Chikane Himemiya glanced at her watch for the third time. It was nearly five-thirty! She reached for her mobile, then stopped herself. She'd tried calling once already, fifteen minutes ago, and it had gone straight to voice mail. If Himeko's phone was on, she'd have gotten the message and called back, so either it was off or she didn't have it with her and either way there was no point in calling again.
It worried her, though. Himeko had been really looking forward to seeing this movie, so the fact that she wasn't there was doubly strange. Chikane didn't really see what was so appealing about the story of a socially withdrawn girl caught between two lovers with supernatural powers who found her attractive despite gaping character flaws that ought—
"Chikane-chan!"
Chikane turned, the sound of Himeko's voice seizing her attention instantly.
"Chikane-chan!" her girlfriend called again, waving. Himeko sprinted up to her. The violet-eyed university sophomore panted for breath, her shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair sticking to her face with sweat. "I'm sorry...I'm late..." Himeko said between gasps.
"I was starting to worry that something had happened to you. You're nearly half an hour late! What took you?"
"I'd nearly gotten to...the bus stop...when I realized I'd forgotten my bus pass. I had to go back to my dorm room for it, then run back to the bus stop, only I'd missed the bus by then and I had to wait for the next one."
Chikane giggled. That was just so Himeko-like!
"I love you," she said, grinning, "but you can be such a ditz sometimes, really."
"Me!" squeaked Himeko.
"Yes, you! It's so cute, like watching a puppy stumble over its feet!"
"Hmph!" Himeko said in (obviously mock) offense, "I seem to recall a few occasions when you weren't exactly quick to pick up on hints."
"Me! Since when have I—?"
"What about the time when I was totally ogling you in the bath?"
"Huh?"
"Or all those times when I wanted to sleep with you 'for comfort's sake'?"
Chikane blinked.
"Or when we made lunches together and I drew a big red heart on yours with shrimp flakes?"
I'm sensing a theme here, Chikane thought.
"And did you think it was just an accident that roll of film with all the lingerie candids Mako-chan took of me somehow found its way into your bag?"
"Er—"
"Or when I took the time to point out to you how wonderful I thought all the girls'-love scenes were in My Bremen Love?"
"Well, that's—"
"And seriously, when I think that finally I've gotten you to make a move on me in the music room, I swear that you had no idea what my hands were doing the whole time! I was so depressed that I was totally shellshocked all the rest of that night and the next day and a half!"
"I—that is—um—"
Himeko planted her hands on her hips.
"So really, Chikane-chan, I may be clumsy and forgetful, but at least I notice when the girl I love wants me to try something!"
Chikane cupped Himeko's face between her palms and kissed her long and warmly, only breaking it off with considerable regret.
Himeko grinned at her.
"Much better."
Chikane grinned back.
"Hey, I may be a ditz, but I'm learning."
~X X X~
A/N: Hey, I actually did another one of these set in the anime continuity! Hope that none of you have a weak heart that finds these shocks hard to take... Alternate Character Interpretation is definitely the omake writer's best friend, not that this is actually all that different from how I normally write Himeko.
And yes, Himeko is definitely a Twilight fan. Over which Makoto and Chikane no doubt tease her endlessly.
~X X X~
"So which one of them do you like for her, anyway?" Chikane asked as they walked out of the theater after the movie.
"Oh, definitely the werewolf. I don't see what's supposed to be so attractive about that kind of stalker-like obsession with a girl, do you?"
Chikane smacked her on the rump.
"You are so going to pay for that one."
Himeko laughed.
"Ooh, you're right. You are learning!"
