Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Hikaru felt like screaming.

It started this morning. Early this morning.

She knew she needed to talk to Inori. Wanted to talk to her and clear up the misunderstanding from yesterday.

(That was something that drove her crazy. What was with them and misunderstandings lately? This had never happened between them before. Then again, they never had this much time together before this point.)

She had woken up early this morning and made her way to the nearby park, waiting for Inori. (Not that she slept much in the first place, what with Inori’s confession and how she’d run away from her constantly running through her head.) Inori might not even wake up early, but she thought she’d at least get to see her when Inori walked past on her way to the rink.

Except... Inori never came.

Not only did she not wake up early, or maybe she had and Hikaru didn’t realize it, but Inori also never walked past the park. It was strange. This park was on the way to the rink, and Hikaru didn’t think Inori knew of other ways to get to the rink.

(This was Inori’s first time in Tokyo, right? Honestly, she was surprised Inori’s annoying coach, as overprotective as he was, allowed Inori to walk to and from the rink by herself.)

Because Inori had arrived at the rink even earlier than Hikaru. She looked in Hikaru’s direction, Hikaru’s heart racing at the eye contact. She already stood next to her coach, her coach holding a clipboard and explaining something, much to her annoyance. Inori’s eyes widened, as if belatedly realizing what she had just done. She flushed, quickly looking away from her and looked down at the clipboard, seemingly paying attention to her coach. Sadness, fear, and guilt appeared in her eyes.

Hikaru clenched her fists before reluctantly making her way to the changing stalls.

As much as she wanted to talk to Inori, she knew better than to interrupt Inori’s time with her coach. Even if she didn’t exactly respect said coach a lot. Besides, after what happened yesterday with Inori losing focus, Hikaru found herself… a little happy Inori was focusing on practice.

Of course, that happiness didn’t last long.

As today was the last day of the training camp, they planned on having one last session on the ice in the morning. Everyone who came to Tokyo from other parts of Japan would then leave in the afternoon.

Including… Inori.

Everyone skated on the ice, a few skaters working on their choreography while others worked on their skating or jumps.

Normally, Hikaru wouldn’t approach Inori. She’d focus on her own practice and glance at Inori from afar. She couldn’t do that.

Not this time.

She skated over to Inori, immediately feeling eyes on them. Inori, who had seen her coming, tensed, her posture uncomfortable, but didn’t avoid her, much to her relief.

She knew better than to immediately bring up what happened yesterday. Even if she desperately wanted to talk about it. Not only was now not the right time, but she also wanted to talk to Inori in private about it. After all, no one else needed to know about their relationship or what happened.

“Good morning, Inori-chan.” Hikaru’s voice was soft, as she didn’t want everyone else to overhear. She flashed her the smile she didn’t get to do earlier that day. She knew after what happened, Inori might take it the wrong way, yet she wanted her to know she was… happy to see her.

(Even if they still needed to clear up the misunderstanding. Even if… she had unintentionally hurt Inori by not speaking fast enough. By not catching up to her.)

Inori clenched her fists, that same fear, sadness, and guilt from before appearing in her eyes. Except, this time, something else flashed in her eyes, too, and Hikaru’s heart dropped at the sight of it. Wariness. She’d expected that from Inori’s coach but from Inori herself? She tried not to feel hurt, knowing Inori had a right to feel that way, but still. “Good morning, Hikaru-chan,” she murmured.

Hikaru skated beside her for a few moments, hating how Inori looked away from her. “We need to talk. Before you leave.”

Inori looked back at her, sadness and guilt in her eyes, the wariness nowhere to be seen, much to Hikaru’s relief. “Yeah, I know.” She unclenched her fists, Hikaru hating her look of resignation.

What she wouldn’t give to pull Inori away this instant and clear up the misunderstanding.

(Why? Why was Inori so convinced Hikaru didn’t feel the same? That she’d reject her or… judge her?)

Instead, Hikaru nodded, skating away from her. She forced herself to focus on her practice rather than the upcoming conversation, somehow managing to limit herself to only a few glances in Inori’s direction.

(Okay, maybe it was more than a few.)

From what she saw, Inori appeared to focus on her practice, much to Hikaru’s satisfaction. While Inori didn’t do as well as yesterday, she still landed a lot of her jumps. She even worked on her choreography, smiling a warm, genuine smile, causing Hikaru to flush.

After their time on the ice, everyone got ready to leave, changing and chatting to each other. Even some of the coaches chatted to each other.

Hikaru pulled Inori aside and into a deserted hallway. It wasn’t the optimal choice, as people could still enter the hallway and interrupt them, but it’d have to do.

Inori, to her surprise, took a deep breath before making eye contact. The sadness from earlier lingered in her eyes before making way for resolve. “Is it alright if I go first?”

Hikaru already knew what she wanted to say, what conclusion she had come to, and she wanted to protest. She didn’t want to hear Inori say the words. Didn’t want Inori to look so… heartbroken anymore. She found herself nodding instead, the resolve in Inori’s eyes making it hard to speak.

What… was she doing? Didn’t she want to clear up this misunderstanding?

Didn’t she want Inori to know she… felt the same?

Inori smiled a small smile, Hikaru’s heart clenching at the sight of it. “Thank you.” She took another deep breath. “I’m sorry about yesterday.” She briefly bowed her head, much to Hikaru’s surprise. “That’s not how I wanted to—” She flushed, glancing away. “A-Anyway, you can forget about it.”

… What?

“Forget about it?” Hikaru sounded incredulous.

Inori nodded, pain flashing in her eyes. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. That’s why…” She closed her eyes briefly before smiling a sad smile. “You can forget about it.” She winced, her left hand rubbing her right arm, Hikaru disliking that habit more and more, especially while in her presence. “If you really can’t… forget about it, I understand. I’ll… be alright. Just… Let me know.”

Hikaru furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

Inori tightened her grip on her right arm, guilt flashing in her eyes. Her eyes looked dark… and almost dead. Just like yesterday. “Let me know if…” She let out a shaky breath. “If you don’t want me around anymore.”

What… What was Inori saying? How could she think that? She really thought Hikaru wouldn’t want her around anymore? Would stop being her friend because she didn’t feel the same?

Hikaru’s jaw dropped. “What are you saying right now, Inori-chan?” Incredulity colored her tone. “I know you don’t want that, and I—”

“It doesn’t matter what I want.” Inori’s voice shook. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She quickly wiped them away before taking a deep breath, her voice strengthening. “What matters is how you feel, Hikaru-chan.” She gave her a serious look.

Hikaru huffed, irritation flashing in her eyes. “I’ve been trying to tell you how I feel this whole time.” She stepped closer, a part of her relieved when Inori didn’t move. “Listen to me.” Her eyes softened. “I’d never stop being your friend, and as far as what you said yesterday, you still haven’t—”

“Oi, Inori-san! Where are you!”

Great. Not again.

Inori scrunched her face, looking away. “Sensei’s looking for me.” She stepped away, Hikaru already knowing what would come next.

Hikaru outstretched her hand. “Wait, Inori-chan. I’m not finished yet. I wanted to—”

“Ah, Inori-san!”

Hikaru really disliked this guy and his timing.

Akeuraji approached them from the other end of the hallway, beaming at them. He paused, looking between them and furrowing his brow, as if just realizing what he’d walked in on. “Everything alright?” Wariness colored his tone, although that was probably because of Hikaru glaring at him.

“Everything’s alright,” Inori lied before Hikaru could snap at him. “I was just saying bye to Hikaru-chan.”

Akeuraji glanced at Hikaru, something flashing in his eyes before hesitating. “If you need more time, Inori-san, we can—”

Inori smiled her fake smile, the same smile from that night. The one that Hikaru never wanted to see again. The one that tore her up from the inside. “No, don’t worry, Sensei. We’re done here.” She flashed her fake smile in Hikaru’s direction next, Hikaru clenching her fists. “See you later, Hikaru-chan.” Her smile faltered at Hikaru’s upset expression then strengthened. “Think about what I said, okay?”

“Inori-chan, wait!” Hikaru outstretched her hand. “This is a misunderstanding! I—!”

Inori ignored her outstretched hand and walked over to Akeuraji, not looking back. She didn’t even look back when they exited the hallway.

No.

Akeuraji, much to her annoyance, was the one who looked back, wariness and something that almost looked like worry flashing in his eyes.

Great. Just what she needed.

She shook herself before running after them, blinking at not seeing them. She had just run after them. Where did they go?

She searched the whole rink just in case, even looking in the most obscure places. Looking back, she didn’t know why she did that, as it just wasted more time.

(Inori and Akeuraji wouldn’t hide from her, as if they were playing hide-and-seek. What was she thinking?)

She burst into the lobby, looking everywhere for them, ignoring the looks and whispers.

Reilly paused in the middle of a conversation with one of the skater’s coaches and walked up to her. “What’s wrong, Pikarun? You look upset.”

“Did they leave yet?” Hikaru didn’t bother to correct her. After all, it was the truth.

Reilly blinked, furrowing her brow for a few moments before her eyes widened, understanding flashing in her eyes. She gave her a sad, almost pitiful smile, much to Hikaru’s annoyance. “Sorry, Hikaru. If I knew you were looking for them, I would’ve—”

Hikaru knew it was rude, but she found herself running out of the rink and looking around.

No sight of Inori.

Hikaru felt like screaming. She needed, wanted, to talk to her and clear up the misunderstanding, and she couldn’t.

Inori had left. Without even hearing her reply.

From what Inori told her, her coach had driven them to Tokyo, and they had planned on driving back to Nagoya, too. They… No, Inori was… already gone.

She had half a mind to text Inori or call her. She had her phone number after all.

She shook her head, clenching her fists.

No.

She couldn’t do this over the phone. She needed to do this in person, and she couldn’t wait until the next time she saw Inori to do it. She didn’t even know how long that would be, and she hated the thought of Inori in pain for that long.

Plus… What if it affected Inori’s skating again?

Hikaru had already affected Inori’s skating before. It might happen again. No. It might keep happening, especially now that Inori had jumped to her own conclusion and thought Hikaru had rejected her.

She needed to do this as soon as possible.

She sighed, turning around to head back inside. She still needed to say goodbye to some people, and she should probably apologize to Reilly.

Inori wouldn’t leave her mind, the memory of those heartbroken and almost… dead eyes causing her to bite her lip and clench her fists.

How? How was she supposed to clear up the misunderstanding in person if Inori wasn’t in Tokyo anymore? She couldn’t exactly visit Inori whenever she wanted, as while Nagoya wasn’t as far as some other cities in Japan, she would still need to ride the train.

She had experience riding the train and money, so that wasn’t the problem. No. The problem was the distance between them and Inori herself.

Somehow, she didn’t think Inori would be willing to stay and hear her out, even if she managed to meet up with her. Depending on when she managed to meet up with Inori, she might need a place to stay for the night.

Not only did she need permission from Reilly, but she also needed permission from her dorm.

She walked back into the lobby, glancing around for people she recognized, ignoring the looks and whispers. Riou stood nearby, frowning, a glum aura surrounding him.

He must’ve missed the chance to say goodbye to Akeuraji.

… Hang on.

Riou.

Why didn’t she realize it sooner?

She walked up to him, Riou perking up briefly at seeing her. “Riou, have you seen Shinichirou-sensei?”

Riou blinked a few times, caught off guard. “He should be coming soon. He was talking to one of the coaches.” He furrowed his brow, confusion in his eyes. “Hikaru, what’s this about?”

He must’ve sensed this wasn’t about Hikaru wanting to say goodbye to him. As expected of him. He knew her well.

Hikaru didn’t know what to say. Definitely not the truth. Riou didn’t know about her feelings for Inori, and she didn’t plan on telling him about them anytime soon. It had nothing to do with his feelings for her. She just… wasn’t ready to tell him. “I need to talk to him. I wanted to ask—” She looked away from him, her eyes widening at seeing Shinichirou enter the lobby. “I’ll be right back, Riou.” She dashed off.

“Wait, Hikaru!”

Hikaru didn’t listen, keeping her eyes on Shinichirou. She needed to talk to him no matter what.

He was the only person she could ask.

The only one who could help her see Inori again.

She’d beg him for his help if she had to.

Inori was important to her, and she didn’t have any intention of letting her go.

Not now. Not ever.

ZZZ

“How’s Inori-chan doing, Tsukasa-kun?”

Tsukasa sighed, running a hand through his hair. “She’s doing alright as far as skating’s concerned.” He paused, his eyes darkening with worry. “But only as far as skating’s concerned.”

“I see.” Hitomi frowned, her eyes darkening with sadness. “I’ve never seen her like this before. Not even when you left her to study.” She gave him a pointed look.

Tsukasa flushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m really sorry about how I acted back then.” He briefly bowed his head. “I really was thinking about how best to help her.”

She sighed, causing him to furrow his brow in confusion. “Not that it’s comparable by any means. She’s obviously doing worse this time.”

Tsukasa frowned, his eyes darkening again.

To anyone who didn’t know her well, Inori acted like her normal self. She skated well and smiled at them and while on the ice. She even worked hard on her homework and talked to the kids around her age.

Anyone who knew her well enough could see her fake smiles whenever she wasn’t skating. How she wasn’t her normal energetic self. How she’d get lost in thought about something more than usual. How this glum aura surrounded her constantly, even if she tried to hide it. How she… looked at her phone with an almost… heartbroken expression.

It all started when they had made their way back to Nagoya. Tsukasa had, of course, been driving them back when he heard something. A whimper. He had looked in the rearview mirror, shocked to see Inori crying. He had immediately parked them off the side of the road, and both him and Hitomi sat with Inori in the backseat.

Inori had, of course, apologized for crying and for worrying them. She had even said she didn’t know why she had started crying, although Tsukasa suspected that had been a lie. Inori refused to tell them what was wrong, and Tsukasa didn’t know if it was because she didn’t want to or because she… couldn’t.

Seeing Inori like that had been… hard. He loved coaching her and seeing her do her best. He always found himself amazed at how hard she worked and how much she genuinely loved skating. She was always so energetic it was hard to keep up with her sometimes. Her smile was infectious, and he often found himself smiling back at her.

Inori had kept crying for a while, and he remembered how his heart broke at the sight of her. Whatever happened had to have been something serious. Something that meant a lot to Inori. It was bad enough and painful enough to make her cry.

It was strange. At first glance, Inori was an open book. It was only when someone started getting to know her that they realized she was good at acting and keeping her feelings to herself.

Like… what happened at the All-Japan Junior.

Tsukasa hadn’t been there in person, but he had heard later about how Inori had met up with Kamisaki Hikaru late at night after Inori’s performance. How Inori had run off by herself and Kamisaki had chased after her. How when they had come back, Inori had… red and puffy eyes, as if she had been crying.

… That’s right.

He had forgotten to thank Kamisaki. Kamisaki had brought Inori back, so he thought the least he could do was thank her. She probably wouldn’t appreciate being thanked, especially from him, but he had promised himself he would.

(He could picture her unhappy expression even now, as unfortunately, it was an expression he had seen often from her.)

Speaking of Kamisaki…

Maybe he had done something bad. He certainly hadn’t meant to interrupt Inori and Kamisaki’s discussion, although he knew Kamisaki probably thought he did it on purpose. The conversation had looked serious, so he had offered to give them more time, as while they had needed to leave sometime that afternoon, they hadn’t needed to leave that moment.

Much to his surprise, Inori had not only declined his offer, but she had… walked away from Kamisaki and not looked back, even when Kamisaki called out to her. Tsukasa remembered asking Inori in a quiet voice if she was ready to leave, and Inori had hesitated. She had hesitated before getting into the car, too, something flashing in her eyes.

That hesitation had to have been because of Kamisaki, yet Inori… hadn’t wanted to return. She had insisted she had already said goodbye to her.

Did they have a fight? Or was it something else?

Like before, Tsukasa didn’t want to pin the blame solely on Kamisaki and what happened between them. After all, he didn’t know for sure what had happened or why Inori looked so depressed.

Was it possible it had nothing to do with Kamisaki?

He didn’t know if he believed that. Not when he remembered the tense, heavy, and almost suffocating atmosphere hanging around them.

Something had to have happened between them.

Not that they could do anything about it.

Unlike the time at the training camp, Inori was somehow not letting whatever it was affect her skating. For all intents and purposes, she was her normal self. She didn’t normally share things about her life with him. They mainly talked about skating, so he didn’t know if something happened between her and Kamisaki or if it was something else.

Later that night, during one of their practice sessions, he tried broaching the subject. “Hey, Inori-san?”

Inori paused, looking up at him and away from her skating notebook. She had been writing in her skating notebook more often recently, and while he appreciated her hard work, he was a little worried she was overdoing it. Like she was… throwing herself into skating to distract herself. “What is it, Sensei?”

“Did something happen?” Almost immediately, he almost winced. What a vague question. He wasn’t good at this at all.

She blinked before scrunching her face, her confusion obvious. “What do you mean?”

Tsukasa scratched his head. “Well, you’re acting different.” Inori tilted her head. “I mean, ever since we returned from Tokyo, you’ve… changed.”

At first, he thought mentioning Tokyo had been a bad idea, as it might bring back bad memories.

Inori… didn’t even react to the mention of Tokyo. In fact, she looked even more confused (if possible). “How? I’m my normal self.”

“Ah, I know that, but…” Tsukasa gestured around them. “You’re not normally this… quiet. This has been happening a lot more recently.”

Something flashed in Inori’s eyes. It happened so quickly he wondered if he had imagined it. Inori nodded. “I’m alright.” She gestured to her skating notebook, where she had written out her jumps and even a couple of programs. “I’ve just been thinking about my jumps. The Junior Grand Prix Final is almost here after all.”

That’s true.

They didn’t have that much time left, and they were busy every day, double checking Inori’s jumps and choreography.

Somehow, he didn’t think that explained her weird behavior. At the same time, he didn’t know how to talk about it with her or how to bring up he was worried about her. After all, Inori had a life outside of skating, and her weird behavior had nothing to do with skating.

“Ah, you’re right.” Tsukasa decided to drop the subject. He couldn’t force her to talk to him. “Why don’t you show me what you’ve written so far?”

When he got home after the lesson, he found he couldn’t sleep. He tried sleeping on his side. On his back. On his other side. He closed his eyes, trying to sleep. Minutes passed, and he still wasn’t asleep. He finally gave up, getting up, putting on his jacket and quietly leaving.

Maybe a walk would help.

A cool wind blew through the area, causing him to shiver. He zipped up his jacket, putting his hands in his jacket pockets.

He walked through the city, not having a set destination. This late at night, the sky was still dark and would remain so until the sun rose. It was dangerous for kids to be out late at night.

Speaking of kids…

He frowned, thinking about Inori.

Maybe he couldn’t sleep because he kept thinking about Inori and her weird behavior. Granted, he knew he couldn’t do anything about it, especially if Inori didn’t want to tell him what was wrong, and he also knew Inori… didn’t have to tell him.

Still…

While it hadn’t affected her skating yet, it might affect it soon, and he didn’t want it to happen during one of the worst possible moments. Like… during the Junior Grand Prix Final.

No.

He refused to let that happen.

While the Junior Grand Prix Final was important for Inori’s future, it wasn’t their only goal or even the end goal.

One of the most important goals to them right now was beating Kamisaki Hikaru. They had lost to her twice now, and they didn’t want to lose to her again. Inori wanted to beat her badly, not just because Kamisaki was her special rival, but also because she knew Kamisaki would stand in her way of becoming an Olympian gold medalist.

… Maybe it was as he thought, and it had something to do with Kamisaki—

His eyes widened. He rubbed his eyes a few times before blinking, convinced he was seeing things.

Sure enough, when he looked again, he saw Kamisaki Hikaru skating on the street with her inline skates. Like she had during their first encounter.

He ran after her, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Wait, Kamisaki-senshu! What are you doing!”

Kamisaki skated around a light pole and under a tree, braking at a spot not far away from him. He ran faster to catch up, intent on not letting her out of his sight. Of course, what he didn’t realize was that Kamisaki had stopped at the top of a hill. Unable to stop because of his momentum, he gasped, his eyes widening. He let out a startled yell as he fell down the hill, landing in a heap at the bottom of it.

“Ah! Are you alright?”

He groaned, rubbing his head. “Y-Yeah.” Why did this always happen to him? He sat up, brushing off some grass before turning to her.

Kamisaki, who stood on top of the hill, frowned at him. “What are you doing, Akeuraji-sensei?”

… What?

What was her problem?

Tsukasa narrowed his eyes, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Look here... First of all, what just happened was your fault.” He pointed at her. “Second of all, that should be my line. What are you doing out here? It’s dangerous.”

She made a face. “Somehow, I knew you were going to say that.”

He stood up, huffing. “I don’t know what you’re doing out here this late, but I’m taking you—” He paused, belatedly realizing something. “Hang on…” He gasped, pointing at her. “You’re supposed to be in Tokyo!”

“You just realized that?” Kamisaki sweat dropped.

Really, what was she doing here? She should know better than to go out skating late at night. How did she even get here? Did she skate all the way from Tokyo?

… No, that was impossible, and he felt like an idiot for even thinking it in the first place.

He shot her a dirty look. “You might think you can do whatever you want, but you’re still just a kid. You shouldn’t be roaming the streets this late.”

“You’re not responsible for me.” She gave him a warning look.

“I might not be,” he agreed. “But I can’t allow you to go off by yourself this late.” Whether she liked it or not, he was the adult here, and he couldn’t allow her to go… Hang on. Where was she going? He narrowed his eyes, giving her a suspicious look. “You’re supposed to be in Tokyo.”

Unless she had moved back to Nagoya without anyone noticing.

She rolled her eyes, skating down the hill and joining him at the bottom. “Relax. I’m not here by myself or without permission.” She gave him a determined look, causing him to blink. “I’m here for a reason.”

If she was here for a reason and needed a place to stay, he could think of one person who’d allow her to stay with them.

“I’m taking you back to Coach Sonidori.” He gave her a stern look, daring her to argue with him.

She sighed, almost sounding tired. Well, of course she did. That was what she got for staying up late. “Fine, whatever.” Her tone sounded dismissive. “I might as well get going.”

They climbed the hill, and Tsukasa allowed her to take the lead, mainly because he didn’t know where they were going from here. They walked several moments in silence next to the river, the river burbling and the occasional sound of a car driving past the only sounds around them.

“So…” Tsukasa gave the back of her head a suspicious look. “What are you doing back in Nagoya?” Her reason had to be pretty important for her to come to Nagoya and ask to stay with Sonidori.

(Did Yodaka Jun know about this? Then again, Yodaka Jun never struck him as a… caring coach in the first place.)

Kamisaki didn’t answer for a few moments before braking and turning to him. “It’s probably the same reason you’re out here and not in bed.”

What…? Who did she think she was? She couldn’t just—

… Hang on.

Any irritation he felt immediately disappeared. His eyes widened. Of course. “You can’t mean…?”

It made sense, he supposed. He had suspected something had happened between them, and now she was here, obviously wanting to meet up with Inori.

(Was it that bad? She couldn’t wait to talk to Inori about it?)

Kamisaki skated over to him, skating beside him now. She didn’t look at him, frowning at the ground. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d go out for a bit.” She looked at him, her eyes dark with… something. Worry? Maybe even sadness? “How is she?”

“She’s doing alright.” He decided not to mention (again) how it was too dangerous for her to be out here by herself. He paused. Did he really want to tell Kamisaki about Inori? Why? Wasn’t it technically her fault? Plus, he didn’t think Inori would want Kamisaki to know about how she was doing, them being friends and rivals and all, especially if they hadn’t been in contact with each other recently. “As far as skating’s concerned.”

No, Kamisaki deserved to know. He didn’t know what happened between them, but he knew one thing.

While Kamisaki clearly disliked him and didn’t respect him, she really cared about Inori, and right now, even if Kamisaki was partly at fault for Inori’s weird behavior, that gave him hope. Hope that they weren’t too late and that Inori would go back to normal soon.

She clenched her fists, her eyes darkening, although this time, it looked like she was… angry with herself rather than him. “I see.” She skated in front of him, stopping in front of him, causing him to stop. “I’m sorry.” She briefly bowed her head, causing his eyes to widen. “This is my fault.”

The past two times they had met, she had a lot to say to him, especially about Inori. Even during the training camp, she had been blunt and unafraid to express her displeasure with him. This time was different. She almost seemed… subdued. Like the quiet and cool night sucked up all her hot anger toward him and cooled her down.

Tsukasa knew better than to ask what happened. While a part of him felt curious, it wasn’t any of his business. Besides, if Inori had wanted him to know, she’d tell him. (Maybe? He hoped Inori knew she could tell him anything.) “That’s why you came.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.” She turned around and started skating. “After what happened at the training camp, I knew I needed to do it as soon as possible. Besides…” Her voice lowered almost to a whisper. “I don’t like seeing her in pain.”

He let out a sound of agreement. “I don't like seeing her like this. She wouldn’t normally cry—”

She spun around so fast the momentum made her move backward. “She cried?” Her voice rose, causing him to furrow his brow. Her eyes darkened, and she clenched her fists. “Of course she did,” she muttered. “She thinks—” She shook her head, turning around, much to his confusion. “I’ll talk to her.”

“At a decent hour, I hope.” He kept his tone light, although it held an undercurrent of disapproval.

“That’s not up to me.” She turned to him, her expression serious. “That’s up to Inori-chan.” She skated away from him, causing his eyes to widen.

He outstretched his hand. “Ah, wait!”

It was too late. She had already disappeared around the corner.

She was just as fast on inline skates as she was on ice skates. Not that she’d listen to him even if she heard him.

(If he had been anyone else, he didn’t doubt she wouldn’t have stopped, even during their first encounter.)

He had half a mind to follow her. Make sure she got home safe. Well, got back to Sonidori’s place safe.

No, he reminded himself. This was enough.

She knew she needed her rest, and she sounded like she was telling the truth when she told him she’d go back.

He hoped she was right.

That Inori would go back to normal soon.

ZZZ

Inori sat on a swing on a swing set, staring at the ground. On a normal day, she’d head toward the rink to practice.

Today wasn’t normal.

Tsukasa had told her to take the day off, something she’d protested. The Junior Grand Prix Final was fast approaching, and he wanted her to take a break?

Did he… see through her? Notice how she’d been throwing herself into skating recently? No, that couldn’t be it.

… Right?

While part of it was because she loved skating and needed to prepare for the Junior Grand Prix Final, part of it was also because she… needed something to distract herself.

From… Hikaru.

Well, Hikaru’s reply to her feelings.

Her heart ached at the thought, and she clenched the front of her jacket where her heart was.

She had known, of course. While a part of her wanted to believe in her sister’s words and think more positively, she had truly believed Hikaru didn’t feel the same.

It just… came sooner than she’d wanted. She hadn’t wanted to confess at all.

It just… came out.

(Why? Why did she confess like that? It was so stupid. She was stupid.)

Hikaru had been so uncharacteristically stubborn and wanting to talk about them and their relationship, and it got her hopes up a little bit. That maybe Hikaru had brought it up for a reason. That maybe... Hikaru felt the same.

She should’ve known. Should’ve known Hikaru, while a special friend and rival to her, wouldn’t feel the same.

Really, she should know better than to assume. To think about something so deeply when it didn’t mean anything.

(This was her sister’s fault for putting thoughts of… Hikaru feeling the same into her head.)

She felt silly. Silly for thinking about it so much. Silly and ashamed for allowing it to affect her skating. After all, Hikaru hadn’t meant anything by it. Hikaru didn’t feel the same as her.

Speaking of which…

Hikaru had been acting strange. She had… gotten angry with her, something she didn’t remember ever seeing. She had also kept trying to explain something, which confused Inori.

Hikaru had already told her how she felt. She didn’t need to explain herself or reassure her they’d still be friends.

Inori had gotten her answer.

She didn’t like the thought of not being friends with Hikaru. It wouldn’t be the same. It was bad enough Hikaru didn’t feel the same as her. She didn’t want to lose her friendship, too.

Still…

She knew… it was a possibility. Now that time had passed, Hikaru might think differently. She might be disgusted with her or decide not to be her friend anymore because it was too awkward.

(Why? Why did she confess? She was an idiot.)

Inori had told her she’d learn to deal with the weird atmosphere hanging over them, and she’d meant it, even if it meant having weird interactions with Hikaru the rest of their lives. After all, weird interactions were better than nothing.

At least they’d still be friends.

She had promised herself not to cry. To at least wait until she got home. She had immediately broken her promise while inside the car, and while she knew she had worried Tsukasa and Hitomi, she hadn’t been able to stop. Hadn’t been able to reassure them or give them an explanation.

Not at the thought of Hikaru. Not at the thought of Hikaru rejecting her.

Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, and she immediately wiped them away, frowning at herself.

She couldn’t get over Hikaru if she kept crying about what happened. She needed to learn to deal with it.

Even if it felt like this pain wouldn’t go away. Even if it felt like someone took away her light and engulfed her in darkness.

No, wait.

She had been the one who put out her light. It was her fault.

Everything would be great if she could skate.

She had thought that for the longest time, and it had helped her a lot, especially after she started skating. She grew more confident in herself and tried harder in school.

For so long, skating was her light. Her bright spot in her dark, dark world. She had wanted to do it for so long, and it felt like darkness had engulfed her. She didn’t have anything to look forward to. Anything to feel happy about. Anything to work hard at.

Then when she finally got to skate, she felt overjoyed. Light poured into her dark world, and it wasn’t just because of the skating, but because of Tsukasa and… Hikaru.

Hikaru had more than once held her hand (literally) and brought her out into the light. Away from the dark world. She had stopped her from returning to that dark world more than once.

It was only fitting that when her light left, the darkness returned.

She’d be lying if she said it was total darkness. After all, she still had skating. Skating, even though it brought up memories of Hikaru, was still a bright spot in her life and something she loved to do.

If Hikaru was her main light keeping the darkness away, skating was a candle. An important candle for sure, as it still created light and warmth, but it was only a candle. It could only do so much, and it was equally as dangerous, as she could lose that candle at any given moment. If she got injured, that flickering candle would go out.

She couldn’t let that happen. Not when she finally got to skate. Not when she finally got to see how bright the world was.

(She didn’t want to go back to that dark, dark world. It was too scary, lonely, and cold. Colder than any of the ice she’d skated on before.)

She needed to act normal. She still had skating after all. She’d learn to deal with Hikaru not feeling the same, and the next time she saw Hikaru, she’d… act normal.

Footsteps approached her, but Inori kept her head down. Whoever it was would probably walk past her.

“I thought I told you this isn’t a good habit,” a familiar voice teased.

She froze, her eyes widening.

It couldn’t be…

She looked up, her jaw dropping at seeing Hikaru standing in front of her. Hikaru smiled a teasing smile, her eyes gleaming mischievously. She wore her normal dress, although she wore her hair in a ponytail rather than keeping it down. Maybe because it was a windy day?

She looked good like that.

Inori shook her head and stood up, her heart racing. Bad thought. Bad thought. “Hikaru-chan…”

“What did I tell you about taking walks?” Hikaru teased, stepping closer.

Inori frowned, although whether it was at what Hikaru said or because of the ache in her heart, she didn’t know. “You said not to do that in unfamiliar cities,” she reminded. “Plus, it’s still daylight.”

Something flashed in Hikaru’s eyes. Maybe guilt? “I’m surprised to see you here.”

“What, thought I’d be at home crying?” Inori shot back, feeling a sharp pang in her heart. “I’m sorry to disappoint.”

Hikaru’s eyes widened, and she drew back, as if Inori had slapped her. Okay, maybe that had been unfair of her, but did Hikaru forget she had rejected her? Broken her heart? “No, that’s…” Her voice was quiet. Sadness and… hesitancy flashed in her eyes. “I thought you’d be at the rink.”

Oh, right.

Of course.

Of course she’d think that.

Maybe… Maybe Tsukasa would allow her to practice. Just a little bit. She’d even promise not to go overboard, and he could keep watch the whole time. No, she didn’t even need to practice. She’d promise just to watch. That would be good enough, right?

(She needed to run away. Now.)

“Speaking of that…” Inori grabbed her backpack. She didn’t have school or skating practice today, yet she had found herself carrying her backpack. It had become too much of a habit, one she felt grateful for now. “I should get going.” She walked past Hikaru, missing the way Hikaru narrowed her eyes.

Hikaru grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Wait.”

No.

Inori didn’t turn around, trying to tug her wrist free. “Hikaru-chan, I should get going.”

“I said wait.” Determination replaced the sadness in Hikaru’s tone.

No.

Inori tugged again. “I can’t. I—”

“Look at me, Inori-chan.”

No, she couldn’t.

Anything but that.

(Really, it was a miracle she’d been keeping it together for this long.)

Inori tried again, this time a bit more desperate. “I said I—” Hikaru tugged on her wrist, and Inori found herself turning to her, her throat dying up at Hikaru’s narrowed eyes and the determination in her eyes.

“Listen.” Hikaru gave her a serious look. “About what happened back in Tokyo—”

As expected of Hikaru. She didn’t beat around the bush or sugarcoat it at all.

Inori found herself back in Tokyo and in that moment. That moment where everything went wrong. Where her heart broke, and her world immediately dimmed.

Just the thought of her broken heart… Just the thought of being stuck in that dark world again…

Inori found herself crying, warm tears coursing down her cheeks. Hikaru’s eyes widened, and Inori couldn’t stop even if she tried.

She needed to… do something. Apologize. Right. She needed to apologize.

“Sorry, Hikaru-chan, I just—” Inori gasped, her eyes widening when Hikaru hugged her. She blinked a few times, tempted to pinch herself.

This… was real life, right? What was happening right now?

Was Hikaru really… hugging her? Why?

Not that she was against it, of course.

She felt warm all over, Hikaru’s warmth transferring to every part of her body. Her warmth kept the cool wind away and warmed her up faster than any steamed bun. Maybe even faster than one of Sensei’s coats. She felt warm and safe. Hikaru had once again brought her out into the light, even if it was only temporary.

(She’d never be as warm as Sensei himself. Sensei’s body temperature was always so warm, and she didn’t know how. It was a mystery.)

Hikaru pulled away from her, causing her to feel disappointed. She held one of her hands while her free one wiped away her tears, Hikaru’s eyes soft. “No, I’m sorry, Inori-chan. I’m sorry I didn’t explain myself sooner.”

“Hikaru-chan has nothing to apologize for,” Inori immediately protested. “You don’t need to explain anything to me. I just need to… accept it.” Tears poured down her cheeks. She sniffed, wiping at her tears with her free hand. “Sorry. I respect your feelings, I really do, Hikaru-chan. I just—”

It was too soon. Way too soon for them to meet up again. It had only been a couple of days.

Hikaru shushed her, gently wiping away her tears, Inori’s heart aching at the tender touch. Would Hikaru do this if she… didn’t want to be her friend anymore? Maybe she felt obliged to because Inori was crying? “Listen to me.” Her voice was firm. “I’m going to tell you something, and I’m not letting go until you listen.”

… Hang on.

What was this about?

Was this about… Hikaru rejecting her? If so, she didn’t want Hikaru to do it again. It was bad enough before. She didn’t need nor want Hikaru to say the actual words this time.

Still…

Unlike last time, she didn’t think Hikaru would let go. (Not that Hikaru had let go on purpose last time, but still.) No, she’d come here to—

… Wait.

Inori’s eyes widened. “You’re… You’re supposed to be in Tokyo.”

What was she doing in Nagoya? Was it—no, this important enough for Hikaru to come to Nagoya herself?

“Of course you two had the exact same reaction.” Hikaru sweat dropped. She shook her head when Inori scrunched her face. “Don’t worry about it.” Her eyes softened. “I meant it when I said it was a misunderstanding, you know.”

Inori took a shaky breath, trying not to cry again. “When? When you said…?” She couldn’t finish. Couldn’t bring herself to voice the words out loud.

Hikaru nodded, her eyes dark with sadness and pain. “I was going to tell you earlier, but I didn’t get a chance to. Remember before practice how I stopped in the middle of saying something?” Inori nodded. She remembered the exact moment clearly. After all, it was because of Hikaru doing that that she had thought… No, never mind. “Well, I’ll tell you now.” Inori closed her eyes. Hikaru squeezed her hand. “Look at me.” Inori opened her eyes, her hand twitching with the urge to pull away. Hikaru tightened her grip, not allowing her to. “I wouldn’t have minded if your thank you had been an almost confession.” She paused. “Or an actual confession for that matter.”

… What?

No. No, that wasn’t right.

It couldn’t be.

This… had to be a dream, right? Then again, since when did she ever have dreams as crazy as this?

No, after constant dreams of Hikaru walking away from her and leaving her in that dark, cold world, she’d welcome dreams like this any day.

Inori shook her head a few times, flushing, wetting her lips nervously. “No, I… That’s—“

“Inori-chan.” Hikaru squeezed her hand, her eyes soft yet somehow serious at the same time. “I’ve loved you for a long time now.” She flushed, looking away. “I never thought I’d actually say those words to you.”

Something still didn’t sound right. Hikaru… couldn’t have feelings for her. She couldn’t return her feelings. If that was the case, then Inori… She felt like the old computer in her parents’ room. The one that took forever to work.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I would’ve if I managed to catch up to you.” Hikaru grinned a rueful grin at her. “I didn’t know you were just as fast on land as you are on the ice.”

For some reason, that snapped Inori out her thoughts. “I’m not,” she protested. “I’ve gotten faster, it’s true, but I’m nowhere as fast as the other kids.”

Hikaru gave her a teasing smile, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “And to think I brought my inline skates with me just in case I needed to chase after you again.”

Hikaru had inline skates, too? She probably skated on inline skates as well as she did while on ice skates. She could probably jump while on inline skates, too.

Just the thought of Hikaru jumping on inline skates made her heartbeat quicken, and it wasn’t out of fear. No. Hikaru would be just as amazing and as beautiful on inline skates as she was on ice skates.

This… wasn’t helping. At all.

“That wouldn’t happen,” Inori protested, although it was weak. Her cheeks still felt warm. “Besides… You’d easily catch up to me.”

Hikaru gave her a serious look, causing her breath to catch. “Really? I had this thought that you’d… run away if I didn’t stop you.” She shook her head, smiling a humorless smile and holding up their joined hands. “Even now, I…”

Oh.

Of course.

Inori felt like an idiot. She… hadn’t responded to Hikaru yet. She stepped closer, watching Hikaru’s eyes widen. Of course Hikaru would feel uncertain, even if Inori felt the same. Even if… she had nothing to feel afraid about. Inori wouldn’t run away.

Not now.

Hikaru felt the same as her. She reciprocated her feelings.

The Kamisaki Hikaru, the one who Inori had been chasing after this whole time, loved her. Wanted her.

Some part of her not focused on what was going on thought of her sister. Mika had told her to think more positively. That Hikaru might’ve been expecting, wanting her to do something.

She owed her an apology… and an update.

(She didn’t know if she’d tell everyone about her and Hikaru. Not just yet. She knew she needed to tell her sister. After how much she had been rooting for her and wanting her to be happy, Inori felt obliged to tell her. She might also tell Tsukasa, if only because she knew he wouldn’t judge her. She hadn’t told him a lot about her life outside skating, yet she always got the feeling Tsukasa wanted her to be happy.)

“Sorry, Hikaru-chan,” she murmured. She needed to do this. Wanted to do this. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.” She stepped even closer, pulling Hikaru closer by her hand and squeezing it.

Hikaru’s wide eyes glanced from her face to their joined hands then back again, as if… unable to believe what just happened. Even when she’d been the one to initiate everything. Inori blamed herself. “Inori-chan…”

“I…” Inori took a deep breath, trying to muster up the courage. Hikaru did it, she reminded herself. It wasn’t a matter of wanting to or not wanting to. She had to do this. She grabbed the spot where her heart was. “I love you, Hikaru-chan. So much.” She forced herself to keep going, even when Hikaru kept staring at her. Even when Hikaru flushed at her confession and looked cute. She pushed that thought away. “I’ve felt this way for a while, and I convinced myself you didn’t feel the same.” She briefly bowed her head. “Sorry.”

Hikaru gasped, as if she’d surprised her. “No, you don’t have anything to apologize for,” she protested. Hesitance flashed in her eyes. “I know I thought that too, and I didn’t exactly make things better the last time we talked.”

Inori shook her head. “No, that was my fault. I should’ve listened to you.”

“If I spoke faster, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place,” Hikaru argued.

“No, I don’t think I would’ve listened to you, so it’s my fault.” Inori’s tone was stubborn. She blinked when Hikaru suddenly giggled. “Hikaru-chan?”

She didn’t think she had said anything funny.

Hikaru giggled again. “What are we doing? We finally confessed to each other, and we’re too busy trying to accept the blame to react to it.” She smiled that soft smile, the one Inori had recognized a while ago was for her and her alone, her eyes soft. “Honestly.”

Inori flushed. “That’s… I wasn’t trying to…” She looked away, unable to keep her gaze on her when Hikaru looked at her like that. “Sorry, Hikaru-chan,” she murmured. “That’s…” She waved a hand lamely. “I’m like that sometimes.”

She didn’t like that part of her, and she didn’t know why Hikaru, or anyone really, continued—

“Yeah, I know.”

Inori looked back at her, her eyes wide. Hikaru smiled a teasing smile, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

“I know we haven’t had a lot of time together, Inori-chan, but I’d like to think I know you somewhat well.” Hikaru flushed, glancing down at their joined hands and tugging them slightly in her direction. “Something I hope will change.” She gave her an almost shy look.

Inori’s heart felt warm and light. It was like her heartbreak, something she didn’t even read correctly, never even happened. Hikaru still… wanted her. Still accepted her. “Of course,” she burst out. “I want more time with you, and I want to be the one closest to you.”

Looking back, she didn’t know why she felt so surprised. Hikaru had already seen her at her worst, and not only did she accept it, but she had also held her hand and comforted her. Stood by her.

Hikaru’s whole face flushed, something Inori didn’t remember seeing before. It was cute. “I-I see. I want that, too, of course.” She looked away.

They had said enough. Inori had said enough. She felt like her heart might burst from this happiness and warmth, and she didn’t know if she could handle anything more.

Still…

She wanted, needed, to know something.

“What are we?” she wondered out loud. When Hikaru looked back at her, that hesitance and something that looked like worry flashing in her eyes, she smiled a warm, reassuring smile. “We’re friends and rivals, of course. That will never change.”

Hikaru breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes soft with happiness and warmth. Why did Inori never see how Hikaru looked at her before now? If she had… No, she couldn’t wallow in the past. Besides, she might’ve jumped to the wrong conclusion or thought she was seeing things. Now this… This was so much better, knowing that Hikaru felt the same as her. Knowing that their friendship and rivalry meant as much to Hikaru as it did Inori. “Yeah, that’ll never change.” She gave her that almost shy look, her cheeks still flushed. “If you’d like, we can add on another title to that list.”

Inori’s heart raced at the thought. She knew. Knew what Hikaru wanted to say. “Can we?” Her tone was equal parts hopeful and eager.

Hikaru laughed a soft laugh, her laugh as soft and as warm as her eyes. “Of course,” she breathed. She tugged her closer, Inori’s heart skipping a beat at the thought of Hikaru… wanting her closer. Wanting her. “You mean so much to me, Inori-chan, and I’ve never thought about hiding it. Not even once.”

Inori thought back to the training camp. She hadn’t attended a lot of training camps in the past, so she didn’t know what was considered normal. Skaters talking to each other and talking about rumors sounded like something that’d happen, especially when said rumors concerned Hikaru, who was as famous as one could get in the skating society.

Even she had heard of the rumors floating around. No one had approached her about it, and if they had, Inori didn’t know how she’d have reacted. On second thought, she’d probably have denied it.

Denied any rumor of… Kamisaki Hikaru being her girlfriend.

(It was such a crazy rumor, she remembered thinking. Why would Hikaru choose her when she could choose someone else? They were just friends and rivals. If they had started badmouthing or judging Hikaru because of said rumors, Inori would’ve confronted them about it. Not even Tsukasa could stop her.)

Even when she knew of the rumors floating around, she still… chose to hang out with Hikaru. Chose to spend time with her and talk to her. She couldn’t avoid Hikaru. Not because of some rumors and… not now.

“Then we’re official?” Inori stepped even closer, her free hand grabbing the spot where her heart was, a part of her still unable to believe she’s this close to Hikaru. That Hikaru was allowing her to be this close. “We’re… together?”

Hikaru’s eyes darkened, sadness and worry flashing in her eyes, much to her surprise. Why did she look like that? “Inori-chan, I need to tell you something, especially if we’re going to do this.” Ah. Somehow, Inori already knew what she wanted to say. What was on her mind. “At the training camp, everyone—”

“I know.” When Hikaru’s eyes widened, Inori gave her a determined look. “I’m not going to change my mind. I want this.” She flushed but kept going. “I want you.” She flashed a warm, reassuring smile. “Besides, they didn’t bother me.”

Hikaru blinked before scrunching her face. “They didn’t?”

She understood Hikaru’s confusion. After all, Inori had moments where she cared too much about what other people thought about her. She had moments where she felt self-conscious, especially when standing next to Hikaru.

None of that mattered anymore. Not when Hikaru wanted her. Not when Inori wanted Hikaru so badly.

(She couldn’t imagine life without her light, and now that she knew Hikaru returned her feelings, she didn’t want to let her go.)

“I would’ve denied them, of course, but only if they were insulting you or judging you.” Inori narrowed her eyes. Determination colored her tone. “That’s something I’d never allow. Under any circumstances.”

Hikaru snorted, causing Inori to stare, as she didn’t think she’d ever seen Hikaru do that before. “You know I don’t care what people think about me, but…” She smiled that soft smile. “Thank you. As expected of you.”

Inori shook her head, her eyes sparkling with awe. “No, as expected of you, Hikaru-chan. You’re so amazing and kind and pretty. It’s hard to believe you even like me sometimes, let alone want to…” She found she couldn’t say the words just yet. Instead, she gestured to their joined hands lamely, hoping Hikaru knew what she meant.

Why? Why was she like this? Hikaru still wanted her, still liked her, even when Inori couldn’t speak properly? Even when Inori was self-deprecating?

“First of all…” Hikaru narrowed her eyes, a stern look entering her eyes. “I think you’re just as amazing, kind, and pretty, so don’t put yourself down.” She stepped closer, Inori needing to look up to keep eye contact. “Second of all… I don’t just like you. I love you.” She flushed, her eyes softening, and Inori flushed herself. “Got that?”

Even though Inori would’ve never dreamed something like this, this felt like a dream. It didn’t feel real at all. Hikaru loved her? Hikaru loved her? Returned her feelings?

In what world did that make sense?

… Apparently, this one.

“Got it,” Inori murmured, her heart fluttering with warmth and happiness.

They looked away from each other, still flushing. Silence enfolded over them, yet it wasn’t an uncomfortable one. Nor was it charged with something she didn’t recognize. It almost… felt comfortable, one she hadn’t had in Hikaru’s presence in a long time.

They stood in the middle of the park, holding hands, and Inori found she didn’t want to let go. Didn’t want to say goodbye to Hikaru. Didn’t want to be anywhere else.

Hikaru broke the silence sometime later. “So…” Inori looked back at her, her breath catching at Hikaru looking at her with those soft and warm eyes. “It’s alright to call you my girlfriend?” Inori’s heart fluttered at the title. “We’re dating now?” Hikaru’s voice was soft, and she kept her eyes on her. Inori didn’t want her to look anywhere else.

“Yes!” Inori impulsively moved forward, her arms wrapping around Hikaru and her lips kissing the corner of Hikaru’s. They froze, immediately realizing what Inori had done. Inori closed her eyes, holding her breath for a few moments. Why? Why did she do that? She should know by now not to push her luck. Not to be impulsive. She should apologize. She pulled away, trying not to wince at how shocked Hikaru looked, one hand touching the corner where Inori had kissed. “I’m sorry, Hikaru-chan. I just—”

She didn’t even know what she had planned on saying, what excuse she would’ve given. Not that it mattered.

Not when Hikaru gently tilted her head up and kissed her. Her nose bumped against hers, which caused Hikaru to frown and Inori to laugh a nervous laugh. It wasn’t the best first kiss. Not that she’d know anything about that, of course. Still…

What made it better was when Hikaru tilted her head and kissed her again, Inori’s heart racing at the contact. She hadn’t dreamt anything like this before or even thought it might happen. Somehow, even when Hikaru admitted her feelings for her, the thought didn’t even cross her mind. Now… She didn’t want it to stop.

Hikaru’s lips felt warm and moist, Inori trying to remember if she had seen Hikaru lick her lips recently. She hesitated, unsure where to put her hands at first before grabbing the front of Hikaru’s dress and kissing back. Hikaru didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around her, keeping her close, and Inori loved it. Loved this feeling of being close to Hikaru, loved knowing Hikaru wanted to keep her close… She just… loved her.

The kiss was soft and gentle, and it reminded her of Hikaru herself. It was fitting. Hikaru pulled away sometime later, Inori finding herself disappointed. Their faces were flushed, and they breathed through their mouths. She opened her eyes (when did she close them), her heart skipping a beat at Hikaru’s soft and gentle eyes and her warm, genuine smile.

What was amazing was that it didn’t feel awkward. It felt… normal. Like it was something they had been waiting for. No, not waiting for. It felt inevitable. (Wasn’t that a crazy thought? She’d never have thought that before today and this moment.)

Inori couldn’t help it. She smiled back at Hikaru, her smile just as warm and as genuine as Hikaru’s. It felt like a long time had passed since the last time Inori had smiled this smile when it hadn’t been. Had it really only been a couple of days since she last saw Hikaru and thought she ruined things between them?

They stayed like that for a little bit, smiling at each other before Inori belatedly realized what she’d done.

She gasped, quickly letting go of Hikaru’s dress and looking down at it, missing Hikaru’s look of confusion. “Your dress!” The front of Hikaru’s dress looked wrinkled. Inori felt awful. She looked up at Hikaru, sadness and guilt in her eyes. “Sorry, Hikaru-chan, I—”

Hikaru laughed, surprising her. She let go of her only to hold her hand, Inori immediately feeling her warmth spread through her. They hadn’t held hands a lot, something Inori hoped they’d do more often now that they were… together. Wow. Even thinking it made her light and happy. If Hikaru wanted her to perform right now, Inori knew she’d land all her jumps, including her triple lutz. “Don’t worry about it, Inori-chan. It’s worth it. Besides…” She grinned a teasing grin, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “I think it looks better like this.”

Inori’s first thought was to protest. Why would Hikaru think that? Wasn’t it her favorite dress? Why would she want it to be wrinkled? Those thoughts immediately disappeared at Hikaru’s grin softening to her normal smile, her eyes softening. She forgot why she wanted to protest in the first place. This was Hikaru. If Hikaru said it was okay, then it was okay. “Yeah.” She flushed but kept eye contact, smiling at her. “You’re right.”

“I’m glad I came back.” Hikaru gently squeezed her hand. “That we were able to meet and clear up everything.” Before it got worse. Before it affected Inori’s skating… was what she probably wanted to say, and Inori didn’t feel confident things wouldn’t have.

A part of Inori still couldn’t believe this was real. Not only was Hikaru here in Nagoya, but she felt the same as her? She returned her feelings? She looked at their joined hands, briefly tightening her grip and feeling amazed when Hikaru reciprocated, Hikaru’s grip firm enough not to hurt but enough to keep her grip on her hand, as if she… didn’t want to let go, a feeling Inori understood.

“Yeah, I’m glad, too.” Inori looked up at her, smiling. “I’m glad we got to meet up with each other, Hikaru-chan.”

Hikaru grinned a teasing grin, eyes gleaming mischievously. “It wasn’t hard to find you. Not with your habit of hanging out in parks.”

Inori frowned. No, she wasn’t pouting. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Not bad.” Hikaru shook her head, tapping her chin with a finger. “Just predictable. Like your programs.”

… Hang on. What did she just…?

Inori bristled at the teasing directed toward her and Tsukasa, even if a part of her knew Hikaru didn’t mean anything bad by it, leaning away from her and pointing at her. “We’ll see how predictable they are when we next compete against each other.”

When and not if.

Hikaru, to her surprise, lit up at her words, smiling her warm, genuine smile. “I’m looking forward to it.” A comfortable silence enfolded them, Hikaru glancing away, hesitance and worry flashing in her eyes sometime later. “Inori-chan, while I’m glad I got to meet up with you, I’m not in your way, right?” Inori frowned, her eyes darkening. “I mean, you should be practicing right now, right? I don’t want—”

“Hikaru-chan’s not in the way at all!” Inori burst out, causing Hikaru’s eyes to widen. Was this because Inori tried to run away from Hikaru earlier? Or maybe Hikaru found it strange that she wasn’t at practice? “How could you say that? I’ve been working hard this whole time to catch up to you. To beat you.” She leaned close, placing her free hand on top of their joined hands, Hikaru giving their joined hands an almost awed look for some reason. “You’ve made my life better. I couldn’t imagine my life without you.”

Hikaru couldn’t feel this way. Couldn’t pull away from her. Not now. Not when she reciprocated her feelings.

Not when Inori finally got her light back.

Hikaru flushed, looking away from her. “I-I see. Then I’m glad.” She glanced back at her sometime later almost shyly. “It’s alright then to keep you to myself today?”

Inori’s heart raced at Hikaru… wanting to hang out with her more. Not wanting to say goodbye to her. (She hoped Hikaru knew she’d be welcome to join her at practice if she had practice. Then again, considering Hikaru and Tsukasa’s relationship, Hikaru might decide against it. What was with their relationship anyway? She got some answers at the training camp, yet when Inori looked back on what she learned, she realized she… hadn’t gotten any answers. Nothing concrete. It was so weird.) “Yeah.” She tugged Hikaru closer by her hand, smiling at her. “I want more time with you.”

Relief flashed in Hikaru’s eyes. She smiled that warm, genuine smile, her eyes soft. “My thoughts exactly.”

Inori knew she’d need to say goodbye to Hikaru eventually. Hikaru needed to go back to Tokyo after all, something she didn’t like thinking about, and while Inori managed to gather her courage to confess and say some crazy stuff, she couldn’t ask Hikaru if she wanted to stay the night at her place. Not yet.

For now, she felt content. No, more than content. She felt overjoyed Hikaru felt the same as her and wanted her in her life. Wanted to spend time with her and… date her.

Her light came back and lit up her world again. It was as if she never left, as if Inori never put out her light in the first place. As if the darkness was temporary.

Much like before, Hikaru brought her out of her dark, dark, world and out into the light. Her light returned, and this time, Inori wouldn’t make the mistake of putting it out. While she adored her light and always wanted it around to keep the darkness away, she knew she couldn’t smother it.

Hikaru had her own life after all, and it wouldn’t be the same if Hikaru wasn’t right there beside her figure skating.

(Not that Inori could keep Hikaru from living her own life. Not only was that physically impossible for Inori to do, but she couldn’t in good conscience do it. Hikaru deserved to be free. Free to do whatever she wanted. Free to shine as bright as she wanted.)

Hikaru was now her… girlfriend (something she still couldn’t believe. Would she ever get used to it?) She was also her friend and rival, and Inori didn’t want that to change.

Not now. Not ever.