The Dragon Of Shiraho
Co-written and edited by Why and Joe.
Derivatives is a series of one-shot Citrus side stories set in the same universe as Team Pigeons' "Milk and its Derivatives".
Crouching Tiger
Yuzu stopped her orange Jaguar by the gate of the Shiraho family's impressive complex. Mei was by her side, looking beautiful in a floaty light blue skirt that Yuzu had picked out for her. She was wearing a ivory colored silk shirt along with it; the color perfectly suited her patrician features and the wide collar exposed her long elegant neck in all its glory. A blazer of the same color as her skirt was neatly folded in her lap. Atsuko was sitting in the back of the car, her green eyes drinking in every detail. It was her first time at Shirapon's place.
"Here we go." Yuzu said while pulling down the car window and leaning out to press the button on the video entry phone without a second thought. It was an imposing structure and became even more fearsome if one happened to know who resided there. For Mei and Yuzu though, this was simply the home of their close friend, Shiraho Suzuran.
"Okogi-sama." The male voice held the nervous warmth of a person that was not used to speaking in such friendly tones. "Lady Shiraho has been expecting you." The bulky steel gate opened before them and Yuzu drove through.
As familiar as Yuzu was with the place, Shirapon's living arrangements never failed to impress. Mei did not share her inclination but Yuzu was glad to see that Atsuko did. Her vibrant green eyes kept darting about and were wide with wonder. She was walking in between Yuzu and Mei, holding both sisters' hands.
Shirapon had invited them to spend the Sunday evening with her. They were to enjoy the finest tea, while taking full advantage of all the Shiraho estate had to offer. Himeko-san and her husband, Soichiro-kun had been invited as well.
Yuzu was used to the atypical maids and servants Shirapon employed. They were all dressed sharply in dark suits and wore sunglasses, no matter the hour or the weather. The view had stopped making her nervous a long time ago, as they never failed to appear incredibly competent and discreet. When she had discussed this with Mei, her lover seemed nonplussed by comparison. Maybe people born into money did not pay attention to such details.
"Nee-san!" Atsuko tugged at Mei's hand enthusiastically. She had started skipping, feet leaving the ground in excitement now and then. "It looks like the palaces in my books! The feudal lord's palaces, Nee-san!"
"And it might be just as old, Atsuko." Mei had tried to search for historical information about the Shiraho residence, but her effort had bore no fruit. There were no records concerning the place. Anywhere.
Yuzu had witnessed Mei's frustration over her fruitless endeavor the night before and had taken it upon herself to rid her beloved of it. She had succeeded splendidly.
The dark-suited woman that had been leading them through the massive courtyard came to a sudden stop. Yuzu almost gasped and Mei tightened her hold on Atsuko's hand.
The woman swiftly turned around. "You are free to proceed by yourself now, our most honorable guests." She took a deep bow and held the position, most likely waiting for them to move past her.
Yuzu took notice of her friend waiting for them in what looked like a most exquisitely crafted tea house. She would have waved but she was holding Atsuko's hand and her other hand was holding Atsuko's small bike over the shoulder. It was going to be a long afternoon and Yuzu had thought it wise to bring something that would entertain her little sister. Atsuko had yet to learn how to ride a bike without stabilizers and was very adamant to rectify that as soon as possible. Shirapon's vast courtyard would provide the perfect training ground.
The tea house was nestled in a beautiful wabi-sabi style garden. The Shiraho family had quite the array of maids and gardeners to maintain the compound and they were so skilled at their jobs that one would not even notice their presence. Fresh pots of tea seemed to appear out of thin air.
Upon spotting them, Shirapon tilted her head in a way of greeting. She was wearing a traditional pale green kimono, complete with a darker green obi, that immediately captured Atsuko's attention. She looked like a samurai.
Yuzu placed Atsuko's little bike on the ground, pulling the stand out with her foot to keep it from falling and taking care to also leave the bag with her protective gear nearby.
Mei reached for Atsuko and sat her on the tea house porch, the child's face formed an adorable pout when she realized that Yuzu was taking off her shoes. They were not going to ride the bike right now.
"Atsuko" Mei ran her fingers through her sister's silky hair. "Please join us at the table..." The beginning of a smile softened Mei's lips. "...At least for now."
Mei knew that Atsuko would read in between the lines. Atsuko's pout disappeared, a bright smile taking its place. Mei and Atsuko had a perfect understanding of each other. Mei trusted Atsuko to rely on her judgement. Atsuko trusted Mei completely and would never make unreasonable requests of her.
When Atsuko asked questions, it was almost always as a result of her inquisitive mind. She felt no need to ever question her sister's authority. However, it was not that she did not possess a rebellious streak similar to her Yuzu-nee, but she had learned from her Nee-san that there was a time and a place for it.
After taking off their shoes, the three put on the slippers that had been left for them. For such a utilitarian piece of footwear, it was difficult to ignore the quality of the craftsmanship. The Shiraho family cut no expense, not even for indoor slippers.
The room was amazing. It was crafted with the finest wood and the walls were covered by ancient kakejiku scrolls depicting flowers and birds. Very delicate scenes considering the imposing appearance of the Shiraho estate. Tatami mats covered the floor and at the centre of the room sat a short table that was surrounded by elaborately embroidered cushions on which to kneel.
What really stole Yuzu's attention was the food displayed on the tea table. It was a veritable buffet of deliciousness. She did not need to look at Atsuko to know that her little sister's mouth had become as wide as hers. They had the same appetite.
"Ah." Suzuran rose from her seated position and bowed deeply. "Aihara Mei, Yuzupon... and you must be Aihara Atsuko."
Suzuran immediately set her intense gaze on the youngest member of the Aihara family. Atsuko had already been warned about the unusual personality of Yuzu-nee's dear friend, but she could not help but quake in fear. Nothing could be hidden from those narrow eyes.
"N-Nice to meet you." Atsuko replied nervously, before retreating behind her Nee-san's legs. Mei's hand fell to gently cup the back of her head. Her Nee-san's familiar touch quelled her nervousness and her Yuzu-nee's encouraging smile filled her with a measure of courage.
She stepped away from the safety of Mei's legs and took slow steps toward Shiraho Suzuran. Once she stood in front of her, she took a deep bow, so solemn that even Mei was impressed by it.
"My name is Aihara Atsuko. I am Aihara Mei and Okogi Yuzu's younger sister. It is an honor to meet you Shiraho-san. Please take good care of us."
Once Atsuko stood up, she was surprised to see a mildly stunned look on Yuzu-nee's intense friend. She did not look anywhere near as intimidating as she did a few moments ago. Atsuko was not sure, but it seemed like she was blushing as well.
"Way to go, little samurai!" Yuzu all but leapt to her sister's side and scooped her into a warm hug. She twirled her around in a way that was a bit too energic for Mei's liking but Atsuko was laughing wildly, so she resolved to keep quiet.
"Not even your Nee-san could've done it better!" Yuzu announced proudly, finally stopping her increasingly erratic rotations.
Atsuko turned to Mei with expectant green eyes. Mei gave her a nod and a delicate smile, causing Atsuko to feel even prouder of herself. It did not take much to make her sisters happy.
Yuzu proceeded to enthusiastically greet Shirapon while still holding Atsuko in her arms. It did not escape her that Shirapon was as intimidated by Atsuko as Atsuko had been of her. It was most endearing to see her friend getting flustered around a six year-old – A six and a half year-old, Yuzu mentally corrected herself.
"Thank you for having us, Shiraho-san." Mei greeted her with a small bow of her head.
"Aihara Mei. It is an honor to open my home to the three of you." Shirapon answered in kind and Yuzu could not hold back a soft snort at the formality the two were displaying. No matter how long they had known each other, they could not stop performing this dance. Perhaps they were fond of it. Perhaps they simply knew no other way.
When Yuzu set Atsuko down, the child felt a little light headed – being swung around by a very enthusiastic Yuzu would do that. She thought it was better to sit down. After all, Suzuran-san had resumed her position by the table, so it would not be rude for her to follow suit.
Atsuko fell into a cross-legged position but upon spotting her Nee-san taking a traditional seiza position by her side, she quickly rearranged her body to match Mei's, receiving another loving caress on the head from dark-haired sister. Resting on her knees was not especially comfortable, but Nee-san's smile was all the incentive she needed.
Cut From the Same Cloth
Mei had not been paying much attention to the conversation that was taking place around her. Her focus had shifted the moment Yuzu and Atsuko had left the table.
Her eyes kept darting toward Yuzu and Atsuko. They were in the courtyard and Yuzu was helping Atsuko with riding a bike without stabilizers. They had not been successful on their first attempt and since all of her classmates were, or rather claimed to be, able to ride without them, Atsuko had been growing frustrated to the point of getting angry with herself.
It was then that Mei decided to do the unthinkable and looked up "best way to teach a child how to ride without stabilizers" on the internet. She had no knowledge on the matter and her search proved to be quite rewarding – A humbling outcome given her usual aversion to technology. She could see that Yuzu was employing her suggestions.
Yuzu was a vision of beauty. She was wearing a pair of lavender colored pants, which were so tight that little was left to the imagination when it came to her enticing shape. As for the top half, she was wearing a pale yellow camisole with spaghetti straps, seeing her bare shoulders dance under the sunlight was absolutely breathtaking. Mei had protested such a casual outfit choice but that dissent was difficult to justify when faced with such a pleasing sight.
It was however Yuzu's smile that Mei really could not tear her eyes away from. Yuzu had gathered her blonde hair into two braids and then looped them both to the top of her head, so her face was visible and in full – and so was her smile. It was so bright that it could have challenged the Sun itself. There was so much love in her eyes that Mei almost felt overwhelmed by it. Yuzu was burning with happiness and so was Atsuko.
Suddenly, Shiraho-san was talking to her and her enigmatic voice forced her back to the conversation. She must have been really gone if even Himeko had not dared to call on her.
"Aihara Mei. How is the academy faring under your stewardship?" Suzuran asked while watching Yuzupon hold Aihara Atsuko's bike with dagger-like eyes. She could see why Aihara Mei had not been able to look away from the pair.
"The Academy is doing well. The new elementary school has been successful and the changes to the curriculum have been well-received." Mei replied before taking a sip of her green tea. "And what of your... work?"
Suzuran maintained a straight face but responded with a simple nod. She could not begrudge Aihara Mei for exchanging niceties but could also not divulge information relating to her family business. Soichiro nervously tugged at his bright blue cravat.
"Shiraho-san..." He stammered, eager to change the subject. "Your home is quite beautiful."
"Just as I told you, Soi-chan! Shiraho-senpai's place is unlike any other!" Himeko squeezed her beloved's hand under the table, missing his nervous chuckle completely. She had been buzzing with excitement the moment she had set eyes on Aihara Mei and could barely contain herself.
"The Academy could not be in better hands, Shiraho-senpai! Mei-Mei's hands!" Himeko emphasized her point by reaching over to grab one of Mei's hands and held it up. She wished she could take both, but she did not feel like letting go of Soi-chan's hand. He had the smoothest skin, like a porcelain doll.
Mei discretely pulled her hand back into her lap. But Himeko was not done singing her praises.
"She extended the sewing club's budget and now we can buy fabric of the highest quality!" Himeko's eyes were sparkling deliriously. "We will take part in national competitions! And we will win them all!" She stood and Soichiro's hand followed hers. Their hand holding exposed for all to see. "And then we will be invited to showcase our models through Europe!" She stated grandiosely while lifting her arms into the air... and finally taking notice that she was still holding her husband's hand.
A terrible blush, matching the color of her hair, spread over her cheeks. She sat back on the floor, hand holding concealed once more but still in place. She stared at her lap for about five seconds before raising her head. As if nothing had happened, Himeko raised her hand to her lips while a very ladylike giggle filled the air.
"Ohohohohohohohoho!"
Soichiro too was blushing, yet he was staring at Miss Himeko with such enamored eyes that left Suzuran with no doubt over it: Had they been alone, he would have kissed her. Miss Himeko had been blessed with an arranged marriage that had unexpectedly brought together two perfectly matched people.
The formal tone that Himeko and Soichiro had used in their letters disappeared upon their first meeting and after a few months, they found themselves madly in love. It was easier to find a needle in a haystack than real love in an arranged marriage, but Miss Himeko always had a way with needles.
The two were sitting as close to each other as their shyness would allow and Suzuran had noticed that they joined hands under the table the moment they sat down. Even their outfits matched. Miss Himeko wore a sumptuous blue dress, complete with frills and bows.
Soichiro wore a tight blue suit with silky patterns sewn over the front of it and around his cuffs. He had a white shirt under it and wore a dashing bright blue cravat around his neck. He was very pretty and effeminate, with a slim elegant build and floppy dark hair. It was hard to reconcile his image and gentle manners with the fearsome lawyer he was famed to be.
What was really holding Shirao's interest was, as always, Aihara Mei. She could no longer ignore Aihara Mei's longing for Yuzupon and Aihara Atsuko.
Mei almost yelped when she saw Atsuko finally riding the bike by herself. Firm and sure, no aid from Yuzu required. She looked so happy and Mei wished for nothing more than to go over there and join her and Yuzu in their unabashed joy.
"Aihara Mei... It seems that you want to join your family." Suzuran covered part of her face with her hand, as was expected of her.
Mei's lips softened in what Yuzu knew to be a secret smile. She raised a hand to gently run a lock of hair between her thumb and her forefinger and after tilting her head as a form of apology, she stood. She was going to join her family, if only for a short period of time.
Stitched together
As expected, Mei had decreed Yuzu's suggestion to have Atsuko learn to ride a bike while wearing only a helmet to be too reckless and it was not like Yuzu did not understand how Mei felt. After seeing Atsuko mar both of her knees while running to catch pigeons, she had become even more protective of their little sister. Yuzu feared the protective gear might impair her sister's balance.
Atsuko had been trying to ride a bike for several days now and her failure was starting to frustrate her. Yuzu had promised herself that today was going to end differently. Mei had spent some time looking up resources over what the best teaching method would be, she discovered it was better to hold the child rather than the bike and that it was best to let Atsuko find her balance gradually instead of all at once.
"I'm ready, Yuzu-nee!" Atsuko adjusted her flaming red helmet on her head and smiled brightly at her sister. She looked almost like a baseball catcher wearing all kinds of different paddings. At least Mei had let Yuzu pick the color. She had picked red as the main color and black as the secondary one. It went perfectly with Atsuko's small bike which was mainly black with red wheels, a red saddle and red handlebars.
"All right!" Yuzu smiled back at her just as brightly. "Let's win this battle, little samurai."
Atsuko felt electric, feet shuffling with excitement, hands making tight fists. Yuzu held the bike by the handlebars, brakes pulled back to keep it perfectly still while Atsuko mounted it, her feet immediately finding the pedals.
"Hold on, little samurai." She started gently. "Let's do things a bit differently today."
"Place your feet on the ground." Atsuko complied. "Yes, like that." Yuzu bent down and planted a loud kiss Atsuko's shoulder. "Now, try to move by pushing your feet on the ground and-"
"- it's because I'm no good, Yuzu-nee?" Atsuko asked in a small voice, eyes downcast. Yuzu was quick to kneel, shifting her grip from the handlebars to Atsuko's waist, fingers poking layfully at the child's stomach.
"No way!" She gently took Atsuko's chin between her index and her thumb and playfully tugged at it. She had to chase that pout away. "I've been doing things wrong, sweetheart." Yuzu smiled, her voice as gentle as ever. She knew Atsuko would trust her. She always did.
"Your Nee-san looked it up an-"
"On the internet?" Atsuko blurted out, green eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Yup." Yuzu's green eyes had the same sparkle as she continued dramatically. "Mei used the internet. Can you believe it?"
"Nope!" Atsuko shook her head playfully. She was well aware of how little her Nee-san got along with technology. She had to show her how to take pictures with her smartphone on more than one occasion.
"Well, that's how much she loves you." Yuzu said with complete honesty. The love she and Mei felt toward Atsuko was absolute, and Atsuko answered to it in kind. Nonetheless, Yuzu's comment caused a healthy blush to spread over Atsuko's cheeks and most importantly, Atsuko's bright mood had been completely restored.
"What do I have to do Yuzu-nee?" She asked enthusiastically, while giving Yuzu the most trusting of looks. Yuzu was incredibly proud to be at the receiving end of such look, to inspire such faith in someone she loved so much was the best of feelings.
"Just go like this." Yuzu swung her arms in wide semicircles. "Swing your feet and push at the ground, Atsu-chan." It was the fastest way for the child to find her balance and it would allow her to get familiar with the bike. "And when you want to stop, just pull the brakes!"
Atsuko nodded firmly and did as was told. After a few minutes of scooting, Yuzu noticed that she would keep her feet off the ground after a strong push and the bike would just go. She had found her balance.
"Wonderful, Atsu-chan!" Yuzu praised her, while flashing her victory signs with both hands. She skipped to stand by her sister and put her hands on her shoulders before gleefully announcing. "Now, feet on the pedals. Put your strength into it, little samurai!"
Yuzu held Atsuko by the shoulders as her sister started pedaling. Atsuko was doing rather well. She maintained a good pace and only wobbled when she slowed down, but she was quick to pull the brakes and put her feet down when this happened.
After a while, Yuzu let go of her shoulders and shifted her hold to the back of her sweater. Another while later, Atsuko needed to be held no longer.
"Hey little samurai!" Yuzu called out to Atsuko once her sister pulled the brakes and stopped. "Look where you left me!" Atsuko turned around, Yuzu was a fair distance away and was going absolutely crazy with cheering and then jumping. To close up her number in a proper fashion, Yuzu fell down on one knee and raised victory signs toward the sky.
For her part, Atsuko would have loved to mimic her Yuzu-nee, but she was on the bike and did not feel it would be safe to jump. She settled on slightly wiggling the bike, brakes pulled firmly and feet on the ground. And then she noticed that her Nee-san had walked over and was standing behind her Yuzu-nee.
Yuzu-nee was going to jump for sure. Atsuko giggled in anticipation.
Yuzu felt the urgent need to have her lover beside her. She needed to see this. It was amazing. She had to call Mei.
She leapt on her feet and all but jumped around. "Me—"
Her beloved Mei was but few steps behind her, dark locks dancing in the summer breeze. Her knee-length skirt was swaying as well. Everything about her was soft and gentle. She looked like a watercolor, so beautifully essential. And under the gleaming sun, Yuzu spotted it: The ring she had given Mei, it was on her finger, where it had been for the last seven years. Where it would stay forever. Not even death could part the two of them.
Yuzu did not yelp as Atsuko had predicted, she smiled and laughed. Without a second thought, she stepped up to Mei and pulled her in a tight hug. It might have surprised her in the past but it did not now, Mei returned her embrace with the same ardor.
"She did it!" Yuzu's voice was warm against Mei's ear. Such a sweet torture.
"I saw it, Yuzu" Mei said, her voice playing the same happy notes as Yuzu's. They were a perfect harmony.
"I bet she would love a hug too!" Yuzu released Mei, the two shared a smile that was all theirs and for no one else.
"All right." Yuzu announced with a small jump. She could never be still for long. Mei felt her energy pulse in everything she did, even the simplest of actions.
"Wait here, Mei." Yuzu said and swiftly leaned in to peck Mei's on the lips. Mei had no time to react to it as in the same breath Yuzu dashed toward Atsuko. Mei smiled, tips of her fingers raising to her lower lips. She wished she had had the time to return the kiss.
On reaching Atsuko, Yuzu engulfed her in a very wild hug and planted sloppy kisses all over her smiling cheek. She then got beside her and this time, she did not need to hold her sister and instead was just going to run along.
"Let's go get Nee-san, little samurai." Yuzu announced proudly while pointing a finger toward Mei. Mei was standing still, lips soft in what was her gentle smile. Only Atsuko and Yuzu could see it. Only Atsuko and Yuzu had seen it.
"All right, Yuzu-nee!" Atsuko started pedaling. She wanted a hug from her Nee-san as well. She was greedy when it came to her sisters. They were hers.
Besides, she knew her Nee-san could not wait to hug her.
From the tea house, Suzuran was staring at the trio while conversing with Miss Himeko and her husband at the same time. Despite facing away from everyone, Suzuran knew that Aihara Mei was smiling. The shape of her shoulders made it clear. The way her head was tilted left no doubts.
Aihara Mei was smiling, she was happy and she had no qualms about Suzuran knowing it.
Actually, Aihara Mei would not have minded if the whole world were to learn how happy she was.
Shiraho Suzuran knew for certain.
Hidden Dragon
After more than thirty minutes of biking between her oldest sisters, Atsuko was informed by Mei that they had to go and wash up as it was time to rejoin the others. Atsuko had not been happy to hear that but true to her nature, she had not complained. She did, however, pout for a few seconds.
That was enough for Yuzu to reveal next Sunday's plans to her. They would go to Yoyogi Park and Atsuko would be able to ride all day long if she wished to. Her little sister had been absolutely ecstatic over the news and had asked for the three of them to ride together.
Yuzu had been about to tell her how that was not possible but Mei interrupted her and consented to Atsuko's request. Yuzu was immensely surprised since Mei had never rode a bike in her life. Sadly as it was, her beloved never had the chance to as a child. It was not going to be a problem though, once Mei had given her word to Atsuko the deal was sealed. Yuzu was now looking forward to holding Mei while she took hold of the handlebars for the first time.
While her beloved took Atsuko to freshen up, Yuzu joined her friends around the tea table. She was famished, running after Atsuko had been wonderful but was quite tiring too. Shirapon was the most impeccable of hosts and the tea table was covered with all sorts of mouth-watering food. Yuzu helped herself to a dorayaki and three dango, both delicious, and she could not wait to try the rest.
Despite her enthusiastic feasting, Yuzu had to take pause when she felt Shirapon's eyes on her. It was the weirdest sensation; her gaze could be felt on the skin as tangible as a hand on the shoulder would be.
She swallowed the last of her dango and looked at her friend, eyebrows shooting up inquisitively.
"So, that is Aihara Mei's younger sister." Shirapon stated, as cryptic as ever.
By Yuzu's side, Himeko piped up. "Yes! And Mei-Mei's Imouto-chan is just as bright as Mei-Mei!"
Soichiro smiled warmly at his wife, as he always did when Himeko mentioned Mei. Inevitably, a worshipping look would appear in her eyes.
"Hey!" Yuzu blurted out, the indignation in her tone only faked in part. "She is my sister too, you know." She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in annoyance.
She felt Shirapon's gaze on her once again and looked at her through slightly narrowed eyes.
"She is, Yuzupon." Shirapon declared, her tone as final as ever. "She has you in her eyes and you beat strongly in her chest."
Over the years, Yuzu had attuned herself to Shirapon's frequencies and answered to her words with the brightest of smiles. Green eyes wide once again and happy as ever. Shirapon nodded back to her, almost shyly. She had perceived Yuzu's feelings in full even though no word was spoken.
As if nothing had happened, Himeko was talking again, babbling something about purple eyes when Mei and Atsuko's return silenced her and she stopped her speech to yelp out a very enthusiastic "Mei-Mei!"
It was a good thing, because knowing Himeko, it was not hard to guess what she had been in the business of saying. Yuzu knew for certain that Mei would have not appreciated her remark. At all.
Besides, Atsuko was always saying how much she loved having Ume and Yuzu's green eyes, since all other aspects of her looks could only be described as being Aihara through and through. She wanted to carry her family with her. All of them. At all times.
Mei and Atsuko took their place at the tea table. The room was now complete and sure enough, Suzuran's mind was enthralled once again. Years ago, Aihara Mei had cast a spell on her and today she could feel its hold as strong as ever. It was magnificent.
Mei helped herself to another cup of green tea while Atsuko returned to trying to single-handedly deplete all of Suzuran's food supplies. Yuzu could not help but grin as her two favourite people behaved so... normally. There was no stifling sense of pomp or formality, just family and friends enjoying themselves.
"Yuzu-san." Soichiro reopened the conversation, his manners as amiable as ever. "Himeko-san tells me that you visited Europe last year."
Himeko could not help but blush. She had spoken at great length to Soichiro about how her Mei-Mei had gone travelling and how she wished that she could accompany her. Himeko's hero worship was hardly a secret, but having it acknowledged still filled her with discomfort. One did not need to be as observant as Suzuran to notice that.
"Yeah! We went out there for three weeks, didn't we Mei?" Yuzu jumped on the opportunity to wrap an arm around Mei. Now fully accustomed to her lover's antics, Mei maintained a tight gyroscopic grip on her cup of tea, preventing it from spilling.
"Yes. I would very much like to go back." Mei knowingly flouted the maxim of quantity with her brief answer. Her fondest memories of the trip mostly related to times she shared with Yuzu, times which should not be discussed among polite company, never mind in front of Atsuko.
"I see." Suzuran tilted her head slightly, apparently understanding Mei's unspoken words. "Aihara Mei and Yuzupon seem to have enjoyed their trip."
And they had. On so many levels. It had also deepened their connection in unexpected ways.
Mei had never been one for eye contact. She had developed the skill of looking at the forehead of the person she was talking to so that she would not have to confront the emotions in their eyes. She developed a reputation for her icy gaze, but it was all a fabrication on her part. She simply could not bear to look someone in the eye.
That all changed when she and Yuzu visited Europe. Mei constantly found herself staring deep into the eyes of her lover for comfort. It pained her to know that Atsuko was so far away and she was immensely grateful for Yuzu's patience and understanding. Those gorgeous green eyes gave her all the love that she could ever possibly need.
Atsuko swallowed the last bit of her crêpé. Her Nee-san and her Yuzu-nee had promised they would take her to Europe when she got older and Atsuko could not wait to see how the world was outside of Japan. She still had to wait a few years for that though. Besides, there was still a lot of Japan she had yet to see, like their upcoming trip to Fujik… Fujikawag… what a troublesome name! Nee-san would have to teach her how to say it once again.
But right now there was something else that was tickling her curiosity, she only needed the courage to speak directly to Shiraho-san. She took a big gulp of water and decided to take the leap.
"Sh…" Shiraho-san's eyes were suddenly on her and for an instant she was stunned. But then her Yuzu-nee put a hand on her shoulder and nodded to her while smiling gently. It was all the encouragement Atsuko needed.
"Shiraho-san." She made sure to keep her voice firm and her speech as formal as ever. "May I ask you a question?"
"You may ask me a question, Aihara Atsuko." Shiraho-san gave her a slight nod. "I may not be able to answer to it though."
The last sentence threw Atsuko off; she did not think her question to be a particularly difficult one. What she wanted to know could be a secret though. Maybe she should have kept quiet.
"Atsuko." Only her Nee-san could say her name like this. A single word should not have been capable of carrying such a profound meaning, but Mei's tone always seemed to reveal some kind of deep truth about the universe.
Atsuko turned briefly toward Mei and gave her small nod before setting her gaze on Shiraho-san once again.
"Shiraho-san, why do you call my sister Yuzu, Yuzupon?" She had heard the nickname today for the first time. She could have asked her Yuzu-nee about it, but for some reason she truly wanted to hear it from Shiraho-san.
No one could have told but after hearing Atsuko's question Suzuran had smiled. It was a question she could answer. Furthermore, it was a question she wanted to answer.
"I will answer your question, Aihara Atsuko."
"Thank you, Shiraho-san." Atsuko smiled and for half a second, Suzuran froze. The child had such a radiant smile. It was blinding. Of course, no one had noticed Suzuran's brief moment of letting her mask slip.
"Well, Aihara Atsuko." She began, taking the smallest of pauses to select her next words. "Your sisters are very interesting people. Very interesting indeed."
Atsuko tried to deconstruct Shiraho-san's words. Shiraho-san was not wrong, of course. Nee-san and Yuzu-nee were Atsuko's favourite things in the whole world. They would always play with her, teach her lots of exciting new things and take her to the best places – Like Shiraho-san's house!
"When I first saw your oldest sister at school, I knew that she was an especially interesting person. Interesting people are a hobby of mine. I enjoy observing them and working out why they act the way they do. Do you understand?" Suzuran's gaze was unflinching and her emotions were heavily guarded once more.
"I think so..." Atsuko struggled to keep up with Shiraho-san's words, but eagerly anticipated learning the origins of Yuzu-nee's strange nickname.
"What I find most interesting about Yuzupon is her warm heart. I never used to have many friends, but Yuzupon was always kind towards me from the moment we first met." The tiniest of blushes formed on Suzuran's cheeks. "She even gave me a nickname - Shirapon. I had never once been given a nickname before, so I was surprised. It was all I could think about for the rest of the day, Aihara Atsuko."
Atsuko began to put the pieces together. Despite her fearsome and offbeat demeanour, there was something oddly charming about Shiraho Suzuran.
"The next morning, I asked your sister if I could call her Yuzupon. I wanted to see how she would react. As expected of her, she accepted this nickname with a smile. From then on, I continued to have many more interesting experiences that were only possible because of Yuzupon."
"Wow! Yuzu-nee is so cool!" Atsuko was now smiling from ear to ear.
Atsuko's smile quickly turned into a startled yelp when Yuzu snuck an arm around her waist and pulled her into an enthusiastic hug.
Yuzu held her sister against her chest while playfully nuzzling at her cheek. Atsuko was giggling heartily, quite used to her Yuzu-nee's bursts of affection.
"Your Yuzu-nee isn't that bad after all!" Yuzu had the brightest smile on her face. Whenever Atsuko would express admiration toward her, Yuzu's heart would swell with pride. Her little sister's devotion was a source of unabashed joy for her. It was the most precious feeling, akin to what she felt when thinking of Mei's love for her.
Mei watched the display with indulgent eyes, her lips pursed in what Yuzu knew was a secret smile of hers. Mei had many of those, sometimes she would smile by simply tilting her head, lips keeping still.
Himeko was looking at Yuzu with a mix of annoyance and curiosity. Why did Okogi Yuzu have to be loud? Didn't she know that Mei-Mei loved silence the best?
Soichiro was smiling as affably as ever. His amiable nature was truly the perfect match to Himeko's melodramatic disposition.
For her part, Suzuran was absorbing and analyzing every detail. The evening had proved to be more fruitful that she had predicted. It would keep her labyrinthine mind busy for weeks to come.
Once Yuzu had exhausted her energies, Atsuko simply rested in her embrace, catching her breath and enjoying her Yuzu-nee's warmth. Suddenly, an idea seemed to flash in her verdant eyes. Suzuran did not miss the change. What was Aihara Atsuko up to?
Suzuran's curiosity only increased when Aihara Atsuko rose from Yuzupon's lap and walked to stand in front of her. The child was no longer intimidated by her and that pleased Suzuran a great deal.
"Shiraho-san." Atsuko started, her voice clear and confident. "Thank you for being such a good friend to my Yuzu-nee." Suzuran nodded slightly, it was her honor.
"I think you are super cool. You dress like a samurai and your food is the best. And I like your house a lot. It's like the palaces in my books."
Suzuran was taken aback by such sincerity. Aihara Atsuko's willingness to make the content of her heart known mirrored Yuzupon's frankness uncannily. And she was not done yet. Her heart had more to say.
"Shiraho-san, you have many friends now." Atsuko blushed slightly, her next words bringing a bit of shyness to the surface. "I would love to be your friend as well. Please call me Atsu-chan." Atsuko bowed her head slightly, happy for the chance to hide her blushing cheeks.
Suzuran was stunned. For once, she was the one feeling all eyes on her. She would have to push her surprise away for later examination. She could not keep Aihara Atsuko waiting.
"That would be wrong." She stated simply. Aihara Atsuko winced at her words and Suzuran felt Aihara Mei's purple eyes on her. She had a lioness's gaze. Suzuran delayed her next words for a few moments. She had to savor that fierce look a while longer.
"Aihara Atsuko." The child was looking at her with Yuzupon's green wide eyes. "You honor me. I accept your friendship and return it with my own." Aihara Atsuko looked a bit confused. Nonetheless, a bright smile exploded on her face.
Meanwhile, Aihara Mei's gaze had shifted from fierce to pleased.
"From now on, I will call you Atsupon and I will be Shirapon to you." Her voice was as serious and solemn as ever.
Atsuko's eyes widened in stupor and confusion. She could not call Shiraho-san "Shirapon"! It would be terribly rude and disrespectful of her.
Mei sighed. Shiraho-san would feel rejected should Atsuko refuse her request and Atsuko would never wish to do something that could be classified as rude or disrespectful.
"Atsuko." Atsuko turned to Mei with expectant green eyes. "Shiraho-san had accorded a great privilege to you. It would be only right to accept it and honor her request."
At Mei's words, a smile chased away Atsuko's confusion. "Yes, Nee-san."
Suzuran did not miss the power that name carried. "Nee-san" as spoken by Atsupon held a powerful spell within its sound, a spell that had been crafted from the most devoted of loves. It was absolute.
Suzuran's musing stopped when Atsupon turned to her once again, her smile spilling sunshine everywhere.
"Thank you, Shirapon!" Atsuko tried out the word and it made her giddy. It was such a good nickname. Yuzu-nee came up with the best nicknames.
"I thank you as well, Atsupon." Atsuko's smile grew even wider and without a second thought she threw herself at Shirapon. She had wanted to touch that beautiful kimono the moment she saw it. And now she could finally grab at it. The fabric was supple and she could feel all the threads against her palms.
So great was Atsuko's enthusiasm that she failed to notice Suzuran turning into a statue. Even her breath had stilled.
Suzuran had not been expecting such a display of affection. She was unfamiliar with such behavior and had no data to predict or decipher such actions. Atsupon had laced her arms around her neck and had made fistfuls of her kimono.
A bewildered Suzuran found her salvation in Yuzupon, her first friend was smiling and nodding at her. It was the most encouraging of looks. Aihara Mei was also looking at her. One of her dark eyebrows was raised, her poise as regal as ever... And was there a glint of amusement sparkling in her purple eyes?
This evening might have turned to be too much after all. So much new information and all at once. Suzuran felt overwhelmed. She did the unthinkable and resolved to push all her new knowledge to the back on her mind.
She raised an awkward hand and did what she had done to Miss Himeko a long time ago. She gently patted Atsupon's head. It proved to be the right course of action as she felt Atsupon giggle against her shoulder. The child gave her a final squeeze and released her. Her smile was blinding. Suzuran felt her lips soften and her permanently furrowed brow relax. She was both grateful and exhausted.
Atsupon had seemed to love her kimono a great deal. Suzuran decided she would send her one in a few days. She had learned her size the moment she had set eyes on her.
Atsupon skipped back to her sisters. Yuzupon pulling her into another hug as she passed by, the child returned it as fervently as before. When a yawn parted her smiling lips, she scooted closer to Aihara Mei and leaned against her with reckless abandon. Seeing Aihara Mei treated as a huge teddy bear was incredibly interesting.
Ariadne's Thread
The gathering resumed its lighthearted and familiar tone right after. Yuzu's warm patter and Himeko's chirpy responses providing most of the friendly discourse.
"News of the event reached my firm as well." Soichiro nodded toward Yuzu, a most friendly smile on his face.
"Did it?" The information pleased Yuzu a great deal. Reaching all manner of people was paramount for success in her line of work.
"Well," She started sheepishly. "I didn't really know what 3D underwater chess was but-"
"Let me guess." Himeko cut her off. "Mizusawa did?
"Yes!" Yuzu chirped enthusiastically before further explaining. "Well, not really, but she knew a guy—"
"This does not surprise me." Himeko shook her head, drills bouncing enticingly around her head. "Mizusawa mingles with the worst of crowds."
"She is part of our crowd as well, Himeko-san" Despite Matsuri having no need or wish to be defended, Yuzu still found herself getting protective of her. Matsuri had been one of her first friends and most importantly, she was as close as family to her heart. Not to mention that in her role as Yuzu's closest collaborator, she was simply irreplaceable.
"Mizusawa-san has collaborated with my firm on some occasions." Soichiro's lawyer instincts suggested him to break the potentially tense moment by intervening "Her contribution was priceless." He omitted the fact that Mizusawa was known as the Pink Oni around his law firm.
"I can vouch for her effectiveness as well." Suzuran added and to everyone's relief, she mercifully did not offer further details on the matter.
"My firm hasn't required her assistance in over a year." Soichiro felt compelled to add, before nervously stuffing half a mochi into his mouth.
"Anyway." Yuzu took pity of him and steered the conversation back on topic. "Another day, another victory for Citrus-E!"
Himeko shook her head upon hearing the name of Okogi Yuzu's business. Her own suggestion had been so much better! "Aihara & Okogi Prestige Events and Ceremonies" … What did it matter if neither Mei-Mei nor any other Aihara was involved in the business? Aihara was such a beautiful name. It was such a waste to not use it – And what was the deal about citrus anyway? Cherries were way prettier than any citrus fruit. Moreover, she knew Yuzu had recently been employed by Jakuzure-sama as her home decorator… since when did home decoration have anything to do with planning events? Okogi Yuzu was such a confusing person!
All conversation came to a sudden stop when the table noticed that Atsuko had all but fallen asleep against Aihara Mei's side. Suzuran had been watching the scene with eagle-like eyes and she nodded knowingly when Aihara Mei gathered her sister in her arms. She had predicted such an action to take place.
"Yuzupon… it would appear that Aihara Mei has room in her heart for another person beside yourself." Shirapon declared.
Mei being so open with her affection when Yuzu and Atsuko were concerned made Yuzu unspeakably happy. The fact that even Shirapon, in spite of her observational skills, had no idea of just how big her Mei's heart was, saddened Yuzu deeply. No one knew except for Atsuko and herself. In keeping with her selfless nature, Yuzu wished that all people could know such love – But not from Mei! Mei belonged to her and Atsuko!
Atsupon did not even stir when Mei shifted her about and lifted her up and into her lap. Her face found her sister's shoulder instinctively and with a happy sigh. Her arms sneaking around her sister's neck immediately. Even though she could not see it, Suzuran knew that her young friend had grabbed fistfuls of Aihara Mei's elegant blazer. The Goddess did not mind one bit.
Mei exchanged a quick glance with Yuzu and was immediately handed Yuzu's varsity jacket. Yuzu had not been wearing it as she almost always ran on high temperatures – A useful trait in the Winter months.
Once again, Aihara Mei and Yuzupon had talked to each other without the use of words. They did so quite frequently.
Aihara Mei gently draped the jacket around Atsuko's small frame, never losing the firm hold she had around the willowy child. She must have done that a infinitely numbers of times.
"No need to be quiet, guys." Yuzupon informed the silent table while making a waving dismissive gesture with her hand. "Not even Hime- cannons would wake her."
"Okog-" Himeko all but growled. Guessing what Yuzu had been in the middle of saying was fairly easy. Fortunately, Soichiro had decided to intervene by smiling charmingly at his wife while tightening his hold of her hand with a gentle squeeze. As expected, Himeko got quiet and blushed under her husband's most devoted gaze.
But what shocked Suzuran the most had yet to happen.
"….hmm….so many socks…" Atsupon moaned and even though her face was resting against Mei's shoulder, her voice reached everyone quite clearly.
Soichiro tilted his head in genuine curiosity while Suzuran's eyes grew wider than ever before. One of her hands went to cover half of her face dramatically.
Yuzu reached over to gently rub Atsuko's back, the way she knew Atsuko loved. While Mei reacted on pure instinct and dropped soundless kisses over the small furrowed brow before gently resting her cheek against Atsuko's head for comfort.
"… Mei-Mei…" Himeko whispered. She knew that Mei-Mei loved her imouto-chan quite a bit, but to see her display her affection so openly was still a bit of a shock. It made her happy to see her best friend so comfortable around her friends yet it also stirred a bit of jealousy in her chest.
On her part, Mei had not even noticed that her friends' attention had turned solely on her. She was completely focused on Atsuko. The child had settled down immediately after being comforted by her sisters and was peacefully sleeping in her embrace once again.
Mei sometimes wondered if Atsuko even remembered the first time she kissed her forehead. She was still a toddler at the time. No one was around, and so Mei stole the briefest of kisses from her while she slept. Except Atsuko had opened her eyes the moment the kiss dropped from Mei's lips. She had surprised her with a radiant smile that was all Yuzu.
"Nee-san!" "Atsuko."
From the very beginning their names had been all they needed to understand each other.
That had become one of Mei's irreplaceable memories.
As of now, her beloved Yuzu was still rubbing Atsuko's small back as gently as ever. Her arborescent eyes were trained on Mei's face. Yuzu had smiles for everyone, but the one she was giving Mei at the moment was for Mei alone. Mei was the only person in the world that would coax such a smile out of her. The smile was for the one she loved with all she had and Mei was answering in kind, not with the hint of a smile and not with a soft curve of the lips. Mei was smiling. Fully and for real. At no one else but Yuzu.
Such was the look of love. Suzuran had no doubt over it. While her two friends declared their love for each other through their eyes and their smiles, Suzuran took the opportunity to admire the matching bands the two wore. They were not as shiny as they used to be, the color of the one on Aihara Mei's hand had faded more than the one on Yuzupon's hand. It was clear to Suzuran that Aihara Mei had the habit of rubbing the surface of her ring. A gesture of love and reassurance perhaps.
Suzuran was pleased. Those rings had no business being concealed. They were exactly where they ought to be.
And now she could finally focus her mind on the evening most amazing revelation.
… so many socks. Suzuran covered half of her face with her hand for the final time that evening.
The End