"Are you INSANE?"

Midori and Naora strolled through the rock garden in the center of Tagakure during a gentle rain. Naora, the school's darling, had ironically assumed the same pinnacle position in the school hierarchy that Hinako once held at their previous institution. The perks that came with being the top student were abundant. Other students had tried to knock her off the top of the mountain and all of them failed. Now, those same students sought to curry favor with her, often begging for the opportunity to spar. They hoped that, in the process, a small measure of Naora's skill and talent might rub off on them.

The problem was that she had no idea how she did what she did.

Interestingly, Naora wasn't skilled in the traditional sense; she possessed raw, innate talent. She had an uncanny ability to grasp lessons effortlessly. She was a natural or perhaps a savant. The techniques just seemed to come to her without any conscious effort. If asked to articulate the process, she would draw a blank. It wasn't something she could explain. It made her feel like an idiot when she couldn't explain things, so instead she focused on keeping her mouth shut and hoping people would jump to the wrong conclusions.

When it came to bluffing, few excelled at feigning competence as well as Naora. She had spent over a year perfecting the art of "fake it until you make it," and her approach was no different at her new school. The only notable difference was that this time, she could genuinely deliver results. While she didn't aspire to be a killer, she harbored no qualms about acquiring the skills necessary to be one. Following the old adage that it's better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war, she leveraged her influence and made some promises she didn't know how to keep. Through this, she arranged to take Midori for a walk in a location with ample background noise so they could speak in private.

"I need to get out of here and see him. I can't take it anymore. It's like I'm in withdrawal. He's under my skin." Naora gritted her teeth, "Plus, I remember that his final stupid date is this weekend. I NEED to get out of here."

Midori rubbed the back of her neck and put on a well-practiced smile. She had learned how to talk while putting on a happy face as a precaution if they were being watched, "Your grandmother will lose her mind if you break out and go see him. If you haven't figured it out, she is keeping you two apart on purpose."

Naora paused, fixating on the rain gutters as she observed the water cascading down a series of small tubes. The rhythmic dripping created an oddly musical sound, captivating her attention. She spoke in a hushed tone, "You don't believe I've figured it out? I completed all my tasks four weeks ahead of schedule and they just moved the goalposts. I'm not naive. Yet, none of that matters. Something is amiss. I can FEEL it. I have to get to him."

Midori closed her eyes as she moved next to Naora, "There's nothing I can do to talk you out of this, is there?"

"Nope."

Midori squeezed her eyes closed yet tighter and shook her head as she turned away, "Damnit. Fine. What do you need?"

"I can get out of here. However, if I have to get back to town on foot, there's no way I'll pull it off in time. If I leave too soon, She'll know where I'm going and just stake out Toshi. So I'll need you to get me a car, burner phone, and include a paper map just in case. It wouldn't surprise me if they could cut all the cell phone towers in the area as soon as they notice I'm gone."

"You going to break up his date?"

Naora rubbed her forehead, "I... I don't know what I'm going to do. I just need to see him. I'm cracking up, Midori. I'm losing it. I don't know what I'm going to do but if I can't get out of here and see him, I'm going to lose my mind."

Midori put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Boss... Maybe your grandmother is right." Midori frowned, "This isn't good. Nobody should be this hung up on... some guy."

Naora turned to look at Midora, "He's not just SOME guy, alright? He's... I can't explain it. There's a hole shaped like him in my soul. I... know I can't make our relationship last, but I can't just walk away, either."

Midori squeezed Naora's shoulder and let go after a short shake, "Alright. You're my boss and best friend. No matter what, I got your back. Where do you need the car?"

Naora pulled out a folded-up piece of paper and slipped it into Midori's hand while jogging her head to the closest wall, "That's where I'll go over. I figured out the fastest way down the mountain. This is my best guess where I'll come out near the road. Can you get have it waiting there?"

Midori nodded, "Yeah. I can do it."

Midori was surprised when Naora suddenly hugged her, "Thank you. If I didn't have you, I don't know what I'd do."

Midori froze up at the physical contact. The embrace went on much longer than was comfortable. However, as Naora's hand rubbed her back, Midori relaxed and returned the hug, "I get it." She gave Naora four pats on the back in return, "I'll take care of everything. Promise."

Naora gave one last squeeze then let go, "Good."

"I'm counting on you."

Midori exited the compound with a heavy heart, her gaze directed downward. As she departed, she noticed a limo parked in the turnaround. The driver stood by the back door expectantly. As Midori walked up, the back window rolled down to reveal Shizuya. Leaning forward, the old crone had a simple inquiry, "Well?"

Midori looked away, "I know it's not my place to say-"

Shizuya cut her off, "So you know you shouldn't say anything."

Midori's eyes sharply focused on Shizuya. There was a tense pause, hinting at the possibility that Midori might utter regrettable words. Instead, she reached into her jacket, retrieving a folded piece of paper. "You were right. She's planning to make a break for it this weekend," Midori admitted, extending the paper toward Shizuya. The driver accepted the note, unfolded it, gave it a nod, and then handed it to her master.

Shizuya took the paper, examining it for any hidden message, "It's going to be difficult to make it look like you are still loyal to her. Do you want me to make it look good?"

Midori sighed, "I have no idea how you're going to do that."

She smirked, "It's simple. As soon as you both get in the car and start driving away, We'll catch you with a roadblock. Just make sure you are driving so she can't try to escape. If she's driving, she might do something stupid and get both of you hurt. When she gets to you, be in the driver's seat, start the car, and tell her to get in. Tell her you think you might have been followed and that you need to hurry."

"That won't be enough."

Shizuya looked annoyed, "Of course it won't." She snapped back, "That's why I'll have you dragged out of the car and then beaten while Naora watches." Midori's eyes went wide as Shizuya continued, "Oh, don't worry. I'll have my best woman on the job, She won't break anything. You'll just be bruised from head to toe. You'll heal up in a few weeks, Naora will feel guilty, and you'll find a huge bonus in your paycheck."

Midori clicked her tongue, "You're going to make it clear that other people will pay the price if she defies you."

"My. You do have a keen grasp of the obvious. I see why she likes you." Shizuya flipped the paper over to examine the other side angling it in the light to see if there was any deformity that might allow her to glean extra meaning from her granddaughter's missive, "I know this isn't easy for you."

"I can take a beating."

Shizuya shook her head, "Not that." She looked off into the distance, "I know you want to be loyal to Naora, and you think this is a betrayal, but you are doing the right thing. We both know there is something wrong with that boy and he's no good for her." She slowly folded up the paper, "Sometimes you need to do what is in someone's best interest, not what they ask of you."

"I get it. She's talking like an addict. The leader of the family needs to be strong, not tied up with the apron strings of her husband." Midori looked off into the distance, "And don't worry about the beating."

Midori muttered under her breath as she turned and walked away.

"I have it coming."