At least we are together

Manami and Yukiko continue their journey, hidding in the shadows, trough the city.

Manami is holding Yukikos hand as they are walking trough an alley, when suddenly her stomach growls.

"Uh..." -as she looks back at Yukiko

"Are you hungry too?"

But Yukiko is silent, while shes looking in the distance.

Manami stops and grabs her chin forcefully, making Yukiko meet her eyes.

"I asked something! Are you hungry?!" -she snaps

"N-no..." -Yukiko says slowly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"How are you not huh? You havent eaten anything since we ran away." -she tilts her head and raises one of her eyebrow

Manami lets Yukikos chin go.

"Then i will force something down your throat. I dont want to carry you on my back, when you get too weak to walk beacuse you havent eaten shit."

They look around, and find a small sushi restaurant and after sitting down they order some.

Not long after the sushi arrives and Manami finishes it quickly, then as she looks to her right side, she sees that Yukiko hasnt eaten a single piece yet.

"So? You wont eat huh?" -she says

Yukiko shakes her head a little as shes looking at the sushi.

The anger and irritation can be seen clearly on Manamis face.

Manami picks up a sushi with her chopsticks and holds it directly in front of Yukikos lips.

"Eat it, idiot." -Manami demands

Yukiko shakes her head and Manami grabs her thigh with her other hand. Her grip tightening painfully.

Yukikos flinches, grabbing Manamis arm.

"Stop... it hurts..." -says with sadness and hurt in her voice while still looking at the sushi.

"Then you know what you have to do." -Manami says, still holding the sushi infront of Yukikos mouth.

Yukiko sighs, opening her mouth slowly and then Manami puts the food in her mouth.

Yukiko chews the sushi slowly. Her eyes remain downcast, fixed on the table as she swallows. Manami watches closely, her expression still hard, but there's a flicker of something else in her eyes.

"See? It wasnt hard wasnt it?" -Manami mutters, her voice slightly softer, but there is still annoyance. She sits back in her chair, crossing her arms tightly over her chest

___

Later, they look around and find another motel.

'It was a good choice to take money from home before we ran away. We would be in deep shit now.' -Manami thinks as she pays the room for the night.

They reach their room and Yukiko sits down on the bed, staring with a blank expression.

"I wanna go home." -she says slowly

Manami turns around and glares at her.

"Youre joking right? Im here trying to protect you and you say that you want go home?" -she says, her voice filled with fury as she walks toward Yukiko.

But Yukiko remains silent

"Speak to me bitch" -she snaps, pinning Yukiko down on the bed by her hands

Yukiko looks away.

"So you wont speak and wont look at me huh?" -she tilts her head

The room goes silent and tense for a little while.

Manami grits her teeth, her grip tigheting on Yukikos arms.

She breaks the silence.

"Maybe i cant make you talk, but ill make you look at me" -she says, leaning closer

Suddenly, Manami kisses Yukiko roughly.

Yukiko looks at the wall inside her head, feeling more suffering. She doesnt understand whats happening.

She is not kissing back Manami, shes just letting her do it.

Manami pulls away, releasing her, standing up and stepping back with wide eyes.

She stares at Yukiko, who is just laying there, sweat rolling down on Manamis forehead.

She grabs her own hair, tugging it down, her mouth opening as she tries to scream. But no sound comes out.

After a little while she finally lets go of her hair, closes her mouth and shakes her head. She looks around in a hurry breathing heavily and her eyes locking onto the door that leads to the balcony. She rushes out and grabs the metal raling, looking down on the street.

She starts to grith her teeth again, her hands holding onto the railing tight and a tear appears on the side of her right eye as its still wide.

And what happens after that? She giggles as tears start streaming down her face.

As she does this, her giggle becomes erratic, like a desperate attempt to convince herself that shes in control.

She presses her forehead against the metal railing, the tears falling freely.

Yukiko is still laying on the bed, hears the sobs faintly trough the open balcony door. But she isnt reacting anything to it.

Manami stays outside for a while longer, her grip on the railing loosening as her sobs fade into the night air. When she finally comes back inside, her eyes are red and swollen, but her expression is colder.

"Get some rest shithead." -as she walks to her side of the bed, laying down.

____

Yuuji walks out from the shop while looking at his phone.

"Ah dang it, i really wanted to suprise my son with that new volume of his favourite manga." -he sighs

'Who is this guy? Hes on my tail for a while now.' -he thinks as he keeps his expression neutral, pretending not to notice, but remains alert, subtly watching the stranger whos still inside the shop.

Yuuji turns right and starts to walk away as the man steps out from the shop. But Yuuji is nowhere to be found. The man looks around confused, a hood is on his head, so his face cant be seen. Suddenly,Yuuji jumps out from beside the trash cans, lunging toward the man.

"Ah fuck!" -Yuuji says irritated as the man evades it, breaking into a sprint.

Without missing a beat Yuuji starts to chase him, the man turning right in an alley.

Yuuji quickly grabs his walkie talkie and calls for backup as he follows him into the alley.

The man clambers onto a dumpster and leaps up to grab the fire escape ladder, pulling himself up swiftly.

Yuuji does the same.

"Hey! Im not that old that i cant do simple parkour!" -as he follows him up on the fire escape, all the way to the rooftop.

They race across the roof, the edge of the building quickly approaching. The man reaches it first and jumps to the next rooftop.

Yuujis eyes widen as he stops with heavy breathing

"Man youre crazy!" -shakes his head in defeat as the man runs toward the stairwell door of the other building.

Yuuji pulls out his walkie talkie.

"Ive lost him, i repeat ive lost the suspect."

Yuuji runs his hand through his hair, frustration mingling with disbelief.

'What was that? That cant be possible right?' -as he thinks he scratches his head in awe