Mai HiME
Touch
Chie was always known as a flirt by all of her friends, but no one really knows that it is Aoi that was truly the flirt. But doesn't matter how you look at it, Chie seemingly acted more like a flirt than Aoi who obviously seemed to be more shy and tolerant of Chie's flirty personality. But that was a few years ago, now they're matured and haven't seen each other in a long time. Aoi's family moved away and so their relationship ended with the move, and Chie become Japan's renown photographer.
The reason Aoi ended their relationship was that wasn't because her family moved to another prefecture but another country, and she's not sure if she'll ever come back to Japan ever again. Chie put up a strong front and accepted it, but inside she was dying but tried her best to move on. Their silly dreams, would be Aoi becoming a journalist while Chie will be her partner and photographer. Unable to let go of that dream, Chie pursued it seemingly looked a little happy to achieved the dreamt she shared with Aoi years ago.
"Yo," Chie said giving a small salute as she entered the office in greeting a certain feral behind the oak desk. "Chie-san," a small smile played across the lips of the feral. Her hair gotten long over the years and tied back neatly, her chin rested comfortably on her laced fingers as she looked at Chie directly. Chie recalled the day the feral girl looked so lost and sad, but then she suddenly disappeared without so much even a note. Only a few months later did she and Aoi finally found out the reason for the girl's disappearance, Mai kept mum when Aoi asked to confirm the reason and Chie knew that it was the truth after all. Though at that time, she didn't know how painful it is to depart from the person you love, until Aoi had to moved away for good. Fate have it, Chie run into the girl just a few days after graduating from college trying to find a job for the local newspaper here in Kyoto.
"Harada Chie?" the girl didn't use any kind of formality like she always done so back in the days. Chie was surprised to see the girl looking so grown up and matured, and she was even more surprised to see the person standing next to her. A young woman with little freckles, her angular glasses sit comfortably on the bridge her nose looking shyly at Chie. Chie blinked once, twice, and then again thinking she was seeing things, but it seemed that the feral girl was holding onto the shy woman's hand. "You…" Chie said gawking and pointing from the feral girl over to the shy woman and back to the feral girl again. "What are you doing here?" the feral girl blocked Chie's onslaught questions that threatened to escape from her lips. "Trying to look for a job at the local newspaper but no luck," Chie sighed and shrugged nonchalantly.
The feral girl invited her to a café shop nearby for a little catching up on things after high school, and she offered Chie a job at the Hime Production company. Of course, it was the shy woman that suggested to give Chie a tour of the place and the studio she will be working in if she accepted the job. Chie couldn't say no she saw the cameras and the lightning setting of the studio, the feral girl and the shy woman smiled at Chie's decision.
"Minagi-san, what's up?" Chie grinned at the feral girl behind the desk. "Yeah, we're having a new editor for our magazine and yearly calendar to the company. She's arriving today, and I was hoping that you could pick her up. You two will be working closely together on many projects to come in the coming week," the feral girl stated with a small mischievous smile played across her lips. "I hope she's single," Chie smirked noticing the glint in the other girls' eyes. "Perhaps," the other girl shrugged leaning back into her oversize chair. "Now you better get going," she grinned her usual innocent grin. "Huh? What's her name or at least tell me what she look like," Chie said making a face at her boss. "Don't worry, you know if it's her. After all, you should know her," the feral girl's grin grew wider as she got up and ushered Chie out of the office.
Chie's jaw dropped when she saw a familiar face that she haven't seen since high school, those long brown hair and emerald eyes that ruled her heart. That flirty but sweet smile that she thought of never seen again suddenly looked so surreal to her, Chie wanted to much to embrace that beautiful frame that belonged to the person who had always held her heart captive. But she didn't, she reached up and adjusted her glasses once to calm her nerves before flashing the woman a charming smile she always used during all the photo sessions. Chie extended her hand toward to woman, disappointment flashed across those pretty eyes but the other woman didn't hesitate in reaching out her hand to shook Chie's own hand.
They drove in silent, Chie stole glances from time to time but remain focused on the road. There's million of questions swimming in her head for the woman next to her and her boss as well, she had never expected the feral to pull a stunt like this. Like telepathic, just as Chie stopped at a red right her phone vibrated to let her know she got a text message.
"Harada-san, Mikoto forgot to tell you that Senoh-san doesn't have a place to stay as of yet and was hoping that Harada-san would share her living quarter with Senoh-san until we get her place ready. Thank and sorry for the short notice. - Kikukawa."
Chie winced inwardly just as the light changed, instead of taking the woman to a hotel or something they asked her to let the woman stay at her place instead. I'm sure that Fujino-kicho got something to do with all this, Chie stole a glance at the quiet Senoh Aoi who seemed to have fallen asleep from the long flight. Of course, she knew of Fujino Shizuru as business partner with her superior though romantically would be out of the question. But Kikukawa and her superior would be a total different story, they're very professional at work that no one would suspect anything between the two. Chie sometimes wondered how hard is it to be working with your lover all day long, and then go home and still be happy in each other's present. Though she pondered about what it would feel like to see the person you love all day, everyday like that she probably wouldn't mind at all.
"So this is your place," Senoh Aoi spoke for the first time after their meeting at the airport. Chie said nothing but nodded her head as she closed the door behind her and leave Aoi's luggage by the door. "It's very charming, just like you." Aoi said quietly as she took in the plain decoration of the apartment. The walls seemed to covered with posters and photos, a few framed pictures of the two of them together back in the days smiling so innocent. Aoi suddenly wrapped her arms around herself, she hadn't planned on coming back fearing that the person she loved moved on without her. Of course, a certain feral girl matured and somehow persuaded her to come back, promising that there's someone still waiting for her, still loving her after all those years.
Chie stood there, silently watching Aoi hugged herself. She didn't know what the hell she's supposed to do, after all those years and now she come back to Japan and Kyoto of all places. Her mind slowly starting to put the pieces together, It wasn't an accident that I bumped into them that day. This seemed like it was planned out for a while now, perfectly planned out down to the details of everything so far. She was giving another chance, and this time she won't give up and let Aoi go again. She's mad at her friends for hiding all this from her, but she know they're just trying to help her and she thanked them for that. But for now, there's something she must do and hold on to.
A pair of strong arms enfolded around Aoi's arms, perfectly wrapping around her with ease and warmth. "Welcome back Aoi," Chie whispered as she rest her head on the woman's shoulder calmly breathing in the scent. Aoi stiffened from the sudden embrace but didn't pulled away, instead she just stood there and enjoyed the feeling of being loved. "I've missed you so much," Chie said as she kissed the top of Aoi's head before moving herself away just a little to plant another kiss on Aoi's cheek. "And I missed you too, I didn't think I would ever be able to come back again. That's why…" "Shh… Welcome home," Chie already turned Aoi around and shushed the girl by placing her fingers on those soft lips.
She leaned forward, tilted her head slightly and kissed Aoi ever so gently. "Welcome home my love," she whispered yet again though there's just only them there. "I-I'm home…" Aoi said reaching up and wiped away her tears of happiness. Chie pulled Aoi in for another embrace, and this time they stayed like that for a few minutes. Aoi held onto the raven hair tightly, fearing Chie would vanished into thin air if she didn't held on to her. It has been too long since they've been held in each other's arms, the feeling was just happiness and very content.
Maybe it was their love for each other that was tested, and it was their love for each other that brought them back together once more. But they didn't rush into anything, just small gestures like touches and kisses would be enough for now. Chie and Aoi are content with just that, because they would have a lot of catching up to do. They will share the same bed, the same work place, and even the same superior. Now they're going to be doing everything together, just like Mikoto and Yukino forever until the day the no longer breathe. And no matter how you look at it, Chie still find it weird that Mikoto matured but still have a fearsome appetite and Yukino is still timid and shy as usual. It seemed as if Yukino replaced Mai in Mikoto's heart somewhat, when Chie and Aoi was invited over for dinner one night. It was scary to see the feral girl in the kitchen cooking dinner, neither Aoi nor Chie dared to ate the food fearing of food poison from Mikoto's cooking. Until they saw Yukino thoroughly enjoyed the food did the couple ate their food, they were surprised at how good Mikoto's cooking was.
Chie and Aoi, happy and content with their lives working for the Hime Production company. Having enough money, Chie bought a small and cozy home just for them. The love nest, a home will be filled with pictures of them together with their families and friends for many years to come. The strength of love brought them back together, and this time for sure that they will never let go of each other ever again. They realized that it's too much pain for them to be away from each other, it would be much better if they were joined by the hips because neither one could go for a minute without feeling the other's presence. This is their love, their life, their present, and their future all muddle together in this house they called home.
Author's Notes: This made specifically for angelronin for winning the trivia question, and I said it would be under a 1000 words. Yet it's near 2000 words , I just can't helped but make it so long like I'm trying to developing them for a better transition through the story. Anyway, hope you like it. PS: If you had requested a Tate/Mai piece, I would probably hung myself (I only do shoujo-ai/yuri pieces).