Archive of Our Own

“Get. Out.”

Taki flinches at those words. Then flinches again when pieces of paper come hurtling towards her, scattered by the gust of sheer force generated by the throw, as they fell around her like unwanted snowflakes in a winter storm.

– As unwanted as she apparently is, right now.

She doesn’t even get the chance to ask why (not that she has no clue. She has a good enough inkling.) before she feels herself being tugged by the collar of her white jacket, dragged out the front door and pushed that she topples down the meager two steps, luckily catching her footing in time.

“Wench. Ungrateful child.” The shrill voice sobs (fakely, in her humble opinion). “You would besmirch your own household this way, Shiina Taki?!”

She resists the urge to roll her eyes, resists the urge to scoff.

Instead, those eyes end up drifting to the figure hovering behind the shadows called her ‘parents’; The figure’s own eyes seemingly holding colors of regret, pain, and something else Taki can’t be bothered to guess anymore at this point.

She sighs as she tunes out the grating rant thrown her way as she picks up the sneakers (kindly enough) thrown her way. She ties her laces and decides to wait. For what? Maybe some sort of second thinking? No. Impossible that her situation could change that way.

But really, it’s two in the morning and Taki only has the clothes on her back to survive the remaining hours of the night. Couldn’t they at least toss her a sleeping bag or offer her the lounge chairs in the yard.

…or maybe not, Taki thinks as the door shuts with a bang and click, sure that she’s been locked out.

She sighs again, giving one last glance at the door before turning on her heel and —

“Taki! Psst, Taki!”

She supposes it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise that her sister would at least risk this much for her. This being a backpack with an inflatable pillow and blanket, alongside a change of clothes and her lunch bag with some snacks to probably tide Taki over while waiting for her mother’s emotional tirade to die out.

She murmurs a thanks, no longer listening to whatever excuse her sister babbles out; ignores the ‘sorry’s and the ‘you have to understand’ and the ‘ I wish it could be different, but you know how they are–‘

Because, yeah. Taki knows how they all are. A little too well.

Disappointingly, too well.

Why Maki’d ever changed from the sister Taki loved the most to a an oppressive wall she couldn’t even bear to hear the name of, she didn’t know.

But when things changed, they did for good, Taki believes.

Whatever tiny sliver of hope she has that they’ll change again, but for the better this time is smothered like the lights that go off in her bedroom as she hears her own bedroom door bang shut.

“Hah…”

//

Hikawa Sayo does not drink.

Or well… she didn’t.

There are days she wishes she hadn’t grown so soft on literally everyone in her life that she’s found herself so easily convinced by one Imai Lisa to not just drink– but drink herself wasted.

But there’s a first for everything in life, Sayo has learned eventually.

Not that they are always and/or necessarily good.

And right now, she’s deciding which of her current predicaments is or isn’t.

For one, she has a nasty migraine. She’s obviously not someone who is used to the night life indulgence. She regrets this one, checks it off easily her mental list of ‘is this good/terrible’ with a resounding decision of ‘this is shitty’.

Next, she’s awoken with an armful of Rinko, which is pleasant, considering she has been dating the pianist (and though they haven’t talked about the specifics of it all, she’s practically doing the same to the rest of her band, but they can work that part out later) for a while. Rinko and Roselia. They’re good. They are always good and are a shine that always manages to be highlights of Sayo’s everyday.

Easy checklist so far.

Now…

Sayo blinks.

Lilac irises blink back.

“Um…” Sayo is not the most eloquent when hungover, that is for sure.

“Well?”

‘Well? Well, what???’

 Sayo doesn’t get it.

“You said we’d go as soon as the earliest office opened.”

‘Where?’

At this moment, Sayo’s personal answer key walks into the room, a bottle of water in one hand, and a waffle in the other with a huge bite taken off.

Udagawa Tomoe takes a swig from the pet bottle before silently offering it to Sayo and giving her the rundown.

“You said we’d swing by that law office you managed to temporarily shadow at to work on the custody papers.”

Custody papers?

“I um… I’d understand if you want to go back on your word–“

Sayo feels slightly offended. She has never and will never— even if she has no clue what the heck she’s promised– go back on her word.

Sayo is nothing if not totally, wholeheartedly committed. She is dedication. In human guitarist form.

“to take um… a stranger you literally don’t know into your care.”

“Now, now, Taki.” Tomoe interjects. “It’s not like we don’t actually know you, because we do. We all had that Sakura party last year, after all. So don’t be a stranger.”

Taki blushes at one of her idol’s words, nodding quietly.

“And if there’s anyone you can rely on, Sayo-san’s that guy.” Tomoe chuckles. “Really. No one that could make you feel more secure than her.”

Sayo watches Taki’s shoulders loosen (had they been stiff the whole time?) and the girl ducks her head, face hidden from view.

“Thank you…” They all barely hear.

“Well then, should I give you some fifteen minutes or something to freshen up and grab some food?” Tomoe asks. “I’ll fill you in as we go?”

Sayo has no idea what’s going on, but her integrity has been questioned and vouched for in a span of two minutes, and she’s nothing if not damned prideful, sometimes a little too much for her own good.

She agrees without thinking (something she never does) and goes to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth as Tomoe simply recounts the details, trailing after Sayo every step of the way.

Rinko remains blissfully and soundly asleep.

//

“They WHAT?!” Sayo causes the car to come to a screeching halt and Tomoe scolds her for the sudden scare, citing how lucky they are to be at a relatively car-free way. “Then I what?!”

“Again, I told you.” Tomoe groans, recounting the story for the third time, no thanks to Sayo’s never-ending disbelief. She makes a left turn. “So Ako called me to drive you all home because Lisa-san got you, the driver, drunk.”

Sayo remembers up to that part, at least. She’s glad Ako’s matured enough to call shots like that when needed.

“And then while we were getting close to your place, I almost missed little Taki over here because of the hard rain.” Tomoe points with her thumb over her shoulder, the mentioned girl blushing from what Sayo couldn’t tell. “Then Lisa-san recognized her, and got me to pull over.”

“Scared me half to death, by the way.” Taki grumbled from the back. “How someone just parks next to me, grabs me by the body and pulls me into a car… I legitimately thought I was being abducted.” She whispers the last part, and Sayo can hear the shiver in her voice. The girl would have probably been more excited to meet one of her idol’s when she wasn’t about to be mowed down in the rain to death.

“Apologies for that…” She murmurs.

“Then Lisa-san just coos and starts patting this poor girl, and she ends up spilling everything. Her parents kicked her out and all that jazz for… uh… what was it again?” Tomoe continues her ramble without missing a beat and Taki fills in like the good drummers they are.

“It's a long story…” She tries to warn.

“The office is another ten minutes away.” Sayo offers. “And this stoplight isn’t changing too soon either.”

Taki looks both uncomfortable and relieved to hear that. “Well then…”

//

Maybe it really was all Taki’s fault, after all.

She didn’t have to, yet she did and look where it got her.

She had ranted to Umiri about how people still kept fawning over her when they recognize her as ‘THE Shiina Maki’s little sister’ even when she’d made it abundantly clear she was her own person and made explicit steps AWAY from that bustle.

She recounted how she came home a little late from band practice hungry, made it into the kitchen with nothing in the fridge except a note plastered at the front saying they’d be out for dinner to celebrate her sister getting another acknowledgement at some music whatever.

Just that. Period. No ‘food for you is in the microwave’ or even a bit of cash to tide her over. Not that Taki didn’t have her own, but… the thought that counts and all.

She’d gotten used to it, she thought. But she supposes it’d still hurt. Whatever. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it!

She knows she easily cries, but the tears falling down in splatters don’t have to rub it in how unloved she is in this fucking household.

Taki drops her school bag (her only bag, really) and grabs her house keys and stuffs her pockets with her phone and wallet and leaves for the nearest convenience store.

Maybe she’ll have some seafood ramen this time for a change.

…

Telling Umiri all that and accidentally exposing a bruise on her nape while changing for PE set the taller girl off.

Taki thought then that it was fair for her best friend to be that mad, but she hadn’t expected it to be the extent that the bassist would actually call child protective services.

Like, holy fuck Umiri. She’s a second year highschooler–

“And yet we’re both still children, Taki-san. Children who should be raised with love and care.”

 Taki didn’t think Umiri of all people could say that, considering her family situation just a year prior, but maybe her home situation had gotten better, and she talked it out with them finally.

Well, good for her.

Good for her.

…

Terrible for Taki because her parents had been approached and given notice on the report, hence the papers and the screaming and the inevitable Taki to the curb story that finally concluded with a seething yet still drunk Hikawa Sayo in Roselia’s company-issued van declaring she’d take Taki into her own home right there and then.

–

Sayo facepalms in the passenger seat.

Come to think of it, she vaguely remembers Lisa saying that Sayo might be scary as a drunk because she seemed the type to look, talk, and act sober, but her head is a mess and she doesn't remember anything after.

Whether her prediction was spot on or not leaves much to Sayo’s memory to work out.

//

Hikawa Sayo doesn’t do things without reason.

Taking law was a prime example of that.

She was and still is always thinking ahead.

Ako, Lisa, and Yukina’s (and Hina’s) antics be damned, Sayo is not stepping foot into a prison and not willing to pay bail from their band’s earnings. She’s made this clear to the perpetrators and to herself that this was for the good of Roselia. (It really was).

And now, she can’t be any more glad that her smarts, hard work, and foresight are paying off…

But what the actual fuck, Hikawa Sayo swears in her head.

This cannot be real.

She knows she should be confident and believe in herself and the disciplines and skills she diligently hones.

But how does Sayo actually win a custody case? Just like that.

It was a temporary arrangement. Another round of hearings would come soon, but until then Taki was under her care. Granted, they did pull quite a few strings. Like saying Sayo was not a student (she was taking an academic break to prepare for an upcoming one-month national tour with Roselia at the end of the year), and she was employed with a good income (that was not at all a lie. Again, Roselia).

In her logical mind, none of this is supposed to make sense, but sense be damned when it’s for the good of the world… or something Ako babbles to her right as they exit the courthouse victoriously (?).

Sayo can see from the corner of her eye the disdain and acid hate dripping from the gaze of who she’s come to know as Mrs. Shiina. The blankly cold, indifferent gaze of Mr. Shiina cuts.

But probably worse than the hateful looks of Shiina Taki’s parents is the pure pain and remorse in Shiina Maki’s eyes.

She looks like she’s positively dying.

Sayo almost feels bad.

If the girl around her age wasn’t such an enabler.

Sayo turns her back to them but then notices her new little companion isn’t beside her anymore.

She scrambles for only a second before finding Taki still at the door, watching her ‘family’ walk away.

Sayo finds her feet moving without orders. Her blazer comes off her shoulders easily, dropping onto the brunette’s head, hiding her face from the accusing glare of the world.

Sayo’s arm comes over, pulling the girl in quick, hugging her snug against her chest, guiding her to walk along.

Taki blindly trusts, visionless as she follows.

Then Sayo hears it.

The first of many sniffles.

Her heart aches.

//

“So…”

There’s no response. No reaction.

“Shiina-sa-“

“Don’t. Anything… but that…”

Sayo understands. The rest of the statement falling into place like puzzle pieces. Then…

“Just… use it. My name… it’s… one of the few things that are mine, after all.”

That last bit scathes against old scars Sayo thought had healed.

“Taki-san.”

“You do know you’re older than me.” The stuffy voice chuckles mirthlessly.

“Then…” Sayo blushes a bit, never getting used to informalities.

“Mm.”

“Let us get along well… Taki.”

//

Orange hues paint her pristine white curtains.

There’s an unfamiliar weight against her side, breaths against her neck, surprisingly small hands clinging to her dress shirt tightly as she finds it getting wet at the collar.

Sayo knows she’s asleep.

So she pulls the arm around Taki’s shoulders tighter, nuzzling her forehead, patting the top of her head, and praying that peace visits her soon, even if it is only in her dreams.

//

They’re never that close again anymore in the weeks that follow.

They don’t talk much at home, but Sayo does try to make conversation, if only to make the girl a little more comfortable in a place she’s forced to quickly adjust to calling home.

Everything sped by too fast, and she’s still coming to terms with the fact that she is now legally responsible for this young girl’s well-being.

Sayo is at least glad that Taki is willing to exchange a few words a day with her at least.

It is awkward enough to live full-time with a person you barely know. If they didn’t take the steps to improve that relationship, even Sayo thinks she couldn’t handle the weirdness of it all.

Taki is a prickly young girl, Sayo comes to learn.

She’s snarky, but respectful enough (or she tries).

She’s also… not the best communicator. When Taki realizes she’s said something wrong, she quickly and clumsily apologizes to Sayo, tries to salvage and explain what she actually means before just blushing and giving up.

It’s familiar, the drummer’s vibe. Sayo knows she’s seen it before.

–In the mirror that is.

She cringes but also laughs.

“Something amusing on your phone?”

“Oh, just some dog videos a friend sent.” Sayo’s gotten quite good at white lies over the years.

“Hmmm… I really didn’t peg you to be the type based on… I guess your general demeanor, but… you’re a big softie aren’t you, Sayo-san?” Taki comments, wiping down the breakfast table.

“I’m true to everything I do, including enjoying my likes. I’ve come to learn that thanks to my companions.” Sayo tells her fondly.

Taki is a little jealous of Sayo’s contentment, of where she is in life.  It’s a place of satisfaction with self that Taki realizes she yearns for so desperately.

To be an adult fast: an adult like Sayo-san. It’s like an impossible goal, setting herself up to fly to the moon when she barely has pocket change at the moment to ride a bus to school.

Speaking of which…

“You return to school by Wednesday, correct?”

“I hate how you’re so on top of things. How do you even keep track of everything your band does, this case, And me.”

Sayo chuckles. “I’ve had an eventful enough youth. Managing this isn’t much at all. When you grow up with a sister like mine, that is.”

Sayo hears a noncommittal hum.

“Must be nice… to have a good relationship with your sister even when you’re all grown up.”

Sayo recognizes a tone there that drives a knife along a carefully stitched scar; one so big Sayo knows it would never fully heal and that she’d just learned to live with and treat with care.

“It wasn’t always this great, believe it or not.” She defends.

“At least it can’t be worse than mine, right?” It feels like whiplash, the way Taki gasps in realization, “sorry, I keep putting my foot in my mouth. Didn’t mean it like that, you know, like your experience didn’t matter and all but–“

“No, no.” Sayo interrupts. “You may be right. Maybe ours wasn’t that bad.” Or maybe it was, but Sayo’s learned when and when not to say certain things. “But I still believe I can empathize with you.”

“Yeah?” Taki has her back fully turned to Sayo now, pretending the cup she’s been drying for five minutes now is still dripping wet.

“At least enough to tell you that sometimes, going out for fries is the best way to feel better.”

Taki turns to her, confusion all over her face. “Hah?”

Sayo shrugs, eyes returning to her phone screen to pretend to be nonchalant.

“Sayo-san, we literally just had breakfast.”

//

“You gotta stop this some time soon.” Taki groans, already hiding her face from prying classmates behind her math textbook. “I told you it’s fine.”

“If I hadn’t been so rash, you’d never had to be subjected to such cruelty, Taki-san.” Umiri remains prostrated. “I can never forgive my-asgjbdnfisjnfmem”

Taki yanks Umiri up with all the force a drummer’s arms can generate, with some adrenaline fueling the action.

“Just stop, okay? Stop. Let’s go.”

Taki leads the way out, and Umiri always, always follows.

They end up at their favorite vending machine, two chocolate milks in each of their hands.

“I see.” Umiri stares at the drink in hers. “It really is okay.”

“Like I said…” Taki sighs, sipping. “What you did… maybe it actually worked out for the better…” she mumbles other things under her breath, words Umiri barely catches. But her Taki-san-specially-wired brain tunes in quick enough to catch the tiny ‘thank you’.

And Umiri is now fully convinced that all is alright. Not great, but okay enough.

“I see.”

Taki slaps a hand onto her face before she has to see the smug grin she’s so accustomed to that too quickly grows on Umiri’s damnably pretty face.

“Don’t irritate me. I’m not ‘fine enough’ yet.” She tries to guilt-trip, but Umiri knows it holds little weight. Still, she’ll give in. Because she really does feel bad, and she really does lo…

She shakes her head. Before choosing her words better.

“I’m happy for you.”

“Mm.”

//

Taki comes home–

Odd to think of it that way, but…

Taki arrives home, expecting cold nothingness without expectation.

She’s lived here for a month probably, but she’ll never get used to smelling freshly cooked food (or at least warm when Sayo decides to opt for takeout in her busy schedule) greeting her as soon as she steps into the foyer.

Food, and Roselia members who’ve come to visit the owner of the house.

Sayo is usually in the kitchen or out for her own band practice, or getting held up at work, or wherever else in the house at this time of day. But Taki usually finds her pretty quick–or well, Sayo finds Taki– because the click of the door always seems to alert her new guardian of her presence almost immediately on the days that she is waiting at home.

Taki hears strumming.

Oh. Sayo can’t hear her because she’s practicing at home today.

Huh.

How rare (?). Taki can’t tell if Sayo did it before she came to live with her or not, but well… she realizes she’s never actually heard her play before despite knowing she’s a member of an actual professional band.

She approaches the guitarist’s room, following the sounds of music she knows nothing about.

And then she freezes.

“It is because I know that the scenery beyond the point is beautiful…”

For her stoic appearance usually,

“Sayo-san has a sweet, gentle singing voice… huh.”

“The feeling that my heart is cold

Exhale and hold with care

In deep pain

I realized I needed all the pain”

Taki wonders what it is she’s singing. Somehow the melody feels familiar enough.

“Even if I lose pride

I wanted to be here from that precious day…

Because it’s beautiful”

The strumming ends, and Taki finds herself clapping.

Sayo’s head swivels around so quickly, both the audience and performer wince at the crack it makes.

“Ah. My bad.”

“H-how long…”

“Not very.”

Sayo hums in doubt.

“It was… nice.” Taki tries to cover up for her mistake.

“You are terrible at being convincing sometimes, Taki.” Sayo chuckles, rubbing her sore neck before getting up to put her guitar away.

“Cover?” Taki does not give up on the topic.

“No. Just an old song.”

“Oh. Roselia’s.”

“Mm.” Sayo agrees, wordlessly leading Taki out to the dining room for dinner. “Mine.”

Taki’s eyes widen a bit as she registers that. There’s a taste of something bittersweet in the way Sayo claimed that. It makes Taki’s head spin a little.

“It was nice.” She blurts thoughtlessly.

Sayo blinks. Then she laughs. “At least that was more believable than the last.” She hands Taki a plate. “I genuinely do not mind if it is not to your taste–“

“The lyrics.”

Sayo pauses from setting the table. Her eyes lift to meet an intense and burning gaze.

She hasn’t known Taki long enough, but there’s something in those eyes that tells her that Taki is speaking from the very depths of her usually well-guarded heart.

“They touched me.”

//

Taki’s eyes are gleaming and Sayo has never seen that in the seven weeks and a half they’ve lived together.

She offhandedly ended up inviting Taki to one of her and Yukina’s song-writing sessions after discovering the girl was her own band’s composer.

She’d offered upon realizing that she hadn’t actually done much for Taki in terms of supporting her emotional needs. Shelter and food were basics anyone could give, but as far as her knowledge of Taki extended (the girl’s horrible family, and whimpering every night Sayo checked on her room aside), the girl desperately needed other faculties of support. And avenues of venting that weren’t crying, cursing (as she’d heard from some people she still knew in Hanasakigawa), or being misunderstood by being angry.

This is the perfect opportunity for growth, Sayo thinks as she thinks back on all the events that unexpectedly changed her for the better as well.

Maybe this could be it for Ta–

“Taki. I can’t see the screen. Sayo, get your child off.”

“I’m not her child–“

“She’s not my child–“

Yukina merely rolled her eyes. “I’m going to get some cookies from Lisa downstairs. I suppose you can browse the score as you please while I’m gone.” The songstress pretends to be stern as she hands her laptop to the teen whose vibrating aura is betraying her stony demeanor. “After that, I won’t tolerate interruptions.”

Sayo has known Yukina long enough to be able to pinpoint a lie. She knows everyone in Roselia has been nurturing an ever-growing soft-spot for their adopted little member (yes, their because Sayo swears Lisa no longer drops by with all those extra side-dishes and treats just for Sayo because there’s way too much and Lisa knows they both hate being wasteful; and the outfits that stunningly fit her new housemate clearly aren’t just storebought by Rinko, and Taki having a new set of drumsticks sticking out of her schoolbag the other day was just a dead giveaway).

Sayo watches as Taki waits until Yukina disappears behind the doorframe before jumping at the bait, eyes scanning every nook and cranny, ears analyzing every bump and twang of the music.

To be so desperate towards music.

It’s something that resonates too painfully within Sayo.

She’s noticed lately that there are times when observing Taki becomes a masochistic activity of hers where she accidentally relives her younger pains.

It makes her want to guide the younger girl even more carefully, more responsibly, towards a better future… maybe even better than the one Sayo has, better than either of them could imagine.

She feels it on her face. She knows she’s smiling at Taki the way she smiles at everyone she’s ever loved and cared for in her life.

Ah.

A heavy breath escapes her nostrils. She stifles a laugh that could possibly interrupt her companion’s deep reverie.

Ahhh~

She loves this girl like her own family.

//

Taki has to go back to her house for a few weeks. Something about a court agreement with her family. To see if things got better and they had reflected.

Taki doesn’t understand why they’re even trying to get her back, really.

Shouldn’t they be glad she’s out of their hair? It’s not like they’d ever particularly liked her being there in the first place.

Why are they so desperate to get her back?

“It’s shameful for you to tear our family apart this way.”

–Immediately slaps her in the face as she steps foot inside and the door closes behind her and the government worker can’t see what goes on behind shaded curtains and locked knobs.

So that was it.

“This will never happen again, you hear me? If you want to be away from us so badly, I’ll kick you out properly when you’re legal.”

They just didn’t want to deal with prying eyes and ears.

Of course perfect Shiina Maki’s perfect life could not possibly have a not-perfect household.

Until she was her own person, unattached and unrelated, Taki had to be their perfect house piece too.

 “Go to your room.”

Taki’s feet are glued to the floorboards.

“Get to your room, Shiina Taki.”

It’s gravity, and some kind of magnetic stubbornness or hurt that keeps her feet anchored like lead.

She hears the swish of cloth’s movement, sees it even with her head slightly turned down.

She grits her teeth and closes her eyes.

A hand is raised, aimed at her cheek.

“GO NOW!”

//

Taki is back in her room.

Her room at Sayo-san’s place.

Everything had happened all too fast.

Sayo hadn’t understood the grounds for Taki being taken back, had followed the family back to their home, heard the commotion, and barged in.

They both knew consequences could arise from these actions, but Sayo told Taki that all of that be damned if she couldn’t even help out a child who needed it the most, when she needed it the most.

“I’m not a child.” Taki murmurs into her sheets, stiffening as a hand lays itself on her head before caressing it gently, combing fingers through her hair.

“Maybe not.” Sayo laughs quietly, words and chuckles melting away into the stillness of the room. “But sometimes, you look so small in my eyes that I might just be imagining things.”

Sayo hates the way Taki shrinks into herself when she knows she’s thinking about her family and thinking too little too lowly about her own self. Just like she is now.

“I’m not a child.” Taki is sniffling now– a common occurrence in this household that Sayo wishes to break–, voice warbled by the tears Sayo can’t see.

She smiles a little melancholy.

“I know.”

“I’m… no longer a child.” Taki mumbles, minutes of sobbing later.

She’s half asleep when Sayo replies.

“I know.”

Both of them know they are agreeing to lie.

//

Sayo has no clue how she got here. Who suggested this?

She doesn’t mind, but she hadn’t expected her day off to turn into a coaching session with MyGo.

Taki sometimes brought up this stray cat in their band in conversation, and though Sayo had failed to meet her at the previous inter-band excursion RING held, she could kind of tell who it was.

–If Yukina’s full attention wasn’t a bright neon arrow sign for her. Sayo also based it on Taki’s description of Raana’s antics.

She watches with amusement as her charge wrangles in all these messy cases she calls her members.

An easily distracted yet equally hyperfixating vocalist (that reminds Sayo of Hina if she knew how to shut up); a quirky pinkette that was a bit too friendly for Sayo, but gets along swimmingly with Lisa; a threatening smile that even Sayo in her social denseness can tell is forced, calming down after conversing with Rinko awhile; and the cat Yukina has now coaxed into some experimental jam session.

“I fully grasp it now. The extent of your… patience.” Sayo teases.

Taki scowls at her, before clapping loudly to get everyone into attention and MyGo to their stations.

Like hell they weren’t going to maximize on the opportunity to have an actual pro band teach them.

Sayo likes that initiative.

She uses her experience as Hanasakigawa’s best disciplinarian to maximize their time and pull of the most efficiently helpful band practice Taki’s ever had the pleasure of having.

It was all worth it to actually see a beaming Taki riding shotgun on their way home, humming initially before breaking into a lengthy discussion (Read: one-sided ramble) of all she’s learned and how she’s about to utilize it for their future sessions.

Sayo smiles, listening.

She enjoys this look on Taki more than the somber one she sports. She enjoys the music of an excited vocal color to the nightly sobs.

Yes.

Sayo could get used to this being the norm.

//

Okay, so maybe– just maybe– Sayo’s overdoing it.

She hopes Taki doesn’t catch on and thinks she’s being too pushy or forcing the young one into happy situations for Sayo’s own satisfaction– her drunkenness from seeing Taki’s more frequent smiling.

Yukina calling her out on her ‘spoiling’ certainly snaps her out of it for a second.

“Sayo. You need to be a little less protective. She isn’t a child, and she’s not someone who can’t stand on her own two feet.”

Sayo side-eyes Yukina. “I simply want her to have more pleasant experiences, is all. I doubt she’s had many of those growing up. Her parents probably never spoiled her. Not even for a day.”

Yukina sighs.

“But really? Buying her backstage passes with free-access to all concert-available Afterglow merch?” Yukina huffs. “AND you’re going with her?”

“I fail to see where the problem lies. I’m supporting our friends while building the bonds of trust between the person in my care and myself.” Sayo furrows her brows, arms crossed as she bites her tongue to not call Yukina out for hypocrisy as she pays for a stylish satchel that would go great with the outfit Rinko sent over the other day for Taki.

“I mean… why waste money when you could have invited her to our own–“

Ah. She gets it now.

“You’re jealous” Sayo guffaws, uncharacteristically. She can’t help it. “You and Mitake-san are never letting this childish rivalry die down.”

Yukina’s ears are red in contrast to her face that betrays nothing.

“I am simply helping you become more economically wise, Sayo.”

Sayo is incredulous.

“You?”

-Who spends most of your income on cat cafes and band gear?

Sayo holds off on that. She was sleeping over at Yukina’s tonight for a writing session as they were a little behind. She does not want to be a cold stone on Lisa’s freshly bought couch.

The topic naturally drifts away as Yukina receives the wrapped gift with her receipt.

Sayo decides maybe she’ll reflect on her actions a bit and tone down on the nosiness.

She entangles her fingers in Yukina’s as she leads them back to the car to drive them both home.

She receives a soft squeeze.

“I’ll leave her a ticket for the last day, when our tour returns to the area.”

//

“WHAAAATTTTT???!!!”

 Taki can’t blame everyone in the vicinity for covering their ears.

Kasumi-senpai is loud.

“What do you mean you’ve never heard their songs?!”

“I didn’t say never,” Taki weakly defends. “I said I haven’t had the time to properly browse. I just… heard a few in passing when Sayo-san practices at home.” She doesn’t tell Kasumi that she still hasn’t found out the title of the song she’d caught Sayo singing.

“You live with HIKAWA SAYO. I don’t even think it would be an exaggeration to say you live with ROSELIA, at this point.” Kasumi whines.

“Tone it down, idiot.” Arisa smacks Kasumi’s head over the counter. Saaya pets it healingly in return.

“Now, now. I’m sure Taki-chan has just been too busy. She’s been through a lot the past couple of months.”

“Eeehhh… still…”

“Kasumi~.”

“Fine.” The starry-eyed girl finally relents, easing off her work junior. “I just can’t believe Taki-chan hasn’t already asked to see even a local show.”

“To be fair, I don’t think anyone is as brazen as you, Kasumi.” Arisa remarks. “Hell, you’ve already gone so far as to invite yourself to their concert to play. Not even just listen.”

“Heeeyy… that was one time!”

“So even you’ve grown up enough to be embarrassed for your actions.” Arisa snickers.

“Meanie.” Kasumi complains, pulling out her phone and drawing a curious look from Taki. “Anyway, I’m still gonna tell Sayo-senpai off. I can’t believe she could be so insensitive!”

“HAH?!”

Taki is a little too late in realizing what Kasumi has just done.

It only takes five minutes for a disheveled Hikawa Sayo to burst through the doors of RING, crumpled pieces of paper in her hand.

“Sayo-senpai… did you… run here from CIRCLE?”

“No.” They all know a blatant lie when they see it.

Sayo fixes herself up, and in no time flat, she looks like the model student she always has been.

She coolly glides over to Taki, smoothing out what turns out to be tickets in her hands.

“You can bring your friends along too.” Sayo’s voice cracks a little.

She hadn’t expected the opportunity to invite Taki to their concert to come so soon. She’d spent too many hours rehearsing how to bring the topic up.

Taki stares at the rose-scented paper dyed the band’s signature colors.

She feels a little awkward, but also there’s a thump in her chest. She’s surprised to find it isn’t a painful one like she associates with her old house.

This feels warm.

She knows she’s not good with words.

“Okay.”

//

“You sure you didn’t forget anything?”

Taki idles by Sayo’s doorframe, peering into her temporary guardian’s room, kept in a way that indicated the owner’s absence for a few weeks.

Sayo latches the padlock in place, letting it click shut as she scrambles the numbers of the passcode.

“Certain.”

Taki knows that. Obviously. Sayo is the most organized person she knows. She also knows that embarrassingly enough, she’s only asking to stall for a bit more time.

“What about you?” Sayo returns.

“Huh?”

“Will you be alright on your own here? I did tell my younger sister to check on you from time to time. You also mentioned you planned to stay some days at a friend's? Nagasaki-san, was it?”

Taki nods, pink temporarily dusting her cheeks at the mentioned name.

“Well, stay safe then. I’ve left a bit of extra cash in the even that you might need it. My number is also on your phone and for emergencies, our manager’s is on the fridge–“

Taki watches Sayo maunder her mental list out to her, secretly touched at the amount of care and thought Sayo put into her well-being while she’d be away.

“You really don’t have to do all this. Not this much.” Taki blurts out accidentally, bringing Sayo’s chatter to a halt.

“What?”

Taki blanches, sputtering as she tries to figure out how to explain herself this time.

“I’m just– I mean… no, I… I just can’t–!”

Sayo knows the horn that beeps outside is Roselia’s ride. She knows, but her suitcase remains in her room, her shoes unworn by the door.

Taki needs to say something, and Sayo knows she has to hear her out at this very moment.

“You need to get going, Sayo-san.”

“Once you’re ready, Taki.”

“Ready? You’re the one who’s leaving…”

“And I can wait.”

Taki knows what Sayo wants to hear. She just doesn’t know how to phrase it.

“Just say it as you would. I will understand.”

Taki flinches.

“I promise.”

There’s something about those words that resound in Taki’s heart, making it ache.

“I just… don’t know how you could do so much for someone you barely know.”

“We’ve lived together for nearly half a year, Taki.” Sayo chuckles, walking forward, dragging her belongings with her.

She ignores another set of beeping.

Her hand lands softly atop smooth locks of brown hair.

“I doubt I have an answer that would pander to both our logical minds.” The older girl shrugs. “How we ended up in this time and in this space… if I had to actually stop and think about it, I’d be stumped by mystery. It is something out of character for me, and I know that well.”

She feels Taki nod.

“Let us just say that I probably just can’t help but care for you?” Sayo giggles.

“Hard to believe.” Taki grumbles. “I’ve heard I’m not the most loveable.”

Sayo laughs. She’s been there, thought that.

“I know it’s too late to question like… everything and all that. And I’m here and all…”

“Well, I agree.” Sayo ignores the long blaring car horn.

“I can’t make a clear picture at all of what’s happened so far. We probably just sank into the chaotic rhythm of life. Yukina would say something silly like, ‘this is also rock’ right about now if she were here.” Sayo knows her leader is seething outside on the street.

Taki just nods again, shrinking once more in the way Sayo hates.

“But as my sister often asks- does it have to make sense? As long as it is… “boppin” for everyone and makes everyone happy, what is there to question, really?”

Taki is hiding her face from her, but for the length of time Sayo has known her, she knows how quick to tears this child can be.

So she pulls her into a hug as best she can.

“I will miss you too.”

Taki is getting her shoulder wet. Sayo hardly minds.

“You’ll call me and all.” Taki is not asking. Sayo finds that adorable.

“I will. And the girls will too.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” Sayo agrees. “Are you ready now?”

“Like I said… it’s you who should be—”

“Sayo-saaannn, this is not very responsible of youuuu~” Ako sing-songs, heard by the pair inside. “Do I get to scold you for once? Yukina-san is about to bring about an age of darkness and spite to all around her if you fail to– umm… umm… Rinrin?”

Sayo opens the door with a laugh. “Sorry. Just a little last minute emergency.

“Oh, okay.” Ako quickly acquiesces.

Sayo notices Rinko staring at her polo, at a particular spot she can feel is damp. She catches the raven-head’s eyes shift to the figure just a few steps behind her. She sees her small smile.

Sayo’s heart flutters at that.

“Do you want to come along, Taki-chan?” Rinko’s gentle voice contrastingly startles the housemates with the question.

“…. On your national tour???” Taki looks so confused. Understandably, Sayo thinks.

“Oh.” Rinko has a hand covering her mouth, giggling softly. “No, no. Just to the airport. Tomoe-san is driving us there. I just thought a ride could help you clear some thoughts or give you a change of pace, perhaps?”

Sayo is grateful for the kind perceptiveness that comes with her girlfriend’s innate nature. She makes the decision for her frazzled younger friend, pulling her suitcase and handing it to Ako to take to the van.

“Shall we?” Sayo holds out a hand to the younger girl.

It takes a few passing seconds, but before they know it, the door has been locked and the road feels smooth under Taki’s feet as the car zooms to the airport.

Roselia’s attention on her feels warm as she begrudgingly and very shyly accepts being fed fresh-baked brownies by a cooing Lisa, and listens to Yukina talk Sayo’s ear off scoldingly while the vocalist’s hand draws circles on the back of her guitarist’s hand with her thumb.

It feels. Homey.

Taki suddenly realizes that she’s thought of that word a lot lately. Around Sayo and her peers, at least. It’s something she’d never thought about to deeply when she used it months prior to all this. But now, home feels like a warm word. Like one of Tomori’s lyrics, like some of Sakiko’s old songs.

She finds herself staring at Sayo a good long while, impressed at herself for not jolting when her eyes meet vivid verdant.

Sayo gives her a smile that feels so warm.

Taki feels her own lips curling up.

Home.

//

“So this is it.”

Taki nods, her peripherals catching Roselia’s staff piling the girl’s luggage out of the back of the van.

“You sure you don’t need anything else? Anything for me to sign off on?” Sayo makes a final check with Taki, readies her own important things for her immediate need on the flight.

“I’m good.” Taki replies. “I’ll be good.”

Sayo smiles, hand naturally ending up on Taki’s head again. “Good.”

Taki’s legs feel a little tense. Her feet shuffle awkwardly in place.

Sayo notices because of course she does, and Taki is kind of irritated by the fact that Sayo’s kindness doesn’t make her tease Taki for it.

It makes it a little awkward that she has nothing to play off of to retaliate her usual way, in a snark and a little pissed off manner.

Instead, she feels herself being pulled into a familiar mold of warmth.

She hates how her eyes sting again. She hates that she so easily cries, and that Sayo-san so easily draws it out of her too. It might take her another hour to calm when she heads home.

“I do mean it when I say I’ll miss you.” Sayo whispers against her head. “Take care of home for me?”

Taki can’t manage another word, not even when of her witty comeback bites. She simply nods, arms lifting up, hands bunching together the cloth of Sayo’s coat.

“I’ll be home soon.”

“Be home soon.”

//

Taki doesn’t cry on the ride back.

Not until she’s safe at home.

Home.

The fridge has that small blue note on it that Sayo mentioned before. Her manager’s number.

Taki flips it over. She feels a bubble in her chest. It makes it all tight.

She runs to her room, sticks the note to her desk and lays on her bed face down to mute out the sounds that she hopes silence can drown.

‘I’ll be home soon.

Love,

Your Custodian, Hikawa Sayo.’