Episode 13 appearances- *In Megumi's memory of Danji wishing her 'Happy Birthday' from ~Like a Fish and Water~*

Episode 14 appearances- *When she calls Yu-yu after the battle between him and Tohya, asking where he was*

Note- This chapter takes place after Episode 14 and during Episode 15.

***

'YOU'RE doing this, huh?' Riri said.

'Seems so,' a male voice spoke from the other end.

Riri sighed and laid on her back on the grass. 'I'll come when things are a bit more calm here. Call me if you need anything, kay? Oh and say hi to you-know-her from me.'

'Will do.'

'Bye,' Riri ended the call and started fiddling with the butterfly necklace.

Flashback

'CHI-chan! Where are you?' a girl with purple hair asked, looking around aimlessly for the bluenette.

'I'm here Mi-chan. What's wrong?' a young Riri asked.

'I can hear a flutter nearby, but I can't see it...' the girl trailed off.

Riri frowned before she smiled. 'I know!' She took her camera and clicked a picture. After that, she took hold of the girl and ran.

'W-where are we going Chi-chan?'

'To show you what the pretty thing looks like silly Mi-chan!'

'I'm not silly!'

'Yada yada.'

***

'OKAY, now trace the outline of the drawing I made, okay Mi-chan?'

'Got it Chi-chan!'

The purple-haired girl traced the drawing, guided by Riri. After a while, she mused. 'Hm... is it... a butterfly?'

'Yeah! You got it!'

'What color is it?'

Riri's face softened. 'It has magenta wings, just like your hair.'

'Really?'

'Really.'

'Ooo~ That reminds me! Riri, can you get Ms. Pink?'

'Of course Mirei!' Riri got up and ran inside. Moments later, she came out with a pink bag.

'Can you take out Boxy 2 from it?'

'Boxy 2? When did we get Boxy 1 a twin?' Riri tilted her head as she took out the said box.

'Open it! Open it!' Mirei gushed.

'Okay...' Mirei giggled when she heard Riri gasp. 'No way! Mi-mi! How did you get this?'

'Big bro helped me!' Mirei giggled.

'Wow...' Riri brought out a half-butterfly wing necklace. 

She put it on before asking. 'But where's the other half?'

'I have it!' Mirei beamed.

'That's amazing!'

'Cho-chan, you need to go now, your parents will be worried,' a boy said, coming up to the two.

'Aww... but big bro-'

'No buts Chi-chan, you can come tomorrow,' the boy ruffled Riri's hair who huffed. 'No fair! I can't ruffle your hair since you're taller!' The boy laughed.

'Chi-chan, is it big bro?' Mirei asked.

Riri sat beside her. 'Yeah... it is... he says I have to go... but I'll come again soon, okay?' Mirei nodded happily.

***

'BYE big bro! Bye Mi-mi!' Riri waved and the limo drove off.

Flashback over

'MI-mi...' Riri muttered.

'Riri?'

The said girl got up and saw her younger brother. 'Oh, hey Yu.'

The frown on Yu-yu Kondo's face did not disappear, however. 'Where are you going?'

Riri's eyes widened in question. 'What?'

'I asked, where are you going?' he repeated in a more firm tone.

Riri looked down. 'Nowhere.'

'Your face says otherwise.' Yu-yu sat beside her. 'Riri, you can't go now. Danji already left. You're the only person who can help us get through this. I need you. Team Blackout needs you. Mom, Akiko and Yukiko need you. The school club needs you. Tohya needs you.'

Riri tensed at the sound of Tohya Ebata's name and looked away. 'I know... don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.'

'You promise?'

Riri looked at her brother and gulped down the guilty feeling as she forced a smile and nodded. 'Yeah... promise.'

Yu-yu smiled at that.

***

RIRI was writing when the doorbell rang, causing her to look up. 

'I'll get it!' Akiko's voice rang through the house before hurried footsteps. Riri shrugged and just went back to her work before hearing the three females squeal.

She looked up at the exact moment and at the door. 'Huh?' she frowned and ran out of the room.

'What's the-' Riri froze at the end of the staircase. 'Matter.'

Riri found her purple eyes staring directly into Tohya's golden ones. The latter was holding a bag and looked a bit taken aback when he saw Riri. 

The bluenette's face went beet red as she abruptly turned around and spoke loudly. 'I don't want to see you.'

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Tohya's face flash with hurt as he spoke. 'I... figured. I just- erm- wanted to give you a gift as an- an apology.'

Riri ignored what he said and closed her eyes, trying to calm down her red face. 

Tohya continued awkwardly. 'I'll just... leave this right here then... I guess...'

The door closed and RIri could feel her sisters and mother staring at her. The bluenette just decided to go to her room and continue her work.

***

Knock knock!

Riri, who was playing a random tune on her guitar, looked up. 'Come in.'

The door opened to reveal Natsuko and Akiko, the latter holding a plate of cookies and the former the bag Tohya had brought.

'Hey, we thought you might need these,' Akiko held out the chocolate cookies.

'Thanks Aki,' Riri took one of the cookies and ate a small bite.

Yukiko set the bag on the table and sat beside her. 'Hey... what's wrong?'

Riri sighed. 'Nothing.'

'Ri, when it comes to love problems, I know a lot more than you,' Akiko boasted.

'I am not having love problems!' Riri exclaimed, face flushed.

'Ri, when there's a boy involved in a problem, it's always a love problem,' Yukiko shrugged. 

'Not necessarily,' Riri grumbled.

'Whatever you say. But I'm still convinced something's going on between you and the hot guy-'

'AKIKO!' Riri yelled, embarrassed as her face turned red for the third time that day.

'Alright fine, we'll stop messing with you.' Akiko giggled. 'But you know, you should open the bag. The boy looked really guilty about whatever he's done.'

Riri frowned. 'I'll... think about it.'

The two elder girls smiled at each other and left the room. Riri looked at the bag and opened it. Inside was a black box in which she guessed was the necklace, a small box of chocolates, and a letter. She took out the letter and read the two words neatly scribbled on it.

申し訳ありません

(I'm sorry)

Riri brought out the box and opened it, finding her guess was right and wrong; it was a necklace, except it wasn't the one he had originally given her. It had a blue butterfly charm hanging on it.

 She traced it with her fingers and bit her lip. Gosh... This is becoming harder and harder...

She set the box aside and took off her bracelet and clip placing it aside and taking out the box of chocolate from the bag. She put the latter in a belt pouch, took her deck, put it in the belt pouch as well, before taking her pen and a piece of paper and scribbling something down. Once she finished writing, she set the pen aside, sealed the letter in an envelope, set it on her desk with the clip and bracelet beside it. 

She started walking outside, but paused in her steps, turning around to stare at the necklace Tohya had given her. Sighing, she grumbled, 'That idiotic toerag.'

She walked up to her bed and took the necklace before putting it on, smiling as a tear fell down her cheek.

***

NATSUKO was humming a tune while going through a magazine when someone tapped her shoulder. She looked up and raised a brow. 

'Riri? What's the matter, honey?'

Riri gulped down all the feelings and spoke confidently. 'I need your help with something.'

***

'ARE you sure about this Riri?' Natsuko frowned at her third child.

Ririchiyo shook her head. 'Nope. Not at all. But I got to- no, I have to do this. I've always considered others' feelings before mine. I need to stop doing that and do what I know is right for everyone.'

Natsuko sighed before smiling. 'I understand. Take care of yourself.'

Riri smiled slightly and nodded. 'I will, mom.'

The bluenette started to walk away only to stop when her mother called her. 'Riri.'

The said girl turned to see her mother looking proud. 'I'm proud of the fact you understood your flaw and that you're willing to take risks for your brother and friends. But,' the woman's face morphed into that of worry. 'Please go easy on yourself.'

Riri gave the woman a thumbs up before walking away. Natsuko just placed a hand on her heart. 'Oh, Riri...'

***

RIRI was sitting on a plane, her eyes fixed on her phone. Taking a deep breath, she clicked the send button. Just when she did, her phone started to buzz as someone called her. She answered it and spoke. 'Hello?'

'You got on the plane alright?'

'Yup.'

'Great. I'll pick you up.'

'Kay. See ya.'

***

Riri walked out of the airport, looking around for someone when she spotted them. The person was looking around for her, not noticing that she was already behind him until she tapped on their shoulder causing them to look at her.

'Hey, Riri.'

The said girl smiled, 'Yo, big guy.'

The magenta-haired man smiled and the two looked at each other before nodding.

***

'I want to go stop them,' Tohya declared to everyone in the amusement park.

'I want to go with you,' Yu-yu nodded.

'Me too,' Megumi added. 'But not because I want to cooperate. So long as I'm with you... I won't let you do anything weird like that again.'

Tohya is taken aback and even more shocked when Megumi continues. 'After all, I promised Riri to keep an eye on you and make sure you both' - she looked at Tohya and Yu-yu - 'are fine. She cares about everyone a lot.' Tohya looked away.

'You know, I'm sure Riri would love to help you move forward.'

He smiled and looked at the sky. 'Yeah. She does.'

***

Danji and Riri walked up to a white building titled 'Daybreak' and stared at it. Riri gulped and placed a hand over the butterfly charm. Danji placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to look at him. When their eyes met, they knew what they had to do and nodded.

***

Hey guys~! Aqua here~! Sorry for the long wait I couldn't decide what to about Riri, whether to make her play a role similar to Danji or make her stay with Blackout. So... yeah!

(Next episode comes out on 25 October 2021)