Maribel slowly woke into consciousness, increasingly aware of the throbbing in her head. She groaned as she gingerly placed a hand on her forehead, slowly rising from...speaking of which, where is she?

"Oh, good you're awake!"

She recognized the voice, but couldn't place it. Hearing a chair scrape against the carpet and shuffled footsteps that grew closer. Opening her eyes, she saw a blurry figure approach before her eyes adjusted and focused on the other person who was kneeling by the side of the bed.

"Renko?"

A chuckle. Thankfully a clear sign that everything is alright, the blonde heaved a sigh of relief. Luckily, Renko only perceived this as a deep breath as she place a hand on Maribel's forehead, possibly to check her temperature the blonde thought. Her hand cooling to the touch, dulling the pain slightly. To return a moment later as the hand was removed from its place, but not as vicious as before.

"Well, yeah. Obviously, who else would it be? You must be still groggy, but...you are alright?"

Maribel looked at Renko confused, or at least tried to in her half conscious state, placing a hand over her eyes to get used to the light seeping in through the windows.

"Ok, I'm guessing you have no idea what I'm going on about due to the odd expression you're giving me. After walking out the cafe-you do remember that?"

Maribel nodded, albeit being slow and small. The pounding in her head, albeit fading, still made her vision dizzy with sudden movements as Renko continued.

"Ok, that's good. Anyway, as we were walking home you looked like you were lost in your thoughts before you suddenly lurched forward. Like you were hit or something, before turning and passing out."

Maribel hummed, thinking back to the last thing she remembered. She did get hit, but by what? It almost felt like snow, but that's impossible. Snow shouldn't be arriving until december, and even then it wouldn't lay due to the thought made her reach the back of her head, thinking that if it was indeed snow, it would have left particles on her hair. But nothing.

"Merry?"

"Renko, I-I don't want to alarm you..."

Renko chuckled again. She was given a glare in return.

"I'm being serious here, I think I was hit by a snowball."

Silence. Renko couldn't respond, she didn't know how to.

"A...a snowball? In the driest November we've had? Are-are you sure?"

Maribel nodded, grasping at Renko's hand and pulling it to the back of her head. Confusion filled Renko's mind as her hand touched Maribel's hair. Granted it has been roughly 45 minutes, but if Maribel's claim is true, her hair would have still been damp. Renko only felt the dry softness of Maribel's hair as she combed her fingers through it.

"Merry I...there's nothing to show, whatever it was, that hit you. If it was something."

Maribel cast her eyes down onto the mattress, feeling a little guilty which was shown through her features. She sighed, turning her head so that she couldn't look at Renko.

"I'm sorry. I feel that I'm forcing you to believe me, when there is clearing nothing to believe in. Even after I said all that in the cafe."

Renko shook her head, but that didn't disperse the guilt Maribel had, as she brought her knees up and rested her chin on top of them, zoning out. She didn't hear or feel the mattress depress until Renko wrapped an arm around her, pulling Maribel into a hug.

"It's not your fault you know. You didn't ask for this, so you shouldn't blame yourself. Heck, I should be apologizing to you, for the second time."

Maribel sighed, but moved closer to Renko. Silently thankful for the comfort.

"You believe you're alone in this world. The only one to rely on, but doubt yourself regardless. But you're not alone, you have me. Didn't you say earlier I keep you grounded? Heck, without me, I bet you would sleep the days away if you could."

This earned a smile and a chuckle from the blonde. Glad she could make the blonde happy, Renko continued to humour her.

"I wonder, if you do sleep for a while, say hibernation, would you stay young?"

"Hmm, I doubt it Renko. I read that prolonged sleep is bad for your health."

"Well, I doubt you'll turn into a Babaa, so you're all good."

It took a second for Renko's teasing to sink in, when Maribel realised what Renko had said and gently pushed her in a joking manner, chuckling slightly. Renko, grinning widely, suddenly slipped off the bed and landed onto the floor unceremoniously. She continued to chuckle as she righted herself and kneeled on the floor.

"I guess I deserved that."

"Yes, Renko. You did deserve that."

Renko was still grinning as Maribel pat her on the head affectionately, ruffling her hair at the same time. Maribel sighed in content, knowing this is real. Until she realised something very important.

"Renko, how far is the campus from your apartment?"

the brunette gave her a confused look, noting the sudden change of topic to be a little strange. Until she realised why.

"Err, I would say fifteen minutes walking. Why do you-oh. Right. Are you sure-"

"Renko, It's all I have apart from you to distract me. Besides, I came to this university to learn, didn't I?"

Renko chuckled as Maribel said her goodbyes and left her apartment. Although Maribel said she was fine, Renko still couldn't shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong, or worse something will go wrong. She looked back to her wardrobe where, inside she placed the old box her aunt gave her. Thinking at the time she brought Maribel inside after her episode leaving the cafe, hiding it so questions wouldn't be asked about it. questions that would of course give answers the blonde wouldn't like as of this current time. As well as her state of mind to think of.

But of course, mysteries can't just be left alone after all, can they?