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The wind howled as the pink haired girl walked the empty halls. A part of her regretted sending everyone home. So much had changed throughout these years, and yet she was still left here on new years eve, alone. But she knew it didn’t mean the same thing this time around. The others were just resting up after such a tough few months of work, work that was only worsened by her slipups last summer. Yes, she owed it to them to give at least this small respite for the holiday. Plus, while she loved everyone dearly, their strong presences never gave her time to truly reminisce throughout these halls.
Hoshino chuckled to herself, sitting by a desk. She watched the clock tick down, only half an hour til the new year. The classroom was bathed in a beautiful azure, the moonlight giving the shadows a sense of longing.
“You’d be proud of me, wouldn’t you?” She smiled as she played with her fingers. “All this time, we had hoped that Abydos would one day have wishes again, dreams.” She stretched, feeling her eyes tear up a bit, but she paid no mind. “I hope we can make you smile, Yume.”
After a bit, Hoshino finally decided to go to the rooftop. The main city past the desert always had their own fireworks show, and Hoshino, after years of living on her own, had learned of such a sight.
As she opened the door, the winter air rushed by her. It was cold, obviously. But nothing she couldn’t handle. Taking in the view, she sat on the edge of the building. The sands of Abydos spread in all directions. Many would find this sight depressing. Not only was it completely barren, but so much had happened to Hoshino in this desert. So many things taken away, things she would never get back. But yet, all the girl could do was smile. It was her home, no matter what it took from her, it always gave back. Her juniors, the girls who had saved her in so many ways, all were here from plain luck. The same luck that had led to the death of her beloved friend those years ago. She had come to terms with it. Sometimes, life happens, and as cliche as it was, she was okay with that.
As the time passed, Hoshino found herself almost bored. Sure she was excited for the fireworks, but in the meantime there wasn’t much to do. She stretched, wondering how long it would take for the show to start. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something. Something that certainly wasn’t supposed to be there. A bicycle. Shiroko’s bicycle.
Hoshino frowned. Shiroko, since the day she had gifted her that bicycle, had not once left the school in any other way. Despite being offered on numerous occasions to be given a ride, especially on particularly hard days, she always refused. Opting to use her first gift from her senior. Something was wrong. If Shiroko’s bicycle was still there, that would mean she never lef-
“Shiroko, it’s rude to spy on people, don’t you know?” Hoshino peaked behind her, staring at the stairwell. Right there, was the wolf-girl, staring directly at her.
Shiroko, being called out, starts pulling away from the door, attempting to make her escape. Unfortunately for her, Hoshino’s agility never seemed to decrease. And while it wasn’t always used for non-important situations, such as intense fights or dangerous situations, it would always be pulled out for these extremely pivotal moments. Like embarrassing her junior.
Shiroko sighed as she felt the older girl grab her wrist. Facing her with a blank expression. Hoshino, on the other hand, had quite the big smile.
“Now now, how long have you been here? Don’t tell me you’ve been stalking this old man since the others left.” Hoshino chuckled, letting go of Shiroko’s wrist. Shiroko shook her head.
“No. Just the past few minutes. Just arrived.” Shiroko plainly put, avoiding Hoshino’s glance.
“Oh? So you came back. Hehe, that means you must have missed me, isn’t that right~!” Hoshino lowered herself to force her face into Shiroko’s line of view. Shiroko blushed, attempting to look away again.Hoshino just giggles. “Well, if you came all the way here, it would be a shame if we both missed the fireworks. Come on, follow me!” Hoshino dragged the two over to her previous watching spot as they both sat down.
“So tell me, Shiroko. Why did you come here?” Hoshino tilted her head, staring at the wolf. Shiroko seemed to be lost in thought.
“Missed you.” She responded, not bothering to look at Hoshino back. Hoshino paused for a moment, not expecting that answer. She quickly recovered, however. Giving Shiroko a curious glance.
“Oh? Why suddenly? We leave to go to our homes every night.’ Hoshino scooted over a bit closer to Shiroko. “Is something up? What’s wrong with my little Shiroko-chan~”
“You’ve been unreliable this past year.” Shiroko said, not responding to Hoshino’s original question. This one truly caught Hoshino off guard. Not because of the content of the sentence, she had internalized and thought over it more than anyone. She was more surprised with the fact that it was being brought up now, and by Shiroko of all people.
“Ehh..? I-I’m sorry.. I’ll be better! I know I haven’t been the greatest of seniors.” Hoshino attempted to get a read on Shiroko. Shiroko, however, just leaned towards Hoshino, placing her head softly on her shoulder.
“I don’t believe you.”
Hoshino was now completely confused, and even worried to an extent. She was aware that there was some occasional awkwardness that happened when the incident from the summer was brought up, but nothing ever happened to indicate that Shiroko held any hard feelings.
“Shiroko, I truly am sorr-”
“Not that.” Shiroko finally looked at Hoshino, the same blank expression she always had. But Hoshino noticed something slightly different. Perhaps in the way her eyes looked at her. Fear. “I don’t believe that you’ll be better. I think that if you were given the opportunity, you would throw your life away again.”
Ah. So that was what this was about.
Hoshino knew that Shiroko was hurt the most by the previous events. Both times she gave herself up for her friends was met by increased clinginess and scolding. However, this was different. She had never been confronted this directly. She felt Shiroko grip onto her arm, slightly tighter than what was comfortable, but not enough for it to hurt.
“Shiroko, I-”
“It’s fine.” She cut her off again. Not elaborating more, just closing her eyes. Hoshino paused again, not quite sure how to deal with this situation. “You mean a lot to me. Why do you want to leave us so badly?”
Hoshino feels a heavy weight fall on her chest. Her self sacrificial tendencies were the result of many things, Yume’s death being the cornerstone of it. She knew it wasn’t right, that it would impact her friends in horrible ways, but she never truly gave it deep thought. It wasn’t that she didn’t care, it was just that if she was forced to confront that part of it, she would realize how completely flawed her line of logic was.
“I don’t want to leave you guys-”
“Liar.” Shiroko plainly stated. Looking back down, clinging onto Hoshino’s arm, as if letting go would give the pink-haired girl permission to float away, never to be seen again.
“Shiroko… What can I do to prove that I won’t. I’m sorry that you have to doubt this.” Hoshino attempted, her heart breaking at the thought of Shiroko thinking she didn’t care. Shiroko just ignored her. Her eyes felt heavy as she felt the warmth of her senior.
Hoshino used her strength to turn Shiroko around, facing her. Feeling this, Shiroko blushed, much to her own dismay. Hoshino noticed, but decided not to say anything yet.
“You know I care about you guys, right? You guys are the reason I wake up every morning.” Hoshino said, using her free arm to hold onto Shiroko’s shoulder. “Every day I think about how I was just a year and a half ago. I hated everyone, everything. I thought the world was out to get me, that this desert wanted nothing but to spite me.”
Shiroko opened her eyes for the first time since their confrontation, staring directly into Hoshino’s. Her heterochromatic eyes were pretty, staring genuinely into hers. “But Nonomi came along, and helped me up. She taught me that perhaps this desert had people worth being around. But you know what really saved me?”
Hoshino smiled, putting her hand on Shiroko’s cheek.
“You. You came along. I remember clearly, you hated me at first. Challenging me at every turn, causing trouble whenever you could. And you know what the one thing I could think about at that time was? Man… this girl is just so cute!” Hoshino giggled, staring at the now deep crimson Shiroko. “I know I’m not perfect, I’ve made so many mistakes in the past year. Things that I don’t know if I can ever take back. But I promise you, the next time we’re faced with a challenge…” Hoshino brushes her hand over Shiroko’s hair. “Instead of throwing myself against it alone, we’ll face it together. I know that despite how cruel this world is, tiny miracles are sometimes thrown our way. Miracles that we must cherish, love, and hold onto. It sounds a bit lame, but I think I like that! The thought of being able to be with those, is my proof that I can’t leave this world. Not yet, not without spending my life with them. Do you know who my miracle is?”
Hoshino leveled herself to Shiroko’s face. Staring into the wolf’s eyes one last time, before making a permanent change that she knows she won't regret.
“It’s you.”
Hoshino leans in to kiss Shiroko, nothing bold, nothing extreme. Just a small peck on the cheek. And that’s all that it takes to melt Shiroko down, not just from fluster, but from the months of stress and worry she had for her senior. The fireworks start to go off in the distance, signalling the next year, but the two don’t care. They have a beginning far greater than the next year.
“Shiroko, I love you.”
...
“I love you too.”