Work Text:
The snow fell in light flakes over the streets as Aya pushed her scarf up, doing what she could to keep the late winter air from biting at her face. She’s trying hard not to shiver, the walk back from school today is just brutal with the low temperatures. She glanced at Mitsuki walking beside her, feeling a bit of jealousy at how the taller girl seemed less affected by the chill. Aya couldn’t wait to get to the record store today; at least there she’d be guaranteed heating.
Aya huffed, watching her breath dissipate into the cold air. “How are you not freezing?” Aya grumbled, pulling her coat tighter around herself “It’s like zero degrees out here.”
Mitsuki chuckled, the sound a sweet melody to Ayas ears as her breath formed small puffs in the air. “I think your coats just too thin, Oosawa.” God, her smile is pretty. Aya had to hope that the color in her cheeks could be excused by the cold.
Aya frowned. “Yeah, but look at how cute this jacket is! I got it last week and had to wear it today.” Aya did a quick twirl to emphasize her point, almost slipping on some ice that was hiding under the snow. She decided to just focus on walking from then on.
Snow crunched beneath their feet as they continued toward the record shop. They had to walk in silence, neither of their earbuds could handle the temperature without the batteries immediately giving out. Mitsuki usually carries a pair of wired earbuds as a backup, except last night she stayed up too late listening to music and ended up forgetting them in her room. It’s too bad, Aya wouldn’t have minded needing to stand close to Mitsuki to share.
Aya stole glances at Mitsuki whenever she could, admiring the way the other girls' dark hair caught snowflakes and the pink hue of her cheeks. It’s only been around a week since Aya finally realized that she's into her friend, and only a few days since she came to terms with all the implications that came from liking a girl, but being around Mitsuki like this is making it hard for Aya to believe that she hasn't already hopelessly fallen for her.
Suddenly, an idea struck. Aya could use this opportunity to make a move. It would have to be subtle, of course. Aya wouldn’t want to risk anything if Mitsuki doesn’t feel the same, plus she wouldn’t want to overwhelm the other girl by coming on too forward. She thinks she sees an opening to hold Mitsukis hand.
Aya brought her hands up to her mouth and exhaled, trying to warm them. “Ugh, my hands are so cold,” she complained. It wasn’t a complete lie, her hands were cold. Her gloves are too thin, she really should’ve put on some better winter wear this morning.
Mitsuki looked over at Aya rubbing her hands together. It doesn’t generate much warmth through her gloves, but she's more so trying to send hints rather than actually warm up. “Once we're back at the shop I have an extra pair you could borrow,” Mitsuki tells her. There’s nothing to read from Mitsukis expression. Aya can’t tell if her advances are getting rejected or if Mitsuki’s just oblivious to what Ayas trying to get at. It leaves her a little confused how well her attempts are being received, but she elects to try harder, though maybe Aya can stand to be a little more forward.
“I dunno if I’ll make it there before my fingers freeze off,” Aya added, trying to make her low body temperature seem more urgent than it actually is. She doesn’t tear her gaze from Mitsukis face, trying to gage whatever she can from the other girls reaction.
Mitsuki looks at Aya with a bit of concern. Maybe she’ll finally offer to hold Ayas hand, at least that’s what Ayas hopes she’ll do. Instead, Mitsuki looks up at the snow covered road ahead of them. “We’re not that far…” she begins, and Ayas about to write it off as a complete rejection. Mitsuki then starts to take off her own gloves, surprising Aya. “Here, wear my gloves instead, they're thicker.” Mitsuki offers them to Aya, waiting for her to take them.
At least Ayas face doesn't feel so cold anymore, the sudden flush of color making her feel like she might as well be on fire. Is this reciprocation? Mitsukis own awkward way of flirting back? She wordlessly accepts, eyes on the gloves and missing how Mitsukis face is tinged a bit too dark of a red to just be from the cold anymore. Aya slips her gloves off and shoves them in her pockets. She puts on Mitsukis, and Aya realizes Mitsuki was right about how much thicker they were. The insides of them are already so warm with the lingering heat from Mitsukis hands. Aya thinks this is so much better than holding hands. She knew holding hands through gloves wouldn't actually warm her up at all, but this way it’s kinda like indirect hand holding, where Mitsukis hands still ended up warming hers.
Mitsuki puts her now bare hands into her coat pockets then smiles, “Better now?” she asks with a slight grin.
Aya looks at Mitsukis gloves on her hands, then looks at the girl, not caring that her face is still redder than it should be. She can't help but mirror Mitsukis smile. It’s something, Aya thinks. “Yeah, thanks.”
They linger in the moment for a few more seconds. Then, Mitsuki resumes their walk towards the record shop, moving at a faster pace than earlier to get there sooner. Aya chuckles at the thought of Mitsuki getting cold now, then speeds up to match the other girls’ pace.
—
“Do you think Naritas going to like the chocolate? Is it too forward?” Mao asks, having pulled up a chair to the other side of Ayas desk. She’s been talking for the last few minutes about that guy, wondering aloud to her friends if he has a date for today. Aya feels bad for not really caring about what Mao has to say. It's a bit hypocritical of her – after all, Aya made her friends listen when she was so strung up on “Onii-san.” The thing is Aya doesn’t really care about that guy Narita, there've been a lot of times in the past where she wanted to hang out with Mitsuki and Mitsuki alone, but then he had to be there too. Plus, Aya doesn’t really want to talk about love considering how much she's currently struggling in that department, even though it being Valentine's day makes avoiding that type of talk a little difficult.
Chizuru, who had a chair pulled up to Ayas right, saved Aya from needing to answer. “He’s a guy, of course he’ll like chocolate given by a girl.” At least Chizuru was always more chill about that love stuff.
It really is Ayas fault though, she’s the one who agreed to help Mao make Valentine's day chocolate yesterday, at least on the condition that Aya gets to keep some to give to someone. Mao was fine with that, they made a lot anyway. She had asked Aya if it was for “that guy at the record shop that you used to always talk about,” and Aya neither confirmed nor denied that it was.
But now today is Valentines day, and she's surrounded with all this romance junk. Everyone around her makes it seem so easy, they don’t know the struggles of falling for someone so insecure and oblivious.
In all honesty, she's hoping to be able to give some of that chocolate to Mitsuki later today at the record shop. Mitsukis got a shift there after school, so they’ve made plans to hangout during that time. Hopefully she’ll be able to get the point across that she won't be giving the chocolate as a friend. Ayas got the whole thing planned out, knowing something subtle wont work too well: she’ll start by talking about the chocolate she helped Mao make while being extra sure to emphasize how romantic the intentions behind it were, then she’ll follow that up by giving some to Mitsuki. It’s a simple plan, but in Ayas eyes the most effective. The other girl might need a slight bit more convincing that the gift is a confession, but Ayas pretty sure that if everything goes ideally, she’ll end the day knowing that Mitsuki likes her back!
…Or she’ll end up with a rejection.
No, Aya shouldn’t think like that. Her plan is going to work! And if it doesn’t… she just won't think about that possibility.
Mao continued to chatter enthusiastically about Narita and the Valentine's chocolate, Aya nodded along, pretending to listen. Her thoughts were too engrossed in the dark haired girl to her left.
Before Aya knows it, she's snapped out of her thoughts by everyone leaving. Schools over, and she’s getting closer to setting her plan into action.
Mitsuki waited for her before they left for the record store. Aya was quieter than usual, her mind still running through her plan for once they get there. Yeah she could just do it now, they're alone after all, but Ayas already over thought this so much that she would rather wait so that everything can go exactly as planned. Plus, Mitsuki probably hasn’t even noticed Aya not saying much. They’re sharing earbuds for a song that Mitsuki wanted Aya to hear, it’s not too out of the ordinary for both of them to just listen together. As long as Mitsuki doesn’t know the real reason why shes so quiet, she’ll be fine.
After what seems like simultaneously too long and too short of a time, they get to the record store. Kannas sitting behind the counter and briefly greets them before turning back to the magazine in her hands. Mitsuki heads into the back to change, and Aya internally rehearses her plan. The chocolates are in her bag, she can talk about how romantic it is, then surprise Mitsuki with it. Her heart beats faster with anticipation, it’s the perfect plan.
Kanna puts her magazine down then looks back towards Aya. “Hanging out on Valentines, huh?” she teases.
Aya feels a flush creeping up her cheeks. “N-no, nothing like that,” she stammers. It’s not like Kannas observation is wrong, Aya just doesn’t want Kanna to interfere in any way. She's already eighty percent sure that Kanna knows about her little thing for Mitsuki, but she doesn’t want any extra attention drawn to it. Aya also doesn't trust Kanna not to mess with her plan. She knows that Kanna probably wouldn’t do anything that would ruin her chances, but still, she doesn’t want to risk anything after all the thought that went into it.
Kanna raises an eyebrow and cracks a grin, clearly not convinced by Ayas flustered response. “Mhmm, sure,” she says with a knowing smile before going back to her magazine. Ayas glad that Kanna didn’t press any further, but it makes her wonder just how obvious she is about her little crush.
A few minutes pass with Aya awkwardly standing there while Kanna reads. Finally, Aya lets out a quiet sigh of relief as Mitsuki re emerges from the back room, though her breath catches when she sees the girl. It’s not even anything Ayas not used to, just Mitsuki in her black Nirvana hoodie and some baggy pants, yet that same sense of style was what captivated her so much back when she thought Mitsuki was a guy.
Aya looks at Kanna in the corner of her eye, wondering if her plan can still work even if they’re not alone. Aya just has to hope that she wont overhear.
Mitsuki walks up to Aya, her bluetooth earbuds in her hand. “I found this new band last night that have the same vibes as The Killers,” she hands Aya one of the earbuds, “you've gotta listen, they’re so good!”
Aya smiles softly, the awkwardness she felt a moment ago dissipating with Mitsuki here. Aya grabs an earbud from Mitsukis hand as they take a seat on the floor near a back wall. Aya can see Kanna eyeing them from behind the counter.
Suddenly, her awkwardness resurfaces as anxiety. She’s supposed to confess now. Mitsukis across from her scrolling through spotify trying to find the band she was just talking about. Aya puts the earbud in her ear. She can wait for just one song before enacting her plan, right?
Mitsuki presses play, and Aya listens closely. As the music hits her ears, she realizes the vibes are similar to The Killers. It’s nice, she likes it. “Koga, this is so good! It sounds like it could be a song from Wonderful Wonderful ”
Mitsuki smiles at her enthusiasm. “I know! The lyrics reminded me a lot of that album and the singer has the same pitch to his voice.” She scoots a little closer, pulling up the lyrics on her phone to look at while they listen.
Eventually, the song fades to an end, and Aya has half a mind to tell Mitsuki to play another; to just spend her evening sitting here with Mitsuki and listening to music, but she’s got something else she needs to address.
“By the way, there's something that happened today with Mao and Narita.” Aya wonders if this conversation topic is too forced, but it's too late to take back what she said.
Mitsuki lets the next song play, but she lowers the volume so it’s more of a background noise. “I helped her make these Valentine's chocolates yesterday to give to him, and…” Aya realizes she has no idea where this story is going. Mitsukis listening though, she has to stick to her plan, “... and don't you think that's so romantic? Homemade chocolates?” God, she sounds so awkward.
Mitsuki, thankfully, doesn't look like she seems to think anythings amiss and after thinking for a second gives her answer. “I guess it could be… How did Narita respond?”
“I dunno, Mao said she was gonna do it after school. She hasn't said anything about how it went yet” Aya doesn’t want to keep the conversation on this, she needs to steer it so she can give the chocolate in her bag to Mitsuki. She notices Kanna staring again from behind the counter. Why is this so much harder than she planned? “But about the… chocolate, I have some extra if you want it.” Aya knows how hard she's fumbling this right now. She can even see Kanna stifle a laugh before lifting the magazine to cover her face.
“Really? I can have it?” Mitsuki seems a little shocked, maybe she finally understands Ayas intentions.
If that's the case, then this is a full on confession at this point. Ayas cheeks gain a pink tinge, “Yeah, I’m not gonna eat it, and you just seemed like the best person to give it to.” Aya reaches into her bag for the small box she put the chocolates into. It’s a simple small white box that Aya tied a red ribbon to, but if this isn’t romantic then Aya doesn’t know what is.
She hands it to Mitsuki. Kannas staring again. Aya wishes that Kanna wasn’t here right now, she’s making this so much harder than it already is. Ayas also a little embarrassed to be doing this infront of someone.
Mitsuki opens the box. The chocolates aren’t delicately placed in or anything, but Mitsuki still looks happy about them. She grabs one and puts it in her mouth, her face lighting up as she starts to chew. “Oosawa, these are really good!” Aya can't stop the smile that spreads across her face. Her plan is working.
Except it turns out it wasn't. “But why not save these for a guy? That’d be a better use than just giving them to me.”
Ayas heart drops. Turns out this wasn’t the romantic confession she thought it was, at least not in Mitsukis eyes. But Aya can still remedy this, she already accounted for the fact that she might need to be a little blunt to finally nail it into Mitsukis head that this is Aya telling the girl that she likes her.
But Kannas still here.
She’s not even staring anymore, she went back to her magazine, but Aya knows that the music in the shop isn't loud enough to drown out what she's been saying to Mitsuki. If she goes full confession, Kanna will hear.
Damn it, why's that making Aya freeze up? Someone being around has never been a problem before, but now with Kanna here it’s like Ayas lost her ability to speak. It was so much easier when she thought Mitsuki was a guy. Back then she was able to write her number on “Onii-sans” palm even though Joe was right there, but now she can’t even manage this one last sentence that could seal everything.
Is the reason why Kanna hasn't left to purposely mess with her? Probably not, Kanna doesn’t seem like the type that would intentionally try to get in the way of Mitsukis life in a moment like this. Does Kanna think that her being there isn’t affecting Aya? She's gotten this far with Mitsuki despite the woman being at the desk the whole time, maybe Kanna thinks Aya can finish what she started?
But she can’t. Aya knows she's so close, but this is something that should be between only her and Mitsuki. She's going to hate herself for this later – shes already starting to hate herself now – but for some reason Ayas paralyzed. It’s not even Kannas fault, how’s she supposed to know that Aya would freeze up with her here.
Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with Kanna. Aya might not be as ready for a blunt confession as she thought she was. Maybe even if Kanna weren’t here, Aya still wouldn’t have the courage to say what she wants to Mitsuki. Aya never even stopped to wonder if Mitsuki likes girls, there's so much sudden anxiety holding her back. There's also the chance her hesitance is a mixture of both. Whatever the case, Ayas immobilization fills her with self loathing.
“Its… Just take them, Koga.” Aya says, crestfallen. “I don’t like any guy enough to want to give chocolates” Not as much as I like you, she wants to add. She curses whatever mental block is preventing her from just finishing her confession, but the sudden fear has her gripped too tight to be able to push through.
Kanna glances over again, Aya sees how the woman isn’t grinning anymore. It makes her want to bury her face in her hands and wallow in her uselessness. She knows she’s going to need a lot of mental preparation if she ever wants to go through with this.
Yeah, that’s what she’ll do. Aya knows she’ll have more chances in the future, she has a lot more time to prepare for every thing that could go wrong. It was just a lack of preparation on her part, she wasn’t ready for a straight up confession yet – even though it’s become obvious to her that being blunt is the only way Mitsuki will ever know that Ayas into her.
Mitsuki eats another chocolate and says another small thank you before turning the volume of their music back up. Ayas somewhat tuned it out, she’s still just as determined to find a way to confess in a way that both works well for her and that Mitsuki is able to understand. Next time, she’ll be ready.
—
Aya stared intently at her phone as if she were trying to will it to ring. She’s been waiting so long she had time to do her entire nightly routine, yet here she was, laying in bed and wishing that the screen would light up with an incoming call.
It was March 9th, Mitsukis birthday, and Aya had hardly seen the other girl all day. She was hoping they could maybe spend a little time together hanging out, but Kanna and Joe got to Mitsuki first, so there wasn’t enough time for Aya. There was a silver lining though, Mitsuki had promised to call Aya once she was done with all that her uncle had planned. After hearing that promise, Ayas spirits were initially lifted, but now it’s been hours and still no call.
Aya wonders if she should just give up and go to sleep. Mitsuki usually stays up really late anyway, maybe she’ll be out all night doing whatever she's doing with Joe and Kanna. Either way, Aya shouldn't keep her hopes up, she’ll see the girl at school anyway. It shouldn’t even matter so much to Aya, she should just let Mitsuki have fun with her family, yet she still can't help but feel disappointed that she hasn’t heard from the other girl.
She picks up her phone again almost unconsciously, checking for any missed calls or messages. Nothing. The screen remains as blank as before. Aya decides it's not worth waiting. She lays her phone down on her nightstand, then lays down and closes her eyes to sleep.
Then her phone rings.
Aya shoots up in her bed, immediately grabbing her phone. She squints at the glowing screen, hoping it’s the call she’s been waiting for.
It's Mitsuki.
A few seconds pass as Aya lets it ring without answering, needing to take a breath to steady herself before anything. She presses the button on her phone to answer the call, hoping she's calm enough that she’ll be able to hide the elation in her voice.
“Hey, Oosawa,” Mitsuki greets. Her voice sounds a little tired, she’s probably spent the better half of the day out doing stuff. Ayas heart flutters at the sound of her voice. “Sorry if I’m calling too late, I-”
“No no it’s not too late!” Aya interrupts, then instantly realizes she’s way too overzealous for this hour. She holds the phone away for a second to clear her throat before pressing it against her ear once more. “I mean, it’s not too late. I wasn’t really doing anything anyway,” she adds, sounding calmer now. “I’ve been hoping that you’d call.” Aya notices how soft she said that last bit, how literally anyone else would notice how romantic that sentence just sounded, but Ayas had enough experiences trying to hit on Mitsuki to know that the girl wont pick up on something as subtle as that.
A moment passes with only silence on the line. Mitsukis the one to break it. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you today.” Aya wishes she could see Mitsukis face; wishes she could see her expression right now.
“Don’t be, I know you were busy today.” Aya gets up from her bed, finding it hard to stay still. “At least you're calling now. Tell me about what you did.”
Mitsuki lets out a soft laugh, the sound bringing warmth to Aya's heart even through the phone. “Well, It was more or less just my uncle and Kanna trying to one up each other with gifts for me, though I think my uncle was taking it much more seriously than Kanna.” Aya slowly paces around her room, listening intently to the girl on the other line. “We got food from a few places then went to a show. You would’ve liked the band, the lead singer sounded a lot like Thom Yorke.”
Aya pauses by her window for a moment. Her mouth opened to speak, but Mitsuki wasn't done talking. “They’re playing again next week if you’d want to go.”
Aya smiles at the invitation, glad that Mitsuki can’t see her face or witness just how much the dark haired girl affects her. Aya takes a quick second to try to compose herself, but it doesn’t work, live shows always excite her. “That’d be so cool! Yeah I wanna go!”
Mitsuki's chuckle is like music to Aya's ears, and she can't help but feel a surge of anticipation for the show. Aya has to hold her phone away from her face so Mitsuki doesn't hear the shrill squeal she lets out. Her hearts going to burst, no one told her that a crush could get this bad. It wasn’t nearly this strong when she thought Mitsuki was a guy.
“I’ll send you the time and address.” Mitsuki tells her. A moment later, Ayas phone buzzes with a text from Mitsuki containing the details. Aya resumes pacing around her room. She opens the message and saves the information to her calendar.
"Got it, thanks!" Aya replied eagerly, she's given up her efforts to appear composed. "I can't wait!"
“So enthusiastic,” Mitsuki comments with a levity to her voice.
Aya retorts with an affectation of offense, “Hey, what's wrong with being pumped up for something as cool as a live show?”
“There's nothing wrong with it,” Aya thinks she can hear the smile in the tone of Mitsukis voice. “I think it’s kinda adorable, is all.”
Aya has to slam her face into her pillow for that one. If she wasn’t muffled, she’d definitely wake her entire house with the screams of excitement she was letting out. Mitsukis flirting with her! Though probably not intentionally, Aya knows by now the other girl just says things like that sometimes. Even so, how can she not at least try to flirt back?
“ YOU’RE ADORABLE,” Aya yells much louder than intended. An instant wave of regret hits her, she prays she didn’t wake anyone.
“Huh?” Is all Mitsuki replies with.
Aya wonders why the hell she would blurt something like that. At least it was straightforward – that's what she's been working towards. It’s a bit rocky, but maybe there's a way to salvage this.
Aya stammers a little, trying to lead this conversation where she wants it to go, “I just think that – y’know, you’re cut-” she's cut off by a banging at her door.
“Aya, quiet down and go to sleep!” her moms voiced pierced through the wood.
Her face burns with embarrassment. She yells a quick apology before feeling the urge to bury her face back into her pillow. Aya wonders how the hell Mitsuki is always so smooth without even trying – it’s like the second Aya tries to flirt something always goes wrong.
Aya puts her phone back to her face, “Sorry about that…” she mumbles.
“Don’t worry about it,” Mitsukis reassuring voice comes through. “I can hang up if you have to go.”
As much as Aya wants to keep talking, she doesn’t want her mom to get any madder. It’s late too, it wouldn't hurt to go to bed. “Yeah, I think I have to.” she replies reluctantly. It makes it easier knowing she’ll see Mitsuki at school tomorrow, but she still wishes she didn’t have to hang up. “Sorry…” Aya mutters again.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Mitsuki answers. Aya can’t hear the smile in her voice anymore.
Aya nods even though Mitsuki can’t see her. “Bye,” she softly replies. She pulls the phone away to hang up, but then quickly puts it back to her ear before the call can be ended.
“Happy birthday, Koga.” She waits with the phone up to her ear. The call’s still going, but there's silence on the other end.
“Thank you, Oosawa,” is all Aya hears before Mitsuki finally hangs up the call.
A moment passes before Aya moves. She then puts her phone on her nightstand, lays down in bed, and shuts her eyes. The conversations playing on repeat in her head. It didn’t end like she wanted, but she’ll admit the thought of the concert with Mitsuki is still enough for her to think it went great.
Sleep doesn't come easy to her tonight, head occupied with thoughts of the girl who has her heart.
—
The branches of the cherry blossom trees swayed in the breeze, a modest amount of petals scattered along the branches signifying the arrival of spring. Aya walked along the familiar path to school, the pavement dappled with sparse shadows from the trees. The air carried the faint scents of early blooms that followed her with each step. The season was still new enough that the trees hadn’t yet bloomed a significant amount. Though small petals occasionally rained down when the wind blew, Aya knows this is nothing compared to how it will be in a few weeks when everythings blooming.
Aya had her earbuds in as she strolled, listening to the playlist she shared with Mitsuki. The song playing was probably a bit too gritty for this setting, but she didn’t care. Good music is good music, no matter when it’s listened to. Though, who it’s listened to with usually affects her enjoyment.
She hasn’t seen Mitsuki much since spring break started, often too busy with her own plans to stop by the record shop. They texted and called a few times, but Aya prefers being face to face with the other girl. The distance didnt even affect how she feels about Mitsuki, if anything now she’s had time to psych herself up and is more determined than ever. Maybe she’ll finally be able to be blunt enough to get Mitsuki to understand that Aya likes her.
Lost in her thoughts and the music playing in her ears, Aya barely managed to look up from her phone before she ran into Mitsuki. Mitsuki, though, was still distracted on her own phone and ended up running into Aya anyway. Right, we take the same route, Aya thought.
Mitsuki stumbles back a little, her left earbud falling out in the collision. “Ah- Oosawa?”
Aya smiles, happy to see the girl after almost a week of little contact even though Mitsuki literally just crashed into her. The spots of sunlight filtering through the canopy of branches and scarce petals above casted a glow onto Mitsukis face. She looked radiant. Aya knew that this crush would be the death of her, she's too far gone.
“Koga! It’s been a while.” Aya says while taking her earbuds out of her ears. She puts them in their case and drops it back in her bag.
“Yeah, it has…” Mitsuki trails off, looking around the ground trying to find where her earbud went. Aya scans the ground and spots it by her left foot. She bends down to pick it up and hands it back to Mitsuki.
“Thanks.” Mitsukis eyes aren't meeting Ayas, her gaze instead trailing a little higher. “You have, ah,” Mitsuki points to the side of her head. “There's a petal in your hair, Oosawa.”
Feeling a little embarrassed, Aya runs her hand through her hair, trying to find the petal. She can't find it, then feels a little annoyed at both its elusiveness and her own lack of awareness that it was even there to begin with.
Mitsuki points to the top of Aya's head. “It’s more to the left.” Mitsuki takes a step forward, reaching just around where Ayas hand is in her hair. Mitsuki picks the petal from the strands and holds it between her fingers in front of her, showing it to Aya. “It’s a similar color to your hair,” Mitsuki smiles, “I almost didn’t see it.”
Ayas heart thrums in her chest. Mitsukis always so unintentionally smooth, it almost amazes Aya how the dark-haired girl never realizes the effect her actions have on Aya.
“Thanks,” she turns her head a little to the side, taking her eyes off Mitsuki and instead focusing on the few falling petals from the last gust of wind. “Aren't the cherry blossom trees so pretty, Koga? I only wish…” Aya begins, her voice trailing off as she struggles to find the right words to say.
“They’re kinda romantic, don't you think?” she continues. On the outside Aya's holding it together, but internally her mind has to constantly repeat reassurances to herself that she can do this.
Mitsuki looks up at the pink blossoms, a tinge of color forming on her cheeks, “I guess they can be.” She turns her head back to look at Aya, “At least, I think traditionally they are.”
Aya comes to a full stop on the path. Mitsuki takes a few more steps before stopping herself. The dark haired girl looks a little confused as to why Aya isn't walking anymore, but Aya needs a moment to make sure she knows exactly what she’s going to say when she next opens her mouth. Her mind is screaming at her to confess, to use this opportunity to do what she's been wanting to do for months.
Aya takes a breath, then adds, “I was maybe thinking of asking someone out under the trees.”
Mitsuki seems a little stunned. “You like someone, Oosawa?” Mitsuki asks, a slight change of tone to her voice. Aya almost thinks it's jealousy.
“I-uh, well…” Aya fidgets with her bag strap. She's rehearsed this in her head countless times, she thinks she knows what to say next. It's blunt, it’s to the point, it’s just what she needs to say for Mitsuki to finally understand. She has enough past failures under her belt and doesn’t want to endure any more. Pushing down all her doubts, Aya looks directly at Mitsuki and blurts “You.”
Ayas pulse quickens as she tries to tell what Mitsukis feeling, but Aya can't read her expression at all. The girl just looks a little stunned, that tint of color in her cheeks darkening from Ayas one word.
“Huh?!” Mitsukis voice eventually broke the silence. Aya doesn't know if that's a good sign or not. She bites the inside of her cheek, waiting to see if there's going to be any more of an answer to what she said. Aya honestly is not too sure if she’s getting rejected right now. She couldn't even decipher anything from Mitsukis tone – was it confusion, surprise, or something else entirely? At the very least, she feels like a weight has finally been lifted off of her after months of trying to get this out.
Only a few seconds have passed, but to Aya it seems like she’s been waiting an eternity for a proper reaction. Maybe Mitsuki just needs to find the words to reciprocate. At least, that's what Ayas praying is the case.
Mitsuki finally responds with more than a reactionary sound. “Y-you must be confused, I mean like a guy you like , not as a friend,” she hastily corrects.
Aya wonders how someone can be so damn thick headed. All that relief she felt a moment ago fades. It’s honestly frustrating, spending all this time and planning just for everything to almost go right, but because Mitsuki can never understand the intentions behind Aya's words or actions it ends up doing nothing but making Aya suffer in her hopeless crush. It’s really getting to her, all this time of the same stupid cycle where no romantic progress is ever made. She's tired of it.
Mitsuki isn’t done though, still rapidly rambling. “O-or if you mean you like “Onii-san” then i guess that's a little different but it’s still me and-” she gets cut off.
Aya still isn't breaking eye contact, feeling all her built up emotions coming up at once, not intending to hold them back anymore. She interjects into Mitsukis blathering. “I— damn it Koga, you’re a dumbass!” Aya knows it's harsh, but it also feels true with how much frustration this girl has put her through.
“W-what?” Mitsuki stammers.
Aya knows she has to say it now, her built up annoyance fueling her determination to just get this over with. She’s spent so long preparing herself mentally, and now there's nothing around to interrupt. She knows what she needs to say and get straight to the point.
“I like you , okay?” Her face is red, but she's glad she finally said it, even if her relief is mixed with huge amounts of nervousness and fear. “Not like as in friends, but as in I'm asking you out!”
“Oosawa?-”
Aya's heart is pounding in her chest. She still can't read Mitsuki's expression, and uncertainty gnaws at her, but she has to see this through. “You-” she's starting to calm down. “You are so frustrating to have a crush on.”
Mitsuki’s so lost, as if that was the last thing she’d ever expect to hear out of Aya's mouth. She stands paralyzed in front of the other girl, looking overwhelmed. Her voice is a little shaky when she speaks, “M-me?” she points to herself in disbelief. Aya only nods, her heart still racing, but a sense of relief washing over her now that Mitsuki finally understands her feelings.
A pang of anxiety hits Aya as Mitsuki takes a moment to respond, her eyes searching the other girl's face for any hint of what she might be feeling. Mitsuki quickly continues, “I never considered- I mean, I didn’t think that… Why me?” she blurts.
“Why you?” Aya echos. Shes calmed down a lot from her outburst a moment ago, most of the frustration is already out of her system, but her words have no confidence behind them, terrified of the future where this goes wrong. She still can't even tell if Mitsukis shock is a sign of rejection or not. “Because...” She tries to steady her voice as she gathers her thoughts before they inevitably spill out. “You’re the only one who gets me, Koga. I never had anyone to share music with before you, and it means a lot that you get as pulled into our conversations as I do.” Ayas face is burning, she's finding it so hard to maintain eye contact right now. Her heart is pounding in her chest, but she has to keep going. “A-and aside from the music, you’re just a really nice person. You’re considerate without even noticing, and being around you makes me really… happy.” She gives up on holding eye contact. “Plus you’re super cool,” she mutters.
Mitsukis completely frozen, her face just as red as Ayas from the blush that crept up onto her cheeks during the last minute. Neither of them are making a move. Aya’s anxiously waiting any reaction from Mitsuki, but it’s as if time had stopped for the dark haired girl the moment Aya had opened her mouth.
“I didn’t know you… felt that way, Oosawa.” Mitsuki grabs the back of her neck, her words an unsure mumble.
Aya lets out a hollow chuckle, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. “I thought I was so obvious.”
Mitsukis blush deepens, a faint yet nervous smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I just assumed you were being nice. I didn’t want to misinterpret anything.”
“I gave you chocolates on Valentines day.” Aya adds, her voice gaining back some of its lost levity. Looking back at everything, she's finding humor in how Mitsuki missed her blatant signs of attraction. For a moment, it even slips Ayas mind how frustrated the other girl made her, but it’s fine for the moment, because despite the anxiety gnawing at her, this hasn't ended in a rejection yet.
“...I thought they were friend chocolates. I’m no good with this stuff.” Mitsukis still rigid, but seems to relax a little when she sees Aya do the same. Her voice remains a little above a mumble. “I figured you didn’t feel that way about me any more after finding out I'm a girl.”
A slight gust of wind blows, tossing a few petals from the trees. Ayas eyes follow one, watching as it floats down to the ground as she collects the right words in her head. She waits until it hits the path before speaking.
“I thought that at first, but it turns out my crush only got stronger”
Mitsuki looks like shes going to pass out. Her face is red and she keeps tugging on her sleeve, unable to tear gaze away from her own feet. It’s a major contrast to the cool and confident persona of Mitsukis that Ayas grown accustomed to when they’re outside of school – heck, even in school Mitsukis never been this flustered, – but Aya finds it endearing. Mitsuki needs a minute too, she’s probably thinking up the right words just as Aya was a moment ago. Aya patiently gives her the time she needs.
Mitsukis foot shifts, adjusting her weight. She keeps her tilted down but raises her eyes to meet Ayas with a timid look. “I’ve felt something for you for a while. But the thought of someone as cool as you liking me that way… It was something I didn’t let myself believe could be true. “
Ayas eyes widen, that’s what she's been needing: confirmation. She has to double check that there’s zero misunderstanding. There's no way she's letting his opportunity slip through her fingers. “You like me back?!” she asks.
Mitsuki only nods, and Ayas heart soars. After all this time and constantly second guessing if the other girl could ever feel the same, hearing that Mitsuki feels something too leaves Aya elated. All that frustration and time spent longing finally culminated into acceptance, Aya thinks it was worth it. If she could, she would replay that moment on loop like a favorite song that she can’t get enough of.
Aya can hardly contain her happiness. Her crush likes her back, the thought alone is enough to make her want to scream.
“Go on a date with me!” she blurts. The words are out of her mouth before she even registers what she's doing, but she doesn't regret saying it.
Mitsuki blinks, processing Ayas sudden outburst. “A date?” There's still some confusion to her voice despite now knowing that Aya likes her. It makes Aya wonder just how foreign the thought is to Mitsuki of going on a romantic date with somebody.
Nonetheless, Aya nods enthusiastically. She's so determined not to let her nerves or any embarrassment slow her down. She’s too elated to let anything stop her at this point, feeling energized from finally breaking her streak of romantic incompetence.
Mitsuki's expression shifts from surprise to a tentative smile. "Okay then, a date sounds fun. " she admits, her cheeks coloring slightly.
Aya beams. She doesn’t even try to contain her enthusiasm, she wants Mitsuki to see just how happy this makes her.
She's smiling so wide, so focused on the happiness the girl in front of her brought, she almost misses her phone buzzing in her pocket. Snapping out of her little reverie, she takes her phone out to see what it is.
Chizuru sent her a text asking if she's ditching today. It confuses her for a moment, until she checks the time. Shit . She's reminded that they were on the way to school, but now they're going to be late.
“Let's talk about this later,” Aya rushes her words out. She shows her phone screen to Mitsuki, letting the other girl see what time it is. Mitsuki understands, looking a little fearful now that she knows they might not make it on time.
“Yeah, later.” Mitsuki echos. Aya flashes one more smile at her before they both start to run off towards the school.
Aya's head was already starting to swarm with ideas for their date – something music related might be best – but no matter what it is, as long as it's with Mitsuki she knows she’ll love it.
