Chapter Text
As usual, the fragile flowers that Mizuki visits when they trek outside were waiting for them. If you like a flower that looks like a star, it’s sweet to look at the sky at night. All the stars at that point are blooming with flowers. The sky glows in shades of pink and violet. Even after all this time, Mizuki still sees it as the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen. The stars, the plants, the clouds, everything is so full of life.
Kanade is also very fond of the stars, but unlike Mizuki, she doesn’t see any point in looking for constellations to gaze upon. Kanade thinks it should be impossible for someone so small and gloomy like her to shine brightly enough. It’s hard to believe that there is anything more beautiful than a simple star. A star is nothing more than a speck in the heavens. Its existence alone is meaningless.
Mizuki, on the other hand, has always been captivated by Kanade— their own sort of flowery star.
As far back as they can remember, whenever Mizuki looks up into the sky, all they see is Kanade. They don’t know why, but every time they look up, Kanade is right there with them.
Kanade is like a dream come true. Every time Mizuki looks up at the sky, they see Kanade; the silver-blue hair she had was smooth and silky like melting ribbons in the galaxy. The moon may be the best description for her.
But Mizuki knows that if that were to be truthful, then they would be the sun— constantly a beam of hope and energy, but only reflecting that light when the moon was away. They would never be able to be together, if not for a rare solar eclipse. Even so, it’d be brief.
Mafuyu and Ena might even consider Kanade a star too, although neither of them would dare say it out loud. And maybe, somewhere deep inside of them, that is the truth— something about Kanade’s starry beauty makes them feel special.
Perhaps it is because Kanade always feels special— always, always, always. She seems to radiate some sort of energy around her. She radiates purity and comfort, which is what attracts people like Mafuyu and Ena. Their hearts beat for Kanade, their souls are filled with warmth, and they feel compelled to do whatever it takes to help her smile.
Though all four personalities clash aggressively at times, there is one thing they all do know, and that is that they share deep affection for each other. It was a complicated, almost groggy feeling because sorting it out was a puzzle at best.
So when Mizuki had planned to tell Kanade and let her realize how the others truly feel, the very last thing they expected was for Kanade’s petite figure frozen, dull sapphire eyes salty with tears as she peers over a note in the middle of the flowerbeds scattered around the park.
“Kanade! Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Mizuki rushes over, their shiny white boots pattering against the concrete before reaching the soft dirt of the flowerbed. Fear erupts into their chest.
In return, a choked sob gets out from Kanade’s lips before she turns to the pink-haired designer. It was so cruel and unfair, for an elegant star such as her to be so shattered like that. That’s what Mizuki thinks.
Unsteady breathing is displayed through Kanade’s chest rising up and down in jagged rhythms. “Mafuyu…”
“What about her?” Mizuki inquires.
“She… the note…”
Pausing to press a bold kiss to Kanade’s forehead, they rest their chin by her shoulder and hug their taller body around the shivering girl.
Snaking a hand around to grab the note from Kanade’s pale ones, Mizuki held it up to themselves, reading the horror that was left by Asahina Mafuyu— a goodbye note of sorts, a final farewell that was also a deathly one.
Mafuyu had died.
No. The world died out, or rather died without a trace; that is why Mizuki had turned away. They couldn’t handle watching their best friend’s rapid breathing, because in that moment they were connected by understanding and a tsunami of emotions. A muted truce mutually formed that they, together, would fight through this.
A single sentence written in blood stained letters stood at the bottom of the page, a silent apology.
‘I love you all.’
The words stung, especially because Kanade’s heart was battered by that sentence. The pain seemed to be etched across her face in ink. In contrast to Kanade, Mizuki was stunned. They couldn’t cry, though they loved Mafuyu too.
“Hey, w—wait! Hold on.. there’s no way Mafuyu could actually be dead, right?” Mizuki swallowed a lump of anxiety.
“I don’t… know… was I..” Kanade turned to Mizuki. “Was I not… enough..?”
“No! It’s not that, here, it’s going to be fine. Let’s both calm down and tell Ena, okay? Maybe she knows something.” The misery in Kanade’s eyes made Mizuki break. Despite them also being on the brink of tears, they wouldn’t dare unravel their emotions in front of Kanade; or anyone, to be exact.
Extending a soft hand, Mizuki helped Kanade up, clenching the letter with their free hand.
Mafuyu stared blankly at Miku, who had been perching on one of the Empty Sekai’s broken structures. She sighed, the cold atmosphere travelling freezy winds on her skin as she weaved over the lumps of broken stairs and pillars to reach the virtual singer.
“Mafuyu..” The voice was monotone, but pitched with sadness. Miku’s robotic vocals snatched Mafuyu’s attention as she clambered through the shattered constructions. “If you’re here, then..”
“I killed myself.” The purple-haired student finished the sentence for her. She didn’t expect to be caged in an afterlife in the Empty Sekai, but she was gone from all her concerns. She was free, free from all her troubles and the thorns that stabbed her. Free from the strings that would force her to move, free from the vomiting urge she felt whenever she saw a marionette.
“I see.” Miku murmured. “You know they’ll look for you, right?”
“Who? Nightcord?”
Miku nodded. “I sense a bursting ripple of confusion ringing through. That’s from them. They’re sad.”
Oh.
Mafuyu adjusted her school uniform, gingerly taking a seat right beside Miku. She didn’t know how to react— or what to feel, in that case.
Of course they’d be sad. But over someone like her? That’s insane. They shouldn’t grieve over her death like that. Mafuyu bit her tongue, trying to calm herself. She was nothing compared to them— all stars need to die out eventually, to be exterminated.
“Including Ena?” Mafuyu asked, feeling her heart drop.
Miku swayed her legs back and forth. “Her, especially.”
Mafuyu’s lips twitched into a small frown. Again, the feeling was unfamiliar. It made her gut swirl and her head hurt, she felt like she was going to throw up any minute.
Maybe, in the end, what she felt was regret. Deep, deep regret cutting her open like a blade, displaying all her inner insecurities. It was so abstract, so nauseating. It wasn’t her fault she was suicidal, not her fault she felt chained to an abyss of constant emptiness.
She doesn’t know what she wants, but she does know that she wants herself to be cut loose. She can’t take it anymore— thus why she killed herself. Ended it all, permanently disconnecting from earth and her body. The link between her and her facade were stripped off, and she didn’t have to pretend anymore.
“One question, Miku.” Mafuyu spoke.
“Yes?”
“Can Ena— well, can all of them still visit here? Or..”
“I’m sure they can. But this is the border between life and death. You’re trapped here. Your soul is, at least. You’re not truly ready to pass away, so you were sent here.”
Mafuyu’s icy gaze widened slightly.
“I’m not dead?”
Miku hummed. “Your soul is here, you’re dead in reality.”
This was all a stupid hallucination or dream. She had to be dead— she prepared her note ever so neatly, grinned darkly when she tied the rope around her pale neck. The memories were all so awfully fresh in her mind.
If Nightcord came searching for her, they’d be nothing but stupid stray cats scavenging for food on a street. Mafuyu had no reason to care anymore, no reason to feel anything—
And yet, the pit of her stomach feels as if it's twisting with the image of Ena, Kanade, and Mizuki worrying over her.
Such stupid, drowning emotions.
“ What the hell?! ”
Ena’s scream and face full of pure disbelief, mixed in with other emotions that were absolutely unreadable, made both Kanade and Mizuki flinch.
It was the middle of the night, the moon reflected a faint blue outline on the three members of Nightcord. Sure, meeting up like this wasn’t ideal, but they figured that meeting up during the day would be just as dreadful due to Kanade’s distaste for the sun.
The street light flickered, neon signs glowing brightly and coloring the plaza with all sorts of different shades. All of which are familiar to Mizuki, and how they would drag Mafuyu along to visit the different shops if they were bored.
“What the hell do you mean, Asahina Mafuyu is dead? Seriously? Who would fall for that?” Ena continued, almost growling out her words. It was no surprise she’d react like that. She exhaled to relieve stress, pressing her palm to her forehead before rubbing her temples.
Kanade was so close to Mizuki, practically clinging onto their arm, so Mizuki could detect her shallow breathing. It was rhythmic.
“No, Ena— she’s actually… dead..” Kanade explained sheepishly.
“Oh.” Ena froze, brushing some of her brown bangs to the side. “So you weren’t joking.”
Uncomfortable silence washed over the trio as Ena’s lip quivered visibly, dying to say something but she didn’t know what. Her hands turned into angry, frustrated fists as she avoided the stares of Mizuki and Kanade.
“Hey, Ena,” Mizuki speaks up. “maybe you know something about thi—”
“Shut up!” Ena snapped, suddenly just in a flicker of the street light. “Why would I be involved with Mafuyu’s suicide? I hate her! I never want to see her! I never— I— I n— never..”
Her fierce façade began to wilt away like a flower as she began to slump down onto the cold ground, eyes wide and wetting with tears. She sniffled, to which Kanade approached her in an attempt to comfort. Though, she was still furious— Mizuki couldn’t put as to why, but everybody deals with grief differently. They don’t judge, anyway.
Kanade wrapped her arms around Ena’s curled figure, still awkwardly petting her hair as Mizuki watched them, still standing. They don’t know if jealousy was supposed to bubble up within them, because that’s how you’d typically be when you see someone you presumably have a crush on treating another person with so much affection, right?
But this, this was different. To Mizuki, it was bittersweet. Kanade and Ena were both people that Mizuki loved, and seeing them embrace each other made them feel warm. In a bright, hopeful way.
Mizuki adjusted the frilly bow in their pink hair before joining Kanade and Ena, scooping them both into their arms.
“Hey! Mizu—! Let me down!” Ena protested, somehow fading out of her melancholic state; compared to Kanade, who welcomed it.
“Sorry, Enanan!” Mizuki grinned into Ena’s neck, “It’s unusual seeing you sad. It’s okay, me and Kanade know how much of a fragile person you are~”
“You aren’t making this any better!” Ena huffed, thrashing around Mizuki’s grip until she struggled free. Kanade’s light giggle was audible on Mizuki's right side. “We need to go find Miku.”
“Huh? Why?” Kanade broke free from Mizuki’s grasp, puzzled. “If Mafuyu is dead, the Empty Sekai should also be gone.”
That’s true. Mizuki thought. “Do you guys want to rest at home first? I think it’d be easier.”
“Sure.” Ena agreed, clearing her throat. “Um, could one of you walk me home..?”
Mizuki reached for Ena’s soft, warm hand and took it in theirs.
“Of course.”