watched Liz to Aoi Tori today and omgggg. everything about the film is so good. From the animation to the musical scores. I was a band kid in high school (and training to be a pro now lol) so the film felt really relatable and brought back so many memories.
so of course I had to draw Mizore and Nozomi. I was sort of imagining that Mizore went on to become a professional musician and this is Nozomi walking back home together with her after a concert/ rehearsal (cause those can run till pretty late sometimes).
Fandom: Hibike! Euphonium
Pairing: MizoNozo NozoMizo (Mizore/Nozomi)
Words: 1668
Summary: In which Nozomi and Mizore have an impromptu performance and share something special with each other.
Links: FF is here! AO3 is here!
Nozomi remembered hearing a saying during her first-year of middle school, that an instrument mirrored its musician one way or another.
And every time she looked at Mizore, she couldn’t help but agree.
Both were complex, and people often don’t give them the time of day to figure them out; both were hard to understand, and people often leave before a sound—whether it be a squeak or a word—before leaving; both were awkward, and people often didn’t want to associate with them; but, perhaps most importantly, both were undeniably beautiful, and people often stop to listen to the song they so desperately tried to ignore.
Maybe that’s what made Mizore shine so brilliantly in the beautiful storm of chords surrounding her.
She didn’t remember when Mizore took control of the conversation on their way to the train station—Nozomi was still reeling from the fact that Mizore actually accepted her invitation in the first place. The latter had always been the submissive one, the obscure one, the one shying away from the attention. But once the spotlight was on her, Mizore became assertive, the straightforward one, the one basking in the limelight and attention she didn’t dare to admit she wanted.
And, God, seeing Mizore smile a beautiful, real smile made Nozomi want to stop and bawl with all the joy in the world.
“—And during the three-day summer camp,” Mizore was saying as held onto her oboe case steadfastly, “Taki-sensei introduced a new teacher. She was really pretty, you know. I think you would have liked her because a lot of people liked her. Her name was Niiyama-sensei, and she’s really nice, too, but she pushes us hard like Taki-sensei,” she abruptly paused and turned her head to look at Nozomi, and the latter did the same with the tiniest of smiles playing on her lips. This was something Mizore did, even in middle school. She would speak for minutes on end, then abruptly stop and look, perhaps to see if Nozomi was still paying attention. And, of course, Nozomi was, and would give her precious friend a small sign of assurance: a nod, a hum, or, her personal favorite, a smile.
And Mizore would always reply in the same way—a beaming grin that would always throw Nozomi off-guard in the best way possible.
If Nozomi were to one day suddenly go blind, she wanted Mizore’s beautiful, shining smile to be the last image ingrained in her mind’s eye.
“Sounds like fun,” Nozomi said to fill the silence. Her ears caught the slightest pitch of want lingering in her own words, one that she couldn't stop even if she wanted to. After all, isn’t it natural for her to be a part of Mizore’s good memories? To be a part of Mizore’s life, the girl she admired and adored with her being?
Nozomi would be lying if she said that wasn't a reason she wanted to come back to band.
“Yeah,” Mizore said as her smile shrank, “it was….”
“Bet you had a lot of fun,” Nozomi absently commented, trying to move the conversation along as she purposefully slowed her stride. She wanted this walk to last forever; there was so much to catch up on.
“I did, but….” Mizore’s smile was blown away by the passing breeze, and her usual placid expression was back.
“But?”
“…I think it would have been better if you were there.”
Nozomi’s heart lurched in her chest as she let out a shaky laugh. Mizore always had a talent of breaching through Nozomi’s practiced defenses. And during those times, she wondered what went through Mizore’s mind.
“You’re flattering me, Mizore.” Nozomi gave another shaky laugh as she felt the distinct burn of embarrassment lighting up her cheeks. She fiddled with the handle of her flute case as she forced herself to look away from the smile that was surely brightening up Mizore’s face.
“But it’s true.” The conviction in Mizore’s quiet voice threw Nozomi off more than it should have. “I…really missed playing with you.”
Nozomi finally stopped in her tracks, and eventually so did Mizore. When Mizore turned around to shoot Nozomi a confused look, Nozomi couldn’t help the fond smile pulling on her lips—Mizore was the cutest thing she ever saw in her life.
“Then, why don’t we?”
Mizore tilted her head. “Don’t we what?”
“Play.”
“Right now?”
“Why not?” Nozomi pointed in the distance, towards an empty bench that sat alone by the riverside. “We can play over there. It’s quiet enough so we won’t bother anyone, and it’s close enough to the train station just in case we need to rush.”
Mizore stayed silent, tossing the thought around in her mind before nodding. “Let’s do it, then.”
Nozomi felt her heart melt when Mizore grinned, a grin that held the shining brilliance of the sun.
Mizore walked ahead, Nozomi following close, towards the bench. Nozomi could feel a childlike giddiness build up in her chest. She couldn’t help it; it’s been ages since she last played with Mizore like this.
After what seemed like an eternity, the both of them finally reached the bench. They sat and quickly set down their cases, assembling their instruments in record time. Once finished, they set their instruments across their lap, and stared out at the view in front of them, waiting for Mizore to wet her reed.
“It’s beautiful,” Nozomi breathed out. The distant city lights twinkled on the horizon, the setting sun right behind them. Its rays painted the sky a beautiful gradient of a vibrant orange to a subdued indigo. Nozomi never considered herself a religious person, but in that moment, the city looked like heaven, and the girl sitting beside her was an angel showing all the wonders the universe had to offer.
The thought made Nozomi smile to herself.
“You’re shmiling.”
Nozomi turned and saw Mizore staring at her, her reed sticking out of her mouth. Nozomi’s smile got a little bigger; so that’s what gave her the lisp.
“Can’t help it,” Nozomi mumbled, “everything is great. And you’re adorable.”
Mizore face broke into a grin, the kind where she would close her eyes and her teeth would show. Something overwhelming came over Nozomi, and she felt the sudden urge to burst into tears. What in the world did she do to deserve to know someone this precious?
Mizore truly was a blessing sent from heaven.
Mizore’s grin faded as she took her reed from her mouth and carefully attached it to her instrument. She looked at Nozomi and gave a singular nod, and Nozomi replied likewise. They held their instruments up to their lips and began to warm up. They ran through various scales and arpeggios on their own, working on whatever they needed to prepare. It went on for five minutes or so until they set down their instruments, and looked at each other.
“What song do you want to play?” Nozomi asked, her fingers idly pressing on the keys of her flute.
Mizore broke their eye contact and stared at the river. “The song we played for our third-year competition in middle school.”
Nozomi stopped and blinked. “Are…are you sure?”
Mizore looked back at her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, it’s just…bad memories happened with that song, you know?”
“But there was one good memory, though.”
“…There was?”
“My duet with you.”
Realization dawned over Nozomi as she remembered how she felt during the performance. Intense adrenaline was coursing through her, yet a gentle tenderness pulled at her heart as she played, her notes melding and mixing with Mizore’s perfectly. Their phrases ebbed and flowed in perfect harmony, and for a moment, Nozomi forgot about her surroundings and everyone else.
Nozomi only focused on how beautiful Mizore and her playing was, and Nozomi wondered how in the world she didn’t realize how much she loved Mizore until that moment.
“Sure,” Nozomi finally said with a smile, “let’s do it.”
Together, they brought up their instruments to their lips. Nozomi silently counted off, tapping her foot to keep beat, before taking a breath and starting.
The song sounded incredibly empty, Nozomi realized, as she played through the first solitary notes of her solo. Nozomi imagined the rumbling bass of the tuba supporting her in her mind as she swelled her phrase, the notes rising in volume ever so slightly before she backed down. A singer singing her song, Nozomi imagined, singing for only one other person—the one person that really mattered in the world.
Soon, Mizore took a breath and joined in. She was quiet, coming in at a piano, until she dramatically crescendoed into a resounding forte. Her notes sang through the air, dancing around Nozomi’s, and soaring across the river. She swelled gently when Nozomi ebbed, and when Nozomi called out, she was sure to reply. As she played, Nozomi heard all the emotions Mizore felt: the frustration, the sadness, the happiness.
But above all that, Nozomi heard Mizore’s love, a love that words could never describe.
As soon as their duet began, it ended, their notes fading away into the wind. Nozomi slowly brought down her instrument, and Nozomi slowly began to smile. She turned to Mizore, words of praise on her tongue, but they died abruptly when she felt someone’s lips press against hers.
No—Mizore’s lips.
Mizore was kissing her.
Nozomi’s heart nearly exploded as she gathered her guts to kiss back, her heartbeat a deafening boom that resounded in her skull. The faintest of smiles tugged on the both of their lips as they deepened the kiss for the shortest of moments before pulling back. Nozomi opened her eyes (when did she close them?), the sight of Mizore’s grin greeting her.
Nozomi gave one back.
It would have been a perfect moment to say, “I love you,” but Nozomi said nothing.
She was too busy admiring the beautiful girl in front of her, who had a beautiful song to play.
this was an old drabble of mine that i started near the beginning of S2 of hibigay, around when the mizore/nozomi arc was going on. i was hoping to finish it by the time they reconciled, but things don't always happen that way. it kinda sucks, lol. anyways, i hope you enjoy.
i've been struggling with writing recently, so sorry if this seems very...subpar. hopefully i can write even more since i finished finals today, and hopefully i can get back into the groove of it all.
fun fact: the title is from a line from the song City of Stars from La La Land (the duet). listen to it - i finished this story while listening to it nonstop. it's a really cute song.
