The Girl Named Yoshino

Chapter 1

A metallic crash rang out through the quiet summer night. The sound startled him, shaking him from his slumber. Gritting his teeth, he reflexively rolled to his feet. Then narrowed his eyes in the direction where the sound had come from.

The dim light from the night sky was excellent at hiding the unexpected visitor creeping deep in the shadows. It took a moment before the mysterious visitor noticed his presence. Letting out a gasp the figure pointed a finger.

"There you are!" The figure shuffled the rest of the way down the metal stairs. Taking care not to fall again. "Don't move! I got you now!"

It was almost ridiculous, how over the top the voice sounded. The figure stopped at the bottom of the stairs preventing him from seeing anything more than a small silhouette. Not that he needed to see anything else. The voice was one that he knew quite well.

He resisted the urge to laugh, instead turning back so that his legs again dangled over the roof's edge.

"Origami?" he asked, with a perfectly straight face.

She walked towards the edge until she was standing surprisingly close, allowing the light of the stars to illuminate her pale skin. There was a somewhat guilty smile on her face while she played with her hair.

"Caught you Shido."

"Um…sure," he said. "What are you doing here, Origami?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" she replied immediately, face heating up. "What are you doing here? And at this hour, no less?"

"It's late. Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asked instead. "Don't girls require beauty sleep or else they'll become hideous?"

"Ugh, don't answer a question with another question!" she yelled. "First stupid Tohka and now you. What is with you two and avoiding my questions? Are you hiding something?"

However, as Shido tilted his head questionably. She continued in a much more steady voice. "Uh, Tohka…she, she was a bit worried. After the accident and all..."

She laughed awkwardly.

"I see…"

Several seconds passed, during which they looked at each other in silence. Origami was the first to look away.

"I agree. You stay out here all night and you're liable to get sick."

Shido wasn't sure whether to sigh or smile. Her presence, while quite unexpected, wasn't exactly well to say...unwanted. She had long since proven herself to be a great source of help when she wanted to be and he figured help was the kind of thing he needed, especially at times like these.

"Don't worry. I'm fine."

She put her hands on her hips and pouted. "Are you really okay?"

Shido leaned against the warehouse wall, watching her in amusement as he absently reached for the ear piece he kept with him at all times. Sighing, he glanced towards the horizon.

"Maybe... " he trailed off. "I'm not so sure."

From the corner of his eye, he noticed that she looked as if she wanted to say something more, but didn't. Instead, she waited in silence for him to get up, with an ever present smile that he'd gotten used to seeing on her face lately.

"Hey Origami?" Shido suddenly asked, turning back to her.

"Yes Shido?"

"Why won't anyone ever tell me about the accident?"

Origami's face was sober as she avoided his eyes. "Y-you know I can't tell you that Shido."

Shido slammed his fist into the wall. "And why not? I deserve to know don't I?"

Origami was silent.

"Well? Don't I?"

Origami didn't answer.

Shido smacked his head next to the fist.

As much as he tried to make it through the past few weeks without making it obvious, there was still an emptiness inside him. He knew something was up the moment he came to that night. How everyone looked at him. The unexplainable injury that seemed to go away the next day. And Tohka. Why had she been avoiding him?

Then there was Yoshino. He had caught her a few times checking in on him when she thought he had fallen asleep. And yesterday, she had almost drowned Tohka while teaching her how to swim. An excursion that had been Yoshino's idea. And an accident that didn't quite seem to be just a case of Yoshino losing control of herself.

Feeling something brush his shoulder, he turned, only to find Origami's face millimeters from his own and coming closer. Their cheeks touched for less than a second before she pulled away, burying her face in her hands.

She looked lost, for a moment, maybe even a bit surprised. But the moment passed, leaving only a familiar smile on her face.

"Shido-"

She took hold off his hand, threading their fingers together before turning him around.

"Just hold on."