When (Y/n) woke up the next day, she was pleasantly surprised to find that Okura stood at the doorway with an excited grin. In his hands, he held a piece of paper, one that was relayed through fax. As he noted she had awakened, he eagerly motioned for her to join her outside of the room, the red-haired male still fast asleep. If he had it his way, he wouldn't have woken up until late at night.

With a wide smile, the ginger-haired man presented the paper to the girl, eagerly watching her reaction. Even she began to read it silently, he was still more thrilled than she was. All she saw was a message from the cafe she had been interviewed at, and though she had no hope she would be hired, she was pleasantly surprised when the opposite became true. With a build-up of joy in her heart, she couldn't hold back a smile, biting down on her lip to stop herself from showing too much. Okura chuckled at that. She was very much like Shota in some ways.

"What good news," he glistened, giving the girl quiet applause for her hard work, "They called me and asked if you could start today. What do you think?"

"I don't see why not."

"Perfect! Then I shall have a nutritional breakfast prepared to nourish you for the day ahead."

The younger girl gave a shy grin for the unequivocal support the man always displayed. Though he was not her father, he always treated her with such care, looking out for her even against his master's wishes. To that, she felt quite guilty, but if he continued to spoil her so, she wouldn't refuse it. As he began to walk away with a skip in his step, she waved before entering the bedroom once more, beginning to take out an outfit she thought was the most professional.

Breakfast was made quickly for her convenience, the girl being escorted to the job by Okura who encouraged her the entire way. He began to explain that she would soon become the most valuable worker there with her work ethic and cheerful personality. In fact, he was so sure it was amusing to the younger girl, calming her nerves. Even the entire way to the door, he insisted on walking her there, her new coworkers giving curious stares.

"Please, have a wonderful day at work, my lady," the man beamed, placing his hand on his heart and bowing before leaving.

The (h/c) haired girl was quite flushed with the attention she received from being accompanied by the man. While she appreciated his support and kind words of encouragement, he brought more than a few stares. Even while he left, she continued to feel eyes on her, her form shrinking under the pressure of the gazes. It seemed no one wanted to approach her for that very reason, far too immersed in gossiping amongst themselves.

She was given a few small tasks to complete, some giving her a bit of advice on how to do a certain something or other. However, they relegated their advice to small sentences or words, mainly focused on correcting her rather than giving her helpful advice. It wasn't...quite as welcoming as she had anticipated. And rather, she felt somewhat distant from the others, her wish to befriend them being put off.

She was not yet eligible to wait on tables, her manager - the woman that conducted her interview - telling her that she would be learning the next week. In the meantime, she helped unload produce into the walk-in cooler and washed fruits and vegetables for the chefs. She was also in charge of washing dishes, something she anticipated. Yet during her training shift, she couldn't even speak a word to her coworkers, practically being chased out near the end. It disheartened her a bit, but she supposed that it was only because she was new.

So, with a delighted expression, she returned to work, avoiding Shota's gaze every time. Just as she had expected, the more she understand what to do, the more her coworkers opened up to her. They often treated her as though she was a small kitten who had no idea how the real world worked, but she was grateful they spoke to her at all. Things went quite well, she thought, especially when she received her first check at the end of the week. Looking at it with amazement, her heart fluttered about what she could have done with it.

Of course, she had originally taken the chance to find a job to purchase a birthday gift for the red-haired male, but surely there was something else she could do? Pondering over it, she let the check rest in a safe location, Okura helping her exchange it for cash. He also ensured her the place it was hidden in would not have been seen by Shota nor would any transactions she would make. She wanted to be absolutely certain of what she wanted to get with the money. Though it was a trying and difficult task, it invigorated her, allowing her to parade about the estate with a gleam in her eyes and a lovely grin on her face.

It even continued to her school day, the (h/c) haired girl being met with the sight of her senior, the brunette in better spirits than he had been the last time she saw him. He held his hand up in a wave before joining her on a walk to her classes, making small talk about how his weekend had been. (Y/n) couldn't bring herself to ask him if the purple-haired male was alright after what had transpired. Kenko seemed very protective over Hotaka because of that, so, as someone who hadn't known them long, it wasn't her place to butt in.

Still, as the typically cheerful and energetic male came into their view, they couldn't help but frown. Both understood he was only masking his true feelings to prevent everyone from worrying, but it wasn't working quite as well as he had intended. Even as he began to speak enthusiastically to them, only Kenko played along with his act, the (h/c) haired girl remaining quiet and distant with a look of sympathy. Eventually, she couldn't take it, overcome with the burning curiosity. After classes, she held tightly onto his shirt and looked up at him, biting her lip with guilt.

"I...wanted to apologize," she murmured quietly, the feeling of a weight pressing down on her chest prompting her words and actions to become quite awkward, "I was very selfish, making you go skating with me even when you had other things to do. It seemed that I made your employer very mad at you and I ended up hurting you because of that."

"Ah, no! That wasn't it!"

Hotaka gave a panicked expression, attempting to formulate sentences to relay what he felt. However, he could only stand in baffled silence, as though his voice had been taken away from him. He would occasionally hold up a finger in realization only for the idea to completely escape from his mind. The male would then chuckle in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head as he attempted to catch the words that alluded him once more.

"I...Well, I dunno!" he finally said, practically keeling over laughing, "I just can't explain it. But I'm not mad at you or anything like that! Really, it was boss's own bias that caused everything. I'd been meaning to say, but I really am sorry he treated you like that. He's...a big meanie, huh?"

"Y-Yes, a really big meanie!"

(Y/n) decided to play along with the purple-haired male's childish nature. Though he was quite informal in his words and rather spontaneous with them, ideas just jumping into his head without any semblance of fluidity, it was charming. Even if he sounded like a little kid, she could tell that he was trying to extend an olive branch to her. So she took it, grateful to have the opportunity to reconnect with him. The male's companion watched from a distance, giving a chuckle at the way Hotaka decided to make amends. It was so like him.

"You're real sweet, you know that? Apologizing to me and all."

"I-I was just a bit...concerned. That you might lose your job because your boss found out you were with me."

"Nah, nothing like that. Besides, he may act like he's got control over my employment, but I work under his dad, so there ain't nothing to worry about. I'm not gonna get fired just 'cuz he's throwing a fit."

Though he was kind in trying to assure her he wasn't going to be scolded or laid off, she couldn't help but feel a lingering taste of guilt. Even if it was the case that he chose to join her of his own volition, it didn't mean that her being closely acquainted with Shota wouldn't have heavy ramifications on him. With a hand held to her lip, she bit down on it gently, trying to escape from the thoughts that clouded her mind. The sight made the male smile and tilt his head with a chuckle, placing his hand on the girl's head and patting her gently.

"It's alright, really. But, I have to admit, it's nice to have someone worrying for you like this. You can be pretty stubborn, hm? You know, whenever I feel guilty for something, I always want to repay someone."

"Would you...let me?"

"Sure, don't see why not. If you're offering, I won't refuse, but I don't really want anything extravagant. If you'd like to apologize...mm, I guess I could use a little help with a certain something."

With gleaming eyes, the (h/c) haired girl practically bounced on her toes. It was very much obvious to the purple-haired male that she wanted nothing more than to accept, even without knowing what it was. Though it could have been potentially dangerous with anyone else, he supposed they weren't strangers any longer. No, he would have been delighted to say they were friends, and from the look on her face, she would have liked that as well. So he smiled wide as he always did and walked away with her, the brunette behind them giving a small grin. As he thought, the male really couldn't hold an ounce of malice towards anyone. How kind of him.

Though (Y/n) had accepted to help Hotaka out with whatever it was, the issue of not knowing the specifics began to bother her. The further they went from the university, the more curiosity built up inside of her. She attempted to look around the area for any clues, too embarrassed to ask the male where they were headed lest he think she no longer wanted to help. So she simply scurried about down the streets they walked down like a tiny mouse, the male chuckling in great amusement. She was very innocent.

To her amazement, they had begun to walk away from the pristine buildings she had only ever seen since waking up. The clean and marble white houses and areas that screamed wealth disappeared behind them, drastically becoming more and more dilapidated and ignored. From the white picket area, it transitioned to brick houses then wood, then to, finally, what looked like clay. Confused, she looked around with wonder, the area new to her as was the atmosphere.

Despite the fact that she had left the well-maintained and carefully thought-through architecture, the mood was far more uplifting. With children running around without a care in the world, throwing around balls and scrambling around with squeals of delight, a smile found its way on her face without her knowledge. She noted girls hidden behind overfilled trash cans shooting rubber balls at boys with slingshots. Then there was the sight of a few boys riding on the same skateboard down the hill, only to inevitably crash horrendously. Still, they laughed it off with bumps and bruises and got right back on it.

"Welcome to the real Afrua!" Hotaka chuckled joyfully, kneeling down to high five an energetic boy he seemed to know well, "How'd you like it?"

Confused, the (h/c) haired girl looked around once more, noting the personality that the area had that was lacking where they had traversed from. It was odd that where it was the neatest and most put together, it was the least mesmerizing. Rather, where they were that very moment was where she felt at home. She didn't know why, and in fact, it bothered her relentlessly how the feeling was akin to reminiscence or nostalgia, but it made her feel like she had come home. It was strange, even bringing unknowing tears to her eyes.

"Hey, hey, I-I'm sorry! Don't cry!"

Worrying over the droplets that rolled down the girl's cheek, he was promptly made with a rolled-up newspaper to the back of his head. He yelled in surprise and jumped back, covering where he had been smacked only for an elderly woman to begin berating him. The (h/c) haired girl couldn't discern what she was saying, the lady speaking in a language she didn't know, but from the tone, it sounded like the male was being seriously chewed out. He responded with great panic, appearing as though he attempted to remedy the situation, but the woman only smacked him again, raising her voice in a serious but somewhat playful tone.

"Mm, mm, got it!" Hotaka responded quickly, shaking his hands back and forth to prevent being hit again, "Ah, I'm so sorry, (Y/n). Did I do something wrong?"

"No. It's just...I feel strange. Like I've been here or something before."

"That can't be it. If you had, someone would have recognized you by now. You'd be surprised, but the women here never forget a face. If you've ever even passed by them, when they see you, they'll jump on you like wolves! Then you're stuck talking to them for hours!"

"Ah, so...like Kara?" the (h/c) haired girl chuckled quietly, attempting to make a joke to displace the somewhat unpleasant feeling that squeezed on her heart.

"Ten million times worse."

The male patted her head once more with a chuckle, attempting to cheer her up. It was a sweet gesture, but she was thrown into her own mind, unable to recall what it was that instilled that feeling in her chest. While it made her smile, it didn't feel like the memory sat well with her. Rather, however at home she felt, she also felt quite lonely, that feeling taking precedent in her heart.

She pressed her hand to her heart, feeling it beat slowly as if the memory drained her of her vitality. When her eyes closed, more tears would spring, the empty void in her mind afflicting her heart with pain. Just what had she forgotten that made her feel so forlorn? It didn't feel natural. The more she thought, the worse the feeling got, the feeling in her legs giving out beneath her. Hotaka caught her with surprise, but even with the touch he provided, it felt too desolate to be natural. What...happened in the past?

Smacked once more over the head with the newspaper, the old woman continued scolding him in an indecipherable language, the male replying hurriedly. Irritated that he wasn't doing anything, the woman shouted out. A number of other men and women joined her and cautiously picked the (h/c) haired girl up, placing her on a bench that had seen better days. They then began to speak to her, attempting to offer her water or ice, sympathetic faces peering up at her from various ages.

It was strange. More tears flowed from her eyes, and her heart squeezed again, but it didn't hurt. When confronted with so many strangers that tried to help her, she couldn't help but freeze. It was a foreign feeling, perhaps as foreign as the language that they spoke. That feeling of reminiscence faded, replaced with the bewilderment of a girl lost in her own world. Yet there before her were people she had never seen once in her life, looking at her as though she were their own child.

Her gaze scanned over the gathering, noting the faces of those as young as three or so and those as old as seventy. They had different hair, skin, eyes, everything. Even Hotaka, whom she had known for quite some time, stood apart from any one individual, unique in his own right. Yet, as she observed him silently, watching as he replied with embarrassment to a handful of scolding women. He didn't attempt to dodge when they playfully swung newspapers and canes at him, even though he was fully capable of it. Instead, he chuckled and took it all, a blush coating his cheeks.

She didn't know what they were saying, but she tried to understand and she supposed that was all she needed. They seemed to have known him since he was very young, treating him as their own child as well. And though they smacked him around a little, they didn't intend to hurt him, only lightly scolding, perhaps because of her tears. They all smiled, beaming like the radiant sun, and it warmed her heart in just the same manner. Why was it that every time she looked at him, he always felt so bright?

A couple of children tugged on the purple-haired male's pants leg, the male picking both of them up in his arms. They began to tug at his hair with curiosity and pinched at his cheeks, the male accepting the treatment without a word. However, the moment one of the women opened their mouth with a teasing smirk, the male stumbled back and began retorting very quickly, shaking his head back and forth. He then turned to stare back at the (h/c) haired girl and quickly gazed away, the tips of his ears becoming red. It took a while for him to gather the courage to turn back to her, but when he did, he had presumably returned to his regular self.

"Sorry for the fuss," he murmured, clearing his throat, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Ah...fine."

"I don't believe you for one second, you know. You're a very bad liar. But I know another way to cheer you up."

Hotaka let the kids down from his arms, the children scampering away with big gesturing waves. He grinned at them as well, shouting something out the (h/c) haired girl couldn't make out. It became very obvious to her that he was speaking a language that was native to the area or perhaps the country as a whole. But if that was the case, it made her ponder why all of the classes at the university were in a language she knew. And furthermore, why was it that she had never heard that language at the Yasojiro estate? Was it because Shota was a foreigner? And if he was, why were they living in that country instead of his homeland?

A savory smell invaded the younger girl's mind, wiping out her desire to learn with the desire to eat. Her mouth practically wavered at the aroma floating throat the air, the sight of energetic vendors set up along a marketplace exciting her greatly. She couldn't help but gravitate towards them, the purple-haired male chuckling. He had expected that would get her to perk up a bit, but seeing it in action was more rewarding than the mere thought. Ten million times better, in fact.

Staring at a skewer stand, (Y/n) was practically pressured into buying something. The man spoke to her first in the native language then, when he realized she couldn't understand, switched to the language she knew well. He began to eagerly show off his menu, continually offering different foods simply for being friends with Hotaka. However, she was unable to accept any free food from someone she didn't know. As such, the girl extended a sum of money for two of them, nervously attempting to make small talk with him despite her awkward social skills, practically shivering.

The (h/c) haired girl was only freed from the lengthy conversation when a new customer appeared, the man telling her to come back some other time. She sighed, attempting to recover the energy she had expended, but ultimately began to smile shyly, glad to have made another acquaintance. Grateful, she extended one of the skewers to the purple-haired male who gave an ashamed and flustered look.

"Ah, no, I couldn't! That's super kind and all but - "

"So this will go to waste?" the girl questioned coyly, giving a saddened expression, "I had meant to buy this to show my sincerity, but if you won't take it..."

"I'll take it, I'll take it!"

Worriedly, Hotaka accepted the (h/c) haired girl's generosity, so embarrassed that his face began to glow a faint pink. Nonetheless, he began to munch on the treat, very much pleased with its taste. (Y/n) thought so as well, having no regrets about what she had spent her first earned money on. She was relieved to have cleared up the misunderstanding with the cheerful male, further still glad to help him out.

However, tailing behind her resided the bodyguards the red-haired male had assigned to her, attempting to be as discreet as possible. Though they had been ordered to report any suspicious behavior, especially concerning that of Ishikawa or his employers, they had thought of their outing as a harmless excursion common for university students. And, when they reported it to their superior, Shota thought similarly. Though it was displeasing to see the younger girl spending time with another male, Hotaka was far too dense and respectful to ever make any inappropriate advances. 

And yet, it would soon come to light that the money she had intended to spend on him was used on that very threat. It certainly did not bode well, did it?