Twenty Five
Another rainy day during their exchange program. It reminded her of the rainy day that she had saw Youko walking with Miyuki. Even though they did go out on a date, she was still unsure on how Youko was feeling toward her. Sei had finally realized that she had feelings for the other girl. The question was, would she be able to find the courage to see if Youko felt the same way? If only that she could read Youko's mind then she wouldn't be thinking this hard in class. She was thankful that the teacher didn't call her out on it. Besides, class was almost over.
She had started to pack up before the bell rung. When it did, she was the first to get out of class. She was hoping that Youko would wait for her, even if the road from St Lulim to St Miator took quite a little bit of time to cross. Even though Miyuki would be there the second time, considering the fact that they attended the same school, it didn't quite stop Sei from running in the rain towards the St Miator's ground. Whether she was fast enough to reach there, there was still a higher chance that Youko would accept Miyuki's offer to share her umbrella once more. She never understood it but Youko never seemed to be carrying an umbrella around her, unless if the rain literally poured down the moment that her eyes were open.
Sei's heart was pounding within her ribcage when she had entered the St Miator's ground, but she couldn't find Youko anywhere. She found Miyuki though, on the way towards the school. If Youko wasn't with Miyuki, then where would the other girl be? Then again, why was she so worried about Youko that she had to run all that way to get her? The other girl could always get help on her own, and it wasn't like they wouldn't be seeing each other. They were roommates after all, weren't they? Yet, why did it feel like she wanted them to be more than roommates? More than friends?
She was panting now as she entered the school building. There wasn't a person in sight. It looked like everyone had gone back to the dorm. Why was she still there? She still hoped that Youko would still be at the building, somewhere, waiting for her. She wasn't that all familiar with St Miator's building quite yet. In fact, she didn't even know her way to Youko's class. So while her umbrella was making a mess with its water droplets on the ground, her deep blue eyes were scanning everywhere for that familiar face she had somehow grown to love.
Love…She wasn't sure if she could trust that word yet. She wasn't sure if the scar in her heart could ever disappear. She wasn't sure if she could even trust herself to fall in love again. But when she spotted the familiar face of Youko, all of her doubt disappeared like it was non-existence. Even though the other girl was surprised to see her there, but Sei couldn't quite figure out why the other girl tried her best to hide her emotions. Well, it was only confused and frustrated her more. For now though, she was happy that Youko was still there and that she wasn't late in picking a friend up.
"Don't tell me, Sei, you came here to pick me up?" Youko asked with a playful smile.
Sei rolled her eyes as she turned her back towards the other girl. "You forgot your umbrella, again, so I thought I could do you a favor and pick you up for once."
Youko could only smile then as she murmured her thanks. 'This is the second time' the current Rosa Chinensis thought to herself. She wanted to say it, but she wasn't sure how the blonde would react to it. She didn't want to make Sei to feel like she was stalking her, but the thought of her friend and secret crush would actually do such a thing warm her heart. Then again, just the act of kindness from the other girl already did.
Youko knew that it was going to rain so she had purposely left her umbrella back in the room that they shared. When the bell had rung, Miyuki and Shizuma were the first to leave the classroom. She wasn't hoping that any one of the two of them would help her get back to the dorm. No, she was hoping that a certain blonde would come pick her up like the first time that she did, even though the blonde had failed. Still, the hope was there and when she had slowly made her way to the front of the school building, she purposely stalled herself so that if she was to arrive, she wanted to see the person that she had longed for but was too afraid to express her feelings to. Unfortunately, she arrived quite too early so she had decided to ponder around the hallway before going back again. Well, that was when she saw Sei's form running towards the entrance from the window. Her eyes were twinkling in happiness and she had turned towards the direction of the school entrance, and quickly made her way towards it. The sight that greeted her instantly warmed her heart. The eyes of her dearest friend were looking frantically around for her, and only her. She wished that she had enough courage to tell the other how she felt. The little date that they went back then wasn't enough to give her any courage, at all.
"Thank you for saving me from the rain, Sei." Youko said softly as the two of them made their way back to the Strawberry Dorm under the yellow umbrella. Their shoulders were almost touching, and neither one of them seemed to mind. Though the lightest of touch would send a shiver down Youko's spine, and she had enough practice to make it look like it didn't affect her. When in reality, she honestly wanted to tell Sei what the girl was doing to her.
"I'm sure that if I didn't come, there would be another student out there to 'save' you." Sei replied with a chuckle.
Youko smiled, deciding to play along as she raised a finger to her chin and tapped it lightly. "Perhaps, but it's much nicer to bother you with such trivial things."
"Well, next time it rains, you're on your own." Sei replied with a light huff. Even though it was an empty threat, she wanted to take it back when she felt the other girl shaking next to her. However, when she was to voice out her concern she realized that Youko was giggling. "Now, what is so funny about what I said?"
"Whether you like it or not Sei, I still think that you would still come pick me up when it rains."
"We can always test it out." Sei retorted.
"Test it out, you say?" Youko mused as she glanced at the blonde. "Do you prefer me running in this rain and arriving at our room completely soaked?"
"Now that isn't a bad idea." Sei quickly commented as she turned to flash a grin at the other girl. "I know that your immune system is quite strong, so you won't get sick that easily."
Youko could only roll her eyes at her. She didn't know whether or not she should take the blonde seriously at that moment. She wanted to actually slap the blonde upside the head for answering her question without much of a single thought. That would be uncharacteristic on her part and she didn't want anyone to be seeing her hitting Sei.
Nothing much was said after that and Sei had wondered if she had said something wrong. She didn't have to wonder all that long when they arrived at the dorm. Their friends were waiting for them at the lounging area when they set their feet inside. There was one extra person at the sofa though. Sei had sworn that she had seen that girl before, but for the life of her she couldn't remember where. The girl was sitting next to Shimako while her petite soeur was happily chatting to the other members of the Yumayurikai. When she and Youko closed in on the group, all she heard was the Yoshino and Yumi telling their Onee-samas about the dresses that they had finished making.
Sei took the empty seat next to Shimako and turned to look at the ebony hair girl from the younger blonde's side. After observing her for a little while, she turned to Shimako and smiled brightly at her. "Is that your date to the dance, Shimako?"
Shimako's cheeks began to turn a light crimson as she nodded. "Yes, Onee-sama, I wanted to introduce her to you."
Sei chuckled as she folded her arms. "Now, why does it feel like you're going to introduce to me your petite soeur?"
If anything, Shimako's blush only deepened. "Onee-sama, we are both in the same grade."
Sei waved her hand to dismiss the subject as her eyes turned to the other girl. "So, who asked who first?"
"Shimako-san did." The girl answered with a chuckle when the blush on Shimako deepened again. "My name is Nanto Yaya, a member of Saintly Chorus and currently attending St Spica. It is nice to have finally met you, Satou-sama."
"You can call me Onee-sama just like Shimako." Sei winked suggestively at the ebony girl.
Yaya quickly caught on as she tipped her head to the side. "Wouldn't that make Shimako-san and I a newlywed couple?"
Sei blinked at the sudden answer before she started to laugh. Shimako, on the other hand, was blushing to the point that she could actually feel her face getting hotter by the second.
"Y-Yaya-san…" She quietly pleaded at the other girl.
"I've never seen Shimako-san blushed this much and stutter before." Yoshino commented with a playful grin.
"Me too." Yumi added with a smile.
"I say it's quite cute." Eriko said with a little giggle. "Besides, we don't get to see this much often. If only we can take Yaya-chan back to St Lillian." She let out an exasperated sigh before she settled her face down on her hands.
"Yes, if only." Youko agreed as she watched Sachiko pouring fresh tea into her awaited empty cup. "Thank you, Sachiko."
"It is not much of a trouble, Onee-sama." Sachiko replied in kind before she took her seat beside Yumi.
Yaya was blushing as the older Roses' comments and even though she had glanced over at Shimako with her pleading eyes, the younger blonde couldn't quite do anything. When the three older Roses picked up where they had left off, she found herself blushing even more at the teasing and playful comments being directed her way. Just looking at Shimako right now, she could see that the other girl was blushing as well. She felt like digging up a hole somewhere and hide from the comments that she was receiving.
"Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Foetida and Onee-sama," Started Shimako as she recovered from the embarrassment that all of the three older Roses had put her and her companion under. When she had gotten the three attentions, even quietened the comments, she gave them a genuine smile before continuing. "I think that it is best that you all can stop embarrassing Yaya-san. I am afraid to think what would happen to the three of you if I am being pushed to the limit, yes?"
Under that genuine smile the three older Roses could see some kind of malice hidden underneath it. Not only that, they had thought they felt a dark aura lurking behind Shimako's angelic presence. They had dismissed it as one of their imaginations, but it wasn't like they would easily forget. The three had began to sweat when that smile was still plastering on Shimako's face as if the younger girl was only playing with them. Even though they hadn't seen the angry side of Shimako, they weren't planning on seeing it. So they quickly nodded their heads and turned back to do whatever it was that they did before they had started to tease Yaya and Shimako. Youko had turned to her tea, Eriko had turned to stare blankly at the people in the lounging area and Sei was leaning back against the sofa and staring up at the ceiling.
Shimako smiled at her accomplishment before she turned to the amazed Yaya. "I apologize about them, Yaya-san. I'm sure that they will not be teasing you like this again."
'You got that right…' All three older Roses thought as their eyes quickly took a glance over at the Lillian Angel's way before withdrawing their eyes before they get caught.
Yaya only chuckled nervously as she looked at the three defeated older Roses. "I-It's okay. I don't mind."
It was then that Sachiko sighed from where she was sitting with her teacup an inch away from her lips. "If you do not mind, then I'm afraid that you will have to endure quite a few embarrassing comments from Rosa Gigantea."
Even though it wasn't the first time that Yaya had heard the Ogasawara heiress spoke, the voice from Sachiko made her straightened herself and regarded the raven hair girl respectively. "I-I'm sure I can handle her comments."
Sachiko's only response was a raise of her eyebrow but her curiosity soon disappeared as if it didn't even exist. She then turned to Yumi and smiled softly down at the younger girl. "We have quite a bit of time before dinner time. Would you care to join me for a short walk, Yumi?"
The pigtailed girl happily nodded without much of a hesitation and stood up along with her Onee-sama. Once the two had left the lounging area, Yoshino was staring at Rei with so much intensity that it was a wonder that she hadn't burned the other girl's skin off yet. Rei could feel the other younger girl's eyes on her and as much as she tried to ignore it, she just couldn't so she decided to give in with a quiet sigh.
"What is it, Yoshino?" She asked as she turned to look at her cousin whom was looking just a tad bit irritated at her…for some unknown reasons.
Before Yoshino could answer, a cheerful voice interrupted her. Her eyes turned into slits as she turned to face the rude interrupter. When her eyes landed on the smiling Chikaru, her face softened but it didn't quite hide the annoyance. "Chikaru-sama!"
Chikaru giggled at the other girl, knowing full well that she had interrupted something important but chose to ignore it. "Good day to you, Yoshino-chan." She said softly then turned to look down at Sei. She placed a gentle hand on the taller blonde's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Do you have a minute, Sei?"
Sei looked up at her classmate with a raised eyebrow. She just shrugged as she stood up and excused herself before following Chikaru out of the lounge. Youko could only watch as the two went, and she didn't realize that her eyes were narrowing at the way Chikaru was purposely getting too touchy-feely in front of her. She turned her head away from the scene when she had seen enough with a light huff. Eriko, sitting just the opposite side of her, noticed the sudden change of expression and began to worry.
"Is everything alright, Youko?" The head of the Yellow Rose family asked as she regarded the other with worried eyes.
Youko looked over at the brunette and gave the girl a small smile. "Yes, I am fine." She answered, leaving nothing else other than the fact that she was fine, although it was obvious that it was a lie.
Eriko just sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever you say, Youko."
Youko had gone back to sipping what was left of her tea while Eriko turned to only poke fun of her petite soeur's soeur. Yaya watched the activities that were playing from left to right at the Roses' table and inwardly she could feel a sweat threatening to drop from the side of her face. She wasn't expecting that the Roses members would be this…how could she put this?...weird?
"It's not what you're expecting from us, isn't it Yaya-san?" Shimako asked softly as she gazed down at her tea. Then she gently reached over and took the cup between her hands and lifted it to her mouth, barely tasting the sweet and bitter taste of the tea.
"Well…there are three members missing after all." Yaya replied with a low chuckle. "I think you all are more relaxed than St Miator and St Spica's student councils."
Eriko stopped from her fun from teasing Yoshino as she turned to nod in agreement at the ebony hair girl. "That, Yaya-chan, I have to agree. I'm not sure how long I have to be stalked by…" She lowered her voice into a whisper as she leaned forward toward Yaya. "Stalker, stalker, Toumori Shion-san."
Yaya blinked before she burst into a fit of giggles while the older girl frowned. "It is not funny, you know. It is quite uncomfortable!" Eriko puffed and that only caused the other girl to change from her giggling into pure laughter.
Somewhere around the Strawberry Dorm's hallways, two girls were in a deep conversation where no one would notice or heard them. It wasn't long until one of them had widened her eyes in shock, and let out an uncharacteristic exclamation of surprise. If anyone was near that area, they could only make out several sounds of, "WHAT?" and "INSANE?" from it. And while the girl was busy being surprised and shocked, the other one was smiling like a Cheshire cat with the many plans that she had single-handedly planned out.