"Ah! Sayaka-san, did something happen?"

Kyoko cringed at the exclamation.

As expected, Sayaka's eyes were still red and swollen when they woke up in the morning. Sayaka did what she could to lessen the swelling, which was not much. She didn't complain to Kyoko as she rushed around preparing for school, but she did shoot an accusing glance at her before she ran out of the door.

Well, it was kind of her fault.

"Ahaha." Sayaka laughed. "I just watched some soppy romance last night."

"Oh?"

Sayaka then proceeded to fabricate a dramatic story involving an imaginative female character and her love interest, who was a dense idiot - Sayaka insisted - and didn't understand all the hardship and struggles she was going through.

Kyoko wasn't sure why, but she felt slightly insulted listening to that story.

She shook her head. Well, Sayaka seemed okay now. There was really no point for her to linger. She had work to do.

Kyoko turned around and went off hunting again.


That afternoon, she approached the front gate of Mitakihara Junior High with a bag of Taiyaki in her arms.

She had promised that morning to meet Mami and Sayaka there when school was over. It was Sayaka's idea. Although it annoyed Kyoko to no end, she begrudgingly accepted the arrangement considering how upset Sayaka was over the whole thing of her leaving without warning.

She walked at a leisurely pace, stuffing one Taiyaki after another in her mouth. She was late, she knew that. A part of her worried how Sayaka would react, but another part insisted it was no big deal.

Well, that part of her also insisted her wandering away was no big deal, and see how well that turned out.

She spotted Sayaka and Mami by the front gate from faraway. The former was frowning and pacing anxiously while the latter just smiled and waited by the side, holding her school bag in front, her hands barely visible beneath the gray cashmere jacket.

Kyoko stopped in her track, caught by a sudden realization. She had never seen this outfit on Mami before. Because it was not the uniform of Mitakihara Junior High.

Ah. The thought came to her like the bouquet of asphodelus her father used to lay on the stones after a service. It had really been three years.

Perhaps sensing her magic signature, Mami turned with a start. When their eyes met, she seemed baffled by her presence for a brief moment, as if she had forgotten they were going to meet. She then looked down to herself as if becoming aware of Kyoko's inner thought.

As for what she may be thinking, Kyoko had no way of telling. This was not the Mami she had met three years ago. She was already well on her way to another stage of her life. If it was even possible for Puella Magi to have such a thing.

Mami touched her ribbon for a moment, as if looking for courage. She took a deep breath, did not look back to Kyoko, and instead tapped her underclassmate on the shoulder as if passing a baton,

Sayaka jolted and followed Mami's gesture. When she saw Kyoko, her anxiety morphed into unmistakable relief. She charged, barely holding onto her own bag, and started rambling.

"You're late!" Sayaka scolded. "Where were you? Did something happen? What-"

"Relax. I just took a detour." Kyoko waved a hand dismissively. Her gaze lingered on the cream-colored uniform for a moment, before she remembered the bag in her arm. She offered one to Sayaka. "Want some?"

Sayaka stared at her, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water for a few seconds. Then, she wordlessly snatched one from the bag and stuffed it tail-first into her mouth. Her face a bright pink.

Mami came up to their side and smiled.

"Sakura-san, it's nice for you to join us." She greeted gracefully.

Kyoko gave a sharp nod in acknowledgement, but said nothing more.

Mami's expression gained the quality of a piece of paper falling into a puddle. She backed away slightly, before taking the lead towards her home. Kyoko followed in a respectable distance, still unwilling to have the new uniform anywhere within her vision. As if it offended her.

Sayaka hesitate between them for a moment, before she trailed alongside Kyoko. Her fingers grasped the tail of her jacket.

Kyoko frowned and peered at her.

"What are you doing?"

Sayaka didn't meet her eyes. "Just shut up and walk."

She tried to put it out of her mind. In all likelihood, Sayaka was still upset about yesterday. If this helped, she would allow it, for now.

The little parade continued in silence until they arrived at the destination.

When Mami extracted her key to turn the lock, there was a small yelp coming from inside. And loud, urgent whispers.

"Nagisa?" Mami called out, worried. "Yuma-chan?"

Kyoko peered in as well.

Yuma sat by the coffee table, giggling uncontrollably. They followed her line of sight to see white a flick of white poking out from behind the couch.

"What are you doing?" Mami puzzled over her roommate's strange behavior as she walked around the furniture. "Come on out. It is impolite to not properly greet you guests."

Nagisa scrambled away from the other side. As Mami neared the back, she came out front. Kyoko got a perfect look at her face when the girl nervously checked for Mami's position.

There were bits of crumbs around her mouth.

Yuma burst out laughing at the sight, throwing herself to the ground and rolling. Sayaka's own giggle evolved into a laughter. Even Kyoko felt a chuckle bubbling up from her chest.

Mami remained confused for only a few more moments, before inevitably she spotted the evidence.

"Nagisa!" She chided. "Did you sneak a bite of the cake?"

Nagisa shook her head fervently, then she noticed the flying crumbs. Caught red-handed, she lowered her head in admittance.

"Mou!" Mami put both hands on her hips. "It's unbecoming. Why didn't you wait?"

Nagisa whined. "But you were taking so looooooooooooong."

Kyoko scratched her nose a bit sheepishly. Sayaka snickered behind her.

"Mamiiiii." Nagisa scurried to her elder's side and cuddled up. Her arms wrapped loosely around Mami's waist as she tilted her head up in an adorable pout. "I'm sorry. Please don't be mad?"

Mami's sternness visibly melted away. "Mou…" She caressed the top of the child's head with a sigh. "Come help me make tea?"

Nagisa nodded happily.

Kyoko and Sayaka settled around the table as their hostesses walked to the kitchen, hand in hand. Yuma scooted over to make room.

Unexpectedly, Sayaka walked to the far end and sat down. Kyoko noted this would mean she was switching seat with Sayaka compared to the previous times. But she could not find any significance behind the gesture.

She put that aside and sat down next to Yuma. "Did you sneak a bite too?" She ruffled her hair with a grin.

"Ahhh. Stooooop." Yuma made a half-hearted attempt at batting Kyoko's hand away, still giggling. "Sayaka-neechan, help me!"

Before Sayaka could reply, Kyoko dug her fingers under Yuma's arms and began tickling her.

"Hey, don't ask others to fight your battle."

"Kyoko's being mean!"

"Am I? Hmmm. I'll show you mean."

"Waaaaahahahaha nooooooo hahahahaha."

Sayaka looked like she really wanted to help Yuma. But she also seemed to know Kyoko could probably take on both of them at the same time. Kyoko shot her a smirk before redoubling her tickling attack.

Yuma tried to wriggle out of the way, but she was too small. Besides, all her strength seeped away in her laughters.

"You give up?"

Yuma was still laughing when she nodded. Kyoko stopped as abruptly as she started. And Sayaka let out a small sigh.

"Alright. Now sit up."

Kyoko pulled Yuma from the floor and straightened her cloth. As soon as the child calmed down, she made a face at Kyoko. "Meanie."

Kyoko raised a brow. "What's that?"

Yuma turned to Sayaka with a kicked puppy look. "Sayaka-neechan…"

Ohoho. Did she honestly think Sayaka could avenge her? Kyoko laughed inwardly but pulled Yuma back by the back of her collar. She wasn't in a mood for a tickling war with Sayaka. It felt a bit… too intimate.

"Hey, get back here." She pinched Yuma's cheek lightly. "You still didn't answer me."

Yuma pouted up at her, already forgetting the reinforcement she was trying to solicit a few seconds ago. "Why'd Kyoko assume I did bad thing?"

"Well, did you?"

Yuma frowned, and leaned close to Kyoko's ears. She cleared her throat pointedly…

Then she cracked and began giggling again. "Yeah."

Kyoko laughed with her, and patted her head again affectionately. "Good girl."

"…you're a bad influence." Sayaka grumbled at the end of the table. She had raised a brow in disapproval, but Kyoko could see from the small smile tugging her lips that she didn't really mean that. Not in a bad way at least. So she just shrugged and ignored the remark.

Mami and Nagisa returned with two trays. The latter was talking excitedly about some new video game she saw, while the former smiled and listened patiently. They seemed to already forget about the whole cake scandal.

Kyoko saw no reason to remind them.

"Today's dessert is special." Mami beamed with pride as she exchanged a smile with Nagisa. "Yuma-chan and Nagisa baked the cake at school."

Kyoko leaned back with a smug grin. "Then I guess it's really not sneaking. They made it. It's theirs."

Mami shot her a glare, which she ignored. Nagisa and Yuma looked at each other, before erupting into poorly concealed giggles.

"Well," Mami huffed. "It's the principle of things."

Despite that, she still handed Kyoko the first piece of cake.

Kyoko dug in without a second word. Yuma and Nagisa were comparing the sizes of their respective shares. She only realized something was amiss when Sayaka and Mami took a bite at their own cake.

"Ahem." Mami took a sip from her tea. "By the way, Nagisa, Yuma-chan, how much sugar did you…?"

Yuma tilted her head in mild confusion. "Four cups?"

"Eh?" Nagisa blinked. "Didn't the teacher say one fourth?"

The children exchanged a look, then smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of their heads.

"Ooops…"

"Huh." Kyoko stopped eating. She stared down at her half-eaten cake in amazement. "Really? I don't taste anything."

She sat in front of a mountain of food. Colorful wrappings torn and discarded carelessly to the side. None of them was how they were supposed to be. They crumbled or melted on her tongue. She chewed with vengeance, seeking for something, anything.

She tensed and promptly shut up. Not now, why did she have to remember it now?

There was nothing. They were all the same. Even the texture began to blend after a while. "That's because you gave up on it," the Incubator said. "Just like how you denied your magic."

Both Mami and Sayaka noticed her slip of tongue. They looked at her with curious concern.

She just wanted to taste the sweet crispness of apple, for one last time.

And the curiosity faded, leaving only concern. Then realization.

Kyoko forced herself to chuckle. It sounded like nails scraping on chalkboard. "Well, if it's too sweet for y'all, I'll eat the whole thing." She moved her fork towards the cake at the center. It was shaking.

Her attempt to lighten the mood was unsuccessful. Sayaka exchanged a stunned look with Mami, and Kyoko knew they had figured it out. She didn't have a sweet tooth.

Why should they be so shocked? She distracted her bitter thoughts by trying to wage a cake war with the children. Nagisa and Yuma had leapt up from their seats, squeaking as they tried to fend off Kyoko's fork. They were losing precious territory fast.

-and it wasn't anything serious, really.

"Nooooo, Kyoko the Cake Monster is going to absorb all of our cake!"

"Who you calling a Cake Monster?"

Her fork shot towards Yuma's plate and left with a considerable chunk of cake. The girl gasped in horror as Kyoko devoured it.

"Get her arm! Get her arm!" Nagisa cheered in the background.

Yuma did so, but Kyoko was well prepared. She held Yuma at arm's length as she deliberately licked the fork clean.

It took the children a few moments to learn that they had to ally together to stop this ruthless invader. Once they figured that out, they even managed to steal a few forkful from Kyoko's plate.

Mami and Sayaka only watched.

-it didn't hinder her ability as a magical girl in any way.

"Ha! Your struggle is futile. I shall devour this delicious cake all by myself… along with all the cookies and cheese in this world!"

"Not the cheese!"

Kyoko struggled half-heartedly with Yuma hang off her arm. She narrowed her eyes at Nagisa, who stood with two forks (she stole Mami's. It's okay because it's an emergency), and smirked.

"Hurry, Comrade Nagisa! Save the cake!"

"You will be remembered, o' Yuma the Brave! I shall fulfill your wish and lead our people onward."

Her fork shot toward the cake like a missile, but Nagisa valiantly pulled the plate out of her reach. She held it triumphantly above her head.

Kyoko tried to lurch towards it, but Yuma tackled her in the stomach. It knocked the wind out of her.

-and what good was tasting them anyway? Sourness, saltiness, or umami. What does it matter if they left only a dull, fading sensation on her tongue?

"Build a world where everyone shall have cake!"

"For the kingdom of sweets!"

Kyoko fell backward with Yuma sprawled on top of her.

How heroic. How noble.

"This- this is impossible. No! There will be more Cake Monsters." She made a strangled noise as she reached up a hand shakily, doing her best imitation of those comical villains in children's cartoon. "One day we will conquer your kingdom… ahhhhhh…"

-and sweetness was but a distant concept. Like heaven or God.

The children cheered over the defeat of the Cake Monster.


Nagisa and Yuma volunteered to do the dishes, by themselves, today. Mami praised them with an encouraging smile before they hopped off into the kitchen.

Now it was just the three girls by the table, again.

Mami was sipping her tea, looking thoughtful and melancholy, and Sayaka was hugging her knees with a deep frown. Kyoko was reluctant to be the one to breach this silence, so she settled to looking over to the kitchen and listening to the children's chatter.

Yuma was happy here. There was no question about that. Of course she would, surrounded by another kid close to her age, and cared by someone like Mami…

Maybe it was time she left for good?

The question squeezed down on her lungs. She had to fight to breathe.

In the three years they lived together under the ruined church, never once had the thought crossed Kyoko's mind. Yuma needed her. It seemed so obvious. Of course she couldn't leave.

But perhaps, that was just a lie she used to justify her actions. She needed to believe she was giving the child her best chance at a happy life, by protecting her from the Puella Magi business. By - her breathing faltered with the horrible truth - by keeping her away from her real family. People who could actually provide for her.

Kyoko had shunned away from that opportunity once already. After she heard the police giving up searching for the orphan girl, it became easier to convince herself Yuma had nowhere else to go.

But here was another chance. With Mami and Nagisa, Yuma could live a normal life. Could she ever let it slip by? Would she ever be able to forgive herself?

It would be best for Yuma.

Now the truth unfolded in her mind, she could see it more clearly. She kept Yuma by her side because she wanted to save herself from her shame. It was all to serve herself. Why would it be otherwise? It was her motto after all.

But even though she was a monster, there was a line she just couldn't cross. Denying Yuma of her future… that would be the exact same thing her father did when he sunk the knife in Momo…

Kyoko felt a sudden bump to her shoulder. She snapped her head around to find Sayaka scooted over to her side with the agitation of a Spanish bull trapped in a ring. The bump came from her head, which currently rested on her shoulder.

Instinctively, Kyoko wanted to pull away, but if she did, Sayaka would probably topple over.

Sayaka tilted her head up so their eyes connected.

"Yuma-chan looks happy with you."

Maybe she should let her fall.

She pushed the urge away and did her best to scoff. The sound came out strained.

"Where did that come from?"

"Because you look like a kicked puppy."

"What? That's stupid." She pulled herself free and shoved at Sayaka lightly. "And get off. You're heavy."

Sayaka frowned, but not entirely because Kyoko just touched upon a topic all normal teenage girls were sensitive at. "I was serious."

"About what?" The scoff was more natural this time. "I don't look like a kicked puppy."

"No." Sayaka put one hand atop Kyoko's. "I mean… I mean I was serious yesterday. Don't do that again. Don't you dare ever do that again."

"Jesus." Kyoko laughed at the absurdity this conversation was heading. "Look, I'm a Puella Magi. Sometimes that means I run around looking for kills, yeah? Wrap your head around that. Idiot."

Sayaka glared at her for a moment, before she abruptly headbutted her.

"The fu-"

Mami cleared her throat pointedly.

They both halted trying to hit each other and turned towards their senior.

"Sakura-san." Mami began with a calm, soothing voice. But her hands were on her knees, and trembling slightly. "When did it start?"

Kyoko looked away. She had thought they would get the hint and leave that matter alone.

"What does it matter?"

"It does to me."

"Then you care too much."

She never meant for them to find out, especially Mami. Because Mami was the sort of person to blame herself for every little thing that was her fault.

It of course did not help that Mami had been there and completely oblivious when Kyoko's condition started.

Mami raised her hands. They hung in the air for a moment if trying to catch something.

Kyoko glared at those hands.

Don't. She tried her best to convey that without speaking. I certainly wasn't paying it any attention. There were more important things for me to break over back then.

And in fact she didn't even realize the full extent of her disability - if you insist calling it that - weeks after she broke ties with Mami. She was wandering on the street of Kazamino digging through garbage trucks for unspoiled food when it suddenly hit her.

Mami lowered her hands. They found the teacup in front of her. She gripped it until her knuckles turned white, and took a long sip.

Kyoko did not know what to say or do. Neither did Sayaka.

.When Mami put her cup down, her face was back to a mask of calmness and grace.

"Nagisa-chan, Yuma-chan?" She called to the kitchen, her index finger tracing over the mouth of the cup. It hummed in eerie symphony with Mami's voice. "I just remembered something - we ran out of milk. Do you think you could get some form the grocery store?"

Nagisa poked her head out from the kitchen and nodded enthusiastically. Yuma followed suite.

This was the perfect opportunity to get out of here and clear her head. And… well, maybe to get away for a little.

"I'll go." Kyoko stood from the table. "You got any money?"

Mami ignored her.

"Oi-"

"I got it!" Nagisa chirped from the kitchen. She patted her hands on her dress as she raced to the door. "Come on, Yuma-chan."

"Nagisa is really a big girl now." Mami offered her sweet compliments. She acted like Kyoko wasn't even there. "And Yuma-chan too. So reliable!"

"But I said-"

"Kyoko just stay here." Yuma was already putting on her shoes as Kyoko tried to get Mami to acknowledge her. She winked. "I'm a big girl too!"

"I didn't say you aren't-"

"Besides, we can't let the Cake Monster escape! Ne? Yuma the Brave."

"That's right, Comrade Nagisa."

Kyoko was speechless. She wasn't expecting that to come back and bite her in the ass. There was nothing she could do to get out of the situation unless she forced it, and that would just be foolish.

She balled her fist and kept her mouth shut as the kids ran off. The door slammed shut behind them.

Mami finally looked at her. She commanded her to sit down with a glare.

"Now." She folded her hands over her lap. "I think it's due time we talk about your… action, the other day."

She was doing a terrible job at keeping up her facade of a calm, rational senior.

"There's nothing to talk about." Kyoko sat down begrudgingly and insisted. "I just wanted to go to a different area to hunt. What's wrong with that?"

"Be that as it may," Mami replied a little too loudly. "It does not change the fact that your… ah, adventure, caused great inconvenience to both Miki-san and myself."

The resentment was clear in her voice. It was like she wasn't even trying to hide it.

Kyoko snarled. They could play.

"I don't see how me being gone for one day can cause any trouble."

"It is a fact regardless of how you might think, Sakura-san."

Mami rebutted a little too quickly, too forcefully. Her folded hands balled up in agitation as well, knuckles turning white again. They glared at each other for several tense seconds, before Mami regained her composure. She sighed and relaxed.

"To avoid such problem from occurring again, I have a proposal." She said like she was reading off a script.

"Sure you do."

Kyoko shifted in the cushion. She had a bad feeling about this.

"In case you are out of range for telepathic communication, as you evidently were when I tried to contact you the day before-" Mami shot her a look. "-and to lessen the chance of you forgetting to reply, I recommend you keep a phone with you."

Kyoko swallowed her impulse to ridicule the idea right off the bat. She mimicked the way Mami picked up her teacup shortly beforehand.

"That's what you think?"

Mami nodded.

So that's how they're going to do this. Kyoko thought. Fine.

"Well, one big problem." She sipped from the cup. It was cold and bitter. Funny, that happened to be the only flavor she could still taste at its fullest. "I don't have any money."

She let the statement hung there for a moment.

Surely there was nothing Mami could do to change that without admitting her intention. Surely there was no way Mami could force this upon her. Surely she had won this round.

Wrong.

"I can help with that." Sayaka chimed in like it just occurred to her. "I just happen to have a spare."

Kyoko snapped her head to the blue-haired girl and glared. She realized too late she had been set up.

"Why the fuck would you keep another phone?" She blurted out without thinking.

Sayaka only shrugged, as if saying 'I just do'.

"That's that then." Mami continued like there was nothing wrong with that suggestion. Of course, they had planned this all out. "Which reminds me, Miki-san has also volunteered to make dinner for you from now on. You don't have to keep living like a… like you did."

'Thief' is the word you're looking for. Kyoko wanted to say. But aside from that, she also wanted to express her indignation.

What Mami suggested was not that much different from what Sayaka and Kyoko had been doing for the past couple days, really. But once that silent agreement was put into words, there was no way Kyoko could turn a blind eye.

"Oi."

Because she could not bring herself to admit she needed others to survive. Being self-sufficient was an important aspect to the existence of Sakura Kyoko the Puella Magi. She had suppressed the part of her that yearned for companionship, direction, and understanding.

If they kept this up, she wasn't sure what would become of her. Could there be anything left recognizable from dust?

Mami ignored her still. She probably did not realize she was destroying Kyoko in her haste of attempting to save her

"I almost forgot. There has been a continued increase in Wraith activity in Mitakihara as of late." She clasped her hands together with an irrefusable smile. She really believed what she was doing was right. "Therefore, I think it will be best for us to walk the children to school in the morning. You understand, don't you? It's for their safety, Sakura-san."

She expected Kyoko to nod and agree, didn't she? She expected it because she still thought Kyoko was the same bright-eyed girl who had good in her, who naively believed she could save the world.

Stop it. Kyoko wanted to say. Stop it before we both regret it.

Instead she said, "…you're asking for a lot all of the sudden."

Something in her tone must have alerted Mami, but she misunderstood still. Her smile faded as her hands wrung together. Adn Kyoko saw the unsure, lonely girl she had met more than three years ago.

"I… I know." She struggled with her words. "I know you still feel… uncomfortable, around me, Sakura-san."

That's not the point. Kyoko wanted to tell her, but she was too tired and numb.

A noose fell around her. It was pulled tighter bit by bit with every single word Mami said thereafter. There was nothing Kyoko could do to stop it.

"And… and it is a lot. Yes. But…" Her eyes flitted to Sayaka, looking for reassurance. "But Miki-san will come along. It won't be just the two of us. I know better than to push you. I know now."

No, she didn't. Kyoko struggled in vain to get herself away from the noose.

If Mami understood, she should realize how cruel she was. Because there was no reason for Kyoko to refuse. If Mami understood, she would have realized that everything they just asked was just a farce.

To make matters worse, Sayaka was oblivious of it as well.

"It's fine by me." She said, but Kyoko didn't even need to look at her to see the hopeful glint in her eyes. She was speaking too eagerly. "I mean, I really like Nagisa-chan and Yuma-chan. So there's no problem. It'll be good to walk with them." She paused before she added, pleadingly. "Really."

But the more they tried to explain themselves, and the more they tried to convince Kyoko everything they asked for had a reason other than making sure she would not disappear - the tighter the noose got around her neck.

A part of her was comforted by their concern.

That part was the first to be strangled.

Why do you question the good things that happen to you? The familiar voice in her head asked.

Because - she gritted her teeth - because the last time she did, she ended up watching her whole world going up in flames. And now… now the mere thought of any of them getting hurt because she was too much of a coward to say no, threatened to crush her.

Nagisa, Mami, Yuma, and… and Sayaka.

She pushed herself away from the desk and stood up abruptly. Mami and Sayaka both tried to stand. They seemed to expect her reaction.

But they were so foolish. They didn't understand why she acted this way.

"Enough!" Kyoko barked. "Enough with this bullshit."

Mami looked at her, helpless. Sayaka seemed to want to say something, but Kyoko cut her off.

"I didn't come here to make friends. I didn't want to be here!" She sucked in a shaky breath, and it lodged in her throat like a brick. "I won't stop Yuma from staying if she's happy here, but that doesn't mean I have to stay. It doesn't mean I'm going to stay! I don't need your pity. I'm not going to accept your pity!"

Mami tried to salvage the situation like Kyoko knew she would.

"That's not what we-"

"I don't fucking care what you call it." She snapped. The same way her father snapped at her when he first came upon the knowledge of the miracle that saved his family from starvation. "Don't you get it, Mami? I'm not like you. I'm nothing like you!"

Mami's lips trembled. Kyoko could see the denial on her lips, but she wasn't sure which part she was going to deny first.

Kyoko's hands shook with the effort to control herself. Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"I couldn't."

She turned to run out of the apartment.

But Sayaka was prepared. The blue-haired girl had, during her outburst, stood up and moved between her and the door.

Their eyes met in another silent clash like they did two days ago. This time, Kyoko was the one who looked away first. She couldn't bring herself to shove Sayaka out of the way no matter how much she wanted to.

Like a wounded beast backed to a corner, she turned to the other exit.

Mami guessed what she was going to do and tried to stop her. "Wait, Sakura-san-"

But she was too late. She didn't realize her idea of saving others only pushed them faster towards destruction, just like three years ago.

Kyoko pulled one of the large window open with brute strength and leap off the balcony.


Later that night, Kyoko returned to the apartment.

After she cooled off a bit, she remembered what happened the previous night. And, unwilling to risk the same reaction from Sayaka, she ventured back before sunset.

The only thing that changed about the street was the lighting. Whereas the night before it had been shrouded in a dark velvet, now it was wrapped in a blanket of gold. Nothing else was different. No car. No people. No signs of anything else other than herself and the girl waiting for her return.

Kyoko found her way to the apartment as if she had lived there the whole life. She only paused once again at the door when she remembered she had no keys. She wondered whether she should have gone back to Mami's first. They kind of didn't really decide on whether Sayaka would come here to cook dinner. It was entirely possible the blue-haired girl had gone back to her own home.

Her hand reached for the knob tentatively, and turned.

To her surprise, it was not locked.

You shouldn't be surprised. The voice in her head told her. You knew she would be here. That's why you always come back to this place. Isn't it?

Kyoko dismissed it and entered. The door clicked shut behind.

The rich aroma of pepper and pan-fried meat wafted down from the kitchen. Kyoko inhaled deeply. It reminded of the rare occasion when her mother would cook something un-western.

"Kyoko?"

Sayaka's voice drifted to her over the scent of spices.

Kyoko entertained the idea of not answering and just slipping away. But the imagery of Sayaka sobbing against her chest chose that moment to pop into her mind.

Are you going to let her worry again?

Kyoko shook her head, to chase out the unwelcomed voice, of course.

She didn't follow through with the plan of running away.

"Yeah." She mumbled, probably too quiet for Sayaka to hear in the kitchen, over all the sizzling of chopped up components and the roaring fan.

A moment later, Sayaka emerged from the kitchen. She wore a cerulean apron with a cherry blossom sewn at the corner.

For no reason whatsoever, Kyoko's heartbeat accelerated.

"Dinner's almost ready." Sayaka told her, then pointed to the dining room with her spatula. "Go wait there. I'll be right out."

Before Kyoko could say anything, she hurried back to the kitchen.

Kyoko scratched her cheek and mumbled something even she herself did not quite understand. But she followed the instruction anyway, after she took off her boots and stacked them neatly by the door. It was kind of ridiculous, how much effort she was putting into not upsetting her.

The living room was… well, different. There were more furniture now. The most prominent example being the couch set that sat facing the window.

Kyoko stared at it for a few seconds, trying to comprehend the reason behind its existence.

She didn't last for long. Her argument with Mami earlier that morning. Sayaka's breakdown last night. Her own turmoil over the past few days…

With a sigh, she slumped down on the couch and drifted off to sleep quickly.

The dream was less violent this time around. She dreamt she was drifting in the deep sea again, but there was no trace of the candle monster or its soulless followers. Kyoko swam in the depth, cold and tired. She knew she was searching for something, reaching out to someone, but she could never find it or touch it.

The most frustrating part of it all? The object of her quest seemed always be just out of her reach. Countless times she felt her fingertips brushing against something soft and warm. None of the times she actually touched it.

When she woke up, there was a weight on her shoulder. She held still instead of backing away from the unfamiliar presence, and peered one eye open.

Sayaka was curled up against her, reading a recipe book. She looked… peaceful.

The expression struck Kyoko as bizarre and fantastic. It elicited something as tender but less intense as the flame the previous night, when she carried Sayaka to the sleeping bag. If she didn't know better, she might venture to say it was because she was here. If it wasn't such a preposterous thought, Kyoko might have believed Sayaka was content because they were here together.

Sayaka shifted in her arms, which she must have arranged to wrap around herself when Kyoko was asleep. She noticed the stiffness and looked up.

"Ah." Her lips curled up slightly as she teased. "I was wondering when you'd wake up. The food's getting cold."

"It smelled good." Kyoko admitted. "What did you make anyway?"

"Nothing fancy. " She took her hands off the recipe book. The pages folded together like mimosa leaves. "Are you hungry?"

Kyoko nodded. She slowly extracted herself from Sayaka and stood, stretching her limbs. Her arms, in particular, were numb from being used as pillows.

She took perhaps two steps before Sayaka called her again.

"Kyoko?"

She did not turn. She wasn't sure she could keep her resolve if she did.

Then, Sayaka said gently, in a voice that held too many emotions.

"Welcome back."