A new one-shot to celebrate my return from hiatus. New chapters posted to Wasurena Sou and Ohtori Academy: A Contemporary Musical as well. :) Happy reading.
"Isn't it a lovely day, Himemiya?" Utena sighed, enjoying the sunlight that slanted through the pane glass windows of the greenhouse. The serene sound of trickling water and the perfumey scent of roses filled the air.
"Mmm-hmm," Anthy replied, smiling. Utena hoped that what she was seeing was genuine happiness. They hadn't been getting along the best lately. Something felt strange between them. The duels were starting to wear on her… ChuChu interrupted her thought, jumping onto Utena's laughed and squeaking in warning. The door to the greenhouse opened, and a student in a regular green uniform entered.
"If that's you, Tsuwabuki, Nanami's up at the Student Council Room," Utena called.
"It's not," the boy said, walking around a cluster of rose bushes. "Is Kozue Kaoru in here? Oh…" he trailed off. Utena took in the dark, slightly mussed hair, the eyes. He looked strange for a reason she couldn't still put her finger on. Like he was missing something. Anthy bent over Utena so that her watering flask could reach a particular rosebush.
"Utena." The boy seemed affronted. "Well, I didn't know you swung that way." The intelligent bite she had known was missing from his tone.
"Kaido, I don't… I'm not… we're friends. Aren't you jumping to conclusions? Himemiya is my friend," Utena stammered. It was Kaido. Sans glasses, but Kaido.
"Miss Utena, are we not engaged?" asked Anthy worriedly.
"I told you to stop saying that! People will get ideas!"
"Oh, I get the idea," Kaido said derisively. "Remind me why I followed you to this school again. You've changed."
"No, you have, Kaido," Utena protested angrily. "Where is your earnestness? Your understanding? You… also don't have glasses anymore."
"So naive. You thought you could continue as a prince without being corrupted? Well let me tell you, Utena, something's wrong with this school, maybe with this world. When the whole world around you is corrupt, you have no choice but to be corrupted yourself." They stared at one another intensely. It was Kaido alright.
"My my," Anthy said. ChuChu tried to stare into her eyes with the same strength.
"I like that, Kaido," Kozue purred from the greenhouse door. "I might use that myself."
"Kozue?" Utena asked. "Why?" Kozue's reputation had gone downhill lately…
"It doesn't matter," Kaido said, looking away. "I thought that there were people like you that couldn't be deflowered. I was wrong." He turned away, and he and Kozue left the greenhouse. Utena began to tear up.
"What's wrong, Miss Utena?"
"I'm not sure." ChuChu hugged Utena's calf.