Sakurako was never described by anyone as a particularly proactive person. She was never the first one to volunteer for any requested assistance, was never one for apprehensive study, or one for strenuous labor of any physical or mental challenge. So, she wondered to herself why in the holy name of Shinto did she ever decide to join the student council.
"Bbuuuu!" she spouted out, eyes closed in frustration while she trekked to the student council room in no rush to get there. "Why did I decide to join a club that has so much to do! And furthermore, why do I bother to stay in it!"
Sakurako actually had some difficulty with recalling that experience. She couldn't quite remember the event itself at all never mind her sentiments or motivations for doing so. In fact, when observed objectively it was quite out-of-character for her. So then why did I DO it? she asked herself. It was all a bit of a blur. She recalled some hazy details: the teacher asking who was running, Himawari courteously raising her hand, and then as if instinctual yours truly thrashing her hand up in the air declaring her candidacy. Himawari – the name and image of the big chested girl echoed through the dirty blonde's mind. It could be no coincidence that Himawari was present at the event. She was always trying to pester her into changing her ways and studying and working harder. Perhaps that was the reason why she volunteered to get a reaction out of her.
"Yeah," Sakurako said, balling a fist of fury. "That's it! It's all an elaborate conspiracy! Himawari brainwashed me into wanting to join the student council with her! That has to be the case! Why else would I volunteer to join a hardworking job, and especially with her."
Sakurako laughed, reveling in her own cleverness. "And that's probably why she always wants me to study with her! To reinforce the conditioning! Well, not anymore, booby monster! I figured you out!"
Sakurako continued to laugh as she entered the student council room, distracting the vice-president, Saguira Ayano, from her work momentarily.
"Oh, hello, Sakurako-san," Ayano greeted her younger. "You seem particularly amused today."
"Well, yes! You see, I figured that big-chested fiend's plan out!"
Ayano sighed, knowing immediately what Sakurako was talking about. Well, not really, but she could guess, and she didn't care. She was often irritated by Sakurako and Himawari's confrontations and was even more irritated whenever one of them would complain about the other when not present. Secretly, Ayano preferred Himawari out of the two because at least she puts some effort into her work, but her complaints often made her unreliable on some days.
"Ah, well, I'm sure you have!"
Sakurako then informed the vice-president of the girl's insidious plot to brainwash her into becoming her pawn probably to launch a coup d'etat right under Matsumoto's noise. She rambled on and mentioned something about how Himawari probably helped the Americans at Hirishoma and Nagasaki and how she was behind Roswell and the Kenndey Assassination.
"So, you see, Ayano-san. She's been planning this for a long time!"
"Yes, I see. You've put a lot of little thought into that."
Sakurako didn't catch the insult and instead continued her spiel. "So, I think we chould exile her from the school! Banish her to the outlands!"
Ayano just stared at the dumb girl quite flabberghasted. Unbelievable! she thought. Forty minutes she rambled on about nothing! Not even Toshino Kyoko is that bad!
"Yeah, well, I don't think the council really has the power to do that."
"Nnaawww!" Sakurako gruntled. "Really? Are you sure? Can you recheck the constitution!"
"I have looked at the constitution many times! And it says nothing about the power of exile, sorry."
"Gah!" Sakurako let out. Ayano did know that the council did hold the power to expel members who neglected their duties to such extremities, but she did not mention this lest it incite another anti-Himawari tirade that Ayano could just not be bother with.
"Yeah, well, no one else is here. Looks like it's just me and you today, so how about we get back to it and try to get as much as possible done."
"Wait, no one else is here! And neither is Himawari! She must be trying to brainwash Chitose into joining her ranks against the president! We must go and stop her!"
Sakurako attempted to rush out the room, but Ayano grabbed the girl's collar and forced her back.
"Chitose can look after herself. Let's just get some work done."
Eventually, Sakurako calmed down and she went off to her designated tasks. The two of them engaged in their work and some mindless chatter, and a causal pleasantness was established between the two of them.
But soon a conversation would happen that wreck the whole atmos.
"Um, Ayano-san," Sakurako mumbled a little nervously.
"Huh," Ayano stopped what she was doing and glanced at the girl. She looked deep in thought. Ayano cannot testify to ever having seen the girl this way. "What is it? Is something the wrong?"
"Ayano-san, do you think … that …," Ayano was bewildered at the circumspective demeanor of the usually hyperactive, but lazy girl. It was truly a sight to behold. She wondered deeply as to what battle could possibly be going on in the cerebral cortexes of the girl's mind to render her to this state. But then the girl continued.
"Do you think that I'm a lesbian, too?" Sakurako looked at Ayano who's jaw was now wide-open and who's eyes have retracted deep back into her skull. The pleasant demeanor of the afternoon had now transformed into a hevily awkward atmosphere.
"Um, why are you asking me that so suddenly?" Ayano asked a little disturbed.
"Well, I mean, you're a lesbian," Sakurako tweedled her fingers. She averted herself from Ayano's gaze. "So I thought that you might know whether I'm gay or straight."
"We don't have like a gaydar that just rings and let's us know!" Ayano retorted loudly.
"I know that! But I mean like, do you know if I'm a lesbian. Have I done or said anything gay?"
Ayano breathed in an attempt to mollify her own personal sense of awkwardness. Ayano was never one to discuss sex or sexuality openly. In fact, it made her kind of nervousness. But she remembered only all to well the trials and tribulations that she faced wrestling with her own sexuality. During that time, Chitose, who was always more comfortable with hers, helped her out the best way she could. So, it would only be fitting for her to help Sakurako out as much as possible if she was truly having issues with her sexuality. After all, she did seem generally disturbed. It couldn't do any damage to simply lend a hand.
After all, we're just talking. And I'm sure nothing too awkward will happen. She was wrong.
"Well, have you ever had feelings for another girl?"
"No!" Sakurako exclaimed a bit weirdly.
"Well, okay then! You're not gay."
Ayano returned to her work content with the resolution of the conversation. But it was not over yet.
"Well…" Ayano felt fear tingle through her heart again. "I've been thinking a lot about Himawari lately."
"Ah, well. You do talk about her a lot."
"Yeah, and I've been thinking a lot about her …," Sakurako looked around as if she were being observed. "I've been thinking a lot about her breasts."
Ayano just stared at her, inexpressant. Sakurako stared back. This carried on for about a minute. "So," Ayano re-broke the ice, "you like Himawari then? More than a…whatever you guys are."
"No, no," Sakurako said, shaking her head. "Okay, then! That's good!" And Ayano once again returned to her paperwork, feigning diligence. But she knew that this conversation was not complete.
"Well, I mean, I do sometimes… dream about her," Ayano looked up from her paperwork. "And fantasize about her." Sakurako looked uncomfortable, which Ayano reflected ten-fold.
"And if Himawari were to like try and kiss me or something. You know, I wouldn't go right in, but if she were insistent, I might let her do it. And perhaps make-out with her."
Ayano pinched her nose and looked down at the table. "Why are you telling me this in gratuitous detail?"
"Because," Sakurako exclaimed, "I'm trying to figure out if I'm straight or not."
"Buu.." Ayano sighed, letting out some tension. "I don't know, Sakurako. You might be a lesbian, then. I don't know." Ayano picked up her stack or papers again and ordered them, praying to whatever that all this was done.
God, who does she think I am? The gay whisperer or something?
"If only there was someway to be sure." Sakurako thought aloud.
"Yeah, if only," Ayano said sarcastically, keeping her eyes on her paper. She didn't see Sakurako as her eyes lit up, arriving at an idea.
"Ayano," Sakurako said to get the girl's attention. Ayano looked up. A scraping sound could be heard as Sakurako dragged her chair across the floor. Little was she aware of it was Sakurako right there beside Ayano, dangerously violating her personal space. Ayano leaned back a bit trying to get some room.
"Sakurako, what are-?"
"Ayano," Sakurako said nervously. "Can I, um, kiss you?"
Ayano's eyes practically popped out of their sockets. "Wha? Wha? Wha? WHHHAA? What is this meaning of this?
"Please, just let me kiss you? For like a moment."
"No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No." Ayano yelled out. She pushed her chair all the way back to try and distance herself as much as possible. "You're not practicing on me. I apprehensively refuse! That's not happening!"
"Come on, please! I won't tell anybody."
"Oh, yeah! That sweetens the deal. Of course, I'll do it now."
"Really?"
"NO NOT REALLY! Look what's the meaning of this!"
"Well, if I kiss you, and I like it, then I'll know that I'm a lesbian, right?"
"So, you're saying that YOU WANT TO MAKE OUT WITH ME? Is that what you're saying?"
"Well, not you particularly."
"So, you want to kiss Himawari, then?"
"I don't really know. Look, I just want to know if I'm a lesbian. And you're a lesbian, so you know you'll like it already, right?"
"Oh, God!" Ayano put her hands to her face and rubbed them. She had a throbbing headache now.
Sakurako just sat there, anxiously awaiting her fellow councilmemeber's response. She was conflicted. Kind of hoping she'd say no, but at the same time curious about what it felt like to kiss another girl. Of course, it's not like she kissed a guy, so she really had no basis of comparison.
After a moment, Ayano dragged her face across her hands and looked at her younger sitting across from her.
"Ah, Sakurako. "Ayano breathed. "I feel like really uncomfortable right now. But I actually do like you. So, this is what I'm gonna do."
"Yeah?" Sakurako's eyes lit up, eager to hear her response.
"I'm gonna go home now, right? And I'm not gonna talk to you for four days."
"Eh?" Sakurako let out inquisitively. Ayano then got up and headed towards the door.
"Ah, Ayano-san! Come on! Please!" But Ayano gave the dirty blonde the cold shoulder. She left the room.
Sakurako sat there for a while by herself. Darkness now encroaching into the council room as the sun began to set outside. She then huffed.
"Hmm! Well that was rude!" She scoffed, and crossed her arms. "All she had to say was, 'No, thank you, Sakurako. But you would make an interesting catch for some other lucky girl out there.'" And with that Sakurako arose from her chair and headed towards the door. Despite her previous criticism, Sakurako was bit disgruntled by the incident. She didn't want Ayano to be mad at her about anything as they were fellow councilmates. But still, she thought, how could she have lost her cool over over this minute occurrence? "Seriously, what an overreaction! Like I wasn't trying to have sex with her!"
But still, as Sakurako walked out into the halls, she was overcome with the desire to make things right. And that's when a name went across her mind – Himawari!
"Of course! This was all a part of her insidious plot!" Sakurako exclaimed to the empty corridors. "Himawari! She wanted me to think that I was in love with her, think I was lesbian, so that I would then try to kiss Ayano, pushing Ayano away from my camp and towards hers, so she could then usurp Matsumoto's throne!"
Sakurako then rushed forward to try to find Ayano before it was too late. If she could catch her and explain this to her, then perhaps there's still a chance. She reached the entrance way and saw Ayano just walk out into the evening. Sakurako hastily followed suit. She busted the doors open, and ran to warn her vice-president.
"Ayano!" she shouted as she ran.
"Ayano! I get it now! It was all a part of her plan!"
In the twin sisters' room, both Chizuru and Chitose did their respective homework assignments. "Oneesan?" Chizuru asked looking up from her history assignment. "Oneesan, was it Kublai Khan who ruled China during the attempted invasion with the Kamikaze? Or was it-" And then Chizuru noticed that her sister was standing up from he seat, pale as a ghost and completely frozen. "ONEESAN!" Chizuru noticed that her twin's eyes had gone beady. There was blue outline around her, and she existed almost in a voidsphere, which casted a dark aurora around her. Most bizarre of all was the matter of her glasses. They were not on her face. She held them in her hands. But the blood of bliss did not flow. Her nose was dry. Fear had struck Chizuru upon the sight of her sister in such a ghoulish state. "ONEESAN! WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT'S WRONG!?"
"OOooOOooOOOooooHHHH!" Chitose moaned ghostily. Chizuru went over to her and helped her to her bed. "Oneesan!" she said. "There was a disturbance in the cosmic order today!"
"Rest, oneesan! Rest."
"Oh! Today was not a good day! Today was a terrible day!"
"No more, oneesan! Say no more. Just get some sleep."
And Chitose did go quiet, but the serenity of sleep did not arrive. She did not dream. Boy, did she wish that she could so, even if it was a nightmare. For no nightmare could surpass in severity and horror the disturbance she felt this evening.
"There is no God!" Chitose whispered to the darkness. "There is no God!" But the darkness did not reply, which Chitose interpreted as mocking laughter.
The End...
But not really THE End...
For Sakurako Ohmuro will return ...
In THUNDERBALL!