The blaring of the alarm clock echoed through the sparse room. The sleeping form on the bed groaned and rolled over in a futile attempt to block out the noise.
After taking a moment to realize that the alarm clock had to be stopped the tightly sheet clad figure leaned over to halt its noisy tyranny. Too bad that the edge of the bed had been just that; The edge. An edge which the figure accidentally rolled off of to thud loudly on the floor, strawberry blonde hair and sheets in a tangle.
With her night dress in a mess and the alarm still bleeping she hoisted herself to her feet, kicking angrily at the sheets to untangle herself.
She practically slammed the "stop" button on the annoying digital time piece before stomping off into the bathroom for a shower, all the while mumbling about "damn gravity" and how alarm clocks were much like Nazis: they exterminated any possibility of extra sleep but without the toxic gas and death camps.
"I shouldn't make such jokes" Shion, former Spica student council president, mused to herself.
She turned on the shower, sighing contentedly as the warm water trickled over her twenty-two year old body.
It wasn't surprising that she caught quite a few men and even women staring at her. But they never approached her to exchange words. She was too aloof and intimidating.
Even when her family had lost quite a lot of money and even more pride no one dared to even chat with her at work or anywhere else. All of her classmates from Astraea Hill now led lives of their own and the past was all but forgotten.
She sighed again but for a different reason this time.
"Since when did being alone bother me so much?"
XXXXXX
The Minamoto Bakery was only a week old and had had its grand opening yesterday.
Despite it being her idea, Chikaru's father and mother were helping her run the bakery until she found actual employees.
It was already closing time of the second day but quite a few customers had to be attended to. As she set about getting bread and cakes for the last occupants of the line Chikaru smiled to herself.
It had only been four months since she had started putting her dreams last few details into action. It had only been two days since the grand opening and the bakery was already a success.
After finally locking the door behind her, Chikaru was off on her way, homeward bound at a leisurely pace. But as she spared a glance at her watch while passing under a streetlamp her slight smile was quickly replaced by the tiniest of frowns.
"I missed it" She said quietly, referring to the new cooking show that she had pegged as her current favorite.
Deciding it would be nonsense to cry over spilt milk, she admired the streets and its people for a moment, raven locks swaying in the slight breeze. She had moved to Kyoto just recently and the quiet parts of the city held her interest.
Just as she was rounding a corner to short cut to her favorite coffee shop someone barreled into her sending her to the ground.
She landed straight on her buttocks. The person who ran into her landed on all fours and was hovering above her.
Startled, she looked past the trailing strawberry blonde locks and generous chest up into violet eyes that also spoke of sudden shock.
The raven haired young woman felt her eyes widen when she realized the identity of her accidental assaulter.
"Shion-chan?"
Her surprise was mirrored in the amethyst eyes of the blonde.
"Chikaru-san?"
XXXXXX
Shion had never expected she would see anyone from Astraea Hill again let alone the plucky Lulim student council president.
She merely had been brooding over yet another lonely day and walking at an irrational pace (considering traffic in the city) when she had slammed into the poor woman.
Now she simply hung there over Chikaru slowly recovering from her earlier shock. The other woman apparently didn't mind. She just lay there, still staring but not so open mouthed as Shion.
"Um, Shion-chan?" The soft spoken words broke the strawberry blonde out of her frozen state.
"Are you okay?" Chikaru asked quietly
The spican practically leapt to her feet and sputtered a long string of apologies while she helped the woman to her feet.
She held up a hand, a silent request for Shion to stop speaking.
"It's alright, Shion-chan." She paused to smile "It really is a joy to see you again"
The blonde couldn't help but blush at those honest words.
"It's nice to see you too"
Chikaru smiled knowingly. She could practically feel her lonely situation
"If you'd like, I was just about to head to my favorite café when I ran into you."
At this the spican nodded, still a little shocked.
She grabbed Shion's hand gently and began to lead her back the way she had come.
"They have the cutest maid outfits" the raven haired girl said cheerfully
"W-Where exactly are we going? I mean… I know, coffee shop but…"
Chikaru merely looked at Shion and smiled in that enigmatic way of hers.
"You'll see"
XXXXXX
So there they sat in that adorable maid café.
After a cute waitress with shelf bangs had taken their orders Shion and Chikaru made to catch up.
"How have you been, Shion-chan?"
The spican then took a breath and somewhat lied.
"I'm fine. I just moved out here half a year ago and it's pretty nice" She said half truthfully. "And you?"
"I'm doing alright as well. I just moved into my new apartment here last month." She smiled despite seeing through Shion's half truth.
Right then the waitress showed up with their orders: A lemon tea for Shion and a green tea with small cookies for Chikaru. Of course one as playful as her would have such cute cookies with her tea, the spican thought, amused.
"Thank you" They said simultaneously before sharing a look. The raven haired woman giggled while the blond merely smiled. And she smiled right on through the next hour and a half the two spent catching up.
She was surprised at her own behavior. She and Chikaru had been childhood friends and had talked quite a bit during their time at Astraea but never had she felt so relaxed and happy. It was relieving. Like a gentle rain after a long drought.
Chikaru was also alittle surprised. Shion had been so proud and intimidating when she had been on the council. She started heated fights with Miator's student council president, Miyuki, on a daily basis. Maybe even for fun.
Where did all that feisty possessive pride go to?, She thought somewhat disappointed as they were exited the café.
Just as they stepped out of the door they were greeted with the sight of a few young men ranging from cocky looking to down right inebriated.
They leered at Shion and Chikaru predatorily. The raven haired woman saw her friend tense and sat back for the imminent tongue lashing.
"Hey hey, pretty ladies" One boy said with a smirk.
Another with spiky black hair and a clean face picked up his flirty tone,
"Would you care to accompany us and go dancing?"
At this Shion glared and spat out an obvious negative.
The boys visibly jumped at her reply but they weren't giving up yet. A boy with dirty blond hair turned to Chikaru.
"How about you gorgeous? Want to dance with us?"
Just as she was about to reply with a no, Shion stepped between her and the group of boys, arms crossed threateningly.
"My friend isn't going with you either. Thank you."
The idiots still persisted.
"C'mon we know you want a piece of this. No girl can resist my charm" The fair-haired one said cockily, gesturing to his body.
The spican scoffed loudly.
"You think you little peach-fuzz faced brats are mature enough for us? What are you? Seventeen? That and you're about as sexually attractive as a bunch of adolescent mole rats. Bye." Shion said fiercely before grabbing Chikaru's hand and walking away.
The boys sat there stunned. No female had ever shot them down so spitefully before.
"Oh and hey!" The blonde called over her shoulder to the boys who glared at her, "There are women who can resist your 'manly charms'. They're called lesbians!" She shouted before she held up the hand intertwined with Chikaru's. She then walked away leaving the boys near aneurysm.
Only when they had walked a ways to her apartment did Shion stop and remember where she was.
"Ara, looks like you haven't changed much at all, Shion-chan" the raven aired girl mused.
"I apologize" the blonde said softly.
Chikaru simply smiled. "For?"
"I did not mean to imply such a thing" the spican replied holding up their hands and untangling their fingers.
At this the plucky girl giggled.
"Shion-chan is so silly"
The blonde just stood there looking confused.
Chikaru shook her head and smiled mysteriously before asking Shion to walk her home.
The spican said yes without a thought, smiling at her.