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The garden isn't usually that noisy.
Soyo enters the lush, peaceful and idyllic greenery she's come to know over countless pointless endeavors. Her classmates pass by; "Soyo-chan, you're friends with Muuko, right? Why didn't you tell us she was so charming?!"
"Muuko…?" She blinks. "I'm a bit surprised by it myself. I was just going to visit her."
"Stop by the music store after if you want! We're restocking on reeds!"
"See you later~!"
…Her hand lowers.
Then it balls into a wavering fist. She steps around the corner. Before her eyes is a fair-mannered, approachable and radiant-looking student with long green hair, kneeling down to water a fresh set of chrysanthemums. Soyo towers over her with nary a shadow to stand on; the sun is blindingly bright on their porcelain skin, and the measures she normally takes to protect against UV feel powerless, as if she could dissolve into dry sand at any moment. Mutsumi couldn't be any more contrasting; she's a radiant gem, ever-dazzling.
It makes Soyo feel like a sword is choking her lungs. She tries to speak, but Mutsumi speaks first: "I didn't know our classmates could be so nice." She looks up at her with an elegant smile. "How are you doing these days, Soyo? I've only realized I never actually asked."
"Why are they calling you 'Muuko'?"
"It's a nickname. It got popular after my bandmate said it on air, so everyone is asking if they can call me that. Cute, isn't it?"
It makes her gut churn. Her eyes drift to the plants. "…What happened to your cucumbers?"
"I told the teachers I didn't need them here. They weren't watered while I was absent. They were always considered a bit unsightly, anyway."
It makes her gut sink.
"This garden deserves to be as pretty as it can be, don't you think? Tsukinomori loves it. I sent a picture of it to Mom this morning, and she said it looked great."
Mutsumi then stands up. It feels too lively, too springly. It doesn't have a trace of solemnity in it. And her eyes are scanning Soyo like they're employee and customer; as if Soyo is standing at the counter, waiting to order. It's a gaze Soyo has never faced in her life, and yet it feels so familiar to her… familiar enough that it makes her skin stand on end. Alarms are blaring in her veins, telling her something is deeply, deeply wrong. That expression shouldn't be on Mutsumi's face.
But then… so what if it is? Does it matter? In the first place, why does it even disturb her? She's looking at a stranger. Mutsumi never bothered to stay by her side; she can do whatever she wants with her life, for all Soyo cares.
…If only Soyo couldn't care. If only she could resist the urge to ask what's wrong.
"What's wrong?"
She jumps.
Those words just came from Mutsumi's mouth. They're warm, sweet, almost motherly. The sound of a gentle brush between wrists. Soyo steps back; "Is this some kind of joke?"
Mutsumi shakes her head with zero hesitation. "It's not a joke," she says, looking Soyo tenderly in the eyes. "If there's anything that deserves to be called a joke, it's how long I left you in silence for, don't you think? That wasn't very becoming of me."
"…! Well, you're right… it wasn't…"
A polite curtsy. "Responding to what's requested is what I should be about. That's the least I can do, especially after all that's happened." She stares at her with complete earnestness; "I'm sorry, Soyo. I may have let you down before, but I hope we can be friends again from here on out."
Soyo's heart pounds. She hates that it's pounding. "Us…? Friends?"
"That's what you want, isn't it?"
ba-thump, ba-thump,
Soyo can't tell whether she's being hugged or strangled. Her voice de-claws; "Mutsumi-chan… I…"
Mutsumi approaches her… footsteps whispering in the mind… until she's right by Soyo's side. Facing the opposite direction. "We could play again, if you'd like. My schedule is busy, but I can find the time. Though I'm not sure MyGO should have 3 guitarists… maybe I can substitute at some point? It'd be nice to rehearse together like we used to."
Soyo doesn't dare turn her way. "What's this…?" She'd laugh, if it wasn't lodged inside her chest. "You hated being in CRYCHIC, didn't you…?"
"That was my jealousy speaking. I felt like I was inferior. But I'm the daughter of famed actress Minami Iori and comedian Wakaba; wouldn't it be patronizing to keep languishing in inferiority?"
She's right. She always looked so pitiful that I could never be angry at her.
…No, she's wrong…! She never wanted her parents' fame. But… "Do you really think we can act like we're still in the past…?"
"It doesn't have to be the past anymore."
Soyo forgets how to speak. A cherry is placed on the glass table, right before her eyes.
"I could even bring Saki on board. You miss her, don't you?" Mutsumi's words slip through her ear; ever so gentle, ever so loving. A voice of velvet, effortlessly extending a hand through the messy web she's tangled in. "We all miss that time. You, me, Saki, everyone."
ba-thump,ba-thump,ba-THUMP,
It feels like a lie. It's too good to be true. But Soyo can't deny the honesty in Mutsumi's words… there's no falsehood. None. When she picks up the fruit, it's real, it's right in her hands; oozing its tantalizing blood, its heart out onto her palm…
This is real. "…I don't believe you…"
"What if I told you the reason Saki left?"
BA-THUMP!
She turns Mutsumi's way. Groups of students are enjoying themselves all over the courtyard in that direction; walking in unison, accepting each other's invitations with perfect smiles. Soyo can't stop the words that escape her mouth; "You would…?"
"You deserve to know, don't you think?" She's right. "It's not fair that you never even had the chance to console her." She's right. "It's not fair that you were kept in the dark about a precious friend."
She's right.
"Of course, you'd have to keep it a secret from her." Her hand intertwines with Soyo's. "But you're my precious friend too. You always have been. If you want to know… I'll do as you ask."
Soyo can't move.
…Mutsumi lets go of her hand, taking a single step away. "Don't worry; if you'd rather we didn't reunite, that's fine too. I understand if you want to put it behind you. But ask anytime, and I'll be here for you, okay? I'll always be here." She turns to Soyo and bows. "Have a good day!"
A gentle breeze escorts her away from the mirror table. Her voice can be heard in the distance, talking to their other classmates. Soyo is left silent; there's nothing but nature to accompany her. She stands in the same garden Mutsumi has stood alone in, day after day.
The aftertaste of red cyanide is sweet on her tongue. "Saki-chan… what happened…?"