I stared at myself in the mirror. Akari had picked out a green dress to match my hair.

"Worried?" Suzuki said as she put on some heels.

I nodded. "A little."

She smiled slightly and stood up. "Don't be. Our main purpose is to get the boys to relax a little."

"That's right!" I scratched my head and sighed. "We should've thought of activities..."

"Eita will probably think of something. He wants the same thing for his brother."

"True, he did tell Eiichi to rest."

Suzuki shrugged. "Only he didn't do a good job by going along with him."

I snickered. "I think that if he didn't, his cousin would've filled that spot."

She sighed. "Yeah, Borasco was alternating with them."

Whoever went to eat, Bora replaced. And then when the other person went to eat, the one who had returned fought Borasco. Likewise when they left for showers. Often it was Eita fighting Borasco as Eiichi had to do his Grand Duke stuff. Eiko offered to help him, but he didn't want to slack off early on the job.

"You girls ready?" Akari asked as she entered the room with a camera.

The two of us nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Suzuki said, lifting her dress slightly.

Akari shook her head. "Suzu, try it with a little more poise, like this," she said, raising her skirt with only two fingers from each hand. "Slowly and delicately. Lifting it like you were will make poor Eita think that you're mad."

Suzuki smiled slightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Given her short temper, she would surely make use of it.

"Hey, Akari, have you seen Suzu and Sabi? My brother and I were wonder why they went," a voice asked. Akari stepped out of the way to reveal Eita. He was adjusting his red tie. The next in line of Raiyama had wore a white suit and black pants for his date.

"S-Suzuki," Eita said, blushing as he stared at her dress.

"Hey," Suzuki said, averting her gaze.

Akari giggled as she walked over to me. "I can see what Suzuki meant earlier."

"The dog thing?" I asked.

"Dog thing?" Eita said, tilting his head.

I cupped my mouth. Why did I say that out loud?

Suzuki sighed and grabbed him by the upper arm, turning him around. "Let's get going, lover boy."

He coughed. "O-okay."

I smiled. Eita was as bad as Hide with Koukyuu. Seemed Eiichi had to give both of them lessons. Then again, maybe that was a bad idea given how flirtatious he could be. Cute Hideo and Eita were better. Though, maybe Suzuki would prefer it. Didn't get to find out her taste in men nor in stuff.

Sorry, Eita. I couldn't be of much help in the prelude.

"Bye, enjoy your date," Akari said, smiling as she waved at us.

"Thanks again," I said, waving at her as I left.

"Any time."

I smiled. She was a good girl. Hopefully she could get over her fears one day and build a stable relationship.

Following after Eita and Suzuki, I looked around the hallway for Eiichi.

"Where's your brother?" Suzuki asked what I had been thinking.

"Eiichi's still getting ready." He grinned. "Think he's nervous."

A scoffed echoed from door the hall. "Do you think I'm like you? I had to deal with some last minute stuff," Eiichi said as he turned the corner. He had on a blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a white coat with golden buttons.

"Why are you the only one dressed casual here?" Suzuki asked.

He snickered. "You three are inexperienced I see. Did you think that going to a date would be like going to a ball?"

"It's not?" Eita asked.

"No. I would only dress like that if we were going some fancy dance or to see an opera."

Suzuki sighed. "Guess that we wasted our time."

I nodded.

"It's fine. You look pretty," Eita said, smiling.

She averted her gaze. "T-thanks."

I smiled. What a shy girl.

"Well, that he isn't wrong about," Eiichi said, walking over to me. He smiled slightly. "Applies to both of you."

My cheeks heated up. "You really think so?"

"Well, I did dress them up," a voice called out. We turned and saw Akari walking out of her room. She looked like a proud parent.

"I did think that the dresses weren't their usual style," Eiichi said, grinning.

"Well, thanks," Suzuki mumbled.

"Eii means well, I think," Eita said.

He could've left out that last part.

"Let's get going," Eiichi said, reaching out for my hand. He stopped and looked forward, pulling his hand away.

I reached out and took his hand into mine.

"Take care of them you two or I'll beat you up! And don't think that I can't just because I'm pregnant! I'm a lot stronger than you think!" Akari yelled as we walked away.

"We can fend for ourselves, thank you very much!" Suzuki yelled back.

"If you say so, but it doesn't hurt to have back up!"

I giggled.

"Where should we go?" Eita asked.

"You didn't plan things ahead of time?" Suzuki asked.

He smiled. Eita took out a piece of paper from his coat pocket. Undoing fold after fold, we stared at him in amazement.

"You overdid it, little bro," Eiichi said.

"Yeah. I thought of a lot of stuff. Tried narrowing it down, but I still have a lot of stuff."

Suzuki's left eye twitched. "There was more?"

"No, this list includes the scratched off ones," he said, showing us the list. "But that's why I want you to give suggestions. Will make things easier."

I looked at the list. "Oh, a movie sounds interesting."

Eiichi slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "If that's what you want to do, fine. Though, the question becomes which movie."

Suzuki sighed. "This why we get for being hasty. Or in Eita's case overthinking stuff."

"I do have some movie options. We can watch Shimmering Key."

"Isn't that based on a novel?" Suzuki asked.

"Surprised you know that much. Didn't think you rebels had time for books," Eiichi said with a slight smile.

Suzuki narrowed her eyes at him. "Dad got books for us. Though, Reno preferred reading the graphic novels he brought us as well as the manga. Emon was inspired to be a priest from a religious book he brought us one time. Originally Reno got it but found it boring, so he gave it over to our baby brother. Though, he had been one with nature even as a toddler."

"Is Kasai no Ki worship animalistic?" I asked.

"No. We believe that the Earth Mother communicates through people via the natural world. When we Kasai no Ki die, we are buried alongside a tree. That way we return to the natural world. Sometimes, some produce angel tools, such as my uncle."

"Mom and your uncle buried my dad's remaining ashes under a tree," Eita said.

"Since it's ash, the chance an angel tool would arise is thin. But that's the general idea."

Interesting. But wouldn't those who become angel tools remain stuck until someone unearths them? Why did some move on while others lingered? Was it the Earth Mother's will?

"Anyway, I think that something more action packed would be better. Unless you want to see a family adventure film like that one," Eiichi said.

"Family adventure?" I asked.

"Yeah, Shimmering Key is about a family traveling to collect stones from multiple parts of the world to crown its true ruler."

"No wonder Emon likes that novel," Suzuki mumbled.

"I want to see it!" I said, waving my hand.

Eiichi snickered. "Are you five?"

My cheeks reddened as I lowered my hand. "No..."

He laughed. "Your excitement reminded of my little sister. If this wasn't a date, I probably would invite them to watch the movie too."

"True. The kids could use a distraction."

"Want to invite them? I don't mind," Suzuki said.

I clapped my hands. "That's a good idea."

Eita sighed. Seemed he was the only one who considered this a real date rather than a friendly outing.

"Alright! I'll go fetch the rugrats!" Eita yelled, rushing off.

"Was that a good idea?" Suzuki asked.

"Don't worry about him. Eita's been rejected multiple times." Eiichi snickered. "He probably would've had a girlfriend by now if he hadn't been so dedicated to basketball. He can be like a horse with blinders."

She furrowed her brow. "He likes it that much?"

"I think it's stronger than a 'like'."

Suzuki put a hand on her hip and stared down as Eita picked up Eiya and ran back up stairs. "I see. So he isn't just a girl crazy guy."

"Nope. Basketball is his primary love. Though, I think he's realized it's not everything in life."

"I brought back Eiya and the others!" Eita said.

"Movie?" Eiya said, tilting his head.

"Dresses for a movie?" Ei-ei asked, raising an eyebrow at us.

Suzuki sighed and turned around. "I'm going to go get changed."

"Why?" Eita exclaimed like a child whose toy had been taken.

She sighed. "I guess I'll keep it on a bit longer."

Eita smiled. "I-I mean, you don't have to do it for me."

"Oh, alright. I'll change."

"Wait, don't!"

"Don't try to be a tsundere, Eita," Eisuke said.

"Yeah, only Eis can be!" Eilena said, giggling.

Eisuke put his fist against her head and smiled. "What was that, rugrat?"

"Eis is a meanie!" Eilena cried.

"Eisuke!" Eika said, frowning at her little brother.

Eisuke patted Eilena's head. "I wasn't even pressing down that hard."

"Still!" Eilena said, kicking him in the leg before running off. "Last one to the movie theather is a rotten egg!"

"Hey! Come back here!"

"Eilena, don't run too far ahead!" Eita yelled.

"Uh, maybe this was a bad idea after all," Eiichi mumbled.

"Movie! Movie!" Eiya yelled in his arms.

Eita hugged him. "Yup, movie time."

I smiled. "Well, at least he's happy."

Eiichi smirked at the sight of the giggling Eiya. "Yeah."

Suddenly, the image of a pink-haired girl and a purple-haired boy popped into my head. The girl clung to a bear while the boy doodled away. I sat down beside the two.

"What's that?" old me asked.

"A picture!" the boy said, smiling as he looked up at us. It had the three of us, a couple others and a blue-haired who looked like Eri. Standing next to the boy was a blond haired woman resembling Anestarte.

The girl and the boy, they were Saya and her brother. But, why did I have these memories? Was I indeed a clone? Or was there something else going on?

"Are you alright?" Eichii asked, glancing at me.

I forced a smile. "Yeah. I'll be fine. Let's go watch that movie," I said, dragging him away.

***

"Movie great!" Eiya exclaimed as we walked out of the movie theater.

"Yeah!" Eilena said.

"Meh, it was alright. Something more actiony would've been a lot better," Eisuke said.

"I heard it was getting a sequel," Emika said, smiling.

"Neat!" Eilena said.

"Alright, let's head back home, kids!" Eika said. She smiled at Eita. "Enjoy the rest of your date, champ. Eisuke, Emika, I will watch over the rugrats." Eita winced as she hit him in the chest.

Suzuki narrowed her eyes at him. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed him by the arm once Eika and the kids were gone. "Come with me."

"W-where are we going?"

"I need you to unbotton your shirt."

Eita looked like he was about to meltdown from how red his face turned. "H-how daring. I-I'm not sure if I'm ready for-"

"Not that, you idiot!" she snapped. "It's that wound!"

Eiichi frowned and stared at his hands. Was it from when he had sent Eita flying earlier?

"Ohh! I'm fine," Eita said. "See." He patted his chest and coughed.

"Idiot," Suzuki said, shaking her head at him. "You two go on ahead. We're going to go do our own thing."

Eita beamed.

Eiichi snickered. "Alright. See you!" He turned around and pulled me behind him.

"What now?" I asked as soon as we were outside.

He stared at his phone.

"Something the matter?"

"Waiting for a text."

I let go of his hand. "From who?"

He gave me the same flirtatious smirk he had when I first woke up. "Don't tell me you're jealous?"

I scoffed. "Well, you are 'Mr. Experienced'."

Eiichi laughed. "True. But don't worry, it's not another girl. Nor is it a guy. Well, not in the romantic sense. I'm waiting for Eika and Eisuke to text me. Snuck one in while Suzu was scolding my bro."

I smiled. "Worried about them?"

He turned his head away. "Maybe."

I chuckled. "Hey, I thought that Eisuke was the only tsundere in the family. Or did Hideo's attitude rub off on you?"

He laughed. "Maybe it has." His hand wrapped around mine. "How about we go on a stroll around the park while we think of what else to do, hmm?"

I smiled. "Sure! I'm up for one!"

He snickered. "Such an energetic girl."

I bumped into his arm playfully. "You're not too low energy yourself, Mr. flirt."

Eiichi grabbed the back of my head and stared into my eyes for awhile. His eyes and lips split my attention.

He kissed came closer and kissed me on top of her head. "Aww, you're so cute."

"W-what was that?" I snapped.

I moved away and smirked as he raised an index finger to his lips. "What? Thought that I was going to kiss your lips? Thought you said that we were only friends. But if you would like me to, I can oblige."

My eyes narrowed. "Let's just go."

He held out his hand and smiled. Smiling back, I took it into mine again. A kiss would've been nice, but being together with like this was great too. Sometimes, the simple moments were the best.

**Solar Note: Given how long this turned out, I had to cut the chapter (there's another 1.1K+ words and I had more to go) as to not overwhelm you all. Hoped that you enjoyed it. Thoughts? Predictions? Theories?**