"..whyyyyyyyy..." Lily sobbed, tears soaking the table which her head rest on.

It was two days after I had helped Lily ready her date, and one day after said date. She had summoned me to her apartment with a text, where I found this sorry sight.

Her sobbing onto the table, suffering heartbreak.

"So...you got rejected." I noted.

"At least be more delicate!" Lily wailed.

I sat down next to her, awkwardly patting her back.

Honestly, I was not expecting this reaction from a yandere who just confessed to their beloved. A kidnapping, a stabbing, or a death is what I would expect.

But Lily would never hurt Eric, so that eliminates two of those.

Still, that doesn't mean she wouldn't kidnap him, which is why I'm partially surprised at this reaction of sobbing her eyes out.

It feels like she's just a normal girl in love, and not some crazy psychopath who's so obsessed with one man so much that she helps create a cult that worships him.

"..why did he reject me, Ken...why?" Lily cried. "Everything was going so well..."

Honestly, it hurts me to see her like this. Lily may be an insane psychopath, but she's still a good friend.

Huh. A yandere as a good friend. Why do I only get involved with crazy people...?

"I don't know Lily...I don't know." I replied, patting her back. "He likely only sees you as a good friend." Like I do.

"A broken heart hurts..." Lily noted. "Why are we here? Just to suffer? Should I end it all?"

"Don't do that." I immediately crossed that extreme thought out of her mind. "A broken heart will hurt. I know that better than anyone."

Lily looked at me, her attention caught.

"Trust me, it will hurt. Likely for a long time, especially since he'll still be your friend. But you'll have to move on." I stated.

Can a yandere even move on? Is that possible?

"Okay..." Lily sniffled. "I'll try...but it hurts, so, so, so much..."

"I know." I agreed.

Lily jumped onto me, hugging me tightly and sobbing into my shoulder. "You're such a good friend Ken!" She cried.

Ah...this reminds me of an old memory...

It was just like this that one time. My younger sister Kira held onto me tight as she cried into my shoulder. I promised then that I would always be there to protect her.

So much for that promise...

...

There's nothing I can do about it now. I have to move on. Heh. A broken heart really is tough to move on from, isn't it?

I felt a single tear drip down from my eye. I quickly wiped it away. Not now. It was then a little while later did Lily finally stop crying into my shoulder.

However, now it's soaking wet.

"S-sorry..." Lily meekly replied.

"It's fine." I sighed. "I'll just dry it off."

"Why don't you change?" Lily asked, confused.

"Like I'm going all the way back to Aegis Mansion for that." I sweatdropped. "And if I go back I might get tackled into bed again."

"D-did you-!" Lily gasped with a red face.

"No." I immediately denied. "Just cuddling."

"I'll have to ask Iris. I never know with a tsundere like you." Lily replied.

"Call me a tsundere one more time, I dare you." I growled.

"Tsundere." Lily smugly replied.

I started pulling her cheeks angrily.

"Ah! I'm sowwy, I'm sowwy!" She cried out.

I let go of her cheeks, leaving them slightly red. He looked at each other, before sharing a laugh.

"Thank you. I'm feeling...much better." Lily smiled.

"That's good." I nodded.

My phone vibrated. Checking it, I had received a text from Eric.

Eric: Hey, want to hang out?

Me: Sure. Where?

Eric: My apartment.

Me: I'll be there in a moment.

"Eric just texted me to come over for a hangout." I told Lily.

"I...see..." Lily depressingly replied. "Could you...ask him why he rejected me..?"

"He didn't tell you?" I wondered.

"He didn't. He just said 'it's not possible'." Lily sadly sighed.

Ouch, that must hurt. A lot.

"Alright, I'll ask." I nodded.

"Thank you." Lily smiled at me.

I could see the sadness behind that smile. A smile of pain, desperately trying to convince others that they're okay, and that nothing's wrong.

I once wore that smile.

...

Every moment I drift further into the spotlight, don't I? I've made both Iris and Irene fall for me, become best friends with Eric and Lily, and changed the timeline.

Fuck...this isn't how a mob character is supposed to act.

I once wore that smile, and I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen again.

Exiting Lily's room, I sighed. Overthinking things is just going to hurt myself. I might as well just calm down and take a break as I hang out with Eric. I can think about this later.

I knocked on Eric's door. His apartment was right next to Lily's after all...

Eric opened the door, excited. "Ken! Come on in!" He happily said.

I walked into the apartment. "So, what are we doing?" I asked him.

"Want to play Fairy Knights?" Eric wondered.

"Sure. Sounds fun." I smiled.

We sat in front of his cheap television, playing the game. We hacked and slashed at the enemies, advancing through the levels.

"Hey Eric...why did you reject Lily?" I asked.

Eric sighed. "You know?"

"Yeah. I helped Lily plan it. She said the date went well, but you still rejected her." I stated.

"It just isn't possible." Eric shook his head.

"Yeah, Lily said that you told her that. But she wants to know why it isn't possible." I responded. "She's really upset about it."

"I know." Eric sadly replied. "I know it must of hurt her so much, but...I just can't. I don't see her that way. Not at all."

"Ouch, what a friend zone." I noted.

"Yeah..." Eric sighed. "I didn't want to hurt her, but I couldn't lead her on. I hope that things can go back to normal in between the three of us after this..."

"I hope so too." I agreed.

Hanging out with Lily and Eric is a fresh breath from the yandere-ness that plagues the Aegis Family. Sometimes I see pieces of Lily's yandere-ness, but not often.

She just mostly stalks Eric whenever he leaves his apartment I believe, which doesn't effect me...I can't believe I'm speaking so lightly of such a major thing...

Once you start living in a crazy world, you start to adapt to it. So stalking isn't anything like what I've experienced.

Especially with the decimation of the Royal Knight, the decapitation of Cyrus, and the torture of Isaac.

And I even murdered the King...

Tokyo has been going crazy about it, but Isabella is handling everything like she said she would.

...

I've definitely changed after coming here. This stuff should scare me more...but I think I'm getting used to it.

However, I'll still never forget that final look Cyrus gave me before his head came sailing off. It still gives me nightmares.

My phone buzzed. Checking it, it was from Irene.

Irene: I wish to go on a date.

"Damn..." I sighed. "I'm going to have to go. Irene wants to go on a date, and if I don't go she'll drag me there herself."

The sound of a thud entered my ears. Looking over to Eric, I saw he dropped his controller with a blank look in his eyes.

"Uh...you okay..?" I asked him.

"Why?" He asked, not answering the question that I asked first.

"Why...what?" I wondered, confused.

"Why are you with her?" Eric restated. "Why are you engaged to Irene?"

"Well-" I tried to say, but I was quickly cut off.

"You barely even know her. Only a couple weeks, and yet you're getting married. What kind of shit is that?" Eric growled.

Eric cursed?! What?!

Eric looked at me, an angry look in his eyes.

"It isn't fair." He stated.

"What..?" I muttered, confused by this sudden turn of events.

"It's not fair. I've known you much longer than her. Oh, I tried to suppress it, but with Iris and Irene trying to take you away I can't hold it anymore." Eric said, starting to crawl towards me.

"Uh, Eric, what are you talking about?" I worriedly asked. He's never been like this, not even in the anime.

"I like them, I really do, but I can't sit back any more. Not when this is happening in front of my eyes. I won't let you go." Eric continued.

"Eric, what are you talking about?!" I exclaimed.

He grabbed my wrist, pushing me down and straddling me. What the hell is going on?!

"I don't like girls. I love you. I love you so much." Eric stated. "I tried to hold it back because of my secret, but I can't. I want you to be mine."

"Eric?! What?!" I cried out in surprise.

He's gay?! Is that why he never showed any interest in the girls?!

"I have a secret I need to tell you Ken. One I've been hiding for most of my life. One that proves I deserve you more than anyone else. That I'm the first." Eric stated.

"What are you-?!" I exclaimed as he jerked my hand, making it touch his chest.

What is he-?!

No. Oh god, no. It can't be-?!

"I'm a girl, Ken."