Kanna sat on the hallway steps, staring at the front door, willing the person to appear. She wanted to get a look at her before Shippou showed up. So far, every time Papa went out with someone, they were full of smiles and compliments—until they found out about her. So, using that logic, if she met them first, they wouldn't feel uncomfortable when they met her later.

Normally, Papa answered the door. She knew how, and could reach the doorknob, but she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. The lady showing up wasn't a stranger, though. She and Papa knew each other's names, making them at least friends.

Papa had taught her how important introductions were. Kanna liked saying her name, but she liked writing it more. It looked fancier than the other names in her class because of the double sound in the middle. Papa had one, too, though his name was a lot harder to spell. She always ended up forgetting one of the symbols, which was why she preferred using 'Papa' instead.

She liked their routine of him dropping her off and picking her up from school, too. Mama and Daddy always switched it up, and though Kanna knew it was because of their different schedules, she didn't like having to guess who was showing up. With Papa, it was always the same, and it made her feel safe.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Kanna perked up, head whipping around to see if Papa had heard it. People usually used the doorbell, which was a lot louder. When Papa didn't immediately appear, she slipped off the stairs and hurried to the door, making sure to unlock it first.

The woman standing on the porch had long dark hair that she'd twisted back from her face and pinned behind her head. Her blouse was tucked into her skirt, but instead of being tight against her legs like everyone else, it flowed around her knees. Kanna had the feeling it would look like a tutu if she twirled.

The woman blinked in surprise, looking at the number next to their door. "Oh! I'm sorry, I think I have the wrong house."

Kanna certainly hoped not. "You're looking for Sesshoumaru Taisho, right?" The woman nodded, and Kanna grabbed her hand, dragging her into the house. "Papa's just getting ready. He's excited to play with you."

"Is he?" The woman tilted her head, watching Kanna shut the door behind them. The lock clicked shut, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Being safe is important," Kanna said. "Locking the door keeps strangers out." She tugged on her skirt, wondering if she would know the same rules as Papa. The woman squatted down in front of her, putting herself at Kanna's level. "It keeps bugs out, too."

"You don't like bugs?"

Kanna shook her head. "Pretty ones are okay. But spiders like to sneak in when we're not looking."

The woman smiled, patting Kanna's head. "You're very smart to remember all that." She leaned closer, looking around to make sure they were alone, then whispered, "I don't like spiders either."

Kanna made a face. "They have too many legs."

"Exactly." She adjusted her weight, kneeling properly before bowing. "I'm Kagome."

Kanna did the same, hands clasped at her sides. "I'm Kanna Taisho. I'm in year three at school. And my favourite colour is white, even though it's technically not a colour."

"I'm a fan of purple myself. It's very nice to meet you, Kanna-chan. I hope we can be friends." Kanna gave her an odd look. They'd introduced themselves, and neither of them liked spiders. Why wouldn't they be friends?

"Kanna, Shippou will be here in a few minutes. You may have one of the jellies in the fridge, but only after—" Papa came to a stop in the foyer, and the woman covered her mouth, eyes going wide. Why was she trying not to laugh? Papa looked fine.

"Uh oh, we got caught." She peeked at Papa, then whispered, "Does he like spiders?"

Kanna shook her head. "We have a special swatter to squish them with."

Papa finally got over his shock, eyes narrowing at Kanna. "You are not meant to speak to strangers."

Kagome got to her feet, her smile widening. Kanna really liked her smile, and she had a feeling Papa did, too, from the way he was staring. Or maybe he just really liked her hair. "We're not strangers, though. We've already introduced ourselves, right, Kanna-chan?"

Kanna nodded, then approached her father, pointing to his tie. "You should change this, Papa. Kagome-san likes purple, not black."

Papa put his hand on her head, eyes still on their guest. "I apologize. She is usually otherwise occupied."

Kagome shrugged. "No harm done. Does she want to come with us?"

His eyes widened in surprise. "You would not mind?"

"Of course not." She winked at Kanna. "She can protect us from spiders." Kanna looked up at Papa with a hopeful expression. She never got to go out with him on these playdates. Maybe she'd be able to convince them to get ice cream after.

Something funny happened to Papa's face, and he rubbed the back of his head. "I will have to let her babysitter know."

"Shippou had exams to study for," Kanna said. "He can do that until we get back. And he can have my jelly." She'd been looking forward to the treat but hanging out with her new friend was more important.

Papa looked between the two females, then pulled out his phone. "As you wish."