Lucky Future

Chapter 25: Our Bonds

Kagami and Konata walked towards the hospital to pick up Yutaka two days after her incident, greeted with the lovely image of Minami and her walking side by side, Minami's arms braced to grab onto her in case she fell or tripped but Yutaka made it safely. Her health returned to its normal state and Konata couldn't be happier.

"I see you're alright," Konata said. "My oh my, it must be nice to have such a guardian at your side, watching your every move to make sure you're safe, Kagami just likes to watch me trip and fall and doesn't help me at all," Konata explained. Kagami just shied away, hoping not to be seen as a fiend for her sense of humor.

"I'm perfectly fine, I just need to take my medicine. The doctor said that since I'm young, a replacement valve wasn't necessary," Yutaka revealed. The girls all nodded in agreement, leaving the terrible experience behind them, now their focus could return on the play. Yutaka's issues caused Kagami to forget the secret she planned for this play, the second reason she wanted it to be a success.

She looked at Konata as the otaku talked to her healing sister, Kagami smiled, hoping Konata's response to the surprise would be a great as she imagined it. Kagami excitedly wrapped her arm around Konata's and began to run off. "Come on, we have to get to the auditorium to help with the play!" Kagami cheered. Konata waved off to her sister and Minami and turned around to see a cheerful grin on Kagami's face.

"Ooh, so eager are we to taste the chocolate cornet on my breath?" Konata teased, referring to the make out session she assumed Kagami was anticipating. "No, that's not it Konata. Today, I want us to actually practice our parts, the success of this play is important to me," Kagami explained. Konata nodded her head, whatever the reason was she respected her wishes and went along with it.

The two rushed to the school where Hiyori popped out from the dressing room. "It's about time! Here's your scripts! Come on, come on, I want to see you two rehearse this scene most of all!" Hiyori cheered on. The two quickly went to the stage, their appearance causing the other girls to cease their rehearsals and focus on them, after all, their parts were the hardest. Kagami had to play the Etoile and Konata had to play Nagisa.

The scene started and Kagami started her lines first, reading from the script for the first few seconds and then speaking the remaining lines from memory. Konata was amazed at how much she remembered from such a short amount of time to study, she could tell Kagami must have practiced at home. "This is really important to her…" she thought as Kagami finished her sentence. Konata froze temporarily, stuck in her thoughts, only Kagami's confused stare snapped her back to the actual stage. Konata started her lines, fumbling at first but improving as time went on.

She looked at Kagami who watched her say every line and she got a little nervous, it was hard to say the lines from the script for Konata, She hadn't begun to study any of them yet and she was expecting to start today but compared to her Kagami was godly in her acting. Her speech became faster and faster, causing her to fumble words and make various mistakes, she was screwing up. Kagami pulled out her megaphone and yelled out "Cut!" Kagami walked over to Konata who felt ashamed of herself, knowing that Kagami probably would scold her for not practicing.

"Just calm down Konata, it'll be alright," Kagami said. Konata looked up surprised, she thought she would have been a little aggravated and thought that she wasn't taking this play seriously. Konata nodded and gripped onto the script, she didn't want to fail
Kagami she had to practice! Miyuki walked up to Kagami shortly afterwards, asking a question about a few lines and their tone. Konata took this chance to walk away and practice alone somewhere but as she was about to leap off of the stage she could see Minami and Yutaka walking in.

"We're here to rehearse!" Yutaka declared. Minami nodded, pulling out the script from her bag. Konata saw the determination the two had to pull off this play and Konata decided to be just as focused. She turned around and grabbed onto Kagami. "We should practice somewhere alone," Konata suggested. Kagami looked puzzled. "You know, I think we should focus on the script today and not making out, we can do that at home if you want," Kagami said but Konata shook her head, refuting the notion. "No, I want to practice too, but…can we do it alone?" Konata asked. Kagami looked at her for a few seconds and nodded, glad that Konata was so serious about this.

The two reached the side of the school they usually went to for making out and lunch, Kagami sat down on the bench and watched as Konata flipped through the script. "You know Konata, I never expected you to be so shy about acting, you're always cosplaying and acting at that café you work at," Kagami said. "I'm not shy about acting. I just feel like I can do better with just you," Konata causally said, flipping through the pages. Kagami felt warm hearing those words spoken as if they were laws, she liked that part about Konata a lot.

"Ah! Here! We should practice this scene again, I got a little nervous before but I think I got it down this time," Konata declared. Kagami readily stood up and pulled out her script. "Okay. Let's do this!" Kagami chirped. Kagami began to read her lines, placing her emotions into every line, distracting Konata more and more but Konata directed herself to the script, she wasn't to fail! She began to read her lines afterwards, messing up the first time but perfecting it the next. She placed her emotions into the scene as well and placed herself into the shoes of the character, she embraced the background and the setting of the story.

Kagami watched in awe as Konata performed the scene better than she expected, she was actually impressed by how much improvement was made just from simply a few minutes alone with each other. Kagami began to wonder, is this why she was able to do so well, because she was rehearsing and performing with Konata? She applauded the exceptional performance. "That was perfect Konata! But you did forget one line," Kagami corrected. "I know, I skipped it, that's a hard word to pronounce," Konata replied, laughing it off. Minami and Yutaka suddenly jolted back into the shadows. They weren't expecting anyone else to be rehearsing on the side of the school, especially with the privacy they needed to practice the kiss scene.

"What are we going to do?" Yutaka asked, looking up to Minami who watched the two girls practice. Suddenly Hiyori emerged from behind them. "Need some help?" she fiendishly laughed. The two girls jolted back, frightened by the diabolical aura that drenched Hiyori. "Why does she seem so evil today?" Yutaka nervously said. "I can guess what you two were doing," Hiyori teased. "You were looking for a secluded area to practice your more personal scenes together, right?" Hiyori evilly asked, knowing she was correct to assume as much. The tow girls nodded nervously. "Well…I know a good place you could practice after school, it's outside the school grounds of course." Minami's eyes brightened up, she had an idea. "Yes, we could practice at my house, that's perfect," she calmly said, showing no change in expression or emotion.

Yutaka nodded, complimenting the idea and the two were off, leaving Hiyori to angst. "No…I was going to suggest my house…where will my inspiration for doujinshi come from now? I wanted to watch!!" she cried out. "Just imagined if they began to kiss in my garage and then suddenly the mood struck them and Minami decides to take it further, her hand slowly reaching up poor Yutaka's skirt," Hiyori imagined. "Oh no, please stop, Yutaka would say but then Minami would say "Please, let me know you better, you'll like it too" and then…Yutaka would gently nod, kissing Minami and then, and then they would make out on my garage floor as I drew them from my seat! It's perfect!" Hiyori declared, excited about the impossible fantasy she had about the two girls.

"Umm…Hiyori? What are you doing here?" Kagami asked. Hiyori phased back to reality where Kagami and Konata stood behind her, troubled by her odd behavior. "Oh…I was just thinking of something…funny" Hiyori lied. "You were imagining Yutaka and Minami making out weren't you?" Konata blurted out. Hiyori bent her head down. "You are so perceptive Senpai!" "No, you both are just perverts," Kagami said. "But fortunately I have a good pervert to love." "Oh you, trying to get in my pants with your sly talk," Konata replied. "You hardly ever wear pants in the first place!" Kagami fussed.

"For you, I would" Konata teased.

Konata went ahead and walked back to the auditorium. Kagami stopped to look at her happily walking, she turned to see Minami and Yutaka talking with each other as they kept getting closer and closer, she then looked at Hiyori who eagerly followed her senpai back. This all just seem more than perfect, it felt right.