Instead of the five that you'd expected to eat with, only two people join you for dinner. Before you can question this, Asahi explains. Itsuki-- not to your surprise-- refuses to take his meals with his brothers. So despite the irritation you could see on Kyouya's face when Asahi mentions this, Kyouya has been bringing Itsuki's meals to his room since this rebellion of his began. Itsuki had dropped this habit for a short time after your arrival, but it would seem that your memory loss has changed his opinion on the matter once again.

As for Kouta and Kyouya, the latter insists that it's only proper manners for servants to eat after their masters have, so they will be eating elsewhere after you've finished.

As a result, you find yourself sitting on one side of the rather large table, Asahi on the end closest to you, and Touma-- much to his annoyance-- on the opposite side thanks to Asahi's intervention.

"I want to sit by Hi-chan," Touma complains.

"I'm sure you do," Asahi replies.

He takes a sip of his wine, not bothering to add anything else. You stifle a laugh at the indignant pout Touma is wearing. He waits a moment, then another, for Asahi to explain himself before giving yet another, frustrated noise.

"Aniki," he presses, drawing the title out.

Asahi sighs. "Do you hate sitting next to me, Touma?"

A panicked expression overtakes Touma's face and he shakes his head. Asahi offers him a questioning lift of his brow.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Why can't I sit next to you and Hi-chan?"

"Because I want to sit next to both of you," Asahi replies. "I love being stuck between my cute little brother and our charming Himari."

Heat touches your cheeks and Touma seems to think this over before calming down.

"I see," he says, his normal, bubbly tone returning. "But if Suki comes later, I'm moving over there!"

Asahi shrugs, obviously seeing no problem with that. At that same moment Kyouya steps in with your meal. He settles a bowl of miso soup in front of you, along with a bowl of rice and a plate with several pieces of fish. It smells delicious, but you're surprised at how... ordinary it is.

"I requested something simple," Asahi explains. Honestly, does he read minds or something? "I thought it would be best given that you're still recovering. Something heavy might make you sick."

Most of dinner passes like this. The boys make light conversation, talking about everything from the fact that Touma is an English major-- something he cares little for-- to Asahi comparing himself to a cactus flower.

"But his favorite flower is a white lily!" Touma declares.

You make a mental note to look up the meaning of both, later, as Touma adds on that Asahi had white lilies planted in the garden for your birthday one year.

After dinner Asahi informs you he needs to work on some things for the hospital and he orders Touma to study his English. From the look of the conversation, it appears to be a daily argument because Touma only protests for a few seconds before falling into a sullen silence. As a result, you end up being escorted back to your room by Kyouya, Asahi requesting that you stay there for the rest of the evening.

"I would hate for something to happen and you to pass out while no-one is around," he explains. "You appear to be fine, but there is no knowing."

You pass the rest of the evening picking through the books on your shelves-- many of them appear to be romance and adventure novels, the rest music theory-- before retiring to your bed. You aren't sure how long you roll around, but eventually you sit up. It would appear your morning nap is keeping you from sleeping. Yet, reading doesn't appeal to you.

So, despite Asahi's request, you slip into the hallway and tiptoe through the halls until you find the sitting room. It lays far enough from any of the boys bedrooms that you're certain you can play without worrying about disturbing any of them. Still, it isn't the instrument that draws you, but the chance to flip through all of the piano music settled on the shelves. If you could remember how to play, then perhaps the music was a door to the rest of your lost memories.

When you first step into the music room you realize that what had been a plain room by day was a beautiful room by moonlight. The moon hung at just the right height so that as you neared your easel you could see clearly where it sat above the woods. The garden had an eerie, almost haunting feeling to it with how the moonlight reflected off the white petals of lilies, roses, and the like. Just as you were debating between opening the glass door and stepping back over to the bookshelf, you caught sight of movement in the garden.

Stifling a cry of surprise, you put both your hands over your mouth. The moment you've calmed your obviously thin nerves-- you hadn't realized how easily scared you were until that moment-- you take a closer look at where you'd spotted the movement. Within a seconds you find what, no, who startled you.

Itsuki is walking through the garden with practiced ease. He comes to a stop within seconds of you recognizing him and deposits something on the ground that's hidden by the flower bushes that reach up to his mid-chest when he's standing.. You soon realize what it must be as he sets about pulling piece after piece from where he dropped it-- Itsuki is setting up a telescope like the one you'd seen in his room. When he's finished he pauses and glances towards the ground, talking to something unseen, before shifting so he can press his eye to the scope. It isn't until his fingers are moving across the different knobs and gears to adjust his view that you find yourself opening the door into the gardens so you can approach him.

Itsuki is the sole person in the house that seems to actually dislike you. Sure, Kyouya had implied he did, but that wasn't the same as Itsuki who avoided you. It made you curious about him.

Plus, you still hadn't apologized for almost seeing him naked.

As you make your way through the garden, you being to realize that Itsuki is still talking to himself.

"I prefer the Japanese titles to the western ones. Asahi bought a book last week that showed drawings of what they think the stars look like. Ours make a lot more sense, don't you think?"

You pause mid-step upon hearing a distinct meow in response to Itsuki's words.

"Exactly. A fish hook makes a lot more sense than a scorpion." Another meow-- Itsuki sighs. "It's that one right there. Aren't your eyes supposed to be better than mine?"

Something about the idea of Itsuki coming out in the middle of the night to look at stars with and talking about them with a cat almost pitches you over with laughter. It takes everything you have to keep swallow it back and continue picking your way around the flowers. Another meow comes as you do, followed by a curse on Itsuki's as he jerks back from the telescope.

"It's not my fault you're old! Don't do that! I won't bring you out with me anymore if you keep it up, Yuuki."

You're close enough now to see past the bushes. Sitting at Itsuki's feet is a massive, pure-white cat. It's tail consists of a sort stub. It flicks an ear, glancing back at you as you draw closer and you can just barely make out the fact that its eyes are a pale green. You stand only a few feet behind them, now, and the cat doesn't seem bothered in the least. In fact, it pointedly turns its head back to Itsuki and lets out another, loud meow.

"Fine, fine, I won't leave you behind," he grumbles, having already returned his eyes to the telescope's lens. "As long as you're not a grouch, that is."

The cat stands and stretches, both of its paws landing on the tips of Itsuki's bare feet. He curses once again.

"Okay, okay! I won't leave you behind at all!"

A small flick of it's bobbed tail and the cat settles down once again. A snort escapes your lips at how hilarious the situation-- rebellious Itsuki being controlled by a cat-- and Itsuki jerks up. You take a step back as he turns around, eyes landing on where you stand.

"I..." You begin, taking yet another step back and pausing as your leg touches a bush.

Much to your surprise, instead of yelling at you Itsuki lets out a small sigh and rolls his eyes skyward. "You never change, do you?"

As you just stare at him, he turns his gaze back to you. After a moment of you not answering and being frozen in place he lets grumbles something that sounds like, "idiot," and turns back around. Unsure of what to make of this change of events, you hesitate for a second longer before approaching him.

"Itsuki-san...?"

"That sounds so strange," he grumbles.

"Itsuki," you try again. "Is that what I used to call you?"

He makes a noise you imagine to be affirming your words and returns his eyes to the telescope lens. You worry your lip before deciding to try again. Itsuki isn't yelling at you to leave, so now seems like as good a time as any to get to know him a bit better.

"You called the cat... Yuki, right?" you ask.

Itsuki tenses. "Yuu-ki."

"Sorry," you murmur.

Bending down, you offer the cat your hand palm first. Yuuki stares at you for a moment before giving a flick of its tail and turning away yet again.

"... I don't think Yuuki likes me."

"She hates you," Itsuki retorts.

"...oh."

There's a few moments of silence before Itsuki gives an irritated sigh and turns away from his telescope. He crosses both of his arms over his chest.

"Yuuki doesn't like anyone but me," he explains. "She's a great judge of character."

More like she takes after her owner, you think.

"You don't like me?" you say instead.

Itsuki snorts. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

You hesitate for a few moments. During this your fingers fall to your sides, playing with the bottom of the nightgown you'd changed into earlier that evening.

"Touma and Asahi said we were friends."

"My brothers are fucking morons."

You wince. Itsuki locks his jaw. Rather certain that requesting he not use such vulgar language won't help your conversation, you try changing gears once again.

"I heard you talking... you like the stars, Itsuki?"

For a long moment he looks like he might snap at you again, but then he just rolls his eyes and turns back to the telescope once more.

"What do you think?"

"I think it's cool you all have something you're into," you say.

He scoffs, but doesn't respond. After continuing to worry your lip for a moment longer you look up to the stars. This conversation is going nowhere, but some part of you urges you not to give up. So, once again, you search for something that will get Itsuki to talk.

"Oh, I think... that's the one you were talking about before, right?" you say, lifting a finger to point to a constellation you just barely recognize. "The Fishhook?"

Itsuki stays silent. You almost turn away, about to deem this a useless task, but he eventually glances back to see where you're pointing. When he realizes you have the right one, he stands fully and turns to face you. His expression is impossible to read, but his eyes take you in top to bottom for the first time since you met.

"You... remember it?" he asks.

"Yes," you reply as you drop your hand, offering a smile. "It takes me a few moments, but I can recall things like this."

He hesitates. "Facts, then?"

You nod.

"... not how you learned them?"

You shake your head. His lips turn downwards and he starts to turn away again. Desperate not to be ignored once more, you step forward to catch his arm. He pauses, but doesn't look back.

"Did you teach me them, Itsuki?" you ask.

If possible, he goes even stiffer beneath your touch. You wait, but he doesn't reply, not does he move.

"You did, didn't you?" Still nothing. "Earlier... you said I haven't changed. Did we use to stargaze together?"

At that, Itsuki pulls his arm away. You let him, sinking your teeth into your lip. He must have caught the sight out of the corner of his eye because his expression switches into a full scowl as he turns, slipping a finger beneath your chin.

"Don't do that. You'll leave a scar."

You stumble backwards, heat filling your cheeks. At your response, Itsuki's face turns a touch red and he instantly turns back around.

"Idiot," he grumbles.

You're silent for a moment, unsure of what to make of this exchange. Then, you step forward-- ignoring how Yuuki complains and swipes at your foot-- so you can peer in the direction Itsuki has his telescope turned. He isn't looking in it, but you've finally learned what will get him talking, so you figure it's worth a shot.

"What does the book call that one?"

Itsuki is silent for a moment, then replies, "Centaurus."

You point again.

"Libra."

This continues for awhile. Itsuki eventually relaxes, although not completely, and continues to answer your questions about the western names for constellations you already know. Yuuki never warms up to you and by the time that Itsuki packs up his telescope, saying that it's time to go inside, Yuuki has managed to scratch you four times, one of the marks actually drawing blood. You are beginning to wonder how many of those marks on your legs are actually from this cat.

Itsuki looks far too amused by the matter, something that he hides the moment he realizes you've spotted him smiling. Much to your disappointment, the moment he's done packing his telescope away into a suitcase, he turns a rather hard expression your way, saying he's going back to you his room and you are not to follow him.

"And don't tell Asahi or Touma you were out here," he adds. "Don't tell them I talked to you or anything. Don't even mention you know about Yuuki."

"Why?" you ask.

"Just don't," he snaps.

And with that, after he instructs you to go back inside and watches until you've walked back into the drawing room and locked the door, Itsuki leaves.

You find yourself glad that you couldn't fall asleep earlier.

A/N: Tada! Itsuki's bonding chapter~ It was rather fun to write! What do you think about our little tsuntsun now? 

Also, this means we've hit 15,000 words! Awesome, right? 

As a sidenote, I did lots of research for the star parts, but I'm not really good at constellations, so I might be off about what they'd be able to see. I'll try and figure out more later, haha.