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Mika giggled to himself as he played with his fingers, watching the threads curl and wind but never tangle. Whenever it seemed as though there would be the slightest inference of strain on the threads, they would phase through his finger, bringing them back to their free-flowing state. No matter how often Mika stared at them, he never got tired of it.
“Kagehira!”
Mika’s eyes trailed the rose-gold thread that tied itself around his ring finger, following it to the scornful owner of the other end. “Nyeh? Yes, Oshi-san?”
“Where is Nito?”
The heterochromatic doll hummed in thought. “I think he was lookin’ at the outfit I gave ‘im for his birthday.”
The crease of Itsuki’s brows deepened in irritation. “Tch. I fail to understand how such a disgraceful work of what can hardly be referred to as sewing made by a failure such as yourself could possibly enrapture Nito’s attention to such a degree.”
Mika felt a little embarrassed, but he preened under the acknowledgment. “Nyehe~ Guess it ain’t as bad as ya thought~”
“Silence!” Itsuki sent Mika a deathly glare, causing the young protégé’s giggling to trail off awkwardly. “Do you think me so incapable of conceiving what true art looks like? Do you take me an ignorant fool like you!?”
The thread on Mika’s ring finger tinged with a light scorching sensation.
“N-No! What I mean ‘s—”
The door squeaked open.
“Nyeh?”
Itsuki’s face immediately brightened as he turned away from Mika. “My sweet perfect Nito!”
Nazuna bowed apologetically, keeping his hazy eyes focused on the ground, stiff arms rigidly attached to his sides. Wrapped around Nazuna’s right thumb was a thread of pure gold; the other end was tied to Mika’s matching finger.
The threads that connected all three of them were a sign that they were soulmates. Just the thought made Mika giddy. Soulmate threads formed when two people’s connected souls neared each other, and the first of Mika’s threads appeared when he was a child, encountering Itsuki.
Whether the bond was platonic or romantic was up to the paired individuals, but as the most common number of soulmate threads someone typically obtained in their lifespan was two, someone would generally have one platonic bond and one romantic bond. Still, there were cases when both bonds were platonic, or both were romantic.
Of course, there was always the possibility that an individual would have more or less than two, and Mika quickly learned that those without any threads loathed being pitied. Still, he couldn’t help occasionally feeling a twinge of guilt whenever he thought of how lucky he felt to have found at least two of his known soulmates so early. Finding them both at Yumenosaki was one of the happiest days of Mika’s life.
“Enough daydreaming, Kagehira!” Itsuki impatiently snapped his fingers in front of Mika’s face, bringing the doll back to reality. “Our preparations have already been completed. It is time to show the impressionable masses the grace of Valkyrie!” He confidently exited the room, assumedly wanting Mika and Nazuna to follow suit.
Nazuna began to make his way toward the door but halted as Mika lightly grabbed his arm. The marionette turned to him and tilted his head.
“Let’s make Oshi-san proud!” Mika encouraged, delivering his widest grin.
Nazuna managed to reciprocate with a small smile and subtly nodded.
Valkyrie had been completely obliterated by fine.
Like the rulers of a castle built of sand, they had thought themselves the creators of a new world, only to be easily swept away by the waves as if they were a child’s plaything.
And Nazuna had run away after it all ended — after their master had crumpled on the floor before the new emperor.
Nazuna… was a coward. He fled to a safer unit once Valkyrie fell on hard times as if he didn’t care about them. As if he didn’t care about Mika. Maybe he didn’t.
The thread still connected them after Nazuna had gone, so it was easy to see which direction the traitor had run off to. Mika followed the thread to a ribbon shop, one that he happened to enjoy window shopping a couple times.
Nazuna had offered that Mika come with him to make a better life for himself.
Mika had never been so insulted in his life.
The door chimed as it opened.
Why did Mika allow the thread to lead him? What did he plan to do? He certainly didn’t plan to follow Nazuna, no matter how much he missed him.
The sight of Mika elicited a gasp from the leader of Ra*bits as he came through the door.
Seeing Nazuna welled up a nauseating blend of happiness and anger within Mika, and the thread connecting the pair pricked his finger.
The untethered puppet smiled tentatively at Mika. “Mi…Mika-chin?”
Mika opened his mouth. Nazuna-nii…I— “Stay away from us, traitor,” he spat out. He spun on his heel and didn’t bother turning back, just as Nazuna did to Valkyrie.
Why. Is. It. Still. THERE!? Mika swiped at the thread of pure gold wrapped around his thumb, though his fingers predictably went through it.
The thread seemed much dimmer than it used to be, although that may have been due to its thinness. The rose gold that wrapped itself around Mika’s ring finger looked approximately fifty times thicker than its neighbor.
Although the 0.02mm pure gold thread wasn’t thin enough to be imperceptible, Mika had to admit he probably would have missed it if it weren’t still wrapped around his own finger.
The thread taunted him by its willingness to hang on despite its resented presence.
Mika had heard of situations like this one. A soulmate thread could be untethered, but only under extreme circumstances. Even most arguments or disputes wouldn’t be able to affect it, and most divorces still left a hint of thread remaining, as unwanted as it may be. Apparently, such a severe betrayal wasn’t enough to completely snap his and Nazuna’s connection.
Itsuki had only just started to get back on his feet after Nazuna’s betrayal.
Mika wondered if his mentor had a similar experience to him.
The forgotten puppeteer would occasionally take a second to stare at his pinky when it came close to his face while sewing. He would then grit his teeth and begin sewing faster. Itsuki probably thought Mika wouldn’t notice, but he often forgot how much Mika looked up to him, literally and figuratively. After all, Itsuki always spent his time fawning over Nazuna.
The thin remnants of thread on Mika’s thumb suddenly felt how he always imagined a needle would feel.
Itsuki pressed up against Mika, mouth hot against his.
“O-Oshi— mmph!?” Mika’s grunts turned into mewls as his teacher began moving his hands underneath Mika’s clothes.
Itsuki didn’t say a word, didn’t make eye contact at all, but kept feeling across Mika’s body, tactically observing what spots made Mika cry or moan as if he were fiddling with a toy. Despite the intimacy of the moment, something about the whole affair felt… off.
“C-Can ya s-slow dow— mm!” Any of Mika’s protests were swallowed by Itsuki’s increasingly pressing assault. He could feel small needles of fear threatening to spike.
But Itsuki was his soulmate, so he wouldn’t do anything to hurt Mika, right? That’s right. He wanted this. Mika wanted all of this. He had to. Nothing was wrong. Now he knew his mentor wouldn’t be thinking about Nazuna. That traitor didn’t deserve to ever have a place in Itsuki’s mind.
As the pleasure began to edge on pain, Mika knew that he was doing the right thing. Itsuki was doing the right thing. They would start a new life without Nazuna. ’m so lucky to have Itsuki-senpai with me. To have ‘im love me. This is okay this is okay thisis okay this isokay thisisokaythisisokaythisisokay.
Naked and tired, Mika got up and went to the bathroom to clean himself off and check how bruised he was. He caught a glimpse of himself and gasped at what he saw. When… When did I start cryin’?
“Mika-chan… are you okay?” Narukami worriedly peered at Mika over her sunglasses.
“Mmngh…”
“You seem tired, and… sad,” she stated bluntly. “How about we go out later? I got tickets to a Live being performed in a venue not too far from here ♪”
Mika groaned. “Mmkay.”
“Do you want to talk about it? I’m always here to lend an ear~”
“Hmngh…” Mika regretted agreeing to hang out with Narukami. It’s not that he didn’t love her, but the recent days had been taxing on him. Between all the work Valkyrie was doing to get up on their feet and… helping Itsuki, he was exhausted, physically and emotionally. Mika was still a little sore from how rough his mentor had been last time they convened, and it honestly hurt to move, which was why he was taking a moment to nap at the outdoor lunch table.
Narukami shook his shoulder lightly. “Please at least let me know you’re just tired or something… You need to take care of yourself, you know?”
“Mhmm… Nhgh… Oshi-san…”
Narukami’s expression hardened. “That ‘Oshi-san’, of yours is treating you well, right? You know that if you need, I can just…” She cracked her knuckles.
Mika awakened at that, standing up as his hands slammed on the table. “N-NO! Y-Ya can’t do that!”
The jasmine yellow knight startled at Mika’s outburst before sighing. “O-Okay, anything for you Mika-chan…” She pulled a ticket out of her pocket. “At least consider coming to the Live next week, okay?”
Mika felt his eyes droop as he slumped back on his seat. “’Kay. Thanks, Naru-chan…”
He should’ve taken a closer look at the ticket. Mika blindly followed the address on the ticket Narukami gave him, and he walked up to the venue only to see…
Ra*bits posters. Tons of them were plastered on the outside of the venue. With them were pastel blues, yellows, and pinks coloring the rabbit and star shaped balloons floating around the joyful children. All the children were chattering excitedly among themselves, one of them even carrying a Mitsuru nui.
Mika reached into his pocket, praying that he only misread the address on the ticket. He didn’t want to be rude and waste the ticket Narukami gave him, but he didn’t know who he could find to give it to before the Live started. But he couldn’t be here; he wasn’t ready. “Ah…!” Pulling it out, he realized he accidentally grabbed the free ice cream ticket Nazuna gave him.
Nazuna, or rather Anzu, had given Mika an ice cream ticket around a month ago. Despite being able to get the most expensive and delicious ice cream for free, he hadn’t made use of the ticket yet, and he sometimes questioned why he still had it with him, or if he even planned to make use of the traitor’s gift. It was a betrayal to his mentor, after all. And he wasn’t a traitor. He wasn’t.
“Mika-chan~!” an energetic voice called.
Quickly stuffing the ice cream ticket back into his pocket, Mika turned around and saw Narukami strolling up to him in her most recent spring-summer outfit, looking pleased with herself. “Naru-chan,” he growled.
Seemingly impervious to Mika’s aggression, Narukami grabbed the Valkyrie member without hesitation and began dragging him into the venue. “Let’s go, Mika-chan~! I have a feeling this’ll be a good Live ♪”
“UWAHH!? NARU-CHAN, YOU—”
“Sooo… how was that, Mika-chan?”
“…”
“…I’m sorry, Mika-chan. I shouldn’t have pushed you, but I just thought—”
“It was good.”
“Hm?”
Mika smiled at Narukami, small, but genuine. “It was a good Live.”
When Ra*bits came on stage, it was as if the entire venue— no, as if the entire world lit up. The cute bunnies sang with all their might and danced playfully, and a part of Mika wanted to hop around and sing too. And seeing Nazuna somehow didn’t bring the same bitterness that Mika thought it would either, but rather it gave him a sort of hopefulness: the hope that Valkyrie would be able to find the same happiness that Nazuna found in Ra*bits and the hope that he would be able to forgive Nazuna one day. Ra*bits’ unbridled joy was infectious, and it was impossible to feel any ill will while they sang. Mika could say he was almost jealous of them.
Nazuna undoubtedly knew that Mika was there. Although the nearly imperceptible string on Nazuna’s finger was probably forgotten during the performance, an idol’s eyes are almost always on the audience, even if not directly.
While Ra*bits was waving to the audience after performing Milky Starry Charm, Mika could have sworn he felt Nazuna’s eyes on him. Why did Nazuna still feel so warm and safe even after how much he’d hurt Mika!? He wasn’t allowed to make Mika feel that way! Why did—
“Mika-chan?” Arashi asked. “The sun is still out, so is there something else you want to do?”
Mika hesitated for a few moments before taking a deep breath and reluctantly reaching into his pocket. “How ‘bout we get some ice cream?”
Recently, it seemed like Itsuki was afraid to touch Mika. It happened so abruptly, so suddenly, that it felt suspicious, as if something had happened. But when Mika tried to recall any significant recent events, nothing came to mind.
One part of Mika was happy since not needing to redirect his attention anymore meant he had more time to focus on Lives. Still, he craved his mentor’s touch, as unpleasant it could be. It reminded Mika that he would always be more important to Valkyrie than Nazuna ever was, that he wasn’t a cowardly traitor.
“Kagehira, are you focusing?”
“Hm?”
Itsuki put the back of his palm to Mika’s forehead, brows creased in worry. “You appear to be healthy… Perhaps you should take some time outside. It can be a bit constricting to be indoors for extended periods of time.”
Strange. That was another thing Mika noticed. His mentor seemed less… forceful? Chronically upset? Of course, the change was less noticeable, as Itsuki had been getting steadily less irritable for some time, but it was significant enough for it to also be suspicious. Maybe Mika was imagining the whole thing, but he couldn’t help but think the events were related.
“Ah, you seem to be zoning out again. My assessment appears to be correct. Out you go.” Valkyrie’s leader began leading Mika toward the door.
“W-Wait, Oshi-san! I can still help!”
“Non! Do you truly believe you can create art worthy of Valkyrie with a distant mind?”
“Ngnh, b-but I…” Mika fumbled out jumbled excuses, all ignored by his mentor until he was firmly shut out the house, a few autumn leaves falling on his head as he stood frozen in shock. I’ve really done it now… The young protégé pulled out his phone and made a call.
A couple rings were followed by Narukami’s delicate voice. “Mika-chan? What’s up?” Then, more distantly, “Umm, no, not there! It’ll get in your way when you… oh dear…”
Mika winced at the sound of something falling from the other end of the phone. “O-Oh, are ya busy right now?”
“No, it’s alright! I’m just helping Adonis-chan to put on an outfit that’s bound to woo anyone that looks at him~♪”
“Wha…?”
“N-Never mind! Why’d you call Mika-chan~?”
“It’s Oshi-san—”
“WHAT DID HE DO!?” Narukami screamed through the phone, followed by the sound of something else falling. “Oh dear. Adonis-chan, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Anyway…” She moved closer to the phone again. “Do you need me to take care of him?”
Mika vehemently shook his head before realizing Narukami couldn’t see him. “N-No, he didn’ do nothin’ like that! ‘S kinda the opposite, actually…”
“Hm?”
“It kinda feels like Oshi-san is avoidin’ me… well, not really, but like… nghh, how do I say it… he treats me like ‘m made o’ glass, or somethin’ like that. A-An’, I don’ think I like it!”
“I see… Does it make you feel distant from him?”
“Y-Yeah, tha’s how ya say it! I thought ya said somethin’ t’ ‘im or… I dunno…”
“Oh, trust me, if I came across him, he wouldn’t even be in the same room as you anymore ♪” Narukami said cheerily.
Mika felt a sense of dread at those words. “Whaddya mean?”
“I mean, he probably would’ve been terrified to be around you if I threatened to snap his fucking back if he ever dared to hurt you ♪” Narukami giggled, the distorted static of the phone scaring Mika even more. “Oh my, that wasn’t very lady-like of me to say~”
“U-Uhm…”
“Adonis-chan, where are you going? I have another outfit for you to try out~ ADONIS-CHAN, GET BACK HE— aaand he’s gone… Fufu, I hope he didn’t forget I’m also a member of the Track and Field Club~♪” Her giggling sent chills down Mika’s spine. “Well, I have to go after Adonis-chan right now, but let’s hang out later, okay, Mika-chan? I’ll text you~”
“’K-Kay…” Mika sighed as he hung up, still more confused than before. If Narukami wasn’t the one who talked to Itsuki, then who was? Or was there a different reason Mika’s mentor decided to treat him differently? Was there any way to get him back to the way it was before?
…Did he want to go back to before?
“Do ya forgive Nazuna-nii, Oshi-san?”
“Hm?” Itsuki adjusted the tip of his hat seven degrees to the right. “Tsk. I was aware this type of fabric would rustle more when moving around on stage, but I am beginning to wonder if the inconvenience was worth it for the Repayment Festival… Who am I kidding, of course it was! Kakaka ♪”
“I-I was askin’ if ya forgave Nazuna-nii. Y’know, after everythin’ he did…” Mika watched as Nazuna was surrounded by the bunnies he’d raised. Part of Mika still saw the same Nazuna that was once in Valkyrie, a caring marionette that did its best to entertain the children. But Nazuna’s eyes were much brighter than before. Mika saw Itsuki looking in the same direction that he had been staring moments ago.
“I do not know if I forgive Nito.” Itsuki frowned for a moment before the crease dissipated from his forehead. “But I do know that I want him to be happy. Do you feel the same, Kagehira?”
The question caught Mika off-guard. “Ngah!?” D-Do I?
“You do not need to answer right now.” Itsuki smiled empathetically. “I understand that you may have many reservations about Nito and much conflict in how to feel about him. I do too.” The reformed puppeteer started making his way backstage, just as Ra*bits had already done on the other side.
N-No… I don’ forgive Nazuna-nii for what he did. I don’ know if I ever will. B-But, I still—! “NAZUNA-NII!” Mika called out. He ran to the other side of the stage and put his hand on the knob when he froze.
The pure gold thread wrapped around his thumb began to unravel itself.
“N-No!” Mika grasped for the thread, but it phased through his hand, right before phasing through the stage, presumably continuing to fall into nothingness. The broken doll fell to the ground, still palming at the floor for the string he was previously unwillingly bound by. But now that it was gone… “H-How, W-WHY!?”
“Kagehira!” Itsuki called, coming out from the backstage room. “Is something the matter?”
It’s gone, it’s gone!? It’s gone. It’s… gone…
“Kagehira!”
Mika instinctively plastered a smile onto his face. He was used to it, after all. “Yeah, sorry Oshi-san, I jus’ dropped somethin’ on stage ♪” Without wasting a second, he stood back up and dusted himself off, joining his mentor.
“You really should be more careful,” Itsuki sighed.
Mika’s eyes dimmed as he nodded. “Yeah, I shoulda been…”
Mika thought he would feel more. He really did. But he hadn’t shed a single tear after he lost his thread. Maybe he was in shock; he couldn’t tell. Everything felt emptier than it had in the weeks before the Repayment Festival. The thread was barely there by the time it unraveled itself, but Mika could still feel the invisible imprint of where it was once strung around his thumb, a phantom pain that struck deeper than his finger.
Itsuki had obviously realized something was wrong. Even as he hadn’t changed his plans of leaving Mika to move to France, he still looked at his protégé with a furrowed brow that Mika had come to know as not annoyance, but concern.
Mika hated making his senior worry over him, and he knew he had to do something if he wanted to get himself together. Not just for himself, but for Valkyrie, and especially Itsuki.
Said senior was sipping tea by a window, occasionally glancing at his hand, appearing deep in thought. When he saw Mika approaching, he put down his cup and raised an eyebrow.
“Oshi-san… I gotta ask ya…”
“Yes, Kagehira?”
Mika took a deep breath. Here we go! ‘s now or never…! “Do ya… still have Nazuna-nii’s soulmate thread?”
Itsuki stared at Mika in confusion for a moment before chuckling. “Kagehira, I believe you misunderstood the situation.”
“Huh?”
Itsuki circled the rim of his teacup with his index finger, a wistful look in his eyes. “Nito and I were never soulmates.”
“HUUUH!?” Mika reeled back at the information. “B-But, didn’t ya say y’all were soulmates when ya guys first met!?”
“Only a result of my youthful impetuosity,” Itsuki sighed. “When I saw Nito outside the window that day, I believed I had found my true soulmate. At the time, I had been disappointed with you as a soulmate…” He cringed at his own words. “I had resented fate for bringing me to you, and so I believed I would choose my own soulmate. Of course, Nito always knew the truth.”
“HUH!?” 'kay, so Oshi-san ain’t soulmates with Nazuna-nii. An’ so, that means, uh, wait, but ’m soulmates with Nazuna-nii. WAIT, but, uh, trios don’ always happen. ‘n fact, it happens a lot where people have different soulmates, don’ it? Wait, but if ’m soulmates with Oshi-san AN’ Nazuna-nii, but Oshi-san is soulmates with me an’ not Nazuna-nii, then Oshi-san, um—
“Kagehira, what has gotten into you? Why are you clutching at your head and wailing? Are you undergoing a malfunction?” Itsuki stood up and made his way toward Mika.
“AH!”
“My goodness!” Itsuki swore in French as he flinched backward at Mika’s outburst. “What in the world is wro—”
“OSHI-SAN!? YA DON’ HAVE ANOTHER SOULMATE!?” Mika gasped at his own words and started flailing his arms. “N-Not that ‘s a bad thing, ya know? I mean, lotsa people—”
Itsuki covered Mika’s mouth with his hand, their soulmate string glowing at the contact. “Please, be quiet. You are beginning to give me a headache.”
“Sahwee, Shi-shawn,” Mika said in his mentor’s hand. He gently kissed Itsuki’s palm in apology.
Itsuki quickly retracted his hand as if burned. “D-Don’t—!” He sighed resignedly. “Your affinity for unwarranted affection never fails to astound me,” he deadpanned.
“That’s just ‘cause I love ya, Oshi-san!” Mika smiled brightly.
The master artist’s face flushed from either embarrassment or indignation. “A-Anyway, if you must know, you are not the only one I am tied to.”
“W-Wha…!? How come ya never told me, Oshi-san!? Is it one o’ the Eccentrics!?”
Itsuki shook his head and crossed his arms. “No. While it is true that the Eccentrics are family to me, we were brought together by… external circumstances. My other soulmate, I also met as a child. That was Kiryu.”
“KIRYU-SENPAI!?” Mika shrieked.
“Goodness, what did I say about your volume!?” Shu shouted back, hands covering his ears. “Yes, Kiryu is my other known soulmate.”
“B-But, didn’t y’all always fight at Yumenosaki?” Mika whined as he tried to process all the unexpected revelations. “I… I thought yer string with Nazuna-nii broke too, an’ tha’ was why ya looked at yer hand so often, or somethin’…”
“Yes, that is true. Despite being childhood friends, our relationship at Yumenosaki was much rockier. However, our string was hardly at risk. And we did rekindle our…” Itsuki trailed off ominously, a disturbed expression haunting him. “What do you mean by ‘broke too’?”
Mika’s throat suddenly closed up. “Ahaha, uhm… well y-y’know, it was only natural t-tha’ after everythin’, um… ahaha…” The failure of a doll crumbled to the ground as his anxious laughter devolved into whimpered sobbing. He barely registered the arms wrapping around him.
“You are not a failure, Kagehira.”
“Nyeh…?” Kagehira hiccupped. “I-I didn’ say—”
“Do you think you had to? I know you as well as you know me.” Itsuki sighed in frustration. “Listen, Kagehira. Do you think if you were a failure, I would let you stand by me for so long?”
“W-Well—”
“Do you think I would let you perform, sew some of your own clothes, share in my vision, inherit the name of Valkyrie after I graduated?”
“Uwuahh—”
“Kagehira. Despite your crudeness, your singing voice is as beautiful as your eyes. Your dancing is so graceful and elegant that even I find myself lost for words sometimes. You are much more intelligent than you would like to admit, and your caring nature—”
“Okay, okay!” Mika interrupted. “I gotcha Oshi-san, ya don’ gotta…” Another wave of tears cascaded down his freshly salted cheeks. “T-Thank ya, Oshi-san,” he hiccupped.
The grand artist scoffed. “No need to thank me. I was only speaking factually.”
Mika sniffled as his sobbing calmed down. “B-But… Nazuna-nii…”
“Kagehira, listen to me,” Itsuki said, firmly but softly. “Are you tied to Narukami?”
“Nngh? Uhm… no…?”
“But you still love her, correct?”
“H-Huh…? Yeah, I do… I— Oh!” Mika’s eyes widened in realization.
Itsuki nodded. “It seems you realized as well. The thread is a way the universe brings us together, and for some, it stands as a symbol of the relationship between the two tied individuals. However, much in the way that I am close to the Eccentrics, and in the very principle that the string can be snapped, the thread will not force your relationship to be a certain way. It will only show you what can be. Just because the thread has snapped does not mean you care for Nazuna any less, does it?”
“N-No…” Mika sniffled. He stood up, bringing his mentor up with him. “I know what I gotta do now.” After kissing Itsuki on the cheek, he strode out the door determinedly.
Shu stared at the open doorway with a smile before looking down at the scarlet string on his left pinky. “Perhaps I should give Kiryu a call soon…”
Mika huffed as he reached the park, out of breath. “Haah… never doin’ that again…” On the plus side, he was warmed up from the remnants of the winter chill that were giving way to spring.
“Mika-chi— Kagehira, you called?” Nazuna appeared from behind the fledgling artist, waving the phone with their latest texts on screen in front of him.
“Y-Yeah, I did.”
“S-So…”
“Yeah…”
The pair paused in awkward silence.
Mika cleared his throat. “A-Anyway! I came ‘ere to… say, uhmnm… I want ya t’ be happy too.”
Nazuna’s face scrunched in confusion. “Right, that’s what we said to each other at the Repayment Festival, isn’t it?”
“R-Right! B-But ‘s not jus’ that! I don’ jus’ want ya to find happiness on yer own!”
“Huh…?”
“W-What I mean t’ say ‘s that…” Mika clasped one of Nazuna’s hands between his own. “I want t’ still be in yer life! Y’know, Oshi-san an' ya are okay with jus’ partin’ ways an’ wishin’ each other happiness, but I wanna still be with ya!”
“Kagehira…”
“’Cause, ‘cause, y’know, even if we ain’ soulmates no more, ya still mean a lot t’ me! Yer my big brother, an’ even if we ain’ connected anymore, I won’ forget how we were brought together! I mean… y’know… aughhh, ‘m no good with m’ words…” Mika looked down at the ground in shame.
“H…Ha…”
“…?”
“Haha, you’re so silly, Mika-chin ♪” Nazuna laughed.
Mika felt a sting of hurt at the yellow rabbit’s reaction. “A-Are ya laughin’ at me?”
Nazuna shook his head while he laughed. He then took a moment to compose himself, but he still held a hopeful smile on his face. “That’s not it. It’s just… I think I know what you mean. I’ve always wanted the same thing ♪”
Mika smiled back, but it quickly turned into a frown. “’m sorry for breakin’ our soulmate thread. I-I- didn’ mean—”
“It’s okay.” Nazuna patted the back of one of Mika’s clasped hands comfortingly. “You realized that those types of things don’t define our bond, right?”
“R-Right…” the novice artist replied skeptically. “But it still…”
Nazuna stood on his toes and patted Mika’s head reassuringly. “How about this? I went to the store to get materials for accessories for Ra*bits’ upcoming Live, but…” The short senior reached into his bag. “How’s this?”
“Nazuni-nii, ‘s…” perfect. Mika immediately leapt onto Nazuna for a bear hug, eyes brimming with tears. “I love it!”
Nazuna flailed as he did his best to maintain his balance. “Hwey! Get awf of mwe! Yoar gwettin’ too bwig for thwis!”
“Nyehe, sorry~” The taller junior loosened his grip on Nazuna, letting their arms slide into a more comfortable hug.
“Much better ♪” Nazuna giggled.
Together, they stayed in that position, neither of them wanting to be the first to let go.
Mika thought about everything that had brought them to this point, and how— Eh!? Wait a minute… “Nazuna-nii… did ya talk with Oshi-san a few months ago?”
Nazuna retracted from the hug a bit to look Mika in the eye. “Yeah, I did. Why?”
“A few months ago, Oshi-san stopped, uhmmm…” Aughhghh, how ‘m I s’posed t’ say this… “He got kinda distant with me, an’ I was wonderin’ if that had somethin’ t’ do with anythin’ ya said.”
“Hm…” Nazuna closed his eyes in recollection. “Most of our conversation was pretty normal… but I did mention to him that you looked tired… And then he got real stiff all of a sudden.”
“Oh.”
The Ra*bits leader looked at Mika concernedly. “You know, even if I don’t really spend time with you guys anymore… I can still tell Itsuki cares about you. But I also know he’s hurt you a lot. I think he was just realizing that.”
Mika nodded sullenly. He hated to admit that Nazuna was right. He was so caught up in his vengeance, in his hurt, that he didn’t want to admit that what he and Itsuki had wasn’t right. “’m glad ya were there t’ talk t’ ‘im back then. We wouldn’ have what we have now…” He tightened their embrace.
Nazuna gasped and giggled. “You know… I was really worried when I realized the thread wasn’t there anymore, especially since you rejected me no matter how many times I reached out to you. But this time… you came for me.”
Like the phantom pains that would stab Mika’s thumb over the past few days, he felt warmth he felt spread from his thumb outward to the rest of his body.
“The string did not snap… but rather, unraveled? That is quite unusual…” Itsuki put a hand to his chin and hummed thoughtfully. “I will consult the other Eccentrics. I am sure at least Rei or our dear boy will have something to say about the topic.”
“Maybe it means our soulmate bond was meant to end that way?” Nazuna chimed in. Immediately after saying it, his expression turned half-embarrassed. “Uhh… I don’t even know what I just said…”
“Well,” Itsuki sighed, “that is a better idea than either of us have. Soulmate bonds are a truly mysterious thing, are they not?” He smiled softly at the thread connecting him and his partner.
Mika coughed into his hand, a deep blush coloring his cheeks. “A-Also, Oshi-san said y’all ain’t soulmates like I thought. So… do ya have another soulmate ‘sides me?”
Nazuna tilted his head. “Oh, I never told you? Yep, I have another soulmate~”
“R-Really!? Who?”
“Kiryu-senpai ♪”
“HIM AGAIN!?”
“Okay…” Itsuki said slowly. “What I am understanding is… I was tied to Kagehira and Kiryu, Kagehira was tied to Nito and me, and Nito was tied to Kagehira and Kiryu, meaning Kiryu…”
“Kiryu-senpai completes the square!” Mika exclaimed, flailing his arms wildly. “How come none o' us figured it out!?”
“I suppose that is what happens with a lack of communication,” Itsuki sighed. “Anyway, I have been meaning to ask… where did you get that from?”
“Hm?” Mika paused his floundering. “Oh, this? Nyehe, Nazuna-nii gave it t’ me as a gift~♪” He showed it off as Nazuna nodded his head pridefully.
Itsuki nodded slowly. “I see… I will keep it in mind.”
“Huhh? For what?”
“You will see when the time comes ♪”
When Itsuki gently slid a rose gold engagement ring onto Mika’s ring finger, its brilliance complimented the golden promise ring on Mika’s thumb.