Mizuki sighed heavily, staring at the paper in her hand for the third time in the past minute. As a third year approaching the latter half of the first semester, it was very apparent to her just how busy her study schedule would become in the incoming months. The center exam was less than eight months away, and shortly after that would be the secondary exam.
But the paper in her hand wasn't in regards to the exams. Or perhaps it was…but not directly. It was something that she felt far less prepared to address at this very moment.
Career selection forms.
"Mizuki, we're about to do mock interviews with Kirisu Sensei!" One of her friends ran up to her desk with anticipating eyes. "Have you filled out your form yet?"
"Y-yeah…pretty much."
"Of course you did. I mean you have such good grades for nearly every subject except Japanese. I'm pretty sure you could get into any college you wanted as long as it's not…literature or something."
Mizuki nodded slowly, trying to stifle the heavy disappointment from the last part.
"R-right…" she said, so softly she doubted anyone around her would hear. She turned her head slowly to the window, peering at her reflection with a silent stare. She had finally been given the opportunity to make an official career commitment, a privilege that only those approaching the end of high school really had. For the longest time, she had been looking forward to this moment…a chance to finally show that she was ready to grow up…but now…in her mind…her mind was in dissonance, wandering the single path that her heart thought was the right choice...but only able to find hesitance in her head.
Why was it so hard for her to just write it down?
The door to their classroom opened, and her homeroom teacher signaled her to follow her into the hallway.
"Oh, looks like you're up," her friend said chirpily. "Good luck! I hear Kirisu Sensei is pretty nice when it comes to interviews."
As the girl said this, Mizuki smiled thinly. It was quite the opposite from what she had heard. Nariyuki had once told her that Kirisu sensei was a very strict and professional teacher who wasn't afraid to be direct on how she felt about career choices. She had heard similar things from previous upperclassmen, all of them saying that the woman was somewhat of an ice queen.
She had no idea who to believe in this situation.
"I sure hope so…"
Mizuki left the classroom, following her homeroom teacher downstairs to the counseling room where the interviews were being held. This room was usually only open for individual advising and parent teacher conferences, but for this specific time of the year, students would often frequent it for open advice on university exams, mock interviews falling similarly under that category. She dreaded it somewhat, her memories of the room uneasy. During her first parent teacher conference here, she had stated at the time that she would have no trouble in deciding a major for university admissions. Three months later and her career form was still left incomplete…disappointingly. If there was any comfort from her predicament…it was the fact that she knew that Nariyuki had also been unsure of his future career around this time as well.
Though unlike him…her issue was more so because of her cowardice.
Her lamenting was put on hold as she knocked on the door of the counseling room, and a feminine voice from inside responded accordingly.
"Come in."
Mizuki opened the door and entered the room. Her eyes immediately set on the pink haired woman sitting at the other end of the room. She was strikingly young, probably in her late twenties or early thirties. Even with that notion in her mind, it didn't stop the woman's air of regality to seep into Mizuki's bones fully.
Their gazes met, and Mizuki bowed hurriedly.
"H-hello Sensei, T-thank you for having me," she said as politely as she could.
Kirisu nodded and motioned a hand towards the chair sitting across from her desk.
"Take a seat."
Mizuki did what she was told and seated herself promptly. All the while, her gaze remained on Kirisu Sensei, doing her best to maintain her composure as the woman examined her student record in silence. The subtle emotions on the woman's face seemed near to impossible to discern, especially with how stoically she seemed to present herself.
"Mizuki Yuiga," Kirisu said to break the silence. "Yuiga…are you perhaps related to Nariyuki Yuiga by any chance?"
Mizuki blinked at the observation before answering calmly. "Y-yes. He's my older brother. He used to go to school here about four years ago."
Kirisu nodded slowly.
"Understood. Well…you must take after him quite well. Your grades are very well rounded just like his were around this time…with the exception of Japanese." Mizuki chuckled awkwardly at the woman's words. The initial compliment made her happy, but the second half of it no doubt brought forth a bit of shame to her conscience. "You have plenty of choices that you could pursue for a major," the woman continued accordingly, "Could you list to me the top choices from your career form?"
All at once, Mizuki felt herself go still as she looked to the ground guiltily.
"A-actually…Sensei. I…haven't been able to fill it out yet…"
Kirisu blinked.
"Not even one?"
A pause…and she shook her head meekly.
Kirisu peered at her for a few more moments before nodding. "Acknowledged. Mock interviews are typically conducted for a selected career or department, but for your case, we can go ahead and try a more generalized one to help you prepare for overall university admissions. If that's alright with you."
"Y-yes." Mizuki said with relief, grateful for the thoughtful adjustment offered for her. "T-thank you…"
Once again, Kirisu nodded, and with a pen and paper prepared in hand, she looked to her pointedly. "Are you ready to begin?"
Taking a breath to herself, Mizuki nodded back an affirmative.
"Ready."
"Why do you want to attend college, Miss Yuiga?"
Already, a tough first question. Broader questions typically meant a higher demand for unique answers.
And quite frankly…Mizuki wasn't sure if hers encompassed that quality.
"Well…I think college is important for many reasons. Financial gain, long term career stability. Ever since I was a child, I've been encouraged by my family to pursue a higher level of education. My mother has worked so hard to provide that sort of future for me and my siblings…and so…I don't want to let all her hard work go to waste."
It was a prepared answer. She had rehearsed it many times before for scenarios such as this, but if she was perfectly honest with herself, she knew that it was…lacking. Attending college so that she wouldn't let her parents down…wasn't that a natural feeling to have for nearly all children? It was a politically correct response that she hoped would be enough to get her by.
And well…as for what she herself wanted to get out of college…
She didn't feel quite confident enough to say.
"What kind of person do you see yourself as in ten years?" Kirisu continued without delay.
Again. Another difficult question. And this time…Mizuki found herself somewhat stumped for an answer. What kind of person she saw herself to be in ten years..? She didn't even have a concrete answer for that for the present time.
"I uhm…well…I suppose I would like to see myself be successful. I would hope that I'd be excelling in my chosen career field at that time, and if I'm working hard enough…I'm sure that results will follow. If it's ten years from now…then I would also hope to be more mature as well. I mean…I'd be an adult by then…so yeah…that would be one thing I'd expect out of myself."
Once the words left her mouth, she let out a mental sigh, chasting herself. It was such a boring answer, enough to make her feel like slapping herself. Everything that she had said…it was like she was doing her best to avoid getting marks off on an evaluation instead of truly answering from her heart. Maturity in ten years..? Who wouldn't expect that from their future self?
"Last question." Kirisu said stolidly, and her eyes rose from the sheet to meet her own.
"Who is your biggest role model?"
Mizuki's eyes went wide, taken aback by the unexpected topic. She had expected the interview to be finished off with a question more about…her own qualities…maybe in regards to her strengths and weaknesses…but…her role model?
Her initial answer was obvious, her mother and Nariyuki. Since as far as back as she could remember, the two of them had always been there to look after her. After her father passed away, her mother worked day and night to make sure there was a roof over their heads. She was always cheerful, making sure those around her were smiling as well. Nariyuki was just as hardworking. He was always taking care of her, Kazuki, and Hazuki whenever their mother couldn't. He was caring, always doing his best to support the family in any way he could. They were the precise reason that she had learned how to help out in the household too. To take care of the family just as responsibly.
But for this…for an interview on her aspirations for college…for her own self evaluation on her hopes for the future.
Another familiar face came to her mind clearly.
"M-my tutor…for my Japanese class…is someone that I've been inspired by a lot lately," she answered steadily. She's a lot older than me…but we're…good friends. She's also my…" She was about to say 'sister in law', but she remembered Nariyuki's plea to refrain from using the label prematurely. "She's really close to our family," she said instead. "And she's always helping me with my Japanese homework even though she's so busy with her own college work. It's thanks to her that my grade for the class has been slowly getting better. She's extremely hardworking, and I'm always moved by how passionate and wholehearted she is as a person. She's a big reason as to why I feel like I'm able to look forward to college…even though I'm not quite decided on a major yet. I'm not sure if I'll be able to…but I want to one day be just as dedicated as she is to her dream. For me…she's someone that I aspire to be like…someone who refuses to be anyone else but herself."
The memory of the words that Fumino had said next to Nariyuki at their father's grave came to the forefront of her mind, and she smiled pleasantly and hopefully at the thought.
"I want to be happy being my own person...just like her."
She was silent afterward. Her body felt like it was in a rush, as if she had spent her entire body speaking just now. She reflected on her words, surprisingly content with her answer, but also coming to the shocking conclusion that she had somehow answered the previous two questions without even realizing it. Why she wanted to attend college…How she saw herself in the foreseeable future…
All of the answers were solely found in her heartfelt retelling of Fumino.
It was then that Mizuki's face fell as she remembered that a present issue still remained. Even if she had answered all of Kirisu's questions appropriately, she still didn't have a career commitment decided. Kirisu's focus was still set on writing down her response on the evaluation sheet, maintaining her usual unreadable expression.
She couldn't help but feel guilty for making the woman go out of her way to accommodate her for her indecision.
"S-sorry…" Mizuki finally said quietly to break the silence. "I know I'm making this much harder for you for not being able to decide on a major yet. It can't be easy giving advice for someone with no committed career path. I-I'll try to fill out the form as soon as I can," she said as a promise.
Kirisu looked up from her desk with a blink, seemingly surprised by her apology, but overall the woman remained relatively unfazed.
"Unnecessary," she said straightforwardly. "You certainly aren't the first student I've encountered who was undecided." Mizuki froze at the admission, and Kirisu continued calmly. "You're a very capable young woman, Yuiga-san. I see a lot of maturity in you, and you're clearly adept at speaking in a cohesive manner. I don't see you having any trouble for future interviews. In regards to your major selection, I am not too worried. So long as you understand what you want for your future then I believe everything will turn out fine. Don't rush yourself into making a decision."
Kirisu's eyes met hers again, and behind those placid orbs, Mizuki saw a great deal of gentleness this time.
"Take your time to think about it."
Mizuki stared for a few moments, silent, but eventually she nodded slowly, feeling the weight on her chest lift slightly from Kirisu's words. "R-right…thank you, Sensei."
Kirisu nodded in acknowledgement, and immediately after, the woman's gaze returned back to the paperwork on her desk, most likely in preparation for the next student's interview.
Her eyes remained fixed on the woman. She should leave. It was clear that she had already been dismissed, but even so…a curiosity still lingered on the tip of her tongue, one that seemed to find its way to her voice without much resistance.
"Kirisu Sensei," she said before she could stop herself.
The woman's eyes rose again, meeting hers in question.
"Yes?"
"I know this is weird to ask…but…were you always like this?" She asked quietly.
Kirisu tilted her head in confusion, and Mizuki by return felt her cheeks heat up in hot embarrassment.
'What am I even saying?! At least be a little more specific!"
"S-sorry!" She quickly tried correcting herself. "What I mean is…well…I've heard from…past alumni that you were a very hard to approach teacher…and well…I just didn't expect you to be so…nice."
'Great…smooth.'
She was being absolutely ridiculous. She was a student for crying out loud. Why was she asking such an informal question to a teacher that she barely knew?
Mizuki glanced at Kirisu, who was still silent over the matter. The awkwardness from the whole situation she forced herself into was beginning to get the better of her, and she was prepared to apologize for asking such a silly question.
But at the very last second…the woman spoke up unexpectedly.
"I have a friend…an old student of mine…who helped me change." Kirisu said quietly.
Already surprised that she received a reply in the first place, Mizuki found herself even more stupefied by the sheer amount of shyness in the woman's voice, but even so, the current history teacher continued with a reminiscent expression. "I've…always been rather distant with people…but she was one of the first few people to really help me open up as a teacher. Back when the girl was still enrolled here…she had chosen to pursue a study that she struggled a great deal with in terms of performance. I discouraged her…and I tried to dissuade her away from her passion. I thought it was better for her to stick with where her talents lied…but in the end…she proved me wrong. She made her dream come true…and now she's on her way to work in one of the most prestigious institutions for her chosen study. She believed in herself to become her own person…just like your tutor that you mentioned in your interview earlier."
Mizuki's eyes went wide at the comment. She hadn't failed to notice it either...that the girl being spoken of seemed pretty similar to Fumino. It was honestly comforting…to know that there were more people out there just as passionate as her blue-haired role model. Mizuki let herself smile, and her eyes focused back onto Kirisu, absorbed deeply in the woman's retelling.
"She had every reason to hate me…and for a while…I was ashamed to be in her presence. I didn't think it was possible that she would be able to forgive me…but…to my surprise…after she graduated…it was her who ended up approaching me first one day." Kirisu smiled softly as her heart settled happily on her next words. "She told me that she wanted to be friends with me…that she wanted to spend more time with me. When I told her that there was no way a teacher could be friends with a student…she told me that I was wrong…that I was a person that all sorts of people wanted to be friends with. I've never had anyone say that to me before…and…after that…I started to see my role as a teacher a little bit differently. I started…opening up a little bit more."
As reserved as she was, it was undeniably there this time around…the earnesty, and Kirisu's expression softened in sincerity.
"I want to try to better understand my students. I want to get to know them better. I was shown by someone wonderful that it isn't right to try to control who they want to be as people…and so…I try to listen to them more now…and do my best to see them for who they are."
"Because after all…"
Kirisu's eyes glanced up at hers as she smiled honestly.
"That's what she did for me."
It seemed like forever as Mizuki stared speechlessly at the current history teacher. She was enamored, both by the story as well as the heartfelt emotions written on the woman's face. It was definitely the most open she had ever seemed to feel towards a teacher.
Kirisu finally seemed to snap out of her stupor as she blushed and forced her composure back to its normal state. "I've talked for much too long. There are still more interviews I need to conduct. M-my apologies for getting so carried away."
Mizuki started at that, and in the next moment, she was immediately shaking her head to reassure the woman. "N-no…thank you for sharing that with me, Kirisu Sensei. I really appreciate the time that you've given me."
"And…"
"Your friend sounds like a wonderful person," she said with a happy smile. "I hope you two stay close."
This time it was Kirisu's eyes that shot wide. Mizuki bowed her head, and bid the woman farewell. Though if she had stayed a little bit longer in the room, she would've seen Kirisu's reaction to her previous sentiment.
The woman looked out the window and smiled softly.
"I'm sure we will…"
"Eh? Mizuki wants to study literature?"
Nariyuki had just picked her up from the train station following her return from school for the week. It was still bright out, three hours past noon. She usually returned home later on Fridays due to her job at the school's research department, but thankfully she had a lucky day off this time around, and so of course she had returned home early to see Nariyuki sooner. It had been only joy and warmth once they saw each other again, and with the destination of Nariyuki's house in mind, their conversation had naturally shifted to his family members, and subsequently Mizuki.
Specifically her presumed choice for a career path.
"I'm not one hundred percent sure, but it's…just a feeling," Nariyuki said ruminatively. "I happened to walk by her room one time, and she was looking up schools with undergraduate programs for literature and Japanese majors. I haven't really seen her research about anything else…but then again I could just be overthinking things…"
"I see…" Fumino smiled somewhat reminiscently as she thought back on her own time as a third year. "I guess it is about time for them to start filling out career selection forms, huh."
Nariyuki nodded in agreement before his expression fell somewhat. "Honestly…I've tried asking her more about it…but we've both been so busy. She's either too tired to talk to me, or she simply doesn't want to. I think she's not really comfortable speaking about it…"
Fumino's eyes widened at Nariyuki's assessment. She hadn't yet had the opportunity to have a concrete conversation with Mizuki either regarding her career commitment, but with the many hints arising in their interactions, she had a feeling that the girl had a growing desire for the study.
"I...have noticed that she seems to be a lot more enthusiastic when studying for her Japanese exams as of late…but she always told me that it was because she was excited to spend time with me…" she said with a hint of embarrassment.
"I would say it's clearly both. It's not just me that you've been able to inspire so firmly over the years," Nariyuki said matter-of-factly. Fumino blushed heavily in reply, but she smiled despite herself. She never thought that she could be anyone's inspiration…but Nariyuki always made a point in telling her so, and quite frankly…there was no other sentiment that she could have felt more mutual over.
"Maybe I'll ask her about it today…" She said shyly. "Though I don't know if I should intrude if she's so busy..."
"I wouldn't worry about that. Afterall, you're one of the few people that she'd drop everything for to have a chance to talk to," Nariyuki said with a chuckle.
If it was even possible, her blush deepened even further.
"Y-you're exaggerating..."
"I'm home…" Mizuki said tiredly.
"Hi, Sis!"
Hazuki and Kazuki ran up to hug her legs in greeting, and Mizuki smiled affectionately as she rubbed the top of their heads in reciprocation. The two of them had grown faster than she could truly keep up with. They were already at the height where she no longer needed to fully bend down to hug them.
"Welcome home, dear," Hanae said warmly as she came to greet her at the door as well. "How was your day?"
Mizuki smiled at the concern, "It was alright…" Truthfully, it had been an incredibly arduous day with all the stress of career selections, but after her talk with Kirisu Sensei, she felt a little bit better regarding the matter, though saying that she was fully confident now was definitely a stretch. "I…had a conversation with someone nice today."
"You mean in your mock interview?" Hanae asked curiously.
Mizuki's eyes widened at that.
"H-How did you know that?"
"I know everything sweetheart," the woman replied coolly. Mizuki simply raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with her mother's attempt at being smug, and Hanae could do nothing but chuckle in amusement at the playful exchange.
"I saw the handout for it while I was cleaning your room yesterday," she explained truthfully. "Well? How did it go? Did you decide on a major?"
Mizuki smiled sadly before shaking her head in reply.
"N-not yet…I have an idea…but…honestly I'm not sure if it's the right choice or not."
Hanae nodded in understanding at her answer, which brought a surprising amount of comfort to Mizuki. She should've expected it given how good natured of a parent her mother was, but it seemed that receiving any sort of assurance from anyone for this sort of thing was a surprise to her at this point.
"You remember what I told you at the parent teacher conference right? As long as it's something that you want to do then Mommy will be here to support you."
Mizuki smiled softly at the familiar words. "I know…"
"And don't feel too bad. Nariyuki was pretty clueless around this time too. It's a very difficult decision, so don't feel rushed to choose. Sometimes talking to other people is a great way for you to find answers."
The woman then looked to her with a knowing smile.
"And you clearly have someone that you can talk to it about."
Mizuki blinked at the suggestion. Her mind attempted to fill in the blanks on its own, and she looked away guiltily at the possibility of approaching Nariyuki over the matter.
"Nariyuki is really busy…it's a very important time for him with his internship and all. I don't want to trouble him with something that I should really be figuring out on my own," she said meekly.
"Actually, I think it's precisely something that he would love to help you with. But that's not exactly who I was referring to anyway."
Mizuki tilted her head in confusion.
"Then who-"
"Big Sis Fumino!"
The sound of the front door sliding open and the cheers of her younger siblings interrupted her. Had she heard correctly? She didn't want to get ahead of herself, but once Nariyuki and Fumino came into view at the entrance of their home, Mizuki's suspicions were confirmed positively.
In a matter of seconds, her troubles from earlier were forgotten, and she sprinted to the door to greet the older girl.
"Fumino!"
*pomf*
"Mizuki…" Fumino replied, surprised by the sudden hug.
"You're back so early today! I usually don't get to see you until Saturday!" Mizuki said excitedly while taking the older girl's hands into her own.
"Hehe, I had a lucky day off from work today," she explained. Once Mizuki heard this, she pouted at Nariyuki, who's attention was still on Hazuki and Kazuki from their usual greeting. She reached over and pulled on the boy's ear to get his attention.
"Why didn't you tell me that Fumino was coming back early today?"
"Ow!" Nariyuki jolted away, and rubbed his reddened ear. "I just found out yesterday too."
"Hmph. Well since you walked her back from the station you've clearly met your quota for your time spent with her. That means you can take Kazuki and Hazuki to the park so I can have my share right?"
Nariyuki sighed with a pout of his own. "Sometimes I feel like you completely forget that I'm her boyfriend."
A fair point, but Mizuki offered nothing more but a prayer-like gesture in appreciation before waving her hand towards the door. "Shoo shoo."
Nariyuki shook his head with a chuckle before looking to Fumino and smiling.
"See? Anything to talk to you."
Fumino giggled brightly in reply, and sure enough, she shooed Nariyuki away playfully as well.
"How have you been? It feels like forever since I last saw you!" Mizuki asked excitedly. Now that they were in her room together, they had much a larger semblance of privacy. The opportunities that she had to catch up with Fumino were seldom throughout the year, so she was truly grateful for these sorts of moments.
"It's been great actually," Fumino said with a smile. "I'm mostly just trying to get through my classes for the remaining year. I know I only need to pass really for what's left, but it's a pretty hard task when all is said and done…"
"Nariyuki tells me that you're still aiming for all A's though. Honestly I'm not too surprised…but…you've already worked so hard for pretty much the entirety of your time in college. You should take some time for yourself and relax once in a while if you can afford it, right?"
Fumino smiled softly, averting her gaze as she did so.
"I suppose…but there's still so much I need to do. I don't know how much of it will really translate to what I need at the NAO, but if any of my classes have anything related to astronomy, then I want to try my best to learn all of it."
And then…
"I want to be able to spend my time at the facility as prepared as I can be, so that when the time comes…I'll be able to make all the discoveries possible."
Mizuki stared with a blank gaze, taking in the resolute expression on the girl's face in its entirety.
Her lips curled upward tenderly.
"Of course you would say something like that…"
"L-Like what?"
Mizuki shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just…happy is all..." She finished quietly. Fumino smiled at her timidness, and before she knew it, the girl scooted closer to her so that they were touching shoulder to shoulder.
"What about you? Is everything going alright at school?"
Mizuki blinked before nodding with a smile, happy by the girl's honest concern for her.
"It's been alright. With entrance exams coming up next semester, it's definitely starting to get really busy. Thanks to your help, my grade in my Japanese class is slowly getting better as well, but it's still not where I'd like it to be. We've been having a lot of essays lately so I've mostly been having a hard time with those…"
Fumino giggled. "Essays are always a bit tricky to do well on."
"Right?! I just don't get it…it's like whenever I'm about to write, I just lose myself to whatever I want to write instead of what maybe the teacher is expecting me to write. I haven't been able to get a decent grade on an assignment in forever…" She trailed off somewhat shamefully.
Once the words left her mouth, Mizuki was once again reminded of her incomplete career selection form and all the emotions of insecurity that came with it. She wanted to say something about it…but when she remembered that it was Fumino sitting next to her…she felt the shame around her heart grip even tighter, holding her courage at bay.
'There's no way that I can tell her…that I want to study literature…'
"Do you mind if I read one?"
A pause, and Mizuki's eyes went wide.
"H-huh?" Fumino eyed her backpack, and she quickly put one and two together. "Oh…I don't think you'd want to. My teacher basically only took marks off on my last one…" She said in embarrassment.
Fumino, however, was immediately shaking her head to reassure her. "It's okay. I won't try to grade it."
The girl smiled encouragingly.
"I just want to see who you are as a writer."
…
Mizuki peered at her for a long moment, a strange mix of emotions churning within. She hoped Fumino didn't see her swallow the lump in her throat. The girl had no idea, clearly. There was no way that she was aware of it…her growing passion in writing, and just how afraid she herself was to confront it.
And yet…the way Fumino was looking at her so warmly…Mizuki felt…comforted. That perhaps…she could be honest. Turning to reach into her bag, she pulled out her most recent essay and handed it to the girl with a tentative expression.
"I…wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you."
Fumino giggled, but again she smiled at her comfortingly, a look that Mizuki was now sure that she had come to yearn for. The older girl's eyes fell to the paper in her hand and she started to read.
The tension was palpable, and Mizuki could do nothing but wait in silence. She tried preparing herself for all the possible reactions…all the possible corrections that the girl would no doubt point out to her. It was one of her lowest scores on her essays, afterall.
She had honestly been shocked when she had received the result back. During the time of writing it, she had been thrilled by the prompt for the assignment; a short story that addresses the topic of motivation and ambition. She had thought that she had written it well. It was one of the times where everything just seemed to…flow. She had been confident that her grade would at least be higher than the last.
Fumino's eyes were nearing the end of the paper, and Mizuki prepared her heart for the worst. There was no doubt about it. It was inevitable….the disappointment that was sure to follow on her reader's face.
But it never came.
Instead…Fumino's eyes were bright.
Wondrous and sparkling.
"I love it!" She said cheerily.
"R-really?"
"Mhm. It's really beautifully written!" The girl added on with a heartfelt beam, further contributing to Mizuki's disbelief. "I can tell that there was a lot of thought that went into your narrative. I especially liked the part where you talked about the feelings that come with self discovery. You used a lot of inspiring emotions which really hit home with me as a reader!"
"But…my sensei said-"
"Don't worry," Fumino reached out to hold the both of her hands. "Teachers are usually just really picky on what thematic elements to use. Not everyone has the same taste for writing, so don't take it to heart. To me, this is a wonderful essay." The girl then brought their hands to her chest and smiled honestly.
"You're an amazing writer, Mizuki!"
Amazing. Of all the things she had expected…Fumino called her writing amazing. She was relieved…inexplicably so, and thanks to the girl's kindhearted words, Mizuki's doubt from sharing her true feelings earlier dissipated in an instant.
Fumino deserved to know.
"Thank you, Fumino…it really means a lot to me to hear you say that," she said with a voice that was somehow both earnest and vulnerable. Her eyes fell to their held hands as she smiled wistfully. "To be honest…I actually had an idea for my career selection forms today. Ever since you've started helping me understand literature more clearly, I've really been thinking about committing to it as a major. It's really interesting…and…honestly I have a lot of fun writing my own stories."
"But…"
Her face fell sadly.
"I don't think I can study it. There aren't that many jobs for Japanese majors outside of being a reporter and a teacher…and there are even less for literature majors. I think being an author would be amazing…but…I can't imagine myself being successful in it. I'm not talented. I take too long to formulate ideas…and I still haven't managed to score an A on a single essay. To be an author…to be able to make an actual living off of writing…everyone I've heard about it from says that I need to be perfect."
She pulled her hands away from the older girl and her gaze fell to the floor crestfallen.
"And…I'm clearly far from that…"
The beat of silence that followed bore on her heart heavily. She couldn't raise her eyes. Even if she wanted to, Mizuki couldn't bring herself to meet Fumino's gaze.
All she could do was wait for a reply.
And surely enough…
The girl's voice reached her.
"You know…I used to feel the same way about astronomy…about having to be perfect…I still do sometimes."
Fumino's steady voice surprised her. It was calm…reflective…and more than anything, there was a similar vulnerability to it that she herself had just spoken with a few moments ago. The notion stirred her, and Mizuki was able to bring her gaze forward this time as Fumino continued with a thoughtful expression. "It's hard trying to shut it out…the feelings of doubt, the fear of not being able to compare to others. There are so many amazing people in the world…and it feels like the pool of talent for any career just keeps on growing. It's only natural for us to question our ability, especially when our shortcomings become apparent. At my internship at the NAO a couple months ago…I was barely able to keep up with the program. In the end, I did get the offer, but I heard from my mentor that nearly every other employee in the past that had received a job through the internship program had gotten through it without much of a struggle. I was the least efficient with my progress, and in terms of talent right now…it's pretty clear that I'm at the bottom amongst all my future coworkers. I think I'm the only one in the history of the organization who received a warning for a midway expulsion just because of how slow I was at completing assignments…" The girl admitted with an embarrassed chuckle.
Their eyes met again, and this time the bashfulness from Fumino was gone. In its place rested an unflinching resolve. Powerful…yet so very gentle.
"But Mizuki…no matter how much failure tries to scare me…no matter how incapable I may feel sometimes…I won't let it slow me down. Earlier I said that I'm trying my best to get A's in my classes right now…but it's not so I can catch up to my coworkers. It's because doing my best for something that I love…is the person that I only ever want to be. Anything else and I'd be betraying everything that Nariyuki believed in me for." Fumino's expression softened as she blushed lightly at the thought of the boy. "Ever since we've met…he's always trusted me…believed in me. I still remember the night when we were at the field together for the first time…when I was too scared to confront my dad about my dream. That night…was when I felt my doubt at its worst…but even when I felt like there was no hope…even when I thought that there was no way that I could stand up to my dad…Nariyuki still believed in me. He reminded me just who I was as a person…"
Fumino's eyes then looked to hers intently, shining with affection from the memory, and Mizuki swore her heart skipped a beat from the sight alone.
"He reminded me…just how much my love for the stars…came from the heart."
Mizuki could only stare silently in response, dumbfounded. Her chest was aching with a steady emotion, something akin to…hope, but before she could even truly settle on the feeling, Fumino was reaching for her hands, bringing them even closer to her chest than before.
"Mizuki…" The girl started again gently. "I'm not an author…but from one person with a dream to another…I can tell just how much your writing comes from your heart. You probably don't get to see yourself…but lately…you've always been smiling whenever you're studying literature. You might see that as a small detail…but to me…that's one of the most beautiful things in the world." Mizuki's eyes widened for what felt like the tenth time that day as Fumino's grasp continued to tighten around her hands. "You love writing…and no one should ever be able to take that feeling away from you. Whether it's one or one hundred obstacles lying in front of you…if it means being able to confront your passion with open eyes…I have no doubt that you'll be able to overcome them with a smile. This is your life to live and no one else's. You don't have to be anyone else but the person that makes you the most happy..."
Faith.
Unadulterated belief that she could.
Fumino's golden eyes bore into hers and Mizuki felt her heart still in anticipation.
"So go chase your dream, Mizuki…with everything you got."
…
The feeling in her chest was clear now. Joy. Elation. All the positivity that could constitute hope. It was undoubtedly there…steering her forward with purpose.
And it was the most relieved Mizuki felt in her entire life.
Lunging forward, she wrapped her arms tightly around Fumino's neck.
"Thank you, Fumino…" she whispered, voice thick with heartfelt emotion. "And…"
"I love you, Sis…"
"S-sis?!" Fumino blushed heavily at the labeling. "T-that's…"
Mizuki blushed herself as she averted her gaze shyly.
"S-sorry…I've been wanting to call you that seriously for quite some time…i-is it still too early..?" She asked with tentative eyes.
The older girl blinked twice, and for a moment, Mizuki felt herself panic, afraid that she had stepped a bit too far forward with her request this time.
But eventually…
…much to her undying relief…
Fumino smiled back fondly.
"I'd be happy for you to call me that," she answered warmly, scooting even closer to her to the point where they were practically cuddling. "Though let's keep it between just you and me, okay? I think Nariyuki might get the wrong idea about…you know…"
The boy in question took the time then to stick his head through the doorway.
"Get the wrong idea about what?"
"AH!"
"Ow…"
Nariyuki rubbed his ear tenderly as Fumino examined it closely.
"At least the redness has died down a bit…"
"Jeez…I didn't think she'd go for the same ear twice in one day…"
Fumino giggled lightheartedly at the adorable pout on Nariyuki's face. Following his interruption of her and Mizuki's conversation, the latter had proceeded to reprimand her older brother for barging in on their 'precious moment'. In his defense, Nariyuki had stated that he hadn't been eavesdropping, and that he had simply heard his name being called while walking by the room. It did little to help his case against the younger girl's assault on his already sensitive left ear.
"I told you in our feminie psychology lessons, remember? Some days girls just have unpredictable mood swings…especially those in high school," Fumino reminded sagely.
"I still don't understand why that is…"
"Some things are better left unexplained," she said with an embarrassed smile.
Nariyuki chuckled in reply, and in the next moment, he shared a playful glance with her.
"I still have a lot to learn, don't I, Professor Furuhashi?"
Bubbly laughter escaped her lips at the familiar title, and shortly after, Nariyuki joined in on her mirth wholeheartedly. It was so effortless, finding the ample joy throughout their exchanges like this. He was simply walking her back to her house like any other date they had in the past, but every moment spent with Nariyuki always seemed to feel like a special experience altogether.
A comfortable silence fell over them as they continued walking hand in hand.
Until…
"Thank you, Fumino."
She blinked, taken aback by the unforeseen gratitude. "What for?"
"'You don't have to be anyone else but the person that makes you most happy.'" Nariyuki quoted her words from earlier. "I don't think you realize just how happy I was to hear you say those words to Mizuki..."
"So you were listening in on us, huh," Fumino said with an amused smile.
Nariyuki chuckled sheepishly. "If I told Mizuki the truth, she'd probably go for my other ear too."
"I think that'd be letting you off easy," she teased, and another laugh escaped the boy's lips in response. "And…it was nothing really. Even if I didn't get to talk to her today…I'm sure you would've expressed the same thing to her eventually."
"Perhaps…but definitely not as eloquently as you," he admitted truthfully. Fumino blushed at the praise, but before she could come up with a reply, Nariyuki continued with a soft smile in his voice. "And…I'm glad it was you. You're her tutor, afterall. Seeing you encourage her the same way you've always done for me...and being able to see the joy on her face afterwards…it makes me hopeful that I'll be able to witness the same joy on all of my future students' faces too."
He squeezed her hand affectionately, and smiled with heartening belief.
"It made me look forward to my own dream just that much more," he finished firmly.
Looking up at Nariyuki's face, with her breath in her throat, Fumino was reminded of fateful words that the boy had uttered during his father's Meinichi a few months back.
'I'm going to be there for all of them, Dad…because that's the kind of person that I want to be.'
With a smile equally as promising, she brought her hands up to caress Nariyuki's cheeks lovingly.
"I can't wait to meet them…and hear just how supportive they think their sensei is."
"Only if I'm allowed to tell them just how brilliant of an astronomer you are beforehand," he returned sweetly. Fumino giggled, and with time slowing between them, they rested their heads against each other, sharing mutual smiles of contentment.
It was a single exchange. One throughout the entire day in the many weeks of their busy year…but for Fumino and Nariyuki…
It was a moment that would be etched into their hearts without fail.
Afterall…
There were no other two people in the world who loved each other this truly.
A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading this chapter!
Hope you guys are having a great 2022 so far! Always a pleasure to write for you guys. If you enjoyed the read, feel free to drop a review, fav, or follow. Looking forward to giving you guys more fluff for the rest of the year!
Until Next Time!
