Blue-Phoenix311: Thank you, I love cute things so I try to have as many cute scenes as possible. And yes, I wanted to have a surprise LGBT character (even if only minor).
rabiosarabiosa: No Please, I has no money! XO
Misia0123: Well thank you for that reassurance! Yup, I was originally having more chapters of her being little, but I wanted to hurry up and get to the lovey dovey part. And, I will try~! ooo
VampireSiren: Well, she couldn't just give them ALL takoyaki, besides, she's putting those cooking abilities (that Reiji has drilled into her) to good use :). And I hope you stay tune for further development!
Daydream girl7: YES! Progression will be made! XD
Guest: Thank you, love is a strong word so I hope you mean it O_o! And thank you so much... You're so much nicer than the first guy!
'H-How did I end up here?' Rin quietly thought to herself as Suzu-whom she hadn't seen since the day she helped her out of the school-calmly poured herself a cup of tea. They were currently sitting alone in an empty club room, and Suzu had put a tea maker in the room and her homework spread across the small table in the room. There was also a pillow and blanket spread out in one of the corners of the room.
Rin looked back to how she was running through the halls-for the third time that day-and had run into Suzu. Rin could only ramble random words that didn't make sense, and Suzu just wordlessly dragged her off into the room she currently was in.
Glancing over at the abductor, Suzu looked about the same as she did the day Rin first met her. She never saw Suzu by the gates-like she did Akiko-and she never went back into the school since last time. Rin had even asked the boys and Akiko if they knew Suzu, but none of them did. This would have made Rin immediately think that Suzu was a ghost-like in that one anime-but then she realized the only people she asked were very antisocial people.
She looked about the same, face wise as least, and her hair color was the same But, Rin did notice some differences. Firstly, her dark brown hair was no longer in a braid, instead it was let down and the tips lightly brushed her lower back as she moved. Suzu's eyes were the same calm, dark green Rin remembered, but there was somehow something different in them, like if there was a different shade to them, or as if there was something new behind them.
The last thing Rin noticed was something she thought was just in her head, but it was bugging her. Something about Suzu's aura just felt different. It was the same calming aura she had before, but there was something else. It was felt… warmer around her, and Rin felt more drawn to her. It was odd, but Rin was sure it was only in her head… However… something about it felt… and familiar.
"Would you like some black tea?" Suzu's question snapped Rin out of her thoughts.
Rin looked up at those green eyes, and she just smiled and nodded. "Sure."
Suzu didn't say another word as she slowly poured another cup for Rin. Once she was done she placed the steaming cup in front of her. Before Rin could thank her Suzu immediately sat down and looked her dead in the eyes. "Why do you look so frantic, and as though you were crying?"
Rin flinched at the question and tried to play it off with another smile. "Well I did just get traumatized by walking in on Laito-kun so that's about i-"
To her surprise, Suzu reached across the tabled to gently place her hand on top of Rin's. "What's wrong Rin-san?"
Suzu's hand felt very warm, and that feeling of odd familiarity intensified and enveloped her. Her heart raced faster, and she felt a shiver run through her spine. Normally, Rin was good at just brushing things off and ignoring inner turmoils so she could bury them later. However, with Suzu gently holding her hand, and this warm feeling sweeping over her, Rin couldn't stop herself from spilling out everything.
It took a while for Rin to explain everything that happened from seeing Subaru and Akiko through the window to her running away from him after having a revelation. Through it all Rin trembled lightly, and Suzu absorbed every word. Rin would stumble on her words when explaining what she felt, but Suzu would calmly wait for her to form the words.
When she was finally done explaining everything Rin let out a sigh, feeling everything that suddenly piled on her chest disappear. Suzu took her hand away-Rin felt the odd feeling decrease when she did-and she kept her eyes on Rin as she looked to be thinking. "You know what it is that you feel for Subaru-san, correct?"
Rin felt her face flush again at the thought of it, and only nodded shyly-something she wasn't used to doing.
Suzu continued. "Do you want to tell him?"
"I-I JUST FOUND OUT!"
"So, no?"
Rin thought about it and she felt unsure, she just figured out how she felt, and so she didn't know what to do about it now. How could she think of what to do after only half an hour of realizing she had to do something?! "I...I don't know."
"In a normal situation, it would make sense to take time before making a decision, but the fact that you live with him makes this situation abnormal. So, there's really no avoiding him, and you do need to come to a conclusion as soon as you can." Suzu said very simply.
This made Rin feel her heart plummet to her stomach. She hadn't even thought about how they were always together-she hadn't thought anything! "I don't know if I should tell him though." She quietly muttered.
Suzu seemed to have heard what she said, and thought about it for a moment. "...You're sure you feel the way that you do?"
Once again, Rin's face flared up, but this time she really thought about it. About all the times she followed after him. About all the times she'd catch herself staring at him. All the times she'd hug him and tease him. All the times she'd stay up late thinking about him adoringly. All the times she simply wanted to be near him. All the times she felt light and dizzy just from seeing his rare smile. All the times… All the times she just felt sane with him… Rin slammed her face into the table, and groaned quietly as she realized her pounding heart wasn't lying to her… "...Yes." She whispered in a defeated voice.
The room was left in silence for a moment. "Rin-san?" Rin finally sat up straight in her seat and looked to Suzu-with new found desperation. "Do you want anything out of it?"
Rin was left confused by this question. "What do you mean anything?"
"Do you want him to return your feelings?"
To that, Rin couldn't stop herself from picturing a cheesy shoujo scene between them two. Not only did the image seem completely ridiculous in her head, but it did make her face flush up into smokes. "I-I-!" Rin felt her brain begin to melt down as she cupped her burning cheeks with her trembling hands. 'What the hell is wrong with me?!'
Then, Suzu once again reached over and gently held Rin's arm in her hand. Rin's eyes snapped to look into her green eyes, and that feeling took over again, and she felt her heart rate calmly drop. "Calm down Rin-san." She slowly breathed in and out as she calmed herself down. Once she did Suzu pulled her hand back. "That's probably the question you'll have to ask yourself to find out what you need to do."
Rin looked down at her empty cup, and took in Suzu's calming voice. "I guess…"
"...What about Akiko-san?" Suzu asked.
This lead Rin to once again have a snap in her memory. She slowly slumped down until her face was once again on the table, and she let out an exhausted moan. "I forgot about thaaaat… I guess the first thing to do is to read her letter."
"That would make sense." Suzu stated matter of factly as she got up and collected both their cups.
Rin looked over at the clock and noticed that more time had passed then she thought… "Wait! Suzu-chan, don't you have classes?!"
Suzu didn't look up to Rin as she rinsed out their cups in a conveniently placed sink. "The teachers will let something like this slide."
"But-"
"It really is fine Rin-san. I won't get in trouble." With that she turned around to actually face Rin. "I'll head to class right now, but you may stay here longer to think things over if you please."
As Suzu began to collect her things to leave, Rin quickly jumped up to her feet and looked to Suzu. "Th-Thank you for helping me, Suzu-chan."
She looked at Rin slightly baffled and a ghost of a smile grew on her lips. "It's good to see you're the same as before, Rin-san."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Dear Rin,
I'm sure this present is a surprise, and I'm sorry for having to trouble you with this. You don't have to read this is you don't want to. I'll understand if you simply throw this all away without even opening this letter. I'd even understand if you never want to see me again.
If I were being honest, for a while now, I've liked you. Not in a friend way, in a romantic way. I know this might seem shocking, or even disgusting, after all we're both girls. But, that's how I feel. I've thought of telling you a few times before, but I felt afraid to see how you might react. You were always very kind to me, and you were always so honest and outgoing. You were just very bright, and I enjoyed all the times we'd speak together, even if they were short. I'm sorry I have to ruin it with this.
Do you remember Rika? It was the girl who you saved me from the first time we met. The truth is she was doing that to me, because I'd just confessed feelings for her the day before. That's why I said it wasn't their fault they did those things to me, I understood that they were disgusted, just as I'd understand that you probably are as well.
I'm sorry that I have these feelings, and I'm sorry you have to listen to them. I wanted to keep these feelings in, but it hurt to keep this from you. Afterall, you were always smiling so kindly at me, even though I was keeping such a secret from you. I understand if you never want to see me, and I'd understand if you wanted to hit me. I just wanted you to know, so that I wouldn't be keeping you in the dark.
From, Akiko
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"I'm sorry Akiko-chan!" That was the first thing Rin said once the door to the room was closed. After the their last class was over, Rin all but dragged Akiko off to the same room she'd let it all out with Suzu. She blurted out her apology as she bowed down low in front of Akiko. "I can't return your feelings." She straightened up and looked directly at Akiko as she looked taken a back.
She looked down to the floor as she fiddled with her fingers. "...Y-You didn't have to go through the trouble-"
"It's not trouble. You were honest with yourself, and I wanted to be honest right back." Rin saw the way Akiko's face lit up in red, and she went on. "Also, there's no possible reason for me to ignore or hit you just because you tell me you like me."
At this Akiko just went back to looking at the floor, and shame was painted all across her red face. Rin couldn't believe she missed seeing Akiko's feeling before, how she felt was always painted so clearly on her face. "...D-Doesn't it make you feel sick to know how I feel?" She sounded so meek as she said this, and so miserable.
Quickly Rin took a step forward-noticing Akiko's flinch. "Of course not. I don't think it's disgusting that you like me. I just can't return your feelings."
Akiko didn't look too convinced. "But-"
Rin grabbed Akiko's hands in hers and looked her right into her wide, blue eyes. "You shouldn't think your feelings are bad just because the person you like is a girl. There's nothing wrong with you for having feelings for someone, and that's final. I don't hate you, and I don't think there's anything wrong with you."
Akiko's face became as red as her hair, and she looked at a loss for words.
Slowly, Rin dropped her grip on Akiko's hands, but she kept her eyes on her. "I'm sorry that I can't return your feelings, and that's all I feel."
Akiko stared at Rin for a moment, and then silently looked down to the floor. Then, she began to cry.
Taken completely off guard Rin immediately worried she did something. She had hoped that just saying things as they came to mind would work, but now she was beginning to think that it was the wrong call. "A-Akiko-chan?! Are you ok?"
Surprising Rin even more, Akiko just laughed lightly as she looked to her with a sad smile. "No, I'm a little heartbroken after all."
Guilt plummeted in Rin's, but she supposed she was expecting that. However, that didn't make the blow any worse.
Before Rin could think of any words of comfort to say Akiko continued. "But, thank you, Rin-san." It was Akiko's turn to make Rin baffle, for there was no trace of lie in Akiko's voice, only genuine thanks.
Akiko made her way back to the door, and Rin quickly looked over at her. "Akiko-chan!" She paused at the door, but she didn't look to the smaller girl. "You should never feel sorry for liking someone."
… It was the last thing Rin could think to say to her before she looked over her shoulder with a soft smile and tear stained cheeks. Akiko nodded once and quietly left the room.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Subaru had no idea what to do. Since he first found Rin in the halls, she's been acting weird, and not the kind he was used to. She was crying, turning red, and suddenly ran off without an explanation. It would have been easier to find her if it wasn't for the fact that-not only was he too shocked to move for a minute-but he also couldn't track her through scent! Finally, he sees her again; and she sits as far away from him in the car as possible, doesn't look him in the eyes, doesn't even talk to him, and as soon as they get home she ran off into the kitchen.
Now, he was left very annoyed in the garden. He had to try keeping his temper under control while he was pulling out more weeds-they just won't stop growing! He wanted to ask her what the hell was wrong with her, but he knew she barricaded herself in the kitchen for a reason, and if he tried to demand answers she'd just do what she always does. Deny until the subject is dropped. Usually he wouldn't be this annoyed about it because he knew she'd eventually tell him once they were alone together, but this time she was avoiding him!
He looked at the white rose in front of him and just somehow felt even more annoyed. He couldn't really pinpoint down what he was mad at. He knew it had something to do with the fact that she was acting crazy out of nowhere without any explanation, but he still couldn't think why his blood was boiling this much. He usually didn't think too much about what was getting him mad, but this time just felt infuriating for some reason. It wasn't because she was running away from him. It wasn't because she wasn't babbling to him like usual. And it most certainly wasn't because he felt worried about her only to be completely shut out by her…
As he tried to shake those thoughts out of his head, the image that kept clinging to his mind was the one where he found her in the middle of an empty hall with her eyes poured out tears… To which he only found himself more annoyed.
'Fine!' He thought to himself in pure frustration. 'If she wants to go off and avoid me, just let her! It's much more peaceful without her mouth talking a mile anyways-!'
"S-Subaru-kun!" This voice immediately shut off all thoughts and anger he had for a split moment, and he quickly looked over his shoulder to see said raven haired girl as she stood a good few feet behind him.
However, after a quick moment, he caught himself and put on his usual scowl. He got up to his feet and looked at her annoyed. "Huh?"
Once he did he noticed how she was holding herself. She held something behind her back as she slightly swayed side to side. It also took him a moment to realize her face was tinted red. However, he tried to suppress any curiosity and concern and tried to just focus on being angry. It wasn't very easy though, when he noticed that her eyes were not looking directly at him-like they usually did.
Before he could snap at her to say whatever it was that she wanted to say, she quickly pulled out the thing she as fidgeting with behind her. He blinked down at it. It was a...something wrapped (very very badly) in red wrapping paper. "It's chocolate." She said in a voice Subaru had never heard from her before. She was usually bubbly in the way she spoke, but now she was somehow more subdue-like if her energy was drained out of her.
He looked back to the "chocolate" in her hand. He had to hold back from saying it looked like trash. He'd forgotten that it was valentine's day, and that she'd made him chocolate earlier-only to break it. This time, she just kept holding it out to him, but she wouldn't say anything or even look at him.
Not knowing what else to do, and, frankly, being weirded out by the way she was acting, he just walked a little closer to ehr and took the thing out of her hand. It was cold in his hand, and when he unwrapped it-which wasn't very hard-and he saw it was actually chocolate. It was a block of milk chocolate, and he was taken off guard by the fact that it was in the shape of a heart. However, what really took him off guard were the words written on it in a darker chocolate. In her handwriting, it said: I don't want to date you.
. . . "What the hell is this?!" He shouted, more out of disbelief than actual anger.
Rin was usually someone that was quick to answering questions, or simply always had something to say back. However, she looked caught up in her own head to say something. He head began to lower, and her fingers began to fidget with the hem of her sweater.
Then, he noticed that her face was turning red… '...Is it still cold?' He thought, confused, to himself. He then began to worry again-not that he'd admit it-not only over her face color but also because she's just acting very off. Subaru didn't notice that she had opened her mouth to say something, and he just quickly said. "Forget it, dinners going to be soon." He didn't want to admit he tried to change the subject quick in order to try getting Rin inside-where there was a heater and someone else that could try talking sense into her.
However, Rin didn't quickly took a step forward-now being in his personal space-and looked suddenly serious-or at least an attempt at. "W-Wait, I need to tell you something else!"
Subaru was immediately taken off guard, but he was also a little relieved to see her being louder-a little more like herself. He quickly tried to hide away his emotions through another scowl as he looked down at her impatiently. "What then?"
She opened her mouth to say something but stopped halfway, and looked back down to the floor. Her ears were now turning red.
Feeling very impatient-anxious-Subaru leaned closer to her. "Hurry up!"
She quickly took a step back from him, and her ears were now turning red. "Give me a minute!" She yelled up at him.
Subaru tried to bite down on his tongue to keep himself from snapping at her anymore, and he tried to be patient with her. Which was only getting harder to do the longer she just left them both in silence.
Eventually Rin quickly turned around to have her whole back face Subaru. For a moment he thought that she was about to walk away from him-which would have only annoyed him even further. "Turn around!"
"Huh?!"
"J-Just turn around! I can't say it with you looking at me!"
Reluctantly, he just turned around, but he was still trying to keep himself from getting angry.
"...Did you turn around?"
"Yes!"
"..." Once again, there was silence; and, once again, he had to keep himself patient. "... L-Look at the chocolate!"
He kept himself from questioning her and just looked down at the weirdly worded chocolate. "I'm looking."
"... I… Um… I-I-"
Finally losing it, Subaru just quickly looked behind him-at her trembling back. "Oi, what the hell-!"
"I LIKE YOU*! R-ROMANTICALLY!"
* For those of you who are unfamiliar with Japanese, there are (I think) three different ways to say "I Love You". This is in order to preserve the meaning of the word "love". Now, I like writing suffixes like "san" or "kun", but I don't want to be putting Japanese words all over the place, because then it gets messy and then you have to look up what those words mean. So, I'll just explain here that what Rin just said is "Daisuki" (Again, I think, correct me if I'm wrong), and that is an "I Love You" That could be used for both a love interest and a close friend.