Chapter Text
Tome forgot to drink again. That alone isn’t really much of a surprise, since she’s quite certain that someone reminds her at least twice a day. She should’ve learned by now, she thinks, nearly keeling over after the slightest exertion isn’t her definition of fun. It makes her vision go black and her ears stuffy, followed be the inevitable dizziness that makes staying upright almost impossible.
None of that matters today, though.
As obnoxious as Teruki could be, he’s probably right about this. No, scratch that, he’s definitely right about this. She just needs to get her head in the right space, there’s no room for error. Even the slightest slip-up could cause the whole thing to collapse, and then Tome can look forward to half a year more of the most awkward interactions humanly possible.
Of course, there’s the possibility that Tsubomi will reject her and all of Tome’s careful consideration and thought will be for nothing. She doesn’t let that weigh her down, though. In fact, she even goes as far as to blot that out entirely, of course if things don’t go according to plan it’ll be her own fault.
She’s doing just fine.
There’s a hand waving in front of her face.
“Kurata.”
“Wh-?” Tome stops staring at the empty document on her screen and looks up to an irate Mezato, leaning all the way across the table, and almost smacks her face into the outstretched hand. “What are you doing?” she splutters and tries to smack her away but Mezato squints and pulls her hand back in time.
“I wouldn’t need to do anything if you just focused on what you’re supposed to do. The President left me in charge today and I won’t have you mess this up for me. Now write, Kurata, or I’m having you thrown out of the club.” With that, she falls back into her seat and focuses on her own computer.
Before Tome can do much more than glower, Emi elbows her side, shaking her head frantically. She shrugs in apology and whispers, “Cut her some slack today, I don’t think she’s in a very good mood.”
“I heard that!”
She sighs and rolls her eyes. “It’s true, isn’t it?”
“You-!” Mezato snaps upright and saves her progress in one fluid motion. “It’s bad enough President Amuro is sick, I don’t need this sort of mutiny from you! We only have two days left to finish everything!”
“That’s no reason to get ugly, Ichi. Please.”
Tome takes this moment to enter the conversation. “Yeah, uh. I already finished the planetarium report anyway, just need to print it.”
Like a switch being flipped, Mezato’s face relaxes and the fight drains out of her, shoulders slumping with a relieved sigh. “Oh! Oh, thank God, I thought I was going to have to write that one, too.” She rests both hands on her hip and takes a deep breath. “All right, that makes things a lot less hectic. Good work, Kurata.”
“Sure…”
Everyone goes back to their own tasks, giving Tome the chance to pop her back and look around the room. It’s only the three of them right now, since Haruki and Takita are probably still interviewing someone around school. Or they’re escaping Mezato’s wrath, Tome thinks both possibilities equally likely. What was their topic again? Something to do with the first-years.
Eh, that’ll probably fill a page or two.
She risks a glance at their stand-in club president, who is currently acting as editor as well as layout designer, not to mention author of her own articles. The former really is only Amuro’s job but naturally she had to get a fever during publication week, and Mezato practically jumped at the chance to fill in for her.
It definitely is a huge workload but she insisted that she could finish it alone. Tome knows she’s trying very hard to sweet talk Amuro enough to let her become club president when the older girl graduates. Everyone agrees Mezato should get the position, if anyone will uphold the Newspaper Club’s standards and schedules, it’s her.
It’s almost funny how excited she was when Tome first informed her that Salt High did, in fact, have a Newspaper Club, as opposed to Salt Middle. Never enough participants, though who can blame fourteen-year-old kids for not being interested in reading the paper, even if it included a quiz page.
Tome didn’t join in her first year at high school, didn’t really see the point even after her friend’s urging. A year later, Mezato enrolled and dragged her along, leaving no room for complaints. Emi was always up for the ride from the very beginning, and so the Newspaper Club had three brand new members that year.
Surprisingly, Tome found that writing and researching were a whole lot more interesting if she could pick her own topics instead of scrambling to think of a way to make herself look good in front of teachers. Sure, she isn’t as invested as Emi and her new found love for social commentary in form of short stories, and certainly not as Mezato’s frankly incredible stamina and perseverance, but she makes do.
Especially since the Telepathy Club doesn’t exist anymore. Not officially, at least.
After Tome graduated middle school, the club disbanded. That is to say, the other members stopped hanging around in the Body Improvement Club’s room after school and joined it instead, if somewhat reluctantly. Mob probably had something to do with that, Tome thinks. And Musashi. Some speech about keeping the club alive even though half of its members are graduating. Real sob story.
They still hang out, whenever time allows it, and mostly on the weekends, ever since Takenaka got his head out of his ass and let himself be seen with them in public again. Even three years later, the joke hasn’t lost its fun, both sides teasing the other tirelessly. Tome almost laughs at the thought and makes a mental note to find a date that works for everyone soon.
That, in turn, reminds her of the other note she set for today and this time she does groan a little when familiar dread pools in her gut once more. Why is she doing this again?
Next to her, Emi stops typing and raises an eyebrow in Tome’s direction.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re kind of pale.”
Tome groans again, louder this time, and slumps forward to lean her forehead on the table. Mezato stops typing too, and Tome sees her feet uncrossing. She doesn’t need to look at her face to know her interest has been piqued.
Neither of them say anything, waiting for her to speak first. The silence drags on, emptier now that there’s no tapping of keys to fill the blanks with an irregular rhythm. Tome supposes it’s all right to tell them. She listens for any noise in the hallway and sits back up again, slipping far into her chair.
“I’m asking her out… today.” Her voice is pained and she whines again when the responding gasps follow.
“That’s great!” Emi says.
“Finally!” Mezato says.
Tome closes her eyes.
From the side, she hears Emi shift in her seat, its legs dragging on the floor. “Come on, it’s not that bad. Usually you can’t wait to for club to be over and now, on the most important day, you slouch as if death awaits you at the gate?”
“Emi, you’re so dramatic. This isn’t fanfiction,” she snorts and receives a light swat on her arm in return.
“You know what I mean, you’re the dramatic one here.” There’s humour in her voice and Tome opens her eyes to see hers widened in jokingly outraged embarrassment. She grins.
Mezato clears her throat and they both turn to her. “What brought this on, exactly? Do you have a plan for what to do?” She’s using her Reporter Voice, usually reserved for grilling innocent bystanders for information, and Tome narrows her eyes.
“Hey, you are not writing about this. No way.”
“I wasn’t going to!”
“Uh-huh,” Emi teases with a smile and Mezato huffs, crossing her arms.
“I wasn’t,” she starts and glares at them. “I just wanted to know.”
After a poignant pause, she points at Tome. “And maybe I wanted to help my friend with the girl she likes, because that’s what friends do.”
Emi laughs and reaches her hand across the table. “You let yourself be riled up so quickly, I’m sorry.” Another huff and Mezato takes it, trying not to smile. Emi’s face lights up and she turns to Tome a second later. “She’s right you know, we could help! Have you got a plan for when she says yes?”
The use of the word when doesn’t escape her, so Tome sits up properly. Good to know at least someone has confidence in her.
“Not really? I thought I’d let her decide but to be honest I didn’t plan ahead that far…” she says somewhat sheepishly. No one ever accused her of being organized.
“That’s okay! We’ll help you. There’s still…” a quick glance at the clock. “…thirty minutes left before club ends.”
Half an hour to prepare for the most nerve wrecking thing she’s ever done. Yes, that includes meeting actual real life aliens from outer space.
Maybe help isn’t entirely out of the question.
Out of the corner of her eye, Tome sees Mezato reach for a notebook. She notices both girls’ deadpan stares and balks. “It’s for making a list! You can’t expect to make a proper game plan without a mind map!”
And maybe it is.
-
Club ends and Tome feels like she could take on anything. She’s never been this confident in her life. Finishing newspaper productions in two days? Easy. Graduation? Piece of cake. That mountain at the edge of town that she so inexplicably wants to run to and climb right this second? Not an issue.
It would give her the perfect excuse not to walk to the school gates now, as opposed to being almost manhandled there by both Emi and Mezato, each having grabbed hold of one of Tome’s arms. The latter of the two gives her another pull.
“Don’t be such a baby, just two minutes ago you were soo sure of yourself! What happened to that?”
“The realization that I might ruin my own as well as Tsubomi’s year and maybe life,” Tome mutters, nearly quiet enough to not be heard.
Mezato only scoffs and lets go, stopping in the hallway. The school is slowly emptying as every club meeting ends and students come pouring from every classroom in a rush to get outside. A boy bumps into Emi’s shoulder and nearly sends the sheets and books in her hands flying. She yelps in surprise and clutches them closer to her chest, shoving the three of them closer to the side as she does.
“Thanks for the apology...” She throws a glare at the boy, already swallowed by the masses, and puts the papers down on a set of lockers lining the side of the hall. Emi turns back and gives Tome a considering look. At this point, it’s only slightly unnerving. Tome has lost all emotional receptors to the task at hand.
Finally, Emi puts a hand on her hip and simply says “I’m gonna tell her.”
Immediately, Mezato gasps and edges closer, the somewhat annoyed kink in her eyebrows disappearing. “No way!”
“Yes way.”
“…what way?” Tome backs up a little, not at all liking the excited glimmer in Mezato’s eyes. Emi is smiling at her, in that self-assured manner that she usually uses whenever she thinks of another story to write for club, wrapped in layers of satire and prose, or when she’s about to reveal to them the next turnabout plot point for her novel, the big project she’s been drafting out at home for years now. Most of the time, these plot points involve either the loss of limbs, or at the very least a revelation that results in an emotional breakdown, so Tome thinks it’s not unwise to be apprehensive.
Emi opens her mouth to undoubtedly shatter a very fundamental piece of Tome’s psyche but Mezato beats her to it, waving her hands urgently. “Not so loud!” To Tome, she murmurs as quietly as the chaotic noise in the background allows. “You can’t tell anyone else, okay? She’s just telling you so you’ll stop with all the whining.”
With Tome’s curt nod, Mezato waves for Emi to continue.
Well that’s. Well.
“A week or so ago in English we were all paired up for speaking exercises. You know, classic stuff,” Emi begins. Slowly the hallway seems to be clearing out, so she lowers her voice even more. “Only this time teacher used the class list to pair us up instead of seating neighbours. I think he just wanted us to stop talking to our friends and do the exercises properly with someone new. The thing is, that meant my partner was Takane.”
There, she pauses and raises her eyebrows knowingly. Tome doesn’t realize it’s directed at her until she notices herself leaning forward a little more. Damn it.
She rolls her eyes and nods for Emi to tell her already. Her friend gladly complies, giving her another pointed smirk. Mezato snickers and Tome elbows her side.
“So anyway, we were taking notes on all our points, to make it easier, right? I mean the exercise was easy enough, just basic conversation material as usual- yeah fine okay, I’ll hurry up! She had your name doodled in the corner of the notebook! In a heart. It was so sweet and cheesy, I didn’t think Takane would be the type for that.”
“Really,” Mezato says, mirth barely contained. “Who does that anymore. What a cliché.”
Tome reels back and nearly steps on some passing students’ feet. Blood is rushing, to or from her head, she can’t tell, too absorbed in Emi’s simple words.
In a heart.
Absently, Tome notes that her hands have tightened into fists, shaking slightly as she tries to stand still. The corner of her mouth twitches.
“You’re kidding! Stop lying to me!” she almost yells, because that really is too good to be true. That Tsubomi would just- no, she wouldn’t-
Tome also knows that neither of her friends would lie to her about this, and she receives confirmation through more amused laughter.
“I’m not lying, Kurata. I’m just here to be the bringer of good news.” Emi shrugs and picks up her books again. The hallway is completely empty now as the two start walking again, talking at a regular volume. Tome quickly follows to walk in step. Mezato bumps into her and winks.
“Does that mean you’ll stop your whining and pull yourself together?”
Tome scoffs. “I never whined about anything.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Never. I’m prepared.”
“Right.” Mezato pulls up her sleeve to check the time and looks back up at Tome, frowns. “I think late would be a better word?”
So she is.
Tome is already halfway down the hallway when she remembers to turn around, barely slowing down, and calls out her thanks to Emi and Mezato, who are now walking with linked arms.
The moment she steps outside the school Tome is hit by a gust of wind, and she immediately regrets not putting on her jacket back when she was still inside. Even though it’s still September, the past few days have been especially frosty, autumn’s early greetings showing first signs.
As she draws nearer to the gate Tome can already see Tsubomi standing there, scanning the remaining students in the courtyard for a sign of her. Usually it’s the other way around and Tome is the one waiting, since it takes Tsubomi a little while to change back into her uniform after training, and she would leave the school with a gaggle of friends. She’s alone now, the others must’ve already left. How long has she been standing here?
Tome jogs the last few metres, wrestling with the jacket as she goes, and waves.
“Hey!”
“Oh!” Tsubomi does a double take. “Hi. Sorry, I didn’t see you, I thought you’d already left.”
Tome finishes zipping up and rights her bag. She gives Tsubomi a sheepish grin. “No yeah, club took a bit longer today. Publication week, you know. Sorry to make you wait.”
It’s not a lie, no one said sentences have to correlate to one another. They just happen to both be true.
Luckily, Tsubomi doesn’t seem to notice her white lie and waves a hand instead. “Don’t worry about it, I understand. It’s just funny that I happen to be the first one out today,” she finishes with a chuckle, and Tome can feel her stomach flip flopping around uselessly. For the second time today, her lips try to pull themselves into a smile and this time she relents. The short run has made her feel a little dizzy but she shakes it off and vows to chug two bottles of water when she gets home.
“Yeah,” she says, and then starts as she notices herself staring. Tome widens her smile into a grin and tilts her head, motioning for them to start their walk home. Oddly enough, now that she’s here, now that she’s right next to Tsubomi, the insecurity she felt just moments ago is like a distant memory, dwindled down to only few specks that remain floating somewhere around her head.
She wants to say it now, blurt it out at the quickest opportunity now that anxiety has passed into excitement, but Tome knows that she’d better stick to the established plan she and he friends had discussed.
“Just ask her right before you split, that way you don’t have to keep walking next to each other awkwardly.” Mezato says, twirling her pen. For now, the school paper takes a back seat to this very important conversation.
“Oh, she’s right!” Emi interjects, before Tome can ask why. “It’s going to be a little awkward either way, even when she accepts. I speak from first-hand experience,” she adds jokingly, and Mezato sighs.
“It wasn’t that bad, was it? Did I just imagine that?”
“You offered to carry my bag even though you were carrying the entire Newspaper Club archives already. It was pretty bad.”
“Hey Tome?”
Tsubomi’s words make her blink back into the present, and she shakes her head a little to disperse the remaining stray thoughts. She has to focus, today of all days. Glancing to the side, Tsubomi is looking at her with an unreadable expression. Oh, she could get lost in those eyes. “Hm?”
Hands gripping the straps of her backpack tightly, Tsubomi tilts her head. “Can I ask you something?”
Anything, everything. “Sure, go ahead!”
A soft exhale and Tsubomi meets Tome’s eyes with sudden, steady conviction. “Would you like to go on a date with me?”
Ah.
“Would I.. date?” Suddenly, the thought of stringing together cohesive sentences gets lost, tossed out the window along with her careful plan in a heartbeat.
Tsubomi nods, quirking a smile to match her beautiful eyes – Tome can’t tear her own away even for an instant. “Yes! I- Well, you know. I really like you and we’ve been spending a lot of time together, so – a date!”
With every word, Tsubomi’s voice takes on another cheery tone, until she finishes with a broad smile. A car drives past them, highlighting the silence left behind. Tome realizes that she should probably reply.
“You – Tsubomi you,” she starts and pretends like her face isn’t slowly heating up. Tome breaks eye contact to focus on anything but the girl next to her. God, I am so gay.
“You stole my line.” The words come out in a jumbled laugh, and Tome looks back with wide eyed glee. “That was my line.”
To her credit, Tsubomi doesn’t look nearly as confused as she should, and realization dawns in her eyes before Tome can finish laughing. She must look hysterical.
“Wait you, you also-“
“Yes.”
“Wow.” She lets out a shaky breath. “I don’t think I expected that.” A strand of hair has come loose and Tsubomi pushes it back carefully.
Tome wipes a hand across her face and shakes her head. She clears her throat. “By the way, I would love to. Go on a date, that is.”
The giggle that follows is the most beautiful sound Tome has ever heard. “You! I figured that!” Tsubomi slaps her hand playfully and the strand of hair falls over her face again. This time she doesn’t move to fix it.
Before Tome can wonder why, a pinkie links with hers.
-
“Mum!”
Tsubomi all but slams the door closed and drops her bag near the entrance. She’s wrestling with her shoes when her mother’s concerned face appears from the kitchen with a cup of tea. “Hello? Sweetie, is everything all right?”
The laces finally come free and Tsubomi clenches her hands into fists, then brings them to her face to hide behind. Her head feels light and she leans against the hallway walls with a little whine.
Her mother hums, sounding curious. “Come on, what’s wrong, I can’t help if you don’t tell me.” She gasps. “Is another boy bothering you at school again? Do you want me to call his mother?”
“Mum no. I’m in high school, that’s- agh–!“ She shakes her head and pushes herself off the wall, spreads her arms and stares. “I asked Tome out on a date!”
A second, louder gasp, and her mother brings a hand to her mouth and takes a step back, then quickly looks around and places her mug on the cupboard beside the door. “What did she say? What happened?”
Tsubomi lets her shoulders sag, breathes out with a grin. “We’re going to the planetarium on Saturday.”
“That’s wonderful! You have to tell me everything.” She waves for Tsubomi to follow her into the kitchen enthusiastically, then stops and comes back to pick up her mug. “Almost forgot!” With a laugh, Tsubomi shakes her head and complies.
Her mother is already pouring another cup for Tsubomi, and she leans on the counter. “I was going to finish up a case report after my tea but this is a lot more interesting,” she says and raises an eyebrow. Tsubomi takes the steaming cup and squints.
“I don’t have to tell you anything, mum.” The eyebrow raises further.
There is no weight behind her threat and they both know it. Tsubomi for one, honestly can’t wait to tell her. She knows they’re both eager to work on the silences at home, and for the first time in so long she feels as if there was movement between them, not the sticky feeling of honey, nor the comfortable quiet – she probably has Tome to thank for it all.
Tsubomi plops down on a chair and crosses her legs. She takes a moment to think of what to say but all that does is remind her of what happened not half an hour ago, and she has to grin again, unable to keep her face neutral with something like that on her mind. In turn, her mother laughs too, and she nearly spills her tea.
“Tsubomi!”
“Sorry! I’m just – agh this is so embarrassing.” She cuts herself off and stares at the kitchen table. After a second of hesitation, she meets her mother’s eyes. “I asked her out! I didn’t even mean to, it just happened? I thought I was going to melt on the spot, I hope she didn’t notice how red I was, oh my god…
“But what was I supposed to do? She looked so cute and the weather was nice and – Mum, I’m going on a date!”
She almost feels out of breath, and Tsubomi leans back against the chair with a small huff. Her mother laughs again, the bright and beautiful one she loves. She puts her tea down and walks over, pulls out another chair and sits next to Tsubomi, wrapping her in a big hug, one that she sinks into with warm affection.
“I’m so happy for you!” She smiles. “I know you hate it when I say this but I can’t believe my baby is growing up. What – you are!” Tsubomi groans into her shoulder and her mother laughs again.
They break from the hug and Tsubomi’s mother sighs and puts a hand on her shoulder, pushes hair from her face just like she used to when Tsubomi was much younger. The laugh lines in the corner of her eyes stand out to her, and she finds herself smiling even more, beaming from more than just earlier today.
The moment passes and her mother’s arms drop back to her sides, and she sits back, still turned to face Tsubomi. “Does that mean I get to help you prepare? Do you know what you’ll wear?” She looks away, suddenly remembering. “I have no idea what teens wear nowadays.”
She snorts. “It’s fine, mum. You don’t need to help me, I know what to do.”
“Do you now?”
“Trust me.”
-
Tsubomi <3 [16:15]:
Teru I need help.
Teru <3 [16:17]:
Oh? :)
So many ladies needing my help lately… I’m sorry to tell you my heart lies elsewhere~
Tsubomi <3 [16:17]:
?????
Teru <3 [16:18]:
Nothing. What’s up?
Mind if I take a guess? Could it have something to do with a girl?
Tsubomi <3 [16:18]:
What do you know?
Teru <3 [16:18]:
;)
Tsubomi <3 [16:18]:
Sure…
I’m actually here because I wanted to ask you what to wear to a planetarium, I’ve never been??
Teru <3 [16:19]:
Lmao same
Tsubomi <3 [16:19]:
What?
Teru <3 [16:19]:
Wait wait wait
Oh my god you’re serious?
Tsubomi <3 [16:19]:
Why wouldn’t I be??
Teru <3 [16:20]:
I don’t know? Maybe because 60% of our friendship consists of you shitting on my clothes?? Let a guy be surprised, will you??
Tsubomi <3 [16:20]:
That’s!!!
Well they look bad!!
But… you do know what to do when it counts.
So here I am! Asking for help!! I’m going on a date and I need to know what to wear!!
Teru <3 [16:22]:
:D
:D <3 <3
Of course I’ll help!! <3
Tsubomi <3 [16:22]:
Aaahh thank you!! So much! <3
Teru <3 [16:22]:
Of course! What else are friends for??
Also what’s this about a date? :))))
-
Gay [16:40]:
:^)
Cryptid [16:43]:
no
Gay [16:43]:
:^)) <3
Cryptid [16:43]:
how the fuck could you possibly know that
Gay [16:44]:
Come on, you give me too little credit
She’s my friend too??
Cryptid [16:44]:
fuck youre right i keep forgetting
lucky
Gay [16:45]:
What are you even talking about, you’re literally going on a date with her
Cryptid [16:45]:
SHIT YOURE RIGHT
IM LUCKY
Gay [16:45]:
YOURE LUCKY!!
Cryptid [16:46]:
im lucky…….
……teru im gonna fuck it up………….
Gay [16:47]:
You won’t
Cryptid [16:47]:
:(
Gay [16:48]:
I’ve known you for way too long, I know you won’t
You’ll be awkward as shit and kind of an idiot but you’re not gonna fuck it up
And how do I know that??
Cryptid [16:48]:
Because Teru Is Always Right
Gay [16:48]:
Exactly ☆
-
Friday comes much faster than she expects, Wednesday and Thursday passing in a blur, and suddenly it’s Saturday, and Tome has been awake since seven in the morning.
It’s not like she meant for that to happen, nerves keeping her awake until late at night and tearing her from sleep only a few hours later. They’d agreed to meet in front of the planetarium for the 5 o’clock screening of the show about the milky way, one that Tome has seen three times already – but Tsubomi didn’t need to know that.
Tome knows from reliable sources (Teru) that first dates are usually not the best time to try out new things anyway, rather the focus being getting to know the other person. It sounds very much as if it were ripped straight from an article in a gossip magazine, but Tome shouldn’t be surprised. Her sources (Teru) really can’t brag with having experience in honestly caring about what their date is like. Maybe one day they’ll work up the courage to confess to a certain someone they (Teru) actually enjoy spending time with. Tome will keep her fingers crossed.
Another thing she’s supposed to watch out for is punctuality. Nothing dampens the mood more than being exceptionally late. She’s known for being early, that much works in Tome’s favour, but thinking back on it, she doesn’t think “arriving early and standing in the cold for one hour before the agreed time” was what she was supposed to be going for.
Should’ve brought a scarf.
A gust of wind blows cold air in Tome’s face and she closes her eyes to brace for the inevitable shiver running down her spine. When she opens them again, her vision is fuzzy. Fuck.
Tome blinks a few times and looks around, finding a bench nearby and sits down carefully. She considers putting her legs up onto the wooden surface but dismisses that idea quickly. It’s her own fault for forgetting to stay hydrated again, she would have to deal with the consequences now. Even worse, what if Tsubomi found her like that?
So no, instead Tome remains seated, staring into the distance ever so slightly, bouncing her legs to try and force her eyes and circulatory system to start working again properly.
She’s not sure how much time passes between staring into blank space and mentally listing every possible thing that could go wrong (and immediately scolding herself for thinking like that), but when her phone finally buzzes it’s already 4:48, nearly twenty minutes after they’d agreed to meet.
Tsubomi [16:48]:
Where are you? :0
Cryptid [16:48]:
what? where are you?
Tsubomi [16:48]:
I’m at the planetarium…? I’m not at the wrong place am I?
Cryptid [16:49]:
nooo youre right.. but why cant i see you?
Tsubomi [16:49]:
Um… I’m not sure?
I’ve been by the front counter for ten minutes now
Cryptid [16:49]:
OH
hold on ill be right there
She’s inside.
Tome pockets her phone and jumps up in a frenzy. The sudden movement makes her blood rush from her head again and she stops to take a few seconds to reorient herself before she can finally run to the planetarium’s entrance, a big pair of automated glass doors, decorated with semi-transparent stickers depicting various planets and galaxies.
In her hurry, Tome’s attention is in five places at once, so when Venus slides away to reveal Tsubomi on her way outside, she’s just one second too slow to avoid crashing into the other girl. She yelps ungracefully and they both reel back, Tsubomi taking one steady step while Tome does her best to stay upright.
“Oh! There you are!” Tsubomi grins. “I was wondering if you maybe weren’t coming after all.”
Tome pulls off her hat and laughs sheepishly. “Actually, I’ve been here for… quite some time.” She waves towards the square outside with one hand. “I thought I‘d catch you when you arrived but it looks like we missed each other. Sorry about running into you!”
“You were outside? But it’s so windy!”
Tome doesn’t know how to reply, so she simply shrugs. God, I’m so bad at this.
Luckily, Tsubomi doesn’t seem to mind. She pulls Tome away from the entrance and laughs. “Well, either way, I already got us the tickets, so you don’t have to worry about that. I think they’re quite nice spots, too! And don’t apologize, I’m just as guilty.”
“What? You can’t just pay for both of us, that’s not fair.” They stop by the lockers and Tome pats her backpack. “I have an annual pass for this place, we could’ve gotten a discount too.”
Tsubomi pauses for a moment, then kneels to stuff her coat into the floor-level locker. She looks up at Tome. “We should keep that in mind for next time, then,” she teases, and Tome bites her cheek to avoid laughing aloud. As it is, she still smiles hard enough to have to look away.
“Sure, let’s hope we remember.”
With all their things packed away, all that’s left to do is wait for the show to begin. Originally, the plan was to grab a drink at the planetarium’s café before going in but considering the confusion, they both agree to postpone snacks to after, a big sign prohibiting any food or drink to enter the show hall.
“You know,” Tome says. “That’s actually a pretty new rule. A kid tried to look at the projector up close after a show a few years ago, and nearly spilled their entire soda over it.”
“Oh my god.” Tsubomi stares, then raises an eyebrow with a smile. “By any chance, was that kid you?”
“No way! I would never ruin something so amazing. You wound me, Tsubomi.” Tome puts her hands in her pockets and looks away. “It was my cousin.”
That earns her a laugh, and Tome can’t help but join in. “It was hilarious, I’m telling you. They still haven’t come back here ever since, out of embarrassment. It’s been years!”
The overhead bell bids the guests to take their places and Tome tries her best not to freeze up when Tsubomi links their arms. “I hope that doesn’t run in the family, I’d hate for us to miss out on that discount.”
-
Outer space is… incredible. Tsubomi has never been to the planetarium before but if every other show is like this one, she seriously regrets every decision she’s made that made her skip this experience so far. The chairs they’re seated in lie low, making them face up toward the dome-like roof of the theatre room where the projector at the centre casts fascinating images of suns and stars and constellations, all narrated by a calm disembodied voice, accompanied by dramatic and fantastical music ringing from the speakers all around them.
She risks a glance to the right, where Tome seems to be captivated by the spectacle above them. She’s mumbling something – wait, is she reciting the narrator’s text? That’s so cute. Tsubomi bites her lip and looks back up to see an impressive zoom-in of Jupiter’s red spot.
Maybe she should – no, that’s a bad idea. But what if – bad idea.
Tome chuckles at a clever pun.
Screw it.
Slowly, with purpose, Tsubomi raises a hand from her lap, and keeping her eyes fixed on the show, she reaches over. Immediately, she realizes that she has no idea how far away Tome actually is. Damn.
Before she can abort the mission and wish for the chair to swallow her forever, Tsubomi feels a sweaty hand grab hers and hold on tightly.
“We’re on a date, aren’t we?” Tome sounds slightly strangled, and Tsubomi can only hum in return, not trusting herself to be able to speak.
She squeezes back and forces herself to relax. This is fine, more than fine, actually. Inside her chest she can feel something swell and the thought makes her close her eyes just to take it all in. Tsubomi isn’t sure what the last two minutes of the show have been about.
Tome’s hand is warm.
The music all around them flows into a playful swirling harmony of violins, and when she blinks her eyes open Tsubomi is greeted with the vast spiral of their galaxy, endlessly huge and shining. Each star lights up the theatre with its bright light, each the centre of its own world, five light years of distance between.
Tsubomi isn’t sure how much time has passed, only that it’s been far too little, when the music reaches its climax and slows into the even calm of the credits, rolling up and off into a backdrop of space.
Next to her, Tome’s leg has started to bounce restlessly, and Tsubomi wonders if that’s a good thing or not. She hasn’t let go of her hand, anyway. When the next name disappears into the distance, though, Tome sits up with a start.
“We should leave!”
Trying not to let her disappointment show, Tsubomi tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and pushes herself back up as well. “Sure.”
She means to reach down to grab her bag and – well, Tome hasn’t let go of her hand yet.
“It always gets crowded in line right after a show,” she says and jumps up from her seat. “We wouldn’t wanna wait too long for a brownie, right?” Tsubomi is relatively certain the hand on Tome’s hip is meant to look casual, when really all it does is highlight how stiff she’s become. Adorable.
“Of course! Though, I wouldn’t mind the wait if it mean-- whoa!” Before she can finish her sentence, Tome blinks, then wobbles, and Tsubomi does the only thing she can think to do. She pulls on Tome’s hand and with a surprised yelp, the other girl falls into her lap.
“Are you okay? What was that?!”
Two, three beats pass. Tome squints, then blinks some more. She groans. “Nothing wrong, it’s. Didn’t drink.” She shakes her head. “Can’t see. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize!” Tsubomi stares and wraps her arm around Tome’s waist to keep her from falling. “We have to get you to sit down somewhere, can you stand?”
As way of reply, Tome starts shaking, and for a second Tsubomi is afraid she’s started to cry. Breathy hitching becomes louder and turns into giggling, then laughter, and Tome shakes her head again.
“And that’s funny?”
“No, it’s just.” She meets Tsubomi’s worried look. It’s hard to tell in the low light but she swears Tome’s face is burning red. “This is the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me.”
She laughs again as she buries her face in one hand, and Tsubomi lets herself relax, loosening her grip on the other girl. A moment later she snorts, hilarity of the situation sinking in, and then she’s laughing too, holding on to Tome as they do their best not to fall off the chair.
A few rows behind them, a girl is telling someone about dark matter excitedly, all the potentially empty space that exists in the universe, the incredible distances between it all. Tsubomi considers this, thinks that it probably isn’t true after all, and she holds Tome just a little closer.