Work Text:
I. purple
A purple color reminiscent of his passion, his bright mind, and the love in his heart.
Rui's hands serve him well. He values his hands that write, sketch, type, and create. Rui spends a lot of time looking down at his hands holding a circuit board and a soldering iron, or a pencil in one hand meeting a sketchpad of designs and the beginnings of blueprints held steady by the other.
His hands hold the most special people in the world. His hands are held by those marvelous people, and his fingernails are painted in their likeness. When he’s working, his hands remind that he isn't creating for just himself anymore. He has people who will listen to him, support him, and stick with him through all his antics.
A once thought impossibility became his reality. How pathetic Rui used to be: unable to believe that anyone would take him seriously, unaccepting of any attempt at a connection made in his direction. He gave up on thinking even one person could find something in him worthy of valuing; now, he has three.
If he could shatter that which he thought to be impossible, then surely he will one day set out on a path where the four of them can walk hand-in-hand. If it truly is impossible for them to remain as they are, then Rui will design a new plan, create a future with his own two hands that allows them the freedom for both ambition and love. He has come so far to realize the trust they hold between each other. He will stop at nothing to ensure he can treasure their bond forever—starting with the colors that have found their way from the tips of his fingers to his heart.
On a not-so lonely day, up on a familiar rooftop, an old friend notices his nails, complimenting the coherent color scheme, but not without mentioning how ‘totally uncute’ they look against his bland school uniform. The midday sunshine brings the most life to the different hues as he holds his hands out in front of him, allowing himself to feel proud and fulfilled with what each color represents.
He explains to them that he appreciates the feedback, but would never change the colors for anything.
They laugh in response as they tease about how much of a sap Rui has become.
He has no reason to elaborate further.
Silently, their smile tells Rui they're relieved, realizing how much he is loved.
II. green
The muted emerald green of her favorite dress: the one she wears on the stage where she found her courage to sing again.
Bright colors draw too much attention. Nene doesn't like drawing unwanted attention.
Her worries are not unfounded because, on the very first day she goes to school with her nails painted, a classmate asks about them, saying something about how they look just like Tsukasa's. She tells him to keep quiet or else someone on the disciplinary committee might hear him.
Painted nails, especially with bright colors, are far from her style, not to mention not very professional… and also probably not dress code.
She keeps her fingers balled up in fists, folded under her desk, or isolated in her pockets; the last thing she wants is for a teacher to see and call her out in front of everyone. Although it’s not like other students are reprimanded when they show up with manicures. Nene couldn't care less about it, honestly. However, the difference between them and Nene is that their nails are subtle, dainty pastels, neutral tones, or simple french tips. Hers are loud, mismatched, and multicolored.
She shouldn’t have let Emu have her way. Now she has to suffer a mini-heart attack anytime someone so much as looks in her direction. She struggles with being seen enough as it is. The stares are bad for her heart as they come with the passing thought of whether they saw and think she’s weird, or if they think she’s acting suspicious and nervous for no reason. This whole nail polish thing is simply too much trouble for what it's worth, but… at the same time, not painting her nails may have been just as bad.
Do you know what else is bad for Nene’s heart?
The way Emu’s eyes beaded and her lip pouted when Nene said she didn’t want to participate,
The cocky, yet dorky arguments Tsukasa made to try and convince her there would be nothing to worry about,
And the way Rui smiled so lovably because he knows she can’t deny a simple request when he dons that face.
Despite Tsukasa being completely wrong—there is actually much more for her to worry about beyond her initial reservations—Nene can’t stop herself from dissolving thinking about that moment. Her throat clenches every time the colors surprise her from the corner of her eye. When she looks down to take notes or play a game on her phone, the colors are there, and the slightest smile graces her face.
Days later, just as she is getting used to the colors at her fingertips, the pink enamel on her index fingers chip away. It’s a strange thing that she doesn’t know how to describe and therefore won’t. Nail polish isn’t permanent—she knows that much—but the fact that such impermanence is meant to symbolize her attachment to…
No, this is dumb. It’s not that serious.
She’ll just ask Emu to paint her nails again.
III. pink
A vibrant shade of pink of which its vivacity can only be matched by her own.
After getting caught on Kamiyama High’s campus during her sneaky adventures for the umpteenth time, everybody had to (gently) put their foot down and ask Emu to stay at her own school during school hours. Nobody enjoyed that conversation, but it’s for all of their sake lest Emu winds up in trouble with her own school. She understands their concern, but doing the right thing shouldn’t make her feel so mopey. The school day is sooo looong. Waiting until the end of the day to see her people is absolutely unbearable.
Isn't it a little unfair that the others can see each other in between classes, during lunch break, and walk to Phoenix Wonderland together, all while she’s stuck on the other side of town?
To rectify this, Emu pursues the only logical solution: she approaches her parents about transferring schools but is adamantly turned down with some stuffy line like ‘your sister graduated from Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy with wonderful friends, and you can too.’
Not being able to do anything about her situation only makes the achiness in her heart worse. Fortunately, when Emu goes to the Virtual Singers with her problem, Miku has the most wonderhoy-ful idea!
At school the following day, Emu doesn’t even try to hide that she’s admiring her brightly colored nails. All throughout the day she’s holding her arms out in front of her and beaming. When someone asks about her nails, she answers simply that the colors are important to her. No one presses any further because ‘it’s just Emu,’ the girl who wears a bright pink sweater to school with animal patches on it because she can. Is she allowed to? Probably not, but no one really has the heart to stop her.
Now, when Emu starts to miss her people, instead of being mopey, she can look at her nails. The colors remind her that they are with her even when she can’t be with them.
IV. yellow
A full and vibrant golden yellow: the only color that can truly represent a future star such as himself.
Tsukasa’s brightly colored manicure speaks volumes in place of the only thing he struggles to say out loud. Sometimes it's better to have something between them that only they know about.
His sister is so persistent in asking him about his nails every time she sees them. He repeatedly explains that it’s simply the result of a team building exercise. She never believes him.
On one such occasion, she asks while Tsukasa takes her lunch tray out of her room. He dismisses her interrogation and shuts the door behind him.
Even though both of their cold symptoms had already subsided, their parents insisted they rest more anyways. Since they both stayed home from school, they couldn't go to work either. Tsukasa spends most of the day in his room trying to prepare for the homework he'll have to catch up on, but when studying becomes too much, he goes to his laptop and writes anything that comes to mind; every single fragment of a story, no matter how poorly developed, he writes it all.
He wishes he could bounce some of these ideas off of Rui. He is remarkable at getting the best plots and characters out of Tsukasa.
The stories he comes up with vary from faraway lands, to distant pasts and puzzling futures. The whole time he conjures the stories in his head, he can’t stop thinking about how his partners fit into the narratives. His mind wanders to think about how they fit into his life in the real world. He stares at his hands graced with bright colors and they remind him he won’t be seeing them today.
He deliberately rubs at the smooth enamel and reminisces on Emu painting it for him. She was quite adorable in that moment, eyebrows were furrowed and eyes focused on making clean strokes. He wished to pat her head if not for the wet paint on his hands.
He wishes he could hold Emu now: pat her head and tell her what a great job she did. Her hugs are among the most magnificent things in the world.
Just as he convinces himself to return to studying, the doorbell rings. Looking at the clock, Tsukasa thinks that it may be Rui delivering his homework since it’s now after school hours. Maybe Nene came with him. Maybe they picked up Emu along the way.
Although it wasn’t guaranteed, his heart still sinks when Saki’s bandmates greet him at the door. They exchange pleasantries and he keeps his twinge of disappointment locked away behind a smile and warm welcome. He leaves them to visit Saki as they please.
If Nene had seen him just now, she would’ve laughed and made a snide comment about how excited he got at the prospect of seeing them even though they already see each other practically every day.
He wishes he could see Nene’s smile now, even if it meant she were laughing at him. Her own star power shines when she’s smiling. It helps Tsukasa find the strength to continue trying his best. It seems they've come to fuel each other in that regard.
Just as Tsukasa returns to his room, the doorbell rings again. Maybe it’s another one of Saki’s friends (so he won’t be disappointed again). He might have been annoyed that the doorbell keeps interrupting his flow, but it’s not as if he’s been able to truly focus today. He composes himself before answering the door.
Just as he opens it, he receives a visceral attack in the stomach by a girlfriend on the verge of tears. She hugs him tightly and blubbers over how much she was going to miss him if they didn’t visit right after school. Tsukasa comforts her, holds her just as tightly and runs his hand through her hair.
Nene laughs over how ridiculous of a scene Emu is making. Tsukasa burns her song of joy into his memory for the next time he longs to see her smile.
Rui hands him a folder of work and offers to take a look at his stories once every worksheet is completed. Tsukasa admires his words and his mind that works with his own in perfect tandem.
V. painted by their hearts
Yellow, he cares for them so much. He is tremendously grateful that they are the people supporting and uplifting him on his path to stardom. As a future star burning with love, he is only the person that he is today because they helped him grow. The person he will become in the future because of them is exactly who he wants to be.
Pink, so many new onomatopoeia have to be invented in order to convey the overwhelming feelings that come with having people help make her greatest wishes come true. Not only are her dreams being crafted into a reality, but she is having some of the most fun she’s ever had. She will burst from her abundant love one day, and when she does, they will be there to pick up the pieces and glue her back together.
Green, she is reluctant to say much out loud, but she loves just as much as she is loved. Long gone are the days when she believed she would amount to nothing and be alone forever. Whether she realizes or not, she's forged bonds for life that she wouldn't be able to sever even if she wanted to, but she does not. She doesn't know what the future holds, but she does know that a future that doesn't include them to some degree is a future she has little interest in.
Purple, he states his feelings with reservation yet full accountability. Acknowledging the risks that come with loving, he learns to trust them with his heart just as they all trust him. He will do anything to amplify their voices and make their dreams come true, and he will greatly enjoy doing it. He lets them know that they've become something like a dream of his own.
And together, their hearts are painting a beautiful portrait—one that will take a lifetime to finish.