Sure enough: time continues to pass. As the days tick by Aguri's strange routine chugs forward. And with it, she continues to grow used to the oddity that is life now. Some days are better than others… some she can barely bring herself to get out of bed at all. But others are closer to comfortable, and even though she doesn't find herself laughing quite as much as she'd like to yet, she begins to accept this reality.

She doesn't fly again with Korosensei… not yet. But they test out the limits of her superspeed and they spend evenings together- either sitting in silence or, perhaps, making small talk about the events of the day.

Occasionally Korosensei asks Aguri if she'd like to talk more about what happened to her, but she declines. He nods and says he understands... doesn't dare push.

She doesn't even realize a month has passed until Akari points it out to her.

"You got out in August, right?" She asks. "It's late September now. How are you feeling? That's a pretty big milestone."

Aguri blinks. To be frank, she doesn't feel that much different, but she doesn't dare voice that. Instead, giving a shrug, she says, "A little bit better, I think. You're right… a month is a pretty long time."

Somehow it feels like that and no time at all. It's been an eternity since she made her way out of the lab, and yet it's only been a split second. She's not sure if she should celebrate or feel a bit scared.

There's a timer ticking down in the back of her brain.

'Eleven months.'

'No,' she thinks, glancing towards Korosensei.

'Six.'

Nevertheless, September is nice. And as she shuts her eyes- makes her way out into the autumn air one foggy morning… she smiles. It's nice to realize that she's made it this far sometimes.

She continues to spend time with Irina. They discuss going out shopping sometime, but Aguri's too anxious. Instead, they share lunches. Sometimes with Korosensei… sometimes without. Aguri continues to make very little progress with Karasuma, however. Regardless of how much she greets him, he avoids her with that same icy gaze. And they're rarely found in the same room.

"Don't take it personally," Irina insists. "He's just like that. You should have seen the time he threw me into the ocean."

All the same, Aguri feels she earns a certain kind of ire from him. And when she squints it almost seems he's uncomfortable. He shifts, slightly… looking her way. Narrows his eyes and glares.

'No,' she thinks, shaking it off. 'Irina is right. It's nothing personal. And besides… if he is uncomfortable then who could blame him?'

She tries not to think it over too much.

There are more important things to focus on. September brings forth big things for the students… starting with some sort of incident that occurs outside of class. Maehara storms into homeroom one morning… cussing up a storm.

"Goddamn it!" he says, pulling out his seat. "What is wrong with them?! That guy is really begging to get his ass kicked."

"It's not that big of a deal," Isogai insists, tailing after him. "He's just trying to make sure that everyone follows the rules. If I get in trouble then it's my own fault. I probably should have…-" he pauses: gives an uncomfortable frown. "I probably should have found a job at a less conspicuous place. What was I thinking? Now I'm in big trouble."

"Woah. Woah. Woah," Aguri says, hurrying over. "What's going on now?"

Isogai and Maehara explain the situation to the rest of the class. Turns out that Isogai got caught with an out-of-school job: something explicitly against Kunugigaoka's policy. And now if he doesn't face off against the chairman's son in some sort of exhibition match the boy is going to tell his dad: getting Isogai kicked out for good.

'There's no way that this could possibly be happening,' Aguri thinks… blinking. 'He's not seriously being blackmailed, is he? There's got to be someone we can tell.'

But despite herself… nothing comes to mind. The chairman and his son are the problem here. Of course there's no higher up they can report this to!

What on earth!?

"He wants the rest of you to participate in the pole toppling competition," Isogai continues. "But there's no way I'm putting you through that. It's not like we're going to win… and so he's going to report me either way. What's the point?" He looks downwards… lets out a halfhearted laugh. "Seems I'm getting expelled either way. I'm not letting you guys get humiliated, too."

For a split second the E-Class looks afraid. They return to the little kids that they were when Aguri last saw them. Uncomfortable, self-conscious: they shift, slightly. But that uncertainty soon fades… and when confronted with losing one of their own they shout.

"Are you braindead!?" Maehara asks, slamming his palm on the desk.

"Of course we're not leaving you out to dry!"

"What are you even saying!? That this is your fault!? I'm sorry, dude: but that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Yeah! What were you supposed to do? Just not be born poor!?"

"It doesn't work like that!"

Everyone speaks up. Even the quieter kids like Okuda and Hazama say their piece. And Akari… of course, stands up as well. The class talks about how they've beaten the A-Class before. It's not like this'll be their first time facing off against them. There's got to be something they can do. And even if they'll be humiliated then it'll be worth it. They're going down fighting.

"We are not letting you get expelled."

Isogai's shocked. Emotional, even. But the class accepts none of his thanks. They say it's only natural… and that he's one of them. Of course they'll fight for his sake.

They get right to planning. Well- them and Korosensei, of course. Aguri doesn't get to help out a lot, but she's still left in awe. It's the first time that she really gets to see the twenty-eight of them in action… and they are incredible. They work fast. Plan well. Make a cohesive, perfect sort of unit. To think that they'd once been underestimated… still are- it's incomprehensible! These kids are awesome!

And despite Isogai's doubts… they win.

It's a close match- neck to neck, but they do. Korosensei and Aguri watch it from the stands… and Isogai puts in the work. He acts as an amazing leader… rallying his classmates. And despite the cunningness that the A-Class utilizes, the E-Class strikes back with their own finesse. Aguri watches them rush towards the audience… taunt their opponents and take each opportunity that they can find. And finally, when they knock over that pole at the end of the day she lets out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. The underdogs won. And that means that Isogai's safe.

Of course… they couldn't have done it without their secret weapon.

(Itona)

He flies through the air at the end of the match. Divebombs and gives the class the final push that they need. There's a fire in his eyes- but it's nothing like the blank rage that it was in the past. And after the tournament, his classmates surround him… slapping his back and cheering.

Now that she thinks about it, Aguri doesn't actually know that much about him.

He hasn't come forth for tutoring, and they don't talk particularly much in Home EC, either. He's… the one from the lab, right? The reason that she's out of here? Yeah. That's right. The little boy. With the tentacles.

Is that why he looks at her so oddly sometimes?

She asks Akari about him after school. Says she's curious how he came to join the class.

"He was a victim of all that too, right?"

Akari nods. "He first showed up around early July. Yanagisawa brought him into class bragging about how he was the ultimate weapon. He sicced him on Korosensei, but Korosensei won, of course. And from there that was just kind of the norm." She shrugs… looks unimpressed. "He had him try and fight Korosensei a few more times after that, but it was always the same. And eventually, I guess he got sick of it. He left Itona out to dry… abandoned him, just like he does everyone else." She sighs. Curls her lip. "Typical, isn't it?"

Aguri frowns. She wonders how Itona came into the hands of a person like that. His situation must have been truly desperate if he was willing to let Yanagisawa put those things in him. What exactly happened to him?

(And all at once… her mind races. 'Was he being mistreated?' 'Was he promised some sort of reward?' 'Or did Yanagisawa buy him, too?)

...She doesn't know.

Either way, she feels like she owes it to the boy to get to know him a bit better. Not only did he save her ass, but he pretty clearly went through something messed up in his own right. Who knows? Maybe he could use a support system.

She decides to talk to him in the morning and tries her best to purge thoughts of just how empty he looked when she first met him from her mind.

She approaches him in homeroom... gives a wave and tells him that what he pulled off yesterday was awfully cool.

"You really helped Isogai out, you know. Good work."

Itona startles… almost like he didn't expect her to be addressing him. All the same, he soon calms down and glances her way… fiddling, unimpressed, with his bandana. He gives a lazy shrug.

"It's nothing," he says. "I just did what I had to. And it's not like it was hard."

It's not a comment that opens itself up to much more conversation. He's curt- straight to the point… and far from talkative. If she didn't know any better Aguri would consider it an almost oppressive atmosphere. He's a cold, introverted sort of kid.

"Well, it was still the right thing to do," she insists. "And so I figured I'd say something." A pause. "...I've also been meaning to thank you for everything else. You were the one who told everyone I was in that place, right?"

Itona blinks… mulling that over. He looks uncomfortable for a second, but soon nods.

"Yeah," he says. "I was."

There's this strange look behind his bright yellow eyes… and just slightly he averts his gaze. He seems uncomfortable in this sad sort of way. Aguri wonders if she reminds him of a bad point in his life.

(She hopes not, but…)

"Well, thank you for that," she says awkwardly. "I really appreciate it, you know."

"Mmm."

They don't talk much more after that. Itona's friends flood into the room and soon resume with their homeroom activities. They laugh and gossip… pulling each other in close. And before she knows it some of the color returns to Itona's face. Aguri wonders if she was imagining the unease behind his tone. He seems fine now. Maybe his situation is alright and she's just overthinking it.

At least… until she sees him walk home alone.

Most of the E-Class tends to depart with each other. Of course they split up at some point, but it's nice to have someone to talk to. Itona… on the other hand, makes the journey alone. A fact made even weirder by the detail that he allegedly lives in the same neighborhood as his friend Muramatsu. It strikes Aguri as weird that they don't head out together… especially when Muramatsu occasionally asks.

"You sure?" He says one afternoon. "I don't want you to end up getting mugged."

"I'm fine," Itona says, giving a shrug. "My house isn't particularly nice, anyways."

Muramatsu frowns… tilts his head. "You know I don't mind." A pause. "Well, always feel free to stop by for ramen if you need it."

"Of course."

Aguri ends up asking Akari about that, too. She's not going to follow the boy home, but she's got to know where he's staying. Something about this whole situation strikes her as weird.

"Hey, Akari? Do you know about Itona's living situation? Was he staying with Yanagisawa for a bit? If so… where's he living now?"

Akari blinks, glancing up from her phone. Frowning, she says, "Last I checked the whole thing was weird. I think he's supposed to be staying with his uncle… but he ran away or something?"

"Ran away?" Aguri asks, stunned.

"Yeah," Akari says. "Admittedly I'm not entirely sure because I was all sorts of out of it on tentacles when we first found out the story, but… I think he was really badly bullied or something? His parents' company went bankrupt and because of that, they disowned him. The neighborhood kids had a field day with it and he must have gotten sick of it." A pause. "I dunno if he's back now though or what. If he's not there then I don't know where he'd be."

Aguri decides to ask his friends about it. She doesn't by any means intend to come across as intrusive… but this is important. The more details she hears about the situation the more concerning it is. Is this boy seriously homeless?

('No,' she thinks. 'You're just overthinking it.')

"You… want to know about Itona?" Muramatsu says, frowning. "What about him? Is something wrong?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you four knew anything about where he was living," Aguri explains. "Do you know if he's got a roof over his head?"

Yoshida starts to speak, saying "Well…-" but Terasaka soon interjects. Crossing his arms over his chest he asks why she'd even like to know.

"That ain't really none of your business, is it?" He asks, eyes narrowed. "If you've got any questions about his life then you can ask him your damn self. We're not sharing."

There's a slight murmur amongst the rest of the group… but they soon agree. Hazama shoots Aguri an unimpressed look, saying that it's not their place.

"That's kind of his personal information, you know."

"Don't go badgering him, though, either," Yoshida warns. "If he doesn't wanna share anything then he doesn't fucking have to. Got it?"

"...Got it," Aguri repeats, nodding. Admittedly she's a little taken aback by their indignant demeanor, but they have a point. These are the people who know Itona best, right? Maybe they're right. Maybe this isn't her place. Even so...

It bothers her. She watches Itona go days without changing his uniform. He walks home completely alone. If something is terrible about his situation… if he's either ran away or he's still being picked on, then isn't it her place to step in?

(She's a teacher, goddamn it. That's what she does.)

Finally, she decides to approach Korosensei. He's the most intuitive one here. If something's wrong then he'll get to the bottom of it. She's sure of it.

However… when she asks him if he thinks that Itona is homeless, his answer is a simple "It's likely."

Aguri freezes up. Taken aback, she asks "You mean… you- you already had a hunch!?"

Somehow she expected it to have been her evidence that swayed him… but Korosensei speaks up without so much as thinking it over. A concerned sort of look on his face he nods and says:

"Of course. It's a sad sort of situation… but there's no denying it. The pieces in his story add up." A pause. "Last I checked he was sleeping in the abandoned factory down on Hōmuresu Street. I've made sure that he has blankets and food, but…-"

"You haven't tried to do more!?"

Aguri is legitimately shell-shocked. She doesn't mean to shout, but how could she not? Korosensei's telling her that he… he knew that this person was homeless, and he didn't even-!?

"Of course I tried to do more," Korosensei replies. "But there's only so much I can do within the boundaries of being an educator. I've talked to Itona about his situation… but any more and I risked humiliating him. There's a limit on what sorts of help people will accept." A pause as he glances downwards. "When you're in a circumstance like his, too much assistance can end up feeling like pity. And that means there's a point wherein I can no longer offer help until he feels safe enough to ask me for it."

"Of course," he says. "I will continue to provide for his needs as much as possible. But… yes. There is a limit on what I can do. Especially when he's still in the process of understanding what happened to him... if he can forgive his family, and if he wants things to go back to the way they were."

Aguri thinks she feels sick. She understands what Korosensei is saying… but it makes her hands shake. Surely there has to be something they can do. Send him back to his uncle! Or-

(No… that's not an option. Korosensei just said he ran away. For all she knows this person isn't even looking for him. She can't send him back to that.)

Getting him an apartment, then.

(With what salary? He's homeless. It would be insane to expect him to get a job on top of that! Especially with what just happened to Isogai. Korosensei and Aguri could try to help out, of course… but they're not paid particularly much either. And that risks feeling like that aforementioned pity.)

Oh god. Oh god.

"Do you… do you think that I could just talk to him, at least?" she finally asks. "About his situation? If he needs any help? If there's something that we can do?"

"You can certainly try," Korosensei replies. "But if he doesn't want to share then don't make him. This is a deeply personal affair, after all."

"Of… of course," Aguri replies. "I won't. I just want to make sure that he's… doing alright? You know?"

(Tell him that someone is cheering him on.)

"Yeah," Korosensei says, sounding almost melancholy. "I know."

He offers to help her pull him aside, but Aguri says she thinks that she'd like to do it alone. Not only is it clear Korosensei's already tried to communicate… but she also thinks there's something she'd like to prove to herself by being the one to help. She… doesn't need assistance for everything either, does she?

(They can do this. She doesn't have to fix his entire situation. She just has to let him know that he's not alone.

...That talking helps.)

She pulls him aside on a Monday morning… takes him into the teachers' lounge. Itona seems confused but complies. Sitting down, he asks her what she wants. He's not in trouble, is he?

"No. Of course not," Aguri reassures. "I've just been… wondering about some stuff. Can you clear some things up for me? Please?"

Itona's nose wrinkles slightly. Looking patronized… he's quiet for a minute. And then, finally speaking up he says, "You know. Don't you?"

Aguri frowns. Feigning ignorance, she says "Know what?"

"I know what you want to talk to me about," Itona replies. "I'm not stupid. You've been watching me... looking at me weird. Terasaka and Hazama told me about the conversation you guys had. You're worried about me, aren't you?" A pause. "...Looking down on me."

"Well," Aguri says. "Worried, yes. But looking down on you, no. I just want to make sure that you're alright. Is it really true you ran away from home, Itona?"

She feels her heart skip a beat. Admittedly she's terribly nervous… but she won't let that show. Itona is the homeless one here. She is not making him comfort her.

Itona's eyebrows arch… almost like he's wondering how she got that bit figured out. He soon relaxes, however… as he remembers Akari. And leaning back, he says "Ran away, no. Was kicked out, yes."

He shifts in his seat… fiddles with the bandana wrapped 'round his forehead.

"I'm not sure how much your sister already told you," he continues. "But Mom and Dad's company went bankrupt. After that, they moved out of the city and couldn't take me with them. They left me with my uncle… but…" His lip twitches. "The place sucked. Eventually, I had to leave there, too."

Aguri frowns. She starts to say 'And so you did run." but drifts off. No. He didn't run from home. He just… ran away from somewhere else.

(This really is a miserable situation, isn't it?)

"Oh," she says. "I'm… sorry to hear that. Have your parents tried to get in contact with you since?"

Itona doesn't reply. But the silence more than speaks for itself.

"Er… I mean- forget that, actually. Do you at least have a roof over your head? Somewhere safe to sleep?"

"Mmm," Itona replies. "Blankets and food, too. Sensei and my friends try and help out where they can, but…" he drifts off- rubs at his shoulder. "Honestly it's a little much."

"Why do you say that?" Aguri asks.

"Honestly… I'm fine. The whole situation sucks, but it's not like it's anything I can't handle. They don't need to waste their time with me. I'm alright. Seriously."

He says that so sternly, but Aguri doubts it. That's no way for anyone to be living- much less a kid.

"I'm sure they're just trying to help out because they're worried about you. That… and because it really doesn't seem fine, Itona. Do you know what you're going to do after this year is over?"

Itona's quiet for a bit- shrugging.

"Well," he says. "The goal is to kill Korosensei. If I can get that money then we can restart Dad's company. Try again from the beginning. Make sure not to make the same mistakes next time. If I can get by until then... then, well… everything will be fine." A pause. "It has to happen eventually, right? As long as I keep trying?"

"Killing Korosensei?" Aguri asks, feeling a shiver run down her spine. "Well, I'm not sure about that. But… yes, I can only hope things work out for you. But until then, what? We should probably do something about this, Itona."

Itona tenses slightly. Eying her carefully, he asks "About what?"

"The fact that you're sleeping somewhere you clearly shouldn't be. That's not safe, Itona."

Itona gives an unimpressed shrug. Frowning, he says "I'm fine."

"You're not. Have you tried asking your friends about if they can help you? Surely one of them has a place you can stay."

"I just said they're already helping me out more than enough," Itona replies. "I'm not asking for more on top of that. And so don't push it, alright? I'm getting by."

'...Getting by.' It's one of those things that seems okay in theory, but that's no way to live life, is it? And besides, to her, it doesn't even really seem like Itona is getting by. There are bags under his eyes. It looks like he hasn't slept in a week.

"I get why you're worried," he continues. "But there's nothing much you can do. And there's nothing much I want you to do. So… drop it." A pause. He glances back over at the clock. "In fact, I should probably get going now. Class is about to start."

He starts to stand… irritation prickling in his voice. But Aguri reaches a hand out, says "Wait."

"Class can wait until later," she insists. "We should REALLY come up with at least some sort of plan, Itona."

"I'd like to go back to class, please," Itona repeats. "I don't want to talk about this right now."

"And I know that. But I need to come up with some sort of solution. If Korosensei hasn't been able to help then that's worrying. We've got to do someth-"

"I said no!"

And all at once Aguri freezes up. Itona's voice is a scream. Up until now he'd seemed relatively cool… if a little bit uncomfortable- but now he's quaking. He clenches his fist tight and takes a deep breath. Then… abruptly, he turns around. Still refusing to meet Aguri's eye he stares at the floor and says:

"Sorry. I didn't mean to shout. But… I just fucking hate this, okay?" He shivers a bit, shakes his head. "Korosensei respected my decision to not force him to help. And I'd like you to do the same. You two are busy with enough as is. And so listen to me, alright? I'm not interested."

...He looks so small standing there with his back turned to her. And staring him down Aguri feels her heart pound in her ears. Somehow she expected this to go better. Korosensei told her that this would be hard… but she'd still wanted to try. Still thought that she could make a difference. Why? It's not like there's something she can do that he can't.

(Her breath quickens. Her pulse starts to race. But she doesn't let herself freak out. Not yet. She won't in front of the boy.)

And if… he doesn't want help, then there's nothing she can do. It's like Korosensei said: he's embarrassed to be pitied. And she…-

Wait. Is he?

'Embarrassed.' That's what Korosensei had called it. But is that what it is? What's making him look so small right now? Suddenly his words ring in her ears.

'I'm not asking for any more.'

'You two are busy enough as is.'

'I'm fine.'

And all at once, it hits Aguri.

Itona's not embarrassed. He's guilty.

It's undeniable. She hadn't picked up on it at first, but she recognizes that behavior. She… sees it in herself each and every day. Itona's not trying to turn down help because he really thinks he doesn't need it, is he? He's turning it down because he thinks he doesn't deserve it.

Holy shit-!

Feeling like she's made a breakthrough, Aguri tries to steady her breath. She takes a step closer to Itona… nods.

"You don't need to apologize," she insists. "It's… alright. I get why this is stressful. And I'm sorry for pushing you." A pause. "But before I let you go can I ask you one last question? I won't try and force anything on you… I promise. I just want to talk."

Itona hesitates. But slowly… he turns around. And quietly, he gives a nod. "Okay," he says, trying to sound tough. "But I'm holding you to that. Try and force anything on me and I'm out."

"Okay," Aguri repeats, giving a nod. She pulls out a chair and motions for Itona to sit down next to her. Skeptically he makes his way over. He fiddles with his hands slightly as he takes a seat.

"What is it?"

"Well… I was just wondering something, Itona. Why is it that you don't want help? And… you don't need to want help, of course. But I think I'd like to know."

Itona's quiet for a bit… fiddling with the bandana wrapped 'round his forehead.

Finally, he says "What do you mean?"

"Well, what I mean is… is the reason you don't want assistance with your situation because you don't think you need it? Because you're too strong for handouts? Or is it something else?"

Itona's quiet again. This time he doesn't reply.

"Could it be that… you think you don't deserve it?"

And suddenly Itona freezes. Hands hovering near his forehead, he goes still.

'Bingo,' Aguri thinks. But it's not a content sort of realization.

Everyone's been putting so much stake in Itona wanting to appear strong. But he's already realized that kind of thing is pointless, hasn't he? He's not trying to look tough. He's just trying to find his place in the class. And that makes him feel like he's asking for too much.

Which means that… Aguri can't brute force this. She can't force him to get help. What she has to do is try and understand his reasoning. And she does.

(She understands it more than anything.)

"You don't have to answer me if you don't want. But I just wanted to let you know… it's okay if you feel that way. I get it. I feel that way a lot of the time, too."

"R… really?" Itona asks, drawing back a bit.

"Of course," Aguri says with a nod.

Itona stares into her eyes for a long moment. He must be able to tell she means it, because he finally slumps forward and lets out a sigh.

"Yeah," he says. "I think I feel that way. Why wouldn't I, after all? I've already been enough of an inconvenience to the class. They don't need to deal with this on top of that, too."

"You're not an inconvenience," Aguri says, almost on instinct. She wonders if she's trying to copy the sorts of things that Korosensei's said to her. "...The class loves you."

"You say that, but you should have seen me when they first met me. I mowed down the wall. Spent half of my time trying to kill them! I wouldn't really blame them if they were still mad."

Aguri opens her mouth to speak… almost says 'That's just stuff Yanagisawa coerced you into doing, right?' But stops herself.

No. That never makes her feel any better to hear. She feels like she'd still be this way with or without Yanagisawa. And she's sure Itona feels the same.

She's… got to take a different route.

Still all sorts of nervous, she shakes her head and says, "They're not though, right? From what I've seen it seems like the class really likes you. I talked to your friends a bit about your situation and they got mad for your sake. They're protective of you." A pause. "And it's not like Korosensei is mad either. He's always saying the nicest things to me... about how smart you are. How brave. Do those sound like the words of someone who dislikes you?"

"Well… no," Itona says. "But it's hard to tell that you're not making that up. And even if you aren't, it's not really what they think about me. It's about…- I don't know. It's about what I think of myself."

Aguri leans in closer. Frowns.

"Mm?"

"Whether they want to give it to me or not, I don't want their help. It makes me feel like a pain in the ass."

"Yeah," Aguri says. "...I get that. But you've got to understand that you're not. And you've got to understand that they do like you… whether you think they should or not."

They're empty words. The kind of thing she barely even believes about herself. But she's got to say them… doesn't she? Itona is relying on her. She's got to- got to say what she'd want to hear.

She shuts her eyes. Takes a deep breath.

"I know that can be hard to believe. But sometimes people genuinely want to help you. And that doesn't have to serve as an inconvenience to them. I'm sure your friends would be really happy, actually… if you just opened up to them. They're worried about you, you know."

"I know," Itona says, maybe a little too quickly. "But it's not that simple, alright?"

"I know," Aguri says. "I know."

"And… it's not just that. Asking people for help… letting them know just how shitty it is- isn't that like giving up on my old life in a way?"

Aguri frowns. Asks, "What do you mean?"

"I want to go back to it. I have plans to make things go back to the way they were before. Wavering, asking for help... what if I find out I like it more than I liked how things were before? What if I get used to it? Things…- they need to be hard. I don't want to abandon my family like that."

Aguri frowns. She gets it… she really does. Somewhere far away from here, she's living a carefree life. She's still a little girl and all she has to worry about is whether or not Akari's crying today. Her body is light. Her limbs are lithe. She doesn't feel the crushing weight… the throbbing in her veins.

Letting herself breathe… it can feel like abandoning that moment. Hell, a lot of the time she still does feel that way. The flying incident the other day is proof of that. But the thing is there's no guarantee she'll ever go back to being that person. This might just be her life now.

She'd like to be fixed. She'd like to be happy. But that might not happen. And as sad as she is to say, it Itona's parents might never come back for him. He needs to have a backup plan in case they don't. And even if they're going to- he deserves to be happy in the meantime.

(Everyone does.)

He… doesn't need to worry about enjoying it more than before. Nothing could possibly live up to 'back then.' All he needs to worry about is feeling okay now. And this isn't it.

But that's not what he wants to hear, is it? What is it Akari said to her the other day? About letting yourself laugh not being leaving the past behind?

"You've… been in this situation for a while now, Itona," she whispers. "Either way it's going to become a new normal. You've grown used to something other than the life you were living before. And now it's just your decision whether that time is spent miserable and lonely or accepting what help people are willing to hand out."

"Things are going to be… different for you either way. That doesn't mean that it has to be permanent, but that's the truth. Things are going to be different for a while. Until your family comes to their senses or you can reach out to them or you can… kill Korosensei. After that things might go back to normal, but until then you need some sort of temporary solution. Otherwise, you're going to keep living this way. And you're still going to feel sad when you go back."

"Which… I know is scary. But that's why I came to you. So you don't need to ask for that help... feel like you're abandoning your family. I'm sorry if it feels patronizing to ask directly, but I want to be the one to reach out a hand. I know how hard it can be to ask for help. And so you don't need to ask here, alright? I'm offering."

She holds her hand out. Gives Itona a gentle look. "We can work something out. We can meet in the middle. We can buy you an apartment… or find a way to let you stay with one of your friends, or-"

"No." Suddenly Itona's tense. Shaking his head, he says, "I'm… not comfortable staying with my friends. I…- I know that you really want me to try, and that they love me or whatever… but I'm not in a place where I feel like I can ask that of them."

"Okay," Aguri says. And… she's disappointed, but she gets it. It can feel harder to lean on people you know well than people you don't.

"You can stay with me then. Or Korosensei. That wouldn't be too bad, would it?"

"No," Itona whispers, shaking his head. He looks to the side… crosses his hands over his lap. For just a split second he looks ready to cry, but he takes a deep breath… looks ashamed.

Somehow it still doesn't feel like he's really sold. He's just saying that to quiet her down, isn't he?

...Yeah. She can still feel it. He's carrying that weight.

"I know I for one would be delighted to have you. And I'm sure Korosensei would, too. You're a good kid, you know."

It's an insane thing to offer without even asking Korosensei, Akari, or her father… but Aguri can't resist. She knows how miserable it is to feel that way. Alone! Like a burden!

"And it's dangerous for you to keep living the way you have been. I know you think you're strong enough- that you're obligated to be… but that's not fair. That's not safe. What would you do if someone like Yanagisawa came back for you?"

Itona freezes, slightly… lets his hands drift up to his head.

"He wouldn't," he says. "He's bored of me."

"But there's no knowing that. He or someone else looking to hurt you and your friends might take advantage of that. And that's why we've got to rely on each other to stay safe... why I can't keep letting you do this. It hurts me to hear you talk about yourself that way: saying you deserve to be all alone. That's exactly what he would want you to think."

Itona's quiet for a long moment. Looking uncomfortable… he glances towards her, and then away. Slowly his hands drift down from his forehead and he buries his face in his fingers.

"I don't get it," he says. "How can you talk about me that way when you remember him? When… you know that I was his partner in crime? Wasn't I an accomplice in what happened to you? I mean- I'm the one who didn't bother to say anything sooner. If I stood up to him then none of this would have ever happened to you. And I didn't."

He hangs his head. Grits his teeth.

"It took me months to get out of my own ass. And by the time I finally had, it was already too late. You'd already been through hell and back. Why are you talking to me like this now? Acting so gentle? Shouldn't you hate me? You have the right more than anyone. Forget the class. Forget Korosensei! I failed you."

"I still remember how fucking scared you looked. When you called out to me back at that place. But I also remember not caring. I felt nothing, Yukimura-sensei. You were begging to die, and I didn't even give a shit! Doesn't that bother you!?"

He's shaking a bit as he clutches at his forehead. Nails digging deep into the fabric of his bandana, he almost resembles the person he was back then. Aguri's not afraid, however. It's more than clear his anger is directed only at himself.

She scoots her chair in closer… gives him a second to cry. But when it's clear he's said all that he wanted to say… she shakes her head and reaches her arm out to place a hand on his back. She uses the other to lower his hands… carefully maneuvering his nails away from his forehead. And when she feels he's sufficiently safe she says, "No, Itona. It doesn't."

He freezes up- attempts to yank his hands back, but she doesn't let him. She shakes her head and holds his wrist tight.

She's… honestly not a very smart person, but even she can tell that Itona wasn't in his right mind back at the lab. He was going through immeasurable pain, having his thoughts warped. Warped in the very same manner that turned Akari's thoughts into angry, vengeful ones… angry enough to try and kill a person. That wasn't the real him.

And even if it had been, saving her was never his job!

"You were a scared little boy in the same situation I was in. You weren't in a place where you could stand up to him. And that's okay. Because you still did eventually. I don't care that you're 'late.' You're the only reason I'm out of that place, Itona… and I will never not be thankful for that. Do you even understand what you've done for me?"

"You saved me. You told Korosensei and Akari where I was. Without that, I would still be in that place. I would have probably died there. But you made that change. You saved my life. Why are you beating yourself up for not going about that perfectly? You are my hero."

Itona pauses. Arms going limp he looks Aguri in the eye and repeats- wonderstruck "Hero?"

He sounds so soft. So unsure.

To be frank, Aguri hadn't even realized what she was saying, either. She'd just spoken from the heart… said what she'd have wanted to hear. And 'hero' had come out. But the more she thinks about it the more she's sure she's right. Yes… he may not look the part- this tiny trembling boy. But he's a hero, through and through. And he's the one she has to thank for being able to feel the sun on her skin right now.

"Yeah," she says. "Hero. You are my hero. Do you need me to say it again?"

Now that she thinks about it… she hasn't really thanked him, has she? No wonder he thought she hated her. But she could never. She's thankful for him. And the truth is… they're in the same boat.

She doesn't really realize what she's doing when she opens her arms, either. They just kind of splay. Some part of her is tempted to spring on Itona- wrap him in a hug… but she resists. As sad as he looks, she knows how suffocating that kind of thing can feel. And the truth is… it's much better to just let him come to her.

Sure enough, he buries his face in her chest. Wrapping his arms 'round her neck he clings to her back and sobs. Aguri's hands slowly drift downward… rubbing circles in his back. And she allows him to cry- cry like he's been wanting to, and finally scream it all out.

"I'm sorry!" he sobs, wiping his face on her shirt. "I didn't- I didn't mean to accuse you of hating me. It just- it just feels so bad! I'm sorry that I didn't help sooner! And… I'm sorry I'm being so difficult. I don't want to give you a hard time. It's just scary, you know!?"

He trembles slightly… wipes at his nose. "I don't know what I'm going to do about my situation and I'm a little scared my family won't come back for me at all. What if I get the money and they're still not interested? Or… or if I can't kill Korosensei in the first place? I keep telling myself I can and that I've only gotta do it once… but it's really not that easy, is it? What if I can't do it alone?"

"Hell. No, I know I can't do it alone. If I couldn't do it even with tentacles then why would I be able to do it how? I'm going to need to rely on others for help… and that sucks! What if the split prize money isn't enough? What if… what if they're not interested in sharing?"

"Everyone's got their own stuff to worry about. Isogai's poor. Muramatu's still trying to get his family's ramen shop off the ground! That's why it feels so selfish, I guess! To ask for any more help than I've already gotten. Everyone's already stretched themselves so thin for me."

He wilts… clings to Aguri tight. "What am I gonna do if they end up regretting that? I care about them! A few of them saved my life…"

Aguri falls silent- still rubbing circles in his back as he sobs. Admittedly she's hardly sure what to say… but his words break her heart- and she pulls him in close, nestles her head on his in some sort of attempt at comfort.

"Itona," she says. "I'm sure they'll be happy to help you. They care about you too. And although I…- I know it can be easy to doubt that sort of thing they haven't given you any reason not to believe that yet, have they?" She pauses. Frowns. "I mean… just look at what they did for Isogai. Everyone was happy to help him out, weren't they?"

Itona goes still… nods a bit as he says "Yeah."

"And so why would things be any different for you? I know you feel like you've messed things up, but they see you as one of their own." Another pause. "And as for your family and apologizing to me. Well…- I really don't need any apologies. I already told you I'm thankful, Itona. And… your family can wait for later. That's not something to be worrying about right now. If you keep thinking about the future you'll collapse. You don't need a plan for the next ten years. You just need one for the next month."

Some part of her is tempted to reassure Itona about his family in the same way she did his friends. 'I'm sure they'll come back for you. They love you, right?' That sort of thing. But she can't find the strength. And despite herself… she doubts it. She doesn't know Itona's family. She'd like to believe they're good people, but if they're not then she can't be the one who gets his hopes up.

(Nothing hurts more than that.)

Itona gives another nod… still clinging to Aguri as he speaks.

"I know," he murmurs. "But even that's scary in it's own right. And everything that happened makes it worse." A pause. "I think that's why I have so much trouble trusting them. My friends, I mean. Even if they haven't done anything to hurt me yet it feels like they're just waiting to spring in the future. That they'll turn on me at any time."

Aguri frowns. Asks "...Like your family did?"

But Itona doesn't answer that. Instead, he simply says "And like Yanagisawa, too."

Aguri breathes in deep. When she shuts her eyes she's back in that place… and she gets what Itona is saying. She sees his behavior in everyone. Lurking behind Korosensei's kind eyes and twisting her sister's words. 'Why haven't they gotten sick of me, yet?' She thinks. 'I'm stupid and useless, right? Stop being so kind! Berate me!'

('I don't want to hope!')

"He was always saying the most terrible stuff to me," Itona admits. "Well, I mean… I guess not always- he could seem pretty nice sometimes, too, but he'd always find a way to turn it on me later. 'I've done so much for you. Why aren't you trying harder,' you know? It… felt really bad."

"He kept calling me weak," he continues. "Saying I wasn't living up to my potential. It doesn't bother me as much now but it really hurt at the time. And I guess that… that that still comes up sometimes. The fear that he was right." A pause. "...That no-one will ever want me. That I'm just going to let them down. And that… that if I'm going to fail them then I shouldn't bother asking them for help at all. It'll only make them mad."

Aguri blinks slow. It's funny, but she thinks she's almost angry. She's never angry when she thinks about what happened to her… simply sad- self-pitying. But this is different. When she thinks about what happened to Korosensei and the kids- Itona and Akari she feels downright sick. They're all such wonderful people. They don't deserve that!

And she says as much.

She doesn't even realize it at first- but for the first time in this conversation, she says something that isn't what someone's said to her rephrased. At least… not intentionally. She speaks from the heart. And when she pulls Itona in closer than ever before she says:

"That's not true. I promise you: that's not true. He was wrong about you, alright? No-one deserves to feel that scared. You're not a failure, and you're not going to make anyone mad. We want to help you, no strings attached. We're not going to turn on you. And you don't owe us anything back."

She rocks him back and forth... so desperately tries to make him feel safe.

Yanagisawa's words swirl through her mind. 'How dare you's and 'after everything I've done for you's. But she shakes them off for once… and before she even knows it she's crying.

For a split second, she's inclined to feel bad. This is the exact thing she wanted to avoid, wasn't it? But as she stares down at Itona still quaking in her arms she realizes that he's under no obligation to comfort her… that he can't see her tears at all.

He's got far too many of his own demons to wrestle with.

And so these aren't a-cry-for-help tears… and they're not pity tears, either. They're sympathy tears, and the two of them are crying together. She's not sobbing because she's sad. She's sobbing because he is. And she knows how that feels!

They're sharing a moment.

They cry like that together for a long time. Holding him close, Aguri thinks about how much she wants to protect this tiny boy... how much she wants to protect them all. She knows it's hardly possible- she's not strong, either… but it's a conviction so powerful it makes her shake.

"He can't do anything else to you, alright?" She says. "He can't. And so you're safe now… I promise."

"Alright," Itona says. "...I believe you."

And finally, he pulls away.

Softly, he wipes at his eyes. He looks embarrassed, almost, now that he's calmed down, and even murmurs something about how he's 'sorry… this isn't usually like him,' but Aguri reassures him that it's okay. Everyone's sad sometimes. And he has every right to be.

"Are you at least feeling any better now?" She asks. "Now that you've cried it out?"

"A bit," Itona says, readjusting his bandana. "My head hurts like hell, though."

"Yeah," Aguri says. "I can imagine. We'll get you some water when we get back to class, alright?"

Itona nods.

With puffy eyes and a worn expression somehow his bandana sticks out more than ever. 'That's where they were, right?' Aguri thinks. 'The tentacles? Do they still hurt sometimes?'

Maybe it's because it's only been a month, but Akari's got scars. They haven't faded much… burn marks and little red pinpricks. Aguri wonders if Itona's got scars, too.

(No. It's not worth wondering about. Whether he's got scars hiding under that bandana or not, he's certainly got something to worry about.)

"I'm sorry for not talking to you about all of this sooner," she says. "...I probably should have realized that something was wrong."

"About what?" Itona asks, giving a half-tense shrug. "My home situation? You had enough to worry about."

"Well, not just that," Aguri clarifies. "...The fact that I don't hate you. That I know how you feel. That Yangisawa was wrong about you. All of that should have come up sooner."

"Eh," Itona says. "There's no changing the past. And besides, it's not like it matters much. I'm just glad it came up now."

"We'll work something out," Aguri promises. "I mean… if you want to. About where you're going to stay. It doesn't have to be today. It doesn't even have to be this week. But… sometime. For your own sake."

"Okay," Itona says. "Admittedly it still feels a bit weird, but you're probably right."

"And we'll make sure it's a judgment-free environment. I'll… talk to Korosensei and the three of us can get something worked out. If you don't want, no-one else needs to know." A pause. "Well… except maybe Akari- since she lives with the two of us. But no-one else. If you don't want to tell your friends then you don't have to. I just want you to feel safe and guilt-free."

"Yeah," Itona says. "I know. Alright. That sounds good."

"Good," Aguri says, letting out a deep breath. "...Good. In that case, we can set up some kind of day. And remember, this isn't a permanent situation, alright? It's just making sure that you're okay for now."

Itona nods. Says, "Mmm."

After another long moment of silence Aguri motions to stand. She reaches for the door, and even starts to say 'We should probably be heading back to class,' but Itona beats her to it.

"You know," he says. "I'm surprised. You're actually really good at this."

Aguri's hand hovers near the doorway. Pulling it back, she asks "What do you mean?"

"Well… when my friends were talking about you they said that you used to be a really different kind of teacher. All 'just believe in yourself and you can do it,' you know? But now… you're not like that."

Aguri frowns. Tilts her head.

"Is that a good thing?" She asks.

"Maybe not," Itona admits. "But it helped me feel better today. Sometimes you don't wanna hear that everything will be alright. You just wanna know that there's somewhere out there who gets it."

He must notice the troubled expression on her face, because he says "Sorry," as he stands. "I just wanted to put that out there. It's not important, really."

And he's the one who opens the door.

As he makes his way out of the teachers lounge, however… Aguri doesn't follow after. He turns back to look at her- but she says that she thinks she'd like a moment, actually. Just to catch her breath, you know?

Itona nods. Before heading out, however, he hangs back and even starts to reach out for a hug. He stops himself halfway- embarrassed… and simply settles for giving Aguri a firm pat on the back instead.

"Thank you," he says. "Seriously. For being worried about me."

And before she can even say "it's nothing," he's gone.

Quietly Aguri wobbles back towards her chair. And she sits down, limbs heavy. When she cries this time, however… she's not quite sure it's out of sadness.

Because sure, things feel a little hopeless. But she went into this completely in over her head… quite frankly pushing her boundaries, and came out of it with an experience like that. A moment where she of all people could understand.

Yes. She was able to do something even Korosensei hasn't been able to up until this point:

Feel undeserving too.


Korosensei is more than down for allowing Itona to move in.

"First of all this isn't my home," he admits. "So I'm not really sure why you're asking me… I didn't ask to move in either- but I am completely okay with that. If you believe this to be a good decision then I'll back you up full-heartedly. I am your biggest supporter, after all. And… I agree that perhaps this will be good for Itona." A pause. "I'm glad that you were able to get him to open up."

"Yeah," Aguri says, giving a nod. "Me too,"

Things are much weirder with Akari, however.

Aguri feels weird approaching her at all. Akari's been living alone for months… and Aguri is already overstepping a boundary by expecting Korosensei to be allowed to stay. Is taking in Itona too much?

'No,' Aguri thinks, shaking her head. Of course it's not. She… can still remember Itona crying. And that's why she needs to have this conversation. It's important.

Akari won't mind. She's a kind-hearted girl.

Aguri pulls her aside after dinner- says she's got something important to talk about. Akari looks confused but follows after… sitting herself down on the bed next to Aguri.

"What is it?" She asks. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Aguri says on instinct, but soon rethinks that. "Well… yes. Maybe. I don't know. It's complicated." She shakes her head. "All of that is besides the point. I just wanted to ask you something. Do you think you'd be comfortable with someone else moving in? Something came up, and, well…-" she gives pause. "It's important."

Akari frowns. Confused, she asks "Someone moving in?"

"Yes. Another person taking up residence in this house," Aguri explains. "Like Korosensei. I know that might be a bit crowded... and I don't want to overwhelm you- that's why I asked first, but... one of your classmates is in a pretty bad situation right now. I want to help out."

And all at once, it dawns on Akari's face. Her knit brows relaxing, she looks at Aguri knowingly and lets the tension fade from her form.

"Oh," she says. "Itona?"

"Yeah," Aguri replies. "...He's-"

"Homeless," Akari interjects. "You don't need to use euphemisms. I had a feeling that that was the case."

Slowly, Aguri nods. "Yes," she says. "That is... indeed what's going on." She leans back slightly- clasps her hands. "I talked to him and he seemed receptive to the idea of me helping him out, but I wanted to ask you before I made any important decisions. What do you think?"

"Well-"

"I was thinking he could stay in my room… that way he wouldn't take up any space. That, or he could stay in Dad's, since he hasn't been home in a while."

"Well," Akari repeats, just a bit louder this time. "I don't think it's a bad idea. I'm certainly not opposed to it. I like Itona, too." A pause. "But… I am wondering how you came to this conclusion."

"What do you mean?"

"That it was your job to fix this," Akari clarifies. "You just asked me what was wrong with Itona the other day. Did you seriously bury yourself in trying to figure out what was going on until you could find a solution?"

"Of course I did," Aguri says, shifting slightly. "Why? Is there a problem with that?"

"No," Akari replies. "Of course not. Like I said: I like Itona, too. And… I'd be fine with him moving in. But I am a little bit worried about you. It's not your job to fix everyone's issues, you know. You've seemed really stressed over these past few days. Is something like this going to happen again? Next time anyone in the class has an issue?"

"Well, I don't know about next time," Aguri admits. "But… yes. I'd probably try my best to help out. That's my job as a teacher." A pause. "Especially when something as huge as this comes up. Itona and I were victims of the same person. I wasn't going to leave him homeless."

"Mmm," Akari says. "And I'd never reprimand you for doing that. Just… be careful, alright? I don't want you to burn yourself out."

She's quiet for another long moment… but when she continues it's in a much softer tone.

"Still, I'd be fine with Itona staying, at the very least. I've never heard you call yourself a victim before. Who knows? Maybe it'll be good for you to have him around, actually."

She stands… stretches.

"You'll have more empathy for yourself when you realize the two of you are the same."

To be truthful Aguri hadn't even realized she'd said that. But frowning, she nods along with Akari's words.

'Yeah,' she thinks. 'Victims.'

And as she stares at the burn scars on the back of her sister's neck, she's glad that Akari is willing to support this endeavor, at the very least.

The three of them help Itona move in the next day. He doesn't have a whole lot to take with him: just a few gadgets he's built… but he's thankful for them helping him carry his stuff anyways. He decides to settle in Aguri and Korosensei's room. Says that he hopes it's not an issue. He'd simply feel too invasive occupying her father's space.

"No," Aguri reassures. "It's not an issue at all. We've got plenty of space. And you know we're happy to have you around."

Perhaps it would be more of an issue if Korosensei and Aguri were dating- but with that option firmly off the table for now she has no complaints. Besides, something tells her Itona's not a particularly nosy kid, anyways. She doesn't have anything to worry about.

She helps him pull out a futon- tells him he can stay there. He nods… says thanks. And eats dinner with the three of them in silence.

It's more than an awkward scenario, but something tells Aguri he'll adjust with time. And as she drifts off to bed that night… still a careful foot from Korosensei, she glances over to where he lies on the floor.

He sleeps soundly- not even so much as snoring as his chest falls up and down.

'Yes,' she thinks, apprehension fading. There's no doubt about it. She'd done the right thing just this once.

And to her surprise, she's proud of herself for it.

Ultimately Itona ends up telling his friends. Aguri doesn't realize it at first… but they parade up to her one morning- give her a firm pat on the back.

"Holy shit," Terasaka says. "The madwoman actually pulled it off!"

"I always knew she could," Yoshida boasts. "I was telling you guys from the start!"

"Like hell you were," Muramatsu replies. "It was me telling you."

"Last I checked you were firmly in the 'leave him alone' camp, dude.."

"Well, maybe! But don't say that in front of her! I was just trying to look out for him!"

They must realize just how confused she looks, because they soon explain.

"Itona told us what happened," Hazama says. "I'm surprised that you were actually able to get through to him. Good job."

"Yeah," Muramatsu says with a nod. "We were really worried about him, you know."

"Sorry for not telling you more sooner," Yoshida admits. "But it didn't really feel like any of our business. We didn't want to go doling out his personal information all willy nilly."

"Of… course," Aguri replies. "Don't sweat it. I'm just glad that I was able to get him to open up, too."

To be frank, she hadn't even expected a thanks. That's not why she'd gone into this. But the kids congratulate her nevertheless… and let her know just how appreciative they are. They greet her more fondly in the mornings, and as they raise their hands more and more often during Home EC Aguri realizes with a start that they're opening up to her.

It's not just Itona's friend group. It's all of them. As word spreads of what she'd done, they regard her more fondly. And slowly rumors rise of how she can help out as well. How she can fix things like Korosensei does. It comes as a strange sense of relief… to think that they can see her as a pillar of support now as opposed to the scared girl in the back of class. She's doing something.

And she sees that more clearly than ever when she watches Itona.

He doesn't open up a lot yet in his own right… but that's okay. She doesn't force him. He spends his afternoons tinkering with tech on the living room couch… and as she catches a smile creep up his face while he chats with Akari, Aguri smiles, too.

She's thankful he finally has a place where he can feel safe.

She wonders, absentmindedly, one morning, what Dad would think. The house is getting crowded now, but his room remains empty. Will he be angry when he returns? Will he attempt to kick their newfound flatmates out? Or… is he not returning at all?

"It's been a while," she says, glancing over at Akari. "You told me he left when I died, but you're still here. Why?"

"I wasn't going to leave," Akari says with a shrug. "This is my home. And besides- I got sick of hearing it… how this place brought back too many 'bad memories' for him to handle. Like hell he was missing you or Mom. He was never even around." A pause. "Knowing the jackass he probably just wanted to pack up and relocate to save some cash. I wasn't letting that happen. If that meant I'd live on my own then so be it." A huff. "I was old enough for it, anyways."

Her words drip with bitterness. They make Aguri's heart ache. She never talked about Dad that way before. Is this just another thing her death brought to light? Or were these feelings always there? Bubbling beneath the surface?

...She thinks Akari's story doesn't quite add up. If Dad really wanted to sell the house then he'd have done it anyways. But he didn't. It's his name on the loan even now. Sure, Akari's living alone… but it's not like he left for the sake of leaving.

(Who knows? Maybe this did hurt him.)

She doesn't dare say it. Not only is it a narcissistic, baseless sort of assumption, but something tells her that that's not what Akari needs to hear right now, anyways. Instead, shaking her head, she simply says that Akari shouldn't talk about her father that way.

"He loves you, you know."

Akari twitches slightly- looks almost mad. But she soon shoves down that anger and gives a halfhearted nod.

"Mmm," she agrees, only half-meaning it. "Yeah. Yeah. I know."

She talks like Itona did... in that voice that says 'I don't actually agree with you, but I'll say this anyways to make you quiet down.' It makes Aguri sad. She wishes there was more she could do to get through to her sister, but somehow she feels even more helpless than she did back then.

She's… supposed to be able to relate, right? That's how she got through to Itona. But she can't relate to Akari, even now. She's… not angry. She could never be.

(They're going through the same thing. Akari's four and she doesn't see her father. Aguri's fifteen and she doesn't really either. But that's okay. She's content. She loves him anyways, and she doesn't feel the discontent bubbling up beneath the surface.

Akari does.)

"Does he check up on you, at least? Make sure you're doing alright?"

"Kind of," Akari replies. "At least over the phone. He's only been by in person once since he left. He says he's occupied with 'business…' whatever that means." She gives a pause. Rests her chin in her hand. "He didn't notice what was going on with me. Not that I'd have wanted him to."

"Ah," Aguri replies. "Well… I guess you were trying to be a bit subtle," she says as some attempt at reassurance. It's not like she knows she would have known, either.

For all she cares, she could have missed those things festering inside her sister, too.

(She thinks, briefly, of the floor littered with lab notes… just how feverish Akari felt. Just as soon, however, she banishes the thought from her mind. No. No. It's too easy to say it was obvious.)

And… besides. It's not something worth worrying about anymore, anyways.

"Does… he know about what happened to me? She asks. "That I'm alive, I mean? It sounds like it's been a while since you talked."

"No," Akari says, shifting slightly. "I honestly didn't know that you cared. It's not like you'd asked. And it's not like he'd been asking about you, either." A pause. "Why? Do you want me to pass on the news?"

Aguri frowns. 'Of course I do,' she thinks… and she's a bit stunned that Akari hadn't said anything. Then again, she guesses she's right in that she didn't ask. She supposes she's just been trying to avoid thinking about the topic... letting him see her this way.

"Well, sometime soon would probably be a good idea," she admits. "Maybe not tonight, but… he deserves to know, you know?"

"Yeah," Akari says, still talking like she's not quite sure. "I know."

And Aguri falls silent. She leans back on the couch… furrows her brow. She feels bad for just how frightened she is… but she can't help it. She's terrified of the rejection. She misses her dad… she misses him more than anything. But what if when he sees her he's disappointed, too?

'Your daughter's alive, but…'

That 'but' hangs heavy.

She knows she's running. Just like Itona was. But… that's okay, isn't it? It's not that she's not looking towards the future. She's just trying to find a place where she feels okay for now. And… she'll tell her dad the truth before her time is up.

Just like Itona will. She's sure the two of them will see each other again.

It's lying there thinking about it that that word drifts to the forefront of her mind again… 'victims.' Here she is thinking that their situations are one in the same. But that doesn't mean her dad is bad, does it?

...No. Because Itona's isn't, either.

He's… not the one who hurt Itona. Just like her dad isn't the one who hurt her. That was Yanagisawa. Sure, Itona's dad is the one who allowed him to go homeless… but she's sure he still loves Itona. That's what family does.

And… that's why she'll come through. But not quite yet.

(Because Yanagisawa tells her no-one cried at her funeral. That she's the disappointment of the family, and that they're glad she's gone. She's 23, and her dad is begging her to be married off. He says it's for her own good. To do it for the sake of the family. He leaves out that implied 'for once.'

And despite herself, Aguri believes Yanagisawa's words.)

For now, all Aguri can do is try and breathe... take the words she applied to Itona and apply them to herself. 'You don't have to have your future figured out. You've just got to have a place to land today'

'And… you've just got to remember that you probably didn't deserve that."

Holding Akari close, Aguri shuts her eyes and simply tries to be thankful that she has some family left at all.