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Chapter Text

Strides long and determined, Hoshino Aqua's hold on his violin case tightened. Of all days, Ruby had to be sick today— the day of his violin jury exams. 

"I'm sorry—cough— I can't be your—cough— accompanist, onii-chan," Ruby moaned underneath the mountain of blankets she was cocooned in. "I asked one of my—cough— senpai to help..."

It wasn't as if he had any choice. Aqua took a deep breath to temper his annoyance, not directed at Ruby but at the unfortunate situation he was in. Ruby had always been his pianist. No one could understand his quirks and be on par with his musical standards like his twin sister. Everyone else was mediocre, even if it was Ruby's senpai.

His frown deepened. Sitting outside his designated exam room was the red-haired lady, flipping the pages of the musical score on her lap with a disinterest that would make Schubert turn in his grave. Damn it. Of all people, it had to be her— Ruby's senpai who always wore a beret that matched her outfit. If only Arima Kana played the piano with the same finesse she gave to picking out her outfit, then he would not be this worried to fail.

She raised her head as he approached, a teasing smile on her lips. "Really, Hoshino? Schubert's Ave Maria? Didn't see you as the type to pick such a romantic piece."

What a nasty attitude. She didn't even have the decency to greet him at all. His eyes fell on the immaculately clean musical score she held. This was a bad sign. "Did you even study it?"

Her lips pursed. "Ruby only begged me to help you two hours ago, you think I would even have enough time?"

Well, shit. This was really bad. He grabbed the musical score out of her hands. "Never mind. I'll ask Akane instead."

Her eyes flashed as she snatched the score back. "You think the Madonna of the Piano department has time for your little recital? Kurokawa's busy." She flipped the pages, a smirk on her lips. "You're even lucky I'm available, Hoshino, and that I've actually played this piece before."

'The only reason you're free is because you play so badly no one wants to get you as an accompanist,' Aqua thought angrily, biting the inside of his cheek to prevent him from spilling his inner thoughts. 

Before he could come up with a better reply, the door opened and the assistant professor called, "Hoshino-san, you're next."

Kana stood up and dusted her black skirt. "Oh well, just have to wing it, Hoshino." 

Great. Not only was he playing with the worst pianist, but they were doing it without any practice. He closed his eyes, muttering an apology to Schubert for the incoming disrespect they were going to make of his beloved piece.

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There was a silent pause as the last note resounded. Aqua opened his eyes, bracing himself for the professors' reactions. Raida-sensei had a wide smile, Gotanda-sensei nodded at him proudly, while the strict Kaburagi-sensei was not even looking at him but at Arima.

"Wonderful as always, Hoshino Aqua-kun!" Raida praised. 

Slowly, Aqua nodded, "Thank you."

Heart still pounding, the blond violinist remained motionless for a while as the occupants of the room made their way out. His eyes found the red-haired pianist, and he pulled her arm, stopping her, "Wait!"

Arima raised her eyebrow, "What?"

"I—" What was he supposed to say? Could he ask how she played so wonderfully in-sync with him that made his skin tingle and his heart pound so loudly against his ears? He swallowed, "Thank you."

His appreciation stunned her. "Oh, you're welcome." She grinned. "But you also played well. You're really a prodigy." She gathered her things and waved at him as she left, "Bye!"

Aqua took a deep, calming breath. What the hell just happened?

It was not really stalking, Aqua was just curious how Arima was able to play that well with him. 

She would arrive in the morning dressed in flashy, frilly clothes with matching beret and attend her classes. She preferred to spend her breaktime alone in the rooftop instead of practicing. She was already at the gates even before the bell rang signaling the end of the day.

She did not need to compete for the limited practice rooms with the other piano majors, that's for sure.

So when he watched her piano jury exam a few days later, he was not surprised at how poorly she played. Samejima-sensei was shaking her head, Goa-sensei was frowning while Kichijijo-sensei was teary-eyed with disappointment.

Arima Kana bowed and left the stage, a satisfied smile on her face.

A vein ticked on his forehead in annoyance. Ruby had told him that Arima Kana used to be a child prodigy pianist in Kyushu. She used to win major awards left and right. How the hell did that horrendous performance satisfy her? Was it because she grew up? Even then, that was not a valid excuse. She was so much better than that! 

Aqua vowed to find out the mystery of Arima Kana's piano playing.

Solving Arima Kana was proving to be a challenge. When she was not hiding on the rooftop, he saw her everywhere: at the cafeteria, at the strings and even the percussion department where she seemed to have a lot of acquaintances but never near the practice rooms. He even had to double check if she was still enrolled in the piano department or if she changed majors.

Was their Schubert performance just a fever dream? Did he imagine all of that? Where was the passionate Arima Kana whose crystal clear piano sounds drowned him, the conundrum of notes that seemed to suck the breath out of him, giving him just ample oxygen until the next wave? 

He longed— no, he was addicted. He needed to hear her play again.

Surprisingly, the next time he heard her play the piano was outside of the music college, in a quaint coffee shop near the station.

"Isn't that Arima-senpai?" Ruby wondered. 

It was Ruby's idea to try the pastries in the said cafe where Arima Kana was seated in front of the upright piano tucked in the corner, entertaining a child no other older than ten with her rendition of Beethoven's Twinkle Twinkle.

She played with enthusiasm and playfulness. The smile on her face was bright, and he was sure she was enjoying what she was doing, a stark contrast from the dead and apathetic way she played Mozart for her exams.

"Is that the only thing they teach in music school, Kana-neechan?" the child asked with a pout. "Don't you learn any hard stuff?"

Arima's expression was thoughtful, still unaware of the two additional people in her audience. "How about this one?" Her tempo slowed, the previously playful notes becoming delicate. Aqua closed his eyes. It was her exam piece, being played just how it should be.

So her talent was real. But why was she concealing it? 

The piano suddenly stopped and Aqua's eyes snapped open. Arima Kana was staring at them in surprise. "Ruby? Hoshino? What are you doing here?"

"Kana-senpai that was so good!" Ruby chirped happily. "I knew you played so well!"

Arima laughed awkwardly as she stepped away from the piano. "That was purely luck! Oh look at the time! Gotta go! See you at school!"

Just like that, Arima had gotten away again. It added to Aqua's growing frustration and irritation. Why the hell was she deliberately playing so badly?

"Kana-senpai should really play like that for her next exams. Or else..." Ruby commented worriedly.

He turned to his twin, "Or else?"

"She'll have to repeat a year, or worse... drop out of school." Ruby's shoulders slumped down gloomily. "But I was looking forward to playing a piano duet with senpai for the festival."

It was two days later when he finally cornered her outside her classroom.

"Hoshino," Arima greeted, crimson eyes curious from seeing him in the piano department. "What's up?"

He went straight to the point. "Arima, why do you play so badly when you perform solo?"

"Hah?" She placed her hands on her hips, "What are you talking about?"

"You like to do accompaniment, you make sure the soloist stands out," he shared his thoughts. "You only want to support someone. You don't want to stand out."

"Of course," Arima raised her eyebrows. "That's what the piano is for. You don't understand that because you like to show-off your violin."

"You don't fit the role of a supporting character," Aqua said. Why was he even saying all this? He had no reason to care, yet somehow he did. And with a passion that felt completely out of character for him. "You shine brighter as a soloist. You should be greedy and accept all the attention you naturally draw to yourself."

She blinked twice before exhaling deeply. "Hoshino, listen. We play different instruments, and for different reasons too. I am not talented like you, I don't even like the piano."

He remembered the pure, unadulterated smile she wore on the day she accompanied him. "Liar. Then why are you in a music college?"

A pained look flashed on her face. "It's my mother's last wish. She wanted me to study the piano, thinking I was a prodigy too, like my cousin." She shook her head. "Guess I didn't inherit the musical talent from my father's side."

'That's not true', he wanted to reassure her. He'd heard her play, and he wanted to listen more. "You like the piano. I know you do." 

"What? You know me more than I know myself?" Arima asked mockingly as she walked away.

As if he would allow her to leave again. He grabbed her arm and pulled her in the direction of the practice rooms.

"What the hell, Hoshino?!" She snapped amidst the curious eyes of the onlookers. "What the hell do you want?"

"If you fail your next exam, you're going to be expelled."

"And that matters to you because?"

Because what? Aqua stopped, unsure why he was so irritated with her uncaring attitude. He could process why later. For now, he would not allow her to run away. Squaring his shoulders, he looked back at her. "You're a scholarship student, right? If you get expelled, are you prepared to pay the penalty for breach of contract?"

Arima's eyes widened in fear. "There's... a penalty?"

"A hefty amount," he replied, his expression grim. He was not blackmailing her. He was merely... motivating her. "I'll help you. I also played the piano, before switching to the violin. I've helped Ruby with her lessons too." Should he whip up his accolades to wipe that skeptic look on her face? "I'm doing this to pay you back for helping me with my jury exam."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she tilted her head in the direction of the practice room. "Fine. Let's see how you can help, Hoshino."

The next few weeks found them in the college's practice rooms at every opportunity. Aqua had been firm in his resolve to help Arima that he might have pulled some strings to ensure that she always had a practice room available. 

It did help that he was the school chairman's son, a merit he tried not to take advantage except for this time. 

Even Ruby was perplexed by his behavior this morning. "Why are you studying a piano score, onii-chan?" 

Why indeed? He sighed as Arima's last note hung in the air. "You added some notes and unnecessarily changed the tempo five times," he commented, looking up from the score on his lap.

The red-haired pianist pulled a face, placed her elbow on top of the piano, and cradled her chin on her palm. "You're too rigid, Aqua."

When did she start calling him by name again? When did they become that close? "It's called following the piano score. A basic requirement to pass your jury exam. Also, even if it's a piece by Liszt, you're playing it too brightly. It should be more melancholic."

"Melancholic?" she echoed indignantly. "It's Liebestraum No.3, Aqua. It's poco allegro con affetto."

"It's Liebestraum No.3," he echoed in return. "A piece about a lost love. His lover died. That's not exactly a happy occasion, isn't it?"

Letting out a long sigh, Kana closed her eyes and let her fingers dance once more on the keys. She made less mistakes but was still not playing exactly how he wanted her— how Liszt instructed her to play. The sound made his heart twist in an emotion, not exactly melancholic but— "Not exactly happy, but not totally sad too," she finished his thoughts, eyes still closed. "Even if his lover died, there is still hope, a longing that they would meet again." She stopped and looked at him, her crimson eyes calm. "Don't you think that's a beautiful thing worth celebrating?"

Her honest eyes unnerved him. He averted his eyes, "You have a weird way of interpreting the piece."

She laughed. "And you should be more romantic, Aqua. Maybe you should try falling in love. Experience a heart-pounding violin romance. That would definitely make your playing of Schubert's Ave Maria so much better."

Her remark jabbed his ego. "Why? Have you experienced it yourself?" he challenged.

Her bashful smile made his stomach do a flip-flop. "Maybe," she replied simply.

What? Wait— with whom? Unable to find the right comeback, he fell silent.

Whether Kana noticed his inner turmoil or not, she did not show and instead she resumed playing. "Maybe I should make that my goal. To make Hoshino Aqua fall so much in love with my music that it would melt his ice cold heart," she teased.

The tips of his ears turned red. Aqua had a feeling it was not entirely impossible.

Even on the day of her piano jury exam, Arima wore a matching beret with her simple red dress. 

"You'll be fine," Aqua told her as they waited outside of the examination hall.

"Of course! I have never practiced this hard in my life." Arima rubbed her arms and shuddered. 

He watched as she tried hiding her nervousness by shuffling on her feet. "Just enjoy the music," he said quietly. "Don't overthink sticking to the score."

Arima raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Am I hearing things? Aqua, you want me to enjoy the music and not stick to the score?"

"Don't rewrite the score," he emphasized. "But it's con affetto, so Liszt would want you to express yourself."

Her lips broke into a wide smile, her eyes crinkling. Patting his shoulder, she replied gleefully, "Wow! You're maturing, Aqua! That's good! You're getting more comfortable tapping into your emotions. After this, let's play again together."

"...You won't quit the piano?" he asked.

"Quitting the piano has been postponed for now," Arima announced with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "Aqua, you made me remember why I enjoyed playing in the first place."

He blinked. "I did?" Not that he was complaining, if that was enough to make her reconsider quitting.

"Yup!" Arima smiled so easily, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "So make sure to listen well to my performance, my fan!"

"Hey, I'm not your fan," he insisted.

"Oh, come on, you're my only fan," Arima laughed. 

Her talent was real. She should never look down on herself. "I'm not a fan... but I'll listen," Aqua conceded.

"That's enough for me," she replied as she went inside the examination hall.

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From the shocked expressions of Samejima-sensei, Goa-sensei and Kichijijo-sensei, Arima Kana's performance deserved no less than a tres bien. A moment later, the hall broke into a collective sound of claps and cheers from the audience who initially went to see a disaster but instead saw an uno reversal masterpiece.

Aqua's heart filled with pride. Kana's talent needed to be showcased. Her music moved hearts— his heart, and that was a feat on its own. He could never get enough. He wanted to hear her more. 

Ruby rested her chin on her palms, her pink eyes focused on her brother. "You like Kana-senpai, don't you?"

"I-" Aqua swallowed as Kana's crimson eyes found his. Her bright smile and small wave made his heart pound against his chest. Covering his cheeks which had started to feel warm, he mumbled. "I love her... piano. I'm a fan."

Chuckling, Ruby shook her head. "Whatever you say, onii-chan."

End

Chapter Text

"OH MY! It's the Starlight Boys!!!"

Arima Kana quickly looked up from the album she was signing just as a collective scream of fangirls echoed through the hall. There was a crowd forming at the entrance and Kana apologized to the fan in front of her for being distracted by the arrival of the group she least wanted to see. 

Why was the Starlight Boys— currently the hottest boy band in Japan gracing the album signing event of the newly formed girl group, B-Komachi? They might be labelmates under Ichigo Productions but showing such blatant support might create nasty rumors. What were they thinking?

Beside her, Memcho whistled while Ruby stood up from her seat, her mouth hanging open in surprise. "Oniichan?!"

"Yo! Ruby!" Melt, the lead vocal and guitarist, greeted with a playful smile that made the women want to pamper the charismatic idol. 

"Everything alright?" Taiki, the drummer, asked in a low voice and a slight tilt of his head. With his black hair obscuring part of his face, he carried the mysterious trope of the group well.

Kana's eyes trailed to the last member of the group, Ruby's twin brother who was also the leader and bass guitarist of the Starlight Boys. Admittedly, Hoshino Aquamarine was a rare visual who had the face, the brain and the talent to be a well-rounded musician. His blue eyes met Kana's for a brief moment before addressing his sister. "Hello, Ruby."

Ruby pouted and leaned towards her brother's ear just as the cameras snapped the exchange. "I told you not to come!" she hissed.

"Why?" Aqua smiled as he held his copy of B-Komachi's first album. "I wanted to support my little sister."

Exasperated, Ruby shook her head. "People would think I'm using you to get famous!"

Aqua placed the album down in front of his sister and handed her the pen with a smile. "You're my sister, I'll always be your number one fan."

The fangirls screamed louder. Kana frowned. What a showoff. 

Embarrassed and not wanting to hold the line any longer, Ruby reluctantly signed the album, shooing her brother away.

"Hello, Kana," Aqua greeted as he moved in front of her. Kana kept her head down, not wanting to see his smug face as she gripped the pen hard.

"You should really tone down being a siscon," she muttered. "Ruby can handle her own."

"She's not the only one I'm worried about, of course," he replied smoothly. His hand briefly brushed hers as she returned his album. "Why did you not write 'Love, Kana-chan' like you did for others?"

This time, her head snapped up and she forced a smile on her lips. It would not be good for the cameras if she were seen antagonizing him- but he can be infuriating at times. His fans would definitely burn her online. "Get lost," she muttered through gritted teeth.

"Definitely not cute," he mumbled good-naturedly, still with a smile on his face. "You should get ramen for dinner."

"I know your secret," said suddenly by the fan at the line in front of Aqua. She was looking at Aqua and Kana with suspicious eyes. Kana's heart raced, forcing her features to remain neutral. Despite his smile, Aqua's blue eyes slightly narrowed.

The fan then grinned, raised her hands to form a heart and giggled, "The leader of the most popular boy band and the leader of the newest girl group. Rivals to lovers! I'm totally shipping you two! AquaKana! The fan edits! The fanarts! The fanfics!"

Kana felt as if a bucket of ice cold water was dumped over her head. Aqua merely chuckled as he replied amicably, "I hope you could support B-Komachi and the Starlight Boys with the same passion."

"I do!" the fan nodded eagerly. "I love both groups!"

Aqua thanked the fan, diffusing the situation and moved along the line. He gave the ladies of B-Komachi one last wave, "See you around, B-Komachi!"

Kana tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear, subtly conscious of the beginning blush on her cheeks. That was a close call. They really needed to be very careful especially around eagle-eyed fans. 

Ramen meant he was inviting her for dinner. Tricky, but it could be done under the pretense of accompanying Ruby home. They had successfully pulled through before but it was still risky to do each time, with him being a popular boy band leader and her, a newbie idol.

She stole another glance at Aqua's back. 

How did she even end up secretly dating such a cheeky guy? 

End

Chapter Text

In the flurry of the cherry blossom petals that covered the roads, spring signaled the start of his last year in high school.

"You're Taiki-kun's younger brother, aren't you?"

Hoshino Aqua looked up from his textbook to find Arima Kana from 3-B scrutinizing him. It was lunchtime and the classroom was partially deserted as most students rushed to the cafeteria. Still, his classmates that were left were stealing glances at them. It was not a common sight to see one of the most popular girls in school talking to a quiet boy like him about his popular older brother who was in college. "Do you need anything from my brother?"

Arima Kana was pretty with her red hair, but her crimson eyes were dead, like an extinguished flame. So much unlike Akane's whose warm, calm eyes plagued his dreams. With a tilt of her head, Arima brought her lips close to his ear. "You like Kurokawa Akane, don't you? Your older brother's girlfriend?"

How would a stranger know? Eyes narrowing, Aqua did not think he carelessly let himself get caught. "What do you want?"

Her smile was as cold as her eyes. "Let's date."

And that was how it started. Their downward spiral to oblivion.

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Summer brought the sweltering heat and humid monsoon days, forcing them to retreat into the comfort of his room. 
 
Arima Kana sat on his bed, legs folded underneath her as she leaned against the wall that separated Aqua's room from his brother's. Her eyes were empty as she stared at a distant spot on his shelf.

He sat beside her. "Taiki-niisan's home with his girlfriend."

"I know." Her expression did not change. "I could hear them talking. Your wall's too thin."

Talking was not the only thing he had heard before. And judging from the way her face paled upon hearing how the sound from the next room changed, she would also learn it the hard way.

There was a hushed whimper. Aqua's stomach dropped. He knew it was Akane's voice. It was sickeningly sweet and all he wanted to do was to make it fucking stop— 

Should he punch the wall? 

"Don't listen," Kana leaned against him and whispered, eyes wide, her palms covering his ears. 

A low groan. That was Taiki. Aqua's own hands covered Kana's ears. "You shouldn't too."

This was pathetic. Both of them were yearning for people they could never have. Kana was in love with Taiki who saved her from drowning in the river when she wanted to end everything. Aqua was in love with Akane-neesan who patiently tutored him when he was failing academically during his rebellious middle school days. 

Creaking noises. "They're enjoying," he commented humorlessly.

She moved closer to him, their faces almost touching. When she spoke, her breath tickled his lips. "We don't care. Focus on me, Aqua."

Ironic. Aqua knew Kana did not believe her own words. But he allowed himself to focus on her as she pressed her lips against his. They were soft and indignant, as if forcing them to ignore what was happening next door. Her hands slipped down his shoulders, and his arms wrapped around her waist as he responded to the kiss.

There was only their pounding hearts echoing against their ears, and a warmth that made him forget everything but Kana. Kana was here. Kana wanted him. 

This was not love. Love was not something this painful. Whatever it was, it tasted salty with their tears. 

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Autumn brought not only a cool respite from the blistering heat but a news that shattered any semblance of peace they held.

"Taiki and I are getting married," Akane announced shyly over the family dinner, raising her hand to flaunt the diamond ring she now wore.

His mother and Ruby squealed in delight as they hugged the blue-haired woman, happy to see her finally become part of their family. His father was congratulating Taiki, a proud smile on his face. 

Beside him, Kana dropped her spoon, the noise unheard in the celebration, her eyes hollow in shock. Aqua grasped her hand underneath the table to ground her.

"We plan to hold the ceremony in spring next year, once we graduate," Taiki said.

"Of course you're invited, Kana-chan." Akane said with a smile. "You can invite your boyfriend too, Ruby-chan."

"I don't have a boyfriend, Akane-neesan!" Ruby whined. 

"Congratulations, Taiki-niisan, Akane-neesan," Aqua said tightly, still holding Kana's hand.

Akane's smile widened, and Aqua thought she wore happiness beautifully. 

Kana's kisses that night were rough, as they held each other in the darkness of her apartment. She bit his shoulder to quiet her anguished screams and, amidst the pain, he pulled her closer against him, unwilling to let go.

How odd. Aqua believed he had become numb, but at this moment, he could feel his heart breaking, a sickening coil in his stomach making him want to throw up for how powerless he was, not for his dear Akane-neesan but for the small woman shivering in his arms, depending on him to hold her before she broke into a million pieces he would be unable to fix.

He grabbed a fistful of her red hair, the same color of blood that stained his bruised lips, and angled her head to capture her mouth, their teeth and tongues clashing almost painfully.

Maybe in another lifetime, they could have been different people— more sane, more human. But now, both of them only knew how to hurt. If they were truly despicable, they could have unleashed that hurt on the people they loved, but they couldn't— wouldn't.

He and Kana did not love each other. So it was okay to hurt each other. 

Aqua continuously repeated to himself, hoping it was the truth.

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Outside, the late winter brought a raging snowstorm that covered the lone window in Kana's apartment in deary white. Inside, Kana and Aqua huddled underneath the blankets, offering the extra warmth that the heating system could not provide.    

Kana's hair underneath his chin smelled of jasmine he had began to like. Propping herself on his chest, she regarded him with her wide crimson eyes. "Won't your family worry you're not yet home?"

Aqua brushed back a lock of red hair that fell over her eyes. "No one's home." Taiki had started living with his fiancée, Ruby was staying overnight with her best friend, Minami, and his parents were on another business trip. "I told them I'm staying with a friend."

"Friend," she snorted derisively. She lowered her lips to the pulse on his neck, and the contact warmed his skin even more. "I guess we're really good friends to be doing this."

His hands caressed the small of her back. "Weren't you the one who wanted this?"

"Ah, you're right," Kana mumbled, her lips tracing his collarbone. "We're dating each other because we can't be with the people we really love."

Closing his eyes, he remained silent.

Her lips stopped their ministration. "Aqua," she called, her voice barely above a whisper. "Should we break them up?"

He opened his eyes and met her crimson eyes that held a wild spark of hope. It baffled him how beautiful they looked with a semblance of life. "Do you want to?" he asked. "Will it make you happy?"

Kana squeezed his cheeks. "Honestly, this isn't just about me. What about you? Will it make you happy?"

"No." The answer resounded clearly. Aqua loved his brother Taiki, and he wanted him to be happy, even if it meant losing Akane. But if it was what Kana wanted, then he would do it. If it would help her live her life without regrets, then she deserved a chance, he told himself.

Kana shrugged. "You're kindhearted, that's why."

"I'm not," Aqua disagreed. She did not fully know him. "Let's do whatever you want. Do you want to break them up?"

"I don't want to. I can't," she sighed and craned her neck up to kiss him fully on the lips. 
 
Aqua closed his eyes and responded to the kiss, focusing on the feeling of her against him. It was easier to focus on the heat of their flesh than to acknowledge the slow realization brewing in his heart.

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Spring came in a heartbeat. 

Taiki and Akane's wedding was a joyous affair held in a small chapel, attended by their family and close friends. 

Aqua stood on the side with Kana. Dressed in a light pink dress and pearl earrings, she looked almost angelic in her calmness, her eyes focused on the happy newlyweds. 

"I confessed to Taiki last night before the wedding," said Kana suddenly. 

Aqua slowly turned his head to look at her, his heart pounding anxiously. "You did?"

"He rejected me, of course," she laughed emptily. "In the most loving, sisterly way. It made me so ashamed of myself for why I even tried." An apologetic smile graced her lips as she turned to him. "Sorry I didn't tell you beforehand."

"Doesn't matter. I wouldn't have confessed to Akane-neesan anyway," he replied. 

"It helped clear my mind, you know," Kana continued. "Gave me closure for this chapter in my life."

He reached out for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "That's good."

She reached up to him and cupped his cheeks. Her crimson eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "I'm sorry for using you, Aqua. I'm sorry for how selfish I have been. But I'm very grateful for how you've been with me this past year. I wouldn't have made it this long without you. So, thank you, Aqua. Really."

Maybe this was the right time. Maybe they could finally correct the uncertainty between them and start anew. Maybe this was a chance. He held her hand against his cheek. "Kana, I-"

"Don't worry," Kana continued as she smiled. The smile, however, did not reach her eyes. "I'm letting you go. You won't see me anymore. I'm returning to Miyazaki tomorrow for college."

He felt something shatter inside of him, the words he wanted to say dying on his lips. 

"Let's put this chapter behind us. College will give you a new environment. Find the love that you deserve. I'm sure there won't be a shortage of girls fawning over you."

Miyazaki would be a better environment for Kana. And she too deserved someone who can help her heal, someone who could comfort her. Someone who could love her with a love that is greater than anyone else. Someone without the baggage of an unrequited love. Someone who was not Aqua. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he quieted the discontent in his heart. "Okay."

Kana could not stop her tears now. "But don't be a stranger if we ever meet again, okay? I'll punch you!" she said jokingly.

"Of course you would." 
 
He leaned down at the same time she tiptoed, their lips meeting in a chaste kiss so unlike those they had shared before. It was fleeting as it was bittersweet. 

The next day, Arima Kana was gone. 

Five springs later, in a busy coffee shop near the train station, Hoshino Aqua stood in line at the counter to pay for his meal. The person in front of him was taking some time retrieving her wallet from her purse.

"Really sorry," the woman mumbled apologetically to the cashier, the white beret on top of her long red hair dangerously slipping in her panic.

Aqua took a moment to stare, his disbelief turning into anticipation. Heart pounding, he stepped forward and gave his Suica card to the cashier. "Please use this."

The red-haired woman turned, and he was met with her wide crimson eyes, "Huh?"

"Hey," Aqua greeted.

"Hey," Arima Kana replied, her voice soft, realization dawning. 

"It's been a while. Do you have some time?" This was a conversation five years late— better late, than never. "Do you need to be somewhere after?"

"Uhm, I just need to pick up a few things from the supermarket," Kana replied. She rubbed her cheek. "But you can accompany me if you'd like..." Then adding hastily, "Only if you're free, of course!" 

"I'm free," he said, almost too enthusiastically, trying to suppress the smile forming on his lips. "I'd like too."

Ah, so Kana could smile like this. A smile as bright as the sun that reached her eyes. His heart thundered against his chest. 

They were in time for spring, finally.