Several months earlier, in a small town on the coast of Japan, a father began walking somewhere with his daughter. That daughter being Akikyo Yachi. 

As they continued the walk for a few more moments, they arrived at the barren train station. They waited for several minutes, and the train finally arrived. 

Yachi smiled and thought to herself.
"My chance at a new life!"

As she turnt back, her father suddenly burst into tears. He took the chance and hugged her as hard as he could.

"Akikyo... I know we didn't have the greatest relationship, especially with your mother, but I will forever love you. It would hurt any parent to see their child leaving."

As Yachi embraced the hug for a moment, she felt a tear drop down her face.
"Dad, I'll only be gone for 3 years," she said as another salted drop rolled down her face.

Her weeps were quietly heard with her dad. The father released his hug and told Yachi.
"Do not let the past burden yourself, Akikyo. You are a wonderful girl. This will be your chance to show your brilliance."

Yachi wiped the tears off her face and finally boarded the train. As the doors shut, she finally said.
"I love you, Dad..." 

Her father smiled softly and reciprocated.
"I love you too, Akikyo!"

Yachi returned to her desk and sat calmly in class, awaiting the bell.
"That was the first time I'd seen my father cry. He always told me we only get this life thing once, so it's best I keep my head up and push forward. There is no demerit to being kind," she briefly thought, as she was brought back to the present time.

The time slowly went by, and the bell rang for class to start. The door creaked open, and the principal of the school, Tsuyo Hayoku, walked in. Mug in hand, he walked to the front of the class and readied himself to speak.

"Due to a small incident, Sakatoro Zenatori won't be able to join us for class for the rest of this week."

Quiet chatter went on amongst the class, and echoes of voices were heard.
"Zenatori? I think he's the transfer student?"
"The new kid?"

"Who's Zenatori?"

"What does he mean by incident?"

Hayoku sighed and took a sip of his coffee.

"Ah, don't worry, guys, he's fine, just wanted to say that!"

Hayoku walked out of the class and left Mashaka to enter.

Yachi sat quietly at her desk and thought over the scene quietly.

"I guess he broke his arm or something. They said he'd be fine, so it's likely nothing to worry about. I guess it takes Hayoku's reactionary vitality method some time to heal a broken bone. Maybe Akari knows something about it."

She put her hand on her chin and calmly sighed. She turnt backwards and saw Akari's desk empty.

"Huh, I guess she's out today. That's strange, I've never seen her miss a day until now."

After the lesson, the bell finally rang, symbolizing the end of class. Akari walked through the halls and found the vending machine. She inserted her money and took her drink. 

She went to the seal and sipped it, admiring the sun from the window seal. She suddenly remembered the earlier chat with Zenatori.
"Are you a good person?"

She quietly chuckled and thought.
"I wouldn't know the answer to that myself. Usually, Principal Hayoku and Zenatori meet in the courtyard at this time. I usually see them from here. I don't know what they do, but I guess Hayoku is helping him to have a chance in the exams."

She took a long sip of her apple juice, and the sensation filled her mouth. She suddenly shot back and had a sudden realization.

"Wait a second, I didn't see them yesterday go into the courtyard yesterday. I didn't care enough at the time to think about it. What exactly do they do there? In fact, I didn't see Zenatori at all yesterday after class. Is it possible Hayoku took him on a mission? Even then, they wouldn't get wounded badly while Hayoku is around."

She took another hard sip and slightly choked on her drink.
"WAIT! Did he take Akari with Zenatori, as a replacement for him, and they both got wounded, somehow?! But Hayoku said they weren't anything crazy!"

She shot up and ran across the hallway.

"Just in case, I'll check."

Several years earlier, in a remote village, there was a small child with his father. He said.

"Father, how was work?"

The black haired middle aged man gently smiled.
"It was great, Sakatoro."

He walked to the kid and kneeled and patted his head. 
"Remember Sakatoro. Love is with no point."

Zenatori suddenly remembered.
"Wait, Father didn't say that. Is this a dream?"

The father continued.
"Never trust anyone. Not even your mother. There is no good in this world."

Zenatori shookily moved back.
"Dad, what are you talking about..?" he said as he slowly walked back.

The dad slightly chuckled.
"As a matter of fact, I don't even love you, Sakatoro. Is it crazy not to love your own child? All I feel for you is hate."

Zenatori's eyes finally shot up, and his vision was finally restored from the real world. He looked around and saw himself in a medical bed. He suddenly felt a warm sensation on his right hand, and as he checked, he saw a young girl holding his hand. It was Akikyo Yachi.

He instantly jolted his hand back and questioned her.

"Why were you holding my hand?"

She gently smiled.
"You just looked scared."

Zenatori looked at her, confused for a moment, feeling a wave of embarrassment.
"E-Even then, why are you even here?"

"Well, I was told you were hurt, so I visited on my own time. I didn't expect you to wake this fast-"

"That's a lie! Why are you really here?!" Zenatori said, raising his voice.

Yachi is taken aback and begins a rebuttal.
"That isn't a lie! I just wanted to check on you."

"Who told you I was hurt?"

"Hayoku announced to the class that it's possible you can't take the exams because of your 'accident'."

Zenatori instantly froze and remembered the entire incident. He covered his mouth and shook, letting out.
"Oh God..."

He instantly lifted his shirt up and saw a giant scar on his body from the earlier gash of the automorph. He looked around his arms, feeling his entire body as he went. He felt his pupils isolate.
"How am I... alive..?"

Yachi observed Zenatori's stuttered and jittery movements.
"Are you okay, Zenatori?"

Zenatori felt the snap back to reality.
"I'm... fine..."

Upon hearing the words, Yachi let out a swift smile.
"Well, what happened?"

Zenatori quietly thought about everything that had happened.

"If I survived, then Akari, without a doubt, did. What happened after I got knocked out? At least Hayoku defeated the automorph- Wait, why is Hayoku so strong?"

Yachi noticed Zenatori was lost in thought. She suddenly gripped Zenatori's hand, embracing her warmth onto the coldness of his hand. Zenatori looked back up in surprise, and Yachi soothingly said.

"Hey Zenatori, what happened?"

Zenatori looked down momentarily, with a cold gaze, looking at her hand, lying on his. He opened his mouth to say something, but then reluctantly released his palm from her hand.
"You're a bit touchy. Besides, I told you, it's nothing..."

Her smile lifted as she contemplated the event.
"So you won't tell me, huh? I guess that makes sense, considering we're basically strangers."

They both sat in silence for a few moments before she eventually sat up and said.
"I guess I'll take my leave," she said as she left the room.

Zenatori looked at his hand stoically for a moment, quietly caressing the area of his palm.