Archive of Our Own

Mafuyu adjusts the strap of her purse as she knocks on the door to the Yoisaki household. There’s a 50/50 chance that either Kanade will answer the door immediately—falling over her minefield of trash along the way—or that her knocking will go unnoticed until Mafuyu picks up her phone to call and personally tell Kanade that she is at the door. She hopes it isn’t the latter, and that Kanade has remembered their date.

Recently, due to an influx of jobs and commissions or something, Kanade has been overworking herself again. The composer didn’t dare suggest they cut out their usual date nights, but Mafuyu noticed the growing eyebags and lethargic behavior that wasn’t hidden by Kanade’s usual calm and lax demeanor. She had brought up her concerns before, but Kanade had shrugged it off like a seal slipping out of water and insisted that it was nothing for her to worry about.

Mafuyu still worried, but it was clear that Kanade had it handled. The composer had gotten a lot better at taking care of her own health since high school, after all.

Which brings her to the familiar door. Luckily, it seems that Kanade has not forgotten the date and Mafuyu doesn’t bother taking out her phone to call.

What ensues is as follows: a frantic silence, a loud thud, a muffled voice, and then footsteps getting louder before the door opens and a windswept Kanade greets her with a smile that seems more like a grimace from the way her face was contorted in pain.

“Mafuyu!” Kanade wheezes out, “You’re early.”

Her cheeks were a bit flushed, bringing out some healthy color on her cheeks. Though there was a grimace on her face, light blue sparkled with genuine happiness. Kanade was wearing her tracksuit, and though it was quite literally nearly the same outfit that she wore everyday, something in Mafuyu’s chest curled around her heart again.

My girlfriend is gorgeous. Mafuyu can’t help staring. It is only when Kanade tilts her head—something that should be illegal for how cute it is—does Mafuyu realize that she hasn’t said her greetings yet.

“Kanade, aren’t I usually early?” Mafuyu replies, looking Kanade up and down, for injuries this time. There was no doubt in her mind that the loud thud she had heard earlier was Kanade’s knee kissing the floor again.

“Ah, that is right,” Kanade says with a pleased hum to accompany it as she opens the door wider and beckons her girlfriend into her home. “How was your day?”

Mafuyu steps into the household and the medical professional in her winces at the blatantly sodium-filled instant meals placed haphazardly on various surfaces. The trash can was overflowing with empty cups and half-finished ramen cups lumped together on Kanade’s kitchen table with a few half-forgotten ones on random surfaces.

Was that a Hot & Spicy Chicken Flavored ramen cup on the mantel?

“Have you been eating nothing but instant ramen again?” Mafuyu asks, looking at the empty cups sprawled across the Yoiskai living room and ignoring Kanade’s question entirely.

Kanade blinks, eyes darting across her own living room and doing the mental calculations of whether or not there was enough evidence against her to lie through her teeth. “Um, it’s not as bad as it looks?” the composer settles on.

“Is that a question?” Mafuyu raises an eyebrow, enjoying how Kanade winces under her gaze, as she always does when the instinctual need of not disappointing people and the careless attitude on her own well-being conflict. 

“No,” Kanade says, brushing it off before looking up at Mafuyu with eyes that reflected a sunny sky. “Thank you for worrying, but I’m fine. I’ve just been busy lately.” 

The composer closes the door behind her and hurriedly ushers Mafuyu further into the room. Kanade reaches up and takes the coat off of Mafuyu’s shoulders, the weight of the fabric removed instantly as the composer puts it on the coat hanger beside her. “Please, take a seat. I’ll make some tea for you.”

Mafuyu nods, taking a seat on the couch. There’s not much to do as Kanade hurries to her kitchen and start making tea. She’s gotten better at it, getting to the point where she doesn’t need to be supervised near the stove. So, Mafuyu decides to put her faith in Kanade’s tea-making skills as she looks around the room.

The living room really hasn’t changed all that much from before, which was expected given that Kanade cared little for such things like furniture and appearances. Unlike Ena and Mizuki’s places, Kanade’s living room remained unscathed by the need to fit a certain aesthetic and has remained the same from the time where this household was a home of three and not just one. In fact, the only thing adding a bit of difference each visit were the flowers that Mochizuki-san and Hoshino-san brought along when they visited the composer’s abode.

That was when Mafuyu noticed that on the mantel—next to the Hot & Spicy Chicken Flavored Cup Noodles that Kanade liked—was a very familiar music box. Huh, what’s that doing here?

“Thankfully I’ve still got a bit of that apple-flavored tea you liked last time,” Kanade says as she carefully balances a cup of tea in her hands as she walks over to where Mafuyu was seated, gently blowing over the surface of it to cool it down. It's been a long time, but Kanade hasn't forgotten the way Mafuyu once chugged down boiling tea in front of her.

When Kanade finally makes it over, Mafuyu carefully takes the teacup from her and brings the cup to her mouth, breathing in the faint whiff of apple as she takes a light sip. The warm liquid flows through her throat and into her stomach, the taste of tangy apples on her tongue.

“Thank you,” Mafuyu murmurs, low enough just for Kanade to hear.

Kanade just smiles before sitting down right next to Mafuyu, instantly leaning back against the coach and letting out a sigh of relief. The composer closes her eyes and lets her wayward bangs fall over the side of her face. With the bags under her eyes, she looked more tired than usual.

“How many hours have you slept?” Mafuyu slowly lowers the teacup from her mouth.

Kanade hums, opening one eye to look at Mafuyu wearily.

“Kanade.”

“Five hours,” Kanade finally says, closing her eye. “Shopping took longer than expected.”

Mafuyu nods, “That’s right, you went shopping with Ena yesterday.”

Two blue eyes blink open and stare at Mafuyu with an unreadable expression. “How’d you–?”

“Ena posted a picture of the two of you online,” Mafuyu says as she takes another sip of tea. “You went pretty far from town this time, I thought you’d just spend time at the mall.”

Kanade stares, searching, but seems to find whatever it was she was looking for and nods. “Yes, I was getting something new.” There was a small smile as she said that, the slightest sparkle in her eyes as she sat up and stretched. “Let me get dressed, and then we can get going, okay?”

Mafuyu hums and drinks the rest of the tea, gently placing the teacup on the side table as Kanade walks off to her room to change out of her usual sweats. There was nothing wrong with the composer’s lack of style, but today the two of them were going to a rather fine restaurant to treat themselves. While Mafuyu could care less what outfit Kanade wore, the composer was adamant on putting considerably more effort into her appearance today.

Not that Mafuyu was complaining.

“Ah, Mafuyu, could you remind me what time our reservation was?” Kanade’s voice echoes from the other room as Mafuyu takes her teacup and washes it.

“We have an hour,” Mafuyu says, wiping her hands on a towel before going back to the living room to wait for Kanade. “It’ll take half an hour to get there, though.”

There’s no response after that, but Mafuyu doesn’t mind it, taking the silence to mean that Kanade was hurrying as much as humanely possible. She wishes Kanade took her time. It’s not like they were in a hurry, and Mafuyu would always wait for her. In the meantime, Mafuyu took the opportunity to tidy up Kanade’s room, taking out another trashbag and tossing the leftover ramen cups into it. She grabbed the cup on the mantel, her eyes drifting to the music box beside it.

From what she could recall, the music box was an important treasure of Kanade’s that was once made by her father and gifted to her mother with a song that never ceased to make the woman smile. After the tragedies in Kanade’s life, the music box was a warm yet heavy reminder of her parent’s love and her own love of music. It left such a profound impact on the composer that all of her compositions have echoes of a music box sort of sound in the songs, like the signature of an artist.

With a careful hand, she slowly winds up the music box. But instead of the familiar tune, what comes out were a few discordant notes and an awful twang with a few clicking noises.

A harried looking Kanade bursts into the living room, eyes wide and frantic with one arm through a dark jacket and the other half of it trailing behind her before she sees Mafuyu and the music box.

Mafuyu immediately sets the box aside and takes a step back as if that would minimize the damage. “Sorry, I just wanted to hear it. I didn’t know it was…” broken . That explained a lot.

Kanade lets out a small exhale, relief written all over her face. The composer walks forward and stops the twangy music, a far away glaze over her eyes like what happens when she listens to their old songs or spots a small patch of carnations during walks outside in the park. “It’s alright, there’s nothing wrong with it,” Kanade reassures Mafuyu, as if she herself was not the more distraught one over the music box. “I think something just got stuck in it, that’s all.”

“I can help—”

“Thank you for offering, but it won’t be necessary,” Kanade says with finality, before being surprised at her own slight raise in volume. “I’m sorry I just—I’ve got it.”

Mafuyu bites her tongue, the slight inflection bothered her more than she let on. She nods under Kanade’s troubled expression and decides to help her partner put on the other half of her jacket instead.

Kanade sets the music box back onto the mantel and smooths down the front of her dark black jacket. She’s wearing a white shirt and a dark pants which go well with Mafuyu’s white blouse and dress pants. It’s certainly an improvement from Kanade’s usual wear.

The composer flips her long silvery strands of hair over her shoulder before turning to Mafuyu with a pleased expression. “Do you need anything before we go?”

Mafuyu spares one last glance at the music box before giving Kanade a solemn nod as she takes off her jacket from the coat rack, letting the familiar weight ground her.

The action does not go unnoticed by the composer, who sighs and takes a step forward. “Sorry, Mafuyu. Please, forgive me?” Kanade murmurs softly, clasping Mafuyu’s hands with her own.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Mafuyu whispers, hating how her voice sounds so raspy even to her own ears. There was still a slight bit of guilt about how she had handled the music box.

Kanade grins, one hand letting go of Mafuyu’s hands just to gently tug Mafuyu down by her shoulder so that the composer could kiss the corner of the taller woman’s lips. All Mafuyu could do was stand there, stunned, as the composer walks away to open the door in a sweeping motion.

Leaning against the door frame with a patient smile, Kanade tilts her head as if asking if Mafuyu was coming. She’s patient, but time spent apart when they should be together is already too long.

Mafuyu blinks and then hurries out, waiting for Kanade to lock her door before intertwining their hands together. 

“You can rest your eyes on the train.”

A fond exhale. “Alright. Thank you, Mafuyu.”

“Hello! Welcome, do you have a reservation?” The waitress asks cordially.

Mafuyu nods briskly, “Yes. Under Yoisaki.”

It was Kanade who made the reservation this time, taking into account Mafuyu’s busy work schedule and then picking an evening where the both of them would be free. If she remembered correctly, it was actually Mizuki who had recommended Kanade this restaurant due to it having a internationally known chef famous for her cheesecakes. And well, it wasn’t much of a guess as to why Mizuki knew this place existed.

The waitress nods and flips through her notebook, no doubt looking for the surname which is coincidently at the bottom of a list that is presumably in alphabetical order.

Mafuyu glances over at Kanade, who has a slight flush to her cheeks. She gently nudges her lover’s shoulders, silently worried the composer wasn’t feeling well.

Kanade blinks and then shakes her head quickly at the unasked question, “Ah, it’s just that my name seemed to roll off your tongue.”

Mafuyu manages a small smile, “Yoisaki.”

Kanade grins, “Mafuyu.”

“Yoisaki Kanade.”

“Oh!” The waitress grins and checks off something on the list, “Here it is, sorry for the wait, Yoisaki Mafuyu.”

Mafuyu raises an eyebrow as she turns to the waitress, hearing Kanade make a silent choking noise beside her.

The waitress returns the same confused look, “That is you, right?”

Mafuyu does not feel like explaining the fact that Yoisaki Mafuyu was not her name. In fact, she doesn’t even mind the name. Hell, she likes it a lot better than her own. There’s a lot of thoughts going through her head right now, which isn’t helpful in convincing their waitress that they are indeed the people on the list. She shoves the thoughts aside to focus. Mafuyu nods and gives the waitress her most charming smile.

Kanade gives the waitress a sheepish smile and pretends she was just coughing.

“Great,” the waitress says, absolutely convinced. “Follow me, your reservation is on the second floor.”

Mafuyu turns to Kanade, who has whipped out her phone in the span of seconds, fingers rapidly typing out something to—someone with a familiar anime girl profile picture—Mizuki. “Kanade,” the taller woman reminds, a bit disappointed that the composer was so animatedly conversing to someone else on their date.

“Ah, sorry,” Kanade apologizes again and Mafuyu was surprised to see a hint of annoyance from the usually saintly composer. It was certainly not directed at her, though. Mafuyu would know.

It didn’t take long for the pieces to click. “Mizuki?” Mafuyu asks, gently leading the both of them towards the waitress.

“Mhm,” Kanade says before a small grin appeared. “But it’s not bad.”

“Ah,” Mafuyu says. She’s had more than enough of Mizuki’s antics to last her a lifetime, and if Kanade didn’t seem that bothered by it—in fact, she looked almost pleased—then it was most likely something that did not require Mafuyu’s attention. But she wants to know, regardless. She holds her tongue but looks at Kanade expectantly.

“I got a phone call from the game developer when I was filling out the online form, so I asked Mizuki to put my name in for me,” Kanade explains, telling Mafuyu what she wanted to know. Which apparently meant that Kanade had also trusted Mizuki with their reservation. “She must have thought it was funny to write down ‘Yoisaki Mafuyu’.”

She was fine when the waitress had said it—there was nothing wrong with it—just a slight misconception brought upon them by Mizuki’s antics. But when Kanade said it, the name rolling off of her tongue like the sweetest of honey, Mafuyu felt like it was a song all on its own.

On the other hand, Kanade watches as Mafuyu’s pupils are blown wide, and the taller of the two stops mid-step. The composer looks up in question, but her lover just takes a deep breath in and out before staring intensely.

“Say that again,” Mafuyu exhales.

“Ah,” Kanade says, a small smile appearing on her own face that came with the relief that Mafuyu was pretty receptive of this. “If that’s what you want, Yoisaki-san.”

Mafuyu inhales but she’s breathless.

Kanade takes a step forward, “Come on, let’s go, Yoisaki Mafuyu.”

Mafuyu follows, hand holding Kanade’s like a lifeline. They are both up the stairs in no time, blushes on both of their faces.

“Here’s your table,” the waitress says before handing them two sets of menus. “Please, take your time and look over what we offer.”

“Thank you,” Kanade says as she gracefully took a menu. “Could I get water, please?”

“Me too.”

“Of course! Let the staff know if you need anything.” And with that, the waitress hurried off to get them their drinks, quickly setting down to cups of water in record time before speeding off. Mafuyu caught a glimpse of her setting down the notebook and grabbing her purse. It seemed that they were the last customers of her shift.

Good for her.

Mafuyu finally flips the menu open and looks through the menu. There was quite an assortment of sushi and they also had some western dishes. At the back, there was also an entire page dedicated to cheesecakes. She doesn’t need to wonder why Mizuki knew of this place, no doubt Ena had dragged the poor pink-haired Nightcord member here before.

Letting out a happy hum, Mafuyu glances over at Kanade’s menu. It was flipped—to the surprise of literally no one—to the udon section.

“I’m thinking Kitsune Udon today, what do you think?” Kanade asks, blue eyes glancing up for a brief moment to meet Mafuyu’s before focusing back on the menu.

Leave it to Kanade to order noodles at one of the fanciest restaurants in town. Mafuyu could practically hear Ena’s incredulous screeching. Still, there’s something admirable in the way Kanade knows what she wants and sticks to it.

“What else?” Mafuyu asks, intent on getting Kanade to eat something other than noodles today.

Kanade blinks and then the rest of their conversation is communicated through glances and thoughts alone.

Mafuyu, their portions are huge. One bowl of Kitsune Udon is more than enough for me.

And your vegetables?

Kanade glances at the menu before looking back victoriously with a sly grin. They have vegetables in the soup!

Try again. 

“I’ll have the seaweed salad too,” Kanade adds, defeated.

It’s not enough. Nowhere near enough, in fact. “I’ll get a regular salad too so you can have some of mine.”

“Mafuyu—”

“Have you eaten anything besides cup noodles for the past week?”

The silence that follows is a more honest answer than anything Kanade could have uttered.

Eventually Kanade lets out a sigh of both defeat and fondness. This is a battle the composer can never win. She looks up to Mafuyu with a small smile, “Sorry, I’ve worried you again, haven’t I? Thank you for worrying about me.”

“You can have my worry,” Mafuyu blurts out, the words inside of her chest easily spilling out into the world just for Kanade. “I’m always going to care.”

Kanade’s gaze softens even more, “So will I.” She then glances at Mafuyu’s menu, even though she had her own in her hands. Mafuyu does not complain when those silvery strands gently falls over her shoulder and the upper-half of her arm.

“What are you getting?”

“Gyoza and Futomaki, we can decide on a cheesecake later,” Mafuyu answers, setting her menu to the side so she could use the hand to curl around Kanade’s arm.

“Ah, that’s right,” Kanade flips her menu to the back, where all of the types of cheesecakes were. “Ena was talking about these yesterday. She recommended me the Cotton Cheesecake.”

“I see.” Mafuyu looked through the different types of cheesecakes and wondered how many their artist friend tried. Probably half. No, a good three quarters.

Kanade grins and sets her menu down before she beckons a waiter over and tells him her order. Blue eyes meet dark purple, a silent question of if Mafuyu wanted to change her previous order lingering in them. Kanade will never talk over her, will never decide to erase her own wants and needs in favor of what she thinks her lover wants. She’ll never expect Mafuyu to be anyone other than herself, even if that means an empty person or what an empty person turned out to be. Kanade will never order her around, even if it only takes a word or glance from the white-haired composer to ready Mafuyu for whatever the composer desired of her. She always asks, even if Mafuyu’s answer is already yes.

Mafuyu gives a slight shake of her head, her heart squeezing at the unconditional love and care that Kanade has always treated her with. Her order hasn’t changed. She still wants the same thing.

The waiter is soon on his way with their menus in hand.

“Is something wrong?” Kanade asks, noticing Mafuyu’s intense staring.

Mafuyu blinks, before shaking her head. “Just the opposite.”

“Ah, is that so?” The composer’s worried expression melts into something so incredibly fond—something that was reserved for Mafuyu only—and she grins. “I’m glad.”

Kanade always understands, even when Mafuyu didn’t understand herself. It was a bit daunting at first, but now it was just another reason why Mafuyu loves her. Especially since Mafuyu can return the favor now. 

As the two wait for food, their conversation drift to the more mundane. They talk about their lives and their most recent accomplishments, simple ones as small as Kanade finally getting around to fixing the clock on her wall and Mafuyu finding her earbuds in one of her jacket pockets. Eventually the conversations turns to their jobs, because Kanade is made for music just as much as she makes it and Mafuyu finally got to be what she wanted to be.

“You’ve been busy a lot lately,” Mafuyu notes, just a stray observation she’s made over the past few weeks. It seems that Kanade always seems to have at least three commissions going on at every second of every day. Usually the composer doesn’t take commissions, making music to save others by herself and not adhering to the more financial aspect of it.

“Yes, I guess I have,” Kanade says, “One of my commissions is making music for this game in progress. Well, it’s more like a job, honestly.”

Mafuyu tilts her head, motioning for Kanade to continue.

“I can’t disclose much information, out of respect for the game developer,” Kanade starts, “But I’ve been tasked to be the lead composer regarding all of its music. It’s nice to work on something simple, catchy, and loopable. Sort of like a music box, but with more variety. I also have a team to work with, and they are all very nice people.”

The composer takes out her phone and swiftly unlocks it before pulling up a short demo. “Here, this is something I’ve made for one of the main cutscenes. This doesn’t need to loop, but the musical motif will be used in another track that is meant to be looped.”

There’s a strong thrum of a guitar that gradually slows before the music evens out, a haunting pluck of a string that resonates in the silence for one small exhale before even the echoes are gone.

It’s a goodbye, forever.

“Is this the end?” Mafuyu asks.

Kanade shakes her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “No, this is not the end.”

Mafuyu brings the phone back up to her ear, listening to the demo again but this time she pays more attention to the underlying notes reminiscent of a music box. There’s a small line of hope within this overarching farewell. A small chance of continuing. Of hope.

She knows from experience just how well Kanade can fan a spark of hope into something larger than life itself.

“I think I want to play it, when it’s done.”

Kanade nods, taking her phone back. “Let’s play together.”

Mafuyu lets out an amused huff, “You mean, let me play it while you listen to the soundtrack and lean against my shoulder.”

“It’s a very nice shoulder,” Kanade finally says after a brief pause, but doesn’t dispute the fact.

The rest of the conversation moves towards Mafuyu’s job, and she doesn’t mind her lover’s genuine curiosity of what is going on at her workplace but she also has a feeling that Kanade was also trying to steer the conversation away from herself.

Come to think of it , Mafuyu muses as she watches Kanade take a sip of water. Why is Kanade taking so many commissions on top of the video game project?

When their food finally arrives, Kanade says her thanks while Mafuyu immediately lifts up a sushi slice and brings it up to Kanade’s mouth. “Kanade.”

Kanade barely glances over, head in the clouds and not noticing the sushi inches away from her face. “Ma-?”

That is all the opening Mafuyu needs as she stuffs the sushi into her lover’s mouth. Kanade blinks, returning to the ground and slowly chews the sushi before smiling at the taste. Mafuyu watches intently as the composer lets out a small hum of happiness before she swallows.

The composer slides closer to Mafuyu so that their elbows brushed against each other and grabbed a generous helping of udon with her chopsticks and gave them a light blow before gesturing for Mafuyu to get closer.

She does, and the noodles enter her mouth. It’s warm.

“How is it?” Kanade asks.

Mafuyu nods her approval at Kanade, who rewards her with a bright smile before turning to her own bowl and immediately devouring the noodles without any regard for the heat. It would be mildly concerning if it wasn’t for Kanade’s large grin on her face.

With one look at Kanade, it was clear to Mafuyu that the composer was lost in her blissful world of udon. Which meant Kanade wouldn’t eat any of the salads they had also gotten.

It was time for drastic measures.

Really, Kanade couldn’t help the grin on her face as she finally took a bite of her noodles. They were delicious.

“—nade. Kanade.”

The flavor of the broth was exquisite, definitely tiers above ramen noodles in a cup.

“Yoisaki Kanade.”

Kanade blinks, gulping down her noodles and staring at Mafuyu with a slight tilt to her head in silent question. Then she sees the chopsticks with a generous helping of her seaweed salad pointed straight at her.

“Say ‘ah’, Kanade,” Mafuyu coos, a voice that put angels to shame.

After the seaweed it was the lettuce and then the carrots and other vegetables. Kanade could do nothing else but eat them all without complaint, fondly admiring Mafuyu’s focused look as the other woman carefully collected the vegetables up before presenting them to the composer wordlessly. It wasn’t till half of the salad had been eaten did Mafuyu take some lettuce and seaweed for herself.

Kanade lets out a soft chuckle, shaking her head slightly at Mafuyu’s familiar antics before turning her attention back on her noodles, which has cooled down to a much more agreeable temperature. 

No words were needed for the two to be together, content. It was easier to simply exist with Mafuyu by her side, not to mention the tunes that floated around her head was much more nice to listen to.

Kanade was gulping down the last of her broth when a soft voice called out to her.

“Kanade.” Mafuyu.

Thinking it was Mafuyu feeding her whatever vegetable the medical professional knew she needed, Kanade opens her mouth without second thought only to be met with her lover’s close face and soft lips against her own. It was too late, for Kanade instinctively bit down, having expected seaweed instead of this. … Fuck. 

She can already taste the metallic tinge of blood. The composer tries to back away to properly apologize, but Mafuyu’s hand just reaches out and pulls her in closer. Unable to pull away, Kanade closes her eyes and sinks into the kiss, tenderly running her tongue across the wounded area. I’m sorry. She’ll say it later, but for now she’ll merely think it.

The kiss leaves Kanade taking a deep inhale while Mafuyu just looks pleased next to her.

“Sorry, I thought you were giving me seaweed,” Kanade apologizes, bashfully ducking her head in embarrassment. The taste of metallic and something salty was still on her tongue.

“It’s fine,” Mafuyu murmurs, pressing her side against Kanade’s. “It reminded me of our first kiss.”

Their first kiss. Kanade looks up. Ah, that’s right, their first kiss tasted like blood too.  

Their first kiss wasn't that great of a kiss, probably because neither of them knew what they were doing. The two had asked, quiet questions exchanged between the two of them to convince the other that they wanted this as much as the other. Then the two had stared, trapped in a purgatory of time and feeling. Neither of them had kissed anyone else like that before. Then Kanade had turned her head and accidentally knocked foreheads with Mafuyu, who was bending down at the same time. Mafuyu yelped and bit down on Kanade’s bottom lip but it was a kiss nonetheless as Kanade pressed her lips against Mafuyu’s. 

“...” Kanade couldn’t bring herself to say anything as she waited, wracked in worry and a dull sense of irony echoing through the back of her mind like a chord progression that repeated itself.

Mafuyu shakes her head, licking her bottom lip with her tongue. “It’s fine. You didn’t bite that hard. I can barely feel it.” She picks up her chopsticks again, and Kanade notices the small, genuine smile that Mafuyu is showing. Most likely a smile the woman didn’t even know she was doing at the moment.

“Mafuyu,” Kanade calls, watching as Mafuyu puts a sushi slice in her mouth before turning to Kanade with all her concentration in a single gaze. The gaze alone still made her heart skip, despite being on the end of this particular gaze practically every day. She wonders if she can ever do the same, to focus on Mafuyu without the ghosts of yet to be fleshed out songs that haunted her mind all day.

Mafuyu lets out a small hum, summoning Kanade back from her thoughts. She did that a lot lately. Kanade would have to get that in order or else Mafuyu would be even more suspicious than she already is.

“Sorry, I was wondering what you were thinking about,” Kanade says.

“Our first kiss,” Mafuyu answers immediately despite the food in her mouth. She pauses for a moment to gulp it down. “I didn’t think we’d make it this far.”

“Oh,” Kanade says, and suddenly there are symbol crashes and the rumbling of basses building up in a crescendo towards something dangerous. Because she had wanted something like her mother and father had, of guitars on Sundays and picnics by the carnations in the park. 

She wants that still. She thinks she has it. Almost. But if Mafuyu —

Mafuyu’s hand wraps around her own and the orchestra in her mind cuts off, leaving only the dull ticks of a metronome in the tempo of her own heartbeat. “I hoped we would, but I didn’t know, then,” Mafuyu says, giving Kanade’s hand a squeeze.

“And now?” Kanade prompts, trying to ignore the way her heart thumps in her chest like a bass drum that shook the entire concert hall.

“I know we did, and as long as you feel the same, I think we will,” Mafuyu murmurs slowly, as if what was said was for her and her ears only.

Kanade stares, why would she ever leave that loving gaze? She brings Mafuyu’s hand up and presses a kiss on the third knuckle. There’s a sweet tune in her head, swirling notes around her yet music could never recreate the two of them with their hearts in each other’s chests. She thinks she wants to keep this in a music box of her own to give to Mafuyu.

The rest of dinner is nice.

A few days after their dinner date, Mafuyu makes sure she comes up with a few excuses to swing by the composer’s house for a bit. 

There was no doubt about it. Kanade was hiding something from her. Nothing of malicious nature, like infidelity or some illegal scheme, because that was just not who Yoisaki Kanade was, but it was definitely a something that distracted the composer. There was some problem swirling around Kanade’s mind, circling it like a greedy vulture, and if Kanade wasn’t ready to share what it was that was bothering her, then the least Mafuyu could do was be there for the composer.

Kanade was so eager to offer help, yet when it came to asking for it, the composer’s pride and selflessness often got in the way. Which was why, with Mafuyu at least, Kanade will never need to ask.

She knocks on the door. Mafuyu has an hour and even then, it is stretching it. She’s needed at the hospital, and technically she’s still on the clock right now, even if she was taking her lunch break. A call would be all they needed to summon her back to work. She knocks the door harder.

A familiar figure opens it.

Long, dark silky hair the color of midnight and a surprised look on her face, it was her underclassman from Miyamasuzaka Girl’s Academy, Hoshino Ichika. Judging by the surprised look on both of their faces, it was clear that neither of them had expected to see the other.

“Ah! Asahina-senpai!” Ichika says, not doing a good job of hiding the shock in her voice. “Hello!”

“Hoshino-san, please, call me Mafuyu. We’re no longer classmates.”

“Ah, right Asahina-san! I mean–Mafuyu,” Ichika stutters out. She glances behind her, the door only open so that a sliver of the guitarist was shown and that the insides of the house were practically obscured by the door. “I didn’t know you were coming. Kanade said you had work.”

“I do, I’m on my lunch break,” Mafuyu tries peeking into the house. Ichika closes the door a bit more on instinct. It seemed that the guitarist was subconsciously trying to prevent her from entering the house. 

Mafuyu’s eyes narrowed, flashing dangerously. “Hoshino-san—”

The door opens. Kanade grins sheepishly at Mafuyu.

“Mafuyu, I wasn’t expecting you,” Kanade says with a bit of a forced chuckle but her tone was ever welcome and fond. She takes Mafuyu’s hand and gently pulls her inside. 

“... Sorry,” Mafuyu glances over at Ichika, who was letting out a sigh of relief when she felt like she wasn’t being watched. “I didn’t know you had a guest over. I should apologize for intruding.”

Kanade’s grip on her hand tightened for a brief second. Their eyes met. “Never apologize. You’re welcome here, in my home, always. The door’s always open for you, no matter what I’m doing or where I am.”

Breathing was much easier when Kanade was around, a fact from the moment they met, even though through a screen. There was something to Kanade, to her music and her presence that wrapped you up in kind arms and shielded you from the cruelness of the world if only for a brief moment of respite. It wasn’t just Mafuyu too, but also with other people. Kanade made people feel safe.

Mafuyu slowly nods, and the annoyance and fear quickly slid off of her like rain water on raincoats. 

“You’re on your break, right? Let me make you something to eat real quick.”

Mafuyu knew that meant she would be having ramen noodles for lunch. Probably one of the more deluxe brands with a bit more protein than usual considering how Kanade always gave her the best of whatever she had. But ramen was still ramen and she knew how it wouldn’t be nearly enough to get her through the rest of her workday, but Kanade fixing up ramen for her? Mafuyu could work a 24 hour shift for that.

“Ichika-san, would you like some too?”

Ah, right. Ichika was still here. What even was the guitarist doing here anyways? Sure, she knew that Kanade had once taught the dark-haired girl how to compose back in their school days, and yes, she was the one who had introduced the two of them. Okay, maybe she was just being too worried over nothing.

“Y-yes! If you don’t mind, Kanade-san.”

Mafuyu flexes her fingers just to feel in control of herself again. She was more on edge than she thought, the thing bother Kanade bothering her as well. The familiar living room of Kanade’s house lulled her back to her senses. Furniture stayed the same, things were neat and tidy. There were new, very fresh and pretty flowers this time. In fact, they were so new and fresh that Mafuyu could see the older ones from before tossed in the trash.

The slight wobble of the sofa alerted her to the fact that Ichika sat down beside her, catching her staring at the flowers.

Then it clicks that it wasn’t Kanade who had went out to buy flowers on a whim of living room decorating. The person who had brought the flowers were none other than the midnight haired beauty sitting next to her. 

“Asahina-san, do you like the flowers?” Ichika smiles as she follows Mafuyu’s gaze towards the pretty decorations. 

No. She absolutely despises the flowers. Because she should be the one giving Kanade flowers. “They’re pretty,” Mafuyu admits, plastering a familiarly perfect smile on her face. “Did you bring them?”

“Yes! I like gifting my friends flowers,” Ichika says, and Mafuyu believes her, the perfect smile on her face turning more genuine. “I used to bring Saki flowers at the hospital all the time.”

Tenma Saki. Blonde hair with a bright, beaming smile. “Ah, Tenma Saki, right? Aren’t you together now?”

“Ah, yes,” Ichika says with a slight flush, a lovesick grin similar in feeling to the one Mafuyu’s seen on Kanade. “We’ve been together for quite some time now, though not as long as you and Kanade-san.”

Mafuyu looks at the flowers. She said they were pretty before, but now the flowers look more bearable than before. She lets out a hum of agreement, “They’re great, aren’t they?”

Ichika nods with a slight chuckle, “Yeah. Did you know flowers have meanings?”

Mafuyu hums. “I’m familiar with basic flower language, but I’m by no means an expert.”

“There’s so many things they represent and convey. Like saying words without saying anything at all.” Ichika points towards one of the flowers. “See there, Zinnias. They represent my thoughts of a friend I haven’t seen in a while.”

Mafuyu thought the Zinnias were fitting. They were also pretty.

The guitarist went on to the other flowers in her arrangement, the fiery passion in her voice a pleasant thing to hear. Kanade liked flowers too, they were some of the only things the composer remembered of her mother that wasn’t drenched in the tar of grief. Mafuyu wanted to give Kanade flowers that the composer would put around the house. With someone with a one track mind like Kanade had with music, it was a struggle to probe out more trivial opinions and things from the composer. 

She remembers, in a brief comment Kanade had said, that she liked white carnations because it was her mother’s favorite, a fact most would miss due to the fact that Kanade hardly ever said it.

“Hoshino-san,” Mafuyu interrupts. “What do you know about white carnations?”

The guitarist grins. “White carnations are typically flowers that represent purity and a mother’s love.”

“Oh.” The flowers were a bit on the nose. What a coincidence that it was also Kanade’s mother’s favorite too. Perhaps that was the reason Kanade loved white carnations so much. 

“Yeah, Kanade’s favorite doesn’t quite mean what you’re trying to convey, but she won’t mind,” Ichika insists, a kind smile on her face. “And carnations do also come in different colors which can change their meanings. For example, red carnations are for passionate love and a classic symbol for romance. Pink carnations are more to convey gratitude to the person you’re sending too.”

Red and pink are nice and all, but Mafuyu felt like it was still a bit too easy. It was still vague, even if the meanings were true. She thought about herself. “Are there any that are purple?”

“Oh!” Ichika taps her chin before nodding, “Yeah, I think there are, but they’re a bit… ”

Mafuyu tilts her head.

“Purple is a color for royalty and respect, and those meanings combine with the flower usually, but that doesn’t happen with carnations,” Ichika says. “Purple carnations mean unpredictability and capriciousness.”

“... I see.”

“I can also recommend you a flower shop,” Ichika adds.

“That would be nice, thank you.”

Ichika smiles, “You know, it’s funny how the both of you—”

“Ramen’s ready!” Kanade’s voice calls, “The ramen’s done.” She looks between the two of them. “What were you talking about?”

“Flowers,” Mafuyu answers readily as she stands up and makes her way over to the composer. “Let me help you set the table.”

Kanade grins, a steady exhale escaping her lips. “Mafuyu, it’s just ramen. No need to go through the hassle.” She presses a hot cup of ramen into her hands, “Here, enjoy. I found some vegetables and bacon in the fridge, so I’ll make you a salad. There’s also a slice of apple pie if you want, I know you’re working hard.”

She could only nod. Mafuyu was preparing to buy a snack or something from the hospital on a break, a protein bar or something, but of course Kanade would do this. Wordlessly providing Mafuyu everything she could possibly need and want.

Kanade smiles, reaching up to give her a kiss before going back to the kitchen.

Ichika brushes past Mafuyu on her way to the table, presumably to get her own cup of ramen.

“Could I prepare a cup for Saki? She’s on her way here.” Ichika was saying.

Kanade’s response was too low and soft for Mafuyu to hear across the distance, but Mafuyu could hear the pantries opening and the crinkle of plastic. The answer was clearly yes.

She glanced back at the food in her hands. Kanade made me this. Technically, the girl had just brewed water and poured it into the instant meal, but somehow that one fact made the noodles taste heavenly sent, even though she’s had enough instant noodles during her college days to get sick of the taste twice. The cup ramen is cup ramen, yet it tasted so delicious that it was comparable to the nice dishes they had at the fancy restaurant. 

Eventually Kanade comes back with Ichika in tow, holding a bowl with some cut vegetables in them and a slice of apple pie on a plate. “How’s work? Are you alright?” Kanade asks, the slight furrow in her brow revealing her worry even though her voice was as smooth as ever. She sets the food down and then moves on to pouring them all a glass of water with the cute pink pitcher Mizuki got her a while back.

Mafuyu nods, “Work is fine, I just wanted to see you today.” Her fingers wiggles her chopsticks before she wolfs down the salad with a few pieces of bacon on it.

“Ah, I’m glad. I wanted to see you too,” Kanade says with a slight blush on her face.

Ichika smiles, watching over the two of them and letting them have their moment. Mafuyu thinks she doesn’t mind the company. It wasn’t the feeling of home like it was with Kanade, Ena, and Mizuki, but Ichika was kind and polite. Lunch was pleasant.

“I hope nothing is troubling you,” Kanade continues, “Especially the intern following you, she learned how to file correctly, I hope?”

Mafuyu nods, pleased that Kanade had remembered her throw-away comment from before, about how an intern had messed up the files before staying for hours to correct her mistake under Mafuyu’s careful watch. “She doesn’t make the same mistake twice. In fact, she might even sort the files faster than me,” She says as she takes a sip of water.

Kanade grins, “That’s good to hear.”

Ichika finally speaks up. “Ah, it sounds like Asahina-san has quite a few stories.”

Eventually they start talking about Mafuyu’s job, the patients under her care, the bright-eyed bushy-tailed interns that remind her of little bunnies, and even the weird and unusual things that happen a bit too often within those sterile walls.

Then there’s a knock on the door and Kanade excuses herself to go get it, since she was the owner of the house and because she didn’t want to trouble Ichika again. Mafuyu had tried offering, but Kanade had waved her off, wanting the nurse to focus on eating.

The conversation teetered off a bit then, Ichika sitting up straighter and looking to where Kanade had left in anticipation. 

A bright voice echoed throughout the house once the door opened. “Yoisaki-san! I’ve got the goods. Where’s Ichika?”

“I’m here! Want some ramen?” Ichika calls, rushing to her feet just as the blonde walked in with a cheerful grin.

“You betcha! Yoisaki-san always has the best brands you can’t find anywhere else!” Saki notices Mafuyu and flashes her a grin, “Asahina-senpai! Hi!” The blonde sits down at the table while Kanade goes into the kitchen to prepare her cup of ramen noodles.

“Where—” Ichika starts before Saki gave a frantic shake of her head. “Oh.”

Mafuyu lets the two talk amongst themselves, not really caring about what they were saying as she waited for Kanade to return from the kitchen, sighing when the seconds dragged on for too long. She’s just making ramen noodles. It wasn’t like the composer had gone off to war or something, why was she swirling her last bite of noodles in her cup and sighing like a yearning wife? 

“... Asahina-san was just telling us about her work.”

Saki turns to her, wide eyes twinkling like the sun. “Oh? What’s up with it?”

“It’s going fine,” Mafuyu says. There’s a slight, awkward pause and when she looks up, she sees that the blonde looked like she was on the verge of exploding, a burning question clearly on her mind. “If there’s a question, you can always ask. I don’t mind,” She says as she gulps down her water.

“Have any of the patients proposed to you?” Saki blurts out.

“Saki!” Ichika reprimands before turning to Mafuyu with a guilty face. “She’s just been watching this drama lately and so she’s uh—”

“Proposing?” A fourth voice cuts in, a confused and somewhat anxious Kanade standing a few feet away with Saki’s cup ramen in her hands.

Ichika’s face pales and the guitarist’s mouth shuts with a decisive clicking of teeth. Saki whistles innocently.

Mafuyu slowly nods. It doesn’t happen regularly, but it has happened before. “Yes, once a patient proposed to me when I was bringing her lunch. I didn’t take it to heart, and it was probably because I was bringing her food, but it has happened before.”

Mafuyu takes a break from talking and reaches for her water, the glass was heavier than last time. A quick glance told her that her glass was full, as if she hadn’t been drinking from it at all. The pitcher sat innocently within an arm’s reach of Kanade, who was taking another bite of her own ramen noodles and thinking over what Mafuyu had said. There was no doubt in her mind that the composer had refilled her drink and was probably refilling her drink the entire lunch.

She glances over at Ichika, who smiles and glances at Kanade.

The composer slurps up her ramen noodles, a pleased hum rumbling from the back of her throat before she turns her gaze towards Mafuyu. “And then what happened?”

“I politely declined,” Mafuyu deadpans, taking another sip of her water. “She seemed more interested in the food, honestly.”

Kanade chuckles, more at ease than before. Mafuyu wasn’t sure what exactly she did, because she was just being herself, but hopes to continue doing whatever it was that gave the composer peace of mind.

In the corner of Mafuyu’s eyes, she sees Ichika lightly tap Saki’s forehead with her disposable chopsticks, as if reprimanding the other girl.

The lunch goes well, up until when Mafuyu has to leave. She wants to stay, but she has to go to work. So she goes, giving Kanade a kiss goodbye, waving at Saki and Ichika, and then when work is done, she goes to the flower shop Ichika recommended instead of going to her apartment, even though she’s so tired she’s out like a light the moment she falls onto her couch.

The next time she enters Kanade’s house, she still sees the flowers Hoshino-san delivered in the usual flower vases. However, her carnations were separated into groups of two or three and placed into used ramen noodle cups that were sporadically placed wherever there was room. Ramen Noodle Cups.

She must’ve spent too long staring at them because Kanade notices in the middle of pouring her tea.

“Ah, pretty neat, hm?” Kanade says with an oddly pleased look on her face. “I finally found a use for those. Thanks again for the flowers, Mafuyu.”

The tea in her hands is warm. Her face is warm. 

Kanade chuckles at her a bit before pressing a kiss on top of her head.

That’s warm too.

She can’t even be mad.

(But, Ramen Noodle Cups? Really?)

They don’t always go on dates or have impromptu lunches. Most often, the two of them just spends time together doing their own thing but not alone. Just like what they were doing now.

Mafuyu was reading through a recent medical article that had just been published by one of her classmates from college and Kanade was hard at work, pouring her focus onto a song with the occasional hum and frustrated growl every now and then.

It’s a stray thought at first, the kind that only gains more traction the more she thinks about it. Mafuyu stares at the corner, where a low cabinet was, noting that the small cabinet near the power outlet was perfect for the average aquarium. However, there was a pile of sheet music all over it, the edges of melodies haphazardly placed out of rhythm. She picks up the stack and tries to get the edges to line up with each other. It’s a struggle in and of itself. The melodies and harmonies in Kanade's head were often only containable by the composer herself.

“Kanade, do you have somewhere else to put these?” Mafuyu asks when she finally wrestles the stack of papers into something manageable.

Kanade pulls down her headphones and turns her chair to look at Mafuyu, holding up a stack of sheet music. “If you need to use the table, just set the sheet music on the bed,” Kanade replies. It was their usual routine, going as far back as when Mafuyu would use Kanade’s table to study or complete her cram school assignments. Anything Mafuyu needed displaced, she’d just set the things on Kanade’s bed, who rarely used the thing to sleep.

But that was then, not now.

“I’m not putting it on our bed,” Mafuyu mutters to herself. Anything music and work related should be banned from places Kanade is supposed to sleep at, or else the slight reminder will only cause the composer to drag herself up and work herself till exhaustion. Mafuyu looks around the room for a place to put these before realizing that much of the room was already occupied by cup noodles and sheet music.

“... Can you find somewhere else to put these?” Mafuyu asks, holding up the stack of sheet music.

Kanade looks up at Mafuyu and then around her room with searching eyes before stopping at the now cleared table. “Can’t you just put them back when you’re done?” The composer fiddles with a slider in front of her, adjusting the volume of a note. “You know I put my drafts there.”

“No. I don’t want anything on my aquarium.”

Kanade’s hand stops and she turns around to look at Mafuyu with wide eyes.

“... That is, if you have room for it, of course,” Mafuyu hastily amends, determinedly staring holes at the empty table.

Kanade follows her gaze and sees the faint traces of an aquarium on the table. 

“Sure, I can make some room for it.”

Mafuyu doesn’t need to look to know Kanade’s smiling.

Mafuyu cooks, so it is Kanade’s responsibility to wash the dishes. And, quite honestly, Kanade’s still pretty terrible at it. She drops the dishes often, luckily the tub of water negates most of the fall damage, and sometimes has trouble closing the dishwasher all the way.

At least she’s pretty , Mafuyu thinks, admiring the way Kanade has put her hair into a low ponytail and has used a big yellow hair clip to prevent that stray strand of hair from covering her eyes while she worked. Kanade’s humming a little song to herself, probably some music from the game soundtrack she was working on. 

It was a bit amusing to think of her Kanade, who still needs help opening jars and water bottles, writing tunes that made one feel like picking up all the quests from the Adventure’s Guild and fighting beasts twice their size. As Kanade hums something akin to battle music, Mafuyu wonders if washing the dishes equates to fighting dragons in distant lands.

A bowl plops into the sink. Mafuyu winces at the sound, even though there was no longer a reason to do so. A broken plate didn’t mean her mother would storm in and berate her for not being careful enough. A broken plate in her apartment just meant she’d have to sweep the pieces off the floor, toss the shards into the trash and go out and buy another one. Breaking a plate in Kanade’s house just meant the composer would come rushing from wherever she was just to make sure Mafuyu was okay, not even giving the broken plate any thought until she was sure Mafuyu was fine.

She stands up and walks over to Kanade, who was struggling to hold the sponge with her soapy hands and to roll up the sleeves of her sweats. The composer looked adorable, waving her arms up in the air in a vain attempt at getting gravity to roll up their sleeves. Mafuyu gently tugged the sleeve down and folded it so that it would not unravel again.

“Ah, thank you, Mafuyu.” Kanade says, slowly pulling her arms down and pressing a kiss to Mafuyu’s cheek.

“No problem.” Mafuyu rolls up her own sleeves and grabs a towel to dry off the plates. 

They didn’t use enough to warrant the use of the dishwater this time. It’s a steady rhythm the way Kanade washes the dishes and then passes it on for Mafuyu to dry. With Kanade singing a tune like they’re adventures exploring the great outdoors, household chores seem almost fun.

“Last plate,” Kanade declares, giving Mafuyu a clumsily endearing bow before presenting it to her. “If you would, Mafuyu.”

Mafuyu nods, taking the plate and drying it off before putting it in the cupboards above. “Done.” She bends down to give Kanade another kiss, “Good job.”

A pretty flush spreads across Kanade’s face, the composer’s ears burning red. Mafuyu takes Kanade’s wet hands and dries them off with the towel in hers. She glances over at the time. It was getting late and if she stays any longer, she won't be able to leave.

“Kanade, today’s been great. I’ll see you later,” Mafuyu says, sending the clock a glare for making time move too fast.

“Ah, is it time already?” Kanade asks, before shaking the disappointment from her tone. “Let me get your jacket, and you can get your things, alright?”

“Mn,” Mafuyu hums in agreement, turning towards Kanade’s room to get her things.

She gathers up her files and stuffs them into her messenger bag, going through her checklist of items to make sure she didn’t leave behind anything essential. Mafuyu takes her phone but leaves her lyric notebook and pen. The things will be safe with Kanade. As she stands to leave, she notices sheet music stacked impossibly high with Kanade’s music box on top, as if the composer was using it like a paperweight.

She remembers the cracking sounds, the music of a broken music box.

Her fingers gently lifts up the music box, the smooth material gently brushed by her fingertips as she took great care in handling it. Despite her gentleness, it still elicited a clinking noise within the music box, as if something small was bouncing around. 

Her hand immediately stills at the sound. 

Whatever it was, it was big enough to be a nuisance.  

She gently shakes it a bit. The box rattles. It didn’t sound like something was stuck. Mafuyu was sure she could figure out what was it was and fix it. 

Kanade’s voice from earlier echoes through her mind like a scratchy old tape on repeat. No. It’s fine. Don’t touch it. Well, maybe the composer hadn’t actually said those things, but she had meant them. Mafuyu still remembers the way Kanade’s fingers curled protectively around the music box as she clutched it closer to her chest. She’ll leave the music box be, Kanade obviously didn’t want her poking around with it, even if to fix it.

Mafuyu lifts up the music box and gently sets it up on top of a stack of sheet music. It’s a mistake. The moment she lets go of the music box, the papers slip and so does the music box along with several stacks of papers. Sheet music for commissions and anything else Kanade was working on spills onto the floor, burying the music box up as a loud crack is heard and of something metallic hitting the floor a few times.

She curses as she bends down, gathering as much sheet music as she can. Her hand brushes a few sheets of paper away from the music box, opened and laying on the floor with an old photo of Kanade’s parents under the lid staring up at her but otherwise empty. There’s nothing loose in the music box, but she was sure that she heard something rattling in it. So what could it have been?

And as if the moon had heard her silent question, a small ray of pale moonlight from the small inch between Kanade’s thick curtains illuminated a sharp purple gleam of light among the white sheet music that instantly captured her attention.

The purple came from a small jewel, wrapped in shiny silver. A ring. She picks the ring and the music box up and wonders how it got there. She wonders who it’s for, for a brief second, before smiling because all of the signs were pointing straight at her and oh, so that’s why Kanade didn’t want me to fix the music box. 

Mafuyu holds the ring hostage between her thumb and pointer finger. She marvels at how it reflects the light from Kanade’s computer screen. The gem is violet-blue, and she recognizes it from one of their songs from Nightcore at 25:00. Iolite. It represented her before, and it still represents her now, just in a different way.

It’s not the meaning of the gem that stuns her, though. It’s not how the ring is obviously made for one Asahina Mafuyu specifically with the snowflake from her profile picture on Nightcord engraved adoringly on the inside along with Kanade’s crescent moon. It’s not how expensive the ring is, too expensive to be something Kanade buys for herself. It’s not how this clears up the fact why Kanade’s been losing a bit more sleep than usual and eating a bit more instant ramen than usual, not just because it’s quick and she likes it, but because it’s cheap . It’s the meaning of the gem, in a ring that is in Kanade’s house, specifically in Kanade’s mother’s music box.

The door opens quickly, Mafuyu so deep in her thoughts that she hasn’t even heard Kanade’s quick footsteps approach. “Mafuyu? I heard a crash, are you—?”

She turns to Kanade, who looks like she’s seen a ghost—no, a thousand ghosts—and if she didn’t make sure the composer drunk 7 cups of water each day, the white-haired woman would have most definitely fainted.

Actually, scratch that. Kanade looks like she’s about to keel over.

But the composer doesn’t. She’s made of stronger stuff.

There’s a ring in her hand, and it’s supposed to be given to someone in the room. Kanade’s face just confirms it. If she still had doubts after the gemstone, then those were washed away in an instant. 

And then she remembers belatedly that the ring was in the music box that Kanade had basically told her not to mess with. And she hadn’t meant to. But things happened.

“I’m fine,” Mafuyu finally answers, because despite the composer’s surprise being ruined, she would still mostly care about whether or not Mafuyu was unhurt by the loud noise of the music box and sheet music falling down. “Your sheet music fell down and the music box fell down too.”

“Ah, I see,” Kanade says, the alarm and worry gone from her face as she smiles up fondly at Mafuyu, like a gentle wave gliding across the sand as it took in the moment. “It’s alright, I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

And Mafuyu, in typical Mafuyu fashion, puts the ring back into the music box and closes the lid, silently bidding it farewell for now . It’s another thing to look forward to, especially now that she’s thinking about so many things. 

Like the fact that she’ll obviously take Kanade’s name. Yoisaki Mafuyu. There’s a ring to that. (An actual ring that she just put down, the imprints of hard silver against her fingers are still there— it’s real it’s real it’s real. )

Mafuyu hands the music box back to Kanade, who takes it with shaking fingers that Mafuyu immediately covers with her own. Oh Miku, she should say something. She’s been writing lyrics and publishable papers for years. Words should come naturally to her after studying them for so long. She needs to say something, but what?

Say ‘yes’ to marrying Kanade? But the composer hasn’t even asked yet and asking for Kanade’s hand using a ring the composer bought herself was just a tangled mess of things you should never do to marry the love of your life. Not that Mafuyu was thinking of doing that particular thing right now, of course.

Besides, as much as she loves Kanade, it’s too sudden. She’s never put much thought into this before, content with whatever Kanade gave her. She’ll probably move into Kanade’s house, which wasn’t as much of a hassle since she was over pretty often. Mafuyu wants some time to think, plus it’s a bit too rushed since obviously Kanade wasn’t going to ask her now. And Mafuyu now gets time to think about it. After all, Marriage wasn’t just love, it was also a financial decision. At least, that’s what her older colleagues say.

… And now is most certainly not the time to be debating the pros and cons of marrying Kanade right now. 

So back to words. She can say words. Mafuyu opens her mouth and then closes it abruptly when no word comes out. Okay, that’s fine. So she can’t say words right now.

There’s only one thing to do, keep evaluating the situation and pray for Miku to take her into the Sekai right now.

She stands before a stunned Kanade, whose blue eyes are desperately searching for something from Mafuyu. Most likely any hint of discomfort, she realizes. Which Mafuyu thinks is stupid. Doesn’t Kanade know how much she is loved? She thinks she’s gotten better at showing it over the times. At worst, this is a welcomed surprise. It isn’t and will never be whatever it is that Kanade’s scaring herself over.

But she loves the fact that instead of being rightly angry at the fact that Mafuyu has been snooping around her things, Kanade’s only worried about how Mafuyu feels about this.

There’s a storm in her lover’s eyes, one that can’t be kissed away.

(Mafuyu thinks of a western marriage with altars and flowers and vows and blessings in the form of curses…Okay, maybe it can be kissed away, but certainly not now.)

Kanade’s mouth opens and closes, but the composer can’t find the words. Words were always hard for the composer, who spoke music as her first language and anything else secondary to it. She’s speechless.

It’s alright, because Mafuyu speaks Kanade’s language. Years of writing lyrics for her certainly helps.

“Kanade,” Mafuyu says, admiring the way Kanade snaps to attention, no doubt silencing the voices and melodies in her head just to listen to what Mafuyu has to say. 

Unfortunately, this also prompts Kanade to speak. Unfortunately for Mafuyu, all Kanade can do is apologize. Unfortunately for Kanade, Mafuyu doesn’t want to hear it.

“I’m sorry—” Kanade stumbles as she follows Mafuyu, only to be helped up by steady arm. There’s regret in those eyes, a desperate cry of: You weren’t supposed to find out like this. “It’s… Not now. Later.” You don’t need to say anything at all right now. I’m not going to ask for answers until we’re both ready.

“Thank you,” Mafuyu says, a fond smile on her face as she pulls Kanade closer to her. She can’t help the little chuckle that escapes her, she’s so incredibly happy. Kanade wants to marry her. Kanade wants to marry her. 

Her. She hasn’t even thought about it yet. She’d like to think about it.

Kanade sighs, but pulls herself away from Mafuyu, leaving a hollow ache in the lyricist’s chest. She lifts up Mafuyu’s jacket, neatly folded in a way that Kanade never does with any of her own clothing. “Here, your jacket,” She says, a flush on her cheeks the only proof that Mafuyu finding the ring wasn’t a fever dream.

Ah, that’s right. Mafuyu was just about to leave. She was ready to go to her apartment, take a shower and then fall asleep to get up early in order to make it to her job. Her hands take the jacket out of reflex, but she regrets the decision when Kanade takes a step back.

It feels like someone tearing off her limb, bones ripping out of sockets and the fleshy sinews and muscles straining themselves against the distance. If there’s such thing as a fundamental fact in this world, it is that she’s not going anywhere tonight but here. Home in calloused fingertips and a minefield of ramen noodle cups with the tune of the loveliest unheard melodies at her beck and call.

 It’s torture to leave. Especially tonight, when Mafuyu can’t fool herself into thinking that Kanade needs some time for herself. (Because the ring means Kanade doesn’t want her to leave, right? And Mafuyu has wanted to stay ever since bleary memories of fevers and a smaller hand in her own.)

The hand not holding the jacket instinctively grabs onto the sleeve of Kanade’s sweats.

“I’d like to stay,” Mafuyu says. 

“Mafuyu,” Kanade whispers, one hand drifting up to her face but not touching until Mafuyu lets out an annoyed huff and takes her wrist to press her palm against flushing cheeks. “How are—”

“I don’t know,” Mafuyu admits. It’s been a while since she’s said those words.

Kanade pauses, and it’s written all over her face how much she wants to ask again or apologize but she simply smiles fondly and gives her a nod, “Okay.”

The two of them stand like that for a while, staring into each other’s eyes.

Please, I need time to think, but I don’t want to do it without you with me. Mafuyu’s grip on Kanade’s sweat tightens.

If that’s what you need, then you can stay. Kanade stands on her tiptoes and presses a chaste kiss on the corner of Mafuyu’s mouth. “I’ll be busy tonight, you can have my bed.”

Mafuyu nods and lets herself be led towards the composer’s room. 

Kanade sits on her rolling chair, toiling away at her latest composition. Something for N25 that Mafuyu hasn’t heard yet. Mafuyu watches from the bed, her back leaning against a pile of blankets and pillows. Kanade is hard at work, the way her fingers glide over the sliders and adjusting each note accordingly, making sure it’s exactly what she envisions. This is her element, and even though Mafuyu gets to see this very often, it still causes her heart to accelerate from just how gorgeous Kanade’s silent confidence is.

Mafuyu glances at the time. It is late, but no later than usual for the both of them. Especially since their band name is quite literally Nightcord at 1 A.M. and it’s not even midnight yet. 

She is supposed to be thinking of rhymes and allusions, but has been thinking about what she’s found instead. The ring. Kanade is always on her mind, in her thoughts, but now she’s thinking specifically about their future wedding. Ah. She’s getting a bit ahead of herself, Kanade hasn’t said a word about it after all. Still, it’s nice to think about it even when she’s supposed to be coming up with lyrics.

It’s small things, like whether or not it was fair of her to ask Kanade to play her a piece on the piano at their own wedding, at her wedding. Maybe they can do a duet like they did at a festival long, long ago. Not so small things, like whether or not she should invite her parents. Her relationship with them is difficult, and she certainly doesn’t want her father walking her down the aisle to Kanade, but she does want them there, if only to see that their daughter can still be successful and happy even if— especially if —she’s not doing what they wanted for her to do. They won’t make a scene. They might not even go, but Mafuyu wants them there when Mafuyu tosses their name away.

She thinks about these things and then wonders whether or not she wants it. It isn’t a question of whether or not she wants to be with Kanade forever. She always figured that one day she would move the aquarium onto that empty table that Kanade kept clear ever since she had mentioned putting her aquarium there. That one day, Mafuyu will fall asleep on Kanade’s bed and never leave. But marriage is something more than that. 

She hasn’t really thought about marriage, in fact she’s only thought about it for approximately three hours.

Mafuyu stares at Kanade, who presses play on her demo and then reaches out for the unopened water bottle by her keyboard. She then struggles to open the water bottle before the demo finishes. The slight furrow on Kanade's brow betrayed the composer's struggle, and yet she still looked ever graceful. Still, Kanade in trouble prompts Mafuyu to swing her legs onto the ground and walk over, gently taking the water bottle from Kanade’s hands and opening it for her.

Those hands can’t even open up a stubborn water bottle, but they can hold her hands just fine.

“You want to marry me,” Mafuyu states. 

Kanade makes a choking sound. It’s a good thing Kanade wasn’t able to open that water bottle and take a sip, because everything would’ve been spat back out onto her computer screen. 

“I—I want to propose to you,” Kanade emphasizes when she catches her breath, because in her mind there’s a difference between asking Mafuyu to marry her and marrying Mafuyu. 

Like Mafuyu would say no.

“Those two are the same thing,” Mafuyu says, passing the opened water bottle to Kanade. “Here.”

She falls in love a little more at the fact that Kanade put so much emphasis on asking Mafuyu to marry her. That’s how things usually were with Kanade, the freedom to make her own decisions, so long as it didn’t cause her harm. Now, Mafuyu had all the choices in the world, but she’s made her decision already. She’s made it long ago. When Kanade asks, Mafuyu will say yes just to keep her. What she's pondering is whether or not she wants marriage, but Kanade is overthinking things.

Don’t you know you already have me? I’ve already made my choice.

Kanade raises the water bottle to her lips, and Mafuyu raises her eyes to look in Kanade’s. She’s not the one gulping down water like a parched man in the desert, but Mafuyu’s drinks in those gentle blues all the same.

A love as vast and deep as the ocean without the fear of drowning.

The door to the Yoisaki household opens, but it’s Ena, not Kanade.

“Hey, you can at least pretend not to be disappointed, you know?” Ena says in lieu of a greeting as she crosses her arms over her chest.

“I thought we were done with me pretending what I didn’t feel,” Mafuyu replies.

“Aha! I’ve got it!” Mizuki’s voice rings out from somewhere inside the Yoisaki household. Mafuyu shares an exasperated glance with Ena, who immediately mutters a curse under her breath. “We should have a slumber party like back then! And then, I suggest playing ‘truth or dare’ and we just wait till Mafuyu picks dare.”

“Oi, Mafuyu’s here already, be quiet!!” Ena hollers out as she marches towards the room where the other half of Niigo was. “What kind of nonsense are you telling K?”

“Just teaching Kanade my womanizing ways,” Mizuki teases, eyes darting towards Mafuyu with a bit of surprise before it faded into her familiar welcoming grin. “Hey, Mafuyu.”

Mafuyu gave the pink-haired girl a nod of acknowledgement before she passed her to wrap her arms around Kanade’s torso, letting her chin rest on Kanade’s shoulders as Ena pinched Mizuki’s cheek in a mixture of mock and real irritation. 

“What womanizing ways?” Ena asks, but there’s a lack of bite in her usual blunt words as Mizuki all but sighs into her touch.

Mizuki laughs. “You of all people should know,” She winks flirtatiously, and Mafuyu watches Ena’s face burn red out of the corner of her eye.

Kanade hums, letting them know that she’s heard as she slowly relaxes in Mafuyu’s hold, the slight rumbling from her throat tickling Mafuyu’s chin with its vibrations. The effect was calming, about as calming as the faint scent of the composer’s lavender shampoo that surrounded her.

Calm. Gentle. Soft. And so warm.

“Mafuyu, how was your day?” Kanade asks after a while.

“It was fine, it’s better now,” Mafuyu murmurs as she presses half of her face against Kanade’s throat to better feel the composer’s small hums. “What were you and Mizuki talking about.”

“Ah, uh-” Kanade stiffens in Mafuyu’s hold. “She was giving me suggestions.” On how to propose to you , went unsaid but Mafuyu heard it anyways.

“Don’t listen to Mizuki,” Mafuyu says, her words somewhat muffled by Kanade’s long hair. “You always know what to do.”

“Do I?” Kanade asks, a long exhale leaving her as she turns around with a determined expression on her face. “Mafuyu, I—”

Mafuyu cuts her off with a kiss and a serious look of her own. “You’ve always been able to shake my heart awake.”

Kanade’s eyes widen and then she blinks before a pleased grin made its way onto her face. There’s something intoxicating about her grin as it makes Mafuyu’s head dizzy, her thoughts scrambled only to repeat: She’s so pretty. 

The composer twists around in Mafuyu’s hold, letting her hands rest on Mafuyu’s shoulders as if the two of them were dancing to a silent waltz. Kanade’s looking up at her with such fondness that Mafuyu can’t help leaning down to, knowing the same look was on her own face.

“Kanade, tell Mizuki she does not have a point!” Ena calls as their squabble has now led to dragging the other half of Niigo into it.

Kanade’s blue eyes dart over to Ena, and Mafuyu just sinks down into the crook of Kanade’s neck instead, moment lost and disappointed that they were being interrupted. But she knew that the composer would want to deescalate the situation sooner rather than later.

“Hey, don’t drag K into this!” Mizuki says, “Mafuyu, back me up here! My logic is perfectly sound.”

Mafuyu grunts in response, to which Kanade chuckles to as she peaks over Mafuyu’s bent shoulder at the squabbling couple. “Sorry, but what’s the matter?” Kanade asks, her hands drumming a beat on Mafuyu’s shoulder.

Mizuki puts on her most shit-eating grin and gently takes Ena’s hand, lifting it up and doing a little ballet twirl underneath. “Ena’s jealous I get bitches and she doesn’t.”

“Wha–?” Ena sputters as she holds Mizuki close, glaring at her girlfriend, “You know other women?”

Mizuki’s eyes dart over to Kanade, seeking help and mercy under Ena’s murderous glare. They chuckle nervously, “Ah, Ena-chan you should know you’re the only one for me.”

Mafuyu turns around, a deadpan on her face. “Mizuki, I thought you said I could be your side chick.”

Kanade trembles in Mafuyu’s grasp, her small body barely able to contain the giggles as Ena gasps and Mizuki sends a betrayed glare at Mafuyu.

“I can’t believe this,” Ena mutters, lightly pushing Mizuki away and sending a glare. “With Mafuyu of all people? C’mon Kanade, I’ll buy you a drink. We can drown in our woes together.”

Kanade gently detaches herself from Mafuyu, walking off to Ena and patting the artist’s shoulder comfortingly. “You’ll need someone to take you home.” Only with the four of them was Kanade able to loosen up and joke around a bit, reveling in the child she never quite got to be.

Mizuki huffs, but watches the two of them leave fondly as she gently elbows Mafuyu in the upper arm. “Hey, what was that for? I thought you had my back.”

“Your helpful suggestion was getting me to marry Kanade through a dare,” Mafuyu says as she begins to follow the other two. Despite the two being obviously ‘heart-broken’ by the sudden turn of events, they were walking a bit too slowly to be anything other than waiting for Mizuki and Mafuyu to catch up. She quickens her pace, not wanting to leave Kanade waiting for long.

“It would’ve worked,” Mizuki grumbles under her breath.

Mafuyu narrows her eyes, but wisely, does not give any response to that fact. Yes, it would’ve worked so long as Kanade went along with it genuinely, but she would never say it aloud. Not to anyone else except Kanade.

Eventually, the two catches up to Kanade and Ena, who each had their respective partner’s light jacket in their hands. The two were discussing café options before Ena turns to Mizuki with an annoyed huff.

“Took you long enough, Cheater,” Ena says before glaring at Mafuyu and adding, “Homewrecker.”

Mafuyu holds the gaze. “Simp.”

“Why you—”

Mizuki laughs, snatching her jacket from Ena’s hands and then pressing a swift kiss on her cheek, leaving the brunette trying to comprehend two different emotions at one time. “She’s got you there.”

Kanade chuckles before giving Mafuyu her jacket, conveniently standing in front of Mafuyu. 

“Joking aside, I’m flattered you think so highly of me, Ena, especially when I’ve hardly done anything deserving of your praise.” Kanade says, genuine and heartfelt. “Still, knowing this makes me feel as if I can someday repay you with all the things you’ve helped me with.”

Ena melts, stepping forward to wrap Kanade into a hug. “Shush, you’ve done more than enough.” The artist’s hands cradles the back of Kanade’s head. “For me, and everyone here.”

Mizuki grins as she leans against Mafuyu, looking at the other two with fondness. Mafuyu lets her, putting on her own jacket and watching the scene as she felt the warmth she’s always attributed to Niigo wrap her heart like a fuzzy blanket before deciding that it was time to continue. She gently taps Kanade’s shoulders.

“Eh? Mafuyu?” Kanade asks as Mafuyu gently pulls the composer away and tucks her to her own side.

“We should hurry or all of the cafes will be full,” Mafuyu says, looking straight and steering Kanade away from the slight cracks in the pavement outside of the composer’s house.

“Ahaha!” Mizuki’s boisterous laugh could be heard miles away. “Woah there, Ena. You’ve still got me, you know?”

“I know.”

“O-oh, yeah,” Mizuki stutters out.

Kanade glances back and Mafuyu follows her gaze just in time to catch Ena pressing a sweet kiss to Mizuki’s glossy lips, smudging the pink lipstick slightly. The composer smiles wistfully, squeezing Mafuyu’s hand before turning to her, “Looks like they’ll take a while.”

“Mhm,” Mafuyu hums, squeezing Kanade’s hand in return. She leans down, “We should follow their example.”

Kanade flushes, but reaches up greedily to tug Mafuyu down a bit more so their lips could connect. Mafuyu similarly melts into the kiss, the warmth spreading through her mind and body, soothing the parts of her soul that faced the erosion of time and disaster. She can’t stop the smile as Kanade keeps her closer than usual, glad the composer allowed herself to be a bit selfish around her.

They part because Kanade can’t hold her breath for much longer than that, taking a quick inhale as soon as their lips part.

Mafuyu feels proud seeing Kanade all flustered and breathless.

“Kanade, are you alright?” Ena asks a bit worriedly, hand on Kanade’s shoulder in genuine concern as if she hadn’t did the same thing to Mizuki, who was walking over and trying not to trip, face covered in lipstick kisses.

“Mn,” Kanade hums in affirmative, intertwining her fingers with Mafuyu’s. “Very alright.”

Mizuki chuckles and throws her arm around Kanade’s shoulder, her own hand conveniently settling where Ena’s hand also was. “I know how you feel, sister.”

Mafuyu tugs on Kanade’s hand. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”

Ena scowls, “And whose fault is that?”

“Yours.”

“Hey!”

The rest of the walk settles into its usual sound, Ena’s indignant screeches like octaves on a violin while Mizuki’s middle ground comments both rile the artist up and calm her down. While Mafuyu presses Ena’s buttons in the name of something called friendship, Kanade’s presence lulls them all simply from the aura of serenity the composer exuded.

As the four sit down in a familiar booth at a familiar family restaurant, not even looking at the menu due to the fact that they knew it front and back as well as knowing the dishes not advertised, Mafuyu notices that Kanade’s eyes are glazed over, a melody she hasn’t heard before being hummed by the composer.

She gently nudges Kanade with her shoulder. “Kanade?”

Kanade blinks and the sweet melody stops as she comes back to the present. “Ah, Mafuyu?”

“What are you thinking about?” Mafuyu asks, this managing to get the attention of Mizuki and Ena sitting across from them.

“Ah, Kanade’s finally back with us!” Mizuki takes a loud sip of their soda.

Ena frowns at the slurp right in her ear but her eyes are filled with concern as she glances over at Kanade. “You alright, K?”

“Mn,” Kanade nods, her right hand curling into a fist as she brought it over her chest and a tender smile spread across her face. “Just thinking of how lucky I am to have met you all.” 

Gentle blues looks from Mizuki in front of her to Ena and then finally lingering on Mafuyu for a second longer than the rest before Kanade took a hold of her drink. “Though the times may change and our paths may lead us elsewhere, we are Nightcord at 25:00, always and forever.” Kanade raises her cup, “And because of that, I know we’ll be alright.”

Mafuyu raises her cup and clinks it against Kanade’s glass.

Ena blinks back tears as she thrusts her drink to clink against their glasses, some of her juice spilling onto the table but no one quite minded. “Damn right,” She says on the verge of tears.

Mizuki chuckles, flicking away a small tear from the corner of her eyes before raising her own cup as well, filling the gap of three. “Cheers!”

They reminisce about the past, bringing up mistakes and how things might’ve gone better. Ena congratulates Kanade for her job with the game, having heard it’s popularity even before release. Mizuki swears she’s already pre-ordered it for all of them and then tells them about the drama going on in her sister’s fashion chain. Mafuyu talks about her job, about the little girl who had thanked her for giving her a lollipop and then declared with a broken arm and everything that she was going to grow up and become a nurse herself. 

“That’s sweet,” Ena coos, as Mizuki nods in agreement.

“Look at our Mafuyu, becoming an inspiration to aspiring nurses everywhere!” Mizuki says with a beaming grin and pride in their eyes. “Well, if medical school doesn’t kill their dreams.”

“Mizuki!” Ena reprimands.

“What? It’s true,” Mizuki protests, glancing at Mafuyu. “Right?”

“It was hell,” Mafuyu agrees, but the edges of her mouth quirk up. “But it was worth it.”

“Speaking of inspirations, Kanade, how’re you doing?” Ena asks, munching on her bite of shortcake.

“Ah, I’m doing great,” Kanade says, “Some days are slower than others, but I find that inspiration comes a lot easier now and walking through the parks are nice. I’ve been practicing guitar a lot more recently, and I think I’m alright at it.”

“You’re great,” Mafuyu interjects. “I could listen to it all day.”

Kanade stares, love and happiness swirling in her gaze. “I will, if you want.”

Mizuki giggles, “Lucky you. Ena, why don’t you do this for me? You’re an artist too, no?”

Ena gaps, half in betrayal and half in indignation, “What do you mean? I keep asking you to pose and model for me, but you always change the subject! And when I do get you to sit down for a portrait, you can’t even sit still.”

Mizuki shrugs her shoulders, “Seems like a skill issue to me.”

Ena huffs, “Fine. See if I draw you again.”

“Aw, babe I’m sorry,” Mizuki apologizes, not sounding sorry at all. “Sweetcakes, honey, nutella, cereal—”

“Cereal?” Kanade repeats, not quite seeing where the train of nicknames was going.

“The nicknames get worse,” Mizuki explains, and then continues, this time shamelessly rubbing her cheek against Ena’s shoulder despite the brunette shaking in anger. “Honeypoo, Paintbrush—”

“Mizuki, I swear to Miku,” Ena starts.

“—Carrot.”

Ena grabs Mizuki by the scruff of their shirt and pulls them into the most aggressive and sweet kiss Kanade’s ever seen. The artist’s grip was tight, but her fingers were careful not to tear the ribbon.

“That should shut you up,” Ena says when she finally parts, but her cheeks are a furious shade of red.

“Ah,” Mizuki says, a dazed look in her eyes. “No, I think I won’t. Now I want more kisses. Your plan has backfired. I win this one.” She turns to Mafuyu expectantly, “What’s the score?”

“35 to 19,” Mafuyu deadpans.

“What?” Ena points her finger at Mafuyu. “You liar, I’ve got 31 points at least!”

“Ah, it’s okay,” Mizuki croons, “What’s yours is mine.”

“The saying goes: ‘What’s mine is yours’,” Ena corrects, and then she sputters, “What’s that got to do with anything anyways?”

Kanade furrows her brow, “How do you even keep score?”

Mafuyu immediately presses a kiss to the crease of Kanade’s brows, “Don’t worry. You can leave it to me to keep score of us.”

“You’re keeping score of us, too?” Kanade asks, blinking, “What’s the score?”

“We’re both winning,” Mafuyu replies, a small smile on her face as she collects a handful of Kanade’s hair between her fingers.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Kanade says, leaning over so that her head rests comfortably on Mafuyu’s shoulder.

“So,” Mizuki drags out the word teasingly, “Anything going on in your life, K? Maybe, something big and life changing, hm?”

Mafuyu stops breathing as Kanade stirs, turning her head slightly to better face the pink-haired girl. 

“Oh! Yes, I’ve actually just finished most of the demos for the game project I’ve been working on,” Kanade says. “I just need to double check and fine tune the audio before sending it to the developers.”

Mizuki pauses, and like a well-oiled unit, Ena speaks out. “That’s great, K, but we were wondering how your more personal life was going.”

“Oh,” Kanade says, the excited tone she got when she talked about waning a bit as she realized what Ena and Mizuki were really asking. “Ah, I see.” The composer sneaks a glance over at Mafuyu before turning to the other half of Niigo.

Mizuki leans over the table, as if telling a secret. “I think she might be more excited about this than you are. Ena’s already started looking at color palettes,” She says in a loud whisper, which earns her an indignant huff from the flustered artist. 

“Is that so?” Mafuyu asks, regarding Ena with gentle curiosity, “Thank you, Ena.”

Ena shuts her mouth with a decisive click and sits and stews, shoveling more cake into her mouth.

Kanade changes the topic and talks about music, and the others poke fun at her for talking about that when everyone at the table knew of her plans to propose.

Mafuyu is a bit conflicted—doesn’t know whether she should step in and defend Kanade or stay silent—so she does and says nothing. She settles for enjoying the way Kanade desperately tries to hide her flushing face against Mafuyu’s side.

Mizuki laughs, finding the whole thing hilarious. Ena exchanges sympathetic glances with Kanade every other bite of cake or so. Kanade takes the teasing in stride, but the embarrassed flushes on her cheeks still remain. And Mafuyu…

Mafuyu remembers this feeling and quickly stashes it into her chest along with all the other happy years with Niigo.

Their time together eventually ends for the evening, as a waitress came over with their check.

“Alright, let me cover the bill,” Mizuki says, “My treat.”

“No, I said I’d cover for the bill today,” Ena grabs Mizuki’s arm to prevent her from reaching for her wallet.

Mizuki pretends that she’s lost her sense of hearing. “Wha–? Did you say something, Carrot?”

Mafuyu pulls out her wallet and glances up just in time to see Kanade politely urging the waitress to hurry away, in the waitress’ hands was Kanade’s credit card. The composer gives Mafuyu a wink as the waitress scurries off before turning her attention back to a squabbling Ena and Mizuki, who were both locked in a heated argument over each other’s financial stability.

“Aren’t there struggling artists out there? Let me cover for you, babe,” Mizuki insists with a laugh. 

Ena growls, “Hey! I can pay for my things.”

Mafuyu watches on, her own credit card in her hand and a second too late, a single thought in her head as she watches the way Kanade gazes over them, all of the composer’s feelings etched upon her face and in her actions. It’s a kind love with no strings attached, a love where Kanade has dedicated everything she is to. As if it was her honor to simply be able to love them all.

I want to marry her, Mafuyu thinks as the waitress hands Kanade a copy of the receipt and gives Kanade her credit card back, to the shock and disbelief on both Ena and Mizuki’s face as they realized who paid for their meal.

Kanade chuckles at their expressions and holds the door open for all of them as they leave.

I want to marry Yoisaki Kanade, Mafuyu realizes, a feeling she's felt for a long, long time, finally able to be put into words.

The weather had gotten a bit warmer, a kind of perfect temperature to go outside and take a walk. Kanade manages to find an old picnic blanket, bringing that and disposable utensils along with the bulky case of her father’s old guitar. Mafuyu brings the food, simple sandwiches cut into cute triangles and an assortment of cut fruits. She also brings along the book that Kanade had once recommended, intending to read some of it with the composer.

They meet up at the flower bed of white carnations, Mafuyu seeing the composer’s hunched over figure right beside the flowers, waiting for her.

“Kanade,” She calls out in greeting, which causes the composer to jolt in surprise.

“M-Mafuyu!” Kanade greets in kind, turning around with a bouquet of flowers in hand and picnic essentials in the other. “Here you go, for you.”

Mafuyu admires the bouquet. There’s a bunch of colorful colors like purple, blue, and red. She turns it around in her hands a bit before bringing it up to her nose and smelling the sweet fragrance from it all. It’s soothing and it’s beautiful, just like the person who gave it to her.

“Ah,” Kanade says bashfully as she watches Mafuyu’s pleased reaction with pride, “Ichika-san helped me with the meanings and gave suggestions, but I was the one who picked it out.”

“It’s pretty,” Mafuyu says, tucking the bouquet close to her chest. “Thank you.” She wonders for a brief moment to take a picture and ask Ichika what their meanings were, but as she looks at Kanade, a part of her already knows.

And sure, the flowers were pretty, but they still couldn’t compare to the pleased smile on Kanade’s face.

They pick a nice spot under the shade of a tree, with Kanade laying out the blanket and setting her father’s old guitar propped up against the trunk. Mafuyu sets down the food and passes around the hand sanitizer.

Kanade munches on the sandwiches, gladly eating the food that Mafuyu prepared for her.

They eat in silence, but it’s a comfortable silence with the rustling of the grass and the distant chirping of the birds conversation enough. There’s no push to talk, no urge for the usual scripted conversations that start nearly every conversation. There’s no need to ask whether or not today was alright, or how the other was doing.

There’s only Kanade, popping a strawberry into her mouth before stretching her mouth comically wide in an attempt to bite through all the layers of the sandwich. There’s only Mafuyu hiding a grin behind her own. There’s Kanade and Mafuyu sitting under the shade of the tree and simply being together.

It’s a state of peace and comfortability that Mafuyu has been unable to achieve with anyone else.

Kanade seems to like the strawberries, going through all of them before the composer notices as she picks up the last one. “Ah, sorry did you want any?”

Mafuyu nods, an idea in her head as she brushes some of her curly hair away from her face as she leans in and collects the strawberry in her mouth. Then she tugs Kanade closer, mashing their lips together before transferring the strawberry into the composer’s mouth and pulling away.

Kanade gulps the strawberry down.

Mafuyu blinks. “You’re supposed to chew.” Kanade seemed a bit wound up today, an anxious bundle of energy. It was their first formal date since the restaurant, maybe that was it? 

“S-sorry,” Kanade apologizes, though Mafuyu didn’t know what the composer was sorry for. 

Mafuyu hums, exasperated but finishes the rest of sandwich and snacks on the apple slices she brought. Kanade’s hands twitch and the composer abruptly gets up and grabs the guitar case, opening it up and tossing the strap over her shoulder and head.

“You said, you’d hear me play all day, right?” Kanade says as she strums the strings experimentally, checking if it was in tune.

Mafuyu nods before reaching to her side and showing Kanade the book she was planning on reading. “I’ll be reading, then.”

“Perfect,” Kanade says with a smile before she recognizes the book. “Oh, is that the one I recommended you last month?”

“Mhm,” Mafuyu opens the book to the page where she left off. “I’m at the part that they get into a fight at the river.”

Kanade coaxes a gentle melody out of the old guitar, sitting back down and pressing their sides together as the composer rests her head on Mafuyu’s shoulder while strumming the strings of the instrument. A few moments into the first song, Mafuyu recognizes it for what it was.

It was still the first song of K’s that she heard and made an arrangement for, albeit now arranged for guitar.

The tune never failed to make her feel warmer, and though the version Kanade was playing was a bit more mellowed out now, it was no exception. A haze of warmth enveloped her chest, and she was convinced that if Kanade’s music had arms, it’d be able to wrap everyone around the world into a hug.

“Mafuyu,” Kanade’s soft voice calls out for her.

“Hm?” Mafuyu looks up from her book. She hasn’t turned the page once since Kanade started playing, and she’s pretty sure the composer knows this fact.

“Do you remember this tune?” Kanade asks, fingers still plucking out notes from the old guitar that was a little bit too big for her to play comfortably. Yet, Mafuyu doesn’t see Kanade playing any other guitar than the one in her hands. “You’re smiling.”

Mafuyu didn’t realize. The smile on her face grows a bit bigger. “Of course, I like your music.” She leans closer to press a kiss on Kanade’s cheek before whispering into the composer’s ear, “And I love you.”

Kanade shivers under the weight of Mafuyu’s love, like a heavy-weighted blanket that keeps you warm even on the coldest of nights. Her hands continue the tune, going through some songs the two of them composed together without the other half of Niigo and some of Niigo’s old songs. As Kanade continues to play, Mafuyu replays the memories of warmth and comfort she’s kept deep within herself.

She remembers sitting in her childhood bedroom, earbuds in her ears as she connects to Nightcord, throwing all caution to the wind in order to talk to K, whose voice was soft yet articulate. Mafuyu had thought later that such a voice might be perfect for singing lullabies, and now she knows this to be true. At first, they both treated each other with stifled politeness, and Mafuyu still wore her ‘good girl’ mask, even though there was no pressure to be one around the mysterious composer.

Even after revealing her true feelings, which were none, it was still a bit hard to completely remove the mask in front of Niigo. The instinctual need to be what society and her mother deemed ‘acceptable’ caused her to tear off a bit of her face as she removed the mask. It was easier around Kanade, she had realized back then. Because Kanade takes what she is given and asks for nothing in return. A pathetic and cursed composer who’d bite her own tongue off than ever speak up for her own selfish needs, except for her desire to save someone.

Fast forward a few years, and Mafuyu remembers leaving her childhood home behind. Remembers how Kanade had handed her a pretty ink pen, the fancy ones that writes so smoothly for a hefty price. She remembers how Kanade simply handed the pen over, a gift, and with it all the paper she could ever need, enough to rewrite her own destiny if she wished.

“Here, you can write for yourself your own song,” Kanade had said before sitting down a few feet away and started working on her own.

Somewhere between the first verse and the last, the distance between them dwindled to zero and they stayed like that in the Empty Sekai until Mizuki and Ena found them leaning against each other, asleep.

They’ve all come so far. She wonders what’s ahead of them now. Mafuyu tries to imagine it, though she was hardly one to think about the future. Obviously, she moves her aquarium into Kanade’s room. Maybe she even takes that couch she was found of, worn down just enough to let you sink into it comfortably. She finishes work, she goes home…

… And Kanade welcomes her there with her usual kind smile.

Mafuyu shuts her book at the realization. She shouldn’t even be surprised, and a part of her wasn’t, but now she could put feelings into words. Mafuyu lets out a low hum, turning to Kanade, who was drifting off as Mafuyu remembered the past, their past.

“It was always going to be you, wasn’t it?” Mafuyu murmurs as Kanade struggles to pry her own eyes open.

“Hm? Mafuyu?”

“Go to sleep, Kanade,” Mafuyu says, easing the composer’s head down onto her lap, intertwining the long silvery-white strands of hair with her own fingers as she gently played with them.

Kanade resists as much as she can, “Ah, no. I have to—” She fumbles for something in her pocket, turning it inside out but finding nothing.

Mafuyu eases her back down. “You can do that later. Sleep,” She commands. Mafuyu’s not really sure what Kanade thinks she’ll be doing, but she’s going to make sure the composer sleeps.

Kanade sighs and flops down into Mafuyu’s lap, letting her girlfriend take the guitar from her and put it back into the case. The composer surrenders completely when Mafuyu’s hands start playing with her hair, and soon the composer falls asleep with tiny breaths escaping from her nose. Mafuyu just hums a soothing song as she starts reading her book, all the while stroking her fingers through Kanade’s hair.

After a chapter of so, Mafuyu wonders what it was Kanade was so adamant on doing. She wants to know what was going on in Kanade's head, what was bothering the brilliant composer. Since one pocket was obviously empty, she checks the other one, pulling out a familiar looking ring.

Oh, Mafuyu’s definitely smiling now, so that was what was bothering her.

She laughs and then tucks it back into Kanade’s pocket.

“Amia and I are done with the MV and art,” Ena’s voice rings through the voice call.

“Yep! We nearly spent a whole night,” Mizuki adds. “How does it look, K?”

“Ah, if you don’t agree with the color scheme, I have another,” Ena adds.

Mafuyu watches as Kanade shakes her head, before remembering that neither Mizuki or Ena could hear that over the voice call. “Ah, no, no. It’s great. I think the softer colors aligns pretty well with what I was going for. Thank you for your hard work, everybody.”

“Coolio,” Mizuki comments, “So, we’re done right? Everyone free for tomorrow? Yuki?”

“We’re free,” Mafuyu answers, sitting on Kanade’s bed with her own laptop and earphones, her lyric notebook right next to her as she jots down words and phrases she wants to remember for later.

“I still need to get the music to match the MV,” Kanade says, “But it’ll probably be done soon.”

“We’ll wait in the voice call,” Ena decides. “I don’t want to miss it’s grand opening.”

“Thank you,” Kanade says, and then she starts working on lining up the transitions with the beats.

Mafuyu watches Kanade work, the slight adjustments of notes, the look of concentration on the composer’s face, and the clicking of Kanade’s mouse as she combines each of their talents into a miracle of sound and visuals. She thinks she can watch her forever, admiring the passion Kanade pours into her music, the determination of someone who has never learned to give up. 

Someone who has never given up on her.

Ah, what Mafuyu would do to have Kanade the way Kanade has Mafuyu. 

Suddenly, Kanade’s hand stills. “Hey, Yuki.”

Mafuyu tilts her head, “Yes, K?”

“I’m so happy to have met you, Mafuyu,” Kanade says, and then like a song starts, the words flows out like verses that causes flowers to bloom. “When we met, it was a time of struggling and suffering, but through that despair, we were able to meet. If given the choice, I’d suffer it all over again just to be able to meet you. Because though I promised to save you, you’re the one that keeps saving me time and time again.”

“I’ve put all of myself into my songs, yet you’re able to write such perfect lyrics that my feelings are made comprehensible, and you don’t even do it with that in mind. Sometimes it’s like you know me better than I know myself,” Kanade muses with a soft grin. “And so, I think you know by now that I want you, the you that you want to be. The real Mafuyu. I want to write you songs and make you smile. I want to stay by your side, if you’ll have me."

"I've been trying to write a song for you, but it never turns out quite right and now I know it's because I can't do it without you.”

Kanade gets up from her rolling chair and walks over to Mafuyu, offering her hand.

Mafuyu takes it before she realizes what’s going to happen, there’s too much going on—she can barely comprehend what’s happening— it’s real, if this is just a dream she will kill God herself…

Kanade gets down on one knee, a slight crunch of what is no doubt sheet music accenting the motion. One hand intertwines with Mafuyu’s and the other reaches into the composer’s pant pocket, both of their hearts exploding in their chests as Kanade takes out a box from her pocket, presents an all too familiar ring to Mafuyu.

“Mafuyu, will you stay and make songs with me forever?” Kanade asks.

Mafuyu doesn’t need to think. The answer comes out as easy as loving Kanade.

“Yes,” Mafuyu pulls Kanade closer for a kiss, because as good as she is with words, she doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to tell Kanade just how the composer can move her heart, even if she spends the rest of her life trying, and she will. She feels Kanade smoothly sliding the cool band of metal to where it belongs and smiles into their kiss.

It ends too quick for her liking, but they both need to breathe, so Mafuyu settles for burying her head in the crook of Kanade’s neck and pressing little kisses along her shoulder.  Mafuyu smiles, a smile she doesn’t think will ever get off her face. So long as Kanade stays by her side and loves her as much as she does, Mafuyu thinks she’ll always be able to do this.

“Ah,” Kanade sighs, “Do you want to tell Ena and Mizuki or can I?”

Mafuyu glances over at one of Kanade’s screens, the one with their Nightcord tab open, “They already know.”

Kanade looks up in confusion, “Huh? How?”

“You forgot to mute,” Mafuyu says, a giggle escaping her before she wraps her arms around Kanade and kisses her breathless again.

It takes a while, but eventually, Kanade sits back down in her chair and Mafuyu sits down comfortably on Kanade’s lap so they can finish the song and finally upload it onto the web. The taller of the two help Kanade wear her headphones again.

Mafuyu’s hand covers Kanade’s when she presses the upload button, and within seconds, the song is available to everyone who bothers to listen to it.

“The song’s out,” Kanade informs the other two.

Mafuyu could hear Ena’s squeals even without her earbuds in.

“Fucking finally!” Ena shouts, commenting not on the song but on Mafuyu and Kanade’s love life and then a series of color palettes are sent into Kanade’s dms. “Here’s the colors I thought looked really pretty for you two. No need to thank me.”

“Haha, congrats you two,” Mizuki says, “Let’s talk about it over dinner tomorrow at our usual place.”

“That sounds good,” Kanade says, a bright grin on her face.

“Bye,” Mafuyu tosses out, before disconnecting the composer from the call.

“Mafuyu!” It’s all Kanade can say before Mafuyu continues kissing her breathless.

“What if you carry me over the threshold.” It’s more of a suggestion than a question. This is just a much more elaborate scheme of Mafuyu’s to get Kanade to work out more, because lord knows her beloved needs to go outside. If it also gets Mafuyu the added perk of getting carried home in Kanade’s arms, well it’s just a very nice coincidence.

Kanade winces slightly. “What if I drop you?”

The thought is laughable. Even if Kanade’s legs buckle under her, even if she stubs her toe on the door frame, even if she’s walking on nails, there is no world where Yoisaki Kanade will ever let go of Asahina Mafuyu.

“You won’t,” Mafuyu says, leaning forward to rest her chin on Kanade’s shoulder, making sure to whisper her next words into the composer’s ears for maximum effect. “I want you to take me home.”

Mafuyu can picture the exact moment Kanade resigns herself to her fate in her head.

“Alright.” Kanade agrees, because Kanade might be the composer and genius of instruments, but Mafuyu’s the one who knows how to play Kanade like one. “I love you, Mafuyu.”

Mafuyu hums and basks in the warmth only Kanade was ever able to make her feel.

“I love you too, Kanade.”