Act 5

I'll Protect You

"Ah! What about this one~?" Honoka cries out excitedly as she picks out another dress. "This one will look gorgeous on you~!"

"R-really?" Umi asks. She didn't like the idea of going shopping with her girlfriend, but the thought of buying new clothes isn't such a bad thing. Besides, she could try on new clothes once in a while and maybe the same will be for Honoka as well. "I-I don't know…."

"Hey, hey, Umi-chan~!" Honoka says as she picks out a beautiful light blue sun dress. "Let's try this on you~!"

"Eh? B-but I haven't even—"

"Too late! To the fitting rooms…AWAAAAAYYY~!" In an instant, Honoka grabs Umi's wrist and pumps out a fist as she runs towards one of the fitting rooms as if she's a superhero.

Both of them enter a large stall that fits both people and Umi looks back at her girlfriend, blushing heavily.

"H-Honoka…y-you know, I can change myself…"

"I'm only helping you strip that's all~" Honoka says. "Besides…" She leans closer to smell her hair and then kiss her neck, making her quiver a little. "I can't help but smell you. You have such a nice scent, Umi-chan…"

"Eek!" Umi squeaks. "H-Honoka…s-someone will hear us if you don't st-stop…"

"Ehehe~! You're just too cute to resist, Umi-chan~!" The ginger kisses her on the cheek and backs away. "Now then, you must try on the dress. I'm buying that, you know~?"

"W-wait, it's already been decided!?"

"Mm-hmm~!"

"Honoka, please!"

"Enough stalling~. Try on the dress and then we'll be on our way~!"

Umi sighs heavily as Honoka leaves the room. Umi looks in the mirror, still wearing her blue polka dotted underwear while covering her chest with her hands. She slowly removes them and relaxes a little. She does have a nice body and such. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to just try it on and see for herself. She proceeds to put on the lovely sun dress, plus the sparkling blue high heels. When she finishes, she looks at herself and twirls around 360 degrees a couple times. To her, it looks ten times gorgeous on her along with the high heels she's wearing. She blushes as she comes out of the fitting room and walks outside of the store to wait for Honoka. She might want to wait out here for a while in order not to get embarrassed by the ginger's cheerful mood.

But her cheerful mood can sometimes make her smile as well. And Umi loves her for that as well. They've been together for quite some time now and the archer has no regrets in the slightest. Everyone in Muse supports her and Honoka's relationship and she's happy for that. Honoka is a sweet and cheerful girl after all and that's why Umi fell in love with her.

"Oh, what a cute outfit you have on~!" a random girl says.

"Eh?" Umi looks up at two supposedly older women standing before her.

"You alone?" one woman with blonde hair asks.

"Ah…n-no…I'm waiting for someone…" Umi answers timidly.

"Ah, I see! Is it your boyfriend?"

"U-ummm…." Umi isn't sure if she can answer that question. However, before she can say anything else, the brown haired woman grabs her by the wrist.

"You really are alone, aren't you?" she coos.

"N-no! Like I said…I was…"

"You were looking away the whole time. You're so cute, though."

Umi has never felt this scared in her life. In fact, she is so scared that she feels like crying right now. Two random women trying to press her into coming with them is just insane. She definitely knows to never go with strangers, but it's difficult since they keep on pushing her.

"Anyways, come with us," the blonde says. "Don't worry. We'll take good care of you, you hear~?"

Umi doesn't like the sound of that, for what she knows what that clearly means from the tone of the woman's voice. Suddenly, in a blink of an eye, a hand grabs onto the blonde woman's wrist and another pulls Umi close. Honoka glares at the two woman while still holding onto the woman's wrist.

"And you two look like you're lying," she says.

"H-Honoka…" Umi stammers as she looks at her girlfriend with small tears in her eyes.

The ginger smiles at her nervously. "Sorry I took so long."

The blonde woman grits her teeth and yanks her hand away. "Fine. We'll go. This sucks."

As the two women leave, Umi sighs in relief.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault you got scared," Honoka says, sadly.

The bluenette shakes her head roughly. "N-no! Not at all! I mean…I'm happy…for what you did back there."

Honoka takes her hands in hers. "That's because I love you, Umi-chan. I'll always be here for you. I say that every time we tell each other, 'I love you'."

"Honoka…"

"EEEEEEK~!" A random girl squeals. "Aren't those two from Muse!?"

"You mean Honoka Kousaka-san and Umi Sonoda-san!?" another girl says.

Honoka grabs Umi's wrist. "Let's go, Umi-chan!"

"R-right!"

The two start running while the fan girls are chasing after them. They manage to turn a corner from an alley and hide as the girls run past it. Umi is in Honoka's arms for comfort as they wait until the coast is clear.

"Are you okay, Umi-chan?" the ginger asks.

"Ah…y-yes." Umi says as her head remains on her girlfriend's chest. "I'm…fine." For her, she feels so relaxed when she is resting her head like this.

"Why at times like this does it have to be this way?" Honoka says. "I know we're famous, but goodness, please give us a break!"

Umi giggles nervously. "It can't be helped now, could it?"

Honoka sighs heavily. "Anyways, wanna come to my house again?"

The bluenette looks up and smiles. "Yes. I'd love to."