Milk and its Derivatives

by WhyMeiTalksWithPigeons

A Team Pigeons Production: Milk and its Derivatives is the continuation of the Citrus story. Set approximately seven years after graduating from high school, Mei and Yuzu are now young adults living together in a stable relationship. Adulthood introduces the pair to new experiences and challenges.

14. Chapter 14 aka The One where Mei

Chapter 14: The one where Mei plays the game

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Note:

Dear reader,

We'd like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts if you've made it this far. Milk has always been a labour of love and we're thrilled to know that people have enjoyed reading it as much as we've enjoyed writing it.

We're now going to be focusing primarily on our new series, Baby Steps, which will be set in the same universe as Milk but takes place shortly after the events of chapter 36 of the manga.

Tonally, it won't be exactly the same as what we've written before and there will be appearances by several Citrus characters that have yet to show up in Milk. This is a story that we've been outlining for the better part of a year and are delighted to soon be able to share with you.

This is not the end of Milk or our Derivatives series of side stories and we have plans to continue both at a later date. There are many more stories that we'd like to share with you and we hope that you join us for the ride.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for our new series!

As a further thank you we commissioned a artwork of our girls from the extremely talented clabell. You can find it on Citrus Reddit!

- Why and Joe, Team Pigeon

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Aihara

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The three stepped out of the limousine generously provided by their Grandfather. Yuzu allowed herself a moment to stretch a leg completely before unseating herself and following Atsuko and Mei into the reception area of the hotel. She instinctively turned to close the car door but saw that the driver was already seeing to just that.

"Just call when you're ready to be picked up." He said with a deep bow.

After a few frantic nods, Yuzu took a few brisk steps to catch up with the other two; There was an unusual chill in the evening air and warmth could always be better achieved in numbers.

It did not escape Yuzu's attention that Mei had looked on-edge for the entirety of the journey, as though she held an unwanted familiarity with the lavish interior of their unexpected transport. Grandfather had been quite insistent on having one of his drivers take them to the gala, doubtless an attempt at some sort of posturing or faux-hospitality. Despite their initial excitement, Yuzu and Atsuko quickly found themselves frowning at the selection of amenities: water, wine and whiskey. It was a poor array of options for a child and a woman who seldom touched alcohol.

Yuzu shared in their relief to be back on their feet again, even with the long night ahead of them.

As she strode into the gala hall, Yuzu felt a not insignificant amount of pride growing in her chest. Her team were already close to finished when she and Atsuko had visited earlier in the day but everything was now complete and the results were simply fabulous. The quartet were setting up to play on the centre stage, perfectly following the schedule that she had agreed. Even with the room only sparsely populated with the early guests, all dressed to the nines, Yuzu saw her vision realised without any flaws to speak of, except for possibly the lack of a karaoke machine.

From the corner of her eye, Yuzu glimpsed Matsuri flitting about to the best degree of discretion that she could muster. The bright pink hair and the sharp black tuxedo she was now wearing made it difficult to miss her as she saw to the minutiae of various things, taking her job with a degree of seriousness that her more casual acquaintances would have never thought possible.

It was easy to pick out Grandfather, now wearing a gray suit, among the few assembled guests. He smiled and exchanged pleasantries with them as he sipped from a glass of water but he quickly noticed his three granddaughters.

"Ah good, here they are." He remarked loudly as he beckoned them to join him.

Yuzu looked at Mei and a simple nod was all it took to send them on a brisk walk in the direction of the still-smiling Aihara. Atsuko drew in closer to Mei's side, her spindly legs working overtime to keep up with the flowing skirt as it drifted across the carpeted floor. They bowed in unison once they reached the circle of guests and Yuzu silently found herself thanking Mei for insisting on them rehearsing the small routine.

"Good evening, Grandfather." Mei's face held a serious expression as she faced the elderly man and she found herself feeling much more at ease as soon as Yuzu and Atsuko took their places at her side to complete the circle.

He nodded in response before turning back to the gathered men and women he had been conversing with.

"For those of you who do not know, these three are my granddaughters: Aihara Mei, Aihara Yuzu and Aihara Atsuko." He gestured to each of them in turn, leaving a relaxed hand pointed at Atsuko for a few seconds.

Mei immediately noticed Atsuko tense up as she became the focus of attention in the group while Yuzu, ever the expert of social grace, smiled sweetly, not willing to correct the man on the fact that she had reverted back to the Okogi family name.

"I expect that you have all met Mei already, but please let me introduce the other two." He maintained his hold on the floor. "Yuzu here runs a successful event management company and you have her to thank for this evening's entertainment. We Aiharas are all perfectionists, so you can expect a great time."

He chuckled to himself, prompting the rest to join him in polite laughter at the non-joke. Yuzu continued smiling and bowed again. Mei was in awe of how well she was handling the situation; One of the things she loved most about Yuzu was her brash personality but right now, she was conducting herself with an air of restraint built up from years of working for herself.

"And Atsuko…" He gently placed his wrinkled hand on the head of his youngest granddaughter. "...is the future of this family. She is still young, but her academic achievements are already impressive. I am sure that you will be well-acquainted with her over the coming years and will enjoy working with her for many more beyond that."

Atsuko tried to follow the example set by her sisters but it did not escape Mei's attention that her smile was awkward and there was a slight shudder to her shoulders as she bowed. Yuzu surely would have noticed too.

Things then started to move too quickly to process as the Aiharas completed the first of what would be many introductions. Grandfather had led them to the entrance of the large hall with Mei stood by his side, a study of stillness and elegance, while a seemingly incessant flow of people proceeded to greet them.

It was a dance that Mei had learned at a very young age.

She executed all the steps flawlessly, never missing a beat and impeccably switching her rhythm as the situation required because among the formal words and respectful bows there would be those seeking the Aihara patriarch's favor. Some of them would try to do so through Mei, yet she would yield nothing and remain gracefully distant as it was wiser to never acknowledge such requests.

Others, the ones whom her Grandfather had reached profitable agreements with and might have been considered friends in a different social situation, would prolong their greeting by exchanging pleasantries. They were empty displays for the most part, aiming at boasting their status rather than carrying any genuine interest.

Still, she danced artfully and in the event that would see those opening steps turn into a fencing match; she would feint and counter, turning the plush carpets of the hall into her own piste. After all, those who were not already in good standing with the Aihara family were also present and would line up to greet them as etiquette demanded.

Atsuko and Yuzu stood to Grandfather's other side, both bringing an electric element of novelty to the scene. She could not help but be in awe of her love as Yuzu had easy smiles for everyone and gave away nothing but graciousness. Even during Grandfather's misleading introductions, her smile had not faltered, not even once. She stood effulgently in her golden dress as the light gathered all around her, just as Mei had imagined it would. She was a sun rising over the darkness, casting light into a thick fog.

Yuzu's presence alone provided Mei with much-needed strength.

She took no little amusement in seeing how most guests were thrown off-balance by her beloved's smile. Yuzu was a foreign object to them and even though their usual reaction to something out of their world would be indifference, it was quite impossible to dismiss Yuzu's radiancy, especially as Grandfather introduced her as his granddaughter. The fact that she managed to hold the attention she was given by her own merit was a testament to the boundless nature of her charm.

What filled Mei's heart with turmoil and kept her on a sharp edge though was Atsuko. The child had been at the end of any and all gazes. The guests would settle their curious eyes on her and in most cases, their curiosity would gain a calculating glint. If Mei was out out of their reach, a more accessible card had just been dealt to them, or so they thought.

Once the last of the latest group of assembled guests had left, Mei seized upon the chance to properly check on Atsuko and she was not faring well, not in the least. She was demure, her lips drawn in a tense line as she held her gaze down. Still, she would dutifully bow whenever her name was mentioned and in spite of the weight put on her shoulders, she managed to stand up straight.

Every now and then though, she would yield to the temptation of reaching for her new necklace. She would run her fingertips over the flying birds that now adorned her neckline and the set of her lips would relax slightly, even curling into a small smile on occasion. Mei had to fight the urge to reach for her new irreplaceable treasure but its presence about her neck still provided her with comfort.

In Grandfather's eyes, Atsuko must have appeared to be the perfect Aihara: quiet, compliant and carrying out her duties with diligent determination. Such a sight distressed Mei greatly though as it held a particularly bitter taste. In spite of looking identical to her, Atsuko had never been the child Mei used to be, not until now at least.

What troubled Mei the most was that Atsuko appeared fearful. There was an hesitation about the young child that could only come from the fear of making missteps.

If there was something that her new family had taught her, it was that making mistakes was an inevitable fact of life and not something to be feared. They had all been adamant in instilling the same values in Atsuko, for taking chances was an act of bravery after all. Right now, they were nowhere to be seen.

She must have been looking toward Atsuko with a staggering intensity as in that very moment, her sister turned her eyes on her, the brights of her eyes flickered back for an instant and as soon as her gaze settled on Mei a spark of anticipation animated it.

There was not much Mei could do at the moment, yet she could lend some of her own resolve to Atsuko. She set her intense eyes on her and conjured a small smile. Atsuko's eyes widened in recognition and Mei felt pride swell in her chest when the child gave her a curt nod before returning the gesture in kind.

Yuzu's gold-tipped hand then entered her field of vision as her love caressed the side of their sister's head, combing her fingers through her dark tresses. Atsuko's smile got brighter at the familiar touch; she tilted her head back and lifted her eyes to her oldest sister's brilliant smile in gratitude. There must have been a question in her eyes as Yuzu offered her a warm nod. It lead Atsuko to wrap her small hand around Yuzu's in a tight hold and the sense of relief that flowed from her at the contact was immense.

Mei realized that her sister had been keeping herself from searching for the most basic form of comfort in fear of being inappropriate. At the thought, the emptiness of her own hands became unbearable. She had never truly contemplated the possibility of Atsuko standing beside them during such a formal occasion but as the evening began to rumble into life, a few dozen more variables were added to Mei's list of concerns.

She wondered if her Grandfather had noticed any of the non-verbal exchanges; his keen eyes rarely missed anything and his face revealed little. He had most certainly noticed that Atsuko had taken hold of Yuzu's hand though and Mei knew that he would rather the child to stand untethered.

An old acquaintance of Grandfather walked up to then next, the patriarch of the Yoshimoro family, accompanied by his daughter Yoshimoro Kanako, a former Academy student, greeted them.

"Aihara-san, I find you well." Yoshimoro-san greeted Mei. Her face had lost any trace of the softness of youth, giving her features a refined look. Her voice had gained warmer notes and was no longer as high pitched as it was during her Academy days.

"As I do you, Yoshimoro-san." Mei replied graciously, tilting her head in a small bow. She did not miss the narrowing of her Grandfather's eyes once he took notice of the bump on the lower half of the young woman's torso. Mei deciding to forgo the marriage and never providing him with a heir was a wound to his ego that would never heal.

She caressed the golden band on her annular finger, loving the feeling of the smooth and slightly worn surface under her touch. It never failed to provide her with a measure of serenity and she would often revisit the memory of Yuzu giving it to her in her mind. She should have delayed sleep back then and returned the favor but the endless nature of the love that she was feeling had overwhelmed her into hiding.

"Aihara-san, I understand that the Academy is truly flourishing under your leadership." Yoshimoro-san's father joined the conversation and his casual mannerisms belied his substantial influence.

"My work is made easier by the work of those that came before me." She shifted her eyes toward her Grandfather and bowed her head in a display of modesty.

Her remark brought a glint of satisfaction in her Grandfather's eyes. He had every right to be proud as he had build the school from the ground and made it one of Tokyo elite academies for women.

"My first born will start the Academy, next year." Yoshimoro-san intervened again. Her eyes were kind and her voice had already taken a motherly tone. Nevertheless, when it became clear that she was addressing Atsuko directly, Mei tensed.

"Will you show her around, Atsuko-san? She is quite shy."

Mei's eyes grew wide at the sight of Atsuko suddenly coming alive. She lifted her head to look directly at Yoshimoro-san with those beautiful green eyes of hers while a bright and easy smile appeared on her face.

"Of course, Yoshimoro-san!" She nodded eagerly, the sincere enthusiasm on her cherubic face was so infectious that even Grandfather permitted a tiny smile to appear on his lips.

Above Atsuko's head, Mei found Yuzu smiling brightly at her. She allowed her eyes to linger over the familiar laughing lines that a full smile would draw on her beloved face. She might have felt herself undeserving of such adoration but she still vowed to honor it to the best of her abilities by never conceding a battle. Not any more.

"Don't worry, Yoshimoro-san. I will show her around! School is great, she will like it!" Atsuko added, quickly turning to flash a smile toward Yuzu as her oldest sister squeezed her hand in approval.

"It seems the Academy is in most capable hands." Grandfather's voice lacked its usual rasp as he cast his eyes over Atsuko. A merciless constriction seized the back of Mei's throat at the sight of Atsuko nodding vigorously in response to Grandfather's words, misunderstanding their underlying meaning. Grandfather had already scaled back his plans for Mei from the moment she had refused to marry. The pain she felt over having disappointed the man, even to this day, was a powerful reminder of how mindless she had been in her subjugation. "She certainly looks like an Aihara." Yoshimoro observed, noting the numerous similarities between Mei and her.

His words drew a satisfied nod from Grandfather and from the corner of her eye, she saw Atsuko's hand tighten her hold on Yuzu's. Atsuko was not completely accustomed to being the centre of attention when it came to strangers, even if they were singing her praises but she resisted the urge to speak. "Thank you, Atsuko-san." Yoshimoro smiled warmly as she bowed her head, showing the intricate bun gathered at the back of it. "I'm quite relieved now."
Mei needed to remain in control, for allowing her emotions to guide her would serve her poorly in such a situation - Especially because the next guest approaching them was one who held great interest for Mei: Higashi Eisuke.

He had an easy and relaxed air about himself that often threw people off; in high society formality and strictness of character were considered paramount qualities. He seldom took part in such events though Mei suspected that Higashi, being a man of discerning tastes, had been drawn to the evening by the presence of one of Saito-sensei's pieces being at the auction.

Grandfather greeted him as enthusiastically as he would ever permit himself to get, clearly pleased by having the man attend the event. Once formalities had been taken care of, Higashi-san's curious eyes shifted to Yuzu. Mei saw him take pause, as though his interest had been unexpectedly kindled.

Such a reaction was not unexpected as the incandescent quality of Yuzu's charisma was a rare one to find. When he complimented Yuzu on the success of Citrus-E, an adorable blush dusted Yuzu's cheeks; being recognized by such a businessman as Higashi-san was a testament to the success of her efforts. Her blush lasted but a second though as she immediately collected herself into her "professional mode" and thanked Higashi-san for his kind words, also making sure to praise her collaborators.

At the start, Citrus-E had been but an idea in Yuzu's head, then a difficult dream that she ran from their shared bedroom with a phone and a laptop. Now it was a successful reality. Mei was left staring at her love with wide eyes as she stood radiant and beautiful beyond compare, dressed in confidence while still retaining a quality of kindness about herself. It was a mesmerizing blend and one that Mei could never resist.

Once Higashi left, Yuzu acknowledged Mei's eyes by turning toward her and when she did, a serious blush exploded onto her cheeks, reddening the beautiful curvature of her neck too. Praise from guests was something she could easily withstand but such an open gaze of admiration from Mei was another matter entirely.

Even Atsuko was smiling, albeit shyly. Always perceptive of her sisters' moods, she had not missed her oldest sister's moment of awe and was more than willing to share in her sisters' joy. Mei captured the child's eyes next and blinked at her, for the simple act of winking continued to elude the pair of them.

She looked around the hall next. There still were a few guests mingling about but the majority had been ushered into the main room. She glimpsed a flash of pink hair from the corner of the eye and shifted her gaze fully on Mizusawa Matsuri.

She scooted about the hall, the usual laziness of her steps replaced by swift purpose as she went about issuing orders to the immaculately-dressed staff. Mei could tell by the way her instructions were received with utter confidence that Mizusawa commanded great respect and trust among her colleagues.

Her attire was a veritable spectacle: She was wearing a tight black tuxedo over a pristine white dress shirt. A band of black satin ran along the side her tight pants, outlining the feminine lines of her legs while her single button and satin-lapelled jacket tapered around her slim waist, drawing a beautiful womanly shape. Around her reversed collar, she wore an untied bow tie that gave a blasé attitude to her appearance. It must have been one of those fashion statements that Yuzu often spoke about so fondly. On her feet were a pair of relatively high open shoes and her pink hair was fashionably slicked back.

Quite what had prompted the wardrobe choices was a matter that Mei felt little desire to speculate on. It was best not to ask too many questions when that woman was concerned.

Her drifting attention was promptly stolen back by the next guest walking up to them. Uyeda Sophia, the Mistress du Ballet of the Tokyo Ballet greeted them, accompanied by her husband.

She had a formidable presence, tall even by European standards and the tight burgundy dress she was wearing suited her strict grace perfectly. Her white blond hair was gathered into a tight bun that exalted the stern lines of her features. Even in her day-to-day life, it was clear that she carried herself with balletic elegance. There was no other way.

The introduction flew by smoothly in spite of never shifting from a formal tone. Uyeda-san mostly participated by bowing her head graciously. What surprised Mei though was the fact that when her icy blue eyes sat on her partner a flicker of recognition lit them for a second. The faint familiarity between the pair set her mind racing as to whether Yuzu was up to something, thought she had not the faintest clue of what that something could be.

Mei's internal musing was interrupted by the arrival of yet another guest and she allowed her baffled thoughts to flow away from her mind for the time being and relented her intense scrutiny of Yuzu's face. She suspected that all would be revealed in due course.

The seemingly endless procession of guests finally came to an halt and they then made their way to the main room to rejoin them. Grandfather's current mood was inscrutable until his tired purple eyes set themselves on Mei, causing her to felt a bout of tenderness for him. Mei knew his wishes and still felt a great deal of loyalty towards him but her line had now been drawn and cast in iron.

Perhaps, if she had never met Yuzu, she would be at this very gala holding her husband's arm and there would be nothing of her beside the Chairwoman of the Academy. Maybe not even that.

She would have no knowledge of what happiness felt like or of how sudden a smile could be. She would know nothing of the beauty of longing or of the tense joy that lied in waiting for your love to walk through the door after any time apart. And what would she ever know of love if she had never met Yuzu?

To walk away from that was not just impossible; it was irresponsible and it was disgraceful too. A gift as such was to be honored and cherished.

Yuzu must have sensed her mood shift as she swiftly walked to her. The delicate clack of her heels on the laminate floor heralded her intentions and her dress shimmered under the speckled light of a chandelier, making it look as if gold was streaming over her. Once their eyes met, she blessed Mei with a dazzling smile; her teeth appeared even whiter, framed as they were by her cherry colored lips and a spark of adoration lit her eyes.

Latched onto her hand with both of her smaller ones was Atsuko. The child was looking up at Mei while a frown of apprehension furrowed her small brow. She was squinting her green eyes slightly as if trying to peer into her sister's mind and unravel her troubles.

Mei felt a smile tug at the corner of her lips and finally permitted herself the pleasure of raising her hand to her trilogy necklace, feeling the different textures of the three rings with her touch, tracing their outlines only to stop by the spot where they perfectly intersected.

If she had never met Yuzu and if Mother had not been unable to stand the thought of a lonely girl living by herself and never met her Father, Atsuko would not be there then and Mei would have never found the other half of her heart. Surely, she would have had her own children by now and she would have cared for them, she supposed, in the same fashion her Grandfather cared for her. They would have been her legacy after all: The future of the Aihara family.

But love? If she had never met Yuzu, she would have not been able to love anyone as she loved Atsuko for she would know nothing of love.

Atsuko shared so much in common with Yuzu, yet Mei saw plenty of herself in there too. It gave a feeling that she was unaccustomed to: Pride. To know that someone she cared so much about wanted to be like her reminded Mei that not only was she free to love Yuzu and Atsuko, she was free to love herself too.

"Mei." Her Grandfather's voice tore her back to the present. His purple eyes no longer appeared to be tired as purposeful sparks now animated their ageless depths. She must have been truly lost in her contemplation for her Grandfather to request her attention because as a rule he would simply act, fierce in the belief of commanding all and any attention at any given time.

"Grandfather." Mei said, turning fully toward him, her skirt dancing around her as a flowing cape would.

"I would like to properly introduce your little sister to a few people now." His deep voice had a natural tone of authority to it. He had not spoken the words as a proposition and had instead passed his will to her, expecting it to be swiftly executed.

Instead, Mei dared to lower her gaze to Atsuko, fearing to find her distressed at the thought of standing through more introductions. Instead, what she found caused her eyes to grow wider and her lips to slightly part. Atsuko appeared to be as relaxed as Yuzu and she was giving Mei the same trusting stare.

It was all the impetus Mei needed.

"Do not worry, Grandfather. I will introduce Atsuko." She spoke with complete determination.

It was usually unwise to directly defy her Grandfather but what truly mattered was to keep Atsuko insulated and make sure that she was not overexposed. Still, her tone held steel within its elegant sound. The only reaction Grandfather granted her words was to raise a finger to set his glasses back on his nose.

She offered her pale slender hand to Atsuko, almost allowing a chuckle to spill past her lips when the child's eyes widened in had not been able to offer her the comfort of her touch until now and Atsuko had been craving it. She folded her hand around Atsuko's smaller one, trading a loving gaze with her partner above the child's head before taking the first step toward the main hall. All her Grandfather could do at the moment was to follow her.

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Theirs

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Ordinarily, Mei would pay little attention to the decor of a room. Tonight was different though as she knew that her partner had poured a great amount of attention into every detail as to craft the perfect evening for her. It was only natural of her to honor such commitment by taking notice of how beautifully their table was set.

The satin tablecloth was an elegant shade of gray with silver filament finely threaded within it, giving it a beautiful shimmering quality. The fine porcelain dishware was white, silver rimmed and shaped as flowers. The atmosphere was made even the more magical by the floating candles that were dotted about the table, shaped as lotuses, their light flickering warmly against the hand-carved crystal of the glasses.

Once she felt her partner's warm presence by her side, Mei turned around to caress Yuzu's arm in silent gratitude while her lips curled up to shape a proud smile. Yuzu acknowledged her appreciation with a somewhat delicate nod, though she could not help but slightly blush under Mei's gaze of admiration.

Her contemplation ended once Atsuko's desire to sit could no longer be kept in check. The child tugged at Yuzu's hand and once she had her sister's attention, she swivelled her head toward the chair like an eager puppy. Yuzu wasted no time and pulled the it out for her. Atsuko then squealed in delight when, without warning, Mei put her hands under arms and lifted her up, gently placing her onto the chair.

"There you go, Atsu-chan." Yuzu said with satisfaction.

Yuzu had chosen for them an outer table rather than a central one as their status would have normally demanded. Their humble position meant that they would only have to contend with the glances of the guests that did not mind to appear nosy and since appearance was highly valued among those people, there would not be many of them. At least for the time being.

It pleased Mei to see that Atsuko had completely relaxed upon finding herself with her sisters in a relatively secluded area. Just as Yuzu and Mother would, she was capable of pulling herself out of a dark mood as soon as a chance was offered. She was now gently humming to herself and swinging her legs to the rhythm of the quartet while the menu in her hands now held her full attention.

Yuzu was sitting by Atsuko's left side, intent on aiding her with her choice of food. She rested on her elbow, face cradled against her open palm as she looked at Atsuko with an adoring grin on her cherry-colored lips.

Her relaxed ways would be frowned upon by those familiar with the etiquette of table manners, though Mei would never begrudge her partner's need to be comfortable. Yuzu's spontaneity had always endeared her and more importantly to Mei, Yuzu cut a most delectable figure sitting as she was, with her slim shoulder exposed and the soft curvature of her neck on full display.

A fleeting touch along her arm had her shiver pleasantly as Yuzu trailed her fingers across her skin, stopping her journey by lingering about her wrist. They fell into their own world for a few moments and upon returning into the present, Mei discovered, to her great annoyance, that she had underestimated just how much interest their table would held for the guests. She permitted herself a sigh and put her free hand on the back of Atsuko's chair.

"Atsu-chan does look so much like you Mei. I hope they aren't getting the wrong idea." Yuzu said, her eyes slightly losing their focus as a memory formed itself into her mind.

Her love must have been deeply immersed in her musings to voice such a sentence, as it would inevitably capture Atsuko's attention. Mei did not feel particularly inclined to reveal the meaning of it to the child. She felt even less inclined to recount to her the senseless and short-lived rumors that followed her birth.

Nevertheless, as she had predicted Atsuko sprung to attention at once. She abandoned the menu that she had been attentively reading and turned toward her oldest sister with eyes full of only curiosity. A blush traveled along the delicate curvature of Yuzu's neck as she realized how confusing her words must have been for Atsuko.

"They might think you to be your Nee-san's child, sweetheart." She explained while combing her fingers through Atsuko's silky hair.

"But I am! And yours too!" Atsuko dismissed her own confusion and countered with certainty, capping her words by breaking into one of her brightest smiles. It was simply irrepressible.

Yuzu's hand stilled at the child's words and her eyes widened, fully revealing the bright depth of their color. She withdrew her hand from Atsuko's hair and brought it over her mouth, needing a moment to collect herself.

Though it had taken time, Mei now felt herself at ease regarding her and Yuzu's relationship with their younger sister. Atsuko had been a gift for the entire family to cherish and they all had a part to play in ensuring that the bright-eyed child received the happiest upbringing possible.

"That you are." Mei responded without hesitation, capturing Atsuko's gorgeous eyes with her own as the words left her lips. Atsuko held her gaze with confidence and Mei realized that the beauty of the moment had not escaped her sister's agile and beautiful mind.

"... Alright then!" Yuzu, now looking directly at Atsuko, was eager to wrap up the precious moment.

"The matter is settled and there is nothing to clarify." She continued, leaning forward to rest her lips on Atsuko's forehead before placing a sound kiss on it.

Atsuko nodded energetically at her sister's words. Any sign of confusion had long disappeared from her delicate face as the three of them came together to share in the beautiful inevitability of her declaration.

"Please come here, little samurai." Yuzu said sweetly while reaching for Atsuko's hand. Mei knew that if not for her dress and the occasion itself restraining her movements, Yuzu would have swept the child into her arms and danced all over the room. As it was, gathering her into an embrace was the best compromise.

Yuzu drew her gently toward her, smiling gratefully when Mei moved to aid the child off the tall chair. A content and relaxed smile softened Atsuko's delicate features as she wrapped herself around her oldest sister, immediately seeking Yuzu's unique warmth by burrowing into her shoulder. She had, most surely, been keeping herself from showing her usual exuberant affection out of fear of creasing her sisters' dresses and because the stiff ambiance seemed to demand that she stood by herself.

"Your dress feels funny, Yuzu-nee." Atsuko giggled, now resting her chin on Yuzu's shoulder and patting her hands on her back to feel out the intricate lace of her gorgeous garment. Yuzu smiled before whispering something that Mei could not quite catch to the child. Whatever it was though, it caused Atsuko to tighten her hold of Yuzu and made her giggle cutely.

"Yuzu-nee..." Atsuko finally pulled back from her Yuzu's shoulder with some regret, although the serious look on her face declared her next words to be of great importance.

"I wan...I would like the fish meal!" She pursed her lips adorably for a moment. "Is there any octopus in it?"

It was a most important matter indeed. So much so that Yuzu gave it some serious consideration before answering, masterfully resisting her urge to giggle.

"Well, if there is, I know someone that would love helping you with it, little samurai!" A chuckle laced itself to Yuzu's words as she wiggled her eyebrow meaningfully.

Atsuko broke into a grin of delight, most likely remembering how much her Nee-san had enjoyed helping her out in Fujikawaguchiko when Atsuko had been faced with her worst culinary adversary.

"Nee-san?" She looked up at Mei expectantly with adoration in her eyes.

"Of course, Atsuko." Mei allowed a delicate smile on her lips and blinked at the child for good measure.

"Yeah!" Atsuko wasted no time in blinking back while a brilliant smile, that was all Yuzu's, conquered her face.

"Alright!" A determined expression set Yuzu's brow in a bold line as she relinquished her hold of Atsuko and clapped her hands together. "One of these days we're going to sit down and I'm gonna teach you two how to wink!"

Her proposition was meet by the lift of a pair of equally dark eyebrows as two identical faces turned their differently colored gazes on her.

"No fair!" Yuzu huffed unable to withstand the combined attack, crossing her arms over her chest for good measure in a poor attempt to appear annoyed. It was a gesture that delighted Mei as it showed the lean muscles in her partner's upper arms and shoulders, not to mention that it made her collar bone pop out invitingly. Unfortunately, it was not the best time to entertain such thoughts.

"Perhaps we should listen to her, Atsuko." Mei conceded at last, surprising her partner with a particularly bright smile. In spite of her concerns regarding the evening, there was no escaping the joy that simply being with Yuzu and Atsuko brought her. Besides, she had learned from her partner and their wise mother that family time was too precious and allowing dark thoughts to spill over it benefitted no one. Atsuko played along nicely, scrunching her face in doubt while tapping at her chin with her index finger. She could not maintain the character for long as her love for her oldest sister only permitted her a small amount of teasing before the flimsy illusion was broken by a smile, or a giggle, or both. "Yes! We should, Nee-san." She broke into her brightest smile and looked at Yuzu with eyes full of only adoration. "My Yuzu-nee is the coolest, after all!" Mei glimpsed it immediately: the beginning of a blush, starting its journey from Yuzu's neck to her cheeks. At the very start of their relationship, when she knew nothing of love, having Yuzu blush meant that she had succeeded in embarrassing that loud and incomprehensible girl that would not leave her alone. Those days were long gone and soon enough, the sight of a blushing Yuzu meant that Mei had been, somehow, able to have her feelings reach her.

She lifted a graceful hand to caress her love's smooth cheek with her knuckles, a fleeting touch that had Yuzu look at her from under thick, dark eyelashes.

"I quite agree with you, Atsuko." She purred, knowing that Yuzu was holding her breath and hanging from her lips. As expected, Yuzu's eyes widened, causing her golden colored eyelids to almost disappear as the emerald of her irises claimed center stage.

"Seriously, you two..." She huffed again, now also shaking her head in annoyance and coloring her voice with a note of mock indignation. "No fair!" She reiterated and flashed a supposedly intimidating look to the pair by squinting her eyes. This time, her move was followed by Atsuko breaking into her silvery giggle. It was not possible to resist, so much so that even Mei lifted one hand to her mouth and allowed for a giggle of her own to spill past her lips. Yuzu could only hold onto her pout for so long and soon enough the delightful notes of her own hilarity completed the set.

.

Of Sisters, Lovers and Friends

.

The delightful moment was interrupted by the thrilling sound of a familiar voice calling for her. Mei raised her gaze and was not surprised to see Mase Himeko walking toward the table. She was holding onto her husband's arm and the two made for a rather peculiar view as while Himeko-san was a diminutive yet thunderous woman, Soichiro-san was a very tall, slender and mild mannered man. Regardless of that, it felt right to see the two of them together.

While Mei had spotted the young husband and wife from across the room, the detail of their attire could now be seen up close. Himeko and Soichiro had certainly gone all out with their wardrobe choices, evidently heeding the advice of the sales clerks in Shibuya more seriously. Himeko wore a pastel-pink dress that was covered in lace and ruffles, the puffy skirt extending to just below knee-length while the puffed sleeves only allowed for the tips of her fingers to be seen.

Soichiro wore black trousers and a matching short black tailcoat, similar to the attire worn by a dressage rider. The borders of his jacket lapels, the hem of his sleeves and the opening of his pockets were all trimmed by turquoise satin and to top it off, an extravagant turquoise lace cravat completed his look. With each evening gathering, the two had steadily become more adventurous with their outfits and had once again pushed things a step further, as though wishing to bring the styles of Harajuku into the realms of prestige.

Their sight was made even the more exuberant by the pair trailing after them: Taniguchi Mitsuko and Maruta Kayo. Taniguchi wore a black sheath dress that greatly suited her tall and slender form. Maruta wore an equally simple dress, though it was dark green, with lace trimming the skirt and the sleeves and with a décolletage that was slightly more adventurous than Taniguchi-san's.

As etiquette demanded, Yuzu and Atsuko immediately stood when the newcomers approached the table. The almost imperceptible narrowing of Atsuko's eyes and the sudden tense set of her lips greatly amused Mei. The child would never allow herself to be anything other than polite but she could not stop her body from reacting to Himeko-san's arrival as she found her to be grating and way too clingy.

"Mei-Mei, you look wonderful!" She squealed in appreciation while her intense eyes widened in adoration. After a few moments spent admiring her, she finally diverted her gaze and after releasing a long sigh, she continued in a more subdued tone. "...You look nice too, Yuzu-san."

Himeko's eyes soon turned to the youngest Aihara, her gaze so intense that Mei felt compelled to caress Atsuko's head, knowing that her touch would reassure the child in almost every situation.

"You look so much like Mei-Mei did at your age, Atsuko-san!" She beamed and then nodded to herself in delight, causing her drill-shaped hair to bounce rhythmically.

"Doesn't she, Soi-chan? I showed you the pictures!" She turned toward her amiably smiling husband and Soichiro-san nodded elegantly, managing to keep his floppy hair perfectly still as he did.

"You certainly did, dear." He replied in a loving and gentle fashion. Mei had learned a great deal about love in the past few years and she recognized the feeling sparkling in Soichiro-san's brown eyes when he looked to his wife.

"The likeness is astonishing." He continued after turning to them with an elegant smile on his delicately handsome face.

"But I have green eyes! Like my Mama and my Yuzu-nee!" Atsuko piped up enthusiastically as soon as he finished speaking.

"You do, Atsuko." Mei permitted a particularly bright smile of her own to appear on her lips, she no longer had any qualms about declaring her affection for her girls to the world and especially not tonight. Her words had Atsuko nod in pure glee while slightly jumping on her feet. Her usual vibrant self appeared to be fully restored now as she seemed to be enjoying herself as much as she would at any other gathering.

"You're looking as colorful as ever, Himeko-san." Yuzu took lead of the conversation with natural ease. Her partner's social skills were something she was incredibly grateful for as Yuzu then welcomed Taniguchi-san and Maruta-san.

Mei had elected to sit between Yuzu and Atsuko as she knew that she would have to vacate her seat at short notice and she wished for Atsuko to get comfortable with the other guests at their table. Just as she had hoped, Maruta-san had taken the seat next to Atsuko. Mei suspected that her sister would take a quick liking to the kind and intelligent woman and, rather predictably, they were already conversing.

"Hello! We've never meet I'm Maruta Kayo and I'm here with Micchan!" It felt quite amusing to hear Taniguchi-san referred to as Micchan. Atsuko knew that sometimes, Matsuri-sama would give people nicknames to annoy them, though she could not imagine the young woman in front of her to be doing the same.

"Do not worry Atsuko-san..." Maruta-san said with a bemused grin on her lips before flashing a teasing look to the serious Taniguchi-san. "...Micchan isn't as scary as she pretends to be!" Taniguchi-san blushed at that and cleared her throat meaningfully, though she seemed to be holding a glint of amusement in her intense dark eyes.

"Taniguchi-san is cool! She has a bike like my Mama and her sister is my Yuzu-nee's best friend!" Atsuko said without thinking twice. Her Yuzu-nee always said that a book must never be judged by its cover and Atsuko agreed completely.

"That is true." Taniguchi-san said unexpectedly, almost as if talking to herself and Atsuko could feel a note of sincere affection in her voice. "Those two were inseparable." "Have you been to Australia, Taniguchi-san?" Atsuko blurted out.

"I visited a few time since Harumi moved over there." Taniguchi-san said, now looking directly at Atsuko with a small smile on her lips.

"... As her big sister is my duty to make sure that she is alright." She added in a most serious tone, though the smile on her lips did not falter.

Atsuko nodded wisely at her words. She could never imagine living away from her sisters, let alone in a different country, even the thought broke her heart.

"I went with Micchan too when my work allowed me. It's a wonderful place!" Maruta-san curled her hand around Taniguchi-san's bigger one and looked lovingly at her.

Atsuko knew that Maruta-san was a journalist and wondered if she had constantly crazy working hours like her Mama or just sometimes like her Yuzu-nee or if they had to travel a lot like her Papa. She had grown to greatly appreciate how her Nee-san's working time remained largely constant through the year.

"I don't remember Taniguchi-san's sister." Atsuko said with genuine regret. Yuzu-nee knew Mayu-chan and was friend with her, so the least Atsuko could do was remembering her best friend.

"Well…" Taniguchi-san leaned slightly closer making Atsuko blush mildly as her gaze was truly intense. When she dropped her voice to a rather secretive whisper, Atsuko's embarrassment was traded with curiosity. "Perhaps you'll be able to meet her sooner than you think."

Atsuko's eyes widened at the prospect, despite having learned that people had different definition for the word "soon". A few minutes for Yuzu-nee were many minutes more than from her Nee-san. It was only then that she realized that she had yet to properly introduce herself to Maruta-san. Heat traveled under her cheeks and she knew that a blush had just invaded her whole face.

"My name is Aihara Atsuko. I'm pleased to meet you Maruta-san!" She said in haste before deeply bowing her head in apology for her forgetfulness. Maruta-san did not seem to mind as when Atsuko raised her head, she was smiling brightly at her.

The arrival of their food had quelled any potential embarrassment and the quality of it had surpassed all expectations, even Yuzu's.

Yuzu had picked the perfect table mates as Himeko-san never failed to provide interestingly peculiar topics for conversations and her husband was as amiable as he was pleasant. Taniguchi-san was a formidable presence and someone that shared a lot in common with Mei. Maruta-san was simply delightful and she and Atsuko were greatly enjoying each other's company.

She reached for her glass and took a sip of deliciously natural sparkling water, then dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. She and Atsuko had renounced their overly enthusiastic ways of eating today and had managed to maintain a more appropriate pace.

"That sounds fantastic, Himeko-san." She replied to the woman sitting by her side, after Himeko-san had illustrated to her the project that the sewing club was currently working on: The faithful recreation of dresses worn in European courts centuries ago.

"We have a good chance of winning the national contest this year!" She thundered and Yuzu wondered, not for the first time, how such a diminutive woman could produce such a powerful voice. She was a tornado is a bottle.

"Last year we came in second! We were robbed!" Her eyes narrowed and the usual shrill tone of her voice lowered ominously.

"I'm sure that you will get the recognition you deserve this year." Soichiro-san reassured her while curling his hand around Himeko-san's smaller one.

"Coming in second is still a magnificent result, dear" He added, smiling sweetly at his suddenly beaming wife. His elegant and mild mannered ways played a bizarre yet charming contrast to Himeko-san's energetic ones and it had become impossible to imagine one without the other.

Yuzu reached for her glass of water again, intent on hiding her smile in it; It was not a smile of mockery but it was better not to risk any misunderstanding when the former vice-president was concerned. The chance of Himeko-san noticing her smile was slim though as all her attention was focused on her husband at the moment. She was smiling dreamily at him while he looked at her with besotted eyes. If she and Mei were as obvious as those two, it was a mystery how people still doubted the nature of their relationship.

She put her glass down and felt a pleasant shiver run down her back when Mei clasped her slender fingers around her hand. Mei had an easier time than she did in learning to express her affection through contact. At first, Yuzu could not even hold her hand without getting flustered beyond measure.

"Yuzu?" She savored the note of curiosity in Mei's dulcet tone for a moment before turning around to face her. Mei's slightly confused expression and her wide eyes added a most delicious measure of youth to her elegant features.

"Himeko-san's comments reminded me of our trip to Europe… Do you remember how pretty it was?" Yuzu said sweetly, then sighed dreamily as images from their vacation flooded her mind.

She became fixated on the memory of Mei standing on the balcony of their hotel, basking in the gentle warmth of a most beautiful sunset in Barcelona. The glow of the fading day framed her as if in a dream; Her slightly damp hair had the purple of her eyes appear even more intense; Her relaxed brow and the soft set of her lips, as she balanced herself between bliss and incredulity, had stolen Yuzu's breath away.

"I could scarcely forget, Yuzu." The elegant tilt of Mei's voice held a spellbinding sweetness as if she too had just savored a memory. Yuzu wondered if it was the same one that she had just drifted into.

"I can't wait to go back, Mei…" She squeezed her love's hand firmly before brushing her thumb over the surface of Mei's ring. Her love's ring was smoother than her own as Mei was in the habit of constantly touching it.

"...And this time with Atsu-chan too." She added, suddenly feeling electric and tapping her feet on the floor.

"Yes." Mei's reply was immediate, softening her beautiful face as only hopeful anticipation could.

Atsuko must have heard her name being spoken as her head had just appeared from under Mei's arm to peer up at the two of them. To Yuzu's surprise, the curious smile on Atsuko's lips quickly morphed into a frown of worry.

"Oh!...I got up!" She said in a rushed whisper and Yuzu had to stifle a laugh over her entertaining such concerns. Atsuko had been trying to seriously respect the etiquette and was now contemplating how severe her misstep had been.

"So you did, Atsuko." It only took a bemused smile from Mei to smother Atsuko's frown and bring back her smile. She tilted her head back to beam at her beloved Nee-san, immediately latching onto Mei's arm when her sister moved to comb her fingers through her dark locks.

"We were talking about taking you to Europe, little samurai." Yuzu explained happily. "Once you get a little bit older, of course."

Yuzu's dream would be having their parents join as well; she wanted nothing more than for her Mama to enjoy her life to the fullest. Her work schedule would make such a trip complicated but maybe, Mama would be able to escape for a week at least, maybe to visit Britain. Mama had a passion for music and would most likely love London's multitudinous concert venues.

"Don't worry, Atsu-Chan." Yuzu immediately reassured, taking notice of her sister's slightly embarrassed expression. "We'll get you used to flying before then!"

She relinquished her hold of Mei's hand and reached to cup her sister's face. Atsuko's embarrassment was not unexpected as the child had never flown before and having learned that Matsuri had a fierce dislike of planes had her a bit worried.

"Hokkaido would be a nice destination, I think." Mei proposed and again a precious glint of anticipation enhanced her eyes.

"Isn't it really cold up there?" Atsuko asked with pursed lips.

"We'd go in the summer, darling." Yuzu giggled out her reply and challenged the tightness of her dress by leaning over to kiss Atsuko's forehead.

"Next summer?" Atsuko piped up with a small jump. "I'll be seven next summer, Yuzu-nee!"

"Seven and a half, little samurai!" Yuzu remarked with a wink before breaking into a wide smile, one that soon found its twin on Atsuko's face as the child beamed at her.

"Yes! Seven and a half!" The child repeated euphorically.

Atsuko's enthusiasm was so infectious that even her stoic partner could not stop herself from nodding along with the child. Her love had a most precious smile on her lips; it was soft and certain, just as her devotion for Atsuko was.

"Yuzu…" A pale hand lifted to cover those gorgeous lips as Mei giggled again. The beautiful sound, as graceful as her moves, was like the sparkle of sudden summer rain.

"You are staring, Yuzu." She said after managing to put her hilarity under control, though the smile on her lips did not falter.

"No one would blame me, Kaichou-sama." Yuzu whispered, loving how her words dusted Mei's pale cheeks with a spot of rouge.

"Isn't your Nee-san the most beautiful woman in the world, Atsu-chan?" She asked, promptly darkening Mei's blush.

"Yes, she sure is!" Atsuko nodded several times along with her words, gleefully sharing a look of companionship with her oldest sister.

Yuzu then swept her gaze around the table and was glad to see that the other diners were deeply immersed in conversations of their own as the three of them behaved in a way wholly inappropriate for the occasion.

"What a troublesome pair you are." Mei sighed but was unable to keep her lips from curling into a delicate smile. Then a determined look crossed her features and she became suddenly somber.

"Atsuko. Yuzu" Her intonation held a peculiar tenderness. "...I would love to spend the evening with the two of you. Unfortunately, I have duties to attend to." She said trusting her authoritative voice to convey the finality of the situation without dismissing her regret at leaving such a precious company.

Mei had predicted Atsuko to be ruffled by her announcement but she had not expected such a troubled frown of worry to furrow Atsuko's small brow.

"Nee-san." She started, fingers reaching for the necklace around her neck, her voice suddenly serious. It was not displeasure that seemed to be agitating her, she appeared calm, even resolute. "I can come with you." She continued while staring at Mei with unwavering and honest eyes.

"Thank you, Atsuko." She bowed her head slightly in a show of gratitude and to conceal her proud smile as she would not want to confuse the child with it. "I would rather you remained with your oldest sister though." "But Nee-san..." She let go of her necklace and instinctively grabbed at Mei's skirt, making a loose fist around it. Mei did not care to ask her to loosen her grip.

"Yuzu-nee too could come!" She added, voice still unyielding. She turned toward the sweetly smiling Yuzu, eyes flaring with determination as she searched for her older sister's support.

Mei no longer knew how to properly address the situation as she did not wish to dismiss Atsuko's most precious offer, or to have the child feel as if her Nee-san did not think her strong enough to join her. Or even worse: having the child think that she had no need of her. She took a lock of her dark hair between her thumb and her index and rolled it through her digits thoughtfully.

"Atsu-chan." Yuzu's interjected as expected as when it came to Atsuko, their teamwork was flawless.

Mei pushed the lock of hair that she had been playing with behind her ear and draped her arm around the child's narrow shoulders. She felt Atsuko relax into her touch, losing the grip she had of her skirt while her complete focus zeroed on Yuzu.

"Do you remember your race at the sports festival, little samurai?" Yuzu leaned forward, curling one hand around Mei's knee, more to offer her the comfort of her touch rather than balancing herself.

"...yeah." Atsuko furrowed her brow in confusion, prompting Yuzu to trace one of the child's eyebrow with her index. She kept repeating the motion, wishing to comfort her.

"We couldn't run with you, Atsu-chan." She said in her gentlest voice, a soothing caress delivering a powerful truth. "This is the same, sweetie."

Atsuko's eyes widened in realization and she nodded slowly, prompting Yuzu to cup her face with her hand and lean forward to kiss her brow.

"I understand, Yuzu-nee." A smile appeared on the child's lips as she turned toward Mei with a look of understanding on her face.

"We'll cheer for you, Nee-san." She stated, now fully aware of the importance of her role. The next instant, an embarrassed look of worry crossed her face and she was quickly to amend.

"We won't make noise though, don't worry!" She reassured in a rush, willing to let her sister know that she was aware that cheering at a gala had to happen in a discreet form.

Mei found her partner's delighted eyes immediately and the two broke into a bemused giggle. The beautiful blend created by Yuzu's sparkling tone mixing with Mei's dulcet one, was quickly enriched by Atsuko's own amusement as she added her voice to it. When their hilarity was exhausted, Mei took a reinvigorating breath and after claiming her partner's hand again, she turned toward Atsuko with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"I need to ask you a great favor, Atsuko." She started, weaving her voice into a complicit tone as she fixated her eyes on a very eager Atsuko.

"Of course, Nee-san!" The reply came as quickly as expected.

"Could you find out which cake is the best one, please?" She pursed her lips to keep a serious look on her face while Yuzu's delighted chuckle tickled her ears. No Citrus-E event was complete without a substantial array of sweets to choose from.

"Sure will, Nee-san." It was a task Atsuko was all too willing to see to.

"Very well, then." Mei savoured her next words in her mind, trying to imagine the reaction that they would cause. "You are permitted to eat as many cakes as you want."

Her imagination was no match for reality as she had not predicted for Atsuko's face to go slack and for her mouth to drop open. She permitted herself another giggle and squeezed her equally euphoric partner's hand. She knew that Atsuko would be full after eating two pieces of cake at best - two and a half if she got stubborn about it. Her concession was as grand as it was safe.

Knowing that Yuzu had already seen that they would be delivered a sample of the most delicious cakes assuaged her from feeling guilty. Atsuko would get the chance to try them all eventually, just not all at once. Yuzu also meant to bring some to her office as a sweet interlude never failed to brighten a working day according to her and to Mother. The thought had Mei entertain the idea of bringing some to Kaori-san. She deserved cake and so much more after securing one of Saito-sensei's piece for the auction.

She put a slender finger under the child's chin and closed her mouth delicately before kissing her forehead. She then stood up, quickly rising to her full height and holding herself proudly for a moment before finding her focus by turning toward her love.

The beginning of a smile was softening Yuzu's lips and Mei felt her heart skip a beat as they gradually relaxed to draw her most intimate smile. The softest one, the one that would delicately curl her lips and made her look as if they had just shared a secret.

Mei bowed to her. A secret of her own. She caressed the full length of Yuzu's arm, trailing her fingers from her shoulder to her wrist, a fleeting touch that held an eternity within. Atsuko was looking at her with the same confident intensity and Mei honored her gaze as well before departing.

Having her girls believe in her was everything she necessitate to face each and every battle. She might be defeated but she would never lose.

La Regina

For Mei, the next hour or so was spent mingling with the many affluent guests, each of whom had been carefully considered when determining who would be invited to the gala. For the most part, it was pure pageantry and there was little to be gained beyond the endless parade of bows, half-smiles and vague promises of future meetings or collaborations.

What substance there had been to the discussions had taken a troubling shape though: Her Grandfather had already been detailing his intent to one day install Atsuko as his permanent successor and he had been speaking with a level of enthusiasm seldom seen from the elderly man. As for herself, Mei could not say for certain, but she felt her position as the interim Chairwoman of the Academy becoming even more precarious when faced with the notion that she was simply a stopgap, albeit a longstanding one.

Even with the lofty expectations foist upon her by the Aihara name, Mei had little desire to play politics. Foes and allies were concepts that she had almost no time for and she preferred to focus her efforts first and foremost on the continued success of the Academy. Her Academy. Still, she was not so stubborn that she would turn down the great opportunity provided by the evening to curry favour with potential investors and business partners. The balance sheets had always been healthy but she always saw new and interesting ways to further enhance the learning experience for her students, especially as her dear younger sister was now among those ranks.

Mei had been sure to keep one eye on Atsuko when she was networking and was relieved to see that the child was still wearing a sincere smile, shared, as always, with Yuzu's. She found herself quietly grateful that the fast pace of the conversing had claimed much of her focus, forcing her mind from the inevitable feelings of guilt over having brought Atsuko into this den of lions.

Then, her Grandfather caught her eye and beckoned her over to him with a stern nod and small wave of the hand. Having already mastered the art of walking in heels, Mei was at his side in mere moments.

"Things seem to be going well, don't you think?" He asked.

"Yes, Grandfather. I have already met with a few people who could be potential business partners."

"Excellent, Mei." He turned to face the smiling young girl in the midnight blue dress. "She's making a good impression. A true Aihara if ever there was one."
"I am not surprised, Grandfather. Atsuko is quite brilliant." Mei replied with more sincerity than she had mustered in their earlier meeting as her words were coloured solely with an absolute truth that could not be suppressed.

"I can see so much of you in her, Mei." Grandfather remarked, with the sternness that usually tinged his voice curiously absent. His eyes narrowed and she found herself seeing a side of the man that she rarely got the chance to witness; He was certain to feel regret over how her Father and she herself had deviated from his grand scheme but Mei could not say with any certainty how he felt when he looked at Atsuko. The vagueness left her uneasy.

It lasted but a moment and soon enough, the tough looked returned to his face as he gazed over at the guest he and his granddaughters had greeted earlier in the evening: Higashi Eisuke. It took a simple nod to send Mei off in his direction as she had already been planning to capture a conversation with the wealthy gentleman.

"Ah, Aihara-san." Higashi-san bowed upon seeing Mei approaching in his direction. The slight pause in motion as he caught a glimpse of the silver band around her finger was a reaction that Mei was now quite familiar with. "-My apologies, it's rude to stare."

"Do not worry." Mei's expression was unfazed. "I believe you met my partner, Okogi Yuzu, earlier this evening. It can get confusing when Grandfather uses the Aihara name for her."

It was a well-rehearsed response that had long since become muscle memory for Mei and she assumed that the middle-aged man bore her and her lover no ill-will. She had learned through the grapevine that the daughter of Aihara Shou had a reputation for being quite picky when it came to marriage, so she gave him the benefit of the doubt and told herself that he was just surprised to see that she had already settled down with someone.

It was best not to consider any alternative. Establishing a good rapport would be very important for brokering deals that would see the Academy continue to grow - And to formally secure her long-term future as Chairwoman.

"I see. Then I wish the pair of you all the best!" His awkward smile set Mei's mind at ease somewhat.

"Thank you." Mei bowed back to him, being careful not to let her hair fall out of place. "I was hoping to get a moment of your time to discuss the development of our Aihara Academy, Higashi-san."

Mei wasted little time in getting down to discussing business. The stakes were a little higher now but she felt largely the same confidence about such discussions as she had done when it came to running the student council. The only real difference in her mind was that she had swapped the Academy blazer and council armband for an elegant gown.

"Of course." Higashi's smile grew wider as the conversation moved to more comfortable territory. "Your Grandfather told me that there are big plans for the Academy - You and your younger sister have quite a long road ahead of you!" He chuckled.

Mei tried not to shudder upon hearing those words. It was always worrying when her Grandfather talked about such things, especially to people from outside of the family. Everything she had feared for herself and for Atsuko seemed a lot more real when she heard more people speaking about it. The situation had indeed grown more serious.

Still, she maintained course and soon found herself in full flow once more as she briefly outlined her long-term plan for the Academy: Upgrading the sports facilities, adding state-of-the-art technology for the classrooms and, among other things, introducing a full exchange programme for international students. These were all things that Mei knew would further enhance the already prestigious profile of the Aihara Academy and she knew that significant investment would be necessary to make it happen.

Higashi followed intently, occasionally interjecting with questions about timeframes or asking for a few more details. Mei felt a great deal of relief when the man reached into the pocket of his blazer and produced a sleek black business card holder.

"This all sounds quite promising, Aihara-san. Please drop me a line and we can discuss this in more depth at a later date." Higashi then took one of business cards and handed it to Mei with both hands whilst bowing.

In keeping with etiquette, Mei took the card with both hands and studied it intently. It was printed on bulky off-white cardstock with his details printed in pitch-black embossed lettering. It even had a watermark. Mei then produced one of her cards and mirrored the routine; Unlike Yuzu's, her card was plain and minimalistic. Higashi gratefully received it and began mumbling the details to himself until stopping at a certain line.

"...Interim Chairwoman" He mused for a moment before putting the card away.

All too soon, Higashi-san turned her attention to her, the expression on his face a riddle that Mei could hardly solve as she had only passing knowledge of the man. Still, upon parting, he saluted her with a particularly deep bow that lead her to consider their conversation a successful one.

She caressed the smooth surface of her ring for comfort, suddenly aware that her first act of defiance had been carried out. She had but two options: comply with her Grandfather or tread further into the unknown.

She turned around, eyes searching for Yuzu and Atsuko, for if something could smooth her turmoil it was the sight of them. They had vacated the table though and were now walking about a far corner of the room. Still by the way that they kept wandering about, relaxed and enthusiastic at the same time, Mei knew them to be enjoying themselves.

"Aihara-san…"

A guest calling for her attention forced her to finally avert her eyes from Yuzu and Atsuko. She did so and not with little sorrow.

.

Line of Succession

.

Yuzu found herself humming without realizing as she strolled leisurely in a corner of the room with Atsuko by her side, her tiny hand snugly wrapped within her own. They had finally decided to stretch their legs and found respite from the buzz of activity in a sparsely-populated corner of the room.

Her darling little sister appeared to be in a good mood too as she swung their joined hands rhythmically, delicately skipping or bouncing on her feet every few steps as if dancing to a tune that she alone could hear. Yuzu knew the feeling quite well and the sight put a sweet smile on her lips.

They had left the table after finishing their dessert, with Taniguchi-San and Maruta-san having left shortly after Mei for similar reasons, as they could now be seen immersing themselves in chatter with other guests. Himeko-san and Soichiro-san had simply melted into each other's eyes and were no longer privy to anything but each other. It was a condition that Yuzu was quite familiar with.

"I'm so full, Yuzu-nee." Atsuko said while looking up at her with an adorable sheepish grin on her pretty face. Her natural carefree attitude was back in full force and Yuzu felt a rush of pride at the thought that simply chatting with her would put Atsuko in a giddy mood. Truth to be told, Yuzu was starting to enjoy herself a great deal as well. Matsuri had been running a tight ship and she had little reason to scrutinise the work of her staff.

"Well…" She started, stretching the word for emphasis while flashing her sister a particularly adoring gaze "...you did have two slices of cake, little samurai!"

"I did!" Atsuko chirped up, patting her stomach happily.

"And I could've eaten them all!" She declared proudly while performing a small jump. "But the ones I got are the best for sure!"

She had chosen without hesitation to get the chocolate cake and a strawberry cream one, both favorites of hers.

Yuzu stopped walking then as to lovingly caress the child's smiling face with the back of her fingers. As she did so, her little sister jumped to wrap her arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. She nuzzled against her stomach, probably lamenting the presence of the scratchy lace, and then rested her chin on it, looking up at her with only adoration in her eyes.

Her child.

Yuzu tasted the words in her mind, bounced them around and repeated them, first slowly and the quickly, playfully and then seriously. They always sounded perfect and true.

"...Yuzu-nee?" Atsuko's curious tone brought her back to the present and the present had a pair of green eyes looking up at her in amusement.

"It's almost time for the surprise, Atsu-chan!" She said, gently squeezing the child's shoulders and wondering, not for the first time, if her eyes truly were as beautiful as Atsuko's.

"Are you ready to play your part?" She followed with a whisper while a complicit look filled her eyes.

"Sure am!" Atsuko replied with no hesitation, suddenly releasing her to skip a little distance away. Yuzu's curiosity turned to delight when Atsuko spun around to flash her a peace sign.

"Alright th—" Yuzu's enthusiastic response died on her lips as a look of apprehension melted her sister's enthusiasm way, she slowly lowered her arm as if her energy had abruptly fled from her.

Following the line of Atsuko's vision, Yuzu turned around and was not surprised to see the Aihara patriarch approaching them in his usual measured and solemn step. He held his hands behind his back and his posture was perfectly straight. Yuzu knew that his health faltered every now and then, yet an aura of power never failed to accompany him. The only time Yuzu had seen the man looking frail had been when she had found him lying on the floor of his own office.

Yuzu did not keep her attention on him for long and instead turned toward Atsuko, aiming to ease her out of her sudden nervousness. She smiled to her, willing the love she had for her to flare up in her gaze and holding out a hand.

Atsuko did not hesitate and joined her at a measured yet confident pace, wrapping her hand around Yuzu's. The child only allowed herself a moment to flash her a quick look before shifting her gaze on her approaching Grandfather, much to Yuzu's pride.

Yuzu was about to greet him but never got the chance as the man started speaking the moment he reached them.

"Yuzu." His stern yet faintly warm voice rumbled. "Things have gone very well so far. I had reservations about whether it could be executed properly because of the short notice, but you and your people have certainly delivered."

Yuzu did not allow the pleasant surprise that his words had caused to appear on her face. She took a page from Mei's book and simply inclined her head in gratitude.

"Of course, Grandfather." She shifted her eyes to steadily hold his gaze, the purple of his irises was identical to Mei's, though the strict acceptance and the inexorable purpose animating them were present in her beloved's gaze only on particular occasions.

"This event is truly important to Mei." Yuzu continued, struggling between keeping herself professional and relaxing. He was family but her relationship with him was complex to say the least. Mei respected him immensely and was intimidated by him in equal measures. Because of that, Yuzu felt compelled to appease the man as much as her own reasoning would allow.

"...And we are used to work on short notice, Grandfather. It's part of the business." Her words seemed to please him as he gave her a curt nod.

He lowered his eyes on Atsuko then and his imposing look gained a peculiar lingering quality that Yuzu had never seen before. She could not discern whether there was a note affection in his gaze but for a split second, he ceased to be intimidating. He looked human: fallible and frail.

"Atsuko, this is all quite new to you." He intoned solemnly. "Although, as an Aihara, it is your job to take everything in stride. Do you understand?"

Yuzu was surprised by her sister's fortitude again as she had been looking to her, waiting to meet her questioning gaze with a smile but Atsuko had not needed the reassurance.

"Yes! I like the music and the food! And the cakes were really good!" She blurted out and while the usual note of enthusiasm animating her voice was not present, there was no anxiety in her speech. It would not surprise Yuzu if her sister's current demeanor was shaped by her will to somehow protect her Nee-san.

"Did you like the cakes, Grandfather?" She added without thinking, immediately growing hesitant after her question. Yuzu brushed her thumb over her hand in reassurance and as a reply, Atsuko gave her a firm squeeze.

"Unfortunately, my health prevents me from indulging but I will take your word for it."

Grandfather's deep voice held no regret or concern, he spoke of his health as one would speak of the weather. As a person would when viewing the delicate petals of a sakura tree during the brief time of the year it bloomed, he seemed completely accepting of his transience.

The reply drove Atsuko to take a even longer pause for thought.

"Yuzu-nee's cakes are the best though!" She declared suddenly while nodding to herself. She wanted everybody to know of her sisters' merits. Yuzu found herself giggling without realizing, causing Atsuko to look up at her while a curious grin formed on her lips.

"You might be a bit biased there, Atsu-chan." She said, smiling widely at the child.

"It's true though!" Atsuko insisted unsurprisingly as food was quite the serious matter for her.

A short yet imperious cough from Grandfather interrupted their moment, though Yuzu refused to immediately acknowledge it and held onto Atsuko's eyes for a while longer. It might have been childish of her but the wish to let her sister realize that there was no need to be at the man's beck and call trumped any concern she might have had over being polite.

"You do need the energy, Atsuko." He fixated her eyes on the child with staggering intensity. "Your next race isn't too far off and there is little merit in winning only once." As alway, the rhythm and intonation of his words confirmed they were to be heeded because such was the natural order of things.

Yuzu could not stop herself from narrowing her eyes as she contemplated how the man was far more interested in what Atsuko's victories meant for the family, rather than what they meant to Atsuko. She found herself questioning whether he even knew that Atsuko was in the kendo club.

Atsuko seemed unfazed by his words thought as a ferociously determinate expression crossed her face. She looked even the more like Mei at the moment as the childish softness of her features was sharpened by purpose.

"I'll give it my all, Grandfather. I want to win!" Grandfather nodded, visibly pleased by Atsuko's combative spirit.

"Spoken as a true Aihara." He said and his tone held an unmistakable note of pride and something else, something tender. It was faint as the echo of a whisper and it sounded like affection, or what was left of it in a tired and frosty heart.

Atsuko was too young to pick on the sound, yet she took no little pride in being an Aihara, just as her Nee-san was. Satisfied, he reached for the inside pocket of his jacket and produced an envelope. He held it out to Atsuko, even bothering to bend slightly toward her. Atsuko reached for it after Yuzu prompted her to with a nod.

"Thank you, Grandfather." She said delicately, confused over why her Grandfather had handed her a letter.

"It's the least I can do." He reached toward her with hesitance and placed his large hand on her head for a moment.

"He never met someone like you, Yuzu." Mei would often tell her when explaining the man to her.

"The auction is about to start. I shall return to my seat." He said after checking his pocket watch, suddenly gruff as if trying to hide embarrassment. He nodded to them and took his leave.

.

Tableau

.

Upon returning to the table, Mei was surprised to see that her love was nowhere in sight. Noticing her confusion, Atsuko promptly explained that Yuzu had been called by Mizusawa. She had left Atsuko to the care of their eager tablemates, knowing that Mei would come back shortly. It would be only natural for her to be summoned, for as incredible as Mizusawa seemed to be at her job, she was not Yuzu. She committed herself to patience even though the need to have her partner by her side was potent at the moment.

Mei sighed without meaning to, immediately garnering Atsuko's full attention. She met her green eyes with a delicate smile, though her love was not there, she could find her focus within Atsuko almost as easily. Yet, there was a glint of anticipation in the child's verdant eyes and by her slightly pursed lips, Mei could tell that she was trying really hard to keep herself from smiling.

She had expected Atsuko to have questions or stories for her upon her return but her silence instead added a further note of intrigue to the whole situation. Perhaps Atsuko was simply tired. She shook her head in affectionate bemusement when Atsuko started humming, completely relaxed by the attention that she was receiving from her sister.

"Atsuko, would y—" Her sentence was cut short by the light dimming slowly and she lifted her eyes toward the chandeliers above them as each tier began to dim. She instinctively leaned closer to Atsuko, draping her arms around her protectively. It was possible to see the outlines of her tablemates but not much else.

She immediately thought of reassuring her sister but the words never left her lips as Atsuko was not in need of any reassurance; She had a rather confident grin on her lips and was giving her quite the optimistic look.

Mei frowned in confusion, making little sense of the situation. Everyone was quiet. She would have expected Himeko-san to say something at least but when she darted her eyes toward her, she could spot the outline of her old friend leaning with her back against her husband's chest, looking rather content, while her gaze was fixated toward… the stage?

The reason became wonderfully and unexpectedly clear once the two strategically-placed spotlights shoot theìr luminous beams at the stage, revealing the beautiful silhouette of a ballerina about to take her starting pose.

She felt her heartbeat rise and shifted ever so slightly towards the edge of her seat as the beautiful realization spread through her mind. It was a grandiose yet subtle gesture from Yuzu, who had done a masterful job of keeping details relating to what was about to unfold hidden.

Not long ago, the childhood memory of spectating a ballet and being entranced by it had came back to her. She had no specific recollection of the occurrence but still, the memory amused her as she held no love for the ballet classes that she was made to attend as a child. Yuzu had then eagerly gifted her with a collection of DVDs featuring pieces performed in theaters around the globe. They had quickly became her viewing of choice along with documentaries and films about kind animals.

The live experience was on a different level thought; the air sizzled with anticipation and Mei felt herself slip out of time and space.

By the ballerina's flamboyant red outfit, Mei knew her to be Kitri from the Don Quixote. A character that she was particularly fond of as she reminded her of Yuzu with her bold personality and unyielding passion. The ballerina commanded attention by presence alone, a study of immobile perfection, the stage was her domain and when the music exploded in a feast of Spanish guitars and castanets, she allowed the audience into it.

Air filled Mei's lungs as she inhaled her marvel and held onto it as the dancer executed the opening steps: pas de chat, battement, fouetté. The Kitri variation was one based on bravura and challenged the laws of physics and physiology. It truly seemed as the dancer had defied the first and conquered the second when she broke into the iconic steps, those heart-stopping sissones with their cambré back and attitude.

The ballerina finally skipped to the back corner of the stage, delightfully teasing the audience with a knowing smirk, as if she knew something that the audience ignored, before snapping her fingers and launching in that incredibly quick diagonal of neverending pirouettes that never failed to mesmerize the audience.

Mei held her breath as the stage dimmed again and when the light came back, it was to illuminate three ballerinas dressed in white about to perform the dance of the Shade and yet another performance followed right after, the pas de deux of Solor and Nikiya, both were variations from the Bayadere.

As someone that struggled when voicing her feeling, the dancers' ability to speak them out through her bodies, in such a honest and unequivocal manner, had fascinated Mei to no end. At the center of most ballet where star-crossed lovers; they would encounter and marvel at each other, confused and uncertain at first, sometimes even in fear, much as she had upon truly gazing into Yuzu's eyes for the first.

She had to wonder if it had been a wonderful coincidence that saw her favorite pieces being chosen or if Yuzu had a hand in it. Probably the former, still even the former had only been possible because of her love.

By the end, the dancers came back onto the stage, with the males presenting the ballerinas around, before performing a curtsy. When a thunderous applause broke, Mei was jolted back into consciousness. She stood, with little care for her dress and took a few steps forward, as if a magnet was calling on her, before joining the rest of the crowd and breaking into an applause if her own. This was not an easy crowd to impress and to see them all standing and so determined to express their approval was a testament to the magnitude of Yuzu's success.

A glimpse of gold in the corner of her eyes shifted her gaze toward the left of the stage as her love stepped onto it. Everything but Yuzu became soft and blurred and Mei found herself being grateful to her perfect eyesight; despite the distance, she could see the delicate blush dusting her Yuzu's cheeks and the way her lips kept faltering between stiffness and softness.

It felt like a lifetime ago when Mei had stared on in disbelief as her new older sister stepped onto the stage during school assembly, beginning her troublesome intervention in her life. She could now look upon the brazenness of the action with fondness and refrained from speculating on what her life would have become had that blonde-haired delinquent not shaken her from a years-long daze.

As soon as Yuzu thanked the Maitre du Ballet of the Tokyo Ballet and the Director of the Tokyo Philharmonic, she then announced the presence of VIP tickets for their upcoming seasons in the auction and her hand was revealed. Everything suddenly fell into place; This was how she had succeeded in having the Philharmonic quartet play for such a risible sum. She had presented the event as an opportunity to showcase their talents to a group of influential people while providing first class entertainment for the guests - Not to mention a fine addition to auction for Father's charity.

Yuzu's acumen for business no longer surprised her as she could weave threads in ways Mei was unable to. Her eyes saw the world in a fashion her mind could barely conceive and it was her privilege to glimpse it reflected in her partner's bright eyes. That smile alone was enough to win the hearts and minds of others and Mei felt her heartbeat quicken at the sight of it onstage. She would have loved for nothing more than to than to capture that smile with her lips at that very moment.

Suddenly, Yuzu was whisked away toward a small gathering of people wishing to congratulate her. They held onto each other eyes for a moment still but there was no denying the reality of the situation any longer. The kiss will have to wait, Mei thought, while allowing herself a playful sigh.

"I didn't take you for a fan of the fine arts, Aihara-san." Taniguchi-san's cool voice held an unusual bemused quality as she leaned over Mei's shoulder to speak quietly to her.

"That may be so…" Mei felt no desire to turn around as she did not wish to lose sight of Yuzu. "...but we do not know a great deal about each other, Taniguchi-san."

There was no hostility in Mei's voice; her words were spoken in an even and cool tone that kept her from giving away anything as for some reason she felt as if she was being tested at the moment.

"That's because you declined my invitation to go out drinking, Aihara-san." The slightly amused tone held a soft note of reproach but Mei decided to ignore it.

The language of vaguery and implication was the only tongue that her Grandfather and most of the guests spoke. She had learned when to acknowledge the unspoken and when to let it pass unnoticed with uncanny precision.

"I do not drink, Taniguchi-san." She replied in a neutral tone, chasing away a smile from her lips when Atsuko tightened her hold of her hand.

"No matter, Ka—Maruta-san would drink us under the table anyway." As expected, a hue of tenderness colored Taniguchi-san's voice when she mentioned Maruta-san. It was a tune Mei knew all too well, as for how adept she had become in concealing her feelings, her camouflage would inevitably falter when her love was concerned.

"That aside, have you heard from the old man about your position yet?" Taniguchi-san's voice sharpened as she set any pleasantry aside. Mei felt a chill run down her spine and laced her mind to the warmth provided by Atsuko's small hand.

"My Grandfather and I are yet to address the situation." She relaxed into the sentence, allowing the sudden tension to seep away from her body, though it soon became clear that Taniguchi-san had yet to address the reason behind her interest when she leaned slightly closer and softened her voice to a whisper.

"A word of advice Kaichou-sama. This isn't something that you can outrun forever. You have been the interim Chairwoman for how many years now? It might be time to make a move." Mei turned around, compelling the taller woman to take a small step back. She was not looking at Mei. Her deep brown gaze was searching the crowd, only to set upon her Grandfather. Once she found him, her eyes narrowed: he was standing about Yuzu, most likely willing to capitalize on her brilliancy. It was a warranted move, Mei had to admit, as Yuzu had provided the Aihara family with new perspective. It would be unwise to let such opportunity remain untapped.

"Look at it this way, the King is the key to win a game of chess, but a King is slow and vulnerable." Taniguchi-san continued, eyes still trained on the Aihara patriarch. "The Queen though...she can move in any direction and is far more dangerous."

To hear her own thoughts spoken by someone else felt different, as it took matters away from the safe realm of hypotheticals. As of late, Mei's own mind had traveled along similar patterns as she had been contemplating a solution that would benefit her family the most while causing as little pain as possible.

She had resolved that the latter could not be avoided as Grandfather would, most likely, never forgive her audacity. He had left her with no other option though and simply stepping away from the Academy was something she could not do in good conscience.

"Well, I said all that I wished to say." Taniguchi-san finally stepped forward to stand by her side, having her whisper above her shoulder had seemed quite fitting until now but the time for veiled conspiracy was over, at least for the evening.

"Maruta-san, what do—" Taniguchi-san turned to her right, only to find no one standing by her. She sighed and even though she pretended to look frustrated, her eyes were soft.

"I swear I cannot take my eyes away from her for a minute." She huffed, probably deciding that indulging in such lovely antics around her would somehow relax Mei.

"Yes. We've noticed that, Taniguchi-san" The caustic voice of Mizusawa-san declared from behind them. She sounded almost bored in her statement, probably wishing to enhance how obvious it was.

Mei had to exert her considerable will to the extreme in order to deny the grin that had her lips twitching.

Mizusawa-san seemed to have materialized out of thin air and had made a show of pushing her way in between them in her usual nonchalant fashion before turning around to face Taniguchi-san's narrowed eyes. Even in this case, the irrepressible strictness of the oldest Taniguchi sister was undermined by the amused glint in her eyes.

The two fell in what seemed a well practiced routine of taking mild jabs at each other and Mei found herself wondering if there was more to their relationship that met the eyes. Their verbal sparring continued for a few long moments and was only halted by Taniguchi-san spotting Maruta-san in the distance. She gave Mei a meaningful look before chasing after the bespectacled young woman.

Once Mizusawa turned toward them, any trace of teasing disappeared from her gaze. Mei felt Atsuko tug at her hand gently, a gesture asking for permission. The expectant look that Mizusawa was giving her spoke for itself but Atsuko would always check with her Nee-san first.

With a slight bow of her head, Mei replied to her sister's unspoken request. Atsuko broke into a delighted smile in response and after gently squeezing her hand, she left her side to join Mizusawa.

A sincere smile claimed the young woman's lips when Atsuko skipped toward her in a fashion reminiscent of Yuzu's enthusiastic ways. It looked eerie to see such an expression on Mizusawa's face but the dissonance was assuaged by the honesty of her feelings.

Mei had intended to savor the interactions between the two as she found their unlikely friendship deeply fascinating, though her plans were thwarted when she glimpsed a spot gold in the corner of her eyes.

Yuzu was on her way back to her and seemed only fair to meet her halfway.

.

Love at the time of Matsuri

.

Matsuri paused for a moment before tentatively putting her own arm around Atsuko; The child had always been prone to giving hugs, but the recipients were usually her sisters. Perhaps it was just tiredness talking or maybe because she had love on her mind as of late, but she felt a level of warmth that she had not known in some time and found herself taken aback by the sincerity of the act.

Matsuri had never been a romantic person and had never shied away from flaunting her cynical views on the subject. She would also recognize that seeing people lose their naive views gave her no little amount of satisfaction as there was nothing more pathetic than refusing to accept reality. Love was but a cruel illusion. Then there were Yuzu-chan and Mei-san. A sigh fled her lips as she set her eyes on the pair. That particular couple had been set on destroying her theories from the very start.

She had faltered once, perhaps her blond friend's naivety had rubbed off her at some point. It was hard not to believe in love when Yuzu-chan wore such dream-like bliss upon her face.

She had to admit that Yuzu-chan's surprise had yielded far better results that she had anticipated; Matsuri had applauded her friend for her business intuition but it was abundantly clear that bolstering the quality of the evening for everyone had not been what her friend had been aiming for, at least not primarily.

Once the stage was illuminated, revealing the dancers, all eyes had been glued to it except for Matsuri's. She had a much better spectacle to follow, namely Mei-san's reactions. Every one of her own attempts to faze the Aihara woman had failed miserably. Mei-san had never yielded to her, not even the beginning of a blush, getting her fretting over the musicians had been the best Matsuri had even managed to accomplish.

When Yuzu's ploy had been revealed she had seen Mei-san's sharply elegant features grow slack as they gave way to surprise, marvel had followed right after. Moreover, as soon as her mind had realized Yuzu-chan's role in the whole situation, her face had softened in ways that Matsuri did not think possible.

She grinned to herself before combing her fingers through Atsuko's silky hair. The gesture had the child look up at her and as was often the case a smile was on her face. Upon that very moment Matsuri realized that this was exactly as young as Mei-san had looked before.

Matsuri gave Atsuko a knowing look before darting her eyes toward Yuzu and Mei, inviting Atsuko to do the same. The pair had suddenly stopped walking and Yuzu-chan was blushing deliciously; the way she fretted by wrinkling her hands together made the picture even the more enjoyable until Mei-san delicately clasped her slender pale hands around the older girl's wrist.

It was quite the bold display considering the environment; The upper class would deem even a prolonged period of eye-contact to be unbecoming as feelings were best left at home. It was not a concept that Matsuri disagreed with.

"Can you believe those two, Atsuko-dono?" Matsuri wondered in an exasperated tone before turning her clever blue eyes toward Atsuko.

"Of course, I can!" Atsuko's reply was immediate and the smile on her face was blinding.

"They're in love."

Matsuri broke into a chuckle against her better instincts and was immediately pinned down by fierce inquisitive emerald glare.

"They sure are, Atsuko-dono." She added, getting pleased with herself when the child nodded happily to her words.

Finally, Mei-san had to play one last hand by nearing her lips to Yuzu-chan's ear and whispering something. Matsuri would have loved to know what she had said but her lip-reading skills were nonexistent. Still, the beautiful blush spreading over her childhood friend's face spoke for itself.

She sighed once again. It had been happening too frequently as of late. Maybe it was time for her to think more seriously about her own relationships - There was already a name playing on her mind.

.

Curtains fall

.

After the dancers' performance, the evening proceeded swiftly toward the main event, namely the auction. Shou's colleagues proved to be efficient beyond compare, which did not surprise Yuzu in the least as she had the chance to see them in action during the prep phase.

As of now, Yuzu could relax herself completely. She had been a tad nervous over organizing the gala, although events as such were not particularly difficult to run. Still, this evening meant a great deal to her lover and that made all the difference.

Nothing short of perfection would have proved acceptable to Yuzu. This was one of the reasons that had prompted her to leave the bulk of the organization to Matsuri. She did not wish her personal involvement to cloud her judgement or to make her overly difficult to work with.

Besides, she trusted Matsuri completely and the results spoke for themselves. Her team had made quite the impression on a crowd that was notoriously difficult to please. She had done her best to conceal her anxiety from her partner yet the fact that Mei had not taken notice of it was further proof of how distressed she had been over the whole ordeal.

They had returned to the tables while the auction was getting set up. Atsuko was standing in between their chairs, stifling a yawn every so often and doing a poor job of hiding it. It made for an adorable sight as she would scrunch her delicate face comically and make a face that stood halfway between a sneeze and smile.

She had to preserve her dress for her stage moment as her image was representative of Citrus-E as a whole and of the many people working that made the evening possible. That part was now over though and she no longer felt bound by such obligations.

"Whoa!" Her darling little sister squealed in surprise when she put her hands under her arms and lifted her to sit sideways on her lap, immediately tightening her hold to cuddle Atsuko against her chest.

"Yuzu-nee!" The affection in Atsuko's voice held a great deal of gratitude as she wrapped herself around her sister as best as she could. There was no fabric for her to grab, so she nestled herself into Yuzu much as a kitten would. Her cute antics had Yuzu melt into a motherly smile.

Then, a shimmer captured her attention once more. The new necklace glinted upon the ethereal paleness of Mei's skin and the sight invited Yuzu's eyes to travel along the elegant length of Mei's neck. Feeling her gaze, Mei tilted her head in a bid to let her hide her blush behind her hair, hitching a breath in Yuzu's throat and breaking her out of her trance.

As the sweet child in her arms relaxed completely against her, Yuzu resolved to allow her a well-deserved nap since the auction was not going to be an interesting affair for her. As the room grew louder, she brought her lips close to her sister's ear, knowing that a hummed song would insulate her and ease her into slumber. Once asleep, no noise would be able to wake her.

As expected, Saito-sensei's painting proved to be the most coveted item available. A long bidding battle was waged around it and the price climbed far higher than Mei had expected. Father's colleagues had been almost gasping for breath by the end ot it. Even her Grandfather had bid much more money that Mei had ever thought him willing to spend on a piece of art, even when there was no discounting the fact that her Grandfather might have thought the purchase of the piece to be an investment.

Regardless, such results only reinforced how precious Kaori-san was in her acquisition of the piece.

In the end, Higashi Eisuke-san made the winning bid and the result had surprised no one. As she considered the fact, Mei experienced a moment of childlike curiosity wondering how Saito-sensei would feel about it all. Maybe she could ask Kaori-san to investigate.

Even their table had done some interesting purchases. Himeko-san and her husband had bid on and won a tea ceremony with a geisha. It was a bit difficult imagining the two of them taking part to such a serious ceremony, thought Yuzu had explained to Mei what "cosplay" meant and perhaps the ceremony was but a stage for the young couple's hobby.

Taniguchi-san had opten for a weekend in a Skiing resort, doubtless a short break to enjoy with Maruta-san. Yuzu had secured three pair of VIP tickets for three differents ballets, two of which happened to be Mei's favorites. Mei had found herself blushing each and every time her love bid. Her unabated happiness had also required her to bring back the odd trick of covering her lips with her hand in order to conceal her smile.

Finally, at least for the three of them, the evening came to an end. Once the auction had been closed Mei and Yuzu had decided to take their leave. Atsuko had slept through it all and even though she had mumbled about socks against Yuzu's neck a couple of times, the impromptu nap seemed to have benefitted her. Still, Mei saw no point in tempting fate or stressing the child any further.

After having bid their goodbyes to their tablemates, Mei had waited with Atsuko while Yuzu shared a brief conversation with Matsuri. Upon parting with a bizarre multi-stage handshake, Yuzu returned to the pair and they made their last stop before heading off.

"You're leaving already?" Grandfather asked with suspicious eyes, which seemed to soften ever so slightly when he saw his youngest granddaughter rubbing her eyes. "Well, no matter. Everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves."

"Yes, Grandfather. Yuzu and I have spoken to everyone we wished to speak to and now it is getting late." Mei spoke with confidence inspired by the tight grip Atsuko had on her hand.

"Yup! Please speak to Ma- Mizusawa-san if you have any requests before the end of the night." Yuzu added, placing complete faith in her old friend.

"I see." Grandfather paused for a moment before his eyes passed over Atsuko once again. "I think we've met everyone we needed to meet, so I'll be in touch later."

The four then exchanged bows and goodbyes before Yuzu, Mei and Atsuko headed off into the chilly night, thankful that the whole experience had been relatively painless, perhaps even enjoyable at times.

.

The End of Summer

.

In spite of her exhaustion, Atsuko could not stop herself from bouncing on her feet the moment they returned to the apartment. There was so much love within those walls and the air was made sweeter because of it. Still, the hour was late and as soft-footed as Atsuko was, it was better not to take chances. Mei did not need to intervene though as her lover immediately settled the euphoric child down by placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Easy there, little samurai. It's getting late." Yuzu said while kneeling as much as her dress would permit and started working on the buttons of Atsuko's fashionable blue coat.

"Next time I will get you one with a zip." She promised with a wink while working on the last buttons, finally letting Atsuko remove her coat.

While Yuzu took care of placing the coat on the hanger, Mei took notice of the little shiver running through her sister's small frame and reached for the purple bear hoodie that Yuzu had preemptively placed in the genkan before leaving.

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as this garment was her absolute favorite and Yuzu softly elbowing her revealed that the choice had not been coincidental. They shared a sweet look before Mei moved to hold it open for the child to slip into, which she did with a smile. As soon as her hands peaked out of the overly long sleeves, she pulled the hoodie over her head. It fell to cover her forehead with its soft hem stopping just above her eyes.

Mei reached over to squeeze one of the huge bear ears that sprung from it immediately as the plush softness was a too irresistible temptation. Her move had Atsuko turn around to look at her with laughing green eyes. She made claws of her hands and roared toward her.

"You make for a fearsome bear, Atsuko." Her eyes widened and she allowed herself a particularly bright smile. "But are still quite cute."

In that moment, Mei wished for nothing more than to slip out of her gown and into more comfortable clothes and she knew that her partner felt the same. After sharing a look of understanding, Yuzu took Atsuko's hand and led the child into the living area while Mei followed the golden shape much like a ship would a star.

"I shall message Mother, Yuzu." Her announcement had Yuzu turn to her with an incredibly bright smile on her lips. She gave her a few eager nods before leading a tired Atsuko toward the sofa. Mother was at work as her crew was working on a site that could not be closed during the day.

As she sent the text informing her of their safe return home, a feeling of disappointment spread within her. There was no possibility of hearing the woman's warm voice through texting, she thought. Of course, calling her at work was not really an option as much as she wished it could be.

"You keep Kumagorou company while we get out of these dresses, sweetie." Yuzu instructed. "O-kay, Yuzu-nee." Mei's eyes shifted to Atsuko as the child wrapped herself around Kumagorou and pressed into its plushness. The bear preferred to sit at the kitchen table but Mei had thought it would make a good companion for a waiting Atsuko as they changed. Changing did not take long as the need to get out of their gowns had been pressing them. Mei considered jealously how Atsuko's dress looked far more comfortable. Still, the image of Yuzu simply allowing her dress to fall to the ground and stepping out of it had made an impression on Mei's mind Her light blue underwear was quite a spectacle against her tan skin and she appeared as a dream in the soft glow of their lamp. Yuzu had mercifully put on an orange-colored tank top and a pair of blue shorts before helping Mei out of her own dress. Her partner's equally enraptured response to her own undressing had only served to stoke the fire within her.

Nevertheless, she had promptly followed Yuzu's example by slipping into a pair of gray leggings and a white spaghetti strap camisole. The catch in Yuzu's breath as the camisole fell into place confirmed her choice to be a winning one as the garment flaunted her neck and her shoulders. They also spared a few minutes to remove their makeup as well.

As she made her way toward the sofa, Mei allowed herself a smile. This excruciating day had passed and much to Mei's relief, it had caused no lingering damage. She had taken another crucial step today and she would take another one tomorrow. Her own path.

She had reached the sofa without realizing and was now faced with the adorable sight of Atsuko cuddling Kumagorou. She was still awake, stubbornly fighting against her tiredness as she wished to have a moment with the two of them as well, not to mention a proper hug before bedtime.

"Nee-san..." She said sweetly before melting into an expression of only love. She had pulled her hood back, revealing the full sight of her happy face.

"Time for bed, Atsuko." Mei's statement was met with a tired nod and a smile that immediately turned into a huge yawn. It made Atsuko look like a little lion.

"Goodnight, Kumagorou." Atsuko said before kissing the placid-looking bear on the muzzle and finally releasing him from her embrace. Then, she clumsily gathered herself up to stand upon the couch before holding her arms out to Mei.

Mei found herself smiling without realizing as she lifted the child into her arms with no effort at all. Atsuko's deep sigh of content as she wrapped herself around her matched her own feeling perfectly.

She immediately lost herself in Atsuko and it became difficult to tell who was holding who. Atsuko reacted in typical fashion, gripping at the back of her camisole and burying her head in her neck. It had been a taxing evening for all of them and they found much-needed relief in the comfort of the embrace.

"I am a bit tired, Nee-san. I don't think that I can read tonight." She had pulled back to look at Mei from between fluttering eyelids, stubbornly keeping her head from dropping back against her sister's shoulder. Mei stopped walking and fixed her sister with a serious gaze.

"We shall read twice as many pages tomorrow, if that is what you wish." She spoke in a tone that belonged to Atsuko alone as it was kind and loving while still holding her authoritative edge.

"Yes! I wish for sure, Nee-san!." Atsuko squealed joyfully before relaxing into a smile. Finally, her eagerly nodding head came to rest on Mei's shoulder.

Mei barely had time to react. Upon entering the room, Atsuko had almost leapt from her arms and forced her to bend down to soften the rambunctious child's landing. "Yuzu-nee!" She called, momentarily forgetting her tiredness. Yuzu turned from the bed, where she had already laid out a pair of clean pyjamas and uncovered the duvet. She offered Atsuko open arms and the warmest of smiles, which were gladly accepted. Mei knew that she could never tire from witnessing such sights; The image of Atsuko and Yuzu embracing was one of the greatest gifts she could ever hope to receive.

Even when Yuzu's back was facing away from her, she could tell from the way her still-gleaming blonde hair was shifting about that Atsuko had grabbed handfuls of her shirt, as was her wont. Unlike her, Yuzu would always start swaying on her feet when holding Atsuko in her arms, oftentimes she would also hum along, as she was doing now. Both were habits she shared with their Mother.

It was then that Atsuko broke into another huge yawn, head lolling onto her oldest sister's shoulder, legs losing their firm grip around Yuzu's midriff. Mei supposed that her hold on Yuzu's shirt had relented as well. A look was shared in place of words and Yuzu took a seat on the child's bed and went to remove Atsuko's hoodie, delicately guiding her sister's arms out of the sleeves while the she slumped against her chest.

Mei joined her love, unable to resist the temptation of smoothing back Atsuko's silky fringe as to fully uncover her forehead. Atsuko spotted her in between fluttering eyelids, immediately melting into a sleepy smile. Without warning, she reached out to grab a fistful of Mei's shirt in a clumsy fashion.

Still, when Yuzu moved to remove her necklace, Atsuko protested, one hand clumsily reaching for the back of her neck while an adorable pout appeared on her face.

Yuzu leaned closer to the child's ear and whispered in her sweetest voice, gently stroking Atsuko's small back with the tips of her fingers as she spoke. "Sweetie, we'll put in your drawer."

"O-kay" Atsuko conceded, her reply evolving into yet another huge yawn.

An affectionate chuckle tumbled past Yuzu's lips as she unclasped the necklace before neatly placing it into the open box that Mei was holding in front of her.

After that, Yuzu and Mei set to the task of getting the slumbering Atsuko into her nightwear. Their teamwork was flawless as they had helped their little sister to bed countless times. Atsuko was helped under the covers then and she all but fell into the softness of her waiting pillow, dark hair fanning about as she did not like to tie her locks for the night.

When the time to kiss the child's forehead and bid her goodnight came, they moved in unison, stopping to share a smile as they bumped into a delicate collision. Yuzu stole a kiss from Mei's smiling lips before pulling slightly back to allow her to kiss the child and bid her goodnight. She followed suit, although she took a longer moment to simply stare at Atsuko, savoring the sight of the peaceful girl while a look of timid amazement settled on her features.

"No one is quite like her, Yuzu." Mei whispered, her own eyes lingering on the sweet perfection that was Atsuko's face. She reached out, needing the touch of her love and clasped her fingers around Yuzu's waiting hand.

"We're quite lucky, Mei. Aren't we?"

Mei was about to reply when a soft moan broke the moment. Atsuko burrowed deeper into her pillow as the hand that she held by her chin closed into a tight fist. Sure enough her peculiar sleep-talking was back and there she was now, exploring the mysteries of the socks.

A knowing glance was traded between them as Yuzu leaned closer to Atsuko's sleeping face and intoned one of her favorite lullabies while Mei rested the full length of her hand on the child's back.

Yuzu's singing was not as flawless as Mother was and yet the enthusiasm and the willingness vibrating through her voice gave the song an honest quality that Mei found incredibly appealing. She closed her eyes and focused on the rising and falling of Atsuko's back, feeling with her palm the child's breathing returning to a gentle rhythm.

She came back to the present to see that Atsuko had settled down. Her features had softened, her fist had opened and she was now slumbering peacefully, delicately cooing in her sleep. Yuzu was no longer singing but was gazing at her with an adorably shy smile on her lips.

Mei felt the heat of a blush travel from her neck to her cheeks, even reaching the tips of her ears. She was unwilling to hide herself though, pursing her lips she willed her timidness to make way for bravery. She lost herself to a sudden instinct commanding her to take Yuzu's face between her hands.

A whispered shiver of anticipation took hold of her partner as she leaned closer to scatter kisses upon that perfect face. Yuzu's surprise held her still under Mei's tender ministrations until their lips delicately met, brushing against each other again and again. Her love suddenly smiling into their kisses sent a jolt through Mei's chest, the happiness laced to such spontaneity was more that she would ever deserve. Mei pulled back, purple eyes searching for her love's emerald gaze as the two decided that it was time to take the conversation elsewhere.

Soon, Yuzu was drawing comforting patterns over her skin by trailing her fingertips along her arm as the pair lay on their bed facing each other. With her hand splayed against Yuzu's taut abdomen, Mei could feel even the most minuscule of movements as her lover breathed steadily, the rhythm a soothing one as she savored the quiet happiness of intimacy while peering into the beautiful depths of partner's eyes.

Her hand soon abandoned Yuzu's midriff, gliding upward over the folds of Yuzu's loose shirt, tracing a line between the woman's breasts and finding skin anew as it followed the soft slope of her neck. Mei's journey ended at Yuzu's chin, where her thumb rested on the sensitive patch of skin leading to her mouth. Yuzu's lips parted slightly as to draw a mute exhale.

Yuzu had always been stronger than her carefree demeanor would suggest. She would not allow Mei to satiate her emptiness by feasting on fleeting desire. Her kindness did not cripple her; on the contrary, it allowed her eyes to look at her with purpose and so when her partner's eyes narrowed in soft concern, Mei could only sigh.

"Am I being selfish, Yuzu?" She asked, at last. The trepidation in her voice betrayed her nervousness; her insecurities were lingering wraiths and yet she still trembled at the thought of disappointing Yuzu.

"Not at all, Mei." Her voice was a balm, a soothing song eclipsing her fears - the ones she had allowed to reach the surface at last.

"Your work speaks for itself." A smile so delicate appeared on Yuzu's lips after she spoke and Mei could not resist the urge of brushing her thumb over it. Her touch softened the smile and all too soon, a kiss was placed upon it.

"Mei…" Yuzu exhaled dreamily. "I've always admired your dedication." A shy chuckle warmed her skin as a blush blossomed about Yuzu's cheeks.

"It inspired me to find my own path, Mei." Mei closed her eyes for a moment as being declared as a source of inspiration by Yuzu was a honor that she felt undeserving of. Yet surprisingly, Mei found herself able to believe Yuzu's words, if only for a while.

"The board will back you up, right?" Yuzu wondered gently, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear while capturing her gaze with a tender smile. "They won't let Gramps meddle that much."

"I think so." She said, a sigh fleeing from her lips right after she spoke. Yuzu's soft gaze of confidence strengthened her resolve to write her decision in stone as this time she was not acting under a misguided sense of duty.

"...Especially if I manage to secure new funding." She added after pulling herself into a sitting position, her hand curling around her necklace of its own volition as she spoke. The shape had already become familiar to her touch.

Yuzu watched Mei in silence as she seemed to be deep in thought at the moment and her contemplative mood only enhanced her otherworldly countenance.

It was difficult not to stare at Mei, Yuzu thought as her eyes savoured her love's presence. The most perfect compromise between harmonious beauty and sharp elegance happened within Mei: the soft curves of her pale cheeks, devolving into the sharp angles of her jaw, from which her long and graceful neck took leave, so smooth and delicate. Mei's neck would call upon her lips without pause; it drew a most mesmerizing line toward her shoulders, which were gracefully rounded, though the lean muscles at the back of them revealed the strength living in those pale and slender arms.

"You are staring, Yuzu." A delicate hand rose to her love beautifully bowed lips as a crystalline giggle tumbled past them. "Again"

Yuzu could only shrug her shoulders. She had been rendered speechless by the younger girl's beauty upon first setting her eyes on her and as Mei had further revealed herself, she had been unable to ever look away.

Mei cut through her thinking by bowing swiftly to steal a kiss from her, a move so quick that it left Yuzu unable to reciprocate. Without pausing, Mei slid from the bed with cat-like grace, painting a dreamy smile on Yuzu's tingling lips.

Her smile became one of sweet delight when Mei reached to get the notebook from the drawer of her nightstand - The one sporting the drawing of a bear dressed as a professor on the cover and that, a long time ago, had been declared absolute by her. It had now become a sort of diary in which the two recorded their thoughts and propositions.

Yuzu had spent months crying over the letter that Mei had written in it upon moving back into her Grandfather's mansion to get married. A rueful smile settled on Yuzu's lips at the memory as the pain she had endured during those months had forged her character and made her wiser. She never wished to live through something like that ever again yet she could not deny how much the experience had made her grow.

Yuzu pushed herself into a sitting position, as to follow Mei's every move with eager eyes as the younger woman made her way to the vanity. Her steps were light and the dimly-lit room enhanced the otherworldly quality of her presence.

Yuzu too had something to add, although on a different notebook,one she had created upon finding herself alone with a four years old Atsuko for a whole weekend. The "Give Atsuko the Best Day Ever Plan~!" proved to be a roaring success. Since then, that notebook had become a record of their life with Atsuko. Yuzu could not pass adding an entry about Atsuko's words at the gala.

At the moment though, her complete focus had been stolen by the slight tension in Mei's arm as she wrote her entry, the movement causing a soft ripple along the well-defined muscles of her back and shoulder. Once she had finished compiling her entry, Mei took pause to roll a lock of hair between her fingers and smiled sweetly to herself. Yuzu was all but robbed of her breath.

She then closed the notebook and quickly made her way towards the bed. In spite of the taxing day, her posture remained perfectly straight and her steps fell as graceful as ever. Yuzu failed to stifle a giggle and in an instant, she felt that piercing gaze fall upon her as she caught a beautiful flash of purple in the low light.

Mei took the dogeared notebook in both hands and carefully placed it back in the drawer before letting herself fall into the empty space next to her. She slid closer and folded her legs under her body to sit in front of Yuzu. Yuzu soon felt her warm breath creeping along her neck with a rhythm that never failed to set her mind at ease.

She kept still as Mei placed one of her hand on her hip, fingers curling tightly around it as her claim never failed to be a firm one. Her motions often held a possessive edge that Yuzu deemed quite flattering.

Yuzu placed the tips of her fingers between Mei's shoulder blades and trailed them down along her spine, a whispered caress to be repeated over and over. She was enjoying herself a great deal as the tension had fled Mei's body the moment she had closed the notebook. Whatever she had written in it had forged her resolve into steel and burned away her doubts.

"Yuzu." Mei said after pulling back to look directly into her eyes. "The Academy is really important to me." She continued, her confidence was hatched in the elegant firmness of her voice.

"I know, Mei." Yuzu relaxed into a smile, now bringing her hand to cup her love's face and looked at Mei with soft eyes, humbled by her lover's inner strength.

When Mei spoke of the Academy, her passion was without doubt as she was ferociously devoted to her job. Her loyalty to the family legacy was sincere and she had almost sacrificed everything to it. As she began acting as the Chairperson in full capacity over the past few years, Yuzu had felt a change within her. Her work had become her call and her utmost devotion was no longer reserved for the institution itself but to its students too.

"He might never forgive me for this, Yuzu." The truth of the matter was spoken without inhibition as one would a fact, something ineluctable that had been deeply considered and then simply accepted, along with the pain that such an event would inevitably bring.

Even the thought of betraying her Grandfather must have been unbearable for Mei; the possibility of bringing the man further pain had held her captive of his whims for so very long and turned her passive to the point of submission. Yuzu was way past the point of admiration when it came to Mei, to break such chains must have required an immense strength and an even greater sacrifice and yet, as of now, not even a glint of uncertainty agitated the fierce purple of her gaze.

"Everyone can change, Mei." She said, casting a drop of of her own philosophy into the ocean of Mei's resolve.

As soon as the last word left her lips, Mei melted into a smile. Yuzu did not think her words to be particularly wise or special, yet it was true that her love would often be stunned by the simplest things. As to hide her sudden blush, she started to play with the hem of Mei's camisole, focusing her eyes on the small patch of fabric.

Although, once Mei took hold of her hand, halting her childish play, she felt compelled to raise her gaze. In the soft light, with her head slightly tilted, her pink lips had formed the most loving of smiles and her hair pulled over one shoulder flowing over her pale skin like glittering silk.

"You may be right, Yuzu." She said, her usually smooth tone proud with adoration. To hear such notes in Mei's voice only inflamed Yuzu's cheeks further and caused her breath to catch in her throat.

"...Mei." She said the only word that her lips could speak at the moment, the one single thought in her mind and the most perfect sound a voice could produce.

Mei intertwined her fingers with hers and brought their joined hands to rest on the mattress while leaning closer. Yuzu tilted her head slightly, waiting for Mei's lips too find hers. The kiss was tender and slow, as if loving words were being whispered with each touch.

Upon parting, Mei nestled herself against her in a mute request to be held. Yuzu could only oblige; she folded herself around her love in a tight embrace and laid back, tangling her legs with Mei's once they had settled against each other.

Minutes trickled by and as Mei's breathing evened against her neck, Yuzu realized that sleep had claimed her. Resolving to turn off the light, she stretched her left arm toward the switch only for a pale slender hand to clasp her wrist, effectively halting her movements.

The breathing against her neck became sharper, causing an awkward smile to form upon Yuzu's lips. She then nodded at nothing and to no one in particular; Some things were still left unresolved.

End of Chapter 14 aka The One where Mei plays the game.

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A special thank you to those that took the time to review!

To Guest:

You are so very welcome! And we thank you as well! Reviews as yours make all the work and effort we put in our writing worth it! We are quite humbled by such praise and we'll try to always maintain the same quality of writing. Do not worry, we are in love with Yuzu and Mei and we will not stop writing about them anytime soon! Thank you for supporting us and please keep sharing your thoughts!

To Azul:

Thank you! We are glad that you are enjoying the story so much!

To joya224:

Thank you so much! OC characters are always challenging to write, so we are particularly happy when receiving a message about Atsuko. Apart from her looks being a mix of Mei and Yuzu, we were adamant to show that even Atsuko's personality has been mostly shaped by having them in her life. We wanted her to further connect Mei and Yuzu and have them find themselves in a parental in a way that has not been explored before as we think Citrus to be a tale about finding love and family in the most unexpected of ways! Since you signed it, I was going to reply in a PM but I could not as the function is disabled in your profile