manifestations

Mizuki: Just what happened between you and Mafuyu?!

Ena: We broke up.

Mizuki: Oh.

Ena: Oh.

Mizuki: I

Mizuki: No wonder you two just… left.

Mizuki: Are you sure you actually want this to end?

Ena: If I don’t, her mother will.

Mizuki: Eh?????? Her mother found out about you two???

Ena: I actually met her recently too. She’s really a bitch. That’s all I can say.

Mizuki: So if her mother wasn’t in the way, would you still have broken up with her?

Ena: … I don’t really wanna talk about this anymore.

Mizuki: Okok, take care of yourself.

Noon arrived, and Ena decided to take a walk outside. Cooping herself up in the house is not going to help her feel any better. She dragged her feet with each step, wandering around aimlessly. Her surroundings seemed duller than usual in colour. There were kids playing in the park, there were birds chirping, there were people going about their daily lives…

There was just this heavy feeling sitting on her chest. It’s definitely not going away anytime soon.

She kept telling herself that she did the right thing. This is for Mafuyu, for herself, and for their future.

But just because it’s the “right” thing, it didn’t mean that she actually wanted to do it.

Before she knew it, she found herself in a street filled with colourful buildings, neon signs, signboards, and lively people. There was a sign that told her where she was.

Vivid Street.

It sounds really familiar. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly where she heard it, though. It was a new area for her, so she decided to take a look at the stores that were lining up the alleyway.

She stumbled across a shop called “Weekend Garage”. This also sounds familiar, but she still couldn’t recall where she had heard of this place before…

Out of curiosity, she went inside the shop. The bell rang, and Ena was greeted by a cheery voice.

“Welcome~ Eh?”

Ena widened her eyes.

The person that greeted her had long hair with dyed blue tips, star accessories sticking out her hair, and she was wearing Kamiyama’s school uniform. An Shiraishi.

“Oh, Ena-san!”
“Shiraishi-san? I didn’t expect to bump into someone I know here.” Ena said.

“Oh, I thought Akito would’ve told you about this place. My dad works here! I help out whenever I have time. Say, what brought you here?”

“Oh. I was just, erm…”

How should Ena reply to that? She couldn't just outrightly say she just broke up with her ex and she was drifting away outside aimlessly because she was done moping around her house.

“Hehe, it doesn’t matter. Take a seat! What would you like to order? It’s on the house!”

“Oh, thank you. Any coffee will do.”

Ena didn’t realise it, but she was smiling just a little bit. An’s hospitality warmed her up.

An served Ena her drink, and she took the seat in front of her.

“I’m probably not in the place to ask, but you seem a little upset. If you want, I can lend you an ear.” An leaned over the table slightly towards Ena, looking at her straight in the eyes with sincerity.

Was Ena that easy to read? It made her wonder how someone masks her true self every single day. Ena figured it wouldn’t hurt to say out a few of her frustrations, since An was offering to listen anyways.

“Just… feel like I’m not good enough for someone.” Ena mumbled.

An’s smile softened and her eyes averted downwards. A gloomy atmosphere took over for a second, before An chuckled and smiled widely again, albeit the pain present in her eyes now.

“I feel you.” An said.

Ena took a sip of her coffee, not knowing whether to reveal more of her sob story or to stay silent throughout. But An beat her to it.

“During our most recent live event, my partner had the chance to do a solo stage. Her singing has always made my heart race, so naturally, I was expecting an outstanding performance. During the event, her performance… gave off the same energy as someone else I really admired ever since I was a child. My partner… is really so high up there.”

There was another knot twisting inside Ena. An’s situation really did sound so relatable.

“I should be happy for her. But it’ll be a lie if I say that I didn’t feel some sort of discomfort. I felt scared that she could be going to a place that I can’t reach anymore one day. And it killed me on the inside that I was lacking behind her now. It hurts so much.”

A sense of insecurity, inadequacy… Sounds like how Ena herself has felt throughout all her years of doing art.

“...Even if it hurts to be with her, I still want to be by her side. I think I just love her too much. That’s all.”

!!!

“Haha! Sorry, I was the one who lent a listening ear but I ended up talking about myself instead. “ An apologized sheepishly.

“Ah nono, it’s okay. Thank you for sharing. I think you have made me realise something.”

Ena set her finished cup down on the table and greeted An goodbye.

On the way back home, Ena thought back about what An told her.

Even if Ena couldn’t compare to Mafuyu when it comes to talents, looks, and anything else, at the end of the day, she still loves her. And not because of all those superficial qualities, but rather…

Frankly speaking, Ena didn’t know either.

Why did she fall for Mafuyu in the first place? All Mafuyu did was to piss her off on the daily, going around with her stupid emotionless face, and it just wasn’t fair that she did absolutely nothing and yet...

Ena still likes her so much!

And it's even more frustrating when Ena didn't know why. Mafuyu just wouldn’t leave her mind, even until now. It’s just so unfair. 

Ena hates Mafuyu.

Somewhere in the vast nothingness in the Empty SEKAI.

Little Mafuyu was drifting through the empty space, not knowing exactly where she was. There was still Little Ena’s presence inside this SEKAI, because Little Mafuyu can feel it. She had not disappeared. And that means Ena’s feelings have yet to be gone as well; her feelings were just forcefully suppressed.

And suddenly, she felt Little Ena’s presence getting stronger. It was enough to tell her which direction she should go. She wiggled her tiny hands and legs and swam through the space once again.

She’s almost there! Or so she hopes.