***

"The wind howls but the mountain remains still."

***

Hibiya and Kagari spent their weekend unpacking, roaming around the Inn's properties, and trying to know the place better. Uncle didn't hinder them from anywhere since there isn't really much to worry about in the area. It's not like they're in the woods anyway.

Just like what Kagari said, their uncle isn't entirely a block of ice. During their mini-adventures, Iroha was busying himself in arranging his nephew and niece's paperworks, including their scholarship. By the time Monday arrived, all they had to do was go to school with their forms and attend class.

Really, they didn't know how they can thank their uncle enough.

*

"You should bring an umbrella to school. Weather's unpredictable these days," Iroha advises at breakfast before taking a sip of his coffee as the twins stare at him. "You can share my umbrella in the meantime. But don't forget to buy your own afterwards," is what's added after the man places his mug down.

"Un. Thank you, uncle." Hibiya and Kagari nod their head, finishing up their breakfast.

*

They walk to school that morning. The weather's still fine; no gloomy clouds spotted at the clear blue sky.

Kagari takes in her surroundings, trying to memorize the name of the streets and landmarks around their neighborhood. They couldn't afford to get lost in the city; that'd just make it harder for their Uncle.

"I wonder if I'll ever get my bike back," she wonders out loud.

Hibiya only yawns and shoves his hands into his pockets. "Who knows," he hums unhelpfully. Kagari narrows her eyes at him and pouts.

"I feel really bad... Uncle must've spent so much on fixing that..."

"Yet you carelessly crash it into a bridge," Hibiya shake his head mockingly. He's guilt-tripping her, Kagari can tell. Her brother may look like an angel on the outside, but deep inside, if you really squint at his internal personality, you'll only see a hollow shell of an indifferent turtle.

"Hibi-chan, you're a meanie."

"I get that a lot..."

"Good!"

They continue to walk to school in silence, Kagari glancing around town and Hibiya wondering to himself if he'll hate his homeroom teacher this year. Actually, he's wondering if he'll like his school at all. Coming from a small town and to a big city like Tokyo might result to a huge culture shock for country bumpkins like them.

"Hibi-chan," Kagari calls from in front; being a few steps ahead of her twin.

"Mm?"

"Do you think we'll fit in?"

"Dunno. Maybe." Hopefully. Hibiya leaves unsaid.

He stares at his sister's back, cogitating about his sister's growing anxiety that started ever since Uncle Iroha agreed to them working at his Inn. They had no idea it was located in a big urbanized city, regretting their impulsive decision to work part-time while studying. It was pressuring for them too.

They had three younger siblings waiting for them back at their home in Nagano. They were lucky their grandparents had no trouble accepting them into their home. They're always surrounded by helpful adults. So lucky. So blessed to have them.

"Kagari." Hibiya reaches out to grab her hand, the two of them stopping before a pedestrian crossing. Kagari hangs her head low as she's asked, "Are you scared?" because I am.

"I'm not."

Hibiya ponders about that answer and starts leading the way to school. Kagari doesn't miss the low whisper of "liar" a her brother passes by her.

They hold hands the entire way, Kagari's grip stronger than Hibiya's.

*

They're in class 2-B, despite being scholars of the school. Their adviser had them stand in front of class for introductions, much to Hibiya's annoyance and Kagari's nervousness.

"Let's welcome our two new transferees then. Dozo."

Kagari flinched as they were requested to introduce themselves. As usual, she did the talking for the both of them. "U-Uh, h-hai! I'm Kazehaya Kagari!" she then gestures to her twin. "This is my brother, Kazehaya Hibiya. Um... he doesn't really talk that much so we're both used to me being the spokesperson for the both of us. Sorry, if that weirds you out--um! You see--I--"

"We'll be under your care," Hibiya buts in after noticing his sister begins to stutter. He pats Kagari's head, and together, they finish up their introduction with a bow.

Their classmates were nice enough to applaud them, and their adviser greets them amicably, also assigning them to separate seats.

Kagari is seated next a blonde boy, who's been observing her the moment she entered the room, while Hibiya is currently being harassed by the 'supposedly' Shogi Club president.

"You look like you were born for it, Hibiya-kun! How about it? Won't you join the Shogi Club?"

"...don't call me by my first name."

"Eh?! So you'll join the club!"

"Shut up."

*

"Hibi-chan! Let's eat lunch!" Kagari approaches her twin as soon as the lunch bell rang. Hibiya nods, not replying, and finishes up putting his notebooks under his desk.

"Hibi-chan-san and Kagari-san, am I right?"

"Eh?" "Don't put -chan and -san on my name..."

As Kagari blinks, Hibiya's face contorts into a murderous, irritated frown. His twin takes notice of his weirdo seatmate, who's introduced himself as Kadowaki Ayumu. Kadowaki claims that they've met before but as if Hibiya's going to believe a shady person like him. "...you're...?"

Kadowaki stands from his seat, hand pressed onto his desk. He smirks at Kagari and makes majestic, exaggerated gesture, "President of the Shogi Club, Kadowaki Ayumu! It's a pleasure to be able to meet you again, Kazehaya Twins!"

Kagari offers a nod as a greeting, but isn't sure what's happening. Are they make their first Tokyo friend? "Nice to meet you too, Kadowaki-kun!" she smiles then tilts her head thoughtfully. "Though 'to meet us again'... have we met before?"

"FORGOTTEN!" Kadowaki exclaims, an imaginary arrow piercing through his heart. "How cruel Kagari-san!"

"Eh?"

Hibiya pops a vein. "Shut up, kuso megane."

"Kuso?!"

"Yeah, got a problem with it?"

"Hibi-chan! Stop picking fights on your first day of school!"

"I can't help it! He's been pestering me about that damn shogi club all morning! I'm seriously pissed!" There's raging fire coming out Hibiya, which was rare. Kagari chooses to calm him down instead of lecturing him. His twin had enough from their teachers.

"Ma, let's settle down, Hibi-chan. I'm sure Kadowaki-kun has his reasons," Kagari turns to Kadowaki with a kind smile, "Ne, Kadowaki-kun?"

That causes for the megane to revive from his fallen state. "That's right! Sa! Come with me Hibi-chan-san and Kagari-san! I will show you the glimpse of how--" Kadowaki wasn't able to finish his proclamation, for he was rudely interrupted by his classmate and fellow shogi club member, Kohinata Hozumi.

"Hey there! Kagari-san, right?" He pushes Kadowaki off the scene, as the latter stumbles of sight, and starts talking friendly to Kagari.

"H-Hai. Um, you are...?"

"Kohinata Hozumi! Nice to meet you!"

"Y-You too, Kohinata-kun!"

Kohinata smiles at the two, and was about to say hi to the other Kazehaya as well, when he notices Hibiya giving him a strange look again. It's just like that time at the park, he thinks. He tries to converse with him, "A-Anyway, you two might not remember us but we're from at the park~! Remember your clash with Kuga-senpai?"

Kagari blushes at the mention of the name. Of course she remembers! How could she forget the name of her saviour?

"I-I do!" Kagari gushes before she even stops herself. Hibiya seeths from behind. Kohinata flinches at the hostility he emits.

"Ja, then let's go meet him!" Kohinata cheers, grabs Kagari's wrist and - Hibiya slaps his hand away.

"Off." Hibiya throws the blonde a menacing look before realizing what he has done. Crap! He's suddenly sulking under his desk, a gloomy aura surrounding him this time. Kadowaki peeks at him curiously.

"What's his deal?" Kohinata sweats drop and sighs.

"S-Sorry... He acts impulsively and later regrets... He's an idiot but he knows his manners. He just forgets it when annoyed..." Kagari apologizes for Hibiya's weird behaviour.

"But I haven't done anything to him..."

"W-Well, it's better not to take it personally..."

"Haa..." Kohinata's shoulder sag. "T-Then, let's go meet Kuga-senpai then?" he urges, only to receive another death glare from Hibiya. "Eek! W-Why?!"

"Hibi-chan... do you... dislike Kuga-kun?"

"Mm!" Hibiya firmly nods.

"Even though he saved Kagari-san from falling?" Kadowaki asks, peering at his classmate. This time, he was the victim of the Hibiya Death Glare. "Eek! So scary!"

"Boys are not allowed to touch my sister," Hibiya states clearly, glancing at Kohinata. "Even you."

What does 'even you' mean?! Kohinata just agrees along Hibiya's conditions. He tries again, Hibiya's dark aura still scaring the shit of their classmates.

Kagari sighs, ducking her head so she can meet her twin's eyes since he was still on the floor. "You don't have to be friends with him or anything. We'll just thank Kuga-kun for saving me, alright?" With one last push, Hibiya finally budges off his spot under his desk and follows Kagari's request.

"Kohinata-kun, please lead the way!"

"O-Oh! Right! Let's go then!" Kohinata leads the way to their senpai's classroom.

Kadowaki tags along them, only to torment him about shogi this and shogi that and can I just castrate him... Hibiya's seriously on the verge of snapping. He slips his hand into his sisters for comfort, and then hugs her whole arm, whispering,

"City boys are scary..."

Kagari stifles a laugh and pats his head. "Now, now, it's only your first days," she soothes.

"Oh, Kagari-san, you two aren't from Tokyo?" Kohinata asks.

"Oh, yeah. Hibi-chan and I are from Nagano. We just arrived last Saturday."

"Ohh, Nagano! Wait--Only last Saturday?! And you've already involved yourself in an accident!" Kohinata reacts, finding himself concerned on the country folks' first impression of Tokyo.

An accident, some weird classmate that keeps convincing them to join the Shogi Club, a guy that looks like a girl--

Kagari sees through Kohinata's internal panic and immediately assures him it's nothing to worry about. "Actually, the only thing I'm worried about is my bike..." she admits, reminding Kohinata something about what Kuga said last weekend.

Kadowaki's still uninvolved, and is still going on about Shogi.

"Um, your bike..."

*

Kagari and Hibiya find themselves staring at the bike they left at the park on Saturday. Kohinata's talking with someone on the phone while Kadowaki explains to them that after they fled the scene, Kuga took responsibility in keeping the bike and even repairing it for them.

"We were surprised when Kuga-senpai texted us all, asking if we knew you from school. He said he brought the bike without thinking and how he'd be able to contact you," Kadowaki chuckles at the memory of Kuga getting dismayed over working on the bike for nothing.

"I-I see. I'm so sorry for the trouble!" Kagari bows an apology.

Kadowaki shakes his hand. "Save that for Kuga-senpai. He'll be here soon so you can thank him personally," he says.

That causes Kagari's face to heat up, until it was resembling a ripe tomato. Hibiya twitches in awareness and starts sending daggers to Kadowaki again while continuously and murderously chanting, "kusomeganekusomeganekusomeganekusomeganekusomegane!"

"W-WHY?!"

"K-Kuga-kun... wait," Kagari realizes something and turns to Kohinata who just finished talking to a clubmate. "Kohinata-kun and Kadowaki-kun call Kuga-kun 'senpai', so that means..."

"Oh, yeah. Kuga-senpai is a year older than us," Kohinata replies.

"I-I see!" Kagari pipes. "K-Kuga-senpai, then..."

"Hai?" On cue, Kuga pops out behind the 2nd years, responding to Kagari's murmur of his name. He then recognizes it's the girl he almost knocked over off her bike. "You..."

"KYAA!" Kagari jumps and hides behind her brother, in shock. Hibiya blinks before identifying the face of his sister's saviour.

"Kuga..." he hisses, dark aura directed to the white-haired male.

"K-Kuga-senpai?!" Kagari pokes her head out from Hibiya's shoulders and brightens. "Kuga-senpai!"

"Hello. It's nice to see you again," Kuga greets the two with a slight bow.

"Hey, it's Kanojo-san!" Heath appears beside Kuga, pointing at Kagari. "Hey there! Oh-" he remembers and glances at the bike Kohinata and Kadowaki showed the twins.

"Your bike," Kuga utters. "I fixed it."

Kagari nods gratefully. "I know. Kohinata-kun and Kadowaki-kun told me." she comes out from her brother's back and goes closer to Kuga.

Hibiya is left seething behind her again. "You should turn your aura off, Hibiya-kun. Kuga-senpai is your senpai you know," Kohinata informs him.

Hibiya's head snaps over to his direction, eyes still shooting daggers at whatever it landed on.

Kohinata twitches and hides behind Kadowaki.

Damn it, he's cute...Hibiya sulks again, hugging his knees to his chest. Kagari looks back at him and tugs his sleeve. "Kora, Hibi-chan. It's your turn to say thank you. And don't forget to apologize for being rude!" she prompts him.

She successfully pulls him up, with the way Hibiya acts like a functionless robot. "Thanks for saving Kagari... I'm sorry for being rude..." he enunciate lifelessly.

"Hibi-chan?" Kagari stares at him worriedly.

"Don't worry about it. Moreover, you don't look so good. Are you okay?" Kuga questions.

"No... It's nothing..." Hibiya sways languidly, energy drained already. "I just..."

"Oh? It's Captain and the senpais!" Riku emerges from the school's back door, with Fujiwara and Sakurai tailing after him. He is surprised when he sees the twins with the Stride Club members so Kohinata elaborates about them being transferees.

"That's great. Then, Kuga-senpai already told you about your bike," Sakurai chats with Kagari, a cordial atmosphere forming between them.

"Un. He fixed it for me too!"

"Yeah, Kuga-senpai's pretty familiar with bikes. He owns a motorcycle too."

"Eh, really?! That's so cool!"

The boys watch the girls talk, and wonder if this pleasant scene would always occur if they convince Kagari to join the shogi club. That way there'd be more scenes like this. Riku likes it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm Sakurai Nana. A first-year relationer at the Stride Club."

Stride Club? Kagari doesn't know what that is but shrugs off her question. "I'm Kazehaya Kagari, a second-year transferee. Ah, though I haven't picked a club to join yet..." she hums, undecidedly. She then gestures to Hibiya, "This is my twin brother, Hibi-cha--"

"You have nice calves."

"GAH! MOLESTER!"

"Hibi-chan?!"

"OI FUJIWARA!"

"Takeru-kun!"

Kuga and Heath observes from the sidelines as Riku tries (key word: tries) to pry Fujiwara off of Hibiya, who was clinging onto his sister desperately. Kagari is clutching onto Sakurai for support while the latter assists her on keeping her balance. Kohinata is internally troubled whether to help the poor Hibiya and risk himself in getting glared at again or just trust Riku's strength in pulling Fujiwara away. Kadowaki is looking amused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully before smirking.

"Alright," he spoke.

Everyone pauses from their antics and waits for what he has to say since he looks serious for a second.

"I'm definitely letting you join the Shogi Club!" he proclaims.

Hibiya screeches and cries onto Kagari whimpering, "TOKYO IS SCARY."

Author's Note:

#ProtectHibiya2k16