I hate mornings. I suppose it's my fault for always staying up late, but I can't really help that! Hunting Wraiths, as well as both studying school stuff and testing Kuroe's magical theories and my own. I'm told I sleep like the dead, but the truth is I can still sometimes hear things in my slumber. Even so, there's the matter of my body and mind seeming to take a while to want to move much when I do wake up. As I get ready for the day, groaning in exhaustion, I hear a faint hum. Sighing, I take out my phone.

"You do realize final exams are today, right?"

Of course Hitomi's worried about that. Though to be fair, I suppose everyone is. When I walk around Takarazaki, I overhear whispers about high school and university.

Seeing people be so anxious about these things still confuses me, even if I get the gist of it. Tomorrow's not a guarantee, especially when you're a glorified lich, and especially when the other glorified liches want nothing more than your death. My idea of planning for the future when I actually wanted to plan has always been connected to making sure Madoka's alive and happy. Now that she's back doing whatever benevolent goddesses do besides help people, I don't even have that.

"Does it really matter?" I text back. "I could be dead tomorrow."

"Well, I can't exactly tell Saotome that!" the reply came swiftly. "She's already been accommodating you more than either of us expected."

I groan a little. Of course, I know Hitomi wants the best for me. But still, she doesn't have to go out of her way for me. How did she even convince Saotome?

"I still need to do things in Takarazaki, Hitomi," I continue. "I don't know how much longer I'll be."

I watch the dialogue balloon. Yeesh, Hitomi. Don't you have better things to do than worry about me? I know you're willing to ditch your upper class things to help me, but there must be something.

"You only need to come to do the exam. After that, you can keep doing what you're doing in Takarazaki!" A pause, then another text. "I hope you're not just sleeping under a bridge there!"

I roll my eyes, even knowing she can't see it. "If it came to that, I'd at least sleep in a warehouse or something. But don't worry. I'm still staying with that girl's family."

"Getting attached, are we?"

I drop my phone in shock. I've barely told her anything about Kuroe! How can everyone always see right through me? "What makes you say that?"

I can practically see the grin on her face in her response. "You've been staying with her for months! Normally, you're all, 'Oh, don't worry about me,' or, 'I don't want to be a burden!' I always have to drag you kicking and screaming to my place! How hard was it for her to convince you?"

"She simply…" I began. "Wouldn't take no for an answer. This led to that, and I'm still staying with her."

"Did you find your long-lost family there?"

"No. But I feel weird around her. When I see her, I see…I see myself. But not all the bad things. I don't think she'd ever do what I did. I'll make sure of it. I just…can tell the world's not been that nice to her, you know?"

"You've only been there a few months, and you're already found a new best friend! I'm almost jealous~"

"It's not like that!" I hastily reply. "With her…well…I think of Madoka and Tatsuya. I don't have a sister or any family remaining…"

"You have me!"

I can't help but smile a little. "Yeah. I know," I text back. "This girl makes me feel similar to how I do around you, but…different. As if she and I just know each other on a fundamental level. Like I've known her forever."

"I'd very much like to meet her, then! Maybe you can bring her to Mitakihara with you!"

"Not for the exam," I reply. "Maybe for summer break. But that's up to her."

I hear a knock on my door. "Homura!"

I sigh. Kuroe got me up a few hours ago, and it's taken me this long to at least look presentable enough. I send one last text, "I'll talk later."

I open the door. Kuroe looks about as she usually does, and I can't help the thought of, 'How does she make getting ready seem so easy?' That sounds a lot more bitter than I thought it would. "Hey," I greet her.

"Hey," she replies. "Sleep well?"

"About as well as I could with the nightmares and about…" I look at the clock. "Five hours. Why'd you get me up early?"

"My family's worried—"

"You don't have to lie."

Kuroe shakes her head. "Okay. They're more not used to someone sleeping until noon. I'M worried."

"If you wanted me to have a good sleep schedule, why'd you get me up so early, then?"

"I guess I'm just used to having you around," Kuroe smiles faintly. "But waiting for you to get up's kind of boring, you know?"

"At least you don't pull back my curtains and let the sunlight wake me up…" I mumble. "Madoka had to do that with her mom a lot." A small chuckle escapes my lips. Then, my face goes back to its neutral expression. "Though the truth is I did need to be woken up early." I sigh. "I…have to go back to Mitakihara…"

"W-What? You…You're leaving?" I feel my heart clench a little, hearing her so sad. And truthfully, hearing her say that…maybe Hitomi has a point about me getting attached. I've gotten used to her being here too, and I suppose part of me hoped we'd always be a team, getting to know ourselves and grow together. I think about the day I'll have to leave Takarazaki…leave Kuroe…and I find the idea of never seeing her again unbearable.

I choke back my tears as I reply. "I'll be back. It's just…exams. I have to take some final exams. I'll be back here when I'm done, okay? We…We can walk to the train station together. And you can pick me up when I'm done!"

"Okay? I suppose that works," Kuroe replies. We exit the door. As we walk, our conversation continues.

"Exams, huh?" Kuroe mumbles. "But you've been here for months. How're you gonna manage that?"

"The teacher…" I answer slowly. "Is doing me a favor. Don't ask why. I don't know. But she says I'll be able to make the exams up today." I shake my head. "I probably won't do great, but I'm told…it's better than just not doing them at all."

Kuroe shakes her head. "Lucky. I've missed most of the year, so I'm going to have to do third year again…"

"Here?" I ask.

I watch Kuroe think for a moment. Then, she shrugs. "I don't know, Homura."

"Bad experiences, right?"

Kuroe nods slowly. "Religious school."

I can't help but sigh. Yeah, I know THAT pain all too well. "Probably go to a different school. I…don't remember all the details about my past. I just remember…when I think about my old Catholic school…despair. Hopelessness. A lot of fear and anxiety. Um…I don't think anyone liked me there…"

"Was your experience that painful?" Kuroe asks. "I'm so sorry…"

"I can't imagine yours was much better," I reply.

Once again, Kuroe shrugs. "Sure, some people hated me. But my problem's more so I didn't really…belong? But not in the same way as you."

"How would you know that when I don't even know for sure why they hated me so much?"

Kuroe shakes her head. "Some people tolerated me there, including my first boyfriend. But you? You're not the type of girl to keep quiet when something offends you, are you?"

"I…"

"Sure, I imagine like my school, the students at yours didn't particularly care about the religious part. But I imagine they don't like people who are…different."

"Different?"

"Did you know I've always wanted to be a writer? Ever since I was a little girl?" Kuroe asks softly.

"No. I don't think I did…"

"Some of the people there knew, but mostly, I kept to myself. I knew if I voiced how I really felt…not everyone would like it. But you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. You just…seem like the type of girl who'd…ask questions, y'know? Why do things have to be this way? What did these people do to deserve hatred?" Kuroe chuckles. "Why does ignoring the people who are mean to me only make things worse?"

"So they…didn't bully me because they saw the evil in me?"

"Saw the evil in…" Kuroe's eyes widen. "No! No! They probably only bullied you because you're a sweet, shy girl who thinks things should be better, and people shouldn't suffer!"

"Then…why don't I remember something like that?"

"Homura…" Kuroe whispers. "I suppose it's possible that sometimes, when something hurts you so much, you simply…suppress the memory so you can keep going."

"What? But…I wouldn't want that. And even if I did, I clearly remembered enough to tell people at some point! I remember crying…when I was bullied in Mitakihara. As if…As if it opened an old wound!" I shake my head. "At least there, I had friends who stopped the worst of it…"

"Maybe it happened over time," Kuroe replies. "Maybe…you found something you needed all your focus on, and something like that would…would keep you from doing that. Do you know of something like that?"

I hold my head as it throbs for a second. Before I know it, I'm back to that day. The flood caused by Walpurgis Nacht. And…Madoka's body. She still feels so cold. The tears come, the same as always. "M-Madoka! No! What's the point of living if you're dead?!" I wail, so much like I did back then.

"Homura!" I hear a voice in the distance. Before I know it, I see Kuroe looking at me. Her eyes are so wide. She looks so worried. "Another episode?"

I nod slowly. Kuroe's seen me have flashbacks like this before. It's not all the time, but it's often enough that she knows how to spot them now. "Yeah. Um…what were we talking about again?" I ask, my mind still a jumbled mess from…what I saw.

Kuroe sighs. "So saving Madoka's…what you needed to focus on, huh?"

"I knew that already," I mumble, sounding grumpier than I intended. My head still hurts from that.

"Look…" Kuroe says. "You clearly know enough to help explain why you…um…think of yourself the way you do. But they can't hurt you anymore. If…If we ever find those monsters, I won't let them hurt you!"

"Talking about protecting me again, but who'll protect you?"

"You will," Kuroe replies to me, as if it's obvious. "Haven't you noticed we work best when we're working together?"

"I suppose," I mumble softly. "But you could end up dying. What'll we do then?"

"I suppose I'll just have to not die!" Kuroe answers.

"You make it sound so simple, Kuroe…"

"As simple as making sure you don't get too reckless?"

"I'm not THAT reckless!" I can't help the pout that comes.

"You're smart. You're loyal. You're kind—yes, you are, Homura!" Kuroe says, interrupting me when I try to remind her I'm selfish. "But when your emotions get too intense, you're impulsive. You…don't always think things through."

"Do so!"

"Okay. You told me you antagonized this one friend of yours, Sakura. Why?"

"I wanted her to leave me alone."

"Or kill you."

I simply shrug. "I hurt her. What's wrong with wanting her to get justice?"

"If you have someone who cares for you, how would they have reacted to finding out that that girl did that? Or…how would you react if she killed me?"

"She will not kill you," I reply firmly, almost growling.

"But what if she did, because I decided to antagonize her? You're changing, Homura. I know you don't want to be that girl you showed me. That Demon everyone else sees. And yet, as far as this girl, who used to be your friend, is concerned, you're still in that mindset! Because you've done nothing to show her otherwise!"

"She wouldn't believe me. None of them ever believe me or want to listen…" I mumble, shuddering as I can almost feel the ribbons wrapping around me like I'm some kind of present.

"But I do," Kuroe says. "I know there's more to you. I know you never, ever want to hurt Madoka or any of your friends again."

"Perhaps," I mumble as we get to the train station. My train's already there. As I board it, I leave Kuroe with one last thought.

"But how would I get them to see that?"
_

Ugh. I forgot how much I hated taking exams. Didn't help I had to take them all one after another. Even with Hitomi giving me the class notes, and with me cramming at the last minute on the way there, I don't think I did well.

I'm lucky enough to find a seat, and I collapse into it, groaning. True, I'm grateful to Miss Saotome for this. For a teacher that brings her love life to class way too much, she can be reliable when she needs to be.

But why did she go out of her way to help me? Hitomi can't be that close to her, and in this reality, the Kanames have no reason to be fond of me, considering they don't remember having a member of the family I'm in love with.

I sigh, texting Kuroe that I'll be back soon. We have enough of a stockpile of Grief Cubes that today, we're gonna take a break. She keeps fretting about me and saying I need to relax. Fine. If something comes to me, I'll just have to deal with it then.

But then, an odd thought comes to me as I look at the date. Has it really been that long? After summer break, I'm going to be a third year. And a few months into that term, from the perspective of this world…

It will be a year since I transferred to Mitakihara.

I don't know how long it's actually been. It gets confusing, and I don't even know how many times I repeated that horrible month. In and out of hospitals my whole life, and now, something's finally constant enough to last that long. It feels so weird.

How long has it been? How long must I go on?

I shake my head. "I have Kuroe now. Her and Hitomi," I whisper to myself. "They'd be devastated if I died, even if Madoka was there to get me…"

Once again, my mind dwells to pink hair, a bubbly, "Wehihihi~", and the smell of cherries. Despite everything, my yearning for her grows stronger by the day. I want to know if she's happy. And though I try to deny it, I also want to be with her. But she'll just coddle me, won't she? Treat me as just some fragile thing to protect, not as a true equal. That, I know I don't want. Kuroe taught me that. She showed me what having an equal is like. And…I imagine Madoka treating me like that, only more romantically. But I don't even know if that's possible. As far as I know, there's only one goddess, and I can't ascend to that level.

Right?

"Now arriving in Takarazaki City."

The automated voice snaps me out of my thoughts as I force myself out of my seat. I can't help the smile that appears when I see Kuroe just out the window. I get off the train, rushing towards Kuroe.

"Ahem…"

I hear a voice, and I realize I was about to hug Kuroe. Looking away awkwardly, I wave at Kuroe's family.

'What are they doing there, Kuroe?' I sent to her telepathically.

'They insisted. They wanted to make sure we weren't getting into trouble.'

I roll my eyes. 'It's like they don't trust me!'

"Miss Akemi?" her father gets my attention. "Kuroe says you went to take your final exams."

I simply nod. Something about her family still makes me anxious, even after living with them for a while.

"I'm sure she did fine. Homura's actually really smart," Kuroe says.

"Is that so? Does she have plans for high school?" I believe it's her older brother asking.

"She says as of yet, she plans to go with her friend, I think?"

"What about you, Kuroe?" her mom asks.

"Um…well…haha…funny story. I…kind of have to…repeat my third year, or I'll be behind in high school?"

I look to her family. I can hear them mutter. I can see how they look. How it affects Kuroe. Slowly, I place a hand on her shoulder. She looks at me, smiling a little.

"I hope you realize you'll have to work even harder this way, Kuroe," her father says. "You can't just skip the school year again."

"Um…I…"

"Why did she skip in the first place?"

"Does she want to be some kind of recluse?"

"Is she still gonna go to that high school?"

"How's she gonna handle the exams? Surely, they'll remember her and ask questions!"

More and more, Kuroe looks uncomfortable as her family starts demanding an explanation. I can tell they're so close to telling her something about how their family's reputation is forever ruined because of her or something!

I can't stand by and watch anymore. I've come to care too much for her.

"Maybe if you'd give her a chance to explain herself without making assumptions, you'd have a better idea about what's going on." The words spill from my mouth before my mind catches up. Kuroe looks at me, mouth agape in shock. At first, I think it's because she's used to me speaking higher now. Until…

'You didn't just…'

But her family is more shocked. Before I can stop myself, I continue. "I know you're trying your best and want what you feel is best for her, but did you ever stop to ask what she wants? Really ask?"

"Akemi…" the little boy mumbles.

"Didn't you notice that when she's stressed out, she withdraws into herself? That she's not a fan of being around a lot of people?" I glare right into her father's eyes. It's difficult, but I have a feeling they need to know how serious I am. "Maybe she shut down because all of your expectations are overwhelming her, and since no one's ever bothered to ask what she wants, she just thinks all this is normal! Maybe something awful happened to her, but she won't tell you because you just assume you know her!"

"How…How could you think you know my daughter better than we do?!" her mother says, gasping.

"Kuroe tells me things," I mumble, trying my hardest not to stutter, so the words come out slowly. "Some struggles I know. With Kuroe, I've met someone who truly understands me! What I want, and how not to overwhelm me! I can only hope she feels the same way."

"I do, Homura," her voice comes out reassuringly. "These past few months with you have been wonderful. I've been able to open up more and more. It's…nice, being able to talk to someone about my problems. Who'll talk back and be honest with me."

"She doesn't hate you," I say. "But she feels you never really understood her. You almost seem to talk over her. Not to her."

"How dare—"

"She's right…" I hear. I look at Kuroe, who's looking down.

"Kuroe? What do you…?"

"I mean that she's the first person who really…tried to help me. Who understood…how to approach me."

I simply gaze at Kuroe. She's really defending me?

"Thanks to her, I finally feel like I belong somewhere! Like what I want matters."

"Figures you'd feel that way around her," her older sister replies after a bit.

"Yeah. You've been attached at the hip since you brought her home!" her older brother adds. "You're the only one she talks to."

"Still, what are you going to do about it when school begins? I take it you'll have to return to Mitakihara, Miss Akemi?" her father asks me.

"…Yeah…" I mumble. "I think when summer break's done…" There it is. A few months, and I'll never be able to see Kuroe—

"I'm going to Mitakihara too."

"What?" I'm not sure which members of her family said that, just that it was more than one.

"What?!" I ask immediately after, much more emphatically.

"I said I want to transfer to Mitakihara Middle School. That way, we can be in the same year together."

"Are you sure about this, Kuroe? I don't want you to regret it," I whisper to her. Yes, part of me wants to jump for joy that she still wants to hang around me, but I can't help but worry.

Kuroe shrugs. "I don't really have friends at my old school. Even seeing my ex would just open up an old wound. But if I go to Mitakihara, I'll be able to be with Homura, and I'll find something new, I hope."

"And what of high school?" her mother asks.

"We'll figure that out as we go, I guess."

Kuroe's parents start to discuss this shocking revelation. I look to her and ask again. "Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?"

"Yes. It just doesn't feel right, doing to a different school away from you. And I'm not gonna force you to go to a religious school."

I shudder at the very idea. "Never again…" I mumble.

"Okay, but Mitakihara's not exactly close to Takarazaki," her father says. "Kuroe, are you going to get up early enough to catch the train?"

I sigh. Then, softly, I reply. "She can live with me…"

"Are…you sure?" her father asks.

"I live…on my own," I admit, my voice growing sadder. "She'll come here to visit, of course! But…if her heart's set on coming to Mitakihara with me, it's an option."

Kuroe's parents then whisper amongst themselves again. Then, they look at us. "We'll get the transfer papers taken care of. But you still have to promise you'll study extra hard."

"I…I will!" Kuroe nods.

"And…Miss Akemi?"

"Yes?"

Sighing, her mother tells me, "Watch over her. I've never seen her as happy as she is when she's with you. You…I can see you're good for my daughter."

"I…I will," I reply. "I'll watch over her…"

Kuroe's family looks between the two of us. I realize my hand is still on Kuroe's shoulder. I take it off, mumbling an apology. After what seems to be an eternity, the older brother says, "You know, it's so strange. When I look at you two, it's like Akemi's some long-lost sister, especially to you!"

"Um…"

"I-It's not like that!" Kuroe insists. "Homura's a dear friend."

"Either way, it's about time to go home and get dinner around, girls."

As Kuroe and I walk side by side, we talk about whatever comes to mind. If her family's listening in, they thankfully don't indicate so. As we chat, I find myself thinking about what her brother said about us looking for sisters.

And once again, I find myself liking the idea more and more. But alas, Kuroe says I'm a dear friend. I sigh a little. Maybe I'll tell her when I'm ready.

"Homura?"

"Hm?"

Slowly, Kuroe takes out a small box and puts it in my hand. "I was on my way back, and some strange girl told me to give that to you."

"What girl?" I ask as I open the box. I gasp when I see the contents.

"I don't know. But she seemed to have pink hair? She didn't say much else, but when she told me to give that to you, she sounded really insistent."

My hands shake as I take out the contents of the box. A set of red glasses…and a very familiar red ribbon. Something falls out, which Kuroe catches and hands to me. "What's it say?"

Slowly, I take a deep breath and open the note. "We'll meet again soon. I'd like you to wear these when we do…"

"Who was that girl, Homura? Did you know her?"

"…Yeah…" I mumble, my mind still trying to process this.

Her ribbon. Her handwriting. But how is that even possible?