Operation Four

Will You Accept Them?

"Tell Rin her newest shipment came in," Miku requested of Miki as Miki idly organized Miku's many binders of songs.

"Newest shipment of what?" Miki questioned distractedly, too preoccupied by the piles to pay much attention to the other girl.

Miku raised an eyebrow at her and then stated plainly, "Yuri. And can you ask her how it is she can manage to get her hands on such steamy stuff at age fourteen?"

"I put her account under Kaito's name," Miki replied, turning to face her friend, who was preoccupied with a book she'd taken out of a large cardboard box. "How do you know what kind of manga she reads?"

Miku waved the volume toward Miki, and Miki caught sight of something on the pages that she would have been happier not seeing. "Ugh, Miku, watch where you wave that thing," she replied embarrassedly, her cheeks burning bright red.

"You two sit together and read this stuff, don't you?" challenged Miku. "You've gotta be used to it by now."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to it," Miki replied, crawling over to the box, too lazy to get up and walk there. "Why are you going through her stuff, anyway?"

"Well, she refuses to talk to me, so this is the closest I can get to being friends with her again," Miku replied curtly, unable to meet Miki's eyes as Miki looked up at her. Miki saw sadness in Miku's eyes, and she knew it still hurt the diva's feelings that Rin had turned her back from the girl she'd once loved so much in an instant at Neru's request.

"What'd she order, anyway?" Miki wondered curiously, skipping the manga volumes that were covered in plastic, meant to be unwrapped by someone over the age of eighteen and picking up one that looked like a cute little romance. However, the moment she flipped it open, her face went bright red and she slammed it shut, noting the parental advisory on the front cover and the pile of wrappings beside Miku as the girl casually flipped through one of the volumes. "Everyone still thinks she's so innocent despite this stuff being all over her room."

"She's a little lolita," Miku replied. "We could show this to everyone and they'd still believe that she's an innocent little girl."

"Why does she even read this, anyway?" Miki questioned, unable to understand why it intrigued Rin so. Miki took out a DVD box set and checked the back, pleased to see that the rating was fourteen and up rather than eighteen and up.

"That's my fault," replied Miku, putting a book delicately back into the box and taking another one, freeing it of its wrapper. "Mine and Luka's. After she found out that it's possible for girls to be in love, so went crazy over it, and: viola. Yuri fan girl."

"So it's all Magnet's fault, then," Miki supplied.

Miku smirked. "Of course. Anyway, you're making too big a deal out of it. It's not like she's the only one who started going crazy over this stuff once we introduced it. Look at Neru's club."

Miki had to laugh at that. It was true. Neru's club truly was just a band of girls too afraid to admit their feelings to another girl. Miku and Miki had figured it all out long ago.

Rin loved Neru, plain and simple; Gumi liked Iroha, but she'd never acted like it in front of anyone so even Iroha was probably oblivious; Ring liked Rin and was very, very open about it; Miki, of course, loved Rin and couldn't manage to admit it due to the girl being obsessed with their leader; as Miki and Miku had recently discovered while eavesdropping on the girl as she made chocolates for Valentine's day, Aoki liked Lily, which Miki saw as an odd match but said nothing to; and, once upon a time, the club's old members, Meiko and Luka, had both been in love with each other and been too afraid to admit it.

"Do you like anyone, Miku?" Miki questioned, staring at her friend curiously.

"Of course," scoffed Miku. "But it's a secret."

"Aw, c'mon, Miku," whined Miki, pouting up at her friend. "You gotta tell me now! It's gonna kill me if I don't know."

"Too bad for you," sang Miku, smirking at her. "Besides, you're the last person I should be telling."

"What does that mean?" Miki questioned.

Miku rolled her eyes. "Think about it for a while, sweetie, and then you'll know exactly who it is that I like. It's not my fault she's too stupid to notice."

Miki stared at her friend, dissatisfied, and fell deep into concentration. Why would she be the last person Miku should tell? They were best friends. Miki was now deeply confused.

. . .

Miki fidgeted nervously with the hem of her dress as she took deep breaths to calm herself. Her hands felt clammy as she held a small heart-shaped box which held the chocolate's she'd made. She looked at the pink ribbon she'd tied into a bow on the top of the red box, wondering if it was perfect enough. It looked a little lopsided to her. For what must have been the tenth time, she undid the ribbon and retied it. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and her fingers shook mercilessly. She knew her cheeks had turned the brightest red and nothing she could do would cool them down. She closed her eyes gently and prepared herself. When she opened them again, she peered at Rin, who was chatting idly with Gumi as the two waited for club activities to begin. Neru was nowhere to be found, as were Ring and Aoki. Miki opened her mouth in preparation to call Rin's name and took a step toward the club entrance before swiftly slamming back against the wall behind the corner. She felt tears pricking her eyes. It was so scary. Why was it so hard just to give her chocolate? She knew Rin would never refuse them, but the thought of giving them to her simply terrified Miki.

"Oh Rin~!"

Miki felt her blood run cold as she caught that voice. Ring ran into the clubroom, her long blue hair flowing behind her. Miki's heart skipped a beat when she saw the box of chocolates in Ring's hand. Miki could guess the girl's intentions immediately, and she wouldn't stand for it.

"Heya, Ring, what's up?" Miki heard Rin say casually.

"I gotcha something," sang Ring cheerfully.

"Wait a minute!" cried Miki, dashing into the club room. Rin stared at Miki, startled; Gumi stared at her rather indifferently; Ring looked mildly amused.

"What is it, Miki?" Rin wondered, panicked.

Miki felt her nervousness returning, but the smirk of Ring's face forced her to be brave as she stared at her feet and stuttered, "I, uh, I wanted to, uh, talk to you in private."

Rin's forehead creased in concern. "Is it urgent? Ring already kind of asked for my attention."

"Well I'm your best friend so I should come first, right?" Miki barked, both saddened and angered by Rin's question.

Rin blinked at her and then smiled. "Sure, yeah." She turned her gaze to Ring for a moment and said, "Sorry, I'll be back in a minute," before standing and following Miki outside of the room. Once they were safely out of earshot, Rin smiled for Miki and wondered, "So what's up, Miki?"

Now that Ring wasn't there to egg her on, Miki couldn't speak. She couldn't think straight, and seeing Rin there in front of her was so terrifying. What if she refused to accept them? What if Rin realized that Miki liked her and turned her down? But what if Rin realized that Miki liked her and chose to accept her feelings? Then what? Miki had no idea what came after that, despite all the romance novels she read. A million thoughts were swarming her head, and embarrassment melded with them all as she realized that she was standing there, like an idiot, unable to speak a single word while Rin smiled at her questioningly. This was devastating. She had no idea what to say or how to say it.

But Rin, her wonderful Rin, saved her. "Are those for me?" she asked, nodding at the chocolates, her eyes shining joyfully. Miki nodded shyly, her heart nearly bursting as Rin's hand brushed hers as she took the box. "Wow, Miki, you sure worked hard! I made you some, too, but they won't be nearly as awesome as this!"

"It's nothing, really," Miki mumbled, finally managing to take control of her voice.

"Shut up, you!" Rin barked teasingly. "If you think this is nothing then what I'm giving is total garbage. C'mon, let's go show this off!"

So you didn't realize, then?

That's what Miki thought as Rin dragged her back inside the room, holding her hand as she did. Miki felt disappointment, relief, and regret mingling inside her as Rin gloated about the awesome chocolate to Ring and then to Gumi. When Rin's attention was fully on Gumi, Ring approach Miki. Miki tensed in preparation for an attack. As something was tossed at her, she quickly caught it. She gazed down at the box of chocolates now in her hands, then at Ring, her face a question mark.

"You win," Ring replied. "There's no way she'll accept my chocolate now. You might as well have it."

"Why would I want it?" questioned Miki with a scowl.

"Look, you've already ruined my day, alright?" Ring sighed, genuine grief in her eyes. Miki felt guilt beginning to surface. "Just take them, okay?"

"I'm sorry," Miki murmured, unable to stop herself as she saw that sadness in her rival's gaze.

Ring smirked at her, trying to return to her usual self despite the lingering remorse visible in her expression. "Don't apologize, moron. You won this round. Be happy. It's my own fault for not being brave enough to even try."

Miki wanted to say something more, but she was cut off as Ring swiftly pulled her out of the path of a tiny firecracker that was storming into the room.

"Where have you been, moron?" Iroha snapped as she came to a halt before Gumi and Rin, her eyes locked on the green-haired girl.

"Here," Gumi replied with an innocence that made it clear that she was guilty. "Why?'

"You told me you'd be with Piko!" the small, pink-haired girl fumed.

"I'm having troubles remembering when I said that," Gumi informed her.

Iroha scowled, beyond annoyed. "Yesterday! I told you that I'd need to find you, and you said you be with Piko!"

"Oops. I guess I must've forgotten." It was clear that she hadn't.

Iroha could tell, but she refrained from commenting on it and instead thrust a tied-up bag of chocolates in Gumi's face. "Whatever, here's your chocolates. And before you get any stupid ideas, they're friendship chocolates, obligatory chocolates, got it? That's the only reason why you get any at all."

"How very kind of you," Gumi replied with a smile as she plucked the bag from the short-fused girl's hand. "And here I didn't get you anything. How about cookies on white day?"

"Shut up, I don't care," Iroha snapped. "I have other people to deliver to, so I'm leaving now, stupid. I've wasted enough time searching for you."

Gumi had ignored the girl's rant and had instead snatched a tiny white chocolate ball drizzled with a tiny line of pink chocolate into her mouth. "Mm, yum. Who knew you could cook?"

"You idiot, I cook all the time," Iroha grumbled as she quickly stormed out of the room, scowling as per usual. Gumi continued to munch joyfully on the chocolates as she watched the girl leave. Miki shook her head a little, bemused by it all.

Valentine's day just isn't good for a girl's heart, huh?

Author's Note: Valentine's day continues next Friday. This Iroha is very different from how I usually write her, which was fun. Anyway, hope you liked it, please review!