Resilience… is something everyone has. What we've done is nothing special, but the fact that we were move on feeling loved regardless and in a way we were both comfortable with… that's one thing few people can ever experience.

"Ah… I can't believe it. After all these years, he still… he…"

All who remained in the vacant bar were two young waitresses, having just gotten off work. Yet instead of being happy that the day had ended, the platinum-haired beauty was on the verge of tears.

"Was I just… not doing enough? Am I not his type?"

It was true that he had never shown any real romantic interest in her whatsoever in the three years since they had met, but didn't he develop the slightest feelings for her after she had made him lunch for three years straight? Was going through his stomach not the quickest path to his heart? Did she have to save his petty ass a few times instead?

"That Sword Princess… I'll don't like her for taking all his attention. It hurts, Ryuu. Knowing that he doesn't like me in that way after everything I've done for him. I mean, what's she done for him, anyway?" she mumbled to her elf friend, who had been outwardly calm in drinking a cup of tea.

"I'm sure there are many things that we don't know about."

If anything, Ryuu wasn't calm. Not on the inside. She was fuming. She had never regretted meeting him more than at that moment. Not only had he rejected her best friend's confession, he had run away without saying anything except an apology.

"I really love Bell, you know? It's not like the crush kind of thing he has on the Sword Princess. I really wished to spend the rest of my life with him."

"Yes, Syr. I do know."

In fact, the elf woman knew that feeling better than anyone else within a hundred-metre radius. She herself had harboured feelings for the boy for a long time but had never told anyone about them. It was ludicrous to begin with - an elf at twenty-four years of age, thinking of a future with a seventeen year-old human. There was nothing she even tried to chase after. She had already had no intention of impeding her friend's attempts to win his heart, yet her leniency was still rewarded with nothing but heartbreak for Syr.

"I'll never make him lunch again."

Ryuu didn't quite have a response for it. She couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't hurt Syr any more.

"It's my age, isn't it?" Syr thought out loud.

"Hmm?"

"I'm just too old for someone like him," she clarified.

"It could be worse," Ryuu told her empathetically, reminding herself of her own age.

"If that's not it, there's definitely something else about me that he doesn't like."

"Syr…" Ryuu began, unsure of what her next words would be.

"I could show him more emotion in one night than the Sword Princess could in her whole life!"

"Syr," she repeated.

"A-ah! I just meant, like, a date. Nothing weird."

"Syr!" Ryuu barked harshly, finally catching her friend's attention.

"Y-yes?"

"It hurts for me as well."

"Huh?"

"I have the very same feelings for him that you do, Syr. I've just never acted upon them because it would be inappropriate and impolite when I know you're in love with him. You shouldn't keep thinking you're not good enough for him. For my sake. If you're not good enough, how would I feel?"

"Ryuu…"

"Please, Syr. Don't make me feel any more incompetent than I already am."

The roles had reversed, and it was now Syr's turn to be furious.

"Ryuu! How can you ever say something like that?"

"How can I not? I'm obviously inferior to you, and it hurts when you unintentionally remind me that I'm not good enough."

"I don't like what's going on in your head right now," Syr whispered, putting her hand on Ryuu's. Seeing her friend degreade herself hurt her more than any heartbreak.

"It's true, isn't it? Am I wrong?"

There was no hesitation in the human girl's answer.

"Yes. You are wrong. Tell me, Ryuu, what do you think of me?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I want an answer," Syr replied simply and stubbornly.

Ryuu sighed, knowing that she would have to say something.

"You're kind. Too much so, sometimes. You have the compassion that reminds me of my former goddess. Foolish, to an extent, honestly. Beauty comparable to… well, Freya, I suppose. A combination of everything good in this world, Syr. That's how I would describe you."

"Oh ho?"

Syr rarely sounded narcissistic, if ever, and her response had confused Ryuu for that reason.

"What?"

"You're not inferior, Ryuu. You're my equal. Perhaps he wouldn't return your feelings either, but if he did have an eye for me… I'm sure he'd have one for you as well."

"Do you… really believe that?"

"I do. I wouldn't lie to you. We've been together for so many years now. You are more important to me than you can imagine. If you're going to make yourself sound useless, I don't care if Bell rejected my feelings just today. I'm going to cheer you up some way or the other before I think about myself because I know that you'd do the same for me. That's how it's always been."

Ryuu had already been trembling as she listened and now turned to her friend, her face an indiscernible myriad of emotions. Syr could see joy and gratitude but also a hints of sadness. As she tried to figure out how Ryuu felt, she felt the elf's arms wrap around her.

"I'm sorry, Syr. I'm so happy, so thankful that you're always here for me," she sobbed into Syr's apron. It was unnatural for her to be so direct with her emotions. She had not even shed a single tear after she had come to terms with the obliteration of her familia - but now, with someone she could properly trust, she was unafraid to express her feelings at full force.

"Do you know, Ryuu… They say it's strange for two women to love one another unless one is a goddess, but I think… I wouldn't mind if you were the one I spent the rest of my life with."

It didn't take long for the elf to process what her friend had just said.

"S-Syr?"

"Haha, sorry. I said something weird again, didn't I?"

"Yes. Yes you did."

"As I thought. So? How about it?" Syr bounced back.

"You were serious?"

"I just thought… finding someone else might be the best way to get over him."

Ryuu had been listening intently and a lazy gaze fixed on Syr and waited expectantly for her friend to make good on her words - and she did. Or rather, she appeared to, leaning in towards the elf. Ryuu was surprised, but closed her eyes and mentally prepared herself for what she supposed would come next.

Her expectation was betrayed as she felt a sharp pain in her cheeks, feeling the thumbs and index fingers of Syr's two hands pinching either side.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"The brave and stoic Gale Wind showing some severe vulnerability! Ha!"

"That's not funny, Syr!"

"Thanks Ryuu, seems like you really did cheer me up!" Syr laughed, dancing around the empty building. Her elation dropped in an instant when she saw Ryuu's unusually irate expression.

"Syr."

"I… um… I'm sorry?" she squealed, and followed in Bell's footsteps in bolting out of the Benevolent Mistress. Ryuu washed the cup she had been using earlier and blew out the remaining lights, locking the door behind her as she exited and chased after Syr. She was going to have her revenge, and to her, it didn't matter how.

"SYR!"

"I'M SORRY!"

A/N - a little bit of yuri to spice up my profile (as if things weren't already excessive with the Haruhime fiction I'm still working on). This is indeed a replaced chapter as I had originally planned not very safe things for the second chapter - though, as I had feared, I was unable to go through with what I wanted to write. However, I think this little one-shot does quite fine on its own, no? Anyway, thank you all for reading!