63A/N: Hello! Prepare for a super long last chapter. It's bumpy and jumpy and you might find extra typos... I revised it so many times, my eyes started to cross and scenes felt flat - I hate that feeling of writing something that you think is emotional only to read it so many times it doesn't feel as good...
I still hope you guys like it. Now that I am done with this story you shall find me binge-reading fanfic for the next couple of weeks :D
As always thank you for reading!
""Stop following me." Sachiko said calmly when she walked out of her lecture, but Sei kept walking behind the heiress, "You don't even know what I want!"
"You're going to get me in trouble."
Then the blonde slowed down, "Sachan…" she said a bit deflated, "I just need a little hand."
"You always ask for the hand but end up taking the whole arm, Sei…" the heiress turned around to address Rosa Gigantea, then with a long sigh she asked, "Do we really have to get involved?"
"I'm afraid if we don't do something, she won't come back."
"How can you be so sure?" Sachiko asked, allowing Sei to fall into step with her. Off campus they went, crossing the street toward the bus stop.
"It's been how long, Sachan? I drove down a couple of nights ago and Sumireko-sama said she didn't want to talk to anybody."
When they finally reached the bus stop, Sachiko was the first one to halt her steps, watching a bus coming from downtown stop to drop people off, then she finally turned around to face the blonde.
"…"
"…"
"… What makes you think she'll listen to me?"
And though she was expecting an answer from Sei, the "She won't," came from behind her.
"…"
"…but she'll listed to Yumi-chan," Youko finished with a smile.
"Onee-sama…"
"Gokigenyou, Sachiko."
"No," was Sachiko's interesting choice of greeting.
"Sachan…" Sei pleaded, feeling Youko's fingers entwine in hers.
"We're talking about Fukuzawa Yumi, here, if you guys don't remember."
"Sachan…" Sei tried again, letting go of Youko's hand to cup the heiress' face, "I have faith in you."
I have faith in you. The simple sentence spoken softly by Sei might as well have been screamed into the heiress' face. Out of a sudden Sachiko was eighteen again, alone inside the Rose Mansion…
The day Sei uttered those five words to Sachiko for the first time was the day the heiress understood Sei would be in her life forever. And it was like that, too, as absolute as Satou Sei, because Satou Sei was like that: either completely in, or absently out – Satou Sei didn't know how to be any other way.
On that day, it was way too early for anybody to be wandering through campus, but even still, Sachiko looked at the path from the balcony of the Rose Mansion. The warm morning keeping her tea from cooling down even as she let her mind wander. And it was terribly irritating to be physically exhausted when one's mind couldn't stop moving.
The pounding in Sachiko's chest was a clear reminder of things yet to come, of the conversation she'd still have to have with Yumi about what had transpired the day before at Hanadera. And there was no coming back from that afternoon, there was no erasing the head rush, and the trembling knees, and the butterflies that fled her chest only to find refuge inside Yumi's.
Sachiko kept a tally on how many times she thought of her mouth against Yumi's with her heartbeat. And that count went on through the sleepless night, the auto-pilot shower in the morning, the laconic breakfast with her mother, and the quiet walk to the Rose Mansion.
And it was still extremely early for anyone to be on campus when she heard the creak of the stairs. The steady and purposeful steps which could only belonged to Fukuzawa Yumi made Sachiko's heart explode inside her chest, and there was no keeping track of anything any longer.
When the door opened, Sachiko addressed the visitor with a soft, "Gokigenyou."
"Whaaaaaa-haaaah!" Yumi responded with a shriek.
"Yumi!"
"Sorry! I…I wasn't expecting anybody to be here this early!"
"I… couldn't sleep," Sachiko said honestly. To which Yumi answered with a quick, "Same here," placing her bag by her chair and walking toward the sink, "D-do we still have that instant coffee Youko-sama brought us?"
"It is behind the box of oolong tea… There is warm water in the kettle, too."
"Thank you, Sachan," responded, Yumi, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, absolutely oblivious to the uproar in Sachiko's chest when the heiress heard the nickname roll from the brunette's tongue so sincerely.
Yumi poured hot water into a mug, adding about two-and-a-half spoons of coffee powder and one spoon full of sugar into her water, stirring it carefully so not to spill. Then the brunette let out a long sigh and walked to the table.
Quietly Yumi sipped on the coffee, and she tried with all of her might to keep her eyes off of Sachiko, who had made herself comfortable by the brunette.
"…"
"If you don't talk, I won't know how you'd like for me to handle questions…" Yumi broke the silence, though her eyes never reached Sachiko's face.
"Excuse me?"
"When people ask questions, how do you want me to respond?"
"Questions about yesterday?"
And at that second question Yumi finally looked at Sachiko, "Are you serious, Sachan?"
"…"
"How do you want me to deny it?"
"…"
"Should we just say we're sisters now? That might help dodging questions from the Newspaper."
"But…"
"…"
"I don't want you to be my petite soeur…"
"Damn, Ogasawara Sachiko. Excuse me!"
"No! That is not what I mean, Yumi! I mean… yesterday—"
"Just don't say it was a mistake," Yumi interrupted with a quiet whisper which carried the weight of her heart in it. "You can call it whatever you want, but, please, don't say you didn't mean to kiss me because I think my heart wouldn't be able to ta—"
Once again Sachiko cupped Yumi's face with both her hands and with utmost care, the soft touch silencing Yumi at once. And the brunette watched quietly as Sachiko leaned in slowly, pressing her mouth against Yumi's with gusto.
For a split second Yumi thought about protesting, but just for that once she allowed herself to enjoy the kiss instead, and with eyes closed, she breathed in Ogasawara Sachiko while lips were locked tenderly.
But much too soon Sachiko pulled back, and when Yumi finally returned to Earth, she found Sachiko still with eyes closed, her lips parted, her cheeks flushed, her chest rising and falling methodically before two pools of deep blue crashed into chocolate orbs. And Sachiko smiled before proceeding, her lips against the brunette's once more, a tongue parting Yumi's mouth, allowing the brunette to cross lines she never thought she could in her wildest dreams. Slowly, Yumi ran the tip of her tongue across Sachiko's bottom lip and every time Yumi breathed out, Sachiko breathed in.
"Holy shit!" was what Sei said when the door swung open, "Holy shit!" she repeated herself, half inside the meeting room, half still standing on the hallway. "I swear I didn't see anything! I'm just here to drop coffee off! Please, take this…" she placed the container on the floor, "and contin—" she tried to finish, though like a flash, Yumi ran by her, sprinting down the stairs and slamming the front door on her way out.
"Holy shit!" Sei said yet again, that time looking straight at Sachiko.
"Sei-sama, please!"
"Are you not going after her?" the blonde said, picking up the can of coffee from the floor.
"Should I?"
The question made Sei's left eye twitch, and the blonde looked at Sachiko in wonderment, but not because she didn't understand how important that moment might have been for Sachiko, who had always gotten what she wanted and found herself having to fight with nails and teeth for what belonged to her. Sei thought about scorning the heiress just because she could – as always – because for some reason Sachiko always felt a bit uncomfortable around Sei, and the blonde knew that very well. Though, Sei had never disliked Sachiko; on the contrary, Sei liked the heiress. She understood the tribulations that the girl had gone through very well, because at the end of the day, Sei knew that they were, in many ways, very similar. It was incredible to watch Sachiko make the same mistakes Sei had once made, and cope with the consequences of her actions very much the same way Sei had done herself.
And maybe, all along, Sachiko's awkwardness around the blonde, had never been related to disliking Sei, but more so for not understanding why the blonde wouldn't –or couldn't– save the raven-haired girl once in a while.
"Really?" Sei finally asked.
"—"
"How long has it been, Sachan?"
How long what?"
"How long have you known she was the one?"
Sachiko gasped at the straightforward question, arms crossed above her chest she stared at Sei for a long, silent while. But then she admitted with soft eyes, "… a long time."
"Then go get her!"
"But… what if—"
"If she didn't like you, she wouldn't agree to the kiss," Sei reasoned.
"But… our parents, Kashiwagi-san, the wedding…"
"Do you really think you'll marry him, Sachan? Even with all of these questions you have, you're closer to marrying her than him."
"Sei-sama!"
"Sachan…" Sei said, a smile from ear-to-ear plastered on her face when she placed both her hands on Sachiko's shoulders, "I have faith in you!"
"H-hai," Sachiko answered with a smile of her own, and down the stairs she went, the pleads of her skirt disturbed, but her heart at peace.
Where would she be if she were trying to hide? Sachiko wondered as soon as she heard the Rose Mansion's door close behind her. Though, truly, the real question would have to be: Where would she hide if she were trying to be found?
And at that, Sachiko ran through the empty path and across the freshly-cut grass, only stopping when she reached her destination.
"Hey…" She said when she pushed the green house's door open.
"Hey…"
"You… ran…"
"Sei-sama saw us!"
"More than anyone else, you should know Sei-sama could never hurt us."
"…"
"Yumi…" Sachiko started, walking to where the girl was sitting and kneeling in front of the brunette. Closing the distance, Sachiko rested her forehead on Yumi's.
"You're engaged, Sachan…" Yumi whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You're right…"
Then Yumi repeated a question she had asked Sachiko the day they first met, "Are you gonna marry him?"
"Do you want me to marry him?"
"What do you think? Yumi blurted out, "How would I want you to marry him when he doesn't love you, Sachan? I just… I can't stand the idea of you spending the rest of your life with someone who is not capable of making you happy..." Then Yumi thought long and hard before finishing her sentence, her eyes glued to Sachiko's, "I want you to find someone who will love every inch of you, every second of every day. Someone who can't picture life without you, someone who wants a love that consumes them until they don't know where they start and you end."
"Yumi…"
"You deserve to be happy, Sachan," the brunette said through clenched teeth, "You deserve someone to sweep you off your feet, to make you think that whatever you felt for Kashiwagi-san was never love to begin with… You deserve someone who will walk into the bathroom you share in the house you bought together, place their watch by yours on the sink and feel nostalgic thinking there is exactly where their watch belongs: close to yours; that after traveling around the world, their watch found a home and that home is by yours. And they'll make their way to the room that belongs to both of you, trying to be quiet and maybe, probably failing at it, waking you up when they try to get in bed. And they'll lie close to you, their legs on top of yours, their lips pressed against the nape of your neck – and even still they'd hope they were closer, because that alone is no sufficient, because their arms around your waist and their chest against your back is never close enough. You…" Yumi hesitated at first, but decided it was best to say it all, "…You deserve someone who will fuck you with clear intentions to make you come, and they won't stop until you do – once, twice, three time, until your legs feel like Jell-O, until your brain is mush, until all you want to do is wrap your legs around that person and melt with them."
"I accept," Sachiko said decisively.
"You—"
"I am just claiming what is mine, that is all." Sachiko wanted that life; the watches on the sink, the lips against the nape of her neck. Sachiko wanted ribbons lost in the vastness of bed sheets and comforters; stuck between pillows, floating under the bed. She wanted that love, all of it. Everything Yumi wanted to give her was what she wanted…
Youko and Sei waited for Sachiko to return to Earth from wherever the heiress had escaped to while she contemplated the request from the older girls.
"Are you sure about Noriko-chan?" the heiress asked seriously, to which she received a nod from Sei as response.
"Okay."
"Okay?" Sei asked.
"Yes. Okay. I'll take care of it, but Sei-sama can't ask questions."
###
Sachiko was able to gather her Lillian friends in the middle of Spring Break for an emergency meeting, but because many of the girls had plans for the rest of the week, they had to come together early that Wednesday – way too early, for the Sachiko's liking, and Satou Sei wasn't making things easier for the heiress.
On her third cup of coffee, Sei bounced off the walls, "…Then Youko reaches for the remote and hits the bowl of popcorn, boom, it's everywhere – inside the drinks, under the couch, this morning I found a couple of popped kernels by the fridge!"
"Sei… Please," Youko tried to appease the caffeinated blonde. Even Shimako tried to help with a quiet, "Onee-sama…"
"You're both no fun!"
"Satou-san…" Sachiko said softly, placing a box on the table, "can we talk about how we're going to make this plan work?"
"She's not gonna go for it, Sachan…" Sei responded matter-of-factly.
"But it's a different question this time, Onee-sama," Shimako interjected, only to receive the same answer Sei had given Sachiko. Then the blonde pushed the box toward Sachiko and said, "Buy a ring, Sachan, like a normal person would."
"I did not wake up this early for you to lecture me on what I should give her."
"Then tell us what your plan is, Ice Princess…"
The girls watched Sachiko bring her tea cup close to her lips, then blow on it before she took a small sip, only then, the heiress addressed everybody at the table just as if she was leading a Yamayurikai meeting, "Shimako should be able to help Nana with the more technical parts…" then Rosa Chinensis addressed Nana seriously, "If you time things well, you should not have any issues with the costumes, you just need to get there before she arrives – I'll delay things as much as I can and will keep you posted if anything changes on our end."
With the assertive, "Hai," Sachiko received from Nana, she continued on with her plan, giving the girls detailed instructions, all the while making sure Sei understood that her role was probably the most important of all.
"But, are you really sure that you don't want to buy her a ring?" Sei insisted with the question, reaching for the box across the table, "When was the last time you even opened this thing?" the blonde pushed on the latch in a failed attempt to pop the box open, "Not even the box agrees with this idea of yours…" she finished, handing the container to Youko, who tried to open it up herself and failed as well.
Then, the box made its way around the table, all of the girls having a try at opening it, all of the attempts unsuccessful.
"Nonsense!" Sachiko said at last, looking square at the box then trying to pry it open,
"Ugh!"
"Uggggghhh!" she tried again.
"Oh my God!" Sachiko pressed down on the latch, then sat it down on the table, conquered, "Maybe I should buy her a ring…"
And at that, the room went quiet for a long while until Sei broke the silence, "Don't be so dramatic! You wanna propose with the stupid rosary, then propose with the stupid rosary!" and just like that the blonde reached for the box, wiggling the sides two or three times then prying the box open with a loud, "Ahhh!"
And "Ahhh!" was quickly accompanied by a louder, "Fuck!"
"!"
"It wouldn't open because the thing was stuck to the box from the inside…" Sei said, lifting the broken rosary up, "Maybe if we glue it toge—"
"Are you insane, Satou-san?"
"No…" was the blonde's simple answer.
Then it was Shimako's turn to intervene, asking to see the rosary and examining the two parts of the praying beads which should have been connected, "Not only the links are broken, these two beads…" she pointed at the rosary she held with one of her hands, "..are badly scratched."
Sachiko stood and excused herself, reaching for the back pocket of her jeans, withdrawing her phone and quickly making a call. From the table the girls were still able to hear parts of the conversation, "Could you think of someone else… in Japan?" then she paused for a long while before adding a quick, "I see."
Following that, there was an, "I understand," then a, "What if we take it ourselves?" proceeded by yet again a long pause, "If he agrees with the arrangement, then I'll make sure it is delivered by one of us today. Thank you very much," Sachiko said and walked back to the table.
"Father knows somebody who can fix the rosary," the heiress announced.
To which Sei responded, "Great!"
"…In Tahara."
"Are you serious?!"
"Do I look like I'm kidding, Sei-sama?!"
"Damn! Don't Sei-sama me…"
"…"
After a long silence Shimako spoke softly, but seriously, "I'll go."
###
Tahara was one of those places Shimako had heard of innumerous times, though she had never had the opportunity to visit. Even so, all of the stories from Professors and TAs only heightened Rosa Gigantea's curiosity about the place which had been inhabited since prehistoric times, and what those inhabitants left behind, for a novice scholar like Todou Shimako, were not simply bones in burial mounds and ancient artifacts; they were answers for questions she would have never asked had she remained a nun.
Though it was terribly difficult not to keep driving toward one of the various archeological sites, Shimako took the exit toward old downtown, checking-in to the hotel she was staying that night, then taking a quick shower and changing before she jumped into her dad's truck again, typing in the address she was given by Sachiko and headed toward her destination.
"Ask for the jeweler," were the instructions she was given by Sachiko that morning, and with a blush on her cheeks for not knowing the name of the person she was looking for, she asked a guy about her age who was in front of the lighthouse smoking a cigarette, "Probably upstairs," the guy answered pointing toward the door, "Go on in, you can't really miss the stairs…"
So Shimako thanked the guy and pushed the lighthouse's door open.
The bottom floor was large, the white walls both soaked in the sunlight like a sponge and reflected the light inside the room, and though the place looked lived-in, it had incredible character. Silently Shimako stepped close to the window and looked out, the waves crashed far from the shore, and she stared at the sea for a long time until she heard a loud noise coming from a room behind her, "Hello?" she attempted.
"Little help here?" was the request coming from the room.
Shimako said a quiet but firm, "One second!" and ran toward the voice, "How can I help?" she asked.
"Grab the bottom of this frame, Shimako-chan," the old man said seriously, and it took a long second for Shimako to realize he had addressed her by her name, only then she lifted her eyes from the large painting that was crushing the man against the wall and looked at his face.
"…"
"Lift on three, use your legs; ready? One, two th-ree!" and just like that the frame's bottom was on the floor, which allowed Shimako to finally address the man properly.
"Shimura-sama…"
"W-when Ogasawara-sama called me, I had a hunch that Blondie was the one who was bringing the broken rosary to me – not you, kiddo."
"…Turns out I was the only one who had no previous arrangements for the week."
"Aha! I had forgotten Blondie has a girlfriend now, Mizuno Youko, right?"
"Hai."
"I'm glad Sei-chan is finally happy."
"Me too, Shimura-sama."
The man was quiet for a second, hands resting on his waist, looking at Shimako before scratching his chin and saying, "How about we take a look at that rosary?"
"Yes. Of course…" Shimako reached into her purse, handed the older man the box with the rosary, then watched the guy open it, pick up the rosary and look at it closely.
"…"
"Could you fix it?" Shimako asked, to which the man answered with an invitation to walk up the stairs as he had left his glasses there.
And so Shimako followed Takuya up the creaking stairs, still mesmerized by the way the sun reflected against the walls of that old lighthouse.
Once they reached their destination, a large loft right beneath the room which housed the lantern and the catwalk, Takuya opened the door and mumbled, "They should be here by the desk..."
In the fully furnished living area, a large sofa faced a cast-iron fireplace, and standing by the door Shimako stared at the unlit thing, dark and cold in the middle of that room, while Takuya sat at the desk, placing the rosary under a bright light and leaning in to analyze the damage.
A minute or two had gone by and out of the blue Takuya extended his arm out and snapped his fingers once, twice, three times, then whispered, "Hey!" Which brought Shimako back from her reverie.
###
Noriko had stopped counting how long it had been since the day she last spoke with Shimako. Keeping track had consumed the brunette for a long while, but every broken heart, at some point, makes a conscious decision to move on. For Noriko, her time was the weekend which preceded her Spring Break.
To say that she remembered how she got home that Saturday morning after going out with a couple of her college friends on Friday was a lie. But that specific morning, when magically there was no hangover, it felt as if the heavens were saying: It's time, be a human again. Noriko's day-one had finally arrived.
For the first time in Maria-sama knows how long, the brunette was up early during the weekend, she showered and joined Sumireko for a cup of coffee in the kitchen. And as if it was the night of the living dead –or the morning of the living Noriko– Sumireko was half terrified, half ecstatic for having a cohesive niece sitting across from her, hair still damp from the shower she had just taken.
Noriko thanked Sumireko for the coffee and went back upstairs. Trash bag in hand, she started with the empty beer cans which had taken over her room, then she tackled the sea of empty bags of potato chips, and finally, tossed the several empty bottles of liquor she had hoarded for weeks.
She cleaned her floors, changed her bed sheets, and started on laundry before she put on running shoes, walked down the stairs as she pulled up her hair, exchanged a few words with Sumireko, then walked out the door.
And up the street Noriko went on the slowest jog one could have had, but a jog nonetheless. The warm spring breeze on her face, she made her way toward the park which was about a half-mile away from Sumireko's – it was a good start, a very good start for somebody who had been drinking heavily and lived off of junk food for the past three months.
Eggs and toast, had been on Noriko's mind when she walked back into Sumireko's, "Sumireko-san, do we have eggs?" she asked, taking her shoes off and walking to the kitchen.
"Sumireko-sa—" Noriko had walked into the kitchen to find Sumireko had company.
"Gokigenyou, Riko-chan," Yumi greeted, placing her cup of coffee on the table and standing up to bow, "I apologize for showing up unannounced."
And at that, Noriko looked at Sumireko, who had until then kept the Lillian girls away from the brunette, "You should listen to Yumi-chan, Riko."
"Why are you here, Yumi-sama?"
"It's good seeing you, too Riko-chan," Yumi shot back.
"…"
"I'm here representing Shimura-sama, who said you were supposed to help him this week."
"I told Takuya-kun I couldn't make it this time."
"But that's not true, right?" Yumi retorted.
"…"
"That's what I thought…"
"I'm not going anywhere."
"And I'm not here to take you anywhere. I am simply here to do this…" Yumi pulled her phone from her pocket, dialed a number and waited for it to be answered before speaking into the device, "I'm here. She's not happy," she started.
"Hai," she said after a short pause.
Then she said, "Hai," again and handed the phone to Noriko, "He wants to talk to you."
"Are you serious?" Noriko whispered; though, she picked up the phone from Yumi's hand and brought it to her ear, then heaving a deep breath, she spoke into the device, "I don't like this."
Noriko opened her mouth again, but closed it quickly, allowing Takuya to finish his sentence. Once the older man was done, she spoke calmly, "Inside a church?"
There was a long pause before it was her turn to speak again, "I understand..." she said, disconnecting the call and handing Yumi back the phone. "Pretty sure the only clean anything I have is a pair of jeans I haven't worn in a million years… everything else is still in the dryer. I'll pack when that load is done," Noriko said looking at Yumi, then she faced Sumireko, "Do we have eggs?"
"Yes…" Sumireko said softly, pointing to the fridge, absolutely sure Noriko wasn't happy. Then the older woman walked away quietly with the excuse she needed to check on the garden.
"How do you like you eggs, Yumi-sama?" Noriko asked before opening the fridge.
"…"
The brunette looked over to the table from behind the open fridge door, "Sunny side up, over easy, medium, hard…"
"Riko…"
"That's not a type of fried egg," Noriko tried a joke, placing the carton of eggs by the stove and grabbing a frying pan from the kitchen cabinet.
"I'll scramble them if you don't really have a preference."
"That's fine," Yumi responded. It was the first time in weeks Noriko had addressed the older girl properly, and try as she might, Yumi couldn't hide the awkwardness she felt.
Quietly, Noriko topped off Yumi's coffee, then poured herself a cup after setting a plate in front of Rosa Chinensis, then she grabbed her own plate and brought it to the table.
"Sumireko-san's freezer jam is pretty good," Noriko said, offering Yumi the jar and the knife she had just used on her toast. And Yumi accepted both with a soft, "Thanks."
"Rei-sama doing okay?"
"Yeah, the cast came off last week, but she's not back at the dojo yet…" Yumi answered.
"And Yoshino-sama?"
"Making sure Rei-san doesn't lift a finger, of course…" Yumi said, then continued, "Sei-sama and Youko-sama are also doing well."
"I'm glad."
Then Yumi asked, "Have you talked to Touko-chan lately?"
"Not in a while," Noriko responded.
"She told her parents..."
"About Kanako-san?"
"Yup."
"Is that so?"
"They already knew… So Touko-chan was a bit disappointed."
"She would be..."
Then there was a long silence before Yumi spoke, "They miss you, Riko. Everybody misses you… Even Shizuka-sama asks about you every time we get together… We all miss you."
"…"
"But I'm sure I don't have to tell you who misses you the most, right?"
"Yumi-sama…"
Yumi sat her chopsticks down and looked square at Noriko, "You've got to talk to her," she started, "You've got to tell her why you said the things you said. You've got to grow a pair and tell her you're sorry you thought she was kissing somebody else."
"How—"
"Maria-sama is fucking watching…" Yumi said softly, bringing the coffee mug to her lips and blowing on it before taking a sip.
"Does she know?"
"Shimako? No…"
"…"
"I had made a promise not to meddle…"
"…"
"… in her shenanigans. I never said anything about yours…" Yumi said straight-faced, watching as Noriko stood up and shook her head on her way to the coffee maker, silently grabbing the pot, bringing it to the table and filling up Yumi's cup then hers. She then walked back to the counter and placed the pot back where it belonged.
Things belonged, Noriko thought; big or small, things had a place in the universe, people had a place in the universe – like Yumi's place was by Sachiko, and Youko's by Sei. One way or another, people found their place; some sooner than others, but people found their place – early in their lives like Rei and Yoshino, or after many struggles like Kanako and Touko. Though, Noriko, at that moment, felt as if there was no space in the universe for her. Perhaps that was exactly how one must feel when they have finally stepped off the playing field, away from people's eyes. And maybe displaced was exactly how Noriko needed to be in order to understand the consequences of moving on.
Sitting back down across from Yumi, the younger girl finally spoke, "It's been a long time since I looked outside my window at night and saw the stars. After all of these months, I am finally at a position where I can do that, Yumi-sama, – I can pay attention to the small details of life again; I see colors again, I can smell the fresh brewed coffee and I can taste things again – recognizing things again after just going through the motions. And I think this is what letting go feels like, what moving on looks like, what turning the page must be. To say I didn't love Shimako would be to betray myself, lying because I'm not ready to accept the end. So… I loved her like I needed her to survive. And even though I loved her, I hurt her… Which makes me think that all along I didn't know how to love her at all… That was the biggest sin I've committed, and I hope one day she can find in her the strength to forgive me… Yumi-sama, I appreciate you coming here for Takuya-kun's sake, and I will go help him; but, I'd be lying to you if I told you I have any intentions of straightening things out with Shimako."
###
"Don't make me go back to that church without you, Takuya-kun…" Noriko said, when she walked into Takuya's headquarters.
A quick ten-minute walk to the church Takuya was restoring, the building belonged to a good friend of the older man. And to say that Noriko wasn't mesmerized by every corner of that home was to say a Buddhist enthusiast wasn't giddy every time they saw a juzu.
Nevertheless, Noriko had been helping with the restoration of the church ever since she had arrived there on Saturday, and by Wednesday evening, the long days and short nights had caught up with the brunette.
Knowing how much work Noriko had done in such a short amount of time, Takuya answered her plea by granting her the night off, and he chuckled while watching the girl give him a thankful smile, and quietly drag herself up the stairs.
In the corner of the loft, Noriko grabbed clean clothes from her bag and headed to the bathroom. As she closed the door behind her, she freed her hair from the ponytail she sported that day, and without much fuss, she undressed, then looked at her reflection in the mirror. How long had it been since she really took a look at herself? She couldn't really answer. The traditional Japanese doll features remained the same, dark hair, dark eyes, all of the lines, and curves, and freckles remained the same; however, Noriko had changed. And it wasn't just the hair that had grown out, finding rest against her upper back, nor her bangs which, had been neglected and simply scooped to the side; it was her heart that had changed, and she was afraid that wasn't the last time that she'd experience that weird feeling of seeing herself in the mirror and not recognizing her own essence. She was afraid that wasn't going to be the last time her heart would explode in a million pieces only to be picked up and mended back into something that resembled the original when it was once whole.
But it was okay to be a stranger to herself; to break, to mend, to shatter again. It was okay to have felt too much, and have loved too much, and then have lost – by her own mistake.
It was okay.
The decision was hers.
So, it had to be okay.
When she was done with her shower Noriko returned to the living room where she lay down. Covered by a thick blanket the brunettes stared at the cast-iron fireplace in front of her for a long while, thinking of the restoration she was helping with and wondering for the nth time who would have let an artist paint a large cherry blossom on one of the walls of a Catholic Church.
Then she closed her eyes and saw the tree – or at least how it once was – tall, and strong, and full of light-pink petals. When she reopened her eyes, the fireplace greeted her coldly, so she closed them again and there the tree was still, and so was a certain Rosa Gigantea, hands against the trunk of that tree.
It was wonderful.
And Noriko had every right to think so. If she was going to live with the burden of losing for the sake of not hurting Shimako any more than she had already hurt her, then she had every right to be haunted by the ghost of that lost love, and to accept that as part of the healing process. Her heart would mend, of course, but Noriko was completely fine with the numbing and the flaking of the scabs – she didn't want to skip the pains of healing, on the contrary, she wanted to remember every single second from the initial stitches to the final scar.
Finger-snaps and a soft, "Hey!" brought Noriko back from the half-dreaming drift, and she sat up a bit disoriented, "You promised I could sleep…" she complained to Takuya.
"But I need you to look at this thing for me."
And with that, the brunette walked up to the desk and looked at the rosary Takuya had under the light. The Western piece was astonishing, each bead individually hand-painted and the rings connected with utmost care by someone as meticulous as… herself.
The chain is bent, the beads scratched…" she said in a dismissive tone, still groggy from sleep.
"Sherlock in the house!" was Takuya's snarky response.
"You flirt with the nuns and I end up having to fix these super old pieces, it takes forever…"
"It's not—"
"Takuya-kun…" Noriko interrupted, and as she turned around, headed back to the couch, she tried to add, "I'll fix it when I'm done with my na—" but never really finished her sentence because when she had lifted her eyes from the couch to the loft's door she saw a ghost clad in white.
With one hand, Noriko held on to the back of the couch, and try as she might, she couldn't blink that wraith away. It's okay, she thought, staring at the door, waiting for the image to dissipate into a million cherry blossom petals.
Thought, instead, Shimako moved closer.
One step after the other, Rosa Gigantea waltzed into the room with the same serenity she had always carried herself with.
"Shimako-chan," Takuya said, to the girl walking into the room, making –whatever was left from—Noriko's brain melt. "Riko will fix the rosary, no problem," he finished, then he stood from his chair and mumbled an awkward, "I gotta go back down now," before he ran out of the room.
"…"
White dress on, a single braid resting atop of her shoulder, Rosa Gigantea halted her steps in front of Noriko. For a second she looked serious, but then a smile tugged at her lips, followed by the most melodious sound Noriko had heard in a while, "You're… the jeweler…"
At Noriko's soft, "Hai," Shimako continued, "Then… you're the one who fixed grandmother's juzu..."
"Does it even matter?"
"…You should have told me."
"There was no need to do so…"
"Maria-sama must have really wanted us to meet…" Shimako mused. The fact that Noriko spent the better part of her adolescence going to a secular high school didn't keep Shimako from thinking that somehow, they were bound to meet, become friends, fall in love. It was simply a matter of time, Maria-sama was watching, and if it wasn't the Kannon statue, or the lavender fields of Furano that would bring those two hearts together, then why not a heart? Why not the broken, mended, imperfect but precious heart which belonged to Fukuzawa Yumi to bring those two broken, mended, imperfect hearts together? The universe worked in incredible ways, Shimako thought, thanking Maria-sama for having a back-up plan already designed: the broken juzu. One way or another, their paths would cross.
Then it dawned on her what that might have looked like, "I'm…" she started, "I didn't know you were the jeweler. It was never my intention to break my promise to you, and I am only here because of Sachiko-sama's rosary."
"I already said I'd fix it." Noriko said dryly.
"I appreciate it, and Sachiko will forever be indebted to you," Shimako bowed deeply, "I should take my leave now," she finished, turning around and walking away.
It was going to be like that, simple as a bow and a goodbye. It was going to be like that; exactly the way Noriko had requested. And Shimako was going to abide by that outrageous demand without hesitation, without fear, without any pleading nor crying from Rosa Gigantea's part.
For Shimako, demanding love from Noriko was egotistical; a selfish request which was inherently presuming. Back in high school, she had tried to lead a life free of desire knowing very well how hard it was to let go of things she had once held in her hands. But by joining the cloister – and losing everything she had – she had learned that letting go was an inevitable part of living… Loving without demanding anything back; therefore, was simply a way of leading a life which she thought would be true to her heart.
So, it was going to be like that: a thank you very much, a quick apology, and an exit stage left.
Unless something else happened, unless somebody else spoke up, unless the other party in the room grew a pair, unless, "Wait!" Noriko shouted, then she watched Shimako turn around, before asking, "Why do you have to be so nice? After all I've told you… why do you insist in being nice!?" Noriko's voice cracked. And Shimako answered quietly, as calm as Rosa Gigantea could have ever been, "Is it not obvious?" The older girl smiled sincerely, then she dropped her head down and stared at her shoes for a long while before looking back up and adding, "Riko, love is patient, kind, it doesn't boast, and it's not proud," Shimako paraphrase one of her favorite scriptures, "How can I not be kind to you when all I've eve wanted, since the moment I first saw you, was to be with you?"
"…"
Shimako continued after a quiet chuckle, "I am the product of second and third and fourth chances, to stand here and be anything but kind to you would be the most hypocrite thing I could ever do."
"Shi-mako…"
"At times I think about how hard it would be to fight everyone else for what I feel for you. How hard it would be to kick and scream against people who oppose this feeling! Though for you I would in a heartbeat, with nails and teeth, I would! I'd fight anyone and everyone for you, but… the only person I can't fight is you… I can't force you to feel the same way I do. But…Riko… nothing you say or do can stop me from loving you, and that's a fact I hope you can live with the same way I have to," Rosa Gigantea said before finishing with a, "Gokigenyou," making her way down the stairs.
###
Saturday afternoon rolled around and Shimako ran across the Amusement Park holding on to the panda bear's head which bounced on top of her own; a smaller panda followed her closely behind.
"Do you see them?" Shimako asked.
"Right there!" Nana responded, pointing at Yumi who was far ahead of them, exiting the Teacup ride, "And I see Touko-san and Kanako-san, too!" she added, spotting the two girls running toward them from the south entrance.
"Then it's time…"
At that the two pandas met two more pandas. A minute later, there were seven of them – Rei, Yoshino and Shizuka joining the group. Somehow, Sei and Youko were able to drag Yumi by herself to the Teacup ride while the other girls scattered away to their respective posts.
Head inside a trashcan, Sei was being consoled by Youko and Yumi when the brunette spotted the embarrassment of pandas – and how fitting that name was for a bunch of grown-ass women to be wearing those costumes. Even still, Yoshino skipped down the path holding Rei's hand, while Nana Tai Chi-ed her way down. Kanako and Touko ran in front of the group, leaving Shimako and Shizuka to close the parade.
"You can stop pretending now, Sei," Yumi said to the blonde who just waved her hands and continued to yack.
Surrounding Yumi, the pandas danced around her and she laughed, "Could you not think of anything less ridiculous?" and without answering, Shimako and Nana grabbed on to Yumi's hand and walked her away from all of the attractions.
Up the hill they went, then down the hill, crossing the entire park until they walked Yumi to the exit where a black limo waited.
"She's here," the driver said once he opened the door allowing Sachiko to step out of the car.
The heiress wore a pair of light-wash jeans, a navy blouse, and white sneakers; simple, yet incredibly becoming, and she smiled when her eyes met Yumi's. Then one of the pandas pushed Yumi toward Sachiko, "Hey! Stop it, Yoshino-san!" Yumi complained, knowing very well who was who inside the panda costumes – the people she loved the most, friends who might as well be called sisters, and though different blood separated them, their hearts were connected in the most wonderful of ways.
"Sachan…" the brunette said when Sachiko reached for both her hands.
"I was going to take you on a drive around town to visit our favorite spots as I wanted to take you down memory lane before I asked you the most important question I have ever asked… I was planning on walking side by side with you across Lillian, up the Rose Mansion stairs, and stop you right before we walked into our meeting room to ask you such question. Though I have now changed my mind…"
"Sachan?"
"Why drive around and look back on our own, when the most important people in our lives are here in front of us and we can share this moment with them?" and at that question, Sachiko saw Sei and Youko catch up with the pandas, then she looked back at Yumi before continuing, "You are a blessing in my life, Yumi. If today I know how to love, it's because you taught me. I don't think there's anything in this world I wouldn't be able to do with you by my side," said the heiress, and the pandas froze in place when they watched Ogasawara Sachiko lower herself to one knee and reach for her back pocket, withdrawing a tiny box from it. Then, with both hands she carefully opened the ruby container, unveiling what could only be a ring, "It once belonged to my grandmother, and it is the second most valuable thing in my life only because the first is right now standing in front of me. And you are worth so much more than this ring… You are the breath in my lungs. You have permeated so deeply within me that at times I feel I belong to you more than to myself – and to say this feeling isn't incredible is a complete lie," Sachiko stopped to catch her breath, a smile on her face, tears of the most joy blurring her vision. Then she finished her speech with, "Fukuzawa Yumi, would you make me the happiest woman on this planet by marrying me?"
There was a long silence after Sachiko's offer; Yumi simply staring at that ring. Then the brunette kneeled down in front of Sachiko and with a bright smile, she finally answered, "I accept."
After receiving the ring from Sachiko, Yumi turned toward her friends and bowed deeply, "Thank you very much for always being part of the most important moments of my life. You are the reason why I get to marry the girl of my dreams – without your support I would be half the person I have become," Yumi finished, standing up straight and walking back to Sachiko.
###
The embarrassment of pandas exploded in cheers before surrounding Sachiko and Yumi. They chatted for a long time, though Sachiko was only able to pull Shimako to the side for a quick second before the heiress and Yumi hopped in the limo and drove away, "You have been most wonderful to us, Shimako-san. I promise you, we will talk tonight."
Shimako didn't look as if she was fazed by the sudden change in heart Sachiko had. Everybody was a bit taken aback when Sachiko had resurrected the rosary anyway, but they knew that the heiress could have offered Yumi a wire twisted in the shape of a ring and she'd still say yes in a heartbeat. Perhaps Sachiko's rosary had always belonged to her, and her grandmother's ring was supposed to be Yumi's all along.
Because things simply belonged.
Shimako said her own goodbyes and headed to the parking lot where she rid herself of the panda suit, got into her dad's truck and drove into the city.
Windows rolled down, the warm breeze touching her face felt as if it wanted, with all its might, to join Rosa Gigantea during that solitary drive, to be there for the girl.
The radio played her favorite songs while she headed east, and she watched the sun set through her rearview mirror. Shimako smiled to herself; her heart was at peace with the choices that she had made, with the things she had experienced ever since she had decided to leave the cloister. It felt right to be out in the world, living it, breathing it – it felt like day-one.
###
Noriko breathed out a long sigh. Feeling her feet glued to the ground she thought of her friends which she hadn't seen in a while, and for the first time in a long time, she wished she wasn't alone; she whished Touko and Kanako and Nana were there screaming at her, she wished Yumi were there, quietly sitting on the couch, and while saying nothing, saying everything.
Then she wondered what Sachiko would do at that particular moment, and without hesitation, Noriko knew: "Please take care of Shimako," she would say. As a matter of fact, that simple request was exactly what every single Yamayurikai rose would ask of Noriko, because that was what they did – they took care of one another.
Even still, Noriko hesitated. Could she truly and wholeheartedly take care of Shimako? Could that heart beating against her chest, find the strength to give herself a second chance? Shimako had already said she wouldn't fight Noriko for her love, but could Noriko wage a war inside herself in Shimako's name? – because that would be taking care of Shimako, that would be loving that woman who asked for nothing from Noriko but the right to feel.
Could she do it? Could she gather the strength to apologize for a juvenile mistake which had brought her there – exactly where she was, stuck to the floor, as she watched the woman she absolutely adored walk away after pouring out her heart to Noriko?
"Please, take care of Shimako," Noriko heard Sachiko's voice and could feel the soft push which freed her feet, lifting the spell which had loosen the red string of fate connecting her heart and Shimako's.
And, "Please take care of Shimako" was a declaration of war. If it was for Shimako, then Noriko would fight, anyone, everyone, herself.
For Shimako, she would.
Noriko blinked once, twice, three times, lavender covered the floors, and sprinting, she exited the loft, hitting the stairs running, disturbing the purple petals as she balanced herself while holding on to the rail, "No, no, wait, wait, wait! Hang on!" she shouted quickly.
Since Shimako didn't look back, for a split second Noriko thought that was how it was going to be; the shortest war ever fought. And the defeat brought the overwhelming feeling of despair one has when they realize that they had been wrong all along.
The brunette asked one last time, "Shimako, please!" she begged, reaching for Rosa Gigantea's elbow, purple still covering the steps of that old lighthouse.
Noriko pleaded, "Don't go…" when Shimako finally turned to face the brunette. And hearing the commotion, Takuya stepped out of the room he was working in, "Everything okay?" he asked the two girls once they hit the first floor.
"Hai…" Noriko answered, her cheeks red, her eyes filled with tears, "We're going to step outside for a second…"
With that, the two girls quietly walked out to find a sunset which painted the most incredible picture in the horizon, and the waves still crashed in the vast ocean, though much closer to the beach by that time of the evening.
When they finally stepped on the sand, Noriko slowed down, allowing Shimako to walk in front of her. Much like Noriko, Shimako was also mesmerized by the coming and going of the large vessels surrounding the port, because it was a while until the older girl turned around and faced Noriko – a shy smile stubbornly tugging at her lips at the sight of the brunette. And Noriko dared to think that Rosa Gigantea's smile could be more beautiful than that sundown.
Then a faint breeze touched upon the girls, bringing cherry blossom petals along.
"…"
Shimako stopped right before the shoreline, "This sunset is lovely, isn't it?" she asked, looking at Noriko.
"…"
"…Was this view so beautiful that y—"
"You take the words from my mouth, Shimako. You take the air from my lungs, the thoughts from my head!" Noriko interrupted. "It's never been the flowers, or the cherry blossom trees, or the sunset that have silenced me; it's always been you… I… lose my composure when you walk into the room; out of a sudden I am forever falling in this never ending abyss, and instead of reaching for solid ground all I want, more than anything else, is to continue the plunge."
"Riko…" Shimako whispered, her eyes glimmering with tears she wasn't sure were happy or sad. Then Noriko continued, "A while ago I watched you let a woman I had never seen before hold you with so much care, my heart stopped beating… I watched her mouth press against yours, Shimako, and instead of stopping it, you just… let her. But that wasn't enough… that wasn't enough! You had to hold on to her face with both hands, like her cheeks were the most sacred thing in the world, and bring your lips to her head… just like you used to kiss me…"
Rosa Gigantea brought her fingers to her lips, "Shizuka-sama…"
"Out of a sudden I wasn't falling anymore. But like the end of an eclipse, you stayed still while I drifted away… And by drifting I learned that without you I just go through the motions…but with you I'm scared, and I am breathless, and I am at a loss for words, and even so, even off-balance, terrified, and with no air in my lungs, I am so much happier because I get to spend that moment with you, and watch you smile, and listen to your voice, and share everything with you."
"You thought Shizuka-sama and I…" she trailed off.
Balled up fists, Noriko said through clenched teeth, "How would you feel if you watched the girl you love kiss someone else?!"
"You… love me?" Shimako asked, completely ignoring the question at large, and making Noriko immediately avert her gaze. Feeling her cheeks heat up in the most furious of blushes, Noriko shoved both her hands inside her back pockets; her knuckles grazing the cloth while the tips of her left fingers found the delicate beads of Shimako's rosary which had been neglected for months in those jeans.
"…"
Takuya's voice echoed in her head, "If you don't love her, the rosary doesn't belong to you," while she clutched those beads tight between her fingers.
"It's a simple yes or no, Riko."
"Seriously?" That shout was lost in the vastness of the beach, though Shimako said nothing, waiting on a response.
"Of course I love you, Shimako!"
"Then…" Shimako started, taking a step closer to the brunette… "Don't walk away from my life…" Adding to the Mille-feuille of feelings Noriko was experiencing that day, Shimako continued, "I'm afraid if you walk away, it would be a lifetime before I see you again…You'd hide somewhere on the other side of the world and I would lose my mind… I can't bare the thought of us crossing paths years from now and being strangers just because you thought you weren't ready to forgive."
"You did nothing wrong for me to have to forgive you."
"But how about forgiving yourself? Could you do that for me?"
"…"
In a matter of an hour the brunette had gone from war to mercy within herself all because of that girl standing in front of her. The girl who never – not even for a second – wavered when the subject was how she felt and what she wanted. And it was clear that all Shimako wanted was Noriko.
Reaching for her pocket and lifting the rosary at eye-level, Noriko watched the beads sway between her and Rosa Gigantea, making Shimako gasp, and out of a sudden there was not enough air in that city for neither Shimako nor Noriko.
"Could you help me?" Noriko asked as she started to wrap the rosary around her wrist.
With a shy smile tugging at her lips, Shimako answered, "H-hai," taking Noriko's hand and fastening the rosary tightly.
Things belonged.
Everything had a place in the universe.
###
Shimako smiled to herself; her heart was at peace with the choices that she had made, with the things she had experienced ever since she had decided to leave the cloister. It felt right to be out in the world, living it, breathing it – it felt like day-one.
Parking her dad's truck on a small cobblestone road, Rosa Gigantea closed her door and leaned against it for a while. Looking up at the third floor balcony of this five-story building she wondered about Sachiko and why the girl would send her all the way to Tahara to fix the heiress' rosary only to change her mind and propose with her grandmother's ring.
And as she mulled over Sachiko's unusual change of heart, she thought of the conversation she had with the heiress at the hotel room…
Made it. Just checked-in to the hotel.
4:19 PM
Shimako texted Sachiko and jumped in the shower to freshen up after the four-hour drive.
Untwisting the towel from her head and patting dry her hair, Rosa Gigantea sat on the bed and powered up her phone to find three messages from Sachiko.
Wonderful! I am glad you made it there safely.
4:19 PM
A chuckle turned into a full smile, and Shimako shook her head. Even texting, the heiress was a proper as she could be.
Then Rosa Gigantea scrolled down to read the second text.
Shimako, I would like to make use of rule number two.
4:21 PM
Although not all rules had been memorized by Rosa Gigantea, some were deeply engraved in her memory, which was the case of number one and two, not only because one nullified the other, but also because rule number one had been inherently written to be broken – even more so than rule 19 (which required the girls to call safety when a toot happened). Rare were the occasions when rule number two had been mentioned before number one had already been broken.
Rule #1: In no case there should be meddling between Yamayurikai members.
Rule#2: Rule number one shall be overruled by number two if and only if the meddler is truly confident that there cannot be a better way to resolve the issue.
Ogasawara Sachiko is asking for permission to meddle?
4:43 PM
The straightforward response came within seconds:
Yes.
4:43 PM
Shimako typed back, a quick "Alright" and didn't have to wait much until her phone buzzed again with a text from Sachiko containing a link to a blog and a request:
Don't forget to look at the pictures at the end.
4:44 PM
The blog entry, which was almost a year old was titled: Nice to meet you, Furano, may I see you again? And it was written by Riko-chan, Takuya-kun's Right Hand in Chief, as labeled under the title.
Shimako tossed the towel she was using to dry her hair on a chair, and holding her phone with both hands, she looked at the first picture: a panoramic shot of Kami-Furano as the sun disappeared behind the hills of lavender.
She read the first paragraph carefully, and as much as she tried not to, a smile took over her lips even before she had reached the second picture, which was a still of an old tractor, hauling people away from the welcome center.
Then she proceeded to read the second paragraph, third, fourth; thoroughly examining the pictures that came after Noriko's writing, until she reached the closing section. After the last sentence, there was a link to a slideshow, and buried in that link, 20 other pictures Noriko had taken while in Furano. Out of the 20 pictures at least seven had been taken from similar angles: all with the sun behind them; interestingly enough, poppy flowers were also part of those shots – not lavender, but tiny, colorful little flowers. And if one looked closely, they could also spot the same figure, over and over again in each photograph, as if they had been the main subject of those shots all along, not just a simple addendum. One of those photographs was the still of that person receiving something from a tiny little girl – both hands extended as if accepting the most important gift in the world.
Ah! And it was! Between those tiny fingers, there was so much more than green tea mochi… Between those fingers there were a raft of feelings Shimako was allowed to experience again with her beloved friends, and for the first time with Noriko.
Closing the slide show was a picture of the kid who had offered Shimako candy in Kami-Furano, peaking from around a bookshelf with a bright smile on her face.
Inside that hotel room, Shimako let the tears roll down her face freely, how wrong Noriko had been to assume that Rosa Gigantea would ever, even for a second, not believe in love at first sight.
Well played, Rosa Chinensis. I wish the same rules applied to Noriko.
5:05 PM
I pray you don't lose hope since the universe works in incredible ways, Shimako. Remember, Maria-sama is watching.
5:06 PM
Shimako powered off her phone, placing it inside her purse. She walked back to the restroom, washing her face, applying a thin layer of make-up, then still in front of the mirror, she gathered her hair all to one side and proceeded to braid it.
Out the door she went, wondering where Noriko was at that exact second…
###
Shimako finally stopped staring at that old balcony, and with a bright smile plastered on her face she shook her head; she had finally put the puzzle together, "The universe works in incredible ways," she repeated under her breath, thanking Maria-sama for giving her friends like Ogasawara Sachiko, then she pushed herself up, crossing the road, entering the building, hitting the stairs, and only halting her steps to knock on the door.
She bowed deeply when the door opened, apologizing for the intrusion, and politely saying, "Whatever you are cooking smells incredible." Then she crossed the living room, kitchen; it didn't take much until she reached the last room of that apartment,
"Gokigenyou," she greeted seriously, waiting for the girl in front of her to look up.
"Gokigenyou," Noriko said to Rosa Gigantea with a smile.
###
On the way to the bar that night, Yumi looked at her ring and smirked, then she looked at Sachiko, who was driving, "You know, when you got on your knee, I was horrified I was going to see your rosary," she chuckled.
"That was a bet I lost a long time ago," replied Sachiko.
"So you finally accept the defeat?"
"Yes," the heiress said firmly, without taking her eyes off the road.
"…Then, can I have it?" Yumi asked with a chuckle, and watched Sachiko move her eyes toward the brunette then roll them, "I have no words for you, Yumi."
"Which means, I can have the losingest rosary..."
"I wouldn't say it's the losingest rosary."
"It's a loser rosary."
"It is most definitely not! Because of that rosary I get to marry you," Sachiko said, and wanted to add, "and because of that rosary, someday Shimako might marry Noriko," but she left that unsaid for the time being.
Instead, the heiress looked at the road ahead of her and grinned.
A/N: This was the longest story I have ever written – ever. I'm not sure if I am proud of myself of horrified by the fact that humans have read my stuff. I'm not going to lie, some of these chapters were rough to write and since the story was longer than what I am used to writing, I found myself forgetting things and having to read past chapters a million times just to make things flow… I'm hoping this final chapter brings closure to the girls :)
If you stuck around till now, thank you! I appreciate the time you took to read, review, wait forever between updates, respond to my PMs, listen to my ramblings. You're incredible for supporting the community and awesome for liking this fandom, which I think is still so very relevant when the subject is yuri.
Once again, thank you very much!
P.S. I used song titles to name my chapters. I was a bit surprised that nobody really caught me, nor called me out for naming the chapters weirdly. Here's the list of songs/artists. Let me know if you know any one them.
Displaced – Azure Ray
Nobody's Nothing – Owen
Heavy Rope – Lights
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start – The Ataris
All the Wild Horses – Ray Lamontagne
Your Name Here – Straylight Run
Everyone's got Something – Perrin Lamb
Careful Now – Copeland
Call your Girlfriend – Robyn (Allison Weiss' cover is great!)
And Then There Was You – Norah Jones
Waves – The Dangerous Summer
The Truth Is – Go Radio
Currents – Dashboard Confessional
Shoreline – Andrew James
The Thick and the Thin – Imaginary Future
Build Me Up from Bones – Sarah Jarosz
One Man Drinking Games – Mayday Parade
Kintsukuroi – Hey Rosetta!
Since You've been Around
Love is Beginning – Imaginary Future
What Time do You Call This? – Elbow
Cross That Line – Joshua Radin
Slow Dance – Shannon LaBrie
A Fever – Owen
Meteor Showers – Andy Kong
Hands Down – Dashboard Confessional
Wreckage and Bone – Tired Pony
Kerosene – Bailey Jehl
Your Own Disaster – Taking Back Sunday
An Island - Owen
Cheers!
