A/N: This chapter will be confusing if you haven't read the previous instalment, so I'll clarify that this 'Ichiro' is actually Tsutomu controlling his body.

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Yukari didn't want to admit it, but she was beginning to feel quite attached to her fellow flesh spectre. She wasn't exactly sure why, but she guessed it was because he was a charming pretty boy like Ryōichi, the young man she'd dated when a normal life had still seemed very much within reach.

He had taken her out to dances, movie theatres, and even a fancy dinner or two until the day when he'd finally had enough of her frigid nature and jilted her in favour of some girl who was prettier and more vivacious.

She'd gained a reputation of being of loose morals afterwards, and struggled to find herself another match, which had been further complicated by the strange feelings she began to have towards other women, and her father only bringing more shame upon them by angrily confronting Ryōichi in public.

The ensuing mess had been enough to make her lose all hope in a better future, so she'd eventually sought to free herself while alone at home one night. She'd turned on the stove and thrown in some lumps of coal, then allowed herself to breathe in the tainted air and slowly succumb to a dreamless slumber.

She'd woken up in shock seemingly hours later, believing that her attempt had failed, until her distraught grandmother Momoe came into the room to deliver the news of her father's death. She'd struggled to understand what had happened at first, but it all became clear when Momoe forbade her from attending the funeral out of fear for the uproar her presence would cause.

The same became true for other public events after Yukari was sent all the way to Sapporo to lie low for several years, only returning to Tokyo when her grandmother was no longer capable of living independently.

As Yukari's mind returned to the present day, and she became aware of Ichiro sitting beside her on the moving train, she wondered if he had been through something similar long ago. The act he'd put on a few days earlier had been convincing enough to fool her, so she guessed that he had drawn on his past experiences for such a performance.

It was a shame that he'd found comfort with a mortal woman instead of somebody like herself, who was capable of understanding his struggles. Yukari didn't want to end up alone again, so she turned to her companion to ask an important question. "We'll stay in touch after tonight, won't we?"

He stared out the carriage window for a few seconds before straightening up. "Of course. I'm not that kind of guy, and besides, there's a lot we can still learn from each other..."

Yukari smiled in relief despite knowing how much it contradicted her tough reputation. "Thank you. I just want a friend who will stick around."

"So do I," Ichiro replied without hesitation, though the lack of conviction in his voice was enough for Yukari to suspect that he was just trying to appease her. There was only so much she could do to change a person's feelings, so she leant back in her seat with a sigh to count the number of stops left on their journey.

******

Rays of sunlight broke out over the horizon when the two arrived outside the white apartment building, and Ichiro turned to face her. Yukari wanted to look away when met with his kindly eyes, but she willed herself to focus straight ahead, believing that anything else would appear cowardly.

"Well, I've enjoyed our time together," he said with a tired smile that made him look quite adorable. "But I must be going now. Kumiko is waiting for me..."

Yukari nodded, knowing that they were supposed to part ways now. Yet her heart refused to accept this, and she sought an excuse to stay with him longer.

"Hey," she called out just as Ichiro began to walk away from her. "Is it all right if I come along? I need to talk to Futoshi about something."

Ichiro turned his head back in her direction, then relented with a shrug. "Sure. What's the worst that could happen? Let's go..." He spun around on his nimble feet, and she followed him through the double glass doors while trying to ignore a sudden hunch that things were about to be anything but pleasant.