Summary: Shioriko just wants to go back in time so Shizuku can get the role she desires so much, and she can see her smiling and shining as brightly as she used to do
Shioriko/Shizuku

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Shioriko notices the way Shizuku's eyes don't shine anymore, the way her smile doesn't reach her eyes neither it feels genuine any longer. She notices her club mate's permanent dejected mood being just a shadow of the cheerful girl she used to be and how because of that she ended up losing the radiance that made her be herself, that made her be... unique.

And yet she just sighs and chooses to brush it off, going back to the student council room to bury herself in the stack of paperwork that awaits for her.

As much as Shioriko wants to help Shizuku, she wouldn't even know where to start off, it's not like they're even that close anyway.

Or so that's what she tells herself to not do anything in that regard, but as days go by and Shizuku's radiance seems to lose even more of its shine until it's completely gone, witnessing how the brunette pretends to be happy and act cheerfully when she's clearly not, Shioriko can't help the pang of sadness that settles in her chest.

One evening, as she's walking around the school grounds to make sure everything is in perfect order as one of her many duties as the president of the student council, she hears a light crying coming out of the auditorium.

Curious, she ventures in to find a figure crouched in the shadows, almost hidden behind the curtains.

- Are you okay? – she asks aloud, hearing the crying intensifying as she approaches the source of the sound.

As she does it, she hears a surprised gasp and rustle movements before a girl with long brown hair and red puffy blue eyes gets out of her hiding place in the shadows to face her.

- Shizuku-san?

Shioriko asks, while Shizuku can't help but looking at Shioriko slightly surprised that she was the one finding her. She quickly composes herself and plasters a fake smile on her face, forgetting how she was crying out until just a few seconds ago.

- Oh Shioriko-san, sorry. I didn't know there were people still around here at this time – she says, gathering her school bag from the floor in a hurry to leave – Sorry again for the troubles, I'll be going now.

She says once again, passing by Shioriko with her head down to hide the dry trace of tears down her face, but Shioriko suddenly grabs her by the wrist to prevent her from leaving.

- What happened? – Shioriko asks her worriedly.

- Uh… nothing, don't worry – Shizuku tries to muster her best smile, but she fails miserably.

- What happened, Shizuku-san? It's my duty as the student council president to know what's wrong – Shioriko pressures her sternly.

Shizuku can only look at her warily, biting her lip before she bursts into tears once again, wailing and babbling about how she got rejected for the next school theater's play.

Shioriko looks at her sadly not knowing what to say to comfort her, before she takes a step forward and wraps her arms around Shizuku until she stops crying.

- It'll be okay.

Those are the only comfort words Shioriko can come up to say, patting Shizuku's back in what it's supposed to be a comfort way but that ends up being a bit awkward.

But even after saying those reassuring words, nothing goes well and Shioriko witnesses at first-hand how the days go by and Shizuku seems to be even more miserable than she already was, looking rather hollow.

Shioriko sighs heavily in her own bedroom, the hollow expression on Shizuku's face haunting her as she's supposed to be studying.

Her eyes gaze briefly at the paper in front of her, and before she realizes, she's writing down a lazy:

"I wish Shizuku got the main role to see her smiling and shining again"

She realizes how stupid it's to be wishing for something that already happened, and crumples the paper in her hands to throw it into the paper bin before she flops on her bed to go to sleep, hoping she can forget about the recent non-sense she just wrote down.

The following morning, Shioriko wakes up with the sun shining brighter than previous days and goes to school.

She passes by a nervous Shizuku on her way to her class, seeing her in higher spirits than the previous days, something that shocks her upon the sudden change of mood in the other girl yet she can't help but be happy for her.

Shioriko shakes her head and keeps walking to class without giving it any further importance, at least not for the present moment.

When the teacher begins to explain the lesson, she can't help but feel she's having a déjà vu.

Didn't she already explain this some days ago?

She thinks to herself but doesn't say anything about it. She doesn't say anything either when the following teachers begin to teach things that they were already supposed to have taught.

Shioriko feels something strange, as if she'd had go back in time, but the mere thought of it is an absurdity itself.

Evening comes, and as every school day, Shioriko walks around the school grounds to make sure everything is in perfect order when she bumps into Shizuku.

She's about to ask her if she's feeling better than the previous day when the later looks at her and smiles brightly, her smile reaching her blue eyes to make them sparkle mesmerizingly, and Shioriko can't help but feel her breath get caught in her throat.

- Shioriko-san! I've got the main role! – Shizuku yells happily, running towards her to give her a tight hug that confuses Shioriko even more.

Shizuku realizes what she just did and quickly pulls away with a hard blush on her cheeks and a shy but happy smile adorning her face.

- Oh, huh, congratulations Shizuku-san – Shioriko says with a calm smile on her face – Did they let you repeat the auditions?

Shioriko asks confusedly while Shizuku furrows her brow and tilts her head in equal confusion.

- No. This is the first time I audition, silly – Shizuku says between cute giggles and waves at her, turning to leave – Sorry Shioriko-san, but I have to go!

Shioriko waves back at her awkwardly, seeing her leaving happily, loving the beaming expression on her face, before she takes her phone out of her bag to look at its screen.

Date: 04/03/2022