My Sunshine

by solopy567

The divine power incident took a much different turn than anyone could have possibly expected. With the world fearing the new threat, the members of S.O.N.G attempt to set things right before they lose everything. And caught in the middle of it all is a girl called Kohinata Miku, who vows to take back their happy days. Spoilers for AXZ.

36. Chapter 36: My Sunshine

AN: This ended up longer than I expected it to be.

But this is it, people. Only one more left.

-!-

"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" Harumi asked her guests.

Tsubasa, who had just finished tying the last lace of her boots, stood up and turned to face the woman. "We really should be getting back," She answered reluctantly. "We've kept Uncle waiting for a bit too long."

Harumi smiled sadly at her. Tsubasa smiled back, and then looked behind the woman towards the two hanging by the doorway to the living room. She met Miku's gaze, and the black haired girl nodded to her. They had already said their farewells earlier, so there wasn't much more to say now.

And then, her gaze fell upon Hibiki, was was clutching Miku's hand tightly in her own. Noticing the sword wielder's stare, Hibiki shied away again, hiding as much of her form behind Miku as she could.

Inwardly, Tsubasa felt a bit hurt, although she understood. It was the afternoon now, and since the moment Hibiki came down with Miku they had all sat around the dining room table and talked.

Just talked. And laughed. They all shared stories and experiences, and even the infamous photo album came out that managed to elicit an embarrassed reaction from Hibiki.

But...she didn't talk. Not once did she open her mouth to say even a single word. She was stuck to Miku by the hip, and through the entire thing she seemed extremely guarded.

And Tsubasa understood why, of course. Despite their heartfelt reunion in the morning, Hibiki was probably still of the mind that they were judging her. She was probably thinking that there is resentment hidden beneath the laughs and goodwill, and so she couldn't help but keep her mouth shut in an attempt to not say anything that would spark a negative reaction from them.

That was what hurt. Did she trust them that little?

No, that wasn't the case. She doesn't trust herself enough to believe otherwise.

This is something she's used to after all; being on the receiving end of derisions, curses, and death threats for actions that were not her fault. Painted as an enemy of the world despite her doing nothing.

But now, it was the complete opposite; through actions her own, she had nearly destroyed the world, so it was only logical she was nervously awaiting judgement from them.

And she feared it, so so much.

That was why she was hiding behind Miku now, even though the girl had not stopped reassuring her for even a second.

It was going to take time to get her out of that mindset.

"We'll come visit frequently as Chris said," Tsubasa added, turning back to Harumi. "So you'll see us around."

"I see," Harumi murmured. "It was still very nice meeting you and having you here. Have a nice trip back, and once again...thank you."

The family had shown their gratitude many times over by now, whether it was with words or with a delicious lunch made by Akira.

She still didn't know how to take it yet, but she didn't mind. "Thank you," Tsubasa said. She looked over Harumi's shoulder and gestured to Miku and Hibiki. "I'll see you two tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow, Tsubasa," Miku answered. Hibiki again was too hesitant to respond, and said nothing.

Tsubasa let out a chuckle, and headed out the door, closing it behind her. She walked towards the others, who were waiting for her by the car.

"We can go?" Chris asked. "I thought we finished saying our goodbyes like half an hour ago."

"I exchanged a few last words, nothing important. Let us go now."

They nodded as one, and sent one last glance at the house before entering the car and driving off.

Chris once again leaned on the arm rest, and stared out the window at the moving scenery of the residential neighbourhood of Chiba. She didn't focus on anything in particular, zoning out everything else around her.

"I'm glad we can finally rest easy," Maria said, her hands on her lap.

Shirabe nodded in agreement. "Yes. I wasn't sure what to think when we arrived, but she's in good hands now, so we don't need to worry."

"Still...seeing Hibiki like that was…" Kirika murmured, thinking back to Hibiki's spirited antics that they were used to, and how her current state vastly contrasted what they knew. "How long is she going to be like this?"

"As long as she needs," Maria answered for her. "And it's our jobs as her friends to support her no matter what comes."

"Yeah, I know, but still...it's a shock." Kirika continued sheepishly.

"It is. It really is. But I guess...we all have our baggage to deal with, don't we?"

No truer statement about them had ever been said. It was so true, in fact, that Tsubasa found herself inwardly laughing at just how well it presented them.

A group of girls, each with their own bag of heavy burdens that they have to deal with. And yet, what made it all easier was the support they got from each other.

If they're all broken, then they can at least be broken together.

Kirika nodded once more. "So...when are we coming again?"

"Tomorrow probably. I told Miku I'd bring her her belongings since she's not coming back to HQ any time soon," Tsubasa answered. "Although...I should have asked her if she needed anything from her dorm room, seeing as it's still standing. I'll give her a call later; for now, we let time do its work."

"Time heals all wounds…" Shirabe muttered, remembering that age old phrase she had heard a thousand times in the past.

Never before was she forced to admit it was true; but now it will bear its fruits, assisted by their own helping hands.

"Chris," Tsubasa suddenly said.

The white haired girl, lost in thought, did not hear her words, so she nudged her in the side to get her attention. Chris blinked rapidly and turned to her. "What?"

"You've been quiet for a while now; is everything alright?"

Realizing where this was going, she went back to leaning on the arm rest and staring out the window. "I'm fine," She answered. "Just...internalizing."

Tsubasa would have pushed further, but decided not to. "Alright."

And so, the drive continued in relative silence as they headed back to HQ with the good news.

-!-

"Looks like they're gone," Harumi said to the two behind her. "It was nice having them here. You two have great friends."

"I know, and we appreciate everything they do, even if the start was a bit rough," Miku said back with a small smile.

"Yes...I can understand, especially after they all told me their stories. I have to say I'm still baffled by how such things can happen to such young girls," Harum reflected. "They didn't deserve it."

"I agree, but I guess...it's because they give all of themselves to the cause that makes it much more beautiful."

Harumi headed back to the living room, passing by the two as she spoke. "Yes, that's true."

Miku continued to smile, and turned around to face the stairs, Hibiki still holding her hand. "We'll go take that shower now. I think we waited a bit too long to do it."

"Go do your thing, Miku-chan. Do Hibiki's clothes still fit on you?" Harumi asked.

"They should be a bit oversized on me like always," The girl answered, and smiled as Hibiki's cheeks flushed red again from the insinuation.

Harumi laughed quietly at her reaction. "I see, then feel free to use them until they bring your things here," She said. "Oh, Miku-chan; did you speak to your parents? They must be worried."

"I sent them a message telling them I'm fine; maybe I should give them a call," Miku pondered to herself.

"You should, and for that matter I should too. I haven't spoken to your mother in quite some time," Harumi recalled, putting a hand on her cheek.

Miku's smile grew even wide. "She'll be glad to hear from you. She's been drowning herself in so much work she barely has time to eat."

"She still does that? Sheesh, that Yuka, always forgetting to take care of herself, just like when we were younger," The older woman said, remembering all the crazy times antics she had spent with the woman.

"You'll find that she hasn't changed a bit," Miku said in mock resignation, which was followed by a sigh from Harumi. "We'll see you later then."

"Alright. I'll call you two down for dinner."

She nodded, and ascended the stairs without another word. During the entire time Hibiki remained silent, almost mute, and like a child remained glued to Miku even as she took out a change of clothes for the both of them. Due to needing both of her hands to do so, she reluctantly let go of Hibiki's own, and like a puppy the chestnut haired girl followed after her. Choosing not to comment on the strange new habit, Miku entered the shower, placing the clothes in the basket before starting to undress.

When she was finished, she realized Hibiki hadn't done so herself. "Hibiki?"

The girl said nothing. Miku was baffled for a moment, but then realized what was happening.

Choosing not to respond, Miku reached over and helped Hibiki undress herself. She grabbed the patient's gown by the skirt and lifted up, and Hibiki only did the bare minimum to help her get the job done.

All in all, Miku found her behavior...strange. It was strange because it was new, as even back then Hibiki hadn't acted like this. But she figured that she'll eventually get to the bottom of it soon enough; for now, Hibiki would deal with it in her own way.

Once the two of them were fully unclothed, they entered the bath. It was a small one, but had enough space for two people to be in at once.

They'll leave the soaking in the bath water part for some other time. Miku sat Hibiki down on the stool, and wasted no time getting to work on cleaning off the dirt off her friend's body. The bath was filled with steam as the water rushed out, and Miku filled the bucket to the brim.

Hibiki still remained unmoving as Miku poured the water on top of her. Once again working slowly and methodically, Miku began the long process of cleaning her off, having done so plenty of times in the past even in happier days. She worked especially carefully with the hair, making sure to remove the chunks of dust that remained stuck to it for over a month.

They'd need to buy the appropriate shampoo for this. Thankfully, Chiba was largely unaffected by the fighting, as any Noise or beasts that would have made it there hightailed it back to Tokyo to take on the wielders. As a result, shops would still be open to get what they need, or at least the essentials.

As she scrubbed her back, Miku did not notice that Hibiki turned her head slightly, her gaze lingering on Miku for longer than usual.

Realizing what she was doing, she faced forward again, her cheeks flushed red. Oblivious to Hibiki's internal turmoil, Miku just continued washing her carefully.

With things calmer than before, Miku chose to speak up, deciding to bring up the subject now. "Hibiki...how much do you remember?" She asked quietly.

At first she believed she wouldn't get an answer, but after a long silence Hibiki finally spoke up. "...everything."

Ah.

That made things easier...and more difficult at the same time. Miku could only speak for herself, but in her own case while her memory was complete, most of it still was a bit of a blurry mess at times.

It wasn't the case for Hibiki, and as such it easily explained why she was acting this way.

"I see…" Miku responded softly. Before Hibiki could break down again, Miku once again spoke words of reassurance. "I know I've said it many times today, but I want you to know that no one blames you. No one did and no one will."

Hibiki chose to not respond to those words, and instead said something else. "I...I can't beat you, can I?"

Miku tilted her head in confusion as she continued. "I can't win against you. I can win against anyone else in the world, but I'm powerless against you. You will always...always...be stronger than me."

What an odd thing for her to say, now of all times; however, rather than continue on that train of thought, Miku decided to take a different route. "I guess so. You know what that means, right?"

This time it was Hibiki's turn to be confused. She instinctively turned around to look at her, but when she realized what her gaze was falling on she quickly turned back, her cheeks beet red again. "I won, and you lost; that means the loser has to obey the winner," Miku declared.

"The loser has to obey the winner…"

"Yep, that means I can demand things of you, and you are not allowed to complain; and my first demand is: don't blame yourself," Miku said warmly.

"But I-"

"Complaints not allowed," Miku reminded her gently, causing Hibiki to fall silent. "You do what I say and you don't question it."

Despite Miku's outrageous orders, Hibiki still had something to say. "...I don't know how."

"Then we'll figure it out together, one step at a time."

The only thing Hibiki could do was nod her head weakly in response. Miku smiled, happy she was able to get her talking for at least a bit, and continued the slow process of cleaning Hibiki off.

-!-

The rest of the day wasn't much to talk about. Now clean of the grime and the dirt, Hibiki seemed a tiny bit more lively than before. Dinner had arrived in due time, and while the conversations with Hibiki's family were nice, there was something else that sat on Miku's mind in light of what Hibiki said in the bath.

Hibiki remembered everything. As such, it was all carved deeply into her memory, and she replayed those awful times in her mind many many times during the day.

And due to that, Miku found herself dreading what was to come.

Night arrived, and the two entered Hibiki's bed, huddling together for warmth and companionship. Hibiki was extra clingy, pretty much gluing herself to Miku the entire time.

Miku didn't complain, but as the night rolled in and their breaths shallowed and calmed, she found herself unable to fall asleep completely. She was just nervously waiting for that one moment that will confirm her fears.

And in the end, it came.

Hibiki had nightmares.

Just like Miku predicted she would.

It wasn't a grandiose show like she had seen in the movies, where the character wakes up with a start, sweating and screaming loudly due to some horrible image they had seen in their sleep.

No, it wasn't anything as blatant like that. Instead, it started off slowly as she heard Hibiki's breaths quicken, followed by soft whimpers and sobs.

And of course, then came the tears. She didn't even need to look at her to know she was crying. She could feel her pajamas becoming wet where Hibiki's face was buried, and she could also feel how Hibiki's hands gripped the back of her shirt so tightly it almost choked her.

Unable to simply reach into her dreams and comfort her there, Miku did the only thing she could and simply hugged Hibiki back, with as much force as Hibiki did herself. She patted her head and caressed her slowly and gently, trying to get rid of the horrible dreams.

"I'm here...I'm here for you, Hibiki…"

And so, Hibiki weeped into the night, with Miku holding her close.

-!-

"Thanks again for bringing me my things, Tsubasa," Miku said to her friend, who was currently leaning against the wall next to the door to Hibiki's room.

"Don't mention it. I promised I would, and besides, I needed to bring the doctor here to check up on her too," The sword wielder explained.

"Yes, you said that yesterday too," Miku recalled. "But it doesn't look like anything's wrong with her."

"I suppose, but a diagnosis needs to be made anyway, and we can't exactly bring her to HQ."

It was a sad and true statement. Right now, Hibiki was in no position to leave the house, even if physically she was fine. Her mental injuries were far far greater, and being surrounded by a whole bunch of people fussing over her would only be picking on wounds that have yet to heal.

The doctor's visit was only a formality at this point, as he needed to finish the work he started back on the submarine. The two of them stood outside the door so he could have some space to do his work, as short as it would be.

"So how's it going in there?" Akira asked, walking up to the two of them. The two girls raised their heads to look at him.

"I suppose it's going well, all things considered. She wasn't that injured anyway, so there isn't much for him to check," Tsubasa answered, and the man nodded in understanding.

He put his hands on his hips and huffed. "I guess she really is superhuman."

Tsubasa chuckled, and answered him. "To be fair, the super part of superhuman is more the Symphogear's power than anything. While she is versed in martial arts, she isn't capable of such feats on her own, and the same goes for all of us."

"Suplexing a spaceship and punching a mountain shorter, huh? You know, if it was the old me, I'd think you were even crazier than I am; but I guess seeing is believing, right?" Akira added, rubbing the back of his head.

"That is indeed true," Tsubasa replied. She then turned to Miku, and looked at her with a serious gaze. "I need to ask...how is she? I know physically she's fine, but…"

Miku's gaze fell to the floor as she answered. "She needs time. A lot of it."

For a vague answer, it gave Tsubasa all the information she needed. Sighing to herself, she continued. "And how are you?"

"Good," Miku replied. "Worried about her as usual."

"Back in your element I see," Tsubasa commented, pushing herself off the wall.

At that moment, the door opened. The trio gathered around the entrance looked as the doctor walked out with his case of tools in hand, adjusting his glasses.

"How is she?" Miku asked, turning to face him fully.

"Perfect bill of health, from what I can tell," He answered. "She'll need to come in for a more detailed check up, but for now I can assure you there is nothing wrong with her. Just as I said back then, physically she's fine. Everything else is beyond my expertise."

The obvious conclusion, then. The problems are mental, not physical. At least they won't have to worry about her body. "Just make sure she eats well to regain some of the lost muscle mass. She might need some exercise as well to get back into shape; as she is now, she won't be doing any fighting," He continued.

"Luckily, there won't be any time soon," Tsubasa told him. "And if there was, we'd take care of it ourselves without her, not that she can do anything about it now anyway."

"True enough," The doctor said. "In any case, my diagnosis is done. We can head back if you so wish, Tsubasa-san."

Akira then stepped in to interrupt. "Hold on. Before you go, come eat lunch with us. You're already here so you might as well, right?"

The doctor adjusted his glasses again in contemplation. "Very well, however do note that I'm a picky eater."

"No worries, I can make a lot of things. It's the least I can do to thank you for coming all this way," Akira reassured him.

The doctor huffed, and Tsubasa answered in his stead. "Then we'll take you up on your offer."

She then turned her gaze to look inside the room itself. Miku, who had been left out of the conversation, had already gone inside to check on Hibiki, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed with her head downcast. Miku was kneeling on the ground in front of her, her hands on Hibiki's knees as she whispered things Tsubasa couldn't hear.

It was then that Hibiki raised her head to look towards the doorway, but the moment she realized Tsubasa was staring at her she turned away again. Tsubasa gave a small smile, figuring that at least this time Hibiki wasn't actively shying away from her.

Not that it made things any better. It was just one day, and a process like this has its ups and downs.

Hibiki nodded because of something Miku said, and then the dark haired girl rose and walked towards Tsubasa.

"We'll be down in a moment, okay? Go on without us for now," She said, not elaboration.

Deciding not to ask questions, Tsubasa agreed. "Very well."

Looking back only once as the men headed down the stairs, the blue haired idol locked her gaze with Miku for a moment, then followed them down.

"I'm sorry, Miku," Hibiki spoke up behind her, causing Miku to turn around to face her. "I...I…"

"Whatever it is you're thinking, stop it right this instance," Miku demanded, interrupting her. Hibiki tried to open her mouth to argue, but then remembered the agreement they had made yesterday in the bath.

She lost, Miku won. As a result, she has to listen to her demands without arguing back.

Miku sighed, and propped herself down next to Hibiki on the bed, grabbing hold of her hand once again. She placed it on her lap between two of her own, and rubbed the back of it gently. "I wish I could just go into your head and pluck all the bad thoughts away. Maybe if I could do that you'd have an easier time."

Hibiki remained quiet for a moment, just appreciating Miku's companionship. Miku, who had her eyes closed, seemed to not notice Hibiki's stare linger on her face for longer than usual. As soon as Miku opened them again, Hibiki hurriedly looked away, her cheeks flush once more. Her heart beat faster than before, causing her to remain speechless as she tried to sort out her chaotic thoughts.

"Y-you're already doing more than enough," Hibiki said uneasily. "I don't think...I'll ever be able to repay you…"

"I don't want you or need you to repay me," Miku said matter of factly. "But if you're so adamant on doing so, then you can start by getting rid of all those bad thoughts first."

Miku's bluntness caught Hibiki completely off guard, not having expected her to be so...overbearing. Hibiki was too unused to such an attitude for her to give a coherent response.

"A-ah...but I don't really deserve-"

"Hibiki, if you continue I'm going to get angry," Miku warned. Hibiki realized she was serious, and by instinct shut up, unwilling to face her ire. "None of that nonsense here; I absolutely will not allow you carry such thoughts."

Hibiki was speechless, left unable to argue for her own sake against Miku's words. "It's not going to be like last time, Hibiki," Miku continued. "I'm putting my foot down on certain things from now on. I know it's strange, but it's the only way you'll understand. You're so dense, after all."

Miku actively shut out any attempt by her to even try and complain. Leaving no loopholes or openings for Hibiki to find, she was at her complete and total mercy.

But still, she had to try something. "Are you saying...I shouldn't feel guilty? That I shouldn't accept it was my fault?"

"Hibiki...I told you many many times, you are not to blame. You were not yourself, so you cannot be held accountable for things you did under the influence of an evil force. You would have never acted like that normally and everyone knows that," Miku forcefully explained, making sure Hibiki heard her clearly. "And from what I heard, this is what Genjuro-san is doing right now. He's making sure there is no one left to blame you for something you didn't do. At least only a handful of people know it was you out there, so unlike last time the nasty people can't hurt you."

Hibiki bit her lip. Even though she understood what Miku was getting at, it still didn't make things easier for her.

Because it didn't help with the biggest thing that weighed on her heart.

And that, she had to ask her.

"Miku...how many people?"

The girl tilted her head in confusion, and Hibiki clarified what she meant. "Miku...how many people died because of me?"

The alarms instantly blared in Miku's mind in response to the question.

There was no easy way out of this one. If she answered, it would crush her. If she didn't, she'd jump to conclusions and crush herself.

For a moment, Miku toyed with the idea of lying...but that would only make things worse once Hibiki did discover just how many did die.

As a result, Miku was left with one option: keeping silent.

And so she did, tightening her hold on Hibiki's hand and refusing to let her go. Hibiki did try to pull it back, but Miku's grip was far stronger than she could have anticipated.

But that didn't matter, for Miku's silence was telling enough. "A lot, right? A lot of people died because of me."

Miku could see it. How Hibiki's mind was going into overdrive by the conclusions it was drawing.

And how slowly, it was breaking down right in front of her eyes.

Raising her other hand to hold her head, Hibiki's eyes widened as she continued muttering incoherently. "You tell me not to blame myself, but I can't. It's my fault. I let it happen. If it wasn't for me, they'd still be alive. I killed them. I killed them and they're never coming back, because of me-"

'Stop.'

"-and there's nothing I can do about it. I can't bring them back to life, and I can't even apologize to their families. I swore to help people, but all I did was hurt them-"

'Stop!'

"-they didn't deserve to die, but they did anyway. Because of me. Because of my stupidity. I will never be able to pay back for all the people I hurt no matter what I do-"

'STOP!'

"-that's why...I should die. I don't deserve to live-"

Miku had heard enough.

She was too far gone to listen to her words. Nothing she could say to her now would make her calm down.

So that is why, the only thing left to do...was act.

"Hibiki."

The girl turned her head to look at her.

And was promptly silenced when a pair of lips crashed into her own, pushing her backwards onto the bed. Caught completely by surprise, Hibiki was unable to move a muscle as she was pinned down under Miku's body weight. Her eyes widened in shock, and she was unable to breath as Miku, quite easily she realized, stole her breath away. She couldn't even try to struggle as her mind raced a mile a minute, all previous thoughts fleeing it instantly.

After what felt like an eternity, Miku pulled back, opening her eyes again and looking down at Hibiki with a fierce expression, freezing her completely.

"All better now?" Miku said.

Hibiki, still in shock, tried to verbalize some sort of response.

But all that came out was a garbled mess. "W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-wha-M-Miku?!"

"I won't let you cry again," Miku added. "You've already cried enough. I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it."

Once again, Hibiki was speechless. The words got caught in her throat, and all she could do was stare into Miku's green eyes…

And be reminded of that song she heard. The song that entranced her heart. And together with it...the angelic figure that had sung it.

Hibiki always believed Miku was beautiful. She had a certain charm to her that was different from the likes of Maria and Tsubasa, whose sheer majesty captured the attention and hearts of many. It was also different from the likes of Ryoko, who was a sensual, sultry beauty that would make all others weak in the knees.

No, Miku was more subtle than that; she was beautiful in what she'd call a homely manner, a welcoming and warm presence that wasn't overbearing like the others.

It was a simple, humble thing, and that was what drew Hibiki to her.

But now, with that holy image in mind, Hibiki could only say that she was completely, and utterly…

Captivated.

As if that beauty had multiplied a hundredfold, she felt her brain melt just from looking Miku in the eyes. She felt herself falling through them, and her mouth gaped reflexively as she stared.

Total silence fell between the two of them. Their hearts beating almost exactly in the same rhythm, they were caught in a spell that gripped at them completely. Enthralled, Hibiki watched as Miku came closer again, slowly but surely, and the only thing she could bring herself to do was to close her eyes and let it happen-

GROWL!

The sound that sounded like a whale's mating call tore through the room, and instantly the spell was broken. Hibiki abruptly opened her eyes, and stared down at her stomach as it repeated that obnoxious sound.

Miku blinked, looking between Hibiki's face and her stomach.

And she laughed. She laughed, and pushed herself off of Hibiki to sit upright on the bed. She fixed her hair with one hand, chuckling all the while.

"Well, I guess that means we should go join the others, right?"

Hibiki nodded once, and Miku rose to her feet and headed to the door, putting her hand on the frame. "I'll be going to the bathroom first, so wait for me, okay?"

Another nod.

Miku smiled, and disappeared behind the wall, leaving Hibiki alone in her room. She stared at the doorway for a long while, still unable to process everything that had happened in the last...one? Five? How many minutes?

Her sense of time thrown completely out the window, she tilted her head to look at the ceiling.

'Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod-!'

She could feel her cheeks burning in embarrassment, and she put her hands on her face as if to hide her blush from some unseen observer.

How could she remain calm after this? That's impossible. No way. Miku just kis-

Just thinking about it made her lose her composure again, every other thought that was on her mind gone as if it didn't exist in the first place. Lost in a sea of shock and embarrassment, she tried to calm herself in vain. Her heart felt like it was about to explode from how fast it was beating. She breathed in and out, remembering all the training she had with Genjuro that helped her cool her nerves and focus her mind.

And it was completely useless. For all the good his training did, the moment Miku's face showed up in her mind again, all control was lost. The sound of her sweet laughter permeated her senses completely.

Hibiki had to admit that she was always somewhat attracted to Miku. She never really thought about it in length, choosing to focus on maintaining their normal daily lives in between all the fighting she was doing. It was always a subtle, humble thing, one she never decided whether to act upon or not. It was always in the back of her mind, something she deemed not as nearly as important as everything else.

But now? There was no way that could be the case anymore. The small spark had instantaneously erupted into a gigantic inferno, and the only thing occupying her thoughts was nothing but her.

She may be dense, like Miku said, but there was one thing she realized above all in this situation.

She had completely fallen in love with Miku.

And she had absolutely no idea what to do.

'I really can't beat you, can I?' She wondered to herself. It seems Miku was destined to one-up her at every turn, whether it was fighting, school, or romance.

Miku always had the highest grades in the class, beating out pretty much everyone else with frightening frequency.

She had held the divine power, and yet Miku still defeated her and brought her back.

And now, Miku was the one who was keeping calm in the face of such an intimate change in their relationship, while Hibiki was slowly losing her mind.

'Is this how it feels?'

Was this how all those people who confessed to Miku in middle school felt like? Exactly like...this? This gripping feeling in the heart, this restlessness that is driving her nuts?

But the biggest question she had...was why Miku chose her above everyone else.

"Hibiki?"

"WAH!"

She shot up from the bed instantly upon hearing Miku's voice from the doorway.

"Shall we go?"

For a moment, Hibiki didn't know how to answer. Finally able to calm herself somewhat, she rose from the bed and walked towards her.

"Yeah."

Miku smiled, and Hibiki was captivated all over again. Miku took her hand in her own, and led her down to join the others.

And so, all previous negative thoughts were replaced by something much more pleasant.

-!-

Time passed.

The days came and went, and Hibiki found that it was indeed impossible to harbor any negative thoughts at any point during that period.

Due to her newfound epiphany, staying in close proximity to Miku started to drive her crazy as she was forced to hold back her feelings from overwhelming her. During the entire time, Miku was seemingly none the wiser about it, and also that spell they had fallen under hadn't returned once since then.

They still bathed, ate, and slept together, but nothing further developed.

Did she imagine that? Was that really all that was to it?

With those series of questions constantly on her mind, Hibiki found herself at a loss.

And so, December 31st arrived.

It had already started snowing earlier in the month, and so now the streets were a pristine white, the magical atmosphere giving the world an entirely fresh new look in her eyes. All of the sorrow and terror that had taken place seemed to have gone entirely forgotten, or at least, she did not hear a single thing about them in this period she spent at home.

Nobody talked about it, because there was nothing to talk about. It was a time that had passed, and they only looked towards what came next instead.

"Then, we'll be heading out," Miku said to Harumi, who was seeing the two of them off at the door. "Our ride is waiting for us."

"Alright," The woman answered. "I can't say I agree with the hour they chose to do this, but I guess they're throwing a new year's party."

"That's probably the case. Genjuro-san was always a bit over the top," Miku responded, eliciting a nod from Hibiki, who just finished putting on her boots. "If we're not back by later tonight then we probably stayed there overnight to sleep, so you don't have to worry."

Harumi chuckled. "I keep forgetting you two are already seventeen," She said in a nostalgic tone, putting a hand on her cheek. "Take care of yourselves, okay?"

"We will."

Miku opened the door, letting the cool air flow inside the house. She could see beyond the concrete wall the limo which was sent to fetch them in this time of the evening, three hours before midnight. They had been invited earlier in the month, and were told that S.O.N.G was holding a new year's party on the submarine despite all of the mess they had to deal with.

Well, not like there was much they could do now. With the ruined Tokyo covered in snow, work on reconstruction had halted until it melted.

Miku headed towards the limo while Hibiki stood face to face with her mother. She was quiet for a moment, staring at the ground and fumbling with her fingers. The memory of what she had done that night was still very fresh in her mind, and so her interaction with her parents had been...not limited, but quiet.

Running away first thing when she saw her mother was one of those instinctive reactions. Of course, she was so weak back then that even the older woman managed to catch up to her on foot and drag her back screaming and crying.

It wasn't a very dignified moment for Hibiki, and as a result, she felt ashamed to be in their presence. She hadn't been able to say a single word to her father either, despite living in the same house as him for over a month and even with Miku's encouragement.

She couldn't face him. She nearly killed him because of her buried resentments, and she could never forgive herself for it.

"Um..um...I...uh…"

She mumbled, unsure what to say.

Harumi smiled, and simply pulled Hibiki into a hug, surprising her. "It's alright; you go on and have fun, okay? It's about time, after all."

Finding herself at a loss, Hibiki responded with the first thing that came to mind.

"Ah...okay."

For Harumi, it was enough. She pulled back from the hug, letting Hibiki step back.

Before she could leave however, Akira yelled from the kitchen. "Have fun you two!"

She blushed, and nodded to acknowledge his words. Quickly, she turned back to the door and ran out to join Miku, who was already standing by the limo.

Hibiki opened the door of the car to enter, but Miku stayed in place and merely smiled at her. Before Hibiki could ask what's wrong, Miku spoke.

"You did good," She said. "You're getting there."

She blushed again, even more deeply this time. Hearing praise from Miku now was...a lot more motivating than it had ever been. Without another word, the two entered the limo, sitting down and closing the door behind them. Smiling, Miku spoke up, turning to look at the driver's seat.

"It's been a while, Motoyasu-san."

The man chuckled, and turned his head. "It really has been, Kohinata-san."

Hibiki looked confused, alternating her gaze between Miku and the driver. Miku noticed her curiosity. "I'll tell you on the way."

Hibiki nodded, and fell quiet as they drove off.

-!-

"We'll see you later then, Motoyasu-san," Miku said upon exiting the car.

He waved to her, and drove off to park inside of the submarine's garage. The ride had been fairly normal, with Miku being the one doing most of the talking and Hibiki doing most of the nodding. Despite this being a party, the two decided to dress a bit more comfortably to endure the cold night air, opting for pants and coats instead of anything more formal.

Miku let out a breath, rubbing her hands together. Before them was the walkway to the inside, and they could see the signs haphazardly taped on it to direct them to where the party would be taking place. They were told it would be in the cafeteria since it was the biggest room in the submarine, so it would take a bit of a hike within to navigate their way to it.

Just as the two took a step forward, someone called to them from afar.

"HEY!"

Their eyes widened, the familiar voice causing them to raise their eyebrows. Hibiki and Miku turned to the source, and their mouths gaped at the group that approached.

"Hey hey! It's been a while!"

"Yumi! Shiori! Kuriyo!" Miku exclaimed, surprised at the appearance of their three friends from school. "What are you doing here?!"

The three, dressed in their own warm clothes approached the two, with Yumi in the lead. The pigtailed girl answered loudly with a smile. "Hehe, we were invited too! Surprised?"

Before Hibiki could even process their sudden appearance, Yumi turned to her quickly and immediately ran up to her. "Bikki!"

She had no time to prepare as the girl glomped her. Nearly losing her footing, she balanced herself by taking a few steps back, her arms by her side. She looked to Miku for support, but she merely responded with a smile.

Kuriyo ran up to Hibiki as well, and Shiori watched them both with a happy smile. She turned to Miku and spoke to her softly. "It's good to see you two again; how have you been?"

As Hibiki was bombarded by rapid fire questions on the side, Miku answered her blonde friend. "Good. It's been very quiet lately," She said. "What about you? Kuriyo wouldn't stop gushing about the huge house she found out you have over chat."

Shiori giggled, reminded of that chaotic group chat they had a few weeks ago. "Yes, it's been good. The size of the place is being put to good use and is now housing all three of our families at once; it's quite a strange arrangement if you ask me."

"I bet," Miku said, "Shall we catch up while we head inside?"

"Sure."

As Miku and Shiori turned to the walkway, Yumi and Kuriyo beat them to the punch, dragging Hibiki forward with each one holding to her hands. Completely lost as to what to do, she simply let herself be carried onwards and into the submarine.

Miku and Shiori fell into step a small distance behind them, partly listening in to the chatting coming from the three in front of them. They entered the sub and took a right as per the sign's instructions, following the hallways towards the cafeteria.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Miku spoke up, talking just loud enough for Shiori to hear her, who was walking by her side. "I have to ask what brought this up."

Shiori, her eyes locked forward, answered. "You'll find it interesting, but it was Kazanari-san who contacted us. She wanted us to come, saying that 'Hibiki needs as many people she knows as possible there'. Kind of strange, is it not?"

"As many people as possible," Miku repeated to herself, thinking on the implication. She turned her head to stare at Shiori, who kept her unreadable gaze. "How much do you know?"

"A bit," She answered. "We weren't given all the details, but she said Tachibana-san was back with us. I informed Andou-san and Itaba-san, and they already went into a frenzy as to how they should be dressed."

Miku studied her carefully. "You're not telling me everything."

The three up front continued to mingle with Hibiki essentially being surrounded on all sides by the energetic duo. "You're right," Shiori answered truthfully. "I asked her to be a bit more specific, but she said she couldn't tell me everything. What she did say however confirmed quite a few things for me."

Miku narrowed her eyes as the blonde continued. "She said that Tachibana-san was 'saved from a demon'. I suppose that matches up quite nicely with the little we saw in Lydian."

Saved from a demon...what a fascinating way to summarize everything that had happened; and even more interestingly, it was very accurate as well.

It didn't say anything concrete, but was just enough to satisfy the trio in case they had questions.

Which they definitely did, but decided not to voice. However, if Miku knew Shiori at all, then…

"I have to ask, Kohinata-san, but...you were there too, weren't you?"

As expected. Shiori had always been sharper and more inquisitive than the other two, as well as overall calmer and more collected. She seemed to see through things at a glance, and was not satisfied by such simple words.

Miku's silence gave Shiori the answers she needed. "I see, I suppose it makes sense then. Then, I guess you were the one who saved her, too."

A direct bullseye, even if it downplayed the actions of the others.

Yes, she had indeed saved her, but she did not do so alone.

"Well, then I suppose the appropriate title for you should be 'Kohinata-san the Demon Slayer', no?"

Okay, that was far enough. "You're being influenced by Yumi too much," Miku said sarcastically. But then her gaze hardened, not at all feeling complemented by the strange name Shiori attached to her. "And I'm not a hero. I didn't do it to save the world, I did it to save Hibiki. I just acted out of selfishness, nothing more. I don't deserve or want such a title."

There was no point in denying her involvement, since Shiori pretty much figured it out on her own already. Even if she denied it, she wouldn't believe her, and would probably keep on repeating that stupid title to her until she relented.

Clearly, Shiori was a sly one; and that precisely was why she was such good friends with her.

"I see, then I guess you really aren't a hero," Shiori proclaimed, and smiled. "But then, what we think isn't important; after all, only one person's thoughts here matter, and I bet they truly believe you are one."

It wasn't a very subtle implication. Looking forward, Miku noticed Hibiki turn her head back to look at her. Having been caught, Hibiki's cheeks flushed red and she turned back forward, flanked on each side by Yumi and Kuriyo.

Shiori giggled at the brief exchange between them, and Miku just looked at her and pouted.

With nothing more left to say on the subject, they picked up speed to join with the others, listening in on their incredibly strange conversation.

"So wait, you went a WHOLE MONTH without eating?! How did you do that?! I wish I could do that!" Yumi suddenly announced, as if in some existential crisis. "Your figure is still so great! Gah! This is so unfair!"

"But Yumi, you know that's not-"

"Wait! I know now! This is how it goes in anime too! 'Come to the dark side, we have cookies'. See, only the villains have the best looking bodies!"

Kuriyo apparently got the memo right now, and her eyes widened in some strange realization. "Wait, what?!"

"Yes!" Yumi declared, sensing a breakthrough. "We need to trademark this! 'Evil overlord's super diet plan! Come with us you can look like a supermodel and conquer nations!'"

Miku sighed in exasperation while Shiori laughed. Hibiki, the subject of Yumi's new plan, looked like a deer in the headlights.

Was this Yumi's way of brushing it all aside? Miku didn't know. However, she wasn't just about to let her go free with this. She might get crazy ideas like she always does; who knows, one day she might even pull it off.

And that's why you nip the problem in the bud. "Yumi, sorry to disappoint you, but Hibiki didn't lose any weight," She said, causing the twintailed girl to look at her in shock. "I guess it's not that effective after all."

It was a crazy assumption that worked in Miku's favor. Hibiki had indeed gained a few kilos, but it wasn't because of any sort of evil influence on her. Quite the contrary, Yumi was right on the money.

But Miku wasn't about to tell her that. The entire reason Hibiki wasn't in shape like before was because they spent a month and a half shoving food down her throat to make up for all the time she didn't eat.

It was a successful endeavor, either way. Yumi stopped in her tracks, and stared at her hands with her eyes wide. "Wait. Wait wait wait wait. You mean she GAINED weight? No, that can't be! I swear she was-"

She stopped in the middle, suddenly coming to a realization. "Oh my god."

Kuriyo was already laughing loudly. Hibiki, now wholefully scandalized, was blushing fiercely at the talk about her body weight. "The dark side...it lures you with cookies. But what they don't tell you...is that...THE COOKIES MAKE YOU FAT!"

She screamed like a demented troll, grabbing her head with both hands as the other girls laughed sans Hibiki, who was silent and still blushing.

"This is why they're the dark side! They lure innocent girls to their side with the promise of cookies! All the anime lied to me! GAHHHHH, SO NEFARIOUS! DAMN YOU DARK SIDE!"

Yumi's dramatic call for justice was as grandiose as ever. With her plans of world domination while looking like a supermodel in shambles, the group of five continued the last few meters towards the cafeteria. Shiori pushed Hibiki and Miku forward first, the trio standing behind them in front of the door.

"What are you-"

"You should go in first."

Miku furrowed her brows at Shiori's statement, but decided not to push it further. With a final step forward, the door slid open before them.

Showing total darkness inside.

"What?" Miku murmured, and she looked to Hibiki in confusion.

Together, the two stepped into the cafeteria proper.

And the lights switched on suddenly.

POP! POP! POP! POP!

A sound akin to a firecracker erupted throughout the cafeteria, and confetti of all shapes and sizes whisked through the air from all directions. Shocked beyond belief at the suddenness of it all, both Miku and Hibiki stood gobsmacked in their spot as the denizens of the cafeteria hollered in unison.

"SURPRISE!"

It was as if all of S.O.N.G was inside the cafeteria at once. Several dozen crew members, now holding empty party poppers, cheered and clapped loudly and rocking the submarine. Taken by total surprise, Miku's eyes widened as she scanned the room, her eyes catching sight of the many people she recognized.

The cafeteria looked nothing like she remembered. Instead of having many rows of table like usual, now they were all pushed to the walls, freeing up a huge space in the middle for the large group to stand in. The table themselves were chock full of various foods, from meats to fruits to vegetables to various cakes and pastries.

The walls and ceiling were decorated with what looked like those cheap party packs one can buy in any corner store. Colorful strips of paper lined the walls in arcs, and balloons hung freely in the air from many locations, tied to poles and chairs as to make the usually bland cafeteria much more lively.

But of course, all of that paled in comparison to the absolutely gigantic billboard at the very back upon which was written a very simple message:

'WELCOME BACK, HIBIKI!'

Miku smiled, and turned her head to look at the aforementioned girl, her hair now covered by the confetti that had slowly settled down.

Hibiki was of course, speechless. Unable to say even a single word, she simply stood frozen, staring ahead and barely able to process what she was seeing.

From the center of the cheering crowd, Genjuro walked forward, a party hat sitting crooked on top of his head. His smile was large and goofy, his arms spread to the sides as he approached.

"Well, looks like we got you two good," He chirped. "And right on time too."

"Genjuro-san, this is-" Miku began, and he quickly cut in.

"Of course, this is a surprise party! We've been planning it for a while, and it just so happens it's not only a surprise party, but also a Christmas one AND a New Years one! It's a triple package deal!" He said, making Miku laugh.

Yumi, Shiori, and Kuriyo walked around the surprised duo, joining the rest of the crowd. As they passed, they smiled and sent enthusiastic thumbs up to each other. Miku caught them in the act, making her realize these there were in on it from the very beginning.

'I see, so this is what their plan was…' She realized, putting the pieces together.

"But of course, it is also something more than that," He said, this time more softly and gently, his gaze turning to Hibiki. "You remember the day you first joined us, Hibiki-kun? Doesn't it feel like that too?"

She couldn't answer him. Her thoughts were far too stormy to answer him.

"Sorry for not contacting you sooner, and consider this S.O.N.G's true sentiments," He said, his smile turning warm. "Welcome back, Hibiki-kun. We're glad to have you back with us."

There was no response from her. The remnants of the confetti fell down to the floor, her eyes still glued to his and as wide as saucers.

She was silent, and he knew. She was speechless, and he knew. And considering all that had happened until now, and putting together all that he had heard...the next step was obvious.

And in Hibiki's head, something major changed in an instant.

It was something she had always heard, always whispering to her in the back of her mind ever since that fateful day. A manifestation inside her brain, the screaming of those who had died on that day combined with the derisive jeers and threats she had received became a legion of voices in her mind that did not let her rest peacefully.

They had constantly reminded her of her faults, of her mistakes. Of the fact that her life was meaningless, and that she did not deserve to live it.

She had tried to brush them away, constantly repeating to herself that she was living for the sake of preventing others from suffering the same fate; and by doing so, she had hoped those voices would vanish.

They didn't. Her own mind was working against her, blaming her constantly. She only heard the whispers, and she only felt the pain that came with them. The evils of the world that had corrupted her heart had only amplified those whispers further, turning them into outright screams that drowned out her thoughts in hatred and chaos.

Because of them, she had felt that she was on the brink of losing herself in madness. She felt broken, and wrong, and overall unwell in the mind, and had tried to pretend she was alright as per her nature.

But in the end, that day those whispers turned to screams, she realized she was not.

Yet, now it changed. The voices now ringing in her head, loud and clear as they echoed in the cafeteria, were cheers. Cheers and claps and wishes of wellness that were so loud she could barely hear those whispers beneath them.

"And I want to tell you...that we don't blame you."

'It's all your fault!'

'You don't deserve to live!'

'You should have died too!'

'Why were you the only survivor?!'

'Bring me back my child!'

There were so many. They were endless, and they never stopped. But now…

They were vanishing. As if they were torn from her head forcefully, those damning voices disappeared without a trace.

And the quiet that followed was unlike any she remembered in her life.

And so, overwhelmed by the change, and by the sheer contrast from that day…

Hibiki could hold herself back no longer.

The crowd erupted in jubilation as the tears fell from her eyes, a combination of relief and confusion fuelling her emotions. She was overcome, and Genjuro watched her with a soft smile. She shuddered and hiccuped, and Miku looked to her in sympathy, taking out a handkerchief from her pocket.

"Oh geez," She murmured, feeling herself becoming emotional as well. She raised the cloth and tried to wipe away Hibiki's tears as they kept on flowing. "You're such a crybaby..."

She said it with utmost fondness. Behind Genjuro, the other wielders walked forth to join them, standing around the weeping girl in an uneven circle. Gently, Genjuro placed his hand on her head and patted her, speaking up again. "Hibiki-kun, I want you to know we're here for you. We'll always be here for you, no matter what happens."

"He's right; we won't ever abandon you," Maria chimed in.

"And if anyone tries to blame you, we'll blow them to bits! They'll regret messing with us!" Chris declared proudly, making some of the crowd laugh.

Genjuro removed his hand, and she looked around between her friends, listening to their sincere promises. Her vision was blurry, but she nodded regardless. She nodded and nodded, her heart melting from their sweet words.

It was like she was floating. So light and so free from the burdens that had held her down, she felt as if she could fly through the sky.

"Hibik-chan," An older, caring voice said as it approached.

She turned to look at the source, her eyes landing upon someone she had always appreciated.

"A-ah…"

The kind kitchen lady. She was coming forward to join them, a smile on her face. "I'm so glad to see you again, Hibiki-chan. It was so lonely without you here," She said, and Hibiki tried to blink the tears away. "So to celebrate your coming back, I made all your favorite meals!"

Old habits shining through, her ears perked up at the words. She stared at the woman with wide eyes as her mind sorted through all the endless possibilities.

The lady then turned to look at Genjuro. "I think now is the best time to bring those out, right?"

Hibiki and Miku looked on in confusion, while the other wielders sported sly smiles. Genjuro answered in agreement. "Yes, now is the best time."

The woman raised a hand, signaling her coworkers in the kitchen to fetch the aforementioned mysterious objects.

"Genjuro-san, what-" Miku began, only for him to cut her off to explain.

"I was lying when I said it was just a triple package party," He explained. "It's a Christmas, New Year's, and a surprise welcome back party…"

Out of the corner of her eyes, Miku saw the crowd equipping themselves with new party poppers. She stared at Genjuro in shock as the light in the cafeteria began to dim slightly.

Someone in the crowd began to count.

"Three! Two! One!"

POP! POP! POP! POP! POP!

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Confetti flew all over the place as the cheer renewed tenfold. Looking on with baffled expressions, Hibiki and Miku saw as a group of kitchen staff carried in two huge cakes to the tables.

"Eh?"

Genjuro laughed as the crowd hurrahed and applauded, and meeting their mystified faces, explained. "But it's also a double birthday party for the two of you!"

"EH?"

Miku was having trouble understanding what he was talking about. She looked to Hibiki for an answer, but the chestnut haired girl was just as lost as her.

"We didn't have the chance to celebrate your birthdays because of what happened," Genjuro clarified. "So even though it's a bit late, there's no time like the present to do so. With this, it's a quintuple package party!"

Next to Hibiki, Kirika huffed proudly. "It was my idea!" She announced. "As if I would ever forget someone's birthday!"

Ah, of course, Miku realized. Kirika was the utmost advocate of birthday parties, considering all the anguish she felt from not knowing her own. For her, such a thing was not to be taken for granted, and so she proposed the notion to Genjuro, who happily accepted it.

The huge cakes shone in the darkened cafeteria, the candles now being the main source of light. Suddenly, Hibiki and Miku found themselves pushed forward from behind by their friends, and led all the way to the cakes that awaited them.

They were both forced to actually tilt their head upwards slightly just to take in the sheer size of the things. Decorated with whipped cream and strawberries, it was as if they were taken out of a wedding magazine and brought to life right in front of them.

"Go on now," Kirika beckoned them forth. "Make a wish!"

Ah, so they were doing it like this. Hibiki looked unsure, still feeling lost, and so looked to Miku for support. The black haired girl simply smiled back and nodded slightly, filling Hibiki with motivation.

And so, the two of them closed their eyes, their inner desires a secret save for themselves. Hibiki took a moment longer than Miku to finally open them again, and as one the two blew out the candles with a single breath.

The crowd clapped and cheered again, making the two blush in embarrassment even more. But of course, Kirika was not done just yet. Grabbing each of them by the hand, she dragged them back from the cakes, seating them in two chairs that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the cafeteria.

Keeping the two in their seats, she smiled and gestured to many members of the crowd, including the wielders, to surround the two. Many many people grasped the two chairs, making the two girls extremely worried and confused.

"Eighteen times you said, right Kirika-san?" One of the crew members asked.

"Yep!" She answered. "One for each year and then another for next year!"

Before they could even try and protest the two girls yelped as they were suddenly lifted into the air. They held onto their chairs for dear life as they were raised nearly all the way to the ceiling, the crowd yelling out numbers enthusiastically.

"ONE!"

And then they were lowered for a moment, only to rise once again.

"TWO!"

They repeated, and for each number they felt like they were about to fly out of their seats due to the uneven hold the crowd had on their chairs.

Miku smiled and laughed, both happily and nervously as they kept on counting. She was still shocked at the sudden surprise they pulled for them, and so was still processing what exactly was happening.

But then, she turned her head to see how Hibiki was doing, and all attempts at understanding flew out of the window. Or more specifically, the need to understand was gone.

Because...Hibiki, for the first time since the end of the incident, smiled. She could see her lips turn up in a smile that kept on growing bigger with every number that was called, and she could swear she heard even some giggled coming from her.

Hibiki was smiling and laughing for the first time in a very long time. The tears had vanished completely, and even though her face was marred a bit she still smiled and laughed.

Seventeen was reached; now came the final number.

Putting together all their strength, the crowd raised the two of them as high as possible, and yelled out the last number loudly.

"EIGHTEEN!"

They were held in the air for a few seconds before finally being lowered to the floor, laughing all the while. The crowd took steps back as the two girls uneasily rose from their chairs, reveling in the cheer and applause.

And without further ado, Genjuro's voice boomed throughout the cafeteria. "LET'S START THE PARTY!"

The crowd cheered even louder, and as the music started, they immediately dove for the food on the tables. Only the wielders remained standing by the chair, looking at the proceedings happily.

Before she could even calm herself down Hibiki found herself dragged by the arm again by Kirika. "Come on! Let's eat before they finish it all!"

Hibiki was definitely not going to complain about free food, especially now that her ravenous appetite had started to return. Frankly, Miku missed that, as whenever Hibiki ate a gigantic portion she was at her happiest. Any changes to that routine obviously meant something was wrong.

So this was another step forward. She had expected things to be far more difficult, but well...she had cheated to make things easier.

At Shirabe's urging, Miku followed after Hibiki to raid the food tables, piling up her plate with everything that caught her eye.

And so, the party went underway.

-!-

There was chatting, there was eating, and there was all around merriment. Maria swished her glass of wine in her hand, briefly taking a look at the red liquid before raising her head to look at her juniors.

"So we made this huge mecha, and we beat the crap out of that giant!" Kirika boasted, recounting her and Shirabe's battle against the titan. Yumi, the anime addict among them, listened intently to her story, taken by the details completely.

To be fair, it was the closest to real life anime she would ever have; although, last time she had been close to the center of a world ending disaster, she broke down in tears.

"Oh my god, a mecha?! And like, did someone tell you 'hey Kirika, get in the damn robot!'?"

"Nope, did that all by myself!" Kirika answered, puffing her chest in pride. Shirabe however noticed that there was a very important part of that story missing.

After all, they did eventually lose.

"Oi, you ever heard of being humble?" Chris cut in, holding a plate of spaghetti in hand. Her face was already covered in sauce again due to her bestial way of eating.

Kirika shook her head quickly, and crossed her arms. "Nope! Humility is oppression!"

Chris stared at her in confusion. "Say what."

"Yes!" Kirika replied, beating her chest with one hand. "Victory was ours!"

"Don't make me put down my spaghetti for this."

The blonde wielder tilted her head. "Putting down is oppression!"

A beat.

Slowly, Chris handed her precious plate of spaghetti over to Kuriyo, who took it without question. The white haired wielder advanced on Kirika, cracking her knuckles along the way. "Is that right? Then maybe this senpai needs to teach you a few things!"

Caught in the headlights, Kirika's self-preservation instincts kicked in. Chris was shorter than her, but she was much scarier.

Taking steps back in fear, Kirika hurriedly looked to Shirabe for assistance. "Um, Shirabe...help?"

The twintailed wielder said nothing as she continued to eat. Taking this as a sign to proceed, Chris got even closer.

"Wait! Wait wait wait senpai I was only kidding I was just- AHHHHHHHH!"

The others looked on in horror as Chris began tormenting her junior. The blonde yelled and screamed in faux terror, deciding to be dramatic on purpose. "SHIRABE! HELP! I'M BEING OPPRESSED!"

Shirabe just kept on eating quietly, choosing to let nature take its course. Watching their interaction, Fujitaka joined her and stood next to her, his own plate of food in hand. "What's happening here?" He asked.

Shirabe took another bite. "Just Kiri-chan being Kiri-chan."

"I see…"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HELPPPPPP!"

Kirika's call for salvation went unnoticed as the white haired demon bullied her to submission.

"Where did she even learn all of that?" Fujitaka asked honestly.

Another small bite. "She read a book."

"AHHHHHHHHHH THE PEOPLE ARE IN PERIL! HELP!"

"You should worry about yourself more! This is what you get for making me put down my spaghetti!" Chris called out, a devilish smile on her face.

-!-

Aoi, standing bit further to the side, smiled as she poured herself a glass of wine. It was obviously kept out of reach from the underage among them, but Genjuro wasn't so cruel as to deny the adults the chance to get a nice drink. Among the assortment of alcohol was wine, beer, sake, and surprisingly even vodka.

For a party in honor of a returned friend, he sure took the chance to make this as grandiose as possible.

As she filled up the first glass, she left it on the table in front of her, and took another. She filled it up as well, this time keeping it in her hand. She stared at the glass on the table with a fond smile, remembering a promise.

Before she could start, Elfnein walked up to her, a glass of juice in hand and a worried look on her face. "Tomosato-san, is everything okay?" She asked, having seen the melancholic expression on the woman's face.

Aoi smiled as she answered. "Yes, everything is fine. I was just...keeping a promise with a friend."

Elfnein did not ask anything more, and watched silently. Aoi turned back to the glass of wine on the table, and spoke. "Cheers, Saint-Germain."

And with a soft touch, clinged the glasses together.

-!-

"Are you sure, Tsubasa-san? You haven't exactly touched alcohol before," The crew member said to her in worry.

Holding the glass of sake in hand, she nodded. "Of course I am prepared. I am past the time I was a little girl. It is time for me to take this simple step forward towards adulthood."

"Well, not all adults have to drink y'know…"

Genjuro laughed, glad to see his niece was having a good time. He knew how stiff she could be at times, so this chance to mingle with people she was a little less familiar with was good for her in the long run.

Suddenly, his pocket vibrated. Taking out the phone from within, he was surprised to see his brother's name on the display. He raised a hand towards the crew member responsible for the music, asking him to lower it a bit so he could hear his brother better.

He went off to the side further from the main area, and answered. "Aniki."

Meanwhile, Tsubasa took a whiff of the alcoholic drink, finding it sting her nose quite uncomfortably. Shiori joined the circle, a glass of cola in hand, and a smile on her face as she waited in anticipation to see the idol's drunken expressions.

"You don't have to do this, Tsubasa-san," The same crew member from before said.

"A sentinel must be able to face all challenges," She retorted, unwilling to give in to a mere liquid.

She swallowed, and brought the glass up to her lips, chugging down the whole drink in one motion. The watchers hollered as she downed it, and once she finished she looked quite satisfied.

"So how was it?" She was asked.

She closed her eyes and smiled as she answered. "A great drink indeed; I understand now why it was so popular with our ancestors."

What a Tsubasa-like answer to give. Shiori giggled in response, quite happy to see this side to the formerly hardened idol.

As Tsubasa opened her eyes, she looked towards Genjuro, and was surprised to see he was beckoning her over. She handed her glass over to the crew member. "Excuse me."

She went over to her uncle, who was still with the phone by his ear. "What is the matter?" She asked, confused.

He smiled, and handed the phone over to her. "It's for you."

She tilted her head in question, wordlessly accepting the phone from her uncle and putting it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Tsubasa."

She stiffened, and answered in the most even tone she could. "Father."

There was a small moment of silence as neither spoke. Before she could say anything, Yatsuhiro spoke up again. "Have you been keeping up with your training?" He asked out of the blue.

Tsubasa, used to his usually distant attitude, replied as she best could. "Yes, I have. Even in times of peace, one must always prepare for battle."

It was an answer she had given many times before in the past. "I see…" He responded, falling quiet once more.

Genjuro could not have seen or heard anything more awkward from the two. He was surprised to see his brother calling him now of all times, and was even more surprised that he was calling so he could speak to Tsubasa. He could faintly hear their conversation, but chose to remain silent.

They hadn't said a word in over fifteen seconds, and finding the silence suffocating, Tsubasa chose to speak up. "Father, I-"

Only for Yatsuhiro to interrupt her mid sentence.

"I have heard of your exploits in the conflict, Tsubasa," He said, and she expected the same pattern as before. The usual she had heard from him in the past was quite critical, mostly chiding her for the mistakes she made. She knew he wanted her to improve where she lacked, and that's why for him the good parts were a given. He wouldn't say anything that was meaningless, and thus he only-

"You've done well."

She froze.

It took a moment for him to speak up again, but once he did, her entire being locked up at the words.

"I'm proud of you."

She was speechless. Raising a hand to cover her mouth, Tsubasa tried to hold her emotions in check. Her father, he just...he just…

He just praised her. For the first time ever in her life, her father praised her for her accomplishments. Even if it was only related to fighting...he had taken note of what she had done, and was pleased.

And for her, pleasing her father and hearing his commendation was a dream come true.

She could not remember the last time she had ever cried tears of joy, but right now was the day they had returned tenfold. Blinking them away as much as she could, she nodded and shakingly answered him. "T-thank you, Father."

Genjuro smiled, and crossed his arms, glad that the two were able to take this simple yet important step forward.

Once again, they were silent for a moment. Tsubasa sniffled, and Yatushiro spoke up once more. "Happy new year, Tsubasa."

Her eyes widened, and she nodded once again. "Happy new year, Father."

The man let out a sound akin to an acknowledging huff, then hung up. The phone remained in Tsubasa's hand, close to her ear as the call end tone rang in her ear.

She slowly handed it back to Genjuro, who accepted it graciously. "Well done, Tsubasa."

She sniffled again, and rubbed her eyes with her sleeves to wipe away the tears. "I think...I think I'm going to have another glass."

He laughed. "You go do that."

At that, she went back to join the crowd.

However, halfway there Maria walked up to her, a worried expression on her face.

"Tsubasa, is everything alright?"

The blue haired idol met her gaze for a moment, then spoke. "Yes, all is well. I'm going to get another glass to drink. Would you mind joining me?"

Surprised by the invitation, Maria could not find it in herself to refuse. She smiled, and fell into step by her idol partner. "Gladly."

-!-

To say Hibiki was stuffing her face would be an understatement.

"Hibiki, you've got sauce all over you again," Miku told her. The chestnut haired girl stopped eating, then hurriedly took a napkin to wipe her face off.

Miku was surprised. That was the first time Hibiki had ever stopped eating to clean herself off. That was quite a major step forward.

"Right, sorry," She replied. Miku only smiled in response, and continued with her own plate. While the vast majority of the cafeteria was simply open floor, there were a few tables they could still sit by to calmly enjoy their meals.

And well, as the kitchen lady said, it was really really good. Everything was just absolutely delicious, and Miku even decided to have a small piece of that gigantic cake that was brought out in her name.

She chose wisely, as the crew of S.O.N.G wasted no time in consuming the thing whole. An hour into the party, and one of the two cakes was also decimated, leaving the other one half eaten and nearly toppling over.

All in all, she had to admit it was a nice party. She felt a bit out of her element, but at least it wasn't some dreary nightclub that some of her classmates had gushed about. She didn't think she'd ever be able to go to such a place and stay for more than ten minutes.

Here it was nicer. She knew all the people, which was already good, and there was enough to do to keep themselves busy throughout the night. The main event would come soon enough, what with only thirty minutes left until the year changed.

Several of the crew members were already drunk, messing about with their friends from around the place. While undignified, even they deserved to let loose on some occasions. And besides, Genjuro was the one who commissioned the alcohol. If that wasn't endorsement to drink, then what was?

Having finished bullying her junior, Chris joined the two by the table, sitting down with her third plate of spaghetti that evening. Kirika and Shirabe then joined as well, with Kirika rubbing her head and face in pain in response to Chris' torment.

"Ow…"

"You kind of deserved that, Kiri-chan."

Shirabe's response caused Kirika to whimper in pain, with Chris smiling as she ate. A few of the crew members of S.O.N.G began to join them as well, starting conversations with the girls as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The community really shone through here, Miku realized. There was laughter and there were smiles, just like there should be.

These, these were the happy days, nothing less than that.

And they had earned them back through sheer force of will. If there's anything to be proud of, it's that.

A few minutes into the conversation, one of the crew members, a fairly young man from engineering, turned to Miku and spoke to her. "So, Kohinata-san, I can't help but wonder what sort of present you'd like for your birthday, as belated as it is. I bet you didn't wish for something so simple."

His forward attitude was...interesting. Immediately perking up in response, Chris' eyes widened and narrowed repeatedly, studying him carefully. 'Is this guy…'

Miku however had noticed his attempts. He was sweet, but…

"No, I didn't wish for anything extravagant, because..." She began with a smile.

And then, in a move that completely shocked Hibiki, Miku wrapped her arms around her own and leaned on her, putting her head on her shoulder.

"I've got my best present right here."

It was a critical hit.

The small crowd around them cheered at her words, causing her to giggle. Hibiki blushed madly, bumbling to herself as Miku clinged to her tightly. The young man's eyes widened, rubbing his nose sheepishly and chuckled, catching her drift easily.

Of course, Kirika was not willing to be one-upped so easily. She wrapped her arms around her partner, calling her name out fondly. "Shirabe! We can't lose!"

"Kiri-chan, that's too sudden-!"

Chris, finding herself smackdab in the middle between the two couples, put her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands in embarrassment, mumbling to herself all the while. "Do that at home…"

Suddenly, the music stopped completely. The sound of glass clinging filled the cafeteria, causing everyone to fall silent and turn towards the source.

Genjuro stood in the middle of the room, a glass of wine in hand. He smiled as he spoke, making sure he was loud enough for everyone to hear him.

"Well then everyone, I'm glad you're enjoying the party. It wasn't easy putting this together considering our current circumstances, but we figured that it was about time we had the opportunity to unwind after some very difficult three months. For that, I'd like to congratulate you all on a job well done!"

The crowd cheered and clapped, and the wielders found themselves joining in as well. It was only ten minutes before the year changed, and so Genjuro signaled for everyone to quiet down again so he could continue.

"To that end, I also have an important announcement to make," He began, getting everyone's attention on him. Only a few of the people there knew what he was going to say, but for most it was completely new and unknown. "As you all may know, we've had our attention split between several different important objectives; the first was of course to repair the submarine, which as of yesterday was completed successfully. I'd like to take this moment to give thanks to engineering for getting this done efficiently and with lightning speed."

More claps, and the young man by their table let out a proud laugh.

"The second is the clearing and rebuilding of Tokyo. We began this endeavor the day after the incident ended, and as such we have been at it nonstop, working day and night to get it done as fast as possible. With help from our fellow countrymen as well as our allies overseas, it's a slow yet steady process that we predict will go at full speed by the end of next year. So for this, I'd like to thank everyone for your support and cooperation, and to wish us well for the year to come."

More claps that filled the cafeteria with plenty of noise.

But then, as they quieted down once again, the feeling in the air told them that the most important part was coming up right now.

"And the third, as you all know, is the boring and tedious talks with the politicians, both local and international. I, as well as all of our talented spokespeople worked tediously to make sure everything went as planned, and let me tell you it was definitely not easy."

He stopped for a moment, thinking on the next thing to say. "Now, the biggest question all of you probably had on your mind is: who is going to take responsibility? As the government requires something to blame, we put forth a motion to mark a very specific person as our target that would be faulted for everything that had taken place, from the destruction of cities worldwide to the mass loss of life."

Miku felt Hibiki stiffen in her hold, anxiety rushing up her frame in an instant. She realized that Hibiki was thinking that he was about to publicly shame her right here, and that this party was all a farce to get her to leave her home to arrest her.

So in response, she tightened her hold, making sure Hibiki knew that she was there with her always.

"And so, our criminal…"

Hibiki swallowed nervously, ready to dash out and run for her life-

"Is none other than Adam Weishaupt."

All of her thoughts seized. Her eyes wide, she began to listen carefully to his words. Miku felt as Hibiki let out the breath she had held, relief washing over her.

"As of last week, he has been blamed as the mastermind behind the incident. Due to his death he cannot be trialed, and as such all of his associates had been deemed accomplices to his crime."

Miku however was concerned. Despite the good news, if she remembered correctly Saint-Germain had once been his underling, so she was worried that she may have been blamed as well.

She got her answer as Genjuro continued. "Now I know what all of you are thinking: that our departed comrade Saint-Germain would have her name tarnished because of his acts, and I'll let you know that we've taken measures to make sure that did not happen...however, most of the credit does not go to us, but rather to Saint-Germain herself, who had left behind for us a hard drive containing information that spanned centuries."

There was a collective gasp from the crowd. "Yes, within it was information about government conspiracies, corrupt officials, underground deals, and generally some very sensitive pieces of information that we were able to use to prove that she had always acted in the best interests of mankind. She had selflessly sacrificed herself to stop the menace that were Adam Weishaupt and the divine power, and so that, together with the information she had given us, was enough to proclaim that she is officially cleared of all charges."

Cheers erupted once more in celebration.

With this, justice truly had been served. She had been granted the ultimate pardon after her death, and was now treated with the respect and honor she deserved. Even if the world wouldn't know of her actions, they vowed to never forget her.

All these things together implied something very simple that granted Miku much joy. Genjuro turned his gaze in their direction, his eyes falling upon Hibiki.

He raised his glass, and his voice echoed in the cafeteria. "Hibiki-kun, we told you that we do not blame you, and we promised that we'll make sure no else does; and now, I can proudly say that we have made good on this promise."

She froze completely as he stared at her, once again her breath stopping short.

"There is no longer any need for you to live in fear, as from this day forward, you are one hundred percent blameless!"

The cheers were even louder this time, leaving Hibiki astonished at the sight. The crowd chanted her name and applauded, and once again she was caught like a deer in the headlights, unsure of how to respond.

It was done; justice truly had been served. The real villain had been vilified, and the real heroes were honored as they should have been.

The official records made it clear from now on. Adam Weishaupt was the bad guy who caused the incident, Saint-Germain was the hero that had given her life to stop him, and Hibiki was a victim just like everyone else.

A completely and utterly blameless victim. There was no one left in the world that could even point fingers at her and state otherwise. This was the natural state of things now.

No one had abandoned her. No one had insulted her. No one had bullied her. Her friends and comrades remained by her side, supporting her every step of the way.

It was the complete opposite of last time. So affected was she by it that she had automatically assumed it would be a repeat, but in the end it was as far away from that as possible.

This time, she had truly been the one responsible for all the death and destruction, and she knew it. And yet, absolutely no one blamed her. She faced no punishment, and was not forced to pay any price as recompense for what she had done. She was simply told...to live her life happily from now on.

The only one that blamed her was her own self. But now, supported by so many people...that thought was becoming more distant by the minute.

Miku held on tightly to her as the cheers quieted down, and Genjuro spoke up again. "And we're finished just in time! Everyone, we got twenty seconds! I want to hear your voices ring out for all to hear!"

All those who held glasses to drink raised them in the air as they began counting down. Finding herself drawn in with the atmosphere, Miku raised her own glass of cola and gestured for Hibiki to do the same. The chestnut haired girl nodded with a small smile, and raised her own as they joined in.

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN!"

It truly was a cause for celebration. This, Miku realized, was the happy ending they had all worked so hard to achieve.

"SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE!"

Everyone's combined spirits made it all possible. The unity of their wills, tempered and forged by countless fighting, had become the vanguard in the fight against the evils of mankind.

And it was a one of a kind fight. Faced with their own doubts, they had pushed forward together, defeating those evils and proving their might against all odds. And now, with a brand new year lurking just a few seconds away on the horizon, it was truly the time to make their joy known.

"TWO! ONE!"

For this moment-

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

-marked a new beginning.

-!-

Despite it being the dead of night, it was somehow not as cold as Miku had imagined it to be. One hour after the new year's arrival, Hibiki and herself had decided to head outside a bit to get some fresh air.

It was also an excuse to get away from the overwhelming smell of alcohol that began to permeate the cafeteria, as the turn of the new year was all the excuse the crew members needed to start going wild.

And so, preferring some peace and quiet, the two of them headed outside to stand on the pier, looking out towards the ocean as they stood side by side, hand in hand.

The stars shone brightly above in the cloudless sky, their radiance more visible than ever before. Perhaps it was because there wasn't as much light polluting the night view, as now it felt as if they were in some rural village out in the plains. So much so, in fact, that the core of the Milky Way was visible to them for the first time in a metropolitan area, truly a breathtaking sight that they had not seen in quite some time.

It was a great example of the phrase that stated 'every cloud has a silver lining'. It might perhaps be a bit disrespectful to think so now, but well…

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Miku said softly.

'There is nothing quite like this.'

The priestess' words echoed in her mind as she spoke, remembering their nighttime meeting on that illusionary hill.

Hibiki nodded. "Yeah...it is."

She spoke quietly, almost going unheard.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, they were not exactly as alone as they expected. Peeking around the corner of the entrance to the submarine was a not so subtle group of eight girls, each one of them looking at the two carefully from afar. They made sure they made no noise and were not spotted, watching their interaction excitedly.

"It's going to happen now, I'm telling you," Yumi whispered.

They all shushed her quickly, wanting to listen.

Back on the pier, the two were silent, simply appreciating the view and each other's presence. However, in contrast to Miku's seemingly calm demeanor, Hibiki was far from relaxed.

For many many reasons.

A soft breeze passed over them, causing Miku to shudder involuntarily. She gripped Hibiki's hand tighter for additional warmth, and the increased contact caused the chestnut haired girl's heart to beat rapidly in her chest.

Desperate to calm herself down, she spoke up first. "I...I don't really know what to think...about all of this."

Miku listened to her silently, and Hibiki took that silence as permission to continue. "I...I'm happy. I'm happy and confused because...I don't know what I really should be feeling. Everyone said that they don't blame me...but…"

She breathed out.

"I can't help but still feel guilty. I'm...getting so much support from everyone, so much more than I ever did...but why can't I get rid of this weight. Why can't I just...accept the fact that no one blames me?"

It was understandable. Her crimes, which she had committed while she was not herself, were blamed on the person who had put the circumstances together in the first place. His selfish ambition had brought forth this disaster, and it would have happened even without her direct involvement.

To that end, she couldn't be blamed, and everyone she knew were adamantly pushing that notion forward so everyone would think the same. And no one had ever dared to say otherwise, because they truly did not find her responsible.

Yet, despite all of their support, she still had hurt others in the name of her own vengeance, as twisted and corrupted as it had been.

And that was the source of her guilt. She saw herself as a criminal that needed to be punished, and yet no one wanted to punish her and no one saw her as a criminal.

As terrifying as any prospective punishment would be, she felt she deserved it, far more than she deserved their support. Would the weight in her heart disappear if she was? She didn't know, and she was too scared to find out.

"I understand, Hibiki," Miku replied kindly. "And I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't just be able to put that aside."

"But will I...I want...I want to do something...to make it up for all those I hurt...but I don't know what I should do. I don't think there's anything I can do to repay that price."

"I have an idea, then," Miku suggested, turning to look Hibiki in the eye. Hibiki's amber eyes met her own green ones, eliciting a light blush from the chestnut haired girl. "You live your life, plain and simple."

She didn't expect that answer from her, and so Hibiki was left speechless once again.

It was strange. She always had something to say in response to any given situation, but lately she just found herself lost as to what to do. And she wasn't sure what was causing it.

Miku took hold of her other hand as well, entwining their fingers together in the cold night. "For every person you think you hurt, you live every day to the fullest; you let nothing stand in your way, and you do the one thing you promised Kanade-san all that time ago."

Hibiki's eyes widened. The one thing she promised Kanade...was…

To never give up on life.

Out of all the legacies she had left behind, this one was perhaps the one that had stuck with her the most.

And it made sense to her. It was what she had vowed to do in the first place.

To live enough for everyone who would no longer have the opportunity to do so. To bring the world together in harmony, so no one else would have to endure that suffering...and so that no one else would have to carry such a burden.

It felt stupid to worry about this now, she realized. She had wracked her brain over this, and here was Miku solving all her problems with but a few words that calmed her heart.

It just made her even more entranced with the girl before her. "I...I think you're right. I did...promise her that," She said uneasily. "Thank you, Miku. I would be...completely lost without you."

Miku giggled, making Hibiki blush even more deeply. "Of course you would be; after all, you're so dense, and you don't think things through all the time. You're so impulsive sometimes that I don't know how to handle you."

It was a tiny dig at her, one that was said with utmost fondness. "You always know what to say."

"Yep, I do," Miku said proudly. "It's because I know you so well after all. I don't think anyone else in this world can accept all of your weirdness except me."

Hibiki could barely keep her composure together in the face of Miku's words. She was just...so…

So radiant.

She was her sunshine, and she wouldn't give it up for anything else in the world.

Faced with such a captivating smile, Hibiki's mind raced a mile a minute. And she remembered a certain moment that happened not too long ago that still sat in her thoughts to this day.

Fidgeting and nervous, she found it difficult to speak up again. "Um...Miku..I...um…"

"Yes?"

Hibiki swallowed. "Well...you see...I was just thinking that...well…?"

"Hm?"

Miku's expectant expression only made things more difficult. Completely out of her element, Hibiki briefly thought about bailing out right this minute. But...some voice in her head urged her to continue, lest she'll have to face Miku's wrath later on.

And now was the time to be brave in the face of the one person she could never beat.

"Um...well you know...that uh...thing that you did...um...yes so I was just-"

Miku giggled, stopping her short. "Ah, you mean that? What about it?"

She could feel her heart beating in her ears rapidly. "Well, I...was just...you know...kind of...wondering...I mean you don't need to answer if you don't want to! So-"

Another giggle. "Well, it was quite effective, no? It got you to stop thinking about bad things. I guess I kind of cheated," Miku said, sticking her tongue out slightly.

Hibiki blinked rapidly, caught by surprise by the answer. Before she could say something in response, Miku beat her to the punch.

"Before you think something stupid, I want you to know I wanted to do that...for a very long time. Now, what are you going to do about it?"

Was she...was she inviting her? Was she...beckoning her? Challenging her? What-

"Ah, I-"

"If you want it to happen again, then...this time you do it."

Miku had her wrapped around her finger completely. There was no way she could ever surpass her. "Ah, I just...well…"

"Loser has to obey the winner, remember?"

Ah. Yes. That. She couldn't really forget that, not when Miku forced her to move forward by reminding her of that unofficial agreement between them.

So that meant...if Hibiki wanted to it, she'd have to come and get it.

In preparation, Miku closed her eyes. Hibiki stood frozen, unsure of what to do or how to proceed, feeling like she'd screw it up when it mattered the most.

Back by the submarine, Yumi was already chewing her fingers in excitement. "Come on!" She whispered again, cheering Hibiki on. "Do it!"

No, there was no point in backing out now. She had faced down great enemies in the past that threatened to destroy the world, fearlessly standing up to them and their ambition.

Yet this was far scarier than anything she had ever faced.

Because it was Miku, the person who her heart belonged to.

Breathing in and gathering up her courage, she took a step forward, closing the distance a tiny bit. She had never done this before and was unsure how it went, so she could only trust her instincts to show her the way.

'Okay, just do it. Do it. Do it!'

She tightened her hold on Miku's hands, and slowly leaned her head forward. Opening and closing her eyes to make sure she was on track, the sight of Miku's face being so close almost made her want to run away.

'Stop, don't run away. Do it. Do it for yourself, and do it for her.'

Whatever inner voice was that, it was helping. Letting out the breath she was holding, she closed her eyes for the final time.

And finally, closed the distance.

Maria was forced to hold Yumi back from screaming in happiness as the two's lips met. Faces red from the sight and their eyes wide, the spectators just watched with bated breaths.

It wasn't anything like last time. Soft and gentle, the warmth of Miku's lips made Hibiki's brain melt as she held onto her tightly. It was also as short affair, barely lasting a few seconds. Yet for Hibiki, it felt like a goddamn lifetime.

Once those few seconds had past, they separated, pulling back slightly and opened their eyes. Both their faces were red as tomatoes, and the whole world felt far warmer than it should have been in this cold night.

Hibiki was sure her heart missed a few beats as she tried to compose herself, utterly failing. She opened her mouth to speak, but she wasn't unable to say anything coherent. "Ah...um...I...I mean...uh...well...Miku...um…"

Miku giggled once again, cutting her short for the third time. "That was nice. You did good, Hibiki."

She was deciding the pace of things, it seemed. Miku was in total control here, while Hibiki was reduced to a bumbling mess. Noticing her distress and total confusion Miku couldn't help but comment on it. "As I expected, you're so bad at this, Hibiki. You're so good at many other things, but...I guess romance isn't one of them."

Badump.

Okay, okay. Now was the time. She showed action, but now she had to say the words.

This should be easy. This is Miku after all. How many times had she said those three words to her in the past? Plenty of times. This should be a walk in the park. A piece of cake. An extremely easy challenge.

And yet, now it was like climbing a mountain with nothing but her bare hands. She may be dense, but she understood the implication. The depth, the meaning behind it. She was hopeless in romance, but...this, this was different.

She inhaled again, opening her mouth to speak. "Miku, I...I...um…"

"Yes?"

Oh god, she was doing this again. She was doing this again, looking at her with those expecting eyes that gave her no room to maneuver. She could only move forward, not back or to any side.

She would have to say it. There was no escaping this.

"M-Miku...I...I...I lo-"

"Yes."

'Oh crap. Ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap.'

She felt like she was freaking out. What was even a heart anymore? Hers had completely stopped functioning a few minutes ago. Or was it hours ago? Days ago? Months ago? Who the hell knew at this point.

Just three words. Three words that Miku-

'Ah…'

Three words that Miku had sung to her with all her heart, finally breaking the veil of despair that had encroached upon her being. Three words that had defeated the evils of this world. Three words...that made miracles possible.

"I really...really...can't beat you.'

The fear abated, and with full clarity, those three words finally left her lips.

"Miku...I love you."

That was it. She did it. She said it. It sat in her heart forever, and now she said it.

With that out of the way, she nervously waited for Miku's answer. Once it came, she had to chide herself for expecting anything else.

She smiled. "Yes," She simply said, her own heart filled with warmth. "I love you too. I have loved you...for a very long time."

This was too much. This was far too much for Hibiki. "Um...um...um...I...uh...are...are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Miku answered. She knew where this was going, and she was going to let it go there.

Hibiki shuffled in place nervously. "I mean, I'm not exactly smart, and I'm not that pretty, and I'm clumsy, and I'm lazy and always late, and I'm-"

"I know," Miku interrupted her once again, stopping the shopping list of negative traits Hibiki believed she had. "I told you, that I would accept everything about you. This is how it always was, and how it always will be."

"Um...um…"

"And besides, it's as I told you," Miku reminded her. "My heart...has always belonged to you. That's why I'm sure. More sure than I've ever been."

What could she say to that? What kind of argument would even make sense here? None. Absolutely none. Nothing would even remotely make Miku even slightly reconsider.

Because she'd never want to. "Um…"

"Now that we're here, you're stuck with me," Miku added with a big smile. "And I'll let you know that I get jealous really easily, so you're gonna have to think about who you decide to touch or hug. I also expect you to remember important dates, like today, and birthdays, and anniversaries..."

Oh god, it was as she expected from Miku. Not one to simply let things go easily, she was instantly back to making demands, using her newfound hold on her to keep her in line.

And Hibiki knew she couldn't disappoint her. After all, Miku was at her scariest when she was angry. And as one who had faced that anger head on...she really didn't like it when Miku was angry.

They were now both aware of the other's ugly points. Difficult points, and frustrating points. And yet, despite that, they chose to be together.

"Any questions?" Miku asked finally, having finished listing off the things she expected to happen from now on.

Hibiki shook her head in denial, having nothing to say.

"Good," Miku replied happily. "Now, I think I'm going to do what I want from now on."

Hibiki looked confused. "And what would that be-"

She was silenced as Miku's lips met her own again. Kissing her much more deeply, Hibiki threw away any notion of letting go and wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her even closer. Miku threw her arms around her neck, this time passion taking over between the two of them.

The excited spectators continued watching in awe. "Holy crap," Kuriyo murmured. "This is actually happening."

"Of course it is," Shiori said to her. "I told you it would. Which means...I think someone owes me five thousand yen."

Kuriyo froze as she remembered their bet from long ago. "Oh crap?"

"Eh?" Kirika let out, half listening to the two and half concentrating on the duo on the pier.

"Andou-san and I made a bet, you see, as to when those two would finally get together; she said before the end of the year, and I said after the start of the new one. Looks like I won by an hour's margin."

"Guh," Kuriyo let out, defeated.

Chris, for once, didn't freak out completely. Her usual catchphrase of telling them to do that at home wasn't appropriate here, not like this.

"I'm glad," Maria said with a smile. "I'm glad those two...finally joined their hearts together."

"You say that as if they weren't already," Tsubasa replied. "This final step is just a formality at this point. Those two...they needed this."

"Yes...they did."

There wasn't anything more to say or do. Pushing off the wall she had been leaning against, Tsubasa made her way back to the cafeteria, with Maria joining her.

The night was no longer cold. Finally letting their feelings take hold, the two remained locked together for quite some time.

And so they would be for the foreseeable future.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally pulled back, and put their foreheads together. And Miku, having waited so long, finally found the chance to say the words with all her heart.

"Welcome home, Hibiki."

There wasn't anything else Hibiki could say in response.

Because her heart was now...truly at peace.

"I'm back, Miku."