Love On Display

The glow of the computer screen was the only thing illuminating Mizuki’s room. It was 2:00 AM, the hour when the world felt soft and edges blurred into shadows. For the first time in a month, the crushing weight in Mizuki’s chest had lifted, replaced by a fluttering, restless warmth that made it impossible to sleep.

The roof of Kamiyama High still felt like a dream. The wind, the confession, and the way Ena’s hand had felt against her cheek—it was all so vivid that Mizuki felt she might burst if she didn't express it. Being accepted was one thing, but being loved? That was a frontier Mizuki hadn't dared to map out until today.

On the second monitor, the Nightcord voice channel was active. Kanade was humming a melody, the soft clicking of her keyboard a rhythmic backdrop. Mafuyu was silent, though her icon remained lit, indicating she was listening or perhaps simply existing in the digital space they shared.

Ena was there too, though she had muted herself a few minutes ago, claiming she needed to finish a sketch that was "fighting back."

Mizuki leaned back in her chair, a silly, lopsided grin plastered on her face. Her eyes were heavy, her brain fogged by the sheer emotional exhaustion of the day's events. She moved her mouse sluggishly, clicking on the Nightcord window to send a message.

She looked at the top of her screen. In her sleep-deprived state, she saw the words *My Love* followed by a palette emoji. She had changed Ena’s nickname in their private DMs just an hour ago, giggling like a schoolgirl as she did it. Satisfied that she was in the right place, she began to type.

"I can't stop thinking about earlier," Mizuki typed, her fingers dancing lazily over the keys. "I really thought I’d lost everything at the festival. I thought once you knew, you’d look at me with those eyes... you know? The ones that make me feel like a bug under a microscope. But you didn't. You just held me."

She paused, biting her lip. Normally, Mizuki would hide behind layers of irony and "cute" emojis, but the vulnerability of the night was too strong.

"I love you so much, Ena. Thank you for staying. Thank you for wanting to be with someone like me. I’m the luckiest person in the world to be your girlfriend. See you in my dreams, my grumpy princess."

With a satisfied sigh, Mizuki hit enter. She didn't wait for a reply. The adrenaline of the confession had finally spent itself, leaving her crashing into a deep, peaceful sleep. She didn't even bother to turn off her PC; she just tumbled onto her bed, drifting off before her head even hit the pillow.

Back on the screen, the message sat at the bottom of the *general-chat* log.

Above it, the history of the night’s work was visible. Kanade had posted a link to a new synthesized melody. Mafuyu had replied with a simple "Okay."

And now, Mizuki’s raw, unfiltered confession sat there for the entire circle to see.

Silence stretched across the voice channel for a long, agonizing minute. The clicking of Kanade’s keyboard stopped abruptly.

"Um," Kanade’s voice cracked the silence, sounding small and bewildered. "Amia?"

There was no response.

"Mizuki?" Ena’s voice came through, sharp and panicked. She had clearly unmuted the moment she saw the notification pop up on her screen. "Mizuki, you idiot! Wake up! Delete that! Delete it right now!"

"She’s offline," Mafuyu observed. Her voice was as flat as ever, but there was a distinct pause afterward. "She called you her girlfriend, Enanan."

"I can see that, Mafuyu!" Ena shouted, though her voice lacked its usual bite, sounding more like it was being squeezed out of her.

"Oh," Kanade whispered. The realization was slowly dawning on her. "The festival... Mizuki said she thought she lost everything. Is that why she was gone for so long?"

Ena groaned, a sound of pure, unadulterated stress. She could be heard burying her face in her hands. "I’m going to kill her. I am actually going to kill her. She’s so dead. When I see her tomorrow, she’s a dead person."

"But it was very sweet," Kanade said softly. "I didn't know you two were... like that. I’m happy for you, Ena. And I’m glad Mizuki feels safe now."

"It’s not supposed to be public!" Ena wailed. "She’s so embarrassing! Who says 'grumpy princess' in a group chat? I’m going to change my name and move to another country."

"You’re blushing," Mafuyu said.

"You can't even see me!" Ena snapped.

"I can hear it in your breath," Mafuyu replied calmly. "You’re breathing faster. Your heart rate is likely elevated. You’re happy."

Ena fell silent. The truth was a heavy thing, but in the quiet of the Nightcord server, it didn't feel as terrifying as she had imagined. She looked at the message again. *I’m the luckiest person in the world to be your girlfriend.*

A month ago, Mizuki had been crying in the rain. Today, she was sleeping peacefully because she felt loved.

Ena sighed, her heart softening despite herself. "Yeah. Well. Don't make a big deal out of it. And Kanade? Don't mention the 'grumpy princess' thing to her. She’ll never let me live it down if she knows I didn't immediately delete it."

"I won't," Kanade promised, a small smile evident in her tone. "But Ena? I think we should talk about the other part. What Mizuki said about the festival. About her... identity."

Ena’s grip on her stylus tightened. "She’ll tell you when she’s ready. But yeah. She’s still Mizuki. Just... more herself now."

"I see," Mafuyu said. "If she is the same Mizuki, then the music shouldn't change. But perhaps the lyrics will be less... hidden."

"Maybe," Ena murmured. She looked at Mizuki’s avatar—a cute, stylized drawing of a girl with pink ribbons. "She’s finally sleeping, at least. She hasn't slept well in weeks."

The trio stayed on the call for another hour. They didn't talk much more about the confession, returning to their work in a comfortable, newfound clarity. The secret that had been rotting at the center of their circle had finally been aired out, even if it happened by mistake.

***

The next morning, the sun crawled through Mizuki’s curtains, poking at her eyelids until she groaned and rolled over. She felt amazing. Her skin felt clear, her heart felt light, and she couldn't wait to text Ena a "Good morning" message.

She sat up, stretching her arms above her head, and shuffled over to her desk. Her computer screen was still on.

"Oh, right, I fell asleep during the call," she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

She looked at the Nightcord window. Her eyes drifted to the chat log.

She blinked.

She blinked again.

The color drained from her face so fast she felt lightheaded. She wasn't in the DMs. She was in the *general-chat*. And right above her massive, sprawling confession were several messages from Kanade, Mafuyu, and Ena.

**K:** *I’m happy for you, Ena.*
**M:** *The feelings seem mutual.*
**E:** *I’M GOING TO KILL HER.*

Mizuki stared at the screen, her mouth hanging open. She slowly raised her hands to her face, letting out a muffled scream into her palms.

"No, no, no, no," she whimpered. "I did not. I did not do that. Please tell me I’m still dreaming."

She checked the timestamp. 2:05 AM. It was real.

Her phone suddenly buzzed on the desk, vibrating with such intensity it nearly jumped off the wood. She looked down.

**Ena 🎨:** *I know you’re awake. I see your status changed to 'Online'.*

**Ena 🎨:** *Start praying, Amia.*

Mizuki swallowed hard. Her fingers trembled as she typed back.

**Mizuki:** *H-hey... so... lovely weather we're having?*

**Ena 🎨:** *MY DAD ALMOST SAW THAT NOTIFICATION ON MY TABLET.*

**Ena 🎨:** *Kanade knows. Mafuyu knows. EVERYONE KNOWS.*

Mizuki felt a strange mix of sheer, soul-crushing embarrassment and a weird sense of relief. The cat wasn't just out of the bag; the cat had taken a megaphone and announced its presence to the entire neighborhood.

**Mizuki:** *Does this mean the honeymoon period is over?*

**Ena 🎨:** *I AM GOING TO STRANGLE YOU WITH YOUR OWN RIBBONS.*

**Ena 🎨:** *Meet me at the park in ten minutes. If you’re late, I’m telling Kanade you call your plushies by her name.*

**Mizuki:** *Hey! That was a secret!*

Despite the panic, Mizuki found herself laughing. She stood up, quickly changing into her favorite denim skirt and a ruffled top. She checked herself in the mirror. Her eyes were still a bit puffy from the weeks of crying, but there was a spark in them that hadn't been there for a long time.

She grabbed her phone and dashed out the door, her heart racing.

When she arrived at the park, Ena was already there, sitting on a bench with her arms crossed and a scowl that could melt lead. However, Mizuki noticed that her ears were bright red.

Mizuki slowed to a halt a few feet away, tilting her head and giving a sheepish wave. "Hi... princess?"

Ena stood up abruptly, stomping over until she was inches from Mizuki’s face. "You are the most airheaded, reckless, embarrassing person I have ever met."

"I was sleepy!" Mizuki pleaded, holding up her hands. "The titles looked the same! They both have your name and a palette!"

"One says 'Enanan' and the other says 'My Love'!" Ena yelled, though her voice wavered. She grabbed Mizuki’s tie and pulled her down so they were eye-level. "Do you have any idea how much Kanade was smiling? It was weird! Kanade shouldn't smile that much, it’s unsettling!"

Mizuki giggled, her nerves finally settling. "So... they’re okay with it? With us?"

Ena’s expression softened, the fire leaving her eyes. She let go of the tie but didn't move away. "Yeah. They’re fine. Kanade said she’s happy for us. And Mafuyu... well, she was just Mafuyu. But she didn't say anything mean."

Mizuki let out a long breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "And the other thing? The thing I said about the festival? About... me?"

Ena looked away, her gaze landing on a patch of flowers nearby. "I told them you’d talk about it when you’re ready. But I told them you’re still you. That seemed to be enough for them."

Mizuki felt a lump form in her throat. She reached out, tentatively taking Ena’s hand. "You’re really good to me, Ena. Even if you are a grumpy princess."

"Shut up," Ena muttered, but she squeezed Mizuki’s hand back. "I mean it. If you ever post something like that in the main channel again, I’m deleting the server."

"I'll be careful! I'll double-check! I'll triple-check!" Mizuki beamed, leaning in to rest her forehead against Ena’s. "But you have to admit, it’s a funny story for our anniversary."

"It’s been one day," Ena reminded her, though she was finally smiling. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Too late! I’ve already planned our wedding outfits," Mizuki joked, dancing back as Ena tried to swat her.

"Mizuki!"

"You’d look great in a suit, Ena! Or maybe we both wear dresses? Oh, the possibilities!"

As they walked through the park, bickering and laughing, the shadow of the festival finally felt like it belonged to a different lifetime. The world knew—or at least, their world knew—and it hadn't ended.

Mizuki pulled out her phone, opening Nightcord one last time.

**Mizuki:** *Sorry for the scare, guys! I’m just so head over heels for our resident artist that my brain short-circuited!*

**Mafuyu:** *We noticed.*

**Kanade:** *It’s okay, Mizuki. We’re glad you’re back.*

Mizuki tucked her phone away, looking at Ena, who was currently lecturing her on the proper way to use Discord permissions. She reached out, catching Ena’s hand again and pulling her into a sudden, brief kiss.

Ena froze, her face turning a shade of red that would have been impossible to mix on a palette.

"Mizuki! We're in public!"

"But it’s the honeymoon period!" Mizuki chirped, running ahead. "Catch me if you can, Ena!"

"Oh, you are so dead!"

As Ena chased her across the grass, Mizuki realized that for the first time in her life, she wasn't running away from something. She was running toward a future where she didn't have to hide.

And as far as glitches went, this was definitely her favorite one.