Title: Inquiries || Series: Boundless Kakera, Chapter 4

Fandom: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Synopsis: Done with the usual village board meeting, Mion and Rika sit together by the Furude Shine and have a little rest and relaxation to themselves. Although things get awkward for Mion when Rika starts asking certain questions.

Pairing: MiiRika (Mion/Rika, F/F)

Posted: August 14, 2019 [REVISED OCTOBER 9, 2021]

Mion flopped down onto the steps of stone stairs near the Furude Shrine, heaving a sigh of relief. "Finally, a breather!"

Beside the green-haired teenager, Rika looked at her with a beaming expression and giggled, "I wasn't aware Uncle Mion had been so tired today."

"If only this old man wasn't so far, far, far away from retirement..."

Today was an exhausting one for sure, Mion thought. School bored her to where she had been dozing off, earning her a nice smack upside the head courtesy of Chie-sensei's notebook when she was caught sleeping once. When she finally came home, Mion was instantly greeted by her granny who told her to go attend an impromptu meeting with the village board.

It took everything in her power to stifle her yawns and protests from how long and boring it was. Gone were those days when she was too young for such responsibilities and could let the grown-ups handle everything. Though Mion knew that had she done anything wrong, her grandmother would have been equivalent to a bear if it were in a mood to kill.

Now, however, Mion could finally get some time for herself. No more sitting around at a large table tuning in on a conversation that carried similar effects of a lullaby; she was free!

"Mii?" Rika proffered a fresh apple wedge, taken from the pink bento on her lap. "Would you like an apple?"

"Sure, Rika-chan, I'm famished! Thank you!" Mion accepted the treat and devoured it like a shredder would to paper.

Rika set aside her bento. "I can't say that I don't share your sentiment, sir. Lots and lots of chatting about the preparations for Watanagashi. I don't get to voice my input that much, so I sit and listen. Meep... it would be better if I was allowed to draw and color!"

"Amen! Nice to see us great minds thinking alike!"

They admired the sights, which really seemed to smile today. The sun, at its haven of orange above them, brought radiance upon the fields and groups of trees afar. Even the cicadas chirped louder songs. Everywhere around them appeared brim with warmth and excitement.

"Hinamizawa sure looks lovely at this time..." Rika hummed in content. "Doesn't it?"

"Sure does," Mion smiled.

"...Hey, Mii?"

"Hmm?"

"...I...well...erm..."

Detecting the sudden hesitance in Rika's voice, Mion diverted her attention away from the view to survey her friend. The girl next to her looked like a timid hamster before an opposing figure—appearing unsure and insignificant. "Something wrong?"

"A little. Some people think I'm silly when I think about this, but..." Rika trailed off.

"Go on, sweetie, I won't make fun of you," Mion gently prodded.

Rika fidgeted. "Do you think Hinamizawa can be a kingdom, like in the fairy tales where kings and queens rule over the rich land? Everything here just looks so wonderful like that. So I can't help but think..."

Mion looked up in thought, considering Rika's words. Admittingly, the thought was silly and childish. But it was a cute thought, one suggested by Hinamizawa's most precious and innocent.

"Absolutely!" she glanced back at Rika and piped, "Hinamizawa is that great of a place. Don't let anyone else make you believe otherwise."

"Really? You mean it?" Rika's face lit up.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't. And when you think about it, Hinamizawa does have its own royal families which look over it in a way... Our families that is."

Rika let out a cheer, happily clapping her hands. "Yippee~! Mii loves my idea! This makes me very, very happy!"

Seeing her friend in high spirits, Mion widened the soft smile on her own face.

"But wait!" a realization dawned on Rika. "If both our families really do that, does that mean we're... princesses?" the bluenette's head tilted as she mused.

Mion slid her fingers over her lips, stifling a giggle. "I suppose. Though Uncle Mion prefers to see herself more as the prince."

"No way, sir! You're a princess! Just like me!" Rika pouted.

"Alright, alright, I'm a princess, ha ha!" Mion yielded with a chuckle.

Silence permeated around them after that. Turning away, Mion's eyes wandered down the steps ahead where trees and paddies greeted her at the other side.

From her peripheral vision, she also noticed Rika staring at her in what could best be described as curiosity. But she couldn't figure out what Rika wanted no matter how many glances she took to read that face.

Not wanting to seem interrogative, Mion decided against saying anything about it. At least, not unless Rika wanted to talk about it.

And talk that girl did.

"Uhm, sir?" Rika scooched closer to Mion. Shoulder squished against arm. "Can I ask you another thing?"

Once again, she gave Rika her undivided attention. "By all means."

"Just now, I've been thinking," her friend began, "Since the two of us are princesses, does that mean we each need a prince to marry?"

That took her aback. Was that why she had been staring at her?

"Eh? Thinking about princes now, are we? Well... I mean, we could, but I think it's a bit too soon for us to consider marriage. Maybe just wait until you're older."

"But... I don't think I wanna wait, sir. I wanna be with my charming prince now! It's lonely being the only member of the Furude family!"

Mion failed to stifle her chortle. "Oh, Rika-chan, I appreciate you wearing your heart on your sleeve, but you're still too young for guys."

"Mii is being mean!" the girl pursed her lips, adorably petulant. "All I wish is to be with a person who'll make me super duper happy like no one else and—"

Then, at that moment, Rika paused. Her eyes lit up like a light bulb, a new idea arriving, and Mion actually had to worry. What was gonna come next?

"...Can two princesses get together without a prince?"

Mion made a strangled noise in her throat. A surge of heat spread across her face as she gawked at the grinning Rika. "What?!"

"I asked if it was possible for two princesses to get together," Rika chirped. "You say I'm too young for guys, but would the same apply for girls?"

Unsure how to respond to this unexpected topic, she scratched the back of her head and fumbled for words. "Ah! For two princesses to be an item, it's...erm..."

"It's what?"

"It's just... uh, you know how all princesses are generally girls, right?"

Rika eagerly bobbed her head to say 'yes'.

"If two girls, or rather, two princesses, become an item, then that'd make them lesbians," Noticing the puzzled look on Rika's face, Mion went on to clarify, "Lesbians are girls attracted to those of the same gender."

Her friend's reaction was akin to a newborn having stumbled upon something they had never seen before. There was interest as well as a suggestion of amazement. "Oh, wow! I didn't know two girls could fall in love with each other!"

"They definitely can! There just aren't many who are open about it. Some people in the world don't welcome that."

"But why?" Rika tilted her head, thoroughly confused. "I don't see anything wrong with wanting to be with who you love."

Mion giggled, "I don't either, and that's perfectly fine, Rika-chan. I definitely share your sentiment. You're a good girl for saying that truly in fact!"

Rika glowed in response, appearing just as bright as the sun if not more; especially since the sun was making to evade the moon that would soon arrive.

Evening slowly darkened. Stars from the sky were beginning to appear at a similar pace, preparing a welcome for their queen of the night—faintly visible at the moment when she squinted hard enough to see. Noticing that the cicadas have ceased their songs to rest, Mion decided that she should follow suit.

"Well, I'd say that's that. See ya around, Rika-chan!"

"Wait, sir!" Rika grabbed her hand just before she could rise and depart. "I wanna ask you one more thing."

This time, Mion wasn't sure if she wanted to humor Rika and her inquiries any longer. Not that Rika was somebody bad or anything like that (not at all!), but the girl tended to get a bit too curious about things and Mion personally felt that she had enough surprises for today.

"I dunno. It's getting late and we should both go home. Maybe save your question for another day," she replied politely.

"But, sir, it's super important! Please... pleaaaase~?" Rika flashed a pair of puppy eyes at her.

Mion knew she couldn't win right there and then. "...Okay. One more question can't hurt," she caved in.

Without warning, Rika threw her arms around Mion, causing the latter to let out a yelp in surprise.

"Rika-chan?!"

Rika responded by snuggling closer against Mion's torso and looking up at her with an innocent expression. "Is it all right if..." she hesitated, "if you and I could... kiss?"

It was at this moment when Mion discovered what it was like to be the sun, her face so hot she thought it could melt her skin off clean.

"Sorry, Mii, I didn't mean to frighten you! I just want to have an experience," Rika pacified with that friendly smile, seeing her splutter.

Finally, Mion found her own voice and, with a gulp, dared to ask, "Experience of what?"

"Of what it's like to be a lesbian!" Rika answered, her tone certain and cheerful. "From what you told me, lesbians are girls who love other girls and princesses can be lesbians too. Not to mention that we're princesses, aren't we? We also care for each other as well, don't we? That means we can be together!"

She gaped. "R—Rika-chan..."

Rika beamed, now more like the moon in her radiance among everything sunless. "Nipah~!"

Once again, Mion fumbled for words. "I...I... I don't know," she finished lamely, "This old man isn't sure she can meet your demands..."

"Why not? What's wrong with having one kiss together? We have known each other since forever," Rika sulked, gripping Mion's arms.

Mion patted her head. "That's not how it works. You can't force yourself to be gay. It's... complicated, let's just say."

Rika blinked. "Is it really? Do you or do you not love me?"

"I love you enough as a close buddy, but—"

"Then I love you too!" Rika chirped, "You contradict yourself, Mii. You say it's complex, but it's really so simple. I love you and you love me. That's good enough for us to kiss, right?"

Mion returned a little smile. Reality often took time to settle in the minds of the innocent, and when it came to Rika it showed.

"Oh, sweetie," her hand clasped one of Rika's shoulders. "The love we have isn't necessarily like that."

"Of course it can be! It can be if you really know what your heart wants, and I know my heart wants you!"

"Ah...well...uhh..." she stammered, tongue-tied by Rika's directness and thus unable to think of any counter.

Rika scrutinized Mion, donning an impatient look on her face. "C'mon, sir! Kiss me."

"...sorry, Rika-chan. I'm just not sure that I can."

The bluenette said nothing as she pulled away from her.

Mion fidgeted at the impassive look sent her way. Her sixth sense was telling her that something was about to happen, and Mion knew she wasn't going to like it.

Then came the whimper.

"...M...Meep..." Rika's bottom lip started quivering. Tears welled up at the rim of her eyes. Finally, she threw her head back, face hiding behind her hands, before out escaped the wail. "...Uuuwaaahhh!"

"Eep!"

"Mii is a meanie, Mii is a meanie! I wanted to give her my love and she didn't want it! Meanie Mii! Meanie Mii! Meanie Mii!"

"A—Ah, Rika-chan! Shh... Let's not make a scene," Mion soothed without much success, hands raised as she frantically scanned the area with teal eyes. Luckily, no one was nearby to be alarmed by the ongoing outburst. Still, that didn't solve the issue with Rika.

Her friend continued to bawl, "Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii!"

"Rika-chan," she gulped. "Please—"

"Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii!" Rika was shaking her head vigorously.

"Please—"

"Meanie Mii, Meanie Mii!"

"Just please calm dow—"

"Meanie Mii!"

"I'll kiss you!" Mion blurted out on impulse, finally cutting Rika off. "I'll kiss you! J—Just please stop crying! Uncle Mion hates to see you so distraught."

Rika paused for a moment, then lowered her hands and eyed Mion with a curious expression. "...Mii, did you say what I think you just said?"

"I'll... kiss you..." she murmured, nearly losing her voice in her air of shyness.

"Really?" asked Rika hopefully. Her eyes sparkled. "You mean that? Are you and I actually gonna kiss?"

"Y...Yeah. You have my word. I never lie..."

In response, Rika glowed and excitedly gave a round of applause. "Hooray! Mii is allowing me to kiss her!"

"D-Don't get too excited now!" Mion squeaked, her heart already racing at the thought of the promise she was about to fulfill. "This ain't something I do often, so we'll do this quick an—"

She suddenly let out a muffled gasp, unable to finish her sentence, when Rika's lips pressed against her own.

Her eyes widened as she felt herself being pushed back slightly, her shoulders squeezed by tiny hands. Instinctively, Mion grabbed Rika by her sides, ready to separate herself from the girl—only to stop in her tracks.

Mion couldn't bring herself to do it. Chills were running up her spine and her body settled in the kiss like being wrapped up in blankets, wanting not to be relieved of this cozy sensation. Even her head was spinning; her thoughts swirled at once and made it harder for her to decide whether or not she should stop this.

All that was clear to her was how this felt...nice.

Timidly, she pushed her lips and snuggled close to Rika. Their hearts sang to each other in unison.

Eventually, they parted.

"...meep..." Rika panted, an astonished look on her face.

"Rika-chan..." she breathed, trying to shake off the dizziness.

"That was..." Rika suddenly grinned, "amazing! I never knew kissing could be so breath-taking! It's leaving me woozy."

Mion absentmindedly looked down at her own lap. "Yeah, it certainly was something."

Rika tittered, "See, Mii, I told you it was simple! You love me and I love you. We're both princesses close in age and we're the best pals we can be. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"

"I, uh, guess not," she looked at Rika with a light smile, scratching her reddening cheek.

"I'm glad. You really do make me happy when you spend time with me like this, Mii. I appreciate that," her friend picked herself up while taking her bento. "Well, okay. Maybe now we can call it a night. Satoko must surely be concerned over my whereabouts," Rika gave a bow, perky all the while. "Thanks again, my fellow princess! See you tomorrow~!"

Gone the girl was after that, though not before her giggles and pitter patter of feet—echoes of joy retreating into the distance to accompany her home.

Mion's eyes lingered on the path that beckoned Rika. It did not take long for darkness to thicken and close in where Rika ran.

But as Mion stared into the deep black, the thought of her friend skipping along, her smile spread out like a rainbow across the sky, had yet to depart from her mind. For that, she could feel her heart skipping as if following after Rika.

"Fellow princess, huh...?"

Her fingers traced along her lips, particularly the foreign but soft, pleasant touch which lingered.