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It was about 11:30 on a December night, Miku was probably the only one up at this hour. She’d check her phone constantly- to no avail as no one had texted her. Even if they did, it’s not like it would have meant anything. Miku has been stuck drowning in school assignments, she hasn’t had time to breathe.
Before, it was always Miku, Teto and Neru in Neru’s garage making (truthfully horrible) music. Now- It’s just Miku, late at night, studying for every AP class there was. Finals were soon; just next week in fact. Her parents didn’t help either, any day she came home it was always “Do you have a test soon?” shortly followed by “You should get to studying!”. It’s not like her parents were bad, Miku has always had the chance to pick her own classes. But, just the thought of them being even slightly disappointed terrified Miku.
Though something else had been troubling Miku.
There’s not a quiet place to study at school. You’re only allowed to go to the library to get books and you cannot stay in class during lunch. So, she’s been having to sit and eat lunch. She doesn’t really like sitting alone so she had to find someone- and she did. Kagimine Rin! They’ve never really been friends per say, but they’re acquainted at least- and they did a project together once before. Miku’s problem is that she thinks of Rin as a little more than a friend. Rin is super nice and super cute too but Miku knows she can’t just ask her out. They talk during lunch and they say hi in AP bio, but they’re not as close as Miku wishes. It’s not like she could even ask her out either- she literally doesn’t have time!
But Miku can’t just stop thinking about it; it’s been half the year and these feelings haven't died out yet! She knows what she has to do, but the thought still terrifies her. She typed out her message and shakily held her thumb over the send button. What if she’s busy? She’s probably asleep- or maybe she doesn't want to be bothered. These thoughts ravaged Miku’s head.
She finally pressed send
Almost instantly she received a response
Miku frantically texted back
< [insert address here] >
Plans with Rin were set! That was actually a lot easier than she had thought, maybe a little too easy. There’s no way you can just text someone at an hour no one should be awake and ask them to hang out over the weekend- and they say yes!
____________________________________________________________________________
It was Friday now, tomorrow was the alleged Starbucks meet up with Rin. There was just no way it could be that easy. She was excited- but also just as nervous. She was so deep in thought that she ran into somebody.
“Oh-”
She looked up and saw a familiar pair of red drills. “Oh hey Miku! It’s been a minute!” Teto had said, offering to help her up. “Yeah uh- i’ve had school” Miku said as she stood up. It was quite awkward between the two of them. They hadn’t spoken for almost 3 years now- it’s almost like they never even knew each other.
“I have to go-”
“WAIT! I have something for you!”
Just as quickly as Miku had tried to run off, Teto pulled out a baguette. Miku didn’t even know from where- it just appeared. Teto had always been like this, spontaneous.
“Thanks…Uh- How have you been?”
“Great actually! How’ve you been? Still playing guitar?”
Miku went silent
“I haven’t had time to play…”
“Oh”
“Sorry I've got to go”
Miku turned on her heel and left, leaving Teto in the distance
____________________________________________________________________________
Classes came and went and Miku was finally at AP bio. She’d been waiting all day for this. Baguette in hand, she walked over and sat next to Rin. “During lunch…do you wanna share this?” She asked- twirling her hair with her finger.
“Yes! Oh my god where’d you get this?”
“Teto stopped me in the hall to give it to me, I wanted to get you something but couldn’t think of what so- I hope this is ok”
“You also know Teto?”
“Ah… we’re acquaintances"
“You always talk so properly, Miku-chan, you don’t have to be so formal around me,” Rin said warmly. That was something Miku really liked about her, the way she smiled when she spoke.
____________________________________________________________________________
They walked and talked on their way to lunch. There was always something to talk about with Rin; it was like the words just flowed together. It was like a song- beat after beat- the words forming rhythm.
Amidst their back and forth- a red pair of drills made their appearance again. “Heya Rin-chan- and Miku?” Teto approached the duo, this time, in a duo of her own. A new face peeked from behind Teto, a singular yellow twintail shined brightly.
“This baguette's really good Teto! Thanks for giving it to Miku-chan~!”
Teto was more focused on Miku “Miku… why’d you run off earlier?” It seemed she was never going to let it go.
“I’m sorry…I haven’t been playing for quite some time,” Miku said quietly, lowering her head in shame.
“Why are you sorry?” Teto sat down
“I just hadn’t had time…I know i should but-”
“It’s fine really, I’m failing a class right now and you’re passing all with flying colors; so who really has their priorities straight?” Teto laughed but Miku knows her mom must be quite disappointed. “We’re going to go get some food” She said, referring to her and Neru “See you later- maybe”
They walked off and it was just Miku and Rin again. She didn’t really know how to start up a conversation after that. Yeah I stopped talking to my friends and stopped my passion because of school, how are you doing? Miku fears that was what it felt like. She sat there for a moment twiddling her thumbs before Rin began to speak again.
“Miku-chan you play guitar?”
“Mhm…”
“Y’know i’ve always wanted to play that or a bass…maybe you could teach me?” Rin had to stop herself mid sentence from twirling her hair.
“I can, but I haven't played in quite a while, you’d learn better if you got someone whose better”
“But I want you” Rin had declared with more conviction than Miku had ever heard before.
“I- uh… I’ll teach you then” Miku couldn’t say no to what almost felt like a proposal; maybe it was.
____________________________________________________________________________
It was Friday afternoon now, Miku was finishing up a study session. She thought for a moment, pushed her supplies to the side, and approached her bed. Under it, she pulled out a case; a guitar case.
Rin had asked to be taught, a question which no way Miku could refuse. Though she was definitely rusty, you cannot ever forget the basics. She was mostly just trying to get a feel for the notes; then everything came flowing back.
The notes of a song she once played rushed from her memory like a waterfall. The placement of the fingers, the strum of the strings, the puzzle pieces came together to form a beautiful picture of a song.
Maybe…this isn’t so bad , Miku thought to herself; she propped her phone against the wall and pressed record. She didn’t know what to say so instead she just played a simple scale followed by an arpeggio. Miku waved to the camera and then stopped the video, she hopes this is what Rin wanted.
<[video]>
Just as she had done once before, Rin responded instantaneously.
Miku sighed loudly in relief, it wasn’t amazing but she hoped it helped Rin a little bit. Then, a notification came up on her phone quicker than expected.
Her fingers hovered over the bright screen that pierced through the dark; what was she to say to that? A simple ‘thank you’ didn’t seem fitting, but she didn’t want to go overboard, she was starting to not want to respond at all. Yet, her body moved before her mind did.
Miku gasped in horror once she snapped back to reality to see what she had sent. ’Rin-chan’!!!Only people close to Rin call her that, oh my god I screwed up so bad…Admist her panic her phone buzzed- she shakily went to check.
She wasn’t necessarily panicking now- but her heart was racing. She’s laid spread out across her bed, starstruck, staring at the ceiling. She… feels the same? Miku was still processing what Rin had said. It hadn't fully hit her yet- if it had- you might have called her a ‘roiling girl’ the way she would've gone crazy.
Miku had this feeling in her chest. It’s a stabbing pain of anxiety, but it's being fought by this warm and fuzzy feeling; blooming like a flower in the sun. It was like a ray of hope piercing the cold unforgiving darkness of anxiety.
That night, Miku went to sleep happy for what tomorrow would bring.
____________________________________________________________________________
Saturday morning had come; and Miku had been up and ready for quite some time now. She tried to keep it casual with a pink top, jean shorts and a few accessories here and there. It took a lot of willpower at 4 in the morning to convince herself earrings and a hair clip weren’t overdressing for a coffee date.
She called it a date but she knew deep down it was just a platonic gathering at what happened to be a Starbucks. You could say she was a little disappointed with that fact.
Miku decided to text Rin to see if she’s ready
Miku went with her and her sweaty nervous self to her car and started it. Rin had lived in the neighborhood right next to Miku’s; which made it worse for Miku since she didn’t have ample time to calm down. She didn’t even have to check the address again since she saw Rin with her bright yellow bob from a mile away- waiting outside for Miku.
She unlocked the car door and Rin hopped right in. Rin was wearing an orange ruffly top, jean shorts just like Miku, and had an angel wing hair clip on. “Ah, we’re matching-” Miku hurriedly added “Our shorts”. Rin laughed and Miku realized she didn’t need to add that. “Do you want the AC on?” Miku asked- trying to move on from already feeling embarrassed. Rin shook her head for ‘yes’ and then Miku started driving.
She was not focused in the slightest.
Maybe she was just delusional, Miku was definitely aware she could be like that, but she swore Rin was staring. Her bright ultramarine eyes were practically reflecting the light from the sun- right into Miku’s face. There was so much tension in this 2019 sedan that you could cut in with a butcher’s knife.
“How’d you meet Teto?” This was Miku’s attempt to cut through the tension.
“Last year in my algebra class…I was put next to her since she struggled so much” Rin let out a loud sigh “I thought it would be super awkward”
“Did you think she was a basic white girl or something?”
“No, nothing like that. Oh- and nothing against her now; she just wouldn’t stop talking about how cute I was and it kind of got annoying. Honestly I thought she had a crush on me but then I find out she has a girlfriend already”
“I’m sorry about her…”
“Miku-chan…” Rin laughed “You didn’t do it, plus me and Teto had a talk so we’re good now! I can’t say it’s entirely Teto’s fault, maybe I just need to learn to take compliments.”
“I think I’m like that too; I just don’t remember the last time I got a compliment” Miku pulled into the parking lot.
“You’re really good at driving Miku-chan!”
“Thanks…I’m really just average though-”
“Mikuuuuu” Rin whined “You’re worse than me with complements”
“I’m just being honest-” Miku turned the car off, unprepared for what came next
Rin grabbed Miku’s face, making sure she would look at her, they stared into each other's eyes. Rin was close, much closer than she had ever been.
“Miku! You’re super cool and cute and I wouldn’t have gone on this date with you if I didn’t think that!” After basically touching noses with her Rin pulled away and let go of Miku’s face. Rin was quite calm- Miku was beet red, mouth agape and eyes wide.
“T-thanks uh thank you…” Miku could barely speak. Rin said date. She said that this was a date. Miku was freaking out. “Let’s go inside…” Miku got outside of the car, quite shakily, almost tripping in the process.
They both ordered drinks, then they decided to sit at a table near the window. At first they were just taking sips of their drinks- and surprisingly- Miku talked first. She placed her drink down hesitantly, as if preparing herself “You were saying Teto had a girlfriend? Who is it?”
“You don’t know Neru?”
“Oh I do, and them dating doesn't surprise me- like at all- they were pretty close last time I checked” Miku realized it had been much longer than she thought.
“Dating is really strange to me,” Rin began. “The only time when people I know are in healthy and happy relationships are girls with girls; It’s really interesting"
“Would you say you're not into dating people?” Miku began to feel the stabbing pain of anxiety stronger now.
“Oh no, no!” Rin shook her head and laughed “I’d actually really like to try it out! Honestly I've never liked a guy; I just thought you were supposed to date them- but girls just seem so much better!” Miku never thought about it before- but Rin’s closet is glass.
“You might know him, my twin brother Len, he dated this girl a while back. She was really nice- but then she started ignoring him and then they broke up. I see her around sometimes, she’s in a much better place now.” Rin took sips from her drink in between sentences.
“Are you talking about Gumi?”
“Yeah- wow you know a lot more people than I thought!”
“Mhm” Miku took the back handed compliment- she didn’t think Rin meant it that way- hopefully. “I talk with her sometimes, she told me she thought he was cute but realized too late that was all she thought. I’d be surprised if her and Teto don’t know each other- they’re like the same person, just different fonts; if that makes sense…”
“You’re really creative with analogies Miku-chan!”
That was how their coffee date went from there on out. Exchanging stories about friends and family, back and forth like a flag against the wind. Their conversation flowed, beat by beat, note after note, creating a beautiful harmony.
Eventually, all banquets must come to an end, thus their date was over. The car ride back had much less tension than before, that poor sedan. The air was sweet like apples in an autumn evening, juicy too with all the stuff Rin was saying about her brother. Once Rin was out of the car- the ride home was not a sad one; for, Miku had hope that she’d see Rin in 2 days time. That night- she fell asleep stress free for the first time in a long while.