A Helping Hand

Penelope gasped in awe. "Reeeeeeeally?! Yaaaay!!" She held her cheeks and blushed a little, happy that her work was so appreciated. "Hahaha! Ooh! Ellie!! C'meeeere!" Seeing her friend dash by, Penelope started after Elise to continue her painting. Just beyond the two stood Milana, staring intently at her painting. She seemed to decide something before raising her hand.

"M-Miss Haku...?" Her voice was nearly inaudible in the classroom's lively atmosphere, as usual.

Haku turned to look, and then came over. It was strange, really. In the past, when anyone other than her sisters called out to her, she was more likely to run an hide. Now.... "...Yes, Milana?"

Milana was surprised to have been heard on her first attempt. Surprised, but happy. "Uhm... Fl-flowers." Her description was vague at first, but one look at her painting clarified her statement at least a little. There were all sorts of flowers depicted in the picture. By far, it was the best painting in class. There were some blank areas that could still be filled with flowers of different types. "What flower do you like?" She was steadily shaking off whatever kept her so shy. Though, she was just naturally quiet. Milana looked up at Haku patiently.

Haku thought for a moment, then blushed. "...Lilies..." Lilies were white flowers, and Luka had once told her that they, and other white flowers, were quite beautiful, and that that was why her name, Haku, was so fitting; one of the most common meanings of 'Haku' was 'white'. It was a silly thing, but she still remembered it.

"Lilies... Mmm..." Milana furrowed her brow, concentrating on the flower in her mind's eye. "...Okay." Slowly, steadily, confidently, she began to shape out a white lily. Its overall lack of color made the flower a bit easier to paint. A few minutes later, she held the page up to Haku. "Is... this okay?" Milana asked nervously. She was already beginning to grasp the concept of shadows in her work.

Haku just stared at it for a moment, before, once again, the corners of her mouth twitched upward a bit. "Thank you... you're... very good, Milana.... you'll... be amazing when you're older..." She lightly patted her on the head, then moved to leave, to check on other students... or stand in the corner, she wasn't sure which.

Milana looked positively elated at Haku's compliment. After receiving her head pat, she continued her project. From then on, the final project went smoothly. Melissa asked for Haku's assistance in the cleanup to wrap things up before the final bell.

"Well~! Good job, everybody! Each of your projects turned out wonderfully." Melissa spoke to the whole class, standing up front with her face painted like a cat's. Though some students' projects were... unorthodox, she was supportive of them. "You should be proud of yourselves; I know I am! Now, I want everyone to thank Haku for her help today, okay?"


The class responded with a cheery "Thank you, Haku!!"

Haku immediatley flushed crimson, jumping slightly, and seemed to be simultaneously trying to hide her face and somehow wipe away her blush. "Um... um...y-you're... um, w-welcome..." Her voice was almost a squeak at the end. She wasn't sure why it affected her so much. Suddenly being put on the spot, and all those adorable voices thanking her, sincerely... it was... alot to take in, for her.

Melissa adored Haku's expression, but felt she was under a lot of pressure. "Good! Pack up your things, everyone. As soon as the bell rings, we're off for the bus!" The bell signifying the end of school rang out soon after. Melissa escorted the children to the bus, having Elise and Haku stay behind with her. Once the bus was full and gone, they started the walk home. "Did everyone have fun today?" Melissa asked happily.

"Yuh-huh, yuh-huh! I got my art done! It was, like, so much fun!!" Elise beamed as she walked slightly ahead of her mother and Haku. Her face had been covered by a large painted sunflower.

Haku nodded slightly. "Mm.... they... were really nice, yes... thank you for letting me help..."

Melissa smiled widely. "Thank you for helping! You were wonderful with the children today, and I'm glad you had fun."

Elise bounced toward Haku. "Haku, Haku! Are you gonna help tomorrow?" She held Haku's hand and jumped up and down with every other word. Melissa lightly urged her to stop.

"Don't pester her, sweetie." Elise pouted slightly but gave in. "While you are more than welcome to help again, I won't push you. We'll start with small steps. How does that sound?" Melissa asked gently.

Haku just nodded slowly. "Okay... I think I'll stay home tomorrow though...." She gave Elise's hand the faintest squeeze as she said this though.

"Muuu..." Elise started to pout, but stopped when Haku squeezed her hand.

"Good. Don't overdo it." Melissa agreed with her decision, so long as she wasn't stressed. After the walk home, Melissa locked up the house and started making snacks for her daughter and newest resident. "You two run along; I'll have some treats ready soon, okay?"

Haku blinked, then nodded. Then, surprisingly or not, she looked to Elise. "...What do you want to do while we wait?"

"Huh? Uuummmmm..." Elise thought for a moment while swaying her hands back and forth. "Ooh, ooh! Wanna play Hide n' Seek?!?" She asked while standing on the tips of her toes, visibly excited that Haku wanted to play with her.

Haku tilted her head to the side for a moment. "...Hm... okay." She nodded. "...Who hides first?"

"Me first, me first!" Elise bounced with her answer. "Count to twenty, 'kay? No peeking!!" She waited until Haku closed her eyes or turned her back to run down the hallway in search of a hiding spot.

Haku covered her eyes, and began slowly counting to twenty as instructed. Once she was done, she called out, as her mind had supplied, "...Ready or not, here I come..."

"...!" Elise fought the urge to giggle as best she could when she heard Haku call out. She covered her mouth with her hands and drew her knees to her chest; she figured Haku wouldn't be likely to check her own closet.

Haku paused... and the corner of her mouth twitched upward just before her eyes briefly glowed as she looked around. After a moment, they stopped glowing, and she walked straight to her closet, and opened the door. "...Found you." It had occurred to Haku... she had x-ray vision when she wished to.

"Ah?! Aaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww!!" Elise stamped her feet in a small fit before relenting. "Okaaaay. Your turn!" She jumped out of the closet and ran into the living room to start her count.

Haku thought things over quickly. What was the best hiding spot in the house? Well, after a bit of calculation, that was fairly simple. This was how it ended up that Haku was hiding... inside the dryer. She was pretty flexible, so fitting herself in there wasn't hard. And now... she would wait.

"Ready or nooooot! Here I cooooome!" Elise called out as she began her search. She looked... and looked... and looked some more. She couldn't find Haku in her own room, Haku's room or her mother's room. She was actually starting to panic a little. Melissa, who had finished making cookies an tea, sat at the kitchen table with an amused expression. She didn't even know Haku's whereabouts.

Elise quickly worked past her frustration and pouted. "Muuu... Hey, hey! Haku, I give uuup!"

At those words, there was an loud bang as the dryer door popped open, and Haku carefully removed herself from it, stretching herself once she was out. "....I win, then?"

Both Melissa and Elise jumped in surprise when Haku popped out of the dryer. 'When... did she get by me??' She was as surprised as she was impressed. Elise broke the momentary silence.

"No waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!! That's like, the BEST spooooot!!" She ran over to the dryer to inspect it. She definitely could fit in there, but didn't understand how Haku managed it.

"Okay, you two. Come sit down and take a break."


"Momma! Haku's SUPER good at Hide n' Seek! Teach me to hide good!!" She tugged at Haku's leg.