Neither of the two in the room would dream that they would be in this sort of situation, but they were. Taiyou, normally spritely and energetic, was very quiet, wondering to himself what was appropriate to say in this sort of situation. On the other hand, Yuuichi, the oldest and most mature of the four boys inside, was left wondering what to say as well. One would think that as one who can often be found in a hospital that he would usually be so silent but he was very sociable, good with interpersonal relationships, and always knew what to say. That was until now.

They both sat on one side of the room as they stared at the other two other boys sitting by Yuuichi's bed. Tenma sat to Yuuichi's left, next to Taiyou to the latter's preference while Tsurugi on the other to his brother's right.

Both were watching the sports channel. A soccer match was on, unsurprisingly, and Tenma spoke out a lot while Tsurugi tried to keep him calm.

It was truly a strange sight if one knew their situation. If they knew, they would think that it should be the other way around.

"…So, I bought this new video game yesterday! It's really fun! You want to play a round, Tenma?" Taiyou finally said to break his awkwardness as he showed smaller brunette his scratched up, red 3DS XL.

"Huh? Oh, okay!" Tenma replied, not minding since it was half-time. Even though he was smiling and looked like he was enjoying himself, he didn't sound like his jolly, usual self. His tone was still cracked and he still looked tired even though it had been a full week since their return, like he's been having trouble sleeping. Taiyou eyed at Tsurugi, remembering some rumours that he had picked on Tenma right after the incident. Considering what he did to Tenma in their match against Mannouzaka which he witnessed on television, he had little to doubt the rumour's authenticity. Even Aoi and Shinsuke confirmed it when he visited Tenma at school. They even saw him as he made Tenma so upset that he cried. He smiled at Tsurugi but he wanted so much to kick him straight at his-

"Wha-? Ack! Taiyou, help! I'm dy-" he said but then suddenly quieted with a frown.

"You died pretty fast." Tsurugi said.

And then the room turned very cold. "Uh, still, you tried."

"Thanks, I think." Tenma said, not noticing the change in the atmosphere. "Grr…all right, I'll win this time."

Meanwhile Tsurugi was busy waving of two glares he getting from both his sides; a very angry and fierce one from Taiyou and a sad, disappointed scold from his dear brother.

"Oh." Tenma suddenly said.

"Did you die again?" Tsurugi asked. He didn't mean it. It just slipped out, a sort of bad habit of his.

"…I-I'm not good at games like this." Tenma said quietly to try and explain himself. "Ugh, can I borrow the manual?"

"I'll just teach you." Taiyou offered before snidely saying, "But it's too bright here. I can't see the screen Let's go somewhere else."

To which he meant, "Let's go somewhere far away from Tsurugi."

Tsurugi did nothing to stop them though, and allowed them to leave while ignoring Taiyou's glare. Tenma was still staring at the console so he doubted that the child noticed what was going on. Once they left the room, Tsurugi could finally breathe with ease. His brother, Yuuichi, however, gave his brother a disappointed scowl.

"You seem happy that he's gone." he said. Tsurugi was confused by what his brother meant but understood it soon enough.

"Don't tell me you believe those rumours too?" he asked though he didn't sound very hurt at the suggestion. There was a hint of truth to the rumours. He wasn't picking on him but he did make him cry(by accident! That was all by accident!)

"No, of course not." Yuuichi with a tired sigh. "You probably just said some things without thinking and then made him cry, right?"

Tsurugi said nothing. He didn't know how his brother could know so much without even trying. He nodded to show that he was right.

"So it was an accident then." Yuuichi said. "Still, that must have been, what? The eighteenth time since last month?"

"You've been keeping track?" Tsurugi asked his brother though he didn't indulge him on his question.

"It's not funny anymore, Kyousuke." Yuuichi scolded to which Tsurugi replied, "It wasn't supposed to be. And wait, are you telling me you found all those other misunderstandings funny?"

"Focus, Kyousuke." Yuuichi reminded him. "I swear, at the rate things are going, your friendship isn't going to last. Would you try being a little nicer to him?"

"I tried. He hates me even more now." he dryly said to Yuuichi's confusion.

"What? Explain." Yuuichi asked. Tsurugi proceeded to tell him about everything that happened in the days they were recovering; how he tried being kinder to him and how Tenma interpreted it to be 'reverse psychology', and how he pleaded with him to stop. When he was finished, Yuuichi gave him a pitied expression.

"You tried, though, I can understand how Tenma felt." Yuuichi said. Tsurugi frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you gave it your best try, but you've misunderstood something." Yuuichi explained. "For one thing, I think you became too nice to him too early. It's like…imagine if suddenly started yelling at you without and ignored you in the next second. Wouldn't you feel shocked and confused?"

"Um, yeah. I guess." Tsurugi answered. He couldn't imagine his brother that way and he didn't like what he was implying.

"Well, that's how it is for Tenma." Yuuichi said and Tsurugi frowned more.

"So it really is that shocking if I'm nice?" he asked sourly.

"Er, yes." Yuuichi answered awkwardly. "You've only yourself to blame for that, you know."

"Yeah, yeah." Tsurugi grumbled.

"But it's not just that. I'm sure you've noticed it too." Yuuichi said and then Tsurugi shifted in his posture. "So you have noticed."

Tsurugi frowned and avoided his brother's eyes. Even though Tenma would always insist that he was all right, it was hard not to notice it. The changes were small, but, still radical in its own way. He would move away whenever he saw a man coming their way, sometimes moving behind him as if trying to hide. He no longer greeted surprises happily either. If Shinsuke tried to give him hug from behind, instead of accepting it, he would yell and frantically push him away, something he would always apologise later for. Whenever they walked around in an area he was unfamiliar with or at night, he would start looking around all over the place and kept close with whoever it was he asked to come with him. The concept of walking anywhere alone was now already enough to scare the young teen. In fact, he couldn't recall a time he went to a place without at least one of them within earshot.

"Give him some time. He'll be back to his usual self soon." Yuuichi said. "Right now, he just wants things to get back to normal, and it's hard to do that if you keep trying to force it unto him."

"So I just leave him alone?" Tsurugi asked, earning another scowl from Yuuichi.

"No. Don't do that." he replied. "Just be your usual self, okay?"

Tsurugi nodded silently. "I'll try. Thanks for the advice."

Yuuichi gave him a smile in return. "And also, you might want to stop using words like 'die'."

"I-I know…" Tsurugi said meekly. "I'll go apologise."

Yuuichi nodded to show his approval. Tsurugi soon got up and left. His brother's smile quietly faded after he was gone. He mumbled something to himself as he sat alone in his room, staring at the sliding door. "…Kyousuke."

The two were sitting outside as usual on a bench perched rightly under a tree. It was darker outside with the cloudy sky of the late afternoon. The leaves also offered a comforting cold wind and shade.

"And that person sells you stuff that you need." Taiyou told him. "Now, just go that way and find the chief's son."

"Okay, okay." Tenma said, walking some paces to where Taiyou pointed with his avatar. He eventually arrived to a field and saw some green, dinosaur-like creatures.

"…wait, I have to kill them?" Tenma said after reading the tutorial text, feeling strangely hesitant about killing fake creatures. Noticing this, he wondered why he was even letting him play such a violent game.

"Um, how about something else?" Taiyou offered, the console from him. "I've another game if you wan to try."

"Actually, can we just play soccer?" Tenma asked. "I don't really like video games."

"Okay." Taiyou said but he was frowning. "Are you sure though? What about your injuries?"

"I'm fine. Really." Tenma answered. His bruises still stung but he was used to it.

"Are you sure? Bruises aren't something to take lightly." Taiyou asked worriedly.

"Don't worry. Bruises and grazes were common while playing soccer so I've learned how to play while dealing with them." Tenma answered. Taiyou frowned and he was beginning to understand what his teammates were feeling back when he was sick.

"We're not playing." he said.

"What? Why?" Tenma asked in shock.

"Because you're still injured." Taiyou replied back with a sense of deja vu.

"But I'm fine!" Tenma said. "The bruises are almost gone. See?"

"For now, yes. But if you start playing before they heal properly, they'll get worse and then what?" Taiyou said. "And besides, there's still your stitches."

Taiyou pointed to his arms and legs. Tenma looked down, muttering, "…but…I want to play."

"You will. Just wait a little until then." Taiyou promised. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"…fine." Tenma muttered angrily.

"Okay. And please promise you aren't going to try do anything rash." Taiyou asked.

"Hm? When have I done anything rash?" he asked. Taiyou chose not to answer him. "So anyway, are you into puzzles?"

"Oh hey, there you guys are." Tsurugi replied. Taiyou stared angrily at him but surly greeted to him, "Hello."

"Hi." Tenma gladly replied. "Did you want to try playing Monster Hunter too?"

"Um, I think it's Monster Hunter Three, not two." Tsurugi replied.

"That's not, well, why are you out here?" he asked.

"I should be asking you that. I thought you were going somewhere darker?" Tsurugi asked.

"It is darker out here." Tenma answered. "What about you?"

"Just…wanted to talk?" he said. Taiyou didn't like the uncertainty in his tone.

"Okay? About what?" he asked. Tsurugi gave him an unimpressed look.

"Privately." he said. Taiyou didn't like the sound of that. Tenma wondered what was going on between them.

"Um, Taiyou?" he asked before nudging him to leave. Taiyou turned with a clear, troubled expression about his request though Tenma simply pouted in return.

"Okay, fine." Taiyou said in defeat. He got up and walked away but not before shooting another sharp glare at Tsurugi to ward away any funny ideas he might. Tsurugi rolled his eyes, incurring more ill feelings between them.

"So what do want you talk about?" he asked.

"I, um, want to…." he said, mumbling away near at the end.

"Ah, what?" Tenma asked. "What was the last part?"

Tsurugi gave him a blank stare and said while looking away, "Um, sorry. That's it."

"Hm? Why're you apologising?" Tenma asked before remembering. "Oh, don't worry about that, it's fine."

"…okay then." he said. Then the two became quiet. Neither knew what to talk about now.

"Hey," Tsurugi said. "Do you feel like we're being watched?"

"W-What?!" Tenma squeaked with a quiver in his tone. He quickly got up, fidgeting and looking around furiously.

"W-Wait, it's probably nothing!" Tsurugi tried to assure him but it was too late.

"I'm going home!" Tenma exclaimed but then hesitated. "Erm, no! Then they'll know where I live…Tsurugi, come with me to police station!"

"Tenma, calm down!" Tsurugi tried again, now wishing he had stayed quiet. Why did he even say that?

"What? Oh, right. I need to stay calm in situations like these, right?" Tenma remembered. "I've my phone so I'll just call the police-"

"What?! No! Give me that!" Tsurugi said and quickly took his mobile from him.

"Huh? B-But what if they-"

"What if they aren't real?" He said but Tenma shook his head.

"I-I looked it up. Usually your first instinct is always right when it comes to these situations."

"What situation, Tenma? Look, no one here can do anything to you." Tsurugi explained and it was true. The only people around were either too sick or injured to do anything.

"Still, th-they might-"

"They won't, I promise." he stated, deciding it was better than saying they don't exist since he had already convinced himself that they do.

"But…are you sure?" he meekly said while surveying the area.

"Yes." Tsurugi replied.

"S-Still, can we go back? I don't want to stay out here anymore." he asked. He really wanted to go somewhere else. Tsurugi looked at him remorsefully. He shouldn't have said anything.

"Um, how about my home?" he suggested.

"Why? What's wrong with going to Yuuichi's room?" he asked. Tsurugi looked away, not wanting to say that it was because he was scared of seeing their reactions once they saw Tenma quivering and near close to bursting into tears. "Well, it's getting late and I still haven't done my homework assignment for literature."

"What is it?" Tenma asked curiously. Tsurugi hated details.

"We're supposed to do a written report on a book called Hagakure." Tsurugi replied.

"Oh, I don't know that one." Tenma said apologetically.

"It's fine. I'll just skim it a little and write whatever." Tsurugi said with shrug. That was exactly what he did to finish it. But then Tenma frowned and said, "You shouldn't do it like that! Why didn't you read it?"

It certainly wasn't because he was too busy worrying about him. "I just don't want to read it."

"Why not give it a try?" Tenma asked.

"I just don't want to." Tsurugi replied. He meant that. The genre of the book was dark and spoke about death and dying a lot, a topic that was still a little too early for him to deal with.

"Well, read it, okay?" Tenma said.

"Alright. I will." Tsurugi replied, turning around all of a sudden.

"W-Wait for me, Tsurugi!" Tenma yelped.

From inside the building, Taiyou stared coldly and angrily Tsurugi. "What did that jerk do now?"

"Not thinking before saying something…again." Yuuichi grumbled. He wondered why they even had their talk if he wasn't going to listen. Or maybe this was a sign of how bad his social skills have become. If that's the case, he needs help.

"Tch, what is wrong with that guy? Why does he keep picking on Tenma?" Taiyou said.

"He's not bullying him." Yuuichi said back, calm but very much angry.

"Then how do you explain what we just saw?" he asked.

"Kyousuke has trouble with social interaction sometimes." Yuuichi said.

"Yeah. Sure." Taiyou answered with clear sarcasm. "I'm sorry, but I don't trust that guy."

"…I can't say that I blame you there." Yuuichi said, still calm as ever. "But believe me when I say Kyousuke isn't that person anymore. He cares a lot about Tenma. He won't do anything to hurt him on purpose."

Taiyou didn't say anything for a while but then replied , "I'm not going to do anything because you say so. But if I see him upsetting Tenma again, I'm not joking when I say that I will punch him in the face."

"I see." Yuuichi responded. "Then depending on what happened, our friendship will be finished too. Is that clear?"

Taiyou didn't answer, accepting that consequence as is. Yuuichi looked away and let out a tired grumble.

"We're completely fine, yet, it seems those two are handling thing better than we are." he said to himself. "…please take care, you two."

Tenma fidgeted behind Tsurugi as he surveyed the people around him who did their best to ignore the brunette's strange behaviour as he hovered behind his friend. Tsurugi, of course, glared at every person who decided it was a good idea to either stop for a laugh, try take a photo, or stare for an unusually long amount of time.

"S-Sorry." Tenma quietly apologised.

"It's fine." Tsurugi told him.

It was his fault anyway. The last thing Tenma needed to hear was that someone was stalking him or anything that sounded like it. He was scared for his life. As much as he'd like the comfort of being safe, he just didn't feel that way. Tsurugi was aware of it and decided to do what he could to assure him over and over that he was safe, even if it meant allowing him to follow him so unusually close and looking like the strangest pair in the world.

"Still, you know that you're probably worrying over nothing?"

"Maybe but still…" Tenma muttered. "Is it too much to say that they all look like him?"

"…no. We can't say for certain so…maybe. They could be like him." Tsurugi uttered quietly. "But they might not be either. Anyway, just stay close."

Tenma nodded and followed behind. As he walked with him, he noticed a stand selling crepes.

"Hey, wait a minute." he said.

"What is it?" Tsurugi asked.

"Don't worry, I'll only take a second." Tenma assured and went to the stand. Tsurugi made tired grunt but decided to wait for him. He strangely felt just as paranoid about leaving him alone too. He looked around.

"We've already left the hospital. Man, I'm becoming as paranoid as Tenma." Tsurugi told himself quietly. He looked to a corner of a building and stopped. For a moment, he thought he saw a shadow move.

"That…"

"I'm back!" Tenma said. "Here!"

"…chocolate?" Tsurugi asked.

"Don't worry, it's dark." Tenma answered. "Sorry, I didn't know what you liked."

"…don't worry." he replied. Tenma gave him a puzzled expression.

"Are you okay? You're spacing out like before." Tenma asked.

"I'm fine. Let's just head to my house." Tsurugi said and turned quickly.

"Hey!" Tenma said. "What are you hurrying for?"

"My favourite show will be on soon. I'll miss it if we don't hurry." he answered.

"Oh, okay." Tenma said. "Mm…maybe I'll head home too. I probably am worrying too much."

"Nah, it's fine." Tsurugi told him. "Besides, I think you'll like the show."

"What's it about?" Tenma asked.

"Soccer." Tsurugi replied and Tenma's face brightened.

"Okay!"

"Wha-Hey! Don't run off!" Tsurugi yelled. He sighed again and followed quietly behind but not before stopping for a moment to take one more look behind him.

"…You're worrying too much." he muttered again before leaving.

Monster Hunter 3- Yes. This is a real game. Full name is Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. I don't have it.

Green, dinosaur-like creatures- In the game, they are called Aptonoth. They're fairly big. Their meat is delicious and is the first monster you encounter in the game.