Takuya and Koji told them when they were at Zoe's grandparents, they remembered it all—every words that her grandparents had said to them while ago, even the part before they introduce themselves, they were listening to Zoe's composition. Especially Zoe's voice of singing:

You appear just like a dream to me

After Zoe sang the last words, she left the room.

"Will you stay still, Koji?" Takuya yelled after him hoarsely, but he had already lost his balance.

It was a good fall. Minutes after, Zoe had left the house. Takuya and Koji were hyperventilating. They dragged themselves behind the door, and before they knocked on the door. It didn't make them feel better.

"Please, come in!" Gran spoke.

Gran and Pop were expecting Takuya and Koji. They exhaled sharply before they entered the house. Zoe—Takuya clutched automatically at his chest. Gran and Pop were sitting on the couch around the corner, waiting. The boys were nervous! Takuya felt like he might be about to throw up. A sharp clap made Takuya and Koji yelp in terror. Their fingers were trembling, grateful.

"You're not scared of us, are you?" Pop asked as he stood up.

"I'm Takuya Kanbara, this is my best friend, Koji Minamoto," Takuya introduced.

"You must be Zoe's ex-boyfriend. You must be keeping a special eye on Zoe—that we should trust you and your friends to keep our granddaughter safe," Gran smiled.

"No. We're just following her so that Takuya could speak to her one last time," Koji corrected.

"But you you'll take care of her—we know Takuya won't let anything happen to Zoe, aren't that right, Takuya?" Pop smiled.

"I'll take care of her," Takuya promised.

"The idea of you finding Zoe is scarier than the idea of her finding you," Gran whispered.

Takuya and Koji laughed. "You've got to have a little confidence in us than that," Koji snorted.

"It's insulting," Takuya commented.

"Please, take a sit," Pop requested.

Takuya and Koji sat on the other sofa.

Gran and Pop shook their head.

"Are you here to be close friends with us so there's a possibility Zoe could change her mind?" Gran asked.

Takuya and Koji pursed their lips, and said nothing.

"What? Is it a secret?" Pop questioned.

Takuya frowned. "Not really. It's kind of weird, though. We don't want to disrespect you and your granddaughter."

"We're sort of used to weird by this point, you," Pop tried to smile without much success.

The boys grinned back easily. "Guess you'd have to be. Okay. See, you're right, we're here…to be close to you," Koji admitted.

The oldies' eyebrows pulled down in confusion.

"I really feel guilty about what happened to Zoe and me," Takuya went on, "But I didn't…mean to—I never stop thinking about her—no matter how far away from each other we are. Even though she told me that she doesn't love me anymore. It's embarrassing—having no secrets like that. Freaky, eh?"

"Is that what you though, when you said Zoe's not in love with you anymore, even though you didn't want to?" Gran asked.

"You're quick," Koji commented.

"Even though Zoe didn't tell us about that, we know," Pop replied.

"You're also very good with weird. I thought that would bother you," Koji commented.

"It's not…well, Takuya's not the first person we've known who could be like this. So it doesn't seem so weird to us," Gran chuckled.

"Really?...Wait—are you talking about that Zoe still loves me?"

"We wish she could give you one more chance," Pop hoped.

Koji laughed. "Whatever. Second chances, then?"

"If she forgives you but didn't love you like the way before…then you'll have to accept." Gran pulled one arm surreptitiously around her torso.

Takuya and Koji looked surprised—unpleasantly so. "I love her just the way she is. I've never done this kind of stuff before…weir— I hope this something worth it."

"There's always something," Pop said wryly.

Koji scowled. "What if there's nothing this time?"

Gran stood and headed in front of the boys.

"That depends on what you're looking for," Gran answered curiously.

Koji nodded, seeming embarrassed. "Got to be real—I tried not to think about Zoe so you wouldn't know what was going on. I was afraid you would be mad," Takuya confessed.

"Would that stop you?" Pop's teeth clenched when he heard that.

"Well, it would have stopped me," Takuya said, morose now.

"Remember that you're a good person," Gran noted.

"Yeah. He doesn't sometimes know how," Koji joked.

Pop and Gran chuckled darkly. "Close enough. You could tell us when there something you need," Pop insisted.

"You're…always welcome here, you know. We really mean it—well, you can't just ignore our invitation," Gran muttered.

"Weird," Koji mumbled.

"Very," Pop agreed. "It's kind of our thing."

"Huh" was the best response Takuya and Koji could think of.

"Yeah, there's a lot of stuff you have to learn—things like that. You're still learning. I can't imagine what it was like for Zoe, trying to deal with this alone. She feels betrayed," Gran explained.

"Zoe feels alone, betrayed?" Takuya muttered.

"Yeah." Pop's voice lowered. "When she got here…she was sad, it was the most…horrible, the most terrifying thing we've ever saw—worse than anything we could have imagined. But we know she wasn't alone—she's got you, even in her head, telling her that she shouldn't have let you go, shouldn't have left you…"

Gran shook her head. "Zoe needs your help."

This was going to take some adjusting. When Pop and Gran explained it like that, it was hard to feel compassion for her grandparents. Takuya had to keep reminding himself that Zoe really needs a friend right now.

"What if she'll be angry when she saw us?" Koji asked.

Gran made a face. "Probably you'll have to take it."

"Take it or leave it then?" Takuya smirked.

"The reason we're so angry to someone is because we love someone so much," Gran assured Takuya. "You know a ton of things that can help Zoe. It's not like you're just some ignorant human. You're like a…I don't know, spy or something. You've been behind enemy lines."

Takuya frowned to himself. He wasn't a spy, though. He hadn't been collecting that kind of information. Already, his words made her feel like a traitor.

He did want Zoe to forgive him, preferably before she tortured him to death.

"Zoe cares about you," Pop continued, oblivious to Takuya's reverie. "You need to be there for her. It makes everything more complicated. Hey, you'll pass this problem."

"I hope so," Takuya hesitated, and then sighed. He squeezed his midsection, trying to ignore the throbbing around the edges of his chest.

"How do you know things like this so well? Sometimes it's like you can read minds," Koji raised his eyebrows.

"Naw. We just pay attention," Pop chuckled.

"This good?" Takuya asked.

"Sure, sure," Gran replied.

"You're still unhappy, aren't you?" Pop murmured to Takuya.

Takuya nodded, staring unseeingly into the gloomy solo picture of Zoe when she was a kid. Takuya grabbed the picture and smiled.

"Did you ever think…that maybe…you two are destined to be together?" Gran sighed.

Takuya inhaled slowly, and then let his breath out. "No."

"'Cause she wasn't the best—"

"Please, Koji," Takuya interrupted, begging in a whisper. "Could we please not talk about this? I can't stand it."

"Okay." He took a deep breath. "We're sorry we passed by or anything."

"Don't feel bad. If things were different, it would be nice to finally be able to talk to someone about it," Pop insisted.

Takuya and Koji nodded. "Yeah, we had a hard all the way here for Zoe. It must be hell to not be able to talk to anyone."

"Hell," Gran agreed.

Takuya sucked in a sharp breath. "We gotta go."

"Are you sure?" Gran asked. "Well, feel free to come here anytime."

"Thank you very much," Koji said, and then the boys grinned.

"You're very welcome to come in our house," Pop insisted. "And Koji…"

"Yes, sir?" Koji snapped his head.

"Just a tip—sometimes you have to be strong to admit that you're weak."

"Ha ha," Takuya said.

The gang was very still, remembering pointedly Takuya and Koji had demonstrated what they did at Zoe's grandparents.

Koichi and Shinya laughed a wide, ominous laugh.

"Why? What's so funny?" Koji asked, his teeth dull. "I'm not weak—it's merely incapacitating. I work. Mostly superfluous, as I said. I have a lot of close friends. Of course, there are always exceptions."

"So…he's being defensive, eh?" Koichi murmured.

"Enough with Koji, its big brother's turn," Shinya snapped. "First the song…and now this?"

Takuya shivered.

"I hope tomorrow's more pleasant than this," Koji said.

"Her grandparents gave me confidence, really…I don't quite understand why," Takuya said.

"I remember how Takuya looked at Zoe's picture when she was a kid," Koji blurted.

"It was involuntary." Takuya's voice was wistful.

They slept silently, wrapped in their individual blankets.

The hours ticked by, and they had almost forgotten to wake up, they were so enveloped in their dreams and thoughts.

Then, without any warning, Takuya leaped from the bed, landing lightly on his feet. Koji's head jerked up as Koichi stared at the door, Shinya was startled when as someone was knocking on the door.

Takuya looked at the clock, its seven o'clock in the morning then.

"Did somebody order room service?" Takuya's voice was urgent, and he walked right to the door.

Takuya reached the door at the same time Koji went into the living room. As Takuya opened the door, Zoe has obviously slapped him across his face.

"So you were following me?" she asked intently, staring into Takuya's brown eyes. Her eyes were focused on something very far away.

"Zoe." Koji pulled Zoe in the room and kicked the door closed.

"Koji!" she gasped in the tiny, fragile voice. "Koji, you promised! Why? Why did you break your word?"

A dim collection of misery and pain touched her. Zoe had felt such agony again. It shied away from the sting.

"Even an honest man sometimes caves to duress, Zoe," Koji replied.

Zoe groaned. "Can't you people understand the word alone?" Zoe's shout was deafening, echoing at the room from all sides.

"Ah—Zoe?" Takuya murmured. "Maybe you should…"

"Shut up!"

Takuya's voice got closer, and the floor grated as Takuya tried to follow her into the small space. "Will you just calm down for a sec—"

Everybody heard something scrape the floor as Zoe moved, and then a thud. Takuya cursed. Takuya was no longer visible and Zoe had her back on Koji.

Takuya spit and groaned. "That's twice," he growled, he understood that the slap was meant for him.

"I'm ready to go for three," Zoe muttered.

"Hey, no fighting!" Shinya jumped into the conversation.

"Could we just work this out?" Koichi sat on the couch.

"I see. So you're all in this together?" Zoe chuckled. "Let me see…one. Two. Three. Four." She counted. "Four boys over one girl, how rude," Zoe made a face.

"Would you give us a minute to explain?" Koji put his hands on her shoulders and guided her to the sofa, sitting her on the edge.

"I don't know. Something is missing—JP."

"This is no time for joking," he snapped.

"Okay. Explain what?" Zoe slapped Koji's hands from her shoulders. "You're all liars. You know how I hate liars."

"To clear this up," Takuya cleared his throat. "We never know that you're checked in here."

"Well, that's a relief," Zoe laughed. "Okay. Forget it." She reached for the door. "Do what you want I don't care anymore." Then she was gone.

"Does this mean we're leaving?" Shinya broke the silence.

"Nope…not yet," Takuya answered. "It's too soon. I'm not done yet. Get dressed. Wherever she's going, that's where we're going."

Zoe punched the wall with her hand when she walked into her room.

Her voice was angry, clumsy, as she cursed in a practiced way. "Stupid, son of a jackal!" she grabbed a pillow and shout everything with it. "I should've known…no, I won't let them ruin my six days in Thailand—it's like I would never know they're following me."

"Can you see where she is?" Takuya asked when they walked in the lobby.

"Nope," Koji replied.

Zoe shoved Takuya out of her way in purpose. "Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there," then she skipped out of the hotel.

"Where else is she going?" Koichi hissed.

"Seems like she doesn't mind anymore," Shinya's eyes drifted, then focused on Takuya's face.

"C'mon," Takuya and the rest of the band followed Zoe on the bus.

Zoe shook her head. Takuya sat beside Zoe, while the rest at the back. Zoe didn't look at Takuya, motionless while reading a book.

"You can't be like that forever, can you?" Takuya asked.

Zoe didn't answer, then Takuya looked at her.

"Why do you have to be so mean?" Takuya whined. "Don't act as if I'd never existed," he begged. "Well, at least talk to me."

Zoe chuckled for a moment. "You enjoy doing this, aren't you?" Zoe smirked then plug her headphones through her ears. "You think I'll give up on you," Takuya laughed as well. "Over. My. Dead. Body."

Zoe could hear him but she continued ignoring him. "You hear me?" Takuya pulled Zoe's earphones from her ears.

Zoe pinched Takuya's ears in no time without looking at him. "Okay. I won't do it again," Takuya begged then Zoe let go of his ears then smiled. Takuya looked at his friends, they were laughing and giving claps at each other.