Work Text:
Akiyama Mizuki was bored.
Well, that was one way of describing it. Frustrated was probably a more accurate way. Cheated was probably a more honest way.
It had started at the diner, as most Nightcord shenanigans usually do. The table was abound with chatter about the success of their new release, the four of them going to town on the massive plate of fresh fries they had ordered, and a second round of drinks was on its way; the party was in full swing. Until…
“Mafuyu?” Kanade spoke up, her voice a whisper barely audible over the sea of noise.
“Hm?” Mafuyu’s purple gaze shifted over to the petite girl, who had pulled out her phone onto the table.
“I made you a new demo. I … want you to have it.”
“Have”: that was the word that perked Mizuki into action. A demo that Kanade had poured her heart and soul into, not meant to be just listened to: a piece of Kanade’s essence for Mafuyu to keep, to treasure forever. For months now, ever since the day that Mafuyu had popped up on Nightcord not as Yuki, but physically alongside Kanade, the two of them sharing a mic stand and squeezing together to both fit on camera, Mizuki had seen something shift in her groupmates: the way just each other’s wordless presence put a small smile on Kanade’s face and put Mafuyu’s mind at ease. Two planets in each others’ orbit, dancing around the event horizon. Could this finally be the day?
The purple-haired girl hovered her finger over the screen and hit play: a slow, wistful melody resounded, waltzing its way around the booths, gracefully gliding from note to note and bathing the four girls in an atmosphere of calm and solemnity. Quiet and somber, yet hopeful and elegant: just how Yoisaki Kanade manifested musical wizardry out of nothing.
Mafuyu turned to face Kanade. “It feels … warm.” A slight sliver of a smile began to blossom onto her face. “I liked it.”
“I’m glad,” the petite girl responded. “I … made it while thinking of you.” Her cheeks were tinted with the slightest blush, although with how quickly Mizuki’s own face was starting to flush, this competition was over long ago.
“Heh, you’re holding my hand…” Kanade mused as Mafuyu took her palm underneath the table and the music continued to play. Mafuyu nudged her way over to Kanade’s side of the table, as did Kanade herself. They brushed shoulders in the middle, with Kanade letting out a little giggle while Mafuyu’s gaze had decided that her lap looked reaaally interesting at that moment. Those faces. Those damn faces. Next to her, Ena was admiring the scene playing out in front of them with a gentle smile.
And all the while Akiyama Mizuki had her reddened face fully cupped in her hands, birdwatching the two hopeless lovebirds through the slits between her fingers and doing everything in Miku’s name to not let out a squeal that would shatter the eardrums of everyone in the restaurant.
Mizuki couldn’t remember how the rest of the night went. That one moment had been seared into her brain and dislodged all remaining thoughts from her mind; she had probably spent the rest of the meal a blubbering mess. Soon, they were walking out of the diner, Kanade and Mafuyu out the door first with Mizuki and Ena following behind. As Mizuki stepped out into the night, she felt a sharp tap on her shoulder. Mizuki swiveled around to find the brunette pulling a face at her. With almost no context to go off of, the tall girl decided to turn to the one response that never failed her: shithousery.
“Ehh, what’s this? Enanan’s all mad at her girlfriend? Perhaps a kiss will wipe that look off your face?” she began, bringing her lips closer to Ena’s, who responded in kind by placing her hand square in Mizuki’s face and shoving it away.
“...behave yourself next time.” was all Ena could muster before storming off ahead. And then the entire night suddenly came crashing right back into Mizuki’s pathetic himejoshi brain.
Oh.
Ohhhh. It was all Mizuki could do to not melt into a puddle on the ground as the memories of the raven-haired girl and the little music note getting all close and touchy began to resurface. She could feel her heart beginning to accelerate in her ribcage, revving like a Formula 1 car and threatening to break free and spill her voyeuristic girlkissing delusions all over the street. Calm yourself girl, it’s just one moment! Just gals being pals! No need to work yourself up over it! Mizuki reassured herself as she put her head down and rushed to catch up with the rest of Nightcord, praying to Miku above that nothing else would test her patience that night.
As if.
The way Kanade and Mafuyu slowed down together to gaze at the first snowfall.
The way Mafuyu wrapped her scarf around the smaller girl and pulled her close to keep her out of the cold.
The way they leaned on each other sleeping peacefully on the train home, seemingly snuggling closer every time the carriage rocked.
By the time she got home, the tall girl had reverted right back to her original state: peak yuri-brainrotted girlfailure. All she had the brain capacity left for was to clutch her pink, fluffy pillow and squeal loudly into it for no one to hear while kicking her feet gleefully. After the wave of euphoria had passed, Mizuki, now all tuckered out, rolled over to face the ceiling, mind still wandering. Why must life be so cruel? Why must my groupmates alway be useless lesbians in front of me? A notification pinged from the computer.
Oh right, they had all agreed to turn Kanade’s new demo into a full fledged song with an MV, and she had to get started on editing Ena’s initial sketches.
And that was how she ended up alone in a private chat room with the artist.
Enanan: Mizuki i cant believe you.
Amia: Awww shucks!
Enanan: This is the stupidest idea youve ever had.
Amia: 🥺
Enanan: dont give me that face
Amia: Ah, but you see, this isn’t just a wild idea, it’s a plan to help our dear friends to get together with the loves of their lives!
Enanan: Pls stop shipping kanade and mafuyu
Amia: Cmon!!!!
Amia: Did you see them at the diner?
Enanan: all I saw was u being a pathetic himejoshi for an hour straight while i practically had to spoon feed u because your ur hand eye coordination just died
Amia: Awww who’s a good girlfriend? ❤️
Enanan: Im leaving
…
Amia: I’m waitinggg
Enanan: fine. How are u going to do this
Amia: So
Amia: Mafuyu’s birthday is coming up, and Kanade’s birthday is two weeks after
Amia: So I’d thought we’d get yuri manga for their birthday present.
Amia: We’ll slowly open their hearts up to the world of lesbianism, then when they ask for more, I’ll lend them my collection.
Enanan: wait wdym we, wth do i have to do with this
Amia: Then once their hearts are all filled up with yuri, they’ll go confess their love! Mafuyu gets a girlfriend, so does Kanade, win win!
Enanan: and who are you doing this for
Enanan: 🤨
Amia: Oh, would you really believe that your sweet, caring girlfriend who’s sooo worried about our poor Kanade and Mafuyu’s unrequited feelings would do something so selfish? 🥀
Enanan: ughhh
Enanan: so what am I supposed to contribute
Amia: So what do you think we should start our dear K and Yuki off with?
Amia: Perhaps a dive into the philosophical with Yagate Kimi ni Naru?
Amia: Or perhaps she’d appreciate the gravitas and melancholy of Kimi to Tsuzuru Utakata?
Enanan: how am I supposed to know anything about these series???
Enanan: go ask shiraishi san or smth
Amia: Ohhh, so I suppose it was Lil Bro’s collection of yuri manga I saw in your room, was it?
…
Enanan is typing…
Enanan: you saw nothing
Enanan: fine ill help
Enanan: but if it fails this is entirely on u
Amia: Great, thanks!
Amia: Love you babe 💋
Enanan: dont call me that
Enanan left
…
Enanan rejoined
Enanan: love u too
“Hihi!” chimed Mizuki as she rejoined the main chat room.
“Welcome back Amia,” Kanade replied with a fond familiarity, “You sound happy, did something good happen today?”
“Ehh, I guess you could say that!”
The quartet got to work, though it was rather difficult for Mizuki to get anything done when every wave of euphoria from imagining her group mates engaging in lovey-dovey yuri cliches would leave her a giggling, unproductive fool. At Ena’s behest, the rest of the group decided, to put it politely, to eject her from the call for them to be able to focus and for Mizuki to get some much needed rest. Yet, as the tall girl flopped down onto the bed, her mind still racing as she snuggled with her Blahaj, the only thing that could calm her to sleep was the vision that somewhere else in the city, in an apartment just like hers, a certain purple-haired girl was doing the exact same thing with her new roommate.
Mafuyu picked up the petite girl, who let out a small yelp of surprise, but otherwise was rather cooperative in being picked up in a princess carry and taken to bed. The taller girl gently laid Kanade down, pulling the sheets over the two of them as she slipped into bed. Mafuyu began to nuzzle against Kanade’s silver locks before planting a quick kiss on her forehead, to which Kanade buried her face deeper into Mafuyu’s nape to hide her embarrassment. Together, their scents and body heat merged into one as their arms reached around each other, pulling them into an embrace getting warmer and gentler.
“Mafuyu,” Kanade’s voice barely above a whisper, “I love you…”, then she was out like a light. Mafuyu could only let out a chuckle.
“I love you Kanade. Sleep well.”
Sixteen times, Mizuki had counted, since Mafuyu moved in with Kanade had she walked into the diner with the rest of Nightcord waiting for that first spark to ignite. And sixteen out of sixteen times had they walked out again with Mizuki utterly defeated. To an outsider, Mizuki herself could have very well been the definition of insanity with how she kept repeating the same procedure over and over expecting a different result.
And Akiyama Mizuki was determined to make sure attempt number sixteen was the last.
The Miyamasuzaka courtyard was filled to the brim with laughter and energy as Mafuyu slowly made her way towards the school gate, her arms full with a mishmash of birthday gifts from her adoring kouhais and classmates, dishing out sorrys and excuse mes to her fellow students as she weaved through the crowd. A new quiver from Hinomori-san, a Phenny plush from Otori-san, a pair of rabbit mittens from Hoshino-san… it was a novel experience; all those years with her mother she’d always been used to having to put up a polite mask while she turned down every trinket being presented to her. Would she still have made her favourite birthday meal today? It weighed heavy on her to think that she still might be waiting for her return. Mizuki had said to meet just outside the school gate…
“Mafuyu, over here!” In the sea of refined girls in plaid grey uniforms, Mizuki with her bubbly demeanour and her overflowing dress of pink lace stood out like a sore thumb. And in that moment, Mafuyu’s mask came off so fast one could almost visualise it plummeting off her face like a stone.
“Oh, hello Mizuki.”
“Guess what day it is today!” The taller girl jumped straight to the chase, excited.
“... 27th January?”
“Uh-uh!” Mizuki mimicked a game show buzzer while making a batsu with her arms, clearly having way too much fun with this charade. “Guess again!” Mafuyu looked down at her arms full of gifts, then back at Mizuki.
“I believe there’s enough context clues to piece together that I’m aware that it’s my birthday.” She replied as if someone had asked her the weather.
“Aww you’re no fun…” Mizuki cooed before revealing what she’d been hiding behind her anyway. “Happy birthday Mafuyu! Open it!”
Carefully setting down the rest of her presents, Mafuyu took the goody bag over. It looked like it had been hurriedly snatched from a second hand party store, but Mafuyu knew more than most people that looks could be deceiving. She opened the bag to reveal a box containing two volumes of manga, wrapped in ribbons of orange, white and pink.
“Amayo no Tsuki, the Moon on a Rainy Night…” she mused, running her palm over the covers, and taking a quick glance at the synopsis.
“Your first yuri manga! Now we can talk about them together with Ena! What do you think?” Mizuki smiled.
“... but I don’t like girls.” Mafuyu deadpanned. She swore she could have seen Mizuki about to quietly roll her eyes.
“Aww, you don’t have to like girls to like it! It’s good for the soul!”
Without a response for that odd statement, Mafuyu could only nod in false understanding.
“I see, thank you Mizuki.”
“No problem! We’ll see you later tonight, Kanade, Ena and I have more gifts for you too! The party’s only getting started!” And with that, Mizuki sauntered away. Mafuyu was left standing alone at the gate, with gifts strewn around her and the two manga volumes still in her hands, earning her a few bemused stares from passing students. Could Mizuki see something in her that she didn’t? Did she really like girls? The two girls on the book cover stared back at her unthinkingly, as if tempting her to open it and find out. Well, it’s probably just like the romance dramas mother likes to watch, she thought. It was her birthday, she might as well take the chance to try something new.
Once her party had simmered down enough (Ena had kept insisting on rematch after rematch to get at least one win at Uno over Mizuki), Mafuyu took her leave and quickly retreated to her room. Mizuki’s gift had been sitting on her desk, and yet had simultaneously been stuck in her head weighing her down all day. She stroked her palm over the cover again, perhaps hoping the book would magically morph into something more normal, like a study guide. Nothing happened, as was to be expected. Mafuyu had seen how Mizuki and Ena acted with each other when they had first started dating, how they bantered and laughed and got close whispering sweet nothings to each other. Was Mafuyu secretly like that too?
A dark cavernous hall whose light had been left to wither after years of neglect. Now, a single candle had been lit, not much on its own, but enough to be that first light in the darkness. To illuminate the immediate surroundings, and explore an era once thought to be lost to history, with curiosity burning like the candle flickering in the reflection of one’s pupils; a first step to reanimating an empty soul with light. Mafuyu flipped the book open:
A girl who had spent most of her life deprived of the gift of hearing. And a girl who dedicated her entire self to the gift of music chasing that special someone.
A girl who thought of herself as nothing more than a burden to others choosing the life of a lone wolf. And a girl who, despite battling demons of her own, still came running in the pouring rain to be her shelter.
Mafuyu’s mind harkened back to that fateful day: the day she had chosen to run away. How she had sprinted across the city braving a thunderstorm to the first place she thought of to seek out the comfort of her dearest companion. Of how when Kanade opened the door to see her a soaking wet, teary eyed mess, her first expression wasn’t shock, or pity, but rather the petite girl rushing forward to hold her close, bringing her out of the rain and whispering reassurances. With each page turn, Mafuyu traced over the love story unfolding, each moment of intimacy causing her once dormant heart to stir ever so slightly, another candle lit to grant her its warmth.
Mafuyu quickly finished up the two physical volumes, as well as the rest of the available chapters online thanks to a link that Mizuki had left in the form of a handwritten note. The note also contained a cheekily written small print, and Mafuyu could just imagine the tall girl herself reading it out: “Warning: the following content contains the risk of chronic giggling, feet kicking and addiction! :3” Mafuyu had brushed this off as an obviously hyperbolic statement, but now, she wasn’t so sure. The collection of candles in her heart had morphed into a small bonfire begging for more fuel to satisfy her yearning. Mafuyu checked the time: what had felt like a few minutes had turned out to be nearly an hour, with the end of 25:00 fast approaching. Would Mizuki even be awake at this hour? Patience had been a virtue that Mafuyu had been nurtured in, the value of waiting to receive her parents’ approval, the calm in slowly lining up the perfect shot. And yet the new Asahina Mafuyu couldn’t wait a second longer.
Yuki: Hi Mizuki. I finished the manga you gave me. Do you have any more recommendations?
To her surprise, the response was almost instantaneous.
Amia: Wow, already?!
Amia: I’m so proud 🥹
Amia: Amia’s Splendiferous List of Yuri Recommendations
Here you go!
Yuki: Thank you very much.
Amia: Have fun!
Mafuyu clicked open the link, not expecting too much new material, and was almost stunned speechless by the absolute quality she had just witnessed. A full-blown website with a comprehensive list stretching hundreds of titles, each title with a brief review and rating, meticulously colour coded based on genre and content warnings just as one would with a cheat sheet, even a checklist of physical and digital copies and how to access each of them.
“So this is what Mizuki does instead of going to school…”
A quick sort by rating later, and Mafuyu was now face-to-face with Mizuki’s personal number 1 manga. A perfect 10 awaited her, as did a glowing review from the tall girl: “A masterpiece in depicting the nuances and intricacies of the different perspectives of romance, Nakatani’s tale of high school love seemingly transcends its setting with a maturity befitting of all age groups.” If Mizuki somehow decided to give up fashion as a career, perhaps the New York Times would reserve a place on the editorial for her to judge bestsellers, Mafuyu thought bemused at the image. A yawn escaped her throat as she stifled it down: the night was starting to catch up with her. She had a long day ahead tomorrow, with a student council cram school double header. With sleep quickly bearing down on her, Mafuyu quickly sent out a final SOS as she went unconscious the moment her head hit the pillow.
Yuki attached a screenshot
Yuki: Could I borrow this set?
A girl who never knew the feeling of love. A girl who wore the smile of another, never allowed herself to be true to herself. A dilapidated student council room: their stage; a false love story to be played out.
A girl who once thought love to be beyond her grasp finding her true beloved. And a girl who was once an empty husk being filled with another’s love and choosing to be her own woman.
Their stories intertwined, weaved together like treble and bass into a wondrous duet, dancing through highs and lows, pushed forward by friends along the way into each other's arms, culminating in a grand climax: a warm embrace, a tender kiss sealed and…
Oh.
Over the course of a busy few days, Mafuyu had burnt through all eight volumes, and was left pondering at the oddity playing out on the page in front of her, trying to piece together the disjointed panels and uncharacteristic zoom-ins on naked bodies.
Well, there was no harm asking someone else. But Ena was busy with school, Mizuki was probably asleep, and with how seldom she went into the outside world, Kanade would probably be as clueless as she was… with no other options left to satisfy her desire for knowledge, Mafuyu took a few quick snapshots and fed them into reverse search.
“Hi, how was everyone’s day?” Mizuki asked brightly as the other Nightcord members popped into the call one by one.
“I had to do an extra class with Mr Yukihira today.” Ena replied as the unmistakable click of plastic on plastic could be heard, probably the brunette unpackaging a slice of cheesecake. “He said I needed to work on my shading more,” she continued, her voice now muffled with cake.
“Don’t speak with your mouth full, it’s hard to understand,” Mafuyu interrupted.
Mizuki could audibly make out Ena’s throat muscles forcing down the rest of her snack and clearing her mouth to begin her tirade. “Now listen here, if you can’t understand words then I’ll just have to climb through your computer screen and-”
“I visited my dad today.” Kanade piped up, “He relapsed again so he forgot my name…”
her tone turning dour.
“Aww I’m sorry to hear that, is there anything we can do to cheer you up?” Ena asked, and Mizuki could only snicker at how her previous rage at Mafuyu had completely disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“It’s ok, I think I’ll manage,” Kanade replied, shifting the topic away, seemingly pulling out her own snack if the ruffling sound of potato chips was anything to judge by.
“Sounds like we’ve got a little snack party going on! We should meet up in SEKAI to share them!”
“That reminds me, I finished another manga today,” Mafuyu replied.
“Bloom into You right? Mizuki wouldn’t stop gloating about getting you to start it.” Ena chimed in as she stuffed herself with another slice of cheesecake.
“Ah, I’ve read it myself.” Kanade reminisced. The whole call went dead silent, only interrupted by a violent cough from Ena’s end. “It’s a lovely story.” Well that was a surprise. Mizuki could have never imagined the delicate, innocent Kanade to be a procurer of fine art like yuri manga, and even less could she imagine the three, soon to be four of them, raving and chatting about the latest chapters released.
“Yes, I quite enjoyed it.” Mafuyu continued, “Although, I have to comment on the rather ambiguous depictions of sexual intercourse between two women.” Ena’s coughs had now devolved into choking sounds and Mizuki could almost manifest the vision of her face turning as purple as Mafuyu’s hair as her rage returned, with steam coming out her ears like a Looney Tunes character.
“So, I did some research on my own and I found out that you’re supposed to-”
Yuki has been removed from this meeting
With no one left to build up her ire, Ena could only release all of it the way of the pink-haired gremlin.
“Mizuki. What. The. Fuck.”
“I thought we agreed it was a good manga for beginners!”
“How did she even land on the best manga to ever exist to read next?! The books are no longer in circulation, and you’re the only one with the physical - wait, no…” Ena trailed off as the missing pieces started to fall into place.
“Come again?”
“No no no, you did not just show her Amia’s Splendiferous List of Yuri Recommendations…”
“Aww, but she asked so politely!”
“Mizuki, that list contains erotica for god’s sake! What in Miku’s name do you think Mafuyu’s going to become if she -”
The call fell thunderously silent. Mizuki was about to clap back when an ominous ruffle came from the line of the long-forgotten third party. Kanade had just poured herself another bag of chips, watching the artist and the video editor almost scream themselves hoarse over pornography like she was watching the morning news.
“I-I, Mizuki brought it up first!” Ena was the first to go on the defensive, her pitch escalating so rapidly Mizuki was half expecting to start hearing screaming from the general direction of her house.
“You know what, forget it, this is between me and her.” she continued, “Mizuki: you, me, SEKAI, now.” And with a whisk of pixels and triangles, the brunette was gone. Kanade still said nothing. Faced with the composer’s silence, Mizuki could only muster a timid laugh as she clicked Untitled and too vanished in a flurry of geometric shapes. Dear Miku she wanted to die. And if given the choice right now between socially or literally, she’d take a death at the hands of her beautiful girlfriend alone in SEKAI every time.
“I bought snacks.” Mafuyu called out to no one in particular as she materialised in the empty expanse of SEKAI, her hands full of whatever tidbits and the remaining few cups of instant ramen they had left in the fridge. She’d have to take Kanade to go get more, and perhaps she’d finally get to use those rabbit mittens, Mafuyu made a mental note. Kanade spawned shortly after, almost crumbling under the weight of their last bottle of soda and a picnic mat. Mafuyu was quick to assist, and as they set up the picnic mat in amicable silence, the raven haired girl basked in the atmosphere. Created from her feelings, it would explain why the Empty SEKAI matched her tastes perfectly: minimal harsh lighting and colours, the soothing ebb and flow of lake waves crashing onto shore over and over. And it was quiet, her silent oasis in her pocket whenever the noise started to get a bit too much for her.
Or it would have been, had Ena and Mizuki not spawned 5 minutes ago. Mafuyu watched as the artist and the video editor were locked into a playground game of tag. Although, perhaps the intensity was much higher given how the brunette would hurl a salvo of curses and threats for every time the taller girl would duck and weave out of the way to evade capture.
It reminded Mafuyu of days long gone at Nonogi Park, where her parents used to gaze lovingly as baby Mafuyu would run around chasing after butterflies. Parents, huh. Mizuki had often jokingly called her and Kanade their mums, which Mafuyu had always been baffled by. To be a parent you had to find the right person to spend the rest of your days with, and then slowly build up your relationship over years through acts of love and service, and then you had to fill in the paperwork to get married, and then have-
Her runaway train of thought was halted as Kanade, who had finished setting up, took a seat next to her, fondly gazing at her groupmates. For the next few moments, the composer and the lyricist sat in silence watching Ena trying and failing over and over to get a grip on Mizuki. They’re so close, Mafuyu thought, as her chest began to feel fuzzy. She instinctively reached for Kanade’s palm, wanting to share her newfound warmth with the petite girl, to which Kanade responded with surprise, but ultimately stayed still, letting Mafuyu’s palm rest on top of hers. The two of them merging their warmth, not even needing words to silently enjoy each other’s presence, so close their breaths and heartbeats forming their shared biological rhythm.
At last, with Mizuki quickly beginning to tire, Ena managed to lunge forward to grab her waist, sending the two of them tumbling to the ground and splayed out limbs everywhere. For a few moments, the only sound heard was their ragged breathing, before it devolved into fits of laughter as Ena, then Mizuki, came to their senses. Ena sat up as she dusted herself off.
“Don’t make me chase after you like that!”
“But my girlfriend is soo scary! Whatever would she do if she caught me?”
“I’m serious,” Ena’s tone suddenly dropped, “You don’t have to run anymore.”
“... I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m here for you now, and I’ll always be here waiting for you. So please don't run away from me. Ever again.”
“I won’t.”
Ena, now almost on the verge of tears, cupped Mizuki’s cheeks in her palms, and pulled the taller girl in for a kiss. Unable to pull away, Mizuki’s eyes slowly closed as her arms wrapped around the brunette’s waist to pull her deeper into their shared intimacy. Whatever energy spent getting off the floor had just been squandered as Ena pushed Mizuki back down, as her fingers dug further into Mizuki’s back, her tongue slipping into Mizuki’s mouth, wanting every inch of the taller girl all to herself, as Mizuki tried to push back-
“Hi girls, the snacks are ready.” Mafuyu had quietly made her way over to the couple after spending the last 10 minutes waiting for their shenanigans to finish. Mizuki and Ena had separated at light speed upon noticing her towering over them. Ena’s overflowing love was quickly replaced with annoyance as she turned to glare at Mafuyu.
“Dear Miku, it’s just not my day today is it?!” she bemoaned her unfortunate fate.
Mafuyu helped herself to another cracker as her other hand quickly moved to stop Kanade from pouring herself another glass of soda. The snack pile was slowly beginning to dwindle, most of which, Ena had insisted, had been eaten by Mafuyu herself, as well as the composer to a lesser extent. Mafuyu had concerns over how tidbits and carbonated drinks, not much more nutritious than instant noodles, were going to throw off Kanade’s diet, her mind spinning with the repeated quotas enforced by Mochizuki-san: no snacks to replace meals, soda only on weekends; each one of them getting shattered in front of her supposedly watchful eyes. Yet, seeing the smaller girl silently nomming on a pack of biscuits, engaging in the closest thing to an indulgence, almost made her forget those cares for a moment. Kanade, who was always so sweet and kind for others’ sake, finally getting to enjoy something for herself, the girl burdened by crushing guilt finding a fleeting solace in junk food. It made Mafuyu want to see her in this state more, perhaps over a takeout dinner together at the table, or maybe in the kitchen enveloped in the aromas of food on the stove.
“Oh, what’s this?” Mizuki interjected, putting in the extra oomph to raise her voice and get the attention of everyone, snapping Mafuyu back to reality. Once all eyes were on her, the taller girl continued.
“Pocky sticks!” Mizuki fished out a box of what looked to be chocolate coated biscuit sticks from what was left of the snack pile.
“Say, now that we’re almost out of snacks, why not play a game?” Mizuki suggested, a mischievous glint coming to her eyes. In the corner of her eye, Mafuyu could see Ena bring her hand to her forehead in exasperation.
“Oh, I didn’t know that you could play games with those.” Kanade replied with curiosity, “I thought they were for eating.”
“The Pocky Game!” Mizuki began to explain, “Two players take opposite ends of the stick in their mouth, and eat towards the middle; first person to break eye contact loses!”
“I do believe I would do quite well at this game, so I would like to take up the challenge.” Mafuyu offered.
“There goes Little Miss Perfect again, is there anything you’re not good at?” Ena retorted
“Ah, seems like we have ourselves a challenger looking to end Mafuyu’s dominance?!”
“Hell no, I am not kissing Mafuyu!”
An awkward silence reigned for the next few moments as Mizuki frantically tried to stuff the cat back into the bag.
“Ahh, well I guess Ena’s out of the picture. I’m way too good at this game, so I don’t think it would be fair for me to challenge a newbie. So that leaves…”
Three pairs of eyes shifted to the petite composer, of pleading, desperation and mild amusement. Kanade shifted slightly under the gaze of the other members.
“... sure, I’ll play.”
“Yay!” Mizuki cheered, having already removed the first Pocky from the box and holding it close to Kanade’s mouth.
“Open wide, but don’t swallow!” Kanade followed suit, her lips making a little pop sound as she cupped them around the stick. Still holding the stick, she turned to Mafuyu. It reminded Mafuyu of Mochizuki-san’s dog; the raven-haired girl could almost imagine her roommate as a puppy herself, with how she was rather impartial to headpats and stood by the door everyday anticipating her return. Mafuyu bit down on the free end of the stick, eyes drifting to Mizuki waiting for a signal, although it would seem she was slightly preoccupied with trying to take photos of them, and trying to hold in her laughter. Even Ena’s face was contorting into a half-smile, which was a rare sight.
“Alright!” Mizuki called out, “On my signal, you two can start!” Mafuyu’s eyes locked onto her adversary, whose face appeared to have turned slightly red while waiting. It looked …cute, almost.
“Aaandd go!” Mafuyu set off on her way, taking consistent, measured bites out of the stick, her eyes unblinking, never straying off Kanade. The petite girl on her end was taking small nibbles, making little progress and seemingly flustered by the rapid speed of Mafuyu’s approach. With each bite, Mafuyu could see Kanade’s blush proliferate with each passing second, her already miniscule bites beginning to slow. Their noses brushed against each other, which finally startled Kanade into slamming her eyes shut; now they were so close Mafuyu could almost feel the body heat radiating from her body which had now been almost completely flushed red.
“You blinked.” she replied matter of factly, snapping what remained of the stick with a swift movement of her jaw.
“Oh, well done Mafuyu,” Kanade congratulated, “I must have been distracted, it’s really hard to focus when you’re so-” her hands quickly flew up to her mouth before she could finish.
“Sorry, could you finish what you were about to say?”
Kanade violently shook her head, her hair strands flying all over the place.
“Kanade, are you hiding something?” Mafuyu chided, as she approached closer. The smaller girl attempted to back off, yet with her horrible sense of balance, she instead tumbled back first onto the cold hard floor of the SEKAI. Mafuyu, now almost on top of her, continued moving closer, unwilling to back down until she got her answer.
“I… I think that…Mafuyu! I think you’re…no,” Kanade was struggling to piece any sort of coherent thoughts together, starting to squirm in place as Mafuyu’s gaze bore into her. If Kanade was cute before with a mild blush on her face, then this new Kanade was beginning to awaken all sorts of feelings in Mafuyu’s chest. She sort of resembled Mizuki at the diner, who was now appearing to be holding in (poorly, she should note) a squeal, enjoying seeing them in this awkward position. Mizuki…
And then everything finally clicked into place: Mizuki’s grand master plan now revealed to Mafuyu in all its glory. The yuri manga, the snack party, it had all been a test, and somehow Mafuyu had aced her way into what looked to be the final stage.
Wait, what do I do now? Kanade was now beneath her, and according to her materials, the next step was something rather inappropriate and unsuitable to be done in front of the two other Nightcord members, so that was out of the question. Mafuyu’s brain raced through every scene that had been implanted into her memory, searching for that model answer on how to proceed. Unfortunately, with a database of only two, it seemed more research would be needed, so Mafuyu went with the next best option. She gently lowered herself down onto Kanade, careful not to put too much weight on the composer’s fragile frame, wrapping her arms around the composer and placing her head on her chest. She instinctively turned to face Mizuki, ready for her feedback: the pink haired girl’s bright smile had appeared to have faded slightly, replaced with a tinge of disappointment across her facial features. Well, that was to be expected; a perfect score wasn’t possible at this point, so she would take every mark she could get. With her head still placed on Kanade’s chest, she felt the pleasant sensation of the rise and fall of the composer’s respiration, her own body now moving in sync with it. The noise and chaos of before now gone, with Sekai having returned to its familiar quiet, only punctuated by their breaths and Kanade’s heart hammering against her ribcage.
“Kanade,” Mafuyu whispered, “Your heart. It’s beating so quickly.”
The composer, in a dazed state, didn’t reply.
Over on the other side of the lake, another familiar sight in Miku weaving a red string between her fingers, her ashen locks drifting slightly in the little wind there was. Over the curve of the horizon, a smaller boy, almost akin to a child, could be seen trotting over.
“Miku, look…” Len called out, “I found this in the lake.” The older of the two Virtual Singers let out a noise of curiosity as she took the item from Len, carefully wiping off the stray droplets.
“It’s a book.” She stated, gently flipping through its waterlogged pages, taking extra care not to rip anything. Her eyes began to widen ever so slightly, as she appeared to take interest in its contents. Gesturing the banana-haired boy over, Miku turned the book in his direction.
“Wow… a romance novel. Which one is the man and which is the woman?” Len quizzed.
“Len… they’re both women.”
“Is this … what Mafuyu likes?” A slight tremble now came to Len’s voice.
“... I don’t know.” Miku simply replied, “But if it is what she likes, I will like it too.” A warm smile and blush began to creep onto her face, “If she wants to see it, I shall follow her desire.”
“You want … to see girls kiss?”
“... I suppose I do.”
“Pah, what naivety.” Came a gruff voice; the two Virtual Singers swivelled around to the source, and simultaneously shuddered as Kaito approached.
“Kaito, would you like to look at girls kissing with us?” Len was the first to speak in an attempt to defuse the situation.
“What nonsense, nothing more than frilly, pure wish fulfillment for schoolgirls.” Kaito grumbled, “You want to see real relationships between women?” Len remained rooted to the spot in fear, yet next to him, Miku nodded along unthinkingly.
“Well, in real relationships, women don’t just kiss, they have…
By the time he was done and stormed off in a huff, Miku could only whisper apologies and offer headpats as Len stared blankly into the lake’s waters.
It was the most Mizuki had left the house in a long while. Taking the metro over to Miyamasuzaka, with a new yuri manga in a bag to bring home the old one, had slowly found a niche in her life. Truth be told, Mizuki would have absolutely preferred to shy away from the public at home, sending her groupmate new recommendations through the comfort and convenience of a digital link. Yet, Mafuyu had expressed her penchant for reading the physical copies, and ever since their Sekai snack party, Mizuki had been adamant, to Ena mostly, that her plan was both effective and flawless and that she was going to see it through no matter what it took.
Await Mafuyu’s text asking for another read, catch the 14:56 train bound for Shibuya the next day, wait at the gate and listen to Mafuyu’s short critique about her new favourite, pass her the goods, rinse and repeat. Mafuyu had been getting closer with each manga returned, and if braving the crowds of Tokyo was what it took for Mizuki to get her long overdue reward, at this point so be it!
Mizuki carefully maneuvered her way past the oncoming deluge of high school students, slowly nearing the ironclad gates, only to be surprised to find Mafuyu already waiting there on her phone, truly a rare sight indeed! As usual, she shouted out to the raven-haired girl.
“Oh, hello Mizuki.” She responded curtly in kind. As usual. Some things really didn’t change.
“You’re in luck today! Or should I say, yuri-n luck? Eh? Get it?” Mizuki’s attempt at a pun was met with Mafuyu’s blank stare suggesting that she was less than impressed with Mizuki’s broken Japanglish.
“Wow, tough crowd. Anyway!” Mizuki shook the cold shoulder off and opened up her tote bag, “I’ve got multiple offerings for you today, so what’ll it be?”
“Actually, I want to discuss taking the next step forward. With Kanade.” Time seemed to stop still for a moment as Mizuki stared incredulously at Mafuyu. To outsiders, this conversation probably sounded like some rather unconventional business negotiation, and perhaps it could be that, with Mizuki on the verge of a breakthrough.
“I see! Where should we talk then?”
“I would prefer to continue talking while we walk.”
“A rather bold, public location for such a conversation wouldn’t you say? But in the end, I am merely an emotional support pillar in your pursuit of love. Lead the way, Mafuyu!” Mizuki exclaimed with a wide movement of her arm. Mafuyu began to walk with Mizuki almost bouncing along the pavement behind her.
“So, spill the deets!” Mizuki pressed once the school was far behind them.
“So, as you could probably tell, in my pursuit of knowledge of the yuri genre, I appear to have fallen in love with Kanade.” The raven haired girl replied matter-of-factly.
“And???”
“I think I will be confessing to her. Tonight.”
It took all of Mizuki’s willpower not to cheer and do a fistbump in public a la Mario, lest they drew more eyes onto their odd conversation. Instead she settled for wrapping her arm around Mafuyu’s back and pulling her to her side.
“That’s our Mafuyu! I’m so proud!” She exclaimed, brimming with excitement.
“I haven’t finished yet,” Mafuyu interrupted to Mizuki’s surprise as she quickly let go of her.
“So, before the confession, I was planning to take her out for a nice dessert at a cafe, similar to a scene from Akumade Amai Watashi no Kanojo, in order to start off the night. And then, I thought that we should get Kanade something to wear, perhaps some kind of jewellery like in Shuukura, as a symbol of my devotion to her. Following that, if time permits, we could go to a nearby aquarium, a place that has been proven to be an effective way for girlfriends to get closer across many yuri manga-”
“Woah, slow down there girl!” Mizuki interjected; she had nodded along as Mafuyu rambled on like ChatGPT if it had been coded by Tumblr users with citations and everything, almost impressed at the girl’s memory, yet this was going too far.
“Oh, was the program not to your standards? I could revise it to what you deem to be ideal.” Mafuyu asked, as she pulled out a notepad and pen, which Mizuki noticed already contained a draft of the exact same confession “itinerary” that Mafuyu had just mentioned. She wasn’t sure whether to be wowed or concerned.
“How do I put this?” Mizuki chose her next words carefully, “Come with me.” She pulled Mafuyu into a backstreet, the two of them now leaning on the alley walls face-to-face.
“Mafuyu, I’m sorry, this really didn’t go how I was planning it to.”
This time it was Mafuyu’s turn to be surprised: “Oh, so your intention was not to get me to read yuri manga in an attempt to become Kanade’s girlfriend?”
“No! I mean, I’m happy that you’re enjoying reading it, I really am! It’s just … I don’t think the way you’re going about it is right.”
“I … don’t get it.” Mizuki strode over and closed the gap between them, placing her hands on Mafuyu’s shoulders.
“A love confession is a really big step forward, and I don’t think you should be trying to emulate others to chase after the best possible outcome.” Her advice slowly started to enter a flow state, “Each confession you read was specifically tailored around the two leads, around their personalities, their connection and likes and dislikes. Even if the underlying feelings and cliches are similar, no two love stories are going to be a hundred percent alike.” Letting out the biggest grin she could summon, Mizuki finished: “There’s no model answer; it’s your own love story, take it as carte blanche to do it your way!”
Mafuyu’s voice appeared to grow small, as for the first time, worry appeared to cloud her features.
“...what if it doesn’t work?”
“Mafuyu, the confession doesn’t matter that much at the end of the day. I don’t think Kanade’s going to turn you down just because she wasn’t immediately swept off her feet.” Mizuki clasped Mafuyu’s palms in her own, “If Kanade shares the same love in her heart as you do for her, then there isn’t any need to worry; I’m sure you’ll find your way into each others’ hearts, if not now, then maybe sometime later down the road. I’ve spent so long watching you two,” Mizuki chuckled at the recollection, “How Kanade snuggles closer to you for warmth late at night, and how you pout whenever she’s not next to you during calls … love isn’t something you need to pass or to earn. You deserve to be happy, and you deserve to make Kanade happy too.”
Mafuyu stood there, her face slowly shifting as she took in Mizuki’s thoughts. Hell, Mizuki was so locked in she wasn’t even sure if she could recall what she just spewed out. Finally, she spoke up.
“... I see. Thank you Mizuki. I never thought you would be able to give such sage advice.” She simply replied with a short bow.
“Wow, don’t mention it!” Mizuki, now flustered by this sudden display of gratitude began to fidget, “I wasn’t even completely sure of what I was saying there, but I’m glad it helped you out!”
“Well, it appears that this conversation is done. I’ll see you later on Nightcord then.” And with not a word left to say, Mafuyu quickly took her leave. Mizuki was left alone in the alley, wondering what sort of passing yuri spirit had momentarily possessed her. Well, perhaps that was something that could be worried about later. She should probably stock up on more snacks for tonight; the show was about to begin!
“Mizuki, you’d better have a good reason for dragging me here and making me wait an hour.” Ena complained as she elbowed the taller girl in the side. Mizuki had insisted that today was the day that Mafuyu was finally going to get her feelings across, and that they tune in as early as possible so as not to miss it; she’d even called over Miku (who surprisingly appeared to have quite a vested interest in their group mates' situationship herself) to join them on call and watch it play out in real time. Miku, whose powers really did appear to have no bounds, did them one better and with a flick of her fingers, a screen projection with a live feed of Kanade’s room manifested in front of them, earning her an incredulous gasp from Ena. While it was somewhat amusing to watch Miku grow ever more impatient to get to witness a smooch like a restless child, Mizuki herself, however, was starting to fidget nervously; an hour in and not even a whiff of romantic action between the two. The small bag of sweets she’d bought at the last minute was beginning to run out, and the combination of a hangry girlfriend, as well as the sting of a mission failed was the last thing she wanted after such a long wait.
“I’m so bored.” Miku pouted for the umpteenth time, “I want to go see what they are doing.”
“Please don’t, you’ll blow our cover!” Mizuki immediately shot that idea down.
“Jeez, this is worse than watching Sound! Euphonium.” Ena joined in on the complaining.
Without much control over what was going to play out next, Mizuki could only offer her two watchmates another dose of hopium “Just you wait guys, it’s going to happen! Aaanyyy moment now, just trust!”
Mafuyu scrawled over her draft of the lyrics for the umpteenth time for Kanade’s new song, with each do over growing more illegible with her trembles. It was the least she could do to take her mind off of the girl who was sitting just a few feet away, yet that distance might as well have been in lightyears. She’d managed to keep it together under Mizuki’s gaze, but could never realise how petrifying it could be once the training wheels came off. Truly she held no animosity whatsoever for the girl who had helped her through this rollercoaster of emotions, yet it felt as if she had personally fed Mafuyu’s meticulous approach into a shredder.
Mafuyu’s heart pounded ever louder as she quietly folded the draft in half to be disposed of. Next to her, the composer was fiddling away on her synthesiser, humming out a tune, her feet barely touching the floor as she rocked them to the beat. There was no doubt about it: Kanade was adorable, and Mafuyu was kicking herself over her conundrum of how to get that across to her adorable face without washing her away with a tide of prewritten platitudes. All as Mizuki’s words echoed over and over:
“It’s your own love story, do it your own way!”
It really had been that simple. The once dark great hall had been illuminated once more to reveal its true occupants. There was no Oikawa Kanon, or Nanami Touko, or Miyagi Shiori; Mafuyu was Mafuyu, a once bleeding girl searching for any form if respite from the world, and she was in love with Yoisaki Kanade, the girl who with the power of music had mended her wounds. Even when she had nothing to offer in return, Kanade had stayed close, assuring her that she was enough, her smile enough to provide warmth during the cold lonely nights, ones which Mafuyu would no longer have to spend alone.
“Do it your own way!”
“You deserve to be happy and you deserve to make Kanade happy too.”
A leap of faith. A love story told by the new Asahina Mafuyu.
“Kanade?”
“Yes Mafuyu?” Kanade immediately set her headphones down as she turned to face her.
“I … want to tell you something.”
Kanade scooted over on her roller chair, a gentle smile on her face, ready to listen.
“Kanade, remember the day we first met? On Nightcord?” Mafuyu began. Oh dear, this was going to be a long, awkward and very one-sided conversation. Yet, she pressed on.
“I was so alone, unable to taste or feel anything. I thought I was going to disappear into nothing; perhaps I wanted to. Yet it was through that chance meeting that day, I found the light in my life. Your music gave me the push to search for a reason to live again. And it seems like I’ve found it.” She reached out her hand and gently cupped Kanade’s cheeks.
“It’s you. I love your songs, but I also love the passion and love you exude as you work your magic. I love how you suffered so much, yet despite all of it, you push through to help others before yourself. I love seeing your little antics everyday, how you spin about in your chair and gently sip cup noodles at your desk, a reminder that I’ve found a home to come back to. I love your touch and your scent when we get close and hold hands at the diner, on the train, in bed. Kanade, I -”
Mafuyu stopped when she noticed the smaller girl had curled up in her chair, tears beginning to prick up in her eyes.
“Why? I haven’t saved you yet. I’ve written song after song and yet my music can’t make you happy. How can you love me when I’ve done nothing for you to deserve it?”
Mafuyu’s heart twisted as the true weight of her words began to sink in. At that moment, she just wanted to hold the smaller girl in her arms tight and squeeze out her doubts with her hugs. As Mizuki probably would have said, there was no going back at this point. So that was exactly what she did. Mafuyu’s arms moved on their own as she pulled Kanade to her chest, rubbing soothing circles on the composer’s back.
“Shh. You make me warmer than any song ever could darling.” Mafuyu was almost stunned at how naturally that came out. “You are enough Kanade. So just keep being the gentle, kind Kanade that I love.” Her arms began to tighten and soften around Kanade, and Kanade in turn placed hers around Mafuyu’s waist, pulling them even closer together. As Kanade’s sniffles died down, Mafuyu ruminated in the silence of their shared living space. No distractions, nothing about the world to worry them in their little pocket of time; just Mafuyu and Kanade holding the person they held dearest in their arms.
“Mafuyu,” Kanade buried her face deeper into her roommate’s chest, “I never found the right time to say it, but … you’re so beautiful. You’ve been waiting patiently all this time not just for my song but for these words, haven’t you? Mafuyu, I love you too.”
Someone seemed to be screaming in the background, perhaps a rowdy neighbour, as Mafuyu snuck a quick peck onto the top of Kanade’s head which was rather conveniently already at mouth level. Kanade separated from her almost instantaneously, her face quickly flushing red.
“Did.. did you just?!” She stuttered.
“Oh? I thought I made my point crystal clear already.” A small smile crept onto Mafuyu’s face seeing the smaller girl’s normally calm demeanour completely flip on a dime.
“I … I! Ok, this conversation is over!” Kanade yelped as she quickly retreated to her bed and flopped face down into her pillow away from Mafuyu.
“So, I take it you won’t be wanting any more kisses from me from now on?” Mafuyu teased as she made her way over to the bed; she was now running completely in a flow state, her soul now shining like the sun. There was no response from the composer for a few moments. Eventually she flipped back over, arms outstretched to face Mafuyu.
“...please do it again.”
Mafuyu joined Kanade on the bed, bundling themselves under the covers and snuggling into her arms. With how politely her cute girlfriend was asking, how could she refuse? Mafuyu wasted no time, planting her first kiss on Kanade’s forehead once again. Her lips danced as she rained kiss after kiss down on every inch of Kanade’s adorable face, relishing in every yelp and shiver the smaller girl let out. Mafuyu landed the finishing blow on Kanade’s nose, although that was unlikely since Kanade had appeared to have ascended to heaven long ago with the look of pure bliss on her face, being only able to let out giggles each time. Once she had regained her composure, she complained: “Mafuyu, you’re no fair. Why don’t I get a turn?” She put on her best pout, and it took all of Mafuyu’s restraint to not kiss her again.
“Alright then. I’ll pick where you kiss then.” Mafuyu pointed at her lips, expecting Kanade to fluster up once again. What she wasn’t expecting was for the smaller girl to go on the attack almost immediately, her lips meeting Mafuyu’s as she pulled her close with all the strength she had. Mafuyu could have sworn she could hear someone shouting “YESSSS!! Suck it!” and “No, no, no… No fucking way that actually worked.” Perhaps she could chalk it up to a hallucination, because dear Miku; up to this point she’d been doing all the kissing, but the sensation of Kanade’s lips on hers was already turning her brain to mush. Kanade’s kiss was tender and warm, the softness of her lips almost melting into Mafuyu’s mouth, and yet there was an undeniable intensity and ferocity that followed, of a girl that seemingly wanted every inch of Mafuyu all for herself, an overflowing desire that threatened to consume both of them in the heat of the moment. A single scrambled thought entered Mafuyu’s mind.
Well, maybe it’s ok to copy Mizuki this one time…
Mafuyu’s lips parted as Kanade’s tongue slipped in, exploring the inside of the raven-haired girl’s mouth, looking for her own tongue. Every part of Kanade, her delicate scent, her soft touch, her adorable face adorned with her silver locks were now all Mafuyu’s to enjoy. Her tongue wrapped around Kanade’s, as the two of them savoured every last inch of their girlfriends, their arms now fully locked around the other as they continued to descend deeper and deeper into their storm of young love. Mafuyu pulled her girlfriend closer as she began to ascend to the same higher realm of pleasure that Kanade had presumably visited a few moments ago. How long had passed? Minutes, hours? Did they even care? The rest of the world might not have existed at all; all Mafuyu could see and feel was Kanade, all Kanade could see and feel was Mafuyu. Just two girls in love making out like there was no tomorrow.
And that was how they both managed to completely miss a pale ashen silhouette in a grey dress materialise out of Mafuyu’s still open phone.
“Ahh… girls kissing.”
“ - what was that Miku?”