Rebirth

Chapter 6

Episode 33/Chapter 34
Episode 34/Chapter 35
Episode 35/Chapter 36
Episode 36/Chapter 37
Episode 37/Chapter 38
Episode 38/Chapter 39

Trigger Warning: Mentions of su*c*de.

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Yuna was sitting on the stairs. Noah sat on one lower on the other side, giving her room. She did approach him, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable if she was trying to help him.

"You can't just stop talking to Abel because you're trying to make up with Neo," Yuna said.

"I'm not trying to. It just kind of ended up happening," Noah said.

"Then you do know that what you're doing to Abel is the same thing you're doing Neo, right?"

"...In a way."

"Then you have to talk to Abel again. He's going to think he did something wrong and he might end up cutting himself off from you."

"I know."

"Also you need to be very patient with Neo."

"Patient?"

"You've neglected him since he was 5 and you should know his personality by now. Even if you show that you care now, he's not going to accept it for a while."

"So I need to keep doing what I'm doing? But he just told me tha-"

"That's just his way of coping. Don't tell him I told you but the fact that you show you care helps him so much more than you understand," Yuna said.

Flashback

"The fact that you show even a little care helps him so much more than you understand."

Flashforward

Noah's eyes widened slightly as those words were similar.

"How would you feel if Ian started caring and actually helped you with the company?" Yuna asked.

"...I would also dislike it," Noah sweated.

"Puts everything into perspective now, doesn't it?" Yuna stood up, "So yeah, just be a bit more patient and try not to coddle Neo so much. And make sure not to ignore Abel."

"Thank you for the advice, but why are you helping me?" Noah asked, "I thought you hated me too."

"I do," Yuna replied.

"Then why?"

"...I see that you really want to change how you treated Neo and I want him to know what it's like to have a healthy family," Yuna said before muttering with that same distant look in her eyes, "I wanted that..."

Noah was shocked once more. The words weren't the same. Instead it was more of a yearning. Before it was a feeling of something she could never have.

"Thank you," Noah said, "Speaking of which, how's your family? Are they okay with you missing since the beginning of this?"

"They're fine. They know that I'm with you."

"How?"

"I haven't exactly made it a secret that I'm friends with the 'son' of ARK," Yuna used air quotes.

Please don't do that... Noah sweatdropped.

"Did you make any contact with them?" Noah asked.

"Yeah," Yuna lied through her teeth.

Noah knew, but it wasn't because Noah could tell that she was lying. He knew that she hadn't spoke to her family. For years before the Armageddon.

"They're fine, but we're too far apart to come together now."