The Beginning

-oOo-

Yasuhara groaned in exasperation. He loved the couple, but sometimes Ayako and Bou-san could really drive him crazy with their constant arguing. He had no idea how Mai could continue writing in her notebook, sitting between the bickering pair and not even bat an eye at the annoyed looks and glares their group was receiving from the other plane passengers. He had to admire this, in a sad way. The girl was so focused on comparing her notes of their cases to the books spread out in front of her.

Yasu grinned when he saw Mai stressing out even before they landed. "Oh, Mai-chan…" he sang mischievously.

Mai looked up at her adopted older brother, oblivious to his tone of voice. "What?" she asked, disoriented. Her eyes were still unfocused from the strain of staring at books for a long period of time. "Why is Ayako attacking Bou-san?" she voiced in confusion, squinting.

Yasuhara rolled his eyes again. "When isn't she hitting him?" he retorted cheekily.

Mai laughed softly at the remark, her mind momentarily distracted from her studies. "You make it sound like she's abusive!"

"I don't know, Mai-chan," his glasses flashed dramatically. "She's vicious with her purse…"

"Care to repeat that, Yasuhara?" a feminine voice threatened from behind him. Yasuhara gulped and turned around, flashing a shaky grin at the woman looming threateningly over him, her purse held menacingly in her hand.

Masako decided to intercede before the arguments escalated any further. "Lower your voices… I believe the flight attendants are becoming very annoyed with us." She spoke primly, her hands folded demurely in her lap. But before anyone could comment, the overhead speaker crackled to life and a voice announced, "Attention, passengers. We will be landing at Heathrow Airport shortly. Please fasten your seatbelts; we will be descending soon."

Mai chewed on her lower lip. Her anxieties seemed to triple as she glanced down at the innocent-looking silver ring that adorned her ring finger as she thought of what lay ahead. And then they were landing.

-oOo-

Luella Davis looked up in surprise at her husband as he entered the kitchen for lunch. "Weren't you supposed to go pick up the new transfer students?" she inquired.

Martin grinned. "I was, but Madoka and Lin offered to go instead. They said they'd bring them here for dinner, so no worries. I'll still be able to meet them."

"That's nice of them." Luella remarked. "But you can have the privilege of telling Noll that we will be having guests for dinner."

Martin groaned and dropped his head the dining room table. "He can just be surprised when the guests come home." his voice mumbled.

Luella laughed to herself as her husband continued to babble to himself. Oliver's reaction to coming home to find strangers in their home would be amusing.

-oOo-

Who wants to see Naru's expression? Cuz I certainly do! Please read and review to see the next chapter! It may take me a while to update, but I WILL update!