"Kunikuzushi"

Symptoms

This may be unbelievable to admit, but you returned to work alongside your everyday routine after the fiasco which occurred...Perhaps it was more accurate to say after you spent days, or maybe even weeks cooped up in your home throwing up in your bathroom's toilet. The poor thing - you didn't know how much more of your excretions it could handle but you kept on throwing up day after day.

Having a close friend die right by your side after he had just saved you was awful and extremely humiliating. There was nothing but survivor's guilt treading through your mind. You couldn't help but feel like you would be next - after all, the Raiden Shogun was now painfully aware of your existence now.

You had no recollection of how you got home after that. Maybe the soldiers took you home, maybe you rotted on the ground there and then and had somebody take you back out of good will. You had no idea. But it didn't matter anyway. What good will come about thinking of such a thing?

You couldn't eat. Even the simplest lavender melon felt too much for your stomach to handle. Why bother if you'll unintentionally throw it up later.

At most, you were consciously aware that Kuroda took occasional visits to your home while you were in such a state. He was kind enough to never ask of what happened or why this happened. He only made sure that you knew he was here for you and that you could rely on him whenever you wished.

It took a couple months, but you finally had confidence that you had calmed down enough to return to work at the publishing house.

Inazuma looked as though it hadn't changed. The streets were bustling with life: the familiar crowd barricading Naganohara Fireworks, soldiers patrolling the rowdy streets either stationed at their posts or enjoying the company of their peers. Even the sky had somewhat cleared. Although the nights brought about all kinds of strange weathers across Inazuma.

Getting dressed for work was always strange when you reached to grab an object that wasn't there. Your Vision didn't impact your life as much as you originally thought. You still carried out training, only without the usual party consisting of yourself, Kazuha and his friend.

You did your best to recover the lost time at Yae Publishing House by offering to work longer hours. Although it was politely declined until your good health was more on the positive, upbeat spectrum as well as maintainable.

It was often at work where Kuroda wouldn't be the first to strike conversation. He'd always wait for you to make a comment of any kind to figure out what the best approach to your words could be. You found it odd, considering how you couldn't help but feel like he had changed as a result. It was best to settle that it might have been due to his worry for you. This only made you appreciate him even more.

But the one who had changed was not Kuroda.

"They say that Lady Yae herself may pay us a visit soon," Kuroda pointed out while he was packaging the last of the last of today's subject material.
"Is that so?"
"Well there is a lot going on recently. I'm not sure if it'll be safe enough for her to drop by."

He was right. The celebration for the 50th Vision was taking place right before the Statue of the Omnipresent God and the Raiden Shogun herself intended to be there too. You wanted nothing more than to be hidden away from everything and anything.

"During your time off, some customers asked to see if you were here," he quickly changed the topic when he took notice of your worried facial expression. "I told them you'd be in for short hours of work, so expect to see a few people pop by for a window shop and some conversation with you."
"I'm fine~!" You whined at the mentioning of short working hours, "I can help with longer shifts, so long as I can stay away from the crowds."
"...Lady Yae's orders."