…in which the drama continues and Yukiho talks to Sora.

The trees were green, the leaves were bright, the sun was warm. All-in-all, if one were to examine the weather only, this would be the perfect summer. But to the currently-two members of the famous "trio", something valuable was missing.

Sora honestly thought that the past two months without Makoto had been bearable. He already hadn't been the girl's biggest fan, and the fact that she'd dared to kiss him had made it worse. But he wasn't so much of a jerk that he refused to admit that they needed the boyish girl in their little circle.

Life alone with Yukiho had been educational, at the least; Sora had been informed that the frail brunette had feelings for him just as he had feelings for her. But since dropping their third member, mostly due to Yukiho's suggestion, she had seemed much more solemn.

Today, the pair was taking a walk in the park, just as Makoto and Yukiho had been doing when Sora had first met them. Except that this time, Yukiho's "best friend" had been replaced with her "boyfriend". Yukiho's phone trilled. She took it out and looked at the caller ID. Sora peered over her shoulder.

"It's Makoto," he noted.

Yukiho nodded absently. "Yes, I know." She put the phone back in her pocket as it continued to trill. "She's been calling me quite a bit lately."

"Aren't you going to answer?" Sora asked. "I don't mind."

Yukiho shook her head. "I don't want to talk to her."

Sora frowned. I know that's a lie, he wanted to say. I know you too well to think you don't miss her.

"Ohime-chan…are you OK?" he questioned instead.

Yukiho was silent. She clutched Sora's hand a bit tighter. "…d-did you enjoy it?"

"What?"

"When…when Kikuchi-san kissed you." Sora frowned deeper at the sound of Yukiho referring to Makoto as "Kikuchi-san". "Did you…e-enjoy it?"

"Ew, of course not," Sora spat, sounding disgusted. "…but you know what, as much of a freak as that thing is, she was hurting at that moment and, I'm not saying I forgive her, but in the end she was just acting on impulse. She didn't kiss me because she wanted to."

"So you have f-feelings for her…?"

"That's gross. Of course I don't have 'feelings' for her. But I do care enough to be there if she's really hurting like that. You saw what that kid was doing to her."

Yukiho stopped walking.

"Don't you?" Sora continued. "Ohime-chan…what happened?"

"She doesn't care about me," Yukiho mumbled.

"What?"

"She doesn't care about me!" Yukiho cried, turning on Sora. "If she cared...i-if she really cared, she wouldn't have been trying to ruin our relationship like that…! She would have been w-willing to put my feelings ahead of her own, but…she was always spying on us, stopping us from having a good time, and now this…"

"…do you remember the time she interrupted what would have been our first kiss?" Sora asked solemnly.

Yukiho nodded slowly. "Of course I do."

"Do you remember how terrified you were?" Sora pressed.

Yukiho winced. "Yes, I do."

"Don't you think she was just trying to protect you? She may be stupid, and annoying, and a freak, and stupid, and did I mention she's annoying? I don't like her very much."

Yukiho giggled.

"But," Sora continued, "but, if there's one thing Makoto isn't, it's a bad friend. All this time she just wanted to protect you. Trust me."

Yukiho sat down on the ground. Sora sat beside her. "But she still kissed you," Yukiho sighed. "Sora-kun, I just don't think I can trust her anymore…"

"Trust me, she was just acting in the moment. She probably didn't even realize what she was doing. I'm not saying I'm not mad about it, or that it wasn't gross, or that I didn't feel like stabbing her to death with a knife afterwards, but I'm telling you it wasn't romantic. Makoto loves you, Ohime-chan. I know she does. I've seen it," Sora concluded.

Yukiho let her mind wander to the night a few months ago when she'd spent the night at Makoto's house.

"You know, Sora is really sweet. I like him," Makoto had sighed.

"Yes…I like him too," had been Yukiho's response. "He isn't the way I always imagined men like him to be."

"You're lucky. If I ever find a man half as good as Sora, I'll be happy. I think he's going to take good care of you."

"Thank you. So do I."

"Just...just promise me you won't let him replace me. Please?"

"Of course he won't replace you, Makoto-chan."

"Thanks, Yukiho. …Yukiho…I love you. Like, my best friend in the world kind of love."

Yukiho's heart sank, remembering her words. She had promised—promised—that she wouldn't let Sora take her best friend's place. And yet that was exactly what she'd done. Tears formed in her eyes.

Makoto-chan…come back…! I miss you!

Sora put his arm over her shoulders. "You miss her, don't you?" he murmured. Yukiho hugged him gently and started to cry. Sora rubbed her back. "You know, you girls sure do love crying on me…"

Yukiho chuckled slightly.

"…hey, Ohime-chan? You know, I'm sure you could find her at her house and talk to her," Sora told her. "I'm serious. We could go right now—"

"She won't listen to me," Yukiho cut in, sniffling loudly. "Sora-kun! A-after everything I've said and done…she won't listen to me!"

"Sure she will," Sora soothed.

Yukiho looked up at him past the tears in her eyes. "Sora-kun, she would listen to you, I think…"

Sora blinked. Then he shook his head. "No, oh, no. Definitely not. I don't want her eating my face off if we're left alone."

"Please, Sora-kun!"

"Just go talk to her!"

"S-Sora-kun…!"

"I won't do it."

"Do it for me!" Yukiho squeaked. "Please…p-please! Just do it for me! I need you, Sora-kun!"

Sora's eyes softened. The two stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Sora sighed.

"OK, fine, you win. But only because you are the most perfect thing alive and I can't refuse a thing you say, even if it involves an idiot."

Yukiho beamed and planted a somewhat-tentative kiss on Sora's cheek. "Thank you, Sora-kun," she whispered happily. "Thank you."

Sora nodded slowly. "…I am so dead."