Chapter Text
"And finally, first place in the New York State Science and Engineering Fair goes to Rui Kamishiro and Mizuki Akiyama from Kamiyama High School in Queens! Their joint invention of a fully autonomous robot will greatly..."
Any words after that became white noise to Mizuki, who could hardly contain her own excitement upon hearing their first place win, even as she stood alongside many of the other amazing finalists in the competition. She simply could not believe what she was hearing. First place?! She was practically vibrating with energy as she turned to her best friend Rui. She eyed his smug side-eyed look, raising an eyebrow in skepticism. That broke Rui, who was now grinning ear-to-ear.
"Hah, Rui! You can try to be nonchalant, but I know how much this means to you!" Mizuki whisper-shouted through the rapturous applause of the audience, prodding her friend with her elbow. The two had been close since middle school, bonding over their shared love for the sciences, their shared disdain for school in general, and most importantly, their shared struggle of being an outcast. All through the years, they've stuck close together. Partially because they would have had no one else, partially because this is just how they were. Inseparable.
Rui could only shrug, smiling. He straightened his posture as the bearers of gifts approached with a trophy. Mizuki reacted slower, straightening herself with wide eyes as the pair took on the huge award. It really was a big trophy, and Mizuki began to wonder where it would even go. Either of their homes, maybe, or somewhere in the school? They posed for a quick photo, and Mizuki pored her eyes over the golden prize. Engraved on a plaque on the front were their names, 'Rui Kamishiro & Mizuki Akiyama'.
She felt giddy. Even though it was the work of them both, it was also mostly Rui's achievement. This was something he had been working towards for years, ever since they entered high school actually. She couldn't help but feel proud in a way she found hard to describe. Either way, she was glad to have been one part of Rui's engineering journey.
"Once again, a round of applause to Rui and Mizuki, as well as to everyone who participated in the fair! We hope to see you all returning next year. Have a good evening!" The announcing voice boomed over the speakers. But before the announcer even finished speaking, there was a voice heard above all the other noises of the venue.
"I think I can hear your boyfriend, Rui," Mizuki said with a teasing lilt.
Rui could only snort in indignation, turning his face away from her. Probably to hide the blush across his face. "He is not my boyfriend."
"He is holding a bouquet of roses for you, bro."
"That means absolutely nothing."
"He is actively blowing you kisses."
"He's just into theatrics! You know Tsukasa." Rui is already walking away and off the stage to join his not-boyfriend, wielding his trophy for exactly what it is.
Mizuki sighed. Off he goes. Rui might be the densest person she knows, and it would not surprise her if, in Tsukasa's eyes, their one-year anniversary was coming up next week. She runs off to join the two, unfortunately doomed to third-wheel.
The drive back to the city was anything but quiet. Could that even be possible in a car with the three of them? It's not as if she wasn't to blame, either. She was singing just as loudly and enthusiastically as the other two as the songs varied between show tunes, white girl pop, Tsukasa's newest obsession, that being an indie band Vivid Bad Squad, and whatever else they had.
After about an hour of driving, their singing (screaming?) had finally subsided. Tsukasa and Rui sat up front, talking about both everything and nothing at the same time. Mizuki sat back, scrolling on her phone absentmindedly. At this point, all she could wish for is to be back in the comfort of her room. Maybe collapsing onto her soft mattress. There was no way she was going to school tomorrow. Whatever celebration they had planned for her and Rui could wait. A message pinged onto the top of her screen, and she nearly dropped her phone in surprise.
[7:02 PM] enanan!: i heard you guys won first place! im so happy for you! when will you be back in school?
Mizuki was a little baffled. They've talked a little in class, but only so much where she would consider them acquaintances. However much she wanted them to be closer, she always had trouble with that part. Ena was just so cool and popular and pretty and—it made her hard to approach. She found it strange how Ena was actually wanting to message her this time. Maybe its something school related? She was just glad that her read receipts were off. She sat quietly, typing and deleting and retyping a message, until she hastily wrote something and sent it off without looking.
[7:06 PM] Mizuki: oh tysm !!! im probasbly skippign tmrw,
The response came surprisingly quick.
[7:06 PM] enanan!: oh okay! i was asking because mr. parker just assigned us a group historical research project. can you pair with me?
So she was right, it was just about school. Obviously. There was no other reason for Ena to be interested. Mizuki sighed loudly and dramatically, draping a hand over her forehead and slumping down in her seat.
Rui glanced over to her in the rearview mirror, his conversation with Tsukasa briefly stopped.
"Mizuki, what is it?"
"Oh, woe is me!" She slumped even more dramatically, somehow. "For I have no secret admirer! It was all a farce..."
"Is this about Ena again?" Rui rolled his eyes, turning back towards the road.
"You should just tell her you want to be friends!" Tsukasa roared, turning to face Mizuki with a grin plastered across his face.
"You don't understand, Tsukasa!" She whined, dragging the words out. "Why would she ever want to be friends with me?!" If she knew anything about her, she'd be right to avoid her.
"You're such an idiot, Mizuki!" Rui groaned, "And you call me dense. Do you not see how often she tries to talk to you? It's not her fault you always run away when she approaches!"
Mizuki only rolled her eyes, her dramatics done with. A group project would probably be fun...
[7:09 PM] Mizuki: oh ofc ! we can tallk all about it,, when im back lol
The response took a little longer than this time. It stressed her out.
[7:14 PM] enanan!: cool! if you'd like, we can plan it at my house after school? or whenever
Now it was Mizuki's turn to freak out, again.
"Her house?!"
"What?" Rui's tone was slightly amused. "Did she invite you over? And what did I say?"
"She asked to plan our group project at her house!" Mizuki was unprepared. How was she supposed to react when someone she admires so close invites her to her house? Especially when she seems to have been specifically avoiding this person constantly any chance she could get at school. It's not as if she wanted to, but it was just for the best.
"Why are you so deep in thought? It's not as if you can say no," Rui replied thoughtfully.
"Right!" Tsukasa said, a little too loud. Rui smiled towards him. His input was always appreciated.
"Yeah, you're right. It'd be way worse to say no... She'd probably hate me." Mizuki mulled over it before turning her phone back on, it having fallen asleep.
"Hey, that's not what I meant."
[7:17 PM] Mizuki: yeah sure! just lmk when :3 :)
She sat, retyping the message over and over. Before she sent it, she exchanged the “:3” emoticon for a normal smiley face. Maybe that’d be less weird? As if Mizuki can be any less weird.
[7:18 PM] enanan!: alrite!! see you at school soon :)
Mizuki sighed in relief, now that that stressful situation was over. But instead of feeling relieved, Mizuki’s stress was replaced with an impending dread. Her, Mizuki Akiyama, with all the secrets and lies she kept to herself, was supposed to go to Ena’s house. Yes, for a school project, but going over nonetheless. What would Ena think if she knew? If she knew all the lies and falsehoods that Mizuki portrayed herself as?
She wasn’t born a girl. And even though she had transitioned during middle school, and that she practically lived fully stealth, she always worried. The thought lingered in the back of her mind constantly. What if they found out? What you really are? Everything she had made for herself at this new school would be gone. Lost. Mizuki looked out the window in desperation for an escape.
“Can we stop over there for something? I’m getting hungry.” Mizuki nodded towards the nearest fast food franchise. Something red. She didn't care what it was, exactly.
“Of course.” Rui turned on his blinker and turned into the drive thru. At least, whatever happened, Rui would be there. That seemed to be Mizuki’s only consolation.
Rui had ordered a plain burger with fries for himself (careful to ensure that they put not a single vegetable on it), a bacon cheeseburger for Tsukasa, and finally fries and a vanilla milkshake for Mizuki. Rui parked the car in a spot and they sat, listening to music and much too concerned with their hunger to worry about talking. Mizuki sat contentedly, alternating between munching on her fries and sipping her milkshake. She liked the contrast between the warm salty flavor of the fries and the cold sweet one of the milkshake. An earsplitting scream from Tsukasa took her right out of her thoughts, nearly taking her heart out of her chest with it.
"Ahh! I got sauce on my shirt!" He looked around frantically, his eyes darting between searching for a napkin and the glob of sauce slowly dribbling down the front of his top. Rui looked complex. Maybe because he was falling in love... Surely. Mizuki began rummaging around the backseats for a napkin of some kind.
"Tsukasa! I hope that's your only death scare tonight," she said, checking the back pockets of the seats in front of her. "I'm not sure I would survive another one of those, you'd give me a heart attack! Maybe—"
She cut herself off with a sharp intake of breath and a wince. Pulling her hand out, her fingertip was bleeding and pulsing. It felt warm. "Rui! What kind of pins and nails and whatever other kind of engineering weaponry do you have stashed in here?!" She started blowing on her finger, as if that was going to help with anything. One could hope?
"Ah, sorry! Here," he paused, opening his glovebox, a plethora of other items falling out onto Tsukasa's feet and lap, Rui's ears deaf to his outcries. He takes out a first-aid kit, turning to face Mizuki with an opened band-aid. She offered her hand to him as he gingerly placed it on her fingertip. Tsukasa grabbed a napkin from the inventory in front of him, triumphantly wiping off the sauce.
"Thank you, Rui," she said, sighing. "But you really shouldn't just toss all your dangerous equipment everywhere! Imagine if I touched a bomb instead, how my finger would be then! Much less the car." She wagged a finger at him in jest, the playful glint in her eyes breaking her scolding persona.
"Why would I have a bomb?" His tone was mildly defensive.
"Why wouldn't you?"
Rui opened his mouth to reply, only to shut it a moment later. The silent response was nearly deafening.
"But you would, Rui!" Tsukasa boomed, answering on his behalf. "Remember the time you tried to bring pyrotechnics to the school talent show and they had to evacuate the entire school and call the bomb squad and—"
Mizuki's own laughter echoed through the car as Tsukasa continued to list all of Rui's recent explosive mishaps. Rui sat flustered, unable to defend himself, as they returned to the road.
By the time they got back to Rui's house, it was nearly midnight. It was a modest brownstone with a tree and a flowerbed out front, both slightly overgrown as if the last time they've been trimmed was months ago. The sidewalk connected directly to the front stoop, up a short staircase, which itself was in need of a powerwashing. The street was silent except for them. Tsukasa exited the car, his mouth extending in what was probably the largest yawn ever, if only it weren't immediately followed by Mizuki's own.
"You both look absolutely exhausted. The faster we get RoboNene inside, the sooner we all can sleep, yes?" Rui exclaimed excitedly, masking his own obvious exhaustion. Tsukasa responded with... some sort of enthusiastic sound. It sounded like a "yes," at the least. The pair of them moved to the trunk, opening it and jointly carrying RoboNene inside.
Mizuki, after ensuring they had it handled ("Are you sure you two have it?"), grabbed a large prop to take inside. Again, she feels a pinch on her finger. She dropped the prop hastily, ready to berate Rui again when he returned. It escaped her how every single thing in his car seemed to be a hazard. Looking back to the prop, she wasn't alone.
A small spider, no larger than a penny, had scurried out from beneath the prop. Its movements felt heavy and clunky. It was oddly colored, almost unnatural looking. Reds and blues and oranges and purples coated its exoskeleton as if someone threw paint at a blank canvas. It would've been really beautiful, if it wasn't being a little menace.
Mizuki jumped backwards, pointing accusatorily at the itsy bitsy spider, or rather where it was before it scurried away into the depths of the trunk. "Aha! It was you! You bit me!" She sounded hurt, as if the spider's actions were a personal affront to her. How dare it bite her! Was that twice then? She'd have to apologize to Rui for accusing him of being careless. Even if he really probably was. She grabbed the prop again, careful this time to make sure the spider truly was gone, and headed inside.
She placed the prop gently on the ground next to RoboNene in Rui's messy room amidst the various mechanical parts littering the floor. Tsukasa was already fast asleep in Rui's bed, looking peaceful. The blanket was neat, obvious he were tucked in with care. She giggled a little to herself, imagining Rui setting him down into his bed and tucking him in. Rui nudged her out of her thoughts, nodding back towards the door. She followed him back outside to grab a few more of the props left in the car.
"Hey, Rui?" Mizuki began tiredly. "Sorry for accusing you of being careless with your equipment in the car. I think it was actually a spider that bit me!" She laughed lightly.
Rui chuckled along, though she felt as if it was more serious than it should've been. Rui looked tired, his expression otherwise incomprehensible. Maybe he was the one who needed to be tucked in instead. She looked up at the sky, a few stars peaking through the light pollution of the city. The moon shone as brightly as ever.
"Mizuki," Rui said, handing her a long wiggly prop which looked somewhat like an arm. "Thank you for helping me accomplish this. I know I neglected to mention it back at the fair, but I couldn't have done it without you." He closed the trunk, the last prop tucked underneath his arm. "I really mean it." He smiled warmly.
"Oh!" Mizuki said, startled at his sudden appreciation, "Well, thank you. You're my best friend and I'm glad I could've been a part of this, for you. I don't know where I'd be without you, honestly!" She returned the smile, genuine. She was glad Rui was there for her, and that she was there for him. At least, whatever happened, she knew that would remain.
They returned inside, parting ways. Rui went upstairs to his room and Mizuki wandered towards a couch in the small, cozy living room. She hardly had time to lay and think before she too fell asleep.