It had been quite a non-eventful and quiet month for Naomi. She'd sat in her office and hadn't had to deal with any office politics at all. And, for that matter, she hadn't had to deal with too many kids, either – not that she minded the kids.

But, as she sat, quietly humming to herself as she read the paper – a ritual she attempted everyday, but was always sidetracked from – a thought occurred to her. She hadn't seen Kagami in a while, either. That was doubly strange she figured, looking up from the paper, considering Kagami always wanted to come thank her for her advice when and if it worked. And her previous problem seemed to be an ongoing thing, so it was surprising she hadn't dropped in.

Naomi shrugged. If she wasn't around it meant she must've been doing good… Or really bad, and not talking.

Naomi pondered that, looking away for a second time from the newspaper. She hoped the first was true, and it probably was. Kagami usually dropped in when something was bothering her – which was often.

She shrugged again, going back to the paper. But what Kagami also had a habit of doing was ignoring her problems until they became too much to bare. So maybe that was true this time? She set the paper aside to think this over.

There was a knock on the door then. "Come in," Naomi said cheerily. To her surprise, who entered was not someone she had seen very often, if at all, in her office. The tall girl of almost perfect features, a pretty face framed with long, light colored hair. She wore glasses that added to an air of intelligence about her. "Takara-san, very nice to see you."

"Thank you Naomi-sensei," she said politely. Naomi gestured to the chair before her desk and Miyuki sat.

"So what's up?" she asked, informally.

"Well," Miyuki began, "it's kind of a difficult situation. Do you have time?" Naomi laughed.

"That's about all I've got," she joked. Miyuki smiled politely.

"Okay," Miyuki went on, taking a breath, "so my friends Izumi-san and Hiiragi-san have had a falling out of sorts, and I don't think I can fix it on my own…"

-------

The hours passed slower than days, making empty spans of time drag ad infinitum. Konata lay silently on her bed, listening to her clock count off seconds, listening to life outside, the wind, the birds…

But everything for her was silent. That was what she wanted. She wanted – deserved – to be alone, as her punishment. It was the only way to go.

It wasn't like she could just walk up to Kagami one day and say 'Hey I'm sorry about all that lesbian stuff, let's just move on…?' Kagami avoided her, and when they were near each other, Kagami didn't even look her way. But to be expected. It was Konata's fault, after all.

Konata sighed. She was so tired of being alone… She wasn't meant to be, she was a social creature, she wanted to talk about the anime she just watched, and tell people about a new game, and share ideas and thoughts with her friends. But still, Kagami was still friends with Miyuki and Tsukasa, and Konata wasn't going to mess things up for them too.

In her head, momentarily, she mulled over any solution she could think of. What if she got a boyfriend? Konata cringed at that idea. She'd never met a boy she liked. She'd be lying to herself. But if that helped with Kagami…?

No, Kagami would know, too. What if Konata told her that Kagami was right, that Konata had just gotten confused, and made it up? That… that could work.

Konata smiled as she pictured herself walking up to Kagami one day and, with sincerity, revealing that she wasn't a lesbian. It would be a lie, but Kagami would begrudgingly accept her apology, and then give her a good wallop on the head for the trouble. Then she'd pretend to be angry though she was really happy, in her usual tsundere way.

Wouldn't that just be something? They could be friends like normal again. Konata could forget all this and just be with her Kagamin again… Maybe that would be good enough.

But as Konata lay there, eyes closed, Kagami's face came to mind, her perfectly soft skin, her bright eyes, her cute smile… Konata didn't know if she could lie to her, and just be her friend when her heart ached for her every day.

Konata sighed. What was she going to do?

It was down the hall right then that there was a knock to the door. Izumi-san, Konata's father, stood from where he sat in the kitchen and stumbled to the hall. Who could possibly be around to visit them? Konata's friends hadn't been around in a month or so, and it wasn't like he got any visitors.

But, when he opened the door, he was most pleased to see a smiling Miyuki, Tsukasa – a concerned look on her face – at the taller girl's side. "Is Konata-san home?" Miyuki asked. A big grin broke on Konata's dad's face.

"Yes," he said, moving aside, "come in! I'm glad to see my daughter isn't becoming a hermit like her old man. I thought she'd finally lost it!" he joked. He had, as her father, obviously noticed her serious change in demeanor since a month or so ago. She'd grown quiet, staid in her room, smiling less and less. She rarely even made a joke.

"Dearest daughter, guests for you!" he called, knocking lightly on her door.

"Kona-chan? Me and Yuki-chan came to see you," Tsukasa piped up. All three put an ear to her door to listen, and then all let out a surprised cry as the door swung open inwards, the three falling to the floor of Konata's room.

"What's this?" Konata said jokingly, looking down at the three, piled on her floor. "I told you dad, no touching," she said. Her father stood, helping the other two up.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," he joked back, laughing awkwardly, "anyways, friends to see you!" With that he left. Konata smiled at the two, but they could tell she wasn't alright. Her usually perfect hair was frazzled and her eyes were red, as though she'd been crying – or overloading on anime and computer games. She just generally looked down.

"I wasn't expecting anyone," she said.

"I'm sorry we didn't call, but we were in the neighborhood, and…" Miyuki began, setting down her book back to the side.

"And we were really worried about you!" Tsukasa blurted, unable to hide her concern. Miyuki sighed, their cover blown, and Konata frowned, sitting back on her bed.

"There's nothing to be worried about guys," Konata lied, throwing a smile for effect, "I've just been down, I told you! No explaining high school blues, right?"

"That makes sense," Miyuki shrugged. "But I can think of a good remedy," she began suggestively. "How about a girl's day out? All four of us?"

Konata looked taken aback at the suggestion of being around Kagami, and they both noticed. "Or if you're not ready, then just the three of us," she suggested, more sincerely.

Konata smiled but shook her head. "Sorry, but I'd rather stay in. I've got rain clouds over my head, they follow me everywhere," she joked.

"Whenever I feel blue, Yuki-chan and I go out, and she always cheers me up," Tsukasa said. "Really, it works. Just forget about whatever's troubling you, have some fun!" Konata put up her hands in argument.

"I couldn't," she said. "Really, it'd just be…"

"Awkward?" Miyuki asked. "Why?"

"Hey, you might have some psychic powers or something, Miyuki-san," she joked, trying to change the subject. Miyuki drew closer and laid a hand on Konata's knee.

"I know Kagami-san is mad at you. But that doesn't mean we are," Miyuki said, "and we do want you back."

"Kagamin would be mad," Konata tried to explain, voice falling quiet, "she doesn't want me around you guys. I don't blame her."

"Why?" Miyuki insisted. "Please, nothing can get better till you tell, so we can all work this out," she added, "together." Konata just shook her head, adamant, dismayed.

"I can't, last time I said anything I messed things up and caused all this," Konata explained. Standing and distancing herself. She started pacing to hide that she was crying again. "I'm not going to tell anyone…"

"Kona-chan," Tsukasa began, "you can trust us! We don't want to see you hurting so bad! It hurts me to see you sad…"

"Yes," Miyuki agreed, "and we're not going to judge you. We're your friends," she said. Konata shook her head again. That was almost exactly what Kagami had said.

"No, no way, no! Just let it go, okay?" she pleaded. Miyuki saw that Konata was far too frightened of revealing whatever this was that was bothering her. She put on an understanding smile and drew near again, making Konata look up at her. "Miyuki-san…" she whimpered. Miyuki wiped the tears from her eyes gently and pat her head lovingly.

"It's alright if you don't want to tell us. Are you afraid we might get mad too?" Konata nodded. "Then what if I found you someone to talk to? Someone who wanted to help? Would you want to?"

Konata thought about it for a moment, and then sniffled. "Yeah," she said finally. Miyuki smiled a bright smile, and hugged her close.

"Good," she whispered to her. Tsukasa let out an emotive little sound and hugged them both.

"Mission accomplished!" she cheered happily, their overall plan one step furthered.

-------

Konata stared the door down like an old enemy, standing stark still as the crowds in the hall dissipated. The councilor's office.

She gave the door a lamenting, angry look. She'd been in there once and didn't enjoy it in the slightest, having someone she didn't even know trying to pry at her secrets. And that was exactly what she'd signed up for.

"My stats aren't high enough for this boss yet," Konata said to herself, "and my equipment is all wrong. I should just head back to town, and…"

"Excuse me?" Miyuki asked, confused. Konata glanced over her shoulder at the girl. She'd chosen to accompany her – though, at mentioning it was the councilor's office they were headed to, Konata insisted she come.

"I could barely pull myself out of bed this morning I felt so bad," Konata whined. "I can't handle this. Can't I just be a recluse?" Miyuki turned her back towards the door.

"Well, you could be, but we'd miss you very much. And besides, excuses won't help, and I promise when you do this you'll feel better." Konata sighed, knowing no way out of this. "Do you want me to come with you? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Konata had to weigh the risks. The whole reason she wanted to talk to someone was so she didn't have to come out to her friends directly. But still, she trusted no councilors or psychologists or psychiatrists or anything of the like. She swallowed hard.

"Would you?" Miyuki nodded and took her hand, opening the door.

Naomi looked up and set aside the newspaper, disinterested and distracted once more from her quest for intellectualism. "Takara-san, Izumi-san, very nice to see you both, please," she began, gesturing at the single chair, "oh."

"It's alright, I'll stand," Miyuki said, standing behind the chair. Konata sat and crossed her arms in a distrustful manner.

"Izumi-san, it's been a long time since I've seen you in here," Naomi sensei said, leaning forward with that welcoming smile she conjured up so well like a high level charm spell. Konata didn't buy it. "How have you been?"

"I've been better," she said quickly.

"So I've heard. Takara-san told me you've been having some trouble with your friend Hiiragi-san? Why don't you tell me about it?"

"Hmph, such a blunt approach will never work," Konata said simply. Miyuki gripped her shoulder gently, trying to reminder her that Naomi wasn't her enemy.

"Well, I'm not going to try to sap info out of you. Really, it's not my business outside of this office. But if you want advice, or if you want to say something, go ahead," Naomi explained. Konata was taken aback by her honesty and supposed detachment.

"Alright," she conceded, "I'll play your game. Me and Kagamin," Konata began, before realizing she wasn't really explaining well. "I really messed things up with her. I just want her to forgive me, but I don't know if I can even forgive me."

"Well, if you can't come to terms with what happened, then how can you expect her to, either?" Naomi asked. "So, what was it that caused this all?" Konata glanced over her shoulder at Miyuki, who smiled understandingly and gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze. Konata closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If she didn't say it right then, she knew she'd never be able too.

"I," she began, "I told her I liked her." The two others were silent.

"In what context?" Naomi asked. Konata huffed in aggravation.

"I told her I'm a lesbian," she blurted quickly, almost under her breath. "And," she said more clearly, "I told her I liked her." Konata kept her eyes closed, waiting for the reaction she expected from Miyuki. But though Miyuki was surprised, she didn't say anything.

"And she didn't take it well," Naomi said with a nod. "Not surprising."

"Is it wrong? Because I feel like a freak," Konata asked, distressed. "Why did she freak out? And," she said, turning to Miyuki with teary eyes, "I'm so sorry, please don't be mad, I just can't help it, even if I know it's wrong."

"Konata-san," Miyuki said, in her ever-so-comforting, adult like manner, "I'll admit I'm a little surprised at you, but not at all mad." Konata gave her a confused look.

"Which is good, because there's really nothing to be mad about," Naomi explained. "If that's how you feel, then there's no reason to be ashamed about it. I know it can be really confusing having feelings for other girls floating around in your head, but just keep in my mind there's nothing at all wrong with it."

"There has to be something about it, or else Kagamin wouldn't have freaked out like that," Konata argued. "She said she wanted to help, and she said she wasn't judging, so there must be something really, really wrong with me, right?"

"I can't account for why Hiiragi-san feels how she does," Naomi began in response, "but what she feels shouldn't dictate how you feel. If you feel natural with other girls, feel like you want to have more of a relationship with them, then that's your thing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Konata seemed to lighten up a little, but still she frowned. "Kagamin isn't just anyone," she argued.

"We'll work on that," Miyuki said from behind her. "We'll try and change her mind, okay?"

"How?"

"First step," Miyuki said, standing her up, "is for you to hang out with us. With Kagami-san around. It'll be hard, but seeing you again could be good for her."

"I dunno if I can do that," Konata said. "You weren't there, you don't know how angry she is with me." Miyuki just gave her a reassuring smile.

"I told you," she said, "we'll work on it."

"And Izumi-san," Naomi sensei said, "I'm glad you decided to come out. It's very brave of you. And I know we don't know each other very well, but I hope you know you can trust me with anything?" Konata looked beyond the omnipresent smile, and finally gave up. Yes, maybe this councilor wasn't completely soulless. She nodded.

"Thank you." Naomi smiled and nodded.

It was only slightly later, out in the halls, that the two walked side by side, in silence. Konata felt like the biggest weight had been lifted off of her, the greatest stress of her life finally getting some relief. Someone besides Kagami finally knew what she was really like, and they accepted her. Or at least, she figured they did.

"Miyuki-san," Konata spoke up from her friend's side, "are you mad? Because you haven't said much. I understand if you are."

"Of course I'm not mad," she said, "I'm happy." To prove it, she locked her arm with Konata's. "I'm just glad you trusted me enough to tell me." Konata blushed, shy all of a sudden.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "Do you think Kagamin will ever forgive me?"

"She'll come around," Miyuki said optimistically. Again there was silence, Konata's heart fluttering with the sheer happiness and relief. She felt like maybe, just maybe, she wasn't such a freak, and maybe things could work out.

"And thanks," she said after a while, "for being there."

Miyuki just nodded with a smile, as off to class they went.