We're Still Here! Shiori Finally Decides To Ask?

Lucy "Dad! What happened?!"

She asks while rushing up to him. His eyes show hurt in them but his face attempts to comfort his distraught daughter. 

Kenji "Oh, hi kids. Don't worry about all this, it's nothing really."

He smiles softly. Haru and Sugawara look inside to see the place is a mess. Ryuji sweats a bit.

Ryuji "Was anyone.. Hurt?"

Kenji "No, no. It must've happened in the night. Thankfully no one was around to get hurt. Although I wish I could say the same for old Betsy. That poor register was passed down to me from my father."

He says while looking into the restaurant softly. Shiori and Hikigaya clench their fists tightly as they give each other a look from the corners of their eyes. 

Lucy "Don't worry dad, we'll help clean this up. Where's Dominic and the others?"

Kenji chuckles to himself a bit as he continues sweeping.

Kenji "As it turns out, when they saw what happened to this place, they decided to take a step back from my shop. Finding employment elsewhere claiming it's just too dangerous to be around here now. What a load of crap.."

He says under his breath as Lucy sweats with an upset look.

Kenji "Those good for nothing freeloaders had other jobs lined up and were just waiting for a chance to abandon ship. Leaving me to drown.."

He says angrily but silently as he grips the broom even tighter. He stops for a moment before sighing.

Kenji "I'm sorry guys. It seems you'll have to find a new place to eat because I don't think there's any coming back from this. With no crew and no funds to fix the place up… I don't know what I'm gonna do…"

He says softly as a single tear drips from his eye. He rubs his eyes and clears his throat before smiling again.

Kenji "So why don't you all go home? I'm gonna finish cleaning up here."

Haru "No way!"

He looks at them surprised.

Hikigaya "Yeah, we're here to help."

Chizuru "For all the times you put yummy food in our tummies!"

Shiori "It's the least we can do."

They say with smiles on their faces. Lucy even looks a bit surprised before looking at her dad with a determined smile.

Lucy "We'll get back on our feet together, dad."

Kenji is surprised for a moment before smirking.

Kenji "Why am I not surprised? My little girl has always been good at picking her friends."

They smile before getting to work. Within the next few days, they get the shop all cleaned up and even get the damaged stuff all replaced. Soon, the shop is all repaired looking better than new. Kenji stands outside with his hands on his hips, staring at the fixed up shop.

Kenji "I gotta hand it to you kids, your help really shaped up. It was also super kind of you mom to fund the whole thing, Hikigaya. You sure she doesn't want any repayment?"

He says while looking at him. 

Hikigaya "Nah, she's…"

He thinks back to a few days ago.

His mom holds him in a chokehold with a playfully angry face.

Asami "And make sure he doesn't give any money back! We don't need it, he does, got it?!"

Hikigaya "Yes! Now let me go!"

Hikigaya droops a bit.

Hikigaya "She's good…"

Kenji "Well make sure you say thank you for me. Couldn't have done it without her help."

Chizuru stretches before cheering.

Chizuru "All done! When will you be back open so we can eat some yummy ramen?"

Kenji laughs a bit.

Kenji "Well that depends how long it takes to hire a new crew."

A lightbulb then appears over Lucy's head.

Lucy "I know! Why don't we run the shop for a while? That way you can solely focus on hiring new, more trustworthy people!"

She says excitedly. Kenji rubs his chin.

Kenji "I don't know…"

Lucy "Come on dad! You even have a world class chef here who knows your menu like nothing!"

She takes Ryuji's hand and pulls him close to her. Ryuji looks slightly nervous but nods in agreement. Kenji smiles and stares at them with a thinking glare before giving in.

Kenji "Eh, what the Hell? You guys are almost adults anyway. I'm sure you can handle it."

They smile and laugh in excitement before Kenji wags his finger at them.

Kenji "But you better not blow up my kitchen or I'm gonna be real mad!"

Lucy "We won't, don't worry."

She says while waving her hand at him.

Kenji "Alright, I'll limit the menu and hours until a full crew can come in. I'm trusting you guys with this."

He gives them a wink as the group all jumps.

Group "Right!"

They shout. As the days pass, the group runs the shop with no problems and by the end of the week, Kenji is able to hire an entire new staff that are glad to help. Haru wipes some sweat off of his forehead before looking around satisfied. 

Haru "That's it. It's our last day, right?"

Chizuru nods happily in her waitress uniform as the shop's open sign is turned off by Lucy. Sugawara lifts his hands up, slightly tired.

Sugawara "We did it!.."

Ryuji comes out of the kitchen as Kenji steps in through the front door with a pleased look on his face.

Kenji "I'm impressed you guys. You really pulled it off. I hope our regulars were kind to you."

They nod as they collect themselves.

Kenji "Why don't you guys go home? Leave the cleanup to me and my new crew. I gotta show them the ropes anyway."

Haru "Yesss thanks a bunch Mr. Kagen!"

He says as he, Sugawara and Chizuru rush out the front door. As the others follow, Kenji stops Ryuji.

Kenji "I'm very proud and impressed by your performance this week, Ryuji. You are truly a talented young chef. Whenever you get your stuff in order, you let me know and I'll help out anyway I can with getting you your own restaurant."

He says to Ryuji who smiles warmly at his words and nods. Kenji pats him on the back before heading deeper into the restaurant. The group gathers out front as Sugawara stretches and they collect themselves. 

Lucy "So what do you guys think? Wanna get some snacks and hangout?"

Chizuru looks excited but Shiori interjects.

Shiori "Sorry, Hikigaya and I have some stuff we need to do at home."

Hikigaya "Yeah, but we definitely have to plan something for the summer break. It is our last one after all."

He says with a smile before fist bumping Haru.

Haru "That's right~! Catch you later!"

They wave as Shiori and Hikigaya walk off under the dimly lit sky as night quickly approaches. 

Somewhere in the woods, a couple of familiar men walk together down a dirt path leading to an abandoned warehouse. 

Robber 1 "These guys have gotta start finding more reliable jobs or we're never making it out of here."

Robber 2 "What do you think they're doing in there now?"

Robber 1 "Probably still playing cards, as usual."

He says before sliding open the large front door. As they take a single step into the warehouse, they suddenly stop with fearful and shocked looks. Inside, amongst a mess of belongings and destroyed items, hangs a few people tied up in chains upside, hanging from the roof. One chained up alone and the other two being chained together, they outline words on the back wall illuminated by a dim light also hanging from the ceiling. 'WE'RE STILL HERE' the words read. The two robbers freak out but before they can even react, sirens blare as three officer cars quickly roll up behind them, each bursting with two peace officers surrounding them all. In a tree upon a hill a bit away stands Watchdog with Fullsky crouched in front of him. They then disappear with a whoosh into the night. In a park, deeper into the night where no one would be at this hour, Shiori and Hikigaya stand together. Shiori takes off her mask and hood before shaking her hair out as Hikigaya does the same.

Shiori "Honestly, it feels good to be back."

She says with a smile as Hikigaya nods.

Hikigaya "Really good."

He smiles softly before his eyes widen. Shiori looks confused before hearing the voice of a person in total shock and awe.

Alice "WHAT THE FU-"

Despite the sudden reveal, the night still came to an end.

In the infinite desert of Shiori's soul, she sits with her eyes closed and seemingly at peace. She meditates for a moment as a soft but firm wind blows around her. She slowly opens her eyes and looks up to see the clouded sky in motion revealing cracks of light that sprint across the light sands in the distance. Fading in and out as the wind carries the clouds upon its back. 

Shiori "It feels… so warm."

She says softly. Suddenly a beam of light opens up on her. She opens her hand as if to hold the soft light in her palm before looking up. She gazes upon a pale blue sky peeking at her through the opening in the clouds before it quickly is once again covered by clouds. She looks back down before softly wrapping her arms around herself in a gentle embrace. 

Hikigaya Apparition "Hey Shiori."

She hears from behind her. As she lifts her head a bit in surprise, two arms spread around her before holding her in a new embrace.

Hikigaya Apparition "It feels better when someone else does it."

The softly illuminated figure of Hikigaya says with a smile as he holds her in his arms from behind. Shiori blushes softly before smiling warmly.

Shiori "Okay."

She says quietly before leaning her head against his and closing her eyes. After a moment, it snaps to reality where Shiori lies on her back in her bed in a similar position to her in her soul. She opens her eyes slowly and blinks a few times before sitting up with a stretch and a head rub. She sits for a moment before smiling softly and lifting her arms around herself in a gentle manner.

Shiori "He felt… so warm…"

She says softly while blushing. She looks up before getting a determined look and hopping out of bed.

Shiori "That's it!"

She grabs a sweater off of the corner of her bed and throws it on over herself. She gets a determined look while lifting up her closed fist.

Shiori "Today's the day. I'm gonna tell him!"