Okay, quick note! Haruka calls Tokiya, Hijirikawa-SAN and calls Masato, Hijirikawa-SAMA, sorry for any confusion!

"So, you two known each other?" Haruka asked, tipping her head. "I mean, before today." Haruka walked along the path with the two servant boys walking in front of her, chatting along, doing their best to include Haruka in the conversation.

"Yeah, me and Syo go way back!" Otoya smiled, walking across the bridge that went over the small river in the garden. "About a month after being hired Tokiya, Masa, and Natsuki had a meeting and brought Syo with them!"

"How long have you worked for Shinomiya-san?" Haruka asked, turning to Syo.

"Hu? Oh, Natsuki found me when I was a kid. I was 'bout seven then and I'm twenty two now, so 'bout fifteen year I've been worken for him." Syo said.

"And you started working when you were seven?!" Haruka cried, astonished that he was so young when he was hired, especially by a big company like the Shinomiya Corporation.

"Yeah, not like I had much else to been doin." Syo shrugged. Haruka wanted to question him more, but something told her that was as much as he would say on the matter. Haruka smiled instead.

"You two seem really close, you and Shinomiya-san that is." Haruka pointed out.

"Yeah, we've been close even since we met. When Natsuki found me and brought me home, the first thing he said to his parents was 'Can I keep him?'" Syo laughed. "When I started out I was more like a hired friend than a servant. They even sent me to school, so I'm grateful to 'em." Syo explained, turning to Haruka when he finished with a big, toothy smile on his face. Haruka stared in wonder at him. It amazed her how much Otoya and Syo had in common- they were both found by their employer and cared for until they could really work. They both became very good friends very fast and seemed inseparable from their employers.

"You're both very lucky to have such good friends." Haruka commented, giving the two boys a closed eye smile. The two boys looked at her and blushed, scratching the back of their heads.

"I-I wouldn't say that." Otoya said modestly, blushing.

"Yeah, Natsuki still annoys me all the time." Syo said, looking away.

"But you're all still together! I wish I had friends my age growing up, so I could have had a friendship like you guys have with Hijirikawa-san and Shinomiya-san." Haruka giggled, fantasizing about having a childhood friend.

"I-I'm sure you've had friends like that before." Syo said unknowingly. Haruka began to frown and looked away, her shoulders a little sagged. Syo didn't notice at first, still looking away with a small blush on his face. Otoya, however, saw her change in posture. Knowing about her lonely childhood, he knew why she suddenly became somber. Otoya nudged Syo, catching his attention before gesturing over to Haruka. Syo blinked in confusion before turning to Haruka, finally noticing her gloom. Syo flinched, not sure why she was suddenly so sad.

"O-oi, Nanami, what's-" Otoya nudged him again, his face a little more unpleasant this time. "I-I mean, sorry if I said something that... um..." Haruka suddenly lifted her head, snapping out of her little moment of depression.

"A-ah, it's fine, sorry about that." Haruka said, waving her hands in an 'it's okay' motion. "A-ano, so... Er, I heard that there were some issues with Shinomiya-san and Hijirikawa-sama. If you don't mind me asking, what was that about?"

"Oh, that lill' old problem? Ah, Natsuki forgot to get Masato his money and I had to send it...again. Then, apparently, he had to pay him something else, so I needed to send some more money. And Masato asked Natsuki to come over 'er to talk to him about all of the late fees he's been getten in."

"Oh dear. But, isn't that your job?" Haruka questioned.

"Nope, my job is to keep his schedule in order. Of course, I DID remind 'em to pay his fees, but he's gots a scatterbrain, ya know?" Syo shrugged. Haruka nodded, suppressing her giggles from his accent. She was surprised he still had it after being in Japan for at least fifteen years. Haruka opened her mouth to ask another question before she was suddenly tackled from behind. Haruka flailed her arms around in an attempt to keep herself upright. Syo and Otoya also gave a slight gasp of surprise. Haruka felt something wrap around her legs, grabbing onto her. She spun a little so that whatever was behind her was in her place and nearly fell over. But, instead of falling, she held herself upright. She heard a laugh as she turned her head to see what had grabbed her.

The first thing she noticed was that what was wrapped around her were two, small arms with two small hand grasping the sides of her Kimono. She twisted herself around to see a small head of blue, shaking from giggles. Haruka blinked in surprise when the blue hair fell back to reveal the face of a pretty, little girl. She had light blue eyes and her hair was heim cut. She had dusty red cheeks and a big, pink bow in her hair. She was dressed in a sky blue Kimono with little cherry blossom petals dotting it's surface. She was small, looking about seven, and she looked like a little like a doll. The little girl smiled up at Haruka, her eyes sparkling with childlike excitement.

"You're really pretty!" She giggled, hugging Haruka's legs. Haruka blinked in surprise before smiling down at her. She placed her hand on her head, ruffling her blue hair.

"Why, hello. Now, where did you come from?" Haruka giggled, finding the kid cute.

"M-Mai?! How did you get here?!" Otoya cried, jumping back. Mai looked up at the red head before smiling widely at him.

"Hi, Oto-nii!" Mai chimed, still holding onto Haruka.

"You know her?" Haruka asked, turning to Otoya.

"Yeah, she's Tokiya and Masa's little sister." Otoya explained, pulling her off of Haruka's legs. Haruka's eyes widened in surprise. She was unaware that the Hijirikawa family had a female child, and certainly not that she was so young. "Her name is Mai." Haruka smiled down at Mai, who was complaining to Otoya that he had pulled her off of Haruka. Haruka knelt down to her so they were on the same level. Mai turned to Haruka with big eyes, watching her, waiting for Haruka to speak.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Mai Hijirikawa." Haruka smiled, causing Mai to smile as well and bounce in excitement.

Hey, guys, wanna know something funny? I wasn't going to put Mai in this, it was supposed to be Tomochika. But I think this is much cuter~

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