Not The Same

Suzuran and Matsuri arrived to the Aihara apartment.

"How does the ring look like?" Asked matsuri running to Yuzu's room.

"It's silver ring tied to a silver chain" Suzuran responded her running behind her back.

They opened every cabinet, looked under the mattress, under the piles of clothes, in her bags.

Hmmm could it be..thought Matsuri and looked at the book section. Matsuri walked towards it and revealed the hidden Yuzu stash along the notebook...Nothing.

Matsuri then started to throw all the books onto the floor frantically hoping that it was somewhere in there.

Suzuran looked down and saw the notebook. She picked up and opened it, scanning it for any clues. And left it on top of the bed.

"Wheres her phone?" Suzuran asked Matsuri

"uhm, fuck.." Matsuri was mad at this point.

They both cleaned up everything and left.

Hospital--

The doctor gave Yuzu the medicine and for now she is resting.

Both Suzuran and Matsuri arrived at the hospital. They entered the room, upon entering, they saw Ume standing next to Yuzu holding her hand muttering "It's going to be ok" repeatedly.

"what happened?" Matsuri quickly walked to the bed.

"She woke up..." Ume nodded a no "She began to freak out, wanting to get up, me and the doctor held her down, I don't know anymore" gripping the tissue, beginning to cry again.

Matsuri put a hand on Ume's shoulder and Suzuran stood beside them looking at Yuzu

----

"Did you girls find the ring?"

"No. We both checked her room and the whole apartment. We didn't find anything. Do you know anything about Yuzu's phone?"

"The officer told me that her phones was with her, but they didn't find anything. No secret messages, no finger prints, nothing. They told me that they will with the phone a bit while longer to properly examine it. I'm going to give them a call and Suzuran?"

"Yes?"

"Can you explain to them how the ring looked like?"

"Sure thing"

-----

After Suzuran explained, she had to leave back home.

"Matsuri, you need to go home and rest" Ume looked at the tired Matsuri.

"No, I want to stay" Matsuri moved trying to get comfy on the chair.

"You look really tired, if you don't want to go back home you can sleep over at the apartment if you'd like? Please, I don't want Yuzu to wake up and get mad because you didn't get enough sleep. Just like those times when she baby sat you and really took care of you." Ume smiled how Yuzu was really protective to her loved oned.

"Okey, for Yuzu"

"Here is the key, make yourself at home" Ume pulled the key out and gave it to Matsuri. "Please be careful out there and make sure to lock the doors"

"I promise"

Ume hugged Matsuri and left.

Aihara Academy

The gangs sat on the lunch table.

"Did you guys know about a ring necklace that Yuzu had?" Matsuri spoke up

"Ring?" Nene asked confusedly

"Yes, she always carried it around. And from what I can tell, you guys didn't know either" Suzuran scanned their surprised reactions.

"Himeko...didn't you see something like that?"

"No, never" Himeko responded, while she chewed on the green bean.

"This is bullshit.." Everyone turned to Harumin standing up from the chair.

"Why would anyone do this to Yuzu. The school was all dull and boring until she came along and made it better. And then a motherfucker comes and does that to her?!.. This world is a fucked up place!" Harumin said slamming her hands on the table, capturing the attention of some of her classmates.

"She's right. We also have to help to find that ring and maybe we could asked Mei?" Nene said after she finished eating.

"No! like I said she doesn't deserve anyth-" Matsuri couldn't finish her sentence.

"It wouldn't work anyways" said Himeko.

"What?! How would you know that?" Harumin asked.

"I called Mei, but she couldn't pick up"

"Why not?" Suzuran asked

"Her grandfather picked up my call and he said he wouldn't like any distractions specially this time, and Mei doesn't own a cellphone"

Damn this girl doesn't listen Matsuri thought.

"Didn't I make myself clear last time and today to not.."

"Matsuri please, do not start an argument, right now we have to find that ring, maybe it can lead us to the perpetrator who did that to our Yuzu!" Harumin interrupted Matsuri and tried to keep her voice low.

"Hmm we will find that person, I'll try to contact our family friend who's in charge of Yuzu's case maybe we can asked him some developments. But I am confident that he can crack this"

"How did you know that he's handling Yuzu's case?" Matsuri asked

"I talked to him about the ring and he told me his name"

"Who ever did this to our Yuzu...will pay" Harumin said

"Well then, I'm glad that I can count on you guys" Matsuri already thought some of the ways to get their revenge.

"Let's meet up after school to go visit Yuzu and see what we can do" Matsuri said as soon as the bell rang signaling to head back to class

Hospital--

"Mom.. where am I?" Yuzu asked with her raspy voice looking around. Her body feeling heavy.

"Yuzu? Yuzu!" Ume went in for a big but gentle hug.

Yuzu just stared at her, not hugging back

"Mom, where am I? What is all this?" Asked Yuzu touching the gauze on her head. Ume broke the hug and looked at her.

From the corner of the blondes eye, she saw scratches of her arms.

"You were in an accident and you were brought here" Ume's voice breaking down a bit. Yuzu looked at her startled.

"When and what kind of accident?"

"A few days ago you bumped your head and I will tell you the rest when you get better ok?"

"No, tell me"

"No, you need to be in good health first. Are you hungry or anything?" Ume said getting up ready to call the nurse

"Mom! Tell me, I need to know. " Yuzu said sternly looking at her.

Ume breathed in and out and cleared her throat

"You, you were beaten and.." Ume's voice broke

"why? and how?"

"Yuzu honey, please rest first you need it right now"

Yuzu tried to move up, but felt the pain all over her specially her abdomen.

"Tell me now mom, I need to know now!"

"honey, please listen to your mama, I'll tell you everything after you feel better"

Then Yuzu started crying not knowing why and grabbed the blanket to cover herself.

Ume got close wanting to take off the blanket to comfort Yuzu.

"No, stay away"

"But.."

"I said stay away!" Yuzu yelled to Ume from under the blankets.

Ume just sat at the end of the bed beginning to cry looking at the covers where her daughter was under.

--------

Nene, Harumin, Suzuran and Matsuri went as group to the hospital after school.

Harumin held the door to open for the girls and Matsuri went in first.

"Matsuri?" Yuzu asked recognizing her childhood friend.

Matsuri saw her awake and ran towards her and hugged her. "I missed you Yuzu-onee" A few tears from Matsuri's eyes fell into Yuzu's neck. Yuzu hugged her back "I missed you too Matsuri"

"Yuzu!"came in running upon hearing the blonde's voice, ditching holding the door for the rest of the girls

-"Hey that hurt"!

-"ouch!"

were heard.

"Sorry guys hehe" Harumin said to the girls who are still at the door.

Matsuri let go of Yuzu, so that Harumin could hug the blonde.

"Yuzuchii!" Harumin ran with her arms open.

Yuzu looked at the screaming girl

"No get away from me! don't hurt me! sat up and yelled angrily at Harumin.

Everyone in that room looked at Yuzu, stunned at the fact that they have never seen her yell like that.

Yuzu looked at the other girls and aggressively yelled "Don't hurt me! Stay away from me!"

The girls stood back, with pain on their faces.

Yuzu now sobbing grabbed a fistful of her hair with both hands and looked down closing her eyes and kept saying "Don't hurt me" her body was shaking in fear.

"Yuzu, that's your friend Harumin" Ume sat next to Yuzu putting an arm on her shoulders pulling her in.

"Yu-yuzuchii?" Harumin asked shocked and hurt.

Before Ume could speak up, the nurse came in running.

"What happened?!" The nurse asked and looked at Yuzu having a breakdown.

The nurse looked at Ume and she gave her a nod as if she was telling the nurse to let her comfort the blonde.

Udagawa's residence

Mei was in her room laying down hugging her little bear Anthoniko and another little yellow bear, both were given to her from Yuzu.

Mei heard a buzz and went to go check who was at the door, leaving the two bears behind.

It was grandfather that came to visit the newly wed couple. They all sat in the living room.

"Now that you are married, and when you both get comfortable with one another and your careers. You will need to have a child together."

"What?!" Mei asked him in surprise

"Mei, we will need to have an heir to the Academy after you. This is how supposed to be"

Udagawa looked at Daigo

"We don't need to do this, we can always adopt one and raise him or her as our own child" Udagawa tried to reason.

"No! the child must be an Aihara name in the blood!" Daigo said getting angry at what Udagawa suggested.

Mei always wanted a family, but not with any random person. Mei already had someone in her mind that she wanted to start a family with. Right then and there, Mei wanted to say something, but she couldn't do that to her grandfather. She felt so small because all her life she was just obeying her grandfather to make him please.

'Yuzu' was all she could think of, just by thinking about the blonde it gives her the strength she needed to the situation that she was about to go through again.

Udagawa noticed the raven haired girl's demeanor. He can sympathize the girl that was beside him.

'She's trying so hard just for the family's business even though it's not what she wanted' Udagawa just gave him a sad look.