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As the passenger train raced along its tracks, bound for a station in town, the boy sitting straight across from Daichi hummed to himself. His little legs swung up and down in his seat, while the worried mother beside him seemed anxious. She was careful to avoid looking at her son when she peered down the train aisle, tapping her feet, waiting for someone that might never be the same. 

I'm sorry, was all Daichi could think, but I'll figure out what Dominion is planning no matter what.

Then, a sudden tug on his black sleeve turned his attention towards Hanako. Her face—normally cute and jubilant—looked like it wanted to say something that her mouth couldn't. Mixes of confliction with nervousness were present, then a shift to solidarity. 

“Sooooo, are you sure you don’t want me to tag along today?” Hanako said with endearing, lavender eyes. Daichi couldn't help but gaze into them for a moment.

“It’s fine," he replied. "You’ve been visiting Kyouko almost as much as me. Don't stress yourself out right before we graduate.”

She tucked a locket of her silky black hair behind her ear. “But you’re graduating too soon. I feel like I'm pushing everything on you when I don't come with.”

“Two years into this mess I’m surprised anyone is still graduating—makes it hard for me to balance things." Daichi reached into his black trousers and pulled out a single key. "But I can be a little late heading home."

Hanako's melancholic gaze shifted out the window where swaths of sunsetting light blanketed her face. "That’s why I don’t mind coming—because I don’t want you stressing yourself more than you already are. Your sister is like a big sister to me too. If it was me in that hospital bed, I know she’d visit every day.”

You're honestly too good for me. But he could never admit that to her. “It’s not just Kyouko though, it’s thousands of people all around the country; any second it could be either of us too."

Without warning, Hanako's hand reached up and started fluffing Daichi's silver hair. She made adorkable mofu-mofu-mofu sounds as she petted him with a smile. Just between her succulent lips, one could see her perfect, white teeth.

“Sorry, your fluffy hair just makes me wanna spoil you." Hanako continued weaving her fingers into him. "You pet me all the time when we were kids too, remember?”

“Bah, it’d probably be weird if I still did.”

Her cheeks flushed pink and she mumbled something under her breath. “I wouldn't mind much . . .”

“Huh?”

“N-Nothing! Haha." She took her hand back and laid it on the space between Daichi and her. "I just hate seeing us so gloomy. Kyouko is a fighter. If there’s anyone that can bounce back from this, it’s her!”

"Maybe. Who knows how seriously Dominion is taking it."

Out of the corner of his eye, Daichi saw Hanako's small hand slowly reach for his on his lap.

It was her hand—that'd often lay on his video game controllers at home, that'd pick out food for him in the cafeteria, that'd comfort Kyouko in the hospital—the same hand he'd always dreamt of holding and embracing. 

But at the last moment, Hanako retracted her hand with haste. She scooted slightly away from him, and her frustrated mutters seemed to curse her lack of courage.

Just give me a little more time. I promise I'll make up for everything, he thought. We'll both get what we want.

A tranquil quiet permeated the air. Daichi peered down the train aisle to see familiar faces he’d seen before: a middle-aged woman with a vase of flowers, a dispirited man with sunken eyes, a group of students with the same black uniform as his, and an old lady who seemed like she’d never smiled. Several others as well, with most journeying to the same hospital.

Two beeps rang inside his head. Daichi looked up and willed out the Dominion Menu—an AR-based system built into almost everyone's mind in Japan. He tapped on a green notification bell in the corner of his virtual display and opened his message inbox.

A new text from Dad arrived. Daichi tapped to read it:

‘Don't come today. I can handle taking care of Kyouko until you finish high school. Tell Hanako thanks for helping out too. You both should start thinking about your futures, not being chained to someone who hasn't opened her eyes in years. It's not what Kyouko or your mom would want. Take care and I'll see you at home.’

The message was sent three hours ago but received only just now. Even if it had arrived earlier Daichi knew he wouldn't listen. He bit into his lip.

"Is something wrong?" Hanako asked.

He looked at her and smiled, green eyes gleaming. "It's nothing. My dad just asked if I'm almost there."

"Oh, right. He's been going to see Kyouko every day after work. It's probably hard on him even if he's not showing it."

Daichi nodded and interacted with his Dominion Menu again. He closed his inbox and opened the system's photo gallery. Years-old pictures his father's eyes captured popped up one by one in a grid. Daichi swiped until reaching a photo of Kyouko piggy-back carrying young him during a zoo trip; partially out of frame, their silver-haired mother looked onwards. Next to that photo, a picture of himself and young Hanako showcased the following day near their school gates. He was petting and teasing her for missing out on zoo goodness.

“Are you looking at something cringy?” Hanako teased from the side. Her chin hovered near his shoulder.

Daichi flinched and closed his Menu even though she couldn’t perceive it. “J-Just checking if there’s any new videos uploaded on Dominiontube, yeah . . .”

She frowned. “You’re really getting into conspiracy stuff—way more than before. I liked it better when you just looked up old war documentaries.”

“What about you? We both liked hearing old Americana music at one point. Now you only listen to K-Pop and can’t understand any of it either.”

“That’s different! You got me into my old hobbies, but I'd be a tomboy by now if I still copied you!"

“Maybe I’d like a tomboy Hanako more than a girly one.”

“Idiot, be quiet.” Her cheeks pinkened again. “I’m gonna listen to music. You can do whatever you want.” She pointed her index fingers into her ears and made twirling motions—the gestures silenced outside noise, allowing someone to hear sounds only through Dominion’s services.

Well, at least she's a cute ditz. Daichi sighed and tapped her shoulder. She jolted then repeated the earlier motions to disable Dominion's mute. Outside, their train started coming to an obvious halt while Hanako's face flushed red with embarrassment.

“I-I knew we were about to stop!" she stammered. "I just didn’t wanna hear your cringe anymore!”

"Careful, your tsundere is showing,” Daichi teased. She retaliated by flicking his shoulder.

The usual stream of people out the doors ensued but as Daichi motioned to stand, Hanako pinched his black sleeve.

“Let’s wait until everyone gets off first,” she said, still blushing.

“What for?”

“Just do it.”

He gave her a confused expression but obeyed. Her pinch on his sleeve remained while everyone else walked out.

With rush hour over, only small numbers of people boarded the train. Daichi and Hanako made their way towards the exit as they passed an elderly man with a cell phone—a commodity in the era where people have a phone’s functions built into them.

The sleek avant-garde train station outside looked deserted, while in the background, a brilliant setting sun cast a wistful, orange glow on their platform. Daichi followed Hanako towards a large pillar as the train behind them departed. She stood firm and faced him with her vivid, violet eyes before looking at the ground and twiddling her fingers.

“What’s up?” Daichi asked.

"Um, it’s about the other night at the park." Her voice was almost a mumble. "I just—I wanted to apologize."

"Hmmm?"

Hanako’s face went from pouty to humble. "I asked you something that day I shouldn’t have. It was selfish, even if I’m still waiting for an answer."

He'd hoped she wouldn't bring it up. "If that's what this is about, then—"

"Let me finish," she gently said. "Your conspiracies finally got to me; where any of us could end up like Kyouko or those crazies. I guess I was thinking if something happened to me, at least I wouldn’t have any regrets. Real springboard of emotions, huh?"

Daichi relaxed and let out another sigh. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not that I don’t wanna try dating, but there's just too much happening for me to juggle romance right now."

"If you need more help with anything, I can—"

He shook his head. "You're helping plenty by visiting my sister sometimes. It's more than enough. Honest."

"I mean we could, you know, take things slow too . . . You didn't seem completely uninterested in me."

I'd be dumb not to be interested. "I'll see what happens. When things get back to normal and Kyouko wakes up, maybe we can give it a shot."

Hanako crossed her arms, her short stature unfit for intimidation. “I’m a big girl and I can handle rejection, but I don’t like being kept on some reserve list. You can’t expect me to wait forever until you’re ready."

"Sorry for the trouble," he chuckled.

"Humph! You better be. I've already been accepted into college and who knows who I’ll meet there.”

“Maybe you’ll meet someone who’s not a conspiracy theorist and likes K-Pop as much as you." Daichi tried holding in a laugh.

“Yeah! And if you meet anyone like that at your dad’s company, make sure to gimme their number!” She moved back with a smirk and then started whizzing around the large support pillar. Her head peeked in and out towards Daichi, like she was a child playing hide and seek. "Bet you can't catch me!"

"I would if I could," he smiled. "But you've always been faster than me."

She'd been a playful, energetic girl even since they'd met. In a way, the light of her positivity was the one thing that helped Daichi through his toughest times. 

She cutely stuck the tip of her tongue out, and emerged from behind the pillar in her black, school uniform. For a split moment, Daichi admired her figure that'd developed well over the years, but was quick to avert his eyes. Then Hanako strutted herself in front of him and clenched him in a tight hug.

“Wait—what?” Daichi said.

“Just be quiet and let me have this much—as a friend.” She pressed herself firmly against him, transferring her trace amounts of sweet warmth.

What is even going on? He could smell the pricy, lavender conditioner massaged into her hair and feel the smoothness of her head against his neck. Daichi’s arms hovered around her trying to decide what to do, but she broke away before a decision was made.

“Tell your dad I said ‘hi’ and that I’ll go see Kyouko soon, 'k?"

“F-For sure, yeah. Sorry I can’t walk you home today, but we can meet up in the park again sometime next week."

She looked back and beamed a wholesome grin as she walked away. “It’s a date then!”

He sent her off with a wave. When Hanako disappeared around the distant corner, Daichi opened his augmented reality Menu. Notifications he’d silenced for Dominion-related posts that were published on the ride over flooded his feed. He analyzed them all and starred several he’d peruse more later.

Daichi clenched his school bag and trekked out of the train station, while a miasma of contrasting emotions stirred within him. Well, time to see what's waiting for me. Or who.