No Plagiarism!JS5lQfLCFYnCdUut46Vhposted 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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNBlAc1auQ

“It’s going to be alright. Don’t pay attention to Noa. She was being a total bitch.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dJ7zAmlc2

“Don’t say that,” Chouko replied between sobs. “She was… trying to be nice.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAFwvaZzgV

Shun plodded towards Chouko. “Are you okay?” Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSJsdkEfv9

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wmQDWq0hD

“I didn’t know you were a lesbian,” she said in a surprisingly giddy voice.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AdJ7IT7ia

Chouko almost chocked. “That’s one way of putting it.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ392MBg7gwC

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡqC8MsMJSN0

Ran waved her hand dismissively. “No need to answer.” Shun relaxed her shoulders. “Speaking of love, guess who got a boyfriend?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRBJBIsvPK

“How?” Chouko wondered aloud.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSTHFvYMMu

“What do you mean, “How?” No need to be rude.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc6yZzlIs8

“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!”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY0kHC397T

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMMNtrjse6

“So tell us about him,” Chouko demanded.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDj3ciCx15

“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?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡFL3G5Li9Up

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!”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OcPCFhW8v

“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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ249m8lEKSG

“Ken’s a little bit like you, Shun.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyrTfxEyGz

Shun moved her gaze from Chouko to Ran, and then back to Chouko. “But didn’t Chouko just say that she would-”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJoay1QPXY

“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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡl02vmaQ1VJ

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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMi9FyGk6n

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡT46ieEj4th

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Pi5kFgbGc

“Incoming bitch,” she muttered into Chouko’s ear, her disgustingly slimy breath, a concoction of many different foods, hitting her with full force.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoYdyELeYS

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSXHacmtgQ

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjF3pZIGao

“What’s that?” she inquired as if preparing to run away at the first sign of danger.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5NSilw4Au

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbmUTx6f0n

“Hmm… interesting…. How do you get all these ideas?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LHLO7KwNU

“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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡVG0Iyj45nE

“Is Noa the villain in your plays?” Ran asked with a laugh drenched in spite.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlQXgJumZu

Noa got out of her chair and wordlessly left the classroom. Her brows were furrowed in repressed pain as she wandered through the hallways.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5grQ4yBAm

Guilt consumed her every movement despite her justifications for her actions. Surely she let Chouko down easily, right?copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡww3wfCPjHd

Ran’s barely hidden words began to pierce through her like pointed knives. ‘People are just awful,’ Noa concluded after wiping her tears away.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhzNePxIbx

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWCtntyW49

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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBFm8UYXdF

“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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbXKZczxVL

“You’ll have to do. Can you learn the rest of the lines in three weeks?” Chouko nodded.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48IHC6aa2f

“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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡklQZHYUGW8

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8jjSjvsQr

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVAWCc2Mn5

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HqTH8RBOO

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaW3uPnZhe

“Hi. How are you doing?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡqw91sLduyB

Shun put on a smile, clenching her fists. “I’m… fine. We’re all worried about you.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAj1t09lCY

“Huh. They’re worried about a bitch like me?” Noa asked, overemphasising the word ‘bitch’. Shun nodded with a tight jaw.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9m96qDVODd

“I get the feeling that Chouko’s blaming herself for your disappearance.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24Jb5bXiGv

“Oh. I was going to see her right now, actually. How’s the play going?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡUg6dhAerVR

“Good. Chouko’s playing your role, funnily enough.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5ezbFc7tQ

“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?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvU3HZfFiV

“I just want to make you think twice about hurting Chouko again.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡacchquREWM

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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmSKW3q8aT

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvpTy7SNMa

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXnWeNr6sn

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZKLJGOaPZ

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NutH3AzRn

‘Should I really be okay with being so friendly with the girl who stole my role?’copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBk8xzVZFo

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyn6j7M7hB

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lpCO7FpGw

“What’s going on between you two?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡMr86zFFvFl

“I… I can’t rehearse with her anymore. Don’t ask why.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1Th8cpVkH

Ran glared at her friend. “Either’s Shun’s magically turned into a bitch or you have.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡxr2X4R4JgK

“Thanks.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2co9M4PhJ

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡabL3tTgTOA

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡAl2Dj6unQK

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86NkuW6zLo

“What’s going on? Chouko’s not telling me anything.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVA3Z3XfXL

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?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡPx7SaqYEOO

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWVcgp9nZU

“It’s not my responsibility to bring you two together,” Ran stated harshly. “Hurry up before you completely lose her.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhQllQpi5m

Shun reluctantly nodded. She sprinted out of the school. Ran chuckled at the literal interpretation Shun had of her words.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VUcN4DMJr

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8nwlDWu1V

“Um… can we talk?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMdg8y6yRb

Chouko smiled again. “I have to be somewhere.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡUV7O7VTKHC

“Oh. I’ll make this quick, then. I… I… damn it. Words, words…. I… like you. I’m sorry.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjLzP6dMBe

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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡI01Vg9umHl

“W-what? Why?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCgGroBk9j

“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!”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlCJUsQ7fr

“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?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXsmSIwm5e

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?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡIERYkinWDw

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!”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡfARSjLk9Tz

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡBex3BqM8NS

She stumbled home, her backpack suddenly feeling heavier than usual.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvwduRwRN9

Chouko spent the final week before the show rehearsing with determination that failed to hide the fact that she was constantly fidgeting.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2JgV31fdU

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡPO9mSKMETz

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡwf53tzUZrI

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PLS5GW7V9

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LYb8QWUuP

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡu15z4z9ZyA

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”.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHpsAv8wC3

“What do you want now?” she asked.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEPEQXuNSZ

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?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡDn0IX5h64Q

“Ask the assistant director for one.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLy6d9ClFf

“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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡplUeZKcuy4

Shun took a step back. She began to turn the foot around but stopped. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbruUozcvD

“Go on.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3coBjCKVXq

Noa smiled.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡanL4CLPOgn

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKykesJNFf

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIrQjLs4Gq

Chouko was still in her dressing room, warming up her voice. She then looked herself in the mirror and repeated her favourite words.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡuROgWq2Lei

“I am a goddess.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ873Hshac5P

Shun called Noa. “Are you here yet?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡswxUnRFQVm

“I’m still trying to choose which flowers to bring! Jeez, you don’t need to call me every thirty seconds, you know.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqd4H9uJVJ

“Sorry. Hey Ran!” Ran’s head popped into view. “What’s Chouko’s favourite flower?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23R5LknWws

“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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZZjTnayd6

Ten minutes passed. The assistant director called, “Beginners on stage!” and, an extra five minutes later, the performance began.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtw7ydh3Xc

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0gE62YtYv

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKuW3njeWw

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQ0RYy5gB3

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-”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡso3J29L0DJ

“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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzt0vwoPLl

Noa nodded and found her seat in the auditorium. Meanwhile, Shun cautiously knocked on Chouko’s dressing room door. “Is Chouko here?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5blXaU2qw

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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TU9CXinYW

“No, I… I have to be the one who gives them.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uvAv17UQS

“She getting her mic fixed. Good job on stage, by the way.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcYryVBsY2

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4VTdyQwWO

“Hello,” was all she could manage to say. Her arms tightened again.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3jYDO0LJR

“Hey,” Chouko said curtly. “Good job.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡEY3CpCy15x

“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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34BZYPyOlu

“Uh, thanks. What exactly are these for?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOxXNbLNXu

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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBtJeTlMUr

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!”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYvVXuKwj6

Shun looked to her side, unsure how to react. “So, uh, do you still dislike me?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WVyTIJFwG

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.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡabiDVwxgjr

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDpdznIkT1

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUXmsR4cxB

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡTINbmIITZ2

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHFKVf7Dz1

“Sorry about all that,” she said. “I just wanted to talk in private. Um….”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZVCmourA1

“I-it’s okay. It must be hard enough having to reject someone.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tJQE5ynYx

“My answer is yes.”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjf53akbNT

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?”copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsT84fxyG7

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.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIAjyfp7Cn

Shun smiled as she kissed her back. ‘I really am a goddess,’ Chouko thought to herself.copyright protection163ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2GU7K5rVT

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