Ah gosh I'm sorry this is so late! I wrote it a while ago but had no time to edit and post it for a few days afterward. So thanks for waiting! Here is my twist on the finale!

The first half is mostly a recap of the episode with my twists in it, but the more interesting parts come in a little later.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hibike Euphonium.


Chapter 7. Tight Hair, Tight Hugs

At long last, the morning of the Kansai Competition was upon them.

After weeks of intense practicing and anxiety-inducing anticipation, it was finally time.

That morning, Kumiko woke early, at least half an hour before her alarm went off. Part of her wanted to get out of bed immediately, but she knew if she did so early, her mother would scold her for not getting enough sleep on such a big day.

So she lie there for a while, waiting for the inevitable alarm to go off. She was already wide awake, and knew that trying to rest again would bear fruitless results.

Therefore, she reached for her cell phone and selected the top number on her messaging list – the last number she'd texted as well as the most frequent. She sent out a small message that read: Good morning.

The reply was less than a half a minute later, as Kumiko had expected. It read: Good morning. You have perfect timing.

Kumiko smiled and typed back: I knew you'd be awake. You've probably been up longer than I have. Make sure you try to rest a bit more this morning. For me?

This time, Reina's response took a moment, but when it did arrive Kumiko smiled after reading it: Fine. For you.

She stopped texting her girlfriend for a little while in hopes that Reina was also still in bed and hopefully trying to rest up until the last minute.

When that minute did arrive, Kumiko was reaching out to silence her alarm before it had even finished the first beep. With a soft moan, she pushed herself up from the mattress and slipped her legs free.

She made quick work of freshening up in the bathroom and changing into her uniform. Then, she took a moment to tie back her hair, as was required for a competition.

Once ready, she left her bag behind, knowing she wouldn't need it for today.

But she paused one last time when her phone vibrated, and she checked the messages. Reina had sent her one last motivational text:

See you soon.

It certainly motivated Kumiko to get going.

After a brief breakfast and a chat with her mother – and even her elder sister – about today's competition, Kumiko was out the door and calling goodbyes over her shoulder.

She found it was impossible to walk at a controlled pace that morning. The adrenaline coursing through her was too great, so she matched it by running to the station.

There, she met with Reina, unsure if it was accidental or intentional. They shared a soft greeting kiss, then spent a train ride side by side, nudging elbows and giggling the jitters away.

Once they arrived at their stop, they hurried to school together.

The band was to meet up and form a group in a designated area beside the school buildings so they may take attendance and then quickly depart on the buses.

Kumiko greeted Hazuki and Sapphire, but stuck close to her girlfriend for the time being. While her other two friends were lost in conversation together, Kumiko stole another kiss from Reina.

The black-haired girl had yet to tie her hair up, and so when Kumiko wrapped her in a brief, random hug, she felt loose onyx strands swaying in the breeze over her arms. Reina's arms were around her as well in seconds, squeezing Kumiko tightly. The brunette was even a bit surprised by her passion and coughed a bit at the tightness.

"R-Reina... are you okay?" she murmured. "Your heart's really going." She could feel it for herself, hammering against her own chest.

Reina pulled back after a few seconds and used one hand to toss some hair over her shoulder.

"Look who's talking. You're nervous, too."

"Of course I am," Kumiko said. "If there's someone here today who isn't nervous and shaking, then I don't think they should compete."

Her response was rewarded with a smile from her girlfriend.

When they were certain no one else was looking, they shared another short kissing, using it as a temporary distraction to allow the other to swallow her fears.

They parted, feeling a bit less edgy, and only a few minutes later, the parking lot was crowded with the band members, and buses were beginning to arrive.

Once their advisors had arrived and Taki-sensei had given his speech, all of the band members were taken by surprise when the people who hadn't passed auditions presented them with little good luck charms.

Kumiko listened as everyone's names were called and the girls would go to hand out the charms. When it was her turn, Hazuki ran straight toward her and Reina.

"Kousaka-san! Kumiko! Here!" She placed a charm into each of their palms. "They're the same pattern, just in different colors," Hazuki winked. She flashed a glance at Kumiko and stuck her tongue out slightly before hurrying on to deliver other charms.

Kumiko was left with her mouth agape for a moment before she felt Reina nudge her side.

"Kumiko? What is it?"

The brunette laughed dryly.

"She knows..."

"Huh?"

"Hazuki knows..." Kumiko shared a glance with her girlfriend and shrugged. "She totally knows we're dating. But don't worry, she won't tell. We'll have to do that ourselves."

"That's right," Reina affirmed. "We said we'd do it after the competition, whether we win or lose."

"Yeah." Kumiko offered a reassuring smile.

Even if everything fell through somehow in the end, they'd still have each other.

After hearing a few inspirational words from Taki-sensei, the band members were allowed onto the buses. They talked and chatted on the entire ride to keep their thoughts off their nervousness, trying to instead spread good vibes and motivation to those who were uncomfortable.

Kumiko noticed that a few of the girls were getting queasy, be it from the bus ride, the nerves, or a combination of both. Even Reina occasionally put a hand to her mouth and then promptly straightened her back to compose herself.

Kumiko realized the anxieties were normal, and that was how most of them should have been feeling, especially first-year students or people who had never performed in a serious competition before.

The last time she'd attended, Kumiko hadn't felt nervous at all, and she hadn't even been that fazed by the results that their band had received fake gold.

Because she'd never had faith in them enough to believe they could achieve anything better than that.

Because she hadn't worked hard enough to cry and scream in desperation for wanting it so badly.

Because she'd never taken it seriously.

But it was different this year.

Her stomach was doing flips constantly, and she felt lightheaded. But she didn't let the uneasiness get to her. She used it as fuel for herself.

This is only happening... because I'm taking it seriously now. Because I worked so hard and I know we actually have a shot at winning this time. With how much we've practiced over the weeks, and how far we've come... and with Reina playing our solo...

She cast a glance at her girlfriend where she was seated a few rows away. Reina caught her eye and held her gaze for a moment before giving a slight nod.

And for the rest of the bus ride, Kumiko didn't feel as awfully nervous.


When they arrived at last, the band members exited the bus and tried to get their bearings.

Many of them shared hugs of reassurance, especially the people who wouldn't be performing. Their job today was to act as cheerleaders and motivators for the others.

They were greeted by the staff of the Kansai Competition, and after they'd all retrieved their instruments from the other bus carrying them, they were eventually led inside the building.

As Kumiko stood in the crowd listening to instructions, she fidgeted a bit in her spot.

It's just like Midori-chan said before... she recalled. I'm only nervous because I'm scared of failing. And I'm only scared of failing because I know how hard we all worked for this. I don't want to be the one to mess things up...

Once she'd been given permission, she crouched down on the floor with her euphonium and opened the case, looking over it fondly and making sure it was in its best condition. That was when a familiar voice called out her name once again.

"Kumiko." Reina walked up to her before turning around and crouching in front of her, holding back her hair, as well as a hair tie. She presented both to her girlfriend, keeping her face turned away.
"Help me tie my hair."

"Oh, sure." Kumiko reached out to gather Reina's hair carefully.

"Tightly."

"Got it."

She moved her hands smoothly through Reina's silken locks, fastening the hair tie around the base of the ponytail closest to her girlfriend's head. From here, Kumiko could smell Reina's trademark scent - comforting and cool - only one of which she'd ever expect to feel from a Snow Spirit.

Reina was still beneath her touch, breathing evenly despite everything that was going on around them.

Kumiko tended to her hair, looping the ponytail around a few times and tightening it when she was finished.

Shortly afterward, Natsuki came by for a bit of encouragement, holding out her fist to Kumiko.

"Oumae-san."

Kumiko blinked up at her, then smiled and returned the bump of her knuckles. Once Natsuki had gone, Reina mumbled softly.

"Nakagawa-senpai's pretty cool."

"Yeah."

Reina snorted a little bit and leaned back against Kumiko's chest.

"You didn't have to agree..."

"Don't be jealous." Kumiko giggled and squeezed Reina's stomach in a brief, light hug.

Soon afterward, she let go, and the group was ordered to change locations. They took their instruments with them into a large room where they'd be waiting until it was their turn to perform.

In the waiting area, the air was thick and heavy as people tuned their instruments, did sound checks, and fixed anything that might've sounded even slightly amiss.

But despite the anxieties and the inner turmoil that they were all doing their best to conceal, the room wasn't loud – not from talking, anyway. They gave practice blows to their instruments and played over a few of the more difficult parts, but the speaking was kept to a minimum.

Maybe it was because they wanted to seem as professional as possible, or maybe it was because they wanted to save their breath for playing. Either way, it was almost strangely silent in their waiting room.

Kumiko had just finished ensuring her euphonium sounded perfect, after having gotten the opinions of Asuka, Hazuki, and Sapphire.

A few minutes later, Taki-sensei called for attention, and they all played a few warm-up pieces together. Kumiko realized it wasn't just for practicing purposes, either. When they all played together and produced that familiar, pleasant sound, a sense of calm came over everyone.

It made them all remember they'd done this a million times before. They were simply doing it again in a different room now.

Thinking like that helped to lessen the ever-present pressure of the competition beyond these walls.

After a few minutes of practice, the apparent weight within the air seemed to dissipate, until the anxieties had been reduced to nothing more than a few butterflies in stomachs.

Once they were all a bit more comfortable, Taki-sensei called for silence so he may give a motivational speech. He spoke of all their trials up until this point, their ambition, and how they should be proud. Kumiko noticed she wasn't the only one who puffed her chest out a little bit after that. He wrapped up his speech by opening the door that would lead them to the stage.

"Everyone, let's go to Nationals," he said with a smile.

Kumiko felt as though a warm wave had washed over her, spreading energy through her and giving life to a body that had previously been cold.

She took a step forward toward those doors and-

"Uweh!"

A sudden poke in her side had her jolting as she whipped around.

Reina looked up at her with playful amethyst eyes.

"It's the performance. Let's do this." Her lips curled upward, into a familiar angelic smile.

Kumiko was drawn to that smile for a moment before her eyes focused in determination.

"Yeah."

Together, the band advanced toward the stage, instruments in-hand.

They all took their seats in the minimal lighting and placed their school's name banners over their music sheet stands.

Kumiko glanced to her side where Asuka was sitting, euphonium in her lap. The older girl cast her a brief glance, then directed her gaze to the floor.

"It's a little sad, isn't it? We had so much fun, and now it's about to end."

It was certainly off-putting to find her usually-energetic upperclassman so melancholy, so reserved and quiet. Kumiko might've even gone so far as to call her insecure with the things she was saying.

Asuka heaved a sigh. "I wish summer could go on forever..."

Kumiko blinked, somewhat puzzled at her.

"What are you talking about? It isn't over yet. We're going to Nationals," she stated firmly.

Asuka met her gaze, her own expression shocked for an instant before it faded into another sad smile.

"Right. Come to think of it, that was our goal."

Satisfied that she'd helped to lift Asuka's spirits a bit, Kumiko faced forward where she knew the audience to be just ahead of them.

Then, the lights came on, filling the room with color and sound as the announcement was made that Kitauji would be performing now.

Kumiko shared one last glance with her girlfriend from across the room, catching Reina's eye as she raised her trumpet at Taki-sensei's silent command.

We can do this.

Everyone readied themselves and their instruments. Their eyes were glued to their conductor's hands as he lifted them.

There was a collective breath shared between them all.

And then, the silent room was filled with sound.

The music was vigorous, vivacious, and passionate right from the very first note. It echoed throughout the auditorium, casting out from the stage and all the way to the very back of the audience.

Within just the first ten seconds, even as she focused on her music, Kumiko was alert enough to listen for the other instruments. The trombones were supportive, the clarinets and flutes clear, the drums strong...

And the trumpets were hearty and sounded together flawlessly.

Kumiko sent silent congratulations and support out to her girlfriend, knowing Reina must have been doing the same for her. They couldn't see one another, but Kumiko felt as though there was something connecting them intangibly, like a small tug on her hand.

She liked to imagine it as a red string of fate.

Picturing Reina with the other end tied to her pinky finger was a nice thing to think about.

Kumiko concentrated on her music, trying not to let any unnecessary thoughts get in the way. The nervousness was all but gone, and now she merely focused on the fun of it all.

It might've been a competition, but she was still doing the thing she loved, with the people she loved.

The first song finished, and they were all given a moment to breathe before Taki-sensei raised his arms and they prepared to go into the second piece. The transition was smooth and pleasant, and the sound produced was equally so. Kumiko tapped her foot along with the beat, going over everything in her head just seconds before it happened.

Flutes enter... now the drum speeds up... euphs are coming up... She readied her instrument and came in at the exact second.

It was almost surreal to be playing here like this. Her heart was thumping quickly, but her body was oddly calm, her posture straight and eyes focused on her music and the commands.

Her breath didn't hitch, her fingers didn't slip.

Every second that passed without incident added to her excitement, but also to her dread at the possibility of the next second harboring a disaster.

Time didn't seem to exist. Only the music. Only their melodic sounds and their breaths and the rhythm filling the air.

The second piece moved along smoothly and without incident, and by the end, Kumiko needed the brief break in between songs to catch her breath. The rest of the band around her got the same moment of rest.

But there was one person who didn't get such a luxury.

Almost instantly after the second piece had ended, a familiar trumpet began to play, clear and supported.

Kumiko closed her eyes briefly as she absorbed the heavenly sound, like a tune being played directly from the clouds above.

When she re-opened her eyes, she could see Reina very slightly from across the stage. Kumiko knew she'd perform flawlessly just as she always did, but even so, she sent her girlfriend silent good luck wishes.

The seconds ticked on as the solo continued.

And then, the final note was held out on a long, steady sound.

The other instruments got added in gradually, and when it was Kumiko's turn, she played with every shred of vigor still left in her. She remembered to breathe, to move her fingers, to keep her eyes focused...

And then all was suddenly silent.

For a moment, the only sounds in the auditorium were those of the band members' labored breathing.

And then the audience erupted in applause, clapping and cheering for Kiatuji and Kitauji alone.

It was over.

Kumiko glanced around herself, panting for breath, finding her classmates in much the same condition.

Her eyes sought out Reina first, finding her girlfriend was also breathing rather harshly after over five full minutes of almost nonstop playing with only a few short seconds to breathe in between.

But as soon as Kumiko looked to her, Reina seemed to sense her eyes and met them with her own.

She didn't smile – Kumiko felt she was in too much disbelief at the moment to do that, which was certainly understandable. It would take a little while for them all to realize what they'd worked so long and hard towards for months had come to an end in a matter of minutes.

At Taki-sensei's wave, they all stood and bowed to the audience, then took their name banners off their music stands before beginning to file of stage and take their instruments back behind the curtains.

Kumiko was sure to refrain from speaking for the moment. She stood still as the others filed out around her, and she merely shared glances with her friends and classmates as they passed her by – Sapphire, Asuka, Shuuichi...

She waited for one person in particular.

As soon as Reina was next to her, Kumiko moved beside her immediately, walking off with her.

Once they were back in the large room they'd been waiting in before, the students released a collective sigh, then automatically broke out into relieved comments and exclamations. They all put their instruments down, some knelt down or slumped against the wall, and others hugged.

Kumiko and Reina were in both groups.

After placing their respective instruments onto the floor, they didn't need to speak before they wrapped their arms around one another and sighed heavily.

Kumiko slumped to her knees, weak with relief as she let out a withering breath. Reina collapsed with her, still panting slightly, her heart thumping. Kumiko could feel it, and she squeezed the girl's back tighter, whimpering into her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Reina..." she mumbled.

The black-haired girl returned the mutter of her girlfriend's name.

"Kumiko..."

For a few minutes, they remained like that, trembling slightly in one another's arms as they absorbed the reality of it all coming to an end.

Amongst the commotion and sounds of the people around them, no one took much notice of the two girls on the floor. They dared to share a brief kiss before brushing their cheeks together, keeping close as their hearts finally began to calm down.

Even so, Kumiko refused to let go of Reina for a long while.

"Reina..." she whispered again. "We did it..."

Reina nodded slowly.

"We finished competing, but we didn't get scored yet. We can't know for sure if we did it just yet..." she pointed out. "But yes... we've finished performing and we did the very best we could. It feels really good."

"Yeah," Kumiko agreed. "I just hope... the results are better than last time..." She didn't want to see Reina so upset like that ever again.

All Kumiko knew was that this time, if they didn't succeed, she would share Reina's pain rather than be detached from it like in the past.

The brunette pulled away slightly, brushing her nose against Reina's before bumping their lips together in another short, soft kiss.

After that, they somehow managed to get to their feet once more, then made their way over to their friends to share their feelings about the competition. They put their instruments back into their cases and put them aside in rows by the walls.

As the remaining bands performed, Kitauji's students stayed in the waiting room until the competition was officially announced to be over.

At that point, Taki-sensei called them all to attention and then had them gather in the auditorium to prepare for the scores.

All the while – as they walked and as they sat and as they waited – Kumiko maintained a tight grip on Reina's hand.

They waited as everyone settled in, the lights dim aside from the ones over the stage. The minutes ticked by with almost agonizing slowness now, and Kumiko kept stealing glances at her girlfriend.

Reina's eyes were restlessly sweeping the room, focusing on the stage and then flicking away. This nervousness wasn't like her, and Kumiko gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Reina, what's the matter?"

The black-haired girl flashed her gaze to the brunette, her lips pursed into a firm line.

"It's just..." she sighed, lowering her voice so no others could overhear. "Was it alright? My solo. If it wasn't good, I might've cost us the points-"

"Reina~" Kumiko hummed playfully, tugging the girl's wrist to have her lean sideways. "You're worrying about the last thing you need to worry about. Your solo was perfect. If we win, it's because your incredible solo brought us to victory."

Reina swallowed and fidgeted a bit in her seat, as though debating something internally with herself. Whispers of anticipation were still weaving through the gathered audience as they awaited the scores, so she could infer they still had a bit of time before the verdict was given.

Therefore, she decided it was time to act.

"Kumiko."

"Hm?"

"There's something... I want you to see."

Curiously, the brunette tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Right now?"

"Yes."

Kumiko watched as her girlfriend reached forward toward the back pocket of the seat in front of her, where small booklets and pamphlets had been stored for easy access. Her fingers slid over the most familiar one – the pamphlet containing the information about today's music competition.

Reina extracted it and unfolded it, opening it to reveal the inside contents to the girl beside her.

"What is it?" Kumiko murmured softly, peering down into Reina's lap. She herself hadn't had time to look at the pamphlet yet that morning, and she didn't think there would've been anything in them of interest to her anyway.

Clearly, she was mistaken.

Her eyes scanned the columns of minimized text aimlessly, not certain of what she should be seeking. Reina guided her to a particular spot by pointing her index finger.

She was pointing to Kitauji's section, where it listed all of the band members' names and what instruments they played.

Kumiko's eyes were drawn to her own name naturally, but Reina was pointing to hers.

As Kumiko flashed her gaze to her girlfriend's name, her jaw silently dropped at what the pamphlet said:

"Reina Kousaka on trumpet solos has proudly dedicated her performance to Kumiko Oumae."

For a moment, Kumiko wasn't sure if she was awake or simply finding herself in a dream. She felt a little lightheaded and doubtful that this was reality.

But when a warm feeling started curling up in her chest, she couldn't deny it.

She swallowed, unable to tear her eyes away from the paper for a moment, reading and re-reading the line of text as many times as she could.

Meanwhile, Reina sat with her posture erect and breathing clipped as she awaited her girlfriend's reaction. But after a minute of silence, she was getting too apprehensive by Kumiko's lack of words, so the black-haired girl spoke softly to her.

"Kumiko...? Sorry. I probably should have asked you about it first. It's just that I-"

"Reina!"

With a joyful cry of her name loud enough to draw the attention of most people around them, Kumiko threw her arms around her girlfriend's shoulders and squeezed tightly. She peppered kisses over Reina's cheek, not caring who was looking at them as she all but squealed.

"Reina, Reina! Thank you, thank you so much!"

Reina swayed within her arms, dazed for a moment until she could find the sense to lift her hands and return the hug.

"So... did you like it?"

"Like it?" she gasped. "I loved it, Reina! But now knowing that incredible solo you played... that it was all for me... Reina..." Kumiko opened one hand and brushed it over Reina's opposite cheek, turning her face so their eyes could meet directly.

The lighting was dim, and she didn't care who might've seen them now, anyway.

She kissed her girlfriend's lips, unable to wipe the smile off of her own.

Reina was a little taken aback at first, but she quickly ignored any fear of being seen; they'd planned to reveal their relationship today, anyway.

Kumiko kissed her for several seconds before ultimately pulling away, her hazel eyes still bright and lips still smiling.

"I can't believe it... that amazing solo you played... and you dedicated it to me? That's the best thing ever, Reina." She sighed, resting her head on the girl's shoulder. "Well, second only to dating you."

Reina let her hand find Kumiko's, and their fingers interlocked.

"I'm glad you liked it."

Kumiko kept the pamphlet secure in her lap, intent to take it home with her and remember Reina's solo dedication for the rest of her life.

It was then lights over the stage flickered a few times, and instantly the murmuring audience was swept over by a wave of silence.

Kumiko said nothing, only tightened her grip on Reina's hand.

This is it...

She shook her head a little bit in order to wake herself up, to remind herself this was real.

There was a beat of absolute silence as everyone held their breaths.

Then, the banner at the top of the stage was released, and the scores of the Kansai Competition were revealed.

Kumiko couldn't believe her eyes, and judging buy the silence of her friends around her, they couldn't either. Reina's thin, wobbling voice was the first thing she heard.

"Kumiko..."

Her voice was almost inaudible, and for a moment, Kumiko thought the band had actually lost and her eyes were only playing tricks on her. At least until the people around her started to cry out and gasp.

"We- We did it!"

"Gold!"

Kumiko blinked in disbelief, tears rolling down her cheeks as she read over the banner again and again, just to make absolutely certain. When she parted her lips, no sound came out the first time, so she needed to swallow and try again.

"Th...That's..."

"Kumiko..."

Reina's voice was a gasp this time, somewhat louder, more emotional.

Still, the brunette couldn't tear her eyes away from the score.

Gold...

"Reina..."

"Kumiko!"

It was Reina's turn to throw her arms around her girlfriend, tears already pouring down either side of her face.

But it wasn't like last time.

Last time, her tears had been bitter, pained, and Kumiko knew she must've felt sick to her stomach back then.

And she herself had been uncaring about the scores, and she'd let Reina suffer alone.

But now, she was glad she could share the joy with her.

Their hearts were soaring, warm wetness running down their faces and soaking their uniforms.

Rather than pain this time, it was a fuzzy feeling Reina experienced, as though her body was full of cotton. Her chest did hurt a little bit with how hard her heart was pounding, but with Kumiko there to embrace her closely, the discomfort didn't last.

At last, Kumiko tore her gaze away from the banner, content that she'd read it correctly. Instead, she turned her eyes to Reina where she clung to her side.

She listened to the people around her cheering and crying in relief as well, but more than anything, she listened to Reina's soft sobs. Kumiko's own name was peppered in between the little gasps.

Kumiko ducked her face into her sleeve to temporarily wipe her eyes, but the tears were back within seconds.

"Reina... We won. You did it... It's because of your solo."

"No..." she mumbled. "It's because... because I wanted to play for you, Kumiko. If not for you, I wouldn't have practiced as hard or as much as I did. I wouldn't have been driven this much. I... wanted to win for you."

"And you did," Kumiko breathed into her girlfriend's dark hair. "You did, Reina. We did it. Thank you."

She turned her face and kissed her once again, just a small one in order to allow them both the room to breathe.

They tasted salt on the other's lips, but those lips never lost their smiles all the while.

It was about ten minutes later when the students were able to compose themselves enough to stand again, and start filing out of the room to head back toward their respective advisors.

Kumiko was sure to take her pamphlet with her and slip it into her uniform's pocket.

She then used both hands to help Reina to her feet, as she was still trembling. Kumiko knew her girlfriend was more strongly affected by these intense emotions at the present because she'd experienced the failure full-force in the past.

So she took the liberty upon herself to keep an arm around the girl to support and steady her as they walked.

Reina wiped her eyes over her sleeve repeatedly, not fancying the idea of everyone else seeing her cry.

That was a privilege Kumiko alone was granted.

There was a lot to do after that.

The band members all engaged in group hugs, upperclassmen hugging their underclassmen and vice versa.

Asuka pulled every euphonium player into a group hug, ruffling hair and congratulating them all, playfully declaring that the boys would be taking them all out to dinner now.

Yuuko sobbed loudly as she clung to Kaori, but was interrupted by Natsuki's teasing poke to her side which made the blonde squeak. But she couldn't even be angry at Natsuki, and she ended up throwing herself at the chestnut-haired girl too, and blubbering into her shirt.

Hazuki found Sapphire and hugged her tearfully, jumping up and down as she blurted compliments and words of congratulations.

For a few minutes, Kumiko simply continued to hold onto Reina, rubbing the girl's back as she continued to cry, hiding her face in Kumiko's collar. Kumiko was still tearful herself, but she was laughing a little at how much Reina was still sobbing.

"There, there. I'm glad you're so happy, Reina. You deserve this."

Reina tried to reply that they all deserved it, but the words failed her. Her fingers curled and clung tighter to Kumiko's blazer, and her voice came out in choppy whimpers.

When at last she lifted her head, it was to kiss Kumiko again.

The brunette wiped her own eyes, and then Reina's for her, enjoying their last moment of privacy.

It was then Hazuki, Sapphire, Natsuki, Yuuko, Asuka, and Shuuichi meandered over, offering words of congratulations as well.

"You guys did great~!" Asuka sang. "How's it feel to win the gold?"

"It amazing!" Sapphire smiled.

"Yeah!" Hauzki added. "And next year, I'm gonna pass my audition and be performing with you guys!"

"Same here," Natsuki added. "And I'll be able to do this whenever I want~" She poked Yuuko's side, making her jump and squeal again.

"H-Hey!"

They all shared a brief laugh as Yuuko pouted, and then the atmosphere changed into a more carefree one.

"Kousaka-san's solo was awesome," Shuuichi added.

It was his words that had Kumiko stiffening a bit as Reina pulled away from her and took a breath. She was sure everyone had read the pamphlet already and probably seen that Reina had dedicated her solo to her. It might give them away too early.

When she met Reina's eyes, those amethyst pools were determined as well, and she gave a brief nod.

Clearing her throat, Reina cast her gaze around to all of the six people gathered there before them.

"Everyone," she said. "There's something Kumiko would like to say."

The brunette nodded, puffing her chest out. Until she realized Reina had never intended on making the announcement herself.

"What?! You're gonna make me do it?" Kumiko wailed.

"Do you not want to?"

"N-No, I just..." she sighed. "Okay, fine."

Squaring her shoulders, she got the attention of everyone gathered there. She made sure they were all paying attention before she inhaled deeply and tried to configure her thoughts into words.

"Well... Reina and I... we had something we wanted to say after the competition, whether we won or lost. So we'd have something to look forward to either way."

She coyly turned her gaze back to Reina and offered her hand. The black-haired girl smiled softly and took it, squeezing her fingers by means of support. Kumiko took another deep breath, then met her friends' eyes again as she spoke.

"Reina and I... we... we're dating."

Natsuki, Yuuko, Asuka, Shuuichi, Sapphire, and Hazuki all blinked, then shrugged and replied in that order:

"Yeah, we kinda knew."

"It was pretty obvious..."

"C'mon, you two! What kind of idiots do you take us for, girls?"

"I think the whole school knew."

"Hazuki-chan, you owe me two-hundred yen!"

"Gaaah! Nooo! Kumiko, why couldn't you have waited another day?!"

Their casual reactions left both Kumiko and Reina speechless and dumbfounded.

Reina shook her head, blinking several times as she failed to find words. Kumiko's lips moved like a fish out of water's.

"Wait... you guys... you knew?"

"Ah, Kumiko?" Hazuki sighed. "Who didn't know, might be the better question."

"You two were kind of obviously into each other," Natsuki added.

"I was wondering when you'd make it official," Asuka winked.

"I won our bet," Sapphire chuckled.

"Y-You guys bet?!" Kumiko gaped. "I don't believe it..."

"Well, you were making it kind of obvious," Hazuki mumbled. "That's why I gave you two those matching charms!"

Kumiko groaned, feeling heat rush to her cheeks.

"Okay, I knew you'd caught on, Hazuki-chan. But how were we being obvious?"

"Oh, please," Yuuko sighed. "You two were always conveniently going out into the hallway at the same time."

"You always look at each other during practice," Shuuichi said.

"Bedroom eyes~" Asuka cooed.

"Wh-What?!" Kumiko cried. "We did not!"

"I beg to differ," Natsuki grunted.

Kumiko shared another glance with Reina who was blushing as well.

But it wasn't long before the black-haired girl burst into that familiar, angelic laughter.

All of them paused for a minute to listen before Kumiko shooed the rest of them away.

"Okay, fine. You guys already knew. So leave us alone now..."

"You're the one who called us over here in the first place~" Asuka reminded her.

Kumiko groaned and tugged Reina's hand, pulling her away from the others as they all continued to laugh and celebrate.

But Kumiko found she couldn't be upset at all, not when Reina and all the others were smiling so much and having a good time.

Kumiko turned to her girlfriend once they'd gotten a bit more privacy, and she squeezed her fingers.

"Well, that was a disaster."

"It was amusing."

"I guess it was."

They moved over to the wall, where several chairs had been set up, but were presently vacant. They occupied two of them, and only then did Reina let go of her girlfriend's hand.

"Kumiko. Could you untie it for me now?"

She turned away, giving Kumiko her back. Her long, black ponytail swayed down in between her shoulder blades.

"Destroying my own creation, huh?" Kumiko mused.

"You make it sound so artistic."

"It is, isn't it?"

The brunette chuckled a bit as she reached up with both hands, running her fingers lightly through Reina's tresses as she let her fingernails trace over the hair tie. Carefully, she began to loosen it and pulled Reina's hair through it, making sure not to tug a single strand.

Within seconds, her girlfriend's hair was free once more, falling down in a temporary black cascade. Kumiko ran her fingers through it a bit more, enjoying the feeling of silk against her skin.

Reina sighed and leaned back against her touch.

"We did it..." she murmured. "We won gold, and we made our relationship official."

"Yeah. Even though it seems everyone already knew about one of those things beforehand..."

Reina chuckled again, then turned around, motioning for Kumiko to give Reina her back.

It was the brunette's turn to close her eyes as Reina reached up, her fingers curling softly through those fluffy, brown locks to untie her hair. Kumiko enjoyed the feeling of Reina's gentle fingers running through her hair, coming together at the tight band restricting it.

The second it was un-looped and the pressure released, she let out a sigh, savoring Reina's touch through her hair.

Without a word, Kumiko turned around to rest their foreheads together, her hazel eyes boring into amethyst. Reina smiled back at her, her finger moving to the brunette's cheeks as Kumiko's hands rested on either side of Reina's waist.

"We did it," Kumiko murmured. "Together."

Reina nodded.

"And we'll do it again at Nationals."

"Yeah," she nodded. Kumiko closed her eyes and kissed the girl's cheek, feeling the action returned unto her as well. "Thanks for being with me, Reina."

Her thoughts went back to the night on the mountain, how Reina had hurt her ankle and Kumiko had carried her home.

That had been their first kiss.

And since then, they'd overcome a lot of troubles – Reina's illness, Kumiko's being bullied, the issues revolving around Taki-sensei, and now the competition.

And they'd shared many more kisses and remained together along the way.

Presently, Reina bumped their noses together and closed her eyes.

"I'm glad you've been with me through it all, Kumiko. I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"Me neither. Thank you, Reina."

"Thank you, Kumiko."

Their breaths danced together for an instant, warm air against cool lips.

It was inevitable when their lips finally came together again, eyes closed as they shared a long, soulful kiss.

It was everything they'd been working for until now.

It was all they'd been through, all they'd strived for, all they'd lost, and all they'd achieved.

It was the end of one journey, and the beginning of another.

Because starting tomorrow, they'd be training for Nationals.

But for now, they simply enjoyed the moment, and the feeling of the other's lips on hers, the feeling of her fingers through her hair, over her cheeks, and against her sides.

They pulled apart, giggled together, and then pulled one another into a warm embrace.

Their hearts beat as one, a strong, steady rhythmic duet more beautiful than any song.

At it would continue for a long, long time.


A/N: Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed my story!

I will set this fic as completed for now. But if anyone would like to commission future chapters, and if I can find the time to write them, I may add more in the future! It's up to you guys!

Please review!