There was a brief, disorienting moment when Mokomichi woke up, and he couldn't remember where he was, or how he'd got there. But then his hand hit the rolled up quilt as he fumbled to sit up, and all of a sudden, he remembered. Blinking, he sat up blearily and looked at the other side of the bed, which was now empty. Frowning, he sat still and listened, and sure enough, if he strained, he could hear the far away sounds of laptop keys clacking.

So, that wasn't some sort of weird fever dream.

Mokomichi smiled wryly as he got out of bed and began getting ready, a little taken aback at how relieved he was, and well aware that he had jumped the gun a little in his relief. After all, he didn't know how Mizuki felt about things. Sure, the swirling emotions had seemed fairly mutual, but that was the night, and the night, all cloaked in quiet darkness, was always when things felt heightened. Perhaps now, in the cold light of day, things would be different. Wasn't daybreak when mysteries seemed less so, when dreams were diminished? He hoped not, though.

When he was dressed, he headed straight to the kitchen, and unsurprisingly, Mizuki was there, already dressed, intensely concentrating on whatever it was she was typing. For a moment, Mokomichi stood there, watching her, sticking his hands determinedly into his pockets as an attempt at restraint. It wasn't until Mizuki moved to check her phone, sitting next to her laptop, that she sensed his presence, and looked up, eyes widening in surprise.

"Oh. Good morning." She said, blushing slightly as she put her phone down.

"Morning," Mokomichi said, trying not to mirror her blushing. "Didn't sleep?"

"What? Oh, no…actually, I slept quite well…just woke up early. I'll get something for breakfast."

"No." Mokomichi interrupted quickly, on an impulse.

Mizuki, who had already begun to get up, hovered, frowning slightly. Mokomichi shrugged.

"I'll do it. Just tell me where things are."

"Are you sure?" Mizuki asked, continuing to frown.

"Yeah."

Mizuki considered this for a moment, and then sat down. The next few moments passed along mundanely, Mokomichi frying eggs and bacon, and toasting some slices of bread and buttering it, occasionally asking where particular things were and other such everyday things, while Mizuki continued to type. There was something ever so domestic about it, something ordinary and every day. It seemed something out of some slice-of-life show, except about grownups. What life would look like, after the bullshit of high school. But, would it be her at the table?

He shrugged the question off with some effort as he finished making breakfast, and took everything over. Mizuki looked up and gave him a small smile, and put aside her laptop. They spent a few moments eating, and then Mizuki gave a sigh, and put her fork down.

"We need to talk, don't we?"

Ah, here it was.

"I suppose we do." Mokomichi said, putting his own fork down. "So, I guess the first thing is…did you regret it?"

Mizuki shook her head almost instantly, looking shocked.

"No, no. It was…a bit of an impulse, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess. I certainly wasn't necessarily planning to kiss you."

"Mmm. But…I'm glad it happened, anyway." Mizuki concluded with a nod, smiling, though a little coyly. "Aren't you?"

"Mhm." Mokomichi nodded back.

There was a moment in which the two of them gazed at each other thoughtfully. Mokomichi took the time to look at her, really, properly look at her in a way that he hadn't really done before. He liked what he saw, and realised that he always had, really. Just that he had not realised it before.

"But what happens now? I'm not really…well; romance has never really been a thing, for me."

"Not for me, either." Mokomichi shrugged. "It's not a big deal to me, always figured that university would be the best place to really look for a girl. Possibly a boy, but yeah. High school is….well, you know what it's like being at this school."

"But that's the thing, isn't it? Could we really make this work?" Mizuki asked. "A relationship, with all this going on? There's so much to think about and…"

Mokomichi tilted his head as Mizuki trailed off, and rubbed her head tiredly.

"We don't need to do anything, not if you can't or don't want to, for whatever reason."

"No, I know, it's just…" Mizuki sighed again. "It felt so nice, you know. Like, for a moment, all those troubles didn't exist at all. I was just happy, and then you stayed, and that felt nice too. Do you know what I mean?"

"I do."

"And I know that it'd be asking more than I could give, but to be able to have that…Mokomichi, do you know what I'm trying to say? I'm not even sure I know."

Instinctively, Mokomichi reached across, taking her hand in both of his.

"I think I do. Perhaps then, it's not a relationship in the usual sense that we need?" Mokomichi said.

"What do you mean?"

"I guess it's more like a refuge, in a way, isn't it? The way you're describing things. When things get a little too much for us-particularly for you-then there's somewhere for us to go, except it isn't a place, it's us."

"Why particularly for me?"

"You carry such a lot on your shoulders, don't you?"

Mizuki simply shrugged at that, and looked away for a moment, before returning her gaze to him.

"It's pretending, like you said before isn't it? Not us, as such," she said quickly when Mokomichi stiffened. "Not our feelings. But pretending that this is just the start of an ordinary relationship, that everything is fine…"

"I see…I think."

Mokomichi did have to turn it over in his mind for a moment, but he did, in the end, get it. Who knew what the future would hold, especially considering the dangerous turn revelations had taken. This Izuru Kamukura project was serious business, and a secret one at that.

"Okay." Mizuki let out a breath, and put her other hand over his for a moment, before removing it. "So, are we telling others, or not?"

"It isn't private, but it's none of their business either, is it?" Mokomichi responded instantly.

Mizuki's mouth quirked up slightly at that.

"That's true."

"Just one thing though."

"Yeah?"

"Next time I stay over, can we lose the quilt barrier?"

This made Mizuki go bright red, and Mokomichi couldn't help but smirk slightly as she took a moment to compose herself. Eventually she sighed, and decisively freed her hands from his so she could take a sip from her coffee before answering.

"I wanted to save that for another conversation, and I think for the most part I still will. But for the time being…yes."

Mokomichi shrugged, smiling.

"That's good enough."

This, apparently, settled matters, and so they returned to eating, and then to getting themselves sorted out for school. With their bags ready, and shoes on, Mizuki reached to open the door, when on an impulse, Mokomichi called out.

"Mizuki?"

She turned, hand still on the doorknob.

"Could I kiss you?"

Mizuki stared at him for a moment, and he couldn't quite interpret what it was that her expression was saying. But then slowly, deliberately, she put her bags down, and walked over to him, before then leaning in to kiss him, with no hesitation. And this time, being a conscious decision and not the result of being swept up in something he hadn't been able to fully label, it was better. And Mokomichi realised, the cold light of day had diminished nothing. Instead, it'd made things clearer.

And hopefully, that will last.

…

Minah and Hana sat on the bench in near silence for a while, taking the time to catch their breaths and drink water. Minah snuck a sideways glance at the smaller girl, her hair tied back in a little ponytail, which, ridiculously, had rendered her almost unrecognisable to Minah when they'd bumped into each other earlier.

"So, do you run a lot?" Minah asked. "You seem like you know what you are doing?"

Hana's eyes widened and she appeared to be hesitant to offer her answer, staring into her bottle for a while before finally doing so.

"Not a lot, as such. From time to time, but I've started running most mornings now. What about you?"

"Running isn't usually one of the activities I do to keep in shape, but I've taken it up recently. It's…mind clearing, isn't it?"

Minah had meant this to be a casual admission, but she found herself holding her breath once the words left her lips, tensing as Hana's head jerked up and their eyes met. Hana nodded.

"It is. That's why you've started?"

"Mhm."

"Fair." Hana shrugged. "It's why I've begun to do so more regularly."

It didn't need to be said by them that there was plenty in their minds that needed clearing.

"You're quite well-rounded, aren't you?" Minah said, admiringly. "You're clever, you're really good at art, and you're physically adept, too."

"I wouldn't really say that." Hana spluttered, blushing furiously.

"Oh, it's true," Minah reassured. "I mean, after all, even though it got cancelled you were selected for the statue designing initially. Then you designed the Reserve Course Representative badges, our own mascot, and the posters you made to pique interest in the idea of separating the schools…that takes a lot of talent."

Minah meant every word of this, though in truth she had to admit she liked the posters-stark black and neon, revealing just enough to spark curiosity but keeping plans to themselves-rather than the mascot of the cutesy but still sinister bear that Hana had almost finalised. But still, either way, she was good.

"I'm not clever, though, and the running is just…that."

Hana had smiled when Minah had described her artistic endeavours, but her eyes had quickly dimmed, and the smile had faded as she refuted that compliment.

"What did you place in your end-of-terms, again?"

"Third in my class, but only 12th in my year group."

"There we go!" Minah exclaimed. "That is pretty good!"

"Mmmm."

Minah waited. If Hana wanted to say more, then fine, but if not, who was she to push? Especially as she clearly hadn't planned to have company when out running.

"It's…never good enough, though."

"Who says?" Minah asked gently.

Hana looked at Minah, biting her lip before sighing.

"My parents." She whispered. "I don't fit their image of what success should look like, especially not from someone of my status, such as it were. But that's not fair to tell you, is it?"

"No, it's fine." Minah shook her head. "I know that parents aren't always as good as they should be. But…if I was your parent, I'd be proud, for what it's worth. There's lots of different definitions of success, and honestly, they're all ongoing. You don't just reach success and then stagnate, because that's not true success. "

"I…that won't make a difference to them. "

"I….well, but it's something you should consider, I think. And if you need any encouragement. Well, you can always come to me. And you've become good friends with Sakurai-sempai, Shishikane-san and Hisakawa-san, right? I'm sure they think you're pretty good too."

Hana blinked at this, then smiled warily.

"Yeah, they're good friends. And…thanks."

Hana blushed slightly, and tucked a strand of her fringe back behind her ear, before checking the time on her sports watch and getting up.

"I need to go back and get ready for school." She apologised. "See you later?"

"Yes, yes, of course. I should be getting back myself for the same reasons. Perhaps we can make plans to meet up and go running together another morning?"

Hana blinked at this, clearly gobsmacked. But then, she nodded, and once again gave that wary smile, this time a fraction brighter.

"Alright then. See you later."

Hana jogged off, and Minah sat for a couple of moments before getting up herself and then setting off at a slow jog back to Hope's Peak. Though the time was soon coming for her to get ready, she was not in a rush, so she decided to take a slow route back. At this time of the morning, there were hardly any others out and about, except a couple of teachers heading in, and a smattering of early-bird students also getting ready for their day. A few waved at her, but others just got on with their days, and so Minah did too.

But as she headed to the courtyard, she heard the sounds of a heated conversation. The two male voices were speaking in a heated whisper, and the words themselves were not discernible, apart from a few here and there.

"….continued costs…"

"…..don't….cover that?..."

"….nothing good…..free…."

Minah was curious, yet at the same time knew it was none of her business, so she decided to turn when suddenly, one of the voices yelled.

"But what more do I need to do? I'm a representative, I get good grades, I'm involved in the school community!"

It was Isamu, and so Minah froze for a moment, before ducking behind a tree.

"You need to be quiet, this is a confidential conversation. I know you are frustrated, but it could cause so much trouble if we were to be overheard."

Principal Naegi? What….?

"With all due respect, you didn't answer my question!" Isamu said, lower this time but still audible.

"Well, as I have told you, this will end up benefitting your family, so do think about it, alright? Have a good day, Asai-kun."

Minah held her breath as she heard the footsteps of what she assumed to be Naegi walked away, gradually fading. She heard Isamu kick at the ground and let out a groan, and quickly, she scurried out and jogged forward until she could see him-and he, her.

Isamu stared at her for a moment, and then went completely pale.

"How much of that did you hear?"

Minah frowned at him.

"Are you okay?"

"How much did you hear?"

Instantly, Minah thought of Manaka, and how she admitted that she'd been worried about Isamu, that something was on his mind. Her heart clenched, and her stomach churned, both seeming inexplicable to her, but she took a deep breath and tried to portray calm.

"I didn't, really, not until right at the end." She said, which was more or less the truth.

"Ahhh…" Isamu raked a hand through his hair, then just shook his head helplessly. "Look, it doesn't matter? Is there training this afternoon?"

"Yes, there is. But, Asai-kun-"

"Alright, I'll see you then!"

And as Isamu ran away, as if being chased, all Minah could do was stare. But she could not ignore the creeping concern.

…

Emiko sighed as she head the landline ring downstairs. There was only one person it could really be in this day and age-the same person who'd insisted on the landline being there in the first place. As she listened to Masako hurriedly rush over and pick it up, she idly finished changing her username on 'Shhh!' and went to the chat.

EmiEmiKoKo: uggggh, Daddy Dearest is calling to check up on me. Wish me luck not dying of boredom.

Shino: Oh noooooo

Sho: Don't worry, we'll keep you entertained.

Shino: Lies!

Sho: No

Shino: HOW DO I KNOW YOURE NOT LYINH

Shino: LYING

Sho: trust me

Shino: I refuse

"Emiko-sama! It's your father!" Masako called up a few seconds later, just as she predicted.

"I'm coming!"

With yet another sigh, Emiko heaved herself off the bed and made a point of lumbering slowly down, though she did remember to give a grateful smile to Masako as she took the receiver off of her. Masako disappeared back into the background, and Emiko spoke into the receiver.

"Hello, father. How are you?"

"Well now…"

He didn't waste the opportunity to launch into a deep, egotistical account of his various exploits and conquests, such as they were. Emiko didn't even bother to pay close attention to the details, instead just nodding and making all the right noises in the right places, as she was trained to do. The details, should she need them, would no doubt embed themselves right into her brain, ready for that moment. It was how it always was.

"Now, Emiko," her father said all of a sudden, jolting her out of her reverie of daydreaming and messaging stupid crap to the others. "There's something very important I need to tell you. It will have incredible implications for the Shishikane greatness, and it will all rest on you."

"Do tell me more, Father." Emiko said, injecting her voice with as much sarcasm as she could as she put her phone down, intrigued despite herself.

Her father was apparently too excited about whatever it was he had to say, for he barely noticed. Whatever, it'll be something to mock later.

"As you know, I am close associates with Takafumi Tsukamoto, who just so happens to be one of the associates of Hope's Peak. Likely you won't have seen him around the school, since his role is of course a more backstage one, shall we say, but nonetheless, he is more instrumental to the running of the school than the figureheads. In any case, he is well aware both of your existence and our power, and he has informed me of something that will ensure you an SHSL Title, give us true power, and thus eliminate all the competition."

Emiko's blood ran cold. It was a vague description, but no, it couldn't be…

"And what might this be?"

"Well, from what I understand it is in the very early stages…"

And sure enough, he went on to describe precisely what Emiko had just started dreading. A part of her switched off, but not because of the inanity-but because she had heard it all before. Every last, sordid detail, and more besides. On that day, just two days ago, when Mizuki had gathered them all in her living room so unusually distraught. She had heard it all before.

I thought the worst thing that could happen would be ending up like Manaka Takigawa. Oh, how wrong I was.

Again, keeping up her usual schtick of appearing as if she was listening, Emiko calmly-far too calmly-picked up her phone again, and

Moko(michi): stare into the ribbit, you'll get croaked.

Azuki: That's one of the most threatening things I've heard ever

Azuki: Also what the hell do you mean?

Moko(michi): ribbit

Sho: Who'd've thunk it, he's as weird as the rest of us.

Moko(michi): Glad to be of service.

Flower: I'm confused too, but that was funny.

Kaneda-senpai: Sorry to break into the fun, but this is important. My parents just sat me down and told me they were approached by the principals with a 'special offer' that would secure my future considering that my 'brain doesn't quite work like others'.

Azuki: pfft that's a bit rude

Kaneda-senpai: I know, right?

Kaneda-senpai: But I am sure you know what they were implying. Either way, my parents have categorically refused.

Emiko allowed herself a smile at this, but then as she read Kaneda's messages the amusement rapidly disappeared. It's happening, it's really…oh god. She steeled herself, knowing that now, more than ever, she was going to need them. She was going to need their group, and the power that they were trying to cultivate. So, with a deep breath, she typed.

EmiEmiKoKo: I need your help. I need to escape.

Moko(michi): What's wrong?

Sho: oh noooo, is he really that boring?

EmiEmiKoKo: This is serious!

EmiEmiKoKo: My father's been approached the same way senpai's parents' have been-but unlike yours, they're fully intending to accept.

Sho: oh shit.

Kaneda-senpai: Oh no, really?

EmiEmiKoKo: I am on the PHONE listening to him describe the project almost word for word what we read, yes I am sure!

Shino: Alright, alright, let's do this. You'll come to the panic room, of course.

And it was this way that Emiko managed to remain calm as she continued the talk with her father. Between them, they managed to hash out the exact specifics of when and how Emiko would escape, and Emiko committed it all to memory. All the while, she continued to nod, make appropriate noises, and remember to smile whenever the maid or one of the other staff walked by.

Once she was finally, finally allowed to hang up, she rushed upstairs, and pilfered all her bags and purses for any loose cash, and stockpiled it all in one purse, which she tucked away in a safe place for later. She then looked for her most plain, generic bag and clothes (which was quite a task, all things considered) and put them in the same place, before going on her computer and checking her overseas accounts. She had, naturally memorised all the details, so she downloaded them to a USB, sent a copy over to Shino, then wiped her computer completely. Her phone, too, would be wiped and left behind with it, but that was for later. The USB went in the purse, and then Emiko looked around her room. What else?

Remembering the window, she went and opened it a notch, so that later on she could just oush it wider and there wouldn't be any noise. For a moment, she leaned out of the small gap she'd already created, mentally reviewing her route. Feeling Greg head-butt her ankle, she shook the thoughts away, knelt down and stroked the little cat.

"Sorry buddy," she murmured. "They'll realise something's up if I take you, won't they? And I want them to freak out, just a little."

Yes, I want my family to act like a family, to actually care that their daughter is missing, not that they've lost an asset. Not that it'll make me change my mind about them, but I would like to see it, at least. Just a little.

She stroked Greg for a little while longer, then got up and went back to her phone to quickly shoot off a message to Shino about extracting him from the home later on, once she was well and truly 'missing'. At that point, Masako called up to let her know it was time for dinner, so Emiko scooped Greg up and went down.

At dinner, she once again had to act 'normal', but deliberately acted as if she was a little tired, as if she'd had an extremely busy day at school that had drained her. In truth, that aspect was a little easier. But either way, Masako and the cook totally bought it, and showered her with so much fondness and affection that she couldn't help but feel guilty. She was sure that they wouldn't want her to be signed up to some brainwashing experiment, and if they had been her parents, they wouldn't have even considered it. But they were not her parents-they were just the staff. She couldn't forget. And so, she could not confide.

It's okay though, almost there. Almost there.

The moments after dinner were the most torturous, as she had to get ready for bed as normal, but ended up on tenterhooks as she waited for the other staff to leave, and for Masako herself to go to bed. But finally, finally, she heard the doors open and close for the last time, and then light switches go off.

Finally!

She did not change out of her pyjamas-that'd be far too much of a clue that she'd left voluntarily-but instead combed her hair up into a tight, swingy ponytail. She regarded her reflection in the mirror, thinking that already, it made her look different. She grabbed the hoodie she had borrowed from Sho all those months ago from the bag of clothing she'd set aside to take with her, put it on over her pyjamas and pulled the hood up over her head. Then, she gathered said bag and purse, turned off the lights, wiped her phone, and went over to the window.

She pushed it open, as far as it would go, and prepared to clamber up onto the windowsill, when something stopped her. Quickly, she crossed back to her dressing table, grabbed the golden lion clip she had left there, and very deliberately walked back to the window, drew back her arm, and threw the clip so that it fell into the bush, disturbing some leaves but making no real sounds. She grinned as it disappeared completely and then this time she clambered out with no hesitation, landing on the ledge below, and then rolling off, landing in a crouch.

Then, she was off. Keeping to backstreets and alleyways and all the places with the least lighting that she'd used to sneak out for fun before, but never like this. But she kept going, and going, until finally, finally, she was in the back entrance to Shino's place. Ducking by a tree, she waited, and tried to settle her breathing as she waited for Shino to come.

"There you are."

Emiko almost screamed, but managed not to as Shino came over. They just grinned, and beckoned Emiko over, so they went, scaling the side of the building until they got to the window Shino had opened. Emiko tumbled in first, Shino following, and she straightened herself up and dusted herself down while Shino shut the window. Then, they led her to the panic room.

A pile of pillows and blankets had been laid out in a corner, along with a box of what looked like snacks.

"Get yourself changed out of those jammies," Shino said. "We'll need to get rid of them. Mihoko will do that, and she's bringing clothes as well, to keep you a while longer. Sawada's coming as well to help disguise you."

"Ah…yeah…right…."

Emiko just blinked, and sat down heavily. How had things come to this? She sighed and tugged the hairband holding her ponytail away, letting her hair fall free once again. Then, feeling heavy, she forced herself to get up again, and lumbered to what was undoubtedly now 'her corner' to change, while Shino went back up to let in whoever else had come along to help.

Mihoko was the first to arrive just after Emiko had finished changing into a white t-shirt and black leggings, but she left soon after, bearing not just Emiko's pyjamas, but the purse and the bag she'd used to carry her essentials. Emiko now put these in one of Shino's empty cardboard boxes, and waited. But soon after, Azuki arrived, carting boxes and bags of all sorts, enough to make Emiko's eyes go wide.

"Oh my oh my, did you rob a shop?"

Azuki did not rise to this though, instead looking around with a frown that deepened with every second. Emiko frowned back, but Azuki didn't notice. Instead, when Shino came back in, eh whirled around and fixed her with an accusatory glance.

"Where's Otsuki?"

"What?"

Shino looked about as flabbergasted as Emiko felt. Azuki groaned, and suddenly, Emiko had a bad feeling, worse than the one she'd had all evening, and she held her breath as the answer came.

"Otsuki, you morons. The same thing happened to her too. Didn't you see her messages?"

Yep, I have pulled more things off of Discord to use in the characters' chats.

Also, since I double updated this and pretty recently since the last update to boot, I'm probably going to let this story go on the backburner for a while to focus on OGR and some OC submissions. To say nothing of real life things, since it's likely I will begin to get busier over February and in fact I am hoping for it.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed these updates!