Several days had passed since that fateful gathering at Riko's. Yoshiko hadn't spoken to either her or Dia since, and found herself wandering around downtown aimlessly. There was nothing to do today, no one to see. She couldn't bother Ruby with all of this. And Hanamaru and Mari were both in other parts of the country. So she just let her feet take her wherever they would. Ultimately she just ended up shopping. She'd regret it when she'd need to eat next month, but she'd worry about that later.
Yoshiko strolled into one of her favorite restaurants, only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw Dia sitting at a table alone. Yoshiko hesitated. She wasn't in any mood to see Dia, but no doubt the other girl would agree. We can just ignore each other right? Yoshiko glanced back at the exit several times before running out of the restaurant.
It wasn't that she blamed Dia for what happened. It was Riko's fault. But she couldn't help but be mad at her as well. She sighed, wondering if things could ever reclaim a semblance of normality. Yoshiko ran into an alleyway, cutting between the buildings and main streets. It was a tight squeeze, but she eventually emerged near a mostly abandoned bridge overlooking a railway. Setting her bags down, Yoshiko wandered out onto the bridge and leaned against the wall of it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
The train blared as it approached. Her job was going nowhere. Every day she was reprimanded by her boss for the pettiest things. The love of her life had cheated on her with the woman she'd always considered an older sister. The destruction of that relationship left no room for any friendships to recover. Everyone else was so busy and happy with their lives, was she just a burden? What was she holding onto this mortal world for? She had fallen from heaven once. Yoshiko hesitantly swung one leg over the wall of the bridge. Why couldn't she fall from this world as well? She heard the train rumble down the tracks.
It's time to go home. She thought, as she threw her arms back.
"Yoshiko-san!" a voice shouted out over the rumble of the train. There was an arm pulling her back. Yoshiko fell backwards onto someone as they stumbled to the ground. "Yoshiko-san! What are you doing?" the voice trembled as two arms wrapped tightly around her. "Thank god I found you."
Yoshiko recognized that voice. "Dia-san?" she mumbled. Why was she here?
"I called out to you but you ran out of the restaurant so fast. I tried following you but you disappeared. I had this ominous feeling in my gut when I couldn't find you." Her grip around Yoshiko tightened. "What were you thinking?"
Yoshiko couldn't answer. Dia knew full well what Yoshiko was thinking. Did she really need to say it now?
"Why are you even here?" Yoshiko tried to regain her composure. "When we left her place I told you I hated you."
"And I said the feeling was mutual." Dia nuzzled Yoshiko, her tears falling into the younger woman's hair. "I wasn't lying. But that doesn't mean you aren't still like a sister to me."
Yoshiko began to cry. She was so lonely. "It'll be okay somehow. I know how you're feeling." Dia tried to reassure her, adding more softly "Let me help you." Yoshiko couldn't help herself, suddenly breaking Dia's grip and turning to kiss her. Her lips tasted of salt. Dia didn't stop her, embracing her once more and pulling her in as their kissing became more frantic. Neither woman understood what they were doing. They just knew they needed this, and let their instinct guide them.
They soon found themselves at a love hotel. Hand in hand they walked into their room for the day and set down Yoshiko's bags. Dia guided her to the bathroom where they stripped each other and stepped into the shower. They kissed each other beneath the hot water as the room steamed up. Yoshiko hungered for the other girl's creamy skin, kissing her neck and shoulders, leaving marks where she would bite and suck on her skin. Dia would nibble on her ears and trail kisses down her neck. Yoshiko washed Dia's hair, and in return Dia washed her's as well. The two women then lathered the soap into the other's skin, massaging each other as the hot water rinsed away the day's dirt and worries. Yoshiko quivered under Dia's touch. Dia soon turned the water off, and after drying each other off, led Yoshiko over to the bed.
They sat down next to each other on the edge of the bed, clad in only their towels.
"I don't know what I'm feeling." Yoshiko finally said. "I just know I need this right now, I need this so badly Dia."
Dia hesitated before she spoke. "To be honest, the feeling is mutual. It should feel wrong, but for right now, I don't care. Let's just forget everything else. Let's forget everyone else, especially her." She stared into Yoshiko's eyes as she spoke, placing a hand on her thigh.
"Then I've already forgotten." Yoshiko moved to straddle Dia, kissing her once more.
What was that woman doing? Yoshiko wondered only briefly. Was she hurt? Was she regretting how she treated Dia and Yoshiko? The thoughts were soon pushed from her mind as Dia rolled her onto the bed. How that woman felt? It didn't matter. How Yoshiko felt? The world outside of the hotel room? Right now none of that mattered. It was only her and Dia, two lonely people in each other's arms. That was all that needed to matter right now.
