First order of business was wrestling back some control from Minoru. You didn't mind being coddled and cosseted, but you did mind being drugged without your knowledge and coerced into things after you'd said no.

That meant waking up at the ass-end of dawn to pack your own lunch for the day, every day. It wasn't anything as fancy or intricate as what Minoru made for you, but it was your own and free of any added substances.

You didn't expect to see Minoru's car parked outside your house when you looked out your kitchen window bright and early seven thirty AM.

This was odd for two reasons. One, Minoru had never driven you to school before, never even suggested it the way she did driving you home every day. Two, classes didn't start until eight thirty AM. It was a thirty-minute walk to school. Driving took five minutes max.

So why was she here? And so early? This required further investigation. You quickly threw on your uniform, packed up your lunch and bookbag, and ran out the door.

A man got out of the driver seat and walked around the large luxury SUV to open the backseat door for you.

"Good morning, Miss Sato," he said, greeting you with a pleasant, fixed smile.

"Oh, um... Good morning!" You replied, awkwardly waving at him before climbing inside.

Neither he nor Minoru had ever told you his name and you never asked. You couldn't decide if it was polite or not, like calling a waiter by their name. The name tags seemed there as a courtesy more than anything else. In case you couldn't recognize your waiter, you at least knew their name.

"Good morning, Aina," Minoru murmured as you buckled yourself into the seat next to her. She put a bookmark in the novel she was reading and set it aside. You craned your neck to read the title: American Overdose. Yikes! Scary choice considering what you know now.

"Good morning, Minoru! What are you doing here?" You were doing well, playing it cool as if nothing had changed.

"I thought we could talk. Just the two of us. I texted and called you to let you know I was coming, but you never responded."

"Oh, I must not have had my phone on me. I forgot it."

"Would you like to go back and get it?"

"No! I mean, uhhh, that's fine. I can live without it for one day."

She hummed and nodded understandingly. "What about last night?"

"What?" You could feel your underarms start to perspire.

"I texted and called you last night as well to let you know ahead of time. Still no response."

"Um... I think my phone is dead right now."

"How did you wake up then?"

"Excuse me?"

"You use your phone as your alarm, right? How did you wake up?" Why was Minoru drilling you so hard? So what, you didn't respond? Let it go!

"My mom woke me."

"She woke you up pretty early. How did she know your alarm wasn't going to wake you?"

"I let her know my phone was dead the night before."

"You didn't think to just charge your phone?"

"My charger broke."

"Aina..."

"Yes?"

"You're lying to me," she said at last, sitting back in her seat, crossing her arms and legs. She sounded so disappointed in you.

You knew the whole time? Why keep up the ruse for so long? You wondered with wide eyes and a slight, shellshocked shake of your head. You guessed it was time to come clean.

"Not completely... My phone is dead. It's just the permanent kind of dead. I dropped it in water."

"Why didn't you just say so? I can get you a new phone." She uncrossed her arms, opening herself to you more. Her eyes shimmered like sunlight over water.

"No! Minoru, I'm friends with you for your companionship, not your money. I can save up to buy a new phone all on my own." You couldn't think of any better excuse, but you knew you didn't want a phone from her.

"Whatever you do, don't accept it," Oshiro had said.

"That's very noble of you, Aina." Success! "But also incredibly silly. I have the money, and I want to spend it on you. Because we're friends. Understand?" Failure...

Knowing she wouldn't let you off the hook without answering, you reluctantly nodded before looking out the window and pouting.

"Now for our second matter of business!" She said brightly before whispering, "I know you talked to Oshiro last night." She said it like the two of you were conspirators. In a way, you were. You jerked in surprise before slowly turning to face her again. "I want to know what she said."

You let the silence linger for a bit while Minoru looked at you expectantly. Finally, you answered, "She doesn't want me in the group."

"Is that all?"

"Isn't that enough?"

She sighed before reaching over to lightly rub your shoulder. "Oh, baby, don't pay her any mind. She doesn't have a say in whether you stay or go." I do, went unsaid but was still very much present.

"What did you think she said?"

"Did you know that Oshiro and I used to date?" There was no elegant way to put this... You choked on your own spit. You launched into a coughing fit as she patted your back.

Minoru was gay?! Oshiro was gay?! Who else was gay and just hadn't told you yet? If Minoru was gay, did that mean she had a crush on you? You quickly squashed that last thought. The entire world doesn't revolve around you, you told yourself.

"She's never gotten over our break-up," Minoru huffed when you'd finally gotten a hold of yourself. "She hates the thought of me with someone new. So she goes around telling stories about me to anyone that'll listen."

"What kind of stories?"

"That I'm a liar. A manipulator. That I poison people, especially my friends. Can you believe that?"

Yes. "No."

You recognized what she was trying to do... Twisting the narrative to make herself the victim, make Oshiro the villain. And Oshiro played the part of the villain pretty well, admittedly. If you didn't know what Minoru was, you might have even believed her.

But you remembered that day in the bathroom with her. Her grasp on your jaw, ready to force it open if you didn't open it willingly. Her sparkling eyes and coos of baby and good girl when you did what she wanted. Her cold demeanor and annoyed expressions when you didn't.

Oshiro was right. She was the villain of this game. The yandere of all the other yanderes. And, despite the dangers, you needed to stay close to her if you wanted to survive.

"I'm happy to hear that, sweetness. And don't worry about the window. I'll pay to have it replaced."

You never told her about the broken window.