"Something… important to talk about," Makoto repeats, raising an eyebrow. "Uh- Okay. What is it?"
Fumiko's faintly aware she could blurt it out right now. She could cry, 'I'm Aguri Yukimura,' and it would be an appropriate time. Finally, the moment is here, and she doesn't need to wait a second more.
But… she's not going to just blurt it out. She's going to make this perfect. Or… at the very least, meaningful, even if she doesn't quite know how.
"Maybe you should… sit down first," she says. Nagisa has some benches out by the front of the school. "This is pretty big."
"Nah. I'll be fine," Makoto says. "You think I'm seriously gonna pass out?"
He says it confidently, but Fumiko can spot his nervous tics. He's a lot more readable than Reaper in that way. The way he bounces from foot to foot, and the way he fidgets with his hands. He tries not to take things too seriously, but he must pick up on just how seriously Fumiko and Kiyoshi are taking it when he catches them exchange a glance that seems to say 'You just might.'
"C'mon. Just spit it out," he says. "Whether it's good news or bad news, I can handle i-"
"It's good news," Fumiko reassures pretty much instantly. "It's… really good news. I promise."
At least… she thinks so.
She shakes her head. No. Now's not the time for that. She knows so.
"Then let me in on it."
Fumiko takes a deep breath. She's starting to wish she'd taken her own offer and sat down, but it's too late now. It's time. Kiyoshi takes a step closer to her... comfortingly grabs her hand, and she knows there's no putting it off a moment longer.
"So… I'm not sure if you remember, but a few weeks I asked you about something. About how you knew you were Korosensei. And you said it was a lot of things. Weird dreams... unexplainable hunches… that sort of thing. But mostly you said it just boiled down to feeling like you were finally coming home. And I'm not sure I got that at the time, but I think I get it now... what you meant."
"To be honest… I wasn't entirely truthful with you when you asked me why I was questioning you about the topic. I said I was just curious. But that's not true. I've been… having similar dreams, Makoto. Similar hunches."
Makoto takes a step forward, wonder dawning in his expression. But when he doesn't meet her eyes with recognition, she knows he doesn't really get it. Not yet.
"Oh my god, Fumiko!" he says. "That's… that's awesome! There… There really are other people like me! What did you remember!? I mean - who do you think you are!?"
"The funny thing is, I think I've always sort of known. The moment I had the first dream, I… pretty much instantly recognized what was going on. But I was hesitant to believe it. I guess because I don't… Tend to believe in myself. Or believe I deserve good things. But I've spent the past two weeks thinking it over, and I know who I am now. But it's one of those things I don't think I can just… say. It's one of those things that's too special to just say. So… how about I tell you a story, instead?"
Makoto pauses, but gives a shrug. "I don't see why not. Go ahead!"
"Okay. So… I'm having this dream. And you're there." Fumiko pauses. "I mean… it's not you, but I know it's you. If you… Know what I mean. Like… do you ever have a dream where… someone doesn't look or act like they're supposed to, but you still know it's them because your head or your heart or something else is telling you they are?" Makoto and Kiyoshi both give her a blank look, and Fumiko shies back, embarrassed. "...Yeah. It's that sort of dream. But anyway-"
"It's… uh… just the two of us. Like… not in reality. There's all these people around us. People doing their jobs or living their lives or trying to hurt us. But they don't matter. Because we're the only two real people in the dream. And… you're the only person I care about. And it's just the two of us. And we're talking."
"And… sometimes we're not. Sometimes we're quiet. But we're always together… In this dream. Like… No matter what. I walk in… And I'm having a really bad day. But then you… or… Not you, or whoever he is gives me a smile… and I think… maybe everything's going to be okay. Because at least we have each other."
"But we don't. Not really. You wanna know the strangest part of the dream?"
Makoto has this unreadable expression on his face. But slowly, he nods. "...Uh… sure."
"Even though we have each other, we're separated. We're always… a few feet apart. No matter what I do, I just can't manage to reach out to you. No matter what I try, we're always separated by this… wall." She pauses. "And it's a real wall. But it's not just that. It's… a metaphorical wall, too. Because there's always this… Something different between us. This last brick I just can't break down."
"At least… until the end of the dream. Even though we've always been so far apart, at the end of the dream… that changes. Finally, you meet my eye. And I think I finally see the you that I know. And somehow… some way… you reach out to touch me."
"Which… I guess doesn't make a lot of sense. Most dreams don't. Most of life doesn't. And there's probably a more coherent way I could have worded that. But…" Fumiko pauses and shuts her eyes. She takes a deep breath... then opens them. And hesitantly raising her hand, she gives a shy wave. "...I guess what I'm trying to say is… 'I'm home, Mister Reaper.'"
Makoto's eyes widen. He doesn't move an inch. Staring at Fumiko blankly, he whispers "No way."
But before she can even finish saying "Yes way," he's on her.
He rushes at her, slinging his arms around her shoulders and lifting her into a hug. He squeezes her as tight as he can... laughing... and crying... and laughing some more.
"Oh my god," he whispers. "Oh my god-"
"A- ack!" Fumiko sputters, instinctively trying to wiggle out of his grasp. But when he doesn't even begin to loosen his grip, she relaxes. And she doesn't dare to cry the, 'You're crushing me! I can't breathe, Makoto!' on the tip of her tongue.
...Because she can. She can breathe. And she can feel the way he crushes her rib cage like a coke can. And she can feel his tears on her shoulder and the way her hand shakes and the way he's holding her. And he's real and he's alive and she's real and she's alive. They're alive. They're alive. They're alive, and they can breathe, and they can laugh, and there will never be a wall between them ever again.
Fumiko throws her head back and laughs and laughs. Because she's alive, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
"Oh… oh my god, indeed," she simply murmurs.
"You… You have no idea how worried I was about you-!" Makoto cries, nestling his face in her shoulder. "I… I missed you so much. But… but…" He shakes his head, lifting her up higher and letting out another laugh. "What was I so worried about!? You were right here! This whole time! My best friend!"
His best friend. His best friend. She knows it's true and that it's always been true and that it's been the truth for months now. But that makes it no less euphoric to hear. Makes it no less euphoric to feel the way his arms wrap around the small of her back as he dances and whirls her back and forth to the sound of his laughter. Laughing, too, she wraps her arms around his neck and returns his embrace.
"I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner," she whispers. "I… I must have caused you a lot of grief. I... feel so bad I didn't-"
"Don't be!" Makoto shouts. "I… I'm…" His voice seems to crack. "I'm just happy you're here!" He pulls her in closer to his chest, and squeezes her as tight as he can possibly muster. "I was… I… I was so scared for you! But now… I don't have anything to worry about. You're here now!" He pauses. "You've always been here! Oh my god." He's sobbing like a madman, but doesn't have the free hand to wipe his eyes with. Instead, he sniffles and wipes his face on Fumiko's shirt. On any other day, she'd be mad at him. But not right here. Not right now. "You've always been here!"
His voice quivers with pure, unbridled joy. Hugging Fumiko so tightly she thinks a rib just might pop, he repeats "You're here!" and dances from foot to foot.
And Fumiko lets him. Swayed to and fro alongside his joyous steps, she clings tight to his neck and allows his happiness to carry her.
"Yeah. I'm here," she promises.
"I missed you so much!" Makoto cries. "Which… Which I know is sorta dumb… Since… Since you've been right here, but… But…" He drifts off, seemingly unable to find the words.
It's okay. Fumiko will find them for him.
"No, I get it." She pauses. "...I missed you too."
...And before she knows it, she's crying as well.
"I hope- I hope you're not mad at me," Makoto says. "I mean, for getting you killed- I know - I - I didn't mean to, but… I mean, I wouldn't blame you if you were mad-"
"Of course I'm not mad!" Fumiko shouts. Upset, maybe, but mad, no. With his arms around her back and his tears fresh on her shoulder, she doesn't think she could be mad at him if she tried. "I'm not mad, Makoto! Why would I be mad at you!?"
"I don't know!" Makoto replies. "I just thought maybe… you'd think it was my fault."
"No," Fumiko says. "Never."
"...Even though I couldn't save you?"
"...Even though you couldn't save me."
Makoto's movements slow. And he falls still, simply holding Fumiko in his embrace. "It… It won't happen again," he says. "I promise. Nothing is going to happen to you ever again. I'll get it right this time. I'll protect you."
"You know what, Makoto?" Fumiko asks, her voice a whisper. "...You don't need to worry about that. This time around... I think I'm finally ready to protect myself."
Makoto's still for one moment more, and then, throwing his head back, he laughs. And without another second of hesitation... without a single burden left to carry.. he returns to twirling Fumiko through the air.
"Aw, c'mon!" he jokes "Then what am I supposed to do!?"
"I don't know! You figure it out!" Fumiko snaps.
"At least let us tag-team it! I look out for you, and you also look out for you! It's perfect!"
It's… literally the stupidest thing she's ever heard. The way it's phrased, at least. But... he's not wrong. Isn't that what they've always done, after all? Sat back to back… opened up about the things they felt inside... and protected each other with all their might.
"...Perfect indeed. I guess... we've always made a pretty good team, huh?"
"The best!" Makoto declares. And he twirls her so hard she thinks they may just fall. But when he begins to stumble, he manages to catch himself with the back of his shoe just before they go tumbling into the grass. Staring at her shocked expression, he giggles once, before bursting out into another round of full-out laughter.
That's when a tiny voice speaks up.
"Okay. Uh. I didn't wanna say anything, but... am I… interrupting a moment?"
And every eye in the vicinity flits towards Kiyoshi Karasuma.
He stands shyly, his hands in his pockets. "Er… Fumiko asked me to be here to support her, but if this is getting personal I can, like… peek out now."
"You think you get to peek out?" Fumiko asks, a half-devilish, half-delighted grin overtaking her face. "We haven't even gotten a chance to thank you!"
"Oh - I - Really - Uh - Don't need thanks," Kiyoshi insists.
But the gears are already turning in Fumiko's brain, and deep down she knows he could use some thanks more than anything.
"Makoto," she says. "I never would have been able to get any of this figured out if not for Kiyoshi. It was… Him who helped me investigate Aguri when I needed more information, and it was him who… gave me permission to believe in myself. I never would have been able to know who I was without his help. So please… don't forget him now."
It's an exaggeration at best. That… he really helped her get too much figured out about Aguri at all. But… she wants him to feel appreciated. After their conversation yesterday, more than anything she just wants him to feel appreciated. And… Hey, even if he didn't exactly help her get Aguri Yukimura figured out much, she doesn't think she'd ever have gotten a chance to learn who Fumiko Hisakawa really was without his help.
Makoto's neck cranes towards Kiyoshi, and slowly… his jaw drops.
"That's why… That's why you were asking me about Aguri!" He says. "Oh my god, you two! You… you really duped me! I didn't suspect a thing!" He laughs, and carefully, he lowers Fumiko to the ground. Then, like an apex predator who's spotted a brand new kill, he stares at Kiyoshi with those same teary eyes.
Before anyone can move a single inch, he rushes at him.
Taking no caution to avoid sending him tumbling to the ground, he tackles him, full force, as he wraps him in a bear hug. And although at first Kiyoshi yelps, just barely avoiding banging his head on the hillside, his expression relaxes when Makoto buries his face in his chest and mumbles, "Thank you," time and time again.
It's only as Makoto calls him his hero, however, that Kiyoshi shakes his head with disbelief, and finally returns Makoto's embrace. Giving him a firm, reassuring pat on the back, he smiles and admits "It was nothing."
Makoto practically heaves him to his feet. Flinging Kiyoshi by the arm like a ragdoll, Makoto shakes his head and shouts "It's not nothing! You brought my best friend back to me! I'll never be able to thank you enough!"
Kiyoshi sheepishly grins. "Really. I mean it. It was nothi- ACK."
His modesty is quickly cut short as Makoto drags him towards Fumiko. And just when she thought that she was free, Makoto pulls the both of them into his hug.
"...Okay, okay…-" Kiyoshi relents. "You're welcome, big guy…"
Fumiko mutters something about how she thought she'd finally be able to breathe, but makes no effort to break away from the hug. With Kiyoshi's head nestled on Makoto next to her, and the steady rise and fall of Makoto's chest promising her that everything is going to be okay, she thinks if given the choice she'd never want to let go at all.
"We… We have so much to talk about!" Makoto declares. "So… so much catching up to do! I mean - I know we've been talking this whole time, but I'm sure there's something I haven't shared. Did you… did you…-" He pauses, before impulsively blurting out, "Did you know I have a cat now!?"
Fumiko chuckles. "Yes, Makoto, I know you have a cat now."
Makoto's shoulders lower. "That was a stupid question. You guys couldn't forget Miss Nao if you tried-"
"And we've tried," Kiyoshi interjects.
"I'm sorry. I just… I just… want something to talk about? Or-" He squeezes her tighter, and lets out a delighted squeal. "I'm just so happy you're here!"
And Fumiko's… Happy to be here. She'd been so, so worried about this for the past two weeks. Worried about what she'd say or what she'd do or what any of this would mean for her. It had felt like a constant weight in her chest. But now… all of that seems to have faded away. She knows where she belongs, and she knows why she's alive. She knows... How lucky she is to be standing here at all. And with the stress of what feels like a thousand lives falling from her shoulders, pure joy seems to blossom from her chest.
"Me too, Makoto. Me too."
"Aguri. Aguri Yukimura. I can… I can hardly believe it!" Makoto pauses. "Is… Is it okay if I call you that? Or would it be weird? Or-?"
"Like anything could possibly be any weirder than meeting up again and becoming best friends a second time," Fumiko snarks. "Call me whatever you want, Makoto."
"Aguri," Makoto repeats. "Aguri. Aguri." And his voice heightens with delight. "I missed you Aguri!" However, he freezes. And he shakes his head, quickly swapping that out for "No! I'm happy for you, Aguri! Because I've had no reason to miss you at all!"
He's smiling so wide his eyes are shut tight. And despite herself, Fumiko grins too. It's… Weird to hear. That name. She doesn't think she'd like it to be hers forever. To hear it from just anyone. Because what would that mean in regards to her moving on? But from Makoto…?
She thinks she likes the way it sounds.
"Just… don't make a big deal out of this," she quickly adds on. "Which - Well - I know that's hard seeing as how this is a very big deal, but… I think I want to keep this between the three of us for now. Er-" She pauses. "Us and Akari. I don't want… anyone else to know yet."
Makoto cocks his head. "Huh? Why? This is awesome!"
"I dunno. It just feels… weird. I don't want them to treat me any differently. And I know they will. So... I'd like to keep this between us. I hate to ask that of you… to lie... But can you please keep this secret? For me?"
"Fumiko," Kiyoshi says bluntly. "I have already lied to hell and back for you." He gives her a blank expression, before cracking a smile. "Of course I can tell one more."
It takes Makoto a little longer to decide, but finally, he speaks up. "Well… If that's what you want," he says. "I'm just happy I get to know. But if you don't want anyone else to figure it out… Then so be it! It'll be like we're secret agents! With a truth no-one can learn!" He pumps his fists excitedly.
"Yeah," Fumiko says with another laugh. "It'll be just like that." She shakes her head with disbelief. "And don't worry. I'll tell Akari soon. I've missed her too much to wait much longer."
"She is going to be so happy!" Makoto says. "She's missed you so, so much. I bet you're going to make her day." He pauses. "No! Make her week! Her month! Her year! Her sister's back! Holy hell!"
Fumiko nods. It's… wonderful to think about. She can only hope Akari will take this as well as Makoto has. She's not sure she could bare facing her scorn.
...But swinging a baby Akari around in her arms in the back of her mind, she knows deep down she won't have to. They've always been there for each other, haven't they?
"Are you… are you gonna do it today?" Makoto asks. "Tell Kayano? I mean - It's fine if you do. I was just thinking… Maybe today could be for us."
And oh, how Fumiko loves the thought.
"Fine by me," She says. "I tell Akari tomorrow afternoon. As for now… I suppose we can celebrate. Reminisce. I… am happy to be by your side after all."
"You better be!" Makoto asks with a laugh. "I'd be pretty damn embarrassed if you weren't!"
"Well you'd just have to feel embarrassed then, wouldn't you?" Fumiko huffs.
"Well luckily for me, I don't!" Makoto says, reaching out to take her hands. "You said you're happy, remember? No takebacksies now!"
Fumiko rolls her eyes. But her smile never once fades. "No takebacksies, indeed."
They talk for what feels like an eternity, with Makoto never once letting go of her. He's always wrapping his arms around her neck or clasping her hand somehow. Momentarily, he'll get caught up in an inside joke, and seem to forget. But then, just as soon, he'll remember what he's learned, and let out a delighted squeal.
"It's you! It's really you!"
...He just can't stop repeating how happy he is.
They only realize how late it's getting when Kiyoshi points it out. Glancing at his phone, he admits it's almost four. "We should get going before Shiota-sensei starts to worry," he says. "Like… If you guys are okay with that. I'd never want to rush you, but I do fear the man is probably on the brink of a stress-induced heart attack right now."
"No, no. You're right," Fumiko admits. Although to be truthful, she never wants to leave this moment… life marches on. She can't ignore the rest of the people around her. Besides, she fears if she stays here for one moment more she'll melt into a puddle of goo. She pulls away from Makoto, and proudly begins to lead their way down the mountain.
...Even so, the skip in her step just doesn't fade
She finds herself glancing at him time and time again. And ever so nervously, Makoto glances back. They tell stories… Fill in the gaps for each other. And they're careful to include Kiyoshi. Nudging him and telling him it was just like the time the three of them did something.
It's… nice. Fumiko can't even find it in herself to mind the winter chill as the sun sets over the horizon. Because… Everything is the same. But it's better, too.
Which… doesn't make much sense. At least, on paper. But it makes sense to her. Her life… Her friend group is what it's always been. But now she has the power to enjoy it to her fullest potential.
When Makoto trips over a tree branch and nearly eats shit on the frosty ground, she just barely manages to catch his hand. He props himself up on a tree trunk, and gives her the same thankful smile he's seemed to be flashing her all afternoon.
'Thank you for being here at all.'
She just can't shake that smile from her mind or the skip from her step or the sound of his laughter ringing in her ears.
...When did he become such a happy person?
When did she become such a happy girl?
It's funny. This is the last place she'd ever have envisioned herself at the start of the year. Friends with these… These people. Much less reminiscing on cosmically ancient memories with them.
"Hey. Makoto? Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"You don't wanna… make things weird, right?"
Makoto pauses. "...Huh?"
"You know. How… how Korosensei and Aguri… Y'know. You don't wanna. Do that, right? I mean - I don't wanna do that. But I just wanna make sure. You don't wanna do that. I'd feel weird if I… uh… didn't bring it up."
"You mean like…" Makoto blinks. "Yeah - nah. Let's not - nah."
Another weight seems to lift from Fumiko's chest.
"And you're sure-"
"Yeah. I mean - yeah. As long as you're sure."
"Of course I'm sure. I mean - At least for now. P- probably forever! I mean… that feels… forced? We - Uh - Have a lot to deal with right now, anyways-" 'At least for now.' What is she fucking thinking!? Get it together, Hisakawa! "So… As long as you're good, I'm good."
"I'm good. I'm great!"
"I just wanna… Make sure you're not disappointed, I guess."
Makoto's brows furrow. "Disappointed? Why would I be disappointed!?"
"Because… things aren't exactly the same."
"Fumiko…" Makoto steps over another tree branch, careful not to snag his foot on it this time. "Aguri… I'm just… I'm just happy you're here! You could have ended up being a knife-wielding circus performer and I would have been happy as long as you were! And instead, you ended up being my best friend of all people. Why would I be upset!? This is… This is the best possible scenario! I couldn't ask for anything more!"
...It takes all of Fumiko's self-restraint to avoid bursting into tears then and there.
"Yeah," she says softly. "...Neither could I."
And as snow begins to drift down from the sky, she pulls her hood up over her head. In any other situation, she'd cuss. Isn't it too early in the year for this? She gets cold so easily. Does the world really have to screw her over like this?
But holding hands to keep warm, she decides snowfall or not, her heart feels warmer than ever.
If Fumiko had been under the impression that the past two weeks had gone by quickly, she must admit that would have to make this afternoon a goddamn bullet train.
The rest of the day flies by. And in comparison to the last two hazy weeks, it does so in delight. She and her friends make their way to Nagisa's house and apologize for being late. Nagisa, of course, says it's okay, but Fumiko's attention ends up centered on another one of the people who greets them at the door.
She meets Kayano's eye for just the briefest moment, and has to avert her gaze just to hide her grin. Makoto gives her a knowing nudge, but if the adults notice anything, they don't say it.
They spend the evening whispering inside jokes and playing with the cat. Fumiko calls her ugly, and when no-one is listening, Makoto jeers "You don't get the right to call anyone ugly now that you know about all the ugly stuff you wore!"
"Wore," Fumiko reiterates. "I had the capability to take those off at any time. Miss Nao's gruesomeness is written in her flesh."
"You had the capability to take them off, and you didn't," Kiyoshi says. "I'd say that makes you just as bad, if not worse."
Fumiko's face flushes red, but Makoto laughs so hard she thinks he might just suffocate. And when Kiyoshi joins in, his laughter a low giggle, Fumiko decides some brief embarrassment might just be worth it.
When the time comes for her to head home, Fumiko and Makoto exchange a tight hug. Clinging to her, he makes her promise he'll see her tomorrow.
"Of course," Fumiko says. "I'm not about to go anywhere."
And this time… she means it.
She and Kiyoshi step out together. It's already pitch black by the time they start to trail home, which Fumiko decides is just another reason she hates winter. But marching through the slush, Kiyoshi leads the way, and is careful not to leave her behind.
"Thank you. For today," she says.
"Really," he insists. "It's nothing."
"It's not. I mean… You saw how happy we were."
"I suppose," Kiyoshi admits. "But I guess I just don't see how I really managed to help you out with that. You always sorta knew, didn't you, Fumiko?"
"Perhaps," she replies. "But… I don't think I'd ever have been confident enough to say it without your help." She pauses. "There are a lot of things I don't think I'd ever have been able to do without you."
And even in the dark, she can spot Kiyoshi's flustered smile.
True to her word, she meets up with Makoto outside the school the next morning. And the actual school day flies by. In the building that feels somewhat 'hers,' study, assassination, and free time alike don't dare drag on. Instead, they push her proudly towards the afternoon. And, thus, towards her talk with Kayano.
"Do you know what you're gonna say?" Makoto asks her on the walk back to Nagisa's house.
"...A little," she admits, her hands in her pockets. She's spent all day thinking it over. A bit of last night, too.
But with how well the conversation with Makoto had gone, she can't find it in herself to be too nervous. This is gonna be a good thing. For her and Kayano both.
She knocks on the door, holding her head high. And she's almost disappointed when it's not Kayano who cracks it open.
"Hey," Gakushuu says. "Feel free to come in."
She leaves her shoes in the entryway and asks where Kayano is.
Gakushuu tells her she's still at work. Filming must have gone late or something. And when Karma peeks his head in from the hallway, asking if they're not good enough for Fumiko, she shakes her head and bitterly retorts that he must be one pathetic bureaucrat to work fewer hours on average than a movie star. Even so, she's content to wait. And she passes the time chatting with Makoto and Kiyoshi on the living room couch.
It's half-past five by the time Kayano comes in through the door. Fumiko does the mental math in her head, confronted with the fact that if she's to head home at 7:30, that only gives her two hours to talk with Kayano. Which, for the record, is PLENTY of time to explain her situation… but feels like so little to spend with the sister she's missed all these years.
...It makes her heart ache. But despite that feeling, she stands. They have so little time. She doesn't want to put a moment of it to waste.
Makoto gives her a thumbs up, and Kiyoshi whispers in a hushed voice that he believes in her. Then, before Kayano can even fully manage to take her own shoes off, Fumiko's by her side.
"We need to talk," she says, trying to hide the quiver in her voice.
"About your independence?" Kayano asks, peeling her shoe off her foot. "I can get the other two. If you have anything you need to ask us about-"
"No," Fumiko says. "It's… uh… actually not about that." By now Gakushuu and Karma have retreated to the kitchen to do whatever it is dysfunctional adults do. And thank god for that, because she doesn't need them listening in on this. "I was… wondering if we could talk about something. Just the two of us."
Kayano's brow furrows, but she nods. "Of course. Just give me a second." She tosses her coat on the rack and looks back Fumiko's way. "You wanna go somewhere more private?"
"...I'd like that."
Kayano marches towards the study, and Fumiko follows in tow. It feels like they seem to have all of their private conversations in here. The family should really get one of those flippable signs that say 'please don't enter. The kids wanted to discuss something deeply private' at this point.
Kayano plops down on the couch, patting the spot next to her as if coaxing Fumiko to follow. And quickly, she does so. She takes her place next to Kayano, and watches her legs dangle from the couch.
"What is it you wanted to talk about?"
And how… how to break the news? She could always just say it. But something tells her that's a surefire way to send Kayano into cardiac arrest. She just got her little sister back. She is NOT about to lose her to something as stupid as that.
"...Yukimura-san, can you promise me that everything we talk about in here will stay between the two of us? It's… personal to me."
"Of course," Kayano says, placing her hand on Fumiko's shoulder. And Fumiko already feels ready to cry. "You can trust me with anything."
'I know.' That little voice in the back of Fumiko's head says. 'More than anything... I know.'
Fumiko takes a deep breath, and shutting her eyes… Squeezing her palms... with all the willpower she has left, she speaks up. She speaks up, and she starts small, but it's okay, because she speaks at all.
"I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Kiyoshi's been researching your sister as of late."
There's a weird atmosphere to this conversation. A strange, ethereal quality to the air. And an all too resigned look on Fumiko's face as she stares Kayano down with those piercing little eyes.
From the moment Fumiko approached her in the doorway, that determined look in her eyes, Kayano knew this was going to be a serious conversation. But she hadn't anticipated just how serious it would become until Fumiko brought up her sister.
"Yes," she says. "I've noticed."
And how could she not? It's been so glaringly obvious. Kiyoshi is many things, but a convincing liar is none of them. He's been doing recon on her sister. It'd take a moron not to figure that one out.
"I… had a feeling the two of you were involved in that. Are you finally going to explain what this is abou-"
"It's just me, actually,"
"Pardon?"
"You said the two of us. But Makoto doesn't actually know about any of that. I'm the one who asked Kiyoshi to do research on Aguri. And… I guess… it's about time I tell you why."
Kayano blinks, but nods. "...Very well," she says. To be truthful, she'd expected to receive the truth from Kiyoshi, but if this is what Fumiko wants to talk about, she's not complaining.
'…A surprise' Kiyoshi had said. Research going towards a good cause. Kayano just hasn't been able to get her mind off of it. Why is it now… All these years later that the thought of Aguri is popping up in her life time and time again. Why does it feel e verything comes back to her? And most importantly… what on earth is it Kiyoshi and Fumiko needed information on her for?
Kayano doesn't know. And to be truthful, it scares her a little. But she knows her duty. As a little sister, and as a mentor to these kids. And that's to get to the bottom of this. No matter what it means.
"Go on. I… think I'd quite like to know why as well."
...She'd told herself this was going to be easy, hadn't she?
Fumiko hates just how nervous she feels.
It's one thing to explain this to another kid. And to a kid with a past life of his own, at that. But it's another thing to explain her situation to a fully grown adult. She knows it's a ridiculous hesitance… Kayano believes Makoto after all. But even so… it terrifies her. She hates the way Kayano looks at her with confusion. Like she's a stranger. Because that's not right. That's not right at all.
She breathes deeply. Whispers reassuring words in her own mind. 'It's okay. It's going to be okay. This is your sister you're talking to. And she is going to be so, so happy.'
For one moment, Fumiko's hesitant to believe it. But when she catches what else Kayano looks at her with… Compassion, and with understanding in her eyes, she decides it's not so ridiculous after all.
She can do this.
"I'm not sure if you're aware, but I only learned of the existence of your sister rather recently," she says. "During… Nagisa's lessons on Korosensei's life."
Kayano gives a small nod. "I figured. Makoto himself only learned about her recently as well."
Fumiko gives an awkward nod. "Indeed. And… having learned about your sister, I quickly realized she was a fascinating topic to me. Something I could not get my mind off of. As… a historian, or at least someone who would like to be able to do research on such matters one day, I could not believe that someone who had such a massive effect on the world could go forgotten by it as a whole. It upset me. And it vexed me. I found myself thinking about her and the life she led in depth."
"Even as… time continued to pass, and we moved on to other topics in class, I continued to think about Aguri. The people she loved and the things she accomplished. Why she made the choices she made, and how she was strong enough to stick by them. Whether or not the decisions she made were right for herself or not, and what the life she left behind meant. Am… sure you have thought about it in depth as well."
"Of course," Kayano says. "But I'm still not sure what you'd like to talk about. Are you just here to... get my opinion on that?"
"No," Fumiko says. "No. Don't worry. I'm here to finally say something meaningful."
Kayano's brows furrow, and she frowns. "Something… meaningful?"
"I'm sure you're asking yourself 'what does that mean?' 'Is she simply being pretentious?' 'Is she writing the book that Kiyoshi clearly isn't going to write?' The answers, however, are no and hell no."
"Fumiko," Kayano interjects. "I would never call you pretentious-"
"I know."
"You can tell me what you mean. There's no need to dance around it. Whatever you're going to tell me… I'll support you."
Fumiko pauses for one long moment. 'Dancing around it.' Is that what she's doing? She hates to think so… and even yet…
"Are you aware of how Makoto came to the realization that he was Korosensei?"
Kayano thinks. She's got this indecipherable look on her face. Something between baffled and maybe… just barely… Hopeful.
"Of course," she says slowly. "He knew all sorts of things he wasn't 'supposed to.' Things he would have no way of knowing without some sort of supernatural explanation. They came to him in dreams or whatever."
"Indeed. When I first learned of Makoto's condition, I was hesitant to believe him. But I, too, was swayed in time. I 'came around,' so to speak. And began to believe he was truly the person he said he was. But even then, I am not sure I understood what he was going through until very recently."
"A little over two weeks ago… I had a similar dream. Thatn I was another person. With different thoughts, and different beliefs, and different memories. At first… it shook me to my core. But the more I thought it over, the more sense I began to realize it made in regards to my life. Those dreams have… continued to plague me ever since. I am… Sure we both know the person I am talking about. And as such… I was wondering if I could tell you about those dreams."
"You… do not have to believe me. At first, I simply believed I was trying to be special as well. But over the weeks these dreams have become too vivid to ignore. I have spent the past week fact-checking my memories with Kiyoshi. And I would like to…" She pauses. "...be able to prove myself to you as well. Because I knew… From the very moment I first saw you on the big screen… That you were someone dear to me."
...She doesn't meet Kayano's eyes. She's far too embarrassed and overwhelmed all at once. If Kayano were to stare at her with doubt, or god forbid, disgust… She's not sure she could handle it. Not after everything they've been through together.
If Kayano has a response, however, she does not speak it. They sit in silence. Terrifying, deafening silence. Fumiko stares at the floor, her lip trembling. She tries to ignore the pit growing in her stomach, and repeats herself... speaking up in a tiny, quivering voice.
"Please, Yukimura-san. Give me permission to prove myself to you."
...Silence.
"Please, Akari-"
She thinks her voice is going to give out.
Kayano, still, does not speak. Instead, she reaches a hand out... and places it on Fumiko's cheek. Softly… gently... she turns Fumiko's head towards her. And a compassionate expression on her face, she says:
"You don't need permission from anyone. Please, go on."
Her voice sounds half ready to give out itself.
Having Kayano stare at her with that familiarity… That warmth she'd so deeply craved… It's downright overwhelming. But it's reassuring, too. And spotting that heartbreak just barely hiding behind her eyes, Fumiko knows there's no backing out now. She will fix what she broke.
"Most of them… involve us. I mean, of course they do. I've dreamed about other things... Korosensei and classrooms and strife. But the dreams that have always stood out the most to me have been just the two of us together."
"I… remember when Mom first brought you home. It was actually quite warm out for a November night. I'd said I wanted to go to the hospital with them when you were born, but Mom ended up going into labor in the middle of the night, so they left without me. I woke up a bit later, and realized I was all alone in the house. But I wasn't scared for long. I was a big girl... and I could take care of myself. And I knew… If they were gone, that meant you were coming home soon."
"So I snuck outside and waited in the driveway. I didn't need much more than a jacket. Like I said: It was a warm night." She pauses. "...I was a lot better with cold back then."
It's funny. To think how much's changed. Would she really be able to wait out in the cold November night for Kayano again? Could she handle it?
...She only needs to think it over briefly. Of course. Of course she would. On any day. In any world.
"It took them an hour and eleven minutes to come home. I counted. I sat out there looking at the stars, and I counted. And then they brought you home. And you were this tiny little bundled up thing. You were so much smaller than I thought you'd be. And I was so scared I'd do something wrong… Or drop you… Or start crying. But Mom hurried to put a coat on me, and Dad ushered me inside. And they let me hold you. And I decided I was going to do everything perfectly."
She chokes up. 'Perfectly.' What a joke that'd been.
"I still remember when she died. Mom, I mean." She sighs. "Then it really was just the two of us. Dad was always so busy. But… I mean, I didn't mind," she straightens up, shaking her head. "At least, I tried not to. I was happy as long as I was with you."
"I remember doing your hair… and playing dumb games. Helping you study, and getting you all dressed up for your first film debut. The dumb inside jokes we'd tell each other, and the ways we'd prank each other."
"You really were a little shit. You know that? I know about the shirt thing now." She pauses. "I mean… I guess I always did. Back then, at least. But I remembered it. How you lied to me with such a straight face. Told me that brand was the high end of fashion. And then the way you shamefully confessed you'd lied to me, your face bright red.
"...How I never stopped wearing those shirts, even once I knew." Fumiko shuts her eyes. "Which I guess is nothing much for me to tell you. It hardly proves the validity of my statement. After all, that's what you told Kiyoshi, didn't you? For all we care, I could just be repeating the facts he's given me."
"...Almost. I could almost be repeating the stories you told him, and the stories he told me in turn. But I'm not. And I think I have one thing I can share, that neither of you would know… To prove my point. My real... definitive… proof:"
"Why Aguri kept wearing those shirts."
Fumiko takes a deep, deep breath.
"I had a feeling they were dumb, even before you told me. It was hard not to notice the way my coworkers stared. But I tried not to mind them. And I tried not to mind my ridiculous purchase. Because… even after I learned those shirts were a prank… that you'd been messing with me: I decided I still needed them."
"Things were… very hard for me at the time. I'm sure you know that better than anyone by now. But those shirts… they reminded me of you. And that's why I kept wearing them. Because at a time like that, I needed a reminder of things like you. A reminder that everything in my life wasn't bad."
"Because… at the very least, you loved me, and I loved you. We were sisters. And no matter what happened to me... That was never going to change."
Fumiko rubs her arm. "I know that's a pretty silly excuse," she admits with a laugh. "I probably wouldn't do it again. Wear those shirts, I mean. I think I could care about you a thousand times over."
...There's a long, teary moment of silence. And Kayano doesn't speak. Simply sits there, covering her mouth with her hands. She stares at - nearly through - Fumiko, and it's like every word is ripped from her mouth.
"It's okay if you don't believe me," Fumiko says. "I'm making a very big claim. And… I don't have a ton of proof. I mean, I'm not like Makoto is. I'm not a very similar person. I… I won't be mad if you don't want to think about that. If… if I'm not enough. Or… or if you… you don't want me as a sister, but I just... I just…"
She pauses, blinking back tears.
"...Thought I should let you know."
Kayano stares at her for one moment more. And then, choking back a sob, she pulls Fumiko into a hug.
She weeps on Fumiko's back, pressing her to her chest. And as she hugs her tight, her whimpers turn to wails. Incomprehensibly, desperately, she clings to Fumiko, like a little girl who's just lost her mother.
...In some ways, she is.
Fumiko reaches up to pat her back. Places a palm on her shoulder, and rubs tiny circles in her shoulders.
"You… you believe me?" She asks hesitantly.
"Of course I believe you-" Kayano bawls, shaking like a leaf. "How… Why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know," Fumiko says, holding her trembling sister. "I don't know."
"Of course you're enough, Fumiko," Kayano reassures, her voice a high pitched whimper. "Of course you're enough, A…" She can't finish the sentence. She tries, mumbling "Ag… Agur...-" but she can't bring herself to. Instead, she buries her tearstained face further into the back of Fumiko's shoulder and whispers "I thought I'd never see you again."
"I thought… I thought-" She's having trouble catching her breath. She's choking on her tears. "I thought you were gone. I thought Makoto was the only one. I… I thought he was going to be all alone-" Her nails are digging into Fumiko's back. "I thought I was all alone-"
"No," Fumiko whispers, trying her best to sound comforting. "You're not alone. You're never going to be alone. I'm here. I'm here."
...And in an instant, she's back there again... In her youth. The first one she'd ever had the gift of having. And she's not jumping on the bed, or sneaking into the closet for a round of hide and seek. She's comforting her baby sister... because she scraped her knee or got rejected by a boy or something equally as inconsequential. Except her knee's not bloodied and her heart's not broken. At least... not in that way.
She's sobbing because she's standing in front of a casket. Weeping, because she's 14 and there's no-one left to take care of her.
Even fifteen years later, the grief wracks her body so hard she sobs. Because fifteen years isn't that long ago. And her big sister isn't there anymore to tell her there's no monster hiding under the bed.
...At least, not until now.
"It's okay," Fumiko repeats "I'm not going anywhere."
And before she knows it, she crying herself. Because her sister is sobbing and the catharsis floods from her chest and she knows she can finally stay true to her word.
"I'm sorry I didn't figure it out sooner."
"It's not your fault," Kayano whispers, shaking her head. "You… how were… how were you ever supposed to know?"
"I don't know," Fumiko says. "It feels like I'm so late to something I should have known years ago."
Kayano squeezes her tighter, letting out little hiccupy sobs as she tries to pull her in as close as possible. "...It's okay. We… we don't need to worry about lost time." She sniffles, trying her best to take a deep, shaky breath. "...I'm just happy you're here now-"
...And Fumiko's happy to be here. More than anything. Even having her ribcage crushed and her shoulder soaked in tears, she's overjoyed. Overjoyed to exist and to breathe, and to be able to continue rubbing tiny circles in her weeping sister's back
"Me too," she says, quietly. "Me too."
"I thought I'd never see you again-"
(She's bleeding out on the lab floor. And he's there. And he loves her. And she thinks she's content. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she comes to the realization that her sister will never know why this happened, and it breaks her heart.)
"Me too," she repeats. "Me too."
…
"But I'm here now. And nothing's going to change that."
"Nothing?" Kayano pleas in a shaky voice. Like a heartbroken child who still believes in promises in the unpredictable whirlwind that's life.
"Nothing," Fumiko says, and she decides she'd like to believe in them, too.
She's not sure how long it takes Kayano to stop crying. She's not quite sure how long it takes for herself to stop crying, either. But even as their tears dry to reassurances of "I'm here for you," they never once motion to let go of each other. Instead, Kayano keeps Fumiko pulled in close. And Fumiko, shutting her eyes, rests her head on her shoulder.
It's nice. She feels like she can finally shut her eyes. And with an exhaustion beyond compare resting on her shoulders, perhaps more than anything... she needs it. But she doesn't dare. As tempting as the thought is, there's so many things for them to talk about.
She'll collapse on the couch when she gets home.
"...'m… happy you believe me," she says. "I was really worried I was gonna lose you."
Kayano runs her fingers through her hair, gently brushing a strand from her face.
"No," she says. "Never."
"Or… or that you'd think… I was worse, somehow." She sighs, pulling her legs up onto the couch. She curls up, wrapping one arm around her knee. "Which… I know is dumb. But I am different, I suppose."
"It's not dumb," Kayano says. "...It's scary. I know. I can imagine. But it's okay." She holds Fumiko tight. "Different doesn't have to be bad."
She'd… come to the same conclusion. Or, at least… she thinks she has. She likes this person she's become. But if that person had become the one to drive her sister away, she doesn't think she could ever have forgiven herself. She's… relieved that now she's told the two people she needed to. That they believe in her. Because that means she can finally believe in herself without any hesitation.
"I'm… I'm happier now. You know that?"
Kayano's silent.
"I mean… I know things are still bad. But this time I think… maybe I can believe they're really going to change. I have you… and Makoto… and Kiyoshi… and Shiota-sensei. Even Akabane-san and Asano-san. You've all… helped me more than I can possibly say." She gives a small chuckle, pawing at her eyes. "You've all… you've all made me feel like a really good person. Someone worth loving. Even if… Even if I mess up." She turns to Kayano with a bittersweet smile. "...I finally treasure myself."
Kayano squeezes her so tight she thinks she might just pop. And all Fumiko can find it in herself to do in return is squeeze her sister twice as tight.
"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that…" Kayano whimpers. "I've wanted you to believe in yourself for so long…-"
"It's time," Fumiko says. "It's finally time."
"You're right. I promise that you're right. It's gonna be different. It's gonna change. No matter what," Kayano reassures. "I'm gonna get you out of there. No matter what. I'm gonna get you out of there. I won't let your parents hurt you. You're gonna be safe. No-one's gonna hurt you ever again. I won't let them. I promise."
...She sounds like she's trying to reassure herself more than anything, but Fumiko doesn't mind. Instead, she merely leans closer into Kayano's embrace and nods.
"I know," she says. "...I know you're gonna protect me. And… and I'll try my hardest to protect myself."
"We'll come up with a plan," Kayano says. "Before you even know it, we'll come up with a plan. And you're gonna be safe… And you're gonna be happy."
Her words are so panicked. Her breaths are so quick.
"Akari," Fumiko says, her voice firm. "When I'm with you guys, I already am."
She doesn't even need to see Kayano's face to spot the tears trailing down her cheeks.
"I'm the adult this time around," Kayano says softly. "I promise: I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe. Just like you did for me."
...Fumiko wonders if that 'everything' she did was really enough. As if she hadn't broken Kayano's heart and shredded it into a tiny million pieces. As if she hadn't told her she loved her, then had the audacity to leave her behind. Had she really done enough…? Really fought as hard as she possibly could for the girl who lit herself on fire one year after she vanished, and who weeps on her shoulder fifteen years after that?
...She doesn't know. But either way, she decides she'll finally get things right this time around, too.
"Okay," she says in a shaky voice. "Okay. I'm safe. I'm gonna be safe."
Kayano nods. "I'll make sure of it."
Fumiko sniffles, burying her face in her chest. "...I can't believe you're all grown up."
"Sometimes I can't either," Kayano says with a laugh.
"I missed so many milestones…" And for a moment, Fumiko feels a horrible pang of sadness. But she quickly shrugs it off. There's no use in being sad now. "Any funny stories to catch me up on?" She jeers. "Any embarrassing teenage haircuts?"
Kayano rolls her eyes. "Oh god, no. That was Nagisa."
"Pardon?"
"For a solid year he rocked the 'I'm fifteen and I can finally present as transgender' undercut. Now that was crazy."
Fumiko grimaces. "Good lord."
"I know, right? I just about lost my crush on him until he remembered 'Oh. Wait. Men are allowed to have haircuts that don't make them look like fuckboys.'"
It's… Crazy to think how much she's missed. Sixteen years with no idea. Sixteen years of her world moving on without her. And thirteen of those spent alive with no idea. But when Kayano holds her tight and laughs because she's recounting a funny memory to her big sister, Fumiko somehow feels certain they'll manage to make up for that lost time no matter what. That those sixteen years hardly matter, because they're together again, and they're lucky to have time left at all.
"I mean it. About how much you've grown," she admits. "It's… it's almost impossible to believe." And it's her turn to hold back a laugh. "...It's like… Everything I just knew you could do, you reached out and accomplished. I'm really happy to get to see how your life turned out."
And finally, Fumiko pulls away. Despite every part of her wanting to cling to Kayano as tight as she can, she pulls away. She pulls away and shakes her head and meets Kayano's eyes. Looks at her face and takes in just how far she's come.
She's older now. So much older. At thirty, she's older than Aguri ever got to be. And her golden eyes glow. Despite everything she's been through… Despite the tears pricking at the corner of her eyes and the way her face creases when she smiles, she glows. Even as Fumiko pulls away, she keeps a gentle hand on her shoulder. And with her beautiful brown hair spilling over her shoulders… A single green streak passing by her ear like a reminder… She glows, like a beacon in the dark.
"You really mean that?" she asks, her lip quivering.
"Of course," Fumiko says. And desperately - wearily - she tries to find a way to express the pride she feels burning in her chest: Warm, and more comforting than anything. But she can't. There are no words to express it: the love a big sister feels for her little sister. And as such, she supposes she'll just have to make do with what she can find.
"You're… you've become… Such a wonderful person," she whispers. "I mean… Of course you've always been, but…" She pauses. "You've grown into this beautiful, kind, accomplished woman. You're famous, and you're funny, and you're loved. You have a family who makes you so happy. And… you make them happy right back. It feels so relieving: To know that you're safe. To know that you found a place where you belong."
('That you'll never have to go through what I did')
"I'm so happy for you. I'm… I'm…" Fumiko pauses. "I'm so proud of you-"
That's all it takes for the dam to break again. Tears spilling down her cheeks, Kayano stares at her lap and wipes her eyes with her arm.
"Don't cry," Fumiko says. "It's okay. Don't cry."
"It's just… a lot," Kayano admits. "I never thought I'd get to hear that again-"
"Well… You did. And… And you'll hear it a thousand times more. Because I will never stop being proud of you," Fumiko says. And hopping to her own shaky feet, she hurries across the room. She grabs a box of tissues and returns to Kayano's side.
Kayano tears into them. And as ashamed as she is to admit it, Fumiko needs a few as well.
She blows her nose and shakes her head. "I never thought I'd see the day I heard myself say something so sappy," she admits with a halfhearted laugh. "But… I'm happy I could say it. I'm happy I can be here with you."
"I'm happy too," Kayano says. "I guess… I guess your precious little sister just managed to drag some of that old sappiness of of you."
Fumiko snorts. "Hardly a 'little' sister anymore," she retorts.
"I'm not that old, am I?" Kayano asks, still dabbing at her eyes.
"No," Fumiko replies. "Of course not. But it's still strange. That you're older than me now." She pauses. "Does that make me the little sister?"
Kayano's silent, as if mulling that over. She furrows her brow and brings her hand to her chin.
"No," she decides. "That's just… weird. You're more like… The middle sister now."
"Wait, what?"
"You know. Since I'm the little sister. And… sort of the big sister. And then you're… just…" She drifts off.
"Just Fumiko?" Fumiko offers up.
"Yeah," Kayano says with a smile. "Just Fumiko."
They talk for the rest of the evening. Talk, and hug, and cry. Fumiko tells Kayano about how she doesn't want the others to know, and how Makoto already does. She tells Kayano about how the reunion went, and about just how happy she was. Just how happy she still is. She tells Kayano about how she confided in Kiyoshi, and how she promised him nothing was going to change.
"...At least, between the two of us," she says. "I think a lot of things are going to change now. But I also think he'll always be my best friend."
Kayano gives her a warm smile. "...You're a good friend, Fumiko. I bet he's really happy to have someone like you.."
"...Not as happy as I am to have someone like him."
But in due time, their talk needs to end. As sunset begins to creep in through the windows, Fumiko realizes it's just about time for her to go home. To go home… Back to the family that's never gotten her.
"I'm scared," she admits as she gets to her feet.
"I know," Kayano says. "But I promise you: No matter what, we're gonna find a way to fix this. We're working on a plan, remember? So please… just believe in me."
"I already do," Fumiko says. "More than anything."
"I'm sorry there's not more I can do."
"It's okay," Fumiko says. "...Just seeing you is enough."
She doesn't dare step back out into the hallway and back out into the world where no-one else can know before giving Kayano a hug. Squeezing her tight, she whispers "I love you, Akari."
And that same overwhelmed quiver to her voice, Kayano shakes her head and smiles so wide she looks like she might just cry. "Love you too."
The moment she steps out of the lounge, Makoto's on her. He bounces to his feet and asks her how it went. She shushes him, however, and tells him to lower his voice. "Our secret, remember? I'll let you know tomorrow. I really need to get home."
Makoto frowns, but nods. He gets it. Though quickly, like a lightbulb's flashed above his head, he offers to walk Fumiko and Kiyoshi home today.
"You're really that excited to hear how it went?" Fumiko whispers.
"Yeah, man!" Makoto declares.
Well... she has no reason to decline his offer.
The three of them make their way out of the house, although not before stopping to tell Nagisa they'll see him tomorrow. Then, with an almost timed precision, they file their way down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk.
"It went awesome," Fumiko says the moment she's sure they're out of earshot. "She was so happy, guys. You have no idea how much I cried."
Makoto punches her shoulder. "You really are getting soft!"
Fumiko laughs. "Certainly feels like it lately."
"...I'm really happy for you."
They chat the rest of the way home, dropping Kiyoshi off at his place with a hug and a high five. And before they know it, they're coming up on Fumiko's property. They stop, staring out over the massive estate from maybe half a kilometer away as Fumiko sticks her arm out.
"I should probably dip off here," she says. "I… shouldn't be seen with you." She pauses. "Not - That. I'm actually embarrassed by you. You know how it is. My. Parents."
"Yeah," Makoto says. "Don't worry. I get it. They'd have your head if they saw you hanging out with me. I'll scram."
"See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Makoto says with a smile. And pulling Fumiko in for one last hug, he says "I'm really glad things went well with Kayano, Aguri."
"Me too," Fumiko says. "Me too."
And with that, he's gone. Skipping off towards God-knows-where. She watches him until he fades over the horizon, then turns back towards her own home. The home she hates and the home she's still afraid to confront. Taking a deep breath, she marches towards the mansion and makes her way in through the door just before eight. The empty hallways greet her.
"Fumiko," her mother says from another room, in that voice devoid of love. "It's about time you've gotten home."
...It's such an empty feeling.
As things always are with her family, the rest of the evening feels the same. Mother makes her classic jeers over the dinner table, and Father stares at her with that same disapproving scowl. Her sisters roll their eyes when she makes a report on her grades... and when Father tells her she needs to be doing better, they don't dare stand up for her.
...Even so, she knows she's not alone.
As bedtime draws near, she retreats to her room, slips into her pajamas, and stares at her phone. Texts Makoto good night, and Kiyoshi another thanks. It's not long before they respond in turn, with their "aw shucks, it's nothing"s, and their own good nights, plastered in octopi and laughing cat emojis.
They're not what really reassures her, though. Just this once, it's someone else. And as she opens a near untouched contact on her phone, she smiles.
[11/6/2030 10:12 PM:] [Fumiko]: I'm happy I got to talk to you today. It was really nice. To tell you everything.
[11/6/2030 10:12 PM:] [Fumiko]: I love you.
[11/6/2030 10:12 PM:] [Fumiko]: Goodnight.
She turns over and shuts her eyes. And despite the bed she lies in… Despite the family she's surrounded by and the body she sleeps in, she's content. Because not even a minute later, Akari Yukimura texts her back, and she says, "I love you too. Sleep well."
Fumiko Hisakawa has never felt at home with her family. Never been enough, and never lived up to their standards. And staring out at what other people had… it broke her heart. Because she knew she'd never, ever have a family like them, no matter what she did.
...Well, it turns out she was wrong. In fact, she hardly needed to do anything at all. Because all this time, she has had family waiting for her. Real family. Who loves her. And who always will. Her big-little-sister, who's just as every bit proud of her and she is of her. Who held her tight... and told her she missed her… and texted her, "Goodnight, I love you," with no strings attached.
"I'll protect you," she'd said this afternoon. And she's far from the first. Makoto had said the same the day before. And so had Kiyoshi, crouching in his hallway and passing her tissues. Nagisa, too, had placed a hand on her shoulder all those months ago, and promised "You're safe now. No-one's going to hurt you ever again."
She's not sure that's true. It's not that simple. It's not that easy. Her parents' sharp words make that much clear. But Fumiko has more than blind faith now. She doesn't just believe everything's going to turn out okay because she wants it to. She believes everything is going to turn out okay because she's gonna fight like hell. Like her sister before her, and like she knows that she can. She's gonna be proactive… And smart… And she is not going to give up.
She is going to stand up for herself. Because she's protecting herself now, too. And no matter how long it takes, it's nice to know she'll have people backing her up the whole way through. Cheering her on, and fighting by her side.
Because at the very least, with their support, the words "You're a failure of a Hisakawa" don't sting nearly as much as they used to.
In fact…
...She thinks she's much happier being something akin to a Yukimura.