A/N: Unrelated to the previous chapter, this is a continuation to the end of episode 8. Also a commission for heavyweaponsbear. Thank you so much! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hibike Euphonium.


Chapter 2. Warmth And Rhythm

The tranquil night was warm and comfortable, accompanied by just the perfect breeze to cool things off.

The city from this vantage point atop the mountain was breathtaking to say the very least. The trees were wrapped in darkness, the sky above a vast ocean of black velvet, stars and planets winking brightly down on the slumbering world below.

The buildings of the town sparkled ten times as brightly, lights reflecting off one another to appear even livelier in the surrounding shadows. Cars sped by with distant flashes of yellow headlights, and street lamps gave off faint orange glows.

But overall, the light was a faint bluish color, the yellows bleeding out into the surrounding green forests. The air up here was still and calm, surely a contrast to the rush a few miles away.

But even despite the alluring city below and impressive sky above, Kumiko's eyes were only drawn straight ahead, to an even more stunning sight.

Reina's pure-white dress was dyed blue in the twilight shadows, a subtle color that drew the eye to it naturally, and with little effort. Even though she resembled a snow spirit, Kumiko didn't feel cold, not at all.

In fact, it was only warmth she felt, especially when Reina stepped up to her, pressing the tip of her pointer finger to Kumiko's forehead. It traveled down, tracing the bridge of her nose, then the tip, and then-

Her lip wobbled slightly as Reina stepped back. Her responses were a bit dazed as she listened to the other girl talk about becoming special, simply by playing the trumpet.

Kumiko felt she understood what the girl meant, but she wasn't sure if she understood why Reina was saying it.

She wanted to be special. But to who?

As Kumiko pondered the question, Reina stepped past her.

And then, an angel spoke.

Or rather, giggled.

Reina's laugh was like a tiny silver bell, crisp and clear as though it were being rung over a stream in the middle of winter.

But again, Kumiko didn't feel cold. Only warm.

Something ticklish and soft seemed to curl up in her chest at the sound of Reina's laughter. It was lighthearted, nothing like the stoic persona she typically showed in school or during practice.

This laugh... it sounded like she'd remembered how to breathe freely again after years of never knowing.

Kumiko was overwhelmed with the thoughts of happily being spirited away by something so beautiful, despite the potential fears.

She would've been lying if she told herself she wasn't smitten.

She couldn't deny the way her jaw was hanging open, gaping and dumbfounded, as though remembering the pressure of that finger from not a moment ago.

The fabrics of Reina's dress flew up around her like a cloud, swirling for a brief second before they settled when sat down. Her image was incomparably beautiful, even if her words might've sounded a bit harsh.

"You definitely have a terrible personality, Kumiko."

Her smile was flawless, the apples of her cheeks slightly dusted with pink, something Kumiko could make out even in this limited lighting.

But she didn't take offense – not at all. She couldn't ever hope to be upset if Reina was smiling at her like that.

Kumiko managed to stand, taking her instrument along with her as she joined Reina on a higher bench. They came to a silent agreement that their ankles were aching from the hike, so they removed their shoes.

As they prepared their respective instruments, Kumiko didn't realize when her knee brushed against Reina's until it was too late.

But the black-haired beauty didn't mind. Her bare foot bumped into Kumiko's a moment later, making the brunette blush slightly. Reina might've noticed if she hadn't been so focused on her trumpet.

Moments later, they were ready, voicing their plans on which piece to play. Kumiko pressed her mouth to the mouthpiece, finding her lips were still tingling with the presence of Reina's fingertip.

She shook her head a bit to dislodge the thoughts, then looked to her left.

She watched as Reina prepared herself as well, her chest deflating, then expanding as she took a breath.

Then, they started to play.

The melodies of their song wreathed around the space between them, gradually drifting out into the night. Their music danced over the town, carried on the breeze before the faint gust of wind dipped down to comb through their loose hair.

Kumiko stared ahead for a while, marveling at the sights of the vibrant town.

She didn't even fully realize when her eyes had strayed back to the left, seeking pale blue.

Reina's posture was as flawless as ever, ebony locks spilling over one shoulder as the rest cascaded down her back, like a waterfall of liquid night.

Somewhere along the lines, she was caught staring, but even then, Kumiko couldn't tear her gaze away from Reina's.

They played for close to twenty minutes, holding a small, private concert of their own, gracing the festive town with their songs.

Only when they realized how much the moon had shifted overhead did they come to a unanimous decision. They moved their lips away from the mouthpieces and took a few breaths.

Kumiko pretended to chew on imaginary ice to stretch out her aching cheeks. Reina was a bit more refined with her process, bringing a hand up to her chin and rubbing a bit.

Kumiko felt another bump against her foot, and she looked up into Reina's eyes. They were like two round pieces of sparkling amethyst, framed by a pearl-white face and onyx hair.

Once Reina had her attention, the black-haired girl murmured.

"We should start heading back."

Kumiko blinked, wiping her eyes to pull herself out of the slight trance she'd found herself in.

"Yeah."

They put their instruments away, securing the clips on their cases before reaching for their shoes.

Reina stood first, leaving her trumpet case on the ground for the moment as she stretched her arms up above her head and let out a long sigh. Kumiko watched her, then realized she was staring again and quickly turned her face away.

But a whir of motion and color had her looking back again before long. Reina twirled around to face her, her light blue dress floating up around her knees. She reached her hand down to Kumiko without a word.

"Oh." The brunette reached up and accepted her hand. "Thanks."

Reina pulled her to her feet, keeping hold of her wrist for an extra moment to ensure she wouldn't stagger. Kumiko didn't shake off her grip, not until it remained for over a minute.

"Ah..." she said softly. "Our shoes."

Reina blinked, as though she'd spoken in a foreign language. But a glance to the ground had her releasing Kumiko's hand.

"Right."

They crouched down to tend to their feet. Kumiko slipped her feet into her sneakers with ease, though Reina took a moment to place her ankles into the loops of her small-heeled shoes.

Once they were ready, the girls straightened up.

But before Kumiko could reach for her euphonium case, Reina beat her to it.

"Reina-?"

"You carried it twice on the way up, and I only carried it once. So I'll carry it twice on the ay back down."

It wasn't a suggestion. Kumiko had no choice but to accept.

"Okay. If you're sure."

She picked up the trumpet's case as Reina slid the euphonium onto her back.

Then, they headed for the path that had brought them here and started to descend.

The laborious trek uphill was a bit kinder to them on the way down. Reina kept one hand on the strap over her shoulder, and she used her other hand to hold out her phone, guiding them with the flashlight app.

They were much quieter on the way down than they had been on the way up, less talkative now that they'd discussed all they'd needed to for the time being.

Kumiko maintained a distance of a few feet between Reina and herself. Past the euphonium's dark case and the girl's black hair, she could only see several inches of the white dress.

Her gaze went down once more, trained on Reina's feet. Her pretty white shoes were stained with dirt and dust, and there were small red lines cutting into her skin here and there.

Kumiko felt that plenty of time had passed by now, and that it was about time to switch instruments. But she didn't want to wound Reina's pride by bringing it up so soon, so she held her tongue a while longer.

Almost halfway down, Reina's phone battery drained, and they lost their most significant source of light. The canopy overhead blocked out the best beams of moonlight, leaving the girls in almost total darkness.

If not for the light color of Reina's dress, Kumiko might've been concerned about potentially losing sight of her. About an hour had passed since they'd last been on this path, so it was significantly darker now.

But that didn't seem to be hindering Reina. In fact, Kumiko needed to pick up the pace a bit in order to keep at her side.

After that, they spoke a bit more often, only little phrases like "Watch your step here" and things of that nature.

A few more minutes ticked by, and Kumiko noticed Reina had started to breathe rather heavily, clearly affected by the weight on her back now.

Kumiko couldn't keep her mouth closed any longer. She reached out to lightly touch the girl's arm.

"Reina-" The name still felt a bit odd on her lips, but she liked it nonetheless. "Don't push yourself. Let's switch now."

The other girl paused for a moment, looking to the side as she panted slightly.

"Fine. Let's just get around this curve."

It was only half a dozen yards away, so Kumiko nodded, and again they started off.

The brunette trained her eyes on Reina's ankles, getting lost in the hypnotic pattern of her steps...

That consistent pace was suddenly interrupted a few seconds later.

Something – a pebble or a root or a crack in the pavement – caught on the heel of Reina's shoe. Kumiko witnessed firsthand as the girl's ankle twisted awkwardly, her weight shifting dangerously.

"Ah-!" With a short cry, Reina stumbled, the weight of the euphonium unbalancing her severely along with the steep angle of the ground here.

"Reina!"

Kumiko tried to reach out for her, and her fingertips brushed over Reina's silky hair. But she couldn't get a grip, and could only watch as the girl fell, pinned down by the weight of the instrument on her back.

Her body rolled slightly, skidding against the pavement, her pretty white dress staining with dust. Her fall only lasted for a few seconds, but it was surely enough time to hurt herself.

By the time Reina stopped moving, Kumiko was already rushing forward.

"Reina!"

Frantically, she placed the trumpet down on the ground before dropping to her knees. She knelt at Reina's side and quickly reached out to heave the instrument off of her back. Kumiko wrestled the straps off her friend's shoulders and put the case aside, relieving the pressure from the injured girl.

"Reina!" she cried again. "Are you okay?" Her hands fumbled for something to do, and she could only reach out to support the other girl's shoulders.

Reina coughed a bit, gasping for a few seconds to regain her breath after being winded by the fall. Kumiko put a hand to her back and rubbed in small circles.

"Ah, that was a nasty fall. Your dress is ruined..."

Reina sighed, lifting a hand to run fingers through her bangs and over the top of her head.

"It's fine," she said softly. "It can be washed."

"B-But still!" Kumiko squeaked. "I'm sorry. We should have switched instruments sooner."

"Then you would've tripped," Reina said. "I'm glad it happened this way."

"Reina!" she whined. "Don't say that! It was scary to see you fall like that."

Reina blinked, leaning back a bit onto Kumiko's hand for support.

"Sorry," she murmured.

The brunette sighed, a bit relieved now that the worst of it all was over.

"Here," she offered. "Hold onto me. I'll help you up."

She grasped one of Reina's hands, using the palm at the other girl's back to help keep her steady. Kumiko got to her feet, going slowly as not to rush Reina.

But just before the black-haired girl could regain her balance, she stumbled again.

"R-Reina!" Kumiko reacted quickly, stepping forward to catch the girl. Reina bumped into her chest softly, hopping a bit on one foot.

"Sorry," she gasped. "My ankle..."

Kumiko looked down, noticing one of Reina's feet was suspended in the air, and she was unable to put any weight on it. The brunette tightened her grip on the other girl's dress to keep her from falling again.

"E-Easy! Ahh, did you sprain it when you tripped?"

"...I think so."

"Oh, no..." Kumiko gulped, bracing one of her palms at Reina's hip. "You can't walk like this down the rest of the mountain! And your phone's battery died and I didn't bring mine so there's no way to call for help. And I haven't seen anyone else on this path all night, so I'm not sure if anyone will be passing by who we can ask for help. We can't stay out here all night!"

She bent her head forward to think for a minute. Her forehead brushed lightly against Reina's shoulder. She could smell the faint fragrance of her perfume, hear the breath on her lips...

Kumiko pulled back, still keeping her grip on the girl as she came to a decision.

"There's only one thing we can do..."

Reina blinked up at her curiously, wincing slightly as she was forced to put her bad foot down a little.

"What's that?"

Kumiko surveyed their surroundings, then nodded to herself.

"I'll... carry you back down."

A breeze slipped between them, and silence ensued for a moment.

Reina gave her a skeptical look.

"And what do you propose we do about our instruments?" she wondered.

Kumiko bit her lip before voicing her response.

"We'll have to leave them here, I think. We can put them in the bushes for now and come back in the morning to get them. I don't think anyone else will be coming this way tonight, and no one will have any reason to look into the bushes. Even if someone did find them, I don't think they'd steal them or anything like that."

It was the best option she could think of; she could only hope Reina would accept it.

The black-haired girl thought for a moment, pondering Kumiko's suggestion, weighing their options and possible consequences. She gave another small hop on her good foot, moving a bit closer to Kumiko for her support. The brunette felt her palms starting to heat up as she waited for the verdict.

At last, Reina sighed.

"I suppose that's the best option we've got as things are."

Kumiko nodded.

"Okay. I'll go hide the instruments, but you should sit down first."

Keeping an arm around the other girl, Kumiko got onto one knee and helped her to the ground.

Once she was sure Reina was alright, Kumiko got back to her feet. She picked up the instruments and walked a few feet off the path, depositing them into a large bush. Glancing around a bit, she made sure she'd be able to recognize the spot in daylight hours before hurrying back to Reina and crouching beside her.

"Okay! They're hidden! I'll come back in the morning to get them. Even if your ankle isn't better by then, I'll get your trumpet and bring it to your house."

Reina blinked, dipping her chin an inch or so.

"Thank you."

Kumiko smiled, remaining still for a moment, seemingly having forgotten the issue at hand. It was an expectant grunt from Reina that snapped her back into reality.

"Right! Okay. I'll carry you the rest of the way. Ah..." She flicked her gaze over the other girl. "H-How should I do it... Like a princess?" she mumbled. "That would certainly seem appropriate..."

"Kumiko."

"Y-Yes?"

"...Perhaps on your back," she suggested.

"Oh!" Kumiko clapped her hands together. "That's much better! I'm so used to lugging the euphonium around on my back all the time, carrying you shouldn't be a problem at all!"

Reina huffed a small breath, then looked away.

"Then... whenever you're ready."

Kumiko nodded, turning herself around and moving closer to Reina.

"Just wrap your arms around my shoulders," she instructed.

Reina hesitated for a moment, feeling a strange sensation in her chest, almost like a bird struggling to fly – fluttering.

Slowly, she did as Kumiko said, reaching her arms out to rest lightly on the girl's shoulders. Kumiko reached up, pulling Reina's hands forward around her collar. She had the girl hold onto her opposite wrist with the other hand securely.

"Hold on tight," Kumiko murmured.

She didn't see it, but Reina gave a small nod.

Once her arms were in place, Reina moved her legs forward a bit, until her knees were on either side of Kumiko's back. As she moved, Reina aggravated her twisted ankle, and she sucked in a sharp breath, her grip tightening around the brunette's collar.

Kumiko heard her plight and tilted her head back a bit.

"Don't rush," she soothed. "Take your time. It's okay."

Reina sighed, waited a moment, then tried again.

Her dress trailed on the ground all around her as she pressed her chest lightly to Kumiko's back. Kumiko was glad she was facing away from her, because she didn't want Reina to see her blush.

"Th-That's it. Just lean onto me a bit." She reached back, her fingers slipping over thin fabrics and soft skin. She was extra careful with Reina's injured ankle, making sure not to jostle her foot. Kumiko looped her arms around Reina's thighs, feeling her dress ruffle at the small of her back. "Lean forward a bit more," she coaxed her. "I don't want to stumble and end up hurting you more."

Reina did as she was told and pressed herself a bit closer to the girl.

Kumiko waited a moment, making sure Reina was situated on her back, and she gathered her bearings as well.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yes..." Reina murmured. Her voice was right at the brunette's ear, and Kumiko could feel the tickle of her breath.

Reina braced herself as she felt Kumiko start to move, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on the girl's collar. She closed her eyes, expecting more pain in her foot.

But it never came.

Kumiko was very gentle as she stood, bending forward a bit to ensure Reina wouldn't slip off.

Once she was on her feet, she looked back over her shoulder, but was a bit startled when she found Reina's face so close to hers.

"Y-You okay?"

"Yes," Reina murmured.

"Right. Of course you are," Kumiko chuckled. "You said you liked pain, after all."

The response was a loud huff against the side of her neck.

Kumiko giggled a bit, then offered a small apology.

Slowly, she started to walk, maintaining her grip on Reina's thighs.

On her back, the black-haired girl wasn't sure what to do with herself. She could only keep her arms loosely in place around the brunette's neck, but she kept her back as straight as possible, her body only making contact with Kumiko's in the most necessary of places.

Kumiko could clearly feel that she was leaning back, Reina's weight pulling away in an awkward way. Kumiko didn't want to come off as rude, but it was a bit difficult to walk downhill in the middle of the night with a girl on her back – she couldn't afford the possibility of getting unbalanced.

"Ah, Reina?" she whispered softly. "You can lean against me more. Just relax, okay?"

Reina paused for another moment, until she realized she must have been hindering the girl.

Therefore, she slowly pressed forward, resting her stomach and chest fully against Kumiko's back. Inadvertently, she held her breath for a moment before finding her voice again.

"...Is this alright?"

Kumiko nodded.

"Yes. That's much better."

"I'm... not too heavy?"

Kumiko came to a halt, then let out a short laugh.

"Of course not! You're much lighter than my euphonium, Reina. Actually, having you on my back is a relief after that thing."

Again, she realized she hadn't really thought it through before she'd spoken aloud, but her blush was still effectively hidden.

Reina didn't respond verbally. Instead, she rested her cheek on Kumiko's shoulder, turning her face to one side.

Kumiko started walking again, but she felt how the other girl had grown suddenly still.

"Reina...?"

A pause.

And then-

"I'm tired..."

Kumiko's eyes went wide just seconds before a wide smile spread across her lips.

"Then just rest. I'll get you home. You can count on me."

The response was a small hum, nothing more.

Kumiko continued her trek down the path, occasionally pausing to readjust her hold on the girl. As she walked, she could feel Reina's soft breaths fanning out against the side of her neck.

For about ten minutes, there was nothing but silence and soft breathing between them, and Kumiko realized they were nearly at the bottom of the mountain. From there, it would just be a ten minute walk through town back to Reina's residence.

She persisted, making sure Reina was still holding onto her collar.

The night was quiet around them save from the occasional chirp of crickets or the whisper of a breeze.

Before much longer, Kumiko could hear the sounds of cars passing by not too far away, indicating they were nearing town.

At last, the ground leveled out at the bottom of the mountain, and Kumiko stopped for a break.

"Almost there..." she sighed. She took a moment to stretch out her ankles a bit.

When she was still again, she realized she could still feel Reina's breath against her neck. The warmth and weight on her back had become comfortably familiar to her by now, but there was something else she hadn't been able to distinguish until now.

She closed her eyes and focused on that faint rhythm, a soft pulse against her spine, and Kumiko recognized it as Reina's heartbeat. It was very slow, very light, much more lovely than the beat or rhythm of any song.

For some reason, Kumiko found herself smiling when she felt it.

"Reina," she whispered. "Are you asleep?"

The lack of response was answer enough.

With a small chuckle, Kumiko started to walk once more.

She followed the sidewalk, and soon the yellow glow of the streetlights came into view, splashing beams of light to guide her to town. The streets were a bit less hectic that usual with the festival going on, but the periodical rush of a passing car was oddly comforting after spending over an hour in that dark forest.

They passed a few other people, likely on their way home from the festival.

Kumiko realized that despite the minor mishap of Reina's tumble, she'd enjoyed their evening alone on the mountain immensely more than she knew should would have if she'd gone to the festival.

She walked on, realizing that all those times carrying her instrument really had helped her a lot for this short of thing. Reina was very light against her back, very soft, and very, very warm.

Certainly nothing like a snow spirit.

Just ten minutes later, Kumiko found herself outside Reina's house. Lights were on inside and she knew the girl's parents were awake.

At last, the brunette came to her final stop.

She waited a moment, once more able to feel Reina's heart thumping lightly against her back. She waited until her blush had faded before she turned her face to the side.

"Reina," she whispered. "Reina. We're here." She gave a small bounce to rouse the girl.

The breathing at her ear was interrupted by a small, tired sound.

"Mn..."

The blush rushed right back to Kumiko's cheeks and she promptly looked forward.

Reina lifted her head drowsily, her hands sliding up from Kumiko's shoulders to instead rest on top of her shoulders. When she realized where they were, Reina gasped softly.

"You... really took me all the way home?"

"Of course I did. You didn't think I'd just leave you somewhere, did you?"

Reina was silent for a moment, then changed the subject.

"Are you alright?"

"Me?" Kumiko squeaked. "I'm fine, don't worry. It's your ankle I'm worried about."

"That will be fine in a few days," Reina assured her.

"Ready to get down?"

"Just a moment."

Reina moved her fingers a bit, kneading them against Kumiko's shoulders. The brunette couldn't help but squeak at the small massage, Reina's fingers pressing in all the right places. She sighed blissfully and enjoyed the sensation for a moment.

Then, Reina moved her hands again, this time to either side of Kumiko's face.

Slowly, she leaned herself forward, tilting Kumiko's neck back a little until Reina could gaze down into her eyes.

"Kumiko..." she murmured.

Said girl gulped.

"Yes?"

She watched as Reina leaned down toward her. Her hands caressed the brunette's cheeks, the pads of her fingers rubbing in ginger circles.

Kumiko closed her eyes just as she felt a pair of cool lips brush against her forehead, over her bangs.

When Reina pulled away, she was smiling.

"Thank you."

Baffled, Kumiko nearly swayed, but she remembered Reina was still on her back.

With great care, she knelt down and helped Reina off of her. She turned around quickly, keeping her hands at either side of the black-haired girl's waist as she balanced on only her good foot.

Even injured as she was, Reina was still so gorgeous in that flowing white dress, her eyes sparkling...

Kumiko felt compelled to speak – just anything to keep her there a second longer.

"Reina..."

The other girl kept her arms on Kumiko's shoulders and she hobbled a step forward. A familiar finger then trailed up Kumiko's neck, up to her chin, traveling in the opposite direction from last time-

-but ultimately stopping at the same spot.

"Thank you," Reina murmured. "Kumiko."

She removed her finger from Kumiko's lips, replacing it with a breath...

The next thing Kumiko knew, their was a gentle pair of lips on her own.

It only lasted for a second, only for a heartbeat, and Kumiko needed to wonder if it had been real or not.

But her eyes had been open all the while, wide with surprise.

Reina pulled away, though her hands remained on the other girl's shoulders, and Kumiko kept ahold of her waist.

"Reina..." she mumbled. "You-"

"I said it before, didn't I?" she said. "It was a confession of love."

Kumiko knew it would have been very classy of Reina to turn away and simply leave her baffled there in the front yard. But as she was, she needed Kumiko's help hobbling to the door.

Once there, Reina rang the doorbell and waited for her parents to collect her.

But in the moment before that – their last moment alone – Kumiko pulled her into a gentle embrace. She didn't have anything to say; she merely wanted to feel that warmth again, that heartbeat...

Reina returned the embrace, then kissed her cheek.

Kumiko mustered up a bit of courage and did the same, holding her lips to Reina's soft cheek for but a second before they parted.

Their eyes met, their gazes conveying things words couldn't.

The night might've taken an unexpected turn, but it wasn't one either of them were regretting.

Not in the slightest.

They were excited for this, glad their feelings were finally off their chests, not only conveyed, but reciprocated.

Movement from inside the house was what eventually had Kumiko clearing her throat.

"S-So I'll bring you your trumpet tomorrow then," she said. "Make sure you put ice on your ankle. Don't strain yourself. You should get some rest."

Reina gave her that smile again, accompanied by that angelic, lighthearted laughter.

"Thank you, Kumiko."

"Th-Thank you, too! Reina..."

She just liked saying her name like that, without honorifics or uncertainties.

And Reina liked hearing it too, only from her.

Kumiko had one last thing she longed to say, though.

"A-And... Reina?"

Said girl tilted her head curiously.

"Yes?"

Kumiko kicked her shoe in the grass a bit, her eyes flicking nervously around until they met amethyst once again.

"Before, you'd said that you... wanted to be special," she recounted. "Well... you're really special, Reina. To me."

Reina's eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed for a second. She leaned in and softly brushed their noses together.

"Thank you, Kumiko."

She really meant it, from the bottom of her heart.

The door opened, and her parents stepped out, asking what had happened to her.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Reina said as she turned to them, taking their hands for support.

Kumiko let her go, but only temporarily.

"See you tomorrow."

She humbly accepted the words of gratitude from Reina's parents, then watched as the three went back inside.

Just before the door closed, a wisp of that white fluttered before her eyes, and then it was gone.

A cool breeze danced around her, but more than anything, Kumiko just felt warm.

So perfectly, blissfully warm.


A/N: We can all dream, right?

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