Serial Stories
By:Funakounasoul
Disclaimer: Azumanga Daioh =/= mine. Kiyohiko Azuma's the creator.

CHAPTER TWO - REASON VERSUS PLEASURE

Summer vacation was a time for relaxation and fun. The one thing Yomi, and her friends, looked forward to was staying a weekend over at Chiyo's summer home. This year was no exception, with the biggest surprise coming from Kurosawa-sensei and her drunken speech about adulthood. That was certainly an awakening for the girls...especially for Yomi. She could not help but blush a deep shade of crimson upon replaying that night in her head. That was certainly an experience she would not forget any time soon.

She sat by her desk, on this particularly sunny day, with nothing to do and still a week's worth of vacation left until school resumed. Her radio quietly relayed the latest teen-oriented, summer break special series. She was unsure of today's theme, but it was good background noise, regardless. Overall, it had been a quiet day at home. Somehow, though, this was troubling Yomi. In fact, it almost felt like that one, rainy day...

With a day as quiet as today, it was very easy to get lost in one's thoughts…even if those thoughts were rather stressful. Indeed, Yomi was beginning to get a headache. She was starting to miss Tomo. Again. This was really starting to get on her nerves. Not to mention, Kurosawa-sensei's ramblings had a strange effect on her mind as well. There was a little corner in the back of Yomi's mind that wondered how some of those things could be done with…

Woah, woah! No, Yomi, do not think like that! Do not think of her like that!

It was some time shortly before the group vacation when she finally accepted that she may have feelings for the constant nuisance known as Tomo. However, the trip itself was a reminder of just how stupid that girl was, with how often she had to look out for her and how often she had to yell at her. Yomi found herself once again despising the girl, and she was quite glad for this quiet day at home, thank you very much. Tomo was a girl who was lazy and advantageous. She used Yomi to get ahead in life. At least, it felt that way.

Deep down, though, her heart ached. It yearned to spend some time with Tomo, no matter how much she pushed those thoughts aside. Besides the vacation, Yomi had not seen the girl all summer. She was apparently busy during the first half, spending time with her family – she did not fault Tomo at the slightest. It did, however, leave Yomi with a strange sense of loneliness. There was only one week left to summer break. Soon, school would begin, and it would be the usual antics…except now, Yomi would have to deal with her newfound feelings.

The thought of going through the rest of the school year – and even the next year, their final year – fighting off her strange, new feelings for her childhood "friend" was truly upsetting poor Yomi.

"Ugh…This is pissing me off!" Glasses were swiftly removed and temples were firmly rubbed in hopes of some relief. "Why…Why do I feel like seeing her? I saw her last weekend! Isn't that good enough?!"

The radio, droning on, caught Yomi's attention. Something needed to, at least. What piqued her interest, though, was what they were rambling about that particular moment.

"The weather's been amazing this summer, hasn't it Mi-kun?"

"Oh, absolutely, Sacchin! I've seen all sorts of guys and gals chilling all around town this summer! The park, hanging out by the bridges and the shops, the weather's just been perfect!"

"Yeah, yeah! I've taken to doing a walk every evening. It's so relaxing!"

This comment caught Yomi's attention. "Yeah...a walk," she huffed in relief. "That's exactly what I need."

The air was cool and crisp, offsetting the otherwise hot, summer day. Yomi took a deep breath, smiling gently. While walking toward no particular destination, her feet were idly leading her into the shopping district. The streets were crowded and bustling, but everyone was paying attention to their own activities, and the noise was a welcome change from the awkward silence back home. This truly was what she needed.

That corner store… The one with the half-lit window sign…

That corner store was the same one where she and Tomo bought some matching outfits a few summers ago. That was also the same summer where Tomo had told her she was aiming for the same high school. Yomi had shown her exasperation. She knew the girl was too lazy to ever reach something as prestigious as the school she was aiming for. Deep down, however, her thoughts were more negative. Because Tomo was always getting such low grades, there really was no way she could ever enter that high school. The thought of being separated from Tomo made Yomi's heart ache with sadness.

The shorter, dark-haired girl looked at Yomi with curiosity. "Yomi...are you okay?"

"Eh?"

"You just kinda spaced out there…" A smirk formed on Tomo's face. "What, are you already imagining how amazing I'll look in this outfit?" A blush formed on the younger Yomi's face. "AH! You were! You were!"

"I-I WAS NOT!"

The small crowed that was within Yomi's shouting vicinity were looking at her in various degrees of concern and confusion. Apparently, she had gotten so deep into her memories that they began to blend in with her regular thoughts. Embarrassed, the girl briskly made her way out of the crowd, destination uncertain.

Eventually, Yomi found herself inside a phonebooth. The sounds of the city were muffled here. Again, that strange, awkward tranquility settled in. What was originally an activity meant to ease the poor girl has only managed to make things worse. That ache in her heart grew again. That selfish pounding, crying out attention, was an infuriating feeling at times. A time machine would be handy to have right about now. She would take it back to that rainy day, smack herself upside the head, and make herself get up and do something – anything – to avoid ever having that self-discovery happen.

"I hate this so much." Yomi let out a long, exasperated sigh. The payphone beside her looked awfully tempting… She was quickly losing the battle against her feelings. Besides, would it hurt to just give that obnoxious girl a call?

Too bad Yomi didn't actively go out with much. Her original plan was to just take a walk. Her calling card was back home, but at least she had some money hiding in her pocket. She counted the coins carefully, smiling to herself when she found the right change. As she dialed Tomo's cell number, her heart began to pound. It wanted her to take a chance – any chance. What kind of chance, though? As the phone continued to ring, her thoughts became a jumbled mess. What was she going to say now?

"Yeah? Who's this?" There it was, that cheerful voice that felt like sun rays in a vocalized form…

Wait, what? No, Yomi, focus! "Ahem, ah, Tomo?"

"Ah! It's you! Hey, how's it going, Yomi?"

"N-not much." Yomi, not wanting to lose herself, began to idly wind her finger around the phone cord as a distraction. "I was just, um…out and, um... Say…"

"Pfft! You sure sound weird. You're not hiding something from me, are you?"

That was a powerful sting. But instead of succumbing, Yomi managed to regain her posture. It was Tomo, after all. She says such stupid things. "Of course not," she replied in her typical, dry tone. "All I wanted to do was…" There was a brief pause between the two. Even Tomo waited patiently, not once butting in with a tease. Internally, Yomi's mind was losing yet again to her heart, and, after the day she has had already, she was too tired to fight it.

"I just wanted to know if you were busy tonight?"

"Hmm… Nah, not at all!" Tomo laughed. "You picked the perfect day for it, Yomi! There's this new movie out that I've been dying to see!"

"Ah, r-really?"

"Yeah! Of course...you'll pay for it, right?"

Yomi rolled her eyes. Again, she answered without much thought. "Fine, fine. But meet me at the usual spot, okay? And don't take so long. I'm not waiting all night for your stupid ass."

"Awesome! Yomi's the best!" Suddenly, all Yomi could hear was a dial tone. She hung up in her excitement. Figures.

Placing the handset back onto its resting position, Yomi had time to recollect herself before exiting the booth. She let out a long, tired sigh. She had succumbed to her feelings again. Great.

Now to just head over to their usual meeting spot at the shopping district. She had time to get there, time that would probably be spent thinking more of these damning thoughts. Might as well give into it, right? She would have time to push them aside before Tomo arrived.

She should probably get used to doing that from now on.