Today was a somewhat good turn out. Although, I realized I forgot my coat and scarf once again... Good thing it wasn't too cold in the mornings yet. I have no idea if I got Yoshioka to smile at all, or even lift up her spirits a little bit. I hoped I did. But, in truth I didn't care, if I did today.

If you did, good for you Kikuchi...

If you didn't, you'll get it eventually Kikuchi...

It was now 6PM and the sun was but slight aura of orange in the horizon. I then realized that I had a really long way back! This was gonna be a very long walk, maybe an hour or so... Ugh!

Someone grabbed my tie and yanked me into an alley, this time throwing me to the ground. Not this again...

Skirt, tie, blue coat, and long black hair once again. This time though, Shuuko was with someone, there was another voice for a second.

"Sorry, didn't mean to throw you down."

She helped me up.

"What did you accomplish today? Anything? Doesn't seem like you got anywhere. Our deal was you were raise spirits today!"

"Look, you expect me to mend a shattered girl like that in one day!? You must be crazy! Bare with it! It's not that easy!"

"You still failed! Which means our agreement is void! I don't have to help you! Just give up! You won't get anywhere!"

Just give up... She really raised her voice now. It was a whole different side to her, a scarier side to the normally silent girl. I caught glimpse of who she was with. It was Makita! The girl who always shot me bad looks and death glares! But why wasn't she trying to kick my guts out? She should have already figured out what's going on.

"It is hopeless! You will never get noticed! It doesn't matter how if you like her or not! She is too broken! Too lost! If you did like her, you'd leave her be! If you were too confess she will reject you!"

...

She WILL reject you... That hurts. It hurt on the inside so much, it started to physically hurt...

"We want our friend back to how she was! And you... You will just ruin it!"

This was really digging deep, clawing at my heart. It was really breaking in. Tears were forming a little bit. Embarrassing. They didn't flow, but they did build up. This was painful...and I did not like it. Not one bit! Something was building up really quickly since she pulled me in here. And it was about to come out. My fists clenched tightly. It was anger...

Shuuko pushed me up against the wall clenching my shirt tightly in her fists. She was about to yell something again, but I couldn't take it anymore! I grasped her shoulders and pushed her away. She hit the opposite brick wall, almost falling over, she fell to her knees.. Yuuri gasped, and stood up, but didn't want to get involved in a physical confrontation.

"IF YOU WANT HER BACK THEN WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING! As far as I've seen, I'm the only one that has stayed by her side through lunch and all the way to her home! I live far in the opposite direction for crying out loud And yet, I'm the one who walked home with her! Not you! Or you! Yes it's true! I do feel attraction towards Yoshioka-san! I've felt that for a while now at school even while Mabuchi-san was still alive. I didn't know anything of it until I found Yoshioka-san crying in the streets one day after school!"

Shuuko began to stand up, but didn't advance, she was listening.

"If you want her back and feel that you could accomplish that faster than I can..then you do it! I want her to be happy again! I will keep trying, even when you tell me not to, and I won't stop until she is happy again, even if ultimatel I get rejected! Try to stop me as you will, but I will not stand down! I will not lose!"

I looked back and fourth between them, panting to catch my breath. We stood there in silence, with draing ing anger, dirty uniforms, and wide eyes.

Shuuko-chan and Makita-san looked at each other, holding there silence. It was as if they were agreeing on something. I was definitely screwed now. They probably see me as over aggressive and poor under pressure. That wasn't true.

"If you don't want to support me or back me up, fine then. Stay out of my way, the only time I will back off is when I know for sure that I have failed, and only Yoshioka-san will tell me that. If this is goodbye between us...then, thanks for everything you've told me."

I was about to walk off when suddenly, a voice called me back.

"Kikuchi-kun, wait!"

It was Makita-san.

"This was a test," Shuuko said, this time in her normal quiet voice.

A test?

"What do you mean?" I was puzzled.

"Makita-san and I were wondering just how serious you are about the whole caring about and liking Yoshioka. We had to find out. I also had to show Makita-san just how much you cared about Yoshioka, she was opposed to the idea."

I felt bad for pushing Shuuko and yelling...

"We now realize the fact that you really care. We will support and back you up. Make our friend happy again. Nothing we've tried worked. She would usually run off r breakdown thinking of Kou. Her happiness now lay in your hands Kikuchi-kun. She is lost in darkness, her light fading by the day. If you will try, we will support."

"Thank you for understanding. Sorry I pushed you."

"It is okay, but it did hurt."

I felt bad now, I would never do that to a girl...

"To tell you the truth, Yoshioka was slightly happier today. In class she did smile slightly. To what reason we really don't know. On your walk home, there was definitely something."

So I did hit something today.

"Was it anything? I don't know," Shuuko continued on,"only tomorrow and the following days will tell. Until then, goodnight Kikuchi-kun."

"Goodnight."

"We will talk tomorrow," Makita added as she walked off following Shuuko-chan.

Tomorrow was another day.