After some wandering and a few strategic questions, Yumi managed to locate Touko on the school stage, working on the set for the latest drama club production. The doors opened with a loud creak, causing Yumi to wince as they announced her presence. Touko looked up from her work, curls bouncing and wearing a smile which slowly faded as she acknowledged Yumi's presence. "Yumi-sama," Touko greeted coolly. Sighing quietly and knowing she should have expected as much, Yumi mustered up her courage and offered Touko her brightest smile. "I've come to speak with Touko-chan about some very important matters," revealed Yumi, bouncing back and forth on her heels and looking up at Touko who stood above her on the stage. "Important matters require an audience, I see," remarked Touko, nodding her head. "Ehh?" Yumi made a noise of pure confusion and followed Touko's gaze which was focused on a fairly significant crowd of students staring at them from the entrance to the stage area. She wearily noted most of them were the ones she had stopped to ask questions about Touko's whereabouts. Turning back she noticed that Touko was packing up her things and she called out anxiously, "Touko-chan…" "If you want us to have an audience when we speak then we must get closer to them, Yumi-sama," said Touko, regarding the other students with a clinical gaze. Shifting her book bag from one hand to the other, her curls bounced as she walked and her lips curled up in a smile that held no happiness. "They can't hear us from that distance. And you must prove how much you love your cute and charming Touko-chan, isn't that so?" "No," said Yumi firmly and Touko's smile grew a little more twisted, causing Yumi to reflect on her words. Shaking her head fiercely, she looked at Touko who stood in front of her wearing a face of blatant disinterest. "I want to speak to you alone. I didn't mean for them to follow me. But I just wanted to find you as quickly as I could so I began asking whoever I could find where you were." Touko's eyes were lidded in thought then she said quietly, "Why is that, Yumi-sama?" "Not here, I want to speak to you in private," Yumi replied. Hesitating a moment, she reached out and took Touko's hand in her own, looking forward as she did. Unable to see the look of surprise Touko wore at this. Yumi calmly led them through the crowd of students then stopped to face them. Her expression was kind but resolute as she said, "Thank you for helping me find Touko-chan but please don't follow us." Then she turned and walked away with Touko at her side, ignoring the calls that met her words. After a minute or so, she peeked over her shoulder and gave a sigh of relief on seeing they had no one following them and the crowd of students was dispersing. It was then that Touko snapped out of her temporary daze and shook her hand free of Yumi's grasp who frowned at this. A light blush covering her features, Touko said stiffly, "I'm perfectly capable of following you on my own, Yumi-sama. You don't need to hold my hand to guide me." "I know," Yumi said, her gaze warm and welcoming. Debating it for a moment and deciding it was worth the possibility of another rejection, Yumi gently took Touko's hand in her own again. "But I want to hold Touko-chan's hand." Turning on her heel, she swallowed hard and waited for Touko to pull her hand away again. Only it never came and Yumi could swear she felt the slightest hint of a squeeze. Not hard and harsh but tender and full of care. Sighing happily, Yumi led them to the area surrounding Lillian Academy and towards a small grove she had discovered in her first year. Not only was it beautiful and peaceful, it was wonderfully isolated. Yumi stood in the center circle which was absent of trees and the sunlit poured down on her features, highlighting her anxiety as she faced Touko. Instinctively reaching for the girl's other hands, she stared down at them as she said, "I shouldn't have spoken to Mami-san. That article was an invasion of your privacy." "Then why did you do it?" demanded Touko, her voice strangely low and even. Lifting her eyes, Yumi gave a wan smile. "I wanted to prove to Touko-chan how much I wanted her as my petite soeur. Although," Yumi released a nervous laugh. "I now think I did a poor job of it." "Yumi-sama," whispered Touko. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head then gazed at the older girl with a disbelieving stare. "Why would did you think an article would accomplish that?" "I thought that it would be like shouting the words out to the entire school," Yumi confessed, keeping her eyes fixed on her hands that continued to hold Touko's. Her fingers lightly caressed the softness of the other girl's skin and she found herself entranced by the sensation. Shrugging her shoulders lamely, Yumi continued, "I'd be telling everyone how I've chosen Touko-chan as my petite soeur and it would prove to you how proud I was of that." Reluctantly tugging her hands from Touko's, she formed a melancholy smile. "I understand now that I was forcing my feelings onto you and that wasn't fair. Just because I want you as my petite soeur doesn't mean you will ever feel the same way." Touko started to speak but Yumi stepped forward, gently pressing her index finger against yielding lips. "Let me finish." When Touko nodded silently, Yumi smiled again then continued, "That doesn't mean I'm giving up. I mean it when I say I want Touko-chan for my petite soeur. But I'm going to try and not bother you too much with my pursuits. And," Yumi closed her eyes and seemed to be steeling herself for something terrible. "All you need to do is tell me to stop trying and I promise I will." Silence. The rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, the loud beating of her heart but no words came from Touko and Yumi felt the tears begin to fall before she could help herself. She pulled her hands away from Touko to angrily wipe them away but was stopped by a firm grip around her wrist. Blinking in confusion, Yumi didn't dare to move as Touko reached out and wiped the tears away with the pads of her thumbs. A wry smile graced her features and her hair bounced as she tilted her head to one side. "Yumi-sama is a delicate creature, isn't she?" Touko remarked, gently teasing. "Touko-chan?" Yumi breathed, hope shining through. Lightly tracing her thumbs down until they fell away from the older girl's skin, Touko murmured, "Do as you like. I won't stop Yumi-sama from enjoying her pursuits." "Touko-chan!" Yumi's released a cry of happiness as she swept the other girl up in her arms. Several moments passed and Touko was rigid in Yumi's embrace but eventually something relaxed in her and she loosely returned the hug. Yumi tucked her head into the crook of the younger girl's neck and gave a laugh of pure joy, unable to believe this was truly happening. When the warmth of her breath struck Touko's skin, she noticed the visible shiver it caused and with it, Yumi realized as much as Touko might protest when she showed physical affection she did enjoy it. She had to go slowly though, she couldn't scare Touko off again. Knowing this, Yumi pulled back and smiled sweetly at the other girl. "Thank you for giving me a chance," said Yumi earnestly. Reddening a bit, Touko scowled. "I'm just letting Yumi-sama do as she likes," she protested. "Maybe," Yumi conceded, bending down to pick up their book bags which they dropped on the grass. She peered up at Touko and offered a playful grin. "But I'm thankful for anything that has to do with Touko-chan." Touko stiffly took her bag from Yumi and whirled around to face away from the older girl. A few seconds passed then she stuck her hand backwards in an awkward offering. "We'll be late for class," Touko stated, the tips of her ears turning pink. Smiling widely at this, Yumi eagerly took Touko's hand and followed her back to the school. She was well aware this would cause more gossip and curiosity and she simply didn't care because the only thing that mattered was Touko. That and the fact Touko hadn't outright rejected Yumi as her grande soeur. Something that made this a very good day indeed.
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