During her shift at Bianco, Ruka thought about everything that had happened today. After that crazy morning, Meiri and Hinaru had teased her for showing up to school in a tracksuit. Tani had gently chewed her out for being late too. But none of that had reached her at all, because Ginka was gone.
Ginka had said she wouldn’t come back until she took David Highgate down. Ruka knew that pretty girl didn’t joke around. She would be gone until she settled everything.
I know she made the right choice. David’s after her, so everyone around her would get mixed up in their fights. Obviously, we shouldn’t be together. I’m an outsider and a normal person. I would just get in her way. But it’s not like I can stop worrying... Can’t I do anything to help her?
When break time rolled around, Ruka took an iced mocha to the staff room.
“Ruka-san, is something the matter?” Tokiwa Yagi asked. She was holding a cookie and looking anxious as she stared at Ruka.
Crap, I’m making her worry about me! Ruka figured she probably looked super upset, so she made herself smile as fast as she could. “It’s nothing! Just a bad makeup day!”
“O-Oh... How unusual for you to mess up when it comes to cosmetics, Ruka-san.”
“Huh? I screw up a lot.”
“Oh, really...?” Tokiwa sat across from Ruka and ate her cookie.
It was quiet and awkward in the staff room. Ruka would normally tell Tokiwa about school, or the two of them would talk about manga together. This was the first time they had sat together without saying anything.
“Um...” Ruka couldn’t deal with the silence anymore.
“Yes?” Tokiwa asked.
“Well, I kinda got in a fight with a friend... Actually, we didn’t even make it to the fight part.” Tokiwa-san doesn’t know Ginka, so changing some details should be enough to not give too much away... Probably.
“Is this friend that returning student you mentioned the other day?”
“Ah, yeah.” Ruka was a little surprised Tokiwa still remembered their conversation about Ginka. “I can’t tell you too much about what happened, but she really helped me out a bunch of times. So we started eating lunch together, hanging out, having sleepovers...”
I never thought we would end up, like, together all the time. Not seeing her for a few hours feels like forever.
“She got mixed up in something serious. I wanna help her out, but we live in different worlds, and I have no clue what to do...”
Ruka had lived a peaceful life while Ginka was fighting monsters and protecting the world. Just thinking about how different the two of them were made Ruka frown. At least she knew about vampires and hunters now, thanks to Ginka, but that didn’t mean she could just butt in.
“I’m jealous,” said Tokiwa.
“Huh?”
“You’re worried because the two of you are so close.”
“Close...?” Ruka repeated.
Tokiwa gave a gentle nod. “Yes, maybe too close. That’s why you understand what she’s going through, but it’s also how you know you can’t help her.”
Ruka wasn’t sure what Tokiwa had picked up from her story, but what she’d just said didn’t seem too far off. Ginka and I are really close. I know her personality and her history, and I get that she’s facing this massive challenge. That’s why I’m worried I can’t help her.
“Close friends are rare. That’s why I’m jealous,” said Tokiwa.
Ruka nodded. She pressed her lips together and frowned. The closer you get to someone, the more you can cheer them up. The more you know about someone, the better you can help them. I really believe that. But Ginka Shijunana is too different. She’s an exception to every rule. I seriously don’t know what to do.
“I-I’m sorry!” Tokiwa bowed her head. “I only made you worry more...”
“Nah, just having someone to talk to helped a ton. Thanks.”
Ruka meant it, but Tokiwa still looked troubled.
“That’s all well and good, but—”
A phone notification sound came from somewhere else in the room.
“Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” Tokiwa stood up, went to her locker, and opened it. Suddenly, her body jolted like she’d been shocked. “Woo-hoo!”
“Wh-What the heck was that?!” Ruka wasn’t sure if she should be worried or scared.
Tokiwa held out her phone. There was a weird grin on her face. “I got a BBM ticket!”
“A what?”
“I can’t believe it! I thought it was impossible!” Tokiwa got so excited, she started jumping up and down.
She was so mature earlier, but now it’s hard to see her as the older one here... Ruka thought, but then she remembered something Tokiwa had said before. “Oh, wait, is that the 2.5D live show you were talking about the other day?”
“Yeah, the Ball Boys Musical! And my seat’s so close to the stage! Whoo! This is the best! I would die for my best boy!” Tokiwa was yelling and spinning in circles with her phone now.
Wow, she’s so excited. I think those pretty fictional boys are the only things on her mind now. Ruka chuckled and decided to keep her thoughts to herself.
“Good for you,” she said.
After her shift, Ruka stopped by the cleaners for her uniform and headed home alone. No silver-haired girls or murky black monsters showed up. There weren’t any suspicious stalkers or creepy tall guys either.
It’s not like I had a boring life before I met Ginka. I can have fun from now on too. Now that I think about it, she left to protect people like me. I should live my life the best I can to make sure I don’t waste what she’s doing for all of us.
Ruka nodded to herself. She soon saw her cozy little house and remembered she’d stayed at Ginka’s apartment last night, so this was her first time home since the day before yesterday.
“I’m back!” Ruka slid the door open, stepped inside, and took off her shoes.
“Ruka-chaaan, welcome home,” Ryoko sluggishly called out from the living room.
Ruka was really glad her mom was home, since that didn’t happen very often. A warm aroma tickled her nose.
“Do you want a bath first or dinner?” asked Ryoko.
“You cooked, Ryoko-san?”
“Gotta act like a mom every once in a while, y’know?”
“‘Like’? You’re my mama for real!” Ruka did her best to smile as she went into the living room. “Whoa!”
Big plates packed with croquettes and fried shrimp were on the table, and little plates full of other deep-fried dishes were crammed in between. There were a few salads in small bowls too, but fried stuff was definitely the main event.
“It’s our first time eating together in forever, so I gave it my all!”
“O-Okay, but don’t you think you went a little overboard?”
Ruka was happy her mom had made them dinner, but it was way too much for two people. Most of it was heavy fried food too.
“Well, I had a craving! I haven’t had a chance to eat anything like this lately.”
“Ah, gotcha.”
Ryoko had told Ruka that there were times where she couldn’t even eat lunch because she was so busy at work. Maybe making and eating all this food was her way of de-stressing.
In that case, I guess I can put on a few kilos for my hardworking mom’s sake.
“’Kay, I’m in, Ryoko-san.”
“Ooh, thanks!”
Ruka saw the earnest smile on Ryoko’s face and smiled back. “Why are you thanking me like I’m the one who made all this?” But asking that question made her think of...
“Why are you acting like I’m accepting your contribution...?”
What Ginka said in Corolle, and that face she made... When will I get to see her? That girl’s too pretty, too serious, and too stubborn... What if she comes back to school and says she wants to be alone?
Ruka did her best to shake off those gloomy feelings with another smile. “I don’t want my school clothes to smell like fried food, so I’m gonna go change.”
“’Kay, I’ll be waiting. Oh!” Ryoko gasped at her flip phone vibrating on the table before she hesitantly answered.
Ruka could tell from watching and listening to her mom that it wasn’t a nice phone call. Another phone getting in the way today...
“Um, Ruka-chan...”
Ruka knew, from the way Ryoko had said her name like an apology, that the hospital was calling her in. Ryoko was on call a lot as a nurse, so she had to go to work as soon as they asked her to.
“Get going,” said Ruka.
“But...”
“You’re always saying how shorthanded they are, yeah? We’ll eat together some other time.”
“Sorry...” Ryoko apologized before rushing to get ready for work.
“I’m gonna go change.” Ruka had to stop her voice from trembling as she picked up her bag and went to her room.
She tossed her bag on her leopard-print bed and thought about taking a bath before eating. Then she reached for her phone but felt something else inside her bag.
“Hmm...?” She grabbed whatever it was and held it up in front of her eyes.