When Asuna arrived at her dorm after leaving the study session, she put her bags down and sat on the bottom bunk, which was the bed Konoka slept on. No one was home. Asuna knew that Negi was probably at a faculty meeting he needed to attend after school, and she supposed that Konoka was either back at the Headmaster's Suite for the night or was out with Setsuna-san. She felt kind of lonely when she was in the dorm all by herself. So lonely, that she even kind of wished that she had asked Ayaka to come back to her dorm with her and study some more.
Having nothing to do, Asuna climbed up the ladder that connected the beds and pushed the covers over to the side, lying down. She then pulled the covers up over her face and tried to fall asleep. She didn't bother with setting an alarm clock because she didn't have any homework to do. She fell asleep easily since the room had a gentle, cool breeze flowing through it from the window being open all day.
… … …
"Asuna-chan! Wait up for me!" Ayaka's soft, young voice called out.
Asuna was way ahead of Ayaka. She ran much quicker than her, even though Ayaka was slightly taller and had longer legs. "Haha! I'm too fast for you, Ayaka-chan!" Asuna yelled, looking back at Ayaka.
When Ayaka caught up to Asuna at the playground, she was breathing heavily. Asuna, however, was just fine and grabbed onto the monkey bars excitedly, quickly going down them as if she were a monkey herself. Ayaka smiled at Asuna's exuberance, and walked over by the monkey bars.
"Asuna-chan… How are you so fast?" Ayaka asked.
Asuna smiled at Ayaka. "Well, you're an inside girl. I'm an outside girl. It's as simple as that!"
Ayaka smirked at Asuna. "Oh yeah? You think I'm just some girl that drinks tea and eats croissants? I'll prove you wrong." Ayaka jumped up on the monkey bars and went down them about just as fast as Asuna did, flinging herself off of them when she got to the end, and landing right in front of Asuna.
Asuna blinked at Ayaka. "I guess you're right." She smiled.
Ayaka brushed her shoulder off and then curtsied. "And all while in a dress, too!"
Asuna and Ayaka laughed together. They sat down on a nearby bench.
"Asuna-chan… It's rare that we're so happy together like this, you know?"
Asuna smiled while looking at the sky. "Yeah, I know. It must've been all those popsicles we ate after lunch." Asuna said.
Ayaka smiled at Asuna and Asuna smiled back. Their hair was blowing in the direction of the wind and their beautiful eyes sparkled under the incandescent, afternoon sunlight.
"Asuna-chan…" Ayaka softly said.
Asuna tilted her head. "Hm?"
Ayaka smiled again. "Even though we fight sometimes… I'm glad that we're friends."
Asuna smiled brightly in response. "Me too." Asuna put her head on Ayaka's shoulder, and Ayaka rested her head on Asuna's.
… … …
"Asuna! ASUNA!" Negi shook Asuna's shoulder lightly.
Asuna's big blue eyes slowly opened. "Mm… Wha…What is it?" She groaned.
Negi blinked. "Well, I got home and you were saying things in your sleep, so I thought I'd wake you up."
Asuna frowned at Negi. "Ugh… can't you see I was in a deep sleep? Couldn't you have just left me alone?"
Negi smiled at Asuna. "Well, I'm going to be studying soon and I don't think I will be able to concentrate with you mumbling." He said.
"Ugh… Fine, I'm awake already. Just get away from me, rotten kid." Asuna pushed Negi off the ladder and he fell on the floor with a thud.
"Ow, Asuna. That hurt!" Negi cried, rubbing his shoulder.
Asuna looked over the side of the bed. "Yeah, I bet it did. You think I care? No."
Chamo whispered into Negi's ear. "She's such a nasty one."
Negi whispered back to Chamo. "Oh yeah."
Asuna looked over the side of the bed again and glared viciously at both of them. "Look, you already woke me up. How about you let me rest in peace and just go study already? Damn dorks."
Negi got up from where he was standing and looked at Asuna with a frustrated expression. He then looked away and sat down at the desk. Chamo went to go lay down in the corner where he usually rested.
Asuna then turned back around, facing the wall. "Ayaka…" She whispered to herself.
She thought about the dream she had just had. The dream wasn't weird or new to her---it actually happened in real life before, when Ayaka and Asuna were about nine years old. Asuna rubbed the side of her warm cheek as she thought about it. Why did I dream about that? She asked herself. She never had a dream about Ayaka, until now.
Asuna then thought about the old days, when Ayaka and Asuna were closer to each other. She never really knew what drove them apart so much, but she figured most of it was just a part of growing up into two stressed out teenaged girls, like they had. Asuna wished that they were more how they were back then. Back when they still argued a lot, but not nearly as often or as violently as they did now in junior high. Asuna wanted them to be friends again. She wanted them to be decent around each other, and not always heated and irritable. She didn't exactly know what caused this change of mind though. Perhaps it was because she was maturing, or perhaps it was because she really didn't need anymore stress in her life than there already was. Whatever the reason, Asuna knew that her and Ayaka were friends deep down inside, but they just never wanted to admit it.
After she had come to that conclusion, Asuna reached over and set her alarm clock for the next morning. She then turned over and snuggled up in her blankets, closing her eyes and falling asleep for the night. For the first time in a while, she couldn't wait for the next day. Why? Because that's when she could see Ayaka again.