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Yukari has never met a more annoying person than Kotone Shiomi.
And that was a damn accomplishment; she'd been friends with Junpei for years, and it was hard to get any more obnoxious than him. And yet, Kotone somehow achieved the impossible.
It wasn't that Kotone was a jerk. She was the opposite; a selfless, kind person going out of her way to help random strangers for nothing in return.
Too selfless. Too reckless. A bleeding heart. The amount of times she'd go out of her way to take a blow for a friend...
Heck, Kotone had even fought off a bunch of punks to protect Yukari. As if Yukari couldn't defend herself!
Kotone was their leader. They were meant to be protecting her, not the other way round.
That was why Yukari was fuming when she'd nearly been hit by a car, and Kotone had shoved her out of the way just in time, only to fall over and hurt herself.
Even while on the tarmac, even while bruised, Kotone kept smiling. And of course, all her concern was not for herself, but for Yukari.
"Are you okay, Yukari-chan?" she asked, moving to get up.
Yukari felt rage burning in her chest, and pain, and frustration. She slapped Kotone across the face.
"Are you stupid!?" she yelled.
Kotone blinked, looking at her while nursing her cheek. "Huh?"
"You can't just..." Yukari stormed around, clenching her fists. "You could've died!"
For me?
Yukari trembled. She'd never, ever forgive Kotone if she died for her.
"So?" Kotone asked, far too nonchalant. "We go into Tartarus every other night. It's just a car."
"You're not invincible!" Yukari shouted. "What are we supposed to do if you die?!"
"So it's okay if you get hurt, then?" Kotone argued, finally getting to her feet. She and Yukari were eye to eye, red against pink. The Fool against the Lovers.
"That's not what I meant," Yukari mumbled.
In truth, though, it was. Sure, it would be painful to die. Sure, she'd be missed. But Kotone was different. She was the leader, she was important. Everyone at school loved her - scratch that, the whole damn island loved her. Yukari didn't hold a candle in comparison. If she died, it wouldn't even be a whisper in the wind. But if Kotone died, it would be a violent, raging tsunami, crushing and dragging down everyone and everything around her.
The world needed Kotone, but it did not need Yukari.
"You're our leader," Yukari went on, her voice cracking. "We need you. I..."
I need you.
"And we need you too," Kotone said, hand on Yukari's cheek.
"Compared to you?" Yukari snorted. "Yeah, right."
"Hey, that's my best friend you're insulting there," Kotone warned. "The first person I met here. The girl who waited by my bedside at the hospital. A girl who barges into back alleys like it's no big deal. A girl who isn't afraid to stick up for others. And a girl who won't let anyone talk down to her or her friends. That's who you're insulting: a hero."
Yukari went all red in the face.
"You..." she trailed off. She couldn't believe the nerve. Why was her heart racing so fast? She tried to speak, but her tongue was twisted.
And then her thoughts really began to spiral.
For a while, Yukari had been claiming to herself and others that she was 'looking for a boyfriend'. However, she kept putting off the search, for the most bare-bones excuses. In truth, whenever she actually thought about looking for a boyfriend, she was overcome with the urge to just... not. Do literally anything else. So she continued her excuses, saying that she was 'too busy' (which was partly true to be fair) and 'too tired' (also kinda true) and she 'hadn't found the right guy yet'.
She'd met a lot of guys, though. Heck, Sanada-Senpai was one of the most popular guys in school. She didn't feel anything romantic or sexual towards him, though. And definitely not Junpei, either.
Had she... actually ever felt anything towards a man before? Really, she found herself just wanting to hang out with Kotone…
These were the thoughts running through her head as Kotone was standing there, smiling at her, like nothing was wrong. She wanted to slap her again. She wanted to hold onto Kotone and never let go. She really wanted to kiss her.
Oh god, she needed to stop spiralling.
Kotone was still looking at her with that stupid expression.
"Whatever," Yukari took a deep breath. "Look. Just... don't do that again. Okay?"
"Can't make any promises," Kotone chuckled.
"Kotone," Yukari pleaded.
Kotone held her hands. Her hands were rough and calloused, much like Yukari's own.
"C'mon, I'll buy you a snack from the convenience store," she teased.
"Like that's gonna work," Yukari snorted. "You can't just bribe me."
"Can't I?" Kotone teased, and she was already slipping away.
Yukari groaned. Really, there was no human being more annoying than Kotone Shiomi. But she couldn't deny her overwhelming relief that Kotone was still alive, still with her. She'd only known the girl for half a year, but she couldn't imagine life without her.
Despite everything, Kotone didn't die after the fall of Nyx. Not immediately, anyway.
She'd walked out of the school, smiling brightly as always. Apparently, she'd discovered the answer to life's greatest question. Whatever that question was, it didn't matter at the moment. Kotone was alive. She was okay.
Kotone was practically bowled over as she was surrounded by her friends, hugging her, sobbing her name. Koromaru kept trying to jump up and lick her face. Yukari was pretty sure this was the first time she'd seen Sanada-senpai sobbing like a baby. Even Aigis had tears streaming down her face. God, Yukari wished Aragaki-senpai were here to see this.
Yukari held Kotone, grabbing her cheeks, taking in her scent, her presence. She would never let her go. Not again. Kotone held her back, smiling softly. Yukari couldn't stop crying as she placed her face into the crook of her neck. Everything was okay. Kotone had survived. She was okay.
And then.
And then.
Her memories...
Kotone was a good friend of hers. But for some reason, she couldn't help but feel as if she was missing something...
What was she missing? Why couldn't she remember?
Who was the girl with blue eyes? She was her dormmate, right? What had happened to Kirijo-senpai's father last year? Why did something feel wrong about Aragaki-senpai's supposed death?
Why couldn't she remember?
And then...
March 5th.
Graduation Day.
She remembered.
Kotone was sitting on the rooftop. Aigis was beside her, combing a hand through her hair. She was so sleepy.
Yukari burst out the door, taking in deep breaths of air. She'd managed to get there just before everyone else. Aigis stared at her as she drew near.
"You..." Yukari trailed off.
She looked at Kotone. Kotone's skin was chalky and pale, and her lips were cracked. Kotone had looked pretty lousy for the entirety of the past month, but today... she looked worse than Yukari had ever seen. A doll moments away from shattering.
Aigis looked into Kotone's eyes, squeezing her hands between her own. She looked back up at Yukari, before giving her a brief nod. She stood up, backing away.
Yukari walked towards Kotone, sitting down beside her. Kotone stared at her with those brilliant red eyes, which seemed duller than ever before.
"Kotone!" Yukari shouted.
Kotone smiled at her. "Hey."
"You... you look awful," Yukari stammered.
Kotone laughed. She reached up, grabbing a strand of Yukari's hair.
"It's such a nice day today," she sighed.
"Aren't you mad?!" Yukari demanded.
"About what?" Kotone asked.
"I finally remember!" Yukari choked on her sobs. "Everything we went through, I just... I can't believe I forgot it all!"
"It's okay," Kotone replied, even though it really wasn't.
Yukari clenched her fists. She looked into Kotone's eyes again. They distracted her from everything.
"You really are an idiot," she grumbled.
"What've I done this time?" Kotone joked.
"Haven't you figured it out?" Yukari demanded. She'd slap Kotone if she didn't look so terrible.
"Why are you like this...?" Yukari muttered, under her breath.
Kotone raised her palm, reaching Yukari's cheek.
"It's okay," she repeated.
"No it's not," Yukari retorted. "I... I... I have to tell you the truth! I can't believe I forgot my own feelings, after everything. I'm so sorry, Kotone. I'm so sorry."
The sounds of the others grew louder. Yukari swallowed. She had to say it now.
"I love you, you idiot!" Yukari yelled. "I want to be with you. I... I know. I should've said it before." She tried for a smile of her own. "But better late than never, right?"
Kotone kept holding her cheek. "It's okay, Yukari."
"Stop saying that," Yukari pleaded.
Kotone closed her eyes, holding Yukari's hand in hers.
"Yukari," she said.
"Yeah?" Yukari asked.
"I love you too," Kotone told her, so quiet, so gentle. "Thank you."
Yukari's face went all flushed. She couldn't believe this was real. Her eyes burned with tears of joy. She drew close to Kotone's lips.
"I'm so glad we're back together," she said, her voice quietening down. "And I'm so excited for the rest of the year. I'm... I'm even looking forward to seeing my mom. We've got so many things planned, remember?"
She could feel Aigis watching. The robot said nothing, but Yukari could feel a wave of pensive melancholy from her.
"But for now, just rest, okay?" Yukari told Kotone. "You look exhausted."
She kissed her, softly. Kotone blinked, slowly, before she closed her eyes.
Later on, Yukari would repeat this scene in her mind over and over again. She'd scream and cry and beg, but deep down, she knew the truth. There was nothing she could've done.