A soft, warm breeze brushed against Monika's face as she looked up at the bright orange sky above. Thinking back on how she spent the day brought a smile to her face, and yet, it was also slightly painful.

As she wondered why that would be, someone suddenly sat down next to her. Sighing in relief, they presented some ice cream for her to take.

With a smile, Monika accepted the offering. "Thanks, Shujinkou."

"No problem."

Scratching his right cheek, Shujinkou looked up at the distant sky.

"Watching the sun set…" he thought aloud.

"I know it's a bit of a cliché, but I always wanted to try it," Monika confessed.

"What? N-No; I didn't mean it like that. I was just stating the obvious," Shujinkou quickly looked away and took a bite out of his dessert.

There was something about Shujinkou's sheepish response to assuage any possible worry that caused a small giggle to slip past Monika's lips.

But like before, that moment of happiness was accompanied by pain.

"Monika?"

"Hm?" she looked up at Shujinkou's worried face. "What is it?"

"Are you okay? You're…"

The moment Shujinkou pointed at her face, she could feel something hastily roll down her cheeks. Monika curiously wiped her cheeks, realizing that she had been crying.

"I-I'm fine," she assured him. "I honestly don't know where that came from."

Despite her words, Shujinkou wasn't convinced. His right index finger soon hovered over her chest, pointing right where her heart is.

"What about here? Are you sure you're fine here?" he asked.

Monika gently clutched her chest.

"Here…?"

She closed her eyes and pondered his familiar question. She wasn't prepared for him to ask it back.

"I… I…"

"Monika?"

Monika opened her eyes. No longer was she with Shujinkou but in her own classroom looking out of the window.

"Monika?"

Monika looked towards the board. Her teacher was looking at her with clear worry. No, it wasn't just her teacher, the rest of her classmates were looking at her the same way.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized. "My mind just drifted off again."

Though her answer seemed satisfy everyone and drew the attention away from her, Monika knew that wasn't truly the case. Even as she turned her attention back to the grey clouds that covered the sky, she knew the other students were once again sneaking peeks.

But she didn't care. Experiencing the same thing for over a week made her numb to it.

As she continued to stare out the window, she couldn't help but think back to last year. The way everyone stared at her now was very similar to how everyone looked at Shujinkou back then.

I wonder if this is how Shujinkou felt…

Having everyone trying to gather as much information as they could just by watching your every movement or having discussions behind your back theorizing what led to a sudden change in behavior…

It wasn't until now that Monika could understand how Shujinkou seemingly didn't mind it. Feeling the way she did after her experience on Devil's Night made it very easy not to care.

In fact, it made being alone with your own thoughts much more appeal-

No…

Monika felt a strong urge to kick herself for having such a thought in her head after that night. Thinking it would just make her more inconsiderate than she had already been lately.

Not too long after, the last bell of the day echoed throughout the school.

Until recently, that sound used to be one of her favorite sounds of the day. It wasn't because it signaled the end of the school day, but what the end of the school day meant.

Shaking her head, Monika grabbed her things and walked out of the classroom. She could once again feel the countless eyes look her way. She could hear the whispers regarding the events that transpired the night before Halloween.

As she traversed their halls, her eyes were instinctively drawn to one of the classrooms. She didn't know why she bothered to wait and watch as the other students pour out of there nor why just this one in particular.

She wistfully shook her head and took a step forward, only to run into another student.

"Sorry," Monika apologized.

She didn't receive a response. Monika could only scratch her right cheek as she watched Rei look down at the potted flower in her hands.

What was noticeable about it was its single small white drooping bell-shaped flower with six petal-like tepals in two circles.

"Isn't that a snowdrop?" Monika asked.

Galanthus nivalis: a flower that is known to bloom at beginning of spring and holds many significant meanings.

The white of the snowdrop symbolizes innocence and purity. It also represents sympathy and hope. Because of that, it is a well-regarded gift to be given to a friend in need; a gift that represent hope that the darkness will lift and light will return soon.

Because of those meanings, Monika was pretty sure what Rei intended to do with it.

"Well…"

Monika continued to awkwardly scratch her right cheek until Rei silently brought the snowdrop up to her face.

Normally, one would assume that Rei was intending on giving it to her, but somehow, Monika could tell that was not the case. Rei was proposing something, something that sent chills up her spine.

"Uh… I can't right now, Rei. Maybe next time."

Monika stepped past Rei, hastily walking away before the silent girl could "say" anything else. Monika snuck a quick peek back, catching a glimpse of Rei watching her leave.

But she wasn't the only one. Unbeknownst to Monika, a familiar golden-haired acquaintance had observed the entire exchange.

…

A regretful sigh broke through Monika's pursed lips. She was hoping the quiet walk home would alleviate her of some of the guilt she felt, but that of course that would have been too easy.

If it would have been that easy then-

No…

Monika let out another sigh as she continued her trek. Times like these, it would be prudent to find a positive to lighten one's spirit, but she couldn't think of one. Having the opportunity to have a quiet, peaceful walk home may have been one, but nothing was achieved with it.

The silence didn't last long either. As Monika got closer to home, the sound of metal scraping against metal filled the air.

She had a pretty good idea where it was coming from too.

As she got closer to the source, Monika was able to confirm her guess.

Kneeling in her front yard with a heavily damaged motorcycle was her cousin Claudette. She was diligently working on repairs until she finally noticed her cousin's arrival.

"Hey, Monika," she greeted. "You're home early."

"Yeah, well…" Monika solemnly scratched her right cheek. "There's something I have to study for, plus I have to catch up on a few things due to me drifting off in my classes."

"Uh-huh…"

Claudette reached for a wrench and playfully twirled it around. It was rather stunning how she could be so spirited right now.

"Are you sure you should be working right now?" Monika worriedly asked. "You're still recovering."

Monika's eyes were drawn to all the bandages wrapped around Claudette's body. It wasn't until after Shujinkou defeated Akui and Akuma that she had discovered what her cousin had been doing in the meantime.

She was shocked to find Claudette covered in cuts and bruises with tiny shards of glass embedded in her arms and legs. Claudette didn't seem to mind then however, as she was satisfied both y everyone being okay and that she prevented things from getting worse by fighting off a group of Akui's men.

Really leads me to believe even more that I got in her way when Akui first attacked us… After all, he used me as a hostage.

Claudette briefly glanced at her injuries before continuing to work on her bike.

"You know I was going stir crazy laying around while my ride was in pieces," she nonchalantly answered. "Plus, I've been working on it behind your back over the past few days so…"

A part of Monika was astounded Claudette even had something left to work on. Given the explosive sound that signaled Shujinkou's arrival at the warehouse complex and the damage the impact made to the gate, it was really incredible her motorcycle was left in a recognizable state.

There was also how Claudette didn't even think twice about going back to recover it, especially in her current state.

"So, how is it?" Monika asked.

"Should be able to ride again soon," Claudette replied.

"That's good…"

Monika scratched her right cheek as she looked off in the distance, something Claudette caught from the corner of her eye.

"By the way, Shujinkou's mom stopped by earlier," Claudette informed her.

"R-Really?" Monika fretted. "What was she doing here?"

"Just checking in, seeing how we're doing, keeping us up to date, she brought some cookies…"

Claudette took a moment to recall the joy she felt when she took a bite of Hiro's homemade chocolate chip cookies.

"She is up there with the best…" she praised. "Then she left."

"Oh…"

"Honestly surprised she scrounged up some time to do so," Claudette admitted. "It would have been totally okay not to do so considering she's really needed elsewhere."

"Yeah…"

Monika's right hand rose up to its respective cheek but was immediately brought to a halt by her left.

"Anyway, I got to get to studying before I fall behind even more,"

Like before with Rei, Monika hastily stepped past Claudette and rushed into the house.

Claudette could only sigh as she went back to work on repairing her motorcycle.

Looks like you're not the only one in need in of repair.

…

A feeling of weakness spread through Hiro's body as she walked through the front door. She rubbed her droopy eyes, but that was only delaying the inevitable. But she couldn't give into it now, at least not before she could finish her last objective.

As she closed the door behind her, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. It was her mother, wearing the same concerned look on her face she had since she arrived nine days ago.

"Don't you think you should get some rest now, Hiro?" she suggested. "Working yourself to exhaustion isn't going to make things any better."

"I know, Mom, but…"

Hiro wasn't sure she needed to finish that sentence. Hisa had to know the rest; after all, she had been explaining herself to her mother every single day.

Without saying a word, Hisa took her daughter's hand and guided her up the steps. She pushed open a half open door and led Hiro inside Shujinkou's room.

Their eyes were immediately drawn to him lying in his bed. His eyes were still firmly closed shut as they have been for the last ten days.

"Do you really think collapsing now would do him any good?" Hisa questioned.

Hiro weakly shook her head "…No."

She knew that deep down, but every time she looked at her sleeping child…

"It's just-"

Hiro stumbled over and kneeled in front of Shujinkou's bed. Hisa soon followed and gently wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder.

"You know it's not the same with Hiroko, right? Shujinkou will open his eyes again one day," Hisa reminded her.

"I know that. It's just… I want to be there for him when he does and I don't know when that will be," Hiro admitted.

"I understand that, but you have to remember that you are only human and humans need rest."

"I know that… It's just…"

"'Just' what?"

Hiro closed her eyes as she recalled the past.

"It hurts knowing that I couldn't do something for my child again. I couldn't do anything when he felt unloved by his father, I couldn't do anything when Shujinkou and Hiroko were out in the storm that day and I couldn't do anything to help Shujinkou when he was lost in his own head.

And then I find out that Akui had been tormenting him and the others and now Shujinkou is once again lost in his head."

"You are aware the inciting incident of all that is Jomei, right?" Hisa pointed out.

"Still, what kind of mother can't help her own children when they need her? It's just makes me feel worthless aga-"

The sheer pain Hiro felt around her cheeks kept her from saying anymore. With her mother pinching her cheeks, Hiro was forced to present a smile to the world.

"You seriously think you haven't done anything? I don't recall Shujinkou asking why both his parents didn't love him, I don't recall Hiroko feeling like she had to work hard to get your attention. Plus, I'm pretty sure you were one of the reasons Shujinkou didn't completely trap himself in his head.

You were there, Hiro, like any mother would and I shudder to imagine what things wouldn't be like if you weren't there at all."

While Hiro appreciated her mother's words of encouragement, there was one thing that made it hard for it truly sink in as well as intended.

"Mom… You're really hurting my face…" she whimpered.

Embarrassed, Hisa immediately retracted her hands and scratched her right cheek.

"Besides, it's not just that, Mom. I'm also worried about Sayori and the others," Hiro admitted. "From what I gathered of the situation from Claudette, I can only imagine what each of them is feeling."

She then looked back down at her son's face. Despite appearing to have a normal sleeping face, she could see that there was something hidden behind it.

"Not only that… I know it sounds weird, but I when I look at Shujinkou's face, it's like he can actually feel what everyone is feeling and it saddens him." Hiro explained.

"That's not weird at all; it's a mother's intuition," Hisa assured her. "That's how I could tell all those times you were really feeling despite how well much you tried to hide it."

"Mother's intuition…"

Suddenly, a large yawn plowed through Hiro's lips, eliciting a small chuckle from her mother.

"And that's your cue to go get some rest," she joked.

"But…"

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things for awhile," Hisa promised, helping Hiro on her feet. "Just sleep before you make an old lady have to worry about her daughter along with her grandson.

Hiro groggily nodded her head. "Okay… Sleep sounds nice, Mommy."

"That's the spirit," Hisa chirped.

As she guided her daughter out of the room, Hisa snuck a glance over her shoulder.

There was something else she didn't mention; another reason why she was able to easily believe Hiro's comment regarding Shujinkou's feelings despite his current state.

They most likely didn't see the same thing, but whenever she looked at Shujinkou's face, she could see the traumatized child who blamed himself for his father leaving.

She wasn't sure if a part of Shujinkou blamed himself for the events that have transpired recently, but she knew that at this very moment, her grandson was hurting.

But she couldn't admit that because she knew that it would cause her daughter to feel worse. All she could do was be there to support them if needed.