Locating Kurumi was never a difficult task for Takina. She was in the spot that she always was: tucked around a corner and behind her computer. She didn't even acknowledge Takina as she walked in, instead continuing to tap at what seemed to be different prices for airplane tickets.
"Kurumi? Do you have a minute?"
Kurumi spun around to face Takina with an impassive expression as she took a sip of green tea.
"Mhm. What's up?"
Takina took a dramatic pause, breathing in and out before saying in a completely serious voice:
"I think that I'm allergic to Chisato."
Kurumi blinked twice before turning back to her computer and turning the monitor back on.
"Wow, good one. You actually had me there for a second-"
"I'm being serious!"
With a sigh, Kurumi spun back around, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Alright then, enlighten me. How on earth did you come up with the wild idea of developing an allergy to a human being?"
Takina's expression didn't falter as she took a deep breath, leaning back in her chair while staring at the ceiling.
"It all started a few days ago…"
###
Flashback
It was a warm Summer evening. The rhythmic sounds of the waves crashing against the beach was accompanied by the distant buzzing of mosquitoes as the sun shone through a window into the cabin, illuminating it in a dim yet warm red glow. Takina and Chisato were lying next to each other, the 2 of them having decided to stay the night in Chisato's cabin in light of the fast-approaching nighttime. She didn't have a spare futon, though, so the 2 of them were stuck sharing the one she had after they each tried and failed to offer to sleep on the floor.
It was times like this that Takina wished that she was better with words. Every few moments, she would glance at Chisato's frame, wanting to tell her how scared she was that she would never find her, or how much she never wanted to let Chisato out of her sight again, but no words seemed to want to come out of her mouth. Every time she glanced next to her, she would immediately avert her gaze, feeling a strange sense of shame and embarrassment at how Chisato looked like when she slept. After the silence became too much to bear, however, she gathered herself, taking a deep breath in and out before turning to face Chisato again.
"Chisa-"
"So, what did you really mean back there? When you were talking about trying something I thought I'd given up on?"
Takina nearly breathed a sigh of relief as she, frankly, didn't have a clue as to what she was about to say before responding in her usual monotone voice.
"I thought you already answered that for yourself?"
Chisato sat up, speaking in a tone that was somewhere between curious and accusatory as she peered down at Takina
"Sounds good, but what do you have in mind?"
This time, Takina debated with herself over what to say. This time, though, considering that Chisato had already spotted something amiss, she decided to tell her everything. She spoke in a sheepish tone, breaking eye contact.
"I just thought… that maybe you could live a normal life with me?"
After a moment of silence, Takina looked over to find that Chisato had turned away, her face hidden from view. Takina steeled her nerves before breaking the silence.
"Anyone home? You there, Chisato?"
"Yep! Just, uh… Could you say that again?"
Takina tilted her head to the right as a slight look of confusion generated on her face.
"I want to spend the rest of our lives together."
After more silence and no audible response from Chisato, Takina continued as if trying to make a point.
"I… I never want to lose you again. I want to wake up every morning and see you next to me."
That's when she noticed Chisato's ears beginning to turn red.
"Are you ok?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, never better! It's just…"
Chisato turned to face Takina, hints of red on her cheeks. She leaned in close, a sly grin forming on her face.
"It just sounded like you were proposing to me!"
"Eh?"
Takina's stoic expression jumped to one of shock before a blush flooded into her cheeks as she sat up.
"I… uh… I mean-"
*CRASH!*
"What the heck was that for?!"
Chisato was now on top of a simultaneously flustered and annoyed Takina after having tackled her right back into the futon. She got off of Takina while laughing, her own Summer sweat causing her clothes to cling to her body.
"Ahahaha… Yeah? You were saying something, Takina-chan?"
Incensed, Takina opened her mouth to say something, but she went silent, curling into a ball and tucking her knees into her chest before pouting.
"It was nothing."
"Ah? So you're not going to deny that it was a proposal?"
While Chisato lay on the futon with a carefree expression, Takina straightened up, her brow furrowed as more force entered her tone.
"I just wasn't disagreeing with the fact that it sounded like a proposal."
"So you're admitting that it sounded like a proposal?"
While a pink blush had started to make its way into Chisato's face, that was nothing compared to the redness that had completely overtaken Takina's entire visage. She once again curled into a ball, only able to mutter in a defeated tone.
"P-please stop that. It's embarrassing…"
"I'm guessing that you're not going to deny wanting to sleep with me every night?"
Chisato was now wearing a wide grin as she scooted towards Takina while Takina tried her best not to make eye contact.
"Don't refer to it like that, please…"
"I'm just repeating your own words back to you~"
Takina wracked her brain for a way out of this, trying to think of every way she could possibly get Chisato to stop before eventually deciding on doubling down.
"Well if you don't mind, then I guess we could… y'know…"
Takina wanted nothing more than to disappear on the spot, burying her mouth into her knees but somehow managing to glance up at Chisato. Instead of continuing to barrage her, however, Chisato instead looked dumbfounded, a look of confusion mingled with embarrassment as Chisato took a step back before leaning in with a curious expression.
"That… wasn't a proposal, was it?
Takina didn't respond, breaking eye contact again and staring out at the sea as Chisato approached her. Seeing this, Chisato backed off, matching Takina stance as she curled into a ball and stared towards the sea, the sun bathing the 2 of them in a warm red glow.
"Hey… will you humour me for a sec?"
Takina hesitated for a moment before giving a nod before Chisato began to talk in a gentle, more subdued tone than usual.
"Say we actually got married…"
Takina bit her tongue as her cheeks burned at the mention of marriage.
"You sure would have a lot to put up with, huh?"
The blush on Takina's face receded somewhat as her brow furrowed.
"Eh? What's that supposed to mean?"
Chisato's voice switched to a laid back register as she spoke.
"I mean, I'd definitely make sure to annoy you every single day, and don't you even hope that I'd forget."
Takina let out a giggle before catching herself and returning to a faux annoyed expression.
"I understand that."
"Hey, don't think I didn't see you being happy at the thought of me annoying you everyday!"
"Shut up."
Chisato give a chuckle before lying back down and continuing.
"You'd also have to deal with my awful sleeping posture. I mean, the only thing more active than me at night is me in the daytime!"
"We could find a way to deal with that."
"You're really hung up on the whole sleeping together thing, aren't you? You didn't suggest sharing the futon with ulterior motives, right?"
Chisato's voice went dead serious while Takina's face burned bright red once again before Chisato let out another burst of laughter.
"Kidding, I was kidding! Jeez, you always take everything too seriously, Takina!"
Takina rolled her eyes before speaking with fatigue creeping into her voice.
"Want me to keep humouring you?"
"Yeah, I'll let you know when I'm done with my little spiel."
They sat in silence for a few more moments before Chisato continued in a relaxed voice.
"If we got married you could also bet that I'd never stop dragging you out of your comfort zone no matter how much you kicked and screamed."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Chisato raised an eyebrow as she stared directly at Takina.
"If you're just humouring me, you're doing a hell of a job of acting."
"I am? U-uh, yeah…"
Takina met Chisato's gaze for a second before looking away again.
"Anything else?"
"Hm? I guess that there's one more thing…"
Chisato scooted right next to Takina, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on their ends.
"I would never stop loving you until the day I die."
Chisato's whispers sent chills down Takina's spine as she scrambled away from Chisato, putting her hand to her ear, a surprised expression forming on her face. As with most things, Chisato seemed to find this immensely funny.
"Ahahaha! What was that?"
"What did you have to whisper in my ear for?"
"Hm? I thought it would be fun and it was!"
Chisato watched as Takina lay back down, hiding her face
"Well in thany case, it's your turn!"
Takina turned back over, staring blankly at Chisato for a few moments while an innocent smile adorned Chisato's face.
"Eh?"
"You heard me! What would you do if we got married?"
"Eh?! Why do I have to do that?"
"I just spilled my guts to you, so you've got to do the same for me."
A blush formed on Takina's cheeks once again.
"No way. That's way too embarrassing."
"You're so unfair…"
Takina looked at Chisato to find her pouting as her eyes began to water.
Isn't she the one being unfair?
With a reluctant sigh, Takina fully sat back down with her legs sprawled out in front of her as Chisato sat on her side.
"You really want me to do this?"
"Yep~"
Takina rolled her eyes at the smile that had replaced Chisato's puppy-dog eyes the moment that Takina sat down. She contemplated her words for a few moments before starting to speak in a hushed tone.
"Well for starters, I'm a little slow so I won't really be able to tell what you're thinking all the time."
"I guess I'll have to spell things out for you a lot! Maybe I should get a dictionary…"
Takina rolled her eyes but cracked a smile, much to Chisato's amusement.
"You already know that I can be really stubborn and I can dig my heels in for a lot of things."
"Looks like I'll have to push you as hard as I can, then! Ah, but cutting fingernails is a must for me."
Takina looked confused for a moment due to Chisato's grin and slightly pink cheeks before continuing.
"In any case you've got a long life ahead of you, so we'd be stuck together for a really, really long time."
Chisato gave a chuckle as she lay back on the futon,prompting Takina to do the same as the red glow of the sun was replaced by the pale light of the stars and the full moon in the sky shining into an otherwise unlit cabin. Chisato then animated her voice so that it was comically seductive, saying:
"All the more time for you to look at my slammin' bod'~"
Takina was silent for a few moments, opening and closing her mouth as if about to say something, but not a single sound came out. The sight of the pale light of the night sky reflecting off of Chisato against the backdrop of a dimly lit futon while the sleepwear that clung to her body mesmerized Takina, striking her dumb momentarily.
Seeing this reaction, Chisato's cheeks went a little red as she returned to a curled up position, giving a shy giggle.
"Ehehe… Sorry about that…"
"Ah! No, I should be the one apologizing!"
Takina scooted over next to Chisato and the 2 of them stared at the dark ceiling, listening to the waves crashing against the shore in the distance and the crickets beginning to chirp around them.
"So… what now?"
Chisato was the first to break the ambience and her statement garnered a look of slight confusion from Takina.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, does that mean that we're married?"
…
"Hah?"
Chisato responded to Takina's dumbstruck expression by speaking in a relaxed voice.
"I mean, you just confessed your undying love to me a few moments ago."
"Eh?! You just did the same, though!"
"C'mon now, it was all just hypothetical!"
Takina's expression was now a mixture of embarrassment and hostility which was only intensified by looking at Chisato's beautiful infuriating grin. Takina's expression softened over the course of a few seconds as the energy drained out of her, leaving behind nothing but intense embarrassment.
"I-I'm gonna go to bed now."
To be continued…
