"I think she is starting to come around." A man says while shifting his hands together. "My daughter was hesitant to be around me. But after a while, I think she is starting to enjoy my company. She can be a bit skittish...but I'm happy to have made progress."

Claps are heard around the circle with a few whistles of encouragement. "That is wonderful news to hear, Haruto-san. " Akino compliments, scribbles down in her notebook. "My son is also doing much better as of late. So I am glad we are both in the same boat with that," She giggles and looks around the circle to see who would be next.

"Satomi-san, would you like to talk about your progress?"

Her eyes were not facing the crowd. In fact, she had not even clapped beforehand. Too many things preoccupied her mind for her to comprehend the meeting she was supposed to be participating in. Noises were also beginning to fill her ears.

Shoes tapping.

Chewing gum.

Soft music in the overhead speakers.

Shuffling of chairs being moved by bodies.

And his voice would plague her mind.

I'm better than before...and I'm going to save you.

Mifuyu's memory of the incident was starting to fade away in obscurity. The only thing that was said by her once best friend still resonated within her terrors repeatedly at night. Her past would come back to haunt her regularly and would grow increasingly worse. She was starting to falter behind in her school work through the transition of online schooling, not going on her daily jogs, and sleeping was becoming more and more of a chore.

It had been nearly almost a month since the incident. November was drawing to a close soon, and the winter holiday would soon descend upon the city of Kaminashi. Time was fleeing past the young ravenette. What day would it be tomorrow? Would it be next week? When could this be solved? How can it be dealt with?

Why was everything falling apart?

"Satomi-san?"

A hand grazes her shoulder and she jumps, standing up. "Don't touch me!"

The guy who had touched her slowly recoiled, and mumbled an apology. "Satomi-san, are you feeling alright? You have not said anything this evening." The counselor asks.

Trying to catch her breath, Mifuyu swallows. "No I'm not," A swear almost bubbles up out of her mouth but she catches it."I'm not okay." She then sits down and faces the group in front of her.

"I'm havin' a hard time coming to terms with things in my personal life. A lot of it has to do with these incidents at school and...they're affecting me more than I thought. I don't know what I should do. What can I do?" Mifuyu hangs her head, putting her hands on it while her elbows rest on her jeaned legs.

After sitting through a tense silence, someone clears their throat.

"Damn, poor kid." An older man spoke up with a raspier voice. He takes a drink from his water bottle, "Is there anything you can do that can still the demons?"

Mifuyu flinches at the terminology used, blinking slowly. She wanted to tell him not to pity her, for it only made her more ill. "I used to just sleep away my problems, but it is getting harder and harder to sleep most times."

"Have you talked with your aunts about it?" Akino asks.

"Sort of, but I have a habit of wanting to deal with things on my own. A lot of it is more or less...in my head."

The group stays quiet for a moment until Mifuyu speaks up again. "Being here helps though," She nods to them. "I really mean that. That way I don't feel so lonely in my room." Akino smiles at the notion.

"I am very happy to hear that, Satomi-san. That is mere progress in itself." Everyone nods, humming in agreement. A small beeping noise cuts through the tranquility, coming from Akino's wristwatch. "That is all the time we have here for today. Remember that this is our last time meeting again before the holidays. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!"

Everyone exits the rec center and goes their separate ways. Mifuyu puts on her black gloves, shoving her hands into her brown coat pockets. Dreary weather today with a chance of it snowing. The city was agleam with lights, people were getting off work for the day, restaurants starting to get busy. A typical Tuesday evening. She breathes deeply through her nose and exhales, burying herself within the sea noise of civilians. Pulling out her phone to check her messages, she checks Yuma's first.

Yuma and she have been talking back and forth since their accidental meetup at the supermarket. It somehow felt like yesterday they had done this. They don't text too often to each other. Texting seemed to cease around the middle of November when her nightmares would worsen. With all the trouble she was facing, seasonal depression is hitting her much harder than she anticipated. She clarified that she needed some time to herself before she could get back on schedule and since Yuma has left her alone. Strangely enough, a certain someone hasn't spoken up in a while. After Mifuyu had told her to text her if she needed anything at all, Yui didn't respond.

She has texted her a couple of times throughout the month but to no avail. It has only increased her worry and decides to not text her again until she feels better. Footsteps stop and then tap once more after the traffic signal gives them a notion to go. Her eyes are fixated on her phone until suddenly, it starts to glitch.

Mifuyu couldn't open up her text messages or her dial-pad, and apps. It simply froze and started to glitch in various colors with letterings she could not understand within the mass wall of color. She clenches her jaw tightly and goes to force it off until she feels her shoulder get brushed past. They mumble an apology and Mifuyu whips her head around to see a familiar set of hair she feels like she has not seen since. Overcome with the pursuit, she disregards her phone and stealthily chases after the coated figure who bumped into her.

Do not concern yourself with matters that are not yours.

You are a 'detective,' are you not?

His words would echo within her mind too. He would not leave her nightmares either. Those piercing eyes she saw in those hallways that night have never left her.

The way he gripped her hand in the library. His precision to know what to do, and how to do it when taking care of her after the accident. The entire atmosphere he had given off was nothing but sheer cold. One that would make anybody shiver in his line of sight.

But that kind of man is someone she could not possibly ignore.

"Hypocrite you are, Satomi-san." He says with a turn of his head. They had stopped by a local cafe shop while the human traffic had cut down significantly. It was in the quieter areas of the city. Safer and with a lot of money to spend.

"You accused me of stalking you before, but here you are. Following me around like a lost animal." Sharp raspberry knives meet with those silver daggers once again.

Mifuyu sighs tiredly, "I want to talk."

Reiji raises his eyebrow, slightly vexed by the forwardness in her voice. But has disgustingly grown accustomed to her deplorable manners. He pushes up his glasses and walks inside the cafe, coaxing her to join him. It was certainly a fancy one at that. Brick walls align the sides and front with crystal lighting from above. Comfortable seating with a luscious deep blue interior was inviting to one's eye. It was not as busy but still consistent enough to keep the employees busy. They both sit down across from each other at a table near the window away from people.

"Good evening," Their server soon arrives, bowing. "What can I get you both started with today?"

"I will have Pu-Erha tea, please," Reiji says briskly, staring at his hands.

"And what will you have, miss?" The waitress asks.

"Oolong, please," Mifuyu says with a small smile. The waitress nods and then leaves.

They both stare at each other for a few seconds before the vampire sighs, rubbing the middle of his nose. "Did your mother not teach you anything about manners? Staring at someone is highly inappropriate. So if you have something to say, say it."

Mifuyu's eyes twitch and takes off her gloves, along with her coat. "Do you remember the festival?"

"The Halloween festival? Yes, I recall that being a success before certain atrocities had occurred." Reiji hums, clicking his tongue. "It was unfortunate, those two women."

Mifuyu's eyes widened, "So they were girls?"

A raise of his brow. "Yes, it was confirmed in one of the many articles they reported about it. I thought you of all people would know this information by now, Satomi-san."

Her hands go into a small first and then squeezes, trying to calm herself. "It's what I thought," Mifuyu breathes, "My memory has been tampered with. I don't know what's real anymore." She mutters under her breath.

"Memory?" Reiji inquires, "What do you mean?"

Mifuyu's eyes glance to the side. She did not want to tell this four-eyed freak anything. But if what he says is true, that he would participate in this ordeal, would it be right to tell him what is going on with her after the incident? He was not working directly with the cause and for all she knew, it could be for his own plans too. Whatever those may be.

"...I don't remember what happened, is what I'm saying." Mifuyu shuts her eyes, "Anytime I try to remember, I get this horrible headache, and my memories blur. I only remember a certain person I saw, along with Yuma. But I don't remember seeing anything else." She puts a hand on her head.

"I see," Reiji's eyes glance at her hands to her head. "You saw someone that night, then? That Mukami was there with you too? I would presume in the school."

"Yes. It...was a man with white hair. I knew him from my past, and he isn't the same as I remember."

The waitress soon comes back with their drinks without a word, going onward to the next table. They both take their drinks and Mifuyu takes a sip of her tea. "I really am not interested in your personal matters involving this case," Reiji drinks his tea. "So please avoid wasting your breath in explaining that detail further. Do you remember what happened next?"

Mifuyu almost chokes on her tea after he says that, immediately setting it down. She charges a retort but dismisses it. Breathe and think, for once. She instead glares at him. "I remember watching Yuma help me up to my feet, but not much else. The next thing I know is I'm shoved in the direction away from the school."

Reiji picks up one of the smaller utensils and swirls his tea, thinking. "Do you know why this is happening to you?" He wonders is this when she would piece together the supernatural to the crimes. Wondering if she would now explore an even darker side to this city. If she did, what would he do?

Mifuyu doesn't respond for a moment to ponder. "My likely guess would be me trying to repress whatever happened. It must have been too much for me to handle and cause of that, my mind responded to neglecting it."

"A traumatic response..." Reiji repeats, carefully examining the phrasing.

"Yeah, it's not uncommon. At least for me." Mifuyu says simply, picking up her teacup to sip.

Reiji then breathes and goes to look at the ravenette again. She had not figured it out, yet. But somewhere believes that was otherwise.

"Then let me ask you this one question, Satomi-san." Mifuyu puts her cup down to listen.

"Why pursue this? It is obvious that you are not fit to investigate something of this magnitude if these deaths and disappearances are bothering you this much. You are quick to have panic attacks, you lash out under significant pressure, and you do not learn from your mistakes from what I have seen. You prove to be a nuisance in this case. What is pushing you to go this far?"

Brutally honest as he always seemed to be, Reiji was right. Mifuyu has nearly neglected all of her mental health regarding the case since it started. The whole reason she decided to take it on herself was to become like her father. Her father always did great things. He saved countless lives from being killed and caught the people who did the crimes they committed. He was somebody she wanted to be. He wanted her to be like him for so long throughout her childhood.

And all of sudden, he didn't want her to be a part of it anymore.

I want you to do what you want to do, Fuyu.

That is what he always said to her when she questioned the lack of agency of teaching her. After a couple of months, he was stolen away from her forever. Was there something to prove to him? To prove to her family?

Mifuyu blinks up from her tea to look at the Sakamaki. Then, she smiles.

"Thought you weren't interested in my 'personal matters.'" Mifuyu mocked his voice, putting up air quotes around her words.

Reiji's right eye twitches. "You are doing this because it's a game?"

"You said you wanted to 'play this game' with us, Sakamaki. You said you did not care about my personal matters, and I am doing exactly what you told me to do." Mifuyu leans over the table, smile dropping. Determination reignited in her eyes.

"Save my breath."

There was no use asking for his goals.

There was no use of him asking hers.

Not if he wanted to make the effort to know more.

Not if she wanted to make the effort to learn more.

A dangerous game to play. Any of this would be.

Suddenly, the entrance door slams open and two familiar brothers make their appearance. One she had not seen often, but another she was all too familiar with.

"Reiji! Where have ya been?! We needed to get home and we couldn't find ya anywhere!" Ayato shouts in the cafe, putting both hands on his shoulders. Laito shakes his head with a smile, tipping his hat. "Guess our big brother was on a date with...an unexpected girl?~" Laito slides his eyes towards the ravenette, taken slightly aback by her sitting across the table.

Mifuyu was about to stand to blow a fuse, but Reiji raised his hand. "You two are making so much commotion for nothing. This is not a date. Our classmate just wanted to discuss a few things with me, that's all. We merely ran into each other."

"Sure, Reiji~ Okaayy, since we found you. We can go home now~" Laito says and winks at the girl, to which Mifuyu looks away.

"Your Majesty doesn't like waiting. Especially if it's with this kind of girl! Why's it gotta be you, huh?" Ayato prodes Mifuyu. Obviously wanting a reaction out of her. Mifuyu then suddenly slams her hand down on the table, cringing at herself for the action but she couldn't express her frustrations in any other way. "Check please!"

They soon received their separate check and paid for their drinks. The three vampires and human walked out of the cafe, soon to depart in different directions. Reiji and Mifuyu does not say anything else to each other afterward. But one thing was certain for her.

She has found her reason to continue forward.

Reiji on the other hand, feels a lingering feeling that has yet to cease. It was far from anything relating to satiation.