Chapter Text
A voice crackled over the phone.
“I’m sorry to say, but your father has…”
A hand smacked the dining table.
“I am sick of hearing what those friends of yours have corrupted your mind with!”
Silence from the chatting app.
“Do you think they’re okay?”
“… I don’t know.”
A girl with light blue hair was packing her things. Her gaze was distant, cold, her hands ever so faintly trembling. Her roommate watched from the doorway, having already packed everything she needed.
“Kanade,” the observer spoke up. “We need to hurry.”
“I know.”
Kanade stared longingly at her computer, brushing her fingers over the keyboard, then the mouse. She murmured an apology that she couldn’t bring it with.
“Kanade…”
Someone knocked at the door downstairs, making Kanade flinch, and Mafuyu tense.
They looked at each other. They hadn’t heard of anyone coming over. The plan was for them to leave before Kanade’s housekeeper came over though, were they too late—?
“Kanadeee! I know you’re up there, you don’t leave the house anyway!”
Mizuki?
Mafuyu moved out of the doorway, downstairs instead to investigate their pink-haired friend coming along. Kanade continued to pack.
“You’re leaving?”
She turned to look at Ena. She must’ve been with Mizuki while said mutual friend stayed down with Mafuyu and overheard what the two were conserving about.
“Yes.” Kanade nodded.
Ena frowned. “You can’t.”
“I’m sorry, Ena.” Kanade turned away, zipping up her suitcase. “I need to go.”
She grabbed her wrist and tugged her close, but her hold was gentle, her other arm gently wrapped around Kanade’s shoulders and holding her close.
“You’ll never leave easy dressed like that…”
Kanade glanced down at herself. With a sigh, she nodded.
“Okay.”
Ena smiled. Kanade didn’t.
She couldn’t.
—
Disappearing is often the hardest thing for someone to do.
However, for those adept in disappearing, it was but a mere act. They could make it seem like a trick of the light.
—
“Nightcord at 25:00 disbanded.”
“Oh, really? That’s a shame, I liked listening to their songs…”
“Yeah, apparently something happened in the composer’s life that made the group go on a hiatus, then the lyricist had something going on too and the group couldn’t hold themselves together anymore.”
The conversation she overheard made her stomach drop.
Her head turned in the direction of the voices, some two kids talking in the corner of the class, and she strained to hear the rest of their conversation.
Glancing to the empty desk her friend sat at, Ichika winced.
Honami wasn’t here yet. She hadn’t gotten any texts that her friend would be absent, but was it possible she was wrong? Perhaps she had simply forgotten to check…
“Ichika-chan?”
She turned toward the voice and smiled at Kohane, albeit shakily.
“You’re friends with Ena-san, right?” Kohane asked, standing beside Ichika’s desk. She looked worried, but that was strange. There was nothing for Kohane to be worried about.
Nightcord disbanding…
“Yes.”
“Ah, good.” Kohane seemed a little more relieved, but still concerned, raising her phone in her hand to show Ichika text messages between Kohane and presumably Ena’s younger brother that she supposedly disliked. “Have you heard from her? It’s just that Shinonome-kun woke me up early in the night to text me about how Ena-san is missing…”
Ichika read over the texts, frowning now.
Shinonome Akito 01:25
> Kohane
> Kohane
> Answer your texts
> Kohane
> Azusawa Kohane
> Kohane
Azusawa Kohane 01:28
> It’s so late
> Are you okay?
Shinonome Akito 01:28
> Can you ask anyone about Ena at school tomorrow?
> She’s not home and she left a paper under my door apologizing
> I already asked Momoi-san and she said Ena wasn’t at her place
> I was going to ask about at Kamikou
Azusawa Kohane 01:30
> I’ll do what I can
Ichika’s frown darkened.
Then a new text came in, and Ichika read it.
Shinonome Akito 08:20
> No one’s seen Akiyama either
> They’re both missing
Kohane looked at it. She frowned too, texting back a response to Akito. At the same time, Ichika felt her phone vibrate too, so she pulled it out and glanced at it under her desk.
Hona:3 08:20
> I won’t be going to school today.
Sakisaki<3 08:20
> But Honaaaa-chan :(
Shii:) 08:20
> Did anything happen? Are you okay?
Hona:3 08:20
> I won’t be available for some time.
> I’ll try to be at band practice though.
Ichika frowned. One, Ena was missing, and Honami was now missing school?
Nightcord disbanding.
It had to be connected, somehow. How, she wasn’t sure, but…
—
She had been thinking about calling for a good while now. She was staring at her phone, looking at the contact.
She hadn’t gotten a text goodbye. She hadn’t gotten anything actually.
Ichika made a phone call. It was late, definitely after school, but enough time had passed for her to be absolutely certain the person she was calling would respond.
The number you dialed is not in use.
One more time.
The number you dialed is not in use.
Just one more.
The number you dialed is not in use.
Goddammit, Kanade-san.
Maybe the other one…
The number you dialed is not in use.
Of course, Asahina-senpai wouldn’t respond either.
—
Ichika wandered around some back alleys. It had been a few days since Nightcord’s disappearance. She wasn’t sure why she was there, but she was just walking around after all. She had been going through Main Street, but got a little lost on purpose while on the way, and just continued on without turning back.
The sound of a guitar riff caught her ear.
She turned toward the noise, coming from down an alley. She stared then carefully and quietly approached, peering behind a wall.
It was a band. A group of four wielding instruments just like Leo/need’s — the thought of a rival made Ichika’s heart start racing — but she continued looking, peering a little closer.
The band were all covered up, dressed in jackets and hiding their faces with hats or hoods, but two members still managed to stick out with their more expressive fashion than the other two. One of them played the guitar riff again, looking to the one on the keyboard.
“LOST, do you think we have everything down?” The guitarist spoke out.
No way.
“Yes, OWN.” The keyboardist looked to the guitarist, nodding, her ocean blue eyes catching the light, even if her hood was pulled over her eyes.
Oh my God.
“So we’re done here.” ‘OWN’ nodded, lowering their guitar, moving to put it back into its case.
‘LOST’ nodded, moving from her keyboard and beginning to put it up too, albeit with help from the bassist.
“Hahh, thank goodness!” The drummer slouched over. “My back hurtsss…”
“Oh, shush, you!” The bassist giggled, patting ‘LOST’s head before going over to the drummer and helping her help. “C’mon, now, Shinoshin!”
“You did not just call me that!”
“Well, you don’t have a nickname yet! I wasn’t going to call you by name.”
Ichika had her phone out. She didn’t even remember grabbing it, or hitting the record button, but there she was. Hiding behind a wall and a dumpster, recording who she was pretty sure were her missing friends.
“Yeah, well, you don’t have a nickname either.” ‘Shinoshin’ snapped. After a moment, she sighed, helping to put away their instruments.
“LOST, may we discuss?” ‘OWN’ asked, stepping off to the side.
Ichika stepped back. That was a little too close to her. Still, she watched as ‘LOST’ nodded and moved to standing by ‘OWN’s side, looking up at them.
“What is it?”
“Did all of that sound good to you?” ‘OWN’ asked, tilting their head.
‘LOST’ thought for a moment, before she nodded. “Yes,” she gave a soft smile, albeit forced. “I thought it sounded good.”
‘OWN’ nodded. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Ichika shifted on one foot, trying to spread her weight to where she wouldn’t be hurting herself.
‘LOST’ looked over. Her ocean blue eyes scanned Ichika, looking directly at her. Whether or not anyone else noticed wasn’t Ichika’s problem.
Kanade looked so sad.
‘LOST’ looked back to the band. “Let’s pack up a little faster.”
Ichika turned tail and ran.
‘OWN’ glanced over. “What was that?”
‘LOST’ grabbed her hand and gently tugged. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get home.”
—
“Have you heard that new music group?”
“Hm? The one you told Ichika-chan about a little while ago?”
“Yeah. The one that seems targeted toward our songs. They covered Ikanaide a little while ago, and Ichika…”
Shiho didn’t continue. Honami only nodded. The two had been sitting quietly in peace on the rooftop of Sekai, admiring the stars together while they waited for Ichika and Saki to get there for band practice.
“Anyhow…” Shiho hesitated for a moment. “They’ve been covering the same songs we have. Even some of… Nightcord’s too.” They didn’t miss the way Honami winced.
Ever since Nightcord disbanded and all members’ subsequent disappearances, Honami had been downcast.
She just didn’t know why…
And Kanade…
“Icchaaaan! Wait!”
“Honami, Shiho!”
Ichika stormed in, panting, looking like she had run several marathons looking for them. They had been on the roof of Sekai after all, but seeing Ichika slam the door open with Saki soon afterward was a little strange.
“That group Shiho told us about — Honami!”
“Huh—?” Honami blinked. Ichika seemed so distressed.
“It’s Nightcord! I just watched them pack up after doing a song or something, they were—“ Ichika was stumbling over her words, with Saki desperately trying to calm her down. “I saw Kanade! and— and Asahina-senpai, and Ena! and the— the—“
“Icchan, stop, calm down.” Saki grabbed her and shook her, trying to pull Ichika from her almost dazed state.
Still, Ichika looked to Honami.
“I have a video.”
Honami stood from her seat beside Shiho and hurried over, Ichika showing her the video by practically shoving the phone into her face. It was definitely Kanade on the keyboard with Mafuyu on guitar, Ena drums, and Mizuki bass. Honami was crying before the video even ended.
She had tried so much. Even going as far as getting former Nightcord members’ numbers from other people, only to hear they were not in use, searching the Yoisaki residence over and over. She had cried over Kanade’s disappearance, Mafuyu’s too. She had no idea what happened to them, until now, now, when they were a band that was rivaling them, not just in skill surprisingly, but fame as well.
“We’re going to find them.”
Ichika promised with such a conviction it was like that night under the stars. Her hands were holding Honami’s now, the phone screen pressed against the back of the drummer’s hand.
Ichika looked a lot like Kanade.
“I promise you, Mochizuki Honami—“ has Ichika ever called her full name like that? “—I’m going to find them, we’re going to find them, and we’re going to see you smile again.”
Honami was smiling already, tears in her eyes.
—
Ichika and Honami walked home together that night.
“Do you still stop by her house sometimes?” She asked.
“Yes.” Honami nodded. “I still go there and clean.”
“How do you get in?”
“She allowed me a spare key. For emergencies, she said.”
“Oh.”
They walked together silently for a few moments, before Honami reached for Ichika’s sleeve and gently tugged.
“Ah, Ichika-chan…”
“Huh?”
The guitarist turned back, icy blue eyes locking with Honami’s, and she smiled. “What’s wrong?”
“Have you told… Shinonome-san? Ena-san’s younger brother.”
Ichika blinked. “Oh, I don’t… I don’t have his number.” She shook her head. “I texted Kohane though, so hopefully it gets to Shinonome-kun.”
Honami nodded.
They walked into someone.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” She blurted out, instantly catching whatever the someone had been holding. A bag of apple pies. It was heavy. A lot of apple pies. Her eyes locked with ocean blue.
“Yoisaki-san?”
Ichika perked up at that. “Kanade-san?”
“Ah…”
The girl froze. Her hair was cut short, now a wolf cut instead, but it was still identifiable who she was. Honami thought she looked pretty, and Ichika glanced away to avoid blushing.
Kanade cleared her throat. “Sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll get going.” She quickly took her bag of apple pies from Honami, pulling her hood more over her head and trying to get away.
Both of them reached out, grabbing onto her sleeve and tugging her back.
“Kanade-san—!”
Kanade tore away and tried moving.
“Yoisaki-san.”
Kanade froze, and they didn’t grab her this time. She had never heard that tone from Honami, and frankly, it terrified her. She sounded so stern, commanding, it fit her, loving, kind, caring Honami, willing to do whatever it took to help, to heal, to protect.
It pained her that she was wasting her precious time. Wasting time Honami could be spending on much more important things, like Ichika, Saki, Shiho, band practice, Leo/need, herself…
“I’m sorry, Mochizuki-san.”
Kanade whispered. She turned away and ran like her life depended on it.
Ichika prepared to go after but Honami simply grabbed onto her and pulled her back. When her friend looked back at her, she just shook her head, frowning to herself.
“No… I know Yoisaki-san.”
Honami said softly.
“She wants to be alone right now.”