A/N: Just to be clear. Fighting Temptations is a story that consist different stories. Each of the stories can stand alone, for example, Chapter 3 doesn't really happen after Chapter 2, nor Chapter 4 happened after 3, and so will be Chapters 6-7 and 8-9. There are two chapters for each pair (except Eriko) and that's it.

And yeah, I know that Noriko is cool and that Shimako is brilliant, but aside from that…

Chapter 4. Noriko's Spirit

Nijou Noriko had been stealthily watching from the corner of her eyes every movement made by Toudou Shimako, her Onee-sama. She couldn't help it. She just couldn't take her eyes off her. Shimako's beauty was so heavenly. The way the soft curls of her hair swayed with every movement she made was breathtaking, so tempting.

She had long been captured by Shimako's beauty. Ever since that day under the sakura tree, she couldn't get her out of her mind. She had watched her then with awe. And when an unknown force led her feet to Shimako and she took off the petals on her hair, she had shamelessly watched her lips moved as she spoke. Those lips looked soft, just as the rest of her.

"Noriko, shall we go home now?"

Shimako's soft voice broke Noriko's thoughts. And just like the other days since they became soeurs, they walked quietly towards the gate. She badly wanted time to stop then so she could just be with Shimako. But of course, time wouldn't stop just because she wanted to. And so they part ways, each to her own way home.

Noriko's thoughts were full of Shimako even when she was in bed. She wanted to hear her voice, badly, as if being with her and talking to her every day at school weren't enough.

After contemplating for a while, she gave in and picked up the telephone and dialed Shimako's home number. She was glad when it was Shimako who answered the phone.

"Noriko, is something wrong?" Came the soft voice that she loved so much. It was husky, and she felt warm all over. How would that voice sound if…

Stop it, Noriko!

"I just wanted to say good night to you, Shimako-san," she said, not knowing what to say for the second time in her life (the first time was when she first met Shimako). Why did she call anyway? Such lame excuse.

Shimako was silent for a moment before she said, "Thank you, Noriko. Good night to you, too."

And then another silence.

"Uhm, that's all, Shimako-san. See you tomorrow."

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye then."

Shimako's line had long been cut but Noriko was still holding the telephone. And then she caught herself. Mocking herself, she put the phone down and lay in her bed to think about Shimako some more.

When she first realized that her feelings for Shimako were that of more than friends, she just shrugged her shoulders, thinking that it wouldn't change anything. But then, accompanying her realization of her feelings was also her increasing awareness of Shimako. However, being the always calm and cool that she was, of course she hid it very well. She was just not so sure how well she was hiding it from Shimako because unlike the other of her friends, Shimako knew her best. No one knew her very well other than Shimako. But if that was the truth, then she might know something already. She might have noticed something already but knowing her, too, she might just keeping her lips sealed.

---o---

Another day came. Noriko once again found herself staring at Shimako. She had been doing this a lot lately. She couldn't think about anything anymore except Shimako. At school or at home, Shimako was on her mind. Her face, her smile, her voice, everything about her was etched on her mind, playing over and over.

"Noriko-chan, are you alright?" Fukuzawa Yumi, Shimako's classmate and their friend, asked, breaking Noriko from her thoughts.

"I'm fine, Yumi-sama. Thank you for asking," she said, looking at Yumi directly but at the same time, watching Shiamko's reaction at the corner of her eyes. She saw the latter raised her head and look at her and Yumi.

"Are you sure?" Yumi asked again. "You look so…I don't know. You're so lost in your thoughts."

"Am I? I was just thinking that we have so much to do and everyone is busy. Sorry if I made you worry," she explained. There was some truth in what she said. The third years weren't around because they were preparing for exams.

"You're right. I hope Onee-sama and Rei-sama are doing well," Yumi said, referring to her Ogasawara Sachiko and Hasekura Rei.

"I believe they are," she agreed. Inwardly, she gave a sigh of relief. If it had been Shimazu Yoshino, another classmate and friend of Yumi and Shimako, she didn't think she would get away easily. Never mind the fact that she thought that Shimako looked like she didn't quite believe what she said. She would talk to her some time anyway.

'This is getting harder and harder than I thought. I need to do something soon,' she thought. Before it affected her and her relationship with Shimako, she had to do something soon. Soon before everyone noticed something. Before something unlikely happened. She had to act soon.

That soon came after a few days. The two of them were having a quiet lunch near the sakura tree.

"Shimako-san, I need to tell you something."

"Yes, what is it, Noriko?" Shimako asked softly.

Gathering resolve, she gazed straight into Shimako's eyes and bravely said, "I love you, Shimako-san."

Shimako was stunned for a moment, before she smiled and said, "I love you, too, Noriko."

"No. That's not what I meant, Shimako-san. What I mean to say is I'm in love with you."

Noriko had to congratulate herself for saying it without wavering despite feeling a bit nervous inside. It was up to Shimako now.

"Noriko," Shimako said with a rising tone after she had gone quiet for a full minute.

"I'm sorry, Shimako-san, but you need to know it. I don't want to hide anything from you."

Shimako gazed at her eyes, as if gauging the truthfulness of what she just said.

"You know that we can't, Noriko. I don't want to hear it from you again, do you understand?"

She watched Shimako as the latter collected her things with trembling hands before going away after a brief 'Good day'. She didn't go after her. She wanted Shimako to think about it, think about what she had said. No matter what Shimako's decision would be, she would accept it. But damn it if she wouldn't give a fight. As long as she had a chance, she would never give up. That was her spirit.

A/N: Writing about these two was really hard. You'll find out soon in the next chapter :)

---Arvendell---

03 February 2008