Kyo gazed at the clouds outside the window.
Soyo gazed at Kyo.
A golden haze stretched across the distant horizon, dyeing the sky in the hues of dusk. The soft light aged everything it touched, like an old photograph, yellowed with time.
This time of day always made people reminisce.
Soyo looked at Kyo, watching as the glow of twilight enveloped her as well. She was someone from the past, yet at the same time, someone who had never truly left. An undeniable link to the memories Soyo couldn't stop herself from chasing.
It was as if time itself had folded and overlapped upon Kyo. The warm light, spilling onto her like sunlight hitting the surface of water, blurred around her edges—hazy, dreamlike. It was like striking a match in the dark, revealing the image of whatever one most longed to see.
Soyo couldn't resist reaching out.
"…Soyo?"
A voice as gentle as water washed over her, snapping her back to reality.
That was when she realized—at some point, she had stepped up behind Kyo.
They were so close.
Her uneven breaths fell against the back of Kyo's neck, warm and unsteady.
One hand had reached past Kyo's shoulder, loosely encircling her collarbone, fingers resting lightly just beneath her opposite shoulder.
The other had wrapped around Kyo's waist.
The fabric of Kyo's clothing was thin—too thin to offer any real barrier. Soyo's grip had wrinkled it along the way, the creases multiplying beneath her touch. When she finally stopped, her palm rested flat against Kyo's stomach.
"…I'm sorry, Kyo!"
Soyo recoiled as if burned, jerking her hands back and stumbling a few steps away.
What am I doing? Have I lost my mind?
Think. There has to be an excuse—some way to explain herself.
"Do you like me, Soyo?"
Before she could grasp at an answer, the next blow landed squarely, leaving her reeling.
"W-Wait, what's that supposed to mean…?"
Kyo turned to face her, tilting her head slightly. "Just what I said. Or, to put it another way—why did you hug me just now?"
In her long years of careful study, Kyo had assigned meaning to countless actions. Different gestures could signify different things, depending on the setting.
But hugging—that was the one action that always seemed to carry a positive meaning.
A wish, a farewell, a moment of sympathy, or perhaps… affection.
To Kyo, hugs had always been something warm, something pleasant. Like a soft cloud of cotton candy—both in sentiment and in the way they physically felt.
"Would you ever hug someone you disliked, Soyo?"
"Of course not!"
The innocence in Kyo's question struck Soyo, making her realize that the "like" Kyo spoke of wasn't as weighty as what she had initially feared.
"Of course I like you, Kyo."
"I see."
Kyo's response was unreadable. Her expression gave nothing away.
Soyo felt drained.
It was as if the Kyo of the past and the Kyo standing before her were constantly shifting, interweaving, pulling her in different directions. She didn't know how to keep up.
"…Then—"
Kyo wasn't done.
"Soyo, do you like me—or do you like the me from CRYCHIC?"
The first thought that came to Soyo's mind was: Aren't they the same thing?
But somehow, this question was even harder to answer than the last.
She stood frozen, unable to speak.
"…I see."
Soyo never answered.
But in the absence of a response, Kyo seemed to find her own answer. She nodded slightly, letting the topic drop.
"…Can I borrow the bathroom? I'd like to take a shower first."
"…Of course. I'll go find something for you to wear."
"Oh, no need."
Kyo gave her backpack a small shake before pulling out a crisp, neatly folded shirt. "I always carry a change of clothes in hot weather. Even underwear and a towel, too."
Soyo led Kyo to the bathroom, and along the way, Kyo was once again struck by just how massive this house was. It felt more like a luxury hotel than a home—so polished, so pristine, so… lifeless.
But what caught her attention even more was that the only signs of life in this place belonged to Soyo.
Where was her family?
"You can use any of the body wash or shampoo in there," Soyo said. "I'll start making dinner. Anything you like or don't eat?"
"I like soup. Other than that, I don't really have any strong preferences—I'm pretty easy to feed."
"Then how about vegetable macaroni soup?"
"Sounds good."
With that settled, Soyo stepped out of the bathroom.
She closed the door behind her but didn't move toward the kitchen right away. Instead, she leaned back against the wall and slowly sank into a crouch.
The sensation of holding Kyo just moments ago still lingered vividly in her mind, as if it had only happened a second ago.
Soyo glanced down at her hands. They felt damp. Not actually wet, but… almost.
Kyo always had a tendency to sweat just a little, no matter what.
Fixated on her hands, Soyo hesitated, then raised them slightly—bringing them closer to her face, giving them a small, experimental sniff.
No scent of sweat.
Instead, there was a faint freshness, like the air after a summer rain. Clean, crisp, strangely comforting.
…Wait. What am I even doing?
Realization struck her all at once, and her face turned scarlet.
Embarrassed, she hugged her knees to her chest, burying her head against them like an ostrich avoiding reality.
How can I get Kyo to come back to the band?
And what did she mean by that question—'Do you like me, or do you like the me from CRYCHIC?'
Soyo had always believed she could bring everyone back together. But now, for the first time, that confidence wavered.
There was one thing she knew for sure, though—she didn't want Kyo to leave.
Even if Kyo never returned to the band, as long as she stayed by her side, that would be enough.
The sound of rushing water filled the air.
The shower had started.
The muted splashing seeped through the bathroom door, and Soyo could almost picture Kyo inside—washing up, playing absentmindedly with the water, completely at ease.
The thought made her smile, her eyes growing misty with warmth.
Having someone at home with me… it feels so nice.
If every day could be like this, how happy would that be?
Soyo and Kyo, just like a family.
---
T/N: SOYO IS A FREAK?? HELLO JUST HUGGING HER FROM BEHIND LIKE THAT??? THEN SMELLING THE SWET??
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