A few days after Rin's dramatic exit from her Angelic Layer match, Kura called. Yukiko had been hogging quite a lot of the phone time, eager to hear from her mother. Rin supposed that it was a bigger adjustment for her little sister then her- but little kids were amazing. They just seemed able to adapt to anything.

"So," Kura had begun, somewhat anxiously when Rin finally got a turn on the phone, "How are things?"

Rin had hesitated, then told her mother a few choice, not very extraordinary things. She certainly had no intention of telling her about Angelic Layer. So far, she was relieved to find that Yukiko had not mentioned Rin's strange behaviour regarding Iolanthe to Aunt Kata. Then again, she suspected Yukiko was well used to Rin's mood swings by now. Aunt Kata had not bothered to question Rin's whereabouts during the day- She seemed preoccupied most of the time, and it seemed that she trusted Rin enough not to do anything dangerous.

In fact, that was one of the things Rin liked about living with Kata- no interrogations. Which is why Rin was so surprised when Kura's voice abruptly broke into her reverie.

"-Coming back home soon."

"What?!" spluttered Rin, a surge of panic gripping her suddenly. "What did you say?"

"Haven't you been listening?" sighed Kura, but she didn't sound particularly irritated, "I'm saying I think you and Yukiko will probably be able to come home now."

"Go home?" repeated Rin, her voice accidentally stretching out the 'o' in home. "Why?"

"Because it's where you live, Rin!" Kura replied, sounding genuinely surprised. "Yukiko said you seem 'less cranky' over at Kata's, but it was never supposed to be permanent."

"But mom..." Rin said, a whine beginning to creep into her voice, "I don't want to move back in now. I actually kinda like it here."

Rin paused, deciding to go in for the money shot.

"It's nice to have friends again."

"Oh, honey," Kura sighed, and Rin couldn't help smirking that that had worked. "Put Kata back on, would you?"

"Aunt Kata, phone!" Rin called, letting the receiver flop backwards.

Kata scooped it up, flapping her hand at Rin, who rolled her eyes but took the hint and left, grabbing a low-fat brownie as the kitchen door swung shut behind her. Kata sighed, marvelling at just how much food Rin seemed to stuff into her mouth daily without seeming to put on an ounce.

"So, I'm assuming you haven't told Rin yet." Kura commented into the phone, perching on the counter.

She cocked her head, listening as Kura replied.

"I know," Kata cut across Kura, who was rambling her reasons, "But it isn't fair on her, or on Yukiko. You can't keep it a secret forever."

"I know." Kura's voice answered, sounding defeated, "I will. Soon."

This was punctuated by a sigh.

"Rin doesn't want to come home." Kura said, and Kata could practically see her running her hand through her short chestnut-coloured hair.

"Don't take it personally." Kata replied, ever the rational one, "It's not about you- I really think it's due to her actually finding a productive way to spend her time. Coming here was a good decision."

"I didn't realise that Rin was doing so well," Kura explained, "She never tells me anything. It's just that I've felt this...distance between us for a while now. I used to think it was just because she's a teenager, but she just seems to be so angry at everything. And Yukiko could feel it as well, I can tell. Children respond to that kind of thing. I don't know...I wish I could tell Rin what she needs to hear, but half the time I'm not sure what that even is."

"It hasn't been easy," Kata told Kura softly, "For either of you. It's been very difficult, I know that, but I don't think Rin has come to terms with it yet. But she won't find moving on any easier if you lie to her for much longer."

"I never wanted to lie to her," Kura gasped, a sad, muffled gasp.

"Perhaps that was a strong word." Kata amended, even though actively not telling the truth was still, to her, a lie. "But that's probably how it will look. I know you can do this, Kura."

"Thanks, Kata," Kura said, and Kata was relieved to hear Kura's voice sounding slightly happier. "You always tell me what I want to hear."

"I'm glad," replied Kata in her smooth, calm voice.

But, she couldn't stop a voice, glacier-cold, whisper softly in her head,

You're a coward. When are you gonna tell her what she needs to hear?

"YOU THINK I SHOULD WHAT?!"

This loud outburst came, unsurprisingly, from Rin.

"I think you should go to school here," Kata replied calmly, slicing the cucumber with ease, the kitchen lights bouncing off the blade off her knife. Rin scowled at Kata, folding her arms defensively.

"What are you, insane?" Rin asked her aunt, "Didn't my mother already say she wanted me and Yukiko to come back? What's the point of sending me to some other crappy school?"

"Kura reconsidered," Kata answered easily, hardly fazed by Rin's bluster. She threw a handful of chopped onion into the large, flat pan currently on top of the oven, "You said yourself you don't want to go home, right?"

"I didn't realise anybody would take me seriously!" said Rin, "Plus, isn't it a burden on you, having us around here? Yukiko's not even really related to you!"

"Kura and I are very close, Rin," replied Kata, slightly surprised at Rin bringing Yukikio's parentage up, however indirectly, "It wouldn't make a difference if neither of you were related to me by blood, you're still my family. And if you want to live here, how do you expect to convince your mother to let you if you just lounge around the house all day?"

"Doesn't mean I want to go to school," Rin muttered petulantly, though she could see she was fighting a losing battle.

Also, the fact that Kata was letting Rin yell and complain without turning a hair seemed to console her somewhat, because she in return refrained from screaming.

"Look, I know that you and authority figures don't exactly...mesh." Kata amended, as the wok hissed, steam rising gently up, "But you have to go to school, okay? It's the law, and you need to go if you want to do anything in your adult life."

Kata's tone was amiable, but when she cast a glance at Rin, Rin looked unusually disheartened. Her eyes were concentrated on the side of the fridge, and her brow was furrowed.

"I get that it's the law." Rin muttered, directing the words at the floor, "But I'm not good at anything. That's why I don't see the point in going."

"Rin-" began Kata, surprised, but Rin shrugged, tilted her chin up and slouched out of the kitchen, the moment gone.

It was as if Rin had not admitted this vulnerability at all. She was back to being her typical endearingly arrogant self, all within the space of a few seconds.

Extraordinary.

"They're making you go to school?" repeated Sorako, puzzled, staring at Rin across the table. She looked pretty in a tight magenta T-shirt and flared jeans, her hair artistically tousled.

Shirushi sat beside Rin, looking as poised and cool, as usual. Rin, by contrast, was wearing a long T-shirt with neon green and neon pink splashes across it, combined with blue leggings and grey boots. Rin had basically ordered Shirushi and Sorako via emails to meet her up in one of the more contemporary cafes, stating it was an emergency. Nonplussed, they had both complied, and now were discussing the latest turn of events.

"Uh-huh," Rin muttered gloomily, sipping at her drink,"Your school, as a matter of fact."

"That's awesome!" burst out Sorako, making a couple of people glance her way, eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Keep your voice down, please, Sorako," sighed Shirushi, sipping her cappuccino in a dignified manner.

"Yeah, and how the hell is it 'awesome'?" Rin snapped, wondering why Sorako was choosing today to be so slow, "Didn't I just finish explaining why it's NOT awesome?"

"Yeah, but now that means you don't have to move back in, right?" Sorako replied, nibbling the edge of her chocolate muffin in a smug way, "You spent a while talking about how your mother's boyfriend is an ass. And now you'll be able to talk to Kohaku, right?"

"Hmm, suppose so," Rin shrugged, trying to hide her sceptical expression. After all, she still wasn't one hundred percent convinced about all that just yet.

Honestly, Rin had been trying not to think about Kohaku or Reiko too much. One of the things Rin had liked about skipping school was she didn't have to put up with all the inane gossip and all those complicated relationships between people. She had always seen herself as above trivial things like boyfriends and backstabbing friends.

"Actually, Rin, there is something I've been meaning to ask you," added Shirushi, suddenly looking thoughtfully over at Rin, "Have to seen the Angelic Layer final results?"

"Whaddaya mean?" inquired Rin, raising her eyebrows, "I haven't been to the Stadium for a few days now."

Shirushi dug what looked like a folded map out of her pocket, then unfolded it and lay it on the table, smoothing it out with her hand as she did so. Rin leant forward, scanning it with her green eyes.

"What the…I've moved to the next tournament?" Rin said, confused. "Really?"

"You completed two matches," Shirushi told Rin. "But in this next tournament, you have to win all your matches. If you lose one, you've lost."

"Huh." Rin said, looking irritated with this piece of news. "That's pretty harsh. I mean, what if you get someone like Reiko trying to fuck with the system again?"

"They'd get disqualified." Chipped in Sorako, "Anyway, you've gotten a lot better since your first match. You can tell."

Rin just snorted at that, before picking up her soda and downing it whole.