Chapter Text
Freedom is such a simple concept, yet for some, it is almost impossible to obtain. Some people are just not destined for freedom, forever bounded by the shackles on their body and the rope around their neck. However, not all that go down this path are hopeless. Asahina Mafuyu knows this well. When Mafuyu was younger, her mother would restrict her freedom and watch over every movement. In Mrs. Asahina’s eyes, Mafuyu needed to become the perfect daughter that everybody aspired to be. She had to uphold expectations, excel in everything she did, and go beyond to help anyone and everyone who needed it. Mafuyu was tired; she wanted to disappear from life, to end it all and relieve herself from her sufferings. Just as when Mafuyu thought that all hope was lost, a ray of light came bursting through her life. For the first time, she could breathe.
It was an ordinary night like any other. Mafuyu came home from school and began listening to the songs her classmates recommended. The song itself didn’t have any major impact, but she came across another song on the side of her recommendation feed that caught her eye, so she clicked on it. Suddenly, Mafuyu’s body was swallowed by raging waves of emotions that were ever so foreign to her. For the first time in her 15 years of living, she has felt something again. The girl was confused, hurt, lost, and yet her heart felt touched after being trapped in a cage of ice for God knows how long. Not knowing what to do, Mafuyu asked her music teacher for advice the next day. One thing led to another and she ended up coming up with an agreement with the composer of the song, K, to work together and create music under the alias “Yuki.” Originally, it was just the two; however, the group ended up expanding with two new members joining, Amia and Enanan, who became the MV maker and illustrator of the group respectively.
Ever since the 4 of them formed the group “Nightcord at 25:00,” also known as Niigo, Mafuyu has slowly started to discover her true self. The Empty Sekai, a world made out of her emotions and feelings, was created later. There, she befriended Miku and the other vocaloids and even met the Niigo members in real life. She learnt their real names—Kanade, Ena, and Mizuki—and grew fond of her group mates. Mafuyu believed that Niigo were the stepping stones to regaining her true self, and she clung on to that belief dearly. She held her hope firmly and trusted that Niigo would be the key to her problem, but alas, disaster struck.
When Mafuyu was 17, her mother discovered Niigo and their activities and complained to Mafuyu about how they were ruining her life—her future as a doctor. Around the same time, Kaito, one of the vocaloids of the Sekai, was born. Apparently, Kaito was the embodiment of Mafuyu’s anger and rage; he persisted that Mafuyu should speak up and defend herself before she got killed. The girl was confused, Why would mother kill me? All of her actions only mean the best for me, so why was he so convinced I’d be dead if I submitted to her? she thought. Oh, poor little Mafuyu would grow to realize the mistakes that the past Mafuyu had made. After Mrs. Asahina discovered Mafuyu’s activities with Niigo, she became more controlling and restrictive.
Mafuyu thought that this would all pass—that she would be able to make music with Niigo again soon enough—but she was wrong. Mizuki has suggested to her that running away is an option, and Mafuyu would grow to regret not taking that route. Her mother sought to cut off all contact her daughter had with Niigo and went beyond her way to make sure that Mafuyu wouldn’t go against her back. She eyed Mafuyu like a hawk, added parental watch and took away her phone every night, turned off the wifi when it was time to sleep, and monitored Mafuyu’s every movement—trapping Mafuyu inside the cage she had made for her.
Despite her efforts, Mafuyu was not able to contact Niigo at all after this incident. She felt lost again, her wings damaged like a lone bird who got its flight feathers clipped off, forever unable to soar into the sky in search of freedom ever again. Niigo slowly broke the “perfect girl” mold that Mafuyu had created, and her mother fixed the cracks and trapped her inside again. Mafuyu wasn’t herself within this mold; she was only herself when she was with Niigo. Days, weeks, months, and years passed by, and Mafuyu pondered over her life. What if she took Kaito’s advice and ran off like what Mizuki suggested? Would she be able to escape the grasp of her mother, or would she still be locked in this cage? It’s been 3 years since the incident and she is now 20. Mafuyu was tired of the expectations she still had to uphold, so she decided to finally take Mizuki’s advice and run with it. She’s a legal adult now who can live independently and pays taxes, so why not run away now? She’s considered a young prodigy and helps assist at a local flower shop for her part-time job, so she has an income she can rely on.
It was a high-risk-high-reward situation, but Mafuyu couldn’t care any less. If it had to be any time, it had to be now before it’s too late—assuming that it hasn’t been too late already. With a new-found courage, Mafuyu takes a deep breath before taking a leap of faith, plunging into what could lead to a horrible outcome.
Asahina Mafuyu was tired of being her mother’s daughter and puppet, and she is ready to take matters into her own hands in hopes of finding her true self. Her wings will heal and new feathers will grow, and no matter how much it takes, Mafuyu will make sure that she soars into the world with what is known as “freedom.”