A\N: I'd like to point out that the title was taken from the lovely Go Periscope song 'Escape the Season.' Go Periscope has actually been Sunako's thematic music thus far. And since we're talking about songs here… Actually, the Cherbourg mentioned in the last chapter was indeed a reference to one of the songs I was listening to… Though, it is also a (relatively cheap) French wine. Actually, two of the songs (Cherbourg and Cliquot) are French wines… On that album anyways, because "The Flying Club Cup" was apparently about French culture. P': Yes. Drink named after song named after drink. Confusing enough? Maybe. But, my chumhandle is voltAge. So if you have pesterchum, feel free to add me to your chumroll. Long author's note is long.

She was displeased, as Seishin had predicted she would be. She'd been entirely discontent with his presence. Ozaki had noticed this, and had shifted the conversation away from her, expecting Seishin to talk with him. Though, he was wrong on that count. Seishin had been forcing his current expression. Ozaki hadn't noticed this.

The wineglass in front of her was empty; there was no need to wonder why. Seishin had cast a sharp glance at her. There was an unused can of tomato juice in front of her. She'd plucked it out of the fridge to spite Ozaki, though he didn't seem to mind. Or notice.

She was no longer scared of Ozaki; he had done this to his own stature. If anything, she was angry. Perhaps at herself,

He was thoroughly complacent with the miso Seishin had given him. Which was exactly why she hated him so much. She and Seishin had agreed that Sotoba was, indeed painful. But such a shared experience had brought them closer. There was no such similarity with Ozaki.

She was tempted to bite him again—not to displease Seishin, of course. Just to set Ozaki at relative settled for biting her tongue instead, wincing slightly as she did so. She hadn't expected Ozaki to notice this, being as fixated on Seishin as he was.

"… Are you… okay?"

"What?" Her displeasure lay heavy in her voice.

"Are you okay?"

"Do you honestly care?" She looked at Seishin, he stared back, looking mortified. What did he expect? Yes, the parasol was an open invitation. To talk things over with Seishin, prevent him from leaving. The doctor wasn't supposed to pretend that he had cordial relations with her, or make cracks about shared beds, not knowing how deeply such things hurt Seishin.

"…Sunako…" This came from Seishin now. "…" She pulled away from the table. Better just avoid Ozaki altogether, was it?

"Sunako…" She frowned.

"Seishin…" He still had his horrified expression on.

"…Sunako… That isn't…" He shook his head, and ran a hand through his hair.

She wordlessly left the table, both Ozaki's and Seishin's eyes still on her. She thought it was interesting. Ozaki seemed less upset than Seishin.

"I'm… I'm sorry… That's… not…" Seishin had gotten up as well, presumably to go after her.

"No. It's fine… My question was a formality anyways…" Ozaki rubbed the back of his neck; she was still watching them from the hallway. "Are you…?"

"…Ah… Yeah… I'll be back in a bit…" He followed her out into the hallway, leaving Ozaki with a plate of half-eaten miso in front of him.

"Sunako… You can't just…" He frowned, looking for the right words.

"…Why not? In the end, we're just wretched creatures, are we not?"

He sighed. "…Sunako… That is…"

"Then are we not? Wretched creatures, I mean." She stared at him, he shied away from that gaze.

"I… I don't know…"

"Seishin… Are you still… With Ozaki?"

"…Sunako… That doesn't mean anything… In the end…" He sighed. "Toshio isn't going to live forever."

She shifted her gaze from Seishin to the column behind him. "But… You're still…"

"Sunako… That's a difficult question." He had avoided a direct answer once again. "I can… kick him out, if you'd like…"

He'd tried to shift the topic away from her; though unsuccessfully. "But you won't."

"Please… Not now…" He shifted uncomfortably.

"Is… that what you want? Sleeping on the far edge of your own bed, because you don't want Ozaki to know?"

"I… wasn't going to use the same bed…" He began to look at the floorboards, uncomfortable with the general direction of the conversation.

"Seishin… I… don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm still… not entirely happy with his presence…" It was a feeble answer.

She frowned. "Do you want me to tell him…?"

"No." The response was quick.

"Seishin… You can't do this to yourself… At least tell him…" She then added "Or… make him leave. I don't like this feeling… Especially not in our own house."

"He asked for a day." Seishin said it quietly.

She smirked. "Ask him for the night."

Seishin looked aghast. "Sunako… You can't just…!"

"It's what you want, isn't it?"

He sighed. So, that was how she was going to accomplish it. Make him feel uneasy with the prospect. Then, obviously, he'd be forced to kick Toshio out. "…"

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean…"

"I know… I… I… just don't know what to…" He was met with an embrace, Sunako's head resting on Seishin's midsection.

"Seishin?"

"Yes?"

"I… don't want to leave."

"I know."

"Will we?"

He thought for a while, not quite sure what to say. "Sunako…"

"Seishin… I… don't like Ozaki very much. But… That's not a reason to leave Duluth."

He pulled her closer to his body, his grip tightening. "…Sunako… he'll be gone in the morning." She nodded, and broke from the hug. She left them there, opting to use the television in the basement. By doing so, she knew she had lost control of the situation. Despite Seishin's stated intent, she knew she would have to deal with Ozaki the following night.