With You Again
"Hey, Rin?" Gumi mused absently as she stared at the stirring branches above their heads.
"Mm?" Rin murmured as a response, her eyes closed to listen to the pleasant rustling of the leaves, her mind fully focussed on the warm, gentle breeze that caressed her and waved the grass of the meadow on whose ridge they sat.
"If a single wish were to come true today, what would you wish for?" Gumi questioned, peering at the white cotton balls flowing across the blue canvas above her.
"Mm," Rin mumbled again, her fingers which had interlocked behind her head to make a pillow tapping the dirt beneath the grass as she thought. "You?"
"That's not exactly a wish," Gumi expressed, returning her gaze to the sky, "but I suppose it's acceptable."
"Funny. That's almost the exact same thing your parents said about you, Gumi-oniichan," the blonde said, so relaxed as she spoken that it was almost incoherent. A smirk had formed on her lips as Gumi peered down at her, scowling playfully.
"Very funny," the greenette said, sticking her tongue out. "Well, thank you anyway, little sister Rin."
"Now now, when you say that, it just sounds creepy," Rin said, opening a single eye against the sun's harsh rays to look up at Gumi's smiling face.
"In retrospect, the entire thing is creepy," Gumi pointed out. She leaned down and kissed Rin's pink lips. Rin closed her eye, resisting the urge to laugh at Gumi's hair tickling her face, and opened it again to smile at the other girl as she drew away but stopped so that she continued leaning over her. "But that's okay. I don't mind."
"Don't mind?" Rin gasped with feigned indignation, pouting playfully at the laughing greenette. "Well then. How rude."
Gumi giggled as Rin closed her eyes, still pouting that way, and leaned back against the tree under which they sat. Rin waited for the greenette to say something more, peering slyly out of one eye to see the other girl's reaction, but Gumi seemed perfectly content with the way things had ended. So, closing her eye again, Rin questioned, "Are you just here because you have to be?"
"Of course," Gumi scoffed, sticking her tongue out at Rin. Rin puffed her cheeks out to show her displeasure. Gumi just grinned fondly downward and continued. "Why else would I deal with you every single day?"
"If you're only here out of obligation, just go," Rin commanded. "I don't want you here if you're just following orders."
"But I have to be by your side, always," Gumi stated, startling Rin with her passion and causing the blonde to open her eyes instantly. She didn't mind the pain of the light for seeing Gumi's cheerful face. "Whether it's today or tomorrow, cloudy or rainy, I'll always be by your side, Rin."
"Gumi . . . ," Rin murmured, her eyes tearing up from the emotions overflowing inside her.
"Because my parents told me to," Gumi finished with a pleasant smile.
Rin, fuming, instantly began attacking Gumi with all her might. "You jerk! How could you say something like that, you idiot! Ugh, you're the most frustrating person I know, Gumi!"
Then, still fuming, Rin's mouth was covered by another. She fell instantly silent, still glaring at the self-satisfied Gumi but blushing bright pink at the same time. Then, unable to tolerate those cocky eyes staring at her from such a small distance away, she pushed Gumi off of her and pouted.
"You jerk," she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know why I even like you in the first place."
"Mm, you're the one who chose me," Gumi pointed out. "It's your own fault."
"Well, in the first place, I thought you were a boy," Rin retorted, still keeping her back to the greenette.
"Still not my fault," Gumi said, amused by the girl's adorable behaviour. She tried to peer around the blonde, who turned further away in response. "You could've chosen someone else after you found out. I'm sure that would've made our parents happier."
"But you were so sad," Rin replied, though that was only part of the reason. "I couldn't just give you false hope. I had to go through with it."
"Why can't you admit it, Rin? The attraction was instantaneous, wasn't it?"
Rin snorted in response, though that was partially true. "Whatever. I'd never have brought you home if I'd known that this was how you'd turn out to be, Gumi-oniichan."
"Seriously, Rin, that sounds just as creepy," Gumi laughed. "I mean, a big brother shouldn't kiss his little sister like that, right?"
"The whole thing is just weird, anyway," Rin said, unable to resist Gumi's cheeriness and turning to face the girl. "I don't know what our parents were thinking."
"Well, in any case, because of you, I actually have parents," Gumi replied. She smiled tenderly, making Rin look down in embarrassment. "And I'm ever grateful."
"And that's the only reason why you stay with me," Rin sighed, waiting for Gumi to deny it. It was at times like this that Rin realized what a selfish, spoiled girl Gumi had made her, but she didn't mind, because Gumi always forgave her for it.
"No, Rin," Gumi denied, shaking her head. "It's true that your aunt and uncle adopted me for you, for someone for you to marry when you grew up, but that made merely how I met you. I stay with you for you, Rin."
Rin couldn't think of anything to say as she looked up and met those bright green eyes before her. Gumi's lips met hers again, then she pulled back once more, keeping her fingers under Rin's chin and smiling tenderly at her.
"At all times, no matter what, I am definitely in love with you, 'kay?" she whispered to the blonde that she held so dear.
"Gumi?" Rin murmured.
"Yeah?" Gumi whispered back.
"Can I change my wish?"
"Sure." She smiled. "If a single wish were to come true today, what would you wish for?"
"To stay with you forever."
. . .
"Obachan, is Rin going to be back to visit anytime soon?" Gumi wondered as she lounged on the couch in Rin's home. Rin's mother had just hung up the phone, surely talking to Rin. Gumi couldn't help but feel a little upset that Rin hadn't wished to talk to her.
Rin had gone off to university a few months back, and she hadn't yet come back to visit. She'd tried to convince Gumi's parents to let Gumi follow her, just as Gumi had tried to be allowed, but they'd advised the girls that, for their future, they had to pursue their separate careers so that one wouldn't depend on the other when they lived together. Gumi had been forced to see this as reasonable and explain it to Rin, who'd still been displeased with how things had turned out as she left. Yet, despite all her protests against being separated, she had come to visit, not even once.
"No, she says she won't be coming home anytime soon." Gumi stared at her, sensing the slightly quizzical note in the woman's voice.
"What's wrong?" Gumi wondered.
"Gumi," the woman said, choosing her words carefully. "Are you happy with your university? Are you happy with what you've decided for your career?"
Gumi smiled cautiously. "Um, yes, I am. Why?"
"Are you fully happy right now, living here with my sister?" she questioned further.
"Of course, obachan," Gumi said, frowning as she stood and walked over to her aunt. "Why? What's going on?"
"Gumi, what would you do if I told you that Rin won't be coming back?"
Gumi frowned deeper. "Well, I'll still see her in the summer, right? I'll just wait until then."
"No, not like that, Gumi."
Gumi felt her stomach drop as she imagined the worst possible scenario. Instantly, she exclaimed, "Has Rin been hurt? Has there been an accident?"
"No, Gumi, not like that, either," the woman excused hurriedly. "It's just, well, Rin's been offered a full-time job, and she's not going to move back or visit or anything like that."
Gumi frowned. "Then I'll go visit her myself. I love her, too, so I should make an effort to go see her as well, right? It's not all on her."
"Gumi, I don't think you want to do that." And then, Gumi's aunt hiccupped and drew the sleeve of her shirt across wet eyes. "I'm so sorry, Gumi."
"What?" Gumi asked, worried, as she gripped the woman by the arms, concerned. "Are you alright, obachan?"
"Gumi, you don't have to feel bound to Rin, anymore, okay?" the woman choked with a false smile as she cried. "It was horrible for us to do that in the first place, to have my sister adopt you simply to stay forever with our Rin."
"That's alright, obachan," Gumi insisted. "Rin and I are in love. We're okay with it."
"Gumi, Rin doesn't want to stay with you anymore," the woman sobbed, such horrible sorrow and guilt in her voice. But that sorrow didn't match Gumi's, not even slightly. Gumi couldn't react. She didn't know how to react. She could only let out one weak syllable.
"What?"
. . .
Rin laughed with him, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked in that strange mixture of rain and snow, sharing one umbrella. She smiled so fondly at him, so happy just being with him. She'd met him the first day of classes, and, in spending more and more time with him, she'd fallen for him. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to tell Gumi. She felt like a coward, forcing her mother to tell Gumi for her.
Turning in on her dormitory, Rin came to an instant halt, taking in a sharp breath and staring at the figure that stood before the door, green hair clumping together as the rain and snow clung to it.
"If a single wish were to come true today, what would you wish for?" Gumi wondered, smiling a little sadly as she stared at her beloved.
"Gumi, I–" Rin started, but she cut herself off and sighed, looking away, so terribly guilt-ridden as tears formed in her eyes. She didn't bother asking how Gumi'd gotten here. That was irrelevant. "Gumi, I thought Mama told you. You don't have to be with me anymore. Go find someone who will love you properly."
"So you'd wish for me to forget you?" the greenette questioned.
Rin squeezed her eyes shut. Was that what Gumi needed to hear? If so, she had no choice but to force out that, "Yes."
"None of it is ever meant to be forgotten, Rin," Gumi stated, still smiling at Rin despite the pain in her gaze. "Anyway, I'm always by your side, right? There's nothing more that I need or that I want."
"Gumi," Rin said weakly, looking at the girl who'd been adopted simply to stay by her forever. Gumi still stood there, in this terrible weather, still smiling, because she would be ever loyal to Rin. That's all she'd ever known. "Gumi, I found love." She tightened her grip around the boy's arm. "I want you to, as well."
Gumi couldn't say anything, so she repeated that one line, once more. "If a single wish were to come true today, what would you wish for?"
Rin closed her eyes gently and answered, "For you to move on and be happy, to live the life that's been taken from you all this time."
"I can't do that," Gumi said, shaking her head as she smiled. "I need you, Rin. Can I always love you, I wonder? If I asked you for that, would you give it to me?"
"That's not right, Gumi," Rin insisted. "I want you to be free."
"Nothing with ever change, Rin. Even if you're long gone, I'll still wait for you. I'll love you, forever." She smiled brightly. "After all, I'm definitely in love with you, 'kay?"
"I only wish for you to be happy. If one single wish could be granted, that would be it," Rin insisted.
Gumi still looked so bright, so cheerful. How could she feel like that right now? Rin couldn't understand, not at all. "I am happy, Rin. As long as I can love you, I can be happy. Okay?"
Rin felt so terrible. She was so horrible. She'd done this to Gumi, stolen the girl's only chance at ever truly being happy, truly being in love. All because, years ago, she'd chosen Gumi to be her betrothed and then, years later, had found someone else. Unable to take that trust, love, and devotion in Gumi's eyes, Rin ran past her, into the dormitory. The boy followed her while Gumi continued to stand there, hopelessly devoted to the girl she loved.
But, eventually, Gumi went home. Rin stayed there, far away, but Gumi continued believing in their love. As years went by, Gumi became an idol, singing the song she'd written for Rin. Rin heard that song each and every day. Gumi continued to sing it, always loving Rin, despite the fact that she knew Rin had moved on. It was a hopeless, sad, oppressive love, but it was all Gumi had ever known and all she cared for. And so, every day, she sang that song.
I continue to wish at all times so that I can return to my days with you
I continue to sing at all times a melody I send out toward you
At all times, no matter what, can I love you, I wonder
At all times, no matter what, I am fully in love with you, 'kay
Author's Note: Based on Gumi's song of the same title. I have a certain affection for hopelessly devoted characters, and the song gave off a bright, hopeful feel to me so yeah. This story came to be as I listened. Oh, and if you couldn't quite understand, basically, when she was young, Rin's parents brought her in to an orphanage to choose some boy that her aunt and uncle would adopt that she would some day marry. So, thinking Gumi was a boy, Rin chose her. Well, that's it. Hope you enjoyed!