Eiichi's nose twitched the moment he stepped foot into his homeroom.

There was a familiar scent lingering in the air, one that forced him to pause for a moment as he rolled it over in the back of his mind. Despite this, his eyes never left the book settled directly in front of his face. This early in the morning, Eiichi rarely bothered with social niceties. If he couldn't place the scent he had no intention of even bothering to lift his eyes to investigate.

There was a sigh of annoyance behind him. The reason was made clear a second later as one of his classmates shouldered their way past him, making as little effort as Eiichi did to be polite about it. He vaguely noted how the same classmate dropped down next to a gaggle of them, complaining loudly about idiots who stopped walking midstep. Eiichi dismissed the conversation from his thoughts, as well as the familiar scent.

He could investigate it after he'd finished reading. Their sensei had a bad habit of confiscating Eiichi's book before the period began. It'd begun after the teacher'd realized that if Eiichi knew the information being lectured on he wouldn't pay a lick of attention, instead he would read the entire period. So, if Eiichi wanted to finish the chapter he would have to do so within the coming minutes.

Familiar enough with the layout of the room, Eiichi navigated through it without ever lifting his head from the book. Once he'd settled down at his desk, he flipped the page. Just one more and he'd be finished. Of course, it would help if whomever had skipped breakfast could sht their stomach up, it was making for a rather annoying distraction. The noise came from directly behind him, loud and frustrating. Just as Eiichi was about to turn around and request they eat something, he caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Sensei, I request that I be transferred to another class immediately.

Oh. That's why the scent was familiar.

Eiichi slowly blinked, finally lifting his gaze from his book. He twisted about in his chair, studying the rather familiar individual who spoke. Mayumi met his curious gaze with a glare.

"Have you always been there?" he wondered aloud.

Their teacher, having got up to respond to Mayumi's question, paused for a moment and shot Eiichi a look that seemed to question how in the world he could ask that before shaking her head and focusing on the matter at hand.

"There's already been enough trouble with your schedule," she said. "I doubt they'd be willing to go through that mess again, despite whatever reason you've just come up with, Iwata."

"But--" Mayumi began, then cut herself off.

Eiichi didn't blame her, their sensei was wearing an expression that usually meant punishment if the speaker kept talking. Taking Mayumi's lack of continued response as acceptance, their reacher returned to her seat at the front desk. Meanwhile, Eiichi watched as Mayumi slumped down, resting her head against the back of her chair. She then closed her eyes, as if it would change her surroundings, then opened them again and raised her head to look at him.

"Turn. Around," Mayumi hissed, a glower taking over her features. "We don't know each other. Got it?"

"But I believe it's already obvious that we do," Eiichi countered. "Look around, Mayumi. Logically, there's no reason to pretend that I don't know you."

It was true enough. Her request had caught plenty of attention from their classmates. Even Eiichi could feel their stares. After a moment's thought, he snapped his book shut and twisted around fully so he could better face her.

"From your reaction, I'll assume that you haven't been here the whole time," he concluded. "I suppose I should welcome you to the classroom?"

"Please don't talk to me," she groaned, dropping forward so she could bury her face in her hands.

It was easy for him to guess the reason-- not that it mattered to him. Talking to Eiichi spelled for someone gaining the label of, "weird," at the very least. Eiichi was the strangest school's lone wolf after all.

"We're classmates," he said, dismissing the words. "It would be difficult to completely ignore you. I don't even ignore my other classmates completely."

'Only partially' was the unspoken addition to his words. As he spoke their teacher moved past them, slipping his book from his desk as she did. Eiichi pursed his lips in distaste, but he knew better than to argue. She said nothing, instead choosing to greet the other students as she started up another aisle of desks.

"Besides, I have nothing better to do at the moment," he added.

Mayumi raised her head and dropped her hands into her lap, narrowing her eyes at as she did.

"Eiichi, answer something for me, will ya? Is that what I am to you? Something to pass the time? Because it always felt like that when we were kids. And I didn't mind it all that much 'cause... Niisan and me, we didn't have anyone but your family. But that's not the case now. So, if that hasn't changed... then I don't wanna bother with you."

That said, she pulled out her textbook and all but slammed it down on her desk, ignoring the muffled surprise that circulated around the room. She settled it upright, positioning it so it acted as a barrier between the two of them. Eiich merely cocked his head as she huffed out a sigh. Confusion glittered behind his typically cold expression. After all, to him the answer was obvious. Therefore, he couldn't quite make sense of the words that were coming out of her mouth.

"You were my friend, of course," he answered bluntly. "What else could you have been? I don't deal with troublesome things without cause. You should know that much."

She didn't respond for a moment-- perhaps because he'd surprised her.

"I mean... yeah, I know that. And I always thought of you as a friend, it's just..."

She peeked over her book barricade, studying him quizzically.

"You're you, Eiichi, so I wasn't sure what you considered me."

Eiichi shrugged, studying her in return. His own expression never shifted.

"Well, you know now," he answered simply. "If you were unsure before, you should have simply asked. I saw no need to expound upon the definition of our relationship as I had no reason to believe there was any confusion as to it. If you're confused, ask questions. It's the most direct way to clarify matters."

As if his words were magic, Mayumi gritted her teeth, offering him a glower.

"Eiichi... I shouldn't have to have you clarify for me; it should be obvious to both of us, not just you! That's why I'm always so pisseda t you, you're too--"

Mayumi yelped as a ruler whipped across her wrist; she cradled it to her chest, abandoning her book and letting it topple to the floor. She glared up at the teacher, who adjusted her glasses and returned Mayumi's look with a calculated one of their own.

"Sort out your lover's quarrel after class, Iwata, Shinohara. Pay attention for now."

Mayumi's face exploded with heat, and she opened her mouth to retort, but another stare from their sensei had her slumping in her seat, head turned away from Eiichi. So, he did the most reasonable thing one could do in such a situation.

"Yes, Sensei," Eiichi said, turning back around in his seat.

It would seem it was time for class. They would have to continue this during lunch, he supposed. It wasn't as if they had anything better to do, except perhaps pretend to actually eat food. As the teacher started the lecture, however, he found himself frowning. The information was uninteresting, something he'd chosen to read weeks or months ago. As such, it gave him good time to consider what he'd been told.

She had a good reason for being pissed at him? Had he done something? He didn't believe he had. Well, that was Mayumi for you. She was always getting mad at Eiichi for one reason or another. He'd learned a long time ago it was better to just accept that he'd done something wrong and move on as soon as she'd allow it.

When they'd finally finished their morning classes, Eiichi instantly stood and approached their teacher expectantly. The woman sighed in annoyance, but returned his book. That managed, he looked over his shoulder to where Mayumi sat.

"I don't suppose you have lunch plans," he said. "Or, good ones at least."

"And you obviously don't," she sneered, gathering her things together and sweeping them into her bag. "Unless you've got a date with that book of yours."

"I don't," Eiichi answered simply. "I can finish it later at home. There's no requirement for me to finish it now."

Her earlier words in mind, he approached where she stood and gave her a look similar to the one he'd given the teacher-- one full of cold expectation.

"I'll spend lunch with you, then. You can ask whatever you wish," he added as an afterthought, realizing she might be able to read the expression as she once would have.

Mayumi gaped in response, taking an involuntary step back. Her heel collided with the leg of the desk behind her and she hissed out a breath, spinning around before Eiichi could catch her expression.

"... Do whatever you want, bastard," she grumbled after a heartbeat of silence. She then hitched her bag over her shoulder and stalked from the classroom.

"Don't I always?" Eiichi responded.

He easily trailed after her as she took the sharp turn that lead them towards the staircase. She was planning on eating on the roof, then. He took note of this, then pushed it from his thoughts as he considered a more important matter.

Her reaction was strange, in his opinion. He hadn't said anything that unusual as far as he knew. Didn't friends, even former friends reunited after a long period of time, typically spend lunch time together? He believed so. Still, they got a few strange looks as they walked. He could probably blame that on the fact that he was voluntarily accompanying someone somewhere. He'd never felt the need to challenge his status in the school, so most were probably unnerved by the sight.

"You're angry," Eiichi commented as they started up the stairs. "Did I do something wrong, again?"

"I told you," she bit out. "Your existence bothers me."

She gave him a quick glance over her shoulder then turned back, taking the stairs two at a time. Soon she was pushing over the door that lead them to the roof. Eiichi was somewhat surprised that she continued to hold it open until he'd passed through.

"Thank-you," he said, not one to forget his manners, even if he'd just been told his existence was a problem. "And I can't help that matter. So, excuse me for pissing you off in that regard."

That said, he glanced over the roof, lightly sniffing the air to verify they were alone.

"I'm surprised you're handling yourself as well as you are," he added.

Mayumi rested a hand over her stomach as she walked to the edge of the roof and dropped her bag.

"Yeah, I'm used to this," she said, her tone guarded.

Eiichi studied her for a moment before shrugging disinterestedly. Whatever was going through her head was none of his concern. He dropped to a sitting position next to where she stood and dug through his bag without a word. Soon enough he produced a brown paper package. It was wrapped several times over, showing his attempt at covering for any smell that might have attracted attention. It wouldn't have done him any good for someone to have noticed that particular package laying in the bottom of his school back.

"Here."

The hand over Mayumi's stomach curled into a fist around the fabric of her sweater. It rumbled and-- probably to mask her embarrassment-- Mayumi answered it with a scowl.

"I don't take charity," she growled.

"Then don't call it charity," Eiichi replied with a careless shrug, still holding the package towards her. "Call it insurance. I do go to this school and I do live in this area. If you were to have problems I would also be troubled."

After all, that was the thought that had motivated his choice to put the meal away in his school bag. Eiichi had planned on locating her after classes released. He had been the one to deprive her of her meal the night before. Even if he was rightful in doing so, he supposed he could use that as another excuse if needed.

Mayumi hesitated for another moment, then sighed and took the package. Instantly her eyes changed; they blackened, irises bleeding into red. She bit her lip, seeming to internally debate something before dismissing it and digging into the package.

A low moan of pleasure escaped her the moment her teeth sunk into the flesh.

Eiichi, satisfied he had convinced her, turned away so that his attention was focused on the door to the roof. It wouldn't do them any good for him to convince her to eat only for someone to discover them. As such, he kept himself alert as she ate, listening and waiting for any unfamiliar scent to appear.

Besides, it was an unspoken rule that you gave ladies some privacy when they ate. Most of them hated being watched given the nature of their meals. Even Eiichi wasn't as rude as to ignore that rule.

When Mayumi'd finished, he heard her begin stuffing the package into her bag. He turned back in time to see her rubbing her hands on her skirt, biting her lip again.

"... Thanks," she mumbled, refusing to look at him.

"It was no problem. Ghoul's need lunch, just like any other creature," he replied, settling his hands contentedly atop his knees. "I realize, I said you can ask any question you want. Was there anything beyond the state of our relationship that you were concerned about?"

"... Do you really not know what happened? With me and my brother?"

The moment the words escaped Mayumi, she clamped a hand over her mouth. Why, Eiichi wasn't certain. He frowned, tapping the tips of his fingers on his knees.

"I don't," he answered honestly. "Tell me."

Mayumi sagged to the ground, pressing her back against the low wall surrounding the roof. She drew her legs to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and nestled her chin between her knees.

"Five years ago... um, you remember Yoshimura, right? Wore a demonish mask? Well, he and Niisan were out hunting one night, and I kinda snuck out to join them 'cause Niisan had been promising to teach me how to handle myself... and Yoshimura made a really stupid mistake. He went after a Dove." She paused, whatever face she wore hidden by her legs. "The dove... he saw Niisan and I's masks, but Niisan managed to get us out of there before we were killed like Yoshimura. We found out a few days later that they were calling us Raven and Copperhead."

Eiichi took all of this in silently; his expression unchanging even as she glanced up, eyes meeting his. Mentally, he was bringing up what he remembered from back then. He hadn't given the time period thought for some time-- for reasons that held no relation to what she was speaking of. Raven and Copperhead? He faintly, very faintly, remembered seeing those names on papers and in the news. So, that had been her.

"I see..." he murmured after a moment, slowly sifting through possible results that could lead to her sitting in front of him, and the attitude she wore. Only one of them stood out to him. "... then, your brother... he's...?"

Copperhead was the name belonging to the ghoul that previously owned his territory. There was only one reason for it to change hands so easily.

"Dead," Mayumi said flatly, without much inflection. "Killed by another dove a while ago. Protecting me, actually."

She smiled bitterly towards her knees.

"God, I'm so stupidly reckless, aren't I? I shouldn't have been out there where I was, Niisan told me that, but I was hungry, Eiichi, and she looked so defenseless... I made the same mistake as Yoshimura, so I guess I can't really give him hell for it."

Mayumi closed her eyes, breathing out slowly.

"I haven't hunted for myself in over a year, so I guess that explains why I was a little rusty last night. Anteiku's been taking care of me every since Niisan... ever since Takashi died."

Eiichi considered this silently for a long moment. There wasn't a great way to respond to the news, as far as he was aware, and Eiichi had never been known for his abilities to comfort others anyways. After all, his own relationships were barely considered strong enough to be deemed relationships. He doubted any words he might offer would help. So, perhaps there was another method to show that he understand and somehow felt sorrow for the loss.

"... the territory," he announced. "We'll share it."

It wasn't as if it was such a scare hunting area that he couldn't survive allowing someone else to hunt there as well. And in the end, it was his way of saying "I'm sorry" as others might have done. He, himself, had never understood the saying. If you had no direct fault in the death of whomever it was, why did one apologize? It seemed silly.

Mayumi snorted.

"What did I just say about charity? I'm managing fine on my own, Eiichi, and you won that territory fair and square. No need to pity me, even if I'm looking like a hot mess right now. I've got the guys at Anteiku for now."

"I don't give charity," Eiichi reminded her. "It'd be troublesome if you had problems-- ones like today."

It seemed the best words to say to get her to accept, and it worked. Mayumi mulled the idea over for a minute.

"... if you're sure," she said uncertainly, meeting his eyes once again. "At least I'm pretty strong; it's one of my only good points. So... I can help defend the territory, since you're such a scrawny bastard."

In an extremely rare show of amusement, Eiichi's expression almost shifted into something of a smile.

"Then it's a deal," he concluded, then continued after a second's thought. "You'll have to work on your skill, though. It'd be annoying if you drew attention to the territory because you lost someone."

The mental image of the woman from the night before and how she'd been joined by a companion flashed through his mind. That in itself had been a risky hunt.

"I got it, I got it," mayumi mumbled, turning her cheek against her knees. "I was just... starving again. I'll be more careful who I go after, I promise. Niisan... picked that territory because a lot of druggies and drunkards end up there. He said they're less likely to be missed or something."

"He had a point," Eiichi agreed. "I've had little trouble from humans. Mostly, It's been ghouls."

A matter he was highly content to deal with. After all, he wasn't on the best of terms with his own kind. Not after a time that was best kept to the back of his memories.

"As you said, you're strong. It should be a simple enough matter for you, well, as long as you haven't lost your skill over time."

Mayumi shot him a glare, but not near as fierce as the ones up to this moment. It died after a moment.

"You know... I did miss you, Eiichi. At first, I just wanted to go back to how things were, and I cried a lot back then. But Niisan didn't want to put anyone else in danger by being around us, so we kept away from everyone. It's not like I left to spite you or anything."

Eiichi nodded, his fingers still tapping his knees.

"I figured you wouldn't," he acknowledged. "It wouldn't be like you. You have a temper, but you're not exactly mean, per say. I assumed that something must have occurred."

And that was as close as to saying he'd given thought to her disappearance as he would most likely ever get without prompting.

"Well, that's good, then," she murmured, content with that. "... I don't hate being a ghoul, Eiichi, just so you know; it's who I am. But I... don't like other ghouls much. They're way too angry with humans, ya know? So I really didn't mind keeping away from them, for the most part. And that's why I like the ghouls at Anteiku; they're pretty open minded." She paused. "But... I really did miss you."

That was the second time she'd said that sentence. He supposed it meant he was due to share his own feelings on the matter, as uncertain as they were. After all, he knew the correct response, but was uncertain if that applied here. He'd looked for her, albeit absently when he wasn't busy with other things, but for the most part had left her absence alone, only occasionally checking out where she and her brother had used to live.

Did that count as missing?

"It's uncertain," he decided. "But I may have missed you as well."

It was unlike him to mull over such matters, so he figured he may as well say it directly.

Mayumi laughed.

"Yeah, that's you alright, Eiichi," she sighed, but the sound was hardly bitter. "I wasn't expecting anything mushy from you, so don't worry too much about it. Not like you would, anyway. I guess I should just be grateful you remembered me, huh?"

"I wouldn't forget," Eiichi replied bluntly. "You're involved in the majority of my childhood memories. It would be hard to dismiss you that easily."

To him, that was simply the way things were. Anything less wouldn't make sense. It was only logical to assume it was impossible to forget someone he'd been around so often.

"Ya know, Eiichi, most people remember others because they've made an impression on them," she said. "Not everything's dictated by logic all the damn time."

"Which I don't understand," Eiichi retorted. "Logic is more reasonable."

It was a familiar conversation, not that it made him any more likely to agree to her side of matters.

"I'm not going to debate you on this, Eiichi." Mayumi frowned. "You like logic-- I like emotions. We'll leave it at that, otherwise we'll never get along. Hell, I'm surprised we even tolerated each other as kids, since I was even more reckless than I am now."

"Our families," Eiichi offered as the logical reasoning. "They liked each other, so we tolerated each other, then became friends."

Or, at least, that was his best guess to what had most likely happened Either way, it was a mystery beyond that.

"Nah, that's too simple for me," Mayumi decided. "I'm never friends with someone unless I have a reason reason to like 'em. And you as a kid? You were damn unsociable, Eiichi. So... I dunno. Maybe I just had a feeling you were good for me."

Mayumi sucked in her cheeks, perhaps trying to hide how they'd become quite red, and crossed her arms over her chest. Eiichi considered her words for a moment during all of this, rolling the idea around in his head.

"I suppose that's possible. My personality works as a decent balance to yours," he decided. "With a friend like me, you're less likely to get into trouble than you are on your own. Self-preservation is a great motivation."

"Yeah, Eiichi, something like that."

Her tone sounded defeated. Satisfied, Eiichi glanced at his wrist-watch for the time. They had a few minutes left in their lunch period.

"Am I still not allowed to talk to you during class?" he wondered aloud. "Just for clarification."

"Go for it."