Hiyori chewed on the top of her pen. Her eyes stung from staring at the computer screen for so long. She sighed out of exhaustion, pushing her laptop towards the foot of her bed. She rubbed her dry eyes and tried to refocus on her online assignment.

It had been fifteen whole minutes since she last thought of Yato. However, when she realized that fact, she also realized that that thought had broken her streak.

Then, a gentle knock at her bedroom door alerted her.

"Y-yes?" Hiyori called.

Her door slid open, revealing her mother with a small glass of cold water.

"Oh, you're still awake," she smiled, closing the door behind her as she entered.

Hiyori smiled back softly. "Y-yeah," she answered. "I haven't been able to sleep lately."

Her mother set the glass on the nightstand next to her bed. "Ahh, you're nearing your six months," she replied with a small chuckle.

"I remember when I was pregnant with Masaomi. I almost didn't sleep for days at a time!" Her mother replied lightheartedly.

Hiyori couldn't help but let out a small giggle in response. Her mother sat on the bed across from her daughter.

"And what about me? Was I difficult?" The brunette asked curiously.

"Hmm…" her mother smiled softly. "Well, you definitely didn't make it easy. I could barely get a few minutes of sleep with you." She chuckled a bit, causing Hiyori to do the same.

"You were a fighter, Hiyori…" her mother's voice became softer and more sincere. She reached out and carefully tucked some hair behind her daughter's ear. Hiyori felt the tension she'd been carrying finally lift off her shoulders.

"You still are…" Her mother added in a tender tone.

Hiyori felt her heart fill with warmth, and a sense of confidence she hadn't felt in a long time suddenly swept over her.

"You think so?"

"Of course I do," her mother grinned.

A worrisome thought suddenly dawned on Hiyori. "But what if-?" She hesitated.

Her mother blinked at her in confusion. "'What if' what, dear?"

"What if I'm just…" Hiyori bit her lip, avoiding her mother's gaze, "a c-coward…?"

She heard a sigh and lifted her head to see her mother, who looked at her with sympathy. Hiyori didn't resist when her hands slipped into her own.

"Hiyori," her mother began with a gentle tone. "It's not being afraid that makes you a coward. Everyone is afraid of something. It's fighting your fears that makes you brave."

Hiyori processed her words and absorbed that idea. Once she did, it settled in her mind, and eventually, she began to believe it.

Her mother noticed her sigh peacefully. She smiled, closing Hiyori's laptop and placing it on her desk.

"Well," she began as she approached Hiyori's bedside again, "you better get some rest now. You're going out with your friends tomorrow night, aren't you?"

Hiyori smiled softly. "Mm. Yama-chan and Ami-chan invited me to karaoke."

"Hmm," her mother responded thoughtfully. "Have you told them yet?"

The brunette laughed weakly, nervous sweat running down her temple. Assuming that was her answer, her mother chuckled gently.

"I see," she replied, taking on a more serious tone, "but you should tell them sometime."

"I know," Hiyori huffed out a sigh, holding a pillow to her chest. "But I'm not sure I entirely trust Yama-chan's ability to keep a secret."

"You wouldn't want them finding out from someone else, would you?" Her mother pointed out.

Hiyori seemed to take her mother's advice into serious consideration. She knew there was no one outside of her family that knew about it, but she didn't let that excuse the possibility that someone somehow would find out and spread the news to others. There would eventually be a day when someone from her school saw her in public with her baby, and then the rumors would spread like wildfire.

"I guess you're right," the young girl finally gave in with a heavy sigh.

Hiyori laid back against her pillow, adjusting her pajama shirt over her bulged belly. Her mother began carefully tucking her into bed. She leaned over her daughter, pressing a small kiss against her forehead.

"Good night, you two…" she whispered.

Hiyori couldn't help but giggle with joy. She watched as her mother turned off her lamp on the nightstand beside her. Her mother headed towards the bedroom door, sliding it open. She turned over her shoulder to glance at Hiyori.

"I'll be in the other room with your grandmother if you need anything."

Hiyori grinned and nodded. "Oyasumi."

Her mother waved to her one last time before leaving the room. As the door slowly closed, the darkness gradually filled the room.

Despite her bedroom being much larger and emptier than her brother's guest room, she found herself feeling safer than before. She oddly found herself feeling secure enough to close her eyes.

. . . .

Yato placed the floor, his stomach uneasy and his head buzzing with worry.

He knew being sleep-deprived and mildly hungover didn't help his current state of mind, but he also knew it was only natural he'd be so concerned about his lover. Ever since his father had brought up his plans to meet with Hiyori and her friends, he had been an anxious wreck. In which case, the only obvious solution was to tag along without anyone else knowing so he could make sure Hiyori and his baby would remain safe.

He had already mapped out the whole floor of the building. Right in the center was the bar, serving everything from water to liquor. Just across from the bar was the stairwell, leading to the first floor where the entrance was. He was standing in the lounging area by the windows. A wall beside him, he noticed were the areas closed off for the karaoke rooms. Directly to the left of the rooms were the restrooms. The vending machines rest on either side of a set of double doors leading to a bowling alley section of the building.

It was rather quiet and steady for a Friday night. There were more people in the bowling alley than at the bar or in karaoke rooms.

Yato sighed, releasing a shaky breath. He ruffled his dark hair, trying to think.

It was quite unusual for his father to have given away his whereabouts so easily. In fact, he hadn't just released his plan to him - he dangled them in Yato's face like a piece of candy. Why would his father expose himself if he knew Yato could interrupt his whole scheme? Was he expecting him to show up?

"Hiyori! Over here!"

This immediately caught the god's attention. His pacing came to a sudden halt, and his head quickly lifted in surprise. He spun around on his heel, approaching and peeking around the corner.

He found Hiyori rushing to greet her friends at the door of the karaoke booth. She giggled as she embraced both of her friends, keeping a distance far enough that they wouldn't feel her bulging stomach.

"It's been so long," Ami said.

"Yeah, too long!" Yama added.

Hiyori laughed weakly. "I-I know - I'm sorry!"

She was carrying a large purse with her. Yato recognized it as the bag she carried her current medicines and essentials in. The more he continued to observe her, the more aware he became of her exhausted demeanor and unfamiliar appearance.

Hiyori was wearing an unusually heavy amount of clothing, probably to hide her obvious shape. She went to mindlessly reach for her stomach through her coat, but just as her hand hovered over it, she withdrew altogether as if deciding otherwise. It seemed like she had tried to cover up her dark, baggy eyes with make-up, but Yato saw right past it. Once her two friends turned around to head into the booth, he caught Hiyori with a pained expression as she reached behind to rub her aching back.

Not only that, but Hiyori was hesitant. She seemed less sure of herself. And, with a lump forming in his throat, Yato noticed there was no more spring in her step. The intensity in her rose-colored eyes was nearly lost. She looked like someone who had returned from battle.

And just like that, he felt horrible all over again. He could try to convince himself it would be okay, but deep down, Yato sensed he was the bad guy in this situation. In the never ending tragedy of his life, he was his own enemy.

That one brief glimpse at his loved one before she disappeared in the other room was enough for his entire being to suffer. His heart and mind alike were screaming. He wanted to go home. Was that so much to ask for?

The god sunk to the floor, tugging on his bangs in front of his darkened eyes.

. . . .

Hiyori could've sworn she caught a whiff of his dreamy scent. She quickly brushed it off, assuming it was only her mind playing tricks on her. Afterall, he had disappeared for so long, how would she know what he smelled like anymore?

Hiyori sat down at the booth, setting her purse beside her. She watched as her two friends continued to debate over what song they would sing, the brunette thought to herself. She reflected on her mother's advice.

However, no longer than she had started, her friends dragged her out of her seat and handed her a microphone. Hiyori chuckled, allowing them to force her to sing with them.

Before she knew it, one song became five, and twenty minutes later, the surrounding atmosphere became comfortable and lively.

Ami and Hiyori burst into laughter when Yama attempted to hit a high note and failed miserably.

"Nice try, Yama!" Ami shouted over the music.

"You two were supposed to be my back-up vocals!" Yama retorted.

As the two began playfully chastising each other, Hiyori's mind faded back to her earlier train of thought. She couldn't help but feel worry build in her stomach.

"Um…"

Ami and Yama almost immediately went silent and turned to look at Hiyori over their shoulders. They blinked at her cluelessly, making out her serious expression from across the dimly lit room.

"Something wrong, Hiyori?" Yama asked.

Hiyori bit her lip, sucking in her breath for a moment. "W-well…" she mumbled. "There's…-" she hesitated, "there's something that I think you both should know…"

Ami and Yama exchanged curious looks before looking back at their friend.

"Of course," Yama replied. "You can tell us anything."

"I can't promise I can control Yama's big mouth, though," Ami said, smirking.

"Hey!" The blonde girl cried. "I'm awesome at keeping secrets."

Hiyori panicked, leaping up from her seat. "Nonono! Please! You have to be careful with this one."

The brunette sat back down, sighing heavily. This was her only chance to tell them before they figured it out themselves. Would they be upset with her and never talk to her again? Or would they support her and try to help somehow?

Hiyori opened her mouth, observing them carefully. "I-I'm… pre-"

In that exact moment, the door to the karaoke room swiftly swung open. The booth filled with noise once more as three rowdy teenage boys entered.

"Seriously, man? You gotta get a new pair of shoes," Abe's voice rang in.

"No way! I'm saving up for that new video game coming out next month," Seki argued back.

The three girls all directed their attention to the group of boys in the doorway.

"Ahh! Hey, you guys," Fujisaki grinned widely. "Sorry we're so late."

Hiyori's heart dropped. She swallowed, her throat feeling tight. Her fingers ran cold to the tips. She sat for what felt like a long while before her racing thoughts began to slow. Once she found the strength return in her legs, Hiyori leapt up from the booth and pulled her friends aside.

"What is he doing here?" Hiyori demanded, lowering her voice so the others couldn't hear.

Yama and Ami furrowed their eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean? We invited them," Ami answered, glancing at the boys across the room.

"Yeah," Yama jumped in. "We thought it would be great if we all got together again. Just like last time when we were at Capypa Land."

Hiyori suspected that her friends were actually secretly trying to set her up with Fujisaki. The idea of it nearly made her gag.

"C'mon, Hiyori. It's just like last time - just the six of us," Ami explained before they both returned to the boys on the opposite side of the booth.

The sound of the others' laughter and chatter faded into mere background noise. Hiyori bit her lip nervously. Facing the wall, she stared down at her feet.

"It's not like last time…" she whispered to herself. "Because this time-" a hand came to rest against her stomach, "there's seven of us…"

"Hey - Hiyori!" Yama called from across the room, causing the brunette to turn and see her friends standing in the open doorway with Abe and Seki.

"We're going to get some refreshments. You want anything?"

Hiyori blinked, her senses finally coming back. "Um, sure. Just a water please."

Ami nodded. "Great! We'll be back."

Hiyori watched as the four of them left the karaoke booth. That was when she realized - with horror - that it was only her and Fujisaki left behind.

"W-wait-!"

The door slammed shut, her friends becoming too far out of earshot. The brunette froze, her hand stuck in midair as if trying to reach out for them. Now, she was positive they were trying to set up the two of them together.

Hiyori released the breath she had been holding. Her shoulders slumped down when she realized her misfortune was inevitable.

There was a deep-toned chuckle behind her. "Aww, c'mon, Hiyori-chan. I'm not that bad, am I?"

Her blood boiled underneath her skin. There was nothing she could do. With her luck, she should've expected this outcome.

Hiyori spun around on her heel, giving an aggressive glare in his direction. "Where is Yato?" She asked with a strict tone.

Fujisaki was lounging in the booths aligned against the wall, his arm slung over the top of the seats. He gave her a sly grin.

"So, you're not interested in hearing how I've been?"

Hiyori's fists tightened by her sides. "Answer me! Where is he?"

Fujisaki pulled out his smartphone, seeming uninterested. "So, I was right. You do have a thing for my son."

Heat rushed to Hiyori's cheeks. She took a cautious step back. "W-what makes you think that?"

The boy scoffed as he lifted his head. He held up his phone in her direction, presenting the screen for her to see.

Hiyori blinked in surprise, squinting to get a better look at what he was trying to show her. From what she first noticed, it was a history of messages between him and Yato. With two shocking pictures.

They both appeared to have been taken just outside her window. They were difficult to make out at first, but it was clearly her and Yato in her bedroom the night they made love.

"Is that enough proof for you?" Fujisaki's smile twisted as he watched Hiyori's face contort into that of utter shock.

"W-what-? How-?" She gaped at the screen as her eyes glinted.

It was her first time seeing those pictures, but the messages before and after the photos were strangely familiar. Hiyori quickly turned away to grab her purse, reaching in and digging through it. When she came across what she wanted, the brunette pulled out the red flip phone.

Hiyori quickly flipped it open and scrolled through the messages again. When she came to understand that the similar texts on the phone were much closer together, her eyes widened with surprise.

Fujisaki stood up to stand over the girl's shoulder, catching a glimpse at what she'd found. Then, he let out a hearty chuckle.

"I see. So, Yaboku got rid of the evidence and never told you," he explained, the sound of his twisted smirk evident in his voice.

Hiyori was nearly shaking with anger. She stuffed the phone back into her bag, then charged out of the room with her purse in hand.

Luckily, she missed the pleased expression on Fujisaki's face as the door behind her swung close.

"Your turn, Yaboku."

. . . .

Hiyori continued towards the other direction. She was sick of all the lies. And from what she'd seen, everyone was full of them. Who was she supposed to trust now?

Hiyori rushed into the restrooms. To her relief, the bathroom was empty.

She approached the sinks connected to each other, dropping her bag on top and rummaging through it.

"Unbelievable," she muttered to herself out of frustration.

There was silence as she attempted to look for her phone in her purse. Then, there was suddenly a hand on her shoulder.

"Hiyori-"

The brunette shrieked and instinctively forced her elbow into the person's stomach behind her. But then, she realized the sound of the culprit's painful groan sounded all too familiar as they stumbled backwards into the wall.

"You never take a day off, do ya?" His voice rang in her ears.

Hiyori wasn't sure what to do. She panicked and froze right where she stood. Whether Hiyori confronted him, or chose to avoid him, she would have had to turn around either way.

Upon doing so, Hiyori discovered her long-lost lover kneeling on one leg with his hand to his sore ribs. He winced as he rubbed his side.

"Y-... Yato…?" Her voice came out as a soft whisper.

Questions swarmed through her head, trying to connect to answers. Memories flashed through her mind, replaying her favorite scenes and morphing them into darker, more miserable ones.

With his free hand, Yato used the wall to support himself. Once he stood up again, he noticed Hiyori still gaping at him in shock.

She looked him up and down, as if not entirely convinced he was really standing in front of her. His signature jersey and boots were missing. Instead, they'd been replaced with a dark kimono and worn-out sandals. This, unfortunately, answered Hiyori's question of where he was.

She was too distracted by his mere presence to remember to reprimand him for being in the women's bathroom. It didn't matter anyway. He had to explain much more pressing issues.

"You have to get outta here," the god said before giving her the chance to speak.

That being the only thing he told her before he grabbed her wrist and tugged her in the direction of the bathroom door. However, Hiyori was stubborn. She resisted moving her legs, tugging him back.

"W-wait a second!"

Yato turned to look at her over his shoulder, coming to a complete stop. He appeared only mildly annoyed, mainly running on adrenaline.

Hiyori blinked at him in bewilderment. "You can't just show up like this!"

Yato paused for a brief moment to think of a response before he faced her completely. "W-what are you talking about?" He asked, clearly puzzled.

The brunette stared at the god in utter disbelief. "You're kidding. You've been gone for weeks!"

Yato cringed as he finally released her wrist. He swallowed hard, guilt swelling in his heart. "Y-yeah, yeah - I know, but I'll explain everything later. I don't have time for that right now."

"Well," she crossed her arms in response, "you're here now. So, make time for it."

Hiyori didn't attempt covering up the anger in her voice. It wasn't fair for him to suddenly appear out of nowhere and pretend like nothing happened. Just like he had done multiple times before. In fact, he was never great at saying anything before he left either.

"How could you just leave like that? Without telling anyone. So you could go back to your father?!"

The more her voice raised, the more Yato retreated in on himself. He fell silent, averting his gaze.

"Th-... that's not it at all, Hiyori…" he mumbled, rubbing the back of neck nervously.

Hiyori crossed her arms. "And I'm supposed to believe you?"

"You have to go home, Hiyori," he pleaded. "My dad's here."

The girl rolled her eyes. "You think I don't know that?" She hissed.

Yato blinked at her in astonishment. That was when the last of his remaining sanity burst. "You knew he would be here n' you still risked it? I do all of this for you, n' you just go out and try to ruin it?" He said, anger rising in his voice.

Hiyori scoffed and turned away from him in disgust. "'Risk' what? 'Ruin' what? You're the selfish bastard who up n' left. You really couldn't have written me a letter or something?"

There was something about hearing the girl's cross tone that made Yato realize he absolutely hated arguing with her. He knew she would overpower him. Because he always let her.

The god sighed, trying to calm himself. He couldn't allow her to get so upset that she'd despise him. The moment she did, he could no longer find the ability to sleep at night. If that moment ever came - and he prayed to a higher power than Heaven itself that it wouldn't - he would sever their ties. If it weren't for the fact that his Regalia was not around, Yato would have already considered doing so.

"I know, I know! I'm a dumbass - but I promise I'll tell you everything later. Please," the god continued to beg.

The brunette didn't seem satisfied by his constant attempts to budge her. She glanced at him over her shoulder, pondering for a minute.

Then, Hiyori sighed heavily, rubbing her fingers against her temple. She seemed to consider the thought before speaking up again.

"Alright, fine. I'll go home," she answered, reaching for her purse by the sink.

Just as the god's face relaxed with relief, Hiyori interrupted. "But only if you come with me."

That was when the victory he felt washed away, and Yato became impatient. He turned and kicked the stall door beside him; the sound echoing around the tiles of the bathroom. It clashed open before abruptly slamming shut again.

"It's not that simple!" He cried in frustration, tightening his fists.

Hiyori didn't flinch. She was prepared for him to argue back. She spun around to face him, aggravation clear in her expression.

"What's 'not simple,' Yato? Coming back home to be with your family?" She snapped, clutching her purse until her knuckles were white.

Yato scoffed. "What 'family?'" He retorted, throwing an accusing hand down towards her stomach. "You're giving up our baby without telling me."

Hiyori staggered back, staring at him with wide, confused eyes. Her hand came up to hold her bump. "Wha-? Why would you ever think I'd do that?!"

"Isn't it obvious? Because you're mad at me!" Yato answered.

"Of course I am! You lied to me about almost everything!" The brunette snapped.

Hiyori had already lost count of the amount of lies she'd caught him in. There was no way she would let him off the hook anymore.

"What did I lie about?" Yato asked, gesturing around the empty restroom.

"Everything!" She cried, tears becoming visible in her eyes. "Your broken promise about 'lying to protect me' was just an excuse to use me this whole time. And you forgot to mention that we'd all probably die if this went any further."

Yato's frustrations suddenly subsided. A feeling of worry and concern came over him, his pupils shaking as he stared at Hiyori in shock.

"W-what...? What do you mean...?"

"Forget it." She brushed past him, heading for the door. There was a pause before Hiyori continued, as if contemplating her next words.

"If you didn't love me, you could've just said so. You didn't need to pretend," she choked out between her tears.

"'Pretend?'" The god stared at her with utter disbelief, feeling his heart constrict. "Hiyori, what-?"

He reached out to take her hand, but Hiyori jerked away before he could.

"Don't," she quickly pulled away, reaching for the door handle and swinging it open.

"Just leave me alone…" Hiyori mumbled under her breath as she finally hurried away.

The door swung shut by itself, leaving Yato alone with his own thoughts.

That wasn't the Hiyori he knew. It was her face, and her voice, but that behavior and attitude was not hers. Was it her emotions getting the best of her, or was someone acting as a marionette, pulling on her strings?

. . . .

Hiyori was careful not to let her tears show as she forced a smile and opened the door to the karaoke room. Almost immediately, all eyes were on her.

"Oh! There she is," Seki said from his seat at the booth beside Abe and Fujisaki.

She caught Fujisaki eyeing her. He was secretly smirking in her direction, with a hint of deceit in his maroon eyes. He played it off by reaching for his drink and tipping it towards his lips.

He was up to something, and Hiyori knew it.

The brunette glared at him in response before adjusting herself so her friends wouldn't notice their hostility.

"Hiyori!" Yama called, waving a mic above her head. "We were just wondering where you went."

Ami quickly advanced towards her, handing a microphone to the brunette. "What took so long? You didn't fall in, did you?"

Hiyori blinked at her cluelessly, suddenly too overwhelmed to comprehend it all. "W-what?" She asked in confusion.

"She's just teasing," Yama rolled her eyes, then pointed at the TV screen. "Look. We're doing this one."

Hiyori let out an uneasy laugh as she attempted to switch into a more positive mood, despite how she was truly feeling inside.

Would Yato still be waiting for her once all of her friends left? Or would Yato be waiting for his father?

Once the night was nearing an end, Hiyori noticed her friends beginning to lose their voices. She chuckled as she watched Abe and Yama attempt to catch their breath after a long song.

She tried her best not to let Fujisaki's presence bring her down, but it was proving difficult because he continued on as if the two of them were really friends. He gave her what seemed like genuine smiles and shared friendly conversations. If Fujisaki had been seeking to kill her with kindness, he was definitely going in the right direction.

And then, suddenly, the door to the karaoke room was thrown open. Each of them turned to find a young man in glasses standing in the doorway, out of breath.

"Hiyori."

Hiyori nearly leapt up from her seat next to Ami. "O-Onii-chan?" She gaped at him.

Fujisaki leaned forward, intrigued by the sudden turn in events. He hadn't intended this to happen, but he also had no desire to interrupt what could otherwise be considered free entertainment.

"Oh," Yama blinked in surprise. "Hey, Iki-san."

"W-what are you doing here?" Hiyori asked, sharing a clueless look with her friends. "How did you know where I was?"

"S-sorry," Masaomi bowed politely to everyone else. "I came to take Hiyori home. There's-… been an emergency."

"What?" Hiyori exclaimed, worry written across her face.

"What happened?" Ami asked, suddenly standing up behind the brunette.

"What's going on?" Seki and Abe came closer.

Masaomi made a mental note of the young man casually sitting in the corner, watching the scene unfold.

"I'll explain on the way. But we have to go right now," he replied, adjusting one of the arms of his glasses.

Hiyori reached for her purse and came to her brother's side. She had limited time to say goodbye to her friends before the two were both rushing out of the karaoke room.