Nishizumi Miho is in love. A deep, impassioned love. One in which she feels intense respect, admiration, and longing for her partner-to-be. She is around her partner often, when they go out to lunch and shopping trips and in tankery matches. Her partner-to-be is a hard-worker, intelligent, compassionate, and very pretty.
She's also completely clueless.
Nishizumi Miho had tried everything. Subtle hints (oh, sorry, the others couldn't make it), subtle touches (oh, sorry, I didn't realize I was so close to you), subtle complements (oh, you look really nice today. You have such a great figure), and subtle looks (and not so subtle ones), and all of them had fallen short. It was as if she were a Panzer 38(t) trying to fight a Pershing: nothing was getting through and she was hardly noticeable. Worst of all, though, was that she knew that her partner-to-be has similar feelings for her.
And so, Nishizumi Miho decided, the time for subtlety and stealth is over. The time to get in there and get what she wants has come, and obstacles and consequences be damned. Of course, she needed to actually get into a position where she could talk to her partner-to-be. Being on a shopping trip with Takebe Saori was getting in the way of that, though.
"And then, he said to me 'but wait, darling, I want to take you somewhere special. I know a really nice place, a park, where we can be alone.' And I said to him 'but...you don't even like tanks.' The whole reason I even got into tankery was to get closer to boys, and he doesn't even like them! He hasn't attended even one of our matches!" Saori said as the two of them walked by a candle shop.
"Oh geez," Miho said, somewhat distractedly. Saori's amorous adventures were usually exaggerated or more accurately described as misadventures, but when it came to rejections she usually told the truth. "Did you ask him to come to one of our matches?"
"Well," Saori said, "it's not really a date if one of us is miles away sweating her butt off while she fiddles with a radio set."
Miho rubbed the back of her neck. "Oh, yeah, kinda hard to connect like that, huh..."
Saori stopped. "Miporin, are you alright? You seem kind of distracted today. Your commanding was really off during practice earlier, too."
"Sorry, I've just got something on my mind."
"Oh? What about? Remember, if it's about love, you can always come to me! Like I say all the time, love is like tankery! I may not hit my targets, but I can still contribute to the win!" Saori said.
"I'm not sure that really makes any sense..." Miho said, and put her hands behind her back. "It's just... There's someone I really like, but they're completely oblivious! But I know they feel the same way, because they're always calling me and asking me to hang out at ice cream shops and cafes and movies, but they're not really dates! We always end up in perfect spots, and I get ready for them to finally confess to me, but then they totally fall flat on their face! It's time for me to be the one to do it, but I'm not sure how."
Saori put a finger to her chin. "Hmm, well, oblivious targets are the easiest to hit, right? If they don't see you coming, then you can get into a good position and really knock 'em out! Why don't you try that? Lure them out to prime spot where they'll be totally open and unsuspecting, and then hit 'em with a good one!"
Miho smiled. Saori may have gotten into tankery just to pick up boys, but she was certainly genuinely into tanks. Or at least into adapting their strategies into her manga-fueled romance fantasies. Of course, confessing to a person by using ambush tactics and quoting Guderian probably wasn't the best choice.
Still, Miho thought of herself as being pretty good at translating what Saori was trying to say, and she was beginning to form a plan. She knew a good spot, and the perfect time, so all she had to do was set it up. "If you say so," Miho said, and pulled out her phone. She hesitated just a moment before she opened up her messages with Yukari and wrote out an invitation to meet her at the designated spot. Yukari responded within seconds, agreeing to meet her there. "Do you mind if I go meet them now, then?" she asked Saori.
"Go for it! Do you want me to come along and hide nearby, that way I can back you up?" she asked, then suddenly gasped as if she had an idea. "I know! I can hide behind a nearby bush, close enough that I can hear what your lover is saying, that way I can text you the perfect responses!"
Miho laughed sheepishly. "Uhh, I don't think that'll be necessary. It'd be kinda rude if I pulled out my phone to read texts while trying to confess to someone. I'll text you afterwards, though, to let you know how it went."
Saori saluted. "Go get 'em, Miporin!"
Thirty minutes later Miho was approaching the designated meeting site. She was early, to give herself time to prepare for it. She couldn't understand why she was so nervous; when she's in a match, she's as cold as ice. She always knows where to go, what to do, and how to do it. Even when their whole school was at stake she never felt nervous. She had her moments of doubt, of fearing she wouldn't be able to pull it off, but when she was sitting in the commander's cupola her mind was clear.
So why was she so nervous about this? She knew exactly how it was going to go. She didn't need a plan, tactics, or strategy. It was as simple as walking up to her and telling her how she feels, and that she knows Yukari feels the same way, and yet she couldn't help but feel the butterflies in her stomach. That's why she showed up early, to take a chance to calm herself down and get ready.
"Miss Nishizumi!"
Miho's heart jumped and she froze when she heard Yukari behind her. She'd asked Yukari to meet her by the schoolship's railing, a nearby bench lit by the bright orange glow of a street light. She put a hand on the railing to steady herself and turned around to face Yukari, putting a smile on her face. "Did I make you wait? I'm sorry!" Yukari said.
Miho shook her head. "No, it's alright. You're early, actually." Yukari came to a stop next to her. The sun was setting, casting the sky in hues of gold and purple, the waning light reflecting off the waves below. Yukari was practically glowing in the light of the street lamp, her eyes glowing orange as they reflected the light. She reached up to hold onto the straps of her backpack and waited for Miho to speak.
Holy crap it's so obvious why we're here, why can't you say something?! Miho thought, half directed at Yukari and half directed at herself. She was about to do the thing that had made her so exasperated with waiting for Yukari to come around, and that was fall flat on her face.
"Uhh, it's a really nice night out tonight, huh?" Miho asked.
I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot I'm an idiot I'm an idiot I'm an idiot I'm an idiot.
"Mm, yeah it is!" Yukari said, utterly oblivious to the tension between them. "I really like watching sunsets like this, especially when there's a cool breeze out. Sometimes I come out to the railings and sit on the benches while sketching tanks. Oh, shoot! I should've brought my sketchbook with me so I can show you!"
"Oh," Miho said, frantically trying to come up with something. "Uhh, maybe we could go over to your place and...look at your sketches."
Smooth, Miho. Good thing the railing's aren't too tall, it'll make it really easy to jump off the ship.
"That's a great idea!" Yukari said, but then her bright expression faded a bit. "Oh, but my parents have guests over tonight. I told them I was just going to the convenience store. How about you come over tomorrow?"
"NO!" Miho said, way louder than she intended to. She put a hand up to her mouth in surprise then put it on the back of her neck. "Sorry, I mean, we can do that tomorrow, but tonight I..."
"Miho, is something up? Why'd you ask me out to here, anyway?"
Oh my gosh she even said 'ask me out.' How can she be so dense?!
"Um, no reason. Actually, I wanted to talk about something important," Miho said. "Err..."
She tried to say it, tried to say something, anything! But nothing would come out. Her tongue and brain were completely frozen. Yukari just stared at her, a concerned expression on her face, and Miho's mind couldn't help but wander. She could stare into Yukari's eyes forever...
"Oh!" Yukari said. "I get it, it's a strategy meeting!" She shrugged her backpack off, set it on the ground, and crouched down to root through it. "Good thing I brought my strategy book with me," she said, and stood back up. "I know we lost our last match with St. Gloriana's, but I've done a lot of studying since then and I think I've figured out a way to beat their Churchills and Matilda's with our usual line-up. The only hiccup is if they bring out their Cromwells, or worse, a Centurion. Most of our tanks can stand up to a Cromwell, but the Centurion's a real threat. They don't use them very often, but their armor and gun are-"
Oh my gosh how can you be so DAMN CUTE TALKING ABOUT TANKS?! Miho's mind screamed at Yukari. The way she would get so wrapped up in discussing tanks, in going into detail about armor thickness and penetration calculations, the way she discussed the math behind angle of attack and how a seemingly weak gun could beat strong armor through a combination of the right angle and range, the way her eyes lit up when she discussed formations and tactics, it was all just too much!
Yukari was still going on, practically talking to herself as Miho's mind had completely shut everything out besides staring at Yukari. Their uniforms were cute, but not particularly flattering. Dressed in the tight, form-fitting jeans and polo shirt Yukari liked to wear, though, her figure really shone through. As much as she appreciated it, though, it's not what Miho was focusing on. It was her eyes, instead. Yukari's eyes were like stars, sparkling and shining as she delved even deeper into the Centurion's details, going over the differences between the A41 prototype and the standard Mk.3, of which St. Gloriana's had two, and that the A41 was a bigger threat because it's 20mm cannon could cover the main gun's reloads.
Enough. I can't take it any more!
Yukari had set down her strategy book, leaving her hands open. She was talking with them without even realizing it, gesticulating as she started going over the Centurion's armor and that it can withstand even a nuclear detonation. Miho closed the gap between them, firmly grabbed one of Yukari's wrists, and used her other hand to shove Yukari against the railing. Yukari's monologue ended in a surprised squeak and an aggressive kiss from Miho, her commanding gaze firmly holding Yukari in place. Despite her strong look Miho's heart was racing, hammering hard against her chest. Her breathing was shallow, her mind screaming at her while her heart struggled for more and more. She gave into it, kissing Yukari again. Yukari recovered from the sudden assault and returned the kiss, her eyes partially closing.
After a moment Miho broke the kiss and released Yukari's wrist, putting both hands on her friend's shoulders. She was taking long, deep breaths through her nose, savoring the taste of Yukari still on her lips. Yukari's eyes were wide, staring at Miho's lips.
"M-Miho...?" Yukari said, a rare instance of her dropping the 'Miss Nishizumi' act. The weight of what Miho had done finally dawned on her and she had to hold on tight to stave off the impending freakout. She had to keep it together so she could explain everything to Yukari.
"Sorry, I just... I can't take it anymore, Yukari," Miho said. "You're just too much, I can't bottle it up anymore. I... I love you, Yukari! I love you so much!"
Yukari's eyes widened even more. "I, uh, kinda figured that out..."
"And I know you feel the same way! I've been waiting for weeks for you to come to me, but every time I thought you were finally gonna say it you just kept on walking. I couldn't take that anymore, either, I just had to...tell you myself."
"Oh, uh, weeeell you certainly told me! Err, showed me, actually," Yukari said, turning red. "But, how did you know...?"
Seriously? Miho thought.
"Seriously?" Miho asked.
Yukari laughed sheepishly. "Sorry... I wanted to tell you sooner, but... I was scared you'd reject me. I... I didn't know you felt the same way."
HOW did she not know?!
"Well... I do," Miho said firmly. She released her hold on Yukari and took a step back, taking hold of Yukari's hands. She rubbed her thumbs on the back of them and stared, hardly able to believe what she was doing. "I love you, Yukari, and I want to go out with you."
"Are you kidding me? YES!" Yukari yelled, and realized how loud she was being. "Uh, sorry. Yes, Miss- Miho. I want to- To go out with you, too."
Miho smiled warmly, her heart still beating hard. "Good. Glad we finally got that out of the way," Miho said. "So, what time should I come over tomorrow?"
"Uh, er, umm... Seven? P-PM."
"That works for me," Miho said. "You can show me your sketchbook, and then we can watch a movie or something."
"Y-Yeah, that sounds like fun..." Yukari said. She was becoming a little skittish, and Miho realized it was because of the way she was staring at Yukari. Even Miho could tell that the gaze she was giving Yukari was perhaps just a bit too...lustful, for how early it was. She licked her lips, blinked, and pulled back just a little more.
"Sorry," Miho said. She let go of one of Yukari's hands, idly holding onto the other one. "I bet your parents are wondering where you are. You'd better go back home."
Yukari's eyes widened a little. "Right! Shoot, I forgot." She broke the hold and picked up her backpack. She was about to say her goodbye when she stopped, rooted in place by decisiveness. "Oh, screw it," she said after a moment. She darted forward and kissed Miho, hands holding onto the straps of her backpack. Miho yelped into her friend's, girlfriend's, mouth, and returned the kiss. They held it for just a little longer than they meant to, the both of them not wanting to be the one to end it.
Eventually, though, they had to. Miho broke the kiss and reached up to gently grasp one of Yukari's hands. "See you at school tomorrow, OK?" Miho said. Yukari nodded, her face still red, and turned to walk away. She made it maybe ten feet before she looked over her shoulder at Miho and waved, and Miho waved back.
Finally... Miho thought, and reached into her pocket to pull out her phone. She opened up her messages with Saori and typed out a short message letting her know that everything had gone exactly as Miho had wanted it to. She'd confessed, in a manner of speaking, to her long-time love and she had returned the affection. Now, there was nothing to do but see where it would go. She sent the message to Saori, put the phone back into her pocket, and cast one last look at the setting sun.
*Ding!*
Miho was about to reach into her pocket when she realized it wasn't her phone that had chimed. The sound had come to the left, and was a little muted. She turned her head and heard frantic rustling in the bushes by the bench. The chime was familiar. In fact...
"Oh, darn it!"
"SAORI?!" Miho screamed. Her friend stood and immediately beat feet into the brush, away from the park. Miho couldn't even move to give chase, she was so dumbstruck. After a moment her faculties returned to her, but by that point Saori was long gone. She shook her head and got moving, ready to get back to her dorm and go to bed.
Unbelievable... Oh my gosh, if she took pictures I swear on my life I'll-
Miho stopped, smiled, then laughed. A genuine, happy laugh. If she'd taken pictures then, well, Miho would just put them in the scrapbook. Somehow, she figured that Yukari would like that too.
This story exists as a gift to fellow author and serious MihoYuka fiend DaniFuli. Keep up the good work, friend, you're doing great!