ACT II - Full Moon's Embrace

Once we arrived at my home, my parents welcomed her warmly and we enjoyed dinner together. When my parents asked about how her family was doing, she answered that they were all swell without skipping a beat. I was scared if my parents would mention Yachiru, as they had no idea what had happened to her, while we were busy with our first months of moving to Canada… Thankfully, they simply changed topics, and the dinner went on most smoothly.

Then, I asked my friend if she'd like to do some stargazing when it was dark outside. She asked if we would watch from the rooftop, and when I nodded, she skipped in excitement. She was as adorable as always…

To pass the time until nightfall, we watched some videos in my room and laughed until our tummies hurt. It almost felt guilty to know that we would have a serious conversation afterwards, putting an end to our laughter, but… I just knew, both of us needed it.

With the sun withdrawing for the day, it was time. I gently held her hand and escorted her to the rooftop. It was the perfect setting to have a heartfelt conversation, with the full moon shining all over the city. While it didn't make for the ideal timing for stargazing, hey, the night scenery was breathtaking in its own way.

Just as I was about to apologize that I had forgotten the stars wouldn't be as visible today, she raised her hands up to the sky and made a big wave towards the moon. "Hellooo, Otsuki-samaa~ You're as beautiful as ever!" Seeing her greeting towards the full moon, I also raised my hand to say a short, simple greeting. She turned towards me with a bright smile and explained that she always felt happy during full moons, as her name came from the phrase "tsuki ga michiru" — A full moon! I grinned widely, I was always curious if this was the case!

We had a small chat about how beautiful the night sky was, and then silently watched the breathtaking scenery. While it was true that living in the middle of a big city made it very difficult to enjoy stargazing to the fullest, the illuminations and the sounds of the evening wind carrying the hustle and bustle of the city made for a special experience of its own.

After a while, she broke the silence with a voice that was different than her usual, one that was calm and rather soothing. "So… Let's not avoid things further. What's on your mind, Yuujin? Whatever it is, I'm here to listen." She was still gazing upon the sky, so after a short glance at her face, I kept on looking up as well. Oh dear Moon, do lend me some strength for tonight…

I thought very carefully on how to approach the topic. "Do you… Ever compare yourself to others, Michiru?" She smiled. "Everyone does, yeah. Some more than others, but I'm sure everyone relates to that. Who are you comparing yourself to?" I guess this was a wrong way to open the topic, as the focus would fall on me rather than her, like this…! But it was too early to panic, and you know what? Maybe it was time to stop hiding myself, as well…!

"Um… It's a bit difficult to explain, I suppose. But…" I took a moment to gather my words. She waited patiently. "While I'm so, so thankful for my friends, I can't help but… Compare myself to you guys. Everyone is just so amazing, and sparkling so brilliantly that… I ended up wondering if there's any need for me at all. Things would be all the same without me… Or something like that."

I looked at her to observe her reaction. Her surprised eyes met mine. "Huh? By 'you guys', you even include me?" I nodded, smiling bitterly. "It's just… I don't know. You're so special, always brightening everything and everyone around you… I guess I admire that." It was true, and my admiration had grown bigger for her after the Reveal. But I couldn't just talk about it to her, yet…

She lowered her gaze, and played with her fingers for a while. A nearby car passed by, the loud music appearing and leaving in a span of a few seconds. Back to complete silence, until…

"Yuujin, do you remember? How I used to be all timid, shy and quiet? Hiding my presence behind my long hair, just silently going forward with my days?" I nodded, adding that she was as charmful and cute as she is now, just a different brand of it. Giggling softly, she pushed my arm. "Come on, this isn't the time for praise. Well… Do you know why I became like this?"

Frankly, I had a vague idea, but I didn't want to assume anything. She continued. "I… Really admire kind people. They make everything better just with their presence, and I think they're the strongest, staying true to their hearts, no matter what difficulties arise. I try to take such people as my role model. And you're such a person, too."

Michiru rested her head on my shoulder, and I found her hand to hold. I thanked her, surprised at the fact that I fit her description of a 'role model person', as that was exactly the kind of person I aspired to be…! She chuckled. "You already are that person. You just can't see it." With a deep sigh, she added. "My onee-chan was such a person, too. She's gone, though."

Ah. There it was…!

Feeling my whole body tensing up, she embraced me from the side. "Don't you worry, Yuujin. I've more or less made peace with that fact… Even if it hurts everyday." I completed my side of the hug, and gently patted her back. "Michiru… I'm so sorry for your loss. I remember, she was so beautiful and had such a special aura to her, like a gentle fairy… Sorry…"

After this, the heavy silence was back, this time haunting the entire air. Despite that, our hugs were keeping us in connection. I'm here for you, they said. Things are difficult, but you're not alone.

"She… She had a sudden heart failure, and she was gone, just like that. My beautiful, most amazing and kind onee-chan was taken away from me. Yeah, I guess for the child me, that's what hurt me most at first; who was going to hold my hand in this scary world now? But as time passed, I realized what hurt the most… It was the fact that such an incredible person had departed from the world so early on, not even getting to enjoy her adulthood… It hurt. I wanted her to be the happiest girl there is… But her story came to an end, that awful night…" I kept on patting her hair, hoping that it gave her even the slightest bit of comfort.

She took herself out of my embrace, and lifted her neck straight and tall. "That's why," she began declaring. "I decided that instead of falling into an endless dark hole, I'd be happy. For my, and her sake. I decided to live life to the fullest, and put away my timid self and grab on opportunities. Since my happiness… Would make her happy, too. She was just that kind of a person…" Michiru wiped away the tears starting to form on her eyes. "But you know what? I'm still a timid person. I do my best, but I still can't get myself to do the things I want to do. And this is where you come in."

She smiled from ear to ear, squishing her cheeks, making the teardrops in her eyes take descent. "It's you who made me gather the courage to talk with Seiten-senpai, and you're a big reason why I can approach my matches with more self confidence. Without you, things wouldn't be the same!"

Oh.

I must have looked so confused and lost hearing her words, that she started to laugh. "Hahaha! What's with that adorable look on your face??" Feeling relief at the fact that she was laughing, combined with my embarrassment, I joined in her laughter. I could understand about the matter with Seiten-senpai, but what exactly was I doing to inspire her in her volleyball matches?

When I asked her about it, she answered, "Actually, I'm nowhere near being a good player. In fact, I mess up and fall a lot, going after the ball! Despite this, I can enjoy my time with my all because I know that I have an amazing friend who has my back—plus, you are so disciplined and truly enjoy moving your body and committing to a training schedule that I was totally inspired, as well! I started to run on weekends thanks to you~ Though," She put her finger on her lips. "I do tend to sleep in on the weekends, so that's why I can't join you regularly, oopsie~" After enjoying some hearty chuckles, both of us wiped away our tears—before realizing, I had started crying too!

"Michiru, wow… I really didn't know I could be such a positive influence in someone's life… Thank you." She shook her head. "No, don't thank me! It's me who should thank you for your existence… And, um… Thank you for listening, about my onee-chan and all…" She played with the band-aids covering her legs. When she noticed me looking, she shyly scratched her neck and said, "These are mostly the results of me wearing shoes too big for my size. These… Are actually my sister's shoes."

Well, I was aware. But I let her explain.

"My parents wanted to get rid of them, not being able to stand getting reminded of her, but I didn't want to lose them… In a way, I literally wanted to get in her shoes, and live life with my all, for her sake as well… They remind me to stand tall and face any challenge coming my way—um, well, I don't know if I do the 'tall' part very well~"

Yeah, I felt that. My lips curled a little, thinking of our short structures. But…

"Isn't it dangerous? Could you keep the shoes with you, but wear different ones?" Michiru kicked her feet and moved them up and back. Again, her finger found its way to her lips. "Hmm~ But sometimes they help me out? Like… The other day I slipped and fell right into Seiten-senpai's arms… Ufufu, what a manga-like moment! I'm sure it was my sister cheering me on and giving me a push in the back, hehe~"

Alright, there was no use arguing, that was indeed something very positive caused directly by the shoes! Afterwards, one topic opened another, and we started talking about our friends, like how Ria reacted to hearing Seiten-senpai catching Michiru. As a certified fan of shoujo, there was no doubt that she had squealed hard…!

—

When it was time to sleep for the night, I prepared a futon to sleep on, while she'd sleep in my bed. A sweet tiredness had taken over us thanks to the stargazing (and secret-sharing!) session, so both of us looked forward to getting in a deep, long slumber. As I went to brush my teeth, she changed into her pajamas. It was a cute lilac color and with Harmony-chan motifs. "I got a matching set with Ria-chan! Isn't it so cute?" She twirled in my room, and I clapped in support. And just a few minutes later, we were already lying down, ready to embark on sweet dreams. I informed her that I'd turn off the lights, and we exchanged good night wishes.

Despite my sleepiness, even after fifteen minutes, I wasn't able to fall asleep. At this point, my eyes were used to the dark. I slowly turned to my other side, and saw Michiru staring at the ceiling. Noticing that I was awake, she quietly called for my name. I replied back with an equally low voice. "Yes, Michiru?" Her gaze didn't leave the ceiling.

"Is my onee-chan happy?"

I propped myself up in the futon and held her hand, which was hanging from the side of the bed. I gave it a supportive squeeze. "She's watching over you, always proud of you, Michiru. You're the bestest sister she could ever ask for."

After her quiet thanks, we didn't mutter any more words for the night. She nodded and then let my hand go. She was ready to sleep, and so was I, now that I knew she wouldn't stay awake the entire night. Right before turning in the futon, I saw her shut her eyes, making a final tear fall down her cheek, and then, onto the pillow…