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Ibuki never quite understood the point of a ‘soulmate’, she found it hard to believe such a perfect match existed for anyone. Ibuki also never quite understood why they were seemed so damned important that every pair of soulmates had matching marks.
Her entire life, she had always questioned the purpose of the mark. Was is there to always remind you of someone? To make it easier to find that supposed perfect other half? Or was it there… to tease you?
Ibuki always thought it was the last one. Why was that?
Because every time she would find someone with that mark, they would have the mark one day and then the next, poof, gone. It frustrated her.
It has happened several times in her life. That one time the new family moved next door when she was seven, their young boy the same age had the same mark. They bonded for a day and by the time the next came around, the mark was gone and the boy thought she was crazy.
Another time when she was in middle school and saw her lab science partner had the same mark, she was confused but didn’t question it so they bonded for a day again over their interests, even though this new girl had different interests comparing to the other boy, they still had a lot in common. But, again, after a day had passed, the mark was gone and her lab partner also passed her off as weird.
The most recent time, however, was at her first day of Hopes Peak. It had quickly come to her attention that one of her classmates, Byakuya Togami, had the marking on his hand. She jumped at the opportunity to get to know him, to understand him.
They were ‘soulmates’, after all.
Byakuya Togami, Ibuki learnt, was very hard to talk to. He was always spouting about his ‘family name’ and how the marks didn’t mean anything, but Ibuki never relented. She was determined to get to know her soulmate better, even if it meant if she kept getting pushed away time and time again due to his misbeliefs.
One day, however, Ibuki managed to open him up, even if it was the smallest amount.
“... I apologise for being so harsh on you Mioda”
“Ehh? Ibuki doesn’t understand why you are apologising, but Ibuki accepts it!”
“Due to my past, people don’t trust me and I don’t trust people… Which is why I have been so cautious around you.”
“... Thank you for opening up to Ibuki, Byakuya-chan!~”
Ibuki was very proud of herself that day, she knew she was making progress on opening up Byakuya. In between her school studies and her practice in becoming her own rock solo act, she managed to make time to spend even a little time with Byakuya and, surprisingly, he did the same.
A day turned into a day and a day turned into a week and a week turned into a month, and Ibuki is finally glad that her ‘soulmate’ didn’t run away from her. She felt like she finally found someone who she could be herself around. After leaving her band to pursue her own career, having someone who accepted her for her was a refreshing change.
That was until one day, a sudden announcement came across the 77th class of Hopes Peak.
“Byakuya Togami has dropped out of the 77th class for unknown reasons.”
This one sentence completely destroyed Ibuki’s heart.
She put on a strong front in front of her class. She tried to keep her usual cheery act up for everyone, fooling around by making suggestions about a relationship between Fuyuhiko and Peko and she kept making her own music shine.
… But it wasn’t the same, Ibuki knew this.
Ibuki soon found herself bored in Kizakura’s... ‘lessons’, it wasn’t the same without Byakuya there. So she decided to stop going, attendance wasn’t mandatory afterall.
It went on like this for several weeks. Ibuki would always jam in the Music room, playing her guitar and writing songs from her heart. She would belt the lyrics as loud as she could, she would play until her fingers started to go numb from intense playing.
Anything to forget.
Forget all the times she was abandoned. By her soulmates, by her bandmates, by her usual friends. Everybody always abandoned Ibuki, she was used to it.
So why was it hurting more now than ever? She didn’t understand.
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Ibuki didn’t know whether to be happy or sad when she met him.
Ryota Mitarai.
The next person with a matching soulmate mark.
When her new teacher, Chisa Yukizome, managed to drag everyone single one of her classmates into classes again, she didn’t expect to see that mark again.
“Why didn’t he come to classes before when Byakuya was there? If he was there, maybe this whole thing would be sorted out…”
Ibuki decided she had enough, she was going to talk to him head on.
After an extra tiring class with Chisa, Ryota was the first to leave the classroom. Ibuki, of course, followed him. In a totally not creepy way, of course. She followed him outside of the school gates and after an extra minute of following, she decides to call and run up to him.
“Heyyy, Ryota-chan!~” She called, hands cupping her mouth in an attempt to make herself louder.
Ryota, who Ibuki now noticed was on the phone, quickly spun around to face Ibuki, shock written on his face.
“A-Ah… Hello Mioda.” Ryota shuddered out before quickly murmuring into the phone “I’ll speak to you later.” Before hanging up and giving a small smile to Ibuki. “W-What brings you here?”
Ibuki’s usual cheerful demeanor was gone when she pointed to Ryota’s hand. “Explain this, Ryota-chan. Why are you the fourth person I’ve met with the same marking?”
Ryota flinched slightly at the question before flushing and looking away. “A-Ah, I-Ibuki!” He squeaked out. “You… You mean the soulmate mark, h-huh?” He looked down at his hand.
Ibuki bounded forward and grabbed his hand in hers, she looked up at Ryota, her eyes almost pleading.
“Why do so many of us have the same mark? You know, don’t you?”
Ryota stayed silent, he avoided Ibuki’s gaze and his face was still flushed.
“...”
Ibuki waited for Ryota to reply, she tightened her grip around his hand.
“If you are worried about Ibuki not liking the truth, don’t worry! Ibuki is prepared for any plot twist thrown into this!” She cheered lightly, trying to lighten up Ryota a bit.
Ryota stayed silent for a few moments longer before sighing and nodding.
“... I-It looks like I have some explaining to do.”
Ibuki cheered in her success in getting Ryota to talk and started to drag Ryota towards the direction he was headed, before Ibuki interrupted.
“H-Hey! You do-don’t know where you are going!”
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Ibuki thought she was ready for any plot twist.
But man, this plot twist was… intense.
Ibuki and Ryota was sitting on his bed… while the real Ryota was animating at his desk.
Ibuki pondered. Does this mean I call them Imposter-chan? What pronouns do I use with him? Is it them?
While Ibuki was having these thoughts, the Imposter was screaming internally.
She isn’t saying anything, is she really that disturbed? Oh god, she's gonna hate me…
Ibuki suddenly grinned and turnt her body to face the Imposter on their bed. “Hey, I’m not mad at you that you are an imposter! I think that talent is pretty cool!~” She clapped her hands together.
The Imposter looked surprised at this. “... You aren’t mad?.. That I’m lying to you and everybody else around me?..”
Ibuki grinned and gave them a peace sign. “I accept you for what you are and for what you do! I’m sure everyone else will do too!~” Her smile faltered slightly. “... But… Why did you always run away every time I tried to… interact with you?”
The Imposter turned away from Ibuki’s gaze again, cheeks flushed, they were playing with their hands. “... I wanted to protect you, Mioda.” They took a deep breath and looked directly at Ibuki’s face. “I don’t have an identity, I don’t… exist without taking someone's identity… You don’t deserve someone like me as your soulmate. You deserve a somebody, not a nobody like me…”
Ibuki was speechless at their reasoning before grabbing their marked hand with her own marked hand. They both thought they felt a jolt shudder throughout both their bodies when their hands touched.
“... Subete-chan…” Ibuki muttered before grinning. “What you do does not bother me…” She cheered lightly. “I believe that finding yourself is accepting the fact you are always changing!~ I’ll always be here to support you, Subete-chan!~”
The Imposter blushed lightly at the name Ibuki gave them. Everything… huh? They wrapped their arms around Ibuki, in a hug. “... Thank you, Mioda.”
Ibuki blushed at the hug before putting their entire force into hugging back, giggling.
This wasn’t how Ibuki was imagining how her meeting with her soulmate would go in her head, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.