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Gold. A color they had associated with warmth and love and all things indescribable. As they lay still in their bed, gold coated their room, staining their floors and wall with a shimmering light as the sun set. Late afternoon was turning to early evening, and while the stars were still hidden behind the setting sun, soon they would speckle the sky.
Maho was flat on their back, eyes half-closed from the dim rays that fluttered into their room. They had zoned out a while ago, thoughts of their real life filtering out and being replaced with daydreams of bliss.
Sweet giggles of heartfelt glee rung in their ears, an indescribable warmth pressed against their chest. Their head rests on her’s, eyes on the way her pale hands fit perfectly within their ever-so slightly sun-kissed ones. The girl in her arms pressed herself further against their chest, leaning her head back so that aquamarine eyes met pale ruby ones. A tiny smile was graced on her lips, and they couldn’t help but lean even more into her. She was right there, in her arms, so close, a perfect fit in their arms.
Adjusting ever so slightly, they cupped her cheek. The blonde’s fluttered, half-opened and staring at them with so much love that it felt like they were suffocating in the best way they could possibly describe. Leaning forward, their lips were so close together, the two’s eyes closed and their faces inched ever closer-
DING!
Maho jolted up a bit, face warm. Sighing, they rubbed their eyes, bringing themself back to the real world. Grabbing their phone from the bedside table, they quickly typed in the password and read the little bit of the notification they could read.
RINKU!!!: CONGRATS MUNI!!!!! IM SO PRO…
Clicking on the notification, they didn’t even have to scroll up to read the whole conversation.
Muni~Chan♡: I GOT IN!
RINKU!!!: CONGRATS MUNI!!!!! IM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!
Maho began to type their own congratulations message, a smile gracing their lips. However, it dropped just before they hit send. They stared blankly at the message. It was simple, straight to the point.
Congrats Muni!
The cursor blinked at them as they looked on. Muni had gotten in. She’d been accepted into the art school almost two hours away from them. She’d gotten in, and she’d be packing her bags and leaving, just like Rei did. Maho felt their body move on its own, clicking off their phone and jolting up, grabbing their shoes and rushing to get them on while slipping on their jacket as well.
It had been almost four years since Happy Around! had been formed. Maho could remember the time vividly - how the new girl had begged her to form a DJ unit since she’d seen Peaky P-Key play live. They’d hesitated so much, but had caved after a while of the younger’s persistence. How could she say no, given those bright eyes that practically begged for attention. The girl’s whole being screamed for all eyes to be on her, something that Maho didn’t think she realized even after four years. Colorful eyes and hair already attention-grabbing, matched with the loud and joyous personality that made up Aimoto Rinku.
Happy Around! had done a lot for Maho in so many ways. Helped them improve, brought them three of the closest friends they’d ever had, and given them the chance to grow as both a person and as a DJ. It was also because of the friends they had made that they had discovered parts of themself they had locked away - first as a lesbian, then coming out later as non-binary, all thanks to the support they had given them. They’d been blessed with the ability to watch their friends grow as well, even if that meant growing out of Happy Around!.
Rei had been the first one to go. She’d started as a rather nervous girl, an absolute sweetheart who wasn’t the most socially experienced but always meant well. Now, she was much more confident in herself, still on the quieter side but not because she was too scared to speak up, simply that she knew when and where to speak her mind. She’d graduated a year before the rest of the group would - she’d been in her second year at Yoba Academy when Happy Around was first created after all. Though everyone had done their best to keep her around and still do shows with her, her schedule was slowly but surely filled with more dire appointments - university classes, work, and studying all but completely encompassed her time. It was difficult having Rei be torn away from their precious DJ unit, but Happy Around had kept trucking on.
But now, Muni was gone. Bitterly, as Maho jogged down the stairs and out the front door, having left their phone on the bed behind them, they knew that it would be so good for Muni. Muni had changed so much, just as Rei had, shaping up to be an even better version of herself. She’d almost completely shed her insecurity in her work, and the fake ego she’d put up had mostly been shaken off and replaced with genuine confidence that wasn’t nearly as easily broken by negative criticism. Her work had excelled as well - both artwork and video editing alike had skyrocketed in quality in their past few years working together. Leaving to go and learn even more than she already did, meeting new people - it’d be so, so good for her, and that knowledge allowed Maho to swallow her bitterness about Muni’s leaving.
They’d slowed down a bit, trying to calm their breathing as they walked down the road. The sunset was dipping ever farther down the horizon, and the world around them was getting ever-colder. Their shoes hit quietly against the gray concrete of the sidewalk, which had been painted that stunning hue or golden-yellow. The color was fading, however, as they pressed onwards.
Before they could even think about what they were doing, how they had left their phone in their room, had darted out before nightfall just to see what they so desperately were clinging onto, Maho was faced with the consequences of their unthought-out actions. Without even realizing it, their body had all but dragged them to where they stood now - in front of a large, upper-estate house, with sounds of faint laughter and clattering dishes as dinner was being finished.
Pale blue eyes blinked at the door in front of them. What were they thinking? Were they thinking? Clearly they weren’t, because they were now gently tapping their knuckles against the front door of the home. They, at that point, had a few moments to turn tail and run - to not let back, and to let fate run its course. Their body was frozen to the ground, and those precious few seconds were quickly ripped away at the familiar sight of pale ruby eyes peeking through the crack of the door as it opened.
“Maho? What are you doing here?” Rinku questioned.
Their beloved Rinku. Her golden-blonde hair was pulled back into a hastily-made bun, with a few strands falling down in her face in front of those gorgeous rose quartz-colored eyes. They sparkled as if someone had taken the night sky and flicked them like water into her eyes, unaware of how breath-taking that they’d be. Pale skin turned a pale orange in the fading sunset’s light, and Maho struggled to respond to the younger’s question. What were they doing? Had they lost their mind?
“I-I… I, uhm…”
“It’s getting late, Maho. You should go home, it’s going to get cold soon.” Rinku spoke again, and the idea of Rinku closing that door caused such a surge of panic in Maho that it knocked them out of their trance.
“I need to talk to you!” Their words flooded out of them like a broken dam. Rinku passed them a concerned glance, but pulled the door in none-the-less, ushering them inside.
“We can talk in my room.” Maho nodded, walking in. Rinku called out to her grandmother, before leading the way up to her bedroom. Maho had done this same song and dance a million times, it felt. They’d come to Rinku’s home often, whether it be for planning or studying or even just hanging out. Following diligently, Maho tried to think of a way to explain everything, desperately clinging on to whatever words they could conjure in their head.
Rinku shut the door behind them, and almost immediately took the initiative.
“What’s wrong, Maho? You haven’t looked this upset since Rei left,” Rinku asked, worry soaking her voice. “Is this about Muni?” Maho shrugged a bit.
“I… I don’t know how to… explain,” they murmured, and Rinku gently took their hands.
That was how Rinku had grown in the past few years. She’d kept that bright, ever positive outlook on life, but she’d also developed an incredible gift of comfort. Whether it be someone within Happy Around! or another student at Yoba Academy, she’d learn the trick of the trade to ease someone. And Maho was someone who fell into that comfort so perfectly it was almost pitiful.
They wrapped their hands around Rinku’s, aquamarine meeting pale ruby. It was so warm. She was so, so warm. Everything she touched was like gold to Maho, a gold that brought warmth and kindness and love and so much emotion that Maho couldn’t even describe.
“I can’t… I even begin to describe…” Maho murmured, and Rinku’s expression clouded.
“Oh… Maho…” her voice was barely above a whisper, and Maho felt they had so much to say that they couldn’t speak. Rinku placed a warm hand on Maho’s cheek, an attempt at comfort that only served to send a spark of adrenaline through them.
Maho moved without thinking, grabbing the hand that was on Rinku’s face and using their other to cup her’s. Pulling her close, Maho stole Rinku’s breath away, placing their lips on her’s, breathing deeply through their nose. Rinku squeaked in surprise, but didn’t pull away, instead hesitantly pulling Maho somehow closer.
Both Maho and Rinku’s eyes were closed, simply basking in the moment of the kiss. It was soft and kind, yet full of unspoken emotion and passion. Maho’s thumb brushed Rinku’s cheek unconsciously, and Rinku couldn’t help but pull away from the kiss to melt into the older’s hand. Maho’s eyes fluttered open, half-open and staring into Rinku’s blissed-filled ones.
“I… I can’t lose you too. I love you, Rinku. I love you so much and I have for years and I just can’t lose you-” Rinku cut them off by kissing them again, pulling away to gently lay her forehead on Maho’s.
“You’re not going to lose me. I’m not going anywhere.”
The golden light of the sunset had faded now. The stars were glittering in the dark sky above, the bitter cold night air getting ever colder. But Maho was safe and warm, with a bundle of gold in her arms.