Rented Love

by momoxtoshiro

When college sophomore Tendo Maya receives an invitation from old high school classmates to attend a reunion, she realizes she has no close friends at the New National Theatre to bring. Desperate, she searches for a paid date on a girlfriend rental app, and ends up finding the perfect date - someone she already knows quite well...

This AU and story were requested by none other than 0mn! Always with the awesome ideas full of potential drama! So for this one, Maya and Claudine went to different high schools and never knew each other personally until they joined New National together for college.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

---

Rented Love

The New National Theatre harbored one of the top-standing names in all theatre schools in not only Japan, but the entire world. With its founders and funders boasting some of the most iconic names in theatrical history, an impressive annual roster of alumni, and multiple consistently-earned nominations and awards, it was no trifling matter for one to be able to apply to such a school, let alone be accepted.

Attendees work tirelessly in their physical training, dancing, and theater classes, and then must apply themselves mentally in order to earn high passing grades on all of the written exams on the history of theatre and famous literature from across the globe. Those who slipped up one too many times would be severely warned, and if improvements were not made immediately and seriously, expulsion was not uncommon in order to maintain the school's prodigious reputation.

Only the students who pushed themselves beyond their limits and continued to improve themselves day by day ever earned a bit of free time, but those truly dedicated to their craft would use even that free time to continue to study and practice.

Naturally, the two top students of the New National Theatre followed such a lifestyle.

Both were in their second year of attendance at the age of 20, but the fact that they weren't yet in the oldest, most experienced year never for a second stopped them from achieving the highest-ranked positions in the entire academy.

Standing at the top at the head of the school was the renowned and refined Tendo Maya. Born to two famous and acclaimed actors, she lacked nothing in terms of physical ability nor mental strength. She was undoubtedly a prodigy and had been since the moment she could stand on her own two feet.

She had been attending acting and theater schools all her life, including Seishou Music Academy for her high school career, where she had graduated top of her class with high honors.

Poised, stern, serious, dedicated, and powerful, she'd blown every old record out of the water in her freshman year, and was now continuing to set new ones in her second year of attendance. She'd landed the most of lead roles for an underclassman in her first year, and was now setting new best times for physical exercise drills and new high scores for acting workshops and written exams.

Not only did Maya have stellar performance in academics, but she was also gorgeous by just about any standard.

She had the body of a performer, not only in outward appearance, but also in her strong voice, her nimble swiftness, and her intimidating presence.

Tendo Maya was known to be the most passionate and dedicated student the prestigious college had ever seen, and she never had the time for anything unrelated to theatre. She was simply unparalleled.

Though the student holding the number 2 position sure did give Tendo Maya a good run for her money, and did everything within her power to dethrone her in any way she could.

Saijou Claudine was born from a half-French, half-Japanese bloodline, and she had spent her younger years in France experiencing the culture of theater there. Since middle school, however, she had moved to and lived in Japan, and later attended Siegfeld Academy for her high school years - an academy that just so happened to rival Seishou where Maya had been in attendance.

Of course, Claudine had been hearing Maya's name ever since she was a child, though she never knew that Maya had also heard her name often, as well, considering all of the commercial and television roles Claudine had landed in her childhood. Part of the reason Claudine had decided to move to and study in Japan specifically had been so that she might someday encounter the infamous Tendo Maya for herself.

In high school, she was able to see her perform live for the first time, as Siegfeld and Seishou students would often attend the other school's performances to gauge the competition.

The fact that Claudine had ended up at the same college as Maya had been no surprise, and no accident. She had always longed to study at the New National Theatre, but the fact that Tendo Maya was also going there had been both an inconvenience and a motivation at the same time.

Claudine had always worked hard her entire life, but ever since she'd stepped foot into the same institution as her lifelong rival, she'd pushed herself even harder beyond her limits, day in and day out, for the entirety of her time here thus far.

Now, halfway through her second year, Claudine has staked her claim not only as Maya's rival, but as her partner, as well. Even in their freshman year, they'd shared most classes and lessons, and Claudine hadn't wasted a second in approaching Maya on their first day to ask to be her stretching and dance partner.

They had maintained that partnership for the past year and half, and still continued to do so to the present day.

In spite of the arrogant teasing and prideful goading they would often engage in with one another, both of them learned a great deal from their mutual rival partnership, as well - more than any class ever could have taught them.

Maya's projected perfection caused Claudine to always be pushing herself harder in order to reach her level, and Claudine's unflagging persistence ensured that Maya was always on her toes to stay one step ahead of her.

It was a maddening and beautiful relationship, like that of goddesses among humans. Everyone else knew they couldn't come anywhere near those two in terms of talent and dedication, but they still tried, which created purpose and fuel for a majority of other students at the school.

Such was the dynamic and hierarchy of the New National Theatre this present year, where two of Japan's top up-and-coming actresses were at each other's throats, forcing each other to climb ever higher…

---

Although Maya had always been at the top of her class, even in her childhood, there were several things she always envied about Saijou Claudine.

One being her unwavering determination to continue working harder, to strive higher, not to simply rely on her innate abilities for her successes, but to apply herself to the fullest extent of her capabilities and then some.

People often praised Maya for being the most passionate student due to her top-standing position, but she had always known that wasn't the case. Her own passion paled in comparison to the passion of Saijou Claudine, and she knew this for a fact.

Never before in all her life had Maya ever known such a fierce and beautiful competitor, one who never failed to add spark to Maya's fire. Maya had always admired Claudine, even before she had known her personally.

But other than her dedication, there was one other thing Claudine excelled in where Maya was sorely lacking.

Socialization.

It was very easy to tell when people were being sociable for the sake of appearances, and when they were actually enjoying being around other people. Maya was almost always in the former category, while Claudine was almost always in the latter.

Whenever the two of them weren't in the middle of one heated competition or another, Maya would observe Claudine sitting with friends at lunch, stretching with them in classes, tutoring them for exams after school, going out with them on weekends, and so on.

Maya, on the other hand, only really interacted with her classmates when it was absolutely necessary, not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't honestly know the best way to go about it.

Additionally, there had always been a stigma and assumption that Maya was too arrogant, too intimidating, or too far above them for most people to want to bother reaching out to her for anything beyond an academic necessity. And while Claudine was the person who would often talk to, sit with, and dance with Maya, they weren't exactly close friends.

While their rivalry had given them both a unique and much deeper appreciation for one another, they had never crossed that line from colleagues to comrades.

Therefore, when Maya receives a peculiar notification on her phone one Friday afternoon as she's studying in her room, she initially believes it's a mistake.

She had made accounts on most social media for publicity's sake, and didn't really use them for personal gain. Which is why she's a bit shocked to see a message from an old high school acquaintance.

Maya had never really considered the majority of girls she'd attended Seishou with to be friends, and she didn't think they considered her to be one either. Or rather, Maya had wanted to think of them that way at first, but as the weeks of their freshman year had progressed, and Maya's talents had shown, her classmates had started to become bitter about their own shortcomings and lack of motivation to match her. Before long, Maya had started finding tacks in her shoes, unpleasant notes in her locker, and her personal belongings missing.

But for the sake of keeping up appearances and not involving herself in any drama, Maya had been forced to stay quiet and endure the abuse - for the sake of her own reputation, and to not jeopardize what she had striven so long and hard to build for herself all her life.

The bullying had continued all throughout her years at Seishou, and Maya had managed to ignore and endure it without ever exposing the drama or making a scene of it.

Thankfully, those who had tormented her hadn't had the skills or personalities to even apply to the New National Theatre. By the time Maya had entered it, most people around her had grown up enough, and she no longer needed to suffer as such. All she struggled with now was social awkwardness, but no longer the threats and passive-aggressive comments she'd shouldered all throughout her high school years.

Hence her confusion when she reads the message from one of her old classmates.

Hi, Tendo-san!

Some of us were talking recently and we decided to put together an event for Seishou alumni and graduates of our class, and we'd like to invite you to join us! We suggest all guests bring a plus-one date - romantic, platonic, or otherwise - in order to further add to the social mingling atmosphere, and to raise attendance for an event relating directly to Seishou Music Academy. You should bring one of your talented classmates from the New National Theatre! We'd all love to meet the person Tendo Maya considers to be her best friend and reminisce!

We hope to see you there!

The invitation then gives the time and place, next weekend at a rather lavish venue across town.

This presents a dilemma for Maya - perhaps the first of its kind she's ever faced in her entire life.

Generally, any social events or gatherings she attended were alongside her parents, or together with the cast she'd performed a play with, or alongside staff.

But this is the first time she's ever been reached out to by old classmates for something like this. It was more casual than any other event she'd been invited to, but still formal enough to be under Seishou Academy's name.

Maya knows the instant she reads the message that she must attend, for Seishou's reputation and for her own. People would know if the New National Theatre had an event going on at the same time that would take precedence and prevent Maya from attending Seishou's, so Maya knows she can't possibly refuse or fail to show up.

As Maya begins thinking over all of this, she slowly closes her textbook and moves to her bed to allow herself to focus on the matter at hand.

She needs to attend. She knows this. And normally, it shouldn't have been an issue at all. She could simply put on a professional smile and talk and mingle with the crowd, catch up and tell of her new experiences, and then call it an evening and return to her dorm.

But there's one thing preventing her from doing that; the request that every attendee bring a guest, and the request that Maya specifically bring a friend from New National Theatre.

She has no one she could ask to attend such an event with her, as she had never established any solid friend groups in her year and a half of being here.

The person she was closest to was Claudine, but they were not friends, simply rivals and classmates who were on good terms, with a good-natured competitive relationship. Maya knows she can't possibly ask this of her.

"Then who…?"

She murmurs the words out loud to her empty room, deliberating for several minutes as she reads over the invitation yet again. There was no one at New National she could bring, and yet that's who her old classmates were specifically asking for…

Suddenly, an idea strikes her. Albeit, she immediately knows it isn't the best, Maya understands it's her only choice, considering the situation.

She'd heard about them before - apps where you could search for people to meet, date, or hook up with. She may not have been the best with social interaction in real life or on the internet, but Maya is no fool. She knows people use such apps as valid ways to meet people, and that many people on those apps offer various kinds of services. Perhaps she could be lucky enough to simply find someone who might be willing to act as her best friend date for one night at a special event…

Maya closes her eyes and thinks for a moment longer, but she can't come up with any other feasible options to solve this problem. Therefore, after drawing in a deep, deep breath, she opens her eyes again and begins swiping around on her phone.

A quick search for apps to meet others tosses Maya into hundreds upon hundreds of pages' worth of questionable results, or valid results whose purpose doesn't quite align with her intentions. Browsing through options that are entirely sexual in nature is simply unavoidable, but after getting past several of those, she does manage to find tamer things.

And after doing a bit of research on which apps are most highly-rated for meeting new people and going on dates, Maya discovers she keeps seeing the same app name over and over again.

"'Rent-A-Girlfriend,' is it…?"

As crude and shallow as the name may sound, the reviews are all fairly positive. Unlike most dating apps, this one was an official app, and its workers were hired for a salary.

When setting up an account on Rent-A-Girlfriend, you can either choose to be Searching for specific services or Offering them. The app also makes it known that anyone "Offering" services who adheres to their end of the deal should be financially compensated by the "Searching" person who requested the service. Those offering services are doing so to collect a source of income, and those searching are the paying customers.

It would appear that anyone could search for anyone, regardless of gender or sexual identity or orientation, though girls made up the majority of users, hence the app's name.

And it appeared that people could search for people with a range of intended purposes, with interests ranging from casual to serious dates, platonic to sexual.

And what's unique about it is that no photos are included on any profiles on the entire app. People are made to converse and relate without being able to judge by a person's appearances, and it also allows people to conceal their identities and remain anonymous until they actually commit to meeting in-person.

After several more minutes of research, Maya decides this app may be her best option. So she searches it on her App Store and clicks Download.

From there, it requires several minutes of Maya setting up her profile. She allows the app to generate a username for herself - MaryJane123 - then continues answering basic questions.

Maya chooses "Searching," so she will be shown all people who are "Offering" the services she's looking for. When asked about what kind of services she's seeking, Maya chooses "Dating," since she'll be needing a date to the reunion. But there is no option for "friendship" like she's seeking for a pretend friend for this event…

The closest thing she can find is "Relationship," so she chooses that.

She then writes up a brief description, indicating she is looking for a one-time date to an upcoming event. Once she's completely finished with her profile, Maya finalizes it and submits it to the app.

After several seconds, the algorithm filters through people nearby offering Services in the "Dating" and "Relationship" departments and generates dozens of results.

Like Maya's own, each profile she sees has no photos, only text and descriptions of what's being offered. It's then up to Searchers like Maya to approve or dismiss each profile as they see fit, and only those who are approved can reach out to her and begin a conversation. From there, if both parties agree to schedule a meetup, they would meet in person, the service would be provided, and proper payment would be sent digitally.

Heart racing from the slight thrill of this new and almost scandalous experience, Maya leans back in bed against her pillows as she slowly swipes through the profiles.

She reads them all over carefully, adding to her filters to adjust her preferences as she goes; she needs to be bringing a girl, it needs to be for a date, they need to act as Maya's relationship partner, and there needs to be nothing romantic or sexual about it.

Maya can easily tell which ones wouldn't work, but there are quite a few that are almost perfect, but are just missing one key component.

For nearly half an hour, Maya traverses the app, and with every minute that ticks by, her raised hopes begin to fall little by little…

But then, a ray of hope.

She comes across a profile with the username GoldenGirl81, and everything matches Maya's needs perfectly. It's a girl who lives within 50 miles of Maya's location, and who is offering dates as the customer's girlfriend.

And a female friend is exactly what Maya is seeking out.

And judging by her stats, she's been actively using the app for almost a year now, and has all positive reviews.

Maya quickly clicks on the message button, which generates an automated text to let the person know she has a potential new customer.

From there, Maya slowly puts down her phone and takes a deep breath.

She'll try this. If she hears back from this person, she'll try to meet with her and see if she can be Maya's date for the event. And if not, Maya will think of some better excuse not to attend.

For now, she simply leans back and closes her eyes again, not knowing what to expect.

---

That night, Claudine is out with two of her close friends from school at a local restaurant when she gets a notification on her phone. Her two friends, Futaba and Kaoruko, instantly perk up when they hear her phone go off.

"Oh~?" Kaoruko smirks. "Got a new date, GoldenGirl~?"

"Honestly," Futaba sighs. "Do you really still need the extra cash, Kuroko?"

"I'd meant to delete my profile," Claudine recalls as she glances down, confirming it was the Rent-A-Girlfriend app that had notified her. "I got busy with classes and forgot. This will be my last one, then, and I'll delete it after that."

"Good," Futaba huffs. "Who knows what kinda creeps will be tryin' to do weird crap on those apps…"

"Futaba, you know I'm an expert at this by now," Claudine soothes her. "I know how to handle myself and be smart about who I meet and where."

"I know… But still. Be careful if you do this one."

"I will. Thank you, Futaba." Claudine smiles, then puts her phone back into her purse for now.

She finishes enjoying her dinner and her night out with her friends and walks back to the New National dorms with them. After wishing the two of them goodnight, Claudine returns to her own room and opens the app as she takes a seat at her desk. She browses over the profile of the person who had sent her an interest request.

"Hm… A girl nearby… and all she wants is a one-time date to a high-school reunion? Easy. Plus, Maman's birthday is coming up, so I could use a bit of extra money from one more date."

Claudine clicks the "Approve" button, then puts down her phone and gathers her sleepwear before heading into the bathroom to shower.

---

Maya had just emerged from the shower, which she had spent fretting internally about what she was going to do for this event.

But when she returns to her bedroom, her heart jumps when she sees she'd gotten a response from the Rent-A-Girlfriend app. Maya quickly swipes her phone to open it.

Her spirits lift when she sees her request has been approved.

A trill of excitement rushes through her as she follows the app's next instructions, which are to give her rented date a time and place for their first meeting and to send half of her payment upfront; if her date doesn't show up, Maya can make a case and request a refund, or if she does show up but doesn't satisfy Maya's request entirely, Maya doesn't have to pay her the second half.

But Maya has no doubt in her mind that this girl will be exactly what she's looking for.

She even goes so far as to RSVP and confirm she will be attending the Seishou alumni event with a guest.

Relieved and excited, Maya gets herself ready for bed, and eventually falls asleep thinking about meeting this rented girl friend.

---

For the next week's worth of classes, Maya always has the upcoming event and the meeting with her rented friend in the back of her mind.

Of course, it's never enough to distract her or cause so much as a second's worth of lapse in her focus at any given time, and she's able to maintain her usual air of sophistication and prowess.

But in the evenings, when she's alone in her room, she'll go onto the Rent-A-Girlfriend app and look over GoldenGirl81's profile and the confirmation of the time and place of their meeting before the reunion.

With every day, their first encounter draws nearer, until before Maya knows it, she's waking up Friday morning the day of the event.

Today she has to put in a bit of effort into staying focused in her lectures, and can't wait for her dance classes so she can get up and move around and burn off some of her jitters. In fact, when she does finally get to her dance lessons, Maya's nerves somehow add to her energy and give her even more of a spritely bound to her step than usual.

Which, of course, only irks her number one rival and partner, Saijou Claudine.

Once Maya has finished up a routine, an applause rises up from the onlookers around the studio. As Maya walks over to retrieve her towel and water bottle, Claudine huffs pointedly from nearby to get her attention.

"What's gotten into you today, Tendo Maya?" she wonders. "You're even more infuriating than usual."

Maya tosses her hair over one shoulder and opens her water, taking a long drink and thus teasing Claudine, making her wait for an answer as Maya takes her sweet time.

"I haven't the slightest clue as to what you're referring to," she says at last.

Claudine glowers.

"Don't give me that. Maybe no one else would notice, but I can. There's something off about you today…"

Again, Maya waits to reply to her, taking a moment to clean her face with her towel first.

"I assure you, you're mistaken, Saijou-san."

"Sure… Well, whatever." Claudine takes her leave with another huff and a trademark hair toss of her own before crossing the studio to talk with Futaba and Kaoruko.

Maya does deflate just a little bit to watch her go. She still envies Claudine's social skills. Maya wishes she could've mustered up the courage to ask her to come with her tonight to the reunion, but it's far too late for that now.

The remainder of the afternoon hurries by, and soon enough, Maya is back in her dorm room showering, and then choosing an outfit for tonight. Since it was meant to be a somewhat formal event, she selects a navy blue dress and matching shoes.

The venue was only about a twenty-minute walk from campus, and she'd asked her online companion to meet her at the halfway point so they could walk together and Maya could coach her about what her task would be tonight. If she would have to act out the part of Maya's best friend, she was going to have to know enough about Maya and the college to be able to hold a decent conversation.

But due to her high ratings on the app, Maya is confident this girl will be a quick learner and perhaps even a great actress playing this part.

Once she's finished getting dressed, and her hair has dried, Maya ties her ribbon in the back, gathers her purse with all of her essentials, and then heads out.

The sun is still up, making for a bright and only slightly chilly late-winter evening. Maya enjoys her walk to the bench at the designated street corners. When she arrives, she realizes she'd left far too early due to her nervousness, and is a full forty minutes early to their intended meeting spot. She debates walking the block, but decides against it so she won't ruin her shoes or get sweaty.

So Maya simply takes a seat on the bench and pulls out her phone to once again look over and confirm her appointment with GoldenGirl81. Maya knows she herself was excessively early to their meeting place, but she presumes a professional like her new friend for the night will undoubtedly have the courtesy to arrive early, as well, so she can discuss things with her customer.

For the next several minutes, Maya jolts a bit at every single person who passes her by; every parent and child walking home with groceries, every elderly person walking their dog, every businessperson on the way home from work…

Maya keeps a particular eye on every girl who seems to be about her age. But none of them are dressed fancily enough to be Maya's date for tonight, nor do any of them approach her.

Maya realizes her nerves are beginning to build higher and higher, so she closes her eyes and draws in several deep breaths.

I've become more excited about meeting this girl than I have about attending the reunion.

That just went to show how close she was with her old classmates, if she was more keen on meeting a stranger than seeing them again.

Maya goes over her plan for tonight in her head; once she meets GoldenGirl and they attend the reunion, they'll mingle and chat with the other guests for a time, eat some dinner, and then head out early under the guise that Maya has family matters to attend to the following day. This way, it won't be too much pressure on her one-time friend tonight, nor will Maya have to linger any longer than she absolutely has to around her old tormentors.

It will all go smoothly. I'm certain of it.

Maya tells herself as much so that it may truly come into existence.

After a few more deep breaths, she reopens her eyes, just as the sounds of approaching footsteps reach her ears…

Maya stiffens, swallows, and then clears her throat in preparation to greet this person, whom she can see walking closer out of the corner of her eye. After one last breath, Maya musters up her courage and finally turns her face to offer a greeting.

"Good evening- ah-" She cuts off, seeing the same shocked recognition in the other person's face. Standing before her is none other than- "Saijou…san…?"

Maya has never seen her quite like this before. She'd seen Claudine wearing fancy lavish outfits for various characters in multiple plays over their past year and a half together at New National, everything from a fairy princess to a gallant knight, a cheerleader to a mafia boss' daughter, and all else in between.

But this is the first time Maya is seeing her in such a beautiful formal dress, cream-colored and flowy, with just a bit of volume at the edges around her knees. Her long wavy hair is shining, and there is a small flower clip accenting the usual headband above her ear. A sea foam pearl necklace accents her collarbone, and a pink purse with a matching strap hangs at her shoulder.

Even with her eyes wide in shock and her mouth slightly ajar in a gasp, Claudine looks even more beautiful than usual. The way she halts rigidly in her tracks suggests to Maya that her heart has also leapt halfway up her throat in a similar fashion to Maya's, for various reasons.

There's a brief beat of silence as both girls take each other in. Claudine quickly scrambles to find her voice.

"T-Tendo Maya…? What are you doing out here dressed like that?"

Maya finds it a bit easier and more natural to speak to someone she knows, even in this odd situation.

"I am waiting for someone," she explains. "Though I am quite early. I suppose she won't be coming just yet. But I could ask the same of you, Saijou-san. What are you doing here tonight in such lovely attire?"

"As if that's any of your business," Claudine huffs. "But if you must know, I'm meeting someone."

"Oh. I see," Maya dips her head respectfully. "Well, you look lovely. I must say I might envy that person."

"Quiet. It's annoying that you'd choose the same meeting spot as me…"

Maya chuckles. A sense of relief washes through her veins, and she relaxes just a bit. She's thankful that fate would have allowed Claudine of all people to appear at this particular spot at this particular time. Talking to her has significantly helped ease Maya's nerves as she continues to wait for her rented date.

Claudine stands a few feet away from the bench and waits quietly for her own date, while Maya continues to cast her gaze around the town.

A few more minutes pass, but still neither Maya nor Claudine seem to spot the person they're waiting for. Maya decides to talk again, just to keep a good atmosphere.

"May I ask who it is you're meeting this fine evening?"

Claudine scoffs. "That's also none of your business." She says as much, and yet a second later she is inquiring similarly of Maya. "You said you were meeting a girl?"

"Indeed," Maya affirms.

"Hmph." Another beat of silence, and then Claudine continues. "What's her name?"

Maya feels a flash of embarrassment.

"I can't honestly say I know. I've only interacted with her briefly online."

"What? You don't even know her name and you're meeting up with her dressed like that? You've got to be careful on those kinds of apps, you know. You could just be getting set up to meet some creepy guy…"

"I am aware. But I truly don't suspect this girl is anything other than what she claims to be."

"That's a lot of faith you've got in a complete stranger."

"Perhaps. But given my circumstances, I am willing to take my chances."

"Suit yourself."

Another moment passes them by in silence. Now, Maya is beginning to become a bit anxious. If her date doesn't arrive soon, Maya won't have much time to feed her all the information she'll need for tonight, or they might risk being late.

Biting her lip, Maya opens her phone once again to the Rent-A-Girlfriend app to re-check the date and time for the hundredth time. It just so happens that Claudine glances over at her at that moment and notices the app Maya is on…

"H-Hey-! That app-!" She blurts it out without thinking, then quickly covers her mouth as a sinking realization starts to gnarl in her stomach.

Maya, on the other hand, is perplexed by Claudine's sudden outburst.

"Ah, yes. This is where I'm meeting my companion for tonight. I know perhaps it is a bit unconventional, but-"

"You-!" Claudine snaps. "Don't tell me…" She takes a step back, shaking her head. Maya tilts her head further in confusion.

"I beg your pardon?"

Claudine can't speak for a solid minute. She keeps shaking her head and muttering her disbelief in French under her breath. She draws in a few baited breaths, and then tautly manages to ask.

"You… You're MaryJane…?"

At first, Maya is only more and more puzzled, until she remembers and recognizes the fake username the app had generated for her account. And then, the rest of it slowly starts to fall into place.

A small, weak breath tumbles from her lips.

"Ah…"

Another long moment of silence passes between them, with both girls frozen in place. Maya blinks at her. Claudine blinks back, her mouth still agape. Maya manages to swallow, her chest feeling all sorts of fuzziness now.

"Saijou-san… so then… you are…?"

"I can't believe this-" In the heat of the moment and revelation, Claudine turns and takes a few steps away, then sharply turns back and marches back over to Maya. "You're the person I'm supposed to be meeting tonight?! For some high school reunion?!"

Frazzled, Maya stutters.

"Y-Yes… That is where I'm headed this evening. So you mean to tell me that you are the person I've been waiting for, Saijou-san? The one I scheduled this appointment with…?"

"Unbelievable. Of course, of all people-" Claudine brings her hands to her temples to massage her head, unsure if she's more frustrated or exasperated or excited or angry. Ultimately, she just ends up sounding appalled. "Why would you rent me out as a girlfriend?!"

Maya, for one, had actually been starting to feel relieved. Of course discovering that none other than her own classmate, partner, and rival was meant to be her date tonight had been shocking, but ultimately, she thought that would work out rather nicely, considering Claudine already knew everything there is to know about both Maya and New National. Plus the fact that Maya had been wanting to ask her anyway, but never found the courage. But now she is back to being perplexed.

"Girlfriend…? You're mistaken. I only requested your services for tonight to be my companion to this event."

Claudine starts to say something, then cuts off in a groan. She instead fishes out her cell phone, pulls up the app, and opens her appointment with Maya before reading aloud.

"'Type of meeting requested: Date. What MaryJane123 is looking for: Relationship.' Also, the title of the app is Rent-A-Girlfriend! Do you have any idea what any of this means?!"

Maya is still failing to understand why Claudine is getting so worked up.

"I had requested a date because that is what tonight's gathering will be, yes? We will be going to meet and mingle with people, perhaps have a dance, and enjoy dinner together. "Relationship" would include "Friendship," would it not? It all worked out perfectly. I would have a female friend to attend this reunion with to appease my colleagues, and then we would part ways at the end of the night." Maya explains all of this casually and innocently.

Meanwhile, Claudine is doing her best not to burst a blood vessel.

"You-! You really are an idiot, aren't you?"

"Pardon?"

Claudine releases a long, heavy breath before sitting herself down on the bench beside Maya.

"The app that you used for this… It isn't for finding and renting 'friends,' Tendo Maya. It's for relationships. And not friendship relationships… " She tries to let it fill in for itself, but Maya still appears clueless, so Claudine has no choice but to spell it out for her word for word. "It's for romantic relationships. The kind where people go on dates and kiss and sleep together. It's for renting that kind of girlfriend, you idiot!"

At last, it finally clicks. Maya feels her stomach sinking, and a wave of heat coursing down the back of her neck.

"I… oh…"

"Do you get it now?! You rented me for the evening to be your girlfriend, not your friend who is a girl! Honestly! How could the top star and head of Japan's most prestigious troupe be so completely and utterly naive and clueless about dating apps?!"

It all makes sense to Maya now, why she'd seen so many romantic connotations and suggestive filters on the app and all its profiles. It hadn't been for finding people to set up meetings with friends… but for romantic dating and sexual encounters.

A feverish heat climbs into her face as she bows her head in silence.

Next to her, Claudine is still incredulous and muttering in French. But eventually, she cools down enough and heaves one last sigh before leveling her voice.

"Whatever… At least you understand now that you can't go using that app thinking you're just going to be meeting 'friends.' In fact, don't use that app at all anymore. You clearly have no idea what you're doing and you're going to get yourself into some serious trouble. I mean it."

"Yes…" Maya sighs. "You're right, Saijou-san. Once I have submitted the rest of your payment, I will delete it…"

"Forget the payment! Give me that." Claudine snatches Maya's phone from her hands and deletes her profile right in front of her face. "There. Don't ever use it again, got it?"

"My apologies." Maya lifts her face, and Claudine can see genuine misery in her eyes. "I did not mean to mislead you in any way tonight, Saijou-san. Please, let us go back to campus. I will tell them something came up."

"What are you saying?" Claudine huffs. "We both got all dressed up for this, and you already paid me half, didn't you? Of course I'll still come with you tonight, even if you are an idiot. Canceling will only make you look bad, and going alone will only make you look pathetic. So let's go."

Maya lifts her head a bit more hopefully.

"Do you mean it…?"

"Of course I do. I'll just pose as your best friend like you wanted. Your 'girl friend,' not your girlfriend."

"I understand that crucial distinction now."

"It took you until your second year of college…?" Claudine rolls her eyes, gets up, then offers her hand. Maya finally cracks a smile and accepts.

With this peculiar new development in tonight's plans, at the very least Maya doesn't need to spend as much time as she thought she would coaching her plus-one. Claudine already knows plenty about Maya and about New National. All Maya needs to do as they walk is fill her in on a bit of personal information here and there that any best friend would most likely know about someone.

But once all of that conversation is behind them, Maya can't help but inquire about something else.

"Saijou-san? I beg your pardon for my asking… but why exactly do you take up work from that online app? Please don't feel obligated to answer if it's complicated. I'm simply curious, that's all."

Claudine heaves a sigh, clearly knowing this would come up eventually.

"No, it's fine. It's nothing bad like my parents cutting off my funds or anything dramatic like that. In fact, it's the opposite, and they're always offering to pay for things. I wanted to become a bit more independent and earn my own money to help pay for a bit of school.

"But since I have a full schedule and no time for a real job, I looked into the rental girlfriend scene. It's easy enough. I typically only get dates for evenings or weekends, and it's an interesting way to practice my acting skills, in a way. After listening about what the other person prefers, I try to tailor myself into becoming that person for the duration of the date. But my personal rule is I never go on second dates. I see each client once and never again. I felt things would be safer that way, and no one would develop any unwanted feelings."

Maya listens intently, but remains a bit puzzled.

"But you are becoming the client's girlfriend, are you not? Is the point not to have them develop feelings for you?"

Claudine makes a contemplative expression.

"It can get complicated sometimes. Some people let that happen and get into serious relationships with the clients. But for the most part, people understand this app is to rent a date for one night or one session only, and then they move on to the next one. It's more for people to discover a variety of personalities so they can decide for themselves what they really like. Though, of course, there are plenty with ulterior motives, but those are easy to see once you meet them face to face. At that point it can be a bit difficult to get yourself out, but-" She cuts off, realizing she'd probably said too much.

But Maya keeps her voice soft, respectful.

"I hold no judgment," she murmurs. "So long as you're all right, Saijou-san, that's all that matters."

"I never did anything sexual," Claudine mutters. "I made sure that was clear from the start. There were a few tough ones to get through, that's for sure… But I learned quickly, and within just a few months, I was a pro. Though by this point, I've got enough saved up. I promised Futaba and Kaoruko that tonight would be my last date. After this, I'm deleting my profile and that app for good."

Maya knows it's none of her business, but she feels relief to hear that. Nothing would make her more upset than to discover her closest classmate and most-respected rival had been involved in an unfavorable situation that left her injured in some way, or damaged her flawless reputation, as that would also hurt her chances of a bright future.

"For what it's worth," Maya says. "I am glad to hear that."

Claudine gives a small smile, but says nothing.

By the time the venue is in sight, the pair believe they have their stories straight enough to convince a crowd of gossipers.

When they reach the building, which is essentially a banquet hall sort of establishment, there is already a significant increase in the amount of cars in the streets and people moving on the sidewalks, all fancily adorned in suits and dresses.

Maya and Claudine pause at the base of the steps leading up to the main entrance.

Normally, one might think Claudine would be the nervous one being made to play the part of a date to someone she didn't truly know all that well in a gathering of people she'd never seen before.

But in truth, Maya is the one who is starting to look pale. After a minute of pause she still has made no signs of movement to advance. Claudine gives her a nudge in the side.

"What are you stalling for, Tendo Maya? These are all your friends and classmates, right? Aren't you excited to finally see them all again after so long?"

Maya straightens herself up and puts on a smile.

"Yes, you're right."

"If you're worried about this little charade we've got going on, don't be. I'm a highly-skilled actress, you know."

Now Maya's smile becomes a bit more genuine.

"Yes. I do."

In truth, it isn't Claudine or the role she'll be playing tonight that's worrying Maya at all, but there isn't time or reason to explain any of that now that they've already come this far.

So after taking a deep breath, she gives a small nod, then she and Claudine walk together up the front steps to the building. There, Maya pulls out her phone to show her invitation to the men in suits standing there. They confirm her name and her guest, then permit the girls entry.

Inside, the rented banquet hall has been set with multiple decorated dining and buffet tables around the perimeter, whereas the center of the room has been kept spacious for dancing. Music is playing, flowers and banners line the walls, and glistening chandeliers shine overhead.

It's a very lavish atmosphere, and the people in attendance are dressed accordingly. Most of them are in pairs as well, some with romantic partners and others, like Maya, just with friends.

The moment she enters, Maya already recognizes most of the people there, particularly some of the girls. More specifically, the ones who used to harass her, the ringleader of which had been the one to extend tonight's invitation to her.

But Maya would like to believe all of that is behind them; she wants to enjoy tonight as much as she can, especially since she is very comfortable about her situation with her plus-one. A pointed throat-clearing from beside her draws Maya's attention to Claudine.

"Well?" she prompts. "You're the one who knows everyone here. Aren't you going to introduce me, your best friend from New National?"

Maya dips her head.

"But of course."

And so, she leads Claudine into the event room. Immediately, people start to recognize her, and Maya greets them all pleasantly before introducing Claudine.

And Claudine plays the part impeccably. She is polite, charming, social, and strikes up conversations about Maya as though they'd known one another since childhood, perfectly commenting on anything and everything about her that a best friend would know. She uses the bit of personal information Maya had told her on the way here, coupled with her own general knowledge of Maya that she'd learned by attending classes with her and being her dance partner.

All the while, Maya offers tidbits of information, as well, such as how she met Claudine at New National in their freshman year, which wasn't a lie, but stretches the truth a bit in terms of their closeness.

She can't help but keep an eye on the group of girls who had taunted her in her years at Seishou, the ringleader of which was a girl with short black hair by the name of Akemi. She eyes Maya with feigned excitement all throughout the first half hour, smiling and waving whenever they happen to make eye contact. Eventually, they start to make their way over.

And Maya knows she should stand her ground and meet them properly, especially for Claudine's sake, who is going through a lot of trouble on Maya's behalf tonight.

But as Akemi and her group approach, Maya can't help that awful sinking feeling deep in her stomach as the unfavorable memories resurface - the terrible notes in her locker and in her desk, the tacks in her shoes, the missing materials and ripped performance costumes…

All awful, petty pranks, but the threat and message behind them had been all too real. Maya had always kept quiet and done her best to ignore them, and now her instinctive reaction is the same.

"Pardon me for a moment, Saijou-san," she says to her companion. "I'll be in the restroom."

Claudine pauses from her current conversation with a couple of girls and waves Maya off, speaking in a casual and friendly manner.

"Sure thing!" And then she lowers her tone just a bit. "And we're supposed to be best friends, remember? Just use my first name."

Maya stiffens a little bit, feeling a heat rising through her whole face. She'd always wondered if she would ever be able to get to achieve that level of closeness with Claudine someday, but she certainly isn't prepared to suddenly do it right now. And yet, for the sake of keeping up appearances with this little farce of theirs, she really has no choice but to do it in the moment.

"R-Right. I'll be back in a moment… Claudine."

Though Maya struggles awkwardly to get her first name out, Claudine plays the part of a best friend flawlessly and does it back without an ounce of hesitation.

"Sounds good, Maya!" Claudine gives her a compelling look, and Maya plays along, smiles, and waves, before quickly taking her leave. She really does retreat to the restroom, simply so she can have a moment to get her bearings and to avoid the approaching girls…

Claudine continues conversing with Maya's old classmates with ease, dipping her head to the newest batch of arrivals. The girl with short black hair introduces herself.

"So then you're Maya-chan's friend? It's so nice to meet you! I'm Akemi."

Claudine matches this girl's enthusiastic greeting politely.

"How do you do? My name is Saijou Claudine."

"Oh yeah!" one of the other girls chimes in. "We've heard tons about you!"

"You're, like, super good!" another claims.

"That's very kind of you to say," Claudine smiles.

From there, the trio dominate the conversation.

"You're probably way too good for Maya."

"Yeah. Which is rare. Usually nothing and no one is ever good enough for her."

"I know, right? She was always top of the class and yet she was still always such a try-hard. She just always had to keep getting better and better and showing us all up."

"And making us look bad."

"She was always so arrogant. I bet she hasn't changed, right?"

Right away, Claudine can tell these aren't just teasing comments, not even the bratty kind that friends will sometimes say to embarrass each other in front of new people. No; these words are harsh and only coated over by sugar-sweet smiles, but she can tell right away these girls mean everything they're saying. Claudine hardens her tone just a bit.

"Maya is still the top of our class at New National," she explains. "But that's because she-"

"Had her parents pay for it, right?" Akemi cackles. "Yeah, it was the same back at Seishou. She was only ever really famous because of her parents."

"No wonder she always landed the lead roles. Of course the teachers had to give them to her, or else they'd face the wrath of the Tendos."

"Just because she's a prodigy born to money. It's a shame she robbed so many other people of so many opportunities."

A flare of heat courses through Claudine's veins, but she remembers to keep her temper in check and continue playing along as the respectful best friend. However, even though her and Maya's relationship might not be that close, she still refuses to stand idly by and allow these girls to blatantly insult her. Claudine keeps her smile, but now it's only for the sake of covering up her anger.

"Perhaps it's true that the Tendos have wealth," she agrees. "But Maya didn't simply buy her passion for theatre. Anyone can tell that much just from watching her."

But the trio have started snickering together and don't seem to hear her.

"I still can't believe she got the leading role three plays in a row."

"I know, right?! Her daddy must've paid big bucks."

"It was kind of sad, actually. I bet the audience was so bored of seeing her all the time."

"And she was always so anti-social."

"She was too cool for us. She always just went off and did stuff on her own."

"It was kind of rude sometimes."

"And nothing's changed since then, I bet. Right, Saijou-san?"

"Are you guys all sick of her, too?"

"It was tough spending high school with her, but I can't imagine how bad college must be…"

Again, Claudine needs to consciously reel herself in to not cause a scene. Her temper flares again at these girls, and she begins to plan out what she's going to counter with and how.

But just then, she spots Maya emerging from the restroom. Claudine thinks better of bursting out into a fit so early on in the evening, and instead plasters on another tight smile for the trio.

"If you'll excuse me…" She doesn't give them anything more than that, because speaking to them any further would make her ill.

Claudine swiftly makes her escape, hastily crossing the room and slipping through the mingling crowds to make her way to her classmate. Even from a distance, Claudine can tell that Maya is still looking a bit pale. But the moment she spots her approaching, the smile Maya gives her is genuine.

"Sai- Claudine."

But Claudine is still too irked by the conversations she'd just heard, so much so that she doesn't even think she can return that smile to Maya without it being completely fake, so instead she just opts to maintain her irritation.

"Come with me."

She grabs Maya's hand firmly and begins pulling her across the room and out the side exit. The doors lead to a small patio area lined with lights for the evening, and a well-kept garden surrounds the perimeter. There's one small table set off to the side, so Claudine hauls Maya over to it and has her sit down. Claudine sits opposite her, still in a huff. Eyes wide, Maya cautiously speaks up.

"Saijou-san…" Clearly, she doesn't feel right addressing her by her first name when they're alone, so she reverts back to formalities. "Are you alright? You seem upset."

"Upset—?" Claudine blurts out the word, about to hound Maya and tell her that's an understatement. But she stops herself, remembering that Maya isn't the one at fault here, nor the one who deserves her ire. After drawing in a long breath, Claudine exhales slowly, and continues on in a more controlled tone. "Hey, Tendo Maya. Those girls back there…" She tapers off, just to assess Maya's reaction. Sure enough, just by bringing them up, Claudine can see her tense. She sighs.

"I knew it. They weren't really your friends, were they?"

Maya quickly shakes her head.

"You're mistaken—"

"Am I?" Claudine glowers, compelling Maya to brush over all of the nonsense and get straight to the truth. Maya heaves a sigh.

"Perhaps… we weren't the closest…"

"But it's worse than that, isn't it?" Claudine challenges. "It wasn't just that you weren't friends. They harassed you, didn't they?"

Maya looks down at the flowers in the vase between them.

"''Harass' is such a strong term…"

"Tendo Maya." Claudine's voice is firm, but her eyes have softened, letting Maya know she isn't upset with her for concealing the truth, but rather, just mad at the other girls for their poor treatment of her.

Maya's heart wavers; she'd never breathed a word of any of that to anyone, neither in the moment nor after all these years. But somehow… it feels right to tell Claudine. So she does.

"I apologize. Your assumptions are… entirely accurate, Saijou-san."

"So they did bully you." Claudine sits back in her chair a bit, frowning and glaring, an expression Maya might think was cute on her if she hadn't been so genuinely upset. "It didn't take them even ten seconds to start insulting you. They're horrible. Disgraceful."

In spite of everything, Maya actually feels a spark of warmth ignite in her chest, and a small smile comes back to her lips.

"I'm quite flattered that you would say such things in my defense. Though I've not a doubt in my mind that you would react this way to anyone being treated unjustly. I appreciate your consternation. Truly, I do." Now, Maya raises her gaze from the flowers to her date. "But I would very much like to put those feelings behind me. All of those wrongdoings are in the past. In fact, a good portion of the reason I decided to attend tonight was so that I might be able to make some sort of amends with those girls."

Claudine recalls what the girls had said earlier, about how Maya was often aloof back in high school. Maya must've been aware of her behavior and seen it as a negative thing, and so she'd wanted to come tonight and be as social and affable as possible to improve her image in those girls' minds, to show them she'd changed and was better now.

What she didn't realize, however, was that she never needed to change in the first place, and she certainly didn't need to prove anything to those wretched girls.

But Claudine can tell Maya is honestly trying to put the past behind her, even though she never did anything wrong at all.

So for Maya's sake only, Claudine is willing to let her frustrations go. Even so, she still wants Maya to understand one thing.

"You really don't need to…" she mutters. "Make amends, I mean. You never did anything wrong, Maya."

Maya looks back to the flowers.

"Perhaps not… But I do feel I was rude to them by keeping to myself."

"It's not a crime to feel more comfortable on your own than surrounded by jackals."

"I did not make much of an effort to even try—"

"Well, they sure as hell didn't make one, either. Not in the right way." She narrows her eyes a bit, until Maya is compelled to meet her gaze again. Claudine lowers her voice just a little. "What did they do to you…? Other than ostracize you out of jealousy."

Maya hesitates, glancing around the patio as if nervous someone else might overhear the confession that was several years in the making.

"There were… missing materials," she murmurs. "Tacks left in my shoes, ruined costumes, unsavory notes…"

"Maya—!"

"All trivial high school pranks—"

"Don't try to defend them!" Claudine snaps. "You never told anyone about any of that?"

"It was never anything directly physical—"

"Oh, so your mental comfort doesn't matter, then? Feeling safe and accepted in your own school doesn't matter?"

"I handled it," Maya says quietly. "I was strong enough to ignore it. But I still feel I may have hurt them in some way…"

"How? By earning every role you ever landed through hard work? If they're hurt by that, it's their own problem due to a lack of motivation to put effort into things. They hurt you more, in worse ways, and you know it."

"It is in the past…" Maya says as much, but Claudine can tell she's mostly just saying it to pacify her own agony, to try and lay it all to rest and move on; deep down, Maya also knows none of what those girls had done had been permissible, but she wants to be the bigger person and look past it all now.

Claudine is outright furious to hear such things had gone on at Seishou Music Academy of all schools, though the pettiness and cruelty of some people could never be avoided or explained. Still, she does understand why Maya kept silent so as not to attract any negative attention toward herself and potentially risk some sort of scandal that would impact her future career.

"But that doesn't mean they should just get away with what they did to you… They should be mature enough by now to have realized how unacceptable their actions back then were. They should be here on their knees apologizing to you right now."

Again, Maya feels a gentle warmth in her chest. She's truly touched by Claudine's righteous heart, even though she is only playing the role of Maya's friend here tonight.

"I truly do appreciate your feelings on this matter, Saijou-san. But I do not want any drama from this tonight. So please, if we could simply return inside, perhaps have some dinner, we can leave shortly afterward and lay this all to rest."

Claudine is still irate, and quite honestly, raring to tear some heads. But that isn't what Maya wants, and the whole point of her coming with Maya tonight was to be the ideal date and person she asked for. Therefore, Claudine reluctantly agrees.

"Alright… Let's make it quick. Staying here and breathing the same air as them can't be good for us."

Maya lets out a soft chuckle.

"Of course." She gets up and offers her hand, which Claudine accepts.

After taking in a few more breaths of cool evening air, the pair head back inside.

Making sure to avoid Akemi and her lackeys, Maya and Claudine fill their plates at the buffet and then choose a table at the opposite side of the room.

From there, they enjoy a genuinely nice dinner together, chatting like true friends. And it isn't even an act this time; the conversations just come naturally as they discuss the current performances coming up at New National, and their intentions to try out.

That leads to talk of their favorite plays and roles they'd acted in their high school and middle school years, and both girls learn a great deal about one another they'd never really known before. To everyone else, they're the perfect image of best friends chatting and laughing over dinner.

By the time she's finished with her meal, Maya had honestly forgotten about the less pleasant aspects of tonight, because she'd been enjoying her time spent with Claudine so much. She'd never gotten to speak with her outside of lecture halls or dance lessons, and certainly never about such personal topics. It's a nice thought that she isn't just paying for Claudine to be her friend tonight, but that she actually might be becoming one…

Maya had been indulged in listening to Claudine tell about a time when an audience member's lap dog had gotten loose on the stage during a middle school play, when the story is interrupted by a loud chorus of cackling laughter, the kind that's intentionally obnoxious enough to force people's attention. Claudine's happy, relaxed demeanor from telling her story quickly shifts to one of disgust and annoyance.

"I'd like to give those girls something to laugh about…"

"We've stayed long enough," Maya decides. "We can be on our way now, Saijou-san."

"Oh, lovely," Claudine grimaces. "They're coming this way. Hold that thought."

Both of them straighten up a bit, as if tensing before a battle. The gaggle of girls stalk toward them, laughing loudly in order to draw the attention of just about everyone else in the room. Akemi, who is holding her phone, initiates the onslaught.

"Wow, Maya-chan. So I just looked up Saijou-san's profile, y'know, to see all her awards and credentials and whatnot. And a lot of comments on forums and stuff are saying that she actually works for an online girlfriend rental app as a side job? Is that for real?"

"What?!" another girl guffaws. "So is she not even your real friend, Tendo-san? Did you just rent her to be your friend tonight?"

"You have to pay her to do this? That's honestly so sad… I'm not sure if I feel worse for you or for her…"

"Did you lie to us, Maya-chan?" Akemi frowns. "That's so uncool. But what's even more pathetic is that you'd have to rent a friend to bring here to save face."

A chorus of laughter bursts from the group of girls, and all of the people on the dance floor and at the tables all around them start to mutter amongst themselves, as well.

Maya is frozen. Frozen, but all her insides are churning with the uncomfortable heat of humiliation. She's never felt such an awful, awful feeling before in all her life. This nauseating embarrassment that makes her feel as though she's going to be sick.

She'd been found out in the fact that she really had no friends, after all, and had needed to seek assistance from strangers online. And what's worse about it all is that it ended up being Claudine she'd dragged into it all.

But the whole point of her showing up here tonight was so that she could try to mend whatever relationship she had with these people. She can't lie about all of this. The honorable thing to do would be to admit her pitiful act and hope these girls would appreciate her honesty.

And I must find a way to apologize to Saijou-san for all of this trouble… If she can even stand to look at me after tonight…

As her old classmates continue to laugh harshly, Maya dares a wavering glance across the table at her companion. From her profile, Claudine's expression is unreadable for a long moment. She doesn't speak, and her jawline is taut. Maya can only assume Claudine is experiencing that secondhand embarrassment on her behalf.

But after a few seconds, Maya notices the tablecloth starting to shift a bit. When she glances down, she sees Claudine's nails curling into the fabric. Hard.

And then it becomes instantly clear to her that Claudine isn't confused or mortified or anything like that.

Most accurately, she's pissed.

So much so that she can't even find words right away. Her mind has gone completely blank in a hot white rage.

Claudine can feel the heat in her whole body, boiling violently and pushing the brink of explosion. She'd done her best to hold it in all evening thus far, but this… This is going too far, even for pathetic, no-good bullies who were only ever jealous of Maya and her talents.

Had she been just an ounce less conscientious than she was, Claudine very likely might have lunged. That was how deeply she respected Tendo Maya, in spite of only having known her for the past year and a half.

Even though Maya wasn't exactly her best friend ever, she was still Claudine's most respected classmate, rival, and partner. She had seen firsthand just how much effort, love, and passion Maya put into her craft, how many hours and hours she would practice without end, how many times she would stop and redo even the tiniest discrepancy until it was perfected.

And not only how Maya strove relentlessly to improve herself, but she also never missed the opportunity to offer a compliment to a classmate or competitor, commending their form or their voice or their knowledge on any particular topic. She was always the first to begin an applause for someone else, always eager to offer assistance without trying to come off as condescending.

Her smug smiles and arrogant comments were reserved for Claudine alone, because they both knew they were on the same level, and that not only could Claudine handle such things and retort right back with her own, but also because Maya knew Claudine used that as a motivation. She knew it fueled Claudine's spark and gave her energy, and so she would tease and taunt and play with her in order to keep her focused.

Claudine knows for a fact she wouldn't be half as successful as she was right now if not for the girl sitting across from her. She isn't about to sit idly by and let the hyenas have their way.

But she knows she can't really start taking swings, either. No—she has far better weapons at her disposal than the physical.

Once the obnoxious laughter finally dies down enough, Claudine cuts in sharply and loudly.

"Oh, congratulations," she huffs. "So you found out about my side job. Big deal. It's not like I was keeping it a secret or anything. Most people already know about that, and I don't really care. It's up to me to decide what I do with my free time."

Akemi and the onlookers quiet down a bit, though they're still all smirking. Claudine plows on through.

"Either way, you're wrong. My attendance here tonight has nothing to do with my rental work. As a matter of fact, Maya and I are best friends, and we have been since the start of our freshman year."

Claudine delves into her bag to pull out her own cell phone before swiping through to a particular folder. It's something she's never revealed to anyone but Futaba before; an entire album of pictures and videos of none other than Maya.

Her poses, her dances, her stretches, her positions… Everything. Claudine has pictures and recordings of everything Maya has done in classes down to the most minute detail so that she may be able to study and learn from her. Hundreds and hundreds of photos and clips and recordings.

And as she swipes through to show off all of this to Akemi and the others, it serves as surefire evidence of Claudine and Maya's friendship.

Of course, Maya herself never had the slightest inkling that Claudine had ever taken such photos or footage of her. She doesn't mind, either. In fact, she's quite flattered to think that Claudine would go to such lengths as to study her due to how much she respected Maya as her partner and rival. Without fully realizing it, Maya cracks the tiniest of smiles.

"See?" Claudine grunts as she shows off more and more pictures. "Do you think I'd have this kind of stuff on my phone for anyone who wasn't my best friend?" A blush has come across Claudine's face to be exposing her secret like this, but she continues to keep up her act for Maya's sake. "Well?" she challenges. "Are you seriously going to accuse me of not being her friend, Akemi-san?"

Akemi, along with all the other girls and those in the crowd nearby, fall silent, and several people disperse and walk away to do other things. Akemi's smile had been wiped clean off her face by now.

"Well—"

"You know what? No. I don't wanna hear it," Claudine snaps. She puts her phone down on the table and she pushes herself to her feet, squaring up against the bullies. "You're despicable. Every last one of you. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You were so embarrassed by your own shortcomings and lack of motivation that you lashed out at the easiest target. Maya had drive, passion, talent, and beauty, so it was easy to blame her for your problems. And you knew she couldn't retaliate either, because she wouldn't want to risk any trouble. You trapped her, and you tormented her for years…"

Claudine allows the anger to seep into her tone, just a bit, before reeling herself back in.

"But you know what? She still won in the end. Because she's the one who moved on and put the past behind her. She's the one who continued to grow, and learn, and thrive, and improve. She even chose to come here tonight to try and mend her relationship with you all, and you couldn't even let her do that. Maya chose moving forward. And where have you girls been, hmm?"

For a long moment, no one in the entire venue speaks. Even the music is on pause between songs. When the girls say nothing, Claudine scoffs.

"You'd do well to reflect on your actions. That's all I'll say. Goodnight."

With this, Claudine whirls around and puts her cell phone back into her bag. She then goes to Maya and takes her hand, bringing her to her feet.

"Come on, Maya. Let's go home."

Though still a little stunned, it is a pleasant shock, not an uncomfortable one. Maya no longer harbors any of the embarrassment or awkwardness she'd initially felt around her old classmates. She accepts Claudine's hand with confidence and begins following her away from their table. But that's when a meager voice calls out after them.

"Wait—"

Though Claudine might've been too heated to hear Akemi's voice, Maya pauses as requested, having Claudine halt, as well. Maya turns back to her old tormentors, and for the first time ever, sees a mutual expression on their faces that she'd never seen them wear in all those years: guilt.

None of them can meet Maya's eyes directly, and when Akemi does finally manage to speak, her voice is deflated.

"Your friend is right," she mumbles. "We were awful to you, Tendo-san. All the way up to tonight, too. For what it's worth, we're sorry. Though we don't expect you to forgive us."

Maya doesn't respond right away. She first glances at Claudine, who gives her a stern look that encourages her to leave these girls in the dust. Maya agrees, but she knows she'd feel guilty, too, if she didn't reply to Akemi now. Therefore, for her own closure and peace of mind more than anything else, she offers a few parting words.

"I don't forgive you," she says firmly. "But I will accept your apology, at the very least. Goodnight."

And with this, Maya turns away from them and continues walking out with Claudine by her side.

The moment they've exited the venue, it's as though they've walked out of a burning building and can finally breathe easily again. The night is warm and clear as they start the walk back through town.

Claudine is still holding Maya's hand and hasn't noticed, but Maya feels no need to let go of her.

After walking in a comfortable silence for a few moments, Maya finally decides it's time to show her gratitude.

"Saijou-san?"

Claudine had still clearly been caught up in her own consternated thoughts about all of this, so Maya wants to draw her out of them. Claudine gives herself a bit of a shake before glancing sideways at her a bit more calmly, inviting her to continue. Maya dips her head.

"Thank you for your kindness tonight. Even though we are not truly the best of friends as I'd claimed we were, you leapt in in my defense with such passion."

"You don't need to thank me," Claudine waves her free hand dismissively. "If anything, I did it for my own gratification, to put those girls in their place. They didn't deserve the satisfaction of putting you down when you never did anything wrong. They're not worth your time or your worries."

Even in spite of her aloof words, Maya can tell that Claudine didn't just act on her own selfish whims tonight. But she keeps quiet and holds that little happiness of knowing Claudine did it for Maya's sake to herself. She can't keep the smile off her face.

"Now, then," Maya teases. "What about all of those photos?"

Claudine instantly stiffens, digging her nails into Maya's hand.

"Shut up."

Maya chuckles, but lets the conversation drop.

All the way back to the dorms, they chat about better things as they continue walking side by side, hand in hand. They discuss their current classes at New National, ones they share and ones they don't, and offer tidbits about their high school experiences from Seishou and Siegfeld.

They discover it's so, so easy for them to talk to one another, almost as if they've been doing so for years and years, as they'd claimed tonight.

By the time they arrive back at the campus dorms, the night seems to have flown by all too quickly. Both girls slow their collective pace, just to make their time together last a little bit longer. But once they've reached the doors, they both know it must come to an end.

Claudine had realized halfway through that she'd been holding Maya's hand, but she hadn't seen any real reason to let go, and so she'd held on. But now, she quietly lets go, and Maya lets her hand fall limply to her side.

There's a beat of silence, both wanting to linger a while longer, but unable to find a good enough excuse. Eventually, Claudine clears her throat.

"Well, then, I'll be taking my leave for the night. I'm glad things went well for you, Tendo Maya." Her hope is that now, since they've grown a bit closer tonight, they can perhaps continue to kindle this friendship more actively in classes from now on. More so than their rivalry.

But just as Claudine is turning to head inside, Maya calls out for her.

"Just a moment, please."

Claudine stops, and she can't deny the excited little tingle that runs through her chest. If Maya felt the same way and wanted to pursue a more honest friendship, as well… that would be nice. Claudine turns back to look at her, hopeful.

"I almost forgot—" Maya has reached into her purse and rifles around for a moment before pulling out some money. "Here is the rest of your payment for your companionship today. Thank you very much for your services, Saijou-san. You truly went above and beyond to play the role of my best friend. I was very pleased."

And to Claudine, it feels as though she's just gotten a bucket of ice-cold water dumped onto her head. Her shoulders slump as she recalls the reality of tonight; how she had merely been on a rented date with Maya. None of this had been real. Just an act. Her last gig on her side-job.

A rotten feeling spreads through Claudine's chest like a disease. She'd hoped that maybe the feelings had been mutual, that Maya had also been under the impression that they could truly be friends.

But she can't blame her, because after all, Maya had specifically rented her out tonight to play the part of a friend on a one-time date. Therefore, Claudine lets out a sigh in the least noticeable way possible and accepts the money for her work.

"Right…"

Maya gives a small, grateful smile as Claudine takes the money she's due. Now, her intent is to try and find the words she wants in order to ask Claudine if they can continue staying close like this.

But before Maya can configure her feelings into words, Claudine turns away. She doesn't look back at Maya when she gives her farewell.

"See you around."

With this, Claudine heads into the building alone.

Maya can only assume she'd just been exhausted from the odd events of the evening. But she is a little sad that she hadn't gotten to say what she'd really wanted to.

But with how close she and Claudine have gotten now, Maya has no doubt that she'll be able to talk to her easily from now on during their classes in the coming week.

So for tonight, Maya simply savors the good things as she heads inside and back to her own room.

And for some reason, all throughout the night as she showers, changes, and lies down for bed, she can't get this strange fuzzy warmth out of her heart, or Claudine out of her head.

---

For the remainder of that weekend, Maya's thoughts are frequently of Claudine, and of the evening they shared together.

All throughout her activities, particularly during her free time, which she uses to do extra training, Maya is hopeful that Claudine might walk in and join her. But she doesn't, meaning Maya has to wait the whole two days until classes on Monday to be able to see her again.

And all throughout those two days, Maya realizes what's happened. She doesn't just want to grow closer to Claudine as friends, but perhaps even as something more…

As she finally lies down for bed on Sunday night, Maya is more excited about getting to see Claudine tomorrow than she is about attending her classes. It's the first time in her life when something has brought her more anticipation and joy than theatre.

Tomorrow, she will see Saijou Claudine once again, and no thought had ever thrilled her in quite the same way.

---

Maya wakes up energized, and makes swift work of her morning routine before arriving at her first lecture class of the week. It's one she shares with Claudine, as are most of her courses throughout the day.

Maya simply can't wait to talk with her again. She sits in quiet eagerness until she finally sees her walk in.

Instantly, Maya makes her way to her with a pleasant smile on her face, and calls out a greeting.

"Good morning, Saijou-san."

Normally, Maya wouldn't go directly up to her like this, but would only greet her when they happened to get close to one another when moving around. And normally, Claudine would shoot her a glare or give her a huff, but she'd always respond curtly.

But today… that doesn't happen.

Instead, Claudine walks right past Maya without so much as a single word or glance, and goes directly over to join Futaba and Kaoruko.

Maya's mood sinks.

Did she simply not hear me…?

That must've been it. But she can't go over now and interfere when Claudine is with her closer friends, so Maya opts to try again at the next available interval.

However, in between their next lecture classes, when Maya tries to speak to her again, Claudine gives the same response - nothing.

It's the same in all their lectures, at lunch, and at rehearsals. During dance classes, Claudine even takes Futaba as her partner, leaving Maya with Kaoruko.

All in all, by the time the day is over, Maya hasn't heard one word or caught one glance from Claudine.

Needless to say, it wasn't at all how she'd expected things to go after the weekend they'd shared. Especially considering the fact that Maya had been under the impression that Claudine had had an equally nice time walking back together holding her hand. It doesn't make sense to Maya.

Perhaps it is just a bit awkward for her so soon afterward?

She hopes things will be different tomorrow…

However, she receives the same treatment from Claudine the next day, as well as the day after, until it becomes glaringly obvious that Claudine is simply ignoring Maya altogether.

And Maya simply can't fathom what had changed, what had gone wrong. This isn't what she wants at all, and some part of her knows it isn't what Claudine wants, either. They should be improving their relationship and growing closer than ever now, not drifting farther apart.

It's not right, and Maya is certain of that.

But with no way to approach Claudine or make herself heard without being ignored before she can even try, Maya can think of only one way to meet with her and have Claudine hear her out properly.

So that evening, after finishing drying her hair from her shower, Maya sits on her bed and opens up her phone once again. Claudine had deleted the app from her phone previously, but Maya goes back to download Rent-A-Girlfriend once again.

She recalls Claudine had mentioned that she'd intended for her date last weekend with Maya to be her final job, that she didn't need the extra money so badly anymore, and that she was going to delete her profile. But Maya clings onto a shred of hope as she creates a new profile for herself tonight, one identical to her old one in everything but the username, so that her search filters will once again give her Claudine's page - if it was still active.

Maya holds her breath and hopes as she begins searching through the profiles presented to her, some of which are familiar and some of which are brand new. She takes her time swiping through them, not wanting to accidentally mis-click.

But it only takes about five minutes before she sees that familiar username again: GoldenGirl81.

A wave of relief rolls through her. Claudine must've been so caught up with the events of last weekend that she hadn't remembered to delete her profile as she said she would.

Which works out perfectly for Maya right now.

She hates to do this - to essentially be forcing Claudine to see her again under the premise of a paid job - but she feels she has no other options with the way Claudine is actively ignoring her right now.

And so, now under the username of SwanPrincess, Maya sends the request to Claudine.

About half an hour later, she receives the message that her date has been accepted.

She immediately schedules it for tomorrow after classes, because she knows she won't be able to wait until the weekend to get this sorted. Maya sets the prospective date to be just one hour long, so it wouldn't be too much for Claudine to handle on a school night.

And once again, her request is approved.

Maya puts down her phone and drops back onto her bed with an uneasy sigh.

"Saijou-san… please allow me to understand your feelings…"

---

Claudine had spent the majority of her evening with Futaba and Kaoruko in their shared dorm room. She'd felt she needed to take her mind off of the gnarled thoughts of Maya, and how she clearly had only seen Claudine as a rented date and not a real friend.

So she'd spent the past several hours playing video games with her two good friends, joking and snacking all the while.

She'd just been about to head back to her own room when her cell phone pings with a notification. When she swipes it open and sees it's from the rental app, Claudine groans out loud. Futaba leans in to peek and immediately gets to scolding her.

"Oy, Kuro-"

"I know," Claudine sighs. "I'd meant to delete it after that last one. I just forgot."

"Did the last one go well?"

Claudine doesn't know how to respond to that.

"I don't know."

Futaba frowns.

"Screw it then. Don't take this one."

But Claudine believes that maybe going on one more date with a stranger might help her to leave her feelings about Maya in the past.

"No. I'll do one more. It's after school tomorrow and it's only for an hour. This is the last one. I promise, Futaba."

Futaba frowns but doesn't say anything.

Claudine clicks to confirm the appointment for her final date.

---

After receiving the cold shoulder from Claudine for yet another entire day, Maya is nearly at her breaking point by the time classes have finished that afternoon. She doesn't even stay late in the main studio to continue practicing like she normally would, and instead retreats to her dorm to shower, collect her thoughts, and get ready for her second rented date with Claudine.

Maya checks the app to ensure the date hadn't been cancelled or refunded, and when she confirms it hadn't, she sets out the door.

She'd chosen a different spot off-campus for their meeting this evening, heading in the opposite direction down the sidewalk than they'd gone to reach the venue last week. Just a several-minute walk from campus, outside a local restaurant at a public leisure area, is a large silver water fountain of a swan, surrounded by beautiful flowers and several benches.

Maya knows she'd arrived first again, but she doesn't want to seat herself just yet. Her fear is that if Claudine approaches and recognizes Maya from afar, she might just turn and leave before ever making contact. Therefore, Maya circles around the fountain to sit on the other side, knowing Claudine will come from the same direction she did.

She sits and waits, her entire body tight and tense in spite of the calming scent of flowers and the tranquil dribble of spilling water.

It feels as though she waits several hours, but in reality, it must only be about ten more minutes until she spots Claudine at the other side of the fountain, taking a seat on one of the benches. She's dressed in a casual skirt and blouse, and she'd clearly done her makeup for the sake of her date with this client.

When Maya had initially discovered that Claudine partook in this line of work, she'd been so shocked that her date had been Claudine of all people that she hadn't really thought about much else.

But now, after having spent that night with her at the reunion, having gotten to know her better, and having developed complicated feelings for her, it makes Maya a bit jealous to consider that Claudine would date other people. And she knows immediately that isn't right – to be jealous – when she doesn't even have that kind of relationship with Claudine, in the first place, to warrant such a feeling. Claudine was a perfectly capable young woman who could work however she pleased.

After taking a moment to set herself straight, Maya draws in a deep breath and gets to her feet. Keeping a slow and quiet pace, as though worried she might scare Claudine off, Maya begins rounding the fountain.

But she doesn't try to hide herself any more than that, or approach her from behind. Rather, she walks straight toward her, allowing Claudine to see her coming, and letting her decide to stand and leave if she truly wanted to. Maya bites her lip hard when she meets her eyes, almost expecting for that to happen.

But although Claudine's pleasant, rented girlfriend-like expression quickly fades into something much more stern and unreadable, she doesn't leave.

Therefore, Maya makes her way closer, then pauses standing at the side of the bench.

There's a beat of silence, but when neither of them make a move to relocate, Maya eventually clears her throat.

"Saijou-san—"

"Really?" Claudine's voice is sharp and stinging, enough to make Maya flinch. "You rented another date with me? You re-downloaded that app, made another profile, and found and requested me again? What are you, some kind of stalker? Why didn't you just talk to me normally at school?"

Maya keeps her voice level as she counters.

"Forgive me for saying this, but you have not exactly been the most approachable these past few days, Saijou-san. Especially to me, it would seem."

Claudine looks like she might've had something to say, but when she realizes Maya's words are true, she redacts it.

"Fine, then. What do you want?"

Maya inclines her head to the bench. Claudine moves over to allow her space to sit. After taking another moment to think through the thoughts in her head, Maya gives them voice.

"Saijou-san. There are two reasons I scheduled this date with you this evening. The most prominent being that I wanted a surefire way to speak with you."

"Well, congratulations," Claudine huffs. "You're already doing that." But then, she seems to catch herself and heaves out a sigh. "But… I guess that's my own fault for ignoring you… So go on. What's the second reason?"

Maya nods, relieved that Claudine is on the same page as her now.

"The second," she says, "is to go on a date with you. But not like last time. Not as friends. This time, I would very much like a proper date, Saijou-san. One where you would play the part of my romantic partner." She pauses, wondering if Claudine has anything to say yet. But when she doesn't speak, Maya continues.

"You see, I would like to take you on a real date. I would like to show you my feelings and convey my genuine interest in you. And perhaps, if you felt the same…" She tapers off, not wanting to get too far ahead of herself. "I do not want to force this upon you if you have no interest… However, if you would be willing to offer me this chance, I would deeply appreciate it." Here, Maya begins pawing through her handbag. "I will pay the second half of my fee upfront, and then—"

"That's enough."

Maya freezes when a sickening jolt shoots through her veins. The sharp, unmistakable rejection in Claudine's voice is devastating, and all too real. Maya's throat goes dry, and her heart twists painfully.

Claudine gets to her feet, letting out another long, slow breath. Maya remains where she is, frozen with her head down, at least until Claudine gives a huff.

"Lift your head, Tendo Maya. That look is unbecoming of you."

Maya has to struggle to fight back tears, but she does as she's asked. Slowly, she looks up at Claudine, and is surprised to see her face. It isn't anger or disgust on her face, but rather… annoyance?

"This was the problem in the first place…" Claudine mutters, then speaks up more loudly. "I guess I'll have to say this in a way that even an idiot like you will understand." With both hands, she reaches down and cups Maya's face, forcing her to look up into her eyes as Claudine gives her statement. "I don't want your money, Tendo Maya. I reject your offer of a rental date… So take me on a real one instead."

For a moment, only the sound of trickling fountain water and the murmur of the passersby can be heard. Maya blinks, her face still in Claudine's hands.

"Pardon…?"

Claudine throws her head back with a groan.

"Honestly, for the head of our class, you're such an idiot. Fine, I'll spell it out for you." Claudine releases her, then fishes out her cell phone. She starts swiping around, and just when Maya is starting to wonder what it is she's doing, she receives a notification on her own phone. When she picks it up to look at it, she's surprised by the message:

GoldenGirl81 has canceled your rental date. Your initial payment has been refunded. We deeply apologize for the inconvenience.

As soon as that's done, Claudine shows Maya her phone screen and has her watch as she deletes her profile on Rent-A-Girlfriend, and then uninstalls the app. When she's finished, she puts her phone away and crosses her arms with a huff.

"There. Do you get it now, you numbskull? I don't want your money. Even last weekend, I realized early on that knowing I was just doing it for the money was souring the entire experience of being with you. I enjoyed being with you. I didn't care about the money…" She tapers off, turning her face away as a blush comes.

And at long last, Maya understands. She understands why Claudine had suddenly become despondent that night after they'd had such an enjoyable walk back together; when Maya had given her the payment she was due, it had devalued the experience in terms of her feelings.

Of course, Maya had no way of knowing this at the time, but it made sense now. Claudine had avoided her the past few days because she hadn't truly known her own feelings, or Maya's. But now… perhaps…

"So?" Claudine turns to look back at her again, even in spite of her blush. "Are we doing this or not?"

The awful gnarled feeling in Maya's stomach slowly unfurls, until a much more pleasant warmth takes its place. She stands, meeting Claudine's gaze head-on with a smile and offers her hand.

"Yes. Saijou Claudine, would you do me the honor… of going on a date with me?"

Claudine smiles back sweetly.

"There. That wasn't so hard, now, was it?" She reaches out to accept Maya's hand. "Oui. I accept this date, Tendo Maya. A real, proper, unpaid date."

Maya dips her head.

"Indeed. I will not be paying you, but rather, the restaurant that I'll be taking you out for dinner to."

"That's more like it."

Keeping hold of each other's hands, Maya and Claudine begin their first real date.

They walk the town hand-in-hand, chatting like they had last time, only now knowing there won't be any talk or concern of renting or payment to discuss afterward. Carefree and casual, they talk about school, about their careers, about past experiences and future goals.

As the town is painted by sunset, Maya brings them to a nice restaurant, where they both enjoy a beautiful dinner together.

They take their time on their walk back, letting it last and linger until the sun has gone down.

After about three hours, they return to campus, walking slowly and letting the night last as long as possible.

When they do finally get back to the dorm building, Maya walks with Claudine to her room to drop her off. Both girls adorn smiles and light blushes as they say their parting words for the evening.

"Saijou-san," Maya begins. "I had a wonderful time with you tonight. Truly, I did."

Claudine replies by leaning in close and pressing a soft, chaste kiss to Maya's lips. It's unexpected, but not at all unwelcome. But it only lasts for a second, much too quickly for Maya to be able to comprehend or reciprocate it as her face darkens with heat.

Claudine steps back with a beautiful smile.

"So did I. Thank you for such a nice proper first date, Tendo Maya."

Maya feels almost dizzy with giddiness, but she forces herself to stay focused.

"Will you… still be in need of funds from your dating app service…?"

Claudine rolls her eyes.

"Didn't you watch me delete it? I'm fine on money now. And even if I need more in the future, there's no way I'm going back into that business ever again. It was a good experience to put my skills to the test and act out the ideal person for each client. But I've had my fill. I'm done. And besides…" She reaches out to gently cup Maya's cheek, holding her gaze for a long, tender moment. "I'm not going to have time for any of that anymore now that I've got a real girlfriend. Right?"

Maya is so lost in her eyes that she almost doesn't hear her. Almost.

"Eh…?"

"Goodnight, Maya." With a wink and a toss of her hair, Claudine turns and steps into her room, letting the door close behind her.

Maya stands and stares at that door for a long, long moment as the realization finally starts to sink in.

"I… goodnight…"

Even though she had specifically set up this date tonight in hopes to come away from it with Claudine as her girlfriend… Perhaps some part of her had never really thought it could happen.

And yet, here she was…

After another few minutes, Maya finally manages to take a step back and start down the hallway toward her own room.

Tomorrow, when she sees Claudine in classes, they won't simply be classmates and rivals anymore, but girlfriends.

Maya flops into bed that night with her heart leaping for joy, and the smile never leaves her face all night long.

---

A/N: This was a super fun concept to try out! Not only the rent-a-girlfriend part of it and the scandal and awkwardness that comes along with that, but also to have Maya and Claudine not have known one another personally until college. A lot of times I write the opposite and have them know each other longer, so it was a nice change of pace to have them not be super duper close this time around.

And a quick note on the title, 0mn came up with it, and I think it's honestly kind of genius. Because to rent something means it's probably a common item (like a movie) and you're going to enjoy it for as long as you see fit and then give it back. It's a very casual word. Whereas "love" is the complete opposite of casual. It's very deep and profound and enduring, something you wouldn't want to simply give back, but rather keep forever. The juxtaposition of those two words together works beautifully~

Thanks again to 0mn for the fantastic idea, and to everyone for reading!

Please review!