"Ne, Riko-chan? Can I talk to you about something?"
Riko paused in her sweeping, sending a questioning glance at Chika's back as the ginger wiped the chalkboard clean with the eraser. The two of them were alone on classroom duty, the rest of the class having departed long ago. You had offered to stay and help, but Chika had insisted the brunette not keep the swim team waiting, so the two had sent her off with kisses.
"Of course, Chika-chan. What do you need?"
"I need your help. Or, maybe it would be more accurate to say You-chan needs your help."
"Eh? What's going on?"
Chika took some time to clap the erasers free of dust before answering. "You-chan is feeling insecure about our love for her, and has been for a couple days now. I've tried to be more obvious in showing her my love, but I don't think I'm the source of her insecurities this time. So I'd like it if you could help me give her some validation."
Riko frowned. Insecurity was a familiar demon, both for herself and for the brunette she and Chika loved. She got a faraway look in her eyes as she thought back to that time at the aquarium they'd made their PV in, before the three of them had gotten together. It'd been rough on all of them, but especially on You. The poor girl had thought she'd been abandoned, and even after that got cleared up, she was still willing to open up her fragile heart to make sure Riko wouldn't feel the same.
"Of course I'll help," replied Riko. "But... why did she only tell you?"
Chika closed her eyes and smiled, humming lightly in thought. "She didn't. At least, not with words. You see, whenever You-chan feels insecure she starts wearing her glasses."
"What? She told me her vision was just getting a little foggy..."
Chika gave a small shrug and a lopsided grin. "Yeah, but she means that in a metaphorical way, you know? Besides, those glasses don't even do anything. I won them for her at a festival when we were children." She paused to think. "Actually, I'm pretty sure she only puts them on subconsciously."
Riko was silent for a time. "Sometimes I envy the connection the two of you share," she said eventually. "So many memories the two of you have made, so many things the two of you can communicate without even needing to speak a word..."
"Hey," said Chika, walking over and tilting Riko's chin so she could look her in the eye. "We already talked this out ages ago, remember? No one gets left behind."
The redhead smiled. "I know. Maybe I'm in need of a little validation myself."
"Say no more." Chika pressed her lips against Riko's, each enjoying the familiar warmth and the feelings expressed.
It wasn't hard for them to arrange a little one on one time between You and Riko. After reuniting with You during her swim practice, Chika beckoned the brunette over, saying that Mito-nee had called and needed her back at the inn as soon as possible. She gave You a great big apology kiss before heading off, slipping Riko a wink when You's back was turned.
And so while You swam and worked to shave a fraction of a second off her best time, Riko quietly cheered her on from the bleachers, trying to formulate a way to show You she was loved. She thought, she planned, and she wrote down her ideas, resulting in a rather detailed itinerary for the rest of the day, all of it designed to be as romantic and enjoyable for You as possible.
When practice ended, Riko waited diligently by the locker room door as the girls filtered out, only entering once she was certain You was the last one inside. She found the brunette already dressed, doing her best to remove the last drops of water from her hair with a towel.
"Today seemed like a good practice," said Riko.
You glanced up at her and smiled. "I suppose... I didn't beat any of my records, but I did manage to match my best times fairly often."
"Well, consistency is good, right?" replied Riko thoughtfully.
"Yeah. Ah, I'll be done soon. Just gimme me a sec, then I'll walk you home and we can see what the fuss is all about with Chika." You reached into her locker to grab her glasses, donning them automatically. Though You didn't notice, Riko certainly did.
"Actually, I thought we might spend the day together," suggested Riko. "Just us." She proceeded to tell You all about her ideas for what was basically a You Appreciation Day.
The brunette hummed in satisfaction. "It sounds like you have everything planned out," remarked You with a smile, tossing her towel in a bag.
But even though that was the reaction she was going for, Riko couldn't help but frown. "Yeah..." she trailed.
She did have it all planned out. And though there was nothing inherently wrong with that, it felt a little too... constructed. For Riko and You, and especially for Chika, love was meant to be grown and nurtured, not built on rigidity and maintained through scheduling. So, as You closed her locker while wearing those telltale glasses, the redhead decided a little spontaneity was in order.
Without warning, Riko slammed her hand against the wall, pinning You in place and locking their eyes together, Riko's seductive leer against You's vaguely surprised stare. They stayed that way for a while, the only movement coming from You's occasional blinks of surprise that Riko of all people was taking the lead.
Then it ended as quickly as it began, as Riko's seductive facade broke into a grimace of pain as she backed away with a whimper, holding her arm against her chest.
"Riko-chan? Are you okay? What happened?" asked You as she moved swiftly to tend to her girlfriend.
With a teary eye and a sniff, Riko replied, "I hit the wall too hard and hurt myself."
Later, after You escorted Riko back to her home, Chika and Riko had another one of their balcony chats.
"Riko-chan, I just saw You-chan! She's not wearing her glasses anymore!" exclaimed Chika.
"Oh?" Riko had been distracted and hadn't noticed. "That's good."
"So? How did you do it?"
"I hurt myself," answered Riko tonelessly, holding up her bandaged arm.
"EHH?! Riko-chan, what happened?!"