Chapter Ib "The Party At Kagura's"

After the Sports Fest on Friday, Kagura went home to lay on her bed and think about the week gone, as she normally did. The one event that kept popping up in her mind was what she now dubbed "The Chihiro Awakening". She realised that what she had desired all of these years was not a good-looking guy but a good-looking girl. Someone like her black-haired friend, with small measurements but a huge personality. I'm sure she's willing to experiment, Kagura thought, and I feel better when I'm with Sakaki than with a guy… She slowly stuck her hand through the elastic of her skirt, and felt the moistness growing. Wow, I need to keep this! She hastily got out of her soaked panties and put on a close-fitting shirt and some short shorts. Let's go say hello to our new friend, shall we? She thought this, and the flustered look on her face grew.

At the same time, Chihiro was also getting changed out of her sweaty school uniform, ready to fall asleep. I wonder if what I thought today was completely wrong… But it feels so right… I know! I'll confess my newfound love to Kagura tomorrow at the party!

She said this with a smile, and she fell asleep with her hand between her legs.

A few minutes later, she realised that someone was knocking on the door. In a groggy voice, she replied:

"Hello? I'll be down in a sec." She quickly put on a white t-shirt and a black knee-length skirt. She opened the door and was surprised to find her friend Kagura, with an abnormally red face, at the door. "Hi! Come right on in." What the hell is she doing here? It's like the Twilight Zone! She started to make a pot of coffee, and then asked the more-than-obvious question. "So what brings you to my humble abode?"

Kagura's face went, if this was possible, even redder than it was before, but it wasn't an angry red. It was something… different. A side of Kagura that Chihiro had never seen.

"Um… well, let's just say I wanted to make sure everything was ready for tomorrow."

"Y…yeah, that should be fine…" said Chihiro, with a face the same tinge as Kagura's. "Need me to bring anything?"

"Just that beautiful body of yours, girl!" replied Kagura, and Chihiro swore she saw her eyes trail up and down.

"Um… right. I'll see you tomorrow morning then. Wanna go shopping?"

"No, sorry. I said I'd hang out with the Knuckleheads tomorrow… We're going to crash Tomo's house! It's going to be awesome!" And with a flurry of paper, Kagura was gone.

That night, Chihiro was standing at her mirror for the second time that day, eyeing the sexy black dress she was wearing.

She'll love this, even if she is straight… She brushed her hair and put on some cheap perfume, then went to the kitchen to fix something to eat. I am so nervous… What if she rejects me? What if I can't even gather up the courage? …I really should stop asking myself. If it's fate, it's fate.

The doorbell rang and Chihiro rushed to the door. "Hey Kagura," she chirped, "we leaving now?"

"You look sexy, mate!" Kagura chuckled.

"Uh… Are you drunk?"

"Not enough not to notice you, Chi-kun."

Whoa! I didn't expect her to come on that suddenly! Chihiro was amazed.

"Can we go now? The others will be waiting."

"Sure, babe." The pair joined hands and walked slowly to Kagura's ATV. Tomo, Osaka and the rest of the crew were all piled in, with Kaorin sitting in the same seat as Sakaki, her face bright red. "Oh, sorry, I forgot my car has only got six seats, so you'll have to pair up with someone."

Chihiro looked at the seats:

The driver's seat was empty, Kagura was moving towards it.

The front passenger seat was filled by the Sakaki/Kaorin pair.

The middle two seats were occupied by Chiyo and Osaka, who both said eagerly, "You can sit with me!"

The two seats at the back were taken by Yomi and Tomo, who were staring into each other's eyes deeply, with a red tinge beginning to grow under their eyes.

Chihiro walked over to the now closed driver's door and opened it.

"It looks like I have to sit with you, Kagura."

"Shuuuure! I always drive with cute things on my lap!" Saying this, Kagura gave Sakaki the Nekokaneko doll resting on her legs, and Chihiro blushed as she sat down on her more-than-close friend's lap.

The drive to the house was quick, and it seemed as though Kagura had somehow inherited the unique driving method of Miss Yukari. The passengers in the back four seats, with the exception of Tomo, all exited the car somewhat disgruntled, especially in the case of Chiyo, who had lost all colour from her face, and was mumbling:

"no… don't hit the tree Miss Yukari, watch out for the wall, you drive very well, urgh… don't hit the tree…"

Sakaki went over and comforted her, while the others walked to the front door of Kagura's house, Chihiro and Kagura still holding hands. Tomo, of course, was the first to find the alcohol, and she immediately started skulling as many bottles as was possible before she passed out. This number was one.

Kagura walked over to the prone form on the floor, shook her head and said, "That's the absinthe, idiot." She then turned to the others and suggested that they make themselves at home.

Suddenly Yomi realised something. "Hey Kagura," she asked.

"Yes?"

"Well, didn't you say there'd be boys here?"

Kagura face-faulted. "Oh shit! I totally forgot! Wait here guys, and make sure Chiyo gets a drink…" She smiled evilly, and soon the six remaining heard her ATV drive off.

Chihiro sat in Kagura's mother's La-Z-Boy, daydreaming, but at the same time scheming as to how she could make Kagura notice her, let alone sleep with her. She suddenly remembered an episode of Midori no Hibi in which Shiori tries to get Seiji to notice her. I know! I'll pretend to have passed out on the bed… Great!

She walked up the stairs to what looked like Kagura's room. It was fairly big, with a double bed smack bang in the middle. Chihiro quickly walked to the bathroom, splashed some hot water on her face to mimic sweat, then lay down on the bed in a foetal position.

Meanwhile, Kagura came back through the door, with the seven boys she had promised. Yomi's eyes lit up when they caught the unnamed boy's. She walked over, greeted him and they walked into a corner together. The remaining boys went to mingle amongst the others.

But Kagura wasn't looking at the boys. She turned to Tomo, who had suddenly regained consciousness from the moment the boys entered the house, and queried her as to the whereabouts of Chihiro.

"Sure! She went up to your room, she must have been feeling sick!"

Kagura wondered how Tomo knew this as she walked up the stairs to the bedroom. She also remembered the episode of Midori no Hibi. She knew the score, and walked into the room with a smile on her face.

"All this, just for me?"

Chihiro 'awoke' from her position, and smiled back.

"No, for me. From the day before yesterday, I realised that…" She blushed, and the moment of truth came upon her. She blurted out, "That you have a really nice ass!"

Kagura laughed. "Well, you know something?"

"What?"

"I feel the same way about you too." Kagura leapt onto the bed and pulled Chihiro in close. "One sec." She teasingly pushed Chihiro away, and left the room briefly. She came back after a minute or so, to tell Chihiro that everyone who wasn't passed out was having a great time (namely the teetotaller Yomi) and that they wouldn't be disturbed. She brandished a bottle of champagne from behind her back and got two glasses from the cupboard beside her bed. "Here's to tonight!" She poured a glass and waited politely as Chihiro poured one.

"Here's to us!" they toasted after the first swig. They linked arms and drank the rest of their glasses, and Kagura kissed Chihiro passionately. "I think this could be the start of something really cool."

Chihiro nodded in agreement, and they undressed each other.