#iriabi

[shimmeringclouds]

♔ | 𝐕𝐈

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You woke with a start, heart pounding. You quickly sat up, hands clutching your covers with a white-knuckled grip. You were breathing too quickly, too heavily, leaving you lightheaded. Scrambling out of your bedsheets, you rushed over to the bathroom, fumbling with the tap and splashing cold water onto your face. Your head throbbed harshly, but you didn't stop until your felt your face cooling down.

With a deep sigh, you hesitantly glanced up at your reflection. Your hair was a mess, sticking uncomfortably to your face, your skin didn't look right to you at all, your eyes looked weighted and dull, rimmed red from the sudden awakening — all in all, you looked just as terrible as you felt.

A part of you wanted to remember what exactly startled you awake, but another side of you decided it was probably best not to remember. If it scared you this badly, would you really want to have it in your thoughts for the rest of the day?

Instead, you began washing up, taking your time so that you could recollect your thoughts before showing your face to your hosts. You brushed through your hair, making sure it wasn't all in your face, grabbing a hair tie and placing it around your wrist just in case. Wandering back into your room, you looked around for your phone, checking the time.

[Tuesday - 10:36]

You wondered if anyone would be awake yet.

'Guess there's only one way to find out.'

You went to open your door, sliding it open—

"AAAH?!" You jumped away in fear, arms raised in fornt of your body. You blinked, then relaxed. It appeared that Dayoko was also planning on opening your door at the same time as you.

"I-I'm so sorry, Dayoko! Did I scare you?" You fussed over her, resting a hand on her shoulder with a concerned frown.

"Dayon...!" She sighed heavily with relief.

'I should be asking you that!'

Seeing she was fine, you moved away, taking in her outfit for the day. Her kimono was a warm yellow, reminding you of the sunflowers you had seen in the fields on your train ride yesterday. White lines of thread wrapped around the fabric, twisting and swirling elegantly. In her hair was a yellow primrose, vibrant with its petals unfurled.

"I love the flower in your hair," you smiled, watching as Dayoko smiled bashfully.

"Dayon, dayon 'yon!"

'Thank you! I can show you how to put it in your hair too after breakfast!'

She took hold of your hand once more, leading you happily down to the main room. You made sure to take note of where you were going this time, not wanting to get lost again anytime soon. Speaking of which...

"Dayoko? Where did you go last night?" she looked back at you with a confused look before her eyes widened in realisation. She halted in her tracks, whipping around to face you with a worried look in her eyes.

"Dayon! Dayon, dayon!" her arms were waving around as she explained herself, saying she was waiting for you but then Chorosuke needed her for something so she had to go and then she lost track of time and then when she realised what time it was she rushed back to the washroom but you weren't there and—

"Dayoko! Wait, slow down!" you paused her rambling, an amused but gentle smile on your face. "It's okay, I understand that you got busy. You don't have to apologise," you reassured her. She didn't look entirely pleased with herself, but she nodded slowly, sending one last apologetic look your way before heading down the hallway again.

"Dayon..."

'I'm just glad you managed to make your way back.'

"Well..." you rubbed the back of your head sheepishly, "I did get a little lost at first, but I got help, so it's fine!"

"Dayon? Dayon?"

'Help? From who?'

You hesitated. "From Ozo..."

Her face fell flat. Of course that idiot was still hanging around when he said he was heading off. She should have known he was going to try something, but you didn't appear to be hurt (or traumatised) by something he did, so Dayoko left it at that.

Entering the main room again, you smiled brightly at the sight of Chorosuke, who was already sipping away at his tea, seated comfortably on the wooden walkway in front of the garden. He perked up when he heard your greeting, turning with small nod of his head.

"Good morning, you two. Please, help yourself to some breakfast." He gestured to the table, various foods spread over the top in a neat arrangement. You eyed the table setting with awe, mouth salivating at the delicious scent of food. You quickly sat down, saying your thanks before digging in, keeping an eye on how quickly you were eating so as not to appear gluttonous.

Dayoko joined you, but Chorosuke stayed where he was.

"Are you not gonna eat, Chorosuke?" You asked after swallowing a rather large mouthful of omelet. He shook his head, lowering his cup from his mouth.

"I woke up quite early today for work, so I'm afraid I already ate. Perhaps next time I shall join you," he gave you an apologetic smile, to which you nodded in understanding.

The atmosphere was calm and relaxing, a simple summer morning rolling by as the clock ticked on. Chorosuke placed his cup down on a coaster beside him, folding his hands together onto his lap.

"What will you be doing today, [Y/N]?" He asked, breaking the silence. "The weather is perfect for some sightseeing today. Do you have anywhere in mind that you'd like to visit?"

Yo tilted your head in thought, taking a sip of your own drink. "Hmm... That's a good question, but to be honest, I don't really know any places around here," you admitted shyly. "I'd love to see some more of the scenery in Akashika, though. It's very beautiful here."

"Indeed," Chorosuke agreed. He sat in thought for a moment before lighting up. "How about you visit Iriabi? There's a cafe there that my brother runs. It's quite lovely — even though I hate to admit it — and the scenery along the way will surely satisfy you."

You mulled over his suggestion, the name Iriabi ringing a bell. Ozo had talked about it last night too, didn't he? Well, if they were both suggesting it, then it really can't be that bad.

"Sure! That sounds like a great idea!" You beamed. Chorosuke returned the smile, picking himself up off the ground.

"I'm glad that's settled!" He straightened out his kimono, which you noticed wasn't as plain as yesterday, having light decorations of sewn on white flowers scattered across the clothing. "Well, I must be going back to work. I'm sure Dayoko can help you should you need anything," he glanced fondly at his younger sister before bowing. "Take care, [Y/N]."

With that, he left the room, leaving you girls alone. Dayoko turned to you with an excited glint in her eyes, bouncing in her seat.

'I can help you get ready!' She offered, standing up and ushering you out of the room. You were glad that you managed to finish your breakfast, else you were sure she wouldn't have waited for you be done.

"B-But, the dishes—!" You started, only to be cut off.

'They'll get picked up, don't worry!'

She led you down a series of hallways that you were sure you hadn't been down before; although, every hallway looked almost exactly the same as each other. You whizzed past a few more doors before coming to an abrupt halt, and you just managed to catch yourself before you fell straight into Dayoko.

The door slid open to reveal a bedroom, coloured in a girly pink from head to toe. The furniture was a blush pink, the carpet was a rose gold, the flowers strewn about the room were a shocking hue... You felt like you had walked into Barbie's bedroom.

Dayoko pushed you over to the lavish vanity, which had a multitude of perfumes, cosmetics and accessories daintily organised across the surface. She seated you down on the plump stool, moving away to gather a few things as you made yourself comfortable.

She returned with a hairbrush in hand, and a large box. She placed it down, opening it to reveal bunches of fake flowers, like the ones she had placed in her hair. You admired each one before Dayoko tapped your shoulder, catching your eyes in the mirror in front of you.

"Dayon!!"

'Time for a makeover!'

You giggled at her excitement, a similar feeling welling up inside of you. In that moment, she felt like a little sister to you, too. It was cute and endearing. You grinned back at her saying with a hint of a laugh:

"Make me as pretty as you, Dayoko!"

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[shimmeringclouds]

♔ | 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

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The taxi came to a slow and steady halt, the rumble of its engine dying down as the keys were removed.

"Here we go.." Ozo muttered to himself, removing his seatbelt. He quickly left the car, leaving you to start opening your own door until he opened it himself, extending a hand down to you with a grin.

"Allow me," his chivalrous act didn't fail to make you smile again. You slipped your hand into his, realising just how small yours were compared to his larger palms. He wrapped his fingers around yours firmly, tugging you up and out of your seat. You stumbled slightly as you stood, but Ozo was quick to wrap his other arm around your waist, pulling you against his broad chest so you wouldn't fall. Your eyes met, wide and flustered. There was a tense silence between you both for a split second before you nervously laughed, being the first to pull away.

"Uhm.. thank you.." you looked down at your shoes.

"It's nothing.." he rubbed the back of his neck, turning away and heading towards a nearby building. "The cafe's just over here."

You nodded silently, following along behind him, hands latching onto the strap of your bag. You walked up to an average sized building, the front of which was simply lined with small bushes and a set of chairs and tables for outside seating. Above the opened doorway was a wooden sign, white letters written across it spelling:

'Cafe New York'

"Has your brother been to New York before?" You asked as you walked through the door behind Ozo.

"Nope," he grinned. "The cafe's just named after Iriabi. It's a play on words." He looked back at your confused face before laughing. "Hey, you're a smart girl! You'll figure it out, easy!"

"You have too much confidence in me.." you shook your head with a smile. Stepping into the cafe, you were hit instantly with the smell of sweet coffee and sugared pastries. Your eyes were immediately drawn to the vast display case by the till, lined with cakes, cookies and other delicious delights that made your mouth water.

Ozo walked over to the front, leaning against it as he peered about the empty cafe.

"Oi! Takashi! Where are you?" He called. "Your favourite big brother's here to visit you!" You giggled as he looked back at you with a joking smile. You heard a muffled voice call from somewhere in the back, past a closed door.

"Wait a minute!" There was a set of footsteps approaching the door before it swung open, revealing a man similar looking to Ozo and his brothers, busy frowning down at something on his phone. His hair was shorter than Ozo's, though it was mostly covered by the black fedora he wore. He wore a pink V-neck T-shirt, a beige apron on top, with a brown beaded necklace on his neck and a similar bracelet hanging from his wrist.

He shut the door behind him, finally placing his phone down on the counter with a roll of his eyes before looking up. He ignored his brother, his eyes landing straight onto you as he gave you a cutely curved smile.

"Well, hello!" His voice was dripping with honey. "I don't think I've seen your face around here before!" He rested his chin on his hand, leaning forward.

"I just arrived here yesterday from the city!" you admitted, closing your eyes with a smile.

"Uh, hello!" Ozo glared at his brother. "I'm here, too!"

"I literally saw you yesterday. You're not important." Takashi flatly told him, not even sparing a look his way as a smile came back into his lips. You felt a stab of pain from the coldness of his words, watching as Ozo froze, mouth flailing open and closed as he clutched a hand over his heart.

"I'm Momose Takashi!" The man continued, holding a hand out to you. "What's your name?"

"..Uh, it's [L/N] [Y/N].." you stared slowly, shaking his hand (and taking note of how incredibly soft it was) before placing it back by your side. Then something clicked. "Wait.. Do you all have different second names?"

"Oh no.. You've met those idiots?" Toshio groaned, coming to terms that his opportunity to make a lady friend was promptly thrown out the window before he even got a chance.

"No, not all of you. I've met Chorosuke and Jyushimatsu, though." You clarified.

"What d'ya mean, 'those idiots?!'" Ozo suddenly cried.

"You know exactly what I mean, idiot," Takashi hissed, turning back to you. "As for the name thing... It's kinda complicated. You really don't wanna know."

You frowned slightly as the quick dismissal, but you also knew better than to pry, so you left it there. Instead, you gestured over to the display case.

"Did you make all these? They look amazing!" You praised. Takashi blushed, rubbing the back of his head, gladly taking all your kind words.

"Aha, yup! My dad taught me how to make all these!"

Ozo grinned devilishly, sidling up to your side as covering his mouth in a mock whisper, his voice still loud enough for Takashi to hear.

"He says that, but really, everything here is just from the sto-"

"WOULD YOU like to try some?" Takashi cut him off, slamming a box of assorted desserts onto the counter, his smile tense and shaky. "Since you're new here, I'll let you have these, on the house!"

"Really? Are you sure? I can pay for them!" Your hands flew to your bag, but Takashi stopped you.

"No, really! You can try as many as you'd like! I can't force myself to allow such a nice girl to pay for everything when she just got here," he winked. You blushed, thanking him kindly as he gestured for you to take a seat anywhere you'd like. "I'll make us some coffee while you get comfortable."

"What about me?!" Ozo's complaint went unheard as the back door slammed shut. He grumbled, dragging a chair out and plopping himself down beside you. Feeling bad for him, you turned the box towards him with a small smile.

"You can have some, too. I don't mind."

"[Y/N], you're the best!" He exclaimed, swiftly taking a frosted cupcake and taking a large bite, humming at the taste. You took a bite out of your own cupcake, eyes widening at the sweet taste of chocolate hitting your tongue.

"Wow, this is really good!" You spoke after swallowing a bite, licking your lips. Ozo agreed, sighing when he finished, licking the frosting off of his thumb. Looking over to him, you giggled, finding a touch of frosting on his cheek and around his mouth.

"Ozo, you got a little something here," you pointed to your own cheek, watching amusedly as he attempted to wipe it off, missing entirely.

"Did I get it?"

"No— here," you laughed, grabbing a tissue from the table and leaning forward, removing the frosting yourself. Focused on your task, you didn't realise how close you had gotten to his face until you looked up, finding yourself mere inches away from his lips. His face was tinted as red as your own, praying that you wouldn't be able to hear how fast his heart was pounding in his chest. His hands twitched, wanting to instinctively hold onto you, but he clenched them into fists on his lap instead.

"...I got it.." you breathed. A part of you didn't want to move away just yet, so you stayed there, close to him, revelling in the warmth he seemed to constantly give off. After a moment, Ozo's blown eyes relaxed back into their lazy look, finally bringing his hand up to your face.

"You've got some too, y'know.." his tone matching yours, breathless and hazy. He swiped his thumb over your bottom lip, the feeling sending a jolt of electricity up your spine, catching the bit of icing before bringing his thumb to his own mouth and licking it off. You stared, flushed and dizzy, unable to break away.

What was this? You had only just met, and you felt like your high-school self all over again. As if you were head-over-heels for him already, right? That would be ridiculous...

So why were you leaning in closer?

His breath fanned over your cheek, his hand resting itself on your waist, pulling you closer. You clutched tightly onto the front of his shirt, fluttering your eyes closed, the tingle of his lips just oh-so close to your own making you heat up considerably, and—

"I've got the coffee!"

You fell back into your seat with a jump, directing your body to face entirely away from the other two in the room. You were sure you looked akin to a tomato, and you hoped that Takashi hadn't just seen that..!

"Uh, are you two.. okay?" He asked after an awkward moment, observing your withdrawn form and Ozo's frigid look. His face was practically steaming. "Is it that hot in here? I guess I can turn the AC on.."

Takashi placed the coffee down on the table, and upon closer inspection of his brother, he paled. He struggled to contain his scream of despair as he suddenly latched a death-grip onto Ozo's arm, dragging him away.

"I-I'm sorry, [Y/N], but can you wait there a second? I need to have a little chat with my brother, haha.." he didn't wait for an answer, pulling a stuttering Ozo behind him and slamming the back door for the second time.

"What the fuck did you do?!" Takashi whispered hotly once they were out of earshot, his face morphed into horror and absolute anger. Ozo blinked, his mind still reeling after what had just happened.

"W-What? What happened? Nothing happened, why?" His voice was trembling, but he kept up the act. Takashi wasn't convinced though, ready to punch his brother in the guts.

"I'm seriously gonna kill you in a minute!" He grabbed Ozo's shoulder tightly. "If nothing's happened, then why the fuck have you popped a boner, you bastard?!"

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[shimmeringclouds]

♔ | 𝐗

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The car rumbled over a gravel pathway, entering though opened steel gates and down a road lined with tall pine trees. You craned your neck upwards, hand blocking out the sun in an attempt to see just how high they reached.

"Where are we?" You asked for the hundredth time, still hoping Ozo would give you even the slightest hint of where he had planned to take you. The whole time, he had avoided the question, and he did just the same now, grinning cheekily as he gave you same answer.

"You'll see when we get there!" He laughed at your exasperated sigh.

"You can't even give me just one hint?" You tried.

"[Y/N], you're smart. If I give you a hint, you'll know the answer straight away! Then there'd be no surprise!" He tutted, not giving in to your pouting, no matter how cute you looked. If he could get past Takashi, he could get past you. Albeit, with a lot more struggle.

And so, you waited, leg bouncing in anticipation as the road finally widened out, the trees dispersing to reveal a modern mansion, with large windows almost completely covering the entire front of it. It was pale in colour, it's tiled roof a matte black.

Ozo manoeuvred the car around the fountain in the front drive way, steadily coming to a halt.

"Where... Who's house is this??" You stated in bewilderment. How many mansions did this place have? Ozo only continued to remove his seatbelt, prompting you to do the same until he stopped you.

"Stay in the car for a sec. This isn't the final destination," with that, he jumped out of the car, walking up a small platform of stairs and knocking loudly on the large dark oak doors. You watched him as he leaned his weight on one foot, resting a hand in his pocket as the other fanned his face.

As you both waited for someone to arrive at the door, you began to think about who this person could be. If Ozo thought you would guess who it was easily, then that meant you had to have met this person before, right? You cupped your chin, brows furrowed as you thought further. You knew Chorosuke and Dayoko definitely didn't live here, Takashi lives in Iriabi, so it's not him... If Ozo lived here, then he wouldn't have to knock on the door... Then the only other person it could be was...

"Osomatsu-niisan!"

The doors swung open violently, a yellow blur tackling the driver, close to knocking him over. Ozo yelped in surprise, quickly melting into a laugh.

"Jyushimatsu!" Ozo patted his brother's back affectionately. "See, this is why you're my favourite!"

Ah, now the mansion made sense. Jyushimatsu was the son of the mayor here, so of course they would live in luxury.

As you observed the scene with a fond smile, you noticed that Jyushimatsu was actually wearing the paper bag he had with him the night before, his large eyes peering through the two holes haphazardly cut into the front of the brown paper. You wondered why he wore it; was he self-conscious?

'No,' you thought. 'If he was, he would've kept it on when we first met.'

"What are you doing here, niisan?" Jyushimatsu asked, leaning away.

"I'm taking [Y/N] around Akashika, to show her the sights and stuff," he glanced back at you. "Wanna come with us?"

The two caught eyes, an understanding glimmer flashing between them as Jyushimatsu nodded eagerly, already running towards the car. He jumped into the back seats — literally — and greeted you loudly.

"[Y/N]-chan!" He exclaimed happily, leaning through the gap between your front seats.

"Hello, Jyushimatsu!" His enthusiasm was infectious, your own smile widening greatly.

"You look really pretty today!" He added. "I can tell Osomatsu-niisan thinks so, too!" He pointed to said person as they sat themselves into the car, freezing at the sudden call-out. You giggled, cheeks flushing.

"I'm sure he does," your mind went back to the first car ride, unable to stop the butterflies fluttering in your stomach as you watched Ozo's face darken to red. He glared at Jyushimatsu from the rear view mirror as he started up the car, driving away from the mansion.

"So you live here, Jyushimatsu?" You did Ozo a favour, diverting the subject easily.

"Yup! This is the Ogami Family Estate!" He pointed back to his home as it slowly disappeared from view. "My dad and I live here! You can visit anytime you like!"

You smiled, keeping the offer in mind. Ozo stayed silent, squinting at the road as he drove back the way he came, taking a left towards the mountain peaks in the distance.

"Boobs!" The sudden call from Jyushimatsu made you jump. You glanced back at him with a raised brow to see him pointing straight ahead towards the two twin peaks.

"He thinks they look like tits." Ozo's blunt explanation didn't help the burn of your skin.

"O-Oh..." you mumbled, shrinking slightly in your seat.

'That's one way to look at it, I guess...'

The rest of the car ride was mostly uneventful, the only noise coming from Jyushimatsu as he hummed a tune you hadn't heard before. It sounded like a nursery rhyme.

At one point, the stretch of road ahead of you was devoid of any trees or shade, allowing the sun to shine down on you with no mercy.

"Man, it's hot today...!" Ozo sighed, rolling down his window. You nodded, doing the same.

"Hey, Osomatsu nii-san..." Jyushimatsu called from the back, tired as he fanned himself. "Can't you put the AC on?"

"Ah, well..." Ozo laughed nervously. "I still haven't gotten it fixed yet..."

"What?!" Jyushimatsu cried. "I'm gonna die..!"

"How can you survive this summer heat when you're driving around all day?" You asked incredulously, peering over to the driver who was busy unbuttoning a third button from his shirt, tousling his hair to provide some kind of cool breeze for his head. His sleeves were sticking to his biceps, clinging onto his skin and defining his slightly toned arms.

"I don't." Ozo replied, not noticing your blatant stares, unlike a certain someone behind you. You heard Jyushimatsu giggle, making you avert your eyes with a silent huff in turn.

Soldiering through the dizzying heat, the car eventually pulled to a stop in front of the beginnings of a mountain trail. Clambering out, you squinted your eyes at the path as it trailed upwards.

"Are we climbing all the way up to the top?" Wearily, you took a subtle step back. Jyushimatsu laughed loudly, readjusting the paper bag on his head.

"Nope! Just a little further up this way!" He headed off, waving a hand back towards you and Ozo. "Let's go!"

The heavy slam of the trunk of the car caused you to turn around, watching as Ozo adjusted his grip on the handle of a blue and white box before following behind you.

"What's that?" Ozo glanced at you then down to the box, grinning.

"I always carry a few extra drinks with me on the job. Don't tell my boss, though!" He mockingly held a finger up to his lips, winking at you.

"Don't tell me there's only beer cans in there.." you raised a brow. As nice as the thought was, you weren't planning to get drunk during the day, especially on a mountain trail.

"Nah, 'course not!" Ozo waved a hand. "As much as I love my alcohol, a soda or too aren't so bad every now and then, too!"

You felt something slip around your wrist, your steps faltering. Recognising that warmth, your eyes widened slightly as Ozo's hand wrapped themselves around you again, gently tugging you forward along with him.

"Wouldn't want you to trip or anything, right?" His dark lidded eyes moved over to you from over his shoulder. His stare made you want to bury your face into your hands.

"Not when you're looking that gorgeous."

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[shimmeringclouds]

♔ | 𝐕𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

You walked down the stone steps you had traversed the previous day, holding down a lock of your hair as it swayed in the breeze. The petals of the azalea flowers glistened in the sunshine, fluttering in the wind as they kept your styled hair in place.

Dayoko had done a beautiful job of your hair, twirling and plaiting your locks in an elegant fashion, pinning everything in place with bunches of azaleas, red and eye catching.

'I also saw you had no dresses with you, so you can borrow one of mine!'

You smiled down at your attire, admiring the black floral material that rested over your upper body, feeling the loose flow of the red skirt around your legs. A black shoulder bag rested just above your hips, swinging lightly to the left and right with each move you made. Your small black heels clicked against the grey stone beneath you satisfyingly, filling the air around you with the gentle sound.

You had thanked Dayoko profusely, tracing feather light touches over your locks in awe. You would never be able to do something this pretty with your hair. You did look just as pretty as Dayoko, but she insisted you had surpassed her looks greatly.

She sent you off with a bright smile and a wave, watching as you ventured away from the Estate and back down into Akatsuka Village.

You were too busy glancing up at the trees bending up around you, smiling fondly as the leaves seemed to wave as you passed by, rays of light filtering through from above. As you reached the last step, the sun suddenly glaring down at you making you squint, you heard a low whistle from ahead.

"You clean up nice, doll!"

A deep blush coated your cheeks at the compliment, immediately recognising the voice with a small sense of dread. Memories of last night flooded your mind, embarrassingly increasing your red glow.

Ozo stood in front of a parked white car — most likely a taxi, you thought — leaning against the side of it with a green can in his hand. He grinned over at you, brushing a hand through his hair. You couldn't help but notice each strand falling through the gaps of his fingers, resting over his forehead with a slight sway.

"You... actually waited? F-For me?" You mumbled timidly, taking slow steps closer to him.

"I told you I would, didn't I?" He replied, soft and gentle. "Besides, how could I pass up the chance to help such a pretty lady?" He pushed himself off the car, closing the gap between you both as he reached a hand up to your hair, brushing over the decorations. He chuckled lightly, "They look good on you. I'm starting to think that red really is your colour."

"Ah, th-thank you..." you averted your eyes downwards, accidentally resting over the hand that clutched onto what you could now see was a beer can, the cooled droplets of water cascading downwards and over his fingertips, glistening as they rolled down his warm skin...

"Where are ya' headed?" Ozo suddenly asked, moving back.

"Huh..? Oh!" You snapped out of your daze, cursing yourself for getting so.. distracted like that. "I was going to head over to Iriabi, actually. To that cafe you told me about."

Ozo's smile brightened, rubbing a finger under his nose. "Wow, you're taking my suggestion! I'm flattered," he joked. He tucked a hand into his trouser pocket, taking out a ring of keys, spinning it around his finger. "Let's get going, shall we?"

"You're gonna take me there?" You questioned, following him nevertheless as he nodded.

"I mean, it's kinda my job to do that," he laughed. He moved around to the passengers side, opening the door with a deep bow. "After you."

You chuckled at his performance, taking up his offer and slipping into your seat, catching a glimpse of his large grin before he closed the door, moving back to the driver's seat and strapping in. He brushed his hair away as he inserted the keys, the engine causing the car to rumble.

Carefully manoeuvring the vehicle onto the road, you started to pick up speed on the empty dirt road, driving past the shops and houses you had seen before. They looked just as empty as yesterday, and you felt slightly uneasy at the stillness of the area; not having any bustling streets and crowds of people wasn't something you were used to.

A little further down was a large building standing on its own. On the roof was a sign, which looked to be similar to neon lights, although they weren't activated due to it being daytime. As you passed by, you squinted to try and make out what they were shaped to be, raising a brow as you saw they looked similar to two chickens on either side of some words you didn't get to read.

"What's that building?" You asked, pointing back to it. Ozo glanced over to where you pointed, smiling widely.

"That is my favourite place in this entire District," he leaned an arm against the window edge beside him, using one hand to steer the car around a soft bend. "That's the Bang Bang Chicken Bar. I'm a regular, but I guess that's 'cuz it's the only bar around here."

He sounded pretty proud of himself, although you felt a slight concern fester inside of you. How often did he go there? That was a bad thing, wasn't it? Also; 'Bang Bang Chicken Bar...' Another interesting name, but why chickens? Before you could voice your questions, Ozo continued.

"I'll take you for a drink sometime! On me, since I've actually got money now!" He seemed to find this quite funny, laughing loudly at his own words.

"I'll think about it," you replied. You hadn't gone out for a drink with anyone for a while. You wondered if you'd even be able to handle your liquor as well as you used to, or if you'd just make a fool of yourself in front of him.

The chatter died down after a moment, leaving Ozo to concentrate on the road whilst you continued peering out the window, a soft smile playing on your lips as you took in the sights. The sky was a brilliant azure, decorated with light wisps of white clouds, drifting off further into the distance. Fields of sunflowers and tulips filled the empty spaces beside the road, fluttering in the summer wind. The sunshine rested on your face, it's warmth a lot more gentle this time, lighting up your face with a golden glow.

Ozo cleared his throat after a while, his hands gripping the wheel a little too tightly. He couldn't help but turn his eyes to your relaxed form every few seconds, attracted to your plump lips and warm cheeks, your glistening orbs and curled hair. Your dress fit you perfectly, complimenting your curves and skin beautifully, and damn— the colour red was just too good on you.

"[Y/N], y-you..." he swore under his breath, hating that he was feeling so nervous. What happened to his usual confidence? Why did he suddenly feel scared of you rejecting his attempts, even though that was all he was ever used to?

"Ozo?" You turned to him, tilting you head. He stared at you for a minute, his half-lidded eyes widening slightly before he turned away again. He took a deep breath, blaming the flush on his cheeks on the summer heat.

"...You look really good... I mean it.."

There was a stunned silence in the car. Your fingers clutched tightly at the skirt of your dress, legs pressing together nervously. You saw the obvious blush on his face, which made yours multiply tenfold.

Eventually, you broke out of your daze, a bright smile on your face. If Ozo wasn't driving, he'd gladly stare at it all day.

"Thank you, Ozo. You don't look too bad yourself."

»»-----　♔　-----««

[shimmeringclouds]

♔ | 𝐕

»»-----　♔　-----««

"Uh... hey..?" You glued your eyes to the ground, internally smacking yourself for such an awkward greeting. What was he even doing here? His presence had thrown you off entirely! It didn't seem to bother Ozo, though, as he chuckled lightly.

"Are you nervous?" You could practically hear the grin in his tone. "C'mon, it's just me! There's nothin' to be nervous about! Although..." he leaned down close, catching your gaze with his own half-lidded eyes. "..You do look cute when you get all shy and flustered."

Your whole body felt like it was on fire as you quickly turned away from him, crossing your arms defensively against your chest. He laughed loudly, and you missed the way he ran a hand through his tousled hair, and the way his dark eyes trailed along your clothing before he snapped his gaze away.

"I'm just teasing!" His tone didn't seem to match his words, but you acknowledged it no further. "Hm? Where's Dayoko?" He asked, looking up and down the hallway. "Wasn't she supposed to take you to your room, or somethin'?"

"I-I thought so, too.." you frowned at your stutter, "But I'm not sure where she is, so I tried to find my room myself."

"Well I hate to say it princess, but all the guest bedrooms are on the other side of the house."

You froze. How did you end up at the opposite end of the house? You glared at the ground in confusion, racking your brain for an answer on just how you had managed to get so badly lost. You were so caught up in your swirling thoughts, you didn't notice Ozo move from his spot to stand in front of you.

"It's a good thing I'm here, huh?" He rubbed a finger under his nose with a smug grin. "C'mon, I'll take you back."

He didn't wait for an answer as he swiftly took a gentle hold of your wrist, tugging you along behind him. You stumbled slightly in surprise, eyes watching the way his fingers wrapped comfortably around your skin. His touch radiated a warmth you hadn't felt before.

"I know this place like the back of my hand," he glanced back at you, "Us taxi drivers just have a good sense of direction like that." You blinked.

"Y-You're a taxi driver?" tilting your head curiously, brushing away the hair that fell over your eyes.

"Yup! I'm the only one in this area, too, so we'll definitely be seeing more of each other," as you turned a corner, he pulled you slightly closer to his side so that you were walking beside him, "I told you didn't I? I'm always at your service."

You only hummed in response, too busy trying to fight the thoughts of just how smooth his voice sounded. Was it even okay to have thoughts like that? You didn't know why you didn't feel any sense of danger being near Ozo, even though he had mostly been perverted and weird half the time he was around you.

"Man, you're so lucky!" Ozo threw his head back as he whined. "Chorosuke's actually letting you stay here! He doesn't even let me stay here anymore.. You'd think he'd have more respect for his older brother.." he grumbled. The word 'cute' ran through your mind as you peered up at his pouting cheeks, but you quickly waved it away.

"I-I wanted to ask about that, actually..." you started timidly, playing with the hem of your shirt as he snapped his eyes towards you, giving his full attention. "It's just, you and Toshi- I mean -- Jyushimatsu, look very similar. I thought he was Chorosuke when he first came into the room before. Are you.. related?"

"You're really smart, [Y/N], y'know that?" Ozo sighed dreamily. He rested his free arm behind his head as he made a left turn, taking a quick glance out the window as you passed by. "Yeah, apparently we're brothers! All six of us sextuplets!"

"..Sextuplets?" You didn't remember seeing the same face six separate times. Ozo chuckled.

"There's another one of us who live here in Akashika, but he stays over at Iriabi, since he's got a little cafe gig over there. We should go sometime!" He nudged your shoulder gently, a sparkle in his eyes. "He's always giving us free food!"

"Why do I have a feeling that he doesn't have a choice in doing that?" you smiled lightly.

"What can I say? I have a certain persuasive aura about me," Ozo shrugged, raising a brow at you jokingly. You huffed a laugh, shaking your head with a teasing roll of your eyes.

"And, what about your other two brothers?" you continued.

"They live in the big city. One of 'em studies history, all that boring stuff.." he shuddered at the thought of being surrounded with mountain high piles of dusty old books, "And the other painful one is a rookie reporter for some paper."

You nodded along, certainly intrigued by this information. Sextuplets were rare to come across. You wondered just how identical each of them actually were.

"Wait, 'painful'"? You backtracked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you'll see," Ozo rubbed a hand absentmindedly over his ribs, a slight grimace on his face. "They're actually all coming down for a visit here this weekend. So Chorosuke has to let me stay over!" he chuckled darkly, a sleazy grin crossing his lips. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you felt bad for Chorosuke. Although maybe you should be more concerned for Dayoko than anyone else...

"Anyway, that's enough about me!" Ozo came to a halt, surprising you. "Here's your stop!" He gestured grandly to the door beside him, sliding the door open to reveal the same bedroom you had been escorted to earlier that day.

"How did you know this was my room?" you looked at him incredulously. He rubbed a finger under his nose again, something you began to think was a habit of his.

"I may or may not have seen Dayoko leave this room with those clothes you're wearing," he looked down at your clothing again. You shuffled in your spot, moving closer to the door with a tint spreading over your cheeks.

"Just as I thought..." Ozo mumbled. "Red does look good on you."

You tensed, trying not to notice the way he smirked at your flushed skin and jittery movements. You had to get away from him before you ended up exploding. You felt him release his hold on you, his fingers leaving a feathery touch on your skin as he moved away, the warmth he radiated fading all too quickly.

"W-Well.."you cleared your throat, beginning to slide your door shut, stopping when your eyes could peek out the small opening at his taller frame. "Goodnight...?" Another awkward farewell. You needed to stop doing those. Ozo laughed softly, bringing his half-lidded gaze back to yours for the last time that night.

"Night, [Y/N]. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow!" he sang, turning away and heading back down the way he came. You carefully slid your door shut, turning around in the dim room to find your futon already lain out for you. You hurriedly rushed over to it, flopping down onto the fluffed covers and burying your face into the cool pillow, hoping it would remove the burn from your face.

You lay restlessly, tossing and turning as so many thoughts ran circles in your mind. Some from the past, some from the present, and many for the upcoming future.

The butterflies in your stomach seemed to multiply tenfold as you wondered if he would actually be waiting for you tomorrow.

»»-----　♔　-----««

[shimmeringclouds]

Chapter 3

A cold beer can was pressed against your cheek, the cool water droplets smearing across your skin as you sighed blissfully. Ozo released his hold on you as you settled down onto the back seats of his taxi, leaning against the door frame as he brushed away the hair from his eyes.

"The AC doesn't work in here, so this is all I can do for you." You nodded, quietly thanking him before he shut the door, moving towards the driver's seat and strapping in. "You were headed for Iriabi, right?"

You paused, glancing at the back of his head.

"Iriabi...?"

"Yeah. That's where this road leads to. Want me to drop you off?"

"Uh.. N-No, I live in Akatsuka, so..." You were too embarrassed to say out loud that you had never heard of Iriabi before, and you shrunk down a little into your seat to try and avoid his gaze in the rear view mirror. Ozo raised a brow at your reaction but shrugged nonetheless, starting up the car and getting it into gear as it began rolling slowly down the uneven road, gradually picking up speed.

"Akatsuka, huh?" he continued, not wasting the opportunity to start some small talk with a pretty girl, "I've never seen you around before! And I never forget cute faces like yours once I've seen 'em." He winked back at you through the mirror, chuckling at how your mouth feel agape at his obvious flirting.

"Maybe a name for your face might help me remember?"

The sensible side of your brain was already screaming at the man for being so shameless with those dumb and cringe-worthy pickup lines, as if he had the audacity to think that they were good. But after being alone for so long, after having virtually no one to talk to like this for months on end, and especially after being complimented so nicely for the first time in who knows how long, as sad as it may sound, your heart jumped for joy and craved for more.

"It's [L/N] [Y/N]."

"[Y/N]..." he murmured, as if tasting the word in his tongue curiously, his lips twisting into a cheeky grin, "Suits you! Pretty name for a pretty girl!"

You stammered out another word of thanks, pinching the skin of your arm as a reminder to not to get ahead of yourself. You pushed away the hopeful thoughts from your mind, knowing that he wasn't serious. No one had ever been serious before, and this wasn't any different. Right?

The car ride back to Akatsuka village was a lot shorter then the walk would have been, and you found yourself re-entering the town after around ten minutes. Ozo had filled that small silence with gentle hums of a song you didn't recognise and tapping his fingers against the steering wheel, his demeanour a lot more relaxed and slack compared to your tense form.

"What's your address? I'll drop you off!" His sudden question startled you out of your quiet stupor, and you quickly gave him the street name.

"Do you need directions?"

"Nah! I know this town like the back of my hand," he bragged, making a quick right turn as he rubbed his index finger under the bridge of his noise. True to his word, he managed to navigate his way through the wide and empty streets until he finally pulled the car to a halt outside your front door.

"Here's your stop!" He chuckled to himself, watching as you began to clamber out of the car, beer can still in your grasp. You came up to his window, too busy taking out your purse to notice him eye the meter momentarily before turning to you with the same curved smile.

"Did I forget to tell you? First timers get a free ride!"

You paused, staring at him wide eyed. Surely that wasn't a real thing?

"A-Are you sure? I have money--"

"Don't worry about it! You don't need to pay me a single yen."

"I... Well, thank you," was all you could say. You barely had enough energy to continue interacting anymore. You just wanted to go inside and lie down in front of your fan for the rest of the day. The air was stifling.

"It's nothing..!" Ozo's mind flew to his boss, knowing he wouldn't approve of him doing this, but then again there were many things his boss didn't approve of. This one would just have to be swept under the rug.

"Have a nice day," you bowed hastily, turning on your heel and heading to your front door, keys already grasped tightly between your fingers. Ozo flailed for words, not wanting to let you go just yet, but you were already halfway through the door, your face obscured by your strands of hair.

"You too, sweetheart! Maybe I'll see you again sometime!"

»»-----　♔　-----««

He never got a verbal response, only the sound of your door shutting behind you, the noise bouncing off the walls of nearby buildings and echoing around him. He sat back in his seat, rubbing his finger once again under his nose, grinning to himself.

"Nailed it."

Ozo began manoeuvring his car away from your home, sending one final glance back to your house through the side mirror before it disappeared from view.

Now that he was alone again, the quietness in his car and the town was really starting to bore him. It hadn't even been that long since he finished his break over at Iriabi with his youngest brother, but he felt as if he deserved another. It wasn't like there were going to be many people who needed a lift around here, anyway.

With a soft hum, Ozo diverted his car from the main road and set off down a smooth stone pathway instead, the grass on the edges of the road now becoming more clean cut and less wild and untamed.

Over the line of trees that were bunched together in the distance, he could make out two large and familiar houses, the sun glinting off of their grey tiled roofs. His eyes drifted over to the one on the right, with the roof being slightly lower and flatter compared to the other.

A smirk spread across his face as a thought drifted through his mind, and he pressed his foot down further onto the gas.

Rolling up in front of white stone fencing with the entrance carefully carved into a large circular shape, Ozo wasted no time in driving the car through the entrance and parking it in front of the wooden sliding doors at the front of the house. He left the car to sit in the gravelled driveway, whistling as he swung his keys around his index finger before allowing it to slip into his pocket.

He knocked loudly on the door, rocking back and forth on his heels as his brown orbs wandered around his surroundings, noticing the same coloured flowers and neatly cut hedges that were there the last time he was there, which seemed like such a long time ago. The sign with the words 'Midorito Estate' carved into it looked as if it had just been freshly polished, the wood surface shining smoothly under the sun.

The heat was starting to really irritate him by the time the door was slid open, revealing a man dressed in a grey yukata, whose eyes were narrowed and lips pulled into a scowl at the sight of Ozo on the other side of the door.

"Chorosuke! Long time no see!" Ozo cheerily greeted with a lazy wave of his hand.

"You were literally here just last night, Ozo," Chorosuke growled, his words turning into a strained yelp as Ozo simply walked past him.

"Well, it's been a long day for me." Kicking his shoes off with little grace or care for where they landed, Ozo swiftly evaded the angered hands of Chorosuke as they attempted to throttle him, easily navigating his way to the main sitting room and flopping himself down onto the tatami flooring in front of a large fan.

"Who said you could come in here?!" Ozo grumbled lowly, ignoring the man as he shut his eyes and relished in the cold wind as it breezed across his face, sifting through his hair and traversing down his neck. The collar of his shirt flapped noisily under the fan's wind, the whirring of its many hands almost enough to drown out Chorosuke's berating.

Almost.

"You're lucky I don't call the police on you! Do you have any idea what that would do to my family name?!"

"Yeah yeah, I heard ya' the last time you told me. Just relax.... We're brothers, anyway, aren't we?" Ozo's voice was already groggy with sleepiness, the whole ambiance of the room very close to lulling him to sleep.

Chorosuke stood by the door, a tense look in his eyes as he registered Ozo's words.

The word 'brother' was still foreign to him. It left an odd taste on his tongue whenever he spoke the word, and an equally odd ring in his ear when he heard it. All his life he had been brought up with his one and only younger sister, but now over the past two years, a handful of men show up with the same face as him, and one of them claiming them all to be long lost brothers.

It might not be far from the truth, especially with the fair bits of evidence he had seen, but even so...

"Hey, you got any beer? My stash ran out."

...Even so, how could he be related to such an idiot?

"Is that all you ever come here for?" Chorosuke grumbled, reluctantly moving over to a door on the far left wall which lead to the kitchen and grabbing a beer can from the fridge. He shut the fridge door, only to open it a moment later to grab a can for himself. He was going to need it if he was now forced to deal with that in his living room.

"If it's free, I'll take it," Ozo chuckled as the other returned, gladly taking the beverage and briefly pressing it to his warm neck before cracking it open.

"Then I'll charge you next time."

"You're already rich enough!"

Chorosuke hid the small smile threatening to break onto his lips behind his drink, turning his head away to peer outside of the opened doors revealing his vast and beautifully decorated back garden. It was the same blue sky, he noted, and it looked just as serene as it did when he saw it last.

"I'm surprised Toshio isn't with you today. Actually, that's probably a good thing..." Chorosuke began. He was more used to the two menaces storming his house at the same time instead of on separate occasions.

Ozo shrugged, "I haven't seen him all day. Who knows what he's doing..." A stretch of silence passed before Ozo suddenly snapped his fingers, his eyes lighting up. "Oh yeah! Did you make the call yet?"

"I managed to reach them this morning," Chorosuke nodded. "They'll be here by tomorrow night, if they're not swamped with work."

"That quick? I thought they'd be here by the end of the week!"

"Well, Hajime is unemployed, so he has plenty of time on his hands, and Karatsugu is barely paid attention to in his office. I'm not too surprised."

Ozo made a small noise of agreement. A soft smile stretched across his lips as he gazed at the fully grown maple tree sat in the centre of Chorosuke's garden. It had been a while since he and his brothers had gotten together, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't excited. The memories of the last time they gathered together under the same roof made him giddy with anticipation as to what havoc they would wreak this time around.

His thoughts swirled back and forth through his mind for a while before one particular thought lingered in front of his mind, allowing his smile to morph into an impish grin. He elbowed Chorosuke beside him to garner his attention, who only stared at him with an unimpressed grimace.

"Guess what, guess what?" He was already snickering. Chorosuke knew he didn't want to hear whatever this story was going to be, but he had no other choice, unfortunately.

"....What?" He sighed.

"I'm pretty sure I picked up a hitch hiker off the road today," Ozo began, "and she was super pretty. Like, gorgeous."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"Because! Don't you wanna hear about how big her boo-"

"Shut up!" Chorosuke hissed, grabbing a newspaper from nearby and smacking the roll over his target's head. Ozo only chuckled, barely moving away from his attacker. "What if Dayoko was to hear you?! You have no manners whatsoever, you dolt!"

"You say that, but your face is so red!" Ozo began to cackle with laughter, his free hand smacking his knee. Chorosuke stammered, a sweat now breaking out on his temple as he attempted to right himself.

"I-It is not! Just stop talking about it!"

"Aww, but I'm serious! It's been so long since I've seen a new face as cute as hers," Ozo sighed dreamily, his gaze now distant as he remembered your features, your voice, the little ticks of nervousness throughout the whole taxi ride... "And I know where she lives, too! So I can visit her whenever!"

"Please don't. That's just creepy. Borderline stalking," Chorosuke shook his head. He went to take another sip of his beer, only to find the can already empty. Ozo shook his, also finding it devoid of his favourite alcoholic drink. He gave Chorosuke a pointed look, eliciting a groan from him.

He stood up to fetch another beer. Maybe something stronger this time.