Archive of Our Own

"Huh?!"

The rest of Afterglow stared at Tsugumi as she leaned against the railing of Haneoka's rooftop. The keyboardist was red to the tip of her ears, and she fidgeted as her eyes refused to look at her friends. "It's... it's Sayo-san."

"I have a crush on her."

A part of her was worried that her friends would judge her for her preferences. But then, suddenly, she felt a figure encase her in a hug. "Tsuguuu!" Himari's voice rang in her ear. "Why didn't you say so earlier?!"

Ran sighed. "So that's why you couldn't focus yesterday."

Tsugumi felt rather guilty. "S-sorry, Ran-chan, I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's fine." The vocalist gave her a small smile. "I'm just glad it wasn't anything serious."

Moca stepped forward, elbowing her friend with a smirk. "Ran was up all night worrying about you. You were so out-of-it she thought you were tied up with the yakuza."

"Moca. Stop putting words in my mouth." Ran glared at her.

The guitarist raised her palms and stepped away. "Come on, ol' Moca-chan was thinking the same thing. Poor, poor Tsugu, condemned to the life of a criminal."

Tsugumi giggled. Her friends had taken the news better than she expected. Then again, she really had nothing to worry about. They were always so supportive of her.

"So? When are you going to confess?" Himari still had her in a hug, her eyes drilling into the side of the keyboardist's head.

"That's..." Tsugumi's blush had returned. "I don't know if I should. She... might not even like me back."

The rest of Afterglow stared at her with pure shock, as if she actually was tangled up with the yakuza. Tomoe was the first to break the silence. "You're kidding, right?"

Himari added, "Yeah, what are you saying?! Now that I look at it, you two are perfect together! There's no way she doesn't feel the same!"

"Moca-chan already thought your baking sessions were dates in disguise." Moca chimed in. Ran nodded in agreement.

"C-come on, guys." Tsugumi sighed. "It's not like that. Sayo-san's just a nice person."

Her friends were ready to let out another flurry of rebuttals when Moca hummed, getting the group's attention. "Then there's only one thing to do, right?" She grinned at the keyboardist. "You gotta make her fall in love with you."

Himari squealed, finally letting go of her friend and bobbing up and down. "Right! Just like a classic romance!" She was waving her arms around now. "You need to make yourself more appealing so she sees you as a love interest!"

Ran huffed and crossed her arms. "Sounds like something you picked up from a manga."

"No Ran," Moca patted her friend on the shoulder. "Hii-chan's right." She turned to Tsugumi. "Tsugu, you gotta go on the offensive. You need to charm Sayo-san so you can steal her heart~."

"C-charm her?" Tsugumi was half-convinced that Moca was just teasing her. But then again, she was curious. Every time she was with Sayo, she could feel her chest fluttering, her heart skipping a beat. Could she really make the guitarist feel the same way?

"I'm in!" The keyboardist's voice cut through the rooftop's chatter. She furrowed her brow, pumping her fists in front of her. "I... I want to charm Sayo-san!"

"Tsuguuu!" Himari hugged her again. "You got this, Tsugu! We're rooting for you!"

The rest of them looked at her with varying levels of support (or worry, in Ran's case). Tsugumi giggled, awkwardly glancing away from them. "I don't know where to start, though. I'm kind of... new to this sort of thing."

"Fufufu!" The bassist stepped back, placing her hands on her hips. "Leave it to me! Out of everyone here, I think I have the most experience in charming!"

Tomoe chuckled. "Watching Kaoru-senpai flirt doesn't count."

Himari pouted, lightly punching the drummer's arm. "That's not what I meant!"

"I-it's okay, Himari-chan!" Tsugumi chimed in. While her Kaoru-related experiences wouldn't help, Himari was still the most social out of everyone in Afterglow. If there was anyone who knew how to handle a situation like this, it would be her. "...So what did you have in mind?"

Sayo waited outside of the station, her eyes on her phone.

"Sayo-san!"

She looked up and smiled as she recognized the voice. "S-sorry I'm late..."

The guitarist raised an eyebrow as Tsugumi approached her. It was an understandable reaction. Himari had insisted that the keyboardist use three different makeup sets to prepare for her "date." That wasn't all she suggested, though.

"Listen, Tsugu,"  the bassist's words from the other day echoed in her mind. Girls like "Sayo-san are like, super capable! They have this urge to protect other people and take care of them. That means you just need to make yourself someone she wants to protect. Do that, and she'll definitely fall in love with you!"

When asked how she'd be able to go about this, Himari pulled out one of her manga, to no one's surpise. "The protagonist here is peak shoujo material! Just act like her, and you'll be golden!"

And that was why Tsugumi spent most of the previous evening binge-reading Himari's manga like homework, trying her best to get the main girl's mannerisms down. And now? It was time to put her training to the test.

"T... the weather's nice... isn't it...?" She took on the softest, most whisper-y voice she could manage while giving Sayo a meek smile. She could practically feel the sparkles coming off of her as she fidgeted in place, her shoulders slumped, her shoes twiddling with each other. "I hope... I didn't... keep you long..."

Sayo shook her head. "Not at all. In fact, I only just arrived." she paused, her lips threatening to curl into a frown. "Are you... feeling alright?"

"I-I am. I was just... worried... today wouldn't go well..." Tsugumi reddened. "But now that you're here... I don't know... why I was so worried."

The guitarist stared at her before breaking out into a small chuckle. "Thank you. You have that calming effect on me as well, I suppose."

Tsugumi flinched. That wasn't what she was supposed to say. According to the manga, the love interest should have been reduced to a blushing mess after hearing the protagonist's declaration!

Then again, Sayo had just given her a compliment, so she was finding it really hard to stay annoyed.

"Shall we get going?"

"Y-yes..." Tsugumi furrowed her brow. Her first move may have failed, but there were still more manga panels to reenact. It would only be a matter of time until Sayo fell for her.

...Or at least, that was what she thought nearly an hour ago. The pair had gone through their usual routine during their outings: shopping for supplies, making small-talk, and eating at a nearby diner. And despite all of the keyboardist's efforts, she couldn't evoke a reaction from the other girl that was different from usual.

Eventually, as they exited the shopping mall to take a stroll in the nearby park, Tsugumi clenched her fists. Most of her ideas may have failed, but she wasn't done yet.

There was one last tactic she could use. The "end-all-be-all" as Himari called it. 

She would trip in front of Sayo, and as she fell, the guitarist would catch her in her arms. The scene played in her mind:

"Are you alright, Tsugumi?" Sayo would say.

"I-I am." Tsugumi would reply, blushing. "Sorry. I'll be more careful next time..."

"No, it's fine." She would smile. "I wouldn't mind... catching you again."

"S-Sayo..."

They would look at each other longingly until finally, their lips would lock, and credits would roll.

Himari insisted it was fool-proof.

Tsugumi let in a deep breath. Sayo was walking beside her. It was the perfect moment.

And so, she tripped.

"A-ah!"

She braced herself as she fell,

and fell,

and fell,

until-

THUD!

She faceplanted right onto the sidewalk. Only after her face met the cold concrete did she hear a gasp from the guitarist beside her.

"H-Hazawa-san?!" Sayo moved to her in an instant, propping her up from the ground. Her reflexes must have been terribly slow.

Tsugumi coughed away the dust that had passed through her lips as she sat upright, checking herself for any bruises. Fortunately, the only bruise she had was the bruise on her heart, realizing that she had just done something incredibly silly.

"You've been acting off ever since the station." She was mere inches from Tsugumi now. "Are you sure you aren't sick?" She placed a hand on her forehead and gasped. "I knew it. You're burning up."

Tsugumi whimpered as she felt the other girl's breath on her cheek. She desperately wanted to admit that she was burning up for a different reason.

The guitarist sighed. "I apologize for not noticing it sooner. Please allow me to walk you home."

The last thing the keyboardist wanted was to inconvenience her anymore than she already did, but before she could even blurt out a reply, the teal-haired girl had already pulled her to her feet, draping her arm over her shoulder and drawing her close.

"I hope you aren't uncomfortable?"

Oh this is nice. Tsugumi rapidly shook her head. Sayo gave her a small smile.

"Let's get going, then."

"Tsuguuu! I'm sorry!"

The next day, Afterglow had reconvened on the rooftop, with a flushed Tsugumi giving her friends a weak smile. Himari was close to tears as she took the keyboardist's hands. "Are you sure you're fine? You're not hurt, are you?!"

"I'm alright, Himari-chan. Really." She giggled. "But your plan didn't exactly work that well."

Tsugumi had a feeling her efforts made Sayo more anxious than charmed. It seemed like her friends thought the same, giving her and Himari slight nods in agreement. 

The bassist sighed, letting go of her friend. "I know, I know. Sorry again." She puffed up her cheeks. "This is still a problem, though! How is Tsugu supposed to charm Sayo-san now?!"

Silence. The others shared thoughtful glances before finally, Moca shrugged. "Tomo-chin. Any ideas?"

Tomoe started as everyone's eyes landed on her. "Huh? Why me?"

"You're basically Kaoru-senpai's successor. Shouldn't you know a thing or two about being charming?"

"I-I don't know about that..."

Moca was right, though. Since their senior had graduated, Tomoe had practically taken her place in fame, like a second prince of Haneoka. If there was anyone in Afterglow who could teach Tsugumi to be appealing, it was her.

"Tomoe-chan! Please!" The keyboardist was upon her. But then, she flinched, shrinking back. "O-only if you want to, I mean."

The redhead stared, dumbfounded. Then, she chuckled, crossing her arms. "Alright! If Tsugu's asking, then I can't just turn her down."

A wave of relief washed over Tsugumi. "Thank you, Tomoe-chan!"

"Don't mention it." There was a spark behind her eyes as she looked at her friend. She paused for a moment, thinking. "Now, I'm not an expert at this stuff, but if there's one things people like, it's when someone goes all-out!"

"'Go all-out...?'"

Tomoe grinned. "Yeah! Here, let me show you."

With a deep breath, Tsugumi entered the diner and scanned her surroundings. From the corner of her eye, she saw a teal figure waving at her. She turned towards it.

Sayo was sitting over at an empty booth at the edge of the diner. They realized that they had a bit of free time in their busy schedules, so the pair decided to have dinner together. The brunette headed over to their booth, smiling at the guitarist. Sayo smiled back.

However, as Tsugumi moved closer, the guitarist's lips turned into a confused frown. "Hazawa... san?"

Unlike her usual appearance, the keyboardist was wearing a spiked leather jacket and a pair of sunglasses. She sat across from Sayo, nodding at her. "'Sup, Sayo-san."

The teal-haired girl looked like she had just seen a ghost. Tsugumi was tempted to abandon this plan altogether, but before she could, Tomoe's words rang in her mind.

"You gotta be confident, Tsugu!" She waved a hand to the side. "If being the shy type didn't work, then you just gotta be the opposite: Cool, slick, and someone who doesn't hold back on anything! Like Seta-senpai!"

Tsugumi was seriously starting to reconsider on whether Kaoru was a standard they should be following. Still, she trusted her friends' advice more than anything. That was why she decided to dust off the leather jacket and glasses at the back of her closet and take them to the diner. She hadn't used the outfit since her first year, but luckily, it still fit her like a glove.

A mismatched, uncoordinated glove, but a glove nonetheless.

"You," Sayo stared at her, still not entirely sure that the person across her seat was Hazawa Coffee's barista. "You look... nice?"

Tsugumi grinned at her. "Thanks. You look good, too." If she had a toothpick, this would be the time she spat it out at her side. Unfortunately, she was lacking in toothpicks at the moment.

"So, how have you been?" She asked the guitarist, who looked dazed to the point of speechlessness. Did that mean Tomoe's plan was working? Or was Sayo just trying to wrap her head around how wrong this all felt.

Probably the second one. Tsugumi quietly sighed.

"Ah. I," Sayo cleared her throat, her mind returning from whatever pilgrimage it had come from. "I've been well. And you?"

The keyboardist shrugged, leaning backwards and spreading her arms to her sides so that they were resting on the back of her bench. She wanted to lift her legs onto the table, too, but she was not nearly as flexible as she thought she was. Wincing, she gave up on the task, simply folding one leg over the other.

"Me? Just dandy. Swell, even." Sayo's expression hadn't changed. Truly, Tsugumi wanted the earth to swallow her whole, but something spurred her on, telling her to see this through until the end. "Student council work, the cafe, and finals... I'm doing pretty good on all of them." 

She leaned her head forward, adjusting her glasses so that her eyes met Sayo's. "Nothing Tsugumi Hazawa can't handle."

Silence. Long, dreadful silence.

And then-

"Pfft."

Tsugumi had to do a double take. Did Sayo just laugh? No, her ears must have been deceiving her. Still, the slight smirk on the guitarist's face was enough to tell her that she didn't hallucinate it. Probably. "S-Sayo-san?"

"It's nothing," the teal-haired girl covered her smirk with one hand (Wait don't) "I... don't know why you're putting on this act, Hazawa-san, but,"

She could hear the smirk widen from her voice. "It's rather cute."

And then, Sayo seemed to register the words she had just said, and both her smile and hand disappeared from her face. "A... ah. Forgive me if that was rude."

Tsugumi's eyes widened. Sayo was blushing.

ohmygodtheplansworking????? She never should have doubted Tomoe for a second. She'd have to bake her savior a dozen cakes to thank her for letting her witness the best sight in the whole univer-

Wait. Wait, no. Backtrack to what Sayo said. She said she was cute. Tsugumi wasn't trying to be cute. She was trying to be cool. She wasn't getting her point across after all.

"Good evening. Can I take your orders?" A waitress approached their booth, reminding the keyboardist that they still hadn't eaten yet. She hurriedly scanned the menu on their table, unsure of what to order.

And then, an idea hit her.

"Yes. Can I have this please?" She pointed to an illustration of a large bowl of ramen on the back page of the menu.

The waitress nodded. "Got it. One serving of death-spice noodles. Anything else?"

Tsugumi wasn't good at handling spicy food, but if it could show Sayo just how tough she was... if it could show her how willing she was to go all-out, then it would be worth it. The guitarist herself gave the brunette a concerned look. "Hazawa-san, are you sure?"

The barista grinned at her, lowering her sunglasses yet again. "I told you, didn't I? It's nothing I can't handle."

At least, that was what she thought. Until their food came.

The bowl of noodles(?) that sat in front of Tsugumi seemed more like a mush of orange and red... stuff instead of a dish of pasta. And the scent. She could practically feel the spice brushing against her, with cartoonish heat lines spilling out from the bowl. It was like standing in front of an open oven when baking. Except this was a lot hotter. And considerably less safe.

"Again," Sayo's expression had grown from concerned to downright worried. "You don't have to."

Tsugumi simply smiled. The guitarist's sweet expression had only increased her motivation.

"Don't worry, Sayo-san! I got this!" With a quick huff, she took her chopsticks and began eating.

She blanked out almost immediately.

Tsugumi didn't know how much of the dish she was able to finish. She stopped thinking after the first bite, and she remained semi-conscious for what seemed like an eternity afterwards.

And then, with a gasp, her senses returned to her. Her throat was burning, her head was pounding, and her eyes were watery, but other than that, she seemed fine. Alive, at least.

"Ah, you're awake."

Sayo's head appeared in her vision, looking down at her.

"Sayo... san?" Tsugumi's voice was sore. "What... happened...?"

The guitarist sighed. "You passed out halfway through eating. I brought you outside to get some fresh air." Before the brunette could ask, she added, "Not to worry. I already paid for our meals. I called your friends as well. They should be here shortly."

So that was what happened. Tsugumi felt guilt creep up her spine as she processed the girl's words. She was being an inconvenience yet again. 

"I'm sorry." The apology was a whisper, unheard by everyone but herself.

Embarrassed, she drew her eyes away from Sayo. As she looked around, it began to dawn on her that they were in the park near the diner. The place looked serene, covered in an orange glow thanks to the sunset. The sight was especially relaxing to Tsugumi, who had just realized that she was lying on one of the park's benches, with her head resting on... on...

...on Sayo's lap.

That explained why the guitarist's head was above her.

"Hazawa-san?" The lap's owner seemed to catch Tsugumi's surprised face. She coughed, awkwardly looking to the side. "Again, I apologize. This was the best I could do. I hope it isn't too rough?"

The barista shook her head as she moved to meet her gaze. "I-it isn't." Then, with a weak smile, she said, "And really, I should be the one apologizing. Sorry for dragging you into... all of this."

Sayo sighed. "Yes, I'm still curious. What in the world prompted you to act like that?"

There was a pause. Then, Tsugumi shrugged, her smile widening slightly. "Just a stupid idea of mine. I'm over it now, though."

The other girl raised an eyebrow before slowly nodding. "I'm... glad to hear it?"

The keyboardist giggled at her confusion. To be honest, this whole situation was absurd. But as the evening breeze brushed through her, and the soft orange light of the park settled on her features, 

She didn't mind staying like this just a little while longer.

"Okay, that was my bad." Tomoe scratched her head, a deep frown cutting through her face. "Sorry, Tsugu."

Another day, another strategy meeting. In the midst of it all, Ran let out a tired breath. "Are you two trying to kill Tsugumi?" She glowered at the drummer and bassist, who shrank at her gaze.

"B-but!" Himari regained her energy briefly. "That last date ended pretty good, didn't it?"

"Hii-chan, Tsugu looked like a zombie when we found her." Moca shook her head. "I don't think that counts as 'pretty good.'"

"W-well..." Tsugumi spoke up, her voice still slightly hoarse from her previous stunt. "It's true that me and Sayo-san became close." She shrugged, giving them a tired smile. "...But yes, I'd rather not do that again."

The rest of the group quietly glanced at each other, unsure on what to do next.

"Then I guess it's time for the great Moca-chan to step in."

Moca grinned, placing her hands on her hips. Tomoe and Himari looked at her, worried. Ran scowled. "Moca, I swear if this is another one of your pranks-"

"Me? Prank?" She looked to the vocalist, offended. "My dear Ran, how rude of you to think that I'd kick Tsugu while she's down." Her friend's stare hardened, and Moca dropped her exaggerated swagger. "...I promise it's not a prank."

Ran narrowed her eyes at her before finally sighing. "Fine. Go ahead."

With a smile, Moca turned to the brunette.

In all honesty, Tsugumi was slightly concerned. But then again, Moca was probably the smartest one in their group. She was enough of an expert on emotions that she could pick up whenever her friends were having a bad day, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. Surely that counted for something, right?

"Alright, Tsugu. Here's the plan."

Business was slow for Hazawa Coffee. As the evening set in, customers began emptying out of the homely cafe, the hustle-and-bustle transforming into a peaceful quiet broken only by the sounds of clinking plates and running water from the kitchen. The staff began to tidy up, and the last few regulars slowly finished their drinks, still unwilling to leave the shop's cozy air. Unsurprisingly, one such regular was-

"Sayo-san!"

Tsugumi hurried over to the teal-haired customer, who smiled at her approach. "Hazawa-san. Good afternoon."

It wasn't long before the two struck up a conversation. It had been a few days since the noodle incident, but they were already back to their familiar rhythm. It felt all the more comforting, having such a constant in her life when everything else seemed to be ever-changing.

However, now was not the time to be distracted. She had a plan to follow. "Actually, Sayo-san. Can I give you something?"

Sayo raised an eyebrow. "Of course. What is it?"

Tsugumi pumped her hands in front of her. "Wait here. I'll get it from the kitchen."

Immediately, the barista departed, heading to the back of the cafe.

As she did, she recalled Moca's words in her head.

"There's no better way to charm someone than by showing them how much you care." Moca began. "So, my dear Tsugu, I suggest that you do that with Sayo."

When Tsugumi asked what she could do, Moca shrugged, as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. "Food. Give her food as a gift." Then, she gave her usual laidback smile. "After all, the way to someone's heart is through their stomach, right?

"Do that, and you'll have her confessing in no time~."

"Here it is, Sayo-san!"

Sayo smiled, turning to the barista's voice. "Ah, Hazawa-san. What was that it that you wanted... to..."

She trailed off as Tsugumi set down a large, double-layered cake on her table. She looked between it and the keyboardist, who had the widest of grins on her face. "This... this is...?"

"I, uh" the brunette scratched her cheek, which she was sure was red. "I wanted you to have this. As a gift."

The pair looked at the titanic piece of baked goods towering between them. It was a vanilla cake, the surface as white as snow. Teal-colored frosting lined its edges, and various little doodles were spread throughout the cake. The doodles seemed to depict various things, with fries and dogs and guitars being among them.

All the things Sayo-san likes. Tsugumi thought, with a small smile.

Sayo, on the other hand, was still incredulous. In a daze, she mumbled, "I don't believe I've done anything to deserve this."

"I disagree." The barista giggled, clasping her hands together. "You're always taking care of me whenever we have an outing. And I enjoy our time together. Take this as a token of my appreciation!"

Again, the guitarist wanted to protest, but she stopped herself as Tsugumi stared at her, insistent. "V... very well. Thank you, Hazawa-san." Resigned, she sighed and smiled back. "I'm certain it will be delicious. May I share it with my family?"

"Of course! It's your cake, after all."

As they exchanged pleasantries, the brunette packed the cake in a box for easier carrying. Then, with a huff, Sayo lifted it, wincing slightly at the heaviness of the container. "I should be going now. Good evening, Hazawa-san."

They bid each other goodbye as Sayo awkwardly shimmied through the door with the gigantic package in her hands. Tsugumi felt bad having her carry such a weight, but the size of the cake was necessary to show how much she really cared about the guitarist.

But that was beside the point. As the last customer finally left the cafe, Tsugumi leapt for joy. The plan was a success! She was able to give her gift to Sayo without anything different happening!

...

...

...

Wait nothing different happened.

No blushing. No confession. No outright declaration of love. Not a single sign that Sayo was charmed by her.

Everything was the same as usual.

...

Tsugumi facepalmed.

Everyone but Tsugumi looked to Moca with varying levels of disappointment. In response, the guitarist raised her hands in the air. "To be fair, that would've worked on me."

"You aren't Sayo-san, though!" Tomoe groaned.

"No, I'm with Moca." Himari shrugged. "If someone got me a gift like that, I'd marry her on the spot."

"That doesn't change the fact that it didn't work." Ran chimed in with a sigh.

Her words were enough to put a damper on everyone's spirits, the others sharing downcast glances with each other.

"Well, 'guess the plan failed." Moca showed a remorseful smile. "Sorry, Tsugu. 'Looks like Moca-chan isn't good at this stuff, either."

Tsugumi simply shook her head. "I-it's fine! I still appreciate your help. All of you." She then smiled awkwardly. "But really... I think this is enough. Shouldn't we be talking about our next live? It's only a few days away, right?"

Himari gasped. "Shoot, I almost forgot!" she pulled out her phone, scrambling to pull up the details of the event "Still, this isn't over, Tsugu! I promise, we're getting the two of you together!"

The keyboardist giggled, her grin turning genuine. She was grateful for her friends' kindness, even in matters where they really didn't know what they were doing.

"There it is!" The bassist exclaimed, finally finding the event details and showing it to the rest of the group. "Here's the venue, and..."

Slowly, Afterglow's focus moved on to other matters. It was what the brunette wanted. They didn't need to be focusing on her love life at the moment, as much as Tsugumi really wanted to get that ball rolling.

No, they were a band, first and foremost. She could deal with her own problems some other time.

Or at least, that was what she told herself. Unfortunately, her thoughts kept drifting towards Sayo for the rest of the strategy meeting. Before she knew it, she was walking home, her mind not remembering a single thing her friends said on the rooftop.

Tsugumi sighed. The others had done their best to help her, but even with their advice, she couldn't steal the guitarist's heart. She'd done nothing but inconvenience them (and Sayo, too) because of her own inadequacy.

"What should I do now?" She muttered to herself.

"Tsugumi."

The keyboardist started and turned around. Immediately, she was met with a familiar face, one that was looking at her with concern. "Ran-chan?"

Ran glanced to the side. "Can I... talk to you for a second?"

Tsugumi raised an eyebrow. "Sure. What is it?"

Ran didn't answer immediately. Instead, the vocalist led her to a bench in the nearby park. She sat down on one end. After a moment of pause, the keyboardist sat down next to her. They were silent for a while, simply enjoying each other's company as they stared at their warmly-tinted surroundings. It was the calmest moment the brunette had had in a while.

"About Sayo-san," Ran finally spoke, her eyes still wandering in the afterglow. "I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Tsugumi sighed. If Ran of all people wanted to confront her about it, then she had no reason to deny her feelings any longer. "I... I still don't know what to do." She shook her head. "All of our attempts haven't gotten me anywhere."

"Would you even be happy if they did?"

Tsugumi finally turned to the vocalist. "What?"

"If, uh..." Ran paused, her brow scrunched-up as she tried to find the words to say. "If Sayo-san fell in love with you on those dates, then... she would've fallen in love with a fake." She nodded to herself. "She would've been charmed by a Tsugumi who was only pretending to be cute or cool. Not the real Tsugumi. Would you like that?"

The brunette's eyes widened. Now that Ran had mentioned it, she wouldn't have been satisfied with such an outcome. She lowered her gaze to the ground. "What am I supposed to do then?"

"I don't know, but you should probably just do your own thing" Ran shrugged. "I mean, we don't even know Sayo-san that well. Why'd you think our advice was any good?"

"T-that's-"

"Tsugumi." Finally, their eyes met. "We aren't the ones close with her. That's all you."

Then, with a smirk, "And to be honest? I think you're a hell of a lot more charming than the rest of us, anyways."

Ran's words rang out in her ears, reaching into the depths of her soul in spite of all of her fears and insecurities.

Was it really fine for her to just... be herself? Over the years, she thought she had gotten more confident, but when it came to Sayo-san...

Would the guitarist really fall in love with someone like her?

She was still worried. Still anxious that things would go wrong. But as Ran stared at her with her fiery eyes, the same eyes that always spurred Afterglow on, the same eyes that gave them  the confidence to keep pushing forward into the unknown,

Tsugumi thought that maybe... everything would turn out fine.

"Thank you for having me, Hazawa-san."

It was an afternoon like any other. Tsugumi smiled then stepped back, letting Sayo into her house's kitchen. "No, I should be thanking you. I texted you on pretty short-notice."

"Nonsense." The guitarist smiled at her. "It's always a privilege to try your new recipes. I'm grateful you thought of me."

The barista giggled. She was sure her cheeks were red, but she didn't care at this point. With a huff, she finished tying her apron. Sayo was the same, having donned on her own outfit and tied her hair up in a ponytail.

"That being said, I don't recall you mentioning what we'd be baking."

"It's macarons!" Tsugumi chirped as she readied their ingredients on the counter. "I came up with a new idea for the meringue. Is that fine?"

"Certainly." Sayo nodded. "The last batch we made was delicious, so I'm looking forward it."

Before long, the two of them fell into that easygoing back-and-forth that they were familiar with. Their conversation topics wandered endlessly, from their bands to their schoolwork to all the little things in between that they could recall, as if they were saving them just for this chat.

That relaxing air between them, that peace that Tsugumi always felt whenever she was with the guitarist... she wished she could put it all in her own bubble of eternity so that she could cherish it for the rest of her life.

"...and they managed to get it done." The barista chuckled, recounting an experience she had with the rest of the student council. "Honestly, they're all just so... capable. Sometimes I wonder if they even need me."

"They do." Sayo replied, matter-of-factly. "I'm sure they can only work so well because they know you're watching over them."

"You're just saying that, Sayo-san."

"I'm simply stating the truth. You put yourself down too much."

"I don't-" Tsugumi paused. She felt like this wasn't the first time they shared this conversation. With a shake of her head, she gave Sayo an awkward smile. "...Maybe I do."

"Well, at least you admit-" The guitarist was cut off as she turned on her hand mixer, making the contents of her bowl splatter onto her face.

"S-Sayo-san!" Tsugumi immediately dropped what she was doing and ran to her. Immediately, the guitarist turned off the mixer and turned to the brunette.

"F... forgive me, Hazawa-san." She frowned. "It's been some time since I've used a mixer."

The keyboardist couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

"H-Hazawa-san?"

"Oh, it's nothing." She hid her smile behind her hand. "It's just... you look like you have a mustache, Sayo-san."

True enough, the batter that had splattered onto Sayo's face had formed a creamy, almost-perfectly-shaped mustache above her upper lip. The guitarist looked at her reflection in the counter and nodded slightly. "Yes, the resemblance is uncanny." Then, she turned back to the barista. "But that's beside the point. I'm sorry for ruining the recipe."

"You didn't ruin anything!" Tsugumi was quick to reply "Only a little bit of the batter spilled out, right? We should be good to keep going."

"I see." Sayo looked back to the bowl. "Then would it be fine for you to continue with mixing? I'm afraid I'll make another mistake if I do so again."

"You worry too much, Sayo-san." The brunette pumped her hands in front of her. "I'm sure you can do it!"

"S-still..."

The teal-haired girl's anxious look remained. Tsugumi hummed. "Want me to teach you then?"

Before waiting for a reply, she closed the distance between them, taking Sayo's hand with the mixer and pointing it over the bowl of batter. She felt the guitarist gasp at the sudden physical contact. She was thankful Sayo couldn't see how much she was blushing at the moment.

"You need to start out with the lowest speed and turn it up from there." With her thumb over Sayo's, she flicked the mixer's switch on at the correct setting. As she did, she slowly pushed it into the bowl, letting it blend the ingredients together. "Then, just stir it slowly while adjusting the speed." She moved the mixer in a circular motion. Sayo seemed to regain her composure, stirring alongside her.

Minutes passed as the two remained in place, hand-in-hand. Before long, the batter was done, as smooth as ever.

"There! It wasn't so bad, right?"

"I... suppose so," The two of them finally moved apart, and Sayo smiled at their hard work. "Thank you, Hazawa-san."

Again, Tsugumi couldn't help but stifle a laugh. Only now did the guitarist realize that she was still wearing a mustache.

"My apologies," Sayo said with a sigh. In one swift motion, she brushed away the cream on her upper lip.

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you missed a spot." She leaned in closer and wiped the remaining mess off of Sayo's face with her thumb.

She froze, only now noticing that her hand was on Sayo's cheek.

"S-sorry," she recoiled almost immediately, her own cheeks warming.

"N... no. I don't mind," Sayo said, awkwardly glancing to the side.

Tsugumi wasn't sure if it was because of the lighting, but the other girl looked a little... red? She shook her head. She was probably just being hopeful. "Let's keep going?"

It didn't take them long to get through the rest of the recipe. The guitarist looked like she was struggling with some of the steps, but Tsugumi was always there to help her when she faltered. Before they knew it, the batter was done and in the oven. All that was left was to wait for the macaron cookies to finish.

"Again, I... apologize, Hazawa-san." The two stood side-by-side as they watched their handicraft intently. Sayo sighed. "You chose to invite me, yet I wasn't of much assistance."

"No, don't worry about it!" Tsugumi shook her head. "Even if things didn't go well, I still appreciate your company."

The guitarist's brow furrowed. "Even so, I wonder if you would have finished this batch earlier if I wasn't here."

"Sayo-san," The brunette puffed up her cheeks in a pout. "Didn't you just tell me to stop putting myself down? Maybe you should follow your own advice."

"I-" Sayo stared at her for a moment before breaking out into a shy smirk. "...Yes, perhaps I should."

Tsugumi giggled. "Right. And besides, you were a big help." She looked back to the oven. "I don't think I would've taken this seriously if you weren't here."

The other girl raised an eyebrow. "Do I really have such an impact?"

"I guess so," Tsugumi couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Honestly, whenever I'm with you, I want to put my best foot forward. It's always inspiring to see you work so hard when you're struggling with something. Even before I fell in love with you, it was a part of you I really admired.

"Like, during the cafe's first cooking class when you were still new to this, you were trying your best to make your cookies perfect. It was just really sweet and... and..."

Only now did Tsugumi realize her own words.

She wanted to believe she misheard herself, but as she turned back towards the guitarist, she saw Sayo staring at her, like a deer in headlights.

The brunette wanted nothing more than to run. As her face warmed and her heart beat in her ear, she thought the pressure of it all would consume her.

Then, Ran's words echoed in her mind.

She closed her eyes, breathed in, and stepped back.

"Sayo-san I," A pause. "...I wasn't lying about what I said the other day." Her thoughts spilled out like water. "I really enjoy the moments we spend together.

"A lot of the time, I feel like I'm not enough. Like I'm just someone plain or uninteresting compared to everyone else. Like I need to work extra hard just to be half as exceptional as the people around me.

"But... when I'm with you," She felt her chest tighten. "All those doubts just... melt away. You make me feel like... I am enough. Like all of my hard work actually means something. Like I'm just as good as everyone else. So that's why...

"I love you, Sayo-san." No other words felt more perfect to say. "And thank you. For making me into a better version of myself."

Silence.

Tsugumi couldn't bring herself to look at Sayo. 

Then, as she felt the seconds lengthen, she muttered, "B-but I'm not asking you to say anything." She fidgeted with her thumbs. "Even if you don't like me back, we can still be friends! I-I wouldn't mind, and-"

"H-Hazawa-san." The guitarist's voice cut through her ramblings. The keyboardist couldn't help but open her eyes.

Her gaze met Sayo's. The other girl was blushing.

"I-I suppose we're the same."

Tsugumi caught her breath. The guitarist continued, "I... cherish your company, too."

A pause. Sayo's eyes turned distant. "I'm... not proud of who I was a few years ago. I was always looking down on myself, lashing out on others and working tirelessly to try and be better. I pushed Hina away. I avoided everyone who truly cared for me. And I hated myself for it.

"But now? I feel as if I've moved past those terrible days. I'm on good terms with Hina again. I can truly enjoy own sound without comparing it to anyone else's,

"And I think I owe that to you."

Tsugumi felt her eyes sting.

"You say I've changed you for the better. If so, then I believe you've done the same for me. Which is why...

Sayo smiled at her. "I love you too, Hazawa-san." Her face was as warm as the early evening glow.

Tsugumi couldn't hold back her tears any longer. "Sayo-san...!"

And before she knew it, she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around the guitarist and pressing her lips against hers.

It was a strange sensation, dull but unbelievably filling. Emotions spilled out of her, feelings she didn't know she had been suppressing. It was as if she had finally become whole after living her life without her other half. With Sayo, she felt complete. With her, everything else seemed trivial.

She pulled away moments later, realizing what she had just done. "I-I'm sorry! I should've asked you first."

"I... it's fine." Sayo grasped tighter her hand, her face in a daze. "I-in fact, I found that quite pleasant, Haza-... Tsugumi-san."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Tsugumi kissed her again.

Once more, the world seemed to fade away from them. As her tears dried on her cheeks, as her lips continued to pour out the never ending warmth in her chest, she realized:

Ran was right.

All she needed to do was be herself.