Hachi Academy roof
Murasakia and Imu are lunching together, since Murasaki prepared something special for the two of them, Imu couldn't refuse.
The meal is simple, just ungarnished onigiri, but very carefully made.
"How is it, big sis?"
Murasaki asks, hoping she's not wasting one of the rare moments when she's alone with her sister.
"It's very tasty, thank you, Murasaki."
Imu answers with a cheerful smile, a smile that brings happiness to her little sister.
Neither Murasaki nor Imu are able to remember the last time they were able to spend time together in that way, even when Murasaki wasn't a shut-in, they barely did since Imu wasn't lovely toward her even though she did love her.
But they both decided to forget about the past and just enjoy being there together, even if Imu rather be with Miyabi than her sister, she will always be there for her.
"You two are just so adorable…"
A female and sweet voice says, surprising the two sisters.
Imu and Murasaki immediately look at the direction of the voice, which is Fumiyo's one.
"Oh, hi…"
"G-Good afternoon…"
The two sisters say, they're obviously bothered by the presence of one of the senior elite students.
Fumiyo bows without saying a single word, however, she doesn't look like usual.
Her face, usually smiling, is sad-looking, as if she was about to announce bad news.
"Sorry to bother you, but there is something I would like to be sure about…"
Fumiyo explains, looking at Murasaki right in her eyes.
"Murasaki, you do not want to be a shinobi, do you?"
The black-haired woman asks, shocking the two sister in passing.
"Eh?! Bullshit! Of course she does!"
Imu asks, even if she knows the truth.
"Imu, I want her to say it, please don't answer instead of her."
Fumiyo politely asks without taking a look at Imu.
"I…"
Murasaki doesn't want to respond, but that's not Fumiyo's reaction she feras, but Imu's one.
After a moment of hesitation when neither Fumiyo nor Imu say a single word, Murasaki finds the right answer.
"I want to be with my big sister and help her, if it involves me being a shinobi, I don't mind."
She says, despite her shy voice, her words are kinda powerful.
Imu is surprised by that answer, she can't help feeling smiling, proud of her sister.
But Fumiyo, even if she doesn't seem to doubt Murasaki's answer, doesn't seem to like it.
"You are a brave girl, Murasaki, but may I say I do not think you really know what being an evil shinobi is."
Fumiyo explains, her tone of voice, though unusually harsh, is still full of goodwill.
"You think she's an idiot? Of course she does!"
Imu responds, she doesn't like Fumiyo's remarks.
"Imu, I would say the same thing for you."
Fumiyo says in return, looking at Imu for the first time since that discussion has started.
"Oh, really? And what's your evidence?"
Imu asks, smirking.
Fumiyo closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
Because I know you deeply love your sister."
Imu is confused because she doesn't understand the meaning of that answer.
"That's right, but…"
She was about to ask for clearer responses, but Fumiyo is faster.
"To lead someone to the evil path, you either don't like it or you're not aware about what this path means."
She adds, Imu understands, but still does not like it at all.
"Wrong! I perfectly know what being an evil shinobi involves, and Murasaki too!"
Imu claims, but doubt can be perceived through her words.
"Really? Did you tell her about the people, sometimes innocent, she'll have to kill? The rotten people she'll have to protect? The harmless people she'll have to destroy their lives? The hundreds of enemies she'll get over the years? Is that really what you want her to know as her older sister?"
Fumiyo says, it's the first time Imu and Murasaki see her raising her voice.
Imu doesn't know what to answer, she's doubting, and when she looks at Murasaki, it's even worse.
Murasaki looks horrified by the things Fumiyo just mentioned, it's right she'll never be able, even for her sister, take a sword and kill a child.
"There is no honor or morality in the world of evil shinobi, one day, a tipping point to breach will rise."
Fumiyo adds.
"So, why are you here?"
Imu asks, annoyed.
"What?"
Fumiyo asks, confused.
"You're also following this path, why are you doing it if you know how ugly it is?"
Imu asks.
"..."
Fumiyo is hesitating, her face reveals she has an answer, but she doesn't know if she should tell them.
"Because someone is needed to make the lost souls realize what they're going into… Also, I've already breached the point…"
Fumiyo answers, her face is full of sorrow.
"I am very sorry for bothering you, I am leaving, have a nice day."
Fumiyo says before leaving.
Imu and Murasaki are looking at her without saying a single word, once left, Imu breaks the silence.
"What a strange girl…"
The girl with glasses says.
Murasaki looks sad, something in Fumiyo caught her attention.
"She was sad…"
Murasaki says.
"Thanks, didn't notice it."
Imu ironically responds.
"Her smell, I've never smelled so much sadness in my entire life…"
Murasaki explains.
"Really? Whatever, we all have our pains, you know."
Imu reacts, but despite her words, she also has a kind of curiosity regarding Fumiyo.
"But I wonder what she was referring to when she said "breached the point"..."
Imu asks, but Murasaki doesn't know the answer.
And she really wants to know.
One hour later, Osaka Hospital
Fumiyo has free time, and she's going to spend it in the same way as usual.
Knock Knock
The young woman knocks on the door of one of the rooms, a nurse almost immediately opens it.
"Ah! Ryûnosuke, look who's here!"
The nurse tells a little boy in a bed, surfing but smiling when he sees the shinobi.
"Fumiyo!"
The child yells of joy, as if he wanted this moment the entire day, maybe it is.
"Hello Ryûnosuke."
Fumiyo answers with her usual cheerful smile.
"Anyway, I have a little something for you, here."
Fumiyo says by offering a pink bag to Ryûnosuke.
The little boy opens it and takes a gray rat plush with a sewing mark on the belly.
"Oh! Mofukun! You stitched it up!"
Ryûnosuke yells of soy by hugging his stuffed rat.
"Of course, what would this poor Mofukun do without you after all?"
Fumiyo joyfully says.
"So, what we're going to play today? It's a special day for Mofukun, we need a great game!"
The young boy says with a serious but innocent voice.
"Of course!"
Fumiyo responds, playing along.
Two hours later
Fumiyo never stopped playing with Ryûnosuke for two hours, which is very exhausting, even for a shinobi like her.
But the young woman is happy, very happy, just like the little boy by the way.
"You're leaving already?"
Ryûnosuke asks, he looks sad.
"I'll be back tomorrow, as usual, don't worry!"
Fumiyo answers in a comforting tone of voice.
'Okay, see ya! tomorrow!"
Ryûnosuke yells, back smiling.
"See you tomorrow!"
Fumiyo says while leaving the room.
Once outside it, she finds the same nurse that welcomed her sooner.
"How was he today?"
The nurse asks.
"Joyful, very joyful, as always."
Fumiyo answers, her smile is nevertheless not able to hide the sorrow she's feeling right now.
"Very good, it's thanks to you he's still able to smile, you know…"
The nurse answers, unable to hide her sadness too.
"It is thanks to all of us."
Fumiyo tells the nurse before quickly bowing and starting to walk in the long corridors of the hospital.
Only two minutes later, the black-haired shinobi is already outside, she now can deal with something else.
"I know you are there, you can show yourself."
Fumiyo very politely says.
After a few seconds, a spy appears, it's Murasaki.
"I am sorry…"
Murasaki says, she looks ashamed of her behavior, but not really scared.
"Just what did you followed me? Is there something you want to ask me?"
Fumiyo kindly asks.
"Well… Actually, I felt… Sorrow in you, and I wanted to… Know more about it… I am truly sorry for my inappropriate curiosity…"
Murasaki answers, blushing with shame.
But Fumiyo isn't angry at all, she even cheerfully smiles at Murasaki.
"You did nothing wrong, it is only natural for comrades to know more about each other, what do you want to know about me?"
Fumiyo asks.
Murasaki wasn't expecting such a reaction, but she also still doesn't understand why she's so interested in Fumiyo.
But Murasaki reflexively asks:
"That little boy, is he a member of your family?"
Which almost immediately vanishes Fumiyo's smile, but only for a moment so brief Murasaki couldn't even think she just made a mistake.
"Ryûnosuke? No, he is a child suffering from an incurable disease. He is dying, and like too many children like him, his parents are not brave enough to be with him for the end of his journey…"
Fumiyo explains, her lips smile, but her eyes are about to cry.
"And I am a volunteer here, I play with him alongside several other children in the same situation to help them… enduring it."
Fumiyo adds.
Murasaki feels sad by hearing Fumiyo's words, she smelled the child will be gone soon, but not that Fumiyo was just a volunteer not linked to him in any way.
"I see, this is a beautiful act, I will not be brave enough for that…"
Murasaki answers, about to cry too.
And she even decides to be honest this time.
"To be honest, I thought he was your little brother, after all you told us this afternoon…"
Murasaki admits.
Those words make Fumiyo look even sadder, to the point she can keep smiling.
"I had a little brother, his name was Ataru, he passed away five years ago."
Fumiyo finds the courage to say.
Murasaki feels guilty asking her that, but before she could find the right words to apologize, Fumiyo smiles again.
"Whatever, it's getting late, you should come back to find your sister, she is likely worried about you."
The black-haired woman cheerfully tells the purple-haired one.
"Yes, you're right…"
Murasaki answers, smiling too.