brick by brick (akb48, kawaei/watanabe (mayu))
brick by brick
group: akb48
pairing: kawaei/watanabe (mayu)
length: ~6500w (welP)
Even when her parents are already in the door, dragging their suitcases behind and waving goodbye, she still refuses to believe it.
“No, don’t leave me with her!” Mayu tries to grab her mother’s wrist but she’s already next to the car with a wide smile on her face and mouthing “it’s going to be fine” silently but the girl shakes her head disapprovingly, knowing that no, it’s not going to be fine and she doesn’t even want it to be, she just wants her parents’ friends to take their immature kid away from their house, from her house.
But of course, her parents turn away from her and sit in the car along with their friends whose kid she is going to have to babysit (okay, not literally; Kawaei Rina’s the same age as her but knowing her since they wore diapers, she knows pretty well just how stupid the kid is) for the following two weeks and soon drive away, leaving a rather pissed off princess behind.
“You can’t stay here,” Mayu storms into the living room, throwing a huge bag technically right at Kawaei who’s too late to catch it so it hits her right in the head and she lets out a soft sound of pain, rubbing her palm against the spot.
“And where do you think I should go?” she says, putting the bag aside and crosses her arms over her body. “It’s not like it’s my fault that our parents decided to go on a vacation without us!”
“No, but it’s your fault that your parents don’t trust you enough to leave you at home alone so they have to bring you here for me to take after you when you’re only a few months younger than me!” Mayu shouts furiously, running her fingers through her long ebony hair in frustration before she mimics Ricchan’s position. “Don’t you think it’s rather embarrassing that you need someone to look after you?”
“First of all, I don’t need anybody,” Kawaei stands up, looking Mayu straight in the eye. “Secondly, I’m not here because of that. I’m here because our house is under renovation and while it would be possible for me to stay there, I would just probably be in the way so it’s easier to reside here for two weeks. And, my parents thought I could use some company.”
“Well you must be pretty freaking naïve if you think that I’m going to keep you entertained during these two weeks because I am not,” Mayu says and turns around, stomping to the kitchen and Ricchan lets out a long sigh, wondering how she suddenly became the scapegoat for everything happening in the world.
“I wanted to do my best not to bother you, but you’re making it really hard for me to be nice…” Ricchan murmurs quietly before turning the opposite direction and thundering upstairs into her temporary room.
*
“You can’t sleep here.”
Kawaei lifts her head and looks at Mayu standing in the door with a dead-serious expression on her face.
“What?”
“You heard me right. You can sleep on the couch if you want to, but not in my room. I’m not going to suffer through all your snoring and…”
“I don’t even snore!” Rina interrupts angrily but Mayu waves a hand dismissively.
“Not a matter of question. You’re not staying in my room.”
“You’re a horrible person,” Kawaei mumbles and quickly gets up from the floor, putting all her personal belongings bag into her suitcase. “I’m not surprised you don’t have any friends.”
“Excuse you?” Mayu raises her voice, raising an eyebrow. “I do have friends, but none of them are such low budget as you, that’s probably why you never met them.”
Ricchan frowns. “I’m low budget? What the heck does that even mean?”
Mayu ignores the question regarding her strange use of phrases and just shakes her head. “Hurry up and get out. I want to go to bed.”
“Yes, princess,” Kawaei says, sarcasm coloring her voice as she drags her suitcase along. She turns around in the door and looks back once again, making eye contact with the other girl. “You know, I might have never met any of these ‘friends’ of yours, but how would you explain the fact that it’s the third week of Summer and you haven’t even stepped out of your house and not even planning to ever since?”
“I have and I am going to…” Mayu starts but Kawaei slams the door in her face before she could finish so she shuts up, her teeth sinking into her lower lip and her previous furious expression morphs into somewhat of a worried one, and although usually, she would storm after Kawaei just so that she could have the last word, this time there’s something that keeps her from doing so.
And even after changing into her pyjamas and pulling the blanket over her body, she still refuses to admit that Kawaei had just made a point earlier.
*
It’s much to her surprise to find Kawaei sitting in the kitchen already at seven in the morning and she almost allows a shocked expression but she realizes it just in time. She enters the room wearing a poker face and although she fights the urge, she simply can’t refuse to ask.
“How come you’re up so early?”
“The couch was too uncomfortable,” comes the immediate answer and Mayu would rather die than to admit it, but it does sting just a little.
“Told you it would’ve been better for the both of us if you stayed in your own house,” Mayu comments regardless (or rather, because of) her feelings and takes out the cereal from the cupboard.
“Nah, it was okay. It’s a whole another world to be up this early, I like it.”
Mayu ignores it with an eyeroll and opens the fridge to get the milk but instead, she just frowns. “Where the hell did the milk go?”
“I drank it,” Ricchan replies and Mayu’s blood starts to burn.
“You did what?”
“You heard me right,” Ricchan stands up and it takes Mayu only two seconds to realize that she’s using the same words she did yesterday, “I love milk and I was thirsty and by the time I realized it was all gone. Sorry.”
Every ounce of guilt, even that small amount she has ever felt for treating Ricchan the way she had disappears in that moment when she realizes that she’s being played by Kawaei (especially because it’s Kawaei) and she needs to close her eyes and take a deep breath to calm down. She certainly isn’t going to let Kawaei win.
“Fine, go to the shop and bring some milk then,” she says as calmly as physically possible and Ricchan frowns.
“Why me? It’s you who wants to drink milk, not me.”
“I said, bring some milk or I’ll lock you out of the house and you can go wherever you want!”
“You can’t lock me out…” Ricchan says but her voice slowly fades as she’s too hesitant to believe her own words herself.
“Yeah?” Mayu quirks an eyebrow. “Try me.”
Perhaps it’s the fear of having to sleep in the garden or the challenging look on Mayu’s face but something makes Kawaei nod and say “Fine” before she disappears to go and buy some milk.
*
“This is not milk!”
Mayu stands in the kitchen with both her hands against her head, sort of not wanting to believe her eyes.
Kawaei looks confused. “But it says…”
“It says soy milk! This isn’t regular milk! Oh my god, how could you be this stupid?! Did you do this on purpose?” Mayu spits the words, starting to massage her temples as she tries really hard not to faint from the anger. Kawaei chews on her lower lip, looking genuinely embarrassed by the situation and she points her gaze down, avoiding Mayu’s eyes.
“I’m sorry…” she murmurs and Mayu snorts.
“Yeah, sure! A sorry can solve everything! Now I have to go to the shop myself!”
Ricchan keeps biting her bottom lip and when she offers to go get some proper milk this time, she’s denied by a loud and furious “No” so she just nods and waddles away to get out of Mayu’s sight before the girl explodes and she would have to suffer all the harm.
She curls up on the couch and silently listens to Mayu’s fury while wondering how she ended up so stupid, just like how the other girl had said and why she has to ruin everything and why she is just never good enough and she has to squeeze her eyes shut not to let the tears escape.
*
After surviving the first day, Mayu wakes up feeling more refreshed than ever and she decides that today is just the best day to go out and have some fun with her friends. She waddles into the kitchen with a wide smile on her face and - again, much to her surprise - she finds Kawaei sitting by the dining table again, looking twice as horrible as good Mayu looks and she frowns a little but doesn’t question it; she’s made herself promise that she wouldn’t talk to her unless it’s really necessary so she prepares her breakfast without a single word.
Kawaei doesn’t say anything either and just stares at her half-finished cereal for the whole time while Mayu’s eating her own and the temptation to drop a comment and figure out what’s happening to her is huge, but she fights it and when she’s done, she leaves the other to her misery in the kitchen.
“Who should I hang out with today…” Mayu mumbles to herself as she flips through the contacts in her phone and then randomly selects one, making sure that Kawaei would hear everything she speaks.
“Hey, Yukirin? I was wondering whether you’d want to go somewhere with me today?” she asks and it’s the unusually laid-back tone and use of words that catches Kawaei’s attention.
“Sorry, I really can’t, I already have plans for today.”
“Ah, oh… okay… next time, then?” Mayu says half-heartedly, though she’s forcing a smile on her face.
“Sure, we’ll talk later. Bye!”
“Bye!” Mayu ends the call and her sixth sense warns her not to turn around so she wouldn’t see the half-smirk decorating Kawaei’s face. Instead, she quickly dials another number.
“Ya, Minegishi… are you busy today? I thought we could go get some tea or something,” Mayu asks as soon as Minami speaks, her voice somewhat more careful now.
“Today? Ahhh, damn it… I am quite busy, yeah. Sorry Mayu.”
Mayu almost loses it for a moment but then she smiles brightly and nods. “Okay! It’s settled then. Bye~” she chirps and she ends the call before Minegishi could question it. Either way, the idea has already formed in Mayu’s mind and she knows that she just simply can’t let Kawaei know that both of her friends had ditched her just now, she can’t allow the other’s words from yesterday become true. Even if it means that she has to go out and pretend like she was hanging out with someone, it would be worth it.
She turns around with a wide smile on her face and she goes to get ready still without speaking any word to Kawaei; she only lets an “I-told-you” sort of expression slip as she passes by the other girl before dressing up for a day out in the city… alone.
*
It’s been an hour since she’s been sitting in the cafeteria and one hour is a hell of a long time, more than enough time for her to think and that’s never been a good thing for her. As soon as an hour passes, she realizes again how truly alone she is and she keeps wondering how Kawaei knew that in fact, she really doesn’t have friends (not real ones, anyway) and how she’s going to prove the opposite when there is absolutely nothing to prove. Both facts stress her out pretty much and she debates between desperately wanting to go home so at least there could be someone keeping her company (even if that someone is a person she’d rather kick out of the house, but truly, maybe if she gave her a chance, it would turn out that she isn’t all that bad) and staying here as if she could escape her problems this way (when she obviously can’t).
Her final decision is nothing but a deep, fat sigh that leaves her mouth before she decides to leave and go home, prepared for Kawaei’s potential opposition, but something inside tells her she’s not going to be faced with her so by the time she enters her house, she’s wearing a smile and much to her surprise, it turns out that Kawaei is not even at home.
Only after two hours does she arrive and she seems to be in a rather high spirit, something that drowns Mayu’s mood (of which she didn’t really have a good one anyway) and Kawaei notices that. But Mayu ignores Kawaei’s scrutinizing looks and heads upstairs to her room when fingers wrapped around her wrist stop her and she turns to look at the other girl.
“I brought you something.”
Mayu can’t hide her surprise and she immediately forgets about her promise of not talking to the other. “What?”
Kawaei lifts her bag and then nods towards the kitchen before dragging Mayu along. Ricchan puts her bag on the counter and pulls out a collection of books (mangas, as Mayu realizes it) and hands them to the other.
“I know you like mangas and anime and I don’t know if you read it, but I saw a few posters of the Shingeki no Kyojin anime in your room, so. Here.”
The gesture makes Mayu so confused that she’s unable to utter any words besides a quiet “Thank you” and taking advantage of the situation, Kawaei lets out a soft giggle before leaving behind the shocked girl.
It takes her a few minutes and some flips and turns of the manga books in her hands before Mayu allows a small, happy smile grace her lips.
*
After the fifth thunder strikes, there’s a knock on Mayu’s door.
“What?” Mayu rolls on her other side, clearly not too impressed as Kawaei sticks her head inside the room.
“Please, Mayu…” she starts and the older raises an eyebrow.
“What do you want?”
“The storm… thunders… I’m… I’m scared down there…” she stutters and Mayu rolls her eyes.
“Close the door behind you.”
Ricchan nods happily and staggers inside with her blanket and pillow in her hands and lies down on the floor, pulling the thick textile over her entire body, including her head. Mayu stares at the person turning into a small ball on the floor and can’t help but let out an amused chuckle.
The thundering continues, some of them being as loud and strong that there are moments where Mayu thinks the house is trembling and as the intensity of the storm grows do Kawaei’s whimpers multiply alongside and to be honest, it starts to become pretty annoying and Mayu groans in displeasure every time there’s another squeal until the squeals turn into screams and Mayu can’t stand anymore.
“Shut the fuck up, would you?!” she sits up in her bed and Kawaei pulls the blanket off her head, revealing her face completely covered in tears and Mayu just can’t feel anything but pity and she bites her bottom lip. She then sighs and pulls aside, patting the now empty space next to her on the bed. “Come on. Just this one night.”
Kawaei looks puzzled for a few seconds and then she understands and the way she just shoots to lie next to Mayu is so amusing the older has to suppress a laugh. Ricchan snuggles in the bed as far as Mayu as possible and the girl lies back, turning away from the trembling body of the younger.
Ricchan murmurs a hesitant, but genuinely grateful “Thank you” which puts a smile on Mayu’s face and she drifts into sleep with that smile lingering on her lips.
*
It’s hard, but Mayu decides not to be desperate about getting her “friends” to meet her. Moreover, she makes the decision to help Kawaei with her summer homework which she struggles so much with and thus also to spend more time with her and get to know her better. It goes horribly at first and she gets mad at practically everything Kawaei does but after a few hours, they seem to find the common ground and since that moment, everything Mayu’s ever believed about the other is flipped upside down. The fact that Kawaei is not the lightest bulb out of the bunch remains true, but she seems to be rather quick at learning and she actually listens to everything Mayu says which is probably what shocks her the most (especially because Ricchan has been looking quite out of sorts ever since she moved in and Mayu just can’t seem to figure out why, except for the obvious reasons); the girl seems to be so fond of the way Mayu tutors her that it flatters the older, making their relationship go more smoothly and whether Kawaei knows that and uses the strategy consciously, it just works.
On the fourth day Kawaei hesitantly asks Mayu if she would accompany her to the dentist because they are always so many people in the waiting room and it would be lovely if she had company and Mayu is bitter at first, as always, but she actually agrees and that makes Kawaei happier than ever for some reason. She brings along her textbooks and math books so they could practice even more and even though Mayu is really not fond of the idea of further studying (god, she loves summer holiday for a reason) but apart from complaining out loud, she does nothing against Kawaei’s wishes and the younger takes notice of that. She wonders what caused Mayu to act so differently now (“was it the manga present?”), but she doesn’t dare to ask in case she would get a not-so-positive answer.
They go on with the algebra exercises and the equitations in the waiting room, but only after a few minutes Mayu finds that Kawaei has fallen asleep and she’s just about to snap at her when she realizes the huge dark circles under her eyes and it confuses her. She decides to ask later and she doesn’t wake her up until her name is called out.
The doctor states that Kawaei’s teeth are just fine but she should restrain from eating and drinking too sugary things because her teeth are quite sensitive. They walk home in silence until Mayu takes the courage and asks about Kawaei’s dark circles and overall zombie appearance and the girl chews on her lower lip, pointing her gaze down and obviously looking reluctant to answer the question.
“Come on, tell me,” Mayu pleads softly, something she rarely ever does (more like, never) and just like usually, the sudden change in her tone shocks Kawaei so much she lets out a deep sigh and nods.
“Fine. I haven’t been sleeping too well lately… or at all,” she says, her teeth still gnawing on her lower lip, her eyes still avoiding Mayu’s. “Except for the day you let me inside your room. It’s just… I’m not used to sleeping alone. I’ve always been somewhat afraid and it’s also very dark and quiet downstairs and without someone near me I just…” She shakes her head. “Nevermind. I know you don’t care.”
Kawaei’s last words strike Mayu as a thunder and she stops abruptly.
I know you don’t care.
The pain comes just after the realization and she actually has to take a few moments to gather herself. Is she really that bad? Has she been this heartless all along? Is that really what Kawaei thinks of her? Is that the reason why her friends keep cancelling their programs and avoid meeting her?
Is it that she really is so selfish that she’s been walking over everybody so far and yet she never really noticed it?
How exactly did she not notice it!?
“Mayuyu? Are you okay?”
Mayu looks up, her tangled mush of thoughts disappearing and being replaced by the surprise upon hearing the name Kawaei called her as just a few seconds ago. “Mayuyu?”
She can’t not see the small blush that colors Kawaei’s cheek as she looks away. “Y-yeah… I just thought it was a cute nickname for you… I’ve always wanted to call you that but before I always thought you would just yell at me and call me stupid and ask me to never use it again. But since you’ve been kind of nice to me the past days, I thought that maybe…” Ricchan bites her lip. “Do you not like it?”
“No, no…” Mayu mumbles, shaking her head. Then she smiles. “It’s cute.”
There’s a sudden whistle coming from behind that interrupts (and thereby ruins) the moment and the girls turn around as one, seeing two men (boys, rather) approach them with a smug smile on their faces. A red siren starts shrieking and rolling vehemently in Mayu’s mind and she takes Kawaei’s hand to get away but she reacts too late and the two guys are already next to them and by the time she blinks twice one of them got her bag, the other one trying to get close to Kawaei but she is faster. She pulls Mayu along with her but Mayu’s eyes are focused on her purse.
“My bag…” she murmurs and Kawaei notices it finally. She quickly stands between Mayu and the two guys and the older just stares, her face soon morphing into a fearful one as she watches Kawaei approaching the two guys and she reaches forward to pull her back, to tell her that it’s not worth it, the purse is completely not worth it, but there are no words coming out of her mouth and Kawaei just goes forward, slapping one of the guys’ arm and she hits hard, surprising Mayu. Ricchan is fast and seems to be actually somewhat experienced at fighting but there are two guys against one girl and albeit she manages to get the bag and throw it at Mayu, one of the guys slaps her on the face, making her fall on the ground and Mayu shrieks, too shocked to move or do anything even though Kawaei is practically screaming at her (“Run and call for help!”) but there’s no one around, not a single soul and Mayu panics and there’s her conscious mind buried deep in her head hating herself for being such a pussy.
Then one of the guys aims towards her and she finally regains her right state of mind and screams, screams out of her lungs, as loud as she can and she just keeps screaming, hitting the guy with her bag and jumping from side to side to avoid getting caught but she’s not good enough and the boy grabs her arm, twisting it behind her back and thus evoking a painful moan and she wiggles, trying to get out of his hold when suddenly his arms disappear and someone else catches her wrist and the next she knows is that they’re running, faster than ever and far away from all those guys, leaving the danger behind.
They only stop when they’re sure they’re not being followed anymore and that’s also the time when Kawaei’s legs give up and she collapses to the floor and Mayu screams, this time being level-headed enough to call for the ambulance immediately and as soon as they arrive and are driving to the hospital, Mayu loses it and she sobs, she sobs so hard that her whole body starts to shake and it becomes hard for her to breathe, and one of the nurses in the ambulance car try to comfort her but it’s not enough to cover up the immense guilt or the hate she feels for herself and it’s also not enough to erase the thoughts “it’s all my fault” from her mind so in the end, they just let her cry.
*
The doctors tell her that apart from a few bruises (including the ribs which are luckily not broken) and a sprained ankle, Kawaei’s condition is fine and after a few weeks of rest she’ll completely recover and it settles Mayu’s raging feelings for a little while. They let her into Kawaei’s room and surprisingly, the younger is wearing a wide smile on her face as she enters and that makes it impossible for Mayu not to return it.
“Oh, Mayuyu! I thought you went home.”
Mayu frowns. “Why the hell would I have?”
Ricchan shrugs. “Well I just guessed you didn’t think it was necessary to wait for me here until I am dispatched from the hospital.”
Mayu shakes her head. “You are stupid as always. Who the hell allowed you to get injured like that? And why the hell didn’t you just turn around and run away when I told you to leave my freaking bag there?”
“You never told me,” Kawaei quirks an eyebrow and Mayu lets out a soft “Oh”, realizing that truly, she never had.
And why? Because she was too damn shocked and much of a coward to do anything.
“I am so sorry,” she suddenly says, her head lowering. “It’s my fault. I should’ve done something. I should’ve listened and called for help. I am so, so sorry Ricchan…”
“Ricchan? So are we really calling each other by nicknames now? I almost feel like jumping out of this bed and congratulate myself for managing to have our relationship develop so far!”
Mayu lightly pokes the younger in the arm. “When the heck did you become so sarcastic?!”
Kawaei smiles. “I’ve always been. You just never let me show it.”
The older’s smile disappears and she nods slowly. Truth stinks.
“Yah, don’t go all bitter on me. I’m not mad at you and it wasn’t your fault. You were shocked. It’s natural, granted you haven’t been in any situation of the sort before.”
“Have you?” Mayu raises an eyebrow.
Rina shakes her head. “No. But I took karate lessons. You didn’t.”
“Oh.”
“Besides, look at me, I’m all fine. Well, except that because of you now my beautiful face is all ruined.”
“Hey, didn’t you just say it was not my fault?!” Mayu snaps, and they both burst into laughter.
Kawaei lets out a soft groan. “Ah, it hurts to laugh. What a horrible thing to experience at such a young age. Laughing is my only medicine and now I can’t do it!”
“You’ll recover soon enough, I’m sure of it.” Mayu closes then parts her mouth again, hesitating, but finally, she says it. “You looked quite cool against those guys.”
“Excuse me? Did Watanabe Mayu just compliment me?” Kawaei fakes a shocked, too dramatic expression and Mayu rolls her eyes.
“Stop with the sarcasm! You’re acting so differently…”
“I could tell the same about you, no-friends ice princess.”
Mayu frowns. “No friends?”
Kawaei bites her lower lip. “I know that everyone said no when you wanted to meet them. I was in the café with my friends and saw you sitting there alone.”
Mayu’s face starts to burn and for a second she doesn’t know whether it’s from the embarrassment or the anger. “Were you following me?!”
“Please believe me, no. No, it’s just my favorite place to go,” Kawaei quickly shakes her head. “I’m sorry, I was mean.”
Mayu squeezes her lips together before shaking her head. “No, it’s fine. You’ve known from the start that I have… issues with friendships.”
“But you realized why, didn’t you?” Kawaei rocks her head to the side. “Isn’t that why you gave me a chance?”
“Yeah… sort of… I guess.” Mayu pouts. “But that was really hard, actually. You know, you’re still pretty annoying and it was a roller coaster of emotions, spending time with you. There were times when I felt like strangling you or slapping you hard in the face and leaving you to your sufferings.”
Kawaei makes a face. “Wow, very nice, indeed.”
Mayu smiles but doesn’t say anything and just looks down at her feet, embracing the silence that suddenly fills the room.
“But you didn’t regret it, did you?” Kawaei then asks and Mayu looks up again, offering the other a smile.
“No. No, I certainly didn’t.”
*
Kawaei is allowed to leave the hospital the next day but the doctor tells her at least twenty times that she needs to rest a lot and restrain from doing too much moving and she is made to say an oath before she can finally go home. Mayuyu is there with her the whole time and helps her get home and they don’t speak a lot but words aren’t needed; Kawaei appreciates Mayu’s efforts more than anything and none of them says it but they both know that their relationship has reached a whole new level, a level that’s a surprise to Rina and a new experience for Mayu who’s not too fond of having to take care of the younger and look out for all her needs, but she still does it because it’s Ricchan, and even if she could, she wouldn’t be able to deny the love she’s developed for this annoying and stupid girl anymore.
Ever since the incident, Mayu looks at Kawaei in a whole new light and she’s somewhat bothered by the fact how she flushes everytime she needs to help the other get undressed and take a shower or how she feels an overwhelming urge to snuggle next to the girl (who’s been sleeping in Mayu’s bed because of her injuries) and just wrap her arms around her. Ever since Kawaei arrived here, she’s been struck by a series of new experiences and she would be a liar if she said that they don’t confuse her. They do, and these things slowly lead to her personality to make a one-eighty turn and there are times when she wonders whether she, the old Mayu has been lost.
But then, every time Kawaei does something annoying or outright stupid and she yells at her for it, she knows that albeit all the changes, she’s still the same, just a little bit better version and she likes that.
Even if the fact that it’s all thanks to Kawaei bothers her just a little.
“So now that I can finally move perfectly on my own, you’re not going to undress me anymore, are you?” Kawaei asks after all her bandages get removed and Mayu’s flustered by the sudden question, causing her to flush.
“Obviously not. It’s not like it’s been a fantastic experience for me.”
Kawaei crosses her arms over her chest, a challenging look on her face. “Oh come on, I know you liked seeing my naked body and rubbing soap all over my…”
“Shut up!” Mayu shouts, her face burning and she closes her eyes so she wouldn’t see Kawaei’s smug smile.
God freaking damn it, when the hell did Kawaei Rina start flirting with her?!
“Fine, fine. I’ll go have a shower by myself,” Ricchan sighs and sticks out her tongue before invading the bathroom and Mayu doesn’t know what to do or how to untangle all her messed up emotions. What is happening to her and why is it happening?
And why does she wish she would be in the bathroom to help Kawaei undress so suddenly?
Even at night, she’s still unable to get the confusion out of her mind and she finds herself staring when Ricchan enters the room wearing nothing but a rather see-through, dark red lingerie and Mayu knows she’s doing it on purpose and that the younger takes advantage of that, but what Mayu doesn’t know is whether it’s only teasing or if maybe, just maybe, there’s more to it.
Sleep doesn’t seem to reach her and she believes it’s already been hours since going to bed when suddenly she hears noises from behind and in the next minute, her blanket is lifted up and Kawaei snuggles next to her, her body so close to Mayu’s that the older feels the heat coming from it. Mayu’s body is as stiff as a dead chameleon until the younger snakes her arms around her, hesitantly, but Mayu doesn’t stop her so soon enough they’re already cuddling and it feels so surprisingly good that Mayu’s face is lit up by a wide, satisfied grin.
She turns around only when Kawaei’s already steadily snoring quietly next to her and even if it’s dark, she still takes her time to appreciate the younger’s features, the cute small, but wide nose, the slightly parted lips that are so inviting and that scares Mayu up to the point she rather closes her eyes.
But then she reopens them and takes just a couple of more minutes before lightly pecking the girl’s lips and letting herself doze off to sleep.
*
“I dreamt that you kissed me,” Kawaei starts the morning by telling this to Mayu right after she wakes up. “It was a pretty surprising dream! Ah, what silly things my mind can think of when exhausted…”
Somehow every word Ricchan utters amuse Mayu and she can’t hold back her giggle forever. Kawaei shoots a weird look at her and Mayu lifts her head, braced on her elbows on the bed. “It wasn’t a dream.”
After a long while, it’s finally Kawaei’s turn to be shocked. “What?”
“It wasn’t a dream,” Mayu repeats it, not caring anymore what consequences this confession would bring. “I did kiss you last night.”
“Why…” Kawaei flashes a suspicious look. “You’re playing with me, right?”
Mayu slowly shakes her head. “Nah, not really, no.”
Kawaei suddenly flushes. “Why did you kiss me…”
Mayu realizes that this could be it, her chance to return all the teasing and embarrassment the other caused her so she plays along, shrugging her shoulders and trying to act all like she doesn’t really give a damn thing about it.
When in fact, she probably cares more than she should.
“I don’t know, I just felt like it.”
“Just… felt like it?” Kawaei frowns, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt nervously. Mayu nods. And Ricchan does the same.
“Ah. I see.”
Kawaei licks her bottom lip and then turns around.
Mayu knows that this is another chance. And if she does it, it’ll probably be the boldest and bravest (and stupidest, for sure) move she’s ever made but her hesitation is small, much smaller than she expects it to be and by the time she knows she’s already grabbed Ricchan’s wrist and turned her around, her lips pressing against the other’s just like yesterday, but this time it’s not a hesitant kiss or just a peck. Kawaei kisses her back without a second thought and it makes Mayu’s blood burn, her heart race and soon she has to pull away because she’s out of breath.
They stare at each other for a while, both of them seeming to struggle for words and it’s Kawaei who chuckles first.
“Wow, Watanabe. A week ago, I never would’ve thought that you would come this far. When did I turn from the annoying, immature kid into the girl you want to make out with?”
“Oh god, could you just shut up for a second?” Mayu rolls her eyes and kisses her again, passionately, like it was the first and the last time.
*
“So, it’s over.”
Mayu blinks as Kawaei throws herself on the couch next to her. “What is over?”
“The two weeks,” she replies and Mayu nods.
“Ah. True. It’s been quite an adventure, these two weeks, don’t you think?”
“Definitely,” Ricchan giggles, taking Mayu’s hand in hers and starting to play with her fingers. “I’ve never been this shocked ever since my parents told me that Santa Claus doesn’t exist.”
Mayu rolls her eyes. “Obviously.”
“It’s a good thing I can return home now. I’ll finally be able to sleep in a comfy bed and not on a hard and cold floor,” Ricchan says happily and Mayu pokes her in the side.
“You spent half of this week in my bed. I don’t see why you’re complaining.”
“Obviously,” Ricchan mocks the older and Mayu sighs.
“Everything that comes out of your mouth is trash. It’s completely ruining everything.”
“You can always shut me up, you know,” Ricchan bats her eyelashes innocently and Mayu grimaces.
“Ew, gross. So greasy.”
“But seems like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it?”
Mayu just laughs and leans in to leave a soft peck on the girl’s lips.
Suddenly, there are noises of a stopping engine from outside and the two girls jump off the couch, running to the door to open it and welcome their returning parents who seem to be in a rather radiating mood and upon seeing the two kids, they light up even more. Everyone gets a hug and Kawaei’s mum makes a comment regarding the pale, but still visible bruise on the right side of her face (the girl jokes about it being Mayu’s fault and that distracts the conversation so she doesn’t have to come up with an excuse) and after they are all inside the house, the four parents turn towards the kids as one person.
“So guys, did you get along?”
Mayuyu and Ricchan exchange looks and both trying hard not to giggle, they nod.
“Oh, we did.”
Everyone lets out a relieved sigh and the two girls look at each other, not needing words to express their feelings. No one but they do know about their blossoming relationship and that is just fine.
Perfectly fine.
group: akb48
pairing: kawaei/watanabe (mayu)
length: ~6500w (welP)
Even when her parents are already in the door, dragging their suitcases behind and waving goodbye, she still refuses to believe it.
“No, don’t leave me with her!” Mayu tries to grab her mother’s wrist but she’s already next to the car with a wide smile on her face and mouthing “it’s going to be fine” silently but the girl shakes her head disapprovingly, knowing that no, it’s not going to be fine and she doesn’t even want it to be, she just wants her parents’ friends to take their immature kid away from their house, from her house.
But of course, her parents turn away from her and sit in the car along with their friends whose kid she is going to have to babysit (okay, not literally; Kawaei Rina’s the same age as her but knowing her since they wore diapers, she knows pretty well just how stupid the kid is) for the following two weeks and soon drive away, leaving a rather pissed off princess behind.
“You can’t stay here,” Mayu storms into the living room, throwing a huge bag technically right at Kawaei who’s too late to catch it so it hits her right in the head and she lets out a soft sound of pain, rubbing her palm against the spot.
“And where do you think I should go?” she says, putting the bag aside and crosses her arms over her body. “It’s not like it’s my fault that our parents decided to go on a vacation without us!”
“No, but it’s your fault that your parents don’t trust you enough to leave you at home alone so they have to bring you here for me to take after you when you’re only a few months younger than me!” Mayu shouts furiously, running her fingers through her long ebony hair in frustration before she mimics Ricchan’s position. “Don’t you think it’s rather embarrassing that you need someone to look after you?”
“First of all, I don’t need anybody,” Kawaei stands up, looking Mayu straight in the eye. “Secondly, I’m not here because of that. I’m here because our house is under renovation and while it would be possible for me to stay there, I would just probably be in the way so it’s easier to reside here for two weeks. And, my parents thought I could use some company.”
“Well you must be pretty freaking naïve if you think that I’m going to keep you entertained during these two weeks because I am not,” Mayu says and turns around, stomping to the kitchen and Ricchan lets out a long sigh, wondering how she suddenly became the scapegoat for everything happening in the world.
“I wanted to do my best not to bother you, but you’re making it really hard for me to be nice…” Ricchan murmurs quietly before turning the opposite direction and thundering upstairs into her temporary room.
*
“You can’t sleep here.”
Kawaei lifts her head and looks at Mayu standing in the door with a dead-serious expression on her face.
“What?”
“You heard me right. You can sleep on the couch if you want to, but not in my room. I’m not going to suffer through all your snoring and…”
“I don’t even snore!” Rina interrupts angrily but Mayu waves a hand dismissively.
“Not a matter of question. You’re not staying in my room.”
“You’re a horrible person,” Kawaei mumbles and quickly gets up from the floor, putting all her personal belongings bag into her suitcase. “I’m not surprised you don’t have any friends.”
“Excuse you?” Mayu raises her voice, raising an eyebrow. “I do have friends, but none of them are such low budget as you, that’s probably why you never met them.”
Ricchan frowns. “I’m low budget? What the heck does that even mean?”
Mayu ignores the question regarding her strange use of phrases and just shakes her head. “Hurry up and get out. I want to go to bed.”
“Yes, princess,” Kawaei says, sarcasm coloring her voice as she drags her suitcase along. She turns around in the door and looks back once again, making eye contact with the other girl. “You know, I might have never met any of these ‘friends’ of yours, but how would you explain the fact that it’s the third week of Summer and you haven’t even stepped out of your house and not even planning to ever since?”
“I have and I am going to…” Mayu starts but Kawaei slams the door in her face before she could finish so she shuts up, her teeth sinking into her lower lip and her previous furious expression morphs into somewhat of a worried one, and although usually, she would storm after Kawaei just so that she could have the last word, this time there’s something that keeps her from doing so.
And even after changing into her pyjamas and pulling the blanket over her body, she still refuses to admit that Kawaei had just made a point earlier.
*
It’s much to her surprise to find Kawaei sitting in the kitchen already at seven in the morning and she almost allows a shocked expression but she realizes it just in time. She enters the room wearing a poker face and although she fights the urge, she simply can’t refuse to ask.
“How come you’re up so early?”
“The couch was too uncomfortable,” comes the immediate answer and Mayu would rather die than to admit it, but it does sting just a little.
“Told you it would’ve been better for the both of us if you stayed in your own house,” Mayu comments regardless (or rather, because of) her feelings and takes out the cereal from the cupboard.
“Nah, it was okay. It’s a whole another world to be up this early, I like it.”
Mayu ignores it with an eyeroll and opens the fridge to get the milk but instead, she just frowns. “Where the hell did the milk go?”
“I drank it,” Ricchan replies and Mayu’s blood starts to burn.
“You did what?”
“You heard me right,” Ricchan stands up and it takes Mayu only two seconds to realize that she’s using the same words she did yesterday, “I love milk and I was thirsty and by the time I realized it was all gone. Sorry.”
Every ounce of guilt, even that small amount she has ever felt for treating Ricchan the way she had disappears in that moment when she realizes that she’s being played by Kawaei (especially because it’s Kawaei) and she needs to close her eyes and take a deep breath to calm down. She certainly isn’t going to let Kawaei win.
“Fine, go to the shop and bring some milk then,” she says as calmly as physically possible and Ricchan frowns.
“Why me? It’s you who wants to drink milk, not me.”
“I said, bring some milk or I’ll lock you out of the house and you can go wherever you want!”
“You can’t lock me out…” Ricchan says but her voice slowly fades as she’s too hesitant to believe her own words herself.
“Yeah?” Mayu quirks an eyebrow. “Try me.”
Perhaps it’s the fear of having to sleep in the garden or the challenging look on Mayu’s face but something makes Kawaei nod and say “Fine” before she disappears to go and buy some milk.
*
“This is not milk!”
Mayu stands in the kitchen with both her hands against her head, sort of not wanting to believe her eyes.
Kawaei looks confused. “But it says…”
“It says soy milk! This isn’t regular milk! Oh my god, how could you be this stupid?! Did you do this on purpose?” Mayu spits the words, starting to massage her temples as she tries really hard not to faint from the anger. Kawaei chews on her lower lip, looking genuinely embarrassed by the situation and she points her gaze down, avoiding Mayu’s eyes.
“I’m sorry…” she murmurs and Mayu snorts.
“Yeah, sure! A sorry can solve everything! Now I have to go to the shop myself!”
Ricchan keeps biting her bottom lip and when she offers to go get some proper milk this time, she’s denied by a loud and furious “No” so she just nods and waddles away to get out of Mayu’s sight before the girl explodes and she would have to suffer all the harm.
She curls up on the couch and silently listens to Mayu’s fury while wondering how she ended up so stupid, just like how the other girl had said and why she has to ruin everything and why she is just never good enough and she has to squeeze her eyes shut not to let the tears escape.
*
After surviving the first day, Mayu wakes up feeling more refreshed than ever and she decides that today is just the best day to go out and have some fun with her friends. She waddles into the kitchen with a wide smile on her face and - again, much to her surprise - she finds Kawaei sitting by the dining table again, looking twice as horrible as good Mayu looks and she frowns a little but doesn’t question it; she’s made herself promise that she wouldn’t talk to her unless it’s really necessary so she prepares her breakfast without a single word.
Kawaei doesn’t say anything either and just stares at her half-finished cereal for the whole time while Mayu’s eating her own and the temptation to drop a comment and figure out what’s happening to her is huge, but she fights it and when she’s done, she leaves the other to her misery in the kitchen.
“Who should I hang out with today…” Mayu mumbles to herself as she flips through the contacts in her phone and then randomly selects one, making sure that Kawaei would hear everything she speaks.
“Hey, Yukirin? I was wondering whether you’d want to go somewhere with me today?” she asks and it’s the unusually laid-back tone and use of words that catches Kawaei’s attention.
“Sorry, I really can’t, I already have plans for today.”
“Ah, oh… okay… next time, then?” Mayu says half-heartedly, though she’s forcing a smile on her face.
“Sure, we’ll talk later. Bye!”
“Bye!” Mayu ends the call and her sixth sense warns her not to turn around so she wouldn’t see the half-smirk decorating Kawaei’s face. Instead, she quickly dials another number.
“Ya, Minegishi… are you busy today? I thought we could go get some tea or something,” Mayu asks as soon as Minami speaks, her voice somewhat more careful now.
“Today? Ahhh, damn it… I am quite busy, yeah. Sorry Mayu.”
Mayu almost loses it for a moment but then she smiles brightly and nods. “Okay! It’s settled then. Bye~” she chirps and she ends the call before Minegishi could question it. Either way, the idea has already formed in Mayu’s mind and she knows that she just simply can’t let Kawaei know that both of her friends had ditched her just now, she can’t allow the other’s words from yesterday become true. Even if it means that she has to go out and pretend like she was hanging out with someone, it would be worth it.
She turns around with a wide smile on her face and she goes to get ready still without speaking any word to Kawaei; she only lets an “I-told-you” sort of expression slip as she passes by the other girl before dressing up for a day out in the city… alone.
*
It’s been an hour since she’s been sitting in the cafeteria and one hour is a hell of a long time, more than enough time for her to think and that’s never been a good thing for her. As soon as an hour passes, she realizes again how truly alone she is and she keeps wondering how Kawaei knew that in fact, she really doesn’t have friends (not real ones, anyway) and how she’s going to prove the opposite when there is absolutely nothing to prove. Both facts stress her out pretty much and she debates between desperately wanting to go home so at least there could be someone keeping her company (even if that someone is a person she’d rather kick out of the house, but truly, maybe if she gave her a chance, it would turn out that she isn’t all that bad) and staying here as if she could escape her problems this way (when she obviously can’t).
Her final decision is nothing but a deep, fat sigh that leaves her mouth before she decides to leave and go home, prepared for Kawaei’s potential opposition, but something inside tells her she’s not going to be faced with her so by the time she enters her house, she’s wearing a smile and much to her surprise, it turns out that Kawaei is not even at home.
Only after two hours does she arrive and she seems to be in a rather high spirit, something that drowns Mayu’s mood (of which she didn’t really have a good one anyway) and Kawaei notices that. But Mayu ignores Kawaei’s scrutinizing looks and heads upstairs to her room when fingers wrapped around her wrist stop her and she turns to look at the other girl.
“I brought you something.”
Mayu can’t hide her surprise and she immediately forgets about her promise of not talking to the other. “What?”
Kawaei lifts her bag and then nods towards the kitchen before dragging Mayu along. Ricchan puts her bag on the counter and pulls out a collection of books (mangas, as Mayu realizes it) and hands them to the other.
“I know you like mangas and anime and I don’t know if you read it, but I saw a few posters of the Shingeki no Kyojin anime in your room, so. Here.”
The gesture makes Mayu so confused that she’s unable to utter any words besides a quiet “Thank you” and taking advantage of the situation, Kawaei lets out a soft giggle before leaving behind the shocked girl.
It takes her a few minutes and some flips and turns of the manga books in her hands before Mayu allows a small, happy smile grace her lips.
*
After the fifth thunder strikes, there’s a knock on Mayu’s door.
“What?” Mayu rolls on her other side, clearly not too impressed as Kawaei sticks her head inside the room.
“Please, Mayu…” she starts and the older raises an eyebrow.
“What do you want?”
“The storm… thunders… I’m… I’m scared down there…” she stutters and Mayu rolls her eyes.
“Close the door behind you.”
Ricchan nods happily and staggers inside with her blanket and pillow in her hands and lies down on the floor, pulling the thick textile over her entire body, including her head. Mayu stares at the person turning into a small ball on the floor and can’t help but let out an amused chuckle.
The thundering continues, some of them being as loud and strong that there are moments where Mayu thinks the house is trembling and as the intensity of the storm grows do Kawaei’s whimpers multiply alongside and to be honest, it starts to become pretty annoying and Mayu groans in displeasure every time there’s another squeal until the squeals turn into screams and Mayu can’t stand anymore.
“Shut the fuck up, would you?!” she sits up in her bed and Kawaei pulls the blanket off her head, revealing her face completely covered in tears and Mayu just can’t feel anything but pity and she bites her bottom lip. She then sighs and pulls aside, patting the now empty space next to her on the bed. “Come on. Just this one night.”
Kawaei looks puzzled for a few seconds and then she understands and the way she just shoots to lie next to Mayu is so amusing the older has to suppress a laugh. Ricchan snuggles in the bed as far as Mayu as possible and the girl lies back, turning away from the trembling body of the younger.
Ricchan murmurs a hesitant, but genuinely grateful “Thank you” which puts a smile on Mayu’s face and she drifts into sleep with that smile lingering on her lips.
*
It’s hard, but Mayu decides not to be desperate about getting her “friends” to meet her. Moreover, she makes the decision to help Kawaei with her summer homework which she struggles so much with and thus also to spend more time with her and get to know her better. It goes horribly at first and she gets mad at practically everything Kawaei does but after a few hours, they seem to find the common ground and since that moment, everything Mayu’s ever believed about the other is flipped upside down. The fact that Kawaei is not the lightest bulb out of the bunch remains true, but she seems to be rather quick at learning and she actually listens to everything Mayu says which is probably what shocks her the most (especially because Ricchan has been looking quite out of sorts ever since she moved in and Mayu just can’t seem to figure out why, except for the obvious reasons); the girl seems to be so fond of the way Mayu tutors her that it flatters the older, making their relationship go more smoothly and whether Kawaei knows that and uses the strategy consciously, it just works.
On the fourth day Kawaei hesitantly asks Mayu if she would accompany her to the dentist because they are always so many people in the waiting room and it would be lovely if she had company and Mayu is bitter at first, as always, but she actually agrees and that makes Kawaei happier than ever for some reason. She brings along her textbooks and math books so they could practice even more and even though Mayu is really not fond of the idea of further studying (god, she loves summer holiday for a reason) but apart from complaining out loud, she does nothing against Kawaei’s wishes and the younger takes notice of that. She wonders what caused Mayu to act so differently now (“was it the manga present?”), but she doesn’t dare to ask in case she would get a not-so-positive answer.
They go on with the algebra exercises and the equitations in the waiting room, but only after a few minutes Mayu finds that Kawaei has fallen asleep and she’s just about to snap at her when she realizes the huge dark circles under her eyes and it confuses her. She decides to ask later and she doesn’t wake her up until her name is called out.
The doctor states that Kawaei’s teeth are just fine but she should restrain from eating and drinking too sugary things because her teeth are quite sensitive. They walk home in silence until Mayu takes the courage and asks about Kawaei’s dark circles and overall zombie appearance and the girl chews on her lower lip, pointing her gaze down and obviously looking reluctant to answer the question.
“Come on, tell me,” Mayu pleads softly, something she rarely ever does (more like, never) and just like usually, the sudden change in her tone shocks Kawaei so much she lets out a deep sigh and nods.
“Fine. I haven’t been sleeping too well lately… or at all,” she says, her teeth still gnawing on her lower lip, her eyes still avoiding Mayu’s. “Except for the day you let me inside your room. It’s just… I’m not used to sleeping alone. I’ve always been somewhat afraid and it’s also very dark and quiet downstairs and without someone near me I just…” She shakes her head. “Nevermind. I know you don’t care.”
Kawaei’s last words strike Mayu as a thunder and she stops abruptly.
I know you don’t care.
The pain comes just after the realization and she actually has to take a few moments to gather herself. Is she really that bad? Has she been this heartless all along? Is that really what Kawaei thinks of her? Is that the reason why her friends keep cancelling their programs and avoid meeting her?
Is it that she really is so selfish that she’s been walking over everybody so far and yet she never really noticed it?
How exactly did she not notice it!?
“Mayuyu? Are you okay?”
Mayu looks up, her tangled mush of thoughts disappearing and being replaced by the surprise upon hearing the name Kawaei called her as just a few seconds ago. “Mayuyu?”
She can’t not see the small blush that colors Kawaei’s cheek as she looks away. “Y-yeah… I just thought it was a cute nickname for you… I’ve always wanted to call you that but before I always thought you would just yell at me and call me stupid and ask me to never use it again. But since you’ve been kind of nice to me the past days, I thought that maybe…” Ricchan bites her lip. “Do you not like it?”
“No, no…” Mayu mumbles, shaking her head. Then she smiles. “It’s cute.”
There’s a sudden whistle coming from behind that interrupts (and thereby ruins) the moment and the girls turn around as one, seeing two men (boys, rather) approach them with a smug smile on their faces. A red siren starts shrieking and rolling vehemently in Mayu’s mind and she takes Kawaei’s hand to get away but she reacts too late and the two guys are already next to them and by the time she blinks twice one of them got her bag, the other one trying to get close to Kawaei but she is faster. She pulls Mayu along with her but Mayu’s eyes are focused on her purse.
“My bag…” she murmurs and Kawaei notices it finally. She quickly stands between Mayu and the two guys and the older just stares, her face soon morphing into a fearful one as she watches Kawaei approaching the two guys and she reaches forward to pull her back, to tell her that it’s not worth it, the purse is completely not worth it, but there are no words coming out of her mouth and Kawaei just goes forward, slapping one of the guys’ arm and she hits hard, surprising Mayu. Ricchan is fast and seems to be actually somewhat experienced at fighting but there are two guys against one girl and albeit she manages to get the bag and throw it at Mayu, one of the guys slaps her on the face, making her fall on the ground and Mayu shrieks, too shocked to move or do anything even though Kawaei is practically screaming at her (“Run and call for help!”) but there’s no one around, not a single soul and Mayu panics and there’s her conscious mind buried deep in her head hating herself for being such a pussy.
Then one of the guys aims towards her and she finally regains her right state of mind and screams, screams out of her lungs, as loud as she can and she just keeps screaming, hitting the guy with her bag and jumping from side to side to avoid getting caught but she’s not good enough and the boy grabs her arm, twisting it behind her back and thus evoking a painful moan and she wiggles, trying to get out of his hold when suddenly his arms disappear and someone else catches her wrist and the next she knows is that they’re running, faster than ever and far away from all those guys, leaving the danger behind.
They only stop when they’re sure they’re not being followed anymore and that’s also the time when Kawaei’s legs give up and she collapses to the floor and Mayu screams, this time being level-headed enough to call for the ambulance immediately and as soon as they arrive and are driving to the hospital, Mayu loses it and she sobs, she sobs so hard that her whole body starts to shake and it becomes hard for her to breathe, and one of the nurses in the ambulance car try to comfort her but it’s not enough to cover up the immense guilt or the hate she feels for herself and it’s also not enough to erase the thoughts “it’s all my fault” from her mind so in the end, they just let her cry.
*
The doctors tell her that apart from a few bruises (including the ribs which are luckily not broken) and a sprained ankle, Kawaei’s condition is fine and after a few weeks of rest she’ll completely recover and it settles Mayu’s raging feelings for a little while. They let her into Kawaei’s room and surprisingly, the younger is wearing a wide smile on her face as she enters and that makes it impossible for Mayu not to return it.
“Oh, Mayuyu! I thought you went home.”
Mayu frowns. “Why the hell would I have?”
Ricchan shrugs. “Well I just guessed you didn’t think it was necessary to wait for me here until I am dispatched from the hospital.”
Mayu shakes her head. “You are stupid as always. Who the hell allowed you to get injured like that? And why the hell didn’t you just turn around and run away when I told you to leave my freaking bag there?”
“You never told me,” Kawaei quirks an eyebrow and Mayu lets out a soft “Oh”, realizing that truly, she never had.
And why? Because she was too damn shocked and much of a coward to do anything.
“I am so sorry,” she suddenly says, her head lowering. “It’s my fault. I should’ve done something. I should’ve listened and called for help. I am so, so sorry Ricchan…”
“Ricchan? So are we really calling each other by nicknames now? I almost feel like jumping out of this bed and congratulate myself for managing to have our relationship develop so far!”
Mayu lightly pokes the younger in the arm. “When the heck did you become so sarcastic?!”
Kawaei smiles. “I’ve always been. You just never let me show it.”
The older’s smile disappears and she nods slowly. Truth stinks.
“Yah, don’t go all bitter on me. I’m not mad at you and it wasn’t your fault. You were shocked. It’s natural, granted you haven’t been in any situation of the sort before.”
“Have you?” Mayu raises an eyebrow.
Rina shakes her head. “No. But I took karate lessons. You didn’t.”
“Oh.”
“Besides, look at me, I’m all fine. Well, except that because of you now my beautiful face is all ruined.”
“Hey, didn’t you just say it was not my fault?!” Mayu snaps, and they both burst into laughter.
Kawaei lets out a soft groan. “Ah, it hurts to laugh. What a horrible thing to experience at such a young age. Laughing is my only medicine and now I can’t do it!”
“You’ll recover soon enough, I’m sure of it.” Mayu closes then parts her mouth again, hesitating, but finally, she says it. “You looked quite cool against those guys.”
“Excuse me? Did Watanabe Mayu just compliment me?” Kawaei fakes a shocked, too dramatic expression and Mayu rolls her eyes.
“Stop with the sarcasm! You’re acting so differently…”
“I could tell the same about you, no-friends ice princess.”
Mayu frowns. “No friends?”
Kawaei bites her lower lip. “I know that everyone said no when you wanted to meet them. I was in the café with my friends and saw you sitting there alone.”
Mayu’s face starts to burn and for a second she doesn’t know whether it’s from the embarrassment or the anger. “Were you following me?!”
“Please believe me, no. No, it’s just my favorite place to go,” Kawaei quickly shakes her head. “I’m sorry, I was mean.”
Mayu squeezes her lips together before shaking her head. “No, it’s fine. You’ve known from the start that I have… issues with friendships.”
“But you realized why, didn’t you?” Kawaei rocks her head to the side. “Isn’t that why you gave me a chance?”
“Yeah… sort of… I guess.” Mayu pouts. “But that was really hard, actually. You know, you’re still pretty annoying and it was a roller coaster of emotions, spending time with you. There were times when I felt like strangling you or slapping you hard in the face and leaving you to your sufferings.”
Kawaei makes a face. “Wow, very nice, indeed.”
Mayu smiles but doesn’t say anything and just looks down at her feet, embracing the silence that suddenly fills the room.
“But you didn’t regret it, did you?” Kawaei then asks and Mayu looks up again, offering the other a smile.
“No. No, I certainly didn’t.”
*
Kawaei is allowed to leave the hospital the next day but the doctor tells her at least twenty times that she needs to rest a lot and restrain from doing too much moving and she is made to say an oath before she can finally go home. Mayuyu is there with her the whole time and helps her get home and they don’t speak a lot but words aren’t needed; Kawaei appreciates Mayu’s efforts more than anything and none of them says it but they both know that their relationship has reached a whole new level, a level that’s a surprise to Rina and a new experience for Mayu who’s not too fond of having to take care of the younger and look out for all her needs, but she still does it because it’s Ricchan, and even if she could, she wouldn’t be able to deny the love she’s developed for this annoying and stupid girl anymore.
Ever since the incident, Mayu looks at Kawaei in a whole new light and she’s somewhat bothered by the fact how she flushes everytime she needs to help the other get undressed and take a shower or how she feels an overwhelming urge to snuggle next to the girl (who’s been sleeping in Mayu’s bed because of her injuries) and just wrap her arms around her. Ever since Kawaei arrived here, she’s been struck by a series of new experiences and she would be a liar if she said that they don’t confuse her. They do, and these things slowly lead to her personality to make a one-eighty turn and there are times when she wonders whether she, the old Mayu has been lost.
But then, every time Kawaei does something annoying or outright stupid and she yells at her for it, she knows that albeit all the changes, she’s still the same, just a little bit better version and she likes that.
Even if the fact that it’s all thanks to Kawaei bothers her just a little.
“So now that I can finally move perfectly on my own, you’re not going to undress me anymore, are you?” Kawaei asks after all her bandages get removed and Mayu’s flustered by the sudden question, causing her to flush.
“Obviously not. It’s not like it’s been a fantastic experience for me.”
Kawaei crosses her arms over her chest, a challenging look on her face. “Oh come on, I know you liked seeing my naked body and rubbing soap all over my…”
“Shut up!” Mayu shouts, her face burning and she closes her eyes so she wouldn’t see Kawaei’s smug smile.
God freaking damn it, when the hell did Kawaei Rina start flirting with her?!
“Fine, fine. I’ll go have a shower by myself,” Ricchan sighs and sticks out her tongue before invading the bathroom and Mayu doesn’t know what to do or how to untangle all her messed up emotions. What is happening to her and why is it happening?
And why does she wish she would be in the bathroom to help Kawaei undress so suddenly?
Even at night, she’s still unable to get the confusion out of her mind and she finds herself staring when Ricchan enters the room wearing nothing but a rather see-through, dark red lingerie and Mayu knows she’s doing it on purpose and that the younger takes advantage of that, but what Mayu doesn’t know is whether it’s only teasing or if maybe, just maybe, there’s more to it.
Sleep doesn’t seem to reach her and she believes it’s already been hours since going to bed when suddenly she hears noises from behind and in the next minute, her blanket is lifted up and Kawaei snuggles next to her, her body so close to Mayu’s that the older feels the heat coming from it. Mayu’s body is as stiff as a dead chameleon until the younger snakes her arms around her, hesitantly, but Mayu doesn’t stop her so soon enough they’re already cuddling and it feels so surprisingly good that Mayu’s face is lit up by a wide, satisfied grin.
She turns around only when Kawaei’s already steadily snoring quietly next to her and even if it’s dark, she still takes her time to appreciate the younger’s features, the cute small, but wide nose, the slightly parted lips that are so inviting and that scares Mayu up to the point she rather closes her eyes.
But then she reopens them and takes just a couple of more minutes before lightly pecking the girl’s lips and letting herself doze off to sleep.
*
“I dreamt that you kissed me,” Kawaei starts the morning by telling this to Mayu right after she wakes up. “It was a pretty surprising dream! Ah, what silly things my mind can think of when exhausted…”
Somehow every word Ricchan utters amuse Mayu and she can’t hold back her giggle forever. Kawaei shoots a weird look at her and Mayu lifts her head, braced on her elbows on the bed. “It wasn’t a dream.”
After a long while, it’s finally Kawaei’s turn to be shocked. “What?”
“It wasn’t a dream,” Mayu repeats it, not caring anymore what consequences this confession would bring. “I did kiss you last night.”
“Why…” Kawaei flashes a suspicious look. “You’re playing with me, right?”
Mayu slowly shakes her head. “Nah, not really, no.”
Kawaei suddenly flushes. “Why did you kiss me…”
Mayu realizes that this could be it, her chance to return all the teasing and embarrassment the other caused her so she plays along, shrugging her shoulders and trying to act all like she doesn’t really give a damn thing about it.
When in fact, she probably cares more than she should.
“I don’t know, I just felt like it.”
“Just… felt like it?” Kawaei frowns, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt nervously. Mayu nods. And Ricchan does the same.
“Ah. I see.”
Kawaei licks her bottom lip and then turns around.
Mayu knows that this is another chance. And if she does it, it’ll probably be the boldest and bravest (and stupidest, for sure) move she’s ever made but her hesitation is small, much smaller than she expects it to be and by the time she knows she’s already grabbed Ricchan’s wrist and turned her around, her lips pressing against the other’s just like yesterday, but this time it’s not a hesitant kiss or just a peck. Kawaei kisses her back without a second thought and it makes Mayu’s blood burn, her heart race and soon she has to pull away because she’s out of breath.
They stare at each other for a while, both of them seeming to struggle for words and it’s Kawaei who chuckles first.
“Wow, Watanabe. A week ago, I never would’ve thought that you would come this far. When did I turn from the annoying, immature kid into the girl you want to make out with?”
“Oh god, could you just shut up for a second?” Mayu rolls her eyes and kisses her again, passionately, like it was the first and the last time.
*
“So, it’s over.”
Mayu blinks as Kawaei throws herself on the couch next to her. “What is over?”
“The two weeks,” she replies and Mayu nods.
“Ah. True. It’s been quite an adventure, these two weeks, don’t you think?”
“Definitely,” Ricchan giggles, taking Mayu’s hand in hers and starting to play with her fingers. “I’ve never been this shocked ever since my parents told me that Santa Claus doesn’t exist.”
Mayu rolls her eyes. “Obviously.”
“It’s a good thing I can return home now. I’ll finally be able to sleep in a comfy bed and not on a hard and cold floor,” Ricchan says happily and Mayu pokes her in the side.
“You spent half of this week in my bed. I don’t see why you’re complaining.”
“Obviously,” Ricchan mocks the older and Mayu sighs.
“Everything that comes out of your mouth is trash. It’s completely ruining everything.”
“You can always shut me up, you know,” Ricchan bats her eyelashes innocently and Mayu grimaces.
“Ew, gross. So greasy.”
“But seems like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it?”
Mayu just laughs and leans in to leave a soft peck on the girl’s lips.
Suddenly, there are noises of a stopping engine from outside and the two girls jump off the couch, running to the door to open it and welcome their returning parents who seem to be in a rather radiating mood and upon seeing the two kids, they light up even more. Everyone gets a hug and Kawaei’s mum makes a comment regarding the pale, but still visible bruise on the right side of her face (the girl jokes about it being Mayu’s fault and that distracts the conversation so she doesn’t have to come up with an excuse) and after they are all inside the house, the four parents turn towards the kids as one person.
“So guys, did you get along?”
Mayuyu and Ricchan exchange looks and both trying hard not to giggle, they nod.
“Oh, we did.”
Everyone lets out a relieved sigh and the two girls look at each other, not needing words to express their feelings. No one but they do know about their blossoming relationship and that is just fine.
Perfectly fine.