Lying in a white room, tubes and different machines operated next to her. The girl had a mask on, perhaps breathing support. She had dark hair, brown yet almost black. It was a beautiful colour, yet her long locks were knotted and sprawled across the pillow her head lay. Her eyes were bright yet dull, the colour of a beautiful ocean peered through half closed lids.

It was her monthly check up, the usual. She'd be drugged and lulled to sleep, the doctors would fiddle around a bit and take tests. All of the machinery was clearly pointless, because she had such a rare disease they had it incase she suddenly had an attack and needed life support.
Because her disease was unpredictable. She hasn't had an attack for a few years, maybe why it's so necessary.

She'd be freed in a day or two, where she'd go home and hole herself up in her room to play a game. To chat with her friends.

It wasn't like she had a family though, she had a younger brother, Jin, who visited her often and took care of her when she was sick; he even played games with her sometimes, though he prefered the war games on the popular consoles. She and him lived alone, with a few housekeepers/maids, in a large traditional -empty- Japanese house. I suppose a small mansion, it wasn't too big but big for only two teenagers.

But because of her illness, the main housekeeper lady always restricted what she could do; she couldn't bathe alone, she wasn't allowed out without an escort, she wasn't allowed to work without an escort around, she wasn't allowed to eat specific food... She obviously broke the rules often and snuck out, with help from Jin.

She was also paying the hospital fees, alongside the small amount taken from the hefty inheritance they'd gained. The 'Lady' wanted the inheritance to be the sole source of money, but Sayuri didn't want that, so... She had a job at the local library that understood her condition, she just had the boring job of checking in and out books; but she liked it.

She had but one real life friend from the time she attended school, she was the only one that stayed after Sayuri began getting homeschooled. Then, she met a whole group of people online. Then him, who became her second friend, her first boy friend.

But she felt pained at that space.

Calling him up on telepathy, Sayuri felt she was in quite the bind, "...Soujirou? I'm in your Guild building -I hope- and I'm being surrounded and mauled by a bunch of women.." She explained quietly as the line went through, he could hear the struggle from the opposite side. He chuckled and apologised, telling her to wait a bit for him to return. She sighed and tried once more to push all the women off her. The screaming wasn't helping.

"So you're Sayuri!? What kind of relationship do you have with Sou-chan!?" Is what the array of women asked her in one form or another. One of them, a woman with light pastel green hair, was completely hysterical.

Sayuri backed away nervously and spoke with a weak voice, "We're friends?" she stuttered out with a flimsy smile. While some of the girls around her grinned and laughed for some reason, there was one... the same green haired lady who glared deep into her soul unbelieving, who wasn't convinced. "Do you question Nazuna? Didn't she say we were friends? I don't think we'll ever be more..." Sayuri hated to resort to such a tactic, not because it was petty but because somehow Nazuna would find out and force her, Sayuri, to do something for her. Her chest hurt though.

The slightly convinced girls backed away when they thought about her claim, the scary one did after a while too but not after making it clear she didn't trust her with an 'I'm watching you' gesture. After the crowd had passed, Sayuri quickly and stealthily crept back to her room where she hoped not to encounter another crazy woman. She was napping before she knew it, but because of a certain fear of being eaten in her sleep, it was a very light one.

A few hours later~

A light tap sounded against the door and it was opened slowly, which just worsened Sayuri's PTSD. "S-Sayuri-sama?" She calmed when the sound of an equally frightened and nervous voice called out to her, replying a quick yes, the woman at the door walked in with a tray of fo- 'food' and some tea.

Looking up at the anxious girl, she discovered that the maid wasn't an adventurer but a person of the land. "Were you hired here to clean originally?" She asked bluntly, taking the cup of tea and sipping it casually. Although her manner was informal, her posture and seating displayed an almost royal aura, something she was taught by her caretaker... It was a rough time that.

"Y-Yes! I'm sorry I'm not cleaning! I'll start right away!" The girl panicked and hurriedly put the tray down and was about to leave when Sayuri's voice called out, "Wait a second," at the sound, she turned around; fearfully for some reason;

"Won't you keep me company? I'll help with the cleaning so don't worry. You seem the most approachable here... Hmm... Your name was?" -Taking another calm sip of tea, she picked up the sandwich from the plate and took a bite, ignoring the dull flavour and paper-like texture, she actually found it interesting, despite having tasted heaven before. With a small yet welcoming smile, the maid was compelled to answer,

"S-Sara... thank you very much!" She bowed at 90 degrees and stood rigid yet. Sayuri smiled widely and gestured to the pillow beside her, Sara seemed to understand and hesitated for a moment before seating herself.

"Why are the Adventurers treating me so differently now? -Is what you are likely asking yourself, right?" Sayuri broke the silence with a frank question; she sat undeterred on her own pillow making her way through the food brought to her, her eyes were shut calmly in trust and an ever there faint smile graced her already serene self; her movements and the like all picturesque. For some reason Sara was a much more accepting person, and with the exact same personality type as Sayuri... She felt they could get along.

Sara didn't speak, she spluttered a few words that were intelligible though. She seemed taken aback by the adventurer, as she seemed to have read her mind. "We didn't speak or even interact with you just a few days ago, I know. Well I've only just found out we had a hired housekeeper, I've never actually been in the guild hall before. The guild was just starting up right? I was one of the founders I suppose but after the guild was created and we were just starting out, I couldn't come online for a while so I've been uninformed." Sayuri explained, some of the terminology confused Sara but Sayuri sat in her trance-like state without moving, "It's nice to meet you in spite of everything though." She finally opened her eyes and smiled brightly at Sara who turned red in embarrassment, Sayuri then too, twitched and felt heat rise quickly through her face. She's just so easy to be around and talk to...-

Hm?

"Where did everyone go so fast?" She whispered, not sensing or hearing a presence. "I didn't notice at first because Sara was here..." Again, she forgot Sara was still in the room.

"Um.. Well I think they've all gone out to train..." Sara informed, repeating what Kyouko had shouted before running off with the group. "Soujirou-sama and Nazuna-sama are there too I think."

Sayuri smiled and put her tea down, "Thanks." She left quickly with her two swords and a smile on her face. If it was training she didn't want to miss out.