He smiles. “This place is so good, you’re going to love it!”

"You’ve been here before?" She asked as she looked at a menu, trying to figure out what she might want to eat.

"Yeah, it's good." He smiles, knowing what he wants. "I'll pay."

"We can get snacks and drink coffee!" He looks at her questioningly. "You’ve never heard of a cafe?"

Mukuro shrugged and looked back to him with a look of indifference. “Never been to one, I don’t usually go out to eat as it’s mostly a waste of time.” Well, the truth was she didn’t exactly have anyone to go with.

He smiles. "This place is so good, you're going to love it!"

"I won’t. Sorry." He walks with her to the place and sits down with her in the shop.

Mukuro looked around the place, wondering why it smelt so… different. “What do we do here? I’ve never been to a place like this before.”

"We can get snacks and drink coffee!" He looks at her questioningly. "You've never heard of a cafe?"

He smiles slightly. “I’ll show you that you made the right choice. Everything will be great.” (Can things actually end up going good because this is super sad. I don’t like sad things.)

Chihiro smiled through her tears and she slumped her forehead forward against Naegi’s chest. “I know it will be,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around his bony frame and hugging him tight. (Yes please ; v; I don’t like sad either.)

(Yay!) he smiles back. "I'm sorry about everything. I'll make it up to you. Whatever you want to do today, we can do."

"Can we at least try? Please… I have nothing else.. I’m used up." He’s tearing up again, his stomach growling intensely. "Please. Everything was happy when we were together. Let’s try and do that again. Please. Let’s just try. If not, we can mutually agree we don’t work and we’ll get over each other easier."

Chihiro looked up at the other through his tears, returning his hand to his cheek. It was impossible to turn Naegi away like this - when he was starving and tired and begging her not to go. 

"A-alright," she conceded at last, nodding a bit. "We can try."

He smiles slightly. "I'll show you that you made the right choice. Everything will be great." (Can things actually end up going good because this is super sad. I don't like sad things.)

"N-no. Wait. This isn’t your fault. It’s mine. You were right, I over-reacted. Is there any chance we could try again? From the start? Please? I think we’re both in times of need right now anyways.."

Her face was pale and she stared up at him with wide eyes that were full of tears. “I’m scared, Naegi,” she confessed. “I love you so much. I just want you to be happy and healthy a-and safe and I think all the time about how much better it would be if we hadn’t—” No. It wouldn’t be better if they hadn’t met. “If you didn’t love me as much as you do.”

"Can we at least try? Please... I have nothing else.. I'm used up." He's tearing up again, his stomach growling intensely. "Please. Everything was happy when we were together. Let's try and do that again. Please. Let's just try. If not, we can mutually agree we don't work and we'll get over each other easier."

"Exactly what I said would happen. I haven’t eaten in four days and I haven’t slept in three. Why are you here?"

She held his bony cheeks between her palms, staring up into eyes that once held such warmth and love whenever she met them. If she hated herself before, she detested herself now. “This… this is my fault?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Just waiting for Naegi to give the word.

He sighs. “No. It’s my own emotions. I shouldn’t love you, but I do. Just like I said, I need you. But don’t come back to me out of pity. Leave me here, I’ll be fine.” He knew he wouldn’t be.

So, yes. He was emaciated and chose to lock himself away all because of her. Dealing with internal self-hatred was manageable, but when that hatred starts to affect someone else… it was worse. And for the first time in her life, Chihiro honestly just wished she were dead. “I-I…” she said, her chest seizing up and her lungs reluctant to draw in air. “I-I’m so sorry. Naegi, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have… I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, voice cracking as she turned to leave as he wished. 

"N-no. Wait. This isn't your fault. It's mine. You were right, I over-reacted. Is there any chance we could try again? From the start? Please? I think we're both in times of need right now anyways.."

If you listen carefully you can hear the howling void that is my inbox

/I can't, I'm blaring rock music from my room. Maybe next time./

"Exactly what I said would happen. I haven’t eaten in four days and I haven’t slept in three. Why are you here?"

She held his bony cheeks between her palms, staring up into eyes that once held such warmth and love whenever she met them. If she hated herself before, she detested herself now. “This… this is my fault?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Just waiting for Naegi to give the word.

He sighs. "No. It's my own emotions. I shouldn't love you, but I do. Just like I said, I need you. But don't come back to me out of pity. Leave me here, I'll be fine." He knew he wouldn't be.

After a few seconds, you hear footsteps. Naegi comes to the door, tired and obviously starving, his eyes red from tears. “What do you want?”

A gasp left the programmer’s lips, and her bag clattered to the ground as she dropped it. “Naegi! What happened?” she asked, her hands reaching to his cheeks instinctively. 

"Exactly what I said would happen. I haven't eaten in four days and I haven't slept in three. Why are you here?"

But he didn’t. He got home and locked the door, collapsing on the couch and crying. He didn’t show up for school for the next two weeks, and people were starting rumors. No one was brave enough to go to his house themselves though.

Chihiro tried her best to stay away. She wanted someone else to step in for Naegi’s sake - not to save herself the trouble, but just to help him move on. When so much time had passed with no word from him, Chihiro decided to go to his house. She hadn’t been there in a while. It felt strange… But she had to check on him. She rang the bell, and then knocked a few times when no one came. “N-Naegi? It’s me… please open the door,” she asked. 

After a few seconds, you hear footsteps. Naegi comes to the door, tired and obviously starving, his eyes red from tears. "What do you want?"

He bites his lower lip, tearing up prominently. “You’re hurting /me/ right now. Guess you’re gonna have to figure it out now, because you’re on your own.” He’s fully crying now. “I can tell I’m not wanted here. Goodbye.” He leaves the school, not even bothering to go.

Chihiro’s blood ran cold when he left on such a bitter note. She wanted to comfort him, but bit her lip and kept silent. As much as it hurt to know that she was causing him such pain, she truly believed it was for the best. She’d only wind up getting him hurt and made fun of. Being alone had worked out just fine for her before… And eventually Naegi would find someone else. 

But he didn't. He got home and locked the door, collapsing on the couch and crying. He didn't show up for school for the next two weeks, and people were starting rumors. No one was brave enough to go to his house themselves though.

"No. For me, there is no better than you. You’re the best to me. And I don’t care about your gender. I love you. And I don’t care if that means me getting hurt, because we’ll be together." His breath isn’t stable and he feels like he’s going to throw up. His eyes are watering, he’s on the brink of tears.

"Naegi… p-please," she breathed, still holding his face between her hands. Her touch was so gentle and warm, and so opposite her words. "Please don’t be upset. I love you too," she reminded him, the pain in her chest growing. "I love you so much that I’d rather you stay safe than be selfish and ask you to stay with me. I don’t know what I’d do with myself if someone hurt you, I really don’t."

He bites his lower lip, tearing up prominently. "You're hurting /me/ right now. Guess you're gonna have to figure it out now, because you're on your own." He's fully crying now. "I can tell I'm not wanted here. Goodbye." He leaves the school, not even bothering to go.

"Chihiro, I don’t care if I get dragged into your problems. I want to be dragged into your problems if it means being with you. I love you so much, and I need you. And that’s worth fighting for. Please, won’t you understand that breaking up won’t benefit either of us? Please… Oh god…"

It broke her heart to see him so upset. As much as she wanted to look away, she kept her head up to look at him. To let him see the look in her eyes and know that this was painful for her, too. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, Naegi. There are lots of girls here who like you… Actual girls, girls who are better than me. And you deserve better than me,” she managed, close to tears.

"No. For me, there is no better than you. You're the best to me. And I don't care about your gender. I love you. And I don't care if that means me getting hurt, because we'll be together." His breath isn't stable and he feels like he's going to throw up. His eyes are watering, he's on the brink of tears.

"We could always run away. Go live on our own." He hugged her tight. "I’m sorry about those guys. They suck. I’ll stay near you from now on, they should make fun of you less. I’m really sorry, by the way. About everything."

"Naegi…" she sighed, shaking her head. "You shouldn’t." Raising a hand to his cheek, she ran her fingertips along it and stared up into his eyes with a sad sort of love. "I don’t want things like this to happen to you. Especially not because of me. I shouldn’t drag you down to suffer with me. I think it would be best if we just…” She couldn’t even bring herself to say it.

"Chihiro, I don't care if I get dragged into your problems. I want to be dragged into your problems if it means being with you. I love you so much, and I need you. And that's worth fighting for. Please, won't you understand that breaking up won't benefit either of us? Please... Oh god..."

"We could always run away. Go live on our own." He hugged her tight. "I’m sorry about those guys. They suck. I’ll stay near you from now on, they should make fun of you less. I’m really sorry, by the way. About everything."

"Naegi…" she sighed, shaking her head. "You shouldn’t." Raising a hand to his cheek, she ran her fingertips along it and stared up into his eyes with a sad sort of love. "I don’t want things like this to happen to you. Especially not because of me. I shouldn’t drag you down to suffer with me. I think it would be best if we just…” She couldn’t even bring herself to say it.

He gulped, and everything went silent for him. "Please, no." His eyes widened. "No, it won't be for the best. Please. Oh, god."