Hello again! Yes it's chapter TWO. Already! I know! I'm impressed too, but my hands aren't. Anyway. Look, I'm not very good at proof-reading, so if I missed something, let me know pleasssee. I wanted to do something a little different with this story. Beware! Angst ahead! =O PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW. If you don't review, Kagami won't give you any chocolate coronets! Letsa go!
E.S.: Sorry about the italics. For some reason ffdotnet deletes the spaces between them when uploaded- and I forgot to fix. T_T Sorries. Fixed now.
When Konata woke up, it was quiet. Her light was still on, the only noise the low humming of her computer, and the whir of the heating as it kept the bitter cold outside at bay. She sat up, and looked at the clock. 2:63AM. She sighed, and lay back down, staring at the ceiling, thinking. Now that she was truly aware of her feelings for her friend, she was all the more terrified by them. It was so long ago, but she would never forget the words she spoke to her. The thought made the blunette shiver, and roll onto her side.
She knew what she had to do. It tore her apart, but it was the only way she wouldn't hurt Kagamin. And anyone else for that matter. Her mind made up, her eyes slid closed, and her dreams were strange, of loneliness, and being alone.
Kagami and Tsukasa were sitting at the table. Kagami couldn't sleep, and Tsukasa could sense that something was bothering her twin. Konata had once told them that twins supposedly had some kind of telepathic link. Occasionally, this manifested itself in them. Tsukasa watched the elder Hiiragi sibling, sensing something was off. She thumbed the rim of her cup of water. Finally, she spoke, voice soft and quiet.- questioning. "Nee-Chan?"
Kagami didn't respond for a minute, seeming to have not heard. Tsukasa was ready to try again, when she spoke. "Tsukasa, did I do something wrong?" The sometimes air-headed sister blinked confusion, and merely looked at her sister, waiting for her to continue. "Maybe it's just my imagination, but it seems like she's acting distant towards me lately. Have you noticed?" The elder questioned.
"I thought she was acting strange to everyone, not just you onee-chan.." She was silent a beat, and continued. "But why do you think it's your fault? You're her best friend, and have been for years." Kagami wasn't so sure though. She looked at Tsukasa, wondering how to respond. She chose not to. Instead, she stood up, and headed for her room, before turning and smiling at her sister.
"Thanks, Tsukasa... I'm going to bed, see you in the morning." Without another word, she disappeared into her room, leaving Tsukasa sitting alone. She didn't follow immediately, instead drinking what was left of Kagami's drink. She stood by the window, looking up at the sky, wondering why everyone was acting so strange lately, not just Konata. She shrugged, and went to bed as well.
In the next room, Kagami was crying softly, hugging a big stuffed bear to her chest, her face buried in it, as rare tears soaked into the fake fur. It was her favorite stuffed animal- it was special to her. She lowered it, so her eyes peered over it, shimmering with tears in the dim light of the moon through the window. She clenched her hands so hard they started to turn white. "Konata... What's wrong, why won't you tell me what's bothering you.. Don't you know it hurts me to see you upset like this?" She hiccuped, and lay down, still clinging to the bear as if her life depended on it. On a heart shaped patch on the bears back, was embroidered a single English sentence. "Happy Birthday Kagamin! From Konata."
Konata wasn't at school the next morning. Both Kagami and Tsukasa had tried calling her house, and cell, with no answer on either. The twins, and Miyuki sat around their usual table at lunch time. Tsukasa was trying to keep the atmosphere upbeat, telling jokes. Miyuki was laughing along. Kagami just sat, resting her head on her hand, "Where are you, otaku...". She was startled out of her brooding when her sister thrust a chocolate coronet into her hand. She stared at it, then at her sister, a confused expression on her face. Tsukasa smiled. "It's for Kona-Chan! You should bring it to her later, to cheer her up!"
Kagami couldn't help but smile at her sisters exuberance. She nodded, wrapping the pastry in some plastic wrap she had brought her sandwich in. "That's a good idea. I was going to go visit her last night, but I got distracted with my homework... I know, I'll bring my homework over for her to copy too!" Miyuki, couldn't help but notice the subtle hint of desperation and hope in her voice. She didn't comment on it, merely raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. Tsukasa, of course had noticed nothing, but acknowledged the idea with an enthusiastic nod.
After school, the sisters bade farewell to Miyuki, and boarded the train home. They were going to go home and change, before heading over to Konata's place. The prodigy pinkette watched the train pull away, her normally bright expression tempered with a curious one. Something was different about Kagami today. She knew she was worried about her friend, but something was going on here that she didn't fully understand yet. Miyuki shivered, a sudden feeling of foreboding swept over her like a cold wind. She had long ago learned to trust her gut, and as the train bearing the twins sped away, she prayed it was wrong.
"We're hoooooooome!" Tsukasa shouted gleefully as she crashed through the door. Kagami was right on her heels, giggling as she chased the younger twin. Suddenly, Tsukasa stopped; and Kagami, not paying attention, crashed into her at full speed.
"What's the big idea! Just stopping in front of me like that, you airhead..." She started angrily, but her sister wasn't paying attention, instead staring into the dining room. Kagami turned her head, wondering what had her sister so distracted. Sitting at the table, looking extremely depressed, surrounded by boxes, was none other than the little otaku herself. The blue haired girl looked up at them and smiled weakly, waving.
"Yo..." She managed, before Mrs. Hiiragi entered from behind her, and put a gentle hand on the girls shoulder. The adult looked at her daughters, who looked extremely confused. Kagami was the first to react, stepping toward the other two. "What is going on here...?"
"K-Konata? What are you doing here? Mom?" She questioned. Konata just shrugged, now refusing to meet her friends eyes. Miki smiled, and stood behind Konata, placing her hands on the girls shoulders.
"Konata will be staying with us for a while. Her father will be in the United States- Boston actually for a few months. He was selected as screenwriter for a big budget movie, and they wanted him on location for the shoot. He didn't want to drag Konata with him, away from her school and friends. Your father and I volunteered to take her in, and take care of her while he was away. So, from this moment on, she is part of the family!" She finished with a cheerful tone, smiling. Kagami just stared at her mother, and then at the otaku who just stared at the table. She finally smiled, and sat down next to Konata.
"Well! Is this all your stuff? Guess we have to get it put away..." She stopped, and groaned. "Oh no, now I'm sure your going to be copying my homework EVERY DAY!" She sighed in mock distress, eliciting a forced giggle from the blunette, who then grinned at her, and shrugged.
"Well I guess I'll have to make sure I keep an eye on Kagamin, to make sure she doesn't eat too much!" Kagami narrowed her eyes, but burst out laughing. Tsukasa appeared behind Konata, and hugged her tightly, squee-ing happily.
"YAAAY! Kona-chan and I will be able to watch anime all the time now! This is going to be awesome, right onee-chan!" Once again amused by her twins exuberance, Kagami nodded, grinning. Even Konata seemed to cheer up slightly. But Kagami still noticed that she wouldn't meet her gaze. She wasn't angry, but she once again wondered what she had done to upset her. Their mom distracted her, forcing her and her sister to carry all the boxes containing Konata's belongings to the spare guest bedroom- which would now be hers.
After all the clothes, manga and anime were put away, and her computer set up on the desk, the three girls sat on the floor, jabbering away about this and that. Konata mainly seemed to talk only to Tsukasa though, hardly speaking to Kagami. The elder twin's heart ached. She finally decided to confront Konata about it later that evening.
It was just after midnight, that same night. Konata was in her new room, reading a manga. She was on her bed, lying on her stomach, head propped up with both hands as she read, occasionally turning the page. She wasn't really paying much attention to it though. She was actually thinking about her dilemma. This wasn't good at all! One might think she would be ecstatic to be staying with her best friends. In reality though, it put her in a tough position. After all, she reasoned, no matter how much it hurt, she had to put distance between Kagamin and herself. She had to push her away. Kagami would thank her for it years from now... She closed the manga, and hugged her knees to her chest. It was for the best...
A sudden knock on the door surprised her. "Konata? Can I come in?" Crap. It was Kagami. She couldn't pretend she was asleep, the light was on. She sighed, and responded.
"Sure, the door is open." The door opened, and Kagami poked her head in. Konata was still on the bed, but once again pretending to read her manga. Kagami came in, and closed the door behind her. She looked around the room, smiling at the resemblance to the otaku's old room at her house. The elder girl crossed the room, and sat down on the edge of the bed, next to Konata, who's eyes opened slightly wider, and she gripped the manga hard, her knuckles starting to turn white as she struggled not to panic. Kagami looked at her, oblivious to the girls discomfort.
"Are you settling in okay here? It must be a big change, moving in here with us after all." Her voice was cheerful. Konata was wary. She couldn't stay here, it would ruin everything...
"Y-yeah, it's okay I guess. Thanks for letting me stay here. I was mad when my daddy told me he was leaving for so long... But he has to do it..." Kagami nodded in understanding.
"I bet. I guess you owe us now huh you midget." Her tone was playful, but Konata didn't respond to the joke, instead just shrugging, and diverting her eyes. This, Kagami did notice it. Konata kept brushing her off, and she wanted to know why.
"Konata. Look at me, would you?" The pain in her voice was plain to hear, and the blunette just couldn't. She couldn't look her in those entrancing eyes, and see the pain she was causing. She just sat there, fiddling with her blanket, silently. "Konata!" Kagami said again, a little louder and more forcefully this time. Konata shook her head, and turned away, so the other girl wouldn't see the tears in the corners of her eyes. But it was too late. She had seen them. "Konata?" This time, she sounded scared. "Konata, please.. Talk to me!"
The otaku felt it more than saw it, the hand that was reaching out to grab her own. She jerked her hand back, and backed away, refusing to even look at Kagami. In her desperation to get away, she fell off the bed, onto the floor with a thud. "Konata!" Kagami tried to help her up, but she just jerked back again.
"D-Don't touch me! Just leave me alone!" Kagami stepped back as if she had been slapped. Why..? Why did she say that to her? It felt like she had been stabbed in the chest with a knife. She moved closer, again, reaching out to the girl on the floor.
"Konata..." The twin began, voice reflecting the pain she felt. But the otaku just shook her head violently, and this time, she physically slapped the hand away.
"JUST GO!" The blue haired girl shouted, curling up into a ball on the floor. Kagami stood in shock, staring at her hand. Finally, she stomped her foot, and yelled back at the prone form on the floor.
"Fine! Who cares about you, anyway!" She looked at her hand, with the chocolate coronet in it, and threw it at the wall. She stomped away, and slammed the door hard enough to knock a few books off the bookshelf. The otaku lay on the floor, still curled up in a ball. She saw the coronet on the floor, and broke down completely. She cried, and cried. She hated it. She hated hurting Kagamin. It hurt more than anything anyone could ever do to do. She kept whispering to herself the same phrase, over, and over. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Eventually, she cried herself to sleep, completely exhausted.
Kagami threw herself on her bed, conflicting emotions raging through her mind, as she struggled to keep her own tears under control. First, she was angry. If Konata didn't want her to help, then fine! She can deal with it herself, the little pervert! In anger, she picked up her cherished bear, a birthday present from the otaku, and threw it across the room, so it hit the wall. As soon as she had, she regretted it. She stood up, and walked over to it. She gingerly picked it up, and stroked its head, before hugging it tightly, eyes closed.
She was worried. Something was definitely wrong with Konata, for her to push her away like this. She sat down on the edge of her bed, still holding the bear. Anytime Konata had ever struggled before... She had always let them help her. But now, she wouldn't even LOOK at her! Something was very wrong. She frantically wondered what it could be that had made her best friend slap her as she cried on the floor. As she lay there, her mind worked overdrive, as she stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out what could cause Konata to act this way. Had she been raped maybe? She shook her head. No, she would have told her that. At least, she thought she would.
Kagami groaned in frustration, and pounded the bed. She just didn't know! She suddenly picked up her cell phone, and started dialing. It rang four times, before a very sleepy voice answered. "Hello, Takara residence, Miyuki speaking" This was followed by a loud yawn, and Kagami suddenly felt even worse, it was 12:30, and she had called without even thinking.
"Miyuki-san! I'm so sorry, I didn't think... I didn't mean to wake you up." She apologized profusely. Miyuki yawned again, before speaking.
"Oh it's okay. I figure you wouldn't call me this late unless it's important anyway.. So then Kagami, what's so important to make you call at this time of the night?" Kagami related the evenings events to her, finishing with,
"I just don't know what to do, Miyuki! I feel like she's trying to push me away, and I don't know why. I feel hurt, but I feel hurt because I'm worried about her. Somethings wrong, but I don't have a clue what it is, and she won't talk to me!" Miyuki listened patiently, before responding, but what she said wasn't what the purple haired girl had been expecting.
"You really care about her, don't you Kagami-san?" Kagami attempted to respond, but was cut off. "Kagami, you are right. Something is bothering her. But I'm sorry, I can't help you. This is something you have to figure out. I'm her friend, but you are her best friend, and are the closest to her. And, from what you are telling me, it sounds like this is related to you somehow." Kagami was silent, processing these words. Finally, she spoke.
"What do you suggest, Miyuki-san? I hate seeing her like this.." She sounded depressed, full of hopelessness.
"Just keep trying, Kagami-chan, if anyone can get through to her... It's you." Miyuki ended the call, and gripped the phone, wondering if she had done the right thing. Kagami stared at her own phone, and sighed, setting it down on her end table, before crawling into bed, and closing her eyes. "She's right... It's up to me. Don't worry, Konata, whatever is wrong...I'm there for you!" With this thought, she fell asleep as well.
In the room opposite Konata's, Tsukasa had heard the entire confrontation, and was pacing back and forth. She had to do something. She would talk to Miyuki tomorrow. The younger girl looked out at the full moon in the clear winter sky, and sighed. "What do I do?"