Disclaimer: Nanoha and it's characters does not belong to me. This story is a translation from a Chinese fanfiction I read on Yamibo long ago back in 2010 and maybe earlier? Hence I could not find the original author. If anyone recognizes it, feel free to send me a message :)

This is my first translation project and I'm sure it may feel odd at places so please be forgiving. I'm also looking for a beta to go over the chapters, preferably someone who could read Chinese to go over the original story as well. The story is a short story with seven chapters in total.

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Chapter One (Nanoha's POV)

Urg! Why am I this angry?

Clinching her fists tightly at her sides, 21 yr old Takamachi Nanoha found herself angry.

It was only because she saw her best friend Fate smile, but just not for her. Oh, and maybe also

a little bit because Fate was her ex-girlfriend.

"So…just what are you angry about?" Nanoha's other best friend Hayate commented slowly from behind a mountain of files.

"If I knew then I wouldn't be here asking you, Hayate-chan." Nanoha absent mindedly stirred the coffee in her coffee mug aggressively, which is very in danger of spilling its content, that or cracking itself from the death grip Nanoha has on it.

"Ah~this kind of thing, shouldn't you discover the answer yourself?" Hayate gave Nanoha a complexed look; okay maybe with a little concern for the coffee's safety as well.

"Fate-chan is my best friend, right Hayate-chan?" Nanoha raised her head and asked Hayate with a lost look in her eyes.

"This…who knows. You both are so hopeless…"

"Then why am I angry and upset? Why, Hayate-chan?"

"Nanoha, you have to open your eyes wide."

"Uh?"

"Look clearly about your real feelings."

"Hayate, what is my real feelings? Don't I already know? Isn't Fate-chan only my best friend?"

"Ah, this…Ma, you should think about this a bit more slowly on your own. I must be going home now to my family of children; they're waiting for me. Today everyone finally had the free time to gather together." Speaking of her family, a warm smile graced the Mistress of the Book of Darkness' girlish young face.

"Oh, then you guys have fun, okay." The Administrative Bureau's White Devil's voice suddenly sounded very forlorn.

Family. That's nice. Reminds me of my own family far away back on Unadministered Planet 73. I wonder how everyone's been doing? It's been a long time since I've been back home. There's also Alisa-chan and Suzuka-chan. Of course I can't forget my dear daughter, Vivio. Even though she's only living at the St. Hilde Academy of Magic's dormitory, but I still miss her; that fuzzy heart-warming feeling of those times being together with her and Fate.

Fate. Why did I thought of her again? She should be very happy now, right? Compared to when she was with me. Um, but then why does my heart hurt?

At that time, dating Fate-can was only because I wanted a shoulder to lean on. That's why I said "I wanted a boyfriend."

And to my surprise, the normally shy Fate-chan suddenly confessed to me the next day.

Thus, just like that we started dating. Very despicable, right?

Thinking that "if it's Fate-chan, then it's okay" to myself.

In the end, as time went by every time I looked into the depth of her burgundy red eyes, the more pressure I felt of wanting to ran away from the situation. I've only thought of her as my best friend, but she…

Sighing, Nanoha stood up.

But how would the truth be exposed? I thought I acted my lover's role well; we get along well like lovers. And I thought that "I can't hurt Fate-chan, just like this right now is fine." But then one day she suddenly out of the blue asked if I only thought of her as my best friend.

Looking at the determined look in her burgundy red eyes that day, I couldn't speak and fake the "I love you" used so conveniently in the past.

And then, with the memory of the forlorned look in her eyes forever imprinted in me that day, Fate asked for the end of this relationship of ours.

The me at that time didn't feel the breath of relief as expected, instead there was a bit of sadness. But I didn't think much of it. After all, suddenly separating from a five years lover, it's normal to feel some sort of sadness. That's what I remembered I thought to myself then.

That's right, Fate and I dated for five years. In those five years, Fate had eyes only for me. But now suddenly there appeared a stranger; a stranger that appeared as her lover. That would make me feel unaccustomed, right?

Shackling the unease in her heart and forcing herself to accept the answer she just concluded, Takamachi Nanoha turned to return back to work.

End