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"Kaoruko! Don't fall asleep on me now, we just started the call!"
"Mmf… gimme a moment…"
On Futaba's laptop screen, the video call footage judders and blurs as Kaoruko tries to find a suitable place to prop up her phone. She settles on placing it next to her head, giving Futaba a slightly overly zoomed in view of the side of her face. But before Futaba can complain about the poor angle, Kaoruko throws an arm over her eyes with a sigh.
"I'm tryin' to stay awake… today was so exhausting…"
"Well, just know that if you fall asleep I'll yell until you wake up." Futaba hums, leaning forward to try to get a better view of the other. "How was today? More teaching?"
She feels a little restless. From the moment the call started, her feet have been tapping out an inconsistent rhythm on the floor, and she's adjusted her position on her chair five times in the past minute. If they were meeting in person, she would've kept some of the fidgeting in check just out of pride, but now that Kaoruko can't see them she doesn't bother to.
Ever since Kaoruko left for Kyoto, they've only been exchanging text messages, sparse interactions in between the gaps in their busy schedules. With how often at least one of them either had something scheduled in the evening, or immediately went to bed the moment they got home, tonight is the first time they've been able to properly sit down to talk face to face. And while Futaba definitely wouldn't consider herself the clingy one between the two of them, she's missed seeing Kaoruko.
From this angle, all she can see of the other is her hair, side of her, and arm. Despite the limited view, Futaba drinks in this view of home, feeling it warm her from the inside out. The sliding door visible in the background, the tatami mats, the girl lying on them, the embroidered sleeves decorating Kaoruko's arm. She's still wearing a kimono; she'll probably regret lying on the ground with it on later, frowning and complaining about creases— something that's happened countless times, and almost always ended up in Futaba having to iron them out. (Kaoruko knows how to use an iron herself now, though not without a few almost-burns during her first few times trying.)
And more than anything, she's missed hearing Kaoruko's voice. Though distorted a little from the laptop, the warmth of familiarity bled into her chest from the very first word Kaoruko spoke. This sense of home, irreplaceable no matter how far apart they are, is so strong that she could almost imagine Kaoruko next to her.
She isn't, though, so Futaba tucks her legs onto the chair and settles into a comfortable position to listen to her talk.
"'Course it was. I was teaching in the morning, then I went to audition for that play I was talking about."
Even tired, the excitement in Kaoruko's voice is easy to pick up on. Futaba feels a surge of fondness and pride. "How'd it go?"
"It was…" Kaoruko shrugs the best she can with her back on the floor and an arm over her face. "I'm sure I'll get in. Everyone else I saw at the auditions were no match.
"Anyway," she continues before Futaba can say something about her ego, "Why are you making me talk when I just got home? Tell me about your day."
"I can't be polite now?" Futaba scoffs, but does as she's asked, going over the new developments in their current production.
They'd revised the script again recently. Although they're working backstage, Mahiru and Futaba had pored over the new lines for hours, and now Futaba enthuses about how the script team has done. As she talks, Kaoruko doesn't budge, and if Futaba didn't know better she'd think she's fallen asleep.
"All of that sounds pretty good, for only two months of work," Kaoruko says, who's removed her arm and is now staring up at her ceiling.
Futaba blinks, briefly distracted from her rant. "Two months, huh?"
Time has always felt weird with Kaoruko around. One moment, they're children in a practice room, Kaoruko guiding Futaba through a dance move, and in the next, they're curled up together in bed at the Seisho dorms. That's just how Futaba's life has felt since she met Kaoruko. It's a slow progression that surprises her with how far they've come every time she looks back; she knows that it took what seems like forever for them to grow up, yet it feels like only yesterday they were playing tag in the courtyard of the Hanayagi's school.
With Kaoruko as her constant, the passage of time is barely noticeable, and this holds true even while apart. "It feels like no time has passed at all."
Futaba doesn't even realise her musing was said out loud until Kaoruko replies. "Huh, maybe to you. I can't believe it took us that long to have our first video call."
"Yeah, well, there was always stuff coming up… or you would fall asleep on me… or remember that one time you—"
"Okay, okay, I get it!" Kaoruko whines. "Anyway, there's no way you didn't miss me too! You probably missed seeing my gorgeous face, hm?"
As she talks, Kaoruko rolls to her side to properly face the camera for the first time since the call started. Even worn from a day of activities and pixellated by their screens, Kaoruko is as lovely as ever, even as her hair falls across her face haphazardly, coming loose from the bun it had been in.
Against every one of her wishes, Futaba feels her heart skip a beat. Somewhere in the haze of getting used to life in a new house and a new environment, Futaba had let the finer details of Kaoruko's appearance fade in her memory a little. She'd sent photos, of course; photos of her trying on new kimonos, or half asleep in bed, or her on Futaba's (now technically also Kaoruko's) motorcycle, just to show that it's still intact.
But photos could never quite capture the grey of her eyes, or the subtle twitch of her lips when she's amused. Now, it all floods back in a moment, like a breath of fresh air after time spent underwater.
Futaba doesn't know how long she spends staring, but she finally gathers her thoughts enough to reply. "What's that supposed to mean…? It's just good to see you."
"Hm." Kaoruko's mouth curls into a smug grin. "So you definitely missed seeing me. It's alright to ask for more photos from me, you know~"
"As if you'd do anything I asked," Futaba says.
"Oh? So you do admit to it?"
"No," she says, rolling her eyes. The tightness in her chest that had loosened on seeing Kaoruko now dislodges even further, the stupid anxiety she's been carrying around finally easing as they fall into familiar bickering. Kaoruko's okay. She would kill me if she knew I was worrying like this, but she's okay.
"Futaba-chan?"
It takes a moment for Futaba to register that the sound came from her side instead of the laptop. She looks up to see Mahiru, standing in the doorway of the study room. Her hair is wet, her signature pigtails gone and plastered down with the rest of her hair, and there's a towel around her neck.
Futaba raises a hand in greeting. "Hey. Do you need to use the table? I can move to the—"
"No, it's fine," Mahiru says with a shake of her head. "I just thought I heard Kaoruko-chan's voice."
Futaba flips her laptop around. "You heard right. Wanna say hi? She's sideways, but it's her."
"Gah! Futaba-han, what're you—"
"Oh! Hi, Kaoruko-chan!"
"Oh." There's a long pause, probably from Kaoruko trying to make out the person in the blurry video. Mahiru smiles politely as she waits, her hand hovering in the air mid-wave. Then, "Good to see you, Mahiru-han."
"You too!" Mahiru walks over to the table, crouches down and waves. "How are you?"
Kaoruko pulls a face, notably with none of the theatrics of just now. "Tired. What about you? Hopefully living with Futaba-han hasn't been too hard…"
"What's that supposed to—"
"It's been great so far! She's actually really helpful, which is a relief after living with Karen-chan and Hikari-chan," Mahiru says. She pulls over a chair to sit next to Futaba, so the two of them can comfortably fit in frame on the video.
"Well, one of us had to be the main chore person in our dorm," Futaba shrugs. "And it obviously wasn't going to be Kaoruko."
Kaoruko makes a long, drawn out groan. "Mahiru-han, do you see how mean Futaba-han is being to me? Especially since I'm so tired too…"
Mahiru giggles, and Futaba tries to send her a look that says how are you being so patient right now. "There, there, Kaoruko-chan. Has it been a long day for you too?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," Kaoruko says, and Mahiru nods empathetically.
"Seems like we're all pretty busy, huh?" Mahiru sighs. "Somehow, working backstage feels more tiring than being onstage…"
"Hah, have you seen how much extra time Maya has been spending to practice? I'm not sure if you can say that."
Kaoruko stirs. "Oh, is Tendo-han there? I wanted to say hello."
Mahiru tilts her head and looks at Futaba, who shrugs. She hasn't seen Maya since she'd won their daily battle to use the bathroom first, after which Futaba had victoriously paraded into the shower and left the other two to wait for her.
With no help from Futaba, Mahiru taps a finger against her lips in thought. "I think Maya-chan fell asleep? I heard her going over the script again just now, but then it went quiet. She was probably tired from the practice she stayed back to do…"
"I wouldn't be surprised if she fell asleep at her desk again," Futaba says, and the two of them share a laugh at the memory of Maya slumped over at her desk, a rare deviance from her perfect image.
With that, Mahiru makes to get up, reaching for the towel around her neck. "Speaking of sleeping, I think I'm going to get ready for bed too. Nice talking to you, Kaoruko-chan! And don't sleep too late, Futaba-chan."
"No promises."
Mahiru looks at her skeptically, and Futaba returns with a bright grin. "Yes, I know we have to be up at seven tomorrow. I'll be fine."
Kaoruko's voice rings out. "Goodnight! Take care of my Futaba-han for me, won't you?"
"Somehow, I don't think she's the one that needs to be taken care of here…" Mahiru says slowly.
"No need to point out the obvious."
"I said goodnight, Mahiru-han!"
Snorting, Futaba waves until Mahiru disappears beyond the doorway. When she turns back to her laptop, Kaoruko is watching her intently. Or rather, she's watching her phone camera intently, but the force behind her focused gaze transcends the screen. She's doing the thing where she puffs her cheeks up and pouts, and it's really cute, but years of dealing with Kaoruko have taught Futaba that it also means trouble.
Sighing, she settles back down into the chair. "What is it?"
"'Maya'? You're pretty close now, huh?" Kaoruko asks, eyes narrowed. The effect of her disgruntled expression is slightly diminished by the fact that half her face is squished onto the mat.
Futaba suppresses a laugh, mainly because it's more than likely that Kaoruko will interpret any laughter wrong and get huffy. Of course that would be Kaoruko's first concern, always acting as if Futaba has anyone else for her, as if Kaoruko doesn't know that already.
"We're living together, I think first name basis is only natural."
"Hmf." Somehow, Kaoruko gets even puffier, the expression so familiar that Futaba's chest aches. She wishes she were there to poke her cheek and laugh at her attempts to maintain the pout, or to kiss her face until Kaoruko gives in and pulls her closer.
She wishes for a lot of things, but seeing as they're all out of her reach, Futaba just chuckles. "What, are you jealous?"
"You wish!" Kaoruko fumes for a while more, then adds, "I don't suppose you sleep in the same room."
"Oh, did I not mention that? Mahiru has the smaller room and Maya and I have the bigger room."
"You…" Kaoruko blinks for a few long moments. "Oh."
There had once been a time where Futaba had not found the act of making Kaoruko jealous funny. When Kaoruko had been at the peak of her insecurity, holding the only thing familiar to her as close as possible and scowling at anything that had threatened to take her away. She'd always been more than a little possessive, but in the first year of their time at Seisho she'd been more volatile than ever, even if Futaba eventually managed to pacify her every time.
Now, it's more of a front than anything. Now, Futaba finds amusement in seeing how easy it is to rile Kaoruko up— not that anything she's doing right now is hard to elicit a reaction with. She stays silent, waiting for Kaoruko's eventual response.
It comes in the form of a question. "And I assume she's a better roommate than I was?"
"Much better, actually."
Kaoruko just makes a thoughtful sound as a reply, her eyes flickering down to the bottom half of her screen. Curious, Futaba follows her gaze and realises that she's been absentmindedly twisting the ring around her index finger. The pink gem catches the light when she twists it again, this time with more intent as she admires it.
The ring is a simple silver band with a small gem set at the top that Kaoruko had gifted to Futaba as they got closer to graduation. Even now, Futaba can't stop the way her heart pounds when she recalls the look in Kaoruko's eyes as she'd slid the ring onto Futaba's finger— a mix of the intense focus she has when dancing and a softness that she only wears around Futaba.
Sliding it back to the base of her finger, Futaba stops fiddling with it and clasps her hands together. The cool metal presses into her skin.
"Are you wearing yours now?" she asks.
Kaoruko sounds slightly offended as she says, "Of course I am." She raises her left hand to show her. "Do you know how annoying it is to take it off every time I dance? I should've got something else for us."
She frowns and inspects her own ring, tilting her hand around so that Futaba can see the purple gleam between her fingers. Futaba bites back a smile, knowing how often Kaoruko complains about having to remember to put the ring back on after she takes it off, something that she insists on in case the ring catches on any stray fabric and throws off her movement. It's a little overkill, in Futaba's opinion, but it's an endearing display of both Kaoruko's seriousness toward dancing and her dedication to their relationship.
"You could have, but then it wouldn't be as romantic," Futaba says.
It's hard to tell, but Futaba thinks Kaoruko blushes. "It wasn't meant to be romantic! I–"
"Yeah, yeah, it was only meant to remind us of each other while we're apart, that's all," Futaba says. "Which isn't romantic."
"Hmph!" Kaoruko doesn't deign to respond, instead going back to fidgeting with her ring and the sleeves of the kimono.
"Anyway," Futaba says, fighting the smile at the edges of her lips, "the ring matches pretty well with your kimono."
Kaoruko lights up. "You noticed! Goodness, I think this is the first time you've ever noticed my fashion choices."
"And I think that's an exaggeration," Futaba retorts. To be fair, she'd only noticed it because Kaoruko looks particularly good in this kimono, which is a shade of light blue with purple embroidery that matches her ring.
"It is not! Remember that time I cut my hair and you didn't notice? Or that time I bought a new…"
Kaoruko proceeds to go through what seems like a non-exhaustive list of every time Futaba missed out on her dressing up. Despite the topic of her rant, Futaba just smiles, rests her chin on a hand and loses herself in Kaoruko's presence, the same way she has countless times before.
-
She doesn't know how long they talk for, but eventually they fall into a lull in the conversation.
Kaoruko's right side up now, thankfully, having adjusted her position to lie on her stomach with her head propped on her hands. Her eyes are half closed, and Futaba takes this chance to watch her. Her hands yearn to trace the softened lines of her face the way she sometimes does, when Kaoruko isn't awake enough to properly protest and Futaba is particularly struck by her.
She tampers down this desire, thankful that Kaoruko doesn't notice the frown that's probably on her face now. The longer the video call has gone on, the more she wants to reach through the screen and hold her, or kiss her, or make any form of the skin contact that she's used to around Kaoruko. But instead, she stays quiet.
This silence is the same kind that falls between them as they're lying on the practice room floor, exhausted from practice. It's different now, a little weird now that there isn't Kaoruko's soft breathing and her warmth pressed into Futaba's side, but it's enough.
In the adjacent room, she hears the sound of the hairdryer running as Mahiru starts blow drying her hair, one of the many daily background noises she's grown used to. It fills the momentary silence, and now that Futaba isn't occupied in conversation, her day begins to catch up to her.
She's always been more able to fight off sleep, just so at least one of them is functional enough in the mornings and late nights. But with this feeling of peace and something resembling white noise droning on in the background, it's easy to relax and let her eyes slip shut.
Kaoruko makes a sleepy sound. "Are you asleep?"
"No," Futaba says, then immediately follows it up with a yawn. She blinks her eyes open.
"Aw, Futaba-han's sleepy," Kaoruko coos.
"Look who's talking."
Kaoruko opens her mouth as if to reply, but yawns instead, earning a raised eyebrow from Futaba. "Hey, don't you have to be up at seven tomorrow?" Kaoruko asks.
Ignoring the obvious change of subject, Futaba says, "Yeah, but s'no problem. Mahiru will wake me up if I oversleep anyway."
"Must be n—" Kaoruko cuts herself off with another yawn and, more out of habit than anything, Futaba wants to pull Kaoruko into her lap and pet her hair until she falls asleep. As much as Futaba grumbles about Kaoruko being heavy and annoying, nothing has felt quite as secure as the pressure of Kaoruko in her lap, sleeping or reading or talking to their classmates.
She can't help but wonder when she'll be able to feel that again; knowing that Kaoruko is right next to her, her every breath close enough to be counted.
Kaoruko seems to be thinking about the same, because she pillows her head on her hands, her expression turning thoughtful.
"I wish you were here, Futaba-han. 'S not really the same without you," she says quietly.
Futaba feels her stomach do a low swoop. The longing she's felt ever since the call started is bittersweet in my mouth. "I wish I was there too, y'know. With you."
"No, you don't." Kaoruko huffs out a laugh. "Why else would you be there instead of here, hm?"
It's almost cruel, for Kaoruko to pin it all on Futaba like this, but she wouldn't be here if it weren't true, if she weren't selfish enough. "You…"
Even with as long as Futaba's known her, she isn't familiar with this Kaoruko, uncharacteristically gentle and honest, her words slurred with quickly dawning sleep. This is the first time since graduation that they've sat down and had this sort of talk; it's a little telling that they can only reach this level of vulnerability around each other when they're both sleepy and out of it.
"My poor Futaba-han," Kaoruko says, and there's no resentment, only endless affection in her eyes as Kaoruko rests her head on her arm. "Still worrying about me even after all this time."
"I'm not worried about you, I—" Miss you, she finishes in her head. She doesn't say it because it's too pathetic, to miss her when it's barely the beginning of their time apart, but both of them know it's true. For the first eighteen years of her life, Kaoruko's presence was as certain to Futaba as her own breathing, as if Kaoruko lived in the space in her chest. Sometimes it feels like she did— still does, even if she isn't here to wrap arms around Futaba's waist and mumble into her hair.
"It's okay to miss me," Kaoruko says. The teasing lilt is gone from her voice. She closes her eyes, and her next words are barely above a whisper. "I miss you too."
Futaba's heart leaps into her throat. For a few long moments she wonders what else Kaoruko would say if prompted further.
"I think… we should both turn in for the night," she offers instead, because frankly she isn't sure if she can handle the idea of Kaoruko going all sappy.
"Hm?" Kaoruko opens an eye, then sits up with a sigh. "I suppose you're right."
Her hair falls across her face, wildly disheveled. Futaba watches as she starts to undo her bun, strands of hair coming loose as she pulls out pins. She wonders if Kaoruko did her hair herself. Then she wonders if there even is anyone who would help her with it, now that she isn't there.
The thought makes her chest ache. She doesn't want to end the call, but that's where they seem to be heading.
"So, see you next time?" Futaba asks hesitantly. "Are we ending the call here?"
"What?" Kaoruko squints at her screen. "Do you want to stop seeing my face that soon? At least say goodnight to me."
She sounds a little more awake, which is a relief. "Just checking. I'll be here as long as you want," Futaba replies, electing to ignore the question.
"Good." Kaoruko's finished undoing her hair, and now it sits as a curled mess. Slowly, she props herself onto her knees. "I'll have to go and get ready for bed. Can you wait for me?"
"Sure. Kaoruko, remember to—" Futaba catches herself right as Kaoruko frowns at her. "Right, right. Sorry."
Kaoruko tsks, then flashes a smile. "You never change, dear. Now, hold on just a moment while I go wash up."
In a few moments, Futaba's left staring at Kaoruko's empty futon. It's a little wrinkled from where she had been lying on it, but she can tell that it had been made earlier in the day, proof of the independence that Futaba had been trying her absolute hardest to hammer into Kaoruko in the months before they graduated.
She's still not used to it. Not having to constantly have one ear out for the familiar cadence of Kaoruko's voice when she wants something, or to keep a list of not only her own, but also Kaoruko's responsibilities. She had thought that the separation would be a load off her shoulders, but all it's done is make it less tangible.
After all, Futaba can't not worry about her, not when it's something so deeply ingrained into her. Her body clock wakes her up far before sunrise because she'd trained it to, so she could wake Kaoruko up for class. She's an optimist only to counter Kaoruko's constant gloomy attitude. Earlier, she'd only barely stopped herself from reminding Kaoruko to brush out her hair, now that she isn't there to do it for her.
Even while they're in different parts of the country, Futaba worries for someone out of her reach. But as she thinks about it all; the folded futon, Kaoruko's determination to stay awake, and her surprising honesty, something clicks into place. This worry for Kaoruko has wormed its way into a permanent place in her heart, much like many other things related to Kaoruko. And just like the girl herself, its presence is both annoying and comforting at the same time.
"I'm back... Hey, don't fall asleep on me!"
"Wasn't sleeping," Futaba says, trying her best to sound awake as she forces her eyes open. She hadn’t even noticed she'd closed them.
"Seriously, and you think I'm bad…"
When Futaba blinks away the lingering sleepiness, she sees that Kaoruko has changed into her sleeping clothes, and her hair is brushed instead of the disheveled mess it had been before. "You going to bed now?"
"Just about." Kaoruko glances at her futon, then back. "Mm… can we keep calling until we fall asleep?"
"Okay," Futaba agrees without hesitation. "Just don't be too loud or Maya might wake up. I'm going to go brush my teeth."
She quickly switches to calling on her phone, then carries it over to the bathroom. Kaoruko is back to lying on her side as she watches Futaba brush her teeth and wash her face. After washing up, Futaba reaches for her pajamas, but pauses and picks up the phone instead.
"Hold on, I need to change."
"Not going to do it on camera?"
Futaba only sighs and puts her phone face down on the counter. Her clothes are hanging on a hook outside the shower cubicle, and she lifts them off to untangle them from each other.
"Hey, Futaba-han?" It's quiet enough that Futaba barely hears it over the sound of fabric rustling. She pulls her shirt on before replying.
"Yeah?"
"Your performance… can I come see it?"
She freezes in the middle of changing into her shorts. "Wh— I won't even be on stage."
"What, so you don't want me to come see you?" Kaoruko whines.
Futaba raises her hands up conciliatorily before remembering Kaoruko can't see her. "No, no, I do! I just didn't think you'd… take the trouble… to come." Her voice falls to a whisper at the end, realising how stupid of an assumption it is.
Kaoruko retaliates immediately. "Futaba-han! You're so– you really have no faith in me, do you?"
"No, I–" Futaba sighs, conceding. "I'll let you know when the dates are."
Kaoruko hmphs. "Or maybe I won't come after all, since you don't want me there…"
"Kaoruko..."
A snicker. "Do send along the schedule once you can. I'll see if I'm available then."
And just like that, they've scheduled their first reunion. Futaba finds that the idea isn't as exciting as it should be. It should be, but as much as Futaba wants to be able to hold Kaoruko again, they both know that it won't truly be a reunion in the way they want it.
Still, she'll be watching a production Futaba helped in. Not as a role on stage, but it's a start.
"I'm done," Futaba says, picking up her phone. She notices something light up in Kaoruko's eyes when she appears on screen again, and her heart thuds in response. "Bedtime?"
Already on her futon, Kaoruko makes an affirming hum, so Futaba steps out of the bathroom and ensures all the lights are off before stopping outside her and Maya's room. She cracks open their bedroom door. Maya, as it turns out, is not sleeping at her desk, and instead in her bed next to the door. Careful to not wake Maya, Futaba closes the door and climbs into bed as quietly as possible.
In the darkness, the video is bright enough to burn into her eyes. When her eyes finally adjust, Kaoruko has turned off the lights in her own room and is lying on her side, her face partially obscured by her pillow. With the moonlight beaming through the window, her hair is a silvery blue.
"You're going to have to stop staring at me if you want to sleep," Kaoruko says, amusement lilting in her voice.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's both try to get some sleep. Good talk today." Without waiting to see if Kaoruko does the same, Futaba props the phone against her pillow and sets the speaker right next to her ear.
Kaoruko must have done the same, because when she speaks again her voice is much closer.
"Mm. I'm glad I got to see you today, Futaba-han," she murmurs.
Futaba allows herself a smile, no one to witness but the still night air. She wonders if Kaoruko is doing the same, curled up around her phone with one of her private, non-smug smiles that she reserves for special occasions— or for Futaba.
After a few moments of lying still, nowhere near sleep, Futaba grabs the largest plushie on her bed and pulls it to her chest. Like this, ensconced within Kaoruko's sleepy murmurs and the solid presence of the cushion in her arms, Futaba can close her eyes and briefly pretend that they're in bed together, Kaoruko wrapped around her as closely as possible. The nights they'd spent falling asleep like that had increased in frequency leading up to the day Kaoruko left, neither of them wanting to let go of the other.
After months of drifting off to sleep with arms around her, Futaba still isn't quite accustomed to sleeping alone again. But now, she isn't so alone, is she? She has Kaoruko by her side again, even if just for this night. It isn't something she wants to get used to just yet, with how long they still have to be apart for, but this indulgence is something she allows herself.
"G'night, Kaoruko."
A sleepy hum. Futaba snuggles deeper into her pillow, her arms tightening around the plushie as she properly gets comfortable. For a long time, neither of them speak.
Suddenly, Kaoruko breaks the silence, her voice barely above a whisper. "Hey, say– say my name again."
Her eyes opening, Futaba feels her heart do a backflip. For half a second she considers asking why, but a combination of the sleepiness and a lifetime of following Kaoruko's requests quickly overrides it. A little self consciously, she repeats, "Sleep well, Kaoruko."
Kaoruko makes a soft, content noise. "Goodnight, Futaba-han."
Oh. If she'd sounded anything like Kaoruko did, affection curling around every syllable of her name, it's clear why she'd asked for her to repeat herself. Only Kaoruko says her name like this, with this familiarity and years of history, the edges tinged with teasing and love.
For a moment, she considers trying to stay awake until she knows Kaoruko is asleep, like the old her would do. But even as much as they haven't changed, she has, and so has Kaoruko. They had to change, to stay the same.
So Futaba closes her eyes again and falls asleep, her heart resting next on the pillow to her.