Hayato, for a long time, relied on his parents for most things, as all children do. He was just starting to gain a bit of independence... before he lost both of his parents in their accident. All of a sudden, he was forced to do it all alone. Cooking, cleaning... and taking care of three boys.

He never complained about it. Not out loud. He would never be upset about having fought to keep his family as whole as possible. But... he felt like, sometimes, that somewhere along the line, he'd missed out on some things. He'd noticed the same feeling at his high school reunion.

Everyone had grown up in six years. That was natural. But... Hayato had grown up too far, it seemed. His mannerisms weren't that of a twenty-four year old man, but rather of that of an "auntie," according to the girls he had overheard. And he wasn't manly? He guessed he was a little more domestic out of necessity, but- still.

He also found himself not spending a lot of time with friends. He thought that was the point of being an adult. Most of your time went to work and taking care of the people you loved. Right?

The only adult he ever really talked to was Saki. But she was just like him - a mom. She also only really talked about her kids.

That all changed when you moved in a few houses down from him. You had a baby. A boy named Hikaru. He didn't actually meet you until his brothers stopped you in front of the house to pet your dog - a big Golden Retriever. He'd come out, ready to scold them... and been completely winded by how absolutely stunning you were.

Of course, he'd eventually remember himself and apologized profusely for his brothers ganging up on you. You'd laughed and introduced yourself.

You came over a lot more often now. Your baby could be left in the care of Minato, for a small fee. (He scolded him when he found out, but you insisted it was only right to pay him.) The two of you simply... talked. About adult things, and the kids, sure, but also general conversations like television that had been on lately and fun things you'd seen.

You were well-traveled, and Hayato loved to hear about all your stories. You'd sit in the kitchen with a batch of cookies (freshly baked just for your visit) and juice, and just chat.

Today, you arrived with your baby in hand. "Ah, hello! Please, come in." He set the glass in his hand down. "Minato isn't here." He smiled apologetically.