Breathe, Ruby, breathe.
She can't.
You tackles her in a hug and Ruby's chest tightens, forgetting how to breathe because You is right there, in front of her and wrapping her in a tight embrace and Ruby thinks this is another god forsaken miracle because You is back.
Ruby reluctantly raises her arms to hug her back, too frozen in shock and emotions too much in turmoil, once again she doesn't know what to do.
You is laughing and it rings beautifully in Ruby's ears, and it hits her like a wave and indeed she does miss her. She misses her so much her eyesight starts to blur and a tear drops on her cheek.
"Ruby, I missed y- Ruby?" You pulls away and her face falls as she sees Ruby, eyebrows scrunched and breaths breaking. "Ruby, don't cry!"
Ruby laughs at You's small guilt. "N-no worries, You, I just missed you a lot, that's all!" she says, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, giggling nervously as You smiles again, wrapping her around in another tight embrace.
"Me, too, Ruby," she whispers in her ear, her hands clutching the fabric of her clothes tightly. "I missed you a lot."
Ruby's consciousness returns and now it's her turn to hug You with full force, her laughs shaky yet grateful and for a moment, she forgets she tried to remove her feelings for You.
They pull away and smile at each other. The sun shines on You's face and Ruby is taken aback, cheeks reddening and she's a spluttering mess, covering her face and You laughs again. The nature around her seems to be encouraging her, pushing her to take this chance, maybe this one last chance.
"You?"
You pauses and stares at her, and Ruby swallows dryly.
"Would you like to go to my place and have some tea?"
Ruby settles the kettle and the flames light up. She goes on her way to prepare the tea cups and You leans on the counter and watches Ruby.
Ruby feels warmth on her cheeks and neck again, but lets You watch her as she pulls out plates and biscuits.
"I don't get why you wouldn't let me help you, Ruby." You says, resting her face the palm of her hand.
Ruby chuckles and picks up the tray, looking at the neatly placed utensils and biscuits and puts in on the table. "I do prefer preparing tea myself, though. I want my guest to be happy with what I serve them."
"But I'm not your guest, I'm your friend!" You insists. Ruby only smiles and opens the window, the wind flowing inside the place.
"How's Chika and Riko?"
You stops in her tracks and grins. "They're as great as ever! We've been too busy to see each other, but we take every opportunity to be together if we have the time!"
Ruby's chest swells as she sees You so happy to talk about them. "That's great to hear about!" she exclaims.
"What about you, Ruby? How's your sister and Yoshiko and Hanamaru?"
"My sister with Kanan and Mari are busy with university as of late, that's why she isn't here right now." Ruby fiddles with her hair and stares outside. "Yoshiko and Maru are doing really well, we're still as close as ever!"
You sighs happily and walked to Ruby's side, cheeks puffed with her wide smile and Ruby almost melts. She's beautiful. She's amazingly beautiful and Ruby's eyes widen as You continues to look at her with such light, and Ruby can't recall the last time she's been this mesmerized.
"That's really, really great." You says and Ruby feels the sadness in her voice as it drops, and Ruby once again feels as if everything will collapse around her.
"You?"
You's sad smile takes over her, her body deflating and her head moving away. Her eyes hold so much pain and Ruby's breath hitches, panic starting to rush in her belly as You shakes her head.
"N-no, it's nothing!" You chuckles, looking down and exhaling slowly. "I just miss Aqours, you know? I think about us a lot so it's kinda sad sometimes..."
"But it's alright..."
You's face turns into confusion.
"What?"
"I miss Aqours a lot, too, you know?" Ruby quietly says. "I miss it to the point it really hurts, th-that's why I cried a little when I saw you again."
Ruby laughs and suddenly You hugs her again, making her yelp in surprise. You's arms tighten around Ruby and Ruby feels her swaying the both of them and Ruby almost stumbles.
"I'm sorry-!" You says, pulling away to steady them both. She giggles nervously in apology and Ruby only brushes it away because Ruby is too grateful You did that.
It's alright, really. I always wanted you to do that to me.
"We can both agree Aqours misses each other knowing we both feel the same way," You salutes. "All of us can always hang around again! When we actually have time, that is…"
Ruby felt butterflies and she's filled with hope that the happiness is back again, because there's no use waiting for something when don't do anything about it.
With that thought in mind… Ruby almost forgets what she really needs to do.
The butterflies die and her insides were instead replaced with turmoil.
It's now or never, even when You promised they're going to meet again. Sometimes promises aren't fulfilled, and that's always how things go.
The thought frightened Ruby.
"I- You- I have something to say-"
The kettle whistles and Ruby exhales, rushing to the boiling tea and wonders again how she can tell You about what she feels.
Ruby turns off the flame and You wonders. "What is it, Ruby?"
"N-nevermind!" She replies shortly. "Now now!"
She settles the tea for the both of them and it's quiet again, both of them giving thanks for the food and eating silently.
"This is really nice, Ruby!" You exclaims, happily biting out the biscuits and showing Ruby how much she really likes the tea and the biscuits.
Ruby blushes and humbly thanks her, only her mind still wanders away on how she can pull it all off. She's so nervous. She's anxious and she's tightly holding her teacup as she watches the ripples in her tea.
You breaks the silence. "Sometimes I still find myself dancing to our songs and singing them that people recognize me in public." You breaks a cookie and eats it, her sight looking outside the window. "It's funny, but people also say they miss our performances."
"You, too? People even ask to take pictures when I'm rushing to school."
"I doubt they really get it, though." You closes her eyes and relaxes back on the chair, lolling her head as if she's dreaming. "They do miss our performances, but they'll never miss it as much as we do.
"The past is really funny, y'know? things happen and things don't, failures happen but we always learn to reach the higher success!" You punches the air and giggles and Ruby looks at her, wide-eyed.
"Of course it isn't always success we find, it's the happiness we have in performing for others, that's what I truly miss. It's the happiest I've been, being around with people I love and care about. I don't think these feelings will waver away no matter how much time has passed, that's how important Aqours is.
"No matter how many regrets, we can always move forward!"
Ruby hitches her breath at her last words. Everything You said has summarized what she has always felt, when the beach listened to her hopeless whispers. It hit her sharply when You has mentioned regrets, and she hears the clock ticking fast before everything would fail.
"Oh, it's late, I think I need to get home-"
"You."
Ruby stands and the chair almost toppled, the screech silencing everything and the air thickens as Ruby's eyes harden.
"Ruby?"
"I really like you, You!" Ruby almost yells, her voice shaking as her eyes shut and her cheeks blush.
"I like you too, Ruby, what-"
"That's not it." Ruby shakes her head. "I always liked you ever since I saw you, and I tried to hold back my feelings for you but it always fails! I fall in love with you everyday we get to be together, and no matter how much they falter they always spring back up!"
You falls silent and Ruby breathes again. "I never did anything about it because I was too scared to say anything, too scared to do anything and it was too late until you graduated! And all that time, from when I first saw you and until now, I always regret I never made the effort, always regret I never told you!"
Her back is arched low and her hair covers her face, alongside with her tightly shut eyes as she only feels You watching her in surprise. Her fists clench and she exhales slowly, her teeth chattering as she slowly stands straight and sees You's eyes wide.
Oh no. No. No no no no no.
Her face blushes deeply and she wants to take all her words back, because this is a new wave of regret and she steps back.
"I-I'm sorry!" She apologetically laughs. "Please forget about that! I think I panicked a-and all those words spilled out of me!"
You doesn't say anything and still watches her and Ruby pales, petrified of what she might be feeling.
"N-not that I expect anything I just-!"
I just wanted to let you know after two years.
Her hands frantically wave up in the air, gestures shaking and trying to brush away what she did until You stands and walks up to her, holding her wrist down and looks at her right in the eye. Ruby stops and scans You face, devoid of anything as she desperately tries to read her.
"It's alright."
W-what?
"It's alright, Ruby." You lets out a shaky breath and her hands around Ruby's tighten.
"I'm surprised you're the one who confessed first and not me."
Ruby thought she might be hearing things. She's light headed and fuzzy, and only You's grip lets her stay in reality.
Her voice turns quiet and her eyes wander down. "I-I liked you, too. I really liked you when I saw you, and fell more when I got to be with you, but I also never said or did anything because I was just as scared as you."
Her grip slides down to Ruby's hands and Ruby is too shocked to say anything.
"It was one of the few things I regret, but I don't think anything would have changed if I told you much, much later or earlier than now, right?" You bends her head down and catches Ruby's eyes. "You would be the same, I know that."
Ruby's mouth shakes as she tries to pry words from her head, but in the end she couldn't say anything.
"If you're wondering, it means I accept you, but I think I would've accepted you anyway no matter when our confessions happened."
She confirmed her thoughts.
"I like you and y-you like me…" Ruby's eyes drift away but You's hand catches her chin, forcing her to look at her and Ruby once again blushes.
"I do. A lot." You chuckles. Ruby shakily smiles and she leans on her touch; You's hand cupping her cheeks and both of their eyes stare into each other, drowning as You's eyes like reflect the waves she always wished upon.
You leans forward and Ruby almost stumbled back again as she catches her in a quick kiss, her chest still and breath held as You grins in victory.
"You may have confessed first, but I'm the one who kissed first!"
Ruby laughs with her and she's happy. The regrets were washed away and she forgot all about it, the joys replacing it eagerly.
Ruby only kept laughing until she catches the time and the bus will almost arrive and she knows You might miss it if she doesn't go soon.
"Y-you, it's nearly time for the bus to arrive."
You stops laughing and looks at the time and freaks out, fixing herself. "Ah! Thanks for reminding me Ruby!"
"Promise we'll see each other again?"
You looks back and smiles.
"Of course. We can always send each e-mails, right? And we can always meet each other again, I promise you that."
Ruby decides she's going to make that promise come true.
"I have to go now!" You walks away, until she stops. "Unless you want to come with me until I reach the bus?"
Ruby perks up and nods, rushing to her as she grabs her hand and tightly squeezes it. "I will!"
"Then let's go!" You says, and Ruby kisses her once again before they leave, linked with each other after years of holding it back.
It's all going to be alright.