Ayano laid on the patients bed resting peacefully. She had experience something she prayed she would never experience again, being trapped in the 'Middle' with a demon after her skin really put a toll on her body and her mind.
When she was trapped the only person she could really think of was Budo rather than her Senpai. It was only natural though, Budo's voice did save her life but she would of much rather preferred if it been Taro's beautiful voice. In her slumber she could feel the stretching pain in her heart each time she thought about Taro, she almost felt hopeless knowing her love was unrequited yet she thought she could always change that. Was it still possible to do that though? Ever since she had escaped her death she couldn't get those thoughts out of her mind. Was her love for him waning? She felt it wasn't as strong as it was before but perhaps that would change when they would finally be together. Taro was the source of her happiness after all.
"....It's a miracle." Saki murmurs while stroking Ayano's midnight hair. "I really think she came through because of you Masuta-kun. You really are a great friend to her."
"...You think so...?"
"Of course, even the doctors believed it was too late to save her but you...you didn't give up hope." Saki turns to Budo and smiles gratefully towards him.
"Thank you, Saki-san" Budo smiles and looks down towards Ayano's sleeping face. She was very peaceful when she was sleeping like she had no problems in the world. "You know I'm very grateful for that night..."
"Huh...?" Saki looks at him questionably.
"I remember I was taking a walk around town to get my mind off of things I was pretty stressed out due to my parents high expectations for me, it really got to me that night." Budo says with his bangs shadowing over his eyes. "I decided to take a different route than my usual one and that's when I found her. She was defending herself from a delinquent who was brandishing a knife, Ayano looked so fragile at the time that I stepped in and stopped the delinquent. I never thought her and I ...would be this close afterwards it I had decided to take the usual route that I did I don't know what would of even happened that night."
"...Heheh...its sounds to me like you're her savior." Saki replies. "...I wish I could of been Kokona's savior.." Budo could see her hands clench into tight fists and regret in her cyan eyes.
"You are her savior, you prevented a crime she would have regretted her entire life." Budo says patting Saki's head. "You will see her soon, I know it!"
"...Thank you..." Saki gives Budo a smile and judging by her face she looked better.
A thought suddenly crossed Budo's mind and he quickly looks at the time. It was almost time for his date with his friend Mina Rai. He looked back at Ayano with a worried look on his face.
"You should go..." Saki says noticing Budo's urgency. "You did a lot for today I will stay with Ayano until the word gets to her parents."
"...Tell her I'll be back!"
Budo looks at Ayano one last time and leaves the room reluctantly. He didn't want to let down Mina again nor Ayano but Ayano needed her rest and Mina needed him. He quickly dashes out of the hospital to see if he could get to the bus in time.
Saki looks down at Ayano with worry in her cyan eyes. She then glances out the window showing a beautiful sunset that will surely turn to darkness with some time.
"I wonder what tonight will hold."
_______________________
Mina Rai waits in the Ramen Shop continuously looking at her reflection and tucking in strands of hair behind her ear. The owner apparently knew Budo and sat her down in one of his finest table with a view of the beautiful sunset. Mina was excited for this date, her and Shima immediately went on a shopping spree after school when Budo had accepted the date. Mina had picked a red dress with a big lacy ribbon on one of her straps with matching shoes with ribbons on top. Shima had done her hair in a cute bun and added a red sparkling clip to the side of her head. She was ready for this date, she was especially ready to see what Budo would be wearing and how he looked. She gushed at the idea that they could possibly share their first kiss here and that maybe it was a start for something more.
Outside the Shop hidden in the vegetation was Shima and Juku with a clear view of their friends table.
"What exactly are we doing here?" Juku murmurs in annoyance. "I thought you invited me for a dat-"
"Why do you think we're here I want to see our friends become an item!" Shima's brown eyes sparkled with delight. "I want to see Mina's smiling face when Budo confesses his love to her."
"Can't you just wait until tomorrow for them to tell us-"
"No!"
Juku sighs as he glances over at Mina waiting at the table. "When is Budo going to show up?"
"Soon, so sit back and relax!"
"How could I relax when there's a dead squirrel next to us."
"Hush!"
Back at the shop Mina was looking down at her phone checking the time. Budo should have been here by now. She goes to hit the dial button when the owner of the shop walks up to her.
"Can I get you something to drink while you wait for Masuta-kun?"
"Y-Yes please, may I have a chocolate soda please."
"Sure thing...How is you and Masuta's friend doing?"
"Friend...?"
"Ah, I think her name was....mmm..." The owner scratches his head trying to recall the name.
Mina thought over to which of their friends probably knew about this shop and the owner but nobody came to mind."
"Ah yes, I believe her name was Aya-chan!"
"A-Aya-chan...?" It took Mina a while to register who he meant but then it suddenly came to her. "Do you mean...Ayano?"
"Yes, Yes that is the name, I do say Masuta-kun is a very genuine friend He keeps showing up with her all beaten up sometimes. I do wonder why that girl is prone to danger."
"....." Mina was silent, she didn't know this was the same place that Budo had came in with Ayano. The thought of it made her feel betrayed, why would Budo take her here if he had already been here with another girl. Why was he even spending time with Ayano he never mentioned anything to his circle of friends. Could it be that they were secretly close?
"Miss, are you okay?"
"Yes, I am fine and that girl Ayano is fine too."
The owner smiles and walks away to get Mina's drink. Mina stares at the empty chair in front of her. If she didn't act now she might never get the chance to confess her love to him.
___________________
"..Mm.." Ayano slowly opens her eyes and looks around the room. She was still in the hospital but most importantly she was still alive. To her right she notices Saki had fallen asleep on the chair, she was still wearing her school uniform. Ayano then notices that the Martial Arts Leader was no where in sight.
"Figures..." Why she should care if he was here or not anyways? Lately, he's been putting a hole into all her plans, yet, she wasn't that mad as she thought she would be. He did save her life so he wasn't a useless pawn, but was it really that? Suddenly something caught Ayano's eye.
On the bedside counter there was an envelope with a heart sticker as a seal on it. Ayano slowly reaches for it until it was in her grasp she then reels her arm in and looks at the envelope questionably.
"Could it be...?" Could it be from her Senpai? Sudden excitement washed over her. Maybe he was concerned about her since she was taken to the hospital. Maybe he heard that she almost died and decided to confess his undying love to her. Before she knew it her fingers had unraveled the envelope pulling out the contents in an eager matter. Sure enough it was a letter addressed to her, she reads the letter in her head savoring each word until her charcoal eyes widen.
The letter slides from Ayano's grasp fluttering onto the floor with a soft landing. Ayano quickly pulls the IV out of her wrist, she ignores the pain and gets herself out of bed dashing out the door. Her limps were tired from rest so she found herself leaning against the walls for support as she runs. The cold hospital floor made her foot bottoms ache and dusty but she didn't care. She ran past doctors and nurses that were tending to other patients and some who were walking down the halls. Before she knew it she flew past the reception desk and out the doors of the hospital into the cold night. The last words of the letter echoed in her head.
"We have your Senpai, come alone or you know what happens."
_________________________
The restaurants door bell chimes a beautiful melody as Budo enters, his eyes scan the room to finally see his friend Mina Rai waiting for him. He smiles and walks up to her table with yellow roses in hand. He was able to get them from a nearby shop and the yellow roses were on sale. When he approaches the table his eyes widen upon noticing Mina's attire, she looked absolutely stunning in red. Mina looks up at him with a pleased smile as her date has finally arrived.
"Hello Mina, you look really nice." He says with a boyish smile, he hands her the yellow roses and takes his seat across from her.
"Thank you." She takes the roses and looks at them with a small smile and strokes one of the sprout's petals. "Is this why you were late?"
Budo was about to explain the situation he was in with Ayano but decided it wasn't appropriate for their date.
"Of course."
Mina smiles at him and puts the yellow roses aside, Budo suddenly felt nervousness wash over him he wasn't sure what to do next and Mina was looking at him intently. He looks down at the menu to decide on what he was going to order.
"Say...um Mina what are you going to order?" Budo asks as he looks up at her from the menu.
"Oh, I'm going to order Soba Noodles." Mina points at the dish in the menu. "What are you thinking of ordering?"
"Mmm...." Budo already knowing the menu well scans for the dish he that wanted. "The Miso Soup."
"Miso Soup, huh?"
"Yeah, my mom used to cook it for me, it's always been my favorite."
"...Really? M-maybe I can make it for you some time, you know for lunch.." Mina says shyly as she points her index fingers together.
"You would do that?" Budo asks in surprise.
"Of course, but in exchange you would have to show me those special pressure point moves."
"You and those pressure point moves, you know you almost hurt Sho that one time."
"Hmf, he deserved it he thinks he's better than me." Mina pouts, she can remember the countless times Sho had won each match they had, it pissed her off.
"You know he was just asking you if you wanted private lessons."
"He thinks I need him to become a better fighter, little does he know I have been training my whole life without any on those expensive lessons."
"Aw, c'mon Mina, you know he means well, I think he really cares about you-"
"Uugh, enough about Sho." Mina groans waving her hand dismissively. "Lets talk about something else."
"Here is your drink, miss." The owner of the shop places down a chocolate soda on the table and a couple of straws down. "Ah, Masuta-kun, hello, what would you like to drink?"
"Oh, um Pocari Sweat, please." Budo says with a smile. The owner nods and leaves the table.
Mina takes a straw and puts it into her soda and takes a long sip. "Mmm~! This is so good." She looks over at Budo and smiles eagerly.
"Here, you never had Chocolate Soda before, right?" Mina puts in a second straw in the beverage. "Try it!"
"Are you sure?" Budo asks he was very curious about the taste but he didn't want to seem rude.
"Of course! But don't drink all of it unless you're going to buy me another." Mina winks playfully.
"It all depends if I like it or not." Budo grins and takes a sip of the chocolate soda. Immediately he felt the sweet liquid brush against his teeth into his throat. It had a very delicious taste to it that he didn't realizes he was taking a long sip. Before he could moves away he felt something brush his nose. His eyes glance up to see Mina drinking from the other straw in the beverage causing they're noses to bump. Immediately, Budo felt his face heat in embarrassment and he quickly moves away.
"M-Mina!?"
"What, you never shared a drink before?" Mina smiles teasingly.
"Hahah, when I was in middle school, maybe." Budo chuckles and scratches the back of his head. Mina giggles at his obvious shyness and gently rests her hand on his, His hand was warm and soft she wanted to engulf it in her owns. Budo looks up at her in surprised at her gesture, what was up with Mina? Both of their eyes locked on each other, dark brown eyes to charcoal ones.
After a silent pause Mina decided to break the silence.
"Budo...I-"
RING RING.
Budo's phone suddenly goes off in his pocket. "S-Sorry." He quickly moves his hand from underneath Mina's and goes into his pocket to retrieve his phone. It was Saki.
He presses the green phone button and answers.
"Hello-"
"Masuta-kun, Ayano is gone!!"
"W-What!?"
"She isn't in the hospital bed and the nurse doesn't know where she is!!"
"Saki calm down, she could be using the bathro-"
"No!No! There is a letter-"
Before Saki could finish Mina takes the phone from Budo and presses the red phone button ending the call.
"M-Mina what are you doing!?" Budo says surprised and a little angry.
"I....I..."
"That could of been a very important phone call."
"......."
"Are you listening to me!?"
Mina quickly grabs his hand and holds onto it tightly. Budo looks up at her and sees her bangs were covering her brown eyes. "I.....just don't want you to leave...I was really looking forward to this date with you..."
"I wouldn't leave you alone..." Budo says his voice softening, he didn't want to hurt his friend.
"Yes, you would there's always something putting a wedge between, this is my only chance!"
"What...do you mean-"
Before Budo could finish Mina yanks his hand forward and captures his lips into a gentle kiss.
__________________________
Ayano arrives in the front gates of the school in her light blue hospital gown, her hair was disheveled and her hands and legs gone numb from the cold. The night gave the school a dark blue shade to it making it eerie and cooler than usual. Ayano felt her mind going back to that fateful night, it was Monday night when she had to retrieve Kokona Haruka's body from the school and surely it was a night that changed everything. Now it was Thursday night and who knows what would happen tonight. Ayano was empty handed, she didn't have her knife that saved her from a body snatching demon but pure controlled rage.
Faintly, Ayano could hear footsteps approaching from the school. She looks up as she sees a group of dark figures with visible streaks of colors in their hairs. It was the group of female delinquents, each of their weapons shined in the night with a baby blue hue.
"Where is he...?" Ayano asks firmly with clenched hands.
"Are you alone..?" One of them murmurs.
"Obviously."
"One of you scan the premises." Says a green streaked delinquent. One of the female delinquents took a sweep of the school gates and around to make sure Ayano was alone.
"It's clear."
"Very well then." a voice was heard in the back of the group. Some of the delinquents step aside to reveal the blue streaked hair delinquent. Ayano's eyes widen once she spotted her holding a tied up Senpai.
"Pl-Please don't hurt me..." Taro whimpers with terrified eyes he was in his causal clothes, a white t-shirt with black jeans. They must have kidnapped him when he was taking a walk around town.
"Let him go!" Ayano says lowly, her anger was slowly building up.
"We'll let him go under one condition." Murmurs the blue streaked haired girl stroking Senpai's delicate face.
"Heh, conditions won't matter in a minute!" Ayano says her eyes widening with rage.
The group of delinquents immediately readied themselves for any attack but the blue streaked delinquent brandished her knife towards Senpai's neck pausing Ayano's attack.
"Be careful what decisions you make Aishi-San cause some of them might not end the way you want them to.
"P-Please just let me go!" Senpai says in a shaking voice. He was obviously terrified by the situation which made Ayano lower her guard reluctantly.
"Fine...what's your condition?"
"Where's the Martial Arts Leader?"
"...What?"
"That is our condition you will lure the Martial Arts Leader here to us."
"......" Ayano was silent she had never expected that the delinquents would want anything to do with Budo. Why did they want to talk him? Or what did they want with him? All those questions caused her great distressed, her fist clenched and she felt her teeth grind against each other.
"Well?"
"....I can't do that." The words slipped right out of her mouth, she didn't like that they wanted Budo. She couldn't explain why but she couldn't let them have him.
"Well then." The blue streaked hair delinquent moves the knife closer to Taro's neck. "You've made your choice."
"Wait!"
"......" The delinquent pauses her attack to savor Ayano's last desperate plea.
"...Don't hurt him...in exchange for the Martial Arts Leader.....I will take his place."
"You, take his place? Don't make me laugh."
"I'm giving you a choice this time..." Ayano says lowly. "Either take me instead or I'll have to snap."
"Heh, don't switch our roles here, bitch."
"...Please, I just want to go home!" Taro cries out in a desperate attempt, the poor boy couldn't handle this much longer.
"Shut up!" The blue streaked haired delinquent punches Taro in the back knocking the wind out of him. Taro lets out a painful groan as his body shakes from the impact.
Ayano stares at them with widen eyes that soon dilated with rage, someone had hurt her Senpai. Her one and only was hurt, he was in pain. Ayano's chest starts to tighten and her heart started to hammer against her chest as she was being filled with the sinister vigor to fight. Reasoning was no longer an option. "DON'T TOUCH MY SENPAI!!"
Ayano leaps onto the female delinquent while shoving Taro away in the process. The delinquent, caught off guard, is thrown onto the grass with Ayano on top of her. Ayano raises her fist and punches the blue streak haired delinquent and continues this. The delinquent fumbles around for her knife as she takes each blow to the face. Screams, chants and curses were in the air, the group of delinquents watch the two fight knowing if they interfere they would have to hear it later from their fellow delinquent.
Finally, the blue streaked delinquent gets a grip of her knife and slashes Ayano's fist causing a thick line of blood to appear. Ayano hisses in pain and pauses for a moment, she was still weak in her state and the pain right now was a little too much to bare. The delinquent took this as an advantage and shoves Ayano backwards. Ayano tumbles into the grass her bloodied fist now embedded into the cool dirt. The delinquent quickly gets up from the spot and spits out some blood on the ground. She walks over to Ayano with her knife in hand, the cold wind hit against the delinquents tender bruised face as she stood over the girl. She notices Ayano's clench bloodied fist and smirks as she raises her leg and stomps her shoe down on it.
"AAAAAAGH!" An audible sickening crunch was heard as Ayano cried out in pain. She briefly glances down at her fingers that were burning in pain, her ring and pinky finger were bend back in the most sickening way possible.
The group of delinquents chuckle at her pain and misery, Taro was still shaking fearing that he was next.
"This could of gone so much better than this." The blue streaked haired delinquent coos. She grabs Ayano's midnight hair and hauls her up. "I'll ask you again....Where is the Martial Arts Leader...?"
Ayano stares at the delinquent in weak rage but smiles instead. "He's where he needs to be." Ayano murmurs, He was somewhere safe without her presence the way it should of been. Ayano spits on the delinquents face and smirks.
"You bitch! I'm tired of you interfering in everything." The delinquent throws Ayano onto the grass and nods to her fellow delinquents. In a second Ayano felt hands and feet all over her, the pain was unbearable and she knew she was losing for the first time.