#also…. rui’s picnic side story 1 story where he regards having a conversation with mizuki as not unlike hunting a spooked prey animal

[limewatt]

kamikou cheer squad “you’re not stuck on that rooftop anymore, rui” -> ena5 mizuki side story 2 “welcome to this side, mizuki” what if i cried. they’re finally both free of that rooftop……. they’re not friends in solitude anymore… they’re friends!!!!! that have each found their people!!!

also, in cheer squad, rui's “there's something i want to say, but i'm scared that i'll drive everyone to the other side again if i say it” was craaaazy. such a direct parallel to mizuki... and mizuki reassuring him (and having asked him to direct the cheer squad in the first place) being why he was able to gather his courage... “you'll be fine rui. seeing you at the culture festival made me believe you're not stuck on that rooftop anymore. i'm looking forward to seeing what crazy idea you'll direct!” i'm not caught up on all of wxs's stories so i can't say if it has an impact there, but rui's success in getting his feelings across in cheer squad being how he's able to reach out and make new friends in pandemonium/spirited affair... gwah.

rui's effect on mizuki is obvious. he's in a fair amount of her focuses / side stories / + picnic and ena5. and RIBBON... the shadow his absence casts on her... being the reason she was hesitant to reach out to niigo because she was scared niigo would leave her eventually like he did... but also the reason she wanted to reach out at all... because rui made her see that there are people in the world who will understand her... the 1 in “25:00:01” on kimi no yoru wo kure’s cover being rui’s colour… all so awesome. but mizuki's effect on rui is subtler/less focused on. so cheer squad where mizuki is unequivocally a key part of rui's growth is so special to me.