[She hadn't been ready to go home yet. It felt as though everything hurt even though that was physically impossible for her. The emotional pain of actually being forgotten was worse than not being known. At least then Ai could understand that her mother (and Zero) were young - too young to know her.
This was different. This was something her father had experienced for years and had been forced to play the game. Ai could have said something, explained what had happened but in the end she couldn't bring herself to. So instead she'd held her tongue and tried to take care of her mother in a more roundabout manner. It was only for a day... she couldn't imagine doing it for years.
When the butterfly finds her, Ai's taken up residence on a bench in the park. Legs pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them and the plant her mother gave her sat next to her on top of her journal. It's where she spent most of the night and well into the day.
Her eyes watch anytime the butterfly comes into her line of sight and then as it lands on her finger. Of course she knows who it belongs it. She's seen her mother utilize them in the past. The message it carries is clear. So Ai uncurls herself and pushes to her feet before collecting her meager precious belongings.]
I'm coming. [Spoken more to the butterfly than to herself. With that, she starts off towards their apartment - making her way at a perfectly reasonable human speed without pause.
When she reaches the door to their apartment is when she hesitates. Hands clench on the pot of her plant and Ai practically holds her breath. Despite what she told Kija about being fine - it's as far from the truth as she could possibly get.]