According to the doctors, I had to stay on bedrest for at least a few days. Since school was currently out of session, I wasn't worried about missing classes, but the situation was only marginally better than before. Fortunately for me, however, Lilly was determined to continue to stay by my side while I recovered.

Even so, there was only so much we could do with me in my current state. Considering our more... Adult activities would have to wait until after dark, we found ourselves incredibly limited in ways to pass the time.

"It's pitch black," I read aloud, "You are likely to be eaten by a grue."

Yes, we wound up playing text adventures on my laptop.

Lilly furrowed her brow in thought for a moment, "Use the lantern." She suggested, "Also, what's a 'Grue'?"

Light Lantern

What is Grue

"The grue is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth." I read out the description of the monster, and then relayed the room's contents now that the light was on.

"Get the rope and knife." Lilly commented, "I can't help but feel I'm missing part of the experience with this, Hisao."

I laughed, "No, you're really not. This game doesn't have any images."

Lilly pursed her lips for a moment, "Well you didn't mention that..." She pouted, only to let a small smile cross her face, "Maybe I can get Hanako to play these..." She trailed off, her face growing worried.

"Hisao, love..." She muttered, "Hanako doesn't know what happened..."

...

For a brief moment, I was pretty positive my heart stopped beating. At the current moment, Hanako was still out of town, traveling with her friends from the Journalism club. Given the large amount of turbulent events that had occurred during the past weeks, it completely slipped my mind that she wouldn't have been in contact with any of our teachers or classmates.

I exhaled, "Shit..." Looking around, I grabbed my phone from the bedside table, flipping it open. Looking at my message history, there were a few text messages I had missed from Hanako.

Hanako: Sorry for not being able to message you, Naomi and Natsume have been keeping me really busy =.=

Hanako: Tokyo is beautiful! I can't wait to show you the photos we've been taking!

Hanako: I haven't heard from you in a while, Hisao. If you need someone to talk to... I mean, if you want to, that is

Hanako: I'm coming back in two weeks. I hope you're doing alright :(

I sighed. After reading the messages to Lilly, I pulled up her number, "I'm going to let her know what happened." I told my blonde partner. Pressing the dial button, I turned my phone to speaker, holding it between the two of us.

Riiiiing... Riii-

"Hisao?" The voice answered almost immediately.

"Uh, hey Hanako..." I began, "Hey, I'm sorry I left you hanging for a while, it's just..."

Hanako's timid voice cut me off, "No, I... I understand, Hisao. I know you needed time to yourself..."

I exhaled, "No, it's not that. There was an accident." I heard a soft gasp on the other side of the line, but she didn't respond. Clearing my throat, I continued my explanation, "The day Lilly was leaving, I went chasing after her. I hadn't been taking my medicine, and I wound up having a heart attack at the airport when I was running after her."

"Oh Hisao..." She cooed sympathetically, "I-I shouldn't have left! Whydidn'tI-"

"No, Hanako, it's not your fault." I quickly replied, "And there's at least a bit of good news." Tapping Lilly, I lifted the phone up towards her.

"Hello Hanako..." Lilly whispered, "I'm not leaving. I'm staying in Japan."

Unsurprisingly, things got silent really fast. I figured Hanako needed to process what she had heard. After all, having to lose her best friend, almost losing another, and then finding out both were-

*click*

"Hanako?" I asked, pulling the phone back to me. Of all the reactions she would've had, it had never crossed my mind that she'd hang up on us. I stared dumbly at the screen, looking for some explanation as to what had just happened.

[New Message!]

Hanako: I'm taking the first train back to Yamaku tonight.

I breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank god..."

"Hisao?" Lilly asked, her face carrying a mix of worry and hurt, "What happened?"

"Hanako's coming back tonight. I guess she's just shocked." I told her. Honestly, I couldn't blame her; we just dropped some really heavy news on her. But thankfully it meant that soon enough the three of us would be reunited once again. Still, I felt bad that we were cutting her vacation short by a week and a half.

The rest of the day dragged on pretty slowly. Lilly and I went back to playing Zork, breaking only for lunch and dinner. It was pretty entertaining seeing her getting invested in the game, as well as her in general getting used to the idea of playing a video game. Truth be told, I never expected myself playing a computer game with a blind woman, but as I've learned in the past seven months, a lot of things can happen unexpectedly.

However, the day quickly came to an end, leading to us once again wrapped up in blankets, holding each other tightly. Even though we were both awake, the two of us just laid there in silence, my brown eyes gazing into her glossy blue eyes as her hand rested on my cheek. Every now and then, I felt her thumb running across my face, tracing out the shapes of my lips, nose, and chin.

After a while, Lilly spoke up, "Hisao, do you have any dreams?"

I blinked at the question, "What do you mean?"

Lilly closed her eyes for a moment, considering her words. "If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?"

I hummed in response. Anything in the world... I wondered to myself. A large number of things crossed my mind. A dream job. Winning a million dollars. Becoming a famous scientist. Starting a family... The last thought stuck in my mind, repeating itself as I looked at the woman in my arms.

"I think, if I could have one dream come true, it would be to one day be able to start a family." I told her. I immediately regretted my choice, as even in the dark I could see Lilly's cheeks redden. Feeling my own cheeks heat up, I was positive she could "see" my own blush forming.

Sensing the tension, I gave a nervous chuckle, "Maybe not the best thing to bring up while we're in bed..."

Fortunately, Lilly giggled at my comment, "Perhaps so," She noted, "Although it's an admirable goal to have for the future..." Pausing for a moment, she patted my cheek, "And of course you're not the only one who has that dream."

Despite myself, I smiled at her comment. Before I could respond, I let out a yawn, earning another giggle from her.

"My my~" Lilly mused, "Someone's tuckered out..."

I shrugged in response, "Hey, I'm still getting used to doing slightly more than just laying around in bed." Truth be told, we were still just laying in bed all day, but reading to her all day had been surprisingly tiring. "Not to mention I've got the best maid in the world." I added after a moment of thought. Of course, that comment was quickly treated with a pillow bopping me over the head. Moving the pillow back, I saw Lilly mock-pouting, doing her best to give me sad puppy-dog eyes.

"I thought you were a gentleman, dear..." She retorted, before her look took a turn for mischievous, "Or is this a new fetish?"

I gulped, thoughts running through my head of Lilly in a maid outfit, images varying from innocent acts of prepping food to more lewd activities. At this point, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to find out that Lilly herself had some fetishes she hasn't told me about yet. While I let my thoughts wander, I felt Lilly's hand remove itself from my face.

"I didn't hear a no, Hisao." She cooed, pulling the covers over herself, an action I immediately copied.

There's a common misconception about intimacy. Movies get it wrong, books get it wrong.

You make a mess.

In this case, Lilly and I awoke the next morning covered in a light sheen of sweat, owing to a mix of our activities the night before as well as the heat exposed to two adults wrapped up in blankets on a warm summer night. The second I pulled myself away from Lilly, the full sensation hit me. As Lilly stirred, I could feel her awkwardly shuffling in the covers as well.

"This... Was not well thought out." She murmured, peeling the covers off of her with a slight look of discomfort. As she nudged her way to the edge of the bed, she began feeling the ground around her, evidently looking for her cane.

"I think we're both due for a shower, Hisao." Lilly remarked as she picked up the white cane. Grabbing my hand, she began pulling me away from the bed while she stood herself up. Frowning slightly, she placed a hand over her chest and ran it downwards as she 'looked' herself over, "I don't suppose you have something we can wear until we're clean?"

I thought for a second, trying to remember where my gym clothes were. Hopping off the bed, I walked over to my drawer, opening the one with my workout clothes. From another drawer, I grabbed a pair of towels With two sets in hand, I tossed one to Lilly, only to realize as it flew towards her that she wouldn't see it. Fortunately, the shirt and towel landed itself on her arm, earning an unamused look from my partner.

"Aheh... Sorry, babe..." I chuckled nervously, picking up the shorts from the bed behind her. As I put my own pair on, I watched as Lilly slipped the shirt on. To my confusion, once it was on her body she pulled a piece of the fabric up to her nose and inhaled.

"Hisao?" She asked, turning to me with a stern look, "You've never worn these."

I blinked in confusion, however I realized she wasn't wrong. Outside of my two days working out with Emi, I hadn't set foot on the track, or at any of the gym sites. Before I can respond, she steps towards me, "Please, Hisao. Tell me you'll put more effort into this."

I wrapped my arms around her, giving her a tight squeeze. "I will," I promised, "The last thing I want to do to you is put you through that scare again." Slowly, Lilly returned the hug, letting herself sink into the embrace.

"This isn't just about me, Hisao." She whispered, face pressed against my chest. Lifting her head, her unfocused eyes bore into my vision, "And it's not just about me, either. This is about us now. Our life together almost ended once, it's not happening again. It can't happen again..."

"It won't, I promise." I told her, pressing my lips against hers. Feeling the clothes already beginning to cling to my body, however, I quickly broke it, stepping back. "Come on, let's go get cleaned up."

Lilly pouted, "Are you leaving me half-dressed now, too?" Glancing down, I saw she only had the shirt on, ending just above crotch-level. Blushing, I passed the second pair of shorts to her. "While I don't think your hallmate will be out this early, I'd rather not risk it."

I couldn't help but chuckle at that, "Honestly, he'd probably bleach his eyes if he did see anything." After a moment to consider my words, I realized they weren't nearly as hard to believe as I wanted them to be. Sighing, I continued on, "I swear that boy is horrified by anything that doesn't have a Y-chromosome..."

Lilly frowned as she walked to the door, "Yes, he's not the most popular boy in our class..." She admitted, "You'd think that a student in a class for the visually impaired would know when others can hear him murmuring about 'Feminist Plots' to enslave men."

Considering we were now in the hall and outside the lair of the beast, the conversation quickly died down. Beyond our footsteps and the rhythmic tapping of Lilly's cane, it was thankfully quiet. As we closed in on the bathroom, a thought popped into my head.

"Lilly?" I asked, "How did you know I never wore that shirt?"

Without a moment to think, she responded in a cold whisper, "We've been watching you, Hisao. Your time hasn't come yet, but it will soon enough. And when it does, we will be ready..."

... Thump... ... ... ... ... ...

After a disturbingly long pause where I felt my heart freeze, Lilly gave a girlish giggle. With the joke passed, she gave her actual answer "It didn't smell right. It was missing the scent of you shampoo and laundry detergent."

I exhaled a sigh of relief, "Don't do that again..." I muttered, before going back to the topic, "But I didn't realize I had a smell. Is it that noticeable?"

Lilly nodded, "It's the smell I associate with you. I may not be able to see how you look, but I'm very much familiar with how you sound, smell, and feel."

I couldn't help but smile at her explanation. Pulling the door open, I ushered Lilly inside the room. As a precaution, I slid the trashcan in front of the door. While Kenji was never one for personal space, hopefully he'd take it as a sign to avoid the bathroom. By the time I got to the shower room proper, Lilly was already wrapped up in a towel and waiting for the water to heat up.

Wanting to try something, I slowed down my pace, opting to stealthily sneak towards her. Since she was leaning against the divider for the stalls, my only option was to sneak at her from the front. Given the noise and her lack of sight, however, I was confident in my chances. Slowly, I crept towards her, holding my breath and hoping my footsteps would be covered by the sound of the water. Sure enough, by the time I came within a few inches of her, she was still standing still with her head tilted downward, focusing on the water hitting her hands. Before I could do anything, she turned her head towards the door, "Hisao?" She called, oblivious to the fact that I was standing in front of her. Awesome! I thought, She hasn't heard me! Seeing my chance, I swung my arms towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders; shaking her.

As I did so, she leaned forward, poking my chest. "Are you ready?" She asked. At my confused silence, she leaned in to whisper, "It's really hard to sneak up on someone when you're walking on tiles."

Rolling my eyes, I blew a raspberry back at her, earning another giggle. Turning towards the shower, she removed her towel to step inside. While she let the water run through her hair, I undressed myself and joined her.

Another thing that fiction gets wrong about intimacy is how uncomfortable sex in a shower can be. Sure, sex in and out of the bath can be enjoyable. However, in a cramped space when both people are standing up with nothing to hold onto, it doesn't work out as well. Fortunately, we'd previously decided to not try it again with our current situation.

So that's how we found ourselves holding one another as the water ran down both of our bodies. It was odd, but comforting in a way. Of course, we eventually had to break the embrace in order to actually shower. Given the small size of the stall, the two of us had to take turns with the shower head.

As I took my second turn at washing off my soap, I was shocked by a hand caressing my backside. Turning around, I saw Lilly 'staring' back at me with a sultry smile. Laughing at my jumping back, she quickly used her hand to squeeze tightly and pull herself back towards me.

"What are you d-doing?" I stammered, trying to wave her hand off of me. Unfortunately, despite her normally delicate hands, she held on with a firm grasp.

"You're always looking at me when I'm undressed," She giggled, "Now I'm 'looking' at you!" For emphasis, she took her other hand, running it across my chest.

As much as I wanted to see where things would go, I pulled away the hand Lilly had grasping at my rear. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, I couldn't help but laugh. "I feel objectified!" I shouted back, "Using your dainty figure to lower my guard!"

Lilly pouted, "Oh come now, Hisao. I'm just making things fair between us... Don't you want your girlfriend to be able to experience things the way you do?"

"Well, if that's how we're 'experiencing things now'..." I lowered my hand behind her, grabbing a handful of her plump behind, eliciting a girlish yelp from her.

Leaning forward, Lilly kissed my cheek, "As much as I would love to keep this up, I believe we may be cutting things close before your hallmate wakes..."

Moaning in frustration, I let go of her, but not before returning the kiss. "You're right," I said, stepping back towards the rushing water, "Let's finish things and get dressed."

Not long after, the two of us were finishing toweling off. Unfortunately for Lilly, the emphasis my already tight gym shirt had on her upper body was doubled by the fact that she hadn't fully dried off. One awkward talk about how big, wet boobs and white t-shirts weren't a good combination later, the two of us made our way out to the hall, one of my towels around Lilly's chest, while the other was wrapped around her hair.

"It's that noticeable?" She asked meekly, instinctively crossing one of her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you've never been told." I comment, leading her back outside, "The shirt becomes semi-transparent and clings to your skin. While I'm a fan of them, I don't think either of us want them shown off to the rest of our classmates."

"That makes the two of us, then..." Lilly muttered, tightening her grip on my hand. As we rounded the corner, I found myself stopping in my tracks. To my surprise, Hanako was currently sitting on the floor in front of my room, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. Hearing us approach, her head darted towards us.

"Hanako!" I call, unable to hold back a smile, "We weren't expecting to see you this soon!"

Lilly's expression brightened, beaming at the reunion, "I'm so glad you're here!" She exclaimed, "How was your trip?" Letting go of my hand, Lilly begins walking faster towards the door, reaching her free hand out to embrace her friend. Hanako stood up and began walking towards us, meeting Lilly in the middle of the hall...

And slaps her in the face...

Cliffhangers? In my fan fiction? It's a lot more likely than you think!

There were two things I noticed in Act 4 of Shizune's route:

1.) Lilly is still at Yamaku after the summer, meaning she decided to stay in Japan independently of Hisao.

2.) Hanako isn't with her at the end of the year, and Lilly seemed to be yearning for company, considering she was sitting in a darkened room when Hisao found her, and seemed rather melancholy.

Conclusion: Lilly experiences bad-ending Hanako upon her return.