A Yamato Nadeshiko's Love

Pairing: Mai x Shizuku

Genre: Romance

Disclaimer: I do not own Sono Hanabira/A Kiss for the Petals or any of its characters.

Author's Note: Okay, Sono Hana fans~! Time to mix things up a bit! Now, I know Mai x Reo are the true OTP of this franchise, but I thought about the drama CD "Black Haired Lovers", in which Mai, Reo, Shizuku and Eris are featured together, and decided to write two stories about it. Unfortunately, since I couldn't understand Japanese, I didn't listen to it. Anyways, what better to write a story than feature Mai and Shizuku be first to take the spot light? Hehe~!

Hope you all enjoy this piece~!

On a rainy afternoon, Shizuku Kirishima, is sitting in front of the small table, doing her calligraphy. Calligraphy is her most favorite hobby since she was little. Her father taught her this long ago since he's a professional calligrapher. She was so amazed by her father's techniques that she had asked him to teach her. So, from that day on, he taught her and the shy girl learned quickly. Her calligraphy work became so amazing that her family was impressed by this, including her younger sister, Mai.

Mai is an optimistic and athletic girl with the same dark hair as Shizuku, but is shorter than hers, like shoulder length to be exact. She's not really interested in doing calligraphy, but loves looking at her older sister's work. In fact, not only that, but Mai also loves spending time with Shizuku. Every day, Mai finds an opportunity to play around with the shy girl, like playfully scaring her, teasing her and even giving her hugs from time to time.

Like right now, while Shizuku is busy doing her calligraphy, she feels some arms wrap around her from behind.

"Shizuku-onee-chaaaan~" She feels Mai softly blowing in her ear, which makes the shy girl quiver.

"M-M-Mai-chan!" Shizuku stutters. "D-do you have to do that while I'm doing this?"

"I was bored, so I came to see you," Mai replies. "Besides, Mom and Dad are at work and won't be back until tonight."

"At this rainy weather?"

Mai shrugs. "Well, even on rainy days, they still need to go." She hugs her a bit tighter. "But fortunately, I get to spend my time with you, Shi-chan~!"

Shizuku blushes at her nickname. Mai mostly calls her older sister "Shi-chan" as short for her name whenever she is being very affectionate towards her. In fact, it makes Shizuku very happy, even though she doesn't show it.

"Th-thanks…Mai-chan…"

"Hehe~! You're so cute, Shi-chan."

"I-I'm not that cute, really."

"Yes you are~!"

"Uuu~!"

Shizuku blushes even harder than she was earlier. How can she resist her younger sister's affections? Sure she loves it because she's family, but there are other ways to settle this.

"M-Mai-chan?"

"Yes, Shizuku-onee-chan?"

"Can you make some tea, please?"

Mai nods with a smile on her face and stands up. "Sure thing! I'll be sure to make some for myself, so we can have some together~!"

"EH!?" Shizuku did not expect her sister to say this. She wanted to have some peace and quiet for a while, but it backfired. She lets out a soft sigh as Mai leaves the room. She continues her calligraphy work. However, once she starts working, the image of her younger sister suddenly appears in her mind. Huh!? she thinks to herself. Why did Mai-chan appear in my head all of a sudden? She's just my sister, that's all. She begins working again. However, flashes of images of Mai come swirling around in her mind, like the times when they were little, starting middle school and then attending the same high school together. She wrote Mai's name at least 20 times, but with different styles.

EEEEEEEHHHH!? she shouts mentally. I-I-I didn't mean to write those! I was just spacing out and then…and then…

She sighs heavily while hanging her head down. It was no use of coming up with any excuse for herself. She knows very well that there is a reason for her writing those, plus thinking about her younger sister. In fact, there is a very, very good reason why she was doing those things.

I'm…I'm in love with Mai-chan she thinks to herself. She can feel her heart beating rapidly as she puts a fist on her chest. Yes…it's clear as day. Every time I get to work, SHE appears on my mind. And only her. Not anyone else. But…but she's my sister! It's not…it's not possible to love your own sibling! Not loving them like this! She raises her hand to touch her cheek. She feels extreme warmth. I…really am in love with her, aren't I? She can't deny what she's feeling right now. All those times spent with her younger sister, all the times of having those feelings for her, she came to a complete conclusion that she was in love with her. There's no doubt about it.

But…how will Mai-chan feel when she finds out or when I finally tell her? How will she react? she thinks. Those questions swirl around in her head as soon as the door opens once again, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Mai says as she sets down the tray.

"O-oh, no it's fine," Shizuku says.

The short haired girl pours some into the two cups and hands one of them to her older sister.

"Here you go," she says with a smile. "Hope you enjoy it."

"Th-thank you, Mai-chan," Shizuku replies softly. She remains sitting there, staring at her tea and then glances over at Mai, who sips on her tea. Mai-chan is so cute, she thinks. She always has this happy smile on her face whenever we spend time together. So, how in the world can she be mad at me for just telling her how I feel?

"Shizuku-onee-chan?"

The older raven-haired girl snaps out of her thoughts. "Y-yes?"

"Are you okay? You haven't touched your tea."

"N-no, it's not the tea…it's…um…." She clenches her fists while blushing hard. Why is it so hard to say it!? she thinks.

Mai gives her a concerned look and crawls over towards her older sister. "Hey, hey, Shi-chan. It's alright. You can tell me anything." She wraps an arm around the shy girl with a reassuring smile on her face. "I'm here for you, Shi-chan."

Shizuku blushes at Mai's words. She still isn't sure if she can tell her own sister that she loves her, but she knows she must try. Gathering up all her courage, she turns towards Mai.

"M-Mai-chan…" she says. "H-how do you feel…about me?"

"Hm?" The younger sister tilts her head in confusion. Then, she gets the idea and smiles. "Hehe~! Do you really want to know?"

"Yes!" Shizuku replies desperately. "Please tell me!"

"Alright. Let me give you a hint. Close your eyes for a second."

"O-okay…"

She does as Mai tells her. Seconds later, she feels a hand gently touch her cheek, and then lips touching her own. Her garnet eyes widen in shock as she realizes what Mai is doing. She's…she's kissing me! she thinks. The short haired girl pulls away and smiles at her.

"M-Mai-chan…" Shizuku is shocked that her younger sister would do this, but is wondering why.

"Do you get it now?" Mai asks.

"B-but…why…? How long have you had feelings for me?" Shizuku asks.

"To be honest, from when we were little," Mai replies.

"EH!?"

"It's true. I've had feelings for you for a long time. You're so beautiful, elegant and always willing to try hard, not for us only, but for yourself as well. Everyone admires you because of your talent in calligraphy, even though you're a shy person. And I, on the other hand, admired you more than anyone else in the world." She crawls over and takes Shizuku's hands in her own. "So, please, Shizuku-onee-chan, will you be my girlfriend?"

Shizuku wants to pinch herself, to make sure that it was a dream. But it isn't. All of it is real. The kiss and the confession. And the older raven-haired girl is convinced it is. She doesn't realize that tears are starting to fall from her eyes.

"Shi-chan?" Mai could see that her beloved sister is crying, but doesn't know why.

"M-Mai-chan…" Shizuku sobs. "I'm…I'm glad you…*sniff*…feel this way about me. Because…because I…" She swallows hard. "I LOVE YOU, TOO, MAI-CHAN!"

"Shi-chan…"

"I've had feelings for you the same time you did! But I…I just couldn't tell you because we're both girls and sisters on top of that!" She lets go of Mai's hands and tries to wipe her endless tears falling. "I…I don't know if we can make it work. Because our relationship is…a forbidden one! It's totally forbidden! So, how can we—" She is cut off by Mai kissing her once again. In truth, she really needed that. She really needed that comforting kiss from her younger sister to calm herself down. Negative things were on her mind for so long that she couldn't handle it all on her own. She is glad that Mai is there for her.

Once the short haired girl pulls away, she puts on a serious expression and puts her hands on her older sister's shoulders. "We can make it work. I know we can."

"We can?"

"Yes! Because you and I love each other very much. It doesn't matter if it's forbidden or not! Nothing can stop us from having each other!" She calms down and wipes some of the tears with her thumb while caressing her cheek. "I love you, Shizuku. I will love you until the end of time. That's a promise."

"Mai-chan…" Shizuku blushes furiously. She realizes that her younger sister is right. What's the point of being with the one you love when you're too focused on the consequences? Sure it can have some downsides, but does that stop her from loving her younger sister? Of course not! Shizuku now knows better and she deserves to be with the one she loves.

The older sister wipes the last of her tears, gives her a loving smile and takes her sister's hands in hers. "Thank you, Mai-chan. I love you."

"I love you, too, Shizuku."

Both of them lean in and kiss. Shizuku knows in her heart that both of them will have a happy future together. She finally got what she wanted and Mai feels the same way.

A/N: I think the thought of Mai and Reo being friends with Eris and Shizuku had become so popular that they put in a Drama CD for those four girls. I just LOVE that about them~! They even put them in the short stories, too~!

Anyways, hope you enjoy this one and look forward to my Eris x Reo sister love story~! Feel free to give out any suggestions, questions or concerns and don't forget to review~! ;)