-1Strawberry Panic: New Year

Chapter Six

In Days to Come

I don't know what to think. I don't know what to say, or do, or... or... anything. Everything is so jumbled in my mind it's all I can do to pretend there's nothing going on. As though there isn't any turmoil in my heart and in my soul. I've always respected Yaya-sempai, admired her for her voice. And of course, Yaya is cool. Yaya just radiates a confidence I can only hope to emulate with my stuffy nature and my prim and proper manners.

I don't know what to do.

No one's ever done anything like this to me.

Is it insane to call it love? Yes, it is insane. I don't even know her that well. I just can't stop thinking about her because of my rampaging teenage hormones. Barely teen. I only turned fourteen yesterday, it feels to me. Why, why, why? Why me? Why her? Why now?

...Why not?

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"Hell-ooo, Tsu-Tsu-chan!"

Tsubomi was fortunate that she had already finished drinking her milk, because when Yaya snuck up behind her chair in the lunch room she clenched the carton as a knee-jerk reflex, sitting with her back rigid and Yaya's mouth against her ear. Then she felt two arms snake around her shoulders, holding her with promise. "You know, I'm beginning to wonder when we're gonna go out on a real date," Yaya purred. "Or do you not like me anymore?"

With a squeal of the chair legs dragging across the floor, Tsubomi jerked away from Yaya to wildly look about the room. No one paid much attention. Yaya smirked and pulled up a chair of her own to sit next to the kohai, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her palms as she gazed at the pink haired girl.

"What?" she said shrewdly. "Am I getting you all hot and bothered?"

"Sh- shh!" Tsubomi hissed, tossing aside her milk carton to grip the edge of the table, her eyes darting from place to place. "You- you shouldn't speak- I mean people might..."

"...think that we're going out?"

"Yeah!"

"...Right." Yaya reclined back in her chair, one eyebrow cocked up. Then, without warning, she shot to her feet and cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting out to the world. Every head turned in surprise as the normally chatty environment was rudely interrupted. "HEY EVERYBODY! GUESS! WHAT! TSUBOMI IS GAY!"

There was a dead silence. Then someone said, "Dude, everyone here is gay." There was scattered laughter at this remark and slowly the air filled again with the sounds of gossip and school girl chatter. Yaya smirked again, turning to see Tsubomi's face only to realize that Tsubomi had shot out of the lunch room faster than the proverbial bat shot out of hell. Groaning in disbelief, Yaya followed her most likely route of escape and soon found her walking stiffly towards the dorm with her backpack dragging along behind her.

"Hey hey hey!" Yaya shouted, jogging up to walk next to the girl. "What's the matter? I was just showing you there's nothing to be scared of." Tsubomi kept her face averted and said nothing, her feet stomping hard and purposeful against the ground. Frustrated, Yaya hop-skipped to walk in front of her, turning around so that she walked backwards with her face to try and peek up at Tsubomi.

She was shocked to see the girl fighting back tears.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," she said, pulling Tsubomi to a stop in order to hug her tightly, but not before quickly glancing around to see if anyone was watching. "What's wrong? You're ashamed of me or something?"

"No," Tsubomi sniffled against the older girl's shirt. "I just wish you'd consider my feelings before you do stupid things like that!"

"It was just a joke!"

"Well, I didn't like it!" Tsubomi pushed away to rub furiously at her face. "I wish you didn't take this so lightly when it's not. It's not, OK?" Glaring up at Yaya, she tried to inure herself to the hurt look on the brunette's face.

"…OK," she said, holding up her hands for peace. "I'm sorry."

Without warning, she lunged at the girl and cuddled her with a large grin on her face. "So let's kiss and make up!" Tsubomi was torn between laughing out loud and shouting out a scathing insult when Yaya made good on her word and planted a big wet kiss on Tsubomi's lips.

"Aahh! Baka!"

Yaya took off running with Tsubomi hot on her heels, hopping along as she took off one shoe to hurl it at the retreating, maniacally laughing girl.

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"So you're really leaving, huh…"

Shizuma smiled apologetically at her girlfriend. "I'm sorry Nagisa, but I do have classes of my own to consider."

They were in Shizuma's mansion, Nagisa sitting on the edge of the woman's bed as she watched her pack to go back to Tokyo. Though she did her best to remain chipper, no one could have been fooled by the sorrow in her eyes. She didn't want Shizuma to leave, not so soon after her return from such a long absence.

"You've got to visit more often," she said, lying back on the bed so she didn't have to watch. "And write more letters, less E-mail."

Shizuma chuckled. "Yes, Master," she said, shutting her suitcase and locking it with a decisive snap. "If I can manage it, I might just fly over one long weekend."

Nagisa blinked as she felt a sudden weight on the mattress, and Shizuma's face looming over her.

"Now what am I going to have to do to make that frown go away, huh?" the woman asked, cupping Nagisa's face with one hand.

Nagisa reached up, grabbing at Shizuma's arms to keep her there. "Stay."

"I can't."

"I know."

They held each other for a long time after that, not saying anything but praying deep in their heart that this day could last a little longer.

OoOoOo

"Are you having any troubles with the other girls?"

Amane and her sister were in the library. Tohru was studying for Algebra and Amane was simply there to spend time with her younger sister, since Hikari was busy with choir duty. Tohru smiled, gently closing the book to look up at the older Ohtori.

"Trouble? No. Well…" She paused, closing her eyes in thought. "Now that you mention it, half my class are trying to get my clothes off. Not in that sense!" she quickly added when Amane stood straighter with a look of alarm on her face. She seemed ready to go mount her horse and charge off in defense of her little sister's honor. Tohru laughed. "I just mean they've never seen me out of uniform. And your excuse about the swimming gear is only making them rabid with curiosity. It's kind of…" she blushed, averting her eyes to busy herself with studying again. "It's rather cute, if still annoying."

"Don't tell me you've decided to go straight on me, Tohru."

"Straight? Wouldn't a girl liking other girls be considered a lesbian?"

"You know what I mean."

"I think it's you who doesn't understand, Sister." Tohru gathered up her books to leave. "I'm comfortable here in Miator. I have friends, a modest social life, and am keeping my grades up. What more do you want? For me to become some sort of idol? The next Etoile?"

"Actually," Amane said, pulling on her sister to stop her from exiting the library. "That's exactly what I have planned for you."

Tohru blinked.

And then she grinned.

OoOoOo

The Lulim Trio- Kagome, Remon, and Kizuna- were bored mindless. Though their hyperactive imaginations were usually rampant this time of the day, when all the classes were done with, right now it was all they could do to sprawl out in their club room and stare at the ceiling in listless inactivity, yawning every so often and taking cat naps.

"Oshibaru, I wish there was something going on," Kagome said mournfully to her bear.

"Yeah," Remon said wistfully, "Last year was so crazy with all those tangled love triangles, this year is so…"

"Bo-o-o-ring!" Kizuna finished, waving one finger in the air in a lazy circle.

"That's because you're not using your heads!"

The three jumped up in surprise to see their ringleader in the doorway, a magnifying glass in hand. Chikaru strode into the room like a woman with a mission, her chin up and eyes sparkling. "Get out there and find something drenched in drama!" she demanded. "The Henshin Club is going to live on in all of you when I'm gone, and I want this last year to go with a bang!"

The three looked at each other, clueless.

Chikaru clucked her tongue pityingly, shaking her head from side to side. "Here's a start," she said, tossing an old newspaper at them. Kizuna leaped for it but she missed and it smacked her on the head on it's way to Remon's waiting grasp. As the green-haired Lulim student read, Chikaru reclined on her desk with a devious grin on her face, observing her three pupils with the knowing eye of a goddess.

"What," she said, "Can you tell me about the Ohtori family?"

OoOoOo

The End…?

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A/N: Dun Dun Dun! What awaits our heroines in the future? Only time, and maybe a sequel, will tell!

Thanks for sticking through with this. Love you all! Bye for now!