Apologies

Miyori hadn't seen Shizuka home on Friday. She'd thought that was the plan, but when she'd come back, the fireworks were ending, and Shizuka had been quiet. 

She'd tried to explain herself, but Shizuka just…accepted everything. Didn't question her or accuse her of anything or even complain. She just…smiled and told her not to worry about it. 

"You should head home," she'd said when they reached the entrance. "It's nearly curfew. I don't want to get you in trouble." 

A quick "Get home safe" and a wave goodbye, and that had been it. 

Miyori wasn't sure what to expect on Monday, but sure enough, Shizuka didn't go out of her way to talk to her. She looked a little more tired than usual, and her gaze drifted away when Miyori tried to catch her eye. 

Miyori sat quietly in class and tried not to think too hard about it. But when lunchtime came, Shizuka laid a hand on the back of her chair. 

"Do you want to eat together, Miyo-chan?" 

Miyori probably nodded a bit too eagerly, but she was just relieved not to be ignored. "Of course. That is…if you want to." 

"Then let's," Shizuka said, without answering directly. 

They went up to the roof after eating today. There were other knots of people laughing around them, which just made it more obvious how quiet it was. 

Miyori was gathering up her courage to apologize when Shizuka spoke. "The view from here is nice, isn't it?" 

Miyori nodded. "It is." 

"You could just…fly down anytime, if you wanted, couldn't you?" Shizuka looked at her, expression gentle. "That seems like it would be fun. I wish I could try it." 

Miyori felt her face burning. "Shizuka-chan, I…" 

"I'm sorry I'm being so weird about this," Shizuka said. She gave her a pained smile. "I…was a little worried that night that you just might not come back. I'm glad you did." 

"I'm sorry I left you there all of a sudden," Miyori said. "I thought I saw a friend of mine, and I just…" 

"It's okay," Shizuka said. 

"I didn't mean to lie to you," Miyori said. "Or keep secrets. I just didn't know when to bring it up." 

"I can pretend I didn't see, if you want," Shizuka said. 

"No, it's okay!" Miyori assured her. "That would be weird. I don't mind if you tell people, either." 

Miyori had the feeling Shizuka was watching her carefully. "Then why hide it?" 

"I wasn't trying to hide, exactly," she said. "I just...didn't want to stand out." 

Shizuka hummed, leaning back against the fence. "Is it hard?" she asked, and then raised her hands in front of her. "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just never really thought about it, and now I wish I'd known. That's all."

"It's a little hard sometimes," Miyori admitted. "Humans and pixies aren't all that different, really, but there are…well…" She made a face. "Is it bad if I say 'it's the little things'?"

Shizuka blinked, then giggled. "I think it's fine if you say it." 

Miyori laughed too, a little relieved. "I really am sorry I didn't tell you," she said. 

"It's okay. I understand," Shizuka said, and Miyori almost believed her this time. "I just…I want to become someone you can trust, Miyo-chan. That's all I wanted to say." 

"Okay. Thank you." Miyori looked down at the grounds below.

There were more secrets in the back of her throat. They weren't hers to tell, for the most part…but she couldn't say Shizuka was completely uninvolved in this anymore, either. 

Not with where they were planning to go together next. 

Instead, she said, "So…those Iseki sessions. It might just be me, but there's a couple things I'm a little curious about…." 

*** 

Shizuka was skipping her Saturdsay calligraphy class to attend the first session at the Iseki office, and she was more excited about it than Miyori was. 

She chattered happily about her reprieve as they went. "And my mom didn't even get mad! She's excited because it's 'promising.' This is the first time in forever she hasn't given me a hard time about wanting the day off." 

Shizuka's mother was a great enjoyer of the arts, and Shizuka had never had a choice about participating in them. Miyori envied some things about Shizuka's life, but that wasn't one of them—even if Shizuka's penmanship had gotten both of them this invitation in the first place. 

"Just keep an eye out," she said. "I know I sound a little crazy, but I feel like there's some sort of trick to all this." 

"Trick?" 

"Like they're trying to sell something, or…or use people somehow." Miyori shrugged. "Or like their business practices are off. I don't know." 

She hadn't told Shizuka about the blood magic, because then she would have had to explain Noa. But she'd tried to explain about the symbol—how it had been showing up as weird graffiti all over town. She'd stopped just short of explaining about her aunt and uncle's house, because she'd realized at the last second how crazy it sounded. 

"Well, if they try to sell us something, we'll say no." Shizuka linked arms with her. "And if they're weird, we can always just walk out. Right?" 

Miyori nodded. "Right." She was a little nervous that she was going to be separated from Shizuka once they were inside, since they'd signed up for different programs. But that also meant they could see twice as much of what these people were up to. 

Noa had said the same when she'd told him about it. "Keep an eye out for those needles," he said. "Run if you have to. They have your name already—don't let them get your blood, too."

But he hadn't told her not to go. Instead he'd all but begged her to tell him everything she found out, and promised that he'd explain more later. 

She was planning to hold him to that. 

Shizuka was probably as curious about Miyori as Miyori was about Noa. When Miyori thought about that, and her own reasons for keeping secrets from Shizuka anyway, she could find it in herself to be patient with Noa's caution. 

The Iseki building was large and polished, one skyscraper among many. Shizuka and Miyori gave their names at the door, and were led to a table with name tags. Miyori put hers on, noting that it meant everyone passing by could see her full name. 

She'd worn her school uniform again, just in case she needed to transform—but that meant her school was easy to deduce, too. She felt exposed, but there wasn't anything to do about it now. 

An assistant gestured further down the hall. "The placement tests are just through here, ladies. Follow the signs on the door for your program." 

Shizuka glanced Miyori's way one more time, and then she was gone. 

Miyori, alone, pushed open the door labeled Networking Program, wondering what kind of "placement test" she'd be taking.