Chikane Himemiya frowned slightly as she looked at her girlfriend. The reincarnated Solar Priestess was the picture of innocence as she sat beneath the spreading limbs of a large tree, her back against the trunk, as she focused intently on her book. Himeko was as beautiful as always, an angelic vision of loveliness to Chikane's eyes. That did not, however, make her perfect.
"Himeko," Chikane said, "shouldn't you be studying?"
"Oh! Chikane-chan; I didn't see you there." Himeko smiled sunnily at her. "Would you like to join me? There's lots of room." She patted the grass beside herself.
The offer was very tempting, Chikane had to admit, but she had her own goals to accomplish.
"I need to study for our tests next week. There's one in math, and another in world history." She paused, then added a bit hesitantly. "You really should be studying as well, instead of reading manga."
Himeko blinked in confusion.
"I am studying," she said.
Chikane did not quite follow the logic.
"I don't understand."
"Well, we know what our future is going to be, don't we? The Orochi will return, and we'll fight it as the Solar and Lunar Priestesses of Ame no Murakumo, right?"
A gust of wind puffed out, making leaves swirl around them and tossing their hair. When it died down, Chikane combed hers back with her fingers, then bent over and gently brushed back several strands from Himeko's face.
"That's right."
"Well, that's why I'm reading all this giant robot manga." She patted the stack next to her. "I want to be as ready as I can for when it's our turn."
Chikane blinked at her.
"Come to think of it, Chikane-chan, you spend an awful lot of your time on extracurricular activities and elective courses. I mean, what's the point of padding your transcript with good grades or being class president when you're not going to get to apply to college anyway?"
"So you're saying that being a slacker is actually you efficiently spending your time preparing for your future?"
"Exactly!" Himeko said brightly.
Chikane gave up and laughed, then sat down next to her beloved.
"You know, you may actually have a point there."
She reached out, catching Himeko's waist with one hand and cupping her face with the other, and then leaned in.
"Chikane-chan, what are you doing?"
"Well, you've been working so hard, I thought it was time for a study break," she purred before her lips closed over Himeko's.
