Saki was not planning on approaching her. She was contented to seeing her alive and well, greetings are unnecessary between them. Not when they have parted ways to handle their own duties, her with the supernaturals and Saki with the human's order. But something was off, or-

-rather someone was missing by her side and while she can brush it off as something as trivial as separate investigation, Saki's instincts tells her otherwise.

So she moves closer and asks without preamble:

"Where's Kuro-kun?"

She expected blatant lies, exaggerated excuses-

-or perhaps she would change the topic by over-sharing their late night activities or boasting about their 'loving' relationship advancing to another level.

But none of that happened.

Without missing a beat she responds:

"Ah, we've severed ties months ago."

Her voice is casual as if she was just talking about the weather, as if Kuro-kun is someone trivial, just a person she had some intimate attachments in the past. And Saki would've been fooled, with the way she stood with the same confidence, same grace. The way she-

-curtsied afterwards and apologized for her rudeness for not greeting her properly.

But the usual vibrance in her eye is gone. The tightness in her lips, the business-like smile she wears while she talks.

Their relationship shoudn't be her business. She has found her closure-

-from Kuro-kun years ago, now she is healing from her trauma and have started entertaining new admirers. She was supposed to end all her connections to them already.

But no, this is wrong.

She was expecting them to be engaged by now, probably planning their marriage soon.

She knows their relationship was something that would stay strong even through obstacles, be it an ambitious cousin who wants to create god or any other humans or spectres.

She bows once again, holding her beret to her chest.

"It was nice seeing you, Saki-san. But I'm afraid-

-I must take my leave now."

"Iwanaga-san, if you're free tonight, I have some alcohol stashed in my apartment."

Her eye widens. She notices her hesitation. She looks to her side, before she faces her again.

"I believe I have some time to spare. I will take you in that offer."

She wouldn't force Iwanaga to say anything and she doesn't think she would be of much help to her, but she knows, from her experience, that Iwanaga needs a companion right now. She can atleast lend an ear to her if Iwanaga will allow her.

Six and a half bottles of sake later, Iwanaga was sprawled on her couch in the most undignified way, hugging the half-filled sake as her lifeline. She's been a rambling mess, spouting random spectre trivias-

-mixed with her complains about her appearance interfering with her lodging and investigation, or how either the authorities or the weirdos have approached her because they think she's a child. Saki was amused to see the heiress and the goddess that humans and spectre respect-

-and fears the same in her most undignified moment. And yet, she has not mentioned anything about Kuro.

She stares at the ceiling, as if she's deeply ruminating, seeking the answers from her flourescent light. She chugs the whole bottle again before placing it on the floor.

Silence fills the air.

Saki was about to stand up to clean up the table when she heard a sniffle. When she looked up to Iwanaga, her arm was already over her head, tears falling down her cheeks like a heavy downpour. Her cries are silent, like all the lone battles she's fought-

-inside her all these months, all these years ever since she's become the Goddess of Wisdom. She hears the stuttering sobs, the soft sniffles she's tried to hide. She places her other arm on top of the other. Saki takes that as her cue to get a box of tissue.

She sits beside her

and offers the box of tissue. Iwanaga peeks from her arms. Another sniffle before she takes the box, straightening her posture as she began wiping her face with her usual grace.

"He departed without a word," she says. Saki scoots closer to her. Iwanaga crumples the tissue in her

-hands, gripping her skirt tightly. She stares at the wall, taking a deep breath before she speaks again. "In the first week, I thought was like the Steel beam Nanase case, that he will leave a cryptic message afterwards, but I know he'll come back. I couldn't reach his phone at-

-all. Weeks turned to months and I have not received a word from him at all."

"What about the spectres? Did you ask for their help to find you?"

"I did but it was only for a while. I was preoccupied with a complicated case, I prefer they utilize their assistance for it rather-

-than my personal problems."

Her voice is even, moving as graceful as ever, as if her previous breakdown did not just happen. Perhaps she's not allowing herself to get caught up with her emotions longer than needed, keeping up a front so people won't pry on her real emotions.

Saki understands her in a way. But she also knows that this will further hurt her if she continues to brush off her feelings to the side, if she keeps it to herself. Iwanaga gives her the impression that she distances herself from everyone else.

Except Kuro.

Kuro is probably-

-her only confidant. And now she's left alone to deal with these feelings.

"But you already know the truth, don't you? Why Kuro-kun suddenly disappeared and where he is right now."

"Senpai, he-- He thinks he's doing me a favor by leaving me. He probably thinks this is the-

-best for the both of us. And I want to respect that. Besides, I have a very important case to take care. This is my priority at the moment."

She is being vague. Not that Saki was expecting her to share all the details of their break up, maybe Iwanaga does not want to unpack-

-all the emotional baggage that went with it.

"Is that really what you want? Are you not going to go to the ends of the Earth to get him back after everything you've been through? This is not you at all, Iwanaga-san."

Saki knows she is stepping on a land mine here but if-

-doesn't say this now, when will she ever confront this?

Kotoko stands up abruptly, chugging the only bottle of sake left then almost dropping it back on the table. She wipes her lips with her sleeve before she turns around, glaring at her.

"OFCOURSE I WANT TO SAKI-SAN!!!!