Dismissal...

"So how did it go?"

"What did the principal say?!"

Y/N patiently tried to answer Kou and Yashiro's pile of questions.

"He said he'll contact the CPS." She said simply.

That seemed to calm down Kou, but Yashiro, ever since hearing Y/N did not open up to her about her past tendencies, immediately jumped to wanting to help her.

"Do you want to stay over at my house?" She asked, looking at her meaningfully.

"Ah..." Y/N felt herself tense, wondering if she should say the truth or not.

Yashiro looked up at her with curled, determined fists.

"Please don't keep anything away from me!" Daikon cried, eyes shining desperately. "I don't want you to keep anything! I want to help!"

Y/N nervously wrung her fingers. Kou tilted his head curiously.

"Are you just going to stay with Hanako-san?"

"Yeah! That!" Y/N hastily nodded.

Yashiro's determined stance drooped. Y/N felt an unwanted stab of guilt. Was it wrong for her to keep hiding secrets?

"You two should go..." Y/N looked away from Yashiro.

"Alright!" Kou nodded, seemingly oblivious to the tension between the two girls. He hooked an arm around Yashiro and began to lead her to the exit.

Y/N ran a hand through her hair, half-relieved, half-guilt ridden. Although she intended to go home straight away, her legs carried her to the girls' bathroom.

"Y/N!" Hanako greeted warmly as soon as she came it. "How did it go?"

"I have to go home." Y/N said blatantly, eyes dilated in fear.

Hanako's smile instantly disappeared.

"Why?"

"The principal told me." The words came tumbling out of her mouth. She slowly settled beside him. "An organization is going to help me. I'll have to be there."

Hanako's worried frown slowly turned into one of understanding.

"Well, if that's the case..."

"But I don't want to."

The spirit tensed.

"Why not?"

"The last time I went there, she was sound asleep." Y/N went on slowly. "I know she'll be awake. And if she will...."

Y/N began to tremble from the overwhelming memories. They hadn't haunted her for a while now. Hanako sensed her change of demeanor and listened more closely.

"....what if she finds out what I've done?" Y/N croaked weakly. "Wh-what if she hurts me again?"

Tears began to well in Y/N's eyes. Hanako wasted no time in pulling her to an embrace.

He was about to comfort her, when she tried to pull away from the hug.

"Y/N...?"

"I shouldn't be crying! I shouldn't be weak again! Not after you helped me!" Y/N cried, closing her eyes and hiding her tear-streaked face in shame. "I've got to make my friends happy... Yashiro and Kou and-"

"Cry." Hanako murmured, pressing her closer and nestling his head on hers.

"Hanako-kun!"

"Let it out." He ignored her protesting, wrapping an arm tightly around her waist.

Y/N had no choice but to give in. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing and shivering all over.

Hanako let her stay like that for a little while. He subconsciously held her a little tighter.

"I'm sorry." Y/N finally sighed, still closing her eyes.

"What for?" Hanako tilted his head just a bit to peer down at her.

"I should've told everyone about my mom sooner." Y/N mumbled grimly. "Maybe Yashiro wouldn't be as upset. I was an idiot... soft, as people would say."

Hanako stiffened at the word 'idiot.'

"You are not an-"

"I was too forgiving," Y/N continued, finding it in her heart to finally speak the truth. "Since my dad left her to take care of me alone, she got delusional. He only left her with money for my tuition fee. Nothing else."

Hanako's eyes widened by a fraction. Y/N had never talked about her past this personally.

"And...?" He dared to ask.

"She poured out all her frustration and anger on me." Y/N's shoulders slumped. "I-I thought that was my purpose. Whenever she threw a vase at me, whenever she pulled my hair, yelled at me.... I thought I was being useful."

Hanako couldn't help but feel resentment rise within him.

"So she'd rather break a person than an object to release her anger?!"

Y/N flinched a little at Hanako's harsh tone. He immediately composed himself.

"Sorry..."

"No. I'm sorry."

Hanako sighed. He was absolutely speechless by her story... not only by the weight, but because of how similar it was to another's.

"You know," Hanako slowly took off his hat. "There was a student who was a lot like you."

Y/N shifted a little, looking up at him in wonder.

"Really?"

"He studied here in Kamome, too." Hanako looked to the side a little bashfully. "He didn't have excellent grades, either. He was also made fun of. Beaten up, too... and guess what he did!"

"What?" Y/N pressed.

Hanako smiled softly at her eagerness. He continued:

"He forgave them."

The look of wonder in Y/N's eyes slowly melted into one of empathy.

"He did?"

"Mhm!" Hanako nodded. "Sometimes, people tried to tell him to stand up. One of these was his terribly persistent homeroom teacher...."

Y/N snorted at the word "terribly persistent', but her amusement was shortlived.

"What an amazing person." She mumbled wistfully.

"Amazing?" Hanako looked down at her in surprise. "You'd call that 'amazing'?"

"If only he were here," Y/N murmured thoughtfully. "I think we can relate a lot."

Hanako took a moment to observe her change of personality. She looked a lot more dreamy and carried away.

"Would you say...." Hanako started slowly. "....that he's your type?"

"Y... wait WHAT?!" Y/N jolted upwards, as if snapped out of a trance.

Hanako couldn't help but smile. This time, he didn't mind the light blush on his face.

"Well, if he is....."

"He forgave them." Y/N cut in, suddenly looking determined. Hanako impatiently let her speak. "If he were here, I'd encourage him to take a stand."

Y/N looked up at the wallclock in the far corner. It was now getting late, and she didn't want to walk home in the dark.

"I best be going!" Y/N abruptly got up, leaving a dumbfounded Hanako by the windowsill.

"Wait, Y/N-"

"Thanks for everything, Hanako-kun." Y/N smiled at him from the doorway, her eyes still red from her earlier crying. However, her bright grin overshadowed that.

Without waiting for a reply, Y/N bounded out of the room. All that was left was a stunned, silenced apparition.

A moment of quiet. After a little while...

"Don't worry," a Mokke popped out from beside Hanako. "You'll get her next time."

"You're right..." Hanako murmured, slowly picking up his hat again. This time, he was unfazed by the pink bunny's sudden appearance.

He settled the hat on his head, amber eyes flashing determinedly.

"It's time to do exactly just that. Tomorrow."

Even the bunny was surprised. Several other Mokke popped out, shocked by his words.

("Finally!" one-eye groaned.)