He was just standing before the building, unsure of what to do now. His feet couldn't move because his mind was stuck somewhere between anxiety, hope and disgust.

It was clear that if he entered this building, he would be marked as someone he never wanted to be. Someone who couldn't deal with his own problems. It made him feel weak.

But maybe, just maybe, Takano-san was right and seeking help was the only way to get out of this mess? Maybe everything could turn back to normal after he talked with someone professional about his worries?

Onodera Ritsu was just about to take a step towards the entrance when a voice deep inside him stopped him.

So you're admitting defeat now? You accept that you are the problem? Great, now people have all the more reason to look down on you. Who would respect someone who can't even get his own life together?

He knew that the voice was right. At that moment another thought occurred to him.

What if his family found out that he was in need of a therapist? He was sure that they would flip at the news. It would stain the name they were so proud of. His mother might even cry and she would definitely look for someone to blame.

He wouldn't be able to cope with these reactions. He already knew he couldn't.

"You, have you made up your mind yet?"

Surprised at the question Ritsu turned around to see a young girl, maybe around the age of 16 or 17, standing behind him and looking at him knowingly. Her hair was dyed as black as her clothes were. Honestly speaking, she looked quite scary with all her piercings and dark make-up.

"Uh, what do you mean?" he asked, a bit uncomfortable. After all, she did look like she might rob him.

"You are struggling whether to go in or not, right? Many people, who come here, are indecisive about that, so I know" she explained to him in a nonchalant tone like she didn't really care.

"Y-yeah, I guess, I am" he admitted and let out a frustrated sigh. It was shameful that he had been seen through by a teenage girl.

"And since you're still standing here, I take it that you haven't made up your mind yet" she concluded confidently. "So I will tell you something to make your decision easier. Don't go in there if you are not ready for your life to change completely. You have to lay everything bare for one person to see which can be quite scary. Don't do it if you're unsure."

He understood what she was trying to get at. Even more so since it hadn't been his decision to come here. He never really wanted to. He still didn't. But he couldn't see another option. After all he had promised to try.

"I know a better solution for you. After all, I have the same problem as you."

That statement made him curious although he knew that he shouldn't take the advice of someone so young and obviously troublesome.

But then she did something he would have never expected. As if it was nothing she put the sleeve of her dress upwards to show healed scars and even fresh cuts. Her indifference about her action shocked him even more than the action itself.

"You're like me, right?"

Why does she sound so satisfied? It's not like she should be proud of it! What's wrong with her?!

"W-what makes you so sure of it?" he responded defensively. Unfortunately, his shocked reaction was more than enough of an answer for her.

"It's the way you fumble around your arm. For someone like me it's quite obvious. You should work on it, really dude. But, here. Come visit us if you ever feel lonely. After all, we are the same. No one will ever understand you as we do."

She shoved a small piece of paper with an address and a time written on it in his hands before he even stand a chance of declining. And just as sudden as her appearance was, she was gone.

Back home, Ritsu felt a little bit useless. It really was excessive of Takano to give him the whole day off. What was he supposed to do now?

Even though he hadn't gone in the building to talk to a therapist after all, he felt exhausted.

Although it would have been the right thing to do, the brunet didn't throw away the piece of paper that the girl had given him. In a weird way, it felt like it was his only escape and maybe, just maybe, it was his only rescue too.

Either way, he decided to give it a try. It was better as being branded as a mentally unstable person by a professional, that's for sure. Or so he thought. After all, he had already realised that he was indeed mentally unstable for the time being. He was just afraid to be known as someone with mental problems by other people. He had promised that he would rise to the top on his own, so the last thing he needed was a handicap that would get him pity from other people.

Later that day, Takano visited to check up on him. Somehow, he expected the younger one to feel upset after his first therapy session. He had read that the first one was always the worst one but also that it would get better after some time.

To his surprise, Onodera seemed perfectly calm. He wasn't angry at him because he had forced him to go. Not anymore. Neither was he sad or agitated.

It was really strange. Takano couldn't help but feel suspicious.

"So, how was it?" he asked casually, trying not to start a fight immediately. First, he would analyse the others reactions.

"W-well, to be honest, I don't really want to talk about it" the brunet shrugged it off.

"Really? Too bad, 'cause I want to talk about it."

At the irritated tone of the raven haired mans voice Ritsu turned around to face him, only to meet a pissed off Takano.

"What's your problem? I'm tired, that's all" he tried to reason and he was glad that it wasn't a lie. He knew that he sucked at lying.

"So you're tired? After I did all the work for you while you had the day off? Oh, sorry that I can't find any sympathy for you!" Takano spat, already at his limit. Why couldn't Ritsu just be honest to him? His younger self would have never deceived him like this. It was at times like this that he really missed the teenage Ritsu.

He knew that it was wrong of him to have brought up that matter when he realised that the smaller man had started trembling. Ritsu's whole body shook but he couldn't tell if it was from anger or from sorrow, since the other kept his head hung low to hide his face with his hair.

"I... I understand. I'm just a bother to you. Well, I won't bother you anymore" the brunet said after some time, his voice just slightly shaky but surprisingly emotionless.

Then he grabbed his coat and walked straight out the door of his own apartment.