[ As Yuuri cradles him in her arms, still stroking his hair, cheek pressed against the crown of his head, she wonders if Arianna had felt this same tiny heartbreak when Yuuri herself had been the one weeping like everything was crashing down around her. She wonders if it's been as long for Junpei as it had been for her -- since either of them allowed themselves to cry. ]

Because sometimes it does. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try and no matter what you do, things go wrong and you get hurt.

[ Yuki pounding her fists raw on the announcement room door, screaming "Megu-nee, Megu-nee!" until her voice was little more than a howl. ]

Getting up after that and having to keep on trying... it's the hardest thing in the world, isn't it?