CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE – SUPPORT SYSTEMS

"—twenty-three, twenty-four, and that makes twenty-five." Akihiro watched as his classmate Hiroshi finished counting the bills before him, thumbing each thousand so that he could count along. Hiroshi reached out to hand him the money with a grin, as if he was some sort of businessman bringing proof of a successful negotiation. "And that concludes our business transactions, I believe."

Akihiro smiled back, though his fingers felt clumsy when they took the money. "Thanks, man. I knew I could count on you."

"Hey, you know I'm a pretty smooth talker," said Hiroshi. "Well, that and the fact that you also had a full mythical Moon Warden set, a level-94 Diamond Golem and a perfect Lunar Blade Battlemage build. That's sure to rock the socks off a lot of tryhards on the Gilded Tournament, lemme tell ya."

"Good to know that all those hours of farming paid off. You sure you're okay with just four thousand?"

"Yeah, sure. The errands I run for my uncle got me covered, so I don't need much. Besides, what are friends for, right? Still hadn't forgotten that time you got me that Mythical Iron Shadow set for free."

"Suit yourself." Akihiro took four thousand yen from his total of twenty-five and handed them over. Hiroshi took them and gave him a brief salute.

"Pleasure doing business with ya, my man," he said, standing up. "Now, if there's nothing else to take care of, I'm gonna get going now. Sawako's probably at the mall already."

"So it's Sawako this time, huh? What happened to Ana?" Akihiro quipped.

"She didn't tell me she was seeing my cousin already," said Hiroshi, laughing as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Now, if you don't mind, the clock is ticking, and I'm pretty sure there's a seat at Manju's with my name on it. Catch ya later!"

"Sure, sure. Thanks again!"

With that, Akihiro was left alone. He felt grateful that his endeavors in selling his game accounts had proven more fruitful than he had anticipated, and though it still felt queer to give away hours upon hours of his hard gaming work, the endgame kept him focused and determined to stick with his choices.

More than enough, he mused, looking down at the money before slipping it into his wallet for safekeeping. With such an amount in his possession, Akihiro knew that he was free to take Sayori to a multitude of places come Christmas break, and there was even the option of saving up part of his allowance to add even more. Anything to make her happy, anything. He sighed and finished up his can of root beer with a few more gulps, trying hard not to think about what he had seen during his last surprise visit at Sayori's apartment. Still, there was no escaping it, especially when he was left alone with nothing else to do at his own place. Since that fateful visit, he had not yet dared to surprise Sayori again, fearing that he might let something slip regarding what she was going through, and he can only wonder what would happen then. A few simple texts every now and then sufficed for the front he put up, and any reply from Sayori always lifted his spirits. If only things could stay okay.

He left the convenience store in silence. Everywhere, the makings of winter were starting to become more evident, as people began to wear thicker articles of clothing to ward off the chill around Eishima. Akihiro shivered as he pulled his navy blue jacket tighter around himself, feeling the cold biting through the exposed skin on his neck and hands. A hot cup of instant ramen at his apartment sounded like the best idea ever, but a part of him wanted to linger all the same, if only to keep his mind occupied for the nonce.

He was passing by a small grocery store when its glass doors opened as he was drawing near. Akihiro looked up to see, to his surprise, Naoki Nakajima and Yuri Hoshino in front of him, engrossed in a conversation as they perused a small bag of groceries that was dangling from Yuri's arm.

"Yo," he called out, stopping a short distance away.

Yuri was the first to look, freezing in place with her lavender eyes widening in surprise. Naoki was less startled, smiling as soon as he recognized him.

"Oh, hey there, Akihiro!" He raised his hand and saluted back. "Nice to run into you like this."

"H-Hello," said Yuri, giving him a small smile.

Akihiro smiled back and nodded. People passed them by on the sidewalk, and together the three of them moved to let them pass undeterred. "Good to see some more familiar faces right now," he said candidly. "What's up?"

"Nothing much, just finished buying a few things here," Naoki replied. "How about you?"

"Met with a buddy of mine before going on home. You guys going somewhere after this?"

"To be honest, I don't know," said Naoki as he glanced at the stores around them. "My parents are coming home late, and since we don't have any homework for once, it might be a good time to be out and about for a bit longer. Yuri needed some company, so I came along with her for a bit."

"I see. Would be nice if we run into Kenta or Daisuke after this, eh?" said Akihiro, laughing. Compared to Daisuke and Kenta, he had not spoken much with Naoki before, but the latter's cordial air always gave off the feeling that he could easily be everyone's friend. Yuri, on the other hand, seemed as reserved as ever, though she listened to them speaking instead of feigning deafness.

Naoki laughed with him. "I know, but Daisuke's busy at their family diner, while Kenta is . . . well, to be honest, I've started to notice how he's been real quiet lately."

At that, Yuri spoke up, surprising the two of them momentarily. "H-He did mention having chores to do, when you were talking to him earlier in class, remember?"

"Yes, but Kenta often says that when he's got something else to take care of."

Akihiro shrugged. "Maybe he's also starting to brush up for the exams. Everyone's feeling the pressure, and I think it'll be the same for us soon enough."

"With our current workload, that's pretty likely," said Naoki. "Our progress in Math and Science has been bogged down with difficulties. Professor Nagata's not exactly slowing down for anyone to catch up."

"Geez, tell me about it. We had him for Math last year, and I still wonder how I managed to scrape a C with him. Professor Ide's not that big of an improvement, but at least he doesn't give surprise quizzes every week."

"Frankly, Yuri and I are a little jealous of your class right about now." Naoki laughed again, while Yuri let out a soft, nervous giggle. "But still, winter break isn't that far off. Our noses just need to spend time on the grindstone for a little while longer."

"Amen to that." Akihiro looked around as a light breeze cast cold tendrils across their exposed faces. "Anyway, I hope I'm not holding you guys up by talking to you."

"No worries, we are just about done here anyway," said Naoki. He turned over to Yuri. "Everything's accounted for, right? Do you want me to come along with you?"

"Oh, t-that won't be necessary," said Yuri. "I'll do just fine on my own today, I think. N-Not because you're here or anything, Akihiro!" she added hastily. "I just . . . I'm sorry, I'm not trying to seem r-rude or anything. I'm just—"

Having been her classmate one time, Akihiro recognized Yuri's reserved demeanor and easily flustered nature, though he also took note of the air of exhaustion around her eyes. Somehow, standing rather close to her and Naoki, Akihiro noticed how pale she was compared to the previous times he had seen her.

"It's fine," he said. "I do hope I didn't interrupt you and Naoki, though."

Looking mightily relieved, Yuri said, "Ah, n-not really. It's just that I really have to get going, since m-my grandmother's waiting for me at home." She turned to Naoki. "Thank you f-for accompanying me here again today, Naoki. I always appreciate it."

"It was nothing," said Naoki. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

Yuri bowed her head courteously, her hands clasped together. "Yes. T-Take care. You too, Akihiro!"

With that, she took her leave of them, hurrying away on the sidewalk, her groceries swinging from her arm as she went. Once she had rounded a nearby corner and vanished from sight, Naoki turned to Akihiro.

"Are you going on home?" he asked.

Akihiro looked around, shrugging. "I might wander around for a bit. I don't really have much to do at my apartment at the moment. How about you?"

"Same. If you wanna stay out of the cold, Big Tom's isn't that far from here."

"That sounds like a good idea. Lead the way."

Idle chitchat followed the two of them as they made their way down the street. In spite of the overcast sky above, the city remained bright as the late afternoon passed by. At the nearby park, colorful sights began to crop up slowly as winter decorations were being set up, paving the way for the Christmas bazaar. Glass lanterns of various colors dangled from the boughs of some trees, ready to shine light down on the park's cobblestone pathways once the evening set in and giving even the barest of trees an air of rustic beauty. The lofty gazebo next to the park's pond was being adorned with lanterns as well, albeit of the paper kind, which were shielded from the rain by the gazebo's overhanging roof. Soon, there would be streamers and Christmas-themed decorations, free to be displayed without fear of being ruined by the snowfall that would undoubtedly be falling over Japan's northern regions.

It came as a relief and a surprise that Big Tom's had a few vacant tables left when they arrived. The diner's temperate atmosphere came as a wave of relief, instantly beating back the cold air outside and filling them with warmth, and the smell of freshly cooked hamburgers and other snacks soon had Akihiro's stomach rumbling. After securing a table for themselves and ordering a burger apiece, the two of them settled down and continued their conversations.

"I really wish I could take Yuri here one time," Naoki mused as their orders arrived. "She's not that partial to hamburgers and the like, but I think I can convince her to change her mind one of these days."

"I hope you do. The burgers here are to die for," Akihiro remarked, taking a big bite out of his cheeseburger and making a mental note to bring Sayori along on his next visit. "Speaking of Yuri, how is she? I don't mean to sound nosey or anything, but she looked a bit tired."

"She's in a bit of a spot right now, but she's mostly okay," said Naoki, eating along with him. "I've been accompanying her every time she needs to buy some things, and a few times I've stayed at her house for a couple of hours."

"Sounds like a pretty swell date," Akihiro quipped.

"Hardly," said Naoki with a laugh. "It was for her grandmother. She's . . . not feeling too well. Yuri's been taking care of her for the past few days."

"Oh, crap." No wonder she looked pretty beat. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, no harm done. It's been a rough week for her, juggling between academics and this. I just hope things start looking up soon, for her and for everyone else."

"Yeah, I hope so too," said Akihiro, grateful that their discussion segued away from his quip. "It'd be tough to do anything about how hectic things are gonna be in the next few weeks. Like, Sayori and I haven't been able to spend a lot of time together, with the exams and all. I did visit her last week, had a few snacks at her apartment." Since that day, nothing out of the ordinary had happened, but Akihiro knew he could never be too sure.

Naoki nodded. "That's one of the disadvantages of being in another class, I suppose. The workload's different, so people don't really have enough time to get together like they normally would. Though with the exams coming, I'm sure even people in the same class won't have that much time to socialize, whether inside or outside of school."

I'll make time, though. If Sayori needs me, I'll make time for her, no matter what. The words came to Akihiro involuntarily, though they were welcome all the same. They filled his heart with a sense of determination.

The hamburgers were soon gone, though the two of them decided to linger and exchange various topics over some glasses of soda and a platter of cheese-covered fries. Plans for a Christmas party at school floated around, and soon Naoki expressed a small desire to have their quartet gathering together with Sayori, Yuri, Monika and Natsuki in a jaunt not unlike their first get-together at the Steinbeck residence. Akihiro remembered how happy Sayori had been then, seeing everyone having fun and forming certain friendships.

"It is fun, isn't it?" Naoki remarked. "At first, I didn't know what to expect in bonding with new people like you and Sayori, but it was good to see that everyone got along pretty well. Even Yuri told me that she had fun then."

"Yeah, being in a group has that effect on people," said Akihiro. "I used to be a loner back then, minding my own business with video games and stuff, but Sayori would always try to get me to find other people who shared my interests. Well, that worked out in the end, though I didn't exactly think it was a pretty big deal. I mean, she's . . . she's more than enough for company."

Naoki grinned. "Yep, she's a really nice girl. I remember the time Daisuke and I had her as our classmate during freshman year. She became friends with the majority of our classmates by the time the first month of classes ended. A few thought that she was too friendly, but we thought it was heartwarming."

Akihiro laughed. "That's my Sayori," he said, though he could not quite savor his mirth as he remembered what he had seen on her laptop. Unbidden, an image of Sayori smiling brightly flitted across his mind, and while it felt uplifting to see the expression on her face, a pang of worry gripped at his heart all the same.

Something in his reaction must have registered on his face, as Naoki asked, "What's wrong?"

Akihiro opened his mouth to reply, but no words came. Feeling self-conscious all of a sudden, he took a sip of soda to compose himself, and soon he remembered the day he had accompanied Naoki to Sayori's apartment, when the two of them had eaten with Daisuke and Kenta at Big Tom's as well. Unbidden, he remembered other things from that day, recollections that receded somewhat in the background with the passage of time, from Kenta's revelation about Monika's move to Osaka, to Daisuke's revelation about Natsuki's grim home situation. However, one other instance stood out more glaringly now, though it had taken a backseat then with everything else that had happened.

"Do you remember that time when . . . when you told us about what happened to your family friend?" Akihiro asked Naoki at last in a low voice. "We were with Kenta and Daisuke here at Big Tom's." He gripped his glass of soda tightly. "I don't remember the exact words you said back then, but you told us how . . . h-how depression can be different from what you see online or anywhere else. Do you remember that?"

The curiousness on Naoki's face faded, replaced now with somber realization. "Yes, I think I do."

Akihiro looked outside the nearby windows for a moment and noticed how tired his reflection looked. "I . . . I don't really know how to say this, and I think it's gonna sound like I'm just crazy or too panicky about . . . a-about it." He swallowed as a feeling of restlessness took over him.

"It's just that . . . I may have found out something about Sayori."

At that, a helpless feeling washed over Akihiro. I've opened it up. Now what? He could sense himself stopping short at any moment, the self-consciousness welling up in him as he realized that he might end up sharing something that should have been kept private in the first place. Would his status as Sayori's closest friend, and even as her boyfriend, be enough to override the fact that he should not share something potentially sensitive about her to others?

But as he looked at Naoki, a feeling of insistent hope coursed through him as well. Maybe I can tell someone. Maybe I need to. As much as Akihiro wanted to shoulder this burden by himself, he did not have the clarity to focus on what else he could do should things come to a head. Depression was a touchy subject, and there was no doubt that he would need to be well-informed if the time ever came for him to address the issue. And while Naoki may not be an obvious choice, there was still sense in informing him, Akihiro knew. Naoki was intelligent, levelheaded, and most importantly, just as much of a team player as Kenta and Daisuke are. If there was anyone he could ask who might be able to offer him sound advice, it would be him.

No turning back. "When I visited her last week, I . . . came across something on her laptop, and it's been bothering me. And when I remembered your family friend, it just . . ."

Naoki nodded, even before he finished speaking. Akihiro had a feeling that he was starting to see what he was getting at. "Is Sayori doing okay nowadays?" he asked reluctantly.

"It seemed like that last week, but there were times when we weren't speaking. I mean, it's not because we had a fight or something, but . . . well, it's because she shuts herself out."

"I see." Naoki contemplated things for a moment, until at last the hammer dropped. "What did you find on her laptop?"

Akihiro sighed. "She was reading stuff about . . . a-about depression," he replied, almost balking at the word. "And it wasn't just idle reading, I don't think. There were loads of articles that she had been browsing, forums and stuff. I was using her laptop when I saw them. I didn't really mean to look, but they just popped up when I was going to look up a movie for us to watch." When he realized that he was squeezing the glass in his hand too tightly, he let go and almost tipped it over. "Normally, I don't think I should mind too much, but when I pieced stuff together, with those episodes that she had and the stuff she told me before . . . I don't know anymore."

Naoki nodded, his expression grave. "What other things did she say?"

Akihiro recalled with mounting hurt the other instances of Sayori's melancholy. When he spoke, he remembered her tears and bitter smiles. "She often beats herself up when she feels that she's being a burden. Like, she'd say how she's stupid and annoying and all that, and she'd question a lot of things about herself. She'd say that she was worthless and terrible, as a friend and as a girlfriend, and even as a person too, and that's when she'd start shutting herself out, because she thinks that she doesn't deserve to be with me. She thinks that she's taking up too much of my time, or that she's just a negative influence in my life because she's too needy or childish to do things on her own. That would be the last thing I would ever have on my mind, though. I mean, sure, she could be a bit of an airhead and a klutz sometimes, but that never really bothered me to the point where I'd have second thoughts about our friendship or our current relationship. I wish she knew that being an airhead and a klutz is something that's actually very endearing about her, you know? And every time we'd be together, I always have fun with her. Sometimes I do mess around with her on purpose, but I don't really want to hurt her. M-Maybe I did something to make her feel that way? I don't know."

As he finished speaking, Akihiro could feel his heart aching with pangs of worry. Naoki, on the other hand, seemed to have no words to offer for the moment as he stared at him, his cool grey eyes looking both pensive and concerned. Grateful as he was for the chance to vent about his worries, Akihiro felt regretful that he had to soil an ordinary encounter with such a conversation.

Finally, Naoki began to speak. "Okay, first of all, I just want to thank you for trusting me enough to share something like this with me. I understand how difficult it can be to speak about someone else's plight, even if your intention is to seek advice or to vent. And I'm sorry to hear that Sayori has been going through things like that."

"It's okay," said Akihiro. "At this point, there are very few people that I think I can tell about this, and even then, there are times when I feel like I'm just overthinking about it, you know?"

"I understand. It might seem that way, but I think these things should be taken seriously all the same instead of being dismissed outright just for being farfetched in our hearing. Besides, it's hard to shrug it off when it concerns someone that we really care for, right?"

"I know." With a sigh, Akihiro rubbed his face tiredly. "I just thought that . . . well, seeing something like that on her laptop and piecing things together on my own . . . And I know that depression isn't exactly something you can confirm for yourself. I mean, you have to get checked for that, right?"

"That's correct," said Naoki. "Getting a consultation will help the person find out just how deep the depression might run, and what proper steps they might be able to take for it."

"Yeah, you have a point. Although . . ."

"Yes? What is it?"

Akihiro shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, I don't want to sound like too much of a skeptic, but after I read about people self-diagnosing and all that, there's still the possibility that . . . that this might not be as bad as it is. I know, it's too much to look at it that way, but it's just . . . just one thing among many, you know? If I worry too much, in the end, I might end up pressuring Sayori instead of helping her."

"Ah, yes, that's a valid point," Naoki mused. "People going through something like that are bound to be emotionally sensitive, so it'd be difficult to distinguish the fine line between helping and imposing something they might not want to do or hear. What I can suggest, though, is to be there for them, to make them feel that they're not alone. They may not always say it, but sometimes all they need is a listening ear, an outlet to help them vent about what they're feeling and going through. Even if you're unable to give them the help or answers they need, you'd at least be lessening the burden they're carrying."

"Yes, that's right. I'll always keep that in mind, thanks."

"No problem. I figured I'd offer the same advice that I often take for myself." Naoki picked up a cheese fry and chewed on it idly. "I went through a similar thing with Yuri, you see?"

"Really?" Akihiro could only stare for a moment. "Y-You mean, like depression too?"

"Anxiety, more like. Enough to . . . ah, I don't know if I can share it, though. I mean, it's pretty heavy stuff, and I haven't really shared it with Kenta or Daisuke yet." Naoki shook his head and sighed. "That one time we were here, they told us about what Natsuki and Monika were going through. I already had a hunch on what Yuri was dealing with then, but I couldn't share it just yet. I was afraid that I might be wrong, and I didn't want to add to everyone's worries too. That's why I understand where you were coming from when you mentioned having second thoughts about Sayori's predicament."

Akihiro nodded, but found himself unable to say anything. From the way Naoki was speaking, he could only imagine how serious things were. From Natsuki to Monika, and now Sayori and Yuri. In some way, the happier times he had shared with Sayori and with the rest of their ragtag group were starting to feel even more distant now, as if years had transpired in the months that have passed. Such was life, he knew, even if he and the rest did not always want to go along with it.

On his end of the table, Naoki appeared to have made up his mind. He took off his eyeglasses, rubbed his eyes tiredly, and put them back on. "Can I . . . trust you not to tell anyone? Especially Yuri."

"Dude, of course I won't," Akihiro assured him. "As long as you're okay with telling me, your secret's safe with me."

"Okay, thanks." As if to calm his nerves, Naoki took a drink of soda and nibbled on another cheese fry. Akihiro waited for him to speak, wondering only now if he would even want to hear what Yuri was dealing with.

"I didn't think much of Yuri's timidity at first, seeing as how I myself am an introvert who prefers to be alone at times. With her, however, it's even stronger than I thought—her introversion, I mean. I had my thoughts at first, that maybe she was bullied or traumatized by something that happened in her past. From the times that we talked about it, however, she assured me that that wasn't the case. Either way, it was a bit tricky being friends with her at first, since I couldn't help but think that I'm doing something wrong when she's not talking, but eventually I got used to it. Bonding with her over our love for literature and horror novels also helped a lot.

"But as time passed, I spotted a few instances where she seemed to show some form of anxiety. There were times when she'd space out or become too distracted, but a few times she'd shut down when she can't cope with her embarrassment or nervousness when she does something that she thinks is wrong. She'd keep her distance and refuse to speak to me, or when she did she would just panic and apologize over and over. Things came to a head when we were studying together at her house for our exams before. She accidentally spilled tea on some of my notes. It wasn't that bad, but she . . . she seemed almost inconsolable, like she did something unforgivable. We managed to patch things up and come to a better understanding of what happened, but I knew then that I had to help her see and realize that she doesn't need to always be like that with me, overthinking what she says and does, and shutting herself out when she feels that she's gone too far.

"And then finally, in the weeks before the school festival, that's when I found out that . . . t-that she practices self-harm. She tried to help me clean up a few paint stains, and in doing so, she accidentally revealed s-scars on her forearm." At that, Naoki paused for a moment, looking as if he would finally balk on what he was saying, but he took a deep breath and plodded on. "A lot of things changed since then. I thought that'd be the end of our friendship, but I didn't want to abandon her after that. In contrast, it made me just want to keep helping her, by being her friend, someone she can trust and vent to, anything to help her know that when she feels too overwhelmed about anything, she can approach me and talk to me instead of . . . y-you know. Because when I saw those scars and imagined just what she goes through during those times, knowing that in those moments she feels completely alone and in so much terror and pain that she has to resort to that to regain her bearings . . . I made up my mind to become her support system, to help her in any way I can."

Akihiro wanted to imagine that the chilly weather had finally pierced through the warm atmosphere inside Big Tom's, but he knew that his body had grown cold and heavy on its own after hearing Naoki's words. He remembered the somber mood that had prevailed when Daisuke had told them about Natsuki's home situation, or when Kenta shared the losing battle that he would be facing with Monika's move to Osaka, and he knew that the same air had descended upon him and Naoki now. Self-harm. Yuri cuts herself. The words seem to ring hollowly as Akihiro imagined them. Somehow, Yuri's reserved nature and overly self-conscious demeanor made even more sense now, even if it was due in large part to such a bleak truth. Admittedly, Yuri had yet to become a closer friend to him compared to Sayori and the boys, but Akihiro found himself wishing the best all the same for her wellbeing. Reading about the sobering truth of depression and other such issues and finding out that an acquaintance was going through a similar ordeal was something that he—or anyone else—could hardly be prepared for.

After a few moments of silence, Naoki went on; whether he wanted to put it all out on the figurative table as soon as possible or because he noticed the silence that descended between the two of them, Akihiro could not say. "It can be mentally and emotionally taxing, though. Part of the problem lies in the fact that I might do something to upset Yuri, but part of it also comes with my inability to do much beyond what I already mentioned. I want Yuri to get the help she needs, because I see just how serious of a problem this is, and after what happened with my mother's friend, I know this isn't just something that I should leave to chance. But I know it won't be simple. The shame that comes with practicing self-harm is very real. People who hurt themselves like that know what they're doing most of the time, and even if it comes out of a pressing need to feel better or regain control over their lives, they're also aware of how awful it can be. Even so, they're unlikely to admit it openly, not without feeling like they're abnormal, or thinking that they deserve to be ostracized for it. I'm afraid that if I ever bring the notion of psychiatric help to Yuri, there is the strong possibility that it will not go well. It might do her more harm than good."

"Y-Yeah, I understand," Akihiro managed to stammer at last. "Is she holding up well, though, with her grandmother falling sick and all?"

"It's stressing her out, but she assures me that she'll hold up," Naoki replied. "There's a possibility that her aunt will come in from Kanagawa to help look after her grandmother, so that she won't have to juggle between doing that and taking care of schoolwork, especially with the exams coming. I've been doing what I can by keeping her company and offering to help her for a couple of hours in case she needs it at home. I can only hope that things will get better soon."

"They will, don't worry." Akihiro knew that the truth could often be quite far from what his words wanted to convey, but it was better than admitting defeat outright. "You're doing okay, helping Yuri like that. I'm sure she appreciates it, and that it helps her cope with things. And with you already knowing about her, you can at least attempt to talk to her when she . . . you know."

"I hope so too. Thanks for that." Naoki flashed a shamefaced smile. "And I'm sorry for changing the topic all of a sudden. I think my brain just wanted to finally share this with someone before it can end up getting to me even more."

"It's okay. Again, I'm glad that you trust me enough to tell me about it, and I'd be happy to help," said Akihiro.

"I appreciate that," said Naoki. "Likewise, if you need advice or help with Sayori, feel free to talk to me."

"Thanks." Akihiro took a sip of soda, and at that moment, he remembered something. "About what happened at Sayori's apartment, with your mom's friend . . . do you think she saw what . . . what happened when they found her?"

A grave look crossed Naoki's face. "I don't know, to be honest. I can only imagine how stressful it would've been for her, or for anyone involved."

Somehow, Akihiro felt that he had known the answer all along, but he bit it back all the same. He had no idea what the woman looked like or how she had been before her suicide attempt, but whenever he tried to imagine her in his mind's eye now, she kept transforming into Sayori. Vehemently, he shook the thought aside and said instead, "Whatever the case, I'll do my best to help her deal with all this, and I'll make sure to remember what you shared. That way, I'll be able to approach her more properly in the future. If I have to limit my jokes and be more serious, I'll do it."

"Maybe so, but don't change your demeanor too drastically," Naoki told him. "Remember to keep being yourself, because that's what makes Sayori comfortable around you. If you change that, she might think that something's amiss."

"Yeah, that makes sense," said Akihiro with a sigh. "Thanks for pointing that out."

"No problem," said Naoki. "I won't consider myself an expert on the subject matter, but I know that constant reassurance and communication are a big help. Well, not constant to the point where we don't give them the space they need, but as long as we let them know that we're there for them when they need us, that's more than enough."

"Yep, exactly. I'm gonna remind Sayori of that the next time we meet up. I dunno when that'll be, but I think it'll be after the exams, just so she doesn't feel too pressured. I'm . . . I'm planning to take her on a few dates during Christmas break. Eat outside, visit the Christmas bazaar, have fun at the arcade, that kind of stuff. She likes going out, and I'm more than willing to oblige her even if I'm spending most of my allowance on our food most of the time," he added, hoping to instill a lighter mood in the conversation.

"I think that's a good option to take. It'll give her something to look forward to."

"Yep, that's right. I'm planning on surprising her, actually. She loves a good surprise, even if her first reactions don't show it. I can't wait to see the look on her face once I tell her that she can eat anything she wants at the bazaar." A smile crossed Akihiro's face as the notion filled him with some hope and enthusiasm. "Maybe you and Yuri can come too, with Kenta and Monika, and Daisuke and Natsuki as well," he added. "Just spending a day together at the bazaar and stuff. That'll be a nice time for all of us to unwind, especially with all that's been going on."

"That does sound wonderful. Let's see if we can make it happen."

The rest of the conversation took on a significantly lighter tone afterwards, enough to warrant another order of cheese fries before calling it a day. A number of times, they spotted a few of their schoolmates outside the diner, chatting happily with each other as they passed by. The sight of them made Akihiro long for better days, but it also strengthened his desire to make his previous wish a reality, as he envisioned Sayori walking happily next to him, accompanied by the rest of their friends, enjoying their joy and respite away from the harsher truths and realities of life.

By the time they left Big Tom's, the sky had begun to darken around Eishima, with the darkish clouds above hinting at a threat of rain once again. Akihiro felt sorry that they had to leave; the diner's warmth kept enticing them to come back in and prolong the break that they had from their respective worries. Only silence and relative lethargy would be waiting back for him back at his apartment, though Akihiro also sensed that he had it easier than Sayori did.

"You doing okay?" Naoki asked him when he caught him staring blankly at downtown Eishima.

Akihiro grinned. "I'll manage. Just need to remember what we discussed in there. Thanks again for the company, man. I really appreciate the advice and the listening ear."

"Same goes for you." Naoki smiled back as he bumped fists with him. "It's not often that I share and vent on my own volition, but I'm glad that I did this time. No matter how much I read online for answers, there's only so much that reading can do for me."

"Hey, feel free to chat me up and share if you need to," said Akihiro. "And try to see if you can talk to Daisuke and Kenta about it one of these days, if it gets too much. Of course, let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Agreed." Naoki heaved a sigh, his breath misting slightly in the cold air. "Right now, I'm already worried. You can never really tell what's going to happen, you know? It's like with what happened with my mom's friend. But . . . this is real. It can happen. And the only thing we can do is to just hope that things will turn out better in the end."

"You got that right." All around them, passersby and vehicles were starting to increase in volume as office hours started coming to an end. "Are you gonna go on home now?"

"Yep, I've got nothing else to do anyway. I'll just walk a lot slower to pass the time. How about you?"

Akihiro shrugged. "Same. I'm pretty tempted to visit Sayori right now, but I guess there'll be plenty of chances to surprise her again after the exams. Maybe we can take some time to study together before exam week, help ease the pressure on her then."

"Sounds good, but remember what I said about space," Naoki reminded him. "Keep reading online too. There are a number of support sites out there that can offer you advice on matters like this. Of course, they're not a replacement for professional help, but they'll help you become more mindful about what you need to do when dealing with Sayori."

"I'll definitely keep that in mind, thanks," said Akihiro. "And I'm sorry if I just kinda went all-out with my problems with you. I'm worried that I just ruined your day and stressed you out further with all this, considering you've also got your own stuff to deal with."

"Hey, I already told you, it's all good," said Naoki. "We all need a support system in some way. That makes coping with all this a bit easier."

"Don't worry, man. Things will get better." As he stared out across downtown with renewed determination, envisioning what the future has in store for him and Sayori, for Naoki and Yuri and everyone else, Akihiro nodded. His words sounded futile against the inevitable unpredictability of life, but where hope was concerned, even that seemed possible to face and change. "They will." And we'll try our damnedest to make sure of that.

A/N: I'm really, really sorry for another long absence. On top of so many things happening recently, my grandmother passed away last May, and it derailed a lot of things for me just when I thought that things are looking up. Try as I might to continue writing, getting back in the right groove proved to be terribly difficult. Still, I'm glad that I'm finally back with an upload. I'm still doing my best to heal from a lot of things, but I'm determined to keep trying so that I'm able to deliver new chapters to you guys.

I hope you're all doing okay. Take care of yourselves, and don't forget to spend some time with your loved ones when you can. See you in the next upload!