Unveiled Truths
A/N: Hey! So, um, yeah, on with the fic.
DISCLAIMER: I own only… *enters names from previous chapters who never appear in the show*
Chapter 4: It Seems There's A Conflict In Ownership Of This House
"Where are we headed, Lien?" Ira asked irritably as they finally left the customer service office with Chad behind them. They had left the address of their house for the meantime: 1313 Harlin Blvd., with the office, as well as the number, so that they could contact them when their luggage was found and since the airline had somehow managed to lose the luggage on a direct flight, they could come deliver it themselves.
"I know where we're going," Lien said. "I grew up in this place, I know where it is."
"Lien, you haven't been to Tokyo since you were 16." Ira told her.
"I still remember the way. Now… we take a right here, no a left here. Or maybe we go straight… Rei, which way do we go to get to Monosuke Ave.?"
"We have taken the liberty of hiring new employees to replace the ones that were fired when your grandfather was arrested, Master Kai," Leroy said on the way back. "Not to be presumptuous, but Armand and Diane cannot run the mansion by themselves."
"That's perfectly fine, Leroy," Kai said, temporarily distracted partially by a headache and partially by Netanya climbing over his legs to look out the window.
Anastassia was silent, watching out the window as Monosuke Ave. sped past them and they turned another right onto Harlin Blvd.
(A/N: Sorry, I'll shut up soon. Anybody guess what's coming????…)
"Ira, are the boys still behind us?" Lien asked worriedly, turning around in her seat to look out the rear window of the newly purchased car.
"Yes, Lien, they are still tailing us at our current rate of a kilometre an hour."
"Ira! I'm just worried they're going to get lost out here! Or we're going to get lost!"
"Lien! The youngest of them is 25 and can find directions perfectly well and the one who knows Tokyo the best is in our backseat! Don't worry about it! Now what number are we looking for again?"
"1313."
Rei groaned as number 2 passed by. "I just want to go to bed, Mom!" he whined.
"Go to sleep then, Rei," Ira snapped. "I am not in the mood for your whining right now."
"I presume you will be tired when we arrive," Leroy said into the semi-silence. "Diane and the new girls have already prepared the bedrooms for you."
"Hmm." Kai said tiredly, eyes closed and leaning back against the seat with Netanya, finally exhausted, sprawled out in sleep across his lap. Hollie and Tamra were both sleeping against Mikael, who was dozing lightly. Anastassia was still awake, but only because her anxiety wouldn't let her sleep. Chloe had long since dropped off. "That's fine."
Leroy smiled and raised the privacy glass, turning into the driveway of number 1313.
"Holy camoly, Lien!" Ira yelped as they approached number 1313 at long last. "Are you sure you have the right address???"
Rei had jolted awake at his father's exclamation, then looked closer at the mansion and added, "Yeah, 'cause this is Kai's place."
"Yes, I have the right address, Ira." Lien sighed. "Whoa, waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait. Kai? Your team captain Kai? He lives here?"
"Yeah." Rei yawned. "Didn't recognize the address, I do recognize the house. The bus just picked up the other guys from their houses when we went to the competition in Wakkanai a couple months ago."
"What's his surname?" Lien asked suspiciously.
"Hiwatari." Rei answered equally suspiciously.
"Isn't that your maiden name, Lien?" Ira asked, also suspiciously.
"Someone's got some serious explaining to do," Lien muttered.
Kai disentangled Netanya from himself and got out of the car, watching the mansion with a slight look of distaste in his eyes.
Netanya let out a delighted shriek as she found an exit from the confines of the limo and dashed out.
"Netanya!" Mikael groaned, catching her arm as she sped by. "No running right now."
"No!" Netanya whined. She struggled against her father's grip.
"Hey, there's somebody coming in behind us, Daddy," Hollie said, pointing at the driveway entrance.
Frowning, the older people turned around. Upon the exit of the woman from the passenger seat, Leroy breathed in sharply.
"Leroy?" the woman asked uncertainly.
"M—M—Madame Lien." Leroy stammered.
Kai frowned in thoughtfulness as he looked at the expression on Leroy's face.
"Leroy, have you not located Lien yet?!" Voltaire's irate voice came screaming through the halls.
"Sir, I have located her in a small village in rural China, but she will not return."
"Then MAKE HER RETURN!"
"Sir, if I may point out, it is not completely necessary to have Lien return. Young Kai may not be the eldest, but he is the sole one to carry the Hiwatari name."
"You have a sharp mind, Leroy." Voltaire grouchily admitted. "Send Kai in."
11-year-old Kai stepped through the threshold just then. "You sent for me, Grandfather?"
"What's going on here?" Lien asked. "This is my house."
"Excuse me, no." Mikael interrupted.
"This is my house." Kai cut in coldly. "Ask any official you like. The registered owner of this place is Kai Hiwatari. Which would be me."
"Yeah, well, I'm the eldest child, so I'm supposed to have ownership of this house."
"Yeah, well, I'm the eldest son. Or grandson, depending on your view."
There was dead silence for a moment until Anastassia's shaky voice came out of her blanched face. "When did you find that out, Kai?"