16
3, May 2009
Iwatodai, Japan
Rosemary placed the persimmon leaf on the counter to her work and watched as Mitsuko's eyes lit up in joy. It was the second leaf that had been given to her so far, the first coming from Minato. She'd have to thank him; it was nice that he had given it to them. Bunkichi smiled at her as he lit his pipe and she scurried off to do her shift. It was a short day for her, she was only working till noon. She was going to meet up with Ken for lunch.
He was the one that had made the plans having finally called her. He had seemed nervous but otherwise happy to talk to her. She didn't get to ask him about his day or how school was going, so she gathered that it was serious. She did tell him to call if he needed something. She was proud of him for doing so, it bodes well for the future. She would never shame someone for asking for help when they needed it, sometimes you needed another person's assistance.
Whether or not she followed that advice was a different story. She restocked a particular volume, it was a history textbook, and let the familiar sound of books sliding into place calm her mind. She heard the thoughts around her much more clearly and less congested. The flow was so smooth that it barely even registered to her that she was getting thoughts that were a little more personal than her surface-level abilities. She heard Mitsuko and Bunkichi's quiet thoughts about what a good idea it had been to hire her and that it was like having a grandchild. They also enjoyed it when her friends visited because they were typically as well mannered as she was. She felt a small smile appear on her face at that before she moved to pick up a few volumes that had fallen on their display. A child had either bumped into it or had gotten bored while shopping with a parent, it was a simple task, so she wasn't too bothered. Kids will be kids, she supposed. It didn't take much time out of her day to fix it.
She was finishing up when the door opened. She welcomed the customer alongside Mitsuko and Bunkichi. She felt a small smile slip onto her face at the sight of Ken. The ten-year-old gave her a small one back before wandering the store till she was done. He was early and knew exactly what to do. He kept himself busy by looking at a few comic books. She finished her shift and they headed out.
"How's school going?" She asked him and he tilted his head in thought.
"It's going well," He answered as they entered Hagakure, "Sensei thinks I should try out for a sports club."
"Not your cup of tea?" She asked him with a look of understanding, "Or you just don't know which one you want to join."
"I was thinking soccer," He said with a slight frown, "I'm not sure if I'll be any good at it."
'It's been two years since I've played.'
Ah, that's right, it had been two years since his mother's death. She had done some digging and realized that the people around her seemed so stuck in the past that their thoughts and memories were fresh and felt recent. She ignored those thoughts and looked at Ken with a thoughtful expression as they ordered their lunch.
She was having a small ramen while he was having some teriyaki beef. She waved at the owner and he gave her a slight nod. She turned back to Ken and waited for him to tell her what was really bothering him. She wasn't stupid, she could hear his thoughts and knew that he was trying to figure out a way to tell her. She didn't know what it was he was trying to inform her of, but he was struggling.
'You eat here more than I do.' Shinjiro griped at her and she looked towards the restaurant window and saw his reflection.
He was sitting at the bar at a spot that was hidden from sight. She felt slightly embarrassed at that and felt her neck heat up. He hadn't intended his words to come out that way but wasn't going to apologize for pointing that fact out. She didn't want him to hold back when it came to his opinion, it was always interesting to hear someone else's perspective on things. Icarus gave a soft mumble of agreement.
"Do you ever feel like a burden on other people?" Ken asked her and she gained a slightly blank look to her face as she contemplated her answer.
"All the time," She softly admitted, "But that has more to do with my upbringing than anything else…did someone make you feel like one?"
"I just…I get the feeling that my uncle thinks I'm a burden," He stated.
"He's an idiot then," She said in a matter-of-fact tone, "You're a great kid."
Ken perked up at that and seemed to be in a better mood. She didn't blame him for feeling bothered by his Uncles actions. She was ready to give the man a piece of her mind due to his actions. Ken really was a great kid, he deserved more than what life had handed him. Well, in a perfect world her siblings would still be alive, and her parents would've actually loved her. There was no use wishing for things to be different when it's already happened.
"You have a bias," He pointed out and she gained a slightly amused smile.
"True, but it's not a wrong bias," She countered.
The conversation between the two of them moved from such heavy topics towards the different sports clubs. Rosemary believed that Ken would do great in soccer due to his smaller size allowing him a bit more speed compared to the taller kids on the team. He hadn't gotten offended by that once she explained what she meant. He was looking to grow older as fast as he could, and she didn't blame him one bit. Still, she'd rather he enjoy his childhood while he still had the time to do so. Shinjiro was firmly in the peanut gallery and was quietly commenting to himself on the things he heard. She felt his guilt and gave a soft sigh. It was SEES fault as much as it was his. She only hoped that he changed.
"You all right?" Ken asked her and she was brought out of her thoughts.
"I'm all right, just a little tired," She quietly admitted, "There's not much I can do on that front, so I'm managing."
"You should've told me you were tired," He said with a slight pout, "I could've waited."
"It's fine, Ken," She informed him with a tiny smile, "I've always been like this, besides you're more important."
He was extremely happy hearing those words. Ken felt as though he was gaining a small piece of family back with the tall teen. It was her encouragement for him to try new things or to enjoy his life that made him think that way. She even started to smile around him more. As much as she broke down his walls he bulldozed her's with an ease that should've been worrying.
'We need to talk, the same place as usual.'
Because that narrowed it down Shinjiro. Rosemary closed her eyes for a few seconds before paying the bill for lunch. The same place as usual, did he mean the back alley? She gathered that's what he meant. She'd have to walk back to the strip mall after dropping Ken off. She felt her body ache at that thought and wondered how the hell Minato was able to do this. The other teen was just as low energy as she was, it was mind-boggling.
"Are you going to be in Iwatodai for the rest of Golden Week?" Ken asked her.
"My aunts asked that I visit them in the city for the rest of the week," She answered with an apologetic expression, "Would you like me to bring anything back?"
'Neo Featherman.'
His mind supplied the answer for her before he could stop it. His cheeks turned bright pink, and she gave him a fond smile. Yeah, she could bring him back an action figure. And possibly a t-shirt. That reminded her that she also had to stop by the dorm to pick up her suitcase. Mitsuru and the others were already informed that she'd be gone until the upcoming Sunday. Then she'd be busy studying for the exams that started that week. She really was going to be stressed for a while until it was over.
She walked Ken back to his dorm with the promise of bringing him something back before heading back to the dorm to pick up her small suitcase that had enough clothes to last her a week. She stopped at the back alley to meet up with Shinjiro. The taller teen seemed surprised to see her in casual dress. A white dress shirt tucked into tight black jeans wasn't what he expected out of her. She tapped the tip of her sneakers against the pavement in thought and he decided to start the conversation.
"You really give off the older sister vibe, y'know that?" He asked her as he shoved his hands into his pockets as a shiver went down his spine.
"Thank you?" She said, though he easily caught her confusion.
"So, you'll be gone for the rest of the week," He said, and she gave a small nod of confirmation, "Aki's going to drive himself nuts without someone to hold him back."
She gave him a look at that, and he easily ignored it. She was good at staring people down; he'd give her that. She looked away after a few minutes before giving a small sigh. She really did look tired. She needed to wake up, she had a train ride ahead of her. He didn't even know where her family lived. She could be going all the way up north.
"I really should get going," She muttered to herself as she checked the time on her MP3 player, "Make sure to take care of yourself, all right?"
He narrowed his eyes in a glare and she gave him a small smile in return. He closed his eyes as she turned and hurried towards the station so she would make her train. Once she was gone he felt his cheeks warm up and he brought a hand out of his coat to rub the back of his head. That damn smile of her's was going to be the death of someone, he was calling it early. It made her eyes look lively and less dull. It was nice to see. He paused as soon as he finished thinking that.
"Shit."
He was starting to get even more attached; he'd be damned if it went any further than a slight friendship. He was pulled from those thoughts as Castor raged within him. He pulled out a small, cylindrical container from his coat and opened it before tipping it and letting a small pill fall from its opening and into his waiting palm. That little pill was the reason why he was so against getting attached. He'd just leave behind someone who didn't deserve that pain. He sighed before swallowing the pill dry, it had a bitter aftertaste to it that he couldn't quite place. He placed the container back in his pocket and trudged towards his usual spot. He allowed himself to think about what he had learned about Amada Ken.
The kid was sharp and easily conversed with Rosemary after a few moments where she tried to comfort him. The kid needed physical contact in the form of a hug or hand on the shoulder, but she couldn't do that due to her past. Ken acknowledged that and was able to read more into her words and body language. Every slight twitch and tiny smile she sent his way had a meaning. Most kids weren't able to read body language that well, the fact that Ken could was impressive. Shinjiro knew he was the reason why Ken had that trait. Rosemary wasn't there to inform him that it wasn't and that was the reason why he hadn't thought about that around her. He wanted to have the ability to wallow and think without someone trying to give him a different point of view.
Though, he felt like she did it because she had the outside view of someone looking in. He could read body language like Ken and knew when she was hearing negative thoughts and when she heard something that amused her. For negativity, her left-hand twitched, sometimes it would be a single finger or the whole appendage. For amusement, the corners of her mouth gave a subtle upwards twitch while she let out a short breath through her nose. Great, his thoughts had strayed again. At least Castor wasn't giving him any more problems, and wouldn't be for a while.
He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of the back alley. He had some time to kill before the dark hour ascended on Iwatodai, he'd continue to stare at the spot where his biggest mistake happened. It was an attempt at atonement. It was the only thing he could do, for now.
Rosemary quietly tapped her foot to a song from Yosuke's playlist and read her book. The bullet train was just as quiet as the monorail, but faster. It made the four-hour journey to Tokyo seem short. She felt slightly overwhelmed at going back to a large city. She felt her stomach twisting at the fact that her abilities had grown to the point where she was starting to hear deeper thoughts when she concentrated. She looked at her book with slight guilt, she was even starting to look people in the eyes to try and see if she could stop herself from automatically learning everything about them. She could after the tenth person she'd done it to.
She felt like Icarus had something to do with it, and with the pounding in her skull that was the obvious answer. She'd never been able to do it before. She sighed and closed her book before turning to look out the window. She hoped that everyone was doing all right. Minato said he wanted to continue climbing the blocks of Tartarus after the full moon and Mitsuru gave him the all-clear. He apologized for not waiting for her to come back. She had waved off his apology and asked that he stay safe because she wasn't there to make a shield if someone was attacked.
Four hours later saw her walking out of the correct station as she pulled her suitcase behind her. She looked around for her cousin or aunt and was surprised to see her uncle instead. Her uncle looked like the picture-perfect Japanese salaryman, but he had a kindness to him that changed that notion. He liked to tell jokes, he liked to go jogging when he had the time, and he also had a knack for collecting model feudal era weaponry. She didn't know how that last one started and Naomi refused to tell her. Yosuke thought it was a cool hobby, she guessed it was a Hanamura thing. She felt nervous upon seeing his happy expression.
"You look just like your grandmother with your hair that long," He informed her as he gave her shoulder a light pat, "It's almost uncanny."
"…Thank you…" She mumbled her gratitude.
"She's sent letters," He said as he propelled her to his car and placed her luggage in the trunk with ease, "I'm her favorite son-in-law but she somehow has a favorite grandson-in-law."
"That leaves either me or Yosuke," She pointed out, "And he likes that one idol so it's probably me."
"She gave a lot of information but never said his name," Her uncle stated, and she blinked at the slight frown on his face, "I hope this boy treats you right."
"I hope so too."
It was quiet after that as they both listened to a city pop station. It was an odd trait to share without being blood, but they both enjoyed city pop and jazz. She liked feeling closer to her uncle, he was a good father to her cousin. Sometimes she was jealous of Yosuke for that reason.
"You're going to be dragged around the city while you're here," Her uncle informed her, "I told him to take you to a nice café that's in Yongen-Jaya, you might enjoy the curry there."
"I've never had curry before," She muttered with the slightest of frowns.
"The owner makes the best curry, and his place is always quiet."
She gave a slight nod of understanding at that and welcomed the sight of the Hanamura house. Naomi welcomed her in with a soft smile that was just like her grandmother's. The woman looked like a perfect blend of her mother and father. Her eyes were almond-shaped but had the European lid, her mouth was small, and her eyes were a brilliant blue. Those blue eyes came from her father, something that seemed to skip most of the family.
Yosuke and Rosemary had the light brown eyes of their grandmother but different hair colors. Sumire looked more like their grandfather but with the light brown eyes and blonde hair of her father. The only one that looked Japanese out of all the grandkids was her brother and Yosuke. Something their grandmother found amusing if her letters were anything to go by.
"Have some dinner before you head to bed," Naomi said in a strict voice, "I know you have a bad habit of skipping meals when tired."
Rosemary gave a small nod as she removed her shoes at the door before walking into the house. Yosuke gave her a bright grin when she walked into the dining room and sat down next to him. He had so many plans that it startled her a bit. She could feel her body aching at the amount of walking that she'd be doing. She also had to keep an eye out for souvenirs for her friends. Minato didn't really care what she brought him back and simply appreciated the sentiment behind it. Yukari liked pink, so she'd try to find her something to clip her hair back with when she was at her club meetings. Akihiko was quite simple as he didn't like expensive things and preferred items that he could use or easily maintain. Mitsuru was going to be the hardest person to find something for. She wasn't even going to think about Junpei. She'd figure something out.
"You look exhausted," Yosuke commented as dinner began, "It's making me tired."
"It couldn't possibly be your video game habits," Naomi dryly commented as she sent her son a stern look, "Getting sleep is important."
"Those who sleep a lot grow taller," Rosemary's uncle commented and she blinked at the saying.
She'd never heard that one before. It was a bit strange, but it perpetuated a healthy sleep schedule, so she wasn't going to be negative towards it. Sleep sounded better than the meal in front of her. Nanbanzuke, marinated fried fish. It smelt heavenly, but she knew her body was going to have some difficulty digesting it. The miso soup was going to be easier on her and was what she finished first. She then started on her small plate of tsukemono and ate that along with her rice.
"Thank you for the meal," She quietly said to Naomi as the older woman started cleaning up.
"You eat so slow," Yosuke informed his cousin in a teasing manner.
"At least I know that she tasted it," Naomi sighed as the tall teen brought her dishes to the sink and started to help with cleanup.
Yosuke sheepishly rubbed the back of his head at that. He had a bad habit of quickly eating his food so he could go do other things. More than once he had made him mother upset by doing that. It was usually when she was trying a new dish from a different region of Japan. When she tried making Tofu they learned that his body couldn't really process it. He would get sick after eating a serving. She wasn't mad about that and was relieved that he had gotten better. He got hot pot when his stomach recovered so all was forgiven.
"Is school going well?" Naomi asked her niece.
"Yes, I'm at the top spot in my class," She nodded, "I'm hoping to hold that title until I graduate."
Naomi paused at that and looked towards the tall girl. She had a steeled look to her eyes that was unlike her. Iwatodai had changed her. Whether it was a boy or her friends, Rosemary refused to leave that area without a fight. Good, she was going to need to keep that determination if she wanted to win against her mother. She sent Rosemary to bed and got a raised brow from the teen before she went to lay down.
"She's not going to win, is she?" Yosuke asked from his spot at the table.
"No, she's not," Naomi softly sighed, "Not on her own, on this trip, there'll be a moment that will shake her to the core and possibly cause her pain."
"Why does she have to suffer?" He grumbled as he frowned.
"Because this has the best outcome for her future," She answered and his frown deepened, "My mother had many faults, and stopping me from taking your cousin away when I noticed the abuse was the worst thing she did…even after explaining that all ends well."
"That's bullshit and you know it," He stated as he narrowed his eyes in a manner that was eerily reminiscent of Rosemary, "She still could've found that best outcome while being treated normally."
Naomi looked at him with a sad expression and he lost steam for his anger. She knew that, oh god did she know that. All Rosemary had to do was grow up happy before being sent to meet that boy she liked. She could've done that two years ago, and met him before the accident. Yosuke gave her one last look before heading to bed himself, he was hoping to make his cousin happy before she headed back to Iwatodai. He now had the ability to do so.
"Naomi."
Naomi turned to look at her husband who was giving her a sympathetic look. He knew that the actions she had taken bothered her and the guilt was starting to fester and grow. He walked up to her and gently pulled her into an embrace. They had the ability to show their niece that they loved her and that there was a family that wanted her. They could make sure she was happy; he'd sneak some things into her suitcase before she left.
"I messed up, Hiraku," Naomi muttered into his shoulder and he laid his hand on her back and gave it a few light pats, "I should've taken her away from my sister the moment I noticed that bright smile disappear."
"We can't fix the past, but we can make the present and future better."
"When did you get so wise?"
He gave her a small smile at that and winked. Naomi shook her head at her husband before he ushered her to bed. They had work for the next week, so they needed all the rest they could get so they would be able to keep up with two teenagers. They didn't really worry about Rosemary, more their own son who could be too energetic sometimes.
5, May 2009
Tokyo, Yongen-Jaya, Japan
Sakura Sojiro looked at the two teenagers that had walked into his café. They both ordered lunch and a cup of coffee. The boy asked for plenty of cream and sugar while the girl asked for him to surprise her. She didn't have any experience with coffee so he went with something mild with a dash of cream and a bit of sugar. He was surprised that the two teens were so well behaved that they were quietly talking as they waited and then thanked him when he placed their orders at their table.
"It's good," Rosemary quietly admitted, "I need to practice making curry."
"Somehow I don't doubt that you'll try to recreate this," Yosuke sighed in amusement as he watched his cousin slowly eat her curry while trying to figure out the spices, "Let me know if you ever get it right."
"Oh, I don't think I will," She said with a slight sigh, "There's a technique here that's nearly impossible to recreate unless taught."
Sojiro gave a slight smirk at that, she had a good head on her shoulders. He turned his head towards the tv when the news came on so that he would know if he had to close due to the weather. There was a chance of light showers in the late afternoon, after his hours. He turned to his newspaper and went back to the word cross.
Yosuke and Rosemary finished their food and paid before getting on a train to Shibuya to do some light shopping. He had allowed his cousin to rest the previous day so she wouldn't end up pushing herself too much and get sick. She was quietly walking next to him as he talked about his school and his friends. He was worried about the future and if his family was going to move, and what she'd do. She didn't know but decided on programming and research for her future. She never told him why and he watched as she paused outside a toy store before walking in. His eyes were wide in surprise when she exited with a plastic bag in her hand. She tilted her head at him, and he looked away.
She was doing things on her own. He wasn't about to tell her not to. He knew that she was bringing things back for her friends, one of which was a boy that she saw as a little brother. She wasn't replacing her sister or older brother but was looking after someone who needed it. They stopped at other stores. Clothing, sports, and even a bookstore. She picked up two copies of a computer book and a cooking book, new boxing gloves, a nice pink choker with a few pink roses on it, and a hair clip with white roses on it. She was struggling for Junpei of all people. Minato was easy as she saw a new Lotus Juice album and knew that the other boy liked the artist.
Yosuke and Rosemary took a small break and he got them some tea from a vending machine. He rubbed at his neck as he spared his cousin a glance as she took a small sip of her tea. She was thinking, and it was obvious by how her eyes were slightly glazed over. He wondered if her head was starting to hurt due to the number of people surrounding them. Her eyes flicked to the side and he jumped at the sudden clarity in her gaze. She gave him a slight nod before looking away.
So, she was being bothered by the thoughts surrounding her. She was better at hiding the pain than he remembered. He didn't even know what she was thinking about, and he was afraid to ask. That determination he saw the night she came was diminished and almost nonexistent. She moved the can of tea around in her hand and the action caught his attention. Its movement wasn't graceful, but slightly twitchy. He gave her a worried look as he finally noticed that she seemed anxious. She was holding it together, but something was bothering her.
Rosemary looked at the sea of people that flooded the area of Shibuya. Their thoughts had become louder and more distracting as she worked on the time limit she had to meet someone else's eyes before being forced to delve deeper into their minds. Some of what she saw was normal and she began to wonder if she'd have been like that if it wasn't for her mother. Hell, she could also throw her grandmother into that category. Her aunt at least felt remorse for her participation and was trying to make amends. She forgave the older woman because she knew that the remorse was genuine. She'd also seen what regret could do to someone. There goes her mind trying to bring up Shinjiro when he wasn't even a passenger on that train of thought.
'That woman was so beautiful.'
Her body tensed suddenly at that thought and the image of her mother that came with it. Her mother had dyed her hair, the blonde hair was now a tawny brown and framed her still youthful face. Those cold green eyes of hers hadn't changed one bit. She thickly swallowed and made a mental promise to find a gift for Junpei before heading back to her aunt's home. They needed to be quick about it otherwise her mother could find her. They finished their drinks and she ended up getting Junpei a new hat, a detective hat just to make his Ace Detective joke have a bit more of a flare to it. She would've been happy to head back to the house, but Yosuke asked if they could stop at a shrine to write an ema for a better year.
She almost said no, but he was giving her that one look she couldn't say no to. She made a mental promise to herself to make sure that Akihiko or Ken never learned of it. They would use it in a heartbeat. She felt a warmth in her chest at that thought and her expression softened to one of fondness. They were both as good as family, even if they weren't blood-related.
"Ah, Rosemary, it's good to see you again."
Rosemary's blood ran cold as the familiar voice and accent of her mother reached her ears. Yosuke looked towards his petrified cousin and noticed her expression of surprise and absolute terror. He would stand up to his aunt, but she scared him with how far she'd go. At how much damage she could do and get away with. He didn't know what went through her mind, but looking at Rosemary it couldn't be anything good.
Rosemary was welcomed to the older woman's broken thoughts and ideas. She had cracked, and she had cracked hard. All those manipulations and the abuse she did had started to erode her mind. She was erratic and that was dangerous, it was made worse when she found the thought that showed she was armed. She looked around at the shrine and cursed that it was empty, the one day that the prefecture was busy, and the shrine was empty? What were the odds? Seriously, she'd really like to know the odds for that. It had to be one in a billion odds. She remembered her decision of not allowing her mother to control her life anymore and felt her body relax a bit. Icarus was growling in the back of her mind, showing that she wasn't really alone. She slowly stepped in front of Yosuke to protect him and his thoughts told her he was surprised.
"You need to leave," She informed her mother in a voice that was stronger than she felt, "You aren't welcomed."
"When did you grow a spine?" Her mother asked in a childish voice.
'You little freak, it's your fault that everything went to hell. Your father won't even look at me and prefers to spend his time with those whores that gave him those illegitimate offspring.'
"I don't care, Susan," Rosemary said as her eyes narrowed in Shinjiro's glare, "You will leave me and Yosuke alone and go back to your own pathetic life."
Susan stared at her daughter as Yosuke did so as well. He had never heard his cousin stand up for herself. It was oddly awesome. He hoped that would be enough for the older woman to leave, but the sound of skin being struck made his stomach drop and he felt himself freeze up as he saw Rosemary's head whip to the side from the force. She didn't even react to the older woman hitting her and only paid attention to Icarus. The sounds of encouragement echoing in her mind, and through her body gave her courage.
"Violence is all you really can do, isn't it?" Rosemary asked in a soft voice and Susan glared at her daughter, "I would pity you, but your life is of your own making you knew what father was like before you married him."
"Then you went and made his infidelity public knowledge with that freakish ability of yours," Susan hissed as she grabbed the front of the teen's shirt and dragged her forward, "You proceeded to ruin so many people's lives."
"I didn't ask to be this way," Rosemary countered as her voice rose an octave as she grew angry at the woman in front of her, "Isn't it a mother's job to try and figure out their child and help them grow in the best possible way?"
"No mother could put up with you!"
'That boy you've been coming onto wouldn't be able to put up with you, he'd leave you just like everyone else has…face it, you'll always be alone.'
Her mother was using her own thoughts against her? Icarus muttered and wondered how her summoner was going to handle this. Rosemary wasn't going to use violence against her mother, she wasn't going to stoop down to her level. She'd use her words and leave. She gently pried her mother's hands from her shirt and gave her a contemplative look.
"Stay out of my life," She said, "I'm done letting you have any say over it, you lost any right the moment you pushed me into that riptide."
"Why won't you hit me back?" Susan asked her with a glare as her face contorted in fury.
"Because I refuse to stoop down to your level," She answered in a calm voice as she allowed her anger to leave her.
"May-chan, look out!" Yosuke called out when he watched the older woman rush forward only to have Rosemary step to the side and let her fall to the ground.
"Let's head back," Rosemary said to Yosuke, "Auntie should be back, yeah?"
"Yeah."
Yosuke watched as Rosemary placed a hand against her throbbing cheek and let out a soft sigh. That could've gone way worse than it had. He could've lost his cousin. She narrowed her eyes and rolled her shoulders before turning to him.
"She had a weapon but didn't even try to use it," She quietly informed him, "I wouldn't travel alone for a while."
"I think you shocked her," He pointed out, "You never stood up to her before."
She gave him a thoughtful look before gaining a tiny smile at that. At least something good came out of her leaving England. Having friends made her want to stand up for herself and…live. She came to that realization a while ago. She actually wanted to live, something that she hadn't wanted in a long time. She would never tell Naomi or Yosuke they'd have her move to Tokyo to keep an eye on her. She closed her eyes at that thought and felt fatigued as her adrenaline left her. It was worse than how she felt after the dark hour.
"Hey, go ahead and sleep," Yosuke told his cousin, "I'll wake you up at our stop."
"Thanks, Yo-chan."
"No problem, May-chan."
She retained that small smile before slipping into a small nap.