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"wow, saaya," the redhead enthused, speech muffled by the bun of bread in her mouth "i can see why moca comes here all the time."
saaya laughs, despite the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "aw, you're too sweet, tomoe."
inviting a friend to her bakery wasn't something saaya was unfamiliar with. the members of poppin' party came here a lot to discuss gigs and song lyrics, natsuki and her bandmates would come to greet her once in a while, and moca came practically every day.
"it's not that big of a deal," she had assured herself this morning, staring into the mirror, "it's just tomoe."
but that was exactly the problem. it was tomoe. but why did that make her so nervous?
"i'm glad you let me come here today," tomoe said, snapping saaya out of her thoughts. "i feel like you and i are quite similar."
"similar?"
"yeah. like, we're both big sisters. i've always wanted to talk to someone who gets how i feel, and sayo's sorta intimidating, so i chose you. besides, i wanna get to know you more."
saaya's face flushes. "oh. i'm glad you feel that way."
tomoe found an empty table for two and sat on one of the chairs. she motioned for saaya to sit down, and she obliged. this is almost like a date, a voice in her head says, but she quickly dismisses the thought.
tomoe takes a sip of her coffee, absent-mindedly twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "ako's a real handful, so i can't even imagine what having two siblings must be like. is it hard?"
"i'm used to it by now," saaya replies casually, "i've been having to look after them ever since i was nine. it's way easier now that they're in elementary school, though. the daycare they used to go to is a thirty-minute walk from here. there's still tons of stuff i have to do for them, though. walk them to school, help them with their homework, read them bedtime stories..."
"wow," tomoe said in awe, "doesn't your mom help you?"
saaya's smile fades. "my mom is sick," she murmurs, "it's gotten a little better now that she's taking her meds, but about a year ago, when i left her, jun and sana alone to play a gig for my old band, she... collapsed."
tomoe gasps quietly, covering her mouth with her hand.
saaya continues. "i didn't want anything bad to happen to my family without me being there for them. so i quit CHiSPA and started working at this bakery full time. but then kasumi asked me to play with her at the festival. she opened my eyes, and taught me that i have to do things for myself too. i wouldn't trade what i've learnt being a member of poppin' party for anything."
tomoe puts her hand on top of saaya's, and she feels her heart flutter.
"saaya, you're incredible. you're one of the kindest people i've ever met." tomoe says, as genuine and serious as saaya's ever heard her. "if you ever need someone to help take care of jun and sana, you can count on me."
saaya smiles, tears growing in her eyes. "thank you, tomoe. i appreciate it."
tomoe's hand squeezes hers a little tighter. "and if you ever need someone to talk to," her other hand reaches out to cup saaya's cheek. "i'll always be here for you."
saaya barely notices that tomoe's leaning in until their noses gently bump against each other. she tries her best to go with whatever tomoe is doing, but it's so hard because she's never done this before, and tomoe's eyes are so distracting. she decides to let her eyes fall closed.
tomoe's lips meet hers, somehow both softly and firmly at the same time. it doesn't feel like anything she's ever felt before-- a slow, gentle feeling of warmth glowing in her chest and flowing through her bloodstream.
for the first time in a long time, she feels safe. and it's never felt better
//
unnoticed by the two in the bakery, four figures stand outside watching them.
himari and tsugumi turn to eachother, eyes widened in shock.
"go tomo-chin~!" moca cheers sleepily. "fuhuhu~ i wonder if she'll be mad if i tease her about it later..."
ran turned around, her face bright red.
"i-i suppose we can rehearse without tomoe just this once."