Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I walked past a stranger today.

Purple and pink passed each other on the street. The pink traveling with their friend, while the purple had been traveling with a large group of friends. The pink had recognized the purple, but it had been a while since the two interacted. 

But it was strange.

Mizuki couldn’t help themselves. While the purple-haired girl did not show any recognition towards the pink-haired, Mizuki did. It was like they weren’t in their own body anymore and they turned before even knowing what they were doing. Mizuki wanted to reach their hand out and grab the purple-haired girl before it was too late, before she disappeared once again. But all they could do was stare as the girl walked further and further away. 

I knew her hair color.

She had the same hair, purple, tied up in a ponytail with that same yellow band. Mizuki wanted to see if it was really her. It couldn’t be right? They had to see; they had to reach out, turn the girl around and check if she still had those same dull purple eyes.

I knew her eye color.

Mizuki could never forget her purple eyes. How they were dull with no emotions, but Mizuki had grown to love those eyes as they regained their life. There would rarely be any shine to them, but those purple eyes would always shine when they were with her. They couldn’t remember the last time they saw her eyes, full of life. It felt so long ago.

I knew her friend group, what school she went to.

She never really did enjoy hanging out with people from her school. Mizuki knew because they told each other everything. She would always say that she felt as if she had to stay with those friends; they were smart, pretty, too similar to Mizuki’s purple. And Mizuki knew what school she went to. Sometimes they would go there, hoping to see her face one last time. But it was always false hope.

I knew where she lived .

Mizuki had tried their hardest to free her. They really did try their best. But Mafuyu Asahina could never truly be free from her mothers grasp. Mizuki had suggested she’d run away, hoping that she would. Mizuki would’ve told her that she could’ve stayed with them, but their words had gotten stuck in their throat. If only Mizuki had said it, would Mafuyu still be here? Would she be with Mizuki again? Would Mizuki ever see the one person she loved ever again?

“Mizuki?"

Ena, who had been walking with them, had stopped and turned back around. Mizuki snapped out of their daydream, remembering where they were. They had been walking with Ena, going to a cafe or a store? They couldn’t remember.

“Sorry,” Mizuki turned towards Ena again, walking back to her side. “It’s just that…” Mizuki looked over her shoulder again to glimpse at the disappearing girl. Now with a clearer vision, they could see that the girl didn’t have purple hair, instead it was black. That girl wasn’t Mafuyu Asahina.

“That girl looked a bit like Mafuyu.” Mizuki finally blurted out. They hadn’t meant to, but Ena would’ve gotten annoyed if they hadn’t finished their sentence. Mizuki looked back at Ena, only to see sadness and pity in her brown eyes. They weren’t purple. Mizuki missed the purple eyes.

“Oh, Mizuki…” Ena placed her hand on Mizuki’s arm and started steering her towards a bench. “Here… Let’s take a rest.” 

They both sat down, and Mizuki knew they had said the wrong thing. It was quiet, too quiet with the both of them. Every other normal day, they’d both be bickering about something stupid. But there was no such thing as a normal day anymore. Everything had been so dull – like her eyes – ever since that day. 

Every time Mizuki closed their eyes, it’s like they could see her again. If they thought about it really hard, Mafuyu would be right next to them. It was almost like they could feel her presence again. 

But they couldn’t. Mafuyu Asahina had died weeks ago.

Chapter Text

I don’t want you to think of me again. 

I want you too completely forget about me, to treat me as if I am a stranger. 

Once I’m gone, I want you to forget my hair color. 

Mafuyu stared down at her hands, which rested on her lap. She was sat next to a large mirror, turned sideways to not look at her reflection. Humming can be heard from behind her as a hairbrush untangles the knots in Mafuyu’s hair.  

“Y’know, I’ve always liked the color of your hair,” The humming stopped only for that same voice to speak up. Mafuyu glanced over her shoulder to meet the eyes of her pink-haired partner. Mizuki smiled as they stared at each other for a bit before returning to their work. Mizuki’s hand spread Mafuyu’s hair, placing a few over her shoulder and fixing her bangs.  

Mizuki turned the chair so her partner can face herself in the mirror. The slight trim she was given was a large difference to Mafuyu; it fell a couple lengths under her shoulder, but her hair no longer covered her backside like it used to.  

“My mom is going to kill me,” were Mafuyu’s first words after seeing herself, causing Mizuki to giggle.  

“Aw, I’m sure the haircut isn’t that bad. You look so cute in your new hairdo!” Mizuki wrapped their arms around Mafuyu’s shoulders. They stared at each other through the mirror, pink clashing against purple.  

“I like your hair color too.”  

You know nothing about my hair anymore, forget the color you once loved. Forget how I once wore it before. 

Once I’m gone, I want you to forget my eyes. 

The bell had rung already, most already bolting out the doors. Mafuyu, rarely eager to leave school, was one of those. A different feeling was buried in her chest, very different from the one she felt when she heads home. Instead, it was a good feeling.  

Glancing around the large crowd at the entrance, Mafuyu wanted to spot the pink hair she knew so well. Finally, she spotted them. And they spotted her.  

The other grinned as they made eye contact and began heading towards Mafuyu as Mafuyu headed towards them. They reached each other’s side and Mizuki hooked a finger around the strap of Mafuyu’s book bag, as they always did.  

“Did you know your eyes always light up when you see me?”  

“Yours do as well.”  

I had never realized how everything changed once I made eye contact with you. How my eyes supposedly lit up once I met yours. But it wasn’t unbelievable. 

But now I want you to forget how my eyes lost their lifelessness once they saw you. 

Once I’m gone, I want you to forget the school I attended, the people I was acquaintance with. 

As they walked away from the school, Mizuki couldn’t help but notice the type of people Mafuyu knew. They were all too similar to her.  

“Even outside of school, you still talk about studies and homework with others?” Mizuki asked, hooking her finger once again on the book bag strap. They hated having to pretend that Mafuyu and them were just simple friends, but they knew it was for the best.  

“Of course. It’s what they expect from me.”  

“Do you enjoy being around them?”  

Silence met Mizuki’s answer; talking about feelings was something Mafuyu wasn’t good at.  

“I guess not? Not like with you, I know when I’m enjoying being around you. And with Ena and Kanade. I can tell...that there’s a difference between you three and my school friends.”  

“Why do you still hang out with them then?” Mizuki knew the answer, but deep down they hoped Mafuyu would answer for herself. But that was never the case.  

“Because I have to.”  

You always knew so much about me, and how you knew I never really liked being around those girls. 

But I want you to forget. 

To forget everything, you’ve ever known about me. 

Mafuyu stood by the door, her hands gripping her skirt while her eyes refused to meet the person in front of her. She never should have come here, but she relied on Mizuki too much to keep anything from them. But it wasn’t a good idea, everything was going to fall apart at the end.  

“I don’t want to go home,” the purple-haired girl managed to mutter out, after a few minutes of silence.  

Mizuki stepped forward, bringing them closer to the girl who they loved. Gently, they reached out to grab Mafuyu’s hands in both of theirs. Mafuyu has always had a bad habit of gripping her fist on something when conflicted, Mizuki being the one to always try and break the habit.  

Mizuki stared down at both of their hands, noting how perfect they seemed to fit together. “You could always run away.” It’s a thought they always had in their mind, but too afraid to voice it.  

“I can’t. I could never leave my mo--”  

“I know.”  

Mizuki looked up and tried to meet the eye of Mafuyu Asahina. Mizuki knew how much Mafuyu’s mom meant to her, no matter how her mother treated her. Mafuyu could never imagine running away, and Mizuki knew, yet they still had a small flicker of hope that Mafuyu would agree.  

“I’m sorry.”  

My dear Mizuki, I want you to forget everything about us, about me. I don’t want you to grieve, you were never meant for such a heartbreak. You are a wonderful person who lit up whatever was left of me. 

You must treat me as if I am a stranger, even if it hurts you. 

Don’t waste your time grieving, it’s my final wish. You deserve to be happy, even if I am not the reason why. I loved being in your life. And I know how much you loved being in mine. 

Which is why I want you to forget. To forget everything there is about me. Because there is no me. 

Not anymore.