Archive of Our Own

"Hey Mio, what do you think of..." I trailed off as I noticed that Mio wasn't paying attention. Instead, she was staring off into the distance, and I followed the direction of her gaze. I could see a huge rock, standing alone in the wide, vast ocean. The sound of waves splashing filled the air as we stood on the shore in our winter uniforms, leaning on the railings that separated us from the cold sea water.

When I turned back to see her face, I was met with a solemn expression, one I hadn't seen in a while... and one I hated the most.

"Mio?" My voice was small compared to the sound of the waves in the cold winter air. I gently tugged her sleeve, trying to get my best friend's attention, and she turned her head slightly, her expression shifting to one of curiosity.

"Are you okay?"

As soon as those words left my lips, I saw a brief flash of pain in her eyes before she brushed it off with that fake smile I could never bring myself to like. Even though it was fake, it never failed to make me feel a thousand emotions at once—happiness, sadness, disappointment, curiosity... worry.

Shaking her head, she took my arm and rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm okay, Fubu-chan," she lied.

She wasn’t okay. I knew she wasn’t okay. Was it because of me? No, why would it be? I hadn't done anything wrong. Then what was it? Should I force her to tell me? But what kind of best friend would I be if I had to force her to open up?

I sighed, patting her head before playing with her hair.

"I'm sorry... I promise I'll tell you," she continued, looking up at me from my shoulder. I tilted my head and gave her a reassuring smile. "You don't have to, Mio. But whatever is bothering you, just remember I'll always be here, alright?"

She smiled at me, but something about her smile was off. If only I had known that would be the last time I’d ever see her again, I wouldn’t have said goodbye so easily after walking her home.

But she promised.

She'll come back. I know she will...

Maybe... maybe she's just lost right now.

Five years later.

I left my hometown to continue my studies at a university in Tokyo that specialized in art courses. I knew that when I left, there was no way I’d go back to the place where my most painful memories haunted me in my sleep.

No one knew what happened to her or her family; they just disappeared.

But that’s enough of that. Mio is the past. I need to focus on my assignments.

"Fubu-chan!" The door to my dormitory swung open, revealing the only two friends I’d made during my time here—Suisei, who’s majoring in music, and Miko, who’s majoring in culinary arts, specifically pastries.

“Mikochi, you’re going to wake up the entire block,” Suisei hushed her, gently slapping the pink-haired girl on the back, making the latter smile sheepishly at her girlfriend.

"Sorry, Suichan."

"Don't apologize to me. Go apologize to the people you actually woke up."

"Sorry, guys..."

I chuckled at their antics before putting my pencil aside and switching off my desk lamp. “It’s alright, guys. Most of them probably needed a wake-up call. Due dates are around the corner, so there’s no time for sleep.” My attempt at a joke earned worried looks from the two.

"That explains the bags under your eyes," Suisei muttered, making me slide my glasses on before heading to my pantry to prepare some coffee.

"I’ll have lots of sugar in mine!" Miko called out, to which Suisei shook her head before standing beside me. “Miko made these. They’re not delicious at all, so here.”

“Hey! I heard that, you know,” Miko shouted from the other side of the room, making the two of us laugh.

"Thanks, Mikochi." I truly appreciated having friends like them. Honestly, I would’ve lost myself halfway through my first semester if it weren’t for them. Being in such a prestigious university with so many talented people and strict rules was tough.

“Don’t sweat it. We figured you haven’t been taking good care of yourself lately. Care to explain?” Suisei nudged me in the side, making me stumble slightly—the result of my lack of energy.

"I can still see the food me and Miko bought for you untouched in your fridge. Care to explain that too?"

Sigh.

I know she’s just trying to look after me, but I’m fine. I am.

I hate it. I hate how I always make people around me worry, feel sad, or disappointed. In the end, they’ll all disappear and leave me anyway… like Mio.

Sensing my shift in mood, Suisei quickly apologized before giving me a small embrace. “I’m sorry. I get too worried sometimes…” I managed to calm myself down and rested my head on Suisei’s shoulder in exhaustion.

"Fubu-chan, you can always talk to us, alright?" Suisei’s soothing voice helped. I pulled back and gave her a small smile, uttering a quiet "thanks." I turned to the living room and saw Miko giving me a thumbs up with a reassuring smile.

“I’m just not sure if I’m ready…” For the first time in a while, that was the closest I’d come to opening up. It always amazes me how they both stick around, no matter how hard I am to handle sometimes. Well, most of the time.

“We’ll wait!” Miko shouted enthusiastically, earning a genuine smile from me. Her cheerfulness really did rub off on others, something I was grateful for.

“What that dumb pink-head said,” Suisei teased, putting a hand on my shoulder and giving me a thumbs up.

I’m sure the day Mio left was the day a part of me left with her. I don’t know if I can get it back, but I hope I’ll find the right path soon. The only problem is… I hope it won’t take another five years.

After preparing coffee for Miko and tea for Suisei, who doesn’t like the bitter taste of coffee, we all sat down on the couch in my living room.

“Oh, right! Before we forget, we wanted to give you this,” Miko said, taking something out of her purse and handing it to me.

“An invitation card?” I asked without further inspection.

“Well, it’s kind of embarrassing to say out loud…” Suisei mumbled, looking away as a blush crept onto her face.

“Suisei proposed to me last summer, and we wanted you to be the first to know that we’ll be holding our wedding after graduation,” Miko explained. I smiled at them, genuinely happy to hear the good news.

“Congratulations! I knew you two would get along!” I teased. Miko smiled sheepishly, while Suisei tried to mask her embarrassment with annoyance.

“Yeah, whatever…” Suisei brushed it off, earning a cute giggle from Miko.

"Also, would you like to be my bridesmaid?" Miko asked excitedly.

“Me?” I asked for confirmation. I couldn’t quite understand why she’d choose me, out of all people.

"Yes, you silly! You’re my closest friend, and I intend to keep you until you get tired of us," Miko giggled, glancing lovingly at Suisei.

Something about them made the whole atmosphere warm, despite the cold winter air. I couldn’t help but feel genuinely happy for my friends. “Of course. You can count on me.”

We spent the rest of the time talking about school, Suisei’s upcoming concert at the university, and Miko’s trip to France in a week to meet a world-famous pastry chef. Unfortunately, Miko wouldn’t be able to attend Suisei’s concert.

Before we realized it, it was already 6 p.m. They both waved goodbye, promising to visit again once their schedules were less hectic. One of the downsides of being friends with two of the most successful students was their never-ending busy schedules, but I was still happy for them.

Yet again… I was left alone in my huge dorm room.

It almost felt like I’d always been alone.

I don’t even know how I got accepted into this university, nor how I’ve been surviving my art courses.

Mio… would’ve been proud of me, right?

I sighed for what felt like the hundredth time today. At least Miko and Suisei kept their promises, unlike her. She’s a liar and a traitor… No, I shouldn’t think that way. She had her reasons… maybe, probably. I promised I’d wait.

And I will. I’ll always be there for her, wherever she is.

Alright, that’s enough. I need to finish my work before our art exhibition. I heard there will be a famous artist visiting, looking to collaborate with one lucky student.

I must win first prize—for Mio.

And so, for Mio, I continued working on my sketches for my sculpture.

It wasn’t an easy process when Mio was my only motivation. Even if I won, would she ever notice me? Would she even be proud? Overwhelmed by my emotions, I started ripping sketch after sketch, leaving the room full of torn and crumpled papers.

This won’t do.

I threw on my winter coat and left the dorm, walking aimlessly around campus until I found myself at the art gallery where our exhibition would be held. It was still filled with pieces from our previous exhibition. Walking deeper into the gallery, I saw the artwork that won first place. It was a chaotic, messy piece, but the message was clear, even to those who didn’t understand art.

“Lost” by Shirakami Fbk.

It was a painting of that night—the last night I saw Mio.

The loud ocean waves, the huge rock in the middle of the vast sea, the rusty railings, and the shades of the sunset. All captured in a painting. My painful memories could only be turned into art, my way of expressing what I couldn’t say aloud.

"Shirakami," a nonchalant voice called out to me. I didn’t pay attention as I continued staring at my artwork, reliving the painful memory. “Shirakami Fubuki-san, you’re still as annoying as ever.” The person now stood beside me, their eyes also on the painting.

"I won’t lose to you this time," they said, venom in their voice. "I’ll beat you. That collaboration will be mine."

I hummed in reply, still focused on my artwork.

“Oi, don’t you have any respect?” they snapped, crossing their arms in frustration. “So much for the best art student this school has ever had. Arrogance like that won’t get you anywhere in the art industry.”

I blocked out their words, focusing solely on my painting. If only I could go back in time through this artwork, maybe I could’ve found out why she left.

"Shirakami..." The girl, whose clothes were covered in paint, accidentally pushed me toward my painting. I stumbled, feeling a sharp pain as though I’d just had a minor concussion.

I opened my eyes and saw Iofi lying on the ground, holding her head beside me.

"What the heck, where the fuck are we?" she cussed in annoyance, looking around.

"Huh?" There’s… no way.

I must’ve hit my head too hard. There’s no way I’m back here. Is the nightmare back? No, no, no... Wake me up, please. Wake up. Wake up.

I shook my head, closed my eyes, and placed my hands on my head, trying desperately to wake up from this horrible nightmare.

"Oi, Shirakami, are you alright?" Iofi, noticing how I was starting to hit myself on the head, quickly took my hands away and looked at me, horrified and worried.

"What the heck are you doing? Are you crazy?" Just as she shouted that, we could hear people approaching us, and, as if on instinct, I quickly grabbed her hand and ran behind one of the old fishing shacks.

"What are you—" Before Iofi could finish, she covered her mouth the moment she saw… me?

Looking at me as if she were going crazy, I shook my head. "I’m just as confused as you are." She stopped asking questions, and we sat there quietly, watching me from five years ago… and Mio.

I could feel all those unkept emotions surfacing, and my hands began to shake. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone, and as annoying as Iofi could be when it came to art, she wasn’t a bad person.

"Hey, are you okay?" she whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder to help calm me. I nodded and gave her an apologetic smile.

Before I could thank her, the past me started talking about random things, and we could see an absentminded Mio staring at the huge rock again.

I hate this.

It felt like I was reliving the same nightmare.

Sensing that I wasn’t okay, Iofi decided to hold my hand reassuringly.

"Hey, Mio, what do you think of…" Before the past Fubuki could finish, Mio pushed her to the ground. Past Fubuki looked at Mio in horror. "M-Mio?"

"Shut up!" Mio shouted. Fubuki could only stare with tear-filled eyes, keeping quiet.

"You’re so annoying. You’re always pestering me, Fubu-chan. It’s so annoying. I can’t love you the way you want me to. It’s so tiring to fake caring for you when I don’t care about you in the slightest, so stop pretending like you’re different from everyone else!"

What?

"M-Mio, what do you mean? Pretend? I’m not preten—"

"Stop it. You’re a horrible person who doesn’t deserve to be loved. You’re horrible!" Before I could intervene, Iofi held me in place, shaking her head.

"Mio!" Past Fubuki tried to chase after Mio but slipped and accidentally hit her head on the rusty railing, falling unconscious. Just as Iofi and I were about to help my past self, we quickly hid again as we saw Mio running back with tears in her eyes. "No, no, no… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to." She held the fox—me—in her arms, trying to wipe the blood off my head.

I could feel the sharp pain on my head as well, but not enough to make me wince.

"Fubu-chan… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry." After taking the unconscious Fubuki to the nearest hospital, we left. Figuring I’d be fine, I took Iofi’s hand and ran after Mio.

We saw the light in her room still on, and soon after, a black car stopped in front of her house. Her mother stepped out, followed by a few men in suits.

We couldn’t hear their conversation until they came outside. Her father was throwing empty beer bottles on the ground before being stopped by the suited men. Mio was in her mother’s arms, as she shielded her from her drunkard father.

"Leave her alone!" he yelled. "She’s much happier here!" His anger visibly scared and upset Mio, to which her mother slapped him before throwing some money and a few documents at him.

"You are not to come near her again, or you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison," her mother declared, not tolerating any more of her presumably now-ex-husband.

"Mio, Mom will take care of you now, okay?" Mio stayed silent, tears running down her face.

"Can’t I at least meet Fubuki first?" she pleaded.

Her mother gave her an apologetic smile. "Our flight leaves soon, honey. I’m afraid we can’t wait."

Flight?

"Okay…"

Wait, this isn’t how I remembered it. She left without saying anything, yes, but we didn’t fight befo—

Feeling my head, the pain was gone. Did I purposely forget that incident because I was hurt?

"Shirakami…" I heard Iofi calling out to me, the sorrow in her voice was as clear as day. I didn’t need pity. I looked at her, smiling painfully. "I didn’t know that happened." I tried to laugh it off.

Ha… ha...

She gave me a worried look. "I’m sorry, I didn’t know." Why is she apologizing? The one who should be apologizing is Mio, not her.

I sighed. These negative thoughts and emotions shouldn’t even be here. This is all in the past. Now that I know the truth, I should move on...

I should be able to move on, right?

Right.

Weirdly enough, I woke up in a cold sweat… in my room? That’s odd. Iofi was nowhere to be seen either. Instead of wasting more time, I got up as a sudden hit of inspiration struck me, and I continued working on my sketch for my sculpture.

The answer to my question… I don’t know if it’s real or not, but I know Mio didn’t mean to disappear. She couldn’t have left without a reason.

Even if I’m not sure, at least I have a temporary answer. Real or not, I trust Mio.

Taking my final sketch, I went to the art workshop and began working on the huge marble pieces the university had prepared for the exhibition. I drew on the fine marble, removing my glasses as I finished, and then put on safety goggles. I picked up the mallet and hammer and started chiseling away.

Time passed unnoticed. The sun’s rays touched my skin through the large windows. Occasionally, the door to the workshop would open and close, and I could feel eyes on me, but I ignored them. Nothing would stop me from finishing this piece.

"Fubu-chan!" Suisei and Miko ran towards the workshop, but Iofi stopped them. "Just let her be," she said sharply, crossing her arms.

"But—" Miko started to object, but Iofi told them that nothing could stop me when I was in this state. "After what I saw, I understand now… why she’s like that, why she’s the best. I won’t give up. I will beat her." Iofi muttered, then hurried to her own workshop.

Miko and Suisei looked at me worriedly but decided not to interfere. "Suichan, you stay here. I’ll go get some supplies." Suisei nodded and shooed away the other people, closing the door and leaving only her and me in the room.

Eventually, my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. Suisei rushed over to help me into a chair.

"Fubu-chan, are you alright?" she asked. Blinking away the tiredness, I nodded and hummed a yes.

"I’m alright… I need to finish—" Suisei placed a firm hand on my shoulder, looking at me angrily.

"No, you’re not. You’re sitting here until Miko gets back, and until we take care of you, you’re not leaving."

Seeing the mess around me, I looked at her apologetically. "Okay."

Right on cue, Miko arrived with takeout and a first aid kit. "I’m here!" She handed the food to Suisei, who started preparing it for us. Miko hurried over to me, holding up a bandage.

"You’re really a handful. Be grateful I love you," she muttered, sounding like my mother whenever I hurt myself.

She showed me the bandages. "Look! These were too cute to leave behind. Which one do you want?" There were penguins, pandas, and foxes on the bandages.

"That one…" I picked up the one with the white fox and handed it to her.

"Hm, looks just like you," she teased, wiping the scratches on my arm with alcohol wipes. I winced at the sting, and she gave me a worried look. "Sorry, it’ll hurt a bit." She patched up the scratches, and Suisei joined us with the food.

"Marble is scary," Suisei said.

"And sharp," Miko added, looking at me reprimanding. "Which is why sculptors shouldn’t be so careless as to skip wearing safety gloves and aprons."

I nodded sheepishly. "I’m sorry, it’s just… it’s been a while since inspiration hit, and I couldn’t let the opportunity go to waste."

They both nodded in understanding. "That Indonesian exchange student seemed worried about you. I thought you didn’t get along," Suisei said.

"Indonesian? You mean Iofi?"

"Yeah, she stopped us from interrupting you earlier," Miko then elaborated, "Saying something like, 'I understand you' or whatever." Suisei continued.

Oh... it wasn’t a dream?

"Did she say anything else?" I asked, earning a head shake from both of them.

I breathed in before exhaling. I think I'm ready. I looked at them as they handed me one of the takeout boxes. "I think I'm ready to be honest." Hearing that, they both looked at each other before turning back to me with teary eyes. "We’ll always be here for you whenever you're ready," Miko said.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I'm ready.

"I never knew... So you never tried to contact Mio?" Miko asked, looking at me patiently.

"No... She blocked me, and at that time, social media wasn’t a thing yet, so I didn’t know any other way to contact her after..." I told them sadly.

"My dad... I mean, I can help you find her if you have a picture or... anything," Suisei suggested.

"I... don't really have a picture, but I drew her for my art portfolio before entering university... if that counts," I said timidly.

"That works!" Suisei exclaimed before sprinting to find the portfolio on one of the workshop shelves. She grabbed it and said, "I'll be borrowing this for a while," before sprinting off, leaving me and Miko alone.

Miko shook her head at Suisei before handing me a wooden spoon. "Here, I made sure to get your favorite food," she said.

Yep, definitely wife material. No wonder Suisei falls for her.

I chuckled, earning a look from Miko, which I brushed off as nothing, and we both started eating. I was then forbidden from staying in the art workshop and was told to at least get enough rest. Miko had one of her maids assist me in my daily activities, which I was grateful for. The maid was very lax and not formal, since that sort of behavior would only make me uncomfortable.

Soon after, the art exhibition took place. Miko delayed her flight by a few hours just so she could be there, and Suisei pushed back her rehearsal. I couldn't ask for better friends than them. Iofi often brought me salads and yogurts whenever she visited me in the workshop.

She’d talk to me about small things, which always led to her saying she would beat me, so I’d better give it my all and not give up. She didn’t want an incompetent rival.

Eventually... I felt like we had become closer than before.

"Wow, Fubu-chan... Your side piece is so... amzing!" Miko gushed as she wandered around with Suisei and me... and Iofi.

"But why is that little gremlin here?" Suisei whispered, earning an eye twitch from Iofi.

"I can hear you, you know," she said, annoyed.

"Oops, sorry," Suisei apologized.

"Suichan, you shouldn’t treat Fubu-chan’s friend like that," Miko scolded her, making the blunette pout and offer a genuine apology to Iofi, who huffed and nodded as she accepted it.

I chuckled at my friends' antics.

"Iofi and I need to head backstage now. We're going to reveal our final pieces in a minute," I told them, and they nodded, waving their hands and gesturing good luck with their fists up.

"Thanks," I muttered to Iofi as we walked toward the backstage area of the gallery, where our artwork would be displayed.

"Don't worry about it," she said before heading over to our professor.

Soon after, the guests were seated, and the invited guests had also arrived. We presented our artwork one by one. Iofi went first, and it was finally my turn. Our professor told me to do it like always and not be nervous. Soon, I stepped up to present my artwork.

The stage lights shone on me, making it hard to see the faces in the crowd.

"Welcome to Holo University Art Exhibition. The last artist we have to present is Shirakami Fubuki," the emcee introduced me before handing me the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and fellow art enthusiasts," I began, addressing the audience.

"Thank you for joining me today as I unveil my latest creation, a sculpture born from the depths of my imagination and crafted with my heart and soul. This piece represents not only my artistic expression but also my journey, my struggles, and my triumphs." The speech I had prepared was set on the podium for me, making it easier.

"As artists, we strive to evoke emotions, to provoke thought, and to leave a lasting impression. With this sculpture, I hope to touch your hearts, inspire reflection, and spark conversations that transcend boundaries." I could hear Suisei cheering for me, which made me smile a bit.

"Each curve, each line, each detail holds a story—a story that speaks of resilience, passion, and the endless possibilities of human creativity. I invite you to explore this piece with an open mind and heart, to discover your own interpretation, and to connect with it in your own unique way." I paused, remembering not the bad memories, but the beautiful ones Mio gave me before she left.

"In a world filled with chaos and noise, may this sculpture serve as a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us, the power of art to unite us, and the endless potential within each of us." I continued, thinking of Mio's smile, the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.

"Thank you for allowing me to share this moment with you." With that, and the beautiful memories lingering in my mind, my final sculpture was revealed to the crowd.

A few "ohs" and "wows" could be heard. The quiet mesmerization of the audience had always been my favorite part—no claps, just silence as they took in my work.

The piece was titled *Found*, a contrast to my previous work that won first prize, *Lost*.

Soon after, it was time to announce the winner. I saw Iofi's artwork—it was bold and different from what she usually created. Personally, I felt it deserved first place this time.

But to my surprise, she got second place again... which meant I got...

"And the grand prize goes to Shirakami Fubuki!"

I looked at Iofi, and she smiled genuinely at me. "You deserve it," she said before joining the crowd.

"Congratulations, Shirakami-san," an unfamiliar voice called out. I turned to see a woman in her mid-50s smiling at me. "Not bad for a university student. Your artwork is special... Would you like the opportunity to collaborate with my daughter on her solo art debut?" she asked. My professor nudged me, encouraging me.

"I..." Before I could reject the offer and ask if she'd consider Iofi, I didn’t want to seem rude, so I stopped mid-sentence.

"Mio-chan, would you like to meet the artist you’ll be working with?" the woman asked, gesturing for her daughter to come forward.

Mio?

"Hi... it’s been a while." I was stunned, unable to find the words as I just stared at her. Is that... really the Mio I know?

Seeing my silence, Mio's mom gestured for everyone to leave us alone, giving her daughter a gentle nudge before departing.

"I-... I know you must hate me now, but I—" Before she could finish, I found myself walking toward her and pulling her into a tight embrace. "You're real... right?" I asked shakily. Sensing my confusion, Mio returned the embrace and hugged me tightly before whispering, "I am."

I pulled back, examining her face again. "I don’t hate you! I..." I accidentally raised my voice, making Mio look at me, smiling shyly. "I’ve been waiting. I always have... because... I knew you’d come back for me," I whispered, my voice growing quieter with each word.

"I'm sorry... for leaving," Mio whispered. I decided to let her speak, resisting the urge to tell her how much I had missed her, forgetting for a moment that I had just won the exhibition.

"I couldn’t tell you. I wanted to, but I couldn’t..." Recalling the dream-like reality I experienced with Iofi, I silenced Mio with a kiss.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled her scent and savored her sweet taste. "I forgive you," I said breathlessly as I tried to catch my breath.

"I’ll always forgive you," I continued. "So stop apologizing... I will never hate you, Mio," I added, caressing her face gently. "I love you." Tears were falling from both our eyes. This was the moment we had always waited for. Near or far apart, it had always been Mio.

And for Mio, it had always been Fubuki.

No matter how bad the fight was between us, we’d always forgive each other. We’d always love each other.

That was our promise—the promise that seven-year-old Mio and Fubuki made in the old playground their town had.

Now, at 25, both adults knew better than to run away from their problems. There was so much they had yet to learn and so much they had to discover.

Yet no matter how harsh reality was for them, neither gave up.

That’s the story of two childhood friends.

"I love you too, Fubuki... I always have."