End of an Era [Private/Yori]

He succeeded in stopping her. He hugged her, just like earlier when she'd been upset. It seemed silly to be upset earlier about something so silly in comparison to this. What seemed worse was it still worked a little, even though her world had literally collapsed. Yes...he was still here. She wasn't completely alone. If he'd not wanted to be her friend after they met, then she would be absolutely alone now. It was a small comfort, right? Perhaps she could survive this?

Yori wrapped her arms around him, nearly collapsing into his embrace. She hid her face in the crook of his neck again, her body quaking in his arms. "Thank you," she whispered, then the lone Nishizaka was silent, appreciating her friend even though she'd lashed out at him. Tightening her arms, the anger lessened a little and sad tears flowed in the quiet.

No! No. She needed to hold onto her anger. No matter how much Hibiya wanted to help and comfort her, she needed her rage for revenge. Yori knew she couldn't stay here and bury her dead, then just live to learn with it and move on. The girl gave him one last squeeze, meant as a goodbye before she shoved him away from her with finality.

She stood before him, the tears gone and a thirst for revenge verging on insanity distorting her once chill and easy going features. "I'm going after them. Alone," she stated coldly. Her hair swirled around her dangerously. "Go home, Hibiya," Yori said last, turning her back on him and walking in the direction her hair had sensed the murderers had taken.

The gentle thanks brought a bit of faith in her, the words bittersweet to his ear as he kept his eyes shut. He streams of tears tipping at his neck, her justified tears not going unnoticed. Perhaps there was some hope in healing for her, Hibiya was going to stay for as long as he needed to in order to give her some hope. Just the thought of seeing her smile brought him some delight in this dark moment, perhaps maybe... Just maybe... They can go back to the way they were when they met.

Or not. Yori suddenly gripped him hard like a child with their teddy bear, the sudden strength enough to open his eyes before her arms that once were used to hug him shoved him away from her. The feeling of betrayal felt cold and slimy in his body, the constant shaking caused by disturbed nerves triggered blood to start gushing from his lips. Disgust mixed with a somewhat active wound, he felt like throwing up when she told him to go home. "No... Yori!" Hibiya exclaimed, hand pressed against his chest as he felt a sudden sharp pain there. She turned her back on him and began to walk away. It took all his strength to try to limp towards her again, though he was outpaced. "No! Don't do i-!" His voice cut off by coughing so brutal that he fell onto his knees, blood spilling from his lips like water from the waterfalls.

Her footsteps began to distance away from him as she continued walking. Through blurry vision could he see her outline distancing away from him. A weak palm reached out towards her, one more tear shedding for her as his friend officially cut the tie between them both."Yori..."