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“It has nothing to do with me.”
Junko Enoshima is smiling that enigmatic smile again. Himiko scowls, eyes flickering from the ground to her and back again. It feels as if she is too bright to look at, with her smile and curved eyes.
“Nothing to do with you, huh?” She gives a laugh, where Himiko would give a sigh. “I've heard that line before.”
Himiko blinks, dazed by the grin that overtook her face. Sparkly, pure. Like sunshine. Like magic .
“But all I'm asking is for a dance. I made it my mission to dance with all of my underclassmen, you know!” She winked, “I know I don't have anything to do with you. That the world doesn't. But I want to.” Her face went serious, “ I want to, Himiko-tan.”
“Nyeh…” She pulled her hat over her eyes. “One dance, then. Just one.”
And she grinned, once more. Grabbed her hand. So goddamn bright , it was hard to look at. (Like magic, magic, magic —)
And she pulled her towards her. Smiled with her teeth. Started to guide her through a dance. Himiko felt she was fumbling the whole time.
“I won't let you run away,” she told her. She wasn't lying.
“You know. You remind me of someone.”
And when she frowned, it was as if the cosmos were crying. That girl like starlight, like magic, frowning small and troubled on her pouting, red lips. (Like raw meat, like rare steak- like what she eats, blood on her teeth-)
“Who?” And Himiko blinked. Just blinked. Junko wasn't looking at her. She smiled.
“Did I ever tell you I used to have red hair?”
Another blink. She felt so stupid . “Really?”
“Yeeeep.” Her eyes finally (finally, finally-) flick towards her. “My sister, too. She had to dye it black for her mercenary group or whatevs.” She made a popping sound with her mouth, a noise of irritation. “Laaame.”
“Is that who I remind you of?” Himiko asked with her own irritation. “Ikusaba?”
Junko blinked, this time. Surprised. Huh. Then- she smiled.
“No.”
That was all she said.
“Wow, how wonderful! What a glorious show! Himiko-tan, what a beautiful show!”
She clapped. Loud and outrageous. Himiko felt her cheeks heat, almost as red as the blood that stained them.
“You outdid yourself again! How lovely, how great!”
And her voice was bright. How could it ever be called hollow? There was so much in it, full of unspoken words Himiko didn't know how to decipher. Her voice was like electricity .
It shocked her every time.
The riots are loud. A pain. A blight. She squints at them. Junko laughed.
“Isn't it funny?” She wondered. “They think they can change anything. As if they really mattered. As if anything mattered.”
She grinned, and it was bright. She grinned, and it was magic.
“But nothing matters,” she said through a laugh, grasping Himiko's hands tight. (Himiko would have sighed. It would have meant the same.) “Nothing but this.”
Maybe she didn't get it, and that's why Junko would leave her. Maybe.
Sunlight in her eyes, Junko Enoshima smiled. And maybe she too was blinded by it.
“Nothing but this,” she repeated, softer.
Magic died with her. There was nothing worth anything without her. And still, when she was about to die, when she was careening to that death- Junko Enoshima smiled.
Until, for a split second, she just couldn't.
She just couldn't.
That was the moment magic died, just before Junko went splat. Just before.
“I don't mind you failed.”
She was still grinning, when she said that. Grinning, at poor, disappointing Himiko.
“You can disappoint me all you want, Himiko-tan. I'll still stay. I love being disappointed. I love when plans fail. Because what else is more despairing, than that?”
She cupped her cheek. Swiped her thumb under her eyes. Himiko wasn't crying. But she swiped. Soothing, repetitive motions.
“I won't let you run,” she repeats.
(But who would stop her from running?)
“I'll ruin you,” she had told her, once. “I'll ruin you like I ruin myself.”
She really believed it, too. With her whole heart.
Himiko only blinked at her and told her, “It has nothing to do with me.”
They were both liars.