Author's Note: Here we have Noriko this week. I want to get deeper into her mental illness. I have barely scratched the surface with her. I wanted to go deeper into her madness but it didn't feel right for this week. Oh well. There will be barely of time for that later. Plus, we got to see more tadpole drama. You're going to see a little more of the latter before the season is over. Speaking of which, I am going to do something a little bit different this year. I will talk more about it next week. I also have the rest of the season planned out. For now, enjoy this week's halo.

Halo Twenty-Four: Noriko:

-Noriko-

The nightmares are back. I haven't been sleeping well. I do what I normally do in times like this. I keep it to myself. That's worked for me in the past. However, things are different and I don't like it. Everyone is now starting to catch on. I can't stand the way they look at me. They ask me how I am doing. I force myself to grin and say that I am fine. They don't believe me.

I'm getting sick of their questions. Why can't they just leave me alone? They aren't going to make it any better. Michiko is the worst.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she constantly asks.

"Yes! I am fine!" I have to tell her. It takes me all not to scream in her face. I just want them to stop asking me if I am okay or not. Still, there is one who is worse than me.

I looked over at Makoto.

"Were we happy?" I asked.

"You always ask me that," he said.

"Were we?" I asked. Makoto sighed.

"Yes," he said. I can't figure him out. He won't let me in. I want to help him, but I don't know how. Mako-kun always looked so tired to him. I am starting to remember who he is to me. I reached out and took his hand. He didn't try to pull back this time. Mako-kun can't see my face. (He can't see anything at all really.) But he can still tell when I am upset about something.

"Dreams again?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said with my head on his lap. I looked up at him. When he asks me how I am doing, I find myself not annoyed. He seems to really care. I just wished that he would show it more often.

"What about you?" I asked.

"Hm?" he asked.

"Are you okay?" I asked. I paused for a moment.

"I don't know," Mako-kun said. I wish that I could help him. I reached up and touched his cheek. He pushed down my hand. I'm not sure why but it hurt my heart when that happened.

Itori replayed her last encounter with Yukio in her head. She led him back to her room. He didn't try to stop her. At the door, the tadpole kissed her on the lips. Itori kissed him back. He didn't make her do this. This was her idea. She did this to test something.

"Do you want to stop?" Yukio asked in between kisses.

"No," Itori said. Her boyfriend broke off the kiss.

"Are you sure?" Yukio asked. "I mean we can stop here if you want." Itori put up her hand.

"Shut it," she said.

"But—" he started to say.

"Shut it," Itori said again. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Yukio kissed her back. Itori pulled him into her room. The woman dropped back onto her bed. She lay there staring up at him. Yukio climbed on top. He looked down at her.

"And you're sure you want to do this?" Yukio asked. "I can stop if you want." Itori shook her head.

"No?" he asked.

"No!" Itori said aloud. She reached up to caress his cheek. Yukio took her by the hand. He gently kissed her fingers. The tadpole leaned down and kissed her again. Itori reached up and slid off his black t-shirt. His mouth moved down to her neck. The other tadpole closed her eyes and moaned.

They shouldn't have been doing this. Either one of them could've pulled out at any time. But that's not what happened, now was it? Itori would be lying if she said that she didn't enjoy it. This was Yukio after all. Yukio who dated her twin sister. Yukio who gained a reputation for sleeping around in college. Yukio who just won't let go. Yukio who flirted with her while dating her sister. Yukio who says that he loves her.

It didn't make any sense. Still, Itori surrendered.

They both undressed. Itori and Yukio became tangled up in each other. He didn't hold back either. Yukio's embrace anchored but yet smothered her at the same time. Still, Itori let it all wash over her. She closed her eyes and took it all in for a moment. When she opened them again, Yukio was still on top of her. Sweat started to cover his body. Each thrust reminded her that he had her. The tadpole was never going to let her go.

"I love you so much!" he shouted. His words stabbed her in the chest. Itori couldn't bring herself to say it back. She opened her mouth to speak. Yukio put his finger to her lips. His girl stared up at him as she closed her mouth.

That one night came with a price.

Itori pulled out her phone.

"Yeah," she said. "It's me. I really need someone to talk to. Can you come over?"

-Noriko-

I don't like my mind sometimes. It's so easy to fake and pretend that you are okay. No one bothers to ask questions.

But there is always that time when someone calls you out.

"How are you holding up?" Michiko asked. I turned to face her. We're back to this again.

"I'm fine," I insist. Michiko frowned at me.

"Don't lie to me," she said. "You're starting to get your memories back, aren't you? You can't be fine with something like that." I sat up from the floor.

"Are we really going to do this now?" I asked.

"Noriko…" Michiko began to say. I must have looked like I was ready to kill somebody.

"I'm sick of people asking me how I'm doing!" I shouted. "Why can't you all just leave me alone?"

"Noriko," she said again. I stood up.

"Where are you going?" Michiko asked as I walked by. I paused at the door but didn't turn around.

"Out," I said.

"What?" she asked. I clutched the doorknob in my hand.

"I want out!" I shouted. I opened the door and walked outside. I shut the door behind me as she called for me one more time.

"Your mother's here," Sur said in a low voice. Tomoya's jaw about dropped.

"What?!" he shouted. Sur bowed her head.

"I'm so sorry!" she shouted, bowing. Tomoya was about to open his mouth to speak.

"Tomoya-kun?" a woman's voice asked. The tadpole froze. He looked up to see a woman with tired eyes standing behind Sur. Her sweater looked too big for her body. A cigarette hung out of the right side of her mouth. Tomoya frowned as he folded his arms across his chest.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "How the hell did you find me?"

"Your school," the woman said. She pushed the hair from her eyes.

"I tried to keep her out, but she pushed her way in," Sur said. The woman put her hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, darling," she said. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"What do you want?" Tomoya asked. The woman pushed Sur to the side and walked over to her grown son.

"I just wanted to see you again," she said. "You never pick up any of my calls. You never come to visit. It took me days to find you." Tomoya didn't look impressed as he pushed her off.

"Bullshit!" he shouted. "You just want more money." The woman looked hurt.

"How can you say that about your own mother?" she asked.

"Because it's true!" Tomoya shouted. "You never gave a shit about me! Since when do you care now?"

"Tomoya-kun!" his mother said. He flipped her off as he walked into the apartment. He slammed the door behind him. His mother and the other tadpoles were left standing outside.

-Noriko-

I should not have been alone. But I just had to get away. Michiko makes it worse somehow. I walked down the street alone in my thoughts. There's so much that I have to take in. I have a husband and a son? Well, had a son. I shivered at the thought of that. My memories are all mixed up. They are part of the reason why I can't sleep too well.

I slowed down with my walking.

What am I doing here? I know I wanted to get away. But what now? I frowned as I puffed up my cheeks. It's then I notice that I am not alone.

"Hello?" I asked as I turned my head. I can't see them but I know she's there. Somehow, that makes things a little bit better.

"Are you going to ask how I am too?" I asked under my breath.

No.

"Good."

I didn't know where I was going. I just started walking. I haven't really been alone like this since I ended up staying with Michiko-san. Everyone seems a bit distant lately. Masaomi's changed since Saki died. He's been sleeping with many girls. I know that everyone is concerned about him. He claims that he is fine. He's like me in a way.

"Some people do destructive things to cope," Michiko told me last night. She sounded so sad when she said that. She really does care about Masaomi.

"What is he to you?" I asked. Michiko didn't look me in the eye as she held her fist to her chest.

"Someone I care about," she said. She looked down the hall. I think I might have struck something sensitive with her.

I paused in my tracks.

Masaomi is like me. We're pretending everything is okay. Only, he's been with many girls and I just fold in on myself. I don't like it. But I am sick of everyone asking me how I am doing.

They really do care about you.

"I know." I looked up at the sky. I really hate my mind sometimes.

Junko was finishing up her notes for the day.

"Hey!" Taro cheered as he poked his head around the corner. The nurse didn't look up.

"Hello, Taro-kun," she said. He slid over to her. The horseman leaned over her shoulder.

"How's the patient?" he asked.

"Which one?" Junko asked.

"Both!" Taro shouted. The nurse put down her pen and turned to him.

"She's coming along fine with her human qualities," she said. "I'd rather not talk about him." She glanced over at the morgue drawer for only a second.

"That bad?" he asked.

"No, he just disgusts me," Junko said. "Revolting bastard." She clicked her tongue before her mood changed.

"I see you got your horse back," the nurse said.

"Uh-huh!" Taro said. He started to frown. Junko raised an eyebrow.

"What's the matter?" she asked. "I thought that would be a good thing for you."

"It is," Taro said. The boy lifted his chin.

"I still feel like there is a part of me missing," he said. The nurse's face dropped.

"You went to go see her again, didn't you?" she asked.

"I started to," Taro admitted. "But I got turned around."

"I see…" Junko said. "Anything else?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Just missed you, that's all."

"Right…" Junko said. She looked over the phone. Looks like she was going to talk to Aya again about that patient. Something had to be changed otherwise Taro is going to obsess over his sister. And nobody needs that.

-Noriko-

Maybe I should go back now? But I don't feel like answering questions from Michiko. So where was I going to go then? I didn't want to be alone in my thoughts anymore. Though, I am not really alone, am I? She hasn't said much to me since our first exchange earlier. I don't know if that is a good thing or not. I would rather not think about that. So what should I think about?

Already, I don't like where this is going.

It is then I looked around. Huh? When did I end up here? I could see nothing but a fence and half-ruined buildings. My stomach turned. How did I end up here? I started to back away from the fence. Was I so lost in my head that I ended up wandering to… wherever this place was. I don't like it here.

Many thoughts started to flash in my head. I think I've been here before. That fence made me think of that place. I think I'm going to be sick. A pair of hands grabbed me by the sides of my face.

"Artemis?"

You cannot break down here!

I sniffled as I started to tremble. I can't see her face. But I think she would give me a stern look.

Listen to me. You cannot be here. This is not a place for you. You have to get out of here now. She's said this before. I don't remember how many times.

"Where am I supposed to go?" I asked. "I don't even know where I am! What is this place?" My heart started racing. I couldn't see her face but I can see other things. My eyes started to well up with tears.

No, no. Please don't break down on me. Calm down, Noriko. Calm down. Close your eyes and breathe.

I could feel a tear rolling down my cheek.

Come on, please do this for me. Just take a deep breath. Please. Take a deep breath.

I closed my eyes and slowly took in a deep breath. For some reason, I remember to slowly count to five.

We're going to hold it for five seconds.

One… Two… Three… Four… Five…

Now breathe out slowly.

I slowly breathed out. One… Two… Three… Four… Five… We did this about two more times. I felt a forehead pressed up against mine.

Let's get you out of here. Follow me. I know where we can go. She took hold of my hands and led me out of that place. I just followed behind in silence.

I was alone again at Ryugamine's front door by nightfall. She led me here so she must have wanted me to stay here. Though, I was a bit confused as to why. I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. I knocked on the door. I backed up when it opened.

"Ishikawa? What are you doing here? Did something happen?" Mikado asked. Something about him has changed. I couldn't take my eyes off of him for some reason. When did he get so… So… So…

I can't think of the right word to say.

"I had another breakdown," I said. I didn't even think about what I was going to say or what kind of excuse to explain myself. It just came out. Mikado stepped aside to let me. He didn't say a word.

"Thank you so much," I said, bowing. I followed him into the apartment. Mikado closed the door behind me. I found Anri sound asleep in his futon.

"Oh, is this a bad time?" I asked.

"No, no. It's fine," Mikado said. I opened my mouth to ask but he held up his hand.

"It's fine," he said again. I drew my mouth closed.

Oh…

-December 15, 2015-

Makoto sat alone in the darkness, panting heavily. He can already feel it coming. Michiko already knew it. Noriko and Masaomi could probably feel it too. The race toward the end got even faster. If there were going to end this game, they were going to have to do something drastic.

"Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock," Makoto said to himself. Suddenly, the streetlights began to flicker outside. Makoto turned his head.

Who was coming for them first?