Touko is the first to arrive; she usually is the first one to arrive at the student council building, but for the first time the president looks troubled by something as she enters the building. Normally Touko would wear smile whether it be a fake smile or a real one she would still smile, but today she visually looks upset. Even Sayaka who is one of the few people Touko lets see through the cracks in her façade is surprised to see her best friend acting this way. But as much as Sayaka wants to talk about what's troubling her friend she knows that everyone will turn up soon, and Touko will not open up if there are people around her.
"Good afternoon," Doujima calls out as right on cue he and Maki enter the building.
"Good afternoon," Maki repeats as they both join Touko at the table. "Is something wrong Touko senpai?" Maki asks Touko. "Your not sick are you? I saw Koito leaving, and she didn't look good either."
"Koito isn't coming?" Touko looks up surprised to hear that.
"I don't think so," Maki answers. "I saw her heading home on my way here."
"Oh," Touko replies looking back down and slightly worse than before.
"So Koito is the reason why Touko is sad," Sayaka thinks rubbing her chin. "Did something happen between them?"
"Hey don't tell me you're not feeling well too Sayaka senpai?" Doujima asks, but Sayaka shakes her head.
"No I'm fine," Sayaka assures him. "Thank you for your concern, but I was just deep in thought. We should get started we haven't got much to do so we should be able to leave early. Touko do you have the forms."
"Yeah…Yeah, I have in my bag," Touko replies slightly startled.
"Something must have happened," Sayaka thinks watching fumbling around in her bag.
"Here they are," Touko declares pulling out the pieces of paper.
"Wow, that looks like it won't take long at all," Doujima says looking at the thin stack of forms Touko has placed on the table.
"Yeah, it should be a short day," Sayaka agrees as she takes her seat next to Touko.
The whole time they work the members of the student council remain quiet with attempts of conversations made by Sayaka and Doujima quickly pittering out. It is surprising how different things are without Yuu and the way Touko's mood is affecting the atmosphere. Sayaka knows that Yuu has something to do with Touko's mood. Ever since Yuu and Touko first met Sayaka has suspected something was going on between them because of how her friend has allowed their underclassman to become so close when Touko has always kept everyone at a distance. Sayaka doesn't know exactly what is going on between Yuu and her best friend, but she knows without a doubt that Yuu has been effecting Touko a lot more the student council president will admit.
Sayaka finishes the last of her paperwork she has one thing on her mind, to talk to Touko and find out just what is going on between her best friend and underclassman. Looking around the room, Sayaka sees the opportunity to talk with her friend is fast approaching as she sees Maki has also finished his share of the work and Doujima is only a few minutes away from also completing his work. Glancing to her side, she sees that Touko has barely touched her share of the work and seems to be distracted.
"I think I will head home now," Doujima says as he stretches out his limbs. "Coming Maki?"
"Sure," Maki nods.
"Thanks for your hard work today," Sakaya says with a wave as she watches the two freshman leave while out of the corner of her eye she sees Touko hasn't even looked up. Once the door has closed behind them, Sakaya turns to her best friend. "What has happened to you?" She thinks as she sees that Touko is completely zoned out. "Touko, do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"
"No I'm fine," Touko replies her eyes never raising from the piece of paper in front of her. "It's nothing so don't worry."
"I know you are lying," Sakaya says and for the first time since they started working Touko raises her head. "I am not going to force you to tell me but something is going on with you, and I am here to listen to you if you want to talk."
"It's Yuu," Touko weakly tells her looking back down.
"What about Koito?"
"She confessed to me," Sayaka feels her heartbreak as the nightmare of losing another person she loves is becoming a reality. Sayaka wants to cry, she wants to scream, and she wants to tell Touko her own feelings in an attempt to keep the girl she loves. But Sayaka doesn't, she holds back her tears and keeps quiet knowing her friend is going through enough as it is without her confession making things worse. "I messed up and couldn't reply, and now she probably doesn't want to see me again."
"What do you think of Koito?" Sayaka asks.
"I think she's smart, reliable and hardworking," Touko answers. "Yuu is like you and will comfort me and not judge me. I love her; I had known that for a while now but when she said she loves me back it scared me so much I couldn't give her a proper reply, and no I've lost her."
"Idiot," Sayaka mutters. "You haven't lost her." Sayaka can feel tears start to leave her eyes as she continues. "I have lost two people I love now, the first was a senior in middle school and the second is you. So I know you haven't lost her."
"Sayaka,"
"You don't have to say anything," Sayaka tells her. "I am your best friend, and if you love Koito, then I won't interfere."
"Sayaka," Touko finally looks back up seeing her best friend wiping away her tears. Before she knows it her arms wrap around her friend's body and she pulls Sayaka close. "I'm sorry I can't return your feelings. You have always been loyal, trustworthy and supportive and the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you, but it's Yuu that I love. I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Sayaka assures her breaking free of the hug. "Just go find Koito and do me a favor."
"Anything," Touko agrees.
"Don't talk to me about it and treat Yuu the same way you normally do around me, at least until I get over you,"
"I promise," Touko replies with a small smile. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Don't worry about me I'll be fine, I recovered before, and I'll recover again just go and find Yuu," Sayaka assures her. "I'll finish up your paperwork."
"Thank you," Touko says before she starts to gather her things.
Sayaka watches Touko leave and once the door to the student council building before she collapses onto the table burying her face in the sleeve of her uniform. Tears pour from her eyes as Sayaka feels her heart shatter for the second time in her young life. At least for Sayaka, the pain isn't as bad as the first time, Touko didn't let her believe they were going to be together the way she wanted as the first girl did. Touko was nothing but honest with her about how she felt, Sayaka only wishes it wasn't so painful.
Touko runs through the streets side stepping everyone in her path and very nearly running over several people. She wants to believe Sayaka when she says that everything will work out, but part of Touko's mind is telling her that it's already too late and that part of her mind is making her rush through the streets like a madman. Touko doesn't even stop after she tripped and fell as she picked herself right back up ignoring the pain from where she scrapped her knee.
When she finally reaches the bookstore Yuu's family runs Touko is out of breath and glad to see that there are only a handful of customers. Yuu is nowhere to be seen and as Touko works over to the counter where Yuu's older sister is working she hopes that Yuu did come straight home. When Rei sees Touko approaching her, she doesn't smile like normal, and Touko guess she knows what's going on, she did have the instincts to know something was going on between her sister and the student council president after all.
"Yuu's in her room," Rei says nodding towards the stairway in the back of the store. "Just go straight up and don't worry about desorbing anyone as Yuu and I are the only ones in right now."
"Thank you," Touko bows before walking more calmly towards the stairs.
Once she reaches Yuu's bedroom door, Touko stops upon seeing the girl she loves. Yuu is laying on her bed with headphones on staring at strap she and Touko brought the time they went to the aquarium. Touko can see why Yuu is thinking of that day as it is a day Touko to wishes to repeat. Seeing Yuu has caused Touko to freeze up in the doorway, as she ran here Touko knew what she wanted to say but know she is here those words have long been forgotten. The gloomy look on Yuu's face and the way Touko feels her heart race has made the student council president speechless and it takes her a few moments to recover. But finally, after taking a few deep breaths, Touko steps into the room and approaches the girl she has caused to feel so sad.
"Yuu," Touko calls her name but doubts Yuu hears her as she lightly taps her underclassman's shoulder.
"Senpai!" Yuu panics and jumps up faster then Touko was expecting. Yuu quickly takes off her headphones and looks like she has seen a ghost. "What are you doing here?"
"We need to talk," Touko answers before pausing to take another deep breath. "I love you Yuu. I love you, not my perfect facade but the real me beneath all that I've kept hidden from everyone but those I really trust. These feelings come from the real me and like you I never thought I would feel love, but then I saw you, and for the first time, I felt what love is. I'm happy you love me Yuu, I may have told you to never fall in love with me, but I secretly hoped you would return my feelings. Yesterday when you told me you loved me I was so happy, but I was also so scared that I couldn't reply."
"You were scared?" Yuu questions.
"Yes," Touko replies with a small nod. "I was scared because if you didn't love me, then I wouldn't lose you but the moment you told me you loved me I was so scared that I would lose you."
"You won't lose me senpai," Yuu promises. "You don't have to worry about that."
"But if you love me and I change then your love will…" Touko continued until Yuu stops her by standing up and placing a finger over her lips.
"I love you Touko," Yuu tells her. "I never loved you for as the person you pretend to ber, but for the person you are. Senpai you may say that the way you are is an act, but I know most of it is you. You were the person who studied hard to be at the top of the school. You may say you are scared senpai, but I have seen you overcome your fear which is brave to me and you may say you act the way you do to make people like you but the kindness and compassion you show everyone can only come from you senpai. I love you senpai, not the person you pretend to be but the person you are."
"Yuu," Touko feels a tear roll down her cheek. "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything," Yuu says before she steps forward and kisses Touko. The kiss is only light and over too soon, but for Touko it's all she needs to know that Yuu really does love her. The kiss is sweet and gentle just like Yuu herself. "I'm sorry I ran."
"No, I'm sorry," Touko replies hugging Yuu. "I was the one who was too scared and hurt you. Yuu, you have made so many promises to me now it's my time to make one to you." Touko takes Yuu's hand and drops to her knees. "Yuu Koito."
"Sempai," Yuu can't help but blush at the jester.
"I promise never to hurt you again," Touko says with a blush of her own starting to grow on her checks. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
"Yes," Yuu finds herself crying for a different reason as Touko kisses her causing them both to lose their balance and for Touko to end up on top of Yuu as they lay on the younger girls bed.
Both girls giggle for a moment before their lips press together again only this time with more force and never girl shows any signs of letting the kiss end any time soon. Touko's finger grips the sheet on Yuus bed while Yuu's entwine themselves the long black strands of Touko's hair. Both Touko and Yuu have kissed before but never have they felt a spark like they are now. Both girls grips tighten as Yuu pulls Touko closer as her girlfriend's tongue slips into her mouth.
"Yuu!" Reluctantly the couple is forced apart as Yuu's older sisters voice calls out to them. "I'm going to make dinner soon is your girlfriend going to join us?"
"Do you want to stay?" Yuu asks seeing her girlfriend's eyes light up at the idea.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble then I would like to stay," Touko answers.
"Yeah, she's staying!" Yuu shouts back.
"I'll call you when its ready!" Rei responds.
"Now where were we," Touko says before leaning back down to kiss Yuu.