Chapter 26: On your mark, get set
The youngest member of the family was congratulated and envied by her sister as she went on her way to the hallway. Every step she took felt like a false one. Her mind was floating that she didn't argue why the floor seemed spongy. A hand is holding her by the wrist, and she's thankful; it is the only thing anchoring her to the ground. A small voice inside her brain tried to remind her that she had already thanked her parents and asked her why she was in such a trance. But the instant she stood up from hugging her father, the other side of her consciousness was still in shock that it was taking its time to accept that the stress and anxiety she felt were suddenly gone. While the other side is so busy celebrating that she couldn't fathom how she got into the other side of her bedroom door. A body was pressing against her. Vibrant green eyes looking down at her. Shining, smiling, reveling, and basking in front of her.
Slender hands cap her shoulders. "Come back to me, my love."
She tried. The knowledge and urgency to be present are nagging her, but her brain just won't listen.
"I can't kiss you if your mind is somewhere else." A soft thumb on her cheek.
For her, the possibility of her parents giving permission had always been zero percent. She didn't give herself a chance to hope. She was so sure it would be a resounding no that she didn't even need to prepare for disappointment. So, when a yes is given, her brain goes into a swirling vortex. 'Is it really possible for someone to be this happy? Am I allowed to experience this pure joy? A month with Sayaka! No school, no work, no hiding.' The seconds tick by, and Sayaka's face is becoming clearer.
"Honey, please come back to me. I really want to kiss you."
Yuu shook her head, then flickered her eyelids. "I am here."
"Thank you." She gasps in delight and relief.
Her mouth was seized. One hand at the back of her neck and the other on her waist. Her back and head against the door, her peach paradise hair is becoming tangled with how violent Sayaka is kissing her—it is new, this complete exultation. It is like her girlfriend wanted to occupy the same space she has or absorb her into her own. She taps on the shoulder. 'Air, Sayaka. I need air.' It took a couple more moments before the lanky girl took the hint and let go.
Inhaling deeply. "Sheesh!" she said, gasping. "You almost make me faint."
"Sorry, I got carried away a little."
"A little!?" Her voice got a little high and loud.
"Sssh" The senpai put a finger over her lips. They gauge the sounds coming from the hallway; it seems that the rest of the family is still talking happily in the dining area. "I am sorry."
A quick peck, and she was fully let go as her lover walked towards the bed and sat on it.
Gleeful smile and shaking her head in disbelief. "You are going with me."
When oxygen became sufficient again, the dazzling smile was on full display. "I know! Is it real?"
"Come here." Sayaka said with welcoming arms. The long arms engulfed her before she could sit on her lap. "It is real, my love. We are going to Italy and will be together for four weeks. Sleeping every night and waking up every morning. Together."
"Sleeping? Are you sure?"
"I'll let you sleep for sure. We don't need to worry about the next day." She grins at her.
"I love you."
"You know what that means, right?"
"What?"
Sayaka tucked some loose strands of reddish hair into the back of her ear, then moved closer. The kōhai can feel the lips touching the base of her jaw. "It would be like our honeymoon."
If blood ever existed in any other part of her body, it doesn't at that moment, as it all goes to her face and neck. She thought her head would explode. A faint chuckle registered in her ears.
"Again, come back to me." When her face went back to a healthy color. "We need to study, my love. I don't want them to take back their permission. Can you do that for me?"
"I'll study the hell out of all my subjects."
"So romantic."
"Yeah, I am the sun." She gave her a chase kiss and stood up to get her books from her study table. "Wait, if I am the sun, there is a moon, right?"
"Yes."
"Is it Nananmi-senpai?"
"Well, not really."
"Explain." The redhead demanded as she sat down opposite Sayaka on the floor and placed her books on the table.
"When we first met, I was playing Clair de Lune, which is Moonlight when translated. I played it whenever I wanted to calm myself." Sayaka mirrored her and sat on the floor as well. "Then the second time you heard me, I played Moonlight II Allegretto by Beethoven, then Einaudi's Full Moon."
"You were thinking about her when you played those songs."
"Yes, only at that moment I thought that she was my moon."
"Then when you tell me you love me for the first time, you draw parallels with us?"
"Yes, when you mention Shakespeare, my mind goes to that passage. It was like the sun was rising after a very long, cold, and lonely night. And finally, I am warm and happy." She smiled, Yuu returned it and leaned over the table. She met her halfway, and they shared a loving kiss.
"Will you play me those songs again?" she said, lips still touching the other. "I think I only heard the last part of Full Moon." She pressed her lips against Sayaka's again.
"You don't hate them?" Still talking with their lips grazing each other.
"It is because you were playing those songs at those moments that we had our chance meeting." Leaning away an inch, then comes back for a sweet kiss.
"Then I will. But you have to do something else for me." Neither one of them wanted to move away. Enjoying the way they are talking.
"Have to or get to?" receiving a gentle bite on her lower lip.
"You can decide after you hear it." Trailing her tongue on the part she just bit.
"Mmmmn." One last kiss, and she pulled away.
*-/+
Tuesday morning, Sayaka saw Touko at the table beside the wishing tree.
"Good morning, Touko. Did you read the script?"
When Touko finished writing on a wish card, she turned to her best friend. There are dark circles under her eyes.
"Oh, Touko."
"Is it noticeable?" She asks as she ties the card to the tree.
"It could pass as you trying to stay at rank one." She chuckled to let her friend know that she was teasing.
"Ah, good."
Sayaka tried to say something else, but Touko gave her a diminutive shook of the head.
"I will be okay. Thanks for worrying about me."
"I am here, Touko."
"I know. Thanks."
"Are you sure? You can talk to me, you know."
"Can I talk to Yuu instead?"
"Ha-ha, if you can joke like that, then you really are okay." The brunette started to walk.
"Who said I was joking?" Touko said following her friend to change their shoes.
"I'm not going to lend you, my girlfriend." She said after closing the locker door to her outdoor shoes.
"Come on, help a friend in need." Pulling the tab of the shoe over her heel.
"You need help, senpai?" Yuu said at the entrance.
"She doesn't." Sayaka said screening Touko. "Good morning, by the way." A little irritated that her best friend was talked to first.
With numerous students around them, any retort the kōhai may have had was swallowed. She proceeded to her locker to change her shoes; green eyes followed her movements. Meanwhile, Touko was still astounded that the first year talked to her directly again. She stood up straighter after she finished putting on the other shoe.
"Good morning, Yuu."
"Good morning, Nanami-senpai." She gave her a small smile. Not the heartbreakingly adorable smile that her senpai described; that smile was owned by the lanky girl whose eyebrow is raised so high it could reach her hair line. The bell rang, and she walked towards the hallway to her classroom, but before she continued and before steam went out of her girlfriend's ears, she wheeled around and said, "Infinite." Then walks away with an impish grin on her face.
"What was that about?" The raven-haired girl inquired, turning to her friend, who had a very pleased expression.
"It's code, and it's the reason why I'll never loan her to you." Sayaka said as they ascended the stairs.
"You better not let her go, or I'll swoop in in a second."
"And you call yourself a friend?"
"All is fair in love and war." Touko said as they reached the half-way floor landing.
"I am not having this conversation with you. I'll pretend that I didn't hear that." She continued to climb the stairs.
"Hey, I was just joking."
"I am not." Sayaka said as they entered their classroom. "So, what did you think about the script?"
"Kanao-san is scary."
"My thoughts exactly."
With Yuu greeting her in the morning, Touko felt that she could interact with her again. She asks her friend if they can have lunch together, and the brunette agrees. They are in the student council room waiting for their kōhai.
"I think Yuu will play the nurse."
"Yeah, she will like that minor role since she doesn't really want to do this play."
"I am sorry, Sayaka. I know I am being selfish."
"Don't worry, Yuu will do it. She's the type of person who struggles to turn people down when they ask for help. It is easy to take advantage of that, so please be careful if you want to be friends with her."
"Are you still upset about that kiss?"
"I am trying to forget about that, but you just won't stop reminding me."
"I just remembered that that was the moment I lost. I did take advantage of her. I acted recklessly."
"Well, at least now you know."
Yuu arrives at that moment. "Hello, sorry I am late."
Touko saw how much Yuu's presence changed the demeanor of her best friend. The head perks up, the eyes lighten up, and the lips turn up. 'Everything really is coming up, Sayaka. It must be nice to be that in love with someone and get those feelings back.' She glanced at the object of that reaction; Yuu is exhibiting the same disposition.
"No worries, honey, come here."
"You two want me to leave?"
The couple exchanged looks, and both blushed. The redhead sat down beside her girlfriend and opened a two-layer lunch box. She passes the top one to Sayaka.
"Oh, you guys are sharing today?"
"No, she got into trouble for hiding her cooking skills from me, so from now on she will cook me lunch once a week."
"Wow, that is nice. Can I have some?"
"You really are going out of your way to aggravate me today, aren't you?"
"She can have some of mine." Yuu interjected.
"You want to sink in the same boat?" The green-eyed girl warned.
The little girl dismissed her. "Here, Nanami-senpai, you can take as much as you want."
"Wow, so you cook all of this?" Taking a piece of chicken teriyaki.
"My mom cooked the rice, but the rest I did."
"Yuu!"
"Sayaka, relax. It's just food." The first year said.
"Don't you dare eat that, Touko!"
But the dish was already in her mouth. Sayaka growled and glowered at her.
"Excuse me, Nanami-senpai, I am sorry for this." Yuu said apologetically and grabbed her girlfriend's face with both hands, rotated it to face her, and without warning or preamble, kissed her quickly in the lips. Sayaka was so shocked to resist before and then react properly after. "I don't understand why she gets so jealous of you, but once I do something she's not used to, she will be too startled to continue her rage."
Gray and green eyes are staring at her widely. Both didn't see it coming. Touko has stopped chewing.
Yuu can't believe what she just did, but she concentrated on eating. It was an impulsive decision, and it is the first time they have ever kissed on the lips in front of someone. But she wanted to quash the situation, and it was the only thing she could come up with at that moment.
No one spoke for a few seconds after that.
The president was the one to break the ice after she swallowed the half-chewed chicken.
"So, since we have the script, I was thinking of asking Hakozaki-sensei if we could have a study camp this summer break."
"Study camp? For the student council?" Yuu asked, a light blush still on her face.
"Yes. We have a school lodge for study camps, and since other clubs and classes will have their own rehearsals when the terms start, I thought we'd stay two nights there rehearsing for the show."
Sayaka finally recovered when a small hand touched hers under the table. "When do you plan to have this study camp?" She entwined their fingers together.
"August 4 to 6."
"No can do. My family will go to Italy on July 21 to August 18."
"Oh, then we can move it..." Touko checks her phone and taps on the calendar app. "... to August 25 to 27?"
"That is fine for me. Let's ask the boys and Kanao-san later if they are available for those dates."
"Alright, but I still have to ask Hakozaki-sensei. How about you, Yuu?"
"I am okay with those dates as well."
"Another two nights with you." Sayaka told her girlfriend as they walked towards the parking lot near the train station. "Is this the best summer break or what?"
"Try to keep it in your pants on those nights. We will stay in a room with Nanami-senpai. And we will stay there for rehearsals."
"It will be a week after our honeymoon, so I can't promise anything."
"Sayaka!"
"Come on, of course I will control myself. Have a little faith in me."
"Thanks."
"But you can't bathe with her. Hmmmn, should we bathe together after her?"
"You plan to alienate your best friend just for a bath?"
"Then me and her will bathe together, and then you can after. I don't want her to see you naked."
"And should you see her naked?"
"I am over her. She's not over you."
"You are making things complicated."
"If my first kiss would bathe with me, would you be okay with that?"
"Oh yeah, I was not your first kiss, either. Why are you giving me grief about mine?"
"I told you about it freely. And my first kiss isn't in the same school walking around and can talk to me any time."
"That is not my fault."
"I know. Maybe I should really have a talk with Touko about it."
"Or maybe just forget about it and think that it never happened."
"Do you want to be close with Touko?"
"She is your best friend. Like it or not, she's in our lives. And she looks like she needed help." Thinking about how downcast Touko's face was that morning.
"Hmmmn, you are right. But you still can't bathe with her."
Yuu just rolled her eyes. And wave at Jin when they arrive at the parking lot.
"I saw that."
"I wasn't trying to hide it. You should really get over this jealousy with Nanami-senpai. It is getting old."
"I don't think so. You kissed me in front of her today."
"Do I have to do crazy things just to calm you down?"
"You surprise me. You always do."
Yuu shook her head and went inside the car.
"O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?"i
"Quoting Shakespeare again."
Sayaka followed. "Yes," she answered, keying the latch plate of her lover's seatbelt. "I am a hopeless romantic, I think."
"Then you know that it doesn't end well for those two."
"Violent delights have violent ends."ii Keying in her own seatbelt.
"Exactly."
"It is a great story. But still a story." She took Yuu's hand and kissed it. "This is real."
Yuu undid her seatbelt and slowly moved to straddle her girlfriend. Sayaka immediately took off her seatbelt to welcome her.
"What shall I do to satisfy you, tonight?"iii thumbing a rosy cheek with one hand and raking her fingers through wavy hair around the nape with the other.
"Are you also quoting Romeo and Juliet?" securing the seatbelt.
"You have been citing it a lot lately; why shouldn't I?" kissing the side of her face.
The senpai smiled. "The exchange of your love's faithful vow for mine."iv
"We already did that." Lips trail on her skin as she goes to the other side.
"Thank you, Yuu. For the code, the kiss, and holding my hand at lunch today. I feel loved."
"But not satisfied." Warm lips traced the jaw.
"You always make me hungry for more." She said with a gasp.
"We can't do a quick one before we study?" Whispered on the neck. Warm breath tickled the lanky girl.
"You know what happens once we start."
Pulling away. "What? So, the next time we will have sex, it will be in Italy?"
"I am afraid so," Sayaka said, getting her hands on the tiny waist. "Unless you want to join a certain club."
"What club?"
"The mile-high club." The kōhai still look puzzled. "People who had sex on airplanes."
"Noooo"
The brunette snickered. "Don't worry, I am in no hurry to join that club."
"We will never join it." She vowed, now trying to get off of her senpai, but she was held in place.
"Why not? Could be fun."
"You don't even want to kiss in public."
"We will be in a private first-class cabin."
"No."
"No one will disturb us there."
"No"
"I can be quick, and you don't need to take off your clothes."
"I said no."
"Oh, we will join that club sooner or later."
"No"
"You can't stop me. And someday you will be the one to beg me." The tone of her voice embodies resoluteness; Yuu knows it will happen in the future. But at present, the heiress acknowledges that it is out of the question. "Now kiss me. You won't get any once we are inside the house."
*-/+
For all of Sayaka's sexual voraciousness, she is uncommonly strict when it comes to studying. With their summer vacation on the line and as an added motivation, the outcome of the finals didn't surprise her. Yuu solidified a top placement in her class, while she somehow overtook Touko in their grade.
"I'll get you next time." Touko declared in front of the announcement board.
"That's good to know." The green-eyed girl spoke smugly as she walked towards the hallway. "It will be a more satisfying win if I struggle a bit."
"You greedy girl, you already have everything I wanted. Can't you give me this one thing?"
"All is fair in love and war, right? Beware, I will not give up first place so easily."
*-/+
"Show me your passport."
Sayaka is sitting on the bed as Yuu packs her things for their flight.
"Bring your other identity cards too, just in case."
The small girl rummaged through her drawer. A little frantic with excitement.
"Our flight is in the afternoon. But can you ask your parents if you can sleep in my house tonight?"
"I think they will be okay with that. Also, if I forgot anything, we could drop by."
"Have you been on any trips with me?" The heiress taps on her phone. "Now let's make the first run-through."
After teaching her how to fold her clothes a certain way, making her organize and memorize where everything is, and not only double-checking but quadruple-checking everything she needs, the redhead lay exhausted on her bed.
"You are crazy! That is just insane. I don't ever want to do that again."
"Ah, that is alright. I will do it for you in the future." Sayaka kissed her forehead.
"Knock, knock."
A very tired invitation was mumbled.
"All ready to go?" Rei said, standing by the doorway.
"Ask her. I'm spent." Yuu had her forearms over her face.
"She is ready." The brunette said with a big smile.
"Mom said you should sleep over with Sayaka-chan tonight, if she doesn't mind, so you won't have to worry about getting up and everything." Rei turns to the green-eyed girl. "She used to run a fever before family outings when she was little. Excitement overload. Half the time, we didn't get to go. It's like a gamble every time the family plans a vacation. After that, we just don't tell her till it's time to go."
"How many times do you want to embarrass me in one breath?"
"I don't know, how many times was that?"
"Is that all you needed to tell me?" The younger girl sat up.
Rei closed the door. "Yuu, enjoy this trip. I am happy for you. Please be careful. Sayaka-chan, take care of her for me, okay?"
"With my life."
Content with the answer, the older sibling walks towards the bed. Raising her arms, she asked, "Will you still be too embarrassed to hug your sister goodbye?"
"We can do that after my luggage is all loaded into the car."
Dropping her arms dramatically "Four weeks with that attitude, good luck, Sayaka-chan."
*-*/+++++
i O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? – Romeo and Juliet -Act 2 Scene 2 line 125 – it is too good to change anything.
iiThese violent delights have violent ends– Romeo and Juliet -Act 2 Scene 6 line 9 – Perfect as it is.
iii What satisfaction canst thou have tonight? – Romeo and Juliet -Act 2 Scene 2 line 126 – I don't think Yuu will remember exactly how it goes.
iv The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine. – Romeo and Juliet -Act 2 Scene 2 line 127 – just 'thy' to you
*-*/+++++
A/N: Also adding the passage where Sayaka draws parallels with Yuu and Touko from the last scene of Chapter 12.
But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
– Romeo and Juliet -Act 2 Scene 2 lines 2-3