𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕥 || 𝕂𝕪𝕠 𝕊𝕠𝕙𝕞𝕒

One Step at a Time

Skipping downstairs and to the kitchen, Tohru and Hiyori grinned with their matching cream and caramel-colored scarves around their necks. When they found Kyo taking the milk from the fridge, Hiyori bounced on her feet. She spread her arms with a beaming smile. "Kyo, lookit!"

Opening the milk carton, he turned. "Hm?"

"What do you think of these new scarves we bought?" Tohru chirped. "We just had to get matching ones! They even have pom-poms~!"

Kyo walked over to hold one of Hiyori's caramel pom-poms for a closer look. "You're gonna hit someone with those things when you turn around."

Her blue eyes gleamed mischievously. Tohru and Hiyori shared a quick glance. Then, simultaneously, they turned with enough force to swing their scarves. The pom-poms bounced harmlessly off his chest, but that didn't stop Hiyori from grinning at him like a child.

"Like that?"

Kyo sighed. "Like that." 

The girls giggled. Shigure watched from over at the table with Yuki. "So, anyway, let's talk New Year's. Tohru, Hiyori tells me that you have plans with a friend of yours?"

"Yes!" Tohru brightened. "Daichi invited us to watch the sunrise with him!"

"Really?"

Nodding as they left the classroom together, Tohru beamed. "Yup! He asked me when I ran into him earlier!"

"...I see." Smiling to herself, Hiyori tilted her head. "That sounds really fun!"

"Right? That's what I said, too -- "

She grinned. "But you'll have to count me out."

Tohru blinked. "Huh?"

Pretending to yawn, Hiyori stretched her arms. "I've still been having trouble sleeping lately, so I don't even think I'll last 'til sunrise..."

"Oh, I see. Then I guess I'll just tell him we can't join him -- "

"Don't you dare!" Raising one finger, Hiyori eyed her seriously. "My sleeping habits are no reason for you to say no! If you don't tell him you're going, then I'll tell him myself!"

Tohru sweatdropped. "But...what about you?"

She winked. "I'll figure something out."

"...But..." Her cousin's uncertainty lingered.

Hiyori giggled. "I mean it, okay? I promise this isn't like last year. Besides, you do want to watch the sunrise with Daichi, right?"

She couldn't possibly miss it; Tohru flushed just slightly. "W-Well...It does sound fun, but..."

Spinning around, she cut off Tohru's path by standing in front of her. "Then there you go! This time, under no circumstances will I let you change your plans just for me! Even if it means I have to lock you out of the house!"

"...Um..." Tohru sweatdropped again. "Please don't..."

Hiyori grinned. "But it'll just be Tohru going."

"Ah..." Shigure raised one hand to his chin. "Just Tohru and Daichi, eh?"

"Mm-hm!"

"My goodness. That sounds an awful lot like a date."

Tohru blinked. Then she froze. Then she flushed. "W-W-What?! No -- i-it's not a date, I swear! I'm sure he only wanted us to spend the day together as friends!"