Six hours later, it was evening. Yano had come back, saw the busted phone, smacked Akira then apologized before fixing her phone again.
Yoshida and Hinasuke were there too, they'd always come to check on her after campus. But Akira seemed... different today.
She wasn't crying in the bathroom or sobbing on the couch. She wasn't even drowning her sorrows with Ohagi. She was just quiet. Staring at her reflection off the glass table in front of her.
"Is she...okay?" Yoshida whispered loudly, though he did it on purpose, "...she seems different."
"I'm fine."
Yoshida smiled a little.
Her voice wasn't shaky for once. Progress.
But Hinasuke didn't see it that way. Her voice sounded sharp. A little bit too sharp for someone who'd been crying herself to sleep for months now. No, something was off about her.
"You don't look fine," Hina said quietly, arms crossed, expression calm as ever.
"Well I am, okay?" She said quietly, but he saw her jaw tighten.
"Hm. Okay then..." He said moving closer until they were just a foot apart.
Yano sighed as she left him and her to talk. She turned to go into the kitchen, "I swear, it's like I have a grown ass child rather than a roommate..."
Yoshida chuckled, "Go easy on her, you know how hard she's been taking his death, it's...a lot for her, y'know?"
"Still, though. I get she's mourning, but she doesn't have time for that right now," She said , cutting the onions.
"Woah, that's a little harsh, dontcha' think?" Yoshi said, taking a seat.
"Harsh or not, it doesn't mean she has to throw her life away just because her brother was selfish—"
"—Shut your mouth."
Yano's crimson eyes flickered up, then widened.
Yoshida's faint smile faded as he glance over his shoulder.
Akira was glaring at Yano.
Not just glaring, dissecting.
Her eyes were darkened around the edges, pupils glowing a faint purple as she bore holes into her.
Hinasuke didn't intervene, but his jaw flexed a little.
Yano put the knife down slowly, a stray strand of hair brushing down her sharp features.
"I meant no disrespect, Akira, but..." Her eyes sharpened suddenly, her tone just as deadly as the girl staring back at her as the faint red glow in her eyes flickered...then stopped.
"'But' what, Yano..." Akira's voice bled out like ink. It was soft, but harsh in tone.
Yano's shadow seemingly enlarged from behind as she leaned forward, staring directly at Akira, "But what I said...is true."
Akira's fists clenched as she gritted her teeth, but she controlled herself, controlled her anger, "You're saying my brother was selfish?"
"If he really did kill himself then..." Yano's tone dropped to a low whisper, soft yet unwavering, "Then yes. Yes, he was."
The lights flickered, the air became thicker, like breathing was something difficult.
"Uhm, okay, let's NOT turn this room into dust, okay girls?" Yoshida chuckled, trying to diffuse the situation, but then Akira stood up.
"Tell me, Yano..."
She walked straight up to Yano, who walked up to her.
"...What makes you think you have the right to say that?"
She stood face to face with the ruby haired girl, who only stared at her with a a calm expression, but her fists were glowing by the finger tips.
"That's enough."
Suddenly, the tension in the air fizzled. The lights stopped flickering as Hinasuke stood up, hands in his yellow cotton jacket, stepping between the two girls, towering over both women, "Yano..." He said, eyes meeting hers, "Apologize."
Yano turned to face him, "I have nothing to—"
"Now."
...
She stared long and hard at him, jaw flexed, fingers snapping straight.
Yoshida leaned back on his chair a little, the awkward half smile on his face hoped she'd listen.
To which, Yano did.
She looked at Akira, who was still glaring at her like a predator, "I'm sorry, Akira. I meant no disrespect to your late older brother." She said, bowing.
"Aki. Accept her apology."
"Accepted," she simply said, but her eyes were still darkened.
"Okay so can we stop trying to kill each other please?" Yoshida chimed in, trying to de-escalate the tension again.
This time, Yano chuckled a little as she went back to the station and chopped up the vegetables.
Hinasuke let out a long breath before looking at Akira, "We weren't done talking, you said you wanted to tell me something."
She looked up at him and closed her eyes. The glow in her eyes disappeared before she finally spoke up, "It's actually something I wanna tell all of you."
At that, Yoshida glanced at her, Yano wiped her hands with the towel as she gave Akira her full attention.
"Alright, what is it?" Hinasuke asked.
Akira took a deep breath.
Where would she even begin? How could she say it? Would they...even believe her?
Her mind started doubting, but then a memory. Old as the record player Akashi gave her as a gift.
All five of them, smiling.
Having fun.
Happy.
Her eyes slowly open as she exhaled slowly, the steel in her eyes returning as she finally spoke.
"I got a call from the Ayanaki Police Department..."
Yoshida's brows furrowed.
Hinasuke's eyes narrowed.
Yano's hands rested in her waist.
And Akira...
"Akashi didn't commit suicide."
...her resolved sharpened.
"He was murdered."