Chapter Twelve
Her heart beats too loud. Yume knocks softly on the rotted wood door. With shaky hands, she turns the knob. The girl slowly peeks in, and then breathes a sigh of relief.
Nothing.
Yume leaves the door open and looks around the fiftieth concrete room she's scouted through. Her entire apartment building seems to be one big, rundown, concrete building under the red and black sky. Except for her living room. The error safe room.
Yume leaves room fifty and goes to the next apartment; room fifty one. She quickly glances at her phone, checking the time. There is enough time to search the rest of the building, not that it's expected to find anything. Better to be sure there is nothing crawling around then living in fear she's not the only inhabitant.
Yume slips her phone into the pocket on her backpack strap. She tightens her hair back, and then shifts the bandana over her face so that more holes are over her mouth. Able to breathe easier again, Yume slides up to the next door to repeat the tense moment of knocking.
She is going to enjoy having a nap after all this.
Yume's heartbeat slows again when she's faced with another, crumbling concrete room.
Fifty-one down, another twenty-four rooms to go.
Baby steps.
;;;
"Happy birthday, Makoto!" Yume says, shoving the wrapped box at the older girl.
Makoto gasps and startles, almost dropping it. "Er, thank you, Yume."
Yume ducks her head, hiding her smile. "Open it!"
Makoto smiles a little and does as told. Getting to the shoe box, she lifts the lid and falls silent. Yume fidgets, not risking a look at her friend's face.
"Thank you," Makoto says, lifting the butterfly clip to examine it. Then she swaps it for the headbands in the box, comparing it to her hair. "Where did you find these?"
"There was a store I visited," Yume says, fiddling her fingers. She glances up shyly. "Do you like it?"
"Yes," Makoto breathes, running her fingers over the butterfly clips again. She then surprises the little girl by giving a tight hug. "I really like them."
Yume hugs her back. "Good."
"We should go in," Makoto says, leaning back and sliding her bag off. She tucks away the gift, flashing the smaller girl a true smile. "I-"
"Wait!" Haru shouts, running up to them. She huffs and puffs, and practically runs into Makoto. "Here, Mako! Happy birthday!"
Makoto takes the gift in a daze. "Thank you Haru."
"I didn't know what you'd want," Haru admits, hugging her arms to her chest. "So if you don't like it, tell me and I can get you a different one."
Makoto's mouth drops open as she unravels a silk scarf. "Is this the scarf from the Halloween Files?"
"Ye-"
Haru is cut off by Makoto squeezing the life from her. "Thank you!"
"That's so cool!" Yume says, cooing over the scarf. The butterflies on the end of the scarf match the butterfly hairpins. Yume sends Haru a joking smile. "You'd almost think we'd planned this."
"What did you get Mako, Yu?" Haru asks. Makoto pulls out the shoe box and shows off her loot before tucking everything away. "Wow, that's so neat."
"Really have to go in now," Makoto says, heaving her bag up. "Thank you, both, so much. I love your gifts."
"You're welcome, Mako," Haru says while Yume nods and awkwardly loops her arm through the birthday girl's. "I guess this is goodbye. See you after class, Yume."
"Bye," Yume chirps, waving as Makoto starts to drag her away. "Do you like butterflies as much as Sugari likes them?"
Makoto brightens further, a small skip coming to her step. "No one likes butterflies like Sugari."
Yume nods like it's a perfectly acceptable answer, and not like she doesn't understand the reference to the books she didn't actually read. The girl only looked up Halloween Files back when she first got the book list from her friends.
When you can't meme like the rest of them…
Little Yume giggles.
;;;
The paper is slapped on his desk. Tetsuya looks up from his book, blinking owlishly at the teenager. Slowly, he looks from her smug face to the paper. Under her fingers, he can read that this is a letter. He snaps back to her face; her smug expression growing at his disbelief.
"You got an invite," he states the obvious, eyes lighting up.
"We," the eighteen year old tilts her head back and fans herself with the letter, "are now taking a week-long school trip to the marine center next month."
"Have I ever told you that you're my favourite, Sadayo?" Tetsuya says seriously.
"Flattery gets you nowhere," Sadayo says, smirk still stretching across her face. "I take all bribes in the form of chocolates and cakes."
He is rummaging through his school bag before she finishes. Her smirk drops at the sight of the slice of chocolate cake he slides to her. "I was kidding."
"I know," Tetsuya replies, pushing the cake closer to her. "I told you before I wouldn't do this for nothing."
"Defeating Kejiro would have satisfied me enough," the young woman says, grabbing a chair and sitting down. She takes the fork he offers in exchange for the letter. "A week was all I could get us. And believe me, I tried to extend it. There is only so much sea life our grade can be forced to see before they say enough."
"We'll be fine," Tetsuya says, not mentioning the nerves churning away in his stomach. While she digs into the cake, he reads the letter.
"I never realized how much I counted on Hitoshi," Sadayo says between bites. She swallows and continues. "And now no Mary, since she can't swim. When was the last time we didn't have our Navi?"
"We'll be fine," Tetsuya says again. He looks up and smiles slightly to reassure her. "We'll just have to work a bit harder."
"What a pain," Sadayo sighs.
"Where's our cake, Sadayo?"
Sadayo protectively covers her food, glaring at the newcomers. "Get your own."
The blond high schooler smirks at Sadayo and pulls up a seat behind Tetsuya while the black teen laughs at them. The blond looks over his teammate's shoulder and raises an eyebrow. "So, we've got an in to the next palace, do we?"
"Thank goodness," the other male says, resting his head in his hands. "I could not take one more day at Check-In Hotel."
"No Kayo, Mary, or Hitoshi," the blond mutters, face darkening. "We'll have to stock up if we don't want to draw attention at the marina."
"Hiroki's right," Tetsuya mutters, handing the letter over. "Has anyone seen Tae?"
"Still studying," the blond mutters, handing the letter to the next teammate. "Can we please get something out of the vending machines this time? Her remedy experiments are gross."
"We could ask Tristan instead," Tetsuya smirks as he offers. The others snicker at how fast Hiroki turns that down. "Now, does someone want to go get Tae?"
"I'll get her," says the tall teen.
"Thank you, Daichi," Tetsuya waves after his friend. He then leans back, forgotten homework in the corner of his vision. "Hey, Hiroki, has Munehisa talked about accepting the trinkets we find?"
"No," the blond shrugs. "Just the metals only. I take it we're going to the Mementos again?"
"What can we do with broken jewelry?" Sadayo says bitterly, finishing her cake. "Or damaged carvings, for that matter. We must be nearing the bag's item limit by now."
"We'll find something we can sell him," Tetsuya says with certainty. "We always do."
;;;
"She's rather mean," Yume says as she waits for Haru to change.
"She's just strict," Haru protests quietly. The girl hikes up her changing bag, shoulders curling further when the few girls in her group look over. Yume hops up and uses her bag as a buffer. "Madam Himura just wants what is best for us."
That sounds so fake it isn't funny.
"I don't like the way she teaches you guys," Yume says, frowning. She sneakily pushes over a girl's shoes as she and Haru walks for the door. "Why is she mentoring your group?"
"She will for every group before the recitals. You'll see; she isn't so bad."
A little thought goes forefront in Yume's mind. If a woman with a mid-list dungeon isn't bad, what does Haru go through at home with her low-list father? Is there someone worse the older girl knows? Someone with a higher leveled dungeon?
A small shriek causes them to stop at the doorway. They, and everyone, look over as a girl starts screaming at her friend, since it was the friend's shoe she tripped over. Haru's eyes take on that excited gleam while the mask of a concerned child turns to Yume.
Yume bites her tongue hard to keep from smiling. She turns an innocent look to her friend. "I can't say I'm looking forward to having her as an instructor."
"Why do you call them that?" Haru says, smile breaking free as soon as they are out of sight of her ex-friend's yelling match. "'Instructor' and not 'teacher' or 'mentor'?"
"I do not understand all honorifics," Yume admits. "And I was taught to only use teacher or mentor if I respect them."
Haru glances over again, that gleam still in her eyes. "What about when you will speak to Madam Himura?"
"Madame or missus," Yume says, though she would really rather call the woman signora.
"French?" Haru asks "And… English?"
"Un!" Yume nods.
"Do you know French?" Haru asks, excited.
Yume hesitates, not wanting to disappoint the older girl. But really, she knows enough French to book a hotel and makes up the rest. "Not really. I understand more English."
"Oh," Haru nods, lips pursing. "I can… teach you some French. If you want?"
"Ee!" Yume nods quickly. When they stop at the street corner, Yume turns and bows. "Teach me your ways, mentor."
Haru laughs in between making Yume promise to never call her that again.
;;;
Yume and her French alphabet stick around the building until the first school-age students start to arrive. Three-forty-five, so the classes must start around four. Next week the girl plans to check out the class, see how the instructor differs in teaching older kids.
Right now, she has to work up the nerve to attend dinner.
Yume crosses her arms instead of clenching and unclenching her fists. The papers are already somewhat crumpled, no need to stress it further. Her fidgets get more and more in volume the longer she waits at the door of Leblanc. The fact that she is early does not help the nerves eating her from the inside out.
"Yume."
Said girl goes ramrod straight and jerks her head up. Sojiro smiles down at her and she's almost jealous at how relaxed he looks.
It will be okay, Yume pep talks silently. It isn't the end of the world. Spit it out.
"Hey, kid," Sojiro says, snapping her out of it. His smile is gone, replaced by a vaguely concerned expression. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Yume squeaks out, unconsciously white-knuckling the papers. "Hi Mr. Sakura. It's good to see you."
"Right," he deadpans, opening the door for her. "That's why you look like you're about to be sick."
Yume can't help her eyes being wide or her skin being pale. They're just automatic reactions when fighting to express real, jittery emotions.
"Two plates of today's special," Sojiro says to Mr. Enomoto. Then he helps the girl into the booth seat before sitting across from her. Yume barely breathes as he stares at her. "Now, what's wrong?"
Yume gulps and forces her fists to unclench, dropping the papers on the table. Sojiro curiously picks up one, eyebrows rising as he reads. "A dance recital?"
"Can you come?" Yume says in a rush. "My parents are away and my babysitter is busy and I was going to ask Ms. Eguchi but she's got a new girl and I don't want to be a pest and there are two tickets so you can take someone with you, but if you don't want to its okay just let me know assoonaspossibleplease."
Yume gasps for breath, not taking her eyes off his startled expression.
Sojiro looks carefully at the ticket in his hand. "Yah, kid, I'd like to come."
Yume can feel her mouth breaking into a smile even as she chokes back the sob of relief. She has to duck her head to wipe the unwanted tears away. "Thank you Sojiro!"
"Can I have the other ticket too?" he says, stubbornly not looking at her breaking down. Yume nods and gives a noise of agreement. "Good. I know just who to ask."
"Who?" Yume squeaks, much to her embarrassment.
"That's a secret," Sojiro winks. Yume giggles wetly. He hands her a tissue. "You feeling better now?" She nods. "Good. That's good."
Yume giggles again, twisting the tissue in her hands. "I'm sorry for crying."
"Don't be sorry," Sojiro sighs. "And I'll pick you up for this, so don't stress on how you'll get there."
"Thank you!" Yume says, hopping off the seat to run around and give him a hug.
"You're breaking my heart here, kid," Sojiro says, lifting her up to share his booth. He glances over the ticket again. "June fifth, huh? Do you know if any other kids are doing it that night?"
"Ee!" Yume nods her head and settles beside him. "My group and my friends Haru, Miwa, and Makoto's groups. The older kids are on Sunday."
He hums and takes the flyer and tickets, tucking them away. "So you've made some friends? Tell me about them."
And Yume does, all through dinner. Her chest loosens with every listening glance he gives her and every response she gets. She's reminded of her father, her first father. Yume almost starts crying again at that thought. And Sojiro comforts her and listens when she says she's just happy he's coming to the recital.
"Thank you for being here," Yume mutters when she hugs him goodbye at the bottom of her apartment building.
"What's that?" Sojiro asks, gently prying her off him.
"Thank you for dinner!" Yume says with bright eyes and a real smile.
"You better show up tomorrow," he warns. He ruffles her long head, making her squawk. "I've got a surprise for you."
"Understood!" Yume tells him, musing her hair until the red shines through the black again. "Bye Mr. Sakura!"
"Take care, Yume," he waves over his shoulder.
Yume yawns, only going in once he's gone. After going through the motions, she settles into bed early.
Hope my parents are enjoying their time in Greenland, Yume thinks, but not even the painful thought about this set of parents takes her off of cloud nine. She hugs her pillow tighter and curls up in a ball. I don't need them. Sojiro cares. He's my fam…
…
He's my friend.
Yume sleeps through the night for the first time in months.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Who gets the other ticket won't be revealed for a long while yet, but any guesses?
Thank you, Harukawa Ayame, for your review! I hope this one didn't break your heart as much as the last. And you were right, Sojiro saving the day! Again, thank you so much for your review, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!