Today was the first day of school and (Y/N) was awake before the sun came up. She was a bit nervous about going back to school, seeing all her friends again and of course seeing her best friend Aito again. She hadn't even fully gotten over the death of her beloved parents and going to school and acting as if everything was completely normal, made her feel nauseous.

Alot had happened over the course of three months; her parents died right in front of her, she was saved by someone that looked like an angel at that particular moment and did so now too, she was now living with ghouls at her favourite shop and was training so hard that now she could actually do a back flip and land on her feet while simultaneously throwing daggers. Yeah, that was a lot for just three months.

After a cold shower, she felt a bit relaxed. She knew that tea would immediately sooth her nerves.

She tip toed down to the staff room, not wanting to wake anyone up. She quietly opened the door and slipped in and in that same quiet motion she slowly shut the door.

"School starts at 8:30 am." A voice broke the eerie silenced, scaring (Y/N) in the process.

"Aahh!" She gasped, holding a hand over her chest as she turned to see Touka sipping a cup of tea, standing by the fridge and staring at her with her usual cold stare in her blue eyes, except now it sparkled with amusement.

"Touka-chan. You scared me." (Y/N) breathed, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Nervous about school?" Touka asked, her eyes observant as she stared down at the younger girl.

(Y/N) chuckled quietly, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. "That obvious?"

Touka nodded behind her morning tea. "You woke up four hours before school even started and you're not even changed, meaning you're not excited you're absolutely nervous."

"You know me too well." (Y/N) said with a smile. Touka's lips curled up into a fond smile of her own.

"Why don't you take a seat. I'll make you tea. That'll be sure to sooth your nerves." Touka offered, gesturing to the empty seat.

(Y/N) nodded. "I could really use a tea. Thanks Touka-chan."

Touka passed her a smile as she put the kettle on. "So what are you nervous about anyway? You can just about charm anyone with that adorable smile." Touka teased, trying to lighten the mood as she took out the coffee beans.

(Y/N) smiled faintly and stared down at her open palm. "It's not that . . . I'm just not sure how I can act around my old friends. How am I supposed to act out there, now that I know . . . And lost, so much."

Touka flickered her soft gaze to the younger (H/C) haired girl. She was staring down at her open palm, her loose hair falling around her face as her open palm clenched into a tight fist at the reference of her lost parents.

Touka couldn't see her face but her tone of voice sent a pang to Touka's heart. She couldn't imagine watching her parents get eaten alive right in front her eyes. It was painful enough that she got the news of their deaths, but to witness it? That would tear her apart. But (Y/N) was different, she was brave, kind, joyful, optimistic and pure at heart.

Why did it have to happen to her of all people. Touka thought sadly.

"You act normal. I know that might seem like something hard, impossible and stupid even, to do, but it's the only option. Smile at your friends as if everything's okay. Act until you don't have to act anymore, act until it becomes your reality. You'll see, life has a funny way of knocking us off our feet, but it's up to us to pick ourselves up and keep on fighting to stay up, because once you're at the bottom of the stairs, there's only one way to go." Touka poured the tea into the cup and placed it on  a small plate and brought it over to (Y/N) who was watching her carefully, taking each word and hanging on her every syllable.

"And where is that?" She asked, taking the tea.

Touka smiled. "Up."

(Y/N) smiled and took a sip of her tea. Immediately she felt calm and content. Touka's tea was almost as good as Mr Manager-sans.

"Thank you Touka-chan."

Touka nodded, still smiling fondly at (Y/N). "You know the motto kiddo. At Anteiku, we look out for each other."

(Y/N)'s smiled faltered a bit as she looked at Touka seriously. "Even if I'm a human?"

"You're a part of Anteiku, so you're included whether you like it or not." Touka answered with a teasing smile.

(Y/N) felt her eyes sting a bit. She sniffed, her (E/C) eyes brimming with unshed tears.

I may have lost my family, but I'm lucky enough to find another family

"Awe, don't cry kiddo, we don't want you going to school on your first day looking like a tomato." Touka side hugged her, leaning her chin on the smaller girl's head.

(Y/N) laughed and sniffed, wiping her eyes quickly before she could make that a possibility.

"What grade three, two? I can't tell, you're so tiny." Touka teased.

"Fourth grade." (Y/N) answered, sending a playful glare at the older girl who simply chuckles with amusement.

After that very successful and enlightening pep talk, it just about vanquished all her nervousness. She was in her uniform by five and ate her breakfast by six. Her uniform type was a sailor fuku (sailor outfit). She wore a white blouse attached with a sailor-style collar that had a strip of white but was royal blue in colour and a royal blue coloured pleated skirt. A red ribbon was tied in the front and laced through a loop attached to her blouse. She wore the standard long white socks and for her footwear she wore a black penny loafer.

(Y/N) walked out her room, feeling less nervous than she was before. She passed by Ayato's door and stopped.

She was hoping to see him before she left but he was probably still asleep. She sighed. Maybe she'd knock? But than that'd disturb--

"Stare at that door any longer and you will burn a hole into it." She heard Ayato's smooth voice drawl.

She quickly shifted her gaze to where the voice came from and saw Ayato standing a few feet in front of her. He was wearing black long trousers, a white t-shirt and a blue hoodie over his shirt. His usual messy hair sweeped over his blue eyes that bore straight into her soul.

She chuckled awkwardly and scratched her head. "I-I was just--ahem-just, uhh . . . " she trailed as he continued to stare at her with a look of boredom etched onto his face. It wasn't the uninterested look in her reply that made her stutter, it was his intense stare. " . . . I--haha, it was nothing what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you." He answered.

(Y/N) blinked. "W-what? You were waiting for me?"

"Does it really take thirty minutes and 28 seconds to get ready?" He scowled, his face scrunched up in the only other expression she was familiar with apart from a blank look; annoyance slash irritation.

"I was just--"

"Nevermind shrimp let's get going." He muttered lowly and turned and began walking towards the steps that reached downstairs.

Why do I feel more offended than when he called me brat? I think I like brat better than shrimp. At least brat had nothing to imply on my physical shape. . . Shrimp makes me sound like a tiny fish about to be turned into sushi.

She gulped and ran up to walk beside him once she realized he was way ahead. "Wait what, where are we going?"

He muttered something incoherent and pinched the bridge of his nose. "God you're slow. I'm taking you to school stupid."

She paused at the top of the stairs as he continued to walk down, not halting in his step one bit.
(Y/N) wasn't sure if she heard what he said correctly.

"A-ayato-kun, w-wait up!" She called and raced to the bottom of the stairs. At the same time Enji came out of the staff room with a box held in his arms.

"Oh, hey princess. Good luck at school. Have fun will ya?" He smiled cheerfully.

She grinned. "Thanks Onii-chan." She fist bumped him and continued speed-walking to meet up with Ayato who was already at the entrance of the shop.

"Good luck kiddo. Remember our talk." Touka said from the table closest to the door.

(Y/N) nodded, smiling. "Of course. Thanks!"

"Come on shrimp, I'm not gonna wait all day." Ayato sighed from the door, leaning beside it as he watched her with an expressionless gaze in his clear blue eyes.

(Y/N) smiled, rolling her eyes playfully. Ayato was the embodiment of impatience.

As the two exited the door, (Y/N) was finally able to walk beside him and not a few feet behind him.

"So why are you walking me to school anyway Ayato-kun? Is it a special occasion? Do you know where my school is? Did Mr Manager-san--"

"I'll answer the first question because that's the only thing I could make out in your blurt." Ayato said, tucking his hands in the pocket of his hoodie as they finally reached the bottom of the stairs and were outside Anteiku.

"The reason I'm walking you to school is because you're a clutz and you might possibly trip and crack your skull, or you might see an helpless old lady and help her without knowing you're her intended meal because you're naive and stupid, or you might get hit by a car while crossing the road, or--"

"So to put it simply you're worried I might die on my way to school." (Y/N) cut in, a small smile playing at her lips.

Ayato glanced at her and scowled. "Don't think I'm worried for your safety shrimp, it's just that with you around I don't have to do much and you take all my work load off at Anteiku. So if you're gone I might have to work double meaning no midday naps for me."

(Y/N)'s smiled widened.  "I see. So it's a conflict of interest."

He nodded. "Exactly."

She wasn't believing him one bit but she got to spend more time with him so she wasn't complaining.

"You do know where my school is, right?"

He shrugged carelessly. "I'm sure it's not far."

"I like the way you think. Five miles isn't really far to me either." (Y/N) chirped as she walked with a skip in her step.

Ayato stopped walking and paled instantly. "I'm sorry, did you say five miles?" His gaped at her.

(Y/N) burst out laughing, not able to keep a straight face. Ayato groaned, realizing she was just lying.

"Y-you should've seen your face!" She choked out as she laughed.

"That was priceless. It was all . . . " she started making weird faces that Ayato thought look stupid and foolish yet slightly and irritatingly adorable.

He scowled at her, giving her a death glare. She quickly cleared her throat and tried not to laugh.

"It's just two turns away. Don't worry." She chuckled out.

He walked ahead with a permanent scowl on his face as she sniggered, following him from behind.

They arrived outside her school in less than 15 minutes. She grinned up at him as they stopped by the main entrance of the school grounds.

"Thanks Ayato-kun, for walking me to school." She chirped.

He nodded. "Be here five minutes late in the afternoon and you'll regret it shrimp."

"W-wait, you're also picking me up after school?" She asked, not bothering to hide her shock.

"Don't celebrate shrimp. Remember what I told you. I'm only doing this cause you're doing all my jobs--"

"Not because you care about me. I know." She recited with a cute grin.

Ayato swallowed.  "Uhh, good.."

"(Y/N)-chan!" A high pitched girly voice yelled.

(Y/N) winced and turned to the direction of the voice. It was Cho, one of her close friends. She stood by the door of the building, waving frantically.

(Y/N) grinned. "Cho-chan!" She called back, waving back at the pink haired girl.

"Ayato-kun--" when she turned Ayato wasn't where he was standing. She quickly turned around and saw his fading figure walking away with his hands in his pockets. Even though he was eleven years old now, he had an undeniabe grace in his movements as he slipped into the crowds of humans like a needle in a hay stack.

(Y/N) smiled.

You sure are mystery Ayato-kun.

Ayato had a ghost of a smile on his lips as he walked away from (Y/N).

You sure are a mystery shrimp.