Work Text:
"Oh... Such a magnificent strike of fate! And now... We discover our fleeting mistakes, do we not...? Yes, indeed, such is life! As the great bard said...!"
"Uh... Yes, yes, Kaoru-san." Misaki sighed, once again. "Could you please tell us which card was yours? It's late. Hagumi and Kanon-san are almost asleep."
It had been, as most things are, Kokoro's idea. She had found out about the game somewhere - Misaki recalled something about the CiRCLE employee, Marina, telling her - and invited the members of Hello, Happy World! to a sleepover to try it out. Michelle was absent, but the other five girls were on Kokoro's bed, playing.
Misaki couldn't remember the game's name, but she had to admit the illustrated cards were pretty. Basically, each one of them had five pictures in their hands and, by turns, one of them put one of the cards face down in front of them and gave it a title. After that, the other girls chose one of the cards they had that could fit said title and put it face down next to it. They got mixed and... Guessed which one was the original one. There was also supposed to be a scoring system, but they weren't using it, so it was way more relaxed.
"But Hagumi isn't sleepy!" yawned the bassist.
"Don't worry, Misaki-chan... I can keep myself awake a little longer..." said Kanon. Then it was her turn to yawn, covering her mouth shyly. Misaki remember reading somewhere that yawns were contagious, and hurried the guitarist.
"Nono, it is late. Kaoru-san?"
The tallest of them smiled softly.
"Indeed, my dear Misaki. Well then, the card I myself called Fleeting freedom
is..." with a dramatic gesture, she pointed at the picture of a paper boat in the sea under the stars. "Only Misaki got it right! So fleeting..."
"That's marvellous, Kaoru! Whose was the rose bush, though?" Kokoro smiled, brightly. "I really thought it was that one!"
"Ah..." Misaki blinked "that was mine. Well then, let's just go to bed now, sha-"
"But Mii-kun, you didn't play this last round!" Hagumi pouted, as Kaoru nodded in agreement with the redhead.
Misaki sighed. She had hoped they were too tired to notice.
"Yeah, Misaki! Why don't you finish this game?" Kokoro smiled and clinged to the DJ's arm. "I'm sure you have a great smile for us there!"
"A great smile, huh..."
She didn't look at her cards. She knew which one she wanted to play, it had burnt itself into her memory. She had drawn it a couple turns ago, but wasn't sure if she was brave enough to play it.
'Well, here goes nothing.'
"Ok, ok... Last one, ya hear? And let go of my arm."
She took another card, just in case. The rest of them did as well. The last round.
"This one is called..." she placed the card on the table, downwards. "Misaki Okusawa."
"Uh? We know your name already, Misaki!"
"Yeah, my little kitten. We know your name, it is engraved in our destiny as a band, since before we were born. That's how it is..."
Kokoro and Kaoru reacted instantly. Weirdly enough, the third dummy didn't.
Misaki stole a glance towards Hagumi. She was almost asleep, holding her dear monkey. Next to her, Kanon also had her eyes nearly closed. Misaki was running out of time.
"No, no... I mean, yes, that's my name alright. But it's also the name I'm giving the card, ok? Misaki. Misaki Okusawa. Me."
"Ssso... Mii-kun. That's an easy one!" Hagumi took one of her cards and placed it there, downwards. Kanon did the same, quietly.
"A masterpiece fit for a lovely kitten such as yourself... Oh, so fleeting!"
Misaki smirked, rolling her eyes, as the guitarist placed her card.
"So, Kokoro?" she asked as she looked at the last girl.
"Hmmmhmhmmm... I like... This one!" she placed hers, humming.
Gently, Misaki picked the five cards and, before shuffling, she looked at them.
Kokoro had chosen a picture showing a lighthouse next to the coast, and a boat making its way back to safety thanks to its shine.
Kaoru, on the other hand, had picked an image of a small boy surrounded by fireflies and smiling softly.
Kanon had decided to go with a scene made of a mother bear protecting her cubs.
And lastly, Hagumi had placed a card displaying a photo album, which had a lot of warm, wholesome pictures of friends playing.
Misaki smiled softly and shuffled them. And then, she displayed the pictures upwards.
"Well, then?"
Four hands pointed at the same card.
"Oh, come on. Am I seriously that easy to read?" she said, surprised.
"Well... The only one who'd choose something so sad to describe Mii-kun is... you..." Hagumi whimpered.
Misaki gasped, and then smiled, sweetly.
"Well, let's get ready for bed, shall we? A deal is a deal."
And as all of them got comfortable, Misaki caressed four cards on her hands. They were how her bandmates saw her. A new treasure.
The fifth card, the one she chose, laid on the table. It was a broken light bulb, surrounded by brightly lit ones.
But that wasn't her, not any more. For them, she shone... she was now smiling. It was certainly a great smile.
'She was right, once again, huh...'