Immediately reappearing in Subton City, Reina was not prepared for what she saw next.
Based on the streets she saw, the city would've ordinarily been teeming with people and Pokémon walking around, enjoying life as it came to them. However, the wide avenues jutting out in all directions were devoid of any activity, and even the buildings standing tall and proud didn't seem to be occupied. Confused about this lifeless sight, Reina was about to ask Junna and Masako what happened before she remembered.
Reina had only heard it in passing, but that was already enough of an answer. Having previously seen a similar scene of silence back in Termezzo Town, the empty scene in front of her was a far preferable alternative compared to the havoc the Ultra Beasts would wreak here. Still, Reina couldn't help but wonder why she didn't see any of them, even though a large-scale invasion was supposed to currently be occurring.
"Where have the Ultra Beasts gone? Are they mostly defeated or…" The words came out of Reina's mouth before she realized Junna and Masako almost certainly wouldn't know. Since they previously mentioned they were at HTT's headquarters for whatever reason and travelled to Dacap City's hospital shortly after, there wouldn't be much time for them to know about the events which occurred in Subton City.
"Well, Knuckle-senpai should be fighting the last of them along with our seniors." Junna answered. "At least, that's what he told us when we last spoke to him. Relatively few Ultra Beasts appeared here in Subton City, which is why we could go to Houkago Records' headquarters in the first place. That's also one of the reasons we asked you if you wanted to come with us. It should be safer here compared to Dacap Town."
"Knuckle-senpai? Who's that?" Vaguely recalling Junna had mentioned that name before, Reina couldn't place what context it was in. Though that quickly enshrined itself as a burning question in her mind, it was quickly joined by another wondering prompted by something else Junna said. "You also mentioned you were at Houkago Records because you were freed up here. What exactly were you doing there?"
"Oh, Knuckle-senpai is our nickname for Narai Tanabe, the Gym Leader of Subton City's Gym." Masako explained. "As for why we were at Houkago Records, I'm afraid we can't tell you that. It's supposed to remain a secret. All I can say is that as Trainers helping out at the Subton City Gym, Knuckle-senpai recommended that Junna, Tsubame, and myself go in his place. That way, he could focus on the Ultra Beasts."
"I see." Her words revealed almost nothing on the surface, but what Masako just said gave Reina another clue as to the circumstances behind everything which happened today. Gym Leaders were ultimately subordinate to the League, which meant the League was involved with HTT one way or another. Combined with her previous knowledge about Asuka, HTT, and the Ultra Beasts, a clearer picture began to form in Reina's mind.
Because of something HTT did, the League was dead-set on pursuing them. Whatever means the League was using to apprehend them was somehow interrupted by the Ultra Beasts, which Reina suspected HTT had a hand in. This meant the League was now tied up in dealing with the Ultra Beasts, preventing them from getting at HTT with their full force. Asuka rescuing her and Kumiko was just a happy accident.
That was the conclusion Reina came to, but there were still too many questions left unanswered in this scenario. For starters, why was the League after HTT? Based on what Asuka said before, this had something to do with the Messa di Voce, but exactly what was completely unknown. And how did HTT pull off what they did with such perfect timing? Too much added up too well to be merely a coincidence.
With more mysteries appearing as she found out more, Reina was about to ask Junna and Masako a few more questions when she heard the sounds of a scuffle. Readying her Pokéballs, Reina was about to send out her Pokémon, but seeing a Stakataka being forcefully knocked backwards caused her to freeze in her tracks.
As Reina wondered what could have produced so much force, a spinning projectile soon appeared before opening up, revealing itself to be an Excadrill. Folding its claws around its body again, the Excadrill burrowed into the ground and burst out where the Stakataka fell a few moments earlier, decisively striking it down.
Looking around in confusion as to who the Excadrill's Trainer was, Reina soon got her answer when Junna and Masako began swooning. Gazing in that direction, Reina saw a young man walk out from a nearby alleyway, accompanied by several Pokémon which were at least part Ground-type. From this, it was easy to inference that this person was the Gym Leader.
"Yo, Junna, Masako. Glad to see you two got back here safely." he greeted them, intensifying the looks of adoration on their faces. "Where's Tsubame? I thought she'd be coming back with you two from the hospital. And who's this lovely lady here? Did you find her on the way back?"
"Yes we did, Knuckle-senpai." Junna swiftly answered. "Her name's Reina, and we found her outside the hospital. Apparently, she's having a bit of relationship trouble with her girlfriend, so we've agreed to plan a date for them somewhere close by and help mend their bond. Right now, Tsubame should be going around the hospital searching for Reina's girlfriend, which means she'll be back sometime soon as well."
"Aww, I was planning to have a party to celebrate this area now being Ultra Beast-free once Tsubame returned, but looks like we've got something far more important on our hands here." Knuckle half-jokingly responded. "A maiden's broken heart needs to be restored quickly, or she'll be left longing for the past. Whatever you're planning to do, you've got my full support here."
"There you go again, Knuckle. Always waxing poetic when it comes to the ladies." A young glasses-wearing woman with short black hair emerged from the same alleyway, catching Knuckle by surprise. "Junna, Masako. It's great to see you again so soon. With everything I've been told about what happened at Houkago Records, I'd thought you'd be stuck there for much longer."
"It's kind of crazy how the situation resolved itself so quickly back there thanks to Tanaka and Nakaseko arriving to help us. If it wasn't for them, I don't think we'd be standing here right now." Masako replied. "Reina, this is Saki Kayama. She's our senpai at the Perto City Gym. Saki, this is Reina. I'm sure you've heard quite a fair bit of what we said back there about her."
"Hey, don't forget about me!" another voice shouted out. Looking over, Reina saw another young woman run out, her medium-length brown hair tied into a ponytail. "Just because I got held up back there doesn't mean you can ignore me like that. Is that how you treat one of your senpais?"
"Sorry about that, Miyoko-senpai." Junna apologized. "I couldn't see you from where I'm standing, so I thought you weren't with Knuckle-senpai or Saki-senpai. With the exception of Tsubame, that means we're now all here! Oh, yeah. Reina, this is Miyoko Ono, another one of our senpais."
"Nice to meet you all." Politely bowing, Reina noted that Knuckle was the only guy out of everyone she met here. With how everyone else seemed to be smitten with him from how they acted, this caused Knuckle to resemble the protagonist of some cliched teenage rom-com. Despite this, the girls looked like they were all on friendly terms with each other, indicating there wasn't any actual romance going on. "I hope you'll treat me well."
"Great! Then let's head back to the Gym." Gesturing for Reina to follow them, Knuckle then began walking down one of the streets she saw earlier with his entourage. A short while later, they reached the rather plain-looking Gym building, which was surprisingly unharmed considering the Ultra Beast outbreak.
"And here we are! The Subton City Gym!" Masako announced. "It may look rather ordinary on the outside, but trust me when I say that appearances can be deceiving. While you've got your standard Gym fare on the surface, the underground complex beneath it is where everything happens. Though it's actually quite small-scale compared to the renovations Eigve City's Gym recently went through…"
Entering the building, Reina initially thought that the Gym's interior was yet another bog-standard design, but she then noticed an entire row of cargo elevators dotting the back wall behind the battlefield. With Knuckle and the girls clearly not planning on stopping here, Reina went with them as they filed into one of the cargo elevators, and waited until it headed down after seeing its doors close.
Descending beneath the earth, it only took a few moments of vertical travel before the elevator doors opened again with a 'ding!', revealing a spartan yet colorful foyer underground. Stepping out of the elevator, Reina felt a blast of cool air breeze past her. Whatever ventilation system was being used was certainly doing its job well. Perhaps a little bit too well.
"Welcome to our humble abode, if I do say so myself." This time, it was Junna who introduced their current locale to Reina. "Well, to be more accurate, we don't actually live here all the time. That would be too depressing. Most of us switch between staying at our regular homes and our rooms here. There's also a few guest rooms down here, so you can pick and choose which one you want to spend the night in."
"...Thanks." After everything that happened today, someone showing her even the faintest gesture of hospitality was already enough to overwhelm Reina. While all the pain she received couldn't be gone with just one stroke, it was the mere thought that someone was still looking out for her which nearly made Reina tear up in gratitude. She wasn't alone after all.
"Once you're done settling in, just head out back here to the elevator lobby. We'll have someone waiting there to pick you up for dinner." Knuckle continued, causing Reina to realise that it was already evening now. "After that, you're free to do what you want. Whether it be planning your date or getting some rest after such a long day, your time's yours now."
Nodding to Knuckle in affirmation, the next few moments passed by rather rapidly from Reina's perspective. Quickly choosing the room she wanted to sleep in, Reina picked the one with the largest bed, wanting herself to get some quality rest tonight. Dropping off her bag inside, Reina then returned to the elevator lobby and found Masako leaning against a wall there.
Following Masako's lead, Reina soon arrived in what seemed to be the facility's dining hall. Though it resembled a spartan cafeteria, the smell of good food wafting by was enough for Reina to forget her immediate surroundings. Spotting the table where Knuckle and the others were seated, Reina immediately devoured the food in front of her with such vigour she completely forgot what she ate.
Finishing her meal, this would normally be the perfect time for engaging in small talk with the others, but Reina wasn't the sort of person interested in doing that. Instead, she waited in silence until everyone else was wrapping up their meals and beginning to leave. With the only people now remaining at the table being Junna and Masako, Reina knew that it was time for what she came for.
"Alright then! Let's go somewhere else and start planning out your date!" Masako cheerily told her. The three girls retreating to Reina's room, Junna and Masako seated themselves on the bed, while Reina sat on one of the available chairs. Fishing out a notebook and pen being held under her arm, Masako clicked the latter once before taking her phone out as well.
"I talked with Tsubame over the phone before dinner, and she says that she managed to find Kumiko at the hospital. Right now, Kumiko's currently at her home, where she's going to stay the night." Masako began, causing Reina to breathe a sigh of relief at the good news. "Which now means we've got one less thing to worry about."
"That's good to hear…" Though she was pleased to hear that Masako's plan had gone smoothly so far, Reina was still worried about how Kumiko was faring. Just a few hours earlier, Kumiko had been teetering dangerously close to the brink of death, and learning that she was discharged without much issue made Reina even more anxious. What if her condition worsened again much later?
Of course, the fact that Kumiko was successfully discharged in the first place meant there wasn't much to worry about. If a doctor or nurse had examined her and found nothing wrong, then there wasn't much reason for Reina to doubt that Kumiko was recovering smoothly. With Kumiko's condition no longer a matter of uncertainty, Reina could now fully focus on planning their date again.
"I remember you mentioning a place called Crescent Moon Lake when you first suggested the idea of having a date." Simply by hearing such an elegant name, Reina was already intrigued at the prospect of going there, preferably with Kumiko by her side. "Could you tell me more about it?"
"Oh, I'm surprised you're still thinking about that." Masako let out an embarrassed chuckle. "The lake's in the middle of a secluded area on top of a nearby hill, and the only way up there is to go through a shrine. Normally, getting there is restricted, but Tsubame's little sister happens to work at the shrine, so bending the rules a bit just for your date shouldn't be a problem."
"What's so special about it? There must be some reason you suggested going there right at the beginning. Is it a popular date spot for couples?" Reina asked, getting even more curious about the lake. If she wanted her chances of reuniting with Kumiko to be as high as possible, then Reina needed all the information she needed to make sure the date was a success.
"For starters, the lakeside view is simply magnificent. No matter what time of day or season of the year it is, the trees and lake always seem to have an ethereal pink color to time." Junna replied. "Another reason Masako suggested going there is because there's going to be a crescent moon this week. During that time, everything seems to glow in the moonlight. That's one of the reasons the lake got its name. I've even heard rumors you can see an extremely beautiful Pokémon under a crescent moon!"
"Hmm, so is there an optimal viewing time for this Pokémon you mentioned?" Junna not mentioning what Pokémon it was only seemed to increase the lake's mystique in Reina's eyes. As Junna didn't seem to know its name, it was certainly a rare Pokémon indeed, which made Reina all the more interested in going there. Being able to see it together with Kumiko would be quite spectacular indeed.
"Well, I've only heard of it appearing when a crescent moon is visible in the sky as well, so I'd suggest going there at night." It was Masako who answered this time. "Since you also want to challenge the Gym here, you can do that first thing tomorrow and get it out of the way, then go on your date the day after. Perfect! Now that we've got the impressive finale down, let's move on to planning backwards from there. In the meantime, I'll ask Tsubame to help move things along with regards to the shrine…"
"Ms. Kamaya, are you sure we've been Teleported to the right place?"
Reappearing in front of a modestly-sized house, Kumiko was confused as to where they had ended up. The area around her didn't look like it belonged in a bustling city. Rather, its quaintness reminded Kumiko of her home back in Relude Town. Looking around to get a better view of her surroundings, Kumiko then saw Tsubame fishing for something in the pockets of her jeans.
"Um, it's OK if you just call me Tsubame, Ms. Oumae." Seemingly taken aback by how formally Kumiko was addressing her, Tsubame's face was soon tinged with a faint shade of red. "Since my friend insisted you stay with me for the next few days, we're now at my family's house on the outskirts of Subton City. My parents are out of town for the time being, so it's just my little sister and I here."
"You can call me Kumiko too, Tsubame." With the politeness fiasco now out of the way, Kumiko watched as Tsubame produced a key after a few more moments of searching. Following Tsubame up to her house's front door, Kumiko waited as she fiddled around with the lock for several seconds. Immediately after she opened the door, a blur of brown leapt at Tsubame from inside the house.
"BIG SIS~!" a loud voice affectionately exclaimed. Once Tsubame stopped moving, Kumiko got a closer look at just what tackled her. Her long chestnut hair tied up in two 'horns' using pastel-colored elastic bands, a girl younger than Kumiko by a couple of years gazed lovingly into Tsubame's eyes with her own cherry-red ones, which were framed by pink-rimmed glasses.
"Suzume, you don't have to greet me like that every time I come home. You're already 14 now, for Pete's sake." Tsubame let out an exasperated sigh as she tried to pry herself away from the smothering hug. "As long as you welcome me back with a simple smile, I'm content with that."
"Aww, but how can I show that I love you very much, big sis? Come on, what's sisterhood without a little skinship?" Unfortunately for Tsubame, any attempt at escaping the glomp was futile, as it only seemed to tighten the more she struggled. "Oh, who's this? She doesn't look like anyone from the Gym. Don't tell me Mr. Knuckle managed to seduce yet another girl… Or is she your girlfriend?"
"Suzume, it's not like that." Finally managing to get away from the death grip she unwittingly found herself entangled in, Tsubame adjusted her glasses. "This is Kumiko. She'll be staying here for a few nights because of a zany plan my friends thought up. Kumiko, this is Suzume Kamaya, my younger sister."
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Kumiko!" Enthusiastically taking Kumiko's hand and shaking it, Suzume's eyes sparkled brightly from behind her glasses. "So, how do you like my big sis so far? Isn't she so cool? I mean, everything about her is so awesome! From her cute nerdy demeanour to how she's so adorably adorkable to-"
"Alright, I think Kumiko here has heard enough." Even as Suzume continued to gush about her, Tsubame gestured for Kumiko to follow her into the house. "Sorry about that. When it comes to me, my little sister can be quite a handful at times. And sometimes a mouthful. Otherwise, she's just your regular teenage girl."
"Ehh, alright…" Remembering how Mamiko used to dote on her when they were younger (and to a certain extent nowadays), Kumiko wanted to chalk all this up to just regular sisterly affection, but something told her this clearly wasn't the case. From the moment she met her, all Suzume seemed to talk about was her big sister. In a way, it reminded Kumiko of how Kaori talked about Asuka.
After Suzume finally came in, Tsubame closed the door behind them. Taking off her shoes at the entrance, Kumiko trailed her hosts as she went deeper into their home. The Kamaya household was just another regular living space, with the occasional picture of the two sisters and/or their parents mounted somewhere. In other words, Kumiko didn't find it all that different compared to her own home.
"Take a seat anywhere you want, Kumiko." Tsubame offered as she headed up a staircase. "I'll be back in a few moments after I get changed. Suzume, you keep Kumiko company for the time being. Though make sure not to mention me that much. You'll creep out Kumiko like that…"
"Got it, big sis!" Suzume saluted, hearts seemingly appearing in her eyes. Once Tsubame disappeared upstairs, Suzume intently looked at Kumiko as she rested herself on the sofa. "Don't you think that big sis is the best? Not only is she a great friend, but she's also very hospitable too! No wonder she got asked to bring you here! Big sis will definitely make you feel welcome in our home!"
"Ehh, thanks…" Tsubame really wasn't joking with how much her sister adored her, Kumiko thought before sitting down on a nearby chair. With how much she gushed over Tsubame, Suzume was toeing the dangerously thin line between being an overly affectionate younger sister and a lovestruck fool whose advances were unrequited. Having such a relationship occur was deeply problematic in more ways than one.
"Hey, Ms. Kumiko. Are you a Pokémon Trainer? You look like you're the same age as big sis, so you should be one." Suzume asked. Finally talking about something else other than Tsubame, Kumiko was confused as to why Suzume would say that. It wasn't until Kumiko realized her Pokéballs had been placed in her bag that she figured out Suzume wouldn't see them, so of course she wouldn't know.
"Yes, I'm a Pokémon Trainer. I'm currently travelling the region and challenging the Gyms I come across." Kumiko told Suzume, who looked on with shining eyes. Or perhaps, that was just the glasses of her spectacles reflecting the light around her. "Right now, I've got five- no, six badges. Man, things have been so hectic that I almost forgot I got a badge yesterday…"
Noticing that tears were beginning to well up in Kumiko's eyes, Suzume quickly grabbed a handful of tissues from a nearby table and handed them to her. "Ms. Kumiko, we don't have to talk about what happened over the past few days if you don't want to. That's alright with me. As long as you're alright, there's nothing to worry about."
"...Thanks." Taking the tissues from Tsubame, Kumiko wiped the nascent tears about to streak down on her face. "Yeah… it's been a really rough couple of days for me. My… girlfriend's disappeared for the second time in two days, and I was hospitalized earlier today after getting hit by a Pokémon move. I've recovered from the latter, but the former… well, that all depends on whether Tsubame's friends can deliver."
"You don't have to fret about that, Ms. Kumiko." Suzume reassured her. "After all, they're my big sister's friends! Knowing the type of people she's acquainted with, I can bet you they can find your girlfriend no matter where she is! Oh, and didn't you say you were challenging Gyms around the region? If you haven't already, why not challenge the Gym my big sis works at here in Subton City? You can pass the time there."
"Oh yeah…" Remembering that Tsubame was a Trainer at Subton City's Gym, it was then Kumiko had an inkling on an idea about what she could do while Reina was being found. If she managed to get a Gym Badge before Reina returned, then the girl she loved would certainly be impressed with her. That may very well convince Reina to return by her side for good. "I may give that a go."
"Great! Then I'll chat with big sis about it! She'll definitely be excited to hear that!" At this point, Suzume was positively gleaming. Even the slightest opportunity she had to talk about her sister was like a dream come true for her. Unable to comprehend this particular quirk of hers, Suzume's antics were one thing Kumiko decided to leave alone. That was a bucket of Wurmple she didn't want to touch anymore.
"Kumiko, I'm back. Did my little sister bother you too much?" Coming down the staircase from above, Tsubame emerged wearing a set of comfortable pyjamas. Instead of sitting next to her little sister on the sofa, Tsubame opted to seat herself in the chair opposing Kumiko's instead. After having first-hand experience of how obsessed Suzume was, Kumiko couldn't blame Tsubame.
"No. Not at all. In fact, she even suggested that I challenge the Gym here." Kumiko replied, to which Suzume shot a grin at her sister. "Since you should know the Gym Leader, could you arrange a time for me to have a match? I think it'll lift my spirits up when I'm waiting for Reina."
"Oh… I'll have to ask about that." Tsubame nervously answered, her eyes drifting away from Kumiko's gaze. Having just got off the phone with Junna and Masako, Tsubame didn't want Kumiko to know that Reina was also here at Subton City. If they accidentally met each other before the date was supposed to happen, especially if Kumiko went to challenge the Gym, then things would quickly spiral out of control.
"Aww, but I wanted to be the one to ask big sis about the Gym stuff." Suzume pouted from the sidelines. As her older sister shot her a look of disapproval, Suzume's stomach let out a rumbling growl, causing both Tsubame and Kumiko to laugh. Blushing in embarrassment, Suzume quickly apologized. "Um, sorry for the interruption. But it's nearly our usual time for dinner, and…"
'Don't worry, Suzume." Tsubame reassured her younger sister. "I'll make sure you'll be fed on time. Now, let's see… What should we have for dinner tonight? Aahh, there's not much food in the fridge… and I didn't go shopping today… and we've got a guest with us… and we don't have enough money in the house for takeout."
"As long as you don't mind, I can help you with preparing dinner, Tsubame." Kumiko offered. "I always did the cooking when I travelled with Reina, so I can say I've got some experience in that field. Besides, I'm also getting quite hungry too. I just realized I didn't even eat lunch today!"
"Well… I… um…" Caught off-guard by Kumiko's gesture of goodwill, Tsubame didn't know how to respond to her guest. Though she didn't want to burden Kumiko even more, Tsubame realized she had no choice in this matter. "Then I'll be in your care. To be honest, I'm not that experienced with cooking, so I'm grateful for your assistance."
"Anytime. It's the least I can do to repay your hospitality." Heading to the kitchen with Tsubame, Kumiko analyzed the ingredients lying around in the fridge and elsewhere before suggesting a couple of dishes to Tsubame. After gaining her approval, Kumiko then began to move around the kitchen, her hands methodically washing, chopping, and sorting what was soon to become their dinner.
Though Kumiko would normally consider the work she was currently doing to be monotonous and boring, the routine of it all made her feel relieved. The motions she made her way through were perfectly mundane, a far cry from everything else she had endured today. With some amount of normalcy finally returning to her life, Kumiko felt a sense of calm in her, but the lingering worry she had about Reina still persisted.
During a brief period when she was relatively unoccupied, Kumiko looked over at Tsubame, curious as to how her host was faring. While her movements were certainly smooth and well-practiced, Tsubame's technique was missing that cohesiveness to it. This made all her actions seem disjointed, slowing down the overall process. Even so, she still handled herself quite well in the kitchen.
Eventually, dinner was finished with little trouble, and faster than Kumiko expected. Though Tsubame's hand-eye coordination was slightly off, it didn't decrease her efficiency that much. Quickly plating the dishes, Kumiko and Tsubame delivered them to the dining table, where Suzume was eagerly waiting with anticipation. After saying their thanks, the three girls dug into their meals.
"Mm! This dish tastes amazing! Did you cook this, big sis?" Suzume asked, using her fork to jab at the dish she was talking about. Her eyes shining in amazement, Suzume's jovial mood outshone anything Tsubame or Kumiko were feeling in the moment, shifting control of the conversation to her. Unfortunately, the facts were bound to rain on her parade, and Tsubame was the bearer of bad news.
"Well, not quite. Ms. Kumiko and I collaborated on all the dishes, so you could say this was a team effort." Tsubame answered, to which Suzume dejectedly pouted. "For this dish, she chopped the ingredients, while I seasoned and marinated them. In terms of who did more, I'd say we split our workload quite evenly."
"Aww, but I wanted to eat food made only by big sis. You make the best dishes!" Suzume seemed sad at the prospect of tasting someone else's home cooking, but she then hit on an idea. Opening her mouth and closing her eyes, Suzume gestured to Tsubame. "C'mon, bis sis! Feed me!"
"Fine…" Ultimately relenting to Suzume's demands, Tsubame raised her food-filled spoon to her younger sister's lips, allowing her to close her mouth in delight. Squealing as she relished the taste, Suzume's mood quickly lightened up again. There really was no end to Suzume's idol-worship of her older sister.
Continuing the meal without any further interruptions, both the food itself and the accompanying conversations were quite pleasant, temporarily taking Kumiko's mind off everything else. Once there was nothing left in the various plates and bowls, Suzume volunteered to help do the dishes, which Kumiko and Tsubame approved of, as it took one more burden off their shoulders.
After that was out of the way, Tsubame showed Kumiko to the guest bedroom, along with the allocated bathroom. Dropping off her bag there, Kumiko then took a shower and brushed her teeth, tired from everything she went through earlier today. Flopping onto the surprisingly comfy bed, Kumiko was about to pass out when she saw the tip of something poke out from her bag.
Yanking it out with whatever strength she had left, Kumiko soon realized that it was the packet of Worry Seeds Kaori gave her earlier today back at the hospital. Remembering why they were given to her, Kumiko tinkered with the idea of taking one before bedtime like a regular pill when she immediately dismissed it. Since a Worry Seed was what woke her up in the first place, doing that was crazy for obvious reasons.
Tucking the packet back into her bag, Kumiko turned off the lights before laying face up on the bed, reflecting on past events. In the span of a single day, she had got Reina back and lost her again. Woken up alone, and went to sleep the same way, the first time in many nights she had done so. The lack of a reassuring warmth by her side was alienating to Kumiko, further doubled by the unfamiliar bed she found herself in.
However, if everything went well in the coming days, then Reina would be by her side again. Though they had gone through a lot both together and separately, any challenge would be no match once they were with each other. At least, that was what Kumiko hoped. Whatever the future held would only be known once it happened, but a future with Reina in it would never disappoint her.
With an optimistic sigh, Kumiko closed her eyes.
A/N: Everyone Reina meets is part of the percussion section in Kumiko's first year. As for Suzume Kamaya, she's a new character who first appeared in the third-year novels as one of Kumiko's new kouhais. And yes, that is her actual personality. I won't say anymore about Suzume pertaining to the plot of the novels themselves to avoid any spoilers.
