Keeping my smile on

by superalicat

Written after the fallout of Episode 10, but through the blue eyes of Ai Shindou and taking place first during Episode 2, and then later the overlapping Episodes 8 and 9. When Ai first met Mirai Kuriyama, what could she have been thinking? And what did she think when the same Spirit World Warrior suddenly disappeared after defeating the youmu dwelling inside Akihito Kanbara?

Title: Keeping my smile on

Characters: Ai, Mirai, Akihito, Mitsuki, Hiroomi, Ayaka

Words: 1, 248

The first thing I noticed was that the girl in glasses looked shocked. She was accompanied by Kanbara-san, who was the one I focused mainly on. As I explained to him that my sister was still asleep, the girl in glasses became more and more agitated. As Kanbara-san was about to reply about the youmu he had, the girl whipped out a blood-red sword and began exclaiming and stammering, asking Kanbara-san why he was friends with a youmu like myself. Kanbara-san himself tried to explain to her that I wasn't bad or anything, but she was still panicking.

I myself wasn't too alarmed by the weapon. I mean, I'd seen a lot in my time. And I completely understood why the girl was overreacting. We had never met, so how would she know whether I was on their side or not? I managed to keep a smile on my face as Kanbara-san continued speaking to her. The girl seemed a little surprised at the fact that my sister and I were basically normal. I kept smiling and gave her some details about youmu. I introduced myself to the still-surprised girl and showed her our certificate from the Society of the Spirit World Warriors. This girl seemed to be a Spirit World Warrior herself, what with the weapon and all. But since she didn't seem to know so much about youmu, I decided to enlighten her. In my head, I also decided to name her "The Unconvinced Girl with a Sword", but learned her true name after the younger Nase sister, Mitsuki, arrived. Both girls playfully bantered with Kanbara-san and then The Unconvinced Girl with a Sword was introduced as Mirai Kuriyama. Even though the mood was playful and everyone was teasing each other, I had no idea that this girl-Mirai-and Kanbara-san would become such important people in my life.

I tagged along with the two senpais and Mirai to school, where we talked about the youmu acting differently and Kanbara-san attempted to recruit Mirai for the Literary Club without success. Was it just me, or was Mirai pushing Kanbara-san away from her? But I decided not to say anything, just to watch and keep smiling.

The months began to pass, and with them, Kanbara-san and Mirai-chan came and went. They seemed to be getting along in some way or another, which was nice (not to mention the fact that Kanbara-san always bought slightly perverted pictures of Mirai-chan from Aya-chan). It also seemed like they would be cute together, not that I was suggesting anything to them. The five of us-Kanbara-san, Mirai-chan, the two younger Nase siblings, Hiroomi and Mitsuki, and I-would never forget that eventful week when we were idols together. Slowly, I was making friends, and with Spirit World Warriors! But I think everything changed when the Calm came.

One day, Kanbara-san dropped by with a message from his mother informing him that the Calm was coming. Since they might not understand, I explained to him, Mirai-chan, and the Nase siblings what the Calm was. Aya-chan also told Kanbara-san about why the Calm would affect him. At the time, I hadn't thought it was all that important, because he had three Spirit World Warrior friends to protect him. It was only when Mirai-chan and her friend Sakura-san brought an unconscious Kanbara-san to me and Aya-chan that evening when I knew something was wrong. I did my best to help get his fever down, but for some reason, Mirai-chan seemed to want to do that for me. A part of me understood why she wanted to take care of him. But even Sakura-san seemed curious about the relationship between them. Looking back on it, Mirai-chan was so concerned for Kanbara-san that it seemed like they'd known each other for years. Their relationship was enviably close.

But I also had other things to worry about. The Calm was sure to affect me, not just Kanbara-san and Aya-chan. When the clock struck midnight, the Calm set in. And it wasn't just that, either, because at the same time, Aya-chan and I were being confronted by Miroku Fujima, the man from the Society of Spirit World Warriors. I was terrified for the both of us, because it was the Calm and I wasn't sure if my sister and I would be able to stand against him. After running inside, I went back to the room where Kanbara-san was and watched as Aya-chan fought the Spirit World Warrior. I was terrified for her.

And then, Kanbara-san finally woke up. I knew something was wrong, though. As he rose from where he had been lying down, he looked different, and even though I had never seen the youmu part of him, I knew it at once. The human half of him was gone.

No matter how scary he was, though, he was just a youmu like me. I gave him a tentative smile and said, "Kanbara-san, you're awake." Yes, that was it. Maybe if I smiled for him, then he would snap out of it. It was a crazy idea, but I believed in treating everyone kindly and with a smile, regardless of whether they were youmu or human or Spirit World Warriors. Even though Aya-chan was in a fight for her life and I was scared that she wouldn't be able to make it, I still smiled.

The next thing I knew was a blur of movement and then me being thrown to the ground. I know that I shifted into my regular youmu form to protect myself, but then everything went dark. The last thing I remembered was thinking that, though I had treated him with kindness, he hadn't calmed down. That was just the way of some youmu.

I keep all these thoughts in my mind as I walk into the room where Akihito Kanbara-san lies unconscious. Aya-chan told me everything, so now I know that he's going to go back to normal, since Mirai-chan stabbed him. With his eyes closed, he looks just like a regular blond-haired senpai, fast asleep after a long school day. I recall everything I can about him, and wonder if he has anyone to take care of him. Am I his first visitor? I'm positive that if Mirai-chan was here, she'd be taking care of him like crazy, making sure he's okay.

My eyes fall on the pair of red glasses lying next to the bed. I know whose they are at once. "So…you're really gone, then," I say softly. And then, my smile falters, for the first time in a considerable while. Instead, it is replaced by tears. I allow myself to cry for a little and then regain control and stop. I wipe my wet face until it's clean again and look at the glasses, at the bed with the unconscious boy in it. Does he know, then, that she's gone? "Goodbye, Mirai Kuriyama," I say, thinking of the name I first called her by. The Unconvinced Girl with a Sword. I'm glad I became friends with her. I bow my head and smile down at the only remainder of that pink-haired Spirit World Warrior who's not as unconvinced as she was back then. I keep the smile on my face as I leave and head back home. From now on, I won't just be smiling because of myself. I will keep that smile on my face for her, a girl who may never smile again. The one who saved us all.