A/N: This is a continuation of Cups of Tea by Catsafari, written with her permission.

"Haru, I know you weren't looking forward to that date. But I didn't expect this. What happened?" Hiromi asks, kneeling by the sofa and rubbing her flatmate's back.

Haru's voice is muddled by sobs and the throw cushion she's buried her face in.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

Haru lifts her head; her eyes are puffy and her face is mottled. "Machida is a jerk. He seemed nice enough, and we actually had a lot in common! Then, at the end of it, he says, 'It's been fun, but my girlfriend's probably sick of my family setting me up on dates; I gotta go.' As stupid as it is, it really hurt my feelings. Two hours of talking about common interests and actually getting along, for nothing!"

Hiromi's expression darkens. "Didn't they think to ask if he was seeing someone!?"

"My aunt was apparently in on his family trying to get him to dump his girlfriend over some small slight. Mum went ballistic on her! No more family reunions for me now!" She buries her head back in the throw cushion.

[New Chat Open. Hiromi H., Ronaldo M. (Muta), Toto S., Baron G.]
Hiromi: Guys. I'm gonna need backup here.
Muta: ?
Toto: Backup for what, exactly?
Baron: Wasn't today Haru's date with that neighbor son of her aunt's?
Hiromi: Yes, and it was a disaster - like... Here.
Hiromi: [1 video attached]
Hiromi: This is how she's been since she got back to our flat. HELP.
Muta: Stupid question alert, has she been crying like that the entire time?
Hiromi: YES. That's why I'm texting you lot! I haven't seen her this upset in ages!
Toto: What happened?
Hiromi: I'll let her tell you that herself when we're all together later. Our flat's a no-go, Haru needs out of here so she doesn't isolate herself. Toto, Muta, what about your flat?
Toto: Absolutely —
Muta: Not. Toilet's being redone, remember?
Baron: Just use mine, it's the biggest between all of us and the only one not impacted by remodels. I'll have a new tea blend ready.
Hiromi: You're a life-saver, Baron. Thanks so much.
Toto: Muta and I will run to the market for some things she likes.
Muta: And dinner on me. Let us know what you all want.
Hiromi: [a long line of heart emojis]
Hiromi: Thanks, guys.

"Wanna go round to Baron's?" Hiromi tries after locking her phone. "I have it on good authority he's making a new tea blend."

"That would be lovely," Haru rubs her eyes and exhales. "Sorry for being whingy over a guy I didn't even know. I really thought - "

"Do not apologize for having feelings. We'll help you feel better soon."

"I'm just gonna take a quick shower and change into something cozy. Shouldn't take but about thirty minutes for me to be ready."

Baron hears a familiar rapping on his door as he's finishing his special blend of tea. "It's open!"

The girls enter, promptly collapsing on his sofa. Hiromi lays her head on Haru's shoulder for a moment, making gentle shushing noises. "I'm so sorry," she says. "I wish I could do more."

"H-Hiromi. You got us a night in, and Muta is buying dinner. I mean, i-it was his turn anyway, b-but still," her breath shudders as she speaks. "I couldn't ask for anything better."

Baron walks over with a cup of tea and silently offers it to Haru.

"Thanks," she gives him a watery smile. "Care to join us? I know I'm a blubbering mess, but - "

He obliges and hugs her instantly. "That's all right. We haven't had a good cry-fest in a while; we're a bit overdue, I think."

The girls laugh at that.

About forty-five minutes later, Toto and Muta practically fall into Baron's living room. "It's a lot of stuff, can we get some help?"

Together, the five friends sort and put away all the food and drinks.

"Hey, most of this is stuff I like," Haru notices. She gives Hiromi the side-eye. "What did you say?"

Hiromi puts her hands up. "I told them your date was a disaster and that I needed backup to help you feel better. Everything else was on them."

"Aw, thanks guys."

Toto breaks the ice. "What happened?"

"Okay, so, my aunt had me text this guy - Machida - " she says his name as if it's bile, "For a few days. We agreed to meet at Crossroads, at that little cafe with the yellow awning. In text, and for almost the entirety of our date, he seemed really nice. We got on really well, had a lot of common interests; that sinking feeling in my gut never really went away though." Haru rubs a hand over her face, frustrated. "I'm so sick of always being right about this..."

"Do you need a breather?" Hiromi asks gently.

"Yeah. I'll be back in a few minutes," she walks into Baron's guest bathroom.

Muta runs a hand through his hair, sighing. "Worse than the other ones, huh?

Hiromi grabs a spare pillow and punches it. "Just wait, you don't even know the half of it. Her mother is furious about the whole thing. I'll let Haru tell you the rest though."

Toto and Baron whistle. "Her mother?"

"Oh yeah," Haru laughs, startling her friends. "I don't think I've ever seen her that mad at anyone in the family... Anyway, so Machida and I really got on, and I thought it was going great! Then he says, 'It's been fun, but my girlfriend's probably sick of my family setting me up on dates, I gotta go.'"

"WHAT?" Muta yells. "Did your aunt know he was seeing someone!?"

Haru nods, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes in an attempt to keep what little composure she has left. "Yeah. My aunt was in on his family trying to break it off with his girlfriend; apparently the girlfriend committed a small slight against them and they've hated her since."

Baron moves to the kitchen to pour Haru another cup of tea, staying silent. He does everything loudly though, clueing the others in on the fact that he's much angrier than he's verbally letting on. He gives her a fresh cup of tea, but before she takes it, she puts one hand over his. His hands are so tense, he could break this cup and saucer.

"Baron, are you all right?"

"I am hurt on your behalf, Haru. No woman - especially not one as kind-hearted and lovely as you - deserves to be treated like that. Absolutely unacceptable, and shame on your aunt for roping you into such a scheme."

Haru blushes at the compliment, smiling. "Thank you. Now that that's off my chest, let's eat!"

After a couple hours of eating and joking around, Toto, Muta, and Hiromi all decide to leave - temporarily - at the same time. "There are a couple movies I want to grab from our flat," she says when Haru raises an eyebrow. "Shouldn't be too long."

Muta rolls his shoulders. "We're gonna go get the Wii. We have Smash Brothers, Mario Kart, and a couple other games."

"We will be back soon, send a text if you need or want anything," Toto says, closing the door behind him.

Haru sighs. "Sorry to be a downer today, Baron. My instinct about this sort of thing is - frustratingly - almost never wrong, but I didn't think it would be that bad."

"Your family does have a pretty abysmal record with matchmaking, but I think this one takes the cake." Baron bites his bottom lip for a second, then stands up and messes with his entertainment system. After a few minutes, soft music plays through his television. "Haru, would you... Care to dance?"

She guffaws. "You're - you're having me on, right? You of all people know exactly how lousy my dancing is!"

"Just trust me."

Something about the light in his eyes and determined expression makes Haru concede. "Don't blame me if you get injured - I gave you fair warning," she takes his hand. He waltzes her around the flat, easily dodging her feet when they don't land quite where they're supposed to. He spins her out, pulls her in. About three minutes in, she's laughing. "I think we have a world record for no injuries on the dance floor!"

Cracking Baron's entry door open quietly, Hiromi and Toto take pictures on their mobiles. It's only when Muta quietly clears his throat that the trio knocks on the door. "We're back!"

Haru jumps about five feet back and trips. "Halloween's OVER, you guys! Jeez!"

Baron's ears are an interesting shade of red, but he scrambles for his dignity by coughing. "What game shall we play first?"

"MARIO KART!"

3:35 a.m.

Baron's eyes shoot open, and he grabs the hand reaching blindly over the edge of his bed. "Haru?" he murmurs, concerned.

"I had a bad dream," she giggles in low tones. "Sorry. Just kind of reached out on instinct."

"Not a problem." He takes a breath for courage. If they weren't alone - or if he wasn't so exhausted - he probably wouldn't have the nerve to ask her this. "Would you like to holds hands while we sleep?"

She squeezes his hand hard. "Only if you want to."

To make their hand-holding easier, Baron props himself up with a couple extra pillows. "Tonight really was a lot of fun, wasn't it?"

"It was, Baron. Thanks."

"My pleasure, Haru."

I wonder if he'd hold hands with me while we're with the others... is the last thought she has before drifting off to sleep.