That Monday, Nejire was uncomfortable. The teacher moved her from Yuyu and towards Bibimi. She noticed an empty desk next to her though. She was confused as to why it was there.

"Who used to sit there?" Nejire whispered to a girl named Tiffany. Tiffany looked at Nejire and blinked.

"He sat next to you all year. Tamaki? He just vanished out of thin air I guess. People think he went to a mental hospital or something." She leaned back in her chair. "Or he went missing. Ya know, since all those people have been going missing? Wouldn't be surprised. He seemed like a night owl."

Nejire paused.

Tamaki sat next to her? For real?

That couldn't be right.

✨✨✨

"So basically, this kid I've been friendly with, sat next to me! And no one, not even me, noticed he was gone!" Nejire groaned, falling into Ryuko's bed. "Oh yeah! Apparently he's your brother's nephew?"

"What?"

"Yeah! Tatami talked about him! Said they were cousins. You know, you don't have kids yet, so I put two and two together. Oh yeah, speaking of kids, where's Shinya's sister? Didn't she move in?" Nejire asked, noticing she didn't come down or anything.

"Hm? I don't really know. She and Shinya come home at the same time. Maybe they work together, haha." Ryuko giggled. "Speaking of Shinya, you two worked together last week. How was it?"

"Fun! A lot of interesting cases. And the people were... interesting." Nejire hummed and laid her head on Ryuko's lap.

"Ok, well, that's cool! But I know it's only been a day, but did you two talk? Like at all?" Ryuko asked, biting her thumb nail.

"No, not really? Why?"

"Oh, well... I wanted to know if Shinya ever really thought about... proposing to me. It's a dumb question, never mind, never mind." Ryuko shook her hands and head in unison. "I shouldn't have asked, sorry."

"Ooh, you wanna get married?"

"Yeah. Just feels like we've been together so long, and we've been taking farther steps in our relationship-" Ryuko was cut off.

"Uh, is this a weird way to say you two slept together, I don't wanna hear about that."

"N-no!" Ryuko was bright red with embarrassment. "I mean, we've just been spending a lot more time together, we've been together for three years? Is that the usual amount of time before people get married?"

Nejire shrugged, "I wouldn't know, my parents aren't married."

Mochi and Malachi were not legally married. Just said they were husband and wife. Malachi was a legal guardian as well, just not married to her mother. Why? They forgot to get the papers to be honest. Plus weddings were expensive.

"I know but, is that a normal timeline? Some people have dated for ten years or more and aren't married! I know I am ready and would ask him to marry me, but I don't wanna force him to marry me or anything!" Ryuko pouted.

"That seems normal. Yuyu's parents were friends and never dated. Just got married after three months of being friends. I guess it just has to be long enough to feel right?" Nejire shrugged, laying back on the other end of the couch. "So, does it feel right?"

"I mean, yeah. I really love him. He shows me love and affection whenever he can. I really think we're both ready, but I don't know what goes on in his mind? Maybe he doesn't mean what he says."

"Hey! No bad thinking! He adores you. If you wanna marry him, you ask him! You don't need to wait for him! Buy a ring for him." Nejire was determined to help. "If you want, I can ask for you? Like, ask "do you wanna get married?" Or something."

"No! No! Just wait for him to bring it up. Or slip hints! Don't make it obvious."

"Ha, fine." Nejire huffed. "Ok but... have you two, ya know?" Nejire wiggled her eyebrows. Ryuko laughed at Nejire and blushed bright red. "You did!"

"We're dating! It's not unnatural!"

"I know! I'm just messing with you!" Nejire laughed and changed the channel. "Go have as much safe fun as you want!"

"Stop! You're being mean!" Ryuko laughed as she whined about Nejire's teasing. "But yeah, going back to our previous conversation! I guess I'll ask Taishiro about his nephew?"

"Oh you don't know him?" Nejire asked. "Tamaki? Black hair? Black eyes?"

"Weird name for a family with the last name Smith." Ryuko scrunched her face up, purely confused. "Met all those motherfuckers at the wedding. He's a senior right?"

"Yeah, but he looked older."

"Ah. Ok, I guess I'll meet him. Especially if he's living with Taishiro."

✨✨✨✨

"Hey Ryuko, both of us are home. Are you good?" Shinya asked walking in as Nejire prepared to leave. "Oh, hey Nejire."

"Hiya! Just about to head home, when do I come into work?"

"Tomorrow should be good. Is that a good day? Wait, no, you have ballet. So Wednesday after school?"

"Perfect!" Nejire grinned. "I have to get going, but I'll see you tomorrow, and you Wednesday." Nejire left their home and bolted out of their house to make it to a bus.

"She works for you?" Reiko asked, looking at her brother, who was taking down the braid he put his hair in. "That's a shock."

"I'm aware, but she's considerate, and good at her job so far." Shinya laughed. "I'm gonna go shower and then we can head out to dinner?" Shinya raised his eyebrows, waiting for a disagreement. More like Reiko saying she had homework. "No objections?"

"Nope!" Both women said, going back to what they were doing.

"Ok then. See you in five minutes." Shinya said, stripping his jacket and turtleneck and throwing them to the floor next to the washing machines.

"Hey Reiko? Wanna sit with me?"

"No? Not really." Reiko rolled her eyes, heading to her room.

"Oh, well that's a shame. It was just a question I had. Please?" Ryuko begged like a child. "I'll get on my hands and knees?" She offered up. Reiko gave in and walked up to the couch to sit next to Ryuko.

"What?"

"So, I was curious. Where do you go after school? Do you have a secret boy- partner?" Ryuko corrected herself. She didn't know what Reiko liked. "Do you work with Shinya?"

"I do. I work with him."

"He has Nejire as an assistant? What is your job? I'm allowed to hear, don't worry." Ryuko whispered, her pearly white teeth showing as she looked at Reiko.

"Uh... I'm a witch."

"Oh, like fantasy witchcraft, or a different type?"

"Fantasy is one way to put it." Reiko leaned back, looking at her phone. "I wanna go change out of this uniform. Can I go?"

"One last question! Then, you're free. And it's kinda weird, so tell me if it's crossing the line!" Ryuko laughed. Reiko looked up at her and noticed the cute, gleeful look in Ryuko's eyes were gone, and replaced with a dull stare, still a large smile on her face. But her eyes changed. "Why are you not, ya know... being hunted or anything?"

"I-I dont know? I'm gonna go now." Reiko walked away, a weird smile plastered to her face. Ryuko kinda felt bad, but what could she really do?

✨✨✨✨

Reiko and Ryuko have the most awkward relationship and i love it.

Nejire playing matchmaker for a couple whos already been together for three years because one is shy and doesn't wanna be rude and the other, I dunno, but it's gonna be funny.

Tiffany is such a pretty name lmao.

IHASCUPQUAKE- THATS WHO I WAS THINKING OF WHEN I CHOSE TIFFANY AS A NAME.

Ryuko wanna get married lmao

I'm sorry, but the funniest thing is the in-law family having the last name Smith and having a "nephew" or something named Tamaki-