"-?"

There was a distant voice calling out a name.

"-Aki? Are you okay?"

It wasn't my name.

My eyes fluttered open, and I winced as a sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head. I groaned softly and nodded in acknowledgment, resting a hand against my temple. I licked my dry lips, exhaling out a stale breath that left a nasty aftertaste.

"I'm okay," I muttered, struggling to sit up. With much effort, my eyes eventually focused on my surroundings. "What the hell happened?"

We'd... We'd been talking with Layra, right? I just gave her the tea and...

"Thank goodness," Cerea breathed in relief, leaning back and allowing some tension and worry to leave her face. Wait, I thought she'd gone to be briefed on a mission with MON. What was she doing back here? God, my mind was moving so slowly... "Minor memory loss is expected after inhaling a weak sleeping agent such as the one that woman had used on you, but it seems like you are otherwise in good health."

"Wait, minor memory loss," I exclaimed, my eyes bulging. "The fu-"

Oh. Layra. The tea. The scent of flowers. Everyone falling while Miia...

I'd failed.

My shoulders sagged as if an immeasurable weight had crashed into them. "Layra poisoned us, didn't she?" I asked quietly.

Cerea replied with a low growl, "I believe Suu was the only one she poisoned directly. Everyone else was put to sleep with a chemical gas agent unique to the Far Side. Thankfully, it was nonlethal."

My right hand twitched, and an icy chill ran through me. I leaned back in my seat on the couch, my curiosity piqued. "What happened after?" I asked. A strong urge to do something else suddenly overwhelmed me, so I rubbed my eyes and blinked a few times, my vision still a bit blurry.

Her ears twitched slightly as she spoke. "I'm not sure of the specifics," she said, glancing towards the family room entrance. Now that I noticed, we were the only people in the room. "You'll have to ask Miia or Lala about that," she said reluctantly. "Unfortunately, Aki, the others are being questioned about this terrible incident. I'm afraid I must do the same with you."

"Fine," I sighed. I should've expected as much. "Well, it started-"

"It's not Centorea you'll be speaking with."

My heart raced as the voice abruptly cut me off, leaving me speechless. I cautiously turned my head to see the figure standing in the doorway, and the sternness of their tone caused a chill to run down my spine.

"That would be me," Kuroko said, hand on her hip.

She looked like a mess. Dark circles had formed underneath her eyes, and her usually striking long black hair was messy and sticking out in all directions as if she had just rolled out of bed. Her face was bare of any makeup, and her lips were tightly pursed. Her features were set in a harsh, stoic mask, seeming to restrain the raging emotions that were brewing underneath barely.

"I... I shall leave you to it, then," Cerea spoke weakly before resting a hand on my shoulder. "I am ashamed I could not bring help sooner, Aki. I... truly am happy you are unharmed," she added softly. At that, she left, leaving behind the echoes of her hooves in her wake.

Then, finally, we were alone.

"Are you okay?" Kuroko asked, walking toward the couch.

I smacked my lips vigorously, trying to get rid of the awful taste in my mouth. "That was a first for me, getting knocked out by a chemical weapon," I said grimly, placing a hand on my head. "Definitely won't be doing that again anytime soon."

"That's not what I'm referring to, Aki," Kuroko said, standing to my left. I could feel her gaze, making me avert my eyes and lower my head to stare at my lap. "Bina and Miia both told me that you were crying while you were knocked out. Bina is not here because she needs to guard Layra, and she trusted me to come and talk to you about it."

Had I been crying? Now that she mentioned it, my cheeks did feel a little damp. I wiped at my eyes, finding the moisture there I'd expected. Looking up a little more, I quirked an eyebrow. "Probably just a symptom of the gas," I dismissed. "Some reaction or-"

"I examined the toxin she gave you," Kuroko interrupted me. "The only explanation for why you were crying due to the gas would be if you had a severe allergic reaction. But, since you aren't having any convulsions, that doesn't seem to be the case."

"Kuroko," I groaned in frustration. "We both hate it when people don't speak clearly. I'm already exhausted from being gassed and can't think straight. So please, tell me what you mean without beating around the bush."

"Fine," she said as she folded her arms. "People usually shed tears in their sleep when they're going through something difficult. In my experience, it usually means the person has gone through a lot." Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her expression soften, and her posture relaxed slightly. "Are you alright?" she asked again, this time in a much more gentle manner.

No, was my instant mental response.

"I knew this was going to happen," I replied, my voice trembling. "I even warned you about it a while back. I was confident that I could handle it because why wouldn't I? If I were aware of what was coming, then it would have made sense to me that, that..."

I quickly exhaled, feeling my energy dissipate. I took a deep breath and rubbed my eyes, feeling the couch shift beside me. When I glanced over, I noticed Kuroko had sat beside me. She slumped forward, propping her elbows on her knees, yet saying nothing.

"... Despite all that, I fucked up," I eventually continued. "I got me and my friends poisoned because I fucking forgot this was happening! It's my job to ensure bad shit doesn't happen, and I fucking failed!"

I sniffled and wiped my eyes again. My body was hot and itchy like ants nipped beneath the skin.

I didn't know what else to say, so the two of us sat silently for a few minutes that stretched on for what felt like forever. All I could hear was Kuroko's slow breathing.

"This is the most responsibility you've ever had in your life, isn't it?" she asked out of the blue.

The question made me freeze. And then it hit me. It made me feel small and pathetic, and my chest ached. Unable to speak, I nodded.

"I'm partially to blame," Kuroko sighed, her eyes heavy with regret as she rested her chin on an open palm. "Your early success made me see your potential, and I eagerly used you, perhaps more eagerly than I ought to have. You do have a way with people," she noted, giving me a sidelong glance filled with admiration. "And before you point out the whole manga thing," she added with a wry smile, "it's more than that. You know what I see in you?"

In a better state of mind, I would've. I wasn't as blind to myself as I pretended to be sometimes. But right then, it wasn't easy.

She looked at me and said, "I see someone who loves deeply and honestly, someone who uses their words not to hurt or degrade but to empower and uplift. You care more about making others smile than you do about yourself." She snorted and added, "Wow, I must be exhausted if I'm giving you such a cheesy motivational talk."

"Yeah, are you sure you're Kuroko?" I asked, unable to hide my amusement. "The fact that you're not drinking any coffee is quite suspicious."

"There he is," Kuroko shot back, smirking as she poked my side with an elbow.

"Yeah, well..." My expression fell. "It's nice hearing those things and all, but... It's kinda hard believing them."

"Aki, you are overworked, and it's starting to take its toll on you. You have done an amazing job until now, but if this continues, you will inevitably burn out. From a professional perspective, that would be a real tragedy and a loss of potential. But more than that, as your friend, I couldn't bear to see you push yourself so hard and put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect."

"Like this?" I echoed. "Are you saying I need to stop?"

Kuroko shook her head. "I'm saying you need a break. Like hell am I going to let you weasel your way out of counseling for good," she joked, winking at me before she sobered a little to continue. "But I can at least give you a week to collect yourself."

"But what about Lilith? And the girls at the Takasaka house?" I asked. "I can't just push them to the wayside."

"I can handle them more than well enough in the meantime," she assured me. "Besides your mental health, I'm doing this for two reasons."

Idly, I noted she didn't ask if I was okay with this decision.

"The first is that Papi and Centorea's mothers are still coming," Kuroko listed. "You said there are some problems when they arrive, right?"

I furrowed my brow as I tried to recall the details. "Sure, there were a few issues with them, but Layra's was the worst. What happened between Papi and her mother was just a simple misunderstanding that was quickly cleared up, even in the manga. Cerea's mother, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated but can still be handled."

"Good," she nodded. "Just focus on making sure that goes as smoothly as possible. And only that."

"You'd trust me with that after I fucked up the business with Layra?" I asked.

"You have had my trust for a long time, Aki," Kuroko said, looking me directly in the eye with utmost sincerity. "And I know how easy it is to make a grave mistake. So yes, I still have faith in you."

"Uh, th-thanks," I hastily replied, looking away from her.

"The second reason this town will be receiving much attention in the coming months is due to the upcoming Cultural Exchange expo to be held at Sports Club Kobold," she continued, leaning back. "This event will feature a special performance from ANM48 as part of a promotional campaign."

"Oh." I blinked. "Shit. That's gonna be big."

"Without a doubt," Kuroko affirmed emphatically. "And you need to be ready when that time comes. We can discuss your specific role later, but you will be an invaluable asset. I'm sure I'll be relying heavily on the people here as well."

"Gotcha!" That much responsibility is a huge undertaking, and the world would undoubtedly be watching intently as it all unfolds. 'Expo' could refer to various events, all of which have the potential to impact the future of the Cultural Exchange significantly.

It would be the perfect opportunity to establish a position in the organization. Maybe even push for those reforms Kuroko, and I kept talking about...

My train of thought paused when I noticed Kuroko directing a small smile at me. "What?" I asked.

"When you focus intently, your brows draw together tightly," Kuroko observed, her smile never leaving her face. "You also tend to stroke your chin quite often."

"... Okay?"

"Just appreciating how normal you are, Aki," she said dismissively, standing up and brushing her legs. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Yes, ma'am," I said slowly. I stood up after her, still feeling a little uncomfortable because of... well, everything. "Um... thanks. For listening to my venting. Still not exactly happy about it, though."

"I don't want you to be," Kuroko told me, setting a hand on her hip. "What I do want is for you to calm down and enjoy your lessened responsibilities. However temporary it may be."

"I understand," I said, and an overwhelming urge to hug Kuroko swept through me. Her words, meant to comfort me, were only part of the reason. She also looked so exhausted, a clear sign of whatever struggles she had been facing recently taking their toll on her.

At any other time, I would have acted on it. But something held me back, pulling me away. An odd grey feeling that told me I shouldn't.

"I'd like to talk to Layra if possible," I said, rubbing the back of my neck and averting my gaze. "I need to discuss some ideas on how to resolve the issues that caused this whole shitshow in the first place."

Kuroko raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "If you truly desire it, we can make it happen soon. However, for now, stay here with everyone, alright? They need you."

Did they?

She turned away, starting to walk out of the room. "Bina will be here shortly after she finishes her rounds, so please be prepared. The other doctors should be wrapping up their check-ups and questioning soon. Please make sure you get examined as well."

"W-Wait," I spoke up. Kuroko stopped, turning sideways to regard me. "You know her real name, don't you? So why don't you call her that?"

She shrugged, but there was something decidedly not casual about her demeanor. "To me, she's Zombina," Kuroko replied, turning away and walking off again. "See you later, Aki."

"That's not..." I murmured, but she was already out the door.

I was alone.

Taking a deep, calming breath, I firmly placed one foot before the other until I reached the foyer. My eyes felt the pressure of impending tears, but I focused on my task and walked through the silent house. I climbed the stairs and made my way down the second-floor hallway, barely noticing the slight trembling of my right hand as I grasped the door handle and entered my room. With a silent resolve, I gently closed the door behind me and made my way to my desk.

I sat and opened a drawer, pulling out a single, wrinkled piece of notebook paper. I stared at the words I'd written, at the letter I knew would never reach the ones it was meant for. Even though it was nothing more than a slip of paper, I treasured the letter and kept it as safe as possible. Outside of the clothes I'd been wearing when I came to this world, it was all I had of home.

I'd burn the letter instantly if it meant they could hear me right now.

"Why did none of you come with me?" I asked them, choking on every word.

To be continued...