The door swung open with a loud creak, and Nana Osaki stomped out of the practice room, combat boots hitting the floor with deliberate weight. The familiar weight of her guitar pressed against her shoulder, her fingers twitching with the urge to keep playing, the raw melody of their unfinished song still echoed in her head, tangled up with the sound of rain hammering against the pavement outside.
"Unbelievable," she muttered, slinging the strap higher. "They kicked us out again. It’s like they enjoy watching us suffer."
"Maybe they just don’t wanna hear you butcher another love song," Nobu teased, catching up beside her.
"Fuck you," Nana shot back, elbowing him hard enough to make him stumble. "That song is gonna be a masterpiece. If you didn’t keep screwing up your parts, maybe we’d actually finish it."
"I do not screw up!"
"Sure," she drawled. "And Yasu is actually Rapunzel."
"Maybe if you had a single romantic bone in your body we'd already be done with this." Nobu retorted.
Yasu, ever composed, smirked. "We’ll figure it out eventually, I'm sure. We just need to keep witing."
"Oh, I know!" Nobu grinned, snapping his fingers. "Your place!"
"Absolutely not," Nana scoffed. "Go bother Yasu."
"Yasu has a roommate," Nobu pointed out. "You don’t."
Nana clicked her tongue. "That’s not the point. My room is sacred. It’s a creative space."
"It’s a disaster zone," Nobu corrected.
"Like that haystack on your head you still call hair?"
Nobu gasped, clutching his chest. "That was uncalled for."
Yasu chuckled. "You guys wanna write serious love songs but act like middle schoolers?"
"Whatever," Nobu muttered. "Come on, Nana, be a pal. We’ll write lyrics, order food. You won’t even notice we’re there."
"You say that like I don’t always notice when you’re there."
"Pleaaaase?"
Nana exhaled sharply, dramatic as ever. "Fine. But the moment you start pissing me off, you’re out and need to buy me beer for at least a week."
"Deal!" Nobu grinned, already slinging an arm around her.
She shoved him off.
"Hands off, or you're loosing 300 points on the Stay In Nana's Room permit."
Yasu shook his head, like a parent watching his kids playfully fight, as they made their way back to her dorm.
-
The moment Nana pushed open the door, something felt off.
Her room wasn’t how she’d left it.
A soft pink suitcase sat neatly in the corner. The second bed, usually filled with messy papers stained with unfinished songs or homework, was made with a folded blanket at the foot. White Mary Janes sat neatly by the door. And—most concerning of all—her usual mess of clothes, cigarette boxes, and empty energy drink cans was gone.
Nana’s stomach twisted with unease.
Then she heard it—humming. Soft, familiar. A tune her brain associated with rainy days at the park.
A girl stood on a chair, dusting the top shelf near the door.
She wore a white dress, her brown hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She turned her head slightly, catching the light, and Nana's breath stopped.
She knew that face.
The past surged forward, colliding into her like a shock to the chest.
The girl turned fully.
Wide brown eyes met hers.
The rag in her hand slipped from her fingers.
She wobbled.
"Oi!" Nana lunged without thinking, catching her by the waist just as she lost her balance.
For a moment, time just melted.
Hachi's body was pressed against hers, warm and real, the scent of floral shampoo filling Nana’s senses. She could feel the way Hachi's breath hitched against her collarbone, the rapid thrum of her pulse.
"Nana?"
"Hachi…"
The name slipped out, raw, unguarded.
Then—Hachi gasped, scrambling down from the chair, and before Nana could blink, she was hugging her.
"Nana!!"
It was so tight, so fierce yet soft, like if she ever let go, Nana would disappear all over again.
Nana stiffened, muscles locking in place.
Too much. Too fast. Too close.
But slowly, hesitantly, her arms lifted—returning the embrace.
Behind them, Nobu and Yasu exchanged confused looks.
"Uh…" Nobu scratched his head. "Are we witnessing something? Do we need to leave or…?"
Hachi pulled back, flustered, her cheeks pink. "Oh! Sorry! I—are they your friends?"
Nana turned, catching the amusement in Nobu’s expression.
Immediate decision.
"No. Absolutely not."
Nobu blinked. "Wait, what—"
"They were just leaving actually," Nana said, shoving them backward.
Yasu barely had time to smirk and kindly wave at Hachi before the door slammed shut in their faces.
Silence.
Hachi fidgeted with the hem of her sweater. "Did I… interrupt something?"
Nana exhaled, dragging a hand through her hair. "No. It’s just—what the hell are you doing here?"
Hachi hesitated, then gave a small smile. "I guess I could be asking the same thing?"
Nana rolled her eyes. "I live here."
"Well, so do I now," Hachi said. "Surprise?"
Nana stared.
No way.
"Wait, what?"
-
Later, they sat cross-legged on the bed, a cup of tea from the giant stash stored in her suitcase, cradled in Hachi’s hands.
Nana had refused onebat first, now she was eyeing it like she regretted the decision, her hands free of purpose.
Lighting a cigarette should cover it, Nana thought.
"So," Hachi said, voice soft. "You’re really a musician now?"
Nana shrugged, flicking ash from her cigarette into the tray. "Yeah."
"Not an artist?"
"Never really was." Nana rolled their eyes with a light smile.
Hachi frowned. "But you loved drawing!"
Nana didn’t answer right away. She took another slow drag, exhaled the smoke, let it curl lazily into the air.
"Things change."
Hachi’s eyes flickered, studying her, searching for something. Nana hated the way it made her feel—like she was supposed to have an answer for something neither of them could put into words.
But they weren’t kids anymore.
It didn’t matter why Hachi had stopped coming to the park.
It didn’t matter why Nana hadn't stayed longer, either.
It shouldn’t have.
Hachi turned her cup in her hands. "Yeah… I guess they do."
A pause.
Then—
"You know," she said, smiling nervously, "this might be kind of creepy, but… I still have that drawing you left me."
Nana’s head snapped up.
"What?"
Hachi laughed, small and almost embarrassed. "The one you taped under the slide? I—" She bit her lip. "I bring it everywhere. Like a good luck charm. Against the Great Demon Lord! "
Nana blinked. "The… Great Demon Lord?"
Hachi nodded eagerly.
Nana scoffed, fighting a laugh. "What are you even on about?"
The other pouted. "It’s real!"
Nana smirked. "So the Demon Lord is responsible for you crashing my room without previous notice as well, or... ?"
Hachi hesitated. "I—well, maybe! I wanted to keep studying visual arts, and Shoji, my boyfriend, happens to be here too, my best friend Junko as well! So it just… made sense."
Nana’s eyes flickered.
Shoji.
At least Hachi had found Happiness in the past years.
Nana thought about Ren, but didn't mention it.
She exhaled, flicking her cigarette. "Figures."
Hachi pouted. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
"You always got attached too easily."
"Hey!" Hachi crossed her arms. "That’s not true."
"It is true. You used to follow me around like a lost puppy."
"That’s—!" Hachi’s face flushed. "That’s different! I’m grown now!"
"Mm. Sure."
So why didn't you pursue your dream to be a dancer and just followed your friends here?
Nana didn't ask.
Hachi huffed, puffing her cheeks like she used to when she was little.
Then, something in her expression shifted.
"You too—" She tilted her head, studying Nana with something almost tender. "You haven’t changed much either, have you?"
Nana raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to answer that?"
Hachi hesitated. "I don’t know. You’re exactly the same but… completely different. I can't put my hands on it... "
Nana scoffed, dragging another slow inhale from her cigarette.
"Sounds like a you problem, Hachiko."