Chapter 2
Ena had her phone on silent mode so she didn’t notice that she had gotten a few texts. She checked her phone after finishing a sketch for the next song.
Nightcord chat
Mizuki: Today was fun! Let’s go shopping again soon!
Kanade: I’ve finished most of the song.
Ena: Uh, no. I’m broke after buying two yukatas.
Thanks Kanade! I just finished the sketch, take a look!
Ena: [photo]
Kanade: Looks good. Your drawings have improved indeed.
Ena: Hehe, thanks Kanade <3
Direct messages
Airi: Check out our new song~
Airi: [link]
Ena: Honoured to have an idol like Airi as my friend
Airi: Honoured to have you as my friend :3
Ena chatted a bit with Airi, before the girl called it a day and went to bed. Ena exited the chat, and she noticed that Mafuyu’s chat was moved up. It seems like she sent a text recently. And there, it says
Mafuyu: [Deleted message]
Huh. What did she want?
Ena wanted to know what Mafuyu sent, but she couldn’t think of what to say, and in the end she just left it as it was. It was still way too early for bed for her, considering she usually sleeps at 4-5am. So she decided to go back to drawing.
However, she couldn’t really concentrate because of that deleted message from Mafuyu. It’s probably just something about Nightcord. Ena tried to convince herself.
When I’m not Yuki, I have nothing to say to you.
That statement rang through her mind again. The very first time when Mafuyu showed her true self to everyone in Nightcord. Even though it was quite a while ago, it still bit Ena just as hard.
It’s always her who sends texts first. It’s always her who calls her first. It’s always her trying to find something to talk to Mafuyu about.
Even when they were dating.
If you will even consider that dating.
There were tears that threatened to fall down Ena’s eyes. But Ena wiped them away and held up her pen again. Focus, Ena. Focus.
And then she felt movement near her left elbow. She glanced towards it. Ena noticed something crawled onto her sleeve. A bunny? Wait, Mafuyu? It was a mini Mafuyu with bunny ears! And… why is she chewing on her sleeve like some sort of food.
Ena picked her up by her collar and put her on her palm to inspect her for a bit. What this creature was or how she got here, Ena doesn’t know.
“Mafuyu?”
Ena called, and Little Mafuyu looked at Ena with Mafuyu’s signature expressionless stare. Oh but she’s so adorable, Ena couldn't help but poke her cheeks. Little Mafuyu grabbed Ena’s index finger with her tiny hands and rubbed her cheek against it.
Ena thought that she was going to have a heart attack.
She was grinning like an idiot and she would’ve squealed if it wasn’t so late into the night. For just a fleeting moment, she forgot about what happened two weeks ago.
When reality dawned upon her again, Ena’s smile slowly faded away.
She put Little Mafuyu aside at the corner of the table before fidgeting in her seat for a more comfortable drawing position.
What am I doing? I need to get back to work.
Little Mafuyu stared at Ena for a minute. Realising that the giant before her was no longer focusing on herself, she tried to get the attention back. She crawled back near Ena’s hand that was resting on the drawing tablet, and nuzzled into the hand.
Ena bit her lips and her chest tightened.
Ena moved Little Mafuyu to her bed instead but Little Mafuyu managed to climb back up to her table after a while. If she keeps doing this, Ena won’t be able to concentrate even more.
Ena got a big empty box from a recent delivery, and put Little Mafuyu into the box.
“Just stay there, okay? I want to finish this.”
About an hour later, Ena stretched her back and arms. She was pretty much finished with her work, and she decided to call it a day and touch up on the drawing tomorrow.
When she got up, she almost tripped over the box that Mafuyu was in. That reminded her that a tiny Mafuyu lookalike with bunny ears kinda just… exists now.
Ena looked inside the box, and Little Mafuyu was sitting at a corner of the box, facing the cardboard wall. When she noticed a looming shadow over her, her ears stood up and she turned her head around. The bunny rubbed her eyes and her nose was slightly tinted red.
Ena’s hand barely reached inside when Little Mafuyu just jumped onto her hand, holding onto her as if for dear life.
Did she… cry?
Ena felt guilty immediately and tried to soothe her by petting her little head.
“Sorry…” She whispered an apology.
She stroked her gently until she seemed like she calmed down. Actually, she fell asleep. She placed the bunny right beside her pillow and went to switch off the lights.
Ena lied down and looked at Little Mafuyu who was sleeping peacefully.
The real Mafuyu slept long ago, didn't she?
“Goodnight, Mafuyu.”
Ena mumbled the words she didn’t say in two weeks.