Truth and Lies
The Hiroki and Z story


“Go to the Human World and befriend a human.”
“But Father, why a human?  What’s the point in that?”
“Don’t question me… Go!”

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The alarm clock goes off, “Damn it!” The redhead turns her head to look at the time, “I just got back to sleep three hours ago!”
That night was rough on Z, but she continued with her daily schedule anyway.  She gets up out of bed and yawns, “I am so worn out
She grabs her clothes and heads to the bathroom.  Z turns the faucet and begins running her bath water.
“It’s not enough my so-called best friend doesn’t even know I exist anymore, I had to have that fucking dream last night!” Z grabs her brush on the sink and brushes her hair back into a bun.
She steps into the hot water, “That feels good, Yuri.”
The furry dog looks at her owner, “What am I going to do?  All this stuff with Yui is really getting to me.”  Z stops to think, “Why in the hell should I care?!  We were just too different…”
Yuri still gazing at her, Z looks into her dog’s big brown eye, “You’re my only friend… you and Kin.”
Z lays back in the bathtub and chuckles, “That’s kinda bad… a grown ass woman’s only friends are her dogs.  Don’t find that every day!”  She closes her eyes and relaxes, “Well, I guess Yuki is.”

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His golden eyes look upon the quiet city, “There has to be at least one human I can befriend.  What is Father up to?”
He glares down at the cell phone his father gave him and remembers, “Hiroki, that cell phone will disguise your true demon self and make you appear human.  I have arranged a place for you to live while you are there, and shall contact you on your progress.  Do not fail me.”
Hiroki clenches the cell phone in his hand and growls, “Don’t fail him?  One of these days I will kill him!”
He releases the cell phone from his grasp and turns it on.  Hiroki’s demoniac wings vanish, his fangs disappear, his golden eyes turn green, and his pointed ears and clothing changed to that of a human.  The cell phone had worked and made Hiroki appear human.
Tugging on his teal button down shirt, Hiroki looks at his new attire, “These humans have no taste.”
Hiroki jumps down from his apartment building into a dark ally and thinks ‘Now to find a human, if I can find one tolerable.’

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“Bye Kin!  Bye Yuri!  Yuri, you’re in charge!” Z says her goodbyes and heads out the door to work.
She exits her apartment building and inhales the fresh air, “Well, at least it’s pretty out.”
The restaurant is just a couple blocks away from where she lives.  “Yuki’s Cosplay Café” is the name of the restaurant she works.  A café where anime fans, like Z, can go and hang out.  Z can cosplay as any anime, manga, or video game character.  She wears her casual clothes until she starts her shift, then she puts on which character she is that day.  Today she is Kisuke Urahara from Bleach.  Kisuke is one of her favorite characters to cosplay, the costume is one of her favorite colors --green.
Z enters the café, “Hey Z!”
“Hey Yuki!” Z knows Yuki but they aren’t what you call close friends.
“Who are you today?”
“Kisuke, the sexy beast himself.”
Yuki laughs, “I heard there was a new resident in your apartment building.”
“I wouldn’t know, I mind my own business.”  She starts to head for the back room, “I’m gonna go put on my costume.”
“All right!”
Z walks back to the room into a small locker room, she reaches into the duffle bag to her left and brings out her Kisuke costume.  It is a green Japanese outfit, with a forest green jacket.  But Z’s favorite part of the costume is the green and white striped bucket hat, and to top it off with a blonde wig.  Dressed, she walks out of the room and into the dining area.
Yuki notices her, “Looking good!  If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you  look just like him.”
“Except for the fact I’m short.  Rukia is probably the best character for me to cosplay, but you know I don’t like her very well.  Or her outfit for that matter.”
Thirty minutes later, the café opens.

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Hiroki walks down the busy street of the city, every woman is staring at the beautiful stranger.  He glances up at a nearby sign, Yuki’s Cosplay Café,.  “Perhaps I can find someone to befriend in here.  I‘m getting hungry anyway.”
Hiroki enters the café.  A teenage girl dress as a cat girl walks up to him with a smile, “Hello, welcome to Yuki’s Cosplay Café!  Is it just you, sir?”
“Yes.”
“Follow me, please!”  She leads him to a two person booth and hands him a menu, “Your server will be with you in a moment.”
He watches the teenager walk up to a woman dressed up as a blonde Japanese man.  She says something to the woman then runs to greet more guests at the door.
The woman starts to walk toward Hiroki’s table, “Z?”
She turns around and answers, “Yeah?”
“Table five is ready.”
“All right!”  She walks over to the counter and picks up the order then takes it to ‘Table 5‘.  Hiroki still watches the woman as she arrives at his table.
“I’m Kisuke Urahara, do you know what you would like?”
Hiroki looks at her, “Kisuke Urahara?  Is that your real name?”
“No, I’m just dressed as him today.”
“What’s your real name?”
She gives him a look, “How can you ask my name and not give me yours first?”
Hiroki chuckles and thinks. ‘she’s a strange human.’
He smirks, “ Forgive me, my name is Hiroki… Hiroki Hanabashi.”
“Hiroki Hanabashi?  Mine is Z Winter.”
“Hello Z!” He smiles, “I’m new around here, you wouldn’t happen to know where I can go to meet new people, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t know.”
“That’s too bad.  May I ask why?”
She gives him a look, “I don’t mean to be rude, but could you order?  I have other customers.”
“Yes, of course, I’m sorry.  I’ll have the ‘Yoh Asakura Double Cheese Burger’.”
“And what would you like to drink with that?”
“A water would be fine.”
“Water it is, I‘ll have it here in a few moments.” Z takes his menu and walks away.
‘Perhaps she’s the one,’ Hiroki thinks watching every move Z makes.

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It’s 10:30 pm, Z clocks out, “See ya tomorrow, Yuki.”
“See you, Z.  Stay out of trouble!”
“Yeah right!”  She remarks as she walks out the door.
“Isn’t it dangerous for a woman, such as yourself, to be walking alone this late at night?”
Z stops in her tracks and cuts her eyes over to Hiroki’s beautiful green ones, “No, and why are you here?  Are you stocking me?”
“What?!  Of course not!  Is it a crime to be a gentleman?”
“Not interested,” Z replies starting to walk toward home.
“Can I at least walk you home?”
“Do I have a choice?” She arches an eyebrow.
Hiroki smiles, “Not really.”
Z answers under her breathe, “all right.”
Hiroki and Z walk along side each other, “You really have red hair?”
“Yes,” Z answers his question.
“It’s very pretty, I don’t think I’ve ever seen red hair that color.”
“Uh, thanks.”
He stops and looks at her, “You don’t talk much, do you?”
“I think talking is a waste of energy, I don’t like to do it much.”
“You speak when necessary… I like that!”
Z’s face becomes pink, she quickly hides behind her hair, ‘Is this guy serious?’
Ten minutes later they reach Yanada Apartments, Z’s apartment building.
“Well, this is my apartment building.”
Hiroki looks up at the apartment building and smiles, “Hey!  I live there too!”
“What?!” Z turns and looks at him, “Let me guess, Apartment C12?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“’Cause mine is right across from yours, Apartment C13.”
“What do you know?!” Hiroki remarks as they both head inside and take the stairs to the third floor.
“I don’t suppose you could talk to the owner of Yuki’s Cosplay Café for me, could you?”
“What for?”
“A job.”
“You can come by the restaurant tomorrow around 5 pm and talk to Yuki.  He might find something for you.  But, I’m warning you… you’ll have to have a cosplay costume.”
“I don’t have a cosplay costume.”
“Look on eBait.  I suggest getting a Legato Bluesummer costume.”
“Who?”
“Legato Bluesummer from Trigun.  You could pull him off real well.”
“Thanks for the advice.  So, I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, see ya,” They say their goodbyes and go into their apartments.
Z opens the door, Kin and Yuri are right there waiting for her.
“Hey babies!”  She greets her dogs, slips on her pajamas, brushes her teeth and hair, then lays down on the bed and falls to sleep.

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The cell phone rings, “Hello?”
His father’s voice over the phone, “Have you found a human yet?”
“I think so, it won’t be much longer before I reel her in.”
“Her? You befriended a human female?  Excellent, Hiroki!  I must congratulate you for befriending a female human.  Although I‘m sure it wasn‘t hard for you, with your good looks.” Hiroki hears a dial tone, his father hung up.
Hiroki growls and turns off the phone.  His human form fades as his demon form begins to show.
“He never said to befriend a human female, could a female serve his plans better?”  Hiroki thinks out loud, “Just don’t think about it, Hiroki, you have to get enough sleep and talk to that Yuki human tomorrow.”
‘If I work at the same place as her, it will be easier to keep her interested… Z’s the one, she won’t ask a lot of questions.’ Hiroki thinks to himself as he lays down and falls to sleep.

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The next morning, Z lays in bed thinking, ‘Who shall I be today?’  Thinks a few more minutes, ‘How about Ryoko from Real Bout High School?’
3:00 pm, Z is putting her Ryoko costume in her duffle bag and looks at Kin and Yuri on the bed.
“She’s not my favorite character to cosplay, I hate her outfit.  I just don’t  feel like wearing a wig today.”
She picks up her duffle bag, says her goodbyes to the dogs, and heads out the door.
About fifteen minutes later Z walks through the doors at ‘Yuki’s Cosplay Café’, heads to the small locker room, and changes clothes.  The Ryoko Mitsurugi cosplay costume looks like a sailor outfit, you know the ones the Japanese school girls wear in anime and movies.  The skirt is red and short, the shirt is yellow with red on the collar and end of the sleeves, and a pink bow ties around the collar.  She wears white stockings, and brown boots.  To finish it, Z ties her hair back into a pony tail with a yellow ribbon.
“Oh my goodness!” Exclaims Yuki, “Is that you, Z?”
“Unfortunately, I hate this outfit.”
“But why, you look so good in it!”
“Because it’s a skirt…”
Yuki laughs, “Well, you just have to deal with it… won’t you?”
“I suppose…” Z notices Yuki’s costume, “Oh no!  You’re Eiri Yuki from Gravitation!”
“Oh, yes!  You like?”
“Yuki being Yuki…”
Z remembers her conversation with Hiroki from last night, “You remember that guy who came in here yesterday?  The one with the midnight blue hair?”
“Yes, what about him?”
“He says he’s gonna come by here and see if he can get a job.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“And how do you know that, Z?”
“Because he lives right across the hall from me.”
“What?!  He’s the new tenant in your apartment building?”
“Yep, he’s all right for a pretty boy.”
“Pretty boy?  I don’t know if I would call him a pretty boy.  Anyway, I suppose we better get ready to open up.”
”Yeah.”

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It’s exactly 5:00 pm sharp, Hiroki enters the restaurant.  The same cat girl greets him, “Welcome back! Can I help you?”
“Actually, you can.  I need to talk to the owner, Yuki.”
“Uh, okay.  I’ll go get him for you, but in the meantime, would you like to sit down at a booth?”
“Sure.”
She leads him to the same booth as yesterday, “I’ll go get Yuki-san for you.”
She walks off, shortly later a blonde man walks up to his table, “I’m the owner here at Yuki‘s Cosplay Café, my name Yuki Ureshii,  May I help you?”
Hiroki stands up and bows, “My name is Hiroki Hanabashi, I was wondering if you had any job openings.”
“Well, I don’t but perhaps we could use another waiter.  Please, sit!”
They sit, “As an employee you will have to cosplay.  Do you have any costumes?”
“No sir, but I was going to get on eBait after I talk with you and see if I could find a Legato Bluesummer costume.”
“That’s fine, I have rentals for those who don’t own any.  I’ll take  $6.00 out of your pay check until you get enough costumes.”
“That’s fine, sir.  How many would I need?”
“At least three.  Nobody likes seeing the same character everyday.”
“I can see how that would be appropriate.”
“Anyway, Z’s off tomorrow and we’re not open on Sunday.  So, how about you start first thing Monday?  That way Z will be working and she can train you.  We open at 4:00 pm, be here before then.”
“Yes sir, thank you!”
“Please, call me Yuki.  Any friend of Z’s is a friend of mine.”
“As you wish, Yuki.”
“I suppose I’ll see you Monday then.”
“Yes and thank you again,” Hiroki bows and exits.
Z walks over to Yuki, “Did you hire him?”
“Yes, and you’re training him Monday.”
“What?!”
Yuki smiles, “It will be good for you!”

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After work Z goes straight home, when she arrives at her apartment door Hiroki is there waiting, “Hello, stranger!  Tough day at work?”
“Fridays are always a pain in the ass.”
Hiroki chuckles, “I was wondering if you were doing anything tomorrow?”
“Uh, no… It’s my day off so I usually just like to chill at home with my dogs.  Why?”
“Well, it is a Saturday and I was hoping you would… show me around.”
“Are you asking me out on a date?!”
“Uh, no, of course not!  I’m new and thought you would show me around to the places you like to relax, or something.  Your dogs could come.”
‘Come on, Z.  It’s not gonna hurt you to show him around the city… even though you don’t know it that well.’
“Uh… Z?”  Z was lost in thought.
“Oh!  I guess, uh, I’ll do it!”
“Great!  Shall we start at noon?”
“Sure, I’ll see you tomorrow at noon.”
“Goodnight, Z.”
“’Night, Hiroki,” Z unlocks her door and enters her apartment.
‘Tomorrow is going to be interesting.  I guess I could show him Aida Cemetery…  After all he did say to show him the places I like to relax.’ Z thinks even harder, ‘Yeah right, Z!  Like he’s gonna be interested in a cemetery!’
Z puts on her pajamas, grabs a snack, and gets comfortable.  After her snack and a little TV, she goes to bed.

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Hiroki steps into his apartment, “Perhaps I can gain her trust tomorrow.”
He brings his cell phone out of his pocket, opens it up and puts his finger on the power button when it rings.
The caller ID reads, Hiroto
Hiroki answers, “Moshi moshi?”
“Big brother?” A young voice is heard coming from the phone.
“Hiraishin?  How did you get a hold of me?”
“I found this thingy in Father’s room.  Why are you in the Human World, Ani?”
“Father sent me…”
“When are you coming home?”
“I don’t know, Hiraishin.”
“Can I come and live with you in the Human World?  It’s scary when you’re not here.”
“I’m not sure…” He thinks, “What are you talking in to?”
“Some thingy, I saw Father talking to you with it last night.”
“Are you in his room now?”
“Mm-hmm, he’s gone somewhere.”
“Hiraishin, do you see anything that looks a phone?”
“Yeah.”
“Now Hiraishin, listen to me closely.”
“Okay…”
“I’m going to get off here, take the phone and leave the thing you’re talking into right where you found it.  Then go to your room and talk to Takumi.  Tell him to take you to Yanada Apartments, Apartment C12, in the Human World tomorrow morning.  Do you understand?”
“Yes, Ani.  I tell Takumi to take me to Yanada Apartments in the Human World tomorrow morning.  Apartment C12.”
“Right!  I’ll see you tomorrow morning and bring that phone.”
“Okay.”
Hiroki hangs up, ‘I hope they can make it.’
He turns the phone off and goes straight to sleep.

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Z wakes up early the next morning, “I’m showing Hiroki around this afternoon.  I guess I will show him Aida Cemetery.  If he really wants to be such good friends then going to a cemetery shouldn’t bother him.”
Z gets ready for the day, “Do you two want to come?”
Kin and Yuri look up at her and bark as in saying “yes”.
“All right, I’ll see how well you two like him.”

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There’s a knock on the door, Hiroki looks through the peep hole.  A man with sleek black hair stands with a little blue haired boy.  He opens the door knowing who it is.  They walk inside hurriedly.
The little boy runs to Hiroki and hugs him, “Hello, Big Brother!”
“Hey, Hiraishin!” He looks at the man, “Did anyone follow you, Takumi?”
“Not that I am aware, Master Hiroki.”
“Good!  I have to go meet a friend at noon you can stay here or go back to the castle.  I don’t know what time I’ll be back.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Can I come, Hiroki?”
Hiroki rubs his little brother’s head, “Sure you can, buddy, I’ll just have to tell my friend.  I think she’s bringing her dogs.”
“Your friend has doggies?”
“Yeah, I’m sure there’ll be one you can play with.”
“Really?!”
“Sir, I’ll be on my way.  I shall return at 9:00pm.”
“Okay, that’s fine.”
Takumi leaves the apartment.

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It’s noon, Z puts the dogs on their leashes, exits her apartment, and knocks on Hiroki’s door.
Hiroki opens the door.  He looks down at Kin and Yuri, then bends down to pet them and ask, “These your dogs?  They’re cute, what are their names?”
Z answers, “The fuzzy cyclops is Yuri and the cute goofy one is Kin.”
“Kin and Yuri…. gold and lily.” Hiroki thinks, ‘Mother used to love lilies…’
“Cute names too!” Hiroki stands up.
Hiraishin comes up behind his brother and looks at Z and her dogs, “Big brother?  Is that your friend and her doggies?”
Hiroki looks down at him, “Yes it is.” He looks at Z, “This is my little brother, Hiraishin.”
“This is your little brother?  He’s adorable.” She squats down to look Hiraishin in the eyes and smiles, “Hello, Hiraishin, I’m Z.” The dogs come up beside Z wagging their tails, “These are my dogs, Kin and Yuri.”
“Hi… can I pet them?”
“Yeah, of course, they love kids.”
Hiroki asks, “Do you?”
Hiraishin pets Kin and Yuri.
Z rises, “No, not really, but Hiraishin’s cute.  Is he coming with us?”
“Yes, is that all right?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” She thinks, ‘I wonder if I can still show him the cemetery?’
Hiraishin looks up from petting the dogs, “I can come?”
She looks down at him and smiles, “of course you can, your brother asked me to show him around.  It will be a lot more fun with you with us.” Z grins.
Hiraishin giggles, Hiroki looks at Z and his little brother, “we ready?”
“I believe so,” she looks down at Hiraishin, “Ready, kiddo?”
Hiraishin smiles and nods, “Z?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I take one of your doggies?”
“Of course!  How about Kin? She seems to really like you.”
Hiraishin smiles, Z hands him Kin’s leash.
She points her finger at Kin, “Now behave, little girl”
“So, where to first?”
“To eat.”
“Yuki’s?”
Z looks at him, “Yuki’s?  You wanna eat the same place we work?”
“Sure!  We can show Hiraishin. Plus, he’ll like it there.”
“Okay, that’s fine.  I eat there all the time anyway.”
Hiroki chuckles, “All right!”  He stops and thinks, “But what about the dogs?”
“Yuki let’s them in there all the time.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”
“Of course you didn’t!” She smiles and sticks her tongue out, Hiroki smirks.

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The three enter Yuki’s Cosplay Café.
Still holding onto Kin, Hiraishin looks up at Hiroki, “Ani, are those demons?”
Hiroki lets out a nervous laugh then answers, “No, they’re people in costumes.  This is where Z and I work.  It’s called ‘Yuki’s Cosplay Café‘.”
“It’s a restaurant?”
Z looks down at Hiraishin and smiles, “Yep!”
Yuki notices Hiroki and Z.  He walks over to them, “Hello Hiroki, Z.” He looks down at the dogs, “Kin and Yuri.” He squats down to Hiraishin’s height, “I don’t believe we’ve met.  My name is Yuki, I own this restaurant.  What’s your name?”
“Hiraishin, Hiroki’s my big brother.”
“Is that so?”
Hiraishin nods, Yuki stands up and looks at Hiroki, “He’s like a chibi you.”
“Yuki, why would you make fun of the kid like that?” Z smiles.
Yuki chuckles, “I‘m not making fun of him, you know that.  He does look like a chibi Hiroki.”
“I wonder why that is.” Z gives Yuki a smirk.
Yuki sighs, “You have to make everything so complicated.” He starts to walk away, “I’ll take you to your table.” Yuki leads them to their table.
Yuki whispers in Z’s ears, “You know, you two look really good together.  Especially with a kid!”  Z glares at him, he walks away laughing.
“What was that about?” Asks Hiroki.
“Nothing.”
After lunch Z shows them around then leads them to one of her favorite spots.
“Where are we going?” Asks Hiroki.
“To my favorite place where I like to relax, besides home.” She stops then continues, “I’m warning you now, it may freak you out.”
“Why would you say that?” Wonders Hiroki.
By this time they have arrive.
Z points up at a sigh on an arch, it reads Aida Cemetery.
Surprised, Hiroki looks at Z, “Are you serious?”
Z nods uneasily, “Yeah,”
“It’s different, but interesting.  I have never thought you would like to go to cemeteries just to relax.”
“I do.  I love death and stuff.” She looks at him, “Is that a problem?”
“Nope!  Are we going in?”
“Hiraishin doesn’t mind?”
He looks down at Hiraishin, “He doesn’t seem to.” Hiroki thinks to himself, ‘What kind of a human is she?  Now I have to befriend her, there’s no human like her.’
Hiroki smirks, Z looks at him like he’s crazy, “What are you smirking about?”
“Nothing, are we going in?”
“Yeah!” She leads them into the cemetery and walk around within it.
“Do you know anyone buried here?”
“No, but I respect everyone here.  Whether they were saints or sinners.”
“That’s why you like to come to cemeteries to relax, not only do you like the dead but you respect them too.”
Z nods, “And that’s why I don’t have any friends.”
“I’m your friend!” Hiraishin looks up at Z.
“Aww, thank you!” She smiles at him.
“You know, your smile is,” Hiroki pauses, “so empty.”
Z looks at him speechless, he covers himself, “I didn’t mean it as a bad thing.  It’s just when you smile it seems like you don’t really…”
“Smile?  Like I just do it ‘cause I’m suppose to?”
“Yeah, so you know?”
“Yep!”  Z bends down and wipes dirt off a tombstone, “Then again I really don’t have much reasons to smile.”
“Did you loss your mother too?”
Z looks into Hiraishin’s big blue eyes, “not my mother, but my grandparents.” She looks back down at the tomb stone, “I was really close to my papaw, but never really told him how much I loved him.  There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him.
Hiraishin hugs Z’s neck, “It’s okay.  I lost my mommy when I was just a baby.”
“Hiraishin, that’s enough.”
“Okay, Ani,” Hiraishin lets go of her neck and looks down, “sorry.”
“It’s all right, you didn’t mean any harm.” Hiroki looks at Z, “There’s more than that to your sadness, isn’t there?” He catches himself, “I’m sorry, that’s none of my business.”
“It’s okay, you’re right.” She stands up, “It’s getting late and the cemetery closes in a couple of hours.”
“Oh course!  Ready to start heading back home, Hiraishin?”
Hiraishin nods, the three head back to their apartment building.  Hiraishin and Hiroki walk Z to her door.
Hiraishin hands back Kin, “By Kin and Yuri!  Bye Z!”
“See ya, kiddo!” Hiraishin runs inside Hiroki’s apartment.
Hiroki chuckles  “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Oh, I’m sure you will!” Z looks down at her feet then back up at Hiroki, “Goodnight, Hiroki.”
Z walks into her apartment and closes the door.

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“Goodnight, Z.” Hiroki goes into his apartment.
Hiraishin is sitting on the couch waiting for him, “Big Brother, can I stay here with you?”
Hiroki smiles at him, “Yes, you can stay here.  I’ll have Takumi stay here also, then he can stay with you while I’m at work.”
“Thank you, Big Brother!!” Hiraishin runs over to his brother and jumps into his arms, “Big Brother, is Z your girlfriend?”
“What?!  No!” Playfully, Hiroki throws him down on to the couch and starts tickling him.
Hiraishin is laughing, Takumi arrives, “Did I miss something, sir?”
Hiroki stops, “No, oh, and I was wondering if you would mind staying here with us.”
“Us, sir?”
“I’ve decided to let Hiraishin stay here with me, I could use your help.”
Takumi bows, “Of course, sir!”