The Love Letter Lovelies

by Glee-chan

34.

Ever since Makoto came out to her parents, suddenly Nori seemed to be automatically invited to any event Makoto and Kaede were going to. Kaede didn't blame the sister herself, she knew it was her Mother that was making her go. Nori flat out told them. As soon as they met up somewhere, however, Nori would ask when they thought they'd be finished, then told she'd meet back up with them. It was nice of her, but it was getting inconvenient for both parties. A lot of the time Makoto and Kaede didn't know how long they'd be and Nori had to figure something to do in the meantime. It was getting old.

In the meantime, the only time Kaede had Makoto without a chaperon was at school and the Kendo Club, which always had others around them. If there was a time where Kaede wasn't paying much attention to Makoto, it was Kendo Club. She wasn't just a club leader, she was more like a teacher, so that meant her complete attention went to everyone's progress. Thankfully Shiho was picking it up nicely, so Kaede could teach her something and have her around as an assistant.

Even though she was apart from Makoto during Club activities, and it was a lot of work, Kaede enjoyed herself. She did her best to make sure Kendo was fun for the girls, even if she was sure most of them where there for socializing more than anything else.

Her most serious student was Yui. She definitely worked the hardest, but probably was one of the worst. Kaede never let this on though, as doing Club activity had given Yui something physical to do. Since she had gotten out of the hospital she was high on life and Kendo let her harness that energy. Even if it took her more effort than everyone else Yui kept at it and always had a smile on her face.

After two weeks from Makoto coming out, the Love Letter Lovelies hung back after Kendo Club and helped Kaede pack up the Shinais and other equipment. Usually it was just Shiho who did this, because they traveled home together, but for some reason the others, plus Emiko stuck around. Kaede didn't think anything of it, as every now and then this happened with chatting groups.

"Are you taking your inhalers?" Kaede heard Shiho lecture Yui once gain. Ever since Maria had died, Shiho became the de-facto best friend, but also took to pestering her about things like that.

"I told you I did. I'm just out of breath because I have to put more into it than everyone else. I'm fine really." Yui must have replied the same thing about a hundred times.

"Is she having trouble breathing?" Makoto asked.

"I'm fine!" Yui blushed. "Everyone please stop babying me!"

Kaede inwardly smirked. "We wouldn't have to ask you if you're fine if you would tell us when you weren't."

Yui opened her mouth to protest that, then closed it when she realized it was true. "I'll be more honest from now on."

Somehow, since Kaede was the teacher in the Kendo Club, she was an authority figure to Yui. It wasn't something she asked for, Yui just gave her that mantel on her own.

Shiho clicked her tongue in her mouth. "You always listen to her! I say the same things you know. Why can't you listen to your best fri-" But she stopped. Everyone always started walking on egg shells when the Maria topic was brought up around Yui. Up until that moment, Shiho had never physically said the words 'best friend' to describe her relationship with Yui, even though that's what she was. Everyone, even Kaede glanced at Yui to see her reaction.

"Shiho-chan." Yui's eyes looked a bit watery. There was a sense of unease in the air.

"Uh… I didn't mean it like that. I was just… just talking and it slipped." Shiho tried to back peddle. Emiko was behind Shiho, rubbing the back of her own neck nervously.

Yui blinked. "You mean, you don't want to be my best friend?"

"I didn't say that!" Shiho quickly said. "It's just that… I didn't want to take that title away from… you know.."

"You can say her name." Yui spoke after a beat. "All of you can. I won't burst into tears if you talk about her."

Shiho looked at Kaede for help, but Kaede had no clue how to proceed in this situation, so she resumed gathering equipment. Shiho was on her own on this one. "Yui-chan… I don't want to replace Maria… but I'm your best friend now… right?"

"Of course you are." Yui said with a laugh. "If it wasn't for you and Emi, it would have been really hard on me."

"Right." Shiho sighed a sigh of relief and looked at Kaede. "Thanks for all the help."

"It wasn't my business."

"Right." Shiho snickered.

Makoto looked around the group then decided to change the topic to something less dramatic. "You know what, we should all go do something together. All the Lovelies together. Just let our hair down and relax. I think we all deserve that after everything."

"That sounds fun." Emiko agreed. Technically she wasn't an original member of the Love Letter Lovelies, but since Maria had died, somehow she took her place without anyone arguing about it. She was more Yui's friend than everyone else's, but no one was really sure if she was gay or not.

Shiho agreed with the rest of them, then as if a light bulb was switched on in her brain, she slapped her head. "How in the world did I forget that?!"

"What?" Everyone asked her.

Shiho turned to Yui. "Remember when you were in the hospital, Yui-chan, and Maria had that great idea?" She wasn't walking on egg shells anymore. That was something about Shiho Kaede admired. Once she embraced something, she was all in after that. Yui didn't seem to remember what Shiho was referring too. Kaede couldn't blame her. A lot of that time period got erased from many of their minds because of Maria's death. Shiho went on. "Well one time while you were in the hospital, Maria and Mako-chan had spent the night at our place, and we decided to hold an impromptu sleepover. You got all jealous and said you wanted to be there. Maria said that when you got better we could all do that again. Do you remember now?"

Yui smiled a small smile. "I do now."

Shiho looked Yui up and down. "You're all better now, so why not? I mean, you and Mako-chan already did that shopping make-over thing Maria had suggested, so why not this?"

"Is it really okay for everyone to come to Kaede-chan's place like that?"

Kaede nodded emotionlessly. "We live in an inn, remember. The house section has extra rooms. My parents won't care as long as we don't interfere with the customers. I can't guarantee we'll be able to use the hotspring though."

Shiho sighed bitterly. "Yeah, Mama-san's a real dictator when it comes to that. But if we ask in advance maybe she'll give in?"

Blushing slightly, Kaede placed various armor items into a plastic tub. Shiho had taken to referred to Kaede's Mother as Mama-san now-a-days. It didn't bother her so much, but that implied that Shiho was sort of like an adoptive sister. It was slightly selfish of her to actually like having a sister of sorts, but she knew she shouldn't get used to the idea. Any day now Shiho's real parents could forgive her and Kaede would lose her.

Yui gave curt nod. "I want to do it! Let's try for this weekend?"

"Great!" Shiho looked at Kaede. "If it's okay with you, then lets actually do this." Kaede gave a silent nod of approval, wondering how she became the leader of the group.

Emiko raised her hand. "Is it alright if I come along as well?"

"Of course." Shiho said, but in a less than thrilled voice. She was one of the loudest among the original members who questioned Emiko's sexual orientation.

"I'm so excited!" Makoto squealed, but almost after she said it she got a disappointed face. "Mom's going to force Nori-chan to come, isn't she?"

"Who's that?" Yui asked.

"That's my sister. Ever since I came out, my sister has to tag along on our dates. It's really getting annoying."

Shiho laughed a bit. "So you haven't done it since then, right?"

"It's not funny." Makoto pouted.

The sad thing was, Shiho was right. That was one of the problems of Nori always being around. Even when she left them alone at places, it was always public areas so they could only do so much. Seeing Shiho laugh at that particular problem when she could go over to Sora's place anytime she wanted to have have wild jungle sex got on Kaede's bad side.

"That's too bad for your sister. Hanging out with a bunch of people she doesn't know…" Yui gave a sad face.

"Don't worry about her, she'll get along with everyone." Makoto told them. "But she'd be the only straight person there… that might make her feel alienated a bit." Awkwardly she shot a quick look at Emiko when she said this, but returned her gaze back at Yui.

"Well… if Nori-chan is coming, Shiho-chan should invite Sora-chan also." Kaede said, more out of revenge for her comment earlier than anything else. Her voice didn't give that away, of course.

"Are you nuts?" Shiho's face turned red. "That's your ex-girlfriend. You know how she-"

"Oh. I didn't realize that you don't trust her around me. I apologize."

Shiho was about to say something but stopped. Shaking her head she pointed her finger. "I can't tell if that was a jab or not, but something about the way you said that really annoys me."

"She wasn't being mean, Shiho-chan." Makoto told her, but she gave Kaede a face that read "Stop being mean".

"No, you know what, she's right. It's stupid that I have to go to Sora-chan's house every time I want to see her." Shiho grumbled. Yui walked over to Shiho and placed a hand on her shoulder. Apparently this was a topic they had talked about before. "I've invited her over a few times, but she always turns me down."

"You should invite her to come for to the sleepover." Kaede repeated. This time she wasn't being mean. She might of had a small flare up at Shiho, but it didn't last. "If everyone else is around she doesn't have to worry about being alone with me."

"She shouldn't have to worry about that anyway." Shiho muttered. "Fine. I'll force her to come."

Emiko gave a smile. "So that's Kaede-chan, Mako-chan, Shiho-chan, Yui-chan, Sora-chan, me, and Nori-chan? Isn't that a lot of people?"

"It'll be fine." Kaede retold her. "Everyone bring cute pajamas."

Everyone laughed at that. Maybe it was the way she said it. Most of the time when Kaede said something that didn't seem to the point or formal people would laugh at her. She wasn't trying to be funny, they just did. At first it annoyed her, but when Makoto did it, she didn't seem to mind anymore.

"Ugh, I shouldn't hang around much longer." Makoto was looking at the clock on her phone. "My Mom has been on my butt lately. If I want to go out, I'll have to be nice."

Kaede walked over to her and gave her a kiss. "I love you."

"Love you too." Makoto gave a longing look as she pulled away.

No one teased them. When she walked away, Kaede watched her go, disappointed. Shiho gave a small sigh and gave Kaede a hug. She had become way to personable towards her since Maria's death because Kaede had allowed her to sleep in the same bed with her. She understood it was her way of being nice, but Kaede only want to be that personable with Makoto.

"I know it's hard on you."

"At least you have a girlfriend." Yui gave a shrug.

"I apologize to everyone if I my problems are annoying you." Kaede pulled away from Shiho politely. She could tell the others were exchanging looks between themselves. Sometimes she felt like no one understood her but Makoto.

"I probably should go too." Emiko said after a moment of complete awkward silence. "See you later Yui-chan."

"Bye." Yui waved at her, then gave Shiho a hug. "See you tomorrow, bestie." Shiho grinned.

As they left, Shiho helped Kaede carry the club's equipment like always. They were each in their own thoughts this trip. That was another good thing about Shiho, she didn't expect Kaede to talk to her constantly. Kaede could only wonder what the glasses girl was thinking about, but Kaede was dwelling on the lack of Makoto in her life. Was it selfish to want her all to herself? Yui was correct in that she should feel happy that she was still in a relationship with Makoto. Just because things weren't going her way didn't mean it was terrible. Was she just being a drama queen?

"Hey." Shiho interrupted Kaede's thoughts. "What was all that about earlier."

"I apologize." Kaede wondered when this was going to come back up. She basically insulted Shiho in front of everyone when she made that Sora comment. "I shouldn't have said that about Sora-chan. I was just mad about what you said about Mako-chan and me."

"Not that…" Shiho's voice sounded slightly more bitter now. "And fuck you for that. No, I'm talking about you and Mako-chan. It really does bug you doesn't it?"

"I admit it does." Kaede felt horrible, but tried to remain calm. "I shouldn't be the type of person who puts so much into the physical part of a relationship."

"She's jonesing for it too, you know." Shiho reassured Kaede. "I can tell."

Hearing that made Kaede feel a little bit better. "Still, I need to be stronger for her. She might get the wrong idea and believe I'm mad at her and her family."

"I don't think she thinks that."

Kaede turned to her side and watch Shiho as they walked. "I am sincere about my apology. I let my temper get the best of me."

"It's fine." Shiho gave a heavy sigh. "You just brought up something that I've been thinking about anyway. If she's over you, then why won't she visit me? I live at your house now so… it shouldn't matter, right?"

"I can not say what's in her heart." Kaede spoke honestly. "Perhaps this sleep-over should answer those questions."