I Think I Love You

[AriesChan]

Key sipped softly at her mug full of hot cocoa as she looked out the window. Snow was falling outside and it had succeeded in creating a light, white cover over the ground. Key turned from the window and walked over to the couch. She was the first one to get to the home and while she was here her parents left out in order to get some extra food and stuff for everyone, it took her awhile to figure out who 'everyone' was but then she remembered her older brother had a wedding she wasn't able to go to a while ago, either they had a baby already or one was on the way((there are no kids btw.)) She gave a sigh...it's been forever since she's seen her family.

After a minute of sitting and finishing off her cocoa she walked to the kitchen, her mom had a few things put together but most was a work in progress. She smiled as she put on an apron and grabbed some utensils, she would start by finishing up the cookies and then move on to whatever wasn't missing ingrediants.

((so after key, hiroku and his wife arrives and then a while later the twin and key's friend/his girlfriend shows ^^))

[Naluc]

Hiroku pulled up in the driveway, shutting the door behind him and heading over to the passenger side, where he opened the door and helped his wife out of the pitch black (though covered in white snow) vehicle.

He hooked his arm around hers politely, and pushed his glasses up his pale, yet reddening face. He shivered slightly and started to crunch his way up to the door.

it's been a long time.. he mused as he pressed the doorbell lightly, while he waited outside for a response. He glanced back occassionally at his wife and gave her a warm smile, but it was hard to, seeing as it was so frigid outside.

[AriesChan]

Key blinked for a minute as the door bell rung. She thought it was her parents and left the kitchen to go put on her jacket.

"I'm coming!" She hollered as she went to open the door. She gasped slightly as she found her half brother and his high school sweetheart.

'So this is who he married...not going to the wedding wasn't such a bad idea after all.' She forced on a smile as she moved out the way for them

[Naluc]

"It's good to see you again." he said with a slight shiver, as he and his wife stepped inside the house to warm up.

"It really has been quite a long time, hasn't it? You look so much different than from when I last saw you." he shook his head and gave her a short smile.

Hiroku took a brief moment to remove his and his wife's coats, and place them on the hangers near the door.

"None of the others are here yet?"

[AriesChan]

Key shook her head as she hung up their coats.

"Mom and dad headed to the store to get some more food. Who else is coming?" She smiled softly before helping them move their luggage to the room they would be staying in. It was the second master bed room...she had forgotten how big the house was.

"Well it doesn't look like you two are expecting. Pity, i was hoping to be an aunt soon." She forced another smile as she glance at Hiroku. He was just as handsome as she had remembered, she placed a hand over her chest, it felt like something was tugging at her heart.

"I'll be in the kitchen." Before the others could respond she ran out the room and downstairs. When she reached the kitchen she sighed. That was foolish, running like that.

[Totenglaut]

She was nervous. She hadn't met Hiroku's family. Well some of them. But still, she was new. An outsider really, especially considering her bright blond locks and blue eyes that all but proclaimed she wasn't Japanese.

Mellanthe had remained pretty silent up until now. She smiled. "Don't leave on my account. I've heard some about you. It's too bad you couldn't make it to the wedding" She didn't seem to notice it might be rude to keep talking.

But apparently once she got started she couldn't stop.

[AriesChan]

Key smiled politely and shook her head.

"Oh no! It's not because of you at all, i have some food on downstairs and I'm sure you two want to get settled in quickly." She bowed slightly before starting her way back downstairs.

[Stilted]

Haruko Kurokawa was a mechanic. However, this didn’t exactly explain how she had come into possession of what she personally called the “Harumobile”. On the ouside it didn’t look very special: the convertible’s frame was boxy, very 90s, and was airbrushed with designs that looked like an art student’s orgasm. However, inside beat the engine of a street racer and a plethora of gadgets for passengers. There were rumors about how she was able to afford the sound system alone; the most prominent was that she won it in a demolition derby.

To someone watching Haruko drive to Geitenshi residence, that rumor would seem highly probable. Today’s victims of the Harumobile were two mailboxes, a raccoon and a hobo. Granted the later was fine now, but that’s beside the point. Possibly, the reason her driving was so reckless was one: she been weened of the bottle months ago, thanks to Makato, and two: was barely even an adult.

However, under her barely comprehensible singing to even less comprehensible was nervousness. Things had changed in Key’s absence: Haruko, for example now had a job, a criminal record and…Makoto. “It’s going to be a strange day.” She thought.
Eventually, they arrived. The car stopped only a foot away from a tree trunk. She put on a leather jacket, a gift from Makato and -in a flash- grabbed two items from the glove box: a carton of sweet, candylike cigs and a senien manga.

As she stalked to the door through the slush, she turned her to her partner for a second and asked him a question with a slightly awkward look on her face. “You think a carton will be enough for me and Key?”

[Merry]

He smiled at her, his heart doing that usual fluttering it did whenever she directed her full attention to him. Feeling as it always did, that it was just going to burst apart from sheer happiness. Completely unable to hide the pure amazement from his features as he remembered again that she was talking to him. Him! Trying to figure out again, how he could be so lucky. She was incredible. His mind drifting back to the memory fondly when they met, again. He was walking home in the pouring rain, not really paying much attention. Sudden screams jolting him back to this existence and the odd scene in front of him.

He could see his neighbor and someone were almost nose to nose, and for good reason. Seems poor Mrs Matsuzaka flower bed had a new addition. A brightly colored, exhaust smoking, loud, wreck. It had more dents than he could count, at first glance it appeared spotted with rust. But upon coming closer he realized it was someone’s attempt to paint the car. Breaking into a light jog, hoping to diffuse the situation before Mrs Matsuzaka’s screams could reach full pitch. “hey, what’s going on here” directing his comments to his neighbor, then quietly ushering her back into her house out of the rain, with promises of helping her replant the garden. Tugging on the sleeve of the slender figure under the hood of the car. His shock at seeing her again after so long. Remembering her as a young girl, hanging out with his sister, and sleep over’s and movies and then the realization that she was a beautiful young woman. He asked her out on the pretense of catching up, and they had been inseparable ever since. Many hours spent watching her work on her car and happier than he had been in a long time.

Reaching his fingers out to lightly caress her face, brushing the hair away from her eyes, “She will love it, and she will love seeing you again. Come on” he grabbed her hand and pulled her to up the steps toward the door. Calling out as he opened the door “We’re here!”

[Stilted]

Feeling her partner’s hands, Haruko could feel a headache coming on. Sorta knew the events leading up to the moment, but the rhyme and reason eluded her. The hood was rusted shut and the parts were foreign. She began giggle like school girl nonetheless, and just went along with him.

Then again, she didn’t exactly get his answer. She was thinking of the worse, not like her, or least not like the current her. It was that time of the month- and maybe a full moon as well, but she’d never let that kind of stuff get to her before. “Makato knows I’m stressed”, the woman thought. “Maybe I just need some saki.”

Haruko put her things in jacket pocket as she inhaled deeply. Then she let it out loud, but monotone. “Hello. Hello. Hello.” The fact that there were three people in the house was just a coincidence, especially since her friend was nowhere in sight. Instantly, after her introduction, her fist was firmly placed against chin. Another puzzled, awkward look was its companion.

Things were hazy- there was something important that Haruko needed to remember around those two. She knew exactly who the man and foreign women where: Hiroku and his recent wife, Mellanthe. There something about a promise. She had too many buddies to remember who's weddings she went to. If asked, Haruko wouldn’t deny not being as sharp as tack as it appeared she’d become back in her school days.

Silently, she tried to council herself. “Hold of your questions about Western imports to Mellanthe, and just wait for that…thing to pop up. Makato’s here, all’s good.”

[AriesChan]

A grin appeared on Key's face as she exited the kitchen and headed to the living room as she heard her brother's voice.

'We're here? Don't tell me he got married too?' She gasped slightly as she noticed the girl he was holding hands with. No way...it couldn't be..

"Haruko!" Key shouted excitedly as she rushed over to hug her old friend, momentarily forgetting about her twin brother.

"No way! You two can't possibly..wow." Her smiled grew when the fact her brother and best friend were dating. She knew her brother had always had a crush on her and she was beyond happy it worked out for them. However, her smile slowly vanished as she felt a familiar pang in her heart...guess she's the only one left...