"You've had a crush on her since you first saw her, haven't you?" You said, head tilted and butt planted on Chika's bed. The conversation nothing new.

Chika went to speak up from her spot at the table in the center of the room, but You wouldn't let her. Frustrated at how this conversation would always go, and this one no different.

"Don't even try and deny it." You crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes and voice filled with frustrations only found in a best friend's denial. "I think everyone but Riko knows how you feel about her. It's not much of a secret anymore. You're lucky that girl is just as dense as you are when it comes to this stuff.."

"Riko is not dense," Chika said, voice carrying a smidge to much force. "She always notices when something's wrong with me and knows what to say to cheer me up."

"Sure. Sure." You rolled her eyes, continuing with a hushed voice. "Really, when it comes to anything else you're always the first to notice someone's real feelings, but not this."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Chika asked with an exaggerated huff.

You had to fight every urge not to shout. How could Chika not see the way Riko looked at her? The way Riko talked about her? For a girl so knowing and keen, You had to wonder how Chika could miss so many telltale signs.

"Nothing." You sighed. "At least admit that you love her. It's super obvious."

Chika's puffed cheeks turned a hint of red, her eyes fell from You's down to the table. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Yeah, everybody can see it." You smiled. Progress, even so small, was something. "Kanan was wondering if you guys were dating already."

Chika drummed her fingers against the table, cheeks still red and palms starting to sweat. "But Riko doesn't know, right?"

It'd make this a whole lot easier if she did, You kept that thought to herself. "I don't think so."

"Good." Chika heaved a heavy, relieving sigh.

You waited for a continuation that didn't come, and the silence that did come was strange. Awkward, as Chika still blushed and You's frustrations couldn't keep her still.

"Why don't you confess?" You asked. "You're always talking about how everyone should make their dreams happen and do what makes them happy. So this shouldn't be any different, right?"

Chika slumped, head resting atop her arms. "It's totally different."

"How?" You's voice carrying the slightest hint of irritation she hadn't meant to reach the surface. She never did want to dismiss Chika's issues which were rooted in, most likely, self-doubt. You had seen it enough to know.

"That's what everyone else should do. Not me." Chika shrugged as if what she said were entirely too normal, head rolling from shoulder to shoulder. "I mean, we're talking about Riko here, she's special. There's no way, and I don't want to make things weird for her. She just started getting comfortable with the whole group. I can't mess that up."

"I think you're special, too, and I bet the rest of Aqours would agree with me." You tried a smile, but Chika wouldn't meet her eyes. "Even Riko."

"Riko's not just special!" Chika perked up, meeting You's eyes for the first time all afternoon. "She's pretty, and talented, and nice. She understands me so much, and I know there's no chance."

"You're pretty, and talented, and nice, too," You said without hesitation.

"But you're my best friend. That's what you're supposed to say."

You grit her teeth, not doing much to hide her annoyance anymore. Chika's self-loathing was always a sure fire way to get a rise out of her. This one of the worst bouts Chika had ever let her see so out in the open.

"You know how I hate when you talk like this." You narrowed her eyes.

Chika shirked back at a talk she'd heard countless times. "It's still true. Riko's amazing, and I'm a-"

"Amazing," You cut in. "You're amazing, Chika, and I know Riko sees it, too."

Chika straightened her back, facing fully toward You, but voice low and with a tremble. "I don't believe you."

It was such a meek and half-hearted response, You knew she had an opening. "Then how about we make a bet?"

Chika's voice wasn't any stronger as she answered. "What kind of bet?"

"You confess to Riko."

"No!"

"Wait." You held up a hand. "You haven't even heard what you get if things don't work out, even though I know it will."

Chika wanted to speak back up, fears of failure urging her to quit, but You's steadfast stare wouldn't allow it. She kept quiet and listened as her stomach churned and mind raced, but a tinge of confidence came from You's assuring warm smile.

"If Riko says no, which won't happen, I'll do everything I can to make sure things don't get awkward. I'll be there for you the whole time, and do whatever you want me to. I don't want to see you get your heart broken, but I'll make sure you're okay," You said, warm smile perking into something more playful. "You'll get all the oranges you can eat, too."

There was never any question that You would be there for her, Chika knew that, hearing it out loud helped solidify the thought. It wasn't her own confidence, instead stolen from You's warmth and friendship. It was near enough to spur her on, a push that only You could ever give.

"Than what do you get if Riko says yes?" Chika asked, frown turning into the faintest of smiles.

You tapped her chin with added flair, a dark cloud that strangled Chika's room with fears and awkwardness dissipated. "You'll buy me some ice cream."

"That's it?"

"Yup." You nodded.

Chika tightened a hand into a fist, nails digging into her palm. She could do this. She had You, and she loved Riko, that was enough. Fears of not being enough would never go away, but maybe she could steal some confidence from someone who thinks things that she could never see in herself.

"Alright, I'll do it."

"Really?" You went wide-eyed.

"But you have to promise that she won't say no." Chika stood up, walking up to You with her arm held out and pinky extended.

"I promise."

You interlocked their pinkies and smiled at Chika, an old ritual they'd used for years brought back memories of their childhood. Chika smiled back.

When You watched Chika drag Riko out of the classroom as soon as the day ended, she thought that would be the end of it.

So she had to wonder why she was sitting alone in Riko's room, not even an hour after. Her only hint a text from Riko.

I need to talk to you. Big emergency!

Riko's bed was comfortable, but You couldn't focus on it. Shouldn't Chika and Riko be spending the rest of the day together? All lovey-dovey together like they should have always been, or at least she hoped. Those two couldn't possibly make things so simple.

Thinking that Chika's fears were the biggest hurdle to jump, You couldn't imagine what Riko was dealing with, but as the door to the room swung open and Riko barged in with rosy-red cheeks and frantic eyes. Pacing back and forth taking time to catch her breath, You forgot something important. Riko could be a mess when it came to Chika.

"You will never guess what happened!" Riko's voice was huffed and puffed as she tried to catch her breath, running hands through her hair as she paced back and forth.

You didn't answer, nodding along with a smile that tried not to say she already knew.

"Chika." Riko paused for another breath. "She confessed to me."

"Wow." You clasped her hands in front of her face. Trying her best at faux surprise. "That's great news. We've talked about your crush for a long time. I'm so happy for you."

"It's amazing." Riko put a hand to her chest, breath stabilizing to a more normal pace. "I don't even know what to do. I love her so much and she loves me, too. I'm nervous and happy at the same time."

"It took you two long enough." You tried peering past Riko down a dark hall out the open door, not a sign of Chika. "Where is Chika? I want to congratulate her, too."

Riko stopped gushing, a thought catching her off-guard as she went wide-eyed. She covered her mouth and stopped moving completely. "Oh no."

You's smile dropped. "What's wrong?"

Riko buried her face in her hands, voice losing the giddy excitement from before. "I didn't answer Chika."

"You what?" You stared, slack-jawed. Of all of the possible scenarios she'd run through, this was not one of them.

"When she said she loved me I got so happy I froze up." Riko stopped, swallowing hard. "I stared at her and nodded, but I didn't answer her. I'm such an idiot."

"So, what." You couldn't believe any of it. "You left her there and ran away?"

Riko nodded, not looking up from her hands.

You opened and closed her mouth, trying so hard to find any sort of comment. Blinking, she couldn't look away from the mess in front of he as Riko shook her head in her hands.

"What do I do?" Riko asked, looking up to You.

You shook her head, snapping out of her confusion-induced daze. "You need to go see Chika. Like, now."

"You're right," Riko said. "But how can I even look at her? It'll be so embarrassing."

"I think running away from the girl you love after she confesses to you is a little more embarrassing." You smirked, Riko was less than amused. "Who cares if it's embarrassing, anyway."

"I do!" Riko shouted. "I can't look at Chika anymore. I'm so dumb."

"You're a mess, Riko, and I know it's scary." You walked across the room to a trembling Riko. She put a comforting hand on her shoulder and tried rubbing the trembles away. "But you know Chika has it even worse right now. She doesn't even have me there to comfort her."

"I'm awful."

"You're not." You went from Riko's shoulder to her back, rubbing circles. "But you need to make this right because you know what Chika's thinking right now."

"She thinks I rejected her, and I bet she thinks she isn't good enough for me."

"Yup." You smiled as she got a small bit of eye contact out of Riko. "That's why you need to make sure you fix this. The last thing I want is you two to mess up your friendship, and I know you guys are perfect for each other. Just go to Chika right now and explain everything to her."

"You think it'll be that easy?" Riko asked, finding faith in You's kind smile and gentle hand.

"It's Chika. Things are never that complicated." You backed away. "Make sure to say 'I love you'. That's an important part of most confessions."

Riko giggled, it wasn't much, but it was enough to let her arms go slack at her side "This is serious."

"That's why you should go now." You ushered Riko out of her own room. "Who knows what Chika's thinking about right now."

"You're right." Riko started out the door, You not far behind. "Thanks, You. You really are an amazing friend."

As You left Riko's house, Riko heading toward the inn next door, she smiled. It was genuine and without a hint of exasperation that had become commonplace when it came to anything Chika and Riko. They'd be alright.

The ice cream cone was a decadent mismatch of flavors stacked four scoops high. You hadn't had anything like it in such a long time, and the beautiful sunshine on the deck of an ice cream parlor set an amazing backdrop. Blue, green, red, and white topped off with a single unnecessary cherry added only for the fact that it was free. All of it was, maybe that was what made it so sweet.

"Did you have to get the most expensive thing they had?" Chika lolled her head back and forth on the table, Riko close at her side and You directly across.

"Chika," Riko said. "You made a bet, remember? And I think this is the least we can do for You after everything."

You took slow licks, savoring each taste. "Thanks a bunch you two. I'm happy everything worked out in the end. I was getting tired of having to watch you two be so into each other, but not doing anything about it."

Chika scratched her cheek. "We were a little dense."

You nodded. "But things worked out in the end."

There was comfortable silence as You attacked her treat, but she watched. The way Riko inched in closer to Chika, and how Chika laced their fingers together under the table. It was sweet, not as sweet as the ice cream, but close. She found a simple happiness in her closest friends finding even more of their own.

"Hurry up and finish so we can go swimming," Chika whined, head still on the table.

"We shouldn't rush her," Riko said.

You worked her way through the topmost scoop, answering with a mouthful. "It's alright you two can go ahead of me."

"It's alright. We'll wait for you." Riko smiled.

"Yeah, it wouldn't be as fun without you." Chika picked her head up and smiled. "Maybe I'll get something for myself."

"Didn't you spend all the money you had on this?" You asked.

Chika turned to her side. "Riko?"

"Fine." Riko sighed. "But just a single scoop."

You watched the pair walk-off hand in hand. Taking a big bite out of the orange scoop, she smiled.