Hi, Norraskka here. Shout out to Machiro for giving me some motivation/ reminding me to continue. Thanks friend. Anyways… I think most people when they play Amnesia like Shin and Kent the best… But Shin is my personal favorite.

HEART WORLD

~ Shin ~

What was she doing here? Six months of avoiding me at any cost, avoiding all of us, and then she shows up at the café? What the hell?

She was staring at me, eyes wide, unmoving, and I was mirroring her. I had to get away.

I swept the dishes off of the table, clattering carelessly, and fled back into the kitchen. My heart was beating so fast it hurt. Sawa had come into the kitchen having a meltdown a little while ago, but I had never even thought that it could possibly be because she saw Michi.

Michi. Whenever I'd thought of her in the past six months, which was too often, all I'd been able to see in my mind was her tearstained face, her screaming her hate for me and my father.

I didn't have the time to think about this. I was at work.

"Shin, you didn't finish bussing the table, you need to wipe it down," Toma reminded me. "Get to it, before the manager calls you out."

"I'm working on it," I snapped.

"Woah. What happened within the past thirty seconds that I missed that made you so mad?" he held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Michi's here," I spoke through clenched teeth.

"Oh, so that's why the manager went and grabbed the schedule," Toma brightened. "Is she getting her job back?"

"Oh, shit…" I groaned. Anything but that. Why was she doing this? Hadn't she quit just to make sure we never had to interact again? "Let me take over here in the kitchen, okay?"

"Shin, if she's coming back, then you need to get over it quick," Toma spoke sternly.

"Shut up," I snarled, then shook my head. "Just, please, just this once."

My childhood friend hesitated, studying me. "Just this once. I was about to make a tiramisu." He went past me, and I thanked him gratefully on the inside.

Of all the gazes I'd received from people because of what my father had done, hers had been the one I could never bear with my shoulders back and head held high. Was she doing this to torment me, or was that too conceited of a thought? Probably. But I wasn't sure I'd be able to bear being near her and remembering her hatred, despite how badly I wanted to talk to her again.

Either way, I just couldn't do it.

~ Michi ~

I started breathing again when the manager left after we had worked out my hours. I started back at work the day after tomorrow.

Just the sight of Shin had brought back some surprising memories.

Sawa had introduced me to Toma in middle school, and we had become good friends then. By extension of Toma, I had met Shin, whom he treated as his little brother. We had all been rather close, but I had severed all ties after my father's death.

This mess was what I was trying to fix. But how was I supposed to even begin going about it? I couldn't think of anything. Just go up to Shin and be like, "Hey, I know your dad killed my dad, but this spirit told me to cheer you up about it?" Yeah. Like that'd ever do anything except land me in a mental institution.

"How are you feeling?" Musca's brow crinkled with concern.

Not sure. Seeing all of them again was a bit more shocking than I thought it would be.

"Do we need to go?"

It would be rude to not go back and say hi to everyone else before I go.

"If you're sure…" She floated next to me as I stood with a sigh and peeked into the back kitchen.

"Hello…?" I was mad at myself for being so timid about it, but there was no telling how any of them would react at seeing someone who had been avoiding them for a while.

"Michi! Is that you?'

"Hey, Toma. Uh, how've you been?"

"Good, good. I don't have a lot of time to talk now, but how would you like to catch up after ym shift? We can meet outside the front door."

"Oh. Sure thing."

"Psst! Michi!" Musca hissed at me.

What?

"Spending time with Toma won't help you help Shin!"

But it might give me some more memories that'll help in the long run! I snapped at her mentally.

"You okay?" Toma was looking at me with raised eyebrows. "You look annoyed all of a sudden."

"Er, I'm fine. When do you get off shift?"

"At close, in an hour. Do you mind waiting that long?"

"I can just play a game on my phone, no problem. Where's Sawa so I can say bye?" Considering that we had apparently been good friends before, it wouldn't have been a great idea to tell him no. I had to take every opportunity I could to get more memories.

"She's getting off in a few minutes, so she went back into the employee room I think. Later, Michi." He hurried out to the front so he wouldn't get in trouble for slacking off.

"Sawa?"

"Michi! What's going on now, I mean, are you coming back out into the world?"

I laughed. "You don't have to make it sound so dramatic. I'm coming back the day after tomorrow."

"That's great…" Relief was flowing out of her. "I'm so happy to see you again. We have to make up for a lot of time and hang out as much as possible, okay?"

"Okay." I smiled, and she grinned back.

"What are you doing right now? Maybe we could go get dinner somewhere else."

"Sorry, I promised Toma I'd catch up with him after he gets off. How about tomorrow? You got any plans?"

"Nope. How about we meet at your house around noon and decide how to spend the day then?"

"Sure." Knowing her, she would probably wake up at eleven and have to rush to meet on time.

"Okay. Bye for now." She nearly crushed me in a hug before leaving for home.

"She's nice." Musca smiled. "I like her."

I nodded in response as I made my way to the front, peeking into the kitchen and catching sight of the back of Shin's head. My heart skipped, he made me so nervous. Geez, I'd have to get over that.

"Now what?" Musca asked as I just sat against the side of the building once outside.

I shrugged. "We just wait." And try not to think too much about Shin…