The onset of evening was already here when Yuzu opened her eyes, a nurse's hand gently shaking her shoulder. She was still groggy, her mind put few seconds to recall what happened to her : tripping and then broking her left radius (bone). Luckily Harumi was here walking with her, and not another witnesses. She was so lame.
"Your sister is waiting to take you home, she took charge of everything" said the middle-aged woman, "Don't make her wait too much, and be careful on your way home, the rain has stopped but it's still slippery".
"Well, ok" mumbled Yuzu, a bit shameful. Even the nurse was making fun of her clumsiness. Her arm in a sling, she stood and headed to the corridor. That was odd, why her little sister would be here when Harumi was the one taking her to hospital ?
"Hey Matsu, I'm aw...ake..." her words died on her lips as she saw who was standing here, her back against the wall. It was definitely not the sister she expected.
"Hi Yuzu"
Mei quietly waited the blond to process her presence, her appearance still emotionless. She was favored, because unlike her sister, she has had time to get ready for their encounter.
One millisecond, she saw a ghost pass across her green eyes before disappearing. As if the girl was wondering if all of this was real, or if she hit her head too hard.
"Hey Mei", she said almost casually. "Uh, long time no see, right ?"
Yuzu sure was all grown up, in fact enduring last year made her more mature, not anymore frivolous or weak. She did great in managing her feelings, because she succeed in being as cool-headed as Mei. And that unexpected behavior troubled her.
"Somewhat, the nurse has insisted I send you home"
The path was made in silence, each girl lost in their own thoughts. The familiar neighborhood where they walked together so many smooth times, was now sparking an unpleasant feeling. Walls were up around Yuzu and that fact was entirely new to Mei. That was not what she foresaw.
Reaching their destination, future chairwoman insisted to walk her sister to her door. Professional from head to toes.
Surprisingly, their mother was already home, worried to death and turning around behind the door. She had been informed by coworker about the hospital's call, and nothing more. Not why, where or phone number. When Yuzu opened the door, she was harshly entwined in her arms enough to suffocate.
"Aw mum, my plaster..."
"Sorry dear" the woman began, stopping when she noticed who was her daughter's babysitter. "Uh, Mei, why… would you like to dine with us tonight ? I would love it, a lot"
But before Mei could find an adequate response, Yuzu did in her place. She didn't want to hear Mei say that herself, or worse. She didn't want to hear her says ok to please their mother while they were just nuisance. Maybe she didn't want to hear her voice because later she wouldn't be able to.
"See mom, she's surely overbooked and I already wasted too much of her, not enough, spare-time. Thanks and sorry for the inconvenience" finished the green eyed girl before closing the door.
At this time, Mei was not able to understand why Yuzu did it. She didn't feel any resentment in her sentence, it was merely an established fact. And it hurt her at the speed of truck crushing her. She was feeling rejected once more. And she deserved it, probably.
She returned her grandfather's home in autopilot, barely noticing she was now freezing in her slightly wet outfit. She undressed in some kind of altered state and took advantage of her hot shower to think.
The days since she separated from Yuzu had been calm, to the point she had started to feel like she didn't know if she was alive or dead. All color gone from the world.
Only the twenty minutes spent near her were real. Were really true in her lifetime. Three words, one sentence from her, and Mei's whole world was spinning. She only realized now how much her existence had gone flat. All her efforts reduced to ashes. One year to evade her, reduced to ashes, because all she wanted was still her.
Too bad it didn't seem the same for Yuzu.
The next days, Mei couldn't help but doing research about her. Her grades along with her teachers' opinions on folders, or her twitts on the net (yeah she needed to be more careful with her privacy's settings). Even her scores in public games she knew she liked. Thing she had not allowed herself to do until now, looking for any grasp of her sister's life. She had become a proper student and appeared to prepare a high level university entrance exam, number one on her wish-list.
And it couldn't hurt if she was going back to pay her mother a visit sometime, could it ? Indeed, the older woman was happy to see her again. She had never understood why Mei stopped coming back and returned live at her grandfather's house. She was sure it was more than "she needed to be with her sick gramp and focus on her future" but none of her daughters had wanted to tell her, and she understood that whatever it was, her daughters were both in pain. Their disagreement was not just bickering.
So, she was glad when Mei decided to talk with her, about how her life was going, and stuffs. Her step-daughter asked her opinion for her incoming wedding, she could even help her prepare the guest list. She was happy as any mother has the right to be when her daughter get ready for the happiest day of her life. But the moment when she was the more cheerful were when they accidentally speak about her real blond daughter… real daughter, not real blond as she liked to laugh at.
Weirdly enough, Sho's daughter seemed happier at these moments too. There was that glint in her blues eyes, together with the softness in her voice. Therefore, she liked telling her nonsense about Yuzu. But she hated it at the same time, because every time she did Mei looked evenly incredibly sad.
Even more strange, Yuzu was always busy and never home when Mei was here. As if she had sort of a sixth sense informing her to not put a foot at home. She was coming home really late, after being at Harumi's house to study, or to relieve her stress coming from imminent examinations.
Like she said to her mom, it was so bad but she sincerely regretted it and she swear she would catch up next time.
Or again after.
Maybe ?
Mei was conscious all of this was a pitiful excuse. She was less and less motivated to prepare her wedding, and here she was talking about it three times in a week with her father's wife. She wanted to see her and at the same time she was speaking about marrying another person.
She was, life was, absurd.
And she knew, in fact, she hoped Yuzu wasn't so busy as she had said. If so, it would mean she cares enough about her to avoid her, and this idea relieved her.
"Hm, remember me again why you're still here ?" pouted Harumi when she lost one more time at that stupid cellphone game they were playing since one or two weeks. Her friend was making fun of her defeat and she was sulking a bit.
"You know it well, right ? You're lost without me. See how you die when my char is not helping yours" joked the girl. "Plus, I'm armless, you definitely cannot expel peaceful nor disabled person, can you ?"
"You're the worst Yuzuchi" laughed Harumi, unable to stay serious. She was friendly scraping the blond's hair to ease her words.
"Truly ? Then we're even" said Yuzu more thoughtful now. "Because the more I think about it, the more I find it weird. How the nurse knew who she needed to call ? You were the one with her, answering minor questions while I was auscultated by the doctor"
"Huh, twitter ?" Nice try, but the fish didn't bite the bait. "Ok you beat me. See, I dunno why I did it, I think I just wanted to see if she would come" confessed Harumi with sincerity to make an honorable amend. "And then we were thursday evening and I definitely couldn't miss a queen shopping's new episode, could I ? You would have done the same thing if you were me, and I even registered it for you"
"What a good best friend you are" sighed Yuzu, not blind.
Friends comfort the other when they feel bad. Good friends push them to confront their problems when they need to.
And best friend does both. Well, Harumin sure was a hell of best friend. A hellish best friend.
Mei was leaving her ancient apartment when she saw her. Well, was seen by her would be more exact. She was roughly pushed against the wall of an alley where few people passed by. The girl was pretty furious, and she didn't fight off.
"What are you fucking doing here ?"
"I was just walking on the street like anyone, you know". She was calm and composed, as her usual self. Only one girl was apt to made her crumble, and that was not her. "Just let me go" she hissed, withdrawing her coat from Matsuri's hands.
"Do you think I am an idiot ? But I am not one anymore, and you have nothing to do near Yuzu nee-san's house. I won't allow it" the pink haired girl was fierce and straight to her goal.
"I never thought of you as an idiot" honestly stated Mei, wanting to rectify this point when she saw tears in her opponent's eyes.
"Yeah, you had treated all of us like idiots. You lied to us and you betrayed her" it was coming as a blow and the hurt mixed with disgust startled the older girl. One more time, it sounded too fair to be denied. So, she waited for Matsuri to continue. Even when the girl slapped her and insulted her, Mei simply accepted her anger and waited. She deserved it.
"Either you're a coward or a real bitch. I want to understand why you were here" asked the younger girl when she calmed down. "And tell me the truth for once"
Mei didn't feel the right to lie again. "I was paying her mother a visit, one more, 'cause I wanted to meet her" the confession alleviated her mind. "But be reassured, I didn't see her and I won't come here anymore as she would dislike it. I am the one who is an idiot."
Matsuri was stunned, it was the very first time she could read so much sorrow in her blues eyes like she was human afterall, and never a surrendering enemy had left her with such a taste of defeat. Finally, winning was incredibly bad.
"Wait, I still don't understand. It's obvious you like her, then why ? Do you think you need a proper husband to handle the school while we all know you're better than any chairmen can be ? Or it's just a reputation problem, you think you can't handle this position when people could badmouth you 'cause you would be an iron maiden or a lesbian ?"
She had touched a susceptible spot, because Mei's answer instantly gushed "She was the first one to be embarrassed by that !"
"What ?"
"When she worked to bought us… you know what..." she faltered to talk about their rings, then continued "She had met former friends of her, and I don't know the details but their opinions about same gender's love made her cry"
"Yuzu is frail but you will be astonished to see how much she grew up. She's more stronger and dependable you can even imagine. Definitely more than the one you became. Right now, the only thing that can make her shed tears is your inability to ditch all this bullshit. Be aware that every time she had to evade you she cried, so fix it"
Three days have passed since their encounter, but Matsuri's words echoed in her ear as if she was repeating it. Especially an easy part, for now. She didn't need any man to be who she wanted to be, to do what she wanted to do, and she was more than capable to inherit her grandfather's chairman position. She worked hard to that extent.
And she was determined to say it to the Aihara householder. To begin with. When he would be back from his medical examination, the last two years his health was less good than before. And it worried her, because he needed to rest and needed her to take up the torch. But she couldn't do anymore as he wanted her to do.
She was anxious, motionless in front of his office's door. Then she moved in, and his smile when he greeted her made her as guilty than courageous. She just needed the best moment to talk about it. She listened him, casually speaking about school's folders and registration form since they were receiving so many this year, he was enthusiastic and she was too.
"Your step-sister has doing great, she is in final exam's top ten" said her grandfather, now talking about the results on his desk. "Who would have predicted such labor from her when she first transferred here ? I am proud the Aihara's name is at the top of the bulletin board, since you graduated a few month earlier with a protocol of agreement"
Mei was a little bit angry now, because he was always looking the interest of people position, and not people themselves. And it had to stop from now on.
"Yes, she worked hard and I am proud of her. In fact, I need to work hard too. I am sorry but I can't take over the school if I stay as I am, a coward who goes along with what everybody says. I won't just go along with whatever you say anymore, and I won't marry any man for what people say. My annoying friend made me realize that : I can't really be the heir our family needs me to be if I stay only its doll. Starting now, I will do the best for the Aihara family and it means being who I really am."
Mei was cool, managing to express every thought she had in mind, all burdens flying off her shoulders. She was breathing easier.
"Can you excuse me now" she bowed before walking away. Leaving her speechless grandfather digest her determination.
It was not the end, but it was a first step.
And as she got away, it was not from her family she turned her back, it was from her weak old self.
The corridors were familiar to her and she knew where she was going. During a previous discussion with their mother, Mei had learned that Yuzu went often to the school library 'cause she liked these peaceful vibes when she needed to study. After all, final exam was over but her entrance examination was coming. So she expected her to be here. She needed her to be here.
Her sister was in the quietest corner of the library, her eyes locked on a science book like she was printing it with her brain. Actually, Mei could see the puzzle's pieces settled in that little head of her. That face she would have liked to see from the front.
She applauded slowly, and the girl jumped when the sound resonated around her.
"Congratulation, you're one of the ten best students of the school"
To view, hear and comprehend everything was truly difficult for Yuzu. So she bugged, taking several minutes to process it. Her brain googled it and encountering problems such as 404 page not found. It was entirely new because; One, Mei was here. Two, she was not get used to be an honor student. Three, Mei was kindly smiling to her.
She didn't know how to act. To say if it was a dream or a nightmare, she waited to see more.
Currently, Mei didn't know what to do either, she wanted to apologized and be with her and touch her. But she didn't know if she was allowed to. She was afraid to force her way on her.
"Your pen point towards your hair, you know" she said, amused by her stationary sister. It was not what she really wanted to say, but it was helpful afterward.
"I was thinking about dying them back to black" her sister blurted it, almost off topic. Before lowering her pen.
Mei was sharp, she was good at words game. More than the words, it was the meaning behind them. Yuzu had brought a love memory here, in front of her, when she could have dyed her hair without talking about it anytime. Thankfully, she now knew she had not really turned the page.
"It's a shame 'cause they're beautiful but I understand" the younger girl began as if she was meaning it "It must be hard to take care of your locks of hair anyway" her eyes directed toward her plaster, she didn't want to upset her. For now. "How's your arm ?"
"Better" Yuzu gladly approved the change of subject, the other was making her uncomfortable. It was more neutral, less nerv cracking "I have numbness or tingling in my fingertips sometimes"
"Let me see" Mei took her hand, opening it with a light stroke of her thumb, before bringing her palm one inch near her lips. Making soft contact between them as she showed her her devotion. "You're smart, I'm sure you will figure out the meaning between a kiss on the hand, and a kiss in the hand"
She left after that, satisfied to had made her point. She would carry on later as she was determinate to win her back.
Yuzu googled it for real this time, her mind going blank. On was respect, and in was passion.
It was weird enough, this scientific phenomenon induced by the nerves, when you can sometimes crush your finger, and your brain believe the pain come from the finger next to the wounded one. Yuzu was experimenting it on a different scale, because Mei's scorching lips had only touch her palm and her whole body was burning.
