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Ever since the day Mizuki had taken them out for a ‘mystery tour’ to help their composer out, Ena noticed the expression on her face.
It was bitter. Not like the teases she’d constantly give her about anything she’d do, not like the sweetened words that would always manage to help her or the other members. It felt like she was worried, in a way, about something Ena had no idea of, but one that still gained her the determination, and eventually desperation, to try dig into.
She was aware of how she’d always say something or act without thinking first, and more aware of how much it could hurt others and especially herself. But even so, the concerned artist was sure it wasn’t about that; it could’ve been about something deeper, maybe, even if she couldn’t imagine Mizuki dealing with something like that at first; in a way, Ena felt guilty for just assuming that she could be completely fine.
Mizuki always had this habit of avoiding her questions and laughing it off.
And so, Ena mustered up a plan, with the help of Shizuku and Airi – with the hope that she’d get to learn just what Mizuki is so worried about, and to solve it together. However all due to her usual stupidity, it completely backfired: instead of achieving that, she instead fell down with her best friend, having the burden of needing the other people with them to try and help them up.
…whilst that, through that ordeal, she saw something else: the smile and the gentle tone Mizuki showed as she handed her the towel, with the sweet words of ‘being glad that she’s safe’, Ena knew that she had somehow catched a glimpse of her actually being happy. That was the start of the weird sensations in her chest sometimes when she was near her, or the couple nights when that girl was all she could think about, whether it be because of the concerns she had for her or, for a reason, her smile and the cheery or gentle tone.
Their relationship was indescribable, something Ena discovered over time: cheeky banter, gentle words and actions, accompanied with the trace of lies each time they both opened their mouths. That mischievous gentleness of hers made her heart feel strange, and the continuing string of lies would only hurt it more.
Even if Mizuki still restrained herself and lied after that picnic, especially after the uncharacteristic promise of her friend's to wait for her as long as she needed to, Ena still couldn’t spit out everything she wanted to convey from her heart. And even with the shared glances, Ena’s look in her eyes that signified more than it should’ve, the unhearable words or the unspoken, small actions, Mizuki couldn’t mutter out hers either.
A relationship full of banter, sweet words and deceit, that’s what it was. Yet Ena wasn’t able to say the unspoken feelings of hers, that could possibly reach her heart, to express everything she had in her, nor did either of them have the courage to break that wall of distance so miserably put between them.