As their chopsticks clink against porcelain, their little kitchen filled with the smell of simple grilled fish and rice, Haru bites her lip and glances up across the table at her father.

For days now, she's been trying to figure out the exact right way to explain things. Hibari and Adelheid have been on her mind all month, yet she's as close to figuring out her feelings as when she first started. She's not sure she loves either of them. How could she? The words of a Hibari Kyoya ten years older are still hanging around her head- how can you have feelings for someone you don't really know, whether for good or worse? But... She thinks she could love them, maybe.

After all, she knows she likes them, from what little amount of time she's managed to spend with them. She likes Adelheid, vicious and unrelenting, all edges she tries to pull back clumsily when she wants to be kind. She likes Hibari, even though he's a big cat in a human body, all bored violence and content laziness.

But... That almost makes it scarier. The closer she comes to taking a step, the harder her heart throbs painfully in her throat, and all she can think of is her mother's funeral. She thinks of the scar on her father's knee that had once been a name, the weight which had suffocated them for months, their house being empty and quiet and lacking.

They're so bloodthirsty, both of them- what if one day they go against an enemy even they can't beat? That doesn't hold back? Maybe it doesn't even have to be from a battle. Her mother had been the vision of health, up until everything suddenly nosedived, an event that was only a rare statistic to most people. It's all too easy to imagine that even the fierce Adelheid could become like that, fine one moment and cold the next, and who's to say Hibari is exempt either? He doesn't have a uterus, but disease and illness doesn't care how good a fighter you are- Haru swallows thickly before shoving cucumber salad into her mouth. Focusing on the taste helps, at least a little, to divert her mind from the tsunami of dark thoughts raging through it.

Once more, she glances up to look at her father. For all her fears, she keeps them tucked deep inside herself, but he looks like she feels. He has been for a few days now; it hasn't escaped her notice. The signs are all there: skin so pale that more than once she's insisted on checking him for a fever, red eyes that she knows he's trying to hide from her with eye drops, a plethora of sighs escaping him when he thinks she's not listening. Honestly, he's always like this, for how much it makes her puff and frown. Ever since her mother died, her father has always tried to keep her from worrying too much. It's frustrating, but... She knows how he feels.

After all, she's guilty of doing the same thing to him.

If she's honest, what Haru really wants to do is just never talk about her soulmates, or at least take another year for review, but that's not possible. The end of the month is ticking ever nearer, after all. Something has definitely had her friends' attention for the past while, a something that is probably responsible for why the local hospital has been so filled up lately. The good news is that it's kept Hibari's attention all this time, but she knows better than to think he won't remember. After all, for so long, he still chased after her scent, didn't he? He'll remember sooner or later... And she really does need to tell her father about transferring to Namimori Middle before it gets sprung on him.

So. Tonight. Tonight she's going to do it! She tells herself that, again and again, even as her bowls and plate get emptier with every minute passing by. The grilled mackerel and miso soup are completely gone, and her beef-potato stew halfway there, before Haru finally takes in a deep breath. "Hey, Dad?" He looks up, and something in her chest flounders for a second. He's always been the soft, doughy kind of stereotypical parent that people thought of when they thought of someone having kids. Before she knows it, instead of what she meant to say, she's asking, "Have you ever thought about what would happen if you got a new soul bond?"

There's a few surprised blinks from him, but at least his expression has eased up from the tension that's been there for days. "That's an unexpected question... Why do you ask?" He draws his brows together. "...Do you want the house to be shared with someone?"

"No!" Dropping her chopsticks, Haru puts her hands up. "It's nothing like that!" In theory, she knows that there are plenty of people who do things like that- they lose their soulmates and, for whatever reason, share housing with others in the same boat. Sometimes it's out of loneliness, other times to share otherwise unmanageable bills, and others just like the bonding experience of someone who isn't attached to them. While it sounds nice, it's never been something she's wanted for her and her father. "I was just wondering, that's all. I mean, it's been years since mom..." She bites her lip. "Aren't you lonely?"

His shoulders slump, but the light smile on his face says it's from relief and nothing else. "Getting concerned about that kind of thing... You don't have to worry, Haru." Letting out a breath, he lets his eyes slide shut. "I can't deny that losing Risako, your mother, made everything dark for many years. But... I have no interest in having someone else take her place as my soulmate. At first, it was because of grief, but now..." A belly-rolling laugh rumbles out of him as he looks at her to smile again. "A romance isn't everything. I know for a teenager, it can be hard to imagine, but look at what's still in my life. I have colleagues at the university to go out for drinks with, friends and family to see at holidays, and you." He sighs. "I know that I don't spend as much time with you like some fathers, but I'm glad for what we do have, like dinner together. That's why I'm happy, even though I no longer have a soulmate. Of course, if it happens, it happens, and I'll be glad for it... But it won't erase the happiness your mother and I had in the past, and it doesn't change that I have you and everyone else in the present, does it?"

An ache twists through her heart, almost like fingers wrapping around it to wring it out, and Haru's lip wobbles as she stares back down at her soup bowl. There's a tug behind her eyes, a watery feeling at the very edges, and she sucks it back with a sharp inhale. "I found my soulmates!" she blurts out, hands fisted on her lap. Across the table, her father jerks back from the shot-out force of her words, but more than soon enough a grin is spreading across his face along with actual color.

"Haru-!" They both get up at the same time, his arms wrapping tight around her as he laughs in delight. He hasn't spun her around since she was a little girl, but he does so now, her socked feet tip-top-tipping along the ground. Just like that, the worry bubbling in her chest deflates. For once, it feels like everything might not turn out that bad. "I'm so glad! I'll have to go through our savings- it won't be a big union celebration, but we can still make it nice- you met them so young! And more than one!"

"Dad!" She's laughing, fingers curled along the back of his sweater vest. "It doesn't have to be big!"

"But you've met your soulmates!" He stops spinning her around to straighten up. A look of pure love is stretched across his face, and his hand runs softly along her hair. "I'm so glad, Haru..."

"You know I've always had my soul bonds, Dad!"

"Ah, you know it's been so long- and your mother always took more interest with that than I did." His laugh takes a turn for the sheepish. "We decided so long ago that it would be for the best if it happened on its own, but then I just ended up forgetting..."

Grinning playfully, Haru flicks his nose. "It's because you're always learning new names at the university. Do you even remember the names I have?"

"Ah... Hideki is one, isn't it?"

"Dad!"

"I told you, it's been a long time!" With a huffed out laugh, he lets her go completely so that they can both sit down again. Dinner still isn't done, after all. "Go on, then. Tell me about them."

"Well- there's Suzuki Adelheid..." Haru smiles down a little at her rice. "She just transferred not that long ago. You know all the financial things I was asking you about? It really was to help some friends, but..." She bites her lip, giggling. "You'll like her! She's really hardworking and even heads her own committee!" Wisely, Haru decides to hold back that it's a one-girl committee seemingly dedicated to murdering the head of another.

"I look forward to meeting her, then! What's the other name?"

"His name is Hibari Kyoya, and-" She pauses, jerking up in concern as her father goes pale and then sinks his head down into his hands. "Dad!? What's wrong!?"

"I... can't tell if I'm relieved or more concerned than ever..."

"I-I know he has, um, a reputation around Namimori, but-!"

"Oh, no, no, it's not-" Even as she's bustling around over to him, he's trying to make subdued gesture. "I... actually was trying to keep this from you..." He takes a shaky breath, gathering his words. "Some days ago, someone came to the house with some packages and an invitation from Hibari-kai."

"Hie?!"

"Haru, would you know anything about why they'd send a new school uniform and a kimono?"

"Hey, just to be clear, we're not going to be starting a feud with the yakuza next, are we?"

Julie's voice cuts through the brittle chill that's fallen over the space before their apartment door, teeth chattering together. Her grip shifts along her blades as she takes in the scene, thoughtful. "Well, that depends."

Before her, she can see the yakuza thug pale, but that might be the effects of the ice that has pinned through his clothes and which is creeping steadily up along his limbs. Adelheid isn't in her preferred attire for confronting threats; she's learned that appearance can have a lot of weight in the underworld. A simple sweater and sweatpants aren't going to cut it. At the same time, it doesn't matter. All she needs is the ring on her finger. Sometimes, not even that, although she has to admit that freezing her opponent in place is considerably easier to utilize than breaking their legs.

Behind her, it's impossible to ignore the rest of Shimon. Their apartment building is a small place to start with. Add in seven teenagers, some growing faster than their age would normally warrant, and it's an even tighter fit.

Oh well. At least their crowding will help hide the immediate sight of a potential murder in their little apartment complex.

There's a quiet "jesus christ" from Julie, dry amusement coloring every syllable, but his voice is lost under the heaved out sigh Rauji makes. "Whatever the reason... We should probably be careful, Adelheid." The undercurrent beneath his tone says it's not the yakuza that he's worried about. Adelheid has to admit she knows where his concern springs from.

It'd taken a lot of effort and long meetings to clear up even a little air after they'd gone after the Vongola. Blaming- that thing could only get them so far. It'd been helpful, certainly, that a third party influencing the events could be pointed to as a reason to not immediately destroy their minuscule Family. Yet for all the bizarre things which happen throughout the underworld- Flames, time travel, human experimentation- the idea of a long-lived ghost being the cause behind yet another bit of Vongola misfortune had been deemed too unbelievable for anyone outside of the two Families. Adelheid can't say she doesn't understand the reasoning. For outsiders, it would seem like too easy and simple an excuse for anyone who hadn't been there themselves. Without knowing the pain and fatigue that Vongola and Shimon's tenth generations had experienced together... Anyone could easily say it wasn't enough.

For that reason, they've had to do a lot of work in debt to the current generation for the affront and damages. Not too much to be overwhelmed at once, with school and having to manage their own tiny living spaces, but... The simple fact of the matter is that they don't have the time or resources to get into something as large scale like a feud with the local yakuza.

In that way, threatening the yakuza grunt isn't something they can really do...

...But he doesn't have to know that.

So Adelheid has no shame in pressing in close, the curve of her arm blades a clear threat when she grazes it along vulnerable thin skin. "Hanging around our apartment with strange packages is enough to make anyone suspicious, and is just cause, as far as I'm concerned, to take your head and mail it back to your oyabun. I'll give you one chance to tell me the name of your family instead."

With how close her blade is, the bob of his throat probably shaves off a thin layer of skin. "Hibari-kai! It's not a threat! The honorable heads of the family merely wanted to invite you to a union dinner!"

A pause falls over the group.

"Wait, like, union dinner like a soulmate union dinner?" Julie broaches first and, even with her back to him, she can imagine him leaning forward with an incredulous raise of his eyebrows and his shoulders quirked up.

"Adelheid..." Rauji sighs.

Well, she supposes there's no point in hiding it any longer. Her eyes flicker over to where Koyo is standing, shifting and uneasy, and she nods to him in an attempt to ease his concerns. "Hibari Kyoya is one of my soulmates, yes," she clears up, turning partially away from the yakuza thug but keeping her blade where it is.

Giggles bubble out from where Shittoppi-chan is sitting, the one positive expression in all of Shimon. Kaoru and Enma are merely exchanging utterly bewildered looks with one another, a contrast to the weary shake of Rauji's head. It's probably Julie who looks the most flabbergasted, still in the process of picking his jaw up off the floor. "Okay, wait- no, I don't even know where to start. I guess, uh, did you know when we moved that he was yakuza? Apparently?"

Adelheid coolly raises an eyebrow. "Of course I did. I researched him before I approached him."

"Aaaaand that wasn't a concern at all to you?"

"It was secondary to the main issue at hand."

"And him being your soulmate?"

"A tertiary issue."

Puffing out his cheeks, a breath pops out of Julie. "You finally meet one of your soulmates, and you immediately tried to kill him. Amazing."

"Actually," Enma says, barely rising over a mumble, "she's met her other soulmate too."

"What!?" Julie jolts back. "Since when-" An awkwardness suddenly ripples through the air, brushing against all of them, and he shifts uncomfortably. "I mean, jeez. What are they like?"

"Her name's Haru..." Enma starts to reach up to scratch at one of his bandages, and Adelheid's own hand bats it down. Neither of them think too hard about it. "She's been nice as far as I can tell."

Feet pressed completely together as she sits, Shittoppi-chan stretches forward with her fingers fluttering along the floor. "Gokudera-kun said she made improvised armor once," she says smugly, as if letting loose a secret she's been keeping trapped for ages.

Straightening up in clear interest, Adelheid blinks. "I didn't hear about that. You're sure you were talking about her?"

"Mhm."

"And not cryptids?"

"No, that came approximately twelve minute and fifteen seconds after we finished talking about Haru."

From the side, Kaoru rakes his fingers along the side of his head. "You included the exact seconds..."

"It sounds like she'll get along well with our Family at least," Rauji offers, an optimist as he crosses his arms. "What did she use to improvise?"

"Gokudera-kun didn't say."

A bit awkwardly, Enma coughs into his hand. "Did... he say why she improvised armor...?"

"She was apparently a threat to Tsuna-kun's life."

Another silence falls over them all, contemplative and stunned. After a few dragging seconds, Julie whistles, a high sound that sweeps up. "Holy crap, Adelheid, she really is your soulmate." He claps his hands together sharply, twisting around on his heel. Scattered along the floor are over a good half dozen of carefully wrapped boxes, and he eagerly crouches down to start going through them. "Anyway, before our yakuza buddy over there dies of hypothermia or Adelheid literally murdering him, let's at least see what Hibari-kai's idea of a 'welcome to the family' present is." As he picks through paper and uses a swiss army knife to cut through the strings, Adelheid watches him carefully.

All of Shimon has been on edge since the inheritance ceremony. It's not something they've talked about, any of them, but she can clearly see how it affects their family. A part of her suspects that Julie is feeling it the worst. It shows in moments like that of a few minutes ago, or like now, as he clearly avoids using his Desert Flames.

In a way, it's strange. When they'd all been younger, Julie had been the only one amongst them who could use his Flame without the use of a ring to channel it. That'd never been a surprise; his family has been like that for as long as Adelheid can conceivably remember. Illusionists all seem to be alike in that area, their flame whether Mist or Desert still connected to more the otherworldly than the physical. She can still remember being a child, beating him down from a clumsily built set of sand-like stairs with a broom and away from the candy her parents had placed at the top of their fridge. He'd never been a genius illusionist, only really improving out of necessity after their families had died, but... It had always been present.

She'll talk with him, Adelheid decides then. It's hard to say when and where, of course. Their apartment is too small for genuinely private conversations and, lately, Julie has been as hard to keep a hold of as a handful of sand. But... She'll figure out a way.

They're all a part of Shimon, after all. No matter what happens.

"Holy crap." Stirring out of her thoughts, Adelheid watches as Julie sets a box top onto the ground. From the container, he draws out part of a kimono that's shimmering red. "Hey, Shittoppi-chan, this one had your name on the box, and, I have to say, it's way too classy for you."

Pushing herself up onto her hands, legs stretched out past them with her thighs outside her wrists before her ankles sweep along the ground and carry her up weightlessly into a standing position- needlessly complicated for getting up but utterly herself- Shittoppi-chan hums. "Oh, you're right. Far too many layers."

"Right? And not a hint that a five year child with a bedazzler went to town on it."

"For shame. I bet there's no metal spikes on it, either."

"Not a single point."

"Some people have no taste."

"It's a pity, but what can you do, break into their house and update their wardrobe?"

"Mmmm, it's not my job to open their eyes to fashion."

"I guess you have me there. Maybe one day you'll become an idol with your own fashion show and we might actually get paid for the eye sheering outfits you create."

"Alright, alright." Clapping her hands together sharply, Adelheid sighs. At least Shittoppi-chan seems to have adjusted the quickest out of all of them, back to bickering playfully with Julie like they used to do when they were all kids. "That's enough. Julie, do the rest of the boxes have the same?"

Efficiently, he goes through them before looking up and tossing her a thumbs up. "It looks like. I don't see anything out of place, either."

"So..." Enma's voice draws all their attention, and his fingers dig into his pockets awkwardly at it. "Are we going or not...? If it's from a yakuza family, then... It seems like refusing it could be a problem..."

"And it is your soulmate," Rauji points out. "I mean, none of us can really force you to do anything-"

"My self preservation votes to not even try," Julie states bluntly, grunting a little as Shittoppi-chan drapes across his shoulders.

"If your heart says murder, Adelheid, I'd definitely encourage it."

"-but," Rauji patiently forges on, ignoring the pair of them, "we should probably at least check it out... Right?" He looks around, making sure to not linger for too long on both Enma and Kaoru who are looking a little uncertain. Taking in a breath, Koyo looks over to her.

"What do you want to do, Adelheid?"

Exhaling slowly, she closes her eyes. Nothing would give her more pleasure than being able to break Hibari Kyoya's jaw with her boot or concuss him with a well timed blow from one of her metal fans. However, as usual, she has to think of Shimon above all else. To ignore an invitation would count as a slight, and they can't afford that right now. So, with no other choice... Turning back to the lackey, she narrows her eyes at him.

"At what day and time does Hibari-kai want us, then?"

"I just wanted to say thank you, uh, Shimizu-san...?"

"It's nothing. I'm simply helping out as I can with what Hibari-kai asks of me. How does it feel now, Miura-sama?"

Ignoring the rosy quality on her cheeks from such a respectful honorific, Haru takes a few steps forwards and twists in place. "It's perfect! Thank you so much for helping me put on the kimono." Shimizu merely smiles, elegant and apparently at ease. Haru wishes she could feel the same instead of the frantic fluttering of her heart. She feels less like a regular high school girl and more like some ancient noblewoman as the older girl escorts her out of her room and out the house. Faintly, in the back of her mind, Haru wonders if this is going to become a regular habit with interacting with Hibari: kimonos and formal invitations.

Not that this is something so simple as just sharing tea with him, even if it had been a ten years older version of him, all on her own. This is even more nerve wracking, her heart beating on the back of her tongue. Stepping outside, her eyes flicker to her father whose nervousness, like her own, can't quite be hidden. Their kimono match in color, although his is a far more subdued and dark green. Nothing like the many shades of it that make up her own, and of course nothing on the delicately drawn out pattern that has been sewn onto hers. Camellia flowers again- she wonders if it's a symbol of Hibari-kai's, despite their name's meaning.

There's not a lot of time to ponder before her father notices her, and his worries- different than hers, she's sure- melt away momentarily as he smiles. "Haru, you look beautiful," he says quietly, passing his hand over her neatly done up hair. "Your mother would be besides herself with how much you've grown up!"

"Daaaad!"

"It's true!" He chuckles while some of the people around the front of their house start to duck into some cars that are gathered. Hibari-kai really doesn't take any chances... A small retinue had been prepared to make sure her and her father got to the dinner safely. It almost seems like too much, but then Haru remembers Hibari, even ten years in the future, refused to have his base properly connected to the Vongola for years simply because he wanted all that space for himself, and that it was done up in the stylings of a traditional Japanese manor despite being who knows how far underground.

...Maybe this explains a lot about Hibari, now that she thinks about it.

One of the men opens up a door for her and her father, and she takes a stop forward-

"Haru-chan!"

-before a familiar voice stops her in her tracks.

"Adel-kun!" she squeaks in delight, whirling on her heel to face the direction of her soulmate only to completely freeze with her eyes going wide.

Adelheid is draped in stunning layers of red, somehow seeming absolutely regal despite the fact that she's only wearing a kimono much like Haru has on. That might just be how Adelheid always is, now that she thinks about it, holding herself up tall and straight so that the very idea of someone getting her to crumple is ridiculous. If Haru feels like a feudal noblewoman wearing her kimono, Adelheid is the one that really shows it. All the red somehow makes her brilliant crimson eyes stand out even more, glimmering like rubies beneath the long dark curves of her eyelashes. Haru's only seen her with her hair pulled back in a strict ponytail before, but now it's been loosened with her face framed by the soft curves of her hair and the rest pulled back into a bun.

So enamored with the look of Adelheid in something beautiful and not her uniform almost makes Haru forget that her soulmate is surrounded by other people too, and Haru blinks back into reality. Kaoru, Rauji, and Enma are all there too, wearing kimono of their own that's a much darker and subdued shade of red, but there's another boy wearing much the same along with them this time with copper hair brushed back and a small goatee to match. On Rauji's broad shoulder, a girl is draped across them lazily, notable for not wearing either the red of everyone else or even a kimono. Besides Adelheid, a boy around her age, moss green hair starkly bringing out the same kind of red eyes as everyone else. Even without Haru's attention being drawn to her soulmate, it's a group that would stand out in a crowded street.

There's only a second to marvel at all of this before Adelheid comes trotting up to her, brow furrowed. "Are you alright? Where are you going, dressed like that?"

That's a question Haru should be asking her, but she's already picked up on the similar themes of their kimono. Despite the fact that hers is a vibrant lovely green and Adelheid's is a passionate glorious red, there's still the theme of camellias along them. She has a feeling Adelheid knows this just as much, too, because there's too strong a shine of annoyance in her gaze that she always gets when a certain someone gets brought up. Haru grins. "We were heading to Hibari-san's for dinner. Did you want to ride with us?"

Having her suspicions confirmed makes Adelheid's lips thin, and the other boy gives a low whistle. "Uh oh, a complete chain..." He immediately goes silent, hands up placatingly, when Adelheid glares at him. The look softens slightly as it goes back to Haru, although there's still that distinct annoyance to it.

"We were given the offer, but declined. It would have separated us, and we found we preferred staying as a complete unit for the walk there." There's something lurking on the tip of her tongue, Haru is sure of it, but then Adelheid turns to her father and gives a polite bow. "I apologize. I didn't introduce myself. My name is Suzuki Adelheid, your daughter's soulmate." From behind her, most of her family follows suit.

"I am Aoba Koyo and honored to meet you!"

"Kozato Enma..."

"...Mizuno... Kaoru..."

"Hey, I'm Kaitou Julie."

"My name is Ooyama Rauji. Nice to meet you." And, as he bows, the girl sprawled across his shoulders gives a twist like she's breakdancing before falling into a pose with her hand stretched out to the both of them.

"Shitt P!" With her free hand, she taps down the visor that's hidden her eyes and winks. "But call me Shittoppi-chan~. I finally get to meet Adelheid's cute soulmate, so dressing up was worth it in the end." Dressing up is definitely the word for it and, with Shittoppi-chan posed like she is, Haru can't help but shamelessly admire it. While she's not wearing a full kimono, she seems to have bastardized the outer jacket of one, snapping it to half its length so that it stops around her chest. The dull yellow furisode sleeves seem to have gotten away (mostly) untouched, white wisps designed onto it. It's the only traditional thing about her outfit. Beneath the kimono jacket is a tight fitting body suits of some sort, stand out blue that stops at her throat and disappears into a tiger print skirt with a smorgasbord of patches sewn onto it. What comes out under that are bright pink tights, alternating stripes of cannibalized other leggings sewn into it.

What Haru thinks she likes best, however are the black boots Shittoppi-chan wears, swaying idly behind her and with clear wedge heels that are filled with detached Barbie doll heads. Every single one of them has bright orange hair, matching the short clump of bangs Shittoppi-chan herself wears.

It's eccentric, eclectic, and Haru thinks she's just a little bit in love.

There are probably stars in her eyes as she gleefully shakes her hand, chirping, "It's great to meet you, Shittoppi-chan!" Her father doesn't seem so certain, but he's still perfectly polite as he murmurs out return greetings for everyone in Shimon and accepts Shittoppi-chan's handshake. With formalities out of the way, Adelheid flicks a glare towards the cars again before smoothing out her expression.

"I know it must be cold, and by no means do you need to accept... But would you like to accompany us on our walk to the Hibari-residence?" Haru's heart leaps to her throat, pounding harder as the way Adelheid's own skin is heating up a little. "It's a long journey, so I can understand perfectly if you and your father will decline. I'll admit upfront that it's a selfish desire, after all."

Haru is already twisting on her heel, looking at her father pleadingly. It'll be a bit of a walk while she's wearing geta, but she'll never pass down a chance to grab more time with Adelheid, especially considering how little they've managed to get so far.

Already, he's glancing back to the cars, where the bodyguards are doing a really good job of pretending they aren't slightly uneasy at the appearance of Shimon. Haru wonders what Adelheid did to them. "If you wanted, Haru, I could go ahead while you walk with your soulmate-"

Koyo interrupts, looking conflicted. "I'd hoped to speak with you as the representative of our family! Of course, if you insist, then I..." Trailing, off, he looks up to Adelheid with his brows furrowed harshly. Words are being said between them in the silence, something Haru is still an outsider to and a code which she has yet to crack.

While she's trying to puzzle the exchange, her father shifts besides her. "Where are your parents?"

"There aren't any..." is Enma's barely audible, and her father barely has time to look at him before Rauji is continuing on where he left off with a patient tone.

"The rest of our family died in an accident a long time ago." Subconsciously, so subtle Haru isn't really sure they notice, Shimon shifts even tighter together. "Since we don't have any other family in Japan, we managed to make it so that we're living on our own. But since this is a really important meeting... Aoba, who's the oldest, and Enma, whose part of the family has always kind of lead everyone, are basically acting in their place." Koyo straightens up, vibrating with tension. In contrast, Enma... makes an attempt, but his shoulders give a sort of jerk as if he can't decide if he wants to straighten up or slump in place, inevitably surrendering to the latter. Rauji's hand pats his back. "Usually, Adelheid is the other oldest person, but since it's her soulmate..."

Something in the downwards curve of Adelheid's lips gives away that she has a lot to say about the concept of Hibari Kyoya being her soulmate, and Haru has a feeling the only reason it hasn't come out is because of her.

"It wouldn't be right to let you all just walk on your own," her father says, snapping her out of it. "I'll speak with the... people Hibari-kai sent, then."

It only takes a few minutes before that much is settled, the cars disappearing down the street as their small but conspicuous group sets off. Bubbling with excitement, Haru lets the feeling carry her right besides Adelheid at the front. Behind them, she can hear the rest of Shimon cheerfully chattering away at her father.

"What do you do for a living, Miura-san?" is Koyo's distinctive stiff formality in the face of authority.

"Oh, I teach at a university."

Julie's burst of laughter comes sharp and quick. "Uh oh, Koyo-nii, it looks like you're already outclassed!"

The conversation devolves into a whirlwind of friendly teasing and fumbled retorts, with a few peacemakers in the mix, and Haru grins wide. She likes this: the feeling of a group enveloping her instead of ostracizing, the same kind of feeling that is part of Tsuna's group. "You really do have a large family, Adel-kun!"

"Yes, and you only met half of them before." Adelheid shakes her head, obviously disappointed in that biting way of hers. "I was planning on introducing you to the three of them at a cafe or something, but things in our lives have been getting in the way lately. Now it seems like I've been beaten."

"Adel-kun, it's not a fight!" Haru scolds, although she kind of wants to giggle. Is this how the relationship between the three of them is going to be for the rest of their lives? It's something she has to seriously think about now that she's begun to accept the names on her thigh. All she knows about Adelheid and Hibari's interactions is from listening to some of her friends, or Adelheid's accounts of their fights. Have they ever interacted in a way that's non-violent? Well, she guesses tonight they'll all find that out. "So, it's... Koyo-kun, Julie-kun, and Shittoppi-chan, right? They definitely seem a lot different than Enma-kun and the others!" A lot more rowdy, too, a fact that she can confirm just looking back at the group where Koyo is heated up at some jabs from Julie. Shittoppi-chan isn't doing anything yet, but her very presence just seems to inspire things to happen.

"Well, not everyone in our family can be quiet and reserved." Even knowing it's not meant that way, Haru feels her heart flutter a little at the use of 'our'. Oblivious to her inner workings, Adelheid turns back to the face the rest of Shimon herself. "Come over here. I want to properly introduce you."

Koyo doesn't even seem like he needs an excuse to speed up his steps easily, and Haru almost trips over her own geta when he abruptly grabs her hand. "It is the highest honor to finally meet you, Haru-chan! I promise that the Shimon will do everything in its power to make sure you're happy and that your bond with Adelheid stays strong!"

In contrast, Julie's follow up behind him is lazy, both in his stride and his drawl. "Calm down, Aoba. I'm sure Adelheid has this covered herself." Coming around Koyo's other side, he gives a short and casual wave at her. "Hey. Welcome to the family. Hope you don't mind the mess that is our everything."

"Julie!"

"I'm doing the responsible thing and giving her a heads up." But there's something almost indolent about his grin, a relaxed teasing, and he jerks his thumb back at where Shittoppi-chan is still lounging. "I mean, Shittoppi-chan isn't the only thing any of our soulmates are going to have to get used to, right? I'm doing a public service."

"Well, I like Shittoppi-chan," Haru announces stubbornly, already feeling her metaphorical feet dig right in.

"Even though she's just sticking her leg out for no reason?" Julie questions, sounding more amused than judgmental.

"I have a reason," Shittoppi-chan hums from the back, over whatever low conversation is happening between Rauji and Haru's father.

"Is it 'because I want to'?"

"Because I need to."

"Yeah, well, the last time you 'needed' to, you almost beamed me upside the head with your heel."

"And that's why Julie shouldn't stand besides me."

"You told me to come over!"

"Mmm, I guess so. Hey, Julie."

"What?"

"Come over here."

Before the bickering can explode into a torrential downpour, Haru forces her voice through. "Shittoppi-chan! I really love the clothing you're wearing. Did you make it all yourself?"

From the side, Julie quietly mutters "Oh here we go", but Shittoppi-chan can't look more satisfied. Another whirlwind of movement until she's perched much more delicately along Rauji's shoulder, her legs extended and crossed along his arm which he crooks up automatically without much thought. Years of familiarity are in the simple exchange of motion. "Yeah. I frankensteined most of it personally, although I have to admit that I didn't make any changes to the main bodysuit. Sometimes for the full effect to be reached, something has to stay plain in order for the rest to pop."

"I know what you mean! It's a really striking color scheme, especially with how everyone else is."

"Thank you~. I thought long and hard on it, but I decided that it had to be the three main colors of pink, yellow, and blue for this particular meeting."

"What's special about those three?"

"They're the colors associated with printer ink cartridges, a symbol of technology and the advancement that humanity has made since far off days before we even had electricity, colors that would not even really be considered viable in the past when you stuck to what was tried and true, and any rare colors were only meant for the nobility elite who could afford it. Red is a brilliant color symbolic of life and energy, so I have nothing against it personally, but the overuse of it for our entire family is offensive. It assumes us to be nothing more than matching pieces in a set, robbing us of all individuality and ensnaring us in the bindings of tradition from a time period which has since passed and, in a reflective manner, even binds our range of movement by pure design and the fear people have of potentially dirtying or ruining that which is expensive. Ultimately, it comes off as a non-critical worship of history, too scared to take parts of their past and make it their own." Extending an arm, she lets the wings of her kimono sleeve flutter through the air. "It's why I modified this. Not only does the yellow match the color scheme I was going for, but lets me do the kimono how I want by my interpretation."

Haru lingers behind just so she can match pace with Rauji and take the sleeve between her fingers admiringly. "I can see where you adjusted the length. This is amazing work, Shittoppi-chan!"

"I know."

As Haru marvels at the smooth confidence of her, draped in things Haru could only dream of having half the confidence to wear, Julie sighs. "I'm telling you, you don't have to make a statement out of everything you wear! Sometimes a kimono is just a kimono."

"Well, I think it's really interesting," Haru counters, wondering how upset Adelheid would be if she picked an actual physical fight with one of her brothers.

Julie's eyes flick up briefly, exasperated, before he shifts his course and goes to settle his easy stride besides her and where Shittoppi-chan is perched. "Okay, listen, I mean I get the social implications of what people choose to wear, but..."

As it turns out, Shittoppi-chan and Haru aren't the only ones knowledgeable in clothing. For all that Julie hasn't made the most sterling impression on her, he does seem to have thought on these kind of things, and counters and debates whatever points either of them make with practiced ease. Actually, an ease Shittoppi-chan seems to share, like this is an argument they've had a thousand times before just in different flavors. For a brief second, while Julie argues comfort over aesthetic, Haru is struck cold and silent by the idea that she's intruding. That she's an outsider.

It's not an unfamiliar feeling. At her school, whenever she's tried to get to know her classmates, that same feeling has gone up like an impenetrable wall. Even with Kyoko, it lurks, a softer wave that nonetheless hits whenever Hana settles at Kyoko's side in a way Haru has always known she never could.

But then, before the feeling can smother her, Shittoppi-chan is snapping her fingers and calling for Haru's back up, and everything slides into place again like it was meant for her. Each time she thinks she's slipping through the cracks again, Julie is demanding her attention on the importance color coordination and Shittoppi-chan is drawing her back in with talks of individuality in appearance. Better still, it's seems so easy to be pulled back in, and, soon enough, she doesn't even have to think at all as she discusses and debates with the two of them. Occasionally, when she catches her breath, she can see Adelheid watching them with a soft expression. Not once does Haru fail to smile back at her.

Together, the three of them get so absorbed in their fashion talk that she's lost all track of time. It's only Enma's soft voice, somehow cutting through the clamor, that reminds her of where they're going. "I think that's it..."

Haru looks up, finally noting that the scenery has changed from simple suburban fences and walls to something much taller that hides everything from view. Ahead, she's certain she can see some well made and sturdy gates waiting for them. As she's admiring the appearance of it all, healthy and well maintained trees curving over the top of the wall, Julie turns back towards Shittoppi-chan. "Okay, so, I'm curious, is it even remotely possible for you to not make a scene when we meet up with the Hibari family?"

"How rude, Julie. This is Adelheid's special day." From the side, Haru can see her soulmate quietly scoff at the notion. "If it's for that kind of thing, I can understand her needing to shine. You worry too much."

"It's you and Adelheid. No one can ever worry too much."

As they turn the corner into the beautiful path up to the entry of Hibari-kai's home, Haru watches her father turn from his conversation with Rauji and straighten out his kimono nervously. Enma, too, seems to be fidgeting with his, while Kaoru makes an apparent sink into the background of their group.

Considering that the Hibari family is waiting for them at the entrance, it's no wonder.

Quickly and eagerly, Haru sweeps her gaze over the small group of people. Hibari's family- Kyoya-kun's family? Can she call him Kyoya-kun?- is fairly small, although she supposes it's a strange thing to imagine him having siblings of any sort. If he did, perhaps he'd have a greater tolerance for crowds, the problem of which is no doubt behind the way his eyes are narrowed and radiating displeasure at the large group approaching his home. Shimon is already big enough, so Haru and her father didn't really need to add to it. For a brief second, she feels just a liiiiiiittle pity for him. With how he is, it belatedly hits her that this couldn't have possibly been his idea. Getting involved in a huge group of people? She can think of a dozen things off the top of her head that he would probably rather be doing.

Still. A shame that his face is crumpled into such a glare. In his own subdued purple kimono, jacket pulled tight around his shoulders, he looks just as handsome as his future self had been. Oh well. At least he's not covered in blood. (Yet.)

The look he's wearing isn't the only sign that he's unhappy. Of all things, his father is sporting another indication: a long and painful looking bruise that's blossomed along the side of his face. Haru's seen bruises like that before on a couple of her friends. She knows what had to have happened, and it makes her suck in a breath. Despite this, Hibari's father doesn't seem to be particularly bothered by the tonfa strike. It's easy, in that way, to see the little bits and pieces that he's passed down to his son in his own face. He's much taller than Hibari, but she thinks she can see their similarities in the hard line of his mouth and the way his expressions line up with so many she's seen before in the short amount of time she's had together with Hibari. It makes her think of sitting in the Foundation's headquarters, having tea. From just beneath the collar of his kimono, it's possible to see the barest curves of ink on his skin.

Standing inbetween both son and father, of course, is the woman who surely must be the woman of the house. There's no denying it. There are signs of age, and some differences, and she has to look past the makeup, but in so much about her face... Haru sees Hibari. Especially the eyes, although his mother's are so much darker and a deep gray that could be black. It's hard to place exactly how, but it makes her- and by extension her son- seem different than most of the people Haru has met in her life while living in Japan.

And here she'd just half attributed it to Hibari's tendency to violently go after people who bothered him that made him seem different.

As their little group comes to a stop, movement from the corner of her eye draws Haru's attention, and she watches as Shittoppi-chan gives a spinning flip (with really good form, too!) off of Rauji's shoulder and lands into a pose down on the well maintained stone path. Half aborted laughter bursts out from Julie's lips, even as he hastily tries to cover it up with a thump to his chest while he and the rest of Shimon draw into respectful bow. Sucking in her breath, Haru bows quickly herself to hide the way she's grinning at the looks on the Hibari family's faces.

Kyoya already looks like it's taking every last drop of willpower in his body to not physically launch himself at the group, after all.

To her surprise, the voice that speaks up to greet the Hibari family isn't Adelheid's cool confident one or even Koyo's eager determined tones. Instead, quiet but steady, Enma says, "Thank you for inviting us to this gathering, and your generosity in giving us these gifts. I'm Kozato Enma, boss of the Shimon Family."

"Ah-" By the stutter from her father, Haru has the sneaking suspicion that the fact that Shimon is a mafia family didn't come up a single time in the conversation he had with Rauji. Still, having bowed along with everyone else, he tries to keep going. "I am Miura Yori, Haru's father. You also have my thanks for being so generous inviting us here and gifting us these clothes." When Haru glances up carefully from beneath her bangs, Kyoya's mother is making a minuscule nod as if they've passed some sort of test although it doesn't miss her how there's a flicker of annoyance when she glance towards Shimon. (Haru has a sneaking suspicion Shittoppi-chan hasn't bothered bowing.) Besides her, her husband seems very much like Hibari in that he apparently wants to be anywhere but there with the rest of them, his eyes flicking over everything besides the group that's in front of him and his family. Absolutely nothing has changed on the Kyoya front.

"It is good to see that you all arrived safely," Hibari's mother says, an accent Haru can't place unsettling the general smoothness of her voice. "We were concerned when we heard that both of your families declined escorts here. I am Hibari Lan. Now please come in; dinner will be brought out soon." Those word are all that's needed for Kyoya to spring away, disappearing back into the house before anyone else can even blink, and Haru sucks in her lips to stop from laughing. Instead, obediently, she follows after his parents who are in much less of a rush, and listens to the exchanged whispers of the Shimon family as Julie teases at Shittoppi-chan and Koyo proudly ruffles Enma's hair. The entire time, she marvels at the simple elegance of the halls, reminded so strongly of the Foundation's headquarters in the future.

Predictably, the dining area is just as traditionally beautiful as the rest of the house, with a low table and comfortable seating already arranged amidst carefully arranged flowers and what's no doubt expensive art. Besides the main table, there's a much smaller table set deeper into the room away from everything else, and it's there that Kyoya is seated with his arms crossed and a scowl twisted upon his face. Haru hides her grin behind one long sleeve; he looks like a child who's been sent to time out. Quickly, she glances elsewhere around as she steps carefully into the room, and is surprised to see Kusakabe seated obediently in a dark gray kimono of his own, the picture perfect image of a loyal vassal by one of the walls. In reflection, she supposes she shouldn't have expected anything else. The Kusakabe family being so close to the Hibari family probably explains a lot about his relationship with Kyoya. What's more interesting is how one of his hands is folded over his opposite sleeve, like he'd just adjusted it, and he's watching the door carefully-

"Haru-chan?"

Giving a start, Haru quickly hurries further inside and directs an apologetic smile to Rauji, who'd been coming up right behind her. "Sorry! It's really beautiful in here, isn't it?" She starts to head for the smaller table- there are two other seats there, and she's not oblivious- when she realizes the Shimon procession behind her has come to a pause. Turning around, she take in how her father has already taken a seat, but most of Shimon is waiting obediently behind Adelheid. Her other soulmate is facing the Hibari couple, hands folded neatly in front of her.

"As much as I and my family appreciate the generosity that you have displayed to us so far," she begins, as cool and collected as ever, "I feel that it's only proper that I speak to you of a certain matter before we receive any more. While I understand that your son and I are bound together, I have no romantic interests in him. In fact, from the day we first met, my sole goal in regards to him..." Her eyes narrow. "Has been to grind his skull into the pavement."

A blur of movement blazes past Haru, and she barely has time to realize what's going on before Adelheid levels out a jab and Kyoya has to jump back into place besides Haru to avoid it. A vicious grin has torn across his face, eyes lit up, and one of his tonfas is already up and out. Where he was storing it, she doesn't have a clue. Adelheid, as well, already has one of her metal fans out. "About time," he hisses before bursting forward again. The pair of them exchange blows rapid fire before, with the rest of Shimon scattering out of the way, their battle spills out into and down the hallway.

The room is quiet. Haru's father looks pale and confused. On the other side of the table, Kyoya's dad looks close to rising up before his wife just lays a hand on his arm and shakes her head.

"Well," Rauji says, finally breaking the silence with a nonchalant tone, "there she goes again."

While Shimon comes back together undisturbed, quietly talking about who sits where along the table's length, Kaoru approaches her with his shoulders hunched up slightly. "Haru-chan... Do... you want to sit at the main table until they get back instead of alone...?"

She almost doesn't hear him. Through the storage boxes of her mind, she's rifling through her memories, certain that this is familiar somehow. Not Hibari or Adelheid or the both of them together interrupting the start of a nice dinner, but the traditional setting, the idea of Hibari going after someone- Haru smacks her fist into her open palm. That's right! "I know!" she announces, unable to help herself, and dismisses the looks that declaration earns her. Her focus is more on trying to hike up her kimono a bit so she can hurry over to where her tense and quietly anxious father is seated besides an equally tense and anxious Koyo (although she suspects their reasons are entirely different). "Dad, I have to go take care of something really quick! So stay here and keep Hibari-san company, okay?"

"Haru, wait-"

"And Koyo-kun!" She doesn't wait for her father to finish speaking before she's turning to the oldest brother of Shimon, watching as he immediately and impossibly jerks up straighter. "I know this is sudden, but please look after my father since he's going to be alone for a little bit!"

"I swear on my blood that I will watch over him!"

"Haru-"

"I love you, Dad!" She kisses his cheek, throwing him off balance a little, before, without any haste, she hustles out of the room and turns to hurry deeper into the Hibari home. It's easy enough to get the directions to the kitchen from a tall guy with a scar up along his face, and then she's off again, already trying to roll her furisode sleeves up. In her minds eye, she's still replaying the memories of her time in the future: waiting for the others to finish training, listening in on mentions of Hibari training Tsuna, how Kusakabe had to prepare tea after every time to help settle him. That's still a Hibari ten years in the future, she knows, so maybe the Kyoya of this time doesn't have the same routine. Still, there has to be a seed of that habit buried in him somewhere if it hasn't flowered yet, right?

Lost in thought as she makes her way through the halls, she only barely notices the people she passes by, even when that means she barely avoids walking right into someone as she turns a corner. An apology stumbles out from her automatically, no real thought behind it. "Oh, sorry!"

"Haru?"

Her name and the familiar voice get her to stop, and she blinks, craning her neck back to look at the tall figure in front of her- "Yamamoto-kun!"

And it is Yamamoto, although her eyes had completely passed over him at first from the lack of Nami Middle uniform or his more casual clothes. Instead, he's dressed rather plainly, a headband tied around his head that keeps his hair out of his face. He seems just as surprised as her as he looks her over before giving one of his usual laughs. "So I guess you're one of the guests the Hibari family invited, huh?"

"Ah..." Well, there's no point in hiding it, is there? With the way she's dressed up, denying the claim would just be silly. At the same time... Reluctance and guilt burbles in the pit of her chest. Yamamoto, after all, she knows for a fact is Tsuna's soulmate- or at least one of many. She's overheard him talk about it enough, the way he says he can always tell if Tsuna is near by the soft warm smell of ginger and vanilla. Tsuna, the same person she's been hiding behind all this time from her own bond, the person she completely forgot about in all the recent rush of dealing with her bonds. Her hesitation shows in the split second paused before her answer as she nods her head. "Yeah, and Adel-kun is here too with her family!"

Amiable interest stirs in Yamamoto's expression. "So Kaoru's here? Ah, but I guess if he's at that dinner, I won't be able to talk with him..."

"And you're helping your dad with sushi, right? I don't think you have a lot of time anyway, Yamamoto-kun!" Well, at least she knows now what dinner will be.

All he does is laugh. "He's pretty understanding if I'm just saying 'hi'!" And then his eyes focus right back on her again. "So, Hibari, huh?" he asks, usual cheer making his actual feelings hard to read. "I guess that explains why you were always running away ha ha!"

For all that it sounds like a casual observation, Haru can't help but feel as though there's an accusation somewhere in there, and she knows exactly what it is. It makes her want to shrink back, guilt weighing her shoulders down. Taking in a deep quiet breath, she fights the urge. "He's not that scary if you don't bug him," she says, even as she notes in the back of her mind that the number of things which bug Hibari Kyoya could fill a small book. "Anyway, Yamamoto-kun... Could I ask you for a favor?"

That makes him blink. "Sure, what is it?"

"Since you see Tsuna-san so much more often than me..." Inhale, exhale. She can do this. "Could you pass along a message for me the next time you do? I want to talk with him and... apologize for something."

"Oh, that's all? Sure, I can remember that!" For a brief second, Haru thinks he might actually do her a favor and not press about it, but then he follows it up with, "You weren't ever really one of his soulmates, were you?"

His voice is as relaxed as it ever is, yet Haru can still sense the thin layer of steel beneath it. She's paying too much attention to miss it. Doing her best not to wince too badly, she shakes her head. "I know it wasn't right to deceive him- but I'm going to make it up to him! Because... Even if we're not soulmates, I still really like being friends with him, and everyone else. I don't want to ruin that."

With each word, it's harder to look Yamamoto in the face, and finally she has to concede defeat with how her gaze flicks down to focus steadily on his sleeve by the time she finishes. Nothing she's said is a lie; she really does like Tsuna as a friend. That shouldn't be a surprise, honestly, but she'd been trying so hard to force romance where there wasn't any that somehow a simple platonic friendship happening hadn't occurred to her. It's only now, when she's trying to move on, that she realizes how much she treasures being with everyone from Nami Middle.

She likes the more lighthearted ridiculous of being with Tsuna, doing things like gathering fruit costumes or going on Tests of Courage. She likes going on Cake Days with Kyoko. She even likes arguing with Gokudera all the time. It's selfish to want to keep all of that with what she's done, she knows, but... her dad had been right. Even as important as soulmates can be, there's other things to life too. Friends, and family, and Family.

That doesn't mean she's entitled to it, she knows, so she waits with a twisted stomach for Yamamoto's answer. The fact that it's preceded by a laugh doesn't exactly relieve the sensation. "You should probably apologize to Gokudera too!" he says, still seeming chipper, which doesn't mean anything. "Both of us were getting kind of annoyed!"

A stronger wince flicks across Haru's face. Oh no. That's really not good. Yamamoto is the ultimate exemplar of "it's fine!" even when everything is very definitively and obviously not fine. If he's saying that he's annoyed, then it actually has to be a lot worse than that.

Before she can apologize or try to mitigate the damage, Yamamoto continues. "Tsuna's been pretty worried about you the past couple of months, so you should probably make it a pretty good apology!" Carefully, she glances up at him. He doesn't seem to be showing any overt anger, or upset, and... She thinks some tension that she hadn't even noticed before has left his shoulders.

"I will," she promises firmly. "He definitely deserves that much, and it's the very least I could do for him." A pause before she adds, "You're really good soulmates for him, Yamamoto-kun."

His grin spreads wide, a little more honest and true. "If I wasn't, Gokudera wouldn't stop yelling at me! And that's only funny to listen to for a little while, right? Anyway, how come you're out here instead of at the table with everyone else?"

"Oh!" She'd almost forgotten. "Kyoya-san and Adel-kun started getting into a fight, so I thought I'd stop them and get them back. But I think it'd go easier if I had something to distract them, like tea."

"Do you think tea will really distract either of them from trying to beat each other up?"

"Oh, no. It's just to distract them from getting into another fight after I break them up."

Hearing that makes Yamamoto burst into more laughter, shoulders shaking and face bright with mirth. "Good luck!" he says once his breath is caught again, and he turns on his feet even at the same time that he's gesturing to the end of the hall. "Anyway, I can help you find the kitchen if you want, it's not that far from here." There's more words lurking underneath everything, things she's certain he wants to say more of, but... Falling into step beside them, Haru tentatively lets herself think that the rockiest part has been surpassed. Whatever comes in the future, she doubts it'll be as heart stopping as standing there grimacing at Yamamoto's hidden frustration.

The Hibari kitchen doesn't display the same kind of traditional opulence that's apparent in the rest of the house, but it's still nicer than any other kitchen that Haru thinks she's ever seen in her life. Yamamoto's dad is full of good cheer when he sees her, waving her in and laughing much like Yamamoto does when he hears what she wants to do. There's no need to worry about space; plenty of it is there that at least a few more people could fit inside comfortably. Still, she makes sure to keep out of their way as the Yamamotos work, father arranging a small feast and son bustling in and out with whatever needs doing. Haru herself keeps busy as well, arranging a tea tray carefully even as she gladly grabs what she remembers of Kyoya's preference from the future. It's as she's almost done, however, that she realizes she's missing something, and Haru freezes up for a second staring blankly at the tray.

She has no idea what kind of things Adelheid likes with her tea.

It's not an "end of the world" problem, but she fusses anyway. What if Adelheid doesn't like manjū, or thinks she's playing favorites? Kyoya and Adelheid might want to just beat each other into the ground, but Haru thinks she likes both of them, or could, at any rate, once Kyoya has warmed up a little. Being in a multi-bond situation is something that requires careful consideration. After all this time of running away, she doesn't want to ruin things by accident.

Before she can work herself up too much, a familiar voice comes from the doorway. "Adelheid likes konpeitō best with tea, if you were wondering, so I'd go with that."

Blinking, she looks up, right as Yamamoto cheerfully calls out, "Rauji!" Sure enough, it's Rauji's comforting mass standing there right outside the doorway, with Kusakabe besides him. The Shimon member gives a small wave as he meets her eyes.

"She makes the same look at things when she's trying to figure out food for us," he explains, as quiet and helpful as ever. "Kusakabe said that Hibari-san likes manjū, so I guessed that you already had that figured out."

A grin lights up her face. "Thanks, Rauji-kun!" Bouncing throughout the kitchen to look through the cupboards- a kitchen as nice as this has to have konpeito in one of them right?- she talks over her shoulder to him. "So what are you and Kusakabe-san doing over here? I thought you'd stay at the dining room with everyone else!"

Constantly glancing back at them, she doesn't miss the way the two boys at the doorway glance at each other- Rauji with a patient little smile and Kusakabe almost sheepish. "Well, I wanted to talk about how it looks like our families are kind of connected whatever Adelheid and Hibari-kun might do," Rauji starts, "but then I thought it would only be right to make sure you were doing alright." A polite bow of his head to the Yamamotos. "I hope we're not interrupting you too much."

"Not at all!" Yamamoto's dad says cheerfully, arranging a large platter artfully. Glancing over at his son, he huffs out a laugh and nods to him, and soon enough Yamamoto is bouncing over to the other boys with his own grin firmly in place. "Just try not to let him run away from the kitchen."

It's around that time which Haru finishes up making the tea tray, and she hefts it up with a determined grunt. "Okay- excuse me!" she announces, bustling over with her sleeve pushed back.

"Do you need help?" Kusakabe asks, even as the group parts to let her through, and Haru shakes her head.

"It's fine, Kusakabe-san! Thank you!" is her cheerful response as she already makes her way down the hallway, going as quickly as the restrictive nature of her kimono will let her. "And let Hibari-san know that I really appreciate the use of her kitchen!" And with that, she's gone and around the corner.

Finding Adelheid and Kyoya isn't very hard; all Haru has to do is ask people in the halls and soon enough someone is pointing her the right way. Their battleground this time appears to be a lovely garden, slumbering but healthy bushes filling it. If they were in bloom, whatever the flower, Haru is sure it'd make quite a scene as metal against metal rings throughout the air. For all that she knows both of them, Haru has never gotten to watch her soulmates fight against each other, and she takes the time now as she carefully sets the tea tray down. There's a vicious nonstop elegance in their movements- Kyoya unrelenting as he slams his tonfa forward with familiar brutality, Adelheid matching him blow for blow using savage slices aiming for whatever weak spots she can. Neither of them seems to be making much progress, few blows getting through a block or foreseeing a dodge, and in that way it seems almost more akin to a dance they weave around each other. If it weren't for the pressing matter that she left her father to chat with a yakuza boss all on his own, then she thinks she might be tempted to just watch the two of them like this for hours.

But she did, and they're going to catch a cold if they keep fighting like this. So, straightening up, she takes a breath and call out to both of them. "Adel-kun! Kyoya-kun!"

...No response. They're still wrapped up in each other, eyes for no one else but their sparring partner. Haru would feel jealous if her soulmates weren't just ridiculous.

It takes a few minute for Haru to find what she needs in a hallway closet not too far off, and neither of her soulmates apparently pause for breath in those few minutes because they're still outside when Haru comes back again. Broom clutched in her hand, she takes a deep breath. Alright. Nothing else will get through to them besides this. She just has to be prepared! So, with that thought out, she steps down from the wooden patio right as the two leap away from each other only to dash forward-

And Haru gets right into the middle of it, broom swinging downwards as she yells out, "Break!"

Immediately after, fighting against her own body's instincts against impending harm, she pries her eyes open just in time to see the hilarious sight of Adelheid hastily trying to step herself with a few stumbled steps forward on one side and, on her other, Hibari forcing himself to lose his momentum by swinging early. As both fighters regain their balance, she straightens up with a proud grin and puffed out chest. Success! More than aware of their blatant surprise, Haru gestures back to the house. "I made tea for all of us!" With that, she twists around on her heel and leads the way. Adelheid is the first to follow after her, tucking away one of her fans (but only one) so that she can lightly press a hand along Haru's shoulder.

"You need to be more careful," she scolds her, using that same tone that Haru has heard her use a couple of times before on the rest of Shimon. "What if either of us hadn't been able to stop ourselves from hitting you?"

"Then she'd learn," Kyoya says simply from where he's trailing behind them. "Pain teaches well."

From the corner of her eye, she can see Adelheid reaching for her other fan, and Haru makes a noise of frustration before waving the broom through the air to disrupt both her fight happy soulmates. "No, we're not starting again! I'm fine! The tea is waiting!" She'd like to make a more confident order, but, for all that she and Kyoya still have to get to know each other more, she knows enough that he'd react badly to being ordered around. All she can do is just guide him as best she can without being outright about it.

While the water into the teapot is still hot, it won't last long when she actually gets to pouring if they're in the cold air, so Haru makes sure that the three of them at least get back inside the house. For all that he's the host (or the son of the hosts, anyway), Kyoya only fetches a pillow for himself, a fact which Adelheid has some sharp words for even as she gets two. Settled in the little room off from the gardens, Haru glances over the pair even as she prepares the tea. "I hope this is all okay, I got it together in a rush."

For a second, it seems a if there might actually be a moment of peace between the three of them, and Haru hides her smile behind a teacup when she sees Adelheid's mouth twist in an attempt to not look too pleased at the presence of the konpeitō. What's most amusing, however, is when Kyoya grudgingly lifts up his teacup to his lips. A sip, a pause, and he blinks, looking surprised about something. He takes another sip, head tilted faintly in thought, before he seems to come to a decision. Still cradling the cup in one hand, he reaches over to Haru with one half curled fist and lightly gives a few short strokes against her cheek with the back of one finger.

Haru bites back giggles while Adelheid sighs. "She's not an animal," she says, exasperation tinting her words. Kyoya huffs, eyes narrowing as his hand pulls back, but he doesn't pull out one of his tonfa, to Haru's surprise.

"It's fine," she chirps, her teacup unable to hide the wide grin blossoming across her face. "I don't mind it at all."

Miura Yori has a gut sinking feeling that he is in far over his head.

It'd started up days ago, when he'd first been visited by someone who was very distinctly yakuza, and, sitting here now in front of an oyabun and his wife, it's far worse. No father, he likes to think, wants to have the realization that his precious daughter is on the receiving end of a yakuza heir's soul bond. Yet here he is, sitting stiffly as he's poured some sake into his cup by the Hibari matriarch. Neither of them seem particularly concerned, which he supposes they wouldn't be. The Hibari family are the ones who arranged this dinner, after all.

That, at least, is something him and the poor teenager besides him share in common. Sympathetically, Yori glances to Aoba-kun from the corner of his eye. For all that they're criminals, at the very least the Hibari family hasn't served alcohol to the small family of teenagers, which is probably for the best with how overcome with tension Aoba-kun is besides him and, further down the table, which Mizuno-kun matches in his own way. (Thank goodness Rauji explained how he scowls the more nervous and unsure he is, or Yori thinks he'd be having a quiet heart attack about now. Well. More than he is already.) Kozato-kun is quiet as well on his older brother's other side, not meeting anyone's eyes, and it seems as though the only one of their family who isn't overtly stressing is Ooyama-kun once he'd come back after excusing himself not too long after Haru had run off. Well. So Yori has to guess, because it seems as though he's been quite strategically placed to hide Katou-kun and, ah... Shittoppi-chan from view, although their whispers still bubble out from around him now and then.

Poor Aoba-kun, however. It seems like all his attempts at conversation have been falling flat, and it's plain to see that he's wracking his brain for what to say next. Yori wishes he could help, but what is a man supposed to say to yakuza? Shameful as it is to admit while he's the adult on their side of things, he's not sure what to say either.

Surprisingly, out of all of them, it's Kozato-kun who speaks up quietly. "I'm sorry about what happened with Adelheid. She's really committed to things... and Hibari-kun isn't a challenge she wants to lose to."

Hibari's wife gives a nod of her head to show she's heard. "Kyoya has always been of a fiery temperament as well," she says politely. "He take after an unfortunate relative in his passions. Frankly, it has been a concern if any soulmate he might be matched with would withstand it, so I am pleased to see that one of them keeps his attention in these matters." Gracefully, she starts to rise to her feet. "Speaking of which, I believe it is time to fetch them before dinner arrives." Her hand flits along her husband's shoulder.

"Hibari-sama-" starts the young man sitting by the door, but she shakes her head as she passes him out of the room. Another awkward silence fills the room, broken only by the quiet laughter on the other side of Rauji.

This time, Yori gives it his best attempt. It's the least he can do with all these teenagers floundering on their own. "Your wife seems very reliable, Hibari-san," he says politely. "How did you meet?" It's something he's been wondering since the introductions were made, and she had given a Chinese name. Something like that isn't particularly common in Japan, and for a yakuza family, well, one wonders.

For the entire meeting, Hibari's face has been as stonily cool as his son's, although without the blatant disapproval. Now, however, it softens up in unmistakable fondness, and Yori feels some of his own anxiety ease up. Well, even yakuza are human, and can get struck by romantic nostalgia. "We had the great fortune of meeting when we were quite young," he begins, "although not as young as Kyoya is now. I and some friends of mine were causing some ruckus in a local restaurant, and she heard us from outside. Before I knew it, I was on the floor in a daze watching as she beat my friends with an old umbrella." A tender grin eases up onto his face, even as Yori ponders whether it was too soon for him to make that call on his anxiety. "The noise apparently offended her. It was only when she was storming off onto the street that I realized my bond was burning and I had to chase after her."

Another pause throughout the rest of the table.

"It sounds like Hibari-kun takes more after her than I thought," Ooyama-kun finally offers.

Hibari merely nods, apparently at peace with the fact that his wife and son are so similar in that way. Well... He is yakuza. "She was much less restrained when we first met," he recalls, taking a sip of sake. "For the better. My family did not deal well with the revelation of my bond, but that is in the past. We have weathered much together since then, including that." His eye focus on Yori, and he does his best not to shift uneasily under the oyabun's gaze. "Your wife could not make this dinner?"

"Unfortunately, she has been deceased for some time," he responds politely, used to such questions and the scar along his knee. "I moved to Namimori to raise her on my own near some more of my family."

"I see. She's very energetic." Yori can't help the way his mouth twitches slightly at that. 'Energetic' is the most polite and common compliment he's ever heard for his daughter, alongside 'passionate'. There are more biting things, he knows, that he's both heard and not, but he's never confronted his daughter or denied her eccentric hobbies such as the costumes she makes. If he can't be there for her all the time with his work and how it follows him home, at least he can let her do something she loves. Besides, it's not as though her grades are suffering or she's getting caught up with criminal gangs or anything.

Well... She wasn't until now, but that doesn't have anything to do with his parenting methods or her hobbies.

Before he can respond much to that, Hibari's attention is being turned to the pair of boys besides Yori. "I have heard of Shimon before." Aoba-kun starts to bristle quietly; Yori can feel him. "It is surprising that your family is still alive."

For all that Aoba-kun is visibly holding himself back from lashing out with something ill-advised, or perhaps because of that, Kozato-kun speaks first. "Misunderstandings and forces from outside were responsible for that, if you're referring to the inheritance ceremony." All Yori can do is blink, both at the reference he doesn't understand and the layer of pure steel which has sneaked through the boy's normally quiet tone. From the other side of Rauji, the laughter and whispering has gone silent. "I understand that Shimon is still small, especially in comparison to your clan, Hibari-san... But we aren't to be underestimated. We have our pride." A tension thrums throughout the air as he says it, bright red eyes squarely meeting the cool judging ones of Hibari.

Yori is truly, dreadfully, horrifically in over his head.

He's not even aware that Aoba-kun is staring at him until the youth suddenly lunges forward, fist hitting the table hard enough to make the cups hop. "School first!" he announces sharply. "Adelheid says that it is our duty as students to focus on graduating middle and high school first before all else! Miura-san, you are the treasured teacher to younger generations, so wouldn't you agree?"

"Oh-" Suddenly put on the spot, Yori tries to adjust as quickly as he can as the table turns its attention to him instead of any conflict. Just like teaching in front of a classroom, that's all he has to think of it as. "Well, middle school and high school are both extremely formative to young generations, especially in preparing them for the rest of their lives." Although he's not sure how much that applies with the kind of lives his daughter's soulmates are apparently destined for... "Not only academically, but socially as well." Quickly, he tries to pass things onto the man in front of him. "Even with, ah, things as they are, have you thought about your son attending university at all, Hibari-san?"

To Yori's relief, it does seem to get the man thinking. "It would be best for our clan if he were to take control as soon as he were able, but recent events in the past year have made me wonder if that is a viable option any longer. Regardless of my wishes, however..." Another sip of sake. "I've always believed in letting Kyoya learn things his own way. If he were to decide on university, then it would be difficult to persuade him otherwise."

"It seems like it'll be difficult to persuade him just out of Nami Middle," Ooyama-kun muses, and Yori looks to the rest of Shimon.

"You're still all in the middle school, but what plans do any of you have for your education?"

From Mizuno-kun, there's a soft mutter about being fine with only high school, but then a certain figure from around Ooyama-kun stretches lethargically over the table with her back against the edge and arms stretched out over her head. "University," she confirms, visor pushed up to rest along her forehead. "I'm sure high school classes will be a little more of a challenge, but there are certain mathematical and financial concepts that I know I'll only be able to have access to understanding while attending university classes. I suppose it'll come with the bonus of being able to help Shimon more, but that's only a side effect."

"We'll only be able to really send one or two of us to university at first anyway," Kozato-kun adds quietly at the end of that. "There's still a lot of things we have to sort out on the family front, and we don't know if we'll have it done by the time we graduate high school."

Something about the way he says 'family' makes Yori uncertain about which kind of family exactly he's talking about, but, before the issue can really be pressed, the door is being opened again and Hibari Kyoya is storming through the room straight towards the small table in the back. When Yori manages to hastily glance back at him, the youth is determinedly not looking at anyone, the glare Yori briefly catches focused straight ahead. A few seconds later, and his mother follows after him, smoothly settling down besides her husband once again, and then, to his heart-crumpling relief, comes Haru.

Not a single hair is out of place or a bruise on her skin, kimono only rumpled from what Yori is pretty sure are her own hands, and she's beaming with all the force of a shooting star. He'd been worried, when she'd run off after a boy with steel tonfas and a girl who kept metal fans hidden in her sleeves, for all that Aoba-kun had hastily been trying to reassure him in the aftermath that Adelheid would break her own limbs before hurting her soulmate. It's nice to see that's true, that she can still beam at him reassuringly and sweep down to kiss his cheek before going to join the small separate table. Behind her, Suzuki-chan follows with quiet dignity, as if she hadn't just promised that she'd try to murder a boy half an hour ago. He can't look back to her for long, as the reunification of the Hibari couple means a resurgence in conversation, and soon an impressive spread of sushi and other seafood is laid out on the table.

Still. Inbetween bites and polite exchanges of what he does for a living and discussions of the strange occurrences that have been happening around Namimori lately, he glances back to his daughter when he can. For all that it's only a room's walk away, the other table seems like a world all its own and, there, Haru burns with happiness. Ever since they moved away from an empty house with a lingering ghost, she's always glowed with the radiance of a star, determined to be happy, but it's now that it seems as if that's a truth instead of a mimic. Sometimes that seems to mean leaning over the table inbetween her two soulmates, apparently acting as a barrier to prevent conflict from bursting out again, and yet that only makes her grin shine harder.

Yakuza clans. Mafia families. Really, it's too much for an old man's heart. A fortunate thing, then, that Haru has always possessed energy to spare. Taking a breath, he drags his gaze away from where she's excitedly filling up the air at her table and refocuses on the Hibari couple and Shimon family as if he can even faintly keep up with the worryingly illegal things they're discussing.

There's so much to figure out, her future and the implications of her bonds and how he should feel about it, but in this moment... She's happy. As his father, it's the most he can ask for, and he contents himself with that as the night wears on.

Author's Note: And is the end of "Queens of Winter"!

This entire fic is dedicated to my good friend Chaerring. She's loved it, and so, as far as I'm concerned, I've accomplished all I needed to, ha ha.

Fun behind the scenes fact: I actually have a list of fic ideas that I keep on hand so that I don't forget any ideas I end up having, and so that I always have something new on hand to write when I finish something else. Chaer got to choose what I would write and, out of that list, she chose something that I had put down as just "adelheid/haru/hibari soulmate clusterfuck". I paused, looked at that prompt, and went "I don't remember what Past!Trilies meant to do with that at all". But here we are after 100% bullshitting! Queens of Winter was meant to be a oneshot, then it spiraled out of control, and now here we are with a finished multi-chapter fic. Whups.

I do have a sequel planned that goes more into where these three go from now, Haru's more indepth involvement into the criminal underworld, and Dino, Bianchi, and Squalo featuring in as the world's worst chaperones. However, that will have to come at a later date, as I am currently focusing on my God/mythology AU series for KHR called "Sevenfold" which I'd like to get a few more stories done for, along with some stand alone oneshots. I'm also in the middle of transferring some fic I haven't put on FFnet onto here as well.

Also, this chapter was actually ready to go up four days ago but FFnet couldn't handle me trying to shove 15k of words into its doc manager right off the bat, so I had to put in a single paragraph, and then go in to edit the whole chapter into it. So yeah, that happened, but learning experience I guess.

Thank you for reading! I hope you support me in my other fics I'm writing.