RECORDING
Chapter Three
The Games People Play
When Yui was in kindergarten her friend Reiji had been suspended for kissing her and offering to take her to Paris. They never spoke to each other again after that.
That wind-blown night Yui dreamed of that memory, only Reiji was replaced by Azusa. The details were fuzzy, and the brunette felt oddly distant from the scenario. But she was aware of their recklessness. They knew it was wrong, but they did it anyway. Ui entered the scene, presumably to bring the hammer down on them, when Yui jolted awake. For a moment she couldn't move her body. Then she rolled onto her side, her limbs trembling.
Azusa was right beside her. The kouhai was on her back, wide awake, staring out into space.
Yui blinked. Then she remembered that Ui had invited Azusa to stay the night. Groggily, the senpai extended her hand until it was touching Azusa's arm.
"Have you been awake this entire time?" she hummed.
Azusa snapped out of her reverie with a start. She turned her wide, surprised eyes over to Yui, then nodded. "I can't sleep."
"What's wrong?"
The kouhai looked back up at the ceiling and bit her lip. Yui inched closer, anxious to hear what was troubling Azusa so much. The dreamlike distant feeling still plagued the senpai's head and she fought to focus on her friend's pained face.
"I realized I have a dentist appointment coming up." Azusa could've kicked herself for saying that.
"Ahh, I hate going to the dentist!" Yui nodded. "Just ask her to put that numbing gel on your teeth. Then it won't hurt."
"Okay."
Though it was true Azusa had to go to the dentist in a few days, that wasn't what was keeping her awake.
"Yui-senpai," she blurted. "I-I'm sorry…"
Flummoxed, Yui propped herself up on her elbow. "Sorry about what?"
Azusa gazed sorrowfully at Yui, her chestnut-colored eyes swimming. "Sorry for yelling at you earlier today."
Yui's smile was so friendly and warm, it banished the mid-autumn chill. "It's okay. I don't mind Azu-nyan's yelling and God knows I deserve a good holler every now and then. Besides," she added, settling back down with her head nestled between the younger girl's shoulder and neck, "Azu-nyan is so kawaii when she's frustrated."
"Oi, oi, I don't get frustrated for the sake of service, Yui-senpai," Azusa frowned. Then she sighed, "But…I said I'd never marry you…I…I…didn't mean it…"
"I know."
The kouhai looked at Yui sharply. "You knew?"
"I like playing with Azu-nyan, and often she'll play the game with me," the senpai giggled.
Though Yui had accepted her apology, Azusa couldn't help but still feel dissatisfied.