Full title is "They'd only see the tragedy, they'd not see my intent" from Confrontation. From Jekyll & Hyde.

The problem of being a person who wanted to understand, that chose to seek out the tells and details that unraveled the whole picture, is that sometimes the truth is ugly. Difficult to bear. No matter how smart or logical one can make their analysis; it'll always be bound to the observer's own prejudices, and the myriads of factors that alter the observed party's mood. People, in the end, weren't reigned by their logic or ability to think. But by their experiences and emotions, which made the journey of understanding them difficult to begin with. It made it so some truths were not meant for everyone.

Hachiman took a few days to mull things over, to really let the events of the last week set in. Because, while it might've hurt and left him feeling emptier than he'd been before the concert, they could be called nothing but an outstanding success: The whole point of his interactions with Hoshino were to show her that he was just another guy, that the fleeting moment where they crossed paths didn't have to mean anything. For her, for him. No matter how scary or horrible, they should both be able to look back and think they were fine. That they'd continue to be fine.

Hachiman was not fine. Not by any stretch of the word.

Remembering that kid hurt, made him breathless. And it inevitably invited other thoughts that he hadn't considered important thus far, pieces and details of conversation he hadn't labeled as important before. With Hoshino, with Saitou. Those small moments where Hachiman could see a unique life rearing its head. Small, personal. Completely unrecognizable by an outsider unless other, bigger pieces, were slotted in to form a picture.

A picture that, all the same, Hachiman couldn't peel his eyes away from. Not if he wanted to avoid looking at the other, uglier image that the last few days had for him. An image borne out of his own shortcomings and failures, pushed to the forefront by Hoshino's double-faced actions.

"Hey, you want some?" The voice of a woman made Hachiman rear his head, taking his eyes away from the snacks section of the convenience store he found himself in, only to see said woman holding a bunch of beer cans over Hachiman's face, inviting "You look like you could use drinking a couple."

"Should a teacher really be inviting her students to drink alcohol, Hiratsuka-san?" Hachiman frowned but still weighed his options. He wasn't against it, as long as it was indeed one or two cans, but given the company he'd have…

"You're no longer my student, and you're an adult. I'm using my time off to help you guys out too, so at least give me this much." The older woman scoffed, shaking her head and making the hasty bun she used to tie her hair shake a bit. Her casual clothes didn't look odd, but it still made Hachiman a bit nervous. Given that he was used to her more professional look, even after all this time "So is that a yes or no?"

"You're just asking to split the bill." He growled.

"Yes or no, Hikigaya!"

"Alright, fine. I don't want to drink!" Hachiman scratched the back of his head "Jeez."

"Was it that hard?" Hiratsuka put them back to where she got them from.

"I… Kinda want to but…" Hachiman trailed off, giving the cans in the freezer another glance "I don't think it's a good idea."

"That's fine. Just don't change your mind when we're already at my place." Hiratsuka shrugged "Or you'll have to come back alone."

"Fair." Hachiman carried the stuff he picked up to pay for them, walking a bit ahead of his former teacher while glancing around. Trying to be discrete "Did you get Miura's drink?"

Hiratsuka shook a sports drink bottle.

"Cool."

The walk back wasn't as bothersome or awkward as one might expect. There were enough things in Hachiman's mind already, keeping him preoccupied enough that a bit of time in silence didn't bother him that much. It might've been a different question had he felt the passage of time more acutely, if he worried about the things that his former teacher wanted to hear or say. Hiratsuka knew him well enough to tell that he might be present physically, but not mentally. Still, she didn't press. She carried the things she bought in silence, looking ahead while Hachiman followed her with his eyes on the ground. Walking slower as he trailed behind his previous teach with the same mindlessness that a duckling follows its mom.

In any other time, he'd have felt bad. He might've tried to reach out, assure her that things were okay enough. That all he needed was time. He couldn't do that. Hoshino's life wasn't one he could talk about, not freely enough that he felt confident in his ability to keep things low-key when he told Hiratsuka his worries.

Because, even now, he got it. He understood. His talk with Saitou-san wasn't in vain, he'd known that separating was the ultimate goal. That he'd probably end up a little worse in the end, given how little even Hoshino's co-stars knew. And even now, bitter and unable to think about other things, Hachiman chose to respect that.

Still, when they arrived at the woman's house, Hachiman felt that it'd be awkward to enter without even a word being exchanged.

"Sensei." He called out before she could open the door, and the amused look that she gave him when she turned to look at him made Hachiman realize his blunder "Err… I mean, Hiratsuka-san."

"What is it, Hikigaya?" The woman chuckled but didn't tease him or anything. It felt like a warm gesture, one that made the start of a blush appear with even more intensity in Hachiman's face.

"…Thanks for inviting me." He mumbled the least smart thing he could come up with. Because even someone like Hachiman was not immune to embarrassment "I didn't want to bother so…"

"It's fine. I wouldn't want one of my favorite students to get bad grades because life happens." Hiratsuka shook her head, the amusement replaced with bitterness. It was contagious, however. And Hachiman couldn't help cringing at her words "Sorry. Even I can get my foot in my mouth. Hmmm…"

"It's fine." Hachiman shrugged, even though it was not fine "I'm still thankful."

Hiratsuka let out a sigh and patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, kid." She turned forward to open the door with a bit more confidence, probably having some of her own doubts and worries cleared out by Hachiman's sloppy approach. Or at leas that's what he wanted to believe "I'm back!"

"We're back." Hachiman echoed as he entered and closed the door behind him with his hip, looking at the right of the mini-corridor to see the people sitting around Hiratsuka's living room on various states of boredom.

"Welcome back~." Ebina replied in a monotone from her seat at the main table that was meant for a bit over 6 people. She rested her chin on the table proper, and held what Hachiman was pretty sure was Zaimokuza's phone horizontally, tapping away at it without blinking.

"Finally." Miura sat a couple of seats to Ebina's right, and she at least put away her phone and looked down on the notebooks and pencils, and other stuff scattered around the table "We finished this section."

"And ordered some pizza." Zaimokuza from behind Ebina. Not actually sitting, but still looking at what the spectacled girl was doing.

"Then why did we go buy snacks?" Hachiman growled, a bit more annoyed than he should be.

"Well, I like eating well!" Zaimokuza laughed like some kind of evil general revealing his master plan "We can't just eat pizza, after all."

"Normally, that means that you'd have something more nutritious alongside it." Miura complained while Hachiman put the bags on the table.

"Not like you didn't know we'd only eat junk food." Ebina spoke without moving until something happened on the phone "Eh? Did I reach pity already?"

"Ummm, I don't think so?" Zaimokuza took the device from her "Man, this is why Hina-dono has the divine hands!"

"You're still spending money in that game?" Hiratsuka brought a can of beer from her freezer. She'd bought some for them, just less than what she'd have gotten if Hachiman had said yes. Because, in the end, this was still supposed to be her free day "No wonder your grades are lacking."

"I have to grind to get everything for my wife!" Zaimokuza cheered "How else could I call myself a fan?!"

"You already have her at SS-rank and with sig. There's literally no content that she can't clear." Ebina stretched her back, making it pop rather painfully; but she ignored it and reached for one of Hachiman's bags to take a package of gummies "And it's not like the content is difficult. Try playing other games for a change."

"Ah, no. I don't think so." Zaimokuza shook his head smugly while Hachiman sat back down on his previous spot, parallel to the guy talking "I don't want to have to grind for over a month just for a 4-stars character. I'm not a peasant."

"The grind is what makes it worth it!" Ebina complained, getting an annoyed sigh from her blonde friend.

"My drink?" Miura ignored her friend's words and got Hachiman to point at Hiratsuka, nodding and getting off her seat to go get it.

"If only you put as much effort studying…" Hiratsuka shook her head, disappointed.

"Nah. I can always tag along and get private lessons like this." Ebina sounded proud of herself as she puffed her chest and ate some of her gummies "It's better like this, get more things done."

"You're the least focused on this." Hachiman pointed out as he popped his can of coffee open.

"My grades are fine…ish… I don't have to worry."

"Sounds like someone's getting too comfortable doing the bare minimum." Miura gave Ebina a side glance.

"Well, I wouldn't be this comfortable is someone didn't think she'd make it big if she pushes away her studies and goes hard on training." Ebina jabbed at the blonde with a wide grin.

"Uh, at least I'm working hard!" Miura scoffed "What's the point in trying if you're not going all-in?"

"And I'm the one locked babysitting you all." Hiratsuka left one seat empty between herself and Hachiman when she plopped down, waving at the home she'd bought for herself as she took a sip from her beer can "So shut up and get to work before I kick all of you out."

The house looked about good enough for a full family, yet everyone pointedly did not comment how Hiratsuka was the only one living there. Which, all things considered, was more awareness and self-preservation instincts than these guys had shown since Miura got Hiratsuka to help her out with her failing grades.

"Hey, I just came back. You can't do this to me." Hachiman complained without putting too much emotion into it, giving his own notes another glance to try to get back at what he was doing before the small break.

"Ah, I feel compelled to ask Hachiman-sama to be spared your wrath." Zaimokuza clapped his hands together, still not sitting down "Please, Shishou! He's been good to me, don't make him hate me!"

"You aren't half as cool as you'd have to be my pupil. Sit down." Hiratsuka replied with more seriousness "I'll punch you."

"…At once, Sensei."

"Is that allowed? I don't think that's allowed." Miura got distracted, getting an expression of smug amusement while she glanced at Zaimokuza while he sat down in silence "I should try that."

"No way, Yumi-chan will one-shot anyone with a single whack." Ebina shuddered "Those racket swinging sessions don't lie."

"Can you stop talking about physical violence?" Hachiman took another sip of his coffee "I'm actually trying to catch up here."

"Hiratsuka-san started it!" Ebina raised her hand and her voice, making Hachiman pull back due to the suddenness of her action.

"Stop screaming!" Miura yelled at her friend.

"It's unfair that only Yumi-chan gets to scream!"

"The things I do for free food…" Hiratsuka covered her face, holding her can with a hand resting beneath her chest.

Hachiman scoffed and returned his gaze to his notes.

This was… Nice. Chaotic, annoying when Ebina was encouraged to keep that monkey attitude she sometimes brought, but nice. At least like this, Hachiman wasn't alone with his thoughts. And that helped massively to put things into perspective. To make things more impersonal, thanks to his private life having nothing to do with everything regarding Hoshino.

It was like staring at the other side of the fence. Looking from home, toward Hoshino's space. Except, an empty lot separated them both. And the small time they jumped over their own fences had been horrible. The space was unkept, with no one to care for it. With mud, trash, and some thorny vines here and there. It helped Hachiman feel glad that he was in the comfort of his own space, recharging. But with people to help clean up the mess that had been left behind.

Who'd have thought? With the right people, even catching up to the time he couldn't attend school could be pleasant.

That's why, when his cellphone started ringing, Hachiman almost wanted to snap his pencil in half as he reached into his pocket to check who he had to deal with now.

"Is everything alright?" Hiratsuka tilted her head, seeing Hachiman's face contort like something he'd eaten was hurting his stomach.

"It was." Hachiman huffed "No. I'm not doing this right now."

He put the phone on the table and reached out for some chips, taking a handful and shoving them all in his mouth. Letting his chewing drain the building stress off his shoulders.

The flavor helped, at least. So he…

The phone started ringing again basically as soon as it died down.

"Who is it?" Miura asked, eyeing the device with some suspicion but without fully turning to it. Like she wanted it to think that she wasn't looking.

"Is it about… "that"?" Ebina asked, making air quotes while looking around carefully.

"Probably." Hachiman huffed, taking the device again.

"If you don't wanna deal with it right now, it should be fine. Right?" Hiratsuka chimed in "Or is it important?"

Hachiman turned the question around in his mind, an acutely unpleasant sensation running across his stomach.

"It might be." He acknowledged, and so he took the call "Yes?"

"Oh, good. I thought I'd have to leave a message." The woman on the other side sighed, holding her voice with the same rigidity that a mother would with her meddlesome children "Are you busy right now?"

"Sort of." Hachiman turned to Hiratsuka, who simply shrugged.

She didn't know about the relation between going to watch an idol show and his injury, but he didn't feel the need to leave the room at the moment. Miura might be more of a problem, but he didn't think he'd have to dance around the topic. Not with Ebina whispering in her ear to get her up to speed without Hachiman needing to say anything.

The blonde looked at her friend, then at the nodding guy that had become serious again. Then, she just sort of sighed and crossed her arms. Relenting.

"It's kind of pressing." Saitou-san stated, making Hachiman roll his eyes.

"Yes, I figured. You wouldn't call me otherwise."

"Yeowch…" Ebina murmured.

"Tell me he's not talking to someone important." Hiratsuka caught the comment, and gave Ebina a stern look.

"He's not talking to someone important." The short-haired girl obediently recited.

"Okay. Just to get it out of the way, did you know that your little "friend" paid us a visit this morning?" Something in Saitou's voice annoyed Hachiman to no end. So he stretched his back and squared his jaw.

"I can only think of a single person I'd categorize like that living in Tokyo, and she basically works non-stop. So I don't know who you're talking about." Hachiman made a pause and put his hand over the phone to regard the girls sitting across from him "Is Kawasaki still working in that bar?"

"Hmmm? Yeah." Ebina gave him a thumbs up "I don't know how she does it. I'd have turned into a raccoon by that point."

"Is she still with that horrible schedule?" Miura asked with some worry.

"Yeah. It's like she chooses the most back-breaking way to do things imaginable. And she looks fine. Which is very scary." Ebina hugged herself "I could never."

"You can't even study properly alone." Hiratsuka clicked her tongue.

"Ehehehe…"

Hachiman returned his attention to the phone.

"-know what I'm talking about, Hikigaya."

"I really don't." Hachiman replied, a bit calmer now.

"Really?"

"Pinky promise." He said in the dryest tone he could muster before taking his can of coffee to drink.

That worked like he'd broken a spell, letting the other college students go back to their work. And, although Hiratsuka kept a glance on Hachiman's side, she eyed the others too to make sure they kept working from time to time. Drinking her beer with a lot more comfort than before.

"You sound a little too smug to believe it."

"I thought we were done, Saitou-san." Hachiman put his can down and flipped Miura the bird when she was about to make an exaggerated surprised reaction. He could just see it in the girl's face, just waiting to re-interpret Hachiman's words to her own amusement.

She took one of Ebina's gummies and threw it at Hachiman's face.

"Ow…" It had… A lot of accuracy. And it did make him flinch, but he just picked it from his lap and ate it "I played my part. Hell, I got the short stick of it but took it like a champ. I don't mean to brag, but you could've honestly not asked for a better person to play the role you asked of me. Anyone else would've taken it personal."

Not like Hachiman didn't, but he'd gone through his own growth. Interacted with people, experienced things. He wouldn't stay down forever. He might need more time than most to recover from seemingly unimportant things, to make up his mind. But he wasn't weak, not like Haruno thought he was at least.

"I… I know." Saitou took a lungful of air, gathering her thoughts "This still has to do with you though."

"Then I'm sorry, but that's your problem." Hachiman scoffed "I can't do more now. It'd defeat the point."

"Look, yes. I understand that. But this particular instance still concerns you." The woman replied with pin-point precision. It sounded too professional to just be her trying to scold or push her worries onto Hachiman.

"Now what?"

"Because she came earlier today…"

"Who?"

"You weren't listening!" Saitou raised her voice to the point that Hachiman had to pull the phone back from the sudden high pitch "Yukinoshita! Yukinoshita came to the studio we rented earlier in the morning."

Hachiman's stomach turned.

"Oh…"

"Yes, oh indeed." Saitou held her voice at bay now that she had his full attention "And we talked, or Ichigo did. And we thought this would finally close…"

"What did you tell her?" If Hachiman could glare across the phone line, he'd have killed Saitou with the meanest evil stare he could muster.

"…Why do you assume it's our mistake?"

"Because it sure isn't mine." Hachiman replied dryly.

"Look, I'm only prefacing this. It doesn't necessarily have to do with Yukinoshita-san."

"Then?"

"Some of the girls saw her, and there's been a lot of unrest since you met Ai back at the concert." Saitou sighed, stopping in her tracks to get her bearings back. Hachiman let her, taking the opportunity to do the same "I'm running damage control, but I got a message from Nino's family…"

"Who?"

"One of our girls." Saitou replied without missing a beat "She did not return home, and we think she might've gone to Chiba."

Hachiman blinked a couple of times, the stress draining out of his body.

"Ah, well." He wanted to shrug, but he couldn't quite manage it in a way that Saitou could see it "Good for her?"

Saitou didn't reply immediately. But when she did, she could barely hide the stress she was under.

"Look. I know it's bothersome, but can I still count on you to keep things under control?"

"I don't see why you wouldn't." Hachiman gave her an honest reply "It'd be pointless to have so much mud thrown at my face if I wasn't all-in."

"Look, the thing with Ai…"

"I'm pretty sure you've made me the villain of this story." Hachiman closed his eyes, speaking with more clarity than before "That's fine. I don't care for any of that, it's not like I know any of these people. But you're making your problems mine now."

"That's…"

"And those are exclusively yours. I don't even know how little the others know, how much you've hidden in your quest to protect Hoshino. And that's fine, it's your company. But let me make this clear: I'm not sinking for you. I won't let you drag me to any of that. Hoshino is one thing. It happened, it's not your fault. But that's the end of it." Hachiman sighed when his thoughts went back to the idol, to her star-struck gaze. To the things that lurked beneath seemingly beyond Hachiman's ability to look away from. And… Well, to his own darkness "I'm not your sacrificial pawn, Saitou-san. I can't abandon my… My friends and family, for people that I don't know."

He didn't want to look at the others, even though their attention was pretty obviously on Hachiman. He especially didn't want to look at Hiratsuka, whose glance he felt the most distinctly when he became hyperaware of his surroundings. The others, he could sort of ignore. They gave him the space, not looking at him and trying to busy themselves while he talked. They'd have their questions, but Ebina had made him feel like there were some worries he'd be able to put to rest. He could deal with them.

He didn't want to see his former teacher, however, because he didn't want to know whether she was proud of him or if that glance carried nothing but pity.

"No." Saitou spoke again, but she wasn't talking directly to him. Something was happening on the other side "Wait, I'm dealing with… No."

Hachiman could guess what was happening.

"Let her." He said with a sigh, finally having enough and standing from his seat. Turning around to go to Hiratsuka's kitchen. He pulled the phone away as he stopped for a moment, turning a little toward Hiratsuka without actually looking at her "Can I get a beer after all?"

"I mean, you're drinking coffee but be my guest." The woman sighed "Leave some room for the pizza."

"Got it." Hachiman nodded while walking into the kitchen. It was pretty nice, as all rooms in the house. And it felt homely, even though a single woman lived there. It was as if it oozed the fact, like it radiated Hiratsuka's presence in a mysterious way.

"…Hey." The small voice that came from the phone made Hachiman frown. He still had a lot of thoughts, most of which he could've hurled at the girl. But that tone reminded him of the girl he'd talked to in this way, not the one he'd met back at the concert.

There's a comment about how scary the difference is in there, somewhere between Hachiman's distorted thoughts. But he put them aside, like he'd done since he went to study at Hiratsuka's place.

"Guess I'm worth talking to, now." Hachiman opened the fridge, letting some of his frustration out without meaning to. In any other circumstance, he'd have corrected the tone. But he really, really didn't feel like it.

In his mind, the plan remained the same: Cutting ties, leaving. It'd be the best for the both of them, it'd avoid having to deal with things that obviously neither wanted to deal with. It was simple, clean.

It didn't sit well with him.

"Ah… Please don't say that. It hurts to think you don't believe I'm sorry." The small voice made him hesitate, but not for the reason one might think.

Her tone put him back in an uglier moment of his life, reminded him of a girl he'd had in his arms. On the verge of collapse, not knowing what to do.

It made him feel worse.

"So you say." He'd seen how quickly she could pull herself back in, hide in the darkest corners of her own mind. Again, it was kind of scary. And the thought that she could be lying to him when he couldn't look at her bothered Hachiman to no end. So he couldn't help answer in this way.

"You don't believe me?" The question sounded a lot more poignant than Hachiman had heard someone speak before. Well, not entirely. He'd been in pretty awkward, pretty devastating situations. But still caught him off guard.

"I… Don't think Saitou-san called for you to ask these things." Hachiman held his phone between his cheek and shoulder to open the can, feeling a bit better when the usual 'pssst' told him he'd be able to drink.

"Right. I… Right." Hoshino chuckled humorlessly, breathing in such a way that Hachiman could hear the waver in her lungs.

He had to admit, she was pretty good at these details. He could almost believe her.

"So?"

"Well, please take it easy with Miyako-san. She's running around, doing everything in her power. I think she's at her limit." Hoshino's voice was more cheerful than the previous moment of silence would've made Hachiman expect, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he held his annoyance, his natural distrust, in his metaphorical hands. Saving it "What I think she meant to say, is that she called so these things wouldn't get you by surprise. So that you can deal with it at your own pace."

"Really?"

"Well, I think that's the case." It was kind of funny how quickly Hoshino gave up on defending the woman, but Hachiman didn't make a noise "Because I hope at least you understand this side of the… The problem."

Hachiman shook his head, releasing some air through his nose.

"Again, whether you trust your co-workers or not is not my problem." Hachiman took a sip from his drink "I can do this much. I get it."

"That's all I'd ask for." Hoshino replied breathlessly "I know it's a lot but…"

"No. I…" Hachiman felt the bitterness in his tongue mix with the one in his heart "It's important. I was there."

"I'd love to trust Nino-chan and the rest more." Hoshino trailed off, like she wasn't talking to Hachiman directly "But right now that's a bit…"

"Scary?" He offered.

"I guess."

Hachiman nodded to himself.

"I… I can understand that."

That made Hoshino chuckle.

"Your friends are pretty scary though."

"I don't have scary friends, I think you've got it mixed up." Hachiman scoffed "They're normal people that do normal things."

Like spending all their savings on gacha games. Man, if only Saika had tagged along…

"Is that so? Well, I…" Hoshino stopped, taking a couple of seconds before Hachiman could actually hear conversation happening on the other side "Well, that's about it. Thanks for listening."

Hachiman didn't know if he felt relieved or disappointed.

"Thanks for the heads up, I guess."

"Yeah. We've troubled you enough as-is." She stopped again, not ending the call "Can I, umm, y'know…"

"I don't see what's the point."

"Please. You're… A lot nicer than a lot of people here."

If he was the Hachiman from high school, that'd have been the single most devastating sentence ever spoken to him.

Hachiman blinked the strangely humid sensation off his eyes.

"That's pretty sad."

"Well, I can…"

"Later, Hoshino." He cut her off, taking a bigger sip from the beer to buy himself a couple of seconds "I'm busy right now. Catching up with school and stuff."

"Oh. Right, sorry." Her voice became cute again, like she'd been revitalized. He kind of missed the more pathetic tone now "Good luck."

"You too. I'll, huh…"

"I'll text you." She immediately took the initiative back "Miyako-san is kind of mad, so let's continue later. Bye!"

She cut the call before Hachiman could say no, leaving him with his thoughts and no clue as to how to continue studying without his thoughts breaking through the dam he'd carefully built these past couple of days to let himself process them slowly.

"Don't you have a boyfriend though…? Adding another person is…" Hachiman stared with incredulity at his phone, willing it to give answers that he'd probably never get.

After all, why else would a stalker want to kill her in the same world that she'd have a good-looking boy with a little copy of himself around?

Hachiman closed his eyes, failing to push her out of his mind this time. Back when it mattered, he'd have chosen her. He should have, in no uncertain terms, but he hadn't. He'd let the choices be made for him. He just couldn't understand.

If Hoshino had such a close relationship to have his family around, then why?

"Hikigaya?" Hiratsuka's voice spooked him out of his thoughts "Everything alright?"

He looked back, seeing the people that wanted to check on him but still chose to give him some space.

Right. It's not the same, is it? Even if he was selfish enough to leave everyone else behind for her… It doesn't mean that others can't strive for more connections. It's not like everyone is as pathetic as he is, getting entangled in the same pitiful problems.

Hachiman wheezed before answering.

"I'm fine." He meant it, sort of. Feeling a bit more clarity now "I almost choked."

"Oh, jeez. If you don't know how to drink, then don't." Hiratsuka admonished him when he returned to the living room "I don't wanna get scolded by Komachi-chan."

Miura was giving Hachiman a suspicious glance.

"What?"

"Nothing." She looked at her notes again "You good?"

Hachiman put the can on his side of the table.

"I will be."

Miura didn't look at him anymore.

"As long as that's the case."

"Thanks." Miyako-san didn't look very happy, but she still relented to Ai's actions as the idol gave the phone back "I'd have suggested…"

"As long as he's with us, he should be allowed to deal with Nino-chan however he wants." Ai lifted a finger, smiling fondly at the woman and hiding on her chest when she got Miyako-san into a huge "You've done enough. You don't have to personally look at every detail yourself."

"If she even went to Chiba." Ichigo-san scoffed, scratching the back of his head with some annoyance "I still think it has nothing to do with it. It's just a family that got nervous thanks to Ai's situation."

"Which is logical enough." Miyako-san slowly closed her arms around Ai, breathing slowly "Hey, stand up properly. Putting you face there is a bit…"

"Sorry! Ruby loves to do that, so I was wondering…" Ai chuckled but did as commanded, resting her forehead on the space between Miyako-san's lower face and shoulder "There, there. It's alright. You've done enough."

"Maybe with you, you're her mother." Miyako-san chuckled with some nervousness "I just want to make sure things are alright."

"They will be." Ichigo-san put a hand on his wife's shoulder "Trust the guy that went to you immediately when he suspected something was amiss while messaging Ai."

"Yeah! It's not that I don't understand, I want nothing more than have Ruby and Aqua be safe." It just so happened that this particular instance was as much an opportunity to get back in the game as making sure her secret wasn't exposed again. Really, Ai was simply killing two birds with one stone.

That the second bird wasn't in Miyako-san or Ichigo-san's sight, well, that's not really Ai's problem. Is it?

"But you're going to keep texting him?" The woman couldn't hide her worry.

"Again, I trust him. I want to trust him…" Ai's voice became more normal as she released Miyako-san and turned to gaze at Ichigo-san "I think it's safe."

Ichigo-san frowned.

"It's been four years since you decided to have the twins, and it's been only one mistake since then. One mistake, and look how far it has gone." He shook his head, closing his eyes like some unseen weight rested on his shoulders "We're doing our best here, Ai. Please don't throw it all away."

Ai pressed her lips tightly.

"I won't." Ai turned around, smiling at the two children that had spent most of the time silently watching the team meeting unfold.

Aqua shrugged.

"As long as… Mom… Is happy."

Ruby ran to hold Ai by the leg.

"As long as I'm by mama's side!"

Miyako-san shook her head.

"There's already too many moving parts."

"Then let's making them less." Ai insisted "Nino-chan… I actually don't think she'd go all the way to look for Hikigaya. She's dumb, but not that dumb."

"Don't you think Yukinoshita gave her weird ideas?" Miyako-san still didn't look any less worried.

"I… Don't think so?"

"That doesn't sound very convincing." Ichigo-san commented.

"Well, I mean. I saw Haruno-san last." Ai tilted her head, petting her daughter on the head while she spoke "I didn't see Nino-chan or anyone else there. It could've been while I was out of the studio, but you'd have to ask the director."

"Okay…" Miyako-san sighed "Okay, fine. Let's assume that for now."

"Yeah!"

"Even if Nino-san went to look for Hikigaya, it doesn't matter." Aqua chimed in "Trust that he's got enough self-preservation to avoid risking putting his neck on the line again."

That… Didn't sound good when said out loud. But maybe that's what Aqua was aiming for.

"I guess…" Miyako-san looked down, more defeated than calm.

She didn't know that Aqua had met him, after all. She didn't know that Hikigaya freaked out upon seeming him. So… Ai also wanted to think that the fear would make him put some distance with Nino and any other of the girls, if they tried to look for him. And if they tried to aim for Haruno-san… Well, Ai already knew how that'd end up.

Good. She had some time to figure things out. She'd rather have them by her side than against her, of course. It was only logical. But, well, could she honestly see their relationship patched and past differences put behind them?

It's not like they knew how to love selflessly, not that Ai could tell at least.