#ma'am do you understand that I am going to have to be anxious and anticipating that goal for a whole extra day now?

[kaidans-alenko]

I was inspired by an ask I got from @bardofheartdive (hope you don't mind me tagging you 🙇🏻‍♀️) and wrote a fix it fic :D

Might write a part 2 time shall tell but for now enjoy 💕

Lily nervously stood outside of Brynn's apartment, it was the first day she was picking up her step-son alone, they had just gotten back from their honeymoon and Jacob had been thrown right back into work so here she was, sweaty palmed in front of his ex's apartment. Lily wiped her hands off on her jeans, taking a deep breath and knocking on the door. 

It opened and she came face to face with Brynn "Hey Brynn good to uh...good to see you."

"You too Shepard, looks like you got some sun."

"Huh? Oh, yeah sitting on a beach will do that to a person." An awkward silence settled between them "I tried telling the Alliance not having tanning beds on ships was a design oversight but when do they ever listen to me?"

Brynn raised an eyebrow at her before letting out a laugh "I take it you had fun."

Lily nodded "Yup we...we sure did." This was going slightly better than Lily had anticipated but it was still awkward as hell.

"Lily!" Her step son came barreling out of the door and hugged her legs "You're back."

Lily smiled and bent down to hug him "I am, we missed you kiddo." 

"Be good for your dad and Shepard okay?" 

"Yes ma'am." 

Brynn bent down and gave him one last hug and kiss on the cheek before sending him off with Lily "Is dad at work?"

"Sadly yes, but he'll be home later tonight." Lily told him as she made sure he was secure in the back seat of the car. 

"Why don't we surprise him with dinner, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Lily smiled and kissed his head before driving them back home 

-------

"Lily? Caleb? I'm back." Jacob called as he walked through the door.

"Dad!" He jumped off the couch and sprinted to the door Lily following behind him, chuckling.

Jacob set his son down slowly when he saw Lily, taking her in his arms "Welcome home babe." She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him.

"Mmm I missed you."

Lily rested her head in the crook of his neck, taking in the scent of his cologne "Me too."

Caleb rolled his eyes "You guys are gross." He mumbled as he went back to the couch.

They smiled at each other, pressing their foreheads together. They had just gotten married and were still in the honeymoon phase but if you asked their friends they've been in it since they started dating. They had tried waiting a few years, wanting to make the transition easier for Caleb which they succeed in but it got harder and harder until Jacob eventually proposed not able to wait any longer, he didn't feel regret regarding his relationship with Brynn but as time passed they realized they weren't as compatible as they originally thought and he eventually came to terms with the fact Lily was the one he was meant to be with.

-------

Lily watched from the hall as Jacob put Caleb to bed, to be honest she was a bit jealous, she loved him like he was her own but she was worried he didn't want more kids, she'd understand if he was happy with just Caleb but he was her husband, she figured it wasn't unreasonable to bring it up. Lily knew it was the rejection that scared her, him saying no to the idea, she'd respect it but she always wanted kids of her own and the idea of not getting that broke her heart.

Lily walked back to their room, contemplating how she'd bring it up. It was as simple as saying she wanted a child with him and she knew that but it made her anxious as hell regardless.

"What's wrong?"

Lily looked up and saw Jacob, she tried her best to form a coherent sentence but all that left her mouth was "Baby."

"Yeah?" He asked assuming she was talking about him.

Lily shook her head "No, I mean ugh!" She covered her face with her hands, leaning back against the headboard.

"Hey what's up?" He got in bed next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Lily sighed and looked at him, "I want a baby, with you." He was silent, "You could at least say something." She snapped.

"Sorry just...I wasn't expecting that is all."

"Yeah well" she crossed her arms, looking away "I'm your wife, I think I have a right to bring it up."

Jacob nodded "You do."

"And?" She was getting irritated by the lack of an answer and was close to kicking him out onto the couch.

"And" he laid her back on the bed, kissing her, Lily moaned, wrapping her arms around him and bringing him closeer. Jacob pulled away and she glared at him "I want to make you happy and if that's what you want Lily then I'm happy to oblige."

"Is it what you want." She stroked his cheek, normally she was happy to get her way but it was a big decision and she wanted him to be on the same page as her about it.

"Like you said, you're my wife, I'd love to start a family with you."

Lily smiled at him and tried to blink away her tears, Jacob kissed her again with more passion than the last one. Lily parted her lips and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth as they slowly worked on each other's clothes. Jacob pulled away, kissing her cheek, making her way over to her ear, nipping on her earlobe "I love you."

Lily arched her back and gasped as his hand trailed lower, pushing a finger inside her "Me too...love you." 

"You're beautiful." Jacob slid her panties off, tossing them aside before getting between her legs "I'm so lucky to have you." Lily's eyes snapped open and she let out a moan as he filled her.

Lily turned her head to the side and gripped the pillow under her as he began moving inside her "Jacob…" It was good, so good and she could tell how much he loved her with every touch, every snap of his hips against hers. Lily kept her eyes trained on him as she gasped and lost herself in their rhythm, Jacob rested his head against her shoulder and she heard his groan as he spilled inside her, Lily following soon after. 

They lay wrapped in each other's arms as they came down from their high, Lily smiled, thinking about the family they would start together as she fell asleep.

[theofficialcunt]

Simplicité - Chapter 10

Hello everyone! Happy Holidays! Finally a full chapter for you guys (4.8k to be exact, which I believe makes this the longest chapter yet!), and I hope y’all wont be disappointed. 

In this chapter, Bianca and Adore finally go to the much anticipated Modern Salon interview! Courtney receives a surprise at work, Valentina is confused about her feelings, and Farrah confides in an old friend. Just as a warning, this chapter is not for the faint of heart, there is a lot of angst.  No TW’s that I can think of other then the angst. As always, thank you to my wonderful beta, @veronicasanders  

Five hours later, Bianca was awakened by the sound of her alarm blaring on her bedside table. She groaned, wondering why the fuck her phone was so obnoxiously loud this morning as she went to hit the end button.

Staring at the bright screen hurt her eyes a little more than usual, and that was when she realized she was hungover. It wasn’t a terrible hangover, but it was one of the worst ones she’s had in awhile.

She sighed, kicking her feet out from underneath the covers before getting out of bed. Nausea hit her like a wave, and that’s when she began to remember the events of last night. And how many drinks she had.

She silently shuffled into the kitchen to make some toast, where she saw Adore run down the narrow hallway (in a very tiny crop top that left little to the imagination) to the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her, and almost immediately following, Bianca heard the sound of gagging.

Gross, she thought.

Then the panic settled in as she realized that they had the huge interview this morning. A chorus of heaves echoed down the hall to the kitchen, and Bianca groaned.

She better fucking get her act together, Bianca thought. This was the chance of a lifetime, that could launch each of their careers if they played their cards right. She was taking this very seriously, despite her stomach curdling as well. They had to be at the Modern offices by 9, which meant that they had to be ready in about 30 minutes.

She quickly ran to her own bathroom, throwing her old hair spray coated curls into a messy but chic looking bun on the top of her head. She then tied a sequined wrap around her head, flattening out any unflattering fly away hairs. Grabbing her bottle of Pepto out of her medicine cabinet, she chugged directly from the bottle until she felt it really coat her throat and stomach. She also grabbed her ibuprofen and propped it in her purse for good luck.

She then began to quickly work on her eyes, which to her annoyance always fucking took the longest. She quickly smeared heavily pigmented colors like silver and black to take attention away from her prominent dark circles. Using dark orange concealer, she caked her under-eye and upper lip in it to attempt to conceal any dark circles and small hairs.

Bianca furiously blended out her foundation with a beauty blender, covering the orange and setting it all quickly with some loose Covergirl powder she had leftover from an old shoot. She sprayed her face vigorously with some setting spray, and smiled triumphantly to herself in the mirror.

“How do you do that so fast, man?”

Bianca jumped, pressing her hand over her heart. “What the fuck? You scared me bitch! Ever heard of knocking?”

“We’re both girls. Why do I need to knock?” Adore asked, twirling a straight black hair around her finger grinning as she eyed Bianca’s short silk dressing robe.

“Oh gee, I don’t know, because I like to have my privacy?” Bianca snapped. “How would you like it if I barged in while you were taking a shit?”

“The more the merrier! I’m not shy!” Adore exclaimed wiggling her eyebrows.

“You’re one disgusting femme,” Bianca snorted, the corner of her lip curling up.

“And you’re one uptight bitch,” Adore laughed.

“Don’t you need to get ready?” Bianca asked, ignoring the bitch comment as she precisely smoothed a glossy red lipstick over her lips.

“I’m not the star of the interview so I’m ready.” Adore yawned.

“True, but you still need to look presentable. This is not presentable.” Bianca gestured to her sweats and tight black crop top. “At least do a subtle cat eye and a nude lip.”

“Ugh fiiiine.” Adore smiled playfully as she slowly walked out of the room.

“Hurry up, we need to leave in 5,” Bianca ordered, wondering why Adore was acting more lackadaisical than usual. “And you cannot wear a crop top and sweats to the interview!”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Ugh! I’m not old enough to be a ma’am!” Bianca called after her.

———

Bianca and Adore somehow managed to make it downtown within 30 minutes, despite Adore literally dragging her feet, which gave them 15 minutes of wiggle room. Bianca smiled up at the large skyscraper with excitement, taking a deep breath before she walked in with Adore. A serious looking, well dressed receptionist greeted them.

“Hello, my name is Robbie. How may I assist you today?” Robbie had a very cheerful voice, but looked as if she could shred you into pieces if you crossed her. She had short strawberry blonde hair that was fixed into immaculate curls. A strong cat eye accented her bright red lips, which at the moment were intimidating to Adore.

“Bianca Del Rio, checking in,” Bianca chimed.

“Is um, Adore with you as well?” Robbie asked as she looked at her computer screen.

“I’m fucking here man!” Adore exclaimed, throwing her fist up into the air. Bianca shot her a death glare as Robbie chuckled.

“Wow! I can definitely appreciate your enthusiasm, Miss Delano. I’m sure Miss O’Hara will as well.” Robbie said awkwardly, feigning a smile. “She’ll be down shortly.”

“O’Hara? I knew a smoking hot girl in high school by that last name. We all called her the big OH Hara. Get it?” Adore asked, as she burst into a fit of laughter.

Robbie’s face went from amused to absolutely confused terror. She cleared her throat uncomfortably before she began to type furiously on her computer.

It was at that moment where it clicked for Bianca. Adore was still intoxicated from the night before.

She grabbed Adore, pulling her over to the nearby sofa.

“Please, tell me you are not still drunk.” Bianca hissed into her ear. She caught a whiff of marijuana, sighing internally already knowing the answer.

“I’m just a little buzzed man, but I’m fine.” Adore drawled, patting her on the back.

Calm down, Bianca thought to herself. Maybe she will charm Miss O’hara with her overwhelming enthusiasm.

That was all Bianca could do, was hope. Hope for a miracle. She could feel the nervous sweat beading at the back of her neck. She never felt anxious but Adore’s behavior could literally make or break this interview. Drunk Adore was definitely not professional Adore, especially after last nights shenanigans.’

The elevator across the room opened, and a petite girl with long raven hair appeared. She was wearing a plaid pencil skirt, with a mustard yellow cardigan and white blouse.

“Hi, I’m Phi Phi. You must be Bianca.” Phi Phi smiled, extending her hand out. “It’s so nice to finally meet the genius behind Simplicité.”

“You’re too kind Miss O’Hara.” Bianca flushed red, butterflies filling her stomach as she tried not to worry about Adore. “I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.”

“Are you Miss O’Hara?” Adore asked, slurring her words as she stumbled towards the pair.

“Why yes I am! You must be the charming Miss Delano.” Phi Phi laughed, extending her hand for a shake. Except Adore didn’t shake her hand. Instead, she pulled Phi Phi in for a hug, taking the girl by surprise.

“I’m a hugger,” Adore muttered as she squeezed her close. Phi Phi squirmed uncomfortably in her embrace, before Adore finally let her go.

“Gosh, if I didn’t know any better I would say your assistant smells like marijuana and alcohol,” Phi Phi said, tilting her head with a smile. “Interesting. Well, I suppose I’ll take you up to my office.”

Bianca’s heart sank. Phi Phi clocked Adore almost instantly. She was feeling frustrated, beating herself up for not taking better care of herself and Adore last night. She should have never gone out, and now she was seriously regretting having Adore set up this interview.

“We’ll meet you up there Phi Phi. I just need to have a quick chat with my PA.” Bianca said, smiling through gritted teeth.

“Very well. I’m on floor 37,” Phi Phi replied as the elevator doors closed.

Bianca grabbed Adore’s wrist before hissing into her ear.

“Listen here. Your job today is to go to the bathroom and wait there until this interview is over. Understand?”

“Dude, you’re acting crazy.” Adore laughed, brushing off her tight grip.

“No, YOU are. Who drinks as much as you did before a huge interview? You’re still fucking drunk. Just go. I’ll text you when we’re done,” Bianca snarled.

Adore stood frozen, unsure of how to respond. She felt like Bianca was acting unfairly, but didn’t really care enough in this moment. It was just an interview.

“Whatever,” Adore shrugged before walking to the bathroom.

Bianca sighed with relief, power walking to the elevator before Miss O’Hara changed her mind.

——

“Good morning!” Courtney sang song, a Starbucks coffee in hand as she sauntered into the salon.

“Someone got laid.” Bob smirked.

“Well I don’t like to brag but-“

“You don’t have to.” Valentina said, tight lipped. “You have a delivery.”

Valentina gestured towards her station, where a beautiful bouquet of daisies, accompanied by a card were waiting for her.

Courtney,

I loved last night. Thanks for showing me a good time, and not snatching me bald.

Your lover, Alaska Thunderfuck

Courtney laughed at the last line, folding the card before putting it into her purse. When did she even have time to order these?

“I don’t understand what exactly she’s talking about half of the time, but I have to admit she’s a funny one,” Courtney admitted. “She referred to herself as my lover though, and I’m not really looking for that right now.”

“What are you looking for exactly?” Valentina asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

“Some pussy!” Bob called across the room.

“Shut up! Do you ever have appointments?” Courtney asked as she laughed.

“Not at nine in the fucking morning,” Bob chimed.

Valentina looked over at the daisies, still feeling that odd feeling from last night. What was wrong with her?

Alaska: What did she think of the flowers?

Valentina: She loved them! She wouldn’t stop talking about how much of a great time she had with you.

Alaska: Really? She seemed kind of cold to me this morning. Did she say anything else?

Valentina: That’s just Courtney in the morning. She’s really not herself until she has her coffee with coconut oil in it.

Valentina smirked to herself as she read the conversation.

“Is that Valentín?” Courtney teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

“No.” Valentina’s eyes shifted. “Why would you think that?”

“You’re smiling at your phone like a schoolgirl that’s all.” Courtney shrugged, a wide grin spreading across her face.

“I am not,” Valentina snapped, turning back towards her phone.

Valentina: This might be a bit early, and she’d probably kill me if I told you…

Valentina: But she wants something serious and she told me that she felt a real connection with you.

Alaska: Omg, are you serious? I totally felt that too. Like, I feel like I could actually be a brunette around her.

Valentina chuckled to herself, realizing that she wore a platinum blonde wig last night and that Courtney still didn’t know what her real hair looked like.

“You sure that’s not your boyfriend?” Bob asked.

“Ugh! I’m sure guys!” Valentina rolled her eyes. No response from Alaska.

“So Courtney, do you think you’ll see Alaska again?” Valentina asked.

“Hmm,” Courtney pondered. “I mean, she was a good time. I’m not really looking for something serious right now though.”

“So, is that a yes?” Bob asked confused.

“I mean, I’m not opposed to it. I’m just not really looking for a relationship right now. As long as she doesn’t overwhelm me with gifts, I wouldn’t mind going out again.” Courtney shrugged.

Valentina: She’s a tough one to win over though. Her love language is receiving gifts, so the more the merrier. She LOVES being the center of attention.

Alaska: I’ll get right on that. Thanks for all the help Valentina! You’re the best wingwoman ever.

Valentina smiled to herself before putting her phone back into her jacket pocket.

———-

“So, Bianca. Tell me a little bit about what got you into the hair and makeup industry,” Phi Phi asked as she sat poised with a pen.

“I really just wanted to follow in my mother's footsteps. She was amazing with hair, and knew how to beautify anyone at any age. She is my biggest inspiration.”

“What was your mother's specialty?”

“She loved doing updos and prom hair mostly.”

“It must be nice to be able to have a family member that understands your line of work,” Phi Phi chuckled. “Does your mother work for you, or is she retired?”

Bianca gulped nervously.

“Unfortunately my mother passed away a few months ago,” Bianca said shakily.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry to hear that!” Phi Phi exclaimed apologetically, looking up from her notepad for the first time.

“Thank you,” Bianca replied stiffly, trying not to show too much emotion. This was business, not a chat with a friend.

Phi Phi cleared her throat uncomfortably, eyes shifting back to her notes.

“What would you say are some of your strengths are as a cosmetologist?”

“I’m very good at visualizing things. For example, I’m great at doing before and after photos, especially when a client comes to me with box dyed hair.”

“Ugh, that box dye is horrible.” Phi Phi agreed as she laughed. “I saw some of your before and afters on your instagram page. The one that impressed me the most was that one of your assistant, Miss Delano. Where did she run off to?”

Shit.

“Uh, she wasn’t feeling well this morning so I told her to go relax in the lobby.”

“Oh, great she didn’t go too far! I’ll call Robbie and tell to bring her up. I’d love to ask her a few questions if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Bianca said hesitantly as she smiled tightly.

A wicked grin spread across Phi Phi’s face as she dialed Robbie’s number.

“Yes, hi Robbie please send Miss Delano up to me immediately. Thank you.” Phi Phi clicked end before Robbie could reply.

“Anyway, while we wait for Adore, I’d love to offer you a networking opportunity. You seem to have a lot of talent and Chicago Fashion Week is coming up. I know Redken wants a local salon to do hair and makeup for their models, so I would love to give you their contact information,” Phi Phi rattled off. “If you believe you and your team are up to it, anyway.”

“Of course!” Bianca exclaimed without hesitation. “Do you have a card?”

Phi Phi rifled through her desk before she found a business card, scribbling down Redken's information.

“Here’s a number with an extension directly to the Redken fashion week manager. If they ask how you got it, just use me as a reference.”

“Wow, thanks,” Bianca said, taking a picture of the business card with her phone before putting both away. She couldn’t wait to connect with them later on.

Miss O’hara’s elevator doors opened and Adore stumbled through them clumsily to Bianca’s dismay.

Apparently she didn’t get the “stay in the bathroom” memo.

“Oh hello Adore! Please have a seat,” Phi Phi cooed, gesturing to the chair next to Bianca.

Adore slumped down into the chair and let her legs hang wide open. Thank god she was wearing leggings underneath her sheer black dress.

“So Adore, what made you decide to dye your hair black and get a keratin treatment?” Phi Phi asked.

“Well, I didn’t really have a say,” Adore shrugged. “I just did what Bianca wanted.”

Phi Phi raised her eyebrows with fascination at the statement.

“Really? So you had no say in how your hair was going to turn out?” Phi Phi cocked her head.

Fuck. This was going to be a fucking disaster, Bianca could feel it. She felt like she was going to faint as she watched Adore slide down the chair and onto the floor.

“Nah. But I mean, Courm was right, my hair was a fuckin’ mess,” Adore slurred.

“I’m sorry who?”

“Courm! Courtney, sorry. She’s a coworker of mine, real pretty blonde. Knows how to be pretty better than I do.”

Phi Phi looked between the two girls uneasily before scribbling vigorously on the notepad.

“Do you like how your hair turned out?” Phi Phi asked.

“I think it’s obvious that she does Miss O’Hara,” Bianca spat, growing more and more annoyed.

“B, it’s fine, don’t stress man. Yeah, I like it. I went from a 6 to a 10 in a couple of hours. It was a party,” Adore drawled.

“Interesting.” Phi Phi nodded. “Alright, well I think that about covers everything I was going to ask you. Simplicité will be featured in the next edition of Modern.”

“Thank you so much for the opportunity,” Bianca said graciously as she stood up. She towered over the petite raven haired woman, who then shook her hand briskly.

“It wasn’t a problem. Oh my gosh,  Can I see that business card that I gave you? I just realized, I think I gave you the wrong number,” Phi Phi asked.

“Sure...” Bianca said wearily as she handed it over and Phi Phi then set it on her desk.

”I’ll send you an email with the correct one tonight.” Phi Phi smiled. “Hopefully our paths will cross again soon. Great to meet you both.”

Bianca smiled awkwardly, thanking her before she and Adore exited her penthouse office. As they stood in the elevator, an awkward tension built as they descended floor by floor.

“Bianca-“

“No. Not here,” Bianca said coldly, putting a hand up in front of her face. “And not until you sober up.”

Adore nodded, pressing her lips tightly together before the elevator doors opened. She didn’t think she had been acting unprofessionally, but judging by Bianca’s annoyance she had been.

“Have a great day.” Robbie waved kindly to them as they exited the elevator.

“Thanks, you too,” Bianca murmured, defeated.

——

Bianca had originally wanted to wait until Adore had sobered up to really yell at her. Why she would even think to extend such generosity to her, she didn’t know. But the more she thought about the interview on the drive home, the angrier she became.

Adore was singing along obnoxiously to some Dua Lipa song on the radio, hands flailing about outside of the window like she didn’t just ruin Bianca’s biggest opportunity. It was a warm day today, not too humid surprisingly but warm enough to wear short sleeves without a coat.

Bianca tapped the radio off, glaring at the road ahead of them as she merged onto the tollway.

“What the fuck man!” Adore exclaimed, turning the radio back on. Bianca promptly slammed her radio back off, giving Adore vicious side eye.

“Do you even realize what you’ve done?” Bianca started, voice dripping with bitterness.

“Uh, yeah I’ve just been singing along to the radio. What’s your damage today? You’re seriously in a bad mood,” Adore observed, propping her feet on the dashboard.

Bianca accelerated towards the nearest off ramp, cutting someone off to get there. She sped through the intersection and flashed through the yellow light before coming to a screeching halt on the side of the main road. The car heaved as she slammed on her brakes, propelling them both forward before shifting the car in park.

“What the fuck is wrong with you man? Are you crazy?” Adore exclaimed, glaring at Bianca.

“The better question is are YOU crazy?” Bianca countered, slamming her hands on the steering wheel in frustration. “Do you even realize what you’ve fucking done?”

“Besides help you at the interview? No, Bianca I don’t know.”

“No you idiot. You fucking ruined everything!” Bianca screamed, as she felt her eyes burn. “Any opportunity to go to Chicago fashion week, or New York or to even have a successful business is gone!”

Adore was silent, daring not to move a muscle. Every ounce of color she had left had drained from her face as Bianca yelled at her in a way no one had ever yelled at her before.

“Do you know why it’s gone, Adore?” Bianca asked calmly.

Adore was unable to move, frozen in fear by the intensity in Bianca’s voice.

“Let me fucking spell it out for you. You. You irresponsibly drank, smoked, did whatever it is you do at the bar and you’re still drunk this morning! And drunk you thought it would be okay to smoke before an interview-“

“It was to fucking calm my stomach down!” Adore protested. “So I could fucking be there for you today!”

“Be there for me?” Bianca said agast. “Adore if you really wanted to be there for me, you wouldn't've fucking drank that much last night. You should know your fucking limits by now, you aren’t a fucking child.”

“You know what a child would have done?” Adore said, raising her voice now. “A child would have called out sick and left you to fend for yourself.”

“No, Adore you’re wrong. An adult would have done that. You did what a CHILD would do, which is irresponsibly drink before an important interview, show up still drunk and high and try to charm the pants off of the executive of a major magazine by slurring your words and embarrassing me,” Bianca sneered.

Adore was sobered by the conversation, not knowing what to say. Nothing she would say would make this better. Her head was spinning, not knowing where to go or what to do to fix this.

“You ruined everything me and my mother had been working so hard for,” Bianca spat, voice cracking near the end.

“Bianca-“

“Do me a huge favor and just shut the fuck up already,” Bianca snapped, turning the car back on. “Just shut the fuck up. I’m dropping you off at home and then I’m going to work. Fucking take a nap or something. Sober up, not that it fucking matters now.”

Adore gulped, tears stinging as she looked out the window of the car. She refused to look at Bianca the rest of the way home.

——-

Bianca walked into the salon, not acknowledging anyone. She ran downstairs, slammed the door of her office and locked it, before sliding down the back of it. She felt relief finally, to be alone and to let herself cry. Sobs bubbled out of her with ease, and she didn’t even care at this point.

She fixated on a picture of her and her mother hanging on the wall nearby. They were smiling, matching dimples and all, arms around each other as they posed for the camera.  Everything had led up to this interview, just to be thrown away by one person. By one poor decision.

There were so many things she could have done to prevent this. For one, she could’ve just left Adore at home. Or never even hired her.

But Bianca made the decision to have Adore set up the interview, and come along. Bianca had made the decision to hire Adore because of how fucking charming she is. She has a charisma that is irreplaceable and will take her far no matter what.

Anyone would be fired after the stunt that Adore pulled today. But Bianca just couldn’t bring herself to fire her. She had nothing. No family out here, no other job opportunities. But she still needed to be at least penalized. Something.

But she just.. had such a hard time with it. When Adore was on, she was on. Despite the fashion choice and a more lackadaisical approach on the phone, professionals and clients alike adored her. She had something that no one could replace or duplicate.

Bianca was guilty of feeling the attraction to her. It was hard not to, she was just so charming.

Clearly, there was something holding her back from letting her go. She just couldn’t admit that to Adore. Not with Farrah in the picture. And definitely not as one of her employees.

She sighed, tears starting to slow down as she refocused on the picture of her and her mother.

What would she do? Bianca wondered How would her mom have handled it?

———

Farrah: We need to talk. Are you at work?

Adore stared down at her phone sadly. She was still crying from being yelled at by Bianca earlier.

Adore: I’m at home.

Farrah: Can I come over?

Adore: Can you come at around 6 or 7? I don’t feel too good.

Farrah: I guess.

Adore leaned her head against her bed frame, knowing that Farrah was probably still pissed about last night. She had gotten pretty intimate with Bianca on the dancefloor, and in the bathroom too which Farrah didn’t know about.

Maybe that's what hurt so bad about Bianca yelling at her. Not even 13 hours ago, they had bonded in the bathroom and on the dancefloor of the bar. That had been the first time she had really felt close to her roommate, and not so alone. To have that shattered by her own stupid mistake was devastating.

She usually didn’t take this sort of thing so hard though. She wondered if there could be something more behind her feeling this down about Bianca directing her hatred towards her.

She felt like she was obligated to fix this mess that she had put them in. She decided to do some research on Miss O’hara, googling her name and scrolling through the internet for some sort of saving grace. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but she had to find a way to help Bianca.

Phi Phi O’Hara catapults Modern Salon into international success

Phi Phi O’Hara: An Autobiography on sale now!

Modern Salon: The cosmetology industry’s first LGBT+ friendly powerhouse.

Adore clicked on the links, reading through each article trying to find one little nugget of hope.

It wasn’t until the last article where a lightbulb went off.

That’s when she got an idea.

Adore: I need your help.

——

The nerve, Farrah thought as she clicked out of her messages with Adore. Honestly she was so tired of being on the back burner.

Farrah: Are you doing anything right now?

Eureka: Just working. Why?

Farrah: Can I stop by?

Eureka: Sure. Wouldn’t your girlfriend get mad though?

Farrah:: She doesn’t care. I’ll be there shortly.

That wasn’t a complete lie. Adore really didn’t care about anything but herself and her work. Would she care if she knew? Probably. But in Farrah’s mind, she didn’t need to know.

———-

“Hey baby! I missed you!” Farrah cooed, blowing Eureka an air kiss as she walked into the bakery.

Eureka smiled, feeling her heart flutter as she saw Farrah for the first time in ages. It was almost like old times, as she handed off Farrah’s order to her in her small bag.

“I can’t have sex with you,” Farrah murmured over the counter. “But, I can definitely hang out with you.”

“It’s not about that for me.” Eureka smiled. “I’m just happy to spend some time with you.”

Farrah blushed, looking down into her bag as she took a bite out of her croissant.

“You remembered my order.” Farrah exclaimed.

“Of course I did! You’ve been ordering the same thing for months.” Eureka laughed. “So what’s on your mind? I can tell somethings wrong.”

Farrah bit her lip, hesitating as she stared down at the floor.

“The girlfriend,” Eureka sighed. “Alright, lay it on me. I’ll try not to be biased.”

Farrah told her all about last night. The dancing, the drunkenness, the fact that Adore didn’t chase after her when she left the club.

“It sounds like you guys aren’t on the same page. It seems like she wants something more casual,” Eureka said.

“I don’t want casual!” Farrah whined. “I just want something serious. Someone who can watch netflix and cuddle with me at night.”

Eureka nodded, trying to think of something to say other than ‘Dump her ass.’

“What should I do?” Farrah asked.

“I don’t know, but if you aren’t happy then I don’t think you should be with her,” Eureka said uneasily.

Farrah nodded, finishing her food in silence as she thought over everything. Adore was fun to be around and good in bed. But she didn’t seem like the serious relationship type of girl. In fact, she didn’t seem too serious about anything really.

“I think you’re right,” Farrah admitted. “I’m done being unhappy and doing things on her terms. I’m just going to see her tomorrow and deal with it then.”

Farrah: Can I just see you tomorrow instead? We can talk after work.

Adore: Sure.

“Of course she doesn’t care,” Farrah scoffed.

“Well, there's someone here that does,” Eureka said, smiling softly at her.

[shintorikhazumi]

Eight Years Overdue

A/N: Calling out Ou Miyuki-san? Miyuki-chan? Miyuki! sHeyo! Remember our little chat last time? A couple of weeks ago, I think? When I asked for your favorite pairing and such?

Well…

SURPRISE!

Ok… I sure hope you are… like pleasantly surprised… are you?

Anyways, this is my way of thanking you and since I enjoy interacting a lot with you, I guess I just felt like doing this… hehe.

This is a gift to a friend, hehehehe... from FF.net sooo.. well... i guess I’d share it here  too in case there are HonoKoto LL! fans.

Hope you like it and… enjoy?

~Shintori Khazumi

Eight Years Overdue: Start!

"A date to the get-together, huh…"

It was a quiet afternoon in the TV station, and few workers were out lounging in the lobbies of the massive production company, most having their jobs to do, be it paperwork or appearances, or recordings.

One of these workers was seated by the window, a soda can in hand, since she was not exactly a believer in coffee, and sugar was the way to get energetic, was her opinion. Also she couldn't stand the taste.

The head of ginger hair was tussled up from all the scratching and deep thinking inside that head.

"That's too hard." She grumbled.

Kousaka Honoka weighed her options. Ignore all these stifling thoughts, or maybe just do as they said, something more-or-less likely.

The reason behind her current predicament was maybe due to the fact that it had been ten years since she had graduated highschool, and now at the age of twenty-seven, she was the 'single-and-contented' type.

Working as one of Japan's most known public figures, especially in the music industry, Honoka was pretty well off, also their home's shop, Homura had business booming as of the past decade, where she did part-time baking.

She had days off during the weekend, then recordings and producer-ish work for idols during weekdays, also doing some training for the newer talents, and being a judge during auditions.

She lived in her humble apartment, surrounded by various musical items and was comfortable with her partner, Sally, a german shepherd, which was also a male.

It was the perfect living for her-

…And now her peaceful life had been intruded upon by a small piece of paper that simply said 'Invitation'.

Reaching into her pocket, she felt for the tiny rough surface, pulling the envelope out and opening it, unfolding the letter.

Mika, one of her old highschool friends had sent it, passing on the message that their batch would be having a reunion, organized by her and the other two who were always with her.

Of course, the first emotion the successful woman had felt was of utter excitement and joy, really wanting to meet all her classmates and friends again since she had found herself far too busy, heck, the last friend she's seen was Umi and that was over two months ago, and they pretty much worked in the same company!

-The difference being their fields, Umi composing and writing, and sometimes singing music, while also producing it.

Now everything would have been perfectly fine, except maybe the fact that at the bottom, written in huge letters as to not be missed, were the words-

Bring a Partner!

It was quite the phenomenon, how three words could leave such a person stupefied beyond her own belief.

She was a busy person, Honoka. So it was only reasonable that she had yet to 'meet up' with anyone like that, for dates and such, and she had never really been… interested.

Now that she thought about it, the last time she showed to have any form of romantic concern towards anyone was when-

"Kousaka-sama, your next conference is starting in barely ten minutes. Please head to the main meeting room right away."

The voice made her jump out of thought, and coincidentally, out of her chair, a hand over her heart at the sudden sound.

"S-sorry to have scared you, I didn't realize how deep in thought you were, Ma'am. Really I am sor-"

"It's fine." Honoka replied with a smile, placing a hand on her secretary's shoulder. "If it wasn't intentional, then no hard feelings." She reassured with a squeeze, thanking the woman and walking out of the lobby, still with her soda in hand.

Maybe the boring meeting would drown out these bothersome worries.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Needless to say, the meeting was both boring and useless.

Not only did it bore her to death, it gave her more of a chance to consider her problems, all of the things said there going in one ear and out the other, her outward interactions all automatic reactions.

Her secretary-slash-manager took her home for the day, telling her to get enough rest, eat well and stay healthy, the usual, though with just a touch more concern, noticing the disheveled state of her boss.

The girl wished her luck before driving off in the eve.

Washing up and wearing some fresh clothes, Honoka went out of her room and fixed herself a meal, eating slowly to the sound of a droning television, news of the latest single she, herself had a hand in creating, which was only proven by the fact that her face was practically plastered on the screen.

She sighed, not in the mood to be proud of another achievement, and grabbed the remote, proceeding to flip through the channels to find something that would at least amuse her.

Passing a certain channel, she quickly turned up the volume. Realizing it was one of those fashion channels, she decided it couldn't hurt to indulge a bit in something a bit different for a change, not having any problems with the foreign station.

She had no clue as to why she felt compelled to watch this and be so invested in the show despite not having any deeper love or anything of the sort for fashion, but the way the models wore the clothes as they went down the runway, displaying such eye-catching material, Honoka wondered where she had seen that particular style before. Almost like the feeling of nostalgia-

"And that was the latest line of Paris' most sought out Asian designer, with the possibly up and coming reign of fashion, Miss Kotori Minami!" The television announcer spoke with high-tension in his voice and everything clicked for the ginger.

Of course. No design of clothes would ever be as interesting as the ones with the style she had worn herself all those years ago, in a little clubroom, surrounded by posters of japanese idols and filled with a group of nine girls dreaming a dream together.

"What can we anticipate from you in the upcoming summer line?" The male voice brought Honoka from her reminiscing back to full attention on the show.

"A lot. But I prefer to keep it a surprise from all of you. I hope you will all continue to support my works!" The lady on the screen gave a wave to the camera, smiling and Honoka remembered just how beautiful a sight that was.

"By the way, if you don't mind me asking, we have heard that Miss Minami is planning an overseas vacation?"

"Of course! I will be visiting my home in Japan for about a month so I'm looking forward to it. Though I assure you my new line will be out on time without setbacks."

The way she was still considering all her customers reminded Honoka of just how kind the girl was, always putting other's needs or feelings first, something that caused a problem that escalated quite dangerously between them.

"We will be eagerly waiting. Please do enjoy your tri-"

Honoka cursed as everything was suddenly black, the power going out for a few minutes as it switched to the back-up generators.

Speaking of which, now that she thought about everything she saw… Kotori? On a Vacation? To Japan?

Those few string of thoughts made her giddy, and now she prayed that hopefully they'd have a chance to meet up. But also, she felt… scared, anxious, and also wished with a small part of her being that they would not meet.

Why?

Kotori had actually left two years after their graduation, being offered once again a full-time scholarship abroad, and with nothing else, no events or other priorities to hold her back, there was no reason to refuse.

Eight years of being away, and out of that time five years of no connection whatsoever between the two, which was understandable to a certain degree since they were both famous and busy personnel. The only way it would be seen as unreasonable was because they were best friends and they had not found any time to communicate with each other.

"Kotori, huh."

And now the ginger was left to wonder on those thoughts, lying on her bed, the lights all out, as she drifted into sleep, giving into the exhaustion and indulging herself in memories that transformed into dreams.

She felt annoyed at herself that night, for dreaming such things. For thinking such a thought.

For some reason, I pray to god I won't meet Kotori… ever.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Kotori flipped through the pages of her planner one last time, trying to check and review he schedule and ensuring that she had tied up all lose ends before she went on her trip. It would at least be three weeks to a month after all, and she did not fancy the idea of being swamped with work once she gets back.

As she landed on the current month's page, she picked up the fancy envelope inserted between the pages, brushing her fingers over it lightly, before opening it and taking out the clean cut paper with its calligraphic words of invitation.

She sighed at the words written boldly at the end of the page.

Bring a Partner!

"As if I could." She mumbled to herself.

How in the world was she supposed to fulfill such demanding words, they were practically a requirement, weren't they?

She had busied herself, throwing her soul into her work after accepting a once-in-a-lifetime internship at one of the hardest to please fashion schools in Paris, and not once had she looked back at the concept of romance.

Though she admitted, once upon a time, she had taken a peek into such feelings.

No, she was lying if she said it was but a peek.

She tripped and fell. Hard. Into those feelings and indulged herself a while in them.

But those feelings were long buried in herself… they were because the person they had been directed to, she had let Kotori go. And Kotori had left her, no regrets and no second thoughts for both parties.

When Kotori chose her scholarship and left everything behind, she knew those feelings had to be cast aside.

And she knew they both knew.

That was the reason Honoka held back on stopping her this time.

Their feelings overlapped, but did not meld together.

So Kotori left. Honoka let her go.

No regrets at the moment it happened, but a mountain of resentment at their decision years after.

Kotori berated herself now. They hadn't communicated in so long, so why was he even thinking of that person. Sure they had been best friends, but did the ginger still see Kotori in such a light after this wall stood between them?

Now she needed a partner, she reminded herself. Going back to her first problem.

She stared at her plane ticket beside the envelope, and the ticket to the party.

There was only one person she wanted to go with, however, now that she was being honest with herself.

And that was her second problem.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

The next morning, with her bags packed, Kotori listened to her swinging door as it promptly clicked shut, keys jingling in her pocket as she buried them deep down, ready to head to her service car outside the ten floor condominium.

Designer shades on, and her favorite hat, the only sound in the dim hallways at four in the morning, were the clicking of her heels against the tiled floors and the ding of the elevator that would take her to the ground level.

With her bags taken by her private escort, and loaded in the trunk, She took a seat in the back of the black vehicle, securing herself as the aircon blew continuously on her face. She mumbled her destination to her driver as he nodded, obediently taking her to the airport for her seven-am flight.

She would not be late.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Flying long hours was truly an experience Kotori would not get used to. She had always slept through them since she tended to travel a lot to attend international fashion shows, or conferences. The long rides always gave her body an ache she'd battle once she landed, and jetlag had always been one of her enemies that she considered formidable.

Securing her baggage and checking out of the airport, Kotori exited the building doors and began craning her neck for any signs of similarly colored hair as hers, and a head of midnight blue hair to accompany it.

She had emailed them the night before to pick her up, and she was dying to see the woman who had raised her and loved her, and spotting two sets of amber eyes by some stroke of luck, her pace sped up as she practically jogged to their position behind the waiting rails, the luggage boy scurrying after her.

"Mom!" She cried in joy, hugging the older woman tightly, her embrace was still as warm as it always had been, and the daughter was grateful for that, very much so.

"I've missed you too, dear." She felt her hair being caressed gently as they finally parted, Kotori going through the gate as her blue-haired friend loaded her luggage in the trunk while she and her mom exchanged greetings.

"So how have you been? No trouble with school, or anything? Have the kids been nice?" With her mother's chuckle and the kiss to her forehead, she felt, all of a sudden she was just a girl worried for her mother's well-being, and not some famous top designer in the fashion world. She was just Minami Kotori of Japan.

And that in itself was a great reliever of the burden of duties she had drowned herself in these last few years.

"Yes, well… mishaps here and there can never be avoided, as you well know, especially with high school students, but… I love what I do, and I love my students all the same."

"No changes here, huh." Kotori laughed, feeling very nostalgic.

With just one look at the aging face before her, she hugged her mother once more, just because she missed the feeling of being wrapped inside the arms of such a kind and loving woman, any time, whether happy or sad, successful or down and troubled. This was an emotion she had been missing out on lately.

"And you're still my little bird."

"Mm… always."

A cough stole their attention, as a very sheepish Umi scratched the back of her head, regretfully breaking apart their moment, but for good reason.

"Sorry to ruin it all, but we really should get going. We aren't parked after all." She was referring to the fact that they had just turned on the caution signal as Umi pulled up beside the building curb as their car was parked as close as possible to the exit, Umi ready to head off, lest police come and deal with them.

Kotori returned the sheepish smile, appreciating the concern. "It's nice to see you too, Umi-chan." Umi gave her a playful glare, before guiding them to the car to leave this place already.

"Seatbelts?" She told them, not once looking back from the driver's seat.

"Mou, Umi-chan! You didn't even respond!"

The bluenette gave off her trademark soft, graceful laugh as she turned in her seat, giving Kotori a smile, eyes crinkling.

"Welcome Home, Kotori.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

"I'm home~!" The ash-blonde sang as she kicked her shoes in the hallway, before remembering her mother's opinion towards neatness, picking them up and putting them aside in an orderly manner, her bags all placed in the living room with Umi's generous help.

"Glad to see you remember your manners." Her mother grinned, as Kotori pouted, realizing she had been caught.

"Thank you again, Umi-chan." She told the woman who was coming out of her room, stretching her arms out after exerting her force, and getting the kinks out of her body after driving a long way.

"Don't mention it." Her best friend smiled, before a rumble came from her stomach, Kotori's following suit.

"Shall we have dinner then, girls?" Principal Minami offered, to which both nodded gratefully.

"So I hear you have a reunion soon? That is why you came home, right?" The eldest lady directed the question to the pair seated across from her, who before were consumed with the need to catch up and were caught off guard by the question.

"Y-yes, I guess." Kotori replied, curious why her mom raised that question, not that there was anything wrong with that.

"And I hear you need a date to be allowed in?"

Umi choked on her own saliva at the word, still having slight fear of romance and such, though she was trying to experiment a bit in that field as of late.

"That's… right… and why do you even know?" Kotori was incredulous. Her mom and her information-gleaning ways.

"Oh, the Kousaka mom. She keeps talking about how her daughter has been single forever!" The principal told, watching her daughter's reaction intently. She heard a rumor about something, so she wanted to confirm. "Really, you both work a lot. You kids are old enough for love, I mean look at Umi! Really, Honoka became such a serious girl."

The statement snapped Kotori's heart into pause before play was suddenly pressed, and she felt this unusual nerve-wracking queasiness at the mention of the name. Cold sweat seemed to drip down, and she could not look her mother in the eye, or even take staying in the same room as memories flashed by.

"Kotori? Darling, are you okay?" Her mom asked, albeit fully knowing the answer.

"I think I feel tired. May I be excused?"

Kotori felt a weird churning in her stomach, anxiousness? Not wanting to hear the name? It wasn't as though they left on bad terms, but rather, they separated on unfinished terms, thoughts and feelings not communicated, not spoken. And they did not acknowledge it, not once. Their cut in communication only made them drift further apart, and now, Kotori was left to wonder where they stood. All she knew was that she wanted to empty all the contents of her stomach into the toilet and sleep all the thoughts off.

"Kotori?" Her mom did not give permission, rather returned a question. She tried to drop the bomb. "Have you and Honoka ever kept in touch?"

The little bird felt her mouth run dry, desperately clawing her mind for answers. False if need be.

"We-"

-Have, Kotori wanted to reply, but she couldn't, even if it was partly true… for the first three years only, though.

Kotori tried to remember how it all came to a cut in ties.

The first year, it was a regular keeping in touch, every day, or every other day at least, they'd do video calls or send emails. Half a year later, Kotori found it reduced to a monthly check up on each other. During the second year, it was at least twice every season. On their third year, it was only whenever they both managed to catch one another, and even then, all they ever talked about was how the other was, work, no catching up, no deep personal info, no sharing… no love.

Nothing.

Nothing more to retie their bonds.

And the rope just severed.

"So it was true." Umi's disappointed voice pulled Kotori out of her reverie, as her eyes shakily met Umi's interrogative ones, the atmosphere around the dinner table suddenly tense and serious. "Kotori… What happened?" The archer demanded some answer, and she was going to get it one way or another.

She had caught on to what Kotori's mother was going on about, after all, almost everyone close to them knew, or discovered at some point that Honoka and Kotori were in love, but suddenly just… weren't exactly… in a healthy state of love.

That might have been because they loved too much and cared too much… and now… there was nothing much.

"What are you talking about, Umi-chan?" Kotori did that laugh that she usually did when she was lying or nervous. She willed herself to be ignorant. "What do you mean, what happened? Nothing happened." She tried to persuade the unmovable.

"What. Happened."

The ash-gray stylist sucked in a breath, swallowing the lump in her throat, and meeting Umi's gaze head on. Suddenly, she felt the bile rise in her stomach.

"I don't… know." She managed to get out, before she had to dash to the comfort room to empty out all the horrible things bouncing against her insides and driving her head insane.

"Are you okay?" Umi asked, rubbing circles on Kotori's back after giving chase, the mother staring worriedly by the doorway.

"I'm fine. Just tired." She waved them off. "Jetlag." She reasoned feebly as she tried to get up and head to her room, forgetting the need to wash up, and just needing to lie down before her knees gave up on her.

"Ko-"

"Good night. Thanks."

Shutting the door behind her, Kotori tasted the foul, bitterness of vomit still lingering on her tongue. She knew her breath would be hell tomorrow, as well as her taste buds, but she had no choice right now, the insistent throbbing of her temples making it hard.

Had stressed really accumulated that much for her?

With hazy eyes, she managed to find her bed, lie down somewhat, before giving in to the darkness and passing out.

She couldn't think anymore.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

She was at work when Umi had called. Very worried.

In turn, it made Honoka also very worried, wondering what the problem was since Umi rarely called during work hours unless it was an absolute emergency that required top priority.

"Hello?"

"Kotori. I want answers from you both."

Honoka was now very confused, and very concerned.

"What about Kotori? Why? Is she back?" She questioned, that slight need hinted in her voice. Kotori back was both good and bad news, the latter, Honoka didn't understand the reasons behind.

"She's back and… I'm wondering…"

"What?" Honoka felt that something was wrong. "Is she sick? Do you need me to visit? Can I see her?" The ginger didn't care for ther reasons behind her negativity anymore. She was now thrown into frenzied work to finish as fast as she could now so that she could address her worries. "Can I come over? I'll be right there. I'm getting out of work early so can you let me in? You're at her house, I know, she wouldn't go to yours if she just came home. I'm heading over?"

"Can you?"

What an odd question. Honoka thought this, but Umi's voice and words weren't really all that positive, almost as if she was angry at Honoka, or confused, or something else entirely.

"I don't think Kotori wants to see you."

And Honoka felt so horrible with those simple words, suddenly wondering why.

Why did they feel the same way?

Because she had to admit a part of her feared seeing the designer now. And if she were given choices, ashamedly, she's choose not to cross paths with Kotori yet in fear of not being ready.

But ready for what, exactly?

"Honoka."

"Yes?" She dropped all she was doing as she hung her coat on her arm, and grabbed her bag, ready to go tell her secretary she had urgent things to attend to. With how Umi was, she knew there was only one thing about to happen.

She guessed right, speaking the same words at the same time.

"We need to talk."

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Umi shut her phone.

She knew Honoka understood and soon they'd meet at the usual place they would to speak about problems, ever since Kotori had left.

Honoka would leave her office with no hesitation, drive her personal car, no need for her driver, possibly ignore traffic laws accidentally along the way, and they'd talk. As they always did.

The only difference this time, was that Umi felt this was a different problem altogether. And she wanted to understand all of it.

Why did Honoka and Kotori drift apart? Somehow, they did not want to meet each other. Umi could feel Honoka's conflict through the phone so she knew some answers would be given.

With a nod to Kotori's mother who had now sat beside Kotori on the bed, nursing her as she had a slight fever, Umi exited the room, taking her jacket and keys.

There was something wrong and she knew from a long time.

They would be having a talk.

Something eight years overdue.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Honoka drove fast as she could, legally as she could.

Umi wanted to talk. And against common belief, Honoka was now smarter than ever, she knew what it was.

However, she had no idea what to answer.

She cursed, hitting the brakes hard as she accidentally bit her tongue spotting that red light glow and a car swerved away in fear as it crossed in front of her, honking.

She let the countdown of the stop light help her collect her thoughts as she tried slowing her heart and the run of the car as best she could as it started up again.

Kotori.

It had been so long now, and to the confirmation of her fears, they did not want to see each other. It was like some unspoken agreement when they ceased communication. Like they should not try anything to get closer after so easily letting go.

And again, Honoka was puzzled.

What did she let go of? What did they give up? Why was she regretting things? Why did she want, and at the same time, not want to meet Kotori? Why was she worried, yet horribly relieved?

Why did she know, and not know at the same time?

All these thoughts, and some kind of emotion she had a hard time labeling were beginning to resurface as Honoka found herself parked in front of a very familiar building.

She locked her car and donned her coat, suddenly feeling a rush of cool air as she heard the chimes of the school bell signaling the end of the school day, end of club time, just a little around five o'clock.

She spotted a familiar silhouette waiting by the door, arms crossed. Honoka approached almost nervously, but carried herself with a experience-developed confidence-

… which shattered as she neared her best friend.

"We have things to discuss, as you know." Umi spoke, and Honoka showed her physical agreement, her head bobbing up and down. "And I take it, you've realized we've discussed this, but not in depth?"

Now Honoka was sure they were on the same page.

"This talk is eight years overdue." Honoka would finally be admitting it. What they would talk about. Umi beckoned her, gesturing with her head for them to proceed inside as rain clouds formed and they tread the empty hallways that echoed each word.

"Let's talk about yours, and Kotori's feelings."

'Your eight-year Rotting Love.'

A/N: What… was that… That was not supposed to happen. I wanted this to be fluff… Am I Stupid or something? Welp, there's still the continuation… Hope you enjoyed, Miyuki? Despite the… unexpected darkness?

~Shintori Khazumi