A/N: Here's chapter two! I have taken the liberty of creating Haruka's parents for the purposes of my story and they are my own original characters. I hope you like them as well as this chapter! Read and review! I'd love to know what you think!

P.S. Since I suck at math I had to redo my calculations for how old Haruka would be in in 70's and realized that he was too young for 1975 in correlation for what year I had placed his death in. Therefore, Watanuki gets shot back into 1970 instead of 1975, just so you know. I have also fixed this error in the previous chapter.

Mutual Contract

"So…you're saying that I have to wear a kimono?" Watanuki asked, on hand on her hip.

"Until we get you some normal clothes." Haruka said, holding out a simple purple kimono that his mother had probably forgotten about.

"Normal?! These are normal clothes!" She argued.

"Not here they're not." Haruka said, holding the kimono out further. "If you don't want my parents to kick you out right from the start, then you need to look their sort of normal. Pants are not their sort of normal and neither is your foul mouth." There was a pause where Watanuki pulled a disgusted face that said she wasn't impressed with his reasons. "What?"

"You're so much more profound and confusing when you're older." She sighed, grabbing the kimono unceremoniously and stomped out of the hallway.

"Wait! I am?" The priest dashed after her.

"Yeah! You'd say something like, 'When entering the village, obey the village laws, if you wish to walk among its people unseen,' or something confusing like that." Watanuki replied, tossing the kimono up in the air and catching it.

"Really?" He asked, excitement in his eyes for knowing a little of his future.

"Yes! Now go away!" Watanuki stalked into a random room and slide the door shut in the priest's face.

"Whoa!" Haruka gasped, stepping back before he lost his nose. He held his nose tenderly even though Watanuki had missed. "I've got to watch out for that temper! And get more profound."

Haruka shrugged and walked back to his room to change into some clothes to go out in because they clearly needed to buy Watanuki some normal clothes…or "normal" clothes as she would say it. He could almost see her face as she made the air quotes and chuckled softly. Haruka pulled out a pair of black slacks, a fresh pair of socks and a white button up shirt. Putting those on, the man finished up his outfit with a gray vest in which to stash his cigarettes (which went directly into their designated pocket) and popped in a stick of chewing gum to wait for Watanuki. He lounged in his room, rolling more cigarettes – sprinkling his tobacco, folding the paper, rolling the joint and then licking the adhesive to close it off before stacking them in the little white box. He'd gotten through fifteen cigarettes when Watanuki finally walked out, fixing the collar her deep purple kimono and smoothing down her orange obi. Haruka's head shot up when she cleared her throat and he smiled at her.

"You clean up nicely," He said, appreciating how proper Watanuki looked in traditional clothing.

"Shut up." She scowled, glaring at the man as he cleaned up tobacco. "Are you sure you don't want to greet you parents now? I feel bad not introducing myself right off and going out shopping instead."

"What's the story we came up with?" Haruka prompted, giving her the eye while referencing their conversation at the kitchen table.

"That I'm your friend's second cousin visiting from Kyoto and I'm considering living here for the time being – in case I end up staying for quite a while because I have no way back to my time. My cousin's name is Shigure Hashimoto and their family has gone on vacation for the month – which is true if your parents check on my story, because he's your friend – and since this was a surprise visit, I have nowhere to stay and no family to stay with and you found me sitting in front of their empty house whole you were checking their mail, which the Hashimoto's have asked you to do for them." Watanuki recited, rolling her eyes.

"Right, and if you show up to the temple without a travel bag, clothes and hygiene products, that's going to be pretty suspicious." Haruka said jokingly. "So to tell a good lie, we need to make it look like the truth." Watanuki's eyes widened and her mouth dropped just a little. "What?" Haruka asked, wondering why she was staring at him like that.

"You were profound…" She breathed.

"I was?" Haruka smiled a little wider.

"Yeah, yeah but you're still not good enough for my time." Watanuki huffed, folding her arms roughly.

"Give me a break."

"Nope. It was a good try, but keep practicing. Let's go." Watanuki walked down the hallway and to the genken to borrow Haruka's mother's sandals until she got a pair of her own. The man was right behind her, slipping on his lace-up, black shoes and then sliding the door open for the girl.

The sun was up now as Watanuki stepped into the temple's courtyard, peeking in between the branches and showering the ground in little spots of light. The girl clopped down the stairs and wobbled on her shoes, not used to the height of the geta because she only wore those kinds of shoes at festivals. They weren't too high, only about three inches, but it was that three inches that emphasized Watanuki's clumsiness and weird movements. Haruka watched in amusement as he followed, smiling at the girl's struggle to walk smoothly on the slightly uneven cobblestones.

"Need some help?" He teased.

"No! I can do it myself. Just give me a minute!" Watanuki hissed, straightening herself up for the fifth time and taking tentative steps in her cumbersome sandals. Seven steady steps later she huffed at Haruka and turned around to stick her tongue out at him. Unfortunately, her geta tooth clipped against a raised stone and she started going down, her triumphant moment undermined by her fall. Haruka's hand flashed out and grabbed her wrist, arresting the girl's fall before she hit the ground. Watanuki jerked to a stop, one foot in the air, one hand behind her and one hand that had been ready to break her fall.

"Do you need help now?" The priest asked.

"Maybe…just a little." Watanuki admitted. Haruka pulled the girl onto her two unsteady feet and wrapped the hand he was holding around his elbow, placing his free hand over her fingers.

"There. Now you walk straight and I can escort a pretty woman." Haruka winked playfully, still teasing but Watanuki still blushed, tipping her head down to hid her face in her bangs.

"You big dork." She sighed, forcing her blush down and tipping her head back up.

"That's an insult, right?" Haruka asked, not quite understanding her slang.

"Yes." Watanuki snorted, pulling her hold on the man's arm as they went back to walking out of the temple's grounds. Feeling must steadier, Watanuki strolled out onto the quiet street of Haruka's neighborhood, her eyes searching for familiar things. She found that the houses in this area resembled the houses in her era, only some of them hadn't been remodeled yet and several vacant lots hadn't been filled with the new houses that were to come in the future. But the simple serenity that she felt was the same as in her time, the quiet presence of a Doumeki adding comfort to her troubled spirit. She wasn't at home, no matter how some things appeared, but at least she wasn't alone. Haruka let her think and look in silence, curiously watching the girl's eyes flit from one house or street to another, her eyes lighting up when (he presumed) she saw something familiar and darkening when a spot wasn't as she remembered it. It was intriguing, having a woman who knew more about the future than anyone on the earth because this present she was stuck in was, in actuality, her past. Things she studied in history books or with grandparents (which apparently she did, only it was Haruka himself that she talked to instead of her own grandparents for some reason). The pair walked in silence, the noises of morning gearing up for another day.

They ended up walking to a bus stop and then got onto a train to get into the city's bustling shopping districts. Even at eight in the morning, Tokyo was awake and slowly building up its steady roar of cars, trains and people shouting, shopping and working through their day. The bustle was familiar to Watanuki, but the city itself felt alien. There were not buildings where there were supposed to be buildings, buildings where buildings weren't supposed to be, the shops were dated in her eyes, the advertisements old and the people walking around her were wearing the most ugly clothing. That's the seventies for you, Watanuki shrugged. The seer thought that she was going to stand out in her kimono, but she realized that a lot of older women and even some younger ones were doing just as she was. Watanuki didn't stick out, she actually blended right into the streets so well that no one would even think that she wasn't from around here.

Haruka pulled the girl into a relatively middle-budget store and pushed her into the racks of women's clothing. The girl then proceeded to bash every single piece of clothing, muttering to herself that they looked to old (even though they were brand new), were out of fashion (even though they were in fashion) and decided that she'd be doing the sighted world a favor by shooting some designers in the face. By the time she'd picked out some simple, interchangeable clothing combinations, Haruka was beginning to wonder how anyone put up with Watanuki because she was certainly trying his patience at this point.

"Are you finished looking yet?" He grumped, leaning against a rack of trendy pants and wondering if Watanuki was going to dress like those daring women who dressed like men. She certainly had that vibe when wearing clothes from her own time period. The priest smacked his hand to his cheek and drooped down on the hangers, groaning in irritation and boredom. They'd been in this store for an hour and a half already! And they still needed to buy her a bag or suitcase, shoes of some sort and hygiene stuff.

"I'm only getting undressed once so I need to see everything before I try them on!" Watanuki grumbled back, pulling two sizes of black skirts off the rack. She then glared at Haruka again and then stomped off to the dressing room. She clicked the door shut and started cursing at the kimono's sashes as she undressed. Several female store clerks hovered around Haruka as Watanuki changed, being nice to him and two of them tried to flirt. Haruka just smiled and made light conversation with the women until Watanuki emerged from the dressing room in a red and white plaid skirt, a white button down shirt and a matching red sweater vest. She twirled once for Haruka and then stood with hands on her hips, her stocking feet tapping on the floor.

"What do you think?" She asked, gesturing to the outfit.

"Perfect. Now you look normal."

"Gee, thanks." Watanuki breezed back into the dressing room to change again. She came out in various pencil skirt/pleated skirt and shirt combinations and two long sleeved, short skirt dresses in bright patterns joined the growing pile of purchases. The last outfit Watanuki tried on was a pleated, sky blue skirt and a cap sleeved white button up and Haruka had decided by then that Watanuki should wear skirts all the time.

"That one's my favorite." He commented, smiling cheerfully.

"You think so?" Watanuki asked, looking back at herself in the mirror. "Well, I'm done now." She walked back into the dressing room and changed into her borrowed kimono. When she came out she was carting seven different outfits (which could be swapped around for other combinations) and reached to get her wallet. But a hand placed over her own stopped her and Haruka handed over the correct about of bills so the clerk could ring them up and bag their items.

Out of the shop, Watanuki wheeled on her companion, her bags slapping against her body as they swung around with her.

"Why did you do that?" Watanuki snarled.

"Do what?" Haruka asked, tipping his head away from her loud voice.

"Pay for my clothes! I need to buy them because they're mine!" She argued.

"For three reasons. One, I don't know how much money you have. Two, I don't know how much your money is worth or if it even matches my money. And three, can't I just do something nice for a woman in need?" Haruka asked, turning his serious, bronze eyes on her. Watanuki's mouth worked for a moment, surprised and then not surprised that Haruka had thought that far ahead.

"I have to pay you back somehow!" She blurted out after a moment, blushing slightly at the priest's constant kindness to her. He had done nothing but help her since she barged into his life and started causing him trouble, and kind of shift in balance was what Yuko had taught her to compensate. Haruka looked at her like he couldn't believe she was trying to pay back his kindness, his eyebrow cocked and a skeptical look on his face.

"Do you really feel like you need too?" He asked.

"Yes! I'm living at the temple, sharing your home and you've just purchased my clothes and are probably going to keep buying things for me today! I need to compensate you." Watanuki said firmly. "The universe is kept in balance through giving and receiving, taking prices as compensations for services rendered to any number on individuals. So yeah, I need to pay you back."

"Now who's being profound?" Haruka taunted.

"It's just something someone important taught me and she kind of drilled it into my head." Watanuki blushed, realizing just how much she sounded like Yuko just then.

"Then – if you really want to pay me back – then you can…" The priest tapped his finger against his chin as they walked, thinking and teasing at the same time. Watanuki waited, figuratively sweating because Haruka was like Yuko in many aspects. Especially his teasing personality and ability to come up with some crazy ideas and meddling plans. At least, that's what Haruka was going to become. "You can cook meals and help clean, m'kay?" The man smiled and the girl's head dropped down to her chest in despondency. "What?"

"You've just given me my own job back." Watanuki sighed, drooping even further.

"You work?" The man asked. It wasn't common for women to work outside of their own houses these days, but there were a few modern women who did get their own jobs every now and then. The business world was still dominated by men so it was still odd to think of Watanuki working.

"Yes, I work in this odd little shop run by a demon." Watanuki sighed again.

"A real demon?! You're world's more dangerous than I thought if you're working for a demon!" Haruka whisper-yelled. He didn't want to draw any attention to their conversation because most people didn't know about spirits and the like and he didn't want to get labeled as a crazy person so early in the morning.

"Calm down. She's not a real demon…I think. A witch is more like it." Watanuki tried to explain.

"So…what did this…witch…make you do at your job?"

"Cook, clean, help her with customers, run errands and other things like that. Only I was doing everything except her actual job. I seriously had to cook ten course meals, clean every inch of that damn shop, wash all her clothes and the blankets and sheets and clean and organize her huge storehouse! It was-is murder!"

"What kind of job does the witch do?"

"She's kind of…" Watanuki searched for a good comparison for what Yuko actually did even though she could probably tell Haruka exactly what she did and not have him think that she was a crazy person. "She's like a consultant for people's problems. That's what I tell anyone that asks me what I do, but in reality, my boss grants people's wishes."

"Wishes?" Haruka looked slightly confused at this but he hadn't run away yet.

"Yeah. People find her shop when they have a wish and Yuko grants it. But, to keep the universe in balance, yada, yada, yada, she has to take a price for granting the wish. The more complicated the wish, the bigger the price."

"That is an odd little shop." Haruka concluded, noting that having someone to grant a wish might come in handy sometime in the future.

"Yeah, you're telling me. Oh! Can we go in here?" Watanuki pointed to a little shoe store and dragged Haruka inside. She left the shop with a pair of loafers, a pair of sandals, and a bunch of socks to go with it. Of course, Haruka paid for it, but Watanuki was keeping a running tally of what she owed him. They purchased a bag for Watanuki to put her new clothes in and stopped in a grocery store to buy brushes and toothpaste and bathroom supplies for her. Once they were done shopping, Watanuki entered a public restroom to change into one of her skirts and pack her bag (minus all the tags from everything) and Haruka camped outside and waited until she was ready, partaking in one of his cigarettes, sending a stream of smoke into the late morning air. Watanuki walked out fifteen minutes later carrying her full tote, wearing the blue skirt and white shirt combo that the priest liked and finished tapping on her new shoes. He gave her a once over and smiled, dropping his cigarette and crushing it under his foot.

"You look nice." He smiled.

"Thanks." The woman blushed, tightening her grip on her bag.

"Ready to meet my parents?"

"No."

"Alright. Let's go." Watanuki was glued to her spot. Haruka reached out his hand to her and winked. "Come on. It's a long ride back. You've got plenty of time to perfect your charming self."

Watanuki rolled her eyes. "Shut up." But she took his hand all the same, and Haruka could feel her relax just a little. She's comfortable with me, even stranded in a different time without anyone she knows. They're not even born yet and neither is she! Haruka squeezed her hand gently, and Watanuki squeezed back as they made their way to the bus station. It was odd. He'd never gotten this comfortable with someone so quickly before. Maybe it was the fact that Watanuki knew him in a different time that was helping. Either that so she was just too dang cute not to like (even if her temper was atrocious). Whatever the reason, Haruka was glad that she was (hopefully) going to be staying at his temple. That way, he could learn more about this strange woman, and maybe weasel some information out of her on how profound he was in the future.

…

Haruka's parents were terrifying. And they were completely mismatched for each other. Watanuki was sitting on a cushion in a receiving room of sorts while Haruka made tea for everyone in the kitchen. He'd be back in just a minute, but in those few minutes…things could go very, very wrong. Doumeki's father was studying her curiously; she could see his dark eyes, kind and probing (kind of like Haruka) looking her over, judging her. Did I pick a good outfit? Can I really convince them to let me stay? He was a giant of a man, getting into his early fifties if Watanuki was judging his age correctly and had a few wrinkles around his eyes and the corners of his mouth, a testament too many smiles. Or many scowls. But he didn't seem to be that kind of man. The father smiled softly, tipping his head. His gray streaks in his hair shined in the light, mixing with the dark brown that all the Doumeki men seemed to possess. He was sitting loosely on his cushion, his burgundy kimono opening loosely around his chest as he did so, a low table in between him and Watanuki and seemed to be at ease. Watanuki wished she could be at ease, but it was the mother that was worrying her.

Haruka's mother looked like one of those ladies that liked to beat children with her cane when they trespassed on her lawn (but, she didn't have a cane and would probably just chase Watanuki out of the temple, cane or no cane). She was as short compared to her husband, just a few inches shorter than Watanuki herself and had dark, beady eyes, wrinkles that were probably frown lines trying to be older to go along with that dismissive scowl in her face. She was giving the girl a once over too, only she didn't seem so pleased or cheerful to have her as a guest like her husband had. The mother smoothed out some nonexistent wrinkles from her deep green robes, placing her wrinkling hands on her lap daintily and then frowned and glared at Watanuki.

"Are we going to sit here in silence all day?" She barked, narrowing her eyes at Watanuki even more. "What is your name, child?" Watanuki shivered and dropped into a hasty waist-bow, nearly bending her body to her thighs and almost smacked her head on the table in her rush. Luckily, she noticed the table and stopped herself just short of giving herself a concussion.

"Sorry, ma'am! My name's Kimihiro Watanuki! Pleased to meet you!" Watanuki threw out her introduction in one breath, hardly stopping to think as she did it. The girl straightened herself up and felt a drop of nervous sweat slid down her back. Her armpits weren't doing much better as she clutched her body in tighter to herself, tense and rigid with fear. I hope she never figures out that I've got one of her kimonos in my bag.

"Ayumu Doumeki. Nice to meet you." Haruka's father smiled as he introduced himself. "Please feel free to call me Ayumu. It's confusing when there's three Doumeki's in the same house." He winked. Watanuki liked him…but he seemed like one of those people who was nice on the outside, but was critical under the surface and judged everything you did secretly. Those types of people were really frightening and Watanuki had dealt with so many of those in school when she was younger and hadn't learned yet that not everyone could see spirits and the like. But then again, Ayumu might not be critical at all and the seer might just be deluding herself. However, she'd have to be cautious around him nonetheless.

"Karin Doumeki. You may call me ma'am." Haruka's mother continued, sniffing at the girl's introduction. It wasn't very poised or sincere like it should be. She nodded her head sharply. "Now, my son tells us that he found you sitting outside of a friend's house: now why is that?" Watanuki swallowed once, twice, trying to get some moisture into her mouth so she could answer Haruka's mother's question.

"I was going to visit my second cousin's family. I planned on staying with them for a few weeks, but it was supposed to be a surprise visit, but I'm the one who got surprised." Watanuki blushed in embarrassment at lying, but hopefully, it just looked like embarrassment to the older couple. "Your son walked up to the Hashimoto's house as I was trying to figure out what to do and told me that they were out of town for a little while." Watanuki finished her lie, hoping that it sounded convincing and wished for Haruka to get his ass back in here so she'd have some back up. His mother was still scrutinizing her, and her frown deepened, apparently still not liking what she'd found.

"Okaasama, you're scaring the poor girl!" Haruka walked in with a tea tray, as if summoned by Watanuki's frantic thoughts and sat down next to Watanuki. He set the tray out on the table and began pouring everyone cups tea. Watanuki let Ayumu and his wife take the first cups before taking the one offered to her, deferring to age in case that was a huge thing for Haruka's mother (which it probably was, and it was the polite thing to do anyway). They all sipped their tea for a moment and Watanuki was glad that the cup could cover her face for a few seconds, letting her calm herself now that Haruka was here to help her.

"I just want to be sure of her purpose in coming here." The mother replied, sipping her tea daintily before setting her cup down on the table. "What were you doing at the Hashimoto residence if they weren't there?"

"I was checking their mail, remember? Shigure asked me too while he and his family were gone." Haruka replied.

"Ah, yes. I do remember you telling me that."

"And when I found this lovely young lady sitting dejectedly in front of their house, I couldn't just leave her there." He continued smoothly. "The Hashimoto's are the only family you have in this area, right?" The priest turned toward Watanuki as he asked his fake question.

"Y-yes." She stuttered.

"And where are you from?" Ayumu asked.

"Kyoto." Watanuki replied, relieved that it was Ayumu who asked and not his wife. She was tired of getting glared at by the older woman. I don't know if I can live under the same roof as her, Watanuki thought, watching as the woman turned towards her husband (who was reminiscing about the last time he'd been in Kyoto – something about a pilgrimage to all the shrines there or something like that). Honestly, I don't know how they put up with here. She seems too cold and strict.

"Have you visited any of the shrines, my dear?" Ayumu's voice drew Watanuki out of her thoughts and back into the conversation.

"Y-yes. The Kinkaku-ji Temple and Nijo-jo Castle and-"

"And you," Haruka pointed to his father, interrupting Watanuki. "Stop pestering her about temples. You're only going to come off sounding strange with your obsession about spiritual sites."

"I was just making friendly conversation." Ayumu countered, smiling good-naturedly at his son. He leaned in closer to Watanuki gestured with one finger for her to do the same. When she was in close, the older gentleman spoke softly. "We'll have a nice long chat later." He winked again and Watanuki smiled as they drew away from each other. Now, I'm going to have to go study Kyoto! This is getting too complicated.

"So, where will you be staying, now that my son has plucked you off of the streets?" Haruka's mother ruined the good mood of the conversation and got right back to her interrogation.

"I offered that she could stay here. At least for a little while." Haruka replied before Watanuki could.

"Here?" That was the first look of genuine emotion that Watanuki had seen on the older woman's face, and it happened to be shock. But, she guessed that Haruka was a pro at shocking his mother. "But we hardly know the girl!"

"But she has no other family nearby." He countered.

"Then she should just go back to Kyoto. It's her own poor planning skills that started this whole mess." Now came the hard part: convincing the mother to let her stay. Haruka had said that his father would probably be fine with her staying, but they'd have to worry about his mother.

"She wouldn't be too much trouble, now would you?" Haruka glanced at Watanuki.

"Not at all! I can even help around the temple! I can cook and clean and I won't take up much space." Watanuki added. I sound like a housewife, she grumbled internally, hating Yuko for turning her into one at the shop.

"I think we should let her stay, even just for a little while." Ayumu agreed, giving his wife a look that said she needed to pull the stick out of her ass. It was actually kind of comical. Ayumu's wife looked at Watanuki again, her eyes slits as she studied the girl for the tenth time since the conversation had started.

"You both are hopeless against attractive women." She finally snapped, glaring at her husband and wife.

"Guilty." Both men said at the same time, holding their hands up in defeat and smiling.

"You especially." Haruka's mother pointed at him with a hard finger.

"Guilty again." He chuckled. "So…does that mean she can stay?"

"I suppose she can stay for a few days, but if it doesn't work out she needs to find someone else to bother or just go home." Haruka's mother issued the ultimatum, giving Watanuki, Haruka and Ayumu hard looks. All three of them flinched. "And she will not be sleeping in room near yours." She pointed at Haruka again.

"Alright, alright." The hands came up in defeat again. Apparently, whatever Karin Domeki decided was law in the house because neither Haruka nor Ayumu were arguing against any of her terms and Watanuki certainly wasn't going to (she was terrified of the woman already). "Then it's all set. Watanuki will stay with us for now." Haruka smiled at the girl and she smiled back.

"But don't get too comfortable. You'll follow all of the house rules and if you make trouble you'll be out on your own, young lady." Haruka's mother threatened, standing up gracefully and smoothing out her kimono again. Watanuki nodded quickly.

"Yes, ma'am!" She replied, still scared of the older woman. Karin Doumeki left the room and everyone else left in there sighed in relief.

"She's so strict sometimes!" Ayumu complained, sipping at his tea again.

"Don't tell that to me," Haruka shrugged. "You're the one who married her. Honestly, how did you end up with such a scary wife in the first place?"

"I'm not sure, but I blame it on my parents. Ours was an arranged marriage remember? Back when they were still popular. My mother and father both loved Karin from the beginning, and I came to as well. But, before we divulge all the family secrets in front of a complete stranger," Ayumu stood up and brushed off his kimono, offering a strong hand to Watanuki. "Why don't we get you settled? I hope my wife didn't scare you too much."

"At least I'm not the only one who's scared of her." Watanuki took the hand offered to her and stood, reaching for her bag.

"I got that." Haruka was up in a flash and snatched the girl's new bag before she could get it. "Which room should we put Watanuki in?"

"How about in the room that faces the garden? That would be an excellent room for a pretty young girl like her, don't you think?"

"Sure. That okay with you, Watanuki?" Haruka asked.

"Whatever works best for you. I'm the one intruding so I shouldn't complain about what I get, right?"

"Now that's wisdom that Karin would appreciate." Ayumu chuckled.

The trio walked out of the receiving room and Watanuki followed Haruka and Ayumu towards the back of the temple. Even though she'd walked these halls hundreds of times, she let Haruka lead her like she hadn't, pretending to look at everything with new eyes as they walked. In truth, the temple was different in this time period, but it was still so familiar that Watanuki didn't feel the least bit discomforted. The Doumeki family really does take good care of this temple. There's hardly any difference in its appearance compared to my time. Sure, the walls are a little nicer now, but it's almost the same. Oh, there's the spot where I threw the tongs at Shizuka. It's weird not seeing the scratches in the panel. Watanuki continued to muse to herself until Haruka stopped in front of a new set of doors that Watanuki hardly went past in her time. The priest slid open the doors and walked in. Watanuki followed quickly, looking around.

The room was a big as Haruka's and Shizuka's room in the front of the temple and looked almost like every other bedroom in the building, but this room had several pieces of traditional art that Watanuki had only seen once or twice before in her own time because they were no longer on display in the temple. Rather, the Doumeki's stored these pieces of art in the storehouse with all of Haruka's books and his own manuscripts. Watanuki walked up to a wall scroll and admired the cherry blossoms depicted in the garden scene. She then moved to the doors at the back of the room and slid them open, peeking her head out to look into the gardens. Those were really different from her own time. The pond didn't exist and there were only a few winding pathways that strolled among the few trees in the back.

"Will this be suitable for you?" Ayumu asked, leaning against the doorframe. Watanuki slid the doors shut again and turned around.

"Absolutely. Thank you." Watanuki bowed slightly, showing her gratitude to being allowed to stay.

"Please, enjoy your stay. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." The elder priest bowed to the girl and then walked down the hall, leaving the two young people alone.

"I'm glad we convinced them to let you stay." Haruka smiled. " I knew my father would be pretty okay with it, it was my mother that was worrying me."

"You got that right." Watanuki sighed. "I'm just scared that she'd going to rip my head off or something."

"Well, as long as you don't make a mess and do everything she says, it'll work out. She may look evil sometimes, but she'd nothing if not fair." Haruka shrugged again. "Need any help unpacking?"

"No thanks. I can unpack my own things. You've done enough for me as it is, most of which I don't deserve since I'm the one causing trouble."

"You may cause trouble, but you're not the kind of person who wishes trouble on others on purpose." Haruka replied, looking at the girl with his deep bronze eyes. Watanuki blushed, her heart fluttering just a bit. Shizuka really does look a lot like him. They're almost identical. I miss him so much. A deep ache appeared in the seer's chest, almost physically making her slump over in longing, but she shoved it down, turning her sentiment for her boyfriend and the man who was being so kind to he now into her number one defense mechanism: insults.

"Yeah, well…you're the kind of person who causes trouble just for the fun of it!"

"Oh! You cut me to the quick!" Haruka placed a hand over his chest and groaned. "You're a cruel woman, Watanuki."

"Get used to it. I won't go easy on you just because you're charming." She cocked an eyebrow at the priest.

"You think I'm charming?" Haruka's teasing eye lit up.

"Get out of here already!" Watanuki laughed and shoved the man out the door before she could inflate his ego anymore. She slid the door shut behind him and leaned against its frame. That's when the day finally caught up to her.

In that empty room, so familiar and so not, Watanuki slid to the ground, her knees buckling as she slumped. The girl stared at the ceiling, feeling that deep ache within her again. I'm at the Doumeki temple, but it's not my temple. I'm with a man who looks like Shizuka, but who isn't. I'm on the same world, so why does it feel so different and so familiar at the same time? It this jus the universe's way of torturing me. I want to go home, but I technically am home. This is the same home that visit almost every day back in my time, so why can't I be happy? Why? Why did this have to happen? Tears dropped out of Watanuki's eyes, their wetness running down her cheeks and onto her neck. She sniffed, feeling so distant from everything she knew, and yet, she was sitting in a room whose walls were similar to those she had sat in before. Everything was the same, but not. She was safe, but so far away from home. Her real home. The home where she could yell at Doumeki and throw spatulas at him and complain about Yuko but still do everything she was asked to do and play with the twins and try to stew Mokona and cook for Wari. All of those things were so far away now. Watanuki sobbed, missing her home.

She cried for a little while, letting out all her frustration with her small slice of alone time. But then she wiped her nose on a handkerchief that Doumeki had given her for her last birthday and clapped her hands against her cheeks. Watanuki pulled herself together and threw herself into unpacking her clothing, organizing them in her borrowed dresser and then reorganizing them twice before she was satisfied. She'd calmed down by the end of her unpacking, keeping the hopelessness of her situation locked away for a little while longer and went to go find Haruka's mother to see if she could help clean anything. Better to be busy than to be bored, the girl told herself, hating and cherishing the fact that working at Yuko's shop had taught her that because she was always busy at Yuko's. It just felt right, to help others when they were helping her.

She didn't know how long she was going to impose on the Doumeki's, but for now, she'd compensate them as much as she was able and if that's all she could do, she'd do it so that Karin Doumeki didn't kick her out for being lazy. That woman was terrifying as it was, and Watanuki didn't even want to think about what she'd look like when she was angry.

While she was walking down the hall, Watanuki ran into Haruka again, toting several books in his arms. The man smiled at her and she smiled back. At least she had one friend. Maybe this won't be too bad, and it'll all work out like Haruka said. We'll just have to see.

…

Doumeki trudged back through the streets he'd just run past a few minutes earlier, his arms laden with Watanuki's groceries. The girl was gone, and if Yuko had sensed something, it had to be a spirit. It could've been a killer or a kidnapper or someone like that, but Yuko probably would've freaked out more if it had been. Instead, the witch had been calm, like this was what was supposed to happen. And it probably was. But that didn't mean that Doumeki was okay with it. In fact, if he wasn't the stone-faced bastard that Watanuki always accused him of being, he'd probably be having a breakdown right now. But, instead of bursting into tears or screaming to high heaven, he just quietly trudged back to Yuko's shop, squeezing the bags of groceries tighter to his chest, trying to stay calm, stay together because now Watanuki had gotten herself into a situation where he couldn't save her. His only hope was that she'd find someone who could help her, protect her if they could until she came back from wherever she was. Where was she? Yuko would have to answer that question for him.

Filled with at least a little purpose to keep his worry at bay, Doumeki walked a little faster towards the shop that he knew would be empty of its caretaker, holding only its mistress and her little court.

A/N: There you go! Let me know what you think! :3 See ya!