A/N: Re-watched Toji No Miko yesterday. The feels in Episode 21 always makes me cry at the end.

I honestly did not know how I was going to set up this chapter. I admit that I'm not a professional at writing romance, but I wanted to give it a try in this fanfic. Criticism and reviews will be greatly appreciated!

Chapter 5:

Hiyori could feel the warmth coming from Kanami's hand in her own, as their fingers remained locked together. She closed her eyes, wishing in her heart for this moment to last forever, even though she knew it couldn't. In the stillness of it all, Hiyori could smell Kanami's sweet scent of strawberries. The same heat from her hand soon flooded her cheeks, when Kanami turned to look her in the eye with a sultry look on her face.

"Hiyori-chan..."

Kanami reached to take a lock of Hiyori's black and blue hair in her fingers, tucking it behind her ear before tracing the contours of Hiyori's face. Hiyori flinched at the contact and squeezed her eyes shut, shuddering slightly when she felt Kanami's feather-like touch on her skin. She opened her eyes again when Kanami pressed their foreheads together, before kissing her softly.

In just that moment, Hiyori forgot all her troubles as she lost herself in the soft tenderness of Kanami's lips. She quickly submitted herself to Kanami's domination, once the Minoseki Toji forced her tongue into her mouth.

Hiyori felt as though finally fate allowed her a happy ending.

Kanami pulled away first, letting out a mischievous chuckle. Wait-that didn't sound like her at all. It was-

Hiyori opened her eyes and screamed.

Tagitsuhime sneered, before pinning Hiyori to the floor.

"And here you were actually kissing me back," she growled. "I honestly don't know what you see in your little lovebird that makes her any different from me."

Hiyori tried to use her powers to push Tagitsuhime off, but for some reason they didn't seem to work. Which Tagitsuhime seemed to know, due to the triumphant smile on her face.

"But both of us know that Etou Kanami would never love you anyway. Why?" Tagitsuhime chuckled. "Because you're a monster like me."

Tears spilled from Hiyori's eyes, as she tried to remain strong by staring the aradama princess down. If Tagitsuhime wanted to kill her now, she would die in her own undefeated way. However, she found out that Tagitsuhime had different plans, once she found her cold lips pressing against her own. Hiyori whimpered and tried to break away, but found to her humiliation, that she could only moan in pleasure.

"You're stuck with me forever, darling," Tagitsuhime chortled. "You can't run from me."

Hiyori's breaths came in quick, short gasps when Tagitsuhime started inching her hand further up between her inner thighs. Overwhelmed with desire, Hiyori closed her eyes giving into her lust. However, the spell that seemed to be upon her broke once the aradama princess started pulling down her leggings.

"No!" Hiyori yelled. "Please…no, stop…"

"NO!"

Hiyori shot up from her bed, her eyes wild with fear. She clutched the bedsheets, which were damp with sweat, to her chest as she searched for any sign of the aradama princess. Just a dream...

Kagari, who had woken up from her mother's screams, started to howl vehemently, kicking her legs. Great...

Wincing from the sudden migraine she felt, Hiyori reached for the glass of water on her bedside table and swallowed an aspirin.

"I'll need to ask Origami Akane for some sleeping pills," Hiyori thought, as she picked up Kagari, patting her back.

Kanami raced through the sealed hallway, trying her best to balance all of the things she was carrying. In one hand, she carried a plastic bag full of ice cream that was unfortunately not mint-chocolate, due to it being all sold-out. Kanami desperately tried to come up with an adequate explanation in her mind to give to Hiyori, as to why she had tubs of cream soda and cheesecake flavored ice cream instead.

In her other hand, she had a big pile of assignments that President Gojou asked her to give to Hiyori. Kanami had a hard time trying not to lose any loose-leaf papers along the way.

She breathed a sigh of relief once she reached the last set of doors. A broad grin was on her face as she prepared to greet her friend.

"I'm back, Hiyori-ch—uh..."

Kanami cringed slightly at the sight of the Heijou Toji. Kagari, who was laughing in Hiyori's arms, excitedly reached out to Kanami. Her mother on the other hand didn't look quite as energetic. Hiyori's usually-perfect hair was all frazzled and the dark circles around her bloodshot eyes were more prominent. Her daughter had cried non-stop all night, thrashed about when she tried to rock her to sleep, and screamed in protest when Hiyori vainly attempted to soothe her.

A green-haired woman who Kanami didn't recognize was standing beside Hiyori, trying her best to help her. The woman's eyes met Kanami's and a glint of fear was seen in them.

"Uh...good morning, Hiyori-chan and um..." Kanami paused not knowing exactly what to say. The green-haired woman stepped forward confidently with a bright smile.

"Nice to meet you. I am the new Origami family ambassador, Hiiragi Konoka," she said.

"Hiiragi Konoka?" Kanami murmured. "I mean-nice to meet you too! My name is Etou! Etou Kanami!"

"Yes, I've heard many stories of you. One of the great six heroines who defeated Tagitsuhime."

Konoka's smile became very flattering as she stared at the Toji, never taking her eyes off of her. Kanami's head bobbed up and down so hard that Hiyori was almost afraid it would fall off.

"Yep, that's me!" Kanami chirped. "You're so pretty! Can I call you Ko-nee-chan?"

Konoka let out a light laugh and patted Kanami's head affectionately, giving her consent. It was then that Kanami remembered her purpose for coming.

"I came to visit Hiyori-chan for a bit. I brought her some ice cream and her assignments too," Kanami explained, lifting up the plastic bag and papers in her hands.

"That's sweet of you," Konoka said. "But I don't think-"

"It's fine, Aunt Konoka," Hiyori interrupted. "You can go back to the Origami house if you need to. You have other duties too, I'm sure."

Konoka's stormy-grey eyes hardened a little, but she smiled at Kanami when she passed by her, exiting the room. Kanami awkwardly stared at her bedraggled friend for a few moments.

"Um...are you okay, Hiyori-chan?" Kanami asked, even though she knew it was a stupid question.

Hiyori opened her mouth to reply, before Kagari started to scream while trying to squirm out of her mother's grasp. Her fat legs kicked violently as her arms flailed in Kanami's direction. Hiyori just about had it.

"I think she wants you," Hiyori grumbled, her eyelids half-closed from exhaustion.

"Ah ha ha, right..." Kanami sweatdropped, as she set down her stuff before taking the emotional baby.

Almost immediately, Kagari's cries ceased and she cuddled up closely to the Minoseki Toji. Hiyori stared at her baby, comfortable in her friend's arms, and felt a rush of alleviation wash over her.

"I guess Kagari-chan has been a handful?" Kanami said.

"You tell me," Hiyori answered, falling into a chair.

"At least, she's not that bad right now," Kanami nervously laughed.

She took back her words right after Kagari yanked her hair.

Hiyori staggered back, clutching her abdomen as Kogarasumaru idly slipped from her right hand. She shot an indignant look at Kanami.

"Why is it that whenever we spar you always have to aim for my stomach?" she sighed, blowing a strand of hair from her face.

Kanami rubbed the back of her head with a light blush on her face, apologizing, "Eh he he. Sorry about that, Hiyori-chan."

She put Chidori back in her sheath, before helping Hiyori to a chair. She stopped once she saw the pile of books that was on the table beside it. One of the covers caught her attention. Hiyori followed her gaze and immediately her cheeks burned.

"Wait!" she stammered. "Uh..."

Kanami's mouth curved into a coy grin, when she picked up the book. She read the title, her eyes widening. If memory served her well, from what she heard, this novel was full of "descriptive stuff". She honestly didn't expect her serious and stoic friend to be into this sort of reading material.

"Oh? Hiyori-chan, you like reading yuri novels?" Kanami teased, shooting her a sensual look.

"D-Don't get weird ideas!" Hiyori spluttered. "Origami Akane bought it for me!"

"She did?"

Kanami raised an eyebrow unconvinced that Akane willingly paid for this, but then again, the younger Origami sister most likely thought it was just a book about friendship. Still, if there was one thing Kanami loved to do other than sparring, it was teasing her friend. Kanami leaned close to Hiyori with seductive eyes. Sweat started to roll down Hiyori's neck as she tried to process what Kanami was doing.

"So...did you like it?" Kanami asked.

Kanami secretly hoped she did. The Minoseki Toji had a whole secret collection of yuri manga underneath her bed at home.

"W-Well, uh...um," Hiyori stammered. "W-Why are you asking me this?!"

"Just curious," Kanami replied, leaning even closer.

Hiyori literally felt as though her heart would burst out of her chest. She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but Kanami's voice sounded almost erotic in that moment. Kanami took a few strands of Hiyori's hair and played with them, weaving the colors of black and blue together. A seductive look was plastered on her face.

"Y-Yes, I...liked it," Hiyori swallowed.

"Which parts?" Kanami purred.

She put each of her hands on one of the chair's armrests, slightly cornering Hiyori in place. Blood pulsed through both of their heads as they were slowly drawn together. Kanami could feel her resolve crumbling when she looked deep into Hiyori's hesitant burgundy and blue eyes.

"She smells like peppermint," Kanami thought. "Should have expected that."

Suddenly, she leaned in closing her eyes slightly. Hiyori found herself automatically doing the same, mesmerized by Kanami's boldness. Their lips were literally just millimeters apart by now. Hiyori stared at the look in her friend's half-closed eyes. A lustful and seductive look, just like-

Hiyori's eyes shot wide open and in that moment, she didn't see Kanami's light-brown eyes, but instead a taunting orange pair.

"No!" she yelled, shoving Kanami away.

Kanami fell on her rear, surprised and at the same time, hurt. Was she wrong in thinking that Hiyori felt the same way? Her face fell, despondent and full of failure. Of course, Kanami didn't even know that Hiyori even liked girls. Shame caused Kanami's cheeks to flush with red. Her friend must have thought her as weird and gross.

Hiyori was breathing hard as she grabbed onto the first thing she could hold onto, which was the chair armrest. Her hair started to flow more violently as emotions bubbled in her. Lust, fear, and guilt.

"I-I'm sorry," Kanami choked out, before running out of the room.

"Kanami, wait!"

But the metal doors had already slammed shut by then. Hiyori put her head in her hands and let out a frustrated yell. She just had to see that hallucination and ruin it all. She paused, the past events replaying in her mind. If she didn't push back Kanami, would they really have kissed? If so, what possibilities would have occurred? What unknown world would she have entered? Did Kanami really share the same feelings as her or was it all just lustful desire?

Hiyori groaned internally. It hurt.

Taking one of the several pillows she had, Hiyori used her powers to hold it in the air. One of the many tricks her aunt taught her was how to manipulate static electricity to make things float. Hiyori never found a use for the skill, but it would serve her just fine in this situation right now. Imagining that the pillow was the monster she hated so much, Hiyori sliced it open with Kogarasumaru taking out her frustration on it.

She spent the rest of the day, cursing Tagitsuhime for ruining everything. Ruining her life. Ruining her relationships with people. Ruining her chance of ever being with Kanami.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that chapter! What will now become of Kanami and Hiyori's friendship? And what about Tagitsuhime? Why is she keeping a low profile, when she seemed so desperate to find Kagari? Feel free to tell me your thoughts. ;)

I got the inspiration of Hiyori liking yuri novels from playing the Toji No Miko game. There's a part in there where Hiyori reads a book about two girls, and after seeing that, I thought I would incorporate it into this chapter. Lol.