We both sat quietly in the train, as Minako watched the forests and plantations outside in wonder, and I just sat there texting to everyone I knew of where I was going to be for the whole weekend.

"So this is what a countryside looks like…." She mumbled to herself. I looked up from my phone and tilted my head in curiosity. "Wait. Have you never visited a countryside before?" I asked. "I have, but I was only a kid when I was. I think it was at my grandma's place." She replied.

I stared at her and sighed. "When we get there, we're going to get you a new pair of clothes first. I know you're a student but you wouldn't like it if you're wearing a uniform during the weekends, I presume." She nodded in agreement. But soon later, silence filled the train we were in. As silence ensued, we both went back to what we were doing.

"Say…were you doing anything creepy on me?" She asked as she sat next to me. I trembled. "u-Uh….No, of course not. There's no doubt in my mind." I replied. She glared at me, signaling that she obviously did not believe me.

She then grabbed one of my arms, and then with her other hand reached into my pockets. I retaliated through grabbing her hands, so she can't reach my phone and check my Gallery. She let go of my arms and snickered. "This obviously means you're hiding something." She said. "Come one, spit it out. What did you do to me during my sleep?" She said as she wiggled her fingers towards me for an answer.

"….your skirt was lifted when you were sleeping," I said as I scratched my head. "Yeah, I know. It was like that when I woke up- wait….YOU WERE THE ONE THAT LIFTED MY SKIRT?!" She screamed into my ears. "n-NO! I ONLY TOOK A PHOTO OF IT!" I screamed back. Oh shit.

"You…YOU PERVERT!" She screamed back once again, as she slapped me in the face.

—

I can't believe this guy. This was his rebuttal? Saying he has possession of my upskirt photo? I looked away at him for a bit because I couldn't stand this guy's attitude. I mumbled a bit to myself in anger and looked at him.

….He looked a bit sad?

"Sorry…I just… crossed a line there a bit, haven't I?" He snickered as he scratched his face were the mark of my slap was. "I just felt a bit lonely these days. Everyone around me seemed to have someone to go out with, and I just felt left out, even when they were all my friends. I felt like I needed something to get myself off to." He sighed. This still didn't justify his actions completely, but this sounded oddly familiar…

But I think to myself: Why don't I have a boyfriend? Although everyone in the dorm didn't seem to be in a relationship, I feel like I kind of see a distinct connection between at least two people in the dorm.

He was just like me. Lonely, and didn't feel like he belongs in there.

"I'm just pathetic, aren't I?" He had his head hung low. I can't see his face, but apparently, his voice seemed to be at a verge of tears. "Maybe I'm just being too ambitious. I should just stay with them as friends." He was about to put his hands to his eyes to wipe his tears, but I put out my handkerchief.

"I don't think so." I said as I wiped his his tears with my handkerchief. "Everyone has a choice, and trying to force a decision all according to your ways is not the way of life." I sighed. "Look, I'm no UN speaker, but trust me, I'm in a similar situation as you." I swiped my red hair as it got in my way. He blushed for some reason when I did that. "t-Thanks." He said. I smiled. He looked cute when he blushed. His charismatic look fades when he blushes, and he turns into a little kid. "I fully understand your position." I said. "Hey, but that still doesn't mean you can take photos of my panties….at least without my permission." I said.

"…Then can I have your permissi-"

"Fuck. Off."

"…..Sorry…."

—

As we spent more time talking, we seemed to enjoy each other more. Yu talked about her little sister Nanako, who wasn't really his little sister, but still didn't mind because he cared that much about her, to the point where she would even call her "big bro". I initially thought this guy was a pervert behind a charismatic image, but it seems like he still cared about others and their happiness. He was apparently also a very good cook, and we shared recipes to each other. He also made a 5-stack bento, with a bunch of seafood and meat, and other foods, and also packed with dessert in the last stack. We also talked about the people who were bad at cooking within our group. I obviously talked about Fuuka, and how she nearly knocked out our entire group with our cooking, which was also the night before the full moon. Luckily Mitsuru-senpai's doctors came over and helped with our recovery, and we were all fine the day of the full moon (at least to a point where we can move). He talked about people called Chie and Yukiko, who were terrible at cooking, and nearly made them sick at the school camping trip with their curry rice. When I heard it had sea cucumber, heavy flour, and kimchi, I felt a bit of my vomit coming up on my throat. I barely gulped it up, and I guessed it tasted it better than those curry rice they made. He also started to talk about a person called Rise….

"Wait…. Risette goes to your school?" I said as I slapped the chair handles in excitement. "Don't get too excited though. She took a hiatus because of the pressure she felt during her showbiz job. That's why she's here in Inaba. To take a rest." He said. I sank in my seat in disappointment. "But to me, anything she and all of us has gone through so far is anything but rest…." I said with a sigh.

—

After a bunch of transfers, ticket buying, and Minako-begging-for-snacks (which I eventually did buy her), we arrived. The place where presumably, was Minako's second home, and also where she started and ended her legend.

"What are you staring in the sky for? It's night time! Come on, let's go before it gets more darker." She said to me. She apparentley doesn't seem phased at all that this was the exact city she died in. Or my guess, she tried to hide it.

We walked to Gekkokan High, and since it was nighttime, it was obviously closed. Minako sighed and turned around. "Where are we going now?" I asked. "Dorms." She said.

We arrived at the dorm, and it was obviously locked. It did seem used, as there were clear footmarks, but she presumed that it wasn't the same people that used it though. We both sighed this time, and sat down at the stairs of the dorm.

"Now that I think about it…. the stars here don't look as bright as the ones we have back at Inaba." I said. "It's probably because of all the light pollution and stuff." She said, as she smiled. "Say, we didn't really get to explore your town that much. How bout' you take me for a tour?" She asked. "Sure, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't." I replied. "Is there a shopping mall nearby? I'd like to go and have dinner there, and maybe buy you some clothes." I said. "…You're going to buy me my underwear and bra also?" She said jokily with a lustful smile. "n-No!" I replied with my face red. "Tsk, tsk. You dirty minded bafoon. Come on, let's go before it gets more darker." She hopped along the road and I watched her. She looked happier than I expected. I thought she was going to be sinking in all of the nostalgia, but I guess she's managing herself pretty well.

—

We both went out to a nearby fast food restaurant, and this time she paid. "Since I pulled you all the way here…I'm going to be paying for everything from here on." She said. "What? How? Do you even have enough cash?" I asked. "Trust me, months of hunting shadows can bring you more than enough cash for a while." She said as she took out her check card. " No.2 Large set and No.3 Large set please." She said as she smiled in excitement of food. I also did, because it's been a while since I ate.

We both sat down and waited for the food, until she stood up and said she's going to the bathroom. I nodded, and waited for the food. The food came, but she didn't. It's been about 20 minutes and she still didn't return. Did she get kidnapped or something? I stood and asked the staff if they can look after the food for a bit, and went to the bathrooms. I risked it and entered the women's bathroom, so I can look for Minako.

"Minako? Minako? Are you here?" I said. Only echos of my voice returned in my ears. I sighed and went out, luckily with no witnesses noticing me. I went outside the restaurant and looked left and right, and she was there sitting down on a tree. And she was…crying?

*Sniffle* "I-I can't take this…." She said as tears dropped down her face. I crouched down to her and lifted her face with my fingers, and our eyes met. I cleared my throat, then I shot away.

"You've been hiding it, haven't you? The pain and memories this city has brought you." I said. She nodded with tears still rolling down her eyes. I sighed, and cleaned it with my hands. She blushed in response. "…Do you just blush really easily or is it just because I'm making you blush all the time?" I asked. "Shut up." She replied, as she looked away from me and wiped her own tears. "Welp, time to go and eat now." "Yeah!" She cheerfully replied. Nothing gets her more excited than food it seems.

—

After we ate, we both walked along the moonlight bridge. She seemed to start to tear up a bit, and she was trying to hold it back. I told her to let it all out, because that way you can feel more comfortable later. I let her hug me and she cried on my shoulders, and almost made an entire pond on it. But…it felt nice. She was warm, but it made me a bit sad when I saw her like this. I patted her on the head, and she seemed to stop for a bit. "L-Let's go." She said, as she finished wiping her tears.

"This is where my parents died." She said. I sighed. "A lot has happened to you even when you were young, hasn't it?" I asked. "Yeah…You could say lady luck is never with me…" She sighed. "No, I think you'll be fine now" "Why?" "…Cus' you have me." I said as I put my arms around her. She snickered as she put my arm away from her. "Where are we going to go now though?" I asked. "You know…to sleep? Weren't we going to be here tomorrow also?" "…Yeah. I haven't thought about that." "Oh! I know! How about we go to Shirakawa Bolev-" "WHAT!? ARE YOU CRAZY? WE ONLY JUST MET!" Oh…..so she knows about the love motel…"I'm not talking about the love motel…" I said. "Oh….t-then never mind. Let's try to find a place." We both walked in silence, because of the awkward atmosphere that Minako set up.

—

I arrived at a decent hotel with Yu, and I made sure he wasn't doing anything weird that would drive me into his carnal desires. "Good Afternoon. Did you make a reservation?" She asked. "Um, no, actually." I replied. "Oh…Is that boy also with you?" She pointed to Yu, as he was sitting down at the couch of the lobby, reading a cooking magazine. "I'll be honest my dear customer, but he does look pretty good-looking." She whispered. "…Wait, are you here with him to-" "NO!" I shouted back quickly.

"I'm sorry about that. But the thing is, there's only one room left, because there is a large group that took over most of the rooms here." She told me. Wait. So I have to sleep in the same room with him? I stared at him, then at the person at the desk, at him, then at her, at him, then-

"Minako, are you alright?! Are you having a seizure?" He came up to me and shook my head as if he's checking if there are any cookies left in a jar, which that jar was my head.

"I'm alright! The thing is, we have to share a room together…" I told him. "…Okay, that's cool." He said as he continued reading the magazine with his face covered. I popped a vein in my head right when he said that. "Hey! Listen to me!" I grabbed the magazine and exposed his face, and his face was a bit irritated. "I tried to stay a bit cool, alright? I'm pretty sure you're not okay with his, so maybe I'll sleep on the floor…Plus, I found a really good recipe for Cream Lobsters, so maybe if that makes you happy, then I'll make one for you tomorrow." I forgot about everything I just said, and jumped happily in the air. "If this hotel has a kitchen, that is." I stopped at ran right at the front desk lady and asked her if they have a kitchen here. She aggressively nodded, possibly because of the way I approached her a second ago. I went back to Yu and told him they have it. "Wait…so what were we talking about again?" I asked. "Oh. Whether we're sleeping together or not." Yu said calmly. I frowned. "Ugh…Fine. Only this once." I walked up to the front desk, more like a human this time, and paid for a room for 2 nights. I told Yu I got the keys, and then he folded the magazine neatly back into the couch pocket, and we both took the elevator to the 5th floor. As the doors opened, we, or rather I actually, saw a familiar face. The person in front put both her hands on her mouth in shock. I dropped the keys and stared into her grey eyes.

"...Fuuka?" I asked.