Chapter Eight: Chance Homecoming

(I know it's been a long time since I updated, and I know that I might not have anyone watching out for it anymore, but here it is anyway. enjoy it if you still can. Thanks for sticking by it! EDIT: My story didn't upload properly last time, so I had to do everything on Notepad. --0 sorry for the mostly unreadable text! It's okay now, I think. )

-Tomiko-

The New Year came in pretty quietly for me, with only the thunderous boom of the giant bell on the telly to tell me that it ever happened. Mom wasn't exactly a stickler for Japanese tradition, so we kind of skip the ritual greeting at my house. Ben and I did play badminton, though, and we ended up with inked-up faces. Guess half-breeds do suck at that kind of thing. Sei called me up to greet me personally, and we spent the first early hours of the new year doing—what else?—nothing but annoy each other to sleep.

I don't know if I should really take the first dream of the new year seriously, as mine was REALLY weird this year. I dreamt that I was slicing eggplants to make tempura, a huge mountain of them. I sliced with urgency, as if I were expecting a horde of people (eggplant enthusiasts, perhaps?) to come to dinner. Then, the door to my dorm room swung open with a bang, and Sei came walking in, looking angry, muttering something about too many visitors. And then I woke up. I felt a little embarrassed to be asking Rizu about what it meant (it DID imply something a little too domestic, after all), but she assured me that it was just a dream that reflected my familiarity with her. After all, Sei and I did spend a lot of time together the past year, I rationalized. It was only natural, I suppose. (Rizu also added that I had a lot of good luck in store this coming year, as I had dreamt of the third luckiest New Year thing to dream of—eggplants.)

At any rate, this year was starting out quite surreal.

I headed back out to Tokyo the next day, and in time too. I realized that my cupboard was entirely bare, save for a suspicious-looking can of adzuki beans in the back. Time to go shopping. I pulled on my jacket and ratty old jeans and opened the door to find Sei standing outside.

"Uwo you're early today. And On a Sunday, too," she smirked. "Where is the little kitten headed? Hot date?" she winked.

I smirked right back. "Pray tell, what kind of date would I pick up in these clothes?" I asked.

"We-ell, I've always maintained that you'd look hot even if you went out in a dirty old sack," Sei joked. "But seriously, where are you headed?"

"To the supermarket. Thanks to your bottomless pit—and yours, too," I said to Rizu, who peered at us blearily from behind her door, "I am down to the last of my rations. Seriously, you'd think I was feeding a family of four," I said.

Sei actually managed to look a bit embarrassed. "We HAVE been popping on over quite a bit, ne?" She glared at Rizu, who was blankly nibbling on a seaweed rice cracker. "You could at least look guilty while eating one of her snacks, you know."

"I don't account for at least seventy percent of Tomiko's food expenses, you know," Rizu retorted around a mouthful of cracker.

"I do NOT!"

"You do too. I computed."

Sei narrowed her eyes at the unflinching Rizu and turned to me. "Ja, let me go to the supermarket with you. And I'll give you my share for food. I might as well pay for some—"

"Seventy percent."

"Urusai, Rizu."

Rizu looked at me. "Can I trouble you to buy me some Home Pies, too?" she asked sweetly.

"Alright, Rizu," I said.

"And can we have yose-nabe this week? Kei's been feeling under the weather lately," she added.

Sei stuck out her tongue at Rizu and took my arm. "Let's go. She'll have planned the entire week's menu if we don't go now." Taking me by the arm, we set off for the supermarket.

We talked about how we spent our short break from school. As it turned out, Sei spent it alone—again. I wondered whether or not it was a good idea if I suggested that she come over to Saitama next year—or any time, for that matter—if she ever felt like company.

The whoosh of the sliding doors tickled my cheeks as we entered the supermarket. I didn't usually go to this gigantic foodmart to replenish stock, as there were almost twenty convenience stores littered throughout Lillian U's vicinity; but since the cupboard was quite literally bare, I needed to buy in bulk. Sort of.

We got our cart and pushed it towards the aisles. I was going over my mental shopping list when I heard someone exclaim "Ah, Sei-sama!" behind us. Turning around, I saw a bevy of young ladies, led by this one with beribboned pigtails, whose expressive face seemed to betray surprise.
"Ah, Yumi-chan?" Sei chuckled, wrapping her up in a hug.

-Sei-

What a pleasant surprise.

I knew that come the New Year I'd be running into the Yamayurikai, but I was expecting to happen upon them in pairs. You know, like Sachiko and Yumi one day, Rei and Yoshino the next, or Yumi and Yoshino, since those two are practically best friends, or Shimako and her petit soeur, Noriko, whom I've heard of but never met. Or even in triplets, like Yumi, Yoshino, and Shimako. I never expected to run into the whole enchilada all at once, and certainly not at my instigation. (Of course I always made sure I'd run into any of them on my own terms. I never thought I'd be caught unawares.)

"Sei-sama! Wow, I never thought we'd run into you here!" Yumi squealed. As she went on to babble about how delightful it was to bump into me, I noted the other members of the Yamayurikai. Sachiko, Yumi's Onee-sama, had her usual pained grimace that she was trying to goad into a smile—she hated it whenever I was, in her opinion, being overly affectionate to Yumi. Behind her were Rei and Yoshino. Neither one had really changed much, though I thought I detected a hint of speculation in dear little Yoshino's eyes. I always secretly believed that her heart surgeon somehow messed up and had reconnected the artery leading to her brain into something else entirely, some unknown gland or something. The girl was unpredictable. And then, right next to them, my own former petit soeur, Shimako. She looked as serene and happy as ever. A shorter, dark-haired young girl stood next to her, Noriko, I presumed. Mild-looking enough, but a real spitfire when provoked, or so I've heard. Definitely a good match for Shimako.

And trailing at the back were none other than Youko and Eriko, the two other former Roses. Oho, so something was up. And it was a Yamayurikai thing, too. They were out in full force, which could only mean—

"And here we thought we'd surprise you!" Yumi finished, finally managing to wriggle out of my hug.

I quirked a brow. "Surprise me with what, pray tell?"

Yumi twinkled. "A belated New Year's party at your house!"

I blinked. Very few things surprised me, and this was one of them. But then, I should have expected it, having skipped out on the usual Yamayurikai New Year's party. "Well, well, congratulations! I AM surprised." I grinned.

Yumi giggled. Then she noticed Tomiko, who had kept very quiet and was, I think, trying desperately to hide behind me. "Ah, Sei-sama, won't you introduce your friend to us?"

I laughed. "With you being so chatty, I hadn't found the proper opening."

"Since when were you proper, Sei?" Eriko said, suppressing a grin.

"Should I grace that with an answer?" I retorted lightly. "Everyone, this is Harada Tomiko, Fine Arts Student extraordinaire and a good friend. Tomiko, this is everyone." I introduced her formally to all the members of the Yamayurikai.

Tomiko greeted each one politely, if a little uncertainly. I watched everyone's faces; I could sense a certain something in the air, something made up of a huge amount of curiosity, and I wanted to see how Yumi and the others were taking to Tomiko. Yumi's face was easy to read, she was genuinely happy and excited to meet a new friend, as was Shimako. Yoshino was practically champing at the bit to do more than just introduce herself; I was betting she wanted to ask a few questions. Sachiko's expression was as unreadable as ever, and Rei was quietly assessing my blue-eyed companion much as she would have a fellow Yamayurikai's new petit soeur. Old habits die hard.

Speaking of old habits…

A quick glance at my two old buddies confirmed what I knew in my gut. Eriko was smiling in her usual way, which meant that she was probably thinking of cooking up some schemes to get two people together—the two people in question being none other than Tomiko and yours truly. Youko was almost as unreadable as Sachiko, but I knew that sooner or later she'd start meddling. I'm no fool, and I'm not so egotistical as to be unable to see through other people's eyes. I was out with a girl on a Sunday morning, at the supermarket. It was domesticated and sweet, which smacked of coupledom.

But hold on. I couldn't quite read what was going on in Youko's head about me, but there was something a little off about her. Eriko had her usual vagueness, but where was the usual Chinensis all-knowing smile?

Now that was interesting.

"Tomiko-san, you're invited to celebrate with us, too," Yumi was saying. She was too polite to tug on Tomiko's arm, but she seemed excited enough to press the issue. "Please?"

Tomiko gave her a nervous smile. "But I wasn't a part of the…err…well, your student council; I didn't even attend Lillian, so I'd probably just bother you…"

"Not in the least," Sachiko said with quiet assurance. "We would all be very happy if you would join us."

-Tomiko-

So there I was, being pulled along haphazardly to the Satou residence. I didn't know if I felt comfortable intruding on what seemed to be a reunion of old high school friends, but I was happy to find out that Sei had a good circle of friends about her before she went to college. I was never really that lucky. Well, up until now.

Yumi was, in a word, cute. There was just no other way to describe her. I could see why she was the object of Sei's warped affection then. Approachable, funny, expressive, and honest, that's what she was. I took to her like a fish to water. Shimako was no exception, though standing next to her made me feel like a gawky, clumsy sunflower next to a delicate white rose. There was something about her that made me a little embarrassed to be in my ratty old jeans and crumbling sneakers. Her petit soeur Noriko was nice as well, if a little wary in general. I guess she felt very protective of her onee-sama, and I allowed myself to be entertained by thoughts of a Noriko replete with com radio and black suit, following Shimako around and murmuring reports into her right sleeve. She really did have a bodyguard aura.

Rei and Yoshino were well, Rei and Yoshino. There was something about them that kept out the rest of the world, like they were wrapped up in a semi-permeable bubble that only they inhabit. But they were nice, and Yoshino in particular seemed pretty interested in what I do. How that could fare for me today, I wasn't really sure. Rei on the other hand was a perfect complement to Yoshino's spunk, what with her quiet, gentle ways of handling her cousin. They were two pieces of a puzzle that fit no other.

Now, Yumi's onee-sama, Sachiko, was something else entirely. I was reminded of the delicate paintings depicting the Tale Of Genji in a museum I saw before. She carried herself much like Lady Murasaki herself, well-heeled, cordial, if a bit grave. Somehow, I doubted if she really did go into hysterical fits like Sei claimed she was liable to do. I felt drawn to her, but there was also something that pushed you away, much like a force field she bent to her will. I was not quite sure what to make of this girl.

Eriko and Youko, Sei's co-, ah, Roses, were a little intimidating, I had to admit. I have heard Sei's stories of their old antics and such, but I didn't expect to meet such proper young ladies. They made Sei look like, well, a boy. If anyone made me feel clumsy and gawky more than Shimako, it would have had to be them. I felt whatever little self-confidence quiver as I tried hard to slow my usual gait down to a strolling pace. I might have not cared in Hell if they had been just some girls from a snooty private school, but somehow…

I don't know. I just might want them to like me.

Yumi and Yoshino were walking alongside me on either arm, pelting me with one question after another. They seemed genuinely interested in me, and Yoshino in particular kept commenting on my appearance.

"It's pretty novel to see someone from another country speak Japanese like a native!" Yoshino exclaimed.

I had to sweatdrop. "Ah, I was born here, so…"

"Are? So you're really Japanese?"

"Yes, I suppose."

"Uso!" her eyes widened in disbelief. "You look like you popped out of a Hans Christian Andersen book!"

I wasn't exactly sure if that was a compliment or not. Fortunately, Yumi saved me from having to explain the complexities of my nativity by saying, "Oh look, we're almost at Sei-sama's house!"

…Sei-sama?

Now at that I had to say "Uso!" The small me in my head was down on the pavement, rolling around in laughter and slapping her palm repeatedly on the sidewalk. If only Rizu were around to hear THAT!

"You call her 'Sei-sama'?" I asked.

Yumi seemed a bit surprised at the question. "Ah, hai! When she was still Rosa Gigantea I called her 'Rosa Gigantea'."

…Say what? Rosa Gigantea? More like Rosa Godzilla if you asked me. I kept these opinions to myself for the time being, but I tucked away all this information for ammo later.

"I hope she wasn't too much trouble," Yumi started. "I mean, Sei-sama would seem a little too mischievous for her own good, but she's actually a nice person. She means well."

"Ah, yes," I said, smiling. "She has been a good friend."

"That's why I think Tomiko-sama should be up there with Shimako! They're both amazing people!" Yoshino started.

… Tomiko-sama? Whaaaaaaat?

"Ano," I turned to the pigtailed girl in braids, "You don't have to call me 'sama', Yoshino-chan."

"It's okay," she said brightly. "I actually think you earned it."

This was going to be a long day.

-Sei-

We arrived at my house just in time for lunch. Everyone immediately volunteered to help in the kitchen. By this time, my tales of Tomiko's cooking had gotten the others very curious, and they all wanted to try some of the 'famous dishes that had gotten Sei-sama up so early on a Sunday', a phrase Yoshino had coined, which made me wince inside in a bad way. The girl was definitely forming some opinions. Dangerous opinions. I didn't usually care about what other people thought but for one thing, these were all my friends, and for another, I didn't want them to have a bad opinion of Tomiko, or for Tomiko to have a poor opinion of them. I was glad to see that Yumi and Yoshino were near-literally hanging onto her, and that they were having fun. Sachiko and Rei were taking out pots and pans, and Eriko and Youko were perusing the fridge. Noriko was slowly but surely making her way towards Yumi, Yoshino, and Tomiko.

I felt someone standing next to me.

Shimako.

"Onee-sama," she said, by way of greeting.

"Shimako," I grinned. "How are things? Maybe I shouldn't even ask." I glanced back at Noriko, who was now deep in conversation with Tomiko, Yumi, and Yoshino. Tomiko was starting to chop some things into oblivion. "From what I've heard so far, I think you and Noriko complement each other."

Shimako lowered her eyes slightly and smiled. I think she realized that I still kept tabs on her somehow. Of course I would. Thanks in part to Yumi, I knew almost everything going on at Lillian High. Soon, Sachiko and Rei would graduate, and Yumi and Yoshino would take over as the new Rosas Chinensis and Foetida. "Are you going to continue as Rosa Gigantea, Shimako?"

"If doing so will allow me to help out as much as I can, and to the best of my abilities, then yes, I believe I will."

Her reply pleased me. Shimako had always been a strong person. She just needed to realize it. "Well, then, good luck." I smiled. "I hope you will always be happy."

Shimako's face lit up, and she returned the smile. "Onee-sama…I hope you will always be happy as well."

Something about the way she said it made me pause. I studied her face for a moment, trying to figure out what she meant, and then, somehow, I just knew. She knew. I was happy where I was right now, and if that involved Tomiko being a part of my life, then Shimako would accept without question, and be glad for it as well.

Understanding passed between us, and I nodded.

"Thank you," I said.

Shimako smiled. "I'd better go help out now."

"Oi, Sei," Tomiko called over her shoulder, "I know this is your house, but don't you think you should be helping out, too? Don't let your friends do all the work for you!"

I grinned. About time she said something. "Hai, hai."

We finally settled down to lunch. It was worth the wait and the effort spent making it. I don't know what Tomiko called it, but it was heavenly, and everyone else agreed. For the first fifteen minutes, no one spoke. The first order of business was to stuff our faces, and that we did, some with less grace than others.

I watched Tomiko with some amusement. The girl was definitely not herself today. Usually she tucked into her meals with enthusiasm, but this time she was consciously practicing some self-control, making sure that she wasn't being rude or jostling the two people sitting next to her, which, of course, happened to be Yumi and Yoshino. Those two were like sea barnacles that had latched onto a strangely appealing piece of driftwood. I was glad that they'd taken an immediate liking to her, and were cheerfully regaling her with stories of Lillian—I didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing that most of their anecdotes included me. Tomiko certainly snickered at several of them, especially the one that had me summoned so dramatically to the discipline office because everyone thought I'd written a controversial book. And then she started telling them about all of my antics since she met me, which had most of them giggling. Shimako seemed very amused. The more prim and proper ones—and by this I single out Sachiko—didn't say anything, only let me know by expression that I'd been a very naughty rascal.

At this point I started to worry a little bit about Youko. I didn't know if a year studying law did anything to change someone's personality, but hers was certainly more subdued than I remembered. By this time she would've inserted a lecture or two—or even three—about a few things that I'd done or said, but she remained unusually quiet. As Tomiko started talking about her Fine Arts course and Rizu, I observed my old friend a little more closely. She was listening all right, but never really offered to comment or even crack a joke in her own fashion, which wasn't like her at all, and I didn't hear a single smart remark from her. Come to think of it, I hadn't heard much at all since we met in the supermarket. It was mostly Eriko doing the commenting and witty repartee—vague Eriko—and it was also old Dekochin who kept teasing me about my behavior and die-hard habits. There were times when I caught Eriko laying a light hand on Youko's wrist, to which Youko would respond with a slight jerk, as if she'd been miles away the whole time and Eriko was reminding her of where she was. Now that wasn't like her at all.

I looked around for confirmation. Sachiko was being very polite, engaging in the conversation and such, but from time to time she'd glance toward her Onee-sama, and a very slight but worried frown would mark her brow. Ah, so Sachiko didn't know what was troubling Youko. Curiouser and curiouser.

So I turned to the only other person who would know. Eriko caught my gaze. She must have read my unspoken question quite clearly because she gave me a look, one that said that I would simply have to get it from the horse's mouth. (It's not a pretty picture to have, believe me, but it was funny.)

I waited until lunch was safely over, and then I stood up. "Well, I think I should clean up."

Everyone else stood up, too. Damn Lillian and strict, proper upbringing. "We'll help!" Yumi declared with her usual cheerfulness.

Luckily Eriko intervened. For once, she was being useful. "I think this will be a job for the three old ladies, don't you agree, Sei?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I told her. "I see two old ladies…"

"And one dirty old man," Tomiko said before she could stop herself. I nearly laughed at the horror on her face the second the words left her mouth. "Err…I mean…"

"Oh, don't apologize," Eriko assured her warmly. "It's not like we didn't know. Well, Sei, Youko, let's clean up. We'll meet with you in the living room."

The tone was unmistakably a dismissal, and from a former Rosa. No one thought to challenge or question. As the Yamayurikai piled out of the room, I patted Tomiko comfortingly on the cheek. "Don't worry. They won't eat you. Oh, Yoshino will probably nibble a bit, and Sachiko might bite, but they won't eat you."

Tomiko glared at me. "I hope you don't mean that literally."

I grinned. Then I ostensibly went about clearing the table.

The moment I stepped into the kitchen, however, it was Youko who sprung the trap first. "Sei," she began, in that all-too familiar tone of voice, "what are you doing?"

"Cleaning up, as you can see," I replied, groaning inwardly. The blade was hidden within its case, true, but that did not mean that the blade was not sharp. Subdued as she may have appeared, Youko hadn't lost her wits.

"That isn't what I see," she said stubbornly. "You're making a mess of this, you know."

I sighed. "What exactly are we talking about here, Youko? I thought that studying law would help you get straight to the point on certain matters, but apparently—"

"On the contrary, sometimes you have to do a little running around in order to make all the facts appear." Youko gave me a steady look. "I suppose old habits do die hard. You're leading that poor girl around by the nose."

I put the dirty dishes in the sink and turned on the tap. "You're not supposed to make open accusations unless you have all the evidence." I gave her a tight little grin. "Or am I watching too much television?"

Youko closed her eyes and sighed. The patented Mizuno long-suffering pose, a technique designed to drive a saint mad. "You're doing the exact same thing you did in highschool. Grow up, Sei. Tomiko has feelings, and she seems to be very taken with you—"

"You can tell that from all the sarcastic jabs she's taken at me? You're quite sensitive."

"—and you'll hurt her if you keep this up. The two of you are very close, obviously, and you have a chance at happiness here—"

"I'm already happy with the way things are."

"—but if you keep her waiting too long she'll tire of it, and this time, Sei, you stand to lose too much."

I turned and faced Youko. "And what makes you think she's waiting?"

Youko lifted a single brow. "I don't think, I know."

I was getting exasperated. "And how do you know this, when you haven't been around?"

"Women's intuition," Eriko cut in amicably, sounding very entertained. "We don't blame you if you don't see things the way we do, Sei, you're only about one-third of a woman."

"Et tu, Eriko?"

Eriko gracefully inclined her head. "Yes, me, too. Besides, Sei, I believe you are in error. Youko did get straight to the point, instead of beating around the bush, as you have accused her of doing."

I smiled tightly. Things weren't going well here. Youko's meddling was already more than enough for one person to deal with, throw Eriko into the mix and you have a force of nature. The two had managed to successfully insert Shimako into my life—not that I've ever regretted taking her as my petit soeur—but the point of the fact was that they meddled. If you ignored their direct approach, they'll go round your back. At least Eriko was fickle; she'd help you meddle, but I doubted she would ever initiate anything. It was Youko who did a lot of the manipulating. "All right," I said, "I might've contradicted myself there, but for once, you two, can't you try a different approach?"

"You wouldn't have listened to any other," Youko said pointedly. "Sei, for goodness' sake, if you have feelings for this girl—"

"You're assuming too much," I cut in. "Stop."

Eriko shook her head, went over to the sink, and did some actual washing. Youko and I remained at a standoff. She wouldn't back off or let up until she wrung a decision out of me, and it had better be the decision she wanted me to pick.

"First of all," I said, losing my good humor, "you said 'IF' I had feelings for Tomiko. IF," I repeated, to emphasize my point. "How the hell am I supposed to figure that out if I have you breathing down my neck, forcing me to think about it? That's your problem; you're always analyzing everything instead of just letting things flow, always calculating your next move, and the move after that, trying to predict all the outcomes. Life isn't just about statistics, Youko."

"The exact opposite isn't the best way to go about it either, Sei," she retorted, with a little more heat than I expected. There was a bite to her tone that I'd never heard before. Something happened then; it was like stepping back from yourself and observing everything around you while your double kept itself immersed in what was going on. I looked at Youko and saw dark circles under her eyes, and a tiredness about her face that spoke of an ongoing struggle. I heard beyond the frustration in her voice, beyond it was a desperate longing. "If you just sit back and let all of this go, there's a chance it will go in a direction you will come to regret," she was saying, but she wasn't quite looking at me anymore, her eyes had fixed on something else, a point behind me, or beside me, or someplace far away.

"There's a chance that this friendship you have with her will take itself away from you. If you have feelings for her, then be honest about it and tell her." She bit her lip. "You've never had a problem with speaking your mind."

The realization struck me just as Eriko switched off the faucet. I suddenly knew, somehow and with all certainty, why Youko was acting strangely. A terrible smile was spreading across my face like bad acne.

"Youko," I said, taking a step toward her. "You're in love, aren't you?"

Her gaze snapped back to mine, and something akin to horror flashed across her face. "What?"

I grinned. "You are! You weren't just talking to me, you were talking to yourself!"

Eriko was wiping the dishes off and humming a nameless tune behind me, but I could feel her smile as surely as I could feel waves of alarm coming off of Youko like a tsunami. Youko's mouth opened, closed, opened, and closed again.

I slapped my thigh in triumph. "I didn't think this day would come. So, Youko, spill. Who's the lucky guy? Or is it a girl?"

Youko's lips pressed together in a firm line.

"Girl," Eriko supplied quietly from behind me.

Youko stared at her. "Eriko!"

"Oh, Youko, it would have come out sooner or later," Eriko calmly told her.

"And Dekochin knows? How come she knows and I don't?" I demanded.

Eriko sniffed. "Well, it's not like you've expressed any real interest in our lives, you know, with you being too busy with Tomiko."

"Don't change the subject, Eriko, you'll give Youko ammunition. Besides," I added, turning back to Youko, who had backed up against one of the kitchen counters. "I think the tables have turned for now, and it's MY turn to meddle. I can meddle every once in a while, can't I, Youko?" Feeling unjustifiably superior, I pressed on. "So, tell me everything."

I didn't think she'd surrender. At least, not so quickly. But she did. Her shoulders sagged, and her expression along with them. When she spoke, she sounded defeated. "There's nothing to tell. Nothing is going on, and I think nothing will, ever."

That took me by surprise. I'd never known Youko to act like this. No matter how sad she must have been at times in highschool, she never really let on. "What, don't tell me you're giving up just like that," I began.

Youko gave me a tired little smile. "You can't give up on something you haven't really started on, can you?"

"Ho, so you're not even going to try? Why's that?"

She kept quiet.

"It's because the girl in question has a girlfriend," Eriko said helpfully, stacking the dishes neatly atop a shelf.

"Eriko!" Youko exclaimed.

Eriko shrugged. "It's true, isn't it?"

Youko frowned at her. "Why don't you go ahead and tell her everything then, since you seem so intent on doing so?"

Eriko smiled demurely. "Oh, but it's not really my story to tell. I'm just…hmm…prompting whenever the need for it arises. Other than that, Youko, I'm just going to stand here and play referee."

Youko sighed. "Well, there you have it, Sei. There's really nothing I can do about it. I'm not the kind of person who would break up a couple just because I happened to fancy one of them. And besides," she added, sounding even more tired than before, "even if she didn't have someone, it would probably still not work out."

I clucked disapprovingly. "So negative," I said, keeping my tone light and friendly. It was the least I could do; Youko had already done something she'd never done before: talk about herself and her own problems. "I find it hard to believe that you, the former Rosa Chinensis who kept everything together and acted as our unspoken but undisputed leader, would simply let this potential for happiness slip by."

Youko gave me a long, hard look which softened after a while. "It just won't," she said at last, with a slight shrug. "Going into details isn't going to help, so please, can we drop the subject?"

I grinned crookedly at her. She never was one to squirm, and she was pretty good at keeping her dignity intact. "Actually, we could, but I don't want to drop the subject just yet. You can tell me I'm cruel and unfeeling, but I keep remembering all the times you meddled in my life, and I'm not about to give up the chance to return the favor. Besides," I added, before her expression could turn flinty again, "you never know, some good might come out of it. My meddling, I mean."

Youko covered her face with one hand. "When did that ever happen? I remember when Yumi-chan fainted because you tricked her into believing they needed to have some kind of presentation for us before we graduated."

I laughed. "Hey, there wasn't any permanent damage, and we all got a good laugh out of their performance. Even Sachiko was laughing."

She smiled. "Fine, you have a point, but really, Sei, what good will come out of my telling you anything about my problems?"

"We don't know, but conversely, what harm can possibly come out of it?"

Eriko chuckled. "Good one, Sei."

Youko sighed. "Whose side are you on, Eriko?"

"Mine, apparently," I said smugly. "Since you're being so stubborn about it, I'll ask her."

"No, don't."

"Then tell me why you think this won't work out."

When Youko hesitated—again—Eriko smiled. "Because this person is a rockstar."

I didn't think anything could surprise me anymore, but I was wrong. I felt my eyes bulge out of their sockets. "Holy crap! Really?" I grinned widely at Youko, who seemed unnaturally red. "You're in love with a rockstar?? How in the blue hell did that happen?"

"It—it just did," Youko stuttered out. She was clearly out of her element. "And—and stop grinning like that."

"I can't help it. You, Mizuno Youko, the epitome of class, elegance, and grace, are in love with a guitar-smashing, booze-swinging, bad-ass rockstar. You expect me to get over that one in the space of what, five seconds?"

"She doesn't smash guitars," Youko said, a tad defensively.

"Ah, but she does swing booze and is a bad-ass?"

Now she looked irritated. "Can we stop this now? You've said it yourself; you can't quite picture me being with someone so outrageously different. And you're right, Sei. She and I are from two different worlds, and regardless of what I feel, it's not going to work out."

I slapped my forehead. "There you go again! Always over-analyzing, always assuming. Didn't they teach you anything in formal logic? Youko, does this person even know how you feel about her?"

She seemed horrified at the idea. "No, of course not."

"Well, there's your problem. Maybe if you said something—"

"If I said anything, I would be laughed at and sent packing," she cut in, bitterly. "Who would believe it? I'm supposed to be a serious, self-composed, quiet law student, while she's a rough, loud, carefree rocker who performs almost every night for an equally rough, loud crowd." She shook her head. "It's not going to happen."

She looked so dejected, I hadn't the heart to say anything sarcastic. It made me feel bad; Youko usually had good advice to give, and she'd give it to you free-of-charge, and even if she did do stuff behind my back, she did do so out of concern. It took your free will out of the equation, but then I suppose I was just too stubborn to see what was good for me sometimes.

My thoughts returned to Tomiko.

Was this one of those times, too? Was I too stubborn to see where this was leading? Good God, was Youko right on this one, too, even though she hadn't been around to witness it all?

I was having too many realizations all at once. Focus, Sei…

Right. Youko's problem. I shook my head slightly to clear it, then put on my sternest face, if that were at all possible. "Youko…isn't it about time you took your own advice?"

She just looked at me. She looked miserable. "You of all people know that it doesn't work that way," she said quietly.

"It can," I insisted. "If I make you a deal…will you agree to your end of it?"

Youko's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What deal?"

I was going to spill some guts here. I sighed and folded my arms over my chest. "Listen…I didn't want another Shiori. And I don't want another Shimako. Meaning I don't want to go stumbling in, baring my feelings, and then just get hurt again. And I don't want to have things manipulated for me, end up with someone who's good to me but at the same time end up being distant with her." I pursed my lips, wondering how to best say it. "I think…you want me to go all out and say something. But you don't know Tomiko the way I do. I think that means the decision to say anything—or nothing at all—rests with me and me alone. I'll decide if and when to tell her. But, when that does happen—when I think the time is right…I promise you, you meddler, that I will be honest about it."

Youko stared at me for a good, long moment. Then I recognized the familiar, all-knowing, triumphant little smile she usually reserved for occasions like this. I allowed her a moment, then raised a finger and wagged it in front of her nose.

"ON the condition," I said, emphasizing each word, "that you do exactly the same thing."

The smile vanished, and she gave me an incredulous look.

Eriko giggled from behind me.

I doubt any artist could've captured the conflicting thoughts I could glimpse behind Youko's eyes. I was going to follow her advice, but only if she would do the same if the opportunity—or situation—ever presented itself. Yikes, right?

"You can't keep fighting for everyone else's happiness, Youko," I said, shrugging. "Sooner or later, you have to fight for your own."

She blinked. Her brow furrowed. And then she seemed to relax, slightly. Something that looked suspiciously like a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "You know…" she said thoughtfully, her eyes distant, "she said exactly the same thing to me."

"Well, thank goodness you picked someone smart," I retorted, grinning. "What's her name?"

Her gaze snapped back to me, focused. "Oh, don't push it, Sei, you already know too much."

Eriko let out a startled exclamation, and a can of adzuki beans fell to the floor with a sharp clatter. "Oops," she said. "Sorry. I got bored and started examining your cupboards. Do you know that that can is expired?"

I scratched my head, then bent over and picked it up. Somehow the can managed to look marginally guilty. I threw it into the garbage can, then turned back to Eriko and Youko. Youko was giving Eriko another sour look, and Eriko was smiling sweetly back at her. Hm, did I miss something here?

I cleared my throat. "Well, Youko?"

Youko gave me a muted glare. "The others are probably wondering why we're taking so long. I propose we join them now."

And with that, she turned on her heel and left the kitchen.

I smirked. "Did I really go too far?" I asked Eriko.

Eriko laughed and gave me an affectionate pat on the arm. "No. Youko just isn't used to being on the receiving end of advice, is all. You said what she needed to hear, even if it wasn't necessarily what she wanted to hear. Don't worry, Sei, you did very well."

Finally.

I sighed. "I but live to serve. Come on, Eriko. Let's not keep everyone waiting."

-Tomiko-

We were well into our game of cards when Youko, Eriko and Sei joined in from the kitchen. There was something a little too triumphant in the way that Sei smiled at me as she sat down, something that reeked of smugness.

"So, what have we missed so far?" she asked.

I decided to shrug it off and replied, "Well, we were playing Doubt by teams."

"Teams? Teams of what?" she asked.

"We were playing by rose family!" Yumi chimed in. "Onee-sama, Youko-sama and I are in one team."

Yoshino volunteered, "Rei-chan and I are in one team, too." There was a twinkle in her eye when she looked at me and Sei. "Well, since Tomiko-sama is Sei-sama's guest, we piled her along with Shimako and Noriko. She's practically in the Gigantea family, anyway."

I didn't quite know what to make of Yoshino's last statement, but Sei practically beamed. "Well, she's as smart as a Gigantea, that much I know." She grinned at me.

I needed to segue the conversation somewhere else. "Ne, Yoshino, didn't you tell me you liked rock music, too?" I asked.

Yoshino brightened. "I love it! It had always been my dream to attend a music event, like Super Live, and ever since I had surgery, I've been egging Rei-chan to take me," she said brightly, slipping a little pout Rei's way. Poor Rei apparently had no interest in it.

The game went on around us as Yoshino and I carried on our conversation. She was into most of the bands I liked, as it turned out, and had an in-depth understanding of each band's musical style, which I found rather surprising.

"There's a new band I'm currently interested in," she said, poring over her cards. "They've got quite a diverse style, and I heard that they use the patterns of classical pieces to orchestrate their songs."

"Oh, I think I've heard about them," I said, looking over Sei's shoulder and picking out a card. "I think their lead singer sings very strangely for a girl."

Yoshino looked indignant. "Azuki Matsubara's voice is a refreshing change from all the female idols who dip their fingers into rock," she defended. "It's nice and strong, like her personality, or so they say."

I was about to answer when the slippery flutter of cards spilling onto the floor broke my rhythm—and concentration. Youko-san apparently had dropped all her cards, and was scrambling to collect them. She was mumbling some apologies and assents to go on when I glanced at Sei. The bastard was grinning widely from ear to ear, much like the Cheshire cat in the Disney movie, which made me wonder what transpired in the kitchen in the first place. Whatever it was, it probably was about Youko and rock bands. I sighed. Sei should learn to keep her nose out of her friends' business.

We played cards long into the evening, and the small, high-tech electric clock in the Satou living room chimed sonorously.

"Uwo!" Yumi looked up surprisedly. "It's already ten o'clock?!"

True enough, the little digital face was blinking back 10:00 from its transparent display.

"I suppose I should be thinking of bedding-down arrangements, eh?" Sei drawled, stretching languidly as she stood up. "Excuse me, but I have to talk to Shouko about getting the rooms ready."

Eriko looked up from her (rather large) hand of cards. "You don't have to worry about me," she piped up. "Yamanobe's picking me up," she continued rather proudly.

Sei raised an eyebrow. "Ho? So you and the bear are getting on well, aren't you?" she mused. She looked straight into Youko's eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "I suppose you are getting picked up as well, ne?"

Youko stood up and brushed her skirts down. "No, Sei," she said. "What I am is taking a train back to Yokohama. I have to get ready for some exams on Tuesday."

"Oh, come on, Youko," Sei pleaded, a little puppyish look on her face. "I'm pretty sure a straight-A student like you could make some concessions for old time's sake."

"As much as I'd like to stay, Sei, I better get back and start brushing up," she replied, lifting her bag gently off the coffee table and brushing off imaginary dust bunnies. "We're in college now. We have to take some things a little more seriously."

Sei's look turned from one of disappointment to one of speculation. Not a good sign.

"Are? Could it be… that you're going to take it seriously?" Sei mused, an impish little grin spreading on her lips like a bad rash.

"What is 'it'?" Yumi asked out loud. Sachiko shushed her gently.

Youko sighed. "No, this is nothing like that, okay? So keep your nose out of it."

"What is 'that'?" Yoshino asked Rei, who seemed to want to melt into the floor or blend into the wall. What I found most amusing of all, though, was that Shimako and Noriko did not seem to want any part of the mysteriously sordid exchange between the two Roses. They were simply huddled close together, watching the whole exchange with a look on their faces that could not be anything else than amusement. Me? I was just waiting for Youko-san and Sei to grab each other's throats and start throttling.

Sei was grinning brightly now, and I could have sworn I saw Youko turn several shades redder. "Sou ka? Ja, just tell me how everything goes, ne?" she said with a wink. "I'll get your coat, and Eriko's too. You might as well take her to the station, Eriko."

"Well, I was going to offer," Eriko smiled mysteriously, "but since you have spared me the embarrassment of doing so, yes, I shall take her to the station."
Sei directed her grin to Eriko now. "Good girl. Now at least they can't say we've never agreed on anything, you mastodon."

"It's hypsilophodon, actually…"

"Hypsi-what?"

"Hypsilophodon."

"Just WHAT is that?" Sei asked laughingly, grabbing their coats off the hooks by the door. "You know what, never mind, explain some other time. I won't remember at this point," she chuckled. What exactly she found funny eluded me, but I wasn't going to ask any questions until much later.

"We're going to have to go home too, Sei-sama," Rei said, sounding almost relieved. "Our parents are picking us up here on the way to Hakone."

"Oh, all right," Sei said, sounding mock-resigned. "So, who else is leaving?" she said, turning to us.

"We aren't," Yumi said, taking her Onee-sama's hand.

Sachiko nodded. "We will just leave early tomorrow. I hope we aren't imposing."

Sei grinned. "Of course not! Which reminds me, there's a bottle of shouchu in the fridge with our names on it. We can drink in the New Year, and spend the rest of the night singing karaoke!"

"Well, I think I'll pass," I said, brushing off my jeans and stretching a bit. "I should start walking if I want to make it back to Lillian U by eleven."

"Aw, Tonkoneko, stay! It's not like you'd have anything to do in school tomorrow," Sei pleaded.

"But I DO, Sei," I said, feeling a bit exasperated. "I have some projects that I really need to start. And besides, you only have two guest rooms, and with four guests, where will I stay?"

I knew I had dug a grave for myself as Sei's smile grew a tad sly. "In MY room, of course. Do you think I'd have it any other way?" Her eyes twinkled.

"Okay," I sighed, picking up my slingbag. "That gives me even MORE reason to start walking."

"Oh, come on!" Sei begged, clamping onto one of my pants legs. "I won't do anything to you you won't like, and even if I did, I'm pretty sure you can scream loud enough for at least one of the girls to come a-running!"

"Some Onee-sama you're turning out to be," I shot back. "Don't you have any shame for your petit soeur? She IS still here, you know, and you're acting like that!" I tried prying her off my leg, but despite her lankiness, Sei WAS kind of strong. My thoughts hearkened back to Yumi's story about her pushing back this guy, Sachiko's fiancé or some such bastard, as poor Sachiko escaped him. She was tiring me out by grappling with my leg, and she knew it. Her little triumphant smile was forming—again—on her lips, and I let go. I WAS getting a bit sleepy.

"Fine, fine!" I exclaimed, throwing both hands up in the air. "I'll stay. But try pulling anything, Satou, and I'll throw YOU out of your own room. Capisce?"

"Okay, okay, I promise."

I settled back down and muttered some apologies to the other girls for my behavior. Sachiko surprisingly looked very amused as she gracefully denied that I did anything wrong, and Shimako and Noriko were deep in conversation about something. Yumi plopped down next to me and started talking to me about ukiyo-e, and I shot Sei one last nasty look and smiled at Yumi.

When bedtime rolled around, I asked Shouko for a futon to spread on Sei's floor.

Shouko shook her head apologetically. "Ah, sorry, Tomiko-sama, but we don't have any more left for you. It's a full house tonight, I'm afraid…"

"How about a comforter? A blanket? A very large pillowcase?" I asked. Sei's bed could fit two, but only if you put one atop the other. NO WAY was I doing that.

"Hmm," Shouko said noncommittally. "I'll go check downstairs. But for the time being, Tomiko-sama, please make yourself comfortable on the bed." She smiled apologetically again and went out the door.

I sighed and sat down on the bed. Sei's headboard had a shelf filled with very interesting books, and having picked one out, I cracked it open and started to read.

Before I knew it, Sei was lying next to me on her bed, and poking my nose with her finger.

"Oi," she said. "You're dozing off." She propped up her head on her hand. "Why don't you get settled here?"

I rubbed my eyes and put the book back on the shelf. "Is Shouko back yet? I asked her for some beddings."

"She hasn't come back," Sei said. "And from the looks of it, I think you'd have to wait until morning. It IS 1 a.m., so just tuck in for the night, okay?" she continued, smiling at me.

"No, it's okay," I said. "I'll sleep on the floor."

"No way am I going to let you do that!" Sei started, pulling herself up. "Just lie down, and I'll do the rest," she said, tipping me one of her patented winks.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I shot back. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"We-ell, you'll find out in the morning, won't you?" she said, smiling mischievously.

"Oh, dear God," I said, the last traces of sleep falling from my eyes. "Sei, what about that promise you made tonight?"

"What about it?" Sei purred mock-innocently. "I DID say I wouldn't do anything you won't like, right? And I'm pretty sure you'll like what I have in mind."

I felt my patience fray into tiny threads. I knew by now that she wasn't really going to do ANYTHING, but I found myself tiring of our comic routine. I picked up the book I was reading and leafed through to the page where I stopped. "This little game of ours is getting a little boring, quite frankly. Sei, why won't you be serious for once?" I asked, feeling really tired.

I thought I saw Sei's face change expression out of the corner of my eye. "Well, now that you put it that way, maybe I should be… for once."

And at that moment, Sei Satou cupped my chin in her hand and brushed her lips against mine.

-Sei-

Contrary to popular belief, no, I did not do it because I was thinking of my stupid little deal with Youko.

I didn't do it because I was just feeling horny, either.

I did it because something in Tomiko's tone of voice told me that if I let things go on the way they did, then I would end up stringing it along too far until I lost it all. Her friendship, her patience, and this feeling that I could sense was building up between us. All right, it could be just a case of wishful thinking, but damn it, at this point I was willing to risk it.

Truthfully, I couldn't help myself anymore. Call it a pitiful excuse, but something was pushing me to kiss her. It had been there for quite some time now, growing stronger with each passing day. I'd been fighting it all this time because I was afraid that if I did give in to it, I'd be completely shunned by the one person I wanted to be by my side the most.

But now I can admit it. I love her.

And now she knows it.

I was expecting a slap after this latest stunt, so I didn't pull away immediately. If this was going to be my last supper, so to speak, then I wanted to enjoy it. Call me selfish, but if Tomiko decided she didn't ever want to see me again, I'd…

Wait.

Was she kissing me back?

Oh, Lord.

I was going to say that if she never wanted to see me again, I'd at least have that memory of our kiss. Actually, if she said that she never wanted to see me again, I'd probably die a little—a lot—inside. And now I was finding it very hard to think, because she was kissing me.

This was probably just my imagination.

But…

We pulled away at the same time. Somehow she'd managed to get her arms around my neck. Mine were around her waist. We were pressed up against each other, both a little breathless, and her eyes were searching mine for answers.

Finally, she spoke. "Did you—"

"Mean it?" I completed, knowing what she wanted to ask. "Yeah. I do."

She blinked. "Oh."

I smiled. "No tricks this time, Tonkoneko."

Tomiko seemed uncertain. She averted her gaze, but didn't pull away from me. "So…what do you want to do next?"

I pressed my forehead against hers. "I want…well, I want this. I want us to be like this."

"Ah…" Tomiko suddenly looked apologetic, and I thought I heard her sigh. "Sei."

I waited. The silence was killing me. There was something in the way she said my name that didn't bode too well for me. My heart was doing overtime.

"Sei, I think I want this too…" she trailed off, biting her lip.

I groaned inwardly. Ah, this is going to be a rejection. "But…?" I prompted gently, feeling a little sick to my stomach.

Tomiko looked up at me. There was a sad smile on her face. "But there's something I need to do first. On my own."

I opened my mouth to give the usual 'Ah, it's okay, I kind of expected you didn't see me that way,' and so on and so forth when her words really hit me. I looked at her, a bit stunned, realizing that it wasn't a rejection.

Okay, so maybe it was a fifty percent rejection. The important thing was that there was hope. Tomiko was willing to give this a shot, but only after she'd sorted something out. I was curious and wanted to ask her what she had to do first, but I only nodded and said, "All right. You do what you have to do. I'll be here. I think you can trust me on that one."

Tomiko smiled, relieved. She pressed her forehead against mine and said, "Thank you."
And then she did something completely unexpected. Before I could react, before I could say anything, before I could even blink, she closed in and planted a kiss on my cheek.

I was so dazed, she was asleep long before I snapped out of a semi-hypnotic state of self-imposed heavenly bliss.

It was a bit late when I woke up the next morning. My mind was a blank slate; it must have been the events of yesterday that caused me to feel so disjointed. I tried to put everything in order: first there was the meeting at the supermarket, then there was the impromptu party at my house, and then there was that conversation between me, Youko, and a smugly-grinning Eriko, and then there was…

I sat up, suddenly wide-awake. The kiss! I wondered if it had been a dream, because there was no sign of Tomiko anywhere in my room. She was gone.
Had she gone back to her dorm already? I scrambled for my cellphone, feeling a panic attack coming on, and I don't really get those anymore. I wanted to know if she'd left because she had something important to do (something unrelated to that kiss) or if she'd left precisely because of that kiss (which was, quite frankly, a reason I couldn't handle).

After a couple of rings, she answered. "Sei?" she said, sounding a little surprised.

"Tomiko!" I exclaimed. "Why'd you leave so early? Where are you?"

There was a brief pause. And then she chuckled. "Baka," she chided. "I didn't leave. I'm downstairs in the kitchen, having breakfast. Sachiko and Yumi did leave, though; Sachiko said that they were expected back at their homes and that they were already a bit late."

I barely heard the part about Sachiko and Yumi-chan. I was so relieved. "I thought you'd already gone back home or something."

"Well, I didn't." I heard her laugh. "Come on, Shouko's saying you should come downstairs and save her the trouble of fetching you up there."

She hung up. I put my phone back down and started laughing. Yes, I am an idiot at times. I sighed, got dressed, and went downstairs to join Tomiko for breakfast.

At least she still sounded normal, even though she knew how I felt about her.

I suddenly grinned. This term was going to be an exciting one. True, it may not work out at all, but on the other hand there's a chance that they would.