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"Hey, Haru."
Haruka whips around to meet Muu’s eyes, meek and soft as always. Even though she's a year younger, she tends to give off older sister vibes. He nods in acknowledgement of her greeting, and she falls into step with him. “Hi.”
“Mahiru said to remind you to come straight home later so we can get ready for Amane’s talent show.” she says, lightly tapping his shoulder as if this will serve to help him remember. He hadn't forgotten, but Muu trying to keep him up to date was appreciated. Especially since they know their friend is forgetful.
Either that or she just really thinks Haruka is stupid, which...wouldn't surprise him.
"I know you probably didn't forget, but I'm reminding everyone in the school...by the way, do you know where Es is?" Muu asks, tapping their chin. Haruka shakes his head, and Muu sighs and walks off. "Thanks anyways, Haruka." she smiles back.
The day passes without Haruka giving a second thought to his earlier insecurities, and on the way home he meets up with Es and Muu. It's not really Haruka's house, per say, but it's where he spends all his time for the most part. It's where they all do-mainly Kazui and Shidou, the actual owners of the quaint place. As Fuuta had put it once, "I think we accidentally got fuckin' adopted."
Nobody bothered to refute that statement. He wasn't wrong, after all.
Es knocks on the door once, twice, three times before it's flung open to show Kazui, smiling at the trio on the doorstep. "Hey, kiddos. Come on in, Mahiru made you snacks."
Sure enough, the blonde woman is seated at the kitchen island, a plate of cookies in front of her. Muu snatches one up, smiling at Mahiru around the cookie. Es grabs one too, albeit less enthusiastically, and Haruka isn't far behind. She always was the best baker and chef in the place.
"How long until Shidou comes home? I need to ask him something." Muu calls to Kazui from across the room where he's doing Amane's hair for her show tonight. Fuuta strides in at that moment, stealing one of Mahiru's cookies.
Around a mouthful of chocolate chip, the redhead grumbles "Just text him, dumbass," which earns him a wadded-up napkin to the head courtesy of his pink-haired sister. Fuuta scowls before chowing down on another cookie, leaving Muu with a triumphant smile. Haruka can't help but smile at the interaction, secretly pleased they've become comfortable enough around each other to playfully fight like this. He reaches for another cookie, before rethinking and instead taking the plate and bringing it upstairs to Yuno, who according to Kazui had been busy with her studies all day. Haruka figures she could use a snack, and he wanted to make sure she got to them before Amane snatched the rest while Kazui wasn't looking. She was sneaky like that.
He taps lightly on the door, rocking on his feet until the door creaks open and there stands Yuno, looking tired but still smiling brightly. She was a naturally sunny person, always brightening up the room when needed. "Haruka! Oh, are those for me?" she asks, eyeing the plate hungrily. He responds with a nod, and Yuno chomps on a cookie. "Come, sit down, I need company while I work." she says, waving him inside. To his surprise, Kotoko and Mikoto are already there, sitting together on Yuno's bed.
"When you asked for company, I, ah, figured you were all alone." Haruka states, sitting on the floor with his back against the bed. The older girl snorts, sitting down at her desk.
"I might as well be. Seriously, can you two be any more enamored with each other?" Yuno sighs playfully, glaring at her companions. Haruka can't suppress a laugh when both claim in unison that they're "just friends" while scooting closer to each other subconsciously.
The four sit in the room for another thirty minutes or so, idle chatter drifting between them interrupted only by the rapid clacking of Yuno's keyboard as she types. She's been busy with college applications as well as wanting to set up her own charity organization, and as much as everyone warns her not to overwork herself, (sans Shidou, who would've shared the sentiment but would in turn be the world's worst hypocrite,) she simply called it dedication and kept her pace.
Mikoto is animatedly talking about their research into a recent Bigfoot sighting in America when Haruka hears the front door open and pokes his head out of Yuno's room, looking down the stairs to see Shidou finally arrive home, Amane gripping tightly to his legs. It's a cute sight, but that's mostly because Amane is just a cute kid. It's natural.
"Is Shidou home?" Mikoto asks, hopping up and heading over to Haruka. They peer over his shoulder, confirming their question. As if on cue, Kazui calls up to them.
"Everyone's home, can you guys get ready?" he asks. Mikoto calls back and Haruka heads back to the room he shares with them, picking out the most formal looking outfit he has, which admittedly isn't too formal but Mikoto assures him it's fine. Satisfied, Haruka heads downstairs to meet up with the others. Kotoko, as per usual, is fighting with Fuuta over shotgun on the way there.
"Can't...one of you ride shotgun there and the other on the way back?" Es puts in, adjusting their jacket. Muu sighs, having learned not to interfere in their squabbles. "It's no use, Es." they mutter.
Finally, miraculously, they get on the road, piling into Shidou's old clunky van lovingly dubbed "The Hell Bus" by Fuuta, and with Kotoko riding shotgun. It seems she's won this one. Hell Bus chugs down the road, and Haruka shifts in his middle seat. It's not the worst seat in the van, (that was given to Mikoto after vigorous games of rock-paper-scissors) but it isn't the most comfortable either. It's only twenty minutes to the elementary school anyways.
Sure enough, Kazui pulls into the crowded parking lot almost twenty minutes later on the dot, sliding Hell Bus into a vacant spot. "Alright, don't slam my doors into anyone's car. Shidou, can you take Amane in to get ready?" Luckily, both the nearby cars and Hell Bus make it out unscathed and Shidou plants a kiss on Kazui's stubbly cheek before Amane drags him over to her friend. Mikoto's fallen asleep on the way there, so Fuuta smacks them lightly in the head and they jolt before hopping out of the van. Haruka shoves his hands in his pockets, following in step behind Es, who looks like they'd rather be anywhere other than a crowded building filled with adults. He doesn't blame them, unsurprisingly.
They find their spot in the auditorium, and upon Mahiru checking the program they have to sit through almost 45 minutes of acts before Amane does her song. As they wait, Haruka's mind wanders to everything, and when he finally tunes back in there's a brunette girl in a blue outfit performing magic with an assistant; probably her brother, who looks extremely bored. Glancing around, Haruka feels satisfaction, noticing the way that they could almost be mistaken as a blood family. Shidou has his head on Kazui's shoulder, trying his damndest to stay awake. Fuuta and Kotoko, once again, are bickering, but a hint of a smile is playing at the latter's lips. Muu is quietly showing something to Mahiru while Es scrolls their phone, pausing to send things to Mikoto and them doing the same. It's nice, to see them all coming together even though none of them are related. Haruka sighs, thinking of his mother and father and how he disappointed them. Strangely, he doesn't...seem to care anymore. This is his family now, and he loves them.
When Amane comes onstage, Haruka overcomes his shyness and cheers the loudest, the sounds of his family supporting their youngest filling his ears and his heart.