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The air in the Miho dorm room was thick with the scent of hairspray and distant anticipation. Outside, the final hours of the year were dissolving into the kind of electric buzz only New Year’s Eve could generate. Inside, the contrast between the two roommates couldn't have been sharper.
Taiki Shuttle was a walking celebration. She was halfway into her festive attire—a dark green kimono with silver fringe that shimmered like a freshly polished revolver, cowboy boots gleaming, and her golden hair tied back in a perfectly styled, gravity-defying ponytail. She hummed a loud, cheerful tune as she applied a final spritz of her favorite tail spray, a sweet, homesick aroma of pines. Tonight, she was going out to the big Tracen Year-End festival. Her weakness was being alone, and tonight, she intended to be surrounded by hundreds of friendly faces.
Across the room, Mejiro Dober was encased in a fortress of quiet. She sat at her small desk, ostensibly reviewing race footage, though her focus was clearly elsewhere. She wore a simple, plush sweater and thick leggings, a deliberate uniform of solitude. The only splash of color was the worn, leather-bound notebook tucked discreetly under her elbow—the one containing her drawings.
“Dober-chan! You gotta try this!” Taiki twirled, holding out a can of glitter spray. “It’s super sparkly. Just a little on your ears, huh? It says, ‘Bang! ☆ I’m ready for the new year!’”
Dober flinched slightly at the sudden, loud movement. “No, thank you, Taiki-san,” she murmured, eyes fixed on the screen. “I—I am perfectly fine as I am. Please, don’t concern yourself.”
“Aww, come on, Ber-chan! You’re staying up anyway, right? Why not come out for a little bit? El and Suzuka will be there! They have a mechanical bull! It’s going to be so much fun!” Taiki bounced, her excitement genuinely infectious.
Dober finally lifted her gaze, the cool reserve she cultivated instantly snapping into place. “I will watch the fireworks from my desk. The Mejiro family expects a certain level of decorum, even in private study. Besides,” she added, her voice barely a whisper, “I… I don't care for crowds. And there should be men there… it is quite overwhelming.”
Taiki stopped bouncing. The noise and energy drained out of her, replaced by a sudden, aching understanding. Dober wasn't just choosing to stay in; she was retreating. The shyness wasn't an affectation; it was a deeply rooted anxiety, a constant guard against the overwhelming world.
Taiki’s heart, as big and bright as her home state, gave a heavy thud. She looked at her glittering outfit, then at Dober’s quiet, self-imposed isolation. The loud, glittering party suddenly seemed very far away and strangely empty.
The greatest weakness of Taiki Shuttle: Being alone. But tonight, the thought of leaving Dober alone—completely and utterly alone while the world celebrated loudly around them—felt worse than any personal solitude.
She sighed, a dramatic, defeated sound that made Dober raise an eyebrow.
“You know what, Ber-chan?” Taiki slowly began to unravel her kimono halfway, reaching back to pull her obi to the front. “That mechanical bull? Probably germy. And those crowds? Too many high-fives. I’ve been high-fived enough this year, honestly.”
Dober watched, bewildered, as Taiki shed the dark attire, she struggled, but got it off in the end. Tossing it onto her bed with a careless thwump. She stood bare for a moment before pulling on her favorite oversized flanel—a warm, faded denim blue—and a pair of fuzzy slippers.
“Shuttle? What are you doing? You spent all week talking about the festival.”
Taiki grinned, her usual dazzling, unstoppable grin, but this one felt softer, aimed only at the one person who mattered in this small room. “Nope. New Year’s Resolution starts early: Quality over quantity! Besides, who needs a mechanical bull when I got the coolest roommate in the entire academy right here?”
Before Dober could protest the change in plans, Taiki was already on the move. The room instantly transformed from a study space to a cozy den.
First, the lights went down, replaced by the glow of a small lamp Taiki had brought from her hometown. A small, scented candle that smelled like warm cinnamon and apple pie sat next to it.
Next came the snacks. Taiki, who had been an absolute tyrant about not eating sugar before the festival, tore open a bag of barbecue chips and began setting up a mini-snack bar.
“Okay, Dober-chan, we got the Big Three American Classics for a Movie Night!” Taiki announced, her hands a blur of activity. “Unhealthy chips, root beer floats, and… this.”
She pulled a two-tiered, slightly lopsided chocolate layer cake from a cooler box she had hidden under her bed, along with several tubs of frosting and a container of colorful star-shaped sprinkles.
“I baked this earlier, but I didn’t have time to decorate it. Now, it seems I’ve saved the best part for the most important person!” Taiki announced, her voice full of pride. “We are making New Year’s Wish Cake! It's the ultimate American comfort food for cold nights, and you need that creative, toasty feeling to greet a brand new year, right?” She quickly set up the decorations, pushing a tub of vanilla frosting and a small plastic spatula toward Dober's side of the desk.
Dober, whose upbringing involved hushed tea services and precisely folded linen napkins, stared at the chaotic culinary setup. It was utterly improper, yet undeniably charming.
“Taiki, I… I don’t know how to decorate properly,” Dober confessed, her voice barely audible.
“It’s easy! You just smear the frosting and throw the sprinkles! Here, let Taiki show you.”
Taiki, standing close behind Dober, guided her hands as they spread the thick frosting over the top layer. The coolness of the frosting, the warmth of Taiki’s hand, and the simple task were surprisingly grounding for Dober. The familiar, low-grade anxiety she carried constantly began to melt away, replaced by the focus on the beautiful, messy creation.
"No, wait, Ber-chan!" Taiki suddenly pulled back, her eyes sparkling with competitive excitement. "You know what? This is a Mejiro masterpiece waiting to happen. You have the best lines when you draw, right? Forget smearing—I want a design! I'm doing the bottom tier, but the top tier? That's your canvas, artist!" Taiki handed Dober a piping bag filled with delicate gold icing.
Dober's breath hitched. That was far more pressure, yet the challenge, coupled with Taiki's absolute faith in her, felt strangely exhilarating. Her hands, usually trembling with nerves, were steady as she took the bag. She carefully began to pipe an intricate, almost architectural pattern of stars and swirling vines around the top tier's edge.
“You’re a natural, Ber-chan! See? It doesn't have to be perfect—just yummy! Now, you add the star sprinkles, and boom! Happy New Year’s appetizer!” Taiki cheered, later cutting a slice of the cake with pure joy.
Dober tentatively took a bite of the cake. The rich, sweet frosting was a shocking departure from the refined Mejiro palate, but it tasted of genuine friendship and effortless fun.
As they ate, Taiki turned her attention to Dober’s desk. “So, no reviewing, right? It’s a holiday! What are you actually doing?” Her eyes landed on the tucked-away notebook.
Dober’s face flushed a deep crimson, and she tried instinctively to shield it. “N-nothing of importance! Just… sketches. Please, do not look at it.”
But Taiki was too quick. She gently slid the notebook out, handling it with surprising reverence. She flipped it open to a beautifully drawn panel showing two race girls—one confident and dazzling, the other quiet and elegant—gazing at a distant cityscape.
“Wow, Dober-chan. This is incredible. You drew this?” Taiki whispered, her voice losing its usual booming volume. “The shading… wow… it’s so romantic!”
Dober slumped in her chair. “It is foolishness. Child’s play. I just… sometimes I wish things were more straightforward. Like in the stories. No pressure, just… running toward someone.”
Taiki closed the notebook and placed it carefully back on the desk. She didn’t lecture Dober about her hidden talent or demand she show it off. Instead, she leaned closer.
“Ber-chan!” Taiki leaned in, her eyes absolutely shining. “Listen, the outside noise? That’s just static! The real win is what’s right here, in your heart! That ‘running toward someone’ feeling? That’s your champion spirit, and it is 100% real!”
She reached out, grasping Dober’s hand firmly and giving it a quick, reassuring squeeze. Taiki’s warmth was instantly infectious, and Dober felt a genuine spark of hope—this wasn't just a roommate's touch, it was a friend's starting gun.
“My folks always said, ‘The best party is the one you make!’ And guess what? I picked the best co-host in the world! Taiki Shuttle is ringing in the New Year with the coolest girl at Tracen. I chose this moment. I chose us!”
Dober swallowed, the warmth from Taiki’s hand traveling up her arm and settling in her chest, where her constant anxiety usually resided. It felt like a small, impossible miracle.
“Okay, co-host,” Taiki declared, jumping off the bed with a renewed burst of energy. “A celebration needs a soundtrack! Or, even better, a classic movie night!”
Taiki retrieved her bright red laptop from her backpack. It was covered in stickers of American landmarks and had a dazzling, slightly tacky charm. She plopped back down on the bed, settling into the pillows against the headboard, and patted the space right next to her.
Dober hesitated for a moment—sitting on a bed, shoulder-to-shoulder, watching an entertainment device felt intensely domestic and highly informal. But Taiki’s gaze was so open and inviting that Dober couldn't find the internal reserves to retreat. She carefully slipped into the spot beside Taiki, wrapping her arms around her knees.
“We need something totally awesome!” Taiki scrolled through options. “Action movie? A musical? Oh! Look, The Great Escape! High energy!”
Dober blinked, the thought of explosions making her tense. “Perhaps… something less demanding, Taiki-san. A period piece? Or perhaps a cinematic study on human behavior and societal pressures?”
Taiki laughed, a warm, genuine sound. “Whoa, Ber-chan! We’re celebrating, not writing a thesis! How about this? Stardust Dreams. It’s an American-style romantic drama about two competitive artists who realize they can only win if they work together. It’s got awesome visuals, and it’s rated five stars!”
Dober conceded with a tiny nod. A story about artists working together seemed... relevant.
Taiki hit play, quickly adjusting the volume so the dialogue was clear but didn't compete with the distant party noise. She turned the Japanese subtitles on for Dober. The dorm room dissolved into the soft, flickering light of the screen.
As the movie began, Taiki, entirely without thinking, slipped her arm around Dober's shoulder, pulling her closer so they could both see the laptop screen perfectly. Dober’s body went rigid for a split second, a deep inhale caught in her throat. She wasn't used to this level of casual, continuous contact. Yet, Taiki's touch wasn't invasive; it was simply there, a source of steady, reliable heat. Dober slowly, carefully, leaned back into the warmth.
The movie ran for a whole hour with no disruptions. Dober actually found herself engaged, occasionally leaning forward slightly during the tense art competition scenes. Taiki kept up a quiet, running commentary—mostly about how cool the female lead's shoes were. It was comfortable, a simple, shared existence that required no performance, no complex social navigation.
Outside, the distant sounds of the city were escalating. They could hear the faint, muffled thud of early fireworks, but the movie was holding their attention captive.
Then, the movie's soundtrack suddenly cut out, the end credits played. Sudden crackle of static from a distant radio announcing a 60-second warning before midnight.
“Only a few minutes now,” Dober noted, her voice steady.
“Only a few minutes,” Taiki echoed. She lifted Dober's hand, bringing it to her lips and pressing a feather-light kiss to her knuckles. It wasn't a showy gesture—it was a declaration of quiet appreciation.
“Thank you, Taiki-san,” Dober whispered, squeezing Taiki’s hand in return. “For staying. I… I would have been alone.”
“Never alone, Ber-chan! Not tonight, never!”
Taiki leaned over and blew out the single candle, plunging the room into the soft, multicolored glow of city lights shining through the window. They sat on Taiki’s bed, leaning back against the pillows, their shoulders barely touching. The quiet was profound, broken only by the rhythmic pop of distant celebratory corks.
The fireworks outside intensified, bursting in silent flashes of red and gold against the windowpane. Taiki leaned her head against Dober’s shoulder, a gesture so casual and trusting that Dober felt a powerful need to protect this moment.
A sudden crackle of static from a distant radio announced a 60-second warning. Taiki shifted, pulling her arm back just long enough to use her thumb and gently brush a few stray cake crumbs from Dober's lower lip. Dober froze, that small, sudden tenderness cutting through the final countdown noise like a laser. The clock felt irrelevant; only the immediate heat of Taiki's hand mattered.
Ten… nine…
The distant roar from the city grew louder.
Four… three…
Dober wrapped her arm around Taiki’s shoulder, pulling her close. Taiki’s shirt was soft, and her bright, happy energy was now a calming, radiant heat. This small, chosen moment, in this tiny, messy dorm room, was infinitely better than any crowded festival.
Two… one…
A colossal BOOM rattled the windows, followed by a shower of light.
“HAPPY NEW YEAR, BER-CHAN!” Taiki shouted, turning her head quickly to press a kiss—not to Dober’s knuckles this time, but firmly against her cheek, right where her cool beauty facade was thinnest.
Dober gasped, her heart leaping higher than any firework. She turned, her reserve finally shattered, and met Taiki's joyful, sky-blue eyes. The impulse that followed was not calculated or proper, but pure and real.
She leaned in, quickly, nervously, and pressed her lips against Taiki's.
It was a brief and completely shy, a delicate touch that felt like the most important thing she had ever done.
Taiki pulled back just enough to look at her, her eyes wide, but her smile was soft and genuine, without a hint of surprise. She looked like a girl who had always known this moment was coming.
“Bang! ☆” Taiki whispered, her voice low and husky, a sound Dober had never heard from her before. “The new year started just right.”
She didn't wait for a response, simply leaned in again, folding Dober into a tight, warm hug that was 100% Taiki Shuttle: enthusiastic, unavoidable, and exactly what Dober needed to start her new year.