A One-Shot: Footsteps in the Dark(9S/ Secret Santa '18)

[Path]

Sorry about this late entry, but I did it none the less and I hope the story makes up for being late by a few weeks. Probably not. But overall, I really liked how this turned out and hope others enjoy it.

victim: Downix

Shizune realizes that she forgot to get Misha a holiday present at the last minute


Footsteps in The Dark


Night time fell over Yamaku. The snow had stopped falling a little while ago. The students did not roam the campus; a good chunk of them had left for winter vacation. Still, some students stayed at Yamaku. Shizune and Misha were part the group that decided to stay.

It was a quarter pass curfew when a door in the girl’s dorm room creaked open, followed by some light footsteps. The student breaking the curfew rule was the Student Council President herself, Shizune. She walked down the hallway with a sense of urgency but with caution as to not be spotted. She didn’t have to walk far but for her, it felt like a mile with her thoughts running wild like dogs chasing squirrels.

Three days ago, it was Christmas. Shizune didn’t pay much attention to the holiday season. She didn’t like Christmas, but not in the Grinch way. It was mostly because it was the time of year where her father, Jigoro, would be at his most brashness. He would cause a ruckus at the Hakamichi residence to the point where cops were called a few times over the years. This year however, Shizune decided it was best she stayed at Yamaku this Christmas.

On Christmas however, Shizune spent that day in her room to catch up on some reading she had missed due to the over abundance of Student Council work. It was nice way to spend the holiday compared to her usual Christmas. She was too occupied to notice that an envelope was slipped under her door. She picked up the envelope sometime later. The envelope was red and on the front was written “To Shizune”

Shizune opened the envelope to reveal a card inside. The card had a picture of two snowmen dressed up waving with big smiles with “Merry Christmas!” written in English. It was from Misha. She opened the card and began to read what was inside. Shizune felt her stomach turn. She had forgotten to get Misha a gift.

She finally reached her destination and looked around like a cat to see if there was another soul wondering around. But it was just her alone in the darken empty hallway. Shizune look in front of her at the wooden door. Her hand slowly clenched into a fist as she raises her hand to knock it. As she raised her hand, she felt little nausea and her head became clouded. Shizune wouldn’t admit she was nervous, but it was obvious she was, despite how calm and collected she looked on the outside.

The empty hallway was then disturbed from its silence by the sound of knocking. The knock was quickly followed by two more knocks. Shizune fist lingered on the door on the third knock. On the other side of the wooden door, a high pitch voice called out “Who is it?”. No answer at first but Shizune had been counting to ten her head before she knocked at the door again. The second time, the knocks were erratic, but to her and Misha, it was their sign to let Misha know it was Shizune.

Misha was lying in bed with her head resting on her hand. She spent her evening locked in her room after getting dinner. She told Shizune she was feeling a little under the weather and would get some rest.

In reality, she was feeling down because she was still dealing with being shut down by Shizune a couple of months after confessing to her. It was the first time she confessed to someone and her first time being rejected. It was made more difficult when she is the mouthpiece of the person she had confessed to. Despite it, Shizune still relied on her, and in some twisted way, Misha was okay with it. Because they were the last two members left of the Student Council, so in a way they were together.

Misha slowly got out of her bed when she heard the erratic knocks, telling her it was the Student Council President on the other side. Her pink haired was tied in a ponytail.

She recently dyed her haired after her birthday last month. She felt that she needed to change her look after what she felt was her worst birthday. She dyed her hair a week after she turned eighteen but was still trying to find a style that she liked.

Her steps felt heavy with each step she took. Like walking in deep muddy waters sucking you in. Misha felt her mind wonder into darkness as she slowly approached the door. She felt her left arm weighed a ton when she reached for the doorknob. She took in a deep breath when she slowly opened the door. Shizune on the other side did the same when she saw the doorknob turned and remember having the same anxious feeling the night before.

~~~~~~~~~~

Shizune couldn’t help but frown in disapproval when her cousin opened the door. She was still upset that Lilly left the Student Council and was the final straw between them. She wanted to leave but she knew she wouldn’t come to Lilly unless it was important. Desperation can do that.

Shizune reached out for Lilly’s hand with both hands. She grabbed her cousin’s hand with her left hand to turn her palm facing up and began to write with her right hand into her palm.

[I need your help.] she wrote into Lilly’s hand.

Confusion ran on Lilly’s face, but it quickly faded to her neutral expression. She then turned her palm facing down; while Shizune flipped her right hand so she can let her cousin talk.

[Come in.] her long slender fingers signed back.

Shizune let go of Lilly’s hand and then proceeded to enter her room. The two cousins sat on the bed for a little while before Shizune reached for Lilly’s hand again. She was still feeling nervous, but it slowly faded away when she saw Lilly smile. Shizune hated that smile ever since they had their falling out over the summer. But she didn’t care about that now, she needed help and the only person to help was the devil herself, according to Shizune.

She picked up Lilly’s hand after a few moments had pass for the two cousins to sat together like old times. She hesitated to write out the words for a quick second; slowly trying to find the right words to say.

[I need your help.] she started.

[I know.] Lilly smiled.

[You’re not making this easy.] Shizune frowned.

Lilly couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh for getting one up on her cousin. It reminded her of when they were young kids. Making subtle jabs before the became full blown shots later in their teenage years.

[I’m sorry, old habit.] she smiled. [What’s on your mind, cousin?]

Shizune hovered her hand over Lilly’s, still trying to find the right words until she decided to just do it.

[I forgot to get Shiina a Christmas gift.] she wrote with a sigh. [With the two of us just left in the Student Council, worked had been taking its toll.]

Lilly’s smiled faded to a concern expression. She knew that every member had slowly left after the summer festival. It was the last time the two cousins were happy together. It was a bittersweet memory for her.

[I don’t know if I can help you.] Lilly signed into Shizune’s right hand. She really believed she couldn’t be of help.

[Just try. You know I wouldn’t come to you unless it was serious.] She frowned. [Please.]

The moonlight invaded the darken room as the two cousins pondered over the ideal gift for the pink hair Misha. The light hit the two of them like a spotlight shining on actresses on a stage. After some minutes, the spotlight has faded away with incoming clouds; signaling that the school with be covered in fresh snow in the morning.

Shizune was thinking hard on what to give Misha. Shizune didn’t want to give her something fancy because it wouldn’t be genuine. She also feared that it would just come off as something she felt obligated to get.

Lilly, on the other hand looked calm thinking over the same thing. She knew Misha had confessed to her cousin sometime after their falling out. In fact, Misha told about her feelings about Shizune to Lilly. Lilly knew how it felt to have a girl confess to her and found the situation a little amusing and nostalgic in a weird way.

The moonlight peaked through the clouds, like a lightbulb. Lilly thought of the perfect gift. She searched for Shizune’s hands. Shizune broke from her concentration when she saw her cousin searching for her. The smile on Lilly’s face, made Shizune tilt her head to the side like a cat hearing a strange noise.

Their hands made contact again, and Lilly began to sign her gift idea. Shizune frowned at her cousin’s gift suggestion. She wasn’t excited as Lilly was.

[That’s a dumb gift.] Shizune signed. Her finger pressed hard to emphasis her disapproval. [This was a mistake to ask you for help.]

[I think it would be cute.] Lilly signed back in her gentle signing. [She’ll love it. Even if you think it’s dumb.]

[It is dumb. You know I can’t do that.]

[It’s not about you, it’s about her.]

Shizune let go of Lilly’s hand. She was right. She hated that her cousin was right. It wasn’t about her, it was about Misha. It was Shizune that came to Lilly, not the other way around. She picked up her handed again with gentle care this time.

[You’re right.] she signed with the same gentle care.

Lilly smile.

[I better get going. Thank you.] Shizune let go of her cousin’s hand.

Shizune got up from the bed and began to walk to the door. Before she could take the first step, she felt a tug on her shirt. Lilly reached out one last time for Shizune’s hand. She found them after some help.

[It was nice talking to you Shizune.] Lilly smiled. [I missed this, but I guess this is it for now.]

[I do too, but we both know where we drew the line.]

The two girls nodded in unison. It was their little secret that they could talk to each other. Their secret talks were theirs only, and they formed a bond through it. But they knew that tonight was the last time in awhile they would bond together. Tomorrow, they would enemies again, but it was nice to see the hate halted and their bond resurface, even it was for one night only.

They hugged one last time.

~~~~~~~~~~

[Shizune! What are you doing here?] Misha signed. She was surprised to see Shizune standing at her door at this hour.

[Hello Shiina.] Shizune signed in her calm composure, hiding her nervousness behind it. [May I come in?]

“Umm…yeah…” Misha still in a small state of shock forgot to sign back to Shizune. She only managed to sign the universal language of “Come in” with her hand invited her in.

Shizune walked into her friend’s room. Misha’s room never matched her personality. There were the typical things you would expect in a girl’s room, but nothing stuck out that read Misha’s room.

Misha pulled out her chair from the desk and offer the seat to Shizune. She slowly shook her head and Misha stopped.

[I rather get to the point on why I am here Shiina.]

Shizune was never one to call people by their nicknames. She found it pointless if she already knew their names. Misha always insisted that it was normal for friends to be called by their nicknames.

[Right.] Misha signs back with sloppiness in her left hand. Misha was almost asleep before Shizune visited. [Why are you here this late anyway?]

[Well…] Shizune paused to think on how she wanted to say what she needed to say.

Her thoughts started to move in rapid speeds like a bullet train. Lots of thoughts also colliding into one crash of the basic saying of what she wanted to say. Even though Shizune had spent the last couple of hours trying to think of the right way to say it, the words just vanished in thin air. Then after the smoke had settled, Shizune found the right words.

[Where is your MP3 player?] She finally signs.

Misha cocked her head by the weird question. But after a moment, she walked towards her bed and took her music player from it. The MP3 player was colored bright pink that almost managed to match her hair colored but muted compared to her hair. She slowly handed it over to Shizune.

She grabbed the player from Misha’s hand and began to look at the screen. After some time trying to figure out the MP3 player, she managed to navigate through it to find a song based on the title. She handed over the player back to Misha.

Misha looked at the song title and back at Shizune with a puzzled look.

[What are you doing Shizune?] Misha signs back in confusion.

[Just play it.] Shizune signs back in that authority tone she does when she had to be the President.

Misha put on her earphones and began to play the song. The song started off with an upbeat and pop music vibe but also some vibes of rock.

[It’s playing. Is this what you came over for?]

Shizune shook her head and slowly raised her hand to pull one of Misha’s earphones out. She then put the earphone in her ear.

Misha stared at Shizune and her mind wondered off by the action. She thought she could have a better chance to be friends with Hanako than to see the day Shizune “listen” music with her. Her heart started to beat a little faster that almost match the beat of the drums of the song.

[I forgot your Christmas gift, so I thought I give it to you.] Shizune signs with a smile on her face. [You have been a great friend to me and I cannot thank you enough, despite how harsh I can be sometimes.]

Before Misha can raise her hands to sign anything back, they were soon are filled with the warm soft hands of Shizune. Shizune began to swing back and forth, hoping she was doing her best to dance with Misha. But trying to dance when you have no music can be challenging, especially in Shizune’s case.

Misha does her best to follow Shizune leading the dance. But the pair are off beat, with the song not matching the slow dance they are trying to attempt. A couple of times, Shizune steps on Misha’s powder blue slippers. If she wasn’t stepping on Misha’s slippers, there would be moments where the song would mess up Misha’s tempo and the two had to stop before trying to dance again.

About halfway through the song, Shizune let’s go of Misha’s hands and signed to her.

[I think I should let you lead.]

Misha nod in agreement and signed back to her with her head still fuzzy of having a dance with her crush.

[You sure?]

Shizune raised her hands and Misha thought she was going to say something, but she felt the soft hands of Shizune intertwining her hands again, and her emotions were getting the best of her.

Misha began to move her arms with Shizune’s trailing along. It wasn’t much better. Granted, Misha was still in shock of what was going on and by the fact she had this sinking feeling in her stomach. She was leading Shizune in something and not the other way around. She was always following her. And now, she was the one leading. That sinking feeling began to succumb her, but in an overjoy feeling rather than a sickening feeling. Misha felt confident that she could lead Shizune.

The song had ended, and another song came. It must have been the order of the songs, or some other worldly intervention had made its presence. The song that came was a slow song. A love song ironically, but in that moment it was perfect.

Misha began to stop thinking and feel the music. Shizune stood there as she watch Misha close her eyes and began to smile. And before Shizune had a chance to get question anything, Misha slowly closed the distance between them. She felt Misha’s warmth engulf hers.

Their auras uniting as one; their scents fusing to make a new fragrance. Souls finding each other through the dark abyss.

They were still off tempo to one another, but the more they danced, Misha became more confident in leading them. She imagined they were dancing in field of flowers. Misha saw Shizune in a white gown that matched her black gown. Her hair was done in what would be her trademark drills class 3-3 would see when their final year would begin.

Shizune followed Misha’s lead at first with some resistance, but she had to tell herself that this is Misha’s moment and not hers. Once she remembered that, she loosened up and felt the music she could faintly feel the bass to. The syncopation of the duo slowly began to synchronize as they slowly moved closer to each other until they were chest to chest. The beat of their hearts overcoming the beat of the music.

Misha view of Shizune started to become a blur as tears began to form. She let go of Shizune to wipe them away, but they refused to be defeated. Shizune stopped and motion to Misha that she was okay. She assured her with a nod. She reached out to find Shizune’s hand and found it with the help of her dance partner. Misha rested her head on Shizune’s shoulder as the song came to an end.

The next song played, but at that point they had stopped dancing and stood there in the darken room with nothing but a lamp illuminating the room. After that song had ended, they broken up from their dance turned hug.

Misha’s eyes were puffy from the tears and Shizune handed her a tissue from the nearby desk. She took the tissue with a “Thank you” nod. She wiped her eyes and smiled at Shizune.

[Thank you Shizune.] she struggled to sign as her emotions had drained her.

[I’m glad you liked it. It wasn’t much.]

Misha shook her head. Shizune eyes widen by the action.

[It was perfect. I loved it.]

Shizune was happy that Misha was happy. She was the only person she didn’t drive away. She was happy for that and to have Misha as a friend, despite knowing her feelings she had for her. But the dance had forged a stronger bond between them.

[Well I better go.It’s getting late.]

Misha nodded.

Shizune smiled a bright smile. [Merry Christmas Misha!]

Misha smiled with new tears forming. She loved her gift and one she would cherish. The only regret that she had was that it didn’t last forever.

[Merry Christmas Shizune!]

[Downix]

Damnit, stupid onion cutting ninjas....

That was beautiful.

[Scroff]

I read this, went out and did some grocery shopping then came back and read it again and my heart is breaking for poor Misha. It was bad enough that Shizune didn't even get her a card for Christmas, which made her sad enough to lock herself in her room for the evening, but when Shizune did get round to giving her something it was a taste of what she wanted the most yet was never going to have. Her feeling of loss must have been intensified many-fold after Shizune left.

What was Shizune thinking? Not much it seems. She wanted a quick fix for forgetting a present but doesn't seem to know Misha well enough to think of what to get her. There was time between visiting Lilly and delivering the "gift" to get something, and shops in Japan aren't closed around Christmas - New Year is the big holiday. I'm not saying that Shizune didn't want to do something for Misha, asking Lilly for help shows that she was desperate, its just that she didn't seem to think through how this would affect Misha.

And what of Lilly? She's dealt with her own feelings of unrequited love to have an insight into how Misha must be feeling yet she found the situation "amusing". So was she trying to be a matchmaker, trying to put Shizune in a position where she realised that she might return Misha's feelings? Does she dislike Misha enough to want to have a taste of Shizune dangled in front of her then snatched away? Did her enmity with Shizune lead her to want to cause problems between her and Misha, weakening her "enemy"? Or was she merely thoughtless and said the first thing that popped into her head?

Thank-you for a thought-provoking story, I'm now going to go out and get coffee and cake which I shall dedicate to cheering up Misha.

[Lap]

Gotta say, I'm with Scroff on this one. Misha must have really pissed off Lilly for her to suggest something so cruel. And Shizune is emotionally tone deaf enough to not realize how sad it is.

[ProfAllister]

Well, this is a tricky one. It's well-written, there's no issue with the characters, and it's quite sweet. But at the same time, it hurts. Painfully so.

I wouldn't see Lilly as necessarily doing this out of spite (unless it's Evil Lilly), but it certainly has the end result of twisting the knife for Misha. At the same time, it's the sort of pain I expect Misha would rather experience, as opposed to never getting her dance.

Very nicely done.

[Hanako Fancopter]

Evil Lilly strikes again?! I enjoyed the story. I like to think that Shizune knows this isn't something most people would appreciate, but also knows Misha well enough to understand that she will appreciate it.