A Light Drawn Closer

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1

Mafuyu

Listen

Miku, Rin...
2

Mafuyu

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Is something the matter...?
3

Miku

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<Kanade told me that you're resting because you're not feeling well.>
4

Rin

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<Miku seemed really worried, so... I decided to join her.>
5

Mafuyu

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I see...
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Miku

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<Are you okay?>
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Miku

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<You look a little distraught.>
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Mafuyu

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...
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Rin

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<Did you have a bad dream or something...?>
10

Mafuyu

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A bad...

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Mafuyu

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...

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Mafuyu

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I'd say so...
13

Miku

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<Mafuyu...>
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Rin

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<What was your dream about?>
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Mafuyu

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It was about that night...
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Rin

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<That night...?>
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Mafuyu

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Yes...
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Mafuyu

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When I told my mom how I really felt.
19

Miku

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<Oh...>
20

Mafuyu

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She refused to accept it...
21

Mafuyu

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And then... My dad took her side...
22

Miku

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<Your dad...?>
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Miku

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<But I thought he wasn't there that night.>
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Mafuyu

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He wasn't.
25

Mafuyu

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But in my dream...
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Mafuyu

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He said he was so disappointed about me not wanting to become a doctor...
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Miku

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<Mafuyu...>
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Rin

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<That sounds like a really scary dream...>
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Mafuyu

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Scary...?
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Mafuyu

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...
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Mafuyu

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(That night, I told my mom how I really felt, but she refused to understand...)
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Mafuyu

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(If my dad did the same thing...)
Empty SEKAI

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33

Miku

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...
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Rin

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Is Mafuyu gonna be okay?
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Rin

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She's been sleeping since then, but she still seemed a bit restless...
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Miku

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*Nod*
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Miku

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She's afraid that her dad won't understand...
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Rin

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...
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Rin

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Which is keeping her from moving forward...
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Miku

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What...?
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Rin

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Mafuyu's been trying to move forward ever since she ran away from home that night...
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Rin

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But she's stuck...
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Rin

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What if her fear's preventing her from doing that...?
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Rin

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The fear of being rejected again.
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Miku

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Oh...
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Rin

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If that's the case...
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Rin

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I wanna help her.
48

Miku

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Rin...
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Rin

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But I don't know how...
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???

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Hey, Rin!
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Rin

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That voice...

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52

Mizuki

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Heya!
Oh, Miku's with you today.
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Rin

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What brings you here?
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Mizuki

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So, this new fabric shop opened up the other day!
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Mizuki

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And I got my hands on some of their stuff for really cheap. I was thinking that I could make ribbons for everyone!
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Mizuki

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I bet you guys are gonna love...
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Mizuki

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Hold on. Did something happen?
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Miku

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Oh, umm...
59

Mizuki

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Is it about Mafuyu...?
We heard that she isn't feeling well today and needs to rest.
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Miku

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Oh...
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Miku

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Yes, the thing is...
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Mizuki

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I see. So Mafuyu's...

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Miku

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*Nod*
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Mizuki

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...
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Mizuki

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She's afraid that her dad won't understand...
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Mizuki

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(This must be the result of what she experienced that night...)
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Mizuki

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(When her mom refused to accept how her own daughter felt.)
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Mizuki

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(It had to have taken a ton of courage for Mafuyu to tell her the truth...)
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Mizuki

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(If her dad ends up taking her mom's side, then Mafuyu's going to be forced to suffer even more...)
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Mizuki

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(I think anyone would be scared of that prospect...)
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Rin

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Mizuki...?
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Mizuki

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Oh, sorry...
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Mizuki

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I sorta understand what Mafuyu's going through right now...
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Rin

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Huh...?
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Mizuki

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So, umm...
To Mafuyu, her dad is a huge source of hope.
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Mizuki

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Him being family is probably a big reason why, but more importantly...
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Mizuki

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He seems to care a lot more about her well-being based on what I've been hearing about him recently.
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Mizuki

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Which is why it'd be awful if he were to go from being understanding to not...
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Mizuki

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There's even a chance that she'd end up in a worse situation than she is now.
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Mizuki

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Just thinking about it is pretty scary. Anyone would be petrified...
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Rin

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...
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Mizuki

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(But...)

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83

Mizuki

Listen

(Having someone who you know is on your side is huge...)
84

Mizuki

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(If Mafuyu is also able to have someone like that...
It'll give her a sense of security.)
85

Mizuki

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So...
Next Chapter: A Warm Walk Home