The sunlight filtered in through the gaps in the curtain, the gentle warmth stirring the form of the sleeping Dia. She rubbed her eyes drowsily and looked to her left to see a partially nude Chika drooling onto her spare pillow.

Why was Chika? Oh right. Dia rubbed her temples as she remembered what happened last night.

Chika had called her up to go out to the bar. She had been reluctant at first, as she didn't drink often, but relented as Chika was clearly upset and wanting to talk. Dia soon found out the reason was because Chika had broken up with her girlfriend. Or more accurately, the girlfriend had broken up with her.

"She said that she felt like I wasn't really there whenever we were together. What does that even mean? Of course I was there!" Chika ranted while Dia nursed her drink.

"Honestly Chika-san, you've always been like that. Your mind is always somewhere else. Remember when Shiitake's doghouse had been destroyed and you kept making mistakes during practice until we helped you build her a new one? Or all those times you barely passed your exams because you couldn't study or were thinking about the upcoming performance. Or what about-"

"Okay okay okay I get it." Chika whined as she slumped over the counter.

"But even still," Dia paused to take another sip of her drink, "you're airheaded but you aren't that much of an idiot. Was there any particular incident that set this off?"

"Is that supposed to comfort me?" Chika pouted. "Well…there might've been but I didn't realize it was that big a deal."

Dia side-eyed the younger girl. "Chika-san what did you do?" Chika fidgeted before answering her.

"Apparently I mumbled someone else's name in my sleep. But that doesn't mean anything! We can't be held responsible for what we do when we're not awake. Don't you ever just have random dreams?" she gestured wildly as she spoke. "But she said that was too much. She said I was inattentive, "wasn't really there", and just going through the motions when we were together. So she left." Chika slumped down again.

The older girl sighed and rested her forehead against her hand. "Chika-san you dense idiot."

"Hey!"

"She must think you were cheating. Or wanting to." At this the rambunctious Chika suddenly got quiet. "Were you?"

"No…of course not." Chika felt the older woman's steely gaze upon her as she sheepishly stared at her drink. "I wanted to make it work."

At some point after that they had both gotten drunk and eventually wound up taking a cab back to Dia's apartment. A hazy night ensued.

Dia glanced over at Chika, lying nude beneath her bed sheets. Groaning she rubbed her temples once more.

Now what do I do? It was true that she had felt a tinge of happiness when Chika wanted to meet up suddenly. A happiness that made her feel guilty. It was wrong to covet someone who could not be yours, someone who belonged to another. It then was wrong for her to feel happy upon learning the two were no longer together.

But that guilty happiness melted away, replaced by sadness. Dia hadn't been Chika's first choice to hang out with. Everyone else was busy.

Just what am I to this girl? Dia wondered but resolved to do as she had always done. She'd ignore her own feelings. What she felt didn't matter, as long as everyone else was happy. It would be harder this time, but it wasn't anything she couldn't do. Chika-san was just Chika-san. And Dia was just the reliable older sister to her and the other girls. Would it be wrong to at least cherish the warm, hazy memory of last night though?

"Dia-chan." Dia nearly jumped out of bed, she was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't notice Chika wake up. Or so she thought. Chika giggled then mumbled something incoherently and rolled over. She was still asleep.

This girl I swear! Flustered, Dia got up and gathered the clothing strewn about the room, then throwing on a clean shirt, moved to the kitchen to prepare some coffee.

No sooner had she sat down at the small table with a fresh cup had Chika wandered in, unclothed.

"Good morning!" The chipper girl called out.

"Chika-san! How shameless! Please put on a shirt at least. You can borrow one of mine." Dia set her coffee down and ushered Chika back into the bedroom to make her somewhat decent. She pulled out a shirt from her dresser and handed it to her unabashed guest.

"I didn't think that mattered after last night." Chika chuckled as she stuck her head through the old t-shirt.

"So you remember?" Dia's heart sank. It would be easier to pretend nothing happened if she was the only one who remembered.

"Of course." Chika cocked her head, nonplussed. "I handle alcohol pretty well. How do you think I can keep up with You-chan?"

"Right. Well. Things happen. Last night something happened. That doesn't mean anything, and nobody needs to know." Dia declared authoritatively.

"Mm? I thought it was nice." Chika ran up behind Dia and hugged her. "I got to see such a cute side of you that even Ruby-chan doesn't get to see." She giggled as she squeezed tighter.

"Don't bring up Ruby in that context! That's so shameless!" Dia was trying to maintain her composure but was clearly flustered. "And even if it was nice that doesn't mean anything. You were just dumped." Dia said rather bluntly, eliciting a slight glare from behind her back. Dia broke free of the hug and turned to face her. "It shouldn't have happened but it did, and it has to be a one night thing."

"Well maybe but it doesn't have to be."

"Chika-san you aren't thinking clearly." Her heart was in knots. "Once you're off the rebound this won't feel so nice anymore. And I'm not the kind of girl who goes for flings you know. You said it yourself, you only asked me out because the other girls were busy."

"I know."

"Then you know I can't do this."

"It doesn't have to be a fling."

"Chika-san." Dia was exasperated and couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did Chika not understand? "Your relationship ended because she thought you were interested in someone else. I can't be that person to fill the void until you get bored."

"But you don't have to be just "that person"." Chika was getting frustrated as well and began to raise her voice. "Didn't you have a good time too? Then what's wrong with this?"

"What's wrong with this?" Dia threw her arms up in frustration. "What's wrong with this is that I love you. I always have. I've always just ignored those feelings but you can't ask me to be a toy for you to play with until you figure yourself out." Chika was silent as Dia continued. "I can keep pretending I don't love you. But, "it doesn't have to be a fling?" You can't ask me to pretend to be your girlfriend Chika-san. That's too much." Dia was on the verge of tears. There was no taking back everything she had said. "You shouldn't do like I have. You shouldn't do like you did either. If you like someone, go tell them. Go tell Yo-"

"God, Dia-san you dense idiot!" Chika exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Dia's neck and pulled her in for a kiss.

Dia tried to push the younger girl away. "What are you doing?" Chika glared at her and then smiled, tears pooling in her eyes.

"I'm telling the person I love how I feel."

Dia could only stammer out a confused "but?"

"I did like that girl, but, I also liked you. I just thought I could ignore those feelings. When she dumped me I wanted to come right here but I knew you'd get the wrong idea. I just didn't know how you really felt, Dia-chan. If I had, I would have come here so long ago." Chika buried her face in Dia's neck as she explained. She held on tight, as if to never let Dia go. Dia hugged her back and ran a hand through Chika's short orange hair. She couldn't stop her tears. And for once, she didn't want to.

There was a lot she knew the two of them would have to work on. Especially their communication. Dia couldn't know how this would work out. But for now at least, she could be happy. Completely and genuinely happy.

Omake:

Dia picked up her phone and dialed Mari while Chika was in the shower. She was dreading this conversation. "Hello, Mari-san. If you're not busy would you mind giving me a ride somewhere? I need to pick up my car."

"Of course Dia!" She exclaimed loud enough for Dia to pull the phone away from her ear. "But, last night Chika was asking if I could go out drinking. Don't tell me you and her…fufufu. Oh my, it's about time."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Dia asked defiantly with her typical, stern demeanor.

"Puh-lease Dia! You can both be so dense sometimes." Mari couldn't contain her giggling. "Am I picking you up from her place or yours?"

"Mine." Dia responded sheepishly before thanking her and hanging up the phone.

I like the idea of Chika and Dia both being insightful when it comes to others, but also kinda oblivious about the ones closest to them.