|

♔ | 𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

A dark hallway. Stretching far ahead of you, far behind you, the narrow walls beside you unmoving.

Nothing could be seen. Nothing could be heard.

Take a step forward, and the walls will follow you. There is no where to move, forever stuck in the same place.

A set of footsteps sound from behind. Or is it ahead? They grow closer and closer, louder and louder, echoing fervently in the hallway — or your mind.

Faintly, a light flickers before you. A single bulb, twitching dangerously. It's buzzing. A glimpse of a shadow amongst the shadows. Then silence.

You blink. The shadow is in front of you, now. Shorter than, staring up at you. Although, it's hard to tell what it is looking at when the face is obscured.

A little boy, you realise. Though, the innocence of such youth is lost to you, with your heart beating in your ears at a rapid, terrified pace.

He stares. And stares. And stares.

A gaping hole appears where his mouth should be. Distorted noises fill the tense silence, filling you with a deep sense of dread.

┊   •° ੈ ⋆°  ┊

You jolted up, gasping for air. Your hands come up to clutch at your night top, scrunching the fabric tightly between your fingers to give you something, anything, to hold on to.

What was that? Was that a dream? A nightmare? Whatever it was, it scared you. Really, really scared you.

You shakily got out of bed, wincing as rays of early morning sunshine hit your eyes. Moving to the bathroom, you went through the same process as yesterday; cooling your face with cold water, and taking deep breaths to calm down.

As you brushed your teeth, you hesitantly gave in to your curious thoughts and began wondering what the hell you had just dreamt about. You rarely had dreams anymore, and nightmares were something your childhood-self experienced for a short while.

So where did this come from?

You didn't feel afraid of anything until that... kid, or whatever it was, popped up in front of you. Nothing that had happened recently had left you scared or worried. So that couldn't be it.

Drying your face with a towel, you sighed. Your mind must be playing tricks on you, then. That seemed to be a reasonable explanation, didn't it?

Either way, you didn't want to think about it anymore. The whole sequence just made you feel sick and uneasy.

Heading back into the bedroom, a set of folded clothing was left on the dresser for you, a small handwritten note on top.

'Try this on! - Dayoko xo'

With a smile, you took the clothes and unfolded them. Dayoko had given you another dress, coloured a simple white with gold linings over the frills. It was off the shoulder, the straps of the dress wrapping over your upper arm, holding it firmly in place. The skirt of the dress stopped just over your knees, flowing beautifully around you with each move.

You stared wide-eyed at your reflection.

"..I should ask her where she gets her outfits.." you mumbled to yourself as you turned this way and that, checking how you looked. Your hair tickled over your exposed skin, making you realise that you should probably put on some sun-screen.

As soon as you were done, you made your way downstairs to the main room, finally able to remember your way through the halls. Glancing around, you found it a little odd how you hadn't heard or seen your hosts yet, but you didn't think too much of it. They were busy people, unlike yourself.

The main room was empty, save for the breakfast food spread out onto the table for you, a single plate in place. The doors were wide open once again, only Chorosuke wasn't there. Approaching the table, you saw another handwritten note left for you, the handwriting neater this time, almost as if it were printed.

'[Y/N], I have kado lessons I must teach to my students, and Dayoko is accompanying me, so we unfortunately cannot join you for breakfast this morning. We should be back in time for dinner, possibly an hour later if we are needed for anything else. Please, feel free to roam the Estate or the District of you would like. We wish you all the best. —Chorosuke'

"Awe, man..." you mumbled under your breath. Slight disappointment ran through you, but you willed it away. They had things to do, it's not their fault. Besides, you had made yourself a small handful of new friends you could easily talk with, so it's not like you couldn't do anything without them.

Placing the note aside, you peacefully ate your breakfast, seating yourself so that you could face the back garden. You sighed softly as a cool breeze entered the room, the tousle of tree leaves and the trickle of the pond water doing wonders to keep you relaxed.

You wished you could be here all the time. No continuous and loud noises, no murmurs of voices echoing around you, no yelling or screaming or constant background noise giving you headaches.

Just a quiet place. For you to escape whenever you pleased.

A knock on the front door brought you back to the real world. You hastily placed down your chopsticks and got up, stumbling slightly at the sudden head-rush, moving to open the door just enough to peek at who was behind it.

"Oh, hey, [Y/N]!"

You opened the door wider, standing tensely as your free hand clutched at your skirt tightly, body tingling with nerves.

"G-Good morning, Ozo!" You stuttered. Your fingers suddenly felt clammy, worsening as you watched him grow closer to you, resting an arm against the wooden beam of the door.

His lips, soft and warm, pressed against your heated cheek, similar to what you had done to him. Butterflies erupted in your stomach, your heart roaring at the sensation. Your own hitched breath brushed against the side of his neck, making him shudder.

"Mornin', doll," he murmured against your skin, slowly moving himself away. He broke out into a grin, eyes tracing over your intense blush, his own face adorning a cute honey glow.

"Just thought I'd pay you back from yesterday. Even though I think I should do more than that," he chuckled as you tensed up, "I'll leave it there. You look like you're about to explode."

Your words were stuck in your throat, unable to even whisper a word in reply. You watched in a daze as he reached up to his shirt collar, tugging on it in an attempt to fan himself. He glanced at you, humming in approval at your attire.

"Looking good, Princess," he winked. Peeking behind you, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Chorofappyski isn't home, is he?"

"Uh.." you took a deep breath, moving aside. "N-No, he and Dayoko left earlier t-today, so it's just... m-me.."

"Sweet! I came at the right time, then!" He exclaimed gleefully. He stepped inside, haphazardly kicking his shoes off and making his own way in to the main room, smile widening at the sight of food. He looked back at you, beckoning you towards him.

"C'mon, let's eat! Can't let all this free food go to waste!"

He left you standing in the entrance, stunned. A realisation slowly dawned upon you, and when it had fully emerged, it left you extremely nervous and knees weak.

It was just you and Ozo. Alone together.

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

The taxi came to a slow and steady halt, the rumble of its engine dying down as the keys were removed.

"Here we go.." Ozo muttered to himself, removing his seatbelt. He quickly left the car, leaving you to start opening your own door until he opened it himself, extending a hand down to you with a grin.

"Allow me," his chivalrous act didn't fail to make you smile again. You slipped your hand into his, realising just how small yours were compared to his larger palms. He wrapped his fingers around yours firmly, tugging you up and out of your seat. You stumbled slightly as you stood, but Ozo was quick to wrap his other arm around your waist, pulling you against his broad chest so you wouldn't fall. Your eyes met, wide and flustered. There was a tense silence between you both for a split second before you nervously laughed, being the first to pull away.

"Uhm.. thank you.." you looked down at your shoes.

"It's nothing.." he rubbed the back of his neck, turning away and heading towards a nearby building. "The cafe's just over here."

You nodded silently, following along behind him, hands latching onto the strap of your bag. You walked up to an average sized building, the front of which was simply lined with small bushes and a set of chairs and tables for outside seating. Above the opened doorway was a wooden sign, white letters written across it spelling:

'Cafe New York'

"Has your brother been to New York before?" You asked as you walked through the door behind Ozo.

"Nope," he grinned. "The cafe's just named after Iriabi. It's a play on words." He looked back at your confused face before laughing. "Hey, you're a smart girl! You'll figure it out, easy!"

"You have too much confidence in me.." you shook your head with a smile. Stepping into the cafe, you were hit instantly with the smell of sweet coffee and sugared pastries. Your eyes were immediately drawn to the vast display case by the till, lined with cakes, cookies and other delicious delights that made your mouth water.

Ozo walked over to the front, leaning against it as he peered about the empty cafe.

"Oi! Takashi! Where are you?" He called. "Your favourite big brother's here to visit you!" You giggled as he looked back at you with a joking smile. You heard a muffled voice call from somewhere in the back, past a closed door.

"Wait a minute!" There was a set of footsteps approaching the door before it swung open, revealing a man similar looking to Ozo and his brothers, busy frowning down at something on his phone. His hair was shorter than Ozo's, though it was mostly covered by the black fedora he wore. He wore a pink V-neck T-shirt, a beige apron on top, with a brown beaded necklace on his neck and a similar bracelet hanging from his wrist.

He shut the door behind him, finally placing his phone down on the counter with a roll of his eyes before looking up. He ignored his brother, his eyes landing straight onto you as he gave you a cutely curved smile.

"Well, hello!" His voice was dripping with honey. "I don't think I've seen your face around here before!" He rested his chin on his hand, leaning forward.

"I just arrived here yesterday from the city!" you admitted, closing your eyes with a smile.

"Uh, hello!" Ozo glared at his brother. "I'm here, too!"

"I literally saw you yesterday. You're not important." Takashi flatly told him, not even sparing a look his way as a smile came back into his lips. You felt a stab of pain from the coldness of his words, watching as Ozo froze, mouth flailing open and closed as he clutched a hand over his heart.

"I'm Momose Takashi!" The man continued, holding a hand out to you. "What's your name?"

"..Uh, it's [L/N] [Y/N].." you stared slowly, shaking his hand (and taking note of how incredibly soft it was) before placing it back by your side. Then something clicked. "Wait.. Do you all have different second names?"

"Oh no.. You've met those idiots?" Toshio groaned, coming to terms that his opportunity to make a lady friend was promptly thrown out the window before he even got a chance.

"No, not all of you. I've met Chorosuke and Jyushimatsu, though." You clarified.

"What d'ya mean, 'those idiots?!'" Ozo suddenly cried.

"You know exactly what I mean, idiot," Takashi hissed, turning back to you. "As for the name thing... It's kinda complicated. You really don't wanna know."

You frowned slightly as the quick dismissal, but you also knew better than to pry, so you left it there. Instead, you gestured over to the display case.

"Did you make all these? They look amazing!" You praised. Takashi blushed, rubbing the back of his head, gladly taking all your kind words.

"Aha, yup! My dad taught me how to make all these!"

Ozo grinned devilishly, sidling up to your side as covering his mouth in a mock whisper, his voice still loud enough for Takashi to hear.

"He says that, but really, everything here is just from the sto-"

"WOULD YOU like to try some?" Takashi cut him off, slamming a box of assorted desserts onto the counter, his smile tense and shaky. "Since you're new here, I'll let you have these, on the house!"

"Really? Are you sure? I can pay for them!" Your hands flew to your bag, but Takashi stopped you.

"No, really! You can try as many as you'd like! I can't force myself to allow such a nice girl to pay for everything when she just got here," he winked. You blushed, thanking him kindly as he gestured for you to take a seat anywhere you'd like. "I'll make us some coffee while you get comfortable."

"What about me?!" Ozo's complaint went unheard as the back door slammed shut. He grumbled, dragging a chair out and plopping himself down beside you. Feeling bad for him, you turned the box towards him with a small smile.

"You can have some, too. I don't mind."

"[Y/N], you're the best!" He exclaimed, swiftly taking a frosted cupcake and taking a large bite, humming at the taste. You took a bite out of your own cupcake, eyes widening at the sweet taste of chocolate hitting your tongue.

"Wow, this is really good!" You spoke after swallowing a bite, licking your lips. Ozo agreed, sighing when he finished, licking the frosting off of his thumb. Looking over to him, you giggled, finding a touch of frosting on his cheek and around his mouth.

"Ozo, you got a little something here," you pointed to your own cheek, watching amusedly as he attempted to wipe it off, missing entirely.

"Did I get it?"

"No— here," you laughed, grabbing a tissue from the table and leaning forward, removing the frosting yourself. Focused on your task, you didn't realise how close you had gotten to his face until you looked up, finding yourself mere inches away from his lips. His face was tinted as red as your own, praying that you wouldn't be able to hear how fast his heart was pounding in his chest. His hands twitched, wanting to instinctively hold onto you, but he clenched them into fists on his lap instead.

"...I got it.." you breathed. A part of you didn't want to move away just yet, so you stayed there, close to him, revelling in the warmth he seemed to constantly give off. After a moment, Ozo's blown eyes relaxed back into their lazy look, finally bringing his hand up to your face.

"You've got some too, y'know.." his tone matching yours, breathless and hazy. He swiped his thumb over your bottom lip, the feeling sending a jolt of electricity up your spine, catching the bit of icing before bringing his thumb to his own mouth and licking it off. You stared, flushed and dizzy, unable to break away.

What was this? You had only just met, and you felt like your high-school self all over again. As if you were head-over-heels for him already, right? That would be ridiculous...

So why were you leaning in closer?

His breath fanned over your cheek, his hand resting itself on your waist, pulling you closer. You clutched tightly onto the front of his shirt, fluttering your eyes closed, the tingle of his lips just oh-so close to your own making you heat up considerably, and—

"I've got the coffee!"

You fell back into your seat with a jump, directing your body to face entirely away from the other two in the room. You were sure you looked akin to a tomato, and you hoped that Takashi hadn't just seen that..!

"Uh, are you two.. okay?" He asked after an awkward moment, observing your withdrawn form and Ozo's frigid look. His face was practically steaming. "Is it that hot in here? I guess I can turn the AC on.."

Takashi placed the coffee down on the table, and upon closer inspection of his brother, he paled. He struggled to contain his scream of despair as he suddenly latched a death-grip onto Ozo's arm, dragging him away.

"I-I'm sorry, [Y/N], but can you wait there a second? I need to have a little chat with my brother, haha.." he didn't wait for an answer, pulling a stuttering Ozo behind him and slamming the back door for the second time.

"What the fuck did you do?!" Takashi whispered hotly once they were out of earshot, his face morphed into horror and absolute anger. Ozo blinked, his mind still reeling after what had just happened.

"W-What? What happened? Nothing happened, why?" His voice was trembling, but he kept up the act. Takashi wasn't convinced though, ready to punch his brother in the guts.

"I'm seriously gonna kill you in a minute!" He grabbed Ozo's shoulder tightly. "If nothing's happened, then why the fuck have you popped a boner, you bastard?!"

»»-----　♔　-----««

𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦

◦𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮《𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘹》↴

|◁ II ▷|

»»-----　♔　-----««

○𝘖𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘰 ⇾ 𝐎𝐳𝐨 𝐀𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐚

❝𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕?

○𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘰 ⇾ 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐮 𝐀𝐨𝐠𝐨

𝑾𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚, 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒆,

○𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘰 ⇾ 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨

𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚,

○𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘰 ⇾ 𝐇𝐚𝐣𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐚

𝑼𝒑 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑, 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚, 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒆

○𝘑𝘺𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘰 ⇾ 𝐓𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨 𝐎𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐢

𝑾𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚

○𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘰 ⇾ 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐞

𝑩𝒐𝒚, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚❞

○[𝐘/𝐍] [𝐋/𝐍]

✐❝𝑾𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒘𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚.❞

❛𝑨 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈_𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒔❜ 月

♔ | 𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

You were led down a series of hallways until the three of you stopped outside of a particular room. The door was slid open to reveal a large, open-spaced bedroom, with sleek wooden furniture carefully placed around the room and a wardrobe taking up an entire wall. Another wall was full of glass, with a few small potted shrubs and flowers decorating the window sill.

You couldn't help but stare in awe at the accommodation. A part of you felt slightly overwhelmed; you were not used to such luxury, even if you did live in the city. You were sure that this bedroom alone was almost the size of your entire apartment, which in itself wasn't very big.

"This is one of our many guest bedrooms," Chorosuke began. He glanced in your direction before saying: "If you are dissatisfied, perhaps we could show you one of our lager rooms?"

'There are larger ones?!' You almost choked on air, but managed to calm yourself.

"N-No, no! This is more than fine, actually.." you assured him with a timid smile.

"I'm glad to hear that!" He smiled in return, his mouth shaped into a soft V-shape. There was a faraway chiming in the distance, akin to a grandfather clock. Chorosuke paused, turning his head to the sound's direction.

"Time already?" He muttered to himself before turning back to you with a slight bow of his head. "Well, it seems that I must get back to work. I shall leave you in Dayoko's capable hands. She will help you get settled in before dinner," he smiled fondly at his sister, who was bouncing happily on the balls of her feet.

"Thank you so much, Chorosuke. And you, too, Dayoko!" You bowed in respect, hands clutching the straps of your backpack tightly. Truly, if it weren't for their immediate hospitality, you could have been wandering around for who-knows-how long out in the unforgiving summer heat, looking for a hotel that didn't even exist.

You felt someone pat your head gently, and you peered up to see it was Dayoko. Her smile never left her lips as she nudged you to stand up tall.

"There's no need to thank us," Chorosuke chuckled. "It's our duty as humans to care for one another, no?" He tucked his hands back into his sleeves, bidding a small farewell before making his way down the corridor again, his house-slipper clicking against the wooden flooring.

Once he had disappeared around the corner, Dayoko took hold of your arm and tugged you into the room, closing the door behind her. She ran to the centre of the room, twirling excitedly on the spot, her kimono flowing elegantly around her. She was laughing giddily, a childish sparkle in her eyes. You couldn't help but to laugh alongside her.

Your heart felt warm and fuzzy; it was a feeling you had missed for so long. The weight that had previously settled onto your shoulders had lifted slightly, easing the tension from your body. You allowed yourself, just this once, to get lost in the feeling of a fresh start. Even if you knew it wouldn't last forever.

┊ •° ੈ ⋆° ┊

The setting sun cast a burning red glow into the room, the dark shadows becoming increasingly darker as the night began. You hadn't realised it had gotten so late until you cast a look towards the window, squinting in the bright gaze of the sun.

Dayoko had helped you unpack your backpack — which only held the basics such as a couple of outfits, a set of pyjamas, and a handful of other personal items that you had quickly stowed away with burning cheeks — in a few minutes, and then she tried engaging in conversation with you.

It was slightly difficult at first (seeing as she only spoke one word), but after she wrote down a few meanings on spare pieces of paper, you slowly began to understand some of what she was saying.

The girl was very eager to talk with you about anything and everything, her excuse being that 'there's no other girls around here that actually wanna talk!' You didn't mind though, seeing as she was just a sweet and endearing girl very much in need of a friend outside her own family. You figured it wouldn't hurt to start making friends, too, since you would be in Akashika for a while.

In the present, your stomach began grumbling painfully, making you wince.

"Dayon?" Dayoko tilted her head, resting a hand on your shoulder.

"I'm fine, just really hungry, I guess," you chuckled sheepishly. "I barely ate anything on the journey here. Maybe a few snacks, but.."

"Dayon! Dayon!" She stood up swiftly, helping you up as well before tugging you out of the room and back down the hallway again, leading the way. Your footsteps were heavy against the wood as you practically ran past the other rooms, and you hoped you weren't disturbing anyone else. Although, from what Dayoko described, it seemed that the only people living in the Midorito Estate was her and Chorosuke.

You both turned a corner, only for Dayoko to stop harshly, causing you to bump into her. You fumbled to catch your balance, quickly apologising to Dayoko as you held her upright.

"Are you alright?" Chorosuke was stood in front of you, a look of surprise on his face as well as concern. Dayoko covered her smiling mouth with a nod, attempting to cover her giggles but failing miserably. You huffed a laugh with her before nodded as well.

"We're good. Dayoko was really eager to take me somewhere, though." You turned to her with a curious tilt of your head. "Where were we going?"

"Dayon!" She pointed past Chorosuke at a room towards the back of the house. The door was already opened, a soft glow emitting from the room. "Dayon, dayon!"

Chorosuke's eyes widened in understanding. "Ah, I see! She was bringing you over to the main room, where we will be having dinner," he patted his sister's head fondly, making sure not to ruin her hair. "How smart of you! I was just about to come and fetch you both myself, but it seems Dayoko beat me to it."

He gestured his arm out as he turned back around. "If you would like to follow me. I'm sure you must be starving after such a long day of travelling, [Y/N]."

On cue, your stomach rumbled loudly again. You clutched it tightly, your face burning. The two only chuckled before leading the way into the room.

The room, just like every other room in the house, was huge in your eyes. In the centre of the room was a low dining table, already covered in dishes of food, some that you hadn't seen before. Three cushions were placed around it on the ground, fluffed up and delicately detailed with stitched golden flowers and vines.

Across from you, the double sliding doors were fully opened, revealing the lush garden, complete with a fully grown Japanese Maple tree, swaying atop a small hill, surrounded by rows of blooming flowers. Its branches twisted and turned into mesmerising trails, ending with clumps of red leaves that appeared to be on fire under the sun. You had to blink a few times, just to make sure that the flowing pool of water surrounding it was real. The same cool summer breeze seemed to follow you into the room, playfully ruffling your hair.

"Your garden is gorgeous.." you breathed, eyes wide as you tried to take in every detail. Chorosuke smiled bashfully in surprise.

"O-Oh, thank you! But all the credit would go to my late family, as they were the ones who built this Estate many years ago." He shook his head after a moment, gently pushing you over to the table. "However, that story is for another time. For now, let's eat, shall we?"

Dayoko was already seated, hastily picking up her chopsticks and preparing to dig in until Chorosuke stopped her.

"Dayoko! Where are your manners?" He scolded lightly. He couldn't truly bring himself to be mad at her, but he did have a reputation to upkeep.

"I don't mind if you start," you laughed, swaying yourself beside Dayoko. "This food does look delicious!"

"We do have one of the finest cooks in Akashika!" Chorosuke agreed, finally sitting himself down. You all picked up your chopsticks, giving your thanks for the food before filling your plates. You hesitated, unsure if you should really eat as much as you wanted. Dayoko noticed you holding back, and quickly assured you that you could eat as much as you wanted.

"Please, don't be afraid to eat as much as you'd like, [Y/N]." Chorosuke also chimed in, the both of them smiling warmly at you as you gave in, placing large and healthy portions into your bowl.

You complimented the food again, noises of contentment following you as you couldn't help but try a little more, making sure to eat slow so as to not make yourself sick.

Chorosuke appeared to be in thought as he ate, and as he finally opened his mouth to speak, there was a series of loud knocks on the front door, followed by equally loud voices.

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐗

»»-----　♔　-----««

The car rumbled over a gravel pathway, entering though opened steel gates and down a road lined with tall pine trees. You craned your neck upwards, hand blocking out the sun in an attempt to see just how high they reached.

"Where are we?" You asked for the hundredth time, still hoping Ozo would give you even the slightest hint of where he had planned to take you. The whole time, he had avoided the question, and he did just the same now, grinning cheekily as he gave you same answer.

"You'll see when we get there!" He laughed at your exasperated sigh.

"You can't even give me just one hint?" You tried.

"[Y/N], you're smart. If I give you a hint, you'll know the answer straight away! Then there'd be no surprise!" He tutted, not giving in to your pouting, no matter how cute you looked. If he could get past Takashi, he could get past you. Albeit, with a lot more struggle.

And so, you waited, leg bouncing in anticipation as the road finally widened out, the trees dispersing to reveal a modern mansion, with large windows almost completely covering the entire front of it. It was pale in colour, it's tiled roof a matte black.

Ozo manoeuvred the car around the fountain in the front drive way, steadily coming to a halt.

"Where... Who's house is this??" You stated in bewilderment. How many mansions did this place have? Ozo only continued to remove his seatbelt, prompting you to do the same until he stopped you.

"Stay in the car for a sec. This isn't the final destination," with that, he jumped out of the car, walking up a small platform of stairs and knocking loudly on the large dark oak doors. You watched him as he leaned his weight on one foot, resting a hand in his pocket as the other fanned his face.

As you both waited for someone to arrive at the door, you began to think about who this person could be. If Ozo thought you would guess who it was easily, then that meant you had to have met this person before, right? You cupped your chin, brows furrowed as you thought further. You knew Chorosuke and Dayoko definitely didn't live here, Takashi lives in Iriabi, so it's not him... If Ozo lived here, then he wouldn't have to knock on the door... Then the only other person it could be was...

"Osomatsu-niisan!"

The doors swung open violently, a yellow blur tackling the driver, close to knocking him over. Ozo yelped in surprise, quickly melting into a laugh.

"Jyushimatsu!" Ozo patted his brother's back affectionately. "See, this is why you're my favourite!"

Ah, now the mansion made sense. Jyushimatsu was the son of the mayor here, so of course they would live in luxury.

As you observed the scene with a fond smile, you noticed that Jyushimatsu was actually wearing the paper bag he had with him the night before, his large eyes peering through the two holes haphazardly cut into the front of the brown paper. You wondered why he wore it; was he self-conscious?

'No,' you thought. 'If he was, he would've kept it on when we first met.'

"What are you doing here, niisan?" Jyushimatsu asked, leaning away.

"I'm taking [Y/N] around Akashika, to show her the sights and stuff," he glanced back at you. "Wanna come with us?"

The two caught eyes, an understanding glimmer flashing between them as Jyushimatsu nodded eagerly, already running towards the car. He jumped into the back seats — literally — and greeted you loudly.

"[Y/N]-chan!" He exclaimed happily, leaning through the gap between your front seats.

"Hello, Jyushimatsu!" His enthusiasm was infectious, your own smile widening greatly.

"You look really pretty today!" He added. "I can tell Osomatsu-niisan thinks so, too!" He pointed to said person as they sat themselves into the car, freezing at the sudden call-out. You giggled, cheeks flushing.

"I'm sure he does," your mind went back to the first car ride, unable to stop the butterflies fluttering in your stomach as you watched Ozo's face darken to red. He glared at Jyushimatsu from the rear view mirror as he started up the car, driving away from the mansion.

"So you live here, Jyushimatsu?" You did Ozo a favour, diverting the subject easily.

"Yup! This is the Ogami Family Estate!" He pointed back to his home as it slowly disappeared from view. "My dad and I live here! You can visit anytime you like!"

You smiled, keeping the offer in mind. Ozo stayed silent, squinting at the road as he drove back the way he came, taking a left towards the mountain peaks in the distance.

"Boobs!" The sudden call from Jyushimatsu made you jump. You glanced back at him with a raised brow to see him pointing straight ahead towards the two twin peaks.

"He thinks they look like tits." Ozo's blunt explanation didn't help the burn of your skin.

"O-Oh..." you mumbled, shrinking slightly in your seat.

'That's one way to look at it, I guess...'

The rest of the car ride was mostly uneventful, the only noise coming from Jyushimatsu as he hummed a tune you hadn't heard before. It sounded like a nursery rhyme.

At one point, the stretch of road ahead of you was devoid of any trees or shade, allowing the sun to shine down on you with no mercy.

"Man, it's hot today...!" Ozo sighed, rolling down his window. You nodded, doing the same.

"Hey, Osomatsu nii-san..." Jyushimatsu called from the back, tired as he fanned himself. "Can't you put the AC on?"

"Ah, well..." Ozo laughed nervously. "I still haven't gotten it fixed yet..."

"What?!" Jyushimatsu cried. "I'm gonna die..!"

"How can you survive this summer heat when you're driving around all day?" You asked incredulously, peering over to the driver who was busy unbuttoning a third button from his shirt, tousling his hair to provide some kind of cool breeze for his head. His sleeves were sticking to his biceps, clinging onto his skin and defining his slightly toned arms.

"I don't." Ozo replied, not noticing your blatant stares, unlike a certain someone behind you. You heard Jyushimatsu giggle, making you avert your eyes with a silent huff in turn.

Soldiering through the dizzying heat, the car eventually pulled to a stop in front of the beginnings of a mountain trail. Clambering out, you squinted your eyes at the path as it trailed upwards.

"Are we climbing all the way up to the top?" Wearily, you took a subtle step back. Jyushimatsu laughed loudly, readjusting the paper bag on his head.

"Nope! Just a little further up this way!" He headed off, waving a hand back towards you and Ozo. "Let's go!"

The heavy slam of the trunk of the car caused you to turn around, watching as Ozo adjusted his grip on the handle of a blue and white box before following behind you.

"What's that?" Ozo glanced at you then down to the box, grinning.

"I always carry a few extra drinks with me on the job. Don't tell my boss, though!" He mockingly held a finger up to his lips, winking at you.

"Don't tell me there's only beer cans in there.." you raised a brow. As nice as the thought was, you weren't planning to get drunk during the day, especially on a mountain trail.

"Nah, 'course not!" Ozo waved a hand. "As much as I love my alcohol, a soda or too aren't so bad every now and then, too!"

You felt something slip around your wrist, your steps faltering. Recognising that warmth, your eyes widened slightly as Ozo's hand wrapped themselves around you again, gently tugging you forward along with him.

"Wouldn't want you to trip or anything, right?" His dark lidded eyes moved over to you from over his shoulder. His stare made you want to bury your face into your hands.

"Not when you're looking that gorgeous."

»»-----　♔　-----««

❀

𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀

You write to me about roses, About roses opening as roses die. Always, you say, there are roses, So that people get used to them And cease to wonder. Now I am on a hilltop, Bare, with a few pine trees Twisted by an inexhaustible wind, By a wind that is never tired, A wind that passes and passes and is never gone. I cannot think what it would be like for the pine trees If there were no wind.

——

Your roses would not be happy on my hilltop. They would be scornful of my huckleberry bush With their plain, blue fruit.

——

They would not care for the white meadow-sweet That leans against a rock. Roses must have rich soil, And careful pruning. They must be sheltered from the wind and cold And have stakes to lean upon. They do not stand alone like the flames of vervain On my windy hilltop.

——

Roses are gifts for lovers. Lovers have always had much to say about roses. When you sent me a rose Folded in a letter, Did you know I would open it on a hilltop Where the wind searches me As it does the pine trees And my skirts are brushing The fine flame of the vervain?

—𝙇𝙤𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝘿𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡