***

Toji walked into Sae's room and was pretty surprised when he didn't see her in bed, but he was very, very, very surprised when he saw where she was:

Flat up against the window, like she had flung herself on it, in a desperate attempt to escape. He lifted her up and placed her carefully back on her bed.

When he was about to leave her side, she gripped him. It was a weak grip, but a grip nonetheless.

Her eyes rolled up in her head, she started ranting:

"I miss Momo. She was a friend. I didn't have very many friends, you understand. Oh, but Toji! How many days or weeks has it been since I last looked into your eyes? You were so sweet and so caring, always! Even when I tried to love you when you were with my only friend, you were always so caring. I miss Momo. Why did I have to treat her like that? Oh, give me more time! I want to say I'm sorry. Give me more time! I want to tell my Toji how ever much he wants to love another, I will always be there, patiently waiting. Or maybe not so patiently, you never know. I love him! Why can't he see it? Look at what my life has become! Mom is right I should leave. Dad is right we need to go. I've hooked too closely to the people here…"

She kept going, but Toji was so struck by all of this, he went a little limp. He was so shocked. He decided this might be a good time to try and help.

"Sae…"

"Toji!! Oh, my Toji, sweetest! Is it you? Or is it one of the shadows here, always taking shapes and voices of my beloved?"

"Sae, It's me. Look!" he said, before she cut in again, "Maybe you should leave. If you left for a little while, maybe you could get better!"

But this was not the answer she wanted. Her eyes came into focus and she saw Toji, trying to look reassuring.

"Toji… I THOUGHT YOU REALLY CARED ABOUT ME!!!!!"

"But I do! That's why I said maybe you should try a new life… for a while! At least…"

But she was crying. She pulled him closer to her and just cried and cried.

"The truth is, I don't want to leave without you, Toji. I know when I'm here that you'll always protect me! If I left…"

She looked into his eyes and did the most surprising thing: she kissed him. But he did not kiss her back and soon pushed away.

Storming toward the door, he looked back and saw her half on and half off her bed, lost to all thought.

***

Summer says:

I don't know about you, but I got really excited when I wrote this! It's pretty heart wrenching. But then again, it's pretty much just Sae as usual, so I guess you might not have like it… Well, I'm still writing! And you're still reading, right? Goooood.