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There was no need for words anymore.
Not between them.
Not after that day, when Mizuki had finally told her.
Ena still remembered it clearly. The shiver in Mizuki’s voice, the way their hands had trembled as they spoke. It was the first time she had ever seen them vulnerable like that, stripped of their usual theatrics, their endless energy. And she had listened, without a single interruption. She had listened, crying just like Mizuki, squeezing her hands.
And when Mizuki had finally looked up, eyes searching, afraid. Ena had met their gaze and smiled through tears.
Let's stay together, Mizuki.
Mizuki had screamed then. Sharp, raw, but undeniably real. They never screamed like that. This was the first time, and it felt like the breaking point.The wall that Mizuki had built for so long had broken.
Ena had never seen them like this before. Stripped of their usual bravado, without that effortless charm they wore like second nature. Mizuki had always been the type to keep things light, to tease, to turn anything even remotely serious into a joke. But now, there was none of that. No playful smirk, no exaggerated gestures. Just them, sitting there, looking at her with unguarded eyes, raw and uncertain in a way that made Ena’s breath hitch.
She wasn’t used to this side of them.
It felt like seeing something precious, something fragile that had been hidden away for too long. And for the first time, Ena realized just how much Mizuki had been holding in. How much effort it must have taken to keep smiling, to keep pretending like nothing ever truly got to them.
She wanted to...no, she must protect this expression. The quiet sincerity in Mizuki’s eyes, their lips curved just slightly, as if they weren’t quite sure they were allowed to be happy. Ena must keep that look safe, to make sure nothing ever took it away from them again.
She didn’t say it out loud. She didn’t have to.
Like now.
Mizuki was lying on Ena’s bed again, sprawled out comfortably on their stomach, arms folded beneath their chin as they watched her work. Their gaze followed every stroke of her pencil, every careful detail she added to the page. They weren’t saying much. Just watching, their presence filling the room in a way that had become so habitual. Cozy.
Actually, they did this often now. It had started subtly at first. Mizuki lingering just a little longer after school, casually dropping onto her bed with a dramatic sigh, claiming they were "too exhausted to move-e~" But soon, it stopped being an excuse. It stopped being something either of them questioned.
They were just there now.
And Ena… of course she didn't mind.
She used to be the kind of person who valued her space, who got irritated when people hovered too much. But this was different. Mizuki’s presence didn’t feel intrusive. If anything, the idea of them not being there felt… strange.
She found herself expecting it. Waiting for the soft thump of Mizuki flopping onto her bed, for the lazy way they’d drag their fingertips over her sketchbooks, for the quiet hums of curiosity as they watched her work.
She found herself looking forward to it.
"Enana-an~" Mizuki murmured, voice softer than usual, as though they were testing the silence between them.
Ena didn’t look up, her focus entirely on her sketch, the pencil moving with practiced ease as her hand flowed across the page. "What?" she replied, tone casual, but her chest tightened just a little at the sound of Mizuki’s voice.
"You draw me a lot."
Mizuki said, the words light but loaded with an undercurrent of something more.
Ena’s hand froze mid-motion, her pencil hovering just above the page. She wasn’t sure why, but the way Mizuki said it made her heart skip a beat.
She paused, staring at the page for a moment, unsure of how to respond. The silence in the room grew thicker, charged with something unsaid.
Mizuki was smiling, but there was something knowing in their eyes.
Ena exhaled, shaking off the unease creeping up on her. She set her pencil down slowly, her fingers brushing against the paper. "Yeah. So what?"
She asked, trying to sound indifferent, but the question hung in the air, too heavy to ignore.
Mizuki rolled onto their side, shifting with that characteristic fluidity, resting their head on their arm as they gazed at her. Their eyes glinted with a mischievous warmth, but there was also something softer. Something almost tender in the way they watched her. "Just wondering~" Mizuki replied, voice playful.
Liar.
Ena didn’t say it, but she could see it written all over them. The way Mizuki's eyes held that knowing glint, their smile wavered just the slightest bit, as if they were hiding something beneath their casual demeanor.
They knew why she drew them.
They knew.
It wasn’t just because they were her closest friend. No, it was more than that. Every sketch, every line she traced of Mizuki's face, each curve of their smile, was her way of capturing something she couldn’t say. She couldn’t put it into words, not yet. Not like this. But every stroke of her pencil was a confession. A way to express her feelings.
Just like Ena knew why Mizuki had started showing up more often. Why they lingered in the doorway, even when there was nothing left to say. Why their presence grounding her in a way that felt so domestic.
She knew why their fingertips brushed a little longer when they passed each other things. How the touch wasn’t just a touch anymore, but something different. She could feel the way Mizuki's hand lingered, even if it was just for a moment longer than necessary.
And the way Mizuki’s voice softened when they spoke her name. That quiet, careful tone, as if they were saying something more with just that one word than they ever could with a thousand others.
Neither of them said it. Neither of them had to.
Ena looked back down at her sketchbook, heart beating a little faster than it should. The drawing was coming together now. Mizuki’s usual grin, the slight tilt of their head.
She had drawn them so many times before, but somehow, it never felt enough.
Mizuki watched her quietly, and Ena could feel it. The weight of their gaze, of everything unspoken between them.
It was unbearable.
And yet, she didn’t want it to stop.
"Ena."
It was different. Not Enanan. Not playful, but her name, soft and direct. Mizuki’s voice was calm, quiet, but there was an intensity in it, something beneath the surface that made Ena’s heart skip a beat.
Ena swallowed, trying to push the sudden flutter in her chest down. "What now?" she asked, her voice betraying her more than she wanted it to.
Mizuki hesitated for just a moment, their eyes searching hers, as if trying to find something. Then, without a word, they reached out. Their fingers brushed over her wrist. Just barely, a fleeting touch. But it was enough to freeze her in place. The contact was light, almost hesitant, but it felt like an anchor, grounding her in the present, in this moment with them.
Ena’s breath hitched, and her chest tightened, the sensation of Mizuki’s fingers lingering on her skin leaving a warmth that spread through her body. It was a touch that spoke louder than words.
Mizuki’s voice was barely a whisper. "I like it so much when you look at me... like that."
Ena's heart skipped a beat.
Without thinking and letting herself pull away this time, Ena curled her fingers into the soft material and tugged. The motion was sudden, almost clumsy in its urgency, but Mizuki only let out a quiet gasp as they were pulled forward, their lips crashing together in a kiss that sent a shiver down Ena’s spine.
Mizuki’s hands found their place almost instinctively. One slipping around Ena’s waist, pressing close, the other trailing up, fingertips ghosting along Ena’s jaw before threading into her hair. Ena inhaled sharply at the touch, her own hands loosening their grip on Mizuki’s blouse only to slide up, palms flattening against their chest.
Neither of them noticed the sketchbook slipping from Ena’s lap, its pages flipping open as it landed on the floor with a quiet thud.
Neither of them cared.
Mizuki tilted their head, deepening the kiss, their fingers tightening slightly in Ena’s hair as if to anchor them both in the moment. Ena responded in kind, her hands sliding up Mizuki’s shoulders, pulling them closer, closer until her breath connects with Mizuki. Mizuki parted their lips slightly, their tongues sliding past Ena's, feeling the warmth of her mouth as they explored her with slow movements. Ena let out a sharp sigh, trying to give herself to Mizuki as they gave themselves to her.
Warm.
It was so warm, so homely, as if this wasn’t their first kiss. Mizuki could feel the heat of Ena’s skin beneath their fingertips, the gentle rise and fall of her breathing against their chest. The slow movement of their lips, the way Ena’s fingers curled slightly against the back of their neck. It all felt familiar.
But eventually, the moment had to break. Their breaths grew heavier, the warmth between them almost overwhelming. Mizuki was the first to ease back, their lips parting from Ena’s with lingering hesitation, their hand still resting gently against her. Ena didn’t move right away, her eyes fluttering open only after a few seconds, her face still close. Close enough that Mizuki could feel her breath against their lips. She looked at them for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
Without a word, she took Mizuki’s hand, pressing it softly against her cheek.
"You’re stuck with me now," she murmured, her voice steady, but there was a playful glint in her eyes.
Mizuki barely gave her time to breathe before they grinned and leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. Then another. And another. Ena let out a small gasp, trying to lean away, but Mizuki followed, peppering kisses across her face.
"You'll regret this, Enanan!~" they sang teasingly before finally stealing another quick peck from her lips.
Ena exhaled sharply, her face flushed as she attempted to glare at them.
"...I take my words back," she muttered, but her actions betrayed her. She didn’t move away, didn’t resist. Instead, her lips parted just slightly, as if unconsciously inviting Mizuki to do it again. And Mizuki, with a soft chuckle, was more than happy to kiss her one more time.
It was unclear how long they stayed like that, lips brushing, breath mingling in quiet, slow kisses that neither seemed to want to break.
Eventually, with a final sigh, Ena leaned in one last time, pressing a soft kiss to Mizuki’s lips before pulling away. Mizuki let out a content hum and buried themselves in Ena’s neck, their arms wrapping around her loosely. Her fingers run through Mizuki’s hair, stroking them gently.
Mizuki chuckled against her skin. “I warned you,” they murmured, voice slightly muffled.
Ena rolled her eyes but kept stroking their hair. “Yeah, yeah…” she muttered. Then, softer, “…You’re so annoying.”
Mizuki just smiled against her shoulder. “And you love it!~”
Ena paused, her fingers stilling for just a second before she spoke, barely above a whisper.
“…Maybe.”
Mizuki pulled back slightly, tilting their head to look at her. "Maybe?" they echoed with a teasing smirk.
Ena huffed, nudging their forehead with hers. "Shut up."
Mizuki laughed, their hand still resting lightly on Ena’s waist. “So, Enanan... what now?” They searched her eyes.
“We just made out, I kissed you all over, and you let me.” Their grin widened. “What does that make us?”
Ena inhaled sharply, her cheeks still warm, but this time she didn’t hesitate. She tightened her grip on Mizuki’s hand, her expression soft yet determined.
“I think it makes us… together,” she said, her voice quieter than usual, but sure. “If you want that too.”
Mizuki blinked, their teasing demeanor faltering for just a moment as the words sank in. Then, with a wide grin, they squeezed Ena’s hand.
“Of course I do, Ena!” they murmured before leaning in to steal another quick kiss.
“You’re stuck with me now~”
Ena rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Guess I am.”
Mizuki nuzzled into her neck again, their voice barely above a whisper.
“Hehe. Because I will never dare to run away from you again.”