'First Steps'
"It's skin cream," she said, applying it in measured circles to her face. "I was told it was a new line of cosmetic, but the idea of adding crushed pearls is hardly new. The Chinese came up with it originally."
Utena watched her in the mirror that covered half the wall. It had been meant for self-viewing during practice, but at the moment it was doubling as an enormous compact mirror for Juri. The range of cosmetics confused and intimidated her a little, as did the way they could transform Juri's face from beautiful to stunning. The glossy magazine picture she'd seen made her look colder and more distant, and yet very mature. Sometimes she felt like she was swimming in a sea of sophisticates.
The foil resting on her knees as she pressed herself into the folding chair felt very heavy. She wondered if this had been a good idea or not. "Um…I'm glad you agreed to this, sempai. It's been a little obvious now that I needed more practice, especially after Touga…well."
Juri gave her a brief, perfunctory glance before turning back to the mirror without a response, and the words died in her throat. Silence stretched until her stomach clenched and she stood up, clumsy and awkward and unsure of what to say. "Thanks again, anyway. Bye."
She was halfway to the door before the answering "You're welcome" hit her like a tidal wave of maybe.