Work Text:
Ichika was visiting Kanade at her house to get some help with how to maintain a page for Leo/Need and get some helpful pointers so she doesn't have to bother Kanade about again.
"Kanade, I have a question. It's not about the page or anything, it's something more personal. If you don't mind of course.”
"I don't mind. Ask your question." Kanade replied stopping what she was doing to give her full attention to Ichika.
"So, I kind of like Asahina." Ichika said looking up to see Kanade's reaction, which was questioning, "I mean I like her as in more than a friend way.”
"Oh.”
"I don't know what to do about it, and the things my friends said to do, I don't think would help. So what should I do? Should I tell her how I feel? Do I not?”
"I don't know. I'm not too knowledgeable about this topic.”
"I'm not either. This is one of the only times I've experienced a crush, so I've no idea what to do. But thank you for trying Kanade.”
Kanade hummed and said, "Sorry I couldn't be of more help." and went back to work.
Later Kanade had decided to try to talk to Mafuyu herself about how she feels about Ichika before Mizuki and Ena log on that night.
When 25:00 had come rolling around Kanade had logged in and Mafuyu not long after to which Kanade wasted no time and asked, "Mafuyu, how do you feel about Ichika?”
"I don't know entirely."
"Could you try to explain it?"
Mafuyu thought about how Ichika made her feel. The warmth that reminded her of when she was the lyricist on Nightcord, when they went out to celebrate a new song release.
While she thought Kanade sat quietly, patiently waiting for Mafuyu to gather her thoughts.
"When I'm with Hoshino, it feels like when I'm with you guys, warm, and welcoming, safe, I think? But, there's more to it that I can't put my finger on, and a bit warmer, in my chest than usual. And when she's gone or we have to part ways, the warmth disappears." Mafuyu tried to explain, "I hope that made sense."
Kanade nodded and hummed as Mafuyu was talking, taking in all the information.
"I think you should tell her."
"About what?"
"Tell her about you. Show her, I mean, who you really are. Without the facade."
"Why?"
"Call it composers intuition. Just think about it. Okay?"
Mafuyu hummed as an answer, then asked, "How?"
"I'm not sure on that part, but just know that I'll be here for you, and I'm sure the other two will too."
Ena and Mizuki logged into Nightcord shortly after and they all got to work.
Once Mafuyu had logged off for the night she laid down and thought. Maybe having Hoshino know would help some. Could she offer some help in finding out who I am? At some point go and hang out after school. At that thought the warmth in Mafuyu's chest had increased and she put hand over it, as if trying to keep it there. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
A couple of weeks past of Mafuyu pondering, and finding out more about how Ichika and the warmth in her chest correlated together.
At the next celebration of a new release she would talk to Kanade about it. Perhaps Mizuki and Ena would be able to add some input. So at the next diner outing Mafuyu had started with a "Kanade, I have an update on my feelings."
Kanade looked up from her last portion of food, prompting Mafuyu to continue while Mizuki and Ena listened.
"Remember when I said that Hoshino would make me feel warmer than being with you three are right?" Mizuki raised their eyebrows intrigued by what Mafuyu was spilling and Ena was in confusion at who this Hoshino was, while Kanade hummed in affirmation, "I found out that that feeling doesn't just happen when I'm talking with her. It also starts when I'm thinking of her too."
Kanade opened her mouth to speak but Mizuki beat her to it, "Oh? Does Mafuyu have a crush? Who is it?"
"A crush, I hadn't thought it could be that."
"Do you not know how a crush feels?" Ena asked.
"I don't remember, but surely I've had one before now. I think."
"Who is it, who is it? C'mon spill the name Mafuyu!" Mizuki said excited at the prospect of Mafuyu growing a deeper understanding of herself.
"Hoshino. She's another student representative at my school."
"I also help her with some composition tips and setting up a page for the band she's in."
"Oh ho ho, she's in a band too? How interesting, do you have a video of them preforming? I wanna see how they are."
"Uh, yeah I do, let me find it.”
Mizuki waited in suspense while Kanade brought up a Leo/Need video that she had helped post, and Ena was intrigued as well, wondering what kind of person had caught Mafuyu's attention. Kanade had brought up a video after a minute and started it having it faced outwards so everyone could see it.
"Ichika is the one in the front, she's the bands lead singer." Kanade pointed out.
Before the video was even five seconds in both Mizuki and Ena yell out in unison "Is that Tsukasa's little sister!" and, "Is that Shizuku's younger sister!"
"I don't know who Tsukasa is, but yes that is Hinomori's little sister." Mafuyu said. The other two quieted down after and watched the video, all of them entirely entranced in the music.
Once the video was over Mizuki said, "Well it seems like that Mafuyu likes musicians," they teased, "too bad it wasn't me this time."
Mafuyu looked at Mizuki about to say something when Ena had started talking.
"So the lead singer is the one you have a crush on? And she's also a student representative? Why don't you talk to her more? Or try to invite her out sometime?"
"I can't."
"Why not?" Ena asked, forgetting about Mafuyu's facade she wears at all times outside of Nightcord.
"She doesn't know. All she knows is the good girl version of myself."
"Oh, yeah." Ena said, "why don't you tell her then. Then you'd also have someone to lean on that actually goes to your school. You have some solace in her if you let her know. You could drop the facade around her at school."
Mafuyu hummed, and thought for a second before she said, "I think I will."
Mizuki inhaled their drink, Ena smiled proudly, and Kanade had a soft look on her face also proud of Mafuyu.
"That's great, Mafuyu!" Mizuki said after they done choking on their drink.
"I don't know how to tell her though."
Nightcord had continued to talk throughout their celebration. Though now the celebration wasn't just about a new song release, no, now it was also a party for the large step that Mafuyu had decided to take.
---
Today is the day that Mafuyu had decided that she would tell Ichika about herself. She had thought many a time that she shouldn't do it, because she didn't want to loose the warmth that the though of her fellow student representative would cause. Mafuyu's heart was pounding for most of the day, she had decided to talk to Ichika after the days rep. Meeting.
When that time came Mafuyu had quickly walked to Ichika while she was packing up her stuff and said in her facade "Hoshino, I would like to talk to you sometime tomorrow. How does lunch break on the rooftop sound?”
Ichika slightly startled by the sudden appearance of Mafuyu had said, "Yeah that sounds fine." And when she was done packing up a second later she had said her goodbye to Mafuyu while she was still packing up her own things, her heart still somewhat pounding in her chest.
The next day had come too soon in Mafuyu's opinion. She was good at hiding her slight fidgeting, beyond nervous for the upcoming lunch reveal, and the potential loss of someone who made Mafuyu feel warm.
The bell rung signaling lunch break. Mafuyu was up in second, and headed down the route to the schools rooftop, going over what she would say, or how she would explain it.
When she got there Ichika was waiting already, sifting onto one foot to the other and wringing her hands together. When she heard the rooftop door close she looked up from the ground to towards Mafuyu.
"Hi.”
"Hello.”
They stood there in silence looking at each other, Mafuyu thinking of a way to tell Ichika.
"I wasn't waiting for too long of that's what you were wondering. I've only been here for a second before you arrived.”
Mafuyu hummed in acknowledgement of Ichika's words and had decided that she would just tell her straight out seeing that they had little time left during lunch.
"Hoshino," Mafuyu started, her voice the same sickly sweet, "I need to tell you something."
"Oh?"
"I don't know who I am." She deadpanned, face completely neutral except for a subtle nervousness Mafuyu wasn't aware of, "and I never have, not for a while at least."
Ichika stared half in confusion and half in knowing. She had known for some while that Mafuyu was off in some way. Whether it was from how she carried herself or the way she talked. Either way, whenever they spoke Mafuyu reminded Ichika of herself in middle school, lost, not knowing what to do, having just lost her friends. She could've been an other people pleaser like the old Honami if Ichika had cared a bit more.
Mafuyu stared at Ichika searching for a response, whether she wanted it to be good or bad, she didn't know, but she connected the feeling she had to how Nightcord made her feel, although a bit stronger. And at that moment it became a bit much for Mafuyu to continue to wait for her response so she simply said, "Okay." and started walking off, kicking Ichika out of her thoughts and into a response.
"I knew it was familiar."
Mafuyu stopped in her tracks and turned around, slight confusion etched into her eyes, but before she could speak Ichika continued.
"I shouldn't have brushed it off. I should have known better. That you were somehow struggling. It was going to happen again. I was going to loose another person due to my brushing. Thank you though for telling me, and I do still want to be your friend." and perhaps more sometime in the future.
Mafuyu stood there for a second, processing what was said before the bell rang singling lunch break was ending. They both stood there looking at each other before saying their goodbyes for now, and left for their classes closing the rooftop door as they did.
"Oh, poor Asahina. That must be terrible."
"I'm going to try my best to make Asahina happy. I just have to train more, more, more!"
"I don't know if that's going help much Minori, but I'll try to help her also. Maybe I should try to clear up some of my schedule to go to archery more."
"Maybe we should talk to Ichika for more information? What do you think Shizuku?"
"I don't think we should confront either of them seeing as they probably think that no one else was here."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. But I'll still try to help in whatever way I can. It is an idols job to make everyone smile!"
The bell rang again prompting Minori and Shizuku into the actions of jumping in surprise, saying farewell, and sprinting to their next class.