Bang bang bang bang!
"I've told you so many times — you have the key, just let yourself in! Don't make me peel myself off my beloved sofa to come open the door for you, you absolute dummy!"
Chiose's lazy voice hadn't even finished trailing off before Taki shoved the door open and let herself in.
"Chiose! I'm so sorry — I was asking Sis for help last night and fell asleep before I could make it over to watch the movie with you…"
That was the first thing Shiina Taki had meant to say. She bent at the waist in a deep bow of apology — and then straightened right back up, red-faced, and marched over to Yoshiiro Chiose.
"What I actually want to ask about is that video — that video — those videos! Was it you who posted them? I woke up this morning and suddenly everyone recognises me!"
"Oh? I wouldn't know anything about that. What videos are you talking about~?"
Chiose drew out the last syllable, then flung the blanket she'd been bundled in up into the air — letting it drop over Taki's head — before closing the distance and snatching it back in one swift tug.
The two of them ended up nose to nose, just as close as the very first time they'd met.
"I… I really am sorry I didn't come last night."
"It's fine, my little darling. You were busy with something important, weren't you? Hehe. So — do you like my upload? We're absolutely blowing up right now, you know."
"So it WAS you! Chiose!"
"Shh."
Chiose pointed her thumb toward the window. Taki followed the gesture.
Outside, on the massive central screen of the sprawling plaza below, Taki's singing video was still playing.
"!!!!!"
It's still following me!
"Pfft — hahahaha! I did it just to see that exact face of yours right now!"
Chiose was a little taller than Taki, but she tucked herself into Taki's arms anyway, nestling in with complete contentment.
"Do you like it? My little Taki — we've gone and gotten famous, haven't we. This is my gift to you."
"But why… why go this far? If my singing were awful it would embarrass you, Chiose."
"It wouldn't. And I won't have you thinking like that."
Chiose's gaze was calm — carrying an emotion that Shiina Taki couldn't quite name yet.
"My taste is impeccable, and your music was love at first listen. So you are going to succeed. That's simply how it is."
"Now — how do you feel? Tell me everything."
How did she feel?
Shiina Taki drew a long, slow breath.
This feeling… it was incredible. Like scratching a lottery ticket and winning twenty billion yen. No — for Shiina Taki, it was even better than that.
"Even my sister complimented me… I genuinely can't believe it. I've been recognised, and it happened earlier than I ever imagined. Yesterday I was just a complete nobody — how is it that today I'm…"
"You deserve it, Taki. You deserve every single bit of this."
Chiose wrapped her arms around Taki and held on tight, as though she wanted to press the other girl right into herself.
"So be a little more confident — for our upcoming stage performance. Keep practising, and then bring everything you've got!"
"Our music is going to make everyone sob their hearts out!"
"Yeah!!!"
Taki was set ablaze by Chiose's energy. When Chiose leapt into her arms and locked both legs around her waist, Taki found herself spinning them both around without even thinking about it.
The black-haired girl held the white-haired girl, at a loss for words, and somewhere in that fierce, warm embrace, tears slipped free.
But nobody cared about tears today. Shiina Taki was too excited — unbearably, overwhelmingly excited!
[Why would you go this far for me? Chiose, how am I ever supposed to forget you after this? I'm afraid I'll be trapped in your smile for the rest of my life…]
[I wish… I wish time could just stop.]
[I want to spend my whole life with Chiose!]
[I love this feeling so much — the feeling of someone I care about caring just as much about me!]
[No one has ever… no one has ever been this kind to me…]
The tears of excitement had run dry.
The tears falling from Taki's eyes now were something else entirely — the kind that come from being moved too deeply for words.
"Chiose…"
"Yeah?"
"I think I fell for you at first sight too."
That was what the black-haired girl with the teardrop mole said.
—
"That's a wrap on today's first vocal session! Come on, let's listen back and hear how we did!"
Chiose set down her bass and began adjusting the recorder.
Behind her, Shiina Taki was catching her breath in small, shallow gulps, her voice uncertain:
"I'm… not entirely sure I want to listen."
"Still not confident?" Chiose had finished her adjustments; one last button press and they'd hear everything from the session.
"I am confident, but — but…"
But if it still wasn't good enough, Taki wasn't sure she could take it.
"Shiina Taki, you little coward! I am going to make you hear just how good you sound!"
Faced with a surprisingly fussy, hand-wringing Shiina Taki, Yoshiiro Chiose responded with one world-class eye-roll.
She pressed the button. The singing poured out, unhurried.
At first Taki couldn't quite bring herself to listen — she instinctively tried to lean away — but Chiose held her in place and forced her to hear it through to the end.
The track wasn't long, just a few minutes. It was over before they knew it.
"…"
"It sounds like…"
Like something had genuinely changed?
"Well? How about that, my formidable little Taki."
"It sounds really good. I think we're going to absolutely nail the music festival."
Absolutely nail it?
Honestly, they already had.
But that wasn't enough.
"At the festival — I want the crowd's cheers for my performance to be louder than the cheers they give my sister's. Chiose, can we do it?"
A clean, head-on victory over her sister. No more humiliating herself like last time.
"We absolutely can. After all — we've already come this far. There's no reason to fail now. Only, Taki…"
"What?"
Evening was drawing close. The day had slipped away just like that. The light of dusk — that liminal, bewitching hour — fell across the side of Chiose's face.
There was a weariness on Chiose's face that hadn't been there before. She looked nothing like the bright, irrepressible little troublemaker Taki had first met.
"Nothing. It's fine. I was going to tell you yesterday, but… I guess the timing still isn't quite right."
Chiose handed Taki a bottle of ramune soda, then reached out and hooked their little fingers together, giving it a small, gentle shake.
"Taki — after the music festival, it'll be summer."
"Let's go on a trip together when summer comes. Just you and me… this time, I want us to travel for a long, long while."
"Sure! Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know. Somewhere quiet."
Chiose tightened her grip on Taki's hand.
Chiose's hand was ice cold. The chill pulled Taki back from the warmth of the moment before.
She looked into Chiose's deep crimson eyes. They were as calm as ever — giving nothing away.
"I want to find somewhere I can sleep peacefully."
Somewhere I can sleep forever. A place to rest.
"Hmm… then let's go back to the beach?"
"Yes. Let's do that, Taki. That would be wonderful."
Chiose smiled — a smile that cost her something.
"Every year from now on, we have to go to the beach. Promise me."
____
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