Chapter Text
She wakes up before the sun.
The house is eerily silent, but that’s no surprise considering it’s the early hours of the morning. The staff are deeply asleep, and if her observations from the last few days are correct, the earliest riser wouldn’t be awake for another hour or two. Better yet, the maid that was usually in charge of waking her wouldn’t come to her room until the sun was already well into the sky.
Theoretically speaking, she had enough time to make her escape.
A part of her feels guilty: there’s no doubt that she has everything she could possibly ask for, and if she didn’t already have it, then it wouldn’t take much time or resources to acquire it. But what she wants isn’t anything material or tangible. No, it’s something grander, something that she has to reach out and grasp with her own two hands.
She wants adventure. She wants freedom. She wants to see the world.
…the world might be a stretch. Really, she was just going out into the city to look at what was there, to see all the sights that she was normally prohibited from experiencing. Staring at the bustling streets filled with colorful decorations and people through a car window wasn’t enough anymore. No, she needed to actually be there, to live like one of the common folk, to know what life was outside of her stuffy high school and isolated house.
After she packs her bag with the essentials, she hastily scribbles a note on her desk, hoping that the staff will find it before they panic:
Going out for a little bit! Be back by supper.
Love,
Mumei
Tying her long, brown hair into a ponytail with her tote bag slung on her shoulder, Nanashi Mumei sets off with a wide smile on her face.
-
“Thanks for your hard work!” the shift lead of the store yells out as a tall, blue haired teenager hurriedly takes off her apron. She watches with a small smile as the girl crams the cloth in her bag, switching it out for a silver pair of headphones. The youth (though admittedly not much younger than her) waves noncommittally, searching underneath the register for her last belonging.
“Thanks for letting me come in,” the teen responds as she finally snags what she was looking for. With a triumphant look in her eye, she holds a skateboard in the air, her lips twitching upwards as she lets the shift lead take a peek.
The older woman takes note of it with awe. The most prominent decoration on the bottom of the deck was a silver snake on a navy blue background, meticulously and intricately carved. Silver in color with golden eyes, the bottom of the board showed the snake beginning to eat its tail. The inner circle had roman numerals adorning its circumference, the serpent’s body serving as a frame for a clock.
“Nice board,” the shift lead comments. The teen finally smiles at the compliment, two small fangs poking out of her mouth as she does. “The snake’s called ‘ouroboros’, right? Like your name?”
The younger girl nods, hoisting her backpack on as finally she prepares to leave.
“Man Kronii, you really don’t like talking, huh?” the older worker mutters, though not without a fond look.
A shrug. “Don’t really see the need to.”
“How will you ever make friends?”
“Kiara, you’ve seen my schedule. Do you really think I have time for friends?”
“Are we not friends?” The older woman throws a scalding look, but Kronii remains unfazed. Instead, she scrunches up her face as if she had smelled something putrid, brows furrowed as she takes a moment to think. “Kronii, you’re hurting my feelings here.”
“I mean…I guess?"
Before Kiara could respond, Kronii takes the opportunity to bolt for the door, throwing a hand up in a lazy wave as she finally says farewell.
“Oh, that girl,” Kiara sighs as she watches the blue haired teen push off, rolling down the street with her headphones on. “Two jobs, cram school, and in her last year of high school? She’s doing way too much.”
The supervisor clasps the counter, thoughts preoccupied with her coworker. As a customer walks in through the door, she gives a warm greeting and prepares herself to continue with the day. Yet as she takes their order and begins preparing their drink, she can’t help but continue to hope that Kronii catches a break one day.
-
“Shoot,” Kronii mutters as she glances down briefly at her phone, eyes occasionally darting back up as she continues to skate down the street.
(3:42pm) hey kro, turns out u don’t actually need to come in today
sry for the late notice
(4:00pm) All good.
(4:01pm) enjoy the day off!
and actually rest
before you say anything, no, studying doesn’t count
Snorting at the last message, Kronii shoves the phone in her pocket, full attention returning to the busy street in front of her. With one strong push, she weaves through the crowd of people with ease, leaning her body as the board swerves through the road. Going at a slight downhill, she begins to pick up speed, the wind beginning to push back against her. With music blasting in her ears, the slight breeze pushing her hair from her face, and the feeling of her board on the ground, Kronii found herself unable to stop the grin that was slowly creeping onto her face.
All things considered, she was in a pretty good mood.
It’s not the worst thing in the world, she thinks to herself as she cruises, the road finally freeing up as less and less people loiter about. Haven’t had a free evening in a while.
Her schedule was hectic: a senior in her last year with a roster full of advanced classes, two part time jobs, and cram school when she could fit it, Kronii virtually had no free time. The teenager was almost sure that her blood was mostly composed of energy drinks at this point (and the bags under her eyes were somewhat noticeable), but she knew that it would pay off in the end. With university looming around the corner, there was no time for a break: this was a crucial period in her life, and if she could manage to get through it in one piece, then college would be smooth sailing.
At least, that was the hope.
Seeing the familiar staircase that led to the underground subway rapidly approaching, Kronii repositions herself, getting ready to use her foot to brake. An idea suddenly pops into her brain, one that often came by but was seldom acted on. Kronii hesitates for a moment, wondering if it was really a good idea to act on the thought or if she was letting her good mood get the best of her. But as she looks from side to side and notices there’s no one around, as she feels the wind start to sting as it hits her face, and as she eyes the curb that’s starting to come up, she decides to finally listen to her impulses.
Worst comes to worst, I bomb it, and no one is around to see.
Right before the board hits the curb, she pushes her left foot down on the tail of the deck, propelling it upwards. With her right foot, she scrapes the front, making the board twist in the air. Her heart pounds through in her ears as she hopes with every fiber of her being that her feet find their place back on top.
Magically, they do.
A wide smile paints her face as she lands the kickflip before she finally comes to a screeching halt. She pumps her fist in celebration, happy that she had managed to do the trick.
“Oh, wow.”
Kronii’s attention snaps to the new voice, unaware that someone was watching.
Almost immediately, her breath feels like it’s been stolen as her heart starts to beat rapidly in her chest.
Another girl stands in the middle of the staircase, only able to be seen from the top of it. Eyes the color of dark honey stare directly at her, slightly wide from shock. Long, brown hair was styled into a neat ponytail with feathers clipped in the back. The stranger was dressed in a white blouse with a long brown skirt, the whole outfit pieced together with a tan tote bag hanging loosely from her shoulder.
She might be the cutest girl Kronii’s ever seen.
Before she can say anything, the girl squeaks in surprise before hurrying down the steps, leaving the blue haired teenager at the top. Kronii can only stand frozen as she watches the other girl leave, a bit dazed as she does.
When she feels like her stupor is slowly coming to an end, she notices the brunette pause for a second to look back. Honey colored eyes meet sapphire, and suddenly, all the thoughts that were returning to Kronii’s brain immediately fizzle out again.
The brunette turns back around, fleeing the scene and vanishing from view.
Kronii stands at the top a bit longer.
-
When she finally descends down the stairs, she’s met with a sight.
The same brunette from before stands at the turnstiles, eyeing the card reader with confusion clearly painting her features. The teenager’s brows are furrowed in thought as she taps the machine. She tries turning the metal bar as she does, but not having paid the fare, the turnstile remains rigid and still. Other commuters stare at the brunette with slight annoyance, using the lanes on either side of her to get by. Kronii watches as the teenager looks up, clearly trying to ask someone for help, yet failing as no one spares a second glance.
The hell? Kronii thinks to herself as she starts making her way to the machines, putting her skateboard in between her back and bag. Has this girl ever taken the subway before?
She stops a few steps away, eyeing the girl curiously. For a moment, it looks like the brunette is about to give up on her quest, turning around as she visibly sags. Sapphire eyes stay glued to the other teenager when they notice the girl take a deep breath and straighten herself up, pure determination expressed on her face. Turning back around, the brunette places both hands on the turnstile bar, clearly getting ready to jump over it.
Finding her feet moving faster than her mind, Kronii rushes over as she pushes her headphones down her neck and around her shoulders, putting a hand on the other teenager and preventing her from launching herself. Up close, she realizes that the other girl is a fair bit shorter than her, the brunette’s head just a bit under her chin.
“You’re supposed to tap your metro card,” she explains, whipping hers out to show the brunette. The other girl turns around in surprise before confusion, eyeing the card as if it were some strange technology she had never seen before.
“...metro card?”
Okay, maybe she really had never seen it before.
With a sigh, Kronii taps the card on the machine. A slight beep emits, and Kronii pushes the girl forward. Hesitantly, the brunette’s hands land on the metal bar again, but this time, she manages to walk through. Now on the other side, she looks at Kronii in pure amazement, brown eyes sparkling with fascination as a smile begins to paint her face. Repeating the action for herself, the blue haired skater meets her on the other side.
“Oh, wow! Does the card tell the machine to let you through?” the brunette questions cheerfully, continuing to baffle Kronii.
“Uh, kinda? This is how you pay to use the subway.” Kronii begins to walk away, unsure of how to properly end the conversation. As cute as the girl was, the skater found her to be a bit…off. She hopes that that would be the end of the discussion, using her long legs to her advantage as she leaves.
Unfortunately, the brunette continues to follow her.
“So it’s like a credit card?” the other girl continues to ask.
Kronii eyes her with a bit of suspicion, beginning to pick up the pace as she continues to try to walk away. What was this girl’s deal? “I guess? You basically pay a fee to use the card for a certain number of days, and you can use it to get onto any subway or bus in the city.”
The other girl picks up her pace too. “Oh gosh, that sounds wonderful!”
“Yeah, it’s pretty convenient.” With the brunette clearly not taking the hint, Kronii clears her throat awkwardly. “Well, my line is this way so…”
“Oh! My apologies, I didn’t mean to keep you. Safe travels!” With that, the shorter girl turns around and leaves, a hum floating through the air as she goes. Kronii waves at her retreating figure as she puts on her headphones, pulling out her phone to look through her playlist as she walks through the crowd.
What a weird girl, the skater thinks to herself as she scrolls. How the hell did she expect to use the subway if she didn’t even know what a metro card was?
She continues to weave through the crowd, thoughts less occupied with finding a song and more on the brunette.
Huh. She didn’t know what a metro card was. Maybe it’s her first time using the subway?
Kronii pauses in her trek as she passes by the map showcasing the different lines, the illustrated chart a jumble of colors and names. She recalls the first time she used the subway. It was a horrid memory: unable to read the map properly, she had ended up on the opposite side of town because she was too proud to ask for help. The skate home had taken her hours.
It’s her first time, huh.
Standing still, Kronii takes a deep breath as she closes her eyes for a moment. Taking off her headphones, she covers her face with her hands and releases a groan. Uncovering her face and opening her eyes, the skater turns around and runs, hoping that she isn’t too late.
Luckily, the brunette hadn’t gone too far. She stood in front of a map of all the train lines, the same confused expression from before on her face once again.
“Hey!” Kronii calls out, jogging all the way to the other teenager. The brunette looks at her in shock before a warm smile quickly replaces the expression, honey colored eyes squinting in delight when they see her once again.
“Oh, hi!” The shorter girl watches as Kronii catches her breath. “I thought your line was the other way?”
“Ah, made a mistake,” the skater lies as she steadies her breathing. “I’m actually heading this way. Where are you headed?”
“I’m supposed to take the ‘Red’ line to get home, but…” The brunette gestures to the map in front of her. There were three lines that were all varying shades of red, but each traveled to different parts of the city.
Kronii huffs through her nose. “Oh, the maps on the wall are actually kind of outdated. For a more accurate one, you’re better off using the app.”
The other teenager tilts her head in confusion.
Right. She doesn’t even know what a metro card is, there’s no way she would have the app downloaded on her phone.
With another sigh, Kronii pulls up the application from her phone, tilting it so the brunette can see. “Here, this is the line that you need to take. And according to the app, it’s supposed to arrive in about– two minutes?!”
And of course, we’re the furthest we can be from the damn spot.
“Could we not just wait for another one to come by?” the shorter girl questions as Kronii begins speed walking, jogging a little in order to keep up.
“On any other day, yeah. But today’s the one day they’re stopping services early in order to do maintenance, so if we miss this one, we’re not getting on at all.”
“Oh, that’s not good,” the brunette thoughtlessly replies, still a tad bit too lax for Kronii’s liking. “I’ll miss supper.”
Sighing yet again (really, what was up with this girl?), Kronii takes her hand. “Well, if you don’t want to miss dinner, then I suggest you start picking up the pace.”
Hoping that the shorter girl will finally catch the hint, the taller teenager breaks out into a sprint, hand firmly clasped around a smaller one. She guides them through the crowd with ease, not once slowing down as she twirls and swerves around other commuters. Even when one man yells at them to slow down, Kronii only throws out a half hearted apology as she continues running, sapphire eyes glued forward as she tries to get the line.
While faced forward, she fails to see the shorter teenager’s face turn a slight pink as laughter bubbles out from her.
-
“We made it,” Kronii huffs out as she slumps into the seat. The brunette takes the seat next to her, appearance still as pristine as it was when the skater first saw her. It’s amazing considering that the two had ran at a full sprint with baggage on them, and Kronii practically had to shove the smaller girl in before the doors could close on them.
The brunette doesn’t respond, head turning each and every way as she absorbs her surroundings. They seem to sparkle with joy as the brunette’s smile only continues to grow, obviously getting enjoyment from being on the train. Kronii eyes their surroundings, but she can’t seem to understand where the enthusiasm from the the other girl is coming from: the subway was half full of commuters that looked almost dead on their feet, there was a sleeping man snoring loudly on the opposite end of the car, and a mysterious puddle by the entrance.
The usual sights.
“Having fun?” Kronii asks as she puts her face in her palm, eyes glued to the other.
The teenager nods her head vigorously. “This is my first time on the subway! This is so exciting!”
“Really, your first time? I couldn’t tell,” Kronii remarks sarcastically, only barely able to stop her eyes from rolling.
The other girl does not seem to notice. “Father and Mother never let me take public transit. They say it’s much too dangerous, and they’d prefer to have me driven around.”
“Public transit isn’t the worst thing in the world. It can be kind of sketchy, but I wouldn’t call it outright dangerous.”
“Do you take it often?”
Kronii shrugs. “About everyday. I take the green line to get to my job at the smoothie shop, the purple line to get to my job at the tutoring place, and the orange line to go to school.”
The other girl’s mouth opens in shock, eyes continuing to sparkle as she takes in the information. “You’re a student?! I thought you were much older than that!”
A singular eyebrow is quirked. “I’m a senior in high school. I’m graduating next year.”
“We’re the same age!” The brunette almost vibrates with how excited she is. “Where do you intend on going for university?
Is every new piece of information that thrilling? Kronii can’t help but think. Although she had initially thought it was slightly annoying how the girl gawked and gandered at every single thing, the skater had to admit that it was also rather endearing. Mostly endearing. Possibly cute.
She shakes her head to dispel the thought.
“Have you heard of Howard Lowell University? That’s my dream school,” Kronii admits. “It’s a bit pricey, but that’s the reason why I’m working two jobs right now. If I can manage to land a scholarship, then HoLo Uni isn’t a world away.”
A soft touch drags Kronii’s attention away. The brunette clutches her hand in both of hers, honey eyes staring at her rather seriously. “I have no doubt in my mind that you’ll make it. You already seem plenty smart as it is, and if you’re working seriously towards your goal, you’re sure to make it.”
The skater feels her face flush slightly. She awkwardly tugs her hand away, coughing in embarrassment. “...thank you?” The brunette only continues to stare at her, and fearing the racing of her heart, Kronii decides to change the subject. “By the way, I’m Kronii. Ouro Kronii.”
“Oh, how rude of me! I’m Mumei, Na–” the brunette cuts herself off, sudden hesitance in her demeanor. Despite having only known her for about fifteen minutes, Kronii finds it odd but doesn’t care to press her. “Just Mumei.”
“Well, nice to meet you Mumei. Hope you don’t mind me tagging along on your journey.”
“If anything, I’d want you to stick around for even longer.” Mumei flashes a blinding smile, one that has Kronii’s heart doing somersaults in her chest. Her heart palpitations only continue to worsen when the brunette places her hand on top of Kronii’s own yet again, her touch soft as she leans her head against the skater’s shoulder. “Your company has been wonderful.’
Kronii doesn’t respond, closing her eyes as she tries to dispel the disruption in her heart.
Really, what’s up with this girl?
-
If Kronii didn’t know any better, she would say that Mumei was becoming rapidly obsessed with her. Or at least, her knowledge of the city.
Once the two left the subway and emerged above ground, Mumei was filled with questions about each passing shop and sight. Kronii had tried answering to the best of her knowledge, but some questions had her genuinely perplexed.
Did the other teenager really not know what an arcade was? (Of course, Kronii had to show her all the best games. To her surprise, Mumei was a naturally gifted ski baller. Her basketball skills left much room for growth though.) And had she actually never seen a skate park? (The two spent about an hour there. Mumei insisted on seeing what other tricks Kronii could do. In return, Kronii had taught Mumei how to push off on her board.) Don’t even get her started on when the brunette had tried asking her what three x’s meant, having seen it on a flyer that someone was trying to pass to them. (Kronii had hurriedly scooted her away, mumbling that it was nothing important.)
“Oh Kronii, what’s that?” Mumei asked for the umpteenth time, pointing at a small truck parked around the corner. In bubbly lettering, the logo on the vehicle read “I Crepe You”, a menu somewhat visible on the side.
“It’s a crepe truck. Please tell me that you know what a crepe is.” As much as she didn’t mind filling Mumei’s insatiable curiosity, Kronii was beginning to grow a bit exasperated with how little the girl knew. Did she even live in the city if she hadn’t known any of these places?
“Of course I know what a crepe is! I had them almost everyday when my family visited France last summer!” the shorter teen cries indignantly, cheeks puffing out slightly. Kronii rolls her eyes as she pats the brunette on the head, ruffling her hair.
“Okay fancy pants. I don’t know what the crepes are like in France, but I can assure you, this is going to be the best crepe of your life.” Without thinking, Kronii grabs Mumei’s hand in her own, dragging the smaller teenager to the truck. With her eyes glued to the menu, she fails to see the brunette blush, a furious crimson beginning to make its way through her face.
“Can I get two strawberry and vanilla custard crepes?” Kronii orders, pulling out her wallet as she does. Inside, she finds a singular ten dollar bill. “Actually, make that one.”
A few moments later, she brandishes the sweet treat to Mumei, a proud glint in her eye as she does. For once, Mumei doesn’t react with the usual enthusiasm, instead eyeing the dessert warily.
“Father says that street food is dirty,” the brunette remarks as she watches Kronii take a bite.
“Mumei, I can promise you that this isn’t dirty at all. To run any sort of food establishment in the city, you have to pass all these tests and regulations in order to make sure that your food is safe for consumption. Plus,” she takes another bite of the crepe, “I can’t finish this all by myself, and it’d be such a waste to throw it away.”
She waves the dessert in front of Mumei’s face, a smirk on her face as honey colored eyes track its movements.
“I do happen to like strawberries…” the brunette mumbles. Hesitantly, she places her hands around Kronii’s yet again, stabilizing the skater’s grip as she brings her mouth closer to the treat before taking a bite.
An indescribable joy fills Kronii’s heart when she sees Mumei’s eyes light up. And for some reason, a foreign emotion starts to fill her chest.
“Told you it would be good,” the skater cheekily remarks, ignoring whatever it was that took hold of her. Mumei takes another bite, one much larger this time, as she hums in delight. “Hey, if you’re going to eat it, at least hold on to it.”
“Why do that when I can just have you feed it to me like this?” As if to accentuate her point, Mumei takes another bite while locking eyes with Kronii, brushing her hair back as she does.
For the third time that day, Kronii feels her heartbeat stutter.
-
By the time the two had finally reached Mumei’s neighborhood, the sun had long set into the sky.
“For someone who had to be home by supper, you seem incredibly relaxed,” Kronii remarks, watching as the brunette merrily skips in front of her. Mumei turns around with a smile on her face, one that’s much smaller compared to the others but vastly more warm.
“How could I possibly be upset when I had so much fun today? Not to mention, I’m still rather full from those potato chips that you bought me.”
“I still think it’s weird that you’ve never had chips, but it’s even weirder that you wanted to try the strawberry flavored ones.”
“Father and Mother don’t let me have them. They say it’s bad for my health. Plus, I like strawberries!”
“I know, I know.” Kronii takes in their surroundings as the two continue to walk. The houses on this side of town were growing increasingly larger, each one they passed more grand than the last. The majority of the houses had at least two (if not three) floors, vast driveways, and luxury vehicles adorning them. The streetlamps that filled the road were becoming fewer and farther in between, but Kronii was beginning to think that the lack of light wasn’t a concern: with the sights she was seeing, she was almost certain that each house had its own security measures. “Hey, Mumei, where exactly do you live?”
“Over there.” The brunette points at the end of the road. As she follows the direction, Kronii’s eyes widen.
An opulent, white mansion sits at the end. A bit secluded from the other houses, Mumei’s residence far surpasses the others in size and wealth. A large, black, metal gate blocks the driveway while the rest of the house is barred from the neighborhood with a white brick wall. Despite the enclosure, Kronii can make out dozens of flowerbeds, a winding driveway, and two men dressed in what appear to be security uniforms at the front of the house.
“Holy shit,” Kronii whispers more to herself than to her companion. “Mumei, are you rich?”
The other girl nervously laughs. “Something like that?”
Suddenly, all the puzzle pieces click together. Why Mumei had never taken the subway, why she didn’t know popular local spots despite having lived in the city her whole life, why she seemed so ignorant to the things that Kronii thought was common knowledge. She had never needed to. Whatever lifestyle she was living up until today was one that was dramatically different than the skater’s.
“Oh, wow.” For the first time that day, Kronii found herself to be the astounded one. Mumei nervously glances at her, hands fidgeting behind her back as she struggles to find the words to say.
“I understand if you’re upset with me. I didn’t mean to hide it, it’s just– I didn’t want you to think any differently of me. When people find out about my financial situation, they tend to think that they can ask anything of me, and when you helped me out, I just–”
“I paid for everything today,” Kronii blankly states. Mumei winces at the comment, eyes downcast as she fiddles her thumbs.
“I’m sorry, I can–”
“Next time, it’s your treat, okay?”
Mumei’s eyes snap back up, hopeful. Kronii awkwardly shrugs, a light pink dust on her cheeks.
“Think of today as my treat. How about next time we hang out, you buy us a crepe. In return, I’ll teach you how to do an ollie on my skateboard, get you your own metro card, and I might even let you win against me at basketball.”
“You’re not mad at me?” Mumei almost whispers.
“Why would I be mad at you?” Kronii runs a hand through her hair, clearly embarrassed. “Look, everyone has their own situation. I obviously don’t know all of yours, and forgive me if I’m being brash when I say this, but it seems like you’re rich in monetary terms and not in life. If you had fun today, then that’s all the payment I need.” She walks up to Mumei, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Did you have fun today?”
“This was probably the best day of my life,” Mumei answers honestly, voice shaking.
“Then no, I’m not mad at you. But you have to promise me that if you’re ever going to go out again, you have to shoot me a text first.” Kronii holds up her pinky, extending it to the brunette.
Mumei tilts her head in confusion, and for the first time that day, Kronii laughs. Using her other hand to gently hold Mumei’s, she brings it up to her own, interlinking the two. “This is called a pinky promise. If you break the promise, I get to cut off your pinky.”
“The common folk have such strange traditions.” Mumei sniffles as she tightens her pinky’s grip around Kronii’s. “I’d hate to lose it, so I suppose I have no choice but to accept.”
Kronii gently unwinds their grip from one another, taking a step back as she brings out her board from behind. “It is getting pretty late though. The ride ahead of me is pretty long, so I should get going soon.”
Mumei gives a perplexed look. “I thought you lived around here?”
Kronii chortles, surprising her with how easy it was to let loose around the brunette. “Mumei, I told you I have two part time jobs. Do you really think my family could afford to live around here?”
“Then where do you live?”
“I actually take the blue line to get home.”
Mumei gasps. “That line goes to the opposite side of the city! Kronii, the subways are all stopped, why on earth would you come with me?”
“Because if I didn’t, I would be letting a gorgeous girl fend for herself on these harsh, unforgiving streets.” The skater flicks Mumei softly on the forehead, rolling her eyes when the brunette glares at her. In the dark of the street, she once again fails to see the blush that starts to emerge on the other teenager’s face. “Oh, before I forget, let me give you my–”
“Young miss!” A shrill voice yells. The two teenagers freeze, both having completely forgotten that they were in front of Mumei’s mansion. “Where on earth have you been?!”
“Mumei?” Kronii hurriedly whispers, watching the panic grow on the brunette’s face. “Please tell me you didn’t sneak out.”
“I left a note?” Mumei unhelpfully supplies, making Kronii groan. “I literally told you my father and mother won’t let me do anything! Do you really think they would let me wander in the city, by myself, without any sort of security?!”
Rapid footsteps approach the two. Hastily, Mumei starts to push Kronii away, urging her to leave.
“Get going! There’s no telling what Father will do if the maid catches us together!”
“Wait, I haven’t given you my–”
“There’s no time! Go!”
With uncertainty on her features, Kronii takes off running. She throws her skateboard on the ground, hops on, and begins to roll away. Taking one last glance back, she sees Mumei frantically wave goodbye, cupping her mouth for one last message.
“We’ll see each other again! We pinky promised!”
It’s only a moment later does the maid finally reach the brunette, angry yells floating through the air as Kronii continues to go. Disappointment and regret course through her veins as she rides through the street, the only sound coming from her wheels as they glide through the pavement.
Mumei was weird. She knew nothing about the world, probably grew up incredibly sheltered, and almost seemed to have a penchant for getting in trouble. She asked way too many questions, got too excited at the most mundane of things, and had way too much energy and stamina.
(And yet, Kronii found that today was the most fun she’s had in a long while).
Honestly speaking, it was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity getting to meet Mumei. If the way she spoke about her parents was accurate, and Kronii had no reason to doubt that it was, there was no telling if she’d ever be allowed to go outside like that again. In fact, the skater was willing to bet that the brunette wouldn’t.
(Despite knowing all of that, Kronii couldn’t help but have a sliver of hope in her heart.)
“After all, we did make a pinky promise,” she mumbles to herself as she takes out her phone, finding a playlist as she puts on her headphones.
-
“Do you have any idea how worried we were?!” the head maid continues to yell at Mumei, pacing back and forth in the room with her hands on her hips. “I mean, honestly! Leaving before anyone wakes up? Only leaving a note with no indication of where you are? And worse yet, saying you’ll be back by supper only to come back so late in the evening! Young miss, what on earth were you thinking?”
Mumei doesn’t respond, only looking out the window of her room. Now that her escapade was over, and she was stuck getting lectured, she couldn’t help but feel dejected at the sudden shift in mood.
“I apologize. It won’t happen again,” she responds tonelessly. The head maid huffs in annoyance.
“You’re correct in saying that. From now until university, you are to be under strict watch. You will be driven to and from school every day. Any outing will be done with an escort. And, starting tonight, we’re employing security patrols for both the day and night to ensure that this foolishness will no longer continue.”
“Oh wow, I didn’t know Father and Mother cared so deeply about me,” Mumei sarcastically quips, scorn evident in her voice. “Do they even know that I left the house?”
Hearing her irritation, the head maid softens the slightest bit.
Sorry Kronii, Mumei thinks to herself as the head maid kneels on the floor in front of her. Next time might not be for a long while.
“Miss, you know the Master and Mistress are extremely busy with work. They’ve left me in charge of your well being, and I promised that I would do my utmost best to protect you in their stead. While it may seem unfair now, I promise that whatever they ask, and whatever I do, is in your best interest.” When Mumei fails to respond, the head maid sighs deeply. “Enough about that, let’s prepare you for bed.”
As she changed into her nightgown to prepare for bed, as the head maid turned off the lights and bade her good night, and as the beginnings of slumber began to take her, there was only one thought in Mumei’s mind.
I need to see her again, she thinks to herself as she begins to fall asleep. Mumei closes her eyes, letting herself fall into a more pleasant world where the two never got caught.
Maybe Kronii would have given the brunette her phone number and the two would text and call every night. Maybe the two would have been able to meet up again, exploring every part of the city as they laughed about silly things. Maybe if the timing was right, Mumei would have found them getting much closer, holding hands not just for direction or comfort, but solely because they wanted to.
(But for all those “maybes”, Mumei knew that they would never compare to what actually could have been.)
Wait for me, Kronii. I’ll find you again. And when I do, I’m never letting you go.
-
Graduation was always a bittersweet affair. Goodbyes to favorite teachers, to peers that one had spent the last four years with, to familiar faces and places. Tears of happiness, tears of sadness, tears of undefinable emotions.
But the two weren’t sad at all. If anything, they were absolutely thrumming with excitement: university was opening new doors for them, opportunities and experiences that they couldn’t have while stuck in high school. A year of hard work, a year of constantly pushing themselves to their limits, a year of success.
A year of working my ass off everyday and finally getting that scholarship, Kronii thinks to herself as she celebrates with her friends.
A year of doing everything I can to see her again, Mumei thinks to herself as she gives a small smile while she toasts with her parents.
“So where are you planning to go for university?” someone asks.
It’s with beaming smiles on opposite sides of the city that the two respond.
“To HoLo University.”