"Stephy, you haven't eaten anything of your sandwich yet. Is there too many tomatoes in it?"

I snap back as I realize I had been staring at my sandwich, having been loaded with more and more thoughts about what has happened during these past days.

...I also forgot that I am actually at CiRCLE with Touko, her band and literally all the other band girls as well.

"Oh, uh, sorry about-"

"Stephan, you dislike tomatoes?" Yukina suddenly ask me as I also realize Touko just revealed my heavy dislike for tomatoes.

"Y-yeah, what about it?! I hate tomatoes, worst thing ever..." I say as I lift up on the bread of the sandwich to take out the tomatoes that were still in there.

"Stephy, I can help you-"

"No, I am fine, thank you!" I suddenly lash out, before I finally snap back fully and get more clear in my head. "N-no, Touko, I am so sorry-"

But she just hugs me as everyone looks on, most likely wondering why I have been like this in the latest time.

I wish myself I could fully know why I am getting so damn affected by all this shit happening regarding my assassin life, but I guess it's just natural...

"Is there something that has happened?" Saaya asks me as I just shake my head. "No, something has happened, don't lie now! It's clear you are troubled-"

"Just leave him be for once!" Touko lashes out at Saaya as she and everyone else gets quiet. "I... I know what troubles him, but I am not telling any of you at least..."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know... I just... Didn't expect him to rely so much on you-"

"S-Saaya, what are you implying..?!" I ask her as she goes quiet before I hear Rui sigh.

"She is right in implying. Why would you rely this much on Touko when she isn't the most reliable-"

My head went blank again, and I soon find myself get restrained by Touko from me... almost swinging my deployed beam katana at Rui...

I... almost killed one of my friends...

I couldn't even remember what actions I were doing, but I remember screaming at the top of my lungs as I almost launched at her for saying that Touko is unreliable...

"Stephy, please calm down, please..!" Touko desperately tells me as I soon lower my beam katana, seeing how Rui for the first time looked... terrified.

I had for the first time made her express very vividly, and it was the look of someone who is feeling that extreme dread from near death.

I throw away the beam katana as I collapse, with Touko still hugging onto me and caressing me so I can calm down.

No idea why I even brought my beam katana with me, but guess I have gotten paranoid in the latest time, so I can't help it...

"...I am sorry everyone, but I think I should just see Touko for now." I say as my beloved helps me stand up and wraps the sandwich in the plastic as we head out.

I pick up my beam katana as well as everyone is still looking at me, wondering what even just happened.

Why I have been so extra troubled is actually not only because of the killing, but also that I not too long ago got the message that after doing the ranked battle to claim rank 90, I would be forced to travel around Japan for the other assassins.

It came... very suddenly, and I had a hard time coming out about this to Touko, but I eventually told her, and she definitely was not happy that the UAA had to involve me in even more shit that makes not being able to spend time with my beloved and have free time in general.

"That god darn UAA! I just wish they could stop already with having you in their sick games, you do not deserve being thrown around like this..!"

She was to say at the very least pissed off that this would be something I had to go on.

Touko has also tried convincing me that I shouldn't go on the trip and just skip it totally, but unfortunately, this is the fate of my parents being decided, so I can't decline...

Just why does all this need to happen? Am I meant to eventually lose my beloved, just to be in a horrible life of killing people?

Pondering and pondering, Touko clings onto me as she feels that I am still feeling bothered, trying her best to calm me down.

"Hey Touko, can I stay with you for some more during the day..?"

"But of course! You don't even need to ask, Stephy, you know I love having you by my side!" she replies to me as I feel myself smiling as she begins blushing a ton from it.

"Why blush so much, my smile isn't that great now, is it..?"

"Well, what if I think that~?" Touko tells me as she embraces me more, keeping her close to me the whole time. "You are so adorable, it's no surprise everyone glances a little extra on you time from time~"

"Touko..." I can just reply as I hug onto her more, feeling more safe than ever with her.

"I'm here, and I love you so much..." she replies as she kisses me on my cheek like she usually does, but it's a good place really. Any place is good for my beloved's kisses, heh...

It's conflicting with what I have to experience, but alas, I have to do my best. Something I always say, but that's truly the case here.

But I can do that when I know Touko is by my side, my wonderful and beloved Touko...

"You are looking like that on me again~" she soon says as she kisses me even more. It soon turns into a more passionate kiss as we hold onto each other tightly.

"You're the best, and let no one else tell you otherwise, Stephy~" she tells me after the kiss as I feel her pull in me to an alley, just see her puckered lips come at me again.

Back at the apartment complex, Chiyu is standing against the wall at the bottom floor, waiting me in as she knows about what her mother is doing this time.

But as I arrive and enter, she looks at me and can just chuckle while I just feel so satisfied~

"You look like an absolute mess. And to think this is just from Touko smooching you all over." Chiyu says as she beckons to me to come with her. "We need to talk, if you don't mind! Oh and wipe away all those kiss marks as well, I can't take you serious when you have all that over your face."

After I had cleaned up myself a little, we sit down, me on the sofa and Chiyu in a rather big office chair.

"...I very well know what my mother is doing this time. Not to mention that it's next to unavoidable." Chiyu says as she slams her hand into one of the arms on the chair as she sighs. "Damn it..."

"I have pretty much... accepted at this point that I will have to do the trip." I say as I sink in my seat.

Chiyu looks at me as I just look so helpless, before she jumps off her seat and sit next to me and pats me on the back.

"H-hey, it's okay..." she says as I look at her, surprised she is so supportive. "Oh, I think I know what you are thinking."

Chiyu giggles as she thinks, before looking to me with a very soft smile.

"Well, you are a cool guy to begin with. You aren't meek nor a full time pervert, and even if you might look down on yourself, we don't, especially not Touko."

"Heh yeah, Touko certainly looks very highly on me. God, I love her..." I say as I blush and Chiyu laughs more.

"Of course you do, who would you be without her? And admittedly, I am sure you have made everyone's lives a little brighter."

"I have? You've got to be joking, there is no chance-"

"Rui, for example, only kept on calling us all by our last names, but now she has begun calling everyone by their first name, Sayo and Yukina has followed suit as well! All getting more lighthearted due to you." Chiyu tells me as I look at her wide eyed. "Those DJ girls in Lyrical Lily? Absolutely having more of a blast than ever to perform, wanting to do their best for their dear senpai."

"I... change people for the better..?" I ask Chiyu as she nods as I look at floor as I can feel my lips quivering. I just never expected to hear that...

"Making a change of heart in people never needs to take a big procedure, just someone who is willing to fully talk with them, no matter what." Chiyu says as she tilts back in her seat. "Of course, corrupt people is a different story, but I think you get what I mean!"

"So please, Stephan, don't think your leave will only affect Touko. It's sweet of you to beforehand care about the one you love, but we all will miss you, no matter what." she soon tells me as she retracts a little.

"So that's why we will throw a huge party!" a very familiar voice suddenly says behind me as I feel myself been hugged, and that feeling is way too familiar.

"Touko!" I say with great joy as I see that everyone else comes out of hiding, all happy to see me. "Wait, how long were you guys here for..?"

"As long as it took with the time Touko spent on kissing you all over. Geez, you two take forever with your lovey dovey stuff, haha!" Tsukushi says as everyone else laughs while Touko hops into the seat next to me and snuggles with me.

"But, I got so aggresive at CiRCLE-"

"Sorry, but I have told them why." Chiyu admits as I tense up.

"Wait, so you mean-"

"Yeah, you were going to demonstrate how that cool new laser katana was like, as you help with a toy manufacturer right now!" Kokoro says as I sigh out in relief, but look at Touko in surprise.

"(Don't ask me, Chiyu came up with the idea, heh.)" Touko whispers to me as I just chuckle.

"(Good idea of her really.)" I reply as we two once again go for sharing a passionate kiss with each other, an even longer one than the last one we did an hour ago.

After that, we all begin preparing things that will be for the party. Won't be today, but preparations are always good to do so it won't become stressful and we won't be hurrying too much.

Touko must've told everyone about the trip, but she still knew that there are more sinister things going on, so she and Chiyu are the only ones who knows why I am so extra bothered about the trip to begin with.

But... I still have no idea if I should tell her how long the trip actually is. I think for now, it's best to not say that I will not be able to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

"We can do a piñata maybe~!" Touko says as she puts a blindfold over her eyes. "Swinging around that bat to get out all that candy~"

I sneak up behind her and soon kiss her on her ear, which makes her jump a little before taking of her blindfold and looking at me.

"Heh, sorry about that, babe. I just always love how cute you can be-"

But I don't manage to say more before she collides her lips with mine before we begin doing a very rough make out session.

"H-hey, calm down you two! You can do stuff like that at your own rooms!" Chiyu protests as me and Touko just continue on.

When preparations seems good enough, we all say our goodbye, but as usual, Touko stays behind with me a little more.

Heading together to my apartment, I ask her if she wants something, and she just shakes her head, mostly just wanting to be with me and talk some.

Perhaps then I should tell her about the actual length of the trip, but it depends...

...No, I think I will keep myself from saying it just yet, I don't want her to panic by any means over the fact that I will be gone for so long.

"Hey Stephy, now when I will soon enough live with you, what would you want us two do more of~?" she soon asks me as I think for a good bit.

"Well, we certainly will be able to cuddle every day before we head to school or work." I tell her as she blushes while smiling widely. "You know, I did actually plan that we could have the same room, you and I."

"Ooh, that would be great~!"

"Yeah, there's enough space and all. Otherwise we could go for getting a bigger bed so we can sleep in the same bed as well..." I say as Touko just giggles ftom my suggestion.

"So many things we can do around here really once I move in after your trip~" she says as she hugs me. "I'm so happy, Stephy..."

"Yeah, so am I, Touko, so am I." I reply to her as I feel lighter and lighter in my chest. She really does make me so happy, and her getting to live with me in my apartment will be great.

I better make the best out of the time I have before I do my upcoming battle.

"You know, I have thought of something. Let's go, Touko!"

"Ooh, I will love to see what you are planning now~!" she says as she heads alongside me out of the apartment before we head outside and towards town.

We continue on, until we come to the pet store, which we head inside.

"Something you and I can take care of, together." I tell her as we go through the mountains of animal food, before we get to the section they have smaller animals for sale. "Here, have had my eyes on this little guy for quite some time now..."

I point to a cage where a mouse is currently eating a lettuce leaf, before it looks to us.

"Aww, he's so cute..!" Touko says as she carefully knocks on the glass cage. "Hey there little guy, seems you try to rival my Stephy's cuteness, hehe~"

The mouse goes up to us and plants its pink paws against the glass cage, most likely curious who we are that, finally, looks at him.

"So yeah, I figured we could adopt him as our pet." I tell Touko as she becomes very happy.

"That would be awesome! I am sure mom and dad won't mind either if we go for taking care of him at each other's home every other week, hehe~" she says as we both laugh before going up to the cashier.

"Hello, ma'am, we would like to adopt the mouse you have on display." I tell the cashier as she brims up.

"Oh my, it's lovely that you two want to adopt little Takumi! People did adopt many of our mice for some time, but Takumi was the only one left."

"Then we will be more than happy to give him a brand new and loving home." I reply as Touko nods in agreement.

We buy a new cage and additional stuff with the purchase before Takumi gets to be in a little cardboard box that Touko carries.

Making our way back home to me to set up Takumi's cage, we soon bump into the members of Happy Around.

"Ooh, hi senpai! What are you and Touko up to?" Rinku asks me as she is almost up in my face, but I push her back a little.

"Personal space, thank you." I tell her as she awkwardly laughs before apologizing.

"Nothing you say to Touko though, I can imagine." Maho soon says as she chuckles before looking to the cage and cardboard box. "Oh yeah, I am pretty curious too what this could be you two are up to."

"We took and adopted a cute pet mouse, hehe~!" Touko soon says as she shows the box more. "He's in here currently, but don't worry, he has enough space and all until we get back home to Stephy~"

"Hmm, a pet mouse? That's new, so many of us would either go for cats or dogs, you know." Muni says as Rei is quick to add.

"Esora does have a pet pig! And Tae of Poppin'Party has bunnies!" she says as we all nod.

"Pets are always nice, so it will be great to own one alongside my boyfriend~" Touko soon says as she snuggles close to me while Rei sighs as if she is daydreaming something nice.

"Ooh, senpai really is like a prince, loving his soon to be bride..!" Rei says as Muni just looks weirded out at her.

"You have been obsessed with the thought of having a boyfriend ever since you got to know about Stephan and Touko's relationship." she says as she shrugs and sighs.

"But it's seems so lovely, being like a princess to a wonderful guy..!" Rei continued either way as the rest of just laughs at her daydreaming.

"Well, I definitely don't mind seeing myself as Stephy's very awesome princess~" she says as she blushes and smugly smiles while looking at me.

"Heh, y-yeah..." I just reply as I get a little flushed from seeing her do that smile on me, I haven't seen that since we did that little thing together awhile back after all.

We soon say our goodbyes to the members in Happy Around as we continue to my home.

Setting up the cage, we soon let out Takumi in his brand new cage, walking around a little as he sees his brand new home.

"I hope he will like this new home of his, and that he will like you, because he has to be with you for most of the time until I get back from the trip." I tell Touko as she hugs me tightly.

"Well, I am sure it won't be too long of it, so don't worry about it~" she says as I feel myself get slightly heavy as this reminds me I have not told her the actual time I will be away.

Perhaps I will tell her once the party comes around, I will after have done my upcoming ranking battle by then, so I guess I don't have to fear as much to get the words out.

It will be needed eventually, as I can't hide things from my beloved Touko, she will figure it out eventually something is not right.

"Let's cuddle a little, what do you say?" I ask her as she cheerfully nods as we head to my room to lay down and rest while cuddling.

I've got to spend as much time as possible with her for now, before tomorrow arrives.

To Be Continued...

(A/N):

Been awhile since I last did one of these notes, but yeah, the first arc is finally coming to a close in the very next chapter.

That's also why this one is much shorter of it, but this and the upcoming one also teases some stuff that will be more prominent in the second arc, this being custom Live2D sprites.

This will just be for Bandori characters, and most likely just being Touko who gets more Live2D sprites of her to have her being the most expressive character.

It's been a ride thus far, and I really look forward to starting on the second arc. I have big things planned for it thus far, but it will be spoiler if I say now what will happen.

If I sit down enough, I might even get everything done in a small amount of time and maybe even get out the next chapter today in my timezone.

See you around, and thank you everyone that take your time to read this book of mine, it's appreciated.