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Safe to say, Kanade doesn't like going outside. The sun is too bright, the air is sickeningly fresh and there are too many people. Mizuki liked to say Kanade was the embodiment of the 'light mode' meme.
Maybe I should tell them to come to the sekai... Kanade thought as she walked to the family restaurant where she was supposed to see her friends. The sekai was bright too, but at least the sekai wasn't full of people and it had a nice breeze. The spring warmth was practically killing Kanade.
I'll just go to the family restaurant, they'll have air conditioning. Kanade thought as she walked forward. Just then, she bumped into someone.
"I'm sorry- Oh, Yoisaki?" A familiar voice started talking, and Kanade looked up to see one of her middle school friends. They were close, but they grew apart after Kanade decided to do online schooling.
"Ah, Nakamura. It's... nice to see you again." Kanade whispered, although it wasn't very pleasant. Seeing her again made Kanade remember her father's collapse.
Thinking about it, she was one of the few people that didn't talk about it behind my back... Kanade thought, becoming a little grateful for the girl.
"Yeah, it is nice! Let's keep in touch, you still have the same number right?" Kanade nodded, and waved goodbye.
"See you later, Nakamura." Kanade said, and started walking the opposite direction.
"I didn't think I would see Yoisaki again! I heard her father collapsed. If that was me, I would have killed myself!" Those words stopped Kanade at her tracks. It took a little bit of time until she processed them. Her throat closed up, and her hands turned cold as ice.
I thought she was one of the nice ones... Ones that didn't talk about my dad as their gossip. Kanade's breath hitched. Her chest felt like it didn't have air at all.
No, it's just a stupid joke, I can't be having a panic attack over this. Kanade thought as she clawed at the hem of her shirt, trying to get air. It wasn't helping. Her other hand landed on her wrist, scratching the surface. Kanade couldn't breathe, was she dying? Kanade's mind turned blank. She couldn't think straight. The family restaurant was right in front of her, but she couldn't enter.
I'm dying. I'm going to die here. Kanade thought, it really felt like she was going to die. Why was she having a panic attack now?
"-de. -nade." A voice started talking to Kanade, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. A hand came to gently pat her back, but Kanade flinched away. Kanade's eyes flew to the person in front of her, it was Mafuyu.
"Kanade. Breathe." Mafuyu said while being careul not to touch Kanade. Kanade slowly felt her senses come back.
"M- Mafuyu?" Kanade blubbered. She couldn't understand what she was saying. Mafuyu nodded.
"Kanade, can you stay here for a second? I'll be right back." Mafuyu said and left. Kanade was still a bit panicked, but now she was able to breathe a little better. Mafuyu came back a few minutes later with a box of bandaids and a bottle of water.
"Give me your arm." Mafuyu said, and Kanade stretched out her arm. Red scratch marks were on her wrist, some seemed like they were bleeding.
Oh. I forgot I did that. Kanade thought as Mafuyu gently placed bandaids on her wrist.
"Do you want to drink some water?" Mafuyu asked, and Kanade nodded.
"Do you feel better now?" Mafuyu asked after Kanade drank the water.
"Yeah..." Kanade whispered, then looked at Mafuyu pleadingly.
"I don't want to talk about it... Can we just go inside?" Kanade asked. Mafuyu nodded.
"Of course. Do you want me to hold your hand?"
"Please."