"Hey, Mei Fan? Have you noticed anything different about Akira recently?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I don't know how to explain it, but she seems really secretive about stuff that none of us are. Like, you know how she won't ever change with us around? Like that. Or how she wouldn't tell me anything about this medicine I caught her taking. And then her insistence we always change the play outfits to always be feminine despite the roles being male roles. It's confusing."

"Everyone has their secrets." Mei Fan shrugged it off, "Have you asked her yourself?"

"I don't know how to. It just feels kind of invasive to ask." Yachiyo let out a sigh.

"You know some girls just don't like changing in front of others." Mei Fan reasoned, "Maybe that's all that is. As for the medicine... maybe she's embarrassed about what it is? Or it's just something personal that doesn't involve you. And you know she wants us to stand out. That's probably why we modify the costumes so much."

"I guess it makes sense." Yachiyo agreed, "Do you think I should ask her about it?"

"Hey guys." Shiori entered the dorm living room.

"Hey, Shiori. Had fun?" Mei Fan greeted her.

"Yeah. What are you two talking about?"

"Akira-san's apparently weird behaviors." Mei Fan said, "Though, I don't see how they're that weird."

"It's just something I noticed." Yachiyo huffed in defense.

"What type of stuff are we talking about?" Shiori took a seat.

"Yachiyo is overthinking Akira-san not changing with us. And her not wanting to talk about a medicine she's taking. I don't see why they are so curious about it."

"I mean, they're dating so I guess more trust could be expected." Shiori offered on Yachiyo's behalf.

"So, you think it's safe to ask her about it?" Yachiyo questioned. They did want to know the answers. More so just to make sure they didn't overstep their boundaries by accident.

"If she doesn't want to talk I think she'd just say so. It's worth a shot if you're that concerned by it." Shiori offered.

"I was not expecting you to side with them." Mei Fan said, "But, you do have some good points."

"I just wanted to put out more options." Shiori replied.

"Well, I'll probably ask her sometime later today then." Yachiyo stated.

"You should tell us the outcome then." Mei Fan said, "I'm curious now."

"We'll see." Yachiyo replied, "Though you didn't mention how she makes our costume changes all the time to Shiori as something else I was asking about."

"I thought my answer was enough." Mei Fan replied with a pout.

"What did you say?" Shiori questioned.

"That she always wants us to stand out so why wouldn't we change the outfits." Mei Fan replied.

"That is what she tells us about a lot of things, so it probably is also the case for them too. Or maybe she just thinks we'd feel more comfortable in the redesigned outfits?" Shiori offered her thoughts on it.

"I guess that could be true." Yachiyo mumbled.

"You are worrying way to much over this." Mei Fan stated.

Yachiyo sighed and then chuckled, "Maybe I am."

DIVIDER--

Yachiyo found their time to ask later on. They found Akira alone in her room. They knocked and then entered the room. Akira seemed like she had been doing work when Yachiyo entered.

"Can I help you?" Akira asked.

"Have time to talk?" Yachiyo asked in reply.

"How long will it take?"

"Dunno. I don't think it'll take that long."

"Give me ten minutes to finish this and then we'll talk." Akira said.

"Can I stay in here till then?" Yachiyo questioned.

"Just be quiet." Akira replied.

Yachiyo took a seat beside her on the bed. They read over the papers Akira was working on. It looked confusing. Yachiyo didn't understand what Akira was doing.

"Is this work hard?" Yachiyo couldn't help but ask.

"If you don't know what you're doing, then yes. A lot of kids are struggling with this lesson." Akira nodded.

"I am not looking forward to that next year." Yachiyo mumbled.

"I think you'll be fine."

"I hope so."

They both fell back into silence. Akira worked away, doing the problems in an alarming speed. Yachiyo did not know how she understood it that well. They couldn't figure out problem one and they'd been staring at it for a few minutes already.

It was not too long before she had finished it. Akira set it aside neatly in a pile and then turned to face Yachiyo.

"What do you want to talk about?" She asked.

"Well... I'm just curious about some stuff." Yachiyo replied.

"And what would that be?" Akira questioned.

"About the costumes... um, you or Michiru-senpai always change the outfits a lot. It doesn't make sense to me. Shouldn't we stick to following the outfits more?" Yachiyo decided to start with probably the least invasive question.

"I don't see why we can't portray the characters in our own way. If the outfit change bothers someone I wouldn't say no to keeping it how it is, but I think it makes our plays stand out." Akira replied.

It felt like a rehearsed response, though. It didn't seem like she had just thought that up on the spot. Yachiyo knew they were the first to question it. Otherwise Mei Fan or Shiori could've given them the answer to it.

"I guess I can see it." Yachiyo replied.

"Is that all you came to ask about?"

"No... um..." Yachiyo took a deep breath, "I was also kinda curious about... um, why don't you ever change with us? You always go somewhere else. Or you wait till everyone else leaves. Even if that makes you late. I don't get it..."

They were a little worried about asking it. But, they wanted to know the answer.

Akira didn't reply for a while. She was looking anywhere but at Yachiyo. That was a little questionable. Yachiyo worried they had overstepped their boundaries with the question.

"I... guess you should know the truth..." Akira sighed.

Yachiyo looked at her in confusion. Know what? They weren't expecting the answer to be so secretive. What could even be that secretive? Yachiyo was expecting it to be she just didn't like changing in front of people at all. But apparently it was more complicated than that.

"Um... if it's that secretive then... you don't have to tell me." Yachiyo mumbled. They weren't sure what to do now. It made them feel a little bad about asking now.

"I'm trans. A trans girl, to be specific."

Yachiyo didn't know how to respond to that. That thought had not crossed their mind at all. Even thinking about it, not much really gave that away to them or to probably anyone. Akira was quite good at keeping secrets, it seemed.

"I know I should have said so a while ago. Since we started dating, Michiru told me I should tell you but... I didn't know how to."

"Is she the only one who knows?"

Akira nodded, "I've never told anyone else. It's always just been between us."

"I... wasn't expecting this..."

"I guess there's another thing I can tell you." Akira said, "Those pills you caught me taking..."

"They have to do with this, right?" Yachiyo could guess the answer now.

Akira nodded, "Yes."

They sat in silence for a while. Neither knew what else to say. What more was there to say?

"Do you... plan to tell the others?" Yachiyo questioned.

"Eventually. If our school does decide to do that weekend hangout... I'll have to."

Siegfeld was currently debating on having a get together for the students and their parents. As they didn't go home often, most students rarely saw their families. This was a way to change that.

"Why?" Yachiyo didn't like the sound of it. They felt there wasn't a good reason for her to have to come out for that event.

Akira didn't reply right away. She eventually sighed and said, "What do you think is the reason?"

"Well... I'm guessing someone coming to see you might out you." Yachiyo offered as their guess, "And I'm going to assume it's for malicious intent."

Akira nodded, "Let's just put it as... my parents haven't exactly been the most supportive."

Yachiyo frowned, "That sucks."

"They like to tell everyone about me any given chance they get. They specifically say I'm trans, though. They don't just say I'm their son, for some reason. It kind of confuses me."

"That is kind of confusing." Yachiyo replied, "What if you're alone with them? How do they act then? If... you want to talk about it."

Yachiyo has had their fair share of transphobes since coming out. While their family had been way more accepting, some distant relatives weren't. They knew it could be difficult to talk about those experiences.

"They sneer my name and pronouns when speaking. If they call me them. They... act like I'm... their son still. They make me seem like I'm delusional when I say something about it."

"I've had that too. Um... want me to talk about it or should I not?" Yachiyo didn't want to just start dumping heavy stuff out without warning. That wasn't a good thing to do to anyone.

"Don't."

"Okay. So... that's all I wanted to talk to you about. Anything you want to talk about?"

"I'm fine." Akira got off the bed, "I do have something else to do."

"Alright... can I come over for tonight?" Yachiyo pleaded.

It was still a battle to get Akira to let them stay in her room. Akira continued to deny it a lot. There were only a handful of times she agreed to it. And most had other reasons attached to it other than just because.

"Fine." Akira relented. Yachiyo had picked up with the pestering about this recently. It was getting annoying.

"Yes! I finally got you to cave in!" Yachiyo smirked in defeat, but then took on a more mature tone again, "Are you okay, though? That was a heavy topic to talk about."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"But that's my job~" Yachiyo hummed as they walked over to her, "I'm supposed to worry about my girlfriend."

Akira shook her head and cracked a smile, "You're strange."

"That's what I'm best at being." Yachiyo replied, "Anyway, what do you have to do now? Can I tag along?"

"I don't think Michiru would appreciate that. We're discussing some... I don't really think I can tell you what it is."

"Please? I won't tell anyone else." Yachiyo pleaded.

Akira sighed and brushed some hair out of Yachiyo's face, "It's a disciplinary problem. I can't say much more."

"Fine." Yachiyo dropped it, "I'm going to go find Mei Fan. I wonder what she's up to..."

"Have fun with that." Akira replied.

They went opposite ways for the time being. Akira going to track down Michiru and Yachiyo going to find Mei Fan, or maybe Shiori. Whoever they found first.

That happened to be Mei Fan. She was in her room. She was laying on her bed flipping through a magazine. Yachiyo plopped themselves down beside her without any warning, startling her.

"Yachiyo! You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days!" Mei Fan yelped.

"You should be more prepared then." Yachiyo replied smugly.

"What do you want?" Mei Fan asked as she readjusted herself to give Yachiyo more room on her bed.

"Came to see what you're up to. Whatcha reading?" Yachiyo pulled the magazine out of her grasp and looked the pages over that she was currently on.

"It's a Chinese magazine my parents sent me. They wanted ideas for presents for me for something. Didn't say what occasion. Maybe Christmas?" Mei Fan replied.

"These are pretty dresses." Yachiyo stated, "Are they expensive? I don't know what your currency means."

Mei Fan glanced at the prices, "Seems pretty expensive. They better be high high quality if they're that much."

Yachiyo chuckled, "This company. Do you know them? Have anything from them?"

"I think I have some shirts back at home. Honestly they are pretty good." Mei Fan said.

"Find anything you like yet?"

"No. Not yet. They all seem too showey for me."

"They do seem quite open." Yachiyo agreed.

"Anyway, you talk to Akira-san?"

"Yep."

"And what did she say?"

"Can't tell you. It's secret."

"Come on, Yachiyo. It can't be."

"It is. It's kinda personal for her so unless she wants you to know you aren't gonna know." Yachiyo hummed as they skimmed through the magazine.

"Fine. I'll trust you on that." Mei Fan replied, "Where is she now?"

"Apparently her and Michiru-senpai have to deal with something about disciplinary issues." Yachiyo replied.

"I wonder what happened?"

"Who knows. She wouldn't tell me so it's something big."

"Are you going to give me that back or are you reading it now?"

"I can share~"

DIVIDER--

Yachiyo and Mei Fan hung out for a few hours talking about the magazine and about her family. Eventually they left the room as it was dinner time.

Yachiyo promptly found Akira and glued themself to her side. Akira had learned to tolerate Yachiyo's clinginess by this point. The five of them all ate together as usual.

"So, isn't tomorrow when we'll know if we're having that family meet-up?" Shiori questioned.

"I believe so." Michiru replied, "I wonder what they've decided?"

"It doesn't matter to me. I won't see my family there." Mei Fan pouted.

"If that happens you can be adopted into one of our families for the day." Yachiyo teased.

Mei Fan glared at them. Yachiyo feigned innocence.

"It seems like too much of a hassle." Akira commented, "I'd prefer they didn't. It just means more work for us."

Yachiyo and Michiru were the only two who knew the other reason she was opposed to it. Obviously Akira couldn't say that without coming out. Well, she could tell half the truth if she really needed to.

"I'm indiferent." Yachiyo said, "If it happens it happens. I can't say I care if I see my family right now."

"I want to... but I'm nervous to... since we haven't spoken much since onee-chan... left." Shiori mumbled.

They continued discussing different things for a while. It was a pretty normal evening for them. They found themselves in the living room later on in the night. There was a movie they wanted to watch together and tonight just happened to be the best time to do it.

As expected of Yachiyo, they basically smothered themself onto Akira. What was personal space between them anymore? Yachiyo didn't seem to think that existed at this point. Though, they had managed to get Akira to allow it without any complaints anymore.

"Yachiyo, is it impossible for you not to be gay for at least one minute?" Michiru teasingly said.

"Snuggling doesn't equal gay." Yachiyo shot back.

Michiru rolled her eyes, "I think in this case it does."

"Maybe I just want to flaunt my gayness around, then." Yachiyo came up with a rebuttal.

"And how do you feel about that, Akira?"

"I'll live."

"Aw... meanie!" Yachiyo pouted at her.

"Okay, can we tone down the gayness and watch the movie?" Mei Fan cut in.

Yachiyo stuck out their tongue at Mei Fan. Everyone settled down as the movie started playing.

DIVIDER--

It ended two hours later. Michiru was the one to turn it off and clean up. Shiori was sent to bed as she was falling asleep. Mei Fan helped out with the cleaning.

Akira was stuck in place. Yachiyo had made themselves cozy on her lap and was nodding off. She didn't really want to disturb them right now.

"Welp, night." Mei Fan retreated back to her room once everything was done.

"They asleep?" Michiru glanced at Yachiyo.

"-'M awake..." Yachiyo mumbled.

"Barely awake." Akira corrected.

"Why're you being..." Yachiyo yawned, "mean to me... Akiki...?"

"Akiki?" Michiru repeated.

They both had never informed anyone about the nicknames. There had been no reason to.

"They gave me a nickname for some reason." Akira sighed, "Are you making me carry you?"

"Will you?"

"I guess."

Michiru chuckled, "Who knew you were such a pushover when Yachiyo asks you to do something?"

Akira sent her a small glare, before gently readjusting Yachiyo so she could have a better grip on them. She stood up.

"Goodnight, Akira. And goodnight, sleepyhead." Michiru said before heading off to her room.

Akira followed suite. Yachiyo was quiet in her arms. The only indicator they were still awake was them playing with her hair.

"Sorry... I called you that..." Yachiyo mumbled as an apology.

"As long as it's them, I really don't think it matters. Just don't do it in front of any other students." Akira replied.

"Are you gonna get me back for it?"

"We'll see."

They arrived at Akira's room. She opened the door and walked in. She set Yachiyo on the bed snd then closed the door. Yachiyo splayed themselves across the entire bed.

"What are you doing?" Akira sighed at their antics.

"I don't know. My usual."

Yachiyo eventually shifted over so Akira could lay down, and then proceeded to hug her tightly. Akira ruffled their hair.

"Goodnight..."

"Night, crazy."

"I'm not... that crazy..."

"Just go to bed."

Yachiyo shut up after that. They were still clinging to Akira like their life depended on it, though.

"Why are you so clingy?" Akira sighed as she tried to get comfortable.

Yachiyo was already asleep, not that Akira wanted an answer from them. She just accepted it was how Yachiyo would be. It could be worse, after all. And honestly, it was kind of cute at times.

The door creaked open, "Akira?"

"What do you want?" Akira couldn't face her as she was stuck in place.

"I got an email saying we aren't having the meet-up." Michiru said, "That's all. Thought you'd want to know so you aren't as worried."

"Thanks..."

"Goodnight." Michiru closed the door and left.

Akira was relieved to know she didn't need to worry about that now. But, maybe she should consider telling the other two that she's trans soon anyway? She'd have to think about it later.

Yachiyo's grip finally lightened up. Akira gently got out of their grip so she could get comfortable on the bed. Once she was satisfied, she pulled Yachiyo close again, the younger promptly latching back onto her.

"S-stay..."

Akira stared at them. That was a first. Normally the sleep talking was them saying stupid romantic things to her. Not... that.

Not only was their voice panicked, their grip was strong again. They were in fact holding onto her for dear life this time. Akira wondered if they were having a bad dream.

"I'm here, Yachiyo... I'm here."

Yachiyo seemed to calm. That was at least something. Perhaps she'd ask them if they had a bad dream in the morning? But for now, she should probably get to bed too. So, Akira held Yachiyo closer and closed her eyes.