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Ena clicked the enter button, sending what she estimated was the 39th message to “Amia.” Mizuki. Her closest friend had been displayed with varying shades of grey across all platforms, revealing the same thing every time. Offline. Disconnected.
Gone.
“Hopefully not gone.” Ena muttered to herself, her brow furrowing as she sunk her head into her hand.
Click.
<Make sure to drink water.>
Click.
<Message when you’re ready to, alright?>
A soft beep alerted Ena of the unmuting of someone’s mic in the Nightcord call she was in. Right. In her hand was the pen to her drawing tablet, which sat a glaring white on her desk. The progress she had planned to make during this night was quickly shattered.
“Everything going alright, Ena…?” Kanade murmured, absorbed in the steady melody she was carefully stringing together from her piano.
There was a distant clicking that came from Kanade’s mic, the purple-haired member of their group not bothering to unmute herself as she worked on lyrics. Ena shook her head, reminded once more of the final member of Nightcord at 25:00. She needed to give Mizuki time. She couldn’t get worried over that twilight festival.
“Ah- sorry. I’ve been a bit distracted lately.” The usual sharp edges of Ena’s tone softened to something weaker, that made Kanade pause.
“Is Mizuki not feeling well?” Mafuyu remarked, her voice dull.
“…yes.”
Kanade uploaded a rough draft titled, “ghost flower.” Ena **silenced the notification and watched as “K”’s icon lit up again.
“…do you think you should go and check on her? Her parents are probably busy with work, or asleep…” Kanade’s soft voice was tinged with worry.
“I might.”
The brown-haired girl put down her pen and stretched, standing up. It was far too late to leave her house now. Without Niigo to worry about, Mizuki was probably asleep.
She turned toward her screen.
One last message.
<Good night, Mizu-
Gray lit up to green. For a split second.
Online.
Offline.
Ena bit back a groan, pacing back and forth in her room. You idiot. She shakily exhaled, worry surging up her throat.
Click.
No further messages were sent.
Rather, she left the call and threw on a beige cardigan over her icy arms. Those words pierced at her, immobilizing her for minutes at a time as her mind played words in a loop of
“Sorry.”
“I couldn’t tell you sooner. I’m sorry.”
“I couldn’t face you. I’m sorry.”
Cotton-candy hair scattered by the wind as muffled sobs were drowned out with panicked footsteps.
Those sounds were largely mimicked in the empty night.
Ena’s vision took a second to adjust to the glaring lights above her, against the dark sky. She had slipped out of her house easily, the time of 3:24 meaning everyone was fast asleep.
Even if Mizuki was one of those sleeping she would wait. The sight of the editor, peaceful in dreams, would be enough to soothe Ena’s throbbing nerves.
The address was something she vaguely recalled from a night they had spent together. How it had been revealed was unconventional, in an apologetic tone after Mizuki doxxed Ena!
Though it had pissed her off at the time, she was incredibly grateful for what now meant she could check on the pinkette.
The doorbell rang out in the night.
Ena didn’t expect any response. The lace curtains obscuring Mizuki’s room shifted, and there was silence that only further confirmed her suspicions.
It was okay if the girl couldn’t bring herself to speak with Ena. She would give her time. Time.
And her thoughts were cut off as the door opened.
“It’s late, Ena.” Mizuki’s laugh didn’t even half-conceal the despair her voice was coated in. Her hair was still in the same ponytail from that night two days ago, strands of pink falling out of place around her face. She rubbed her eyes, crusted concealer over dark circles.
“You look terrible.” Ena remarked bluntly, immediately stammering an apology as she saw Mizuki’s face fall. “…Shit—sorry, I meant… I mean- I don’t like seeing you this miserable.”
“Miserable?” The pink-haired girl muttered.
“You know what I mean, Mizuki! I bet you didn’t even bother to listen to my messages because you thought I was doing it out of pity.”
She went silent.
“Yeah, thought so.” Ena looked into the dark entryway of the house. “Is your family asleep?”
Mizuki hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting nervously between Ena and the darkened interior of the house. Finally, she stepped back, allowing Ena to enter.
"Come in," she said stiffly, her voice barely above a whisper. "But... be quiet, okay?"
Ena nodded, stepping inside and closing the door gently behind her. The house was eerily silent, save for the soft hum of the refrigerator in the distance. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out the shapes of furniture and picture frames on the walls.
"Mizuki," Ena began, her voice low and uncertain, "whatever those idiots were talking about, I don’t—"
But Mizuki cut her off with a sharp shake of her head. "It's fine. Don’t pretend nothing changed." Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion.
Ena frowned, reaching out to touch Mizuki's arm. "Something changed, yes. But it’s not a bad thing. I hold you even closer to my heart the way I would with or without this revelation!"
For a moment, Mizuki's facade cracked, and Ena caught a glimpse of the pain and loneliness in her friend's eyes. A silent begging for this to be true. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by a forced smile.
"Really, Ena? You’re going to keep up this act as if I hadn’t been deceiving you the entirety of the time we spent together?"
Ena sighed, recognizing the deflection for what it was and choosing to ignore it. "Alright, then. How about you get something to eat. I can make hot chocolate.”
“…I’m not hungry. I don’t like hot chocolate.”
“Liar.” Ena scoffed. “Just shut up and let me take care of you.” The kitchen was off to the side which, despite her earlier confidence, she was relieved for. If Mizuki’s parents were to see them doing this at practically dawn, she would have a lotof explaining, and even more unnecessary stress put on the girl.
Quietly, Ena began to make hot chocolate using the powder that Mizuki had set out without a word. She kept an eye on the editor through the heavy silence, observing as she began to comb her hands through her unwashed hair.
“Here.” Ena plunked down next to them on the bench and stirred her own cup. She wasn’t hungry… but she knew Mizuki was definitely going to refuse if they were the only one drinking it. It was just slightly warm, bringing her to the realization that she probably hadn’t heated the milk enough… But a glance to her side proved through Mizuki’s flushed cheeks that it didn’t matter. Ena could exhale a shuddering sigh of relief, this finally being the closure that she needed. Or at least, she convinced herself was all she needed.
It would be reasonable for her to leave and continue giving Mizuki time, after all, she had waited years for them to feel comfortable to share their secret.
And that never happened. But. Ena was sick of waiting. This was something that she didn’t want to have to wallow in the silence of. It was a thing filled with antipathy and Mizuki’s fear like storm clouds. If she didn't act now, those clouds might burst, washing away any chance of reconciliation. Ena took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. She turned to face Mizuki, her eyes narrowed with determination .
“Mizuki.”
Mizuki's eyes widened slightly, her gaze fixed on the steaming mug in her hands. Ena leaned in, her voice harsh but with some sort of undertone of compassion. "I need you to understand something. Your identity doesn't change who you are to me or affect all the things I love about you."
“You-“
“I love your face. You put so much effort into appearing the cutest you possibly can, and you don’t even know how much I admire that. Your height means that when I sleep on the train, my head falls perfectly against your shoulder. And… your self. The Mizuki at the core of this body.” Ena gripped Mizuki’s shoulder, turning her towards herself. Her voice shook. “…you don’t know how much I want to know that girl. How much I want that girl to know I love her despite her appearance, despite what those idiots think of her.”
She rubbed a sleeve over her eyes, trying desperately to remain calm. So she looked over, and Mizuki whispered a quiet, “Jeez… are you in love with me or something?”
It was a pathetic attempt at their usual banter. But Ena decided to humor it and challenged, “what if I am?” Her tone was laced with desperation and the pounding of her heart against her chest made her hunch over, yet even despite that she caught the flicker of realization in her friend’s eye.
Take action for once, Ena.
No more waiting.
Don’t wait.
She’s waiting for you.
Waiting is
“Unbearable, isn’t it?” Ena muttered, cupped her hands around Mizuki’s face and kissed them.
Mizuki’s lips were lined in gloss the color and flavor of cherries, leaving Ena in a surreal kind of awe as she stumbled back and covered her mouth.
The pink-haired girl mirrored the action, eyes beginning to turn glass-like. She whispered, “so you loved me? All along? That’s why you waited?”
“I waited because of you. Not just my love, but because I can’t bear to lose you, no matter if you’re a friend or something more.” Confessions were spilling from Ena’s lips as though that gloss was the key to her words. They hung in the air for seconds at a time as Mizuki shook her head, and processed.
Just took in.
“I feel different around you. This whole time I assumed you weren’t going to pay any mind to what I said, because why would anyone ever get close to me? And then you know what food I like, where I would hide the final puzzle in the escape room, and even smaller things that I thought were carefully concealed… ah…” A tear trickled down the flushed cheek of the pinkette, and she rubbed it away.
“I feel warm inside. Maybe it’s from the hot chocolate, but thank you anyway.”
Ena managed a smile at Mizuki, and the expression she got in return was weak but genuine with fragile calm.
It cleared both of their minds relatively, the heavy storm dissipating to quiet rain. This left a thought that while, clouded over, hadn’t been washed away. It hit Ena.
“I kissed you!” She gasps, her voice hushed.
Mizuki murmured, “Took you a little to come to that realization.”
“No… that was the first time I’ve… I never did…” Ena latched onto Mizuki’s arm. In response, Mizuki giggled softly with eyes glistening a mix of amusement and fondness.
"Oh, Ena... You're so cute when you're flustered." She teased, placing a shaking hand over Ena's, which was still clinging to her arm. It was warm.
"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, a hint of vulnerability seeping through.
“Eh? Sure about what?”
“…This. Choosing to love me. You know. They told you.” There was an undeniable bitterness to Mizuki’s tone. She had worked toward the perfect time to confess her identity on that rooftop, only for it to be ripped away from her in seconds. “Don’t do it out of pity. Please. It’s going to break me even more than if you just admitted you saw me differently.”
“I… I'm not doing this out of pity, Mizuki." Ena said simply, locking eyes with her friend partner? "The flutterings in my chest at the sight of you have been growing for a long time, long before I knew about your identity. This revelation doesn't change how I feel about you - it only makes me admire your strength even more. Because you haven’t given up, despite being outed and ostracized."
Ena took a deep breath, recalling the intensity of her earlier confession. "Remember what I said before? I admire you for who you are, Mizuki. Your face, your height, your personality - all of it. I want to know the real you, regardless of what others might see. You’re the cutest, prettiest, most amazing and genuine person I’ve ever met.”
She gently squeezed Mizuki's hand, her voice weakening. "That kiss... it wasn't out of pity or confusion. It was because I genuinely love you, Mizuki. I've been waiting to express these feelings for so long, waiting for you because of this passion, and I couldn't bear to wait any longer." Ena’s cheeks flushed as she remembered the kiss, the taste of cherries still lingering on her lips. "And yes, it was my first kiss too. I chose to experience it with you because you're special to me, Mizuki. You have been since the very second I first heard your voice."
She looked into Mizuki's eyes, her gaze fiery. "I'm not just choosing to love you now. I've loved you all along, and I'm finally brave enough to say it out loud. This isn't pity, Mizuki. This is me, Ena, telling you that I love you for who you are, despite how those classmates seemed to think. So please give me a chance. Don’t push me away because of the imaginary feelings you assigned to me!” Ena yelled.
Her voice echoed slightly around the house illuminated by the rising sun, which had cast an orange glow onto Mizuki’s dazed features. “…I’m sorry.” She whispered, turning away.
“Don’t be sorry.” The apology uttered from Mizuki’s lips felt to Ena cold and foreign, a reminder of that day. “I love you.”
She was surprised at how easy the sentence came out. Something she had always struggled to express to those she cared about. Love. She mouthed the word, beginning to repeat it as a quiet mantra to herself until it was cut off by oh shit Mizuki kissed her again.
“You love me.” The girl said with a sort of finality, pulling away from Ena’s trembling grasp. “I love you.”
And Mizuki realized she was breathing heavily a second too late, realized her cheeks were heated after tears were already streaming down. Despite the words echoing through her mind in her period of isolation, she still hoped that Ena would return. They promised themselves that they wouldn’t get close to anyone.
But Ena’s arms, wrapped around Mizuki in something sweeter than the most sugar-filled parfait. They coaxed her to unravel, from a girl tied off with a ribbon to the vulnerability underneath. It made her shiver, she wanted this. She wanted to let Ena see the corners of her deepest self, she was ready for her to know. But she already knew. Mizuki still felt like vomiting at the thought of being outed, that this moment was tinged with something sour because it wasn’t possible for them to act like Ena didn’t know.
“Pretend.” Ena murmured.
The words stuck to Mizuki’s throat like honey, they struggled to choke out this secret.
But Ena still held them close with a whisper of, “…I accept you. You’re Mizuki, the one I love, no matter what. You know that.”
She swallowed. Ena’s eyes were burning with resolve and glared at her in a way full of passion. It was alright. It was alright. A shaky laugh escaped from Mizuki, that turned into heavy giggling, which turned into them wheezing as they clutched Ena’s cardigan. “…agh…” They bit back the apology they were about to utter, seeing Ena’s expression.
The brown-haired artist covered her mouth, her cheeks flushed with pink. “…What’re you staring at?” She muttered.
Mizuki grinned, in a way that felt as easy as breathing to them. Natural. “Nothing.”
Ena's eyes softened, a small smile appearing on her flushed lips. "You're ridiculous," she retorted, but her tone was filled with affection.
Mizuki leaned in, resting their head against Ena's. "Maybe," they teased, "but you love me anyways~"
The room fell silent, save for the gentle ticking of the clock and the soft sound of their breathing. The morning sun continued to paint the room in warm hues, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions that had raged earlier.
"Hey, Ena?" Mizuki's voice was barely audible.
"Hm?"
"Thank you for waiting for me. For loving me. For... this."
Ena's hand found Mizuki's, intertwining their delicate fingers with hers. "Always," she promised, the word carrying a new meaning from the years of waiting she had committed to.
As they sat there, basking in the warmth of newfound closeness, Mizuki's earlier words echoed in Ena's mind: "Jeez... are you in love with me or something?" She chuckled softly, realizing how far they'd come in just one morning.
"What's so funny?" Mizuki asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ena shook her head. "Nothing. Just thinking about earlier. Haven’t checked your phone, much huh? What was it… 40 notifications? 41?"
Mizuki's face flushed, remembering the flood of concerned messages they had ignored. "Ah, about that... It’ll take a while to read over." They sighed.
"Don't worry," Ena said, tugging out her phone. "I've got a summary for you."
She typed quickly, then turned the screen toward Mizuki. It was a simple three words:
<I love you.>
Mizuki just nodded with a racing heart, and Ena hit send, marking the 42nd and final remembrance of this ordeal.
As the notification appeared on Mizuki's phone with a jingle, Ena exhaled. That ringing bell meant that the storm had passed, leaving behind an aftermath that would give way to the future of clear skies that they had yearned for. From the beginning of Nightcord at 25:00.