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Michiru sits at the café table, silently sipping her tea. This is the very same café that Nazuna and Mayor Rose had their first confrontation at. Michiru and Nazuna would usually come here for lunch, to chill, gossip and relax. But right now, they were doing anything but, with Michiru’s full attention attuned to her best friend’s behaviour, or more specifically, her lack thereof.
Not too many moments earlier, the two were happily talking back and forth. Discussing the usual topics, Michiru’s time with the Bears, Nazuna’s newfound life as an idol. Even simpler things, about fashion, about sports, about boys… Sometimes even girls.
Now, Nazuna remains still, two furry hands loosely wrapped around her cup, absorbing what latent heat remained. Oblivious to Michiru’s stares as she gazes out the windows, seemingly at the pedestrians and cyclists passing by, the most neutral expression on her face. As if time is frozen.
Almost on cue, she breaks the silence, and time resumes.
“Michiru?” She asks, turning her head to face her friend.
Spooked, Michiru sets down her tea, recomposing herself with a smile. “Yeah, what’s up?”
They break eye contact just as quickly as they meet, with Nazuna looking down at her cup of tea, fidgeting with the handle for a second, then finally taking a sip.
“Um, it’s about, you know.” She timidly says.
“The bite?”
“No! I mean- ugh- yeah, the bite, sorry…” Palm on her head, Nazuna scolds herself for not caring about her best friend’s wellbeing more.
Michiru instinctively looks down at her right shoulder, but she wasn’t sure what she expected really, her brown fur just stares back at her. It did a good job of concealing that nasty scar, but she grew evermore wary of shifting into her human form because of it, especially when around Shirou.
“It’s fine. Still feels numb on occasion, but I can move it just fine.”
“That’s good, wouldn’t want you going lame now, would we?” Nazuna warmly says, much to Michiru’s surprise.
Solemn about Shirou, Michiru asks, “I bet you still hate him for what he did, huh?”
“Hm?”
“Shirou.”
“Oh, um, no. Not really.” Nazuna replies ever innocently.
Michiru is puzzled. “You don’t hate him?”
“Why would I?”
She narrows at her. “He almost killed me, Nazuna.”
This gives her pause, and Nazuna thinks for a moment.
“He wasn’t… himself. Didn’t know what he was doing was wrong.”
Maybe that’s just what she’d like to believe.
“But he was still the one in control, right? Maybe I should hate him still…” Nazuna questions herself with a pang in her voice.
Another awkward silence, and Michiru doesn’t know what to think.
“L-look, I didn’t come here to talk about Shirou.” Nazuna once again breaks the quiet, seemingly almost frustrated, with herself or otherwise.
She takes her own attention back to the window, willing Michiru to follow.
“I said things-” her voice croaks, “I really shouldn’t have said…”
Now Michiru understands, they’re overlooking where they first had their argument at the park, where Nazuna first broke her heart.
Michiru is speechless. “Nazuna… you-”
“I was promised so much, given everything I’ve ever wanted, and yet I behaved-” she spits venom, “like that.” Countless thoughts bounce around her head, but she verses her next words as carefully as she can. “If that doesn’t show a person’s true colours, I don’t know what does…” Nazuna’s eyes meet Michiru’s once more, on the verge of tearing up.
Suddenly, Michiru finds all the strength in the world, and raises her voice. “Of course it doesn’t, you were lied to!”
“How was I supposed to know that? That’s not an excuse!” Nazuna retorts.
Michiru slams her hands down onto the table, holding back her gorilla arms form and nearly spilling their drinks. “Yes, it is! You were being manipulated by those gross creeps! Uh-” she swivels around, noticing her sudden display captured the ire of the other patrons. Not wanting to get kicked out, she backs down. “Sorry… Stupid reflex.”
“It’s fine.” Nazuna, unfazed, pensively stirs her tea. “I deserve it.”
Michiru just about wants to go over and give her best friend a hug, tell her that she’s wrong, that she doesn’t deserve her hate! But she knows where that would lead, Nazuna doesn’t want to be pitied. They couldn’t go back to just pretending like things were normal, letting her silently wallow in guilt just for Michiru’s own sake. She considers her options, hatching an idea.
“But you’ve forgotten something Nazuna, about Shirou.”
Nazuna looks up at Michiru, her eyes now glimmering with tears.
“I forgave him.”
There is a still in the air again.
“And… You forgive me?” She says in anticipation.
“Of course, I do. I forgave you long ago!”
“Then wh-why didn’t you say anything?” Nazuna’s watery expression swings to slight shock.
Michiru reminisces for a second. “Because… We had gone through a lot together. I felt we’d moved on from that. I didn’t wanna dig up old scars…” She sighs, glancing back at her shoulder.
Nazuna looks back down at her tea, contemplating something.
“You might be right,” she takes a deep breath, “but you can’t just let that kind of thing fester…”
Just as Michiru first thought, she kicks herself internally for not bringing this up herself earlier. It’s time to make up her mistake. “OK, I’ll tell you right now then.”
Nazuna perks up, and Michiru offers her most genuine smile. “I forgive you, Nazuna. Truly.”
Still a little stunned, Nazuna finally wipes the tears from her eyes. “Thank you, Michiru.” She weakly, but just as genuinely returns.
Michiru happily accepts it. “No problem, Nazuna.”
There is a short lull, as both girls recollect themselves.
“So, back then, you didn’t think I was… You know.” Nazuna ekes out.
Michiru looks away, flustered. “W-well, I guess you were a… A bit of a-”
“Bitch?” Nazuna half-jokingly interjects.
Michiru laughs. “OK, I guess you were… a bit of a bitch.” She faces Nazuna again. “Only a small one though! Remember that!” Michiru sings.
With that, Nazuna giggles.
Then, a moment of hesitation.
“So uh, friends and stars forever?”
“Yeah, friends and stars forever.”
The two go back to finishing their tea, cold, but oddly warm.