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To make a fresh start in life...that is what Saki Yoshida wanted to do after she met those two young men. She didn't know how they saved her; surely it was nothing short of a miracle.
The midsummer air of Morioh is lovely, mostly quiet, even, which Saki found as a relief while she looks at Hana sleeping in her arms, before cradling her in one arm for a moment to knock on the door. A woman with a bobbed haircut answers shortly after, greeting Saki as the door opens.
Tomoko is surprised to see a young woman, and her first thought is that this may be a classmate of Josuke's. But then there's a baby in her arms ...oh it couldn't be…?
"This is the Higashikata residence, yes?" Saki is a little nervous, seeing the woman's facial expressions change the way they do, "Is Josuke home?"
Oh Tomoko wants to yell, but shouldn't. "He...yes, he is, would you give me a moment? I'll call him downstairs. He's playing games with a friend of his right now."
'A friend? Oh, what if it's the same friend from that day. I can thank them both at once.'
"I only have a few things to say, I'm in no rush."
When Tomoko closes the door, Saki can hear the muffled yelling of, "JOSUKE, THERE'S A GIRL HERE ASKING FOR YOU AND IF YOU DID SOMETHING STUPID-!" followed by frantic stair descending. The door is reopened and Saki is welcomed inside and shown a place to sit.
"Josuke, right?"
"I-yeah," Josuke is a bit confused, shown plain on his face, "I'm really sorry, do I know you from school?"
"Woah, Josuke, you really don't recognise her? It's the girl we found that day! You remember? We saved her!" Okuyasu answers for Saki.
"Yes that's why I'm here," Saki's voice cracks a bit; her tears are already building up and she's barely said a word to the boys, "I can't thank you two enough for that day. I was almost to the end that day… You both saved my life. I don't know how but you did. And Hana's too." Saki holds her baby closer, stirring her, but Hana doesn't cry out. Her eyes blink and look about the Higashikata living room. "I'm sorry, honey, did mommy wake you?"
Josuke and Okuyasu are still, they didn't think too much on that day as of late; sure they would wonder if she was still okay on occasion, but they had no idea she'd show up to thank them in person. Tomoko is stunned as well, she was so far off from the truth with her original assumption.
Okuyasu breaks the silence once more, "Well hey we're glad you're okay!"
"Yeah, same here," Josuke adds, "but how did you find me?"
"I had to ask around quite a bit. But your hair is just so iconic in this town, people knew who I was asking for pretty quickly." Saki wipes away the tears that did fall, "I just don't know how I could thank you any more than just what I've said, but if I can do anything. Please tell me." Saying that stung just a bit, reminding Saki of the types of exchanges and promises she used to make. But things were different now. Saki Yoshida was starting her life over again, she had a new purpose and something to keep going for.
"There's no need for anything else, ma'am, you being alive and well is thanks enough. Your baby too." Josuke's hair was her current focus, her small hand grasping towards it and letting out a giggle, the boy smiling in response. "You just let us know if there's something you need our help with, alright?"
Josuke points at himself and Okuyasu, and then his own mother. "Even she'd help kick a shit bag's ass for you! Right mom?"
Tomoko lets out a short laugh from her son's brashness, "Of course. Anyone who thinks they're tough enough to talk to a woman in the way they do, should expect that toughness to be tested." She makes a flexing pose which gets a laugh out of Saki, despite the earlier tears.
The boys offer Saki a tour of Morioh while she's around, Tomoko electing to watch Hana, and she accepts. They run into Rohan in the evening, who offers a short greeting as he heads to the train station.
"That's Rohan," Josuke starts, "He's got a famous manga called Pink Dark Boy, and he's almost always holed up in his house working or off to meetings, but we see him occasionally. He can seem really rude, but he's just being professional for a rep. He's a lot nicer in private and to the kids who send him fan letters."
"Oh wow, I guess I'll have to find that series sometime, it'd give me an excuse to come back around and try for an autograph!" Saki says half joking, "But this really is a nice town. Your tour style is, interesting," Saki remembers that no one would explain the 'Angelo Rock' when they passed it by, even though she swore it looked like an art piece… "but I've had a great time. We should probably go back and get you two home, though. I don't think you two should be out too late."
"Aw it's no big deal, Okuyasu and I don't have anything important at school tomorrow," This was a lie, they have a test in history, "At least let us walk you to wherever you're staying?"
"Yeah ! I mean, you've got a place to stay right?"
"I do, a hotel, thank you boys." She smiles, but starts toward the Higashikata home, getting the boys to follow her. They still walked her to her hotel, despite her scolding of "You two have school, don't you!".
Her time as a single mother would continue to have its own hardships, but Saki Yoshida would live on. Emerging as a new woman.