AN: IMPORTANT!
This was a double release. If you have not read chapter 30, go do so right now before coming here.
Other than that, there is one suggested song in this chapter. Usually I'd say you can ignore the song suggestions, however just this time I super duper highly recommend to listen to it. Once it starts, listen to it until the end of the chapter.
And well...Ladies and gents, the moment you've all been waiting for and probably saw coming a mile away is now here! I'm super proud to have reached this far in the story, and I'd like to thank everyone who had read it up until now!
And this time, I will beg and ask that you leave reviews and tell me what you think, on this more than any other. Tell me if I did the moment justice.
(Thanks to Lyrical Nonsense for the lyrics!)
Anyway, without further ado, ENJOY!
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…
…
…
…
RING!
No reaction.
RING RING!
"Hnngg…"
RING RING RING RING RING!
"Ugh, shut up…"
RINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRING-
She turned over, and her hand came down atop the alarm clock, stopping its incessant beeping at once. She groggingly opened her eyes, the sight of the familiar ceiling filling her vision. Turning her head slightly to the right, she squinted her eyes at the light coming from the window, focusing on the small LED display of the clock.
"7:30…" She said to herself.
Another morning.
Throwing the covers off herself, she sat at the foot of the bed and stretched, letting out small moans as she felt various joints pop and crack. She rose to her feet, giving one last look at the alarm clock before turning to the door.
She headed downstairs, careful as she went down the steps. Taking a left, she went straight for the place both her parents should be in right now.
Entering the kitchen, she spoke up softly. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."
Her mother, who was cooking by the stove, turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."
She responded with a small smile, and went over to the table, taking a seat next to her father. The man was reading a newspaper with a cover page of something about an economic boom in Europe or something or another, but she couldn't find it in herself to care too much. Once she sat down he tilted it down slightly to meet her gaze. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."
"Yeah," She replied. "I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."
"That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?" He said with a laugh, and she chuckled slightly. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he reached into the shirt pocket of his suit. "Oh, by the way Miku, I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would have guessed that I managed to win."
She tilted her head slightly in confusion as she was handed the aforementioned pair of tickets. She looked them over, blinking rapidly at the shiny gloss they had to them. Looking them over a bit more, she took in the name of the band that was shown on them. "Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?" She asked. She had heard of them, but never listened to any of their songs.
"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."
"Is that so…" She said softly, staring at the tickets with a curious expression.
"Breakfast is ready!" Her mother exclaimed. Deciding to think about them later, she put the tickets to the side as her father folded up the newspaper, putting it to the side as well.
It was the usual breakfast with eggs, ham, and toast, yet despite the simplicity it was still a treat to eat. Her mother made the best food after all.
Before starting however, there was the usual ritual.
"Thanks for the food!" The three said in unison, and began to consume their meal.
All the while, Miku glanced to the tickets here and there, looking at them curiously.
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"You have everything, Miku?" Her mother asked.
"Yes," She answered. After breakfast, getting ready for school was a breeze; she always did so pretty quickly, so today was no different. "I'll be going now."
"Have a nice day!"
She smiled, and turned away, heading down the street. It was a sunny day, with the sun shining brightly above her. The temperature was not high but not low either, and there was no wind to cause her skirt to flap about either.
She looked around, taking in the sight of the houses around her. It was the same as always, the same row of homes that she saw every time she went down this direction. It was in the opposite side of the school, but she had a clear destination in mind.
As there was someone who always failed to get up in the morning by herself.
Speaking of her…
Miku withdrew her phone from her bag, heading over to the section of unsent messages. Upon getting the tickets from her dad, the moment she got her hands on her phone she typed it down yet did not send it.
Navigating to the message once more, she went over it again and read the words to herself.
"Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"
That's all it read. A simple message and nothing more.
And yet, it remained unsent. She put her phone back in her bag and continued her march to her destination. She didn't not live that far away from her, but the whole process of waking her up was an undertaking all on its own.
Well, they had been friends since childhood, so she was used to it by now.
Five minutes later, Miku arrived at her goal. It was an unassuming house, not very different from the rest in this part of the neighbourhood. Placing herself in front of the door, she pressed the doorbell.
DING DONG!
And she waited. Less than a minute later the door opened, and greeting her was a woman she was already used to seeing many times.
"Ah, Miku-chan, good morning!" Harumi said to her. "Please come in."
"Good morning ma'am." She said back with a small bow.
"No need to be so formal, Miku-chan," Harumi half heartedly chastised her. "You're always welcome here."
"It's a habit," Miku answered. "I guess she didn't wake up yet?"
Harumi sighed. "As dead as a log. She really won't wake up if you aren't there. I honestly don't know what to do with her at this point."
Miku took off her shoes and stepped inside. "Well, same as always I guess."
"Yep, same as always."
The two shared a small laugh, and Harumi headed back to the kitchen. Watching her go for brief moment, she turned back and headed up the stairs, and soon found herself in front of the door she was always used to knock on.
Well, no point in doing that now. A habit became a habit, and the one inside wouldn't notice anyway. Opening the door, she headed in, not bothering to close it behind her. She headed to the bed in the corner, and looked down at the sleeping form.
Immediately she began to shake her. "Hibiki, wake up."
Hibiki stirred slightly, mumbling to herself in her sleep. Miku shook her again. "Wake up, we'll be late for school." She said, giving her shake a bit more force this time. Yet, Hibiki still didn't wake up, and Miku's eye twitched as she noticed drool was flowing down the side of Hibiki's mouth.
Deciding to not comment on the unladylike behavior, she shook her again. "H-i-b-i-k-i!"
"Munya~~"
She turned over, exposing her stomach to Miku as her pajamas slid up just a tiny bit too much. Thinking for a moment, Miku smiled mischievously.
Putting both hands on the exposed stomach, she began to tickle her.
"AAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA MIKU STOP AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Too easy.
Miku stepped away as Hibiki shot up in bed, smiling all the while. "Uwaaaa Miku, no bully please~~"
A light plop on her head with her hand shut the chestnut haired girl up. "Come on, we need to go to school. You should be used to this by now you know."
"Yes yes but I wanna sleep moreeeeee. School is boring!"
Miku pouted. "Hibikiiii…"
Noticing Miku's stare, Hibiki recoiled in fear. "Uwa okay okay I'm getting up!"
Yep, same as always.
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"Bye Mom!" Hibiki yelled as she and Miku headed towards the direction of the school.
"Bye! Have a nice day you two!" She yelled back, waving her hand to the two girls. It was the same affair as always with this family, as waking Hibiki up was a difficult task only Miku had managed to accomplish on a regular basis. They had enough time to get to school, but she couldn't be too careful. After all, it really depended on how late Hibiki stayed up every night, and how much time it would take to wake her up would be in accordance to that. Today she was lucky she woke up so quickly.
The two walked together, side by side. Hibiki held her schoolbag in one hand on her left while Miku held her own in front of her with two hands on the straps.
Suddenly, Hibiki raised her free hand to scratch her head. "Oh dang, I don't know what to expect from the test! It was so hard!"
"Well, it was a good thing we studied then." Miku answered plainly.
"I know! It's all thanks to you Miku! You saved my butt again!"
Miku laughed. "Yes yes, as usual. You can repay me with ice cream sometime."
"What?! I thought I could pay you back with hugs!"
"Hugs don't fill an empty stomach. I'd say they fill yours, but then again you're a bottomless pit anyway, so you need both in large quantities." Miku joked.
Hibiki scratched the back of her head again and laughed. "Hehehe yeah. What can I say? I like food!"
"Yes, I know you do. I see how much you eat every day that I think I know your limit better than you do."
"Really?! How much is it?!" Hibiki exclaimed, looking to her excitedly.
"Too much." Was Miku's answer.
"EHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Yes, same routine as always. Well, it was welcome and lighthearted, so it was all good. It was at that moment however that Miku remembered the tickets, and looked to Hibiki.
"Hey, Hibiki?"
"Yeah?"
Miku tried to speak, yet found herself unable to. "Nevermind."
Hibiki tilted her head in question, but did not pry. And so, the two continued to school, chatting as usual.
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"Right on time!" Hibiki yelled happily as she leaped into the classroom. They had around five minutes before class started, and so many of their classmates were already inside, chatting amongst themselves as they waited for the bell, and by extension the teacher to arrive.
"Yo, Tachibana!" One of the others shouted to her. "What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"
Many of the other classmates laughed, making Hibiki flustered. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"
"Yeah it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"
"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."
Miku watched the exchange with a small smile. Yep, Hibiki was fairly popular with her classmates, at least in that regard. Everyone got along pretty well in the class, which made her very happy. In her childhood, Hibiki was just a tad bit too strange for other children, and so somehow Miku ended up being her one and only friend until the first year of middle school. She was glad Hibiki managed to make more friends, as people now were more open to her strange behavior than before.
DING DONG DING!
The ringing of the bell marked the start of class. Quickly filing to their seats, the students sat and waited for the teacher to arrive. About a moment later, the door to the class opened.
A fairly short woman with short black hair and brown eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. Instantly, the class rep stood and began the usual morning ritual. "Rise!"
They all stood. The teacher stood by her table as she waited for it to end. "Bow!"
As one they bowed. "You may sit." The teacher said, and as one they all sat back down. Putting a hand on the stack she brought in, the teacher began. "I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forward to get your test back."
Without waiting a beat, she began to read names off the lists. "Aoba!"
And so, one by one the many students received their results. Miku watched impassively as they went back to their seats, some with dejected expressions and others with smiles on their faces.
Well, she herself had no need to worry. She already knew what to expect anyway.
"Kohinata!"
She stood from her seat and went to the teacher. She flashed her a proud smile, and handed over the test to Miku. "Very well done, Kohinata. Keep up the good work."
Miku glanced at her grade, and was met with the expected sight.
'100'
Too easy. Too predictable.
She bowed, and went back to her seat. Hibiki, sitting a bit further in the back from her, gave her a thumbs up, and Miku flashed back her own small one that the teacher couldn't see. Going back to her seat, she sat back down as the teacher continued to call out names.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Class continued as normal, and the first break arrived. As soon as the bell rang, Hibiki dashed out of her seat and headed towards Miku's.
"Amazing Miku! You always get the best grades!" Hibiki exclaimed in happiness as she sneaked a peek at Miku's test results. "I only got a 75!"
"That's still better than before, right?" Miku said back to her. "You're been working hard too. You need to give yourself more credit."
"But it's all thanks to you Miku! I couldn't have done it without you!" She said, and promptly hugged Miku tightly. She couldn't help but blush at the contact, and several of their classmates laughed at their usual interactions.
"As close as always, aren't you?" One said.
"Yep! Always!" Hibiki answered with a grin.
"Hibiki, I can't breathe…"
"Uwa! Sorry!"
She immediately let her go, and Miku smiled up at her. Once again she remembered the tickets, and spoke up. "Hey, Hibiki…"
"Hm?"
And yet again, was unable to speak. "Nevermind."
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Classes continued as usual, and the school day ended. Quickly finding themselves at the shoe lockers, the two girls put on their outdoors shows, placing the school ones back into their lockers. "Shall we head home?" Miku asked.
"Yep!"
Soon enough, the two headed out of the gate, going in the same direction towards their houses. As usual, they filled the way with the normal chatter, laughing and responding to each other's jokes.
As usual. The same as always.
They stopped by Miku's house, which was the closer one from the school. Taking a few steps forward, Hibiki began to walk in the direction of her own home. "Well, see ya tomorrow Miku! I'll text you later!"
Miku waved back as Hibiki disappeared around the corner. Her hand remained steady in the air for a moment before she sighed deeply, and turned to face the door.
During the entire time they walked back, she found herself unable to bring up the topic of the tickets. Deciding to drop the subject for now, she took her keys out from her bag and unlocked the door.
"I'm home." She announced.
Her mother peeked her head from the living room, and waved to her. "Welcome home Miku! Had a nice day? How did the test go."
"Yes," She answered. "And I got a 100."
"Nice going!" Her mother exclaimed. "Knew you could do it!"
She smiled. Giving her mother no response, she quickly headed up the stairs to her room.
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Night arrived. After eating, taking a shower, and doing her homework, Miku found herself laying in bed, staring at her phone. She had a nice long talk with Hibiki about inane things earlier, and it was all very nice and warm. It was especially long too, and as she flipped through her call log, she noticed that it sat around the three hour mark.
To think Hibiki would have enough patience to stay on the phone for more than five minutes was truly a miracle.
But regardless of that, now was the time for sleep. However, before that…
She opened up her unsent messages, and stared at what she had written earlier in the day. The recipient was obviously Hibiki, as there was no one else she'd have chosen to go with to the concert.
Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, yet she found herself unable to press it. Deciding to drop the matter, she placed her phone down by her nightstand, and with a click turned off the lamp by her bedside.
The room was bathed in comfortable quiet, and as Miku fell asleep, the only thing that filled her heart was sad resignation.
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…
…
…
How many times has it been now?
RING RING RING!
A hand came down atop the alarm clock.
Her eyes opened, and she looked at it to check the time. "7:30…" She mumbled to herself.
Another morning.
She rose from her bed and headed downstairs, not bothering doing anything else. Heading to the kitchen again, she greeted her parents. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."
Her mother, who was cooking by the stove, turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."
A small smile. She went over to the table and sat by her father. The man was reading a newspaper with a cover page of something about an economic boom in Europe or something or another. She didn't care. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."
"Yeah," She replied. "I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."
"That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?" He said with a laugh, and she chuckled slightly. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he reached into the shirt pocket of his suit. "Oh, by the way Miku, I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would have guessed that I managed to win."
She looked at the tickets impassively, and decided to go along with the act. "Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?" She asked.
"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."
"Is that so…"
Nothing more needed to be said about breakfast that morning, for it was the usual deal.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"You have everything, Miku?" Her mother asked.
"Yes," She answered. "I'll be going now."
"Have a nice day!"
Again, the usual. The walk to Hibiki's house was uneventful as always; the temperature was the same, the houses were the same, everything was the same.
Miku withdrew her phone from her bag, heading over to the section of unsent messages. Upon getting the tickets from her dad, the moment she got her hands on her phone she typed it down yet did not send it.
Going over it again, she read the words to herself.
"Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"
That's all it read. A simple message and nothing more.
And yet, it remained unsent.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"Ah, Miku-chan, good morning!" Harumi said to her. "Please come in."
"Good morning ma'am." She said back with a small bow.
"No need to be so formal, Miku-chan," Harumi half heartedly chastised her. "You're always welcome here."
"It's a habit," Miku answered. "I guess she didn't wake up yet?"
Harumi sighed. "As dead as a log. She really won't wake up if you aren't there. I honestly don't know what to do with her at this point."
Miku took off her shoes and stepped inside. "Well, same as always I guess."
"Yep, same as always."
Same as always.
She headed upstairs, and entered Hibiki's room. She was in deep sleep, as usual, and so Miku began the usual routine.
Shook her. "Hibiki, wake up."
Hibiki stirred slightly, mumbling to herself in her sleep. Miku shook her again. "Wake up, we'll be late for school." She said, giving her shake a bit more force this time. Yet, Hibiki still didn't wake up, and Miku's eye twitched as she noticed drool was flowing down the side of Hibiki's mouth.
Deciding to not comment on the unladylike behavior, she shook her again. "H-i-b-i-k-i!"
"Munya~~"
She turned over, exposing her stomach to Miku as her pajamas slid up just a tiny bit too much.
Not really thinking about what to do, she put both hands on the exposed stomach, and began to tickle her.
"AAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA MIKU STOP AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Too easy.
Miku stepped away as Hibiki shot up in bed, smiling all the while. "Uwaaaa Miku, no bully please~~"
A light plop on her head with her hand shut the chestnut haired girl up. "Come on, we need to go to school. You should be used to this by now you know."
"Yes yes but I wanna sleep moreeeeee. School is boring!"
Miku pouted. "Hibikiiii…"
Noticing Miku's stare, Hibiki recoiled in fear. "Uwa okay okay I'm getting up!"
Yep, same as always.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"Right on time!" Hibiki yelled happily as she leaped into the classroom.
"Yo, Tachibana!" One of the others shouted to her. "What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"
Many of the other classmates laughed, making Hibiki flustered. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"
"Yeah it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"
"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."
Miku watched with lessened interest, having heard this exchange many times before.
DING DONG DING!
The ringing of the bell marked the start of class. Quickly filing to their seats, the students sat and waited for the teacher to arrive. About a moment later, the door to the class opened.
A fairly short woman with short black hair and brown eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. Instantly, the class rep stood and began the usual morning ritual. "Rise!"
They all stood. The teacher stood by her table as she waited for it to end. "Bow!"
As one they bowed. "You may sit." The teacher said, and as one they all sat back down. Putting a hand on the stack she brought in, the teacher began. "I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forth to get your test back."
Miku did not bother listening to who was being called up. In fact, at this point she already knew who got a good grade and who didn't. It was just the same as always.
"Kohinata!"
She stood from her seat and went to the teacher. She flashed her a proud smile, and handed over the test to Miku. "Very well done, Kohinata. Keep up the good work."
Miku glanced at her grade, and was met with the expected sight.
'100'
Too easy. Too predictable.
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"Amazing Miku! You always get the best grades!" Hibiki exclaimed in happiness as she sneaked a peek at Miku's test results. "I only got a 75!"
"That's still better than before, right?" Miku said back to her. "You're been working hard too. You need to give yourself more credit."
"But it's all thanks to you Miku! I couldn't have done it without you!" She said, and promptly hugged Miku tightly. She didn't blush this time, and several of their classmates laughed at their usual interactions.
"As close as always, aren't you?" One said.
"Yep! Always!" Hibiki answered with a grin.
"Hibiki, I can't breathe…"
"Uwa! Sorry!"
She immediately let her go, and Miku smiled up at her. Once again she remembered the tickets, and spoke up. "Hey, Hibiki…"
"Hm?"
And yet again, was unable to speak. "Nevermind."
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"Shall we head home?" Miku asked.
"Yep!"
Soon enough, the two headed out of the gate, going in the same direction towards their houses. As usual, they filled the way with the normal chatter, laughing and responding to each other's jokes.
As usual. The same as always.
They stopped by Miku's house, which was the closer one from the school. Taking a few steps forward, Hibiki began to walk in the direction of her own home. "Well, see ya tomorrow Miku! I'll text you later!"
Miku waved back as Hibiki disappeared around the corner. Her hand remained steady in the air for a moment before she sighed deeply, and turned to face the door.
"I'm home." She announced.
Her mother peeked her head from the living room, and waved to her. "Welcome home Miku! Had a nice day? How did the test go."
"Yes." She answered. "And I got a 100."
"Nice going!" Her mother exclaimed. "Knew you could do it!"
She smiled. Giving her mother no response, she quickly headed up the stairs to her room.
Same as always.
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Night arrived.
She stared at her phone, as always.
She opened up her unsent messages, and stared at what she had written.
Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, yet she found herself unable to press it. Deciding to drop the matter again, she placed her phone down by her nightstand, and with a click turned off the lamp by her bedside.
The room was bathed in comfortable quiet, and as Miku fell asleep, and the only thing that filled her heart was sorrowful resignation.
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…
…
…
She had already lost count, but it did not matter.
RING RING RING.
A hand came down atop the alarm clock.
Her eyes opened, and she looked at it to check the time. "7:30…" She mumbled to herself.
Another morning.
She rose from her bed and headed downstairs, not bothering doing anything else. Heading to the kitchen again, she greeted her parents. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."
Her mother, who was cooking by the stove, turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."
A small smile. She went over to the table and sat by her father. The man was reading a newspaper with a cover page of something about an economic boom in Europe or something or another. She didn't care again. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."
"Yeah," She replied. "I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."
"That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?" He said with a laugh.
She did not respond.
"Oh, by the way Miku, I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would have guessed that I managed to win."
She looked at the tickets impassively, and decided to go along with the act, again. "Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?" She asked, acting surprised.
"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."
"Is that so…"
Nothing more needed to be said about breakfast that morning, for it was the usual deal.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"You have everything, Miku?" Her mother asked.
"Yes," She answered. "I'll be going now."
"Have a nice day!"
Again, the usual. The walk to Hibiki's house was uneventful as always; the temperature was the same, the houses were the same, everything was the same.
Miku withdrew her phone from her bag, heading over to the section of unsent messages. Upon getting the tickets from her dad, the moment she got her hands on her phone she typed it down yet did not send it.
Going over it again, she read the words to herself.
"Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"
That's all it read. A simple message and nothing more.
And yet, it remained unsent.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"Ah, Miku-chan, good morning!" Harumi said to her. "Please come in."
"Good morning ma'am." She said back with a small bow.
"No need to be so formal, Miku-chan," Harumi half heartedly chastised her. "You're always welcome here."
"It's a habit," Miku answered. "I guess she didn't wake up yet?"
Harumi sighed. "As dead as a log. She really won't wake up if you aren't there. I honestly don't know what to do with her at this point."
Miku took off her shoes and stepped inside. "Well, same as always I guess."
"Yep, same as always."
Same as always.
She headed upstairs, and entered Hibiki's room. She was in deep sleep, as usual, and so Miku began the usual routine.
Shook her. "Hibiki, wake up."
Hibiki stirred slightly, mumbling to herself in her sleep. Miku shook her again. "Wake up, we'll be late for school." She said, giving her shake a bit more force this time.
Yet, Hibiki still didn't wake up.
She shook her again. "H-i-b-i-k-i!"
"Munya~~"
She turned over, exposing her stomach to Miku as her pajamas slid up just a tiny bit too much.
Miku didn't bother to think.
Putting both hands on the exposed stomach, she began to tickle her.
"AAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA MIKU STOP AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Too easy.
Miku stepped away as Hibiki shot up in bed, smiling all the while. "Uwaaaa Miku, no bully please~~"
A light plop on her head with her hand shut the chestnut haired girl up. "Come on, we need to go to school. You should be used to this by now you know."
"Yes yes but I wanna sleep moreeeeee. School is boring!"
Miku pouted. "Hibikiiii…"
Noticing Miku's stare, Hibiki recoiled in fear. "Uwa okay okay I'm getting up!"
Yep, same as always.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"Right on time!" Hibiki yelled happily as she leaped into the classroom.
"Yo, Tachibana!" One of the others shouted to her. "What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"
Many of the other classmates laughed, making Hibiki flustered. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"
"Yeah it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"
"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."
Miku watched with lessened interest, having heard this exchange many times before.
Same as always.
DING DONG DING!
The ringing of the bell marked the start of class. Quickly filing to their seats, the students sat and waited for the teacher to arrive. About a moment later, the door to the class opened.
A fairly short woman with short black hair and brown eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. Instantly, the class rep stood and began the usual morning ritual. "Rise!"
They all stood. The teacher stood by her table as she waited for it to end. "Bow!"
As one they bowed. "You may sit." The teacher said, and as one they all sat back down. Putting a hand on the stack she brought in, the teacher began. "I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forth to get your test back."
Same as always.
Miku did not bother listening to who was being called up. In fact, at this point she already knew who got a good grade and who didn't. It was just the same as always.
"Kohinata!"
She stood from her seat and went to the teacher. She flashed her a proud smile, and handed over the test to Miku. "Very well done, Kohinata. Keep up the good work."
Miku glanced at her grade, and was met with the expected sight.
'100'
Too easy. Too predictable.
Same as always.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"Amazing Miku! You always get the best grades!" Hibiki exclaimed in happiness as she sneaked a peek at Miku's test results. "I only got a 75!"
"That's still better than before, right?" Miku said back to her. "You're been working hard too. You need to give yourself more credit."
"But it's all thanks to you Miku! I couldn't have done it without you!" She said, and promptly hugged Miku tightly. She didn't blush. The classmates laughed and spoke.
"As close as always, aren't you?" One said.
"Yep! Always!" Hibiki answered with a grin.
"Hibiki, I can't breathe…"
"Uwa! Sorry!"
She immediately let her go, and Miku smiled up at her. Once again she remembered the tickets, and spoke up. "Hey, Hibiki…"
"Hm?"
And yet again, was unable to speak. "Nevermind."
Same as always.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"Shall we head home?" Miku asked.
"Yep!"
Soon enough, the two headed out of the gate, going in the same direction towards their houses. As usual, they filled the way with the normal chatter, laughing and responding to each other's jokes.
As usual. The same as always.
They stopped by Miku's house, which was the closer one from the school. Taking a few steps forward, Hibiki began to walk in the direction of her own home. "Well, see ya tomorrow Miku! I'll text you later!"
Miku waved back as Hibiki disappeared around the corner. Her hand remained steady in the air for a moment before she sighed deeply, and turned to face the door.
"I'm home." She announced.
Her mother peeked her head from the living room, and waved to her. "Welcome home Miku! Had a nice day? How did the test go."
"Yes." She answered. "And I got a 100."
"Nice going!" Her mother exclaimed. "Knew you could do it!"
She smiled. Giving her mother no response, she quickly headed up the stairs to her room.
Same as always.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Night arrived.
She stared at her phone, as always.
She opened up her unsent messages, and stared at what she had written.
Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, yet she found herself unable to press it. Deciding to drop the matter again, she placed her phone down by her nightstand, and with a click turned off the lamp by her bedside.
Same as always.
The room was bathed in comfortable quiet, and as Miku fell asleep, and the only thing that filled her heart was heartbreaking resignation.
Same as always.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
…
…
…
Again and again, time turns. A locked eternity, endless and inescapable.
And yet, this was her choice. Forevermore to repeat the cycle.
To experience everything, same as always.
For this was the only way she found to avoid sorrow.
…
…
…
RING RING RING!
There was no point in even using the alarm clock anymore. Her mind, so conditioned to this exact moment, already knew for a fact when it would come.
Once again, she turned it off. Once again, she turned to the side and read the usual '7:30' it read on its display.
Once again, she sat up on the edge of her bed. Once again she stretched, and headed towards the kitchen on the lower floor.
Once again, she greeted her parents. "Good morning Mom. Good morning Dad."
She knew what her mother was going to do and say. The woman turned slightly to her with a smile. "Ah Miku, good morning. Breakfast is almost ready."
Same as always.
She took a seat by the table, glancing at the newspaper her father was reading. Again, same headline and cover page about an economic boom in Europe. And again, he lowered it slightly to speak to her. "Good morning Miku. School again today I suppose."
And she gave the same answer as usual. "Yeah, I should get results for the test I took a few days ago."
And once again he laughed, saying the exact same thing as every other time. "That's great. I expect the best of the best, you hear?"
She didn't even bother saying anything in response. She knew what he was going to say now, it was extremely obvious. "Oh, by the way Miku, I won these tickets at a raffle at the company. It was free so I thought I'd take a shot, and who would have guessed that I managed to win."
He took the tickets out of his pockets and handed them to her. Once again, the same exact tickets with the same exact images and gloss on them. But she had to put on the act, and continued the same as always. "Tickets for a Zwei Wing concert?"
"Yes. I don't know much about them, but one of my coworkers says that they're the hot new thing right now. Says his daughter won't stop rambling about them."
The same conversation, over and over and over. She could tell by now how long it would take the man to say those exact words, down to the millisecond.
It was all just the same thing anyway, so nothing here truly mattered.
But…
This was the only path left. This is the only way the suffering could be avoided. And for the sake of that…
She had no problem remaining in this moment for the rest of eternity.
xxxxxxxxxxx
"Have a nice day!"
Miku smiled to her mother, and headed towards the usual direction: Hibiki's house.
The path to it was, just like always, the exact same thing. The sun shone, the birds chirped, the temperature was nice.
Same as always.
And just like every other time, she took out her phone midway and looked at the unsent message she had written. In fact, she wasn't sure if it had just remained there since the other times, but that didn't really matter.
She couldn't send it, so everything stayed the same.
She arrived in due time, and once more Harumi greeted her at the door. Giving her the usual greetings, Miku climbed up the stairs to Hibiki's room.
And once more, caught her sleeping deeply. The goofy smile on her face and the drool dripping out of the corner of her mouth were the usual sight, and Miku would have smiled had she not known about it beforehand.
Same as always.
xxxxxxxxxxx
The walk to school was the same as always, just like everything else. She knew what Hibiki was going to say, and so she knew how to react to it. She knew how she'd respond, and she knew how to give her own response.
It was all just a big repetition of the same thing, over and over.
Yet still, there was no other choice.
They arrived at school with enough time to spare, and once more Hibiki burst in with a huge grin. "Right on time!"
And the classmates reacted as usual. "Yo, Tachibana! What's this? A perfect weeklong streak of being on time? Is it the end of the world already?!"
Everyone laughed, and Hibiki blushed. "Ehhh, it's not that bad!"
"Yeah it is!" Another one said. "Good thing you got Kohinata with you!"
"That's true, hehehehehehehe..."
Same exact exchange, over and over and over. Nothing surprised her anymore, and she didn't really care. She chose to do this, and as a result this was what she was getting.
The bell rang, and they scrambled to their seats.
The door opened as the teacher arrived.
A fairly tall woman with long blonde hair and golden eyes walked inside, carrying a stack of papers in hand. She slid the door closed behind her, and the class rep began the usual morning ritual.
"Rise!"
The students all rose as one.
Except Miku, who simply stared.
'What...what is this?'
What...what was going on? Blinking rapidly, Miku tried to see if she was just imagining things, yet no matter what she did the teacher's appearance remained the same.
That wasn't what their teacher looked like. She'd know, as she had seen her walk in many many times before. So why...why did she look like that?
And why did she seem so familiar?
A poke to the back of her head broke her out of her trance. Realizing where she was, she quickly rose to her feet along with everyone else, who had stared at her in confusion at her lack of focus. Deciding to move on, the class rep continued. "Bow!"
As one they did so, yet Miku could not unglue her eyes from the teacher in front of her.
"You may sit," She said, her voice catching Miku completely off guard. That wasn't what the teacher sounded like. She was- ""I've got the results for the test you took two days ago. I can see everyone is here so one by one I'll call your name, and when I do come forth to get your test back."
Without waiting a beat, she began to read names off the lists. "Aoba!"
As the students rose one by one, Miku just found herself lost in thought, trying to make sense of what was going on. What could have caused this to happen? Nothing changed in who knows many iterations. Since she knew everything already by heart, she wasn't surprised by anything that happened, as even if she acted differently it all went down the same path.
This was the first time something changed without her direct intervention, so what could that possibly mean?
So lost in thought was she that she didn't hear her name being called. Once again, the student behind her poked in the back of the head, breaking her out of her stupor.
"Kohinata!"
She shot up from her seat, quickly heading over to the strange teacher to receive her test. She stood before her, and she could swear her gaze lingered on her for a second more than usual.
Before her face twisted in disappointment as she handed the test back to her. "Kohinata, please see me after school today." The teacher said.
Bewildered, Miku looked down at her test, and her eyes widened.
'0'
She blinked several times, thinking what she was seeing was an illusion. 'W-what?'
A zero? How? This test was…
She looked at it closer, and she noticed something was off: this wasn't even the same test. In fact, it wasn't even the same subject. Yet, her answers had remained exactly the same, and as a result not a single one of them made sense for the questions.
Her answers were already set in stone, and so she had assumed the results would too. But a zero? How?
Taking one last glance at the strange teacher, Miku turned back to her seat, staring at her test all the while and completely missing the worried look Hibiki sent her way.
xxxxxxxxxxx
Class continued as normal, and the first break arrived. As soon as the bell rang, Hibiki dashed out of her seat and headed towards Miku's.
She tilted her head in worry. "Miku? Is everything okay?" She asked her. Miku did not respond, and simply continued to stare at her test. She had simply wandered off the entire time, paying no attention to what the teacher was saying and only stealing glances at her occasionally, trying to understand this strange anomaly.
Hibiki peeked over, and saw the grade on the paper. "Oh…" She let out sadly. Suddenly, she hugged Miku from behind, and the black haired girl did not give any response to the act. "It's okay Miku! It's just one test! It's not like it matters!"
"What's this?" A different student suddenly said. "Kohinata got a zero? No freaking way. Are pigs flying? Did the day come that Tachibana actually got a higher grade in something than her?!"
"Ehhhhhhh?! But it's all thanks to Miku! She was the one that helped me study!" Hibiki answered back.
"Ohhhh, that explains everything…"
The class laughed together, and even Hibiki joined in on the fun. Yet, Miku was still too focused on the test in front of her and on the teacher that had appeared to care about it.
In a sudden move that caused Hibiki to release her, Miku stood up from her chair. Realizing what she had to do, she left the classroom in a hurry, ignoring Hibiki who had called out to her as she left.
And so, Miku began her trek around the school, looking for the strange teacher that had appeared out of nowhere. Taking up almost all of her break time, she walked and ran around the campus, trying to find her in any place she could.
Yet, the teacher was nowhere to be found.
Confused and dejected, Miku headed back to class, her mind wandering once again.
This was not like usual.
xxxxxxxxxxx
Evening arrived, bathing the school in a soft orange glow. Class had already ended, and so Miku followed after Hibiki down to the shoe lockers.
However, she did not put her own on, as she had to stay. Seeing as she couldn't find the teacher anywhere, then perhaps now was the chance to get some answers.
"You're not coming, Miku?" Hibiki asked her.
"No, I have to stay today. The teacher wanted to speak to me about the test," She said, earning a small frown from Hibiki. "Sorry. Go home without me today. I don't know how long it will take."
Hibiki wanted to argue, but knew that Miku wouldn't budge. "Okay," She replied. "Call me when you're done alright?"
"Sure."
Hibiki flashed her a bright smile, causing Miku's heart to skip a beat. She quickly turned around, waving to her as she disappeared past the school gates.
Miku watched her go, and once she was out of her vision she lowered her hand, her face set in an even expression as she headed back to the classroom. It was all far too strange for her, as this had never happened before.
It was confusing and scary at the same time, as the usual had not occured today. What was it that prompted this change? She didn't know.
But if her gut feeling meant anything, she figured she'd get some answers now.
Arriving at the door to the class, Miku took a deep breath and entered, sliding it closed behind her.
And right there, sitting at one of the student chairs by the window, and staring out into the sunset, was the strange teacher with long blonde hair. Even though she had all day to look at her and steal glances at her throughout the day, this was the first time she really could focus her entire attention on her.
The class, empty save for the two of them, was quiet. Only the soft chirping of the birds outside broke the silence, and the wind flowing in through the open window caused the teacher's hair to flap about in the wind slightly.
She was far too familiar. Miku knew she had seen her before, but she was just not sure where.
Suddenly, and out of nowhere, the teacher began speaking. "It's a nice view, isn't it?" She said.
Miku blinked at her words, having been caught completely off guard.
"I haven't seen the sun set like this for quite some time. I never really took a good look at it, so I always missed seeing how beautiful it was."
Miku was confused, left unable to respond. The teacher then turned her head to her, and the girl's breath was stolen from her as a pair of golden eyes looked straight into her own. "It's a shame it isn't a real one."
Miku's eyes widened, and her heart raced at her insinuation. The woman simply stared at her, saying nothing more. Miku felt as though her eyes were piercing through her, looking not really at her but into her, seeing something that was not displayed on the surface.
And then she turned her head away, and stared out the window once more. "You know, this reminds me of a story," She said, and Miku's brows furrowed in puzzlement. "There was once a woman who had fallen in love. So in love was she, in fact, that she swore to do anything to be with her beloved. So devoted was she that no matter what happened, she did not stray from that path, even though it was littered with thorns and hardship."
Miku's heart beat a mile a minute, and her breaths became heavier by the moment.
"Yet no matter what she did, she couldn't be with him. He was just so far out of her reach that she always fell short of her goal, time and time again. Unwilling to give up on her wish, she subjected herself to an eternity of repetition. She died, and was reborn again. Died, and was reborn. With every repetition she took, she believed she was getting just that much closer to her goal. She thought things had changed, and so it lifted her spirits. Yet...nothing truly changed. She only did the same thing, again and again, hoping that finally she'll get the results she wanted."
The teacher let out a small laugh, and Miku could not help but notice the sorrow it contained. "You know, there's a widely known phrase in the world that states 'the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting things to change'. It's quite a nice one, don't you agree?"
Miku gave her no response.
"But it's also sadly ironic. You see, that woman was the one that had coined it, even though it was credited to many others in the world. I suppose it was just another thing she did in one of her repetitions, yet she never realized the irony of that statement. She believed she was unshackled by this cycle, but in the end she was truly bound by it. She repeated the same thing, over and over, expecting things to change. Truly, she was insane."
She sighed. "And you know...looking at this fake setting sun...I have to admit you remind me of her somewhat."
Miku was frozen stiff, barely able to bring herself to even breath. As if by some reflex, she spoke up uneasily, her confusion and fear evident in her tone. "Y-you...you are...how…?"
"I honestly don't know when was it that I showed up here. Well, I suppose it fits, seeing as you probably don't even know how many times you have repeated this cycle. But regardless of the when, seeing you subject yourself to this cruel cycle reminded me too much of that insane woman. I guess I found myself acting without truly realizing it." The teacher- no, the overly familiar woman said.
"A-ah-"
The woman turned around, staring out the window once more. "What I am? Well, I'm not sure myself. I guess I'm just...a remnant, I suppose? A tiny fragment that somehow awakened in this endlessly repeating eternity, again and again. It took me a few tries to find the source, and honestly I'm not surprised it was you. After all, everyone aside from you are mere faceless pawns, endlessly repeating the same moment again and again. And I have to ask: why do you subject yourself to this?"
Miku swallowed. A bead of sweat flowed down her brow, her eyes shaking at the woman's back. "I-I...I don't…I don't know what you're talking about..."
A desperate and defiant attempt to brush off the woman's words.
And it was as effective as attempting to stand against the ocean's tide.
"You know, it was easy to change the test itself in order to cause your grade to drop. After all, it's not like the answers themselves would ever change, for they are already set in stone," The woman continued, and the wind once more flew in through the open window. Her hair as well as the curtains flapped about, and the evening glow illuminated her form. "But the grade doesn't really matter in the end, for there is nothing beyond this one day to look forward to. Yes, this is a world that has no real past...and at the same breath has no future. A perpetual state of now, of an unchanging scenery that exists for the sake of one single purpose."
She turned back to her, and Miku could swear her golden eyes shone in the light of the setting sun. Her expression was even, yet Miku could see a tinge of melancholy in it.
As if the woman was seeing something in her that was familiar.
"And for what sort of purpose did you make this world?"
A question that she could not bring herself to answer.
And in the end, she had no need to, for the woman spoke up again regardless. "It was for her sake, wasn't it?"
Miku took in a sharp breath.
The woman turned again, this time facing the blackboard at the front of the class. It was clean, looking nearly as good as new, except for those unrelated and unimportant names written on its bottom right that stated who was responsible for tidying up the class that day.
"You subjected yourself to this hell for her sake, just like the woman subjected herself to her own hell for his. And yet, I still find myself wanting to ask you why. I truly want to know...just how similar the two of you could be."
Miku's hands rose, and she grasped the front of her shirt tightly, right above the heart. The fabric crumpled in her tight hold, and her eyes shook as she tried to keep a hold on her composure.
It was a futile effort. "I...I just...I just…"
The woman said nothing, waiting for Miku to answer. The girl let out the breath she was holding, in vain trying to keep herself from falling apart. "It...it was my fault. I shouldn't...it was because of me that she...that she had to suffer. I...just wanted…"
"I see…"
Miku was unable to continue. And so, the woman did so in her place. "I guess I must apologize then. I thought you two were the same, and yet...you're not. You blame yourself for what happened to her, and so you consider this hell your atonement. The woman never managed to do that, for she only blamed others. She could never see beyond the lack of understanding, beyond the conclusion she had reached about the nature of the world."
The woman let out a small, nearly inconspicuous laugh. "I suppose I understand now why I awakened here, in this world. Your nature may be different, but the path you are taking is very much alike. She endlessly reincarnated, hoping to arrive at an answer. And you are constantly repeating and looping, surrendering yourself to your fate for that girl's sake."
The woman turned to her once again, but Miku could no longer bring herself to look her in the eyes. "And that is why I must tell you know...that you must let it go."
At once Miku's head shot up, her eyes as wide as saucers. She shuddered repeatedly, swallowing again and again as she made herself speak. "I...I can't...I have to...stay here. This...this is the only way. This is the only where she...where she doesn't have to suffer. Here...she has friends, and nobody hates her, and everyone gets along. Only here...only here there won't be any suffering. She won't...have to go through that hell here...that's why I'm fine...with staying here…"
The woman blinked, and sighed. "I see…"
She took a step closer to the girl, and cast her shadow upon her. "But there is no happiness here either. Nothing can truly be obtained here, for it is nothing but an eternally suspended moment that will never truly amount to anything."
"But...but there is nothing else I can do," Miku tried to counter. "It was because of me...because of my selfishness...that she had to go through that torture. If I hadn't...if I hadn't been so selfish then...she wouldn't have…"
"And what of it?"
The woman's interruption shocked Miku to the core. She began to pour her heart out, and was mercilessly cut off. The woman turned to face the board again. "You've been fine with it until now, so this change of heart astounds me. For what purpose did you choose to disregard everything else? What was it that you saw at the end of the road that pushed you forward? And what was it that caused you to look upon the walls in your path, and to surrender to their presence?"
Miku sobbed, her composure falling apart far more quickly than she had wanted. And yet the woman continued, cruelly tearing her apart. "I guess that's another difference between you and that woman. She...she never saw anything beyond her own desires, beyond her own selfishness. She did not care for anything, especially other lives, as she just moved towards her goal and damned anyone who ever dared to get in her way. That was how her hands were stained with blood, and how she viciously took over the roles of others over the years."
Her hair fluttered in the wind once more, and the sun continued to set on the horizon. "Yet...there was beauty in it. Even though she left behind a mountain of corpses, and was left with nothing but regret...there was beauty in her path. For in the end, her motivation was a simple one, and the most beautiful there could ever be."
She turned to Miku again, and this time she smiled. "And that's where you too are similar. You followed your path for the same exact reason. It may be selfish...but it's what made her shine...and in the end, it is what makes you shine."
Miku's heart beat a mile a minute, and she clutched her shirt even tighter, her knuckles turning white. "I...I…"
The woman turned around, and headed towards the table where she had sat. She stared out the window for a moment, before she once again turned around and leaned on it, sitting atop it without a care in the world. "That woman saw in that girl something...something brilliant that day. The girl's words were simple yet...it was all it took to break the shell of cruelty she had built around herself in her quest to reach her goal. And so, in gratitude for her kindness, left behind for her a simple choice of words:"
Another breeze.
"'Believe in the song of your heart.'"
Miku sobbed again, her mind flashing back to that day. To the moment Hibiki flew into the sky, and the day she had expected her to never return.
"It's a shame really, for it seems that girl has forgotten those words...or perhaps she cast them away, for she now believes they hold no true significance for her anymore. Unfortunately, that woman can no longer be there to remind her of those words...but, luckily enough there is someone who can."
The woman pushed off the table and walked towards Miku. "I guess there's a reason why I showed up here at all, and I think it was all for a single question. And so, I'll ask you it now, and I think the answer will come to you naturally."
And so, stopped within an arm's reach of Miku, the woman raised her hand. "That girl's heart sand a beautiful song, and yet it was marred by sorrow. Now tell me…"
And she placed a finger atop Miku's clenched hands, right over the heart.
"To what tone does your heart sing?"
Miku found herself speechless, and for some reason, her tight hold on her shirt slightly loosened. She looked down with a dumbfounded expression at her own hand, and the woman pulled back her own. "I think I can make a very good guess," She said with a smile. "It sings in tandem with hers. And that is why I know...only you can remind her of it. Of the true meaning of her song...and how to let go of the sorrow that plagued it."
She wanted to speak. She wanted to say something!
Yet...she couldn't. No matter how much she wanted to argue, she just...couldn't.
"That's why it's important you too let go of that sorrow. That's why it's important that you let time move forward...and even though suffering lies on that road...so does the path to the happiness that you so cherish. I ask that you do this for your sake...her sake...and perhaps, maybe, for that woman's sake."
Once more the melancholic smile returned. "There is nothing wrong with embracing that selfishness that you decry, for in the end, it was what granted you the strength to come this far. And so, I believe that from here on out, you must continue doing so. For the sake of your small share of happiness…"
Her hold on her shirt loosened even more.
"And for the sake of your happy days."
And it was no more. Her hands fell to her sides, and she stared at the woman with a stupefied expression. "That girl may have wished to let go of the world...and you may be inclined to let her do so, but...why should you?" The woman said. "From here on out, it is time to impose your will on her. From here on out...live on for the happiness that you cherish so. I'm sure that somewhere deep within her...that girl wishes so as well. All you need to do is get her to admit it...but for you, that should be child's play."
Out and in. In and out. Miku breathed, her entire body shaking. "I...I don't know how...I...I-"
"Of course you do," The woman interrupted her, raising a hand to something by Miku's side. "The answer lies within there, doesn't it?"
Miku followed the woman's gaze, and landed atop the nearest table. Her eyes widened as she noticed that something that wasn't there before had appeared out of thin air.
Her phone.
"The way out of this hell is right there, is it not? Then, I believe it's time to open the door, and to finally head out...so you can once more face the future that you desire...and to reclaim the happiness that you so cherish."
Almost in a daze, Miku picked up her phone from the table. With shaking fingers, she slowly navigated to her unsent messages...and saw the one that had remained there, waiting for her.
"Hey, I got two tickets to a Zwei Wing concert. I don't want to go alone, so would you come with me?"
A simple message, and yet one that would make all the difference.
"Yes...for the moment you send it is the moment time will move forward. From that moment on the suffering that you fear will return...but together with it, everything else. Do not shy away from it, and do not turn back from it. Face it, look it straight in the eyes, and never again let your heart waver in its presence. Never again blame yourself...and never let regret consume your heart...like it had that woman."
Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, and her will wavered just like it had many times until now.
Seeing her hesitation, the woman continued. "Do not let the cycle of tragedy continue any longer...you owe that to yourself, and to her."
In and out. Out and in. Her finger continued to shake, yet moved just a bit closer.
"Miku, you really are my sunshine. My warm place to come back to. That is why as long as you're here...I'm not afraid."
When was it that Hibiki spoke to words to her? How many times has she spoken them? She wasn't sure, but just hearing them caused her heart to race time and time again.
She...she wanted to continue being that sunshine.
She wanted...to always be there for here, now and forever more. She wanted to keep hearing those words…
And to let the love she felt continue to shine brightly.
The woman saw how Miku's shoulders relaxed somewhat, yet still remained hesitant.
It required only one more push.
"Now...is the time to move on, towards the future. Show her and show the world that something lies beyond the veil of hatred, grudges, and lack of understanding that plagued it."
The finger moved closer.
"And show the world...that love can make dreams come true."
The tears fell.
And so, her finger pressed the button.
'MESSAGE SENT'
At that moment, the illusionary world crumbled away in light.
xxxxxxxxxx
(Play: Aimer - Last Stardust)
The evening sky vanished, and in its place the night shone above, the stars illuminating the Earth with their brilliant glow.
Miku could only continue to shed tears, her heart in tatters.
And yet, despite all that, the woman's voice rose next to her. "This is what you wished for, isn't it?" She suddenly asked.
The girl barely managed to stop herself from falling apart, and uneasily opened her eyes.
And so, they widened in awe.
She stood on a hill at the very center of a clearing, the trees around her swaying slightly from the wind.
"This...this is…" She let out, a hand grasping at her shirt once more.
"This is the place where you fulfilled a promise, wasn't it?" The woman said. Miku turned to look at her, and once more was left breathless.
Gone was the modest teacher's uniform she had worn. Now, the woman was garbed in an elegant yet revealing robe, and adorned with various golden jewelry that hung around her neck. Miku had never seen such clothes before in her life, their style reminding her of an ancient civilization that no longer existed in the world.
Her long blonde hair once more fluttered in the wind, and her bare feet lightly touched the ground beneath her. "It really is a special place, isn't it? That woman...never truly had the chance to see something like this. She never looked for something like this, for she never made a promise like yours."
She looked towards the sky, and smiled. "And now, I see that there is really truly nothing quite like it."
Miku, once more confused and bewildered, followed her gaze to the sky.
Something twinkled between the stars.
Her mouth hung open, and once more she was left speechless.
And so, many rays of light streaked across the sky, one after the other. Outshining everything in the night, they continued on and on, unabated by anything.
"Shooting stars…"
She murmured those two words together, reminded of something she realized she had forgotten.
"This truly is...a beautiful sight. There really is quite nothing like it."
An oath she had held onto with every ounce of her strength, and a promise she swore to keep for the rest of her days.
"This miracle...is only possible because you chose to move forward. I know it is hard, to let time move on, and to know that she must experience that sadness. But, if this is what lies at the end of that road...then I suppose...it must be worth it."
Miku's gaze remained unmoving, taking in the memory of that day.
She came back, just like she had promised. And so, they were able to witness this marvel.
"Go forth, and grasp a hold of that happiness."
Finally able to tear her eyes away from the sky, Miku turned to look at the woman, her voice shaking. "I...I want to say-"
Only to stop as she realized what was happening.
The woman was disappearing.
The woman looked down at herself, and smiled. "Ah this? I guess this means my role here is finished," She said. Rising from the bottom were golden sparkles of light, floating up into the air and dissipating into nothingness. "I'm glad...that at least you were able to find your answer."
Finding herself panicking, Miku spoke up in a hurry. "I...I-!"
"Do not be disheartened, for this was inevitable," The woman said with a smile. "But there is one final question I must ask of you."
Despite wanting to say something, Miku fell quiet as the woman spoke.
"I wonder...if that woman had a song like yours...would He have heard it?"
Miku gasped, almost once more losing her composure.
But this time, she didn't let it fall apart. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself...and smiled.
"Yes. I'm sure he would have."
"I see…that's good to hear." The woman said in response. "Thank you…now I must ask a favor of you, if that's okay."
Miku nodded, and the woman spoke once more. "Please tell that man...that she's sorry...that she couldn't return his feelings."
Miku's eyes widened in shock, but did not pry. "I will."
The woman smiled once last time. "Thank you. Now go, it is time you face that sorrow. I'm sure that you will be able to overcome it. And never forget..."
Miku said nothing...for nothing needed to be said.
"To believe in the song of your heart."
And leaving those words behind, the priestess that bore the name of the end vanished from the illusionary world in a shower of golden sparkles, dissipating into the wind.
And Miku was left alone on the night time hill, illuminated by the shooting stars.
However, something had remained in the place of the woman.
It was a mirror. A simple, round mirror floated in the air before her, and as she looked into it, she could see her reflection in it. She walked closer to it, stopping just within arm's reach, and placed her hand on its surface.
She moved her hand over it slowly, as if cleaning the shine…
And this time, saw something else reflected back at her.
A warm smile, hiding beneath it a deep anguish that had wracked at her heart.
For what lay beyond was something that she swore to reach.
There was no more hesitation to be had. Gathering her resolve, Miku pushed her hand inside, and the mirror's surface shimmered and wavered as she moved it further in.
Rummaging through the deep depths, she grabbed hold of what lay within.
And so, the world vanished once more.
-!-
A tornado of multicolored light rose from the stage, lighting up the sky. It swirled and twisted, outshining everything else on the battlefield.
And all those gathered stared at it with wide eyes, not expecting to see it now.
"W-what?" Shirabe said. The titan, having loomed over them the entire time, turned to stare at the swirling light with its eyeless face. Suddenly, its expression twisted into one of horror, and it stepped back in fear of the rising storm.
Kirika, as shocked as her partner, could only utter her words in disbelief. "N-no way…"
-!-
Tsubasa looked on in awe, surprised by the appearance of that storm now.
"This is...how is this possible?"
She briefly glanced to the enemies she had been fighting, and saw that the beasts had frozen in place, staring up at the light with their fanged mouths gaping in open in what looked to her like genuine shock.
What the heck was happening? This was-
Suddenly, something happened. The storm all at once intensified, rising higher and higher into the sky and piercing through the night. She almost found herself swept off her feet by the wind that followed, yet that was not the strangest thing that had occured.
As in on cue, light pulsed from the stage in all directions. Circles of violet brilliance erupted, sweeping over the city and everything beyond it with incredible speed.
This time, Tsubasa found herself stumbling back slightly, caught completely off guard. Stabilizing her feet, her head tilted down to stare at her footing.
And her eyes widened as she saw that the blackness that was covering her Symphogear was slowly but surely flaking away.
"What...is this?"
"Ugh..."
Her head snapped to the side, and she looked with total confusion as Kanade staggered and fell to her knees, quickly planting her spear in the ground for support.
And the sword wielder could not miss how slowly but surely, her former partner's body began to flake away as well.
"Kanade-"
"So she's done it," The former Gungnir wielder said, her mouth upturned into a bright smile. "She finally did it, that girl."
Speechless, Tsubasa could say nothing more, and turned to stare at the light once more.
-!-
All at once her consciousness returned to her. Blinking multiple times at the sudden clarity in her mind, Chris raised herself from where she was stuck, immediately noticing the powerful wind that swept over the area.
"What the-"
She looked down at her hands, and her eyes widened at the sight of the blackness flaking away, the original red shine of Ichaival returning to its form. "W-what?"
She looked forward, and her brows furrowed as she noticed an incredible sight.
As the rings of violet light swept throughout the area, their effect was immediately noticeable: she saw how the beasts, previously moving about erratically, dropped to the ground like bricks, their whole bodies paralyzed.
But not only that. She saw as how, a bit further beyond, the wraiths that had spawned out of nowhere were all turning to dust, vanishing into the wind.
Shocked beyond belief, she raised her head to locate the source of whatever was causing this strange occurance.
And she too, was left breathless at the sight.
"No...way…this...this is..."
She swallowed nervously...and excitedly murmured the name.
"S2CA?!"
-!-
"What's happening?!"
Maria's question garnered no response as the beasts dropped like flies. Behind them, the formation of wraiths simply vanished from the world, disappearing as abruptly as they had appeared.
The Airgetlam wielder looked up, catching sight of the swirling light and found herself at a loss for words.
But Saint-Germain was not. Her eyes now fully opened, she looked on with a smile on her face.
"You finally remembered...haven't you...Kohinata Miku?"
And slowly, raised her weakened and bloodied arm towards it, as if trying to reach it.
"Go...and make your wish come true."
-!-
All those in headquarters were in an uproar.
But more than that, they were astounded by what was showing on their screen.
"S2CA...how?" Genjuro could only say to himself in total disbelief. This shouldn't be possible. Only Hibiki could ever accomplish it, yet it was happening now? How? Why?
"Commander! We are receiving reports from our international operatives!" A crew member shouted to him. "They're saying...they're saying the beasts and the Noise from all over the world are dropping dead!"
"What…"
A model of the globe appeared on a smaller screen by the main display, and he watched with wide eyes as the violet pulses that erupted from the stage continued on and on, engulfing the entire planet in their light.
"What...is happening?"
A shocked gasped rose to his right, and his eyes darted to it. "What is it, Tomosato?!"
The woman had both hands over her mouth, her eyes not fully believing what she was seeing.
And she spoke, the words leaving her mouth leaving Genjuro gobsmacked. "C-commander! The locks...the locks on the Shenshoujing...are releasing!"
There was nothing he could say as she spoke, her eyes glued to her console. "One hundred million...two hundred million...three hundred million…" She repeated, and her eyes widened even more. "All locks...released…"
He couldn't believe it. There was no way. It should be impossible. If all three hundred millions locks on a Symphogear were released, then that could only mean-
"Genjuro-san!"
His eyes darted to Elfnein this time, and she too sported the same shock expression. She raised her hand, and pointed to the screen showing the Aufwachen signals. "Look!"
And he looked.
At that moment, everything finally fell into place.
The Shenshoujing's purple flower, previously only sporting the multicolored lights that signified the curse-slaying power...now had familiar blue veins running over it too.
And by its side, the Aufwachen signal of what was once Gungnir cracked, deep crevices running along its length.
"I see…so this is what is happening," Adam said. "I guess...there is still reason to hold onto hope."
His words garnered no response.
And so, the Symphogear wielders, alchemists, the crew members of S.O.N.G, and the entire world all watched in awe…
At the appearance of a miracle.
-!-
Hibiki slowly opened her eyes.
~Even if it's my fate to be hurt,~
And she looked on in shock as feathers, made of light and shining violet, fluttered down before her from somewhere she could not see.
~my heart still emanates color!~
"Yes...there was a promise."
Someone was speaking. A gentle voice rose from somewhere, and as her eyes adjusted slowly to the light, she could see as a bright form made itself known to her little by little.
~Farewell, Judas! Turn to dust; Dust to Dust,~
"Days of sunshine and joy, of tears and sorrow."
With every second that passed, more and more feathers floated down before her, and her arms fell to her side limply as it slowly dawned upon her what it was she was seeing.
"I will never give up on those days."
Her eyes fully opened.
And she could only stare in awe, speechless and breathless, at what was before her.
For what hovered in the air slightly above her, and right in front of her eyes…
~back to your weakness of old!~
Was an angel.
~This glass heart, covered in scratches,~
She couldn't describe it. She couldn't fathom it. Her mouth hung open, no sound escaping her lips as she looked upon the magnificent form before her.
"Regret...atonement...I don't need anything like that."
~lights a passion I'd nearly forgotten.~
She was there, before her, carried on the wind by wings of pure light. Her form shining white and violet, and her beauty once more restored to its former glory.
~LAST STARDUST, climb the skies!~
She knew what it was, and yet...it was unlike anything she had seen before.
And all she could do was stand in place, and gape at the figure that stole her breath away.
~Dust to Dust, Ash to Ash, into the distance;~
"For the sake of the future...and for the sake of our happiness...I'll reach beyond it."
~Fragments of dreams, reach eternity!~
"The promise I made to you...I'll never let go of it!"
And so, with the precious feeling in her heart, and clad in the X-Drive form of the Shenshoujing, Kohinata Miku proudly proclaimed her oath.
"I WILL TAKE BACK OUR HAPPY DAYS!"
For the entire world to hear.
"NO MATTER WHAT!"
