Author's note: Crossposted in fic is written to take place after Mafuyu's birthday, so it would be quite a while after the Goodbye to My Masked Self event.
Just a warning, I am not a native English speaker and have no beta reader.
The Other You
"Excuse me."
Empty dining room greeted her. Honami looked around for a bit before stepping inside. The owner of the house, Yoisaki-san, did tell her that she would be off to the hospital for her father this time so she would not be around to greet her. It was not the first time as well for it to happen. However, this time…
A very slight sound of footsteps could be heard from inside the house and Honami gave her best smile.
"Good day, Asahina-senpai."
"Good day."
"I am sorry for barging in. I will be helping around today as well."
"... Yes."
Appearing like a mere shadow from the room across the hall was Asahina Mafuyu. She stood there almost motionlessly, nodding in acknowledgment to Honami's presence but did not seem to have any inclination to do or say anything else.
"Oh, um…Senpai…"
"... I will be working inside."
"Oh, yes. Please."
Asahina-senpai made a very faint nod of approval and retreated to what was Yoisaki-san bedroom and working room. She must have wanted to work on their circle's music. Honami knew beforehand that Asahina-senpai was in the same music circle with Yoisaki-san and worked on their lyrics and mixes. They often worked together in the room as Honami worked around the house. They would meet her only after she was done and Honami could only say the very bare minimum conversation with Asahina-senpai during then.
To say it simply… At first Honami was shocked.
When she heard that there would be another person living with Yoisaki-san and that her payment would double, she was surprised but quite relieved because that meant Yoisaki-san would have someone else with her instead of completely alone. However, when she saw that the person was Asahina-senpai and that she would be there due to a trouble that they 'could not tell in detail', Honami was surprised how instead of feeling relief due to the person being Asahina-senpai, she instead felt extremely worried. How could she not be. Honami thought she knew Asahina-senpai well enough from school, but the person in Yoisaki-san's home seemed like a completely different person.
No need to be a genius to see that something was wrong with Asahina-senpai, especially with how warm, cheerful, and friendly she was at school. But she could not ask further when Yoisaki-san said she could not explain in detail. From Asahina-senpai's look that day, Honami somehow knew that probably it was not something she could or should prod further. At least, unless Asashina-senpai herself decided to say anything about it.
The best she could do then was to tell them she would always be ready to offer any assistance should the need arise and to do her usual work routine. She would have to work to clean up and cook for two people now. She had her heart set on it then.
Turned out, she did not even have to worry. Asahina-senpai's presence in the house was so thin, it's worrying. The worry crept to her the more she worked as she started to notice how things, eerily, did not change.
After finishing the general cleaning around the dining and living room, Honami moved to the bathroom. Other than the number of toothbrushes, nothing else was different with the number of supplies. One would assume that one more person living in the same house would mean one more brand of everything for the other person, especially if the person was female. But no such thing occurred when Asahina-senpai moved in. No new shampoo or body treatment or hair treatment. Nothing. Asahina-senpai must have used what was available. If it was only for one or two days, that would be natural. However, Asahina-senpai had been here for weeks and nothing changed. Even after the usual restocking days in Yoisaki household, there was still no additional toiletries. Not only toiletries, the same happened around the house.
That could have easily be rationally explained by thinking that probably Asahina-senpai had been using the same brand all along or liked the brand she used in Yoisaki household. However, Honami felt even more worried when she cleaned up the room Asahina-senpai used for sleeping.
There was nothing there.
To say absolutely nothing would be a hyperbole, but other than the necessities nothing else was there in the room that could tell you a "person" was "living" there. For lack of better word, the room was cold and soulless. It was devoid of personal interest.
If Honami were to match the room she was tidying up (which was basically just sweeping and mopping because it was very tidy from the start), Honami could not match the room with the cheerful and warm Asahina-senpai she met at school. There was not even a trace of it. However, if Honami were to match it with the person she saw in Yoisaki-san's house, it sure made more sense.
Mute, cold, and almost emotionless, the only thing that Honami could feel from her was distress and pain. On good days, Asahina-senpai appeared calm. Her eyes would focus appropriately on the conversation happening in front of her. She would also say one or two words, usually only around approval or refusal, which she would answer after being asked. On bad days, she would not even go out of her room and Yoisaki-san would be the only one to meet Honami and apologized that Asahina-senpai was "not in a good condition" and for her to not "look for Mafuyu" and to "leave her alone in her room". It was impossible not to be worried.
Honami knew that Yoisaki-san had been trying to make a song to "save" one of her acquaintances. She knew that Yoisaki-san got increasingly desperate lately, so much that she even forgot to eat the meal Honami had prepared for her. In the end, Honami never really knew who Yoisaki-san wanted to save… but somehow she felt it was Asahina-senpai all along.
But if that was true…
Suddenly it all felt suffocating.
Honami opened the refrigerator this time, checking on the availability of the ready to eat meal she had prepared for the two occupants of the house. Honami thought that Asahina-senpai would be a lot more keen on eating, but she found out that both were almost the same level of nonchalance when it came to eating a proper meal. Once, she found that there were still many meals left, and she asked the two of them if her cooking was not to their liking. She felt sad and down from that and perhaps that showed since Yoisaki-san apologized profusely, saying she was too absorbed in her work. When Honami, a bit sad, looked at Asahina-senpai, she felt she saw a slight bit of remorse in those emotionless eyes, especially when the latter said very quietly, "... I am sorry."
They ate more of the meals after that. Honami actually found that quite… endearing.
"Both of them are really troublesome on stuff like that, so please don't hesitate to just scold them if they don't eat, Honami-chan. Or rather, just scold them right away if they don't eat. Don't think twice."
One day, Honami consulted Ena-san on her drawing for Leo/need poster and Ena-san asked her how was the condition of the two in Yoisaki house during the conversation. Remembering what happened with the meal, Honami asked if Ena-san knew what was the two's favorite food, being close to them, and all Ena-san said was that, "It's not about the food. Both are airheads when it comes to their own health."
After that, Ena-san started to rant about how both of them came to their meetings completely forgetting to eat and sleep, prompting her and Mizuki-san to almost coerce them to do so. She then ranted on how both of them, especially Asahina-senpai, are 'such a handful to take care of'.
"But, I am glad they have you, Honami-chan."
Ena-san continued. Her voice sounded really tender.
"They make me worry. Lately both of them had been through a lot, especially Mafuyu. But with you around them, I can at least be sure someone is taking care of their meals and well beings with so much care. That's something Mizuki and I cannot do for them."
At that moment, Honami could feel how much Ena-san cherished both Yoisaki-san and Asahina-senpai. There was unmistakable love in her voice. Even her annoyance was born out of love.
"Thank you for taking care of them. Please continue to look out for them. They really need all the care they can get."
Mizuki-san said the same thing when Honami met her. Mizuki said that Honami being there for Yoisaki-san meant more than merely doing laundry and cooking food, that it really relieved Mizuki she was around for the two. It also appeared eating properly had always been a recurring problem between the two of them. With Mizuki-san and Ena-san saying the same concern and expressing the same relief, Honami wondered just how long and how often that happened between them.
Now, Honami had started to recognize the pace of their meal. Both Yoisaki-san and Asahina-senpai appeared to very rarely eat outside and only did so when it was with their music circle. They also usually did not have more than one meal. Since the patterns were quite predictable, she understood now if things were not right with them and if everything was okay by looking at how much they ate.
Lately, it appeared they were eating very well.
Satisfied with how the meals were eaten this week, Honami started her cooking preparation. First, she would cook all the ready to eat food to be stored. Some would need time to cool, so it was better to make them first before she continued with today's dinner. At one time she thought of merely making ready to cook raw ingredients but then, if they found microwaved ready to eat food to be a hassle, it would even be more of a chore for them if they must cook it. In the end, although it kind of restricted Honami on what kind of food she could prepare for them she ended up not changing her ways.
Honami was just about done packing the last of the meals when she heard the door open. In this quiet house, even such a small sound was loud enough.
"Mochizuki-san."
"Ah, Asahina-senpai! What's the matter? Anything I can help you with?"
"... Ena told me to help you out."
"Ena-san?"
Asahina-senpai nodded. Her overall expression did not change that much but somehow Honami felt Asahina-senpai was slightly 'annoyed'. After spending more time with Asahina-senpai, Honami realized that Asahina-senpai's expression turned slightly more expressive when she talked about her music circle friends. Whenever Yoisaki-san started talking about Ena-san or Mizuki-san, Asahina-senpai often talked more than usual, which was outside of her "approval" and "refusal" word variations. Honami found it endearing. It sure showed how they were such good friends with each other.
"Mizuki and Ena also said to give their regards to you."
"Thank you very much, Senpai. Please tell them I really appreciate it. You have been working with them today as well?"
Asahina-senpai nodded again. So she had been working in the room with them this whole time. The pace of Yoisaki-san and Asahina-senpai in working on their piece at times made Honami worried. Experiencing making music and performing herself, Honami understood just how hard it was to make music. There was also something in the way both Yoisaki-san and Asahina-senpai worked on their music that there was a sense of urgency in it.
Asahina-senpai arrived near Honami now. Her eyes fell on the vegetables that Honami was cutting.
"Ah. I am making Nikujaga for today's dinner. Is that alright with you, Senpai?"
"I don't mind."
"Anything else you want for dinner?"
"... something warm."
"Then I will make miso soup as well. Will that be okay?"
Another nod.
After several visits, Honami had grown used to this version of Asahina-senpai. At first it was hard to not feel a bit strange, especially upon meeting her at school on other days. However, now, Honami would prefer this Asahina-senpai instead. Especially if she remembered how her upper classman usually was at school. Her smile, her kind words, her warm attitude and personality, always ready to help anyone around her. Now that she thought of it, Asahina-senpai almost never rejected anything from anyone. She always became anything everyone wished her to be. She always became everyone's helper. Now Honami wondered if Asahina-senpai even had time for herself.
Thus, the rather silent yet straightforward Asahina-senpai in this house made Honami felt relieved instead. Asahina-senpai did not try to make that suffocating smile in front of her. Honami felt that would at least let Asahina-senpai rest, even a bit, from everything.
But now, Asahina-senpai remained beside her even after answering. She did not return to Yoisaki-san's room.
"Asahina-senpai?"
"... What can I help?"
"Oh."
Right. She said Ena-san asked her to help out.
"It's alright, Senpai. It is part of my job. You may return to work and I will call you once it is done."
"I want to help."
"Oh."
"Let me."
Asahina-senpai looked into Honami's eyes. Perhaps it was not because of Ena-san after all.
"Sure, Senpai! Then I'll let you handle the cutting while I prepare the broth. Will that be okay?"
"Yes."
"You can put the vegetables here after."
"Okay."
"Thank you for helping out, Senpai."
"... Yes."
Perhaps it was just her, but Honami sensed Asahina-senpai's face turned gentler. Like calm slowly filled her and relaxed her features. That made Honami inexplicably happy. She hoped that Asahina-senpai could get her mind off things, even if only a bit.
"How do you like the soup from last time, Senpai?"
"The vegetables were easy to eat. I think it is good."
"I am glad. I had prepared more this week. I hope it is to your liking as well."
"Thank you."
Many times Honami wondered if she should ask her friends about Asahina-senpai. She even had Shiho find her buying more ingredients than usual and asked who it was for. However, she did not have the heart to tell them. Her childhood friends are all kind people, she knew they would not break promises or secrets easily. She knew even if she were to tell them how Asahina-senpai was in Yoisaki-san's place, none of Leo/need would say anything to others and they would definitely try to help with all their powers. However, she felt like she should not. She knew almost nothing about Asahina-senpai's predicament and neither the person herself nor her closest circle friends told Honami anything. All that she knew, Asahina-senpai had "been through a lot" and that she was in so much pain.
She wondered many times what she could do to help, what she could do to ease Asahina-senpai's pain. In the end, she didn't know. She had no idea at all. However, Ena-san and Mizuki-san messaged her from time to time. Almost always, they would express how grateful they were to know Honami was there for her.
Honami wondered how much that mattered for Asahina-senpai herself. It was hard to tell. Especially with Asahina-senpai being harder to read than Yoisaki-san. However…
"It appears Yoisaki-san will soon be home, Senpai. Since dinner and the meals have finished, I will leave once she arrives."
"... You're not going to eat dinner together?"
"Eh?"
Asahina-senpai looked at Honami with her almost glass-like eyes. It was hard to make out emotions from those eyes but, if Honami were to be a little bit hopeful…
"Would you like me to, Senpai?"
"... It's warmer with the three of us."
Then Asahina-senpai gave a very faint, light nod.
Just like that, it was always hard to make out what Asahina-senpai was actually feeling but…
"I see! I understand. Then I guess I will stay for dinner today."
With her answer, even if just for a little bit, Honami felt like she saw Asahina-senpai smile as she gave yet another nod of approval.
Fin
Author's note:In JP server's Mafuyu 2023 Birthday BD, Kanade was asked by Ichika/Honami if Mafuyu has any favorite food and Kanade answered in a roundabout way it's better to not give any food for Mafuyu's birthday (then apologized to Mafuyu because she worried she might hint to them that Mafuyu can't taste). Mafuyu patched that excuse by saying she'd prefer stuff that would last instead of food, avoiding Leo/need to suspect she couldn't taste.
In JP server's Mafuyu 2024 birthday area conversation, Honami wondered if Mafuyu would like to have anything for her birthday, which showed further that she most likely had no idea Mafuyu had lost her sense of taste.
It's impossible to think Honami never asked Mafuyu if her cooking matched her taste or not. The 'Niigo' Mafuyu is very honest so I only guessed her answer. Just like how Mafuyu also told those in Sekai that Honami's food "felt warm", I believe even if Mafuyu were to give any kind of comment on Honami's cooking, it would revolve around something physical such as texture or temperature more than "taste".