A/N: I do not own anything but what I write and what I can draw. Please be warned that I am just coming back after a few months hiatus, so if you are going to read this, bare with me until the end then.

That said, hope you enjoy this part. If you see any errors or something, ignore it, since I'm doing the whole editing and proofreading, I tend to miss the errors. *shrug* Can't help it, I'm a one-man person.

Prologue

In the farthest part of the room, I found comfort in settling myself there, simply leaning on the wooden wall as I watch you from afar. Awed and enchanted, I could only look at you with dreamy glistening eyes and mouth agape in a small 'o'.

You look truly beautiful with your ever silken blue tresses shining and glittering under the sun's light, the way it sways and flutters in the air as it moved to accommodate to your graceful movements, they could only picture how regal and majestic you are. I could almost feel my breath being taken away from me with just a few mere seconds of watching you.

If this is just mere idolization, please tell my heart not to beat so much. Tell me that it's just that and nothing more.

…Please.

I don't want to know just what this feeling is inside my heart.

I refuse.

I'm scared of it, more than anything else. The fact that I'm looking at you more than I should be…the fact that I'm thinking about you more than what's necessary and the fact that you're making me feel emotions that shouldn't be crossing between this certain boundaries…

It scares me, more than anything else.

Knitting my brows together, I tightly closed my eyes, my hand reaching up to grasp my chest. It hurts, its aching, this beating heart of mine.

Maybe a small part of me already knows just how much the weight of these feelings is for you. Because at the back of my mind, I knew already since a long time ago that I've already crossed the line; I just don't want to acknowledge it, I can't acknowledge it.

If acknowledging these feelings for you would mean my fall and me, unbeknownst to you, dragging you down to sin, I'd rather not accept the fact that I've already fallen in love with you for it might bring me to pursue this feelings into actions.

But, if it has already come past to the point where I can no longer supress this love, please, somehow…

…Forgive me.

o=o=o=o

Steady and precise, Umi aimed for the target with calculated distance and aim. Taking a deep breath in and taking the gamble without any second thoughts, she released the arrow, letting it fly past her bow as it went forward and struck the target at the very center of the circle with a fast audible '-Ziiiiiiing'.

Although having been in the archery club for as long as Umi could remember, she still couldn't get the grasp of shooting an arrow to the center, especially if someone was watching her. But the fact that the person watching her was her best friend and childhood friend, Umi did not care, she felt comfortable and secured that not one bad remark or mockery would fly to her face even if she had missed her aim because the person watching her wasn't just a stranger.

It felt extremely odd though that suddenly, her best friend had much preferably taken the farthest place to settle herself and watch, considering how the brunette would often stand a few meters near Umi. It didn't seem right, but Umi wouldn't comment on it, and besides that, it wasn't really that safe to be standing a few meters next to her either.

Burying the questioning thoughts inside her head, Umi shook it off and peeked over her shoulder, glancing over at the brunette, only to find a worried frown settling on her face.

The sight of her best friend-childhood friend looking torn and disgruntled over at the back had struck an unsettling feeling to her, something was wrong. The normally cheerful and ever-so smiling brunette was neither smiling nor at her energetic pace at all, more than anything else, she seemed lifeless.

'Kotori…'

Umi pursed her lips, her brows knitting tightly together. Without regarding any much thought about it, she placed her bow and arrow to its container and walked to the brunette's side, feeling more worried for the other girl when the other girl didn't even seem to notice Umi approaching her.

"Is there something wrong, Kotori?" Umi softly addressed the younger girl, a hand grasping the other girl's shoulder, which made the brunette look up and stare straight into Umi's amber orbs. The sudden touch had somehow bought back Kotori out of her circle of thoughts, that unbeknownst to the girl herself, had taken a trance on.

"E-Eh…? Ah…U-Unn…I'm fine, Umi-chan," A polite smile curves up on Kotori's lips, which, amidst it being a smile, had not faltered Umi's worries, even if just for a bit.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine…really; you don't need to worry so much."

"But…" Umi mumbled, glancing at her childhood friend, before looking at her hand as she fumbled with her obi. It's not like she did not want to believe Kotori's words, but she just couldn't help but find a bit of doubt for her words.

'Why do I doubt her, I wonder…'

"It's fine, really—you worry too much, Umi-chan."

"Kotori—" Umi called out the brunette's name, hoping to interject something, but it was quickly cut off with Kotori waving a nonchalant hand with her usual tiny happy smile, hoping that it would brush off the older girl's worries. It wouldn't really be a pretty situation to handle if her childhood friend were to actually know something that she shouldn't.

'Please, don't notice it…don't notice this wrongness.'

"I'm happy though…that you're always worried about me," The brunette said before she chuckled, while she tried to piece her usual self back together. It wasn't a really an easy task to act like it was nothing because it really isn't just something Kotori could shrug off, but then again, she'd rather try to lie herself out of this problem than to face them now.

In fact, Kotori wished she'd never come to face them, those emotions.

"Umi-chan is a really nice girl though~ Ehehe, it's really cute…" Kotori chirped while she patted Umi's shoulders before she swiftly turned the other girl towards the archery range, hoping that Umi would notice the crucial grimace on the brunette's face.

Umi didn't really expect Kotori to suddenly turn her around, and in haste and reflex, Umi protested a bit, struggling out of the grasp Kotori had on her shoulders in an attempt to look over at the brunette.

"A-Ahh! Kotori, wha—"

"Umi-chan should continue on practicing, don't you have an athletic meet next week?"

"W-Well, that's true…but—"

"—You should go ahead and practice then. I'll be fine here, behind you, watching."

Kotori gingerly pushed the protesting and struggling girl back to the front, where her bow and arrows were placed lonesome in its container. Much to Kotori's delight, it wasn't that hard though to coax Umi to go back practicing after a few more minutes of persuading.

Good thing is that luck was on her side today.

It would have been bad if she had unsuccessfully persuaded her, it would be likely that Umi would be asking her every now and then about it if that had happened.

'Sooner or later though…I'll have to deal with this…'

Now having asked the older girl to go back to her practice, Kotori found herself back to her lone space at the back of the room, yet again watching Umi's figure as the said girl fired a new arrow, with Kotori wearing a vague look on her face that clouded her whole facial expression.

'Just…a bit longer, please, let me keep this a secret from her—'

'—this love that has long crossed the margin…'

A/N: Did anyone notice the title, btw? It's the first song from Printemps' album, Love Marginal. I got the whole inspiration from that song, so you can say...I was writing this while listening to that song, but with Kotori only singing it. I really love that song, I like the lyrics so much. Anyhow, before I babble too much, I'll head off now. Hope you enjoyed reading that much, I'll be back when I have an update or something.

That's all for now... Ciao~