The morning rush hour is in full swing when Hanako, Shinju, Koharu and Yosuke step into Yokoyama Station. The station is the major hub for bullet train services in the area, and it shows — travelers, commuters and tourists alike are scurrying back and forth in large crowds, hoping to track down a train that will take them to whichever corner of the country is their destination, all while a cheerful voice announces arrivals and profusely apologizes for even the slightest delay.

Still wearing the disheveled and dirty clothes they have been spending the last few days in, the members of the Newspaper Club are huddled up in front of the large screens announcing the imminent departures, cross-referencing with a large paper map Shinju managed to obtain from the train that dropped them off at this station in order to find a train, any train that will take them closer to their city.

Yosuke: Wait, so the one that leaves at 9:36 from track 3 stops at Kitayama, right? That’s… about 20 kilometers away from the mountains… I think that’s our best shot. None of these trains are going to take us anywhere that’s closer.

Koharu: …

Yosuke: … Unless we take the 9:45 one to Tokyo and see what we can find there. Dunno about you guys, but my wallet’s starting to run dry, though…

Hanako: We won’t have any more luck in Tokyo than we have right now, Yosuke. The 9:36 seems like our best bet, even if there’s a hike at the end of it.

Yosuke: Yeah… yeah, you’re not wrong. Senpai?

Koharu: (she has her eyes closed and her ears plugged, not looking up until Yosuke calls her a second time)

Yosuke: We’re gonna take that 9:36, okay? Just about… (he looks at his watch) 20 minutes before we can have a nice seat again.

Koharu: Nine thirty-six what?

Yosuke: The train. We’re taking the train that leaves at 9:36, okay?

Before Yosuke can reply, a familiar voice calls out to the foursome, and soon enough, the crowd reveals the waving figure of Yasu Matsushita, accompanied by a large suitcase.

Yasu: Damn, Hanako, you weren’t kidding. Right on the dot, just like she told you, huh? (Yasu looks between the group, Koharu last) Been awhile, huh? You all holding up okay? Circumstances aside, I mean.

Hanako: Y-Yacchan! (Hanako’s eyes light up, a warm smile on her face.) You made it!

Shinju: (She raises her arm high) Hey, Yasu! You made it!

Yosuke: (he brings his head closer to Koharu’s, whispering) … Remind me again, this is the girl that used to be in the Club, but—

Koharu: (she replies by wordlessly pounding her fist onto Yosuke’s chest and shoulders a few times, causing him to recoil)

Yosuke: Ow, ow, awch! Hey, man, what the hell?

Hanako: …This is Koharu’s boyfriend, Yosuke.

Koharu: NO! (she suddenly snarls at Hanako, raising her voice, causing a few passers-by to be startled, stare, shake their heads in disapproval or even mutter something in annoyance)

Yosuke: Wow, wow, wow, hey, easy now. She was just joking. You know that, right?

Yasu: (Yasu just raises an eyebrow, otherwise not reacting to the scene) …Well, I’m assuming Hanako filled you in already, but she’s been staying with me in Tokyo for the last month. It sounded like you needed some help, so I decided to come check in. 

Koharu: (she mutters, pacing around while she’s shaking her hands) — telling lies, Hanako never tells lies, why are you telling lies now? Don’t talk when I am trying to ask Hanako why —

Yosuke: Ah, well, it’s, err, much appreciated, senpai. My name is Nishioka. Yosuke, err, Nishioka. I guess I’ve kind of taken your spot in the Newspaper Club? (he struggles to look Yasu in the eyes, unsure whether he’s allowed to talk to her about how and why they ended up here)

Hanako: W-wait, so you two really aren’t…?

Yasu: …It’s not like my seat had a specific name on it. You took your own seat, and I left mine behind. How did you all end up here, anyway?

Yosuke: Errr… (he looks at Hanako, questioningly)

Koharu: Balancers. City in ruins. Attacked. Trying to kill everyone in the city who knows. Ambush. One of the winged girl’s friends saved us. Teleported us as far away as she could. Out of the city. Need to get bac—

Yosuke: Whoa, whoa! I think you’re getting things, eh, mixed up with that movie we watched last night, eh, senpai? Must’ve made quite the impression. Have you, eh, slept well?

Koharu: Shut up.

Shinju: Well, the point is, we were attacked and Hotaru managed to send us all way out here. We’re trying to get back. 

Yasu: (she merely nods, absorbing this information) I see. That lines up with that weird briefing that Kiwa gave us before she and Hanako left. So the goal is to get back home, and kick those Balancers out of it, right?

Yosuke: Ah, so, you’re also… like that. Gotcha. Wait, who’s “Kiwa”?

Koharu: Who is Kiwa?

Shinju: You remember, man. Hanako’s friend that she told us she met while she was out of town. 

Koharu: Bad with names.

Hanako: Kiwa-chan is my other mentor. I met her the day I left Mitakihara. She and Yasu both helped me… overcome myself.

Yasu: I mostly helped with combat training. Despite how evenly we fought in the past, Hanako had a surprisingly lot to learn.

Yosuke: Cool. Cool cool cool cool—Ow! (he gives an exaggerated yelp when Koharu prods him)

Yasu: There is no sense hiding it, since we need to be on the same page right now anyway. Hanako and I used to be enemies. I followed the wrong people. When all was said and done, I left high school to begin my college studies early. I moved out to Tokyo, away from it all. Then, about a month ago, Hanako showed up at my doorstep with another girl in tow, asking for training. I never lost my edge, and we parted on good terms, so I decided to help. At the same time, Kiwa was helping her in an emotional and spiritual sense, while I focused on keeping her sharp, physically. About a week ago, Kiwa started acting weird, and I got wind of this plan. Never imagined it would be something this extreme, though. But uh, once I help you all take back Mitakihara, I’m coming back to Tokyo. I still have my studies to consider.

Yosuke: Man, this sounds like something straight out of a manga…

Hanako: After everything you saw firsthand at the Bends, you still have doubts?

Yosuke: I didn’t mean to say that was a bad thing!

Hanako: (her voice lowers, so that only the group can hear her) Your world, your very reality has been pulled out from under you. Suspend your disbelief, Yosuke, lest it swallow you whole. The power our enemy wields, it does not care if you believe in it or not.

Yosuke: Yeah… I did feel that. (he exhales) Don’t think I’m gonna be much help, though. Seems like this is a kind of “boys not allowed” kind of deal. Or—Hey, senpai, why aren’t you a, err, what’s it called? Paella Maggi? (he looks behind him, to notice Koharu is gone) Err, senpai?

Hanako: Koharu?!

Yasu: Keep calm. We search for Koharu. All hands on deck, that sort of thing.

Shinju: Dag nabbit, why’s she wandering around at a time like this…

Yosuke: No no no, she was right here just now. Where the hell did she run off to? (he whips out his phone, trying to call Koharu)

Hanako: (Hanako closes her eyes, contemplating reaching out to Koharu telepathically. Yasu places a hand on her shoulder to stop her, shaking her head.) …Right. We’ll have to just split up. Call the others when you find her.

Yosuke: Ah, do you guys have, like, a group chat or something? I don’t have your numbers.

Hanako: (Hanako taps her phone to Yosuke’s) You have mine now. Koharu has mine, too. But I can set up a group chat while we search.

Yosuke: Damn it, I’ll check this side. (he heads off in the indicated direction, pushing through the crowd) Sorry, excuse me.

Shinju: I’ll take a look around the shops. Be right back. 

After the group splits up, Yosuke pushes his way through the corvus of hurried commuters, passing by various shops, stalls and booths, calling out for Koharu. After a few minutes, he spots a familiar head of curls fidgeting through the masses, nervously looking around.

Yosuke: S-Senpai! Hey! (Koharu doesn’t react, causing Yosuke to run up to her) Senpai!

Koharu: (she turns around, flashing him a frightened look and snapping at him) What?

Yosuke: A-Are you okay? 

Koharu: What do you mean?

Yosuke: Why did you run off like that—

Koharu: —gone all of a sudden.

Yosuke: We didn’t move, senpai. Did you get distracted by something? Maybe you got swept up by the crowd—

Koharu: Did not get swept up by the crowd.

Yosuke: I’m not accusing you of anything. These kinds of things just happen, don’t worry. (he smiles, reaching out a hand) Come on, senpai. Let’s go back. We’re almost home.

Koharu: No.

Yosuke: What do you mean, no?

Koharu: No. Not leaving.

Yosuke: You wanna stay here, in the middle of this crowd?

Koharu: No.

Yosuke: Then let’s go!

Koharu: N-No.

Yosuke: Senpai!

Koharu: Go back to the inn.

Yosuke: … (his face falls) N-No, I’m staying with you all, senpai. I know you don’t like me, but—

Koharu: I wanna go back to the inn. Go back to the inn. Need to go back to the inn.

Yosuke: We gotta keep moving, senpai. We’ll be at another inn tonight.

Koharu: No.

Yosuke: It’ll be fine, I promise.

Koharu: Don’t know if I can sleep in another inn. I want last night’s inn.

Yosuke: We can’t, senpai. We have to go back to Mitakihara. It’s… All inns are basically the same. You’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. I promise. You can punch me if I’m wrong.

Koharu: No. I won’t be able to sleep.

Yosuke: You… You can sleep on the train if that’s the issue. Right?

Koharu: No. Only sleep at tonight’s inn.

Yosuke: H-How are you so sure about that?

Koharu: Able to sleep last night. How can I be sure I’ll be able to tonight when I’m not in the same room?

Yosuke: You weren’t worried about that before we slept at last night’s inn, weren’t you? It’ll be—

Koharu: You don’t get it! I need to sleep!

Yosuke: I get you’re tired, that’s—we’re all tired. But once we’re on the train, you can sleep for—

Koharu: NO! Not on the train!

Yosuke: I’ll keep an eye out. I’ll stay awake. There’s nothing to be afraid of, okay? You can just… close your eyes, and I’ll wake you up when we have to get off. No worries. No worries.

Koharu: I need to find mom and Midori. I need to sleep to find mom and Midori.

Yosuke: And you’ll be able to do that—

Koharu: I need to sleep to find mom and Midori, but I can’t sleep. I can’t sleep. I can’t sleep. Only last night, I could sleep.

Yosuke: I’ll make sure you can sleep sound anywhere—

Koharu: I can’t sleep. I can’t sleep. Need medicine to sleep.

Yosuke: The sooner we get back home, the sooner you can take your medicine again.

Koharu: Now. Need medicine now.

Yosuke: Senpai, this isn’t you. You’re… With the medicine, you can be yourself again. It can help you. You don’t have to feel like this, but for that we need to get home as soon as we can.

Koharu: No. I want to sleep. I need to sleep to find mom and Midori.

Yosuke: (he desperately meets Koharu’s muttering with the same reply, the only reply he can think of) You can sleep on the train.

Koharu: Not on the train. Not on the train.

Yosuke: I don’t want to see you like this. I want to help you. (he pauses) … Please let me help you.

Koharu: Then don’t make me sleep on the train!

Yosuke: You don’t—I’m not telling you to sleep on the train. It’s up to you. But if you think you need sleep, then you—

Koharu: No. Listen to me. I can’t sleep.

Yosuke: But why? Why can’t you sleep?

Koharu: Because of mom and Midori! Because of mom and Midori! I can’t sleep! I keep thinking about them.

Yosuke: Don’t you want to see them again?

Koharu: Yes!

Yosuke: Then we need to get back home, senpai!

Koharu: No! I need to sleep to see them again! But I can’t sleep because I keep thinking about them! I want to sleep! I want to! I want to—

Yosuke: I’m sure you can. I believe in you. You can do it. You can… see them again.

Koharu: I… I don’t want to feel like this.

Yosuke: This is… All of this will pass. It will pass. And you can make it through… You’re strong enough. You’re strong. Just like how Hanako, and Shinju and Yasu are strong enough to… to beat these Balancers.

Koharu: I’m not. I’m—

Yosuke: You’re one of the—You’re the strongest person I know. (he tentatively reaches out another hand) You can. Come on. We have a train to catch.

Koharu: I want to sleep… on the train.

Yosuke: Come on, then. (he smiles, holding out his hand)

Koharu: (she sniffles, shaking her head as she averts her gaze)

Yosuke: Can you walk?

Koharu: (she shakes her head again)

Yosuke: (he mumbles) Oh God… (with an awkward sigh, he turns around and crouches, offering Koharu the chance to climb onto his back.)

Much to his surprise, she does, without much hesitation or complaining, and she wraps his arms around his shoulders, resting her head onto his. She’s surprisingly light, and Yosuke is happy he can lift her without making too much of a fool of himself in public like this. Without a word, he carries Koharu back to the rendezvous spot. He has never experienced her being this quiet before. She doesn’t say anything, not even when the two reunite with Hanako, Shinju and Yasu.

Hanako: (Hanako looks on with a concerned expression, but she doesn’t say anything.)

Yasu: Oh good, you found her.

Yosuke: Lost and found. … Please tell me we haven’t missed our train.

Hanako: (Hanako shakes her head, speaking quietly) It should arrive in just a few minutes, actually.

Yosuke: Oh, thank God. (he sighs in relief as he looks around for where the group can find the right platform) Err, senpai? Think you can walk on your own now?

Koharu: …

Yosuke: (he huffs) It’s, eh, not that you’re heavy or anything! In fact, you’re surprisingly light! Err, not that you look heavy or anything, it’s just—hnngh—I, err, may not be very strong, so, err—Maybe you can… get off? Of my back?

Koharu: No.

Yosuke: (he groans in defeat as he begins trudging towards the platforms)

Hanako: (Hanako giggles as the group converge on the platform, and the train slowly pulls in)

Their embarkment goes off without a hitch, and a few minutes later, the bullet train pulls out of Yokoyama Station, bringing the group one step closer to their destination. Among the crowd seeing the train off, however, is a hooded figure, revealing a grin on their otherwise hidden face as they watch the train disappear into a dark tunnel.