"Yō -chan!" the loud and excited voice of Chika Takami rang out in the space of the school idol club room. A shocked 'eep' escapes from Ruby who flails her arms outward creating a crude line through the drawing she had been working on. On the other hand Yō doesn't even miss a stitch, far more used to her best friends' random appearances and outburst, as she continues to weave together the latest Aqours outfit.
Having the decency to look embarrassed Chika let out a laugh and rubbed the back of her head.
"Hehe, sorry about that Ruby-chan."
The red head popped her head up from under the table she had used for a quick hiding space and gave Chika a suspicious look before it morphed into a small smile.
"Ah, it's okay Chika-san. Actually I think I'm getting kinda used to it now, I didn't even run away that time!"
"Mou, how many times do I have to tell you, it's Chi~ka~chan~"
Ruby settles herself back into her chair and casts a quick look in Yō's direction before she averts her gaze downward and smoothes her skirt.
"Ehehe, your right, sorry Chika-chan, although I'm kinda jealous of how cool and collected Yō-san…" Chika gives her a puppy dog look, "I mean, Yō-chan, is, I wish I could be more like her."
Finally finishing he seam she had been working on Yō places the cloth down and puffs out her chest.
"Well Chika-chan and I have been friends for so long it makes sense that we'd become used to each other quirks right? Plus it is a captain's duty to learn their crew inside and out in order to assure smooth sailing, Yousoro!" Yō finishes her statement off with her signature salute and a bright smile, but Chika just continues talking as if nothing happened.
"Don't be fooled Ruby-chan, Yō-chan actually has a surprising sensitive side too that she keeps hidden!" Chika narrows her eyes mischievously and fake whispers in the first years' direction, "Just the other week when I went over to her house she tackled me and refused to stop hugging me for what felt like forever~"
Yō slams her hands on the desk and stands up cheeks flushed and with and an accusing finger pointed in her best friends direction.
"Chika-chan!" she whines, "Don't go off and tell Ruby weird things, especially when they're embarrassing"
"Aw but I like that side of Yō-chan, it's unexpected of our full steam ahead captain thus making it a total charm point!"
Yō's blush increases in intensity and Chika just smiles serenely in her direction.
"Um, I agree, with um Chika-chan" Ruby's soft voice breaks the second years' out of their impromptu staring contest, "I really like how cool and reliable you are Yō-chan, it's one of the reasons I admire you a lot! But knowing that even my reliable senpai can be shy like me makes me think that even Ruby can change into someone cool and shining too! So please don't be embarrassed about your sensitive side Yō-chan!"
"Ruby…" Yō was taken by surprise from Ruby's sudden and loud declaration, her blush started to subside and warmth bubbled up in her chest at the praise. Ruby and Yō stare at each other with shimmering eyes and bright smiles.
"See, Ruby-chan gets it; you should definitely show your cute side more often."
Ruby nods enthusiastically before a look of realization overcomes her face causing her to become shy once more.
"But if Yō-chan shows this new side of her, won't she become even more popular with the fans? Just the thought of all that extra attention is scary, I'll pray for you Yō-chan" Ruby says solemnly
"Ehh, that's right, Ruby-chan, Kanan-chan, and Yō-chan are already really popular huh? Humph, then it's decided, Yō-chan is not allowed to be cute around anyone other than me!"
"Huh? Chika-chan-"
"Think about it Yō-chan, if you become even more popular then that'll leave less fans for the rest of us! Poor Dia-san will never be recognized at this point"
"Eh, I think you could have left that left that last part out Chika-chan"
"Poor Onee-chan, when will her recognition return from war?"
Yō looks in the underclassman's direction with a scandalized look, "You too Ruby?"
"Maybe we should dress her up as one of Yoshiko-chan's little demons and make another PV that worked really well for you Ruby-chan."
The red head's eyes light up in excitement as she turns to her sketch book and flips to a fresh page, pencil moving rapidly against the paper.
"That's actually a good idea Chika-chan, the third years didn't get an intro video like the rest of us right? But I instead of little demons it should be Kimonos, it's more cool and refined like my Onee-chan, and she'll be more in her element like this."
Interest peeked Chika looks over Ruby's shoulder as a rough sketch of a kimono comes to life.
"Wow, how pretty Ruby-chan." Chika compliments in awe. Ruby blushes from the praise and ducks her head.
"It's just an outline right now, I still have to draw in the detailed patterns and decide on a color pallet."
"Yeah but it's so cool how quickly you can draw, and how pretty it looks even when it's not done." Chika pats the underclassman on the head and Ruby soaks up the praise. Yō idly wonders if they'd even notice if she got up and left.
"This will really show case how your sister is a real Diamond in the rough." Chika wiggles her eyebrows as silence blankets the room. Blinking owlishly Chika takes their silence as confusion and starts to explain.
"Hehe did you get it, cause diamond has Dia in it, and-"
You placed a hand on her friends shoulder and gave her a blank stare.
"We get it Chika-chan"
Crossing her arms behind her head Chika smiles obviously pleased with her pun while Yō and Ruby just share a look before giggling. Pouting at her friends Chika wonders why she's being left out of a joke but ends up joining in with their laughter. Once they settle down Yō remembers that Chika being here was a little strange. Practice didn't start for at least another half hour while the third years did student council work, and Hanamaru finished up her work in the library. Yō and Ruby would usually take this time to work on the groups outfits, while Yoshiko did… well Yō wasn't really sure, that girl seemed to just disappear and reappear at strange times, and Chika was supposed to be in the music room with…
"Ne, Chika-chan did you and Riko-chan finish the song already?"
Chika's entire demeanor screamed 'deer caught in the headlights' and Yō just raised her eyebrow and smiled at her obviously guilty friend.
"Hehe not yet~ the lyrics for this one are kinda tricky so I'm a little stuck and decided to take a break and come see Yō-chan."
Butterflies swarmed in the divers belly making her feel like she could float right off the ground. Luckily Ruby saved her from having to respond.
"Um, but you've been gone a while, won't Riko-san get upset?"
A sneaky smile slowly curled onto Chika's lips as she crossed her hands behind her head trying to appear nonchalant.
"Don't worry, Riko-chan is with Yoshiko-chan right now, so she's probably too busy to even notice I'm gone~"
Yō wanted to question Chika's logic but when she noticed Ruby nod along in understanding she held back her retort obviously missing something. She doesn't get to think about though because her vision was filled with a smiling Chika whose face was only a couple inches from her own.
"So Yō-chan, are you free tomorrow afternoon?"
Too busy staring at Chika's wide smile and pushing down the urge to kiss that cute expression on her face, Yō was only able to shake her head in the positive to the question.
"Good, then let's go to the Awashima!"
"The Aquarium? What's with the sudden request?"
"Ah Riko-chan and I were discussing different places to visit in Uchiura and Numazu-"
Yō feels her smile waver but instantly berates herself for it. It's not like she hated Riko, it's just hard suddenly having to share Chika with someone else. It was nothing like growing up with Chika and Kanan, although maybe that had to do with the fact that Kanan was a year older and had other friends she split her time with. Or maybe it was the bond that Chika and Riko seemed to have, the bond that seemed to have formed so suddenly but was already so strong, like it was on a different level than Yō and Chika's own and Yō had no way to ever reach that level.
"-so you'll go right?"
Although when Chika looked at her and gave her that crooked smile, with eyes so bright and hopeful that it made Yō's heart slowly throb, for a moment those insecurities melted away and she's reminded of the cubby faced kid with the awkward haircut that had dived head first into Yō's life and heart when they were younger.
"Sure, let's go"
"Great, I can't wait!" Chika does a little jump unable to contain her happiness, "I'm gonna head back before Yoshiko-chan makes Riko-chan do something weird. I'll meet you by the ferry at twelve thirty; don't be late Yō-chan"
"Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you? Try not to stay up all night watching lives~"
Right before Chika stepped out the door she turns around throwing another smile in Yō's direction before finally exiting the room.
After a beat Yō lets out heavy sigh and slumps against the table. She wondered when it became so hard to keep her wildly beating heart under control and her face flush free. Probably the same time she started wishing Chika's gaze would linger on her a little longer, or when thoughts of grabbing the energetic girls hand while they walked to the bus started to pop up in her head, or when she wished that the bus ride would last a little longer so Chika could keep sleeping peacefully on her shoulder.
It made her want to scream in frustration because she couldn't shake this feeling, and even worse she couldn't confess, every time she thought about it she would look at Chika and Riko talking closely and smiling at each other, in their own world. It made her chest ache. Yō was effectively stuck, unable move forward, and unable to swallow these feelings down and make them disappear.
She's jolted out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder, her eyes lock on the determined gaze of Ruby, who, if she was being honest, she forgot was still in the room.
"Don't give up Yō-chan. Keep doing your Rubesty and I'm sure your feelings will get across to her. I'm rooting for you!"
Yō can't help but laugh feeling the weight on her chest ease a little. First Mari and now Ruby? Maybe she wasn't doing a great job of keeping a lid on her feelings like she thought.
"Right, what kind of Captain would I be if I turned tail at the first sight of treacherous seas? I'll do my Rubesty and keep charging full steam ahead!"
Ruby cheers as Yō salutes and the second year finds herself once again grateful that she decided to accept Chika's offer to become school idols because she's gained some really great friends along the way.
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Yō stuffs her hands into her pockets and looks out onto the horizon. The afternoon sun was partially blocked by the clouds which made the natural cool breeze the ocean provided feel a bit chillier. But Yō wasn't worried; she had predicted that it would be a warm day today, reminiscent of summer which was right around the corner.
And of course when she thought of summer her dad came to mind. She wondered what he was doing right now, if he was docked or in the midst of a journey. It was hard waiting until summer every year to see him. There's always so much she wants to do with him when he gets home but there never seems like enough time.
She thinks back to the last phone call she had with him where she asked when he'd return. The grin in his voice was audible when he replied that he'd actually be home in time for the summer festival. Yō was ecstatic, she loved going to the festival with her dad., they would go all the stalls and play the games, and compete against each other, and he would always win her and her mom at least one toy from the ring toss booth which was the bane of Yō's existence. She always ended up using a couple hundred yen on trying to beat it before her dad would put her a hand on her shoulder and tell her to 'let the pro handle this' before he successfully lands all five rings onto a bottle two time in a row. To this day she would give him a look of awe.
This year's festival would be even more exciting because Aqours had been asked to perform and from the moment she had told her dad about becoming a school idol he was arguably her biggest fan.
Looking up toward the sky a large smile spread on her face excitement building.
"Yō -chan!"
Bringing her gaze down from the sky Yō begins to scan the crowd looking for her two friends, but her search turns out to be futile as she is suddenly tackled from behind. Yō feels her muscles twitch, her instincts telling her to grab the arms that were draped around her neck and flip them over her shoulder.
"Hehe you were wide open"
A familiar warmth flares up in the divers chest and her smile increases in intensity. Reaching her hands up Yō began to tickle the underside of Chika's forearms. The orange haired girl immediately had giggles spilling from her mouth as she released Yō.
"Mou no fair"
"You were the one who left your weak spots open, so consider it payback for sneaking up on me."
Chika puffs out a cheek and crosses her arms before walking off toward the pier.
"Come on Yō-chan we don't wanna miss the ferry."
"Wait Chika-chan, aren't we missing someone?"
"Eh?" Chika tilted her head in confusion and Yō swallows ignoring the flip flopping in her stomach at the cute sight.
"Riko-chan isn't here yet, I'm actually surprised you two didn't come together."
"Riko-chan?" Chika's confused face turns into understanding as her natural smile lights up her face once again. "It's just you and me today Yō –chan, I mean it's been a while right? And Yō-chan is still feeling lonely right?"
Yō flushes as her mind wanders back to her crying and clutching a sweaty and slightly bewildered Chika who had biked all the way to Yō's house in the middle of the night just to cheer her up. Geeze she really was an idiot.
"Chika-chan, you could've invited Riko-chan its fine, I'm okay-"
"Mou, Yō-chan, you're so stubborn. I've already decided that today I wanna spend time with my most precious person, and that's you Yō-chan. So you're stuck with me." Chika sticks out her tongue and Yō feels like she could cry.
Chika walks closer to her overwhelmed best friend and brushes a thumb against her cheek catching a stray tear that Yō didn't even notice had fell.
"I really love this cute side of you Yō-chan. Actually I love everything about Yō-chan! Even if she is kinda dumb and forgets that sometimes."
Chika leans in and places a kiss on an unsuspecting Yō's cheek and grabs her hand interlacing their fingers pulling her along. Yō stumbles a little still thrown for a loop but once time seemed to return to its normal pace Yō breaks out into a bright smile and matches Chika's pace giving their entwined hands a squeeze.
"So Captain Yō, full speed ahead?"
"Full speed ahead, first mate Chika"
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MC: two stories in one day? how rare. Also if Ruby can dab Ruby can meme, let Ruby meme! Idk maybe my ability to write something with a plot needs to return from war too. Also, now that I've done both, which is better, writing with honorifics or without out? I don't really mind either way.