It was a sudden thought… One that caught her off guard and scared her way more than she would like to admit.
What if this band split up?
Now a year ago when she was first roped into this mess she probably wouldn't care. Sure she might of felt a little sad that nothing came of it but she would ultimately be thankful that she could enjoy some peace and quiet at last.
Now however, was a different story. She wouldn't be the first to gush about how much being in this band has grown on her, but now that it was important to her, The thought of it breaking up worried her.
Kaoru and Kanon were already third years, they would have to think about college and moving on with their lives, right? what if Kokoro gets bored and moves on to bigger things? What if Hagumi gets more serious about softball and quits?
"Michelle!" A voice cut her thoughts and she came slamming back to reality. Kokoro was staring at her inquisitively. Misaki realized she had completely spaced out while in practice.
"You stopped playing? Did you forget where we were?" Kokoro asked with a head tilt Misaki could only describe as cute… platonic cute.
"Y-yeah sorry I just, uh, I just got distracted." She covered, while she knew that she wouldn't be able to keep those thoughts at bay forever and she was likely to go into a spiral of overthinking things in approximately one hour the least she could do is focus until practice was over.
"Shall we go from the pre chorus?" Hagumi suggested and Michelle nodded, pointedly ignoring Kanons worried look. She managed to stay at least semi present for the rest of the session and soon enough the group was packing up to go home. Misaki got changed out of the suit and prepared to join the rest of the band in the lobby.
"Hey Mii-Kun! Michelle played well today as usual!" The fiery haired girl greeted cheerfully when she caught up to them.
"I'll let her know." Misaki responded, a little distant. Her mind starting to retread her earlier thoughts. She barely paid attention to the groups conversation on the way home. How long would this all feasibly last? Hadn't she gotten a little too complacent?
"Your mind seems clouded little kitten, You and Michelle both appear to be lost in the garden of thought, Did something happen?" Kaoru questioned and Misaki inwardly grumbled about the fact that while her band weren't as a whole, the smartest, they were certainly more in tune with people's emotions.
"I'm just… Tired." She haphazardly defended. Kaoru looked like she wanted to protest but didn't question further.
"Then make sure you rest well this eve, For as the great bard said, 'you have but a shimmer of ones beauty when sleep is eluded'." Kaoru quoted, probably incorrectly.
"Th-thanks" Misaki said just hoping she could forget about today as soon as possible.
The group walked in relative silence for a few more minutes, well, as silent as any group with Kokoro, Hagumi and Kaoru could be. Hagumi and Kaoru went their separate ways soon after and eventually she made it to her turnoff and plastered a smile on her face.
"This is me, I'll be sure to get some sleep." She said hoping that would placate the ever curious Kokoro at least, She bid her goodbyes as headed off towards her home. At Kanons worried look she tilted as if to get across that she would explain it to the girl later, Kokoro seemed oddly… silent on the matter, probably choosing to ignore it entirely. She gave one last wave and headed on her way.
It wasn't a minute later before she heard someone behind her and turned around seeing Kokoro following her footsteps like it was the most interesting game in the world.
"...What are you doing?"
"Your steps are so large Misaki!"
"No I mean your house is the other way, Why are you following me?"
"Because I wanted to?" She responded as if that was a completely justified response. Misaki simply gave her an incredulous look before sighing.
"And how long do you plan on wanting to?" Misaki responded.
"Until you smile." Kokoro put simply, leave it to her to make it about smiling. Misaki had to force herself not to sigh twice within thirty seconds.
"Look Kokoro, I'm fine I'm just tired, that's all, I'm not sad." Misaki assured her.
"Then why was your smile not real?" Kokoro asked, ah, so she had picked up on it as well. Misaki didn't like the fact that she had become so transparent that seemingly everyone could immediately tell when something was on her mind.
"You wouldn't know because I find it hard to believe you get tired, but when people are tired they don't have the energy to smile all the time" Misaki tried to reason, maybe Kokoro would take this as a sign that she needed to be home al-
"Then we just have to give you energy!" Kokoro cut off her thoughts and grabbed her hand, before she could protest Kokoro was dragging her along.
"Hey woah wait Kokoro where are we going" Misaki asked disjointedly as she spent most of her focus on staying upright and not bringing them both down.
"I don't know I'm sure something will come to me!" Kokoro yelled smiling like it was a surefire plan.
"At least let me get my balance!" Misaki as she fell into pace with Kokoro's sprint. They ran, they ran so fast Misaki didn't have time to register where they were going or how long she was holding Kokoro's hand like her life depended on it.
After way too much running, they finally came to a halt, both of them panting for air as the sun set behind them. The first few stars beginning to form in the sky.
"You never… slow down… do you?" Misaki said between breaths.
"Nope" Kokoro said smiling widely as she regained her seemingly limitless stamina.
"I'm in a hoodie." Misaki breathed and suddenly realized how boiling she was after that run despite the cooling air.
"I can't breathe" She inhaled as she struggled to get her backpack off and then her hoodie, she gasped in relief as she felt cool air on her skin. There was silence as she bent over to stuff her hoodie into her backpack and catch her breath.
"Is your heart beating faster?" Kokoro asked.
"I guess, but now I feel more tired" Misaki answered.
"As long as your hearts beating faster you'll feel more happy!" Kokoro stated confidently.
"I can't even begin tell you in how many ways you are just wrong."
"Really? My heart always beats faster whenever I'm-" Kokoro began but Misaki felt there was a more important matter at hand
"Wait… Where are we?" She interrupted not recognizing the side street they were currently on. Kokoro stopped and looked around at their surroundings before looking back to her with an innocent smile.
"I don't know."
"Of course you don't." Misaki muttered
"We'll find our way back!" Kokoro assured her, Misaki didn't doubt that, despite her phone being out of battery she's sure the people in suits would find a way to coincidentally get them back on track.
"Let's start by heading back the way we came."
"Okay!" Kokoro accepted, ever enthusiastically. Misaki rolled her eyes and they began walking back down the street. Soon enough Misaki wasn't sure which way was next when they came to an intersection, but she assumed if she found a main road she would be able to navigate her way back, they couldn't have run too far.
"Do you like adventure?" Kokoro asked looking up at the darkening sky with a serious expression that was uncharacteristic of the girl, Misaki thought it was a rather odd question. Then again Kokoro was odd.
"Not particularly?"
"Hmm... Then what do you like?"
Misaki thought about that question and slowed her walking down a bit.
"I guess... felting is relaxing, peace and quiet can be nice… I don't really have any strong interests like you." Except the band her mind supplied. She swallowed.
"I have an interest in you!" Kokoro smiled. Misaki felt her face heat up and Kokoro ran a few steps ahead to jump up on a small flat wall and balance on it because talking seemed to be taking too little energy evidently.
"Wha... " Misaki's mind however had gone all blank, for a second she lost her composure, Before she could ask her why in the world she'd be curious about the most bland member of their band. She practically felt Kokoro light up.
"What's that?" She said pointing at a building and running towards it before she got an answer, somehow missing that there was a main road right next to it. Misaki shook herself from her stupor and looked towards the building of Kokoro's sudden fascination.
"Bowling" Misaki read flatly upon realizing she probably wouldn't get to turn home just yet
Kokoro turned to her, Eyes shining so bright she was surprised they weren't radiating light. Well that pretty much confirmed it.
"Lets-"
"I'm in no mood to go bowling"
"Yes you are." Kokoro said, not taking no for an answer as she grabbed Misaki's hand and dragged her in. Somehow that was enough to stop all protest forming on Misaki's tongue as Kokoro had already entered the building.
"I'm sorry about this but is there any space left." Misaki asked the employee instead as Kokoro dragged her almost past the front desk.
"Why yes we have one lane free" The middle aged woman smiled, Misaki silently accepted her fate.
"Perfect! I've only gone bowling once this is going to be so fun!" Kokoro said grinning from ear to ear.
"Hold on Kokoro wait up, you have to put the shoes on first!" Misaki yelled after Kokoro who was already making a beeline for the only available space.
~0~
"You're crazy" Misaki said after Kokoro's third strike in a row.
Kokoro simply beamed at her "Your turn!" She said, insisting on specifying every time despite it being obvious. Misaki rolled her eyes albeit with a small grin despite herself, Something about Kokoro being so unabashedly excited made Misaki happy. Never let Kokoro know that though.
"It's not fair." Misaki bemoaned playfully as she nicked maybe three on her first roll of that turn.
"How do you just have a natural talent for these things?" She asked as she lined up the ball and the pins with her eyes and took her second shot missing entirely. What a lotta good that did.
"I'm just having fun!" Kokoro giggled as she grabbed her bowling ball. Misaki scoffed to herself. Fun didn't give you a natural talent at things, if it did, Misaki would be… just as bad at bowling as she was now… Maybe she should give it a shot.
Misaki shook her head fondly "I think you have too much fun sometimes."
"Nope! I have just the right amount." Kokoro sparkled.
"Strike!" The machine announced as Kokoro took her fourth in a row. Misaki was losing spectacularly, but she really couldn't find it in herself to care.
"Right well you've been having it too easy, time for the comeback" Misaki jest as she tried to switch up her bowling style. Kokoro laughed as she almost sent the ball into another lane entirely. Surprisingly, She found herself laughing as well.
Surprisingly, She found herself having a lot more fun than she thought she would.
It was only when they had finished bowling and she looked at the now night sky that reality came crashing back to her. She realised her family would probably be worried right now. She cursed as she fumbled for her phone, which was out of battery.
She'd no doubt get chewed out when she returned home.
"What's wrong?" Kokoro asked as she stiffened.
"My dad's gotta be worried sick right now. I need to get home." Misaki lamented but one of the mysterious black suits 'happened' to round the corner.
"There is no need to worry Miss Okusawa, We have already informed your residence of your delayed return." One of the suits said and while thankful that they wouldn't be worried she now had to imagine the prospect of explaining why a government type suit was informing them of this and not herself.
"See, everything worked out!" Kokoro supplied happily.
"Would you like an escort home?" One of the suits asked as a literal limousine pulled up outside and she didn't want to have to explain that to anyone
"I know my way back from here." She answered as she turned to Kokoro
"I'll um… See you later." Misaki fare-welled awkwardly Kokoro, as always didn't seem to mind
"I had tons of fun! Let's have fun again sometime!" Kokoro all but cheered as she hugged Misaki who instinctively recoiled. She was let loose from the hug a few seconds later and a fair few degrees warmer than before.
"S-sure." She said as Kokoro was directed into the limousine waving at her non-stop from the window, She gave a halfhearted wave back while Kokoro, along with the suits disappeared into the night.
~0~
She trudged up to her apartment door as she made her way inside, not noticing how tired she really was until now, especially after that impromptu bowling session. Her father was up and watching TV as she came through the door.
"I'm home!" She called out as she took off her shoes.
"Misaki? Welcome back!" He called back, She made her way towards the kitchen to get something to eat before she retreated to her room. Her father was giving her an odd grin as she passed the living room however.
"So… how'd it go?" He asked and she stopped. Confused.
"How'd what go?"
"Your date!"
"I'm sorry, My what?"