Dawn breaks over the mountain overlooking Mitakihara. Lake Lacrima will eventually recover from the intense battle in the depths, but that is behind them now. Hanako, Shinju, Yasu, Koharu and Yosuke emerged from the sewer cover within the metroline station, with Hanako being the first to come out. She looks around, then signals the others to follow. 

The station, as expected, is completely abandoned. Damage and debris tell the tale of a battle— one sided as it was, given the aggressor— that passed weeks prior. After the wanton destruction, it was left alone, probably to rot as the Balancers moved on to other targets.

Luckily, a bench was still mostly intact, and Hanako motioned for Yosuke and Koharu to sit down.

Hanako: …With any luck, Kohaku won’t have had any trouble getting to this place.

Yosuke: Is she gonna come and pick us up here?

Koharu: … (she doesn’t reply, looking as away from him as she possibly can)

Yosuke: C-Come on, I’m just asking a regular question!

Hanako: (equally pointedly, Hanako is looking in the opposite direction)

Yosuke: She tracked my phone, I swear! I-I stopped ratting on you guys after senpai caught me with those pictures. I can explain, if you just listen to me—

Koharu: Done nothing but listen to you for the past week.

Yosuke: I… I never wanted you to get hurt, senpai. I lo—

Koharu: Don’t. Those people on the train are dead because you told that lunatic where we were. I don’t care if you wanted to protect me. You should have wanted to protect everybody.

Yosuke: … (he swallows, choking up slightly as he now looks away as well)

Hanako: (in a low voice, colder than ice) …You owe her your life, boy. She owes you nothing.

Yasu: Is she on her way? (Yasu ignores the conversation entirely, standing beside Hanako)

Hanako: Shinju’s the one who made the call. She would know.

Shinju: (Slightly annoyed, checking her phone) Yes, I know. She’s having us do this really careful ‘cause we’ve already gotten followed around. (Calmer) … Sorry.

Koharu: (she gets up, beginning to pace around nervously)

Hanako: (Hanako closes her eyes, her breathing slowing)

Yasu: …Pushing her down again?

Hanako: Yes. With any luck, I won’t need her again until we reach the others. …With any luck, I won’t need her at all again.

Yasu: I guess it’s better to keep her around, just in case. (she hands Hanako a Grief Seed as the group hears the sound of a vehicle approaching)

Shinju: Shh! Find somewhere out of sight. (The group takes places behind pillars and down side corridors of the station) 

The sound of an engine idling outside the station is the only sound, then it falls silent. Footsteps coming down the stairs echo through the station. A whistle comes from the stairs. Shinju peeks out from her position inside of a tunnel to a restroom. Kohaku is there at the foot of the stairs, checking warily behind her. Shinju breaks from cover and runs across the platform to her.

Kohaku: Shinju! (She pulls off her hood and holds her arms open)

Shinju: (She runs into Kohaku’s arms and hugs her tight, not saying anything. Her shoulders twitch with a sob) 

Hanako: (Hanako silently emerges, waving the others to follow suit. She gives a little smile and a sheepish little wave as she watches the scene before her)

Koharu: (she brushes up against Hanako)

Hanako: (Not reacting to the proximity, Hanako clears her throat as she looks at Kohaku) …In the call, Shinju might have mentioned something else. Something… important, to bring with you?

Kohaku: … Yeah. This, right. (A little more composed than Shinju, she reaches into her pocket without letting go of her sister and produces a medicine bottle) 

Hanako: (Visibly relieved, Hanako walks up and takes the bottle, examining it for a second before giving it to Koharu)

Koharu: (she takes one of the pills in the bottle and takes it, coughing as it is hard to swallow without water) … (after recovering, she takes a deep breath) Let’s go.

Yasu: (she nudges Yosuke’s shoulder) C’mon. We’re going.

Kohaku: Let’s not stay here long. Back to the base. (She pats Shinju’s shoulder gently) Sorry.

Shinju: (She pulls away, sniffling and wiping at her eyes) Yeah. I know. Come on. 

The group cautiously piles into Kohaku’s vehicle, a simple brown car, what looks like a rental, despite such services not available. No one questions it. The drive is in something of an uncomfortable silence, Shinju in the passenger seat with the other four piled in the back. Yasu and Hanako sit between Koharu and Yosuke, at Koharu’s silent request. With some awkward, quiet directions, Kohaku manages to find Yosuke’s address, and he exits with one last glance at Koharu, who does not meet his gaze.

They then reach the gym after thankfully another uneventful drive, the group slowly getting out of the car and overlooking the pile of rubble before them.

Koharu: … (she looks at the others with some weariness, as if wondering the unthinkable)

Hanako: …

Yasu: …This isn’t a trap, right, Hayama? You seemed awfully calm bringing us here, and are pretty calm down. So what’s the rub?

Kohaku: No, it’s not a trap. Just need to take the right way in. (After surveying their surroundings carefully, she steps over the rubble to a particular spot near an upright length of rebar. She searches the air with her hand, eventually finding something to push down on. A narrow, dark crack opens up in the air, around the edges of a concealed door) Come on. Through here now, quickly.

Hanako scurries in first, and the others follow suit. Once inside, Hanako takes in the familiar sights of Paradise Hall, visible relief lighting her face. No signs of activity are seen, but given the time of night, that isn’t a surprise. It’s quiet, and in the ring, curled up like a housecat, Kiwako is soundly asleep.

Koharu: (she looks around, mumbling) Are we… safe here? Is there a room where we can sleep?

Hanako: (Without a word, Hanako climbs into the ring, sitting back against the corner and resting her head on the bottom turnbuckle)

Yasu: (softly) I think it’s… probably pull up a gym mat and get as comfy as you can, unless the basement has some beds or something.

Kohaku: We have cots in the basement if you prefer. Try to keep it quiet, though. I think everyone else has gone to bed by now. 

Shinju: Where’s Kinu?

Kohaku: In the basement clinic. He’d be awake now, I guess. I’ve been taking care of him, and Aoi has too when I’ve not been here. 

Yasu: (glancing at the already sleeping Hanako, Yasu sighs, making her way down to the basement)

Shinju: (She heads downstairs, as quickly as she can without making too much noise, with Kohaku close behind) 

Koharu: (having been left behind, she clambers into the ring as well, nestling up to Hanako, but unable to close her eyes as she stares at the ceiling)

Hanako: (feeling a presence nearby, Hanako stirs, mumbling as she rubs her eyes) …Koharu?

Koharu: I want a futon.

Hanako: Mmmh… I don’t think I can make that happen. (she looks around, lowering her voice) …Where did everybody else go?

Koharu: Downstairs. (she leans her head on Hanako’s shoulder) … I don’t want to deal with other people.

Hanako: (for once, Hanako doesn’t flinch from the contact) …Then don’t, Koharu. There’s no need for us to be down there, I would think. …Though, it would likely be that clinic that Kiwa-chan told me about before I left Tokyo. (her gaze falls on the sleeping Kiwako in the middle of the ring) …So long as we’re sufficiently quiet, we can stay up here and talk. …If you need to, I mean.

Koharu: He… took advantage of me, didn’t he? Of the fact that I didn’t have my medication. Couldn’t think straight. I defended him. And it almost got you all killed.

Hanako: Koharu… (tentatively, Hanako wraps an arm around Koharu’s shoulder) …You know I don’t blame you for any of that, right? And not just because of the medication, either.

Koharu: I blame myself. If I can’t be rational… What else is there?

Hanako: …Human. It means you’re human, Koharu. Flawed and emotional… no different than the rest of us. …In a manner of speaking. I… I cannot personally relate to feelings like that. L-Like what he claims to have for you. What… you might have had for him. But it just means you’re human.

Koharu: I don’t want to be human.

Hanako: (she pulls out her Soul Gem) …The alternative isn’t much better, you know. What would you even wish for?

Koharu: … I wish I could forgive him.

Hanako: …I somehow… don’t think you hate him, Koharu. You saved his life, after all… (she idly turns her Soul Gem, gazing emptily at the pristine emerald egg in her fingers) …Why is that, by the way?

Koharu: … I don’t know.

Hanako: (the hint of a gentle smile crosses her lips) …Logic and reasoning, then. I would guess… deep down, you have the same hypothesis that I have about him. …Yosuke is not really a Balancer.

Koharu: If he were… He had countless opportunities to do far more harm than he did.

Hanako: Mm. (Hanako nods) How many nights did we wake up to find he had been up for a while already? Were he a Balancer, he would not have hesitated, I would think. …There’s something deeper here, Koharu. Something we’re missing. 

Koharu: I’m… gonna find out. I have to.

Hanako: There’s our Club President, Koharu~ (Hanako releases the hold she had on Koharu’s shoulder) …Do you feel any better?

Koharu: … (she sighs) … I suppose.

Hanako: …Remember, Koharu. You still… took me back, even after everything I did. I’m not suggesting you take Yosuke at his word, of course not. But… he wouldn’t be the first killer you’ve forgiven, that’s all I’ll say.

Koharu: … (she doesn’t reply, her eyes closed and breathing gentle as her sleeping head continues to rest on Hanako’s shoulder)

Hanako: (Hanako gives another warm smile, casting one last glance at the sleeping Kiwako before closing her eyes again)