"What a year, huh." The black-haired girl donning red overalls mused as she relaxed atop her apartment's rooftop with her music partner.

"You're telling me. To think we'd get that far, meeting all those amazing artists, and getting in a bit of trouble along the way." The blonde in a white dress replied with a smile.

"It was so much fun."

"You said it." Carole opened a can of bubble tea before handing it to Tuesday. "So, whatcha gonna do now?"

"Huh? As in?"

"What I mean is, are you gonna reconcile with your family anytime soon? It seemed like your mom had a change of heart after she dropped out of the race."

"Ahh well…" Tuesday took a moment to reflect before providing her answer. "I'll talk with her when the time comes. When that time is, I don't know. But I'm not ready just yet…"

"Fair enough." The keyboardist sat down on the metal staircase that overlooked Alba City, patting the stair to her left before the guitarist joined her. "As for me, I'm thinking of getting back into some part time work. The rent is due pretty soon after all."

"I can-"

"No thanks." Carole laughed while gently elbowing her friend. "You've helped me enough already as it is. I need to take responsibility for my own business now."

"Oh, I see…" Tuesday took a sip of her bubble tea. "It's hard to believe you're the same age as me."

"Haha, what are you talking about?"

"You're so much more mature and independent compared to me. You got your own place, you're unapologetic about what you believe in, and get right back up with a smile despite constantly being fired from every job you work."

Carole couldn't help but laugh harder at her friend's description of her, with the blonde sitting by with a perplexed expression of what she found so funny.

"You didn't have to say that last comment. But hey, that's what I like about you Tuesday." The brown-haired girl put an arm around the blonde, embracing her close as she rested her head on her shoulder. "You can be rash at times, you're pretty sheltered, incredibly introverted; the complete opposite of me."

"And I have never related more with someone in my entire life. All those things you're insecure about: your upbringing, your timidness, your bursts of frustration. I love all of that about you."

Tuesday let the words of her music partner set in, as a few sparks of fireworks lit up the night sky over the river that divided the pair from the city across. A moment of euphoria washed over her as she remembered when Carole showed her this view the first day they met.

"Hey Carole…?" The blonde finally spoke up shyly as she glanced at the black-haired girl, still resting on her shoulder.

"Mhm?"

"This is just the beginning, right? Our story is far from over. Right?"

The keyboardist took the guitarist's hand before holding it tight, the pair's faces lighting up with magentas and greens.

"Heh, are you kidding? We didn't make it this far together just to stop now." Carole, still holding Tuesday's hand, held both their arms up in the air. "We're not stopping until every person both on Mars and Earth knows our songs."

The blonde couldn't help but giggle at her extroverted music partner's bold, almost unrealistic declaration. After all they accomplished with the short time they've been together though, she knew it was possible. No, it was going to happen.

"But for now..." The keyboardist lowered their arms back down to the blonde's lap. "Let's take it easy for a bit. Cool?"

Tuesday took her turn to relax, setting her bubble tea aside and resting her head on Carole's lap as the fireworks increased in color and beauty. She was right, there wasn't any rush to kick off an interplanetary music conquest anytime soon.

Plus, after doing nothing but music since they've known each other, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy the simpler moments of their dynamic. Whether the mundane conversations of what they should eat for dinner or a moment of joy like this as Alba City lit up with a thousand colors. As long as it was with Carole, that's all that mattered.

"Mmm. Very cool."