�Subaru!�

The 13^th head of the Sumeragi Clan whirled, startled. Before he could make a sound, his twin had already clamped her hand around his arm and was dragging him away from the prayer room. �Come and see the garden!� Hokuto said excitedly.

�But Hokuto-chan!� he protested, frightened. �Grandmother told us not to wander!�

She waved her hand dismissively. �Grandmother this, grandmother that. No harm in us exploring the house, is there? Anything beats skulking outside the prayer room.�

�I wasn�t skulking!� he insisted. Then he nearly tripped on the hem of his shikifuku as they rounded a corner at the same speed they had been taking the straight hallway.

�It�s got a big pond full of koi,� Hokuto was saying, her own white fuku awry. Subaru thought she would have made a hole in her geta at the rate she was scuffing them on the wooden floor. �And a willow tree with overhanging branches, and plenty of rocks to sit on.� She giggled. �And it�s right next to the kitchen too. We could always sneak in and make off with some buns!�

�Hokuto-chan!�

�Stop making such a din, Subaru!� she hushed him. �The whole family�s going to hear us.�

They reached the end of the long hallway and came out from under the shade. Subaru shielded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun as Hokuto finally released her hold on his arm. �Isn�t it lovely?� she asked, grinning.

The garden was just as his twin had described � the willow tree, numerous rocks and the koi pond. What she had left out was the fountain in the middle of the pond and the thick shrubbery surrounding the peaceful haven. The willow branches nodded sagely, greeting an afternoon zephyr, seemingly beckoning the Sumeragi twins to its shelter. Hokuto accepted immediately, bounding over to plonk herself down on a flat, broad rock. Her fuku was a right mess, braids all coming loose from their designated places. The pristine white fabric was smudged in more places than Subaru dared to count.

/Yes,/ he thought, cringing inwardly, /Hokuto-chan really will get a shelling./

�Subaru, get out of the sun! Come here and look at the fish!�

He ran over, taking a moment to smooth his fuku out and pat his windblown hair. �Hokuto-chan,� he immediately cried, �your sleeve is all wet!�

She gaped at the sodden fabric, then closed her mouth and pushed it up to her elbow. That done, she resumed plunging her hand into the clear water, fingers grappling after the koi. �Subaru, look!� she giggled as a couple of the fishes sucked inquisitively at her fingertips. �They think it�s food!�

�Hokuto-chan,� he fretted. �You�re going to slide into the pond if you lean too far out!�

�Stop worrying so much,� she chided, blinking up at him. �Come on, put your hand into the water. It�s warm!�

He hesitated, characteristically, but his twin grasped his arm, pushed his sleeve out of the way and dipped his hand into the water. He yelped when something slimy brushed his fingers. �Hokuto-chan!� he cried, snatching his hand back and hurriedly wiping it on the grass, �they�re all gooey!�

His twin laughed. �Of course they are, silly!�

Subaru made a face and looked up from the shimmery surface of the water, rubbing at his eyes. Paranoid, he glanced at the house � and stopped breathing.

�Grandmother!�

Hokuto gasped. She scrambled to her feet, all at once pulling at her fuku and hurriedly trying to make herself fairly presentable. In her haste she groped for her geta with her foot and the predictable happened.

She slipped on the patch of grass Subaru had wiped his hand on and promptly fell headfirst into the koi pond.

In the years to come Subaru would always think back to that episode, half-smiling, half-cringing. Hokuto never really outgrew her habit of making a big splash wherever she went.