What is love anyway? Does it have to be that simple? To finally understand that love is situated between all the hurting and happy feelings? Anger, hatred, sadness, forgiveness, and comfort, joy, happiness? It is so simple to understand this but to live it...

Is this theory is supposed to ease the pain?
Life is such a mess. What good can comes from all of these emotions? How miserable humans can be...to be a slave of their own feelings.
They say the choices you undertake reflect who you are, but sometimes, do we even have this privilege to decide what we really wish?
All these nonsenses...just show how love...is maddening.

So...what are you gonna do?


From the living room, you could hear someone's cooking in the next room. Listening carefully, you could hear the sound of fried eggs and a soft humming. Oh yeah, she sounded so happy. As the sunlight got into the this house through the window, someone awaked by the smell of food. No doubt about it, the monkey is up.

" Hmmm...I'm huuungry~! " the red-haired girl said between a yawn.

" In that case, can you prep' the table? Breakfast will be done in five minutes! " a sweet voice shouted back to the girl.

As asked, the red-haired girl got off from her bed to go in the kitchen. After saying hi to her friend and especially after noticing the 'oh so delicious ready to eat pancakes' on a plate, she put the table in less than thirty seconds, and waited on the chair.

A brown-haired girl came in with the said plate, and started to giggle.

" Come on Asuna, you can't be that starving! You ate so much last night that I thought you wouldn't be able to eat any more for the rest of your life. " the lady cooker said as she set herself to eat.

" Why not Konoka? Don't you see how much my body is suffering everyday? Early morning job and training with Shetshuna-shan! " Asuna tried to answer to Konoka while she grabbed a bite of the pancakes.

" That's it? Is that too much exercises for you? Haha " Konoka said in a teasing way as she was putting some foods on a third plate. Asuna was about to choke.

" Are you kidding me? Setsuna-san is working hard on me! I never thought she would be THAT severe when it comes to train... " Asuna replied, before drinking a glass of water.

" And besides..." she coughed a little " There's also homeworks...you know..." Asuna mumbled, looking quiet embarassed.

Indeed, the exams were coming soon, the ones that would determine if she could finally be done with school and work, because you know, is this girl would be capable to undertake university courses?

" Yeah..." Konoka nodded to her statement. " This would be our last year all together..." she said in a monotone voice. The sweetness in her voice from before suddenly changed into a sad one.

" It's not as if we were not going to see each other for ever. " Asuna said, trying to cheer the girl up.

" And besides, Setsuna-san will always be by your side, so don't you worry, you'll never be alone! " Asuna said as she smiled.

Konoka smiled back, putting more attention to the plate she was preparing. After what Asuna said, she started to add more food until the plate was full. Her smile grew bigger with content.

" Now this is a breakfast made with love! " Asuna shouted with laugh. She knew perfectly who was going to eat it, and every bit of it! She was already starting to feel sorry for the person's stomach.

'And this is the girl who said I eat much' an amused Asuna thought, as she watched Konoka who started to hum again soflty.

Suddenly a knock on the door was heard. Both girls knew who it was. Konoka quiclky washed her hands with a towel and walked to the door entrance direction. Then the person carefully opened the door and closed it back behind her. She took off her shoes and put a sword against the wall. She didn't even have the time to lift her head up to make her way to the table, that she was already facing a certain chocolate brown-haired girl.

Like, facing someone with five inches apart from its face.

Like, lovers when they are about to kiss.

However, it wasn't this kind of situation between those two. Not now.

Konoka was wearing one of these fondly smile on her lips, the one filled with tenderness, joy, and happiness. You know, the one that showed...

I missed you

Konoka quickly broke her smile into soft laughs, as she noticed blushes appeared on the girl's cheeks before her.

" How long are you gonna stand still like this, Secchan? " Konoka asked as she reached for Setsuna's right hand. The contact eventually shook Setsuna from her blocage.

" Erm...I-Hi, Ko-Kono...chan" Setsuna stuttered as her gaze was locked on...

'Kono-chan's lips...'

'Dammit! Pull yourself together Setsuna! Don't lose your mind now! How can you be so distract early in the morning! How can you be so weak when you look at her! ' Setsuna scolded herself.

Currently having a fight with herself, she didn't hear Konoka's invitation to sit and eat with them. All of the sudden, she felt pulled forward by Konoka -who was still holding her hand- towards the table.

" Here you go Secchan, enjoy your breakfast! " Konoka exclaimed to her dear warrior as she sat next to her.

Setsuna sweatdropped at the view of the plate. It was so full that she wondered herself why Konoka didn't take a bigger plate. She searched for Asuna's face to ask if today was a special day, but all she received from her kendo disciple was a big grin and a ' Good luuuck~' look.

Setsuna swallowed hard. Last time she didn't finish her meal, she heard from Asuna how Konoka was sad because she thought her cooking wasn't so great to please her Secchan.

' But why is the plate so full? Does Kono-chan think I've lost weight? Or that I don't feed myself properly ? ' Setsuna thought uneasily and turned to her princess.

" Secchan, I've noticed these days you've lost weight. " Konoka said and made Setsuna almost drop her face on the table. Asuna was watching them with a smirk.

" And I am sure that it is because you dont' feed yourself well. " Konoka pointed out so that it will make her sweet Secchan eat.

' Is she reading my mind? Did she learn the trick from Nodoka-san? ' Setsuna thought as she smiled weakly to her cherished best friend.

"Now don't hold yourself back Secchan, and eat as much as you can! " Konoka said happily while she took some foods with her fork and led it to Setsuna's mouth.

Setsuna was hopeless, she turned her eyes to Asuna who was mimicking Konoka, eyes closed, opening her mouth and moved her head slowly to her own fork to take a bite of her own food. Well, until she was about to. Then Asuna stopped in the middle, openned her eyes to look at Setsuna. And smiled mischeviously.

Setsuna twitched. She could hear the devilish laugh resonning in the red-hair head. This monkey girl was going to regret it.

' Just wait tomorrow morning Asuna-san...you'll regret the fun you're enjoying by making fun of me today...' Setsuna thought and didn't have time left to send Asuna a dark glare. She, like Asuna just did, had to open her mouth.

" It really is delicious Kono-chan! You improved your cooking skill day by day! " Setsuna said, munching. This sentence earned her a kiss on her cheek from her beloved lady.

And caused her to choke. Her princess quickly and gently tapped her back while Asuna was laughing hard.

" Will you- cough- stop making fun of me Asuna-san! " Setsuna told her soon-to-be-dead friend. Indeed, it may was a question, but it sounded like a threat. Asuna swallowed hard too, remembering tomorrow morning's training. With Setsuna.

With a half-demon...

God knows what she might do to her.

" Now now Secchan, Asuna was just kidding. " Konoka said and kept rubbing her back, hoping that would ease her painful choke. As hoped, Setsuna calmed down. But not for too long. She quickly started to feel awkward. The hand on her back stopped the rubbing and as Setsuna expected it to draw back, it went instead to her waist to hold her, and she felt another arm wrapping the other side, pulling her into a hug.

In a second, she felt Konoka's chin resting on her left shoulder. Setsuna slowly turned her head to the left. They were again, face-to-face.

Five inches apart.

Lovers' distance kiss.

' Damn, don't look at her lips, stare at her eyes! . Setsuna thought.

She was having a hard time to move her eyes, down to up. She eventually did. But then realized it was a bigger mistake.
They stayed like this, eyes-locked in each other. Even Konoka was blushing to the eye-contact.

They drowned together.

'It is like reading her heart.'

Konoka saw so much of emotions going through those eyes. Those she loved so much when it looked at her.
Tenderness, hope, sadness, frustration, madness...

Setsuna saw so much of lights in her eyes. Those eyes which she cannot help but to look at everytime she spoke with her.
Tenderness, hope, joy, happiness, a touch of sadness, love...

' How can you feel all of that in once? What should I trust then? '

Asuna was curious about what was happening between them. But one thing was sure.

' Do not interrupt them. If you don't want to be killed by both. ' she thought.

So she got up quietly, and left the room.

The warrior and the princess were completely holding their breathe. Lost in track of time.

Lost in love.

Setsuna tried to back away, but her body was locked in the moment. Her mind was going crazy. It was all blurry but at the same time, peaceful.

Konoka, wanting to see more in those eyes, closed the distance between them, until she was close enough to...

Without thinking, Setsuna linked their faces in one movement. It was just too irresistible to...

Kiss.

Lips pressed againts lips. It was such a soft contact. Such a pure pleasure. Konoka tightened her grip and slowly parted her lips to let her Secchan deepen the kiss-

Knock knock knock

' Darn! ' Setsuna thought as she suceeded to back away, breaking the kiss.

Konoka directly resumed a sitting position on her chair, trying to regain her reason. There was a silent. Actually normal people would open the door when there's a knock, or answer something like 'coming!' . But these two were somewhere else in their mind. So the person outside decided to talk through the door, as if noticing what was happening in this room.

" Sorry to interrupt Konoka-ojou-sama. I'm looking for Setsuna, and I was hoping she was in here or somewhere you might know. " another feminine voice asked.

And more precisely, a girl who loved guns. Setsuna recognized it and before Konoka could say anything, she stood up, ready to go.

" I'm in here Mana, I'm coming." Setsuna replied. Konoka was about to stand up to open the door and ask Mana what was the matter, but then her eyes dropped on the table, or rather on the big full plate. Setsuna was turning back to say good-bye to her princess and noticed where she was looking at.

Quickly, she went back to the table and gulped everything on the plate til there was nothing left. She smiled at Konoka.

" Thank you Kono-chan for cooking for me everyday. It is a delight to eat such delicous food. I feel really lucky, and thanks to you I feed myself well. " Setsuna said softly, and walked to the brown-hair girl side to give her a quick and shy kiss on her cheek before leaving the room nervously.


" Did I interrupt something? " Mana teased her friend. Setsuna started to blush and walked to lead the way.

" S-so, what is it? " Setsuna asked, avoiding Mana's question and trying to hide her blush.
" The Head-master wants to see us. Apparently someone will join our team. " Mana answered as she followed Setsuna.

" Whatever..." Setsuna whispered. She just has too many things in her mind right now to be bother by the new mate.

As both girls made their way to the Head-master's room, there was a girl somewhere all face red-up, touching her cheek with her hand and slowly letting down her fingers to touch her lips...

' What happened?! '


' Damn damn damn damn! How am I supposed to face her now?! Why did I do that! ' Setsuna thought while she was pretending to listen to whatever the dean says.

' What if she's mad at me?...' Setsuna was lost in her thoughts, and had no clue of what to answer when the dean asked her what she wanted to do about it.

' About what? ' she thought.

" I think what you decide sir, is the best. " Setsuna replied without even caring about the subject.

' What if she hates me for compromizing our friendship?...What if she puts distance between us? ' Setsuna began to feel pain in her stomach.

' What if I can enjoy her meal no more? Well at least, I won't have to eat this much...Arg, it hurts! I need to drink...quickly! ' she started to be pissed off by this appointment.

Mana noticed Setsuna's tension growing. She watched her friend rubbing her stomach and took the situation to mock her. It was such a good, serious and boring situation to make some fun of.

" Do you need to go to the restroom Setsuna? " Mana whispered to her. " I can cover for you for free, even if you take you twenty minutes-"

"Sh-shut up!" Setsuna whispered back, blushing and embarassed. This is what you have to go through to please the one you love.

The dean noticed that they had enough, everything was said anyway.
" Alright, Setsuna-kun, you will welcome the new mate tonight, she will be at the entrance of the school at 9 pm. Be sure to be there on time." the Head-master said calmly.
Setsuna nodded and both of them were dismissed.


" Damn you, why did you have to make fun of me in front the dean?! " Setsuna shouted to Mana, still holding her hand on her stomach, rubbing.

" I wonder what Konoka-ojou-sama cooked that was so bad that you're in pain. " Mana laughed as she walked.

" Kono-chan cooks well! It's just that...I ate too much...arg!" Setsuna fell on her knees.

' Kono-chan eh...' Mana thought, amused.

She approached Setsuna and offered her her hand to stand up. Setsuna accepted it but couldn't stand still.

" It hurts even more than before...arg! " Setsuna said before coughing.

" There's blood. Okay we have to go to my temple, something's wrong with you. " Mana said as she put Setsuna on her back.

" W-wait, I have...to go to see Kono-chan..or she will..be worried. " Setsuna tried to say, feeling the pain got worse.

" You don't have time for that, I'll let her know after we understand what's wrong with you. " Mana replied, and in second, she disappeared.


" I'm baack~! " a red-haired girl said as she entered her room, carefully looking around if it was okay for her to come. You know, in case there were things she wasn't supposed to see when couples got intimate.

" Ah, you're back Asuna!" Konoka said and came out of the kitchen.

" So, what happened when I left? Did you get the chance to confess to each other? " Asuna asked, smiling and happy about those two lovebirds.

" W-what are you talking about Asuna! We...I...Ahh! It's such a mess. " a defeated Konoka said. Asuna was puzzled by her answer.

' So, she didn't accept her own feelings for Setsuna-san yet? ' Asuna thought for a while, and then sit with Konoka on the couch.

" What d'you mean? Do you or do you not love Setsuna-san? " Asuna asked, a little bit concerned.

" Well...I've been thinking about this for a long time and, I can't deny that I love her...but I don't know if, I'm ready to accept to go further than what we have right now..." Konoka said in a sad tone. The happy sound of humming seemed to fly away with the sunlight, as evening was coming.

" Did something happen when I left this morning? " Asuna asked, looking at her friend.

" We...we kissed. " Konoka said shyly.

" Oh!...And, isn't that supposed to make you understand Setsuna-san's feelings for you? Aren't you happy about it? " Asuna asked, smiling.

" I knew how she feels, I know her. I think we both know. But, we weren't ready to make it real, you know? I mean...I know sometimes we flirt together, and it's sweet and innocence, but, there was never question about love. But then again, this kiss was...great. " Konoka smiled.

" It...may have opened the door. I need to talk to Secchan about it, to see if she's ready to go along and make a step forward, but will she be ready? And, will everything be wonderful? Will I or she not realize that our feelings weren't true? That friendship is better for us? That it would be a mistake? I don't know Asuna...I'm so lost. " Konoka whispered at the end, looking through the window.

The stars were so bright.

Asuna smiled, and reached for Konoka's shoulder with her hand to pat her.

" You're just afraid I think. Of the new. And it's normal, it's difficult to change. But I'm sure that if you talk with her, you'll make the right decision. Only you and she can see what is the best thing to do. " Asuna said to her worried friend.

" Hmm...by the way, where is she? She usually comes at this hour to have dinner." Konoka said, looking at the clock hanging on the wall in front of her.

" Maybe...she's mad? " Konoka said to herself. Asuna just looked at her dear friend, smiling. She knew she would do right.

" I have to find her. I'll be back, but if it took me long, help yourself with the dinner! " Konoka shouted at Asuna and left the room.

A few minutes passed.

" So! What's the dinner! " Asuna said mischeviously.


" Here we are. " Mana said as she laid her suffering friend on a futon. Setsuna seemed to developp a fever.

" Cough cough... " Setsuna was trying to catch her breathe.

" What's happening to me? This is not a simple flu or cold, or a stomach-ache. " Setsuna tried to localize where was the painful spot with her hand. Mana came in with a medecine drink.

" First drink this, it will help for the stomach-ache. " Mana said as Setsuna grabbed the glass. She tried to get up with difficulty, but succeeded in drinking. She let herself fell back on the futon, her fever was hard enough to put her in breathing distress.
Mana examined the half demon before her. She touched her forehead, arms, hands, legs, feet. It seemed that Setsuna's whole body was on fire. She stood for a minute, poundering.

" I think we need some help from Evangeline-san. She might know what you're suffering from, and what to do to help you." Mana said and told her she would be back. Once more, she just disappeared.

" Kono-chan...I wish you were here..." Setsuna said before passing out.


' Where is she?...Ah right, she was supposed to meet with gramps this morning! ' Konoka thought, running as fast as she could to the dean's room.

" Gramps! Are you there? " Konoka shouted, trying to catch her breathe, hands on her knees. But there was no respond.

' What's wrong? Has something happened? I have a bad feeling...' Konoka said to herself, starting to get really worried. She noticed something on the ground.

' Is that...blood?!' Konoka began to panic.

Her heart began to beat faster while she was recovering from her run. She kept running outside the school, at the World's Tree, at the fountain, at the park, at the entrance of the school.

' There! ' the princess saw two persons.

" Mana-chan! " Konoka shouted, running faster than ever.
' Oh, my...' Mana thought.

" What is it Konoka-ojou-sama? Why are you in a rush? " Mana asked, keeping her cool attitude. Behind her stood a girl with long dark-haired, and a bag in her hands. She was as tall as Mana and had the same cool attitude. She watched the girl running towards them.

' So this is the princess. She's cute...I wonder what's happening? ' the girl thought.

" Do you know where Secchan is? I've been looking around for almost an hour, and I can't find her! Gramps is not in his office...Has something happened?" Konoka asked in a worried tone, triyng to catch her breathe again. She didn't even noticed the girl behind Mana.

" Oh...well, nothing special happened but, about Setsuna, she got sick after the meeting with the Head-master, so I brought her to my temple so she could rest- "

" -What! How is she sick? Is she okay? Where is she? I need to see her! " Konoka cried, surprising the new girl, but not Mana at all. She knew how much she cared for her Secchan.

" Well, I have some works to do here, but if you could wait- "
" -That's okay Mana-san, it seems that our little princess here needs to see her friend at what most. Since my job is to take care of her, what she asks or needs come first. " interrupted the girl.

' Did she also fall in love at first sight? ' Mana smirked to herself.

" Alright, Konoka-ojou-sama. Shall we go? " Mana suggested as she started to walk.

Konoka directly followed her, and was quickly joined by the unknown girl.
They walked in silence for a moment. Konoka was so worried that she didn't pay attention to the one walking next to her. She seemed so sad and worried, her feelings could be sensed in the air.

" I guess this friend holds a very special place in your heart Princess Konoka?" the girl asked.

Startled, Konoka turned around to where she heard the voice. She then saw a beautiful woman taller than her. She seemed to be really calm and nice. Her eyes...was so deep.

' So blue...' Konoka thought unconciously.

She blushed a little at the sight, she didn't seem feminine, or too masculine. She reminded her of someone...who she cared so much and loved to look in the eyes.

Konoka was wordless, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. The girl smiled even more.

' She's just so cute.' she thought.

" Forgive me Princess, I haven't introduce myself. I'm Emiko Aki. I'm looking forward to work with you. " Emiko said, giving her hand to Konoka. The latter was now confused. However she took her hand to shake it.

At the contact, she could felt Emiko caressed her hand. What was strange to Konoka, was that she could felt the comfort through it, as if her thumb caressing the back of Konoka's hand was saying...

It would be alright.

" I'm your new bodyguard. " said Emiko with a smile.
" Eh? What do you mean? Are you here to replace Secchan?! " Konoka asked, taking her hand back.

' Oh, interesting...' Emiko thought, still smiling.

" So the injured girl we're going to see, is your friend and bodyguard? Even though, do not worry Princess Konoka, I'm not here to replace her. Think of me as an extra. " Emiko replied with a wink. This however made Konoka turned her head forward, she felt a bit too much...hitting on.

They kept walking in silence until they reached the temple. They were about to walk in the entrance when they heard a loud and scolding voice.

" I told you not to move so fast you bird-brained! How can't you just control yourself better than that? And you say you want to protect your ojou-sama...nah, what was it? Kono-chan~... " this childish voice was surely hard on the person she was yelling at, but Mana and Konoka knowing who it was, wasn't surprised at all.

Thus, Konoka moved faster to the sound of the voice. Emiko was curious of what was happening, and followed her slowly.

" H-hey! It's not because I'm sick that you can make fun of me! What is wrong today? Why is everyone cannot stop making fun of me! " a totally blushing Setsuna yelled back in a weak voice.

" Oh, speaking of the devil..." the childish voice whispered, but enough for Setsuna to hear.
" What do you mea- "

" -Secchan! " Konoka cried, opening the door. She ran into Setsuna, and with her weak condition, they both fell on Setsuna's back.

" Ouch.." was heard from Setsuna. She then opened her eyes to see her sweet and pretty princess on her lap, sobbing.

" What's wrong Kono-chan? Why are you crying? What happened? " Setsuna asked with concern as she put Konoka aside so she could see her face. She was holding her closely, hands on her princess' shoulders.

" I- I thought...sob...that you were...dying! " Konoka cried even more and threw herself into Setsuna's arms.

" What? Who said that? " she looked up and saw Mana was there with someone. She was about to ask Mana what happened but she answered her with a 'I don't know, I just said you were sick. She got all worried on her own. Dont blame me' look.
Setsuna sighed, and smiled, hugging her beloved one in her arms tightly.

" It's alright Kono-chan...I'm fine, not at the edge of dying nor dead. Look at me. " Setsuna said softly, as she took Konoka's chin with her hand to lift her head up, so she could look into her eyes.

' There is so much in your eyes...'

Konoka was now facing her knight. And again in those eyes, she could see so much more than words.

' I'm okay...can you see it? Don't cry my dear...don't cry and break my heart. ' Setsuna thought. But Konoka could easily read it. In her eyes.

' I love you so much.'

' I love you. '

Konoka then stop crying. Stop sobbing. Her face was wet but neither her or Setsuna moved an inch. Eye-lock. Five inches away from each other face.

Lovers' distance kiss.

' With all my heart. '

They were drowned in each other.

' For so long...'

There were so much to read...in those eyes.

' It hurts so much...to love '

This time, Setsuna neared her face to her Princess.

' But I...can't help but..

Love you. '

Tell me more...about all these feelings.

' I love you too- '

And Konoka linked their faces. Again. Lips pressed against lips. Such a soft contact. Such a pure pleasure.

" No! Don't do that! " the childish voice tried to warn but it was already too late.