Work Text:
Mizuki slowly walked between loud crowd of people she didn't know. Their faces mixed into one background that she couldn't care much about. Everyone seemed to be just strangers she has never met in her life but she somehow felt their eyes were piercing through her entire system. It felt like they all knew what she was so desperately hiding from the outside world. It hurted to think about it yet she couldn't do anything. What could she possibly do about her secret? She won't erase her past nor her body. All that was left was just believe that in another life she will be able to be free.
Mizuki finally reached the stairs and slowly started placing her feet on it. Her body slowly travelled higher and higher. Smell of the river was filling her nostrils, making her nose move slightly, not leaving a single comment on it. Maybe she didn't care or was too tired to actually care about things like this. The wind was messing with her long pink hair as she finally reached the highest part of the stairs. It wasn't actually that high but it was enough for her plan.
Akiyama slowly approached the railing and her pale hands grasped the cold metal. The view was pretty breathtaking in her opinion. Even her hurting heart couldn't help but stand and watch how the orange sun was slowly going lower and lower. The sky was gaining another stunning shade of orange. No, it was actually mix of orange, red and blue. Truly mesmerizing. However this view won't save her, nothing will ever save her at this point. No person was able to do it so why should a stupid sun do it.
The girl slowly put her backpack on the side and watched it fall flat on the ground. A pink backpack that used to be new and shiny... Now it was completely destroyed by the people that craved to see her... no, see him struggle. Just by thinking about those monsters, her stomach turned in every side possible. Maybe if the water finally swallows her, they will realize what they truly did. Well not like it would change Mizuki's fate anyway, scars and fresh wounds were covering his entire heart with no mercy.
Mizuki slowly put her right leg on the railing and then by small a bouncing, she put her left leg on it as well. Her ground was very unstable and she felt that falling down was a big possibility. She watched the waves move around underneath her as if inviting her. This position made her think deeply... Was it really worth it? Maybe deep in this cruel world, there was a person that could save her and bring her life a true colors.
No, it was impossible. Nobody would want to spend time with her, not when her past was so dark... Memories of how she looked in the past quickly flashed before her eyes, making her sqeeze her eyes. Yes, this is the perfect time when she finally lets herself to be free from the strings that the universe wrapped around her. Mizuki looked around just incase someone actually cared about her and wanted to hug her... Nobody came. She saw people walking on the sidewalk, not paying attention to her.
Akiyama just sighed and closed her pink eyes. She carefully titled forward with her head and felt how the grip of the railing was disappearing from underneath her feet. Heart in her chest was beating like crazy, production of blood in her body was probably very high right now. Ignoring every thought of panic and fear in her head, she finally lost the railing and started failing straight at the water. Her eyes opened for a moment to see the beautiful sky for the last time.
Yeah it will definitely be a thing she will be missing... Times when she sneaked out to starglaze alone. When she looked out of the window while being in class. It was pretty weird for her to sit in classes but in the end she had to keep her attendance high enough to pass to the next class. Her parents would probably kill her if she didn't pass again.
Her memories were interrupted by harsh contact with the water. Mizuki hit the water surface and started going further and further down. The water was cold against her school uniform. It was both freezing but in the end she felt a bit of comfort in it. The comfort quickly passed away and got flooded with lack of air that was getting to her. She tried to hold her breath but it wasn't successful at all. Water cruelly got into her lungs and started to make it unable to survive.
Mizuki tried to reach the bright water surface as the darker parts of the river was slowly gripping her body. The water was getting colder with every next second, vision getting darkened on sides and her body was getting weaker with each hand swing. In the end it was what she wanted, right? She planned everything so well so why does she crave to live now? Nothing awaits her outside of those waves yet she wanted to feel air once again. It was probably the strongest life wish she has ever experienced in her entire life. Why... She still couldn't understand why she craved to swim back up.
No... Deep in her heart she knew why it was happening. All because, at the end of the day, she was scared of death.
When she opened her tired eyes, she wasn't between waves anymore. She wasn't even in her own room anymore. The surrounding was completely alien to her and that was a bit scary in her opinion. She slowly sat up and took a better look around. She quickly noticed flickering candles all around the dark place. It looked like out of horror movie. All alone, between million candles, the only thing that was missing was a big demon chasing after her to feed on her flesh.
The girl slowly stood up and noticed that she was dripping wet. Her long hair was sticking to her forehead and her back. The water made her shivers hard, this place was definitely not the warmest one. She looked down and noticed pretty big water circle in the place she was laying down just a moment ago. Well it seems that the amazing Mizuki Akiyama did a small mess when she was unconsciously resting there.
But the most important thing right now was... Where was she? Maybe it was another dimension that is gonna finally accept her as the person she actually was. Mizuki also considered that it might be an actual after life. The vibe of this place definitely fits how the stuff like those were described in books. Endlessly glowing candles, completely empty place with no visible way out... Also this weird memory gap, she wasn't sure how she got there. She remembered how she was fighting for her life underwater but after the blackout, she remembers nothing. Maybe she indeed died and now have to spend rest of the eternity just pointlessly wandering around. Something that she was doing her entire life.
Mizuki actually started placing one of her legs ahead of the other. She slowly traveled through the unknown place and tried to spot anything that might lead her to at least something. Akiyama decided to approach one of the candles. The wind she made was messing with the candles but they didn't die. Curiosity got to the girl and she decided to blow at the fire. It flew on every side but stubbornly burnt. No matter how hard Mizuki blowed at it, it just didn't go away. Oh she would move mountains just to be as strong as those candles.
"So they can't be blowed away. Interesting" Mizuki murmured to herself and watched how the fire danced around. It was very nice to look at but she had no time for that. Answers were calling her.
Mizuki raised her gaze and noticed a high stairs ahead of her. The fire was shining bright, showing her way to reach those high stairs. Mizuki raised her head and tried to spot the ending of them. Her tries went into the bin because the stairs were too high, almost endless. Well just thought of them actually having no ending was a bit unmotivating but she had no other options now. Either walk around and hope to find more or risk and climb those stairs.
Mizuki ran toward the stairs and touched the handrail. Just by holding it, she knew they were wooden. She put her feet on the first tread and tested it by pressing harder. No breaking sounds or anything. The structure looks pretty solid in her uneducated eyes. Well it was now or never opportunity so she decided to accept it. She started racing higher and higher. Her legs raising and then placing on the next tread. Mizuki focused on not failing as she was going further and further. Soon the ground full of candles disappear from her point of view. Everything was making her heart beat quicker from both excitement for change but also fear. What if she threw herself into endless stairs and she will keep going until she physically cannot anymore. She has no food nor water so she is pretty doomed.
Akiyama was slowly getting exhausted from this entire running thing but she didn't want to give up just yet. Maybe soon she will reach the top and see big door screaming at her "yes go through us, we will take you into your perfect imaginary world". This would be like a dream come true for the girl. In the end she felt very mixed about her world. At one hand she didn't want to be stuck on those stairs forever but she also didn't want to come back into her world. Nobody understood her there, nobody wanted to understand her. Why would Mizuki want to come back and experience the bullying all over again.
Mizuki slowed down and finally stopped her travel. At this point she wasn't sure how many treads she walked. She stopped counting at the 279th... Mizuki laid on the handrail and looked down, pitch black... No candles except those on the handrail were visible... What she just gotten herself into? Maybe if she wouldn't be so selfish with her sadness, she would be in her bed, still crying but at least under her comfortable blanket. Oh what would she give to be in her bed now...
Suddenly she heard a quiet sound coming from above of her. She jumped and looked around, this song... It seems that she wasn't alone in this weird place anymore. Akiyama bounced off the handrail and nodded to herself. The sound was faint but it gave her a sudden rush of hope. Maybe there was actually ending of those stairs. They weren't endless like she thought at first!
Mizuki started placing her feet above each other again. Her muscles burned from walking so long but she still continued to walk forwad. She wasn't a weakling to give up so easily. If life taught her something, it would probably be how to keep going even if her body hurted like hell. The sound of guitar was getting louder with every next minute! At least Mizuki hoped it was a guitar. The girl wasn't really an instrument nerd so it might be actually bass guitar... Well let's ignore what the unknown sound was, it sounded very good and even a bit comforting... Or maybe she was just desperate and labeled everything as comfort source. Maybe all of the above
Mizuki's breath was getting heavier as she was walking but she couldn't give up, not when the music was so loud in her eyes. She knew that she was just a few steps away from whatever was making this beautiful sound.
Finally, after long minutes of only walking up, she reached a flat ground. As she placed her legs on it, she wanted to climb up from the instinct she developed during her long journey. Mizuki took her time to steady her breathing and when she was done, she saw a grey haired girl playing a bass guitar. Her hands moved on the instrument with so much ease that it made Mizuki a bit impressed. When she was walking down the street from school, she always saw people playing instruments to get money... She was pretty jealous of them every time she passed by.
Pink haired approached the playing one, slowly and careful to not scare the unknown girl before her. It seems that her plan didn't work well because when the grey haired opened her eyes, they winded and then sharpened. Those green eyed made Mizuki step back.
"Who are you and how did you get here?" The girl asked as sharply as her eyes were. She stopped playing the guitar and pressed her hand against the strings to prevent them from making any sound.
"Ah, well... Im Mizuki Akiyama and Im not really sure how I got here" She scratched back of her neck, feeling her cold skin and still wet hair. Yeah not much changed about her wetness... A dog after a shower wasn't very different from her.
"Akiyama you say?" The unknown person laid back a bit and studied the pink haired with intensively. Those green eyes made her a bit self conscious about the wet clothes she wore on herself. "Im Shiho Hinomori, why are you so... soaked?"
"Well, long story" Akiyama sighed and glanced at Shiho. The girl was waiting and studying Mizuki like a statue. It seems like she was giving her a silent green light to talk. "Well, it's a bit uncomfortable topic but let's say I finished in the river and woke up there. Do you know what this place is?"
"Of course. It's my own world. I spend here my entire days. It's very quiet here" Shiho finally stopped staring at Mizuki and then looked back at the instrument in her hand. Beautiful dark teal...
"I understand, this words seems pretty peaceful for sure" Mizuki slowly approached Hinomori. Her pink eyes studied her reaction as she saw down next to her. "Hey, can you play something for me? It seems that I've interrupted your practice. Also I don't mind listening"
"You don't?" Shiho looked straight into the other one's eyes and tried to read her true intentions. She found no ill plans and just childish curiosity. It was a bit unexpected that someone actually wanted to heard her play anything... "If you ask to"
Hinomori gripped her bass and started moving her hands on the instrument. Her fingers were twisting in weird positions Mizuki could quite name. In the end she wasn't a musican, no matter how much she loved music itself. She quickly changed between different sounds like a true pro. Mizuki couldn't look away from how beautifully Shiho's hands looked while playing. It wasn't just the hands that were beautiful in the girl. She sounds pretty cute both outside and probably inside too. They didn't know each other for long but Mizuki could assume that Shiho was a truly talented person.
Unfortunately the song finished with the last note and then Hinomori raised her gaze once again. Their eyes met for a short moment but they both looked away, feeling the light that went between them. Shiho cleared her throat and started the conversation once again.
"So well, what do you think about my music?" Shiho quickly threw a question to losen the hot atmosphere that seems to appear out of nowhere.
"Yeah I really enjoy listening to your bass guitar. You have a talent, you know?" Mizuki quickly complemented on girl's music skills. Shiho blushed a bit but waved that off. "This made me wonder, can you teach me how to play like you do?"
"Really? Well I can try if you really want to. But no promises that Im gonna be a good teacher" Shiho slowly handed Akiyama her bass and placed it on the other girl's laps.
"Well always ready to be your student, Hinomori-sensei!" Mizuki playfully winked at the girl and saw her sigh deeply. Did she go too far? This weird situation made her forget about the line she was standing on. One bad move...
"Shiho will be okay..." Shiho shock her head at Akiyama's playful joke. The fact that she wasn't angry made Mizuki relax her shoulders.
"If you say so, Shiho-sensei!"
"Just put your hands on the bass already!"
Mizuki giggled at Hinomori's a bit annoyed expression and put her hands on the instrument. Her short but decorated pink nails were weirdly suiting the strings. She tried to mimic what Shiho did before but well... Let's say it didn't go well.
"What now, sensei?" Mizuki looked up from the instrument she got handed and waited for Shiho's next instructions. Maybe she was pushing the line with the "sensei" thing but well, Shiho seems to not mind it THAT much.
"Look, you should start with this finger position" Shiho put her shoulder against Mizuki's shoulder and tried to show Mizuki how to place her hands to actually play something.
Mizuki felt a bit flushed by the sudden touch. Her chest felt a bit warmer as she watched how Shiho placed her hand on an invisible guitar. Mizuki quickly mimicked the way Hinomori wanted her to. However she couldn't fully ignore this warmth in her chest. She knew what it was, she felt it once and it didn't end up well. It was one of many reasons she was actually bullied and hated by those around her. Just by thinking about it, she saw her past.
The desk that was full of threats, written with hard black marker. Disgusted look of her classmates that became a daily routine for her at this point...
"And now run your hands through the strings" Shiho's voice snapped her out of her flashback. It made her jump and her heart beating a bit quicker. "What? Didn't expect to actually make a sound?"
"No, no... Let's just continue" Mizuki smiled it off and then ran her fingers through the strings just like Shiho wanted her to. The sound came out pretty clearly, making Mizuki gasp a bit. "Woaa, I didn't actually dream about doing things like that. So interesting that it's happening umh... In a place like this"
"Yeah but always better to do it here than never. Nobody's gonna give you a free bass classes like I do" Shiho pointed out and made a small chuckle.
"You're right. Thank you, oh great Shiho-sensei" Mizuki caught the friendly atmosphere and laughed by Shiho's side as well.
"Quit that sensei thing"
"Why?"
They spend hours on practicing different sounds and different ways to play the right sound they wanted to get. Mizuki's hands felt a bit heavy after everything and her fingers were a bit hurting even if the strings didn't dig up a line on her fingertips, weird... Well it seems that this world had different rules than the real world does. Maybe it was that bad... Shiho was by her side... only of she knew...
She sighed deeply and finally played a full song. Oh lord she couldn't be more proud of herself. Not just she made a new friend but also learnt a song on a bass guitar. This was truly amazing in her opinion. Finally, after hours of playing nonstop, she gave the guitar back into Shiho's hands.
"You did a great job, Mizuki" Shiho praised the pink haired girl as she was putting the guitar on the side. She let out a soft humm and put her hands behind her back.
"Thank you... Tho I must admit that you made the entire playing thing look more... easy when you do it" Mizuki pointed out and copied Shiho's pose so they looked like two chilling woman on the beach while it's sunny.
"Of course I do. I've played since I was a young kid"
"Oh you did? That sounds like a good history then. You probably spend days on training..." Mizuki looked at the black sky above them, the candles were their only sorce of light, good they are endless... "Well I always liked to stylize and overall clothes"
"I can see. Your outfit is pretty good even if its a school uniform. This pink sweater is suiting you, you know?" Shiho pointed out and looked at the sky as well. They just stayed like that for a while. Sitting in total silence and not saying a word. The first one to break the silence was surprisingly Shiho. "Well it's actually nice to have someone who likes music"
"Hm? You didn't have anyone like that in your life?" Mizuki's gaze quickly went from high skies to the girl besides her. It was actually first time Shiho showed more of herself. Not just sharp and determined girl but a human with problems... Problems she could relate to.
"I mean my sister indeed likes my music but its just... She has her own life and everything. It just doesn't feel right" Shiho looked down and then at the ground. Her words made Mizuki think about her own life. She indeed had a person that cared about her... Rui... He was very supportive and was the only reason for her to live but after he left school it all felt... Pointless again.
"I can understand what you mean... This feeling that you don't belong anywhere is... Overwhelmed at times" She sighed and tried to not focus on the life she had before she got there. It had its pluses but also its harsh minuses... Of course the bad side was very heavy on her heart.
"But hey, at least we have each other right?" Mizuki smiled at Shiho and slowly put her pale and cold hand on Hinomori's hand. It made the other one gasp but not pull away.
"You're not wrong. We have each other now..."