Kioshi was more than happy to return to the kitchen and breathed in. It would be silly to think he could go get some sleep now, but maybe it left him with enough time for a quick shower and a cup of that strong dark stuff that westerners called breakfast tea. It was more like oil to him, thick and black and tasted horrible. But it seemed to help him stay clear headed and awake.
He gave a small nod to himself, though it to some degree was a stupid move to leave food and dishes in the kitchen to go do something for himself.
But he shook the thoughts away as he moved towards the room that was his, pulling out the hair-band and letting the black hair with the red shimmer fall over his shoulders.

Left to his own devices, Michio looked around the large dining room, taking in the atmosphere and style of it as he munched away on his breakfast. It seemed a little different, maybe an updated coat of paint and some changed around knick knacks. But even this room felt familiar to the university graduate.

As he was putting a bite of fish in his mouth, he closed his eyes and let his ears have their turn next. Quiet.. no traffic sounds, honking horns, people talking down the halls or past the windows. But it wasn't silent. A bird chirped, some cicadas sang their happy trills to the morning, and the leaves shook as breezes blew through them outside the window. Outside, the sounds was probably a hundred times better. That thought alone led Michio to deciding what he'd be doing next after breakfast. Exploring.

When he'd finished every last bite and drop of his tea, he stood up and stretched his long arms over his head, stretching out the kinks in his shoulders a little from all the luggage. "Gochisosama!" This thanks for the meal was said with a little smile down at the fox figurine. Then Michio did what he did every day after breakfast, and no it wasn't walking off to do something else. He started picking up his dishes, realizing that Kioshi had taken off with the tray. It was easier to stack them now that they were empty. The only things he left behind were the tea set.

Already knowing where the kitchen was, Michio made his way inside and looked around expectantly, then chuckled at his own eagerness. He'd hoped Kioshi would have been in the kitchen, but of course the man had said he had things to do. Well, if he was so busy that he couldn't get to the rest of the breakfast dishes, Michio didn't mind a slightly delay. Humming to himself, he took his dishes over to the sink, then started collecting the other dirty dishes.

It didn't take him long to have the sink stoppered and filled with warm soapy water. Still humming a happy little tune, he started washing the dishes one by one, rinsing and setting them to dry in the dish rack. He didn't realize Kioshi's next task had been a shower, but luckily for the servant man, the house was equipped with a top of the line water heater. Kioshi wouldn't even realize the dishes were done until he came back to the kitchen.

Kioshi was almost a master by now in quick showers, which was not all that easy with long thick hair like his, but he had much practice. Not just to keep awake, but to rinse of other people.
It had made him feel a bit more refreshed, though he knew that his nap later would more then likely have to be a bit longer than normal.
The pale hands had tied up the long damp hair, when around others, it was rarely lose. Not that he had really given the whole thing much thought.
A tiny glance in the mirror after having draped himself in a black yukata with a light blue swirly pattern and a silvery obi. Well that would have to be good enough.
It was a rarity, that some people in the house had never seen, to catch the man in western clothes.
It had been one of the things he had more or less gotten to decide for himself.
Even though the colour of those he wore didn't always get a good reaction and yet he still wore them, a tiny bit others were not to decide.
The thought of cleaning the kitchen and having to go find that sily kid and make sure he wasn't in need of something, was not something Kioshi looked forward to when he slipped on his in door tatami zori slippers.
He had no idea that he'd find both things in the kitchen and not at all in the state he had thought.
So when he opened the door to the room, the silvery eyes showed for a second real surprise.

Michio was still humming a song to himself as he was finishing up scrubbing the last pan. He rinsed it off then put it carefully on the pile in the dry rack. He reached into the sink to pull the stopper, then was turning as he dried his hands on the small towel. Heb linked out from beneath his long bang fringe as he found he had an audience, and he wasn't sure when that had started. He also noticed right away the change in yukata.

"You changed clothes."

He just blurted out the obvious, but he didn't look all that embarrassed by it. Instead he smiled softly, noticing secondly that Kioshi's hair was still damp.

"That was an awfully quick wash, didn't you sit in the soaking tub?"

Honey brown eyes glanced around the western styled kitchen. And it dawned on Michio for the first time that the bathrooms might be exactly the same in this place. Since he'd entered Hanai manor he had been all smiled, but in this moment the very first worry line creased his face as his brows furrowed together. Enjoying a good long soak after a vigorous scrub was part of his writing ritual.

"There IS a normal bathroom in here, not all western bathrooms... right?"

"Well Hanai-san, putting on the same clothes after would make the whole thing rather pointless" He bowed his head and shook his head "I do not have time for such luxuries and of course some of the bathrooms here are Nihon styled. Some are not as in the past many people not from here came to visit and stay, both friends and business people" He straightened up and looked around the kitchen with a soundless sigh "I am not sure why you are doing house work, but it really is not needed. You are here to focus on your work as far as I have heard. So leave such things to me and the other staff of the place" Kioshi made a hand gesture towards the door with another small bow.
Wondering if he should be more aware of this kid then he had first thought.
What was he up to?

The minor stress line eased itself off of Michio's face at the reassurance that a Japanese style bathroom was inside the home. And his features melded easily back into that content smile. He ran a long fingered hang through his shaggy bangs, pushing them back away from his eyes, what fluttered back hit the edges of his glasses and allowed him to see for now.

"I am not here to make your job or anyone elses position unnecessary. You said you were busy, so I thought I'd help out. You're less busy now, right?"

Michio's lips split open into a wider smile as he started walking towards Kioshi and the door. He assumed that the other man was worried about losing his job if he became unneeded, the simplest explanation in the moment. But he wasn't apologetic for making the other worry. He'd wanted to dishes, so he'd done them.
He stopped in front of Kio, not too close, a normal distance for two people to normally stand. Everything about Michio's posture stated that he was at ease standing alone in a room with this man in a yukata.

"I won't keep you since you're so busy. I plan to do a quick walk about of the property, get my bearings once more. In case you need to find me. Oh, and if you see Obaasan before me, can you let her know i'm here? Domo."

With a little nod, Michio headed out of the kitchen, slipping his hands into his pockets as he went.

Kioshi looked at the door after the author had left.
His jaw set and he clenched his hands, what was this one up to?
He was not going to play some stupid game.
He was not going to be some spoiled kids pawn!
Though if She demanded it, there was not much he could do.
The servant breathed in deeply, well there was no point in trying to get some sleep, he had to be ready for what ever next move this one made.
First and for-most, he was going to get that kitsune figurine. Kioshi hated how she kept taunting him with things like that, but it had been long and.. Wait.. That kid had not been here in ages and suddenly the Kitsune stuff came out again.
Was that brat going to be the next one?
Is that what this whole game was about?

Unlike Kioshi's mind which was currently swirling in a turmoil of thoughts, Michio's mind was currently as clear and unguarded as the blue sky he found himself walking out under once he found the back door. He glanced up towards the cerulean blanket that covered the world, only seeing two stray white cotton puffs of cloud marring it's otherwise perfect glow.

The fiction author smiled up, relaxed by the beautiful day and the calm quiet that really only came in the countryside. He closed his eyes again and listened. The sounds of the cicadas singing among the trees was probably the best sound.

Opening his eyes again, he looked around the landscaped garden just behind the house. His ancestors had really outdone themselves, cultivating this place. Idly, he wondered how much of it had been this way for decades, and how much had his grandmother changed?

He walked towards the long koi pond and squatted down beside it, peering into it's clear depths at the gray pebble laid bottom that allowed the white and orange wish to pop out against the beautiful sunlight out.

"And what are your names? Hmm.... one of you was named.. Yaro-tan.. I remember, with a big black dot on his back.. Yaro-taaaaan."

He chuckled as he looked around, then stood back up, walking along the waters edge towards the red curved bridge that went across the middle to a pretty little island with a cultivated bonsai at it's center.

The slender hand closed around the Kitsune figurine and he lifted it in to eye height. In the old days they were revered and worshiped. Not silly toys and trinkets for people, that had no real idea what they were dealing with.
With a sigh he curled the hand around it.
Part of him wanted to crush it, but he never did that. And that was why that his collection of kitunes in his room was rather large. But who even knew, it was not like others ever entered and that suited him fine.
He already knew where this one would stand. So with a toss of the head he made his way back through the hallway to his own quarters.

The pond was big, so he could easily be missing him. But Michio was beginning to wonder if Yaro-tan's time on this world had already passed. It had been so long since he'd come to this house...

He turned the honey brown eyes away from the pond's clear surface and looked back up towards the sky as a breeze blew past and ruffled his hair. He couldn't exactly remember why he had stop coming here. Hadn't he used to live here for times during full summers? It was hard to remember.. it wasn't like anything had happened with Obaasan and his parents. Or had there? It was a puzzle. Maybe one he could ask Obaasan about later.

For now he tucked his hands into his back pockets and moved along, looking over the beautiful landscape of the backyard. All the way until he came up to the back edge of it that turned into a more wooded spot. Did their land go partially into the woods? Did the wall extend behind it somewhere? Michio blinked and stepped towards the trees, then hesitated before stepping back. He didn't want to go too far when his Grandmother would be back at some point. But it was nice over here on the perimeter, finally some shade from the sun.

He'd been walking around for a bit, so Michio decided to sit down with his back against a tree. He wove his hands up behind his head, slid down slightly, and let his eyes close for a moment.

Kioshi put the small figurine down next to the clock on his nightstand and breathed in deeply.
The light eyes drifting to his bed, how nice it would just to slip between the cool sheets.
A small shake of the head and forced himself to leave the small place.
He had his normal job to do and had to make sure there was lunch for the kid out there “I forgot to ask what he would want” The slender shoulders dropped, the guy had moved outside hadn't he?
“And I bet as always that damn dog is out there too” So the servant couldn't go out and ask himself.
Which meant he had to ask the maid to go ask. It was not that he disliked the other staff members. But he knew the way they looked at him. The weird forever young man that the old woman had a special thing going with.
But well he was also a beautiful young man that kept to himself and never really showed feelings or what might be on his mind.
As he moved to the library where the woman was dusting he almost let himself get jealous of her being able to go out there and feel the grass against her feet. But he did not blame her for anything.


The young man didn't really like this type of people, they squealed too much and were too interested in things that were not real. But well among these he did not have to hide as much as normally. Like his ears. In the middle of the short silvery hair with the long pink bangs a pair of kitty ears showed, red with silvery tips. Among these Otakus it wasn't looked at as weird. Though he was asked where he had gotten such advanced ones, but that was easily brushed off.
The sharp green eyes looked around, if he saw one more of those bloody books he'd go nuts, these people didn't know what evil bastards the Hanai family really were!
Wit a scowl on his face Uiro glared at another person holding one of those disgusting books to their chest.

Michio was still resting against the tree when he first heard the soft rustling of the grass and the quick padding of feet, far too quickly for a person to be walking normally, but it didn’t sound right for a person at the same time.

Opening his honey colored eyes, he peered across the garden at an akita dog that was gaily trotting towards him, his curly tail and ears both erect with interest. Michio smiled at the dog and pulled one hand down from behind his head to stretch an open palm out, letting the dog come over to it and give it a thorough sniffing to check him out.

“Hey there buddy. What’s your name?”

The warm and gentle voice mixed with Michio’s laid back atmosphere quickly let the dog know that he was no threat. It trotted up to Michio’s side and sat on it’s haunches beside him, where Michio could reach up and scratch behind one of the boys ears while he moved slightly to get out his other hand and check the shiny tag hanging from the thick red leather collar. He chuckled as he saw the name, it was just like his Obaasan. She’d always given pets odd and often food related names. But he still thought it cute.

“Kiwi eh? Well nice to meet you Kiwi.”

He was enjoying giving Kiwi a thorough ear scratching when he saw an actual person crossing the garden towards him. Michio gave Kiwi one final pat then stood up want went to greet this new person, giving the maid one of his nonchalant smiles that made her blush and stutter as she asked about his lunch order.

Upon her return to the house, Kioshi would find out from her that Michio’s exact words were, “I’ll eat anything. Whatever is around the kitchen.”

-----

Chiaki Noboru smirked as he crossed his arms over his dark green apron that designated him as an employee while inside the bookstore. He only worked their part time a few days a week for some spending cash, doing mostly menial things like loading and unloading books. But today he was rather proud of himself. He’d gotten to help set up the new Hanai book display that people from town were now fawning over. He was puffing out his chest as if he’d designed it himself, instead of just putting things where he was told.

Underneath the smork, Noboru was wearing a cosplay outfit of the main hero from the book. A swarthy detective that dressed in dark suits always matched with comedy relief ties and a pink fedora. The pink fedora had gone over huge in the marketing display, it had become an iconic image that made the books all the more popular.

As he scanned the open area where everyone seemed to be enjoying the books, one face suddenly stood out to him. Another guy in cosplay, but he was scowling. Wait.. what the heck was that about? Did that guy have some problem with -his- display?

Noboru’s metaphoric feathers started to get ruffled, but then he sucked in a breath and pasted on a smile that every employee was supposed to wear before he marched over.

“Excuse me sir, you look confused, can I help you find something?”

The young silver eyed male felt a twitch by one eye as the maid explained to him, what the young master wanted.
This kid really was playing a game with him, wasn’t he? Kioshi gave the made a thank you and a small bow before he turned to return to the kitchen.
Part of him wished to make the other know just how stupid a request that was. But making a weird meal with random things would cause him a lot more trouble than anything and that.. Woman.. might be back for lunch.
When he reached the kitchen, he closed the eyes for a moment. When he reopened them it was as if they almost shimmered, he brushed a stray lock away from his face. This day was going to be long, so he had to calm down and let things go.
Maybe in do time the kid would turn out not to be as much like the rest of his family as he seemed.. Even though it was rather hard to believe at this point.



Uiro lifted a brow when someone stopped right in front of him and asked him something. “I look confused? Aren’t you the one that is confused since you are the one asking questions” the light haired male asked and lifted a brow at the other “Though, I do have to admit there is something that I do not get. That be why people buy books by that guy.He is an bastard!” The feline ears twitched on his head. Fangirls squeals always made his ears hurt. He also wondered why the other guy was wearing such a stupid outfit, but really that did not matter.

While Kioshi was in the middle of preparing lunch and Michio was still outside checking out the grounds, the front door of the mansion pulled open and was held by Chamber, the personal driver. An old woman somewhere in her early eighties walked into the front foyer and smirked as she looked down and saw a tell-tale set of large unusual shoes that Michio had taken off when first getting there. So he was still into such habits even in a western style house. How cute. She’d find it even cuter when she found out he was wandering around outside barefoot with his socks tucked in his back pockets.

Just a slip of a thing, the old woman was short and slim but she had taken great care of herself so that there was no stoop to the way she stood. Despite her age, her skin was youthful enough that people swore she was still in her late sixties, a compliment she greatly adored. Even after all these years, she had kept her light grayed hair long and smooth, and now had it tied up in a bun with a decorative golden comb tucked into it’s side.

Instead of the usual next door grammy, she had a formidable presence that could easily command a room, and she strode through the house on small air light steps. She found one of the people she was looking for, in the kitchen preparing their meal. It made her smile that playful smile of hers before she announced her presence.

“Kiki-kun, have you been a good boy and looking after my Grandson?”

-----

A vein popped on Noboru’s light brow as the other turned his words around on to him. He wanted to snap at the other that it was a damn employees job to ask if other’s needed help, but he forced a tense smile onto his face instead.

“People buy those books because they happen to be a -bestseller- because they are interesting and build up a really great story with just enough twists and turns. They are full of romance and intrigue but also action and mystery! They are the perfect books! Why don’t you buy one and see for yourself. I can show you where the first book is.”

Noboru was grinning through his clentched teeth up at the ‘customer’, but suddenly frowned as he realized exactly what the other had said.

“Wait.. the author, not the books? Do you.. do you know Hanai Michio??!?”

When he cooked, he could often drift away, it was a weird thing. Like some artist say, being in an almost different world for a bit. But when the door opened, it was shattered.
With a short glance of the silvery eyes he set his jaw before he bowed to the elder woman.
“I have Hanai-sama, I trust it you had a nice trip to town” He let out and straightened up.
Kioshi turned towards the table again to return to his work “There is some time still before lunch will be ready” he stated. He could almost feel her eyes as if they could look through to his soul.


“I do not want some stinking book of him and send that rich bastard more money.. Yeah, I know him and that is why I know that no one should actually read an buy anything that comes from that family” Uiro stated and crossed his arms “But it is easy to hear that you are just one of those.. idiots” the large ears laid down on top of the silvery hair.

“Nice as always. So if you are looking after him.. where is he?”

The edge of her smile curled up into a bit more of a smirk as she came further into the kitchen, and there was a slight warning edge to her voice. She let her eyes slide down the new outfit that her Kioshi was wearing. He was always so beautiful no matter which outfit he chose. But the silver obi was one of her favorites? Had he chosen it today to try and quell her mood? How double cute. But if he wasn’t doing his job properly, he would still need to be punished.

A Keiko punishment wasn’t a violent one, but it was always humiliating. One of her favorites was making him wear an old dog collar with a special tag that said “I’m a naughty boy”.

Kioshi would never get to answer the question though, as it turned out. For a shadow fell over the window that the kitchen sink faced, and then the tall figure that the shadow belonged to knocked on the glass. Michio smiled that goofy smile of his as he looked on inside at the two, with the window closed not having heard anything said or inflections of things unsaid.

“Mimi-tan!” Keiko rushed to the window as fast as an old lady who grew up with manners would go, chirping out a little command as she did. “Kiki-kun open the window for me.”

----

“I-idiot!?” Noboru snapped for a second before he remembered himself and reigned it back in. His one eyebrow was twitching now with that popped vein as he smiled through gritted teeth.

“If you didn’t come in for the new book, what DID you come into the store looking for? I can help you find it.”

And then get your ass out of here. Although that last part was said only in the thoughts in his head.

“As you wish Hanai-sama” That kid, wasn’t he actually an adult?
He sure did not act like it. The silvery eyes glanced at the woman, but did she really act as an adult?
With a small breath he pushed away the thoughts. Kioshi moved over and the pale fingers opened the window as asked, the gush of fresh air made him shiver for a second down the back of his neck before he moved so the two family members could talk or what it was that they wished to do.

“Why are you singling me out, there are a lot of others here that actually don’t seem to buy thing but just looking and poking at things” Ouri let out and let out a small snort at the other male, it made a few hairs of the pink bangs move. He really wasn’t even sure why he had gone or staid here, but now he was just being stubborn, because the other clearly wanted to decide what it was he did.