Chapter Text
Mizusaki and Asakusa go to a college specifically for the arts (including music), while Kanamori goes to a business college. The three always try to make time for each other and continue to be in contact after graduating high school, and usually hang out at least every weekend if they aren’t too busy. The group plans to build up an animation studio as a long-term goal, with the short-term goal being to be an independent animation group who works on local projects for businesses and such. Asakusa and Mizusaki often miss hanging out with, and annoying, Kanamori all the time. They especially miss it now that finals are going on due to the end of freshman year.
Since Mizusaki's birthday is the same time as finals, everyone is too busy with studying, homework and projects to hang out. Not only that, but with Asakusa and Doumeki being a couple now, they will go on dates when they have free time and the others are too busy to join. Yeah, this made Mizusaki kind of sad, but she also understood that they were adults now and have to get used to not having much free time for each other, at least until after they graduate.
Since the college Mizusaki and Asakusa go to was a couple hours away from their homes, they had to get an apartment off campus while Doumeki decided to stay in the dorms on campus. Fortunately, Mizusaki was able to afford a very nice apartment that was pretty big, so her and Asakusa got their own rooms along with a guest room.
Mizusaki is currently on the train ride with Asakusa and Doumeki back to the apartment; the three of them on call with Kanamori since they won't be able to meet up until finals were over. Kanamori has become somewhat more compassionate and, well, not as stone cold as she was in high school. She was more expressive now, but still has a similar attitude and isn't afraid to put someone in their place nor black mail someone. That's something Mizusaki has always liked about her (minus the blackmail part sometimes).
Once Mizusaki, Asakusa and Doumeki arrived at the apartment they dropped their school stuff to the floor and talked for a few minutes on what they should have for dinner. Asakusa and Doumeki offered to pick up take out for Mizusaki since she had to stay behind and study, but Mizusaki denied the offer, as she had leftovers in the fridge from the other day. Asakusa and Doumeki felt bad leaving without her, but they also couldn't force her away from studying. With that, they headed out.
Mizusaki sat in silence for a minute before shaking her head and unpacking her bookbag to get notes so she could start studying.
About an hour or so had passed and Mizusaki had decided to take a break to stretch and walk around for a few minutes. While she was out of her room and walking around the apartment, she heard a knock at the door. Asakusa always remembered her key, so it couldn't have been her and Doumeki. Mizusaki looked through the peep hole in the door to see it was Kanamori. Shocked, Mizusaki blushed slightly and took a moment to calm down before opening the door.
"I thought you were busy studying for finals?" Mizusaki asked, still surprised, which may have come off inconsiderate.
"Hello to you too, and I could ask you the same question," Kanamori replied with a smile and a raised eyebrow.
"I was actually just taking a break, what about you?" Mizusaki moved aside to let the taller girl inside.
"When you guys called me, I was about to leave my dorm to take the train here, so I brought my stuff and studied on the way." Kanamori removed her shoes and shut the door behind her, "Speaking of which, where are Asakusa and Doumeki?"
"They went to get dinner. I decided to hang back to study and let them have some alone time. Do you want anything to drink?"
"The usual, please," Kanamori set her bookbag on the couch and walked over to the wall, which was just a huge window, and looked out to see that the sun was setting.
"So, what brings you here?" Mizusaki asked as she set a glass a milk onto a coaster on the table.
"Well, I figured that since I wouldn't be able to be here for your birthday in a couple days because of finals, it'd be best to come up today and give something to you," Kanamori turned around and unzipped her bag, searching for what she had bought Mizusaki.
"Oh?" was all she could shakily say in reply. Mizusaki was anxious to say the least. Not to say that she wouldn't be happy with literally anything, and they've known each other for years so they know what each other like, so why was she so nervous?
"Here, close your eyes and put your hands out," Kanamori told her while going over to her bookbag.
Mizusaki did as Kanamori asked, her hands and arms shaking slightly, though she hoped Kanamori didn’t notice.
Kanamori put the present in Mizusaki's hands, "Okay, you can open your eyes."
"Oh, Kanamori..." Mizusaki put a hand over her mouth as tears formed at the corners of her eyes
"I know you can buy pretty much whatever you want, but I wanted to give you something meaningful."
In her hands was a ring that looked normal on the outside, but was rainbow on the inside. "But... How did you know?" Mizusaki’s eyes widened and looked up at Kanamori.
"I've seen your sketches of me… how you always draw me in a way you never draw anyone else, the look on your face when you actually ask to do studies of me, and how you can't hide your smile." Kanamori replied, a light blush appearing on her face
"I thought I was being subtle..."
"You kind of were, but it became more obvious over the past year or so, especially once we got closer during high school. I realized not too long after Asakusa and Doumeki started dating that the way they felt toward each other was how I felt toward you."
Mizusaki put the ring on and hugged her tall friend as close as possible. "I've had a crush on you for like two years! I could hardly keep these feelings to myself anymore… I felt like crying when thinking what your reaction might have been if I told you..." Tears started streaming down her face..
"Hey, hey, it's alright," Kanamori wiped off Mizusaki's tears with the sleeve of her hoodie.
"I'm just so happy I can't stop," Mizusaki laughed and sniffled. She looked Kanamori right in the eyes and smiled before looking back and forth between her eyes and her lips, "Could we, you know.."
"Depends," Kanamori leaned in, "do you have cash on hand?" she asked in hushed tone and a smile.
"Wait wh-"
"I'm just kidding. Maybe."
Mizusaki let out a soft chuckle and, since she was shorter than Kanamori, had to stand on her toes a bit in order to kiss her. Even though she could have just asked Kanamori to lean down, the taller girl thought it would be funny, which it was.
A few seconds later they heard the door unlock and jumped, scrambling away from each other to act like nothing happened.
"Hey Mizusaki! We're b- oh?" Asakusa noticed Kanamori's shoes at the entrance as her and Doumeki stepped inside.
"Are you two... okay?" Doumeki asked, looking at their rather red faced and very flustered friends.
"Yeah! Yeah, we're alright," Mizusaki replied with a nervous laugh, obviously not playing it off very well.
"... Were you two... making out?" Asakusa said with a grin as she walked over to fridge to put leftovers inside.
"You need to pay up for that information," Kanamori said with a straight face and looked away, though the redness on her cheeks said it all.
"We were wondering when you two would ever ask each other out, took you long enough," Doumeki said with a smile as she sat down on the couch beside Kanamori's bookbag.
"You guys knew before we even did, huh? I'm not surprised," Kanamori with a sigh, looking over to Mizusaki, who was still pretty embarrassed, and smiled. "Happy birthday, Mizusaki," she said before giving her a peck on the cheek.
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Extra:
After talking for an hour or so, Kanamori stood up from the floor, "I should really head back so I won't be late for class tomorrow."
"But this is the first time we've seen you in person since preparations for finals started!" Asakusa whined, not wanting her to leave yet.
"You could stay the night and just wake up early so you would be able to catch the train before class starts?" Mizusaki suggested, hoping that plan would actually work. She'd feel bad if they made her miss class and get points taken off her grade.
"I'll check the schedule to see if I'd have enough time to walk from the station to campus," Kanamori replied and pulled out her phone to start looking. "Doumeki, are you staying in the guest room or with Asakusa?"
"Ah, I can share the bed with Asakusa if you want the guest room for tonight?" Doumeki replied, looking over to her girlfriend to make sure that works out.
"Or..." Asakusa stepped onto the couch and stood on it, "We could all sleep on the floor in here!"
"Sure, just get down before you fall again," Doumeki replied and pulled on Asakusa's sleeve so she'd sit back down.
"Yeah!" Mizusaki agreed, also stepping onto and standing on the couch.
Kanamori smiled and nodded, looking up from her phone, "I'll be able to get to class in time, works for me.”