There seemed to be only one facet of his life, where Keitaro knew without a doubt, what he had to do. That was when it pertained to Kanako. Everything else was in a weird state of what-ifs. Especially with the relationships he'd developed with Haruka and Tsuruko.

It had been three days, since that night where Tsuruko pinned him to the ground, and the phone call. He had pushed the events to the back of his mind, in favor of giving his newly adopted daughter all the attention he could, before and after work.

Since then, he hadn't seen hide nor hair of the beautiful swordswoman. It was almost as if she was avoiding him, which was entirely in the realm of possibility. Keitaro wasn't sure what he'd feel if he saw her right now.

He cared for her, a great deal if he was honest with himself, but things had gotten too complicated for his liking. It had happened in a near instant too. One moment, he's all but sure that Haruka had moved on with her life. The next, he finds out that Tsuruko is in love with him, and Haruka hasn't moved on, but seemingly doesn't want to be with him.

Oh Tsuruko had said that wasn't true, and there was more to it than that, but hadn't elaborated. If his head had been clearer, he would have asked what she meant by that. They separated after Keitaro said that he needed to turn in for the night.

Now that he'd had a while to think over the events of the night, he was curious.

Keitaro felt that if he had all the information, he'd know how to move forward. Tsuruko had been wearing him down into accepting her affections, and the idea of being with her was one that he liked. But it had been his past, both with Mira and Haruka that had him holding back.

"Suddenly, being a single parent seems much easier then the alternative." He said to no one, putting the panel back on for an outlet in the entryway of the main house.

At least then, he wouldn't have to worry about someone else's feelings, on top of raising Kanako.

"While I don't doubt your ability, it would be a shame to cut yourself off in such a way." He nearly jumped when the voice came from directly behind him.

"Fufufu, that never gets old." He turned quickly, to see an amused Chiharu Aoyama standing behind him.

Keitaro wasn't sure if she was just that stealthy, or if he'd been too in his thoughts to notice her. Judging by the glint in her eyes, he'd guess that she did it on purpose.

He stood and was about to bow, when he remembered something that Tsuruko had said. That the woman before him had upset Haruka by spreading false information. Respect was not something he took lightly, and the matriarch lost a large portion of his. He did not like manipulative people.

"Good afternoon" He turned back to what he was doing, acknowledging her presence and nothing more. He was not about to get into a discussion of romance with her.

He half expected her to get angry at his dismissal of her, hearing her give what sounded like a remorseful sigh was not expected.

"I've offended you somehow." He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. If Chiharu noticed the change in the her daughters whereabouts when not busy, he had the feeling she'd look into why that was. And thus, would find out about the other night.

She chuckled quietly when he didn't answer, instead paying more attention to the screws being tightened.

"You know, if I were any of the other elders, i'd be quite disgruntled with you right now."

The last screw in place and flush, he placed the screwdriver into the bag at his side. He knew the words about to spill from his mouth were a bad idea, in theory, but he found little reason to care.

"Slander isn't something I appreciate, I don't care who it comes from."

With his task here complete, Keitaro was forced to turn towards her again, since she was in the direction of the door. To his surprise, she actually did look a bit remorseful, but only in the slightest amount.

"I was under the impression that you knew… something, of the arrangement."

At his raised brow, her head dipped a bit and eyes widened in surprise.

"You… have no idea what i'm talking about, do you?"

"Is it about this whole marriage thing, between your daughter and I?" He asked, after searching his brain for what she might be referring to. That was one thing Tsuruko mentioned, that he wanted to know more about.

She nodded, and collected herself. Her cane/sword adjusted in her grip as she did so.

"I had come to ask for you to come to my office, I see now that the conversation will need to be expanded upon."

Keitaro was of two minds, if he was to be fired, he'd much rather she just say it now so he could get Kanako and leave. If circumstances permitted, he'd give his good bye to Tsuruko. The other side of him was curious about what she would tell him.

On the off chance that he wasn't fired, and that this marriage thing followed him for a while longer, he decided to go with her.

"Now, or once i'm done for the day?"

She gave a smile that was so alike to her daughters. "Now would be better, I wouldn't want to intrude on your father daughter time."

-LineBreak-

Haruka had her thumbs digging in to her temples with a force that was very likely on the verge on bone breaking. She usually hired some extra help at her tea shop for when she was at the beach side cafe, most of the time it worked out fine, and the person was a good fit.

For whatever reason, she had decided that Kentaro Sakata was a good fit this year.

'What the fuck was I thinking?'

They had only been back for 3 days, and the hormone flooded moron was proving to be a chore to have around. Sure, he was good with customers, but the interactions with the dorm girls had her wanting to kick him to the curb.

At the very least, her new-hire problem was keeping her mind off of Keitaro for a bit each day. She'd tried calling his phone last night. When it went straight to voicemail, and she called immediately after that, she felt like an addict trying to get her vice of choice.

"Proably hired him because he'd look like Kei if he had lighter hair." She grumbled. The first time she saw him, it had just been from a quick scan of the room. When her eyes passed over a thin, brown haired male with an easy going smile, her heart had early jumped into her throat.

It took all of 2 seconds of a closer inspection to see how different they truly were. Kentaro may have an easy going smile, but it was just a front for the more predatory nature he had. The guy was just looking for a way to pick up girls. He had no need for the money he'd earn working for her.

Apparently, Naru was the main target. Anytime the book worm was anywhere near the shop, his charm got turned up to eleven, or what he thought was charm anyway.

She'd have turned him loose by now, except her shop was seeing a swing in business, and she could really use the help. Plus, she hated training new people.

There was also the concern that Granny Hina mentioned in passing that morning. Keitaro hadn't contacted the lawyer about his inheritance yet. That could be explained though. If he continued to think that she'd ended any relationship they had, he was probably just focusing on Kanako and his work.

There was also the more traitorous thought of Tsuruko swooping in and keeping him to herself. That thought was easily thrown out, knowing that Tsuruko always kept to her word if at all possible. If Keitaro had gone to Tsuruko for a rebound, she'd have heard about it from her friend, of that she was sure.

It wouldn't be a pleasant conversation, but Tsuruko was too honor bound for her own good in some cases.

Without opening her eyes, Haruka fished out a cigarette from her pocket, quickly lighting it and taking a long pull. The burn at the back of her throat, and the feel of the smoke entering her lungs helped calm her down. It was a nasty habit, picked up from the dope and Julia on their travels.

The heat of the day was bearing down on her, as she sat on the back steps on her shop. But right now, she needed a moment to herself. She could only take so much of the newbies fake smile towards her younger customers.

His application made so much sense now that she thought of her customer base. It was mostly female, the ages changed with the time of day. The early morning was the older crowd, late 20's up to late 60's.

The afternoons were the girls getting off of school and heading home, guess which shift Kentaro wanted to be placed on?

"He still gettin' on yer nerves?" The slurred drawl came with a plop right beside her, the scent of sake wafting right along with it. She'd been spending more time than usual with the fox, ever since she was caught going through the box of pictures.

"He's like a rock in my shoe that I can't get rid of." Was the gruff reply, followed by a stream of cancerous smoke blown right at her companion.

Finally opening her eyes, Haruka saw the bottle Kitsune had was being offered, a gesture not taken lightly from the almost perpetual drunk of the group. After a moments thought, Haruka took it, the burn her half mouthful gave was different but soothing all the same.

Kitsune took several chugs once she had her bottle back, wiping her chin with her thumb once she was done.

"It's been 3 days." Kitsune said, as if that was supposed to mean anything.

"Yup." Haruka turned to look at the exhaled smoke, as it drifted into the sky, scattering as if it had never existed in the first place.

"Ah think a turn aroun' of the golden rule's fair play, don't you?" That extra drink seemed to be getting Kitsune closer to being passed out than was usual, Haruka took that to mean she'd lost a fair bit on her horse races.

"Spit it out, will you?" The annoying throb in her head wasn't being helped by her vague statements and questions.

"Alright alright, no need to bite ma head off." The defensive gesture was ruined by the sloshing and near spilling alcohol. When Kitsune opened her eyes just a fraction more, Haruka knew where this conversation would go.

As much as she didn't really want to talk to anyone about it, she knew her habit of keeping things bottled up would only mean she'd explode later on. The burn in her chest that time wasn't from smoke or a liquid, but remembering how Keitaro was so good at getting her to talk.

"Wha happened that night? You were salty as a sailor after that call." That was putting it lightly. She'd just about had Shinobu in tears when dishing out orders for packing up the beach cafe.

"You mean a salty sailor….nevermind." Haruka disregarded trying to correct her, once she saw the head tilt start.

"I called too soon. He thinks I broke up with him. And his phone has been off ever since." Kitsune stayed silent, watching Haruka. Whether it was because her alcohol ridden mind was slow in processing the words, or something else, Haruka didn't know.

"Wha's gotchu holdin' a torch for him after all this time?" Haruka doubted that was meant to be anything other than a private thought. Nonetheless, it brought better memories.

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand." The number of people who did, was dwindling year by year. The teachings that her family employed was a dying thing, just as it was with the Aoyama family.

"C'mon Haruka-san, I ain't some prude, gimme the details." Kitsune was taking it in a way that, while equally as true, wasn't the real reason. The physical sensations Keitaro brought were only a small part of it.

She had only glossed over what she knew had happened to Keitaro, and left out the sex worker part. As much as she hated knowing he'd been through that, she wondered how good he'd be in bed now.

"Ever hear in stories, that when you find the one, everything is different? A touch feels much more than a touch, a kiss feels a thousand times better, things like that?"

Kitsune nodded, her head seeming like a puppet whose head was being pulled by strings that were too loose. She needed to go sleep the booze off soon.

"Because of the special techniques that Motoko and I can use, we're more attuned to the spiritual presence of others. If the person you think is the one, is able to do it too, things become…amplified." Haruka thought that would be enough of an explanation, but Kitsune was giving her a stare that clearly wanted more.

"What?" Haruka asked when the silence continued to stretch.

"That's nice an' all, but ah was lookin' for more…specific details."

Haruka snorted, taking another drag and blowing it out into the sky.

"Too bad, that's all you're getting. I've shared enough of my private life with you as it is."

Kitsune tried for a few more minutes to get something else out of the shop owner, to no avail. When Haruka was finally left to her own thoughts again, they had started to wander into the very territory Kitsune had been trying to delve into.

Despite the way things had gone with her call to Keitaro, the last two nights had been filled with memories of their time together, along with daydreams of what could happen once they finally saw each other again.

She had quite the collection of costumes for that moment, and was looking forward to putting some of them on… and having them taken off.

Maybe that was why Kentaro was getting on her nerves so much. There was a tension now that had nothing to do with her far too long dry spell. She was wound up from years of sexual abstinence, and from her new employees wannabe-womanizer ways.

"Better grab some more batteries….I think i'm gonna need them."

-LineBreak-

"As much as I appreciate not being fired, i'm very curious as to why." Keitaro said, arms crossed.

Chiharu had simply said, that she had gotten all the info that Tsuruko had, which was honestly pretty vague.

The details that he gave to the detective were much more in depth, and even that wasn't a fully accurate description. She seemed pretty adamant that he remained here.

"That, my boy, has to do with who you are."

She was sitting at her desk, the sun was still blazing in the sky, giving the room an almost ethereal glow through the sheer curtains. It gave an almost divine feeling, as the light flitted around the matriarch. Keitaro could imagine some of the more weak willed people to enter here, being intimidated or entranced by the designed effect.

"You mean, because of my family." He accused. Keitaro was his own person, and he didn't want to be given something just because of his last name. He had learned the hard way, that you had to earn the things you were given. If it appeared to come freely, there would be a return of equal measure expected from him.

"I'll admit, that has a part to play in it." Chiharu said with a sigh, leaning back into her chair. "More to keep appearances with the others, than anything else."

There was a document resting on top of two manilla envelopes on the desk, to her right. Chiharu slid it over to Keitaro, for him to read over.

"The only ones who know even a bit of what you've been through, are myself and Tsu-chan, and I intend to keep it that way."

Keitaro looked at the document, and was perplexed by what he saw. It was a formal agreement between the Aoyama and Urashima families, dated back 8 years ago.

Amidst all the legalese, Keitaro was able to pinpoint that this was detailing a marriage between him and Tsuruko. In exchange, his family would provide an area to be used as a satellite training site.

Continuing down, only skimming the part that detailed how the funds from the new training site would be divided, was an address for the Hinata Inn.

Keitaro felt a brief desire to drag a hand down his face. How could he not remember that the name of the place he'd spent so much time at, had very similar names to his grandmother and the damn town!

"Now let me explain why i've said what I have." Chiharu caught his attention, as he set the document back down. He wasn't really surprised that he'd never heard of the agreement. At the time it was drawn up, he'd been 12. Not too long after, his father had separated them from Granny and the rest.

Keitaro wasn't sure what to make of the absolute seriousness of her expression.

"You know that I have two daughters yes? And that Tsuruko-chan is not the heir to our school, despite being the eldest?"

He'd seen a few family pictures, during the few times he'd been working in the main house. When he'd been there with Tsuruko, his attention had been on her alone.

"I am aware." The first time he saw a picture of the younger daughter, he had to do a double take, thanks to how much it looked like a younger Tsuruko. That was until he saw a picture of them together. The second daughter was definitely younger then him.

"I will not go into the specifics, but 9 years ago, my dear Tsu-chan was caught in a compromising position with a friend of hers." The way the words came out, it was like she was trying to hint that he knew the person she was referring to, without just outright saying it.

'9 years ago huh? Didn't Tsu-chan say….' No, he refused to think that his romantic position was about to get more complicated. He had enough to deal with in that aspect of his life.

"Our family is very traditional in a variety of ways. Even though we are predominately female, some things just aren't looked upon favorably. Same sex relationships being one of them."

That wasn't hard to picture for him. Families like the Aoyamas were heavily rooted in their ways.

A lesbian as the next head of the family would not be taken to kindly, not when they were looking for that person to bring about the next generation. He had to keep on task, and not picture Tsuruko in some of the positions he'd witnessed of that nature.

"That's a little hard to believe, especially with the male hatred a good portion of the members have."

"Yes…Well, our previous head instructor had her marriage fall apart in a bad way. Her dark outlook on men infected the students, and it's been hard to expel." She looked off to the side, where a larger picture was hanging on the wall. Keitaro glanced at it, seeing what appeared to be over a dozen people, and wasn't sure which of the 8 women were the one Chiharu was talking about.

"Ahem back on topic. Tsuruko was removed as the heir, despite my efforts to sway them otherwise. She'd always been talented, but when they started looking at her like a leper, calling her a whore in not so many words… It drove her to train relentlessly."

Keitaro fought down the anger that swelled in him, at hearing how his…friend, had been treated by her own family.

"She thought that, if she could prove to be better than any of the others, at the very least she would earn their respect back, if not her position." Chiharu shook her head sadly.

"I doubted it would work, but it was worth a shot at least. What ended up happening, was they started to fear her strength. If Tsu-chan wanted, she could use a duel to reclaim her spot as the heir. But that would only further ostracize her from a good portion of the family. If she challenged and beat each of the elders, she would gain control again. They offered her placement as interim head mistress as a peace offering."

Her gaze became hard again. It wasn't directed at him, but more the memory of what had happened.

"It was a double edged sword. They would give her a temporary position high within our school, but once the time was right, she was expected to marry for the benefit of the school…and would be removed from our rosters."

Keitaro clenched his jaw. He didn't have the same level of knowledge that he would have, if his mother and grandmother had kept with his training. But he was pretty sure he understood what that meant.

Chiharu saw his expression and nodded. "Yes, they were going to kick her out, forbid her from using our teachings ever again."

Keitaro was about to voice his opinion on that particular notion, but Chiharu stopped him.

"But…" Her hand raised to interrupt. "I managed to hold that off, for a time."

Chiharu held up the document he'd read just before.

"I had the pleasure of meeting you once, when you were very small." Keitaro rose an eyebrow at that.

"It was only for a moment, but enough that I could get a good enough read on you. Our families have been friends for a very long time Keitaro-kun, Hina-chan and I alone, have been close for decades. From what I had seen and felt from you, along with her depiction of how you were growing up, I knew that you and Tsu-chan would be a great fit."

Chiharu set the document back on the desk, on the opposite side of the envelopes.

"Hina agreed that a match was a good idea. This-" She gestured to the document again. "Is the only other copy of that agreement. I imagine that Hina wanted to wait until you were older to bring it up, she said that your mother wouldn't even consider telling you until you'd reached 16."

Her expression turned morose, and Keitaro kept quiet, as all the information flooded him.

"This agreement kept the council appeased. At least, until your mother passed." The pinch in his chest was a very near physical sensation. Remembering those last days with his mother never did anything less.

"When your father went off grid, Hina called it off. The elders were in a frenzy, and Tsu-chan was subjected to marriage meetings almost relentlessly."

The way this woman could switch expressions was mind boggling, but a smile once again stretched over her lips, the lines at the corners of her eyes scrunching and becoming more evident.

"And what should happen when she leaves one of those meetings, but for her life to be saved by you."

Keitaro played that day back in his mind, and wondered if that was why she hadn't noticed the truck about to splatter her on the pavement. Perhaps that man next to her was the suitor even? No…that would be too awkward, especially if the meeting hadn't gone well.

"The moment the name of our new handyman was known, they all just….stopped, months before they were about to pressure her into accepting one of the suitors."

"Kei-kun" Suddenly, Keitaro wondered if it was a family trait, to just shorten his name.

"The things I said, were solely based on what I was told, and saw briefly for myself. Had I known that-" Keitaro was the one to interrupt this time.

"That I am involved with the woman that helped put your daughter in her position?"

Chiharu blinked twice, not expecting his input, before chuckling.

"Yes, that…" At least that mystery was cleared up for good now. Keitaro would ponder on how he felt about this development later. The timing of Tsuruko's situation would have been before things between him and Haruka really started progressing physically.

"Had I known, I wouldn't have made that statement to Hina. I won't claim to understand or even like some of the decisions my daughter has made. But I can deal with that, because I see how much happier she is with you. I haven't seen her smile like that in a very long time."

Keitaro let his thoughts fall to away when he heard that. Had she really been so miserable? Thinking about her, he could only say yes. The only things he could recall her being occupied by in his time here, were her sword, and him.

"Kei-kun, I am in no position to demand anything of you, beyond your duties." He could easily tell that her pleading expression had bled into her daughter, likely both of them, with how much they looked alike.

"But please, speak with Tsuruko. You have her heart in your hands like a vice, and she's scared to even speak to you, because she's afraid you'll just throw out whatever it is the two of you have."

When Chiharu looked up and towards the door, Keitaro became aware that a certain someone had been listening in, for at least a part of the conversation.

"Isn't that right Tsu-chan?"

A very undignified 'Eep!' came from the other side. A handful of seconds later, the door opened to reveal Tusurko looking thoroughly embarrassed and nervous. So much so, that the hand on the door knob was shaking lightly.

"Fufufufufu, I will never tire of surprising you kids." Chiharu said as she slid the two envelopes towards Keitaro, and stepped out of the room.

Keitaro looked at the envelopes with a sense of trepidation. He had figured that those were something for the Aoyama family. But it was quite apparent to be for him, with how close to his position she'd deliberately put them. With how things had been lately, he saw those envelopes as another surprise development.

It couldn't have been a bonus, or the terms of his new position. He had read the very specific wording in what Tsuruko had given him before, there were no bonuses, and he knew all the requirements of his status as an instructor.

"Kei…?" The waver of her voice had him looking up, that tone was nothing if not utterly petrified, her hand came to rest on his shoulder. Her eyes, those grayish green irises that normally looked so solid and sure, were glossy, like even a flinch from him would have her running off.

Keitaro knew that it was time for them to talk, especially now that he knew a bit more of her situation, and why she might have been trying to urge their relationship along.

He placed one of his hands atop hers, calloused and scarred over elegant and smooth. Even the palm of her hand was smooth, which didn't really make sense to him, given all the training she did.

Keitaro could both see and feel her relax a bit at his gesture, and came to kneel in front of his chair. It was a bit cramped, with him being as close as he was to the desk.

"Is that why you were pushing so hard for us to be together? Because of the marriage arrangement?" He asked cautiously.

Tsuruko turned her gaze to the side for a moment, chewing her bottom lip.

"It was only part of it."

He waited for the rest of an explanation to come, but Either Tsuruko was unwilling, or just waiting for some other prompt from him. He decided to fulfill the latter.

"And the other part?"

Keitaro was asking, merely to get a more concrete idea for her motives, then anything else. He knew that she cared for him.

"You swept into my life, like no one ever has, and made it feel like the most natural thing. This bond we share," Tsuruko place a hand on his thigh. It was strange, she thought, feeling the tension start to bleed away as the mingling energies were felt.

"I wasn't aware of it, until I was already interested in you. I am not the type of person to jump into things at a moments notice, not things as personal as a relationship. Not unless i'm certain." Tsuruko shifted, so she was kneeling directly in front of him, rather than to the side.

"But I am thankful we have it. It made me realize that my feelings for you were not some fluke, some strange illusion because of my situation." With a hand on each of his legs, Tsuruko leaned forward a little. Her eyes were locked onto his, and vice versa, even though her breasts were now pressing against his knees.

Keitaro noticed of course, thinking it strange that she wasn't using her usual bindings while at home. If he'd been paying attention, he'd have noticed how her chest looked bigger than usual in her training clothes, due to the bindings absence.

"I tried to push our relationship along, because my feelings for you were growing, deepening, faster then I really knew how to handle. I have had a dozen meetings with a small number of the suitors my family has set up. None of them make me feel the way you have in such a short time." Her hands lightly gripped his thighs, and his eyes tried to stay on hers. It was difficult, due to her clothing not being as secure as it usually was. But this was a serious discussion, and he could not let himself be distracted from it.

"One of them is a nice enough man, but we've never really connected enough to be anything more than a casual acquaintance. But I love you Kei… You have a hold on me that I don't know i'll ever be able to escape from."

His gaze finally shifted, up to the two envelopes just at the edge of his reach. It was difficult to look at her, with how she was putting her heart on display for him.

"Tsu-chan, I sympathize and understand why you wanted things to move so quickly, but-" Keitaro started, only to stop when Tsuruko moved to interrupt him. She raised herself, sliding her hands along to his upper thigh.

"But you still love Haruka, I know." She said quietly, their faces were only a few inches apart now. Keitaro had expected to see sadness in her eyes, because he was about to say he loved another as she had proclaimed hers for him again.

"You need to go see her Kei. If not to clear the air of what happened the other night, then do it because she misses you desperately."

Since that night was brought up, Keitaro wanted to ask a question about what Tsuruko had said.

"You said that there was more to the story, For what Haruka said. What did you mean?"

Tsuruko went still for a moment, wondering how to respond. She really wanted to just come clean with what she'd asked Haruka to do. The possible ways he could respond came to mind, and she came to the conclusion that Haruka should tell him. That way he would hopefully see that they both were in agreement on this.

Her hands slid back to their original spot, as she lowered herself.

"When I went to see Haruka, we talked about how each of us felt about you. It would be better if she told you the rest. I take it, you haven't spoken to her since?"

Keitaro shook his head.

"When I went inside, I took the battery out of my phone, and haven't put it back in. I was…afraid of what else she might say to me."

With an elegance very few had, Tsuruko stood. She smiled down at him, liking the way he was obviously trying to not pay particular attention to her chest. Moving quickly, Tusurko grabbed each side of his face, and leaned down to kiss him. It was merely a peck on the lips, but it had still surprised him.

When she drew back, her right thumb was tracing lines on his cheek. It took her a few moments to speak, as the feelings she got from that contact had left her mind nearly blank.

"Go and see her Kei. Let me take care of Kanako-chan tonight. The two of you have been separated long enough."

Wide Brown eyes stared into grayish green. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of leaving Kanako behind. Keitaro trusted Tsuruko, but he was left feeling rather protective after the ordeal with those two women that Chiharu sent to test him.

"I can't just…" Keitaro stopped before the sentence fully formed. Even in his mind, the words seemed too dependent. He was about to say that he couldn't just leave Kanako here. But she was just about 9, and would soon be getting to an age where she needed to spend time with others without him.

The thought of her spending extended periods of time away from him though, induced a brief few moments of anxiety. He needed to mentally prepare himself for when she entered high school. It was years away still, but he'd probably need that entire time to used to the idea.

"Is it that urgent, what you two talked about? I mean…I'd love to see her, and I trust you, but the thought of leaving Kanako here doesn't sit well with me."

"It is Kei." Tsuruko turned around, and picking up the two envelopes, which had her butt directly in his view. She wasn't sure if Keitaro was more of an ass or breasts kind of guy. She was looking forward to finding out.

"This is a conversation that should be in person, and the sooner you two clear the misunderstanding I created, the better." She placed the envelopes in his lap, and he glanced down at them, then at her questioningly.

"I received those when I saw Haruka, they're for you. I meant to give them to you before… the kiss. My mother got nosey and opened them, thinking they were mine. I think you should look at the contents on the way to the Hinata Tea shop."

It would give him plenty of time to at least get the gist of what those documents were saying. All of the legal speak could be gone over after that. But he really needed to open them.

Keitaro thought it over, glancing from the envelopes to Tsuruko. He got the feeling that whatever was inside was important, if she was placing it on the same timetable that he should leave Kyoto.

"I imagine you will have questions, when you open them. If you go and see Haruka, you'll be a few minutes walk from the person that can answer them."

That could only mean one thing. Whatever was inside these, was from Granny Hina. He had disregarded her name being brought up during his adoption of Kanako. But it was becoming apparent that she was up to something, and he wanted to know just what it was.

"What is important enough to be delivered by letter, but not enough that she couldn't just call?" He asked, more to himself than Tsuruko.

"I am sure that the letter inside will explain." Tsuruko replied. She had been told by her mother, that the letter inside attempted to explain the Urashima heads actions.

It was not her place to give up the information however, especially when he would be finding out that his aunt was dead. The train from Kyoto to Hinata was almost assured to be almost empty this evening.

"Your mother read that too?" Keitaro asked, not looking up from the envelopes.

"Yes."

"What it says, did you already know?" He wanted to know if this was something pertaining to that marriage arrangement, or something else.

"I was aware of some of what is detailed in the letter."

"And?"

"Kei, Okaa-sama wanted to give you those in here, because they are important and have information for your eyes only. I believe the best thing for you to do right now, is to go pack clothes to wear tomorrow, and head to see Haruka in Hinata."

Keitaro finally raised his head to meet her eyes again, and she could see the worry in them. Tsuruko could see that he understood that there was something unpleasant waiting for him. Whether that was only the death of his aunt, was yet to be determined.

"But Kanako-"

"I will take care of her for tonight, I promise." A small smile graced her lips. "And I know how much a promise means to a Urashima."

Haruka had explained years ago, that breaking a promise to a Urashima, was as good as turning a friend to an enemy in an instant. If you wanted them on your side in anything, you had to keep to your word.

-LineBreak-

It wasn't an easy decision to make, but Keitaro had decided to leave his daughter in the hands of Tsuruko for the night. That was still a strange thought…daughter. He was a dad now, officially.

Poor Kanako had almost started crying, when he told her, that he'd be gone for the night. It was only made marginally better, when he told her that she'd be spending the night with Tsuruko. Kanako had taken to the swordswoman well, something that Keitaro was grateful for, with how much time they'd spent together since coming to Kyoto.

The train had been scarcely populated, and Keitaro had thankfully decided to pick a car that was empty. The letter that Granny Hina had written, left him in tears for most of the ride.

My dearest Grandson,

First and foremost, I must apologize, for I have failed you and Kanako-chan. The Shuzens made it clear, that any interaction with you, would have them forcefully taking you and Kanako into their human trafficking business.

I saw that, at the very least, you were safe and healthy when they approached me. I wasn't willing to risk having you sold into slavery. I had been so close to approaching you, and it broke my heart that I couldn't.

It was cowardly and dishonorable, and I will always regret not having a more active role in your lives.

Even after they didn't have their claws into your life anymore, I was unable to be present for you both.

My daughter, your aunt Yoko, was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away nearly 2 years ago. Much of my and Haruka's time went into her care during that time.

She passed in her sleep, thank the gods for that small mercy. Haruka has taken over the tea shop down from the old inn.

Words cannot express how much I have wanted to see the two of you again, nor can they tell of how proud of you I am. Keitaro, you have become an incredible man, even more so than I had hoped. Kasumi would be so proud of you.

I do not deserve your forgiveness, but I hope that what I have left for you, will serve you well.

A father needs to be able to provide and care for his children, I wanted to ensure that some of this burden would be lifted from your shoulders.

You are my heir Keitaro.

The documents in these envelopes contain all the legal processes to make that official. Our family has many ties in many places, all of which will one day be yours, and a third of that has been separated for your immediate use once you sign the documents and have them filed.

There is only one request I would make of you. Keep our family Inn alive. It is among the oldest remaining pieces of the Urashima name.

The Hinata-sou was built as an inn for the powerful and influential, but it is yours to do with as you wish.

Yoko and I, had planned a tour of the worlds hot springs. I intend to honor her memory, and our promise, by keeping to this promise. I imagine that most of my remaining days on this earth will be spent this way.

I do hope that you and I will have the chance to speak face to face before then. Even if you seethe at my very existence, I pray that you do me this one kindness. I am old Keitaro, and our family has had enough strife and tragedy these last few years.

I want you to know, that my love for you and your daughter reaches further than the stars.

Granny Hina.

Many had looked at him strangely, as he walked out of the train station. A young man that looked the very definition of fit and capable, had tears streaming down his face and eyes as red as blood.

He didn't care, and called for a cab to take him to the address that he'd gotten from the marriage document that Chiharu had shown him.

His arrival in Hinata now had another objective. He wanted to tell Haruka that he was sorry that he wasn't there when her mother had been sick and passed.

-LineBreak-

It was almost time to close, and Haruka was glad that she could spare herself the pain of keeping Kentaro here for even a moment longer.

"Oi, Sakata-san! Go home!" she called out loudly from the other side of the tea shop.

The high school third year turned from the front door, where he'd just escorted the last of the customers he'd spent far too long flirting with. The start of the next semester couldn't come soon enough for her. Then she would have to deal with him less, since she couldn't justify firing him just yet.

He turned, and she visibly shuddered when that greasy smile turned on her.

"I really wish you would just call me Kentaro, Haruka-san. Surely with the close quarters in which we work, our relationship has developed that far."

No, it hadn't. The only reason she didn't demand he refer to her by family name, was because of how often Granny came in here. She didn't want any chance for confusion. The last time someone called for a Urashima, and they were both in the building, Granny Hina had run with it.

"And I really wish that you wouldn't flirt with anything that has breasts and is above the age of consent."

Haruka picked up a few clean plates that needed to be placed back onto the shelf, before making her way to pick up the last dirty one. She came to regret that move almost instantly, as her new hire misinterpreted her words.

The bell above the door to her shop chimed, telling her that someone had entered. At the same time, she felt the world tilt.

Kentaro had swooped into her personal bubble, and dipped her low, with one hand at the small of her back and the other at the back of her head. His face was entirely too close to her, he was almost close enough that her cigarette nearly touched his cheek.

"Why Haruka-chan, if you were feeling jealous, all you had to do was say so." Her eyes widened, surprised that this guy had taken what she said so wrongly. His smile was smug and lustful.

"A woman of your caliber should be treated like a crown jewel."

The shock of her employee being far too hands on with her, was bleeding into frustration that would turn to anger very quickly if he didn't get his paws off of her.

Just to get an extra little dig in, Haruka took a deep drag from the cigarette from between her lips. She needed to get over to her ashtray, before her apron and clothes were directly exposed to the combustion byproduct. The breath was blown into his face, which had him scrunching and trying not to cough as he held her.

"Set me back up, before the plates in my hand are broken over your fucking head. And if you ever do something like this again, i'll make sure you have a healthy fear of women."

Her threat was met by a fearful expression Kentaro, and a chuckle from off to the side, before a voice followed it.

"You always did have a personal space issue Haru-chan."

Her response was made before she could comprehend whose voice it was.

"If they weren't family, they had to earn that right Kei. You know that."

Saying his name was what had the metaphorical light bulb go off. When it did, she scrambled to her feet, shoved the plates into the hands of her still frightened employee and looked to the doorway.

Standing there with a smile on his face, was a young man that looked more weathered than it should.

Just over 2 inches taller than herself, with muscled shoulders and arms from hours upon hours of manual labor. Shaggy brown hair a shade darker then Kentaro, and brown eyes that were taking her in appreciatively. It was him, Keitaro was here and standing in front of her.

The time apart had been difficult, even more so when she found out the truth, and that made her reaction vastly out of character from what everyone in the area came to expect from her.

"Kei…?" The strangled and hopeful tone made his smile widen, and her eyes grew misty when he nodded. Haruka wasn't able to help the half laugh, half sob as she darted towards him, relieved tears being flung into the air by her speed, her cigarette falling to the floor long forgotten.

Keitaro managed to toss the envelopes onto the table by his side and open his arms to receive her. What he hadn't expected, was for Haruka to leap into the air, before colliding into his embrace.

When she felt his arms wrap around her, hardly even losing air from the forceful contact, Haruka was both surprised and elated. She had expected to drive him to floor, but his strength and balance kept them upright.

Wasting no time, and not wanting to be placed back down, Haruka wrapped her legs around his waste, and her arms behind his neck with one threading through his hair.

The next thing Keitaro knew, his lips were being forcefully prodded by hers, Haruka immediately adding her tongue into the fold. As his eyes closed to give Haruka his full attention, he saw the flabbergasted look on the other man in the room.

Haruka moaned loudly, when she felt Keitaro tighten his arms around her, and could feel his tongue batting against hers with equal fervor. Her lower body acted without conscience thought, trying to press as close to him as possible. While their attire prevented the contact that her body was instinctively searching for, the added closeness was no less pleasant for either of them.

The time came to gasp for air, pulling away only far enough away to do just that, Haruka gazed upon like a fantasy given life. Tsuruko had said that Keitaro was built, but hadn't expected him to turn into this. She would have loved him if he were scrawny or overweight.

With her legs feeling the hardened abdomen underneath his shirt, and the muscles on his back shifting from her weight, Keitaro had become her fantasies fantasy.

The things she had said, and the way he had interpreted them, came to the forefront. Haruka lavished him with brief kisses, uttering "I'm sorry" after each and every one.

After a dozen of them, Keitaro tilted his head back.

"Haruka, as happy as I am to see and kiss you, we need to talk." He tried to sound firm and serious, but he was just too happy with having her in his arms to truly accomplish that.

Haruka watched his eyes shift over behind her. She turned, and saw that Kentaro was looking at them jealously. A fierce scowl came over her as she growled out the command to her employee.

"Go. Home. Sakata." The young man turned and quickly made his way out the back door, leaving the two alone. His presence was not wanted.

Keitaro loosened his grip to try and set Haruka down, but she would have none of it, tightening her impressive leg strength to keep her attached to him.

Two pairs of light brown eyes locked on to each other, one relieved and the other pained.

"What's wrong Keitaro?" She asked him gently.

That was when Haruka noticed that his eyes were slightly blood shot. Keitaro tried to turn his head away, only to be turned back by a gentle hand on his cheek.

"I'm so sorry Haru-chan, about Aunt Yoko. I should have been there for you."

Two manilla envelopes were in the corner of her vision, and the adhesive wasn't keeping them closed very well, so she knew that he'd been informed by the letter Granny Hina must have attached to the documents. It shouldn't have surprised her, that he cared more about comforting her for the loss of her mother, then the wealth he'd been given.

Her smile was laced with sadness, that was still gradually fading.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Kei. Your priority was Kanako, and keeping her safe and healthy. It hurts every now and then, but i'm managing."

A brief silence came over them, as neither wanted to stay on that topic. For Haruka, it was because she just didn't like dwelling on the past. Keitaro knew this, and he also had other things he needed to talk to her about. He also had half a mind to march up to the inn and speak with Granny Hina.

"I wish I could say that the only reason I came here, was to see you and apologize for not being there."

Sucking in a subtle, but still harsh breath, Haruka came to another painful thought.

"They didn't take Kanako from you, did they?" She scanned just outside her shop, in case the girl was too nervous to come inside. When nothing came from that, she looked back at him, concerned that her family might have been further torn apart.

Keitaro shook his head with a smile.

"No, my daughter is in Kyoto with Tsuruko." The verbiage had her stunned, but returning the smile all the same.

'Guess i'm gonna be a step-mom.' She thought, not sure how to feel about that yet.

"Haru-chan, I wanted to talk to you, about us." Haruka freed herself from him, and not wanting to be entirely apart, took his hand and led him to the second level where her apartment was. This was not a discussion that should be had in an area so easily eavesdropped on.

Keitaro looked at his surroundings curiously, taking in the way Haruka decorated what had once been her mothers apartment.

On each wall, there was at least one landscape picture, from somewhere she'd been. A snowy mountain with a forest of evergreens at the base, a canyon with a small river running through it, he was happy that she got to travel like she'd always wanted.

There weren't any pictures with people openly shown anywhere he looked. The place was fairly small, but still bigger than his room in Kyoto. Her beige sofa looked old yet comfortable. The coffee table in the center of the room had a few magazines opened, and pages folded to looked at later.

The tv hung on the wall was on, playing some old black and white movie, but the sound was down so low that nothing could really be heard from it.

Haruka led Keitaro by the hand to the couch, sitting them down close together. Turning to sit sideways on the couch, she faced him. She wanted this conversation to move quickly, they had lost time to make up for. She only hoped that Keitaro was willing to listen to what the two women had talked about.

"I don't really know where to start, and it feels almost disrespectful, to think of relationship issues right after finding out about Aunt Yoko." He'd almost decided to just put a hold on this talk. But while he'd only had a few hours to calm down from finding out she died, Haruka had begun moving on from it.

"Do you still love me?" She asked unceremoniously, ignoring his attempt to ease into the subject.

"I never stopped. I thought that you'd moved on, maybe found someone to settle down with while you were traveling." He ended with a scrub to the back of his head.

Where it came from, he'd never know, but Keitaro was immediately struck on the head with a paper fan that felt like it was made of steel. The hand rubbing the back of his head came to the top, trying to ease the burn there.

"Idiot" The fan disappeared just as mysteriously as it appeared. "We made a promise Kei. Did you think that I would just abandon that so easily?"

"Well…No, but how can you be okay with me, after knowing even a little of what i've done?" His question made her scowl. As he waited for her to answer, Keitaro took in the changes since they last saw each other.

Haruka had cut her hair, going back to the shorter style she'd liked before, with the longer bit at the sides. Keitaro liked both styles she'd worn, but the way her hair framed her face was definitely his favorite.

It was surprising to see her with a shirt that covered so much. Her long sleeved maroon shirt had a high collar, keeping most of her neck covered.

Back when they were kids, Haruka had liked the deeper neck line shirts. The tan shorts with leggings underneath weren't anything new, she'd almost never worn a skirt or dress as far as he could remember. It just didn't fit with her preferred lifestyle.

"If you had refused the Shuzens, what would they have done?"

He didn't even want to think of what could have happened. No child deserved to be put through the life that Mira had threatened, least of all Kanako. But…

"Up until my dads debt was repaid, they said that Kanako and I would be taken in to one of their brothels."

Once that debt was paid, their affiliation with the Yakuza family had ended, at least officially. Keitaro had a firm suspicion that Mira wouldn't have had the backing to do a damn thing to him after that. It was that thought, that gave him the courage to break away. His old employer was in a state of flux in her family organization, if she caused too much trouble, she would have been cast out.

"Exactly, so it wasn't worth the risk. You did what you had to do, to keep her safe."

He would never look at it the same way. In his mind, Keitaro considered himself a serial rapist. Some of those girls were so drugged up, they were incapable of consenting.

"I love you Keitaro, that has never, and will never change."

When she held his hand this time, they had both relaxed their control on themselves. Feeling the strength of their bond as he remembered it, had him relaxing greatly. Just touching her, gave him the same feeling as when Tsuruko had kissed him.

"I missed that." She said with a smile. It was pulled more to one side, a habit from almost always having a cigarette between her lips.

"I missed you." He enjoyed the way her eyes seemed to drink him in. It made him feel good, to know that she missed him just as much.

"Where does this leave us?" He gave her hand an extra squeeze. "Because Tsuruko-chan made it sound complicated."

Keitaro was actively trying not to refer to the sword maiden as Tsu-chan, because he didn't want to give the impression that he'd chosen her over Haruka.

"I think the three of us can make it work Kei. It may have some challenges, but if we just-" Haruka started, only to be interrupted.

"Three of us? Oh you mean Kanako." Keitaro rationalized. In his mind, he was picturing how intimate moments would likely have to be planned out, due to her dependency on him.

"No Kei. I meant you, me and Tsuruko."

The absolute silence in the room allowed the tv to actually be heard, as the protagonist lawyer argues over the circumstantial evidence of his client even being in the area of the crime.

Keitaro tried uselessly, to search her eyes fo any signs that she was joking. He wasn't very good at reading expressions on people that were adept at hiding them. Haruka was no different.

"That's the part she wouldn't tell me?" Suddenly the things that Haruka said over the phone started to make more sense.

"I was starting to worry myself sick, and had to take the battery out of my phone, because I couldn't bear to hear you toss me aside." Keitaro leaned into the cushion, giving the idea some thought.

Haruka smiled wider, it felt good to know that still cared so much. She knew that this would be many a mans dream, but her man was just a bit different. He may need a little convincing that this could work, and that she wasn't all that opposed to who the other participant would be.

"Sometimes I wonder how much of my life was just fate doing its thing." Keitaro said, out of the blue.

"What do you mean?"

He sighed, laying his head back. The day was starting to catch up with him.

"I fall in love with you, Kanako calling me her dad. I end up working for a woman that you seem to have been rather…close to. Adopting Kanako, then find out that this new woman and I were matched to be married. And now this…"

Haruka blinked once, then twice. She couldn't deny that those were all some pretty slim chances. She was also curious on who told him about the little thing between her and Tsuruko. That was something she thought might get him to accept the idea of a polyamorous relationship a bit better.

"You do care about her right?" Haruka asked slowly. Keitaro nodded, not picking his head up.

"I didn't mean for it to happen. Honestly just wanted to live my life raising Kanako, when I figured you had gone on to someone else."

"Hold up…" Haruka raised her hand to stop him from continuing. "If you and I weren't together, you were just gonna go solo?"

When Keitaro nodded, finally picking his head up to look at her. Haruka gave him an incredulous look, not sure if she should be flattered or smack him in the head for being so stupid.

"Yeah, I mean, who'd want to be with a guy that's done the things I have? Any woman I ended up with would probably find out one way or another, not that I wanted anyone else."

Smacking him was definitely the more prominent urge. Haruka had to take a set of deep breaths to rid herself of that desire. She'd already covered how she viewed his past, now it was time to delve into a topic that could change how they lived their lives forever.

"We've already covered that topic as much as we need to. Kei, what do you think about it, being with the two of us?"

Keitaro just snorted, letting his head drop back to the couch again. What did he think of it? From a purely selfish standpoint, the idea excited him. Having two beautiful women to call his own, stroked at the ego generously. But once you looked passed that, plenty of points against it came to mind.

He was responsible for raising a little girl, and while he didn't doubt that both Tsuruko and Haruka would help in some regards, he didn't see the majority of it being done by anyone else.

Then there was a time management concern. He'd sat in many a conversation, where a previous coworker would complain about how their significant other demanded more of their personal time than was really available.

That was just one woman. What would happen with two? Being around Tsuruko was pretty low maintenance right now, but if they took things further, how would that change?

Haruka was…Haruka. She'd had her needy moments, when they were kids, and he doubted that had changed. But generally she was pretty low key.

"I'm confused on why you'd even consider it. I thought the plan was for the two of us to be together?"

He felt her shift, and then her head was laying in his lap. Looking down, Keitaro saw that Haruka was gazing up at him intently. It was nether harsh nor soft, but very very determined.

"You haven't said anything on how you feel about it personally."

One of his hands came down, and started to lightly stroke the top of her head. For just a moment, her eyes fluttered, enjoying the attention.

"What do you want me to say Haruka? You're making it sound like I have to be with her, in order to be with you."

Perhaps she should have sat up at this point, but his ministrations were too nice to leave so soon. Quickly gathering her thoughts, Haruka gave him her feelings on the matter.

"That's not true Kei, I would never strong arm you like that. You know that I love you, and want you to be happy right?"

The time it took him to nod was disheartening. But there was a little nagging feeling in the back of his mind, that maybe Haruka was bringing this up because she wanted to find a way to be with Tsuruko while still keeping her promise to him.

"Tsu-chan and I were close from the time we were little, up until the day her uncle burst into our tent. I want her to be happy too, and she's got a shitty situation hanging over her head because of what we did."

Keitaro nodded once again. "Her mother explained it to me."

"Then you know that she found you right before she was out of time. I know her Kei, when Granny and Chiharu-san set up that match, they were right on the money thinking you two would be great together. It was our relationship that made things complicated."

While the shade of their eyes matched perfectly, the emotions in them couldn't have been different. Hers was of acceptance, his were teeming with wariness as he waited for the other shoe to drop.

"You have two women who love you, that came to the agreement to share you because we can't see ourselves with anyone else. Does that really sound so bad? You said yourself, that you care for her."

Haruka resisted the urge the pout or tap on his hand, when it stopped its movements. It had been lulling her into a sense of calm she didn't want to lose.

"On the surface, no, it doesn't sound bad. While I do care for her, what about you Haru-chan? If I agreed to this, that would mean splitting time between you, Tsu-chan and Kanako… On top of whatever work I might have. Plus, her family wants her married off like, immediately."

Keitaro brought both hands to hold onto each side of her face, leaning down so there was very little chance of her not keeping eye contact with him.

"Japan doesn't allow multiple marriages as far as i'm aware, and I want to marry you Haruka. That would basically make you the other woman, and whether we all agree to it or not, most people would not look at you kindly."

"I forgot how much of your heart was on your sleeve Kei." Haruka said, willing down the slight feeling of happy tears wanting to build. The frank admission that he wanted to permanently bind himself to her in yet another way, made her feel a little emotional.

She sat up and turned towards him, kneeling close enough to him that her chest was pressed to his. The smirk that came across her face was definitely R-rated.

"I don't give a damn what other people think of me. Our plan was never really about making it legal, only about us being together. Now, there's just an addition. That addition happens to be someone that I trust and care for, and had a relatively brief romantic involvement with."

His arms came to rest on her waist, as she leaned closer and wrapped his neck.

"You didn't read through those documents, did you?" She asked, already knowing the answer. There was no way he did, not when Granny Hina had dropped the bomb of her mother. He shook his head.

"I understand if you are upset with Granny. Hell, on a small scale, I still am too." Haruka leaned in for a peck on the lips, she going for the kill. They had wasted enough time talking. As needed as it was, she had other things on her mind.

"But think about the chance you're being given Kei. You know what the bond did to me, there's never been any recorded cases of any serious deviation from that. Tsu-chan is only going to fall deeper and deeper, I don't see you not reciprocating most of that. So what if you marry her a bit sooner than you feel ready for? If Granny and Chiharu had gotten their way, you would have been married two years ago. You probably know her better now then you would have otherwise."

Keitaro felt his eyes widen at that, not having seen that in the document he saw.

"If it makes you feel better, you and I can have a ceremony strictly for show. I'm not much for dresses or big gatherings, but I won't deny that I wouldn't enjoy the process."

They both smirked at picturing her in a wedding dress. While she would look beautiful, neither were under any illusions of how uncomfortable she'd be if there were a large audience.

"In the eyes of the law, Tsu-chan will be the proper and elegant wife. And I get to be the side piece that fucks you in whatever way you damn well please. You want to bang a slutty maid on a counter-top? I've got the clothes and locale."

There was an undeniable shift in blood flow happening for the young man. The picture she painting was definitely enticing. He would have the best of both worlds as far as physical intimacy was concerned. Keitaro remembered how…adventurous Haruka had been.

His cousin was more the type for the spontaneous and risqué, while he could only imagine that Tsuruko would be more into the slow and loving sex.

"I understand why you didn't read those documents, not after the stuff about my mom. But Granny is pretty much setting you up for life Kei. Aside from the meager salary the Hinata would give you, there's all the businesses that she's invested in over the years. You get a good sized check up front, and once you take over for her, there's a more than decent flow of income from businesses you might only speak with once or twice a year. All you would really be doing day to day, is doing repairs on the Hinata."

She purposely left out the part about how hard that initial set of repairs would be. The hole in the floor between Naru and Granny being a prime example of such repairs.

Keitaro thought over everything she'd said. The biggest boon in his opinion, were the funds that he'd have for taking care of Kanako. He wasn't a very materialistic person, but he'd be damned if Kanako ever had to worry about not having something she needed, or wanted, within reason. He would admit that he enjoyed spoiling her a certain amount, but it had to be done in moderation. He didn't want her turning out to be one of those entitled kids, who felt the world owed them everything.

This was when he noticed that Haruka had slowly and discretely moved into his lap, now lightly grinding herself on him.

"If I agree to all of this, what happens then?" He asked, holding her firmly in place on his lap, stopping her movements. Haruka frowned, because she starting to get a good feel of him through his jeans.

"First, we go downstairs and have you sign all the paperwork. Second, I drag you back up here so I can get reacquainted with having your cock in my mouth. After that little warm up, I fully intend to ride you until we collapse. If I can walk in the morning, i'll take you up to see Granny, so you two can talk."

It was so strange, how easily Haruka seemed to override how his body reacted to anything sexual. With Tsuruko, it had only just started to happen, but Haruka nearly had him wanting to just say fuck it and tear her clothes off now.

He rubbed at his chin mock-thoughtfully, looking up towards the ceiling.

"Hmmmmm…. You drive a hard bargain. I only find one issue with this proposal."

He smirked as Haruka kept trying to buck her hips. Her mind was clearly having a hard time staying on the topic of this 'theoretical relationship' and overall situation.

"Keitaro Urashima, i'm about at my wits end here. Please baby, i've waited so long to have you back in my arms. 6 years of dildos, vibrators, beads, or fingering myself."

She used her deceptive strength to grab his hands and thrust them up to her chest, allowing her the movement she wanted.

"I need to feel you inside me." Touching her, in such an intimate manner, was so easy. It was almost as if he hadn't been through a personal hell for over 2 years of his life. With her, Keitaro felt none of that same hesitance.

As the conversation had devolved into the would be relationship, Keitaro had been thinking on how he felt on going through with it. The big problem, was how deeply he cared for Tsuruko, or didn't.

He'd admitted that being married to her wouldn't be a bad thing, while they were shopping. At the time, he just hadn't realized how serious her family was about them being wed, or their time table for it.

He knew that Haruka was right about the bond, he'd witnessed it once before, and Tsuruko was following a very similar path. He wanted to make her happy with him, she wanted to make him happy with her. The only hiccup in that, had been his reaction a few nights ago.

She was beautiful, she was kind, she had a sense of humor that he enjoyed, and she got along splendidly with Kanako. He had very little to say against agreeing. While she may have been a bit pushy, she had respected the boundaries he set, if he ever started to pull back.

If the women in his life wanted this, who was he to deny them? They had even taken the initiative and talked about it amongst themselves first, before bringing it up with him. Keitaro was quite sure, that this was something that happened even more rarely than being bonded to two women as he was.

"Okay Haru-chan." He said softly, getting her to stop. "But I have one alteration to make."

He only waited a moment, and when she started to tilt her head he made his move. The hands that were on her chest slid around to her back, and Keitaro turned to push her onto the couch quickly. She gave a quiet yelp from being set off balance so unexpectedly.

Seeing him postured over her, a loving smile on his lips that were so close to hers, she knew that things were going to be all right. Her hands had once again found themselves wrapped around his neck, one threading through his hair.

"Before we go and deal with those papers, I want to show you, how much i've missed you." One of his hands drifted under her apron, and to the button of her shorts.

The oral initiative of their relationship had been one of their shared favorites after all, it was well passed time to revisit that.

-LineBreak-

This morning heralded something that Shinobu was sure that none of the residents had ever seen before.

Haruka was smiling!

It wasn't her usual small smirk when she found something funny. No, this was a full blown smile. She looked so pretty!

What else caught her attention, was the rather haphazard way the older woman was dressed. The young chef had never seen the woman out of her usual trend, which was a long sleeved shirt and decent lengthen shorts.

On this day, Haruka was in a button down flannel shirt that looked far too heavy for the warm weather, and a pair of shorts that barely peeked out from underneath.

She pondered what made her so happy, because she looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep. Her hair was a bit disheveled, and the way she was standing made it seem like she was having trouble finding any sort of comfortable position.

"Good morning Haruka-san!" The young girl greeted brightly.

When Haruka turned to regard the girl, she was almost able to hide a wince from the movement, but if anything that made her smile even more.

"It certainly is, Shinobu." The shop owner took another sip of her tea.

Even though her voice was a little hoarse, there was a warmth to it that was unusual. Not that she was complaining any. Heck, with how strange things had been over the past few months, Shinobu welcomed the change.

If Haruka was happy, than Shinobu was happy for her. The chef would recommend that the older woman regularly seek out whatever brought this change.

"Say kiddo, you didn't happen to notice if Granny was awake yet, did you?" Shinobu looked at the clock, just to verify that she hadn't gotten up either early or late. She confirmed that she had entered the kitchen promptly at 6.

"I'm sorry Haruka-san, but I didn't really notice, on my way down. She's usually starting to wake about now though."

Haruka nodded as she took a sip.

"Oh sweet merciful gods I needed this." Haruka nearly moaned, and Shinobu caught the scent of the tea that was generally used to soothe a sore throat.

"Are you feel okay Haruka-san?" She couldn't think of a time where Haruka had ever really been sick, at least not noticeably. Perhaps it was bad enough that she had to go to the doctor, and that was why she wanted Granny?

Haruka chuckled into her cup. Shinobu may have been seeing a trick of the rising sun coming through the window, but she almost thought that she saw the womans eyes twinkle!

"Better than i've felt in a long time."

There was a creak that came from behind the chef, and it nearly had her jumping out of her skin. This was followed by the familiar muffled laugh of their landlady.

"Sorry my dear, I didn't actually mean to sneak up on you this time!" The short older woman swept into the room with near silent footsteps.

"Well now, I haven't seen you here this early in quite a while Haru-chan! What's the occasion?"

Whatever was ailing Haruka, must be affecting her throat pretty badly, because the woman was drinking down the pipping hot tea rather quickly. It was almost as if she had urgent business to return to.

Haruka sipped her glass with one hand, reaching to the counter with the other, and lifted two envelopes that looked oddly familiar to the blue haired chef.

"You'll never guess who dropped by with these last night." Shinobu looked between the two women curiously. Haruka was waving the envelopes like they had a very significant meaning, and Granny Hina had gone completely still.

This morning seemed to be filled strange occurrences, because she'd never seen Granny Hina so surprised that she didn't react right away. Even then, the sweet old woman didn't take long to compose herself.

"I have to admit, that was sooner than expected." The Urashima Matriarch commented, blinking several times. It was then, that Haruka's attire and exhaustion became the object of her scrutiny.

"Yeah…well, Tsu-chan had a hand to play in that."

Granny Hina sighed despondently, which only seemed to amuse Haruka even more.

"I had so hoped that things would work out between them. They would have been so good for each other."

Haruka took great pleasure in the few times that she had been able to throw off the old bat this much.

"Oh don't worry, that little scheme of yours is still in play."

Granny gave Haruka a more obvious once over, which had the shop owner shrugging. It was almost like they were communicating with only looks.

"What did you think her brief appearance at the beach was about? The two of us are getting what we want in the end."

"Then things are to move forward still?" Shinobu was lost in the vague conversation that the other two were having. She was getting the distinct feeling, that whatever they were talking about, was going to somehow impact the dorm in some fashion.

"Once he gets back, I imagine we'll get confirmation rather quickly. We had a rather lengthy discussion about it before heading to bed."

Shinobu started to blush as things came together in her mind. Being that she was only 12, it was a rather juvenile depiction, compared to the actual events that transpired down the lengthy stairs. Nevertheless, Shinobu knew enough from listening to Kitsune, that the verbiage and appearance of Haruka, meant that she had spent the night with a boy.

She imagined that the two had started off holding hands for several minutes, trading glances before they felt comfortable enough to take things a step further, at which point they would hug and embrace each other.

When even that didn't seem to be enough, they would slowly close the distance between them and….and….kiss!

It was almost too much for her young mindset to handle.

"This is serious Haruka." Granny said, in a more serious tone than Shinobu could ever recall hearing.

"On that, we agree. I admit I had an important part to play in what went down that night. But I will not apologize for the asinine way they reacted. Nor will I apologize for getting in the way of a plan you put in place that almost no one knew about. Make no mistake Granny, if this had been with anyone else, i'd have taken him for myself."

Granny Hina recollected on all of the events briefly. In all honesty, she could not fault her granddaughter. The way that the Aoyama family had treated Tsuruko was beyond ridiculous.

Granted, a good portion of her insight only came much later, but it wasn't as if the girls were looking to run away together. By the time the event had occured, Haruka had already established something resembling a relationship with Keitaro, but even she had written it off as Haruka being affectionate with her favorite relative.

There had been no indication of the true scope of things at the time. Haruka had been clever enough, and skilled enough to hide it. The incident had been a curiosity for the swordswoman in training, and outlet for Haruka.

"May I ask, where my wayward-" Granny tried to ask, only to be cut off.

"My place washing up."

Haruka had finished her cup of tea, and motioned for Granny Hina to accompany her. The landlady turned to Shinobu, giving her an apologetic smile.

"I am not sure that I will be back in time for your wonderful breakfast my dear. Please don't bother yourself fixing a portion for me."

END!

chapter 9 will be jumpy in prep for chapter 10, which will be the move to Hinata.