[GF flash fiction, departing from end of ch. 24]
page 17
The hotel room is dimly lit. Over a dozen girls are sitting around on beds and on the floor, wearing yukatas, western pajamas, and exercise clothes. One is talking, holding her arms out wide in the midst of a ghost story, and several of the others have their eyes closed and are covering their ears with their hands.
The hotel door opens, creaking, and letting in a blinding light. First one, then two more silhouetted figures enter the room. One of the girls screams…
Girl 1 [relieved]: Oh, Taguchi-san! You almost scared us to death! You were gone for a while. Is this your classmate who passed out in the bath?
[Taguchi is looking drained, almost shell-shocked, and her mouth is frozen in a bad imitation of a smile. Next to her are Akko and Mari, smiling widely. Mari is in the pajamas and robe she wore to the meeting with their teacher. Akko is in the hotel yukata. They wave at everyone and Akko assures people she is all right now. Mari's hands, half-hidden by the long sleeves of the yukata and the darkness of the room, gently but firmly hold Akko's left hand, and her eyes return to Akko's face time and again as classmates greet Akko and thank Mari for rescuing her.]
page 18
[Fifteen minutes earlier]
In the same hotel room, the same girls are sitting, this time with Taguchi among them.
Girl 1: And that's why she's called the ghost of-
SFX: [muffled shriek and voices from next door]
Taguchi hides her head between her knees and starts to whimper.
Girl 2 [trembling]: What was that noise?
Girl 3: It sounded like it was coming from next door! Taguchi! Isn't that your room?
Girl 2: Oh! It's just your classmate, right? The one who passed out in the bath! Maybe she needs something…
Taguchi [lifting her head]: Oh, that's probably it. I'll be right back. [She gets up and excuses herself.]
page 19
The room is in half-light. Mari is sitting in a hotel room with Naru-sensei and one other girl. Each has a clipboard and some papers. The other girl excuses herself and leaves. Mari grips one sheet of paper tighter, and starts to hand it to her teacher, but stops.
Sensei [turning toward Mari]: Kumakura-san, was Oohashi-san alright earlier? I was worried about her.
Mari [blushing a little]: Yes, she's going to be fine, after-
Sensei: Oh, that's right! You took care of her after all! You're really something, Kumakura-san!
Mari [blushing]: Sensei, about that…
Sensei: Hmmm?
Mari: Well, I don't know who else to ask. It's kind of embarrassing.
Sensei: Your friends call you Mari-chin, right?
Mari [gasps]: Y- Yes! I-
Sensei [leaning closer]: Well, Mari-chin, you seem like a responsible student and a good person.
Mari [blushing and frowning]: Thank you, Sensei.
page 20
Sensei: Mari-chin! [Mari jumps.] Are you sure Oohashi-san is all right? She's been acting strangely for weeks now. You're her best friend!
Mari [shoulders sagging]:…I…
Sensei [her face softening]: You were very strong today, Mari-chin. But whatever is happening to your friend didn't just happen tonight. [Mari looks up at her teacher, and flashes back to Akko slamming her hand on the desk at school, reacting to the news Harada had broken up with Mari.]
Sensei: Oohashi-san has been ready to faint for a while now. There's something she's not showing us, don't you think? [Thinking of their kiss at the karaoke club, Mari nods her head and says, "Yeah."]
Sensei: Well, all I'm saying is that you may need to jump in and pull Oohashi-san out of another type of danger.
[Mari looks her teacher in the eye, and crumples the paper she had been clutching. Her teacher smiles.]
page 21
[Mari hurries up a flight of stairs and down an empty hall, thinking, "It doesn't matter if Sensei knows – or Sugi, or Tamamin, or the others! All that matters is that Akko knows." She smiles as she approaches the door. "I'm going to tell her exactly how I feel."]
[Inside a hotel room, Akko sits by herself on a bed, staring at a guidebook. Her eyes look tired, her mouth has settled into a frown, and she is holding a wadded tissue in her hand.]
[The door opens a sliver, and Akko looks up nervously.]
Akko: Mari-chin! I wanted to say-
[Akko stops as Mari strides across the room, not quite shutting the door behind her. She stands in front of the seated Akko for a moment, looking serious. Akko shrinks back a bit, thinking, "I've never seen Mari look so…" Then Mari's eyes tear up, and she pulls Akko into her arms, sniffling.]
Mari: Akko, I-I was sooo worried! How could you-?
Akko [thinking "It was an accident!"]:: Mari, I just didn't-
Mari: But you knew! [Akko looks puzzled.] You knew how I felt!
Akko [coughing] thinks: That's right. Whenever I need her, Mari is there for me.
Mari and Akko, at the same time: Listen to me…
Mari: Just let me say this, and if you…if you don't want to be friends after this, I- I'll just have to take that risk. [Mari's face is determined, and Akko's eyes are wide and staring.]
page 22
Akko [hands outstretched, face alarmed]: No! Mari – no matter what it is, I'll always… [she suddenly looks drained, and sinks down a bit on the bed, shoulders slumped, a tear traveling down her cheek] I'll always lo-
Mari [looking down, her face reddening]: I didn't know.
Akko [alarmed] thinks: Oh, no! Maybe it IS only me!
Mari [clenching her fist in determination]: It's just…
[Mari and Akko don't notice the door opening an inch and a soft voice calling out, "Akko? Is everything OK?"]
Mari [blushing; her eyes are tearing up, and she looks very stressed out; she is holding onto Akko's pajama sleeves above the elbow]: I don't- I can't-
page 23
Akko thinks: Is this it? Is our friendship really over? [Her eyes well up with tears and she looks down a bit, away from Mari's face.]
Mari [turning her head, eyes streaming]: It's- it's been so hard, Akko, being next to you and not-
Akko [looking up concerned; softly]: Mari-chin, it's OK.
[The door opens another inch; part of the person opening the door is silhouetted in the bright light from the hall.]
page 24
Mari [sobs]: -not being able to tell you how I feel! I've made this so awkward for you, and you're always…always doing things for your friends.
Akko thinks: How she feels? Does she think of me as only a friend?
Mari: Now I want to say it properly! [She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, reaches for Akko's nearer hand with both of hers, and looks Akko in the eyes.]
[Now the door is open enough for the person to take a step inside. She does, and it's Taguchi, with a very surprised look on her face.]
Akko [freezes, looking back at Mari] thinks: This is so hard for Mari. I guess I got it wrong, and now I've hurt my best friend…trying to make her my girlfriend.]
page 25
Mari: Akko! I want to be with you! I lo- [she pauses, leans forward, and takes a breath] I love you. I'm so awful! I've loved you all year [she stands up, turning away], and you've been so patient and kind…
Akko [jumping up and throwing her arms around the startled Mari]: I KNEW it!
Akko [leaning back and smiling, her arms around Mari's waist]: Mari, why couldn't you tell me? [thinks: come to think of it, why didn't I tell her?]
Mari, trembling, sinks down to a sitting position on the bed, and covers her face with her hands. She is holding in the tears, but barely.
page 26
Akko [throwing her arms around Mari]: Mari! I'm so happy now! The truth is, I didn't know for a while how I felt… [Mari looks up, calmer]… and it was kind of scary. But now…
Mari [softly]: Akko.
Akko [settling down next to Mari, their arms around each other]: I didn't know, Mari, but now I think I loved you from the start.
Mari: Ehh? So you weren't kissing me as a friend?
Akko [shocked]: At karaoke, after that jerk Harada broke up with you? No, silly! I was seducing you!
Mari [blushing]: Then, all this time, we…we could have been…
Akko [laughs]: That's right! We could have been going on dates, spending time together, so now [Akko gets an eager look on her face] we make up for lost time!
[There is a click, and the girls look toward the door.]
Mari: Was someone there?
page 27
[Akko leaps to her feet, runs to the door, and opens it, Mari watching from the far side of the room. Akko sees Taguchi standing in the hall, looking startled.]
Akko [hands on hips]: Taguchi!
Taguchi [startled]: Um!
Akko [pulling Taguchi into the room and startling Mari, who looks a bit disappointed at the intrusion]: Urara-san! [in a sweet voice, winking, her forefinger raised as she takes control]. I have a question for you!
Taguchi [nervous]: Y- yes?
Akko [pulling a guidebook out of a pile of stuff on her bed, opening it and pointing to a page]: Would this be a good first date, do you think?
Mari: That's, um, she means…
Taguchi [sighing]: It's okay, Mari. I guess I kind of knew when I saw how you were with Akko today.
Akko: Oh! Are they still telling ghost stories next door? Let's go, Mari!
[Smiling, Akko pushes the startled Taguchi out the door, and drags a bemused Mari behind her.]
[end]