A Bitter VTuber Dream

by aquariistrike

In a world where fiction meets with reality, a story about Higuchi Kaede and Tsukino Mito develops.

PART I

It is said is hard to think straight when is too cold or too hot; today was one of those cold days, which will frozen your snot right on the nose, and on the train station, filled with hundreds of people in the early morning, it was cold enough to make everyone stressed. "Ah, I should've brought another jacket," Mito said to herself while furiously brushing her shoulders with her hands, it was one of those days were it won't snow, but still giving a cold front; and it wasn't only Mito, here and there, citizens would just walk in circles erratically and breath on their hands to feel a little bit of warm.

The young girl would inspect her phone, "Are you close?" It was her fourth message without a reply; the cold just making her frustration worse, bouncing in the same place waiting for the train to appear, "With this cold it should at least snow, Januaries are the worst!" Mito mourns while rubbing her frozen nose like it was a starting a match, "I wonder…" Her thoughts continued, bringing her phone to use as mirror and fix her hair. Tsukino Mito, a popular Virtual Youtuber known between her fans as the "trashy school rep" was yet on her winter break, and between the cold and the usual daily commotion in the train station, it was easy for her to go undercover. The young girl continues on her never ending waiting, searching for the train yet to appear and repeatedly inspecting her own looks with her phone, she was wearing a light pink, one-piece dress over a thin, black cotton sweater and black stockings with a white jacket to combo with; "I wonder if she'll say I look good on this…" even if she put an effort to pull that look, the cold was merciless for unprepared people who choose fashion over warmth.

Going out on days with weather like this, puts anyone on a difficult situation; as the girl would soon find with her mind losing her sense of will on negative thoughts, from the stress and discomfort brought from the freezing wind. Her ideas slowly growing louder inside her little head, looking at the little kids crying because of the cold would make her feel exhausted, the looks of the salarymen staring at their phones and watches waiting for the train just to get into their 12 hour job shift was just plain depressing, looking at the couples discretely squishing together to keep warm would make her sigh on a mix of second-hand happiness and envy, gently stroking her own shoulders while the boy and girl shared quiet sweet nothings to each other, her heart would skip a beat when thinking of herself in that position, "Only people like them would enjoy a January like this."

The voice box turned on and everyone in the station sighed in relief, followed with an awkward, commuted laughter, the train was already 4 minutes late and it was sure to appear in the news soon, the smile of the girl was wide from frozen ear to frozen ear, suddenly the cold wasn't a problem anymore, she gave a couple of steps back as the overwhelming machine made it finally to its destination. While everyone got in the yellow line like horses waiting for the signal to run, Mito would just squish herself between the people gazing on the doors of the train, searching for the person she was waiting for to come out from one of them. "Right there!" almost like a light being turned on in her brain, Mito hurried as the doors opened, her heart beating faster each step she got closer to the automatic door, her lips trembled, suddenly getting too nervous to say anything, but happy enough to shout her name.

"Kaede!"

"Mito!" The girl from the other side replied, yet the black haired girl was in shock for the tone of her answer, "Mito, help me!" The girl cried again, in pain and distress, Kaede was stuck on the entrance door and quickly started being yelled at by the people trying to get in and out, her two luggages were just too huge, plus the girl was wearing a full packed bag on her back that looked as heavy as their brothers. "What are you doing, hurry up and get out of the way!" A man from the inside would yell to the gray haired girl, who would just bow apologizing and squirming, "Miiiiitooooo!" She cried again, the third time was enough to shake off Mito from the shock of watching her friend in that situation, on top of everything; she was wearing a full track jersey pants and sweatshirt, "Isn't she cold?" But she didn't have enough time to dig on it, the girl helped her friend with her luggage as everyone barked at them to hurry and get away, they ran as far as possible from everyone's sight before one of them would notice who they were yelling at.

They ran up to the entrance of the station, panting exhausted, they looked at each other and began to laugh "Sorry for that, my parents helped me to carry all of that so I didn't realize how heavy everything was until everybody started yelling!" Kaede shout and apologized to Mito gesturing with her hands. "That got scary for a moment, good thing we managed to get out before anything bad happened," Mito replied to her trying to catch her breath and shaking her head when Kaede apologized "I tried to message you many times, what happened?" She asked to her friend, Kaede hurried her hand into her sweatpants pockets, and bring her phone "Crap, this thing's battery died, forgive me, Mito-mito!" She was ultimately embarrassed from her own negligence, bow after bow it won't help to fight to an angry and pouty Mito. After minutes of silence between the two, Kaede, while scratching her own cheek, spoke again, this time more calm "Did I made you wait too long?" She asked, but Mito just turned back at her with a pouty face. "Aren't you cold in those? You look cute on it though" Kaede continued, this time Mito squirmed a little. "I-I could ask the same to you, what's up with that jersey?!" Mito peeked at the girl from her back, pouting. "Ah, you mean this?" Kaede wonders while pulling on her own shirt "It was really early and it wasn't so cold, I was too distracted with everything I didn't have time to dress up," But Mito was still snarky and continued giving her back, which made Kaede took a deep breath, then slowly pet the girl's head, "I'm sorry, it seems you had planned a different impression for our first meeting after so long, thank you, for coming to receive me."

In silence, Mito would slowly turn her face back to Kaede, which just gave her a bright smile, contagious enough to make the black haired girl smile back, "That's more the Mito I know!" Kaede shout and Mito smacked her shoulder while giggling; as the tall girl rubbed her shoulder pretending to be badly hurt, Mito took one of her friend luggage's and began to walk off, "Let's go home already before I turn into a Popsicle!" the girl cried, then sneezed, Kaede laughed behind her back and took the other luggage following the girl steps' into the streets of the city.

The cold front, mixed with the freezing winds was a mortal enemy; the girls barely managed to walk to the bus station and sighed in relief when one appeared on the second they got there. More silence between the two, this time, not coming from awkwardness but the lack of theme of conversation. Mito would signal to a building in the middle of the city then press the bus stop signal, the driver helped them to get the luggage back and waved goodbye to each other, in a city so crowded as Tokyo can be, the noise grow weaker the more they walked inside the community of buildings. Right on the entrance; Mito took a card from the pocket of her jacket and slide it through an identifier, which after a change of lights and a ring, it opened the door for them, both of them racing to the warm inside of the lounge room and kissing goodbye to the cold morning freezing their bones. "How can you pay this?" Kaede asked, looking at how clean and fancy the lounge was, "Is more humble than you think, the apartments are quite normal." They took the elevator up the 2nd floor and after a couple of doors the girls stopped, there was a moment of awkward silence while they looked at each other when Mito looked for her keys, once they crossed that door, it was going to be the beginning of their first day together for three months.

"C-come in…" Mito stutters, gesturing with her hand, "Y-yes, excuse me…" Kaede nods while coming inside the apartment; it was just like Mito said, the place was quite normal, nothing to envy other apartments in the city except for the security of the lounge. They changed their shoes in the entrance, Kaede found the kitchen right in the left and the living room in the middle of the place, a wide window that gave place to the balcony, freezing cold and slowly building up snow. "Here, I'll take you to your room," Mito tells her while dragging all the luggage to the hall in that divided the kitchen from the living room, "Wait, my room?" Kaede stopped midway, "I thought I was going to sleep on the sofa or in a futon in your room," She wondered in confusion. "Oh but of course not!" Mito shout and continued, "I cleaned the other room for you to sleep in," she smiled and opened the door; it was beyond simple, a bed, an AC, a closet and a small night table, Kaede took a couple of steps back, nervous, "Wait, wait, wait, wait," She gestured with her hands embarrassed, "Mito please don't tell me you bought all of this for me," The small girl laughed and Kaede would turn redder, "Not at all, this is the room my parents use when they come to visit me sometimes," She explains to Kaede, which quickly calms down but, "And what if they come?" she insisted. "Is fine, they left a week ago and won't come back for a while," Mito keeps explaining, finally settling down with Kaede.

The girls unpacked Kaede's belongings then left the room, the gray haired girl sat in the white sofa of the living room and put her phone to charge while waiting for Mito to make some tea. "So have you decided on what to do?" Mito shout from the kitchen as she turned on the stove and put the teapot, then joined Kaede in the sofa, leaving a cushion of space between the two. "Well, study of course," the girl scratched her cheek, "I want to check on the libraries of the city since I'm going to spend of my time there," she explains to Mito, who listens to her excited, Kaede stops midsentence and says, "But don't worry! My parents are going to send me some pocket money every month to take care of my part of the groceries and bills," Mito shacked for a second, "Ah, t-that's good! I'm sorry, I wasn't asking because of that…" She looks down embarrassed, "And we are going to work together these months too, I don't think you have to worry about the money…" Kaede was speechless, she ruined the mood right from the start, and she just wanted to make sure Mito wasn't going to maintain the girl in her staying.

The teapot cried in its boiling and Mito hurried to take care of it, Kaede wanted to stop her and apologize, but she didn't know how to, "Ah…" Mito mourns while serving the teacups, "There's… a problem…" She continued with a low tone. "W-what's wrong?" Kaede looked up to her confused, "The fridge is empty, and we need to buy groceries, at least for today, but." They both gazed to the frozen balcony, the wind growing stronger, they gulped down remembering the cold morning they started with. "I'll go," Kaede says without looking at the black haired girl, "Why don't you list down what we need and I'll come back in a whiff, OK? I'll go take my jacket," She says while standing up and going to her room, "No need for that I'll go with you," Mito cut her steps by standing in front of them, the girl was ready to insist, but the look on her friend eyes' was decisive, "Fine… let's go together," Kaede forced a smile and her little friend smiled happily.

After taking their jackets, reluctantly and slowly they went back to the lounge and stepped out the building, fashion thrown out of the window with scarf, gloves and ear protectors, but the raging winds would still give them fight. Mito explains to her friend about a minimarket close of them so they wouldn't have to go to the city; slowly walking right on the street, using their arms to fight the breeze getting in their eyes, they went through under a bridge and when crossing left, the lights of the minimarket pushed them to run inside the place. "We did it!" They shout in unison, the clerk laughed at them and praised the for coming to the place with such a cold front, the young man invited the girls a couple of Chai tea in paper cups, which they took with a smile. "Let's see, I need some daikon, raddish, tofu and garlic tube to make hotpot," Mito says while finishing her tea and checking on the list, "What are we using as stock?" Kaede asks, taking Mito's cup and throwing it in the closest dispenser, "I have miso and chicken stock in home," The girl replies to her, Kaede follows the girl through the halls of the minimarket picking in the groceries, she stares at her friend in silence, and when noticing her red cheeks, Kaede took her gloves off and hold her face with both hands, making Mito squirm. "K-Kaede?!" She shout in the most acute tone, blushing over her frozen cheeks, "I was just thinking this is the first time we hang out together for something else than going to the theater or the karaoke," The tall girl sighs, gently rubbing her thumbs against Mito's cheeks, "Here, the cold got you good, you have to cover your face more in the way back-… Mito?" Kaede asks nervously, the small haired girl had slowly melted on her friends' hands, closing her eyes and sighing in happiness, just like a cat asking to be pampered, her friend turned her eyes to the other way and released Mito from her hands, and the small girl almost trips when doing so, "Let's hurry up… t-the weather, right, the weather isn't getting any better!" Kaede gestures, pointing to the window, sadly for her, she was right, snow was finally falling, but combined with the freezing winds, it was a horrifying storm waiting for them to come out, once again they gulp down saliva, and as they pay their shopping, Mito gets ready to get out by wrapping her face in the scarf, making Kaede snort.

"Impossible" it was a proper way to define their situation, if it was already hard to reach the minimarket, it turned an odyssey to walk back to the apartment, was it destined to be perhaps? Their first day together resulting in an absolute mess, Mito would ask herself this and other questions as they stop under the bridge to protect themselves from the storm. "Guess we'll have to wait for it to settle down a little," Kaede gasps unfolding the scarf out of her face, she looks down to Mito, waiting for an answer, but she only gets silence back, the small girl is lost on her thoughts once again, they sit on the floor exhausted, and slowly and quietly, the girls squish their shoulders together, shy smiles are shared, Kaede rest her head over Mito's making her squirm once again, "That tea must be ice cream right now," Kaede tells her, "Crap, you're right, I forgot!" Mito shouts surprised and they laugh together. The storms' breeze quiets down any other noise out of the bridge, the girls can see their breath take shape in the air, "Tokyo U… I was really surprised the first time you told me you were trying to get in," Mito finally speaks, bringing up a theme that surprises Kaede, she continues, "I wish I could be of more help than just giving you a place where to stay," the small girl looks down while rubbing her legs, looking for warmth. "What you're doing is more than enough…" Kaede mourns looking to the other side, "If you weren't here, I wouldn't have come and live by myself," The tall girl explains, as Mito looks up to her, slightly blushing, Kaede keeps avoiding eye contact with the girl, "Is just… When you offered me to stay with you while I study for the entrance exams… I was so relieved; I couldn't find a way to tell my parents how scared I was to live alone in the city…" She explains with her hands, then gives Mito a bittersweet smile, "I guess what I'm trying to say is… THANK YOU, Mito, I wouldn't be here if it weren't because of you," She concluded, looking back to her with a wide smile, making Mito blush bright red, the small girl tried to talk back but it was impossible, instead, she hide her face in Kaede's face, "What about… the other thing," Mito mourns, and Kaede instantly trembled to her words, "Y-ye—What was that again?" She pretended to not know, but it was useless, as her friend kind eyes pierced her heart when looking up from her chest, "Sorry… I do know there's something else…"

Mito pouts and stands up, the winds have calmed down, the snow gently falling on the street, "I know that you're going through a lot right now," She says angrily while picking her bags, Kaede embarrassed and surprised at the small girl restarting the walk back to the apartment, tries to pick her bags just as fast while following her, "But I do want to know… what our relationship is," Mito whispers then runs in shame towards the apartment, Kaede stays frozen under the bridge, her face is a mix of embarrassment and happiness, "Our relationship… you say," She repeats to herself, following the Mito steps in the snow, "I too wonder, what our relationship is…" Kaede stops in the middle of the street, looking up to the cloudy sky, frozen serene, "But if we don't like the answer, what is going to happen to us?"

Part II

"What was supposed to be our relationship, to begin with?" It was early in the morning and that question was troubling Kaede like nothing else, the young woman had just come back to the apartment, wearing her jersey, just to find a Mito who had recently woken up, wearing a comical bunny themed, two-piece pajama; for an instant Kaede wonders and worries disappear, it was the first time watching her friend with such a sleepy face, barely standing, and wearing that kiddy attire, the girl tried to hold out the laughter as best as she could, but it was useless. "Kaede…? What wer- you doin' outside… in this cold?" Mito mumbles and scratches her left eye. "That was yesterday you silly, is incredible in the city, the cold just doesn't hit right, so I took the chance of jogging a little," Kaede explains to her while snorting, "Did you even brushed your teeth?" She asks to the sleepy girl, who just snores and shakes her head, "I get the cold mornings aren't your thing, hehe," Kaede holds Mito from her hand takes her to the kitchen, where she quickly lifts her up on the kitchen table, "Where's the coffee?" She asks to Mito, who just lifts her hand and points to the stand in the right of the head of the girl, Kaede turns around and opens it to take the coffee, turn on the stove and put the teapot over it.

The tall girl leans her back on the other side of the kitchen, silently watching her sleepy friend who slowly went back to sleep right where was sitting, "I guess lately… things have been weird between us, ah, but not, really weird, I don't feel weird around her," She had gone to a state of deep thought, her eyes staring on Mito's face, observing the strings of black hair in her face, going from her small nose and getting stuck on Mito's pink, small lips, the realization of staring to her friends' lips makes Kaede shake her head, "YES, things have gotten weird lately, but… not weird in a bad way, at first I thought our friendship was just growing stronger," Her eyes retake her mission to inspect her friend, following the strings of hair she keeps looking down to her neck, "But I guess both have been more… lovey-dovey with each other, even though at first I thought it was normal, lately I feel… weird," From her neck to the first button of her pajama- if there were any, Kaede breath grow faster realizing her friend was missing a button on her shirt, she looked up on her, Mito still sleeping, the silence and her wonders weren't of much help either, she had her doubts, but her eyes continued looking down on and as soon as she would make out the beginning of the lines on her breasts, the teapot cried angrily, scaring the heck out of the girl, yet feeling that interruption had saved her from doing something improper. She gave her back to the small girl and prepared the brewer and the cups, and once she poured the water and served the coffee, she walked to the kitchen table, where she left the cups to a side of Mito, just looking at her sleeping face would make her sketch a gentle smile, slowly fixing the hair of the girl with the tips of her fingers, "The day waits for no one, sleepy head," Kaede tells her while making her take the cup with both hands, "I don't remember if you like it with or without sugar so I put one spoon just in case," Mito doesn't answers, just nods, still with eyes closed she takes a sip of the cup, slowly waking up. "Eh? W-why am I in the table?" Kaede snorts as she leans on the table to sit near her, "Are you noticing it just now?" The tall girl laughs while sipping on her coffee, "Ah, Kaede, good morning," Mito continues with her mumbling, bumping Kaede's shoulder with her head, "You're cold!" She squirms drawing back, "Were you outside?" Kaede chokes on her coffee due to her friends' reaction, "Cold mornings really aren't your thing," Mito has finally open her eyes, which uses to stare to her friend in an early morning pout, "Cold morning aren't anyone's' thing, you're just excited to be in the city," Kaede continues with her laughing, "Pffft, I guess you're right, anyway…" She took a sip of coffee and continued, "Your neighbors are quite nice, Mr. Yamada offered us to get some mikan later and Mrs. Yukino said she would come and bring us pickled vegetables too."

This time it was turn of Mito to choke on her coffee, "Mr. and Mrs. Who?!" She shout, utterly confused, "Y-you… you don't know your neighbors?" Kaede asked surprised and Mito shakes her head embarrassed, "You know I don't really go out unless is needed so…" Kaede sighs in disbelief, and then explains, gesturing with her hands, "Mr. Yamada is the one who leads the community association of the building and lives in the 5th floor; Mrs. Yukino is our neighbor in the other side of the hall." Mito continues looking at her friend both surprised and confused, "And you know this because…?" Kaede chuckles, "I was on my way back to the apartment after jogging when I found them picking up trash and helped them out, they're very nice people you know?" Mito shakes and looks away while taking and bigger chug on her coffee, "Don't play dumb, aren't you our "wholesome class rep?" You should go out and help your neighbors to keep the place clean now and then," The tall girl scolds her friend while softly pulling on her ear. "Oh c'mon, is so cold out there…" Mito whines, but Kaede just gives her a death stare which she's unable to fight back, "D-did you sleep well? Did the portable heater worked properly? I haven't used it in a while so," Mito tells to Kaede, trying to change the flow of the conversation, the gray haired girl shrugs and gives in with a smile, "I slept just great, thank you, shall we make breakfast now?"

The sun raised from the window of the balcony, and after making natto and warm rice, the girls sat on the table of the living room to eat while watching the news. Mito would just stare at her friend as she happily mixed the mustard with the natto, almost like humming a song with it, her smile growing wider, her cheeks blushing red, as Kaede pours the natto on the rice, and gives it a big bite, the tall girl would choke embarrassed as she notices her friends eyes has been posing on her all this time. "I could get used to that," Mito tells to her while smiling, as she goes back to prepare her own plate. "I'm sorry, old manners," Kaede excuses herself while blushing red, "So, what are you going to do today? I was planning we could-" Mito tried to start the conversation, but Kaede stopped her right in the second as she muted the news with the TV controls, "Actually I do have plans already, I'm going to check all libraries close to your apartment and will probably come back in the evening," She explains, this time with a bit of a more serious tone, "R-right, of course it would be better if you get used to the city," Mito replies nervously as she mixes the rice with the natto in exasperation, "You also have a stream this morning and another one in collab tonight right? I don't want to bother you; I just have four free days from Nijisanji before coming back to SNS and the Streams, so I want to get ready as soon as possible," Mito looks down, her mood falls as she silently takes a bite of her food, Kaede struggles to her friends reaction, she took the remote control to un-mute the TV, but decided to face the problem with a smile, "Is not like I don't want to spend time with you, Mito," She chuckled, but the small girl gave no reaction, then continued, "I just really need to focus on my studies now, OK? I promise we'll go out, we have three months to do so," Mito kept looking down, giving her friend just a shy nod. But Kaede won't give up, recognizing her own efforts to stay away from her friend as every time together would be a reason to face the question she wants to avoid, the girl gently took her friend's right hand and rubbed her fingertips together, "I'm sorry, I know is probably not what you expected, but we'll have time to spend together, I promise," She explain to Mito with a gentle voice, slightly blushing, an involuntary smile draws on her face and she answers by holding on her friends' fingers; Kaede's heart skips a beat from it, pulling away from Mito's hand almost instantly, then giving voice back to the TV, "O-OK? So let's have breakfast and start our day."

"I'm going to ask for a duplicate of my key and pick it up after this morning stream, so today just give me a ring when you're close and I'll come down to open the door," Mito explains to Kaede as they wave goodbye to each other in the lounge room; shy smiles are shared, it is weird for both of them to interact like this, and somehow it was fulfilling to have a place to come back to and a someone to wait for.

It didn't take much to for Kaede's phone to ring, she slides her finger on the screen and puts the phone on her ear, "Do you have everything you need?" Mito asks from the other side, Kaede snorts out loud scaring some passerby people, the tall girl turns around to look at the small black blob waving her hand from the distance, "Yes, yes, everything is good, see you on the evening you silly head," she replies while stretching her arm high and waving for her to notice. "Well then… Goodbye… uhm… dear," To say such a thing made Kaede burn bright in embarrassment, "Bye!" Mito said once again agitated before hanging up, leaving no space for her friend to answer, what was she suppose to answer anyway? As Kaede continued her trip to the city, five minutes into the street and her phone rang again. The girl laughed in anticipation, and as she flicked the phone to answer she took a deep breath and step forward with bravery, "Yes dear, do you need something?" She asked, just to be stopped midway by a feminine but mature voice, "Dear? Were you expecting someone else?" It was her mother; the bravery inside her was flushed down the toilet instantly, "Mom! No, nothing at all, sorry, it was er- a joke, sorry it was weird, how are things going?" Kaede desperately tried to change the subject, "Well not as good as in Tokyo it seems, I thought you promised to call us right when you reached your friends' apartment, but seems you are too happy there already," Her mom insisted to scold the young one. "No mom; is not like that," Kaede replied with a serious tone, "I'm sorry is just, yesterday was a mess, there was a storm and we needed to buy food, argh, it was a disaster." The girl continues her way into the bus station as the call keeps going.

"Oh, I always thought this apartment belonged to a guy, to think a young girl was living with us…" The old lady says embarrassed as she sits in the living room with Mito. "A man…? W-why would you think that?" The girl asked nervously, "Well, because you never come to our meetings and… yes, why won't a girl be living here, I'm sorry," The lady apologizes and Mito nods along, "I… I have no excuse… I'll try to participate more often with our community…" The girl couldn't be more embarrassed, apologizing is the left she could do, "Well, well, I didn't come here to shame you for it; nowadays all young ones are like that…" The woman explains with a smile as she looks on her purse for a plastic container, "These are the pickled vegetables I promised to the other girl, I hope you find them delicious," Mito holds on them fast while bowing, "Thank you so much Mrs. Yukino! I'm sorry for the trouble!" The lady laughs and gestures with her hand, asking Mito to calm down. The girl takes the plastic pack and puts it in the fridge while serving a hot cup of tea to the lady. "I have to say, in the way the other girl was talking about you, I thought she had moved in with her boyfriend," Mito shakes in a new tone of red, "Is that so?!" She helplessly squirms and the old lady laughs again "Yes, and to think it was a girl, time sure changes, I look forward to visit you two more often," The girl coughs on the tea, she tries to take her breath back, but suffocates instead, the old lady rubs her back slowly as she tried to breath back again. "Is… is not like that," Mito tries to explain, but Yukino just chuckles, "Don't worry, I know about this stuff, my grandchild just moved with his boyfriend recently, there's nothing to be ashamed of," She insist, Mito feels like she's going to pass out, "No… really… we aren't, like that," She insists, as best as she can, the old lady blushes ashamed and bows down, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, so then you are just roommates?" Yukino asks and the nervous Mito takes the chance, "Yes, roommates! Nothing weird at all!" She shouts in the most acute tone, ruining instantly her excuse; the old lady takes a deep breath and answers her with a gentle, silent smile, enough to disarm the distressed Mito, she would just shut up and sit down again, and after a couple of minutes, "So, what it is?" Yukino asks, "I'm… we aren't sure yet, is complicated," Mito replies, shyly playing with her own fingers, "But you want something to happen," The old lady insisted, and Mito nods reluctantly, "Ah, to be young," The lady exclaimed with a mocking tone, "Don't worry little one, if something is bound to happen, it will happen, you just do what you think is correct."

"So is your friend treating you right? How are things going with her?" Her mom asked as Kaede walked in circles around the library entrance, a bit frustrated, yet she didn't know how to hang up to her. "Yes, she was waiting for me in the train station and she has been very nice to me, her apartment even had an extra room for me to sleep in!" Kaede replies with a fake tone of excitement, waiting for her mother to be relieved and finish the call. "Say, I've been wondering this whole time but, are you and that girl… like that?" The question stopped her on the track, almost bumping with a guy passing by with his bicycle. "Mom…? What's with that all of a sudden?" Kaede asks nervously, "Kaede my child," Her mom sighed in a condescending tone, which made the girl be even more frustrated, "You have been always my best success, and I will always be proud of you, if the reason of why you begged us to let you move to the city with that girl instead of living alone was because you-" But Kaede interrupted her, "Mom, I'm going to stop you there," Her mother's voice shakes, "K-kaede? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… I'm just trying to look for what is best for you," But the girl didn't hold back, "I just don't want to have this conversation right now, OK?" The girl snapped violently, ready to hang up, "Kaede…" her mother's sad tone of voice was enough to make her step back, "I'm sorry, I just need time, I'm trying to find it out myself, I love you mom, see you," And so, the girl hanged her phone and walked inside the library.

As the hours passed, the tall girl, buried the desk where she was sitting with books all over the place, there were teens all over the place, face planted in books, some stressed, others seemed to have fun studying, Kaede couldn't help but compare herself to them, "How long have been them studying? Are they more prepared than me? What if we end copying each other? Should I even prepare myself to cheat? No, I can't cheat, not when I've been studying since last year," Over and over again, the girl would fall on these thoughts , distracting herself from studying, in the end, she signed up on the library, borrowed a couple of books, and walked away out of the place in frustration.

Her phone ringed, her eyes swirling, she took a deep breath just to be surprised with by a picture of Mito wearing an apron and doing dinner under "Tonight we'll have curry hotpot!" as she walks by a cloth store Kaede would just blush red when looking at her reflection in the crystal, noticing the smile on her face just from watching Mito wasn't something she needed at the moment. "What is our relationship even," She asks to herself, quickly changing her messages from Mito to her mother, "I'm sorry for what happened today mom, love you," She wrote and sent to her, saving her phone back in her pocket and. "I'm walking back home… her home," This time she looks at herself in the mirror and smiles as she thinks of going back to Mito, fixing her hair from one side to the other and restart her walk to the bus station.

"What, you couldn't study?" Mito asks while serving rice into a bowl then handing it to Kaede. "There was too many people, but I got these books to read so I'm going to give it back tomorrow and visit another place," The tall girl explains, giving thanks to Mito as she is handed the bowl of rice, "What about you?" She asks to Mito, both sit down and mutes the TV. "Well about that, everyone is asking about you, they hope you come back soon," She explains to Kaede, taking a bite of the pickled vegetables, "Oh, these ones are pretty good," Kaede snorts and flicks the little girls' forehead, "The perks of meeting your neighbors, see?" Mito pouts while rubbing her face, defenseless against her argument.

"Anyway, I still won't be coming back, there's two more free days the company gave me and I want to settle a place to study before that," Kaede tells to Mito, gesturing with the chopsticks before going back to eat. But Mito doesn't really answers to her; the small girl stays silent and takes another bite to her food. "You could always study here…" Mito whispers, in a mixed tone of whining and begging, Kaede gives her a forced smile, "C'mon, you know I can't do that," She tells to Mito, but the black haired girl looks away instead, "Hey, don't be like that, your house is also your place of work, isn't it? I can't just come here and interrupt all your daily live routines," The girl keeps explaining, but the more she talks, the angrier Mito gets, in the end, the small girl smacks down the table with one hand, startling Kaede, "Isn't that just a excuse to don't spend time together?!" She cries, Kaede looks down ashamed, unable to answer in guilty, "Just forget it, let's finish dinner," Mito adds, the dinner is followed by an awkward silence until both finish their food, but none of the girls is able to stand up and pick up the plates, trying to avoid interacting with the other. "You know, mom called me right after you did in the morning," Kaede begins to tell with a small tone of voice, "And since I thought it was you again, I went off with a 'Hello dear' and mom was like 'excuse me'?" The girl describes, making the other one snort out loud, "PFFFT" Slowly lifting up her face, Mito wipes a bit of tears coming from her face while laughing, Kaede is once again startled by her friends reaction and slowly approaches to her. "That's not fair, you can't just make me laugh like that… that must have been pretty embarrassing," Mito whines while laughing, Kaede turns to her side of the table and sits near to her. "It definitely was… were you, really crying?" She asks, gently putting a hand over the girls' right knee. "But is the true, isn't it?" Mito asks back, her laughter instantly disappearing as she rubs her runny nose, "You're just looking for a place where you don't have to see me every time," Kaede looks down, unable to answer, even if she were to say that wasn't what she meant, it was indeed, part of the reason of why she was looking for a shelter to study.

Instead, Kaede slowly embraces the girl with her arms, hugging her tightly from the shoulders, "I promise I'm not running away from you… I'm not running away from us," She whispers into her ear, making Mito low her guard and melt in her arms from both sadness and comfort, a couple of tears drawing down from her face fall on Kaede's cheek; the small warm feeling makes the girl wave, but still, she continues "I may not be taking this whole thing with the same importance you are giving to it, for that I apologize," Her left hand moves to the back of Mito's head and gently strokes her hair, "But I still have to do this, I still need to focus on my studies, Mito-Mito." The small girl makes a noise that could only be compared to the one of a suckling pig when listening to Kaede's last words, "Why you insist on making me laugh when I want to be angry with you?!" Mito whines, holding on Kaede's back with both hands, her voice is an awkward mix of tears, snot and sadness. "Because crying is not something that fits you at all," Kaede tells her, her arms going up and hugging her friend by the neck, Mito willingly accepts this and rest her face on her arm. "I'm sorry..." Mito whispers, surprising Kaede, she continues, "I've been kind of frustrated we haven't had much time together, and I also have been too pushy with… you know… that," The crying girl explains, Kaede keeps stroking her hair, biting her lower lip in guilty. "That's enough, let's just say we are both sorry," Kaede then tells to her friend, squishing her tightly one more time; Mito buries her face on the girls' neck from it, her breathing mixed in the disgusting noise of snot, "Ugh, I hope you aren't cleaning your nose on my neck," Kaede chuckles while faking a disgusted tone. "… Is payback for making me cry…" Mito whispers with a little laughter, which grows stronger as Kaede pulls away disgusted when finding her shirt and neck covered in the girls' snot. "Are you 5 years old?! This was a nice shirt, c'mon!"

"Good mor- or not," Kaede stutters, as she comes back from another day of jogging and finds a way too sleepy Mito welcoming her in; and just as yesterday, the girl brings her friend to the kitchen, where she lifts Mito over the table and begins to prepare her coffee. "I guess this is going to continue happening," She says to herself, but her thoughts don't stop there, as Mito is wearing the same pajama, Kaede slightly blushes, and her heart beat rises as she takes a step closer of Mito. Shyly, but curious, the index finger of her right hand slowly rises, "You are asleep… aren't you?" Kaede mumbles, her finger posing on Mito's neck, the girl gulps down saliva, the finger begins to draw a line on her neck that drives down on her unbuttoned shirt; behind her back, the teapot is lowly beginning to cry, but this time, it isn't stopping Kaede's from moving, this time, is Mito's face, the little red bags on her eyes, from crying yesterday, is enough to bring back the sense of guilty into Kaede, her finger moves from her chest to her eyes, where her thumbs gently caressed Mito's face, the teapot cried with intensity, but Kaede was lost on her thoughts, immersed in exploring her friends face, her long eyelashes, her small nose, her pink lips, the pace of her breathing, it would only be stopped by Mito herself, waking up due to the teapot, screaming boiling noises.

"Here's your ID card, now you don't have to wait for me to open the door," Mito explains while handing the card to Kaede, "And there's also… this," She whispers reluctantly, handing a piece of paper to the her friend. "And this is…?" Kaede wonders while unfolding the paper, but Mito stops her from doing so by holding on her wrist, "Is the direction to a library not so far from here, it should take you 45 minutes by bus," The girl describes to her while sketching a wide smile, Kaede is hold in surprise, "Mito-Mito…" She manages to whisper, but the girl interrupts her, "Is not popular, so you should find it quiet and perfect to study," The small girl insists, almost grinning. "You silly… Thank you, I'm going to give these books back and check this direction," They share a smile together, then say goodbye to each other.

As the days continue, Kaede's break from social networks wears off, while Mito's excitement just grows bigger. "Deron-deron-kaederon!" Kaede shout in front of the camera, wearing her high school uniform along with her friend, "Rise, bow!" Mito adds with energy, "Today begins our first of a long collab project between Kaede and me, applause!" The small girl says with a huge smile on her face, big enough to throw of Kaede off her pace. "It feels so weird to still use this thing when I graduated last year," Kaede chuckles as Mito turns off the camera and she takes off her jacket, "It makes you wonder how long we will be working as VTubers…" Mito whispers with a bittersweet smile, but before anything else can be said, Kaede pats her head and strokes her hair, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there," she tells to Mito with a frown, "And in the meanwhile I can still enjoy of JK Kaede," Mito tells to her, this time, with a malicious smile that intimidates Kaede to the point of shine like a tomato, "Fueh?!" She squirms, cornered and unable to use proper words, Mito uses this chance to lean on her; and poke Kaede's thighs with her fingertips, "You have such long and beautiful legs, but you always are wearing jeans or pants, but now I'll get to look at them more often in our streams, hehe," The small girls chuckles, making Kaede step down. "Cut it out, that's so gay," She shout, and regret it instantly, she was ready to apologize, but Mito gave her the back, instantly offended, "Get out my room," She said.

Kaede closes the door behind her, and hears Mito throwing something against the wall in anger, the girl leans her back in the door of the girls' room and prostrates in the floor. "I'M SORRY," Kaede shout from the outside in despair, scratching and messing with her own hair; the door opens, and Kaede startled falls inside of Mito's room, where she kneels right besides her head, "Why did you have to say that?" Mito asks angrily and frustrated, looking directly at Keade for the first time as they fight, "And you are always apologizing," She continues, her lower lip trembles in anger. "You know, if you kneel like that, I can see your panties, they're quite cute…" Kaede says, with the most straight face she could find; and Mito, unable to answer, allows silence to rule the place as she's immobile, knowing that Kaede is in fact, shamelessly staring under her skirt, the girl blushes to bright red until she manages to find the strength to sit and cover her thighs with the skirt. "How many times we've fought already? Is not even a month… or a week," Kaede whispers, as she rest her head over her hands and fixes her legs, lying with grace in the floor. "Do you think this was a bad idea?" Mito asks with a trembling voice, containing her desire to cry, Kaede continues with her straight face, taking the situation as slow as possible, "To live with you… Is not something you convinced me to do," She explains, managing that Mito holds on her tears properly as she turns her face to her friend, "Is something I wanted to try, for many reasons," She continues, turning her face to Mito and gradually getting up, "When you offered me to live with you, I didn't also feel relief, but my heart… skipped a beat," She admits while blushing, both of them look aside in embarrassment, "Right? And then we are now trying to find out what the heck is happening between us," She describes gesturing with her hands, Mito chuckles, "What I'm trying to say is, yes, maybe we are fighting more than expected, but is ok to fight, especially because it feels I'm the reason of why we continue fighting." Mito suddenly crawls to her and holds on her hands, "No, I'm to blame too," she whines, "I keep pushing you and pushing you, I feel guilty because you do seem to care… about us, but, I'd like to know how you feel, Kaede," Her lips tremble again, not in sadness or desire to cry, but for the effort she needed to say those words. Kaede didn't answer right off, but she held back on Mito's hands, and her face slowly approached Mito's, the girl reacted startled, and Kaede looked at her like asking for permission, they looked at each other for several seconds until Mito gave her a silent nod and closed her eyes, Kaede keep approaching, and her lips made her way to the small girls' cheek, where she gently kissed her.

As Mito shivered in surprise, they both sighed loudly as if both had confessed. "Is not like I don't know what I feel about you, is just, hard to put on words…" Kaede whispers, while they continue to hold hands together, Mito kept silent; breathing faster each time, a kiss in the cheek was enough to turn the black haired girl into a handful of nerves. Reminiscing of her frustrated mornings of self-satisfaction, the blood rush allowed bravery into Kaede, who gently caressed the girls' cheek by pressing her lips against her until she kissed Mito again. "Your skin is so soft," Kaede whispered with desire, one, two, she kissed Mito's cheek again and again, two, three, their hands separating from each other, drawing their way through each other arms until they hold on the other's shoulder. "Kaede…" Mito moaned, turning on her partner who had just started making her way down her cheek, finding nest on her neck, four, five, six, Mito just gave her gasp after gasp, throwing acute melodies of pleasure until Kaede made her laugh, "Wai- wait, that place tickles!" She cried, as she's being thrown off her pace by the same exact person who started it. Kaede didn't answer, just looked at her with a smug smile on her face, and holding tight on her shoulders, the girl leaned on Mito and began to fill her ticklish neck with kisses, sparking an uncontrollably spam of laughter in Mito, who couldn't do anything else than wave her legs and arms, begin Kaede to stop.

Once she stops her malice teasing, they hold onto each other on the floor in silence, with a smile in their faces, Mito slowly drawing circles with her finger on Kaede's back, while the other just plays with the girls' black hair. "Just what in the world are we doing, nothing has come as I wanted," Mito complains, and Kaede raises her head to look up at her, "That's the thing about making plans, they never turn out as you want," Mito doesn't answer, she just moves her hand from Kaede's back to hold on her nose, "But I promise, I will compensate you once we have everything settled," The tall girl manages to say, while faking suffocated expressions of pain from having her nose hold. "I never thought you would do something like that…" Mito mumbles, shyly looking away from the other, "It felt good…" She whispered, but far from making Kaede blush, the girl just went back to rest her face on her neck and hold on her hand. "We can stay like this a bit longer if that's what you want," Kaede tells her, and Mito quickly turns her face back in blushing happiness, holding on Kaede's back, "Then… 10 more minutes…" She shyly asked, "I'm not heavy?" Kaede asked back, "Your weight feels oddly comfortable…" Mito confesses to the girl breathing on her neck, "Alright then, 10 more minutes is it."

Part III

"How are things going on Kaede? It has been a month already, I hope your studies aren't being distracted with the city," Her mother tells her from the phone, as the girl is sitting on a coffee shop having a mug. "Everything's fine… we haven't really, gone out at all, I've spent most of time studying on a library Mito showed to me," The woman stutters from the other side of the phone, "Kaede my dear, you have always been like this," She says while sighing, making her daughter frown, "What does that even mean?" She complains, "Kaede, she's your friend, you are suppose to go out with her, have fun together!" Her mother insists, raising her voice to a volume that makes Kaede check no one else near her can hear the conversation. "Weren't you the one who just said-" She tried to fight back, but her mom interrupted her again, "I didn't mean to act that cold with her! I just don't want to hear you're spending your days going back home late night from some dirty Bar or anthro!" Her mother screams, irritating her daughter who is looking to hang up. "I get it, I get it! We'll go out this week, fine?" Kaede screams back, startling a bit the people near the table, "Great, I going to send you some extra pocket money for it then, you and your cute friend have fun together OK?" Her mom says with an uncanny, mocking tone, and as fast as Kaede hangs up angrily, she fiddles in her contact list and presses to call again, "Hey, Rin? Yeah is me, I know is a bit early but I need a favor."

And as the days pass by and the weekend comes, Kaede finds herself getting ready to get out of the apartment, wearing a black leather jacket, a white shirt and blue jeans while putting on her snickers, then yelling, "Mito?" The small one appears, wearing some casual clothes on an apron while carrying a basket of clothes, "Oh Kaede, going out? Don't worry I'll clean your clothes too, is everything on the bed right?" She asks, holding on the basket firmly. "Yeah, but I can wash my underwear myself ok? I don't want the thing from last weekend to happen again," Mito smiled maliciously, "Oh c'mon, I promise I will clean them with most care… guhehehe," Kaede frowns and blushes, "That's… wait, that's not even what I was calling you for, geez," She scratched the back of her head, then continued, "Get on some comfy clothes, we are going out." Mito drops the basket in surprise, "W-what? Now? But I have to do the laundry, and the shopping-" But Kaede interrupts her, "We won't have a weekend this warm for a while, why throw it away being in home?" Mito struggles, "But the grocery shop has discounts for today, they only last today," She insisted, but Kaede wouldn't back off, "We can buy then later in the way back, don't worry about the discount, c'mon, my treat" Mito stared at her in silence, she then took her apron off and thrown it onto the basket, "Ten minutes…" She said while jumping in the same place, right before running off to her room, "I'll be back in ten minutes!"

It takes them two bus trips to reach the corner of the city, in a part furnished with small buildings, Kaede brought Mito to an orange looking building where they walked up the stairs to the 2nd floor, "Where are we going?" Mito asks confused, the girl was wearing a one piece blue dress with long sleeves and her pink jacket, "We are almost there, you'll find out soon," Kaede replies with a tricky smile. As they reach the second floor, it begins to tremble and echo to the steps of a handful of people, with loud, old music blasting from the walls; and once Kaede opens the door Mito would find, they have come inside a dance classroom. "W-w-w-what, no, no for God's sake no," Mito cried blushing in embarrassment, "Kaede no, I can't do this, there's so much people," She insisted, holding on her friends shoulder. "They're giving short lessons for everyone who wants to try and learn how to dance today," Kaede explains with a smile, trying to calm down the girl. "I thought it was a nice way to start our date, but if you don't want to then-" But Mito interrupts her in an excited surprise. "This is a date?!" She screams, almost loud enough for the people in the classroom to hear, and after Kaede shushes her, she nods shyly, "I said I would compensate you, right? So I thought… This would be… the most… most, romantic… thing to start with," Mito's heart skips a beat listening to the girls' words, her first reaction wearing off fast, her hands sliding from Kaede's jacket to her hand, "Let's do it."

"One, two, one, two, hold firmly in your partners hand, don't let go of their waist, keep an eye on the floor and the other of where you're going so don't bump with the other couples!" The instructor screams, here and there, clapping with his hands as if they're drum plates, echoing louder than the music itself, "Are you sure I have to lead?" Kaede asks nervously, "This is more complicated than it seems and you already have a hang of it," She insists, looking at Mito's legs move in synchrony with the man's clapping. "You heard him, you're the tallest so you have to lead me… although it feels my wrist is going to crack from holding on your shoulder like this," Mito chuckles, "Looks like you're having fun," Kaede comments happily. "Yes, thank you for bringing me here, this is some original date, I can't believe you thought this by yourself," Mito tells her with a grin and Kaede looks away ashamed, "I actually asked some friends for some advice, and one of them recommended me to come here." Mito drops a tiny laugh, "That's fine, I'm just teasing, I'm glad you brought me here," The small girl says while leaning her head on Kaede's chest, as they dance slower and bump with another couple by accident. The music changes again and again, from Waltz to Fox Trot, and from there to Salsa, the girls would steal the class attention, losing each other into the excitement and rhythm of the music growing louder into their ears, their feet losing shame, their faces being covered in sweat, step after step, even the teacher would stop clapping to stare at the two; their hands changing positions from place to place, twisting, spinning, releasing from each other just to aggressively hold on their each other again, finishing in a loud, big step as the music ends, their hearts just about to jump out of their chests as the class gives them a loud applause, the girls blush slightly and bow thankful of the crowds ovation, "Wait… aren't those girls some Youtube celebrities?" Someone yelled from a corner, startling the two. "Oh gee, look at the time, we had fun, bye!" Kaede rushes to say before throwing some money out of her pocket and taking Mito's hand out of the classroom where she barely manages to take her jacket.

"Hahahaha!" They laugh frenetically, covered in sweat, as they run down the stairs and out of the building, crossing the streets, laughing and panting, until they get inside a dinner and rocket into a seat, still laughing and holding into each other hands. "The look… the look in everyone faces when we ran way…" Mito pants and laughs, fanning her face with her free hand. "Dear God, it has been so long since I had this much fun!" Kaede ads to their laughing; panting hard, trying to find her breath back. The two are interrupted by one of the waitress of the place that asks them to settle down, the girls ask for some drinks and lunch in exchange and the girl comes back after a few minutes with a couple of cold drinks and towels for the drenched in sweat girls.

"What do you want to do after this?" Kaede asks, slicing her hamburger in cubes before taking a bite. "There's more, after this?" Mito asks back surprised, "Of course!" Kaede answered cheerfully, "The day is still young, do you want to go see a movie after this?" She insisted, and Mito nods while taking a bite on her ice cream. "Thank you, Kaede, this day has been fantastic," The girl confesses to her with a kind smile, making her partner blush red, "Just finish your food, you silly."

"I still don't get it," Mito complains, swinging hands with Kaede as they walk back home with the sun setting behind their backs. "I told you it had subtitles, yet you said you could read them," Kaede laughs, childishly swinging hands with her. "I know, I did read them, I just didn't get some parts," Mito insists, "Because you couldn't" Kaede fights back with laughter, Mito pouts, but just to join her partner in the laugh as they continue their walk to the supermarket. "There's literally just a month left for the entrance exam, how do you feel about it?" Mito asks all of sudden, the swinging ends from the side of Kaede's hand as she's faced with a difficult question, "Well, everything is going OK I guess, I thought it was going to be more complicated, you know? Focus on the city," Kaede gestures with her free hand, then blushed and looked the other way, "It is thanks to you that I can focus on my studies… Having you support me has been… a blessing…" She whispers, slowly looking back to Mito, which, rather than using the chance to mock her or say something snarky, hugs her arm and gives the tall girl a warm, comforting smile. "Say… What about you?" Kaede asks now, curious, "You also graduated last year, do you have any plans for the future?" Mito's eyes open wide in a funny way, almost like a cat, "Is not like, I haven't considered college," She begins to explain, with a bit of doubt on her voice, "I just, I've been able to put more investment in my streams thanks to it, if anything, I'd like to continue with a career as Youtuber," Kaede frowns, scratching her cheek, "So you plan to still wear your school cardigan when you're 26?" Mito softly smacks her shoulder with a pouty face, "Of course not, but, I can probably make out something when my contract with Nijisanji ends," She replies in an angry, acute tone. "To live as a Youtuber… That doesn't sound so bad, I mean, IT IS what we are doing already, but I never considered doing it forever," Mito keeps pouting, "C'mon, not everybody in our career can say they got to be in an anime, I'm not saying everything is secure for us to success, but we'll find our ways, we know people, we met friends, I'm sure everything will work on the future…" She relates, with a firm an excited voice until they both stop. "So the only thing that still needs to be resolved…" Kaede whispers, in a mix of guilty, "Yeah, our relationship," Mito replies, and, contrary to other times, they silently decide to continue their way to the supermarket, instead of jumping into another fight.

As the girls get inside the apartment, Mito switches on the lights and leaves the bags over the table. "Can I leave the bags to you?" She asks while fixing her hair, looking away shyly, "Uhm, yeah, sure, why so? Need to go to the bathroom?" Kaede wonders while opening the fridge to leave the meat dishes. "Yeah… Something like that, I'll be back," Mito whispers before running into her room; Kaede doesn't pay much attention to it, she just continues to take the food out of the bags to leave it inside the fridge and the stands. "Kaede…" Mito whispers behind her back, "Ah, Mito-mito, what if we make some clamp soup for tomorrows- Woah what the fuck," Kaede shouts in disbelief, dropping the cans on her hands nervously, there was Mito, wearing a two piece red lingerie, of those thin pieces that barely leave anything to the imagination, which cups opened in the middle giving a clear look to the girls' nipples, all themed with a flower pattern, Kaede squirms with a surprised and ashamed laughter, turning back to the fridge. "Too much?" Mito asks shyly, needless to say her face was just as red as her lingerie, "Too much is not enough to describe what is happening, Mito… just what's the meaning of this?!"

The girl took a couple of steps inside the kitchen, while Kaede just squirmed loudly, "Nononono, stay back you sinful girl," She gestures with her hand, trying to hold her face in the fridge. "I thought… This was a nice way to finish our date…" Mito mumbles, brushing her shoulders, "It takes a lot to wear this on, you know? I'm turning into a popsicle…" She cries, taking a step closer. "Isn't it too soon? We haven't even kissed yet," Kaede stutters, looking at the girl with the corner of her eye. "Kaede… please… look at me…" Mito begged with an acute tone, and Kaede gave up, slowly turning, looking at Mito from her feet, up to her face, she felt cornered in the kitchen, but there was nowhere else to run, "Does it look good on me?" Mito asks ashamed. "I… You look… stunning…" She manages to say, Mito's faces lights up in bright red and a proud smile draws on her, "You know, that's not fair," Kaede complains, breathing deeply as she walks close to Mito, "What's not fair… wait, Kaede?!" Mito screams as the other girl quickly takes off her jacket and her shirt, showing her bra to Mito, "Is not fair you're the only one embarrassed, so I'm undressing too," Kaede explains as she quickly unfastens her belt and pulls down her pants; then the girl stops dead for a second, as she notices her panties don't match with her bra, she looks at Mito, with a mix of shame and anger, as her plan to make the other one blush fails, and Mito can't help but to crack up on laughter. "Stop, stop laughing already!" Kaede begs to her, pulling her cheeks, but the small one continues on for a few minutes, and after wiping her tears, they both stare at each other in silence.

Kaede stops pulling her cheeks and uses her hands to hold on her face, "I guess… If I kiss you now… we can do it, right?" She asks with shame on her voice, yet curious. Mito nods silently, and as their lips slightly touches each other, Kaede whispers, "Mito… I'm not sure I can have enough with just a kiss…" She confesses to her, panting in excitement. "Kaede, just try and stop me," Mito moans in anticipation, is slow, is soft, is intense, but they kiss, is short and awkward, but as they part ways and look each other with a comforting smile, Kaede holds Mito by the waist and pulls her closer, kissing her again, their breaths, mixing, panting, in despair, in excitement, looking to feel each other, looking to devour each other; Mito jumps and wraps her legs around Kaede's waist, who instantly catches the girl from the buttocks as they continue kissing. With a lot of effort, Kaede carries the small girl up to her room, and throws her in the bed, making Mito chuckle, then cover her face with a pillow, "We really kissed didn't we?" She asks, both happy and turned on. "Yes, we definitely did, and I'm not stopping there," Kaede pants like a bull, desperately trying to take off her bra and throwing it out in a corner. "K-kaede? You're scaring me a little…" Mito wonders, crossing her legs as the girl steps in inside the bed and takes her ribbon off. "Mito… I want you…" She continues panting, crawling over the girl, taking the pillow and throwing it away with violence, her hand then holding on Mito's face as her mouth looks for a place to bury her lips and fill it with kisses. "Ah… ah… uh…" Once again, she moaned like singing due to Kaede's lips, and the tall girl wouldn't stop there, her hands, moving onto Mito's hips, slowly making her way up, to her sides, to her ribs, until her hands have reach her armpits and her thumbs made contact with the tip of her nipples. "Eeep!" Mito screams surprised, loud enough to startle Kaede and shake her off from her trance; panting, confused, horny, the girl looks into Mito's eyes, fixing her hair. "Is… is okay… I was just a bit surprised that is all… you can continue…" Mito whispered with a smile, opening her arms wide, welcoming her and allowing her to go back.

Kaede, shocked at this, stares at the small girl for a couple of minutes, then burst into laughing and lie down right besides Mito. "Are you ok…?" Mito wonders confused, shyly lying over Kaede's naked chest. "Everything's fine… I'm sorry," Kaede apologizes, laughing even more, and after calming down, the girl strokes Mito's hair and gives her a gently kiss on the lips, "Yes, we did kiss… I can't believe I waited so long to do it…" The girl confesses to Mito, sharing another kiss, "You don't, want to do it…?" Mito continues asking, utterly confused. "We can always do it… But tonight…" Kaede says, getting over Mito once again and kissing her forehead, "Tonight I want to enjoy of your lips, can we?" She asks with a blushing smile, in which Mito nods, then kiss again.

PART IV

Again and again, small bits of a wet and cold touch would reach Mito's naked back, gradually waking her up, feeling weight over her, the weird humid feeling continued to fill her back, and as she realized what was happening, a small smile draw on her face as she sighed in happiness and turned her face to a side, letting Kaede keep kissing her naked back. "What do you think you're doing?" The small girl asked with a little chuckle. "I was thinking of a good way of waking you up, did I succeed?" Kaede asks with a playful tone. "It feels good if that's what you're asking… why are you kissing my back anyway?" Mito asks in the same tone, "This is a sight of you I don't get to see often… And before I knew I just wanted to kiss your back, can I continue?" Kaede asks again, kissing her deeply in the middle of her back, making Mito slightly moan in pleasure "Mhmn," She mumbled with a smile. 'Smooch, schlick, smooch' is all that you could hear in the room, gently and slowly, Kaede made her way down her spine, leaving the back, even though it wasn't what she said she would do, Mito was far from bothered, and removed the blanket she was using to cover which was on the way; making Kaede smile. "Eep! Y-yeah I guess is time to get up!" Mito screamed nervously, violently getting up while rubbing her butt. "C'mon, I didn't even bite that hard!" Kaede whines and chuckles.

"It still hurts," Mito pouts, as they walk together in the streets of the city. "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Kaede asks, crossing her arms, "You don't seem to be sorry at all," Mito insists, "How I could resist? Is all round and small, I'm surprised I never noticed how round it is," They stop in front of a bench with drink dispenser machines, where Mito smacks the girls shoulder and points her to buy something. "You're acting weird…" The small girl mumbles, as the other looks for her wallet and pulls out cash, "What do you mean…?" Kaede asks shyly. "Some weeks ago you barely let me touch you, and now after yesterday you are… vicious," Mito gestures with her hands, a couple of green tea bottles fall from the dispenser, Kaede grabs on them both and hands one to Mito. "I wasn't sure… of my own feelings," The tall girl mumbles while opening the bottle and taking a sip, "But I've been always interested in you… your body…" Mito jumps and blushes, covering her chest with both arms, Kaede looks aside, scratching her cheek in shame, "A part of my, wants to do a lot of things with you… But I never let it go… Because it wouldn't be fair for you," She continues explaining, Mito, still on guard, takes a couple of steps back on the bench, "What does that even mean?" Mito wonders nervously. "At the time… I wasn't sure if I really was in love with you," She says and stops midway, looking at Mito, waiting for her to scream, to shout, to slap her, to do anything in the way she had reacted before, but Mito didn't gave in, she wouldn't give her the pleasure to end the conversation in a fight, instead, the black haired girl took a deep breath, "And now?" She asked; her tone beyond anger. "Now I know, that I want you, everything of you," Kaede says, taking one of Mito's hands and holding it tightly, disarming the girl who just wanted to be angry at her partners tricky tongue, a couple of tears pouring from her face. "Then why… why didn't we do it yesterday?" Mito sighs, quickly cleaning her face, opening the bottle and taking a big sip. "Because it felt like I was just being selfish, and when you opened you arms and told me to continue…" Mito covers her face, muffling her embarrassed screaming between her fingers, Kaede continued, "It felt like I was forcing myself onto you, I got nervous and stopped."

Mito stands embarrassed and angry, she walks away from Kaede, and begins to chug down the bottle until leave it empty. "Are you okay..?" The tall girl wonders, Mito finishes the drink, followed with a loud "Puah!" and crossing her arms, her lips trembled as her face turned red, and with a low, shy tone; she said something Kaede never expected. "If you think you wanted it… Then I wanted to do it even more…"

Without thinking twice, Kaede throw the half empty bottle in the bin and took Mito by her hand, then hurried inside a mall center. "W-what are you… where are you taking me?!" Mito wonders as she's being forcefully dragged by her partner. "We are going to do it now," Kaede mumbles, her face is a strange mix of anger and horny, "What are you talking about, are you going to take me to a mo- Oh God that is the women's bathroom?" Mito asks, scared and blushing red, Kaede doesn't even answer; she drags the girl inside the bathroom and after passing a couple of women they both get inside of a cubicle. "Kaede this is a bad idea, is the women's bathroom!" Mito silently screams, "I don't care," Kaede answers, throwing the jacket over the seat of the toilet, "The woman out there just saw us both getting in the bathroom together!" She continues insisting, the girl feels her heart is going to jump out of her chest as Kaede kneels in front of her and begins to rub Mito's legs over her stockings, "Not my problem, geez, why did you had to wear stockings today?" Kaede asks frustrated as she pulls them down. "BECAUSE IS COLD OUTSIDE!" Mito insisted, smacking Kaede's head with her hands, but she wouldn't stop, as her hands dug inside her dress and got a hold of her panties, she looked up to Mito, and in her messy face of frustration, embarrassment and horny, she knew, she understood that look on her eyes, she was asking for permission, and she could've stopped her, but instead she let her go; And right after Kaede pulled down her panties, Mito lifted her skirt up and held the corner of the fabric between her lips as her hands rested on the head of the partners; which tongue took no preamble to explore over and inside of Mito, her left leg climbing over Kaede's back, her nails digging into the girls' scalp, her head and spine losing control, and her voice raising wonders of what would be anyone doing in the women's bathroom to make her moan like that. "Don't you dare to say anything about it," Mito aggressively whispers to Kaede as they laugh and hurry to walk out of the mall once they see some mall guards drawing close.

"Mito… what's that supposed to be?" Kaede wonders, trying her best not to laugh, they're both waiting in the entrance of the Tokyo U grounds, and Mito has brought with herself a big white bag with a strange, familiar smell, "I couldn't choose what which one you would prefer… so I bought a handful of each brand…" Mito explains while panting, looking to open the bag, "A handful of..?" Kaede asks again, "Kit Kat, is a tradition, right?" Mito says with a childish smile, showing her partner the multiple chocolate bars she bought. "But… I can't take the whole bag with me…" Kaede stutters, impressed with the pile of chocolate and its strong smell, "Is ok, just pick your favorite!" Mito insists, shaking the bag, pulling out a smile in Kaede, which kneels with her to take one Sakura flower themed. "I'll take this one and… I hope you aren't expecting for us to eat all that chocolate later, right?" The tall girl asks and Mito squirms, making Kaede get angry, "N-n-never mind that, c'mon, the exam is about to start, go, go!" The girl stutters nervously, helping Kaede to stand up again and guiding her into the entrance. "Find a way to get rid of that chocolate or I'll make you eat it all when I get back home!" Kaede shouts, as she takes her way inside the school grounds and mixes with the crowd of people.

"You won't believe what just happened!" A guy shouts to a friend while holding a chocolate bar as he gets into the classroom, "Let me guess," The other one replied with a snarky face, pulling a chocolate bar from his pocket. "A beautiful black haired girl gave you a Kit Kat too?!" He screamed impressed, and from the distance Kaede was just holding her desire to explode in laughter. "Man, this is such a good omen, nothing bad can happen today, I feel blessed!" He yells in happiness, Kaede feels like she can't hold it anymore. After almost an hour and after everyone find their seat, the test begins, more than 40 different people from all places of country, reunited to take an exam to allow them study in this college. "Uhm…" One of the professors walking around the seats sighs, smelling the air, "I guess all of you are more than ready to win this exam," and an unavoidable, short laugh, sparked in the classroom as the chocolate stench marinated the place, "I swear to God, that girl…" Kaede whispers to herself, all of her nerves disappearing due to her partner's mischief.

"Do you have everything you need…?" Mito asks, cleaning her tears with a handkerchief, "Nothing is missing? Not even something that makes you come back to the apartment and try going back to your home tomorrow?" She begs, the more she tries to clean her face, the more she cries, which makes it harder for Kaede to look at her, especially in the train stop, where everyone could see her crying. "Yes… I have everything with me, there's nothing to worry," Kaede mumbles, fighting the desire to cry with her, "There's… no need for this and you know it… I'm coming back soon," She explains with a trembling voice. "I know, I know, but I'm going to miss you so much," Mito moans in sadness, breathing in her snort. "C'mon, at you, you're a mess," Kaede tells, gently wiping the girls' tears, "Is just for a short while, then we'll start living together for real," She smiles to Mito, embracing her with one arm while carrying her luggage with the other. The train appears and lights switches, quickly filling the yellow line with a crowd of people waiting for the doors to open, crowd that mumbled in surprise, as Kaede hold Mito by the face with one hand, giving her a deep, gently kiss in front of everyone; before Mito could even react, the doors opened, and the girl ran with her luggage inside the train, together with the rest of the people. In a matter of seconds, the lights changed once again and the doors closed, Kaede quickly opened a window and took her head out, waving goodbye to Mito, the lights changed once again and the machine began to move. They silently stared into each other eyes

"I love you"

Who whispered it first? At that moment they wouldn't remember, much less care, but it sparked a flame inside of them

"I love you!"

The girl from inside the train screamed with all her lungs

"I love you!"

The girl from the train stop screamed in tears, running to the corner and hanging in the security bar with both hands

"I love you!"

They screamed in unison, not caring about the people around them, not caring about anything at all

"I LOVE YOU"

They yelled to each other, and as the machine gradually speed up until they lost sight of their faces, feeling there was nothing else to left unsaid, and knowing that was the start of a long live… together.