Chapter Text
Nightcord at 25:00 had slowly become quite famous over the past 4 years Ena had been part of the group, and now they were on their way to perform their first live event.
It felt weird having been making music with the three others for such a long time, but certainly not bad. Thought she still wasn’t as close to Mafuyu as she was to Mizuki and Kanade, she had learned to love all of them along with their quirks and flaws.
Over the time they’d been making music together they had all faced hardships, but they had managed to work through most of it, partly to the help of the Virtual Singers that had slowly been piling up in their SEKAI.
Kanade and Mafuyu had started dating a couple months ago, to Mizuki and Ena’s delight. It had physically pained the both of them to watch the two dancing around eachother, doing literally anything except confessing.
She was happy for them. Of course! But seeing them also brought out some confusing feelings from her own chest.
She looked down at her phone to switch which song was playing and then looked back out the train window.
The show they were headed for was all the way in Kyoto, so the group had to book a train ride as none of them actually knew how to drive, despite now being adults.
Ena looked at the flat landscape she was travelling across and those strange feelings overtook her mind once again.
It wasn’t all foreign. Ena had known she was a lesbian ever since middle school, even though she didn’t know the word for it back then.
Glancing over at Mizuki, who was sitting across from her in the carriage, peacefully sleeping, she smiled.
———
An “Arrrgghhhhhh!” came from the opposite row of seats. Ena startled from her slow dozing and saw Mizuki stretching their whole body. It reminded her a bit of a cat.
“You’re awake,” she smiles. “wanna come with me to the canteen?”
Mizuki’s attention snaps to her.
“Oh, yeah.” They check the time on their phone, and their eyes widen in slight surprise. “Oh, wow. I slept for more than an hour.”
“I was thinking of waking you up to get dinner, but it seems I didn’t have to.”
“Apparently not. Let’s go, then.”
They stand up and squeeze out the door. In the compartment next to theirs Mafuyu and Kanade are sitting, seemingly enveloped in a quiet conversation.
“I’m happy they have eachother.” Mizuki spoke up.
“Yeah. Sometimes I wish I had someone like that.”
Mizuki looks over at her, an unreadable expression on their face.
“Me too, I suppose.”
They walk the rest of the way across two train carts in silence, the only interactions being slight brushing of their knuckles as they walked side by side.
———
“You’re telling me the only food they have on here is chips and musty sandwiches..?”
Ena looks from the canteen display to Mizuki in slight disgust. Why didn’t she follow Kanade’s advice and bring her own food?
“…”
“…”
Ena sighed. “Wanna go out for a late dinner once we arrive instead?”
“If you’re up for it.” Mizuki said with a smile.
“Do you wanna get some snacks now, though? I’m getting hungry.”
“Yeah, I was just gonna ask. So. Which flavor of chips do you think would be the least awful? Ketchup or salt and vinegar?”
“Wow. Can’t believe I’m friends with someone who dislikes salt and vinegar chips.”
“Salt and vinegar it is, then.”
———
They ate quietly and not soon afterwards they arrived.
“Me and Mizuki are heading out to dinner, go ahead and get to the hotel, you two. We’ll text you once we get back!”
“Alright. Have fun.” Came the flat reply from Kanade. Mafuyu just nodded.
Ena and Mizuki had decided to share a suitcase because it’d be more practical, seeing as they’d be staying in the same room, so they took turns lugging it across the town.
Eventually, they came to stop in front of a shop selling a wide variety of food. What had caught Ena’s eye was the advertisement for their curry. She knew Mizuki loved curry rice, so maybe there was something they’d enjoy in there.
She tugged at Mizuki’s sleeve, making them turn around.
“This place seems okay. And it’s not too loud.”
“Oh!!! And they have curry!”
Ena laughed. “That’s why I stopped you.”
Mizuki smiled at her and now it was their turn to pull on the sleeve of Ena’s sweater, leading her inside.
The restaurant was warm, but not unbearably so. The lady behind the bar smiled at them both and handed them menu’s.
Once their food arrived it was as if a dam had broken. They were both close to starving from the train trip and ate in silence, too busy with the food to hold up a proper conversation.
Once Mizuki had finished, they leaned back in their chair and sighed.
“You’ve got sauce on your face.” Ena said, giggling.
Mizuki straightened up and started wiping everywhere except the tiny orange spot.
“Here.” Ena said, leaning across the table and wiping away the smear across the corner of their mouth.
“Thanks” Mizuki said, once again flashing a smile that made Ena melt.
“I could get the check. You can get me lunch some other day.” Said Ena.
“It’s a date!” Mizuki said jokingly and winked. Ena wondered if they knew what that did to her insides.
———
Back at the hotel Ena was surprised at how nice their room was. Across the corridor was the room Mafuyu and Kanade were sharing and she guessed it looked the same.
The bathroom wasn’t stained, which might be a low bar, but still a definite plus in her book. She had seen way too many nasty bathrooms in her days. Ew.
There was only one bed but it was large enough there wouldn’t be any awkward incidents.
Unless they were intentional.
Or if Mizuki slept weird.
Or if it got cold.
She should stop thinking of scenarios where it’d be acceptable to sleep closer to Mizuki.
———
After the both of them showering, changing and brushing their teeth, they sank into bed at opposite sides.
“Weird how sitting on a train can take it out of you.”
Mizuki laughed quietly, and sounded a whole lot more tired than usual. Ena stiffened. Was she into that?? She decided not to think about it.
“Must’ve been the chips.”
“More like the presence of those god-awful sandwiches. If I so much as see anything resembling a pre-packaged triangle sandwich again I’m going to hurt someone.”
They laughed again. Ena didn’t like how much she enjoyed that sound.
“Well, good night then.” She said.
“Yeah, is it fine if I turn on music? Helps me sleep.” Mizuki asked.
Ena just nodded, too sleepy to reply.
She fell asleep to “My Head is an Animal” playing on loop, and Mizuki’s soft breathing.