Chapter Twelve

Written: 23 July 2006

Edited: 07 October 2012

Kozue slid to the floor, her back braced against the closed door, arranged herself casually; legs extended and ankles crossed, she looked quite at home as she looked up at Juri, eyes narrowed.

"I already told you what I want to talk about. Now, I think, it's your turn to talk."

Juri was silent for a long moment, then sighed softly. She stared at the printed pattern of colourful cartoon stars that cut a bold line across the otherwise plain walls.

"I don't suppose you would like it if I were to lie prettily?" Her tone was wry, but held the faintest undertone of something that might have been classified as 'hope'.

"No," Kozue replied in an equally wry tone, "I don't suppose I would. Just answer the question, Arisugawa. Why have you been ignoring me? Why are you still ignoring me right now?"

Another sigh, another long moment of communing with the bright rainbow colours and exaggeratedly happy expression of the stars.

"I ignored you because..." She shifted uncomfortably, "Isn't it possible for me to assert that I do indeed have a very good reason and just leave it at that?"

"Arisugawa!" Kozue snapped angrily, slapping one outstretched thigh with her hand. "Just answer the damn question! If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were afraid of me!"

Juri's breath hitched and her eyes darted to Kozue's face. Kozue stared. Those turquoise eyes had darkened perceptibly, and her pupils had dilated just a fraction. There was no other change in her expression, but just those eyes gave it all away. Kozue gasped.

"You...you are afraid of me, aren't you?" Kozue's voice held something like wonder...and maybe just a touch of derision to make it sting.

Juri hung her head, ginger locks falling forward around her face and shoulders, and sighed.

"Kozue...things are different now. You and I are different. And because I'm an idiot," she added in a self-derisive tone, "I can't stop thinking that since everything has changed so much, that maybe we could take another try at us. But I haven't forgotten how terribly it ended before. So yes, I am a little afraid. Of you, of us, of...well, of a lot of things."

She looked sad and tired and somehow...defeated. And before she herself knew it, Kozue found herself kneeling before this woman who seemed, in that moment, like a child in need of comfort. And though Kozue had never liked children, it seemed natural to her to brush the hair out of her panther's eyes, tucking it gently behind one ear and cupping a smooth cheek in her hand.

Sad, scared blue-green eyes met hers and Kozue couldn't help but smile, absently stroking Juri's cheek with her thumb as if catching tears that hadn't fallen.

"You know," she said softly, "Right at this moment I think I have never seen you look more beautiful." Feeling Juri tense up, she continued patiently, "Not because you're in pain, I'm not that much of a bitch, but because you're being honest for once. You were really afraid to show this to me?"

Juri lowered her eyes briefly, lashes leaving soft shadows on her cheeks, and then met Kozue's gaze once again.

"No," she murmured softly, "This is what I was afraid to show you."

Kozue bit back a gasp at the new light in Juri's eyes. And then, slowly but surely, a wolfish grin spread across her face.

"This is what I wanted so badly at Ohtori, what you would never show me. Why I left you back then. All I ever wanted, Juri," she deliberately switched to her given name, softening the declaration, "Was to see your passion."

When dinner ended with no sign of Kozue, Miki took only brief notice of it, assuming that she and Juri had a lot to talk about. He remembered the flaming wreckage as their brief attempt at a relationship had fallen from the sky, and although he had no similar experiences, he assumed it would take a long time to talk that kind of thing over.

When he checked her room after his bath and Kozue wasn't there, Miki began to wonder. Surely they didn't plan to stay up all night talking?

When he was awakened in the early morning by the shouting of children from downstairs and Kozue still wasn't in her room, Miki knew.

And when he got dressed for his first day at the new school without Kozue, ate breakfast without her, and saw Utena, Anshii, and the twins off with still no sign of her, he blushed, took his courage in his hands, and tapped softly on the door to Juri's room.

No answer.

With a deep breath and a gulp – he was still a bit of a coward, no matter how much time passed – he knocked, loud and hard. He immediately shrunk backwards, wary of the wrath of Juri and Kozue combined because he just knew he was interrupting something, even if it was just their sleep.

Still no answer.

In the end, he went to school by himself to sort through all the standard first-day things by himself. When the principal wondered where his twin was, Miki's blushing response was something vague and embarrassed about a fever after their long trip and needing her sleep. The principal nodded and wished health upon the absent young woman. Miki blushed for the rest of the day.

Juri and Kozue, for their part, woke up for the third time at around one in the afternoon and simply regarded each other quietly with smiles and a silent sort of affection. Curled up together, they were decidedly mussed, as was the bed. The pillow was on the floor somewhere, the sheets hopelessly tangled around the bodies that were equally tangled around each other.

As one or the other of them would shift, they would both smile at the feel of skin sliding against skin. Every other time they had awoken, it was this that prevented them from getting out of bed. This time was no exception. Exchanging supremely contented smiles and a soft kiss, they went back to sleep, not waking until several hours later when the call of nature could no longer be denied.

By the time they finally crawled out of bed for good, the school day had come to an end and Miki was on his way home, followed by Utena, Anshii, and the twins, who took a bit longer to come and go from school.

The rumpled pair had just enough time to bathe, dress, and neaten the shamefully defiled bed – a child's bed! – before Miki got home, and after a series of blushes from the shy boy, the three of them were able to work together to make a simple meal with which to surprise their hostesses, who walked through the door just as Juri was deftly scooping the rice into small bowls for each person.

"Wow! I never would've guessed that Arisugawa-senpai could cook," Utena exclaimed a few minutes later around a mouthful of shrimp tempura, then swallowed and added, "'Specially not this well!"

Juri shrugged, having the grace to chew and swallow her bite of rice before replying, "It was either learn to cook or put up with yet another woman puttering about my apartment. I think cooking was the more agreeable of the two, personally."

Utena laughed.

"I can only imagine – we take care of everything here ourselves. Then again," she glanced slyly at Juri, "I think your apartment is probably nearly the size of this place."

"Please, I live in downtown Kyoto. It's bigger."

There was laughter around the table, and much playful ribbing for Juri to share the wealth.

"From what I understand," the businesswoman said with a smirk, "You two hardly need it. If I'd realized you were part of the local Tenjou family, perhaps I'd have been nicer to you in school. Your family is filthy rich."

"Yes, well," Utena stuttered, blushing into her rice, "My family...well..."

Anshii gracefully stepped in for her struggling mate, her voice cool and detached, although her expression gave away her deep unhappiness.

"Utena's family is not fond of her, and have only given us leave to live here and manage the apartment building in order to keep us within sight and out of trouble. It wouldn't do to flaunt the fact that a Tokyo Tenjou is not only a teen mother, but living with another girl. They pay for Utena's and the twins' educations, and the rest of our expenses come from rent and key money. The building is old, but we do quite a business with foreigners who want to experience a more traditional style of apartment. That is the official reason Utena has been placed here – she speaks a fair amount of English. Officially, I am the assistant building manager."

That information put a damper on the teenagers, and the rest of the meal was eaten in silence. Verbal silence, at any rate. The noise in Miki's head was beginning to get to him, questions shouting over each other, demanding to be heard.

'Did they really? Does this mean they're a couple? Is Kozue going to move into Juri's room? Does that mean I get a bigger room? I thought we weren't staying here for long? I wonder how they...'

The sound of Miki's chopsticks clattering onto his plate made the rest of the room look up, questioning looks on their faces.

"Gochisousama," he murmured, followed by, "I'm more tired than I thought I would be. I believe I'll go to bed now. Goodnight."

Nishiki and Nishiko chorused, "Goodnight!" and the sentiment was echoed by everyone around the table. Utena and Anshii looked a bit puzzled, Kozue looked calm, and Juri looked just the slightest bit embarrassed behind her usual stoic facade. Glancing at Kozue, her eyes were questioning. Kozue just shrugged.

This time it was the questions in Juri's mind that made the end of the meal somewhat less than silent, and the one question that stood out was 'Miki knows, now what do I do?'

END CH.12