Hey there! So, I know this chapter is really short so I decided to be nice and give you guys two chapters instead of just one.

Thanks for reading :)

"Ow!" Yuya brings a hand to his sore cheek. "What was that for?!"

"I'm only going to ask this once." Yoko starts. She sounds calm and quiet yet at the same time on the brink of exploding.

"Kaasan?"

"Did you have anything at all to do with Yuzu's attack? Tell me the truth, young man."

His eyes widen in disbelief. "What?"

"Yuya, answer the question." She approaches him and he starts to back away.

"N-no. I didn't. I swear." He answers truthfully. "She told me what happened. We were separated at the time." Yuya explains.

Yoko doesn't respond. She just walks into the kitchen. She can't get Yuzu's reaction out of her mind. Why would she react that way?

"Kaasan? Why'd you ask me that? And why'd you hit me?" Yuya is a little hurt by his mother's sudden harshness.

"I was just clearing some things up, Yuya. I'm sorry for hitting you." She says plainly.

Clearing things up? Is she serious? What could he do to deserve a hard slap to the face?

"Kaasan, believe me I wish I could have been there for her. She was all alone when this happened. I wasn't there for her when she needed me." He hangs his head low with shame. "I failed her."

"Yuya. This isn't about you. It's about Yuzu. Feeling sorry for your own failures is not the same as feeling sorry she was attacked. At a time like this, she'll need support you might not be used to giving. You'll have to learn to help her cope with this as you go along."

Yuya just nods his understanding.

"Just remember, you don't have to be by her side 24/7 to be there for her. Right now, the only male she tolerates well is her father, and she's right to feel this way. In a situation like yuzu's, you'll have to wait for her to ask you to come around. Otherwise, keep a healthy distance and support her in every other way you can." She's beginning to make sense of Yuzu's reaction. After a terrible ordeal like this, maybe a boy is that last person she'd want to think about. Maybe Yuya needs to back off for a while. Yoko can't be sure, but it's the best she's got for now.

"But Kaasan I-"

"She's going through 1001 emotions, Yuya. How she felt the day of the attack and the day after are different from how she feels today and the days going forward. Shuzo told me about last night, and I was proud that you had stayed by her side for as long as you could. But trust your mother, give Yuzu her space." Yoko explains.

"I will." Yuya obliges. "I'll try to be there in other ways." He leaves the kitchen when it's clear that's all his mother has to say.

The nightmares keep her up practically all night. After the third time she's torn from sleep, Yuzu decides to stay awake. She's thankful that she hasn't woken her father, who finally went to bed after she ate over half her bowl of miso. She'd hate to worry him again.

It's always the same nightmare- a mere recollection of that awful afternoon.

Her failed attempts to calm him.

Being thrown against the wall with strength she knew he didn't possess.

The first time he hit her.

The heartbreak she felt as he hit her again.

The unexpected bite to her neck.

Pleading for Yuya to come back to her.

Begging for him to stop- because it hurt.

Yuzu always wakes at the exact same time in the nightmare- right when he flips her onto her stomach and lifts up her skirt.

When he did that, a thought struck her. She remembers feeling her heart slow almost to a stop, her blood running cold as ice. Yuzu stopped her begging mid sentence because she knew, she knew what this monster was trying to do. Trying? More like going to do. The only person trying anything was her, as she tried with all her might to break free. He was successful and she was not.

For Yuzu, this is almost as terrifying as the rape itself. The realization that it was going to happen- and there was nothing she could do. No way she could fight. No one who would hear.

Not even Yuya.

She sits and cries until her eyes practically run dry. Yuzu never imagined it to be so difficult to get ahold of herself but it feels impossible.

After somewhat collecting her thoughts, Yuzu grabs her duel disk.

She dials Yoko's number.

"What is it, sweetie?" Yoko answers on the first ring.

"I can't sleep." Yuzu mumbles.

"Nightmares?"

"Mmhmm…"

"Okay, first things first, we're going to take some long deep breaths, alright?"

After some deep breathing, words of encouragement and stories to make her smile, Yuzu feels so much better. She looks at her clock.

"Oh god it's 3:45!" She exclaims. "Obasan, i'm so sorry!" Yuzu feels like the most inconsiderate person in the world.

"Now you listen to me. Don't you apologize. I'm so glad you called, and I could care less about what the time was. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, Obasan." Yuzu breathes.

"Then it was well worth it. Try and sleep again. If another nightmare grips you just try to do what I mentioned and see if you can make it through the night. Call me if you need anything, my love."

"Thank you, Obasan." Yuzu still feels pretty bad about waking Yoko up. But her advice really helped. Yuzu imagines she'll be able to get some sleep.

It goes on like that for some time. Every day she calls Yoko to vent her frustrations (without revealing too much) and every night she calls once again when the nightmares become too much.

After 3 weeks in semi seclusion, Yuzu feels well enough to leave her room. After another week, she's able to eat again. Naturally her portions are smaller, but it's something. The one thing that's remained constant is the cold. She's always cold. It's worse at night when she tries to sleep. On a good day she'll feel slight chills, but most days she's freezing. Yuzu hasn't figured out why.

Shuzo and Yoko sit Yuya and the other You-Show students down one evening before its time to head home for the day.

"You guys know she's been going through a rough time. She doesn't need to be constantly reminded of that." Yoko stands with her arms crossed. "She's going to behave differently than before, but that doesn't mean she's stopped caring about any of you. Never forget that."

"Yuzu has really missed you all, and she's excited to be coming back. But when she comes in tomorrow afternoon, don't ask unnecessary questions. Let things try to return to normal." Shuzo explains. "Don't take any pity on her. Even if she hadn't been hurt, Yuzu hates it when people feel sorry for her. You know her. She doesn't need that right now."

"Lastly." Yoko glances at her son for a split second. "Don't touch her."

"You mean I can't give her a hug?" Ayu's eyes grow wide with worry. "I've really missed her."

Yuya places a comforting hand on Ayu's shoulder.

"I'll rephrase that. If she is okay with it, then there's no problem. Otherwise, keep a safe distance."

Ayu hangs her head low and fights her tears.

"Don't forget. Yuzu is still Yuzu. She needs you guys." Shuzo reminds them.

"We'll be there for her. And it's our job as her friends to make her smile so we'll do just that!" Yuya says this mostly for the kids, so as to lighten the mood.

The three junior duelists all smile and nod.

"Alright, let's get you kids home." Shuzo wraps up the short meeting.