Your not monsters.

She wanted to go home. She didn’t know how she got here, she didn’t know where exactly this was. Some sort of afterlife? So she died? What about the other Mekakushi Dan members? Where they still alive? She hoped so…why couldn’t she remember…What happened? No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t get a clear answer. 

It was all too much. She didn’t like this place…it was creepy. It got on her nerves. The river was full of lava and the buildings where black with soot. Nothing about this place reminded her of ‘home’. She wanted to go back…she didn’t like this place…even her room, her new ‘home’, it wasn’t comforting at all. She missed the Mekakushi Dan members. She missed her own room…she missed everything from when she was ‘alive’. 

But, that was probably selfish of her, wasn’t it? Being alone here meant that the others had survived, right? So, she should be happy…she shouldn’t feel sad…because…everyone else was okay…But, why. Why was she still upset? Why did she still yearn for everyone to be with her? 

She could feel the tears falling down her face and so turned invisible. She didn’t have any reason to act like a ‘leader’ here when there was no one to lead, but old habits died hard and she didn’t want anyone to see her cry. She kept walking, in this unfamiliar land, uncaring if she got lost. It didn’t matter if she got lost here, everywhere was just so foreign to her. 

— ❉ Often Ayano found herself wonder what had happened to her family. The only thing she wished for them, was to be happy. Together the three of them could live together, right? Even without their older sister the three of her siblings were strong. Ayano believed they were strong enough to figure things out. All these worries always returned the question, why did she die? There was something she had to do, but what was it? It was a mission of some sort, and it must have resulted in her death. As long as she died for their sake, it was alright. There was no use regretting anything. Even saying that, Ayano felt guilty. 

— ❉ Though it was no pretty sight Ayano found herself walking observing the fiery scenery of blackened buildings and the crimson lake, lava wasn't it? A river of lava, that was something Ayano never imaged she would see. Aside from the scenery this place was.. Close to any other city. To some extent at least. Perhaps as time passed she could get used to this place. If she died, that meant she was stuck here. It also meant there was no leaving, right? She felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of her head. Only one thing really mattered even if she was here. "Please be safe..." a murmur escaped her lips. the black haired girl loosened the scarf wrapped around her neck.

— ❉ While she was walking in one direction, suddenly someone came out of nowhere and walked right into there. No, no there wasn't anyone there just a moment ago. They came out of thin air. Ayano's eyes widened as she turned to see the individual who had bumped into her. The green haired girls eyes were filled with tears, and as soon as their eye's met tears formed at the corner of her eyes. "Tsubomi-chan...?" the name slipped out without another thought. No... She couldn't be here, if Kido was here that meant... Her mission was a failure? A few tears dripped down the sides of her face. Kido had died, one of the people she wanted to protect was dead. 

「Ayano’s Theory of Happiness 」

So even a subtle change like this was easily picked up by the deceiver who found it way easier to impersonate others. That however didn’t help him much when the image he needed to show her was ‘a smile by Kano for his own sake’. He could imitate any other smile to his heart’s content, but how did that one state look? Granted a mirror and enough time he could probably come up with something credible, but not when being put on the spot like this. “I know, I know~” he retorted in a carefree voice. If she would at least just get mad with him like how it was all the time back before everything had been destroyed. He was way better at dealing with feelings of anger after all. “Even I can do that much!” Well, if he just showed her the brightest smile he knew, that should probably do the trick right? Closing his eyes for a brief moment to cover the flare of red and masking the gesture with a goofy smile and a shrug, Kano pictured that one face that had taken so much practice - his own face reflected in the mirror and focused on pasting one certain smile on that face, an expression that he would occasionally see on people when they appeared to be feeling truly joyful. “See?”

— ❉ The dark haired girl's gaze fixed on the floor for a moment as a soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips once again. Ayano never found it all that difficult to tell when people's emotions were a little off. No matter how good the masquerade was, she could somehow tell something was wrong. Hearing his carefree response Ayano nodded. "I know you know. Not only are you a good boy, but your just as smart." she replied in her usual gentle voice. Her eyes shut and a soft giggle escaped her lips hearing his next statement. "I know you can, you can do just about anything. I believe that for sure, as long as you set out to do it and try your best you will succeed."

By 美花　鈴蘭

But maybe this time it was finally a wish a bit too tall. “Smile for ‘myself’, huh…? Heh,” he repeated her words with a small laughter. Would he really be able to do something like that in time? In the first place he would need to find that ‘myself’ that he had thought lost a long time ago. It probably wasn’t even possible to regain it anymore. “But neechan, if I’m the one smiling, doesn’t that already make it a smile for me? If a person’s smile didn’t even belong to themself, wouldn’t that just be silly?”

— ❉ Ayano's smile faded again hearing the uneasiness in his voice when repeating her request. Kano was a good boy who thought of those around him before others. Ayano knew that very well. Even if Kano had a different reputation among other people. His selflessness had lead to him forgetting to treat himself with kindness as much as those he cares for. With a gentle, but more serious voice Ayano spoke "Shuuya..." she began and looked straight at him. "A smile for yourself is different from an ordinary smile. Both are equally important."

Transparent yuukiei quartet!! :D