12 – Honest Questions
Dun. Dun. Dun.
Serena would have probably thought that sound effect herself if the question hadn't been directed so squarely at her, So she didn't. Nope. Certainly not her.
Well. How was she supposed to react to this normally?
For a minute or two she just stared at the older girl, looked at her lopsided half of a smile and the glimmer in those red eyes.
"I... uhm."
Serena expected the expression to drop, the guilt and discomfort to come, and ruin her chances because her tongue was in a twister. But Kanade waited, patiently. Which was weird. She would have never have pegged Kanade as a particularly patient person, at least when it came to matters of romantics and the heart like this. But she didn't mind really.
Then again she and Kanade were around the same age. She'd probably figured things out.
Serena took a deep breath. "I think..." she started. "That I'm interested... but I'm also not sure, because we barely know each other. So I don't know if I want anything serious right now. You are however, very, very distracting to me, in a good way."
She bowed her head. "So I'd like to wait a little longer to be sure of anything?" Serena was quiet a moment, then she shook her head again. "No, no I'd definitely like to wait a little longer to be sure. I want to... to spend more time with you and do more things, even after the housesitting job is over."
Kanade listened, having turned around on the couch to face her better. She kept her head tilted, mouth in a firm, serious line. Then she nodded her head. "All right!"
Serena blinked. "Oh, uhm, really?" This was the quickest confession and response she had ever dealt with... High school wasn't that long ago but still.
Kanade only nodded, letting out a yawn. "Yeah. I was just expecting a no. So, it's fine, ain't it?"
"I..." Serena made a face. "I guess." She scratched her cheek. "Yeah, I think it is!"
She was answering this all wrong wasn't she? Ugghhh.
"Good!" Kanade's serious expression turned back into a big, vibrant smile in no time flat. "Then come on, I've still got a few hours to kill. Have you ever seen Lord of the Rings?"
Serena twitched. Oh no. It was going to come down to this, wasn't it? "I grew up all over Europe for years." She adopted the haughtiest tone of voice that she could muster. "Who do you think I am? Of course I've seen it! And read it!"
Kanade's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Then it's time for an extended edition run."
Serena grinned with such ferocity it would have looked intimidating to Hibiki if she was still there. (It was lucky for her that she was not, or Miku would have had to stop her.)
"Bring it."
Later Serena would remember the earlier question, and still had yet to get the answer from Kanade.
It was only fair to ask right?