Archive of Our Own

There are many responsibilities in life that Sayaka Maizono feels she must uphold. Whether it was perfect attendance and grades to appease her teachers, or maintaining her image as the school’s “princess”, she would meticulously do whatever it took to keep everyone happy with her.

Basically, Sayaka was a people pleaser to a fault.

Sometimes it wasn’t bad, it at the very least made everyone like her. She was often invited to parties and events because her entire class loved her. However, being in the spotlight constantly bearing so much pressure ends up taking a toll on anyone after a good amount of time, and Sayaka was no exception. 

It was between the middle and end of the school year, the time after spring break but still decently before exams. This was the time of year that stressed Sayaka out the most. There were so many events to participate in - school dances, musical theater shows, final games of the year, and so much more - and too many people asking Sayaka what she was going to do. Their questions were not the problem though— her own questions were a different story. 

Her mind would become a self-interrogation hot spot, constantly questioning if she truly was happy this year, did she actually try to do stuff for herself for once and if she really had ‘true’ friends. Sure, people liked her, but was it beyond her image? Did they just want to say they got to talk to the Sayaka Maizono at their party? Did anyone truly know her? The questions only increased inside her head as others asked her what she wished to do. At the end of the day, this time of year always reminded her how lonely she actually was.

Again, yeah, she had “friends” by name, people who would invite her to parties or ask to work on projects with her. But always, always, always, it was for other intentions than the sweet yet idealistic friendship promised in the movies on TV. All of those people always wanted something, whether it was a good grade or to simply be in the presence of her. They didn’t truly want to get to know the real her. Sayaka often questioned if anybody ever wanted to see the real her. Even she doubted that, so why does she even exist?

That last internal question always bothered her the most.

Sayaka sighed just thinking about all of it. Her status as an idol was both a blessing and a curse. When people saw her, they thought “Sayaka Maizono: pop sensation!” And don’t get Sayaka wrong, she is grateful to have so much love and support for doing what she loves, but sometimes it feels like she’s just wearing a mask constantly. Nobody truly sees her, at least, not anyone she is close with. She wants to get closer to others who she knows are genuine, like Makoto and Kyoko from her homeroom class, but she is honestly a bit nervous to approach them.

Surprise, surprise, the beloved pop princess is anxious to talk to normal people. Shocking, she knows. But it was scary, she was afraid of seeming out of place next to the two, bringing them unwanted attention, or - what might be worse of all - discovering they view her just like everyone else: the school’s princess, pop sensation, idol of their dreams, little miss perfect, etc., etc., etc.  

That was the last thing Sayaka ever wanted. She would rather be alone than be crushed knowing nobody genuinely sees her or wishes to get to know her. Just for once, and she truly means only once, she wished there was someone who truly saw her for her - behind all the idol prestige.

Alas, there is no one at this school who doesn’t know her name. So she is stuck upholding this perfect image. At least then everyone else can be happy, even if she can’t say she truly is herself.

And so she worked diligently on her projects, went to every show and sports event requested of her that she possibly could between her school life and career time, and, of course, she went to all the parties.

So that is why she is here now in the present day, at some random party for an equally as random classmate who rarely ever talks to her. News somehow got out that she was coming - of course it did, it always does - and so there was a vastly bigger turn out for people who showed up despite the house not being close to the size needed for this capacity in the slightest.

People were everywhere, it was like an ant infestation but with drunk, screaming teenagers instead of ants. Lights were out except for the flickering LED bulbs someone brought, and music blared across the house into nearly every room with some cheesy radio song that has been on repeat for the past two weeks. People were dancing, laughing, chugging whatever substance they decided to throw into their red plastic cups.

Everyone was having so much fun, well everyone but Sayaka - at least that was the case in her perspective. It was easy for her to perceive this though, they all looked like they were having a good time, enjoying the night with everyone around them. Sayaka hoped the smile she forced onto her face made her look even half as carefree and joyous as some of the other party goers.

The truth was, Sayaka wasn’t big on parties. She already felt a bit lonely around this time, but nothing felt worse than feeling lonely around a crowd of drunk teenagers all seeming to have what you don’t. What’s worse, parties were overcrowded, the music was too loud - often the music blaring so much she was afraid it would damage her ears, and she is a singer! - and almost everything and everyone reeked of this pungent stench of some kind of alcohol. Being an idol, Sayaka could not drink publicly at any cost, but even if that were not the case she would still hate this overwhelming aroma of beer and vodka and gin and who knows what else! Why did she agree to this?

That question was a good one, and she should realize that and decide to leave then and there. But sadly, she was a people pleaser, and she was scared to upset the others by leaving so soon when she only arrived less than 20 minutes ago.

‘Just stay for one hour, you can at least do that,’ she thought to herself as she quietly managed through the crowds. 

Carefully, Sayaka made her way to the kitchen - which somehow appeared to be a greater mess and more compact than the living room everyone was dancing in. With another exasperated sigh, Sayaka just walked up to the counter and grabbed herself a cup and filled it with ice alone. She didn’t trust the punch to not be spiked, so she settled for a pathetic cup of ice to munch on.

As she was filling up her cup, Sayaka felt a hasty tap on the back of her shoulder. Turning around, she came face to face with a few guys from the baseball team - only knowing this because she recognized a fiery red haired young man, Leon Kuwata. Subtly, she bit back the urge to groan at their appearance.

High school boys were immature, but the baseball team was another breed of stupidity. The only group worse than them were the football players, Sayaka would know, she's had guys from both teams ask her out and they can’t seem to comprehend the concept of rejection. Well, except for Leon. Hence why she actually remembered his name. That, and the fact they shared a music class, and he was currently Makoto’s boyfriend. She envied him a bit. Like imagine, being out and accepted as bisexual. Sayaka could not relate.

Politely, she gave him a wave and greeted the other boys who wore smug grins that tested her will as she forced herself not to grimace.

“Are you guys here for ice as well?” She asked, trying to gauge their reactions to understand their motives. Yet, whether it was the alcohol they consumed or their sheer lack of an ability to be subtle, they decided to just tell her their goals.

“You look lonely, why don’t you come with us? We can all hit the dance floor?” A boy offered, holding out his hand expectantly.

Good god. This is not how she wants her night to go. She might be a people pleaser, but she draws the line at dancing with random drunk guys. Who knows what could happen if she were to agree?

“Um, I’m sorry. I just got here, so I’m going to wait on dancing,” she politely explained.

“Okay, well how ‘bout you let one of us fill up your drink for you? You like vodka?” Another boy asked.

“I don’t drink either, sorry.”

“Huh, then maybe we can play poker together, saw some others playing a game over there?” One pointed out.

“I’m not really into gambling games either…” Sayaka explained, rubbing her shoulder with her free hand.

“You don’t like drinking, gambling or dancing? Wow, you really are a good girl, aren’t you? How cute.” One guy commented, the way he slurred ‘good girl’ making Sayaka feel nothing short of disgust.

God this was awkward.

“Well, if you don’t like any of those things, how about we-”

“Guys, just take a hint and call it quits,” Leon thankfully spoke up, running a hand through his hair as he did so.

Sayaka gratefully smiled at him, but this seemed to send the wrong message to the other guys.

“What are you talking about Leon, she doesn’t seem to mind.”

“Drop the booze for two seconds and maybe you’ll see she’s clearly not interested.”

“Oh, fuck you man. Don’t judge us when you’ve been in our position. Just because she rejected you before doesn’t mean we can’t try to hang out, so keep your mouth shut.” Another guy spoke up, leaning forward as his face turned in anger.

“Hey now, please don’t fight-” Sayaka tried to interrupt them to prevent any possible brawl from starting over her.

But it was too late. One of the guys moved to shove Leon, who with his quick reflexes dodged, and the boy ended up falling forward onto another guy. This led to him knocking the beer out of another guy's hand, which went flying into the air and, unfortunately, part of it landed on Sayaka’s arm and stained her baby pink sweater.

As soon as that happened, the guys all fell silent and stared at her.

“Shit, are you okay Sayaka? I’m sorry about that,” Leon began to apologize.

Sayaka, stunned from the situation, looked down at her arm that was now dripping in alcohol. A million thoughts began to fill her mind as the stench flew into her face. She was dirty, she smelled now and if anyone else noticed and wrote about this she could get into serious trouble. This could hurt her career. It didn’t matter about the truth, headlines would twist it any way they could if they saw this. The thought of that made her stomach drop. Biting her lip, she shook her head to answer Leon, dropped her cup onto the nearest table and quickly rushed off in a different direction without saying another word. She could hear the pleas and apologies of the boys behind her, but she couldn’t really process it, her anxiety growing as she made her way further into the crowd of another room. 

She had to get out, but she couldn’t just leave now without creating a bigger scene, and that was the last thing she wanted. So, she decided to escape into the upstairs bathroom and hide there for a bit, taking refuge from the crowd until she could be allowed to leave at a socially acceptable time.

Rushing up the stairs and praying nobody noticed her, she swung the door open to the bathroom and raced inside. She then slammed the door shut and locked it in one fell swoop, grasping onto the handle tightly and leaning against the door, not easing up until she heard the soft ‘clack’ of the lock. Once she had, she sighed and turned around, leaning her back against the door and gently covering her forehead with her hand, seeking relief from the stressful situation.

Finally, she was alone.

“Are you good?” A voice asked.

Well, it seems she stands corrected.

Startled by the question, Sayaka looked forward in shock - like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar - at the most absurd sight she had seen all night. There before her was a girl with short, raven black hair and silver gray eyes staring back at her. She wore a black hoodie with a red and white print design on the sleeves that looked like a mix of roses and skulls. Her face was splattered in freckles, Sayaka noticed. They were cute.

This was not what was absurd, although meeting a cute girl in the bathroom at the party spontaneously might fit that category. What shocked Sayaka was how the girl was just casually sitting in the bathtub, plopped there with her right arm and leg hanging out of the tub, ripped up black jeans with little studs on the cuffs were hugging her thighs from the position, an open (partially drank might she add) tequila bottle in one hand, black marker in another, and some little figure scribbled on the wall that looked like a puppy wearing a top hat.

Certainly not what Sayaka was expecting when she entered the bathroom, to say the least.

“Um…” Sayaka opened her mouth to speak, but nothing could come to her mind on how to respond.

Mayday mayday, this is a code red level 11037 emergency, a cute girl is talking to Sayaka and she can’t seem to remember how the fuck to talk to girls and now she is looking like a dumbass in front of said cute girl. What the fuck is she supposed to do?! 

“You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to,” the girl with freckles said blankly before taking a swig of her tequila straight from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Sayaka even for a second. 

“You’re drinking that straight from the bottle?” Sayaka managed to ask, equally amazed as she was shocked.

“Yup.”

“Why?

“Why not?”

“....yeah that’s fair.”

The girl with freckles laughed, a little snort reverberating across the room as she placed down the bottle and turned her body, repositioning herself to now face Sayaka. She plopped her arms across the tub and leaned forward with a small smirk, a ray of confidence surrounded her and Sayaka couldn’t tell whether it was because she was drunk or naturally this smug. Either way, the way she looked at Sayaka sent a small shiver throughout her body.

Has Sayaka mentioned she was bisexual yet? Cause she very much so is bisexual. With a very, very strong lean towards girls, might she add. Like by god, does she love women.

“What are you laughing at?” Sayaka asked politely, hoping to sound as natural as possible in this mundane situation.

“Oh, nothing, I just didn’t expect a pretty girl to come rushing in here, interrupting my graffiti session, and then question me about how I drink my liquor when she came in reeking of beer.”

“That’s not it! Okay first off, someone spilled their drink on me, I haven’t had a drop of alcohol all night!”

“Y’know, I’m not going to judge you if you did.”

“I’m being serious!” Sayaka huffed, holding her arm covered in beer out to make it apparent to the other girl.

“Alright, alright, I believe you.” The girl with freckles said, holding her hands up in a nonchalance defense. “Sorry that happened though, that has got to suck.” 

“Thanks, I guess. And yeah, it stinks. Literally. ” Sayaka sighed before turning on the sink to wash her sweater.

“It’d be better if you took it off and washed the sleeve.” The girl suggested, getting out of the tub and moving behind Sayaka. “I can leave if you want?” She then offered.

“O-Oh, no you’re alright. You were here first after all,” Sayaka reasoned, feeling guilty at the idea of making the mysterious girl leave. 

“So? You clearly need the bathroom more than me.”

“Well, it’s just not a big deal if you stay, and I have a shirt underneath. And besides, we’re both girls.” 

The girl with freckles shrugged in response and leaned up against the wall.

Awkwardly, Sayaka then began to take off her sweater while attempting to avoid getting the beer stained side on the rest of the sweater. To do so, she started to take off her right sleeve, the side that wasn’t doused in beer, and pulled her arm out of it. Afterwards, she attempted to pull the sweater over her head with one hand, but between her hair covering her face and her undershirt begging to rise up, she began to struggle with the task - especially since she was not using her other arm to avoid covering the rest of her sweater in beer.  

God, this girl is probably watching her and thinking she was a complete moron.

A few more moments went by, her vision was still blocked by the mix of fabric and hair covering her face and she was still stuck in the sweater. However, Sayaka felt a shift in the air as a hand gently caressed her shoulder, startling her into falling back into the other girl's arms, her back resting against her chest. 

“Here, let me help.” The girl with freckles offered, the heat from her breath tickling the back of Sayaka’s ear as she helped steady Sayaka back onto her feet. 

After Sayaka was properly standing on her own for a few seconds, the girl moved carefully to help Sayaka take off her sweater. Sayaka’s blue locks flopped out, finally free from the constricted space, and covered her face. The girl giggled at this, causing Sayaka to blush and look down in embarrassment at what just happened. When she looked back up, she saw the back of the girl's head. To Sayaka’s surprise, she was cleaning off her sweater for her in the sink.

“Oh, you don’t have to-” Sayaka began, but was interrupted.

“It’s alright, I don’t mind helping. Besides, I am probably better experienced with this, I do it all the time for my little sister.” The girl with freckles reassured her.

Sayaka didn’t bother to argue, staring at her in awe. After a few moments, the girl turned around to her and handed her the sweater. It was damp, yet basically free from liquor. Sayaka graciously took it and placed it on the side of the counter, deciding to wait a bit until it dried.

“Thank you,” Sayaka muttered as she turned to the other girl, brushing her fingers through her hair in an attempt to fix it from the earlier mess. 

The girl nodded, gracing Sayaka with a small smile as she relaxed against the bathroom counter. Not exactly knowing what to do herself, Sayaka went back and leaned against the door. She stood there quietly for a minute before sliding down the door and gently plopping down onto the ground. She laid one leg out and the other stood slightly crossed over it. One of Sayaka’s hands loosely rested against the knee of her crossed leg, her fingers tapping against it in an awkward fidget. She didn’t really know what to say to her unexpected savior of the night, so she just quietly sat there. 

As she did, she looked back up at the girl with freckles and noticed their gaze was fixed on her, curiosity and amusement still clearly apparent in their look. It made Sayaka a bit nervous and excited at the same time, the juxtaposition clashing within her as she returned the gaze, making direct eye contact with the girl with freckles as the two sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments.

“So what’s the other thing?” The girl with freckles finally spoke. 

“Huh?” Sayaka tilted her head a bit, quizzically looking at the girl.

“You started your statement with ‘first off’ earlier, figured you had something else to say.”

“Oh right.....well, it’s stupid.”

“Really?”

“Sorta. It’s just… you earlier called that puppy in a top hat you scribbled on the wall graffiti?”

“Ah, so it’s about that.” The girl with freckles glanced at the wall for a second to admire her design before looking back at Sayaka. “Well, for starters it’s a wolf, and this elegant lad is in permanent marker, so yeah. Graffiti.”

“Pffffffft,” Sayaka couldn’t help but break into a chuckle, which caused the other girl to grin.

“Well, it’s good to see you’re smiling now. When you first came in here, you looked as if you were going to cry.”

“Yeah, It’s…” Sayaka paused, biting her lip as she remembered the events of the night. She then let out a small, shaky sigh as she further rested her head and back against the wall and looked to the side, avoiding eye contact. “Let's just say, it’s been a long night, and I only just got here.”

The girl with freckles frowned at that. Casually, she moved to sit beside Sayaka. Crossed arms hugging both her knees, the girl leaned forward and rested her head against her knees as she faced herself towards Sayaka. After a few seconds of pondering and curiously looking Sayaka over, she spoke up once more.

“Wanna talk about it?” She offered.

Shooting up and looking at the girl in awe, Sayaka was left in a state of shocked amazement. Her mouth hung agape as she looked for any features in the girl's expression that could describe whether she was serious or not. For such a casual and, what Sayaka assumes to be, indifferent person, there was still a clear sign of genuine consideration Sayaka could make out in the girl’s silver-grey eyes. No malice, no enjoyment for her misery, no jealousy. Only authentic care, a charming smile and adorable little freckles.

It was such a casual offer, and yet the lack of thought held with the kind offer left Sayaka in a state of astonishment.

“Oh, no!” Sayaka managed to sputter out, twirling a strand of her hair in her hand as she stared at it, avoiding eye contact with the other girl who’s gaze was suddenly tingling her skin. “We don’t know each other, I couldn’t,” she further explained.

“Don’t say that, there’s no better place to dump your rants to a stranger than in the bathroom of a house filled with a bunch of random drunk teenagers,” the girl with freckles joked.

“So that’s what you do at these sorta things?”

“How the hell would I know? I was just dragged here tonight by my little sister who is probably half naked in the pool by now, surrounded by a bunch of stoner kids.” 

“Guess we are both hiding out here then?”

“Yup. I guess cheers to us, the socially awkward idiots hiding in the bathroom.” The girl announced, leaning over to grab her bottle. Afterwards, she raised it in the air before taking a small swig once more to make the toast official, giving Sayaka a playful wink as she did it. 

Sayaka couldn’t help but crack another smile at that.

“You’re funny,” she giggled, covering part of her mouth with her hand to palliate her giddiness.

“Thanks, always nice to hear that from a pretty cute girl.”

Sayaka bit her lip to hold back her grin from growing any bigger, another giggle escaping her lips as she dwindled a strand of her hair between her fingers. Suddenly, staying at the party a bit longer became very appealing when talking to this mysterious girl.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I ever caught your name?” Sayaka asked.

“Not surprising, you don’t give me athlete vibes.” The girl with freckles joked, flashing a small smirk at Sayaka. 

Wow, that was truly awful. It was so bad that Sayaka might have just fallen for her and her dorky charm.

“Hey, I’d have you know, I practice dancing for hours four times a week. That is basically the same as a sports commitment,” Sayaka pointed with faux annoyance.

“Ooh, so you’re pretty and talented. And yet you are sitting here in the bathroom next to me, at a party with plenty of people you can be dancing with instead?” 

“Well, surprising as it may be to hear, these kinds of events really aren’t my thing. I prefer smaller parties. Too many people is nerve wracking for me,” Sayaka confessed.

“I can get that.” 

“Oh, so you’re the same way, um…”

Sayaka paused, looking at the girl with freckles expectantly, not sure what else to say. The girl looked back at her, pushing her hair back with one hand before letting out a soft chuckle that left Sayaka breathless for a second.

“Mukuro.” The girl introduced herself.  “Mukuro Ikusaba.”

Sayaka couldn't help but think it perfectly fitted her, it was a pretty name. She repeated it in her head a few times, smiling with every thought about it.

“Mukuro, got it.” Sayaka finally said.

“And to answer your question, I guess in a way you could say we’re similar in this scenario. Although, I more so just get annoyed and awkward with people in general.”

“You don’t seem that awkward?”

“Huh, I guess booze really does work then.” She joked, shrugging her arms nonchalantly before picking up the bottle to take another sip for the humor of the situation. 

Sayaka couldn’t help but burst out into a small little fit of giggles after that. She was about as giddy as a kitten next to Mukuro, enjoying her company far more than the dozens of students outside the bathroom doing who knows what at this point. Sayaka couldn’t care less, she was satisfied just sitting there in her own little world as an escape from the party with nobody but Mukuro to keep her company.

“So, you now know me. Wanna return the favor?” Mukuro asked, snapping Sayaka out of her thoughts.

The question ran through Sayaka’s mind, she was confused by the request. Like, Mukuro couldn’t possibly mean what Sayaka thought she meant, right?

“What?” Sayaka asked, eyeing Mukuro inquisitively.

“Can I get your name?” Mukuro clarified, leaving Sayaka in awe.

“...What?”

“...I want to know your name.”

Holy fuck, she doesn’t recognize Sayaka. This cannot be real. Is she being serious right now? She can’t possibly be. Not to sound full of herself, but everyone at school knew Sayaka. So, how is this happening? Is Mukuro messing with her? Is she actually that drunk? What on earth is going on?

“Wait, you seriously don’t know who I am?” Sayaka asked.

“Am I supposed to?” Mukuro looked back at her, equally confused.

“And you go to Hope's Peak?”

“Um, yes?”

“....Are you messing with me right now?”

“No, I’m not, I swear.” Mukuro promised, awkwardly playing with the ends of her hoodie sleeve. “Are you, like, joking with me? I don't really get what’s going on.”

“.....Do you like music?” Sayaka asked, trying to comprehend how this was happening.

“Um, that’s a bit random. But I guess? I don’t really care for it, but I’ll listen to my little sister’s playlist sometimes when I work out?”

“Do you watch TV at all?”

“Only really the cooking channel, and that’s only occasionally when I’m really bored. I’m not into the reality TV shows my sister likes.”

“Do you, like, keep up with any of the popular media? Like, at all?”

“No, I’m more of an outdoorsy kind of person. So that kind of stuff never interested me, but does any of this even matter? I don’t see how this is related at all.”

Sayaka was at a loss for words, eyes gawking at Mukuro as wide as saucers. She could not believe what she just heard. Someone, somehow and someway, went to her school and did not recognize her. And she's a beautiful girl, no less.

This cannot be real, someone must be messing with her. Either that or this is all a dream. Holy crap, this might be the best discovery she has made all year.

“Are you good?” Mukuro asked with a concerned gaze.

“Pinch me.” Sayaka said breathlessly, voicing her thoughts.

“What! Why?” Mukuro exclaimed, only growing more confused and concerned.

Sayaka couldn’t help but burst into laughter once again, clutching her stomach as she laughed so hard tears began to dwell in her eyes. She felt so relieved and so euphoric in that moment, it was a phenomenal feeling filled with so much joy from the unexpected absurdity of the interaction. The best part, she didn’t even know why it was so funny. For once in her life, she was just laughing without a care or reason, and what an amazing change of pace that was. 

“I’m sorry, so sorry, this is-- this is just really hard to believe if I am being honest.” Sayaka apologized between her laughs, wiping a tear away from her eye as she took deep breaths, calming herself down.

“My apologies?” Mukuro awkwardly said, still stuck in a state of bewilderment.

“No, no, no, you’re good. This is actually quite refreshing.” Sayaka reassured her, shooing her apology away with her hand. She then took a deep breath and graced Mukuro with a genuine smile. “Sorry for being weird about it, but my name is Sayaka Maizono.”

“Sayaka?”

“Yup!” Sayaka affirmed, chipper as could be.

“Wait, I feel like I heard that name before?” Mukuro asked, bringing a finger to her lip as her brows furrowed. 

“Oh, really?” 

“Yeah, hmmmmm.” 

Sayaka patiently watched Mukuro as she tried to figure it out. With a small, yet sad, smile, Sayaka couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Of course Mukuro actually knew her. Some things are too good to be true.

“I got it!” Mukuro exclaimed, turning to Sayaka with a grin. “We shared a world history class together last year.”

“Oh…” Sayaka muttered to herself, too disappointed to properly listen. After a few seconds, the statement registered in her mind and the joy returned. “Wait, we did?”

“Yeah, I remember, I would always fall asleep in the class. One day the teacher told us to pick up handouts, and you apparently got me mine. So when I woke up and went to thank the teacher, they told me you were the one who actually got it for me.”

“You remember that?” Sayaka looked at her amazed.

“Yeah. I mean, more so because it was the same conversation where they called me a dumbass, which was funny.”

“That sounds like Miss Chidouin.”

“I wanted to thank you, but you were always surrounded by so many people. And like, no offense, but we are literally hiding in a bathroom at a party right now. I think that speaks for itself how I am with too much people.”

“Aw, you mean you don’t want to get drunk and randomly dance with twenty random, sweaty guys down stairs while being surrounded by like fifty people in some kids' living room?”

“Get drunk? Sure, I can get into that. Dancing with twenty guys? Honey, I don’t even want to dance with myself, let alone a man.” Mukuro shook her head while pushing the idea away. “Nuh uh, I think I’ll stick to bathtub graffitti.”

“With your puppy in the top hat to keep you company!” Sayaka added in amusement.

“Sayaka, I already told you it’s a wolf.”

“Yes, but Mukuro, it looks like a puppy.”

“Okay, but consider a wolf sounds cooler.”

They both looked at each other pointedly before bursting into a fit of laughter once more. It was a rapturous moment, both girls feeling warm and light as their laughter filled the room. In the middle of all the excitement, Sayaka and Mukuro moved closer to each other, Sayaka leaning her head on Mukuro’s shoulder as the two chuckled to themselves, without a care in the world. It was something so unorthodox for her, and yet it was almost intrinsic when sitting there next to Mukuro. It felt so natural, it just made sense, Sayaka knew this feeling was right. It was a glorious feeling for Sayaka, something so ridiculous yet enjoyable. For once, she felt like a normal teenager doing dumb shit just for the fun of it with others. That carefree, jubilant feeling meant far more to her than Mukuro could possibly understand, which only made the moment all the more blissful for her.

“This is so stupid.” Sayaka finally said, taking a few heavy breaths to ease herself after all nonsensical laughter.

“Blame it on the alcohol, that’s my excuse,” Mukuro joked, a warm smile apparent on her face as she watched Sayaka, casually wrapping her arm around her.

Sayaka allowed it, enjoying the moment and letting out a soft, pleasant hum.

“I don’t drink, remember?” Sayaka grinned, reveling in the moment.

“Oh right, then I guess you're out of luck.” Mukuro shrugged one of her shoulders.

“Guess I choose being stupid over being stupidly drunk, huh?”

“I would argue that you’re not stupid, just stupidly cute.”

Sayaka bit her lip, twirling a strand of hair around her finger and turning her face into the crook of Mukuro’s neck, giggling as she hid the small blush that tinted her cheeks.

“Sorry, now that was stupid... and cheesy.” Mukuro bashfully apologized, using her free hand to rub the back of her neck. “It seems I apparently say dumb stuff when I am drunk.”

“I don’t think it’s dumb, I found it rather sweet,” Sayaka reassured her, looking up to grace her with a small smile.

“Good to know I didn’t screw up in front of a cute girl then.”

Sayaka rolled her eyes, removing her head from where it rested on Mukuro’s shoulder and lightly giving her a small shove. 

“Hey, what’s that for?” Mukuro asked. Her voice held fake pain that was easily given away by the mischievous glint in her eyes.

“You’re a bit of a flirt, aren’t you?”

“Bold of you to assume I know how to flirt, this whole time I have just been saying whatever came to my mind, hoping I don’t make a fool out of myself.”

“I don’t know whether your honesty makes you admirable or a total dork.” 

“Am I at least an attractive dork?”

“Oh, now you are just asking me to stroke your ego?” Sayaka teased.

“Humor me, won’t you. I’d love to brag to my sister about a pretty girl complimenting me.”

“Such a flatterer, but I guess I can let it slide since you helped me wash my sweater.” Sayaka rolled her eyes with a small grin, resting her head once again on Mukuro’s shoulder. After a few seconds, she continued, “And, I guess because you are beautiful.”

“And you call me a flirt?” Mukuro joked.

“You literally asked me to compliment you.”

“Shush, let me have this.”

“Oh my god,” Sayaka said before snickering at Mukuro’s antics. “Okay, it is official, you are a dork.”

“A beautiful dork.”

“Still a dork.”

Mukuro chuckled softly at that, her laugh making Sayaka feel all fluffy inside as she tried to engrave the sound in her memory.

“So,” Mukuro spoke up. “What do you wanna do now? I mean, I don’t mind you spending the night here with me. But I am not sure how long you’d wanna stay up here with a ‘dork.’” Mukuro playfully gestured quotation marks with her free hand as she said ‘dork.’

“Oh trust me, you are far more pleasant than the other alternative. I am actually having fun sitting here next to you.” Sayaka laughed, shooing the idea of leaving away.

“That’s good I guess.” Mukuro nodded, yet now a bit confused by the nonchalance. “Hey Sayaka, can I ask you something?”

“Yeah?”

“Why’d you show up here if you didn’t want to actually be here?” Mukuro asked, causing Sayaka’s eyes to widen in response. “Sorry if it's blunt or rude of me to ask, it's just kinda confusing. Like, I know why I am here, hiding in the bathroom. I am kinda stuck here ‘til my sister is ready to leave. But you… You should be able to leave, no?”

“I mean, yeah… but also no… It’s just,” Sayaka paused to let out an exasperated sigh, lightly pinching the bridge of her nose. “It’s just complicated.”

“Oof, that bad?”

“Yeah.” Sayaka sulked, moving her head to flop against Mukuro’s shoulder.

“Well, do you wanna talk about it?” Mukuro offered.

“Oh, it's nothing you’d really understand, I don’t think you’d even believe me.”

“Try me.”

“Okay then,” Sayaka muttered before contemplating where to even start. “When I come to social events like these, it’s not necessarily because I even wanted to. I mean, sure, sometimes a party or game night is fun, but that’s not why I go.”

“It’s not?”

“No, not at all. I actually go to these events because others expect me to. They hope I come, so I figured I should go to a few, otherwise I’ll disappoint everyone.”

“So? That’s not really your issue, you don’t have to force yourself to be here for their sake.”

“But it is for my sake as well.” Sayaka wore a solemn smile as she fidgeted with the fabric of her top. “You see, if I disappoint the others, then their view of me will change. Rumors might spread, avoidable drama could start, and then I’d have to manage through all of that.” 

“People are idiots, you shouldn’t feel forced to be here over stupid, hypothetical rumors.”

“Maybe it’s silly, but it could bring me a lot of trouble in my line of work.”

“What kind of work is that?” Mukuro asked.

Sayaka couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Remember when I told you that you wouldn’t believe me?” Sayaka asked.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Well, I’m actually an idol.”

Mukuro turned to face Sayaka with a curious expression. “Oh, so you’re trying to become like a singer or something?”

“Singing, dancing, yeah there’s quite a bit of performance. But I’m not trying to become an idol, I already am one.” 

“Congrats? Sorry, I don’t really know much about idols.” Mukuro sheepishly swore a crooked smile.

“You really don’t watch that much TV, do you Mukuro?”

“No, not really.”

“Do you at least know social media?”

“Kind of. My sister likes to use it a lot, she always likes to brag about having two thousand followers.”

“Well, to give you an idea about my career, I have 17 million followers on Instagram for my work account.” Sayaka pulled out her phone from her pocket to show Mukuro.

Mukuro froze, staring at the phone with a blank expression. She stayed like that for a few seconds, and it began to worry Sayaka.

“Uh, Mukuro, are you good?”

“HOLY CRAP THATS A LOT OF PEOPLE?!?!“ Mukuro exclaimed, leaning forward towards Sayaka’s phone as if that somehow will give her a better view of it.

Sayaka flinched at the sudden outburst, a sense of dread overcoming her. 

Mukuro’s shock wasn’t out of the ordinary. If anything, it was the expected reaction. But still, Sayaka couldn’t help but have this little pit of nerves swirling around in her stomach at the thought of Mukuro now viewing her differently.

She should’ve thought this through more. For at least tonight, she could have pretended to be someone normal with someone who had no clue who she was. But now that’s over. Sayaka got too caught up in the moment to realize the possible results, and now all she can do is wait to see what has been done.

“I had no clue you were so popular. Oh god, I’m sorry. You must have been very annoyed when my dumb ass didn’t recognize you.” Mukuro sheepishly chuckled.

“Oh, no! Actually, that made me really happy,” Sayaka explained, biting her bottom lip.

“Right, you were excited earlier. Sorry, got so caught up in the moment I forgot. That’s good then, cause I was worried for a second.”

“Worried about what?”

“That the girl who I was trying to flirt with for the past half hour was secretly pissed at me because I don’t know any glittery pop bands, seeing as apparently I’m the only one at school not into that genre,” Mukuro confessed with a small, amused smirk.

Sayaka was a good actress, she is used to concealing her feelings and performing the role or image expected of her at the time.

Or so, Sayaka thought she was good at all of that until now. The second she heard those words from Mukuro, Sayaka could physically feel the heat radiating from her cheeks as she wore the goofiest grin. She was exuberant at that moment.

And why shouldn’t she be? There was so much to unpack in that casual answer from Mukuro. Like for starters, Mukuro was flirting with her. Sayaka kinda figured they were, but to hear Mukuro confess it out loud left a bubbly feeling in her heart. 

Then there was Mukuro’s consideration for Sayaka’s feelings. She was worried about pissing off Sayaka, not just an idol, but actually her. Maybe that seemed obvious, but so often Sayaka meets people who just treat her as her job title. It’s why she never feels seen, why she always forces herself to strive for perfection. But Mukuro? She didn’t seem to care.

Which brings Sayaka to the final point, Mukuro didn’t care for her career like the others she has met. Sure, she was impressed, but the casualness of the conversation was still there, and that meant a lot.

Socially, Sayaka has always been starving for attention. Her parents were always busy ever since she was a child, so she always felt lonely. She thought she’d finally be seen as an idol, but funny enough, the job made her feel less like herself and reminded her of all she had to lose. Her desire to be seen was never truly assuaged, even when she accomplished her dreams.

Right now, however, she was beaming with joy as every word that Mukuro said left Sayaka feeling light headed in the best way possible. After all those years, who would’ve thought it’d take just a simple conversation with a stranger to leave her finally feeling well fed in attention? Sayaka couldn’t help but giggle at the thought.

“Well, that sure made you all giddy,” Mukuro teased.

“Ah!” Sayaka's eyes widened. “I’m sorry, I’ve just never experienced something like this before. It’s kinda new to me… and it’s really exciting.”

“That’s good though, I’m glad! Besides, you look really cute when you smile.”

Sayaka playfully raised her eyebrow at Mukuro after hearing that.

“What’s with that look?” Mukuro asked.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Hey, tell me now.” Mukuro pouted.

“It’s just… you’re the flirty kind of drunk, aren’t you?” Sayaka asked.

“I don’t really know, I never really drink around people. How bout you tell me?”

“Oh, you definitely are.”

“Am I at least good at flirting?”

“No, not at all. I’ve seen sandpaper smoother than you,” Sayaka teased.

“H-Hey!”

“I’m just kidding. But even if that were the case, I don’t think you’d have anything to worry about since you’re cute.”

“Stroking my ego, are you trying to make me fall for you?” Mukuro joked.

“I don’t know, do you want me to?”

After asking that, Sayaka felt Mukuro’s hand slither around hers before gently intertwining their fingers. Looking down at their hands in shock, and then back at Mukuro, Sayaka was greeted with a mischievous grin.

“Maybe~” Mukuro sang.

Although Sayaka playfully rolled her eyes, she didn’t push Mukuro’s hand away.

“You know, this would be a whole lot better if we weren’t sitting on the floor in some kid’s bathroom at a random party,” Sayaka commented, her voice barely above a whisper as she stared blankly at the wall with contentment. 

“So, why don’t we leave?”

“H-Huh?” Sayaka turned to Mukuro in shock.

“I said why don’t we leave?” Mukuro repeated herself, looking at Sayaka seriously, yet still wearing a welcoming smile. “My sister can get a friend to drive her home, we can go and do something more your style.”

“Y-You know I can’t do that! I already told you about my job, people expect me to be here.”

“So? Who cares what they think? I know you don’t want rumors to form, but if you are that popular, surely your reputation will overcome any stupid rumor some rando tried to spread about you.”

Sayaka stayed silent for a second.

Sure, what Mukuro said was possibly true, yet the thought of it still scared her half to death. Sayaka didn’t want to upset anyone, even if it didn’t ruin her career, it’d still lead to others beginning to resent her. Feeling invisible because you have to come across as perfect was already bad, but being hated over nothing sounds even worse.

“I wish it were as simple as you made it sound, but as an idol, I have to be cautious. Even the smallest slip up can ruin my career.” Sayaka explained solemnly before letting out a sigh. “Besides, my anxiety has never been good with that kind of stuff. I already feel sometimes that I’m walking on eggshells, that if I make one wrong move, the peace I do have in life will be ruined. And I…”

There was a small pause, and a moment of silence hung between the two girls as Sayaka grimaced. She felt Mukuro gently give her hand a squeeze, and gave her a shaky smile as a thank you before taking a deep breath in and finishing explaining herself.

“Well, I’d do anything to avoid that, if possible.”

“Christ Sayaka, you make it sound like you sold your soul to your job.” Mukuro exasperatedly said as she watched Sayaka in concern, a frown now replaced the playful smirk Sayaka was greeted with so often that night.

“I mean, some of my coworkers would definitely agree with you there.” Sayaka light heartedly joked.

“Do you at least enjoy what you do?”

Sayaka blinked a few times, processing the question before firmly shooting forward and placing her free hand on her chest. “Yes, of course! Being an idol is my dream, sure it comes with a lot of negatives, but nothing makes me happier than performing on stage and bringing smiles to my fans. I don’t get to see my coworkers often because of school, but they are all lovely people who help remind me why I got into the business in the first place. I’m passionate about performing, and maybe it’s a hard job but if it means I can spend my days bringing joy to others, then I'm willing to go through that. This is- well, this is my dream. It’s my purpose in life.”

Sayaka huffed a few times, not realizing how fast she spoke or how riled up she got by the question. A small blush tinted her cheeks at that realization, but Mukuro at least looked satisfied with her answer.

“Alright then, that’s at least good.” Mukuro smiled, fondly staring at Sayaka and enjoying seeing her defend something she was so passionate about.

“Why did you ask?” Sayaka shyly asked.

“Oh, no reason, it’s just…” Mukuro nervously chuckled before making eye contact with Sayaka with a serious look. “The way you described the pressure, it just made me wonder if you were actually happy with the ‘peace’ in your life, cause I’m not sure if I would be if I was in your position.” 

And there was another pause and another grimace from Sayaka. However this time, the silence felt suffocating, as if there was a beast eating her lungs, causing Sayaka to struggle to breathe properly. Her body noticeably stiffened against Mukuro’s touch as she leaned forward, partially out of Mukuro’s gentle hold to stare at the ground. Mukuro’s words engraved themselves into Sayaka’s mind, repeating over and over what seemed to be about a million times in Sayaka’s head despite the uneasy silence only standing between them for a few seconds.They made wonder if should question all she has ever known. 

It was a scary thing to consider, and Sayaka hated to admit this, but she was a bit of a coward. The type to run away from these scenarios as long as she could.

“I… think I’d rather not talk about this anymore.” Sayaka quietly said with a shaky sigh.

“Shit, my bad. That was too invasive, wasn’t it? I didn’t mean to upset you, I’m sorry.” Mukuro apologized, using her now free arm to awkwardly rub her shoulder in shame as she mentally cursed herself out.

Sayaka frantically waved off the apology. “No, no. It’s alright, you didn’t mean to. I’d just rather not think about this kind of stuff, that’s all.”

‘My mind already is questioning my happiness in my relationships, I don’t need to panic over something else.’ Sayaka thought to herself.

“Well, don’t listen to me then. I have no clue what I’m saying, I don’t know shit about idols.” Mukuro reassured her. “Besides, I am tipsy.”

“Wouldn’t you be more honest if you were tipsy?” Sayaka asked, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

Mukuro shrugged. “Maybe, but it also makes me an idiot.”

“Well, you did try to convince me that a puppy in a top hat was a wolf.”

Mukuro pouted. “You just won’t let go of that, will you?”

“Nope, that memory is engraved in my mind.” Sayaka proudly declared as she playfully popped the ‘p’ in nope.

“Oh dear lord, I guess I’ll have to hide myself forever now for the shame I've brought upon myself tonight.”

“Because you embarrassed yourself in front of an idol?”

“No, because I made a fool of myself in front of the cute girl I am hitting on… and maybe it’s also because this conversation helped me realize that I apparently have the art skills of a seven year old.”

And with that, the two filled the bathroom with laughter once more. Leaning back, Sayaka and Mukuro found comfort beside each other like they had earlier, now gently resting against one another while they giggled to themselves. The tile of the floor was cold, and the music downstairs mixed with the drunk teenagers was an ugly mash of noise, yet up stairs in the bathroom - in their own little escape from the night - Sayaka and Mukuro found a special serenity in each other’s warmth. It was weird, but a good weird.

Sayaka had never done anything like this before, this may be the first time she actually enjoyed a party event since who knows how long. And it was so disgraceful for an idol. She was sitting down on the bathroom floor of some stranger’s house, flirting with a tipsy girl who she met while hiding out in the bathroom. It wasn’t expected, and it certainly wouldn’t be accepted by her industry. But the beauty of this was that Sayaka didn’t care.

For once, her anxiety was shut up by the loudness of her laughter, the love for this warmth she first experienced, and the beating of her heart. Sayaka knew this wasn’t proper and yet still stayed because it was so much fun. Despite just meeting, she already felt like she could trust Mukuro to share a moment like this, laughing so hard her eyes were left watery as she clutched her stomach. The situation wasn’t even that funny, she was just in a state of blissful enjoyment. A magnificent rush that Sayaka waited for far too long, her craving now well received and answered.

It was messy, it was stupid, it was imperfect. All the things Sayaka never let herself experience when she was all alone. But with Mukuro? Sayaka wishes this is all she will experience for the rest of her life. The joy was just that intoxicating.

After their laughter finally calmed down, Sayaka once again leaned her head on Mukuro’s shoulder with a content smile.

“Hey, um, thank you by the way.” Sayaka quietly said.

Mukuro hummed a little before turning to Sayaka. “For what?” 

“Just, all of this.” Sayaka vaguely gestured. “Sitting here, keeping me company while we talked, joking around. I didn’t think I’d enjoy tonight, but now that I’m sitting here with you, it’s a lot of fun.”

“I’m glad you feel that way, but you don’t need to thank me, Sayaka. I mean, I’m enjoying this a lot too, but I’m not really doing anything special. We’re just hanging out like how normal people our age do.” 

“Maybe it’s normal for you, but unfortunately I never get to have these kinds of ‘normal’ teenage moments.” Sayaka confessed with a bitter chuckle.

“Really?”

Sayaka nodded. 

“People get awkward or act differently around me. It’s because of my status as an idol. Sometimes they try to suck up to me, other times they worry about embarrassing themselves around me. And I don’t mind it as much with my fans, it’s just tiring when that’s how everyone else treats you,” she explained.

“Well that’s bullshit, it’s not like you are that different from everyone else. You are still a teenager at this party.” Mukuro huffed, a small pout resting on her face.

Sayaka couldn’t help but chuckle at that, eliciting a curious look from Mukuro.

“Oh, s-sorry. I’m not laughing at you, I promise,” Sayaka said. “It’s just- hearing you say that makes me really happy. It’s refreshing to be around someone who doesn’t get so caught up about my profession.”

“I mean, yeah it is really impressive what you do… but it’s kind of hard to view you as some idol far above me when I had to help you get unstuck from your own sweater.” Mukuro teased, a smug grin now plastered across her face.

“H-Hey! I could only use one hand!” Sayaka defended herself, a blush tinting her face as she leaned forward to now look directly at Mukuro as she puffed out her cheeks in faux anger. 

“It still was quite the sight to see~”

“And here I thought you were a saint for saving me earlier, but no, you were just waiting to tease me.” Sayaka grumbled, crossing her arms as she looked away.

“Hey now, I really did want to help you. But you’re just too cute not to tease.” Mukuro defended herself.

“Liar, you just want to get back at me for the puppy comment.”

“No I didn’t, but that is a good idea for future conversations.”

“Oh, you jerk,” Sayaka said lightheartedly.

She then moved to playfully shove Mukuro, only for Mukuro’s reflexes to kick in as she caught Sayaka’s hand, carefully holding her wrist. The action caught Sayaka off guard, startling her and causing her weight to shift as she fell forward towards Mukuro. It all happened so fast that she couldn’t register what really happened, but the next thing she knew she was laying on top of Mukuro who was now leaning further against the wall, looking up at Sayaka with a smirk. Mukuro’s free hand was now wrapped around Sayaka’s lower back, firmly holding her in place so she didn’t fall over to the side and hurt herself.

Again, it all happened so fast, and all Sayaka could do was stare at Mukuro like a deer in headlights. She didn’t know what to do or say, could only feel the heat rise to her face as the room suddenly felt like it was burning hot. Their proximity was already close, but now it became more apparent than ever their position. Looking down at Mukuro, and then shyly at the lips that held a smirk that was dripping in smugness, Sayaka gulped on air. She felt her mouth grow dry as her insides began to scream on what to do.

“H-hey there,” Sayaka managed to say.

“Hey you.” Mukuro responded with a chuckle, finding the situation amusing. “Looks like you’re still struggling to get back at me. What’s wrong, cat got your tongue?” She teased.

Sayaka’s face flushed more as she quietly shook her head. Her heart pounded as she tried to verbalize how she felt, but nothing came out. That left Mukuro feeling a little worried.

“Hey everything alright? Did I go too far or—“

“No!” Sayaka shouted before catching herself, taking a second to calm down and take a few deep breaths. “No, that’s not it at all. You’re just… really pretty and amazing, and I don’t know what to do here.”

It was now Mukuro’s turn to blush as she took in what Sayaka said.

“Oh.” Mukuro muttered. 

Feeling a sudden wave of courage wash over her, Sayaka quietly asked, “Can I- Can I kiss you?” 

“I don’t know, can you?” Mukuro joked, trying to light heartedly play off the situation and yet she wore the dorkiest grin ever. 

Sayaka couldn’t help but roll her eyes after that. Of course that’s how they’d respond, and yet that only made her want to kiss them more. What can Sayaka say, she has a thing for dorks.

“You are the worst, you know that?” Sayaka teased, relaxing into Mukuro’s hold and carefully moving her hands to rest on Mukuro’s chest.

“Yet I’m cute~” Mukuro sang.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

The two shared a moment to giggle with each other at their situation before locking eyes. They paused, taking in the moment with all its warmth and giddiness, the beauty of the privacy and jokes they shared that night while hiding away from the others. Sayaka took the chance to admire all of Mukuro’s features, from her fluffy raven hair to the adorable little freckles she admired when she first laid eyes on Mukuro. And then she admired Mukuro’s lips, but only for a second, as a moment later she finally gave into her desire, leaning forward and kissing Mukuro.

It was a gentle movement, Sayaka was rather shy, and Mukuro was left in shock by the fact Sayaka initiated it. And yet slowly they both melted into the kiss. Sayaka’s body fell further into Mukuro’s embrace as Mukuro’s arms both moved, one slithered around Sayaka’s waist while the other gently held the back of Sayaka’s head, entangling her fingers in Sayaka’s hair as they deepened the kiss. Meanwhile, Sayaka was in absolute bliss, mesmerized by all the little affectionate sensations. From the tickling feeling of Mukuro’s hand to the intoxicating taste of her lips, Sayaka was left speechless. She shared kisses before, sure, but it was the first time she kissed another with so much care. Hell, it was the first time she kissed another who liked her, the real her. There was no attempt to take control or abuse this moment, it was all just a bursting warmth as their lips crashed against each other in the gentlest way, craving affection, craving care, craving each other. It all made Sayaka’s mind go numb from happiness as she lost herself in the captivating softness of Mukuro’s lips against hers.

And when they both separated to take a breath, they looked at each other and locked lips once again, continuing the cycle till the intoxicating feeling was imprinted on each of their lips and their hearts were left satisfied. When they finally separated, Sayaka could feel the tingling against her lips as a mild, bitter taste of alcohol was left in her mouth. But she could care less, her mind was still focused on what was just done.

Her and Mukuro panted for a bit, recovering from all the kissing. Sayaka rolled off of Mukuro and went over to her side to face her. Mukuro’s face was a bright pink, Sayaka’s was likely the same. They took some deep breaths while staring at each other, Mukuro once again turning to wrap her arms around Sayaka and gently pull her into her chest for a hug, not yet ready to let the moment end. Sayaka didn’t mind, she welcomed the embrace.

After a few peaceful moments of silence, Sayaka felt one of Mukuro’s hands leave her waist. It moved to caress Sayaka’s cheek before brushing away Sayaka’s bangs so Mukuro could press a small kiss onto Sayaka’s forehead. At this point, Sayaka was drowning in affection, yet loved every second of it. 

“Fuck…” Sayaka whispered breathlessly.

After that, she felt a shift in Mukuro. Looking up, she was met with a look of complete and utter shock, as if Sayaka had suddenly grown a second head. Sayaka tilted her head, confused on why this was. Did she do something wrong?

“Oh my god, did you just swear?!?!” Mukuro asked, answering Sayaka’s bewilderment.

Sayaka blinked a few times before realizing what she had done. She then covered her own mouth, shocked at how she let that slip.

“Well I, um, I’ve never done anything like this before!” Sayaka defended herself, shyly glancing at Mukuro.

“That’s fair, blame it on the alcohol,” Mukuro suggested.

Sayaka relaxed, giggling at Mukuro’s response. “Again, I haven’t drank any myself tonight. I’m not really into that kind of stuff.”

“Oh right.” Mukuro muttered to herself, pausing to think. “Then um…”

Mukuro’s answer fell short. Sayaka didn’t mind, she simply watched her, anticipating her comeback until she saw Mukuro’s small grin.

“Okay then, go on a date with me.” She confidently said.

A lot of back and forth flirty banter had happened that night, hell the two even made out on the bathroom floor of some strangers house. Even with all of that in mind, Sayaka still couldn’t help but feel her heart skip a beat when Mukuro asked that.

“You… really want to?” Sayaka asked, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Are you really asking that? Of course I do, why wouldn’t I?”

“Well it’s just, dating an idol and all is hard. I’m not out to that many people yet for starters. Even if I was, I still am not supposed to openly date others — or date anyone at all really.” Sayaka explained.

Mukuro paused to think for a moment before smiling, “Eh, I don’t really care.”

“Huh- really?”

“For right now, yeah I don’t. I mean I’m not big on PDA in general, and I don’t mind keeping it a secret for a bit. Long term wise if we stayed together, I’m sure we’d figure something out. Y’know?”

It was such a casual and simple answer, yet it was what Sayaka was dying to hear.

“Well, if you’re sure, then I’d love to go out with you.” Sayaka agreed, smiling as giddy as can be.

“Great!” Mukuro grinned back. “Also, I may not be able to offer you anything fancy as a heads up. I don’t have the money to take you out to fancy dinners or operas every night, nor is that really my style. I’m more of a stay at home cooking dinner and watching silly movies kind of person, you know? Are you alright with that?”

Sayaka couldn’t help but giggle at that. Of course people think she’d like what Mukuro previously described, but she couldn't care less for that kind of stuff. It seemed unknowingly her and Mukuro were already on the same page.

“Actually Mukuro, that sounds absolutely perfect,” Sayaka said.

“Cool, cool.” Mukuro tried to play it off, but once again, was grinning like an idiot.

She then released Sayaka from her hold and stretched her arms, letting out a little groan. She then moved to sit up, but paused to turn and look at Sayaka.

“Hey, it’s getting late, how about we ditch this place and I drive you home?” Mukuro offered.

“O-Oh, I guess quite a bit of time has passed.” Sayaka observed, checking her phone to realize she had already been there for over an hour and a half, far longer than she was expecting after the incidents earlier tonight.

“Time flies when you’re being gay on the bathroom floor, as the motto goes,” Mukuro joked.

“That most certainly is not how it goes.”

“Yeah, you’re right, but that is what happened.” 

The two snickered with each other at Mukuro’s lame humor.

“What about your sister?” Sayaka asked.

“Don’t worry, she has plenty of friends here who’ve taken care of her before,” Mukuro explained as she waved off Sayaka’s worry. “She can easily find a ride from one of them, or call me to come back when she’s done here if need be. So come on.” 

Mukuro stood onto her feet and offered Sayaka her hand. After a small moment of hesitation, Sayaka gratefully took it and was pulled up onto her feet by a grinning Mukuro. After that, she faced the door she previously entered that night.

To think, a little over an hour ago she rushed in here about to cry, and now she is leaving the room with a big smile, hand-in-hand with a cute girl she scored a date with. Sayaka guessed high school life could be pretty wild, even for a people pleaser.

“You ready?” Mukuro asked.

Sayaka wasn’t fully sure if she was truly ready, if she was being honest, or if she ever will be. Hiding in the bathroom may seem silly, but it brought a sense of security being away from everyone else, only being around someone who didn’t even realize who she was at first. Out there, others knew exactly who she was, and they could judge her all they wanted for any assumption they made tonight. That thought was scary to her.

But with a gentle squeeze of encouragement from Mukuro, Sayaka was able to forget that worry for a moment and nodded, preparing herself to leave. 

And so they left the room together hand-in-hand. The first thing Sayaka noticed was the music blasted ten times louder from outside the bathroom. Then her eyes found themselves staring down at the massive crowd of teenagers, all students she knew as her peers. They were still screaming and dancing and drinking to their heart's content, as if Sayaka’s disappearance never happened. That thought was actually rather comforting.

As they made their way down stairs and through the crowd, Sayaka noticed something else. Nobody was really staring. They were all immersed in the scene of the party, not giving a damn about what’s around them, including her. It was then Sayaka realized that maybe, just maybe, all that worry and pressure was just her in her own head.

Again, another comforting thought. Sayaka would be kidding herself if she said this moment made some groundbreaking change and she would no longer worry about her own image. No, she knows herself too well to try and lie about that. But something has changed thanks to this night. It might not be super drastic or anything, but maybe now she can at least take steps to start caring for herself more. Maybe she can learn to be a little selfish so she could have more moments like these, the ones that made her happy and mattered to her the most.

The music was still an ear-popping loud blast, the strong stench of booze was stinging in the air, and yet that all seemed so minuscule when Mukuro led her out of the house and into the darkness of the real world. Sayaka saw the quiet night sky, and it felt surreal that things can change so fast when you move towards them, especially with someone else. It made her want to change.

So with the determination brought from this new experience, she decided to give it a try. Sayaka was going to try and put herself first, try to not care as much about messing up, try to just be herself a bit more. She wasn’t sure what this promise entailed for herself, but after tonight, she was sick of feeling alone, she didn’t want to just play whatever part the others wanted her to be. Not when she finally discovered just how addicting being seen felt.

Sayaka was a shining star among the millions of others in the night sky, she should be allowed to take some risks and enjoy herself because she won’t always be seen or admired. Sometimes she’ll be mistaken for something else, like how airplanes in the sky can come across as stars. And you know what, that’s alright with her.

At least now she had the relief of finding someone she feels connected to. After so much pining and struggle, she found someone who took the time to spot her out among the many other stars in the night sky. 

Stage performer, model student, school’s princess, they were all just personas at the end of the day. Maybe they were part of Sayaka, but they were never truly the full picture. But none of that was with Mukuro, Sayaka clearly could see that tonight. She hopes - no, she knows things will end well. After all, she found someone who saw her, someone worth being a star in her eyes as much as she hopefully was in theirs. They could be each other’s star, a light that they only saw in moments alone like tonight.

Someone to laugh with, someone to hold, that’s all she wanted. And maybe it won’t be perfect, Sayaka would be foolish to assume it would be. But she’s willing to make an effort on whatever might come their way, cause she knows just how much a genuine relationship is worth. To Sayaka, it was priceless.

So she could only beam with pride by Mukuro’s side. She was excited for their date, for all the future hand holding and kissing, for all their talks to come, for just feeling the joy she felt tonight. All this excitement led her to realize something, and she couldn’t help but smile at the thought as she continued to walk hand-in-hand with Mukuro.

Perhaps with Mukuro now by her side, the end of this year might not be as bad as Sayaka originally feared.