I lie in bed exhausted, yet unable to sleep. A million thoughts run through my head, none of them registering properly. Suddenly, the door swings open and Nia pops her head around the corner. "Hey Lucas, heard you aren't feeling too great. Are you gonna go down for your breakfast or shall I bring it to you?" "I'll eat up here. If that's okay with you. I don't think I'll be doing much today. I hope I'm not too much of a burden on you. I know you've got a lot to do around the house. Sorry for making more work." I bow my head apologetically towards Nia as I finish my sentence. "Ahh, come on. It's not that big a deal. I enjoy working around the house and those extra five minutes are no problem at all." She stops and thinks for a moment. "Anything else I can help you with?" I stare blankly ahead, barely hearing her. "Just... give me some space. I need some rest. Got a lot on my mind." I say as I manage to refocus on the conversation. Nia looks at me, concern evident on her sharp features. "Is this about yesterday?" I nod slowly. Nia sits down on the side of my bed, her tone trembling slightly as she speaks. "Listen, Lucas, I'm sorry about that, but I thought it was important for you to understand what might be going on here and..." I put my hand on hers and we lock eyes. "It's okay, Nia. You did what you thought best and now it's up to me to figure out what I am going to do with this information." A small smile forms on my face as I try to calm her. "Thank you for telling me. Your trust means a lot. I'm sure we'll figure something out eventually. But for now, I just need to do some thinking." Nia grabs my outstretched hand and says. "Very well, just... make sure you can function. I think a bath might do some wonders right about now." "Maybe, but the bath is in Fuuka's room. It would feel kinda... wrong... to go in there" I emphasize the word as I try to weigh the decision in my head. "Nonsense, it's not like she gets to hog the bath all to herself, especially not if she's out. Isn't that why you had the door installed?" She slaps me on the back playfully, breaking the tense atmosphere in the room. "Come on, it'll be good for you and once you get back, there will be a delicious breakfast, ehm..." She looks at the clock. "brunch waiting for you." I sigh. "You're right. That is probably for the best. I'll go and do that then."

I slip into the bath and try to relax. My mind is still going through a thousand different scenarios, one after the other. "Stop worrying about it. Just focus on what you can do here and now." I try to tell myself while I splash some hot water in my face. It doesn't help much. But perhaps I do feel just a little bit better. I start looking off into space and just soak for a while. I get out when I feel my brain slow down a bit and my thoughts clear somewhat. After drying myself off and dressing, I find Nia left a serving tray in front of my door. The breakfast consists of some simple toast with a fried egg, some bacon and baked beans. "Thanks, Nia." I say quietly as I carry it into my room and place it next to my bed.

After having brunch and checking up on online messages, I decide I need to take my mind off this situation. I clear out my desk and grab a rack filled with little paint bottles from a shelf. "Now that I have some time to dedicate, might as well use it." As I boot up my PC, I turn on the lamp over my desk and turn to the row of miniatures sitting on the window sill. A few of the plastic models have been successfully painted in different shades of faded green and bronze. After looking up some reference images and sorting the different paint colours on the rack, it is time to start the meticulous process of painting this small piece of plastic. After applying a dark primer and applying a base colour, I examine my miniature under the wall-mounted lens, satisfied to see I haven't missed a spot. I start painting the smaller details and feel the figure encapsulate my full vision. I check the monitor occasionally for reference and keep working away tirelessly at all the minute details. Making sure I have the right colours, using the correct brushes, applying just enough pressure. A weight starts slowly lifting from my mind as I fall into my routine and forget the world around me.

I am suddenly shaken out of my concentration as someone gently places a hand on my shoulder. I tense momentarily in surprise, before carefully putting down the small figurine and placing my brush in a safe spot. "What is it, Nia?" I say as I turn to look at her. She stares back with a grim expression. "Come with me. There is something you need to see." My inner alarm bells immediately flare to life. Something's wrong, I can feel it. "Look, I know you're having a rough day and you're not feeling too good, but this is important." Nia says as she starts walking out of the room and towards Maki's door and gives it a polite yet firm knock.

From the other side, a brusque voice answers us. "Yes? What is it?" I blink in surprise as I hear Maki's voice come through the door. I hadn't realized she was home already. Is it really that late? Nia takes on a much firmer stance. "I think we need to have a little chat." "We just did. What else is there to discuss?" "I think there is plenty more to discuss. So why don't you start by opening up that door? I'd like to look at the person I am speaking to." "I can hear you perfectly fine. Sounds like your problem." I can feel a weird tension in the air as Nia and Maki go back and forth. "Look, Maki, you're gonna have to come out eventually and we both know this conversation is gonna happen, so why don't you just open up and we can talk like normal people?" "Normal people? Look who's talking." "I would, but there is this door in the way." Nia retorts coldly.

A short silence follows Nia's remark and a soft click can be heard from the other side of the door before Maki slowly pokes her head around the door. As she looks at the both of us, her eyes go wide. "You never said he was gonna be here." She says in a low voice, observing me carefully. "Is it an issue if he is here?" The two girls are still staring daggers at each other, but Maki's eyes drop quickly. I just look at the both of them, not really sure what is happening before me.

Maki steps back slightly to open the door. Nia quickly grabs two folding chairs from beside the door and walks in. Were those always there? As we walk into the dimly lit room, I realize I've actually haven't been in here since Maki moved in. The room is very dark due to the closed curtains and small light bulb. There hangs this weird odour in the room, but both of my companions seem to ignore it. Maki sits down on the bed with a sigh as Nia sets up the chairs across from her, forming a little triangle.

"So... what exactly is going on here?" I decide to finally ask as I close the door behind me. "Well, I believe there is something Maki wishes to tell you." Maki glares at Nia before turning to me. "I..." Her eyes lock onto me. "I left work early due to an injury." Her voice is completely deadpan as she delivers her message. As I process what she just said, the questions just pour out. "Wuh, uh, what kind of injury? How bad is it? Do you need help?" "It's nothing serious. I just need some rest. I haven't been sleeping well lately." She tries to relax her posture a bit and start fumbling with her hair. "Oh, is that all?" Nia puts an arm on Maki's shoulder. The girl in red shudders lightly. "You had us worried for nothing." Nia squeezes her shoulder a little and Maki tenses visibly and her eye grow dark, as if she is trying to drill straight through the other girl with only her sight. "Let go of me." "Oh, I will. Once you explain this." From beneath the bed, Nia pulls a red shirt with a dark spot on the left shoulder. The strange smell gets even thicker. Is that... blood? "I think we're going to be here for a while."