Maho gave Fujiko a small smile. "I think these flowers are ready to sell at the plant fair. What do you think?"407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUNNmlzv9x
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57R3naknh2 維尼
Fujiko held up a pot of roses to her nose and breathed in the sweet fragrance. "They're beautiful-"407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlIe9wa0KQ
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6J3tLXkgBJ 維尼
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoyNDIQzkK
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡowSRIZoVgP 維尼
"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?407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiMGEH7Bm5
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SgKA71ObD 維尼
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnl0k4mgaCQ
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGUAMBseKz 維尼
"I... I do... I'm sorry if you think it's strange. Don't worry about it too much."407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOE2gzFhIlu
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQbkj5gOWE 維尼
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?"407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaIij93DYT
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW53TiqyMw 維尼
"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-"407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡienMiqx4NN
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zIpaD2Yhu 維尼
"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...."407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdwdn95uw4
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XOPZRKJOD 維尼
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?"407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq0P06kEcZ
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUDPm7lowc 維尼
"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."407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcX8l0ic3rO
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKvFrKJ0Jn 維尼
"What did I say about the frame?"407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqwsJd6WJ8
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHKtlIjh2O 維尼
"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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIq5JuHGuw
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89REAASSVO 維尼
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE1zBq6fmw
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsDBZYve8f 維尼
"Just let go. Let me die," she said in a gravely low voice.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70qUCgRWku
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxYkSop98z 維尼
"Now's not the time to be joking about things like that."407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVkTZSIEHq
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoy2HGUFlG 維尼
"I'm not kidding this time. I really want to go."407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyfjRAvtIB
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiFR69yvFQ 維尼
"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."8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3yWwjHsMK 維尼
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. 407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbDqbnflQd
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡXd6Z53ZspU 維尼
"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."407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Dq2wY0Mh0
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTn75givR6 維尼
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."407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUp5dO3noA
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqhFelpwkn 維尼
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGsRWtskTt
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mtTf9YHFs 維尼
"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." 407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnbCBgaHxe
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHPb23sZ6R 維尼
She knew that this would never happen again. She had Fujiko and that was all that mattered to her at the moment. 407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YkWmNBMhy
8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡY40o52QuI1 維尼
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.8964 copyright protection403ＰＥＮＡＮＡGri7wWi6v6 維尼
ns3.238.180.255da2
