STARLIGHT | krmy ✓

29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE —
REMEMBER IT ALL.

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"I BET THAT Daiba-san would remember it too."

Maya jerks awake, panting. Next to her, Claudine dozes away on her shoulder, her little snores (Claudine would like to think they were 'dignified') helping to calm her down slightly. The train rumbles lightly across the tracks, and Claudine's head ducks awkwardly into Maya's shoulder, her breath ticking the skin on her neck.

Despite the opportune chance at physical contact, Maya frowns, her breathing now levelled. That dream again. She had been recounting her interrogation with Kirin in her sleep more often than she'd like, now that the case was closed. She hadn't expected to forget it all, obviously, but it bothered her that everything was still so, so, vividly captured in her mind's eye.

Beside her, Claudine adorably mumbles French in her sleep, and across her, Kaoruko makes a disgruntled noise, shifting her head atop Futaba's. Miraculously, Futaba hadn't shifted an inch while Kaoruko had been fidgeting so much in her sleep — perhaps having been perpetually forced to get used to the ruckus.

Breathing in slowly, so as to not make any sudden movements that may wake Claudine, she turns her head to look out at the scenery before her. Most of the rural area had now given way to tall, towering buildings, which constantly jarred the sunlight's path into the train. They were reaching Tokyo soon.

Claudine stirs, her hand rising to cover her mouth gracefully as a cute yawn threatens to break through. Maya turns slightly to look at her, smiling all the while.

"Good morning."

Claudine does not seem to share her energy. She rolls her neck slightly, wincing, clearly not appreciating the position she had slept in. "Ow. Ugh. Are we there yet?"

"No," Maya affectionately nuzzles her bangs. It had become quite a habit, she realises. Not that anybody was complaining, though. Claudine's hair always smelt heavenly. "We still have quite a bit of distance to cover."

"Saijō-san is your weakness."

Claudine grunts, straightening and stretching slightly in place. "My body's all stiff."

Maya chuckles, trying to brush the fragments of her dream underneath the rug. "I could give you a massage, if you'd like."

"I'd say yes if you were Nana. I miss Nana's massages," Claudine mutters, grumpily reaching for her water bottle. After taking a sip out of it, she slouches back against Maya.

Maya couldn't help but notice how they gotten a lot more comfortable with each other after everything that had transpired. It had already been what? Six months? Since they found their way back to each other. She was glad. Having Claudine here with her was so much better for her mental health than she had imagined.

But still, something else burned in her mind: Nana. Did she remember it all? The Revues? Was this why she had tried so hard to keep in contact with Maya after she had moved away from Tokyo? She wanted to know. It'd help with the closure.

"Maya? Earth to Maya?" Claudine waves a hand abruptly in her face, and Maya blinks, catching hold of Claudine's wrist and dangling it away from her, allowing a smirk to crawl onto her lips.

"You're right to assume you're my entire world."

"Mon dieu," Claudine rolls her eyes exasperatedly, already used to it, but still not quite accepting of Maya's behaviour. "Save your breath."