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“So, she really said all that?”
Traces of the pouring rain lingered on Tsubaki’s hair, threatening to crash down onto the table below as they cascaded down streaks of jet black. Tsubaki and Aoi sat in a quaint booth in the furthest corner of the cafe, where the cafe lights failed to illuminate entirely. The billowing rain disturbed the silence of the empty cafe, as its crashed upon the peace that was but the faint sound of soap and water and ceramic.
Tsubaki wasn’t normally one for cafes, however this one had lingered in the back of her mind like an itch when she had been given the news.
“Do you think I’d lie about this, Aoi?!” Tsubaki snapped, before noticing her tone and resolving to absentmindedly tracing the rim of her cup with her finger, “Rika’s leaving and she’ll be gone for good.”
The news had crashed upon Tsubaki earlier that week - a tidal wave that washed over her without any remorse. And Rika hadn’t even seemed to care. The memory of Rika’s excitement was almost blurred in Tsubaki’s mind, a cloud of confusion forming in her mind. When it’d reach its peak, her sadness would rain and drown out everything else. She could almost feel puddles forming in her ears, blocking out any reasoning that Aoi could muster to quell her.
But of course, it couldn’t have been that big of a deal. Rika didn’t act like it was.
“I mean, what did she say to you?”
“You should have heard the way she was talking! She said she's going to go on a trip to some unknown island, and that it’d be a “lifetime of fun”! Almost verbatim!"
Although she was just imitating Rika, she still managed to blush ever so slightly at the remembrance of her words, once again retracting into her shell. She stared down at her cup as she continued to somberly trace the rim. The heat of her coffee stung her eyes, threatening to cause droplets of tears forming in her eyes. She didn’t even like the drinks here, but Rika had always offered to pay for her if she had just given them a chance. Rika had always been generous like that - which made the current act of selfishness sting even more. Not that they were going to spend their lives together anyways. It only makes sense that they’d have parted ways eventually.
“Sooner better than later anyways”, Tsubaki mused; the longer you prolonged a goodbye with a loved one, the more it’d hurt in the long run. Not that Tsubaki loved Rika. That’d be ridiculous. Pangs which drained her with every strike upon her heart were what everyone experienced at times like this. It was normal to feel this way.
“And that’s exactly what she said?” Aoi inquired, sympathy evident in her voice, yet a hint of disbelief hid behind her kind nature. She had always been so kind, and Tsubaki had always been on the harsher side, both on others and herself - Aoi was always there to question her snap judgements. Yet on this subject, Tsubaki refused to fold. Aoi’s kind nature usually helped to put her mind at ease, yet despite this, she couldn’t help but feel restless.
“Pretty much word for word,” Tsubaki placed her hands on the sides of her cup, pressing her palms firmly to the surface. Too weak to actually break the cup, Tsubaki kept pressing, perhaps hoping for slight fissures to appear in the ceramic to justify the grip she held it in. Nothing appeared, frustrating her further - she wanted to crush it, and hopefully with it, the anger that surged within her grip. Maybe if she had more strength in her hands, she’d be able to turn the drink to shards beneath her.
“Woah there,” Aoi reached out, placing her slender fingers upon the rim of Tsubaki’s cup, prompting her to release it despite her frustration, “I’m sure she won’t be gone forever. I don’t know Rika as well as you do, but she doesn’t seem like the kind of girl to do that - doesn’t she tend to kinda live in the current moment? Forever is a long time for someone like that.”
“She spends far too much time in the current moment if you ask me…” Tsubaki folded her arms and attempted to stare out of the window, her eyes tracing the paths of drops which landed upon the window. Strangely enough, despite the storm which raged, it was bright outside - the light shone upon her, yet was cold, disconcerting her senses. But really, she was just attempting to avoid looking straight at Aoi, who's disbelief had somehow shook Tsubaki further rather than settling her.
“Maybe you should ask her about it? She wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”
“You’re kidding? It’s happened before. Rika just marches along to the beat of her own drum,” Blowing her damp-ish bangs out of her face, Tsubaki smoothed out her hair which had become disarranged by the rain and breeze - if she had to feel like a mess, she wanted it to not reflect too much in her appearance. Tsubaki’s usual harshness typically was avoided when it came to Aoi, yet in the current moment she couldn’t seem to help but seethe. Nothing was comforting her, but forcing her to further come to terms with the fact that Rika would have never settled to begin with. Rika’s nature was far too wild for that. She’d spend the rest of her life travelling the world, riding the ocean waves, chasing the high which only new and fresh experiences could give her. Tsubaki was an old experience, an artefact of the past - what could she possibly give to Rika?
“Okay but this is… pretty big isn’t it?”
Tsubaki couldn’t help but agree. This was such a huge change from finally being used to having Rika around again. The hotness of Rika’s nature was like a warm drink on a cold winter’s night - her soon to be absence had already created a cold pit within Tsubaki’s stomach which would surely only become colder and emptier. She felt so empty. Every time Rika had clasped her arms around Tsubaki or flustered her with her ridiculous nicknames, she felt as if she was glowing with amber warmth, as much as she attempted to appear aloof to Rika. Maybe that’s why Rika was leaving her? After all, she was bringing the rest of her friends with her - the entire gamut of people Tsubaki didn’t think of to remember.
“Yeah, of course it is…” Tsubaki heaved out a heavy sigh, for fear that it may have weighed upon her mind and lungs, turning to Aoi, “But this is just how she is. She may live in the moment but that just means she makes judgements on whims she has!”
“I wonder who that sounds like.”
Tsubaki sharply turned to look at Aoi who gave her a slightly sardonic smile before taking another sip of whatever she had ordered - Tsubaki hadn’t taken note of whatever it was but it was pungent with sweetness and filled their booth with warmth.
The intent in her statement was clear - she was suggesting that Tsubaki and Rika were anything alike, something that Tsubaki couldn’t disagree with more. Rika was like the warmth of a blanket; overbearing in moments, yet warm and comforting. Sometimes Tsubaki just wanted to wrap her around her, and feel close, wrapped in a tight embrace for eternity. Every moment with Rika was fleeting - her fixations never brief, yet she always moved forwards with such enthused glee. Yet Tsubaki was anything but warm. She came on almost just as strong as Rika did, but she didn’t emanate warmth. Tsubaki was immovable in her convictions, just like Rika, but she was cold, closed off. Her being entirely immalleable. Yet, she always crumbled underneath Rika, the one who could always get her way.
It took Tsubaki a moment to realise how long she had been wrapped up in her own thoughts, only pulled out of her momentary stupor when she noticed Aoi side-eyeing her with her tawny irises.
“I’m just saying,” Aoi reassured, “You two might be more alike than you think. You’d never do this to a friend, and I don’t think she would either. Maybe you just need to talk it out with her.``
“It’s too late,” Tsubaki sighed, resolved to the fate Rika had carved out for her in her haste, “She’s leaving today on a train. I won’t have enough time to say goodbye since she’ll be busy with trip arrangements, and I have our DJ unit to think about anyways. I can’t spend my whole life chasing after her.”
Aoi paused for a moment.
“So you want to spend your life with Rika?”
Tsubaki paused for a moment.
“I mean, I want to spend my life with Rondo too! As much as I can.”
But of course, it felt different. Both knew this, but one didn’t want to admit it.
“Tsubaki, I know I can’t tell you to do anything, and if you really don’t want to talk about it, I’ll drop it…” she trailed off for a brief moment, before returning to her sentence, with more conviction, “But I can tell you that you do want to talk about it! Just not with me. You should go talk to Rika.”
Aoi’s smile was just as benign as it always was, yet a hint of sadness lingered within it. Tsubaki felt a slight twinge of guilt pang in her mind. Mulling it over, Tsubaki grimaced for a moment, her face contorting into a pale frown as she wrestled with her thoughts, before taking in a sharp breath. Sighing, she brushed her damp and heavy hair out of her face.
“You’re right. You always are. I’ll go talk to her.”
Pushing herself up, perhaps feeling that without the support she may have fallen over from the sudden weakness, she resolved to reconcile the storm that had been building up in her head. Unsure of how she could possibly reconcile it, she simply couldn’t let it be unchecked if it was going to interfere with her unit members. Her heart contained too much passion for what she and her loved ones had worked towards building for so long, for her to allow herself to ruin it… which was her unit. Clearly.
“Wait, now?” Aoi said in mild surprise.
“Of course,” Tsubaki swept the heavy mop of her ponytail so that it rested against her back, almost weighing down her head with how water-logged it was, “No time like the present.”
“Do you want me to…?”
“Sorry Aoi. I do appreciate the offer but…”
Tsubaki bit her lip, wrestling with her own thoughts, unsure of what to say. She of course knew what she wanted to say, however, she had no idea what to tell Aoi. Tsubaki was admittedly bad at admitting her feelings, and admittedly bad at lying too. Unknowing of what to say, she and Aoi both let palpable awkwardness linger for a moment.
“...nah, I get it. Go be with her.”
Tsubaki sighed softly, exchanging a brief, somewhat apologetic smile before leaving for the cafe door and heaving it open; allowing the storm outside to make its momentary siege upon the quiet of the cafe. Rain briefly infiltrated the cafe as lone droplets landed on the welcome mat, sinking in. Peace was restored by the slam of the closing door, the cafe returning to the prior clarity of an empty afternoon.
-
The train was relatively quiet all things considered - it was the holiday season after all. Not the season for festivities such as huddling around a warm hearth like sardines and telling whimsical tales of fantasy, but rather the season to get out of the country for a week or two. Pittering of distant summer rain could be heard from inside the train as it struck upon its roof, though the bustle of workers and people inside the train did their best effort to drown it out. Not many enjoyed the rain after all. Warm aromas which singed nostrils with the bitter scent of caffeine wafted throughout the train cars. Most booths within the train had been filled by now, people huddling together in the commotion of the train as it prepared to leave the station shortly.
“You didn’t forget anything, did you, Rika?” Saori busied her racing mind as she stood adjacent to the booth her friends had chosen, absent-mindedly fiddling with her hands, picking at her nails to her friends’ mild disgust, “You and the other Rika always forget important things like this y’know!”
“Now, Saori, I understand you’re nervous but do try not to pick,” Dalia said, gently taking one of her hands in her own, attempting to distract her from it, “That’s how you get hangnails.”
“Chill Saori, I’d never!” Rika’s offence to Saori’s comment was mild - after all, she wasn’t particularly wrong about Rika’s rampant forgetfulness. Yet, Rika had made a special effort to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything this time.
“I didn’t forget anything either!” Marika chimed, taking a languid sip from the coffee she had ordered, “We’re going to be gone for a long time, we really wouldn’t be so irresponsible like that!”
Saori sighed as she settled into the booth with her friends, her mind being put somewhat at ease by this, as well as Dalia’s warm grasp on her hand not wavering. She must have really not wanted Saori to get hangnails, or really not trusted her to stop picking.
“Lighten up, Saori!” Rika smiled, putting her feet up on the seat before having them batted down by Marika, who sat adjacent to her and had better manners in public, “This is supposed to be fun! How are you gonna have fun when you spend the whole time worrying for me?”
“Lighten up? Have fun? Jeez, Rika, I aspire to be as laid-back as you are at times but sometimes you’re just too much for my heart to take…” Saori sighed as she relaxed further into the plush of the booth seat, despite being interrupted by the shrill buzz of a phone’s ringtone.
“We promise we didn’t forget anything!” Rika assured, fumbling in the pocket of her bomber jacket, “Cross my heart, I made sure to remember everything essential, after all, a month’s a long time to be gone!”
-
The day was beginning to hide itself, its light slowly being concealed by the sheet of darkness encroaching upon the sky. The remaining daylight acted as a timer for Tsubaki - the moment the sun could no longer peek out from the horizon would be the moment she’d lose Rika. She had managed to miss Rika at her house, and at the cafe, and everywhere else she had looked for her - the realisation that she could have already departed sinking in more with every step taken.
The rain rapped in discordant sync with Tsubaki’s footsteps as she ran, her face wet, hot tears which streamed had become indistinguishable with the droplets of rain which decorated her face. Her chest was heavy and right, the sound of her heart beating against it becoming deafening, almost drowning out the rest of the world. The rest of the world didn’t matter. Tsubaki was following her heart - the music of the drum in which her heart became guided her to Rika. The thought of that was enough to keep Tsubaki running despite the unsteadiness of her feet.
Remembering her phone, Tsubaki whipped it out of her pocket, frantically trying to unlock it as the rain pattering against its screen fought against her. Her grip tightening around it did little to evade the threat of it slipping out of her grasp, her hands drenched from both rain and sweat. The slipperiness of her pace, the slipperiness of the pavement threatening to make her crash to the ground made each step uneasy. Yet she persevered. To what goal, even she was unsure, yet some force compelled her to press onwards. Opening her contacts app, her eyes hurriedly scanned through rows of people before her eyes settled upon her target. With her heart threatening ringing in her ears, she swiped a slender finger across a bright green button, to which she was met with the buzz of her phone among the buzz of the rain.
“Hey, Tsubaki! What’s up girl? Spill!”
“WAIT!”
“Huh? Tsubaki, what’s wrong, you’re not making any sense…” Rika consoled - Tsubaki's voice was crackled, the audio's quality distorted by the rain, yet still as distinctive as ever.
“THE TRAIN! IT HAS TO WAIT!”
Rika was so occupied by the distressed tone of Tsubaki’s voice that she hadn’t even noticed Marika perk up and sidle towards the window.
“Slow down! I have zero idea what you’re talking about but I’m sure it’s… alright?”
Rika’s eyes met what had initially caught Marika’s before she could finish her thought, drawing closer to the figure she had spotted from the edge of her vision as it hurtled itself towards the train carriage. While still a distance away and admittedly dishevelled more than usual, sure enough the blur which lurched onwards resembled that of someone who meant a lot to Rika in the past. However her appearance in the train station was one that took Rika by surprise. Almost launching herself from the booth, Rika swung herself towards the carriage door before promptly slamming behind her to prevent the warm air which resided within it from escaping into the day. Turning to the woman drenched in rain, caring little that she was soon to be too, her face signalled her evident confusion, lips taking the shape of a slight lour.
“Tsubaki, what are you doin’ here in such a panic?” Rika inquired, “I- Did I forget something? I swear- please keep it on the down-low, Saori is gonna be mad if I told her I didn’t-”
Tsubaki had been hunched over, reeling from the intensity of her sprint, taking in deep breaths of air for a brief moment of reprieve despite how much the chill stung her lungs. Noticing the desperation in her face, Rika promptly resolved herself to silence. Somehow her pale faced friend looked more devoid of colour than usual, her eyes drooping and her usual scowl lacking its usual fervour, her features poking out from underneath her bangs as she heaved.
“...jeez, Tsubaki, are you okay?” Rika reached out for her friend’s hand, cold and tightly shut.
“Don’t.”
Rika retracted her hands but kept her inquisitive gaze fixated upon Tsubaki.
“H-hey, are you gonna tell me what’s wrong? I can’t help if you stand in the rain all silent…”
“Please just, be quiet for a moment.”
Tsubaki took a step forward, her silver eyes wide, glinting with as much hidden passion as they always had. Her own eyes met Rika’s, amber and expectant, almost glowing. Noticeably shaking despite her reigned confidence, she placed the palms of her hands on Rika’s shoulders, her hands settling into the curvature of Rika’s frame perfectly.
“Do you mind if I… kiss you?”
“Do I mind if you what?”
“Answer the question Rika!”
“No, I don’t mind at all! I mean do whatever you want girl, but why would you ask me-”
Before Rika could finish such an obvious question, her body was pulled with unexpected gentleness, into an embrace that Tsubaki had been longing for the longest time.
Their lips connected, Tsubaki pulling Rika into a breathless kiss. A sudden wave of warmth over Tsubaki as the two entangled themselves in a messy embrace, the cold air which lingered in Tsubaki's mouth mixing with the heat of Rika’s body. The initial surprise subsiding, with nothing else to do with them, Rika rested her hands on the curves of Tsubaki’s hips, bringing her even closer, threatening to intertwine their legs, locking the two in an even tighter hold. Rika's orange curls threatened to become tangled with Tsubaki’s jet black locks, two threads in the same stitch. This was Tsubaki's last ditch effort in making sure their threads would never unstitch again.
The moment lingered for only a couple seconds yet time seemed to almost stop - seconds stretched out for minutes, even hours in Tsubaki’s mind as the rest of the world melted away behind her. Gently pulling away from Rika, the subtle taste of strawberry lingering on her lips. In a state of slight embarrassment, she wiped both it and a sliver of drool from her lips.
For perhaps the first time in her life, Rika had been left speechless. The words she was attempting to muster lingered in her throat like Tsubaki had lingered on her lips a moment ago. For a brief window in time, Rika couldn’t gather herself to do anything other than stare blankly at the woman who had completely recoiled since just a moment ago; she blinked once, twice, before coming back to reality and smoothing out her pigtails, now damp from the rain and drooping down her shoulders. Drooping similarly, Tsubaki’s pale eyes which were wide and expectant, now glared down at the ground, her soaked bangs doing little to hide the rosy blush that had long since formed in her cheeks.
“Well? Say something!” Tsubaki’s tone was hushed, yet she spat out her words desperately,
“I- That was… unexpected! A little hot, very unexpected! ” Rika choked out in surprise. She looked behind her at her friends, still in the train car and noticeably more panicked than before - the train could leave at any moment.
“But is now really the time?”
Tsubaki felt as though Rika was unable to take her for any more of a ride than she already was. She directed her cold, intense gaze, aligning with Rika’s warm eyes which glowed in the dim light of the evening.
“Is now the TIME?” Tsubaki managed to sputter out amongst her confusion, “Now is going to be the only time I have left Rika! You’re leaving and I- I just wanted to finally tell you… how I feel.” The end of her sentence trailed off as she could feel hot tears bubbling under the surface. She brought her leathered arms up to her face; if she was going to cry she wouldn’t let Rika see it. Although she couldn’t decide if it was out of compassion or spite that she hid her face: stuck between it being an act of mercy on her own end, or a pathetic refusal to let Rika be vindicated in her selfishness, she hid her tears underneath the maze of her hands, clenching her eyes tight, as if to trap tears which escaped from the pearls now hidden within a cage of flesh.
“Hey, hey,” Rika cooed, her personality seeming more diluted than usual as she gently pulled Tsubaki’s arms away from her face, “What are you talking about?”
“You’re- You’re going away!”
“Yeah, for a month?”
Time paused. It was as if the rain had stopped entirely, as although Tsubaki could still feel it as it fell, the sound was absent. All that was audible was the soft breaths which escaped from Rika as the pair stood in the rain in wild bewilderment. Right now, the rest of the world had been cut off from the two - Tsubaki’s vision blurred around the edges of Rika, obscuring everything surrounding them, but keeping her completely in focus. Tsubaki taking note of her hands intertwined with Rika's, she ripped them out of her unusually delicate grasp, almost staggering backwards in doing so.
“You’re- you have to be kidding.”
“Tsubaki, what’s up? Seriously?”
“I thought you were leaving FOREVER”, Tsubaki managed to sputter out, exasperated, as if her breath still escaped her, “and you’re leaving for a MONTH? You made it sound like you were going to be gone for good!”
“Did I?” Rika tried to smile as apologetically as she could to pacify Tsubaki, who’s face had gone from a light rose to a deep red, “Ahaha, sorry! You know how I can get carried away by things that are so insanely cool! This trip was pretty important so maybe- I might have exaggerated what was actually happening, just a teensy bit - but you have your own questions to answer!”
“What? Literally what could I have to answer for, anything I have done couldn’t possibly measure with this-”
Before Tsubaki could finish, Rika reached out for Tsubaki’s frigid hands, pulling them close to her chest. It was a marvel that she was still warm amongst the falling rain which attempted to dye the world a duller colour.
“You just kissed me!”
Tsubaki could feel the red rushing to her face. Her face became hot, tears boiling at the precipice of her eyes, yet she could still feel her blood run cold.
“I’d like to pretend that it never happened!”
Tsubaki wasn’t a good liar but it was an impulse when it came to her emotions regarding Rika. Even after kissing her, admitting that she was in love with Rika was a struggle, as if the words were stuck in her throat, choking her as she tried to heave them out. She had only admitted them as the fear of never seeing Rika again struck her heart and made it bleed so painfully - now that Rika would be around, she felt less vindicated and more as if she had horribly embarrassed herself. Now she almost hoped that she would never see Rika again.
“Hey now, what’s with you Tsubaki?” Rika enquired, placing her hands to the sides of Tsubaki's face, using her thumbs to attempt to wipe the tears beginning to form. She cocked her head in slight confusion, yet retained her sympathetic composure. It seemed as though she had quickly recovered from the puzzlement Tsubaki had thrown upon her, returning to her usual bubbly self within a matter of minutes. “I really am not mad at all!” she assured, her usual smile, though more tempered than usual, blessing her face again - something just hours ago, Tsubaki hoped to see once more before her departure, “But you have to tell me what’s up! Because I’m like… kind of confused! Y’know? You show up at the station, all frantic-like, and then you-”
"Do you really not get it?!"
Before further protest, Tsubaki returned the embrace, cupping Rika' cheeks gently with the smoothness of her hands, easing her face towards hers, as if she was pulling her in for a kiss once more. Golden hues adorned the pair, complimenting the warmness of Rika’s skin as oranges and golds projected by an endless sky dance over her. Even her smell was warm, as the scent of coffee lingered on her - Rika the human fire-cracker smelled as if she had been lit recently, the faint smell of fire being inviting, more so than the dank scent of the rain which didn’t seem to be relenting anytime soon. Their closeness should have been uncomfortable, both parties being thoroughly soaked, yet Rika’s touch felt like a passionate fire which dispersed any lingering remnant of the downpour. After all, Rika was a fire that couldn’t be put out, not even by the heaviest downpour of rain.
“I’m in love with you, you dummy! And I just couldn’t bear the thought of being separated… again. It was so hard for me to tell you, you make me so flustered- and so confused all the damn time… but you leaving made my heart ache. It’s selfish of me to expect you to be around forever, when we’re both moving up in the world - but I just can’t stand the thought of us changing again! Of you leaving me when I got used to having you around again! After I messed us up the first time! You were just so ready to leave me when I just got you back.”
The words spilled out of her, as if Tsubaki’s thoughts were being transferred to a page, as she elaborated her real emotions for the first time, both to Rika and to herself. She was the pen which weaved her thoughts into reality.
“You? In love with me?” Rika’s brief bewilderment was not reassuring to Tsubaki, yet she refused to let herself falter - she couldn't let Rika make her fold.
“That’s fuckin’ awesome Tsubaki! I love you too! And I always have!”
Tsubaki mused that Rika’s warmth must have been contagious - she could feel pools of warm red rushing to her face upon this revelation. Both leaned further into their intimacy, Rika wrapping her arms around and placing her hands comfortably upon Tsubaki’s lower back; only a whisper remained between the two who were becoming entangled with each other. Tsubaki could feel herself almost fall into their embrace, a weight being lifted and allowing her to finally crumple into a weak mess in Rika’s arms.
“I can’t believe you never told me.”
Tsubaki took a moment to swim in the revelation, letting herself be swallowed in the warmth of Rika’s embrace; before realising how long overdue it was.
"Why did you never tell me?!" Tsubaki interjected, shooting up from her arched position.
“Well, I just didn’t think you’d be interested! You’ve got so much going on right now! Like your band, which you’re kinda married to,” Rika paused for a moment, a look of melancholy blossoming, “and you never seemed all that interested in sticking around me.”
“Oh… Rika…” Tsubaki locked Rika’s hands in her own, interlocking fingers, bringing them up to her face in an entangled embrace. Taking initiative took even Tsubaki by surprise, yet in the current moment something compelled her to be emboldened, “I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m terrified. ”
“Huh?”
“I’m so scared of change! I was finally getting used to having you around again after I pushed you away the first time. I hated being such a burden to you so I tried to make you leave. But you used to be so stubborn. Still are.”
Tsubaki pulled away from the embrace to fruitlessly wipe away a tear which blossomed from her eyes - when they were this close there was simply no way Tsubaki could convince Rika it was just something in her eye or the rain.
“Well, I mean change isn’t always a bad thing y’know!” Rika assuaged, drawing Tsubaki closer in, “I mean look at you! You used to be so quiet in school, needing my help and now look at you! Way to take initiative! Though I would have done this a while ago had I known you wouldn’t have minded. Don’t even disagree with me that you were sending me mixed signals because you totally were.”
“You’re right… I’ve been so burdensome to you,” Tsubaki started, anticipating more hot tears to bubble to the surface. Rika upon noticing this, panicked to correct this mistake.
“Wait! Wait, Tsubaki! you don’t understand! You’re not a burden to me! You never have been! You totally don’t understand how cool you really are,” she exclaimed, drawing out a hand with five fingers to list all her favourite qualities of Tsubaki, “You’ve got this whole band thing going on, you’re a great singer, always have been, and you even were so nice as to come and meet me here in the pouring rain?! Have you ever met someone who’d pull such a crazy stunt just to impress a girl?”
“Heh, maybe you,” Tsubaki sniffled, the tears seeming to dissolve under her touch now, despite the fact that they were thriving upon the surface of her lids only a moment ago. The two resolved to let the moment linger for a while longer, laughing to themselves as though they were children again. After all it was so easy to forget how cold the outside world was when within Rika’s huddle, everything felt warm. Not an uncomfortable warmth, but a cozy warmth, starting from within Tsubaki’s chest and blossoming outwards in pulses as she remained within it. They were so enraptured in their embrace, they hadn't even noticed the rain clouds returning to their regular tepid temperament, the rain consequently relenting its onslaught upon the world. The sound of rainwater descending upon the earth was replaced only by silence and periodic breaths of hot air.
“You know, Tsubaki, not everything has to change, but also not all change is a bad thing”
“Your meaning is?”
“We could always change our status as friends to a little something more than that! Y’know, if you’d like that!” The bashfulness hidden in her voice yet given away by the rose colour forming in her face was not entirely like the confidence Rika usually projected around Tsubaki, but it was one change that she didn’t mind entirely.
“I’d like that.”
Before Rika could answer, the churning of the train beginning to start up shocked them both out of their state of infatuation. The sound of shouting unit members could be heard over the mechanical parts beginning to heave themselves and the building sound of sparks as the wheels edged closer towards speeding up. Yanking herself out of Tsubaki’s arms, Rika started towards the train door in a panic. Now that they were being separated once more, the clack of Rika’s boots was almost deafening. Whipping open the door, Rika climbed inside the cart as it slowly exited the station. Before the train could take off completely and she’d have to slam the door behind her, she turned to Tsubaki, grinning wildly.
“Bye Tsubaki! I’ll see you in a month, okay? I love you!”
Rika’s smile as the train departed was so bright Tsubaki thought it’d be able to light up the upcoming tunnel. Rika closed the door behind her with a thud, waving so violently from behind the glass pane that her arm became a blur. Tsubaki through the pane of the door watched as Rika’s unit members seemingly admonished her, before the distance between herself and them was cleaved too far apart for her to be able to make out their figures any longer. As the sun descended upon the horizon, the sky itself was similarly cleaved, the amber glow which had once adorned it now making way for vivid purples and blues to stretch across the sky. Tsubaki could have sworn she was able to spot glints of stars forming in the violet oasis.
Long after that train had departed, the station in which it once was becoming infested with a still quiet, Tsubaki felt a growing heat in her chest, a warmth, which burned brightly for Rika, even if she was going to be gone for some time. Hopefully a month would pass by quickly. Even then, they still had some form of communication through their phones - Tsubaki could almost feel the vibrations of her phone against her jacket already, anticipating the onslaught of messages she’d receive from Rika, and presumably her band members too, once they find out. Despite the excitement rising in her chest, she’d check her phone later; currently opting to take the moment of respite she had to process what just happened.
Toiling over her own thoughts, still lingering within the train station until the stars began to poke pinholes in the sky, Tsubaki could only come to one conclusion.
Perhaps living in the moment wasn't such a bad thing after all.