Chapter Thirty-Four
Waking up Monday, Yume expects the week to be normal. Have breakfast with Sojiro, do her stretches and workout or spend some time in the Library, lunch, go to dance class, dinner, gather information, and end with a phone call from Akira. A set schedule. There isn't much time for deviating.
Then Hitoshi Eguchi knocks on her door as she prepares to go running. Her smiling, child-like expression drops into one of vague annoyance. He holds the box in his hands higher. "What goes on in the apartment, stays in the apartment?"
Yume's smile returns with a shark-ish glint as she lets him in. "I thought you were only taking care of Ms. Eguchi's apartment last week?"
"Yes," he nods and places the box where she points in the living room. "I'm going to be your guardian, though. Better we start learning each other's secrets now."
"You already know a big one of mine," Yume says cutely, sitting on the couch to watch him unpack a bunch of broken bits of everything. What isn't said is that she knows one of his secrets, which should even it out. Poor guy looks concerned about the hinted imbalance. She's going to have a lot of work ahead of her if he's going to be her permanent guardian. "So, what's this secret?"
For now, she'll take his slips for granted.
"I fix objects we find in the Metaverse and sell them," he says before asking if he can use the table. She takes her backpack off it and gives him the go-ahead. "It's not quite legal, however, since I don't have proof of where I get the objects. It's fine for things like bead bracelets or puzzles, and most people don't think twice if I sell tea sets. Selling a painting or high-powered engine is the risk."
"Where do you sell them?" Yume asks seriously, taking him aback.
"Online stores, mostly." He lists off a few names.
Yume makes a face. "I'll be right back."
The only reason she tips into online stores is to find purchases and transactions of whoever she looks for. A lot of websites do not have their security up to her standards, but that's mostly contributed to now being the digital world's growing years. She finds Hitoshi's information on the lower-end protective sites and tells him he's to only sell the cheap, homemade-looking stuff here.
"Why?" he asks, fiddling with what looks to be a broken dolphin keychain.
"That's my secret," Yume sniffs. "From now on you're to give me a sheet of what you are going to sell so I can keep track of everything. If you do this job while being my guardian, then I'm going to make sure we don't get caught."
The twenty-three years old man looks at the four-year-old, matching her seriousness. After a long moment of debating the pros and cons of letting a child dictate something he's spent years doing himself, Hitoshi nods. "We do a trail run. I should have something done and ready to sell in a few days. If you succeed in making more money than I usually do with sales, I'll agree to let you deal for me as well as continue down the road to becoming your guardian." He really needs to discuss this with Kayo; he's so out of his depth.
Yume makes a face but agrees. She doesn't like the thought of the police being called if her guardian does get busted. It will make things so much more difficult for her.
Hitoshi only entertains the thoughts because he's been wondering how she's been living alone for so long.
"Can you show me how to put things together like you do?" Yume asks, leaning towards where he's got bits of broken keychains laid on the table.
Hitoshi smiles. "Sure. Come here."
That's how the morning goes. He doesn't question when she naps after lunch, and then walks her to her dace class.
"I'll be here to pick you up," he promises.
And so, Yume's expectations are shattered.
;;;
After Hitoshi finishes explaining, the Phantom Thieves glance around the table. Whatever high came from their successful heist has long faded. Tetsuya sighs, "What does everyone think?"
"Congrats on getting a roommate," Bones says, going back to the textbook.
"Does no one find this suspicious?" Saber drawls, tone hard. "A four-year-old mapping out a palace?"
"More unbelievable than anything," comes Wolf's blunt reply. Daichi is training to be a lawyer, so no matter how unlikely it is- "She did survive without anyone looking after her. The download may have been an accident, but we all know it's possible to find real money in the Metaverse."
"That would make sense," Saber hesitantly nods. "And she keeps going there until she can pay for food. Then it turns out her instructor has a palace, so of course she tries to help. Any idea how long she's been at this, Spike?"
"At least a month," Hitoshi's blunt reply has a few people flinching. "We met back in March, and I'm pretty sure mum was looking after her long people that."
"Four years old," Poppy mourns. Sadayo may not love ankle bitters, but she feels for the kid working so hard just to survive.
"Navi? River?" Tetsuya looks over to the team members who have met the girl. "You've been rather quiet. What do you think about all of this?"
"She seems nice," Navi shrugs. "It would do you good just to meet her. Hitoshi never even told you the best part."
"Oh?"
"I think," River butts in, blue eyes hard and lips pursed, "even if we don't take her into the fold, she'll go around the Metaverse anyway. That little girl said she has friends with family and teachers needing a 'smack-down' in the Metaverse. It's not just her dance instructor."
"We haven't even finished the Check-In-Hotel!" Saber jumps to his feet. "We can't just add-"
"Sit down!" Poppy shouts, on her feet as well. Her hockey stick threateningly taps her palm.
"I won't just-"
"In the seat!"
"-let all our hard work get put on hold-"
"NOW!"
Wolf gets up only to shove his friend back down. Hiroki doesn't say another word, and once Sadayo has calmed down and returned to her seat, Tae breaks in, "We're not going to leave the kid out to dry, just like we're not going to put the hotel on hold again."
"Well," Tetsuya finally breaks in. "For the next week, we are." Everyone turns to look at him. Even the Librarians poke their heads around the bookshelf. "We'll go right back to it, maybe even get Yume to help us with the hotel, but for now…"
June fourth is the deadline, he remembers now. He can almost see a few futures playing out where the Phantom Thieves didn't step in. The more Cheater inserted herself into the timeline, the more it has changed from the foggy months he's been repeating for a while. He read-up it in the Fool's chapter, about how female Fools change the flow of time. It makes sense now, why he's unknowingly been going back in time to fix things. It's just been too far, too many times.
"I'll only take volunteers," he says, gaze cool behind the plain white mask. His black top hat is tilted up. "But I want the dance instructor's palace gone before June."
Before the timeline breaks again.
Before Yume loses her trust in them and tries it on her own.
"We have all we need to complete it," he motions to their phones, all laid on the table. "A few days to get a handle on the layout, a few to do some treasure grinding, and then we can send a calling card. As long as we don't trigger the security, we could be done this week."
"And save dozens of kids from an abusive situation," Poppy throws out there.
Saber grits his teeth, "The longer we wait to deal with the hotel-"
"I know," Ace looks around the group he leads, feeling tired. There's never an easy choice. "Navi, what didn't Spike tell me?"
"Huh? Oh, Cheater's a Fool like you."
There's a cold chill up his spine. He knew it, after all.
"But, well, she can't call a Persona."
The table breaks into more chaos, and all Tetsuya can do is lean back and stare at the ceiling. He closes his eyes and can only think 'finally'.
"No forcing my charge into anything," Spike says, poking the side of the leader's head.
Ace smiles, peeking an eye open. "Of course not."
But it would feel so great to not be bound to the Library anymore.
"When can I meet her?"
Hitoshi sighs. "Sunday afternoon. It's the only time you're both free."
Ace straightens and grins.
;;;
Tuesday begins having breakfast with Sojiro, reading out loud the latest chapter on the business textbook while he makes soup. Yume makes no mention about taking over her new guardian's income, but then again, he will be paid, have free board, free food… Hitoshi's really got it looking up for him. It would probably be a good time to mention Hitoshi's going to become her guardian.
"Sojiro?" Yume looks up with a cute blink. Proceeds to hold her tongue. "What's a dividend?"
"Have you been looking ahead?" He sighs and pushes her a plate. Yume blinks oh-so innocently. "Kid, you'll learn about that chapter when we get there. Now, what are you doing today?"
She smiles and doesn't tell him about the petty revenge being committed on those who make Haru cry. Kotori is officially part of the friend group, and somehow dug up lots of gossip for Haru to use against her fake friends. What Yume does talk about is Makoto checking up on them during breaks. Unsaid and unknown to the observant man is that Makoto only does this because she's afraid for the younger girls.
When Yume asks about his current job, he doesn't say much beyond there being another fire. "Be careful out there."
"Ee, sir!"
;;;
Carmen slants a look as she snaps her fingers, "Alice, dear child, do your uncles know you're here?"
"Nope!" the small, blue-skinned girl cheers and commands her mini teddy-bear army into battle.
"Aw, lighten up Carmen," Pixie giggles, swooping down to grab some tea at Ishtar's table. "The more the merrier, right?"
"Indeed," Ishtar smiles, and the weakest shadows scream and abandon their attack. "Alice, when you're done, we are in the middle of a tea party."
"So. Many. Tea. Parties." Pixie complains to no one. "We've been doing this on and off for ages."
"That sounds delightful!" Alice claps her hands. Her teddy-bears explode. "Would you mind horribly if I joined?"
"We wouldn't mind at all," Ishtar grins behind her cup. Lightening rains from the sky, destroying the straggling weak-ish shadows. "Carmen, do you believe you'll be done soon." Her little boy toys are the perfect waiters.
"As long as-" rumbling cuts her off. Carmen sighs as a large golem shadow containing a Mithras copy stomps around the streets of steampunk-London. "You're joking." Normally, Mithras absorbs fire attacks. She doesn't feel up to resorting to physicals. "Alice, do you feel like finishing this up?"
"Why, I would love to!" Alice practically skips down the smoking road.
Carmen hefts up her skirt and returns to her seat. The snap of her fingers does not overshadow the creepy, cheerful laugher coming from behind her. "Boys! Another seat! And more tea, dears!"
Alice cheerfully smiles at the creature more than ten times her size. She holds her teddy-bear close with one hand, with the other points. An army of all-size teddy-bears appear around her. "Die for Me!"
The resounding explosion takes out the Mithras, and a good chunk of the block. Pixie cackles as Alice skips back through the debris.
"Tea party?" asks the child with wide, hopeful eyes.
"Of course," Ishtar helps the child into the empty seat.
After all, it wouldn't do to disappoint the strongest of Death's Arcana.
;;;
"Ugh," Ryuji groans and lightly scuff's Yume's elbow. "Stop being weird."
Today is Wednesday and this is the first time she's left Hitoshi alone in her apartment. Yume feels some right to acting weird – she's actually terrified he might snoop, might say something about what goes on in the apartment – but apparently her twitching is driving Ryuji crazy. She tries to smile, and he just groans again.
"Seriously," he pretends her face hurts to look at, "stop."
"Mean little brother," Yume sticks out her tongue like a child.
"You're the little sister!"
Yume laughs as she's chased around the baseball field. A couple other guys join in and it turns into a game of tag until the sleep-deprived coaches catch on. Yume gets another half-hearted scolding about 'paying' if she's going to stick around these lessons. She tells them she'll be leaving soon, and that it was nice to see them again.
"Oh, right!" Ryuji slings an arm around her shoulder and drags her to his baseball bag. "Ugh, I know it's in here… Ta da!"
Yume blinks at the paper shoved into her hands. "It's… a number?"
"It's a time," he huffs. "Mum says we'll have lunch this Sunday, so be sure to be at the park by this time!"
"Got it!" Yume grins, holding the paper close. "I'm looking forward to it, and I'll be sure to tell Ms. Eguchi!"
"Yah! The food's going to be awesome!"
Yume triple checks the time on the way home. She hopes this will go well.
;;;
When Bones and Wolf first entered Himura's palace, there was a lingering thought of how bad is it?
Now, they know. With the help of a map, collected from a four-year-old, they have easily snuck through windows and furthered discovered patrol routes of Shadows. The doctor Tae's training to be is quickly thinking of plans on how to explain this palace to a child. The lawyer Daichi wants to become does not want to deal with the mental scarring this could leave on a child.
"Do you think," Tae hums while her partner loots the next treasure chest, "that she looked up any of this on the internet?"
"Would she even know what to look up?" Daichi grunts and picks the lock.
"If she can make a map, I'm going to bet she tried to read a few of the pamphlets."
His face burns at the mention of this palace's reading material. He feels sick at the thought of a child learning what goes on here. "You're going to talk to her, correct?"
"Of course," Tae rolls her eyes. "Could you imagine Spike trying to talk birds and bees to a kid?"
Daichi grumbles something as he pulls out gemstones. He sighs and pockets them. "I want to say this can't get any worse."
"I'm glad you didn't," Tae sniffs and points to the next saferoom. Her machine gun swings around, and the Persona user holds it at ready. "A straight shot, three doors down. Think we can get make it, Wolf?"
Daichi sighs and slings out his rifle. "Can I blame you if we stir up security?"
"You can," Tae grins under her short, plague-doctor bird mask. "For one million yen."
"How about a large gemstone?" Daichi sighs but readies anyways. It's not like they know someone who can sell the expensive things they collect, even if they're worth millions. "On your count."
Tae holds up three fingers. Counts down.
Bullets make holes through the back of the patrolling waiter. The being twists until the monsters in the Shadows come out. Then, two masks are removed.
"Nostradamus!"
"Diabolik!"
As it turns out, deeper into the palace, they find out the first special areas were tame.
;;;
After being positive the only thing Hitoshi's done is take over the living in an organized mess, Yume leaves extra early Thursday morning to get to the park. They're all doing drills when she plops herself on a bench, waving at Goro. He flashes a smile, quick on his feet with the soccer ball.
Goodness, these kids would be adorable if they weren't trying to sabotage him at every turn. Yume just can't understand why they act like this towards him.
The scrimmage begins later, and Akechi motions her over to the off-player's bench. From there, Yume tries her absolute hardest to get the other sitting players to talk with Akechi, even if it's about the game. One boy on Akechi's other side does pick up the conversation, but he's soon called onto the field. Sure enough, everyone's been rotated in except the reddish-brown eyed Akechi.
So, Yume takes a different approach. "Are you going on offensive of defensive?" He tells her defence. "Okay, number three has trouble passing with her left foot. She also gets cornered on the boundary lines easily. Number five likes sticking to the middle of the field, he'll be the one they all pass to. Number nine gets physical, so watch out if he gets too close to you."
Goro watches as all her calculations come true. Then he's called on the field.
"Good luck!" Yume waves, intent on cheering him on. The newly-off, panting child gives her a large width to herself. Internally, she rolls her eyes at their childish antics. It will only hurt them later, but good on them for stranger-danger.
While Goro has some ability with football, he's not a prodigy. Yume holds back a wince as a goal is scored against his team, while shouting praise when he manages to corner number three with excellent situational awareness. He ends up pulled forward, and Yume can't stop her jump off the bench when he scores.
"Ee!" she cheers, fist pumping the air. "That was awesome!"
He finally looks over to her and grins.
When he's off the field, and they both quietly know he's not going back on it, Yume smiles with wide eyes. "You were so cool out there!"
"I-" he cuts off and glances to his feet. "Thank you." He meets her gaze with a real smile of his own. "Thank you for coming. Will I see you next week?"
"Of course, Mr. Akechi!"
"Just Akechi," he is quick to correct, tone soft. If possible, her smile grows wider. "Have a great week, Yume."
"You too, Akechi!"
;;;
"I think I made a new friend today," Yume tells Akira that night.
"…You think?"
Her finger twirls around her hair as she presses the phone harder to her ear. "Well, today he let me call him by his last name without honorifics. That means we're friends, right?"
"How old is he?"
"A year older than me." Yume frowns and changes a few numbers on her laptop's spreadsheet.
"Then, I guess yes?" Akira doesn't sound too confident or happy.
"Have you made any friends recently?" Yume keeps her tone light, eyeing the pile of drying knickknacks she'll need a name for to sell. Hitoshi really needs to start writing things down.
Akira hums, neither confirming or denying. "I've met people in class. Mother thinks about setting up play times for us."
"Then I hope you become good friends!" Yume smiles, hoping he'll have some network to fall back on if she's not around.
He changes the subject, "Tell me a story?"
Yume huffs but complies, setting aside her work and sneaking into her room for a book. Hitoshi's long since gone to sleep, but that reminds her to tell him about these late-night phone calls. Once she posted her sleep schedule, he didn't even think about making a curfew. She's glad he doesn't push like everyone else would. Kind of makes her worried the world cheats him out of things.
"Hey, Akira?" Yume asks after she's finished the chapter. She pulls on her hair again, looking at the red that comes forward this time. "Are you doing okay?"
He hums questioningly. "Yes. Why?"
"Just making sure." For some reason, thinking that her best friend might be getting the same treatment as Akechi makes her want to destroy a few lives. That feeling needs to go, there's no room for rash actions. "If there is anything bothering you, you would tell me, right?"
"Yes," he promises, even raising his voice above the easy whisper. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Yume smiles, feeling touched he cares. "Sorry to worry you."
It's good to know he hasn't encountered any problems like her other friends. The worst feeling is being unable to help so far away.
Yume never thought she'd look forward to taking a subway, but here she is, waiting for the day she can take one without it looking suspicious.
;;;
"…Oh," Hitoshi looks around. "So… this is it?"
Yume – who thinks it is way too early this Friday to be dungeon exploring – nods and yawns. "Ee. This is Madam Himura's Cabaret and stripper club."
"Cheater… do you know what a stripper club is?"
"Hai," Yume nods, carefully tightening her hair to make sure no red shows through the bun. "The internet told me."
Spike looks at her for a long time. "When we get home, I'll answer any questions you that made you turn to the internet."
Cheater stifles a laugh. You can try. "Okay."
"So…" Spike looks around the parking lot. "How did you get in?"
Cheater skips backwards. "This way! I found three different places." Though, he's too broad to fit through the air vents.
;;;
"…Are you sure this isn't a lust-based dungeon?" Hiroki asks, getting his first look at the special areas of the palace.
"It's envy," Tae confirms.
"From what we've been able to piece together," Daichi pulls out a notepad, "Himura was on her way to becoming a prima ballerina when she got in an accident that prevented her from dancing again. She went into teaching but finds her students lack-of commitment to the 'art' a black stain on her. Anyone who stays under her long enough gets forced into the seedier dance clubs because she hates they may become more successful than she was."
"Sounds like an awful teacher," Sadayo's smile isn't nice.
"Well, Navi," Tetsuya calls to Mary through the magical headset. "How's our escape route looking?"
"Pretty good," she whistles at a secret passage. "River, Spike, take a left."
"Yume showed me the vents," Hitoshi mutters, crawling through them as they adjust to his size. "But we didn't go in. Are they quicker?"
"Very much so," Mary types coordinates in. "Hold, there should be a shadow passing soon."
There is. Hitoshi dispatches it when it's passed. Kayo finishes crawling, "So, all we need is to send the calling card?"
"Sounds like it," Tetsuya agrees. "Tomorrow?"
There's an echo as everyone agrees over the chat, "Tomorrow."
The leader grins as his Persona twirls excitedly inside his mind.
;;;
"And relax," Madam Himura claps her hands. The girls sag in relief, though Yume and Kotori keep their eyes on the woman. "That's it for today. As a reminder, these are the last days before the recital next Saturday. Next class you will come here, and then we will walk to the building you are performing in." Himura's sudden smile isn't exactly nice. "You have all been working so hard, don't let yourself give up now. See you all Monday."
Yume waits for Kotori to disengage from her friends. They walk out together, the taller girl asking, "Are you excited?"
"Very," Yume flashes a small smile. "Kind-of really nervous. This is it, you know? It's hard to believe."
"I know what you mean," Kotori squints. "But we're ready. Right?"
"Ee," Yume nods. "We're ready."
"Ready for what?" Miwa asks, matching step with them as they enter the changeroom.
The girls go over it again, and Yume takes out a pen and some paper. She hands her phone number to both girls. "If you ever want to talk or hang-out or something…"
Kotori tilts her head, "Are you not joining dance in the summer?"
Yume tells them no and gets to stretching. "Are you two continuing?"
"I think so," Miwa nods, moving over for Haru to sit.
"I am," Kotori nods.
"I'm starting tennis and cooking lessons," Haru blushes when they all exclaim how cool that is. "How does everyone feel about this being the last week?"
They go over it all again. Haru and Yume wave goodbye to the girls and start chatting about what Haru wants to learn how to make.
"I will invite you over sometime," Haru hug-attacks Yume. "That way you get to try my food!"
"That sounds great!" Yume hugs her back, voice muffled. "I'm sure you'll make the best things!"
"Thank you, Yume," Haru says, hands planted on the smaller girl's shoulders. "I'd never have convinced my father without your help."
"Sure you would," Yume covers her friend's hands with her own. "You did all the research and talking yourself. Haru, you're amazing and deserve nice things and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
The taller girl hiccups and cries a bit. "I'm going to miss seeing you."
"I'll still be around," Yume initiates the hug this time. "I'm always a phone call away. So don't fret, okay? We still have a week to see each other."
"I want more time," Haru mourns gently tugging Yume's hair.
"Maybe we'll see each other in school." They will be a year apart, but it's still possible. "You'll have to tell me how school is. And keep teaching me French. And let me try your food."
Haru giggles.
Yume's struck with just how much she is going to miss seeing the friends she's made. Haru, Miwa, Kotori, Makoto, all those she gets along with in class, the nice teachers… life will move on and she's not sure how many will remember her.
"I'm going to miss you too," Yume mutters when they separate. The limo pulls up. "See you Monday?"
"Of course," Haru sends her a watery smile. "We… have a week."
"Let's make it great." Yume waves until the car is gone.
The girl groans and hangs her head. Of the people she won't miss, Madam Himura is top of the list. If Hitoshi's group can't do anything before the recital, Yume will try her hand at the boss after it.
;;;
"NO!" Shadow Himura screams, falling to her knees. "NO! YOU CAN'T- YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"
"Face it," Sadayo steps forward, hockey stick twisting in her hands as she rages. "You're done for! All those students you've destroyed, all you've put them through, it's over! Grow up and accept there will always be people better than you! That it's your job as their teacher to help them be better!"
"You don't understand!" Shadow Himura snarls. "I had everything, and now you're taking it away from me again!"
"We're not doing anything," Hiroki steps forward, saber loose in his hand. "Just because your dream was destroyed doesn't give you the right to destroy other's."
"Now you have a choice," Daichi plants his wrapped fists on his hips.
Tae puts her baseball bat away, "You either repent for what you've done-"
"-apologize and make amends to all you've hurt," Kayo steps forward.
"Or die," Hitoshi holds up his rifle.
They've never had to kill someone before and, continuing the trend, Shadow Himura breaks down crying. The will to survive is always strongest in the subconscious. "I will, I will! Please don't kill me!"
"Return to Himura," Tetsuya speaks softly, sheathing his knife. "You have a lot to make up for."
Shadow Himura croaks out as she fades, "What if they don't accept my help?"
"At least you've started to make amends."
As soon as the Shadow is gone, the world starts to fall apart. "Hate to break up the moment!" Navi shouts through the coms, "But get out before everything collapses!"
"Let's go!" Kayo shouts, already running.
Tetsuya pauses for a moment at the door. Everything is as it should be.
For a second, he feels at peace.
"Ace! Hurry it up!"
"I'm coming!"
A/N: Well… a lot has happened (Persona Q2, Joker in Smash Bros, etc…) since I last posted a chapter. I'm excited to hear more about Persona 5: The Royal. No idea how much of the new content will be included in this story, but I'll try and see.
Thank-you to every who's still reading this story. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Thank you, Avatar . NIX, for your review! You've got it; Primary Fools attract other Primary Fools, but not as strongly as they attract the other Arcana types. If they're the same gender, a Primary Fool will clash with someone who has a Secondary Fool. The Primary-Secondary, same-gender clash works the same with other Arcana types. Ignoring Fools, Primaries most strongly attract others of the same Primary, regardless of gender. It is confusing, but there will be examples as the story goes on. As for Akira… he is a Fool, but with none of the fancy powers. It's… complicated… (because Yume cheated the system). I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for your review!
Thank you, Innocent Serenade (as Guest), for your review! It really does suck to not have resistances or nulls to anything, but there's room to grow! One of these chapters will eventually have Akira and Yume meeting again… eventually. Thank you so much for your review, and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank you, starfish, for your review! I'm so glad to hear that! Definitely more of those two in the future, and maybe their social link can finally increase. I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for your review!
Thank you, Kalmaegi, for your review! Right? Keeping her problems in Tokyo has been hard enough, her school may even have field trips. Second Puberty is going to be awful, and I'm looking forward to it so much. Joker's still living out the routine, so definitely bored. There's been at least one timeline change in this chapter, however. Thank you so much for your review, and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank you, meow, for your review. This chapter felt like a monster of parts to go through, I'm glad it's done. Thank you for your review, and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank you, Chococherryrin, for your review! I'm so glad to hear that! I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you again for your review!
Thank you, Redbeltwolf, for your review! Strangely, this chapter has been the hardest to write (probably since I keep changing this story's outline with each game that comes out). I'm really happy to hear you like the story so much. Thank you so much for your review, and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank you, xenocanaan, for your review! I am really glad to hear that, thank you so much! I truly hope you enjoyed the chapter (and that it made up for some of the tears), and thank you very much for your review!
Thanks for reading! I hope everyone has a fantastic day