Chapter 6. Friendship and love

~Eli~

I chuckled. Well, that's what I did the whole morning when I thought about Nozomi. I stayed at her house until late in the evening and we did, well we did a lot of nice things. I had never thought I could tell it her, and I didn't ever think that it would torn out like that. My happiness was interrupted by the doorbell. It was Nozomi. She immediately wrapped her arms around me and gave me a long kiss before we went of to school.

„Eli?"
„What's up?" She was looking serious.

„You know, when I asked you about this three girls, right? You said you weren't honest. Could you please tell me your honest answer now? Because there's something that's bothering me since yesterday.

„Well, what the hell do you mean? Could it be"
„Wait! Tell me your answer first, then I'll tell you, because, since we're lovers" She blushed. „I can't keep a secret from you."
„Okay then, what was the question again?"
„How would a girl feel when she's always together with two best friends and with nobody else, and suddenly they fall in love with each other. „Hmm, I think she would feel bad and excluded from the group, because lovers are-lovers and that's different than friends and they would admire each other all the time and she would stand next to them. I would be sad."
„So you think they should stop going out with each other, if they do and try to hold back they're love for each other?"
„No, I mean, I couldn't hold back my love for you, for nobody, they shouldn't stop, it's a bad situation that they can't solve."
„Everyone thinks so, I think."
„But what if they don't tell the third person?"
„They couldn't do that! I mean, they couldn't lie to their friend. You can't do that as a friend. And anyway…maybe they feel bad eventually and tell it her, but she would get angry because they kept it from her so long. And if they don't she would find out by herself, at the latest when their relationship gets more serious.

„We have to tell it the other members too, right?"
„What?! No, never! I mean we aren't a group of three where we can exclude someone and I don't want them to know! Please don't Nozomi." Did I've gone to far? It almost sounded like I felt ashamed about going out with her.

„Nozomi I-"

„It doesn't matter now we can discuss it later" She smiled but I knew her fake smile just too good.

„So, now you have to tell me what's bothering you!"
„Okay, so let this stay a secret, for them, ok?"
„Yes, of course…we're lovers after all and best friends too" I smiled at her, to make up what I said earlier. I wanted to apologize first, but I didn't know what to say since I wasn't good at expressing my feelings.

„Okay, when we were at the student council and I started with this topic….it wasn't because I've gotten into Yuri or something…it was because. I saw two girls coming out of the archery room." I could guess who it was. „It was Umicchi and Honokacchi and they were holding hands. Then Honoka kissed her on the cheek and I suppose they were doing the same thing we do. You know?"
I had listened without interrupting her. I was shocked. Now I understanded everything she asked me.
„Does Kotori know?"
„I don't know but I don't think so…"
„I hope they tell her soon, I mean, they don't have to tell everybody but at least Kotori… I promise I will tell nobody."

„Thank you Eli. Hm, I would prefer them to tell it us all."
„Why? Don't you think they'd feel ashamed?"
„Why?"
„Because they're going out with a girl"
„You mean they are ashamed for loving each other?"
„Maybe not for theirselves but if seven other people know it. It's embarrassing"
„So don't you think if you really love someone, you should be able to tell the world?"
„No I don't think so, love is something for yourself and not for the others."
„But it wouldn't feel good if they don't show it and have to do it secretly"
„Like I said live isn't made for others, and love between girls it not seen like this in everybodys sight. I really can understand if they don't want to tell us."
„But what if Honoka want to tell it the others, but Umi says it's embarrassing. Honoka would feel sad, right?"
„Maybe if she's so keen on telling it everyody but she has to respect it if Umi doesn't want this."
„But don't you think Umi would feel like Honoka is ashamed for her."

„Maybe she isn't for her, but for the whole situation.
„That's kind of the same thing, Eli!"
„No it isn't!"
„It is, if she's ashamed of telling other people, she's ashamed of them knowing it and that means that she's ashamed for the relationship and that's bad enough."

„But where is the point in telling everybody?"
„You don't have to keep a secret anymore. That's kind of said if you do it forever"
„But a teenage love between girls isn't forever, don't you think that?"

At this point we realized that we weren't discussing about Honoka and Umi, but about us.
„So…" We were at the school.

„I have to help the teacher today, see you!" She turned herself away from me and ran to the entrance. I realised what I just said. Of course I wanted to be wth her forever. And of course we had to tell them eventually, but I couldn't now. I was the student council president and my image at this school was important. What if it someone told it someone else as a „secret" and the person tells it another person as a „secret". Someday the whole school would know and that would be terrible. Yes, my image was important, I got that now. But was it really more important then Nozomi?

Nozomi was going upstairs, trying her best to hold back her tears. Eli was ahamed about her. Even worse was the fact that she obviously doesn't wanted to be with her forever. When she arrived at the teachers room, she saw a certain blue-haired girl coming out with a pile of paper in her hands followed by a teacher. The blue-haired girl was recalling her memories from the morning.

~Umi~

It felt a lot better, since Honoka and I talked about what we felt for each other. But we had to face the truth. We couldn't hide it from Kotori forever, since she was our best friend. But I really didn't feel good about her knowing it, I couldn't even picture how it would be if anyone would know. Honokas and my mood wasn't as good as always, when we got up and prepared ourself for school, knowing what we'll have to face soon. I had planned the scene a thousand times in my head before we saw Kotori, I took a very deep breath and started:
„Kotori? We have to tell you something."
„Yess? What's up? She suddenly stopped smiling. „Why are you looking so serious?"
„Well, it's a serious thing that we want to tell you. Honoka and I we're-

„Moouu, we're going out with each other, to make it short" Honoka said. I was relieved. Now we just said it and couldn't change it anyway.

„What?" Kotoris face was all white and there was no sign of a smile. I almost never saw her with such a face and I started to feel bad.

„Does it mean you two-"

„We love us." I said not able to look Kotori in the face. Silence filled the street. Nobody was able to look in each others faces. I couldn't bear it anymore. I looked in her eyes which were filled with tears.

„How long ago did you decide that?"

„Well, few days ago we…"I l´stopped to look her right in the face.

Then she suddenly turned around and ran away, not looking back. Honoka and I were still not able to say something for a long time, until she suddenly said:
„Let's go, we mustn't be late for school, right?"
„Yes let's go"
We walked silently for a little while.

„Honoka, don't you think we have to talk about it?"
„Do we?" Her voice was trembling, I could tell she was crying and I was about to cry too.

There we had the answer. It WAS too weird to love a girl, and to do that kind of things with her. I could have known it, but I didn't want to admit it. But what could we change. Even if we stopped, I'd already fallen in love with her, and I couldn't imagine to stop loving her.

„She ran away"
„Yes, Honoka, I got that."
„She just ran away…"
„What do you think we should do?"
„Stop it"

„Do you really think we should stop?"
„Yes, we have to."
Before I knew it the tears were already streaming down my face.

„Honoka, you said you're serious about this." I said silently.

„I was, but I am not anymore. I don't love you anymore."

I'm going to reveal one more pairing in this story (well there arent't many possibilities but what pairing would you like most

RinxHanayo

KotorixNico

MakixNico

RinxMaki

Tell me in the reviews :)