Chapter Text
The cloaked figure pulls Iroha and Syobai along, deftly maneuvering through the streets. Iroha’s lungs are screaming for air, but luckily, just when they’re about to give up, the cloaked figure stops.
“Th-thank you for saving us,” Iroha chokes out.
“It was no problem,” says the figure, speaking with a familiar voice. Wait…
They take off their hood, and Iroha gasps, looking at the familiar face. “Sora?!”
Syobai smacks her. “No, dumbass, that’s Maeda. Did you miss the entire sixth trial, or what?”
“Hashimoto’s right,” says Yuuki. “It’s me.”
“Alright, what do you want?” Syobai asks. “I don’t have any money with me, so I can’t pay ya.”
“I’m not looking for payment,” Yuuki says, his voice tight. “You might not have seen me that way, but I always thought of you two as friends, even if we weren’t technically classmates.”
“I-I thought of you as a friend too!” Iroha is quick to jump in. “I-Is that why you saved us?”
“Yes,” Yuuki says. Syobai pulls his cigarette out of his mouth.
“Then I’m leaving,” he says. Iroha cries out—a garbled sound that, in her mind, translates somewhat to please don’t leave me.
“No!” Yuuki shouts. Syobai trips on a piece of trash. He mumbles a few curses under his breath, but stands back up and turns to face Yuuki and Iroha. “Think of it as a transaction. I saved your life, so now you need to stay with Nijue. Protect her. Don’t you fucking dare abandon her. Got that?”
Syobai sighs. “Fine. Bubblehead, come on.”
“W-wait!” Iroha says. “Maeda-kun, what are you g-gonna do now?”
“I… think I need to go back to Kisaragi Foundation,” he says. “I’ll be able to save more people that way, and I… I want to see Kabuya and Sora again. Here’s hoping Mekaru can convince Kinjo to not arrest me.”
“G-good luck,” Iroha says, forcing a smile. It’s only after the words leave her mouth that she realizes how ironic they are.
“Oh, I have plenty of it,” Yuuki replies.