A shrill, squeal-like giggle was the only warning Misaki got before she was lifted off her bed and tossed over a shoulder. She could barely let out a surprised squeak and see a flash of red and the black hair of her captor before she was rushed around the campus, the scenery blurring around her as her captor ran.

Misaki held down her skirt, but she wasn't going down without a fight. She lashed out and kicked her captor in the face. There was a low groan and then a hand snaked over her legs to keep them down.

However, Misaki wasn't done yet. She took a deep breath, swung her torso to twist around as much as she could in her awkward position, and grasp tightly around her captor's neck with her free arm, effectively strangling him.

Her captor promptly dropped her, tugging her arm away as she fell, and gasped for breath. However, Misaki had no time to try to get away. Another pair of arms lifted her up bridal style and continued zipping across the school, letting out another shrill noise.

Misaki looked up, saw that it was Hanako, and rolled her eyes. Of course it'd be her. The person who had her earlier must have been Kenta. 'Hanako probably only brought him along knowing that I'd take him down. Poor Kenta.'

Misaki wasn't surprised that Hanako was strong enough to carry her either. She had always carried numerous heavy bags while going on her longshopping trip. It was obviously a workout. Misaki shuttered, remembering the three-day shopping spree Hanako had forced her to accompany her on, if only to help carry her bags. Kenta and Minami had been lucky enough to have had prior arrangement that week.

"Put me down Hanako-chan," Misaki sighed, "I don't feel like dealing with your crazy antics right now." She had just gone through a long day with three major exams in her few advanced classes. All she wanted to do was sleep away the headaches that were developing.

Without warning, Hanako threw Misaki into a room and slammed a door closed behind her. "What the hell, Hanako-chan?"

"Misa-chan?"

Misaki swiveled around, curious blue eyes meeting her own. "Rin? What are you doing here?"

"Well, you're kinda in my room, so…" He looked off to the side awkwardly.

"Oh…" Misaki shifted in her spot on the floor, eyes scanning the room briefly. Belatedly, her weary mind seemed to click. She was in Rin's room. "Oh! I am so sorry! Hanako and her boyfriend kidnapped me from my dorm and just threw me in here! I-I'll leave right now!" Misaki practically lunged for the door, a light flush on her face. It was so rude of her to just invade someone else's privacy like this, even if it wasn't really her fault.

"Wait." A hand caught her wrist before she could open the door. "I'm actually the one that asked her to bring you here," Rin started, "Though I didn't really think she would literally drag you here."

"Yeah…she tends to take things to an extreme," Misaki tittered. "But what did you want to see me for?"

The awkward atmosphere turned somber at the question. Rin's expression fell, his bangs shadowing his eyes.

Misaki was surprised and concerned at the sudden change. She reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, but stopped when mumbled words left his lips.

"That note…why'd you write it? Why'd you keep giving me them?"

"Rin…" Misaki sighed. "I…I wrote them because you we're alone. After that incident, you avoided people and they avoided you. Even if someone would approach you, you would only push them away. There was no way I could even talk to you. I knew you wouldn't let me; you're just that stubborn," she teased. Rin pouted a little but said nothing, still choosing to avoid her concerned gaze.

"Like I said when I was interrogated by my friends, I just wanted you to know you're not alone. And I wanted to keep reminding you of that, so I gave you a reminder every year." Misaki paused, contemplating if she wanted to continue. A sad smile worked its way on her face. "Truthfully, I really didn't want you to know it was me. I figured things would get complicated if you ever knew. Father Fujimoto and my grandmother were actually the only ones who knew. And to be honest, this…was going to be the last year."

Rin's head snapped up, worry gleaming in his eyes. "What? Why? You're not dying, are you?" Rin panicked, rambling on with any possible reason he could think of.

Misaki brought her hands down onto his shoulders to make him stop. "It's nothing like that," she laughed. "It's just...well…you've made friends of your own. You don't really need me anymore." The sad smile reappeared. "I was hoping that I would be able to just fade away…but you caught me red-handed. It's not going to be as easy now that you know who your 'Guardian Angel' is."

"What if…I don't want you to disappear…?" The timid question was whispered so quietly that Misaki almost didn't hear it.

Misaki couldn't say she was surprised though. This was exactly why she did not want to be caught. Breaking this bond of sorts would be exceedingly difficult now; Rin certainly wasn't going to let her go, at least not without a fuss.

"Rin–"

"What if I don't want you to just up and leave? I might not know you like your friends do, but I feel like I sorta do. And I do wanna get to know the girl that's been looking out for me all these years." Determination blazed in his sapphire eyes, making Misaki feel bad for having to turn him down.

"I don't…" Misaki paused, biting her lip as Hanako's words from the night before came back to her. She was right. Misaki couldn't keep living in her own little world, pushing everyone else away. Humans can't survive on their own. They need to establish bonds, feel attachments to others, lest they be driven into madness. Loneliness was an awful feeling.

With new vigor, Misaki forced a smile. "I'll try. For you, I'll try." Upon seeing Rin's confusion, she continued, "I won't leave. I'll try to let you into my world. Try to keep up."

Rin nodded happily, accepting her challenge.

'Maybe it won't be so hard. Maybe I can do this.'

[Extended Ending]

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Misaki said suddenly, confusing Rin when she turned to look at his door.

Rin jumped in surprise when Misaki spun around and landed a back kick on the center of the door. A startled yelp was heard with a matching grunt. Misaki swung the door open as soon as her foot touched the floor again, causing two bodies to fall onto the floor before her.

"Hanako-chan, Kenta-kun. Nice to see you," she said with cheerily. Then her smile shifted to a cold frown, her eyes settling into an icy glare. "What have you done to Shadow?"

Hanako quickly grabbed something behind her. She got onto her knees and bowed low, offering Misaki a medium-sized cardboard box, terrified apologies spilling from her trembling lips.

Misaki could hear something scratching at the box inside. She snatched the box from the sobbing girl and opened it. Shadow leapt from the box and, following Misaki's silent command, attacked the couple that had abducted her and trapped him.

Rin, having been ignored during the exchange, felt a shiver crawl down his spine. He was glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of Shadow's assault again.