Part 1

Even if he spent the entirety of last Spring running for the sake of getting in shape, what use is it if nearly all his stamina depletes by the next year?

“You know,” he said panting as they waited for the walk signal. “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t refused to wake me.”

“Aww, now why would I do that? Your facial expressions give me such wonderful material for my writings~!”

“Don’t just exploit me in my sleep; how’d you get the key to my room anyway.”

“Yuu— you can’t just expect a girl to reveal all her secrets!” she said, pointing at him. “Besides, you don’t have the best track record with keys, remember?”

“That was nearly nine years ago.” He sighed, knowing his reasoning couldn't break through her smug smile. He straightened his back, preparing for the light to change.

“But……you’re right. It’s my fault for not waking up on my own, I shouldn’t throw the blame on you. I’m sorry.” He noticed her smug expression change as he spoke. “But I don’t get it. I set two alarms and they’ve never failed before. I’d understand if one didn’t ring, but both?”

He looked to his right, where she was trying, and failing, to whistle; in fact it looked more like someone trying to blow out a candle. Suddenly, her aforementioned writing material made sense.

“You didn’t have anything to do with that……did you?”

Her whistling charade became more forceful.

“Yuya, did you turn off my alarms?”

“YUI!” she childishly huffed, jumping in front of him. “It’s Yui! Y-U-I!” she prodded his chest with her finger as she sounded out each syllable. “What’s the point in giving me a nickname if you’re not even the one using it?!”

“You say that like it’s for my sake—”

“It’s cuter!”

“—and you’re not answering the question.”

“Ghyu! I, I uh-uhh, here! Look! The walk signal is on! Hurry, let’s cross before it turns off!”

She grabbed his arm, tugging him along as she broke into a jog. Of course she dodged the question, but he still couldn’t help but give a small smile as he followed; it wasn’t the smile either of them sought, nor the one she was trying for, but it was the least he could show her after all her effort.

“You didn’t need to, for my sake, but………I’m glad you did. Thanks.”

They jogged in silence for a while before she answered, refusing to look at him.

“What are you talking about? I just wanted to watch you sleep.”

“At least act bashful admitting something like th—”

His words cut out suddenly for a simple reason. To his left, across the street in a lonesome park illuminated by the morning light, stood a small girl crying beneath the branches of a tree. He didn’t have time to look and see if there was a reason for her tears, as the two of them quickly rushed by, eventually arriving at the next intersection.

He put his hands to his knees as he caught his breath once more.

“These uniforms really don’t help with running.”

“Yuu……”

“I know……you saw it too. But we’re already late, there’s nothing we can do.”

“Is………that so……”

He didn’t respond, but he didn’t need to. He could feel her eyes burning into him, and though it wouldn’t be the first time, he preferred if she could be less obvious about it.

“Yuu are…are you still unsure about what you want?”

He sighed; he wasn’t opposed to answering it, but there was no point in giving her a vague answer.

And those were all he had.

“It might be what I want……it might be what I should do.” He tentatively held the back of his head as he spoke. “I just still need to understand if it’s me or……”

“No, I………I understand.”

“Sorry, I’m not quite sure how else to explain it.”

After that, he stood in silence, letting the morning air settle around him. He felt bad not giving her a concrete answer, but everything about what he wanted was still murky. With time he was sure he could figure it out, but until then………until then, he at least had to reassure her.

“You know, I still—”

Considering her running speed, he wondered how long ago she’d disappeared. No, she wouldn’t disappear, more like become sidetracked.

He quickly scanned every direction until a blazer with blue trim caught his eye; in that moment he couldn't have been more thankful for his dormitory placement. Because of the distance to school, as well as the fact every student stayed on campus, Yui’s uniform contrasted perfectly against the morning background. Directly behind him, on the street from which they just came, he could see her eyeing left and right before crossing when an opportunity presented itself. It wasn’t long before he ran after her, and after taking notice of him, she waited patiently on the other side.

“Yuya, is there a reason you ran off all of a sudden?”

“There is,” she said, oddly flustered. “I……know you’re having a hard time right now. I know it’s been hard finding your own person, your own smile instead of……well, that’s why I guess.”

“To get me here?”

“With everything that’s happened lately I wanted to know if you’d still come for me,” she spoke with a fist to her chest before raising her head. “Call it being selfish for wanting to see if you still have feelings for me.”

She ended her words with a smile that radiated like the sun behind them.

“You’re the reason I’m here,” he said. “You don’t have to do something like that if you just wanted to check.”

She beamed, but quickly subdued herself.

“You didn’t use my nickname,” she huffed.

“Right, I’ll be careful.” he sighed. Turning around, he spoke to her once more. “Come on, otherwise we’re going to be late.”

“Do we…need to?”

“What do you—” he froze, realizing her intention. It hadn’t occurred to him, but the crying stopped, replaced by the barely audible sound of sniffling.

“Yui we……we’re already late, it’s our first day. We have our own responsibilities.”

“Hmm, is that so….”

He waited for her to say something else, but the only the continuous sensation of eyes burning into his back remained.

“Yes, it is. Someone else will help her— neighbors, the police, others. It’s not our job to help everyone we see.”

“Hmmm~ you’re right about that.”

He could hear her footsteps coming closer as she talked, but they were the pace of a limp turtle.

“I suppose we can’t help everyone……we’ve no reason to feel responsible for it.”

She couldn’t help but grin, and she was certain he could hear the smile in her voice.

She stopped her footsteps the moment he looked upward; she always enjoyed that view, since it made his jaw and neck look especially enticing. After what seemed like hours, she could see his shoulders move upward, letting them down slowly.

“I don’t know if you ran here to test me or lure me.”

“Yes you do~.”

With a mischievous giggle, Yui followed closely behind the boy who made his way towards the despondent little girl.

“Oh, wait!” she said, tugging his shoulder. “Let me talk to her first, a boy might scare her.”

He sighed. “The apple doesn't fall far from the tree does it?”

She gave him a wry smile as he moved to one side, letting her take the lead as she crouched down.

“Hey there little miss, are you alright?” her words were like silk, gentle and subdued. With gentle fingers, she touched her shoulders, and the girl looked up with a runny nose and wet cheeks.

“T-To-To i-is stuck! I-I can’t get him down!”

“Who’s stuck? Where?”

She pointed up, and Yui saw the innocent sight of a white cat with brown patches perching on the branch of a tree.

“I-I can’t g-g-ge-get him down!”

“Hey, hey, it’ll be alright~!” she said, rubbing the girl’s quivering shoulders. “Looky,” she pointed behind her, “the person with me is super awesome at climbing trees— he’ll get him down for you!”

Both looked to the boy who had an uneasy look on his face.

“Yui, I’m no—”

“There, see! What’d I tell ya~? So no more crying or else he can’t concentrate on getting your kitty, okay?”

Yui’s words and tone had an amazing effect on the girl, who furiously nodded her head in response. When she and Yui had finished drying her eyes, she ran up to the hesitating boy.

“P-Please do your best, Tree Mister!”

“Tree Mister?”

“Little miss,” interrupted Yui, “Pardon, but do you think I could have a moment alone with him?”

“O-Oh…yes……e-excuse me!”

She hurriedly ran back under the branch holding the cat, though she switched her intense stare from it, to them, at a concerning rate.

“Can you climb it?” Yui asked as she approached.

It was a valid question. The cat was at least six meters above ground and the branches were sparse on top of looking rather thin.

“At least ask before enlisting me to climb this thing.”

“I-I know I should have and I’m sorry— but I know you can! You’re great at climbing trees!”

“As a kid,” he said, examining the base. “It’s been four years since I last climbed one, more if you’re talking about something challenging like this.”

“Yuu……”

He approached the tree, putting his hand on the rough bark that marked the first step he would take; suddenly he felt someone tug at his shoulder.

“Wait, let’s find another way, Yuu.”

“Relax, I’ll be fine…probably.”

“No, I was reckless and ran into this without thinking! I just threw all the responsibility on you when you could get seriously hurt! W-We’ll get a ladder from somewhere, or call the police, or—”

“Yui.” he put his hands on her shoulders to calm her down. “Relax. Look,” he said, kicking the ground beneath them, “this park is made of nothing but sand. If I fall, it’ll cushion my landing.”

“Still……”

He put a hand to her chin, lifting it up. “Don’t feel guilty for something that’s not your fault.”

“You just said I enlisted you…”

“Then I guess we’re both guilty.”

With that, he turned and grabbed a hold of a branch stub a little above him. Using it to hold his weight, he hauled himself up to the first branch.

“Onee-chan…”

Yui looked down to find the little girl tugging at her dress shirt.

“Will he be okay?”

“Of course he—” She quickly grabbed the girl’s shoulders and turned her away from the sight of a falling branch. “He……is going to do his best!” she smiled. The girl gave an emphatic nod, and to Yui’s confusion, began scooping up sand with her palms.

“What are you doing?”

“Making a sand pillow!”

She hadn’t noticed, but underneath the branch holding the cat was an impressive pile of sand, nearly half the girl’s height. Yui quickly joined her, and together, it grew to nearly surpass the girl herself.

“Watch yourselves, I’m about to grab him.”

Yui and the little girl looked above them, and sure enough, the boy was sitting a meter away from his target.

“Alright,” he said, inching his way closer, “nearly there.”

“Tree Mister! P-Please put him inside your shirt! He likes it there!”

“Tree Mister again?” he whispered. “But that’s great advice, thanks.”

“Here kitty,” he said, slowly reaching his hand out. The cat responded by sniffing the outstretched hand, and he seized that moment to quickly take hold of it, pressing it firmly against his body.

“Yay, Tree Mister!”

“You got him!”

Their celebration, however, was cut short by the sound of cracking wood. The boy quickly looked to his right and realized his mistake; he overextended, causing the branch to break at the base.

“You’re kidding, right?”

The panicked voices of the girls below escaped him as he madly tried returning to the tree, but it was no use. Preparing himself, he adjusted his body for the fall, aiming himself and the cat at the pile of sand the girls created.

Of course, preparation can only get someone so far.

The branch shattered with more force than he thought, plummeting him towards the earth in an instant. His grip on the cat loosened, but he took comfort in knowing he at least managed to toss it in what was relatively the direction of the sand pile; which was more than he could say for himself.

“TREE MISTER!”

“YUUKO!”

She sprinted to the falling boy with everything she had. Of course, it would be painful and dangerous to do such a thing, but her mind and body were in total agreement: “Brace yourself and catch him.”

She never considered herself to have the best reflexes, but they were just fast enough to avoid Yuuko’s body hitting her face. At the moment of impact, she could feel brute force strike at her shoulders and collarbone, and though she steeled her legs, they gave out beneath her almost immediately causing her collapse into the sand.

Yuuko, on the other, could hardly control his flailing body during the freefall, but felt something break what would’ve been a very serious fall. It didn’t take him long to prop himself up with his arms, and examine the girl underneath him.

“Yuya! Yuya, hey!”

For a moment, he noticed they’d landed on one side of a giant pile of sand, so while not in the best spot, there was still a considerable amount cushioning them. His attention, however, shifted to the girl whose face was turned to the side. Hair covered the majority of her face, making it impossible to examine; he touched her cheek and prepared to move it himself, when sleepily, a hand grabbed hold of his own and pulled it to the side.

“Relax,” she whispered, moving her head to meet his eyes. “I’ll be fine……probably.”

Her voice was soft— faint, but it didn’t sound like she’d suffered anything serious. Even though he could see her smiling, his heartbeat didn’t let up, feeling like it’d burst out of his chest.

“Are you alright?”

“Hmmm. Well, I could lie and say I’ve suffered a truly great injury. Then you’d confess your feelings to me because you don’t want me to go to Heaven without telling me, then I’d confess that I’ve always felt the same way whilst dramatically turning my head to the side— letting you know I’ve moved on from this life.”

“Yuya,” he sighed.

She gave him a soft giggle.

“Yuuko, I’m okay.”

They both breathed a sigh of relief, and yet after confirming neither was injured, they didn’t move. A strange tension grew between them, with both becoming acutely aware that Yuya’s hand lay beneath Yuuko’s, yet neither knew at what point their hands interlocked. Their fingers firmly rubbed against each other, as though protecting each other from a bitter cold. All the while, her right arm had been restrained at the wrist by his grip— even when he realized it, he didn't let go.

“Thanks……for catching me.”

“You’d do the same for me.”

Yuuko couldn’t help but notice how….enticing she looked. Her hair covered her eyes in such a way he could hardly see them, and the particles of sand that sprinkled it gave her an exotic, almost otherworldly appearance.

And her gaze. There was no mistaking the meaning in it.

She was hungry.

“Say…Yuu………”

He could feel the delicate air coming from her lips, breath in the sweet, feminine fragrance emanating from her hair.

She was as dangerous as she was enticing.

“Yui…?”

“I know we made a promise but………I’m ready.”

He felt a wave of heat surge in his body— uncontrollable heat. The longing in his chest forced him to inch ever closer to the girl beneath him.

“Ready……for what?”

“Geez…don’t make a girl say it outloud……”

Her chest heaved with increasing speed, forcing her to breath through her mouth. She dug her nails into the back of his hand, biting her lip as if to restrain herself.

“Yuu…we could be somewhere else on our first day……”

He felt something escaping from inside of him. He didn’t know at what point he’d leaned his lower body into hers, but it felt right, he wanted it.

He wanted to sate her hunger.

What was this fire burning inside them?

“E-Excuse me..”

Both suddenly turned to find a little girl standing beside them. She held a white cat with brown patches in one hand while covering her eyes with the other.

Of course, she could still see them, because she opened her fingers to watch.

“Hi there! Is your little kitty okay?”

“Mhm. He’s okay.”

Knowing Yui, she was undoubtedly glad the girl and her cat were okay. That being said, he couldn’t help smiling at the subtle frustration in her tone.

Thankfully, the girl herself seemed unaware of it.

He picked himself up, offering a hand to Yui who now sighed with clearer frustration.

“I’m glad to see your cat’s okay.”

“Mhm! Mhm! It’s all thanks to you, Tree Mister!”

Yuuko scratched the back of his head with a wry smile. “Tree Mister is a bit odd. Just call me Yuu.”

The girl’s eyes shined with dangerous intensity, and as she ran up to his legs hopping up and down, he felt the crushing realization that it would’ve been better had he not said anything at all.

“Then—then! In that case! Can I call you Yuu Onii-chan?!”

“Onii-chan?” he baffled. “Look I don’t think—”

He noticed Yui’s hands covering her mouth in a vain attempt to cover her smile.

If she starts crying because I said no, we’ll have to deal with the fallout…well, it doesn't really matter. Anything that gets us to school quicker.

“Sure,” he sighed. “You can call me onii-chan.”

“YAY!” she said, skipping up and down. The cat bounced along with her, seemingly unamused.

“Speaking of,” said Yui, leaning down. “What’s your name?”

“Yui!” said the girl. “Yui Harukawa!”

“Yui!?” gasped Yui, clasping her hands together. “What a coincidence! That’s my name too!”

“Then—then! Can I call you Yui onee-san?! Or-or—or I can call you ‘Big Yui’ and I can be ‘Little Yui’!”

Big Yui gasped, patting the girl on the head. “Of course! You can call me anything you like, Little Yui!”

The girl once more bounced along with her cat, who this time voiced his displeasure.

“Oh? And what of this little one here? What’s his name?”

The little girl took a step back, holding the cat in both hands as she took a deep breath.

“TOTO!” she declared with pride.

“Nya.” it added.

Yuuko was expecting any reaction from Yui aside from the one he, and the girl, received. She hastily retreated and put a hand to his shoulder after commenting on the name’s cuteness.

“Can you talk to her for a bit?”

“Are you…okay?”

“I……I can’t. I can’t handle this. If I don’t take a moment to calm down, I’m liable to get a nose bleed and squeal at the top of my lungs.”

“Maternal instincts are something to be feared.” he said, backing away.

He walked towards the girl who’d seemed to calm down. With the cat now comfortably tucked into her shirt, he had to admit, he understood why Yui had to reign in her pseudo maternity.

“So, Yui—”

“Little Yui,” she huffed.

“Little Yui,” he corrected, feeling a sense of deja-vu. “I’m glad we got your cat down, but shouldn’t you be in school right now? What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

The gleeful expression painted on her face moments ago became replaced with a look Yuuko recognized in an instant.

“Mama and papa left for work early. Toto snuck outside after, so I chased him to bring him back.”

“I see. You should hurry home back, the first day of school is important.”

“I……I………”

Little Yui’s eyes began welling with clear liquid.

“I don’t know how to go back…”

“You don’t know?”

He felt Yui stand beside him, noting the change in atmosphere.

“I chased Toto here, but I don’t know where I am………I got lost.”

Yui bent down to comfort the girl, hugging her before the tears could escape.

“Hey now, it’ll be alright. Onii-chan and onee-san will help you find your way home for sure.”

“R-Really?”

“Of course. What do you say, onii-chan?”

“Yui, I really think the police would be better suited for this.”

“I………” she stopped herself. “………you’re right. In that case, we’ll wait right here with you until the police come, okay Little Yui?”

She spoke those words while holding her hand, which seemed to make the girl feel better. In the meantime, Yuuko reached into his blazer pocket only to come out empty-handed.

“That’s not right…”

Only after checking the rest of his blazer, and his pants, did he come to a realization.

“Right, I was rushing after all.”

“Hmh? Yuu, is something wrong?”

“I forgot my phone. Do you have yours?”

“Oho Yuu~! What would you do without……me………”

“You left yours too, didn’t you?”

She patted the folds in her blazer before giving a solemn nod.

He sighed through his nose, scratching the back of his head as he addressed the girl.

“Little Yui, do you know your address? What your street and house look like?”

She gave strong nods, causing her ponytail to bob furiously up and down. “I remember! If I see it, I’ll definitely remember more!”

He looked to Yui, who gave a reassuring smile. “Our scholarships probably won’t be rescinded from a single tardy, and……we should do what we can.”

“I see,” he said, looking to the girl. “In that case, let’s get you home.”

“Oh-w-wait, onii-chan…”

He’d already started walking away, but a certain *ahem* sound caused him to look back. He hadn’t noticed, but Yui still held on to Little Yui’s hand, whose other arm was not only free, but hesitantly stretched towards him.

She reached out, then pulled away, then reached out before her fingers curled inward. She had no idea how to ask, but from the way Yui tilted her head, it was obvious what she was asking him to do.

“Haaaghah.” He walked back and met the girl’s warm hazel eyes. “Little Yui, would you like to hold my hand while we walk you home?”

“Y-Yes! Is…that okay?”

Without saying anything, he took her free hand, and a hearty grin painted her face. The three of them made their way to the exit with their hands connected like a single chain.

Though they used directories and landmarks Little Yui provided in order to find her correct street, the city beyond the immediate boundaries of the school was still a mystery to them. It took at least thirty minutes for them to gather their bearings, but after passing the same grocery store twice, the scenery shifted to something familiar. After walking by a small, familiar internet cafe, Yuuko realized her house wasn’t far from his dorm. The thought quickly left his mind as the three of them crossed the street.

“Hey, Big Yui.”

“Gy—ah, hey, that’s a nickname more for Little Yui; just you calling me ‘Yui’ is fine.”

“Switch places with me.”

“At least acknowledge what I—wait, switch?”

He didn’t wait for a response before taking the spot she stood in moments ago, grabbing the girl’s hand in the process. She stood befuddled for a moment before a smile grew on her face.

“Say, Yui onee-chan?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did onii-chan switch places with you?”

“Because that side is closest to the street.”

“I………I don’t think I get it.”

I don’t think most people do,” she laughed. “You see, when a boy walks side by side with a girl, he’s always supposed to—”

“Sorry to interrupt,” interrupted Yuuko, “but is this it, Little Yui?”

In the entrance of a small street, Yui looked to her left and right before suddenly squealing with excitement. Releasing both their hands, she ran towards a house with an oddly inclined roof and wasted no time in pulling back a loose brick, grabbing a key, and throwing open the gate.

“We’re home, we’re home!” she bounced.

“Ara, we made it!” Yui said, softly clapping.

Little Yui pulled Toto from her shirt. “I-I’m going to put him inside, I’ll be right back!”

She hadn’t even finished her sentence before bursting into her house, leaving the two high schoolers outside to wait for her.

“You’d think she’d be more cautious.”

“She was. If you’d talked to her first, no doubt she would’ve run away crying.”

“That bad?”

“Well, you didn’t look scary but……you never really smiled.”

“It’s a good thing you smiled enough for both of us then.”

She turned her head to the side, partly to hide her flushed face, but more so because she couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I’m sorry……I spoke without thinking…again. I know you’re trying your best.”

Yuuko didn’t entirely fault her. Anyone, not just a child, would be put off by someone acting distant, especially if it’s their first time meeting. People feel safe if they understand others don’t want to hurt them— something a smile easily shows.

But what happens if someone wants to remain distant? What happens when someone distant helps another person?

Is such a thing allowed?

“Hey.” she said, tugging on his sleeve. “You didn’t answer.”

“Answer?”

“My apology. You climbed the tree because I didn’t think things through, and the same thing happened just now with……with your………anyway I spoke without thinking, and, I really am sorry. Forgive me?”

“You’re taking this apology pretty seriously.”

“A long time ago, someone told me that saying sorry means you won’t do the bad thing again.”

He looked at her face— not a hint of deceit or sarcasm. Of course there wouldn’t be; of course she truly and genuinely felt bad, felt sorry, for the things she said.

“I forgive you,” he eased. “But in exchange, I want you to answer my question.”

“Oh?”

She was intrigued by his condition, but Yuuko was silent for a long time. Whatever it was, he wanted to be clear of it before speaking. Or, perhaps, he didn’t quite know how to phrase it.

“Should I have……felt guilty…if I’d left? If I hadn’t helped? She wasn’t our responsibility…so would I be a cruel person if I’d chosen to leave?”

She put a finger to her lip, curving it as she bid her time.

“This sounds similar to something you asked me back then.” She unfurled her finger, taking his silence as a sign to continue. “I think there’s feelings we should, and shouldn’t, listen to. Guilt is complicated, but I know that sometimes helping another person can help you too.”

“Sometimes huh…”

“Not all feelings are meant to be listened to, otherwise we wouldn’t be here now.” she said the past part playfully, but there was certainly truth behind it.

“I’m back!” said a childish voice. “S-Sorry I took so long, Toto wanted food but mama says I shouldn’t give him a lot or he’ll get fat!”

“Oh my,” said Yui with a bemusing smile. “True, I did see a little pudge on him, but if he can climb trees like that then he’s going to be just fine.”

It looked like that wasn’t all she did. The girl had changed her shirt that was full of hair from carrying the cat. She wore a simple, yellow t-shirt with a matching scrunchie that loosely tied back her hair.

Yui swept away the bangs in her eye, and was about to comment on their leave, but her fidgeting caused her to stop.

“Little Yui,” interjected Yuuko, “is there something you want to ask?”

“U-Uhm!……I-If it’s okay, c-can you and Yui onee-chan come with me to school?!”

“Eh?”

“Heh?”

Blood quickly rushed to her face, causing her to stammer out her words. “M-mama and papa usually come with me but……”

“L-Little Yui, we’re so happy you asked but…”

“S-Since it’s the first day, they would normally come with me! I—Is it okay?”

Yui nervously turned to meet Yuuko’s eyes. It seemingly caught him off guard as well, but in the depths of her heart she knew her answer the second she asked.

It was unfair of her to drag him around, helping people when he was still helping himself.

“Little Yui, thank you, but you see, it’s our first day too so—”

“—we’ll go with you.”

“You will?!”

“We will?!”

He sighed. “It’s dangerous for you to walk around by yourself.” He reluctantly stretched out his hand. “Hurry, or we’ll be even more late than we already are.”

“HooRAY! We can run!”

“No running.”

“We can walk super, duper fast!”

As Yui took her other hand, she lowered the volume of her voice.

“Are you sure?” she asked Yuuko.

“We’re already late,” he whispered back, “and honestly……I need time to consider how I feel about this.”

She couldn’t help but smile; partly because of his willingness to keep helping her, but also because she knew exactly what he meant by “this.”

“Alrighty then Little Yui,” beamed Big Yui. “Lead the way!”

Part 2

Yuuko set down the groceries to fish for the key in his blazer pocket.

“I hope our teacher’s lenient, otherwise we’re in for a rough start.”

“Ehehe, I hope so too, but not many teachers would be happy with a student missing the entire first day of class; even if it is only half a normal school day.”

“At least we knew the way back,” he said, swinging open the door and walking inside. “Her house is surprisingly close.”

“Which means she can come visit anytime she likes!”

“No.”

“Aww, what’s wrong~?” she said, poking him with a piece of celery. “I thought you would’ve liked having a child for a day.”

“Yui, I don’t want to cause a misunderstanding.” he said, taking the celery she pushed into his lower back. “It’s amazing her parents didn’t call the police on us— if we weren’t Mirror students, I think they would have.”

“Hmm…I suppose so. Yui vouched for us, and we were outside the school in clear view of everyone. It’s amazing how much reputation the school has.”

“A place like this………I knew shouldn’t have been accepted in the first place…”

He leaned against the countertop as he finished his sentence, causing Yui to step away from the rest of the groceries.

“Don’t say things like that— it was a bad year but you pulled through in the end. That proves you earned your place here.”

“It was nepotism.” He spoke with difficulty, his hands clinging onto the dark brown counter. “I wouldn't be in this dorm otherwise, I didn’t earn my spot here like you did.”

She was about to put a hand on him, to say something that might give him some comfort, but to her surprise—

“That’s why I have to.”

—he hadn’t finished speaking.

“While I’m here, I have to prove it wasn’t a mistake to let me attend.”

She smiled.

He’s trying……to be optimistic. Yuuko… please, keep doing your best!

“You know,” she said, twirling around in the middle of the living room. “This place is nothing to complain about; it’s more like an apartment complex than a dorm!”

“The staff member who gave me the key said it housed important students back when the school was first established.” He spoke while placing a large onion on a cutting board, mincing it into squares. “When the scandal with the rich broke out, the school decided to give everyone ‘equal’ dorms, and most were torn down with the exception of a few used as storage.”

“Hmm~? That must’ve been recent, otherwise there’s no way it’d be in this good of a condition.”

“No idea,” he said, giving her a faint smile. “I didn’t keep up with current events.”

She slid next to him, lightly bumping against his body. “And I was on the other side of the world, so I guess we’re both in the dark about what happened.”

She flashed him a smile so bright, he couldn’t help but feel better. And he had a feeling that was exactly her goal.

“Still,” she said, opening and closing the various doors around her, “I hope you’re counting your blessings. The dorms at school are so tiny they only house two students— one if there’s a circumstance that makes living with another person difficult, and those are rarely given out.”

“I am, believe me. I’ll work hard to earn my place here.”

“Good.”

The conversation died naturally, and aside from the sound of Yuuko preparing ingredients, a blanket of silence covered the room. A mischievous grin spread across Yui’s face as she recognized the opportunity almost instantly.

With cat-like movements, she snuck behind her target.

“Say, Yuu~?”

“Hmm?”

“What would you say if I moved in with you?”

“I’d say— h-hey! Yui, where are you reaching?!”

Her arms snaked their way up his chest, grabbing and tugging on whatever pieces of cloth they could find. Yuuko quickly turned around, at which point she grabbed the countertop’s edges on either side of him, trapping him with her embrace.

“I saw your face when you fell on top of me.” She purred soft velvet into her voice, pressing her body against his. He could feel the warm and soft sensations on his torso.

“Yui, is this really—”

“Are you telling me you don’t want to pick up where we left off~?”

“That’s not the issue here…”

“Oh, and why’s that~? It’ll just be the two of us.”

“That’s exactly why it’d be a problem!”

Slowly, she brought her arms inward while placing her leg firmly into the gap created by his own. The closer she came, the warmer he felt.

He could feel the resistance inside his body melt away.

“Yu…i……”

————————————————

“What………was that for?”

“That’s…w-well, think of it like a promise. Until you’re ready, I’ll wait for you. Just like you did for me, for so many years.”

“You’d……wait for me?”

She blushed, which looked particularly bright in the color of the dying sun. “And when I do, I’ll never leave your side again. That’s my promise.”

He was about to comment when she interrupted. “So…no need to rush, okay?”

————————————————

He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back down onto her feet.

“Y—Yuu?”

“I have to say this before I lose my self-control, I can’t. Not yet. I made you a promise and I still have to make good on it before you make good on yours.”

An embarrassed and guilty look came across her face.

“Oh……right. Of course………I-I’m sor—ryyy!?”

She quickly and suddenly got pulled close to him. Before she knew it, he had one hand around her waist and another on her chin, forcing her to look directly at him.

“Do not misunderstand me. If I don’t stop now, I’m going to lose what little self-control I have left. So do me a favor and please sit over there before I do something I’ll be held accountable for.”

She felt everything, from her ears to the tips of her fingers, dyed red.

“O……kay.”

And for some reason, it was particularly difficult for her to walk back to the living room.

She heard a deep, low sigh from the kitchen.

“Is that why you want the two of us to live together?”

“That’s not entirely…ah!”

Her sudden outburst caused him to look back with worry. “What’s wrong?”

“I remembered I was supposed to have met my roommate today! Uhhnnn, there’s dormitory paperwork both of us are required to complete and I’ve probably kept her waiting all day!”

“Okay well……don’t let me stop you.”

“Sorry, but I shouldn’t be long! How soon is dinner going to be ready?”

“About fifteen minutes, give or take. But it’ll be fine as long as I keep it on the stove, take your time.”

“Aaah, sorry for the trouble. Oh, what did you make by the way?”

“Oyakodon.”

Her silence was deafening, and when Yuuko looked back, she had both hands covering her mouth in a mischievous, implicative manner.

“Ara Yuu~, how very inappropriate.”

“I had it in mind since morning,” he said, shooing her away. “Now get going, I’ll see you later.”

Part 3

Yui wasn’t completely familiar with the layout of the city, but the route from Yuu’s dorm to the school was something she made sure to memorize; simple since it's a fairly straightforward path.

Being midday, however, foot traffic was high, slowing her down but giving her extra time to think about the laundry list of tasks she needed to complete, especially given how both she and Yuuko had missed their entire first day of class.

Her train of thought was interrupted when she tripped over a small stone, causing her to fumble into a nearby woman.

“Uh-oh! I’m so sorry, are you okay?”

“Oh no, please don’t apologize! It’s my fault, I should have been more careful.”

After a brief exchange of words the woman left, causing Yui to sigh and put her hands to her cheeks.

“I’m still distracted after all~. Ah, I really need to focus.”

Adjusting the ribbon in her hair, she reached into the pocket on the side of her blazer and removed a small slip of paper.

“Let’s see let’s see,” she said, unfolding it while continuing her walk. “The first year females’ dorm………second floor, room 230.” She curled a finger in front of her lip, speaking to no one in particular. “My roommate is…okay, and I still need to sign the living agreement with her and hand that to the housing administration office. It would be a good idea to visit my homeroom teacher too; it’s the first day, so they must still be in the teachers’ office.”

Familiar scenery brought her back to the present: a waist high, concrete wall signalling the school’s boundary. Everything inside them belongs to Mirror Boarding School, which means every rule-breaking student answers to the school’s disciplinary committee— and if severe enough, the school board themselves.

“I see. That must be why they’re hiding from the cameras.”

Her eyesight wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t as if she needed glasses to see a group of three students herding what looked like a very uncomfortable boy underneath a balcony.

She stood behind the wall, taking in the situation. The boy with lazy hair tied into a ponytail shoved the blonde boy into the wall, making him lose his balance and stumble into the dirt.

It reminded Yui of……herself. The version of her from childhood.

She tried for a long time to look past that, and as an apology to the people she hurt she did everything she could to change herself. Even so, there were still nights her memories would resurface, one or two, as vivid as the moment they happened. She could remember the looks her classmates’ gave her, the looks when she stole their food, their money, or when she simply beat them for annoying her.

“But if I do something………I might make things worse for that boy.”

The most memorable lessons, she learned, often come from the worst situations.

She’d learned to forgive herself for being a childhood bully, as she’d learned to forgive the people that hurt her. But even then, there was something she couldn’t move past, a feeling she’s kept even from Yuuko.

If I help him……would the result be the same? To do more harm that good……I might hurt him, the same way I hurt Yuuko.

“Should I have felt guilty if I left?”

But he didn’t. Despite how he felt, despite his spiritual struggle, Yuuko didn’t leave.

Choosing to stay with the girl, to listen to her, to help her— it must mean that on some level, he forgives her.

Now the only thing left for Yuuko to do is remedy himself. And she wanted to be there.

The boy, who she assumed was the ringleader, suckerpunched the blonde in the chest, sending his glasses flying from his face.

From the situation it was clear the ringleader is sending out a warning, a violent one; even if she were to intervene, there was no way she could fight three high school boys.

Wait………Yuuko’s……

“Men tend to get close before trying anything,” she said. “That means the woman will almost always have a chance at the first shot.”

The memory surfaced, clear as day.

“Remember to stay in areas with plenty of eyes watching, and if there aren’t any eyes…”

With a pale face, she climbed over the wall, dusting off the bits of stone that attached themselves to her uniform.

“Goodness,” she sighed. “Yuu, you’d better take responsibility for influencing me this much.” She walked over with quickened steps. “Excuse me,” she said, interrupting what looked to be a serious escalation on the part of the ringleader. He eyed her, taking surprising care in what to say before speaking.

“You’re wearing our uniform, what do you want?”

“Well, I happened to be walking by and—”

“—noticed me and wanted my number?” said a boy with a crooked mouth.

She had to bite her tongue to keep from giggling. Aside from the vague notion that he was contributing to bullying a student, she hadn’t noticed him at all.

She paid no attention to the words he spoke, but noted every step he took, and when he moved his arm—

“Please don’t touch me with that filthy hand of yours.” she smiled, suppressing her disgust.

She could feel the bones in his fingers strain under the pressure. If she broke them, the administration could accuse her of excessive force, so with no other option, she let go.

Still, she wiped her hand against her skirt hem, since she would only ever accept the touch of one man.

“What the hell!?”

“What did you just do to him?!”

It seemed the ringleader all but forgot about the boy behind him. She could feel venomous intent with every step he took, but just as he left the protective shade of the balcony, she wiggled her finger and pointed to the camera.

“I wouldn’t if I were you. If you haven’t noticed, I’m not underneath your balcony nor do I have the intention of moving closer.”

His stop was so sudden that it looked as if an invisible barrier suddenly appeared in front of him. He eyed the black lenses around them, and Yui felt the opportunity arise.

“If you wish to fight me, go ahead. I doubt the administration will find your reason for hitting me as justifiable as a boy placing his hands on a girl he doesn't know.”

Her words had their intended effect. She knows what it’s like to be a delinquent, and understands the attention that comes with it. Even if it is only the first day, she doubted a boy like the one in front of her would be the type to fade into the background.

No, his type is the kind that demands his presence be made known.

As his friend called for him, he turned to speak to the boy on the ground. “I won’t forget this Luka. Watch yourself.”

The boy approached her as the delinquent and his friends retreated into the distance. The calm after the storm gave her the chance to properly take a look at the boy before her. Blonde hair, and strikingly pale blue eyes behind relatively thin framed glasses.

He looks so shaken……

“Are you okay Luka?”

Maybe he didn’t want to talk about it, but given the look on his face and the situation she just saw him go through, it was the least she could try asking before making her departure.

It came as a surprise to her when, as if unconsciously, he put a hand up to his face and moved his head away from her.

He has no self-confidence……no, I suppose he wouldn’t.

She purposely tried not to pay attention to the elephant in the room: his severe weight problem. She bent her body to look underneath his hand, to the face he’d hidden away.

“Um…Luka?

It seemed to bring him back to the present.

“I’m sorry if I got your name wrong, I heard him call you that so I figured…”

In an instant change of character, he began laughing maniacally. “Indeed, you heard correctly! T-The name is Luka!” he stuttered.

If he has a confidence problem…… maybe it might be best for me to make sure he’s okay?

“Ahh, so it is. At any rate, are you hurt? That guy didn’t seem like he held back.”

It’s fine. He’ll tell me he’s okay and I’ll take my leave afterwards.

But she noticed something in his body language that made her change her mind.

“I understand your concern madam, but fret not!” he said, holding out a bruised hand and wincing at the pain. “I am uninjured!”

It was the same thing Yuuko did during childhood. Those poses, the winces, the act: it was all the same.

The only thing that wasn’t the same………was motive. And in the case of the boy in front of her, the reason he tried so hard to act tough was obvious.

“I could have taken on all three of them had the situation been truly desperate!”

With those words, her feelings were confirmed correct.

“How long?” she thought as she engaged in conversation with him. “How long has he been bullied like that?”

“……I, The Dark Shepherd, attained this level in a mere…mere……ah! Two years!”

Two years. For two years he’s been running, no, hiding from his problems. Yui thought about the boy who helped her become the person she is today.

And maybe………he could help you too. Because if he doesn’t move himself, he won’t be able to move you.

Accepting her proposal to return to Yuu’s dorm, the two exited the school properly, with Yui leading the way.

Part 4

She knew eavesdropping was wrong, but resolved to ask forgiveness from Yuu and Luka one day.

It would’ve been difficult listening in with the bathroom door closed, so she kept a small part of it open on purpose, much in the same way she spilled her tea. From the way he talked, she knew Yuu understood her intentions. Neither of them knew the boy beyond name, so how in the world could they expect him to feel comfortable sharing his burdens?

But Yuuko had something she didn’t, an ability cultivated over his years of isolation. By removing herself from the situation, he and Luka could at least speak to each other man to man, and bring Luka one step closer to moving himself.

“Even if it’s something simple like how to walk with a girl!” she furiously whispered. “I’m a delicate maiden, and delicate maidens aren’t supposed to walk closest to the street!” She was genuinely astonished at how much it bothered her on their way here.

She sighed, realizing how far gone she sounded. “Goodness, when did I become so spoiled?”

There were a few answers that came into her mind, most involving Yuuko, his mother, or her grandmother.

A sudden wave of inexplicable melancholy washed over her. No………not inexplicable; she knew exactly where it came from.

The way she forced Yuuko to help the little girl, this unknown boy, even her own actions of intervening with the bullies.

“Is this how you felt as a child………full of guilt?”

No. Even if that was part of the reason, there was no denying what she knew.

“Maybe…you’re just looking for an opportunity……and if that’s true………”

She felt guilty, yes, for trying to force the Yuuko of her childhood to reappear. But even if he doesn't want to help people anymore, he’s looking for another way, a middle ground.

And if that’s true, she needs to help him find that middle ground as quickly as possible.

Hearing the clatter of dishes and plates, she assumed they finished with their talk. Quickly rinsing out the virtually nonexistent stain, she opened the door with renewed feelings.

Feelings that told her it might work after all.

* * * * *

The sun was beginning to set by the time Yui and Luka left the dorm.

“So, can I ask what you two talked about?” she politely inquired.

“I’m………not really sure myself.”

The smile on her face gave way to an amused sigh.

“It can be a bit hard to keep up with him, but that just means he isn’t bothering to put on a mask around you.”

“He…do you……think that’s a good thing?”

She put her finger to her lip, thinking about her answer. “I think that depends on you, Luka.”

As the two entered through the school’s front entrance, the teal-lit lamps around campus detected the growing darkness and began to shine.

“Well Luka, it seems we’ll be headed in opposite directions now. It was a pleasure meeting you.” She gave a small curtsy as she finished her goodbye.

“Y-Yeah,” he stammered. “I me-yES! Yes! It was an honor meeting you as well Madam! I look forward to the time we may meet again!”

As they said goodbye, Yui felt a great weight suddenly fall on her shoulders. It was clear where it came from, and as she approached her room, the feeling only became stronger.

“I didn’t even let her know I was here; what kind of roommate am I?” she sighed. “I really am spoiled.”

Climbing the stairs to the third floor, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Hello, it’s Yui Itomei, your new roommate. I’m so sorry, I know……I’m………late?”

Confusion overtook her voice as she looked around the small room. She only briefly entered her room upon arrival to the school to put her things away, so her clothes and personal belongings were mostly unpacked. That said, if one were to remove the small signs of her presence, the room would look barren and unused. The only thing left would be—

“A bag?”

She picked up a small backpack from the kotatsu in the middle of the room, and underneath it, spotted a document titled “Mirror High School - Student Living Arrangement Contract.” Next to the thick stack of papers was a signature page, with one line already filled out.

“She signed it already?……but we haven’t even talked about it…”

She tried reading the name of the signature, and though she strained her eyes, she couldn’t make out a legible name.

She scratched the back of her head in confusion. Electing to think about the matter later, Yui turned on the lights and began arranging her belongings.

“I really should’ve done this earlier.” Though the words sounded pessimistic, she said them with a cheerful, almost playful, tone. And the smile on her face simply wouldn’t go away.

“After what happened today, there’s no way anything will go wrong tomorrow!”

Part 5

“Now then Miss Asahino,” Miss Wakako said, pointing to the girl. “Would you please introduce yourself?”

“I see.” she said inside her mind. “I have no one to blame but myself.”