~ Chapter 11 ~

"Kumiko?"

She heard Hazuki call to her from her bed but all Kumiko could do was stare, wide-eyed and unseeing at the wall. Her whole body felt cold and hot at the same time; as if she was set on fire and then thrown into the ocean in the middle of december, over and over again.

Her mind was completely blank, but simultaneously ran a mile a minute. How could she possibly worm her way out of this one? Hazuki wasn't stupid; a bit slow, perhaps, but definitely not stupid. Especially not when it came to Kumiko. Additionally, Kumiko was a terrible liar.

Her brain was working as fast as possible to come up with some sort of conclusion that would cause this to blow over, to make Hazuki forget all about the red-head's accidental Reina-slip."I thought you were jealous because I've been spending so much time with her," "I was sure you were embarrassed about her seeing your breakdown the other night," etc.

A million excuses came to mind, some good, some not so good. And yet, with so many possible ways to cover this up and get past it, so many ways to keep her life the way it always has been, so many ways to lie - she couldn't bring herself to utter a single one.

For no matter how many excuses she thought of, the loudest thought in her mind was, She deserves to know.

The red-head's silence must have made Hazuki anxious because she had sat up in bed at some point during Kumiko's deliberation and was now trying her best to make out the girl's state in the dark room. "Kumiko?"

She deserves to know.

Sighing shakily, Kumiko sat up without looking in Hazuki's direction. She wasn't sure what to say or how to say it, but she knew she had to say something or else the brunette would worry herself into a stupor.

She deserves to know.

"You deserve to know."

She hadn't meant for that to come out, but she didn't care. She said it so quietly, barely over a whisper, she wasn't even sure if Hazuki heard her. She did, of course, and she sat silently, waiting for Kumiko to continue.

The ginger ran a hand through her hair, messing it up even more than it already was. She opened her mouth to speak several times, but only a few odd noises made their way out. Groaning due to her own inability to just spit it out, Kumiko fell back on her bed lazily and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'm…gay."

There. She had done it. She didn't know what she expected to feel after saying those two small words, but she really hadn't expected to feel so…stupid. Or rather, overdramatic. What was the big deal, really? So she liked girls, how was that a bad thing? How come it had taken her so long to admit such a thing to her best friend? Why did she think she needed to hide it?

Now, after having admitted it, she realized that it was such a small part of herself. She was Oumae Kumiko: college student, lover of eggs and short cake, hater of sports and bugs, avid euphonium player, prospective music education major, and she just so happened to be attracted to girls.

It was one small portion of the elements that made her her. Why had she felt it was such a big deal that she had to hide it from someone so close to her?

Although she was sure she was right in coming to this conclusion, she was a bit nervous about the lack of response coming from the other side of the room.

Deciding to take a chance, the red-head opened her eyes and scanned the area where she knew Hazuki was sitting. She let her eyes adjust as she waited for a reaction, any reaction from her friend.

Finally, she got one.

"Wait, really?"

"Yep."

"So," she could hear the gears turning in Hazuki's head, trying to wrap around this newfound information, "the person you like is…"

"Mhmm."

"Is she gay, too?"

Kumiko frowned a bit at that, "I'm not sure, actually."

Hazuki hummed in response. Kumiko could only make out her profile, but she was sure Hazuki had her thinking face on: pursed lips, brows furrowed, nose scrunching up a bit to the left. What exactly she was thinking on, Kumiko wasn't sure.

"So," Kumiko started hesitantly, "you don't, like, hate me now, right?"

At that, Hazuki let out a quick and breathy laugh, "Seriously, Kumiko? You think I'd hate you after all these years because you're a lesbian?"

Kumiko shrugged, even though she knew Hazuki couldn't see. The brunette laughed again, more to herself than at Kumiko.

"Of course I don't hate you," she said with a smile lacing her voice. "I am a little surprised, but I guess I'm not at the same time. I mean, you've never really liked boys, now that I think about it."

Kumiko snorted, "Yeah, I guess that's the gay showing, huh?"

Hazuki laughed, too. "No, I mean you've never liked boys," she continued. "Like, you've always been super mean to them for no reason. I guess that makes sense now, though."

Kumiko thought about that for a moment. She didn't think she was that mean to guys. Sure, there was Shuichi, and her animosity towards Taki-sensei, and she had kicked that guy in the groin that one time when he came up to her at the bus stop (but, really, how was she supposed to know he was just trying to tell her that her backpack was unzipped? He could have been a serial killer! Or a rapist! Or a serial rapist!).

Now that she thought about it, though, she supposed she had always been a bit harder on the guys in her life than the girls. The red-head shrugged to herself, They deserve it. Guys are lame.

"I guess you're right, but I'm not so sure that's because I like girls. I think I just really don't like guys."

Hazuki laughed again as she lay back down on her pillow, one hand behind her head, "Yeah, I don't blame you."

The two lay in silence for a while, both lying on their backs, eyes to the ceiling. It wasn't an awkward silence, nor was it uncomfortable in any way. However, it wasn't peaceful either. It was a thoughtful silence, a certain quiet in which it felt as if you could hear the thoughts going round and round in the minds of those in the room.

Hazuki was the first to break it, "Kousaka-chan, huh?"

Kumiko hummed affirmatively. Hazuki hummed back.

They were silent again for a while, but it slowly dissolved into a peaceful quiet - the calm after the storm (although, it wasn't much of a storm, really).

Both girls were almost asleep when Hazuki spoke up once again, voice heavy with drowsiness, "One more question."

Kumiko hummed.

"Did you ever have a crush on me?"

If it hadn't been so dark, and if Hazuki hadn't been laughing at herself so hard, she would have seen the lazy glare Kumiko shot her from her bed.

"Goodnight, Hazuki."

"'Night, Kumiko."


The days following Kumiko's reluctant confession proved to be both a relief and an annoyance to the red-head. A relief, due to the fact that she could now be her full self with her best friend, without anything holding her back; and an annoyance because said best friend was hopeless when is came to being subtle.

Since finding out that Kumiko actually liked Reina, not Shuichi (gross), the girl insisted that she hang out with Kumiko and Reina at some point - "best friend approval is crucial for potential boyfriends and girlfriends."

This wouldn't have been a problem for Kumiko if Hazuki wasn't ridiculously obvious about the whole thing. The red-head had asked Reina if she would mind if Hazuki joined them the next time they studied together, which was what brought them to the library at this moment.

Kumiko knew that Hazuki was excited to officially meet Reina, but she had no idea she would be so embarrassing!

It started out when she began to not-so-subtly interrogate the dark-haired woman.

"Soooo, Kousaka-chan," Hazuki had drawled, a mischievous smile on her face as she eyed the girl sitting across from her. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Kumiko was eternally grateful that she hadn't been drinking her water at that moment, because she was sure that she would have done a movie-worthy spit-take.

"Uhh, Hazuki…" Kumiko was about to tell her friend to shut it, but was interrupted by a sound that she was sure she had imagined.

She had looked up to see Reina holding her hand over her mouth, eyes shut, and a smile on her face. She's laughing!

Kumiko felt her face burn as she watched the beautiful scene before her, she had never known that a laugh could sound so amazing. As Kumiko continued to gawk at Reina, Hazuki looked on in confusion, "What's funny?"

At this, Reina sobered up and looked at Hazuki with a smile on her face, mirth still swimming in her eyes, "Nothing," she said with a chuckle. "I don't have a boyfriend."

Hazuki hummed, as if considering the girl's words, and leaned back in her chair, narrowing her eyes. "Have you ever had one?"

Reina simply shook her head in the negative, bowing her head to continue studying. Of course, Hazuki wasn't quite finished.

"Do you play any sports, Kousaka-chan?" Hazuki had asked a few minutes later, catching both Reina and Kumiko by surprise. The red-head tried her best to telepathically tell her friend to please stop talking! but it was to no avail, Hazuki was on a mission and no one could stop her once she set her mind on something.

"I was on the track team in middle school," Reina said, doing her best to multi-task as she continued to copy notes in her notebook.

"That's it?"

Reina looked up at Hazuki then. Kumiko wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but it looked like she was beginning to get suspicious. Kumiko silently prayed that a fire drill would suddenly ring out so that she could get out of this situation.

The fates were not in her favor, it seemed.

"I was in band in high school," Reina stated, turning her attention back to her book. "That isn't considered a sport, though."

Hazuki hummed once again, stroking her chin like a detective trying to figure out a clue; which, Kumiko mused, she probably felt like she was doing.

"That's funny," Hazuki said, a mischievous smile gracing her features, "you were in band, weren't you, Kumiko?"

The red-head glared at her friend as hard as she could, but nothing could shake the smile from Hazuki's face.

"Yes, I was," Kumiko said between clenched teeth.

"I didn't know that," Kumiko turned to see Reina looking at her inquisitively. The red-head's cheeks warmed under the girl's scrutiny.

"Yeah, uh, it was only for a few years." If "a few years" meant "all of my life until I started college," that is. Kumiko chuckled nervously.

Reina simply nodded her head and turned back to her studies.

After that, Hazuki continued with her interrogation; asking every question she could think of, from "Do you have any siblings?" to "Have you ever been associated with a gang?"

To Reina's credit, she handled each question with ease - and no, she hadn't ever been in a gang.

Eventually, it was time for the girls to part ways, much to Kumiko's relief. She had every intention of letting Hazuki have it as soon as they broke away from Reina, however, the brunette was not done with her shenanigans just yet.

"Ohh, man! I totally forgot!" Hazuki exclaimed as soon as they walked out of the library. Turning towards Kumiko and Reina, Hazuki smiled not-so-apologetically, "I've got to go meet another classmate for this project we're doing, bye!"

With that, the brunette was gone, leaving the other two staring after her with shock and annoyance (the annoyance, of course, was coming from Kumiko).

"She's very…energetic," Reina said as she and Kumiko walked back to their dorms.

Kumiko chuckled at that, "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

"I'm assuming she's okay now?"

Kumiko blushed against her own will, remembering just why Hazuki had been upset in the first place, "Yep, she's good now."

The two walked in silence for a while after that.

Kumiko sighed inwardly. Reina had acted normally all day, which both pleased and confused the red-head. Just the other day, she was sure that Reina was upset with her in some way, but ever since that day she went to her dorm, everything was just as it was before. Not that Kumiko wasn't happy about that, it was a huge relief to not have to worry about Reina being angry with her for whatever reason. Nonetheless, it didn't make any sense!

If anything, Kumiko was sure Reina would be even more annoyed with her after the whole bunny slipper thing. No regrets, though, Kumiko thought. Those slippers were adorable.

When she thought about it, however, she shouldn't have been surprised by Reina's mood swings. Ever since they had gotten to know each other, that had been one of the girl's most prominent features; one second she would be normal, the next she would be storming off in anger, then she would be smiling at Kumiko like nothing ever happened.

Kumiko would be lying if she said it didn't drive her insane, but she also found it oddly endearing. I guess I like the unexpected, huh.

The red-head was pulled from her thoughts by the very being that inhabited them. "Want to grab something to eat?"

Kumiko scolded herself for getting so excited by the offer as she nodded, following Reina to wherever it was they were going.

A little while later, the two sat in the cafeteria with their trays full of mediocre food - except the pizza, the pizza was ridiculously good.

Usually, when Kumiko went out to eat with Reina, the two sat in silence most of the time, not speaking until it was time to leave. So, when the girl suddenly started a conversation, Kumiko was more than a little surprised.

She started out by asking how long she and Hazuki had known each other, then she asked about band, then Kumiko's friends back home, and on and on.

Though she wasn't sure what to think of Reina's sudden curiosity, Kumiko wasn't about to waste this opportunity to get to know her more. So, she asked questions back; she half-expected Reina to refuse to answer, but she answered each question easily.

The two continued to ask each other questions, asking for elaboration on certain subjects, letting others drop. Their food had long since been abandoned, for they were too busy focusing on each other.

Much to Kumiko's delight, Reina laughed again during their conversation, and then again, and again. She had even made Kumiko laugh with her dry humor many times.

Two hours went by without either of them taking notice; it wasn't until the cafeteria was nearly empty that they realized just how long they had been there. They kept talking as they put away their trays and left the cafeteria. They talked as they made their way home, joking and teasing one another.

Sooner than Kumiko would have liked, they were standing in front of Reina's door.

"Well, that was fun," Kumiko said, scratching the back of her head awkwardly.

"It was," Reina said, a smile on her face.

Kumiko stared at her as she smiled, she had been doing that all night and Kumiko couldn't get enough of it. She was sure she could stand here for days, just looking at that smile.

Sensing that she had been standing there, staring, for too long, Kumiko cleared her throat, "Uh, well, I guess I'll see you later."

Reina laughed once again, Kumiko's heart clenched in her chest. "See you later."

Kumiko smiled and hesitantly turned away, returning to her room.

Just before she opened the door to her room, Kumiko looked towards Reina's room, expecting to see a closed door. Instead, she saw Reina there, watching her, smile still in place. Caught off guard, Kumiko blushed furiously and waved. With one last laugh, Reina waved back and closed her door.

Kumiko turned back to her door and rested her forehead on it, sighing. If she was in deep before, she knew that she had just plunged five thousand feet further down.

With another audible sigh, Kumiko unlocked her door and stepped inside, ready to fall asleep to the memories of just hours before.

Once again, fate was not on her side.

There, sitting on her bed, was Shuichi, looking like death itself.

"Shuichi? What are you doing in here?" Kumiko only slightly noted the lack of animosity in her tone, I must still be delirious from my Reina Time.

Shuichi, however, didn't seem to notice the change in her tone. In fact, he didn't really seem to notice her at all. He sat on her bed with a stern look on his face and his hands clasped together in front of him.

"Shuichi?"

He held up a finger, "Just…give me a minute."

Kumiko was starting to get worried, she'd known Shuichi almost her whole life and she had never seen him like this. "Shuichi, what's-?"

She stopped talking as he looked up at her. The look in his eyes made her heart go cold in her chest, she had never seen so much sadness, anger, hopelessness before.

He closed his eyes suddenly, as if he was preparing himself. Then, he stood, eyes still closed.

When he opened them, the same emotions flooded his features, but they were not surrounded by a certain steeliness. Determination.

"I have to tell you something, and I want you to listen."

Unsure if she should respond, or if she even could, Kumiko simply stood there, waiting.

He closed his eyes once more and drew in a breath, he held it for a moment and then let it go quickly, "I'm in love with you."

His eyes were still closed, so he didn't see Kumiko's widen.

"I know you don't feel the same way, and that's okay. And I know you like Reina, that's okay, too. But, I just need you to know that I love you, I have for a long time."

Kumiko stayed silent, she didn't trust her voice at the moment.

Eyes still closed, Shuichi continued, "But this doesn't mean that I'm always going to be in love with you, okay? I'm not. I know I'm not. One day, I'm going to get over you. So, don't think you'll always have this effect on me, okay? Because you won't. Eventually."

His eyes opened slowly and he met Kumiko's own wide eyes. "I don't expect you to say anything. In fact, I don't really want you to. I just needed you to know."

After staring at each other for a moment, Shuichi lowered his gaze and cleared his throat - his confidence had run its course. "Uh, yeah, that's it," he muttered, blushing.

Kumiko continued to stare ahead, wide eyed, even after he moved from his place. She kept staring as he walked past her, as he paused, then left the room. She was still in the same spot when Hazuki came in the room, and when she asked what happened, Kumiko kept staring.


A/N:

Ooh, lots of plot development in this chapter! Guys, Hazuki is slowly becoming my favorite person to write, she's just so funny and cute! And shameless.

Alright, guys, I hate to say it but...the end is near (not of the world, just this story)! I mean, there's still several more chapters to come but soon things will start to wrap up. But don't worry, you guys will have your fill of Reina and Kumiko fluff before it's over :3

Once again, thank you guys so much for your support with this story. I know I'm slow with updates but I'd rather take a long time to give you guys good material than post something I'm not happy with. Thank you for your patience! 3

Special Thanks to Reviewers: Psykoakuma, Asuna, RawrrImADinosaurFearMe, ShadowClaireXD, Nink, The Flying Lion, Val, Ustolemynameagai, Fran Kaioh-Tenoh