Two Pairs of Teary Eyes
“Huh?”
The remark caught Rafina by surprise.
“Mia? What do you mean?”
Mia was gone without looking back. Rafina just realized that she had angered Mia.
“Mia…why?”
Rafina didn’t have a clue as to how she had made Mia angry.
Or do I?
She asked herself.
She thought back about the verbal exchange that had just happened between them. She thought hard about each aspect of the conversation. She started recalling from the very start when they entered the pool. “I must say, Rafina-sama, you look awfully tired. It must be so hard for you.”
Mia… was she worried about me?
Thinking hard, she finally hard what made Mia angry.
Mia-san… you were worried about me… were you trying to lighten my burdens?
Lately, Rafina had been tired. She kept a very busy schedule, and it only became busier with the appearance of the Chaos Serpents. Did she really think someone like Mia wouldn’t be aware of her exhaustion? And if she were aware, what would she do as a friend?
As a friend, Mia would express her care through her actions.
Mia could not take her place as the Duke of Belluga’s daughter; that role was hers alone. Neither could she take lead of their anti-Serpent faction; it had to be the Saintess of Belluga who had to lead the offensive against the secret society. The student council’s job was different. It was the only role that Mia could take from her – the load that she could lighten. So, Mia offered to relieve Rafina of those duties and shoulder a part of her burden.
This is exactly what kind of friend Mia is. Someone who was willing to share her burdens and share her joys and sorrows. The kind of friend that she wanted – one who did not treat her as divine or special but as an equal. As someone who had stood by her side and shared in joy, Mia had intended to share her burdens as well.
Then Rafina notices…
Mia’s election pledge… The election promises presented by the Wisdom of the Empire were not much different from Rafina’s. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were almost the same.
Having stopped the revolution in Remno Kingdom, and has carried out reforms one after another in her own country… Will the brilliance of that empire’s wisdom stoop down at that level?
No way… did she do it on purpose?
It should have been easy for Mia to propose innovative policies. Despite this, Mia dared to present a policy that imitated Rafina’s own. It was because she did not want to beat Rafina. The similarities in their pledges were for Rafina’s peace of mind. It was Mia’s message to her that she will run the Council and Academy as Rafina would plan; to show that she would be leaving her duties in good hands.
All this time, she was thinking of me… and what did I say to her in return?
Rafina recalled her own words… and felt ashamed. She told Mia that she can’t win so she should withdraw her candidacy.
Mia held out her hand to help carry Rafina’s burden… and all she did was shook it off. And she even dared to arrogantly show her mercy as a friend.
Perhaps it was me who didn’t trust Mia when I said we were friends…
“Ah… Mi-Mi-Mia…”
Her voice was trembling and weak.
With desperate urgency, she reached toward Mia. Only to see her leaving. Her outstretched hand touched only the gap between them. It hung in the air for a moment before falling weakly to her side.
What could she say? What was there to say? She finally had a chance to have a true friend… and she squandered it.
And now it is too late. All too late.
Her vision blurred. Despair began to consume her. Like a dark shapeless mass, it invaded her mind, oozing into every recess of thought in its path. That was when she heard Mia’s voice.
“Rafina -sama…”
Mia said without looking back.
“…I think that there is no friendship without forgiveness.”
“…Eh?”
Rafina could not believe what she was hearing. Afraid it was a trick of the ears, she asked in a hoarse voice…
“You mean… we’re –”
“Friends! And what are friends if not those willing to overlook the mistakes we commit from time to time.” Saying that, Mia turned around and gave a shy smile. “Would not you agree?”
Friends…. So this is what it feels like?
In that moment, it all became clear. She knew without a shadow of doubt that the girl before her, Mia Luna Tearmoon, was the friend she had been looking for all her life. For so long she had been looking for a kindred spirit… now she finally had found her.
“I…”
Rafina bit her lip. Suddenly, her vision clouded, and large drops of tears welled up from her beautiful eyes.
Why are there tears? Why am I crying?
Rafina, who rarely cried in front of others, was at the mercy of her own uncontrollable emotions. This was foreign to her.
I am so happy… so why am I crying? My face must be a mess. I can’t let Mia see me like this.
She tried to stop crying but the tears kept coming up one after another, and there was no way to stop them. Rafina turned around and walked to the spring and washed her face with cold water. She hastily spun around and waded to the fountain’s source, allowing the cool water to fall over her head, washing her face free of tears. And just to make sure, she rubbed her eyes clean and turned to face Mia again.
She wanted to say thank you. And also that she’s sorry. But she gulped the words down. She could not trust her own voice to produce anything but sobs.
Instead, she returned Mia’s smile with a smile of her own. A pure smile that reached red tear-stained eyes.
Ah. I am so glad to have made a friend like Mia…
“Mi-Mia…”
The moment Mia heard Rafina’s trembling voice; her head cooled down. It was replaced by cold dread. A chill ran down her spine sending shivers to her body.
Rafina’s voice has always been calm. Now it was trembling. What could be upsetting her so much? After looking back on her own actions up until now… she realizes… it was her!
Not only had she been sarcastic in her fit of passive-aggressive mode; she also ignored Rafina’s attempts to talk to her. She instead chose to sulk by herself. As a result, Rafina’s voice was now shaking with anger!
She was furious! So furious that the only thing she could manage was to say Mia’s name!
Eeeek! This is so bad! Very bad!
Having focused on the election too much, Mia had forgotten something important. No matter how bad her campaign worked out, taking out her frustrations on Rafina was an extremely bad idea. The world won’t end the instant she would lose the election anyway. So that meant there was going to be a lot of time later for her to suffer the consequences.
Merciful moons! What should I do? I’m such an idiot!
Mia began thinking hard. She had to find and excuse for all her actions just now… She thought hard and she finally came up with something…
“Rafina-sama, I think…”
She was too scared of Rafina that she continued facing away.
“… that there is no friendship without forgiveness.”
Mia’s plan was to remind Rafina of their friendship! This is while subtly adding forgiveness into its definition. Mia was now imposing this definition.
“Huh? You mean… We’re –”
“Friends!” She declared with a tone of finality. And she imposes forward her logic. “And what are friends if not those willing to overlook the mistakes we commit from time to time. Would you not agree?”
Friends forgive each other
They were friends
Therefore, Rafina should forgive her
Mia was playing dirty. It was Rafina who first proposed friendship with her, and that she won’t go back on her word. Mia was now using that weakness to the fullest extent. You said we were friends, so you have to forgive me.
To add a perfect ending, Mia turned around and gave her “teehee” smile.
When Rafina saw this, she lowered her gaze. Her shoulders started to shake. The motion soon spread throughout her body that she bit her lip down.
Eeek! She seems now even more furious!
Mia instantly regretted her offensive. She should have just apologized honestly. But Mia was robbed of this chance when Rafina turned around quickly.
Rafina steadily walked towards the fountain where she plunged her head into the stream.
Heavenly moons! Was she that angry that she needed to pour cold water over her head to cool down?!
She watched in horror as Rafina slowly turned around. Then she watched as Rafina forced herself to smile… her cheeks were twitching, and her eyes were bloodshot.
Eeek! That is so scary! Look at those angry eyes! But she is still tyring to smile, she must be telling herself that she should forgive me because we are friends… I might just still be able to get out of this alive…
Seeing that smile, Mia let out a sigh of relief.
Sweet moons! I am so glad that I made friends with her beforehand…
Mia thought with the tears of terror in her eyes were replaced with tears of relief.
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