Thank you all so much for the overwhelming support! Also, sorry for the delay!

Chapter 10

"We've been traveling and staying together for so long. We've been through tough times, but we always stayed together. That's bound to have some sort of effect."

The morning light pierced the curtains of the bedroom. Mei was still lying in bed and staring straight up at the ceiling, her face looking exhausted despite doing nothing.

"You have some sort of effect on me. An effect that makes me feel good and warm. It was only a couple days ago when I finally found out what it all meant. Don't you get it?"

Last night, after unexpectedly being confessed to, Mei immediately sought refuge under the covers of the bed with tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She tossed and she turned, her heart pounding loudly throughout the night in the otherwise eerily silent room. She was drenched in sweat, and she was unable to fall asleep until very late.

Presently, Mei could feel the effects of her lack of sleep all over her body. She peered at the clock on the wall to see that it was ten. She decided she would go to the restroom to wash up, then head over to the kitchen to see how Yuzu was fairing. Perhaps she could help out with making breakfast, or basically anything that would make Yuzu less stressed. But Mei remained in bed. She couldn't find the will to push aside the covers or sit up. Not until she came to a conclusion regarding Yuzu's confession.

Mei covered her face with both hands as she released a low grumble. Just thinking about it was already taking its toll on her. She didn't want to think about this whole situation, but she knew that dealing with the decision-making later would make her feel worn out and upset. Taking a deep breath, Mei relaxed herself and thought about how she viewed Yuzu. Her mind went blank as she was unable to think properly. Mei then decided she would recount when she first met the blonde. Mei naturally revisited the moments when she accidentally collided with Yuzu, when they both had to run and hide from danger, and when she was invited to stay at Yuzu's apartment. Despite how Mei unintentionally dragged Yuzu through hell, Yuzu still treated her kindly. There was no doubt in Mei's mind that Yuzu an incredibly selfless and trustworthy friend, and Mei was eternally grateful to have met her.

A powerful headache suddenly overwhelmed Mei. She groaned aloud and shut her eyes tightly as she tried to overcome this uncomfortable sensation. The feeling persisted for a minute, but just as quickly as it appeared, it ceased.

Mei quickly dismissed the pain as a random occurrence or because she was thinking too hard while being sleep deprived. She continued to think about her and Yuzu's journey, and naturally, Mei thought about the town, then the forest, then the car ride back to Tokyo. During those times, Mei and Yuzu had grown accustomed to one another, helping each other and strengthening their relationship along the way. Then Mei thought about how she, for some reason, grew envious about when Yuzu ate with their ex-coworker. For some reason, Mei had felt compelled enough to follow Yuzu to that restaurant, and when Mei was disoriented by the attack from the knife-wielding deviant, Yuzu stepped in and dragged her away to safety. Then, when Yuzu was stabbed in the abdomen during that fateful night in the woods, Mei remembered that seeing Yuzu in such a vulnerable state made Mei feel a level of sickness and ferocity that she had never experienced before. Mei remembered crying for Yuzu, and when she saw that Yuzu had made it out alive and healthy in the hospital, Mei was beyond relieved. Even just thinking about the hospital visit made Mei feel elated. She wouldn't know what she would have done if her closest friend didn't make it.

Mei felt nauseous and lightheaded. It was almost as if her body was programmed to reject some proposition. The thing is, Mei didn't know what she thought of that triggered it. The nauseating feeling was getting worse with each passing second, so Mei hurriedly left the bed and headed to the restroom. After relieving herself, Mei decided that she would mind as well check up on Yuzu. She headed towards the couch to find it empty, then it occurred to Mei that Yuzu wasn't in the kitchen either.

"Yuzu? Where are you?" Mei called out, but was met with silence. She circled the entire apartment twice, but Yuzu was still yet to be seen. Mei figured that Yuzu left to buy some more groceries or to get some fresh air, and Mei felt a little bit upset that Yuzu left without a word. Feeling somewhat disheartened and lonely, Mei sat down on the couch, hoping that Yuzu would come back soon.

Yuzu's breathing was ragged as she attempted to free her bound hands. Her wrists were red and bruised from the roughness and tightness of the rope, and no matter how much she tried to squeeze her hands out of the loops or try to claw at the knots, Yuzu couldn't make any progress. She squirmed and grunted in agony, and having her eyes and mouth covered by the cloths didn't help either. Yuzu tried to slide off her blindfold and gag by dragging her head across the floor, but her attempts were futile as the vehicle would suddenly brake, accelerate, or turn, causing Yuzu to slam against the cold metallic walls. As a result of her being flung around the back of the van multiple times, not only did her entire body feel sore, but she also felt so disorientated to the point that she was nearly going to throw up.

Yuzu heard the sound of laughter coming from the front seats. She knew the laughter was directed at her, and she felt humiliated, helpless, and scared. She then dreaded the thought that her body would be tampered with or mutilated, then being buried or thrown into the river and vanishing without a trace. She silently wept, praying to whatever was out there, that everything would be okay.

Oh god, please don't let me die like this. Please. I don't want to die. Yuzu's tears seeped through the blindfold. Her mind drifted to Mei, and her heart sank. I don't want to die like this. Mei, I want to see you again. Oh god, why did this have to happen?

The van came to an abrupt stop, causing Yuzu to slam into the back of the seats in front of her. She heard the back door open, and before she knew it, she was being carried on someone's back. Yuzu tried to scream through her gag just in case there were people nearby who could help, but it seemed as if she was in some private area that belonged to the thugs. After awhile, Yuzu was eventually set down on a chair with a rope binding her waist to it. She tried to break free, but the ropes around her hands and waist were secure.

"It's no use. You're better off saving your energy," a charming voice spoke up. Yuzu felt her blindfold being taken off, and once her eyes adjusted to the lighting of what appeared to be an office, she noticed a nicely dressed, incredibly attractive man smiling at her. The man was leaning against his desk as he ran his fingers through his brown hair, then he looked at the several men beside Yuzu with a worried look. "Please, let's not stand around and make our guest feel intimidated." In response, the captors left the room, leaving Yuzu alone with the man in charge.

Yuzu tried to inch her chair away while hopelessly attempting to loosen her ropes. She didn't buy the man's kindness as it was clear he wanted something from her.

"Why so apprehensive?" The man smirked, stepping closer to Yuzu. His soulless gray eyes and his sinister expression were frightening, and Yuzu hastened her efforts to free herself and move away. The man violently gripped onto the arm rests of the chair, prohibiting Yuzu from escaping, and he brought his face very closely to Yuzu's. Yuzu felt a shiver through her entire body, and her eyes moved wildly to avoid his gaze. "I am going to ask you one question. I really don't want anything bad to happen to you, so I think it's in your best interest to answer truthfully."

Yuzu breathing was becoming heavier by the minute, terrified about what was going to happen to her. The man lowered Yuzu's gag, allowing her to gasp for air.

"If you tell the truth, you'll be out of here in an instant! Isn't that wonderful?" The man waited for a response, but Yuzu was too scared to say anything. "Aw, come on. If you remain shy, we may have some problems. I think you and I would prefer that things don't get messy." The man cleared his throat. "So, where is Mei?"

There was a pit in Yuzu's stomach. Mei's life was now in her hands, and if Yuzu gave her location away, then she'd never be able to live with herself knowing she was responsible for Mei's death. Yuzu knew that no matter what, she could not give away the answer, but at the same time, she was genuinely terrified by what the man in front of her was capable of.

"Hey, it's okay! Just tell me! You won't get into any trouble," the interrogator said with a charismatic voice. Yuzu knew that was a complete lie. She would not carelessly give away Mei's life. "Still too shy? As I've said, I really don't want anything bad to happen to you, especially to your pretty face."

Yuzu gulped. She knew her captor was growing impatient, and it was only a matter of time before he would resort to force to extract her answer. Should I just lie? Maybe send them away on some wild goose chase?

"You know, I've been trying to make this as neat and simple as possible, but my patience is wearing thin," the man said with a slightly agitated voice. "I'll give you five seconds, and then things will get ugly."

Five seconds. Yuzu didn't have enough time to come up with an elaborate lie. She was growing more panicked, and she blurted out the first thing that popped into her mind.

"She's in an apartment right next to the police station so she would be more protected. But I swear, I don't remember the exact address!" Yuzu stared into the man's eyes, hoping that he would be easily swayed.

"Next to the police station, huh?" The man lowered his head and didn't move. Yuzu couldn't gauge his reaction, but she knew for sure she messed up.

Yuzu suddenly felt his fist punch hard against her right cheek, causing her to cry out. She felt another blow to her left cheek, and she was stunned for a couple seconds. Her cheeks stung a lot, and after regaining her senses and fearing what else would happen to her, Yuzu desperately tried to squirm away. Her efforts were useless as usual, as the irritated person in front of her had an iron grip on the chair.

"Tell me the truth. I'm not going to ask again," the man threatened. No response. The man cracked his knuckles and hit Yuzu in the cheeks again, this time causing her to spit out some saliva and blood. "Tell me goddamnit!"

Yuzu didn't utter a single word. She was too shocked to reply or retaliate, and at that point, she accepted her fate. As long as Mei was safe, Yuzu was content.

The man sighed in annoyance. He reeled his arm back, then delivered a blow to Yuzu's eye. Yuzu's head violently jerked backwards in response, and she felt a punch to her gut. She screamed in agony. The punch just so happened to be very close to her wound, and the pain was unbearable. Yuzu didn't bother to hold back her tears or her whimpers, and as the man was about to pummel her again, they both heard the ringing of a cell phone. The ringing was coming from Yuzu's pocket, and Yuzu knew it had to be Mei.

"Oh, who could that be?" The man reached into Yuzu's pocket and pulled out the phone. He grinned seeing Yuzu squirm in her seat and hearing her beg for him to stop. He glanced at the caller ID, and his devilish grin grew wider. "I'm going to need you to be a quiet, obedient girl for a bit," he said, roughly putting the gag back over Yuzu's mouth, then answered the call and set it to speaker.

"Yuzu, where are you? You've been gone for a long time, and I'm getting really worried," Mei's voice resonated from the speaker. Yuzu tried to scream through her gag in an effort to let Mei know that something was wrong. "Yuzu, are you there? I hear something strange in the background."

"Hello, Miss Aihara, I'm sorry to inform you that your friend is very busy at this moment. Would you like me to let her know what's on your mind?" the man spoke in his charming voice.

On the other end of the phone, Mei was puzzled. Why someone else was answering Yuzu's phone, she didn't know. But there was something about his voice that seemed very familiar. Too familiar.

"...Amamiya?"

"That's right!" the man, Amamiya, replied. "I'm so happy you remember me!"

"Where is Yuzu? And tell me why you are answering her phone," Mei demanded in a stern voice.

"Oh, I simply invited her over, and right now, she is sitting comfortably in front of me." Amamiya winked at Yuzu, who was wriggling about violently while trying to shout through her gag.

"Is that...her in the background?" Mei gritted her teeth, her clenched fists barely controlling her rage.

"Hehe, well, I think you know the answer to that. Hey, I have a wonderful idea! How about you come visit her! She would surely enjoy the company!" Amamiya exclaimed. "You know what, I'll make it more convenient! I can arrange a ride for you, free of charge! Then you will happily be reunited with your friend!"

"I...you…" Mei stammered, not knowing what to do.

"Ah, I see you are greatly appreciative of my offer! How about you give us your street address, wait outside, then we'll take care of everything for you! Oh, and there's no need to call your friends at the police station. Yuzu here wouldn't like it if you did," Amamiya said with a dark tone. "So, what do you say?"

Mei had absolutely no idea what to say. Is he bluffing? Is there a way he'd know if I contacted the police? A part of her wanted to hang up and inform the police, but at the same time, she didn't want to risk it. The consequences were dire. He said that Yuzu would suffer if I called the police. I can't let anything happen to her. Maybe I don't need to call the police. Maybe I can just quickly make my way there and tell the-

"Your friend is getting super bored. I imagine she's only willing to wait for say fifteen minutes. And that includes the time it takes for your reply and the time it takes for your chauffeur to pick you up and take you here. I wouldn't keep her waiting if I were you."

Fifteen minutes total. Mei realized that her plan would take too long considering potential problems like traffic, as well as how she didn't know the amount of time it would take to reach Yuzu and Amamiya.

"Do you...do you promise that you will leave Yuzu alone if I go?" Mei asked with a defeated voice.

"You have my word!" Amamiya replied enthusiastically.

Mei submitted. If it meant that Yuzu would be unharmed, then she had no choice. She told Amamiya where she would be waiting, then hung up. Sitting on the couch, Mei glanced at her surroundings. She looked at seemingly unimportant things like the kitchen table, the chairs, the TV, and the curtains of the windows. She took a deep breath. This might very well be the last time she would see this apartment. But there was no time to be sentimental. The clock was ticking, and Mei hurried out the door. But not before she concealed a pocket knife and a gun in her coat, both of which she was left with after her and Yuzu's visit to the police station when first arriving in Tokyo.

All was quiet except for the footsteps of an impatient Amamiya, who was pacing back and forth in front of his desk. He checked his watch. There were less than two minutes left. He looked at Yuzu, seeing how her head was hung low and how she had finally completely given up on escaping her binds. There was a knock on his door, and in walked Mei and a henchman.

"Ah! The main star has finally arrived!" Amamiya clapped his hands before gesturing for Mei to walk further into the room. "It truly is a pleasure that you could…"

Mei tuned out Amamiya. Her eyes locked straight onto Yuzu. She noticed Yuzu's black eye, the swelling of her cheeks, and the blood that was seeping through her shirt where her stomach was. Mei could barely hold herself back. It was at this moment that seeing Yuzu, who was nothing but kind and innocent, in this battered and deprived state made Mei feel something akin to the time she nearly witnessed Yuzu's death in the forest. But she couldn't risk doing something reckless right now. She had to play her cards right to save Yuzu and hopefully herself.

Yuzu lifted her head up slightly to look at Mei. They didn't say anything. For now, they were grateful to see each other, but they knew they didn't have much longer. Mei's life was likely counting down its last few minutes or seconds, and Yuzu, unwilling to accept this fact, looked away from her with tears.

"...you may leave. Let the others know that their final paychecks are in the safe in the storage room," Amamiya said to the mercenary, who nodded and left the room. Amamiya then addressed Mei, pulling out a gun from his suit. "I'll keep this short and simple. And I think you know what is going to happen. So, any last words?"

"I would like to know...why are you doing this?" Mei asked. In her mind, she wanted to stall in order to find the opportunity to pull out her own gun.

"You're asking me that? I'm kind of disappointed! Well, I suppose I'll let you know," Amamiya chuckled. He started pacing back and forth while playing with the gun in his hand. Mei couldn't risk shooting Amamiya now as he could realistically see Mei pull her gun out from his peripheral vision and shoot her first. "To put it simply, your family ruined my business. You all crushed me like a person crushes an ant, and I virtually had nothing left. And, well, seeing the praise your family gets really hit a nerve. I wanted to exact revenge, and I was willing to use every last bit of money I had to see it through."

Mei initially intended to just ignore Amamiya and to plan out her counterattack, but hearing the nonsense spewing out of his mouth made her furious. Her fists were shaking ever so slightly, and her hand was twitching to pull out the gun.

"Not only did you try to kill me and Yuzu, but you killed my father and several other people just because of your failing career?" Mei gritted her teeth. She was so close to letting loose.

"Pretty much. I guess that does sound a bit extreme, doesn't it?" Amamiya said calmly, causing Mei's eyes to twitch. "Well, I gave you my explanation. You'd better say your goodbyes. Yuzu will surely want to hear your voice one last time."

Amamiya turned around and started heading for his chair at his desk. Mei, whose mind was clouded with hatred and anguish, realized that this was her chance. She whipped out her gun, aimed at Amamiya's back, and fired. The man grunted after being shot, dropping his gun and collapsing onto his knees. Mei walked closer to him. Before Amamiya could turn his head to see what was happening, Mei shot him again. And again. And again. Blood was spilling out from four bullet wounds in his back, and Amamiya was squirming around like a dried worm on the sidewalk.

Mei had her gun trained on his head. She lusted for revenge, her finger slowly applying pressure on the trigger. But then, she finally came to her senses. She looked at her now shaking hands in horror, then at the bloodied man before her. She took a couple steps back. Sure, she killed those men in the woods without hesitation, but in this case, she was simply shooting to torture. If she had immediately gone for the head, then she wouldn't have thought twice about it. Now, she felt a little fearful about herself for having such malicious intent and for almost stooping to the same level as that monster. Mei knew that Amamiya deserved whatever hell was thrown at him, but this wasn't her. She just wanted to live a peaceful life.

Mei picked up Amamiya's gun from the floor to prevent him from inflicting anymore damage. She then made her way to a petrified Yuzu. Mei took out her pocket knife and cut through the ropes around Yuzu's wrists, then helped the blonde from the ropes that tied her to the chair. Mei helped Yuzu stand up, and they briefly shared a look of both relief and uncertainty. Mei took out her phone and handed it to Yuzu. Yuzu made a call to the police, and that was that. They waited in silence in the office, watching as Amamiya's body slowly came to a standstill.

A couple of days later

It was a dark and cloudy day. The wind rustled the leaves and the branches of the trees in the courtyard of stone. Standing before a marble headstone in the grass was Mei, clad in a black dress. She squatted down with her palms closed together and had her eyes closed. There, she remained silent and motionless.

Watching from afar were Yuzu and Matsuri, the latter who came to Tokyo as soon as she heard the news about what had happened—the police stated on TV that they had managed to track down and incarcerate all of Amamiya's henchmen, so it was safe for Matsuri to visit Yuzu. They met in the hospital where Yuzu was being treated, and once it was deemed safe for Yuzu to leave, Mei and Yuzu transported some things from their temporary apartment to Yuzu's with the help of Matsuri. For the past several days, Matsuri had been staying with them.

"Is she going to be alright?" Matsuri asked, looking up at Yuzu.

"Yeah. From what I understand, Mei wasn't exactly close with her father, but I'm glad she's making it up with him now," Yuzu replied, never looking away from Mei. There was silence for awhile.

"Do you like her?"

Yuzu didn't say anything for a couple of seconds, then, in a dismal voice, said, "Yes."

Matsuri raised an eyebrow. "Why do you sound uncertain and sad?" she asked with a worried look. "It almost sounds like you are ashamed to have feelings for her."

"It's not that." Yuzu sighed. "The thing is, I kinda lost control of my emotions at one point, and Mei knows that I like her. Then a lot happened after that. I don't even know if she feels the same way about me." Yuzu took another deep breath. "A part of me just wants to put aside my feelings since we both need some time to recuperate and adjust to life, but a part of me just wants closure."

Matsuri looked away from Yuzu with a frown. "I don't entirely trust her yet, so I'm worried for you if you do end up going out with her. At the same time, I'm also kind of happy for you and wish you the best of luck."

"Aw, gee, thanks," Yuzu replied with a pout before smiling that her friend was mostly approving of her and Mei potentially being together. Yuzu and Matsuri noticed that Mei was finished reconciling with her father and was walking towards them. As a group, they left the cemetery and walked back onto the streets.

The trio decided to eat lunch at a diner, and Matsuri begrudgingly insisted that Yuzu and Mei sat next to each other at a booth. Yuzu appeared bashful, knowing what Matsuri was scheming, while Mei didn't seem to know or care about what was happening. They ordered their meals, and they ate quietly. While Matsuri didn't particularly like the silence, she knew that Mei and Yuzu were at last able to go out in public and eat without the possibility of death at every corner. For once, they could finally rest, and they thoroughly enjoyed this peaceful lunch.

Later on, as they were walking on the streets, Matsuri announced that she was going to head back home to study, so Mei and Yuzu saw her off at the train station. Afterwards, Mei and Yuzu decided that they would return to Yuzu's apartment, and once they stepped through the front door to Yuzu's house, they both sat down on the couch. Like at the diner, they were quiet and relished the tranquility.

"...Mei?" Yuzu asked, looking down at her feet. Mei waited for Yuzu to think of her question. "Are you...going back to your place to manage your family's business?"

Mei looked down at her lap, for she herself had been worried about the same thing for the past week. "Is it alright if I live with you?" Mei timidly asked, twiddling her thumbs.

"Oh, uh, yeah, that's completely fine with me," Yuzu stammered, a little bit surprised by Mei's request. "But what about your company?"

"I will still manage it, especially since my grandfather and father have taught me a lot about how to do it, but I...well... I also don't want to leave you behind," Mei said with a hint of red on her cheeks.

"Oh, okay. I'm glad then." Yuzu smiled.

"Actually, I have something to say," Mei spoke up, sparking Yuzu's interest. "It's in regards to your confession. I've never had the chance to properly tell you my response."

Yuzu immediately froze up, her palms quickly becoming sweaty. This was what she had been waiting for, but now that it was happening, she was getting so nervous that she was probably going to faint.

"I've been thinking for quite a long time. I can't exactly articulate how I feel, but...well...after everything we've been through, we have some sort of bond. And the way I see it, it's a special, irreplaceable bond." Mei stopped to gather her thoughts, while Yuzu was becoming more hopeful but still nervous. "Whenever something happened to you, whether it was at the forest or when you were kidnapped, I understood very well that you mattered a lot to me. During those moments, I thought about nothing but you. If you had died then, then I'd be too ashamed of myself, and I would be haunted every day and night for the rest of my life." Mei bit her lip. "I'm not sure if I'm getting my point across, but, well, the best way I can put it is that there is something about you that makes me feel different, and I'd like to try and be together with you."

Yuzu's brain seemed to stop working. She hadn't said anything or moved in the past ten seconds, and Mei had to call her name several times to see if she was alright. Finally, Yuzu blinked rapidly.

"Do you...do you mean it? Are you absolutely okay with being in a relationship with me?" Yuzu asked with a concerned look. "I don't want there to be any problems in the future that might split us apart. If we are to fully commit to a healthy relationship, then we have to push aside all uncertainties."

Mei knew that Yuzu was right. She didn't want to prematurely start dating and potentially become unhappy as time went on, so in order to make the right decision, she contemplated. She first thought about the qualities that defined Yuzu. Yuzu was kind, caring, honest, loyal, and beautiful. Yuzu was willing to help her out whenever possible, and, well, her cooking was good too. Were there any negative qualities? Mei couldn't think of any that stood out. Any other noteworthy points? Mei felt much more comfortable around her, and being separated from her made Mei feel incomplete. Yuzu's aura was just so compelling and alluring, and at this point, the answer was clear. But first, she needed to confirm with Yuzu. "I know this may sound unnecessary, but I need you to ask yourself the same question. Would you be happy and content with me?"

Yuzu thought to herself. It didn't take longer than a minute before she knew what to say. "Yes, I am sure," Yuzu replied.

"Would you like to know my answer then?" Mei asked, knowing that the question was redundant. Yuzu nodded her head, waiting for the response that would forever change their lives. Mei said nothing at first. She got closer to Yuzu, held her hands, and, with a smile that perfectly expressed confidence, sincerity, and all the emotions throughout their journey that culminated to this very moment, said, "Yes."

Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the whole story. Also, I hope that making Amamiya the villain would come off as appropriate since he was extremely manipulative and unlikable in the manga/anime. Anyways, thanks again!