Mizuki stares blankly at the whiteboard in class. Her head is too occupied thinking about her mom's ultimatum last night. As much as she feels it unfair, she dares not go against her words. It rings in her head even now.

'Mom said she'll let me meet a friend after school as long as she's the one sending me but...' Mizuki cast her gaze towards Daisuke on the other side of the class

'Daisuke would never talk to me in front of others... will he agree to meet me if Mom is there?' 

A muffled voice calls to her as she's distracted by that thoughts until

"Mizuki!" Hirase's voice finally registers in her ear 

She shoot straight up from her seat answering her "YES!" surprised by her teacher's summon.

"Are you listening? You need to find a pair for this next activity. Everyone's already formed a pair..." Hirase briefly paused, latching her hands under her head "huh strange, I thought for sure we have an even number of students..." she said that quiet slowly, audible by only few who pay attention.

That's when Daisuke raises his hand "here Sensei, I can be Kitahara san's partner" he volunteers.

Both Mizuki and Hirase were quite surprised by his statement. Hirase because she looks like she did not notice Daisuke in the crowd, Mizuki because she never thought Daisuke himself would try to approach her in class in front of others.

"Ahh Kishimoto san! Uh yes, you can take your seat next to her" 

Mizuki just confusedly watches as he carries his thing to her table. Not expecting his action, once again his action keeps contradicting her expectation of him.

"Yo Kitahara san! Looking forward to working with you!" A friendly greeting but at the same time very distanced, almost like it's his first time talking to her. Though, for the others in the class it is.

"Uhh yes, likewise..." Not sure how to respond, she's caught in his flow. 

He snappily touched her hand briefly and pulls it back before anyone noticing except for Mizuki. 

Immediately his voice enters her head

{"Act natural, don't grab attention to us"}

 his expression still maintains the same friendly momentum he puts on while greeting her earlier. A fake courteous smile. A spiritual wave connection established, now he can talk to her without anyone overhearing them. On the surface, he proceeds to explain to her what the teacher asks them to do but Mizuki's too distracted by the other conversation happening inside her head.

{"You're not focusing in class, I won't let you train Reichitsu if you're failing class"} sternly he reminds her in their secret chat. 

{"I thought you don't like being seen together?"}

Unsatisfied with his behavior, it shows on her face.

{"This is a perfectly normal situation so it's fine"}

He explains.

Somewhat relieved to hear that, it answers partly the question distracting her today. But still intrigued.

{"So why did you vanished when my mom calls me yesterday?"}

Deflecting the question, he teases.

{"Oh? What's this? So you want to bring me over to meet your mom? Is this what I think it is?"}

"Whaa-" Mizuki stomps her table as she pull herself further from Daisuke, attracting the class's attention. His tease caught her off guard that she spontaneously reacts even outside their spiritual waves. Slowly she pulls her seat and sit back down, slightly covering her face afterward. Even Daisuke acts all surprised by her action. But on the inside

{"What did I tell you about attracting attention..."}

{"If you don't like it then stop saying stupid things! Seriously..."}

Responding to that he just silently keep a nonchalant grin as if he did nothing wrong.

{"So... A-anyway, about our training this noon..."}

Mizuki looks uncertain.

{"I... I don't think I can join you today"}

{"Oh? Did you finally decided to give it up?"}

{"No! It's not like that... I..."} Desperately she responds.

{"Then what's the reason?"} He instigates.

{" It's just... my Mom.. said I need to go back home right after school"} Mizuki turns the other way as she reveals that. 

{"Okay?"}

Daisuke responds, almost questioning back.

{"We can still smuggle you inside like last time, no?"}

Her eyelids drooping down, too heavy to meet Daisuke's eye. Something else is holding her lips, or rather her thoughts from replying to him. 

{"you can't go against your mom's word?"}

He guesses.

{"I...I Can't..."} Reluctantly, she answers. Almost embarrassed, but still loyal. 

A brief silence after her short answer, only the sound of Daisuke fidgeting with the stuff he brings is audible.

{" Okay. I understand. I respect your decision."}

{"You do?"}

Surprised by his casual response, Mizuki turns back to look at him. A silent smile persists on his face.

"We're done, Kitahara san. Then, I'll submit this to Sensei." Warmly he notifies her before leaving. A moment later the school bell rings.

"Alright everyone, class's up. You can submit your work if you're finished or take it home if you haven't" Hirase announces.

Mizuki, still in disbelief by Daisuke's agreeable attitude, half expecting him to at least try to stop her in some way. But it's too late for that.

"Ah Kitahara san" Hirase calls out to her as she approaches.

"Your mother texted me, she wants to let you know that she already arrived at the front gate" 

not saying it too loud so as to not let the other classmate heard her.

"Ugghh she's fast- I mean.. thank you, Sensei!" She reacts to that information as her eyes reaches out the window, noticing her mom's car at the gate. Her response got a little chuckle out of her homeroom teacher. 

"Alright, don't keep her waiting now" 

She pats her head before leaving the classroom. 

As Mizuki heads towards the door, she took one last glance at Daisuke. Checking if he has something else to say or any other reaction to measure his feelings. But he pays no attention to her and continues on with his normal classmate act. 

In Fuuka's car

"So, where does your friend lives? Shall we go to their house or their school first?" Fuuka asks as she heard her daughter enters the car. She's low-key excited herself to meet her daughter's friend. 

"Hmmm. Actually... Nevermind. Let's just go home..." Mizuki replies with a dry smile. Not sharing her mother's enthusiasm. 

Fuuka intrigued by her daughter's reaction, but just agrees. 

 

Back at home,

"Let me help you" Mizuki offers as she put on the apron after helping carrying the groceries. 

Fuuka surprised, she thought for sure Mizuki is sulking because of her decision but she's being very helpful and with a smile doing so. 

They have a great time both cooking and enjoying dinner together, Mizuki even offers to help with the dishes and her cookie baking side business. Bonding and enjoying conversations while getting work done. Mizuki did not complain once throughout all that but still, Fuuka notices her daughter is almost hiding her feeling, like she's trying to distract herself from something.

After a while of helping her mother

"Okay okay, I can take care of things from here. You should go upstair and focus on your studies. Finish some homework that you have"

"Eh but I can do that later" Mizuki tries to negotiate.

"No can do, you have to sleep early later. Now you need to study"

Mizuki surrenders.

"Yeah yeah I heard you. Goodnight Mom"

"Yes, goodnight Mii chan"

Fuuka responds, her eyes warm, her lips offer a smile but still hiding her teeth. 

After hearing the door close to Mizuki's bedroom, the young mother sighs to herself. 

"She really is at a difficult age... that girl"

Rubbing her forehead. She glances over a family picture of them three; her, Mizuki and a man in his 30's. Kitahara Keiki.

"Even I can't tell what's going on inside her head, dear"

But the man in the picture just smiles without reply. As if telling her to keep going without giving up.

 

In her room, Mizuki made quick work of the homework from school and now she's already on her bed.

"I didn't get to do any Reichi training today..." She just stares blankly at her ceiling. Too awake to go to sleep, too much on her mind.

"Is this going to be how it is from now on...?"

She has no homework to worry about, her grade is steady enough for the next exam, her family have no financial difficulties with her being the only child, she has no conflict with anyone at school. And yet, this highschool girl cannot seem to put herself at ease, to calm down enough to feel sleepy. Despite her relative lack of life problems, she has too much on her mind right now.

["We're done, Kitahara san."]

Daisuke's words from earlier today echoes inside her head.

"back to normal huh..."

She turns lying on her side

'Is that what he meant...'

The lonely maiden pulls her body inward, hugging her leg to sleep.

Meanwhile, in a different location, under the cloudy night outside, Daisuke lifts his hand in front of him.

What's supposed to be his hand is just what resembles a tattered old paper, crumbling at every piece each time the element interacts with it. With each slight movement he makes, tiny pieces of him fell down slowly off his hand like sea snow falling to the ocean floor. 

"this can't be good..." he utters to himself, monologuing.