Mizuki couldn't sleep that night.

Ryū was so wrong, there had to be some unexplainable danger. 

Then again, Ryū has gone blind with anger. 

I guess I can't blame him. I mean I would flip out of my best friend tried to murder me. Mizuki thought as she got up and walked out of the territory of the Spirit Wolves.

Mizuki looked up and gasped, she had never seen so many stars! 

Is this what it looked like before we polluted the skies? Mizuki wondered, feeling guilty.

There was a hill, which Mizuki had begun to walk up.

Mizuki blinked, Ayame must have had the same idea, she was already there, gazing at the stars.

Mizuki just stood there, wondering how to announce her presence, luckily she didn't have to, since Ayame looked over to see her.

"Hello," Mizuki said, coming over to sit next to Ayame.

Ayame smiled in return. "Couldn't sleep?" She guessed.

"Yes, something has been bothering me." Mizuki confessed.

Ayame nodded. "I think something has been bothering all of us," she whispered.

"So, what's going on with you and Ryū?" Mizuki asked.

Ayame didn't respond.

"Ayame?" Mizuki said.

"I shouldn't talk about it." Ayame said in a dull voice.

"You will tell me, or by the love of the moons, I'm going to let Blackout eat you." Mizuki threatened.

"Ryū liked me, more than just a friend," Ayame said. "I told him, as nicely as possible that I wasn't really interested in him. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He got angry at me, but I don't believe that my rejection was the only reason why he had attacked me, it was something else. I liked Ryū, but..."

"Not the same way you like Akinori." Mizuki finished.

Ayame looked away, embarrassed.

"Hey, it's okay. You two would be great together." Mizuki told her.

"I don't know when, but at some point, I fell in love with him," Ayame whispered. "I want to tell him, but it never seems like the right time."

Mizuki knew how Ayame felt. "Wait... When you said that Ryū attacked you..." Mizuki said, slowly.

"That's what I mean," Ayame whispered. "He was so so angry, that I guess I can't blame him. But I'm so scared of him, I thought... he was going to kill me. He wasn't so bad before."

"Really?" Mizuki said, very skeptical.

"He's a terrible spy, though." Ayame said, very bluntly.

Mizuki grinned. "Really? I never guessed that! How shocking! Ryū is very quiet!"

Ayame burst out laughing. 

"I'm going on a walk." Mizuki said. 

"By yourself?" Ayame asked in disbelief. 

"Yes," Mizuki replied.

"Must I remind you that you were the one who got eaten by a statue?" Ayame said in a serious tone.

"Okay, you come along." Mizuki said, rolling her eyes.