Hitsugi paced up and down her tiny bedroom as she dried her hair with a towel, wondering if she had really put her foot in things this time. If she had been too impulsive. But kissing Chitaru had been…perfect, for lack of a less mushier term.

Didn't you say that the last time, and the time before, and the time before? A little voice in her head told her as her exes popped in her head.

"But they're different!" Hitsugi said aloud, and instantly paused to mentally berate herself. Talking aloud to herself wasn't really the best course of action. But she had a point. They were different- deadbeat guys who hung around in the same circles as her godforsaken family. Chitaru was different, in every way that counted.

W-wait. What does that even imply?

Hitsugi stopped in her tracks again, and sighed. She stopped towelling her hair and threw the towel on the radiator rack, paying no attention to how it landed. She turned to the mirror to focus on tying up her damp hair. She had to head out to work. After that, she would make sure that her impulsivity hadn't ruined what she already had.

…

Chitaru was momentarily disoriented by the sight of the fluffy brown rabbit in Suzu's arms.

"Ah, I was just feeding the rabbits. Do you want to come in?"

"Yeah, sure. You got yourself a rabbit again? It's been a while since the last one." Chitaru thought back on all the years she'd known Suzu, of how she'd grown up playing with various rabbits.

"I actually have five this time." Suzu said as they walked to the conservatory at the back of her house.

"Five? Even for you, that's unusual."

"Well, I figured it would be more interesting than going down the crazy old cat lady route. You know, like a crazy old bunny lady."

Chitaru shook her head.

"Suzu-san, you're more than just an old lady, you know."

"Why thank you, Chitaru-Chan. Ah, here we go Nao! Back with your friends." They reached the conservatory, and Suzu knelt down to put the rabbit-Nao-back into the hutch.

"The rabbit's called Nao."

"Yes, and the other brown one is called Miki. I don't have names for the grey one, the white one or the black-and-white one. "

"Oh, erm…"

"I actually had an idea for two of the names."

"Which are?"

"Sacchan and Macchan."

"Ah." Chitaru blinked, and then sat down next to the hutch so she could look at the rabbits. "That's fine with me."

"At the very least, you should decide which ones are to be called Sacchan and Macchan."

"Ohh, okay." Chitaru looked, trying to see if the behaviour of the rabbits resembled either of her daughters. They didn't, not really, but she decided to just pick at random.

"This one's Sachika." She moved to pick up the grey one, but hesitated. Suzu nodded at her, and she held it carefully to her chest, feeling the soft little thing wriggle. She watched the bunny for a while, and then added. "The white one's Mami."

"Okay then." Suzu nodded, seemingly satisfied. They sat for a moment, silently petting the rabbits when Suzu spoke up again.

"So, what brings you here?"

Chitaru opened her mouth to tell Suzu what had happened that morning, but no words came. Instead, she just went red. Suzu looked at her questioningly, which didn't help.

"I…erm…." She faltered, feeling like a teenager. Suzu's eyes lit up, and she nodded.

"Ahh, I see."

"I didn't say anything!" Chitaru said, surprised.

"Are you sure?" Suzu pointed. It was then that Chitaru realised she had unconsciously brought her fingers to her lips.

"Oh. Right. Yes. Then I don't need to explain."

"I might need some background though, if I am to help you."

"Right…" Chitaru thought. "It was…unexpected, she kissed me first. But that didn't matter to me. I…I felt good. Like this is how things were supposed to happen, as if nothing was wrong with the world. I know that doesn't make sense, but I don't know how you'd go about describing these things. "

"No, no, you described it very well. And I think I know what's happening with you. "

Chitaru stroked the space between the Sacchan rabbit's ears.

"You do?" Suzu was either psychic or incredibly wise. Chitaru probably already knew which one it was, but it still managed to amaze her each time Suzu managed to figure out what she was thinking even when she didn't realise it.

"Yes, Chitaru-Chan. It'd be obvious to anyone." She smiled. "You're in love."

…

When the restaurant was quiet, Hitsugi checked her phone, and saw she had a new message. It was from Chitaru.

"I went around to my neighbour, Suzu-san's place, and now I'm rather tired, so I'm going to bed. So see you tomorrow instead?"

Hitsugi blinked. Not what she was expecting. If it wasn't for the fact that A: Chitaru always seemed sincere in what she said and did and B: had added the 'see you tomorrow' bit to the message, Hitsugi would have assumed Chitaru was avoiding her after the kiss.

But just in case, she sent a confirming reply, to make sure Chitaru wouldn't forget.

"Sure thing, See ya tomorrow! ;)"

…

Chitaru woke up, bleary and unsure of herself after dreaming about her daughters. She couldn't remember whether this dream was a sweet one, or a nightmare. Just that they were there.

Mami, Sachika. Where are you now? It'd be nice if there was an afterlife, somewhere where you could play and be happy.

She sighed, and got out of bed, heading straight downstairs and looking in her cupboards, only to find she had no cereal. She blinked for a moment, and then went to her other cupboards, and the fridge, methodically checking what else she didn't have. When she had composed a mental shopping list, she went upstairs to wash and change, and then headed out to the supermarket.

On the way there, she saw a few people she recognised-acquaintances- none of whom seemed to know what to say to her. But she didn't mind, because she didn't know what to say to them, either. Thankfully, she didn't have to deal with anyone once she'd got to the supermarket, so she just concentrated on getting what she needed. Methodically, robotically, alone.

"Okay, can anyone spot the apples?" Chitaru said as they approached the fruit section." And also we need bananas, grapes and oranges."

"I'll find them, I'll find them!" Sachika said.

"No, I will!" Mami protested, running after her sister.

"Don't run or argue!" Chitaru reminded them, although it was useless as they had already focussed themselves on finding the fruits.

"Mama, is this a bananananaa?" Mami asked, holding up a bunch of bananas with both hands.

"Yes, that's a bunch of bananas. Put them in the trolley." Mami giggled and put the bananas in the trolley with all the seriousness of a four-year-old before rushing back to find the other things. Almost on cue, Sachika came brandishing a bag of grapes, put them in the trolley and ran back without bothering to ask Chitaru about them, confident in her abilities.

After they found the fruits, Chitaru moved onto the vegetables, and whiles she didn't let them find the items themselves this time, she had them pick out the biggest or the roundest of them , depending on the vegetable.

Then, they moved onto the frozen section.

"Now," she asked. "Who wants ice-cream tonight?"

"ME!"

Chitaru smiled at the memory for a moment, and then grew sad again. She rushed through the rest of her shopping, and got to the tills as soon as possible.

"Chitaru-san?"

She turned, and to her surprise, Hitsugi was waiting at the other checkout, taking items out of her shopping basket.

"Don't you have work today?" was the only thing she could think to ask. Hitsugi blinked, and then nodded.

"Yeah, but I ran out of supplies."

"But all you've bought is….err, hold on." The queue moved, and Chitaru paid for her goods, before putting them all in the bags she had brought with her. Then, she waited for Hitsugi, who came soon after, holding just one bag.

"What I was going to say is, you've just got snack food and ready meals?" Chitaru said, not missing a beat and surprising herself in the process. Hitsugi giggled nervously.

"I can't cook."

"Oh." Chitaru put her bags in the trolley and went to put it back in the trolley bay. Hitsugi followed.

"I could teach you, if you wanted." Chitaru said. "To cook, that is. I need something to fill my days."

Because I can't help people in the way I used to. I try to focus on their losses but all I see are my own.

"That would be good." Hitsugi paused. She looked thoughtful.

"is something wrong?" Chitaru asked. Hitsugi went bright red in response. Chitaru was confused, but then she clocked what Hitsugi was thinking about. She went pink as well, but then gathered herself. Not sure what it is she should say, she reached out to ruffle Hitsugi's hair. And then she smiled. Hitsugi blinked, and then reached up to take Chitaru's hand in her much more child-like ones. She removed Chitaru's hand from her head, but didn't let go. They stood like that for a moment, and then they both laughed.

"Look at us, what are we like, honestly?" Hitsugi giggled. Chitaru laughed too.

"I honestly don't know…but I'd like to find out."

Hitsugi regarded her.

"You mean….?"

"Yeah." Chitaru wasn't sure what to say, but she thought she had conveyed it well enough. And when Hitsugi smiled, she knew that she had.

"Okay, so…I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course."

"Yay!" Hitsugi kissed Chitaru on the cheek, picked up her bag, and then rushed off, and all Chitaru could do was smile because somehow, irrationally so, she was just really happy.