'You really don't have to walk me home, Tohsaka-san. I would hate to inconvenience you.' Lily expressed her concerns as the two young women exited the gate to Homuramara Gakuen.

'It's not a problem whatsoever. I would be more worried if you didn't have anyone accompanying you during your first day of school. Fuyuki City can also be slightly confusing to newcomers.' Rin spun her half truths and stretched notions to convince herself just as well.

Although the Tohsaka heir had confidently proclaimed that she would escort Lily back to wherever she lived following the school day, she now wondered about that momentary elicited bravado at the idea of any of her male classmates approaching the new girl. Was Rin being too forward? Was she inserting herself where she was unwanted? Would she cause Lily more discomfort than not? The fact Rin wanted to rush herself and Lily away from the school as quickly as possible spoke volumes to Rin's own apprehensions regarding her actions. She didn't want a confrontation with Sakura or Shirou. It was just simpler that way for now. Avoiding anyone who might know the truth behind Rin's activities was a purposeful act; one directly in correlation to the potential downfall of her current proceedings where Lily was involved.

'You're very kind, Tohsaka-san…' Lily smiled lightly, her expression tearing at Rin's heart as she allowed herself to witness it. Arturia had only truly smiled in Rin's presence, it seemed. She had fallen for that smile amongst many other things. This moment was no different aside from the hollow pain in Rin's chest at what the future might hold.

'I can be.' Rin swallowed. 'To those I find tolerable, anyway…which are few.'

'Oh?' Lily's eyes widened. 'I better not make a mistake then, I suppose.'

'I doubt you could.'

What the hell am I doing? Am I…really trying to flirt with her? Or am I just being "kind"? I hate being so conscious of my actions around both sexes now. It's irritatingly confusing.

'I hope so.' Lily giggled, her voice wind chimes Rin could listen to forever. 'I don't know what it is, but…something about you feels comforting.'

'Does it?' Rin blinked, approaching the end of the street where a four-way intersection existed.

'Strange, isn't it? Sort of like why I find myself here now.' Lily pulled at some of her hair as it blew about her face, Rin being forced to do the same thanks to the sudden gust of cool spring air. 'Before Mitsuzuri-san asked, coming to Fuyuki City and Japan was simply…something I needed to do. My parents were supportive, thankfully, but now that I'm here…it feels quite bizarre.'

'Your parents…' Rin let the thought linger for a moment. Lily's parents. Of course, she had parents. She had a life leading up to this moment. How could that…possibly work in relation to Arturia? Perhaps it was a similar phenomenon to the creation of the "Crimson Maiden". Had history, as Rin knew it, been rewritten to a degree? How much had actually changed? The thought was staggering, and an abyss Rin wasn't willing to delve into just yet.

'Oh! The light changed.' Lily brought Rin back to the moment. 'I'm going this way. What about you? I'm not far from here, really. I should be fine. I think. Almost certainly.' She blushed, and Rin felt a chill run her spine. She didn't want to leave her. Not at all. Even if she was just a spectre of Arturia, Lily existed and was almost surely related to Arturia somehow.

Rin glanced in the direction Lily pointed. She was going more so toward the Shopping District, which could be on Rin's way if she wished. It would make her walk home a bit longer, but that was hardly an issue. Still, she didn't want to overstay her welcome, and it's not as though she and Lily were completely away from classmates at this point. Despite the two of them hastily exiting the school, there were still individuals from their academy around that could very well spread unnecessary gossip out of pure envy. If Rin got close to Lily too quickly, she might inadvertently create a target on both of their backs. That's the last thing she wanted for the girl.

Highschool is so damn petty…

'I…don't mind coming with you.' Rin almost grimaced at herself for giving in so easily, but when Lily authentically smiled at her in apparent relief, the Tohsaka heir knew she had made the correct decision.

'Shall we?' She nodded to Rin, the two girls beginning to cross the intersection. They made it to the other side of the street easily enough, soon entering into the Shopping District where the congestion of traffic both on the road and sidewalk progressively amplified into near uncomfortable levels.

Nonetheless, despite Lily's perceived tentativeness, she was more than capable of weaving through a crowd with a notable amount of consideration to boot. Unlike the majority of the populace when it came to such crowds, Lily was more than willing to allow others to go first, or cut her off without raising a fuss. She practically danced through the periodic swarms of people, the way she pivoted and almost slid through small gaps of bodies impressive to Rin.

'Is London as busy as this sometimes?' Rin had to ask, for Japan was known for its mass gatherings of people in such shopping areas; especially considering Tokyo's Akihabara and Shibuya. It was rare for a foreigner to adjust easily unless they were from a comparably busy part of the world.

'Hm. Not as consistently, but I've certainly dealt with such waves of people before, yes. It's quite the challenge, at times.'

Rin had to smile. She wasn't sure how much Lily had studied Japanese, but she had clearly chosen the more elegant manner of speaking the language, which was rare. The fact she had dedicated so much time to learning a language based on a feeling she couldn't quite explain was also awe-inspiring. It made Rin selfishly hope she really was Arturia still somehow.

'Ah.' Lily slowed suddenly, peering into a small bakery amidst the hundreds of shops lining the street. It was something of a chain, its name well known through Japan as "Paris Baguette". Rin stopped near Lily, also peering into the large window.

'Want to make a stop?' Rin offered.

'We shouldn't…right?' Lily hesitated.

'It's fine. We'll be quick enough. Let's go.'

'O-okay!'

The door jingled as Rin entered the shop, both herself and Lily immediately greeted by the staff members present. Rin saw the double take on Lily, but the workers weren't rude about it, simply acknowledging something of an anomaly before getting back to their respective tasks. There were a few other customers present – a small family and some girls from another school, but otherwise, it was a fairly quiet afternoon for the establishment. Rin had been to this very shop with Kaede, Kane, and Yukika a couple of times before, so she at least knew the gist of it, thankfully. There were displays of food set around a large table in the centre of the room as well as along the far wall. On the other wall were tables and chairs for dining in. Coffee, tea, and so forth could be ordered at the counter once the customer had procured what they wanted from the buffet-like style of selections available. The interesting piece about the chain was that the exact choices varied depending on which Paris Baguette one visited, making pilgrimages across Japan a bit enticing to true "foodie" enthusiasts who wanted to understand the mysterious extent of the menu as far as pastries and such went.

'I am not sure I know where to begin.' Lily's eyes were wide and her mouth open partially in apparent excitement. She really was like Arturia when it came to food. They both had similar expressions before devouring whatever meal or snack was before them.

'You can try a few things. My treat.'

'I could never, Tohsaka-san.'

Rin prickled at the formal way of addressing her, but let it slide for the time being, considering where they were and the current situation.

'I insist. Consider it a "welcome to Fuyuki City" snack or whatever you need to. It's my pleasure.'

'The kindness you've shown me is nearly overwhelming. I don't think I'm quite worthy of it.'

You're more than worthy of anything I have to offer…Well, presuming you have a connection to Arturia. Ugh. This is becoming confusing.

'It's fine, Lily-san. Enjoy. I'll do the same.'

Rin said as much, but once she and Lily obtained a tray to share, she was taken aback by how many items the petite girl ended up adding to their purchase. Croissants, donuts, coffee buns, and a number of other pastries made the cut, Lily's eyes practically sparking and her tongue sliding across her top lip with clear anticipation more than a few times. She was ridiculously adorable, and a strange part of Rin felt her heart turn over in perplexity.

When Rin and Lily brought their tray to the counter, both employees were present. The male one was working on something in the back at the time, but came out to "help", and to likely take a closer look at Lily. The female, overly cheerful co-worker began ringing the stack of snacks through, the way she stifled a giggle appropriate, considering what Rin and Lily were buying, but still irritating.

'Would you like a drink today?' She asked, meeting Rin's eyes.

'Herbal green tea for me, please. Lily?'

'Hot chocolate, if you would be so kind.'

It was Rin's turn to withhold a laugh. Sugar on sugar? The Arturia Rin knew could easily work off such choices, but was Lily just as active? She mentioned kendo, so perhaps. Still, it was comedic all the same.

'Your total will be thirty-four hundred yen, then. Please take a seat wherever you would like, and we'll bring your drinks as soon as they're done.'

'Tohsaka-san! That's too much!' Started Lily, clearly not calculating what she selected based on the price cards carefully positioned in front of each item.

Rin chuckled.

'Well, you did pick quite the collection for us. But it's fine. I don't mind one bit.' Rin returned her attention to the female worker to pay her the appropriate amount from her wallet. 'Thank-you very much.'

Without addressing Lily's incoherent, hesitant sounds in response to Rin flippantly paying such a rather heft bill for snacks, Rin turned and brought the tray to a free table and chairs, knowing the scent of their food would be more than enough to draw the other girl along.

'You can eat as much as you want, Tohsaka-san.' Lily decided to take another approach as she and Rin sat down with the food between them on the table. 'I'll have the leftovers.'

'Do you say that knowing I'm not the biggest eater?' Rin raised a brow with a teasing smile. 'Because I'm fairly certain you have a healthy appetite.'

Lily blushed, covered her cheeks with her hands.

'I-I am attempting to rein that in a touch. My father claimed I would scare quite a few men away if I continued to eat the way I'm infamous for back home.'

'If a guy finds you enjoying food something he can't handle then he's not worth your time, as far as I'm concerned. Everything in moderation and appropriate for the way your body responds.'

'Right? I was in a lot of sports back in London, so, I didn't think it was such an issue.' Lily eyed the tray, apparently sticking to her word and waiting for Rin to pick first. She went with the chocolate drizzled croissant, since she had been the one to pick it to begin with. Lily then swiftly selected a maple dip donut that looked delectable.

'I was going to ask if there were any clubs Ayako-san mentioned that you'd be interested in. You said something about kendo?' Rin's cheeks tingled with pleasure upon biting into her snack. It was irrefutably good. A soft texture that broke apart pleasantly in her mouth with just the right hint of sugary chocolate.

'Mm-hm.' Lily covered her mouth as she chewed, humming before responding in delight as well. 'My! This is delicious! The icing is wonderful!'

'Is it?' Rin had to say, Lily's donut did look tasty.

'Quite! Would you like a bite…?' Lily cut herself off, blinking rapidly and shaking her head. 'That is, if I'm not being too forward. My research showed sharing food in Japan is considered an intimate act. I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable, Tohsaka-san.'

Rin rolled her eyes to sedate the heat rising to her cheeks.

'The only thing making me uncomfortable is you referring to me as Tohsaka-san still. You can use my first name. I'll allow it.'

'Really? But we…I suppose we hardly know one another.'

You "suppose"? Am I an idiot for latching on to any hint that there might be more to Lily? I'm not. I can't be. The evidence dictates that I'm not. However, my emotions are obviously impacting how I proceed with any of this. I'm not sure what I'm even doing anymore. Waiting for a chance to try and bring forth potential memories? I should do so elegantly though. I'm just building relations for now. Yes. That's it.

'Technically that might be true. Unless it isn't.' Rin made her move, keeping her words ambiguous enough to sidestep, if necessary.

At the expense of Rin's heart, Lily blinked in confusion, tipping her head on a slight angle to emphasize her reaction.

'Um…pardon?'

Rin felt the heat coursing through her in embarrassment. That same embarrassment morphed into frustration soon thereafter, and she nodded to Lily with a sharp movement.

'Never mind. I'll try a bite, please.'

'Oh. Um…Really?'

'Yes. Really.'

Lily laughed nervously, but held up her donut toward Rin for no longer than a second before she took a bite, pulling away from the baked good and allowing her tastebuds to dance in delight. Once she swallowed, she hummed in approval.

'Ah. Yes. That is really good. Thank-you.'

'Isn't it? You can have as much as you'd like, Tohsaka…er…R-Rin-san.' Lily stopped herself abruptly again, her eyelids fluttering and confusion returning to her pretty face. 'Rin…san. Rin…' She breathed out, back in, then out again, her gaze searching the air.

'Lily-san?' Rin held her own breath.

'I-I'm sorry.' Lily shook her head as if attempting to clear it. 'I just…perhaps it's still the jetlag, but I've been feeling so very out of sorts today. I know I'm still tired but…' She touched her chest, hand flat over her modest breasts as she continued to focus on her breathing. 'Gosh. I…feel so strange…'

Was Rin terrible for extracting more than a hint of hope from the discomfort the girl before her felt? Perhaps. But that didn't mean she would act on it just yet. Perpetuating any distress could have adverse effects, after all.

'We can always take our things to go.' Rin offered.

'No.' Lily bit at her bottom lip shyly. 'That is, I'm sure I can get past the feeling.'

'Anything for a good snack, right?' Rin smiled.

'I suppose so.' Lily giggled with another blush.

The drinks arrived soon thereafter, and Rin lifted hers toward the girl that wore Arturia's face but was still not quite her yet.

'To many more outings like this, if you would like.'

Lily swallowed her most recent bite involving the coffee bun, raising her hot chocolate and gently connecting with Rin's tea.

'That would be wonderful, Rin-san. Really.' The two girls lowered their drinks, taking ginger sips of the hot beverages after blowing upon them briefly. 'Honestly. You've gone above and beyond for me. I can't help but feel terribly in your debt.'

'You're not.' Rin grimaced. 'Not at all. I got just as much out of our time together, Lily-san.'

'You're so polite. I truly don't see how that's possible.'

'Well, it is. So, let's just leave it at that.' Rin finished her croissant, watching with glee as Lily seemed to heed her advice, shifting back to focus on her remaining snacks. She looked so delighted to be enjoying the delicious pastries, and Rin found her heart fluctuating between positive notions and negative ones, back and forth, forth and back. On the negative side, she feared the variables of behaviour Lily exhibited were not directly related to her possible connection to Arturia. This obviously led to a dark and terrifying road. On the positive end, Rin thought about the possibility of spending the rest of her days with Lily – who could end up being Arturia – and how much authentic joy she could derive from simply making this girl happy. Rin would have never expected to be so ecstatic to give another person pleasure in any form, yet here she was, trying not to smile from ear to ear simply because of how much fun she knew Lily was having.

After some time, and consuming almost three quarters of the treats they had purchased, Lily snapped her focus back up to Rin, her eyes wide and face turning bright red.

'Oh…' She practically gasped. 'I did it again. I got lost in eating. That's so rude of me! Oh, gosh! Mother warned me, too! At first, I wasn't exactly sure what to say, so I simply began to eat, but then the food was so good I went into a frenzy and…and…! Oh, gosh…! How could I do that to you, Rin…san? Rin-san. Ahem. U-uh…'

'I don't know if you've noticed yet or not, but I'm not exactly someone who needs to be engaged in verbal communication constantly.' Rin chuckled.

'Mm. Actually, I did take note of that.' Lily's lips twitched almost mischievously as she revealed her observation. 'You allowed Mitsuzuri-san do most of the talking during our tour today, and you mostly seem to let your friends converse over initiating anything yourself.'

It was Rin's turn to feel a flush come over her cheeks now. How closely had Lily been watching her? Was she simply observant? Or was she actively evaluating Rin? If so, why? More hints of something Rin would almost kill for, but she stayed her mind and heart defensively.

'I simply find conversation tiresome at times.' Rin muttered.

'Yet you're here with me. Curious.' Lily smiled innocently, but that hint of Arturia's rhetorical capability shined through anew, throwing Rin a bit when it came from such a cute version of her king.

'Apparently.' Rin downplayed the way her circulatory system danced in the presence of Lily. She needed answers more than ever now, but she couldn't risk what was already developing between herself and Lily just in case. At the very least, a friendship with someone that inadvertently soothed the wound in Rin's heart wasn't a terrible compromise.

'I'm glad.' Lily admitted, teasing Rin's poor mental state all over again. 'Like I said, I really feel relaxed around you, Rin-san. I feel like we've known one another for far longer than hardly a day.'

'I agree.' Rin grinned wryly, playing with her hair over her shoulder. 'Perhaps we knew one another in a past life life.'

'Oh.' Lily looked up inquisitively. 'As in reincarnation?'

Rin met Lily's eyes, practically pleading with those familiarly gorgeous emerald irises.

'Yes. Something like that.'

'Well, this is my place.' Lily and Rin had taken a side street from the Shopping District, traversing through a pocket of Fuyuki City the Tohsaka heir didn't know existed. Lily held a plastic bag in both hands in front of her, her school bag intermixed with the spoils gained from Paris Baguette's leftovers.

Rin observed the tiny apartment complex. It was only two floors tall, with approximately twenty rooms in total. It wasn't the cream of the crop, as far as places to stay went, but it had its own charm, the state of the building not entirely terrible, if far below anything Rin would want to reside in, personally. Still, this was Lily's current home, that in and of itself enough for Rin to find a place for it in her mind.

'Which floor?' Rin asked.

'Second from the left on the second floor. Room 202. I wanted an independent, authentic experience despite being offered a home-stay in the exchange program.' Lily's eyes darted about as she nibbled on her bottom lip. 'You want to see it?'

Rin hated that her imagination instantly went somewhere it shouldn't have. She missed Arturia; desperately. Mentally and physically. Before meeting her king, Rin had rarely engaged in any form of self-pleasure; she was convinced she had better ways to spend her time. However, now that she knew what it felt like to be with someone romantically, it was hard not to at least get more than an itch in such regards on occasion. Unfortunately for Rin, the hole in her heart only ached more when she gathered the courage to even attempt to fill that particular need. Thus, she was a bit frustrated as far as such animalistic desires went. Therefore, tempting fate by entering Lily's apartment was almost out of the question.

Almost.

'Sure.' Rin shrugged, always hiding the exact eagerness she experienced within at any hint of Lily showing affection toward her.

'Okay! Right this way!' Lily almost skipped up the stairs, Rin following in slowly behind. The sun was already beginning to set, and although there were fairly tall buildings about, rays of light managed to pierce through narrow openings between the colossal giants of granite, painting the quaint, older apartment complex in a golden, warm light Rin enjoyed.

Lily fiddled with the entrance to her apartment for a little bit, and within a few seconds, Rin was entering the girl's living space, a wave of apprehension coming over her at how strange her actions were throughout the entirety of the day. Rin wasn't one to get close to anybody, yet here she was, with a girl she technically hardly knew. Technically. That was obviously the variable that dictated her abstract actions. Rin felt like she knew Lily. She looked too much like Arturia. She had similar quirks. She even acted like her. How could Rin not latch onto this sliver of hope that contributed to regaining a semblance of the sanity Rin once took for granted?

On top of all that, Lily herself has strange moments that simply refuse to let me believe she's not some version of the Arturia I knew.

Rin had to find out. Not today. Not immediately. But sooner than one might suggest was the appropriate time. The problem was how she was supposed to broach the subject. Her previous attempt was met with an understandable level of confusion, but then again, Rin had made an aggressive move that lacked the subtle elegance she knew might fare better.

'Thankfully, it's pretty neat since I only arrived a couple of days ago. I don't even have to worry about cleaning up for a guest yet!'

Lily flicked on a light, illuminating the single room apartment, almost everything worth seeing immediately in view. There was what appeared to be a tiny bedroom in the back of the place, but otherwise, the living room and kitchen shared the main space, with a washroom tucked away in the corner. Considering Arturia had once been a king, Rin was insulted for Lily. This was…less than the Tohsaka heir expected. For whatever reason, Rin assumed Lily had come from a wealthy family. The girl's current living condition suggested otherwise.

'It's not much, I know.' Lily shrugged, placing her school bag and leftovers from Paris Baguette on the counter close to the sink. 'But knowing I finally made it to Japan is worth it.'

'Aren't you involved in a foreign exchange program with our school, Lily-san?' Rin wondered suddenly, knowing such transactions generally offered compensation in some manner, but not aware of the exact details regarding such things.

'I-I am.' Lily blushed. 'But even with the help of Homurahara Gakuen, I couldn't afford much else, honestly. I worked for a few years to save up for this trip, and so far it's been more than worth it!'

Rin swallowed, a mixture of emotions causing her to proceed with analyzing the situation more soundly.

'What did you do?'

'I got a job as a hostess! It was fun!'

'A…hostess?' Rin shook her head with a flick, searching her knowledge of the English language to determine where something in translation might have been lost. Thankfully, she found the possible difference swiftly enough, relieving her of possible panic. 'Oh. So, you worked at a restaurant?'

'Exactly! It was a bit scary sometimes, the customers getting a little impatient during holidays and everything, but it definitely helped me make this trip possible!'

Rin's jaw tightened as Lily entered the main part of the living area, stopping short and bringing her hands to her mouth.

'Uh-oh! I forgot! I…uh…don't have any chairs or anything yet. I'm so sorry!'

Rin couldn't have cared less. She was still getting over the fact Lily had spent years saving up for this trip. All because she…simply "felt" like she needed to? All because of something intangible she couldn't quite describe when asked? The concept that Lily subconsciously had done all this to see Rin again felt selfish and arrogant, but the romantic in Rin, due to her extraordinary feelings for Arturia, was naturally elated to immeasurable levels.

'Ah! Rin-san! I'm so sorry…! I know it's a bit pathetic! I…I shouldn't have invited you in when my place isn't even half ready yet!'

'Hm?' Rin blinked, wondering why Lily was becoming more frantic. Then, a singular tear streamed down her cheek, and Rin quickly rubbed it away with the back of her sleeve. 'N-no! No. That's not it at all. I was…just thinking about something. It's unrelated.'

'Oh? Really?' The relief on Lily's face was too much. Rin wasn't sure how much longer she could stay.

'Of course.' Rin assured her. 'I had a feeling you just arrived, Lily-san. The state of your living space isn't unexpected.'

'Still…'

Rin looked about the apartment, the warm hues of the flooring and walls nice enough with the window from the front of the room big enough to illuminate the area decently. It needed furniture, that was a fact, but based on what Lily had just told Rin, was that an affordable option? Where did Lily even eat? There was a tiny table and singular chair nestled against the wall, Rin supposed, likely left by the last tenant, but otherwise, everything was bare bones. Lily's clothes, and any articles truly belonging to her were clearly going to be in the washroom and her room, the latter of which Rin had no intention of exploring lest temptation become more of a problem.

'We'll have to remedy that little issue sooner rather than later for you, Lily-san.' Rin decided right then and there. 'I take my role as your guide seriously enough to assist with such things, if you'd let me.'

'Ah! Rin-san!' Lily pranced to Rin without another thought, taking hold of her hand with both of hers and cupping it up between the two girls. However, just as she elevated Rin's limb to eye level, a static shock snapped the girls apart, and Lily squeaked before releasing her grip, stumbling backward but managing to keep herself from falling over completely.

Seemingly more accustomed to such recoils, Rin flinched, but was more curious as to why such a reaction had occurred. She obviously hoped she had an idea, but as was the case with the entirety of her situation with Lily, she was cautious with pressing the girl too hard too quickly for anything that could jeopardize the relationship unfolding at present.

'Are you okay, Lily-san?'

'Y-yeah.' Lily rubbed her hands together, pushing herself to smile and wave off the incident without too much thought. 'That was quite unexpected, wasn't it?'

'It was. I'm sorry.'

'No! No! It's not your fault, Rin-san…Rin…san. Rin…' Lily's eyes fluttered, and her face construed before she shook her head and squinted. She reached to touch her temple, clear discomfort overtaking her entire demeanor. 'Ow…'

As much as Rin wanted to explore this current change in events, she hated the sight of Lily in pain more than anything. She saw Arturia's face, after all, and instinctively needed to remove any agony from her king's perfect visage. The tragedy was that Rin knew she herself was the cause of that same agony, and as she suspected, pushing forward too quickly could sabotage the sliver of hope she clutched tight to her heart.

'I'm sure it was a long day, Lily-san. Perhaps I should go and give you time to unwind.'

'No!' Lily grunted, but then clenched her eyes shut, her teeth visibly grit before she relaxed her features. 'Sorry. That was…rude. I just…Yes. You may be right. Between the jetlag and everything else, perhaps I should turn in early. Sorry.'

'There's nothing to apologize for.' Rin smiled, doing her best to mask the longing in her very soul that wished to stay the evening. The night. 'We'll see one another tomorrow, right? We'll make a plan to fill up this apartment a little bit.'

Lily's eyes lit up.

'You'd really support me with that?'

Rin moved closer to the entrance to the apartment before she had more of a chance to change her mind.

'Of course. You said so yourself; I only engage when I'm particularly intrigued. I find your company more than amicable, and I hope we can continue to get to know one another, Lily-san.'

Lily's smile shone brighter than the sun radiating within the apartment, concealing the strange occurrence that had given both girls pause when they made physical contact.

'I look forward to it, Rin-san! Take care! I'll see you tomorrow at school!'

'Sounds perfect. Good evening, Lily-san.' Rin bid farewell with the utmost of elegance, shutting the door behind her with a soft click and managing to contain the swirling emotions in her brain until she knew she was alone. Then, all at once, she was overwhelmed, her hands reaching up to hold her face and eyes shimmering with tears representing every hope, fear, dream, and dread she felt in an instant.