38: What More Can I Lose

I sat at my desk with my hand on my chin, thinking about everything that had happened during spring break. School had started again, and we were approaching the last few weeks before my graduation.

Why did Yu say what she said? If she actually liked me… and did I actually like her? I don't know. But she seems pretty determined to reject our romantic relationship. But who would do that? Even if she did cause a lot of problems, I don't think anyone would voluntarily distance themselves from someone out of shame. I even said that I don't care about all the things that happened; I would still accept her. Even so, she kept acting as if we didn't have a chance. And it was as if all the girls were trying to set me up with Setsuna or something.

And…after what happened at the amusement park… on that night… I couldn't stop thinking about Setsuna-chan.

I sighed and buried my face in my arms.

I could still feel her head on my shoulder as we watched the colors explode in the sky.

My heart beat quick at the memory.

"Alright, class," the teacher said, shaking me out of my stupor. "Welcome back. We're at the home stretch now, so I expect all of you to study hard for finals. But today, we have a special announcement to make! Please put your hands together for our Student Council President!"

We applauded, and in came Setsuna, prim and proper, wearing her braided pigtails that she normally wore outside of club.

"Hey, everyone!" She said, smiling. My heart skipped a beat when she caught my eye. Her eyes darted away, and she cleared her throat. "As the Student Council President, I want to congratulate all of you in the International Class for your hard work! It must have been a very challenging experience, coming to a new place and all. But in return, we at the Council have prepared an event! The International Class is going to hold a special cultural festival! I thought that, since we have such a diverse amount of cultures, we can definitely hold a special festival showcasing everyone's hometowns! You know, you can sell your cultural foods, play songs and dances… it'll be great! And you can share them with the whole school! How's that sound?!"

My classmates began murmuring in interest.

"Pssst! Derrick!" Emma whispered from behind.

"Hmm?"

"You should do a hamburger stall or something!"

"Wh-what the hell? I don't know how to make hamburgers!"

"Seriously? Are you even American!?"

I rolled my eyes and faced front.

"...so, if any of you are interested, please talk to me. Also, I'm setting up a special committee for the festival, because we need some of the international students' perspective from the management standpoint. I'm going to need a couple volunteers to help me, and we're gonna have to take a lot of time outside of class… but if you're up for it, I'll be very grateful. Are there any volunteers?" Setsuna proposed, looking around the classroom, trying her best to avoid looking at me.

No one raised their hand, as if afraid of bearing too much responsibility.

Then, Emma nudged me in the arm.

"I know you want to," she said.

To be honest, I did. But I was so nervous!

"We volunteer!" Emma said, stepping forward and pulling my arm in the air, raising her own as well.

"O-oh, great… hehheh…" Setsuna acknowledged, awkwardly.

"Me too!" Another kid said, and we turned to see a brown-haired boy with round glasses and freckles, grinning.

"Th-that's great! Anyone else?"

No one else volunteered, so Setsuna nodded and smiled.

"Well, that's going to be our festival committee! Now, for the rest of you, I want you all to think about what booths or activities you want to host. The four of us will review the proposals, as well as plan the overall scheduling and programming. For you three, can you come to the Student Council room after class? See you then!"

With that, we applauded, and Setsuna headed for the door. Before she left, she turned back and looked at me, waving with a timid hand close to her chest. I waved back with my fingers, and she smiled.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH my heart!

"Hey everyone! Take a seat!" Setsuna said as we entered the councilroom. We plopped ourselves down on the couches.

"Where are the other student council members?" Emma asked.

"Oh, they've all left already. I'm the only one in charge of the international student festival, so that's why I need you guys! It was my idea anyway," Setsuna replied, sitting down next to me and handing me a cup of tea. "H-hey, Derrick."

"Hi…" I felt my ears burn up.

"Hello… can I get your name, sir?" Setsuna addressed the other boy, who was sitting across from us next to Emma.

"Hello! My name's Kenny! I'm from America. Boston, to be exact." He pushed up his glasses. "Derrick, you're from LA, right? No wonder you're such a playboy!"

"Wh-what!? What does that even mean? And no, I'm not a playboy!" I protested.

"Bro… everyone knows already… you're the dude who hangs out with all the babes in the Idol Club…" Kenny grinned. "You gotta teach me your secrets sometime! Heheh!"

"Don't worry! Derrick here isn't actually what everyone says about him!" Setsuna defended. "He's really not that popular!"

"What? Well, I guess…" I replied.

"Anyway, President, if you will," Kenny said, standing up and holding out his hand.

"Hmm?" Setsuna raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"Take my hand!"

Setsuna took Kenny's hand, and he twirled around, flipping her and finishing with his hand upon her back, her face turnt upward towards hers.

"H-huhhhh?!" Setsuna squealed in horror.

"Kenny, what are you doing!?" Emma exclaimed.

"Calm down, calm down! It's called a dance," Kenny explained.

"A dance!? But why are you touching me there!?" Setsuna cried.

"Hey… don't touch Setsuna-chan!" I said.

"Chill! It's an idea I have for the festival! You see," Kenny started, releasing his hold on Setsuna. "We don't normally have dances over here, right? But it's pretty normal in America. We could hold a big dancing area at the festival!"

"Oh! That actually sounds like a good idea," Emma agreed. "I'd like to show off some of my country's dances too!"

"Yeah, but only if they're appropriate," Setsuna said. "I- I don't know if the one you just did was appropriate, Kenny…"

"What? That's completely normal! That's why they're called cultural differences, right?"

"I mean… what do you think, senpai?" Setsuna turned to me.

"Umm…" I mean. I never participated in those stupid dances at my high school back in the US, so I don't really care about them. But… now… things are kinda different… "I- I think it'll be fine…" I said.

"Really? Okay, I'll take your word for it," Setsuna agreed.

"I think this will be a really great addition to our school's events," Emma said. "Why did you come up with it?"

Setsuna looked out the window.

"Well… I was just thinking, you all have spent so much time here, and surely… this experience has changed your lives. I just wanted to make something that could serve as a perfect ending! You know…"

"That sounds amazing! It's no wonder you're our pres! Such caring qualities!" Kenny said, coming over and sitting down next to Setsuna. She scooted closer to me, jamming her arm into mine.

"Ehe… thanks…" Setsuna said, uncomfortable.

I wanted to put an arm around her, but that was a little too daring.

"Eww! Stop getting so close to her!" Emma said, yanking Kenny off.

"H-hey!"

After a few more discussions, we disbanded for the day. As I headed for the door, Setsuna grabbed my sleeve.

"Senpai… can you stay for a while?" she whispered. I gulped and nodded. Emma, who was in front of me, winked and closed the door behind her, keeping Kenny busy as I heard their voices in the hallway.

"What is it, Setsuna-chan?" I asked, heart suddenly racing.

"D-do you want to try this new Pocky flavor I got yesterday?"

"Oh! Hahah, I thought it was something important or something," I said, chuckling.

"Well, it is important…" Setsuna pulled a box of Pocky out of her bag. "You've probably heard of sake flavored Pocky before, right? But this one…" She grinned and showed me the box. "There's actual alcohol in it!"

"What!? That's pretty cool and all, but I never knew you were into stuff like this…"

"No, not especially! But they were showcasing it in this anime I was watching, so I had to go out and buy it! Haha! I thought I'd share it with you!" Setsuna beamed, opening the box. "Come, sit!" She fell back onto the couch and patted the spot next to her. I sat down, and she handed me a stick.

I took a bite.

"Woah! This is tasty!" I remarked, scarfing it down.

"Right!?" Setsuna agreed, munching away.

"Why didn't you tell Emma to come try some too?"

"I- I just want to share it… with you…" Setsuna looked at me with this look that I couldn't explain. All I knew was that my chest was pounding.

"Oh…"

Setsuna took out another stick, and eyed it nervously.

Suddenly, she turned to me and pushed me down, crawling atop my body.

"Setsuna!"

Setsuna wrapped her legs around my torso, pinning my arms by the wrists.

"S-senpai…" she looked into my eyes, her hair sliding down, falling into my face. I could hear her sharp breathing as she repositioned herself on me.

"D-do you know the Pocky game?" she asked, taking the stick and putting one end into her mouth.

"Y-yeah…" I was transfixed, breaking into a sweat. "S-Setsuna!"

Setsuna leaned forward and inserted the other end of the Pocky into my mouth.

"You can start… eating," she said through her teeth. I slowly bit off my end of the stick, heart increasing by ten beats per minute for every inch that closed between us.

I saw her thin lips getting closer and closer, and she shifted her body, causing my torso to squirm with nervousness as something in my lower parts was aroused.

Just before our lips made contact, Setsuna stopped her descent. We swallowed the stuff in our mouths, and Setsuna pushed the hair out of her burning face.

"D-did it taste good?" she asked, searching for approval with her eyes.

"Y-yeah…" At this point, I was reaching a breaking point. "S-Setsuna, I think- I think you should get off of me now…"

"Huh? Are you okay?" Setsuna sat up, which only caused more friction with her undersides.

"A-ahhh!" I groaned.

"Ehhh? Senpai?!" Setsuna scooted off to the side, revealing my… erection.

"W-w-w-why is it doing that!?" Setsuna said in a panic. She looked around nervously.

"Well… because… of what you were d-doing…"

"I- I'm sorry!" Setsuna quickly sat upright and pulled the hem of her skirt down between her knees.

"It's fine… I'm sorry…"

"H-how do I make it stop?" Setsuna asked.

"Don't worry! It'll go away-"

Setsuna unbuttoned my pants and unzipped it.

"Like this?" I could feel her breath on my groin. My eyes shot wide in panic.

She slowly inched her fingers into my underwear, and I could feel them wrap around me.

Small beads of sweat dripped from her chin and onto my crotch.

"D-do I mo-move it… like this…?" Setsuna gulped, eyes fixated on the lump beneath my pants.

"S-Setsuna! Y-you can't!"

I stared at the girl, motionless, for a good five minutes as she touched me.

It felt like I was about to burst!

"Ahhhh! That's enough!" I stood up and shoved her off of me.

"Sorry! Ahhh, I'm so sorry!" Setsuna covered her face with her hands. "I shouldn't have been doing that!"

"N-no, it's fine… I just got too nervous," I said, putting an arm around her. I pulled her close to my body, and I could feel our beating hearts. I pried her hands away from her face.

"Sorry, senpai… I was just caught up in the moment, I- I wasn't doing it on purpose! I'm sorry!" Setsuna looked up at me with shame.

"No, I should have stopped you first…" I picked up a tissue on the table and wiped her forehead with it. "You're all sweaty…"

"Y-yeah…" Setsuna stretched her fingers. "Eck! M-my fingers are all sticky…"

I gulped hard.

"Yeah, you should get those washed…"

We walked out the school gates as the sun began to set, bringing the spring breeze along with it.

"Don't tell anyone about what happened earlier, okay?!" Setsuna scolded. "Ughh, I need to get this uniform washed now…"

"I won't, I won't!" I assured.

"Good. Also, I just wanted to say… thank you… for watching the fireworks with me that night…" Setsuna smiled as we waited at the corner.

"It was really fun for me too," I replied. "But why did Yu-chan give you those ribbons anyway?"

"Oh! That? Well.." Setsuna pulled the strap of her bag as we headed across the street. "Yu-chan wanted you to see her as a friend, only, she said. She didn't want you guys to get too close."

"What?! But why?"

"She said that she didn't want to lose you, that's why," Setsuna replied.

"Oh… seeing as I'm leaving soon, I guess that's reasonable. I've been thinking about that myself. To make these relationships, only to have to leave… I don't even know if I'll get to see you guys again." I sighed as I breathed in the cool, crisp air. Nearby, we could hear the sound of kids laughing as they bought ice cream from the nearby parlor.

"You want some?" I asked, stopping at the storefront. "I'll get one for you."

"N-no, it's fine! Just get one for yourself," Setsuna replied. I grabbed a vanilla cone and licked it.

"Yum! It's delicious! You sure you don't want one?" I asked.

Setsuna grinned and held my hand in place, taking a big bite out of my ice cream.

"Ahhhh collldddd!" She exclaimed as she gulped it down. "Mmmm! Delicious!"

"S-Setsuna…"

"Yeah, we've been eating too many sweets lately… heheh! I'll just share with you." Setsuna continued to walk towards the station.

"But anyway, Setsuna-chan, what about you? You said Yu doesn't want to get too close because she doesn't want to say goodbye… but what about you? I mean, it's only since recently… you started talking to me more… and I feel like we've gotten a lot closer in the past couple weeks… but don't we have to say goodbye soon anyway? Do you want to lose something so close to you?"

Setsuna stopped in her tracks and thought for a moment.

Then she turned and smiled, bathed in the orange light.

The wind blew her hair to the right, and she pressed it down, taking another lick of my ice cream.

"I've already lost Love Live. What more can I lose?" she chuckled, the sunset glistening in her eyes.