"Oh my... this is quite a tragedy, isn't it?" Yukari asked, a small grin curled on her face. "This flu that's going around has really taken its toll, hasn't it?"
Her class, reduced by almost a quarter, produced massive sweatdrops at the irony.
"If you have sick friends, please visit them. This is the most important time of your lives, young people, so please do not abandon your friendships," she grinned just a bit wider, her eyes drifting off into the distance. Or maybe just watching the clock.
She just wants us to get sick too, thought Yomi, exhasperated at her teacher's antics. Her gaze wandered over several empty desks - one of which belonged to Tomo, and another to Chiyo. Yomi had enjoyed at least one day that was free from Tomo's antics, but...
A pregnant pause. Yukari's grin turned into a full-on Chesire Cat smile. A restless air stirred through the class.
And the bell rang.
The rowdier kids let out excited shouts and made their way to the door. Yukari was already on her way to bug Nyamo to buy her after-work drinks.
Yomi, however, was content to wait until the rowdy crowd filed out. As the room empited, she curiously noticed one student whose long brown hair was still spilling over the sides of her desk in a chocolate waterfall, her round face pillowed on her skinny arms.
Osaka's asleep again... must be kind of nice, she didn't have to hear Yukari's hypocritical rant. Not that she'd realize the ulterior motive, anyway.
Feeling helpful, Yomi gently squeezed her friend's shoulder. Osaka's head gently turned to her left and tilted up, her large eyes opening halfway. She looked up at Yomi, sleep clouding her gaze, and smiled the same, dopey smile she always had.
"Hey Yomi-chan... did I fall asleep again?" she asked, her voice even softer than usual due to grogginess.
"Um... yes, yes you did," Yomi said, still able to feel bemused at Osaka's spaciness. "It's time to go home and study, I guess."
Osaka rubbed her eyes with one hand and stretched her other arm high over her head with a gentle grunt. "I almost didn't recognize you today, what with Tomo-chan bein' sick and all. She's with you so much you're like two parts of one person."
Yomi's bemusement, as usual, was short lived. "I suppose you could see it that way," she said, sighing deeply.
Her cell phone began to ring. She ignored it, gathered her stuff, and began to leave.
"Aren't ya gonna answer that?" Osaka said, turning her head to the other side to watch Yomi leave. The other girl paused mid-stride.
"That's probably Tomo, calling to either gloat about not having to go to school, or complain about how she's sick." Yomi shrugged, her expression a bit stoic behind her large glasses. "I don't need to hear either of those things right now."
"Say Yomi-chan," Osaka got up and, long after the rest of the class was gone, began to pack up what she didn't forget to bring into class that day, "I was thinkin', that I was gonna study with Chiyo tonight, and Tomo was probably go over to your place like always... "
Yomi bit her lip, wondering about just what Tomo was telling people about her nighttime visits.
"... so it's kinda just us, am I right? I mean, Kagura-san's got swim team, and Sakaki-san's off doin' her own thing... " Osaka gazed at Yomi with her bright eyes. "So... I mean, I don't wanna impose on ya or nothin'. But... "
"Yeah, it's no problem," Yomi gestured for Osaka to follow her. "You probably need my help anyway."
"And I'll help you in return," Osaka merrily chimed, striding past Yomi into the school's hallway, oblivious to her friend's twisted expression of befuddlement.
What have I gotten myself into, Yomi rolled her eyes.
The walk to Yomi's house was a bit out of the way, but uneventful. They picked up a low-carb meal on the way, Yomi hoping that it would curb her tendency towards snacking while studying. Osaka's question about why nothing rhymed with 'orange' was taken in stride. Yomi opened the door to her bedroom and gestured Osaka inside. "Mi casa es su casa," she said.
"Wow, such a beautiful language... wish I could speak German," Osaka walked past her friend, grinning.
"... it's Spanish," Yomi snapped.
"Hmmm, looks pretty Japanese in here to me," Osaka said, slowly rotating her petite body to take in all of Yomi's tidy private space. "But Chiyo's place is better."
"Uh, sorry," groaned Yomi, already wondering if she could feign illness to be rid of her guest.
"Yeah, it's just so cozy in here I might... " she yawned, her mouth opening wide as a mixing bowl.
"You can't fall asleep! We didn't even start studying yet!" Yomi grabbed her by the shoulders and shook.
"Aah," Osaka's big, brown eyes fluttered open again. "Thank you. I knew you'd help keep me on track."
"Yeah... well, at least you're trying," Yomi dropped her bookbag on the floor and began to take out study materials. "You can sit on the bed like Tomo usually does."
"But... if I sit next to you, maybe I'll absorb some of your smarts," Osaka proposed, motioning her hands to demonstrate how a proximity to the more studious girl might have a positive benefit.
"Well, if Tomo suggested anything like that, it would just be an excuse to copy off of me. But I guess I trust you... " Yomi said, leaving and returning with a second chair.
"You're such a good hostess. You should be one a' those ladies who show people their tables in a restaurant... you'd make 'em feel right at home," Osaka giggled a little and smiled.
"... you mean a hostess?"
"That's what I said."
Yomi paused. This chick's on a roll, she thought, staring down Osaka's spacy gaze. But as she looked, she noticed something in the girl's expression. She seemed just a bit more... content, than usual. Her far-off bliss seemed more focused...
Focused on me, Yomi thought, and felt herself get uncomfortable.
"Um, ya gonna put that chair down?"
"Right. Here you go."
Thus, the studying began.
Yomi tried to bury herself in her book, as usual, but kept finding herself glancing over at her study partner. Every so often, she found herself looking to her side, wondering when the inevitable moment would come that Osaka needed something explained in a way her spacey brain could handle.
But as time went by, it didn't come. She seemed quite content to read and take notes, neither napping nor paying any heed to her study partner.
Very un-Osaka like, but eventually Yomi relaxed a bit. As the studying continued, Yomi would pause less frequently to pre-empt an Osaka moment. However, when she found her brain needed a quick break, she still stole long glances towards her study buddy. She did have a bit of a zen aura to her, taking her time in a way that the dilligent Yomi and hyperactive Tomo did not. Yomi almost found the observation... comforting.
"Hey Y- " Osaka looked up and was a bit startled to see Yomi watching her.
"... Yes?"
"... could you explain this to me?" Osaka asked. "I've been tryin' to get it all this time..."
Okay, so she hasn't gotten smarter overnight, what was I expecting, thought Yomi, leaning a bit closer to Osaka's side. "What do you need help with... ?"
The evening wore on. It wasn't long after that when Yomi paused for another peek at her friend when she saw that Osaka had her head turned towards Yomi's side of the desk, a look of fascination on her round face.
Is she... staring at me? At my... breasts? Yomi's breath caught in her throat. She knew Osaka had something weird going on with her, but... well, her breasts weren't that nice, were they? She felt her face get hot. It wouldn't be so bad, would it?
"... I see what you did there," nodded Osaka, turning back to her book. "Thanks Yomi, I knew studyin' right next to ya would help."
Yomi let out her breath in a rush. Osaka was just copying from Yomi's notes.
She bit her lip, her fingers fumbling over her pencil. Having Osaka look at her breasts made her feel uncomfortable. Realizing Osaka wasn't looking at her breasts made her uncomfortable. This was supposed to be a study session...
One deep breath later, and she felt her pencil firmly in her fingers again. It was soon scritch-scritch-scritching across her paper as she took notes.
The night wore on. Osaka, via Yomi's influence, seemed somewhat less of a bonkura than usual. Yomi enjoyed the quiet company, though she wasn't sure exactly why. She kept wondering what this dreamy-headed girl was thinking when she admired another girl's body...
Thunk.
Yomi jumped in her seat, startled out of her studying mindset. Osaka's face was firmly planted in her book. A soft snore drifted in the air.
Yomi felt her mouth curve upward. It wasn't late, but the night had been wearing on... poor little bonkura finally ran out of brainpower.
And she's in my room.
Yomi reached out one careful hand, moving very slowly, and lightly let her fingers brush a bit of Osaka's long hair. It ruffled just slightly, the locks by her ear.
And still, she snored.
Yomi grew more bold, but still moved her hands slowly and carefully. She held a few of the long, richly-colored tresses in her hands, felt their silky smoothness. An electric thrill ran up her spine - she was doing something pretty innocent, she realized - Osaka did have nice hair - but it was also very, very taboo.
She leaned down close, held a handful of silky hair to her face, and inhaled.
Gosh, it even smelled nice.
She let out a low moan.
"uhhh... Mom?" Osaka shifted a bit in her sleep.
The hair feel from Yomi's hands as her whole body went as stiff as a pillar of iron.
"Uh, wake up, you feel asleep!" she put a shaky hand on Osaka's shoulder and pushed, trying to jostle her friend awake before she suspected anything.
With her slow grace, Osaka raised her head, and gazed at Yomi with her dreamy, half-closed eyes. "Sorry... better get back to studyin'..."
"A-actually, maybe we can stop n-now," Yomi coughed. "Mmmaybe you could just sleep here? We'll make it a sleepover, watch a little television... "
She blinked. Osaka's face had already disappeared again under her waterfall of brown hair. A pained grin across her face, Yomi woke her up again.
Osaka made a quick phone call - her mother didn't mind, and Yomi's parents were out, plus Tomo had spent more than one night at Yomi's place. So things were set.
"I usually watch this drama before I get ready for bed," Yomi explained, flipping on the television set. She found herself standing for a moment, waiting for Osaka to sit down.
"Ah, me too! Did you see the last episode, when the guy died? I totally didn't see that comin'!"
"... me neither," Yomi raised an eyebrow. Nobody died on this show, ever.
She watched as Osaka walked over to the couch, moving slowly as she always did. Yomi's muscles began to tense up. Just sit down already, her inward voice screamed.
Finally, Osaka folded her legs and placed her small body on the sofa, focusing her trademark gaze on the glow of the screen. Yomi, however, didn't relax. She took a few steps, paused, and watched her friend.
No reaction. Characters talked in hushed tones on the screen. Yomi quickly dropped her body on the couch.
Very close to Osaka.
Their thighs brushed. Yomi's long arm was draped over the backrest, touching Osaka's head.
And still, the smaller young lady watched, oblivious. Or at least, not reacting.
Yomi relaxed a bit, not listening to the inner voice that wondered why she was sitting this way...
The program wore on. Yomi found herself... well, confused. She certainly relaxed a bit, feeling more and more comfortable with being so physically close to her friend. Yet, some nagging thought on the corner of her mind hadn't gone away...
As expected, Osaka didn't make it to the end of the show. As the end credits began to roll, Yomi looked down to admire Osaka's peacefully dozing face. She was slightly amused to find that Osaka seemed to be making good use of Yomi's shoulder as a pillow.
A commercial came on. Some idol stuffed a heaping spoonful of a certain brand of ice cream Yomi favored into her perfect model's face, moaning orgasmically. She said a few throwaway lines that any advertisement might have. Something about indulgence.
"Mmm, looks tasty," Yomi sighed, leaning to her side...
Osaka's hair still smelled nice.
She found herself licking her lips a bit.
She pressed her face closer, and planted a little kiss on the top of Osaka's head. It was scratchy, but nice.
"Mmph, I'm sorry Miss Yukari... " Osaka shifted in her seat, straightening up.
Yomi felt her whole body get hot, and huge beads of sweat form on her forehead. It was like the time Tomo caught her trying to squeeze into a pair of jeans that had shrunk and no longer fit - but a thousand times, not worse, but more intense.
Did she... did she... did she...
Osaka blinked. "Wait, Yomi-chan... "
"Uh, show's over, Osaka," Yomi began to stand up.
"No, wait... " Osaka looked up at the taller girl. Her eyes still had that far-off, dreamlike quality, but her mouth was small and her expression serious. Yomi was frozen in place. Osaka straightened her legs somewhat, raising herself closer to Yomi, until her deep eyes were all that Yomi could see.
Her lips barely touched Yomi's cheek. Like everything Osaka did, it was odd but strangely graceful.
"Yup... that's what I thought that was," her smile returned. The two just stared at each other, Yomi a little scared, Osaka just smiling her smile.
"... we should probably go to bed soon... I might have some pajamas you can borrow... "
"... okay," sighed Osaka, standing. "'s your house and all, you wanna go first?"
"What? Go where?" Yomi gulped, wiping her forehead.
"... in the bath. Or do ya take yours in the mornin'?" Osaka asked innocently.
"Oh, right, bath," Yomi's chest heaved as she regained her breath. Yeah, something relaxing sounded good right about now... "B-but you're my guest, what do you want?"
"I dunno, I could just get a little nap in before we start sleepin' for real. Practice makes perfect," Osaka scratched her chin pensively.
"You get enough practice in class," Yomi slapped her forehead.
"Well, I got an idea then," Osaka dragged Yomi off by her hand.
"... an idea?" Yomi didn't know whether to laugh or scream. She noticed Osaka had cute hands, with stubby fingers.
"Yeah, y'see I was just thinkin' - I do that a lot - thinkin' 'bout Nyamo's class, and... say, where'd the bathroom go?"
She was staring into a closet, a look of puzzlement on her face.
"It didn't go anywhere. This is my hosue, remember?" Yomi pointed her towards the bathroom, on the other end of the hallway.
"Right. Well, we change and go swimmin' in the pool together, right?"
"Uh... "
"So we'll just take a bath together. Like sisters an' all... I always wanted a big sister." She was standing in Yomi's bathroom, already taking off the top of her school uniform. Yomi was frozen in place, watching this almost childlike young woman fumble with her top, getting it caught around her head.
"... let me help you," she found herself saying, tugging at Osaka's top so that it easily slipped off.
"Thanks, Yomi-chan," Osaka giggled as her hair fluffed around her head.
"Er... you're welcome," Yomi sighed nervously, wondering if she should just go with it. It didn't feel as bad as she might expect, bathing with a classmate... it even felt kind of nice to be around someone who didn't make her feel bad about... anything.
She slipped off her socks, placing her bare feet on the cool bathroom floor. She did kind of feel better... maybe just ignoring her anxiety and going through with it would help.
She stripped down to her underclothes, and noticed the dreaded scale in the corner. Was she so distracted she nearly forgot tonight's weigh-in? She dragged the dreaded metal square from its corner, took a deep breath, and stepped on...
"Yomi-chan, what in the world are ya doin'?" Osaka asked, sitting on the edge of the tub.
"... I'm on a diet, you know," Yomi looked over her shoulder at her friend. Who was naked.
"But you got a nice body. Why d'you wanna change it?"
"Nice?" Yomi laughed bitterly, pinching a neat little roll on her side. It wasn't much, but it was there. "You call this nice?"
"Hmm?" Osaka stared, looking down at her own small body. She tried to pinch her own side, but her fingers fumbled over her skin.
"See? You're thin," Yomi crossed her arms over her body. "I need to work harder."
"But you got a nice figure," Osaka insisted gently, raising her hands. "You got a nice bust an' legs an' everything."
Yomi blushed a bit. "I guess that's true... I'm not lacking a chest... "
"You're not as nice as Miss Sakaki," Osaka drifted off. "Or Miss Kagura."
Yomi took her glasses off and stepped off the scale, not bothering to read the numbers. "Yeah, they are... impressive."
"But you gotta good look, too," mused Osaka, watching Yomi remove the last of her clothes. "Real mature an' all. Not like me... "
"That's enough," Yomi snickered, taking a removable showerhead with a hose off the wall and giving Osaka a playful rinse. "Bath time, not chat time."
Osaka just laughed.
The two cleaned themselves off, facing away from each other. Yomi was feeling better now that she just went with the flow of things... but something felt... unfinished. She stole a peek over her sholder to see her friend washing her skinny legs, humming a bit to herself.
She slowly got up and leaned over to Osaka.
Without thinking, she grabbed a cloth and scrubbed up and down Osaka's back. Between the shoulders, down the spine, a frenzy of suds.
"... thought you might need help," She laughed a bit. Why am I laughing? This isn't funny.
"Ah, thanks... must be what it's like when I pound my dad's back," Osaka mused, turning around.
"Oh, my turn?" Yomi turned away, feeling too excited and nervous to have second thoughts. She felt Osaka gently press on her shoulder as she began to scrub.
And scrub.
And scrub...
"Eeeheheh," Osaka laugehd.
"Er... you know, I think my right shoulder is clean now... um, maybe I'll just get the rest of my back myself..."
Both clean from head to toe, they faced each other, ready for a lovely soak in hot water. Yomi smiled just a bit - if she was wearing her glasses, they'd be all fogged up by now, so she wouldn't see clearly anyway. But something made her imagine that Osaka's big, dopey grin was just a bit more... serious right now.
She walked past her friend, sitting in the bath first. The steaming water helped relieve a bit of her nervous tension.
"Well... here I go," Osaka said, facing away from Yomi and lifting one leg high over the edge of the tub. She paused in mid-air and wobbling slightly.
Oh gosh, she's gonna kill herself, worried Yomi to herself.
Osaka slowly lowered her shaky leg into the bath.
"Eeeeeaaaah," she gasped. Then she repeated the careful submsersion with her other leg.
"Eeeeeaaaah."
Yomi couldn't tell if it was too hot or just right for her...
With a tiny grunt, Osaka dropped her body into the water, causing a bit of a splash, and colliding with Yomi's body.
"... oh, forgot you were there," sighed Osaka. The hot water certainly seemed to be doing wonders for relaxing her... not that she needed any more relaxing. She began to shift a bit, starting to sit up.
The taller girl's long arms darted out, as if on their own accord, and encircled the other's smaller body, pulling her close. Yomi felt her breasts once again pressed up against Osaka's back, and her hands... her hands went over Osaka's slender arms, down the bony sides of her torso, over her hips, around her thighs, inward, and... and...
"Eeeeeaaaah..."
Clean, toweled, off, and simultaneously relaxed and excited, the girls made their way into Yomi's bedroom. Yomi paused to wipe steam off of her glasses and replace them on her face, not knowing what to do next.
Osaka wandered into the middle of the room and just stood there for a few moments. Yomi was about to say something when the shorter girl planted a fist into an open palm.
"I got an idea," she turned to face Yomi. Her face was still bright-eyed and smiling, but oddly serious.
"Okay, what is it?" Yomi didn't think there could be any more surprises tonight.
"I wanna know how you taste. Now, you just sit right down here," Osaka directed Yomi to sit on the bed by stiffly guesturing with both hands. Deciding not to think about it, Yomi complied.
"Now, here comes the tricky part... "
Tricky?
Osaka held one shaky hand on each of Yomi's knees, staring with intense concentration at what lay between those shapely thighs. Yomi watched as Osaka moved her head closer and closer, finally closing her eyes and extending her tongue. As Yomi began to feel the short, quick movements in her private place, a moan escaped her throat.
"Eeeeeaaaah..."
Yomi found herself splayed out on the bed, even more relaxed than she was after the bath. Osaka kneeled near the bed's edge, head lolling on her neck, tongue hanging out, an exhausted expression on her face.
"That was hard... Tomo was right, I gotta short tongue... "
"What was that?" Yomi gasped, sitting up like a shot.
"When I had the hiccups... she tried to pull on it an' she said it was short..."
"... Oh, I remember," Yomi let herself fall back down.
"Anyway, I really liked what you... what I... what we did here... even if a lot of it was studyin'," Osaka said, her big eyes drooping closed. She let out a long yawn.
Really long. Yomi got under the covers of her bed and put her glasses in the case.
Osaka finished.
"But I don't think I can stay awake any m... " her petite body began to tilt backward.
Yomi managed to reach out from the bed and pull her friend onto the soft mattress. Close call, she thought... poor thing is already snoring, even after that rough landing... she managed to pull her thankfully small friend into bed with her, cradling the delicate frame against her own, more solid one.
It wasn't cold in her room - not at all - but the warmth of keeping their bodies so close that skin touched was rather nice... better than the bath...
Morning. With school in about an hour, no less.
The cry of Yomi's alarm clock didn't seem to budge her bedfellow. Just as well... she got up and threw on a fresh uniform. She decided that her normal before-school routine was too much effort, despite the teasing Tomo would heap upon her for not looking as impeccable as usual.
She went to the kitchen and threw some rice into a steamer for a quick breakfast. She couldn't cook, and doubted Osaka could, either.
Osaka stumbled into the room, struggling with getting her top over her head.
"Morning."
"Mornin'," she gasped, her head popping into view.
"I made rice. Help yourself," Yomi said, staring into her bowl.
"Thanks Mom," mumbled Osaka. She scooped herself up a modest helping.
"Yomi."
"... huh?"
"... I'm not your Mom."
"... Oh, sorry, I guess I forgot where I was..."
Yomi tried to eat another bite. It had been a few days since she had allowed herself the pleasure of rice, but the customary gusto she had for food was gone.
A few minutes ticked by.
"... how long until we gotta leave?"
She doesn't even know.
"Not too soon."
Yomi pushed her rice grains around with her chopsticks. Osaka ate quietly.
Yomi heard some sniffling.
She put down her chopsticks and looked up.
Osaka was crying, her chopsticks fallen on the table, her hand still suspended in the air as if she was eating with them.
Yomi squeezed her eyes shut and took off her glasses.
"I wouldn't have done it if I knew... "
"Ya mean... you didn't like it... ?"
"No, I did, it's just that - I didn't want to hurt you."
"You never hurt me, Yomi... I like you," Osaka wiped her face with a sleeve, but her cheeks were still wet. "It's just not gonna work out, is all... "
Yomi wiped at her own eyes with her fingers.
"What wouldn't... work out?"
"Us. We could never do stuff like this all the time 'cuz we're just a couple of friends. But I'd like to do it if we could... " Osaka sobbed, cutting off her rant.
"... So it's okay?"
"... Yeah, I'm okay... It'll be a secret, right? I dunno who would understand... "
Yomi opened her eyes. Osaka was smiling through her tears.
Gosh, if only I could smile like that...
"... I think I'll be okay, too."
The walk to school was very quiet. They both finally parted when reaching Miss Yukari's classroom, each to her own desk. The tears had run dry, but they couldn't return to their normal moods. Most students paid them no attention.
Tomo wasn't most students.
"Yomi! Guess what? I'm all better now! Did you miss me?" Tomo stood proudly before Yomi's desk, as if expecting a huge welcome back.
"... Yeah," muttered Yomi.
"... Huh?" Tomo blinked. Her normally together and sarcastic friend now seemed rather lifeless, her head drooping over her desk and her expression totally blank.
"Oh no, I just got over my flu and now you've got i!" Tomo leaned back in horror.
"... Maybe," said Yomi.
Tomo blinked again, her stiff pose melting into puzzlement.
"Hey, Osaka! Something's the matter with Yo - " Osaka's head swiveled to meet Tomo's gaze slowly. The way she moved was oddly slack, even for Osaka.
"... Who? What?" She asked, her eyes seeming to stare straight through Tomo.
"N-nevermind... " she backed off, laughing nervously. She sat at her own desk politely as Miss Yukari stomped in.
I bet something happened to those two... Tomo thought, daydreaming about bizarre mutant virus strains while Yukari complained about bike chains.