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"The presentation for the professors comes right after New Year's, but I'll still need to touch up on this…"
Shiho gave a deep sigh as she muttered under her breath, her index finger tapping and swiping across the chilly glass screen of her phone. Color coded lines filled up the miniscule boxes of her calendar like a digital rainbow, reminding her of the barrage of upcoming assignments, projects, meetings and deadlines…
She scrolled to the bottom of the month and couldn't help but feel her lower lip twitch into a smile.
The majority of the lines for the upcoming week were dark blue, and she took comfort in that knowledge. That meant there would be more band practice for her to lose her thoughts in. It was one of the few things she relished, and really focused her attention on. She didn't really care about her grades, and would be thankful as long as she could safely get through university. The certificate would merely serve as a cushion for her passion.
And Leo/need's.
Tapping on one of the blue lines showed Shiho the agenda for tomorrow. A huddle with the band at the studio to discuss lyrics for a new song. A short period of time set aside for individual practice afterward, and they would finish with a group rehearsal to prepare for the live performance this weekend.
It was tough, admittedly. This passage of time had brought forth many challenges, with university just being one of their many worries. Part time jobs, having to keep themselves afloat after moving out to live separately from their parents, and most importantly, the band's attempt to go pro. It was still a work in progress, and while they hadn't yet been scouted by an agency, they'd amassed quite a following in the meantime. Leo/need was riding on good momentum, and it was a matter of time before opportunities would start to roll in. Shiho was certain of that.
She slowly exhaled, watching the mist sizzle into nothingness. A shift in her periphery prompted her to look up from her phone, and the corner of her lips curled up even more.
In the midst of all this chaos, it had brought someone else into her life. Rather, she'd been a part of Shiho's life for as long as she could remember.
But now…?
Her gaze was drawn to the approaching figure. Honami trotted over, a cup of hot milk tea in each hand, the street lamps painting a dim illumination over the canvas of her pearly white skin. Her bobbing side ponytail captivated Shiho with each graceful step she took, and the crinkling of her eyes accentuated her smile. A special one that exuded a mystifying glow.
"I'm sorry!" Honami huffed when she was within earshot. "The queue was pretty long…"
Shiho shook her head, feeling a little guilty. "Not at all. You're the one who volunteered to buy us these drinks, so I should be thanking you. How much were—"
A soft giggle floated into Shiho's ears, as if her gentle sound could make the lamplight more golden, and the fire in her chest burn hotter. She handed Shiho a cup, before pulling Shiho into a tight hug, drawing a small yelp from her.
"H-Honami…"
She felt a soothing hand run down her back. "It's been a while since we could relax together like this," came the hushed mumble, barely making it to her ears. It didn't help that she couldn't stop thinking about how wonderful Honami smelled.
"Yeah…" With how hectic their schedules had been, moments like this had been a rarity. It made Shiho wonder if all of this was just a really gratifying dream, and settled with rubbing her cheek against Honami's shoulder instead. The longer they stood there, the more she could feel the strength drain from her body as it became warmer. It was tempting for Shiho to want to melt into Honami's embrace, and remain like this for as long as they could. "It's nice like this. Spending time with you."
Honami parted from the hug, leaving Shiho wanting for more, but she couldn't complain with the sight that greeted her. Honami's cheeks were dusted a rosy pink, but she remained a few inches from Shiho. Gentle blue eyes peered into her own, and a palm rested on Shiho's cheek, brushing her skin with a thumb. "You've been working the hardest out of all of us for the band, and I know it's tiring for you. This was really one of the only ways to get you to take a much needed break."
Shiho let out a sigh of content, and leaned into Honami's touch. She continued to watch her girlfriend, mesmerized as she traced a thumb under the curvature of her eyes.
"Look at these eyebags," Honami lamented wryly. "I know of some tea that might help, but you really need to manage your sleep better…"
It was almost like magic. It thawed the fatigue that had nestled beneath her eyes for what seemed like ages now. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to savor this timeless moment, briefly drowning out the chatters of the other people around them in the park. "Okay…" she conceded. "It's not like I have much of a choice, but I'll try my best."
Honami responded by burying her free hand into Shiho's scruffy hair, caressing her scalp, coaxing more of her fatigue from her system. "But you do. You know you can rely on me. I'll always be here for you."
"I know," Shiho said quietly. Against her better judgment and knowing full well they were both in public, she stood on her toes to press foreheads with Honami, which elicited an embarrassed chuckle from the drummer. "You were the one who taught me about it being okay to rely on others, after all."
Shiho stepped back and clutched the cup with both palms, taking pleasure in its heated contents breathing life into her fingers. She stabbed the accompanying straw in the drink, making sure to swirl its contents around. A waft of vanilla tickled her nostrils as she brought the straw to her mouth and took a small sip of the ambrosial drink. An instant warmth coated her tongue, spreading a thin veil of syrupy sweetness across its pores.
"It's good. A little too sweet, but…"
What they were doing was nothing relatively special, but to Shiho, it was everything to her. Being able to spend time with Honami like this. Even if it was just for this evening, she could cast aside all the troubles that awaited her for the remainder of the year. And instead, she would focus on the girl standing in front of her, who had stood by her side since the band's reconciliation. Even with her continual showings of toughness towards Honami, she remained, and she supported Shiho the best she could.
It was surreal to the bassist.
Their eyes met once more. Honami's eyes twinkled as her lips curved, casting a ray of sunshine against the backdrop of the night sky hanging above them. Her slight embarrassment from earlier had deepened, reddening her cheeks even more. Seeing Honami in such as state was how Shiho derived her comfort, and she could feel a blush coming over her too, knowing full well she'd regret the decision to utter the words,
"Not… not as sweet as you are."
She gingerly averted her gaze, and braced herself as Honami came crashing into her with another tight hug and a squeal.
Their relationship had grown deeper than Shiho could have ever anticipated. And she wouldn't have settled for anything different. She was going to make the most out of this evening with Honami.
Evenings like this made everything she'd been through worthwhile.