"You need to eat something. Please, Ririchiyo," Soushi pleaded. She shook her head. All the crying made her tired and hungry, but she couldn't face them. Looking into their eyes would make her break down all over again. Her stomach made a loud growl.

"See? You need to keep your strength up. Please." The look in his eyes and the undeniable truth made her give in.

"Fine. But… please… j-just don't leave me." Her eyes were watering again. No. Not now, she thought. A well-practiced mask covered her face immediately and Soushi led his charge into the dining area. She could feel the stares dig into her skin like daggers, but she kept her own eyes glued to the floor. Her SS sat her down at a table and left to get her something to eat.

Damn! I told him not to leave me! But what was I expecting? Was he going to bring her to get everything? ARGGG! Just stop being weak. You can survive being alone Ririchiyo. Her inner dialogue just went on and on. Soushi returned and set down a cup of soft smelling tea and a bowl of porridge.

"Lavender," He stated. "To relax you."

She sipped and ate until she heard the scrape of a chair on the floor. Finally, she looked up. There her brother was: sitting right next to her. He looked awful. Still in his pajamas, his hair was more messy than usual and his eyes were bloodshot. In his hand was a cup of the blackest coffee Ririchiyo has ever seen. She realized how horrible she must look. They continued in silence, just eating and drinking. It comforted Ririchiyo a bit, but disturbed her also. He should be shunning me for what he saw, her mind said. But she accepted this gesture. When she finished and was about to get up and leave, he laid a hand softly on hers.

"How long?" He asked. Everybody was watching. Ririchiyo could not take the pressure.

"Hmmph! Wouldn't you like to know!" This made her grimace internally. Nevertheless, she walked away briskly leaving everyone gaping in her wake. Soushi followed quickly, but when she reached her apartment she refused to go further. She had been planning on changing and going to school. "I can't very well go to school like this, can I?"

"No, Ririchiyo. Nobody has decided to go to school today," her SS explained. She slid against the wall and finally sat, head in hands. She stayed like that for a long time, ignoring everything, even the soft buzz of Soushi's phone and the sound of his feet when he entered her room and returned soon after. She pretended not to notice when he laid a hand on her shoulder and softly spoke. "Renshou thinks you might have an easier time writing it." He eyes widened under her hands. It was perfect. She could write it and if she didn't want it seen, she could easily get rid of it. Up she looked and saw her beloved boyfriend and SS agent holding a paper and a pen in his hand.

It took her a while, but eventually she grabbed onto the paper and smirked. "If you insist, then I suppose I have no choice." Into her room on her desk chair she went, followed closely by Soushi. "I can't write with you hanging over my shoulder like that!" she complained. His breath was dangerously close to her neck, and her irregular heartbeat returned, as it did every time they were close. She let out a little gasp as he gently kissed her neck.

"I'll leave you to your writing then," he murmured into her neck and left her to be alone. God, he made her go crazy! She gripped at her shirt as if to keep her heart from bursting out of her chest. Looking down, she saw that she never changed out of her night clothing. So before she began to write, she checked how she looked in the mirror. Eyes swollen, hair tangled and wild, face tear-streaked, skin blotchy, and clothes rumpled, she was a hot mess. After fixing her hair and applying eye drops, she picked out a yellow shirt and a white skirt. Then she reevaluated herself. Her eyes looked no different and her skin was still horrible. The rest of her looked just like the regular Ririchiyo, though. Unconsciously, she stroked the area where Soushi had kissed her. It still felt warm and tingly.

She walked over to her desk and sat down, trying together her thoughts. Finally, she began to write. Over and over she wrote, and never was she satisfied. Every time she started off apologising to everybody, then she explained how long and for what reason her fit had happened. It never sounded right. It was too much. Slowly, the wire trash bin filled to brim with the failed letters. She tried one last time and decided this one was the one to give them at lunch, which, as she found when she glanced at the clock, was in a few minutes. Opening her door, she found her SS agent sitting in wait for his dear charge.

"Were you here the entire time?" Ririchiyo asked. It had been hours.

"Of course. I wanted to be near to you without disturbing you," came his reply. They walked towards lunch together, and he could see how nervous she was getting. He needed to relax her before she faced everybody. A smile grew on his face as he thought of what her could do.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked. Immediately he knelt down and professed his love to her. Her face turned crimson. "W-w-what on earth are-oh!" she gasped as he brought his face close to hers. Her face turned a deeper shade of red at this. She could feel his breath on her lips. She could smell his sweet scent. She wanted him so much. "Soushi." She closed the distance between their lips and was electrified by the sensations she received. They had been dating for six months and had kissed plenty, but every time still felt so incredible.

"Feel better?" he whispered to her lips when they broke apart.

"Yes," she breathed.

"Then I'm feeling better too."

"Th-Th- That lamp is flickering."She wanted to thank him for always being so perfect, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it.

"I'll inform the maids," he smiled, knowing full well what she had been trying to say. His Ririchiyo was so cute.

When they arrive at lunch, Ririchiyo bravely looks everyone in the eyes. Every single eye is red and swollen. At this meal there is idle chit chat. Food and the weather occupy conversation. Nobody addresses the huge elephant in the room. When she is done, Ririchiyo abruptly stood up, set the letter on the table and spoke.

"I would like you all to read this," she said. "But please wait till I'm gone," she finished in response to their eager eyes. To avoid confrontation, she rushed out as quickly as she could. Would she regret this? As soon as she was gone Soushi picked up the letter.

"Sou! I want to read it!" Zange whined as he snatched the letter from his friends hand. "Ahem! Dear everybody... I would like to begin by expressing my deepest apologies for what you all had to witness and for the way I reacted -aww she is so sweet!"

"Just read! I want to hear what my Ririchiyo wrote!" Nobara urged him to continue. She wanted to know. So he continued on as Ririchiyo said again and again how sorry she was and how horrible her behavior was. Finally he reached the last paragraph.

"Lastly, I want to let you all know that I am sorry for being unable to tell you the reason for my nightmare. The contents of said nightmare will remain unknown to you as well. This is regretful, but I cannot bring myself to tell you all. Maybe in the future, I will be ready. In the meantime, please do not worry."

Nobody knew what to say. They didn't know how to react. They could ask her and try to make her tell them, but that would upset her. What was so horrible that she couldn't tell anybody? She couldn't even write it. They just sat there, silent. Finally, Soushi stood.

"I'm going to make sure she is okay," he said as he walked off. First, he went to her room. She wasn't there. Then he checked his own room. There she was, crying on his bed.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked. When he shook his head, she cried even harder. "Why not? You should be! I can't tell my lover something that's very important to me! It's horrible!"

He stroked her face with his elegant, gloved fingers. "I'm not angry, I'm worried. I know you said not to be, but I cannot help it. I love you more than anything no matter what, Ririchiyo. Please understand that. I don't want you to hurt. Nobody at Ayakashi Kan does." He laid next to her, still caressing her shaking body gently. "If you are not ready, I'll wait to learn. But I can't ignore this."

"I'm scared to sleep," Ririchiyo confessed. "I hate what that dream does to me, but I can't stop it. I've tried so many things, and none of them work. I hate it so much!" At this, Soushi pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

"You don't have to be alone. If you ever are having a rough night, come talk to somebody. And Zange could really help you. He used to have horrible nightmares as well, though his were from his visions. Nobody will judge you if you look for help. We all still love you," he reassured his charge. She just buried her head in his chest. How many girls are lucky enough to have a person as wonderful as this in their lives? After talking for hours more, she nodded off in his arms.