The next morning starts the same as any other. Korosensei nudges Aguri awake sometime around seven… and she hauls herself out of bed. She greets her sister. Eats her breakfast. Makes her way to the school, and is still in the middle of mulling over everything that happened yesterday when she's reminded there's one person she should probably still talk to.
Korosensei notices her first. Flagging her over with his arm high above his head, he shouts "Miss Irina! There you are! And arriving at just the same time as us! That's perfect. You two should probably talk about what went down yesterday."
"E-eh?" Aguri starts to ask… at least until she remembers. Oh yeah. Irina had been involved in all of that, hadn't she?
In no hurry to join them, Irina rolls her eyes. "I really don't think that's necessary," she says, still a few feet away. "We've got everything sorted out."
"...Actually," Aguri pipes up. "He's right. I would like to talk. I still haven't gotten the chance to thank you."
Irina's eyebrows arch, but she doesn't get the chance to speak. Nodding intensely, Korosensei says, "As I thought. I'll hurry inside, then. Give you girls some privacy." He starts to race off- but stops mid-step… craning his head over his shoulders. "I am such a feminist, after all! I respect woman-to-woman scheming and debate!"
They're given no chance to ask what that means. He's already off… leaving the two of them alone in a cloud of dust.
"What on earth did you say to him yesterday?" Irina asks, nose wrinkling slightly. "Seems like you've got him on a real ball-and-chain."
"...Nothing that you didn't already say to me about him," Aguri replies with a shrug. "We should probably get somewhere more private."
"Why? Seems like he already knows," Irina responds. "Taking it you told him that we cooked that up yesterday?"
"Well… kind of," Aguri replies. "I didn't snitch, of course, but…-" A frown. "He basically already knew. Said that was nothing like you."
"Dammit," Irina cusses, clearly unimpressed. "Stupid, observant-ass octopus. Ruining all of my fun." She quickly perks back up, however. Nods. "You're right, though. We should go somewhere less occupied. Whether the octopus knows about what we did yesterday or not, we still don't need the students' prying eyes."
She makes her way over to the shed- which, to Aguri's relief, she thankfully doesn't refer to as the sex shed this time around. Instead, taking a seat… she crosses one leg over the other and asks how it went.
"Sounds like you had some sort of conversation, yeah? Did you spill the beans?"
"Er...- let's not get ahead of ourselves," Aguri says, shuffling slightly. "I haven't even got the chance to thank you yet."
Irina looks ready to retort, but when she realizes just how genuine Aguri is she's slightly taken aback. Sitting up straighter, she says "Eh. There's no need. It wasn't a big deal… and I basically coerced you into that, anyways."
"That's not true," Aguri responds. "I'm the one who sprung all of that on you. And you offered to help in the best way you could. Thank you for that. Seriously. I appreciate it." She pauses. "...Especially considering I wasn't very nice to you."
Irina's quiet for a long moment. Balling her fist slightly and looking almost embarrassed, she says "Eh. I wasn't very nice to you, either. Consider us even. I'll accept your thanks, though… if only to get you off my back." A snort. "You're welcome, for the record. And there's no need to thank me more, alright? I had fun, too."
"That's good to hear," Aguri responds. "For a second there I got worried."
"Now then," Irina says. "Seriously, girl: tell me how it went. You fuckin' or what? I want all of the juicy details."
"P-pardon!?" Aguri sputters. "F-fucking!? No! We're doing nothing of the sort!" She covers her face with her hands… shakes her head madly. "We're not even dating! That's not the way the conversation went at all!"
"Oh," Irina says, leaning back slightly. She looks almost disappointed "And so things went badly, then?"
Aguri takes a deep breath… shakes her head once more.
"No," she says. "Not at all. Just… not how I expected."
"Wanna talk about it?" Irina asks, glancing down at her nails. "I don't care that much, of course… but I figure you sort of owe it to me." A snort. "Helping out and all."
Aguri shifts slightly… finally takes a seat next to her. "I was planning to," she says. "You've just gotta promise not to gossip about it. This is kind of between the two of us, you know."
"Of course," Irina replies. "What do I look like? A snitch? And besides… it's not like I've got anyone to suck it up to. The only other people in the classroom are the brick and the brats. They're no fun to gossip with."
"Mmm," Aguri says, deciding not to comment on Irina referring to the children as brats for now. She doesn't appreciate it- of course... but something tells her this is just how Irina talks. And to Irina's credit, the kids do kind of exclusively refer to her as a bitch.
"Well…" she says. "I told him how I feel. Not just about him, but about everything." A pause. "Being insecure and all. At first, I don't think he really knew how to react… but eventually he managed to calm me down. And he turned me down, but it wasn't in a mean way."
"He told me that… he really loved me a lot, but that I wasn't in a place for that right now. That I was putting too much faith in him. And that if we got together it'd be… unhealthy."
She can make out Irina's expression… see the doubt in her eyes. She frowns, slightly, fiddling with her hands.
"I know that that sounds like an excuse, but I got the impression that he really meant it… that he did care for me, but now just wasn't the time." Another pause. "I don't know if we'll ever get to be together, but I'm done doubting that he cares about me, at the very least."
Irina's quiet for a bit... still staring down at her nails. Her lip twitches, but she doesn't speak. She doesn't seem annoyed at the very least. Just unimpressed. Maybe a little bit introspective.
"Well… I can't deny that it'd be a shitshow if you got together. That much is true. You're kind of a trainwreck right now, yeah." A pause. "Which isn't even getting started on how weird he is. I'm glad to hear he let you down easy, though, even if he's still kind of a creep."
"Not that much," Aguri insists. "...I almost feel like I was too hard on him yesterday. I know he did a lot of things I didn't approve of, but…" A frown. "He seemed apologetic, at the very least. And he said some really nice stuff to me. Stuff that I'm pretty sure he hasn't said to you or any other woman he's tried to come onto."
"Like what?" Irina asks, curious.
"Stuff about… me changing his life. Being really beautiful." Aguri glances to the side. Runs her hand over her palm. "He said that I needed to stop doubting myself. That I was kind... and pretty... and- and someone he looked up to. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I got the impression that he really meant it. He sounded so genuine."
"Well…" Irina says, hesitating a little bit. "At the very least you're right in that he never said anything like that to me. Mostly just commented on my boobs. That said, however… I'd still be careful if I were you. Love can be a tool of manipulation, you know."
"I know," Aguri replies. "Trust me," she says. "I know. But I think that's… why he turned me down. If he really feels that way about me then he did that because he didn't want to manipulate me. And… I really appreciate that, even if he never would."
"Mmm," Irina replies. "That checks out, I guess. He does seem like a pretty on-the-nose guy." A pause. "I sort of doubted it at first… his motivation, the sort of person he was. But after hearing where he came from, I really do believe he's as simple as he seems… or at the very least, he wants to be. Watching how he interacts with the brats it's clear he couldn't hide his feelings if his life depended on it. Have you seen how transparent he is?"
Aguri snorts. It's funny just how different Korosensei is from Reaper, but she can't deny that Irina's right. He's much more open. She can't decide if she likes it more or less. On one hand, it makes her wonder a lot less, and she's happy for him, too… but on the other hand, it also seems like he's a lot more open with his sadness. And it's the sort of thing that makes her ache.
"Of course," she says, nodding. "That's why… I'm putting my faith in him about this. He turned me down for good reason." A pause. "I'm still really hoping we can get together someday… but if it doesn't happen then I'll at least know it wasn't because I wasn't good enough."
"Honestly I don't get why you ever thought that," Irina responds. "Don't get me wrong… it's not like we could have looked into his brain, but you seriously thought you weren't good enough for him? Have you seen what he looks like?"
It's a mean-spirited, snarky sort of comment. All the same, even under her grumpy exterior, Aguri can make out a shit-eating-grin creeping up Irina's lips. Her eyes twinkle a bit… and she laughs as Aguri huffs and covers her face with her hands.
"Yes! I have!" She replies, face bright red. "And he's cute! Not my fault you don't have good taste."
It's as flimsy an excuse as anything she's ever used to stand up for her shirts. All the same, Aguri stands tall… and only flinches a little bit when Irina lets out a half-snort-half- cackle.
"He is not. I don't know what you're on, but seriously? Cute? Once I saw him dumpster diving for feet pics."
"H-hey!" Aguri replies, letting out a huff. "That can be cute, too! In its own way! Kind of!"
"Alright. Alright, then. I see how it is. Pervs of a feather stick together, yeah?"
"Now - now- don't go making any assumptions!" Aguri begs. "I'm not- aren't you a-? I'm just trying to stand up for him! He's an upstanding citizen, really!"
"I believe you," Irina replies, cracking a wicked grin. "Just like I believe you're an upstanding citizen, too."
"H-hey! Now what does that mean!?" Aguri asks. "I'm perfectly normal! Really!"
"Got any pics of what he looked like before?" Irina asks, kicking up her legs. "I'd love to see his thot form."
"His what!?" Aguri demands. "No! No!"
"I'm just curious," Irina insists. "He must have been a real piece of ass for you to still be clinging to him now. Did he have fat tits as a human, or were you just always this delusional?"
"I'm not delusional! And I'm not interested in… in…-" she drifts off, quivering. "I'm not interested in any such thing! I just think his personality is attractive, that's all!"
Sure, Reaper was… pl… plenty hot, but Korosensei is too. And she is not saying that in front of this sick, perverted person!
"Yeah?" Irina asks. "...Alright, alright. I'll take your word for it." She lets out a laugh… leans back. "Can't say I agree, but I'm not exactly in the mood to debate you about this. To each their own trashy, degenerate sort of taste."
"...Yeah," Aguri agrees, breathing a bit more even. The atmosphere in the room seems to die down. Irina must have finally gotten her daily fill of making people uncomfortable, because she does change the topic.
"Worth putting out there, though," she says. "I'm sure your personality's fine as well. No need to go 'Oh. I'm sure he's so much better than me,' there, either. He's really not out of your league."
Aguri blinks… finally uncovering her face with her hands. A bit stunned, she says "...You really think so?"
Irina jumps a bit- surprised by just how touched Aguri looks. But tensing up and crossing her arms she says, "There's no need to look at me that way. Yeah, I mean it. Not that I… that I know you, of course, so I could be pulling this out of my ass, but..." her lip twitches slightly. "I'm sick of seeing women beat themselves up over a guy with the personality of an Adidas sandal. You're fine. "
She seems guarded, almost… like she's not quite sure of what she's saying. But all the same, her words are kind, and Aguri scoots in slightly closer, nodding.
"You could get to know me, you know," she offers.
She's not in a place to debate Irina's opinion of Korosensei, much less herself… but that much she can say.
"I like you. I'd like to spend more time with you."
Irina blinks… slowly cocking an eyebrow as she looks over Aguri's way.
"You're a real masochist, aren't you?" she asks… letting out a laugh. "I'm not exactly nice, and I don't really do this whole 'friends' thing."
"That's okay," Aguri replies. "We can get to know each other as coworkers at least, can't we? We're still gonna be stuck together for a few more months."
"Mmm," Irina admits. "I guess so. But you haven't really done a whole lot of working, either. I didn't realize you were going to stay."
"Of course I'm going to stay," Aguri replies. "This is my class. I'm just… trying to figure out how to navigate things right now." A pause. "Stepping up in front of the students feels super intimidating. Korosensei keeps saying that he wants me to try, but what if I… mess it up? I don't want to stop them from learning."
Irina lets out a snort. Nose wrinkling slightly, she asks "You think that they're actually learning right now?"
"Of course I do!" Aguri responds. "Korosensei told me himself: they got top scores on their first-trimester finals."
"And they're being taught by an octopus," Irina replies. "Forget their grades. Just think about the environment for one second. It's fucking insane. They've been shooting at him since day one, and you're afraid you're going to distract the class? It is not weirdness that is stopping these kids from learning. It's enhancing it." She rolls her eyes. "And it's not like you can be any more unqualified than us. The brick's the only one who's even got a teaching degree."
"Not that… not that," she drifts off… gives a huff. "I'm plenty qualified, of course! I just thought I should say that… that…-" A pause. "The whole thing is kind of a goddamn shitshow, y'know?"
Aguri pauses… gives a nod.
"Yeah," she says. "I know. I'll… think about it."
"Yeah. Do," Irina responds. "If anything you're just distracting them more by hanging back. And it's not like you're not allowed to start small." She gives a shrug. "Teach one of those stupid classes no-one gives a shit about… then work your way up. What do you think I'm doing with English?"
A pause. Another snort.
"Joking, of course. English isn't as useless as those brats would make it out to be… and I've got no interest in teaching in the future. The minute the octopus is dead I am out. I cannot wait to return to my regular life."
Aguri frowns. Irina's life of… assassinating people? She wants to go back to that?
She supposes she can't judge… especially when she knows that Irina's journey leading up to this was likely one wrought with pain. Even so, though… it makes her sad. Does she really see that as the only option for her? Or does she just enjoy it?
('No,' Aguri thinks. 'No-one just enjoys that.' Not even Reaper. It's not pleasure that leads people down the road that he and Irina followed. It's desperation.)
Not wanting to think about the dark implications a second longer, Aguri shifts slightly and nods. She decides to change the topic before she heads out. She'd prefer not to think about assassination any longer… and there actually was something she was wondering about.
"You know Irina… I'm curious about something. Before we go back to class can I ask you about what happened yesterday? What was that?"
Irina squints. Frowning, she asks "What do you mean?"
"What you said to Korosensei. He was right in that it was out of character for you." A pause. "Or at least… I think so. I guess I don't really know you much, either. But when you were talking to him you seemed really genuine. Are you sure you don't have feelings for him?"
Irina's eyebrows arch. She's quiet for a moment as she mulls that over… but she soon gags, shaking her head.
"Absolutely not," she replies. "I've said it once: I'll say it again. The guy's gross."
"Who were you talking about, then?"
"..."
"You were talking about someone, right?"
Irina straightens herself up. Brushing herself off she says, "Nah. I told you: I'm a professional seductress. If it seemed real then that's the reason why. I've spent my whole life dragging men around by their dicks. I know my stuff."
She seems surprisingly sure of that… but Aguri's not sold. She can't stop thinking about Irina's words: the things that she said about Korosensei yesterday.
'You're smart.'
'You're mysterious.'
'You're responsible.'
The vulnerability she displayed there… it's so different from the act she's putting on now. She couldn't have pretended to look that defenseless, could she?
('You see me for who I really am,' she says... and slowly she leans in close.)
All at once it hits Aguri like a truck.
"Yes you were," she says, almost breathless.
"'Scuse me?"
"Yes you were! You were totally talking about someone!" she exclaims. "Smart!? Mysterious!? Responsible!? You weren't trying to suck up to Korosensei! And I know exactly who you were talking about-!"
(Whispers about something going down on the summer trip… she edges closer to him in class and he backs away- unimpressed.)
"You've got feelings for Karasuma, don't you!?"
It makes all too much sense. She'd been too self-absorbed to put the pieces together up until now but that has got to be the case. The way she described him: calling him respectful… it fits to a T. And the way she's behaved around him… Aguri recognizes it perfectly.
She's felt the same lovesick, wide-eyed way herself!
Irina scoots back slightly- huffing. "Absolutely not," she says. "And if there is anything there it's just because he's so difficult. He's a piece of meat- a trophy. That's all."
Ooooohh… that is alluring though, isn't it? The distant sort of 'bad boys?' There is nothing more captivating than getting the broody, foreboding loner to open up to you. Accomplishing what no-one else could! Freeing his heart!
She'd been nervous around Karasuma up to this point… and she still kind of is. But knowing Irina sees him that way? That actually eases her fears a lot.
(That means there has to be something good in there.)
"No. No. There's no need to deny it," she reassures. "I get it. I really do."
She scoots in slightly closer. Irina gives her an unimpressed look.
"Don't go getting in over your head," she says. "This isn't some romantic fantasy. Really: I just kind of want his dick in me, and the only reason I'm even telling you that is because I know the kids will gossip about it if I don't. Don't get me wrapped up in one of your schemes."
"No! No! There's no scheme!" Aguri reassures, deciding to ignore for now that Irina is the one who just got her wrapped up in one of her schemes. "And I won't make fun of you. I just think that that's… really cute! You drew on him as a fountain of inspiration and everything-"
"Not… intentionally," Irina says, huffing slightly. "I was just copying what I'd heard other people say when they were in love, and I must have… slipped into something." Her expression grows slightly embarrassed. "Pathetic, isn't it?"
"No. No," Aguri says once-more. "It's not. Have you told him yet?"
"No. Not really," Irina admits, not even bothering to deny it by this point. "Something happened on the school trip, but it was… it was a trainwreck, alright!? And the kids mostly organized that anyways." She huffs. "I'm not doing anything unless he takes the first step forward. I've got much more important things to be worrying about."
Aguri considers encouraging her to just go through with it, but she soon thinks better of it. It's… clear that Irina approaches men much differently than she does, and there'd be no use in pressuring her. And besides, as cute as she thinks the whole ordeal is, Aguri must admit that she still has some trouble trusting Karasuma too. Her talk with Korosensei helped her, but would a heart-to-heart with Karasuma do anything for Irina?
(He'd… probably say something mean. He'd probably turn her down in a harsh way.)
'No. Don't think that,' she thinks. 'He's… fine.' She's the one who's being harsh, and if Irina's got a crush on him then there's got to be something good down there. She knows men. He's a decent person. Aguri's sure of it.
"Well… that's alright. I can be your wingman up until then. Think of it as payback. For helping me and all."
Irina looks genuinely surprised.
"And so you mean you're not gonna force me to get a bouquet, then?"
"...No. They're your feelings. There's no point in rushing that." Aguri gives a smile. "I guess I just wanted to say that it's cute. And that I'll be cheering you on while you wait for things to work out." A pause. "...Or not. I guess you've always got to consider the 'or not.' But I try and stay optimistic."
Irina's stunned for another second, but she soon returns to her usual posture. Giving a slightly amused grin she says, "Thanks. I guess that checks out. You're in the same boat after all, aren't you?"
She holds out a hand.
"Here's to women with bad taste in men."
Aguri takes her hand. Shakes it tight.
"No," she says, voice firm. "Here's to women with okay taste in men."
"Alright," Irina says, stifling a laugh. "Here's to women with 'okay' taste in men. That works for me."
The two of them disperse soon after. They return to class and get on with their day. Korosensei stops Aguri in the doorway… asks her why she's smiling so much. And although she says it's nothing- she knows the truth. And that's that despite what Irina said about 'not doing this sort of thing,' Aguri might have finally just now made a friend.
"I… think I want to do it," Aguri says. "I think I want to teach."
It's been a few days since her talk with Irina and the heart-to-heart with Korosensei. She's been mulling over it- like, really mulling over it- and she's had some time to think. She's still not certain, of course. But the more that she banishes the thought from her mind the more it returns with a vengeance… and finally she's unable to quell it any longer. She turns to Korosensei one lazy night: murmurs the words in his ear.
He jolts, slightly... turns to face her way. And although at first, he looks surprised, that ever-present grin soon creeps up his face.
"You've come to a decision, then?" he asks, taking her by the hand. "That's wonderful!"
"Yes," Aguri says, only a little meek. "I know that… that it's still kind of unprecedented, but if Irina and Karasuma are helping out then I'd like to, too. I'd like to get to know the kids again."
There's only so much she can learn sitting in the back of the class. And if she ever wants to be remembered as something other than that scared, shadowy person, then she's going to have to step up.
That's the real reason she's doing this, isn't she? Don't get her wrong… Korosensei and Irina's affirming words both helped her a lot. But what she thinks is really eating at her is the way the students glance her way. They're scared of her. They're scared for her. If she's only got a year left to live, then she does not want them to remember her as that sort of person.
(As someone broken.)
She is, of course. But… she's got to go back to hiding it. She's got to be strong.
(And she wants to do this. Really. It's all she ever wanted back since she was a little girl.)
"I want to start small, of course," she's quick to clarify. "Help out with some subject that… doesn't really matter a lot, I guess. And I'll back out if their grades go down or anything. If… if one of them doesn't want me teaching them. But-"
"No," Korosensei says. "Don't dwell on such 'what ifs.' I'm sure that won't happen." He gives her a pat on the shoulder… grins. "You'll do wonderfully. I'm sure of it."
They decide to co-teach Home EC. Not only is it an easy class… but it's one that she needs to relearn the skills to herself. Plus, if Korosensei's story about finals is anything to go by… then they're already experts. She couldn't make things worse if she tried.
The students are surprised, of course. After two weeks of Aguri hanging in the back of class, it's a shock to see her finally step up. All the same… they're relatively kind to her. And they don't make fun of her in the way that they used to when she blundered.
They're patient with her… try their best to understand her shaky handwriting. And when she makes her way over to them to demonstrate just how something is cut they don't flinch back. They allow her to place her hand on their shoulders… lean over.
Irina gives her a thumbs up. Karasuma watches with those quiet eyes.
(He looks away… types something into his laptop, but he doesn't dare speak.
...Aguri still wonders who he is.)
Home EC is only twice a week. To pad the time out a bit more, Aguri offers to tutor. Says that if anyone needs help with anything they can approach her after class. She's no expert, of course… in fact, there are probably bound to be a lot of things she's going to get wrong- but she's got a lot of free time on her hands, and she'd like to put that to some good use.
A few of the kids take her up on the offer. And in between that and classes, she finally gets to know them a bit again as well.
Sugino loves baseball. Hara can cook up a mean steak. Nagisa- that boy that Akari seems to be friends with only takes the lead if someone else asks him to… and Nakamura, the girl who told Aguri all about Irina's sex life has a penchant for pranks. She knocks Terasaka's seat out from under him one day- watches him come crashing down with a laugh.
...Okuda's a lot more confident than she used to be.
She's the one who comes by most often. It's weird… she says she needs help with her language homework, but no matter how bad she insists that she used to be Aguri thinks that she's doing fine. Sure: she's no A-grade student… but she knows what she's talking about.
"W… well," Okuda admits, fiddling with her hands. "There's no such thing as too much practice… even if Korosensei's helped me get a lot better over these past few months." She pauses. "I still need help with expressing myself."
She says that, but truthfully Aguri thinks she just wants to keep her company.
She's a kind girl. And she's doing much better than she was before. Aguri appreciates those little moments… even if they're probably not necessary. It makes her happy to see Okuda and the rest getting better at what it is they do. She still remembers how the girl used to hang her head low. She doesn't do that anymore. She walks confidently… and even though she's still quiet, it's more than evident she believes in her own strengths.
(Aguri used to see herself in that sort of person. In all of the E-Class. But she doesn't really anymore.
...They've all shed what was once hanging them down.)
Nevertheless, that's what life becomes. Aguri settles into a routine. She spends afternoons with the students… Okuda, Nagisa, or whoever else needs help, and then evenings with Korosensei and her sister. It's no high life, but it's enough to keep her busy. And to her thanks, she mostly manages to keep her mind from wandering.
(She… doesn't think about the limit of one year. The fact that Yanagisawa will be coming back for her at any moment. He has to be out of the hospital soon, doesn't he?)
No. No. No. She won't even consider it.
One day in Home EC Mimura accidentally knocks over a pot of soup. Aguri's across the room helping Isogai… but it catches her eye anyways. And before she knows what she's doing she's darted across the room: catching it in a bowl.
Mimura stares at her dumbfounded... as does the rest of the class. Jaws low to the ground they seem shocked by her sudden display of superspeed. Now that she thinks about it she really hasn't used that in front of them since the night they first found her… has she?
(She's been too nervous to try.)
Blushing, slightly, she places the bowl back on the desk and apologizes for the disturbance. She just saw what was happening and had to help out. No big deal, right?
The students move on quickly. Soon discussing the next big thing, they forget the event as soon as it happened.
Korosensei, on the other hand, doesn't.
He pulls Aguri aside after class... asks her if she wants to try something cool.
"Of course," Aguri says, nodding. "What is it?"
"Well… I just saw what you pulled off earlier today and I thought it was about time I taught you how to harness your superspeed. You can turn me down, of course, if you feel you're not ready, but… would you like to try and fly?"
"Fly?" Aguri asks, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh… I'm hardly sure. That doesn't sound very safe. Are you sure I could pull it off?"
"Of course you could," Korosensei replies. "Again: you are under no pressure… but it would make things like getting to school and back a lot faster." A pause. "If you'd like we can start slow. Why don't I show you what it's like?"
"What it's like?" Aguri repeats.
"Yes," Korosensei replies. "Take you for a 'joyride' of sorts."
He holds open his arms. And suddenly it hits Aguri what he means. Oh... he's offering to carry her. Is that the kind of test flight they're going on?
"You sure you can even lift me?" She asks, half-snarky, half-uncertain. "You've got some pretty tiny arms."
"Of course I can lift you!" Korosensei replies, giving a huff. "I'm much stronger than you'd initially think. And besides, I wouldn't be taking you up too high, anyways."
Aguri thinks it over. Insane as the whole concept sounds, it would be kind of fun. And he's right that it would be convenient. If she learned how to do this then maybe she could take Akari flying sometime. Or… or visit cool places with Korosensei!
"I'll… I'll do it," she says. "But be careful, alright? And don't go too fast."
"Of course," Korosensei replies. And in one quick motion, he's scooped her up into his arms. He holds her carefully… tight. It feels like something he would have been hesitant to do a week ago, but now that they're on the same terms it's fine. Aguri's heart only beats a little faster. And when she gives a laugh it's more out of nervousness than anything.
"I'll count down from three," Korosensei says. "And on one it's liftoff. Brace yourself, alright?"
Aguri nods.
And then there it is. Three. Two. One. They're in the air. The wind whips at Aguri's face, but it's not painful. And Korosensei only hovers a few feet off of the ground. He does circles around the school… gives her a grin.
"It's not nearly as dizzy as I thought it'd be!" Aguri admits, shouting over the cyclone. "It's actually kind of nice!"
"Of course it's not dizzy!" Korosensei replies, giving her a salute with one spare tentacle. "Your body's built for this now. And I'm being extra careful to prevent any spare debris from striking your face."
He does one more spiral around the school building before darting off. He takes off towards the forest… asks if he can go a little bit higher.
"This will be gradual. I swear."
"Go… go right ahead," Aguri says, almost breathtaken. "I'd like to see."
Korosensei nods… and slowly he ascends. Still moving at the speed of a bullet train, he rises up over the forest… lets out a laugh as he takes her over the crest of the hill.
And then higher. Higher. Faster and higher. He picks up speed… lifts her up into the air. Before she knows it she's a hundred feet up. But she doesn't feel scared. Not at all!
(She feels… she feels alive!)
"Nice, isn't it?" Korosensei asks.
"It is!" Aguri replies. "It's… it's really nice!" A pause. "How do you get used to this, though? Aren't you worried about, like, hitting birds?"
"No," Korosensei replies, giving another laugh. "Not one bit. I'm much too fast to accidentally strike anything. And as for the G-forces, my skin hardens to withstand the might. It's not worrying. Not one bit."
He pauses... dips slightly and starts to lower to the ground.
"You seem like you're having a good time," he admits. "Would you like to try?"
And to her surprise, Aguri says "Yes."
Korosensei gives a grin… returns to the forest floor and places her down on the ground. He tells her to focus on the sensation of speed.
"It's like jumping, almost," he insists… still running circles around her. "Just take off into the air. And don't worry about falling. If you lose momentum I'll catch you."
Aguri shuts her eyes… centers in on that feeling of the wind whipping against her face. She bends her knees and leaps. And before she even knows it she's in the air.
"W-woah!" she says, taken aback. "It actually worked!"
"WAHOO!" Korosensei cheers, doing loops and laughing. "Just follow after me, then, Miss Aguri! I'll be sure to lead the way. And let me know if you need anything."
"Of… of course!" Aguri replies. And then she's off. Korosensei is sure to start slow. But just like before, he picks up momentum. And to Aguri's surprise, she's able to keep up. Her limbs feel light- her body weightless. And as Korosensei slowly rises higher and higher… faster and faster, so does she. She lets out a stunned, delighted sort of laugh… covering her mouth with her hands.
"I can't believe I'm doing this!"
"You'd better believe it!" Korosensei replies, his voice an excited shout. "Amazing, isn't it!?"
"Y… yeah, actually!"
For a second it's scary being so high up. But looking down at the ground far below she reminds herself that Korosensei will catch her if she falls. And besides… even if she goes plummeting down to the ground it's not like she could be hurt, could she? She's invincible up here away from people. She's… she's safe!
Her tentacles seem to sing. And doing twists through the air, Aguri asks them 'Is this what you meant back when you said you'd protect me?'
They don't answer, of course. But nevertheless, she lets the fear fade from her body and continues to dart after Korosensei. They make their way towards the city… hollering the whole time as they do.
"This is… this is amazing!"
It all looks so stunning from up here. The country roads. The eventual high-rise of skyscrapers. Everyone looks so small below… but not in a bad way. It's almost like she can take the whole world in.
And Korosensei… Korosensei!
It's not just the way he's looking at her with a barely restrained grin… and it's not just the way that smile widens a bit each and every time she laughs. There's a gentleness to his demeanor as the sun shines off his face… and suddenly Aguri's whisked back to Irina's question.
'How could you be attracted to that?'
'He at least had to be a hottie as a human, right?'
And… he was. But Aguri doesn't think that's why his expression is so intoxicating to take in now. The Korosensei that's looking at her… he's something entirely new. And to Aguri's surprise, she thinks she decides she likes it even more than before.
Sure, Reaper was a really good person, but… she likes the Korosensei who can smile. And even if she probably won't share that with Irina, the revelation makes her throw back her head and laugh.
She loves this.
They stay that way for what feels like forever… flitting through clouds and pirouetting in the afternoon sun. And for a moment Aguri almost forgets it. She almost forgets the overwhelming pain. How could she remember it taking in the stunning sight below?
(Almost.)
She catches it out of the corner of her eye. And at first, she barely processes it. But as she does a double-take- stops and hovers mid-air… she's reminded, again, of why she's here. And her whole body runs cold.
Aguri spots the lab.
It's an insignificant, minimal thing. But all the same… she feels something inside her heart crumple. And even knowing she's not returning there, she wonders why she allowed herself to get caught up in this moment at all.
(What is she… what is she doing!?)
This isn't something for her to enjoy, is it? It never was. The only reason that she's… she's able to do this is because something horrible happened to her. This isn't a vessel of escape. It's another reminder of her imprisonment. And letting herself laugh… letting herself have fun…-
(What is she thinking!?)
Fl… flight. Korosensei's unchanging face. Those aren't things to be celebrating. They're side effects of a torturous existence. Of the fact that… that-
Korosensei turns back… pauses. He starts to ask if she's alright- but it's already too late.
And at once, Aguri starts to plummet.
She covers her face with her hands… locks up and shrieks. She's tumbling down towards the ground now, but somehow she can't find it in herself to be afraid. No. No. That's not what she's distraught by.
How had she allowed herself to forget!?
They're going to die!
There's no denying it! That's the only reason they can fly at all! They're monsters! Torture victims! And because that happened to them…-
Oh god! There's nothing freeing about that!
Her stomach does somersaults… and she shuts her eyes as she plunges down towards the ground. Mouth open in a silent scream, her very blood runs cold… and she feels them writhe in a desperate attempt to save her. Somehow that only makes her scream more.
The tentacles. The antagonizing, invasive, terrifying tentacles. The only reason that she's alive. The very reason that she's been destroyed. No. No. No. Stop feeling it! She can't take it! GO AWAY ALREADY!
She can't be happy about this! She won't! That's accepting what happened to her! That's thinking it's okay! And it's not! There is nothing okay with this!
(With her!)
Of course… needless to say, Korosensei catches her. She only falls for a moment. She lets out a half-gasp, half-sob as he wraps his arms around her. And with horrified eyes, he asks her if she'd like to go back down.
Aguri gives a slow, stiff nod.
He carries her for what feels like forever. They sail, silent, across the sky. Aguri clings to his chest… trying her best to ignore how oppressive the whipping of winds suddenly feels.
When he places her back down it's on her doorstep. He lowers her to the ground, making sure she's still able to stand, before asking what happened.
"You were doing so well. Did something happen to scare you?"
Aguri averts her gaze. Lip quivering and fingers balled she says "Yeah. Something like that." And a pause. "...I think I'm going to go inside. I'd like some time alone."
Korosensei reaches a hand out... asks, "are you sure?" But Aguri nods. Usually, she'd cling to his comfort, but right now she doesn't think she wants to be comforted at all. She'd… she'd come so close to forgetting, after all.
(And she cannot- will not allow for that to happen.)
She makes her way inside. Careful to avoid Akari, she barricades herself in her room and lies down. Then and only then does she allow herself to cry. Curling up in a ball, she lets out a silent hiccup and feels the tears stream down her face.
Surprisingly, it's not an overwhelming sadness. More than anything she just feels numb. Staring up at her ceiling she wonders what she'd let take a hold of her.
...Hearing herself laugh like that. Why had it hurt so much? Is she angry at herself because she feels like she doesn't deserve it? Or is she just frustrated because this is going to end? Maybe both. What's the point of having moments like this after all if she's not going to be able to keep them? Teaching… flying… spending time with Korosensei: all of it's some kind of attempt to return to a new normal, but the truth is she's never going to feel normal again.
She doesn't feel at home inside of her body. She has a deadline. There is no normal. Anything that makes her feel like there is is a distraction at best. And she knows better than… than…-
...To open herself up to hurt like that.
(Didn't she decide she was smarter than that back at the lab?)
Happy endings… she'd given up on those for herself. She'd said she was done being naive. But he ignites some kind of- he ignites some kind of hope in her , and she hates it!
She loves this all so much! She doesn't want to have to lose it again.
She's still crying... curled up in a ball, when the door creaks open. She jolts at first- assuming it's Korosensei… but when a different voice speaks up she feels an entirely new sense of dread.
"Aguri?" it asks, concerned. "You okay? Korosensei told me that something happened and you were…-"
A sudden stop. The voice drifts off. And at once they're dashing her way. The person sits themselves beside her on her bed, asking "What's wrong!?"
Aguri feels a numbness in her chest. A weary lump in her throat. 'Akari…' she thinks, blinking slow. Oh gosh. That's the last person she wanted to see her like this right now.
She forces herself up onto her knees. She hardly feels ready, but she doesn't want to worry her sister any more than she already has. That's… that's why she'd wanted to pretend to be okay- live a normal life, isn't it? She hadn't wanted to worry anyone. And… there's nothing wrong with that. She wants to pretend to be normal. She just can't believe she also managed to get caught up in the act.
"N… nothing," she says, mouth dry. "...Nothing's wrong. Sorry. Your sister's just having a moment."
Her voice quivers as she speaks. She resents herself for it. She used to be so much better at hiding this. What happened to that? What happened to her?
"But… but why?" Akari insists, pulling in close. "What happened? Did you get in a fight with him, or-?"
"No," Aguri interjects. "No," she repeats… shaking. "I know you don't like him… but please don't get mad at Korosensei for this. What happened isn't his fault. It's mine. It's all mine, Akari."
Her voice drops down into a whimper. Clutching at her knees she pulls her pathetic excuse for legs in closer and shuts her eyes tight. Akari shifts slightly- quiet for a long moment.
"Now I'm not sure that's true," she insists, sounding awkward when she finally speaks. "But… do you wanna talk about it?" A pause. "...Please?"
Aguri frowns... batting at her eyes. Shaking her head, she says "Not really. I know that… that you just want to help, but I shouldn't saddle you with my worries, Akari. Especially not when… when…" she drifts off. "Well, when they're really irrational."
"You're not saddling me," Akari says. "...And I'm sure they're not irrational. I want you to talk about this. I want to help you, Aguri. And so… don't worry about worrying me. I won't get scared. I'm all grown up now."
That's not true. Aguri knows it's not. Akari's still so…- she's still so small. All the same, though, when Akari calls herself an adult, Aguri's mind drifts back to those crumpled papers on her floor- hand-written lab notes… and it makes her pause. 'I'm going to avenge her,' they say again and again and again. 'I'll kill him. I'm going to fucking kill him.'
...Grown up or not, Akari's come a long way in the past five months. A lot of that is Aguri's fault. What kind of horrors has she seen? Is it too late for her to just be a kid? And despite saying 'don't worry about worrying me' is the real takeaway from her words 'I'm going to be worried either way?' What can Aguri possibly do?
"The… two of us went flying," she says, voice quiet. "You know how… how Korosensei can use his superspeed to take off into the air? The two of us took a trip together."
Akari's brow furrows and she frowns. She doesn't speak though- not yet. She lets Aguri finish.
"And… and I had such a good time, Akari. I don't even know how to word how wonderful it felt up there. For the first time in a long time I was happy. I was free. I haven't felt that way since- since- since…-" she drifts off. Squeezes her knee. "Well… since as long as I can remember."
"But soaring up there… feeling so wonderful, it just kind of hit me. This is… this is all going to end. That feeling- it's not going to last. And so… what's the point of feeling that way at all? Letting myself get my hopes up like that when he's..." A pause. "...When he's just going to come back for me?"
Akari tenses a little. Clenches her fist. Voice tense she asks, "Who? Yanagisawa?"
"Yes, Yanagisawa!" Aguri replies, stifling another hiccup. "Or... or one of those government agents or some… some assassin! I'm not going to live, am I? Why am I getting caught up in the moment!?"
"You… you are going to live," Akari replies, voice firm. She leans in towards Aguri. Places a hand on her shoulder. "Do you hear me, nee-chan? You're going to live. And Yanagisawa is not coming back for you." She shifts slightly… averts her gaze. There's an iciness to her tone when she speaks. "He's probably dead, anyways."
...Said with such a complete lack of empathy. And yet Aguri feels relief wash over her when she hears those words. Why? It's not that she… she wants Yanagisawa dead. She wouldn't wish suffering on anyone. She just… she wants to be-
Is it wrong to hope that he's out of commission? Bedbound somehow? Not- not hurting! Just…
In a state that he can't hurt her anymore.
(No. Somehow that's worse.)
"We don't know that," she replies. "First of all, you shouldn't say that, and second of all… we have no way of knowing for certain. I heard Karasuma talking and he said that… that…" a pause. "...That they don't know where Yanagisawa is right now. That he could still be out there somewhere."
Akari's quiet, almost as if mulling over those words once again. If she's thinking them, however… the same old 'I'll kill him,' she certainly doesn't share.
Instead, shifting once more, she says "And it's not like he could hurt you, anyways. I get why it's scary… I really do, but… you're invincible, right? No-one can hurt you."
There's this just slight quiver to her voice. A desperate, childish sort of thing. It's clear that Akari is trying to convince herself just as much as she's trying to convince Aguri… and Aguri feels terrible for reminding her of the fact that she's going to die at all. But she just doesn't want this to hurt her more later. If she wants to save her sister that grief then she needs to wean her off now… because as resolute as Akari sounds, Aguri knows the truth… and she is going to die.
She's going to be killed. And if she's not killed then she's going to kill herself. She's going to kill herself before she can kill the world and everyone in it.
"Yes they can," she says, quiet. "...They can hurt me, Akari."
"How? You showed it off to the entire class! You're-"
"Hit me."
"Excuse me?"
"Hit me. Now. It doesn't have to be hard. Just punch my shoulder. Please."
Akari reels back. Staring, she says "No. Why would I do that!?"
"I've got something I need to demonstrate."
"I'm not hitting you!"
Aguri blinks. "...Okay then," she says, pulling away slightly. She raises her fist… shuts her eyes tight, and brings her hand down on her upper arm. Hard.
To her surprise, it actually melts. She hadn't been certain… she'd never tried hurting herself before, but sure enough, she feels the familiar sensation of a far-away stinging. It's not sharp- no sorts of pain are anymore… but when she peeks her eyes open there's a fizzling, golf ball sized crater in her arm.
Akari stares, astonished.
"Oh," she says, deflating a little. "...Oh."
She knows better than to ask why that's Aguri's weakness.
"I've still got ways to hurt me… just like Korosensei. And once everyone else finds out I'm going to die. I know I shouldn't even be sharing this with you, Akari… but I just want you to know. I don't want you to get your hopes up over something that's not going to pan out. My time is limited and that's why… that's why…-" she drifts off. Tears up. "...Why I hate having moments like this."
"I don't want to give you hope. And I don't want to give myself hope, either. Yanagisawa took my future away from me. And the truth is it probably would have been better if I just died back then when I was supposed to."
"...That's not true."
"Yes. It is." Aguri says with a sniffle. "I was- I was so ready to die. I was content. But now I'm not ready again. And it feels so… it feels so unfair! I'm scared , Akari… and I hate that." She pauses. Shakes her head. "And I can tell that… you're scared too. I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I couldn't just stay there. I'm sorry you have to remember me like this. I'm sorry I can't be- I can't be strong for you anymore… and I'm sorry that I'm here getting your hopes up only to have to go away again."
"It's the most selfish thing I can possibly ask of you," she continues. "For you to be here for me even knowing that I'll break your heart. Just when you were starting to heal I 'm here reopening old wounds. Why? What's wrong with m-?"
"I wasn't healing."
Aguri drifts off… flinches slightly.
"What?"
"I… wasn't healing," Akari repeats. "I wasn't 'starting to get over your death' and I was never going to. I needed you, Aguri. And I still do. You're not reopening any fucking old wounds. My wounds never closed. And I'm glad that I can have a bit more time with you… even if it might hurt in the future." A pause. "I don't give a shit if you can't be 'strong.' You don't need to be anything for me. All you need to be for me is there… and you are."
"I was so relieved when I learned you might be alive," she says, shaking. "I was angry and I was heartbroken, but I was relieved, too. There were so many things that I still wanted to tell you. And having the chance to say them to you…" suddenly she's stifling her own sob. She bats at her eyes. "I will never be able to word how thankful I am for that."
"Even if you are going to die, I am never going to resent that. I'm just glad I can have a bit more time with you. I'm glad that I can say goodbye. And so please, don't regret this chance."
She looks so small for a moment… vulnerable. She flings herself at Aguri- buries her face in her neck.
"I don't know what I'd do if the best possible thing for me was the worst possible thing for you. I want you to be as happy about this as I am… even if it might not last."
She hugs Aguri tighter for a moment… pauses.
"And… it will. I know it might not feel that way right now, but I won't let you die. We're gonna find a way to fix this, alright? Just the two of us."
Aguri's quiet. Shifting, slightly, as she holds her trembling sister she says, "...Don't work yourself too hard. There's no knowing these things, Akari. And if life doesn't pan out, then…" She drifts off. "Well, I don't want Yanagisawa to take your future away from you, too."
Try as she might to pretend… and as broken as she behaves, Akari is still just a kid. Quite frankly this isn't anything she should be worrying about.
She frowns, slightly, sitting there holding Aguri. When she speaks up it's angry, and there's a tenseness to her tone.
"Like hell I'd let him. That jackass doesn't have any control over me." A pause. "...And he doesn't have any control over you, either. Your future isn't ruined. He's gone now. And if by some miracle he tries to come back then I'll stop him my fucking self. Me and Korosensei and the rest of the class… we'll put him in his place. I promise."
She says that so confidently, but Aguri remembers how it went last time. These kids… they're strong, but they're still just kids. That's too much responsibility for them to handle. And besides… even if Yanagisawa is gone…-
"What if the wounds still linger? What if this is… something you can't fight back with force? What are you going to do then? What are you going to do if I can't heal right? If… this really ends up killing me, regardless of how much you don't want it to?"
Akari's quiet for a moment… and Aguri feels bad. But the truth is she needs Akari to hear that. There are certain things you can't fight back against, and that's-
"...That's okay," Akari says, voice quiet. "...Even if the wounds still linger, we'll be there to help out. And even if you don't heal right, then we can not heal right together." A pause. "If… it kills you, then I can't deny that I'll be mad. But… I'm happy to have gotten this chance at all, regardless of what he's done to you. And I'm going to treasure every day that we've got left."
She pulls herself in closer… wipes her face on Aguri's shirt.
"I just wish that you would, too. Even if you're going to go away eventually, then you deserve to spend your last year happy. The fact that this all might end doesn't change the fact that it matters now. And… and you deserve to laugh. You deserve to spend time with the people you love. You deserve to teach. Fly!"
"But… isn't that like accepting it?" Aguri says. "I don't want to revel in what… what happened to me. It was terrible- terrible more than I can even put into words. But it's the only reason that I'm alive right now. The only reason I am capable of something like flight." A pause. "Isn't enjoying it… enjoying these little moments and the fact that I'm here right now pretending that I'm okay with it? That… I'm alright with what happened to me?"
"I don't think so," Akari replies, voice quiet. "...Good stuff can come out of bad things. And you shouldn't have him to thank for being alive, anyways." A pause. "You don't know how things would have turned out without all of this. For all you know you could have survived." A pause. "...And Korosensei still could have took you flying."
Aguri nods. Rubs at her arm. Voice quiet, she says "Mmm."
"The truth is I don't really have any professional advice. I don't know how to tell you how to process what happened to you. But I do know that… you deserve moments like that: things that make you happy… regardless of where they come from. And forcing yourself to feel sad and alone for the rest of the time you have left… that's the worst thing I can possibly imagine for you. It's what he'd want."
"I know," Aguri admits. "But I guess I just feel sometimes like I deserve it. That he was right. Or that… that it's inevitable either way. What if I just end up sad and depressed in the future? What then?"
"Then that's the future. For now you should just worry about now. We're together, aren't we? And that's not bad is it?"
'No,' Aguri thinks… hands still wrapped 'round Akari's back. That's the one good thing to come out of all this mess. She's… happy to see how everyone's doing. And she's happy to hear her sister's kind words. Even if this is all going to go away soon, she doesn't think she'll ever stop clinging to those.
It's the kind of support she needs.
"Of course not," she replies.
"...Then don't try and push that happiness away. It's here for now. And I'm not going anywhere."
The two of them sit like that for what feels like forever. And while she doesn't feel completely better Aguri does think that Akari's words have some effect on her. Now that she's had some time to calm down… she remembers that feeling of flight- taking off into the air, and despite herself… some little part of her thinks that she wants to feel it again, too.
(She wants to have happiness, even if just for now.)
She doesn't want to live. She doesn't want to fight. But smiling… that's not so much to ask for, now is it?
Of course she hears that voice again in the back of her mind… the one that calls her stupid- naive. But when she hears that voice she recalls Korosensei's words- that request he had of her.
What is it she was supposed to do again when she heard that voice?
...Right. Look for the bright side. And just this once… it's already sitting in her arms.
'Regardless of how bleak things look, Akari's here for you. And whether you think that you deserve to be happy or not… something tells you that she'll make you smile, anyways.'
That's just what a little sister does.
"T… thank you for that," she says, trying her best not to sound exhausted. "Thank you for talking to me. And… and thank you for staying here."
"Of course," Akari replies, speaking like it's the most natural thing in the world. "You're my sister. I'd have to be crazy to possibly let you face this on your own." A pause. "And besides, I mean it. I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I really do think you deserve to be happy. I couldn't not help you achieve that." She stays snuggled into Aguri… gives her back a tight squeeze. "Are you feeling any better? Even a little?"
Aguri gives a meek nod. "Yeah," she says. And she's not just saying that to make Akari feel better, either. She's still not sure she feels good- she's not sure she ever will… but she's not sure she has to. 'Baby steps' she reminds herself. And she's calm, at least for now.
"That's good," Akari replies. "I was worried about you, you know." She pauses… freezes up, slightly. "Not that- not that you should feel bad about that! It's only natural, you know!?"
"Of course," Aguri replies. "I… know."
After all, she's worried about Akari in the exact same way.
"In that case… do you want me to go?" Akari asks. "If you're feeling better then I'd hate to intrude. Maybe you should get some rest. Or talk with Korosensei about what happened."
"No," Aguri replies. "No. You don't need to go. In fact… I'd like you to stay here for just a little bit longer. I'm not ready to stand yet."
"Alright," Akari replies. "...Alright. In that case I'm here."
And so they sit there. Aguri cries a bit more- apologizes for if that makes it feel like she's not actually trying to be happy… but Akari says it's fine.
"I told you to let yourself, not force yourself, Aguri. Some sadness is fine." A pause. "...And besides, you were the one who always taught me that crying was healthy. I'm not going to criticize you now."
Quietly... Aguri nods. And by the time she stands- having cried a bit more, it feels like a lifetime has passed.
"Alright," she says. "I'm ready. I should probably talk to Korosensei. And it's getting kind of late. We should also discuss dinner."
Akari nods… following after. "You want me to come with?" She asks.
"Of course," Aguri replies. It's not even a question.
Korosensei seems surprised when the two of them enter the kitchen. He's got his head buried in textbooks... he must be grading something or another for the kids. He looks up from them momentarily- face flashing blue as he realizes that they've made their return.
"Ah!" he says. "Miss Aguri. I see you've come out of your room. Are you feeling a bit better now?"
Aguri nods. "Yeah," she says. "Kind of. Me and Akari had a good talk." She gives pause… averts her gaze. "Sorry for dashing off on you like that. I didn't mean to startle you. I just saw something up there in the sky and it scared me. Made me realize what I was thinking at the time."
"Want to talk about it?" Korosensei asks, pulling aside a chair. "You know I'm all ears."
"It's… stupid, mostly," Aguri admits as she maneuvers herself into the seat. "I just spotted the lab and I think it made me feel bad about having such a good time up there. I froze up and went 'Wait. I can only do this because that happened to me, can't I?' And it all sort of spiraled from there. I kept thinking 'This is going to go away. What's the point of enjoying it? There's no one part of this that I can keep.'"
Korosensei's head cocks a bit as he mulls Aguri's words over. Bringing his hand to his chin, he says "That's hardly a healthy mindset."
"Yeah," Aguri says. "I know. But… Akari talked some sense into me." She glances over to her sister- now seated across from her. "She made me realize that the fact that this is temporary is only reason to try and enjoy it more. Even if that might be a little hard at first."
"Most things worth doing in life are," Korosensei replies, nodding. "Nevertheless… I'm glad she was able to make you feel better. And I apologize that I did not check up on you myself. I considered it- but I did not want to pester you if you were not ready to speak."
"No," Aguri says. "...It's okay. You weren't under any obligation to do anything."
"I apologize for not picking up on your distress sooner as well," Korosensei continues. "I should have realized there was a risk of things going wrong up there in the sky. I should have kept a closer eye on you. But I… as well, got caught up in the moment."
"Don't worry about it," Aguri reassures. "There's no way you could have known."
"I'm taking it you'd like to take things slower with that sort of thing in the future?"
"...Yeah," Aguri says. "I think I want to ease myself into it- comforting moments like that. Right now it's still just a little bit scary. But I'm not giving up, alright? We'll get to do something like that again in the future. And next time I'll enjoy it for real. I promise."
Korosensei smiles… lets out a low, content sort of chuckle.
"Happy to hear it," he says. "Take all of the time that you need."
Ultimately the three of them end up cooking dinner together. It's no momentous event. Aguri can hardly even help out. But the three of them chat as the sun sets overhead… and somehow that's just as good as flying through the sky in its own right. After all, Aguri thinks she feels just as happy as she does back then… and this time she does not flinch away from it.
Because when she shuts her eyes she's soaring through clouds… hugging her baby sister. And 'maybe,' she thinks. 'some hope isn't so bad after all.'
