Previously, the story ended with an intervention (or at least the beginnings of one) and Minami recounting a tale of three nights ago. Let's start her story now, shall we? Hopefully it isn't a downer.
LUCKY STAR
It was a Tuesday night and Minami was wandering the Takara estate. She was walking in the hall that lead from the kitchen to Miyuki's room while lost in thought when she suddenly bumped into Yukari.
"Good evening, Yukari-san"
"Oh... Minami... Good evening..." Yukari said coldly. Oddly enough, the woman's rather passive-aggressive response was a lot warmer than it normally was. Minami wondered if she was starting to accept her. "So... I take it your relationship with the Kobayakawa girl is going well?" The pinkette asked
Minami nodded. "We... we're doing okay, I guess..." She said awkwardly. This is strange. I can tell she's still uncomfortable with being near me but I don't feel the dislike she normally radiates when I'm near... interesting... "So..."
"So..." Yukari repeated. "... How long have you been dating...?"
Well that was a question from out of the blue... What's going on here...? Despite her confusion, the mint haired-girl still replied curtly. "A little under two months" What does she want to know?
"Minami, I'm sorry for making it so hard you. For the past several weeks, I've been very mean to you and your... ah... friends... I apologize for that..." Yukari hung her head, looking legitimately regretful.
"It's fine" Minami said automatically. The stoic girl winced inside. Sure, she was going to say that anyway, but she liked to think she had self control and that particular reflex did not help with keeping that image of herself.
"That's somewhat of a relief. I expected that you hated me." Yukari said, relaxing a bit.
"Don't worry, Yukari-san. It's okay." Personally, Minami didn't feel her reason justified her... unpleasant actions, but she saw no reason to hold a grudge. Besides, justified or not, at least she's saying sorry. "We disliked the way you acted towards us, but we knew you had a reason."
"A reason... yes..." The pinkette gave another sigh. "To be honest, I still feel very uncomfortable with your relationship. Whenever I see you and Yutaka-chan, a certain pain shoots through my heart. I really wish it didn't..."
"You can't help what you feel, Yukari-san." Minami said in an attempt to reassure her.
"It's just... You look so much like your mother." The mint haired girl blinked. It was true. She couldn't deny it. But what did it have to do with anything? "You know that Honoka and I had dated at one point, right?" After the younger girl nodded, Yukari continued. "It was in high school. I was a senior and she was a freshman. No one even knew we were together. We actually started in the Christmas before school started... but that's for another story..."
The two decided to sit down on the nearby couch.
"Our time together, while happy, was never the most stable of relationships. We fought a lot over the most insignificant things, usually breaking up shortly after. Somehow we always managed to get back together"
Minami was surprised to say the least. She couldn't really imagine her mother and Yukari fighting. Then again, she never expected that the woman in front of her could act so cold, nor did she expect the very same woman to apologize. The mint haired girl shelved her thoughts for later examination and let the older woman continue
"Then one day, we had a particularly unpleasant argument. We both ended up saying things we later regretted. It was the worst break up I had with her... and the last." Yukari's eyes were glistening. She looked like she was just about ready to cry but no tears fell. "I expected to make up after a few days but we never did. It wasn't until after I graduated did I learn that she actually took another girlfriend."
Minami almost didn't want to know but still she asked "... who was she?"
Yukari grit her teeth and forced herself to continue. "Her name was Yuki Izumi... She looked just like the girl you were dating..."
Minami was astonished. Wasn't Yutaka's mother named Yuki? Again, she set aside the questions for later.
"Your mother and I were close and we had a lot in common. The only problem was that we didn't love each other – or at least I thought I didn't. I was wrong. So very wrong..." She closed her eyes, preventing the stream of tears from flowing. "It wasn't until I found out we weren't getting back together that I finally realized that I did in fact love Honoka." She began to sob quietly.
Minami wasn't sure how to react so she just sat there awkwardly next to the crying woman. "Uh... there there..." She patted the pinkette's shoulder in an attempt to cheer her up.
After a few minutes, Yukari stopped the flow of tears. "I... I'm sorry. I-I'm okay now..." After a deep breath, she regained her composure, although her eyes were still red.
"The girl, Yuki. She was a first year. Turns out, she had a crush on Honoka and confessed to her a few days after our fight. She didn't know about us and I don't think Honoka ever told her..."
"I... I don't know what to say." Minami said helplessly. There was so much she WANTED to say but she couldn't find the right words. As always, speech felt like a barrier she always had to break through but just COULDN'T.
"You don't have to say anything. It's a lot to take in" Yukari was in a melancholic state. She sat limply on the cushioned bench – had she not been leaning on the wall, she would have fallen off her seat. "I don't know why your mother ended up staying with the other girl. Maybe it's because she and I argue too much. Maybe she got sick of me. Maybe she wanted a girlfriend her own age. Maybe just felt more loved with the other girl..." She continued on like this.
Minami could usually tell when someone was going down a downward spiral and this was likely to be the case. "What's done is done. You can't change the past" The mint hared girl said, snapping the woman out of her daze.
"Oh... I'm sorry. I think I blanked out there" As Yukari's eyes refocused, she seemed to scowl. "It's my understanding that your case it the complete opposite of ours...?"
The younger girl blinked. Why the sudden topic change? "... what do you mean?"
"From what Honoka tells me, you two are the perfect couple. You never get into fights. Never experience any jealousy. It's almost weird how well your relationship is going. I don't think AYNTHING can pull you two apart"
"Uh..." As crazy as it felt, what Yukari was saying seemed to make Minami self conscious.
She was correct, though. Fights between the two were all but non existent and the jealousy they felt was more of the incentive-to-improve kind rather than outraged-and-spiteful kind. Over all, their relationship was probably the smoothest one Minami's ever seen or heard of. The only thing that could come between them would be Yutaka's frailness – if she got sick or injured, there was nothing the mint haired girl could do besides care for the girl and hope that her body could fix itself.
Minami blinked. There IS something I can do. I can prevent her from getting sick or injured. It's what I've always been doing. I will protect her!
LUCKY STAR
"I guess after that, I became a bit overprotective of you..." Minami said, her voice thick with guilt. She closed her eyes solemnly. "After all those times I told people there was more to you than being weak and shy – that you were stronger then people assume. It's almost as if I didn't really believe it myself..."
As the mint haired girl curled up into an even tighter ball, Yutaka couldn't help but feel that there was more to this than her confrontation with Yukari.
She had been moody all week, going from happy, to sad, then to angry in only a span of a few minutes. Granted, the stoic had kept those emotions under a nigh perfect mask, but it doesn't change the fact that it happened. That said, there had to be something else – something more – to explain her behavior. A talk with her surrogate aunt wouldn't be enough to make her act the way she did but it would be the perfect catalyst for a chain reaction involving whatever had been eating at her.
"Minami... That's not all of it..." Yutaka said, trembling. She seemed to holding back tears "I can feel it... There's more... what else is wrong...?" She looked at the girl next to her and pleaded for an answer
Minami hung her head and tightened her hug on her knees. She struggled to think of the words to describe what else was hurting her but nothing came to mind. She couldn't explain it.
"I don't know." She said with a look for pain and confusion on her face. "I don't know..." She turned to the red head and whispered. "I'm scared, Yutaka. I've been scared for a while and I don't know why. WHY?"
Despite the softness of her voice, Yutaka heard every agonizing word. "We stand together." She said, quoting Minami "You're not alone. I'm here. We'll get through this"
Minami breathed in a shaky deep breath in an attempt to calm down. "Thank you..." She said, still trembling but relaxing ever so slightly.
The red head pulled the mint-haired girl closer. She was still confused as to what was bothering her girlfriend, but she took comfort that she was able to help, even just a little. She just wished Minami wouldn't keep all her feelings bottled up. Whatever emotions her encounter with Yukari had released, Yutaka doubted that was all of them...
LUCKY STAR
It was a slow day at the cosplay cafe where Konata and Patricia worked at. That said, the employee's were just lazing around – still in costume, mind you.
Konata was clad in a green schoolgirl uniform with a long black coat draped over her shoulders. A pendant hung from a small chain around her neck and a collapsible replica katana was hidden inside her coat. Finally, a red wig completed the outfit.
Patricia, on the other hand, was wearing a purple business suit, with a skirt reaching just under her knees. On her face were fake glasses and hanging from her shoulder was a book large enough to stand on and still have space.
"Are you sure you're good for today? I thought you said you were tired." Patricia asked the shorter girl
"Eh, yeah I am. But this is something I have to do. Gotta save up, you know?" Konata said
"Save up for what? You didn't even go to Comiket last summer so you must have saved up a lot of money. What's so expensive that you need so much?"
"Hmm... of the top of my head, I'd say electric bills are expensive." Konata replied casually. "And phone bills; water bills; cable bills; lot and lots of bills"
Patricia cringed "Yikes. You must have it rough. Couldn't you just cut down on stuff you don't need? I'm sure that subscription to your MMO could go."
Konata looked at the blond with an intense glare – made even more intense by the red contact lenses she was wearing. "Perhaps you should mind your own business?" She asked it politely with a kind smile but the underlying venom in her voice said otherwise.
The taller girl seemed to take offense "Wow, okay. I was only suggesting. No need to lose your temper." She sighed. "You know, I kinda feel bad about how you're doing now..."
"Eh, thanks for the sympathy, I guess?" Konata said, scratching her head. "It's nice to know you care, at least"
A girl called out to the two of them. She was wearing a green wig, a shrine priestess outfit, and carried a large staff with various rings on its head that clinked every time it moved. "Guys, a customer is coming. Get into character" She yelled in a monotone voice.
Konata cleared her throat and practiced her tsundere voice for a few lines. Patricia, likewise, practiced her condescending woman voice.
And so began work for that day.
LUCKY STAR
Tsukasa and Kagami walked quietly back to their house from the grocery store. It was a peaceful night and the two were taking their time to appreciate such a rare occurrence so early in the evening.
Kagami was the first one to break the silence. "Did we remember everything they asked us to buy for groceries?"
"Ah... I... don't know. I think so?" Tsukasa replied as she shifted through the contents of the plastic bag she was carrying.
"Say... Tsukasa..." The twin tailed girl began. "You know how your class is doing a play and all? What's your role in it?" She asked, legitimately curious.
"Hmm? I'm the lead role."
"Oh you're the lea- What!? W-w-wait... wait... just wait... WHAT?" Kagami was stammering. "What?"
The younger twin shrunk from her sister's display of disbelief. "Is that something wrong...?"
After herself calming down, the tsundere scratched her head, feeling more than a little guilty for making her sister feel bad. "Eh, no nothing's wrong with it. I guess I was just really surprised. I mean... REALLY surprised..."
"I was surprised too." Tsukasa agreed and then added enthusiastically "And Konata said I'm really good at acting."
"Really?" Kagami blinked. She was skeptical about whether Konata's compliment on Tsukasa's acting skills had merit but she was willing to suspend her disbelief for her sister's sake. "Okay. I was going to watch your play anyway, but now you've got me interested. Who are you playing?"
"I play the queen of a country. She sort of gets drunk on power after her knights win against an enemy kingdom that kidnapped their princess. She tries to take over the world but is very bad at it."
"Sounds more like a role that would suit Konata." The older twin commented
"She wrote the script. Most of the class actually wanted HER to play the lead. She refused."
"Oh? That's surprising. She normally loves the spot light..." Kagami then realized something "Come to think of it, unlike her, you hate being in the spot light. What made you agree with taking the lead role?"
"Ah... well..." Tsukasa thought for a bit.
She flashed back to last Wednesday, when the entire class voted her to become one of the main characters. Their face of expectation was enough to shoot down every attempt at declining from the role. She was about to cry when Konata walked by and whispered "I know you can do it. You'd make an awesome lead." Suffice it to say, that was enough for Tsukasa to accept the role
"I guess you could say Konata convinced me?"
Kagami sighed. "I swear. That girl is so persuasive she could con the devil into going to church."
The two arrived home shortly after that statement. As Kagami used her keys to unlock the door, Tsukasa afforded herself a small smile.
Sure, it didn't take much to convince me, but if I didn't let myself be convinced, I would never have known I was good at something else besides cooking. I have Konata to thank for that.
The two entered the house and was greeted by their mother.
LUCKY STAR
It was already fairly late but Minami and Yutaka had yet to leave their classroom. The two were still sitting in the corner, albeit in the middle of a particularly passionate kiss.
"Yutaka..." Minami breathed as she pulled away, cheeks flushed.
"Ah... Mi... na... mi..." Yutaka panted, looking longingly at her girlfriend's tantalizing blue eyes.
They almost immediately locked lips once more.
One would normally wonder how they went from simultaneously breaking down in tears to having a hot make out session. The two were that of same boat as they too had no idea how they ended up doing what they were doing. Although, considering the last thing they remembered was a tight hug and a peck on the lips while they were both sobbing quietly before it became of blur of sensations, it could be inferred that it just snow balled from there.
As the two separated again, it seemed that Yutaka had become exhausted. She fell forward and leaned limply into Minami's chest. The mint haired girl was, likewise, quite tired and rested her back to the wall, enjoying the warmth of the redhead cuddling her.
"Yutaka... do you want to eat out?" Minami asked
Yutaka looked at her with sleepy eyes and answered. "Sure... What do you... have in mind?"
"I know this nice quiet diner near the station. They have pretty good noodles." To which Yutaka responded with a nod
Minami helped the tired girl up and they both left the classroom.
LUCKY STAR
[LUCKY CHANNEL!]
[Hiya, luckies! My name is Akira Kogami, and I will be your navigator for today]
[And I'm Minoru Shiraishi, the assistant. It's finally the start of the weekend.]
[You know, I've been wondering. You've been awfully cheerful this past week. It's been getting on my nerves. What gives?]
[Ah. Well, my school's festival starts next week. I guess you can say I'm excited]
[Really now. Tell me, what's your class going to do?]
[We're doing a play. I'm actually the lead actor]
[You? Lead actor? How bad IS that class that they had to resort to you?]
[I happen to be a fairly competent actor.]
[Ha, I'll believe you when I see it.]
[You don't have to see it. You don't deserve such an honor!]
[Hey, what's with that tone? How dare you act condescending to me!? Show some respect!]
[How dare I? This is retribution, whelp! This is similar to how you act towards me! And you expect me to give you respect? Don't make me laugh!]
[…]
[Oh, what the heck. I'll laugh anyway!]
[Minoru, stop, you're scaring me... I get it, you're a good actor.]
[… Eh... Sorry... and thanks...]
[…]
[…]
[Well that was awkward... No thanks to you...]
[Hey! How else was I supposed to show-]
[This next song is "Oath Sign" by LiSA. Enjoy!]
[Hey, don't just cut me off like that-]
[Shut up, the song's start-]
- voice cut -
LUCKY STAR
The Hiiragi family – Miki, Inori, Matsuri, Kagami, and Tsukasa – sat at the table for dinner. The only family member not there to partake in the meal was Tadao due to a business trip he had to go on.
As the Hiiragi women ate their food, the oldest of them spoke up. "You know... I've been wondering. What are you two doing for the school festival this year?" Miki asked her two youngest daughters.
"We're doing a play" Tsukasa said cheerfully
"And you'll never believe this." Kagami said. "Tsukasa's the lead actress"
Immediately, the table exploded with conversation. Various words ranging from "how" and "why" to "amazing" and "impossible" were thrown around, most of them targeting Tsukasa. All vocal activity was soon brought to an abrupt halt when Miki made and ear splitting whistle.
The indigo-haired woman removed her fingers from her mouth and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Tsukasa, you were saying?"
The youngest sister continued. "We're doing a play about a queen who tries to take over the world but can't win. Its a comedy"
"And the main character is nothing like her." Kagami said with a chuckle. "To be honest, I can't wait to see her play, if only to see Tsukasa play someone completely different."
"I'd love to see it too" Miki agreed. "What about you, Kagami? What's you're class doing?"
The tsundere almost immediately blushed. "Ah well... we..." She was clearly reluctant to tell them so Tsukasa decided to help
"They're doing a swimsuit cafe" The younger twin said.
Again, the three older sisters began speaking all at once only to be silenced by another shrill whistle by the Hiiragi matriarch. "That's a rather... bold choice." She commented.
"Well, it wasn't mine. It was the first thing that was suggested and no one had any better ideas." Kagami said with a sigh. "... Not that it doesn't come with its perks..." She added under her breath
"I bet you're looking forward to seeing Kusakabe in a swimsuit." Matsuri teased. When the tsundere blushed, she released the laugh she was holding in. "I knew it! Oh kagami, you freakin' perv!"
"S-shut up! It's not like that!" Kagami retorted. Her cheeks were burning and her blood was boiling – the mental image of Misao in a swimsuit was not helping. To hide her embarrassment, she turned her head down to face the table.
Dinner continued on like that.
LUCKY STAR
The Izumi household was quiet that night. There was no sound of anime on TV nor any games being played on the PC. It was almost too quiet.
Granted, there was a reason. For one, Konata had to cut down on spending, which meant she had to cut down on electricity usage, which meant she had to select what type of fun to have. The television and computer couldn't be both turned on at the same time – she had to choose one or the other. That said, it meant she also had to budget her time as well.
Time management was never something the bluenette was good at, and it showed. That night, she planned to play her MMO for an hour and then log out to watch her anime. The particular raid she participated in lasted far longer than she expected and ended up taking twenty more minutes than she had planned. By the time she finally finished playing the game and went offline, her anime was already over.
So there she stayed in her room, on her bed, alone, with the entire house to herself, doing stuff. Most perverts would say she was touching herself, and most of the time they would be correct, but at that particular moment, she was doing something else. She was doing her homework
Out of sheer boredom, Konata Izumi was doing her assignments. She herself couldn't believe what she was doing. She was almost glad, and at the same time, disappointed, when the door bell rang and interrupted her.
Why do I feel mad that the door bell made me stop doing homework...? Konata shook her head. She could have an internal debate about that later. The bluenette jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs. Speaking of the door bell, the person who rung it must be Yu-chan... Wow, she's really late.
Sure enough, when Konata opened the door, the person behind it was "... Minami... Good evening?" The mint haired girl stood in front of the otaku, towering a head or so taller. Sitting comfortably in her arms was Yutaka, sleeping soundly as the stoic held her. Seeing it made Konata smile. Well ain't that cute.
"Good evening, Izumi-san."
"First name's fine. Evening, Minami" The bluenette said casually. "C'mon. Let's get her to bed"
Minami nodded and entered the house. As the taller girl took off her own shoes, Konata went to work in removing Yutaka's shoes.
"Good work getting her home" The shorter girl said. "Though, I've gotta wonder, why are you two so late?" Perhaps you've taken your relationship to the next level, hehehe
"We had dinner at this place near the station" Minami stated
Oh... not what I was expecting but... "The one will the awesome noodles? Aw man, I'd have loved to go there today!" Konata sighed.
Upon reaching Yutaka's room, Minami gently lowered her onto the bed. With a smirk, the bluenette next to her suggested "Wanna change her into her pajamas? I'm sure that'll be fun"
The stoic's face remained impassive but she couldn't control the blood rushing to her face when she heard that. Konata could almost see the hunger in her eyes.
"Oh, never mind. Doesn't seem like you'd be able to hold back anyway" She joked, not quite realizing she had said that though aloud.
The mint haired girl grew somewhat wide eyed at the bluenette's statement. A look of guilt, albeit subtle, appeared on her face.
Oh boy... Konata grew somewhat worried. "Hey, no need to look so down. You're hers and she's yours. There's nothing wrong with wanting her."
Minami nodded mechanically. It seems that she managed to reign-in her emotions and was now practically a robot. "I'll be going home now, Izumi-san"
"Call me Konata..." With a deep breath, she continued. "Alright. C'mon, I'll walk you to the door."
As the two walked the hallway leading downstairs, they passed Sojiro's room. Konata glanced at the door and shook her head. Ah. Now I remember why I was doing my homework...
When they reached the door, Konata bid Minami good night.
Well... tonight took a turn for the depressing...
LUCKY STAR
So... The last chapter was about week ago. To compensate, here's a chapter that's twice the normal length... or at least twice the length I've been doing since started updating bi-weekly.
Speaking of which, I think I might return to weekly updates. It's still around 5k words a week regardless.
Anyway...
I had a surprising amount of difficulty finding a way to describe Miki's hair color (considering I only used it in one line). Had I not compared pics of her to the insane amounts of color name references I have, I'd have resulted in just calling her hair "dark violet". It would have been wrong, too. Her hair was actually way more blue than red, making it look closer to indigo, which was the color I used.
I also had difficulty writing Yukari and Minami's scene. It went through several revisions and, even now, I'm not happy with it. I wanted her to be redeemable but I can't convince myself that she is in my story.
I'm also not all that sure about that last part with Konata. In my opinion, that last section was actually one of the better ones. It's just that I have a vague idea of a better way to have done it and I can't seem to put it on paper... so to speak...
*sigh* Whatever. It's time to end this end note. See you guys in a week, probably.