— in which Yashiro is determined to learn more about Hanako

- - -

RadishLegs: good morning Hanako-kun!

RadishLegs: I'm pretty early, huh? :D

HANAKO-KUN_7: ...

RadishLegs: okay, I admit, 4am really is early

HANAKO-KUN_7: understatement of the century. it's a friday, Yashiro

RadishLegs: but I have an important question!

HANAKO-KUN_7: Yeah?

RadishLegs: what is with you and your obsession with toilets? ('･_･｀)

RadishLegs: you seem to really like that one rumor: hanako-san of the toilets, was it?

RadishLegs: unless your name really is hanako-san tho

HANAKO-KUN_7: ah

HANAKO-KUN_7: Yeah!! I really like the toilet rumor and the toilets!

RadishLegs: ew

HANAKO-KUN_7: ( ￣＾￣ )

HANAKO-KUN_7: It's kind of my safe place in way?

HANAKO-KUN_7: Weird, I know

HANAKO-KUN_7: But I've always hidden in our bathroom since I was a child

HANAKO-KUN_7: they can't find me there so I go there everytime

HANAKO-KUN_7: to get away from everything

HANAKO-KUN_7: to get away from him

HANAKO-KUN_7: To get away from my brother

Message unsent!

RadishLegs: him? Him who?

HANAKO-KUN_7: Ah no it's nothing

HANAKO-KUN_7: it's weird, right? :(

RadishLegs: well if you have a personal reason

RadishLegs: then I don't think it's really weird

RadishLegs: i guess we're all emotionally attached to something

RadishLegs: no matter how....

RadishLegs: strange it is

HANAKO-KUN_7: :(

HANAKO-KUN_7: Aren't you supposed to surprise me with something?

RadishLegs: huh??? With what??

HANAKO-KUN_7: You had to meet up with someone, right??

RadishLegs: ah!

RadishLegs: ahaha ('∀｀•)

RadishLegs: yeah, Fuji-kun asked me out so I guess we're together now

HANAKO-KUN_7: oh

HANAKO-KUN_7: Cool!! Lucky Yashiro!!

RadishLegs: thank you

RadishLegs: i'm sure you'll find someone too, you know

RadishLegs: even if they aren't your soulmate

HANAKO-KUN_7: Ah

HANAKO-KUN_7: Yeah!

HANAKO-KUN_7: Yashiro can you promise me something?

RadishLegs: sure!

HANAKO-KUN_7: we'll still be friends no matter what, right?

HANAKO-KUN_7: Even if we're complete strangers, even if we don't really know each other

HANAKO-KUN_7: Can you promise me that no matter what happens, we'll still be best friends?

RadishLegs: of course!

RadishLegs: I don't know what suddenly brought this up, but I really treasure our friendship!

RadishLegs: I didn't think that asking about your obsession with toilets would get me with this

HANAKO-KUN_7: Never a dull day with me!

RadishLegs: that's true

RadishLegs: ah hanako-kun!

RadishLegs: i need to go now!

HANAKO-KUN_7: oh, wait!

RadishLegs: bye!

Yashiro_Nene left the chatroom!

HANAKO-KUN_7: I didn't get to tell you...

- - -

Amane heaved a sigh, biting his lip as he contemplated about calling Yashiro or not. He just wanted to hear her calming voice — he really needed it. He likes to imagine what can she possibly look like: a short girl with fat ankles, probably has cute, doe-like eyes and long hair.

Would she smile if he called?

Is she smiling right now?

Stupid! A voice in his mind scolded. She has someone right now! Don't be selfish!

"Ah." Amane blinked as he realized that he had dropped his phone on his squeaky bed, his and Yashiro's chatroom still displayed on the screen. He picked it up again, but instinctively dropped it down as soon as he heard the door slam open.

A boy, terrifyingly similar to Amane, beamed and ran over to him. "Amane, Amane!" He chanted a few times before tackling his twin.

"Tsukasa," Amane said. "What happened?" He asked cautiously. Amane hid his phone, afraid that he'll find out about Yashiro and possibly ruin everything. Amane learned that he should keep everything about Yashiro a secret.

Tsukasa gave him a grin that reached his ears, so wide and playful that Amane knew something was up. "I just wanna play!"

Amane narrowed his eyes, then shook his head, gently prying Tsukasa off. "Sorry, Tsukasa. I'm kind of busy right now. Maybe next time?"

Tsukasa grabbed his wrist. "Why not now?"

Amane tried to move his wrist away. "I'm just not in the mood, Tsukasa. Can you please let go—?"

Amane gasped sharply when he felt a sting; Tsukasa tightened his grip so hard that Amane actually thinks that he cut off his blood circulation. "Tsukasa—"

"I said I want to play. Now."

- - -

Stifling his tears, Amane hiccuped. He frantically fumbled with his phone, longing for someone, anyone, to chat with him. He trapped himself in his bathroom again, away from Tsukasa. He knows that Tsukasa doesn't like going in there. He decided that he needed to call someone.

Amane can't deny that Yashiro was the first person that came to his mind.

He shook his head and scolded himself. He dialed Akane's number. "Come on, come on," Amane mumbled.

No one picked up.

Amane felt his tears pool in his eyes again, threatening to fall down and drench his shirt and make a puddle on the floor.

He wanted— no, needed someone right now. He tried to remember Yashiro's voice, but nothing came to mind, he can only think of his anguished cries and shrill laughter.

He pressed the call button without even realizing.