Moonflower

“Was it better?”

Hanako scrunched her face a bit. “I think so? It felt a little more comfortable, but it also was a bit more erratic and imprecise. Overall you seem a bit more out of it, are you doing fine?”

“Yeah, of cours-”

Aya was hit with a sudden wave of dizziness, doubling over to the horror of Hanako, who quickly rushed to pat her back.

“Ugh, what time is it?”
“It’s, “ she struggled to weasel her phone from her jeans pockets, “it’s 5:30.”

After hyperfocusing on research immediately into playing for essentially her idol, the fact she hadn’t eaten the entire day coupled with the 4 hours of fitful sleep forced lapsing waves of nausea and drowsiness all upon her at once.

I shouldn't have stayed up researching her family, besides she hardly touched the apple juice. Apple juice…

“Actually, sorry could I get a sip of that real quick?”

Before even a sound came from Hanako’s lips, she had already begun drinking with the ferocity of a wanderer finding a river in the desert. Within seconds the cup was emptied and she slammed it onto the table with a sigh of happiness, like an alcoholic downing their fifth beer of the night.

“Oh, that feels so much better.”

Hanako stared longingly at the now empty cup on the table.

“...are you, are you good? Do you need apple juice to cure your hangovers or something?”

“No, not that” she chuckled. “I just haven’t eaten at all today. It’s okay, I think there’s something in the fridge.”

She stumbled over as a concerned Hanako hovered closely behind. Flinging the doors wide open, Aya was greeted with nothing that could be prepared in a short amount of time, let alone in her current state of mind. Hanako quickly appeared behind her with a concerned glance into the fridge, and the two stood staring at the same unhelpful ingredients for a spell.

“Well, do you want to go out to eat?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I know the owner of a cafe down the street, he’s got really good snacks. I can treat you, it’ll be a thank-you for allowing me to listen to you perform.”

“N-no, wait, I should be thanking you for listening to me play, especially if I’m not that good at it.”

“Come on, I’m not going to let someone else treat the Hanako Hoshino, that would hurt my pride. Just sit down and accept it, you don’t look well enough to be doing anything else anyways.”

“Alright then, if you’re sure.”

“Just make sure not to collapse on the way there.”

“...I’ll try.”

The two girls walked down the street, Hanako’s hand cautiously hovering near the small of Aya’s back the entire way. The bell rang as they made their way inside, alerting the absent-minded man behind the counter.

“Owner! Could we get two iced mochas and a couple steamed buns over here!”

“Of course, anything for you Ms. Hanako.”

She helped the lightheaded Aya sit down in the booth before taking the seat directly in front of her. In her slightly delirious state, Aya took a quick glance up only to be met with Hanako’s rich amber eyes staring back, and she quickly looked back down again.

Hanako’s brows furrowed. “You sure you’re doing alright?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. I just need to eat a little bit and I’ll be back to normal.”

The man set the two drinks down. Hanako picked up the cup and took a long sip before setting it back down on the platter. Aya followed suit a moment after.

“...this is my favorite.”

“I’m sorry?”
“I assume you looked up my favorite drink earlier with the apple juice. I appreciate the gesture, but that was so long ago. Well, not to say I don’t like apple juice anymore, but” she took a short sip, “the iced mochas from this cafe fill me up like no other.”

Just then, sunlight filtered through the windows of the cafe, casting a nostalgic golden glow upon the girl, and in Aya’s eyes, she looked radiant. Not in the overwhelming brightness she had so constantly exuded from the pictures online or the few times she had admired her, but with a soft yet confident smolder of one who had navigated a life scrutinized at every twist and turn. And as Aya took another sip, the coffee seemed to taste even richer than before with the newfound appreciation she had gained for the girl in front of her.

“...Thank you for showing me this.”

“Huh? No, it’s no problem. I just ordered the first thing I could think of for you.”

“But still, I feel like I’ve gotten to know you better, even just a little bit.”

“Well, “ she turned gaze from the cup to face the girl ahead, causing Aya to slightly flinch, “if you ever want to know anything about me, make sure to ask the real Hanako in front of you instead of the 8-year old version online,” she remarked with a slight grin.

Aya let out a small chuckle, her face creasing as she smiled in front of her for the first time. Hanako’s smile stilled as she took in the image of Aya’s joyous face for the first time. Her piercing gray eyes had softened and the eyebags underneath shifted, raised by her upturned cheeks. In Hanako’s eyes, the face she had seen focused, tired, or scared took on a new look, a new gentler, more sincere.

Kind of cute…

“Here’s your order.”

The two girls jumped as the owner set down a plate of steaming buns, causing them to share a small laugh again at their joint frightfulness. The owner excused himself with a slight grin.

Hanako gestured at the steaming plate. “Go ahead.”

“No, you go ahead first. You ordered them.”

“I’m pretty sure you need them more.”

“I can hold out a bit longer.”

She grinned. “Alright, how about we just both eat.”

“Fine by me.”

Under the gleaming rays of the sun, the two girls shared a plate in a small empty cafe, and the bonds connecting them grew ever stronger.