"...she was talking about her mother." Tsukasa finished thoughtfully, looking at the black wisp in wonder. "Why would she?"

The kakujoudai stayed quiet, merely afloat. It looked like it had run out of things to say.

"Hmm..." Tsukasa tapped a finger to his chin.

"Tsukasa." Sakura looked up emotionlessly. "Have you ever stopped to think why she has a gauzed arm?"

"Why would I care?" He snorted.

"If you're so curious about her mother, you should take it into detail." Sakura continued with a shrug. "Y/N is a mellow girl. She wouldn't lay a knife on herself. But what about...."

●●●

Lunch...

"....my mum." Y/N finished, clutching her dress nervously. "It was my mum who gave me the cut."

The reaction was inevitable. Yashiro and Kou exploded into a wave of hysteria, anger, and worry.

"You said it was a cat!"

"Why didn't you say this earlier!"

"We're here to help you!"

"W-Well...." Y/N tried to keep her composure. She felt a stab of guilt for not opening up earlier.

"You see, Y/N trusts me the most." Hanako took over smoothly, wrapping an arm over her shoulders. Yashiro and Kou rolled their eyes as he pressed her closer to his side.

"Not true!" Y/N looked away crossly as Hanako gave her an affectionate glance.

"Alright, you lovebirds." Yashiro folded her hands, looking at Y/N more seriously.

"For reals, though. Why only open up now? And why did you go to Hanako... not me?"

Y/N didn't miss the hurt in Yashiro's eyes as she spoke. She was about to answer, when Kou piped up with another question.

"What were you intending to wish for?"

Y/N's heart stopped as Yashiro and Kou's curious eyes burned her.

She didn't want to open up about her past desire to die. She didn't want to look weak in front of people; most of all her friends.

Before she could panic and make an excuse, Hanako beat her to it.

"She wished for her mother to go away." He said with a firm, nonchalant tone.

Y/N looked at him gratefully. Yashiro and Kou nodded, accepting it right away.

"So that's why you always came to my house," Yashiro murmured. "I should've known...."

"You can come to my house too!" Kou offered hastily, blue eyes shining. "You can stay! I'll convince my parents! Anything to keep you safe!"

Y/N was too overwhelmed with happiness to catch Hanako's jealous glare at the blonde.

She shrugged the ghost boy's arm off, then looked at them all determinedly.

"I'm opening up because I've decided to tell the principal.... I have no idea what I can do about her, but maybe he does."

All three friends looked up at her in amazement. Everyday, it seemed Y/N was getting more and more confident to talk with people.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Kou instantly asked.

"What about me?" Yashiro harrumphed.

"Guys!" Y/N waved her hands bashfully. "I'll be fine!"

"Are you sure she'll-" Kou trailed off uncertainly.

"She will!" Hanako cut in.

Yashiro chuckled, covering her hand with a mouth in mock surprise. "You're awfully supportive of Y/N!"

"Shouldn't we all be?" Hanako smiled.

"Hanako-kun, don't flatter me!" Y/N groaned. "B-Besides... the bell will ring, soon. I'd best be going now!"

"Already?" Hanako pouted.

"Are you sure you don't need company?" Kou interjected.

"Yeah! To do a little explaining?" Yashiro added.

Y/N was already walking off, heading for the staircase. "I'll be back!"

●●●

At the principal's office...

"You're telling me, Ms L/N, that your academic peformance is poor because of how your mother treats you?"

Y/N shakily looked at the principal's stern brown eyes. "Yes."

"Why did you inform me of this only now?"

"I was scared," Y/N mumbled. She wasn't exactly lying, but she wasn't saying the whole truth, "Terrified of what she'd do if I told anyone."

His eyes seemed to soften a little at these words. He nodded, glancing at her student card; the document that contained all her personal information.

"I will contact your mother. This is a serious issue... thank you for summoning the courage to tell me."

"Y-You're welcome!" Y/N bowed politely.

"Ms. L/N, I will also inform Child Protection Services of this as well. If she physically abused you, they should know." The principal looked at her seriously. "You'll need to be at your home for them to reach you. Can you do that?"

A bead of sweat ran down Y/N's temple. She hadn't visited her dilapidated home for a while now... and it was the last place she'd want to be in.

But then she thought harder. A new home. A chance to finally be free from the "love" of her mother.

"Yes," Y/N decided, swallowing down her fear determinedly. "I can do that."

"Good." The principal's frown dropped into a gentle smile. "You are a strong girl, Ms. L/N. I promise we'll resolve this issue. You may leave now."

Y/N nodded gratefully, heart welling from his words.

●●●

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 in. "How did it go?"

"I have to go home." Y/N said blatantly.

Hanako's smile instantly disappeared.

"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 whispered. "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 mum 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 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 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?"

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

"What an amazing student." She said wistfully.

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

"If only he were here," Y/N murmured. "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, 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 slowly picked 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.)