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The script sat on Nene's lap like a lead weight.

"A kiss scene?" she'd said when Rui first proposed it, her voice climbing half an octave higher than she'd intended. "Really?"

"It's essential to the narrative!" Rui had insisted, eyes gleaming with that particular sparkle that meant he was already three steps ahead in his vision. "The princess must awaken the sleeping knight with true love's kiss. It's a subversion of the classic fairy tale, you see—"

Nene had stopped listening after "true love's kiss."

Now, two days before opening night, she stood backstage at the Wonder Stage, watching Emu rehearse her blocking for the scene. Emu moved with her characteristic boundless energy, practically bouncing as she marked out where she'd stand, where she'd lean down, where she'd—

Nene's stomach did a complicated flip.

"Nene-chan!" Emu bounded over, and Nene barely had time to smooth her expression into something neutral. "Should we practice the scene? We haven't done a full run-through yet!"

"I—" Nene's throat went dry. "Maybe we should wait until dress rehearsal?"

Emu tilted her head, pink ribbons swaying. "But that's only two days away! What if we're not comfortable with it by then?"

Comfortable. Right. That was exactly the problem. Nene was already too comfortable around Emu—comfortable enough that her heart did stupid things whenever Emu smiled at her, comfortable enough that she'd started noticing the way sunlight caught in Emu's hair during outdoor rehearsals, comfortable enough that the thought of kissing her, even for a play, made Nene want to simultaneously run away and never move again.

"Nene knows her blocking," Tsukasa announced, appearing with his usual impeccable timing and complete lack of awareness. "She's a professional! The scene will be flawless!"

Nene wanted to stuff his star-covered cape in his mouth.

"Of course it will be!" Emu agreed brightly. Then, softer, with a hint of concern, "Right, Nene-chan?"

And there it was—that moment where Emu's endless cheer gave way to genuine worry. Emu, who wanted everyone to smile, who worked so hard to make their shows wonderful, who would blame herself if Nene couldn't do this scene.

Nene thought about disappointing the troupe. Thought about opening night arriving and freezing in that crucial moment, about the audience's confused silence, about Rui's carefully crafted show falling apart because she couldn't keep her inconvenient feelings in check. Thought about Tsukasa's crestfallen expression, about Rui's quiet disappointment.

Thought about Emu's smile fading, wondering what she'd done wrong.

Worse—thought about Emu realizing why Nene couldn't do it. Emu was airheaded sometimes, but she wasn't stupid. If Nene made too big a deal about a simple stage kiss, if she acted too weird about it, Emu might figure it out. And then everything would change. Their friendship, the troupe dynamics, everything Nene had been carefully preserving.

"Of course," Nene heard herself say, voice steady despite everything. "It's just acting."

Just acting. She repeated it like a mantra as they moved through rehearsal. As she lay down on the prop bed, arranging herself in the sleeping knight's pose. As Emu climbed the stairs to the platform, her footsteps light and eager.

"Remember," Rui called from the director's chair, "Emu-kun, you've just realized your feelings for the knight. This is the moment of truth."

Nene's eyes were supposed to be closed, but she could feel Emu kneeling beside her, could sense her leaning closer. Her heart hammered against her ribs so hard she was sure everyone could hear it.

"My dear knight," Emu whispered, staying in character, "Please... come back to me."

Then closer still, and Nene's entire world narrowed to the warmth of Emu's presence, the faint scent of her strawberry shampoo, the whisper of her breath—

Emu's lips brushed against hers, feather-light and impossibly soft, and Nene forgot how to breathe.

It lasted maybe three seconds. Three seconds that felt like three years and three milliseconds simultaneously. Then Emu pulled back, and Nene was supposed to open her eyes, supposed to deliver her line about "the princess's love breaking the curse," but her brain had completely short-circuited.

She opened her eyes. Emu was smiling down at her, that same wonderful smile, completely unchanged, like kissing Nene had been nothing special at all.

Just acting, Nene reminded herself, even as something in her chest cracked.

"That was wonderfulllll!" Rui applauded. "Perfect chemistry! Nene, your expression when you woke was sublime—that stunned disbelief was exactly right!"

Right. Stunned disbelief. Sure. That's what she'd been going for.

"You did great, Nene-chan!" Emu said, helping her up from the prop bed. "See? I knew you could do it! You're such an amazing actress!"

Actress. Right. Because that's what this was. Acting.

Nene managed a smile, managed to nod, managed to get through the rest of rehearsal without falling apart. She could do this. She'd done it once; she could do it again for the show. She could keep her feelings locked away where they belonged, could maintain the careful distance she'd built, could keep everything exactly as it was.

Even if it hurt.

Even if, for three seconds, she'd forgotten it wasn't real.

That night, alone in her room, Nene pressed her fingers to her lips and let herself acknowledge the truth she'd never speak aloud: she was absolutely terrified. Not of the kiss itself, but of how easy it had been. How right it had felt. How much she wanted to do it again, for real this time.

But she'd made her choice. The show would go on. She'd be professional. She'd be perfect.

And she'd keep her secret, even if it killed her.

Just acting, she told her reflection in the dark window.

Her reflection didn't look convinced.

Opening night was in two days.

Across town, in a bedroom filled with stuffed animals and colorful posters, Emu Otori was not having a normal night either.

She'd made it home. She'd eaten dinner. She'd done her homework, taken her shower, gone through all her nighttime routines.

And now she was lying in bed, staring at her ceiling, replaying the same three seconds over and over and over.

Nene-chan's lips were so soft.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!" Emu rolled over, burying her face in her pillow. Her legs kicked frantically against her mattress, her entire body unable to contain the explosion of feelings threatening to burst out of her chest.

She rolled onto her back. Then her side. Then grabbed her favorite penguin plushie and hugged it tight, but that didn't help either because all she could think about was how close she'd been to Nene, how she could see every individual eyelash, how Nene's breath had hitched just slightly before—

Emu kicked her feet against the bed again, rolling completely over and nearly falling off the edge.

"Get it together, Emu!" she whispered to herself, but her traitorous brain was already replaying the moment again. The way Nene had looked up at her afterward, those purple eyes wide and stunned. The tiny moment where their faces had been so close that Emu could have just leaned in again, could have—

More rolling. More kicking. Her blankets were becoming a complete disaster.

The worst part—or maybe the best part, Emu couldn't decide—was that it hadn't felt like acting at all. When Rui had first pitched the scene, Emu had agreed immediately because of course she had, it was part of the show! But then she'd realized it would be with Nene, and suddenly her brain had started doing weird things.

Things like noticing how pretty Nene looked when she was concentrating on her lines. Things like feeling fizzy and warm whenever Nene smiled at her. Things like wanting to hold Nene's hand for reasons that had nothing to do with blocking or choreography.

Things like having a massive, overwhelming, absolutely terrifying crush on her best friend.

"It's fine," Emu told her ceiling, trying to sound convincing. "It was just for the play. Nene-chan is a professional. She probably didn't think anything of it. It was just acting. Just. Acting."

But it hadn't felt like acting when Nene's lips had been against hers, soft and warm and perfect. It hadn't felt like acting when Emu's heart had tried to beat its way out of her chest. It hadn't felt like acting when every single cell in her body had been screaming don't pull away yet, please, just one more second—

Emu grabbed another plushie and made a muffled sound of frustration into it.

The thing was, she wanted to kiss Nene again. Wanted to kiss her for real this time, not as the princess and the knight, but as Emu and Nene. Wanted to tell her that she thought Nene was amazing and talented and so, so pretty, and that Emu's heart did little loop-de-loops whenever Nene laughed at her jokes.

But what if Nene didn't feel the same way? What if Emu said something and ruined everything? What if Nene had only tolerated the kiss because it was for the show, and admitting her feelings would make Nene uncomfortable, and then the troupe would be awkward, and—

"No no no no no," Emu chanted, rolling over again. She couldn't think like that. She had to stay positive! Stay wonderhoy!

Except it was really hard to stay wonderhoy when the girl you liked had just kissed you and you had to pretend you felt completely normal about it.

Emu's phone buzzed. A message in the troupe group chat.

Rui: Excellent work today, everyone! That kiss scene was perfection itself. ✨

Emu's face immediately went bright red. She kicked her legs again, harder this time.

Tsukasa: Of COURSE it was perfect! Our troupe settles for nothing less!

Emu: yeah!!! (^▽^)

Nene: it was fine

Just three words. Lowercase. Probably didn't mean anything.

...But what if it meant Nene had hated it? What if "fine" was Nene-speak for "incredibly uncomfortable and I never want to do that again"?

Emu rolled over so many times she got tangled in her blankets and had to fight her way out.

"Two more days," she whispered, finally managing to wrap herself up properly. "Two more days until opening night. I can do this. I can be professional. I can kiss Nene-chan and not make it weird and not confess my feelings and not ruin everything."

She closed her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep.

Three seconds later, they flew open again.

Nene-chan's lips were so soft.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Emu grabbed her pillow and screamed into it, her legs kicking wildly in the air.

This was going to be the longest two days of her life.

From her nightstand, her phone buzzed again. Another message, but this time just to her. From Rui.

Rui: You seem rather energetic tonight. Trouble sleeping? 😊

Emu stared at the message suspiciously. Sometimes Rui had this way of knowing things, like he could see right through people. But there was no way he knew about her feelings... right?

Emu: just excited for the show!! ✨✨✨

Rui: Mm. Of course. Well, do try to rest. We need our princess in top form.

Rui: The kiss scene truly was remarkable, by the way. Very... authentic.

Emu's face burned. She threw her phone onto her pillow and rolled over one more time for good measure.

Across town, Nene was telling herself the kiss meant nothing.

In her bedroom, Emu was desperately wishing it had meant everything.

And somewhere, probably in his workshop surrounded by half-built stage props, Rui Kamishiro smiled to himself and made a note to adjust the lighting for that scene. After all, if he was going to successfully meddle in his friends' love lives, he might as well make sure the moment was properly romantic.

Opening night was in two days, and neither Nene nor Emu had any idea how much could change in that time.

The next afternoon's rehearsal came too quickly and not quickly enough.

Nene had barely slept. Every time she'd closed her eyes, she was back on that prop bed with Emu leaning over her, soft and warm and impossibly close. She'd dragged herself to the Wonder Stage feeling like a zombie, determined to be professional if it killed her.

Which, at this rate, it might.

"Alright!" Rui clapped his hands together, that particular gleam in his eye that meant he was in full director mode. "Let's run the kiss scene once more before dress rehearsal. We want it to be absolutely perfect for tomorrow night."

Nene's stomach dropped to somewhere around her knees.

Emu, who had been bouncing on her toes near the stage entrance, suddenly went very still. Then very pink. "R-right! Of course! For the show!"

They took their positions. Nene lay down on the prop bed, arranging her arms just so, trying to ignore how her heart was already racing. She could do this. She'd done it yesterday. It was just acting. Just—

Emu's footsteps on the stairs.

Nene closed her eyes.

"My dear knight," Emu whispered, her voice carrying that perfect note of desperate hope that the script called for. "Please... come back to me."

Nene felt Emu kneel beside her, felt the warmth of her presence. Closer. Closer.

And then Emu's lips met hers, and somehow—impossibly—it was even softer than yesterday. Tender in a way that made Nene's chest ache. Emu kissed her like she was something precious, something treasured, and for three perfect seconds Nene let herself forget that this was pretend.

When Emu pulled back, Nene opened her eyes.

And saw something flicker across Emu's face—something bright and overwhelming and barely contained. Emu's eyes were wide, her lips parted like she was about to say something, her whole body tensed with an energy that seemed ready to explode out of her.

"Emu—?" Nene started, barely breathing.

For one heart-stopping moment, it looked like Emu was going to lean back down. Like she was going to close that distance again. Like she was going to say something that would change everything.

Nene's heart soared with desperate, terrifying hope—

But then Emu seemed to catch herself. Her mouth snapped shut. She sat back quickly, that bright expression smoothing into her usual cheerful smile, though her hands were trembling slightly where they gripped her skirt.

"S-sorry! Got caught up in the moment!" Emu laughed, but it came out a little too high, a little too fast. "The scene is just so emotional, you know?"

The hope in Nene's chest withered.

Of course. She was just acting. Getting into character. That's all it was.

"That was wonderful!" Rui called from his seat. "The emotion, the chemistry—I couldn't have asked for better. Emu-kun, that moment of hesitation before you pulled away? Chef's kiss. Very effective."

"Naturally!" Tsukasa added. "Our troupe's dedication to the craft knows no bounds!"

Nene sat up mechanically, smoothing down her costume. She couldn't look at Emu. Couldn't bear to see that normal, cheerful expression and know that while Nene's entire world was tilting on its axis, Emu was just... fine. Professional. A good actress playing her part.

What did you expect? The thought crept in, cold and familiar. That she'd actually feel something? That someone like Emu would ever look at you that way? You're projecting. Reading into things. Making it weird because you can't keep your feelings under control.

"Nene-chan?" Emu's voice broke through her thoughts. "Are you okay? You look kind of... um..."

"I'm fine," Nene said flatly, forcing herself to meet Emu's eyes for exactly one second before looking away. "Just tired."

It wasn't a lie. She was tired. Tired of hoping. Tired of the way her stupid heart kept insisting that maybe, just maybe, that look in Emu's eyes had meant something.

It hadn't. It was wishful thinking. Nene was good at acting, but apparently she was even better at lying to herself.

They ran through the rest of the scene. Nene delivered her lines perfectly, hit all her marks, did everything right. But inside, something had gone quiet and sad, settling over her like a heavy blanket.

She'd let herself hope. Just for a second. And reality had immediately reminded her why that was a mistake.

As rehearsal continued, Nene felt herself retreating inward, building up those careful walls again. Professional. Distant. Safe. She laughed at Tsukasa's dramatic declarations, responded to Rui's direction, went through all the motions.

But she didn't quite meet Emu's eyes for the rest of the day.

From the director's chair, Rui watched Nene's shoulders hunch slightly, watched Emu's smile become just a fraction too bright, and resisted the urge to bang his head against his script. This was taking longer than anticipated. Perhaps he needed to adjust his approach.

"Excellent work today, everyone," he said as they wrapped up. "Tomorrow is dress rehearsal, and then opening night. I have complete faith in all of you."

His gaze lingered on Emu and Nene, who were very carefully not standing too close to each other.

Well, Rui thought, I suppose some things can't be rushed. But perhaps... a little more encouragement wouldn't hurt.

Nene gathered her things quickly, eager to go home and maybe stare at her ceiling for several hours while contemplating her life choices. As she headed for the exit, she heard Emu call out behind her.

"Nene-chan! Wait!"

Nene stopped, her heart doing that stupid hopeful thing again before she could crush it down.

Emu jogged up to her, slightly breathless, her cheeks still carrying a hint of pink. "I just wanted to say... you were really great today. In the scene, I mean. You're such an amazing actress and I'm really happy we get to do this show together and—" She was talking too fast, her hands gesturing wildly. "I just think you're really great! That's all!"

She beamed at Nene, that 1000-watt smile that made Nene's carefully constructed walls want to crumble.

She's just being nice, Nene told herself firmly. She's nice to everyone. It doesn't mean anything.

"Thanks," Nene managed, her voice coming out smaller than she intended. "You too."

Then she left before she could do something stupid like cry, or worse, confess.

Behind her, Emu's smile faltered, watching Nene walk away with her shoulders hunched and her pace just a little too quick.

Had she said something wrong? Had the kiss been bad? Did Nene hate having to do this scene?

Emu's heart sank. Maybe Nene had noticed how much Emu was struggling to keep her feelings contained. Maybe she'd made Nene uncomfortable.

Maybe Nene had realized that Emu's feelings weren't just acting at all.

Both girls went home that evening convinced they'd ruined everything, completely unaware that they were breaking each other's hearts in exactly the same way.

And Rui Kamishiro, director extraordinaire and part-time meddler, decided it was time to take more direct action. This pining was getting ridiculous, and he had a show to put on.

Opening night was tomorrow, and he'd be damned if he let his two best actresses suffer through it while completely missing what was right in front of them.

Nene made it home through sheer muscle memory.

She mumbled something to her family about being tired, climbed the stairs to her room, closed the door, and immediately collapsed face-first onto her bed.

For a long moment, she just lay there. Then, slowly, she reached for her pillow and hugged it tight against her chest, curling around it like it could somehow protect her from her own thoughts.

It didn't work.

The kiss replayed in her mind—soft, tender, perfect. The way Emu had looked at her afterward, that brief flash of something intense and overwhelming before it disappeared behind her smile. For just a second, Nene had let herself believe—

Stop it.

She squeezed the pillow harder.

She was acting. That's all it was. That's all it will ever be.

At rehearsal, there had been noise. Rui's directions, Tsukasa's declarations, the sounds of the stage. But here, in the quiet of her room, there was nothing to drown out the thoughts that crawled up from the dark parts of her mind.

Why would someone like Emu ever look at you that way?

She's bright and cheerful and brings joy to everyone around her. You're awkward and standoffish and can barely talk to people without your stupid social anxiety kicking in.

You really thought that look meant something? You really thought she might feel the same way?

Nene's eyes burned.

Pathetic.

You're going to ruin the show because you can't keep your feelings in check. Everyone's counting on you and you're going to let them down because you developed a stupid crush on your best friend.

She probably thinks you're weird now. Probably noticed how uncomfortable you were today. Probably knows something's wrong with you.

The first tear soaked into her pillowcase. Then another. Then Nene stopped trying to hold them back.

She cried quietly at first, the way she'd learned to do when she didn't want anyone to hear. But the thoughts kept coming, relentless and cruel, and soon quiet tears became shaking breaths became actual sobs that she muffled into her pillow.

You'll never get to kiss her for real. Never get to tell her how you feel. Never get to be anything more than a friend and costar, and even that's probably ruined now because you made it weird—

Her phone buzzed.

Nene ignored it, pressing her face deeper into the pillow. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Didn't want to put on a brave face or pretend she was fine or—

It buzzed again. A phone call this time.

Just ignore it, she told herself. But her hand was already reaching out, fumbling across her nightstand. Some part of her—the part that was always afraid of disappointing people, of missing something important—couldn't just let it ring.

She grabbed her phone, vision blurred by tears, and squinted at the screen.

Emu 🎪💕

Nene's heart lurched. Of all people. Of course it was Emu.

She should let it go to voicemail. Should wait until she'd pulled herself together, until her voice wouldn't shake, until she could pretend everything was fine.

Her finger pressed Accept before her brain could finish the thought.

"...Hello?"

Nene's voice came out as barely more than a whisper—rough and watery and pathetic, cracking on that single word. She immediately wanted to throw her phone across the room.

Pathetic. You sound pathetic. She's going to know immediately.

"Nene-chan!" Emu's voice burst through the speaker, and then immediately softened. "Nene-chan... you've been crying."

It wasn't a question. Of course Emu would know. Of course she could tell from just one word.

Nene sat up, wiping furiously at her face with her sleeve even though Emu couldn't see her. "I'm fine. Just... I was just—"

"What's wrong?" Emu's voice was gentle but firm, worried in a way that made Nene's chest ache. "Please, Nene-chan. What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Nene said, trying to force her voice steady and failing miserably. "I'm just tired. Today was long and—"

"Nene-chan." There was something different in Emu's tone now, something that cut through all of Nene's defenses. "I called because I was worried about you. You seemed so sad today, and I... I can't stop thinking about it. About you. Please don't lie to me."

Don't lie to me.

Something in Nene crumbled at those words. She clutched the phone tighter, fresh tears already building.

"It's nothing," she tried again, but her voice broke. "Really, I just—I'm just tired from the long rehearsal and—"

"You're lying." Emu's voice was quiet but certain. "Nene-chan, I know you. And I know when you're lying to me. Please... you can be honest with me. Whatever it is, you can tell me. I promise I won't judge you or think badly of you or—"

"I like you!"

The words exploded out of Nene's mouth before she could stop them, loud and desperate and completely beyond her control. They hung in the air like shrapnel, and Nene couldn't take them back, couldn't shove them back down where they belonged.

"I like you, okay?!" Her voice cracked, tears streaming down her face. "I have a crush on you and I've been trying so hard not to let it show but I can't do this anymore! I can't keep pretending that kissing you doesn't mean anything to me when it means everything! When it's all I can think about! And I know you don't feel the same way and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I've ruined everything—"

She had to stop to breathe, gasping for air between sobs.

"—but I can't keep lying and I can't keep acting like my heart isn't breaking every time I have to pretend it's just acting when I want it to be real so badly it hurts and I know I'm disgusting and you probably hate me now but I just—"

Silence.

Complete, absolute silence on the other end of the line.

Nene's heart stopped. The silence stretched on, five seconds, ten seconds, an eternity of nothing, and Nene's thoughts immediately rushed in to fill the void.

She hates you.

You disgusted her. You ruined everything. Years of friendship, gone, because you couldn't keep your stupid mouth shut.

She's trying to figure out how to let you down easy. How to tell you she could never see you that way. How to tell you you're weird and creepy and—

She's going to quit the troupe. She's going to tell everyone what you said. She's never going to speak to you again.

You've lost her. You've lost everything.

"I'm sorry," Nene whispered into the silence, her voice breaking completely. "I'm so sorry, Emu, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I can—I'll tell Rui I'm sick tomorrow, you don't have to see me, I'll—"

A sound cut through Nene's spiral.

A sob.

Emu was crying.

"Emu?" Nene's voice came out small and terrified. "Emu, I'm sorry, please don't cry, I didn't mean to—"

"You're so stupid," Emu choked out, her voice thick with tears. "You're so, so stupid, Nene-chan."

Each word felt like a knife. Nene squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the final blow, for Emu to tell her how disgusting she was, how—

"I like you too!" Emu's voice came out as a wail, loud and messy and completely unlike her usual cheerful tone. "I like you so much! I've been going crazy trying to hide it! I thought—I thought you were uncomfortable because you realized how I felt and you were trying to figure out how to let me down easy!"

Nene's entire world stopped.

"Every time we do that scene, I have to stop myself from just kissing you for real!" Emu continued, words tumbling out between sobs. "And afterwards I go home and I can't sleep because all I can think about is how soft your lips were and how much I wanted to stay there forever and I've been rolling around in my bed like an idiot because I have too many feelings and I didn't know what to do with them!"

"You..." Nene couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. "You... what?"

"I like you!" Emu repeated, crying and laughing at the same time now. "I really, really like you, Nene-chan! Not as a friend! As—as more than that! And I've been trying so hard to act normal but I can't because every time I look at you my heart does this thing and I want to hold your hand and kiss you and tell you how amazing you are and—"

"You like me," Nene whispered, and it wasn't a question this time. It was wonder. Disbelief. Hope that she was almost too afraid to feel.

"Yes!" Emu laughed wetly. "I thought it was so obvious! I thought you'd figured it out and that's why you were acting weird!"

"I thought..." Nene's voice cracked. "I thought you were just acting. I thought it didn't mean anything to you."

"Are you kidding?!" Emu's voice went higher. "Nene-chan, I almost confessed right there on stage today! I had to physically stop myself! Rui-kun probably thought I was having some kind of medical emergency!"

Despite everything—the tears, the panic, the emotional devastation of the last ten minutes—Nene felt a laugh bubble up in her chest. It came out as a sob first, then transformed into something that might have been a giggle, then became full crying again, but a different kind this time.

"We're both idiots," Nene said, wiping at her face with shaking hands.

"The biggest idiots," Emu agreed, and Nene could hear the smile in her voice even through the tears. "Nene-chan... did you really mean it? You really like me?"

"Yes," Nene whispered, and saying it now—saying it again, when she knew Emu felt the same way—felt like breathing for the first time in weeks. "I really like you. So much."

"Can I come over?" Emu asked suddenly. "I know it's late but I really want to see you and I don't think I can wait until tomorrow and—"

"Yes," Nene said immediately, then paused. "Wait, how are you going to—"

"I'll figure it out! I'll be there in twenty minutes! No—fifteen! Maybe ten if I run!"

"Emu, don't hurt yourself—" 

"See you soon, Nene-chan!" And with that, Emu hung up.

Nene stared at her phone for a long moment, tears still drying on her cheeks, her heart pounding for an entirely different reason now.

Emu liked her. Emu liked her back. Emu was coming over.

Nene looked down at herself—eyes puffy, face blotchy, still in her rehearsal clothes—and suddenly panicked for a completely new reason.

But even as she scrambled to make herself presentable, she couldn't stop the smile that kept breaking across her face.

Tomorrow was opening night.

But tonight—tonight something even more important was about to happen.

Exactly ten minutes later, there was a knock at Nene's door.

Nene had managed to wash her face and change into comfortable clothes, but her hair was still a mess and her eyes were still red and puffy. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and opened the door.

Emu stood there, slightly out of breath, her jacket covered in twigs and what looked like a leaf stuck in her hair. Her cheeks were flushed from running, her eyes still a little red from crying, and she was looking at Nene like she was the most important thing in the world.

"Emu—"

Nene didn't get to finish the sentence before Emu launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around Nene in a tight embrace. Nene stumbled back slightly but caught her, arms automatically coming up to hold Emu close.

"I was so scared," Emu sobbed into Nene's shoulder, fresh tears soaking into her shirt. "I was so scared you didn't feel the same way and I was so scared I'd ruined everything and I just—you mean so much to me, Nene-chan. So, so much."

Nene's arms tightened around her. "I know. I was scared too."

They stood there in the doorway for a long moment, just holding each other, until Nene became acutely aware that they were still very much visible to the entire neighborhood.

"Come inside," she murmured, gently pulling back. "Before someone wonders why there's a girl crying on our doorstep."

Emu laughed wetly, wiping at her eyes. "Sorry. I just—I ran here as fast as I could. I think I went through someone's backyard? There might have been a fence involved."

"That explains the twigs," Nene said, reaching up to pluck the leaf from Emu's hair. The casual intimacy of the gesture made her blush, but Emu just smiled at her with so much warmth that Nene's heart did a little flip.

They made their way up to Nene's room, and once the door was closed, some of the nervous tension eased. They sat on Nene's bed, close enough that their shoulders touched, and just... talked.

It was easier than Nene expected. They talked about when they'd first started developing feelings (Emu: "Remember when you helped me with that technical problem during rehearsal and you got all focused and serious? That's when I knew." Nene, blushing: "That was two months ago!"). They talked about all the times they'd almost given themselves away (Nene: "You kept staring at me during warm-ups." Emu: "You kept avoiding eye contact!"). They talked about how ridiculous they'd both been, how much unnecessary suffering they'd put themselves through.

After a while, Nene glanced at her TV setup. "Want to play something?"

"Yes!" Emu bounced slightly. "What do you have?"

Fifteen minutes later, they were settled on the floor in front of Nene's TV, controllers in hand, Super Smash Bros. loaded up on screen.

"I'm warning you," Nene said, selecting R.O.B. with ease. "I'm really good at this."

"I can handle it!" Emu declared, choosing Jigglypuff with zero hesitation. "Bring it on!"

Nene absolutely demolished her in the first match. And the second. And the third.

"How are you so good at this?!" Emu wailed after getting launched off screen for the dozenth time.

"I like fighting games," Nene said, unable to keep the small smirk off her face. "I tried to warn you."

"One more round!" Emu demanded, determination blazing in her eyes. "I'm going to win this time!"

She didn't win. But in the next match, something shifted. Emu was learning, adapting, and when her Jigglypuff landed a solid Rest that actually took one of Nene's stocks, Emu literally leaped to her feet.

"YES! YES YES YES!" She did a little victory dance, bouncing around Nene's room with her arms in the air. "Did you see that?! I got you! I actually got you!"

Nene watched her celebrate—this girl who was so enthusiastic about everything, who put her whole heart into even the smallest victories, who was currently doing what could only be described as a wiggle of pure joy—and felt something warm and affectionate bloom in her chest.

She's so stupid, Nene thought, completely in love. A giggle escaped her, then another, until she was laughing at how absolutely ridiculous and wonderful Emu was.

Emu paused mid-spin. "Are you laughing at my victory dance?"

"No," Nene lied, still giggling. "It's very intimidating."

They played a few more rounds, the comfortable trash talk and laughter filling Nene's room, until Emu's movements started getting slower and her responses more delayed.

"Emu?" Nene glanced over just in time to see Emu yawn hugely.

"Sorry," Emu mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "All that running... and emotions... I think I'm crashing… What time is it?"

"Late," Nene admitted. "You should probably—"

But Emu had already flopped backward onto Nene's bed, starfishing across it with a content sigh. "Your bed is so comfy, Nene-chan..."

"Emu—"

"Just... five minutes..." Emu's eyes were already closing. "Then I'll go home..."

And just like that, Emu was asleep. Actually asleep. In Nene's bed.

Nene stood there for a long moment, controller still in hand, trying to process this development. She was supposed to share a bed with Emu. The girl she'd just confessed to. The girl who'd confessed back. The girl she'd been hopelessly in love with for months.

This is fine, Nene told herself, even as her heart hammered in her chest. This is completely normal. Friends have sleepovers all the time. Except we're not just friends anymore. Oh god.

But Emu looked so peaceful, her pink hair spread across Nene's pillow, one hand curled near her face. And it was late, and they had a show tomorrow, and Nene was exhausted too.

Carefully, quietly, Nene turned off the TV and the lights. She climbed into bed, staying as far to one side as possible, trying not to disturb Emu.

"Goodnight," she whispered.

And then Emu rolled over.

In her sleep, completely unconsciously, Emu shifted closer, wrapping an arm around Nene and nuzzling into her shoulder with a contented sigh.

Nene froze, her entire body going rigid. Emu was cuddling her. Emu was in her bed, cuddling her, fast asleep and completely unaware of the crisis she was causing.

Breathe, Nene told herself. Just breathe.

Slowly, carefully, Nene relaxed. She let herself sink into the mattress, let herself accept the warm weight of Emu against her side. And then, even more carefully, she wrapped her arm around Emu in return, holding her close.

Emu made a small, happy sound in her sleep and snuggled closer.

Nene stared into the darkness of her room, at the familiar posters and shelves, and couldn't quite believe this was her life now. Just hours ago, she'd been crying into her pillow, convinced she'd ruined everything. Convinced she'd lost Emu before ever really having her.

And now...

Now Emu was here. Holding her. After confessing that she felt the same way.

All those cruel thoughts that had been eating at her—about being unlovable, about being too awkward, about never being enough—they seemed impossibly distant now. Like shadows that couldn't survive in the presence of Emu's warmth.

She likes me, Nene thought, and this time it wasn't a question. She actually likes me back.

A smile spread across her face in the darkness. She felt lighter than air, happier than she could ever remember being. Like she could float right up to the ceiling and wouldn't even mind.

Her wonderhoy sunshine of a girlfriend had completely obliterated every negative thought, replacing them with this overwhelming, bubbly feeling that Nene was pretty sure was joy. Pure, uncomplicated joy.

Tomorrow they had opening night. Tomorrow they'd have to kiss on stage in front of an audience. But now...

Now Nene was actually looking forward to it.

She fell asleep with Emu's arms around her and a smile on her face, her last thought before drifting off being that she couldn't wait for tomorrow.

Nene woke to warmth and the scent of strawberries.

For a moment, still half-asleep, she didn't understand why her pillow was so warm, or why it was moving. Then her eyes opened fully and she realized she was still tucked against Emu, their legs tangled together, Emu's arms still wrapped around her.

Her face immediately burned hot enough to set off fire alarms.

We fell asleep together. We're cuddling. This is real. This actually happened.

Carefully, trying not to wake Emu, Nene extracted herself from the embrace and sat up, pressing her cool hands against her burning cheeks. Her heart was doing that thing again—the rapid, fluttery thing that it seemed to do constantly around Emu now.

"Mmm... Nene-chan?" Emu mumbled sleepily, reaching out toward where Nene had been. "Come back..."

"I—" Nene's voice came out as a squeak. "I need to get ready. Dress rehearsal."

Emu's eyes cracked open, unfocused and adorably confused. Then, as awareness returned, a soft giggle escaped her. "Did we really fall asleep together?"

"Yes," Nene managed, looking anywhere but at Emu's sleepy, happy face.

"Wonderhoy," Emu said dreamily, then yawned. "Five more minutes?"

"Emu—"

But Emu had already burrowed back into the pillows, a content smile on her face. Nene watched her for a moment, feeling that overwhelming affection surge up again, before forcing herself to focus. Dress rehearsal. They had dress rehearsal.

She gathered her things, trying to calm her racing heart, very aware of Emu's presence in her bed. After exactly five minutes, she returned to shake Emu's shoulder gently.

"Time to get up. We can't be late."

Emu groaned but sat up, her hair adorably messed up. "Okay, okay. Can I borrow a brush?"

Twenty minutes later, they were walking to the Wonder Stage together, their hands brushing occasionally but not quite holding. Everything felt different now—charged with possibility, warm with new understanding. Nene couldn't stop sneaking glances at Emu, and every time she did, she found Emu already looking at her with that soft, bright smile.

They arrived at the stage to find Rui already setting up, adjusting lights with his usual meticulous precision. The moment he turned and saw them, his eyes lit up with unmistakable knowing.

"Good morning, you two," he said, and his grin was absolutely feline. "You both seem rather... refreshed today."

Nene felt her face heat up. Emu just beamed.

"We slept great!" Emu announced cheerfully, and Nene wanted to sink into the floor.

"I'm sure you did," Rui murmured, that knowing smile never leaving his face. "Well then, shall we begin? Tsukasa-kun should be here any moment."

Dress rehearsal went smoothly—mostly. Nene and Emu moved through their scenes with an ease that hadn't been there before, the tension that had been plaguing them replaced by something electric and wonderful. Their chemistry was undeniable, and Rui looked positively delighted.

"WAIT!" Tsukasa's voice rang out just as they were preparing for the final scene. "I must redo the opening monologue! The inflection on the third line was slightly off, and a true star settles for nothing less than perfection!"

"Tsukasa, it's dress rehearsal," Nene pointed out. "We're supposed to run through everything straight—"

"A star is ALWAYS prepared!" Tsukasa declared, already marching back to the beginning of the stage. "From the top of Act One!"

Rui checked his watch and sighed. "We may not have time for the final scene if we restart..."

"It's fine," Nene found herself saying, catching Emu's eye. "We've got it."

Emu nodded enthusiastically. "We know it perfectly!"

Rui's smile turned softer, more genuine. "Yes," he said quietly. "I believe you do."

Opening night arrived with all the nervous energy and excitement that came with any premiere. The Wonder Stage filled with audience members, the lights dimmed, and the curtain rose.

Nene had performed countless times, but tonight felt different. Tonight, every scene with Emu crackled with something real. Tonight, when their characters shared longing glances, they weren't entirely acting.

And then, finally, they reached the moment.

Nene lay on the prop bed as the sleeping knight, her heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with stage fright. She heard Emu's footsteps, light and purposeful, climbing the stairs.

"My dear knight," Emu's voice rang out, clear and aching with emotion. The audience was completely silent, caught in the spell of the moment.

Emu knelt beside her, and Nene could feel the warmth of her presence even with her eyes closed.

"Please..." Emu whispered, and Nene heard the tremor in her voice—not nervousness, but genuine emotion. "Come back to me."

The stage, the audience, the lights—everything else faded away. There was only Emu, leaning closer, her breath warm against Nene's lips.

And then Emu kissed her.

Not like in rehearsal. Not with the careful distance of two actresses playing their parts. Emu kissed her like she meant it—soft but sure, tender but passionate, pouring every feeling into that single moment. This wasn't the princess kissing the knight. This was Emu kissing Nene, real and true and perfect.

Nene sank into it, letting herself feel everything—the softness of Emu's lips, the gentle pressure, the way her heart soared and sang. For three perfect seconds, they existed in a bubble of just the two of them.

Then Nene opened her eyes, meeting Emu's gaze—still so close, still so tender—and delivered her line.

"The princess's love..." Nene's voice came out breathless, genuine wonder coloring every word. "It broke the curse."

The curtain fell, and immediately the audience erupted. Applause thundered through the theater, people rising to their feet, voices calling out praise.

"The chemistry was incredible!"

"I've never seen such authentic emotion!"

"That kiss scene was phenomenal!"

Behind the curtain, Emu grabbed Nene's hands, her eyes shining. "We did it!"

"Yeah," Nene breathed, still feeling the ghost of that kiss on her lips. "We did."

The cast assembled for curtain call, bowing as the audience's applause continued. Tsukasa beamed with his usual star power, clearly thrilled by the reception. Nene and Emu bowed together, hands linked, and the applause somehow grew even louder.

From his position stage left, Rui watched his friends—watched Nene and Emu exchange soft, private smiles, watched the way they kept gravitating toward each other—and felt a warm satisfaction settle in his chest.

Pulling out his phone, he scrolled back to last night's messages. The text he'd sent to Emu before she'd called Nene:

Rui: Emu-kun, I believe Nene could use a friend right now. She seemed quite distressed after rehearsal. Perhaps you should check on her? She needs you specifically, I think. 😊

He smiled to himself, pocketing his phone. Sometimes the best direction happened off-stage. Sometimes a good director knew when his actors needed a little push—not in their performances, but in their lives.

The kiss scene had been good in rehearsals. Tonight, it had been transcendent. Real. Exactly as he'd hoped when he'd written it into the script weeks ago, when he'd first noticed the way Emu's smile brightened around Nene, the way Nene's guard came down in Emu's presence.

Yes, Rui thought, watching his friends bow to thunderous applause, hands still intertwined. A very good show indeed.

And if he'd had to do a bit of careful engineering to get them here? Well, that was simply what any good director would do.

After all, the best performances came from the heart.