Returning from the department store, Emi quickly made her way into the bathroom. Laying the paper box on the counter, she slid down her pants gradually terrified of the awaited results. Conducting the test, she watched the small device for a tedious three minutes anticipating for her new possible future.

Her eyes flooded with tears, staring back at her was a positive mark in the window of the test. "Shit." Emi shuddered. "My life is ruined...I had so much ahead of me at only age twenty."

Heading towards her kitchen, Emi grabbed her purse, reaching down for her phone. She briskly unlocked it and went to her messages. Contemplating who she should go to during this difficult and challenging situation, she clicked on her mom's name only to go back and click on Eraser's name.

Sent 11:34 AM: "Eraser...I don't know what to do. Life is repeatedly submerging me to the point where I don't think I can rise back to the surface anymore…"

Violently shaking, Emi could hear her heart rapidly pace as if her body was fighting to stay alive. Glancing back at her phone, she sent her mom a short, brief message.

Sent 11:35 AM: "Mom, I hope to see you soon. Life hasn't been how I quite expected it to be. Please call me when you get the chance tonight."

*Ding*

Intending to look at her notifications, Emi was instantly interrupted with a call.

"Joke, don't do it."

Confused, Emi questioned, "Eraser? What are you talking about?"

"Don't take your life, Emi. It's not worth it."

Detecting desperateness in his voice, Emi provoked him. "What the heck are you talking about, Eraser? It's not worth what? Being with you? It sounds like you need more confidence…"

"I don't have time for this, Joke...if you're going to take no notice of the seriousness of saying you're going to taking your own life, you have a sicker sense of humor than I thought."

Sensing the coldness in his voice, Emi knew she had crossed the line. "Eraser, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean my message in that way. I've just been trying suffering, and I didn't know who else to go to other than you."

"And what do you want me to do to help you?"

Fearful that he may hang up on her at any moment, Emi pleaded. "I need someone to lean on...I know it may be hard to believe, but I don't have many close friends. Heck, none of them are in the area. All of them are back home in Kumamoto Prefecture."

"You have no one in the area that you can talk to about your issues?"

Without processing what had been said to her, Emi agreed with him. "Nevermind...I can find someone else to help me out... " Hanging up, she choked back tears as she called her mother. "Mom?"

"Honey? What is it? I'm at work right now. Can this wait?"

Differentiating the impatientness in her mother's voice, Emi mentally broke down. She could no longer fight the tears.

"Emi? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

At a loss for words, Emi found herself unable to speak.

Concerned, Emi's mother pleaded. "Emi? Please talk to me…"

Struggling to find words, Emi uttered. "I'm pregnant."

"WHAT! Emi, you're not even married! Do you know how much trouble this will bring onto our family!"

Her heart shattered at her mother's reaction. She was furious, making it extremely difficult for Emi appeal to her mother. "Mom...I was raped."

Leaving her mom speechless, all Emi could hear was her mother's breathing contemplating what to say to her distressed daughter. "You could get an abortion and avoid all the public disgrace."

"I'm not doing that...the baby didn't do anything wrong. I at least want to give him or her up for adoption."

Aware that it would be challenging for her daughter especially without a husband in the Japanese community, Emi's mother suggested. "Darling, if you come home, we can get this all sorted out, and you won't have to think about a thing."

Irritated that her mother refused to accept her wishes, Emi reprimanded her. "It's never about what I want...I'm tired of being told what to do! I'm going to have this baby, and that's final." As she hung up, Emi turned around to find an intruder with scruffy, long, black hair.

Cognizant that he threw her off guard, Shouta shut his eyes deliberating on how to approach her with the issue.

Without hesitation, Emi questioned, "How much did you hear?"

"Everything from you're not giving up the baby up for adoption." Shouta plainly stated.

"Let me explain myself, Eraser. It's not what you think...I'm not a slut." Emi pitifully pointed out.

Crossing his arms across his chest, Shouta curtly posed her."Fine, but why do you involve me in this?"

Glaring down at her feet, Emi mumbled, "There is no one who I trust enough to share this information with."

"They'll find out eventually. It's not too difficult to tell when a woman is pregnant." Shouta said crossly.

Interjecting, Emi flatly stated, "I was raped."

At a loss for words, Shouta stood there dumbfounded. He didn't know what to do. Here he thought that she had gotten herself into this situation by sleeping around; instead, she had been taken advantage of leaving her shattered only for someone else to help her put the pieces back together.

"Listen. It happened that night when you came over, but everything was so fresh then…" Tensing up her fists, Emi was critical of herself as she spoke. "It's just that I don't want many people to know. I'm a pro-hero, and I can't even protect myself. It's pathetic."

"Emi, don't say that…" Processing his thoughts, Shouta offered, "I suppose I can support you during this time, but I have to warn you that I have no idea what I'm doing."

Slightly smiling, Emi softly threw her phone on the counter as she accepted his offer. "I would like that very much." Moving towards her living room, Emi dropped herself on her sofa. Dragging her hands down her face, she thought-through her options considering her future. "I just don't know what to do, Eraser... what do I tell the agency?"

"Be frank with them. Let them know what happened. Maybe they can work something out with you." Shouta indicated as he moved across the room to sit beside her.

Widening her eyes, Emi threw her hands crying out, "Do you know how that will affect me? I'll become an outcast!"

Leaning his elbows on his knees, Shouta addressed to her. "You won't know unless you try. What else are you going to do, Joke?"

"I suppose I can...I just feel so hopeless, Eraser." Bursting into tears, Emi threw herself into his arms.

Wrapping his arms around her, Shouta stroked her back trying to comfort her. Sitting there awkwardly, he waited for her to say something.

Looking up at him, Emi confided in him. "I wish we could be spending time with each other under different circumstances."

Turning scarlet, Shouta quickly showed his embarrassment.

Chuckling some, Emi teased, " Awww, do you actually enjoy spending time with me, Eraser?"

Shuddering at her words, Shouta informed her. "We haven't spent any time with each other than that one time I comforted you and our missions. And I would say I tolerate you."

"Aww, you don't have to lie about it, Eraser." Adjusting herself to sit up, Emi whispered in his ear. "I've seen the way you look at me after all."

"Dammit, Emi! Will you ever know when to stop?" Trying to recuperate himself, Shouta took a deep breath. "What if you try relaxing for once? Have you ever done that even?"

"HA! You're funny! You're lucky if my mind isn't racing at a million miles an hour." Resting her head against his chest, she remarked. "How are you always so relaxed all the time? Listening to your heartbeat is so soothing."

Unsure of how to reply to her comment, Shouta leaned back into the sofa taking her with him. Watching her stretch her legs out on the couch, so she laid fully on it, he gently grazed her back calming her to the point that she fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her up, he decided to fall asleep as he continued to embrace her.