No Plagiarism!LiOzN5MErgv6xpquQHbvposted on PＥNAＮＡ

Ran stood up and patted her friend on the head as the latter leaned on the desk. The sun was blindingly bright but the air inside the classroom was cold as King Snær[1] because someone decided that the air required conditioning.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUuFGWUFwP 維尼

“It’s going to be alright. Don’t pay attention to Noa. She was being a total bitch.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUgADt31mJ 維尼

“Don’t say that,” Chouko replied between sobs. “She was… trying to be nice.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMdsMff54E 維尼

Shun plodded towards Chouko. “Are you okay?” Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhgv9sOIGX 維尼

Chouko explained the rejection to the girl, who nervously tapped her fingers on Chouko’s desk. When she heard about Chouko’s love for Noa, Shun smiled and the hollow pitter-patter of her fingers stopped.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡSu8wgP1DjS 維尼

“I didn’t know you were a lesbian,” she said in a surprisingly giddy voice.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡjU8tG25hmj 維尼

Chouko almost chocked. “That’s one way of putting it.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOTTz6Im7J 維尼

Ran laughed, staring at Shun closely. “How do you feel about girls, Shun?” Shun’s cheeks became the colour of strawberries and Chouko realised how sweet her smile was.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2I6CQZU1pR 維尼

Ran waved her hand dismissively. “No need to answer.” Shun relaxed her shoulders. “Speaking of love, guess who got a boyfriend?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfvrzxAJz5 維尼

“How?” Chouko wondered aloud.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpdjFCB6kl 維尼

“What do you mean, “How?” No need to be rude.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡz10HFLrbzt 維尼

“I meant that I don’t get how you met a guy. There’re no guys at school and we’ve been pretty busy lately. Wait… don’t tell me you’re dating one of the teachers!”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRJoKgySMK 維尼

Ran gasped in shock and lightly slapped her friend’s arm. The two friends burst out into laughter. Shun released a small chuckle in an attempt to fit in with the others.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgdEF7LTcH 維尼

“So tell us about him,” Chouko demanded.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJKG9w9X04 維尼

“He’s tall and a little shy but very dedicated. He confessed to me in the most romantic way possible. He said I was like some goddess of beauty. I’m not sure which, but who cares?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7gWf4aWyQ 維尼

Chouko clamped her hands together once and looked out the window. “If he was a girl, I’d fall in love with her in a heartbeat!”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCCQ1ZNR7e 維尼

“Hey, you stay away from  Ken-pyon[2]!” Ran’s usually careless appearance was sullied by red cheeks and eyes that looked down at Chouko’s desk. “Don’t laugh.” Ran came up with an idea for how to change the subject to one in which she had a modicum of power.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfDM4ShNQK 維尼

“Ken’s a little bit like you, Shun.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoGDMPYpDy 維尼

Shun moved her gaze from Chouko to Ran, and then back to Chouko. “But didn’t Chouko just say that she would-”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡWg5BUBeiMC 維尼

“Have fun, kids!” Ran raced out of the classroom. Chouko chortled awkwardly. Shun bit her lip and turned around, sitting in her seat and praying for the bell to sound so that class could resume.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLSCENICDI 維尼

Five minutes later, Ran returned with two korokke, handed one to Chouko and moaned in disappointment. “I thought I told you two to have fun.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9o4fYuV2C 維尼

Chouko shrugged and ate the food given to her. “Are thoo… reathy thor rehearthals?” she asked Shun, spitting out remnants of her lunch. Shun nodded, her cheeks still red.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡwC4oCBBqht 維尼

A familiar face appeared. Noa sauntered to her seat in front of Chouko and next to Shun. Ran scratched her bottom teeth with her top teeth.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vdyZyAduU 維尼

“Incoming bitch,” she muttered into Chouko’s ear, her disgustingly slimy breath, a concoction of many different foods, hitting her with full force.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6UKhHc8Za 維尼

Ran began doodling in her book again, drawing love hearts around pictures of her and her new boyfriend because even she had to express her romantic side occasionally.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2rwy9vWuc 維尼

Chouko wrote some ideas for stories from her mind to her notebook. Curious as to what started the silence, Shun leaned back in her chair to see what the cinnamon-haired girl was doing.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAQUdDsgFb 維尼

“What’s that?” she inquired as if preparing to run away at the first sign of danger.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ438VYLH8d2 維尼

Chouko covered her writing. “Just some ideas for plays I want to write.” Shun stood up and snatched the notebook out of the girl’s hands.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLSRF6e9zt 維尼

“Hmm… interesting…. How do you get all these ideas?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiRV2LYB9p 維尼

“Uh, I actually base them on real life,” Chouko admitted, rubbing her hand against the back of her neck. “If something weird happens in my life, write about it.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGHAKtb546 維尼

“Is Noa the villain in your plays?” Ran asked with a laugh drenched in spite.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZoL8czeLA 維尼

Noa got out of her chair and wordlessly left the classroom. Her brows were furrowed in repressed pain as she wandered through the hallways.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3YEEbrNL9 維尼

Guilt consumed her every movement despite her justifications for her actions. Surely she let Chouko down easily, right?8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlSBpk5HPh 維尼

Ran’s barely hidden words began to pierce through her like pointed knives. ‘People are just awful,’ Noa concluded after wiping her tears away.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnTJNM4MSh 維尼

Chouko was astonished that Noa had left school early and was thus not available for that afternoon’s rehearsal. Noa stopped attending rehearsals, and then stopped going to school.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡawX959UjJk 維尼

The director’s face looked like a ghoul had  pushed her skin down it with her hands. “Has anyone contacted Ms Nishimura?” When all the answers were in the negative, the director slammed her hands against one of the desks that were moved to the edge of the room. “Why on earth did I not cast understudies? I need someone else to play Juliet.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtPSJejGsF 維尼

“Um…. I know some of her lines already since I practiced with Ms Nishimura,” Chouko told her. The director circled her eyes around Chouko’s body and nodded.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOrNd4FS2I 維尼

“You’ll have to do. Can you learn the rest of the lines in three weeks?” Chouko nodded.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LRAobNCSZ 維尼

“Maybe you should practice with Shun,” Ran suggested with a wink and a nudge. Chouko stared at her friend with a puzzled expression. Ran’s eyes closed halfway with annoyance. “You’re officially an idiot.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZBNrIVyQ2 維尼

Chouko alternated between Ran and Shun when it came to rehearsing lines. On some days Shun was happy to help, but on others she was far too embarrassed. Chouko did not realise that those were the days in which she wanted to rehearse the more romantic scenes.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dOBmDi52B 維尼

On the walk home following one line-rehearsal she agreed to participate in, Shun saw a familiar girl with deep brown hair in a ponytail. She froze and simply looked at the girl.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36rZj6SLQn 維尼

She noticed that Noa had developed a new bad habit during the time since they last met. Noa nervously twirled her ponytail with her slender fingers that appeared as though they could break with the gentlest of breezes or the breath of a passer-by.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNuzJTsMqG 維尼

Noa finally spoke in a worryingly calm voice, so calm that it discarded almost every trace of happiness and humanity left in Noa. The girl’s one saving grace was her evergreen awareness of her guilt in the situation.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YfcCdKBt8 維尼

“Hi. How are you doing?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡN655HYwvNj 維尼

Shun put on a smile, clenching her fists. “I’m… fine. We’re all worried about you.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡR72PnfyV9n 維尼

“Huh. They’re worried about a bitch like me?” Noa asked, overemphasising the word ‘bitch’. Shun nodded with a tight jaw.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡRab3MzMrhx 維尼

“I get the feeling that Chouko’s blaming herself for your disappearance.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡdE5Qvvvzyh 維尼

“Oh. I was going to see her right now, actually. How’s the play going?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJ6atk5Ps1 維尼

“Good. Chouko’s playing your role, funnily enough.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZHItk27MR 維尼

“Are you okay?” Shun’s breath stopped for a moment. Noa began fiddling with her hair again. “I guess it makes sense for you to be angry with me, but… actually, it doesn’t. You barely know Chouko. Why the sudden change in behaviour?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡqd4uV7V21b 維尼

“I just want to make you think twice about hurting Chouko again.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQAIGepyCj 維尼

Noa stepped closer, her cool disposition deteriorating like ice in an oven. “You don’t know the whole story! I’m not going to go out with someone I don’t have feelings for!” She lowered her voice as the guilt seeped back into her conscience. “I thought I was being nice.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4M3h1x5gg 維尼

Shun sighed in surrender as she walked past Noa as fast as she could move without running. There was no way she was going to show embarrassment or fear. She bit her lip, trying to fight the potentially paralysing worry that Noa now knew her secret.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡs63x4KHow8 維尼

Noa stood in front of her admirer’s house, failing to combat her own fear as pathetically as the Titans failed to defeat the Olympian gods. She struggled to make herself believe that she was strong enough to throw her anxieties to the ground.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSCIgHFfV0 維尼

She finally decided to pass the house as if she was simply on an aimless stroll. She closed her eyes for a moment to regain her composure as she coiled her ponytail around her fingers.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡWN3ZzVUkhX 維尼

Chouko was next on the long list of failures as she finally gave up on reading a book after the extremely long time of three minutes. Whenever she tried to absorb a sentence, one question burst into her mind.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvLziDlqR9 維尼

‘Should I really be okay with being so friendly with the girl who stole my role?’8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkAKtBajsj 維尼

This thought did not achieve an easy victory when it tried to persuade Chouko, but it did reach a victory nonetheless. Chouko frowned after twenty minutes of internal debate, deciding that it would be better for her pride to only rehearse her lines alone or with Ran.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAkWBOFh8L 維尼

Shun attempted to approach her at school but Chouko simply smiled, her words dying in the stagnantly hot air of the classroom. Ran jabbed Chouko’s belly with her elbow.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AyI5eJHN3 維尼

“What’s going on between you two?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d4LS2E1n7 維尼

“I… I can’t rehearse with her anymore. Don’t ask why.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mHo1L6Qb3 維尼

Ran glared at her friend. “Either’s Shun’s magically turned into a bitch or you have.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSLF7sJPEO 維尼

“Thanks.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8uyuPZ9aZ 維尼

Chouko acted well as per usual in her role, but something was noticeably wrong with Shun’s performance. She spoke her ‘loving’ lines in a rush, as if they were a train she had to catch or a confession she wanted to get over and done with.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡYi7ZeK6kKC 維尼

Dark hope plagued Chouko’s mind. ‘Maybe if she stuffs up again I’ll get her role.’ She shook her head, disgusted by the presence of this idea in her mind.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbELK2zAl7 維尼

Ran decided that enough was enough. As Shun was packing up her things, alone in the room, Ran entered the room again and held the other girl up against the wall by the collar of her shirt.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCRhEow5NY 維尼

“What’s going on? Chouko’s not telling me anything.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡM42wmNAY3I 維尼

Shun gulped, unsure how to reply. Ran let her go. “Sorry,” she said in a voice that was half-convincing. “Did you confess?” Shun shook her head. “Why haven’t you confessed to her yet?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoTqSr32HL 維尼

Shun straightened her shirt before answering. “There’s no way I’m going to do that. She doesn’t like me back.” She felt no need to add the horrifying possibility of being seen as a replacement for Noa.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡsf8NCXhbKJ 維尼

“It’s not my responsibility to bring you two together,” Ran stated harshly. “Hurry up before you completely lose her.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhkrA4Gqv3 維尼

Shun reluctantly nodded. She sprinted out of the school. Ran chuckled at the literal interpretation Shun had of her words.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gYJspnEet 維尼

Shun put a tremulous hand on Chouko’s shoulder, causing the latter to shriek and turn around. Shun allowed herself a few seconds to finish panting.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGjRTuq5dq 維尼

“Um… can we talk?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡphEJHlvlE4 維尼

Chouko smiled again. “I have to be somewhere.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtAjBOU4I2 維尼

“Oh. I’ll make this quick, then. I… I… damn it. Words, words…. I… like you. I’m sorry.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZsA0AaOyw 維尼

Chouko froze. She eventually looked down at the cracked pavement, her eyes cold. “I’m the one who’s sorry.” She tilted her head back, fire burning in her eyes to shield her fear. “I… I can never love you. You’re my enemy.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6h5n0uJ96A 維尼

“W-what? Why?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIFF82fCA0 維尼

“You stole my spot. I was supposed to be Romeo. I would have been fine with acting as Ms Nishimura’s love interest but since I couldn’t do that I had no choice but to confess. And look how that turned out!”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pHXGc9IUQ 維尼

“You’re not making any sense. Is this like how Ms Nishimura reacted to your confession? Have you decided to mimic her by being so rude?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYglKv2K0u 維尼

Tears bubbled in Chouko’s eyes. Shun blinked to keep her own tears at bay. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Can I take that back?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaKzh0UXaQ 維尼

Chouko shrugged. “Go ahead. It doesn’t really matter what you do. I’m not going to hang out with you anymore. Imagine being friends with a role thief!”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡnG8RQAa9xz 維尼

Shun ran with the speed of Kali saving blood from falling to the ground[3], but unlike her, she possessed no godly abilities that could save anyone, let alone the world. A sense of powerlessness bashed itself over Shun’s head until she began to feel dizzy.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSCC4SF9zA 維尼

She stumbled home, her backpack suddenly feeling heavier than usual.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFfYuBqFCn 維尼

Chouko spent the final week before the show rehearsing with determination that failed to hide the fact that she was constantly fidgeting.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSG0exw54b 維尼

Shun chose to put her shame aside and practice the play as if nothing tense was occurring behind the scenes. The director allowed her and Chouko to skip the kisses but warned them that they were not able to do so during the final performance.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYmq28XDoo 維尼

Noa, meanwhile, spent her time at home thinking. Her mother continuously wondered why her normally studious daughter was skipping school but decided not to press her about it in fear of making the situation worse.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZKBQFJ1ov 維尼

Noa decided to clarify things for herself. She typed the words ‘what’s the difference between boy-girl relationships and girl-girl relationships’ into a search engine. She was surprised by the few results that were about the topic rather than the differences between boys and girls in general.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxQBNUEY5V 維尼

She decided to be brave and search the word ‘lesbians’. She found the Wikipedia page somewhat helpful as an overview, but thought it too clinical to give her full insight. She eventually uncovered a website dedicated to sharing stories about lesbians in Japan.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡXn7vWxX2x5 維尼

One story involved a girl who struggled with her feelings for a girl in her class but ended up liking an entirely different girl in the end. Noa cleared her history and turned off her computer. She picked up the phone, a new idea in her head.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9YL8rxClV 維尼

On the final rehearsal, Shun looked outside her window and saw a detestable face below. She was granted permission to leave the building to get some “fresh air”.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqVtNSyUy1 維尼

“What do you want now?” she asked.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6H3wXjCDa0 維尼

Noa lightly scratched her own arm. “I’m going to go back to school tomorrow. And, uh, I want to watch the performance. Where can I get tickets?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18Czd5IpBg 維尼

“Ask the assistant director for one.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡzA3pRlJAmo 維尼

“Can I have your number?” Shun stared at her, perplexed. Noa waved her arms about. “I don’t mean it in that way. I just… I want to help you get together… with Chouko. I thought we could come up with a plan and communicate over the phone.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOS8VogANe 維尼

Shun took a step back. She began to turn the foot around but stopped. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuD8ywaudC 維尼

“Go on.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZm1k2KZBS 維尼

Noa smiled.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡzu9NzFAfU7 維尼

The performance day arrived quicker than the Concorde as a sea of jet-black hair, interspersed with traces of blonde, brunette and the occasional unique colour, flooded the auditorium.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡESkQJ00bbl 維尼

The director tried to contain her delight so that her squeals would not pounce on the audience like a pack of wolves. She hugged her assistant, lifting her off the ground. The assistant patted the other girl’s back, her face flushed with embarrassment.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4LUOFiu1I 維尼

Chouko was still in her dressing room, warming up her voice. She then looked herself in the mirror and repeated her favourite words.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCD4ItvPBw 維尼

“I am a goddess.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡYw3qcAGuz8 維尼

Shun called Noa. “Are you here yet?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmR3KzCXS4 維尼

“I’m still trying to choose which flowers to bring! Jeez, you don’t need to call me every thirty seconds, you know.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡfChCzkRpUm 維尼

“Sorry. Hey Ran!” Ran’s head popped into view. “What’s Chouko’s favourite flower?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡieOvJNlott 維尼

“Chrysanthemums, I think.” Shun parroted the girl’s words into the phone. The smell of such flowers echoed in Noa’s mind as if it was a sound.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAHaq5kXvt 維尼

Ten minutes passed. The assistant director called, “Beginners on stage!” and, an extra five minutes later, the performance began.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEPdKNc2gS 維尼

When scene 3 arrived, Chouko basked in a familiar, warm and almost blinding light. She could barely see her beloved audience but she could feel their presence. She knew that standing on the hard surface of the stage would eventually cause her feet to ache, but she also knew that the applause would be worth it.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMdxIgKpFb 維尼

She played the role with a mixture of grace and gusto, like a piece of silk covering steel.  Whenever she felt hesitant, she repeated her favourite mantra in her mind.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡTG8qHT3Zot 維尼

Noa entered the auditorium during interval. “How much did I miss?” she asked a friend, who informed her that she missed the first Act of the performance, which was actually the first two acts. The final three acts had yet to be performed.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfjYDON48k 維尼

She hurried to the backstage door, bouquet in hand, where a woman asked for her name. “I’m not supposed to be backstage, but I-”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLQA1ismXB 維尼

“She’s with me,” Shun said, looking at her watch. She was leaning against the door and appeared to have done so for the past ten minutes. “Thanks. Now watch the performance. I’ll tell you how it goes after the show.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFSPjvLwfg 維尼

Noa nodded and found her seat in the auditorium. Meanwhile, Shun cautiously knocked on Chouko’s dressing room door. “Is Chouko here?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡUomb9tLOhg 維尼

Ran opened the door and shook her head. She beamed when she saw the flowers. “Who are these for? You really are Romeo. I’ll give them to her if you want.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkc3uZIiyP 維尼

“No, I… I have to be the one who gives them.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZxL29NWUY 維尼

“She getting her mic fixed. Good job on stage, by the way.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxB7VZgzFw 維尼

Shun blushed but smiled, comfort loosening anxiety’s grip on her limbs. She looked in the green room and found Chouko doing just as Ran claimed.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2DQR3CrXC 維尼

“Hello,” was all she could manage to say. Her arms tightened again.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6M6M7erAR 維尼

“Hey,” Chouko said curtly. “Good job.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHOrMDkJjy 維尼

“Thanks. Um… these are for you.” She gave Chouko the flowers. Chouko inhaled their fragrance, her cheeks regaining their colour and a smile forcing itself onto her face.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsUMKGHLsw 維尼

“Uh, thanks. What exactly are these for?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡekhb9uy3Cm 維尼

Shun froze. She coughed into her shaking fist. “I… kind of… like you.” She bowed her head and covered her face with her hands. “I’m sorry. I know you hate me right now and don’t want to be near me.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGx89dVkRY 維尼

Chouko grabbed one of Shun’s hands and lightly tugged it away from her face. “I don’t… hate you. It just… feels wrong to be near you since I wanted your role.” Chouko’s eyes grew until they were the size of vinyl records. “I just realised how stupid that sounds.” She covered her own face. “I’m so, so sorry!”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTorH69WKY 維尼

Shun looked to her side, unsure how to react. “So, uh, do you still dislike me?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfVf5T886R 維尼

Chouko stroked her chin. “I’ll have to think about it. I… don’t dislike you, but I don’t know if I feel the same way about you. Can you wait until after the play? I should have an answer by then.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWn5Zr1vhX 維尼

Shun nodded and awkwardly shifted her body towards the wings of the stage. Her heart beat her ribcage with the strength of Kratos[4]. Her hands were still shaking, but she had a smile of hope on her face.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDUVCTCybK 維尼

Chouko stepped onto the stage, trying to balance her thoughts with her line delivery, and for the most part it worked, though there were a few times in which she fumbled through her lines.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fzed5Qnpl 維尼

In the most tragic scene in the play, Chouko planted a kiss on ‘Romeo’s’ lips and commented on how warm ‘his’ lips were. She pretended to stab herself and fell beside the other girl. When she noticed how comfortable she felt lying beside Shun, her answer became clear.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0U7EjxPKdi 維尼

When the curtain finally closed, Ran congratulated her on a job well done and Chouko returned the compliment, though her mind was clearly elsewhere. She grabbed Shun’s hand and dragged her to her changeroom, telling Ran to wait a few seconds.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJdr8xAdXE 維尼

“Sorry about all that,” she said. “I just wanted to talk in private. Um….”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJZQipmWWz 維尼

“I-it’s okay. It must be hard enough having to reject someone.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYeLprOVgn 維尼

“My answer is yes.”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XaS9F1b5Y 維尼

Shun stared at the other girl as if she had just transformed into a hydra. Chouko continued. “I… I think we should try going out, see how it turns out.” She pointed at Shun and giggled. “What’s with that face?”8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡMv0Bap0V7x 維尼

Tears fell down Shun’s red cheeks. “Thank you.” She pulled Chouko towards her and held her close. Chouko pushed Shun away so that she could bring her lips to hers.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfJN4wNTL3 維尼

Shun smiled as she kissed her back. ‘I really am a goddess,’ Chouko thought to herself.8964 copyright protection420ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMQD3h2dVm 維尼

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