Chapter 1: Garden

Theme: You and Me by Lifehouse

It was a bright Spring afternoon at Mahora Academy. It was a Sunday, and the girls had the day off. Mahora was an all - girls school in Japan that held classes from kindergarten through college. The students of Class 3-A were in their rooms, and most were sleeping due to the comfortably warm weather.

There were two girls, however, that were not satisfied with the confines of the dorms. They were out in the school's expansive garden, sitting on a large rock.

One of the girls, who had black hair drawn up in a ponytail on the left side. She was Setsuna Sakurazaki, student 15 of Class 3-A. The other, who had long, straight, chocolate - brown hair was named Konoka Konoe, 13.

Setsuna was kneeling on the rock, with the sleeping Konoka's head resting in her lap. Konoka was the school headmaster's granddaughter, and the descendant of a powerful magical bloodline. Setsuna was her guardian and friend.

As if their relationship were not complicated enough, Setsuna was also deeply in love with Konoka. It was not necessarily a secret to anyone but Konoka. Her characteristic and adorable cluelessness was part of the reason Setsuna loved her so. It was hard on Setsuna to keep her true personal feelings a secret. She was akways trying to keep a proper view of their relationship as bodyguard and charge, but being in such close proximity all the time made this difficult.

Besides, Setsuna often used her role as guardian to get close to her dear Konoka without raising suspicion, although most of the other girls in the class already had their suspicions.

Setsuna gazed down at the sweet, innocent face of the girl in her lap. Suddenly, Setsuna felt herself blush and her heart beat faster. She had the urge to do something completely ridiculous; Setsuna wanted to kiss Konoka, right then and there!

Before she could gain control of herself, Setsuna was already leaning down over Konoka. Their lips almost touched, when Setsuna's nervous breaths stirred Konoka's hair and her eyes fluttered open. She blinked once, twice, and stared up into Setsuna's dark, almost black, eyes.

"Se-chan?" Konoka muttered, using the affectionate nickname that she had given Setsuna long ago, "What're you doing?"

Setsuna blushed deeply and began babbling incoherently as she realized what she had just been about to do.

"Wha? Me? I-uh-I mean…"

Konoka sat up next to her and giggled.

"You're so silly, Setsuna. Why're you all red?"

"I was just-um-blocking the sun!" Setsuna mentally smacked herself.

"With you head?" Konoka asked.

"Um, yes…?"

"You're so weird sometimes…" Konoka shook her head in amusement.

"I-I'm so sorry, Miss Konoka!" Setsuna bowed down in front of Konoka, who pouted.

"Whatever happened to 'Konoka' or 'Kono-chan'?" She asked disappointedly.

"What?" Setsuna looked up in mild surprise, "But I am your subordinate! It is only right for me to-" she stopped when she saw Konoka's face. She was barely holding back tears.

Konoka cries so easily, Setsuna thought, And it always seems to be me who causes it…

"I'm sorry… K-Kono-chan," Setsuna mumbled. She was about to bow again when Konoka suddenly hugged her. Setsuna's eyes widened for a moment, then she relaxed and wrapped her arms around Konoka's warm body. She felt something wet drip onto her shoulder, and realized that Konoka was crying.

"Konoka! What's wrong?" Setsuna asked worriedly. Konoka pulled away, and Setsuna saw that… She was smiling!

"There's nothing wrong now, Setsuna, because I have my Se-chan back!" she went back to hugging the dark-haired girl, who happily returned the embrace.

I wish it could always be like this, Setsuna thought as a warm smile crossed her face.

"I think… Maybe we should go back now, before Negi and Asuna get worried about us." Konoka said, wiping her eyes on the edge of her sleeve.

"If you say so," Setsuna agreed somewhat reluctantly.

"Hoping to spend more time alone with me?" Konoka teased her.

"What? Noofcoursenot! That'spreposterous!" Setsuna's words blended together as she waved her arms frantically and her face flushed bright red.

"Whateeever you say, Se-chan," Konoka giggled, "Maybe if you're good, I'll find some time for us to be alone again."

Setsuna stopped flustering and sighed.

That would be nice, she thought as Konoka grabbed her wrist and began dragging her toward the girls' dorms.

This is really just a brief introduction to the story. Please don't be impatient with me!