CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE – HAPPENSTANCE

Naoki looked over the list of groceries one more time as he picked up his umbrella from the nearby stand. "Are you sure this is everything, Mom?" he called out. "Don't you have anything else you want me to pick up?"

"That's it for now," his mother replied from the kitchen. "I'll just text you if anything else comes up."

"Alright. I'm going now. I'll just send a text once I'm done getting everything. You take care later, okay?"

"Sure thing, son. Don't wander too long in the rain!"

The walks to school were both the calmest and most tumultuous times he often experienced, other than the respite he got at the privacy of his room at home. Thoughts thrived in such environments, growing until they threatened to run amok unless they were reined in by the thinker's sense of logic and resolve, or by some other activity that helped distract the mind from them. For the most part, Naoki was thankful that things had managed to simmer down for him and Yuri, keeping his musings from escalating into a jumbled mess.

Even the weather seemed to take on a dismal mood following the funeral of Tsuru Kobayashi only more than a week before. As he walked to school with his umbrella keeping the rain at bay, Naoki remembered how weary his mother had seemed when he saw her the morning after their visit at the hospital, when Tsuru had passed. He had wondered at first if she would request him to come with her to the affair, if only to have someone to support her instead of facing a friend's wake alone, but his mother instead asked him to help her prepare what little gifts she could give to Tsuru's bereaved family, delivering them personally to Tsukiko's downtown apartment the day after the funeral. Naoki knew that his mother had not chosen to attend the cremation ceremony, opting instead to let Tsuru's family mourn in private, though that did not stop her from sharing their grief. Naoki felt for her and the Kobayashi family, and prayed that those who experienced the same ordeal as Tsuru would find the respite they needed and deserved, respite that did not end in such a tragic way.

But that did not mean the days were purely dismal. That Yuri was gradually doing better with each passing day came as a comforting consolation. She still had her characteristic jumpiness, the first of many signs of anxiety in a person that Naoki was always keeping an eye out for, but it often gave way to a feeling of security when she managed to get in the groove with him. With regards to that, Naoki was also mightily grateful for Natsuki's help; she had been more instrumental in helping Yuri feel at ease than she would know. Indeed, he would often spot them talking to one another when they ran across each other during lunchtime, during which he would let the two of them be; and though Natsuki had no way of knowing it, Yuri would always come to him afterwards to share how happy she had been in her conversation with her. Poetry was fast becoming the greatest factor in their developing bond, and Naoki also felt glad that Natsuki appeared to shed her aloofness in order to meet Yuri's interest in poetry head on with her own emergent curiosity in it. With the tribulations and ordeals they were enduring, the joy and comfort they found in each other were well-deserved indeed.

Yuri was deep into her reading with The Portrait of Markov when he arrived at their classroom, but she looked up immediately when she heard him approaching. Her elegant face broke into a smile. "G-Good morning, Naoki," she said in greeting.

"Good morning to you too, Yuri," said Naoki, grinning back. "Rereading last night's chapter, are we?"

"Ah, y-yes," said Yuri with a giggle. "This close to the climax, it just makes me want to press on to the ending. But I didn't read any chapters in advance, o-of course! As we agreed on, we'll get to that together."

"I understand. I'm excited to find out about Libitina's fate as well," said Naoki cordially. "In the meantime, how's your poetry doing? Have you and Natsuki made any new poems yet?"

"Not yet, b-but I do have ideas for a new one. I've jotted them down in my notebook. I'll see if Natsuki can get any ideas from them, since she told me that she was starting to lag behind regarding what themes she could go for."

"Sounds good! Always nice to see how enthusiastic you two are about poetry."

"How about you? Aren't you going to write a new one soon?"

Naoki laughed. "I'll settle for on-the-spot haikus for now. Words and themes also escape me sometimes. If I ever manage to make one, though, I'll make sure to let you read it first."

Yuri blushed. "I'll l-look forward to that."

Their conversation turned towards their usual topics—a recollection of the previous day's Markov chapter, a retelling of the interpretations and reactions they had discussed, and guesses as to what the next chapter will show. For some, Naoki knew how mundane it could be to rely on such routine discussions every single day, but where introverts like he and Yuri were concerned, it was a well that thankfully did not run dry as often as some discussions did.

After a while, however, Yuri decided to open up on a whole new different subject from out of nowhere. "H-How is your mother doing?" she asked rather timidly during a brief lull in their conversation.

Naoki regarded her with surprise for a second. "Um, she's doing just fine," he said with a small smile. "Thanks for asking."

"That's good." A brief pause followed Yuri's words, during which she looked away for a moment. "I'm sorry. I just remembered what happened to . . . t-to her friend."

"Ah, yes," Naoki muttered, his smile fading. Not wanting to dampen her mood on the same day they had been together at the hospital, he had opted instead to share the news of Tsuru's death to Yuri when the funeral was over. As expected, Yuri had reacted with shock, her first instinct being to offer what comfort she could for his mother.

"She's holding up, but it'll be a while before the grief passes," he went on. "She's doing her best to help Tsuru's family mourn and all. She hasn't stopped checking on Tsuru's sister Tsukiko since the day Tsuru died."

"I see." Yuri looked unsure on how to continue as she wrung her hands together. "I'm sorry. I don't think I should've opened up a topic like this. It feels t-too personal and somber."

"No, it's okay," said Naoki. "No harm done, don't worry."

Yuri sighed. "I hope so. The mourning and the resulting pall it has on people . . . it reminds me of when my grandfather died. I was too young to remember most of what happened during the funeral, but I could never forget the grief my family showed then. We knew it was coming, when he fell ill, but it still hurt in the end."

"I know that feeling." For a moment, Naoki remembered his own grandfather's passing years ago at Yamanashi. "Always tragic, when someone passes away, especially like this."

"Yes. That's why I hope your mother holds up well. A-And her friend's family too."

They continued in this vein for quite some time, but given the dreary nature of the subject, their conversation soon died down. Naoki took that as a signal to prepare his things for their first class of the day, while Yuri went back to her copy of Markov. Unable to resist, he stole a glance at her left forearm, his mind reminiscing about the scars she had there. Still, the bandages that peeked out of her sleeve looked white as snow, giving him a sense of hope.

With the road to their exams inching ever forward, classes were mostly silent and serious, with their professors marching them through the lessons in a slow but strict pace to ensure that they were picking up on the lessons at hand. The rain joined in as the general mood of the student body became subdued, punctuated only by the respite they received during their morning and noontime breaks. Naoki himself was already starting to wonder how best to start making his reviewer for the exams, though even as an introvert he wished that there were more breaks in the dense atmosphere for them to enjoy.

On their lunchtime break, nothing much looked out of the ordinary. Still unable to eat outside in the rain, Daisuke and Natsuki joined the rest of the student body as they converged in the school cafeteria to eat. Immediately, Natsuki and Yuri started a discussion of their own, leaving Kenta, Daisuke and Naoki to talk on their own. And as part of their daily routine, Kenta immediately complained about the mounting weight of their classes. Naoki had imagined him looking a little diminished by the rainy days as well, though with the triumvirate now together, he appeared to go back to his usual form.

"I dunno about you guys, but I might have to ask for help from my cousin again for this," he remarked; Naoki knew he was referencing the time when he had done so to save himself from flunking freshman year. "There's no way I can handle this on my own, not with the holidays coming."

"Tell me about it. If this keeps up, you're gonna have to ask your cousin if he's up for tutoring two people," Daisuke groaned.

"Or maybe Naoki can tutor us instead," Kenta joked, looking over with a desperate look at him. "What say you, Naoki? You're the whiz kid among the three of us. Tutoring two dolts should be fine, right?"

"Tutoring's a bit different from studying together, in case you didn't know," said Naoki, laughing. "Besides, you guys aren't the only ones who will stress out for the exams. I might look like I've got my stuff together, but that's not always the case."

"Story of our lives right there," said Kenta with a sigh. "I wish we can have it the same way we did back at the first batch, at Monika's house. But that's not gonna happen this time around."

Daisuke looked at him with sympathy. "Well, at least we can look forward to a banger of a year-ender when it's all said and done," he remarked. "That'll make up for the stress for sure."

"Correct. Until then, we don't really have any choice but to keep fighting," said Naoki. "But come on, it's not like we haven't been here before, right, guys? And we're still here. That says a lot about how many times we've aced these kinds of trials and came out on top. We've got this."

Kenta laughed. "Same ol' Naoki with the optimalistic speeches."

"'Optimistic,' Kenta," Naoki pointed out as Daisuke guffawed.

Natsuki soon joined their ranks when her own conversation with Yuri had ended. "So, exam blues, huh?" she asked Daisuke.

"Why? You're telling me you're not feeling them after that last lecture Old Man Tanaka made?" Daisuke shot back.

"Well, that was a bit of a bore, not gonna lie," said Natsuki, "but once you get the names and dates nailed down, it all starts becoming less of a hassle."

"But you're the History ace, not me," said Daisuke, causing her to blush.

"I'm just saying that a bit more reviewing won't hurt, okay?" Natsuki retorted, avoiding everyone else's eyes lest they fuel her mortification further. "Besides, you're the one who keeps doodling in your notebook while there's a lecture going on!"

"Please tell me someone caught him," Kenta joined in, chortling. "People would have a blast if they saw the stuff he used to draw in middle school."

"Unfortunately, no one called him out," said Natsuki. "But I think Professor Akamatsu's gonna nab him one of these days."

"W-Wait, you saw me drawing earlier?" asked Daisuke.

"Not just earlier, but for the past couple of days too, doofus!" Natsuki snapped. "You're lucky none of the teachers thought to call on you even if you were too obvious for your own good!"

Daisuke stared at her. ". . . Does that mean you were watching me all that time?"

Her face reddening, Natsuki drew back. "I . . . T-That's not the point here!"

Naoki chuckled, leaving the two of them alone as Kenta watched them bicker with glee. His own mirth, however, faded a little when he saw Yuri staring blankly at her tray of food. That came as an odd and even worrisome instance, given that she seemed as open as ever—or as open as she could be with someone—when she and Natsuki had been talking to each other.

Naoki leaned a little closer to her from across their table. "Yuri? Are you okay?"

Yuri snapped to attention in a flash, straightening up and looking around as if someone had called her name. "Y-Yes, I'm alright!" she replied nervously when her gaze focused on Naoki. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about s-something."

"A problem?" Naoki asked worriedly.

"No, no! It's n-nothing of the sort," Yuri cried out, trying hard not to draw everyone else's attention. Thankfully, Natsuki, Daisuke and Kenta were still busy with their own conversations. "I was just planning out the chores I'll be doing for Grandmother later when I get home."

"Oh, I see. How is she, by the way?"

"She's doing just fine. The weather gets to her a lot easier than usual, but otherwise she's okay. I'm actually thinking of buying her a fresh batch of tea and biscuits one of these days, to help her restock. Perhaps a bit more tea would help her body cope with all the cold. . ."

Naoki smiled. "That sounds nice. Want me to accompany you? Mom wants me to pick up some groceries after school. She's going out to meet a friend for dinner tonight, so she can't take care of it."

Yuri looked both excited and nervous. "Wouldn't that be too much of a hassle for you?" she asked.

"Of course not," said Naoki genially. "I don't know if we can dawdle in the rain on the way home, but the company alone will be worth it."

A faint flush crept into Yuri's cheeks. "Yes, I suppose y-you're right," she said, her lips forming a small smile.

Downtown Eishima seemed more chaotic than usual as the rain continued to fall across the city later that day. With drivers maneuvering a little slower along the wet streets, more vehicles began to accumulate in front of traffic lights and crossings than usual. Their slow progress belied the foot traffic on the sidewalks where people moved quickly beneath the rain, careful to avoid bumping into each other and not stay for too long under the rain. Yuri found herself fighting hard to keep up with Naoki as the two of them made their way to where they needed to be, not wanting to get caught up in the occasional press of passersby that came across them. She clutched her schoolbag tightly against her torso, protecting them from the raindrops that fell from the edges of her umbrella. Naoki looked behind him every now and then, as if checking to see if she was still on his tail, and he would slow down to let her catch up when she lagged behind. It made her appreciate him greatly all over again.

At long last, the two of them reached the grocery store they had chosen for their respective errands. In spite of the number of people walking outside in the rain, there were only a handful of customers inside. The two of them were soon wandering in between the aisles; as payment for his company and to save time, Yuri decided to help him with his mother's grocery list, going through the opposite shelves to pick up the other things he needed. Her own items had been picked out relatively quicker, given that she only needed to buy some tea and biscuits for her grandmother, with an additional box of oolong for herself. All the while, Yuri felt a little bashful as she picked out groceries with him; with how close they were, looking at the shelves and deciding on which brand to buy, it felt like they were more of a couple than anything else. It made her fumble a number of times with the goods she was picking out on the shelves, but she could not care less, not when she felt this gratified.

Hints of brightness peeped through the dark grey clouds above when the two of them left the grocery store, lighting up the streets a little in defiance against the gloomy weather. The chill persisted, however, and Yuri made a mental note to bring some sort of jacket the following day should the rains persist. If Naoki felt as cold as she did, he showed no sign of it as he turned towards her.

"Everything good?" he asked.

"Ah, yes. All taken care of," said Yuri as she checked her purchases one last time. "Are you going on home now?"

"Well, I was thinking . . . maybe I could accompany you for a little while longer, help you go home," Naoki offered.

"W-What?" Yuri stared at him, startled. "But don't you need to go home now?"

"Dad's still at work, and Mom's probably out with her friend already. It'll be a bit too quiet at home for my liking," said Naoki, laughing. "I figured that a bit of time outside will do me some good. Rather risky with all the rain, but I'll manage."

"B-But your groceries," said Yuri, looking at the two plastic bags he had. "Wouldn't it be bothersome if you're carrying them all the while?"

"No, it's not that much of a problem," Naoki assured her. He smiled apologetically and added, "I'm sorry if this seems so sudden. I wanted to invite you for some coffee somewhere so that we can spend time together for a little while longer, but all the cafés we passed were full."

"Oh!" Yuri felt her face redden a little. "Yes, I suppose that w-would've been nice," she said with a shy, nervous laugh. "Um, I think we can have tea over at my place, but are you sure it's okay with you?"

"Of course, Yuri. That sounds excellent," said Naoki lightly. "I hope your grandmother wouldn't be too surprised, though."

"Perhaps, but she'd be fine with it, I'm sure," said Yuri, remembering with amusement the times her grandmother had asked her about Naoki's next visit.

The rain felt more tolerable as the two of them made their way out of downtown Eishima, crossing into one of its many neighborhood quarters towards the Hoshino residence. Yuri felt pleased with the development and how timely her purchase of oolong tea had been. Indeed, nothing felt as refreshing as a hot cup of tea in the cold weather, and Naoki's presence would undoubtedly make it even more enjoyable, though Yuri made a mental note to not let him stay for too long, lest he wound up being inconvenienced for his own trip home.

Amidst the backdrop of the dark grey skies, her grandmother's house looked as rustic as ever, perfectly embodying the traditional feel of its architecture, as if it was some farmer's house straight out of the feudal years of Japan. No garden work had been done for the past few days given the prevalence of the rainy weather, but the garden itself still looked as neat and well-tended as ever. Walking on the stone pathway to the front door, Yuri cast a fleeting glance at the spot where she and Naoki had talked before, on the same bench they had been sitting on when Naoki had accidentally spotted the first few clues of her dark secret staining her clothing. She suppressed an anxious shudder and kept going.

"I'm home, Grandmother!" Yuri called out as she and Naoki stepped through the threshold and into the house. "I-If it's okay with you, Naoki came over for a visit!"

No answer came, though Yuri could trace a faint smell of boiling rice coming from the kitchen. She took her wet shoes off and placed them on a small stone platform that served as the house's shoe rack, prompting Naoki to do the same.

"She must be in the bathroom. . ." she commented to Naoki as they propped their umbrellas against a nearby wall. "Anyway, hold on, I'll just bring these to the kitchen and get the kettle going for some tea."

"Sure thing," said Naoki, smiling. "Is it okay if I place my stuff here?"

"Yes, go ahead."

Leaving Naoki behind in the hallway, Yuri made her way to the kitchen. The smell of rice grew stronger, perking up her appetite as she wondered what her grandmother had in mind for their dinner later. I hope she makes some chazuke again, she mused to herself. If Naoki can stay for a little while, maybe he would like some. Maybe I can help Grandmother prepare it, and—

But whatever plans she wanted to make, they all came to a crashing halt as soon as Yuri rounded into the kitchen. Her grandmother was lying on the floor next to the sink, her eyes closed as if she was sleeping. Shards of broken glass lay close to her, little crystal islands lying in a small puddle of water.

"Grandmother!"

Throwing her grocery purchases on the countertop haphazardly, she rushed towards her grandmother's fallen form, panic seizing her in an iron grip instantly. Everything came so suddenly that she did not even mind that her hip had bumped painfully against the edge of the nearby dining table.

"G-Grandmother?! What happened?! Are you okay?!" she cried out, but her grandmother did not move. Her mouth hung slightly open, and her arm was pinned beneath her own torso, as if she had fallen onto it when she collapsed—for indeed, how else would she have ended up on the floor? Not knowing whether to shake her awake or to leave her be, Yuri fumbled with her hands for a moment, her thoughts seizing up with panic.

Quick footsteps came rushing up to the kitchen; Naoki had arrived, undoubtedly drawn by her screaming. His face fell in shock for a second when he saw the two of them on the floor.

"Yuri?! What happened here?!" he exclaimed.

"I don't know!" Yuri squealed. Helplessly, she grasped her grandmother's shoulder and shook it as gently as she could. The motion made her grandmother's head flop a little, frightening her even more.

"Grandmother, wake up! P-Please!" Next to her, Naoki stepped in, carefully sweeping aside the broken glass on her right with his foot before kneeling next to them. His face had gone pale, and he seemed unable to say anything else.

"Grandmother!" Yuri exclaimed again. "Grandmother, please!"

At last, her grandmother came to, her eyes opening so blearily that it seemed as if she was just waking up from a nap. Yuri almost sagged with joy and relief at the sight, though when her grandmother spoke, however, she was alarmed at how feeble her voice sounded.

"G-Granddaughter . . . You're here. . ."

"Yes, Grandmother! I'm here!" yelled Yuri.

With her grandmother now awake, Yuri quickly went about to help her get up. Naoki went to assist her, and soon enough they managed to sit her down on the nearest chair, their motions painfully slow. Yuri went to get a new glass of water, while Naoki moved to turn off the nearby stove, where the rice had been threatening to boil over all the while. Her grandmother accepted the drink eagerly, her hands shaking with tremors as she emptied the glass. Yuri watched her closely, her anxiety peaking as she looked for any signs of trouble on her aged countenance. Her own hands were trembling, and she could feel her breath starting to catch in her throat. Still, she forced herself to ask again what happened, though it took her grandmother a while to answer properly.

"I was cooking. . ." she muttered weakly at last. "And then I just . . . collapsed. Didn't know how it happened, but the world just started spinning all of a sudden. . . Lightheaded and all. . . My legs gave out. . ."

Yuri knelt in front of her, looking deep into her lined face. Nearby, Naoki watched the two of them in worried silence. "Are you f-feeling better now? Do you want to lie down?" she asked, trying hard not to let her panic get the better of her crumbling composure.

Her grandmother nodded once; a feeble gesture, and one that did little to reassure her. Yuri grasped her grandmother's hands for a few moments, only then noticing how cold her flesh felt. In all her years of staying with her, she had never seen her look so vulnerable, so . . . old. It broke her heart easily enough.

"I'll call the hospital," Naoki proffered, taking out his phone.

Her grandmother waved her arm weakly. "Not the hospital. . . This is nothing. . . Just call the clinic. . . Eiji, call Eiji. . . He takes care of Mrs. Matsushita down the block. . . He'll know what to do. . ."

Naoki looked over at Yuri, who replied shakily, "I-It's her friend's son. He's a doctor who works at a clinic by the park. I-I'll give you the number."

After phoning the clinic and receiving a number of instructions for them to use while waiting for help to arrive, they managed to bring her grandmother upstairs. They placed her in her bed to rest, and though she was still weakened, she did manage to give them a smile and a word of thanks, even reacting with surprise when she realized for the first time that Naoki was there all the while. Naoki offered what meager courtesies and assurance he could, asking her if she needed anything else from them, and explaining why he had stopped by for a visit.

Yuri, on the other hand, could only stand by the door watching the two of them speak, her body growing numb from all that had transpired. Panic was welling up in her, ominous and crippling, like a tidal wave making a beeline for some seaside city that can only watch its approach. The morning her grandmother had broken a teacup by accident, the first time she ever considered her grandmother's ever-increasing age, had eventually receded from her mind, in part due to her grandmother assuring her that she was fine. But now, concern and fear warred inside her, tearing her apart as she began grasping at what implications she could. What was it that happened? A dreadful sickness, borne by old age? A sudden ailment that would worsen in the days to come? Physical strain on such a frail body, exacerbated by the cold weather? One of them, o-or all of them. Maybe. Or no, m-maybe not. More thoughts came, each more terrible than the last. Did her grandmother hit her head when she fell? Broke something that she had not noticed yet? What if she was still at school when it happened? What if she and Naoki had arrived a little later than expected? The fact that the stove had been on when her grandmother collapsed was something that she noticed only when they were bringing her upstairs. Would the house have burned down then? Would her grandmother have died in a fire? Died, no. She hasn't. She . . . She won't . . . Yuri swallowed, but no air seemed to enter her lungs. She closed her eyes, trying to force her body to calm itself, but she could feel the walls closing in around her all over again.

Overcome, she fled into the hallway, unable to even look at Naoki or her grandmother, and made her way downstairs into the kitchen. Fumbling for something, anything that she could do to distract herself, she checked the pot of rice and made a frantic mental note to turn it on later. Cold wetness on her feet made her look down when she stepped backwards, and she was startled to find that the broken glass was still there, mere inches away from her ankle. Seizing on the opportunity to keep distracting herself, she reached for a nearby broom and dustpan and knelt down to sweep up the shards, but her clumsy movements merely scattered some of them across the floor. Yuri let out a gasp, as if she was starting to drown, and forced herself to sweep the rest. Her heart was hiking its way up into her throat, her knees threatening to break away beneath her. And perhaps she would fall like her grandmother then, helpless and overwhelmed on the unforgiving cold floor.

"Yuri?"

She whirled around, startled out of her wits. Naoki had entered the kitchen, and he was looking down at her with extreme concern etched on the fine features of his face. Yuri could only stare up at him until her senses returned, and she shifted around to resume her work. But she found herself unable to focus, the remaining broken glass fading into the floor as her vision became disoriented. Her hands went limp as they let go of the dustpan and broom. Nausea welled up inside her, and at last her legs gave way, causing her to plop on the floor. The puddle of water seeped through her uniform's skirt, the sensation jarringly cold, but it was the last thing on Yuri's mind at the moment.

Naoki rushed over to her, kneeling down at her left just as she let out a shuddering gasp. Naoki tried to take hold of her hands, but she fumbled against his touch as she straightened herself up. Undeterred, he caressed her arms gently, his steel-grey eyes never leaving her.

"Yuri, breathe," he said firmly. "Take deep breaths. Inhale, exhale."

"G-Grandmother!" Yuri blurted out almost involuntarily. "W-What about Grandmother? I-Is she okay?"

"She's getting some rest. Breathe, Yuri. I'm here. I'll stay with you, don't worry. Help is coming, okay? Your grandmother will be fine. Breathe."

Yuri tried to obey, but her breaths merely came up even shorter as she found herself panting like she was drowning in an ocean. At last, she managed to grab a hold of his forearms, and she straightened herself up with them until the nearest countertop allowed her back to rest.

"Deep breaths, Yuri," Naoki repeated. "Deep breaths. That's it. Keep at it." If there was any ounce of fear in his features after what happened, Yuri could see no hints of it anywhere. It was as if he was keeping his composure for her sake, staying by her side until she finally managed to calm down. Still holding onto his arms almost painfully, Yuri focused her gaze onto his handsome face, almost as if she was looking for respite there, anything to finally ease her immense panic.

It took the better part of ten minutes to calm her down. By then, Naoki had scooted up next to her, his caresses alternating between her arms and her back. As her panic wore off, Yuri felt queasy, the emotional and physical malaise catching up to her and threatening to make her vomit. Her mouth felt disgustingly dry when she tried to speak, her tongue struggling to wrap around what few words she could get out. Naoki did not rush her, instead letting her go at her own pace, whispering small words of comfort and reassurance. Outside, the rain fell unceasingly, the dim atmosphere wrapping the kitchen in a cold, lonely shroud.

"I'm f-fine," she managed to stammer at last. "I'm feeling . . . feeling a bit b-better. . . I'm sorry for this . . . I'm really sorry. . ."

"Shhh. . . It's okay, Yuri," Naoki told her softly. "Everything's fine now. It's okay. Do you need anything? Water? Some food?"

"No, I don't think I'll be able to eat right now. . . I think I'll p-prepare some tea instead. T-That's what we came here for, right . . . ?"

"I'll help you make some. Come on, let's get you up. Watch out, though. You might slip, or there might still be some glass on the floor."

Yuri managed to get up just fine, though she was thankful for Naoki's presence and support all the same. He sat her down on a chair carefully, avoiding her scarred forearm all the while. "I'll prepare the water. Where do you keep your kettle?" he asked.

"O-Over there, on the left cabinet right above the stove," Yuri replied, pointing. "I'll get the tea."

Naoki hung back, glancing at her anxiously. "Ah, are you sure you're . . . ?"

"I'll be fine." Yuri assured him, in spite of the disoriented feeling in her being. "If it's okay, c-can you turn on the stove for the rice too?"

"Oh, sure, I-I can do that."

Silence swept over them for the next couple of minutes. Only the rain outside and the occasional tinkle and clang from glassware and the boiling kettle in the kitchen broke through the heavy atmosphere. Yuri felt marginally better at being able to prepare the tea on her own, while Naoki cleaned up the remaining mess on the floor. He looked at her a few times, as if he wanted to say something and ease up the oppressive tone of the room, but words seemed to escape him. Yuri felt dejected at the thought that he had to get caught up in such an unfortunate incident, but she also felt immensely thankful that he was there to help her. With how harrowing the discovery of her grandmother's unconscious form had been, she did not want to think how she would have handled things if she had come home alone.

The doctor from the clinic arrived not long afterwards. A young man in his early thirties, he apologized for arriving late, citing the traffic caused by the rain as the reason, and quickly made his way upstairs with Naoki. Yuri stayed behind, waiting with growing trepidation, unable to face the thought of what she might hear. After a brief checkup, the doctor explained that he had taken a sample of her grandmother's blood for assessment on her possible illness, and promised that he would notify them of the results as soon as possible. He gave the two of them some final instructions on how to help her grandmother recover before taking his leave.

When he had gone, Yuri chose to address the issue at last when she and Naoki had settled down for some tea. "I'm sorry," she said again, her tone calmer but more dejected than before. "I'm sorry f-for all this, Naoki."

"Don't be, Yuri," Naoki told her. "This was an unfortunate happenstance, nothing else. It's not your fault."

Yuri nodded to show that she had heard, but part of her still stung at the notion that it was indeed her fault. Scrabbling at her thoughts, she went on to another matter, trying hard not to give Naoki any more of a hassle than he needed.

"I need to call my parents," she stated, bracing her cup of tea for warmth. "T-They need to know about this. And I need to t-take care of Grandmother in the meantime, but I . . . I don't know if I can come to school regularly if that's the case."

Naoki looked at her with deep sympathy. "Maybe someone can help you take care of her," he suggested. "Don't you have relatives around Eishima? In the nearby prefectures or such?"

"I don't know. I'll ask Mom and Dad, a-and Grandmother too. But in case there's no one who can help . . . I should be fine on my own."

"I hope there's someone, though. I mean, with the finals approaching, it might cause you trouble if you miss out on a few days, and—"

But Naoki cut his own words short then, heaving a defeated sigh. "I'm sorry. I might be adding more to your anxiety," he muttered. "That's the last thing you need right now."

"N-No, I understand," said Yuri, though Naoki's words rang truer than true for her. With school to take care of and the exams drawing nearer, her grandmother's mishap was a setback that could derail many things, and it already made her feel apprehensive to even think about it. "At least we don't have that much homework for today. I'll just sacrifice some of my reading and review time to take care of Grandmother w-while I'm waiting for Mom and Dad to message me."

She said the words as steadily as she could, almost as if she was saying them to herself in order to find some semblance of order in such a stressful development. But there was one other obstacle that was in her path, and it made her feel dread the most. Her heartbeat, beating on a constant and tremulous scale ever since she had arrived home, kept her instincts on edge, just enough to make her wonder how long she would last. Like sirens enticing a sailor to his doom by offering a façade of ethereal respite and pleasure, her knives would no doubt look highly enticing when the trepidation and fear brought by her problems finally begin eroding her mental restraint.

No. "I should be fine," she went on, taking a small sip of oolong. "I just need to get everything in order. . . Yes, that's it."

Even in her hearing, her statement sounded as unconvincing as the notion that everything would be fine on the morrow, but it was her only attempt for now at ingraining in herself the idea that she had to endure. Somehow, if she could weather this storm and tackle the issues present, Yuri knew that everything would be fine. But as to what the issues that needed tackling were, she had no idea. Did it mean nursing her grandmother back to health, even though her age made it likely that another incident such as this would occur? Or did it mean keeping her anxiety under control so that she could tend to her without making things worse?

"It's quite an unfortunate coincidence," she said after a while. "We were talking earlier today about your mother's friend, and I mentioned Grandfather's passing as well. I-It makes me wonder if . . ." She tried to go on, to give voice to the connection that she wanted to make regarding the uncertain future of her grandmother's physical state, but her words failed her. It felt almost taboo to even consider it, but where reality was often concerned, the harshest truths often reigned.

Naoki reached out to take her hand in his. Yuri felt self-conscious at how cold her fingers might be, but he showed no sign of noticing it. She half-expected him to rebuke her, to say that she was in over her head about her worries. She even imagined him reconsidering his relationship with her; with her self-harm issues coupled with difficult developments such as this, she could not blame anyone for wanting to keep their distance.

"I'll always be here, Yuri. If you need me, you can come to me, okay? I'll never get tired of reminding you of that," he told her in a gentle tone. "I only wish that I could always be around to help you and keep you company when these things happen."

Yuri looked away, unable to say or do anything else. Her gratitude for his companionship was matched only by her worry that she might do something that even Naoki cannot help her with. She worried for him most of all, the one who had helped her feel that she belonged, and the last thing she wanted in the world was to lose his friendship. But she clung onto him, casting out her desolate thoughts and basking in his comfort and companionship, wordlessly affirming just how much she needed him at a time like this.

Naoki glanced at the nearby windows, reflections shining against his eyeglasses. When he spoke, his voice was soft, almost meaningfully pure.

"The rains come and fall,

But given a little time,

The sun does return."

When he was done speaking, he looked at her with a grin. "A bit too simple for my taste, but I guess it fits," he said. "Besides, it's been a while, don't you think?"

Yuri could only stare at him for a moment, caught off guard by the haiku, but she understood its purpose quickly enough. For the first time since she had arrived home, she managed to smile back. "I thought it was lovely," she said.

"Think you could do one better?"

". . . N-No promises."

The two of them laughed, warmed by both their cups of tea and their exchange. The bleakness of the situation made the sudden lightness of their conversation feel almost absurd, but it gave Yuri the hope she needed all the same. She tightened her hold on Naoki's hand, taking in his warmth and assurance, the strength that he was ever willing to lend her. Outside, the rain kept falling, pitter-pattering against the shingles with soft, unceasing taps.

A/N: And a wild unexpected chapter update appears! (EDIT: reuploaded this to add some important bits that I didn't have the first time around)

Given that the previous chapter was technically supposed to be this one, I already had an idea of how things will go, and thus writing it came out more smoothly than I anticipated. Whatever the case, I'm glad that I didn't make you guys wait for another month or so, and I hope I'll be able to keep it up, to be honest. I'm going to experiment with a few ideas to see which one would work the most, and I'll see if I can turn it in as quickly as I did with this one. See you until then. Cheers!