The next couple of months pass in peaceful bliss. Mitsuri's idea for selling medicine went off without a hitch, and Yumeko found herself with enough leftover money to start buying some comfort items in addition to the essentials.
Everyone kept to their daily schedules, and Yumeko had never been happier. Spending every day with Mitsuri and her grandmother, the life she didn't know she needed until she had it. That only made her worry more about the prospect of it all crumbling down around her. The anxiety pushing down on her chest continued to grow the more her grandmother refused anything but basic treatment.
There was…another thing. She had tried to ignore it at first. The way light touches or hugs made her breath catch and her face light up. The way she wanted to spend all her time just listening to Mitsuri talk. The way a spark would travel up her body every time Mitsuri complimented her. It was all becoming too much for Yumeko. She understood that she was starting to have…feelings…for Mitsuri.
It was something she wanted to deny, something she wished would just go away. Mitsuri was her only friend; she didn't want to ruin that. How could she be so selfish? But no matter how she pleaded, the stray thoughts and blushes never went away. They only got stronger as time went on, and Yumeko was too weak to resist the temptation of staying near Mitsuri.
"What's wrong, dear? I haven't seen you so troubled in ages." Satsuki asks one night as Yumeko brings her food. The question makes her pause as she deftly kneels down beside her.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm the same as ever." She replies, trying to keep a calm face. Satsuki scrutinizes her, and Yumeko does her best to keep from breaking as she lays out the meal.
"Don't try that with me, I raised you." Satsuki snorts, and Yumeko can only sigh at her grandmother's belligerent nature.
"I don't know what you want me to tell you." She states, a bit of frustration leaking into her tone.
"The truth," Satsuki says bluntly. Yumeko sighs again before pausing her actions and looking her grandmother in the eye. She's giving Yumeko a Look. Despite not being a child anymore, Yumeko can't help but shift uncomfortably under the stare, breaking eye contact.
"Look, it's none of your business what I'm worried about. I'm most worried about you. I still think you should go to the hospital." Yumeko fusses, hoping to change the topic.
"I'll be fine." Satsuki waves her off, but doesn't continue the conversation. Yumeko takes that chance, and the rest of their time is spent in silence. When she leaves the room, she spots Mitsuri in the living room, gazing out the open window. Her hair is down for once, and Yumeko's heart gives a traitorous flutter at the sight.
"Is there…something you need?" Yumeko questions. Usually, Mitsuri takes the time to read when Yumeko is helping Satsuki, seeing her break that habit has left Yumeko a bit off balance. Mitsuri turned to Yumeko with a slight smirk.
"Am I not allowed to ponder in silence?" She says it in a joking tone, and it's enough to have Yumeko stifling both laughter and an embarrassed blush.
"No, yes, I mean!" She takes a deep breath, "I mean, you usually aren't out here at this time, is something different today?" Yumeko asks, moving toward Mitsuri and sitting gently down next to her. Mitsuri is silent for a moment before she inhales slightly to answer the question.
"Today is the anniversary of my mother and father's death." She replies. It makes Yumeko pause for a second to absorb the information.
"O-oh. Oh! I'm so sorry!" She frets, hurriedly apologizing.
"What for, silly?" Mitsuri giggles. It's completely different from how she thought Mitsuri would be acting on such a day.
"I-I…don't know. I just, I'm sorry that it happened." She states, trying to make sense of any words she could use to talk with Mitsuri.
"It was…a while ago. I've made my peace with it. I usually take some time to just relax and think about the time I spent with them, that's what I was just doing." She explains. Yumeko nods her head to show she was listening.
"It's…weird, thinking back on it. My parents were my everything when I was a kid. They encouraged me when I would practice being a nurse on them, and they helped me with all the schooling. It was when I was at university that it happened, a car accident. It wasn't anybody's fault, just bad circumstances all around. My everything was taken in an instant, and I couldn't even yell at anybody. I got depressed after that, still am, really. Those effects don't go away, but I had good friends and they made sure I got through it, and through the rest of school." When she finishes, Yumeko feels a warmth on her hand and glances over to see Mitsuri resting it on top of hers.
Yumeko carefully turns her hand around and threads her fingers through Mitsuri's, who gives it a light squeeze.
"Maybe that's why I want to help you. I went through something similar, and I don't want to see someone go through it without any support," Mitsuri says it so quietly it's almost a whisper. But Yumeko hears it, without warning, tears begin to drip down from her eyes.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. What am I doing, crying at your story?" She apologizes.
"It's fine, really. I understand. You're going through a lot right now." Mitsuri squeezes their intertwined hands tighter as Yumeko wipes away the tears.
"Thank you…for sharing that with me. I know it can't have been easy." Yumeko states, looking up into Mitsuri's eyes.
"And thank you for listening. I think it helped." Mitsuri says, giving her a small smile that makes her stomach do flips. Later that night, as Yumeko tosses and turns and tries her best to fall asleep. She wonders if she's making the right decision, staying around Mitsuri. Because how could someone as wonderful as Mitsuri ever fall in love with someone like Yumeko?