Chapter Text
Mizuki.
Age - 23
Tokyo flew by like a blur as the train moved steadily towards the next station, Mizuki laying her head down on the window as the jet lag from a London to Tokyo flight really set in, the weight of her eyelids slowly getting heavier.
The world was a blur in front of her face, colours and sounds mixing together perfectly to create a soothing melody that lulled her into a state of sleeping that was broken every couple seconds by the jolting movements of the train.
Suddenly, Mizuki feels a hand on her shoulder, at first a calming presence, till her brain caught up, causing a quick whip of her head to face the owner of the hand.
“Mizuki gosh it’s been a while!” The voice starts before lifting the hand off her shoulder and stuttering, “gosh sorry, would you rather I call you Akiyama? I know it’s been a couple years and all-“ Mizuki winces to let her eyes adjust to the light, before speaking to the unknown figure in front of her.
“No- no- it’s fine.” She cuts a now recognisable An off. An had grown noticeably taller over the five or-so years Mizuki hadn’t seen her, something witch was frankly unexpected, but other than that she had mostly stayed unchanged. Long flowing hair, vibrant eyes, a sense of style Mizuki wouldn’t suit herself, but one witch she can clearly see how amazing and confident An looks wearing it.
Another thing that hadn’t changed was a timid Kohane glued to An’s side, something witch had honestly made Mizuki giggle, much to the confusion of the two women in front of her, more accurately An’s confusion, and Kohane’s pure horror.
“It’s really good to see you two again,” she starts, now becoming acutely aware of her clearly tired, airport-ridden appearance.
“I thought you lived in Europe now?” She asks, but doesn’t wait for an answer, “what are you doing here?” She pauses, quickly glancing at Kohane, “Not like I don’t want you here I’m just curious-“
“I’m here to visit family for a couple months, but then I’m heading back to Europe,” it seems as if Kohane’s nervous speaking had rubbed off on An, or maybe this was just Kohane speaking through An in some sort of psychic ability. The latter of witch was becoming the more likely answer as Mizuki glances over at Kohane, who was fiddling with her fingers while intensely staring at An.
“So-“ Mizuki’s thoughts are interrupted, “do you think you’ll be available for lunch some time soon? Since your in Tokyo, it could be a nice opportunity to catch up with a few people from school and stuff,” An asked.
If she had to be totally honest, this situation was one she was hoping to avoid. It’s not like she didn’t want to see her old classmates, well some of them at least, but she knew if she started reaching out to old friends, the whole web would unravel, to people she didn’t really want to see again. But, then again, these people had made some of the best, and worst, memories of her life. And she wanted to see them again, even if they felt more like strangers now.
“Yeah! It would be a good chance while I’m around, do you know any dates that could be set?” Mizuki smiles and attempts to discretely fix her partially dishevelled hair, while leaning forward to look more present.
An awkwardly giggles before speaking, “well I was thinking you could join the VBS meet-up later this week?”
“Oh! Would that be okay? I’m free basically the whole next two weeks,” Mizuki responds
“Perfect!” Ans face lights up, Mizuki being reminded of the teenage An she remembers clearly in her head, slightly lowering her guard at the discovery.
“Is Friday okay then?” An finally asks.
“Yeah! I still have my old Japanese number, so you can just send the address over whenever,” Mizuki rubs her eye quickly.
“You do? Oh. Yeah I’ll send it over, would love to chat, but this next stop is ours,” An glances over at the doors, before grabbing Kohane’s hand lightly. “See you soon Mizuki,” An finishes, before walking to the other side of the train.
Mizuki raises an eyebrow, before realising in horror, the mistake she’d made. She had ghosted both of them a couple months after she moved. And they had assumed she had changed her number- and she just admitted she still has access to the old number. Well fuck. Mizuki collapses back into her seat and lets out a breath of air, before glancing to see the train pulling into the next station.
As the doors slide open, Mizuki watches An and Kohane step off the train onto the platform, together chatting lightly and giggling. Both the girls faces plastered with silly grins and happy eyes, they walk in the direction of the exit. As the train once again pulls away, Mizuki catches An pull Kohane closer to her, before planting a quick kiss on her lips as they continue walking away.
Mizuki feels her heart drop through her chest, as her smile fades with it. Yes, she had known they were together back when she lived here, obviously, she spend ages with An, and she must have subconsciously known through that whole interaction they were still a thing, but seeing it first-hand had opened her eyes slightly.
Because, what? How? It was never meant to work- it shouldn’t have- ever- because they were just high school sweethearts. Nothing like that lasts longer than a year or two. Definitely not six. That’s not how it works. Otherwise- oh it doesn’t matter.
The train is now going full speed across the tracks, and Mizuki still feels way more shaken about seeing An and Kohane- then she every should. God, she knew coming back here would be hard, but she’s been in Japan a total of four hours and she’s already royally fucked up her amicable relations with two people she used to consider friends. And now- she’s going to have to have a full lunch with them, Toya and Akit- oh shit. Akito. Shinonome Akito. Shinonome. Oh no.
Mizuki drags a hand across her face and closes her eyes, if it weren’t for her parents, she would book the next flight back to London. Or Paris. Or Amsterdam. Or Munich. Or Berl- or honestly anywhere else in Europe where she knows someone she could stay with.
Mizuki grabs her bag, and pulls out her headphones, hoping to just forget about the hole she managed to dig herself in such a short amount of time.
Mizuki.
Age - 21
The only light sources in the room seemed to be the light peeking out from under the door, and the faint glow of Mizuki’s phone, instagram opened, the brightness set way higher than it should be for midnight.
Mizuki’s face scrunches up more as she scrolls through the images in front of her, her frustration rising more and more, as she looks at each, honestly fake looking, photo. God, the filters were so obvious, it just pissed her off.
Why? What was the point? Ena was so pretty. But she still used editing to make herself seem more social media appropriate. It was dumb, dumb of her to waste her pretty little face on girls who would just get dysphoria from it.
Mizuki switches to looking at Enas other account, her art account. Mizuki’s face softens, she always felt like should could understand a piece of Ena by looking at what she posted here. Compared to her fake ass photos on her other account. Her most recent post showed a blacked out figure sitting on a hilltop, staring up at the dark sky, stars dotted everywhere. But, on the grass next to where the figure was sitting, the grass was flattened, as if someone else was once sitting there. Poor Ena. Someone must have left her.
Mizuki honestly wished she could be there to take that spot, and sit with Ena and look at the stars for as long as she needs, and never let her feel left alone of abandoned again. Mizuki feels guilt rising in her chest, a sudden feeling of needing to throw up causing a nauseating dizziness to come over her.
She switches back to Ena’s selfie account. At least the fake is always happy. Mizuki scrolls through the photos and just appreciates the fact she still gets to see Enas face, as she misses her old friend.
Mizuki finds a photo of Ena sitting in her room, pulling a cute face in what appears to be her pajamas, at her desk. But, in the background, a mystery girl is sitting on Enas bed, her head just cut from frame. Mizuki frowns. Who is that? Well it wasn’t really Mizuki’s business anyway. So it didn’t matter. Right? But- would Ena tell her if she had met someone? Yes they hadn’t talked in a while, or at all besides the “happy birthday!” Text, or the classic “happy new year!” One. All of a sudden the selfie account didn’t seem so happy either.
Mizuki just continues to scroll through the photos, deciding to focus on what Enas wearing, or what she’s doing, or what she looks like she’s feeling, and not the pit growing in Mizuki’s stomach.
The bedroom door opens, letting a stream of light into the once dark room.
“Jesus Jordan, can you not give a girl a heads up before you destroy her peaceful environment?” Mizuki laughs as she speaks, happily welcoming in her boyfriend shaped distraction.
“Oh fuck, sorry,” he sighs, collapsing onto the bed next to her. “Thought you would be asleep, you usually don’t wake up when I come in,” he speaks.
“Don’t worry about it, I wasn’t really trying to sleep anyway,” she shrugs.
“So what are you looking at on your phone that’s keeping you up?” He laughs, “messaging a secret lover that your cheating on me with?”
Mizuki snorts, “Jordan I’m a shitty liar, if I was cheating on you, you would know,” they both snicker, before Jordan scoots over to see her phone screen.
He rolls his eyes. “Mizzy are you really stalking that girl again? You know I love you, and you don’t have to be insecure about anything,”
“No- no, it’s nothing like that, I was just looking. I’m allowed to follow foreign influencers.” She speaks, before shutting off her phone and placing it on the bedside table.
“Listen- it’s all fine. Let’s just sleep now,” she lies down, and tucks herself into a comfortable position, closing her eyes hoping to drift off as fast as possible.
But, as she listens to Jordan lie down and copy her actions, she hears him very quietly whisper. “God, You are a shitty liar,”
Mizuki.
Age - 23
Mizuki’s eyes flutter open as the train pulls into the station, feeling both refreshed and groggy from her little nap. Pulling herself up, she slips off her headphones and stuffs them in her bag, before taking her suitcases and her bag off the train.
She checks the map on her phone and tilts her head slightly. Eh. Ten minute walk. As much as she would like to avoid walking through Tokyo with all her bags, ten minutes really wasn’t bad.
She sets off for the streets and roads leading to her childhood home, and instead of looking at her phone or listening to something, she looks around at the area around her.
She really hadn’t looked at it too much when she first left, wanting to leave the city witch treated her so badly she neglected to try remember anything, meaning she had to rely on her fragments of memories to compare the differences.
Lots of the buildings had been repainted, looking a lot cleaner and sharper then she had remembered, and she could clearly see differences in building owners and residents as small details like what was kept in windows was changed, and some restaurants and shops being completely new. But some things, were kept the exact same, leaving her with a bittersweet taste in her mouth of nostalgia and unease.
As the route gets more and more familiar Mizuki feels muscle memory take over, her feet carrying her till she reaches the front door to what used to be her home. Taking a breath, she knocks on the door.
And watches as the door opens.