"I need you to look into my eyes." Drip...Drip..Drip. "Are you shifting your gaze? No, please do not look towards the wounds of my sweet, sweet little Midari." 'Empty. Empty, where am I?' Mnnnmm. 'What is that sound? This doesn't make any sense. I was just in the hospital.' Mnnnmmmm. 'That sound is growing. I can not move nor see anything. My veins are becoming pronounced, blood accelerating throughout my body with intensity, calm down. I feel a gnawing pain spreading throughout my body.' MnnMnnnMmmm. 'I can barely hear my heart beat. Please, wake up dammit.' "This is not a dream my supple, scandalous, surreal, suicidal little girl. I am so proud of how far you came." Midari's attempts to move proved futile. 'Where are you motherfucker?' "Now, now, there is no need to get personal here hehe. I believe that I am not wrong that she was completely oblivious to your current mental state. To think that one would have to slash their own wrists to get the attention of your parents. And when I say parents I really mean parent." 'Shut your fucking mouth you…' "I think you slit your wrists to garner some attention from your mother, you know damn well that the rest of the family could give a shit whether you live or die." 'When I get out of here I'm going to…' The mocking voice drew closer to Midari's right ear. "There, I believe this is your better ear. Now what? What is your retort? Are you going to shoot me my love? Your constant resort to violence is so primitive as it is unsurprising…." 'I am going to make you wish for…' The mocking voice wrapped something elastic around her mouth. "You know it is rude to interrupt. Have you ever found it ironic that the item you use to cause such mayhem is from him. I mean really, every time you play brain splatter in the girls restroom you use his .44. And yet you are so fucking unlucky that you can even end it all and quiet the ringing in your ears. An object that nearly broke your little nuclear, residential, privileged existence. Do you think he played a similar game with your mother?" Midari despite the restraints had enough of the mocking presence. She screamed through the elastic material. 'Enough!' She teared through the restraints with such velocity . Immediately she grabbed the mocking presence firmly. 'I am tired, I am angry, I am sad, and I am unusually horny. I can easily fill that revolver full of permanent sleeping aids and call it a night but where is the fun in that? I have a mystery/conspiracy that has appeared in Hykkaou Private Academy and as Beautification President, I have an obligation to keep this academy and those who attend it in a state of constant beauty.' She pulled the presence closer to her chest with one hand and held a revolver with one bullet in the randomly spun cylinder. 'And if I have to scar, kill, or just beat the shit out of someone, I will. And if I use this .44 well, hopefully the odds are in your favor.' Bang.
"Midari?" Yuriko asked with concern. Midari looked as if all the blood fell from her face. She sensed something nefarious was lurking within Midari's mind. Midari blacked out from the anticipation of Yuriko's return to the land of the conscious. Yuriko weakly lifted her left arm to touch Midari's knee. The physical stimuli brought Midari back from her unpleasant thoughts. Yuriko repeated a previous statement with a supportive smile. "Hi silly. I've missed you too." Midari's pupil dilated, surprised to hear Yuriko's soft voice. Yet despite the slight shock, Midari began to tear up before embracing Yuriko with a tight grip. 'I know I don't say this often but I love you and I couldn't live with myself if I lost you. I just feel like this is all my fault….' Yuriko consoles Midari. "Shhh. It's not your fault for where I am. I originally received the note and shared it with you. Please don't cry Midari, I'm not going anywhere." Yuriko decided to lift the atmosphere with a joke. "Hey, at least now we have matching forearms." Midari began to chuckle. 'Yeah, but I believe that your forearms are much softer.' "Well I do use a honey-oatmeal based moisturizer imported from the U.S." Midari grinned, a quick quip escaped her purple lips. 'That does not sound very traditional to me. I thought you would use something like leftover water from washing rice as a remedy for perfect skin.' Yuriko stuck her tongue out at Midari. "First of all, fuck you. Second of all, I have a rice cooker at home. You should know as you've had dinner with my parents at our 20th century era home." Midari could not contain herself anymore. 'Blasphemy. Ha, hehe. Blasphemy, I've had dinner with a heretic!' Yuriko was struggling to hold in her laughter, joining her best friend in a tender moment such as this. Eventually the laughter died down. "Thank you Midari. I know you are not accustomed to receiving gratitude and graciousness from others but I want you to know that I am deeply moved by your actions the other day. I know it could not have been easy for you, bringing back less than pleasant memories…" Midari interrupted Yuriko. 'It was not easy. The images of my self-harm back then made me stand frozen for a few seconds as I contemplated my competence in stitching up severe cuts. At that moment, fear and self-doubt stood behind me to view my potential failure. However, those images filled me with determination to save my best friend's life. But I was not alone in my effort to keep you alive, Yumeko Jabami acted as an assistant for my custom stitch work.' Yuriko looked down at her forearms with worry. "Oh dear, I can not believe that the second year transfer student witnessed that, she must be traumatized." Midari shrugged. 'Actually, she held better than expected, even with the amount of blood on the floor and…' "Yes, yes, well I would be very grateful if you could show her gratitude on my behalf." 'Yes dear, I will.' Midari thought of another quip. 'I swear sometimes we talk like an old married couple.' "Ya know, I am pretty sure you've said this before. You're forgetful honey." Midari stuck out her tongue with playful disapproval. 'Do you want me to get you anything from the cafeteria?' Yuriko snuggled into Midari arm. "Some black tea would be nice." Yuriko looked up at Midari with big, wide pupil eyes. 'Aww, now how can I say no to that face?' Midari kissed Yuriko on the forehead and got up from her chair. Before leaving the room Yuriko spoke softly. "I love you Midari." Midari formed a rare, genuine smile before responding to her best friend. 'I love you too Yuriko.'
-ACA