"Woah, it's seriously raining?!"

The sounds of the heavy raindrops drummed so loudly on the roof and on the cement floor outside that it can be heard from the windows. Saki scratched the back of her head in this ridiculous situation.

"It was just all sunshine and shit earlier, why is it raining now of all times?"

She leaned by the window, staring at the small puddles the downpour was making in the front yard. She breathed out a heavy sigh.

Good thing she parked her bike under the shade or else it might get all wet from the rain.

She stared around the living room. To think of it, Ai's house was fairly large. The living room had two solo couches and a long couch placed around a glass-top table. There weren't much stuff anywhere except the few picture frames on the shelves by the side. She remembered seeing quite a few rooms upstairs, but she couldn't remember how many it was exactly. All she knew was two of them were the ones being occupied by Ai and Junko. The kitchen was quite big too, good for cooking meals without bumping into things.

She looked back at her friends again and saw all three of them sitting on the couches.

Sakura was in a solo couch, staring down with her brows slightly furrowed. She was twiddling with her thumbs like she didn't know what to do.

Junko was on the long couch, sitting properly. Her hands were on her lap, but you could see them gripping her dress tightly. Her worried gaze was set on the person beside her.

Meanwhile, Ai.

She sat beside Junko but her posture was rigid. Her back hunched a bit more than it usually did and her arms are crossed over her body. It was like she was hugging herself but not. Her gaze was also on the floor same as Sakura, but it had a different expression.

"Rain, huh."

Saki moved to one of the couches and sat down heavily. She placed a hand under her chin and asked the three others.

"What do we do now? This rain looks like it's gonna last longer than we think it will."

"I, uhh..."

Sakura clasped her own hands and looked at Saki. She still had that small crease on her forehead as she thought of an answer to her question.

Junko patted down her dress as she entered the conversation.

"You can stay here. We got another free room upstairs but it is kinda dusty."

She said in a quiet tone. Her worried expression was still clear in her eyes.

Ai suddenly breathed out a shaky sigh.

"I... I'll just go to the washroom."

"Ai-san, I'll go with you."

As Ai stood up from her seat, Junko also got up to accompany her. The short haired girl just looked away and walked slowly.

"I'll only be washing my face. I don't need you to accompany me, I'll be fine."

"B-but-"

"Junko," interrupted Ai. She stared at the two visitors and said, "You need to be there for the guests. I'll be fine."

Junko retracted her hand and nodded slightly. She wordlessly sat back down on her seat. The frown on her face turned deeper as she stared at nothing.

Then after that, there was silence. They just sat down on the couches, not saying a word. Saki wanted to actually initiate a conversation, but the worried expressions on the two's faces made it hard for her to do so. Sakura and Junko didn't seem like they had a plan to talk as they furrowed their eyebrows. The silence made the pitter patter of the rain louder to their ears that it almost felt deafening.

Minutes passed by like that until one of them suddenly talked.

"... I'm sorry, it must have been my rotten luck."

"Sakura?" "Minamoto-san?"

The two girls stared at Sakura, who had her head bowed down to hide her face. She was clutching the hem of her shirt as she spoke in a quiet voice.

"It's always like this. Things happening for no reason just to give me and everyone around me a hard time. I'm sorry if my unluckiness affected you too."

She finally lifted her head. Her eyes looked sullen and a bit red on the corners. The furrow in her brows didn't decrease either. She had a guilty expression on her face like she did something bad.

"Huh? What are ya talkin' about?" Saki raised an eyebrow. "It's not like ya wished for rain to come right? It's all just coincidence, don't beat yourself too much."

Sakura just tightened her grip on her shirt and closed her eyes.

"I still feel sorry... This always happens that I really think it is connected to me being here. Not only we couldn't go back home but we'll also stay in Ai-chan and Junko-chan's house. I don't want to trouble them with my presence..."

"Sakura..."

Saki felt more conflicted this time. She knew that Sakura had these kind of sudden mood swings but she still didn't know exactly what to do when it happens. If it was her gang she would just line them up and beat the shit out them, but she couldn't do that here.

"Argh, what do I do? Sakura, it ain't yer fault, ok?! And even if it was, you're not trouble, ya hear me?!"

"O-okay..."

"Good," Saki sighed. "You maybe unlucky, but I don't fucking care about that shit. I won't let my friends wear a mopey sad face or I'll beat y'all up."

Sakura flinched away from her loud voice. Her words might sound harsh but she knew Saki enough that she's being serious with what she said. She felt a bit lighter.

"Rain... This takes me back."

Saki suddenly said as she leaned back into the couch with her arms behind her head. She stared into the white ceiling with a nostalgic smile on her face.

"I met Ai on a rainy day, too."

"Really?" Sakura leaned a bit forward, seeming to be interested in her story. Seeing that the light in her eyes was back, Saki smiled and relaxed her body.

"Yeah! I was just driving around the street that night y'kno? Then it suddenly started to rain or some shit. It was stormy, annoying. I ended up stopping at the nearest park and took my bike under the shade, can't let it stay under the rain for long."

Junko seemed to listen attentively to her story too as her eyes turned to look at her. The worry in her eyes was still present, though. Saki redirected her gaze at her to acknowledge her presence then continued her story.

"And yeah I decided to grab some drink from the vending machine nearby and yeah, for some reason I passed by the playground. You know what's weird about it?"

"Um, not really Saki-chan," replied Sakura.

"Hah? Wanna die?"

"Saki-chan..!"

Saki cleared her throat before she continued.

"You see, I saw someone inside the dome thingy in the playground. Y'kno, the one with holes and stuff? So yeah I got curious and got closer. Inside it I saw Ai!"

Saki said with a laugh. The two other girls are a bit confused on what she said. For Sakura, she didn't understand why Ai would be inside that for it was a bit cramped for adults to fit in. Meanwhile, for Junko, she's a bit confused on why Ai was outside at night without her.

"So yeah I found her inside it and she was shivering. Thought she was just cold so I gave her my jacket and joined her in. But turns out she was actually afraid of thunder-"

As she said that, a clap of thunder boomed and lightning illuminated the room.

Saki suddenly stopped in her story. She abruptly stood up from her seat and panic can be seen in her eyes. She quickly turned to Junko to ask.

"Wait, ain't she taking too long?"

"Y-yeah, I thought so too..." Junko stood up too but not as abrupt as what Saki did.

"Holy crap, Ai!" Saki ran to the hallway with Junko following quickly behind her.

"W-wait!" Sakura quickly stood up and followed them.


"Hey, you."

Saki peered in from one of the holes, her hand outstretched. She was a holding a jacket like she was offering it.

"This is already a bit wet but I think this still works. Use it"

The short haired girl looked up after wiping her eyes. Their eyes met shortly before the girl averted her gaze. She didn't move to take the jacket, she just stayed crouched down and curled into a ball.

"Hey, you. Are ya ignorin' me?! Wanna die?!"

'After I offered this much you're just gonna ignore me?' Saki thought to herself. She clicked her tongue and pulled her hand out.

The girl breathed out an audible sigh. Thinking that the biker is gone, she curled up again inside the dome and hid her face. Her hands gripped the sleeves of her shirt as the pouring rain worsened.

Saki kicked a small rock nearby in annoyance. She was about to walk away when thunder suddenly boomed in the night sky.

"Woah! What the fuck?" Saki blurted out, startled from the sudden loud noise.

But other than that, she could also hear something within the noise of the raindrops.

She heard a yelp.

Then sobs.

Saki looked behind her. It was the dome. That's where the sound came from.

She clicked her tongue again then paced hurriedly. She peeked in again and saw the girl still there, curled more than she was earlier.

"Oi," said Saki as she tried to get the attention of the girl. The girl just jumped in her position but didn't move to look at her.

"Still ign-"

"Leave me alone."

"Ha?"

It was the first time she heard the girl talk. Judging from her voice, their ages weren't too far apart. Saki breathed out a heavy sigh then stepped into the dome.

The girl heard her movements and tried to move away.

"H-hey, I told you to leave me alone."

Despite hearing that, Saki tried to be comfortable as she sat down on the cold floor. She just looked outside and watched as the rain fell harder on each drop. She could see lightning flashing from afar that it slightly illuminated the area.

"The rain ain't stopping soon y'kno."

"I know."

"Then how long do ya think are ya goin to stay here, huh?" Saki raised an eyebrow at the girl's answer. 'Such a pain...'

The girl peered under her dark fringes. Now that Saki can look at her closely, she saw her light red eyes. There were tears lingering on the corners of her eyes as she stared at her sharply.

But the odd thing was, there were bandages wrapped around her face except her eyes.

The girl might have noticed that she's been staring for too long. She took a cap lying beside her and put it on to hide her face better.

"Get out."

"Nope," Saki flatly declined.

'Ha?"

Saki can still see how the girl's brow raised from her refusal. The girl was about to say something when thunder boomed again that made her cover her ears with her hands.

"How am I gonna leave if you're like that, dumbass."

Saki moved close and wrapped her jacket around her shoulders. The girl jumped a bit from the gesture but ended up gripping the jacket for comfort. 'Ah, so she got bandages on her hands too,' she thought.

"We can wait here 'til the rain stops then I'll give ya a ride home afterwards. Ah, or maybe you can wear this cool headphones of mine! Noise cancelling is freakin' amazing! You can just play some sick beats then boom! You're in yer own world."

"... I don't like music."

"Don't be too fussy! Just wear it, that way ya can get yer ass home quick," Saki brought out a pair from her pockets and offered it to the girl. The girl looked a bit hesitant at first but still took it from her hands. As soon as she wore it, she flinched a bit from the volume of the music playing in it.

"Too loud!"

"Who cares?! That way you won't hear anything!"

Even with the loud blaring music in her ears, the girl could still hear Saki's loud, booming voice. Saki moved to get up then went out from one of the holes and stretched her hand to help her stand. The girl just stood up of her own and went out the other hole.

"Oi. You're rude."

But as soon as the girl tried to walk a step, her legs suddenly gave up and she landed on her knees. Saki ran to her in panic.

"O-oi! You good?!"

"... It's the usual stuff."

Saki scratched her head and groaned. "Argh damn it, I'll carry ya home! Where ya from?!"

Saki helped the girl walk and made her ride the bike with her. She wrapped a cloth she found in her stuff around their torsos so the girl won't fall off on their ride.

"Grab on tight, we'll be quick"

The girl tried to wrap her arms around her torso in the firmest way she can then the bike revved to life and rolled into the night.


"Hey, Ai! Where are ya?!"

Saki ran in the hallway into the direction of the bathroom. But before she could reach it, she saw a small figure in the corner of the hallway adjacent to the bathroom door.

"Ai!" "Ai-san!" "Ai-chan!"

The three of them called out in unison. Ai's shoulders jumped noticeably as she heard them call her name. She raised her head a bit to look at their worried faces until a flash of light made her hide her eyes again.

The trio knelt down and surrounded her, their worried gazes boring holes into her figure. Saki breathed out a sigh and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ai, get a grip. We're here now."

Saki didn't get any a reply but she could hear soft whimpers. She sat beside her and rubbed the younger girl's back gently. Meanwhile, Junko sat on the other side and held one of Ai's hands.

"Ai-san, it'll be alright. We're here with you."

"...no. No more..." mumbled Ai with her eyes closed.

Her lithe figure still trembled in fear. Seeing those flashes of light made her remember that day so clearly.

The clap of thunder ringing in her ears.

The crawling sensation from her fingertips down to her whole body.

The searing pain on her burnt skin.

The memories are so vivid she could feel them all in this moment. She couldn't stop herself from crying no matter how hard she tried. Her ribs felt sore whenever she breathes. The fear was just too great.

The silence was filled with her weak hics and sobs melding with the sounds of rain and the occasional ringing of thunder.

Sakura knelt in front of the three. Back then when she heard what happened to the Mizuno Ai that she idolized, she too felt dumbstruck. She didn't know what to do. Her lightpost suddenly went out and now she couldn't see her way. It was all so sudden. She dreamt of smiling the way Ai did on stage, and yet life even took that smile she so adored. She also dreamt of performing on the same stage as her, but life also took that chance away from her too.

Seeing how Ai was curled up in a corner like this, Sakura felt the weight of that incident slam down on her all at once that she was at a loss for words. It wasn't just the scars on her skin that were deep. The scar on her soul was deeper.

They sat like that in silence until the rain stopped. Ai wasn't sobbing anymore. Junko and Saki kept on giving her comforting rubs on her hand and back while Sakura was just sitting there, silent. She didn't know what to do.

Saki tapped Ai's shoulder, trying to get her attention.

"Hey Ai, it's late. Do you wanna get back to yer room no... Ai?"

Before she could finish she noticed that the girl wasn't responding. She peeked onto her face and saw a peaceful expression. Her breathing was a bit softer this time too.

"She fell asleep?"

"She must be tired," said Junko with a chuckle, a relieved smile on her face. "She gets tired easily."

Saki stood up and popped her joints a bit. She stretched her arms into the air before saying,

"Ahhh, painnnn. I guess I'll have to carry 'er."

"Thank you, Nikaidou-san," Junko said.

"Nah, all good. Aight, let's go Ai! Off to bed ya go."

Saki carried Ai on her back with the help of Junko and Sakura who had just snapped out from her thoughts. When they arrived in front of Ai's room, Sakura gulped. She was the one who helped them open the door.

As soon as the door opened, a sweet scent entered her nose.

It smelled like sweet osmanthus.

Beyond the door was a simple room with blue beddings. There was a table by the side and a few drawers and cabinets beside it, standing against the wall. There weren't much decorations or designs either, except for a few weird-looking plushies beside the bed. The table earlier had pens and brushes neatly arranged on top of it. It must be where she did her other works.

'So this is Ai-chan's room...'

Saki and Junko set the sleeping Ai down on the bed and tucked her in. The blonde patted down the wrinkles in her clothes then placed her hands on her hips.

"Man, she looked like a different person when asleep. The permanent frown on her face is gone, heh. Didn't know she can make such a face."

Junko smiled, "If she hears you say that, she'll never let that pass."

"Hah! Bring it on!" Saki replied with a laugh.

Sakura stood beside them, still looking around the room. Saki noticed how silent Sakura had been the entire time and couldn't help but ask.

"Hey Sakura, you good?"

"Y-yes? Y-yeah! I'm okay!" she replied in a panic.

"You've been very silent. Ya tired too?" Saki raised an eyebrow.

"P-probably... I'm okay though!"

Sakura tried to reassure Saki. Hearing their exchange, Junko chimed in like she remembered something.

"I'll be staying in Ai-san's room. You two can use my room for later."

"Eh?! Your room?! You mean, Junko-chan's room?!" Sakura blurted out in shock.

"Hey, Sakura! You're noisy, tone it down!" Saki interjected.

Sakura clamped her mouth shut but before whispering, "But you are too, Saki-chan...! Ai-chan is asleep."

Saki clicked her tongue, "You wanna die, huh? You want that egg-shaped head of yours cracked, huh?!"

Sakura moved to shield her head with her hands instinctively. Junko waited for them to finish before saying,

"Well, now that I'll be staying here, my room is a better place for you two to sleep in. The other free room didn't really have beddings because we never get guests to be honest. And it's also dusty, I didn't have the time to clean it because of what happened."

Saki scratched the back of her head then said, "Are ya sure tho? You just met us today, too. I mean, well, I saw ya here before but we didn't really talk or sumthin'." Sakura nodded because that's what was in her mind too.

Junko just smiled.

"It's alright. For some reason, I feel strangely at ease with you two."

Despite being the biggest singer of their generation, seeing Konno Junko in real life didn't make Sakura feel uneasy. Junko was too down-to-earth that the two felt like they can be friends with her easily. They also felt at ease with her for some reason they did not know.

"Then we'll take that offer," Saki grinned widely.

Sakura smiled and bowed slightly, "Thank you, Junko-chan."

"Oh, I need to prepare dinner soon. Shall we go?" Junko said remembering the time.

Saki looked at the clock on the table while Sakura looked on her watch and noticed the time. They both nodded and went out of the room as silently as they could. Junko spared the sleeping Ai a glance before closing the door.


"Man, t'was so delicious! Thanks for the food!"

Saki said as she finished eating. She rubbed her stomach and leaned back on her chair. "I think I haven't eaten that much lately. That's a good one, Junko."

"Thank you," Junko smiled. "And thank you Minamoto-san for helping with the meal."

"A-ah! It's nothing! Ahahaha..." Sakura said while waving her arms, embarrassed from the attention. She volunteered to help in preparing dinner as thanks for letting them stay. During the dinner, they ended up talking a lot, jumping from one topic to another. It almost felt like they've known each other for a long time. The thought made her smile a bit. While washing the dishes, she looked out the window and noticed that it was raining again, but not as harsh as earlier and minus the lightning and thunder.

'Even if we try to go home right now, it's impossible, huh...' Sakura thought. Her house was actually a bit far from here. The only way she arrived here was because Saki took her out on a ride. If they try to go home, they'll just end up wet from head to toe.

Junko walked to her side and helped with the plates too.

"Thank you for your help again, Minamoto-san."

"It's nothing really! Also you can call me Sakura."

"O-okay, Sakura-san," Junko nodded shyly.

'Junko-chan really is a shy person,' thought Sakura and smiled. It was cute and unexpected from a person in the show business.

"Ah, me too you can just call me Saki! Bein' too polite doesn't really suit me y'kno?" Saki shouted from her seat as she managed to hear their conversation.

"Th-thank you, Saki-san."

"Nah, no biggie!"

Sakura smiled at the two. It really felt like her friends increased by a lot in a day. They were easy to talk to, even the shy Junko. The only one she wanted to know more would be Ai because she was always silent and didn't let her emotions show most of the time. Seeing the contemplative expression on Sakura's face, Junko suddenly spoke while keeping the plates.

"I heard you were a fan of Ai-san?"

Sakura's eyes suddenly sparkled and she quickly turned to the white haired girl.

"Y-yes! In fact, I am still a fan! I actually listen to her songs everyday, it gives me energy to go on my day..."

Sakura's eyes suddenly stared into the distance. If that incident didn't happen, would Ai still be an idol today? Would she be an idol too? Will they ever meet like this? Thoughts scrambled in her mind while she proceeded to wash the remaining plates.

Junko smiled when she heard Sakura's reply.

"I listen to her songs too."

"Eh?"

Sakura turned her head to look at Junko who had a nostalgic smile on her face.

"Mhmm. She's a long time friend of mine. I've known her from way back..."

"Yeah, or so I've heard..."

Sakura remembered Ai mentioning something like this when they first met each other in this house. It was an awkward story.

Then there was silence, except for the clanking of the plates and the splashing of the water. They just tried to finish their tasks as fast as they could so they can wrap up quick.

After the kitchen was all clean and organized, the two were lead by Junko to the room that they'll be staying in today.

"This is my room."

Beyond the door was a neat room. The stuff inside was usually grey and white including the beddings and the wallpaper. There was an old-timey feeling though, especially with the antique-like designs of the furnitures inside. What was amazing though was the old bulky Polaroid camera on top of her bedside table. Sakura hadn't seen anything like one before. Other than the camera, there were pictures on the bedside table, too. Actually, she even saw a photo album on the shelf by the wall. The pictures were mostly taken by a polaroid.

There was a picture of Junko with probably her manager in a car. Then there was a picture of her performing on stage.

Then there was a picture of Junko, smiling so brightly, with Ai who was doing the same.

Judging with how she still didn't have scars on her body, Sakura immediately realised that it was taken before the incident happened.

The last picture on the bedside picture frame was different though. It was Junko with Ai, but Ai was already covered in bandages. There were warm smiles on their faces, even tho the short haired girl hid it a bit. It looked like a stolen shot.

But who was there to take the picture?

Sakura took her time to marvel at the room until Junko spoke to them.

"So, um. If you need to use the bathroom you know where it is already, right? Also, my bed is big enough to accommodate you both, there's an extra pillow inside the cabinet over there. Wait, I'll take it out."

Junko walked gracefully to the cabinet and pulled out a white fluffy pillow and patted it down before setting it on the bed.

"If you need anything more you can knock on our door."

"No, I think this is already amazing! Thank you, Junko-chan," Sakura said while still admiring the room.

"Yeah, like, seeing how cool your room is makes me wanna sleep on the couch instead," said Saki while testing how soft the mattress was. "Woah this is so good."

"Then, I'll excuse myself for now. Goodnight, everyone," Junko said as she walked to the door.

"Sure!" Goodnight, Junko-chan!" The two replied.

As soon as the door shut, Saki sat on the mattress and was too amazed on how soft it was.

"Woooaaahh, this is soooo good! Your bed is like trash compared to this, Sakura! C'mere check it out!"

"Saki-chan..."

The quality of the bed was too high that it's obvious in once glance. Sakura knew she can't afford this kind of bed. She didn't even know how to pay for her everyday living if not for Ai hiring her for the portrait. She sighed to herself and sat on the bed.

Saki started rolling on the bed just to feel how amazing it was. She just stopped when she saw the pictures by the bedside table.

"Ohh, who's this?" Saki pointed to one of the frames.

"Ah, it must be her manager," replied Sakura.

"Then this?" Saki pointed to another picture again.

"T-that's... That's Ai-chan."

"Eh?! For reals?!"

Saki grabbed the frame and stared at the picture intensely with her golden eyes. The more she stared at it the more amazed her expression was.

"Woooahh, this looked like a different person for a second until you mentioned it was her. But..."

Saki smiled, but with a hint of sadness and fondness mixed in.

"She must have been so happy here, huh?"

"Yeah..." Sakura stared at the picture as well. She felt the corner of her eyes turn a bit warmer and moist.

Saki set the picture frame down on the table again then lied flat on the bed. She stared at the ceiling with the same look as earlier.

"I hope she would smile like that too."

Sakura was very close to crying that she gulped the lump forming in her throat, "Yeah, me too..."

Saki grinned at her and patted the bedspace beside her.

"Now, now! The bed is too big for the two of us, let's get some rest shall we?"

"Mhmm," Sakura hummed in reply. She lied down the bed and tried to get some sleep. The bed smelled like it had freshly changed covers, the smell of the detergent was still there. She faced to her side, her back facing the delinquent and closed her eyes, wishing for tomorrow to be better.


Junko closed the door shut. She then walked to the bed and sat down, her eyes gazing at the other girl's peaceful sleeping face. She could also notice the gentle up and downs of her chest as she breathed. Ai indeed looked peaceful like this.

Junko tried to stand up to do something but before she could do so, she felt something tug her sleeve.

"Junko..."

"Eh? Ai-san...?"

She looked back and saw Ai. Her scarred fingers clutched her sleeve and her sharp red eyes stared at her, half-lidded. She must have woken up just now. Junko blinked.

"Yes, Ai-san?"

"... It's still raining."

"Ah..."

When Ai said that, she averted her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She let go of her too and retreated her hand back into the covers. Junko smiled.

"It'll be ok, Ai-san. It's just a little drizzle now. There wasn't any thunder nor lightning for a few hours now."

"... Is that so?"

Ai visibly looked relieved. She closed her eyes for a bit then breathed deeply. When she opened them again, she propped herself up into a sitting position.

"So? How are they?"

"Oh, they're fine. They seem to be kind people."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Ai moved to remove the facemask still hanging on her ears and set it aside on the bedside table. Meanwhile, Junko shuffled back into the bed to sit down with her.

"How are you?" Asked Junko.

"I'm fine. I felt like I ran around town though, my body is a bit sore and tired."

Then Ai stared at the white haired girl sharply.

"Are you going to come back to work tomorrow?"

"Hmmm. No, I told them I'm gonna extend my day off."

Ai sighed audibly. "... Knew it."

Junko laughed a bit. "It's been a while since we talked like this."

"Yeah."

While Ai was busy with her own work, Junko was a lot busier. By the time she arrived home from work, the younger girl was already fast asleep. There are times she couldn't even come home due to her work getting in the way. Ai was used to it, though. She knew how busy it was because she had been there.

"You should take your rest too, Junko. I'm fine now."

Junko nodded then moved to lie down on her bed. Ai was visibly confused you could almost see question marks around her head.

"Hm? Why on my bed though?" She raised an eyebrow.

Junko stared at her for a bit then laughed.

"I forgot to tell you, I told Saki-san and Sakura-san to use my room for tonight."

"Oh... What about the guest room?"

"I wasn't able to clean it."

"I see..."

Ai soon joined her and lied down on the bed. She stared at the ceiling with her red eyes. The bed was big, but she can still feel the warmth beside her.

She finally turned her head to look at her now roommate who was actually staring at the ceiling with her. The other girl turned her head towards her too. Then silence.

Junko was a long time friend of hers. She might even know her more than she knew herself. She got so used to their busy lives that she just realized it had been a long time since she last saw her this close. For a long time, she had been relying on her from the smallest to the biggest things.

'But then...'

Ai's gaze suddenly looked dim.

Junko quickly noticed the change, "Ai-san?"

"I... I'm sorry, Junko."

Was the answer she heard. Junko pressed her lips into a fine line as she contemplated on what the girl meant with her apology. She knew the reason immediately.

It's most likely because she felt like a burden.

Right now, Junko sacrificed days of work just for her, who was weak and frail. Due to the lightning strike that changed her life, her body turned weaker than how it usually was. Doing stuff tires her immediately. There were times she would just drop down for no reason. There was the mood swings too. She couldn't dance anymore. She get muscle cramps a lot.

Ai thought she probably wouldn't make it without Junko by her side.

If Junko hadn't used that 'stalker scare' story, will she still be here?

Ai actually didn't fully believe Junko's story on how she saw a few stalkers lurking around her house. She just accepted it because it might be true and she didn't want to risk anything.

And she didn't want to ask if it's true or fake either.

Because there's a selfish part her that didn't want to know.

Junko's eyes softened. She placed a hand on the side of Ai's scarred face. The girl was a bit startled from her actions, but she let it be.

"... Ai-san, don't say that."

Ai closed her eyes and held the hand soflty resting on her cheek.

"Too bad I couldn't feel how soft your hand was. I feel cold."

She squeezed her hand a bit, her once bright eyes now looking empty. Junko bit her lip and soon tears rolled down her face.

The burn injuries on her skin were too great that she lost feeling on some parts of it. She could feel some tingling sometimes, but it was numb to touch. Like her sense of feeling lessened to some degree. There were patches of her skin that were less damaged and could still feel sensations, though.

Junko rubbed her thumb on her scarred skin while staring at her red eyes still.

"No need to be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know," Ai's stare looked distant.

Junko wiped her own tears for a while with her other hand then stared back. Her silvery blue gaze looked determined.

"Ai-san, you were never a burden to me. I did this because I wanted to, not because I was forced to."

Ai's eyes widened a bit, then soon she chuckled to herself softly. Junko just kept on her own staring contest with Ai and didn't back down.

"Thank you, Junko."

But that made her blink.

"Y-yes...?"

Junko was confused.

Ai just laughed it off and shook her head.

"Nothing."

Junko felt relieved seeing her like this that she ended up laughing too.

"I'm sleepy. Goodnight, Junko," said Ai who smiled a bit at her before closing her eyes.

"Goodnight, Ai-san. Sweet dreams."

Junko removed her hand on her cheek then held her hand instead. Ai peeked at her with one eye then spoke.

"You're being clingy today."

"I just missed you."

"You're making it sound like we're a couple," Ai said jokingly.

The two laughed a bit before they drifted off to sleep. In Ai's mind, there was nothing she could do. When Junko sets her mind on something, she will do everything. No one will be able to stop her, even her who was her best friend. She decided to let it be and rest for the night.

'I'll be in your care again, Junko.'

The night was peaceful for the four of them that only the soft sounds of the rain and gentle breaths were heard. They all silently wished that this moment would happen again.


Author's note:

Hi everyone... surprisingly, I'm alive. I CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD actually not really ahahahaa it's been so long since the last time I updated my stories but I suddenly had an inspiration bump so I decided to write while I can. Also ZLSR IS NEAR CAN'T WAIT YEEEEAAAAHHHH

Thank you everyone who are reading this and who are still following this and my other stories. I don't know if I'll be able to update the older ones soon cus I'm a dummy dumb dumb but I figured out a lot one time I took a shower XD I hope I delivered it well this time too cus it's been so long since I have written something. Thank you again and sorry for the very long delay