Asuka sighed. "I knew you would say that. But not even your indestructible Terashima. You've been at this for a good two days straight now. You're at the end of your rope if you ask me."

The person who was lecturing him now wasn't his girlfriend. But instead, it was a girl with long lilac-colored hair and blue eyes. Kiragi Asuka, one of Sumire's close friends.

"Besides, do you want to start the new month in your state?"

Right tomorrow would be September first; in a week, the new semester would start. Only two days have passed since he last saw Sumire, but he not only missed her like crazy, but he knew it would not be easy to bring her back.

He didn't know how large this town was, but he has not even caught a glimpse of her.

Yuhi made his journey to this place, hoping he would receive all the answers. "It's fine, not like I have a performance or anything."

"Tha is not the point. Rest is important." Asuka emphasized the word rest, and he sighed deeply.

Yuhi sat back up then and accepted the coffee from the girl's hands, and took a sip.

He saw the dark circles that dawned on the girl's face and frowned.

"Aren't you also lacking rest?" He trails off. "If keeping me company here is difficult. You should head back."

Yuhi knew the girl was the only one willingly cooperating with him on investigating what happened. Holy Knights management seems to be odd, and they seem to be more focused on sweeping the incident under the rug.

It was very strange, Sumire aside, their leader Aki also got hurt, but they are not doing anything. For an underworld organization, they are behaving far too well.

"No, I also want to understand why that had to happen and why did she get dragged into it. I know Aki and Jae probably know more than what they have been letting out and that they are both keeping me out of the dark. But I don't mind it, since I know there's a reason they are doing all of this, yet I want to know. I want to understand why did Asahi have to die and get caught up in all of this? Unlike the rest of us, she had nothing to do with this cursed fate at all. That girl didn't have to die."

Kiragi Asuka is one of those people who never lose their calm. People describe her as an ice-cold beauty. There never seems to be any emotions in her eyes, and she talks in a monotone voice.

His eyes went wide at her sudden outburst.

Asuka pauses. "My apologies, I seem to get quite worked up whenever somebody mentions it."

"I understand."

That girl must be a dear friend to both Sumire and Kiragi Asuka. Yuhi understood how they felt despite what it looked like. He also lost somebody important to him before.

After that, there was nothing but silence between the two. Yuhi didn't mind it, though, and he didn't want to end up talking under a strained atmosphere.

When she stood up and left too, he only nodded in acknowledgment and was soon left alone in the private library room as he stared at the girl's retreating back until it was out of sight. He sighs for the umpteenth time.

In the end, they are all carrying such a heavy burden on their shoulders, huh? Those girls are. Though the same could be said for any of the individuals around Sumire. He noticed that the lilac hair girl appeared to be under more pressure, unlike the others.

He stares at the files on the table and recalls the girl's outburst only a few minutes ago. It's the same, huh?

'Those girls are all shouldering such a heavy burden. Yuhi, Yuhi, do you intend to further get yourself in all of their matters? All of them share a connection with Ibuki and cannot escape such a fate, not like the others who have chosen to follow her. Those girls are….'

Even now, he could still clearly recall Akatsuki's words after returning home after rushing out on him. Yuhi remembered Akatsukis anger and frustration. It was a normal reaction. It was normal for Akatsuki to react that way, yet regardless Yuhi knew that he had already made his mind up.

He shuts his eyes, and it all comes rushing to him.

To measure a person's worth, you must do more than push them. The real way to test their worth is to give them power. When they gain the freedom to act outside the boundaries of law and ethics, you can sometimes see their souls. When the weak become strong

Throughout most of his life, he has followed the rules of the system. He reached out for the things that most people took for granted. Others treated him as this savage beast, all because of his abnormal strength.

Others told him that no matter how hard he tried, no matter what treatment they suggested, there would be no way of changing his psychology.

They told him that he would never be able to change anything about himself, even if he tried to make an effort. That no matter what happened, he would still be the same no matter what he does. That there would still be a wall between him and others, he noticed that upon entering high school and middle school.

He noticed it the second he stepped out of the dojo and set foot into society. But when he met her, all the logic and everything he learned until that point vanished.

Yuhi never thought that he would work so much for another person's sake. Never thought he would end up working hard for anything other than matters for his own gain. Things really have changed quite a bit, huh?

His gaze fell on his phone again when he noticed it was beeping.

Caller ID: Hino

He sighed deeply before he decided to end the call. That guy worries far too much. No sooner did he do that however did he receive a text message.

From: Hino

At least answer my calls

From: Yuhi

I am fine. Nagawa isn't recking the place?

From: Hino

He briefly went home

At that comment, Yuhi paused. Nagawa went home? Now that he thought about it, that guy acted oddly when he informed him that Sumire went back to her hometown. Should he have pried for more information instead of dismissing it?

Nagawa Sano isn't a third party in Tsuenos's death, that much he managed to scrape from all the reports he read the last two days. So why did he act so surprised?