Chapter Text
Mikage Reo seems like the kind of girl who doesn’t make mistakes.
Nagi’s only known her for a few days, but somehow, that’s the impression that she gets. After all, Reo’s sitting so close to her now, with a cloud of lavender perfume and an entire constellation in her bright eyes and smile, patiently writing out every step to a math problem that Nagi, yet again, has pretended not to know the answer to.
Since their first math class together, Reo’s taken it upon herself to tutor Nagi. Her eraser is completely unused, never has been. It sits on the desk for show, for decoration, because Nagi doesn’t need it, either, and tells Reo it’s all thanks to her. Reo beams.
“I’m here to protect you,” Reo cheekily tells her, but Nagi doesn’t care whenever their teacher yells at her. It’s not going to stop her from napping in class, or making just enough mistakes on their assignments that Reo feels that she’s improving, but that she still needs tutoring.
Since Nagi’s transfer, Reo’s been her first and only friend — not just within the boundaries of the classroom, but the halls, the cafeteria, the mornings and evenings outside of school. Reo seeks her out, latches onto her arm, and clings to her like the world’s loudest and prettiest vine. Mikage Reo is a whirlwind, and Nagi lets herself be swept along. It’s confusing, but it’s nice. She hasn’t really had a friend like Reo before; back home, it was just her and Barou, and the two of them spent more time brawling with and pranking each other than doing the kind of stuff that the Hakuho girls seem to do. When Barou’s girlfriend, Aryu, came along, that was the first time that either of them had realized there was a whole new glam, stylish world out there. It didn’t suit them, but it suited Aryu, and Nagi, now, thinks that it suits Reo, too.
“You’re going to girl world, Nagi,” Aryu had told her seriously, the morning that Nagi was all set to move. “Things are about to change.”
“I’m going to Tokyo,” Nagi had said, brow furrowing, and Barou had rolled her eyes so hard that Nagi could only roll hers in return.
“You’re going to Hakuho,” Aryu had stressed, rearranging Nagi’s tangled hair. Last week, Nagi had chopped off the ends carelessly, like she always did whenever it got too long, and Aryu’s wail of disaster was still ringing in her ears. “The most elite prep school, where there are the most brilliant and beautiful girls! You’ll have a stylish uniform and everything!”
“Oh, that,” Nagi had said. “I got the boys’ one. I don’t like skirts.”
Barou had nodded approvingly. Aryu closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and handed Nagi one of her ‘lucky’ lipglosses. “At the very least, promise me you’ll use this.”
Nagi had promised; it was like obtaining a special item for a quest. The one Aryu had chosen for her was clear, no color tint — it had made Nagi smile, just a little, at how well Aryu already knew her. And so, with that, she had taken the train to Tokyo. If she remembered, she applied the lipgloss, because at the very least, it smelled nice, but makeup still wasn’t something she really cared for. Too much of a hassle. Reaching ‘girl world’ hadn’t really felt like leveling up, either. Nagi was still like an NPC in a world of other NPCs; the uniforms only really added to that, turning the school into a sea of aimless, indistinct white.
And then, purple.
Now that she has Reo, Nagi finds herself trying to recall Aryu’s lessons. What would keep Reo interested in her? Reo claims to like Nagi as she is, but… Nagi can’t help but wonder sometimes, but eventually, as the days go on, she decides it probably doesn’t matter.
(It would be better, Nagi thinks, to taste Reo's berry-colored lip tint than to worry about wearing her own.)
Hanging out with Mikage Reo, apparently, does matter. One day, while she’s waiting for Reo at lunch, she’s approached by three girls, who have an air of importance. Nagi has no idea who they are. They’re tall and stylish, in the way that Aryu would approve of, so Nagi figures that these are the ‘popular’ girls that she’s heard a bit about. Their uniforms are perfectly tailored, they all have full faces of that 'natural, no-makeup makeup' and expertly styled hair. In her pants and hoodie, Nagi feels infinitely more comfortable, but she's also distantly aware of how different she must look, compared to them.
She doesn't understand why she's feeling this way, when Reo's only ever made her feel comfortable while being just as preppy, but then she realizes that it's the way that these girls are eyeing her that makes the whole situation feel different — like Nagi's just accidentally triggered a battle as soon she's stumbled into a new area of a game.
Aryu's lucky lip gloss sits in her bag, back in the classroom. It'll just have to be a long distance lucky charm today.
“Anyone sitting here?” The blonde one says, without actually waiting for an answer. It’s not where Reo sits, so it doesn’t matter; Reo sits right besides her, not across from her. Nagi barely looks up from her game, until the girl coughs into her fist. What catches Nagi’s attention, then, is the crown tattoo on her hand, and how it winds up her arm to her neck, a spiral of thorns that bloom into blue roses. The tips of her choppy hair are blue, too, bright against the white of the Hakuho uniform.
Nagi’s impromptu haircut feels a little more valid now.
“So!” The girl says. “Nagi Seishiro, right?”
“Yeah,” Nagi says. “And you’re, uh…?”
“You don’t know who Kaiser is?” bursts one of the other girls. She’s to Kaiser’s right; slightly shorter, with reddish-pink curls that match her eyes.
“It’s fine, Ness.”
“But she’s already been here for like, a week,” Ness grumbles.
“I’m Yukimiya,” offers the third girl. She adjusts her glasses and smiles. Where the other girls feel sharp, she seems softer, but to be among the other two, she must have that kind of side, too. Nagi can't help but feel wary at this sudden intrusion into her space, especially when the girls just smile at her, waiting for her to say something.
What do you want, Nagi wants to ask, but maybe if she’s extra boring and doesn’t say anything at all, they’ll go away, so she just turns back to her game.
They don't go away.
“So!” Kaiser says again. “You’re new here, right? I transferred last year, too. So did Ness — we could show you around, show you the ropes.”
“I'm good, thanks,” Nagi says idly. She gets a headshot. Nice.
“I heard you’ve met Reo, already,” Kaiser says lightly. At this, Nagi glances back up. Maybe they need math tutoring too, or something?
“Yeah,” Nagi says slowly. It's fairly obvious, with how often they spend time together, any and everywhere, that she's met Reo.
“Do you like her?” Kaiser says.
Nagi’s brow furrows. Why does Kaiser want to know? And why’s she asking it like it’s some big secret?
For the first time, Nagi thinks she understands the secret split in worlds that Aryu had been talking about. There’s the normal world, and there’s this girl world that these three have suddenly brought to the table.
“What’s not to like?” Nagi says. Reo’s cute and sweet, strong and patient, and as endearingly ridiculous as she is smart. She bikes Nagi home after their tutoring sessions, and brings her food. Even handfeeds her. Of course Nagi likes her.
Reo has a dream, too, of starting a soccer team. Well, that’s just the first step — the real dream is winning the World Cup. And she’s already chosen Nagi as her partner, after seeing her trap her phone on the tip of her shoe. Reo’s promised that she won’t have to work too hard, either, and that she’s fine just the way she is. Reo’s the boss, who’ll take care of everything. Who’ll take care of Nagi. Nagi, who she calls her treasure.
(Nagi had texted Barou and Aryu about it. Aryu had sent back a memo of Barou making retching sounds, which probably means that Reo’s objectively as cute as Nagi thinks she is.)
So, again, Nagi has to wonder — what’s not to like?
“So you agree?” Ness says. “You agree that you like Reo?”
“Sure,” Nagi says, and Ness leans forward, triumphant. There’s a sparkle in her eye, but it’s not like the kind that Reo’s gaze holds. It’s a little more impish, and Nagi isn’t sure if she can trust it.
“Well, you can’t date her or anything!” Ness says, tapping her finger on Nagi’s phone. Nagi doesn’t like that at all, and draws back, frowning. “She used to go out with Kaiser last year!”
“Last year,” Nagi repeats, “So not now.”
“Reo’s like that,” Kaiser says. She smiles, eyes narrowing with the motion. “Interested in whatever new, shiny thing comes to Hakuho, right until she gets bored.”
“That’s a heiress for you,” Yukimiya says, nodding along.
“I won’t bore her,” Nagi says. She doesn’t know why she says it so confidently; she isn’t sure it’s even something that she believes. No, it’s more like she won’t let it happen. She absolutely won’t. She may be Reo’s treasure, but she isn’t just some thing. She’s Reo’s partner.
“Nagi,” Ness says, inhaling deeply, “Don’t you know girl code?”
“Nope. Sounds like a hassle,” Nagi says.
"Those are like the rules of feminism!" Ness claps her hands over her mouth, horrified. "Nagi!"
“Basically, Reo’s totally off-limits,” Yukimiya explains sympathetically. Kaiser hasn’t said anything else, but there’s a mysterious smile on her red lips, almost like she’s already won something.
Won what? Nagi isn’t giving up. She isn’t even dating Reo yet, but more importantly, neither is Kaiser.
“Does Reo know that?” Nagi proceeds to the next level, fingers tapping over the screen effortlessly fast. “You can tell her when she gets here.”
And if Nagi’s Reo senses are correct (as they always are, since Reo usually announces her presence), Reo’s on her way over, so Nagi’s sure that her boss can take over this troublesome interaction and wrap it up.
“Nagi — oh, we have company?” Reo sets down two trays of food. “Hey.”
Reo seems as friendly as ever. Nagi wonders how she feels about Kaiser; are they still friends? Maybe Kaiser’s looking out for Reo, but there’s surely got to be a better way to do that, right?
Back home, she and Barou could’ve just fought this kind of thing out and been done with it. Kaiser’s hair looks really easy to pull, too — so many long pieces to grab onto. She has earrings, too, and a necklace; Nagi catalogues it all silently.
“Reo,” Kaiser says brightly. “You did something different with your hair!”
“Oh, did I?” Reo says, touching her hair as if to remember. Reo’s standard style is a ponytail, but she does mess around with it sometimes (and she likes to mess with Nagi’s too, giving them matching looks). Today, though, her hair is just wet from the morning downpour, and she’s pushed it back, out of her face. Still pretty, but unintentionally so.
“Doesn’t she look sexy with her hair pushed back?” Kaiser says, and it takes Nagi a moment to realize that Kaiser’s talking to her. They’re all looking at her, even Reo. “Tell her, Nagi.”
Nagi blinks. Why make a big deal out of a fact? She really doesn’t get it. If she does it, will they go away? Even if they don’t, she doesn’t mind complimenting Reo. “You look sexy with your hair pushed back, Reo.”
“Thank you,” Reo says, flushing red. Nagi mentally gives herself an EXP boost; Reo hadn’t blushed when Kaiser had complimented her, but now, she’s all shy, running her hand over her hair again in newfound appreciation.
“Can we eat somewhere else today, Reo?” Nagi says. “Our table’s taken. Let’s go to our other spot.”
It’s petty, the way she stresses our spot, but she doesn’t care. Kaiser and Ness have identical eye twitches — another victory.
“Whatever you want, my treasure!” Reo exclaims, already gathering their food. Nagi’s pretty sure that she wants to leave, too, and is happy to have the excuse. “Good to see you three!”
“You too,” Yukimiya smiles benignly, and waves them off.
Kaiser and Ness wave too, but to Nagi, it’s more like watching claws rake through air, aiming for the blood under her skin, and so she doesn’t bother to return the gesture.
When they reach the rooftop, Reo turns to Nagi apologetically. She’s far more serious now, and she squeezes Nagi’s hands. “Hey, was Kaiser bothering you?”
“Nah,” Nagi says. Ah, would Reo have spoiled her more if she said yes? Nagi really doesn’t want to think about these things, but maybe she should. So she pouts for good measure, and Reo laughs, squeezing her cheeks affectionately. Nagi pouts for real, then, which only makes Reo laugh more.
“Good,” Reo finally says. “I’m relieved — I was a little worried that maybe Kaiser said something…?”
“She did,” Nagi says. “It didn’t matter.”
“Oh! Um... what did she say?” Reo says, trying not to act too interested, but it's written clearly all over her face that she wants to know. Nagi hums, settling her head in Reo’s lap and pulling out her phone. With an affectionate sigh, Reo combs through her hair, patiently waiting to see if Nagi will respond. Nagi clears a level, but the best way to say it hasn’t occurred to her yet, so she just says it as it is.
“That you’re easily bored,” Nagi says. And that you'll get bored of me.
“Ah, that’s true,” Reo says with a self-deprecating smile, right before she catches onto the second, unspoken half. “But it’s fun being with you, Nagi, so don’t worry about that, okay?”
You're special, she seems to be saying, and when it's Reo, Nagi can trust the sparkle in her eyes, in her smile.
(After all, Mikage Reo doesn’t make mistakes.)
“I won’t,” Nagi says. “As long as Reo doesn’t worry, either.”
“Then it’s a promise, my treasure.” Reo returns to her usual self, gifting Nagi one of her bright, wide grins.
“Promise,” Nagi echoes, and the corner of her lips lift in return, making Reo smile even bigger.
In the comfortable silence that ensues, Reo alternates between feeding herself and Nagi, and white clouds drift along in the blue sky above them, as content and soft as Nagi feels.
It’s peaceful, and easy, the way that Nagi doesn’t have to think too hard around Reo. That’s how she likes it, and that’s how Reo seems to like it, too.
As long as Reo’s in whatever world that Nagi ends up in, it’s okay.