In the morning, Megumi slowly woke up, opening her eyes but refusing to sit up.
She didn't care where she was, how much time had passed since Butterfly was eliminated, or what would happen next. She just lay there, staring blankly at the wall.
Creak…
The bedroom door slowly opened.
"Megumi, are you awake?"
Sato spoke quietly, careful not to wake her if she was still asleep. His question was answered when she turned to face him, looking away from the wall and into the room.
"Megumi…"
Looking at her in the dim light, he could barely see the traces of dried tears on her face as he made his way into the room, stopping next to the bed.
"It's quite dark in here. How about we pull aside the curtains?"
He took a step forward to reach for the window, but suddenly stopped. Turning his head, he saw Megumi tugging lightly at his sleeve with just two fingers. She shook her head slowly. She didn't want the light.
"Very well. Do you mind if I sit down?"
Megumi scooted aside a little, making space for him. She sat up, leaning against the wall and wrapping her arms around her knees, burying herself in a defensive ball.
Sato sat down and silence fell over the room.
Time passed, but neither spoke. The silence felt heavy, yet necessary. Until Megumi finally broke it.
"Don't you plan to say anything?"
"Would anything I say help?"
Hearing him, she buried her face deeper into her knees.
"No…"
More time passed. The silence felt louder than any scream.
I can't comfort her now. I can't bring Butterfly back either. All I can do… is be here.
The room was dark, both of them engulfed in the shadows, as if the darkness was ready to swallow them whole. In all that black, they stayed quiet together.
"She…"
A single word escaped Megumi's lips.
"She is gone, isn't she?"
"...Yes."
Sato answered sincerely. He didn't want to lie to her, she deserved the truth, as painful as it was.
"I see…"
Megumi sat up from the bed and turned her back to Sato, stretching slightly. But the way she moved… it looked like she was quickly wiping away fresh tears.
"Thank you for staying with me, Sato. I feel a little better."
"Don't worry about it."
Buzz! Buzz!
Just then, the doorbell rang repeatedly.
"It must be Killa. Wait a second."
"Killa?"
"Yes, I gave her my address and told her to come today to celebrate our victory."
Although for you, I am sure it doesn't feel like a victory worth celebrating.
Megumi's gaze fell to the floor for a moment.
"It's alright. You can go open the door."
The doorbell buzzed again, impatient. Killa clearly didn't like to be kept waiting.
He stood up and went to the entrance, opening the door.
"Is this the right address?"
Killa was standing there, double-checking the ticket in her hand.
"Morning!"
"Oh… Morning."
She lifted her eyes from the ticket, greeting him with a casual wave.
"Excuse me."
From the hallway, Megumi walked past Sato and Killa, slipping on her shoes and heading for the door.
"Are you leaving already? I just got here," Killa asked, waving the ticket at her.
"I have some things to do at home. Thanks for having me."
Her voice was polite but distant. With that, she went down the stairs, leaving the two of them alone.
"Hmm… Is it alright to let her leave like that, Sato? Isn't she feeling down because of the incident with Butterfly?"
"I don't think we should worry about her. If there is one thing she needs right now…"
Outside, Megumi walked along the pathway toward her home. She stopped for just a moment next to the park. There, in the distance, she saw the kid Butterfly had saved, playing happily with his parents.
"...It's space."
Sato getting from the doorstep for Killa to enter, she took her shoes off and entered into the living room where she sees Irina at the table.
"Hello Black Witch."
Irina didn't say anything as Sato stopped next to Killa.
"Is she always like this?" She asked, whispering in his ear.
"She will warm to you eventually."
Making his way through the living room, Sato stopped in the kitchen where the stove was on, cooking something for all of them as Killa, seeing the couch, she crashed on it.
"Seems like you already make yourself at home."
"It's comfy…"
Killa said as she snuggled her face in a pillow.
"Did you stay up all night, Irina?"
While the food cooked, Sato tried to make a little chit chat with the girls, knowing that they didn't really get along great.
"Yes." She said monotonous, without too much of a wish to chatter.
She is quieter than normal, I wonder if Killa's presence here worries her…well, as long as nothing happens it should be alright.
Soon, the food was ready, Sato preparing the table for everyone.
"What do we have?" Killa said enthusiastically.
"Considering all we have been through, I thought to make something special."
With that, he opened the lid of the pot.
"Ramen."
"It smells so nice!" Killa excited to dig in, prepared to take on even the whole pot if she got the chance,
Irina decided to not comment, just waiting to be served.
After Sato filled a portion for everyone, all of them were prepared to eat.
"...Now that I think about it, do you know how to use chopsticks?"
"No worries, before coming to a new world heroes are given basic information about the said world, we will be fine."
"I mean, this is good and all but…"
Once Killa tried to take some noodles confidently and Irina elegantly, the chopsticks of both slipped in their hands, the noodles falling back.
"There is a difference between information and skills…"
Both of the girls looked now at the soup with an empty, defeated look.
"It's alright, I am gonna bring some forks for now…"
"No!"
Both said at the same time, not giving Sato enough time to even sit up.
"I will not let some noodles defeat me." Killa said, positioning her chopsticks in her hand again.
"Something like this is nothing." Irina's eyes were filled with determination, not wanting something this small to better her.
Ahh…I guess they are too proud to let something like this go…I guess it is good practice at least.
After a bunch of tries, eventually, both girls managed to get the hang of using the chopsticks. Although still a bit sluggish, they could finally savor the noodles properly.
"Done!"
Killa slammed the empty bowl onto the table after slurping up the very last noodle, acting like she was in a speed-eating competition.
"Nice… Do you want seconds?"
"Yes, please," she said without a shred of remorse, handing the bowl to Sato to refill.
The second bowl came and went. Soon came the third… then the fourth… and finally the fifth. The large pot of soup was rapidly approaching its end, while Irina and Sato were still working on their first serving.
Irina and Sato looked at each other just as Killa finished her fifth bowl. Neither said a word, but both were thinking the exact same thing:
When will she stop?
Slamming the bowl on the table again, Killa sighed, satisfied.
"That was good… Hmm?"
She noticed both of them staring at her blankly.
"Did something happen?"
"You sure have a big appe—OUCH!"
From under the table, Irina stepped hard on Sato's foot before he could finish his sentence.
Have you heard of delicacy?
Irina projected the thought loudly with her eyes, glaring at Sato, who seemed to get the message clearly through the pain.
"What? What happened?" Killa asked, worried by his sudden yelp.
"N-No, nothing! I am alright."
A single tear dripped from his eye as he nursed his crushed foot.
"Do you want a sixth serving?"
"I am alright. Plus, I would like to leave some for you guys as well."
"Alright."
Sato stood up to take the pot into the kitchen, peering inside before putting the lid back on.
There is not even enough for another serving in here…
Abandoning the thought, he simply took the empty pot away.