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English
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Published:
2019-11-10
Completed:
2020-01-20
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22,737
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2/2
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295
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a promise

Summary:

two souls dance around each other, closer than they ever could have expected

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: come melt away that unravelable loneliness.

Chapter Text

Sayo never really understood the concept of love, it was a strange and sometimes fickle thing. From a young age, it was clear to her that she had been inferior to her younger counterpart, Hina. Of course, despite the constant jealousy, deep down she knew that she still loved her sister. How could she not? They were family, and she was her twin at that. But just because you love someone doesn’t necessarily mean you get along with them. Not immediately, of course.

“Hina, how many times have I told you to not come into my room while I’m practicing?” she glares at her twin standing in the doorway.

 

“Onee-chan, you haven’t even eaten since you got home! All you’ve done is take a shower, do your homework, practice, and now you’re probably about to sleep. That’s not a boppin’ routine,” Hina sighs as she begins noticing the blisters on Sayo’s fingers.

 

“Hina, I told you that I’m fine and there is no need to baby me like--”

 

Sayo lets out a strangled gasp as a sharp pain pierced through her and she clutches her chest in a futile attempt to alleviate it. Worry was etched on Hina’s face as she rushes to her sister’s side.

 

“Is it your soulmate?” the younger sibling’s voice leaks with concern. Sayo hates it, being pitied by her younger sister like this.

 

“Unfortunately yes,” she grimaces at the thought. Just what the hell did her soulmate get into?

 

Her first experience of the pain was when she was only a toddler. A normal day at the playground with Hina, until she felt a scrape on her right knee and blood began trickling down. At that point she was terrified, Hina was too. But then the blood just.. disappeared, vanished into thin air along with that scrape. The two were understandably confused, and proceeded to consult their parents. That was when Sayo and Hina both learned about the concept of soulmates, people who were bound to each other down to the core.

 

But she only thought it would be physical. For whatever reason, she had begun to feel small, dull pains within her chest. At first she feared that her soulmate had some sort of heart disease, but it turned out that some soulmates can begin to feel the other’s emotional pain as well. It wasn’t that much of a problem, really. It seemed like her soulmate was relatively happy and was good at taking care of herself. Occasionally Sayo would feel some small cuts on her fingers, which was a nuisance to her practice, but it was tolerable. Today however, the pain feels much too different from what Sayo is used to. It’s much more amplified than what Sayo had ever felt from her partner, and she can’t help but wonder what happened.

 

-

 

How did she let this happen? Why didn’t she notice sooner? Yukina had changed. Lisa knew this, she’s known for a while, but she didn’t want to believe it. She drapes her right arm across her eyes, propping herself up on her bed. Her back leans against the wall behind her, the physical divider between her and Yukina. It felt cold. The other girl’s voice rang through her thoughts.

 

“I am going to this festival… Future World Fes will see the power of my music.”

 

It’s being too loud.

Lisa always took for granted that she would always be by Yukina’s side, but now.. It seemed like they were drifting further apart with each passing day. She lets her arm fall to her side, and takes a quick glance to the bass in the corner of her room, collecting dust. Tears brim her eyes and she wavers. Her heart feels like it’s sinking. Lisa can’t help but support Yukina no matter what, but she also can’t help but worry for her childhood friend. Right now, all Yukina cared about was reaching Future World Fes. Would it really make her father happy? And more importantly, was it really going to make her happy? A throbbing pain on her fingers shakes her out of her thoughts as she glances down at the now blistered tips. They disappear after a short while.

 

“Ah..”


There it was, that was the third time tonight. And once again that continuous dull pain begins residing in her chest, she somehow knows it doesn’t belong to her. Lisa frowns, her arm reaching for a pillow. She hugs it tightly and closes her eyes, sighing. She’s been feeling this for most of her life, ever since she started elementary. Yukina worried for her, her parents worried for her, but Lisa was worried about her soulmate more than herself. Why were they always hurting so much? Lisa felt so helpless being unable to communicate with her soulmate. She frowns, clenching the pillow tighter.

“It’s okay. I promise I’ll find you, and when I do, I’ll help you.”


Lisa couldn’t focus much the next morning. She continues to take small glances out the window, which she really shouldn’t be doing while class is in session. Lunch came by a lot faster than she expected. However, out of the many things she was expecting today, an aqua-haired ball of energy barrelling towards her was not on the list.


“Lisachi! You don’t seem too zappin’ right now, what are you doing?” Hina gives Lisa a curious look.

“Ah, don’t worry about it, Hina. It’s nothing!” she laughs it off like always. It’ll be okay, as long as she supports Yukina. But for some reason, her heart is still aching.

 

-

 

Sayo was very satisfied being in a band with Yukina. The girl has immense talent, and sings like no one she’s ever heard before. Sayo believes that together, the two can reach great heights.

 

So you can only imagine her surprise when the Yukina Minato brings in not one, but two people into the studio on their rehearsal day. Sayo recognizes one of them as the drummer that was constantly asking to join the band, but the other one she can’t seem to recall. Though you would think Sayo would remember someone who stands out as much as this girl. Perfectly manicured long nails, and even longer brown hair.

 

“Minato-san, who are these people?”

 

“Hey! I’m Ako Udagawa, I’m here to audition for the band!”

 

“I’m sorry, Lisa just.. No, no. I told this girl that she may have a trial performance. I’m sorry to cut into our rehearsal time like this, Sayo.”

 

Sayo shakes her head, “Please don’t apologize, I trust your instincts. I’m just surprised.”

 

“I’m only going to judge based merely on performance. If she does not perform adequately, they both will be going home.” 

 

The brunette perks up, “Wait, what? Me too?”

 

“You are only here to watch Ako,” Yukina pauses to gesture towards the guitarist, “You’ve already met Sayo. Lisa, this isn’t like when we were young anymore.”

 

Sayo wants to nod in agreement, but she starts to feel this aching in her chest. Why now, of all times? She frowns and turns away, she can’t afford to show any weakness.

 

“Ah, y-yeah of course, haha. Sorry, I just got carried away with nostalgia and all.. I’ll leave once she’s done,” Lisa laughs. Sayo can’t understand why, but it feels hollow.

 

“Lisa-nee! I’m going to try my best and pass the audition, okay?”

 

“You can do it Ako!”

 

“Before we begin,” Sayo turns towards their vocalist, “Minato-san, we’re going to need a bassist if we want to fully assess the rhythm unit as one.”

 

“Yes, you’re right. Drums alone doesn’t give us enough to work with.”

 

The brunette raises her hand, and Sayo notices her smile falter for a split second, “Uh, maybe I can fill in? Just for now?”

 

Yukina raises her eyebrows, it seems like she wasn’t expecting this. Ako does a similar gesture, “You’re a bassist, Lisa-nee?!”

 

“Ahaha, I used to play a long time ago. You don’t have anyone else right? Give me a moment, I’ll go get a bass guitar!”

 

As promised, Lisa returns shortly after with a bass guitar in her possession.

 

“Minato-san, does Imai-san have any experience?”

 

The girl nods affirmatively, “Yes, she does. She should still be able to perform the basics.”

 

“The basics…” Sayo is doubtful as she observes the girl’s nails.

 

“Oh, yeah don’t worry about the nails! I don’t play fingerstyle anyway.”

 

Sayo lets out a sigh, “Yes, well, that guitar belongs to the studio,” she meets the girl’s gaze to emphasize her point, “Please don’t damage it with any strange styles. You can fill in for now.”

 

“Right, then let’s begin,” Yukina readies herself at the mic. 

 

As the girls begin to play, something changes in the room’s atmosphere. They all throw themselves into the song, and the melodious sounds ringing within the room seemingly unites them. Before they know it, the song is already over.

 

Many emotions were flickering through Sayo, but right now she felt unbridled happiness. Her eyes flicker to Yukina, then to the purple twin-tailed drummer Ako, and then to Yukina’s childhood friend, Lisa. Sayo realizes that she’s breathing heavily, and she can feel a bead of sweat rolling down from her forehead. 

 

She had her doubts at first. The smaller drummer was easily excitable as well as very loud. However, Sayo couldn’t deny her utter determination in joining the band, and now it seems like Yukina had made the right choice in allowing her to audition. She originally doubted the bassist as well, how could anyone play with those manicured nails? But it’s surprising how amazingly they had all play that one song.


“That was... amazing! It was only our first time, but I felt like I knew exactly what to do!” Ako launched herself from the seat, nearly toppling the drumset. Sayo would be reprimanding her, if she wasn’t so utterly baffled. Sayo hears another cheerful laugh and turns to see the brunette grinning from ear to ear. For some reason, Sayo feels her lips tug upwards slightly as well.


“Well, did she get in?” Lisa turned expectantly towards her and Yukina.

“...Right, yes, I’m sorry. You passed. What do you think, Sayo?” the girl nodded and looked over to the other girl in question.

 

“I agree. It’s just that.. in that brief moment, we became a band in the very purest sense.” Sayo nods to herself, her brows furrowing. She feels something from this band, it’s different. It has potential to become something much more.

“Woah, that’s like some sort of miracle!” Ako stares at her in wonder.

 

“Yeah, like magic!” Lisa exclaims.


Sayo nods, “I can’t say I disagree. Thank you, we have experienced something incredible today. Now then, we’re going to need to find a keyboardist and a bassist.”

 

Ako looks at her in brief confusion and points to the brunette, “Huh? But, Lisa-nee’s standing right there!”


“What?” Lisa turns around, her eyes wide, “No, no, I was just helping out!”

 

Yukina brings her hand to her chin, her eyes closing. She nods to herself, “Lisa does not yet have the skills to join the band. However, even though she may not have the technique, I can’t ignore the performance she put on today. I’m sure you can’t either, right Sayo?”


“I… yes, her performance for one song today was good.”


Ako raises her hands in the air, “Yay! Then let’s just start a band with all four of us!”

 

“Wait, what? I mean, what?!” Lisa turns to Yukina in disbelief.

 

Sayo would never admit it out loud, but perhaps for the first time ever she feels excited with the future of this band. She gets a good look at her other band members, and they all seem satisfied with this new arrangement. All of them except for Lisa. The girl is still smiling and laughing, but Sayo once again notices a slight change in her features. And Sayo is suddenly confused again, because despite having never met the girl before this, she knows it doesn’t feel right. Despite all of her excitement, she feels her heart continue to ache slightly.


Sayo doesn’t know why.

 

-

 

It was tough preparing for the band. Originally she was pressured into joining, but Lisa thinks that this may be the best outcome for her. If all Yukina cared about right now was music, then joining her band and playing along would be the best way to continue staying by her side. She wants to support Yukina as much as possible. If she needs to join the band, she will.

 

But Roselia’s progress as a band is actually going surprisingly well, compared to what Lisa was predicting. She sacrificed her nails for the sake of playing better for the band, but she doesn’t really feel any regret from it. The hardest part about being in Roselia were the band members themselves. Lisa thinks they’re great, she gets along with Rinko and Ako just fine, but Yukina and Sayo were tough cases to crack.


Yukina and Sayo were both practically identical. It was actually really unsettling how similar they were. However, Lisa prides herself on being able to make friends with almost anybody, so make friends she will. It’s hard making Sayo her friend though, she doesn’t talk about herself at all. She’s closed herself off entirely, but Lisa knows there’s more to her underneath all of the walls she put up.

She recently found out that she had a sister. She should’ve recognized it earlier. Nearly identical faces, same colored hair, and the same last name. They were just so different that Lisa really didn’t think to connect the dots. It was strange to Lisa how Hina never really mentioned who exactly her sister was until Lisa joined Roselia. Sayo apparently doesn’t talk to Hina that much, if at all. Was there something going on between the two?

Lisa briefly thinks that she should ask, but she decides it would be best not to. Roselia’s currently celebrating their first successful gig, after all. If Hina and Sayo were both this closed off about their relationship, there must be some sort of reason behind it. She doesn’t want to bring down the mood after all, not after they successfully convinced Yukina and Sayo to join them at a family restaurant. Speaking of which, those two were being eerily quiet sitting across from her, Ako, and Rinko.

“Come on, Yukina, Sayo! We’re celebrating our first real show! Could you pleeease try talking a little more maybe~?” Lisa tries to put on her best puppy face, and it seems to work just a bit on Sayo. Yukina doesn’t seem to be affected.

 

“...I didn’t know you came to places like these, Minato-san.”

 

Yukina looks surprised and clears her throat, “...I actually don’t come to these places. I have no interest in them. Right now, all I want to talk about is music.”

“I agree,” Sayo nods and looks towards Lisa, “That was a good performance today. I think you’ve gotten a lot better recently, Imai-san.”

 

“Ah! Th-thank you..”

 

Sayo offers her a barely noticeable smile, and Lisa finds that so endearing. For some reason, her heartbeat begins to increase. It feels like her face is heating up, and she hopes it’s just her imagination. If Sayo noticed, she didn’t show it at all. 

 

“It’s true. This whole band has improved drastically, and in such a short time too. This goes for you as well, Ako, Rinko.”

 

“Thanks! I’ll keep trying my best! Oh man, we’re so cool, right Rin-rin?” Ako grins and looks over to her side.

 

Rinko smiles back, “Y-yes. We’re very cool, Ako-chan.”

 

“Then I suppose it is time to inform you all about our true goal,” Yukina looks over towards Sayo for confirmation.

 

“I believe you are correct. It is the reason we started this band, after all. So it is about time we all get on the same page.”

 

Lisa tunes out for the rest of the conversation. She’s aware they’re probably talking about the criteria of getting into Future World Fes. She knows them already, she researched them beforehand to see just what Yukina was getting herself into. She feels herself drifting, but she briefly picks up on someone’s voice. It’s soothing and calm, but it doesn’t belong to Yukina.

 

She feels happy being with these people.

 

-

 

It’s been about a week since Roselia’s conversation at the family restaurant. Yukina and Sayo both stated clearly what they wanted, and how exactly they were going to do it. Everyone knows exactly what they’re aiming for.

 

However, the way they’re spending their time right now is most definitely not practice. Truthfully, it was Lisa and Ako who suggested they took a break, but honestly Sayo saw no point.

 

“Minato-san, why are we wasting this time instead of practicing?”

 

Yukina shakes her head, “I don’t see the point either. However, we need the others to be at peak performance. If a half hour break is necessary, then we shall take one.”

 

“I suppose you are right,” Sayo feels a hand loop around her shoulder and she jumped in surprise, “Imai-san?!”

 

“Ahah, why are you two both so serious~? Come on, it’s break time, why don’t you join us? Ako has some real fun stories!”

 

“Lisa, we never had any interest in a break in the first place. This was your idea, we don’t have to participate in it.”

 

“Ah, I guess you’re right,” the girl lets go of Sayo, much to her relief. She lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

 

“Please don’t mind Lisa,” Yukina looked at the guitarist apologetically. 

 

“No, it’s.. quite alright.” 

 

This was very problematic, and Sayo wasn’t sure how to feel about it. She finds herself stealing quick glances at the brunette, but she isn’t even sure why. Sayo can’t deny her looks, but the girl seems to put a lot of effort into making herself look even better than she already does. 

 

She still doesn’t like how they’re not spending all their free time practicing.

 

Even then, she has to admit that the band has been making significant progress. Lisa in particular has probably had the most improvement. Cutting her nails had been the right choice, but it was sort of unsettling seeing her come back with them jagged. It must’ve taken a lot of effort to make them look pretty.

 

Something was changing within Sayo, and she hadn’t noticed it until now. She feels alive when she plays with this band. When she comes to rehearsal, she actually feels excited. It was such a different sensation, but it warmed her heart, ‘ This band really is special, after all…’ Sayo tells herself inwardly. But even after all of this, there’s always a certain nagging in the back of her mind. 

 

She was scared all over again. How many times has she joined a band? How many times has she tried to reach the very top of their genre? How many times has she failed? How long until everyone here leaves her, too?

 

‘How long until she proves herself better than me again?’

 

But her fears don’t have any grounds to them. Everyday she comes to rehearsal, and everyday they greet her all the same. It’s a nice sensation that Sayo hasn’t felt in such a long time.

 

And then there was Lisa, who seemed like a nuisance at first. She constantly badgered her, urging her to try her cookies or join in on their conversations. Sayo didn’t understand in the beginning, if she wanted to make friends she didn’t need to be in a band. But slowly, Sayo gives in. They were friends.

 

The thought of giving up this warmth hurts, more than she thought it would. She hears a hushed whisper nearby and turns to see Lisa clutching her chest, “Please wait for me…”

 

“Imai-san? Are you alright?” Sayo inquired, reaching out a hand towards the girl.

 

“Ah! Sayo, I’m fine, don’t worry! Hey would you look at the time, shouldn’t break be over soon~?” Lisa gives her a bright smile and picks up her guitar, “You should try smiling more, Sayo.”

 

Sayo flusters, but before she says anything the other girl walks away from her.

 

For whatever reason, she feels a little disappointed.

 

-

 

At home, Lisa’s routine changed drastically. She studies a lot harder now, and she makes sure to finish her homework as soon as possible. She practices bass the instant she finishes her homework. She can’t afford to fall behind the others, she doesn’t want to be even more of a burden to Roselia.

 

And that’s when she realizes that she isn’t doing all of this for just Yukina anymore. Playing for Roselia is just so fun, she hasn’t felt this in years after she dropped music. She feels so content when she sees the members of Roselia everyday. Of course rehearsal is tough, and it’s a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it. All of it is worth it, because everyone in Roselia is working just as hard to reach their dreams, and who is she to complain when she has the most work to do in order to catch up?

 

Music, huh? It’s a great thing isn’t it…’

 

Ako is always so lively, and she genuinely loves playing the drums. Everytime Lisa sees her play, she just gets even more pumped. Lisa always follows along so easily to the rhythm that Ako sets. At this point it’s almost second nature, but it’s an incredible feeling.

 

Rinko is reserved and quiet, but she’s very talented. At first it was difficult to get her to speak, but Lisa soon found out that once you get her started on talking about games, nothing can stop her except for Yukina and Sayo. She and Ako get along very well too, probably because they were good friends beforehand.

 

Yukina is the same. Immensely talented, and a solid leader. But sometimes she can catch Yukina letting her guard down. Sometimes she gives Sayo, or even Lisa, a microscopic smile. You’d have to pay close attention to catch it. And that puts Lisa at ease, because Yukina is having fun. She’s enjoying this band, and that’s all Lisa could ask for.

 

Sayo is a bit of an enigma. At first she came off as condescending, but Lisa slowly begins to understand more about her. Hina had told her very little, but it was just enough for her to piece the puzzle together. Sayo was wrapped up in her own self-hatred, and was unbelievably hard on herself. She blames things on herself more than anyone, and the smallest mistakes are enough to cause her to dip her head in shame. The sadness in her eyes when she messes up a chord, the silent curse under her breath when she begins a guitar riff a split second too late.

 

But everyone is a lot more open now. They’re smiling more, laughing more. Even Rinko is making an effort to communicate with everyone. And sometimes when Ako or Lisa show Sayo a video about puppies, her face softens and she smiles. She lets a small giggle slip once or twice, and that makes Lisa melt. Her heart picks up in speed and she can’t help but start clinging to Sayo, despite her many protests. 

 

Lisa decides that Roselia is worth it. It’s worth every inch of effort she put into it, and it’s what the other members deserve.

 

“Ouch,” there’s a sting on her hand and she raises it in curiosity. She finds a cut on her middle finger and sighs, “Oops, I guess I accidentally cut it on the strings.. I’ll just-”

 

Lisa watches as the cut slowly fades away. It wasn’t hers. She sighs, “Just what kind of job do you have?”

 

The next day at rehearsal, Lisa comes a little bit earlier. She decided to bring cookies this time, and finds Sayo and Yukina conversing in the studio already.

 

“Lisa. You’re earlier today.”

 

“Ah yeah~, I couldn’t sleep you know?”

 

“I heard you practicing last night. Good work, please pace yourself though,” Lisa nods and for a split second she swore she saw that same smile.

 

“Okay~! Oh, but I brought cookies for everyone today,” she digs into her bag and finds multiple small plastic bags, each with a colored ribbon tied onto them. She takes out the purple one and hands it to Yukina. The vocalist stares at the cat shaped cookies for a moment before reaching out and gingerly accepting the bag with a small nod.

 

“Sayo~, I have one for you too!”

 

“Eh?” she looks up, and a hint of red covers her face. 

 

‘That’s weird, is she sick?’

 

Lisa holds up the guitarist’s bag, and this time she added a secret weapon, dog shaped biscuits. She had her suspicions on Sayo’s animal preference from all the puppy videos, but she recently had gotten confirmation from Hina. She grins as she catches the soft smile on Sayo’s face, and she feels like giving herself a pat on the back.

 

“Imai-san… thank you, I’m grateful,” she reaches out to accept the bag, and their hands brush for just a moment. That was enough for Lisa’s poor, weak heart. But something catches her eyes. They widen as she notices the small bandage on Sayo’s left hand. It was wrapped delicately around her middle finger.

 

‘There’s no way. It can’t be.’

 

“Uh, y-yeah, sure,” she watches as Sayo turns back to tuning her guitar.

 

‘It’s just a coincidence.’

 

Lisa’s gaze finds itself on Sayo’s hands, and it roams upwards. Lisa never realized it before, but Sayo is beautiful. The way her hair perfectly frames her face, and her alluring green orbs that are the source of her piercing gaze. The way she can casually look so good while just tuning her guitar is enough to make any girl jealous.

 

A whisper unwillingly leaves Lisa’s lips, “You’re the one…”

 

-

 

Sayo isn’t sure why, but it seemed like Lisa was constantly looking at her recently. Does she look weird? Yukina and the others don’t really seem to have a different reaction.

 

‘I must’ve done something wrong. I should ask Imai-san later.’

 

Practice goes on like usual, they’ve continued to improve at a steady pace. Sayo feels confident, and everyone seems to share the sentiment. Things are going as they normally do, until Sayo catches Lisa gazing at her again. They’re playing their first song, ‘ Black Shout’ , and Lisa’s solo is fast approaching. The brunette’s eyes seem to be searching for Sayo’s.

 

‘Is she looking for approval? Shouldn’t she be looking at Minato-san?’

 

Sayo decides not to question it further and gives Lisa a small smile and a swift nod. The bassist quickly looks away, and a slight disappointment slithers its way into Sayo’s heart. They finish their last song without any further anomalies.

 

“Good work today, everyone. Please clean up after yourselves,” Yukina addresses the band with a curt nod, “Make sure to keep it up tomorrow as well.”

 

“Got it, Yukina-san!” Ako raises her thumb and extends it towards the group in affirmation. The vocalist turns and leaves the room, the door clicking quietly behind her.

 

Sayo approaches Lisa, who seems to be too busy putting away her bass to notice Sayo there. She raises a finger and gently taps the brunette on the shoulder, the latter spinning around at an alarming rate, “Imai-san? May I speak to you?”

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure! What do you need, Sayo?” Lisa lets out a nervous laugh and scratches her chin.

 

‘That’s… strange.’

 

“Did I do anything to offend you, Imai-san? You’ve been looking at me more often during band practice. I do not wish for our relationship to turn sour, please inform me if I did anything wrong.”

 

She doesn’t miss the way Lisa’s face goes bright red. She flails her arms in the air and splutters, “H-Huh?! You noticed that?!”

 

Sayo tilts her head in confusion, “Of course I would notice, Imai-san. You stare at me everyday.”

 

Lisa covers her face with her hands and drags them down, “Oh my God, I’m so embarrassed,” she mumbled to herself before perking up shortly after, “Don’t worry Sayo! You didn’t do anything wrong, haha~!”

 

“Are you sure? Why do you keep looking at me, then? Please do tell me if I-”

 

“You worry too much, Sayo! You’re gonna get gray hairs like that!”

 

Lisa reaches upwards and takes a lock of her hair. Her face is a lot closer now. Sayo feels a strange warmth begin creeping up her chest, and she finds herself staring into Lisa’s eyes. Her heart begins to beat faster, and she’s unsure of the cause.

 

“You really do look beautiful, you know…”

 

“U-um, Imai-san?” 

 

Lisa’s eyes widen in recognition as she quickly backs away, “Ahh, sorry about that Sayo! That was probably weird, huh~? Well, I’ll see you around!”

 

Lisa dashes out the room, her face being practically the same color as Ako’s eyes, leaving Sayo to stare at the door after her. Somewhere behind her, she hears said drummer’s quiet snickering, but she doesn’t care enough to ask what she’s laughing at.

 

She feels discontented now that the warmth is gone.

 

-

 

Lisa keeps running until her lungs are burning. She drifts to a stop at her front door and swung it open. She shuts it behind her in a hurry and sprints upstairs. She locks the door to her room and carefully places her bass down before collapsing. Her back drifts against the cold wood as she finally manages to sit down and catch her breath.

 

Why did I do that? Why did I think that was a good idea?!’

 

She decides the best thing to do now is to bury her hands in her face in utter embarrassment. She swings her head backwards and grunts at the impact, “Why the hell did I get a soulmate so dense?!”

 

She heaves a sigh, “No, calm down Lisa. There’s no guaranteeing that she’s my soulmate, it could all just be a really well-timed coincidence, that’s all!”

 

Lisa places the back of her hand on her forehead, and feels her cheeks using her other hand. They’re burning, and this time Lisa’s pretty sure it isn’t her imagination. She groans and her eyelids shut themselves, immersing her in darkness.

 

She needs more time to think about this, but Future World Fes is coming up soon. She can’t afford to miss even more practice time. With a final shaky sigh, she drags herself up and towards her desk. She should finish her homework already.

 

Her phone vibrates from inside her bag and she pulls it out. Lisa’s screen illuminates itself and she reads the text.

 

From: Hikawa Sayo

‘Imai-san, please take care of yourself. Your face was quite red today, and we don’t need you getting sick before Future World Fes. Let me know if you need anything from me, and I will try my best to assist you. Please make sure you don’t have any serious fever.’

 

Lisa buries her face into her hands again, “That’s just unfair, Sayo…”

 

-

 

Sayo is concerned.

 

For the first time in a while, she isn’t practicing any particular song. Her brows are furrowed and she continues to idly pluck at her guitar strings.

She had texted Lisa earlier to check in and see if the other girl was doing okay. It was only because she was concerned that her condition would affect their performance for Future World Fes, nothing more.

 

‘No, that’s wrong.’

 

Sayo knows that she’s worried for the bassist’s well-being, not only as a bandmate but as a friend. The word was still foreign to her, but she had taken a liking to it. It felt nice to finally admit that for once, she does have friends. There are people that are willing to talk to her, to play music with her, to listen to her advice and what she had to say. It was a strange, but welcoming excitement. Her heart felt free, with the only anchor dragging it down being this dull pain in her heart that didn’t belong to her, and Sayo frowned.

 

That was strange.

 

Her soulmate hasn’t ever been this emotionally bothered for this long. It seemed like they were quite adept at getting themselves back up on their feet. Sayo leans backwards and props her head against the wall, her guitar still in her hands, “If only there was a way to talk to you…”

 

Sayo’s phone vibrates beside her and she hastily reaches over, somewhat in anticipation that it’s Lisa responding to her.

 

From: Imai Lisa

‘Aww, are you worried about me, Sayo~? You’re so sweet! Thank you for checking in on me though, I’m feeling just fine! I’ll make sure to be in tip-top shape for Future World Fes, so don’t sweat it! (^ω^)ノ♡’

 

Sayo feels her face heat up and her phone fumbles in her hands.

 

‘What is happening?’

 

She pushes herself gently from the bed and sets her phone down on the table. Sayo carefully places her guitar back onto its stand and flicks the light switch, her room going dim. She returns to her bed and settles in. As her mind drifts to sleep, she finds herself thinking about a certain bassist.

 

The next morning, Sayo finds herself browsing entering Edogawa Music, earning herself a cheerful greeting from the clerk.

 

“Hello, Sayo-chan! Your show the other day was fantastic, have you seen the article they wrote about it?”

 

“Yes, there were a lot of photographers at the event…”

 

Sayo feels a sense of pride. Their band did perform quite well, and knowing that they’ve only improved since then gives Sayo confidence. She smiles at the clerk before something catches her attention.

 

She freezes.

 

“Sayo-chan? Are you alright?”

 

“This poster…”

 

“Oh, them? They’re kind of a new…group? They’re not quite idols, but they’re not quite a band either. They recently made their debut! Hey, doesn’t their guitarist look like you, Sayo-chan?”

 

Sayo feels her blood running cold and her heart is caught in her throat. She lets out a croak, “I-I need to go, I have rehearsals!”

 

“Sayo-chan?!”

 

Sayo doesn’t turn back.  She keeps running.

 

-

 

Lisa takes a bit more time walking to the studio for rehearsals. It was a Sunday, so they started a bit earlier than normal due to school not being in the way. Usually Lisa feels excited to meet the members and begin practice, but today there was a strange feeling gnawing at the back of her head. 

 

Entering the studio, she’s struck with a tense feeling. She looks over to the two people currently in the room, Sayo and Yukina. They’re both on edge, but only Sayo seems to be frowning.

 

“Uh, hey guys! Good morning~!”

 

“Lisa. Good morning.”

 

“Good morning, Imai-san.”

 

Practice starts as soon as Ako and Rinko arrive, but it feels different. Is it just her? They’re playing normally, just like always, but something is off. Sayo’s playing is still really good, but it doesn’t seem as precise as you’d normally expect from the guitarist. Lisa frowns, everyone else is doing just fine.

 

An abrupt pain disperses across Lisa’s chest and she gags, her fingers fumbling mid-song.

 

“Lisa-nee? Are you okay?” Ako gives her a worried glance before turning towards the others, “Hey, haven’t we practiced enough? Should we take a break?”

 

“Future World Fes is coming up soon. We can’t afford to act like this Udagawa-san,” Sayo answered flatly, “If you are not feeling well, Imai-san, then maybe you should return home for the time being.”

 

Lisa flinches, and all of a sudden all eyes are on her. Her heart sinks, and she feels the metallic strings dig into her palm as she clenches her guitar. She releases a shaky breath, “You’re right, sorry. I was just a bit distracted… it won’t happen again.”

 

“But still! Look at your finger, Sayo-san, it’s injured! If we keep pushing too hard, then we won’t be able to play at all!”

 

“Ako brings up a good point. Sayo, we need you in top condition, the Future World Fes audition requires us at our best.”

 

“...I suppose you are correct, Minato-san. Then, shall we take a 30 minute break?”

 

Another burst of pain erupts from her chest, and Lisa nearly drops her guitar. Rinko approaches her and places a hand on her shoulder, “Imai-san… are you… okay?”

 

“Yeah, just… give me a moment, I’ll be fine! So, anyway, what was that game you guys were telling me about the other day?”

 

Ako perks up and runs over to Rinko’s side, “Oh, NFO! It’s the coolest game ever, and Rin-rin was being super cool yesterday!”

 

The drummer starts rattling on at high speeds about their previous ‘raid-boss,’ as she calls it. Lisa registers some of it, however she can’t help but take a glimpse at Sayo. Her pain has mostly subsided at this point, but Sayo had been especially uptight today. She notices that the girl is still frowning.

 

Lisa had to admit, Sayo’s statement hurt her, just a little. She’s aware that she’s the most inexperienced in the band, and Lisa sometimes wonders why they bother keeping her around.

 

“...And then, and then, Rin-rin totally saved me from their next attack! She’s just so cool, in-game and out!” Ako excitedly exclaims, and she makes grand gestures in the keyboardist’s direction.

 

Lisa laughs, “Haha! And you sound just as reckless in-game as out too~!”

 

“A-Ako-chan has… someone else to protect her… Her sister…”

 

That was someone Lisa recognized. She jumps and nearly yelps as she feels a sting on her left palm and raises it to see nail marks.

 

‘Oh my God.’

 

She quickly shoots her head towards the two and gives a shaky grin, her voice begins to falter, “Ah, Tomoe! She’s a friend of mine. You know her too, huh Rinko? Now she really is a cool girl!”

 

“Sis plays the drums like… like ‘Bo-boom! Bang, crash!”

 

“Ahh, you always use those same sounds, don’t you?” Lisa grins, and out of the corner of her eye she notices Sayo and Yukina whispering to each other. Lisa notices her chest begin to ache. She turns back to Ako, “Oh yeah, you guys still took baths together up until recently right?”

 

Rinko’s eyes widen noticeably, “Really…?!”

 

“Hmm, yeah! Of course we did! It’s not that weird. You guys just don’t get it cause you don’t have a bigger sister. It’s like having your own idol, who’s just the coolest person in the world to you!”

 

The pain starts to build even more, but Lisa smiles through it anyway, “Now hold on a second, what happened to Yukina being the coolest in the word?”

 

‘Sayo, what is happening?’

 

Ako shrugs, “Well actually, my sister is the single coolest person in the world, but Yukina-san is really, really super cool too-”

 

“Shut up! All of you!” 

 

Everyone turns towards the guitarist, and even Yukina visibly recoils. Sayo bristles even further, “All of you, sister this, sister that! Enough! You have no idea… no idea how much pressure there is being an older sister!”

 

Lisa clutches at her chest, the aching is paramount. Sayo tosses her hands in the air and then grasps her head, seething, “Always copying and copying and copying! Can’t you ever think for yourselves?! If you just copy your sister all of the time, who even are you?!”

 

“Sayo… are you… talking about Hina…?” Lisa manages to choke out the query and grimaces.

 

“Sayo-san… I’m sorry, and you even told me…” Ako withers and she looks like she’s about to cry.

 

Recovering from the initial surprise, Yukina steps forward, “I don’t know what has happened, but you cannot bring your personal feelings into this band,” Yukina folds her arms and turns to the guitarist, “Sayo, you chastised Lisa earlier but even you weren’t focused at all in rehearsals today. I think you should go home.” 

 

“I… yes, I suppose I have nothing left to say to that. Sorry for causing a scene, I’m going.”

 

Sayo packs her guitar and swings the case over her shoulder. She turns away from the group and exits, the door creaks in the otherwise quiet room.

 

“I said something horrible to Sayo-san… What should I do, Lisa-nee? Rin-rin?” 

 

Lisa sighs, “Sayo has a twin sister, Hina Hikawa… You may have heard of her Ako, she goes to our school.”

 

Ako nods, “Mhm! Everyone knows her, she tops every test…”

 

Yukina faces the remaining band members, “Break is over. If you want to continue talking about this, you are free to leave.”

 

“Ah, okay…” Lisa prepares to play, and then she stops.

 

‘No. This isn’t right.’

 

“Lisa?” Yukina eyes her curiously.

 

‘She’s my soulmate. She needs help.’

 

“I…” Lisa holds her head with her right hand and grits her teeth.

 

‘I’m sorry, Yukina.’

 

“I need to go,” she takes off her bass and hands it to a bewildered Ako, “Return it to me at school tomorrow! I need to catch her!”

 

Yukina twirls her head towards the bassist, “Lisa what are you-”

 

“I made a promise! I need to keep it!” Lisa bursts out of the rehearsal room and she runs. She doesn’t know where to, but she continues running. She doesn’t stop when Marina gives out a surprised gasp. She doesn’t stop when Ako asks her where she’s going.

 

I’m coming, Sayo. Please wait for me!’

 

-

 

“Ah. It’s raining.”

 

The droplets fly past her face as she sits on a bench underneath a cover. Next to the bench was a small vending machine with the usual drinks. The only sounds that accompany her are the patter of raindrops hitting the ground, and the faint mechanical humming. She closes her eyes and leaned her back against the wall, which had apparently become one of her favorite pastimes as of late.

 

‘What am I doing?’

 

Truthfully, she didn’t necessarily have any particular goal during that outburst. It was just that, an emotional outburst. She was just acting petty, that’s all. The others have probably done a few songs by now, she can’t afford to fall behind. She’ll wait for the rain to subside, walk home, and practice guitar.

 

‘She can’t be better than me.’

 

Sayo buries her face in her hands. This is ludicrous. She feels an added weight on the bench beside her. Who could still be out at this hour? She groans inwardly and turns to identify her new acquaintance.

 

For the second time that day, she freezes.

 

There before her sat no other than Imai Lisa, completely soaked by the rain. She recoils, “I-Imai-san?! What are you doing?!”

 

“Ahh~ I finally found you, Sayo! Man, I thought you would’ve already gone home. Oh hey, your guitar is fine right?” She tilts her head and gives a soft smile.

 

“...Yes, my guitar is fine, but what about you? You’re going to be sick like this. Surely you remember what I told you about illnesses…” Sayo digs through her bag and takes out a small towel, “Here, this should do for now.”

 

Almost instinctively she reaches upwards and drapes the towel over the other girl’s head. Lisa watches curiously as Sayo begins to work on drying her hair. Sayo’s eyes flicker downwards and she notices the bassist fidget with the hem of her skirt, her gaze drifting to the side.

 

“Hey, Sayo, what are you doing?”

 

“Im drying your hair.”

 

“Well y-yeah, but don’t you think I can do it myself?”

 

“O-Oh. Right. My apologies,” Sayo slowly lets go of the towel and scoots backwards.

 

Lisa begins to shuffle the towel around, “So hey, why do you have this in the first place?”

 

“Ah, I’m apart of the archery club. Normally it isn’t too exerting, but I bring it just in case,” she reaches up and twists a lock of hair. Lisa doesn’t seem to notice.

 

“Oh, really? That’s super cool, Sayo!”

 

“It’s really nothing…”

 

“Well, I think it’s fitting for you.”

 

Sayo didn’t exactly know what Lisa meant by that, but she decides not to question it. They sit in a comfortable silence for a few moments.

 

‘How odd. This is the most relaxed I’ve been…’

 

A small giggle escapes from the girl beside her. She turns to see Lisa smiling at her again. Sayo feels her face heating up, and that strange familiar warmth once again begins to creep into her heart. She coughs into her fist and looks away, “What’s so funny, Imai-san?”

 

The girl shuffles closer to her, and Sayo feels her heart about to explode. Lisa places two thumbs on each of her eyebrows and runs them along, gently creasing. The bassist lets go after a while, “You were looking really scary, Sayo. Didn’t I tell you to smile more?”

 

“Ah, yes, I suppose you did…”

 

“So, do you want to talk about it? You know, what’s bothering you.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“...You’re worried about Hina, right? Or, I guess maybe you’re angry at her?”

 

Ah, this was the question Sayo was dreading. She sighs, “I… well, I guess that’s one way to say it.”

 

Sayo notices that Lisa has stopped shuffling the towel. She shakes her head, “For the longest time… Hina has always been better than me. At everything,” she drags a hand roughly through her hair and it drops back into her lap, “When I found guitar, when I found music… I was happy. For once, I was good at something that Hina wasn’t.”

 

Lisa gently places a hand on hers. She’s listening. Sayo takes a moment to breathe, “I guess that didn’t last very long. Today I saw a poster of a new group. Pastel Palettes, I believe is what they are called,” she pauses in case Lisa wanted to react. She doesn’t.

 

“Hina is their guitarist. Guitar had been my everything, it was the only thing I had… and now she’s taking it away from me as well. I don’t know what I have anymore.”

 

“Hey now… I’m right here, and you have us, you know? Roselia’s here for you, Sayo. You’re not alone anymore.”

 

Lisa takes a moment to continue, “In fact, I don’t think Hina really took guitar from you. Have you heard yourself play? You sound amazing, Sayo! I’m the one who has a lot to do.”

 

Lisa must be referring to what Sayo told her today during practice. Sayo winces, “I’m sorry. For what I said today. I didn’t mean it, I’m pathetic...”

 

‘There you go again, Sayo. Putting others down despite your own incompetence.’

 

“Hey, back to me~, stop getting lost in your own thoughts when I’m trying to talk to you!” Lisa grabs both of Sayo’s shoulders and spins her so they’re facing each other, “Is that what you think of yourself, Sayo? Because Imai Lisa is going to have to say no to those thoughts!”

 

‘Why? Why is she being… so nice to me?’

 

“I… why do you care so much, Imai-san? Even after what I said to you!”

 

Tears threaten to spill from Sayo’s eyes. She feels a pair of arms wrap around her, pulling her in. She nestles her head in the crook of Lisa’s neck, closing her eyes. A hand reaches up and strokes her hair.

 

“I’m your friend, Sayo~! I care about you, and I bet the others do too. In fact, Ako’s probably trying to write down how to apologize to you next rehearsal.”

 

Sayo grasps the bassist’s shoulders, “How do I know that you all won’t leave me? Playing in this band has… it’s been so fun, I…”

 

“Come on Sayo, seriously? We won’t leave you. At the very least, I know I definitely won’t,” Lisa tenses for a moment, “You know… I originally joined the band because I wanted to stay by Yukina’s side. But like you said, being in this band has been so fun…”

 

Sayo feels Lisa’s grip tighten on her, “You’re part of the reason why. You’re a member of the band you know, Roselia’s guitarist. But even more than that… you’re someone I really care about. We’ll get through this together… I promise.”

 

And that was what opened the floodgates. For once, a reassurance that she won’t be alone. Sayo lets out an unceremonious sob, and the tears begin to flood down her cheeks. She hears the bassist shushing her, but she’s not quite sure if it helps in this situation. Sayo feels a stinging pain on her shoulders, but she doesn’t care to check. She curls into herself further and clings onto Lisa almost obsessively. 

Lisa never moves away.

 

After a while of embarrassing crying, the rain had finally stopped. Lisa had been mostly dried off by now. Sayo feels like she’s lost just a bit of her dignity.

 

“Hey Sayo, wanna talk more about this at the restaurant? We really should get inside!”

 

“Who was the one that ran in the rain to come find me? Besides, I told you I am not interested in those places, Imai-san.”

 

“Oh come on, don’t be like that! I’ll buy you a basket of fries~!”

 

“...Very well then.”

 

Lisa tenderly grabs a hold of her hand and she finds herself easing up. As she lifts herself from the bench, the brunette turns around and a soft smile graced her lips.

 

“Hey, I’m really glad I caught up to you!”

 

“I am… happy as well.”

 

Sayo lets herself be dragged along and she feels her own lips curl upwards slightly. She doesn’t mind this comforting warmth in her chest.

 

But something was off. Sayo can feel her grip on Lisa’s hand stiffen. Her eyes trace from the back of Lisa’s head and down to her shoulders, where she catches a glimpse of red nail marks. The realization hits her then.

 

‘She is… my soulmate?’

 

-

 

Lisa watches as Sayo casually plucks a fry from her basket. She really can’t take Sayo’s face seriously when she’s munching on a fried potato stick inches from her. Lisa snickers and receives a glare from her companion.

 

“What’s so funny, Imai-san?”

 

“Aha, well, when I told you to smile more, it doesn’t just apply to rehearsals, Sayo!”

 

Sayo pouts, and if that isn’t the cutest thing ever Lisa doesn’t know what is. Sayo lets out a sigh, “You keep saying that. Why do you keep saying that?” the other girl picks up another fry and waves it around to emphasize her point, “I believe I look just fine, Imai-san.”

 

‘Well, she’s not wrong.’

 

Lisa shakes her head, “Okay, okay, fine~.”

 

“I’m glad we have reached an agreement. Now what did you want to talk about?”