Chapter Text
The light click-clack sound of keys being pressed filled the otherwise quiet living room of the Starlight dorm. Afternoon light poured in through the glass doors as Junna sat on the couch, laptop on her lap. She had just finished her first self-imposed extracurricular training session of the day, and had taken advantage of her break time to catch up on the news. She’d been neglecting them for a few days.
It was not long after she settled in, however, that the sound of footsteps coming from the staircase to the second floor, where their rooms were, broke her concentration. Karen followed, slowly walking down the stairs. Junna remembered when Karen’s arrival on the ground floor would be preemptively signaled by her barreling down the stairwell, and then loudly proclaiming ‘Good morning!’ or ‘Good afternoon!’ to whoever awaited her there. But she hadn’t had that enthusiasm for… a long while, now.
As Junna came into her view, however, she put a smile on her face and her eyes took on a happy glow. “Good afternoon, Junjun,” she proclaimed, bouncing up to Junna. She could tell Karen was at least partly putting on a face, her smile not reaching her eyes, but that shine in them seemed genuine. Karen was wearing one of her white shirts, with a pair of off-red sweatpants she’d taken to in the last few weeks. While it was a comfortable set of clothes, she didn’t look as unkempt as she usually did. Karen was probably having one of her better days. “What’chu you doing?”
“Oh, Karen. Good afternoon.” She turned her gaze back to her laptop. “Nothing much. Just reading up on the local city news. There’s nothing too interesting today, though…”
“Oooooh. I see.” Karen looked over Junna’s shoulder. She had never really been someone to look at the news, though. She only managed to read the headline about some guy who’d won a fish and chips eating competition before losing interest. “Well, I came down to grab something to eat, so,” she said as she slowly walked away in the direction of the kitchen.
“Ah, feel free. I think Nana left some sandwiches in the fridge.” Nana had taken up the habit of leaving ready-to-eat leftovers in case Karen ever decided to have a bite, or a whole meal, but no one was there to cook for her. She didn’t really have the energy to prepare stuff to eat anymore. No one seemed to know if Karen had realized it herself, even after she once spent a whole day without eating anything of note due to both Mahiru and Nana being away until late at night.
As Junna returned her gaze to the laptop screen, idly scrolling, she noticed a piece of news that did catch her eye. “Oh, so it’s next week,” she mumbled to herself.
Karen turned her head to Junna, sandwich half in her mouth, and asked,“Whaff’s nexsht week?”
“The Tokyo Tower aquarium is closing. It’s next week, on Sunday.”
Silence. Junna didn’t realize Karen hadn’t responded until a few seconds had passed and she heard a sound like a wet slap from the kitchen. Now looking at Karen, Junna noticed she’d dropped her sandwich on the floor, straight from her mouth. “Um. Karen? Are you alright?”
Karen stood perfectly still. Her brain seemed to be trying to process what Junna had just said, but coming up short. “J—Junjun. What… do you mean?”
Junna understood the expression on Karen’s face now. Blank. The light in her eyes that was there earlier was gone. A shaky, false smile on her face. This was Karen from one of her off hours, or after something had reminded her of… of Hikari. Junna would have to tread lightly. Did Karen have some kind of connection to the aquarium? Right now, though, she had to try to calm Karen down.
“Hey, Karen, are you alright?” asked Junna as she closed her laptop and got up. Maybe she needed some contact? She thought she’d heard from Mahiru that Karen had started becoming physically needy after Hikari’s disappearance.
“Junjun, did you know about this?” questioned Karen, taking a step back. Okay, shouldn’t press too much, Junna thought in response, stopping her advance.
The truth would probably be best right now. “Um… yes. I think I remember them announcing it… some two years ago? I don’t think it was much of a high-profile event, so it makes sense you wouldn’t have heard—”
Karen barreled through Junna, interrupting her and making a break for the door. Junna could barely get out a “Hey!” before Karen got her hand on the doorknob and nearly fell on top of it. The top of her head slammed on the door as she stared straight down, her expression impossible for Junna to see.
“I… I’m sorry! I have to go!” was all Junna heard before Karen had, once again, run out the door with no one to stop her.
“...not again,” Junna sighed. Karen running away like this reminded her of that time so long ago where Hikari had attempted to run away from the school, and Karen had run after her with nothing but a prayer. With that additional connection to Hikari established, Junna felt the pieces start to fall into place. She didn’t think there’d be anything she could do, even if she managed to catch up. Maybe Karen just needed to be alone right now? But, no, being alone was the problem in the first place.
“Junna-chan?” came Mahiru’s voice from behind her, near the stairs. She had a pastel green dress on, and was rubbing her eyes. Had she been taking a nap? “What happened? I thought I heard Karen-chan yelling, and when I got up, she was gone.”
“Tsuyuzaki-san! Thank god. I need your help,” replied Junna, moving back and away from the door to speak with her.
“Is something the matter? What’s going on?”
“It’s Karen, she… I told her that the Tokyo Tower aquarium is closing next week, and she just. Freaked out, and ran out the door,” Junna said as she paced on the spot. “Uuugh, what did I say wrong? Does she have something to do with that place?”
“Did you say Tokyo Tower?” asked Mahiru, a glint of realization in her eyes.
“Yeah, that! Do you know what happened?”
Mahiru quickly started walking back up the stairs, Junna following behind her. “Tokyo Tower is… a very, very special place for her. And Hikari-chan. And knowing how Hikari-chan loves sea-life and jellyfish…”
“Oh. That… I can’t imagine how she must be feeling right now. I’m so sorry I messed that up so badly.”
“No, Junna-chan, it’s fine,” Mahiru reassured her. She appeared to be grabbing her wallet and some other things, putting them in her purse. “She would have had to find out eventually. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Mahiru stood back up, her purse seemingly prepared, and walked out of the room past Junna, nodding to her as she passed. Junna once more went after her.
“Well, what are we going to do? Should we let her be?” Junna questioned.
“No,” Mahiru replied firmly. “I’m going after her. You can come with me if you want, though? I wouldn’t stop you,” she finished as they arrived in front of the door and she started putting on her outdoor shoes.
“I don’t think I’d be much help… I’m Karen’s friend, but I didn’t really know Hikari that well. Or, come to think of it, Karen herself. She never told me this, and she doesn’t really ever talk about herself…” she rubbed the back of her head. “Karen probably had her reasons. I think I’ll just hold down the fort and cover for you two. I’ll try to get Nana to help me make a big dinner when she comes home, too. You two might need it once you’re back.”
Mahiru was momentarily stunned over Junna's offer, but recovered quickly, gratitude settling into her face in the form of a kind smile. “Thank you, Junna-chan,” she said. “But we’ll be back before you know it. Trust me.”
She turned her back, and opened the door. Karen was waiting, and Mahiru knew exactly where she’d be.