Author's Note: I made a typo from the last sentence of the previous chapter. It says, "against my cheek." It's suppose to be *against her cheek. There's a "cheesy" line ahead. Beware. Although, it may just be another boring speech. Remember! I want the characters to act the way I want them to be. So, I want you guys to chill when you see the cast go out of character. Oh, yeah. I didn't tell you guys that this is an alternate universe.
School just started and most likely, it gets in the way of working for my fanfiction. If I have time to work on it, expect each chapter to be slowly updated.
This is Rated T for two reasons:
One: Now that I've clearly reflected if this should contain anything mature, I've disagreed about that. I'd like to keep this a story where it has no extreme adult situations. My apologies for smut lovers (As what XSidelineStrangerX said: lolers from her. Though, I'm beginning to think that Yokobue just wants the smut. Haha, just kidding~), this isn't the right place for you. I mean, really. I don't want to express lust by writing every detail of how these two girls are in "love" in bed; I believe love isn't something like that. What I believe is..love is a strong affection of wanting one's happiness, an effort that one must need to do in order to give and receive love from a person. Hey, that's a 16-year-old's mere assumption. I've never fallen for a girl or a guy so it's a struggle for me to create two people on how to interact when they're in love.
Two: I'm fond of girl's love into making it into a -brief- innocent story. It's always heart-warming and of course, the sweetest/corniest thing you'll ever see. I'm sorry, "Kiss Kiss Kiss" by BENI & "You and I" by t.A.t.U are always my background songs when I type this fanfiction. I know, awkward.
*First Blush/First Light= The Morning
Thanks so much for the reviews~Don't hesitate to review this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from the manga and anime, Kannazuki no Miko (Destiny of the Shrine Maiden) which is owned by Kaishaku, Geneon Entertainment, & TNK Studios.
"I understand, Himeko." Her eyes were closed from the sweet sensation of my hand that was placed upon her cheek. "You refuse to be left unprotected in this bare corner."
"T-that's not it." I sincerely admitted.
She stroked my hands and gradually twiddled the red bow at the rear of my hair. "Hmm? Then what is it?"
"Chikane-chan!" I shrilled with panic.
Her hands exited from fiddling my bundled ribbon. In a blink of an eye, the ambush came quickly with the endless rain drops to haste on our garments. Not only me and the older girl's clothes were extremely wet, another goddess was additionally, thoroughly soaked on her own attire from the silent showers. The goddess assaulted the midnight blue-haired goddess in accompanying her nameless weapon of such a sly attack. That was when it disturbed me, I shivered in fear, standing there—not knowing what to do. In spite of that, Chikane intentionally reflected the enemy's strike by a curved sword that loomed to be a large crescent moon. A sword that could cut through anything, a sword seemed to be indestructible toward the enemies, and a sword that could result to a cause of destruction but also to a side of justice.
"Himeko, please settle there." The taller girl instructed, shooting her eyes at me.
I followed her command while I silently stood. There was not any hope for me to disrupt their battle since no victory was going to receive to me. I had no powers to utilize, I am only a human. There was nothing I could do. I could only watch their encounter from afar. My left hand touched the solid wall that was beside myself as I carefully observed them. Perhaps this was the goddess she adverted. The unknown person in curly, medium blond hair, wearing a long shawl that stayed down to her feet—I wondered which consequences would I face. Was she...the maid in my "dream?" She seemed to be extremely familiar. The blue-haired goddess retaliated to push herself at the fullest extent of her sword to launch toward the opponent's instrument of attack in combat. The antagonist blocked her offense! And that same rival was continuously shoved outside of the sidewalk and through the middle of the road where their feet bespattered on the puddles of water, resulting the girl to spring forward with all her might. In a flash, crossed weapons clashed as the immortals were laid in that situation. Struggle exploded from the both of them, placing the swords in a smash.
"When will you ever terminate the trouble, Kisaragi-san?" She piercingly questioned—her clothes still soddened from blasts of the rain above.
The anonymous goddess that was known as Kisaragi—her weapon came into a weak tremble from her arms. "Fu fu. I should say the same thing to you, Himemiya-san. I presume you are fully aware of the rule of not being with a mortal. Or else matters such as this will endure you consequences—perhaps worse."
Their energies slithered down. With that, both goddesses receded and stood their ground.
"I have no care. I disapprove of this, Kisaragi-san. I will do what it takes to heal my mistress's heart. Regardless of falling in love with her." She calmly tossed her sword onto the doused hands of the teary ground—the moon sword unexpectedly disappeared to my visibility. "It is not my intention to confront you. I'll recite this once again: My obligation is to fulfill the girl's desire. It is a difficult favor to be done yet I confirmed to her that I am not to deal my original role until she is content. Nevertheless, I would most likely refuse her longing but it has come to my decision of doing whatever I am pleased with. And that is being with Himeko."
Drenched fingers buried my mouth as it indicated tears of joy poured out of my appeased, purple eyes. The dark wall that I touched by my left hand was given to a repeatable, to an endless sonance of plopped raindrops. Behind Chikane's words, I understood they were the earnest feelings I have heard from someone else. Someone who was devoted to me. Our affections were mutual; I had been content being with her. As what she has stated, she would do any task to repay her debt from her individual self-intention.
"Very well, Moon Goddess. But you should now know that there will be chaos ahead of you." Her indignant voice slipped away in a second, lowering her guard down—the other goddess turned her back on ourselves, automatically dissolving herself like melted ice to her position in the middle road.
There was no aura of another immortal other than the girl I am in love with. The continuous rain wondered on the fields of the city while the pale moon was covered by the dark sky, stretching in a tremendous impact. A second thought meddled my gladness of her honest statements. On the very back of my mind, I was uncertain if I was an intruder to Chikane. Did she mind this? This battle of fighting for forbidden love? Little by little, would she grow and learn to love, not just the need to love me? I slowly marched my feet in each step on the way to her—small amounts of water were sloshed whilst I wore a deluged uniform that was showered by the quiet rain. The damped goddess had her back turned, forlorn into the soundless night of the middle path.
Just when I was behind her, she announced my name. "Himeko. The goddess..she is nothing but a nuisance. However, she will likely cause a dispute. We must ready ourselves until then."
From the rush of the rainfall, cold liquids in every drop absorbed our garments and our hairs.
"Y-yes." I seemed stiff.
"Well. Shall you take us to a shelter? Otherwise, you will catch a cold." A soaked Chikane twisted herself to face me, a beam came across her face.
The tone of her voice was angelic. Cheeks of mine flustered, delighted by her consultation.
I extended my velvet eyes to show amazement. "Uhm..in m-my dorm. A-and I don't have a c-cold."
I instantly burst exploded air from my mouth as my cheeks heated into a greater extent.
"Feeling this sick is bad. I feel hot...and tired." The words I reflected, blurred into my mind.
She enjoyably elevated me once again, cradling me like an infant. "No luck. You're not well. Please inform me the directions, Himeko. I would like to know the location of your place."
"T-thank you, Ch-Chikane-chan." I tightly clasped a handful of her immersed, lucid robe. "My dorm is far away from here b-but we just need to keep going straight and when we see a small village, we'll h-have to turn to the right. T-t-then, we'll see the school and the dorm. The dorm will be next to the school so we'll go inside and see that the first room belongs to me and Mako-chan's. She's my friend and my roommate, I-I'm sure she'll be inside the room that says, 'Saotome Makoto & Kurusugawa Himeko.' She won't harm us."
Without an interrogation, she sprinted against the hollow wind and rain. Her arms pushed out as long as she wheezed for a waft into her faint lungs. Each steps of water had her bare feet to attain as it snuff the rain beyond the sky, eventually halting the showers. To think that she was able to move after a quarrel with her own unacquainted goddess. How could she abode in such incompetence? I was only brought along with her, not running. I am such a weakling. All I achieved were viewing ridiculous fights between the immortals. To that fact, I shut my eyes. There was no importance of reasoning at this moment since consumption of my energy occurred. I could not answer the older girl for I was greatly exhausted. My mind scrambled as if it was inside a blender; I did not think straight. A repeated thud of my pulse began to ring in my eardrums. Was it love? Or was I only tired? Although I could not see the verbalization on her face, I was certain she was melting from her hurry. She willingly made an effort just for me. I surely held the gratitude for that—thanking her shall be a must later on.
A few seconds ticked away, the rustles of tree branches and the weeps of the crickets seemed to be the dead silence of the people of the neighborhood. I did not witness any cold drops of fluid from the sky above. Then, it must define that the rain shunned and we have reached the village. Weary, I deeply enclosed in a long unconsciousness.
"Good morning, Himeko." A plain voice circled the words inside my ears.
Just what the voice asserted, morning rose. Singing birds projected their greetings from outside. Violaceous eyes exposed. There, I was already attached on my back in a soft mattress, covered with a blanket. I caught a sight in my dormitory of the Ototachibana Academy—by the large window of curtains in each side, sunlight was shedding on me. The furniture that consisted of only one sofa, the miniature refrigerator among the food inside, the closet with garments, the office table along chairs, the viewed picture frames, the bathroom across the room, and the displayed brown teddy bear on top of the gigantic drawer delivered through my vision. Was I not wearing wet uniform last night considering that I was now dressed in my dry, pink pajamas? As for my red ribbon, it was now on the top of the drawers. A troubled gasp lapsed from my mouth. Did that imply she changed my clothes? I swung a startled stare at the girl whose head laid at the edge of my bed.
"Ch-Ch-Ch-Chikane-chan...?" I foolishly asked.
I immediately sat up. The anonymous person in short, brown hair had folded legs on the blue carpet throughout the time of crossing her arms. Additionally, the light green of a braided string was on a piece of her hair. Her emerald eyes like a shimmering star looked straight at me.
"Who's Chikane?" The girl in Ototachibana uniform turned out to be Mako-chan, my best friend and my roommate. "Don't tell me you're dating this 'Chikane' behind my back?"
A treacherous grin included her face.
"O-oh..I-It's just..." My words died.
So, it was not the blue-haired goddess. There was no way I could contact her, ever again. No communications whatsoever. How could I keep in touch with any immortal such as her? Silence flew around the room. No words or any interactions leaked between Mako and I. It was nothing but the uneasiness in my thoughts as if the ground hammered me down, seemingly emphasizing the goddess's rejection for me. I could not help myself but beg for her to come back to me.
I ruminated, a shuddered sigh crept down as I clutched partial comforters with two of my palms—gaping over the effulgent window. "Chikane-chan...where are you? Did you leave me?"
"Himeko? Is there a problem?" She sat there on the carpet, offering an apprehensive expression.
I overlooked at her to the piece of inconsiderately lying. "Eh! Uhm. I-I'm okay..a bit."
"Good! You're not okay! Because you, little girl, need to rest," my best friend drove me to couch back down, "I checked your temperature, and it said 104 degrees fahrenheit. So you have to stay in bed, you got that?"
I politely gestured my head at the same time my grip carefully hooked the bedsheets from above like a courteous child.
"Oh no. I'm going to be late." She peeked her watch at her left wrist. "I don't know when I'll be back from Saturday class. Your breakfast's on the table so take care of yourself, Himeko!"
In a second, she revolved away and left the door closed.
"Thank you, Mako-chan!" I shouted toward the clear air, hoping she would hear the praise.
Intake of my breath, I silently pulled the blanket upward, just stopping at my upper neck to conceal my body with warmth—I rested my optics as I coughed miserably. It was quite true that I did not have adequate sleep because of the midnight altercation. Looking back at that, I would not know what the correct thing to do without the blue-haired goddess as well as keep my shameful reactions whenever I could see Oogami at school. I am such a hopeless, meek person.
"What was that?" The utterance snapped inside my thoughts.
I spread my eyes. The first time I beheld the blue-haired goddess who was carrying a bottle of tablets with her left hand. The other was on my forehead.
"My apologies. I was checking if you were possibly well. Have I disturbed you from your sleep?" She unhurriedly culled her left hand from my blazing forehead as she was sitting near the bedstead beside me.
I gently shook my head.
Her back was faced front, her face was apparently slanted to eye-contact me.
"G-good morning, Chikane-chan.." I weakly greeted under my breath.
She forwarded her eyes to me that contained a relieved, blissful, and calm sea color. "It is the first blush, isn't it?"
"Y-yes." My sudden heart abruptly skipped in firm beats and my jowls eminently formulated a florid pigment. "Ch-Chikane-chan, where did you go?"
"Last night, I led you inside. Your companion did not have a clue that you arrived at a tardy time as I found her sleeping on her own bed. Lethargy was in you as well. I have fixed your garments—I confess that I did not want you to wear sopped clothes. I apologize I changed you without permission. Yet...you were too adorable, Himeko." She softly chortled in a way her hand was cloaked. "Ah, yes. After that certain period, I strolled around to find a relief for you. And so, I approached a store where they sold antidotes."
"FIXING? CLOTHES? ME? ADORABLE? SLEEP? A PHARMACY?" Each word blew my mind into a state of trepidation.
My head steamed, enhancing numerous stacks of embarrassment. I could not reply back, everything changed whenever she was always by my side.
"Energy is gained by consuming food." Amid to her chuckles and her statement, she stood up to seize my breakfast from the table, settle the medicine bottle on the solid wood then remain down on the bed. "Eating is a must when a princess is ill."
I sat up, quivering my head.
I oscillated two hands ahead of my chest. "N-no, i-i-it's okay, Chikane-chan! I can do it by myself!"
"You need not to be bashful, my beloved. It is nothing but a bowl of rice porridge with garnished minced pork alongside a steamed bun just to support you." She eagerly placed the meal on her lap as she picked a metallic, curved spoon off of the tray of food—gathering a portion of the soup affixed to the utensil.
"Chinese breakfast?" I murmured, adjusting my arms above the covers.
The older girl carefully puffed the steamed chunk of nutrient to allow it to cool. "Yes. Do you dislike the dish? Your friend delivered this, did she not?"
"I-I like today's breakfast, actually." I doubtlessly nodded in an elated beam. "Mako-chan tries her best to get meals everyday for the both of us—I'm really happy she's my best friend."
"..I'm glad." She upheld a soft smile.
She sent my heart to continually thump when I intentionally avoided her statement. "L-let's eat!"
A bite of hot rice mixed with minced pork entered my mouth. Another. Then another. She served the soup lightly, a pattern of blowing the porridge and heading the spoon into chewing the contained substance by me was extensively considerate of her. She smiled throughout the moment of enjoying the food that Mako provided. After the last morsels, Chikane presented the steamed bun for me to eat. I hesitated to take the baked roll but she refused to allow my hands to move, not even a bit. She kindly put it at the palm of my hand. Her enchanted gaze was locked on mine whilst a sense of charm emerged.
A minute moved onward.
I flung the time for the non-interaction to lessen, "I'm...s-sorry. I'll eat it now," my cheeks felt as if they turned crimson into an expansion around my exterior.
Compassionately accepting the food from the hands of the goddess, I nibbled the soft, warm circled bread as I supplied an excited stare toward her. Nodding, nodding, nodding. Then nodding once again. Of a number of little bites of the Chinese bun, I finally finished my breakfast.
"Thank you for the food," I said without stuttering the words, "Aren't you hungry, Chikane-chan?"
She positioned the empty bowl, and the spoon with the tray onto the brown table. "Not at all. I would rather nurture you."
She turned around to ensconce herself on my bed.
"Chikane-chan.." I called out.
Silence arose, there wasn't anything left to say but a question of my restiveness troubled me.
"Wh-why did you stay with me? Isn't it a burden when y-you can't be with a human like me? Am I the burden?" I squeezed a small quantity of the comforter.
"Because silly Himeko, I never want you to be alone." She delicately tapped my scalp downward and upward. "Words from your mouth will never pester me."
"Thank you, Chikane-chan." It was out of best luck to answer her properly.
She responded with a luxurious smile, halting her pats.
"Chikane-chan. I-I want to show you something." I restlessly swung out of bed as I set foot on the frozen carpet, pacing myself in relation to the drawer.
I pulled one of them out to inspect the object I always wanted her to wear. My grandmother who gave a yellow headband to me as a resemblance of herself. To always remember her, to always treasure her, and to always love her. I happily locked the memory into endless rows of appreciation. After all, my heart without hesitation, had enough space for my precious people.
I pushed the drawer back and began to oblige.
"Grandmother, I pass this on to someone else. Please give this person the same strength that you have given me—Even if loving a girl, I'm sure you know I'm doing the right choice for loving a good soul." I regarded while I tightly pressed the headband against my chest.
In three steps to the lower bunk where she sat, I released it in front of her, additionally holding out the yellow headband with anxious hands.
"My granny gave this headband to me. Though, I-I was thinking if you can have it. Please accept my offer!" I politely bowed my head, waiting for her to agree.
"I am happy to receive this and I assure you that I will take care of this precious item." That same smile from her expression did not erase in front of me.
Gazing up with a contented face, I slightly moved en route to my target, to get closer. I planted the accessory above her. As it came to the right location, I cautiously aligned the edge of the ornament behind each of her ear and painstakingly pushed the design upon her head.
"It's all finished," I backed myself to see her full body-shot, "Chikane-chan is really pretty."
She precipitously reached my hand, drawing me with force into a soft embrace. Was this the moment I had always been waiting for? The slightest body language from a person? Wonder, wonder. That was ever the incision of confusion beneath my stomach. She intentionally did this movement, didn't she?
"Thank you, Himeko.." She tightened her arms around me.
The essence of the goddess was filled in my body, establishing a swoon within myself.
On spur of moment, I viewed the clock against the wall. The shorter hand struck to twelve and the longer hand stayed at the exact point of ten—the moving hand jogged around clockwise, meaning it was 10:00 in the morning. Although, an hour ago was the time she fed me. It was a moment I could not believe. Without regard to what arose, I ended up in the bed, constantly sneezing into a napkin to prevent the germs from spreading. The taller girl brought a glass of water and a small tablet close at hand.
"I am sorry, Himeko. I...I should have made you rest in bed." The goddess was consumed with remorse, tensely sitting down on the stacked bed adjoined the water and the pill with her hands.
An expulsion of air suddenly erupted outwards of my mouth. "I-it's okay, Chikane-chan."
Sickness, a fever it was, I could not help myself. Others were only brought to me just to aid me when I would be in need. Such a shame, I could not love and care myself well. What would be the next issue? Me dying of ill or murder? That would partake no response of a "yes" or "no." Honestly, it was a pitiful thing to be treated by people. I could not be independent. And despite that, I would like to be a decisive, courageous person for me to become strong. From now on, I shall strive the perfection of the elegant girl who stood before me.
I feebly sat up—spanned across to take the glass and the medication from her. "N-no..I should be the one to feel sorry...for making you do this."
"Such as I thoroughly said, you will never disturb me. I've come here to rebuild your heart, didn't I?" She smiled warily.
I threw the pellet inside my tongue in addition to swallowing the matter of aqua.
In one gulp, I achieved my goal. Withdrawing my lips attached to the beak of the cup, I finished to a position where I could lie down with a covered blanket. She helpfully took the glass back to where the mug belonged to. Beautiful. Kind. Elegant. The words that suited well on her. As a matter of fact, "Chikane" was the perfect name for a splendid girl, for a splendid girlfriend.
Formerly at that place, she sat down like the majestic goddess she was, at the location where I was supported to sleep on.
"Himeko." She simpered, facing me.
An unexpected gesture, she angled her head down opposed to my face.
My fingers dug onto the edge of the sheets, flushed. "Eh?"
Her hands were tied into my hair, her sky blue pools had reverence in them.
"You have a small piece of bun on your skin." She delightfully, unabashedly licked the leftover off at the tip of my mouth.
The simper on her facial expression was never captured. Only her crevice abducted her own tongue, closing the passage to devour the uneaten bread—then straightened herself back to her regular stance, perching back down. It all occurred quickly. Blood bubbled under my cheeks, flaring inside my body. The purpose of having no response to her doing resulted the word, "lick" to pile up my thoughts. Yet, this idea was the absolute of anticipation as to why these situations would have better meaning than a kiss.
"Ch-Chi...kane-chan." I steadily breathed in her exhilarating scent.
In a split second, she drew the comforters altogether, tucked the corners of them with warmth.
Afterward, she resolved herself in a black stool, "Now, now Himeko. You must rest."
The similar stool that was also from my "dream."
"You need not to be concerned," dazzling crystalline lens, they were enriched in admittance, "I will stay."
Just as the lids collapsed of my eyes for a soundless dream, I recognized a tear to convey an irresistible force from my purple spheres.
Hardly audible from the girl's ears, my lips motioned. "Thank you, Chikane-chan."
I allowed myself to smile while I eventually fell into a repose.
An old, familiar woman swung herself in a rocking chair, enveloping a simple, white background of a house.
"Come here, little Hime." She pleaded while she dragged her wrinkled arms out.
Realizing I was in my child form, I merrily ran toward her, dwelling down on her lap.
As my legs were barely apart, I wiggled my feet beneath the sheer chair, the windows of my soul looking up at her. "Grandma! Which story are you going to tell me now?"
"It's not a story. This time, it's a gift. Just for you!" She brightly exclaimed.
I pointed out the questions, "Really? What is it?"
"This yellow headband." Not knowing her hands were somewhere else, they suddenly appeared with the thick, yellow trimming.
I gasped, earned a possession of it. "Wooow! It's so cute, grandma!"
"Do you like it? It's something that you can cherish. Or you can wear it." She suggested, smiling down at me.
I catechized her and the yellow headband at the same time. "Of course I like it...cherish?"
"This means..when you look at this headband, you will love this headband and the people with all your heart." A meaningful remark from her own mouth shipped itself through my ear drums. "But remember, never change, Hime."
"I won't." I promised in a passive voice.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please expect the next chapter to be released after a few weeks. Blame school (hell), not me.