Mei strode by the bed and noticed Yuzu sleeping in a bundle swallowed up in blankets and sheets. She looked a mess. She had no idea what had happened to the poor girl, but her heart bled for her. Her eyes were puffy, and she was cocooned in the warm morning sun. She didn't dare wake her. She slowly stroked the side of her body over the sheets draped over her shoulder. She breathed roughly and did not awaken.

Mei wondered what in the world could've hurt her best friend, her dear companion. Somehow something must have happened with Harumi and Matsuri yesterday. It was probably Matsuri. Mei felt very curious.

Her mind wandered back to the time when she was with Udagawa on the street next to their apartment, as their betrothal had fallen apart in mere minutes as she confessed her love for her step-sister. Even now she felt bad about it, as Udagawa was a great, respectable person. Her mind wandered…

"Mei, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Mei felt deathly afraid. Yuzu's head poked above the sidewalk across the street, blonde curls dangling. Even in the afternoon sun spots and shade she stood out. She was cheerily talking to a handsome man with long black hair. They were chatting so friendly with each other that it seemed they were either old time friends or... Her heart sank. Had Yuzu finally, truly given up on her?

Mei threw Udagawa's hands away from her which were trying to keep her steady. She ran across the street without thinking, ignoring all traffic and forcing Udagawa to catch up. He had to halt an oncoming car to his great endangerment, a narrow miss that could've sent him tumbling. Mei was completely crazy in the head. In her pathetic, unathletic way, with fists clenched and lacking the graceful attitude of any runner, she huffed and puffed to the other side of the street.

Udagawa caught up slowly after saying many 'sorry's to the man in the car and his wife, bowing profusely in the middle of the street. He saw that Yuzu had a shade of pale over her face, with stunned open eyes, as Mei accosted the two with furious anger that lost all sense of sanity and normalcy.

He jogged, his business shoes clacking on the pavement behind the row of parked cars in front of the building. Just in time to get a glimpse of the last sentence Mei was uttering, "And who is this!? Why is he with you!? What are you doing!?"

Yuzu acted as if she had seen a ghost and fell over into the arms of the man she was with, making Mei's eyes bug out even more. The man supported her softly, hugging her to his side. He immediately noticed more hatred in the girl's eyes and wanted to try to clear up the situation as soon as possible. "Hi, I'm Terakada. I'm a new teacher at the school, Madame President. I was helping Yuzu with her shopping since she said she had to buy a new single bed and needed help moving parts to her apartment. She spied me on the street and we were very cordial with each other. She's come talk to me many times about her struggles in the past year, and I have been most happy to help her. She's a fine student. I have a psychological certification for caring for youthful minds from the University of Tokyo. I was hired by your grandfather, but I haven't been able to get over to the school until recently. I know that you changed classes before I became associated with her."

Mei was gape mouthed. She didn't know what to say, she had made such a perfect ass of herself to destroy her reputation forever. "Uh, Terakada-sensei, I'm so sorry. My actions are perfectly unbefitting of a school president. My ranting was completely dishonorable. I lost control."

"So, you're stepsisters?"

Mei coughed aloud, trying to bring down her jealous rage and emotions from before, embarrassed at her lack of tact. "Yes, my father married her mother. This is my fiancé—"

"Udagawa, sir. You can call me by my family name. It's a pleasure to meet you." Udagawa had the reddest face on earth, for once failing the test of all this drama.

"It's nice to meet you. Yuzu, are you alright?"

Yuzu started to awaken, she had apparently fainted into her teacher's side and was only standing with his support. Her eyes blinked open and she looked dizzy.

"Yuzu…" Mei said, tears welling in her eyes, "I'm so sorry I shocked you, I went way over the line."

Yuzu looked off in a faraway direction, not seeming to comprehend where she was or who she was with. "I'm afraid this may be serious, she should see a doctor right away and I'm not qualified."

"I'll get my car, we're just parked over the way, we should take her to the hospital. She seems to have suffered from a mild shock."

"I think that would be best, please hurry."

Mei started to panic now, she whispered to herself, "I'm so sorry, Yuzu, I'm so sorry."

Yuzu looked deranged and Terakada tried to keep his balance with her weight on his shoulder, holding her to his side. Her eyes didn't seem to fit with the scenery, mistaking things for other things going on in her head. Mei started to grow extremely scared that she had caused this, and that it might be permanent.

Just then Udagawa peeled over to the side of the street in his family's luxury sedan. Mei didn't know how long it had been, either an hour or two seconds that she had been waiting there. She and the dizzy girl in front of her had lost track of time completely.

"Hurry," said Udagawa, as he and Terakada lifted Yuzu into the car. Mei sat in front while Terakada sat in the back with Yuzu's head in his lap, perturbing Mei in the back of her mind. She knew it would be unforgiveable and undignified, even too telling to request a change. She bit her lip.

"Get to the hospital at 21st Street, it's close and I personally know a few doctors there. They'll have her checked out in a jiffy."

Mei looked off through the window as usual, as Udagawa jerked the care into traffic, speeding at a healthy pace but with his usual suave control. She felt sad and unnatural. How had she gone and hurt Yuzu again like this? Her greatest love? It had all gone terribly wrong. She had had a jealous rage, asking things like 'what are you doing?', 'who's this?', ranting and raving and shocking the poor girl. She felt so guilty at that point for hurting Yuzu all over again, she just wanted to die.

However, the hospital wasn't far away. They broke in front of the large building and Terakada and Udagawa lifted Yuzu into the lobby as nurses quickly provided backup. The teacher and Mei's fiancée shouted, "We have a sick girl here!" with great alarm in their voices.

Mei felt confused and bewildered as she followed behind them into the hospital, wanting to trip and fall over, and go through the same pain as Yuzu. She felt it deep within her, angsting to feel her lover's pain in some way.

Yuzu was put on a stretcher and taken to the emergency room. Mei was cut off from her by a doctor and told to wait at the front, driving her mad. "She's my step-sister, you've got to let me through!"

"I'm sorry mam, that's the policy. Let the doctor do his work and we'll let you know soon enough."

This last statement almost drove her out of her mind, but she understood the process of business and prudence better than anybody. There was decorum to things like this, and this fact sliced into her core. The things she believed in like respect and honor meant nothing when faced with ugly truth like this, cut off from the person she loved, likely liable for what had happened. Only when she knew she couldn't live without her, did something like this happen and she lost all control.

She shut her eyes and held the ring around her neck, resting in the center of her chest very tight. She forced herself to sit down in a chair and wait. There were a few people in the room who looked about as inconsolable as she did. She wondered how many accidents and problems people were there for. She wasn't alone in this pain, at least.

It felt like hours before the doctor arrived, "Visitors for Yuzu Aihara?"

Her, Udagawa and Terakada immediately got up from their seats to see what the news was. "Hello doctor, I'm her teacher, Terakada. I just so happened to meet up with her today to help her with some shopping. She suddenly met her stepsister on the street and the two had some sort of argument and Yuzu fainted, so we felt it was best to take her in. What's the diagnosis?"

The doctor took the information in, "Well, the good news is, she's going to be alright. However…"

The doctor looked at the visitors, this always got so old dealing with people in pain, inflicted by his words, it was a tiresome business, "We'll have to keep her here for observation. She was very slow to come out of it and we need someone else to check up on her. You say she was having an argument with her sister?"

"Yes doctor, this girl right here." The doctor looked at Mei with an imperious look and back to the two gentlemen.

"Alright, well the girl is underweight and seems a bit withdrawn. These can be signs of a disorder or depression. I'm afraid we'll have to have a mental health expert look at her and talk to her a bit. She's too young to be fainting on street corners. We don't want her to have to come back here."

"We understand doctor, and we think that's the most expert advice," said Terakada. He was handling all of this swiftly per his profession. Mei was impressed with the man who had replaced her former suitor, Amemiya-sensei, at the school. "Thank you, sir, we have to go contact her mother now, who may be at work."

"I perfectly understand, I will allow the mother to visit, but we may want to give the young girl some time away from her sister who brought on the attack. Young lady…"

Mei now looked at the doctor with a troubled look, "I want you to spend a few hours and think very carefully about what you'll say to your sister the next time you speak with her. I understand that step-siblings sometimes have issues with each other, but these things can be sorted out with time. I want you to seriously consider forgiving the poor girl for whatever she might have done. She seems to me unhealthy strictly by sight, frail and thin. She should eat more. I hope you haven't been bullying the poor girl."

"No doctor, I—"

"Young lady, I don't have time to hear how it started or what began the argument. But you need to consider her feelings. Take some time and try to forgive her for whatever she may have done and for gosh sakes, try to take better care of your sister."

Mei almost cried, a tear fell from her eye beyond the best of her control, "Alright, I understand."

Mei took what the doctor said as the honest-to-God truth and walked away. Udagawa and Terakada listened to the rest the man had to say, and she barely overheard the rest of it, "You two did an excellent job getting her here so quickly. The attack was more severe than you probably first expected. I would almost suspect it was a nervous breakdown. She may need to take some time away from school. I worry that there are underlying concerns."

Mei felt like collapsing, it was the end.

Udagawa spied Mei and rushed over to help her. "Mei, we'll get through this. I'll support you as a friend. It's going to be okay, you two just need to sort it out. It will turn out fine."

Mei looked up at him with childish eyes that were wet and red, "You're too good to me Udagawa, especially after what I did to you all this time."

Terakada confronted her now, "Mei, may I have a word with you?"

Mei nodded, and they walked outside. It wasn't unpleasant this time of year, luckily getting warmer and only a little bit breezy. Nobody was lounging smoking except for one male nurse who quickly stumped out a cigarette and walked back inside. "Now listen, Mei."

Terakada sighed, he appeared to be organizing his thoughts after all the confusion, trying to come up with something cohesive to say, "I know a bit more about what's been going on. I've been talking to her for months now, she's been coming in for weekly sessions and barely managing her school work on top of it."

Mei gulped.

"She told me that she was in love with someone and couldn't be with them anymore. I got her to confess this after three months. She's been having a really challenging time. I wish that the next opportunity you have to talk to her, you would let the past be the past and try to support her."

Mei felt like the world was ending, nothing but dark clouds were everywhere. Lightning bolts and thunder evidently passed across her eyes and Terakada was satisfied.

"She has been depressed and has been losing weight, but she was doing okay. She was cheerful today, she told me she was moving on. Your Grandfather was one of the most concerned, he told me to take care of her as she was technically an Aihara. So, I've been super focused on this."

Mei nodded.

Terakada sighed. "I just wish you girls would make up, I know how teenagers are, but you've got to consider her mental health and wellbeing, if not your relation to her as a step-sister."

Mei thought to interject but didn't.

"Until today she was doing a bit better. This all comes as a shock and seems to be from her surprise in seeing you. I won't interfere into whatever relationship you have, but above all you need to be kinder to her."

Mei nodded, embarrassed.

"Just, I want you to promise you'll try." Terakada had clearly lost a reserve of patience with that last sentence.

"I understand sir and I will do more than try." She looked down at her shoes, thinking herself not much more than a worm at that point.

"Good. That's acceptable. I must leave and take care of some things for my fiancée around 3 or 4pm. You and Udagawa can stay here and wait for her mother to arrive, after that you can leave. I've already contacted her and she's on her way. Hopefully for your sake, she won't be asking for an explanation from you."

At that, Terakada showed his outward frustration and walked off in a huff. Mei felt like slime.

She reentered the hospital and sat down. Udagawa was still going over insurance with the front desk. Suddenly Mei felt sick and rushed to the bathroom. She vomited into a toilet that was at least somewhat clean, locking the door behind her. She hadn't eaten much that day and the contents were quickly disposed of.

She wiped her mouth and felt like the biggest piece of scum, covered in scum, in a scummy place to boot. This was what it was like to feel like insignificant.

She promptly washed her hands and put on a stiff upper lip. She was an Aihara, after all. She had to have a little more self-control. She had mishandled things terribly, but there was luckily time to make it right. She dreaded thinking of what her sister had gone through in the past several months. She cowed in her mind at the weight of dread she had put on Yuzu. But she had nothing to be forgiven for, right? She had written a letter…and then she felt contemptible. Her self-pride was messing with her sense of what was right.

She couldn't console the two sides. It was a big mess, she couldn't make sense of the situation.

Udagawa was waiting for her in the lobby. "Yuzu's mother will be here soon. Please wait with me."

Mei nodded and sat down. She had felt like a little doll since Yuzu had fainted. She had hurt her sister and watched her wilt like a broken flower. All of Mei's powers and self-control, all her years of experience and temerity had failed her in almost no time at all. She was deeply in love with the girl, she knew that now, and nothing was going to be able to suffice if she lost this opportunity to make things right.

Imbalance wasn't something Mei was used to. No longer a sturdy girl with a true direction she could believe in. Where had she gone wrong? But of course, her ineptitude with grandfather. Everything had failed at that point, when she wasn't willing to simply communicate her will and choosing to the one guardian who had loved and taken care of her through her whole life. This was all her fault, and there was only one way to get out of it. She would have to muster up the courage to say she was wrong and beg for forgiveness from Yuzu.

It was a small chance, but it just might work.

Ume broke through doors with franticness and rushed to the head nurse, "My baby, Yuzu! The young girl who came in here with blonde hair, you couldn't miss her." The nurse seemed to be used to this kind of shocked, frenetic action, and simply said in a calm tone and dead set eyes, "Room 3A."

Ume rushed through the double doors to the room down the hall. It all felt too real now and Mei suddenly couldn't deal with any of it. "Udagawa, should we wait here, or should we go?" It was almost the first time in her life since her father had left that she purposely deferred to a man, but she had lost her confidence or the ability to think logically. "We should wait to see if Ume needs our support or has anything to say to us. You of all people should realize this, Mei."

Mei looked down at her knees, it made sense after all. They waited in silence for half an hour before Ume walked back through the double doors and spied Mei and Udagawa. Unfortunately, it wasn't the usual bubbly step mother Mei had always known, but someone with a purpose.

"I kept my mouth shut about your engagement when you asked me to. I kept it a secret from Yuzu, I've done everything you've asked of me. But you would think you'd have a little more thought and courtesy when dealing with my only born daughter." She was mad, Mei fell even lower.

Udagawa interjected, "Please mam, I understand the situation better than you think. We waited here so we could hear what you have to say. Mei and I are going to take some time and reconsider the situation. Let me assure you that Mei is much sorrier than you know. We'll come back in a few hours and see Yuzu then, and hopefully this girl will have a much better answer for you once the shock has worn off."

Ume looked over Udagawa's shoulder to Mei, "I don't know what it is with you girls, but you owe Yuzu an apology. I took you in like a daughter and I considered you as such. I hope you will take the time, like your fiancée said, to consider her feelings. I want to be there when you meet with her. I'm going to tell the head nurse that you're not to meet her without my consent."

Mei was even more taken aback. The day had gone from awful to worse. It was Saturday and what a mess it was. The long week was catching up to her and her fiancée.

"Yes, mother," were her only words, as she bowed her head on the way out of the hospital. "I'm really truly sorry mam," broke in Udagawa again, "You know, Yuzu worked for me part time downtown. I had no idea her and Mei were related. I feel most concerned because she's a lovely girl and Terakada-sensei said that Yuzu had gone through some trouble this year."

"Yes, it's quite unfortunate," Ume looked through the windows of the exit doors as Mei was slouching her way across the parking lot. The afternoon sun bore down on her dark hair, as Ume wore a darker, more suspicious look, "I don't know all that went on between them. I hope somebody gets to the bottom of this. I've been most concerned about Yuzu and it's been stressing me out at work. If this issue gets resolved, I'll be more than happy."

"Of course, mam," at this Udagawa bowed, "I will talk to her and see if I can straighten this out and come up with a comprehensive plan the next time we see your daughter. I'll let you know what this comprehensively is by telephone before we stop over. I need to have a serious talk with my fiancée."

"I'll be glad if you do. That girl needs some sense in her head."

"Of course."

Udagawa exited the hospital and found Mei slumped over the passenger's side door of his car. "Mei."

Mei barely looked up. "Mei, let's go get some lunch. We'll talk it over at a restaurant. I think both our nerves are frayed."

They got into the car and settled into a brief drive to a business restaurant in the heart of downtown. The ambiance was dark like old fashioned places always are, with dim lighting and dark purple carpet and deep brown drapes. They took a seat at the back with a large mirror on the wall. Unfortunately for Mei, she sat in the right position to have to keep looking at her face which she hated and dreaded at that moment, as Udagawa had his back to a couch and the wall. They were handed their menus and he studied for a moment, "I'll have the Caesar salad and minestrone."

Mei looked up, an American style restaurant? Tokyo never ceased to impress, "Mei, how about a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup?" Mei nodded simply.

Udagawa sighed when they were left alone.

"Look Mei, after what you've told me today I can't help but have sympathy. I know that what you're going through right now is something I can't even begin to understand. Meeting Terakada-sensei today was a blessing for both of us, I think."

The waiter served water and bread, of which Mei hungrily ate, to Udagawa's surprise.

"Ahem. Listen, I know this is hard right now. Have you thought about what you're going to say to your step-sister when you get back to the hospital?"

Mei finished eating then swallowed, then drank an entire glass of water.

She wiped her mouth with a napkin promptly, "Yuzu has suffered because of me. I won't let this be the end. I will fight for her and in that same token, I will fight for myself. Because I have to be the person I want to be."

Udagawa was mildly surprised. "Alright."

"I don't know what was going on with me, I've been undergoing a lot of stress too. I'm sorry I lied to you. It's because I'm weak."

"No Mei, we're all weak. You were given a tricky situation because of your grandfather. Society if anything is the weak one."

Mei looked up to him with her beautiful eyes and Udagawa could see her soul dwelling in her body, she seemed totally alive at that moment. Born anew, almost. "Just promise me you'll be strong."

Mei nodded. "Thank you. You've been more than understanding."

"Yuzu is a wonderful person, I care about her. I want you both to get along for both of your sakes."

Just then lunch arrived, and Mei ate even more, making Udagawa happy. He was worried that she would not want to eat anything after today's events.

"I'm glad you're hungry, you need the strength to tell Yuzu how you feel."

Mei liked having a friend like this, it was more than she ever could've asked for. For so long in her life she had gone friendless, besides Momokino of course, who she liked but wasn't close in the usual way. Momokino barely knew anything about her personal life, her wants and her needs, her desires. She was more of an upper-class acquaintance, a professional business friend. Not somebody she could confide in like Udagawa right now, whom she had lived with since leaving Yuzu.

"Udagawa, I want to tell you that Yuzu means a lot to me too. I didn't mean to hurt her. I want to comfort her. I have no idea how I'm going to tell her that I made a mistake. I don't know if she'll accept me now."

Udagawa was glad she was communicating, it was the one thing they hadn't had in these months in that marital house they shared. The coldness and abuse that had gone between them had often been nasty and terrible. He always thought the speed with which Mei had thrusted him into a joint relationship while waiting for the proper ceremony was too fast. And just today, he had realized why she was so desperate. "Just be honest. Today is new, it's a second chance for both of you."

They finished their meal and Udagawa picked up the check. "We can be anyone we want to be, Mei. You just have to decide to start living like that person. Do you want me to be in the room as well?"

Mei thought about it, "At the start, and then I'll talk to her privately after."

"Alright," Udagawa sat back. It was decided then, he hoped that Mei had thought of something good to make up for all the painful time she'd left Yuzu alone and desperate.

Yuzu started to awaken from her slumber. She blinked like a new born babe and Mei felt her heart sing to look into those eyes again which she cherished. Yuzu immediately looked away once she saw Mei sitting there.

Mei reached out her hand and cradled Yuzu's head, directing her focus back to her eyes. She planted a supple kiss on her lips, sucking the tip of her tongue. It was a wet kiss but mostly felt comfortable, the spittle still on Yuzu's lips from sleeping not upsetting Mei in the least. If anything, she liked kisses right after the two woke up.

"Mei.."

"Yuzu, what's wrong? We were supposed to make dinner."

Yuzu smiled, "I'm sorry, something happened after school and I was a bit upset. That's all.

Mei caressed the side of Yuzu's face with her hand, stroking her ear lobe and jaw line. Yuzu fell into the caress like a sweet cat, warming to the touch. "I love you," Yuzu said, and Mei kissed her again. With their faces not but a few inches away from each other, they looked deeply into the other's eyes. "What happened?" Mei asked.

Yuzu sighed, she knew it would be like this. The prosecutor in Mei was always a sleeping tigress in wait.

"Matsuri and Harumin wanted to meet with me, but it didn't go quite right."

"What did they talk to you about?"

"I…they…" Yuzu found herself tongue tied. "Do we need a dry erase board for this?" Mei winked and chuckled.

Yuzu shook her head, and her beautiful golden curls with it, making Mei's heart pound at the cuteness of the person she adored so much. She was so sweet and innocent, she couldn't imagine what the problem was. "It…so it turns out that Matsuri and Harumin…"

"Yes?" Mei was internally on the edge of her seat. She liked being teased.

"I guess…," Yuzu smiled and looked Mei in the eye, "they fell in love with each other."

Mei's eyes grew big. "What?"

Yuzu smiled and laughed, comforting Mei even more, "Yeah, it came as a pretty big shock. Matsuri has this way of manipulating me, and the way she told me threw me for a loop!"

"Wow," said Mei, hand to mouth. "That's amazing, how did it happen?"

"I didn't stay for that part," Yuzu said sheepishly, blushing.

"Yuzu," Mei said in a sweet admonishing tone of a mother to child, "Your best friends tell you they're in love with each other and you don't even hear them out?"

"I know, I should've thought harder about what I was doing, but I was so shocked. The way Matsuri told me just surprised me so much. Maybe something inside me didn't want to believe it was true."

Mei just rolled her eyes, "Yuzu, it sounds like you got flustered, this isn't that big of a deal then, right?"

Yuzu looked up at her girlfriend and her warm eyes, "It's not. It shouldn't be, and yet…"

"Yet?"

"Well, and yet, you know, I just came out to Harumin recently. And…well, she just found out we were an item. What if I influenced her? What if she's just doing it because I'm in love with someone too?"

"Yuzu, you're doubting the veracity of your best friend? What's gotten into you." Mei had her hand on Yuzu's knee, which was wrapped in purple stockings. Yuzu enjoyed it when Mei touched her, it always sent her for a thrill.

"I might've messed up and embarrassed them, and I'm sure they texted me and tried to call me a million times since last night."

"Well, knowing Matsuri, I'm sure the way she did it really surprised you. Tell you what, when you confront the two of them again, let's get the whole story together. Alright?" Yuzu looked at Mei wide-eyed, why hadn't she thought of that? If Harumin and Matsuri were a couple now, it would be a valuable experience for both to hear about it. Besides, maybe it wasn't serious? Maybe it was just a trend or a fad?

"Okay, that sounds good, I'll tell them you want to be there next time." Yuzu put her hand on top of Mei's hand on her knee. Mei moved forward and kissed Yuzu again softly. "Even if we aren't special, I still love you," Mei told her, and Yuzu just smiled.

They both got ready for school. Of course, these days, Yuzu liked to watch Mei get dressed and vice versa, and neither of them minded the prying eyes. Both got off on it and stored the images for later. It was quite dirty, but both accepted that they needed to start acting like a couple, and any chance to get closer was a good one.

"Yuzu, you'll do my braids, won't you?" Mei asked, fitting her sox. "Of course," the blonde replied. She caressed Mei's hair carefully, the long, dark tendrils splitting tenderly in her hands. Yuzu liked touching her in any way at all. It was pleasant and calming when they spent time together like this.

When they had each had breakfast, they set to go. "Now don't forget, Mei wants to be there to hear about it too. I won't accept no for an answer."

"You got it, Mei." They looked at each other and held their hands together, right to left, left to right, looking into each other's eyes. They both had makeup on now and lipstick, and kissing would smudge it. "Will you be home late or early?"

"Late," said Mei, "Unless the two of them want to meet today, then I'll postpone this one time."

"Okay," Yuzu smiled cutely. "Be careful, Yuzu Aihara," Mei said seductively, "you have no idea what that smile of yours does."

"Huh?" Yuzu said with an air-headed look.

"Let's go." They locked the front door and walked to school together.