The joys of a small fandom: the ratio between reviewers to readers is a lot better here than any of my other fandoms. I am glad that everybody enjoyed the first chapter, so let's get started with the second! But before that…

Happy birthday, Tomoe!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to BanG Dream, otherwise BlueFlora would be canon. And Afterglow would be more popular…


Ran came back to her reality when she collided with something. Or, when she looked up, with someone.

"I'm sorry, I—?" Ran began, but her voice died out in her throat when she saw who she had just run into. She didn't know what to say or do in the situation that she found herself in, only able to stare at the other person. But Ran was sure of one thing.

She wasn't ready for this.

"Ran?"

Ran couldn't run, not now that she was face to face with someone she had been avoiding for several years now. Defeated and not knowing what else to do, she returned the greeting.

"It's… been a while…" Ran mumbled as she rubbed the back of her neck, making sure that she avoided the gaze of the other person. Softly, she added, "…Tomoe."

The person whom Ran had literally run into was indeed Ran's childhood friend and former bandmate, Udagawa Tomoe. She was wearing a teal jacket over a black shirt and jeans and, much to Ran's surprise, had cut her hair considerably shorter than the last time she saw her.

Tomoe smiled once the shock had dissipated, and almost immediately tried to close the distance that both of them knew was there. In more ways than one.

"It sure has," Tomoe nodded in confirmation, her eyes looking around as she, too, was unable to look her childhood friend directly in the eye, "So… should we head inside?"

"R-Right…" Ran muttered, more to herself than to Tomoe, as she followed the still taller friend inside the family restaurant across the block.

The inside of the restaurant was brightly lit, and Ran had to admit, very calming, almost as if inviting Ran and Tomoe with open arms. The walls were decorated with an assortment of different paintings that somehow struck a chord with Ran.

"Say, Tomoe?" Ran began as she was eyeing one of those paintings, trying and succeeding in getting Tomoe's attention, "Why do they look familiar? I feel like I have seen them before."

It wasn't Tomoe, however, who answered Ran's question.

"You've seen some of them before, Ran," a familiar, cheerful voice said, alerting the two to her entrance before she was actually fully in view. Sure enough, and wearing the same outfit that Ran saw her in earlier that day, Uehara Himari walked into view with a bright grin on her face, "This restaurant is owned by the Tsurumaki company."

That didn't help Ran a whole lot, but by the look on Tomoe's face, it wasn't some random nonsense that was being spouted here. Himari noticed this and tried to elaborate.

"Their daughter is in a band and—" Himari tried, but stopped immediately once she realized her mistake. With her breath held, she watched Ran for a reaction.

"Oh."

Without another word, Ran walked past Himari and Tomoe and sat down at the nearest unoccupied table.

"Sorry…" Himari muttered to Tomoe once Ran was out of earshot, the pinkette fumbling with the hem of her shirt as she was trying to ease her nerves, "I really shouldn't have said that."

"Don't let it get to you, I wasn't able to do much better," Tomoe reassured her friend as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Where is Tsugu?"

"I think she said something about running late," Himari replied as she looked around a bit. Letting out a soft sigh that didn't go unnoticed by Tomoe, she added, "We should probably join Ran."

"Right," Tomoe trailed off as she remembered the last time that they had made Ran wait unnecessarily. Tomoe shuddered at the memory and decided to just go ahead with Himari's plan. Himari wasn't far behind.

Once the two of them sat down at the table that Ran had chosen, they were comfortable for about five seconds when the next issue came up.

"So—" Ran tried after putting down the menu that she was holding, but was interrupted.

"Tsugu should be here any second now, I think," Himari said as she leaned forward, trying to get a better view of the rest of the restaurant and spot the brunette sooner. Her position did, in fact, help her field of vision, but it also prevented her from seeing the change in Ran's expression.

"Ran, have you figured out what you're ordering?" Tomoe asked, not letting Ran's mood change go unnoticed, "I heard that the karaage here are especially good."

Ran had already opened her mouth to respond to Tomoe, but was once again forced to close it as someone else took over. This only made her more irritated than she was before.

"Tsugu~ over here!" Himari cheered, waving wildly and barely missing Tomoe who sat beside her while doing so, "Ah, sorry Tomoe."

"It's all right," Tomoe sighed, scooting a bit away from Himari to avoid the next wave and smiling as the newcomer took her seat beside Ran, "Good to see you again, Tsugu."

"It's good to see everybody healthy and well," Tsugumi smiled in response as she looked at everybody at the table. A few mumbles of agreement followed, but nothing really developed beyond that. Eventually, Tsugumi grew quiet as well, unable to find ways to keep the conversation going.

The four of them eventually decided to make their orders and were now left to just wait for their meals to arrive. A short, uncomfortable silence followed soon after, and Tsugumi took it upon herself to try and break it, "So, Himari-chan, what have you been doing lately?"

"Ah, me?" Himari asked, caught slightly off guard as she was twirling her hair around her finger. Now the center of attention, she had to quickly think of something to say, "Nothing special, really. I just stay in my room all day studying."

Tsugumi seemed like she was about to respond to Himari's confession, but she stopped when she saw that Tomoe was on her feet, "Tomoe-chan?"

"Sorry, I have to get this," Tomoe said with an apologetic smile, motioning to her vibrating phone as she quickly put on her jacket again, "I'll be back in a bit."

And with that, Tomoe left the restaurant to answer the call, leaving the other three in a somewhat confused situation.

Himari was the first to realize this, but she didn't have time to let it bother her too long.

"I'm sorry, I'll be right back too," Himari apologized quickly, muttering something about a bathroom break while getting up from her seat.

Himari rushed off in the wrong direction before Tsugumi could call out to her, showing her the right way. An embarrassed Himari left a smiling Tsugumi and a slightly amused Ran behind.

'I'm glad that everybody is still the same as always, even after all this time has passed,' Ran thought to herself, the corners of lips curving upwards slightly but were stopped before they could make a full smile appear.

"Poor Himari-chan," Tsugumi said as she took her seat again, noticing the look on Ran's face and immediately started to think of a way to lighten the mood, "So, Ran-chan. What have you been doing lately?"

"The usual, I suppose…" Ran responded before she realized what was happening, eliciting a light chuckle from the last remaining friend as the memory resurfaced in both of their minds, "I'm looking for a good Masters program now that I'm almost graduating."

"As expected of Ran-chan!" Tsugumi beamed, proud of her childhood friend and glad that she was somewhat finding her way in life, "But what does Ran-chan want to do?"

"I—" Ran began but stopped her sentence there. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell her friend, it's that she couldn't.

A cold chill ran up Ran's spine, and memories of times long gone started to resurface in front of her mind's eye. Painful memories. Memories of that day.

Ran groaned, digging her nails deep into her scalp to shake off the memory. She knew that she was probably making an unnecessary scene but at the same time she felt reassurance knowing that the restaurant was almost empty.

A pair of gentle but firm hands found their way on either of Ran's shoulders, and the pain that she was feeling almost immediately vanished. Ran took a few deep breaths, making sure that she had regained her composure, before muttering a small thank you.

"Are you okay, Ran-chan?" Tsugumi asked carefully, her face full of worry. Locking her gaze with Tsugumi, Ran knew instantly that Tsugumi knew what Ran just remembered.

"I'll be fine," Ran breathed out after a short pause, knowing that she couldn't keep it a secret from Tsugumi even if she tried. Or any of her friends for that matter.

"If you say so…" Tsugumi trailed off, slight uncertainty clearly audible in her voice. Ran knew her enough, however, to know that Tsugumi not pushing further was a sign of trust, and she appreciated it, "It's a good thing that the restaurant is almost empty, then."

"About that…" Ran began, only then realizing what Tsugumi said was true. It was a holiday and what was supposed to be the busiest time of a restaurant, but Ran didn't see anyone aside from her childhood friends or the staff, "Don't you think that it is a bit strange?"

"Yeah," Tsugumi answered, a bit uncomfortably. Ran turned to look at her, and noticed just how uncomfortable Tsugumi was.

"Tsugumi?" this time it was Ran who was asking the careful question, genuinely worried about her as she was starting to fidget nervously in her chair.

"I'm okay I'm okay," Tsugumi answered, a bit too quickly to be believable but Ran let it slide.

The two of them shared a moment of silence together, neither knowing how to break it. That was until someone else broke it for them.

The distinct sound of a door opening reverberated through the otherwise quiet restaurant, and this shook Tsugumi back to her senses. But not in the way that Ran had expected it to.

"I think that is my cue," Tsugumi suddenly said not long after, confusing Ran.

"What cue?"

Tsugumi merely smiled in Ran's direction, picking up her purse as she stood up from her seat before heading to the exit.

"Wait! Tsugumi!" Ran called out, jumping to her feet and about to follow her friend, but then it happened.

That cold chill moving up her spine was back.

Ran had to quickly grasp for her chair to prevent herself from falling face first on the floor, but a pair of warm hands caught her and broke her fall.

Ran looked up, expecting to see Tsugumi who had run back for her, Himari who finally got herself out of the bathroom, or even Tomoe after re-entering the restaurant. Ran's eyes widened when she saw who caught her, and even more so when she realized who it was.

She couldn't move. Not only because this woman held her in place, but because of who she was. Ran opened her mouth, wanting to say so many things, but none of them came out.

Except for one.

"Moca…"


And that is all for today! I hope you guys enjoyed today's chapter, please leave a review telling me what you thought, and I will see all of you again next time! Take care!