(This fiction is based on the characters and settings created by Oyuki Konno)

Sachiko awoke to the sound of her ringing cell. She reached out and silenced it quietly, so as not to wake the sleeping girls sharing the bedroom. The black-haired beauty grabbed her phone after she got out of bed. Looking at the display informed her that it was 10:30am. She left the bedroom, went to the kitchen and started tea. She had some planning to do. With her tea prepared she set it down on the low table and sat cross-legged on the floor. Just as she took a sip of her tea, the phone went off again. Sachiko answered it, "Hello."

"Sachiko, finally. I've been calling all morning. I was worried sick when you never came home last night." her mother, Sayako said worriedly into the phone.

"Sachiko replied, "I thought grandfather would have informed you that I would be moving out on my own."

"Move out?" Sayako asked, sounding confused, "Why?"

"After talking with grandfather, I concluded that the current family environment was not something I want to be a part of." Sachiko explained.

"Is this about the wedding. I was led to believe that you didn't want to marry Suguru. I thought it would make you happy." Sayako told her daughter.

"No, you are correct in that assumption. I did not want to marry him, but why manipulate the woman I love into standing in? That's what I have and issue with." Sachiko elaborated.

"So you mean ..." Sayako said finally comprehending the Sachiko's real relationship with Yumi.

"Yes mother, I am in love with Yumi. She's the only person I want to be with." Sachiko responded.

"I'm very happy for you dear. I know Yumi feels the same way by how she glows when she sees you. But what about the wedding?" Sayako asked.

Sachiko, getting agitated, replied. "It's not going to happen, mother. Yumi is staying with me now, and she is never going to set foot in that house again. Not after last night."

"What happened?" Sayako asked concerned.

"Aya-chan called me, Yumi had a nervous breakdown. I took her to the hospital, then brought her here. She'll be fine once she gets some rest." Sachiko answered.

"But your grandfather ..." Sayako started to say.

Sachiko interrupted angily, "He has no say in this. Especially after what he did to my Yumi!"

After a long pause, Sayako spoke up softly, "He raped her, didn't he?"

"How do you know?" Sachiko shot back.

"Because he did it to me." Sayako said in frustration and sadness. "It was shortly after your father and I married. You father was always traveling on business. That first night, I fought back and he beat me, then had his way with me. My maid found me the next morning, cleaned me up and helped me through it. I thought that it would only be the one time. But he just kept coming back, each time your father was away. Eventually he stopped, once I was pregnant with you." Sayako explained sobbing, "I didn't dare say anything out of fear."

"Oh mother," Sachiko said compassionately, "I'm sorry."

Sayako, cried over the phone, then got control of herself. "You just do what you can for Yumi-chan, that poor girl. I'll talk to your father and see if there is anything we can do about the marriage from here."

"I already have a plan, mother," Sachiko stated before she outlined it to her mother.

After Sachiko was done explaining, Sayako said, "That just might work, Sachiko. However might I suggest that you let your father in on it. He cares deeply for both of you girls, so I am sure he will back you up. Shall I have him call you?"

"That would be a big help, thank you." Sachiko said.

"You take care of Yumi-chan too. You will need to be really gentle and patient with her. Also, if she ever needs someone to talk to about things. Remember, I've been there." Sayako offered.

"I'll remember. Good-bye mother." Sachiko said closing the conversation.

Sachiko sat thinking, while she finished her tea. 'With father's backing, we are in much better shape. I might be able to pull this off after all,' she thought smiling to herself.

Sachiko's thoughts were interrupted as Aya-chan came out of the bedroom, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "Good morning, Sachiko-sama. I must have overslept. I'm sorry," the maid said worriedly.

The long-haired girl grinned at the other and said, "It's fine Aya-chan. Consider this a well earned vacation. Pour yourself some tea and relax."

Aya-chan nodded and walked into the kitchen. She had never before been treated so informally by her mistress. It made her feel warm inside even thought it was a bit discomfiting. As she poured the tea and let it steep, she poke through the cabinets and made a mental list of groceries that needed to be purchased. When the tea was ready, she brought it over to the table, sat across from Sachiko, and spoke. "We are going to be needing some groceries, since there is practically nothing to eat."

"Do you think you could take care of that for me, please. Feel free to borrow some clothes and take the money you need out of my purse." Sachiko responded, "There is a market just down the street."

"You can count on me, Sachiko-sama," Aya-chan consented and finished her tea. "If you will excuse me then, I'll be going," the maid said, getting up from the table before getting ready to go to the store.

"Thank you Aya-chan." Sachiko said smiling at the girl. Sachiko lost herself in her thoughts for the future. 'If we can get away from this marriage situation, what then? Will Yumi stay here with me, even though I caused her so much pain? I'd like her to. It felt so natural waking up next to her, and seeing her face. I'm going to have to find a job also. How do I even go about doing that? I am so unprepared for this." she thought, realizing how sheltered her life had been up until yesterday, and how unsure she felt about going forward.

The raven-haired girl got up, walked into the bedroom, and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked down on the slight, brown-haired girl sleeping peacefully. Sachiko brushed the hair out of Yumi's face, marveling at how beautiful, her love was. "As long as I have you by my side, everything will work out," She said to the sleeping girl, regaining her confidence.

Sachiko's words must have reached the slumbering girl, because Yumi's eyes fluttered open and tried to focus on the figure in front of her. Once she saw Sachiko sitting by her, she smiled and said, "Good morning love."

"Good morning, my Yumi. How are you feeling?" the older girl asked.

"My face and wrist hurt, and I'm sore all over. I'll be fine though, now that I'm with you." the younger girl stated.

Unable to handle the piercing, honest love of the the younger girl, due to her feelings of guilt, Sachiko got up and said quickly, "Let me get you some tea. Come out when you are ready." With that, the older girl left the room.

Yumi's eyes followed Sachiko out of the room, as her smile turned into a frown, thinking, I must really disgust her.' the brown-haired girl sat up in bed, wincing when she tried to push herself up with her sprained wrist. The pain brought back memories of the previous night, causing her to suddenly panic, and cry out.

Sachiko, hearing her love's cry, left what she was doing and rushed to the bedroom. "What's wrong, Yumi." she asked breathlessly.

"The pain just brought back memories of last night," Yumi answered, supporting her wrist.

Overwhelming guilt caused Sachiko to look down at the floor. "It'll be OK," the older girl said.

"I'm sorry I disgust you, Sachiko," Yumi said sadly.

Sachiko looked at the younger girl with loving eyes and said, "There is nothing about you that I would ever find disgusting, love."

"Then why are you avoiding looking at me?" Yumi asked sounding frustrated.

"Embarrassment, guilt, failure. Choose any or all," Sachiko replied, looking down at her feet. "Embarrassment for not being strong enough to fight for you earlier. Guilt over allowing you to put yourself into a position where you got hurt,. And failure in protecting you and keeping you safe. Maybe I'm not a good enough girlfriend." Tears started falling from the older girl's eyes.

Yumi approached the older girl and cupped her cheek, raising Sachiko's head so the two girls' eyes met. "Blaming yourself will only pull us apart. Would-haves and could-haves don't matter now. What matters is what will you do now?" Yumi explained, "You promised me last night you would never leave me. I am going to hold you to that promise. I need your love more than ever now. I need your acceptance." The younger girl started crying herself. "I feel so low, worthless and not deserving of anyone's love. Please show me I'm worth something, Sachiko."

With those words, the older girl took Yumi in her arms and held the slight girl tightly, saying, "Oh, Yumi, I love you now and forever, unconditionally. You are definitely worth something. Without you I don't feel complete. You make me more than I am." Sachiko brought her lips to Yumi's and kissed the brown-haired girl, focusing all her love for the younger girl into the kiss. Yumi pulled back for a second, before overriding her fear and responded, returning all the love she was being given ounce for ounce. After what seemed like an eternity the two girls broke apart, breathless, then gazed lovingly at each other.

Aya-chan's voice broke the spell the two girls were under. "I'm back," the maid said as she walked through the door and headed into the kitchen to put the groceries away. She greeted Yumi, as the brown-haired girl exited the bedroom, hand in hand with Sachiko. "Good morning, Yumi-sama. How are you feeling?"

Before Yumi could answer, her stomach growled noisily, causing the slight girl to turn away in embarrassment. Aya-chan and Sachiko both giggled, then the former said "I guess you're hungry. I'll go whip up some omelets." Aya-chan went back into the kitchen, while the remaining two sat down and drank some tea.

While the three girls were eating, Sachiko's cell rang and the long-haired girl excused herself and answered. "Hello, Father," she said into the phone as she got up and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. About ten minutes later, Sachiko came out of the bedroom and sat back down. She asked, "Yumi, my father and I have to go see onee-sama this afternoon. Will you be all right staying with Aya-chan while I'm gone?"

"We'll be fine. Right, Yumi-sama?" Aya-chan said cheerily while Sachiko turned her attention back to her meal.

Yumi nodded in response to Aya-chan, then added, "Aya-chan can accompany me to Lillian. I have to go the the school and accept Khaori-sensei's job offer, New term starts in about two weeks." Yumi then smiled and added teasingly, "Besides, somebody has to get a job to support us, Sachiko."

Sachiko smiled in response to the jibe, happy that Yumi was feeling good enough to crack a joke. The older girl bowed her head to the younger and said deadpan, "Please take good care of me,"

The three girls laughed as they sat around the table.