Setting is after Paru, Peace and Nanashi escaped the Prison.
Two months. It’s been two months since the three of them got away from Prison Hope, and in those two months, they managed to find themselves a decent apartment to live in and part time jobs to support their financial needs.
Nanashi managed to get herself a job as a cashier in a convenience store, and lucky for her, the store’s owner was kind enough to give her salary an increase after finding out that she had no family who supported her. Hell, the said owner would even give her the food stocks that were close to spoiling! Okay, well, maybe getting an almost spoiled food doesn’t sound that majestic, but at least they get something to eat. For free.
Peace works as a clerk in a pet shop, and Paru as a waitress in some café. Their life became even busier the moment they took a step out of the prison’s premises, them spending the whole day working ever since. However, even though their life was now busy with them working their asses off, the trio would always gather up in their small apartment at night, sharing ideas and plans on how they could set their comrades free. That’s right, even after two months of freedom, the only thing the three had in mind was their comrades. They wanted to see them again. To be free with them by their side, and Nanashi, for sure, yearned to be with Nantene again.
She had so many things she wanted to say to her, words that were always in her heart and everytime she thinks about how she was never able to say them to her, her chest tightens.
“Nanashi, isn’t it time for you to go to work already?” Peace called out from the sink, cleaning the dishes. It’s odd, really. Even after the three of them got out of the prison, they still continued on calling each other by their nicknames.
“Can’t I skip today?” Nanashi half whined as she dropped her head on the small table in front of her, with Paru just staring at her with her brows slightly furrowed. Clearly, she was not amused.
“No. We can’t afford to even have a small amount of our salaries cut off. Now go.”
“Yes Mom.” She grumbled, earning a glare from peace in return. Smiling sheepishly with an awkward laugh afterward, Nanashi slowly stood up from the cushion she sat on and hurriedly made her way to the door.
A sigh left from her lips the moment she got out. Seriously, Peace can be scary sometimes.
-
“Welcome!” Nanashi called out as soon as she heard the store’s weird doorbell-like chime whenever someone opens it, a fake smile plastered on her face until the customer turned his back on her. She dropped her smile not long after, slumping down a little with her eyes closed.
Her body felt heavy. Too heavy- probably tired from working for two months straight.
“Excuse me, I’d like to get these…”
Funny. Now she’s hearing voices too. One that sounds too much like Nantene’s normal voice at that. A voice she rarely hears from the said girl.
“Um… Excuse me..?”
“Ah! Right! I’m in the middle of work!” Snapping her eyes open, Nanashi put up her fake smile again. “Welcome! I’m sorry for keeping you waiting I-“ Looking down at the customer, her smile slowly disappeared.
Standing before her, was the girl who was always sticking in her mind, wearing clothes that's far from the prison's uniform, and instead of having her hair tied up in a messy twin-tails like usual, she left them down, and boy did her hair look so straight. Nanashi opened her mouth again, too surprised to even voice out another word. Why is she here? Isn't she supposed to be in prison? Most of all, something looked off... She seemed less... Dangerous than before?
Nanashi cleared her throat after some time, and after a few moments, with a shaky voice, finally managed to whisper,
“…Nantene…?”