Chapter Text
Darkness enveloped Matikanefukukitaru's room.
On the rug that separated her bed from her roommate's, Fukukitaru was hunched over on her knees, making sounds of concentration with her lips pressed together, while her hands moved over her crystal ball. Always caressing the air around it, but never quite touching the ball.
Matikanetannhauser, who had been sleeping with her every night for quite some time, snored softly, unaware of what was happening outside the sleepy-girl realm.
Now, what could be so important as to risk breaking one of the dorm rules on a weekday late at night? What's more! What could be so important as to disturb the great Shiraoki at this time of night?
A young, beating heart, of course.
The young, beating, anxious heart of the girl sitting across from Fukukitaru, to be more precise: Meisho Doto watched with expectant eyes as her friend worked with the crystal ball. Seemingly holding her breath, with her hands pressed against her chest and her floppy ears trembling on either side of her head.
About 20 minutes ago, she had arrived at Fukukitaru and Tannhauser's room, defying the curfew. She had knocked on the door eagerly, upset, flushed, and confused. And when the orange-haired girl opened the door, visibly confused, Doto pushed her way into the room, falling to her knees in a bundle of nerves.
—Fukukitaru! Please—I… I! I need to know- to know if my—our—my friendship with Opera O will be okay. I had a very strange dream… I don't think I can wait until tomorrow at the tent to ask you, so please! I'm very scared...!”
Hiding in-between her fear was an unusual intensity in the way Doto spoke and looked at her friend. An intensity that inspired Fukukitaru, who rushed to put everything in place so she could ask her great guide the appropriate questions.
And that was why now, in the present, Fukukitaru was working under Doto's watchful eye.
—...!
— W-what!?
Fukukitaru, stiff as a board, slowly relaxed her muscles and closed her eyes. When she spoke, she did so with complete solemnity, leaving her own exaggerations aside for once in a long time.
—Meisho Doto, you didn't come here for a simple reading about the prosperity of your friendship with Opera O. I can see it in your face!— Fukukitaru raised a hand to stop the babbling that was already beginning to escape from her friend's mouth— Shiraoki has revealed everything to me HERE AND NOW: you have come to learn about the foreseeable love future you may have with this person. Isn't that right?
. . .
Silence. A realization.
Suddenly, Doto's face turned pale, now aware of a detail she had been too foolish or distracted to recognize before: Fukukitaru was right. She was desperate to cling to anything so as not to ruin what she had with Opera, juggling at the same time the dilemma of whether to remain her friend or try, attempt... something, anything, to change her current situation with her.
The dream she had had only sowed more doubts in her mind, the details becoming more or less blurred depending on the second that marked the clock. But what was clear as day was the way thinking about Opera made her heart pound; and it was more than simple admiration...
Now, Fukukitaru was pointing the finger of truth at her; she was trapped. Doto felt that it was the end, that she had been a fool, lying to herself all this time.
The girl put both hands to her head and began to lament between moans and whimpers.
—I-I-IT'S TRUE! Uee, I... I... I don't know- I don't know what to do anymore! Today I took a nap and woke up late because—BECAUSE... because I dreamed about her...
—Hmmm…—Fukukitaru rubbed her chin, eventually pointing at her again (Every time she did so, Doto could feel a dagger pierce her back)—What was your dream about, Doto? You have to be honest! The great Shiraoki hears and sees everything. If you don't tell me the truth, she won't be able to help you.
Her dream...?
×××
Meisho Doto walked silently back to her dormitory, clutching the amulet Matikanefukukitaru had given her at the end of her story, under instructions to always carry it with her somewhere close to her heart, but where no one could easily see it.
—I see… THE HORROR! Doom is in your future, if you continue to hide what you feel in the shadows, horrible things will happen. Your relationship with Opera O depends on your determination to make her understand your feelings— She covered the crystal ball with it's usual cloak and clapped twice.
—Now go to sleep! My lucky number today was 7, and I plan to sleep 7 hours to bring me fortune tomorrow! It would do you good too, Doto.
—... You can always put honey on your lips and say her name three times before going to bed... I read it in a magazine, hehehe...—Tannhauser had added in the limbo between sleep and mild wakefulness.
Doto could only think about the amulet, the honey, and the endless ways she could ruin everything. But when she reached her bedroom and sneaked in (even though Air Shakur was clearly still awake, typing away at the computer), the young woman could feel the exhaustion from stress, her sleep, the amulet, the honey. Opera... Opera...
Doto let herself fall heavily onto her bed, clutching the amulet with both hands. In the background, she heard Shakur say a quick hello and ask her a question that got lost in her drowsiness.
Meisho’s body had given up. A precarious training, a cursed nap and a reading on her love life now had her falling asleep face down. Defeated.
To dream of the amulet, the honey, the confession... Opera O...
What would she do in her place?
She felt like she was going crazy.