"Wanna watch the stars with me too?"

"Of course, Tsukasa."

The talk of whoever Hanako was had diminished rather quickly, after all she realized that there was no 'Hanako' here now, it was just Meiko and her friends! Tsukasa,and his brother Amane, the two were inseparable as mentioned beforehand but she was breaking their walls down finally. Meiko was sandwiched between the two boys as they sat closest to the telescope and peered up at the stars happily. There was no else around to make this evening awkward, weird or telling them that this was definitely late for kids to be out and about looking at the midnight sky, no one else mattered in these moments except Amane and- and even his brother. Tsukasa never liked her before, Meiko was always getting close to Amane and holding his hands- they shared quiet moments talking about things Tsukasa didn't know about Amane-, he was fuming with envy for his brother's new friend. Then, she showed him that same envying ability to make someone entranced with her, the dangerous stunts Meiko pulled sometimes and even just to make sure they both were always ok.

She stuck her neck out for them sometimes, even if they didn't understand it.

Meiko's arms went around their shoulders, pulling them close to her in some sort of group hug that Tsukasa was quick to join as soon as Amane did, but her eyes didn't tear away from the sky as a bright light shimmered across the skylines that reminded her of something. Her eyes reflected the sparkling lights, holding such vivid astonishment, "Guys, make a wish!" Their friend quietly squealed, making Amane turn to look where her eyes stayed, he saw the tail of the shooting star and smiled softly just looking at it.

The stars were so much clearer like this, away from the bright lights of town, he loved being here and with her of all people. He leaned against his best friend's right side, letting his head rest on her shoulder as he thought to himself about what sort of wish he might make, maybe for this world to last forever? That would definitely be something he would want, something like this that he couldn't let go, even if he shares this world with Tsukasa then that's fine. Just as long as they don't have to go back there of all places where the stars weren't as bright, where things always went wrong for the two of them, where Meiko was—

Nevermind.

"Hey, hey! Wanna know what I wished for?" Tsukasa finally spoke to break the peaceful silence, gravitating to Meiko and pointing at the sky vacant of the shooting star, the girl shook her head quickly, "If you say what you wished for it won't come true, Tsu'!" Meiko smiled wide, pulling him closer into the hug and his shock was near genuine and being crushed by her hold that made him feel wanted, that hug Amane always got- was it this same hug? His arms were loose around her torso as Amane hugged 'round their friend's neck, he was happy.

So, so happy.

For once, someone did want him and this was genuine! She was holding him so lovingly like this could be the last hug they get in a while, Amane too and it was like he knew, he knew that these little hugs were more than just something that felt nice.

Meiko managed to bring security in them, something their parents did offer but it never really worked, Amane was always sick and had to be continuously handled carefully while Tsukasa had no one to play with, he was alone and waiting for Amane because he didn't depend on anyone else. Then one day, there's her and she comes along saying something about being Amane's friend from his class and that she was here to bring him gifts to make him feel better. None of them knew who she was, but somehow she was welcomed into the family and treated nicely by everyone yet- for some reason- Tsukasa hated her for it. He hated that Meiko could make everyone feel better, how she made Amane feel— he hated her for it. His dislike for her soon dimmed down as he finally realized.

She cared about him too.

Just like now.

"You guys want to have a picnic out here tomorrow?" The girl hummed, swaying the two boys in her arms with a little smile on her face, her eyes staring up at the stars like they were more important than them both right now. Amane smiled at the idea, it'd be pretty nice to be here with both her and.. Even Tsukasa. This, this little moment was apart of many that he couldn't help but enjoy and hope that the days replayed themselves so he could bask in the glory of it all. Him here with her, he could finally manage to do what he always wanted to do, with a better family, a better school life here, a better world that had no room for sorrows!

But he hated it sometimes.

He hated it because it was a world of what could be.

And a reminder that things here were not the same as the real world, the things here were merely a fantasy conjured up by one of the school mysteries because he couldn't handle being left alone again.

"Sounds like a plan."