The Cherryton Cooking Club

by Mr.Dr.Sadperson

Taking place one year before the events of the show, this story is a simple look at the (relatively) normal lives of average students attending Cherryton Highschool.

57. Chapter 48

Chapter 48: The World Ends With You

[CONTENT WARNING: THIS CHAPTER COVERS THEMES OF DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE!]

(About one month ago.)

Tina the pig grimaced as she wrapped both hands around her coffee mug. Her apartment was freezing again, like it had been every single day for the better part of a week. Her husband, Yokoshe, opened the sliding door to their balcony one day and broke the frame. Now the door wouldn't close all the way, leaving their apartment the same temperature as the outside. They had even tried to pack the gap full of towels to seal it, but it hadn't worked. Worst of all, their apartment didn't have any sort of handyman or maintenance. Either they fixed it, or it stayed broken.

Yokoshe, wearing his coat as he left the bedroom, kissed her cheek and smiled.

"Good Morning. How'd you sleep?"

Tine huffed and glared at the door.

"Like I live in an icebox. I swear, I can't take it anymore! You either need to fix it, or we need to move! I can't live like this!"

Yokoshe sighed.

"Fine, I'll try to fix it. Hopefully I can just wiggle the door back onto its track and it'll close properly. At least, that's what I was able to figure out from the internet. I was thinking I could do it after lunch."

Tina shook her head and shivered.

"No way. If you can fix it, fix it now. Then we can go out to lunch to celebrate."

Yokoshe smiled longsufferingly and jokingly saluted.

"As you wish."

He grabbed the screwdriver he had bought and slid a chair over. He opened the door the rest of the way and set the chair outside on their tiny balcony that overlooked the street four stories below.

Tina pulled her coat tighter as the frigid wind from the doorway whistled into the small apartment. Of all the seasons their door could have broken, it had to be winter. She listened to her husband mutter as several squeaky, squealing noises came from the door. Hopefully his internet tutorial had been correct. Whatever the case, she needed to go take a shower.

Tina spent a long time enjoying the hot water in the bathroom before reluctantly drying off and getting dressed. Once she had put on her makeup and thrown her coat back on, she walked back out into the freezing apartment.

"Any luck?"

Tina waited, and frowned when she didn't hear a response. She turned towards the balcony and was surprised to not see her husband there. The door was still open, and the chair was still standing on the balcony. Tina looked into the kitchen, and then in the bedroom. Her husband was nowhere to be found.

"Honey? You in here?"

When she once again didn't hear him reply, she pulled her phone out and sent him a text asking if he had gone out to get something. She grew more confused when there was no reply to her message. Where had he gone? Why wasn't he answering his phone?

In the distance, Tina heard the siren of an ambulance. It slowly grew louder until it was positively deafening. Based on the noise, it was right below her. Tina frowned and stepped onto the balcony. Sure enough, there was an ambulance on the street below her. She watched as the paramedics bustled around a shape on the ground. Frowning, Tina called her husband's phone. He probably had left to grab something and was currently distracted watching this scene play out. Finally, he picked up the phone.

"Yokoshe, where are you? You could at least let me know if you're going out."

An unfamiliar voice replied.

"Ma'am, who is this?"

Tina scrunched up her face and checked her phone's screen. It was her husband's number, so who was answering?

"This is Tina. And the phone you're holding belongs to my husband. Who are you, and why do you have my husband's phone?"

"My name is Tujin, and I'm a paramedic. Ma'am, I'm afraid I have some bad news. There appears to have been an accident."

Two days later, Tina quietly opened the door to her apartment and shuffled inside. She felt… nothing. It was like she was trapped in a bad dream. It all seemed so impossible. Yokoshe losing his balance and falling off the railing. The doctors telling her he was alive but in critical condition. The hours of surgery that all were a success. Sitting by his bed as the doctors told her that his chances were good. And finally his heart suddenly stopping and the doctors not being able to start it again. Her husband was… dead.

Tina sat down on the couch. The door was still broken, and the apartment was as cold as ice. But it didn't compare to the biting numbness that filled Tina's chest. She was just drained. All the terror and crying, followed by hope that was so rapidly torn away. It was too cruel to bear.

Tina didn't leave the apartment for over a week. She barely ate, barely moved, and barely slept. She just stared listlessly at nothing, feeling dead inside. And it was upon realizing that feeling that Tina came to a decision. She didn't want to live anymore. She had nothing to live for. Tina wasn't sure if she believed in an afterlife or anything like that, but there was a chance after all. She might be able to see her husband again, and escape all this pain.

At first, Tina had walked onto her balcony. She moved to the railing and looked down at the dark and empty street below. But as she raised a foot, she thought about what had happened to her husband. He had lingered and almost survived. She didn't want that, to lie in the dirt for hours waiting for death. She wanted it to be quick.

The next day, she brought a backpack full of as many heavy things as possible to the bridge over the harbor. Tina stared down at the icy blue water far below her and felt her chest tighten. The water would be colder than she could imagine, cold enough to burn like fire. And the idea of drowning, of her lungs filling with water as cold as death itself was too horrific to entertain. Tina dropped the backpack and hurried off the bridge. She just had to find the right way.

But try as she might, Tina just couldn't go through with it. Each and every time she was about to end it all, she would be overcome with terror and stop herself. And with each failed attempt, Tina hated herself more and more. She hated how weak she was, how much of a coward she was. But she mainly hated that she was still alive, and her husband wasn't.

And then, she read that rumor. According to many anonymous users on the darker parts of the internet reserved for those seeking death, either theirs or others, you could signal to a carnivore that you wanted them to eat you. Tina felt relieved, honestly. If she was too much of a weakling to end her life herself, she'd get a carnivore to do it for her. Finally, she had a way out of her despair and hopelessness.

Tina put on her coat and gloves out of routine and numbly walked to the train station. Everything was so dark and cold. She was alone in an uncaring world, and nothing mattered. The door to the mixed species car opened, and she stepped in. Tina had never been in one of these cars before, but she didn't care. She just needed a carnivore to eat her.

Immediately, her eyes were drawn to a strange looking male of some canid species. He looked almost like a wolf, but the fur pattern, eyes, and whiskers were very similar to that of a fox. Tina was almost positive that he was a hybrid. That made this easier. Hybrids were all bloodthirsty brutes anyway, typically a whisker away from killing somebody at any second. This was the obvious choice.

The male hybrid was wearing relatively simple clothes and glasses. He grinned wolfishly at her, obviously eyeing her as a meal. Tina felt a stab of fear in her heart. Immediately she felt that urge to run away and avoid death. But this time she got a hold on herself. She was tired of the pain and loneliness, and the guilt. It was her fault her husband had died, she'd forced him to go fix that stupid door. If only she could go back and stop herself, tell herself it wasn't worth it. That she'd rather need to wear three coats in the house than lose her husband. But it was too late.

Tina steeled herself, and looked at the carnivore. She barely noticed how she was sniffling and holding back tears, all that mattered was that she went through with it. Tina raised her hands and slapped her cheeks while looking the hybrid in the eyes. The carnivore grew a confused look, before handing her a tissue. At first Tina was also confused, but quickly realized this was some sort of acknowledgment. She was relieved, it would all be over soon.

At least, that's what she had thought. Instead she had been subjected to a completely humiliating conversation where this hybrid, Yasui, had shamed her for assuming he wanted to eat her. It was just her luck, that of all of the carnivores in the city she found the one that wouldn't leap at a chance to eat her. And so, she'd run.

Tina ran blindly through the streets, earning several angry words from animals she bumped into. She didn't care. She was upset enough to die in a far more extreme manner now. She'd head back to the train station and throw herself onto the tracks. She just couldn't take it anymore. Life wasn't worth living.

For Yasui's part, he frantically weaved through the busy streets after the pig. As he occasionally jostled someone, Yasui hurriedly apologized before continuing his pursuit of the obviously disturbed herbivore. He caught sight of her heading back down the stairs to the station and groaned. Clearly this lady was nuts, possibly dangerous. If he didn't stop her she could do all sorts of things and it would be his fault.

Sure enough, as Yasui rounded the corner, his shoes skidding on the concrete with how fast he was running, he saw the pig running towards the tracks. At first Yasui was worried she was going to push someone, but then he saw her running headlong towards the tracks herself. Yasui pushed off with his legs as hard as possible and flung himself after the pig. He felt relief flood through him as his hand closed around her ankle and brought her to a sudden stop.

Yasui's relief was short lived, however, as the pig immediately kicked at him and writhed. Everyone else panicked and began calling for security. Two of the station guards, a lynx and a bull, immediately threw themselves at Yasui and began trying to pry his grip loose and trap his arms behind his back.

"No, wait! I'm trying to stop her! She's—"

It was too late. Time seemed to slow down as the lynx stomped on Yasui's wrist, breaking his grip. As the bull knelt on Yasui's back and began pulling his arms behind his back, Yasui watched helplessly as the pig pushed through the crowd that was entirely focused on him. The loud clattering of wheels came from the distance, signaling the approaching train. Yasui screamed for someone to grab the pig, but everyone was too busy watching him and the guards.

Agonizingly slowly, the pig leapt off the platform. She seemed to float in midair for a moment, as if she was a performer on a trapeze. And then time turned onward. First there was a splash of red, and a faint yet sickening sound that was nearly masked by the train's approach. Almost immediately the stench of iron filled the station and the train's brakes screeched and threw sparks. Yasui went limp, horrified by what he'd seen in such graphic detail.

Then came the first scream, shortly followed by many more. The guards looked up as everyone shouted and moved away from the train. The conductor hurriedly shouted into a phone, and urgently motioned for the guards to help. From where he was still pinned to the ground by the bull, Yasui felt his stomach clench. His mouth filled with saliva as the stench of death filled his nose, the sight of the pig being… obliterated flashed again and again before his eyes. There was a sudden tightness in his abdomen, before Yasui vomited across the floor.

It didn't take long for the security guards and station manager to close the station. Everyone was herded away with apologies and insistences that they would deal with the situation as quickly as possible. As they did, the police arrived to collect what remained of the body and investigate the matter. However, there wasn't much to investigate. The security cameras had captured the entire event, leaving no doubts as to what had occurred. Yasui was cleared, with apologies for any rough treatment he had received. None of it even registered.

It was like Yasui was sleepwalking. He slowly wandered back towards the hospital in a daze. He kept replaying what happened over and over again, and each time he felt a little worse. With every repeat of the encounter, Yasui tried to think of what he could have done differently. Maybe if he'd said something different in the spice shop, or talked to her on the train, he could have stopped the pig. The worst part was he didn't even know her name. Nobody probably did, and there was no way anyone would be able to identify the body. She'd just be an unknown individual whose body would be disposed of by the government. Any family she had would never know what happened to her.

"Excuse me, sir. Can I help you?"

Yasui jerked back to awareness. He had walked his way into the hospital without realizing. The speaker was a dog nurse behind the front desk who was giving him a courteous smile. Yasui shook his head to gather his thoughts.

"Yeah, uh, I'm… I'm here for the first aid class."

"Okay, can I have your name?"

There was silence before the dog spoke again, a bit more insistently.

"Sir, can I have your name?"

"Sorry, what?"

"Your name, sir. I need to know your name."

"Oh, it's Yasui."

The nurse clicked at her keyboard before nodding.

"Alright, we do have you registered for the program. Have you attended a first aid training course before, or is this your first time?"

Yasui was looking at the ground, a thousand yard stare plastered across his face. The nurse licked her lips and leaned a bit closer.

"Yasui? Mister Yasui?"

Yasui flinched and looked back up at her.

"Yes?"

"Sir, are you okay? You seem to be in distress."

Yasui rubbed his arms. Despite his coat he felt cold.

"I'm… fine. Just a little preoccupied."

"Did something happen? Have you been in an accident?"

Yasui clenched his jaw and shook his head. He hadn't been in an accident, but he had seen one. And he couldn't stop seeing it every time he shut his eyes. The nurse gave him a concerned look.

"We can reschedule you to be in the class tomorrow if you want. We do the training at the same time both today and tomorrow. You won't miss anything."

"I don't know…."

The dog typed something on her computer and watched Yasui out of the corner of her eye.

"Sir, if you're currently experiencing some sort of distress it might be best for you to allow a doctor to take a look at you. Have you consumed any narcotics recently?"

"Have I what?"

"Drugs, have you taken any drugs?"

"No, I haven't taken drugs!"

"Alcohol?"

"No! I'm not on anything! I just… I saw something that was really messed up."

The nurse nodded and typed at her computer. As she did, she continued speaking.

"We have counselors on staff that can speak with you if you'd like. They might be able to help."

Yasui frowned. All he really wanted was to go lie down and not think about anything for a while. He still felt sick to his stomach and his legs felt a little unsteady.

"Actually, I think I will reschedule for tomorrow. I think I need to just… go."

The nurse winced slightly.

"Actually, I really must insist you allow us to examine you. You could be a danger to yourself in your current state."

Yasui knew the unspoken undercurrent to what she'd said. That he might be a danger to others. She was probably worried he'd lose it and attack someone. He was a dangerous, violent hybrid after all. He wasn't safe to be around. Yasui grew a bitter look.

"No. I'm leaving. I'm not a danger to anyone, I'm upset. Now leave me alone."

The nurse held up a hand.

"Sir, please. Can you at least call someone to pick you up? In your current emotional state it would be irresponsible for me to just send you on your way."

"Why! Because I'm a carnivore? Or because I'm a crossbreed? Heck, why not both! Obviously I'm a deranged monster foaming at the mouth about to attack someone! There's no other response I could have to watching someone throw themself in front of a train!"

The nurse was eyeing Yasui warrily when one of the hospital security personnel gently touched Yasui's shoulder.

"Hey, there's no need to get so worked up. She's just doing her job. I can understand that you're upset after seeing that, so please just call someone to pick you up. We don't want to make a scene."

Yasui managed to get a handle on himself and nodded sulkily, jerking his shoulder out of the security guard's grasp. Nobody got it, everyone just thought he was a freak or a monster. And when he got upset that they treated him like that, they acted like he was the one acting out! It was driving him insane! Why did he have to walk on eggshells because everyone in the world was too stupid to realize that he was just like everyone else!

Given Yasui only knew one person with a car, he decided his best bet was to call Miss Diana. To be honest, he really missed her and had wanted to talk to her for a while. But then he remembered just how badly he'd screwed up and hurt her with his stupid obsession with her and felt too guilty to make the first move. But he didn't care anymore, he just wanted his friend back.

Miss Diana answered on the fourth ring, her voice cheery over the phone.

"Yasui! How nice to hear from you! How are you doing?"

"Not great. I'm really sorry, but can you come pick me up? I'm at the hospital, I can text you the address."

Immediately the cheerful tone was gone, replaced with deep concern.

"Are you okay? What happened?!"

"I'm fine. I just… I need someone to pick me up."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

Yasui wearily took a seat near the entrance and held his head in his hands. He felt so incredibly drained right now. He was exhausted both physically and emotionally, and just wanted to go collapse somewhere and do nothing. First he'd been depressed because of getting suspended, and now he was even more dead inside.

It only took a couple minutes for Miss Diana's car to pull up. Yasui wordlessly stood and walked towards it under the watch of the security guard. As soon as the car door had closed behind him, Diana was inspecting him worriedly.

"What happened? Are you sure you're alright?"

Yasui nodded and buckled his seatbelt. He had a lot of things he wanted to say, but at the same time he didn't want to say anything. Heck, Yasui didn't want to talk ever again if he could help it. Noticing his dour mood, Diana pursed her lips but said nothing as Charles drove them away from the hospital.

The car was silent as the grave the entire way back to Diana's house, which Yasui was thankful for. The silence continued as Yasui entered the house and sat on one of the chairs in the main living room. Diana moved to stand in the corner of Yasui's vision.

"Would you like something to drink? Maybe some water or tea?"

Yasui shrugged. He didn't really want anything to drink right now. He just felt a new type of horrible he'd never experienced before. It wasn't like when he'd felt guilty or nervous for a long time, or even sad. He literally just felt bad, nothing else could describe it. Worse than the empty feeling he had been having since getting suspended. It was like a dark cloud had descended from nowhere to smother Yasui with this loose, all- encompassing misery.

Diana returned with a glass of water which she set on the end table beside Yasui. Then she took a seat on the far end of the couch, just waiting expectantly. Yasui didn't really notice, his head was still reeling from it all. It was even hard to blink in this state, movement of any kind seemed to be as daunting as lifting a pallet of bricks. So Yasui just sat on the couch with a glazed expression staring at nothing.

After a few minutes of waiting, Diana turned on the tv so she'd have an excuse to sit with Yasui. The dull buzz of talking from whatever channel she had turned on provided a somewhat comforting background noise for Yasui, anything was better than the stifling silence that had filled the house before. But even as minutes turned into an hour, Miss Diana still didn't talk. Yasui was grateful for that, he didn't feel like talking still.

Eventually, Diana excused herself so she could go make a phone call. As the leopard pulled out her phone, she scrolled through her contacts before stopping at the number for Shinrai, Yasui's best friend. As she heard the phone ring, waiting for him to pick up, she considered what was the right course of action here. Finally, the squirrel answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Shinrai. This is Miss Diana."

"Oh, hello! Dang, I really need to save you as a contact in my phone. We seem to keep having to talk to each other. By the way, I got a girlfriend! Cool, right?"

"Yes, very nice, Shinrai."

"It's Hikaru. You know her, right? Fennec fox, total nerd, really cute. Or maybe we became friends after the last time I saw you? Let's see, I think the last time we met was at Yasui's birthday party—"

Diana rolled her eyes. Yasui's friend tended to blabber a bit over the phone. She cleared her throat.

"Yes, well, that's beside the point. I'm calling because last I checked Yasui was staying at your parent's place."

There was the sound of munching from the other end before Shinrai spoke with a slightly muffled voice.

"Yeah."

"Well, I need you to tell your parents that Yasui will most likely be staying at my place tonight."

"Oh. Why?"

"I had to pick him up from the hospital today—"

"The hospital?! Is he okay?"

Diana pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, he's okay. Well, physically that is. But he's, for lack of a better word, completely shut down."

"What do you mean?"

"He's spent the last hour vacantly staring at my wall without talking."

"Oh… yeah that's not good. Do you know what happened?"

"Not yet. I'm trying to give him time to get past whatever it is that's bothering him until he's ready to talk. I tried talking to him for a bit, but he struck me as unwilling to speak."

"Well that sucks. We were supposed to have dinner together. Don't worry, I'll let Mom know. Tell Yasui I hope he feels better!"

"I will, thank you."

Diana walked back to where Yasui was sitting. She watched him for a little bit before gently resting a hand on his shoulder.

"If you need anything, just ask. I'll be nearby."

(Shinrai's house, dinnertime.)

Shinrai took a seat at the table as his mother set a large pot of curry down. The squirrel licked his lips hungrily and began scooping rice onto his plate. His mother gave Shinrai a questioning look.

"So you have no idea what's wrong with Yasui?"

"Nope. Pass the bread, please."

As Shinrai's father passed him a slice of bread, Hanako shook her head.

"And you didn't even think to try to get more information?!"

"Uh… not really."

"Why not?!"

Shinrai shrugged.

"It's Yasui. He's always got some crap going down. The guy has more personal crises than anyone else I know. But he always bounces back. That's just how he is."

Hana, Shinrai's sister, rolled her eyes.

"Boys. You never actually ask the important questions."

As Shinrai turned to snap back at his sister, Hanako's eyes went wide. She pulled Shinrai's collar down to inspect his neck. Sure enough, there was a distinct round bruise on the side of his neck.

"Shinrai! What is that!?"

Shinrai gulped and tried to straighten his collar, but his mother held him fast.

"Uh, just a bruise, Mom. Nothing serious."

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Shinrai? I can tell a hickey when I see one."

Ouga, Shinrai's father, choked on his drink and coughed loudly. Shinrai looked absolutely mortified, while his sister Hana was trying to hide a smirk. Shinrai shrugged his mother's hand off and looked resolutely at his curry.

"It's not that big of a deal! It's just… a little bruise."

Hanako wasn't to be deterred. She narrowed her eyes and waited a moment before hooking a finger into her son's collar and tugging it towards her. Rather than just reveal more hickies, as was her suspicion, instead a curved series of small red marks was revealed on his shoulder. Hanako's nostrils flared and she gave Shinrai a look of cold rage.

"Is that a bite mark?!"

Hana couldn't contain it anymore and began laughing as Shinrai's face grew red while he kept his eyes adamantly focused on his plate. Hanako crossed her arms.

"Well?!"

"Uh… maybe?"

"Why do you have a bite mark on your shoulder?!"

"Uh… I don't know?"

Hanako's eye twitched and she looked to her husband for support. Ouga was trying very hard not to get involved, and was eating as if he couldn't hear anything. Upon seeing his wife's expression, he held his spoon up.

"Very good curry, Hanako."

There was a moment of silence before Hanako spoke in a low rumble.

"Very good curry? Very good curry?! That's all you have to say?!"

Ouga licked his lips.

"Well… I don't really know—"

Hanako whirled on Shinrai and brought her face unpleasantly close to his so he couldn't avoid her eyes anymore.

"Shinrai. Talk."

Shinrai worked his mouth before speaking in a forced casual manner.

"I… might have… gotten a girlfriend."

"And who is this girl you're fooling around with? Any reason you'd hide it from us?"

"Uh… she's nice. Kinda nerdy. Smart."

Hanako's expression didn't change.

"A name, Shinrai."

"It's… Hikaru."

Hana was hiding her smirk behind her glass as Hanako sighed.

"I knew it. I knew there was more between you two than just being friends! So what, does she bite you while you're… you're… screwing around?!"

Shinrai held up his hands.

"Hold up, we're not doing… that! We're just… you know… making out."

"And biting each other." Hana murmured with a grin. Shinrai glared and told her to shut up. Hanako sighed and shook her head.

"Unbelievable. You're sneaking around behind our backs like this! Do you have any idea how many problems could happen because of this?! How dangerous it is?!"

Shinrai threw up his hands in exasperation.

"See, this is why I didn't tell you! Because I knew you'd flip out! I knew you'd hate the fact that I'm dating a carnivore! Because you both hate carnivores!"

Hanako rolled her eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't hate carnivores! I just know the risks that come with forming a romantic relationship with one!"

Shinrai crossed his arms.

"Oh please. What, did you hear a propaganda news story about how all carnivores are bloodthirsty killing machines and they want to eat us all?"

Hanako shook her head. Her expression was suddenly more sad than anything. She was silent for a moment before she looked seriously at both Hana and Shinrai.

"Did you know that you had a great aunt?"

Both children shook their heads, suddenly confused. They had a couple great uncles, but no great aunts. Hanako continued.

"She died while I was a teenager. Her boyfriend was a weasel. I… actually was on their side, unlike my parents and siblings. I thought he really did love her enough to never hurt her. And he did, at least intentionally. Apparently, when carnivores are… copulating… the rush of endorphins can trigger a… frenzied response. He tore her throat out in their bedroom."

Shinrai felt a lump in his throat. Judging by Hana's expression, she felt just as uneasy. Hanako was covering her eyes with a hand, her voice shaky.

"He swore up and down that he hadn't done it on purpose. And I believe him. He was beside himself with grief. So much so that… he hung himself out of guilt."

Hanako took a shuddering breath and looked at both her children.

"I know I can't stop you from dating who you love. But just… please be careful. Most carnivore-herbivore relationships end in tragedy. I don't want to bury my children."

And with that, she fell silent. They all did. Not a word was spoken for the rest of the meal. They barely even talked for the rest of the night. As Shinrai climbed into bed, he stared at the ceiling, thinking. He really liked Hikaru, and he thought she felt the same way about him. But… what if she accidentally hurt him. Not only did he not particularly want to get mauled, he didn't want her to go through how horrible that would feel. It was a complicated situation. And there really wasn't much that could be done to answer it.

Across the city, Yasui was also staring up at the ceiling. He looked over at the clock on the nightstand to see that it was past midnight already. He couldn't sleep, and he almost didn't want to. Even after so many hours, Yasui felt haunted by what had happened. He was glad that he'd stopped seeing it over and over again in his mind, but the feeling of futility and helplessness remained. Yasui felt lost, and tired.

With a sigh, Yasui got out of bed and made his way downstairs. Maybe a drink of water and some fresh air would help him sleep. As Yasui entered the kitchen, he was surprised to see Miss Diana standing in her bathrobe setting a kettle on the stove to boil. She smiled faintly at him.

"Can't sleep?"

Yasui shook his head. Diana tightened the belt of her robe and grabbed a box from a cupboard.

"Me either, but that's normal. I've suffered from insomnia for years. Want some herbal tea? It helps a bit."

Yasui licked his lips.

"Yeah… thanks."

If Diana was surprised to hear him speak, she didn't mention it. She simply got out a second cup and measured tea for them both. Once the water boiled, she poured the tea and handed Yasui a cup with instructions for how long to let it steep. Yasui accepted it gratefully and gently placed the cup on the counter. Diana did the same.

"Yasui, dear, you must know I'm very concerned for you. Do you have anyone you can talk to about whatever's going on? I'm happy to arrange for them to come over and—"

Yasui cut her off by walking over and hugging her, burying his face in her shoulder. Diana was taken aback for a moment, but then folded her arms around him.

"It's okay, I'm here for you, Yasui." She said as she gently stroked the top of Yasui's head. Yasui didn't cry, he felt too lost and numb to cry. But the reassuring warmth and comfort of Diana's embrace made him feel relieved, just to know that someone was there.

After a moment, Yasui let go and stepped back. Diana gave him a worried look and he sighed.

"Thanks. I… I needed that."

"Yasui, I can understand if you don't want to talk. But if you do, I'm happy to listen. I'm really worried about you. You seem like you, for lack of a better term, shut down today."

Yasui sighed and rubbed his eyes. He made a vague gesture towards the couch in the next room and they took their cups and moved over to it. Once they were both seated in the media room, Diana pushed a remote and the gas fireplace against the far wall turned on, adding some much appreciated light and warmth to the room. Yasui took a deep breath as he looked down into his tea.

"I had already felt so… overwhelmed and depressed after I got suspended. And I went and saw my doctor for some advice. And I was still depressed, but I was trying to not give up. Then today… I met a lady. She… asked me to eat her."

Diana covered her mouth and watched Yasui closely. Yasui shook his head.

"Obviously I said no, and when I did she ran away. I just… had a really bad feeling so I followed her. She was running towards the train tracks and I knew she was going to do something."

Yasui looked over at Diana, a desperate look on his face, and held up his hand.

"I actually managed to catch her. But then she got out of my grip and… and she… threw herself in front of the train. It was horrible. She… exploded is the only word for it. But even worse, I couldn't do anything. I tried so hard and it was meaningless. And then I started thinking about being suspended and what if I got expelled and there wasn't anything I could do about that either. And ultimately there's nothing I can do about anything! I'm powerless and life doesn't make sense and it's all so meaningless! Why am I running around worrying about school and clubs and friends when nothing matters! Because eventually we all die and nobody even cares about what stupid club we were in or who our friends were or how well we did in school! We just— we just—"

Yasui was breathing hard at that point, his eyes wild. Diana rested a hand on his back.

"Yasui, just breathe. It's okay, just breathe."

"It's not okay! I'm miserable! But then I think I'm getting better and I end up more miserable than before! I'm all up and down and up and down and it's driving me crazy! I'm exhausted and then I have to factor in grades and studying with work and the fact that sometimes I just really, really want to take a bunch of painkillers and stop feeling so bad but I can't! I thought that the craving for the pills would go away but it just keeps flaring up every once in a while and I hate it! How long am I going to be like this! Why can't I stop feeling terrible! I—I—I—"

Yasui was gasping for air at that point, his heart beating out of his chest. His cup of tea had fallen to the floor and was lying in a puddle on the rug. His chest hurt so bad, and he couldn't breathe. Suddenly, Yasui was terrified that he was dying. Was this a heart attack? Was he about to die like that pig had. Yasui looked around wildly, in a blind panic. Immediately Diana grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to look at her.

"Yasui! Calm down, just breathe! In… out… in… out…."

Yasui couldn't get his breath under control. His lungs were on fire, and his heart was agony. He clutched at his chest as he gasped and panted. Diana pulled him against her chest, pressing his ear to her heart as she rubbed his shoulder.

"Shhhhh. You're okay. You're okay. I've got you."

Yasui's madly beating heart threatened to drown all other sound out. But gradually he became aware of the calm, steady rhythm of Diana's heartbeat. Slowly, his own pulse began to slow down, and he was able to catch his breath. Yasui felt absolutely exhausted. He just let himself lie limply again Miss Diana, feeling wrung out like a sponge while she rubbed his back. Eventually, he sat upright and looked nervously at the older female.

"I'm… really sorry. I don't know what happened. Did I just have a heart attack or something? Because that was just… horrible. Do I need to go to the hospital?"

Diana gave him a sad smile.

"No, you didn't have a heart attack. You'll be fine. I think you were having a panic attack."

Yasui shook his head.

"No way. I'm not some sensitive coward who has panic attacks. Those are things that, like, super sensitive people get."

"Yasui, everyone can have a panic attack. It doesn't make you weak. It just… happens sometimes."

Yasui frowned and crossed his arms. Had he really had a panic attack? He'd always assumed those were just somebody being over dramatic. He'd had something similar months ago, but nowhere near like this. Jack had been the one who had told him it was a panic attack, but he'd sort of just brushed it off. This had been so much more intense than his short little freakout in the boys bathroom back at Cherryton.

"Miss Diana, am I… going insane? Lately it seems like I'm just… all over the place. I'll get super messed up and upset over something and try to push past it, and be fine for a while, but then something else happens and it gets worse and worse. I'm trying not to think about those things and move on, but I keep freaking out."

Diana bit her lip, eyeing him with even more concern. Finally, she cupped his face in her hands.

"Yasui, I think you might need to make some changes. It sounds like you're just repressing all your emotional problems rather than actually dealing with them. And that's making you more and more stressed which makes your emotions even more intense. Maybe you should, I don't know, get away for a bit and work through your issues? Try to deal with all this stuff you're having trouble with?"

"I can't do that! I have school and work and… you know, all sorts of stuff! I can't just run off because I'm a little stressed out! Besides, where would I go? Back home? My parents would freak out and then I'd freak out more! I mean, I still haven't told them I got suspended!"

Diana pursed her lips and thought for a moment before snapping her fingers.

"I have an idea. I'm supposed to go on a short trip to our resort in Hawaii next week. We have a meeting with some investors regarding an expansion to the property and some new amenities we want to add. You could tag along as my attache if you want. You are my successor after all, it's important you learn what I do."

Yasui grimaced.

"I dunno. Go to Hawaii? I just don't think I need to go anywhere. I'm just tired and a little bit overwhelmed. With some sleep I'll be fine. And besides, I don't have a passport."

Diana waved his comment away.

"Oh please. I know someone who can fast track your passport application and get it to you by the time we'd leave on Monday. And besides, what are you going to do here? Mope around and wait for the decision of the school board after your hearing next Sunday? You'll just stress yourself out more and make things worse. I really think you should consider leaving town for a bit. You could relax and unwind at the beach instead of sleep in your friend's bed."

Yasui chewed that information for a bit before sighing.

"I'll think about it. Maybe I'll come to a decision after my first aid class tomorrow morning. The Sunday class is a little bit earlier than the one I was supposed to go to, so we'll be done before noon."

"Will you need a ride there?" Diana said with a nod. Yasui shook his head and told her that he'd be fine to take the train there, and that he really was fine now. He had just needed a little bit to get over the shock and horror of what he'd seen. Yasui assures Diana he had just needed to vent what he was feeling and now he was doing great. Whether or not she believed him, Diana didn't push him. So Yasui returned to his bed and stared up at the ceiling.

Yasui tried everything he could to sleep, but he kept feeling more and more uneasy. His mind was whirling still and despite his insistence that he'd gotten over the shock of seeing that poor lady die, the mental images still bothered Yasui. He had this awful feeling of being watched, and kept hearing odd noises that made him jump. Eventually, his nerves were frayed and his eyes burned. Finally, Yasui couldn't take it anymore.

Yasui crept down the hallway toward Diana's room. He definitely felt a bit guilty about waking her up, but he was desperate. Yasui was so tired, but he was too on edge to be alone right now. He hoped she'd understand. Yasui tentatively knocked on the door and stood awkwardly in the hall. Diana's groggy voice came muffled from inside.

"What? What is it?"

Yasui opened the door a crack and poked his head in.

"I'm really sorry, Miss Diana. It's just… well…."

"Don't want to be alone right now?"

"Yeah." Yasui admitted shamefully. "Do you mind if I stay here for a bit? I was thinking I could sleep on your couch."

Diana didn't open her eyes as she sluggishly patted the bed.

"Oh please, this bed is so massive you can easily fit on the opposite side and not even touch me. Besides, I don't mind sharing. It's not like anything will happen."

Yasui nodded. He definitely wasn't in any mood to try something untowards with Miss Diana, even if he wanted to. The thought of how much the idea of them being romantically intimate hurt Miss Diana was still fresh in his mind. Yasui gratefully got under the blanket on the opposite side of the bed and turned his back towards Diana. Even without touching her, he could sense her presence by her scent and the gentle sound of breathing. It helped, just to know he wasn't alone. It still wasn't easy for Yasui to sleep, with how much his mind was still racing. But eventually he was able to slip into an uneasy sleep punctuated by brief, unpleasant dreams.

Upon waking up the next morning, Yasui somehow felt even worse. He was exhausted, and generally felt achy and off everywhere. He didn't have much of an appetite either, mainly because his stomach was a little upset. But he wasn't about to make anyone worried if he could help it. Yasui was certain he could pull through this rough patch if he just buckled down, like usual.

After Yasui had gotten ready and was preparing to leave to head to the hospital for his first aid class, Diana stopped him.

"Yasui, are you sure you're up for this? Maybe you should at least take a day to rest and try to decompress."

"I'm fine." Yasui said as he shook his head. "I was just tired and a little overwhelmed yesterday. I feel better today."

"Well… if you're sure. Charles and I could give you a ride there if you want. We have to attend a meeting nearby in preparation for the trip on Monday. Which you can still go on if you want. I'd just need to know before mid afternoon."

Yasui nodded.

"I appreciate it. But I think I'm fine. Besides, I'd hate to leave town and miss something I need to do for my suspension hearing. They might need me to, I dunno, fill out some forms or whatever."

Diana crossed her arms and gave him a doubtful look, but didn't argue. Which was how Yasui found himself trudging through the cold that February morning. It wasn't that he didn't want to go on a trip with Diana, but the problem was that he knew it was because she was concerned he was cracking up inside. He'd had a little bit of a meltdown yesterday, but it happened sometimes. He was tough, and like all the guys in his family, he could control his emotions.

Yasui walked to the train station and down the steps. As he did, he felt his stomach twist a little and his heartbeat accelerate. He assured himself that it wasn't the same station, so he wouldn't see anything leftover from the incident yesterday. But he just felt wary of the trains now. The idea of falling in front of one kept popping into his mind, whether by accident or someone pushing him. What would he do if that happened? Was he strong enough to keep his balance if someone pushed him onto the tracks? Maybe the train wasn't the best idea today. The hospital wasn't far from where he was now, and the weather was clear. It wouldn't hurt to walk.

But even as Yasui walked, he just felt a bit off. He was oddly jumpy today, and kept feeling like he was being watched. Yasui could have sworn he'd seen the same person following him for the last two blocks, but he couldn't be sure. Needless to say, he was glad to reach the hospital and make his way into the large lecture room where the first aid class was taking place.

Yasui picked a seat in the back away from everyone else. He wasn't in the mood to socialize today. And soon the person leading the class, a male giraffe paramedic, stood and introduced himself to everyone before flipping on a presentation. The class began with simple issues like helping people experiencing heat and cold related problems as well as how to help ensure that when an ambulance arrived the paramedics could easily get to you and be made aware of the situation.

The problem arose when they moved on to the types and treatments of different bleeding injuries. Yasui wasn't usually squeamish, but today the sight of blood made him shudder a little bit. Especially the illustrations of severe avulsions and lacerations. Yasui felt his head start swimming when those two had been shown. But he powered through, using the practice bandages provided to apply the dressings the instructor showed them to his arms and hands. It was an interesting class, and he wasn't going to let his sudden issues stop him from doing well. And fortunately, the final topic was heart attacks, blood pressure, and strokes. Those ones shouldn't bother him.

The problem came when it was time to pair up and check each other's heart rate and blood pressure. Yasui was partnered with a jackal, who had a heart rate and blood pressure reading well within the normal range. But when the jackal took Yasui's, he frowned and tried again. And again. After three tries, he flagged down the teacher who walked over to the two of them.

"Yes?" The giraffe said. The jackal pointed to the blood pressure cuff.

"I can't seem to do this right. My reading keeps coming back way too fast."

The giraffe nodded and took his place, measuring Yasui's blood pressure and counting his heartbeats. The giraffe frowned, checking the cuff and stethoscope. Finally, he gave Yasui a serious look.

"Are you in pain or in distress right now?"

"Uh, no. Why do you ask?"

The giraffe arched an eyebrow.

"You're heart rate is currently one-hundred-seventeen BPM, and your blood pressure is one-hundred-thirty-three over eighty-one. So either you just ran a marathon, or you have some serious heart problems."

"What? No way! I've been to a doctor recently and my heart was fine."

"Well have you had any changes in your diet recently? Any new medications?"

"No." Yasui said nervously. The giraffe frowned.

"Well, are you under more stress than normal? High stress can cause cardiac problems."

"I am a little stressed, I guess."

"Well, I suggest you find a way to decrease your stress levels. Otherwise you'll need to go on blood pressure medication. Either that, or you could suffer a severe cardiac event."

Yasui felt his stomach tighten at that. Was he wrong? Was he not strong enough to power through this? Did he need to take a more drastic measure? These questions plagued Yasui as the class finished and the various attendees went their separate ways. He'd enjoyed the class, but couldn't shake the terrible feeling that had haunted him all day.

As Yasui headed towards the front doors, he froze in his tracks as he saw something that couldn't be. The same pig from yesterday was talking to someone at the front desk. It was impossible, he'd watched her die. But she was right there!

Yasui shook his head and looked again. It wasn't the same pig, just another pig of a similar coloration. But that knowledge didn't seem to help. Yasui felt dizzy, and like the walls were closing in. His heart was beating out of his chest while his lungs seemed to squeeze in his chest, making it hard to breathe. Yasui immediately ducked into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face.

As Yasui looked up at the mirror, he felt truly desperate. Was this what it was going to be like every time he saw a pig or a train station? Was he going to freak out all the time and have to take blood pressure medication? Or was Diana right and he just needed to get away for a bit and relax. But that felt wrong to him, going on vacation while he was suspended. He'd feel like he was slacking off.

(And I wouldn't feel guilty enough about getting suspended. I'm supposed to be miserable because of this, that's the point. Going on vacation is cheating.)

With a weary sigh, Yausi took out his phone and called Diana. Once she picked up, Yasui spoke in resignation.

"Alright, I want to go with you on your trip. Just tell me what I need to do to make it happen."

Back at Cherryton, Sunday was going pretty normally for the 701 boys. Legoshi and Jack were sitting in a sunny spot outside while their other roommates excitedly made a snow-dog with the remains of the last snow to fall on the school. Legoshi took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Mid February meant that spring was on its way, although still a ways off. They probably wouldn't get more snow, the weather report had confirmed that much. Apparently next week was supposed to be the last true week of winter before the temperature began to rise. Jack elbowed him and smiled.

"Whatcha thinking about, bud?"

"Mmm… it's almost spring. Which means things are going to get busy."

Jack nodded with a grunt and turned his attention back to their roommates.

"That's the truth. Exams, your spring play, and then advancing to being second year students. Gee, I hope that second year isn't too much busier than this was. High school is way more work than middle school was."

Legoshi nodded sagely. It had been more hectic than middle school. There was a lot less time for goofing off with Jack and his friends this year than before. And of course exams were always stressful. Didn't matter how well you did in class all year if you bombed your final exam. Legoshi tilted his head as he noticed a sudden commotion from Durham, Miguno, Voss, and Collot. They had turned their attention to a figure walking across campus in their direction. Jack gave Legoshi a bemused expression before trotting over to the dogs, Legoshi on his heels.

"Holy crap, who is that?!" Durham exclaimed. The boys examined the figure. It was a slender female fox in a simple school uniform who had long legs and glasses. As she approached, Durham smoothed his fur and smiled in a way that was probably supposed to be charming.

"Hey, are you looking for someone?" Durham said in a voice made deeper than usual. The fox tapped a claw to lips covered in pink lipstick and shifted her weight to be on the other foot, swishing her hips as she did.

"Like, totally. I'm here visiting a friend as a surprise. But she's apparently going to take, like, forever to get here! So now I'm just looking for something to do."

Durham licked his lips as the other boys looked on. Jack stepped forward.

"Well, it's nice to meet you! I'm Jack."

"Like, my name's Suki. It's totally awesome to meet you."

The fox's voice was definitely imitating the way American teenagers spoke in movies. Everything she said sounded like a question. As everyone introduced themselves, Durham grinned dopily.

"You know, I can keep you company if you want. Just offering!"

"Like, o-m-g that would be amazing!" Suki exclaimed. "I have so many questions about this place! I totally want a tour!"

Durham waggled his eyebrows at the other 701 boys before hurriedly escorting Suki away, a stream of questions already pouring out of her mouth.

"So, like, what types of clubs are here? Are you in one? Because I'd totally be interested in one where I learned how to cook because my cooking is totally blah."

As they walked away, Jack shook his head.

"Well, that's Durham for you. Although I'm surprised you didn't try to butt in, Miguno. You two are always trampling each other over girls."

Miguno shrugged.

"Eh, not my type. She's too flat. I like some nice hips and breasts on my girls. She was an a-cup at best."

Jack gave Legoshi a wry smile, which the wolf returned. As if sensing their amusement, Migumo crossed his arms.

"Hey, don't give me crap for having a type. It's not my problem that you and Legoshi only have eyes for each other."

Both Jack and Legoshi gave Miguno confused looks. Voss snickered.

"Yeah, we all know that Jack's going to graduate and get an apartment where Legoshi will live. And whenever he does get married, she'll just have to get used to sharing the bed with both Jack and his wolf boyfriend twice his size."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"Oh, ha ha. You're hilarious. At least I don't drool over every female I see like you all."

Collot rolled his eyes, not that anyone could see them.

"Hey, I think we can all agree that Suki isn't nearly as cute as Yasui's sister. Now there was a hot piece of fox."

Jack planted his hands on his hips and gave Collot a pouty look.

"Hey, don't talk about Kime like that. She's a nice girl."

Legoshi nodded.

"Yeah, they're both friends. It's a little rude… I think."

Miguno gave Jack a dirty look.

"Oh? And what does Yasui think about you being close with his sister?"

Jack shook his head, turning his attention to the snow-dog.

"It's not like that. We just chat sometimes. Now help me put the tail on the snow dog."

As the 701 boys played in the snow, Shinrai was playing a whole different type of game. This one involved a lot more contact with Hikaru's lips than theirs did. As the fennec fox moved back in to kiss him again, Shinrai held up a hand.

"Hold on."

"What, ya doofus. Cramp in your lip?"

"No it's not that." Shinrai said hastily. "It's just… my parents know about us being together now."

"You told them?"

"My mom saw the hickey."

Hikaru crossed her arms under her breasts.

"That was your idea, and so was me biting you."

"I read that was a good way to prove I trusted you!"

"Probably from some weird carnivore fetish site. I swear, so many people fetishize us carnivores. It gets so irritating."

Shinrai looked embarrassed at her comment.

"It was a reputable site! It was just… weird."

"You moaned when I bit you."

"Did not!"

Hikaru slid closer, and licked her lips.

"Oh? So you don't want me to bite you again? Good to know."

Shinrai pulled away, looking troubled. Hikaru picked up on that, and frowned.

"What's wrong? If you really want me to bite you, I will. It's weird, but not that weird."

"It's not that. It's just… are you worried about us possibly… hurting each other?"

Hikaru narrowed her eyes.

"Why? Because I'm a dangerous carnivore who could eat you by mistake?"

"You know I don't have a problem with carnivores! My best friend is one."

"But you still make that distinction a lot, that we're carnivores and you're not. I just want you to treat me like a girl you like! Not a carnivore you like."

The squirrel sighed and hung his head.

"I don't try to! It just… it's hard to break habits."

Hikaru patted his shoulder, and pressed up against him.

"It's okay, I appreciate that you're trying. Want me to bite you as a reward?"

Shinrai laughed, but inside he was still a little worried. What if he never got over his antsy feelings about being intimate with Hikaru. Now that his mother had put the idea in his head, he was worried about them ending up another tragic story. He liked Hikaru too much to ruin her life. If only he could find an easy way to ensure it never happened. But unfortunately, he just had to trust the fennec fox. And trust was something that took time.

By the time dinner rolled around, Suki was getting into a car at the bottom of the hill. The fox sighed wearily and began to wipe makeup off with a cloth. Next to go was the dress and purse, leaving the slender form of Gyobe, Diana's lawyer, sitting in the car. The lawyer cracked his neck and began writing. He'd gotten a lot of useful details over his tour. He'd even gotten to hear firsthand what the other students believed about Yasui. That could prove vital in his defense.

Once he'd successfully taken notes of all he'd questioned that boy Durham about and asked other students about as well, the fox pulled out his phone and called his boss.

"Miss Diana, I believe I have everything I need. I'll begin working on my statement now. Please let me know of any pertinent information about Yasui that arises over the next week."

The fox was quiet for a moment before he spoke again.

"Panic attacks you say. Interesting, very interesting. I might be able to use that."

More silence, and then Gyobe bobbed his head as he listened to Diana. There were a few more words exchanged as instructions and information was traded. Finally, Gyobe clicked his pen.

"Understood. Take care."

Gyobe hung up the phone and sighed.

"Glad that's done. That Durham guy kept trying to hold my hand."