Chapter 24

Takashi passed by a flower shop every morning and every evening at the subway station. It was there for as long as he could remember, each season with different flowers that were sold. A bundle of pink baby's breath was delicately wrapped with paper tied by a white string. It was getting late and the shop was about to close so the owner was willing to give Takashi a discount when he noticed him eyeing the bouquet for a few minutes.

Mori quietly nodded and he found himself walking home with flowers.

It reminded him of her.

It always did, over the years. Some flowers just stood out in his eye, their delicacy and their beauty – the elegance of the arrangements always reminded him of her. He wondered what she would think of them. Mori got out of the subway station and called her, thinking if he could drop by the house for just a minute if she wasn't too busy.

She picked up after a few rings.

"Hello?" Mori could hear traffic in the background.
"Where are you?" he asked.

Hana tripped over the ledge of the sidewalk after being distracted by the phone call. She winced. The heels were not being lenient on her ankles today.

"I'm walking out of the subway station," she answered.
"It's late," Takashi looked at the time. It was 7:30 PM. He got home from his afternoon shift from the library. She usually got home by 6 after a commute when her work ended by 5.
"Yeah," Hana sighed. "More late nights to come. What are you up to?"

Mori was already at the edge of the park when he realized that she was likely getting out of the same subway station as he had only a few minutes prior. He decided to wait underneath the shade of a tree, sitting comfortably on the bench.

"Just got off work," Takashi answered.
"Oh? Is there anything you needed?" Hana was surprised to see the call. Takashi wasn't usually the type to bother calling unless necessary, and they managed to see each other about once a week thanks to their grandparents.

"No, not really," was the sheepish reply. "Just uh," he cleared his throat. "Wanted to hear your voice."
She smiled. "That's… sweet of you. I'm almost home. Are you?"

Takashi smiled to himself. "I will be." He could see her through the gates of the park, hearing her heels before her voice. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, with loose hairs that fell after a long day to frame her face. She wore a navy blue dress, her blazer was taken off and carried on her arm to beat the humid Tokyo heat.

Takashi stood from the wooden bench, hanging up the phone and placing it back to his pocket. He carried his briefcase in one hand and hid the bouquet behind his back as she approached him. Hana didn't seem to notice since she had looked down to her phone. Mori had abruptly ended their call and Hana was left confused. She placed it back into her handbag before she looked up.

Hana was startled by the sudden presence and tipped backwards, nearly losing her balance on her high heels. She quickly lurched forward, placing her arms in front and bent her knees to lower her centre of gravity.

"My goodness! Takashi!" Hana scolded when she finally managed to regain stability. "Don't do that!"

The man chuckled and apologized. He held out the small bouquet in apology, much to her surprise. She was stunned by the gesture.

"Are those… for me?" Hana's hands were almost full, with her blazer in one hand and her handbag in another. She quickly reorganized herself so Mori could hand off the bouquet to her. Her eyes lit up as she looked at the tiny pink blossoms.

"They're so beautiful. Thank you," she murmured. Hana was quick to kiss him on the cheek and gave him a hug with the one arm that wasn't bogged by her own belongings. Mori wasn't expecting the sudden embrace, but he let her stay. She smelled like jasmine.

"Work was extra awful today," Hana mumbled into his chest. "This just made my day much better." She looked up at him. He could look at those milky brown orbs forever. "How did you know?"
"Know what?" Mori comfortably laid his hands around her waist.
"To… make me feel better."
"I didn't," Takashi shrugged. "I saw those and… I just thought of you."

Hana shook her head in disbelief. "It's not possible for me to be this lucky to have someone like you. I just – I refuse to believe that I'm allowed to have you."
"That's too bad," Mori smiled. "It seems like you're stuck to me."
"Oh no," she laughed. "I'm sorry." Hana tried pulling away but Mori was quick to keep her in his grip. "Guess I'm really stuck to you, huh?" She wasn't going to complain about it.

They both laughed and settled on the park bench.

"Hungry?" he asked.
"Starving," Hana pouted before lighting up with an idea. "How about we grab dinner together?"
"What about Sawada-san?"
She waved his comment off and rolled her eyes. "He'll be fine, given that he's always grumbling about having to cook extra food. What about you? Would Morinozuka-san mind? Or actually, if you're busy –"

He squeezed her hand and smiled. "He won't mind. I'm not busy."
Hana grinned and excitedly stood from the bench. "Let me go change into something a little more comfortable – and maybe some shoes that won't cause me to be a hazard. I'll meet you here in twenty minutes?"

Mori nodded and figured it would be a good idea to drop off his briefcase back home. She snuck a quick kiss on his cheek before she left. Just one while I'm still tall enough to do it comfortably, was her explanation. Hana scurried as fast as she could with her five-inch black pumps.

"Oi, where are you going in such a rush? What are those flowers doing on the counter?" her grandfather called out for Hana as she ran to her bedroom.

What do I wear? Oh god, I should've said half an hour.

"Uh," Hana was in the midst of trying to squeeze out of her dress. "They're from Takashi!"
"What?"
"I'm grabbing dinner with him too!"
"What?"

Hana groaned and she didn't have the time to repeat herself. She quickly threw on a skirt that gave her more room to move than her form-fitting blue dress. Hana grabbed for a loose white shirt, and tucked it into her skirt. She kept the necklace that she had on, and let her hair down. It was falling apart, anyway.

"Oi, Hana," the elder knocked on her door. She was in the midst of trying to fix her makeup, powdering her face so that she didn't look like a greasy mess. "What was that thing about Takashi?"
"He gave me flowers and now we're going to grab dinner!"
"What?"
"God damn it, I'm pretty sure you heard me the first time," Hana slid open her door and grabbed a pair of flats to give her feet a break after a long day.

"What is this dinner thing – what is happening? You're not eating here?!"
"Nope!" Hana slid on her small shoulder bag, grabbing her phone and wallet while she was at it. "I have to go, Ojii-san!"

"Hey!" the grandfather narrowed his eyes. "Come home before midnight," he grumbled. "Stay safe and… and, oi, you're going to run into a tree, Hana! Wipe that silly grin on your face!"

She was in the middle of trying to place her hair in a braid as she quickly walked over to the bench that they agreed to meet at. Takashi was already there waiting. He smiled at her hurried state, she scrambled at the sight of him and ran over out of breath. She was on-time but Hana seemed to think otherwise.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I'm late."

Mori only shrugged and waited for her to put herself together.

"What do you want to eat?" she asked.
"Anything," Mori wasn't picky. He was mostly just soaking in the spontaneity in their plans. It was exciting. She was exciting. Hana tugged on his hand and led him back to the subway. He followed her mindlessly, letting her take the lead. She was the explorer, the adventurous one.

He followed her to a small restaurant, quiet and quaint with few tables and booths along the wall. Hana was busy following the map on her phone in one hand and holding his in the other. When they settled, she ordered the curry and he did the same. Hana tilted her head, trying to read his expression.

"Are you sure?"
"Hm?" Mori was confused. Yeah, he was sure at ordering the same thing she did. Why not? It didn't really matter to him what he ate. She was his priority. She was the one that he wanted to be with.

"I just," Hana pursed her lips, trying to put the words together. "Don't feel like you have to do what I want to do – you're… free."
"Free?" Now he was intrigued. What did she mean?
"Free to say no, free to argue, free to… not feel obligated to me," Hana finished.

"Are you asking me to leave you?" Takashi raised his eyebrows, trying to gauge Hana's thoughts.
"No," Hana shook her head, answering a little too eagerly. "Not at all, I mean, um. Unless you want to? I just… I don't know. Sometimes I wonder if I'm being too much?" She looked guilty. "I mean, I can't tell between whether or not you're just being nice or you really just, don't mind. Whether you're keeping things to yourself and I'm not noticing or if you really are genuinely fine."

Hana tried to read his expression, but all she could really make out was his curious eyes and small smile.

"Do you think I'm being silly?"

He chuckled to himself. Silly wasn't quite the word he was looking for. Cute, maybe. But not exactly.

"Am I overthinking things?"
"A little bit," he answered.
"Just," Hana sighed. "Just let me know what you're thinking sometimes, okay? Sometimes I can't… I can't read you. This isn't the dojo where I can anticipate your moves like I used to."

She was right. They were far from the fighting mat, and their relationship was based upon a silent language that didn't always translate to their lives outside of the mat. Real life was different. Their bruises and wounds did not carry over to reality as a symbol of strength and perseverance. It was, quite frankly, an eyesore to those who didn't understand.

"I'm not good at…" Mori tried explain. But he wasn't sure how to.
"I know," Hana smiled, her voice softening. "I'm not asking you to change. I'm just… letting you know that I… might not be good at this."

He had an instinct that she did not possess. He had a gift to somehow understand her in ways that no one else seemed to. Perhaps it was the fact that he had spent years taking care of Honey such that his skill in observing people just naturally carried onto her. But whatever it was, Hana couldn't quite replicate the same kind of care he did for her.

She had been alone for so long that she learned to take care of herself overseas. Hana knew that she was inherently selfish, but she didn't want to seem like a selfish person to him. She didn't strive to be selfish, to want this and that, to demand for things that she did not deserve.

Perhaps, it was the fact that Takashi was too good to be true. She did not deserve him. She did not work hard to gain him. But he was not someone to be gained after all. He was a real person, not a title, nor a job. In all honesty, sometimes it felt like a dream to be with him.

Takashi hadn't noticed that she was a little shorter than he was until he looked down to her feet. Her flats had taken a couple inches off from her so that he could easily rest his chin on her head. He smiled at that. They decided to walk home after their meal. The sun had set and the temperatures had dropped slightly for them to enjoy the breeze.

"You said I was free," Takashi seemed to bring the comment up out of nowhere. Hana looked up at him and nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Aren't we all?"
"Define it," Takashi challenged her. She went along with his thought experiment without any complaint.
"I mean, we are free to make our own choices in the world, no? I freely decided to pursue a degree that people didn't seem to expect. I… quit modelling because I wanted to. Likewise, you were free to… choose me, right?" she smiled.

Mori nodded. "So you believe in free will?"
"Of course," Hana nodded. One always had the choice, regardless of their circumstances. Whether she chose to go back into modelling, or to trudge through working at the company instead – she chose it all. Hana knew that she brought it all upon herself – there was no complaining.

"Then do you think that whatever happens is determined by previous events?"
Hana tilted her head. "Hm, you're going to have to explain that one."
"How does one get sick?" Mori asked. He started off easy.
"Lack of sleep, poor hygiene, and whether they have been in contact with the ill?"
"How about when you drop your phone?" He chose another scenario.
"Sheer clumsiness," Hana admitted. "From tripping or being distracted –"
"Now what about your decision to quit modelling?" The last one was one that made her dig deep. Hana hadn't expected the sudden connection to her own life.

Hana had to pause for a second to gather her answer. "I was sick of being seen as a human mannequin and a mere pretty face that had nothing else to contribute to the world."
"And your decision to pursue finance full-time?"
It was a result that inevitably stemmed from her decision to quit modelling.
"I wanted to be useful," Hana sighed. "I see your point."

Mori was pleased that she understood the concept. It wasn't a difficult one.

"It's called hard determinism," he explained. "Do you think this concept holds true?"
"Yes," Hana confidently answered.
"And free will?"
"Yeah," she shrugged. Sure, events were caused by previous events. But you still could choose to make your own decisions, right?

Takashi shook his head. This was the mind-boggling part. "These things cannot coexist."
Hana stopped in her tracks and tugged onto his arm. "What do you mean?" Her eyes had turned into saucers as her mouth gaped open. She was confused and Mori couldn't help but to laugh lowly.

"Free will implies that anything you choose is based upon no other reason other than your own thought."
"Okay," Hana could agree with that. It made sense.
"But if every event and decision is based upon a previous event – your thoughts and rationalism must be rooted by a previous event or thought."

Mori continued walking, gently taking her hand and guiding her back home while she thought about his words. She was deep in thought, as if trying to disprove what he said. Takashi grinned – he knew that she couldn't argue with the idea, even if she tried.

"Takashi, are you saying that there is no free will in the world?" she gasped. Everything he said had a point. Perhaps they were never really free, after all.
The man only laughed at her reaction. She just had an epiphany but she looked terrified at her revelation.

"No, Hana." He reassured, patting her on the top of her head. "A French philosopher, D'Holbach, takes credit for that thought."
"D'Holbach," she repeated, letting the name sink.
"Everything is the inevitable result of what came before, including everything we do," Mori quoted.

Hana exhaled and shook her head. "My brain hurts. I can't believe you teach these things for a living. How does anyone in your class not have a mental breakdown every lecture?"
Takashi smirked and leaned down to kiss her temple. "Better?"
She laughed and nodded. "A little. Might take a few more to get me back to normal," she teased.
"Whatever you need," he murmured in her ear.

If they wanted to, they could've probably sprinted their way back home and make it in about five minutes. But they lingered, stealing glances at each other while knowing fully well that they both were looking. It was silly and they both knew it.

Hana held his hand while checking the time on her phone. She technically had be home by midnight and it was barely 11 PM.

"I should get you home," he sighed.
"I can get home fine on my own," Hana didn't need anyone to take her home. She was well equipped in her skills of self-defence. But she knew that he only meant well and it shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did. It was nothing more than just a defensive habit.

"Do you want to…?" Takashi asked.
She shook her head no. He smiled. He didn't want to send her home, either. They basked in the quiet summer night, listening to the crickets come alive and watching the stars on a park bench. Hana was still deep in thought about free will and determinism. It made her wonder about things.

"Do you think… that we were meant to be?" she whispered. It was stupidly cheesy, but if she had to follow the logic of determinism then it was clear that somehow they ended up the way they did. Whether it was fate, determinism, or some other factor – be it free will or not, they were here and intertwined.

Takashi shrugged. "Why?"
"I mean, if free will didn't exist…"
"Do you feel that way?" he smiled when he realized she was still contemplating the idea. She was his favourite student.
"Do I feel like free will doesn't exist? No… I feel like I've made my own choices and my path was carved by my own decisions."
"So does it really not exist?" Mori questioned.

Hana playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Right when I think I understand what you've taught, you go ahead and confuse me!"

He laughed and only wished his regular students were this expressive. He only stared at blank faces most of the time. Hana was the light that brought him joy. She sighed out of frustration. Hana couldn't imagine being a philosophy major – it would have ruined her sanity. But he still seemed to be okay, despite it all.

"What were you saying before?" Mori comfortably placed his arm around her, keeping her close.

She pouted. "I feel like the conclusion I came to just got disproven so, uh I won't be embarrassing myself any further."
He coaxed her with a kiss to her temple. "No, go on," he whispered into her ear.

"I don't know," she mumbled, looking away from him. "I guess it was kind of comforting to know we were… maybe… meant to be? Even if I thought I had chosen you, it was all… inevitable, you know? Like, no matter what I did – I'd end up beside you."
"Mm," he found the thought comforting, as well.
"What if I had chosen… Toudai, for example, over Stern?"
"You applied to Toudai?" This was new information to him.
"As a backup, of course – Stern doesn't take anybody and everybody," Hana was realistic. "But if I had gone here instead… maybe we would have been together sooner."
"Or not," Mori pointed out. "You never know."

Hana had to agree that he had a point there. She wouldn't have had the same autonomy she had in New York if she stayed in Tokyo. She probably would have had to stick with her modelling career longer, especially with her mother on her back. Hana wouldn't have gotten the same opportunities here as she did overseas to gain her own independence.

Her years abroad were years of valuable experience for growth. Hana grew to be less fearful of the unknown, especially when she was placed in an environment of new cultures and a completely different language. New customs to be learnt, new skills that she had to apply to life. It was overall, a rewarding experience.

"I'm glad we waited," Hana admitted. "We grew into different people from the time I had left to this day… and it was much needed for the both of us."

Takashi nodded. He was much more insecure about himself six years ago. He felt like an impostor, with his friends achieving greatness while he was left behind in the library furiously typing away on his laptop to make essay deadlines. But now, he was comfortable. Takashi was satisfied. Content in himself, and confident in the decisions he had made to get to where he was today. He did not look for fame, nor wealth. He was privileged enough to live life the way he did.

And now with her by his side – it really couldn't have been any better. He had food on the table, shelter over his head, a job, and Hana was really more than what he could have ever asked for. But whether he had grown into someone who truly deserved her – Takashi had to admit that he was still working on it.

"But we still found each other," she smiled to herself, even though Mori was quick to catch it. Her smile was contagious and he couldn't help but to feel at peace with her. Like everything fit in life, there was no need to chase for anything. No fear of whatever was coming next. It just felt right.

Hana was working well into the night, tracking the closing of the European Market. Things had begun picking up at work as her project had been green lit reluctantly by the President. He called it a trial period, looking for results after three months – or the entire board would be scrapped. Hana called his conditions fair and quickly began putting everyone to work.

It was an investment coming out of the President's own pocket – given that there would be no way for the board of executives to pitch in a cent towards Hana's little "finance experiment" as the President had called it.

It wasn't exactly an experiment, but it was definitely a risky venture.

Hana's phone rang, which took her by surprise. No one usually called her. It was Hiro calling.

"Hana! I'm coming home next week," her brother was excited to share the news.
"I thought you were going to stay in New York for the summer?"
"The score is basically complete," Hiro explained. He was writing a film score for an indie movie. "Maybe a couple finishing touches I can make on the last track, but I can do that easily on the plane or whatever."
"What about the guy you were seeing?" Hana thought that the two would take the rest of the summer to spend time together. Something she almost envied, but she couldn't complain with her current situation. It was really more than she could ever ask for.

"He went home," Hiro sighed.
"You didn't go with him?"
"We're… not at that stage yet," he sheepishly replied.
"Ah," Hana nodded in understanding. "I see. Should I pick you up from the airport?"
"Aren't you busy?"
"I can make time for my big brother," she assured. Or at least, she hoped that she could make time for him.

Hiro brushed off the offer, noting that the family chauffeur had already gotten the details of his arrival. Hiro would be staying at the mansion for a bit, and hanging out with the Host Club when he got home. When Hiro called up his friends, most were busy – except for the Twins, who were basically up for anything at any point in time. Kyouya was off working at his company, Tamaki had taken over duties at Ouran as a headmaster, Honey was occupied with his engineering job, as was Mori with his thesis and library shifts. Everyone had jobs, including the Twins. But the Twins were not sticklers for the 9 to 5 schedule.

The Twins were famous in Japan – mostly because of their circle of friends that ranged from models, actors, and of course, heirs. Hiro of course, was no stranger to paparazzi. He lived in the spotlight. Hana on the other hand, found the poorly hidden photographers 20 feet away in the bushes to be rather annoying.

"Just leave them," Hiro shook his head. "What's so weird about me catching up with my younger sister?"

Hana took the afternoon off from work to meet Hiro at what she thought was a quiet café. She too, had lived in the limelight – but not like this. She had been living quietly for years now and she was hoping to keep it this way. She escaped from the wild ride of fame right before she reached the true height of it.

"There are rumours that you're working on a new album now that you're home," Hana informed.
"I'm always working on new stuff," Hiro shrugged. "Maybe not the regular EDM stuff that people are expecting." Hiro appreciated all kinds of music, and all sounds. His brain was consistently listening for new melodies, composing different harmonies in his head before getting them all down on paper.

"Does Mori still listen to your songs?" Hiro teased.
"My songs?" Hana looked at him confused. "What songs?"
"I bet you it's on his phone," the brother grinned. "All the songs you used to record with me – I gave them all to him before I left for Juilliard."

Hana dropped her face in her palm and rolled her eyes. "Why would you do that? Now I have to go steal his phone and delete them all off."
"No," Hiro pouted. "You have a sweet voice. Embrace it." Hana didn't have a large range, or powerful vocals that could shatter windows – but she could carry a tune and sometimes that's all you needed.

The sister turned the tables towards her brother and changed the topic.

"What's his name?" she asked, straightforwardly. The siblings were close enough that there wasn't any need for euphemisms. Hana preferred no filters in their banter, anyway.

"Richard," Hiro smiled. He wasn't surprised at the sudden interrogation. He was looking forward in telling her about him.
"And what does he do?"
"Saxophonist studying at Juilliard, and he teaches music on the side."
"Seems like a boring kind of guy," Hana tilted her head. Hiro was the life of the party, the guy that made conversation with everyone and anyone.
"Sometimes we all need boring… to keep us grounded," Hiro smiled. He too, didn't expect himself to fall for someone who seemed to be the opposite of who he was. Focused, motivated, and grounded to their ideals. Likewise, he was surprised when the same feelings were reciprocated.

"That's good," Hana was glad to hear that. "But what do you see in him?"
"Security," Hiro softly answered. "I've… had some crazy nights, going out, exhausting myself, and going back to do it all over again. It's nice, every once in a while. But it's… tiring, you know? I just… he made me grow up, a little."

Hana could see that Hiro had changed. He was still him. Outgoing, happy, and ready for any kind of adventure but he toned it down. She was happy for him, how he seemed to find his way. Glad to see that he was happy overseas, away from the mess of their household. For some reason, Hana felt an obligation to shield him from the politics of the upper class.

"Then what does he see in you?" Hana raised an eyebrow, curious.
Hiro laughed. "Honestly, no clue. I'm just glad he's still with me. That's all I can ask for, really."

Hana nodded and took a sip of her lemonade, letting the silence sit comfortably.

"So, Mori," Hiro casually brought the most exciting topic up. "What do you see in him?"

Hana rolled her eyes at the change of topic.

"His abs? His jawline? His back muscles?" Hiro leaned in at every feature. This was important information he needed from his sister.

"His patience," Hana answered evenly, unimpressed with her brother's superficial options.
"Eugh, Hana you're so lame," Hiro rolled his eyes. "But honestly, have you seen him?"
"Yup," Hana smirked. "You know we used to spar as kids right? He threw me down with the same muscles you're swooning over."

Hiro frowned. "Okay, this is different. Did he hurt you? Is he still giving you those bruises? Do I have to punch him?"
"Relax, Hiro," the sister reassured. "I gave him some bruises too. We're even. Also, I've said this before but Hiro you can't throw a punch. We don't spar anymore, alright?"
"So… do you guys like, make out instead?"

The sister groaned. "Can we not… do this…"
Hiro laughed at his shy sister and nudged her head. He would never get tired of his own little sister. She glared at him for ruining her hair and quickly tied it up instead.

"You coming to tomorrow's dinner?"
"What dinner?" Hana was in the midst of adjusting her hair.
"The one that… mom invited you to? A family dinner." Hiro was surprised at the fact that Hana hadn't known about it.
"Oh," Hana remembered getting a call from the President's secretary about that in the morning. "I'm going to have to pass on that one, sorry."

"Why?" Hiro asked. "You know she wants to see you."
"She saw me a few weeks ago at dinner with the Ootoris," Hana brushed off. "There is no need to see me again."

Hiro always felt awkward being the messenger between Hana and their mother. He was in no position to try to mend their relationship, it was not his job to do so. Hiro was a meddler in things he knew that he was allowed to meddle in.

"She means well," Hiro tried again.
Hana sighed and leaned back in her chair. "She would mean well if she just left me alone and to stop reducing me to some kind of doll, or an accomplishment that she raised."
"I'll let her know," the brother nodded. "She'll flip out at your words, but still."
"Thanks," Hana chuckled.

"Man, we're one dysfunctional family, aren't we?" Hiro realized.
"Pretty much," she agreed. "Why do you think she called for a family dinner?" There was usually some kind of ulterior motive to it.

Hiro shrugged. "Maybe they're finally cutting me off, financially?"
Hana looked up from her drink. Hana would be fine, if they had cut her off financially – she had been living in exile anyway. Hiro only grinned and chuckled.

"It's fine if they do. My EDM days have brought in a significant net worth that's currently being managed. I'm already known in the music industry, so finding work won't be difficult. Don't look so terrified, Hana. I'm ready."

The little sister exhaled. Her big brother had actually grown up to be independent. It made her feel relieved.

"How's work though?" Hiro turned the subject back to his sister. "What's it like?"
"I'm trying to establish an investment board… and there's a side project," Hana explained.
"Side project?" Hiro's curiosity was piqued.
"Classified information, can't tell you in case of corporate espionage," she smirked.
Hiro huffed and pouted. "Probably boring stuff anyway – finance and whatever, right?"
She nodded. "Don't tell father about it, alright? He just thinks I'm burning his money. If he asks about me just tell him I've been tracking world markets day and night. Better yet, don't mention me at all. I think he'd prefer that."

Hiro couldn't help but to feel like he was caught in the middle. He was neutral towards his parents, but Hana had boiling rage that could not be tamed. The rift in their family was far too gone to be mended. He felt like the glue that kept them all together, just by the tiniest bit. And yet, at the end of the day, Hiro could not blame his little sister for feeling the way she did. Hana was justified in her choice of isolation. There was no big happy family. Hana was nothing more than a business partner, and Hiro couldn't do anything but respect it.

At the end of the day, he loved his sister – his number one supporter when being a musician was only just a dream. She was the one who sat patiently, listening to his music. She was his rock, the one person he knew that would stay loyal to him. The only person who took the step to sacrifice her own happiness for his own. So whatever she wanted, whatever she needed for her own happiness – Hiro couldn't do anything but to do it for her.

Even if it meant being caught in the middle of their dysfunctional family.

Hana hated being in the tabloids. She hated the attention. The false rumours. The speculation.

One would have thought that Hana had developed a thick skin against it all, but the truth was, Hana didn't. She openly chose to escape the world of fame, purely because she didn't have the capacity to deal with it. Hana could only focus on so many things at once – and she had enough emotional distress.

Sawada-san found his granddaughter curled up in her bed, reading something on her phone. Hana was tempted to throw it through the wall, but she only tossed it aside and buried herself in her blankets.

"Oi," the grandfather called out. "What are you doing?"
"Hating the world," she grumbled. "Who the fuck thought it was a good article write? Hana Sawada, former model turned heiress meets with estranged brother to discuss stepping down as an heiress due to extreme pressure."

There were some attached pictures from years ago, her on the catwalk in Tokyo, and a few brand adverts across Asia. It was so strange seeing her face – she must have looked like a baby without makeup and yet she looked well beyond 18. Then there were photos of the siblings meeting each other at the café only a few days prior.

"Or even worse, EDM Musician Hiro Sawada meets his sister, ex-model Hana Sawada, to discuss future marriage prospects for the Sawada Corporation," she recited. Hana wanted to scream. This infuriated her.

"Hana Sawada can't handle the pressure of being an heiress and is forced to step down. Her future looks bleak in the business industry as she shows interest in returning back to modelling," the woman groaned at these articles online. "Where are these rumours coming from?! Why are they digging up old photos of me? No one even recognizes me anymore. Fucking sh—"
"Calm down," Sawada-san cut her off. "They're only rumours."
"Rumours can do more than enough to damage your reputation," Hana grumbled. "What if my coworkers see this?"

It was the weekend and Hana only wanted to crawl into bed and sleep her day away. She'd spent the early morning following the closing of the North American markets. Hana waved off her grandfather in favour of a nap but she woke at the sudden presence of a dog jumping onto her bed.

"Oh Kaina," Hana murmured. She buried her fingers in the long fur coat. She held the dog's cheeks with her two hands and spoke lovingly. "You wanna go out for a walk? Let me try to look human and I'll be right there."

"You can rest," a voice called out. Hana yelped at the sudden presence of him, as she clearly didn't see him at the doorway. She covered her face and wanted to hide underneath the blankets. She had ridiculously dark circles beneath her eyes, her hair was a mess, and she was in her pyjamas that she needed to wash with the rest of her laundry.

"What are you doing here, Takashi?"
"My grandfather is here playing chess." Hana groaned. She had been so tired that she forgot it was their chess day. They alternated homes every week.

"Why are you covering your face?" Mori was amused at the sight of her. He was just about to take Kaina out for a walk, given that Hana hadn't done it yet. Sawada-san told him that she had a long night and was napping.
"I'm embarrassed," Hana grumbled. It wasn't like he'd never seen her without makeup before. But goodness, was it so hard for him to leave her alone so that she could at least pretend to look like she woke up with a fresh face?

"Give me ten minutes. I'll be right out," Hana jumped out of bed and ran over to the bathroom to clean her face and to quickly throw on some makeup. Just enough for her complexion to look normal and some eyeliner. She braided her hair on the side and changed into a comfortable summer dress. Hana greeted the elders before meeting up with Takashi outside.

He was dressed in his usual tank top and basketball shorts. Hana smiled at him and Kaina who perked up at the new guest. He smiled back, noting the change in her clothing and her glowing face. She looked beautiful to him, but he appreciated the effort she always placed. It made him wonder if he needed a new wardrobe, given that he always wore a variation of the same thing.

Hana walked over to him and gave him a hug. It wasn't unexpected, but it was just… nice. A nice greeting after a few days of not seeing one another. He lifted her up from the ground and had her laughing at the sudden sensation.

"Good morning," she greeted when she was finally back on the ground.
"Afternoon," he corrected. "You alright?" Takashi knew that long nights were never pleasant. Whatever it was that kept her up, he hoped that he could at least listen to her worries. She nodded.

Her morning was mostly irritating, and borderline infuriating. But she brought it upon herself as she read all of the insulting articles. With him, it seemed like her worries were petty and silly to have to share. He was the breath of fresh air she needed to stay calm. She held onto his hand while they walked the dog through the park.

"We should take her to the mountains, yeah? She can run free," Hana suggested. She wished that she could let go of the leash to let the dog run around the park happily. It was never fun to be chained, but Kaina was used to it.
"Yeah," Mori agreed. He had a feeling that Hana didn't have as much time as she used to and the trip would ultimately be delayed to who knew when. But the thought of letting the dog run free across the grass was nice. The thought of being by her was also nice. He could already see the mountains and he could feel the cool mountain breeze in his fingers.

The more time he spent with her, the more Takashi found himself dreaming about hypothetical scenarios and what-ifs. What if they went to the mountains again? What if he came by with flowers every day for her? What if they lived together?

Reality blended into his dreams, with her right beside him.

"What are you thinking about?" Hana asked.

Mori shrugged and shook his head. Nothing much, really. Just the usual.

A/N: Currently 2:20 AM in the morning and I felt the need to post. I'm going to try my best to keep writing as much as I can, but you know, life gets in the way. I'm trying to relish in the last bit of free time I have. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter. Your reviews and support are the things that keep me writing. So thanks for sticking around for so long. I appreciate all of you. :)