I spat into the toilet bowl and flushed it's contents down the drain. Walking out of the stall, I approached the sinks, turning on the tap and washing my hands. I was in the cram school bathroom, its ornate decorations stretching into the restrooms. I dried my hands and walked out into the hallway and back toward Yukio's class. I'd excused myself halfway through the lesson, feeling the urge to vomit. It was something that was happening far more often. I knew it's cause, as well.

I pushed open the classroom door and returned to my seat, my twin not stopping his train of thought. No one else paid much mind to my entrance either, my bathroom break appearing like a normal body function. I sighed and tapped my pencil against my desk, trying to focus on the assignment.

My time limit was approaching rapidly, and with Shura halting our lessons together, I was no closer to gaining my Knight meister. I had two weeks, two fucking weeks before it will be six months. No one has brought up the matter, and I couldn't blame them. I fucked up, throwing a hitch in our already tight plans. And talking about it won't change anything. They either forgot about my execution, or they didn't want to worry me in my last few days.

The bell rang and I realized I hadn't learned a single thing during class. However, at this point, did it even matter? It's not like continuing my education for the next two weeks would change the outcome. I could drop out of the academy if I truly wanted to, maybe enjoy my last moments wandering around the country. I knew escaping would be impossible. If I even set foot on a plane or ship, a massive man-hunt would ensue.

There was a light punch to my arm and my eyes flickered over to meet maroon irises. "Stupid, I called your name twice. Did you hear me?" I blinked, coming back to my senses and shaking my head. She quirked an eyebrow, but didn't press the issue. "I asked if you were doing anything tonight." I shook my head once more, I rarely had plans. Unless there was a mission or the one off chance that Bon invited me out, I was always at the dorm. "Can I come over?" Oh? My previous conversation with Bon popped into my mind and I felt my cheeks begin to tingle. "I'm a little behind on my cram school homework. And I need help with my math homework, too." Ah, never mind. I pushed myself out of my seat and collected my things.

"Sure, same as last time?" I glanced over my shoulder and she nodded, turning back to her desk and grabbing her own things. I pulled my bag onto my shoulder and started walking out the door, but Yukio grabbed my elbow. I hummed and he gave me a look, tilting his head in Kamiki-chan's direction. I rolled my eyes, "it's not what you think," I whispered. He huffed, his expression dubious.

"No funny business, I have a meeting to attend in a few minutes." My eyes nearly escaped from my skull, offended that he even thought I would try anything. "I'll be home in like an hour."

My nose wrinkled and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't worry, I don't plan on making you an uncle." He gasped, choking on the air. I took a bit of pride in that reaction and smiled at him. "This is just like last time, she just wants to study. What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with what?" It was my turn to choke as Izumo appeared beside me. I turned to the side and coughed into my elbow, my cheeks burning a bright red as I cleared my throat. "Nothing, we were just talking about the class." I ran my hand through my hair and gave her a sheepish smile. "Are you ready?" She huffed and nodded, reaching up to smooth out her ponytail. I waved goodbye to my brother, giving him a pointed glare before exiting the room.

The two of us walked in silence until we reached the exit of the cram school, where we bid each other farewell. I sighed as I made my way to my dorm, relaxing slightly. Yukio seemed to be misunderstanding things. Why on earth would I pursue a relationship? That seemed foolish and selfish. I wouldn't be around this time next month, why would I play with someone's emotions by confessing?

The thought stopped me in my tracks, my fingers hovering in my closet. I hadn't even realized I was back at the dorm. But what was that thought just now? Confessing? My eyes widened and I snatched my clothes out of the closet and bolted into the bathroom. I twisted the shower tap and stripped of my clothes, stepping into the shower as quickly as possible.

Confessing?

I slapped my hands to the tile and let the nozzle spray me in the face. Was I just stupid or had my malnutrition finally caught up to me? That had to be it, my brain was lacking the necessary vitamins and minerals, I was probably neurotic. That's all. Maybe I should eat something? I pulled my hands from the tile and scrubbed my face. Either way, I was crazy.

I continued to wash the grime off of my body, turning off the shower when I was done and retrieving a towel. I rubbed the fabric over my head and eyed the toilet next to me. The nagging desire to purge ate at me, but I had done so not that long ago. I didn't want to leave my stomach completely empty, not unless I wanted my abdomen to ache later. I still had to put a front up for Yukio, and there was only so many times I could refuse a meal before he would get suspicious. One thing I've noticed with this new habit, was my sudden decrease in appetite. It was as if my stomach couldn't tolerate food much anymore. Maybe it was due to purging every time after eating, I'd basically tricked my body into rejecting most consumptions.

"Rin?" Izumo's voice was muffled and distant, blocked by the bathroom door. My eyes snapped over to the door handle and I rushed to throw my clothes on. I yanked open the door, seeing Izumo sitting on my bed, petting Kuro. I cleared my throat and she glanced up at me. "Jeez, how long do you shower for? It's been almost an hour since cram was over." My eyes darted over to the nearby alarm clock and I inwardly groaned. I must've been too caught up in my thoughts.

Sighing, I grabbed my bag and sat cross-legged on the floor. She followed soon after, spreading her books on the hardwood. We got to work, pencils scribbling on paper. Every once in awhile, we'd mutter to ourselves, the other coming closer to investigate. About fifteen minutes passed before I realized she wasn't studying anymore. I lifted my head off of my palm, looking over in her direction. She was staring at me and I realized that I was only wearing a short sleeved shirt and my favorite pajama bottoms. I hadn't thought about my outfit when I grabbed it earlier. I'm sure I looked frumpy, and my scars were on display. "Sorry," I mumbled, moving to get up. "I wasn't thinking when I grabbed my clothes. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

She shot forward, grabbing my arm and making me pause. "No, that's not it." Her words rushed out as she tried to correct me. I blinked in surprise, settling back down. She didn't remove her hand, and her expression was atypical. She chewed on her lip and averted her gaze. "I have a question."

"Okay?" I leaned forward and she dropped her grasp on my arm. I took a look at her textbook, searching for where she was struggling. "What section are you on?"

She sighed in frustration. "Not that kind of question, stupid. It's a personal thing." Well, why didn't she say that from the start? I leaned back and waited for her to continue, but the feistiness she had just displayed had vanished. She toyed with the purple strands of her bangs, and if I didn't know any better I'd think she was embarrassed.

"You're making me nervous, just spit it out already." I eventually stated, a bit apprehensive with her sudden change of attitude. She shot me a glare and a bit of relief washed over me at the familiar gesture.

She took a deep breath and dropped her hands to her lap. Her dark red eyes met my own, a resolve settling inside. "You know the end of year dance that's coming up?"

I nodded, closing my textbook and turning my full attention to her. "The one next week, right?"

"Yeah, that one..."

My brows furrowed and I let out an exasperated breath. "What about it?"

She shook her head, irritation crossing her features. "You're really dense, you know that?" I scoffed in response, about to start arguing with her. If she would just act normally and tell me what she was thinking, I wouldn't need to play this stupid guessing game. It was uncharacteristic of her to beat around the bush like this. That alone set me on edge. I readied myself to start disputing her, but she cut me off. "Go with me."

I blanched, "what?"

Her gaze was unwavering and she leaned forward, leaning her elbows on her knees and resting her chin on intertwined fingers. "The dance, go with me."

I blinked several times, unsure if I was hearing her correctly. I must be misunderstanding her, because it almost seemed like she was asking me out to the dance. That couldn't be right, however. I chose my words carefully. "I mean, I didn't plan on going, but Yukio seems hellbent on dragging me along. So I'm sure I'll see you there either way."

She rolled her eyes, blowing her bangs out of her face. "Idiot, you're not listening. I'm not asking if you're going with your brother. I'm asking you to go with me."

"Uhhh...." My mind was reeling and I stared at her blankly. "I don't think I understand."

She sighed, sitting up straight and gesturing as she spoke. "You," she pointed at me before turning her finger to herself. "Me." Then she held out two fingers, resembling a peace sign, before tapping the two fingers together. "Dance."

"Ah, yeah..." My words came out a bit unsteady as I realized I wasn't misinterpreting her words. She was asking me out, and while it was only one evening, I couldn't help the anxiety that sprouted in my chest. I adverted my gaze, staring at my textbook cover. What do I do? I couldn't possibly accept her request. My earlier thoughts came back to me, and they were just as true. It would be selfish to get involved with someone. Sure, the dance was a week from now, but my deadline was only a week after that. What if I said something stupid? I might find myself catching feelings. Then what? My last week would only be filled with heartache. And what if she caught feelings? Even though I doubted it, I still couldn't completely deny the possibility. She wouldn't have asked me to the dance if she didn't hold some sort of emotion toward me. However, was one night of fun really worth the agony that would come afterward? I swallowed the nausea that rose up my throat. I should reject her. Although I truly didn't want to, it was the most humane thing to do. I would save her from the headache. I shouldn't have even agreed to have her come over, I'd gotten too close for comfort the way it was. I should've kept my distance from everyone, that way my death effected them less. But I couldn't change the past, I could only handle things properly in the present. I needed to deny her offer. She would probably get upset with me. I wouldn't be surprised if she ignored me the next two weeks, either.

"Rin?" Her hand waved in front of my face and I looked up to meet her concerned expression. "Are you okay?" Shit, she was worried about my wellbeing now? I needed to burn this bridge before I hurt her more later.

My mouth fell open, thinking of how I would phrase it. But as the words filtered through my mind, my stomach lurched. My eyes widened and I shot up from the floor and darted into the bathroom. Tossing open the toilet lid, I leaned over the bowl, gagging. My hands shook as I gripped the seat and my eyes began to water. My body convulsed repeatedly, and eventually, I vomited. However, the spasms didn't stop and I continued to dry heave. A hand rested on my shoulder and Izumo tried her best to comfort me. I gasped for breath, my eyes stinging as tears dripped from my face into the water below. "Get out." I drew in a quaking breath and another wave of nausea hit me like a tidal wave. I choked on the oxygen as it ripped through my raw throat. My heart was pounding so hard that it banged against my ribcage. Blood rushed through my ears so rapidly that I could hear ringing.

The hand on my shoulder squeezed tighter before letting go. "Yukio?!" She shouted, her feet tapping on the tile as she exited the bathroom. "I don't know what's going on, help me." I gasped for breath, the air hissing through my teeth.

"Nii-san?!"