Stealing Early Morning Glances
The van hit a speed bump and Saki's eyes shot open. She choked on her own breath and then sighed. It didn't seem like anyone else had woken up despite Kotaro's dodgy driving. That was probably a good thing. As her eyes drifted to the window, it still looked rather early in the morning. The open plains were groggy-looking; cloaked in grey fog and morning dew. Not even the birds were awake yet as stars still twinkled in the sky beside the half-moon.
They had been driving all night and now, it was barely morning. If it could be called that at all. Saki glanced at the rear-view mirror and Kotaro made a pointed effort not to meet her gaze through the reflections; interrupting the eye contact through his shades. Typical, Saki thought.
She sighed again, and it morphed into a yawn. Her drowsiness heavy on both her brow and her lips. She might be able to get more sleep, but she wasn't certain. Her mind was sharpening with every second, even when her thoughts were very much clinging to her notions of slumber. Saki couldn't wait to return to the manor and collapse on her own mattress again. Sleeping on the floor honestly beat sleeping upright and in a chair any day of the week.
Everyone was exhausted. It had been a huge show last night. One of the best they have ever had, to be honest. Saki glanced around the van, careful not to move too much because Sakura was sleeping on her and everyone deserved a nap after a show like that. They had been on fire all throughout the show with their spectacular dance numbers and their impassioned singing.
Saki's gaze drifted back down to her lap. She twiddled her thumbs and wished that she still had her Tamagotchi. She missed feeding it and, in times like this, she missed playing it. Saki was the fidgety type and she made everyone know. After all, if Saki got bored then she got irritated and if she got irritated, then it would then become everyone's responsibility to ease that as she then, in turn, uses whoever is around her as a chew toy to vent her frustration.
But she was trying to get better in that regard. In a way, she was trying to become more ladylike – but only because that sort of thing appealed to the crowd now that she was an idol girl, not a hellion girl. Idol delinquents were only allowed to be playfully violent in a very saccharine and fake way. Her days of bludgeoning people beyond recognition with a pipe were over.
And Saki was kind of glad. She liked the new opportunities being an idol afforded her. Hopefully, one day, it would rake her in a lot of money but for now, that cash was only lining Kotaro's back pocket, but she would get her piece of the cake soon enough. Otherwise, there would be hell to pay and Saki intended for it to be paid in full.
So, for now, Saki was satisfied with friendship.
She missed Reiko a lot. And the other girls in her gang but she was running with a new crew now. And one of them was, of course, Sakura and Sakura was increasingly becoming very special to Saki. Ever since they had had that face-off in a rap battle, Saki's eyes had been opened to what an unexpected sort of girl Sakura was. She couldn't wait to see what she did next; even if it was cute or dorky or annoying.
Saki didn't want to admit it, but she was maybe forming something of a crush on Sakura and right now, those maybe feelings were becoming all the more certain. And she didn't know how she felt about that. After all, Saki had been convinced for a good while that Reiko was destined to be her other half – her better half – and she kind of was but a lot has changed since the late 90's. Reiko was a mother now and Saki was a zombie. It just wasn't going to work and that hurt.
So now, Saki was trying to transform her feelings and express them otherwise. Except now, she was also thinking about Sakura in ways which were platonic and sometimes romantic, occasionally both but also neither. This crush or whatever it was that Saki had on Sakura was really different compared to what she had with Reiko.
With Reiko, it felt like from the moment they met, they had clicked and as their relationship developed, it made them become intertwined in a way which wound them up feeling married to each other. Their subordinates, the other girls, certainly looked up at them in ways which were sisterly or motherly. Meanwhile, what Saki had with Sakura was pushier.
Sakura wanted what was best for Saki. Reiko wanted that too, but she showed it very differently. She showed it by following Saki. Sakura showed her affections by trying to show Saki other ways of doing things. She took orders, but she didn't take them placidly. She vocally wanted what was best for everyone, not just herself or Saki. It was different but endearing.
Saki kept stealing glances at Sakura during her reverie regarding her emotions: things she wasn't the most gracefully in-tune with. Her face slowly reddening as Sakura drooled on her shoulder. It was gross but cute. Feelings were awful, Saki decided as she planted her elbow on the windowsill and tried to force herself back to sleep, but it wasn't working.
Her heart thumped rebelliously in her chest. It always did but this time it did so in a sweet and pining manner. Saki very much disliked it. But she softened to it as she felt Sakura's breath on her skin. Sometimes she snored, sometimes she didn't, and now was one of the times where it was the latter – and Saki was rather thankful for that.
It was strange. They were dead, but they still did things like breathe air, and possess a heartbeat. But Saki liked it. She doesn't think she wants to give up that sort of thing.
Saki stole yet another glance at Sakura. Her fringe had fallen over her face and covered her scar. They had gotten out of their make-up because Kotaro knew none of them would be able to stay up all night and he didn't want it to smear on his seats so, they were all green-blue faced once more and Sakura's scar was once more prominent on her forehead.
Saki thought her scar was badass. After all, it was such a huge gouge into her head; whatever had caused it, had probably been epic. Saki liked it. And as her eyes settled on the crevices it, she then glanced away and back to the rear-view mirror. Kotaro avoided her gaze but the way his brows twinged made Saki think that he would very much prefer if she was asleep right now like all the others.
But she wasn't.
She was wide awake and thinking thoughts that, perhaps, she shouldn't. Saki sighed, and she found herself drawn to something bold. Because she always was. She always craved something a little risky and a little daring. Her feelings for Sakura, whatever they may be, settled in her mind and gave forth an idea.
She should kiss Sakura. But not on the mouth. Sakura probably has not been kissed before and Saki was a lot of things, but she wasn't a first kiss stealer. That would just be unfair to Sakura, so Saki elected to peck Sakura elsewhere: upon her scar.
With a final glance at Kotaro, to make sure he wasn't perving, Saki steeled her nerves. She shifted in her seat and found, quickly, that she was actually more comfortable facing away from the window. She didn't know why, but she was surprised. Sakura began to natter in her sleep; smacking her lips and drooling more.
Saki hated it, but she looked so cute in her little, dreamy daze and it emboldened her. Saki leaned in and she fixed Sakura's hair first. It was so silky, and she tucked strands behind her ear. The gouge of her scar more pronounced now that Saki was so up close and personal, too. Her nerves jittered, and she had never been more aware of them than now. Though, Saki was certain that was more a side-effect of being dead than being infatuated with Sakura.
Saki put her lips to Sakura's forehead and pecked her chastely. The ridge of her scar was strange. Bad strange. Too reminding of what it represented, and her skin was kind of wrinkling. But Saki couldn't talk. That was another symptom of being dead, too. She stank too; part natural, corpse odour and part of it was super forced strawberry perfume, amongst other extremely scented products to mask the decay.
Still, Saki's heart pounded in a good way and she kissed Sakura's scar a second time before retreating. An uncharacteristically nervous smile crossed her face and Saki was surprised. She had kissed people before, not just Reiko, and every time it felt different. And Sakura was the best kind of different that Saki had encountered – and that was just some namby-pamby coward's kiss.
As she retreated, Saki hoped that one day she would be able to kiss Sakura properly. When she was awake and, hopefully, requiting of whatever it was that Saki felt unto her. But, for now, that seemed like some sort of wish that was just out of reach. Saki yawned, and her eyelids grew heavy. So, she tried to get comfortable again, so she could nap. All whilst balancing the still blissfully ignorant, and very much deeply in sleep, Sakura on her shoulder.