Work Text:
Ena put every ounce of passion in her body into her work.
In this regard, it would be accurate to say that her work contained her heart and soul. Every drawing, every painting, every digital art and every selfie all showed a different part of Ena’s heart, a different part of who she was.
And it hurt so much more because of that.
Because her father couldn’t see her. He only told her to give up.
Her fans couldn’t see her. They only favored the parts of her they liked.
Her classmates couldn’t see her. They didn’t even know her.
Nobody could see her.
All Ena had ever wanted was to be seen.
After her father had flat out told her that she wouldn’t make it in the art world, after he confirmed that he had never seen her, Ena had thought nobody in her family would ever see her.
She had been prepared to be covered by a tarp like an unfinished painting, never to see the light of day again.
Ena had thought that had been all but confirmed on that day, but instead, she’d awoken in the hospital. Minori and Akito had found her.
When Ena came home, she’d convinced herself it had been just a fluke, until she stepped inside her bedroom.
“I thought I told you not to poke around my stuff,” she scowled, placing her hands on her hips. Minori whirled around from where she had been standing near Ena’s paints.
“Neechan!” she cried, shocked. She reached up to play with one of the strands of her hair. “I-I wasn’t poking around, sorry. I just wanted it to be neat for you and…I got distracted by how pretty they are.”
“It’s just paint.” Ena shrugged, as if it weren’t a big deal. As if Minori wasn’t standing near very expensive water colored paint.
“That doesn’t make it any less pretty,” Minori disagreed, turning back to the paint. It was a clear sign that she wanted Ena to join her so, with a sigh, Ena did just that. She stood beside Minori and stared as her sister pointed at the various shades of blue. “Each color on its own is pretty, a different shade of blue that can be used in different ways. But if you combined them together, they’d be amazing. Just like the painting you gave me for my birthday.”
Ena wasn’t looking at the paints anymore. Instead, she was gazing down at Minori in wide eyed wonder. Minori must have felt her gaze, as she turned and tilted her head in curiosity when her eyes met Ena’s.
Ena shook her head and patted Minori on top of her head.
“You just like those colors because they remind you of Haruka-chan,” she teased.
“Neechannnnn!” Minori whined, her cheeks such a brilliant red that it was a wonder she didn’t burst into flames. “I-it’s not my f-f-fault Haruka-chan is s-s-so easy to…a-a-a-admire!”
“Gods help you if you ever actually meet her,” Ena sighed long sufferingly.
She shooed Minori out of her room after that, but her eyes kept going back to the watercolor paint. Her mind wandered again and again before she let out a groan and pulled them out.
Ena spent months working on that painting.
When she finally finished, she had a portrait of Minori staring back at her, surrounded in a sea of blues that highlighted both her smile…and the tears in her eyes.
Ena never gave it to Minori, but she held onto it.
Minori had seen her and the least Ena could do was return the favor.
(Years later, when Minori formed MORE MORE JUMP!, Ena had given her the portrait. Minori had cried tears of happiness and put it on her bedroom wall alongside the other two she had now.)
Akito was the biggest pain in the ass little brother Ena never asked for. She’d made that very clear over the years.
But that didn’t mean she’d let anyone insult him.
It all started one summer night. Ena was leaning against the side of a live house, waiting for Akito to finish up his event solely because he promised to take her to this one pancake café on Vivid Street that she’d been wanting to drag him to. He was just backstage helping clean up, so she was out on the street, waiting for him.
And that was when she heard them.
“That was awesome! Did you see those groups?”
“Hell yeah, man! They did awesome! Well, most did, anyway.”
“Ah, yeah, the kid. I dunno what he’s talking about, surpassing RAD WEEKEND. Nobody can surpass that, especially not a kid like him.”
Ena’s ears picked up at the conversation topic. She had paid attention during the event and she knew only one person had mentioned RAD WEEKEND. But if they were talking about Akito…
“Agreed. What was that kid’s name, anyway? Shinokome?”
“It’s Shinonome,” Ena snapped, stuffing her phone into her pocket as she approached the two, crossing her arms. She scowled at them. “Shinonome Akito and you’d best watch what you say.”
“What’re ya talking about, kid?”
“You think you can do anything to us?”
It was true, they were both adults while Ena was only a teenager. But.
“You wouldn’t want your faces splashed all over social media with such an unfavorable opinion, would you?” Ena spoke sweetly, but her smile was as vicious as a knife.
“You bi-”
“Ah, ah, ah!” Ena tsked. “I’m picking up every word you say alongside my pictures, you don’t want to ruin your reputation anymore.” She slowly stepped closer, her heels clipping on the ground, making decisive clicks with each step. “Now, I suggest you stop making fun of Akito. Considering he performed when neither of you did, he obviously has more talent in his pinky then either of you have in your entire bodies.”
“Grrr.”
“Ena?!”
Ena turned at the sound of her name, only to find Akito staring at her in disbelief. Calmly, Ena turned back towards the two and smiled again, once more knifelike.
“And by the way? Akito will surpass RAD WEEKEND. I expect to see you there when he does. Good evening.”
With those final words, she twirled around and walked over to her little brother, who was gaping at her like a fish.
“Well? Are we going or not?” Ena huffed at him, glaring.
Thankfully, Akito’s mouth snapped shut and he began to start walking, almost mechanically.
They walked for a while in complete silence. It was only when Ena could just see the café coming into view that Akito stopped walking, causing her to run into his back.
“Akito!” she scolded.
“Thanks,” he muttered, so quiet she could barely hear him.
“Huh?” Ena asked, playing dumb.
“I said, here,” Akito scowled, glaring at her. “Let’s get this over with, before your trigger fingers end up with me and those creeps plastered all over the internet.”
“What are you talking about?! I do not have trigger fingers!” Ena retaliated.
They fell into their pattern of bickering easily, neither of them acknowledging loudly what they both knew was true. For all of Akito’s annoyance at Ena’s use of social media, he saw that she used it to protect him too.
Later that night, when Ena checked her illustration profile on social media, she found her latest charcoal drawing had a like…from Akito.
It was a charcoal drawing of a fire, one she’d been quite proud of. And Akito had liked it. He’d taken the time to find her account and like one of her pieces.
Ena was absolutely not crying as she pulled out her charcoal.
The drawing took weeks, but finally, she had a charcoal drawing of Akito singing under a spotlight.
She put it right next to Minori’s portrait.
(Though she’d never admit it, Ena slid it under Akito’s doorway when he teamed up with Toya. Ena didn’t know his reaction to the gift, but Akito had been a bit less snappy the next day and she’d never seen it returned to her own room.)
There was one day in her life where Ena could point to it and declare with absolute confidence that her entire life had changed its course.
That day had been normal for the most part. Her routine was becoming established and though she wasn’t the happiest with how things were going, she was getting by.
That night, she’d gotten a mysterious email from someone named ‘K’.
K: You’re Enanan, the artist right?
Ena had debated about responding to it for far too long. She didn’t know who the person on the other end of the email chain was and she only suspected how they got her email.
But…
It was the fact that this person used her art account’s name that convinced her to click reply.
Enanan: I am. Can I ask why you’re asking?
K: I saw your art. It’s good.
The reply was practically instantaneous, Ena was left blinking repeatedly in surprise. Was this person just…waiting beside the computer for her to respond at any moment?
While that was a bit strange, Ena reminded herself that it was only a compliment. She continued the conversation, the least she could do was keep up with it.
Enanan: Thank you! <3 It’s not often I get personal notes like this, I appreciate it!
K: Do you sing?
Enanan: Sing?
Ena hadn’t meant to hit send with such a short reply, but it seemed as if K didn’t care. Their answer came just as quickly as the others.
K: Yes. I’m forming a music circle. I compose and I have a lyricist but we still need an illustrator and an animater. Your art is exactly what I am looking for. If you can sing, would you like to join?
It was the longest K had written in this entire short conversation so far, but Ena had the feeling that they were always this quiet unless something caught their attention.
It made her feel warm, knowing she’d caught someone’s attention like this, that they’d want her to join their music circle.
But at the same time, could Ena really do this? She didn’t know. Honestly, the whole thing felt like a dream or something. What if she disappointed K? What if her voice wasn’t good enough?
What if the art K had liked had been a fluke?
Ena didn’t realize her fingers were trembling until she looked down at her keyboard and realized typing would be impossible. She was frozen there, a statue waiting for the sculptor’s next hit of the hammer against the chisel, the one that would determine if she would be beautiful…or worthless.
The chime of her email brought Ena out of her dark thoughts and she found another email from K, waiting for her.
K: I understand this is a lot to ask suddenly, but I would really like you to join. Your portfolio is very good. My circle’s music wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t have your art. You don’t have to answer right away, please take your time.
It was too kind.
Ena could feel the tears burning in her eyes and she reached up to wipe them away. Even if nobody was here, she didn’t want to mess her makeup by crying. Not only was it ugly, but it felt terrible against her skin.
Enanan: I’d actually like to join. I’ll do my best to not disappoint!
K: That’s great. You should download Nightcord, that’s how our group communicates. We can easily share everything there. Yuki and I will be online at 25:00, if you can make it.
Enanan: I should be able to. Insomnia is an artist’s best friend, after all!
K: Great. See you.
And that was it.
Ena felt breathless as she stared at the email exchange for several minutes. She still wasn’t entirely positive she was awake, but if she was…
Ena couldn’t finish the thought. Instead, she got to work setting up Nightcord.
K had seen her, she wouldn’t let them down.
(When Ena knows K as Kanade, she would quietly tell her just how much her words had meant. How they had, unknowingly, saved her. Kanade would smile softly with a tinge of disbelief. But that was okay. Ena had years to reassure her.)
After they discovered Sekai and their feelings became Composing the Future, Mizuki had taken to latching on to Ena at any and all opportunities.
Truly, it shouldn’t have surprised Ena the way it did. Amia had always been outgoing on Nightcord and talked often about what they should do when they eventually met up in real life.
And it seemed that Mizuki had taken the fact that the four of them now knew each other’s real names and decided that them hanging out is a given.
“Enanannnnn! I’m dyinggggg!” Mizuki whined, falling into Ena’s side as they walked. “It’s so hoooooooot!”
“You’re the one who wanted to come out today! And stop falling on me, you’re gonna make me fall!” Ena scolded. She pushed Mizuki off of her, forcing them to walk on their own two feet for a change.
“Yeah, but you were so late that we ended up out during the hottest part of the day,” Mizuki pouted, crossing their arms. “I just wanted to go to this super cute boutique but you slept so late, we can’t even get in.”
“I said I was sorry,” Ena sighed. She really did feel bad, especially because for all their dramatics, Mizuki’s disappointed was very much real. And Ena didn’t want to see a look like that on Mizuki’s face. It was like seeing a beautiful sketch marred by an ink stain. It should not be there and Ena would do anything to get rid of it. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we go to a different shop? I know a good one.”
Mizuki had a curious light in their eyes before a grin spread across their face, paint covering the ink stain and making the art as beautiful as it always was.
“Well, if Ena recommends it, then I have to check it out!” they declared, grinning brightly.
Ena smiled, feeling her heart speed up in her chest. Mizuki may have complained about how hot it was, but Ena couldn’t help admiring how to gold of the sun accented their pale pink hair.
“Come on, then!” Ena insisted. Boldly, she reached out and took Mizuki’s hand in her own, pulling them along as she led the way to the shop.
She definitely didn’t memorize the feeling of Mizuki’s hand entwined with hers, nor did she wish that they could hold hands forever.
Her thoughts cut off, thankfully, once they reached the shop. Ena turned to Mizuki, judging their reaction.
“Whoa,” Mizuki gasped, looking awestruck. “You’ve been hiding this from me this whole time?”
“More like a friend told me about it a couple weeks ago and this is the first chance I got to go,” Ena corrected as she opened the shop door. “Are you coming?”
“Hell yeah!” Mizuki grinned.
The shop was a moderate size, neither too big or too small, and had all sorts of items to sell. They had cute clothes that Ena had no doubt Mizuki would love along the walls, makeup that had originally attracted Airi to the shop in the first place and even some less conventional items for a clothing store.
While Mizuki practically ran to the walls to look at the clothes, Ena found herself gravitating towards the art supplies on the other end of the shop.
Admittedly, it was embarrassing how Airi had convinced her to come to this place at all.
“Ena! You have to come to this new store I found!”
“Okay, when are you free? We can plan to go together.”
“No, Ena, you don’t understand. You need to go as soon as possible, even if I’m not with you.”
“What? Why?”
“Ena. They have art supplies.”
And now here Ena was, delicately perusing the various art supplies the shop offered, treating each one like it was a precious treasure. The colored pencils they offered were stunning and the paint had some sort of luminous quality to it.
The moment felt pure and peaceful, as if Ena were a painting herself, a work of art that others came and admired.
“Hm? Whatcha looking at?”
Mizuki’s voice almost startled Ena, but she managed to not show it.
“Well, my friend who told me about this place mentioned their art section,” Ena admitted, feeling a bit shy. It was one thing to be passionate about her art on Nightcord. It was another thing entirely to let Mizuki see this part of herself, the part that treasured her tools and would rather shop for more than for clothes and makeup.
“Wow, these are pretty,” Mizuki commented. With careful violet painted fingers, Mizuki picked up a marker, examining the color under the light. They then held it out towards Ena. “Well? What do you think of this one?”
Ena let out a quiet hum as she took the marker, examining it carefully.
“It’s a good brand, barely used if at all from what I can tell. The color would be brighter next to its compliment, which would make it really stand out. I could probably use it-”
Ena glanced over at Mizuki when she realized she was rambling. Her cheeks burned and she was going to apologize when she saw the look on Mizuki’s face.
She couldn’t remember ever seeing Mizuki look that soft in the time that they had known each other. Ena’s heart was galloping in her throat, her fingers itching for her paintbrush.
She wanted to capture this moment. She wanted it immortalized in paint so that she would never forget that Mizuki had looked at her like this, like she was the only person in the world, like she was worth something.
“You’re really passionate about your art, huh?” Mizuki hummed, that soft look still on their face.
“W-well, yeah! Why wouldn’t I be?” Ena snapped, desperately hoping her words hid her burning cheeks.
“Aww, is Enanan embarrassed?” Mizuki teased. Dammit, she failed. “It’s okay! Hey, why don’t I buy this stuff for you along with my stuff, since you showed me this place?”
“I can’t ask you to-”
“I’m offering,” Mizuki cut in, silencing Ena’s protests. “C’mon, I like seeing you happy! Please!”
“I…Oh, fine,” Ena sighed, relenting.
“Yaataa!” Mizuki cheered, before they began to lead the way to the cashier. It was only when they reached the cashier that Ena noticed the clothes Mizuki held, mostly one item in particular.
A pale violet dress.
It was the same color of Mizuki’s nails, the marker they picked up…and Ena’s skirt.
After that shopping trip, Ena had noticed her illustrations account had gained another consistent follower alongside Akito and Minori. There, nestled alongside the two of them and Kanade’s occasional likes, was an account by the name of ‘Amia’.
(Later, when Ena finally kissed Mizuki for the first time, she planned it down to every detail she could, including what she wore. Specifically, she wore that same pale violet skirt. After all, it was fitting that the first time Mizuki understood her feelings occurred in the same outfit as when she realized Mizuki saw her.)
“This looks like a good stopping point,” Ena smiled. She suppressed a yawn, well aware of Mizuki and Kanade doing the same thing. Mafuyu, of course, continued to breathe steadily.
“Yeah! I think so too!” Mizuki agreed, a bright smile in their voice. “We’re meeting again tomorrow…yeah?”
“I can make it,” Kanade confirmed.
“Me too,” Ena smiled.
“Yuki?” Kanade asked.
“I can’t,” Mafuyu stated, as dull as always.
“Whaaaaaaaat? Why?! I thought you didn’t have cram school tomorrow!” Mizuki cried. Ena could just imagine them leaning on their desk, pouting at the screen.
“How do you even know that?” Ena asked, shocked. “Wait, did you memorize Yuki’s schedule?”
“Uh, I memorize everyone’s as best I can each week, duh. How else do you think I survive the boring hours at work?” Amia deadpanned.
“Amia!” Ena shouted.
“Yuki, why can’t you come tomorrow?” Kanade asked, her soft voice managing to silence both Ena and Mizuki.
“My mom and I are going to an art gallery,” Mafuyu answered.
“Wait, what? What gallery?” Ena asked quickly, straightening up as if that would help her to listen better.
“It’s on Central Street. I don’t know the gallery name, but we’re supposed to see a showcasing of some ancient Greek and Roman artwork,” Mafuyu stated. If she were anyone else, Ena would have thought she’d be shrugging, but this was Mafuyu. Most likely, she was as motionless as a clay statue.
“Ah! Found it!” Mizuki shouted triumphantly. “Oh, wow, these are a bit pricy. But…if I manage this…hey, you guys wanna go see Yuki at the gallery tomorrow?”
“An art gallery?” Kanade repeated.
“I admit, it does sound interesting,” Ena hedged. She actually recognized the showcasing in question, but she hadn’t felt comfortable spending money just to go by herself. But if they all were going…
“Hell yeah! And it could give us some good inspiration for our next song!” Mizuki grinned.
“What, like Greek mythology?” Ena deadpanned.
“Well, maybe not exactly that, but you never know!” Mizuki declared. “Yuki’s already going, we could get her away from her mom and see how she actually feels about it.”
“It could help me find the song that will save Yuki…okay, I’m in,” Kanade agreed.
“Yaaataaa!” Mizuki cheered. “I’ll just buy three tickets for us, you two can pay me back later!”
“Wait, Amia-”
“And done! See you tomorrow!”
With a quick goodbye, Mizuki signed off, leaving a groaning Ena, a giggling Kanade and a silent Mafuyu.
Mizuki must have been very excited to go to this art gallery, because they showed up outside the Shinonome house with Kanade to pick Ena up.
And, unfortunately, it was Akito who opened the door instead of Ena. Even Minori would have been a better option.
“Ena! Mizuki and Yoisaki-san are here!” Akito shouted up the stairs. “Get your ass down before I drag you down!”
“Like you’d ever do that. You don’t have the guts,” Ena scoffed as she came down the stairs, glaring at her little brother. “Besides, you have a date with Toya-kun tonight, yes?”
“We’re just practicing,” Akito muttered, glaring at her. His cheeks were bright red, which truly was adorable, her baby gay brother. She and Minori both teased him about his relationship with Toya, though they never touched on how long it took him to figure out he was gay.
Some things were too much to tease over.
“Oh, right, you’re Toya’s boyfriend,” Kanade said, tilting her head to the side curiously as she observed Akito with a closer eye. Ena stifled a laugh as Akito straightened up, because he never understood where he stood with Kanade. Once again, adorable. Thankfully, Kanade smiled. “Have fun tonight.”
“Yes, thank you, Yoisaki-san,” Akito smiled, wearing that infernal gentle mask of his far too easily.
“You know she’s gonna be your sister-in-law one day, right? No point in pretending with her,” Ena scoffed.
“Shut it,” Akito hissed at her. She smirked, knowing he was just saying ‘I love you’.
“Go help your neechan in the kitchen, before she unleashes her dog on you,” Ena instructed. “I’ll see you later!”
Ena grabbed Mizuki and Kanade and fled the house before she could get distracted by Akito’s bickering.
“Ahhh! I’m so happy for Otouto-kun and Toya-kun!” Mizuki beamed. But just as quickly as they spoke, a pout formed on their face. “I still haven’t met you Imouto-chan yet though.”
“She’s just shy,” Ena lied, shaking her head. She could understand why Minori wanted to escape their father’s name so badly, somedays Ena did too, so she would protect her in any way she could. Even if that meant lying to Mizuki. “C’mon, let’s hurry before Mafuyu breaks something in her ‘good girl’ façade.”
“I don’t think she’ll break anything…” Kanade trailed off.
“Right! Let’s go!” Mizuki grinned, grabbing both Ena and Kanade’s wrists and tugging them towards the nearest station.
The gallery was made up to its best and for a moment, Ena felt overwhelmed and very underdressed in her simply pale orange dress. A glance at Kanade confirmed she was feeling the same as Ena, her fingers twisting in her hair.
But with Mizuki confidently leading the way, she and Kanade were able to step into the gallery.
“Now, where are we most likely to find Mafuyu?” Mizuki hummed, a finger to their chin.
“How about right there?” Ena deadpanned, pointing to the first painting of the gallery.
Mafuyu could be seen very easily thanks to her distinctive hair, standing beside a woman who must’ve been her mother, given their resemblance.
The smile on Mafuyu’s face looked so…so fake that Ena was reminded of a paper mâché mask. It did the job of covering her face, but it also looked so easily breakable.
Ena’s heart ached in an uncharacteristic way for Mafuyu.
“Mafuyu…” Kanade whispered. The same pain Ena felt was prominent in her eyes.
Mafuyu must be attuned to Kanade or something, because as soon as Kanade whispered her name, she turned and smiled at them.
It wasn’t a real one, but it was a bit more real than the one she’d given her mother.
“Kanade, Ena, Mizuki!” Mafuyu called, waving at them as they approached. “I wasn’t sure if you’d actually make it tonight, but I’m glad you came.”
“Me too, Mafuyu,” Kanade smiled softly, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.
“Mafuyu? Who are your friends?” Mafuyu’s mother cut in. There was a tone to her voice that sent shivers down Ena’s spine.
It was like hearing her father speak.
“Sorry, Mom! These are my friends, Yoisaki Kanade, Shinonome Ena and Akiyama Mizuki,” Mafuyu introduced them with a smile.
“It’s nice to meet you, Asahina-san,” Ena smiled, bowing so the lie wouldn’t be as obvious. Kanade and Mizuki, thankfully, followed her lead and didn’t say anything.
“Ah, you as well, girls.”
Ena could feel all four of them stiffen at that, Mizuki’s expression becoming as paper mâché as Mafuyu’s. Ena wanted to claw her nails into Asahina’s eyes for those seemingly innocent words.
“I don’t believe Mafuyu has mentioned you before,” Asahina continued, completely oblivious to the tension all four of them now held.
“Ena, Mizuki and I go to different schools then Mafuyu,” Kanade answered. Her fists were clenched into her dress’ skirt, trembling. But she was the only one who wouldn’t snap instantly, so she was the only one who could speak. “We met by chance and…got along well.”
“I see,” Asahina smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes in the slightest. “Shinonome-chan, was it? Your name sounds familiar…”
“That might be because my father is Shinonome Shinei,” Ena admitted, her hands folded carefully in front of her. Mizuki was still frozen at her side.
“Ah, I see, yes. He is a very talented artist in his own right,” Asahina complimented. “Though of course, I doubt his artwork can compare to classics such as these.”
Ena wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
“Mafuyu, of course, has studied all of these artists before. She could explain each one to you in detail if you asked,” Asahina bragged.
“Mom…” Mafuyu muttered, her cheeks tinting in feigned embarrassment. Genuinely, Ena didn’t know how she did it. “If you think so, maybe I could show my friends around while you speak with your own?”
“That’s a marvelous idea, Mafuyu, but don’t stay out too late,” Asahina warned.
Mafuyu nodded and the four members of Nightcord at 25:00 fled their own lyricist’s mother.
As soon as they were alone, Ena grasped onto Mizuki and pulled them into her arms, burying their face in her shoulder.
“It’s okay, Mizuki. You don’t have to be what anyone thinks you are. Just be you and everything’s okay,” Ena whispered. Mizuki trembled in her arms and Ena could feel her heart breaking.
Mizuki remained silent, but Ena watched as Kanade hugged them from behind and Mafuyu placed an awkward hand on their shoulder.
They were silent for several moments, giving Mizuki the time they needed so desperately.
When Mizuki pulled away, their eyes were a bit red, but their smile was real.
“Sorry, sorry, I totally just ruined the beginning of our night,” they laughed shakily.
“You didn’t.” Mafuyu shook her head, her voice as flat as ever.
“Yeah, we can still look around,” Ena smiled. “I’m sure there’s some inspiration just waiting for us here.”
“Yeah. We’ll turn tonight into a good memory,” Kanade promised.
“Thanks guys,” Mizuki smiled, looking just a bit more like their usual self. They then grinned brightly. “Let’s go!”
Their music circle did indeed go and Ena found that there was something that caught everyone’s interest.
Ena loved studying the marble statues, imagining how much work went into sculpting each angle to get it just right.
Mizuki adored the paintings that showed the various goddesses, squealing about their clothes and how they would use those styles in their own style of clothing.
Kanade stared at the various pieces of pottery, quietly muttering over how each shape would make an excellent music box and possible commission prices.
And Mafuyu…
Mafuyu could spit out the history of basically any piece of art they saw, but she didn’t seemed interested like she had been at the doll exhibit. But even so, Ena thought she saw…something in Mafuyu’s eyes.
“Hey, Mafuyu?” she called, drawing the other girl’s attention. “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.” Mafuyu shook her head. She turned back to the latest painting they’d stopped in front of. But something told Ena that she had more to say, so she waited. And sure enough, within a few minutes, Mafuyu spoke up again. “I don’t like this art.”
“Yeah, some art just isn’t for some people,” Ena smiled sheepishly.
“But I like yours,” Mafuyu said, so softly Ena thought she misheard her.
“Huh?”
“I like your art,” Mafuyu stated. “Was that not obvious?”
“No, it very much was not!” Ena cried, placing her hands on her hips. “Why wouldn’t you tell me?!”
“I didn’t see the point. You yell whenever I say something about your art,” Mafuyu elaborated.
“That’s when you’re critiquing it! I can take a compliment, you know!” Ena glared.
“Not very well,” Mizuki snorted as they and Kanade rejoined the conversation.
“Mizuki!” Ena scolded. Mizuki only laughed in response. “Well, at least I’ll always know you’ll compliment me when you like something, Kanade.”
“Yeah,” Kanade agreed with a smile. “I like your art, Ena.”
“We all do!” Mizuki beamed. “Now come on, no point standing around! Let’s see if we can find anything here that can match up to Mafuyu’s opinion of your art!”
“Okay.” Mafuyu nodded in agreement.
They moved further into the gallery, teasing and bickering and talking the whole way through. And Ena’s heart was so very warm.
The people she loved the most…they all saw her.
Minori.
Akito.
Kanade.
Mizuki.
Mafuyu.
Everyone of them had seen her, the her that loved selfies and the her that loved art, and they’d accepted her.
Just like that.
It was everything Ena could have ever wished for.
“I think I might have an idea for a demo now.”
“Already?! Geez, I knew that trip was a good idea!”
“You didn’t even think of it, Amia. Yuki was the one who told you about it.”
“Details, details! I’m the reason you two went!”
“And we still need to pay-”
“Oh geez, it’s 25:00, where’s Yuki?”
“Amia!!!”
“I don’t know…she hasn’t said anything to me.”
“Me either…should we be worried?”
“I don’t think so. Yuki isn’t always the best about giving us an update on her schedule. We should give her some time.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.”
They stayed on for hours, trying to distract themselves and stay awake until Mafuyu logged on or sent a message in their chat.
They waited…and waited…and waited some more…
Mafuyu never logged on or answered them.