It started with her, and her piano.
Honoka stood behind Maki as she played the piano. Honoka closed her eyes. She would never get tired of this.
Graduation was coming, and fast. Honoka still had no idea what to do for the farewell speech. Every night ended with an ocean of crumpled papers and half-finished thoughts. Nothing sounded right.
The sound of the piano slowly faded out as the song ended.
Honoka wrapped her arms around Maki from behind, resting her chin upon her kouhai's shoulder.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Maki asked, a slight blush tinted her face.
"Nothing," Honoka said, smiling brightly. "You just looked lonely, is all."
"I'm not," Maki huffed, glancing at Honoka with one eye closed. "Have you written the speech yet?"
"You know I haven't," Honoka sighed, then giggled at Maki's exasperated look.
"It's tomorrow, you know."
"I know, Maki-chan." Honoka let her go and grumbled under her breath, "You sound like Umi-chan."
Maki pulled the cover over the keys and stood. She grabbed her blazer, which she had draped over a chair, and slipped it on.
"If all you're going to do is complain, I'm going home."
"No, no, wait!" Honoka snatched Maki's bag before she could get to it. "Let's stay here a little longer."
Maki relented, and sat back down on the piano bench. Honoka grinned and plopped herself down next to her, leaving no space in between. Maki, used to all this by now, didn't scoot away.
"You think you can do push-ups while smiling now?" Honoka asked.
"Of course," Maki said. "We're school idols, after all."
"But have you tried it since last time?"
"Is that a challenge, Honoka?"
"Nope," Honoka replied nonchalantly. "Unless Maki-chan's a chicken. . ."
Honoka hid her smirk behind a hand, waiting expectantly for Maki to take the bait.
"Please, I'm not falling for that again."
Honoka slumped, disappointed. "Okay."
Maki stared at Honoka for a long few seconds, silence descending awkwardly between them.
"What's bothering you, Honoka?"
"You saw right through me, huh?" Honoka scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"Don't avoid the question."
"Fine, fine. It's just that. . ."
"Just what?" Maki's tone softened as she noticed Honoka's hesitation.
"It's just that it's almost over." Honoka lowered her face, letting her hair cast shadows over her eyes. "Next year, we won't be school idols anymore. I'll be working on the student council, and you'll have to start studying to take over the hospital."
"Honoka-"
"You won't be able to make music like you used to because there's no group who's going to perform it. You might not even play in this room anymore."
Honoka jumped to her feet, eyes blazing.
"Honoka, calm down."
"No! Don't you get it, Maki-chan?" Honoka grabbed Maki by the shoulders, leaning in close. "This room is where it all started! This is where I heard you play, where I heard you sing! This is where I asked you to write a song for us, to join us! This is where it started."
Tears dripped down, loud as they struck the wooden floor.
"This is where I met you," Honoka said, voice breaking.
She felt a hand on top of hers. Maki stood, and grabbed both of Honoka's hands in hers.
"Then let this be where it ends." Maki said. "Tomorrow, let's sing."
Honoka stared with wide eyes, her hands shaking. Maki squeezed back reassuringly. She slipped away and sat back down. She lifted the cover of the piano again.
Honoka gave a teary smile and blended her voice with Maki's as they sang the song that started it all.
"This isn't the end, Honoka."
The sun was setting. The school day was ending. Orange and red blended as the setting sun's rays shone through the windows.
"You can't tell me that," Honoka complained. "Not after singing that song together."
"Just listen," Maki snapped, glaring.
Honoka jumped a little, and nodded.
"I'm still here," Maki said. "I'm still going to play music. Who says I can't do both?"
Honoka remained silent.
"You love to sing, right? I can tell." Maki ran a hand along the piano softly, gently. "And I love the piano. That won't change."
Maki looked at Honoka, a smile on her face. It was so real, so unguarded, that Honoka couldn't believe this was happening.
"Our time as school idols may be ending, but that doesn't mean our friendship ends here too."
Before she even realized it, Honoka was crying once again. She tackled her red-haired kouhai.
"Maki-chan, you're so cute. . .!"
"I-idiot, what are you saying?"
Honoka let go as quickly as she had grabbed onto her, and swiped an arm across her eyes. She would not cry anymore. Maki looked at her, sure that Honoka had found her words in their song.
This wasn't the end at all.
It was only the beginning.