Reading, watching films, going to school, reading, watching films.
The whole week passed just like that — split between school, her own place, and Chiose's apartment.
And just like that, Friday arrived. Shiina Taki stood at the school gate, briefcase in hand, watching batch after batch of students stream out and disappear.
She was waiting for Chiose.
"This week was a little too packed, if I'm being honest."
Having a white-haired, red-eyed beauty latching onto you every single day and making you study lyric-writing — that was a strange and singular feeling.
Kind of like… the harem-protagonist setup from a Japanese anime?
"Excuse me — are you Shiina-san?"
"Hah?"
Hearing herself addressed that way, Shiina Taki turned around with a flicker of irritation.
The thing she hated most in the world was being called by her family name alone — being called "Shiina."
It always made her feel like the person wasn't talking to her, Taki, at all — but to her sister, Shiina Maki.
Even a compliment like "Shiina-san is so amazing!" would land wrong, because she'd hear it as praise aimed at her sister.
Taki didn't recognize the Blue-haired Twin-tailed Girl standing before her. If the girl's tone hadn't been so gentle and polite, she'd have already tossed her hair and walked away.
"Hello, Shiina-san. My name is Sakiko Togawa. I'd like to ask Shiina-san to form a band with me — the kind that will never, ever disband! I wonder if Shiina-san would—"
"I'm sorry, but I already have my own partner. You don't need to say anything more."
"Ah?"
Sakiko Togawa hadn't expected that answer. She blinked, looking a little bewildered. "If I may ask — who is Shiina-san's partner?"
"There — she just showed up."
Taki pursed her lips and tilted her head toward a spot not far away. Sakiko looked in that direction and sure enough spotted a flash of white hair, watching them with an expression that said you idiots.
"Little Taki Who's this?"
Chiose grabbed Taki's hand and ducked behind her, peering around with exaggerated curiosity.
"Ah — I'm so sorry to have disturbed you both! I hope you have a wonderful day!"
Seeing that her invitation had been declined, Sakiko didn't press further. One clean bow, one quick apology, and she was already striding away.
"No idea who she is — though her uniform looked like it's from Tsuki no Mori Girls' High School. No clue how she got my personal information."
"Heh heh, well it's fine as long as you don't know her! I was half-worried Taki had found someone else and was going to throw me away."
"Hah? What are you even saying — this is a public place, don't say weird things like that!"
Taki could already feel the stares of female classmates nearby locking onto them from all directions. She grabbed Chiose's hand and bolted away from the school.
"Heh heh, little Taki's blushing~ So cute."
"Shut up!"
"Minnow, minnow Taki, Queen of the Minnows!"
"Stop it! Chiose, you're so — so mean!"
"Hee hee."
Yoshiiro Chiose ran alongside Shiina Taki, keeping pace with her steps. They weren't moving fast — Chiose even managed to spare a hand mid-run to poke and tickle Taki's waist.
"Stop that!"
"Pffft, I don't want to! Okay, Miss Taki, take a right up ahead — where we're going is extremely interesting and super romantic, I swear you'll absolutely love it."
"Hah? What place?"
"No talking, we're stopping at the flower shop first."
"???"
...
"Is this… what you called extremely interesting and super romantic?"
"It is! And it's also why I had you buy so many flowers… Welcome to the place where life ends — our future resting ground, yours and mine —"
"A cemetery."
"..."
A desolate stretch of European-style cemetery. Most of those buried here had been wealthy people who'd had a taste for this kind of aesthetic.
Chiose pulled Taki along, laying the freshly bought flowers down at one headstone after another.
"This is so… singular. I don't even know how to judge your choice — if it were anyone else, I'd have turned around and left."
"Heh heh, little Taki just doesn't understand the romance of this place at all!"
"What's romantic about it…"
"Pffft, let me tell you a story."
"Mm? Okay."
Chiose walked slowly toward one particular headstone. The playful grin had already faded from her face. She ran her hand across the stone the way one might stroke their own cheek — gentle, deliberate.
"When I was still a little girl, my father took me to see a marching parade. He said: My daughter — when you grow up, are you willing to become a savior to the despairing, the defeated, and the unfortunate?"
"He also said: Can you overcome them? Your own inner demons, and all the people who doubt you, and the schemes they plot? Because one day I will leave you — I will become the ghost that guides you through summer, and go and join the Black Parade."
"The Black Parade? What's that?"
Taki gave Chiose space, following along as Chiose continued.
"Think of it like Valhalla or something — either way, it's just a false spiritual consolation."
"And then…"
"My father is already gone. Mm… a car accident. But I still can't forget the words he said to me. I hope I can become that kind of person… well, who knows."
"I'm sorry." Taki bent down and laid the bouquet at the stone.
"Don't be sorry, Taki. I think I've already become that kind of person — look, helping you is exactly how I practice it."
"Though… I'd rather tell you that I fell in love with you at first sight."
Yoshiiro Chiose blinked again, lively and mischievous as ever.
"You! There you go again with that."
Taki tried to step closer to the headstone Chiose had been looking at. She was fairly certain now — this was Chiose's father's grave.
No wonder Chiose had wanted to bring her here today.
But just as she moved forward, Chiose stepped neatly into the way and blocked her view entirely.
"That was all just a spontaneous outpouring of feeling! So — what do you think, little Taki? In a place that holds so many buried stories, did any inspiration come to you?"
"Honestly… just a little."
The trees in the cemetery swayed. Beneath a grove alive with rustling leaves stood rows upon rows of small, neat graves.
How many stories — how many regrets — were buried inside each one? Nobody knew. Taki stood on the path and gazed out toward an end she couldn't quite see.
"If someday I end up in one of those too — will you come visit me?" Chiose said it out of nowhere, drawing a startled look from Taki.
"Hah? What are you talking about, we still have songs to release together."
"Well… both my parents are gone now, and I don't have any relatives left. I just thought — if I died someday, if I died alone at home, surely there'd be at least one person who'd come to collect my body, right? Heh heh."
"Stop thinking like that, Chiose."
"Don't call me that — you little minnow. Call me Kozui, okay? Chiose is what strangers call me. Kozui is what you should call me."
"Okay… then — Kozui?"
"That's right — Kozui's right here, Rikki!"
"!"
Taki was silent for a moment, her gaze settling on Chiose's face.
"Alright then… Rikki's right here too."
That is so childish. I absolutely refuse to talk like this.
Taki was grumbling to herself inwardly — but her hand had already been taken by Chiose.
Fingers interlaced.
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