Good to Get Away

by LeastStealthyBrah

Their last year of high school is slowly drawing to a close. Class 6-A are given the chance to go away and celebrate. Meanwhile Setsuna finds herself wondering what to do about her feelings for Konoka... rated M for later and also some Ayaka/Asuna stuff!

10. That Was Unexpected

Well, we're coming to an end here kids...it's been a great run. Only one, maybe two more chapters left to go. I hope you all enjoy this and I also hope that once this is completed, you continue to read Power Play!

These two...Gah!

Also, keep an eye out for another story coming up when I get closer to completing P.P.

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That Was Unexpected...

"Annnnnd that's game point Yuna-san!" called Asuna from her side of the volleyball net. The warrior then made her way over to her best friend and partner Setsuna in order to give her a congratulatory slap on the back. She then looked back over to the other team and gave them a thumbs up. "Great game girls, maybe next time you'll be able to put a beating on us."

Yuna helped Makie up from the sand where she had made a solid yet desperate attempt at diving to save the ball. She helped to brush off her pink haired partner before sighing and turning her attention to the winning team. "Man, first I lose the poker game to you, now volleyball too? Geeze, is there anything you can't do Setsuna-san?"

Well... there is one thing I can't do...

Setsuna laughed awkwardly as she continued to point out in her head that she was still unable to make her mind up about her decision on what to do about her situation with Konoka. Since making up with Asuna just a few short hours ago, the swordswoman became completely determined in focusing on this very important priority. She had made a promise, not only to herself, but also to Asuna that she was going to let the heiress know about her feelings one way or another. Her only problem was that both ways seemed to have their equal share of pros and cons, making it near impossible to easily choose. For example if she chose to let Konoka know that she loved her but decided that it was in both their best interests for them to remain as friends as opposed to a couple, Konoka would be protected and could still be seen as a high status heiress. Apparently, this was still something that Setsuna thought was important to her charge. On the other hand, if she choose to let Konoka know about those same feelings but instead engaged in a romantic relationship with her, the two could very possibly end up extremely happy together. She knew that this was something that they both wanted, but was afraid that it could be the wrong choice, ultimately setting them up for failure.

There was also that age old possibility feared by many people who end up in relationships with their closest friends; what if something happened and it didn't work out? The swordswoman began to play around with this scenario just as Asuna began to gather up their classmates for a volleyball tournament. She had wondered what would happen if she was to somehow make Konoka unhappy with her, would the heiress still want her around? There was no doubt that she would continue to guard her from the shadows, but would Konoka ever want to be friends with her again? What if she grew tired of the swordswoman at some point and broke up with her, and then found someone else? Setsuna knew that she would be heartbroken, but would still serve no matter who the heiress ended up with. In the end, the swordswoman kept falling back on the idea that she was no good for the heiress and that she would just end up getting in the way of her finding someone better. Just as she would start to lean towards the first option, Setsuna would catch sight of the beautiful chocolate haired girl in question from the corner of her eye, causing her heart to melt and her brain to go back into spasms. The choice wasn't easy, it was a full out battle between her heart and her head.

Luckily for Setsuna, the whole class turned out for the volleyball tournament and all seemed to be excited and eager to play. This was going to be a nice, much needed break from her thoughts for the swordswoman, even if it was only for a few hours. She welcomed the focus on the games instead of her own thoughts with open arms; there was no sense in stressing herself out about it right now, she would have plenty of time for that later. Since it was close to dinner time, the class had decided to throw a BBQ outside on the beach right next to the makeshift beach volleyball court. Now they could continue on through the late afternoon having fun without missing the chance to stuff themselves with Satsuki'a volunteered cooking. With the win over Makie and Yuna under their belts, Setsuna and Asuna remained undefeated, and now Asuna was happily jumping around in celebration being sure to brag about her team's amazing abilities. The swordswoman on the other hand, was beginning to turn slightly red from embarrassment and started to scratch the back of her head awkwardly as her team mate went around boasting to the other girls.

Mana shook her head and laughed slightly as she turned her attention away from the over excited warrior to Kaede, Konoka and Ayaka. "Perhaps it would have been a better idea to have kept Asuna-san angry with Setsuna-san...the two of them together brings out some rather annoying traits in Asuna-san..."

Kaede slightly opened one eye and smirked as she glanced over to her friend. "Ah Mana-dono...you're just still irritated that they beat us. Aren't you?"

"They just got lucky that time is all!" replied Mana quickly under her breath. She was still trying to figure out how a team like those two could beat a trained assassin and a ninja in any sort of sporting event.

Konoka giggled as the two taller girls next to her engaged in a heated battle of sarcasm and wit. She eventually returned her gaze to her protector and her friend still out on the court and couldn't help but smile as she took in Setsuna's face. "Poor Set-chan, she really isn't good with showing off or being in the spotlight. You think she'd be used to Asuna's antics by now, but it seems like she never will. It's cute to see her all embarrassed like that though..."

"Yeah, Setsuna-san may be looking cute, but Asuna is really laying it on thick isn't she?" asked Ayaka while she stared at her girlfriend who was now calling out for any one strong enough to challenge her and Setsuna. Suddenly, the class rep had an idea. "Oh Konoka-san...it seems as though our girls out there need to be brought down a few notches. What do you say to going out and having a little...fun...with them, hmm?"

Konoka quickly looked over from Setsuna to Ayaka and noticed the evil expression that had made its' way onto the blonde's features. Slowly it dawned on her what sort of "fun" the class rep had meant. "I think that's a great idea Ayaka-san...but you know, if we're going to play beach volleyball, we should really play by the rules..."

With a wink the two girls ripped off their t-shirts and shorts to reveal their "not meant for jumping around in" bikini's. They both smiled to each other evilly as they made their way over to the court, unnoticed by the still bragging Asuna or the timid looking swordswoman. Ayaka was more than happy to teach Asuna some sort of lesson. Konoka on the other hand was just looking forward to having a little teasing time with her protector, as it had been a while since the last time she had a chance to cause Setsuna to pass out in spasms.

"Is there anyone out there with the guts to challenge the awesome and undefeatable team of Asuna and Setsuna?" shouted Asuna, still oblivious to the fact that they were about to be joined by such a group. "Anyone at all? Come on guys, put the food down and let's have a serious game!"

Setsuna had noticed that most of their classmates were looking past her and Asuna's current position and began to wonder what it was they were looking and giggling at. Slowly the swordswoman's gaze followed that of the rest of the group, eyes growing wide when they met their mark. Her heart began to race as she tried to reach up and grab Asuna's shirt sleeve. Her fingers grasped at nothing for a few seconds before finally latching onto the hem of the warrior's sleeve.

"Asu...Asuna-san...I think you need to stop bragging right now and turn around..." whispered Setsuna.

"Geeze what's the problem Setsuna? It's completely fine for us to bask in our awesomeness every once in a while..." she replied as she started to turn around. Asuna stopped dead in her tracks however, when her own eyes fell on what Setsuna was warning her about. With a gulp, the warrior stared at her nearly naked girlfriend and her roommate come swiftly striding towards them. "Aw crap, we're in for it now...Setsuna, please...please get a hold of yourself before we get our asses kicked...let me deal with this." She whispered to the swordswoman.

"Uhhhh...o-okay..." replied Setsuna as she concentrated on keeping her jaw from dropping or having the sudden appearance of blood erupt from her nose.

Asuna gave Setsuna a quick reassuring jab to her side with her elbow to get her to straighten up just as the deadly duo came to a stop in front of them. The rest of the girls were either giggling quietly or staring on in anticipated silence. Asuna cleared her throat and gave a serious and determined look to Ayaka. "So, what brings you ladies out to my court? Are you looking for a good old fashioned butt kicking?"

Setsuna slapped her forehead and mumbled to herself. "Damn it Asuna-san...this is not taking care of it, this is making it worse..."

Konoka smirked as Ayaka took a provocative step closer to Asuna. "Konoka-san and I couldn't help but notice how...lucky...the two of you have been out here. I mean, winning all of those games was rather impressive..." She came to stop right next to Asuna and gently placed her hand on the warrior's shoulder, making sure to run her fingers slowly over it. The class rep then leaned in to Asuna's ear smirking as she flinched at how close Ayaka's lips were to her. "I think it's about time someone showed you your place...don't you think?"

Setsuna watched on as her once cocky and boasting team mate was turned into a pile trembling mush. At the same time, she was trying her hardest to look anywhere but at the other girl standing in front of her. She knew that whatever was happening or running through Asuna's head right now would be a hundred times worse if she was to catch the eye of Konoka. The swordswoman was putting her all into concentrating on the upcoming game that was bound to happen once Ayaka was finished playing around with Asuna. Unfortunately for Setsuna, her heart had gotten the best of her, and her eyes made a quick dart for the heiress. Instead of the expected seductive stance or positioning she thought was going to meet her, Setsuna was surprised to instead see Konoka standing with one arm wrapped around her bare waist with her other elbow resting on it, hand cradling her chin as she glanced at her protector. It was odd, as Setsuna didn't know what Konoka was trying to get out of her with this new somewhat innocent stance; however, she did know that it was just as attractive as anything else she could have done. She was just about to bring her eyes back away from her charge in order to keep her mind from racing again, when she suddenly felt herself being pulled sideways by her neck into a weird hug.

"So how about it Setsuna-san?" began Ayaka as she pulled the girl in question as well as her warrior friend into her sides. "Does a final game, winner take all situation sound alright with you?"

Setsuna gulped as she stole a look at Asuna, who seemed to look slightly worried. Apparently while the swordswoman was wrapped up in looking at Konoka, she must have missed some sort of deal that went down between the couple. She then quickly looked back at Konoka, who now had a look of complete yet out of place innocence on her face. Against her better judgement and the voice of reason screaming inside her head, Setsuna closed her eyes and nodded a yes to her class representative. The rest of the class gasped and started to whisper amongst each other, causing the swordswoman to suddenly go pale as Ayaka let her and Asuna go to join Konoka on the other side of the net. Slowly, Setsuna's head started to come back to her as she leaned over to Asuna.

"Asuna-san...what the hell is going on?" she asked in a hushed yell. "What exactly was everyone whispering about when I agreed to this winner take all game?"

The warrior gulped and laughed awkwardly as she looked at her best friend. "Well...Ayaka decided that the game would be more interesting if we made a bet...and well, you know me, I can't turn down a bet. Anyway, if we win Ayaka and Konoka have to do whatever we want all day tomorrow, no matter what..."

"And, if we lose?" asked Setsuna, having a very bad feeling about what her answer was going to be.

"Uhhhhh...if they win..." began Asuna as she started to scratch the back of her head. "...If they win...they get to choose either one of us to go on a private, one-on-one date with one of them...of their choosing. I seem to have an odd feeling that it's going to end up being Konoka picking you and that, since she's running out of time to get a confession out of you...she's going to go all out..."

Setsuna's eyes grew wide with horror as she now realized why Konoka was giving her that out of place innocent smile. The heiress had tricked her into thinking that the game was nothing but for fun. She began to panic as thoughts of what lay in store for her if she lost came flying into her imagination. "Gah! What do I do Asuna-san? I'm not ready to tell Kono-chan anything yet! I need more time to make my decision!"

"Calm down bird brain!" hushed Asuna as she shot a worried look towards the other two girls from across the way. They were patiently waiting to begin the game so the warrior sent them a smile and a salute before returning back to the trembling mess in front of her. "Look, all we have to do is make sure they don't win right? I mean, look at us compared to them...we're clearly the better athletes yeah? Plus, we've already won all the other games, what's one more. All you gotta do is stay focused and keep your mind off of Konoka, alright? If you say you need a little more time to decide, then I'll be more than happy to give that to you so that you don't chose the wrong thing. Let's get through this so that we can start planning what we want them to do for us tomorrow..."

Setsuna sighed as she made her way to her spot behind Asuna. If only she had known what she wanted to do, their need to win wouldn't matter. She would have been more than happy, if not a little nervous, to spend the second last day with her princess on a date before coming clean with her feelings and telling her what she decided to do with them. Now, she felt like she was going to be rushed and forced into the wrong thing. The swordswoman spun the ball around in her fingers as she prepared to serve it. Asuna was right, now she needed to concentrate on the game if she wanted to buy herself at least a little more time to think things over. With a final deep breath and a few seconds to take in the cheers from her fellow class mates around her, Setsuna brought her hand back before swinging it hard and making the first contact of the game with the ball. The battle for time now began.

For the most part, the game seemed to be evenly matched which frustrated Asuna to no end. She couldn't believe that she had misjudged the athletic ability of her girlfriend and Konoka. Sure, they had gym classes together ever since she could remember; but for some reason she didn't see these two as any sort of threat. Now the warrior was cursing under her breath as their scores were climbing higher and higher together, with Asuna and Setsuna in the lead by only two points. The game went to twenty-one points and the warrior was starting to feel uneasy as they sat at seventeen with the class rep and the heiress scoring another point to bring them just one point shy of tying it up. She looked back to Setsuna and tried to hide her panic as she noticed a look of nervousness betraying her best friend. The warrior knew that Setsuna was worrying herself over making the wrong choice, and after working everything out earlier that day, Asuna knew that she needed to help the swordswoman in any way she could. No matter what it took, she would win this game for her.

Konoka had just served the ball over the net and watched it soar straight back to her protector. Setsuna quickly reacted and sent a volley over to Asuna where she set a bump pass up for the swordswoman. With a swift jump and a quick smack downwards, Setsuna sent the ball flying down at an odd angle. Ayaka dove downwards in an attempt to save it from the ground, but ended up just grabbing a piece of it before it flew off to the side of the court. The ball landed out of play, giving Asuna and Setsuna another point towards victory. Ayaka slapped down at the sand as she got up and sent a look of guilt towards Konoka. The heiress sent her a smile of understanding and winked at her, assuring her class rep that there wasn't anything to worry about. She had more than enough confidence in their ability to win this game and knew that one way or another, Setsuna was going to be going on that private date with her tomorrow.

Besides, we haven't even brought out plan B yet...

There was more cheers as both sides scored a few more points apiece and a loud eruption as a bad angled ball came at Setsuna, causing Ayaka and Konoka to finally tie up with them at nineteen points. The game was becoming more intense now, as the fate of Setsuna lay in the spin of the ball. With a gulp, the swordswoman volleyed up the ball to set Asuna up for a long spike. The warrior made contact and sent the ball flying down towards the back of the other team's court. With a thud, the ball just barely stayed in the playing area, allowing for another point to be added to their score. Asuna pumped her fists and Setsuna sighed happily as they were now one more point away from winning the game. If all went well now, she wouldn't have to worry about the next day.

"Alright, let's win this thing Setsuna!" cheered Asuna as she made her way up to the front lines, allowing for Setsuna to move back to her original spot at the back. "One more nice serve and a good rally, then we totally got this in the bag! Set it up buddy!"

Setsuna nodded confidently as she once again swung her arm back and forced it up quickly, sending the ball sailing in a perfect arc over the net. Konoka was at the front and quickly made a move for it, knowing that any wrong step now would cost her the chance of being alone with her protector. She gently tapped the ball up wards for Ayaka, who sent it back and watched as the heiress slammed it down. Asuna dove and smiled as she saw the ball hit her forearms and make its' way over to the swordswoman. Setsuna bumped it just as Asuna shot up off the ground and sent the ball back over to the other side hard. The warrior wasn't expecting Konoka to be there as the heiress jumped up to meet her, blocking the ball in the process. With a mocking smack to the ground, Asuna watched as another point was added to Ayaka and Konoka's score. She cursed to herself as she saw the two girls dance around excitedly in front of her.

"Alright Ayaka-san we're almost there!" cheered the heiress quietly as Ayaka grabbed the ball that Setsuna had tossed over and made her way to the heiress. "I can't wait to spend the whole day, uninterrupted and alone with Set-chan...she will finally be mine!" an evil smile crept over Konoka's face as she rubbed her hands together.

"Whoa there now...we aren't in the clear yet..." whispered Ayaka as she broke apart the crazy girl's hands. "We need to get that last point, and I feel like it's not going to be an easy one...Asuna isn't going to give up. I think that it's time for plan B...with Asuna at the front, I think it might just work..."

Konoka nodded as she received the ball from the class rep. "Okay...plan B is a go. Thanks for taking one for the team Ayaka-san..."

Konoka shook out her arms as she made her way back to her spot in order to make what would be her last serve of the game. There was no doubt that their plan was going to work, and cheers of victory started sounding in her head. She took a deep calming breath as she lifted her arm backwards and coming back up with a hard swing.

See you on our date tomorrow Set-chan!

The ball went soaring to the net and Ayaka quickly engaged in Plan B.

"Oh my gods, my top is falling off!" yelled Ayaka

Asuna's ears perked up and immediately, her eyes tore away from the ball and towards Ayaka. "Wha-what's going on?"

Before Setsuna had time to react, as she was sure Asuna had the situation under control, the ball came crashing down beside the warrior with a thud. Time froze as a look of sheer terror spread across the swordswoman's face. It was over, they had lost and now she would be spending a whole day alone and unprepared with Konoka. Normally, this would be a blissful experience; but right now all Setsuna could think about was all the different thoughts in her head screaming at her to come up with a choice. She face palmed as she tried her best to snap out of it and caught the sight of Asuna falling to her knees in front of the now jumping around winners.

Setsuna walked over to her friend and offered her a hand to help her up. "Asuna-san...what...what happened? You had that!"

Asuna frowned and turned away, unable to look her best friend in the eyes. "I'm sorry I can't help it! I'm only human! It's not my fault that she threw them out there like that!"

Setsuna sighed and gave a small laugh as she shook her head. She wasn't mad at the warrior; she had tried her best to win for her this whole time. "You're just as bad as a fifteen year old boy, you know that? Come on Asuna-san...let's go congratulate the girls...and prepare myself for whatever may come tomorrow..."

The two defeated team mates made their way under the net and over to the class rep and heiress. The rest of the class was erupting in cheers and cat calls as they slowly began to realize that Setsuna would most likely be going on a date with Konoka tomorrow. They had watched the two of them since that year back in junior high when they reunited on that fateful trip to Kyoto. Everyone knew the feelings they had towards each other and were all excited to see if anything was to come from their time alone. The calls continued as Asuna and Setsuna came to a stop in front of Ayaka and Konoka. Setsuna sighed in her head before putting on a brave face and looking up to Konoka's eyes.

"Good game Kono-chan, Ayaka-san." she began as she bowed her head slightly before returning with a smile.

"Thanks Setsuna-san, you two did pretty well yourselves." replied Ayaka.

Konoka giggled as she glanced over to the embarrassed looking Asuna. "I can't believe our plan actually worked though...I mean really Asuna, you can see Ayaka-san's boobs anytime you want. I didn't realize you were such a little horn dog..."

"Konoka!" shouted the warrior she lunged playfully at her friend. "You're one to tal-..."

"Now now Asuna, she has a point." laughed Ayaka as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and pulled her in towards her for a hug from behind. "You were being a little bit greedy, were you not? How about you and I go for a little...walk...and leave Konoka-san to collect her winnings?"

Asuna blushed slightly as she felt Ayaka's hand slowly creep up under her shirt and graze her back. "Y-yeah fine...good game Konoka." She paused for a second and leaned in closer to her roommate and close friend before whispering to her. "Please...go easy on side-pony tomorrow..."

With one last glance over to Setsuna in an attempt to show her support, Asuna made her way off up the beach with Ayaka. Konoka smiled in their direction and laughed, knowing full well what "go for a walk" meant before turning her attention back to Setsuna. She couldn't help but continue to smile as she saw the deep shade of red that the swordswoman was trying to keep from taking over her body. For a few moments the two stood there in silence as the rest of the class made their ways to various parts of the resort. Finally in a very surprising movement, Setsuna gently took Konoka's hands into her own. The heiress hide a gasp that threatened to escape as the realization that her protector made the first move sunk in. She quickly tore her eyes away from her hands and brought them up to the swordswoman's, falling instantly into them as she was greeted with one of the warmest smiles she had ever received from her.

"Well, looks like we have a d-date tomorrow, Kono-chan..." said Setsuna with a small shake to her voice. She was trying her best to keep herself under control, despite her mind racing at hundreds of kilometres per hour. She calmed herself and then continued on. "What...what exactly do you have planned for us to do?"

Konoka had many, many different scenarios running through her imagination when she heard the words leave her protector's lips. The heiress knew however, that most of them were a little far off, considering their status together. After thinking about it for a moment, she decided on a few simpler ones that she could have some fun with.

"Just promise to meet me outside of our rooms around mid morning ok?" she said with a cute smile.

"Yes Kono-chan..." began Setsuna with a slight yet still formal bow. "I promise, and will be more than happy to meet you in the morning..."

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"Kazumi-san...are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Nodoka as she increased her speed to match that of the girl in question. "Don't...don't you think it's sort of...invading their privacy?"

"Well how else are we going to know what's going on with those two?" replied Haruna as she also tried to catch up with the reporter. "You won't use your diary to look into their thoughts so this is all we got!"

"Will you kids be quiet, you're gonna give us away!" hushed Chisame.

"Man, calm down Chiu-chan...you're just as curious as we are!" whispered Yuna.

After hearing that Setsuna was to meet Konoka around midmorning the following day, Yuna, Makie, Haruna, Ku, Chisame, Nodoka, Yue, Akira, and Kazumi had gotten together and decided to try and spy on them. Well most decided, Nodoka was forced to join by Haruna and Yue since she wouldn't let them take advantage of her artefact. Kazumi had just recently taken out her pactio card and sent her information gathering drones all over the island in hopes of catching the favourite pairing on their outing. It was just around mid morning when their small group made their way back into Kazumi's room and propped themselves around the journalist's laptop. She quickly opened it up and began to open up various windows, each one showing a different camera view from one of her drones. The one all eyes were focused on now, was the one currently hiding within a few feet from Setsuna and Konoka's rooms.

"And now we wait..." began Kazumi as she leaned back against the couch. "Let's just hope Setsuna-san finally grows a pair and does something..."

Setsuna was waiting patiently outside on the boardwalk in front of Konoka's room, looking up at the sky and taking in the warm sun on this second last day of their vacation. She yawned a little and began to stretch out; the swordswoman was up nearly all night, tossing and turning as her brain continued its' war against her heart over the decision on her feelings. Usually, a lost night of sleep was nothing for her, but this was the second night in a row that she hadn't been able to rest. Her worrying was slowly catching up with her and soon, she would fall into the danger zone of passing out. Hopefully Konoka didn't have anything too crazy planned out for the day and she could catch some rest. She was almost begging the gods for the heiress to want to spend the whole day lounging on the beach, but she knew better than to expect something so simple from her princess. Whatever it was, Setsuna was sure it was going to be a long day filled with surprises, as well as many attempts of seduction from Konoka.

The swordswoman didn't have to wait too long before she was joined by her princess. The door to the room quickly flew open, revealing a perky and extremely excited Konoka smiling towards her protector as soon as she caught sight of her. Unlike Setsuna, the heiress was sure to get to sleep early so that she would be plenty rested and full of energy for the date she had planned. She had decided that no matter what it took, today would be the day that she finally got Setsuna to confess her feelings for her. For her, the sooner the better would be nice, that way they could skip over most of their activities and get to the good, intense and intimate parts she had been dreaming about all night. Konoka happily skipped over to the waiting Setsuna and made a grab for her hand. She continued to smile as the two of them made their way up the boardwalk.

"So...what did Kono-chan have in mind for today?" asked Setsuna from beside her princess.

"Tons of things!" replied Konoka with an excited, childlike giggle. "First I thought that maybe we could grab lunch together on the beach and then head out to do some other things. I even had a cool idea that I think you'll definitely like...it's something right up your alley!"

Setsuna's interest got the best of her at the mention of the two of them doing something that she would find interesting. Despite wanting to ask what it was, the swordswoman thought it would be best to leave it as a surprise; she was also scared that the answer may be something a little more sinister than Konoka had made it sound. Setsuna put on her brave face, and continued on up the boardwalk.

Their first stop was of course, lunch on the beach. Konoka had grabbed a bunch of things from the resort's meal hall and stuck them in a bag to bring with them. She also managed to scout out what was thought to be a rather private cove for the two of them to relax in, but of course she had no idea that they were being followed the whole time by an assortment of spy drones. The heiress was also sure to drop subtle hints towards the swordswoman, everything from "accidental" hand touches, to skimming over Setsuna's thigh with her hand, to pretending to hide from a bee by throwing herself into Setsuna's arms. These attempts continued for the majority of the morning and early afternoon. There were several times when Setsuna thought she was going to lose it, but managed to keep a cool head and continue on nosebleed free.

It was late afternoon when Konoka grabbed onto Setsuna's arm excitedly and told her that the next thing they were going to do was the surprise for her. The swordswoman gulped hard and tried to keep clam as the ecstatic chocolate haired girl began to tug her back down towards the beach. She had no idea what was in store for her and was thinking that Konoka, despite a few good attempts, was acting oddly behaved. There had to be something aggressive hidden up her sleeve, the swordswoman just knew it. Hundreds of different scenarios flooded into her vision on what the surprise could possibly be. Her body began to heat up as some of the more detailed ones began to stick in place. She was just in the middle of one thought concerning her being forced down into a chair in a boathouse naked and blindfolded, when the two came to a stop.

"Alright, here it is Set-chan!" cheered Konoka with a bright smile. "I really hope you like it. It's something we can do together!"

Setsuna shook her head and snapped back to reality. She then looked from Konoka to the sign in front of them and then back again. Suddenly, the swordswoman became extremely excited. "Kono-chan...are we really going to do this? This is so...cool!"

Konoka giggled as she took in the rare sight of her protector looking like a kid on Christmas morning. She took the chance to sneak in and steal a tight hug and nuzzle to the side of Setsuna's face before continuing. "I knew that you'd love it Set-chan! It's not every day that we get a chance to learn how to surf!"

Setsuna blushed at the touch of the heiress's cheek on her own. She quickly pulled back and cleared her throat before scratching her head. "Y-yeah...this is definitely going to be something to remember."

Konoka laughed and once again grabbed the swordswoman's arm, pulling her inside the surf hut. Once inside, the two were greeted by a friendly surfing instructor; a tall light brown haired woman who looked to be only a few years older than the two. She grabbed them a board each and told them to follow her out to the beach in order to begin instruction. Setsuna was practically bouncing around with excitement, she couldn't wait to hit the water and give it a try. When they were finally set up on the beach, she was sure to pay extra attention to the movements being shown to them and the best and fastest way to get up on the board once they managed to catch a wave. The swordswoman was also sure to ask any questions if she wasn't sure about things like footing or weight distribution.

"You're probably the only customer I've ever had who was this interested about how technical surfing is." laughed the instructor. "It's refreshing to know that I'm not just rambling on..."

Setsuna laughed back. "I just get really intense when it comes to learning new things. I'm like that with everything."

Konoka watched on as her protector and the surf instructor continued to exchange words over techniques. There was something about these little exchanges that was eating at her. She couldn't help put want to jump in and steal Setsuna away, or even somehow do away with the instructor. She was starting to think of ways to get rid of her when it suddenly hit her that all these thoughts were ridiculous.

Am I...am I jealous? There's no way Set-chan would ever be into this girl...right? Of course not, she loves me...she's always loved me...still though...

The heiress pouted as she continued to watch the friendly exchange between Setsuna and the instructor. Konoka was now determined to make sure that her protector's attention would be on her, no matter what it. Jealousy mode had taken over, and she wasn't about to let some tall busty surfer girl distract the swordswoman from their date. As soon as they hit the water, she was going to show up this girl; despite it being her first time and this girl was paid to teach people like her. An hour later, the heiress smirked evilly to herself as she picked up her board and followed the instructor out into the water, being sure to position herself between her and Setsuna.

"Alright so I want you guys to lie down on your boards like we practiced and start paddling out. Make sure to duck under a smaller wave when it comes in or you'll get pushed back to shore." shouted the instructor from over her shoulder.

"Right!" replied Setsuna as she looked over to Konoka. "Are you ready Kono-chan? Ko-Kono-chan?"

Konoka had already lain down and taken off in a fast paddle in front of Setsuna. The swordswoman looked on speechless, watching as her charge was getting further and further away from her into the deepening ocean. Her stomach began to turn as she thought about how dangerous this could be and how reckless the heiress was being. She had no idea why Konoka would take off like this and do something so out of character. She began to paddle faster in order to catch up.

Konoka had just resurfaced from slipping under a wave. She quickly shook the water away from her eyes and turned her head back to catch a glimpse of Setsuna. She smiled to herself as she saw her protector come speeding towards her, effectively leaving the instructor's side. She continued further into the water and began to scout out the horizon for the right wave. If she could just be the first one to grab a ride, she knew that she would succeed in impressing Setsuna and instantly gain all of her protector's attention back from the instructor. She dove under one last wave before coming to a stop and sitting up on her board, waiting for her chance to come in.

"Hey, does it seem like Konoka-san is pissed or something?" asked Ku out loud back in Kazumi's room. They had been sitting around watching the laptop screen for hours now, and this was the first time any of them had spoken.

Yuna leaned in for a closer look. "Yep, that girl definitely seems irritated about something. No idea what it is though..."

"I didn't notice anything to cause it, did you Akira-san?" asked Makie

Akira shook her head. "Nope, I don't think so...of course we could have missed something..."

All the girls suddenly shot their attention towards the laughing pair of girls sitting directly in front of the screen. Kazumi and Haruna were both shaking their heads and holding their sides, trying their hardest not to burst out into huge fits of laughter. The girls continued to stare on, becoming more and more annoyed with every second that their friends left them out of the circle.

"Will you just tell us what's up already?" asked Yue as she shook her head in irritation.

Kazumi stopped laughing and tried to calm her breathing back down before continuing. "How can you guys not see it? It's so obvious!"

The girls continued to look confused. Sensing they weren't going to get it, Haruna decided to put them out of their misery. "Konoka-chan is jealous...she thinks that Setsuna-san is ogling over the surf instructor because she was acting all excited and talking to her instead of Konoka-san..."

Nodoka shot a look towards Haruna. "But...but Setsuna-san would never do something like that! She only has eyes for Konoka-chan, right?"

"Yes Nodoka-san..." replied Kazumi with a small laugh. "But Konoka-san is very particular when it comes to Setsuna-san...she probably feels threatened that this random girl is gonna swoop in and steal her away."

Everyone grew quiet in the room, all just staring at the screen. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity Makie lunged forward and grabbed both sides of the screen. "Fight for your woman Konoka-san! Show no mercy...long live KonoSetsu!"

The rest of the group facepalmed and Akira made a grab for the over dramatic gymnast. "Sometimes I wonder about you Maki-chan..."

Back out on the water, Setsuna had managed to finally make it to Konoka's side. She spun around and then sat up, trying to get the heiress's attention and ask her what was wrong. Before she had a chance to, Konoka lay back down on her board and began to paddle towards shore. Setsuna turned her head just in time to see a good sized wave make its' way in. She began to panic however as she saw that the size of it was a lot bigger than she had once calculated.

"Kono-chan watch out!" yelled Setsuna as the wave made its' way under her and came fast upon the heiress.

Konoka felt the wave catching up to her and decided that it was now or never. She knew that it was nearly impossible for most people to get up and stand on their first try, but she was determined to do it. With a deep breath and a hard push against the board, the heiress shot upwards and quickly got her feet in place.

"Set-chan, look, look!" shouted Konoka as she began to ride the wave. "I did it, I'm surfing! Lo-..."

The moment of happiness from getting up suddenly came to a crashing halt as Konoka lost balance and fell sideways. She landed with a loud splash into the water and was quickly swept up in the wave. The heiress was being tossed around under water, making her unsure of which direction was up and where she was in general. She also felt something smack her hard in the back, causing her to lose whatever oxygen she had. She started to panic, getting angry at herself at the same time for doing something so stupid. Just like clock-work, a pair of strong slender arms wrapped themselves around Konoka's waist and began to pull her upwards. Within seconds, Setsuna had managed to yank the heiress to the surface and held her above water until she managed to catch her breath. After a few minutes of coughing and rubbing at her eyes, Konoka managed to regain her composure and slowly began to tread water. Setsuna sighed deeply as she began to calm down, realizing that her princess was safe and virtually pain free. They slowly swam in a little ways towards shore where they could touch the bottom before Konoka quickly wrapped her arms around her protector.

"Set-chan I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking and got too excited to start. I didn't mean to put myself in danger like that!" lied Konoka as tears began to fill her eyes. "Please don't be upset with me!"

Setsuna just stood there and allowed for the hugging to continue. After a few moments, she raised her hands up and placed them gently on either side of the heiress's head, causing Konoka to remove her face from Setsuna's chest to look her in the eyes. Setsuna smiled warmly. "Kono-chan...I'm not upset with you alright? I promise...it was just an accident. I'm just glad that you're safe..."

The instructor quickly made her way over to the two girls; a slight panic on her features but for the most part she looked calm as she probably saw this all the time. "Are you girls all right? Do you need any help getting her to shore?"

Setsuna didn't even look up to acknowledge the instructor when she answered. "No, it's fine. I'm more than happy to assist Kono-chan back to the shore, if it's alright with her."

Konoka felt guilt punch her hard in the stomach. How could she ever think that Setsuna would be interested in some other girl? She grimaced as she thought about the danger she had put them both through all because she became jealous. Quickly she shoved the feeling away before sending another smile to her protector. "I'd like that Set-chan, thank you..."

Setsuna had then managed to bring the two of them back up to the safety of the shore. She grabbed a towel and a chair and set them up for the heiress to relax on and recover. The swordswoman was just about to tell the instructor that they were done for the day when Konoka interrupted her and insisted that Setsuna continue on with the lesson, as she was so excited when she found out that's what her surprise was. Setsuna hesitated for a few minutes but was practically thrown back in the water by Konoka. The heiress smiled as she sat back in her chair and watched as the girl she loved begin to have fun again and act like a regular person for once instead of an on edge bodyguard. What she wouldn't give to see her protector act more like this.

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The sun was beginning to slowly set along the horizon when Setsuna waved goodbye to the surfing instructor before heading up towards Konoka. She had a great day out on the water and even managed to get up a bunch of times and ride some waves nearly all the way in. It was a welcome change to her everyday activities, and she wished that there was a way for her to go surfing on a regular basis. The swordswoman was almost as attached to this new sport as flying or riding on Django. Maybe once they graduated from high school, she could set up another trip with Konoka and maybe even Asuna and Ayaka to go to Hawaii or Australia on a surfing trip. She stopped dead in her tracks as she rethought her last sentence. Another trip with Konoka...she hadn't even finished this one successfully and here she was assuming that the heiress would want to go on another with her. She hadn't even managed to tell the girl her feelings yet, and was still at a loss for what route she should take. She was running out of time; there were only two more nights and one more full day before they made their way back home to the regular hustle and flow of school life.

Setsuna took a deep breath and clenched her fists. If she was going to do this, it had to be now. She couldn't afford to take any more time thinking things over. The swordswoman knew that once they got back home, she would find any excuse she could to keep herself from coming clean with Konoka and then ultimately causing another fight between herself and Asuna. The sun was getting closer and closer to touching down on the water; it was the perfect night. Quickly and with a determined expression lighting up her face, Setsuna made her way over to Konoka.

"Set-chan what's up?" asked Konoka in confusion as her protector offered out her hand.

Setsuna just smiled at her as she took the heiress's soft hand into her own and pulled her up gently. "C-could you come with me for a bit? There's something I want to do..."

Konoka began to blush just as Setsuna turned her back on her and lead her back down to the water's edge. She picked up her surfboard in her free hand and continued on into the water. Once they were up to their waist, Setsuna stopped and offered for Konoka to get on so that she could swim them out a little farther. The heiress accepted and quickly hopped up. The ocean was now extremely calm and only small bumps of waves gently slapped at the sides of the surfboard. Once Setsuna got out far enough, she swiftly pulled herself up onto the board and lay down on her back. The swordswoman moved over slightly and signalled to Konoka to join her. The heiress continued to blush as she lay down resting her head next to her protectors. The two of them were now lying facing the sky, feet hanging off opposite ends of the surfboard. For a while, they just lay there secretly enjoying each other's company. Setsuna's head was racing as she was quickly trying to make a final decision on what she should do. She didn't want to mess up and was putting everything she had into coming up with her final decision. Her thoughts were interrupted however by the perfect voice coming from the girl next to her.

"Hey Set-chan..." began Konoka, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. "Thanks again for rescuing me...and I don't just mean today either...I mean for every time. I'm very thankful that you're my protector and that you've chosen to be by my side. I couldn't ever imagine having anyone better with me than you..."

Setsuna turned her head slightly to the opposite side facing away from Konoka and blushed. "I-it's no problem...I'm honoured to be given such an opportunity to protect someone as special as you K-Kono-chan..."

Konoka blushed. "I'm not that special Set-chan...I'm just like any other girl. I'm the one who should be honoured to have someone like you in my life..."

"Kono-chan, you are spe-..."

"Shhhh, look Set-chan, the sun is setting." interrupted Konoka as she moved her head closer to Setsuna's. "Look at how cool the water looks with its' reflection..."

Setsuna opened her eyes and took in the sight of what was sure to be the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen. She was mesmerized by the way the orange and pinkish red colours seemed to dance around on the water's surface. It was so peaceful out here, drifting gently in the water with nothing but the faint sound of the ocean and the last few soft cries from the birds as they made their way back to the resting places for the night. The swordswoman smiled as she felt her whole body relax and her mind empty of all its' stressful thoughts. As she lay there, Setsuna could still smell the faint scent of Konoka's shampoo wafting through the air. It was in that moment that she knew what her decision should be. With a deep breath she clenched her fists, closed her eyes and turned her head to face Konoka.

"Kono-chan I love you and I really want to be with you!" as soon as the words left she slammed her mouth shut and waited for a response. When one didn't come right away, she began to panic and slowly started to open her eyes.

Laying there in front of her was Konoka, completely passed out in a deep sleep. The heiress had missed out on Setsuna's long time coming confession. The swordswoman took a deep breath in an attempt to restart her heart. For some odd reason, she felt relieved that Konoka hadn't heard what she had said. She even began to laugh quietly to herself as she continued to look at her sleeping charge.

Guess it just wasn't the right time...oh well, there's still a little bit of time left...maybe I should bring her back to her room before she gets rudely awakened from turning over into the water...

"...mmm...Set-chan..." mumbled Konoka in her sleep. Setsuna's eyes widened and her heart began to race as she heard the moans slip out of her unconscious companion. She was even more surprised as the words continued to fall out. "...hmmm...Setsuna, you're so dirty...let me just..."

Before Setsuna had anytime at all to react, Konoka's sleepy arms came at her with a mind of their own and wrapped themselves around the back of the swordswoman's head. In an instant, Konoka's lips were on Setsuna's and they were now interlocked in a weird upside down kiss. Setsuna's felt like her head was about to explode as her whole body burst into flames. More moans were coming out of Konoka, and just as quickly as it happened, the kiss ended. Konoka then laid the hand across Setsuna's mouth subconsciously.

"...Set-chan always protect's me...always be there by my side..." was the last sentence the heiress would say as she fell back, deep into her dream world.

Setsuna lay there completely up in arms. She had no idea what just happened and no idea on what she should do. The kiss was more than anything she could ever have wanted, but at the same time hearing Konoka say that she would always protect her and be by her side made her completely reconsider her earlier decision. As she gently sat up and scooped the heiress up into her arms before spreading out her wings and grabbing the board in her free hand, Setsuna couldn't help but feel like her unheard confession was fate telling her that that route just wasn't meant to be. If she was to stay by Konoka's side forever and always protect her, then she couldn't afford to do anything that would mess up their relationship and cause Konoka to hate her. After dropping of the board and flying back to Konoka's room, Setsuna quietly opened the door and made her way over to the heiress's bed, where she gently placed her down and covered her with blankets.

Looks like it wasn't meant to be that way Kono-chan...Tomorrow I'll confess to you, but please don't hate me for wanting to stay friends...I have my reasons...

She gently closed the door and made her way back to her room, where she quickly took a shower before heading to bed.

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"What the hell are the chances!" yelled Chisame as she made a grab for the screen. "Honestly, leave it to that air-brained heiress to fall asleep at a critical time like that! After Setsuna-san managed to man up and say it! GAH YOU KIDS PISS ME OFF!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down Chiu-chan..." laughed Yuna as she tried her best to hold Chisame back from destroying Kazumi's laptop. "I didn't realize you cared that much..."

"Of course I care!" she yelled in response. "It's freakin painful to watch these two dumbnuts everyday in class, fawning all over each other but are completely oblivious to the others actions! Damn it, I just want them to get this over with already!"

Ku laughed and patted Chisame on the back. "Trust me, you aren't the only one..."

The rest of the girls all laughed as they watched Chisame try to take the life of the computer; all of them that is except for Kazumi herself. She had a very perceptive eye and knew that something wasn't right as soon as Setsuna picked up Konoka in her arms. She sighed, catching the attention of the rest of the group.

"What is it Kazumi-san?" asked Nodoka with a hint of worry to her voice.

Kazumi shook her head. "This isn't going to end well...Setsuna-san isn't going to give Konoka-san the answer she's looking for..."