Episode Twenty-One: Yasu and Hiroko! The Shining Winds of Change!
A/N: Warning for allusions to physical abuse in this chapter!
It was break time in Yasu's fourth grade classroom. Most of her classmates were chatting up a storm amongst themselves, playing games, or swapping the trading cards they'd smuggled into school. Yasu, meanwhile, was dead silent as she sat hunched over at her desk, hard at work at a colored pencil portrait of Keitaro Fukuda. She couldn't help but smile a bit as she continued to plug away at it.
This wasn't Yasu's first time trying to draw her father's face from memory. She had done it a lot since, well… since he'd died. But this had to be her best effort yet. She was sure Keitaro would be proud.
A shadow fell over Yasu's desk. Someone might have been speaking to her too. She didn't notice either of these things. Right now, nothing existed for her, past her colored pencils and her paper. Nothing would until she was finished. Her father's birthday was tomorrow - maybe giving this to her mother would help her feel a bit less sad.
"...look… talk to…"
Art wasn't just about creating things. Art was about sharing feelings that couldn't necessarily be spoken. Keitaro had told Yasu that once. She had held that close to her heart ever since. Hopefully, she could convey her love for her father in this drawing. Hopefully, she could-
Someone slammed their hands on her desk.
"Fukuda! I said, 'look at me when I'm talking to you!' Are you stupid?!"
Yasu let out a gasp of alarm as she jolted upright in her seat - and was met with an irritated-looking Motoko, along with several other students, who giggled at her alarmed reaction.
"I'm sorry, Kusakabe-san." Yasu's voice was barely above a whisper. "I didn't hear you, so…"
Motoko narrowed her eyes - and snatched the drawing of Keitaro off Yasu's desk. Yasu lunged after Motoko, who smirked as she jerked it out of Yasu's reach.
"Oh wow, this must be super important!" Motoko's grip tightened on the picture, crumpling it a bit, as she stepped backwards, closer and closer to an opened window. "More important than me, huh?"
"Stop it! You're ruining it!" Yasu was just making things worse for herself. Everyone here was either on Motoko's side or too afraid of Motoko picking on them too. Nobody was going to help her. But she couldn't just let this go, no matter how many people laughed at her! "Kusakabe-san! Please give it back!"
Motoko was standing right by the opened window now. "Why should I listen to you, Fukuda?" The hand clutching the drawing inched a bit closer to the window. "You can't listen to me."
Yasu tentatively stepped towards Motoko. "I'll never ignore you again! I promise! So please-!"
Motoko met Yasu's eyes. For a moment, she almost looked like she was willing to listen-
-and then she let go of the drawing. Yasu bolted to the window, just in time to watch futilely as her hard work fluttered to the ground two stories below before landing in a mud puddle.
"Oh. My hand slipped." Motoko casually swept past Yasu. "Maybe next time you'll listen, Fukuda."
And then Motoko was back to casually chatting with a few of her classmates, as if nothing had happened. Yasu was left alone. Nobody asked if she was okay, nobody said a word in her defense, nobody so much as looked at her. Nobody seemed to notice or care as Yasu slinked back to her desk, removed her glasses, buried her head in her arms, and cried. Nobody ever did.
Maybe they never would. Maybe she just wasn't meant to have friends.
"I can't get over how gorgeous these all are. I almost wish I'd volunteered myself."
Hiroko was seated at an outdoor table on Twinkle Etoile's veranda, treating herself to a Meteor Millefeuille, while scrolling through the photos that Haruki had been texting her every few moments. Most of them featured the creations of Renge Kusakabe, a prominent artist who had dropped by Kyoukai to sell her wares. Haruki, Jun, and Shiori had spent the morning helping her get her booth set up.
Each piece was more beautiful than the last. There was a blown glass sphere with red, blue, yellow, and violet crystal stars suspended within, an elegant glass sculpture of a ballerina, a school of colorful glass fish, a collection of multi-faceted glass gemstones… Hiroko wished she could see it in person.
"So do I. But you know what they say about too many cooks." said Yasu, in between bites of her Terran Tiramisu. She was scrolling her phone as well. "Looks like they're done. Maybe we can visit later on."
Hiroko took a look at Haruki's latest text. He, Jun, and Shiori were posing together and flashing peace signs for the camera in front of Renge's completed booth. Shiori looked especially content. It was a heartening sight, given what Haruki had told Hiroko about her.
"Glad to see Futaba-san is having fun." Hiroko said. "I've been worried about her."
Yasu sat her fork down. "I'm worried about her too." She dropped her voice a level or two. "Futaba-san showed up right around the time our new enemy did. An enemy we never actually saw." She frowned a bit. "She's evasive too. Excessively so. I have no right to judge anyone for being closed-off, but…"
"I've wondered about it myself." Hiroko said. "She could be our enemy after all. Or she could just be a lonely girl in a bad situation. Or maybe she could be both, like Kae." She looked at Yasu with concern. "Are you worried about Haruki?"
"I am." Yasu said. "But I promised I'd trust him. I'm holding myself to that."
"And if anything happens, I'll be right there with you." Hiroko said, right as her phone went off again. This time, it was a message from Izumi - a video of Shun Siegel practicing at the motocross racetrack, as her girlfriend cheered her on in the background. "Look's like Shun's staying in top form. I'm glad."
"So am I." Yasu said. "It's a shame she withdrew from competing. But I understand her logic."
It was only a temporary thing, Shun had assured the group when she'd told them about her decision over lunch. But between her growing involvement in Pretty Cure's activities, Kimi's declining health, and the revelations that had come out about her own background, she wanted to clear as much space in her schedule as possible. The racetrack would be there next year. She'd help make sure of it.
Shun had tried to seem unbothered about her decision, just as she'd tried to seem unbothered when Pretty Cure told her about her mother's origins. ("Huh. So I was royalty who races. Le mot juste, Jun.") She'd tried, up until it had become too much for her, and she had excused herself from the group's lunch table after a polite apology and a request for a bit of space. It was good to see her bouncing back a bit.
"I'm sure having a girlfriend like Izumi helps." Hiroko said. "And vice-versa. Those two are always cheering each other on - I know it keeps them both going. I guess that's what it means to be partners."
"I know that feeling." Yasu said. "I've been able to push myself more as an artist thanks to you, Hiroko."
Hiroko went a bit pink. "Really?" Yasu probably didn't mean it like that, but… "I've improved a lot as a chef too, since you've been over. I hope we can keep being friends like this."
Yasu's gaze grew distant for a moment. "Friends…" she echoed, more to herself than to Hiroko. And then "Hiroko. There's something I need to tell you."
Hiroko blinked. "What's that?" That came out higher pitched than she would've liked, and now Yasu was giving her an odd look, and argh! One more time! "What is it, Yasu?"
Yasu reached into her purse, which sat on a chair next to her and withdrew a folded piece of paper, which she solemnly passed to Hiroko, who immediately unfolded and read what looked like a flyer.
"An art competition?" Part of Hiroko felt a bit disappointed. She pushed that part of her aside. That was strictly her problem. "The theme is 'infinity in nature'. And the top prize is-'' Her eyes widened. "Oh my. That's a lot of scholarship money!"
Yasu nodded. "I have two more years of high school to go. But I want to invest in my future now." Her expression faltered a bit. "But…"
Hiroko looked at her worriedly. "But?"
"I want to convey my feelings in my art. I haven't been able to do that for a long time." Yasu met Hiroko's eyes. Her stare was intense, far more than it usually was. "Would you be willing to be my model?"
Hiroko did not respond. She appeared to have short-circuited. Yasu tentatively leaned forward and prodded her gently on the arm, snapping Hiroko back to the world of the living.
"Yes!" Too high-pitched again! "I mean, of course, Yasu! When do you want to start?"
As the pair continued their conversation, another customer, a teenage girl with long and wavy black hair, peered at them over the top of her book. The severe and regal-looking girl in the frilly moonflower tunic only sort of resembled her old elementary school classmate. But she couldn't be wrong about this.
Maybe they could catch up for old times' sake. She had to make the most of this trip, after all.
The first order of business, Yasu declared after she and Hiroko finished their treat at Twinkle Etoile, was to hit up the library for a bit of research. After all, she explained as the two set off together, a good artist knew how to make efficient use of references.
"There should be plenty of material I can draw on. Plenty of books about artistic techniques too." Yasu said. "I need to do this properly. I have to surpass myself."
"You're an amazing artist, Yasu!" Hiroko said. "Whatever you have planned, I'm sure that-" Yasu had stopped in her tracks and was staring at her intently, enough to bring a bit of heat to her face. "Yasu?"
"Can I pull it off?" Yasu said absently. "I'm not sure. Not as I am now."
Hiroko moved to reassure Yasu - and before she could say a thing, an unfamiliar voice called out.
"Fukuda-san! Oh my gosh, it really is you, isn't it?"
An unfamiliar teenage girl was hurrying towards the pair. Her black hair cut a sharp contrast with her summery white dress, and her eyes were a vivid shade of green. She looked beyond delighted to see Yasu… who did not react to her appearance at all.
"I'm sorry. Who are you?" Yasu asked coolly.
The newcomer laughed. "Oh, Fukuda-san, quit joking around! It's me! Motoko Kusakabe!" That got a tiny reaction out of Yasu, one Motoko seemed to miss. "I haven't changed that much, have I?"
"Kusakabe?" Hiroko instinctively stepped a bit closer to Yasu. Something about the subtle shift in her expression and body language was worrying her. "Like the artist who dropped by Kyoukai?"
"Oh, you mean my mom?" Motoko beamed. "That's right. She's touring right now, and I came along for the ride. It's nice knowing big-shot artists, isn't it? Like Fukuda-san!" She didn't even seem to notice Yasu's lack of enthusiasm. "She was the best artist in our class - I've always been a fan of her work."
Yasu stiffly adjusted her glasses. "Have you now."
"Of course! When have I ever lied to you?" Motoko said. And then, to Hiroko "We went to the same elementary school, up until… fourth grade, I think? Then poor Fukuda-san got sick and had to drop out."
Yasu made a soft noise under her breath before grabbing Hiroko's hand. "We should get going, Hiroko."
Hiroko muttered a polite farewell as she let her upperclassman lead her in the direction of the library. Well, that was the plan, anyway. Motoko wasted no time in popping up in front of the pair.
"Hey, come on! Is that any way to treat a long-lost friend?" She was just a bit too close to Yasu. "At least let me introduce you guys to my mom! She'd love to see you again, Fukuda-san! You and your little friend, um-"
"Hiroko Tsubasa." Hiroko said. "Listen, Kusakabe-san-"
Motoko didn't seem interested in listening. "You've got a big art project going on, right, Fukuda-san? And mom's kind of a big deal in the art world. I'm sure there's plenty you could learn from her."
Yasu showed no hint of having heard Motoko. She didn't even make eye contact with her. For a moment, it looked like she was going to push past her and keep walking. But then, she slowly exhaled and nodded.
"Fine. Hiroko and I wanted to visit anyway."
Motoko looked beyond delighted. "Alright! Let's catch up along the way - it's been forever since we've seen each other! You've changed so much too - I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about."
Hiroko's heart sank as the group headed off together. Motoko talked to Yasu the entire way, or rather, Motoko talked at Yasu, while the other girl responded with one or two-word sentences. Every time Hiroko tried to get a word in edgewise, Motoko either brushed her off or ignored her.
Something wasn't right. Not with how Yasu was acting. Not with what she'd gathered about Yasu's past. Not with how overbearing Motoko was, despite stepping back into Yasu's life a mere moment ago.
Maybe she could speak to Yasu about it later, once the two were able to have some space to themselves. Unfortunately, that didn't seem like it would happen any time soon.
Luminous Dress-Up was a lovely place. The dresses on display seemed right out of a fairytale, the jewelry sparkled brilliantly, and the selection of chic and luxurious accessories was nothing to sneeze at. Just being in a place like this would make anyone feel high class. Small wonder it was so popular.
Shiori absolutely hated it.
She hated this store and its selection of overpriced baubles and too-expensive garments. She hated the humans that insisted on trying to assist her or worse, insisted on looking at her, while she struggled to control the tightness in her chest. And she hated the people who had brought her here most of all.
"Shionyan!" Jun had bounced up to her once they'd finished helping the Kusakabe woman. "Wanna go shopping with us? Luminous Dress-Up is having a sale right now!"
"I promised Jun I'd buy something for her." Haruki added. "I wouldn't mind getting you something as well, Shiori-san. You're a girl who likes accessories, right?"
Shiori smiled sweetly. "You're a boy who makes a lot of assumptions, aren't you? But sure. I don't mind."
She had minded. She wanted to stay behind and keep an eye on the Kusakabe woman. Her artwork was unlikely to spread as far as those books had, but Shiori had to take any opportunity she was given. She couldn't afford to fail. She would have been better off hanging back and making sure she succeeded.
And yet, she'd folded. Pretty Cure still didn't suspect her at all, she'd told herself. Maybe she could exploit that and find new openings to exploit, she'd told herself. What a joke that had been.
"Shionyan~!" And there was the Wellspring Spirit again, popping up next to Shiori as she pretended to browse a rack of scarves. "What's your favorite color? Just out of curiosity. Mine's yellow!"
"Pick one." Shiori kept her eyes focused on the scarves. "I'm sure you know better than I do, Inoue-san. You seem very good at deciding things for people."
Jun hadn't seemed to catch the hint. "Shionyan, I can't do that. Your favorite color is yours. And only you can decide what you like." Her eyes lit up. "Can I guess? Is it blue? That's Hironyan's favorite! And your cardigan's a really pretty shade of-" She frowned a bit. "Hey, Shionyan, aren't you hot in that?"
Shiori felt her stomach twist as she unconsciously pulled her cardigan closer to herself. She'd chosen it as part of her human guise because it made her look softer. Too vulnerable to suspect of any wrongdoing. But right now, it was serving an additional purpose. A purpose that usually wouldn't be needed.
There were still faint marks on and a dull ache in her upper arms, from where Hinyu had grabbed her. It was her fault. She hadn't come over when asked. She hadn't been able to make herself move.
"I wish you wouldn't make me do that, Shahei." He hadn't looked at her. And she hadn't betrayed the pain she felt. That was how it went. "You're meant for much better things. You need to learn how to behave."
"Better things, Hinyu-sama?" Her expression was vapid. Her tone was blandly cheerful. After all, she was a doll. A thing. A toy soon to be outgrown. This was what suited her. "What do you mean by that?"
She should have seen the writing on the wall. King Kagemera had taken ill, and Hinyu was all but running the show in his absence. Seimono, one of the King's top brass, had abruptly deserted, leaving a void in the 'Dark Triumvirate' Hinyu belonged to And she knew exactly how Hinyu saw her. And yet-
"There's a place in King Kagemera's court for you, Shahei. That's where you belong. Not moldering away here with these idiots. His Grace recognizes you as a unique asset - I'm certain he'd take no issue."
Shahei's smile faltered. "Kae wouldn't be happy there. She goes where I go, Hinyu-sama. You know that."
Hinyu was unmoved. "I'm sure a witch of your talents can address that little issue." That wasn't a request. Shahei knew Hinyu far too well by now. "And I'm certain you'll do it posthaste. I have faith in you, Shahei."
Shiori wasn't sure if Hinyu knew about Keiko's plan or not. It didn't matter. Keiko had been oddly subdued since the incident at the beach, and even then, she kept chipping away at that spell. Soon, it would finally be finished. They'd be split apart, leaving Keiko free to do as she pleased and Shiori alone with him.
"Hey, Shionyan?"
The Wellspring girl tapped Shiori on the shoulder, sending a sudden, sharp bolt of pain through her body. She really had been too tired to heal herself… to heal their body properly. It shouldn't have hurt this much.
Jun was staring wide-eyed at her. "Shionyan?" And now she was moving to help her, and gods no, leave her alone! "Shionyan, are you okay?"
Keiko was no less alarmed. "Shahei? What's going on?"
And now Haruki was hurrying towards her and there were multiple humans staring at her, multiple pairs of eyes boring into her and crushing the oxygen out of her lungs, and if Shiori wasn't used to enduring-
"I'm fine." Shiori said blandly. "I slept on it wrong. That's all."
Haruki and Jun didn't believe her. It showed all over their faces. Keiko didn't buy it either. Shiori could feel her sister's skepticism and worry like it was her own. It didn't matter. It wasn't their issue.
Her glasses glinted as she swept past Haruki and Jun, in the direction of a clothing rack near the store entrance. She'd make a break for it once those two took her eyes off of her. She was done with this.
Except Haruki was following after her. He was clearly worried sick. Why? She didn't understand at all.
"Listen, Shiori-san, if you need to talk-"
"Haruki-san. We've established how I feel about that." Shiori said curtly as she feigned interest in browsing the clothing rack. "How is that sister of yours? Is she well? Are you two getting along?"
"Huh? Yasu? She's fine. Actually, we've been getting along really well lately." Had Haruki imagined the flash of annoyance on Shiori's face? "Did you know she signed up for an art contest recently? You see-"
Shiori let it all wash over her head. Haruki's rambling about his sister, and her artwork, and the scholarship she apparently had her eye on, Jun's continued worried glances, Keiko's repeated expressions of concern. None of them were worth much. That was fine. Neither was she.
The school year was almost over. Yasu's fourth-grade class was wrapping up a year together and getting ready to move on to fifth grade. Yasu was hiding in her bedroom, burrowed deep under the covers.
She had not been to school for three days now. It had become too much. After what she'd done, the mere thought of going back made it almost impossible to breathe. Keeping even a tiny bit of food down had become an ordeal. She had always been frail and sickly, but her body had never been this weak.
Yui hadn't known how bad it was. She hadn't known for a long time. Yasu didn't want to give her mother more to worry about. She didn't want Motoko and her friends to learn she'd tattled to Yui. And even now, some part of Yasu still felt like this was her fault, her job to fix. It was better if Yui stayed clueless.
Except Yui wasn't clueless anymore. Yasu had finally broken and let it all out. Yui knew. About Motoko, about her other classmates, about the teacher who hadn't noticed Yasu was missing for a full half-hour. The teacher that Yui had over an hour of sharp, snappish words with over the phone that same day.
It was over. Yasu had messed up. Yasu couldn't go back there, as long as she lived. There was no way.
There was a knock at the door. Yasu felt her chest tighten as she burrowed deeper under the covers.
"Yasu? Can I come in?"
Oh. Yui was home already. Yasu hesitated before emerging from the covers and weakly sitting up in bed.
"Yeah. That's fine." Yasu's voice was barely above a whisper.
Yui entered and sat on the edge of Yasu's bed. Yasu felt her heart sink as she got a good look at her mother's expression. Yui was not in a good mood. Why would she be?
"I'm sorry." Yasu's eyes slid to her hands, as her grip on her blanket tightened. "I was so close to finishing this year. I should've…" Her eyes welled with tears. "I tried… I really did! But I can't do it anymore! I can't!"
Yui pulled Yasu into a hug. She gently rubbed her daughter on the back as Yasu sobbed inconsolably against her chest. "Yasu, I'm not angry at you."
Yasu looked up at her mother. "You're not?"
"I'm angry at myself. I should have realized what was going on." Yui said. "And I'm angry at that teacher of yours. She had every opportunity to put a stop to this. I made that quite clear."
Yasu shook her head. "It's my fault. I'm not making enough of an effort. If I tried harder to get along-"
Yui's lips pressed into a thin line. "She was excusing herself, Yasu." she said. "You are not to blame for anything that happened. We adults failed you. I need you to understand that."
It was a nice sentiment. But Yasu wasn't sure about it. Not anymore. There was something about her that made other people want to hurt her. And any attempts to defend herself just made it worse. That was why she'd ended up locked in a supply closet for a good half-hour. Because she'd tried to fight back.
"You'll finish this school year remotely. I've seen to that." Yui continued. "And you'll be starting at a new school next year. I'm going to do whatever I can to ensure this doesn't happen again."
Yasu should have been happy about that too. Yui was offering her a fresh start. But a change of setting wouldn't erase who she was. It wouldn't stop those kids from moving in the moment they smelled blood in the water. Something about her would have to change. She had to make sure she wasn't hurt again.
"Never again." Yasu said, more to herself than to Yui. "Nobody's going to hurt me."
It was because she was a crybaby, wasn't it? It was because she was weak. It was because every time her teachers turned around, Yasu was having an emotional outburst. Maybe it'd be better not to have emotions.
"That's right." Yui hadn't seemed to catch the meaning of Yasu's words. That was okay. Yui didn't need to know. "You and Haruki are my world, Yasu. I want to give you two the best life I can."
Yasu just cuddled closer to Yui in response. She shut her eyes as she clung hard to her mother. Starting tomorrow, it'd be different. This would never happen again. She'd never let herself be hurt again.
There was a decently sized crowd gathered around Renge Kusakabe's artist booth when Hiroko, Yasu, and Motoko arrived on the scene. It looked like Renge had already sold quite a bit of her inventory. It was no wonder, with how beautiful everything was. It all looked even more fetching in person.
Part of Yasu was awed by Renge's work. The other part kept thinking about the incident with the book matchmaking service, about her own near-miss back then, about how Shiori had apparently eagerly thrown herself into helping with that, just as she had apparently leapt at a chance to help Renge.
Yasu frowned slightly. Correlation was not causation. But if this repeated itself, then-
"Whoa, what's with the sour face, Fukuda-san? I thought you wanted to be here."
Motoko was in her face again. Of course she was. She always had been an overbearing person, hadn't she? That clearly hadn't changed.
Yasu sharply pulled away from Motoko. "I had something else on my mind. That's all."
"Well, it can wait, right?" Motoko doubled back, grabbed Yasu, and dragged her in Renge's direction, ignoring Hiroko trying to stop her. "Come on already! Mom will be as happy to see you again as I was!"
Yasu managed to pull her arm out of Motoko's grasp. "I can walk on my own. Thank you."
It was funny. Motoko really had taken up a great deal of space in Yasu's brain once. She had spent the front half of junior high fantasizing about getting revenge on her, or at least giving her a piece of her mind. She had spent years terrified that another Motoko was among the people around her, ready to poison everyone against her, to the point of repressing her emotions as best as she could.
And yet, now that Motoko was in front of her, Yasu couldn't see her as anything but, well, just a girl. A girl who was getting on her last nerve, between her pushiness, lack of respect for Yasu's boundaries, and her seeming disregard for Hiroko, but a girl nonetheless, not the terrifying tormentor from her memories.
She really had changed a lot since she'd met Hiroko, hadn't she? She was so lucky to have met her.
Renge was standing a few feet away from her sales booth, chatting with another patron, as her assistants manned the booth itself and processed the customers' transactions. Motoko looked beyond proud of herself as she and Yasu approached Renge, with Hiroko following right behind them.
"Look who I brought along!" Motoko said. "Fukuda-san, this is Renge Kusakabe. And Mom, you remember Yasu Fukuda, don't you?"
"I do - her brother gave me a hand earlier." Renge said. "He said you were planning on dropping by, Fukuda-san - I understand you're an artist yourself?"
"That's not it! Fukuda-san was the best artist in our class, remember? Back in the fourth grade?" Motoko looked a bit put out. "The girl I wished I could draw like? I only talked about her all the time."
Renge looked a bit confused. "Did you? I'm sorry, Motoko - that was a while ago." And then back to Yasu. "Your brother said you were a talented painter. Is that right? I used to dabble a bit myself."
Motoko did not look happy about her spotlight getting taken away. Before she could say anything about it, a nearby customer intercepted her and led her off to ask a few questions about Renge's wares. Yasu didn't seem to notice she was gone, but Hiroko didn't miss the resentful glare Motoko sent her way.
"I usually do landscapes and still life." Yasu told Renge. "But I wanted to try something different. There's an important contest coming up - if I stay in my comfort zone, I'll be doing myself a disservice."
"Spoken like a true artist." Renge said approvingly. "What were you thinking of doing?"
"The theme for the contest is 'the infinity in nature'. And when I think of 'infinite nature' I think of the sky. And when I think of the sky, I think of Hiroko. I knew who my subject had to be."
Hiroko went slightly pink. "I was a little surprised… I've never modeled for a painting before." She was trying to sound normal about this. Trying. "But there was no way I could say no."
Renge smiled wryly. "You'd better get used to sitting still for a while. That's the tricky part, from my experience." And then, back to Yasu. "Are you not used to painting people?"
Yasu shook her head. "I've sketched them before. And I've tried to paint them a few times. But…" Her expression darkened a bit. "No matter how hard I try, there's no real feeling in those paintings. It's a problem I've had for a while." She shook her head. "I'm afraid that-"
"This won't come out right? Don't be." Renge said. "It's difficult to get out of your comfort zone. And it's frustrating when what's on the canvas doesn't match what's in your head. But if you try a few different angles, I'm sure you'll find one that works for you. There's no one 'right' way to do this, is there?"
"I suppose there isn't." Yasu said. "But if I submit a bad entry-"
"Then you learn from the experience and try, try again. I've had my share of bad contest entries myself, Fukuda-san. It's not the end of the world." Renge nodded to Hiroko. "And I'm sure your model wouldn't begrudge you. She matters more than a gaggle of stuffy old judges, right?"
"I wouldn't dream of it." said Hiroko. "I'm just happy you want to paint me, Yasu."
Yasu looked aside. "I'm glad to hear that." She sounded a bit flustered again. "Really."
"Oh! Renge-san! Could I borrow you for a moment?"
Yet another customer was hurrying up to Renge. She offered a soft 'excuse me' to Yasu and Hiroko before she moved to see after them… right as Motoko popped up in front of Yasu yet again.
"Fukuda-san! Can I borrow you for a second? These people-" Motoko gestured at the ever-growing crowd assembled near the sales displays with one hand as she grabbed Yasu's arm with the other. "They're too much for me! I'm sure an artist like you would be better at helping them anyway. Come with me."
Yasu pulled away from Motoko yet again. "Kusakabe-san, I don't have the time."
Motoko was unmoved. "How long has it been since we've seen each other? I'm asking you very nicely-"
Hiroko promptly stepped in "And I'm telling you very nicely, Kusakabe-san - Yasu said 'no'. Please respect that." She wouldn't yell, no matter how much she wanted to. "I'm sorry we couldn't stay longer, but-"
Motoko glared daggers at Hiroko. "I was talking to Fukuda-san, not you!" she snapped. "God, who asked you to third-wheel anyway? It's annoying as hell!"
Everything went dead silent. Most everyone present was staring at Motoko now. Renge looked mildly embarrassed, Hiroko was clearly trying to swallow down another fireball, lest she say something she regretted, and Yasu looked quietly furious. When she spoke, her tone was ice-cold.
"Don't talk to my Hiroko like that."
Motoko looked like she'd been slapped. Yasu didn't stick around to see what she'd say about it. She promptly turned and left with Hiroko.
It took her a moment to fully process what she had done… and what she had just said. Hiroko hadn't seemed to have noticed, but… now handling that felt twice as daunting as this contest did.
Then, again, Yasu reminded herself, standing up to Motoko had felt impossibly daunting back then, and she'd done it so easily. Maybe it really was a matter of approach. She had to keep thinking like that.
Yasu and Hiroko only made it as far as the artificial riverbank near the shopping district before the lingering adrenaline that had carried Yasu this far finally bottomed out, and she had to sit down. Hiroko gingerly sat down next to her. It was quiet here. Peaceful. Much easier to gather herself, after all… that.
"I'm sorry." Yasu said quietly. "I shouldn't have made you put up with Kusakabe-san like that."
Hiroko shook her head. "I'll be okay. I'm more worried about you, Yasu." She hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "She wasn't being honest back there, was she? About your past together."
"I'm sure that's the way she remembers it." Yasu sounded positively ambivalent as she watched the river slowly flow by. "Maybe she did admire my art." She grimaced a bit. "She just had an odd way of showing it."
"She hurt you, didn't she?" Hiroko didn't miss the change in Yasu's expression and the lingering tension in her shoulders, tension that seemed to lessen when she laid her hand over her upperclassman's own. "The way she treated you, it was like…" She frowned. "Like she was used to having power over you."
"She did for a long time." Yasu said. "Even after I dropped out." She smiled as she met Hiroko's gaze. "But I have you now, Hiroko. You and everyone else. That… doesn't matter anymore."
Hiroko felt a slight shift in the air. Someone was watching them nearby - Motoko Kusakabe herself. She and Yasu were instantly on their feet as they faced down the black-haired girl. How long had she been here?
"You followed us." Yasu said coolly.
Hiroko said nothing. She simply stood firm besides Yasu, intertwining her fingers with hers.
"And you were shit-talking me to your girlfriend behind my back, Fukuda. We're even." Motoko retorted. "Looks like I was wrong. You haven't grown up a bit." Yasu didn't react, and that just irritated Motoko further. "Like, holy cow, you're still that salty over, what, a little bit of teasing? Do you hate me that much?"
Yasu looked Motoko in the eye. The Yasu of five years ago, two years ago, several months ago would have torn into Motoko right there and then. But the Yasu of now saw no point in that. It just wasn't worth it.
"I don't hate you, Kusakabe-san. You aren't relevant to me. Not anymore."
An errant breeze carried past as Motoko stared at Yasu. That had not been the reaction she'd expected or wanted. It was written all over her face. And that wasn't Yasu's issue. She had a painting to work on and friends waiting for her. She wanted nothing more to do with Motoko Kusakabe. Not now, not ever again.
"I hope the tour goes well. Goodbye."
Yasu and Hiroko made it about five paces in before the sky over the shopping district turned gray. Yasu's heart plummeted as Hiroko's cell phone went off.
"Hiroko! Yasu! Those freaky vines are back!" Izumi was loud enough for Motoko to easily overhear. "They're coming out of the art that lady's selling - please hurry!"
Hiroko and Yasu exchanged glances before hurrying in the direction of the shopping district - and then Motoko easily blew past them both. She looked terrified out of her mind. Yasu didn't have to ask why.
They'd be right behind her, of course. It didn't matter how Yasu regarded Motoko. It didn't matter what Motoko had done. Pretty Cure was always here to help. That would never change.
The flowers of the Tree of Wrath had bloomed yet again. Black petals danced on the air, which was heavy with the smell of roses. Screams echoed around the streets of the shopping district, punctuated by the sound of shattering glass as person after person fell victim to the red-black vines that erupted from their purchased artwork. Colorless, unmoving bodies crumpled to the ground, one after another.
Panic was setting in. People were fleeing in all directions, as if that would accomplish anything. Shiori, who had been half-heartedly browsing storefronts with Haruki and Jun just a moment ago, drank it all in with weary red-brown eyes. This was a good result. Hinyu would be proud. She felt nothing about it.
Shiori existed to endure. Shiori endured to protect Keiko. This had just been another way of enduring. Motivation for Hinyu to keep the Asjun twins around. And soon, she'd be trapped into it. Ah…
Haruki and Jun were an entirely different story. The pair were on high alert the moment the first petal had wafted through the air. They were hurrying Shiori away from the noticeable gray patch in the sky above the shopping district and towards a nearby alleyway. They were both far too frantic and much too driven to notice Shiori's apathetic, hollow-eyed expression. As expected. None of them could surprise her.
"Shiori-san, please wait here." Haruki said as the three arrived at the mouth of the alley. "We'll come back for you soon, I promise!"
"Huh?" And now Shiori was back to feigning emotion. "Haruki-san, Inoue-san, what are you talking about?" Her eyes were wide with alarm as she clung to his arm. "Don't leave me behind again!"
Haruki looked briefly rattled by Shiori's outburst - and then he gently pulled away from her. "Shiori-san - there's something only we can do. There's no time to explain - you'll just have to trust us, okay?"
Jun nodded. "We want to keep you safe, however we can! You're our precious friend Shionyan!"
Shiori's glasses glinted as she met Jun's gaze. "You know nothing about me."
That sounded far colder than Shiori had intended. And Jun didn't seem to notice or care at all. Neither did Haruki. Were all of the Pretty Cure this oblivious?
"We'll get to know each other better - I'm sure of it!" Jun said. "And that's why Harunyan and I have to hurry and fix this! So please stay safe, Shionyan!"
And then those two hurried off, intent on undoing their 'precious friend's' handiwork. Shiori's glasses gleamed in the dimming sunlight, hiding her eyes from view as she watched them vanish. She felt sick.
There was no way she could be a friend of theirs. Shiori knew exactly where trusting anyone who wasn't her sister would lead. The adults who had hurt and betrayed her and her sister time and time again, the kids who could have helped them and had done nothing… they'd shown her how futile such a thing was.
Shiori smiled hollowly as she stared after Haruki and Jun. Naive fools, both of them. Fools that couldn't keep their noses out of her business. Fools that actually thought she'd let them into her heart.
"Oh, Haruki-san… Inoue-san… if only you knew how much I hate you."
The area near Renge Kusakabe's artist booth had become a warzone in the blink of an eye. One moment, she was busy keeping her inventory moving and assisting her patrons, in between wondering just where Motoko had gone. And then… it had all happened so suddenly. The shift in the air, the petals-
-and the vines, red-black vines that suddenly sprouted from her creations, snaring anyone unlucky enough to be holding one. Renge watched in mute horror as victim after victim dropped to the ground, colorless and unconscious, her artwork splintered into pieces, and the gray, lifeless sky above her spread outward.
Renge raised a trembling hand to her mouth, as the sculptures in her inventory began to tremble with a life of their own. Why was this happening? How was this happening? Who could've done something like th-
"Mom! Look out!"
A horde of red-black vines shot forth from Renge's remaining inventory, zipping towards her from all angles. Renge would have been ensnared on the spot, had Motoko not tackled her out of the way, leaving her to be ensnared instead.
"Kusakabe-san!"
Motoko narrowed her eyes as Hiroko and a visibly winded Yasu came hurrying towards her from another direction.
"Fukuda?! What happened to-?!"
Whatever Motoko was going to say next turned into a piercing scream as the vines sapped her of her energy and color. Renge leapt to help her daughter, only to be knocked away by the force of the growing red-black aura surrounding Motoko and the infected artwork. She landed a short distance away, knocked out cold.
The red-black glow surrounding the artwork grew larger and larger. There was a flash of light, and another fully formed Nikuina stood before Hiroko and Yasu - a towering, vaguely humanoid figure made of shining panes of mottled glass. The smell of decaying roses hung around it and withered-looking vines snaked around its body. Its chest was a large, hollow cavity. Inside hung a red, crystalline heart-
-and an unconscious Motoko Kusakabe, who was clutching the heart to her chest. A tangle of withered vines within the Nikuina's chest cavity kept her tightly snared in place. Yasu's heart sank as she realized what purpose Motoko was meant to serve. She wouldn't let that happen. She couldn't.
Three other figures were hurrying towards Hiroko and Yasu - Izumi from one direction, Haruki and Jun from the other. The five wasted no time in readying their Puricells.
"Pretty Cure! Spirit Unleash!"
The Nikuina came out swinging at Pretty Cure, who immediately went on the offensive. Cure Byakko held the line with her shields, while Cure Genbu and Cure Suzaku drove it back with a hail of fisticuffs. Its glass body easily cracked under the surface of the blows. It let out a pained howl as it staggered backward.
Cure Seiryuu and Cure Ouryuu sprang forth towards the hail of vines surrounding Motoko. Seiryuu flung several blades of razor wind towards the vines, as Ouryuu moved in, intent on extracting Motoko.
The Nikuina was ready for them. Before Seiryuu's attacks could connect, it suddenly crossed its arms in front of its chest. Seiryuu's wind bounced off the shiny glass comprising its body and rebounded towards Ouryuu. The gold Cure wasn't prepared to dodge and went flying right into Seiryuu, sending the two flying backwards and into a nearby storefront.
"Oh, screw you!"
Genbu, who hadn't realized what had happened, leapt towards the Nikuina and spiked a ball of pressurized water full force at its back. It made no effort to protect itself, allowing Genbu's attack to hit it, rebound off its reflective body, and crush the black Cure with her own assault-
-or it would have, had Byakko not jumped in, shield at the ready. The white Cure's shield just managed to hold up against the sheer force of Genbu's attack, which still drove her backwards a fair distance.
"Don't tell me this thing has permanent Reflect!" Suzaku said.
Byakko pressed her lips into a thin line. "It seems that way."
"Looks like our spirit power won't work." Genbu said. "Damn it…"
And then the vines surrounding Motoko began to glow and pulsate with energy, and Byakko realized that direct attacks were a terrible idea as well. It was just like before. Motoko was being drained of her energy as she writhed in pain, while the damage that Pretty Cure had inflicted onto the Nikuina was reversing itself.
Seiryuu and Ouryuu regrouped with the others, just as the Nikuina mounted another assault against Pretty Cure, forcing them to focus on evading for the moment. Direct offense was no longer an option.
This Nikuina had no fancy tricks up its sleeve. It didn't need any. The smallest impact, be it from it attacking Pretty Cure or Pretty Cure coming into contact with it, made its brittle glass body crack, and even the tiniest injury led to Motoko being drained further, so the Nikuina could repair itself.
This was going to keep getting worse unless Motoko was out of there - and the Nikuina was doing an excellent job of keeping Pretty Cure from getting too close. On top of that, the vines entrapping Motoko would likely only fall to spirit power - the same spirit power that easily bounced off the Nikuina.
Something seemed to be bothering Suzaku, and it only grew more intense as the Nikuina stepped up its assault. Ouryuu looked over at the red Cure as he suddenly paused mid-battle to look around. Byakko, who had touched down nearby, looked no less concerned.
"Suzaku? What's wrong?"
"Whoever summoned the last Nikuina… they're watching us right now." Suzaku said grimly. "And they're enjoying this. They want us to suffer. Just like before." He tightened a fist as he looked up at the empty air. "Why are you doing this?!" he called out to their unseen enemy. "Why do you hate us so much?!"
Suzaku didn't get an answer, outside of the Nikuina lunging forward and attempting to flatten him with one massive fist. Said fist shattered into tiny pieces, sending huge pieces of reflective glass shrapnel everywhere. Pretty Cure was forced to focus on avoiding those, while the Nikuina-
-was already using Motoko's life energy to heal itself. But it had managed to injure itself badly enough to leave a small opening, an opening that Byakko was eager to take advantage of.
"Everyone - can you hold up without me?" Byakko summoned her White Fleuret in a flash of light. "I'm going to save Kusakabe-san."
"Of course!" Seiryuu said. "Please be careful, Byakko!"
"I will be." Byakko said. "There's a lot I need to do."
That was right, Byakko mused as she charged forward. She had a painting to work on. She had a dream she wanted to achieve. And no matter how scared part of her still was about it, she had to let Hiroko know her true feelings. And she wouldn't be able to do any of that unless the five of them triumphed today!
By the time the Nikuina realized what Byakko was trying to do, it was too late. The white Cure had gained a foothold into its chest cavity. Before it could try and get her out, her four teammates threw themselves into drawing its attention. It took the bait, leaving Byakko free to focus on freeing Motoko.
Byakko focused her spirit power into her White Fleuret as she neatly sliced through the vines ensnaring Motoko. It wasn't easy, between how tough each vine was and how they writhed and snaked towards her limbs as she worked, threatening to trap her as well, should she get careless. Still, Byakko kept going. If she gave up, they'd almost certainly lose, and Motoko Kusakabe would almost certainly die.
She couldn't allow that. Even if Motoko had hurt her, even if Motoko hadn't really changed, she was still a person. She still deserved a life and a future. And Byakko was going to protect it, no matter what!
"Your tomorrow… my tomorrow… I'll protect them, Kusakabe-san!" Byakko told the unconscious Motoko as she redoubled her assault on the vines surrounding Motoko. "I'll definitely protect them!"
White spirit power flared up around Byakko as she threw everything she had into freeing Motoko. Her White Fleuret sliced through the remaining vines like a hot knife through butter as she worked, moving through Motoko's lingering bindings with the grace of petals on the wind and the fury of a tigress.
And finally, finally, Motoko was free. Byakko easily scooped the girl up in her arms before bursting forth from the Nikuina's chest cavity like a sparkling white meteor. The Nikuina reeled backward from the shock before crumpling to its knees, leaving it wide open.
Motoko briefly stirred in Byakko's embrace as the white Cure carried her away from her prison before touching down some distance away, clearly exhausted but clearly very satisfied. Motoko's eyes widened in shock as she met Byakko's gaze. Those steely but kind eyes of hers, they were so much like-
"Fuku… da?"
Byakko didn't seem to have noticed Motoko's reaction. And unconsciousness overtook Motoko before she could say anything further. The white Cure gently deposited her onto a nearby bench before turning away. What Motoko did next was up to her. Byakko had no further involvement there. Time to end this.
Seiryuu had that covered. "Let's finish this up!" She readied her Azure Wings as she took careful aim at the heart inside the Nikuina's chest cavity, blue delphinium petals swirling around her and a gale kicking up about her as she focused her spirit power.
"Pretty Cure! Azure Tornado!"
The Nikuina roared in agony as Seiryuu's attack found its mark. Its glass heart shattered in a hail of splinters, as the Nikuina itself exploded in an enormous burst of heart-shaped radiant blue light.
When the light cleared, all that remained of the Nikuina were the smashed remains of Renge's artwork and a few motes of light. Once again, there was no Wrath Seed pod to be found.
Seiryuu's knees buckled out from under her as her transformation faded. Byakko was instantly at her side… only to quickly sink down alongside Hiroko as her own transformation gave out on her. The rest of the team also released their transformations, as the damage to the area faded.
"Are you okay, Yasu?" Hiroko asked.
Yasu nodded. "I'm fine. I just used a lot more energy than I thought." As Haruki helped her to her feet, and Izumi helped up Hiroko, her eyes traveled to the smashed remains of Renge's artwork. "Art can be replaced. Artists can't. But I still wouldn't wish this on anyone."
"It looked like it all got ruined." Jun looked utterly crushed. "I wish we could've done something. She shook her head. "I wish I could've sensed something. I don't know why Kichu and I didn't."
Kichu poked his head out of Jun's skirtall pocket. He looked troubled as well. "Chuu…"
"This is the second time now." Haruki looked really troubled. "And both times… both times…"
Haruki couldn't bring himself to say it. Yasu and Hiroko exchanged glances. Neither of them had to ask, not after the discussion they'd had earlier today. That was looking more and more likely now, which meant-
A chill ran down the back of Yasu's neck. She instinctively looked up just in time to see a figure glancing down at her from a nearby rooftop. She didn't get a chance to get a good look at them before they vanished, but she did catch a flash of wine-purple hair and the glint of light reflecting off spectacles.
It all happened so quickly. Were Yasu anyone else, she might have wondered if it was just her imagination. But she trusted her eyes. She knew exactly what she'd seen. She just didn't know what to do about it.
"Hiroko, are you alright?"
Yasu was looking up from her easel, which she had set up in the Fukuda estate's study with concern. Hiroko had been holding the same pose at the window seat across from her for a good while, and she was beginning to look a bit tired.
Hiroko jolted to attention. "Huh? Oh, uh, I'm fine!" She grimaced as her sudden movement sent a wave of pins and needles through her limbs. "Well… mostly fine. Maybe we should take a break."
"Good call." Yasu was already stepping away from her easel. "We've been at this for a while."
Yasu took a moment to do a few arm and hand stretches, as Hiroko abandoned the window seat and did a few stretch exercises of her own. She tried not to stare at her fellow Cure too much. It was difficult. Hiroko was beautiful, especially in the patch of sunlight was streaming into the study through the window.
Hiroko didn't seem to notice Yasu looking at her like that. She seemed more focused on Yasu's easel, moreso as she finished stretching.
"How is it coming along?"
Yasu glanced at her canvas. "Much better than I expected. Kusakabe-san was right. I just needed to find a different technique. It was worth speaking to her."
Hiroko looked a bit pensive. "Do you think they'll be okay? I'm worried about them, especially Motoko-san."
Yasu and Hiroko exchanged glances. In the end, Renge had been more worried about Motoko than the state of her artwork. Her sentiments had echoed Yasu's - she could replace every single piece that had been destroyed today, given enough time. But she couldn't replace Motoko.
As for Motoko… she had clearly wanted to say something to Yasu the whole time. Whatever it was had never made it to her mouth. She had stuck to apologizing to any nearby patrons for the trouble while promising to help process refunds. But Hiroko hadn't missed how regretful she'd looked the whole time.
"I'm sure they will." Yasu said. "I hope Motoko Kusakabe has a nice life. I want nothing to do with it. That's all." She nodded to Hiroko. "I have plenty of precious people. They're the ones who deserve my energy."
Hiroko went a bit pink. "You're just as precious to me, Yasu. I'm really glad we met."
Yasu smiled. "So am I. I'd be a much different person if I hadn't met you, Hiroko." She gestured towards her canvas. "Do you want to take a look? I don't mind."
Yasu stepped aside, allowing Hiroko to get a good look at her half-finished painting. Hiroko felt her chest catch as she got a good look at the piece. It depicted beautiful sylph presiding over a sea of clouds in the night sky. Her dark hair and delicate silvery-blue raiments shined beautifully in the moonlight, and her appearance radiated gentle, feminine grace. Yasu had emphasized light and color over detail here, but…
"Graceful, feminine beings that exist beyond gender. You remind me of one, Hiroko."
…there would be no mistaking who the subject of this painting was based on. And unless Hiroko was reading too far into things, there was no mistaking the unspoken feelings in this piece either. She didn't want to pry too hard, even now, even after everything she and Yasu had been through together, but…
"Yasu… is this how you see me?"
Hiroko spoke without thinking. Yasu didn't seem to mind. In fact, she seemed downright appreciative.
"It is." Yasu answered without hesitation. "You're beautiful, Hiroko. I want people to see that."
Hiroko was a bit red now. "Th-thank you…" She glanced curiously at Yasu. "Is this the one you're planning on submitting for the contest?"
"Maybe." Yasu said. "I want to do a few pieces. There are other approaches I want to explore. And I like getting to draw you like that. I haven't felt this peaceful in a while."
Hiroko wasn't even trying to hide how flustered she was now. "Yasu… that's a bit romantic, honestly."
Yasu met Hiroko's eyes. "I meant it to be."
Hiroko just stared in the wake of Yasu's blunt declaration. Yasu wouldn't just say these things in jest, she never did, but even so, this didn't exactly feel real.
"Yasu?"
For a moment, Yasu said nothing. For a moment, you could hear a pin drop in the study. And then-
"I'm in love with you, Hiroko. I've felt this way for a while now." Yasu's tone was as stoic as always, but the slight strain in her voice gave away her nerves. "I don't want to impose on you. But you have a right to know."
Hiroko couldn't manage a response to that. Her throat felt too dry. Yasu visibly faltered and retreated away from her, clearly worried she'd done something wrong - and seeing that was enough to finally get Hiroko to speak.
"Yasu… you aren't imposing." She took a deep breath. "I feel the same way. I have since we first met."
Yasu looked downright floored by Hiroko's confession. "Do you mean…?"
Hiroko nodded. "I'm sorry… I should've told you a lot earlier. But I didn't even know it was a crush at first, and then when I did figure it out… you were just getting used to having friends, it didn't feel fair to just drop that on you, and I…" She shook her head. "I only like girls. I'm okay with that now, but I didn't know if-"
"I like you, Hiroko." Yasu's face fell a bit. "But…"
Hiroko looked at Yasu worriedly. "But?"
"You're right. I'm still getting used to having friends." Yasu said. "I don't know what it means to be a good girlfriend. And I'm still not the warmest person out there." She smiled sadly. "I feel like you deserve better."
Hiroko shook her head. "You're one of the kindest people I know, Yasu. And I don't know how to handle any of this either." She smiled. "But if I stumble, you'll definitely be there to catch me, right?"
"Just like you'll be there to catch me." Yasu said. "I remember what you promised."
Hiroko gingerly closed the gap between herself and Yasu, one step at a time, putting the pair face to face, in front of the study's window. She gently took Yasu's hands in hers as she looked into her eyes.
"We can figure it out together, can't we? We have to try."
Yasu smiled. "I think I'd like that, Hiroko."
The sunlight had never felt so pleasant and warm, and Yasu's chest hadn't felt this light for some time. She hadn't just freed herself of a past burden, she'd finally let out the feelings she'd long kept locked away.
Even now, part of her wondered if she was dreaming. Even now, part of her was worried she was going to wake up. But no, this was very much reality, Hiroko was with her like this, Hiroko wanted to be with her like this, and maybe, just maybe, they could make this work. They had to try.
Yasu hesitated momentarily before Hiroko smiled and nodded. That was enough.
Plenty had been written about the experience of a first kiss. And Yasu had read plenty about it over the years. But she hadn't been prepared for the feeling of Hiroko's lips meeting hers or the warmth that flooded her body as she held Hiroko close like this, or how full her heart felt in that moment.
It wasn't perfect. Yasu's hands were trembling the whole time, and both she and Hiroko had to flail a bit before they got the kiss right. It didn't matter if it wasn't done perfectly. It was theirs. Even so…
Hiroko looked downright giddy as the pair parted from their first kiss. Yasu looked a bit pensive.
"Yasu?" Hiroko glanced at her girlfriend (her girlfriend!) worriedly. "Is everything okay?"
You have to try different angles, until you find the one that works for you. It was a good approach to art. Maybe it applied to romance too. Or maybe Yasu just wanted an excuse to kiss Hiroko again. Either way…
"Once isn't enough Hiroko. If it's okay with you-"
It was a wonder Hiroko didn't tip over on the spot. "Of course it's okay! It's more than okay! You can't get better at kissing if you don't practice, so…"
Hiroko's choice of phrasing would have to be a bit more refined to qualify as 'awkward'. And Yasu didn't seem to care at all. She just smiled as Hiroko shyly moved in for another shared kiss-
-and then the door to the study suddenly flew open, and the two froze like deer in headlights.
"Hey, Sis, Hiroko? There's an apple tart in the ki-" Haruki's words dried up as he noticed what Hiroko and Yasu had been about to do. "I… should have knocked, huh?"
Hiroko and Yasu quickly parted from their embrace, as if Haruki hadn't just seen them about to kiss.
"You should have." Yasu was trying to sound cool-headed. It wasn't quite working. "But I'm glad you told us. I could use a snack."
"I'm a bit hungry myself." Hiroko was doing an even worse job of sounding nonchalant. "Thank you, Haruki!"
"Any time!" Haruki had never sounded so awkward in his life. "I, uh, congrats on the…" He backed away quickly. "I'll cut some slices for you guys right now!"
Hiroko exhaled softly as Haruki hurried off. "Maybe we should have been more discreet. Poor Haruki."
Yasu shook her head. "Like I said. He should have knocked. This will be a valuable lesson." She intertwined her fingers with Hiroko's. "Let's go before it gets cold. Warm apple tarts are the best."
Hiroko smiled. "Of course!'
And with that, the two departed, hand in hand. The future had never seemed so bright, or so sweet.
Yasu's first day at her new school had gone about as well as she could have expected it to go.
Her plan had paid off, in a sense. A girl who spoke only when spoken to, remained as put-together as possible at all times, and refrained from any deep displays of emotion did not make for an easy target. But as expected, nobody wanted to be friends with someone like that either.
Nobody would hurt her again. Nobody would ever want her as a friend. Maybe that was just how it had to be.
When Yui returned home from work, she found Yasu sitting at the front porch, morosely staring out at the Fukuda estate's rose gardens. Her sketchbook laid on her lap, but she wasn't touching it. Yui frowned slightly at the sight before approaching her daughter and gingerly sitting down next to her.
"Did everything go alright?" Yui asked. "I know this was a large adjustment for you."
Yasu did not look at Yui. "It was fine. I'll get used to it."
Her words said one thing, but her flat tone and sad eyes told a completely different story. Still, Yui did not pressure her to say anything more. She never did. She always seemed to know when Yasu and Haruki needed a bit of space. It was one of the many things Yasu admired about her mother.
After a moment of silence, keeping the walls up became too much for Yasu. She moved a bit closer to her mother and laid her head on her shoulder. It was okay. She could be vulnerable here. It was okay.
"Will it ever get better?"
"I know it will." Yui said. "Nobody is meant to be alone, Yasu. There are friends out there waiting for you. If you keep looking, one day, you'll find your way to them."
Yasu had trouble believing that too, not when Motoko and her other bullies' words rang loud in her head even now, not when her new class already knew her as the girl who acted like a robot. And yet, some part of her couldn't help but wonder. What if Yui was right after all? What if there was hope?
Friends to call her own… people who'd care about her, people she could be there for. It felt so far-off for someone like her, but….
Yasu smiled, just a bit. "I think I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."
It was dead silent when Shahei returned home. Kooyoo and Tobi were elsewhere. Hinyu would not be showing himself tonight. Kae was with her of course, but she had nothing to say. Or maybe there was nothing she wanted to say. Her sister felt strangely tense. Hesitant. Was it… was it because…
Shahei swallowed hard as her eyes drifted to the mess in the center of the flat's main area. Reagents, chalk, crystals, strewn about carelessly. Papers, some torn from old books, others ripped from notepads and written in glitter gel ink, scattered like fallen leaves. It was so very close to being done.
A surge of bile rose in her throat as she prodded at a pile of the reagents with the toe of her boot. Maybe it didn't have to be like this. She could always destroy the spell components, torch the papers, fight Kae if she even thought of working on this spell again. It wasn't as if Kae had any hope of stopping her. She-
"Shahei?"
-froze like a statue as her sister called out to her. Kae sounded so small, so worried, so… unlike herself.
"What is it, dear sister?"
"If something happened… if someone was hurting you behind my back, you'd tell me, right?"
"Oh, Kae. If something happened, you'd definitely know."
Kae said nothing. She was horribly tense. No, not just tense, Shahei realized. She was afraid.
"Shahei… I'm sorry, but I don't believe you. Not this time. Please, tell me what happened!"
Shahei drew in a shaky breath as she bunched the hems of her overlong sleeves in her clenched hands. Damn it… damn it… if she'd just been more careful, if she'd blown those two off like she should have-
"You're my one and only sister, Shahei! If Hinyu-san's done anything, I need to know!"
Shahei closed her eyes tightly… before grabbing her head and twisting it all the way around. Kae blinked rapidly as she pushed her hair out of her face.
"Shahei, what are you-?!"
"Don't you have a ritual to work on, dear sister?"
Kae stomped a foot. "Screw the stupid ritual!" she snapped. "I'm worried about you!"
"Focus, dear sister." Shahei was eerily calm. "Efficiency is a virtue, isn't it?"
"Yeah?! Well, you know what else is a virtue, Shahei?! Being there for your sister when-"
Shahei was out cold. Kae's face fell as the fire rapidly ebbed from her voice.
"-someone's… hurting her…"
Kae's hand trembled as she experimentally prodded at one of her shoulders. She involuntarily flinched and let out a whimper of pain. It still hurt. No, it burned. Not like when you slept on it wrong… more like…
"Oh, gods."
She should have known better. She knew Hinyu had no problem manhandling teenagers, she knew Shahei had met with him while she was asleep, she knew how foul his temper was, she knew what he was and yet-!
Kae slowly sank to the ground as the weight of what was happening hit her all at once. She'd promised to keep Shahei safe. She'd promised to protect her from the world. She'd promised, over and over and over!
Hot tears hit the pages scattered around her, one after another, smearing the ink. Kae had failed. She'd broken her promise to Shahei, hadn't she? She'd broken it in the worst possible way.
"I'm sorry, Shahei. I'm… so sorry…"