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“You were my first friend at the academy, the first to believe I could truly be a feminine idol. I would not have become who I am today without you. That’s why I want to include you in everything I do, and introduce you to other friends I’ve met,” Rin said.
“But patient as I am, I can’t deal with you being clingy. It is fundamentally wrong of you to think I should not hang out with other people and I’m not going to chain myself to your dead weight. This is goodbye. Don’t talk to me again.”
Rin hadn’t said that. Yet. Shiori’s hands shook as she waited for the blow. Rin had heard everything, all Shiori’s stupid insecurities and jealousy of Rin’s popularity, yet so far had responded only with understanding and gratitude for valuing their friendship. There had to be consequences coming. There had to be.
In the moment, Rin had stopped talking. Say something! her mind hissed, but her tongue felt heavy. Apologies clogged her throat like stones yet could not be summoned into words.
Be brave, Little Poem, her dad had said.
Shiori forced her gaze off the ground to find that Rin had pulled something out of her coat pocket. Several somethings. Charms?
“I made these for you,” Rin said, offering her the handful of cloth charms. “I was going to give them to you later today for New Years, but I think now might be a better time.”

Roughly the size of tea bags, the charms came in an array of colors and mishaps. Shiori read labels for sister charms, friend charms, charms for good luck and good health...etc. They were not uniform the way store bought ones would be; the fillings were uneven, the seams a hodgepodge of stitch sizes. The embroidery might have been intended to look like flowers… or maybe monsters? Rin MADE these? But she hates sewing--!!!
The hand still holding the charms out in offering were covered in bandages. Not the hand wrapping Rin had showed her for when she trained, but small band aids spotted around her fingers just big enough to hide needlework pricks. As Shiori stared, Rin shifted bashfully. “Sorry if they’re a little wonky, you know how I am with needlework…”
And that was too much.

All at once Shiori had gone from mute to shouting. “Your patience, your kind words, your gifts, I don’t deserve any of it!” she said. “I’m the one who’s done you wrong, why are you the one apologizing?! After everything you heard, I should be on my knees begging for your forgiveness! I don’t understand how… I don’t understand why you would….”
Her vision blurred with water despite her efforts. She couldn’t trust her voice not to crack. How horrible was she to cry, as if she were the victim and not the culprit. Throat closing tight again, she willed the tears not to fall. They must not fall.
“Shiori, it’s okay,” Rin said. When Shiori didn’t look at her, she continued. “To be honest, I would rather hear it. You’re my friend, if you are feeling insecure about something, I want to be there to help you through it.”
A drop of moisture escaped onto Shiori’s cheek. Gently, Rin wiped it with her thumb. Shiori finally looked at her. “b-But I… What if I’m not what I should be? I don’t want to hold you back, I don’t want to screw everything up…”
“No one expects you to be perfect.”
With that, the cracked dam of hesitation crumbled, letting tears and apologies flood out. Rin caught her in a hug and Shiori wept into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Rin, I’m sorry.”
For a long time they stood there, the New Year’s sun climbing higher above the mountaintops.
~~~
What felt like hours later, Shiori and Rin made it back to the hotel. Some strange men were sleeping in a bush they passed on the way back. Shiori wondered if they should see if they were okay, but Rin insisted (very sternly) that they were fine and to leave them be. Shiori, feeling mentally and physically drained, took her word for it. After all, Rin was out in the snow in a robe and sandals, it would be best to get her inside as soon as possible.
Two hotel staff ladies were very attentive to them when they got back. They must have had quite a bit of holiday cheer, as they kept smiling over at them with whispers of “congrats”. Perhaps not many youths went out to see the first sunrise of the year, and thus it was worthy of congratulations in their minds? Rin’s face was rather red, Shiori began to worry if she was catching a cold--immediately, she requested blankets and hot tea, which the staff were happy to provide.
“Should we go to the hot springs? Oh gosh, if I got you sick on top of everything else I--”
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Rin interrupted.
Shiori looked hard at Rin’s face, trying her utmost to determine if the other was lying.
“Really,” Rin insisted. “We can go there in a bit. But first, maybe we should talk first?”
That was Shiori’s cue to nod solmely. The cafeteria was pretty barren in the early hour, minus the hotel staff preparing breakfast and a handful of other sunrise viewers wondering in. With Rin wrapped up in blankets and steaming cups of tea in hand, it was time for explanations. But where to start?
“It’s a little strange,” she finally began. “In many ways, it feels like we just met this year. I mean we did, live anyway, but technically, you’re also one of my oldest friends.” She smiled at the steam rising from her cup. “We’ve known each other for years online, but we never talked about our offline lives much. We knew neither of our moms were in the picture, neither of us had siblings, we spoke about some big things, but… not everything. I never told you that you, GoKool_lol, and Wednesdays_Child were the closest things to ‘friends’ I had, on or offline.”
She looked Rin in the eye and spoke earnestly. “I 100% believe, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that meeting you our first day at Sunrise Academy was a miracle of fate. If we had not accidentally discovered who we were, I am positive that I would have continued to live life, even as an idol, as a loner. But meeting someone I in a way knew, it was just the kind of boost I could use to summon my courage. And even if I’m not exactly the way 4Orion you knew acted, you still agreed to by my friend. Getting to know you, the real you beyond Princess_Rosa, has been a blessing I never dreamed I would get to experience.
“This time last year, I had begun to think that it was physically impossible for me to care about people outside my family. Aside from my dad and my uncle, there’s no one as far as I can remember who really seemed to notice where I was. When I was really young, I was scared that making friends with someone would cause them to break, then by the time I realized that wasn’t the case, I was so out of touch with my peers I didn’t have a prayer’s chance to connect with them. Romance was never ever going to be an option for me, I had always assumed that I would live my life alone.”
Shiori drank her tea. History was one thing to explain, but her present faults somehow seemed harder to put into words. “Getting to be your friend, it’s been the best thing I could dream of experiencing… but in some ways, it’s been scary. I didn’t know I had a jealous side. I’ve never had anyone to be jealous of. Now that I do I don’t… I don’t know what to do with it. Honestly, I’m not even sure if I’m jealous of the fact that you have the ability to make friends so easily, or if it’s that I have to share you with others.” Her voice shook. She fiddled with her cup, suddenly not knowing what to do with her hands. Her face felt hot just for saying that.
“b-But I never would have acted on it,” she added quickly. “I swear, even if I could talk to others easily, I would never ever dissuade anyone from talking to you. Or worse, I’ll never try to guilt you out of spending time with anyone else. I know its me being stupid, and it’s wrong and spiteful of me to have these thoughts, and again I’m really really really sorry and--I’m rambling again. I’m sorry.”
Rin had listened patiently, and still now smiled and dismissed her apology. “I don’t mind listening to you ramble. In a way, it’s nice to see a different side of you,” she said. Rin’s cup was still nearly full, she held it in both hands to draw warmth from it. Shiori struggled not to chug hers down just to make time pass. “You know,” Rin started, “being jealous is a normal thing.”
Shiori looked up, not expecting to hear that from Rin of all people. Rin spoke again. “Growing up, I was pretty jealous of a lot of kids, to be honest. The boys that came to the dojo all had openly loving families, they got to go to public schools and make friends with whoever they wanted… They could be their true selves and not even think about it. I was always pretending and alone.” She looked at the steam rising, then back to Shiori. “Things changed for me too when we met. The simple act of being myself and not the dojo-boy my dad wanted has been exhilarating, if also scary. You’ve believed in me and stayed by my side when I was still learning who I was and how to act friendly with other girls.
“Maybe we grew up differently and things are new and sometimes challenging. But we’re still moving forward and opening our hearts to the world. We’re still there for each other. We might not be related by blood, but I feel like you’ve become part of my family. Don’t you?”
Shiori’s face felt warm, but she couldn’t help but smile. “I do,” she said.
Rin beamed. “There might be things we didn’t know about ourselves that we’re discovering, but we can adapt or accept them. And if one of us goes astray, the other can bring us back.” She pat her cheek, and Shiori coughed.
“Nooo! Forget what my dad said! I don’t want to fight you ever, no matter what! I’ll just say something!” she sputtered. Rin laughed in response.
“Whatever works,” she teased. “That’s what friends and family are for. We’ll be okay, Shiori.”
Shiori searched her face. “Promise?”
Rin held up her cup. “Friends forever.”
“Friends forever.”
With the toast, they drank what remained of the tea, finally feeling warm.

Description
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“You were my first friend at the academy, the first to believe I could truly be a feminine idol. I would not have become who I am today without you. That’s why I want to include you in everything I do, and introduce you to other friends I’ve met,” Rin said.
“But patient as I am, I can’t deal with you being clingy. It is fundamentally wrong of you to think I should not hang out with other people and I’m not going to chain myself to your dead weight. This is goodbye. Don’t talk to me again.”
Rin hadn’t said that. Yet. Shiori’s hands shook as she waited for the blow. Rin had heard everything, all Shiori’s stupid insecurities and jealousy of Rin’s popularity, yet so far had responded only with understanding and gratitude for valuing their friendship. There had to be consequences coming. There had to be.
In the moment, Rin had stopped talking. Say something! her mind hissed, but her tongue felt heavy. Apologies clogged her throat like stones yet could not be summoned into words.
Be brave, Little Poem, her dad had said.
Shiori forced her gaze off the ground to find that Rin had pulled something out of her coat pocket. Several somethings. Charms?
“I made these for you,” Rin said, offering her the handful of cloth charms. “I was going to give them to you later today for New Years, but I think now might be a better time.”

Roughly the size of tea bags, the charms came in an array of colors and mishaps. Shiori read labels for sister charms, friend charms, charms for good luck and good health...etc. They were not uniform the way store bought ones would be; the fillings were uneven, the seams a hodgepodge of stitch sizes. The embroidery might have been intended to look like flowers… or maybe monsters? Rin MADE these? But she hates sewing--!!!
The hand still holding the charms out in offering were covered in bandages. Not the hand wrapping Rin had showed her for when she trained, but small band aids spotted around her fingers just big enough to hide needlework pricks. As Shiori stared, Rin shifted bashfully. “Sorry if they’re a little wonky, you know how I am with needlework…”
And that was too much.

All at once Shiori had gone from mute to shouting. “Your patience, your kind words, your gifts, I don’t deserve any of it!” she said. “I’m the one who’s done you wrong, why are you the one apologizing?! After everything you heard, I should be on my knees begging for your forgiveness! I don’t understand how… I don’t understand why you would….”
Her vision blurred with water despite her efforts. She couldn’t trust her voice not to crack. How horrible was she to cry, as if she were the victim and not the culprit. Throat closing tight again, she willed the tears not to fall. They must not fall.
“Shiori, it’s okay,” Rin said. When Shiori didn’t look at her, she continued. “To be honest, I would rather hear it. You’re my friend, if you are feeling insecure about something, I want to be there to help you through it.”
A drop of moisture escaped onto Shiori’s cheek. Gently, Rin wiped it with her thumb. Shiori finally looked at her. “b-But I… What if I’m not what I should be? I don’t want to hold you back, I don’t want to screw everything up…”
“No one expects you to be perfect.”
With that, the cracked dam of hesitation crumbled, letting tears and apologies flood out. Rin caught her in a hug and Shiori wept into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Rin, I’m sorry.”
For a long time they stood there, the New Year’s sun climbing higher above the mountaintops.
~~~
What felt like hours later, Shiori and Rin made it back to the hotel. Some strange men were sleeping in a bush they passed on the way back. Shiori wondered if they should see if they were okay, but Rin insisted (very sternly) that they were fine and to leave them be. Shiori, feeling mentally and physically drained, took her word for it. After all, Rin was out in the snow in a robe and sandals, it would be best to get her inside as soon as possible.
Two hotel staff ladies were very attentive to them when they got back. They must have had quite a bit of holiday cheer, as they kept smiling over at them with whispers of “congrats”. Perhaps not many youths went out to see the first sunrise of the year, and thus it was worthy of congratulations in their minds? Rin’s face was rather red, Shiori began to worry if she was catching a cold--immediately, she requested blankets and hot tea, which the staff were happy to provide.
“Should we go to the hot springs? Oh gosh, if I got you sick on top of everything else I--”
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Rin interrupted.
Shiori looked hard at Rin’s face, trying her utmost to determine if the other was lying.
“Really,” Rin insisted. “We can go there in a bit. But first, maybe we should talk first?”
That was Shiori’s cue to nod solmely. The cafeteria was pretty barren in the early hour, minus the hotel staff preparing breakfast and a handful of other sunrise viewers wondering in. With Rin wrapped up in blankets and steaming cups of tea in hand, it was time for explanations. But where to start?
“It’s a little strange,” she finally began. “In many ways, it feels like we just met this year. I mean we did, live anyway, but technically, you’re also one of my oldest friends.” She smiled at the steam rising from her cup. “We’ve known each other for years online, but we never talked about our offline lives much. We knew neither of our moms were in the picture, neither of us had siblings, we spoke about some big things, but… not everything. I never told you that you, GoKool_lol, and Wednesdays_Child were the closest things to ‘friends’ I had, on or offline.”
She looked Rin in the eye and spoke earnestly. “I 100% believe, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that meeting you our first day at Sunrise Academy was a miracle of fate. If we had not accidentally discovered who we were, I am positive that I would have continued to live life, even as an idol, as a loner. But meeting someone I in a way knew, it was just the kind of boost I could use to summon my courage. And even if I’m not exactly the way 4Orion you knew acted, you still agreed to by my friend. Getting to know you, the real you beyond Princess_Rosa, has been a blessing I never dreamed I would get to experience.
“This time last year, I had begun to think that it was physically impossible for me to care about people outside my family. Aside from my dad and my uncle, there’s no one as far as I can remember who really seemed to notice where I was. When I was really young, I was scared that making friends with someone would cause them to break, then by the time I realized that wasn’t the case, I was so out of touch with my peers I didn’t have a prayer’s chance to connect with them. Romance was never ever going to be an option for me, I had always assumed that I would live my life alone.”
Shiori drank her tea. History was one thing to explain, but her present faults somehow seemed harder to put into words. “Getting to be your friend, it’s been the best thing I could dream of experiencing… but in some ways, it’s been scary. I didn’t know I had a jealous side. I’ve never had anyone to be jealous of. Now that I do I don’t… I don’t know what to do with it. Honestly, I’m not even sure if I’m jealous of the fact that you have the ability to make friends so easily, or if it’s that I have to share you with others.” Her voice shook. She fiddled with her cup, suddenly not knowing what to do with her hands. Her face felt hot just for saying that.
“b-But I never would have acted on it,” she added quickly. “I swear, even if I could talk to others easily, I would never ever dissuade anyone from talking to you. Or worse, I’ll never try to guilt you out of spending time with anyone else. I know its me being stupid, and it’s wrong and spiteful of me to have these thoughts, and again I’m really really really sorry and--I’m rambling again. I’m sorry.”
Rin had listened patiently, and still now smiled and dismissed her apology. “I don’t mind listening to you ramble. In a way, it’s nice to see a different side of you,” she said. Rin’s cup was still nearly full, she held it in both hands to draw warmth from it. Shiori struggled not to chug hers down just to make time pass. “You know,” Rin started, “being jealous is a normal thing.”
Shiori looked up, not expecting to hear that from Rin of all people. Rin spoke again. “Growing up, I was pretty jealous of a lot of kids, to be honest. The boys that came to the dojo all had openly loving families, they got to go to public schools and make friends with whoever they wanted… They could be their true selves and not even think about it. I was always pretending and alone.” She looked at the steam rising, then back to Shiori. “Things changed for me too when we met. The simple act of being myself and not the dojo-boy my dad wanted has been exhilarating, if also scary. You’ve believed in me and stayed by my side when I was still learning who I was and how to act friendly with other girls.
“Maybe we grew up differently and things are new and sometimes challenging. But we’re still moving forward and opening our hearts to the world. We’re still there for each other. We might not be related by blood, but I feel like you’ve become part of my family. Don’t you?”
Shiori’s face felt warm, but she couldn’t help but smile. “I do,” she said.
Rin beamed. “There might be things we didn’t know about ourselves that we’re discovering, but we can adapt or accept them. And if one of us goes astray, the other can bring us back.” She pat her cheek, and Shiori coughed.
“Nooo! Forget what my dad said! I don’t want to fight you ever, no matter what! I’ll just say something!” she sputtered. Rin laughed in response.
“Whatever works,” she teased. “That’s what friends and family are for. We’ll be okay, Shiori.”
Shiori searched her face. “Promise?”
Rin held up her cup. “Friends forever.”
“Friends forever.”
With the toast, they drank what remained of the tea, finally feeling warm.