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The chatter booming in the classroom signals the end of the school day. The Ultimate Detective chosen by Hope's Peak Academy packed up her belongings.
"Kyoko, want to hang out?" As she stood by the edge of the door, one of the fourteen other students of class 78 called out to her. If she was correct (and she was), it was Aoi Asahina. The proclaimed Ultimate Swimming professional or Super High School Level Swimmer as some called it.
Kyoko only shook her head to reject the invitation. She wasn't interested in making friends in this school or sticking around for the long-term. There was only one reason for her being here…but that objective had been difficult to accomplish.
"Leave her, Hina. The princess is all about that stone-cold detective life, we peasants aren't worth the time." The one who spoke next was Junko Enoshima, The Ultimate Model; her voice carried out of the classroom. The words may have been overtly directed to the swimmer, but they were obviously intended for her to hear as well.
Enoshima wasn't incorrect, so there was no need for Kyoko to defend herself. She traveled to the highest floor in the building and where the principal's office was located. Her mood soured just by being close to the door.
She hesitated knocking. It was a weakness she couldn't understand when her only purpose here was to get it over with
Indecisiveness…
With a click of the tongue, Kyoko banged on the door. After half a minute without a response, she took the initiative and opened her way in. Unfortunately, there was nobody inside.
Jin was never around when he was needed.
Story of her life.
The detective strolled into the room regardless. If nothing else, she may be able to find something to use as leverage against her father. She smiled darkly at the thought.
Kyoko circled around the desk to reach for the drawers.
"Watcha doing over here, Kirigiri~" An obnoxious voice said. Even before facing the source, she knew it belonged to Enoshima. The diva's mischievous tone was singular in this school after all.
She returned the question and desired to know if the model had been following her.
"You're skulking around the place Solid Snake style but I'm the suspicious one? Upupu~"
This was going nowhere fast. Rather than responding to the woman's provocation, Kyoko walked past Enoshima and the door.
But as always, the strawberry-blonde had to have the last word.
"I'll admit one thing: it sure is fun watching you run away from everything."
Kyoko hated the fall season.
The dull gray scenery in her path served as a reminder. It was a time that signified the end of summer's warmth and was a prelude to winter's harshness – a season that was not loved for its own qualities. Kyoko liked things clear, simple and honest; things that were non-committal were irritating.
Like her father.
Her destination was a spot some distance away from the school grounds. It may have been the only place she could relax outside of home and better yet, the detective was positive she was the only one who knew of it.
Well, there were rare occasions when she was wrong too.
Before her eyes was a garden, glamorous in the summer. Less so now. The koi pond had lost its glisten but was still clear enough to entrance – the falling leaves from dying trees did little to change that. Kyoko strolled through the bridge over the water and arrived at a decorated bench in the middle of the garden. The bench was 3 quarters of a square to leave room for passage and under a similarly decorated roof to ward off rain and snow. It was a stage out of a fairy tale.
That was where Kyoko first noticed him. A brown-haired boy with disheveled hair…and of below average height. Looking upon his boyish face had Kyoko presume his age ranged anywhere from fourteen-sixteen. He had layers of upper clothing wrapped in a green hoodie and white pants.
Most importantly, he was sleeping in her spot.
Kyoko wasn't sure why anyone would sleep outside like this, but she was more interested in why he was even here.
The garden was somewhat old and not easy to navigate into, she presumed that's why there were rarely visitors…then this boy was intelligent enough to do so or he was simply lost.
Kyoko sighed. She had come too far to turn back empty-handed, thus she let her more socially accommodating and responsible side get the better of her and sat on the unoccupied spots on the bench.
Kyoko picked up one of the books she had brought with her and began reading in silence.
The lavender-haired girl heard a yawn. She peeked in the boy's direction. He rubbed one eye, leaving the other - doe-like and gray - open. Finally, they exchanged glances. A second later, he yelped.
The unnecessary had Kyoko's brow twitch in annoyance.
"Ah sorry, you scared me." He stuttered like a child
She didn't need to be told that after his overreaction, so she simply nodded and went back to her reading.
"Um excuse me?" He called again.
Kyoko wordlessly signaled he had her attention.
"Do you know what time it is?" He asked shyly.
She looked at her watch and succinctly told him the time had been half past four.
He screamed again. The pitch on this boy would have been something to admire if her ears weren't reeling. He could give that colorful-haired upperclassman a run for her money. Though on the note of color, his skin noticeably lacked it.
"I'm late! They're going to kill me if they find out!" He yelled aloud. Clearly, her presence was out of mind, lest he wouldn't have referred to people she obviously had no idea about.
"Sorry for the disturbance and thank you." He ran out, finally leaving her alone in peace.
Unfortunately, Kyoko also noticed it had gotten dark and it wasn't proper for a student like herself to wander around after this period- Sakakura would probably raise a fuss as head of security.
She was certain next week would be a quieter visit.
Even the best detectives could have a bad streak and be wrong twice in a row.
The boy was there just like the previous week, only this time he was wide awake.
"Hey, you're the girl from last time. Thanks for the help." He waved. Odd, as they were neither friends, nor had she offered any ground-breaking assistance.
She had little time to discern the sort of person he was during their last interaction but based on his welcome, he was probably like Asahina. Although compared to the swimmer, this guy had an earthlier and more reserved aura.
She nodded in acknowledgement
"Sorry about all the screaming. You're the only other person I've seen come by…I kind of thought you were a ghost…with the hair and all."
So, he did think she was a ghost? How childish.
He gave an apologetic bow.
Did he think she would take offence? She wasn't that petty…if anything, she found his observations more comedic than anything else.
She sat down on the other side of him on the bench and reached for the books in her bag.
A few minutes later, she snuck a glance at the brunet, who enjoyed a cup of miso soup from a container.
He wore the exact same clothes as before. The hoodie was one thing but why the pants too?
"Is something wrong?" He said skittishly. He was reasonably perceptive for catching her.
Kyoko inquired on how he was able navigate his way to the garden.
"Ah…hehe, I got lost and found my way here. My bad luck, I guess." He scratched his hair.
It had started with luck then. That was somewhat disappointing but wholly within expectations.
She returned to reading but she could feel the boy's gaze still on her. Perhaps he expected more conversation after she took the initiative. He'd be in for a disappointment. Kyoko had no intention of exposing herself or treading on the lives of others any more than necessary. At best, she may try to satisfy a fleeting curiosity
A show of indifference and body posture expressed her disinterest more than words could.
Sure enough, she felt his gaze leave her. She smirked lightly.
Sounds of light snoring caused her looked up from the novel she was reading…and found he was asleep. She might have blushed from embarrassment…if blushing was something Kyoko Kirigiri did.
She didn't.
Over one hour passed. It was approaching 4pm and Kyoko remembered the boy's reaction the previous week. She didn't fancy another scream-fest, so she approached the sleeping figure and prodded him awake.
As his eyes slowly drifted open, she told him the time.
"Ah, thanks. I owe you one." He smiled earnestly…honestly, because of such a little thing.
"See you again." He ran off
Again? Does he believe we'll meet for a third time? That kind of coincidence doesn't happen and it's not like he can find this place…wait, how had he gotten back here?
Luck isn't unreliable. Even if he had stumbled onto this garden…that would only occur the first time and he would still need to leave and then return.
She wanted to ask but he was already gone.
How peculiar.
…How? She thought, staring at the boy who awaited her at the bench.
This time, she came on a weekday, earlier than before. Yet he was still there. Was he a stalker?
She dismissed the thought as ridiculous. She always arrived after him. Besides his disturbingly convenient timing, he gave none of the signs of someone with that kind of obsession. Plus, he was too defenseless and easily read.
She mentally sighed and made her way over to the usual spot.
"You're here at a weird time." He addressed her.
She retorted by saying the same could be said of him.
He raised his eyebrows in confusion and then laughed it off. Nothing really seemed to get to him; she began to wonder if those smiles were even genuine or if he was just a smile junkie.
That was when she saw he was reading a novel. This time, she was the one to raise an eyebrow, the text was a Sherlock Holmes novel and the final edition even she had yet to read. In fact, that one was almost impossible to find. Even her grandfather only had a single copy and he let nobody come near it.
How did get his hands on it!? It would cost a fortune. If he had that kind of money, he should at least be able to afford a change of clothes occasionally.
She asked him where he purchased the item and when he began reading the Sherlock Holmes anthology. For Kyoko, it'd been since childhood. The girl had practically been groomed to be an aspiring detective.
"Oh, this old thing? I've been a fan of the series for a long time and I just got this edition from my little sister's friend the other day. I hear she's a famous author herself."
Was he a fan of Doyle's works? Why hadn't he said anything when she read in front of him?
"Well, I could be wrong, but you gave off the impression of not wanting to talk to me so…" He scratched his cheek.
Astute observation.
Kyoko frowned. Students her age who read detective novels were nearly impossible to find and she was sitting right next to one the whole time, and he had that edition.
"You've been glaring at me pretty hard for a while." He said bashfully.
She mentally cursed… he had struck at her weakness and she had no idea if it was intentional. Consequently…she folded.
"You want to read with me?" He stated the obvious.
She muttered a yes. Kyoko had always internally mocked Togami for his obnoxious fixation on his pride but now she knew how it felt after demeaning herself like this.
He giggled…and then laughed. It was a bit cute, she had to admit.
He offered her a seat next to him and they read together for the remainder of the afternoon. At some point, he dozed off and rested his head on her shoulder. At that point she had stopped reading his novel and returned to her own.
It…didn't feel right about skipping ahead without him. It was his book after all.
She woke him up a little earlier than normal.
He blushed when he noticed the position, they were in. She intentionally allowed it just to see his reaction…they were interesting.
He stood up and prepared to leave
"If it's alright for me to ask, are you going to be here tomorrow?" He asked, embarrassed
Kyoko nodded.
He smiled in turn and before he could run off, she asked him a question she'd been holding back. How was he able to consistently find this place?
"That? I just marked the trees on my way here the first time around –I know quite a bit about them, like when they change and stuff. The landscape remains the same and it's easier since the trees are thinning out with winter coming. Now I know my way around the place like the back of my hand."
…what a clever boy.
As the months passed, night came faster and the sky grayer during the mornings. Fall was closing and Winter on its way. The two had grown closer during that period and generally met in the garden twice a week.
They discussed readings as well as got to know each other's quirks…yet they didn't know each other's names. Before the duo knew it, they had already become friends without such a vital piece of information. It made their relationship special in its own way; a symbol of an unspoken agreement to not intrude onto each other's private affairs. It was a childish sentiment but one they felt had its charms.
Though at this point, they both had more than an inkling of each other's secrets without needing to say anything. The garden had become a remote fairy tale world where they could forget the tribulations of their lives.
With the day growing shorter, they decided to meet up at earlier times. It was a dreary morning, droplets of snow started to fall, and the lake had begun to freeze over. In response to the cold, the boy started wearing a heavier set of clothes.
He was now resting soundly on her lap while she read.
"Hey." He tried to get her attention "You go to Hope's Peak right?"
Hmm? The academy seemed to be a topic he'd usually avoid. She had come in the academy uniform many times and he never made so much as a mention despite the reaction most people would give to an ultimate. She presumed he just didn't care. Nevertheless, she answered yes.
"Do you know Sayaka Maizono?" He asked
She frowned. Kyoko had nothing against the idol in particular; if anything, she considered Maizono to be among the most amiable people she had ever met but something about the sense of loss in his tone when referring to her stung a bit. Perhaps he was one of her many rabid fans.
"Yeah I'm a fan but it's more personal than that. See we used to go to the same middle school. I kind of got the feeling that she wanted to talk me but…I was always kind of afraid, like I wasn't good enough."
A stupid sentiment, she thought. Maizono wasn't the sort of person who would care that much about status from Kyoko's observations.
"Just thinking of a missed opportunity...I could have gone to Hope's Peak, you know?" He said. Now that was a bit of a surprise…did that mean he had a talent she wasn't aware of?
"I was chosen to be the Ultimate Lucky Student, but I lost my candidacy after an accident. If I had gone, I probably would have introduced myself and try to be friends this time. It was a lesson, I think. If opportunity falls on your lap, you've gotta grab it while you have the chance. If you don't…they might slip away and leave you with regrets."
Kyoko deduced there was more he wanted to say, or there was a meaning behind those words he didn't say aloud. She didn't inquire. That was the nature of their relationship.
Still, that didn't mean she couldn't mock how he was anything but lucky given he had a habit of ending up in embarrassing situations around them. Last time, his shoes came untied and he nearly fell into the pond.
He blushed.
"Yeah. I think I'm awake now, wanna read?" He smiled, trying to change the subject.
She could still see dark lines underneath his eyes, but he seemed energetic enough, so she agreed.
A cold chill blew their way, causing the teens to shiver.
Kyoko remarked her dislike for the season
"Hmm? Why's that?" He asked.
She explained that it was an unimportant time, a transitory period shifting in the middle between one season that was loved, and one people wanted to get away from. It had little worth of its own. Nothing good came from floating.
"I'm not sure I agree."
She asked why.
"I take it you've never been here in the fall?" He answered with a question.
She was confused. While he was technically correct, what was the issue? She was here now, right?
"Give it time. I'm good at noticing these things." His response was both vague and unsatisfying
"Heeeeey, Kyoko." It was Asahina again; the girl had a knack of trying to reach out to her. Kyoko didn't think the swimmer was nearly as annoying before. Not that she ever was, objectively. She was nice in her own way. What did she want?
"Nothing much. We – I mean, I just noticed you've been a lot less gloomy lately." It took a great deal of effort to curb her detective tendencies and point out the sheer number of errors Asahina had made in that statement...but where did the girl, who had obviously been put up to this, want to go with her insinuation?
"I just want to know if…if" She stuttered.
"Hina wants to know if you're nailing somebody and if so? Is he hot?" Junko yelled from back in the classroom.
Kyoko resisted the urge to eyeroll. It'd be a lie to pretend to not see this coming. She hadn't tried very hard to hide her consecutive trips out of the school. She surmised even her classmates had thought up their own ideas as to the relationship between her trips and change in outlook.
Why did it even matter?
"I didn't mean to be nosy; I was just wondering if something good happened. Not that it's a bad thing, you've been smiling more and I think it's really pretty." She said.
She didn't have the heart to tell the poor girl that was exactly what being nosy meant. Hina's words were sweet though…wait, she had been smiling more? She hadn't noticed. It would be his fault in that case.
Ms. Kirigiri, please report to the principal's office
A voice called out her name from the speakers
"oooooh, daddy's little girl's in trooouuuble." Junko jeered.
This was going to be a long day.
Her father was getting remarried. Or so he bluntly, shamelessly, professed in the headmaster's office. That line was about all he could get in before Kyoko completely shut him down. What he did with his own life was none of her concern and there's wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that she'd stand there listening to him brag about it.
She had come to the academy to break off all ties with that man but that never mattered to him from the beginning. What an idiot she was. Her indecisiveness had given him the initiative and now he told her he would start a new family?
Before Kyoko knew it, she ran. Not physically. But her mind raced, failing to form coherent thoughts. By the time she knew it, she ended up in the one place she could go to clear her head; the place where he was.
In the dark, she saw him sleeping on the bench. It was such a stupid thing to do in this weather…but she knew. He didn't have a choice in the matter.
Kyoko made her way over to his resting form and prodded him awake as she had done so many times before.
Only this time, he didn't move.
She pressed against him more forcefully next, to no avail.
In short breaths, Kyoko took off her left glove and slapped the boy in the face with her scarred hands.
"Huh?" His eyes jolted awake. She placed the gloves back on immediately
"Why'd you slap me!?" He said, holding his reddening cheek…the color could be seen so clearly in the dark because…the rest of his skin had become deathly white.
"Why are you scared?" He asked worried, as if she was the one who needed it. That made her angrier than anything.
She turned away and harshly told him to go home and that she didn't have any classes tomorrow. It was a lie. Kyoko had classes but she wouldn't go.
His complexion served a grim reminder that she couldn't be here either…so she walked away from him too.
The next day came. She prepared to leave first thing in the morning. On her way to the gate, she met someone she didn't expect. It was Sakura Ogami, The Ultimate Fighter and the strongest person in the world. She seemed to be waiting for someone and when the ogre's gaze locked onto Kyoko's, she knew that person had been her.
"You are here, Kirigiri. I have been waiting." She declared.
Kyoko couldn't think of what Ogami wanted with her. She held a great deal of respect for the girl, but they had almost never interacted.
"You are intending to skip class, am I correct?"
How did she know?
"As loathe as I am to say it, rumors circulate fast. While I am not one to care for them, I can't ignore my classmates. The rumors say principal Kirigiri is re-engaged and that you were seen leaving the school grounds past curfew."
Just perfect, she had become the laughingstock of the school. Damn that man…no, why should it even matter? She has no purpose here anymore.
"I dislike involving myself in the affairs of others unless they allow me. I judge all of you as respectable individuals capable of solving your own problems and I consider you to be among the most capable people I have ever laid eyes on. It is for that reason that I ask: How long do you intend to run from your problems, Kirigiri?" She said.
"Whatever you might think of us, we're not blind. The year is nearly over and yet you go out of your way to avoid us. You won't even give us the time of day."
Kyoko had little doubt the fighter specifically meant Asahina. Her suspicions were confirmed with the follow statement.
"Hina has tried her very best but you have rejected her every time…but that is all. I would rather you speak with my friend earnestly. If you want nothing to do with her then simply say so. Franky, I'm concerned."
Kyoko dismissed Sakura's inquiries. Her stoic mask fractures as irritations spreads on the surface.
Kyoko made a habit not to step into the private matters of others (unless it was for a case), why couldn't the same decency be returned?
"Am I wrong? My hypothesis is that you distance yourself from us because you did not intend to make lasting relationships from the very beginning and your frequent visits to the principal's office suggest that your only purpose here is to break off ties with him…but you have yet to do that after all this time.
I had suspected this but I also expected you would have either let go of your grudges and immersed yourself with the rest of us on the ground or, if not, you would have rejected him and chosen to fly away long ago…instead you've done nothing but float in-between, achieving nothing and I believe that has led to the worst-case scenario. Frankly, I'm concerned."
Sakura's words weren't untrue, but scathing, nonetheless. Kyoko had realized the hypocrisy herself, but to have another point it out was jarring.
"One of the reasons I have come is to invite you to Hina's birthday party in the coming week. She is not the type to go out of her way to do so, therefore I shall take up that responsibility in her stead. Now, what will you do, Kirigiri? Will you come with us? Will you leave Hope's Peak for good? …Or will you run to that person with your problems?"
Kyoko's eyes widened. Was she referring to him? And how did she know?
"…so, Junko was right. We will accept either choice…but do not force your problems onto the shoulders of others, Kirigiri. That is among the worst affronts you can make as a person."
Kyoko wanted to tell the ogre their relationship wasn't so dependent…yet wasn't that what she wanted to do yesterday? She wanted to use him to absolve the pain when he already carried burdens greater than hers.
"I will wait for your answer tomorrow." Sakura stepped aside
It was odd, being early.
During all their meetings, she had never once been the first to arrive; he would always meet her with a warm welcome. Sitting on the bench now, she realized how lonely the view was.
Hours passed while she waited expectantly and soon, she fell asleep.
"Hey, you okay?" A voice stirred her awake
Their eyes met as he looked at Kyoko with a guilty expression.
She checked her watch and saw it was already 1pm in the afternoon. She hadn't waited for anyone that long since Jin.
"Sorry, I ran into a few problems on my end. Are you okay?" He asked again.
She didn't understand it. How could he be the one telling her that in his condition? She took in his appearance. His hair more disheveled than before (and that said something), eyes barely open and his skin sickly pale. Compared to when she first met him, it was like the life had been sucked out of him.
Moreover…his clothes were the same as ever. Of course, it would be…
What was she thinking hinting at him to come over today after what happened when she tried that hard to wake him the previous day? Shamelessness must run in the family.
"There's something bothering you, isn't there? Just tell me and I'll help if I can." He said, earnestly.
That only made her feel worse, so she tried to refuse him. She had no intentions of butting into anyone's life, so nobody has any right to do the same to hers.
"Hmm, that's just an excuse though, right?" He said, sounding sure of himself.
Kyoko looked taken aback by the accusation. The shorter boy chuckled.
"You don't mix with others because you don't want the same to be done to you. It's your way of protecting yourself" He added, like he'd spoke from experience.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He wasn't supposed to force these topics.
The boy scratched his chin as he always did "Could you tell me what's going on? I don't think I'll stop worrying unless you do. You had me worried last night too after you ditched me like that…and I don't think I can afford that, if I'm being honest."
Kyoko winced at his proclamation. After deliberating, she decided to meet the middle. She did not tell him names, identities or specifics, merely the gist of her situation.
"I see…that person sounds like a really good friend." He surmised
Kyuko explained that she and Ogami weren't really friends. He didn't look convinced.
"I don't think they'd have waited at the school gates for you if you weren't important to them."
He had a point.
"But I can't say I agree with them. That sort of advice doesn't work with everybody because…there are some people who don't have the strength to stay grounded or the freedom to fly no matter how hard they try." He said, solemnly.
Kyoko wanted to look away.
"And not everyone can handle problems by themselves, it would be worse if they thought they could do impossible things alone...kind of like you've been trying to. Being frank, I'll be the one who decides if I want to be burdened by the suffering of other people. Nobody else has the right to decide that." He said with a strength that Kyoko was surprised he had.
"I kind of feel responsible, maybe I was too vague with my words back then." He sighed "Just how long do you think he's going to wait for you?" He looked at her with the same disappointed gaze Sakura had given her hours ago. He didn't refer to any names because that was their agreement; a thin veil that covered nothing yet meant the world to them.
"I can piece it together well enough. He told you about his plan because he wanted to know how you felt about it. If he didn't care about you, why even bother? The only other explanation is that he's a super sadist who gets off to watching you suffer. I don't know if that's what you think about him but from what I've been told, that's not the case."
He strolled out of the bench and grabbed her hand. They stopped to look at a giant tree standing near the pond and overshadowing the roof. All the while, she couldn't help noticing he wobbled
Kyoko's was confused. All she could see were dead branches.
"You told me that you disliked fall because it's an intermediate term without any worth of its own. I don't agree with that either…because there are things that happen at this time that have worth, you know. Come back to this place in a bit and you'll see what I mean but…wait too long and it'll pass you by." He smiled and then stumbled
"I... I'm tired." He said abruptly. Before he fell over on the spot, Kyoko caught him in her arms and brought the boy to rest on the bench.
His eyes closed and breathing steadied.
Kyoko took notice of the books he had brought with him. They had yet to finish the last one, but she could amuse herself with the others while she waited.
2 hours passed before he awoke, head on her lap.
"Huh? I fell asleep?" He said, drowsy.
She nodded.
"Oh, I remember, we were talking about you…I think."
She affirmed his recollection and reminded him about how tediously he'd berated her. He giggled in response.
"You know…I do agree with something your friend said."
She listened intently.
"It doesn't really matter what you choose, it'll be fine with me….as long as it's what you want. There's nothing wrong with loneliness or isolating others from your life, just make sure that you do it for your own sake. If you don't want to be friends with the guys in your class, then say it clearly and honestly. If you can't forgive that person and want to break it off, then tell him."
Kyoko let his words sink in. He was right in every respect. She didn't know what she wanted but she alienated everyone around her regardless and where did that get her? But that also sparked anger within her
...Who was he to tell her this when he was no better? Their circumstances may be different but there's no way what he's been doing could be considered appropriate. She wanted to tell him off on it so badly…but that would be using him as an excuse…and she wouldn't let herself hurt him.
How can they both be so smart and yet so stupid?
"Guess I screwed up and broke the agreement." He laughed. The unsung promise was that we could be together in a place where we could escape the worries of our daily lives…and he ripped that apart himself. What a selfish person. In that regard, they were two peas in a pod.
Even speaking ambiguously, he said enough where it didn't even matter and to leave matters floating like this was no good. Kyoko Kirigiri liked things clear and simple.
She consented to heeding the boy's words on a single condition.
"Name it." He said, innocuously.
"Don't preach to me when you're just as much of an idiot. Stop being selfish and go back to the hospital; a patient as sick as you running around the place must have someone worried to death." She smiled. Her words admonished him but even moreso, they were a farewell.
She delivered the final blow on the spell that kept them together. Yes, she had realized long ago, perhaps after their fifth meeting. His constant sleeping habits. His listlessness. His messy appearances. The clothes. The latter was the biggest giveaway.
Why wear the same assortment of clothing every day? She entertained the possibility that he was homeless, but she had sat next to him multiple times and he smelled clean. Abuse? Unlikely, his cheer was genuine, and he never had so much as a bruise on his frail body. The only other explanation was that the boy was a patient at a medical ward - His clothes were also clean meaning he either washed the same pair repeatedly or he had several sets of the same attire in stock. His hoodie was one thing, but the pants were standard hospital wear.
What an idiot, she thought. He didn't have to kill himself just to keep coming to see her.
The idiot laughed and picked himself up.
"I see…if that's what you've chosen then I can't refuse. I know you'll do fine."
"Really? What if I don't know what to do?"
"Hmm, I can't really answer that for you but for what I think, you should place them on a scale and decide for yourself whether it would make you happy to keep those bonds or toss them aside. Then think about whether you would feel sad afterwards if you did." He explained
The boy reached for his belongings, but she was faster, grabbed the final novel away and held it in front of his face.
"I wasn't done reading." She said
"Huh?" He stuttered
"I'll be keeping this until I'm finished reading…and I don't intend to finish it alone, so I guess I'll just hold onto it until you're well enough to come back." She said with a voice that wouldn't approve any objections.
"Eeeh? How unreasonable." He said.
"Okay. I'll see you in 15 days." He spoke with newfound energy.
Before he could leave, Kyoko pulled out her pinky and motioned for him to do the same.
They crossed.
"Kyoko" She said after some time. "My name, its Kyoko Kirigiri."
"Kyoko…I knew you'd have a pretty name." It rolled well off the tongue "I'm Makoto. Makoto Naegi."
She didn't go back there the coming week. The next day of class, Kyoko was the first to arrive. She bowed in front of the students to express her apology. The majority freaked out and thought it was unnecessary…but it warmed them regardless. Sakura and even Junko smiled in approval. Perhaps he had been right – maybe she did have people who cared about her the entire time and just didn't know it.
Not long after, she and Hina had become a tight-knit duo as of the latter girl's birthday party. While Kyoko still found herself overwhelmed by the swimmer, she was… happy.
Her relationship with her father didn't go nearly as smoothly however, that was to be expected. Forgiveness wasn't easily handed, she told him it had to be earned. As for how he would make it up to her that was for him to think about. On her part, she would be accommodating – that was the most she could do.
Time flew as Kyoko eagerly anticipated her next meeting with Makoto. A mere two days before the promised time, she came across Sayaka Maizono in the hallway. While she wasn't as close to the idol as with Hina, they were friends…so it was unnerving to see the blue-haired girl with such a grave expression. She appeared to have been crying. Kyoko approached to see if she could be of any assistance. The pop sensation shook her head and tried to assure the detective that it wasn't something that could be helped. Kyoko didn't push the issue.
Incidentally, Toko was also absent that day.
15 days had passed since their farewell and the seasons were on the cusp of winter. Kyoko arrived at the garden through the snowy trail with novel in hand and marveled at the scenery.
The once naked tree had bloomed cherry blossoms rivaling her own hair color. It stood as such a magnificent height that the falling blossoms magnified by the white snow beautified the entire landscape. She had once believed the garden's splendor was its peak during the summer but evidently, she had been proven wrong by him…again. The view she saw then couldn't compare to this
However, Kyoko was sure it would have been an even more stunning sight had he been there in the middle of it, sleeping away on the bench like always.
Kyoko sat in the seat next his, clutched the novel against her chest and waited.