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One thing often overlooked about youth is the physical distance that limits it. You can’t readily go to an arcade if you don’t live near one, you can’t readily go to the beach if you don’t live near it, et cetera. The list is endless like the multitude of stories set in the springtime of youth of the main characters. And much like infinity, the number will keep increasing. Humanity is trying to keep itself alive after all, so there will always be an endless stream of new teenagers experiencing such tales themselves and jaded adults who long to go back to those days. At least, that’s until another meteorite hits the planet and wipes out all of humanity. Then we can say goodbye to everything. Our lives, our belongings, our systems, our knowledge, and our fragile society. Utter decimation is the only absolution that exists to rid us of such nonsense stories. No one would miss those stories at that point either, because they’d all be dead. Everything is so fragile. Human lives, human relations, human society, human infrastructure. So utterly feeble that it is only a miracle that we stand at the top of the food chain. All because we managed to learn how to use tools and got a bit of self-awareness. And guns. Guns are important too. No one can outrun a bullet, nor can anyone outrun a bullet train. Transport is the only way to conquer the distance that limits youth. We pay tax money for the government to spend on infrastructure, so it would only make sense it’d run perfectly all the time. Unfortunately, imperfect beings only bring forth more imperfection. Bearers of the original sin could never hope to emulate God. And, also, sometimes tax-money gets embezzled. Even if the latest technology is used, all it takes is one singular error to bring down an entire system like a house of cards. One error, and your two-hour commute might suddenly turn into four, leaving you in a state of stress as you constantly refresh your routes just to be able to be home a little earlier. One error, and your attempt at experiencing youth is shot because delays were rampant enough that you won’t even make it home later on. Transfers, delays, cancellations, traffic accidents, the odds are eternally stacked against you when using public transport. And yet so much of society is reliant on it, and it’s the better alternative to consumer cars in terms of pollution. It’s a pillar holding up society that could break at any moment, no matter how much money we spent building it up and constantly fixing it. We call our lives stable despite putting everything in the hands of others. There’s nothing in this world that is stable. It’s a myth. Something that only exists to make our thinking easier. Even the ground beneath us isn’t solid as the tectonic plates slowly shift around over time. And the earth itself is slowly changing its shape. Fluctuation, chaos, and evil are the only constants. Despite that we close our eyes, blindfold ourselves, and turn away, pretending society is in a good place. Going through the days, blind to everything, and looking away from disaster, pretending humankind is good. Pretending we don’t see all that is bad. As if crime doesn’t exist. As if society isn’t a few impulsive thoughts away from utter destruction. As if there aren’t missiles aimed at our neighborhood by our neighboring countries, ready to fire as soon as someone missteps. One mistake and it all comes crumbling down. And at that point, why even bother trying anything at all? Why build up something when we know it will all fade away? ‘Then simply do things because you want to do them’? And yet total anarchy isn’t allowed. A caveat always exists for such positive statements. We ought not fool ourselves much longer. Perhaps humanity itself is its own cosmic horror, and there’s a reason why we haven’t found life out in the universe. Perhaps the aliens are avoiding us, similar to how we avoid looking at the real problems. Just like how we ignore the outcasts in our class and society because they are a little weird when secretly those very same ‘weirdos’ only want someone to acknowledge their existence, to make sure others saw them. That they were here. That they existed. That they mattered. All born against their will and forced to carry out their societal duty simply because they’re human. And then they are the ones branded as the weird ones for not acting like the rest of us when we can’t even afford them a ‘hello’? It’s twisted. Like a möbius strip. As if it were that they’re the inverse of society when they’re the products of the very same society that didn’t reach out to them. If society doesn’t take responsibility, then who will? Who will look at them? Or are we going to stare at the light only, blinding ourselves, looking away from the dark, shifting the blame as we go on our days pretending this status quo is to be maintained like it isn’t all about to fall through from underneath us?
- Hitori Gotoh
“So, you’re telling me nothing has advanced between you and Bocchi-chan?” Nijika asked while leaning back in her chair, slightly shaking her drink cup, rattling the slowly melting ice within. Her irises were fixed upon the person sitting next to her, who was slowly sipping her own drink through the straw.
”She calls me by my first name now,” Ikuyo Kita responded softly wondering if a development that happened so long ago was still relevant, after lowering her drink.
“You said that last week too, you know?”
“Eh, really?”
“So things really haven’t advanced!” Nijika’s face beamed at the fact her deduction regarding the bond between her two bandmates was spot-on. Ikuyo shrunk into her chair, the words stinging a lot more to her than Nijika probably intended, she figured.
Ikuyo looked Nijika in the eyes for a brief moment, before averting them and focusing on the straw of her drink in her hands. The harshness of the truth she was being confronted with made her focus on everything but the truth. Desiring peace-of-mind, she started fiddling with the straw, absorbing herself in the meaninglessness of her actions. But of course, she had to respond at some point. Not doing so would be...rude. “You know how Hitori-chan is...”
Nijika leaned her head on her hand while staring out the large window facing the street, gazing at the crowd passing by the restaurant the two of them were in. True, she knew how Hitori-chan is. The society-hating, always pessimistic, pink haired guitarist of Kessoku Band was easy to envision. Perhaps for a character like Bocchi, it would be more appropriate if she was easily forgettable. For better or worse (depending on who you ask), it was the exact opposite. If you ever had the opportunity to see her play her guitar, you would instantly get why. It was a sight that would burn itself into your mind. Bocchi often wishes for popularity, or to be special...
But when you’re able to do that, aren’t you already decently special? In-terms of all the people aware of another’s existence, Nijika would confidently bet that Bocchi was the one person she was acquainted with that was the most well-known. Surpassing even the popular girl with natural charisma sitting next to her, who was still fiddling with her straw.
Though maybe if you counted ‘guitarhero’ and ‘Hitori Gotoh’ as separate, then things would be a little different.
“She still doesn’t get it, huh?” Nijika mused, correctly assuming the density of the black hole that was Bocchi. Ikuyo only nodded, her straw almost being split into two now at the top. “I’m surprised, though, with your Kita-chan charm and all the opportunities I managed to create for you two...”
“Hitori-chan is just something completely different entirely.”
“Truly built differently from the rest of us, huh? Though maybe that’s a good thing.”
While maybe more popular than your average high school girl, Hitori Gotoh wasn’t a person you wished to be. In-terms of all things people wanted to be, Nijika would confidently bet that Bocchi was the one person she was acquainted with that was the least ideal to be. Nijika took another sip of her drink while racking her brain to find any words that could help with Ikuyo’s unique problem. She would need information, first and foremost.
“Tell me again about your previous dates?”
Ikuyo grew both red and grimaced at the word choice, being forced to remember the series of catastrophes that brought her to this point in time.
“I’ve told you about the arcade already, right?”
“Ah yeah, the one where some guys came up to you and challenged Bocchi-chan?”
Ikuyo nodded as she finally stopped breaking apart her straw and actually tried drinking from it.
“If I remember correctly, you said you managed to make Bocchi-chan call you by your first name?”
“Correct.”
“Then why not do something similar to that? Considering that’s the most progress you made at once,” Nijika logically pointed out.
“That’s the thing! We went to a different arcade not long after that, but somehow videos from the other arcade got online on the net and people recognized Hitori-chan! They all challenged her to the same guitar game...they even started offering Hitori-chan money when we tried to leave!”
“Did Bocchi-chan take that?”
“She tried to, but I dragged her away just in-time...”
“So arcades are a total bust, huh?”
“Yeah, all of them. Hitori-chan said she wouldn’t step into one ever again unless she needed money.”
...
She just had to ask.
“Did she beat them at least?”
“Of course! This is Hitori-chan we’re talking about!” Ikuyo started glowing with pride. Kitaura levels slowly rose, but that was fine. Nijika had a higher tolerance for it. Much more than a certain girl who turns into ash at the drop of the hat.
“Alright alright, what else have you tried?”
“I took Hitori-chan to the mall once, specifically, a clothing store...”
“Oh boy, I can kinda guess how this one ends...”
“She just froze up all of a sudden at the door...” Ikuyo recounted, kitaura levels dropping.
“And why was that?”
“Well she was looking into a mirror pretty intensely, so...”
“Oh! Let me guess, she probably felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb in that tracksuit right?”
“That’s what I thought too, so she asked to go home while trying to hide in a garbage can...”
“Poor Bocchi-chan... It’s not like she doesn’t have any other clothing besides her usual...”
“Let’s not mention the last time we made her dress differently...”
The taste of ash resurfaced on Nijika’s tongue.
“Yeah...” Nijika agreed. “But wait, if you took her to a clothing store knowing that...” the drummer stared at the guitarist, who was trying her hardest to avert her gaze.
“U-uhm! Y-you know, I just… I just wanted recommendations! For myself!” Ikuyo started sweating bullets.
“Kita-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan?”
Nijika’s stare started piercing holes.
“Ugh! Fine! So what if I wanted to maybe see her in cute clothes!? Besides! Things only went bad after we tried to do something with her hair!”
Nijika was satisfied with the answer.
“So arcades and malls are out of the question then, anything else?”
“So are zoos and aquariums...”
“Uh-huh. Tell me about them,” Nijika forgot her initial intentions by asking about Ikuyo and Hitori’s previous outings, merely being interested in the series of repeated misfortunes that seemed to surround these two at this point.
Or maybe it was just surrounding Hitori.
“The aquarium went pretty well, at first. Hitori-chan liked the aquariums, saying something about becoming transparent...” Ikuyo placed a finger on her chin, “but then we went to the penguin show and they...”
“They?”
“They just rushed at her!”
“The penguins?”
“The penguins!” Ikuyo exclaimed.
“How does that even happen… Actually that reminds me of the time during summer vacation.”
“Yeah I thought the same thing at the time as well,” Ikuyo started swirling her straw in her cup, “maybe birds just hate her?”
“You know, that reminds me of this video I saw online of someone being attacked by...penguins.”
“That was...her.”
The realization dawned on Nijika.
“That video...went viral...”
“At least they blurred her in it and the angle is pretty bad, but don’t show that video to Hitori-chan okay?”
A notification appeared on both of their phones. Nijika grabbed it to check.
“Too late,” the drummer solemnly said.
“Group chat?”
“Yes.”
“From Ryo-senpai?”
“Yes.”
Ikuyo sighed, “At least the aquarium gave us free stuff for it to avoid us suing them…” she took another sip of her drink, “Zoos are banned because...well they tend to have larger, more dangerous animals...”
“I understand,” the blonde drummer looked at the smaller sized ice cubes within her cup, “so she banned all those places?”
“Well, not really a hard-ban, more like it is best we don’t go to them for the time being.”
Makes sense.
“So what now, Kita-chan?”
“I don’t know,” Ikuyo said, defeated. “The places we can go to are slowly running out, and who knows when Hitori-chan stops accepting my invitations?”
Nijika took a sip of her freshly melted ice.
It made sense, when faced with this much misfortune while you’re trying to experience youth, how much longer until you gave up entirely?
“Even outside of these feelings, I just wanted to show her the world she shut herself away from,” Ikuyo continued barely above a whisper, barely regarding the person sitting next to her and simply letting the words and sentiments flow free. Bottling up feelings was no good, so might as well share it to the one person who knew about the depths of her emotions. “But I wasn’t able to make good memories with her, everything failed,” Ikuyo's voice cracked, her emotions arriving at a point where it nearly overwhelmed her. Tears almost started welling up in her eyes, “The festival was like this too, I pushed her too hard, and she... Maybe I’m just...”
Ikuyo silenced a small sob.
Kitaura was practically non-existent.
“Kita-chan?”
The redhead turned her head toward her fellow band member and quickly got her cheeks squished. The latent sadness in the air lifted, and on Ikuyo’s face an expression of surprise dawned.
“Shenbai?” Ikuyo tried her hardest to articulate things properly despite the restraints.
“No crying! Besides, isn’t it too early to give up?” Nijika said with the brightest smile she was able to produce. While she couldn’t beat Ikuyo with her kitaura, that didn’t mean her own positive energy was anything to scoff at. And if its use was necessary to refire her vocalist’s aura, then she would do so any day of the week.
“But...I...”
“Just invite her again!”
Really, that was the answer wasn’t it? While one could spend eternities overthinking ‘the best possible way’, considering all that seemed ‘important’, the truly best way to make an impact...
Be bold.
Be decisive.
Be unlike Bocchi-chan.
That is all!
“But where...”
“Simple,” Nijika released Ikuyo’s cheeks and grabbed her drink from the table, using it to point towards the other girl in one fluid motion, “somewhere with only the two of you.”
“Only the two of us...” Ikuyo embedded the words in her mind, slowly growing embarrassed while fully realizing the merit in those words. The two of them, alone. In a non-public area. Romantic vibes. It was almost too much to grasp.
“Like, let me think...” a lightbulb appeared over Nijika’s head, “what about karaoke?”
That...
“That could work…!”
“Wait, you’ve never taken her before?” Nijika was flabbergasted.
“Well, she doesn’t like singing...” Ikuyo uttered her shallow defense, in hopes it would suffice knowing full well it really wouldn’t. It was paper thin, or maybe so thin and weak it may as well have been nonexistent.
“But we’re...in a band! You’re the vocalist! It makes so much sense! Kita-chan...” the drummer put her hands on the other’s shoulders.
“Ahhh! I get it, I get it, you don’t have to spell it out!” Ikuyo shrank into her chair and started waving her arms around to deflect the barrage of logical attacks coming at her. Nijika let go of Ikuyo’s shoulders and flicked her forehead. The flicked let out an embarrassing and yet weirdly adorable noise while covering her forehead as defense for any further attacks. Nijika found herself briefly becoming jealous and awed at Ikuyo’s natural cuteness and charisma that even something like that was cute.
If she did that to Bocchi, then the sound she would make would have just been pathetic.
And this girl in front of her has a crush on that pink blob?
Ah, what the world has become.
“Those are my words for you! That is all!” Nijika said, mimicking the likeness of a teacher and pointing towards Ikuyo now, who merely looked at her.
“I don’t remember words physically hurting this much,” the vocalist retorted.
“It has to sink in somehow, doesn’t it? Just like how something else has to sink into the skull of a mutual friend of ours.”
“You can say that again, although you know how I feel about that friendship,” Ikuyo’s sadness had disappeared now, and she took a big sip of her drink, finishing it.
She couldn’t help but wonder, though...
“You know, Ijichi-senpai, why are you helping me this much? Like setting up all those opportunities for me to do something with Hitori-chan and listening to me right now,” Ikuyo asked with her head tilted, and looking into Nijika’s eyes.
What were the reasons?
Maybe it had something to do with the fact she thought Ikuyo’s natural charm could reach even someone like Bocchi.
Maybe it had something to do with the fact she thought Ikuyo’s natural cheer would balance out Bocchi’s gloom.
Maybe it had something to do with the fact she thought Ikuyo’s natural energy could be the force that drove Bocchi forwards and act as her support.
Maybe it was because they were both fellow band members and helping bring about more happiness in the world was the natural thing to do.
Maybe all of those reasons could apply.
But the first thing that came to mind?
“Because...” Nijika returned her gaze, smiling, “I’m your guys’ upperclassman, after all!”
Ikuyo was only able to burst out laughing, somehow capable of weaving in an ‘of course’ within her laughter.
“What’s so funny, Kita-chan?” Nijika started laughing too and started poking at Ikuyo’s sides.
“It’s nothing, r-really! H-hey!”
The mutual laughter took a while to subside.
“I-Ikuyo-san, are w-we there yet?” Hitori’s voice was barely audible from underneath the box of mangoes she was ‘wearing’.
“Yes, we’re next to the building...” the response was filled with slight nervousness, as Ikuyo tried to make sure no one saw Hitori stepping out from the box. Hitori, quite adept at moving in a box at this point, was quietly shuffling behind Ikuyo while they traveled to their shared destination. Somehow escaping the notice of all the people that walked by.
Maybe Hitori’s invisibility was supernatural?
Pink locks of hair revealed themselves, as Hitori pushed the box from over herself. Ikuyo thought that in scenes like these, a reveal like this would be spectacular. The reveal of a super cute girl in a random alleyway situated next to a random karaoke place...
No, of course not.
It was just Hitori Gotoh, wearing her pink tracksuit, with her same two-tone hair-tie.
It wasn’t anything special, Hitori could hardly be described as a shining bishoujo character.
At least, not by anyone that wasn’t named Ikuyo Kita. She felt as if the sun revealed itself from behind the cloud curtain.
Ikuyo smiled upon seeing Hitori.
Hitori took a deep breath. “I-it was getting hard to breathe in there,” she picked up her box and folded it up, carrying it underneath her arm.
“Then why wear it?” Ikuyo playfully asked.
“I-I can’t...let anyone see me... People’s gazes...and their judgments...” Hitori violently shook her head. “Thirsty...”
“Here, let’s go inside and order a drink.”
The plan was–simple. Somehow, someway, reveal the feelings you harbor for the girl in front of you. Time...was running out. Places to go to were running out. What was that phrase again? ‘Now-or-never’?
No,
only now.
No never.
“We’re here for the reservation at 4pm! Under the name ‘Kita’!”
“One moment please,” the desk clerk clicked away at her keyboard, “yes, the one for one hour, room seven, fourth one on the right. Drinks are self-serve at the bar. Food you can order through the intercom.”
“Thank you!” Ikuyo looked backwards at the girl hiding behind her, shrinking at the sudden interaction with a complete stranger. “Come on Hitori-chan, let’s get you a drink.”
One hour.
That was the time limit.
Maybe Hitori-chan was open to going somewhere after this, but...
But...
There was no guarantee.
And it’s been quite a while already.
Plus, all the misfortune...
Thus, now.
The pair entered their designated room, with drinks in hand. A soda for Hitori, and numerous bottles of water for Ikuyo. Ikuyo has been to plenty of karaoke places with her friends, there wasn’t anything different. And yet...it felt different. The disco lights were different, the seats were different, just...everything felt different. Was it because of her intentions? Or maybe it was because Hitori was present...
“This was for...practice, right?” Hitori asked, after putting down her box by the clothes rack.
Oh yeah.
That was the pretense.
“Yeah, practice...! Go sit down, I’ll get things set up! Do you have any song requests~?”
“U-uh, no...”
Perfect .
One hour.
Ikuyo took the proper preparations, and performed her vocal warm-ups. It was strange, despite everything she had done before as a member of Kessoku Band, it was now where she felt the most nervous to take the stage. Attempting to reach anyone with her singing was one thing, but reaching the heart and soul of someone specific...
One singular person, breathing the same air she was...
It was scary.
...
How many songs will I be able to sing?
Ten? Less?
Will I be able to?
Would it work at all?
No, there’s no point in doubts.
It starts here.
“Are you ready, crowd!?”
“E-eh...” Hitori flinched at the sudden noise, like a deer in headlights. “Why are you MC’ing...?”
“This is also part of performing! Welcome to the exclusive Ikuyo Kita karaoke show!” the star of the show winked at the sole member of her audience, her entire audience.
“Uhm...” Hitori felt like she had to contribute. “What will you be singing...?”
“Hmm... good question! What about some anisongs?”
Hitori nodded in response.
“Okay! I’ll sing my heart out, so please listen~! Our first song is...”
Ikuyo breathed in.
“Blue Album.”
The 50 minute countdown started.
All that happened next was a blur for both people in that karaoke booth. It was a lightning round of anime songs, old ones, and new ones. Some songs Hitori didn’t even recognize, and she was super-aware of what shows were popular every few months (people often requested guitarhero to play songs from trending anime).
The worst part about this song selection?
They were all love songs.
Hitori loved Ikuyo’s singing, but hearing her voice sing songs outside of Kessoku Band... Singing love songs at that...
Hitori wasn’t fond of love songs, they were overly sappy and were the pinnacle of ‘youth’. In other words, Hitori wanted to die. She focused on recognizing the songs instead of their actual lyrics or themes, trying her best to suppress mentally acknowledging the songs. In an attempt to block it all from her memory.
“Wow, a pretty high score there, huh?” Ikuyo looked at the screen while taking a swig of water.
45 minutes remaining.
“Next! Sentimental Catastrophe!”
Hitori knew that one. The show that song was tied to was super popular, and new seasons were awaited with bated breath.
And it was a romance show .
41 minutes remaining.
“Woo! Let’s keep this momentum going! Are you ready, Hitori-chan!?”
“Y-yeah...”
“Yeah! Here is Love Flow!”
Hitori recognized that name instantly, it was one of the most popular anime songs in existence. And...
Love is literally part of the name...
37 minutes remaining.
“Hold on, let me take a break,” Ikuyo downed her entire water bottle. It was fine. She had multiple. Was this even practice at this point? She slowly caught her breath. She had plenty of stamina remaining, she could keep going.
“Alright! We’re just getting started! Up-next is... Shout of Love!”
That one was from the same series as the last one, I think?
32 minutes remaining.
“There’s more where that came from! Wo Ai Ni!”
Love again... This seems like an older song, so an older show?
28 minutes remaining.
“This show isn’t ending! Kilopascal!”
That one was from a pretty well-known romance anime…
Hitori tried her hardest to suppress her senses.
24 minutes remaining.
“I’m kind of running out of transitions here... Are you doing okay, Hitori-chan?” the vocalist focused on her audience.
“I-I mean, I’m just sitting here? A-are you okay? You’ve been singing for a while now...”
“Well, we gotta use the most of our time right!?”
“Yes, but I-I mea—”
“Yeah, so let’s keep going! But first, water...”
Ikuyo’s throat was on fire.
Was this her second or third bottle of water?
It didn’t matter. She had to move on. There was no time for breaks.
Just keep singing.
For her.
So it can reach her.
“Alright! Here is Lightworks!”
There was no person who did not know this song. It was the anisong with the greatest number of views...like, ever. It was by two popular artists for a pretty well-doing movie.
About love.
18 minutes remaining.
“At least that one was a little slower~,”
“I-Ikuyo-san...?” the whisper didn’t reach anyone.
Ikuyo wiped the sweat off her brow. Her vision started getting slightly hazy. No matter. Keep going. “Here’s Wheel of Fortune!”
Nobody noticed Ikuyo’s score growing lower and lower.
Hitori wasn’t familiar with this song, but she deduced it was probably from a tearjerker anime, if these vibes were anything to go off of.
About love, no doubt.
13 minutes remaining.
“We’re almost done! Let’s keep going! Hidden Base!”
Hitori knew what anime this was from; it was the tearjerker anime to end all other tearjerker anime. It was so popular, and this popularity extended to the songs as well.
Love...was a component of this show...if I remember correctly.
Either way, it was ‘youthful’.
Ikuyo could barely make sense of all her senses. She felt like she was hearing lights and seeing sounds. Where was the ceiling? Was she still standing properly? How much time is remaining...? Did Hitori feel anything at all? Or did she reject it all?
Ikuyo couldn’t see her. The sun shone so brightly it blinded her.
So she could only keep singing.
Desperation? Perhaps she was desperate. For her words, these songs, to reach the heart closest to her that wasn’t her own.
To let it resonate.
Despite her efforts to block it all, Hitori couldn’t completely ignore what was happening in front of her. Although she did not give the lyrics any time-of-day, her eyes were locked onto something, not once daring to look away. The sight of Ikuyo Kita was not a view that Hitori disliked. Yes, her fellow guitarist and high-school first year shone brighter than anyone else she knew. And while normally that meant that Hitori would hate looking at her…
Somehow it has become more comfortable to look at her than at anything else. Even if Hitori’s hideous shadow would show, she didn’t tear her eyes away.
She, her kitaura, everything.
It just shone too much.
You couldn’t avert your eyes.
Especially when they were the only ones in the room.
So Hitori looked upon the sight of Ikuyo, not knowing of the singer’s desperation but feeling it with every sung syllable, every chord progression, every melody. All of it weaving together to form a romantic attack even Hitori could not completely block.
But of course, the attacked was none the wiser.
She, too, was looking into the sun.
A sun shining with kitaura, desperately glimmering to catch the attention of another celestial body. Hitori didn’t dare see herself as the burning ball of plasma in space, for there was simply no way her pitiful existence could compare to something as radiant. The moon was...much more appropriate. The dark fit her more. It was her sole companion in the nights where she was the only one awake in the Gotoh household, playing guitar in her closet.
But even if the moon was not as radiant as the sun,
Ikuyo would probably think that the moon was beautiful, regardless.
Could Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi ever reunite?
7 minutes remaining.
“The final...song is a more recent one! It’s called...rain...bow...” her vision suddenly grew lopsided, and the sun’s kitaura dimmed.
“Ikuyo-san?!”
With a soft thud, everything went dark, as if the moon was about to rise.
When she came to, she saw the ceiling and the disco lights of the karaoke booth. She immediately remembered what happened, and shot up, scaring the girl who was awkwardly looking things up at lightning speed.
“Ikuyo-san!? Are you okay? You shouldn’t move around much? I think???”
“Hitori-chan, how much time do we have left...?” she asked in her haze, her voice soft.
“We’re pretty much out, so we gotta leave soon, “ Hitori double checked on her phone, “But you...can you get up?”
“Yes, I’m okay...I’m okay...” Ikuyo attempted to convince herself as she tried to stand up.
Thankfully, she was successful, after wobbling a bit.
Be strong, Kita!
“Let’s go, Hitori-chan,” she tried her hardest to say it with her usual, upbeat tone.
“Uhm...okay,” Hitori walked over to the door to fetch her box, getting ready to leave. Ikuyo focused on her, watching Hitori’s back slowly grow more and more distant as if in slow motion. So far... Like the distance was never to be closed again. The distance between their hearts. The distance between her feelings and the recipient. The distance between night and day. Though perhaps her vision and brain may still have been recovering from the overall oxygen deprivation and constant strain everywhere on her body, tricking her into seeing things just a bit differently, and not thinking...properly.
No.
Not like this.
I won’t let it end like this.
So she leapt forwards, with all the strength her legs could muster.
“Hitori-chan.”
The person in question, the object of Ikuyo Kita’s affection, turned around.
And felt the sensation of another person’s lips on hers.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
WHAT.
WHAT’S HAPPENING.
IKUYO?
CAN’T BREATHE.
HUH?!
AM I DYING?
IS THIS IT?
And their lips parted, a trail of spit serving as evidence.
Before that fell apart too.
...
Silence.
Both had difficulty processing what happened.
Hitori’s lack of social awareness severely barred any and all correct conclusions to be made.
Ikuyo’s exhaustion slowed down both her thinking and her self-awareness from reaching her.
Until it did.
Ikuyo grew as red as her hair.
Panic.
Panic. Panic. Panic.
WhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdoWhatdoIdo????????????
“Ikuyo-san...?”
Ikuyo’s heart, emotions, and very being couldn’t have been on a higher string. If the author was smarter, then a guitar-related comment would be appropriate here. Alas, both them and the red-haired guitarist were both drawing a blank.
“YES?!”
“What was that? That was...” Hitori was clever, which is something people often forgot, for she knew things for what they were...objectively. “A kiss, right?”
There was no justification.
Nowhere to hide.
But Ikuyo tried to hide away.
“Ohyouknow,yeahitwasakiss,you’rerightaboutthat!butyouknow,it’sjustakiss...” Ikuyo’s mind and mouth were working in overdrive to find an excuse, any excuse. Trying to find anything it could use to evade the current situation. To dodge the repercussions of her actions.
And it found something.
Hitori Gotoh’s lack of social awareness and norms.
Paired with Ikuyo Kita’s status as a ‘social person’.
“It’s just a kiss among friends! Yeah! Friends kiss each other sometimes, you know?”
What an awful excuse.
Hitori’s eyes lit up, somehow, and even more amazingly...
...she bought it.
“O-oh! I see... Yeah! Just a kiss among friends...” she said while excessively nodding. Was she trying to convince herself? “Should...we go now?”
“Y-yeah! Let’s go, right now. Immediately,” to accentuate her point, Ikuyo quickly gathered her stuff and got ready to leave.
Both criminals left the scene of the crime in a rush, and neither of the two attempted to mention what just happened. Instead, they talked about anything and everything that just wasn’t what had transpired.
Hitori didn’t even bother putting the box back on.
As for Ikuyo...
She wasn’t able to look Hitori in her eyes for the remainder of the day. But at least she was sure that Hitori felt her feelings.
Physically, at least.
Was that good enough?
Ikuyo didn’t know. The only thing she was certain of was the burning in her chest. It felt like it would burst, her entire being threatening to go up in flames.
It wasn’t stopping.
And to think that was the result of only one kiss.