"No way! You had the last bacon and no freaking way I'm letting you have the last egg!"

"I snatched it first! You're just a sore loser."

"Yusuke, Tsubaki! Stop making your sister uncomfortable and just eat peacefully like humans do."

"But--!"

"I have another batch of bacons coming up, let Yusuke have the egg Tsubaki."

I blinked in amusement, staring at the two supposedly human beings fighting over the last piece of egg. Ukyo was trying so so hard not to throw the frying pan he was holding onto someone's head and Ema indeed looked very uncomfortable being in the middle of the argument. I shook my head before letting out an airy chuckle, I guess these things happpen a lot in big families. I just wasn't used to loud noises and arguments in the morning, heck, even to sit down and eat a proper meal. I was used to waking up alone in silence, grabbing a granola bar and went straight outside. But things like these weren't unpleasant at all -- in fact, I found them very very much amusing.

"Oh, good morning Rin." Louis greeted, walking past me who stood still on the staircase listening attentively to the argument, "Your hair look very nice today."

Instinctively, I plucked a strand and twirled it around my index finger. "Really? I mean, I just styled it like the usual."

Louis reached a hand to pat my head before offering me a gentle smile, "A bed-head, there."

"Ah, thanks."

He smiled back before walking down to join the others for breakfast, I followed suit. He took the empty seat next to Iori while I took one beside Azusa. I just noticed how they would leave empty seats all the time because they didn't know my schedule. Ukyo kept tabs on everything in a little whiteboard he hanged near the fridge. Of course, he hasn't asked for mine yet and maybe that's why they were always leaving space for me. I even noticed the space on the couch they left if I passed out after work.

These guys are just too much.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Masaomi asked me as Ukyo asked (no more like ordered) Subaru to pass a plate of omelette and bacons for me. I whispered a small 'thank you' as Subaru only nod in return, attention returning to his plate full of food.

"I'll be picking up a few stuff I left in the apartment and probably pick out a few stuff from the grocery store," I replied after a beat, starting to cut through my omelette, stabbing it with my fork. "Will you be needing something? Maybe I could pick it up on the way?"

"Well, he may not but I do." Ukyo cut in before Masaomi could answer, "I have a list of some groceries we're running out of, well actually, we're running out of everything."

It turned out the party made the Asahina's food stock disappeared into dust and the big breakfast today was nothing more but the remnants of last night's feast. I shook my head in disbelief, letting a chuckled escaped. You know, the first few days I lived here I always wondered where had those plethora of food gone to, and after a while, a realized that these guys' stomachs are an endless pit or perhaps the blackhole itself. Ema must've got used to having to cook so much food three times a day.

I just realized that the list Ukyo showed me was not worthy to be called a list.

It was long, like, rapunzel's hair long.

And it was written carefully in micro-size handwriting.

Sum those up and you probably end up with six long hours in the grocery store. I gulped. I know that I just accepted the task like a couple of minutes ago, but can I raised the white flag now? I mean, I much rather spend six hours of sleeping rather than swarming in the grocery store trying to complete 'Asahina Ukyo's Impossible List of Groceries to Finish'. Call me pessimistic, but you would faint to seeing that.

"Ukyo, you're giving a girl something like this?" Iori managed to question his sanity before someone else could, looking at Ukyo like he just grew a pair of horns atop of his head. The said suspect blinked innocently, eyeing the blue-whale long list he just showed me and shrugged. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm kind of not?"

"Tsubaki load him up, we need to get him into the nearest mental hospital, ASAP." Kaname exclaimed jokingly, already dragging the lawyer by his arms. "Clear the way!"

"Aye aye!"

"Wait, wait!" Ukyo struggled to get his arms off of Kaname's dead grip, eyes reflecting annoyance and silently ordering the young ones to stay in their places, he was the mom in the house -- and he sure as hell acts like one. "I always shopped list as long as this! When it was Wataru's birthday it was double the size!"

"Calm down, tight pants." Kaname laughed, "We were just joking and thank you for shopping us enormous list to tame our demons and that we should've gotten you a better christmas gift rather than a mug but---"

Kaname pointed at me, well, I pointed at myself in reflex.

"That is not someone you will order to shop something this insane."

I could swore someone whispered a 'thank you' to Kaname for pointing it at the oblivious Ukyo, I would bet five-dollars on it that it was either Tsubaki or Yusuke. I twirled the hem of my shirt nervously, the morning has turned into a havoc because of something this simple. I think I'm at fault right here. Ukyo sighed, having Kaname to sit back on his seat but of course he sat back (not before winking at me and asking for a reward for defending me).

"Of course I wasn't going to go shopping alone,"

"You weren't?"

"I wasn't!" This time it quieted down Tsubaki's mouth, "I was going to let you take a few of them -- Ukyo gesture to the bunch with his head -- and maybe have a little outing, like a family out in the process? Some of them are free at the moment."

"Oh, alright then." I raised a brow, he still haven't told me who would accompany me in this little adventure of exploring the grocery shop, "who?"

"By 'some of them' he meant us!" Tsubaki cheered loudly, hands encircling around his twin's shoulder, Azusa looked annoyed but still gave me one of his trademark kind smile, "let's have a lot of fun while doing it, Imouto-chan!"

"And me," someone coughed, I turned to the voice and met eye with Subaru who was forcing down to swallow his embarassment but to no avail, because he looked as bashful as a puppy in a suit right now. "Ukyou said you'll need the strength."

"Ah, thank you."

"N-no problem."

"Don't forget Natsume, he'll be joining you too." Ukyo reminded us with a stern cough, handing the list to me as I quickly folded it and tucked it inside my purse. "Now, have fun and make sure to do some actual grocery shopping."

"Geez, we will old lady."

"Tsubaki!"

And that folks, is how the Asahinas started their morning.

***

"Now smile!"

I kept the straight line known as my lips tightly closed as the camera Tsubaki was holding gave out a ray of light. I was used to keeping my eyes open even with a flash, it's a model's thing you see. We were lifting a few boxes out of my apartement which mostly contained clothes and other personal belongings that are personal and not to share. And five minutes after working, Tsubaki decided to rebel and use a camera I owned and -- you guess it. He started taking pictures of us like a mother when her child first went to school.

"Aw, the same poker-face again." He waved his hand in defeat, pouting that I never showed even a slight curve of my lips to the camera. "Come on! You're used to doing things like that as a model right?"

"Yes, but not while lifting heavy boxes and walking out of the apartment to a car," I sighed and took in a sharp intake of breath, "I mean, maybe a brand would try to do it, like a furniture brand or something?"

Suddenly, the weight pressing on my arms are gone, replaced by something incredibly light which is air. I blinked and looked up, eyes meeting Subaru who was already carrying his third box even without me laying a single pinkie on it. I sighed again, maybe it was too good of an idea to bring him here. He was doing all the work while I'm as useless as photographer guy over here.

"See? We can leave the heavy and dirty work to Subaru and let me take some photos! Strike me some poses!"

"Ugh, no."

"Tsubaki stop," Azusa came from inside dressed in something i would never expect him to wear, "You're annoying her."

"No, I'm not! Right, Rin?"

But instead of answering his rhetorical question (oh even the ant walking on the ledge over there, knows that I'm annoyed out of my mind), I turned my attention to Azusa who was dressed in a cleaning apron, a pair of rubber gloves, and a bandana tied on his head. I raised a brow, almost questioning why did he put that on and where did he found the broom I've lost three months ago?

"The broom was sitting near the kitchen counter," Azusa laughed, "and I thought I could clean the place up a bit, there are some dust here and there, but it actually looked very neat."

I shrug, "well, I actually just come here to sleep and shower and then go back out again so I wasn't really paying attention to all of the minor details."

"Oh? Well, I'm going to clean up for a bit, maybe you could help Natsume out in the car." He smiled politely, "and also, it'll be a nice moment to get to know each other, you're practically strangers right now."

"Ah, right." I blinked, "thank you."

"It's alright, we're family. You don't need to say 'thank you' everytime we did something little for you."

"But then I'd feel bad."

"Really? It's nice to hear that the emotionless doll actually feel."

I crossed my arms, "it's just a stupid stamp the agency put on me."

"Of course."

"Hmm."

"But you really are interesting just like the rumors said," Azusa concluded at last, taking off his right glove to tuck a strand of my hair back in place, "I'll be looking forward to more of you in the family, little sister."

Something curved up on my lips.

And I know it was a smile because in return Azusa smiled too. '

A real genuine smile.

***

Natsume grunted as he moved a couple of boxes inside the trunk of his cars, re-arranging them again and again to make it fit. Yet, some of them stayed stubborn and decided to poke out of their designated place and intend to conquer the trunk. He sighed, letting the stubborn ones out and starting to arrange the smaller ones. There are a total of six boxes. Call me a drama queen, but those stuff are something that I actually need. Well, of course some of them are just a pathetic reason for comfort, but who cares?

"Sorry," I offered him, "I could just hold them in the car, you know, those stubborn boxes."

"Nah, let Tsubaki do it." He slapped his hands together to clear away the small dust covering his hands, "they might shut him up."

"Good idea."

"I think I've seen you somewhere, and not like a place but like a magazine and probably on TV." He asked innocently, "Are you somewhat famous?"

My mouth almost fell agape. I don't mean to brag, just spewing out a few facts. But everyone, and by everyone I mean every living thing, know who I am. At least those who were born and lived in the 21st century know who I am. But hearing someone said this or asked this is certainly a surprise. But it was a refreshing one, getting to introduce myself one more time like I did back then.

"I'm a model." I scratched my neck awkwardly. "But yeah, I guess I'm kind famous."

"Oh, sorry." It was his turn to be bashful, "I never tuned in the lastest news or anything, I just worked all week straight and probably passed out cold once I got into the apartment so I never knew what was going on. It must've been pretty embrassing to be asked something as stupid as that."

"Well, it's a nice change."

"The guys in the house must've been howling all night long to have another girl inside the house, more or less, a model." He shook his head knowingly. "It must've been hard on you."

I shook my hands trying to protest, "no! nothing like that! I usually worked all day and passed out in the couch having one of them carry me back or something like that. This is the first time actually, we spent something together like a family."

"Ah well, good for you."

"Yes."

"Phew! I could cut the atmosphere like a butter!" Tsubaki whistled from behind us, Azusa and Subaru following suit, they were already dressed neatly with the set of clothes they departed with. 

Subaru handed me the keys to the apartment, saying that they had locked it and checked if I left something inside. I nod gratefully. So, we did the next list on our mission: 

Grocery Shopping.

We drove together to the nearbiest grocery store which is just a couple of blocks around the corner and Natsume parked instantly, he said the sooner the better. So the Asahina bunch and me began to enter the shop. Eyes are practically glued to the boys since they're (well, hate to admit, but it's kind of a fact) very much good-looking and an eyes candy to look at. I sighed as girls and mothers in their twenties began to flock around them. 

So it's me againts the evil list. 

I began from the first section of the list: which is spices. Ukyo told us to bring back a few bottles of salt, oregano, tumeric powder, and a packet of fresh star anises. Now I no longer wonder why his food tastes amazing, he knows his spices and what exactly he is doing. The next one is cereals and bread: So, I grabbed a package of fresh bread and a few boxes of cereals (one of them I remembered Wataru told me that he really liked). And so, the next is to shop for meat: I didn't exactly know my meat so I hand the list to the butcher who prepared everything. 

I just crossed my fingers and hoped the butcher wouldn't lie about the prices. 

Well, now. We go to the hygiene section: toothbrushes, a few bottles of giant shampoos and conditioner and body wash, a lot of tissues, and a few lady materials they obviously will need since there are me and Ema now. But when I looked at the next part of the list, my eyes widen. 

There's no way I'm buying this for them. 

Men'd deodorant, underwear, and under-shirts -- if you were asking inside your mind, you're very welcome. 

I ripped that section off, handing it off to a wandering Natsume without even saying a word. But he luckily got what I meant and began venturing on the unknown land of men stuff. I left Tsubaki and Azusa to deal with th food shopping while me and Subaru began to turn into where they sell housing equipments, tools, and stuff. 

After we were all finished, we agreed to pay the stuff using Ukyo's card which Tsubaki "asked" just before we left, notice how I used emphasis on the word "asked". Yeah, it was the complete opposite of that. 

But I had no say in this little devilish plan since I'm not carrying a heavy bundle of a hundred bucks inside my small purse anyway. So, I gave in to temptation and didn't try to resist when the cashier slide the card making it cry out a little cha-ching. 

And then we drove right back home like the good kids we are. 

I think the shopping went well, right?

***

<edited>

I think for this book, I'm going to try and lessen the sweet parts and let the drama flow everywhere and conquer the world! Muahahah. Nah, just kidding.

I love fluffs but when they're over-used, the book became a sad pile of sap stories and loves. I'm all about the angst, you know?

Well anyway, thank you for reading through chapter four! I hope you enjoyed Rin's little quality time with the brothers. Although, I admit, Rin was kind of being the drama queen she is in this chapter.

Once again, thank you! And have a great day!

seira<3