‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍

⠀⠀Every day's an adventure, but we all need breaks. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⇀ sᴛᴀʏ ᴀs ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

⠀
⠀
⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 谷山 俐歌⠀ ⋯
⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀“ Start somewhere.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Everything will be all right. ”

⠀↻↻

[kuno @kunostia]

us

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

Seated comfortably in a quiet corner of her favorite coffee shop, she leans back into the chair, a cup of hot chocolate secure in her hands.

Hazelnut hues wander toward the window as she takes a sip.

It's peaceful. Cozy, really. Just missing some company.

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

| .... To banter or not to banter, to banter or not to banter. Hm.

Iwannabantersobadbutitslike1amsomaybeishouldjustlurk🥺

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

| Merry Christmas, everyone! ☃️🎄
And good night for now 😴

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

home.

...

She should have called.

As she lowers her hand, his grinning face suddenly flashes before her eyes and her chest tightens─

Even if he's not home, she will sleep at his doorstep if that's what it takes to see him!

Plus! There's something she'd like to give him.

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

The last time she was at @Damawiun's place...

A genie turned her into a cat and she had this brilliant idea to invade Azusa's home. In hindsight, she should have asked the genie how long the spell would last.

Because the embarrassment that followed still haunts her to ››

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

this day.

But...

Has it really been that long?

Just as she's about to press the doorbell, her finger twitches.

... Is it really all right to just show up at his house like this? Months have passed since they last saw each other.

What if he's busy?

Maybe he's not even ››

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

doing.

And so, with a bag filled with special Christmas tree decorations, she reaches @AerosolVox's doorstep and presses the doorbell button.

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

When life gets a bit hard, Rika often thinks of two specific faces and finds comfort in their smiles.

One is taller, maybe a bit intimidating at first sight, until you get to know him better and realize he's a big teddy bear who loves cats and his little brother to the moon ››

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

and back.

The other is a bundle of energy ─ one cannot underestimate his stature! Someone curious about every wonder of this world, and the one who beams the brightest at the sight of his big brother.

Rika hadn't seen them in far too long, and wondered how they've been ››

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

click softly against the pavement as she walks over to a poster. She spots his name there, written in black ink ─ the color of his eyes.

At that moment, her heartbeat reaches her ears, thumping noisily against her ribcage.

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

With the winter chill in the air, thoughts of @zhuiyio are becoming more frequent.

They haven't seen each other in so long.

Rika thought about texting him or even calling, but when she picked up her phone, she hesitated.

What would she say? They've never really been ››

[‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ ⊹ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎 ‍ ‍ ‍‍ @xxtxnno]

that close to act casual around each other, in the first place. In truth, she didn't know what kind of relationship they had.

And so, a few days later, after she returned home from her long trip, Rika arrived at the place where she first saw him dance.

Her heels ››