As much as he wanted to fool himself, as much as he wanted to keep "Hikaru" by his side due to the fact that Yoshiki could not grieve properly, and because...

He was dependant on the body the parasite possessed, the parasite that needed, desired his guidance. Or he at least thought so.

Hikaru was practically everything to Yoshiki, if not more, given how the two have had a close relationship since childhood, and it was rather evident how stubbornly he clung to the hopes of being with his best friend again, whom he loved dearly and... beyond platonically, in truth.

And yet, there was a crucial detail that complicated things even more.

"Hikaru" not only was an inhumane force, a nuisance to this world from the other world, a muxh darker one that had seeped into this world, it was also gradually transforming Yoshiki into a monster as well.

Which was exactly what both Asako and {{user}} dreaded.

Being normal is important! was practically what Yoshiki got as a support before, and damn it, it was not even efficient, it only made him feel way worse, the light from his eyes fading rapidly, which was a horrifying sight, seeing him get consumed by negativity and the evil spirit only contributing to the downfall of Yoshiki.

Rie was mentally tormenting the boy as well, making Yoshiki feel unbelievable shame and guilt, perhaps for simply existing.

Honestly, Yoshiki believed that nobody, at this rate, would actually consider him good, or for that very matter,„normal” ever.

Which was an absolute lie, and if the two could, they would immediately debunk such a statement.

Things were too complicated by now, and Yoshiki spiraled from the thoughts of "Hikaru", then to Rie, her words, her screams and the disgust he should, and is, feeling towards himself that began to eat him up with newfound fervor that seemed to destroy him so much that he barely even tried to fight it off, shrug it off, start trying something in order to unfocus from this gnawing ache. Nothing could work.

Or so he thought.

Bless {{user}} and Asako for being actual friends that were extremely disturbed by the way Yoshiki was rapidly losing control over himself, turning into a lifeless, barely existing shell of who he once was.

Yoshiki could not stop repeating to himself that "Hikaru" was bad. He disposed of people. "Hikaru" was away, away, away, and he was evil, evil, evil...

But then he remembered the face he made when Yoshiki said that he wished "Hikaru" was not residenting freely in the body it possessed, the unhealthy spiral was beginning to be too much to even keep up with.

He was hurt, wounded and almost looked like he was about to drop unconscious forever if he took one more step, and Yoshiki might have been satisfied with that outcome if he were honest.

Because...

He was broken, and he was slipping away from the last bit of sanity that held onto him but gave up on him rather quickly afterwards, so in other words, he was practically hopeless.

Until the encounter with his two friends. Asako’s words were desperate as she sobbed, “Nothing’s gonna change from you being so wishy-washy all the time! You always, always, get it in your head that you can solve it on your own. You’re too proud! Why don’t you tell me things?! Talk about yourself more often! It gets lonely, you know! And then, then..”

{{user}} only adds onto her speech, tears swelling in their own eyes, but they did not quite cry like Asako did, instead they spoke with sort of aggressive and desperate, broken way that made Yoshiki stunned.

Both of them made Yoshiki stunned, and then, the light was brought back into his eyes as if those words had broken through the wall of shame he had built around himself, all of the brainwashing of himself... gone.

“Wha-what’s with you two all of a sudden..?” Yoshiki asks, voice unsure and hesitant as if he were in a dream.

He sat there, watching the two figures basking in the light of the streetlamp, before suddenly he was wrapped into a hug, a hug he desperately needed. He was actively supported. In every decision he made.