A/N - I do not own these characters.
Chapter 8
"She didn't say it back to you?!" Yoshino's voice was shrill against the nearly bare walls of the weight room.
"Geez, Yoshino-san, think you could be a bit louder? I don't think Sei-sama heard you over on the Uni campus." Yumi rolled her eyes as she prepared her weights to bench press.
"Oh come on, Sachiko-sama and Rei-chan are having their meeting in the main dojo right now. There's no way they could hear us." Yoshino obviously underestimated how much her voice carried, but Yumi let the matter go. "The important thing right now is that you confessed to Sachiko-sama and yet she didn't say it back to you. What gives?"
Yumi shrugged, not really knowing what to say. Yoshino had been in the know about her feelings for Sachiko all along, so Yumi had not hesitated in telling her the new developments in their relationship. Though, she did conveniently leave their previous night's sleeping arrangements out of it. "Onee-sama is… well, it's complicated."
"It sounds like you're right making excuses for her now." Yoshino crossed her arms, indignant on behalf of her all too forgiving friend.
"It's not an excuse. Things really are complicated!" Sachiko growled, trying to keep her voice down in the large room. She had quickly updated Rei on the previous night's developments as soon as the two younger girls had left the room. Rei had long known about Sachiko's preferences. She had guessed as much not long after their first meeting. Even if she had not, it would have been clear as soon as she had seen Yumi and Sachiko together.
"What complication are you talking about exactly?" Rei asked, obvious annoyance on her usually timid, gentle face. "What could possibly have complicated things enough that you would let Yumi-chan CONFESS to you without properly responding yourself?! You know how you feel about her, don't you?"
"Of course, I do! I mean, I told her that I would be hers if she would be mine. Doesn't that say enough?" Sachiko was reaching, grasping for a lifeline or some solid ground to stand on, but she was floundering.
"Not hardly!" Crossing her arms, Rei's stance welcomed no argument to the contrary.
Growling once more, Sachiko paced the floor in front of where her friend sat. "You just don't understand!"
"Then explain it to me!" Rei swiftly retorted.
"She said she would be mine, so I can only assume that the problem is with her family." Yumi huffed between reps. Lifting one hundred and twenty-five pounds while trying to carry on this discussion was no walk in the park. Her bruised arm didn't help matters either.
Yoshino, who was spotting for Yumi, took a moment to be impressed. "Wow, when you said you could lift this much I honestly didn't believe you. Whoa! Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Why exactly should her family impact her ability to confess to you?"
Yumi breathed deep and lifted the weight above her chest. Bringing it back down, she paused with it only inches above her chest and replied, "Sachiko isn't one to say those words lightly and you have to remember that her family has her engaged to someone else."
As Yumi lifted the weight again, Yoshino shook her head. "I know you. You didn't say those words lightly either. Why should her family's plans for her life keep her from voicing her heart to you?"
Yumi paused in her workout yet again to meet Yoshino's eyes above her. "Because," She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "I don't know if she'll be capable of refusing her family's plans for her, regardless of how we feel about each other."
"You can't be serious!" Sachiko flinched at the shock in Rei's voice. "You're not actually implying that you might go through with your family's plan for you to marry Kashiwagi?"
Sachiko didn't respond right away, instead turned away and leaned heavily on the windowsill. A few minutes passed before she felt the comforting hand of her dear friend on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Sachiko-san, I know this is difficult for you."
"I'm just…"
"You're scared." Rei finished for her, trying to be of some comfort, though she knew she could do little to help during this situation.
Sachiko nodded her head, not willing to put a voice to the words.
"You're scared to what? Taking that step with Yumi?"
Sachiko shook her head then met the concerned eyes of her friend. "I'm afraid that I won't take the step, Rei-san."
"Huh?" Rei looked confused but waited patiently for Sachiko to explain.
Pacing a few steps away and then back, Sachiko seemed to struggle with finding the words. "I'm afraid that when my family opposes this - which we both know they will! - I'm afraid I will cave. For as long as I can remember I have given in to the whims and demands of my family. They've controlled everything about my life and I've simply rolled over and let them. I'm afraid that when it comes time to stand my ground or surrender that my instincts will kick in."
Rei found herself hugging her friend from behind, casually resting her chin on Sachiko's shoulder. Needing the embrace, Sachiko returned the hug and fought the tears threatening to spill down her flushed cheeks.
"What would happen if that moment came and I gave in? Yumi… Would Yumi ever be able to forgive me? Would she understand?" Sachiko closed her eyes as she thought through the worst-case scenarios.
"First of all, you are acting like you've already given up. Stop it." Rei tightened her hold on Sachiko. "You have more courage and more fire in you than you seem to realize, my friend. Where is the Sachiko-san that I know? The one that has a storm in her veins that can shake the walls of this school in an instant? The Sachiko I know has a determination that is unbreakable and unrelenting. Where did you go and hide her?" With a quick twist of her arms, she turned Sachiko around to face her. "How you feel for Yumi… do you feel it burning inside you?"
Sachiko nodded.
"Do you feel a hole in your heart when you have to be apart?"
With a soft sob, she responded, "Every time."
"When you imagine your future, where is she?"
"By my side." Sachiko gasped, covering her face with her hands.
"Then Sachiko-san," Rei shook her slightly and Sachiko dropped her hands from her face. "You should tell her how you feel. You should give her a proper confession. As much for your own sake as for hers."
Again, Sachiko shook her head vehemently. "No, I can't! I can't say those words unless I know I won't betray my own heart and fail her. I won't say it without being sure!"
Rei studied her friend's look of determination and knew there would be no convincing her otherwise. Dropping her hands from her shoulders, Rei could only shake her head. "I can't say that I understand it, but I guess no one else but you really has to understand it. Well," She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "That is, except for Yumi. So, I guess I have one more question for you to consider and you don't have to answer this one aloud. Do you really think she'll understand it? Your silence I mean." Seeing the contemplation in Sachiko's eyes, Rei turned and began walking back toward the weight room. "Think about it."
"I don't have to think about it, Yoshino-chan." Yumi growled, dropping the weights back into place with a loud clang.
"Come on, Yumi-chan! You are far too giving! Far too understanding! Be selfish for once!" Yoshino cried, throwing a towel at her friend that Yumi caught with ease.
Patting her neck dry, Yumi shook her head. "I'm really done discussing this for today, Yoshino. As I said before, I refuse to pressure anyone into a confession. If she wants to be with me, then she'll have to come to that decision on her own."
Groaning in frustration, Yoshino tried again. "I can understand that, but maybe Sachiko-sama just needs a little bit of encouragement."
Bringing the towel down from her face, Yumi looked at Yoshino with an expression of stone-cold seriousness that she had never seen before. "I have absolutely no interest in a half-hearted love. I will continue to be myself. If that isn't enough then…" Yumi let the statement drop there, but there was really no need to finish the sentence. They both knew what she meant. Yumi could not force a love confession from Sachiko and she would not force her to abandon her family either. She wasn't blind or oblivious to Sachiko's situation. To be with Yumi would be a major sacrifice for the woman she loved and Yumi would not demand that sacrifice of her. "I will continue to love her as I always have, but there are limits to what I can ask of her, Yoshino-chan."
Yoshino opened her mouth to respond but found no words. Her heart broke for her friend. Understanding what Yumi was saying was one thing. Accepting it and passively sitting by and watching it play out was going to be something completely different. But, for Yumi, she would do what only a best friend could do. Sighing heavily, Yoshino clapped Yumi on the back and tried her best for a smile. "Well, no matter what, you've got me in your corner, Yumi-chan!"
"That is more valuable than you might imagine." Yoshino jumped at the sudden intrusion while Yumi merely laughed and shook her head. Rei stood in the doorway, arms crossed in amusement as she studied the two younger girls. "Yoshino-chan is a fierce companion, after all."
"The fiercest." Yumi and Yoshino spoke at the same time, Yumi of course mocking her exuberant friend in braids.
Rei laughed at their antics and then signaled for Yoshino. "We need to go." Yoshino nodded and retreated to change and get her bag. While she waited for her cousin, Rei watched as Yumi moved smoothly to the water rower and began pushing and pulling her way through the reps. After a few minutes, Rei finally broke the silence. "Yumi-chan is full of surprises."
Without missing a beat in her routine, Yumi cracked a smile. "You all have already cracked the lock on my vault of secrets. What is there to be surprised about now?"
"I knew you loved Sachiko-san, but I didn't realize you loved her enough to let her go." Rei's voice was quiet, so as not to be overheard by anyone outside the room, but Yumi still heard her clearly.
Stopping her exercise, Yumi's smile disappeared as she met Rei's gaze. "Who said I was?"
Rei shrugged. "I guess it's a matter of interpretation, huh?"
After studying the older girl for a few more beats, Yumi shook her head, smiled, and continued with her rowing. "Facts are always open for interpretation, despite what the word's definition might imply. So, here are the facts as I see them. I love Sachiko-sama. I'll stay by her side as long as I am able… allowed to. The future is ever-changing and some things are outside the realm of my control. I know that and have no choice but to accept it."
Rei nodded as she listened to Yumi and was struck by how much the young girl had changed since her secret of karate had been revealed. Who would have guessed that under such a film of anxious, clumsiness there would be a strength and maturity such as this? She knew that karate fostered focus and self-discipline, but this was truly a transformation of shocking proportions. She was, however, still young. "Yumi-chan, not to change topics, but I wonder if you might help me. I'm not certain what to do."
"With what exactly?" Yumi narrowed her eyes slightly, uncertain of the sudden change in the direction of the conversation.
"I have a small herb garden I started back home. It was doing great, but then it got really warm. It hasn't rained in over a week. I honestly think the basil will be the first to die. There is not much I can do about that though." With a look of perplexed, dejection Rei explained the situation.
Yumi, a look of utter confusion on her face shrugged and offered what seemed to be the obvious advice. "Just water the herbs yourself, Rei-sama."
"Can I really do that? I mean, I heard that you should let nature take its course. I honestly think it's beyond me to do anything at this point."
Shaking her head, Yumi stood from the rowing machine and grabbed her water bottle. "It's not. I've helped my mother with a garden before. It's remarkable what will grow when you tend it properly."
As Yumi lifted the bottle to her lips, Rei chuckled. "So, does that philosophy of yours only apply to plants then?"
Choking on her drink, Yumi stared up at Rei with watery eyes. "What?!" Seeing the older girl's raised eyebrow and grin, it suddenly clicked. "That was a rather obtuse example, don't you think?" Despite her words, Yumi's cheeks flushed as she realized what she had said.
Shrugging off the comment, Rei responded with a smile. "A weapon doesn't always need a sharp edge to get the point across, Yumi-chan."
Chuckling herself, Yumi wiped the water from her chin. "Point taken, Rei-sama."
Yoshino chose that moment to yell from the main dojo, indicating that she was ready to leave. Before leaving the weight room, Rei turned back to Yumi and raised her arm diagonally in front of her chest. "Stay strong, Yumi-chan."
Understanding both the obvious and hidden messages in that statement, Yumi raised her arm to meet Rei's, bumping their forearms. Then Yumi surprised Rei by placing her right fist in her left palm and bowing slightly, in the traditional martial arts salute. "Stay strong, Rei-sama."
Recovering from her momentary surprise, Rei grinned broadly as she returned the customary salute. Straightening, Rei smoothly moved out of the room all the while thinking that Yumi really belonged in a dojo. It just seemed… right, somehow.
After her discussions with Yoshino and Rei, Yumi found herself in conflict with herself. Last night she had promised Sayako-sama that she would rescue Sachiko, but today she was saying she wouldn't force the issue with Sachiko. Which was it? It couldn't be both ways, right?
Feeling her frustration beginning to boil up inside of herself, Yumi grabbed a pair of padded gloves and moved to the punching bag in the corner. When in doubt, punch something. She silently quoted her Sensei as she sent her first jab into the bag.
She warmed up with slow jabs, first with her right hand, then with her left. Soon, she was throwing combos into the bag in a constant barrage of pain. Or what would have been pain if her sparring partner were human and not a big bag of sand. Throwing a quick double jab combo, she jumped, twisted in midair, and landed a kick to what would have been her opponent's side. Landing, she immediately shuffled to the left around the bag and struck upward with her right knee into the center of the bag.
Sweat began to obscure her vision, but she didn't stop. The burning in her muscles felt so good, almost as if all the confusion and frustration she was feeling were slowly burning away. She knew though that as soon as she stopped it would all come rushing back like a tidal wave. So, she didn't stop.
Sachiko found herself standing outside the open door of the weight room, listening to the rhythmic cadence of Yumi hitting the punching bag. She had glanced in, but when she had seen the look on Yumi's face she had quickly retreated. I wonder if… When Rei and Yoshino had left, the younger cousin had given her an incredibly hard stare. Did they talk about it? Is Yumi… Is she mad? The look on Yumi's face had been steely, her lips drawn tight into a grimace, as she pounded her fists into the punching bag.
With a heavy sigh, Sachiko found herself hanging her head in shame. Her mind wandered to the night before and the intimate kiss she had shared with Yumi on the bed. Closing her eyes, she let herself remember each of those kisses and felt her face grow more flushed with each one. Then she thought about the questions Rei had asked her, one in particular. When she looked into the future, where was Yumi? She had been honest when she said that Yumi was by her side, but now when she pictured the future there was one fact that she hadn't realized before. In her mind, she didn't imagine Yumi by her side. No, rather, she was by Yumi's side. They weren't in the Ogasawara manor or working together in her family's business. They were sitting at a kotatsu, eating a simple, yet delicious meal together. They were smiling and laughing while shopping at the local market. She even pictured herself with Yumi's mother learning how to cook Yumi's favorite foods.
Tears teased at the corners of her eyes as her mind played through the movie of this future. There was nothing extravagant about it. No fancy parties or summer homes. No expensive foods or staff members to do the cooking and cleaning. Instead, she imagined doing all of that herself, alongside Yumi. In her heart, she had known that if she were to take that step to openly love Yumi she would most likely have to say goodbye to the life to which she was accustomed. She smiled to herself, her tears not an expression of sadness at the thought of losing that lifestyle, but rather happiness at the realization that she found the idea of such a life so appealing.
The more she thought of that kind of life, alongside Yumi, the more her heart yearned for it. That didn't dissuade all of her fears though. Yes, she realized she would gladly stand by Yumi's side no matter what lifestyle they had. However, that didn't mean she would be able to deny her father and grandfather's plans for her future.
The happiness that had filled her heart at the thought of her future with Yumi turned to sharp blades of dread when thoughts of that inevitable conflict came to mind. So encompassed by her thoughts was she that she didn't notice the silence from the weight room until Yumi's soft voice spoke from just beyond the door.
"What others think doesn't matter. You have to follow your heart, wherever it might lead you."
"Y-Yumi…" Sachiko looked over her shoulder toward the open door, seeing only the shadow of Yumi as she leaned against the opposite side of the wall.
"Don't misunderstand. I realize that your heart may- may not lead to me. You may follow a different path. I understand that, but regardless… You need to do what you feel is right for yourself."
"Yumi, last night when you- Your confession, it - I wasn't prepared for-" She couldn't seem to finish a sentence. In truth, she couldn't figure out exactly what she wanted to say but felt she needed to try.
"Don't force it, Onee-sama. And don't worry about me. Despite what you might think, I didn't confess in order to force you to do the same. I will continue to protect you, regardless."
Yumi's voice sounded so serious, yet sad that Sachiko couldn't help but turn her face away from the door, fighting a new onslaught of tears the whole time. When the silence between them had stretched uncomfortably long, Yumi spoke again. "I'll get cleaned up and meet you by the dojo exit. Please, wait for me there." Realizing that, in a way, she had been dismissed by Yumi, Sachiko withdrew to wait near the dojo exit.
It didn't take long before Yumi appeared, hair glistening from her quick shower and wearing some loose-fitting exercise clothes. She smiled at Sachiko as she crossed the main hall of the dojo, a fact that surprised Sachiko. There was still a slight limp to her cadence, but Sachiko was pleased to realize her injuries were well on their way to healing. "Thanks for waiting." Yumi grinned, smoothly taking Sachiko's bag from her shoulder and adding it to her own. "Shall we go?"
Returning her smile hesitantly, Sachiko nodded and they exited the dojo together. It took them only a few minutes to make it to the gates, even with their customary stop at Maria-sama's statue. They spoke easily about their respective days, recounting interesting and funny moments from their classes. It all seemed normal, except for the unusual distance Sachiko felt between them. Aside from the figurative distance, she felt in Yumi's speech, she also noticed that the younger girl didn't stand as close to her as she had the previous day. The knowledge that her lack of certainty had damaged their relationship, even in the slightest, felt like a deep wound to Sachiko.
Just when she was about to reach out to close the distance by taking Yumi's hand, a black sedan pulled up and none other than Candace stepped onto the curb. The Scottish woman smiled broadly at the two of them before opening the back door of the car. "Greetins' to you beautiful young lasses. I'd say your chariot awaits, but I'm 'fraid it's not as grand as all that. It will, however, whisk you away to the safety of the manor in no time flat."
Trying to refrain from rolling her eyes at the older woman's antics, Sachiko nodded her thanks and stepped into the vehicle. Scooting over, she made room for Yumi but soon noticed the younger girl was not following. "Yumi, aren't you coming?"
Looking between Candace and Sachiko, Yumi smiled apologetically as she handed Sachiko's bag to the older bodyguard. "I guess I forgot to mention it to you, sorry Onee-sama. I'm actually parting ways with you here today." Glancing at her watch briefly, she gasped at the time. "I really need to get going." After bowing low to both Sachiko and Candace, Yumi yelled over her shoulder as she ran for the bus stop. "Thank you, Candace-sama!" Then she was gone, leaving a confused Sachiko and an amused Candace behind.
Hours had never passed so slowly in her life. Sachiko glowered at the clock, aggravated that it read 8:55 pm when it felt like the time should be closer to midnight. Candace had staunchly refused to divulge Yumi's reason for leaving, saying, "The young Sensei's life is her own. I'll not tread upon her life, nor gossip about her goings and comings. Not even for your sake, young miss."
Sachiko reluctantly admitted that Yumi must have had a reason for keeping her plans to herself. She doubted she would like her petite soeur's reasoning, but she couldn't deny that there was most likely a reason regardless.
Finally, when the clock read 9:37 pm, she could no longer take it. Rising in a disheveled mess from her bed, she wrapped her robe securely around herself and stepped into the hallway. Across the way Yumi's door was still open, signaling that the younger girl had most likely yet to return. Grimacing in disappointment, though she had expected as much, Sachiko walked into Yumi's room and toward the balcony door. It was such a beautiful night and Yumi's balcony had such a marvelous view of the gardens, she decided she wanted to see them.
Stepping onto the stone balcony, she sighed in contentment at feeling the cool breeze blowing up from the gardens, carrying with it the fresh scent of roses and daffodils. Breathing the scent in, she raised her eyes to the heavens and smiled at the crescent moon above. It was a pale orange color tonight, giving the sky a mysterious look and the grounds below an eerie glow. One would think that this would make for an unpleasant night, but Sachiko would have to disagree. To her, the air felt electric, literally energizing her tired body as she breathed it in.
"Beautiful night, isn't it?"
Sachiko cried out in alarm and jumped back from the balcony rail in surprise before realizing she knew the voice that spoke. "Yumi!"
Sitting directly above the balcony, in the branches of the tree, Yumi chuckled in glee at Sachiko's violent reaction to her presence. "If only I could have recorded that reaction! It was priceless."
Stomping her foot in a flash of anger, Sachiko raised a finger to point her way. "You are going to pay for that, Fukuzawa!"
Surprise lit the young girl's eyes. "So, I'm Fukuzawa now?" Nodding her head abruptly, she returned to leaning against the trunk with her eyes on the few visible stars above.
"You are when you're in trouble." Sachiko growled, somewhat confused by her little sister's reaction. "When did you get back anyway?"
From her new position against the trunk, Sachiko could barely see the young girl, though she could see her shoulder move up and down in a shrug. "I don't know, maybe thirty minutes ago or so."
"Why didn't you come to my room?" Sachiko briefly entertained the idea of climbing up to join Yumi, but quickly dismissed it as a foolish notion.
"I felt like working out." Yumi replied, stretching her arms above her head.
"Is this a new form of exercise with which I am unfamiliar?" Sachiko motioned to Yumi's lounged position with eyebrows raised.
"Why yes, it's called the semi-vertical lumbar stretch. It's all the rage for tree dwellers such as myself." Yumi chuckled, though she shook her head and stood an instant later.
Sachiko's breath caught in her throat as Yumi walked over to where the branch thinned and then, grasping the branch, swung down until she hung from it. Her legs dangled for a moment before she curled them up beneath her.
"Yumi? What exactly are you doing?" Stepping back to get a better view, Sachiko could see Yumi's shoulders and arms, muscles rippling and straining under her own weight.
"This, my dear Onee-sama is what is commonly known as a pull-up. Some refer to it as a chin lift. My Sensei called it chin taps because he said it wasn't a complete pull-up until I tapped the bottom of my chin to the bar." With that, Yumi tensed her muscles and proceeded to pump out twenty chin taps in quick succession.
Meanwhile, Sachiko looked on in transfixed admiration and awe, her face flushed at the tantalizing images before her. Forgive me, Maria-sama, but… damn! She is so sexy right now it almost hurts to look and not touch.
After resting to a count of thirty, she repeated another set of twenty. This went on until Sachiko saw Yumi's arms begin to shake. "This is your fifth set, isn't it? Don't you think that's enough?"
Huffing for breath, Yumi nodded. "Just let me finish this set and I'll get down." True to her word, she hit the hundred mark and then she swung and released her hold on the branch, falling ten feet to the balcony below. Before Sachiko could even cry out, Yumi landed in a roll and came to a crouch at the far end of the balcony.
Breathing a sigh of equal parts relief and exasperation, Sachiko leveled a hard glare at her. "You climb the tree when you could take the stairs. You fling yourself through the air when you could simply climb down. Are you hiding a tail and a cache of bananas somewhere? Because I could swear you are a monkey."
With a mischievous grin, Yumi shrugged and stood. "I can't say that I'm sporting anything as stylish as a tail, but" She moved smoothly toward Sachiko, who instinctively backed up until she felt the cool stone of the railing press into her back.
"Uh, Y-Yumi?" Sachiko seemed unnerved by Yumi's sudden closeness, but Yumi on the other hand didn't miss a beat.
"Did you know that most monkeys are extremely territorial?" Leaning in close, Yumi could feel Sachiko tense against her.
"Hmm? Uh, no, I can't say that I knew that." Sachiko was struggling to sound calm, but Yumi could hear the tremor in her voice.
"Oh, yes, they are extremely territorial. They are not shy about taking what they want and they rarely make any apology for their actions." The younger girl's voice grew deeper, laced with a desire that made Sachiko's toes curl in her slippers.
"Re-Really? Now isn't that - isn't that interesting?" Sachiko swallowed nervously as her eyes glanced down at Yumi's delicate-looking lips for an instant before returning to Yumi's brown gaze.
"Yes, it is," Yumi whispered, sidling as close as she could to Sachiko's side. She closed her eyes as Yumi's gentle hand grazed along her chin briefly. When Sachiko's breath became heavy and her face flushed, Yumi continued, "It's a good thing I'm not a monkey, isn't it?" An instant later the air around Sachiko grew a little colder and she opened her eyes to see Yumi's back disappearing through the doors into her room.
Stunned by the abrupt change of the moment, Sachiko stayed by the railing until she felt her heart rate slow to a less erratic pace. When she felt a bit calmer she tentatively followed Yumi into her room. She found her sitting on a short couch in the small sitting area of the room. She sat slouched back, her hands clasped behind her head and her eyes shut.
After studying her for a moment, Sachiko made her way to her side and then boldly straddled Yumi's thighs. As if she were expecting this, Yumi didn't flinch or move in the slightest. "Yumi?"
"Hmmm?"
"I know I've disappointed you." Sachiko began, slowly trying to piece together exactly what she wanted to say to Yumi. "I- Uh, you deserve better than this. I know that. You deserve to be with someone without any doubts, who's secure in themselves and what they want. You deserve better than me and the-" Her words were cut short by Yumi's strong hands grabbing and tightening their hold on her hips.
"I think I deserve to decide that for myself, don't I?" Serious brown eyes met an anxious blue gaze. Sachiko nodded but otherwise stayed quiet as Yumi continued. "Listen, you were honest with me last night. You said all you were sure about was that you wanted to be with me. I'm not naive enough to think that our lives are governed solely by our wants. If life were perfect, sure- It would be simple. Life isn't perfect though and anything but simple."
As Yumi spoke, she let her hands wander a bit, distracting Sachiko from her own anxiety and drawing her in to focus on Yumi's every word and move. When her hands disappeared beneath the fabric of her shirt to trace little circles on her sides, Sachiko had to bite her lip to keep from making a sound.
"I know you have some things to figure out. I respect that and understand. I still have hopes of my own though. I will love you no matter what, Sachiko." She used her name very deliberately that time, speaking it slowly, the look in her eye telling Sachiko that this was the equalizer. In saying her name and holding her like this, Yumi was sending a message that this was not just a Sachiko issue to resolve. Yumi was going to be part of it. She wouldn't be a bystander and just take whatever came her way. Her next words though set off a flare of anger in the flustered Sachiko. "And I'll just say this to get it out of the way and to clarify my position. No matter what, my love for you will never diminish, but I will never be anyone's mistress."
Face flushing with anger instead of passion, Sachiko tried to rise from Yumi's lap, but the younger girl's grip was too strong for her to break from. "Let me go!"
"No," Yumi answered simply, calmly.
Realizing her struggle was futile, Sachiko relented and leaned back into Yumi's grip. Turning her face away, she responded to what she felt like was an accusation. "I would never ask something like that of you, Yumi. After everything you've witnessed with my family… Do you really think I would stoop so low?"
"You do have a slightly different situation than your father or grandfather, Sachiko. Both you and Suguru have untraditional tastes when it comes to love." Yumi spoke delicately about the situation, yet her words still felt as sharp as daggers to Sachiko. "If you follow through with a marriage to him… well, I didn't imagine it would be a typical arrangement. I love you, Sachiko, but…" Yumi drew her gaze back to her own. "I do love myself as well. I have to live with who I am. Also, I could never share you, not even if it were merely a facade for the public. I know myself that well, at least."
"Again, Yumi, I would never ask that of you." Sachiko's voice was low, a mere whisper against the loud beating of both their hearts.
Yumi's hands softened slightly, gliding along Sachiko's sides and back until she had gently pulled Sachiko into a closer embrace. "You're mine right now, though, aren't you?"
Arching her back into the caress, Sachiko nodded her head eagerly. "Yes, Yumi. I'm all yours right now."
"Then I will continue to love and protect you. For that, I need to stay close, Sachiko." Yumi spoke in tantalizing whispers as she played her lips across Sachiko's exposed neck. "Very close."
Placing an encouraging hand on the back of Yumi's head, Sachiko moaned at the contact. "I want nothing more right now. I need you closer. Yumi, closer."
Playing her hands further up Sachiko's back, Yumi groaned her response. "It would be my pleasure."