Haruna buried her hands in the soil, reveling in the feeling of the earth between her fingers.

Miyu was right! Gardening IS therapeutic! Ever since White Day last year, Haruna acquired an interest in flowers, and she started an herbarium. In time, though, she branched out and, with the nuns' permission, created her own little garden not too far away from Miyu's.

"Oooh, what flowers are you planting, Haruna?" Miiko's voice chirped at her in the distance.

"Miiko?!" Haruna was startled by Miiko's sudden arrival, but the garden brought her an unusual sense of serenity, so it didn't take her long to settle back down and answer the question. "I'm… seeing if I can plant a White Marguerite of my own this year…" She blushed and touched the tips of her pointer fingers together as she looked away bashfully.

"Aww, how sweet!" Miiko clapped her hands. "Daisies really are such pretty flowers! And you know? That reminds Miiko of something!" On one of her more recent travels, she went to England and happened to hear a song called "Daisy Bell". It was another love song based on White Marguerites. What were the odds, especially since Japan and England were so far apart? Haruna didn't ask for a rendition, Miiko gave one anyway.

By the end of it, both girls were smiling. Oh, yes, it was a cute, lovely little song.

"It's really catchy and easy to learn too, Haruna, so I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time!" Miiko smiled encouragingly, but before she was able to say more, the bell for class rang out across campus. Exactly as Miiko predicted, however, even though they were forced to go back inside, Haruna's mind stayed in the garden long after her body had left.

ooo

One day later, Haruna was in the exact same position as before, only this time, Miiko didn't stop by the garden. But even though Miiko hadn't come visiting that day, her song was still with Haruna.

There is a flower within my heart, Daisy, Daisy! Planted White Day by dear Cupid's dart. Planted by Daisy Bell!

Once again, Haruna fell into a steady rhythm, working the soil and occasionally watering the seedlings and saplings slowly working their way up through the dirt and to the surface, opening their petals to the golden sun above. All the while, Haruna's mind was full of Miyu.

Maybe someday, she would have the courage to ask Miyu to work in the garden with her, but that day was not today. Even though Miyu was the one to inspire her to get a garden in the first place, there was something… sacred about it, and knowing that Miyu felt the same way (at least about gardening) made Haruna feel unreasonably shy. It just felt like too much to ask for too soon. Plus, she didn't want Miyu to think that she was copying her, or stealing from her, or anything like that. Sure, Miyu already knew that Haruna was inspired by her (she even responded positively to it, after all), but Haruna was nothing if not an overthinker.

Whether she loves me or loves me not, sometimes it's hard to tell…

Hadn't Haruna worried the same exact thing exactly one year prior? Did Miyu love her, and if so, how so? Did she love her as a friend, or…?

Yet I am longing to share the lot of beautiful Daisy Bell!

That was how Haruna knew that she loved Miyu, even if she didn't know if Miyu loved her. What other word could she use to describe the sensation of grief, longing, and pain, and the sheer joy that came with it? She must've loved Miyu an awful lot if she still wanted to share Miyu's life and lot despite the amount of time she spent thinking and worrying about Miyu's opinions about her.

Miyu, Miyu, give me your answer do… I'm half crazy, all for the love of you! It's too soon to think of marriage! I can't pilot a carriage… But Miyu'd look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two… It was a guilty pleasure, indulging in such a childishly pure, wholesome, and innocent fantasy. Even though Haruna knew full well that it was far too soon to be thinking about Miyu in any way other than platonic, when she indulged in those thoughts,her imagination liked to run away with carriages and bicycles.

We will go tandem as two sweet wives, Daisy, Daisy! Pedaling away down the road of life, I and my Daisy Bell! And just like the origin story of Lyrical Lily itself… When the road's dark, we can both despise teachers and nuns as well. The darkness was never frightening to Haruna, because there were lights brighter and sweeter than the sun or moon in the wide, pink eyes of her beautiful Daisy Bell!

ooo

"Hey, Haruuunnnaaa! Can you come here for a second?!"

Haruna's shoulders slumped, and she sighed tiredly. It was never a good sign when she reached the Academy only to hear that tone of voice coming out of the mouth of Kurumi Shiratori.

"Isn't it too early for pranks?" the taller girl complained to the smaller.

"It's never too early for pranks!" Kurumi replied passionately. "But lucky for you, for once, it's not a prank, I promise!" She held up her right hand, and in response, Haruna only raised her right eyebrow. "Oh, come on!" Kurumi pleaded. "Scout's honor!"

"Scout's honor!" Haruna echoed softly with a scoff, but realizing that she was only prolonging her own torment by delaying the inevitable, she nodded in resignation and gestured for Kurumi to take her away.

Kurumi led her to their secret base, but instead of going in, she pushed aside a few of the bushes surrounding the entrance to reveal…

"A bicycle built for two!"

"What?" Haruna's voice was flat and expressionless from shock. Of all the things she thought Kurumi would show her… "Is this the prank?"

"What? No! C'mon, Chairman, I already said it wasn't a prank this time!" Kurumi pouted. Haruna opened her mouth as if to argue, exasperated and exhausted though she looked, but before she could speak, they heard Miiko and Miyu approaching.

"See? Told you!" Kurumi was still pouting. "If you won't believe me, maybe you'll believe them!"

As she and Miiko would explain, after Miiko talked to Haruna about the Daisy Bell song, they'd both caught her humming it nonstop.

"So consider this our White Day gift to you this year!" They both gestured proudly to the bike, painted white with daisies in the basket on the front.

"I… don't know if I trust your engineering skills…" Haruna said uncertainly.

"Oh, come on, Chairman!" Now it was Kurumi's turn to sigh in exasperation. "We asked for the girls from Photon to help!" That bolstered Haruna's confidence slightly. She knew all of them, especially Noa, were really academically smart, especially when it came to math and science.

"Wait, so… what's all of this, then?" Miyu tilted her head, resting her jaw in her hand. She was the least in-the-know of all of them.

"Oh, this!" Even though Haruna hadn't known about the bike either until Kurumi and Miiko showed it to her, she'd known about the song… "Actually, there's something I want to give you for this year's White Day…"

She led the quartet into the secret base and set up her DJ equipment. The first part of the song was a very robotic voice droning the tune.

"It's… kinda creepy…" Kurumi's lip curled, and she leaned away from the speaker. Meanwhile, Miiko looked starry-eyed.

"Hey! This was actually a massive technological achievement!" Haruna defended. After Miiko taught her the song, she did a bit of research and discovered that in 1961, a computer, the IBM 704, was programmed to sing the song as the first example of computer speech synthesis.

"Of course you'd know that, Chairman," Kurumi scoffed despite how uncanny and eerie the robotic voice sounded.

Some of Haruna's confidence died when she looked expectantly at Miyu only to see the same hesitation and mild fear on her face that was on Kurumi's. Now it was Haruna's turn to feel afraid. Oh, no! What if Kurumi's right?! I hope I didn't scare Miyu!

But then suddenly, Miiko started singing along. "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half crazy all for the love of you!"

And without thinking, Haruna joined in. Maybe if Miyu could see them singing, she would realize it wasn't as scary as it seemed!

And sure enough, Miyu's vocalist side took over. As Miiko told Haruna, the song was fairly easy to learn. After only a couple listen-throughs, Miyu was singing along as well, and Haruna's heart soared and swelled in relief.

"That isn't even the best part!" she cried. This would've been Plan B if Miyu hadn't grown accustomed to the synthetic voice as quickly as she did. Haruna's fingers spun the discs back and forth and she managed to transition into "White Margaret", mashing up the two songs almost seamlessly.

It was a testament to her skill as a DJ to combine two wildly different songs so well, and it was a testament to her love of Miyu that she took the time and effort to do it. She switched back and forth between the two tunes and even played them together sometimes, a lot of electronic sound effects remixing the two songs together. Haruna's devotion to music, and more importantly, to Miyu, was clear as day to them all.

By the time Haruna's little show was over, Miyu was clapping and smiling from ear to ear. "Oh, Haruna, I loved it so much! Thank you!"

"So… uhhh… would you… uhhh… like to take the bike out for a test ride… with me?" Haruna bit her lip shyly, hopefully.

"I'd love to!" Miyu nodded and took Haruna's hands in her own and Haruna was sure she'd ascended right into Heaven.

She will stand by me through weal and woe, Miyu, Miyu. She's the wedding bell I'll ring, I hope. My sweet, little Daisy Bell!

ooo

Half an hour later, Haruna and Miyu were pedaling peacefully through the garden, Miyu's arms wrapped around Haruna's waist and her head resting on the other girl's back. For a second time, Haruna couldn't help but feel that she'd ascended right into Heaven. It was more than she could've ever dreamt! And even though she was the one steering, Miyu was the true leader of the trip. All she had to do was ask, and Haruna would go wherever she wanted.

Then if I don't do well, I will permit you to use the brake, my beautiful Daisy Bell! Exactly like the song, Miiko and Kurumi had the Photon Maidens help them set up the bike such that there were two sets of pedals and two sets of brakes, just in case Miyu and Haruna ever wanted to try going super fast by combining their pedaling efforts.

The mere idea made Haruna scoffed. She much preferred these gentler rides. She smiled to herself as she reveled in the feeling of Miyu's soft, warm cheek pressed up against her back. She didn't know she'd started humming the song again until she heard Miyu's soft, angelic voice singing along in perfect harmony. (As was expected and befitting of Lyrical Lily's vocalist, and, in Haruna's opinion, the best singer at Arisugawa).

"Daisy, Daisy, here is my answer true. I am crazy, all filled with love for you! I don't need a stylish marriage, or want a brand-new carriage, 'cause you're so sweet upon this seat of a bicycle built for two!"

And harmonizing even softer in the background were the muted, excited cheers of Kurumi and Miiko as they rode a motorized bike also built by Photon. The engine purred as they tried all sorts of speedy stunts like wheelies, trying to hide from the prying eyes of the nuns and other students. If Haruna would've seen them, she would've been livid, but as it stood, she was far too distracted by Miyu, exactly as Kurumi and Miiko planned. It was right then that Haruna felt Miyu nuzzle her back and snuggle even closer to her. Best. White Day. Ever.

AN: Happy White Day! My dumb self didn't realize that daisies were White Margarets/Marguerites for the longest time. #IWasTodayYearsOld

Also, yes, I changed the story title because I realized that I have another fic with a similar title that's completely unrelated to this one, so I changed it up to make it easier to differentiate. I also edited the first chapter a little bit as well.

On that note, shameless self-promotion: If anyone likes the Devil's Carnival, go check out my fic "the Language of Flowers". (It's also gay).

Also also, I used the Devil's Carnival to write another Lyrical Lily fic near the end of last year (Chap 2 of Pining for the Moon), so go ahead and check that out too, if it sounds interesting.