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It was raining today. Not the stormy kind of rain, more like the soft comfort of a drizzle in the morning. The rain drones on and on, in a comforting way. Kanade pats the spot next to her. It’s cold. She rubs her eyes and checks the time. Ena must have gotten up a while ago. The woman sighs and debates on getting up. After a few minutes, she rises from the safety and warmth of the bed. She slowly shuffles downstairs in her hoodie and shorts, greeted by the scent of food cooked by a woman with short brown hair.
“Good morning, Kanade.”
“How’d you hear me?” The woman with white hair walked up to Ena’s side.
“You get used to it after living with someone.” She looked at Kanade for a moment, smiling.
Yoisaki mumbles and slides her hands around her lover’s waist, hugging her from behind.
“I’m cooking, Kana..”
“But you’re warm,” She continues to snuggle with her partner. Ena sighs. “Do you have a competition today?”
“I do,” Ena said, not looking away from the pancakes forming.
“Aw, I was hoping to spend time with you today.”
“It won’t be for that long,” Shinonome flips the pancakes. “You should go get changed and we can eat breakfast.”
“Ah.. right, I forgot.” Kanade quickly walks back upstairs to wear a different pair of clothes, specifically Ena’s. (A simple light brown sweater and grey sweatpants.)
She returns downstairs to her lover waiting for her. Ena glances up with a faint smile.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Kanade takes a seat and starts working on breakfast with Ena, with light conversation in between every other bite. The two quickly finished eating.
“I’ll go get the painting, you can wait in the car.”
“Are you sure that you don’t need help?”
“Positive.”
Kanade nodded and exited the house, climbing into their beat-up Toyota. She heard the click of the door opening moments later.
“You ready?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
The hum of their car starting up always made Kanade smile. It was a reminder that everything was real, she thought as her eyelids slowly shut.
-
“Hey, we’re here, sleepyhead.”
“Huh..?”
Kanade opened her eyes to a huge building.
“This is where you’ll be competing?”
“Yeah,” Ena smirked. “It’s kind of a famous place.”
Kanade stared at the building for a second before turning to Ena.
“Wow.” She murmured with a small smile.
“Shall we go inside?”
“We shall.”
The two lovers exited the car, hand in hand (but also with a painting.)
When the pair entered the building, it was already full of visitors observing various pieces of artwork. Sculptures paintings and other pieces were scattered around the building on pedestals or hung up on the walls. The two weaved between crowds to find the person hosting the contest.
Ena hummed, a small sign of appreciation for the talent displayed until a peculiar painting caught her eye. Kanade almost tripped to keep up with the brown-haired girl.
“Ena?” Kanade rasped between breaths. She turned to look at what Ena saw. It was a beautiful piece of work, gleaming under a blue light. It sat in the corner of a small room. Splashes of colour and patterns covered the canvas, an abstract piece that held physical emotion.
“It’s beautiful.”
-
Ena didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. If that painting ended up in the competition, she was probably screwed- Not that she doubted her ability but the painting itself was in a league of its own.
A hint of envy tainted her thought.
“Ena?” Kanade tried again, her hand lightly brushing Ena’s shoulder.
“Yeah?” She turned around to face Kanade.
“Sorry, you were zoned out.”
Ena hummed. “Let’s go find the place where we’re supposed to hang the painting for the contest.”
Kanade nods and follows Ena.
An area in the gallery had a small sign that read “Shinonome Ena.” She hung her painting up and sighed. There were a few other paintings but their artists were probably elsewhere.
“You’re aware that there’s a cloth covering the painting?”
“Yeah. When the judges come I’ll remove it.”
Kanade nodded. “I’m going to go around the gallery.”
“Alright.” Ena gave her a small peck on the forehead and grinned. She watched as her lover turned a faint shade of red before giving a small smile back at Ena in response.
Ena turned around and observed the other paintings. They were eye-catching and bright. A familiar person caught her eye as they walked past.
Her father.
-
Kanade wandered around, staring at sculptures and pieces of artwork littered around the gallery. It was quite loud and crowded. After a few minutes of staring at paintings, she decided to go back to see how Ena was doing.
The familiar brown-haired woman had an unreadable expression on her face when she turned around to face Kanade.
“Is something wrong?”
“He’s here.”
Kanade’s lips twitched. She knew innately who Ena was talking about. She knew how harsh Ena’s father was towards her art. In his eyes, her art wasn’t good enough for him.
“It’ll be fine.”
“He’ll see me one way or another,” Ena murmured.
“You don’t have to talk to him..”
“I know.” Yet there was a twinkle in her eyes to prove him wrong. She had to win this competition.
Kanade sighed, changing the subject. “There’s a lot of people here..”
“Yeah.” Ena shifted her weight from foot to foot.
“You’ll be ok, right?”
“Yeah.”
“.. Do you want a hug?”
“Yeah..”
Kanade sighed happily and wrapped her arms around Ena. An overhead speaker declared that the judges would walk around the gallery but Kanade didn’t dwell on the announcement.
“You’ll be fine.”
A small noise of agreement came from Ena.
“Promise?” A murmur of question.
“Promise.”
Kanade took Ena’s hand.
“Want to go around the gallery?”
Ena nodded her head. Kanade’s lips perked up in a small smile. She slipped her hand through Ena’s and intertwined their fingers together.
-
There was an announcement that mentioned the judges being done with their viewing and are now deciding the top 3 winners but Ena wasn’t listening. There was a buzz in her ear and she could faintly hear words here and there from Kanade. She didn’t seem to mind her not answering back.
“Ena. I think that they’re starting the placings.”
Her grip on Kanade’s hand strengthened, a quiet wince coming from her partner.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
The person upstage said a few things about all of the artists contributing before moving on to the people who placed in the top 3.
“Shinonome Ena, second place.”
Kanade looked confused. Ena’s vision blurred. Was her father watching? Of course, he was. Of course, she got second place. She couldn’t do anything right. Anything.
The next minute or so was a blurred memory. From Ena going on stage, receiving the prize money, taking pictures and exiting the stage.
She felt her father’s eyes burn into the back of her head. She knew what he was trying to tell her.
“You’re not good enough.”
So she ran. She ran out into the rain and cried.
-
Kanade was left in Ena’s dust. She followed, hoping to find where she went. Until she spots Ena’s father in the crowd, and he spotted her. He slowly made his way towards her.
“Have you seen Ena?”
“No.” And she turned away from him.
“Wait.” Kanade froze. “I wanted to make sure to.. congratulate her.” There was a painful edge to his voice.
“Are you sure that she wants to even see you?” The sharp bluntness in her voice even made her flinch. She hadn’t talked to someone this coldly since confronting Mafuyu’s mother.
“I want to apologize to her.” His tone was now a pleading one.
“For what? Making her overwork herself? You’re her father. You’re supposed to support her goals.” There’s a strain in her voice as if it were painful to even look at him. She turned around and left, continuing the search for Ena.
Why was she crying? She knew that this was going to happen. It was inevitable. The rain muted the outside world and drenched her clothes.
The door opened and her father stepped out, looking apologetic. Silence rang out as the barrier between them broke.
“I’m sorry, Ena.” He waited to see if he would say something before continuing to speak. “I should have supported your goals instead of downplaying your ability. The painting that you made was incredible. I’m.. sorry for doubting you. I’m sorry for not being a better father. Congrats on placing second.” And he turned around.
“Wait.” He stopped, looking back at Ena. She tackled him into a hug. She was crying into his shirt. She missed him. She missed him being an actual dad.
She held the hug for a second longer before separating. “I should go now. Kanade’s most likely looking for me.”
When the words left her mouth, her partner appeared outside, worried.
“Ena you’re soaking wet, you’re going to catch a cold. You should get back inside.” She had an umbrella in her hand, most likely borrowed from a stranger.
In response, Ena gently kissed Kanade on the lips, an apology for suddenly running away. The two of them held it for a second longer before separating.
“Sorry.”
“I’m glad that you’re safe.”
When Ena looked back for her dad, he was halfway across the parking lot, unlocking his car. She waved at him and he waved back.
That’s when Ena started shivering.
“I think that we should go back inside now.”
“Yeah.” A small smile flourished across Ena’s face. It was contagious as Kanade smiled back. They intertwined again and stepped back inside.
After walking back into the gallery, the rain stopped and a rainbow bloomed across the clear sky.