as she squeezed in.

"Because!" Tamaki spoke up. "We are a family, and we do things together!"

"And where do I fit in to this 'family'?" She asked, taking a sip of water.

"Isn't it obvious? You're the cool auntie!"

She spat out her drink. "How old do you think I am, anyway!"

"Auntie, auntie!" The twins chanted. "We want all the cool stuff!"

"Go ask your mother!"

"Don't bring me into this." Kyouya's anger marks were almost visible.

"Oooh, Kyo-chan responded to his title!"

"Can I go home now?" Haruhi mumbled, feeling helpless.

"No, we have to observe the rest of the date!" Tamaki ended the conversation and everyone stopped talking to stare at Mori and Pumpkin.

"This isn't.. a date anymore.. and it's not a family outing, either!" Pumpkin took another large bite of food. "Yerr nerrd terr learve."

"Pu-chan, you shouldn't chew with your mouth full!"

"Yea, they say it's bad luck!" Hikaru. Maybe?

"Especially.. if you have purple hair!" No. That was Hikaru. His brother joined in laughter.

"Insult me all you want, but if you're going to believe that your 'cool auntie' is getting anything for you for Christmas, you're shit outta luck."

Both boys sat straight and still-faced, along with Hani. "We'll be good!"

"Why are you saying that?" She pointed to Tamaki. "You're suppose to be the father figure! Would that.. make you my brother?"

"No, you come from Kyouya's side of the family!"

"I have a sister, I don't need another!" Kyouya's anger marks were not receding in the least.

Tamaki thought a moment. "Adopted sister, twice.. removed?"

"Oh my God." Pumpkin hung her head. "You know what. I've had enough. Mori-senpai, come on." She stood, and grabbed for his hand, but he pulled away. "What-?" Her eyes darted to his face and it looked as though she'd offended him. "-is it?"

"We agreed on first names."

"Oooohh~" Everyone but Haruhi and Kyouya chimed.

"T-Tak-eshi. Can we go, please?"

He nodded before standing, taking her hand.

"No, you can't! We didn't get our cake yet!" Hani frowned deeply, eyes wide.

"Honestly, I had a lot of cake today, I think I've had enough." Her words struck Hani through the heart, and he started crying in his seat.

"What- hey, I didn't say I'd never eat it again!"

It was Mori who ended up leaving her side though, dashing away and returning quickly with a full cake, plopping it down in front of Hani. It shut him up at least, and Mori looked relieved. But, the incident made her realize something. That answered that. Hani wasn't holding Mori down at all, he was too shy to do things on his own, and Hani helped him through it! Oh, how the guilt ate away at her insides. And Mori helped Hani. They were practically made for each other.

"I'm sorry, Mori-senpai." She emphasized that. "I can't go out with you. Because, I don't want to come between you and Hani-senpai. I couldn't do that to you. I would weigh you two down, be a wedge and incessantly be a pester. For your sakes, I couldn't. I'm sorry. And besides that, everyone at school thinks I'm gay. If I went out with you, it would be confusing to the others." She bowed to him at the waist where she stood. "But I'm flattered you and Hani-senpai both think so highly of me!"

Everyone at the table looked over at her in awe.

"Pumpkin." Mori rested his hand on her head. "I would still like to see you, outside of school."

"Weell.." She stood slowly. "If.. it isn't too much trouble, I could use a ride to school in the mornings?"

"Of course. May I continue to bring you dutch chocolate cake with cherries?"

"Ask me that any other day I haven't been stuffing my face with sweets!" She laughed, feeling quiet relieved in the situation.

-x-

"Dad, I'm home!" Pumpkin chirped as she shut the door behind her. "Dad?"

"Where.. you been, girl?" His voiced was slurred as he stumbled into the room from his study. "Out all day!"

"Dad, you're drunk! And you were the one who was out all day!" She kneeled at the table to scoop up her books from earlier.

"Kota.."

That made her stiffen. He was thinking of her mother.

"I'm shorry..!" He collapsed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm a terrible pershon- hic- and I love you!"

"Ehhh.." She tapped his arm. "Okay, Dad, time to get you in bed."

"Everything ish my fault. I deshtroyed our daughter'sh life!" He reaked of alcohol and cigarette smoke.

"No you didn't, now come on." She stood partially and tugged on his arm.

"Kotaphira!" His face was desperate, eyes brimming with tears. "I'm bankrupt. Everything ish.. gone.. help me!"

Pumpkin's eyes widened. So quickly he was broke?

"No! You put yourself in this mess, you can dig yourself out of this pit! If you lost all your money in just a few months because of some bad decisions, that's your own damn fault!" She shook his grasp from her ankle as she continued, not knowing her words mirrored the same thing her mother told him a long time ago. "And if you can't get yourself together, you can go live in a paper bag for all I care!" She stormed up to her room and slammed the door shut. What the hell was that? Was her father really bankrupt? That would mean they'd have to start selling stuff off again. And there wasn't much left. Her phone sat on her desk, and as she paced the room kept staring at it, almost willing her mother to call. Pumpkin was, afterall, a lot like her father, and was too proud to ask for help, especially in a situation like this. But if someone offered of their own free will, that was different, especially if it was her mother. But her mother didn't call, and she ended up sitting on her bed fighting back small anxiety attacks. "But." Her optimistic side was a Godsend, sometimes. "At least, he isn't in debt. Yet." Sighing heavily, she decided on what to do. "Tomorrow I'll talk to Dad about it after school. I have to tell him something. He can't do this on his own, it's too difficult and unfair. No one should have to shoulder this alone." Nodding to herself, she laid back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. "Tomorrow is the day. No more waiting." Exhaling, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

A/N: May be a day or two before another chapter goes up, but don't think this is it! I have a few ideas I'm bouncing around for upcoming stuff. STAY TUNED! 3