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When Ruka awoke with a start the room was still dark and silent, save for the quiet sounds her sleeping roommates were making. Taking a deep breath and trying to calm down, for a moment she simply listened. She could recognize everyone with relative ease. Megumi, Tama, Tsukasa, Karen… Yuki was always the hardest because of how she slept like a dead person, but by now Ruka had learned how to make out the sound of her breathing too. Once she did she immediately felt calmer.
There was some strange sensation on her face though, so she raised her hand to touch it. It came away damp.
Huh.
It definitely wasn't sweat, so it could only be one other thing. Either way it felt kind of gross and sticky. Letting out a sigh, she got up and climbed down the ladder as quietly as she could, then left the room and headed towards the bathroom.
One look in the mirror above the sink confirmed her earlier suspicions. There was no use dwelling on it in the middle of the night though, so she simply washed her face as she had intended to.
The dream she had probably couldn’t even be called a bad one. Ruka didn’t particularly know why it had made her cry, but… she was kind of stupid after all. She didn’t feel like thinking about it too hard though, and she was glad none of the other girls were awake to see her like that. They’d probably worry, and it wasn’t anything serious enough to warrant it. She’d rather just go back to sleep.
The problem is that I don’t really feel sleepy anymore, she thought to herself as she walked back. Everything was just as silent as she had left it, so she should probably just climb back into her bed, but-
It was like her legs refused to listen to her, and she simply stood there near the door, looking around the room and feeling strangely at a loss. Earlier simply listening made her feel calmer, but now it didn’t feel like enough. Waking someone up at this ungodly hour wasn’t an option though, she wasn’t selfish enough to consider it-
“...Ruka?” A quiet voice she’d recognize anywhere interrupted her gloomy thoughts.
Well, if she’s awake anyway…
“Did I wake you up, Yukkie? Sorry,” she muttered softly, walking up towards her bed and sitting down on the floor. She really did feel sorry, but she couldn’t help but hope that Yuki would indulge her for a bit, like she always did.
“You did, but it’s fine. I know you didn’t mean to,” the girl replied. “What were you standing there for? Is everything okay?”
“Mhm. Again, sorry for waking you up. I just… had a strange dream,” Ruka whispered, resting her cheek against the edge of the mattress in a way that made it possible to stare at Yuki, even though the dark made it hard to see much. Just hearing the other girl’s voice was soothing her nerves though. “But it’s okay. It just made me not sleepy anymore, so can I bother you for a moment?”
“If you have to bother anyone, I suppose I’ll carry that burden,” Yuki sighed. “A strange dream… a nightmare?”
Ruka could hear the worry in her tone, despite the question being barely a whisper.
“No, I don’t really think it can be called a nightmare…” she muttered, not entirely sure herself. “Like… There was nothing particularly bad about it, you know?”
“And yet it still upset you.”
“Do I seem upset?” Ruka asked in a surprised tone.
“If you weren’t upset, you’d already be back to bed and out like a light. Don’t even try to fool me.”
For a moment Ruka didn’t really know what to say. She herself hadn't even realized that the dream had bothered her that much, but Yuki seemed confident in her understanding of the situation. Maybe she was right though. She always seemed to notice whenever Ruka was anxious about something, no matter how hard Ruka tried not to show it.
“If Yukkie says so, it’s probably true,” she finally said, a little self-deprecating smile forming on her lips.
Yuki stared at her without a word for a while, long enough to make her feel nervous. Then, the girl scooted back on the bed and pulled the covers up.
“Get up here and then you can tell me about what your brain has conjured up this time. If you want to, I mean.”
“Huh?”
“I’m telling you to get on the bed and tell me what’s bothering you.” Yuki rephrased her offer. It’s not like Ruka misunderstood her the first time; she simply couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“...Are you really inviting me to your bed? I didn’t expect you to be so bold, I’m not sure if I’m ready to move so fas-”
“Are you trying to make me change my mind? If so, away with you and I’ll be going back to sleep.”
“N-No, I'll take you up on that offer…” Ruka said, not wanting to risk Yuki actually taking it back. An opportunity like this probably wouldn’t happen again soon. Even if she was chased out after a bit to avoid anyone seeing them, it’d still be worth it. So, she got up and crawled under the covers next to Yuki without having to be told to do so again.
Even though Yuki was lying on her side with her back nearly against the wall, the single bed was definitely too narrow for two people, making it impossible for them to not touch in any way. Ruka laughed soundlessly seeing Yuki flinch when she stuck her cold feet between Yuki’s own. She did that just to see that cute frown on the other girl’s face, but to her surprise Yuki didn’t kick her away and instead let her stay like that.
So, Ruka simply closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth, breathing in the scent she loved so much and which now surrounded her along with the covers. Yuki’s scent. Suddenly everything seemed to be as alright as it could be.
Then, she could hear Yuki move and the next moment there was a hand on Ruka’s cheek, caressing it gently. Startled by it a little, she opened her eyes again to see the other girl stare at her intently.
She had washed her face properly, so there was no way Yuki could tell she’d cried, right? She definitely shouldn’t be able to see it in the dark and without her glasses. Ruka wasn’t even sure why the thought of Yuki figuring it out seemed so unnerving… Maybe she just didn’t want to worry her. It wouldn’t make her look too reliable either, wouldn’t it?
But Yuki never judged her whenever she felt hesitant or scared, and probably wouldn’t do so this time either. She always seemed to perfectly know what to say to give Ruka the courage to keep moving forward, so… Ruka couldn’t help but give into Yuki’s kindness and entrust her most vulnerable self to that girl. Because Yuki made things better just by being next to her.
Despite having spent so much time carrying a weapon, Yuki’s hand on her cheek was still so much softer than Ruka’s own hands. Her touch felt so nice that it was unfair.
“So? What was that dream all about?” the girl asked quietly.
“Uh, well… It really wasn’t anything special,” Ruka muttered. “It was a dream about a peaceful world.”
“Huh?”
“Everything was like before, like the whole apocalypse never happened. No cancers, no Seraph Squadrons, tons of humans just living normal lives. Me too.”
“This sounds like a pretty good dream to me,” Yuki whispered with a confused expression.
“I thought so too, but… none of you were with me. There was no Megumin, Cappy, Tsukassie or Karerin,” she replied, shutting her eyes tightly again. “And Yukkie wasn’t with me either. I had no idea who Izumi Yuki even was. Maybe I signed a CD for her at some point but of course I wouldn’t remember that. It made no sense for the me in the dream to even be aware of that, but…”
“...but?” Yuki prompted her gently when she fell silent for a couple of seconds.
“It made me feel so lonely,” Ruka admitted pitifully. “Like I was stranded somewhere all on my own. It was all so normal, but… I don’t want a world like that…”
She was getting all worked up again, but Yuki’s hand moved from her face into her hair, brushing through it in a soothing motion.
“Ruka. I’m sure that in a peaceful world like that you’d still be surrounded by people who love you,” the girl said, but even though it was a perfectly normal answer it didn’t feel right at all.
“Even then, none of them would be Yukkie.”
“Well, obviously. Hackers and rock stars don't have much in common in peaceful worlds,” she replied to Ruka's whiny complaint in an amused tone. “But if a world like that still existed, it wouldn't be like in your dream. We'd both just live our lives without them ever overlapping, and you'd do just fine. I'm sure of that.”
“How can you know that?” Ruka pouted. “Maybe I'd constantly be feeling like something that should be there is missing, and I’d be looking for you whenever someone similar passed by me in the streets?”
“S-Stop trying to make it sound like we’re star-crossed lovers or something,” Yuki muttered, looking away.
Ah, she’s embarrassed. Cute, Ruka thought, so easily distracted from the fact that she was supposed to be upset. “Who knows, maybe we are? Maybe we were actually destined to meet here.”
“Don’t just say anything that pops into your head,” she sighed. “The point is that this definitely wouldn’t happen. I’m sure you’d be more than fine without the mess they’re making us deal with.”
“Would you really be completely fine with that…? Would you not miss me even a little bit?”
Ruka expected a response along the lines of ‘I’d finally have some peace and quiet, so no,’ but it didn’t come. For a moment Yuki stayed silent, but then-
“When you put it like that… I don’t really like that thought either…” she mumbled.
“...See? You do get it after all,” Ruka replied, giving her a soft smile.
“E-Either way, that sort of world doesn’t exist anymore, remember? And… I'm right here with you. Don’t stress over something with no chance of happening and go to sleep.”
“That’s my Yukkie, logical as always, and right as always. That’s what I love about you.”
“I just told you to stop saying things like this!” Yuki said as firmly as she could while forced to keep whispering. “I-It’s embarrassing…”
Ruka knew that, of course. It being embarrassing to Yuki was exactly the reason why she kept doing it, because Yuki’s flustered expression was too cute to resist the temptation.
Well, that, and the fact that Ruka simply liked her and wanted to show it, even if only little by little. She could tell that even if Yuki was embarrassed, it still made her happy, and that just made her want to keep going.
“But you know,” Ruka began softly, pulling one hand from under the covers and putting it over Yuki’s hand on her face, “even if a world like that could exist somehow, I wouldn’t trade Yukkie for anything.”
“What are you even saying? If you had a chance to make that peaceful world happen, you should go for it without even thinking of me. Isn’t that what we’ve been fighting for this whole time?” Yuki replied with a frown, not letting herself be swayed by Ruka’s words but also making no attempt to take her hand back.
“That’s true, but… I just don’t like it,” she mumbled, with less confidence this time.
“Don’t like what?”
“The idea that I can only have one of these things. I want to both end this war eventually and for you to stay by my side. Is that too greedy?”
For a moment Yuki didn't say anything, but then she smiled, one of those rare soft smiles she'd give Ruka sometimes, although Ruka still had no idea what she'd done to warrant one. Maybe it was better that way though, because getting one as a surprise always felt like winning a lottery. It made Ruka want to get rid of the distance still separating them and wrap her arms around her, to be as close as they could possibly be.
Normally she’d do exactly that, but… for some reason she felt too hesitant. Or maybe… shy? But wasn’t that a bit too out of character for her? What kind of rock star even got shy? Out of spite towards herself, she shifted just a little closer to Yuki. The other girl didn’t even seem to notice though.
“It might be a little greedy,” Yuki said, “but that sort of greediness is exactly what I’d expect of you.”
“What is that supposed to mean…?”
“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. Only that I wouldn’t expect you to settle for anything less than exactly what you want. It’s what makes people want to cheer you on,” she explained, her gaze escaping somewhere to the side as she spoke, like a signal that she was about to say something she found embarrassing. “M-me included…”
Oh.
“Yukkie… Now I’ll definitely make it happen,” Ruka said, moving so close to her that their foreheads almost touched and letting go of Yuki's hand to put it around her waist instead. “If Yukkie is cheering on me then I’m invincible.”
“H-Huh? How does that… W-Wait, why are you so close now? Ruka, what-”
“Especially since Yukkie said we should get married after the war is over,” she added with a grin, cutting off Yuki’s frantic questions and effectively silencing her in general, leaving her to stare at Ruka with wide eyes and a mortified expression.
Only for a few seconds though.
“W-Why on earth do you still remember that?!” the girl asked, her voice a little too loud to be considered safe in their situation, but Ruka was about ninety-seven percent sure everyone was still asleep.
“How could you expect me to forget something like that? It made me happy, so of course I remember. I recorded it with my ears.”
“You did what…? Nevermind, I shouldn’t respond to this...”
“Point is, you did say that, Yukkie. No take-backsies now.”
“And how many girls did you propose to? What about them?” Yuki reminded her, and while Ruka wished it was out of jealousy, it sounded more like a mean jab at her. Well, there definitely were a couple of other girls Ruka had asked to marry her… but it’s not like she was serious about that, okay?! Anyone should be able to tell those were jokes, right?!
Was Yuki implying she was joking back then too…?
“Come on, Yukkie…” she mumbled pitifully. “None of them said ‘yes.’ Your proposal was the only one with mutual agreement involved.”
“Oh, so I’m just your last resort because nobody else wants to be married to you? Good to know,” the girl said with an unimpressed face.
Of course not, Ruka replied in her head, unable to suppress the smile that forced its way onto her face at that thought. You're the only one for me. The one I want to dedicate the rest of my life to, however long that’s gonna be.
Should she say that? Should she not? Would Yuki be happy to hear it, or was it too soon and would she just push Ruka away?
“That’s not true, there are definitely people who’d want that. When I was still a pro musician there were tons of people who’d say stuff like ‘Ruka-chan, please, marry me!’, or “Kayamori-san, be my wife!’,” she said instead, only then getting hit with a realization. “Now that I think about it… Wasn't that sort of creepy?! Definitely not all of them were the same age as me, and they had no idea what kind of person I even was…”
As she said that, the hand Yuki had snatched away earlier in panic returned to touch Ruka, this time wrapping around her and resting on her back in a manner that Ruka could only describe as protective. Their position resembled an embrace now more than anything else.
“First you say you had people following you home, now this… Why do I always go from scolding you to feeling bad for you in the span of only a couple of seconds…?” Yuki mumbled.
“Because Yukkie is kinder than she seems to be at first glance, ehehe,” Ruka laughed happily.
“This sounded like something I should feel insulted by…”
“No need to feel bad for me though,” she continued. “You know me like the back of your hand by now, and you’re the one I’ll be marrying.”
“C-Can you not-”
“And Yukkie isn’t a last resort to me at all. You’re more like, the true route heroine in whose case I have to carefully trigger all the right flags to unlock the lovey-dovey ending. It’s hard work, but I’m sure the reward will be worth it.”
“This isn't a game, you know? If you've cheered up enough to be talking nonsense, then get out of here and sleep,” Yuki said, moving her hand to Ruka's shoulder now, trying to put some distance between them and turn around.
Uh oh.
Ruka wasn't sure whether Yuki finally got too annoyed with her or simply too embarrassed, but the moment the girl was flat on her back Ruka simply put her arm across her chest, stopping her from moving any further.
“H-Hey, what are you-”
“I'll buy you the nicest ring I can afford, so, Yukkie… please, indulge me for a bit longer for now,” she whispered, burying her face in Yuki's shoulder. Yuki had every right to refuse her and send her back to her own bed, but Ruka hopelessly wished she wouldn't just yet.
For a moment she waited for a response in silence, a little more nervous than she’d like to admit.
Then, she felt Yuki relax and rest her cheek against the top of Ruka’s head. She hoped Yuki didn’t notice the way she breathed out in relief.
“...It’s a good thing you’re at least being realistic and said ‘the nicest I can afford,’ not ‘the nicest I find,’” Yuki said quietly, making her laugh again.
“It’s still going to be the nicest one I find. I’ll work hard to be able to afford it! My future wife deserves only the best engagement ring,” Ruka replied. Not having to hold Yuki in place anymore, she slid her hand down until she found Yuki’s own, holding it tightly.
The other girl uttered something incomprehensible to that, as if trying to process her embarrassment without letting it take over.
“Ruka, I… You know… I don’t really need anything that fancy,” she mumbled.
“Are you trying to say being with me is enough for you?” Ruka asked with a grin, really meaning that to be a teasing remark, but she felt Yuki tense a little.
“W-Well, uh… Y-Yeah…”
Oh. This is dangerous for my heart.
“More importantly though, we’ll definitely need money for a lot of other things, so there’s no point in wasting it on something silly like jewelry,” Yuki added immediately though, ruining the effect the stuttered out confession had.
“Do you really have to immediately jump to home budget planning? We’ll have time for that later! Can’t you act cute for a moment longer?” Ruka pouted in response.
“Well, sorry I’m not cute.”
“You are, it’s just th-”
“And it’s an important part of every marriage, you know? Though knowing you, you’d probably leave all the complicated things for me to deal with,” Yuki pointed out.
“Ugh… I’ll definitely try to contribute somehow, but you know that certain things are just outside of my brain’s capabilities...”
“I know, dum-dum. I’ve grown to accept that,” she said, her free left hand finding its way into Ruka’s hair again, as if Yuki was unable to stop herself from touching her. Ruka didn’t mind one bit. “That’s why I’m telling you in advance, don’t waste money on silly things.”
“Ngh… Okay. I’ll listen to Yukkie, since you’re a lot smarter than me,” Ruka agreed reluctantly. She did want to buy her that ring, but she wasn’t going to argue. “But…”
“What is it?”
“I want Yukkie to wear a wedding dress for me, even if you consider it a waste of money. I don’t care what it’s going to look like, you can pick whatever you like best, but… it’s a once in a lifetime thing, you know? I want to have that moment of seeing the bride on the wedding day and thinking ‘oh, she’s so beautiful, I’m so happy we’ll spend the rest of our lives together,’” she rambled. “So… please?”
“...I didn’t take you for a person who’d care about something like this, but if it’s so important to you, then… fine,” Yuki replied. “I c-can’t promise it’ll suit me though…”
“Yaaay! I’m sure it will, you’re a real hottie after all. Anything will suit you.”
“Enough out of y-you, I already agreed, so there’s no need for your underhanded methods…” she said, but Ruka just laughed. “I-I… If I asked you the same, would you do it for me?”
“Hm? You mean, wear a wedding dress? If that’s what Yukkie wants, then of course. I’ll make sure to find an even sexier one than whatever you imagined that one time.”
“Literally why do you still remember that too…” Yuki mumbled pitifully, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. “At least have some modesty for an occasion like this…”
I remember every nice thing you’ve ever said to me, Ruka thought to herself.
“Okaaay. But it’s fine if I wear something sexy just for you?”
“H-Huh?! What are you even talking about?!”
“Shhh, Yukkie. Not so loud, or you’ll wake someone up,” Ruka complained, and she could tell the other girl wanted to argue further but held back because she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it quiet. Not letting go of her hand, Ruka propped herself up on the elbow of her free arm just to be able to look at Yuki’s face.
She really is beautiful even when frowning so much, huh.
“Why are you looking at me like this…?” Yuki asked, avoiding her gaze.
“Like what?”
“You’re smiling. What’s so funny?”
“Oh? Nothing. I’m just really happy right now,” she replied softly, and she could swear that even in the dark she could see Yuki blush. “You know, if we have a wedding, you’ll no longer be able to refuse to kiss me.”
“Huh?!” the girl let out before stopping herself to lower the volume. “And why is that, if I can ask?”
“Come on, don’t they always say ‘you may kiss the bride now’ during weddings?”
“W-Well, you’re right about that, but shouldn’t I always have the right to refuse?”
“You’d do that to me on our wedding day…? Well, if you really said ‘no’ I’d have to accept it, but… Ruka-chan would be really sad, you know?” she said, making the best puppy eyes she could manage and watching Yuki’s resolve waver.
“...Why do I even have to imagine something like this? You’re just bullying me now.”
She complained so much, and yet she still played along with Ruka’s nonsense, even when it came to something like that. Most people would’ve probably lost their patience a long time ago but Yuki somehow didn’t. Ruka knew she was acting selfish by clinging to her this way, but if Yuki allowed it, then how was she supposed to resist the urge to do so?
“Sorry,” she said, knowing she didn’t sound sorry in the slightest. “Hey, Yukkie.”
“What is it this time?”
“Getting one big bed rather than two singles will probably be more cost effective, right? We can save money on that.”
“So I won’t even be able to escape you at night? God, have mercy on me…”
“You say that, but won’t it be quite nice if you think about it? We can cuddle everyday.”
“I don’t think that would be nice for my heart at all,” Yuki mumbled.
“And wake up in each other’s arms…”
“Doubtful if the only thing that gets you to wake up is still ‘gyayagrayyybododododuoh!’ by that time,” she sighed. “We’d probably have to soundproof the bedroom to not bother the neighbors.”
“Hmm… Well, soundproofing the bedroom could also be good for other reasons, so I'm not going to protest.”
“Huh? What other reasons…?”
“Oh, you know,” Ruka said, grinning down at her. “Naughty stuff.”
Yuki’s eyes widened at that to an almost comical extent. She opened her mouth, then closed it without any words coming out of it. It repeated a few times, until finally-
“Have you completely lost your mind now?!”
“Yukkie, shhh, too loud, too loud!”
“Then stop provoking me, you bastard!”
“But I haven’t even done anything!” Ruka protested. “And isn’t it quite normal for married couples to be doing those sort of things together?”
“Yes, but this does not apply to us!” she said in an angry whisper. “Do you really want the whole usual package!?”
“Mhm. I do.”
“Then get married to someone else!”
“Eeeh? That won't do,” Ruka said with a pout. “I want Yukkie, not someone else. Besides, why does it not apply to us?”
“Are you asking for real? Our case is completely different…”
“Well, duh, of course it's different. We're both girls after all. I'm sure we'll figure it out though, we'll hardly be the first women to have s-”
“I'm begging you, don't finish that sentence.”
“Fiiine. But what's the issue then?” Ruka kept pushing the topic. “Don't tell you believe it's just for making babies.”
“I’m neither that naive nor such a prude,” Yuki replied in an irritated tone. “And… those sort of… activities are for people who are actually attracted to each other.”
“So you don’t think I’m attractive?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth…” she said, once again sounding like she was at her limits of tolerating Ruka’s bullshit and almost about to cry. “That’s not what I meant at all…”
“But then, I see no problems here…” Ruka mumbled in confusion.
“Of course there is a problem here!” The girl snapped, but then… turned her head to the other side, to avoid looking at Ruka, and continued. “It has to be mutual, you know…”
Now it was Ruka’s turn to stare at her with wide eyes as she was taken off guard. What Yuki said seemed like a given, and once again, not an issue. Was she really not clear enough about showing her that it had been mutual all along? Yuki was incredibly attractive: to Ruka it was a non-negotiable fact that she was aware of long before she even realized she had fallen for this girl, no matter how many rude comments she’d throw Yuki’s way sometimes just to rile her up. Anyone who genuinely dared to claim otherwise had to be either blind or a liar or just plain stupid. Perhaps the unexpectedly shy Yuki didn't stand out as much in comparison to some of their more confident peers, but there was a certain appeal to a beautiful girl unaware of just how gorgeous she was, right? It made you want to be the one to let her know that.
On the other hand… maybe people not seeing it meant Ruka could keep her all for herself. The mere thought of someone else looking at her Yuki the same way she herself did made her a little uncomfortable. It was selfish of her, she knew, because Yuki wasn't even hers to begin with. She was her own person who didn't belong to anyone, but Ruka simply couldn't help it. Ruka both wanted to show her off and make sure everyone knew how great Yuki was… and at the same time wished to let it be known that no one could adore that girl more than Ruka did so they should give up before even getting any funny ideas.
Still, obviously she knew that finding someone attractive didn't necessarily mean wanting to be intimate with them. After all, Ruka thought a lot of their friends were cute or beautiful but she felt no particular desire to be that close with them. If anything, being shown that kind of interest was… sort of off-putting. Even a little scary.
Yuki was different though. At first Ruka simply thought, if I were to do something like that with anyone, I guess I trust Yukkie enough. She'd like to believe it was normal for a girl her age who had feelings for someone to wonder about that and it wasn't just her being a pervert… That was just how it had started though, and the closer they grew the more her own attitude changed. Yuki’s scent, the softness of her skin, the way it felt so good for Ruka to even just hold that girl in her arms… it all made the if I had to pick anyone eventually morph into as long as she wants me too, I want her, when we both feel ready. Of course, she couldn’t be completely sure Yuki even looked at her that way, but… since she seemed to worry about their attraction being mutual rather than anything else, she probably did, right?
For now it was all just in her head though, thoughts so embarrassing and way too serious to actually reveal them at this point.
“Well… Didn’t I already tell you that you have an incredible body and I want to be able to touch it legally?” Ruka opted for something that was in her opinion way funnier and no less true. “I say there’s no way more legal than making love to your wife.”
“D-Don’t put it like that! No, actually, let it go, move onto something else!” Yuki replied in a pleading tone, flustered probably beyond what she could tolerate. “I-Is there anything else you want that doesn’t involve…”
“Love making?”
“Stop! Enough!”
Ruka was actually quite fond of calling it that. It sounded sweet in comparison with the more vulgar options, but maybe she really should give it a rest now.
“Fiiine,” she agreed with a giggle. “Don’t worry, I’ll ask you again properly when the time comes. Hmm, what else… Yukkie, which one of us should take the other’s surname? Do you think Izumi Ruka or Kayamori Yuki sounds better? Personally I like both, but what about you?”
“I-I don’t know…” the other girl muttered. “Would we even be able to keep our current names? We’d probably be given new legal identities…”
“Eh?! Ruka-chan’s shook!”
“Wait, why are you shocked now…?”
“Because I already got used to these in my head,” she said in a sad tone. “Goodbye, sweet dreams of Kayamori Yuki…”
“Didn't you just say you liked both? Why did you default to Kayamori Yuki, huh?” Yuki asked, narrowing her eyes in a half-glare.
“Dunno. I just somehow thought you'd like it more, since you were my fan and all. Doesn't it sound cool, to end up marrying your favorite artist and taking their surname as yours?”
“Nghhh…”
“Oh? Did I get a critical hit?”
“Shut up,” Yuki mumbled, but she seemed to shift a little closer to Ruka so she probably wasn't that upset. “I feel like something like that would never be forgiven by all your other fans…”
“But Yukkie isn’t just a fan. You’re also my precious partner, so don’t you think you deserve that sort of priority?” Ruka pointed out, watching Yuki’s sullen expression soften again, probably without the girl even realizing it. Seriously, just how cute could she get? “And I’m not just an idol to you anymore.”
“W-Well, it’d be hard to keep that impression of you after actually meeting you and knowing you for so long…”
“See? Also, I don’t think anyone would hold that against you in the first place. They’d take one look at us and see nobody could ever get between us. So, it’ll be fine!”
“L-Like I said, I doubt we’ll actually be able to keep these names anyway…”
“Then how about we switch? You’ll be Kayamori Yuki, and I’ll be Izumi Ruka. Then it won’t be the same as before!”
“Literally what would be the point of that then? We wouldn’t even share a surname in that case.”
“Oh. That’s true. Whoop-” Ruka started, but as if sensing it coming before she even said anything Yuki narrowed her eyes in a glare, making Ruka stop in her tracks for a moment. “Aww, come on, you should give me something like a ‘whoopsie gravy pass’ so I can say whoopsie gravy, like, for example once a month without consequences…”
“...The next time you said it you were supposed to say it a hundred times to get it all out of your system, remember?”
“Huh? You mean, you want me to do that right now? In the middle of the night?”
Yuki seemed to wonder about her answer for a moment, but then just sighed.
“God, I'd rather not have to endure that right now…” she said. “And even if I did give you a pass, you just wasted two months of it in one go. Good job.”
“Eh? No way! This shouldn’t count…”
“It does, so I don’t want to hear you bring this up for at least two months. Ideally it would be never though,” Yuki stated mercilessly. “Next time you're not getting away without saying it until you're sick of it and done for good.”
“Already holding me on a tight leash, I see…”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, I like this strict side of you too, so I’ll have to accept this compromise,” Ruka said, not entirely sure if she’d actually stick to that compromise anyway but that was something that would come out in the wash. “Hey, Yukkie. Can you cook?”
“W-What?” the girl uttered, surprised by the sudden change of topic. “Well, I can manage some basic stuff…”
“That’s good, because I can’t, and it’d probably suck if neither of us could.”
“Is it going to be another thing that you just leave to me?” Yuki frowned, clearly not pleased with that. “At least try to make the impression of someone willing to learn instead of resigning yourself to being useless.”
“Hmm. Will you teach me then?”
“Huh? Me?”
“Yeah. I can’t imagine myself learning how to do it on my own, but if you teach me I think I can make the effort.”
“I just said I can only manage basic stuff myself…”
“Then I guess we’ll just have to learn together somehow,” Ruka concluded with a smile. “I suppose this could be fun too, as long as we don’t burn the kitchen down.”
“Do you really have that little faith in us…?”
“No, definitely no. It’s just that accidents happen, you know? But… Overall, I think the two of us really are an unstoppable duo,” she said in response to Yuki’s question, finally letting go of her hand only to twine their fingers together now. She could hear Yuki’s breath hitch, but whether that was because of the gesture or her words was unclear, and the other girl simply held her hand back tightly.
“...How many more things are on your list of things you still want to talk about?” Yuki asked softly.
“I’m not sure. I’m just making them up as I go, and there always seems to be something more.”
“What next then, don’t tell me you want us to keep a pet…”
“Well… I’m not sure if I could be responsible for another living being like that, so taking care of it would probably fall on Yukkie…”
“Again?!”
“But then, if you showed more attention to it than to me I’d probably become jealous of it, so maybe it’s not a good idea,” Ruka concluded.
“Forget I said anything, I already feel bad for that hypothetical pet! What is wrong with you?” Yuki said with a sigh.
“Hey, I’m considerate of that hypothetical pet too! I don’t want it to feel unwelcome, so it’s better if we don’t have one, right?”
“But why would you feel jealous of it in the first place?!”
“ASS gets a pass since it's our baby, but… I’d be jealous of anything that gets closer to Yukkie than I am, it doesn’t matter if it’s a person or a pet, you know. That’s just how it is,” Ruka admitted, suddenly feeling strangely awkward about it. It's not like she had never whined to Yuki about being jealous of her before, but usually she covered it up as an exaggerated show in front of their friends. Saying it to Yuki alone, while cuddling up to her in her bed… felt like revealing a rather unpleasant part of herself to someone she wanted to think the best of her. “But I'll do my best not to show it too much… okay? So don't be mad at me…”
“...I'm not mad, but I really do wish you’d knock it off with these jokes. Think about how I feel sometimes,” Yuki whispered in a dejected tone, and Ruka immediately knew she was misunderstood again.
Normally it didn’t really bother her. She said what she wanted to say and the rest wasn’t up to her. She knew Yuki didn’t treat her seriously most of the time, and that was fine. It’s not like they had the time and opportunities to really sort out how they felt about each other, with how busy they were, and how they were rarely even alone together, the rest of their squad almost always being around. So, Ruka was content with just speaking her mind, whether she was believed or not.
You’re beautiful.
“I don’t want to hear that from you.”
I want to be with you.
“You have strange tastes.”
I like you. I love you.
“Don’t say it. It’s embarrassing.”
Even right now, although Yuki indulged her and played along with her silly fantasies, Ruka was under the impression that… she didn't believe most of what Ruka had said that night.
Was it because she was generally affectionate towards everyone and said she loved all her friends? Yuina-senpai had once told her to save strong words like ‘love’ for when she met someone truly dear to her heart. Was this the price she had to pay for not listening to that advice? It didn't seem fair… She didn't like the thought that love was such a limited resource that she had to save it. All the times she had said it before weren't a lie either, she really cherished all her friends after all, everyone in the Seraph Squadron and especially in 31-A. If it really made Yuki not believe her though…
But the love Ruka had for Yuki was simply of a different kind, burning in her chest a little hotter and brighter, making her feel giddy with a single touch or compliment. It was a happier feeling than she ever expected it to be, but-
It could also be so frustrating at times.
“Ruka…?” Yuki’s voice brought her out of her thoughts as she spoke in a concerned tone again. “What’s with this sudden mood swing?”
Did she really notice that too…?
“Nothing, really…”
“If you don't want to say what it is then fine, but you’re bad at hiding it,” the girl said with a frown. You don't have to tell me everything but at least don't lie, Ruka knew that was what she really wanted to say.
If you want me to be honest… so be it.
“I wasn't joking,” she muttered, the words feeling so heavy that maybe she shouldn’t have spoken them.
“Eh?”
“And normally I wouldn't think much of it, but… somehow, today, it stings a little.. to not be taken seriously.”
“Ruka…?” Yuki whispered, her eyes widening, confusion making its way onto her pretty face. It was as if Ruka suddenly started speaking another language. What could she do to make her understand?
Well, there was one thing she could think of. If she actually did it, there would be no misunderstanding her intentions anymore, but there would also be no going back from it. Slowly, giving the other girl time to process what she was doing, she sat up, then leaned over Yuki, reaching out with the hand she wasn’t using to support herself and placing it on Yuki’s cheek, sliding it to her chin next. Ruka could see the confusion from earlier melt into surprise, then anxiety once the girl began to connect the dots.
“Don’t blame me for this, Yukkie,” she whispered as she leaned down, bringing their faces closer. She could do this. Just how hard could it be?
Yuki’s gaze darted around as she looked anywhere but at Ruka, but she was strangely quiet, as if she had forgotten how to speak altogether. Ruka expected a push shoving her away to come, but Yuki didn’t move her arms at all. She only needed to lean down a little further to close the distance between them and for their lips to meet. She could feel Yuki’s breath against her skin, making it feel more real than just seconds ago. It wasn’t a joke or a game this time. That’s when Yuki shut her eyes tightly, probably unable to handle Ruka staring at her so intently. Just a little further, she could do this, she could-
She couldn’t.
In the end, I’m a coward, she thought as she rested her forehead against Yuki’s shoulder, letting the girl’s long hair tickle her face. She couldn’t do it. Deep down she knew she wouldn’t be rejected, that Yuki, her beautiful and kind and patient Yuki who complained but always tolerated her eccentricities, wouldn’t push her away. And exactly because of that Ruka couldn’t force her to tolerate this much. Yes, she wanted it, but not if Yuki didn’t want it just as much, and the panic in her eyes just before she closed them told Ruka that this wasn’t how this should go.
“R-Ruka…?”
“Sorry,” she mumbled into the fabric of Yuki’s pajama hoodie. “I shouldn’t have. I’ll go back to my bed now.”
With that, Ruka let go of her and began to get up, immediately feeling cold despite the night being warm. It was better to leave on her own before getting kicked out though.
Before she could fully leave Yuki’s bed a hand grabbed her wrist, stopping her with one knee still on the mattress.
“Wait! This time I'm not letting you just get away with this!” Yuki said firmly, but when Ruka turned back to look at her she… didn't seem angry. There was a look of determination on her face, mixed with something else, but if she wasn't mad-
“Yukkie…?”
Despite all that determination she still looked nervous and hesitant. Unable to look away from her, Ruka obediently sat back down on the bed even though the grip on her arm had already loosened.
“Y-You said you weren’t joking… then… did you really…” Yuki muttered, but then fell silent, as if the courage she mustered just a moment ago had left her. Still, she didn’t turn her face away either, staring right at Ruka with a look in her eyes that she could only describe as pleading.
She wanted an answer even though she didn’t even finish the question.
‘Did you really’ what?
“Did you really mean everything you said?” , perhaps?
Every single word. Even if some of it is unrealistic in the kind of world we live in, even if you don’t believe me, even if you didn’t mean what you said in response.
“Did you really want to kiss me?”, maybe?
I want to, even right now. So much that sometimes it drives me crazy.
These were such simple sentences but Ruka had no idea how to force them out of her mouth. Maybe if Yuki had finished her question, gave her that pull, Ruka would once again follow her lead, because doing so always made her feel like she could do anything, even if it meant charging ahead.
She had no idea why it seemed so difficult when normally she’d just blurt out any thought that appeared in her mind, often ones no different from these. What was she so afraid of?
Well, the number one scary thing would be losing the girl sitting in front of her. Ruka couldn’t see herself as someone strong enough to be able carry on if she lost someone this important to her even if she was asked to, the way Monaka did. Was she afraid of getting too attached, because then, if something happened to the person she depended on so much, she wouldn’t be able to keep going? But wasn’t it way too late for that if she was having these thoughts anyway? Whether Yuki was her friend or her lover, it wouldn’t change a thing. Losing her would be equally devastating.
Was she afraid of rejection? Maybe a little. If Yuki firmly told her ‘no’ but things between them could remain the same as they were before, it would’ve been fine though. Ruka would still love her all the same, and still want to be with her forever, their relationship status be damned.
What she was really afraid of now was moving too fast and making Yuki regret choosing her, or being too slow, missing her chance and ending up regretting that herself. She didn’t know when the right time was. Was she supposed to just sense it? Was it one of the things that she was just supposed to know when it happened? What if she simply wasn’t smart enough for that?
First love was really such a confusing thing to navigate.
Is it the same for you, Yukkie? Ruka wondered as she raised her hands and, aware that they were trembling a little, placed both of them on the other girl’s cheeks, meeting no resistance. What she could see in her eyes was probably the same hesitation she herself felt.
Suddenly it occurred to her that maybe the one Yuki couldn't believe in wasn't just Ruka. Maybe, just as she was, Yuki was also doubting herself. If that was the case… then it was time for Ruka to muster that courage on her own, even if just a little bit, for the sake of the person who always gave it to her.
Gently brushing Yuki’s bangs off her forehead, Ruka leaned forward and pressed her lips there. This much was fine, right? She really hoped it was.
“Yukkie,” she spoke quietly, trying to put all the affection she had for the other girl into it. Their faces were close together again but that awkward tension from before was gone. Yuki still looked like she desperately wanted to turn away from her to hide her embarrassment though, but Ruka held her face firmly, forcing the girl to look her in the eyes. “You’re the best thing that could’ve happened to me.”
If they still weren’t at the stage where Yuki could believe her I love you , then this would have to do for now. It was no less sincere.
“T-That’s-” Yuki began but Ruka interrupted her before she could protest in her usual manner.
“The truth. It’s what I really believe. If I haven’t been good at showing you that… I’m sorry.”
“...What’s up with you now?”
“I'm opening my heart to you, so please, don't trample on it, Yukkie.”
“H-Huh? What-” Probably noticing Ruka actually was serious this time, she trailed off without finishing whatever she was about to say. “Of course I don’t want to do something like that…”
Ruka knew that. Nobody was more considerate of her feelings than Yuki was after all. Even during that one time they fought, Yuki hadn’t wanted to hurt her and was the one to reach out to her first afterwards.
“And it’s not like I don’t feel appreciated…” The girl mumbled. “Well, sometimes you really could cut me some slack, but I know I’m an important part of the squad…”
Ruka let out an audible groan at that.
“Yukkie… You’re so smart, and yet you can be so dense at times,” she said.
Then, she let go of Yuki’s face and threw her arms around her neck instead, pulling her down onto the bed again in her embrace.
“R-Ruka!?”
“I’m really trying to say that Yukkie is more special to me than just a squad member,” she grumbled into Yuki’s ear. “Of course, everyone in 31-A is real important to me… but you’re more than that. More than anyone else.”
Ruka held her tightly, as if to stop her from even considering freeing herself, but it seemed like it wasn’t necessary. Without a word, Yuki returned the hug, pulling her even closer if that was possible. It was hardly comfortable, but in that moment it didn’t matter.
So, Ruka kept going.
“And… I’m really looking forward to the future we talked about coming true,” she said.
“...Me too,” Yuki whispered in response, her voice trembling a little, but Ruka knew this time it was genuine and couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s make it happen.”
“Seems like we’re both set then.”
She knew making promises like that for such a distant future was risky, because whether they could keep them or not wasn’t entirely up to them. Ruka wished she didn’t already know from experience that they could fight with all their might and still end up unable to achieve what they wanted, and every unfulfilled promise would turn into a void hard to fill again. But… if for any reason, she ended up unable to stay by Yuki’s side… that sort of void would be impossible to fill at all, whether they made any promises or not.
As long as there was a chance of it coming true this kind of possibility would shine brightly in her heart though, making her steps forward feel lighter, even when the weapons in her hands felt heavier as time went on.
“There’s one more thing though,” Ruka said, suddenly recalling something and frowning to herself.
“What is it now…?”
“Uhm… Well… This is probably going to sound insane.”
“That’s nothing particularly new when it comes to you.”
“I suppose that’s true. Okay, I’ll just say it then. Yukkie… When we’re married, if I do anything that upsets you… please complain to me directly. Don’t go on social media and post about it,” she mumbled.
“Huh? Come again?” Yuki replied, sounding like she was taken completely off guard.
“When we’re married, if I do anything that upsets you, please complain to me directly. Don’t go on social media and post about i-”
“I heard you just fine the first time! What kind of out of pocket request is this?!”
“It’s not out of pocket,” Ruka said in a gloomy tone. “Back in the days, I’d see that all the time! People going on social media and being like ‘my husband did this,’ ‘my wife did that’... Everyone just complaining about someone they vowed to love in sickness and in health, for the whole world to see, and how they regretted getting themselves into that mess. It was so common that for a long time the idea of ever getting married sounded terrifying to me…”
“Is that really so scary to you…?” Yuki asked in confusion.
“Mhm.”
“But I complain about you all the time…”
“It’s fine if you do it to my face. Even when you do it, I know Yukkie doesn't hate me… and if I really did something that upset you badly, we can figure it out how to fix things,” she mumbled. “But if instead of coming to me to scold me you did it out in the open, everyone would see it and probably think, ‘ah, Ruka is such a terrible partner, Yuki must be so fed up with her.’ I don't want that… If Yukkie ended up getting fed up with me, I don't know what I'd do.”
“...How do you even come up with this sort of scenario?” Yuki sighed.
“Well, it used to happen all the time.”
“First of all, social media doesn't even exist anymore,” she said, ignoring Ruka's comment. “Whether I wanted to do that or not, it's simply not possible in the first place.”
“Right now, yeah. But how can you be sure they won't eventually bring it back once things are peaceful? We might still be around to see that one day. There's no way to tell how long we're gonna live anyway, since we supposedly don't age,” Ruka reminded her.
“Why are you worried over that sliver of possibility…? What happened to the usual carefree Ruka?”
“I can't help it! It's just stuck there in my brain as something that could possibly happen!”
“Do I really seem like the kind of person who'd do that to you?” Yuki asked, squeezing her a little more tightly.
“...No. But it just always seemed to me like marriage brought the worst out of people, you know?”
“In that case, we don't have to get married. We can just stay as we are.”
Ruka remembered that when talking to Yuina-senpai about that topic she herself also said something similar. You can spend the rest of your life with the one you love without getting married. But…
“No, I think I’m good now. I want to do it,” she said softly.
“Are you sure…? You did just say that the idea of getting married sounded terrifying to you. What made you change your mind so fast?”
Ruka’s mind wandered back to that conversation with Yuina-senpai again.
“Someday, your greatest source of happiness will be building and protecting a family.”
“Really? Me?”
“Yes. I expect you can’t imagine yourself feeling that way now, can you?”
“Mm-mm.”
“It will come in time.”
“What time?”
“Pardon?”
“When will it come?”
“When you… meet the right person, I suppose.”
“In the future?”
“Yes. Many people will come into your life as you age. Don’t worry. The day will come eventually, I guarantee it.”
“When you put it that way… I feel like I’ve already met the right person.”
“Certainly, it could be someone you’ve already met.”
Pulling away from Yuki slightly, just enough to be able to look at her face, Ruka raised one of her hands to place it on the other girl’s cheek again, stroking it with her thumb tenderly. It all seems so simple now, she thought, hoping Yuki could see the same affection in her eyes as Ruka could see in hers.
Her right person was always right next to her. Even if that family would be just the two of them, it’d be enough.
“It’s a secret,” Ruka said with a grin, just to still tease her a little.
“Well, whatever,” Yuki sighed. “As long as you don’t regret it later…”
“No way, I’d never.”
“I-I see…”
For a moment a comfortable silence fell between them, and Ruka finally began to feel sleepiness catch up to her again. That silly conversation probably went on for much too long anyway, so this was a good note to end it on for now, wasn’t it…?
“...Are you feeling better now?” Yuki asked quietly, but her relaxed expression told Ruka that she already knew the answer.
“Mm-mm. Talking to you always puts me at ease, Yukkie.”
“I’m glad,” Yuki said, smiling back at her.
“Actually, I feel like I could write a great song right now!”
“Please, don’t. I mean, by all means, go ahead and write it, but not right now.”
“But I’m going to forget it all if I don’t do it now…”
“A small price to pay for being able to go back to sleep.”
“My songs are a small price for you?! Yukkie, I thought you were my fan…”
“I am your fan, but we both need rest, even if we have tomorrow off, so stop being a pain in the ass,” the girl sighed once more. “I’m sure you’ll come up with something great again even if you forget whatever you thought of now.”
“Fiiine,” Ruka relented. This wasn’t that serious anyway. “I’ll do my best then.”
This was probably the moment when she should let go of Yuki, get up and go back to her own bed, but it was so hard to convince herself to. And-
“Hmm, it’s no good, I have to ask about it after all. Yukkie, can I kiss you?”
Now this was really the last thing she still couldn’t get out of her mind.
“No,” Yuki replied without missing a beat. It wasn’t really a surprise but a part of Ruka had hoped for a different answer.
“Eeeeeh? Whyyyyy?” She let out a pitiful whine.
“Wait until the wedding. Didn’t you say I’ll have to stop resisting then?”
“But isn’t it a bit too cruel to make a girl wait for her first kiss until her wedding day? I don’t want to wait that long…”
Yuki’s expression turned flustered at that again.
“Even if you say that…” she mumbled. “I don’t really want to give away my first kiss in a room where four other people are currently asleep… and could wake up any moment…”
Oh.
She should’ve probably realized it would be Yuki’s first too, but somehow it didn’t occur to her. She felt her own face getting warmer too.
“...You did say you’d prefer to do this kind of stuff privately, I remember now,” Ruka said. “Okay, I’ll wait then. I’ll ask you again the next time we’re alone.”
Yuki looked at her as if she both was a bit disappointed by this too and wished Ruka would forget about it entirely.
Then, the girl brought one of her hands up to her face, pressing her lips against her palm. Ruka watched her as if hypnotized as Yuki turned her hand around, then placed it against Ruka’s own lips.
An indirect kiss.
“T-This… will have to do for now, so don’t ask for anything more… and stop staring at me like that,” she whispered, looking flustered out of her mind, but no matter what she said there was no way Ruka could look away from her now. If earlier she felt her face get warmer, right now it was burning, and it was like she forgot how to form words properly, so all she could do was stare at Yuki with wide eyes.
“A-At least say something, this is way too embarrassing…”
“...Yukkie’s naughty.”
“Hah?! H-How was this naughty?! What you asked for was way more-”
“You're too noisy! Shhh!” She interrupted her in a firm whisper, now placing her own hand over Yuki’s mouth. “Besides, don't you know that sometimes teasing like this is way naughtier than just doing the thing!?”
“What kind of logic is this…? And I didn't mean to tease you…” The girl replied, her voice still muffled by Ruka's hand. Feeling Yuki’s lips move against her palm really wasn't helping.
“So you're like this subconsciously? That's dangerous…”
“What do you mean dangerous!?”
“It got me excited.”
“What do you mean excited?! Please, give me a break… Enough of this for one day…” she mumbled, sounding so exhausted that even Ruka knew it was time to knock it off. “Just go to sleep already…”
“Okaaay, as you wish,” Ruka replied cheerfully, but… she still didn’t move. “Yukkie?”
“What now?” the girl asked with a frown, probably already expecting the worst.
“Can I sleep here today?”
“No.”
“You really don’t want me to…?” Ruka only became aware of how pitiful it sounded after the question already left her mouth. She was a little disappointed by the instant rejection, but she didn’t intend on showing it…
“I-It’s not like I hate the idea that much… but you know what that would mean for us in the morning,” Yuki replied with a scowl. “The peanut gallery would be delighted.”
“I don’t really care about that, you know?”
“I do, and you should too.”
“They already think what they think, we can’t do anything about that,” Ruka said. Of course she’d prefer to not have to deal with the staring first thing in the morning, but it was also such a minor, easy to ignore issue, and if the rest of the girls found some joy in that, Ruka would say ‘let them.’
“We can. Just leave.”
“But I want Yukkie to hold me like this tonight so I don’t have any weird dreams anymore.”
Ruka had probably never seen Yuki’s resolve crumble faster than that. Maybe it was because it was really fragile to begin with and simply being honest was enough to shatter it. Yuki really was softer than she’d like everyone to think after all.
“...Ngh. Fine, it’s my loss. I’ll have to cope with the consequences somehow,” the girl said, resigning herself to her fate. More than content with that outcome, Ruka closed her eyes, knowing she could only have pleasant dreams now.
“Then… Goodnight, Yukkie. You really are the best,” she whispered.
“Yeah, yeah. Goodnight.”
It was a peaceful night from then on.
***
“Well, now that’s new to me,” Megumi said, staring at the bottom bunk bed on the other side of the room, the one belonging to Izumi Yuki. She wasn’t the only one staring, because so were the other three members of their squad who were already awake, glancing in that direction while getting ready. “Why does it seem like they got a whole lot chummier lately? What did I miss?”
“Definitely nothing the rest of us know of…” Tama muttered, equally puzzled. “I’m pretty sure Ruka-san did go to sleep in her own bed last night though…”
“She did,” Karen confirmed.
“So, when did she even end up in Izumi’s bed? Did anyone even hear anything?” Megumi asked, and Karen shook her head.
“Not really. I slept through the whole night without waking up, so I’m just as surprised as you are.”
“I haven’t heard anything either…” Tama also said. “It’s cute though, isn’t it?”
“Sure is… Good for them, good for them.”
After a moment of silence, a ‘new’ voice joined the conversation.
“That fool Tojo is being awfully quiet,” Karrie pointed out.
“Eh!? Me?! I-It’s not like I have something interesting to say or anything!” The girl stuttered out.
“You know something. Speak now or I’ll force it out of you through different methods!”
“I don’t know anything! I didn’t see or hear much, I swear! I only woke up for a short moment!”
“Didn’t hear much, you say…” Megumi raised one brow at that. “Better say what it was outta your own free will, y’know?”
“No, no, no, this isn’t something I should’ve heard in the first place, let alone repeat!” Tojo cried, hiding her face in her hands, seemingly extremely embarrassed. “I can’t even imagine Izumi-san’s reaction if I did…”
“...reaction to what…?” A sleepy voice mumbled, and as if on command, all four girls looked in the direction of that bed again. Looking only half-conscious, Yuki sat up and stared at them with a confused expression, but then she looked down, at Ruka curled up by her side like a large dog, with her arm still thrown around Yuki’s waist. “...I don’t have the energy to deal with this right now.”
She said that, and then flopped back onto the pillow, pulling the covers up so high it was impossible to see her face.
“Well, aren’t they more lovey-dovey than ever?” Megumi concluded.
“She didn’t kick Ruka-san out the moment she woke up, so she definitely allowed this,” Karen said, watching them with a smile.
“She did,” Tojo confirmed, and by that got all eyes on her again. “I s-said nothing, forget it! I’ll forget it too! I need to forget!”
“Forget what? What was it that they said that you’re so embarrassed about?” Tama asked, clearly curious, but Tsukasa only shook her head.
“I feel like you especially shouldn’t know…”
“...know what...? Why are you all so noisy on our day off…?” A new voice joined the exchange again, this time belonging to Ruka who pushed herself up on the bed a little and gave them a look that immediately betrayed she had no idea what was going on either. Then, she looked down at Yuki who was hiding her face under the covers. Her movements still sluggish, Ruka pulled it down a little, just to look at the other girl before smiling and scooting closer to her.
“...I don’t even feel like staring at them anymore. It’s really like I shouldn’t be looking,” Megumi mumbled.
“Then, how about we leave them alone and go eat something?”
“Good idea, Asakura-san! Let’s go, let’s go!” Tsukasa agreed enthusiastically.
“I wonder what’s for breakfast today! Do you think we should bring something back for Ruka-san and Yuki-san?”
“Don’t worry about it, Tama. They can do it themselves, after they wake up for good.”
“If you say so…” The girl replied hesitantly, but still followed the rest of her friends as they hurried out of their shared room. Before closing the door with a quiet click she sneaked one last peek at the remaining two though, smiling a little. “I hope you two have nice dreams.”