There's always room for another

Chapter 13: 2.6 - The end

2.6

"You don't look like you." Ining said, slouching slightly in her seat. Up close, Yuna could see bags under her eyes, the tired tilt of her mouth. She doesn't look like she's slept very much. "Like you used to, I mean."

"What do you mean?" Yuna had let her sit with some amount of trepidation, but she mostly felt numb. Overwhelmed. "Did you know me? Before?"

"Not personally." Ining accepted her drink from the owner with a small smile. She waited until he left to continue. "But I knew of you."

"What?"

"What do you mean, what ?" Ining leaned closer. "Don't you know?" Her eyes widened when Yuna shook her head. Ining let out a breathy, " Shit ," that unsettled Yuna. "That explains so much."

"Explains what ?" Mounting anxiety made Yuna snap. "Ever since I woke up, I have had no idea what's going on. And everyone's telling me different things that don't make sense."

"Like what?" Ining's eyes sharpened now, her body language shifting to eager. "Tell me what happened to you."

"No, I won't." Yuna was going to get answers, damn it. "Not until you prove you're not lying to me."

Ining faltered for a moment – just a moment – before she grinned. "Oh, you're sharp. I like it. Here," she dug around in her backpack and pulled out a photo. "Look familiar?"

Yuna gave her a skeptical look before taking the photo, turning it over gently. It was printed on paper, the creases deep enough that it felt soft to the touch. This was something Ining had opened and closed many times, and Yuna blinked as she saw the subject of it.

Because it was her –

(with blonde hair, long and brushing her waist)

And it took a moment, but Yuna saw her face staring back at her.

"That's me," she said dumbly, knowing she was stating the obvious.

(The lines of her face were softer here, not as sharp as they'd become from working and eating little.)

(Her skin was tanner now too, from hours in the sun on the fields and mudflats.)

(But that was her.)

"Hey," Ining said gently, her hand reaching out to touch the back of Yuna's. It was comforting, suddenly, to have her here. "We'll sort it out together. I'm here to help."

"But who are you?" Yuna's heart was thrumming under her skin now. "Why are you helping me?"

" Breathe ." Ining waited till Yuna had calmed a little before continuing. "Like I said, my name is Tay Ining. I'm a private detective, and someone came to me with a tip about the night you went... missing." Here she cocked an eyebrow. "Wanna tell me what you remember about that?"

And Yuna – trembling and scared – told her everything. In stops and starts, jumping back and forth without chronology. She hadn't meant to – was only going to tell her about how she didn't remember anything besides what Lala had told her about her fall – but found that once she'd started speaking, couldn't stop. Ining, on her part, stayed quiet and attentive, listening and nodding at all the right points, never interrupting. And Yuna was grateful for it, because no one had ever asked for her side of the story.

(Not even Ahjumma, because Lala had told her what she needed to know.)

"And now you're here." Ining nodded sympathetically. "And you still don't know who you are."

"Yeah." Yuna swallowed harshly against the lump in her throat. "Yeah, that's pretty much it."

Ining eyed her critically, before getting up in one smooth movement. Yuna wasn't expecting the hug –