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It was the day that Enanan shared a selfie in the Nightcord group chat that Mizuki realized that she was her soulmate. This was only due to the fact that she linked her social media page and told everyone in N25 to follow it.
When clicking the link, Mizuki was led to a page of similar styled selfies that Enanan had shared in the chat just moments ago. The brunette was typically accompanied with plushies, as well as different food and drink items. To top it all off, the name she was using on her profile was Ena.
As in Shinonome Ena. The name that had been ingrained into Mizuki’s skin since the age of 10.
It was kinda silly looking back at it now. When Mizuki was younger, she would dig through the internet just to find this Shinonome Ena. The only notable Shinonome that came up was a famous artist named Shinonome Shinei. Looking back at it now, Enanan bore a striking resemblance to the man in the photos. Not only that, but the girl only complained about her snobbish artist father once a day. That man was probably him.
Mizuki was 99% sure that Enanan = Shinonome Ena.
Seeing Enanan in person for the first time felt like something you’d only experience in a novel. Without the filters, you could make out every little detail on her face. Her eyelashes weren’t as long as they were portrayed in the photos, her face wasn’t as small, and her eyes weren’t as big. She actually looked like a human being…
Turns out that Enanan had freckles. She had a tiny mole on her right cheek. And eye bags. Man, did she have eye bags. As a result, she used beauty filters and makeup to cover it all up. Mizuki understood why she would do that, but she preferred this version of Ena much more.
After figuring out where they were - the Empty Sekai - they next needed to figure out who they were.
”My actual name is Shinonome Ena. Yours?”
Mizuki knew that. Well, she kinda sorta knew that. She figured it out and yet… it was so surreal to see the name permanently marked on her skin be used as an introduction. As a name. Enanan was truly her soulmate.
”My name is…” Mizuki started, before pausing. She looked at the ground, fumbling with her sleeves and stumbling over her words.
This wasn’t something that Mizuki was ready for. No, not right now. Maybe in some distant future, but right now? Absolutely not. What would Ena say when she found out that her soulmate wasn’t some Princess Charming but rather a mentally-ill girl with abandonment issues? Would she be disappointed? Upset? She’d probably leave, that’s what everyone else did.
That’s why she couldn’t be known as Akiyama Mizuki. At least, not to Ena.
”Yamada. Yamada Amia.” She lied, quickly making something up on the spot.
”Really? You were using your actual name the whole time?”
”It’s not like you’re much better. Enanan? Really?”
Got her. Ena’s face went red from the embarrassment. Even though she was blushing, she didn’t look quite flustered. More so furious than anything. It was… oddly cute in a way. Like an angry chihuahua if you squinted hard enough. Posed no real threat, barked nonstop, and looked adorable all while doing it; she definitely radiated chihuahua vibes.
Mizuki could get used to this. Actually, that was a lie. Mizuki couldn’t get used to this, but Amia could.
From that day on, Akiyama Mizuki was partially dead. Within the confines of the Nightcord chat room, Yamada Amia was her name. At school? Mizuki. It was quite simple really, just keep your Nightcord life away from your real life.
And for months, that’s what Amia did.
Amia was doing that thing where she was being dodgy again. She waxed and waned, bringing Ena close in before pushing her back in the depths of an everlasting distance. It was almost as if Ena was the prickly one of the pair, as if she said something wrong. As if she had prompted Amia to avoid her.
That’s how she ended up going to school early, how she ended up approaching class 1-A. If Amia wasn’t going to respond to her text messages, then damn it, Ena was going to do something about it!
Thankfully, Ena could see a familiar face through the window. She wasn’t Amia, but she was the next best thing.
Shiraishi An. Amia’s best friend. Akito’s group mate. She had to know about something Amia.
In truth, she didn’t really know the girl, only having one proper conversation with her. She had seen many photos of her with Akito as well, so familiarity wasn’t a problem. The pictures she had seen appeared to be taken professionally. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find out one of Akito’s other group members had taken them instead. Ena caught a glimpse of them in the form of a photo album laying on the living room table. It was well made, adorned with photos commemorating whatever occasion was being captured. The artist was glad to see her brother had found such a great group to perform with.
As Ena approached the door to class 1-A, she felt an unfamiliar sense of trepidation. She thought about the possibility of this being yet another dead end. After trying so hard to get Amia to open up, nothing was working. No matter how hard she tried, the editor never budged. It was seriously annoying.
Taking a deep breath, the brunette gripped the handle. Ena slid the door open.
”Shiraishi-san.”
”Ena-san? Hey! What are you doing here?” An greeted, her signature smile never faltering. Approaching her upperclassman, she took notice of the fidgeting Ena and what she was doing with her sleeves. She seemed nervous. An decided she would take note of it. “What’s wrong? You seem uneasy.”
”I guess you would be right about that.” Ena nervously chuckled, attempted to cut through some of the tension in the cold, stiff air. It wasn’t working. The only thing she could do was push through this potentially uncomfortable conversation in hopes of answers. “It’s about Amia. Has she seemed different to you?”
An looked at Ena as if her head had imploded in on itself. It was as if she was a madman spewing nonsense. It made the artist feel a little stupid in all honesty.
”Amia?
”Yeah… Amia. Yamada Amia? Your classmate, my group mate?”
Once again, An’s blank stare spoke volumes. You could almost hear crickets in the mostly empty classroom. The utter confusion was written all over her face.
”I… wasn’t aware that I have a classmate named Yamada Amia” An spoke with an awkward smile on her face, not wanting to make Ena feel bad.
“C’mon, it’s Amia! Y’know, the one that sews? Has a shit eating grin? A pink ponytail?”
The street performer, putting the pieces together, knew exactly who she was talking about. She had a thousand questions, but she assumed that those could be answered at a later time.
”You mean Mizuki?
”…Mizuki?”
Chills ran down Ena’s spine upon hearing that name. Goosebumps coated her arms, although they weren’t visible. She could feel them rubbing against her button up. Her body was almost frigid. The color in her face had also vanished.
”Akiyama Mizuki?”
Like a bullet to the chest, Ena felt her chest throb upon hearing An saying her full name. That damn name she was so familier with… it was the name permanently marked on her skin. Amia, no, Mizuki must have been using a fake name this whole time. She was slightly suspicious as to her name when they first met. Amia Mizuki using her “first name” as a screen name was something unlike her, and Yamada as a last name was too common. It all sounded like one huge coincidence. Ena wanted to believe that it was a lie.
But An’s face said everything. She was telling the whole, honest truth.
Mizuki knew accepting this invite was a bad idea. She knew getting up early was a bad idea. She knew getting ready, heading towards the train station, and approaching the designated meeting spot was a bad idea. The vibes were all wrong and she could feel that something in the air was not quite right.
The moment all went by in a blur. Ena was mad about something and dragged her all the way to a certain location wordlessly. No matter how many times Mizuki tried to cut through that tension with some weak joke, it would fall on deaf ears. The firm tugging of her wrist was the only thing she would get out of Ena. Her grip was tight, restricting her group mate completely.
When they arrived outside the closed school gates of Kamiyama High School on a Sunday, that’s when Mizuki truly knew that she messed up. At this point, there was no running. Only accepting this horrible fate that was soon to come.
She secretly hoped that jumping the pointy gate would be the worst thing to happen that day.
There they were, back on the rooftop. It’s crazy how only the gate was locked and nothing else. Guess that’s how it was when your school funds were constantly being put into repairing destroyed property.
“Okay,” Ena huffed, turning around to look at Mizuki. Her glare shot straight through her eyes. She was in serious mode, something that typically made the pink haired girl nervous. “I want answers, Mizuki.”
There it was. Mizuki’s name, despite being all too familiar with it, it pierced through her chest upon hearing it. It twisted her heart, a squeezing pain pumping through her body. Mizuki felt a cold sweat approaching.
”Is there something wrong with me being your soulmate? That you had to play pretend and change your name?” Ena attempted to draw something out of Mizuki. She was too stunned to speak, almost in a daze. It left the brunette with very few options on how to discuss this. “Were you always planning on never telling me who you truly were? Who even are you? I don’t even know you are!” She choked, tears threatening to spill over her cheeks. The anger was finally rearing its ugly head.
”Ena, I-“ Mizuki paused, not sure what to say. She needed to think first, and think she did.
Ena brought up some fair points. Who was Akiyama Mizuki? Was she any different than Yamada Amia? On surface level, it didn’t appear as such. Just a different name for the same face. However, the more Mizuki thought about it, the more she saw the difference. Akiyama Mizuki was more free. She had the luxury of living the most authentic, truest life as possible. She had friends at school who knew all of her troubles and didn’t view her as some freak, and she had a loving family who took the time to understand her. Her support system allowed Mizuki to blossom into the person she always envisioned since childhood.
Yamada Amia, however, was a fraud. A fake name and a second face concealing her true self. She laughed. She cried. She teased. She smiled. These were all things Akiyama Mizuki did, but there was a clear distinction between all that.
Mizuki’s emotions were authentic. Amia’s was a mask.
A shield made to protect: That’s what Yamada Amia was. She did more damage than good, looking at the crying, angry artist before her. The opposite of a shield. Yamada Amia was a sword, slashing others away instead. Yeah, that sounded about right.
The sword needed to go.
”Ena, I’m sorry.” It was Mizuki’s turn to cry. She was fully aware she didn’t deserve to be the upset one here. Mizuki pushed Ena away. And she was crying? She felt selfish. She felt unfair.
”I was scared. I don’t exactly understand why. I was just scared.”
”Scared enough to come up with a new identity?”
”That’s not it.”
”Then what is it, A- Mizuki?”
Mizuki stopped. The words weren’t coming out right. She made another attempt.
”Let me try again. Ena, I’m sorry. I messed up, and I shouldn’t have done that to you. In truth, I really liked you before we even met. I should’ve been excited to be your soulmate from the jump, but in truth… I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t have answers, just shitty excuses.”
Ena stepped forward.
”I can’t say I forgive you, but…”
She grabbed her hands.
”I need you to promise me one thing.”
”Of course.”
”No more Yamada Amia.”
”No more Yamada Amia.”
Mizuki grinned, squeezing Ena’s hands in attempt to reassure her. To let her know that Mizuki was staying.
”Good. Mizuki…
I love you.”
”I love you too, Ena.”