A/N: GUYS THE AKIRUI BITE SCENE IS WRITTEN. IT IS 2 CHAPTERS FROM NOW. BE PREPARED MUAHAHAHAHAH

keep commenting i need serotonin from something in my life plsplsplsplsplsplsplsanyways enjoy n we r getting more tsukasa problems in the next few chapters —

"This is not what I expected in the slightest," Mizuki admitted, admiring the place in absolute awe.

This SEKAI was so much different from theirs in every possible aspect, it almost hurt Mizuki's head a little bit. The bright lights, the colorful attractions, the loud music, the flying train— there was so much to look at, contrary to the Empty SEKAI...

Well, it's certainly called Empty for a reason, Mizuki thought, before turning back to Rui.

Their hands were still locked together as Rui guided Mizuki around, obviously knowing the place way better than they did.

"Hey, Rui. You said this wasn't your SEKAI, right? Who's responsible for this place, then?" They asked.

"It sounds strange when you phrase it like that," He laughed. "But no, it's not mine. I reckon it'd look much different."

"This SEKAI is actually Tsukasa's."

"Huh?! Tsukasa-senpai?" Mizuki blinked, stopping dead in their tracks from the sheer surprise. "You said this SEKAI was individually created, right? By Tsukasa?"

"All of Wonderlands x Showtime have access to it, and we all make a bit of an impact with our own feelings, but yes. This SEKAI is a direct result of Tsukasa-kun's dreams and aspirations." Rui nodded. "Strange, isn't it? How someone's feelings can be so strong, yet so buried deep down, that one individual would manage to spawn a whole pocket dimension with the sole purpose of rediscovering these feelings."

"I had no idea, but now that I think about it, he does seem like the type of guy to do something so impossible, huh..." But, this means that Tsukasa's feelings are like Mafuyu's... Mizuki's starting to get a little concerned.

"Ah, see. There's the two people I could feel were in here~ Nene, Emu-kun!" Rui waved as they walked up to the main tent. "And Miku-kun, it's wonderful to see you."

"Rui-kun!!" Miku turned to him, eyes sparkling, and Mizuki thought it was strange to see Miku be so happy. "It's so great to see you and your friend!"

"Huh? Friend?" Nene looked over Miku's shoulder to try to find what she was referring to, eyes widening in surprise upon noticing Mizuki. "Akiyama-san? Rui, why is she here?"

"Ah, well. We ended up finding out we both have SEKAIs, and Mizuki wanted me to show her around." Rui responded. Mizuki was glad that he allowed them to decide whether or not they wanted Nene to know their pronouns and make her possibly suspect them.

Maybe they'd tell her later... for now, Kusanagi-san doesn't have to know anything.

"Wow, really?!" Emu rushed up to Mizuki, eyes shining so brightly that Mizuki almost thought they were gonna blind them. "You have a SEKAI, too?! What is it like? What's your Miku like? Who else is there?!"

"Calm down, calm down~ All in its due time, yes?" They smiled. Emu's excitement at... well, everything never failed to do that, and at this point, Mizuki's sure that it's on purpose. A smile causes a smile, and Emu is most definitely well aware of this.

"So, you two, how come you're still in SEKAI so late?" Rui questioned next.

"Ah, right! We haven't told Rui about the problem, Nene-chan!" Emu tugged on the arm of the girl in question, as if to encourage her to tell him.

"Problem? What problem?"

"Well, you see..."

—

"Okay, so, let me see if I got this right. You, as a group, had already found Tsukasa-senpai's True Feelings— correct?"

"Correct!" Emu nodded.

"And now it seems to have reverted? And you guys' Untitled file is back now?" Mizuki said, surprise apparent in their facial features.

"Not reverted, since our song is still there, but yes. We found out yesterday." Nene confirmed, though she was not facing Mizuki, instead watching Rui.

His chin rested on his hand in his signature "thinking pose", and he was looking back at Nene, too.

Are you sure it's a good idea to tell Mizuki? Was the unsaid question Nene was transmitting to him through her gaze, almost telepathically.

Yes, I'm sure. He responded in the same way, visibly calming Nene's concerns just a little bit.

"I see." Rui hummed. "Well... I guess there's not much to do other than do it again."

"Do what again?"

"Find Tsu-kun's feelings... though..."

"He's not going to like it." Nene finished. "We can't help him if he doesn't want to be helped."

"But we don't know that yet, right?" Mizuki said, hopeful. "Maybe Tsukasa-senpai will just let us—"

"I doubt it." Rui shook his head. He had their conversation over the phone on his mind... and how incredibly rare it was a situation like that even happened. Tsukasa rarely let himself be truly vulnerable in front of others, despite what he had learnt over their time together, and Rui knew that fact very well. Rui had mentally diagnosed him with like seven different mental problems already, and one of them was definitely self-worth issues.

If Tsukasa doesn't think he should be helped, doesn't think he deserves to be helped, then... then they can't help him.

Rui sighed. "We still have to try, though. It's better than nothing. Saki-chan is doing fine now, right? Next practice..."

"We'll tell him. We'll shoot our shot." Nene agreed, looking determined. "And if we miss, then we'll just have to find another way. I'm not letting Tsukasa-kun go back to how he was before."

"That's the spirit!" Emu agreed. "We can do this! You too, Mizuki-chan!"

"Right." They smiled. "I'll help in whatever way I can."

"Thank you, Mizuki. Thank you. Truly."

—

"A journal?" Mizuki asked, holding the book in their hands. "What's this for?"

"Oh, well!" Miku began, bouncing back and forth from her tiptoes to her talons. "You see, since this isn't your SEKAI, once you leave you might lose your memories of what happened here!"

"Huh?! Really?"

"Oh, how interesting." Rui hummed from beside them. "Why would that be?"

"Miku's not sure... I think it has something to do with the SEKAI sort of 'rejecting' your presence. It also happens a lot when a group first enters their SEKAI. When they leave, they sometimes forget what happened... the memories are deleted, like fwoosh, bow, gone! I've heard it feels like waking up from a weird dream!" She explained, helpfully adding in hand motions to accompany her onomatopoeia. "I thought if Miku gave you a journal to write down what you learnt here and you brought it back with you to the real world, you'd be able to avoid that!"

"A smart solution." Rui agreed. "Go on, Mizuki. Here— I have a spare pen."

"Pfft, you still use purple pens." Mizuki teased, taking it from his hand.

"And who's fault is that?"

"You can keep my pen, if you like it that much." Mizuki laughed. "If I knew you would've held so much admiration for something as small as a purple pen, I'd have given you one ages ago."

"It's purple." Rui justified, causing Mizuki to burst out laughing all over again.

"Mine, but it's still hilarious."

"Now, now. Hurry, hurry, or we won't be able to sleep enough." Rui scolded. "And I'm making you go to school with me tomorrow."

—