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Emu Otori is nothing less than a bundle of sunshine.
No, she is the sun itself.
Everyone who has ever met her would define her as such.
Truly, there is no better description for her, and Nene wonders every day what she has done to be allowed to bask in the light of this bubbly girl, who radiates joy wherever she goes.
Her heart beats steadily as she watches Emu entertain a small group of children from behind the Wonder Stage, her hands flying through the air as she talks. Its pace quickens when Emu’s eyes meet hers, and a smile rivalling the brightest of days spreads across her lips. She gestures wildly for Nene to join her, jumping up and down.
“Whoa, it’s the fairy princess!”
“The one that sang so pretty!”
“I wanna hear her song again!”
Crap, it’s too late to disappear, the children have noticed her too.
Three girls look up at her with glittering eyes as she approaches them, and with every step, Nene becomes more conscious of the stage costume she is still wearing, the sweaty cloth clinging uncomfortably to her skin. Maybe she should just turn around, but Emu and her small group are coming towards her, and she doesn’t have the heart to disappoint the girls who are looking at her full of excitement. Or Emu, for that matter.
She gives them a small wave and an awkward smile, already far too much out of her element.
“Nene!” Emu bounces the last few meters up to her and throws her arms around her neck, and Nene nearly falls over from the momentum.
Emu nuzzles her head against the crook of her neck with a giggle, not one thought lost on the sweat Nene must be covered in. She reminds Nene of a Golden Retriever with the way her hair rubs against her skin. It’s soft, softer than she imagined, despite the taxing performance they’ve just put on. If Nene just closed her eyes, she could imagine that they weren’t amidst a crowd of people and just revel in this small contact, this familiarity and glee Emu treats her with. Enjoy this innocent intimacy.
But as suddenly as it happened, the sensation disappears, Emu already turning back to the children with a wide grin.
“Wahaha! I present to you: Nene, the fairy princess. And the bestest singer in the entire world!”
Nene’s face heats up.
Emu is exaggerating, she can’t be serious. Yes, it’s just something she says to the children, she has to advertise the Wonder Stage after all.
Nevertheless, her head keeps repeating Emu’s words like a broken record, not at all helped by the way Nene notices just how close Emu is to her.
“I want to be a princess too!”
Emu’s attention is still fully captured by the children, voice full of enthusiasm as they talk with shining eyes.
All the while, Nene’s heart races in her chest, a pleasant buzz emanating from her hand, where Emu has grabbed onto her again.
There is no point in denying it; Nene has accepted her feelings long ago.
How could she not, with the embodiment of laughter and joy in front of her almost every day? Just a glimpse of Emu’s smile is enough to light up her entire day, and a soft, unnoticed expression settles over Nene’s face as she watches Emu speak with passion.
She is content with the way things are now. Emu wears her heart on her sleeve, and Nene knows her feelings aren’t reciprocated. But that’s fine, nothing has to change as long as she can soak in Emu’s warmth just a little longer.
“Nene! Wonderhoy!”
These words are the only warning Nene gets before Emu barrels straight into her, knocking them both to the ground. The air gets knocked out of her lungs, and they land on the grass in a mess of limbs. Nene blinks a few times, recovering from the fall and slowly trying to comprehend the situation. Emu is on her lap, hugging her.
“Emu? What are you doing here?”
Pink eyes look at her with the brightest smile, and for the second time in a single minute, Nene feels all the air escaping her lungs, her heartbeat too fast to let her breathe it in calmly again. It’s like watching the sunrise after a polar night, the sight much more breathtaking than in her memories, no matter how many times she sees it.
Nene’s thoughts derail, and she nearly forgets what she just asked, all of her remaining mental capacity focused on not making a fool of herself.
Emu giggles, loosening her arms around Nene’s waist in the process. She still radiates the joy of a thousand suns as she answers, unaware of the Nene’s struggles to salvage any of her thoughts.
“Let’s have lunch together, Nene.”
Dumbstruck, Nene just stares at her for a few seconds before her brain starts to kick in again, and with it, her rationality.
“Wait, Emu. You can’t be here, you’re trespassing on school grounds,” she hisses. “Also, you can’t just run into people. What if it wasn’t me or someone got hurt?”
Emu giggles sheepishly and scratches the back of her head as she pushes herself off of Nene onto her knees.
“Sorry, I was just so happy to see you. And don’t worry, no one saw me. I was all koso koso and whoosh.” She gestures wildly in the air, hiding half of her face with one hand.
“Plus, I’m already here, and I promised Miku we would eat together.”
Emu looks at her with sparkly puppy eyes, and Nene knows she shouldn’t be so lenient. They could both still get in trouble, but she just can’t say no when Emu’s looking at her with that innocent and hopeful face.
She sighs. “Fine. But just for today.”
With just these words, Emu brightens, jumping onto her feet and hauling Nene along with her before drawing her into a hug.
“Yay! Thank you, you’re the best, Nene!”
Nene can feel her blood rush to her head before Emu lets her go, twirling as she gets her phone out of a pocket. “Did you hear, Miku? You can come out!”
Seconds later, the hologram appears, red ears and pom-poms bopping in tandem with Emu.
“Yay! I can’t wait to show you my new trick!”
Emu and her chatter excitedly, as Nene wipes a bit of dirt off her uniform and sits down on the nearest bench. Soon enough, Emu joins her, with Miku already juggling multiple balls, balancing on one leg, and raving about the new show she, Rin, Len and the plushies have planned.
It’s nice. Emu gushes with Miku about new ideas, and even Nene can find places to contribute to the discussion. The sun shines on them, and only a pleasant breeze waves through the air.
There’s still the danger of a teacher finding them, but Emu’s excitement practically melts her anxiety away, and Nene can’t deny that she wishes to do this more often.
“You know, we could always eat together in Sekai. Then you wouldn’t have to trespass every time to meet with us. And we could invite the others as well. I’m sure Miku isn’t the only one who wants to spend time with you.”
Emu stops in her tracks before a wide smile overtakes her features.
“Really?”
She looks at Nene as if she hung the stars in the night sky, and Nene again feels blood rushing to her head.
The moment doesn’t last long, as an explosion sounds in the distance, nearly making her drop her lunch box. It is followed by various pounding footsteps, screaming and maniacal laughter. These obnoxious voices… Nene would probably recognize them anywhere.
Seconds later, her premonition gets confirmed as a blond and a purple mop of hair round the corner of the building, closely followed by a teacher and Shiraishi.
Yep, it’s these two morons.
What’s more, Emu also notices them, waving with a bright smile.
“Oh! Tsukasa! Ru—”
Nene clasps her hand over her mouth and pulls her into the closest bushes.
These idiots are already in enough trouble, Emu and her don’t have to get involved as well. Miraculously, Emu doesn’t resist, and they wait until racing footfalls pass them and fade away. Only then does Nene realize their position, with Emu closely pressed against her torso and her hand still covering her mouth. She feels the warmth of every breath Emu takes, and her own heart hammers against her ribcage.
“Sorry.”
Nene’s face heats up, and she removes her hand, crawling out of the thicket.
Moments later, Emu follows, looking a bit dazed, and her cheeks adorned by a light rose tint. A few leaves are stuck in her hair, and her cardigan is a bit ruffled where Nene has grabbed her.
Emu blinks a few times, and Nene worries at her lip. Maybe she shouldn’t have dragged her like this. What if—
“Emu!” Miku pops up again, her hands flailing in the air. “We gotta run or you’ll be late!”
“Huh?” With that, Emu is back to her normal self, snatching her phone to check the time.
“Huh! Oh no!” Her eyes widen comically. “Sorry, Nene. I have to go!” She sweeps her up in another quick hug and is already running off before she turns around, waving back at her.
“That was fun! We really have to do this again! Wonderhoy!”
Nene can only shake her head as she watches her disappear from view with a fond smile, her hand still tingling from the warmth of Emu’s breath.
“What should we do for our next performance?” Tsukasa asks as they all sit in a circle on the Wonder Stage.
“Hm…” Rui looks at the ground pensively. “Our last one was more on the calmer side, so I thought something a bit more adventurous would be good for a change.”
“There are no festivities in the near future, but it is still summer,” Nene adds. “It would be best to use the good weather while it’s still warm.”
“Positive, the weather forecast predicts 80 to 90% sunshine for the next month.”
Tsukasa nods along to Robo-Nene’s assertion.
“Something that makes a future star like me shine and lets the audience forget the heat,” he boasts with an annoying, loud laugh.
“Oh! Oh!” Emu drapes herself over Robo-Nene’s head, kicking her feet in the air. “What about pirates? We can go swish and woosh over the stage and then splatter splash!”
Her eyes sparkle as she tries to communicate her thoughts, twirling around them, her arms waving in the air.
“And in the end, we can go wham kaboom bam! It’s going to be wonderhoy!” Full of enthusiasm, she points at Tsukasa, who by all means looks like he didn’t understand anything beyond the word “pirate.” And Nene can’t even fault him for it because she feels the same way.
As much as she loves Emu, she doubts that she—or anyone for that matter—will ever be able to decipher her buzzy gibberish.
Except Rui’s grin widens, and he gets this crazed look in his eyes, which Nene knows all too well.
“That sounds wonderful, Emu. If we could find a way to get some water on the stage, and we already have the machinery for the ropes, with a few adjustments we could…” he rambles, and Nene can practically see the cogs turning in his head.
“Say Tsukasa, I’ve been working on this new mechanism. What do you, as our best star, think about acting as a human cannonball?”
“Of cou—” Tsukasa stops in his tracks. “Wait, Rui. What did you say?” He backs away, as Rui creeps closer, a giddy excitement glinting in his eyes. “I said wait. Listen! Rui!”
It ends with him getting chased across the stage by the director, fruitlessly trying to negotiate.
Emu runs after them, her bright laughter filling the air, and with a sigh, Nene leans against Robo-Nene. Their meetings always get out of hand like this, and somehow these two will get Tsukasa to agree to their new mad idea.
She watches them exhaust their seemingly endless supply of energy, and the Kigurumi mascot next to her just shakes its oversized fluffy head.
After a few minutes, Emu pauses in her chase and turns to Nene.
“Oh, but we also need a lot of songs!” She grins and bounces a few steps towards her. “Nene’s singing is sure to bring a smile to everyone's face! It always makes me even more happy and wonderhoy!”
Despite the hot temperatures, the genuine smile Emu gifts Nene reminds her of the first sunlight in spring after a cold winter. It warms her from her core, spreading through her entire body and leaving behind goosebumps all over her skin. And Nene basks in this short attention, in the way her heart skips a beat hearing the compliment, before Emu gleefully gets swept away by the chaos again.
Nene waits in line, mindlessly tapping on her phone to block out the crowds. The only warning she gets before suddenly getting tackled in a hug is the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. She barely avoids dropping her phone as she stumbles to stay on her legs.
“Nene! What are you doing here?”
Emu lets her go, her eyes shining. The other people in line consider them with weary and irritated looks, and Nene shushes her.
“Shhh, Emu, not so loud.”
But the other only tilts her head in question, so Nene ploughs on. “I just want to buy a new game that just came out. What about you? Why are you here?”
At this, Emu bounces in place, pointing towards the entrance.
“I was out with my big sis! We were just done shopping when I saw you, and I just had to greet you!”
Nene sighs. Emu’s excitement is still far too noisy for her liking, but she hopes that the surrounding noises are distracting enough for the other patrons not to care about it. They’re already close to the counter, and she can’t wait to get out of this crammed place. And, even if she doesn’t want to admit it, Emu is a nice distraction from the anxiety buzzing under her skin.
“I’m glad to see you too, but you should be more careful. You shouldn’t run in places like this. What if we fell down?”
At least Emu has the decency to look guilty before she smiles at her again.
“Hehe, sorry. But it was so wonderhoy to see you!”
She rocks on her heels, unable to stand still for even a moment. “Say, say, Nene. Do you have anything planned after this?”
Hopeful eyes bore into Nene. Truthfully, she doesn’t, she just planned to get the game and go back home. But even if she had, Nene doubts she could ever deny Emu anything, not when she looks at her as if she’s been waiting the whole day for this.
She shakes her head, and Emu jumps up and down, as though Nene gave her the best present she could have ever asked for.
They fall into easy small talk, and soon enough, they step out of the store. Emu twirls around, telling her all about her shopping trip. Crowds pass by them, and Nene finds she doesn’t mind them as much when she can just focus on Emu and her voice, guiding her through the sea like a lighthouse.
She is so focused on dodging passerbys that she barely avoids crashing into Emu, who abruptly stops in her tracks.
“Nene, look!”
Emu runs up to a nearby claw machine, pressing her face and hands against the glass. “It’s so cute!”
Her words come out muffled, and Nene walks to her side. Various animal plushs lie in the machine, piled on top of each other.
“Which one are you talking about?”
“The bunny back there!” Emu presses her finger even harder against the glass, pointing at a light green bunny in the far back corner. “Do you think I can get it?”
“I mean, you can try, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up…” Nene says, but Emu is already pushing a coin into the slot, buzzing with excitement.
She moves the claw back and hits the button to drop it. It barely even catches the bunny’s foot, but Nene can already see that it’s far too weak. The limb slips out immediately, and the claw returns empty-handed.
“Aww… But this time it will work!” Emu says, slipping another coin into the machine, and then another one, and then one more.
It is clear that Emu is far too impatient for this kind of game, regardless of the fact that these machines are rigged to hell and back. But Nene can’t bear the look of disappointment that etches itself deeper into Emu’s face with each failed attempt.
“Let me try it.” She steps in front of the control pad, slotting in one of her own coins. It may cost her a fortune, far more than this plush must be worth, but she would do anything to bring back that light in Emu’s eyes.
Nene manages to bring the claw into a better position, but as expected, it drops the animal as soon as it tries to lift it. She feeds more coins into the machine. At some point, it has to work. She just has to endure it.
Finally, the claw grips the plushie, stronger than in all her previous attempts, and raises it into the air. Nene holds her breath, watching as it shifts closer and drops it into the prize chute.
She did it. She did it!
Emu bounces next to her, oohing and ahhing.
“Here.” Nene picks up the bunny and holds it out to Emu, who takes it and hugs it tightly.
“You’re amazing, Nene!”
She looks at her with brilliant eyes, and her smile alone is enough to melt every glacier on this earth. Nene averts her eyes, sure that she might melt alongside them, if the heat rushing to her head is any indication.
“Really, it’s nothing, just a bit of luck.”
“Nuh-uh, you’re the best!” She throws her arms around Nene, and she can feel Emu’s breath and grin against the crook of her neck. “Thank you!”
Nene might actually overheat, as she wraps her arms around Emu, her face on fire. She doesn’t know how much time passes until Emu steps back, grabbing her hand again, the other clutching the plush close to her heart.
“Let's go! Who knows what else we’ll discover!”
Her expression looks like there’s nothing she would rather do, so Nene lets herself get dragged along, basking in her light and warmth.
They continue their stroll, Emu pointing out various things Nene has never before noticed. It’s as if Emu’s inviting her into her own world, letting her see her surroundings through her own eyes. And no matter how mundane her observations may seem, every little thing just adds to the ever-growing adoration in her heart. From Emu’s lightly flushed cheeks and ruffled hair, to her excitement about a flower growing on the pavement, back to the bounce in her gait to avoid stepping on any cracks.
Time flies by, and Nene doesn’t notice the dark clouds gathering in the sky until she feels the first droplet against her arm. It is followed by another one, and then another one. Within a few seconds, it’s pouring buckets, and their meandering walk turns into a sprint as they search for some shelter from the rain. Water drenches their clothing, until they spot a small canopy, huddling under it together.
Her own garments stick unpleasantly to Nene, and she steps closer, hoping to avoid more of the downpour. The space is too small for the two of them, and she inadvertently presses against Emu in her effort to find protection. Wherever they touch, wet clothes not doing much to lessen the contact, Emu’s body sends an unexplainable heat along her skin. It spreads like a wildfire, occupying the forefront of Nene’s mind and distracting her from the cold, blanketing her in its welcoming warmth. It reminds her of the comfort of a fireplace, snuggled up in a blanket with her favourite game, the storm prattling against her windows completely forgotten.
Emu is clutching the plushie close to her chest, giggling with a childlike delight. Individual strands of her hair are plastered on her face, a light blush decorating her cheeks. She smiles at Nene, nuzzling closer to her, and continues laughing, full of joy. It is one of the most beautiful sounds Nene has ever heard, even more charming than Ms. Kazamatsuri’s singing, mixing with their surroundings and creating a euphony.
She would give everything to be able to hear it every day, and despite the cold and rain raging around them, she never wants to leave.
“Are you sure you want to stay behind?”
Rui looks at her in question, a bag full of equipment slung over his shoulder.
“Yes, I still want to practice a bit.” Nene turns to him. “I think I could improve a bit more on the final chorus in the last song. Don’t worry, I have Robo-Nene with me.”
He smiles at her and nods.
“Alright, take care and don’t overdo it. And don’t forget to charge Robo-Nene for tomorrow.”
His hand lands on her head, and he ruffles her hair, his usual Cheshire smile in place.
“God, yes, yes. I know.” With an eye roll, she bats his hand away, grumbling. “Now go. I’m sure you have enough plans as well.” Nene eyes his bag.
“You know me too well.” Rui’s grin only widens, and he finally steps back, raising his arm in goodbye.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, till tomorrow.”
Nene watches his retreating back until he disappears from her view. She unlocks her phone and taps on the final song for their performance, reading the script on the side. Maybe if she changes her pitch a bit and holds this note a bit longer…
This might work.
Nene replays the song, trying out her new changes. It sounds better, but there’s still something missing. The tone of her voice isn’t matching the zest of the song yet.
Nene worries at the inside of her cheek. She’s used to more calm and melancholic tunes, but that’s not what their performance calls for. Maybe if she—
In her peripheral view, she spots a splotch of pink behind one of the trees.
“Emu? What are you doing here?”
Emu steps out with a sheepish grin, a blush gracing her cheeks and the tips of her ears.
“Ehehe. Sorry, Nene, I didn’t mean to spy on you.” She scratches the back of her head and looks at the ground to her left. “I just forgot something, and when I heard you sing, I didn’t want to leave.”
“It’s fine.” Nene sighs with a shake of her head. “But you don’t have to hide. We’re practising nearly every day, it’s not like you won’t hear it tomorrow.”
Emu’s expression lights up.
“Really, I can stay? I didn’t want to disturb you. You’re the best, Nene!”
She rushes to her, hugging Nene tightly.
“You want to stay?” Nene sputters bewildered. She can feel Emu’s heartbeat against her racing one, almost all thoughts screeching to an abrupt halt by their closeness and her surprise.
“I mean, yes, you can. But, don’t you have better things to do? I’m sure your family is waiting for you.”
Emu giggles.
“They can wait a bit longer. I want to hear your voice for a bit longer! You’re the bestest singer in the world, I’ll never get tired of it!”
It’s said with the same confidence she used when Emu introduced Nene to the children. And again, the compliment spins in Nene’s head, making her dizzy as she tries to make sense of it. There are so many songstresses who easily overshadow her skills, she can name at least a dozen off the top of her head, mushy as her brain may be right now.
But Emu isn’t one to lie, and there’s no one to advertise the Wonder Stage to. She is completely honest, and her earnest and unequivocal exclamation nearly melts Nene on the spot as her entire body heats up.
She should feel embarrassed, should disagree with her, but like a moth to a flame, Nene craves more of this affection, wants Emu to shower her in more hugs and compliments, spend more time with her.
Her arms are still wrapped around her, and if Nene tilts her head just right, she can bury her nose in Emu’s hair and revel in its softness and her warmth.
Maybe, just once, it is fine to be a bit selfish and indulge in it.
Nene stares at her phone, checking the time for what must have been the twentieth time in the past five minutes.
She’s here early, there’s no reason to be nervous. Emu invited her herself, she wouldn’t just ditch her. Still, she glances at the time again, worrying at her lip. What if—
“Nene!” Arms wrap around her from behind, and Nene nearly drops her phone.
“Sorry, have I kept you waiting?”
Nene turns in her grasp, returning the hug before they separate again.
“Emu, don’t scare me like that. But no, it’s fine, I just arrived.”
“That’s good!” Emu grabs her hand. “Let’s go!”
She pulls Nene along the pavement, her back adorned by a colourful backpack. Her hand is soft, radiating the warmth that encompasses her entire being.
All of Nene’s thoughts go down the drain as she stumbles after Emu, far too focused on burning the feeling of Emu’s hand in hers.
“Wait, Emu. Where are we going?”
Emu turns around, smiling as brightly as ever. “I don’t know. Let's just see what we’ll find!”
And how could Nene deny her when Emu’s excitement is as contagious as her grin?
They stroll along the busy streets, only stopping briefly to buy and share some taiyaki that Emu has been looking at with longing eyes. The sweet taste lingers in Nene’s mouth as she follows Emu, their hands still interlocked, and she never wants to let go.
Emu drags her to the next window, filled to the brim with a variety of hair clips.
“Ohhh, they’re so sparkly and wonderhoy!”
Emu’s gaze is focused on multiple barrettes in the form of candy and balloons. “Ah, they really look like real candy! Wait here, Nene!”
With this, Emu runs off, into the shop. Nene watches her from outside, as an employee approaches Emu, and helps her pick out a few clips and hair ties.
It is barely a matter of a few minutes before Emu stands in front of her again, a small bag clutched in her hand. She uses her reflection in the window to put some of her hair into two messy buns, glowing with a smile. Colourful balloons frame her face as she grins at Nene like a child in a candy shop.
“They look so cute!”
“They do.” Nene nods, though she is sure that Emu and she aren’t talking about the same thing. It doesn’t matter, not when Emu is beaming like this.
The small bag clatters as Emu twirls once, and she grabs a few more clips out of it, holding them out to Nene.
“I also got some for you!”
A yellow and a green balloon clip glitter in the sun alongside two hair ties embellished with beads. Emu presses them into her hand, but instead of letting go, she keeps on holding it. Her eyes wander to Nene’s hair, and a new spark lights up in them.
“Can I do your hair?”
“Huh?” Nene’s thoughts try to catch up as they still concentrate on their connected hands. With her free hand, she grazes her own hair. “Here? I mean, sure. If you want to.”
“Thank you!” Emu’s smile seems bright enough to power the entirety of Japan. “Come, I know the perfect place for it!”
She leads Nene through side streets until they arrive at a bench near a playground. The area is remote, and Nene is thankful for the absence of crowds.
They sit down, her back facing Emu. She watches the sun slowly inch closer to the horizon as Emu takes her hair in her hands. Her fingers card through it, cautious not to pull on it. Emu hums an upbeat tone, but the care with which she handles her hair reminds Nene of a porcelain doll, something precious that must be handled with the utmost attention.
Her entire head is on fire as she feels Emu’s hands working and occasionally brushing her ears. Her pulse is racing through Nene’s veins, but at the same time the constant melody and gentle movement calm her mind, lulling her into relaxation. She closes her eyes, relishing this moment.
Far too quickly, Emu’s hands fall away with a proud noise. She taps her on the shoulder, and without seeing her, Nene can sense her excitement.
“I’m nearly done! Can you turn around?”
Nene follows her instruction, only to be caught off guard by Emu’s face, not even a hand’s width away from her own. Heat shoots back into her head as her brain waves goodbye, all the while Emu fiddles with her bangs. A few seconds later, she leans back, admiring her work with pink cheeks.
“You look so beautiful, Nene!”
“Huh?” Nene’s brain—which has only just deigned itself to return—short circuits instantly.
“Here, look, look! They look so good on you!” Emu turns on the camera of her phone and gives it to Nene to use as a mirror.
Her hair is tied into two neat space buns, accented with the green beads, and the two balloon clips decorate her fringe. It looks nice, but her face is occupied with imitating a tomato, and her mind tries to string together some semblance of a coherent sentence to not disappoint Emu.
“It’s cute.”
“I know, right! They look so wonderhoy! Ah, wait!”
Emu rummages in her bag, giving Nene a bit of time to recuperate. She pulls out a gift, nearly the size of her backpack itself, and turns back to Nene with a radiant smile, a light blush on her face.
“Here Nene! For you!”
Hesitantly, Nene accepts the gift, cradling it in her hands.
It is wrapped in white paper littered with colourful polka dots. The top is bound together by decorative ribbons in all colours of the rainbow, and various stickers decorate the front.
It’s an explosion of colour, by far not the prettiest wrapping objectively, but it is complete and utterly Emu, a perfect representation of her. The already familiar heat and a small smile sneak back onto Nene’s face as she appreciates it.
“Thank you, Emu. But, I don’t have anything for you, and you already gave me these hair clips…”
Emu’s smile just gets brighter, and she waves her hands in the air.
“Don’t worry! It’s more of a thank-you gift! You’ll understand when you open it!”
Nene nods, carefully opening the wrapping. As she moves the paper aside, she reveals a pink bunny plush. It reminds her of the one she gave Emu not too long ago, only with shorter fur. She raises her hand, petting its head, and the plush is incredibly soft, just as soft as Emu’s hair or her hand in hers.
“Thank you, Emu,” she says, looking back at her. “I love it, I really do.”
Emu is beaming at her, vibrant rose cheeks matching her hair.
“I’m glad, I just had to get it when I saw it. Now we can have partner plushies!”
And Emu looks so brilliant, illuminated by the last rays of the sinking sun, her eyes the most vivid shade of pink as they look at Nene, full of happiness. It makes her want to never forget this moment, grab it as tightly as she can, and keep it close to her chest forever. So she pulls Emu into a close hug, embracing her with all her might.
“Thank you. Truly.”
Nene can feel Emu’s erratic heartbeat against her own, and she closes her eyes to enjoy this intimacy.
They stay like this for quite some time until Emu pulls back a little, face and ears flushed with another smile rivalling the clearest sky on a sunny summer day.
“Nene, I have something really important to tell you!”
And before another word leaves her mouth, Nene already knows what she is going to say.
Emu isn’t subtle, she wears her heart on her sleeve. She looks at Nene as if she is the moon to her stars. As if her presence alone makes the looming end of another day more bearable. As if it were no longer something to dread, but something to look forward to.
No matter what Nene’s thoughts scream at her, filled with self-doubt, there is nothing else it could be. Not when Emu looks at her like she lights up her whole life.
Nene’s heart races in her chest, ready to leap out, and her hands become clammy as they hold onto Emu’s arms.
This is everything she dreamed of, everything she never dared to hope for. And it’s just handed to her on a silver platter with the most dazzling smile she could ever imagine.
It almost feels wrong, far too easy, too easy to get swept up in Emu’s whirlwind without doing anything. She can’t just let herself get dragged along without telling Emu how much she adores her, how long she has yearned for this, how she is like a beacon of light for her.
Nene’s grip tightens as she makes her decision, resolve burning in her mind.
“Can,” she wets her lips, her throat parched with nerves, “can I go first?”
Emu tilts her head a bit, a light confusion painted on her expression.
“Sure, Nene! What is it?”
Anxiety is threatening to swallow Nene whole, her hands shaking slightly.
What if she is wrong? What if she misinterpreted all of this?
But she can’t back out now, she’s already too close.
“I,” her voice sounds scratchy and higher than usual, but Nene pushes on, “I really like, no, I love you, Emu. I love your smile, your voice and your laugh, your personality, everything. And every time we spend time together, the only thing I can think about is how much I love everything about you, and—”
Her ramblings get interrupted by a crushing hug, Emu burying her face into her neck. Nene can feel her smile against her skin as she receives a muffled answer.
“I love you too, Nene!”
Emu Otori is the sun, brighter than any star Nene has ever seen.
And she will stay in her light, basking in her warmth, right by her side, love overflowing her heart with every day they spend together.