"Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy". ~Leo Buscaglia

Erin splashed cold water on her face and then stared at her reflection on the bathroom mirror, "did all that really happen? Why did Yukinori look a lot like Yuri? The last names were all the same too... except for mine and big brother Drake... just who the hell were those people?"

*knock* *knock* 

"Erin! Have you fallen asleep in there?"

The sound of someone knocking on the bathroom immediately broke Erin out of her daze.

"N-no! I-uh...am about to finish. Give me five minutes Ran! T-that's you, right?"

Rainier sighed, "yeah... hurry up! "

Yuri peeked from outside the room's main door, "Rainier... is Erin ready? Drake said he's hungry."

"Ah Yuri! Great timing! I'll leave Erin to you cause I think she will take a while longer. I'll lead the guys to the dining room, follow us as soon as she finishes."

"Sure thing... save us seats okay?"

Rainier nodded and walked out of the room as Yuri took her seat on the sofa, humming softly to the music of her favorite artist...

"Yuu? Where's Ran?""

Yuri turned and grinned at the now ready Erin, "he led the boys to the dining... hey, you look a bit pale. Are you feeling ill?"

Erin's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at Yuri's face, "..."

"Erin?"

*sigh*"Nothing, I'm sorry. I'm just having déjà vu... with a bad case of headache."

"Déjà vu? Anyway, take an aspirin after eating and rest. We would be joining Drake later when the guests visit."

Erin felt another wave of headache coming, "can I not come? Tell them I slipped in the bathroom and became unconscious or that I have diarrhea..."

Yuri chuckled and removed the headphones from her ears, "Are you worried about the guests? If you are then there is no reason to. Firstly, I'm sure Drake can handle them on his own plus lawyer grandpa will surely help. Secondly, even if those guests are bad they can't really touch us. We are the owner's treasured friends. Lastly, we'll be there with you so if they even in the slightest bit try to intimidate you then we can intimidate them back full force."

Erin slumped beside Yuri, head leaning on her friend's shoulder, "I've heard that before... and it didn't make things any better. Yuu, I don't want to meet them..."

Yuri patted Erin's head and sighed, "If it's any consolation, I don't want to meet them either for some reason. We can't really leave Drake on his own out there though. "

Erin pouted, "but he's a grown man already! Surely he can handle them..."

A chuckle was what Erin got and her head was slowly removed from the shoulder she was resting on, "of course he can... HE is Drake Law. But that doesn't excuse us from coming with him you know... so come on. Everyone's waiting for us in the dining room."

"FINE...all right. But I will make sure that big brother knows I'm against this."

"Yeah okay...we'll talk to Drake later. I'm a bit hungry and they'll eat all of it if we don't hurry..."

Erin grumbled but allowed herself to be dragged towards the dining area... the two girls easily made their way towards the dining area with the help of the servants who were eager to provide assistance. 

Yuri politely thanked the maid who bowed before continuing her task of cleaning the vases.

"Everyone here is so nice... right Erin?"

"Yeah... though they seemed... too eager."

Yuri rolled her eyes, "what's too eager? At least they are willing to help out without asking for anything in return. That's rare nowadays. Oh this is the room, finally found it! Oh wow it's huge..."

The room they entered had a large table in the middle with a majestic chandelier hanging above. Around the room were paintings and sculptures that added to the entire ambiance of regality it seemed to give. An old butler was standing on the farthest end beside Drake while maids were scattered around the room busy attending to the needs of everyone seated.

"Yuu, I think big brother is motioning us to come near..."

"This room is really huge...I think it's double the room I have at home."

Erin chuckled and followed Yuri who walked ahead, "you would have seen this yesterday if you did not skip dinner."

"I was sleepy... besides the trip itself was exhausting and then stuff happened and... you know what I mean."

Erin took his usual seat across Rainier on Drake's left side, "what took you two so long?"

"Sorry... I wasn't feeling great."

Drake smiled and patted Erin's head, "if you didn't eat a lot last night, you wouldn't be constipated."

The younger girl glared at her 'big brother' and at Rainier who snickered, "I was NOT constipated for your information. I just had things on my mind... that's all."

Yuri smiled as she took her seat beside Motoki who stood to move her seat for her, "thank you brother Motoki. Drake, Erin was really pale earlier. I think she should have some more rest."

"I've already asked one of the maids to bring an aspirin for Erin ...could this be because of something you ate yesterday?"

"I think it is not because of the food yesterday, Ran. We all ate the same food. It could be because of the amount...Erin seems to be eating a lot more the past few days. Those arms are enough evidence."

Erin gaped at the two and immediately flushed bright red when she found Motoki smiling amusedly, "W-ha... of course not!!! What the heck are you even implying big brother!?"

"...that you eat too much? I think that is what they mean, Miyazaki."

"Thanks a lot Jeremy... that helped." *roll eyes*

Jeremy flashed his classmate a smile and a thumb up making the latter shake her head in frustration. Drake who by then has already finished his meal turned to the seriously eating-not-a-care in the world Yuri, "Yuu... did your brother tell you anything before you left home?"

"My brother? No, does he have anything important to tell me?"

Drake smiled, "I don't think I have any right to say anything to you. "

Jeremy and Motoki looked at each other then at Yuri who shook her head, "why even hint at it then?" *sigh*" I'll just call him on the phone later."

Jeremy stood and stretched, "That is if you can get your brother on the phone..."

"You have a point...I guess whatever he has to say has to wait then. Where are you going Takahashi?"

"Keeping tabs on me, Yuu?" 

When Jeremy felt the glare from the girl across him...he chuckled, " I'm just going to help grandfather get ready before his guests come. Brother Motoki, I'll go ahead. You can follow when you are done."

"I'm done as well. Guys and girls, you can go to grandpa's office after you have finished. I suggest you all take your time relaxing before meeting our guests."

Erin watched as the cousins left the room before turning towards Rainier who had a look of serious contemplation on his face, "is it just me or did president look irritated when he mentioned the guests?"

Drake turned the page of the newspaper he was reading before he placed it down, "in my words President Nakajima meant the guests are big pains in the ass and we will be pissed once we met them."

"I'm starting to have a bad feeling about this."

"Same here Ran..."

*chomp* *slurp* "..."

Drake sighed and asked for a coffee refill from the nearby maid as he motioned for the two girls to continue eating, "finish up. We can't be late or we'll give them something to judge us for."

The girls nodded and finished their breakfast as fast as they could. As soon as they were done, Drake led the three others to the old Nakajima's office at the second floor of the mansion...

"Big brother... can we stop by my room first for a bit? I- I'll just check something."

Rainier raised an eyebrow at Erin who was then sweating coldly, he was about to answer when Yuri spoke, "I'll go with her. Rainier, you can go straight to the office with Drake. We shouldn't take long."

"Are you two sure? We can wait for you if you want, they can't do anything without Drake there anyway."

A grin was what Rainier received and he sighed, "oh all right. Drake, let's go ahead. There might be some things we can help them with before the guests come."

Drake shrugged and Erin breathed a sigh of relief when the two walked away. Yuri raised an eyebrow but said nothing as they walked towards Erin's bedroom," Yuu...if we see something that's not nice. Don't shout okay?"

"Huh? Something that's not nice? Like a smelly sock?"

"Er... I don't think that's something worth shouting about. Hm, more like rats for example."

"Ew. Disgusting but okay... I'm not the shouting type anyway"

Erin chuckled and slowly opened the door to her room with Yuri tagging closely behind. She took in all the details of the room she was staying in, from the light to the four poster bed to the flat screen TV on the side, "everything looks normal... so far... maybe its hidden here somewhere?"

Yuri raised an eyebrow when Erin crawled to check under the tables and the bed, "what exactly are you looking for?"

"Nothing important..." *huff* "I just want to make sure there is nothing..." *huff* "...hidden in my room"

"Stop crawling Erin... what do you mean hidden?"

The door slowly opened and a brown haired woman poked her head inside the room, "Lady Miyazaki, Lady Shinobu... Master Drake and Attorney Nakajima is asking for your presence in the office as soon as possible."

Erin crawled out from under the table in such haste that she hit her head hard,

"Ow...Mitsuru, that's you right?"

The woman shook her head and smiled sheepishly, "I'm Michiko Aoi, Secretary to the old Nakajima. Forgive me for not introducing myself properly, it slipped my mind. "

Yuri nodded, "it's okay, Aoi-san. Thank you for telling us we are being summoned. Erin, let's go. I don't think there's anything in this room anyway."

"B-but I haven't checked the closets yet..."

Erin tried to protest but her pleas fell on deaf ears as her friend dragged her away from her room, the secretary walking behind them with a smile on her face.

The three girls found Jeremy leaning against the doorframe of his room as they were passing by, "Miss Michiko, grandpa needs the documents he asked you to file yesterday."

Michiko's face turned confused, "d-documents?"

Jeremy's forehead creased, "yeah... the one brother Motoki compiled, and grandpa asked you to file. Did you forget where you placed it again?"

"N-no... of course not Sir Jeremy... I just have it in one of the filing cabinets. I... is it okay if I go ahead?"

When Jeremy nodded, Michiko bowed politely then left in haste. Yuri and Erin watched as she rushed towards the West...

"Isn't the office on the opposite direction?"

Jeremy shrugged, "you're right. Don't worry about her, she's naturally forgetful and she panics real fast but she knows what she's doing. Give her about ten to twenty minutes... she'll figure it out on her own."

Yuri continued to follow the secretary with her eyes, "are you sure? Will she really be okay? She seemed... confused for some reason."

Jeremy crossed his arms while leaning on the wall right in front of Yuri, "I'm positive. She has been with Grandpa for some time now so I know. Hey Yuri, did you really need to pretty yourself up for the coming guests? You don't even know who they are..."

Yuri sighed and pushed the frowning Jeremy out of her way, "get out of my way Takahashi. Whether I fix myself up or not is none of your business."

Erin saw the change of emotions on her classmate's face and for some reason she felt pity for the guy, "Yuri just accompanied me cause I left something in my room."

Erin smiled knowingly when Jeremy's face brightened right after her statement, "Oh...well then let's get to the main office. Grandpa and the rest are there. "

Yuri raised an eyebrow but said nothing as they were led by Jeremy to the left side of the mansion. Erin took in the surroundings and hurriedly grabbed Jeremy's arm, "wait...this isn't the way to Attorney Nakajima's office. Where are we going?"

"To the main office...I said that earlier. This house has a lot of offices... grandpa occupies one of the smaller ones. The big ones are reserved for the visiting family members or if there are a large number of people meeting about something. Faster guys...we should get there before they do."

Jeremy grabbed Yuri's hand and even the chance to tease the two did not lift the worries mirrored in Erin's eyes as they went nearer the familiar room with large oak doors.