She'd never been good at fixing things, and patching things up here would be a long time coming. And as Kyoko steps off the train platform into the familiar streets of Mitakihara, she feels her stomach twist with this knowledge. She screws her eyes shut and digs through her pockets.
She had traveled light, nothing but a grubby jacket, a pack of smokes and a wad of cash. She lights a cigarette, slowly bringing it to her lips. A new bad habit.
She steps into the bleary December sun, noting that the streets look the same to her somewhat pleasant surprise. There's a new store here and there, new replacing old but nothing has changed for the worse. At least she hopes so.
The smoke and her breath look no different as she forces one frigid leg in front of the other. "I've been gone for how long now?" she asks herself, closing her eyes. "Two years, nearly. Shit."
Kyoko shakes the thought form her mind, brushing a clump of dirty red hair out of her face. She begins walking towards the school.
Her nose crinkles at the thought of how they'd react. How Sayaka would react. Yelling or fighting or maybe just hugs? She hopes she gets hugs.
She arrives at the school just as kids start pouring out of the building, meeting up at the gate and leaving together. She used to do that with Madoka and Sayaka. She sees others, sitting in tree branches and whispering to each other, waving to their friends. Smiling.
She spots Madoka in the crowd, still sporting two pigtails wrapped in ribbons. Sayaka walks next to her, laughing heartily and slapping some black-haired girl's shoulder. Kyoko's eyes light up.
They walk right past her, without a second glance. Her heart sinks.
She feels the sting in her nose that means she's going to cry and grits her teeth. "Why'd I think they'd recognize me?" she sighs "I've been gone two years a'course they wouldn't recognize me."
"Excuse me," someone says, tapping her shoulder. "Aren't you Sayaka's friend? Kyoko?"
A girl with wavy green hair stands before the redhead, looking down at her shoes as if they were a light show.
"Yeah, and yer uh," Kyoko racks her brain for a name. "Hitomi? Yeah?"
Hitomi nods, finally meeting Kyoko's eyes. "Are you looking for Sayaka?"
"Yeah. She doesn't recognize me anymore though. Neither does Ma'oka." Kyoko lifts her cigarette back to her mouth, taking a long drag.
Resisting the urge to slap the thing out of the girl's hands, Hitomi takes a breath to try and calm herself down. She remembers Sayaka calling her, crying, saying she couldn't find Kyoko. None of them could. She begins to feel sick and tries to block that entire week and half from her memory.
"Y'okay there kiddo?" Hitomi blinks as Kyoko speaks, slowly bringing herself back to reality. "Ya don't look too good."
"I can help you." The words leave her mouth without a second thought and Kyoko nearly drops her cigarette. "She's been so worried, I'm sure she'd be relieved to finally hear from you."
"She's worried?" Kyoko scoffs. "But sure, give it a try."
The sit in silence for a moment, and Kyoko turns her head away as not to blow smoke in Hitomi's face. "Thanks," she whispers. Hitomi gives her a small smile.