[Action] We all fall down.

[nameless_book]

Naoko spent most of the say sitting in the living room, looking at nothing. The door to the study was ajar; she had not latched it properly, but she could not bring herself to close it. She did not want to think of that room. She could think of nothing else, but she did not want to. Despite her best efforts to distract her thoughts, they kept

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[peach_arrow]

Touya was just leaving Planet Okonomi when his phone rang. Since it was 'little sister' calling, he smiled. "Naoko-san!" He said, his smile widening. And then it failed when he heard her say his name. Something was wrong. She didn't even sound like she was breathing. "Is something wrong?" He looked around. He wasn't too far from the bus stop that Naoko used and, he checked his watch, it wasn't too long until a bus came Even if she didn't tell him, he was going over. It didn't matter what discussion he'd had with his father recently or how mad Sakura was with him--he was going to be there just in case. "You can tell me."

[nameless_book]

She didn't know how to explain, and she didn't want to have to try on the telephone, which always felt so clinical when she most wanted it to feel human. "Can you--I need--I--Can you come to my house, please?"

[peach_arrow]

Touya stepped onto the bus. "I'm already on my way," he told her. The feeling that this was bad intensified. Normally he'd hang up but he couldn't bring himself to do it. But there didn't seem to be anything to say, either. "I'll be there soon," he promised. Mom, he thought, take care of her until I get there.

[nameless_book]

"Thank you," she said, for lack of anything else to say. It wasn't nearly sufficient, but all her carefully-hoarded words seemed to be deserting her