a/n: so funny story about this fic, i actually had most of it already written but then the file suddenly disappeared, i guess that'll teach me to back up my writing. anyway, i figured i'd post one last fic before the finale - an ideal ending, of sorts. i don't want to have hope but at the same time canon kumirei (or at least implied canon kumirei) could just maybe redeem this hell year.

the title comes from the lyrics for one of the show's themes but i forgot which one

"I'm glad you picked Natsuki."

"Ah, well, obviously she won't be able to hold a candle to my legacy, but she'll come close. She won't cause trouble for anyone." Asuka kept that ever-present grin on her face, but Kumiko could hear her voice crack all the same.

"You didn't-"

"Don't lie to me, Kumiko." Asuka looked out to the green fields, the flowers just beginning to bloom.

"I just still can't believe it."

"Hmm?"

"I mean, I came here for a fresh start, and now it's been a year."

"Did you get it?"

"What?"

"Your fresh start. Did you get it?" Kumiko looked down at the grass sprouting around her feet and thought of the euphonium resting in its case in the band room, of the exhilaration of performing, and of Reina - Reina, with her dark hair and heart-stopping voice and the way she held galaxies, universes in her breath. Reina, with her air of mystery that hid a girl who wasn't very mysterious at all.

"Y-yeah," Kumiko mumbled. "I think I did."

"Kousaka-san?"

"Don't make it weird."

"Oh, but my dear little euph, how could I ever-"

"You made it weird."

"See? You never would've done that when I first met you. Hell, you even had the courage to stand up to me, believe it or not. You've become bolder." Asuka smiled, a twinkle in her eye that'd put the stars to shame. "It suits you."

"Thanks."

"Ah, now, there's no need to thank me!" Asuka spread her arms out overdramatically. "I'm simply-" Kumiko interrupted her, rather abruptly, with a hug. "Oh."

"I'll miss you," she murmured. Asuka opened her mouth, some barbed remark hiding behind her grin, but she closed it.

"Ah, come on, don't cry, you know I'm awful with that sort of thing."

"You'll come back to visit us, r-right?" Kumiko sniffled. Asuka ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Of course, dummy. I'll give you all hell if you don't practice, too, so don't slack off!" Kumiko let out a laugh that quietly slipped into a sob. "Now, I think there's someone you ought to be meeting right now, if I'm not mistaken." Kumiko looked up at the older girl, seeing her flash a genuine smile before pushing Kumiko out of the embrace.

"R-right," Kumiko mumbled. "Yeah, I'll get going." She started to back away, wiping at the warm tears just beginning to spill. "I'll see you soon, Asuka!"

"That's a promise, Kumiko."

Kumiko raced to the train station, euphonium case on her back and suitcase bouncing at her side. The sky overhead was bright and cheery, and she caught a glimpse of a few of Kitauji's former students wandering around town, tearful goodbyes shared between ice cream and lunch dates.

We didn't win gold at the Nationals that year.

"Reina!" Kumiko yelled, squeezing herself through the sliding doors of the train station that seemed to take forever and a day to open. "Reina, I'm here!" Pushing herself through crowds and crowds of people, she finally found the platform on her ticket, and the person she'd been looking for.

Some of us, though, found something far more precious.

"You're late." Reina looked to the train just beginning to show its gleaming lights through the tunnel.

"I still can't believe you decided to skip the graduation ceremony."

"I didn't have anything waiting there. I'm happy for the third-years, obviously, and I'll miss them, but that's all. I can't bring myself to care that much."

"And you call me the terrible one," Kumiko teased. Reina scoffed.

"Anyway, are you ready?" Kumiko nudged her own suitcase as an answer. "We should get going, then." The two girls stepped onto the train, fingers intertwined, and they scarcely had time to find their seats before it wailed off into the setting sun, speeding far away from Kitauji, far away from everything. Kumiko looked out the window, still pressed close against Reina.

We found love.

"Hey, Reina?" Reina sat up, blinking sleep from her eyes. Kumiko thought briefly of the first real conversation they had, after the competition in middle school, the way her tears had flown so freely.

"Yes?"

"I'm glad we went to Kitauji."

"So am I." Reina held Kumiko's hand nonchalantly before falling back asleep. Kumiko looked back out the window, at the world flying by, the cherry blossoms just starting to fall from the trees.

And so, our piece concludes.

a/n: tomorrow i'll probably post a thing in which i cry a lot but for now i'm just desperately hoping for a good ending