Archive of Our Own ^beta

Yae huffed inwardly, for several minutes now, she had been looking for the street where she was supposed to find this famous arcade. 

But not being used to the streets of Mondstadt and even less to the remote places of the capital she started to follow the address thanks to her app. 

"In three hundred meters, turn left." 

Yae followed the instructions of her app and then stopped her car in front of the building she was looking for.

Plane of Euthymia. 

The building was quite large, but above all, it was bright, it lit up almost the entire street and many children and teenagers came in and out with smiles on their faces. 

Yae was about to get out of her car when her phone started ringing. 

Lisa.

Yae picked up.

"Another favor to ask me, Ms. Gunnhildr?"

Lisa laughed softly. 

"Minci to you. Keep this up and I really think I'll kick you off the guest list next birthday." Her voice became a little more serious "But thanks, I think I'll be fine. I didn't want to bother Jean, she's under a lot of stress at the moment because of her work. I don't need her to know that Klee is having fun skipping school to play in an arcade." 

"I really don't see why Klee is having fun skipping class. I thought she liked going to school?"

Lisa sighed in obvious frustration. "She loves to go and I even questioned her teacher, but Klee refuses to talk." Lisa hesitated for a moment before continuing. "If you can ever get her to talk..." 

"I can't promise you anything, but I'll try." 

"You're an angel Yae~" 

Yae laughed "We know that's not true... Anyway, I'll leave you to it and I'll see you later." 

"Thanks Yae~ Klee should be with a friend, she's always the one to drop her off after closing time. " 

Once the call was over, Yae got out of her car and walked into the arcade.

The place was filled with the screams of people playing all sorts of games. It was also hot and the smell of sweets was in the air. Yae had to admit that it was quite a pleasant place. It's a lively place as she likes.

She started to look for Klee among the many people present but the place was quite big and on three floors. She then decided to go to the front desk where a young woman was busy giving out tokens and prizes. 

"Excuse me..." She looked at the first name on the badge. "Sara, I'm looking for someone. Maybe you can help me."

Sara squinted her eyes visibly wary. "I'll see what I can do for you." 

Yae smiled slightly then pointed to a picture of Klee on her phone. "I'm a friend of her mother's, she'd like me to walk her home."

Sara smiled slightly as she looked at the picture. "Klee? I know where she is." Yae was reassured, after all, she wasn't going to have to run around to find her. "On the other hand..." Sara frowned. "I don't think I know you, and there's no way I'm putting Klee in danger." 

Seriously...? Yae held back a laugh. This was definitely the first time someone had tried to make her look like a kidnapper. 

"Come with me then. I'd like to get her back to her mother as soon as possible before she gets even more worried."

Sara hesitated for a moment and then motioned for her to follow her. Sara continued to make small talk as they climbed the stairs. "She's probably playing with the Shogun." 

"The Shogun?" 

"This is your first time here I suppose." Yae simply hummed. "The title of Shogun is given to the person holding the most records in the arcade. It's kind of to spice things up and motivate people to come back."

"And Klee and this person are close?" 

"Yes. It was surprising to see them get close, but I guess the Shogun enjoys spending time with someone like Klee. And they probably feel a little lonely." 

"Lonely?"

"Klee often comes here in the hope of being noticed by her parents. Usually it's Lisa who picks her up so I guess today work keeps her from getting around. But her other mother... Klee is particularly seeking her attention." Surely she was going to have to tell Lisa about this... Or maybe she should tell Jean directly? Lisa seemed to want to keep the situation under control, but obviously that wasn't the way to go. "As for the Shogun" Sara continued, "the loss of someone close to her still marks her mind and heart. The scars are still deep and she seems to refuse to give herself another chance at happiness. She thinks that by staying alone she will not suffer anymore." Sara huffed slightly. "But I think it's the opposite. That's why her friendship with Klee is a relief to me, I can see spending time with her eases her shoulders."

Yae couldn't help but feel sorry for this Shogun who seemed to be going through a bad phase. Losing one person you deeply love is never easy.

As she reached the third floor, Sara ended the discussion and pointed to the small crowd of people around a machine. "This is a tournament, they're probably playing in the final. I think I can trust you not to make me regret my choice." 

"Noted, thank you Sara~" Yae sent a wink in her direction before heading towards the crowd.

Several people were around the machines, most of them trying to watch the final match between the two teams. From a distance Yae could only see the back of Klee's opponents who were on the other side. Yae considered the situation a little and decided to wait before joining Klee. With so many people, it was impossible for her to move forward so she might as well enjoy the entertainment.

"Bennett. You take the Shogun." Offered the young silver haired teenager. 

"Yes!" Replied the blonde haired boy enthusiastically. "Good luck Razor!" 

"You're a poor choice to talk about luck."

Bennett merely laughed at his teammate's remark and Yae heard Klee's voice for the first time.

"We're going to blow them away right Shogun?!"

The person next to Klee didn't answer and the game began.

It was a typical arcade game, a fighting game vs, but this time in teams. Soon Klee's team began to gain the advantage thanks to the Shogun's skills. Since the beginning of the game, her character had only taken two hits while the others were almost all dead.

After a few more seconds, the boys' team was knocked out and the crowd gradually disappeared. Yae could hear other people's remarks about Klee and Shogun. 

"It's always like this, they always win in the end." 

"Shogun is way too strong, I really wish I could reach her level!" 

She finally approached the machine and met Klee's gaze as she got down from her seat. Her eyes lit up and the child jumped into Yae's arms.

"Miko! You came to see Klee win the final!?" 

"Yes, it was a great win, I need you to give me some advice."

"Klee thinks you should play with us!" The young child exclaimed.

Razor moved closer to Klee. "Sorry, I can't. Late." 

"I see... and you Bennett?" Klee asked, hoping she could have more fun.

"I don't think that's going to be possible... I think I used up all my luck today, this crushing defeat proves once again that it wasn't my day." Bennett laughed to hide his disappointment.

Klee became slightly angry. "That was not a crushing defeat! You hit Shogun twice and this is the first time! Tell him Shogun!" Klee went back behind the machine then returned with a woman probably the same age as Yae. 

Interesting.

The Shogun was slightly taller than Yae and had long purple hair tied in a long braid with a brooch. She wore simple clothes and stood with her hands in her pockets and a faraway look in her eyes. Yae felt as if she had seen her somewhere before.

Klee tugged on her friend's sleeve, urging her to say something.

"That was a good bit... you touched me twice." She looked at Bennett in the eye briefly before looking away. "You were lucky." 

Yae laughed softly. Looks like The Almighty Shogun was a sore loser. 

But her answer was enough to put a smile back on Bennett's face. "If you say so! Next time I'll manage to hit you three times!" 

"I'll wait." 

Bennett then followed Razor to go home after waving to his friends one last time, leaving Yae with the winning team.

Yae addressed Klee directly. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" 

Klee clung to her friend's arm with a big smile, obviously happy to be able to show her off to Yae. "Miko, this is Ei! She's the one who always takes care of playing with me when Mom's not around." 

Ei simply bowed her head slightly in recognition. 

Ei... 

Oh. 

So this is where the Raiden heiress has been hiding since the tragic incident.

Almost four years ago, the headlines were all about the tragic Raiden story. As Makoto Raiden was returning home after a long day's work, a motorcyclist whose view was obscured by a truck decided to overtake it and ran over the young women as she crossed to return to the car park. Her twin sister, who was already avoiding the media, disappeared completely from the media. She only decided to issue a statement in which she expressed her wish to let the Kamisato take her place as head of the Inazuma agency. Since then, nothing. 

And now here she is in front of Yae, with a faraway look.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Yae Miko, a friend of Lisa's. She asked me to pick her up today, but I see she was in good hands~" 

Ei looked at her for a moment as if studying her...? Or was she trying to decipher her words? Amusing. 

"Klee wants to stay with Ei!" 

Yae's attention shifted to Klee. It's true that she came here for the child, she shouldn't let the Raiden heiress distract her. Pretty as she was... 

"I know you like to have fun with your friend, but your mother is really starting to worry, it's not really safe to run away from class suddenly without warning." Yae addressed Klee gently, but the young child didn't let go of her friend's hand.

"Klee is not doing anything wrong! And..." Klee lowered her eyes to the ground, a darker look on her face. "At least Klee isn't alone here." 

Yae began to quickly analyze the situation. So it was really because of a lack of attention from her family that Klee was acting this way? From the information she has, it seems to be more of a grudge against Jean. 

Once Klee manages to get back with her, she would have to warn both mothers of the situation. Klee is a really sweet and sensitive child, they need to listen to her once and for all about what she really wants.

"Klee." Ei brought herself up to the girl's level. "Maybe it's time for you to go home today. Your family is probably worried about you." 

"What about you Ei?" 

She smiled bitterly. "I'll be fine." She stood up then guided Klee towards Yae. "Sorry to have kept you waiting so long. I guess you're a busy woman." She looked briefly at the librarian card around Yae's neck.

"No problem... but if you insist on making it up to me... I wouldn't say no to a drink to get better acquainted." She sent a wink in the direction of the other young woman, who reflexively looked away. 

How sweet.

"I'll think about it." With those last words, Ei said goodbye to Klee and returned to one of the available consoles.

What a strange encounter…

               __________________________________

Yae was still deep in thought about her encounter with Ei when Klee lightly touched her shoulder. 

"Does Klee really have to go home now?" 

Yae looked briefly at the child to smile gently at her. "It's already late, even I wouldn't dare to make Lisa angry." 

"Mama is also afraid of her." Klee snickered.

"And she's right, when you're much older I'll have lots of stories to tell you about your mom." Klee seemed satisfied with her answer and Yae waited a moment before pushing the conversation. "Speaking of Jean, has she spent time with you lately?" 

Klee's smile disappeared and the girl looked around at the landscape. "I know she has a lot of work to do... So I come to play with Ei and the others but... I still miss her a lot." 

So Klee does seek Jean's attention, but skipping class doesn't seem to be a major repercussion for her. She must think it's better this way as her mother can work and she can have a few hours of fun and forget her loneliness.

"Why don't you tell your parents?" 

"Klee doesn't want them to fight." 

Ah. 

It's no secret that Jean's work is often a point of contention for the couple. So if this time Lisa learns that Klee is acting with the intention of spending time with her mother... 

She has to find a solution. 

Yae stopped her car in front of the Gunnhildr residence and saw Lisa at the door. 

She helped Klee out of the car and greeted her friend. "Good evening, I return this lovely champion~"

Lisa hugged her child and planted a kiss on her forehead. "A champion? Am I to understand that my lovely Klee has blown away her opponents once again?" 

So that's where she gets her words from... 

Klee beamed. "Yes! Shogun and Klee are untouchable!" 

"I'm proud of you!" She let go of Klee then pushed her lightly towards the house. "Why don't you go eat, mommy will meet you in a bit, she needs to talk with Yae. We'll have a shower right after." 

"Bye Miko!" Yae gave her a final wave and Klee disappeared into the house.

Finally alone, Lisa allowed herself to breathe for a moment. "Thank you Yae. How can I thank you?" 

Yae merely smiled at her. "It's nothing, but if you insist, I must say that Klee's friend is more than intriguing." 

Lisa chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me coming from you. You recognized her, what more do you want to know?" 

"What you can tell me."

"I know she's the arcade manager." Interesting. "That she hates the press, loves sweets and often looks after Klee. She's been walking Klee home for several months now. At first, I'm not going to lie to you, I almost had the authorities come to my house when a woman came with my own child. But a bit of tea and a few moments together later was enough to make me realise that she is a really nice person. Oh, and she's not very good at conversation, but I suppose that's the fault of being alone." 

Yae whistled, "You've talked to her a few times?" 

Lisa grinned behind her hand. "Once." 

"Still scary as hell Minci. You know how to read people." 

"And so you plan to see her again?"

"Maybe over a drink." An idea crossed her mind. "Maybe I can take Klee to the arcade this weekend? It seems to me that Jean is even working weekends at the moment, isn't she?" Lisa nodded, "Maybe I can talk to Ei about Klee. Maybe she can convince her not to skip school anymore." 

Lisa thought about her plan for a moment. "All right. I'll tell Klee." 

"Perfect." 

"But... if this is some fucked up plan that harms my daughter, be prepared to suffer the consequences Yae." Lisa's voice was cold and her smile icy.

Yae immediately smiled at her friend. "You can trust me. Have a good evening Lisa~" 

"You too~" 

What a terrifying woman.

               __________________________________

A few days later, Yae was back at the arcade with Klee, who was dragging her at full speed towards Sara. 

Sara looked at Yae for a moment before speaking. "Can I help you?" 

Klee was jumping up and down. "Klee wants several tokens to play games with Miko!" 

"Sure. Today there's no tournament so you can take full advantage of the games that interest you." 

"Great! Miko you have to try Klee's favorite game!"

Yae looked around looking for the owner of the place. She smiled at Klee coming to her senses. "I hope you'll take pity on the beginner that I am."

Klee just laughed and dragged Yae to the game.

After several games, Yae offered the girl a break. Klee happily accepted and took Yae to the sweets and drinks corner.

Klee rushed through the sweets and drinks and even started a discussion with other children. What a social butterfly... 

Yae inspected the drinks lightly and sighed, "I wonder whose idea it was to only take sweet things..." 

"I plead guilty." Yae flinched slightly and found the woman she was so intrigued by at her side. She was holding two different drinks in her hands. She handed the right drink to Yae. "I owed you a drink after all."

Yae accepted the drink with a slight smile. "It's not exactly the kind of drink I had in mind, but I suppose we can work with that." 

Ei merely looked at the woman in front of her for a moment before forcing the conversation. Her gaze was still shifty. "Sounds like you've developed a taste for the arcade?" 

"Maybe so..." Yae moved closer to the other woman. "She's quite fascinating." 

"Really? Yet it doesn't seem like the kind of place you're most interested in." Ei looked at Yae with great curiosity before looking at something else again.

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Besides... I have to admit that the people in it are all the more fascinating." 

A wink in Ei's direction was enough to make her blush slightly before her indifferent gaze returned.

"Are you another one of those treacherous people who wish to sell my tragic story?" Oh... She can bite.

"Now, now... I think there's a misunderstanding. I just came to have fun with Klee today, no need to worry." 

Yae could feel the young woman looking at her intently. After a few moments she seemed to relax a little. "Ei." 

"Hmm?"

"I prefer to be on a first name basis." She hid her face behind her drink.

"Yae Miko." 

"Then what are you doing here Miko?" 

Yae restrained herself from making a comment about Ei using Miko and not Yae like most people. Maybe it was because of Klee... But whatever, Yae couldn't deny that she liked hearing Ei call her that.

Yae laughed lightly. "Let's just say I'm trying to solve a family problem." 

Ei frowned. Yae couldn't help but enjoy the change in her expression. Kinda sexy... "Klee's in trouble?" 

"You could say that. Does she talk about her parents often?"

Ei put down her drink thoughtfully. "Um... I know she'd like to spend more time with Jean and that it's hard for her." 

Yae immediately picked up on the way Ei seemed to be familiar with Klee's mother. "Are you close with Jean?" 

Ei shrugged. "Pretty much yes. She wanted to know where her daughter spent her time and see if the person running the arcade was a shady person." 

"So she knows Klee spends her time here?" 

"Only on weekends. I don't want to create conflict in other people's relationships and Klee will probably be angry with me if I tell her mother she skips school to play."

"You care a lot about Klee." Yae remarked.

Ei looked in Klee's direction and her gaze softened. "She's a lot smarter than people think, but also a lot more perceptive. If she needs a place to have fun and to get away from her problems then my arcade will always be open for her." 

"So opening a place where people can come and isolate themselves, is that the real purpose of this arcade?"

Ei looked away from Klee and gazed at the customers occupying the arcade. "When Makoto died, I blamed the whole world. I didn't want to go out, talk or even breathe. I felt like I'd lost half of myself, like, she took a part of my heart with her and since then there's just been a gaping hole." She took a sip of her drink, sipping it lightly before continuing. "I've always loved games. In a game, our lives are infinite, we are eternal. A game over doesn't mean it's the end of our life, that's something I find fascinating. I opened an arcade to isolate myself from others and from my responsibilities... But finally, I understood something as time went by. I wasn't the only one who wanted to heal my wounds or simply forget for a moment how much reality could hurt. So I decided to dedicate myself to this place so that those in need could feel an ounce of happiness."

Yae also looked at the people in the arcade. Not a single person was alone or sad in this arcade. Ei wanted to isolate herself, but eventually created a place that could unite people. But even so, Raiden Ei was not smiling.

Yae approached her and put her hand on Ei's arm. "I'm sure you've helped a lot of people." 

"I hope so..." Ei sighed slightly before clearing her throat as she briefly looked at Yae's hand on her arm. Ei stepped back slightly. "Regarding Klee, I think it's best if she talks with her parents. I know Jean and I know it's not her intention to push Klee aside, but she's also blinded by her responsibilities."

Yae huma. "I agree. But I admit I have a hard time imagining a plan without involving Lisa." She huffed slightly. "She might not react well when she finds out that Jean has put her work ahead of their family." 

Ei pondered for a moment, then grabbed her phone to look at the calendar. "Um... I owe Jean a favor, saving her from the wrath of Lisa... I think that's a good start." She slowly turned to Yae and was even brave enough to look her in the eye for a moment. "I have a plan. At least, I think I have a way to fix the situation." She handed her phone to Yae. "We should stay in touch so we can polish it." 

Yae chuckled and took the phone to save her number. "I didn't think I'd be giving it to you so soon, but I'm not going to complain... Thanks for your help, looks like I owe you one."

Ei retrieved her phone with slightly scarlet cheeks. "Maybe over a drink." Realizing what she had just said, she hastened to justify herself. "I mean, only if the plan suits you and it's a success of course, I don't want to impose." She was out of breath and took a deep breath. "Excuse me I should probably go." So Ei walked away, leaving Yae with a big smile on her face.

Adorable... 

Yae grabbed her phone and sent a message to Ei. "It's a date." 

Moments later, as Yae was cleaning crumbs from Klee's face, she heard someone choking on their drink and Sara screaming.

"Shogun-sama!? Wait, I'll help you clean up!" 

Yae spotted Ei getting up in the direction of the bathroom, her phone still in her hand and her face red.

Yae couldn't help but laugh.

What a funny woman to tease.

             ___________________________________

It was late on a Tuesday afternoon when Yae found herself back in the arcade. This time Sara was waiting for her and told her to go up to the top floor to join Ei and Klee.

According to Ei, Tuesday was the ideal day to carry out the plan. Klee loves to come on Tuesdays, because she hates the food in the canteen and Ei always buys her a pizza. To be honest, Yae didn't understand this reasoning... The most important thing is that the plan is a success.

Yae had the day to herself, so she decided to buy some drinks before coming. She didn't really know Ei's tastes, so she opted for something sweet like she serves at the arcade.

Yae almost dropped the drinks when she spotted Ei. Ei was wearing sweatpants with a black crop top that showed off her muscles. Fuck... Yae let her gaze linger on Ei's movements and muscles as she moved to the rhythm of the arrows on her screen. 

God Bless Dance Dance Revolution... Yae thought to herself before Klee rushed towards her with a big smile.

"Miko! Are these drinks for us?" 

At the mention of the librarian's first name, Ei glared in their direction before finishing her game under Yae's teasing gaze.

Yae smiled at Klee and handed her her sugar-free drink, "Of course! I'm not going to let you drink sugary things all day. Lisa might kill me and your dentist with it." 

Ei, who had just finished her game, walked nonchalantly towards Yae. "There's nothing wrong with sweets." She was barely out of breath and Yae couldn't help but wonder where Ei's endurance limit was.

"I never said otherwise." She handed the sweet drink to Ei. "And after all, it's true that I owed you a drink." She smiled teasingly at Ei.

Ei took the drink, avoiding Yae's gaze as usual. "Thanks Miko." Yae's heart tightened for a brief moment. "Klee, you should try the latest machine next to Pac-Man." Ei offered, pointing to the machine in question.

Klee's eyes lit up with joy and without asking, she ran from the machine, her drink still in her hands.

"Did you send a message to Jean?" Yae asked after sitting down on a chair opposite Ei who was still standing.

"Yes. I said Klee just broke something so she should be here in a few minutes." 

Yae exploded with laughter. "I wonder how we'll manage to reassure her after that." 

"I told her it wasn't that bad... But it's true we're talking about Jean. She would be able to drive the ambulance herself." 

Yae chuckled. It sounded like Jean was a lot closer to Ei than she thought. "How did you two meet?" 

"We've known each other for years. She's always been a partner of the Raiden. After Makoto died, she was the first person who came to my aid. She helped me keep some semblance of strength so I wouldn't crack under the pressure."

Yae already had a deep respect for Jean, and hearing Ei speak of her with such gratitude just amplified that respect.  

"You didn't wish to take Makoto's place." Said Yae with compassion.

Ei nodded. "It's impossible to replace a person... let alone Makoto. She was so sweet and smart, but also good with people." Her voice was filled with pain. "Anyway..." She cleared out her throat. "Jean helped me find people to replace me and still have a place in Inazuma."

Yae was surprised, it was the first time she had heard this information. "So the Kamisato aren't the only ones in charge?" 

Ei sipped her drink. "Officially yes, but Inazuma is still important to us. I felt like I was betraying her memory by abandoning the agency completely. So, quietly, we gave the Kamisato power, but I remain in the shadows to run the agency." 

Yae was impressed. "So you're in charge of the agency and the arcade." 

Ei chuckled. "I'm not alone. Sara is a dear friend of mine, she's been helping me for a long time now."

"It's still amazing from my point of view." Yae insisted. 

Ei looked at her for a moment as if analyzing her to see if she was sincere then looked away again. "And you, have you known Lisa for long?" 

Yae laughed. "Oh yeah. Since college. She's always been a great rival since we shared the same major. Well, rival would be a big word after all Lisa Minci is and will remain the brightest person in Teyvat for centuries." 

Ei smiled slightly. "Klee always speaks of her with great admiration." 

"I'm not surprised." 

"Why become a librarian?"

Yae was surprised by the question, but it made her happy to see that Ei was interested in her. "I've always liked reading. For you, games are a way to live forever, but I prefer reading different stories where you can travel as much as you want and live many lives. My real goal is to open my own publishing house, so I'll be happy to show the world the many stories that exist." 

Ei smiled at her for the first time, looking into her eyes. "I have to admit, I like to read from time to time so if you have a recommendation don't hesitate Miko." 

For the first time since their meeting, it was Yae's turn to look away. Damn it she's so fine... "If it makes you happy…"

Before Ei could answer, her gaze fell on Jean, who began to run in her direction, panting. "Where is my daughter? Where is Klee!?" 

Ei was about to reply, but Klee came running towards her mother. "Mama?" 

Jean knelt down to examine her daughter. "Are you alright Klee! Seeing that her daughter did not answer, she asked another question, this time with much more gentleness and control. "Are you hurt anywhere?" Klee turned to Ei confused and Jean also turned to her friend. "You did tell me she had something broken in your message, but I don't see anything…"

Ei moved closer to Jean, who stood up slowly while keeping a protective hand around Klee. "It is, though..." Jean frowned as well as Yae. But what does Ei... "It's her heart." 

A long silence followed Ei's answer and Yae stood up to take charge of the situation. She wanted to laugh at Ei's dramatic expression, but now was not the time to break down.

Ei was definitely not cut out for these situations...

"Let me explain the situation." Jean was surprised to see her, but said nothing. "Klee why don't you play with Ei for a moment? I need to have a chat with your mother for a moment."

Klee hesitated for a moment, but after Jean's quick permission, she left with Ei, leaving Yae with Jean.

Yae invited Jean to sit down and began to tell her the situation. 

Jean untied the tie around her neck and exhaled, "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't be involved in this." 

Yae smiled gently at the woman in front of her. "It's nothing then I can't refuse Lisa anything."

Jean winced at the mention of her wife. "I should apologise to her as soon as possible. I'm sure she tried to tell me, but I was too focused on work to notice..." Her gaze fell on Klee and she sighed, "I really screwed up with my daughter... I thought maybe she would want the same thing I was denied as a child, which was freedom. But instead, I just walked away from her and made her suffer in other ways." 

Yae tried to comfort her. "The most important thing is to act now. Klee is very smart, she'll understand, but what she needs is to talk and spend time with her family."

"You're right." Jean stood up and left her jacket behind. "Thank you Yae, you're a good person." 

Yae merely smiled. "It's nothing and then I too found something very interesting in this story." 

It was Jean's turn to laugh. "Looks like it... I have to say it was unexpected, but you wouldn't be here if she didn't like you a little." 

Yae was about to ask her a question before she saw Klee running towards her mother.

The girl stopped dead in front of her mother with her head down. "Is Mama mad at Klee?"

Jean knelt down and gently placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "No, I'm just mad at myself. I ask you to forgive me. I haven't been there for you and your mother lately and that's something I intend to fix. I just want to spend as much time with you as possible." 

Klee lifted her head with tears in her eyes. "Really?" 

Jean nodded and Klee threw herself into her arms. Jean hugged her tightly and let go a few seconds later. "I think we still have some time before we get home to your mom. Do you think you can show me some games?"

Klee took her mother directly by the hand and dragged her around the arcade enthusiastically under Yae's amused gaze.

Yae noticed that Ei also had the same look on her face as she came to join her. "I guess you could say the plan was a success." 

Yae chuckled. "No thanks to your early intervention." 

"I'm not good at these things. Fortunately, I have a resourceful close friend." 

"A close friend..." Mused Yae. "I'm tired of beating around the bush." She suddenly moved closer to Ei. Her face was inches from hers. "Do you like me, Raiden Ei?" 

Surprisingly, Ei did not move. "If you can take me in a game maybe I'll tell you."

Yae smirked. "Maybe I can't take you in a game, but I already know another way I could..."

Ei's eyes darkened with desire. "I can't wait to see how you can handle the last boss." 

Yae felt a chill run through her. "I guess we just have to find out." 

Ei sent a message and spoke in a suave voice into Yae's ear. "Then let's get out of here, I left the controls with Sara." 

Yae almost jumped on Ei but instead let her take her hand ready to experience the final part of the game.

That night when Yae was held tightly in Ei's arm, she thought that maybe, living for Eternity by Ei's side wouldn't be a bad idea.