Maho gave Fujiko a small smile. "I think these flowers are ready to sell at the plant fair. What do you think?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdYvN6Z7Mo
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzDiyqCYjY
Fujiko held up a pot of roses to her nose and breathed in the sweet fragrance. "They're beautiful-"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4Wi3wp0wp
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjIZ6aLtNX
Maho glared at her. "If you say they're beautiful like me, I'll hit you." Fujiko laughed. Maho thought the laugh was as sweet as the roses, but she would never admit it. The memory of Fujiko confessing her love to her swirled around her mind like flowers put in a bowl of water. They had not talked about that event for months and Maho had to admire her friend's patience in waiting for a response.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9BfJk9iiN
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB1tHkmoip
"I wouldn't say something like that. It would be too embarrassing." Fujiko's cheeks were tinted with a rose colour. Maho wanted to point out that she often said embarrassing things, but her tongue was less sharp than what it used to be. Had Fujiko softened her?200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhO0fjNmiU8
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWYPexgQvA
Maho looked down at her flowers as she spoke. "Do you... still have feelings for me?" Fujiko gently placed the pot of roses on the balcony's rail. She looked up with a smile that failed to hide her anguish.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKdD2gashG
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZTxY0HJtv
"I... I do... I'm sorry if you think it's strange. Don't worry about it too much."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMPs2zNcR5
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡHl7IOP3bdm
Maho frowned. "I don't know what you see in me. I'm a mess, plain and simple. I'm always getting drunk, annoyed or both. How do you put up with me?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9TZocNLvI
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqizfx6wnC
"It's not a matter of putting up with someone. I can see that you're more than just that. You've broken out of your frame, so-"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcs6Qvn0YE
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cB0KA0sku
"Enough about that! I'm sick of talking about 'frames'. Is it so bad to want to fit in a frame? I... I just want to...."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPrwit55FW
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2P4KETOP7
Maho wiped her tiny tears away before they had a chance to be noticed. She looked at Fujiko. "It's ridiculous how you keep cutting your hair short. Are you trying to be like a man to get closer to me? Why do you bother when you still look like a woman? Why do I bother trying to pass for a woman?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF64FuhsgN
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqxtZN16jo
"But... you are a woman. And I'm not trying to look like a man. My hair just feels constricting. Cutting it off makes me feel free, like I'm out of my frame."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9ZDgQ9DQ7
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpBkqmUqOf
"What did I say about the frame?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixWJ3fd9lT
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMhKQ2oKRe
"I don't care! Unlike you, I'm not content in being what's expected of me!" Fujiko shouted, startling Maho. Maho stepped back quickly. Her back almost folded on top of the rail as she fell backwards. Her eyes widened as she saw concrete that darkened with raindrops, which began to dive into the air until they reached the ground. Despite the now stormy weather, Maho's thoughts became clear.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wycBdHTGX
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2EpwDcxKw
She finally allowed herself to cry as she felt Fujiko's warm hand holding her arm. She looked up and saw the pain in her eyes. She shook her head.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGR7GvnwE1n
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsWyNmUHMJ
"Just let go. Let me die," she said in a gravely low voice.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjUJ3YYh7k
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHveslhR68
"Now's not the time to be joking about things like that."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadRJpsW7mD
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YbJoHnBe7
"I'm not kidding this time. I really want to go."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43vbJ1ygGA
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bA3JnqE5c
"And leave me all alone?" Maho furrowed her eyebrows. "It's okay if you don't like me back, but you can't forget that you and Koko are my only friends. I... I would crumble if you died. My world would shatter to pieces."copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3UShmezdk
Fujiko was a big fan of using clichés and dramatic metaphors in her speech, whether she realised it or not. Sometimes this quirk made Maho grumpy, but on other days, such as when they first talked about social 'frames', she found it endearing. As Fujiko's hold on her arm tightened, Maho reached an epiphany. 200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsTxbXwaeD
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjjT2IAqjP
"I... I do return your feelings. Can I live?" Fujiko grinned like a child high on sugar. She pulled up her friend with all her strength until Maho was sitting on the balcony. "Thank you. I still don't know how you can stand me."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupRl8hO5ob
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡyr09uKxVoD
Fujiko wrapped her arms around Maho's broad shoulders and held her close. "It's okay. I'm sorry for complaining about being lonely. I shouldn't have been such a burden."200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIseeEYfdeV
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LG2DYpSxD
Maho held Fujiko's chin up and crashed their lips together. She tried to remember kissing someone like this, but all of her memories of being with other girls were filled with judgement and harsh words. She remembered coming out as a woman to her first crush.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSoHqzFWJT
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfWw9ZeJqy
"You're... not a boy? Are you some sort of tranny? No offence, but you could never pass for a girl. Just be a guy and we could be together." 200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzejqArIow6
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYZz8ukFpI
She knew that this would never happen again. She had Fujiko and that was all that mattered to her at the moment. 200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfzOudMJr0
copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡixtYA7WZZu
Fujiko ended the kiss, her beam growing wider as her heart warmed up like a heating pad. She wiped away more of Maho's tears. Maho smiled back at her, showing no traces of her earlier depressed state. Both women had cheeks as red as roses.copyright protection196ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcKzJTzXDZ
ns3.94.202.172da2
