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It’s cold.
Nene’s always been the kind of person that easily gets cold but she has her blazer to shield herself from most of it. Unfortunately, it’s the school festival and that means no long polos underneath thick blazers to protect her from the coldness of the Earth. She shivers for a bit, feeling naked now that her arms are just out in the world without anything covering them. This is why she doesn’t like school festivals.
“I can’t wait to go home.” Nene mutters to herself. So far, it’s been an agreeable school festival for her. Rui looks happy especially now that he’s reconnected with a friend that Nene vaguely remembers from before, and really it’s always nice to see Rui look actually happy and not the vague and shallow smiles he gives here and then.
Nene sneezes after a particularly harsh wind comes her way. She sniffs before muttering to herself again. “Remind me to not help around the booths next year.”
All of a sudden, something warm drops onto her shoulders. There is a yellow cardigan on her that helps her be shielded from the cold. She looks behind her but all she sees is a figure of someone running past her—someone really familiar.
“You take care of that for me, won’t you, Nene?” Tsukasa calls out but runs away before Nene can really respond.
“Senpai!” Someone with pink hair runs after him as well which makes Tsukasa run away faster than before. Rui follows suit, giggling as he does so but not before waving at Nene. He doesn’t explain what’s happening to her because of course Rui won’t.
Nene feels tired just watching them run around but she’s not the type to look a gift horse in the mouth. She wears Tsukasa’s signature yellow cardigan, relishing in the heat that it helps provide her. She bundles closely and if she focuses hard enough she can smell the faint traces of Tsukasa’s scent—woodsy and sweet.
(Not that she was looking for it.)
“Shoot.” Rui frowns as he looks at Nene and the paper in his hand.
They’re all seated on the ground of their practice lot. Emu is beside Rui, and Tsukasa is beside Nene. They’re supposedly going to do the first run through of the newest song that they’re about to perform for next month.
“Is this a new method of hazing or something?” Nene looks at him flatly. She makes a grabby motion to emphasize the lack of music sheets in her hands.
“Sorry, Nene.” Rui does genuinely look apologetic. Nene feels bad when she notices the dark circles around his eyes. It’s not like him to make mistakes like this but she supposes that even Rui is still a human just like the rest of them. “I thought I printed the right amount.”
Nene sighs, “It’s fine. There’s no use in complaining about something we can’t change.”
“I’ll share with you!” Tsukasa suddenly pipes up from beside Nene.
“Wouldn’t it be better for me to share with Emu?” Nene dryly asks.
“Ah, actually.” Rui looks like there’s a plan in his eyes and Nene doesn’t quite like that look. “Your part is quite similar to Tsukasa’s rather than Emu’s! We’re the ensemble for this time, remember?”
Nene’s eyes narrow at Rui who quickly looks away while whistling.
“I see.” Nene replies. “Is that so?”
“That is so!” Tsukasa replies in Rui’s stead. He gets close to Nene’s personal space as he puts down the music sheet on the floor so that they both can see it properly. Nene notices yellow highlighter all over the place which means that Tsukasa’s already begun notating it for himself.
“I’m sure Rui will give you your copy at the next meeting!” Tsukasa says, he smiles while looking at Nene, clearly excited to be beside her. “Right now, I’m happy to share the same space as my rival! This time, I’m sure to beat you!”
There’s something very earnest with how Tsukasa looks at her. Like he genuinely believes she’s this amazing prodigious singer that he needs to actively compete with when Nene relies on him more than anyone else on that stage. That the only reason she feels comfortable enough to sing the way she does on stage is because she knows that Tsukasa will readily accept everyone's stares and lights off of her. The burden of performing isn’t so big when she has someone like Tsukasa by her side.
“Sure, sure.” Nene tucks her hair behind her ears. “If you say so.”
“Eek!”
There’s a water bottle that’s pressed onto the nape of Nene’s neck. It’s cold enough that it completely shocks her, especially with how unbearable the heat around their practice room is. Not that their practice room is an actual practice room with air conditioning but rather just a small lot right beside their tent that gets hot as hell during sunny days. Nene doesn’t know why they keep on practicing there, not when surely by now they have enough money to rent out a real practice room, but maybe old habits die hard.
Nene turns around to glare at the person who’s played a mean prank on her only to be greeted by the sight of Tsukasa. He has his usual smile on his face and even as he is sweating, he doesn’t seem like he’s all too bothered by the heat. If Nene asks him, she’ll probably get an answer about how the heat from the sun isn’t too unbearable because he’s the only hottest rising star to exist.
“You don’t have a water bottle, don’t you?” Tsukasa says before Nene can give out a scathing remark. “Drink from mine, it won’t do us any good if you’ll get a heatstroke right now.”
“Oh.” Nene takes the water bottle. It’s a bright yellow with a sun design on it. In the middle of it is a fish sticker that she’s never really been sure where the other guy gets. She opens it. “Thanks.”
“I’ve already drank from it, by the way.” Tsukasa rubs his neck, almost embarrassed. “If you don’t like sharing drinks with others.”
“No, it’s fine. I can’t really complain when I’m the one who forgot to bring water.” Nene says but now her mind is overflooded with the information. She looks at the rim of the bottle and then discretely looks back up at Tsukasa who’s already preoccupied with something else. She looks down again on the rim and feels herself turning red.
(Is this what they call an indirect kiss?)
Nene shakes her head and drinks the water, endeavoring to not think of anything. She tries her best to will away the flush on her cheeks and neck that she’s now sure isn’t caused by the heat of the sun. When she’s finished drinking, she quickly gives back the bottle towards Tsukasa who yelps out a quick thanks before stalking away far far away from the place—maybe to the bathroom to splash water on her face.
Before she leaves though, she catches the eye of Rui. He’s busy fanning Emu who’s on the ground in an effort to not let her get a heatstroke. Maybe he hasn’t seen the embarrassing conundrum Nene was at a while ago? Maybe the gods are in her favor this time around?
Rui’s mouth curls into a knowing smile. He doesn’t quite stop fanning Emu, but his other hand reaches up to his mouth which makes Nene turn red even more.
Stupid Emu for not furnishing their practice lot with an airconditioning.
Stupid Tsukasa with his water bottle.
Stupid Rui for knowing too much!
Stupid Nene for being too easy to read.
“Nene!”
Tsukasa looks flushed and excited. He’s about to do a solo stage meaning he’ll get called out to the stage at any moment now but he doesn’t look like he’s ready yet.
“What are you doing here?” Nene’s finally able to get a break from all the nonstop performing this afternoon. “Shouldn’t you be in the waiting area?”
“I know.” Tsukasa looks properly chastised because it’s not like him to not be on standby, especially if it means he’ll be able to face all the fans waiting for him today. He always shines, but Nene finds that he shines the most when all eyes are on him. It scares her at times to be on stage with someone as blindingly bright as him but it all works out in the end since she can perform how she wants to—fully knowing that Tsukasa is behind her to catch her if she falls. “I feel like I’m missing something.”
“What on earth are you missing?” Nene’s eyebrows quirk up in confusion. While Tsukasa has idiotic tendencies, he’s not the type of person to be so sloppy when it comes to the stage. “Are you missing any props?”
“No.” Tsukasa thinks about it. “Emu and I did the stage and prop check a while ago, so I’d know the best if there are any missing props.”
“Your clothes?” Nene looks at his prince outfit but everything seems spic and span.
“No!” Tsukasa replies again, but this time there’s a smile on his face that Nene doesn’t quite see forming with how focused she is on helping Tsukasa find a missing something before the show starts. “These are new costumes from Rui, it’d be impossible for anything to be missing from it when it’s this brand new.”
“Then what are you missing?” Nene sees the Wonderland staff gesture for Tsukasa to start getting ready and to get over to the standby area. The beginning of his show starts when he jumps on stage from below it after all. Nene looks up at Tsukasa, now noticing the big grin on his face. “Be serious for a moment, Tsukasa. You’re going on stage at any moment now.”
“I know, I know.” Tsukasa placates her a bit, “I’m smiling because I’ve finally figured out what was missing.”
“What was it?” Nene asks, still confused.
“My luck!” Tsukasa grins and hugs Nene tight which surprises the girl. She makes a tiny sound but hesitantly hugs him back. When Tsukasa feels her hug back, he uses his strength to carry her in a circle before letting her back down. “I’ll borrow yours for a bit, if that’s okay Nene.”
“You’re already borrowing it, aren’t you?” Nene mutters into Tsukasa’s costume which makes him let out a boisterous laugh. In the past, that kind of laugh would have spooked her to no end, but now it’s something she’s familiar with. “Next time, ask properly will you?”
“Sorry, Nene!” Tsukasa finally releases her from his grip. He’s still smiling, but there is a bit of something added in his aura—a more self-assured atmosphere. Nene remembers that it’s the first time in months since he’s had a solo stage like this where there’d be no one to cover for him. A stage solely for Tenma Tsukasa only. “You better watch me out there, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Nene waves Tsukasa to leave her alone. “Now get going before the staff starts glaring daggers in our direction.”
Tsukasa smiles back and then leaves. Nene will watch his stage very intently from backstage. After all, it wouldn’t do for her to not watch what’d happen to her luck now, won’t it?