Reina Kousaka never really felt like herself.
It was frustrating, really. But she had to be like this, a bit distant and trying to be perfect. It wasn't her own wish. As long as she could remember, her father had told her what to do, what to say. Meeting Nobaru Taki was no difference.
The older man had at the time she met him just finished his school. He was ready to explore the world with his knowledge. Reina had been a little jealous, he could do what he wanted to do.
She snapped back to reality. Always reality. Her mother looked at her with a questioning face. She walked closer to her daughter. " Are you alright dear?" Reina looked into her mother's eyes. Their eyes were almost the same. Her mother's eyes were just a bit darker tinted.
" I'll be fine," Reina muttered. " Just a bit nervous for my Maths test I have later." Of course her mother didn't believe that but she decided to let her daughter be. " Okay. What do you want for lunch?"
As Reina carried her schoolbag on her back and the case with her trumpet downstairs, she said her goodbyes to her mother and exited the house.
She always walked the first part alone, later on she would meet up with Kumiko and if they were there, Midori and Hazuki. Reina didn't really mind the company of Midori and Hazuki, they could be fun. Lately Hazuki had been talking a lot about boys though.
" Ah there you are, Reina!"
Reina looked up when she heard her name. Kumiko waved at her cheerfully. A bit behind her stood her friends. Reina quickened her pace for a moment. " Good morning." She said with a nod at the two other girls before looking back at Kumiko.
Kumiko smiled at her. Reina couldn't help it, she smiled back.
Now, Midori and Hazuki weren't all stupid and retarded. They had seen a lot of the two girls and how they interacted with each other. And, it was getting painful. They weren't sure what Reina's deal was and why she acted flirty but didn't do anything else.
" Say, Hazuki-chan?" Midori asked, loud enough for the two girls in front of them to hear them. Hazuki rose a brow. " I just remembered I needed to pick up something really soon, want to go with me?" Thank god that Hazuki got the hint. " Sure."
Seconds later Reina and Kumiko were left alone, kind of confused.
Kumiko let out a laugh. " Well that was something." Reina bit her lip. She didn't reply to Kumiko. Her heart ached. She was tired. She didn't want to do this.
" Hey, are you okay Reina?" Kumiko asked as she softly took Reina's hand in her own. The movement startled Reina. She smiled. " No, I'm not okay," Kumiko stopped walking. " I'm just so tired." Reina finished. She stared at the ground.
She was being unfair. She said so much stupid things to Kumiko. She even flirted with her. It was all no use. Her father had decided her life for her. She had no choice but obey him. Reina felt tears coming up. She didn't feel like fighting them.
Kumiko softly pulled Reina away from the road. More students walked past them with the second. Kumiko thought that Reina wouldn't really enjoy curious eyes.
The place Kumiko brought Reina was a place she had been before. She's spend hours here with her sister or on her own, practicing euphonium. Some blossom floated on the calm water and in the distance a bird sang.
They sat in silence for a moment.
" I don't really know a lot about you Reina. I just realised that," Kumiko then started. She hadn't let go of Reina's hand. " I'm sort of disappointed in myself sometimes." Kumiko lightly added. Reina rose a brow. " You upset with yourself?"
Kumiko smiled as she scratched her chin. " I guess everyone is once in a while." Reina watched a leaf fall on the water, creating circles as it did. " We're going to miss school if we keep on sitting here." Reina stated. " I won't mind that." Kumiko replied.
And so they still sat on the bench, watching the beauty of nature. Sounds of cars and people in the distance. Reina glanced at her right hand, intertwined with Kumiko's left hand. She knew Kumiko wasn't letting go until she knew what was going on.
" Kumiko, what is your father like?"
Kumiko rose a brow. " Well, like a father I guess. He worries about me a lot, scolds me sometimes but overall, a good man." Kumiko then answered. " Why?" She asked. Reina studied Kumiko's hand. " My father is controlling sometimes. No actually, very often."
" Is he the reason why you're upset?" Kumiko asked. Her thumb stroke the back of Reina's hand. It was calming. " Sometimes he is the reason. But he does love me, he wants the best for me." Reina answered. Kumiko's stroking stopped. Reina frowned, she didn't want Kumiko to stop.
" You know, Reina," Kumiko suddenly said. " I'm really glad I got to meet you again and that we made up." Reina felt a light blush appear on her face. " Me too. I'm also glad I got to meet you again." She quickly replied.
The atmosphere between them was unbearable. Reina glanced at Kumiko's lips. She had wondered quite a few times how they would feel, soft? Maybe a bit dry. Reina didn't even notice that she licked her own lips.
Kumiko sure did. She swallowed audibly. She really wanted to pull Reina closer, kiss the girl. She couldn't. It would be wrong. Kumiko moved her eyes from Reina's lips to the girl's eyes. A mistake.
Before Reina knew it, she leaned closer to Kumiko. Her hands grabbed the girl's collar aggressively. She wanted this. For a moment she didn't care about her father. She pressed her lips against Kumiko's.
Kumiko was startled for a moment but didn't really mind a second later. She pushed back as she closed her eyes. Her left hand, still intertwined with Reina's fingers felt somehow hot. She rose her right and stroke a strand of Reina's hair behind her ear.
As soon as the kiss started, it stopped. Both the girls were bright red. Kumiko jerked away from Reina's face. " Ah, uh, sorry.. about that." She muttered as she scratched the back of her head. Reina cocked her head.
" Why are you sorry?" She asked as she scooted closer to Kumiko. Kumiko laughed sheepishly. " Well, you know, you don't like me. You like Taki-sensei." Reina sighed. Right, Taki. " Of course I don't," She started before kissing Kumiko's cheek.
" You don't?" Kumiko replied surprised. " Well, I do admire him but liking in the way of love? No way." Reina answered with a laugh. " That's just a way my father likes to think." She whispered as she leaned against Kumiko.
They again sat in silence. Kumiko cleared her throat. " I'm gay." She blurted out. Reina laughed and Kumiko looked hurt. " What's so funny about that?" She asked as she pushed against Reina's shoulder. " You just kissed me, Kumiko. That's pretty gay."
Kumiko blushed and shrugged. " Then what about you, you kissed me first." She then noted. Reina went quiet for a moment. " I'm not sure," She then muttered. " I just know that I really like you."
Reina moved so that she could easily reach Kumiko's lips and closed the distance. Kumiko answered happily.
" I'll figure something out," Reina muttered as she buried her face against Kumiko's neck. Kumiko hummed in reply. " I'll do what I want." Reina finished. " Sounds good to me." Kumiko replied as she wrapped an arm around Reina.
They ended up getting scolded by their teachers.