Chikane had made up her mind.

She had been teetering back and forth between her options—weighing possibilities, narrating potential outcomes in her head, trying to gain providence of any kind at all—anything that would tell her what to do about how she felt.

But as she sat beside the subject of her stirring affections—the beautiful girl with a bright blue ribbon ever present in her lustrous gold hair—a combined surge of desire and certainty and impatience filled her head. Chikane glanced to her left subtly, catching the profile of her best friend. She looked at Himeko's hair, delicately framing her face; her violet eyes reflecting the glow of the TV screen; and the sheen of her small cherry blossom lips. Yes…those lips were what sealed Chikane's fate…

In the fleeting moments following her adoration of Himeko's features, time seemed to pass both quickly and slowly at once.

The athletic young woman reached out a slender hand and gently rested it on top of that of the blonde sitting beside her. It was not a novel gesture—they had held hands often before throughout the years—however; the meaning behind it was far different than any it had held before that moment. Chikane felt the pulse in her chest run down her arm into the palm and fingertips of her left hand where they contacted smooth skin. She knew her heart was set, but it didn't stop it from trembling. At feeling a hand upon her own, Himeko glanced first to her side down at it, and then up to the face of the girl who owned it. A shy smile crept over her gentle lips as she flexed her hand comfortably beneath the raven-haired girl's, indicating her approval. However, the smile waned imperceivably from her face when she noticed the somewhat intense expression on her best friend's face.

"Chikane-chan?" she inflected. But the young woman beside her turned her face down to her lap, clearly averting her gaze from the blonde's visage. Himeko felt a strange mix of emotions at the interaction.

"Is Chikane alright?" she immediately asked herself mentally.

And then seconds later, both girls began speaking simultaneously:

"Himeko I have to—" "Chikane-chan is something—?"

Both stuttered to a halt, each bringing their gaze to the other's eyes. Himeko felt her question catch in her throat as she felt those azure eyes pierce into her. Her lips lay slightly parted, frozen halfway through her words. Chikane too gazed into deep eyes, glistening purple with curiosity burning clearly behind them. It was the taller girl who spoke again first.

"I'm sorry Himeko, but I…I think I have to ask you something." She said in a low voice. The rich timber of the girl's words and the heavy tone of them sent a rogue shiver up the blonde girl's spine.

"Chikane seems so s-serious all of a sudden! W-What happened?"

"Y-yes Chikane-chan? You can ask me anything you want." She responded softly. "What it is?"

The blue-eyed girl took a breath to steady her body, willing her hand not to shake and her insides to remain exactly that—inside her. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so nervous in her life. Nothing made her feel this way except for Himeko…her dear Himeko made her stomach do flips and knees feel weak. She was glad they were sitting down. Chikane waded into the conversation she had always been afraid of starting, her normal grace seeming to have left her.

"Does…um…Himeko have—do you have somebody you like?"

Himeko felt her face immediately flare red hearing her best friend's question.

"I l-l-like? Umm I-!" she stumbled over her tongue with her thoughts going in every direction, taken completely unawares by the question. "I d-don't know! Why would Chikane-chan ask m-me that?" she squeaked. She was too busy being afraid of how red her own face must have looked at that instant that she didn't notice the other normally graceful girl's cheeks coloring themselves a similar hue.

"Well I…k-know someone that likes Himeko…a lot."

The blonde's face grew redder. "Wh-what?! Is that true Chikane-chan? Someone l-likes me? What are you talking about?"

"It is true…I…there's…but she's—she's a girl."

"It's…a girl?" Himeko echoed, her head tilting barely to the side in a thoughtful expression. Chikane desperately analyzed her friend's face for the signs of confusion and disappointment and repulsion she was sure would be there. However, after waiting for seconds in silence with Himeko simply staring pensively, Chikane felt her own fear being replaced with curiosity.

"I…um…does that bother you, Himeko?" she asked.

Himeko snapped out of her silence, cheeks still aglow and getting ever redder each minute.

"N-No that's not it! I just—um! I just wasn't expecting that, Chikane-chan…" she muttered.

"Yes it—it is probably odd to hear that it's a girl…" she smiled a fake half-smile.

"Mmm? Oh, well no it's…it's not that…" she began. "I don't mind…that it's a girl actually…" she whispered.

Chikane felt her heart skip probably two or three beats. Himeko is fine if it was a girl?

"I just…well I didn't expect you to say someone likes me. It's…are you sure they didn't mean they like you, Chikane-chan?" she asked genuinely, completely ready to believe that it was a misunderstanding.

"Himeko I—no it's you, I'm positive…"

"Oh, okay…" She replied. The blonde looked away and fidgeted with her free hand in her hair. After a few awkward seconds—

"So Himeko is…you don't mind that it's a girl?" she asked encouragingly as possible.

Hearing the light tone in her friend's voice, the blonde decided to confirm to both herself and the raven-haired girl what she believed she felt.

"N-No I…I don't mind it being a girl…in fact Chikane-chan I…I think I'm actually glad it's a girl…" she admitted almost silently, still embarrassed to think about it. She had only recently admitted it to herself, but it was so much more embarrassing to say it to Chikane! Especially since Chikane was…was…

"Ah…I see…" she acknowledged quietly, but the athletic girl's heart was turning cartwheels in her chest.

"I can't believe this…has Himeko always been…has she always felt this way?" she wondered to herself. Then the petite girl spoke up again.

"But um…I-I don't know if there's anyone in our class I would um…like back, to be honest…" she mumbled. Chikane felt her heart flutter a little when she heard those words, feeling happy that Himeko's heart was not set on someone else already…

"But I guess it would only be right to at least…listen to how they feel…"

Chikane felt a weight fall back upon her. "Yes, of course…"

More silence passed between the two girls, until Chikane finally summoned her nerves and spoke up again. Just before she was going to say the words in her head, she realized that she had subconsciously wrapped her fingers more tightly over the blonde's slender hand, and that it was in turn closed gently around her fingers as well. She blushed furiously and turned her head away but didn't release her hand.

"What if…it was…me…" she muttered almost inaudibly.

Himeko looked over at the raven-haired girl as she spoke but couldn't hear what she had said with her head turned and voice so low.

"Chikane-chan? I…didn't quite hear what you said — 'what if' what?" she asked innocently, wondering why Chikane had firmed her grip on her hand.

Chikane inhaled sharply and held her breath for a second before slowly turning around to stare directly into the girl's beautiful lilac eyes. Himeko felt her face burn beneath the intense gaze of the girl before her in the second before she spoke, heart beating rapidly in her chest. It felt like the air was standing still around both of them.

"What if it was me, Himeko?"

Himeko held her breath. She felt like the gears in her brain were spinning out of control yet bringing no thoughts to her head. She simply stared back into deep sapphire irises as she slowly processed what she had just heard.

"I-I…" she stammered, "…Chikane-chan, you…what are you saying? Are y-you telling me…?" The blonde stuttered out her thoughts as slowly as she was coming up with them, making her cheeks flare into raging pools of pink as she inevitably began to comprehend the meaning of her friend's words. Chikane's face was serious, but still gentle as Himeko felt her penetrating gaze stare through her. It made Himeko want to shiver. Chikane spoke up again, slowly and deliberately, but still with a hint of nervousness. She was finally saying it—telling Himeko how she really felt, after all this time.

"Himeko, I…I'm…" she began haltingly, searching for the right words to explain. But eventually, she realized that there was nothing for it but to simply say exactly what she knew was deep in her heart. The raven-haired girl took a deep breath and brought her other hand in front of her so that she was holding the other girl's delicate hand between both of her own. It was too late to back out now.

"I'm…in love with you, Himeko." She spoke in a low smooth voice, but the impact of the words was obvious. The sentence hit Himeko like a ton of bricks, and she felt her jaw literally drop open slightly before she could stop it. And before she could even think of anything to say in response, Chikane was continuing:

"I've wanted to tell you for a long time, Himeko…I just never could. I know that this must sound crazy, coming out of nowhere, especially with how poorly I've been acting lately…I just couldn't help it…"

Himeko was in shock, but suddenly noticed the other girl's eyes start to glisten brightly, as if stars were going to burst from them at any moment. It made her feel a tight sensation within her chest, and she wasn't sure if it was sympathy or excitement or just shock. She realized that the blue-eyed girl was on the verge of tears, filled with emotion, but Himeko didn't understand exactly why.

"Chikane…why…why are you crying?"

But before she shed any, Chikane forced back her tears and told herself to stay strong and continue, knowing that this was the moment she had to take hold of to tell her best friend how she truly felt.

"I-I'm sorry Himeko…I just…I can't help but have these feelings for you!" she exclaimed, taking the other woman slightly by surprise.

"I've been in love with you for so long, but I didn't know how you would feel about me…or about girls for that matter…and I felt like I was going crazy. I don't stop thinking about you, all day I would see you in my head…and I was afraid that you would find out…I was afraid you would find out how strange I am and hate me…" Chikane realized somewhere in the back of her mind that the last couple things she had said were a little much, and must have sounded incredibly odd to the blonde girl sitting in front of her. She finally broke eye contact with the other woman and cast her eyes down to the sofa cushions, her own cheeks flushing red as well.

"U-Um, that is I…" she stuttered. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that…it's me Himeko." She finally regained control of her emotions and spoke firmly to the woman she was confessing to.

"I'm the girl that's in love with you, Himeko. I know it's sudden, and you probably couldn't feel the same way about me…I…I just…finally wanted you to know that…" she ended in a whisper, again unable to look back into the blonde girl's beautiful eyes, filled with obvious shock.

"Chikane-chan I…I don't believe it…" she squeaked, clutching her other hand close to her chest in an attempt to stop her heart from bursting out of its cage. She felt lightheaded and her whole body began to feel warm and fuzzy and flooding with adrenaline.

"I never thought…that Chikane-chan would…" she trailed off, her stomach jumping into her throat preventing her from speaking. Himeko felt giddy, unsure what to do with the new knowledge that Chikane Himemiya…her very own Chikane-chan…had just confessed to her. She blushed furiously as she registered that the gorgeous dark-haired girl was still holding her hand, a gesture that in just a few minutes had evolved an entirely new implication for the blonde.

Chikane watched the other woman's expression as she spoke and felt her heart drop into her stomach like a ball of lead. She was shocked, which was to be expected, but the blonde's words were echoing empty in her head…

"I never thought…"

"I don't believe it…"

Chikane didn't know what she expected besides the reaction she got; she supposed that deep down she had been holding out hope that Himeko would somehow feel the same way as she did and smile when she heard her confession. She berated herself internally for foolishly getting her own hopes up for something that was of course impossible. That same small voice in her head from before reverberated painfully:

Stupid…of course she feels that way. Why would you expect her to feel the same way? There's no way…Himeko…she's the purest thing in this world…she's an angel, the sun…and you're just a selfish person who's tried to keep her around for yourself…pretending that you were her friend…disgusting…

Even as she felt her throat constrict with misery, Chikane forced herself not to make a bigger fool of herself than she was sure she already had by bursting into tears. She slowly released her hold on the other girl's soft hand and turned away, forcing a sad smile to her face, hoping she could at least keep herself from falling apart completely in front of her best friend…probably former best friend now…

"Right, of course you wouldn't Himeko…I'm s-sorry for dropping all of this on you suddenly…" she whispered almost to herself. Chikane couldn't bear to hear the inevitable rejection that was sure to come any second. She slowly forced herself to her feet off the shared couch, feeling the hot prickle behind her eyes intensify.

"I don't know what I was I was thinking. I-I should—I should go. I'm sorry Hime—"

But the last words froze on her lips as she felt a warm, gentle hand take hold of her arm firmly.

She didn't want to look back at the beautiful face she knew was staring at her but couldn't help herself from reflexively turning around again. But what she saw was not what she expected. Chikane found herself gazing through silent tears into earnest violet eyes looking back at her from an adorable blushing face.

"Chikane-chan…" Her voice came out softly, as if she were trying to sooth a frightened animal.

"Please don't cry Chikane-chan…please don't be sad." She pulled herself up to her feet to stand beside the taller woman and reached for her other hand.

"You didn't even let me answer you, Chikane-chan…"

Chikane felt the first of the warm tears slip down her cheek as she was turned to face the girl she had just confessed to.

Himeko, please…just let me go…

She wanted desperately to be spared the misery of looking back at the beautiful face of her surely unrequited love when she rejected her, but something in the young woman's voice compelled her to do as she was told. She braced herself for whatever was coming, telling herself that she had to reap what she had sown. However; the next words she heard made Chikane's heart stop.

"I'm…so happy…to hear you say that Chikane-chan…"

A few seconds of silence passed that felt like eternity. The athletic girl felt her heart start beating again, or rather, hammering against her ribcage. Chikane was certain she had just heard Himeko say—

"I think…I-I'm in love with Chikane-chan too…"

The raven-haired girl was speechless. Tears began flowing more freely down her pale cheeks as she processed what she was hearing. She tried to respond—

"Hi-Himeko, you…what did you say?" she stammered out.

Violet-eyes turned toward the floor as her grasp grew firmer over Chikane's arm.

"I…I love Chikane-chan…I think I have for a while now…" she spoke softly. "I think about you too, all the time. I just never imagined Chikane-chan would be…um…well, thinking about me the same way…I thought maybe I was weird—"

The two girls caught each other's gaze once more, and immediately an entirely new atmosphere filled the space between them.

"Himeko, I…are you saying you...you mean you're? —" she whispered out hopefully.

"Y-Yes, Chikane-chan…" she said, smiling bashfully. "I'm so happy you told me…I love you." She replied beaming.

And after a second's hesitation, Himeko witnessed one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen. She watched as the gorgeous girl's face transformed from misery to hope to gladness, an elated smile brightening her face, and tears streaming down her cheeks, no longer from sadness but from joy. And then, suddenly, Himeko found herself in the warmest embrace she had ever felt as her best friend threw her arms around her body and held their bodies close together.

"Himeko! I-I…oh, Himeko I don't believe it!" she exclaimed, laughing through tears. "Do you mean it?" she whispered shakily into the petite girl's ear, praying to one million gods that this wasn't some dream she was going to wake from any minute.

But Chikane felt slender arms reach up and around her torso in loving reply, holding them even more tightly together, and a soft, angelic voice whispering back to her that confirmed she was not dreaming.

"Yes Chikane-chan, I do. I really am in love with you!" she replied sweetly.

Chikane felt her pulse racing, and her legs almost as if they might give out. She hugged the blonde girl firmly, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair and indulging herself in the sensation of the other girl's warm embrace that she had not felt for months. Only this time, there was more than just friendship behind it.

"This time…we are…" Chikane screamed internally. "I did it! Himeko is…Himeko is—!"

The raven-haired girl could hardly bring herself to think the words her friend had spoken, afraid that somehow, she might jinx herself if she let herself believe what was happening. She pulled slowly and regretfully away from their shared embrace and tilted her gaze down to meet shimmering lilac eyes. Despite the elation she felt at the confessions of their feelings for each other, Chikane couldn't help but sense a tendril of doubt wind its way into her mind. Her smile faltered a bit as she began wondering, and she broke the warm silence with a nervous voice.

"Himeko I…I'm so happy. You can't imagine how many times I've imagined hearing you say those words back to me…" she began. She saw the blonde's cheeks blush, and her lips curl into an embarrassed smile as she cast her gaze bashfully down to the side.

"But…" she hesitated. The shorter girl looked back up at her face innocently, hearing the question in the athletic girl's tone. Chikane continued.

"Are you sure, Himeko?" she whispered out. "I…I just want to be sure that you understand…I-I'm not…I don't want to be just friends…" her own cheeks blazed scarlet in turn as she heard herself make such a bold confession. It only made it worse when she saw the adorable blond girl's face go absolutely tomato red as she recognized the implication of Chikane's statement. And despite her own embarrassment, Chikane had to admit to herself that Himeko's blushing face was something she was inordinately aroused by. So, she continued, to ensure that there was no room for misinterpretation.

"I w-want…you to be…will you be my girlfriend?" she stammered out as confidently as she could manage.

The young woman before Chikane felt her arms tighten involuntarily around the taller girl's back. Her heart continued raging behind her chest, her blood flowed quickly. It was the kind of moment where reality seemed to be almost too real, and yet dreamlike at the same time. Himeko felt her ears burn at the other girl's official, unmistakable confession.

"S-Saying it so bluntly Chikane! How could I respond to something l-like that? How could I say anything…anything but—"

"Yes."

"…"

"…Chikane-chan?" Himeko wasn't sure what to make of the girl's silence. She had said yes, right? Was that not the right thing to say? Was there something else? She suddenly became very self-conscious of how closely they were holding one another, especially how firmly Chikane's chest was pressed against her own.

"Um…that is!" she began. "If you're okay with…someone like me Chikane-chan…" she finished in a whisper.

"Himeko…"

"Hmm? Chikane-chan?"

"It couldn't be okay…It definitely wouldn't be okay if it wasn't you!" the raven-haired girl finally cried out passionately. "You're the most precious and important person in the world to me, Himeko! So please…don't say things like that anymore…it's because it's you that I'm okay with it. I don't want anyone else. I'm only in love with you, Himeko Kurusugawa. The most amazing, kind, adorable and gorgeous girl I've ever known." She finished warmly.

The blonde's heart was melting into a puddle. She couldn't believe…Chikane was saying these things to her. And she could tell that the elegant, beautiful girl before her meant every word sincerely, which was perhaps what amazed her the most.

"Rather…" Chikane continued, "I should be the one saying that to you, Himeko." She replied. "If you're alright with someone as selfish and hopeless as me…"

"O-Of course Chikane-chan! Um-I-mean! I don't think you're selfish at all!" she replied in a nervous voice. She didn't know why Chikane would say things like that about herself…

"Chikane-chan is an amazing person…you only did what you thought would keep our friendship together…and you were scared…" she spoke softly, and slowly let the side of her head rest against the young woman's chest.

"You kept your feelings to yourself for so long just so that you wouldn't bother me…I think you are the opposite of a selfish person…Chikane-chan is much stronger than I am, and wonderful, and smart. And you always take care of me, and you're always so beautiful, and…and…!" she trailed off, realizing that she was doing the thing again where she ranted about Chikane's perfection.

But then, she felt a small rumble in the girl's chest who was holding onto her. Himeko lifted her head up again to see her best friend's face curled into a gorgeous smile, and hear joyful giggles bubbling from her vocal chords. It made her feel like there were butterflies throughout her body.

"Himeko."

"Y-Yes Chikane-chan?"

"I'm so happy…"

"Me too, Chikane-chan! I feel, well…I feel like this is just right, you know? I'm sorry it took me so much longer to realize how much I love you…when I should have known from the start."

The other girl shook her head gently.

"It doesn't matter now Himeko. We finally know how each other feels, and…well we, um…w-we can be…" she stammered. Himeko looked up at her quizzically, puzzled as to why the sudden nervousness had come over her girlfriend. Yes…she liked that word.

"Chikane-chan? What wrong? Now we can be what?" she asked. The blue-eyed girl cast her gaze around uncharacteristically to avoid meeting the doe-eyes of her now girlfriend. She cleared her throat—

"Ahem…well that is to say…" she began, "I can do-…erm, we can do what…girlfriends do, and…" she stumbled over her words. Saying those kinds of things out loud was more embarrassing than she expected. But Himeko simply looked on at her, seemingly oblivious to what she was getting at. When she saw no sign of acknowledgement or understanding from the blonde, Chikane simply continued speaking like her mouth had no off switch.

"Well we can go on real dates now…and hold hands with each other, and…you know…" she prompted. But again, the same blank look of innocence was painted on the other girl's face.

Chikane was afraid that somehow hers and Himeko's idea of "girlfriend" diverged at some critical point…

"I mean w-we could…"

But then, just as she was steeling herself to clarify what exactly she had had in mind for what "activities" their relationship might entail—which Chikane was sure would kill her from embarrassment—she felt delicate arms slowly lower themselves down her back, coming to rest at the top of her waist, and the weight of the girl in her arms shifted to press closer into her. Chikane stared wide-eyed as the angelic being she held in front of her leaned up on tip-toe, eyes closed, head tilted back, with her cherry-petal lips barely parted before her. Without another word—her own pulse crashing in her ears—she let herself close the centimeters separating her own lips from the perfect, luscious looking pair being offered her. And captured them.