The Sunlight streamed through the window. Diego frowned uncomfortably in his sleep, while Diane, who destroyed the 'pillow-bridge' two hours after falling asleep, was enveloping him in a bear hug, her head resting against his chest. Diego finally opened his eyes, and the sunlight nearly blinded him. "I overslept." He muttered to himself, before turning to look at Diane. "Not again." He grunted in frustration, upon seeing the drool that slid down her lips and unto his shirt, engraving a mini-puddle in it. He tried to raise her up, but she ended up hugging him even harder. "Diane, please wake up. I am going to be late." He said, as he whispered In her ears. "Ten more minutes Dorothy." She grunted in her sleep. Diego slapped his head in frustration, wanting to teleport away from her, but he ended up pinching her hard instead. "Kyaaaargh!" Diane woke up with a start, nearly falling off the bed, but Diego immediately dragged her closer to him, breaking the fall. "What are you..." Diane began, but Diego clamped his hand over her mouth. "I do not have time for your nonsense this morning." He said. "I am already very late, so please spare me the lecture." He said as he let go of her hurriedly getting off the bed. Diane's heart was racing. Did he really have to pull her so close? But that was when she noticed the drool on her lips and the Mark on his shirt. She hurriedly wiped her lips with a handkerchief. So, that was also one of the reasons why he was irritated. He was obsessed with cleanliness, afterall. As she laid down staring at the ceiling, Diego, who had already showered and was in his cupboard rummaging for clothes, suddenly felt a little bad for scolding her Like that. "Ahem." He began, clearing his throat, trying to attract her attention. Diane sat up and looked at him. Diego scratched his head awkwardly. "I can't seem to find what to wear, can you help me take a look?" He asked. Diane got up and walked over to where she was. She soon picked an outfit for the occasion. "How about this one?" She asked, pointing to the one she had chosen. Diego tilted his head. He had to admit, she wasn't so bad when it came to fashion sense. He picked the outfit up. "Thank you." He said to her. Diane looked at him. He patted her on her head. "I may be late, so don't stay hungry, understand?" He asked. "Uhm." Diane grunted in agreement. Diego then walked into the changing room and and closed the door.
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Diane had her breakfast in her room, not quite willing to step out yet. When she went out, she went straight to the garden where the children were playing, with Dorothy looking after them and Natasha sipping her tea in the shade. "Sister!" "Lady!" Alice and Morris called out at the same time, both of them running to Diane's open arms, leaving Leonia trailing behind them. "How are you? Do you like this place?" She asked. "Yes." Morris replied. "Very much." Alice said. "We even made a new best friend, her name is leonia." Morris said, pointing at leonia, who just looked at Diane haughtily. "Sister, Leonia is lots of fun. She even showed us her magic." Morris said, beaming like a delighted child. "Yes, yes. But you promises not to tell anyone, didn't you?" Leonia said, trying to imitate a certain adult. "Yes we did. Stop talking like an adult, leonia, or else I will call you old lady from now on." Alice threatened. "What did you just say?!" Leonia asked, chasing after Alice who had grabbed Morris'shand and was running away. "Morris, run faster! She is going to catch us!" Alice said with an excited squeal, and the three children ran about happily in the garden, completelyforgettingabout Diane's existence.
"Diane." Natasha called, waving her over. Diane sat by her side. "The children get along, don't they?" She asked, looking at the laughing, giggling children. "They sure do. They will be the best of friends forever." Diane said and sighed. "If only I could get along with a certain someone like that." She said. Natasha understood what she meant. "It's because you haven't fallen for one another yet. If that was the case, both of you would have been thinking about how to have your first child by now. " Natasha said with a naughty wink, while Diane blushed. "You seem sad. Did something happen?" Natasha asked suddenly. "I-i think Diego is angry with me." Diane said with tears in her eyes. "Really? That doesn't seem like his usual self. What did you do?" She asked. "I-I drooled on his shirt and ruined it." Diane said, with her eyes lowered. Natasha looked at him all wide eyed, before bursting into laughter. "Diane, you are Hilarious." She said, wiping tears off her eyes. "But this isn't the first time it happened when we first came here.." "To be honest Diane, I think he was more upset about being late than the ruined shirt. He like to be punctual." She said, as she tried to calm Diane down. "R-really? He is not mad? But the way he looked at me as if he wanted to devour me.." "Trust me, you will never wish to see Diego angry. " Natsha interrupted. "How about this, let's go buy some clothes for Diego. We can take the children with us." She said. "Okay." Diane consented.
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"Puahahahahah!" Theodore laughed madly, while Diego yawned. They were standing at the veranda, trying to catch some fresh air. "Really, did you get irritated over such a small thing? Don't you know Diane is soft-hearted? She will get upset." Theodore explained. "I know that she is like a flower in the greenhouse, without proper experience of the world, and that is why I wanna... apol..gise to her." Diego said amidst a yawn. "Coz, you have been yawning since morning, did you not get enough sleep?" Theodore asked, worried at first. "Or did your wife keep you awake all night?" He asked winking at him. "You sure have so many sides to you, kid. I would shut my mouth if I were you, if you have run out of sensible things to say." Diego said, giving Theodore a menacing glare. "Besides, she did keep me awake all night, kicking me as if I were a sandbag. " He stated, then yawned again. "Okay, how about you give her something she likes? I mean you do look really good today thanks to her too. Any ideas?" Theodore asked. "I will get her some roses. Dorothy did say she loved roses after all." Diego concluded.
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As the carraige rode, the children began to whisper to each other, pointing and looking at the streets in awe. Diane on the other hand, nudged Natasha. "Is something wrong?" She asked. "Leonia, I don't think she....likes me very much." Diane whispered slowly. "Well, think of this in this scenario, If your brother who you love very much suddenly disappears overnight and comes home the next morning, with a woman who he claims to be his wife, how will you feel?" She asked. "I won't accept it." Diane replied bluntly. "It is just too sudden." She continued. "Exactly. That is how leonia feels right now, so it will take her some time to warm up to you." Natasha said, trying to reassure her. "Besides, leonia doesn't warm up to anyone just easily." Natasha said. They eventually reached their destination, and the children scampered about. None of them noticed the eyes that peered out through the shadows. "Don't stray too far!" Dorothy yelled in alarm, running after them hastily. Diane and Natasha, who were certain that Dorothy was keeping a close eye on the children, continued tobdo their shopping.
"What about this one?" The seamstress asked. "No, that won't fit." Diane replied resolutely. "This one?" "That color won't look good on him." Diane said. Natasha was watching in awe. "You guys have been barely married for two weeks, yet you know his sizes." Natasha said. "Well.. I did get a chance to peek at his wardrobe this morning, so I got to know his fashion style." Diane admitted, scratching her cheek awkwardly. "That one!" She suddenly exclaimed, making both the seamstress and Natasha jump, while she pointed at the clothing that caught her eye. "This one will do. Look, it even has a smaller female counterpart too. Do you think this will fit leonia? I am sure they will look good in it." Diane exclaimed proudly, standing besides the clothes that she just picked. "You have a good taste, lady." The seamstress acknowledged with a small nod. "Although that is a father- daughter duet, I think a brother-sister will also do." The seamstress said. "I will pack them for you." The seamstress said. "But it looks expensive " Diane said worriedly. "This one is on me, diane." Natasha said. "I am sure Leonia will love it. Only few of her clothes complements that of her brother, after all. Who knows, this might even deepen your relationship with her." She said, while Diane gave a small nod.
After a shopping for the children, Dorothy, Diego and themselves, they finally decided to call it a day, and the sun was hanging low on the horizon. Dorothy followed Natasha out to the carraige, because of the excess luggage that they has to take home with them, while pleading to Diane to keep watch over the restless children, for they made her run all day. Diane brought the children over to a chair and made them to sit. One child however, was not ready to listen. "Why should I listen to you?" Leonia stubbornly asked, her arms crossed across her chest. "Leonia, my mother says we should always listen to our elders.." Alice worriedly began, but leonia rudely interrupted. "I don't listen to just anyone." Leonia said. Diane squatted to her level. "But I am not just anyone, I am your sister-in-law. Listen, I know you don't like me.." Diane said, wanting to reach out for her, but leonia recoiled. "Don't touch me!" She exclaimed. "You are trying to steal my brother away from me!" Diane was surprised at her outburst, especially since strangers threw looks at their direction. She was about to argue, but she saw a familiar figure with purple hair. "Beatrice?" She muttered. "Alice, make sure you all stay put. You understand?" Diane said, already running off to Beatrice'sdirection without waiting for the reply.
"Beatrice!" Diane called out. According to her calculations, Beatrice and her brother would have been wedded by now. Beatrice's brown eyes glanced back, but when she saw Diane, she broke into a run. "Hey, stop!" Diane called out, and finally managed to intercept Beatrice at a corner, and held unto her tightly. "Let go of me!" Beatrice cried out. "I am not going to eat you, you know?" Diane asked as she unleashed her tightest grip. "I only want to find out how my brothers are doing!" She called out. Beatrice stopped struggling immediately. "You should have thought of that before cutting ties with your family." She said sternly. Diane sighed. "Listen, I know you think that I am a rebel who ran away with her lover without caring about her family's reputation, but that is not the case." She said. "Diane, please let me go. I honestly don't want to get caught up in your family feud. I will know no rest if he knew I was with you." Beatrice said, tears nearly falling out of her eyes. "My existence means nothing to him afterall, yet I stil love him. I am such an idiot." She said, slumping down near the wall. "I only want to know how my brothers are doing." Diane said, feeling a little sorry for Beatrice. "Sylvester is doing great, and Dennis is also great, although he falls ill from time to time." She said. "Your absence means nothing to them." She said, giving Diane a hard glare. Diane was a little sad, but she knew the kind of family she was born into, anyway. She and her brothers had long drifted apart. "I see." Diane said. "I will let you be now." She stated as she walked away, not even sparing Beatrice another glance.
While Diane took her time, the children grew restless. " What is taking sister so long?" Morris asked. Leonia on the other hand, got up. "Where are you going?" Alice called after her. " To Iook for my cousin." Leonia replied. "But lady Diane said.." "I don't care what she said." Leonia interrupted, walking away. "Should we?" Morris began, but Alice shook her head.
"Where did Cousin Sasha go?" Leonia muttered, tumbling around the corridor. " I think I am lost." She said to herself. Not too long after, she bumped into someone. "Are you lost, little girl?" The man asked her with a smile. He then looked behind to ensure nobody was following her. "Where are your parents?" He asked again, turning to the girl. Leonia stared at him. His blonde hair and blue eyes reminded her of someone. "My brother says I shouldn't talk to strangers." Leonia said warily. The man smiled. "But you are not a stranger." He said. Before she could comprehend what he meant, the man snapped his fingers and a handkerchief covered her nose. She immediately felt drowsy.