@maikeatoot: hahaha awww so sweet of you~
@rndmnwierd: arghhhh i must confess... i may be starting to like non-mainstream couples more.... LE GASP no! *self slap* i'm a takagaki fan! ... or am i?
@risa_ai: omigosh haha
@yellow: lol so it doesn't matter how i get there as long as i get there? fair enough!
@arisa03: LOLOL that's a good point actually...
@Shiawase_Honoo: aaah i wanna do some 9ki 10ki pairings too! haha i should go imagine something more... lol
@Kuji: LOLOL that was such an interesting post~ welcome!!!
exactly my point about
RNDY being the one to bring in this whole inner conflict about aigaki/tanagaki!
hehe thanks for textualizing your feelings
And here's an update that didn't take me a MONTH to write!
AND it's quite long so i hope that makes up for the previous kinda-shortish chapter
This chapter is a bit all over the place and switches povs a lot so watch out for that!
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Chapter 10 – “Juliet and Cinderella were happy… but the rest were not.” “No way. There is just no way!”
Takahashi Ai frantically paced around the clothing store, ducking underneath the counter and running between clothing racks in search of her lost item. Her friend, one Kamei Eri, rolled her eyes as she lazily folded up a shirt and placed it on the display set.
“I can’t believe I left my bag at home!” Ai groaned, slouching on top of the counter.
“I can’t believe there’s a girl in this world who actually leaves home without their bag,” Eri wittily responded. “I mean, forgetting to bring your cell phone or something? Yeah, it happens. But who actually leaves their house empty-handed and not realize that they left behind their purse filled with everything they need?”
“… I really must’ve lost my mind this morning to have to hear that kind of speech from you, aho Kame,” Ai grumbled, sticking her tongue out at her friend.
“Hey, I remembered to pick up the coffee and rolls this morning,” the turtle said proudly, gesturing to the big box-o-joe, positioned on the counter beside the stack of cups and a paper bag. “I am off the hook today.”
“Can’t argue with that,” the older woman sighed. “I’ll just have to quickly stop by at home and grab it before going to my night shift…”
“That won’t be necessary.”
The two friends turned towards the direction of the voice that belonged to someone who was definitely no stranger to Tresor. The tall beauty strutted into the boutique with her long black hair, which was made wavy today and accessorized with a small bow clip on the side, flowing behind her. On her right wrist clung a small pink handbag. In her left hand was a medium-size duffel bag which seemed cute enough to pass as a sporty purse.
“Sayu!” Eri gasped.
“My bag!” Ai exclaimed.
“Way to be a scatterbrain again, Onee-chan,” Sayumi huffed, holding out the duffel bag in front of her. “You left it in the kitchen. You’re lucky I was passing through here today coincidentally—”
The monkey dashed towards her sister and gave her a tight embrace, babbling some extravagantly long stream of thanks. The bunny froze in her spot, unable to decide how to respond, and unintentionally accepted the hug without protest.
“Eto… n-n-nani sore…”
“Sayumi~ you’re the best!” Ai squealed, taking her bag off the younger girl’s hand. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I could just kiss you right now!”
“WHAT? Y-y-yamete yo, b-baka!”
The bunny jumped back but her older sister was faster. Ai lunged forward and planted a big playful kiss on her stepsister’s cheek and burst out into laughter as she witnessed Sayumi’s cheeks growing redder and redder. Eri’s eyes widened in shock at first but she soon couldn’t help but start giggling hysterically as well as she watched the flustered bunny. It wasn’t every day Michishige Sayumi got caught off guard like this.
“S-stop laughing, both of you!” she yelled, rubbing the spot on her cheek where her sister had kissed her. “It’s not funny! That was… yuck!”
“Well would you look at that!” Eri giggled. “So there actually is a good bone in that little viper of your sister!”
“Shut up, turtle-head,” the bunny grumbled. “That’s the last time I ever do Onee-chan a favor…”
“I was just showing my gratitude, Sayu~” Ai teased, grinning. “Seriously though, thanks. You really saved me.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Sayumi turned her head to the side, either in frustration, embarrassment, or excessive joy from the kiss. No one could tell, not even herself.
“Well congratulations, Imouto-chan!” Eri announced happily. “You just earned yourself a one-way ticket to join us for our morning coffee session!” The turtle followed it up with a hushed cheering noise. Ai laughed at this while her stepsister rolled her eyes at the silliness of it all.
“You’re such a child,” she muttered. “But… I guess coffee doesn’t sound so bad.”
** ** **
“So… where exactly are we going again?”
Risa sighed and rolled her eyes as she listened to the same question that had been repeated multiple times that morning by her young friend. Sure, Mitsui Aika was a dog lover but she really was like a puppy herself sometimes; always yapping and whining and on her toes… She was mature yet on days when she was feeling lazy, she became the type that needed to be led around as though she was on a leash.
And today happened to be one of those days: Risa was marching forward in the streets as Aika sluggishly followed behind her. And compared to the older woman who was dressed fashionably yet professionally for work that was to follow after this coffee meeting, Aika was simply wearing a shirt with a certain mouse character drawn on it, as well as shorts, stockings, and converse sneakers. She also had a light purple backpack slung over one shoulder which carried a notebook, a pen, and a couple of textbooks that was required for a college freshman. After all, today was Aika’s first day of classes.
“I told you,” the bean replied, “we’re going to the clothing boutique Ai-san works at, remember?”
Risa’s mind quickly rushed back to the previous night’s happening when she had been invited to Tresor for a brief coffee meeting by the night time janitor whom she was able to consider a friend now. When she had retold the entire story to her younger friend, she had truly gotten a kick out of the whole concept: two beautiful women who met and fell in love (Risa had immediately interjected and insisted that saying such a thing was going overboard but Aika persisted), only to separate and reunite in their true, painfully average forms… yet their love undead. Despite her overly worked up fandom for the connection between the bean and the mystery woman janitor that had been established the night before, the puppy’s inability to be a morning person distracted her from continuing the fervent support.
“Right, right, for coffee...” Aika murmured to herself, yawning loudly. “And… why are we going to a clothing shop to get coffee instead of going somewhere else… say, a café… to get coffee?
“Come on, you know well why!” Risa moaned, turning around to stop her friend in her tracks. “Aika, I told you everything last night!” She paused for a second before she whispered the next words, her cheeks blushing ever so slightly, “I… I want to see her again…”
“Oh right, that was why,” Aika said, grinning. “Oh, Gaki-san… you really are so inexperienced.”
“And what does that mean?” Risa asked, placing her hands on her hips.
“I mean, you’re not even gonna play hard-to-get?” Aika shrugged. “It hasn’t even been 24 hours since she invited you for coffee and you’re just gonna go see her right away? You should at least wait three days before responding to the call. You know, keep her on her toes!”
“… Oh gosh, you’re right…” the bean mumbled, her face getting flustered. “I-I didn’t even realize… Am I being too easy? Um, should we go back?”
“Oh, don’t bother, I’m half-teasing,” Aika grinned. “We already took the bus down here anyway. Besides, I’m closer to campus right now than before. Let’s just go.”
Although she seemed unsure, Risa nodded in response and started to walk again. Perhaps Aika was right; she actually had absolutely no idea how to handle this kind of situation. Obviously, Risa had had relationships before but that was a long time ago, back in middle school. Mere child’s play. It had been long time since she felt the kind of adrenaline that Takahashi Ai had reintroduced her to. And Risa definitely didn’t want it to stop.
After checking her surroundings, the bean stopped in front of a small shop and exclaimed, “We’re here!” She read the sign that marked the shop, “Tresor” in script English and let out a sigh of excitement.
“Wait, this is the place? Here?” Aika questioned, her eyes widening.
“Yeah, Tresor,” Risa nodded. “You’ve been here before?”
“Yeah, once…” the younger girl muttered. “When I was looking for the owner of your earring… but your girl wasn’t here.”
“Huh. That’s funny,” Risa said. She thought for a brief moment but decided the shrug off her friend’s unsettling comment and entered the store.
** ** **
Aika followed close behind her older friend but instead with a very frustrated face. She really had no desire to return to this shop, after the kind of person she encountered here. She could still remember that pale porcelain face, demanding the earring like a spoiled little brat… and the flustered face that she made when Aika had called her out on her lie. Well that part of the memory wasn’t too bad.
Anyhow, it was too late at this point. She had no choice but go into the shop with Risa whether she liked it or not. All she could do was put on her best game face and march straight through.
** ** **
“One for me… one for Eri… and one for Sayu!”
“Arigatou, Ai-chan!”
“Un.”
Ai nodded in response as she took a sip from her cup. Her sister and her friend both took sips as well and unlike the bunny who classily brought the cup to her lips and drank slowly, the turtle jumped a little when she tipped the cup to fast to let the hot drink burn her tongue. Ai snorted out laughter while Sayumi sighed hopelessly. The turtle just giggled nervously as she shrugged. Same old Eri, just like when Ai had first met her years ago. The girl really never changed.
“Alright, alright, you know the drill, Ai-chan,” she said, putting her coffee cup down. “Mornings are slow so we can chill a bit but Tresor is technically open. We have to keep working.”
“I know, I know,” Ai grinned. “I’ll fix up the shelves on that side. A couple of costumers left it a bit of a mess yesterday, I think.”
“And speaking of costumers,” Sayumi said, pointing to the entrance, “I think you got some.”
Right on cue, the door jingled as it opened to let in two short-haired women into the store. Eri immediately yelled out a greeting and bowed but Ai turned around and broke into a surprised, but glad, smile instead.
“Gaki-san!”
The darker haired woman turned towards Ai and grinned, happy to find someone familiar in the foreign store.
“Ai-san! Ohayou gozaimasu!” she greeted. “Well, look at you, all dressed up fashionably. I guess this is the real you I’m seeing?”
“Yup, I’d like to think so.”
Ai beamed at the younger woman who laughed at her reply. She couldn’t help but continue to keep the huge smile on her face out of excitement at seeing Risa, right in front of her, in this store. She had really come, like she had asked her to! And now that she was here, Ai couldn’t take her eyes off of the beautiful girl’s face, not even long enough to notice the hardened expression of her stepsister.
** ** **
This can’t be happening. Sayumi gritted her teeth as her hands clenched into fists unconsciously. What was this thing that she was feeling? Anger? Fear? Confusion? Well she was most definitely confused, that was for sure.
For one thing, her older sister was being so familiar with this woman that she herself had never even seen before. Who the hell was this woman and what was her business here? And what was up with her being all friendly with her sister?
Second of all, what was up with Eri, standing next to her, giggling to herself like crazy? She was acting as though she was watching some sappy romantic movie play out in front of her, and she was the number one fan girl. It was beyond annoying.
And thirdly, and most disturbingly, that
girl was here again, shooting her that same mysterious smile that she showed the last time she was here. Same old short hair, same casual-styled getup… she really needed to check a mirror or something. What was she doing back here anyway? Was she here to show her up again, about that earring? Well, Sayumi didn’t care if that was the reason. But if she was going to mention the previous incident, in front of her sister… things weren’t exactly going to end smoothly.
If you say the wrong thing, you won’t make it out of this shop alive, kid. “Eri, Sayu,” Ai called, turning towards the two girls standing in front of the counter, “I’d like you guys to meet Niigaki Risa. She’s a… um… a friend.”
“Niigaki Risa desu,” the bean said, offering a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
“I’m Kamei Eri, Ai-chan’s first employer and self-proclaimed best friend,” the turtle giggled out, shaking Risa’s hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person! I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Only good things, I hope,” Risa laughed. She then turned to the taller woman standing beside Eri. “And you must be…?”
But the bunny did not answer. She just glared back at the woman in front of her as well as the other girl who was standing a couple feet behind. Eri nudged her a couple times but she refused to speak up. Something about the way that other girl was staring back at her knowingly was not pleasant.
Don’t give me that look! This is my territory! “This is Michishige Sayumi,” Eri answered instead before the silent air could get more awkward. “She’s a friend. And Ai-chan’s stepsister. She doesn’t work here, she’s just visiting.”
“Oh… I see. Um, nice to meet you, too,” Risa said slowly, sensing that the bunny may not be in the best mood at the time. “Well, uh, I brought a friend as well to join us… I hope that’s okay?”
“Of course it’s okay!” Ai grinned. “Anyone’s welcome here.”
“Well, ah, this,” Risa started, as the girl behind her stepped forward, “is Mitsui Aika. She’s my current flatmate, I guess you could say. She’s just entering college now.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Aika smiled brightly, “Takahashi-san, Kamei-san… Michishige-san.”
So Mitsui Aika is your name, you little rat. “And now that the introductions are over,” Risa piped up, “I believe I have an invitation to a brief coffee gathering?”
“Of course,” Ai grinned. She grabbed the box-o-joe and poured two more cups of coffee and handed them to the two new visitors. “I hope regular is okay?”
“It’s perfect,” Risa answered, making eye contact with the older woman and smiling. “Thank you.”
Stop staring at her, you conniving little— “Michishige-san, are you feeling alright?”
Sayumi whipped towards the college student who had just spoken up. She was looking back at the bunny with a painfully innocent expression, which only made Sayumi angry even more. She could feel her blood boiling at this point from witnessing this smug little brat’s face.
“I’m fine,” Sayumi snapped.
“Good,” Aika smiled. “I was just making sure. Your eyebrows were all wrinkled there and your eyes were so fixed… for a moment, I thought you were feeling sick or something. We wouldn’t want that now, would we?”
“Now that Mitsui-san mentions it,” Ai said worriedly, “you do look a bit out of it, Sayu. Are you feeling okay?”
Eri nudged Sayumi’s side. “What’s wrong with you?” she said through her teeth. “Stop making faces, you’re being rude!”
“Don’t tell me what to do!” Sayumi snapped back quietly. She turned back to her sister and her two guests with a sickeningly sweet smile that was so obviously fake. “I’m fine, thank you. No need to concern me.”
“Well, if you start to feel sick or anything, just let us know and we’ll help you,” Aika offered kindly. “It’s better to let the truth out then to lie about something, right? Tricking others isn’t a good habit. Don’t you agree, Michishige-san?”
Sayumi’s lips twitched. “Of course.”
“You know, I’d like to get to know you better, Michishige-san,” Aika exclaimed. “I think we can become great friends, don’t you think?”
She smiled innocently at the bunny, who shot her the same kind of smile but along with a murderous eye glare. “The best.”
Bitch.** ** **
Aika took a slow sip from her coffee cup and sighed contently, looking over kindly at Risa and her new “special” friend, the giddy turtle lady, and the cold bunny. She was happy to see that her childhood friend/babysitter was obviously pleased to see her mystery club girl again and to meet Miss Bad Liar again and show her up… again. Life was good.
But honestly, what were the chances? How did this even happen? The lady that had pissed her off so much back then when Aika was looking for the owner of the earring had actually turned out to be the stepsister of the owner of the earring, a.k.a. Risa’s new possible love interest. This Takahashi Ai woman must have a strong stomach to stand living with such a brat of a younger sister.
And why had Michishige Sayumi lied back then and claimed that the earring was hers? Had she not realize that the jewelry was her sister’s? Had she honestly tried to steal it? Or… did she know that it was her sister’s and claimed that it was hers so that she could give it back to her? Well, she certainly didn’t seem so nice of a person to do such a thing but… maybe if it was for her sister… Maybe it was only for her sister…?
“Sayu, are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Ai asked again, a concerned look obvious on her face.
“Will you stop with the questions, Onee-chan?” Sayumi retorted. “I’m fine! Gosh, I drop your bag off for you out of the kindness of my heart and this is what I get? Ugh, I’m out of here!”
The bunny flipped her hair and shot Aika one last dirty look before storming out of the store. Silence ensued as the other four women stood in place, staring at the swinging door, before Eri spoke up.
“I… uh… I’m gonna make sure she’s alright,” she laughed nervously. “Watch the store, Ai-chan!”
Aika followed the turtle with her eyes as she also ran out of Tresor in chase of the rampant bunny. She rolled her eyes a little before she took another sip of the coffee, feeling incredible respect for the courageous turtle who volunteered to run after the spoiled lady yet at the same time, horrified by Miss Bad Liar’s attitude. Really, the way she had spoken to her older sister was just… Aika quickly downed some more coffee before she could finish her thought but her fury wasn’t suppressed too easily.
Bitch.** ** **
“I’m really sorry about that,” Ai apologized, chuckling nervously. “She must not be in a good mood today… She’s really not all that bad…”
“Oh no, it’s fine,” Risa replied quickly, shaking her head. “We all have those days. I understand.”
“Well, that was still kind of embarrassing,” Ai smiled apologetically. “But… I’m still glad you came by.”
Risa grinned. “I’m glad I came by, too. I have to say, it’s kind of nice to see you like this. It’s like I’m seeing all different sides of you.”
“And which one do you like best?” Ai asked.
“All of them,” Risa answered, smiling. “Because they’re all you. There’s no difference from one to another.”
Ai bit down on her lips, trying to keep herself from smiling like an idiot. She could feel the temperature of her cheeks rising but she did not look away to hide her face. Every second she had to look at this person seemed too precious to waste. Niigaki Risa was looking at her right now for who she was; Ai wanted to give her the same respect and attention.
“Well,” Risa sighed, “I actually have to go now. I can’t be late for work, so… I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah. Later.” Ai nodded firmly. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“Thanks for inviting me,” Risa answered. She held her gaze for a couple more seconds before she smiled and turned around. Ai stared at her back until she disappeared through the glass door. But before her mind could fall into a wave of subconscious happiness, a voice brought reality back to her.
“If you space out anymore than that, Takahashi-san, you wouldn’t notice if I robbed the whole store right now.”
Ai jumped a little, startled by the realization that one Mitsui Aika was still in the shop with her. Had she been standing there the whole time, listening to them?
“Oh, right. Um. Sorry,” Ai mumbled.
“No need to apologize,” Aika shrugged. “I can tell you really like her.”
The older woman’s eyes popped wide open. “Like?! Psht, no! Who? Gaki-san? No, no, no, no, no…”
“Takahashi-san, I may be younger than the rest of you,” the student grinned, “but I’m not blind.”
“… Is it that obvious?” Ai squeaked.
Aika nodded. “But it’s okay. I’d say she thinks of you in the same way. Besides, I approve of you two. If Gaki-san is happy this way, then I’m happy for her. Also, I can tell you’re not a bad person.”
“Um… thanks, I guess,” Ai chuckled. “It’s reassuring to be told you don’t seem like a bad person.”
“Yeah, I think you’re a pretty good person,” Aika shrugged. “But I think you’re a pretty dumb person, too.”
“… Ha?” Ai blinked a couple times, completely caught off guard by the younger girl’s nonchalant comment.
“You’re, what, 24-25 years old?” Aika sighed. “You’re definitely nice, Takahashi-san, but… you’re pretty blind, too. You don’t seem to understand the feelings of the person closest to you.”
“Person closest to me?” Ai questioned.
“Mou, it’s not really my place to say something like this anyway,” Aika yawned, stretching out her arms. “Well, I’m off to school. Wouldn’t want to miss my very first college lecture on psychology. It was nice to meet you, Takahashi-san!”
Before Ai could inquire further about her comments, Aika skittered out of the shop and disappeared down the street. The monkey stood in place, coffee still in hand, her head cocked to side in confusion.
Person closest to me…?** ** **
“Sayumi! Will you please wait up?”
The bunny groaned as she continued to stomp down the sidewalk, mumbling incoherent words of fury. She could hear Eri running behind her to catch up, drawing closer and closer. Sayumi could tell she only had a few seconds left before she was no longer walking alone. After all, Eri always had been a fast runner. And just like she predicted, Sayumi soon found the turtle strutting right alongside her, keeping up with her pace.
“What do you want, Eri?”
“Hey, hey, hey, hey. Look at me. Look at me.”
The turtle swiftly turned and blocked off Sayumi’s way, forcing her to stop walking. The bunny huffed in disbelief and tried to go around the older girl but Eri wouldn’t have any of it.
“Come on, look at me now. Look at me.” After a second of deliberation, Sayumi met Eri’s eyes with a deathly glare. “Now tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong!”
“Well, something’s definitely wrong,” Eri said. “What happened in there? Why are you so paranoid today?”
“Nothing!” Sayumi insisted again. “It’s just… just that
girl came in and… and…”
“Which girl?”
Sayumi paused at the question, her mind rotating between the woman who was flirting with her sister and the woman who had played her like a fool. She could feel her cheeks heating up from fury. “Just… just both of them!”
“… Okay, let’s go one at a time,” Eri sighed. “What did Mitsui Aika ever do to you?”
“… That’s none of your business,” the bunny muttered, crossing her arms across her chest. “You think she’s such a sweet little angel, don’t you? Well, she’s not!”
That proud little brat is gonna get it one day. “… Okay, what did Niigaki Risa ever do to you?” Eri asked, deciding to simply move on.
“She’s annoying me!” Sayumi shot back. “She thinks that she can just… just waltz in wherever she wants a-and start being all friendly towards my sister? Like she’d known her for her whole life or something? No, no, no, nobody knows her better than I do! I know Onee-chan the best!”
“So this is about you being jealous that your sister is being taken away from you?”
Sayumi froze as she stared at the older girl. Eri did not look away and instead held her gaze with a solid expression.
“… Don’t make me laugh, Eri,” the younger woman laughed dryly. “I just hate people like that, the type that acts like they know everything when they don’t. It has nothing to do with me losing Onee-chan—”
“So you’re happy for Ai-chan, then?” Eri interrupted. “Happy that she finally found someone that makes her smile more than we’ve ever seen her smile?”
No. “Yes.”
No, because… “… So you’re okay that Niigaki-san and Ai-chan are becoming close?”
No! “Yes!”
Because… Eri gazed intently at the younger woman for a while before she sighed and stepped closer to her. She spoke in a low voice, “Sayumi, you may be able to trick everyone else with that kind of lie but it won’t work on me. I know you too well.”
Sayumi felt a muscle in her face twitch but she kept her general stature strong. “You know me too well?” she scoffed. “Since when do you know me so well, Eri?”
“Look, I see the way you watch Ai-chan and Niigaki-san together,” the turtle confessed. “And… I want to let you know that I understand how you feel.”
“What are you saying, Eri?” Sayumi yelled angrily. “You don’t know anything about how I feel!”
Even I myself don’t know how I feel… “I know more than you think!” Eri retorted back. “I know about… about frustration, jealousy, confusion… I know, Sayumi, and I’m telling you that... it’s better to let it go.”
“There’s nothing to let go—”
“Don’t do this to yourself, Sayu!” Eri warned. “Stop torturing yourself like that. Run away before you really get hurt. Treasure yourself more!”
Sayumi stared at the girl standing in front of her, being more serious than she had ever been in her life. What was Eri saying, all of a sudden? She was telling her to… to give up? Aside from the point that Michishige Sayumi never gave up on anything, because she always got what she wanted, what was there to give up? What was she supposed to step away from? Yes, it definitely bothered her that some woman just waltzed into her sister’s life and is now all buddy-buddy with her but that was hardly a serious matter… was it?
But just watching that Niigaki Risa talking with Ai, making her laugh, sharing coffee… That was unsettling. More than unsettling, it was… wrong. Disturbing. Frightful. Sayumi didn’t want that to happen because…
Because it’s supposed to be me standing next to her. “Thanks for your concern, Eri,” she murmured, “but I can take care of myself.”
And I am not stepping away.** ** **
Eri felt a harsh shove on her shoulder as Sayumi pushed past her and continued to walk down the street. The turtle bit down on her lips before swallowed hard and exhaled sharply. She turned to stare at the corner where Sayumi disappeared at and clenched her teeth tightly. She closed her eyes for a brief moment as she gathered her breath and sighed deeply.
That conversation hadn’t exactly turned out the way she planned but she could fix things up later. Sayumi acted all tough on the outside but she wasn’t gutsy enough to actually say anything to Ai anytime soon. So that gave Eri enough time to put everything back in place. But for now, she had a duty to calm down and get back to her shop. After all, she couldn’t leave her best friend minding a store alone.
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hehe wish me luck on writing the next chapter fast too
Topic: Juliet and Cinderella ~ [UPDATE - Chapter 22 - (10/28)] (Read 104251 times)