School Rumble: Two Romances
Story One: Wedding Bells For Yakumo
Sarah was walking beside her best friend, Yakumo to school. “They loved the wedding photos that we shot!” She giggled. “Not to mention, the beautiful bride…”
Yakumo blushed. “Well, you picked the dress and helped me with the makeup…” She responded in her usual quiet tone.
Sarah shooke her head and replied with a smile. “Yes, but dresses and makeup only enhance beauty.” She enjoyed watching Yakumo blush deeper. “By the way, they want to see more photos. Would you mind doing some more?”
Yakumo looked nervous. “Who’s going to be the groom?”
“Akira again.” Sarah said, while wrapping her arms around one of Yakumo’s. The girl let out a sigh of relief.
----
After school, they met Akira to make preparations. Akira spoke up. “You said you that you’d like a turn to be in the pictures with Yakumo... How about you be the bride and Yakumo the groom?” Both girls blushed. Then, they looked at each other and nodded.
----
Yakumo shifted nervously in her tuxedo at the alter, waiting for Sarah to arrive. Akira was going to be walking her down the aisle, while Yakumo snapped a picture. As the doors open, her breath caught and her heart froze. Sarah, in her bridal gown, was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. The blonde was surrounded by an aura of sheer joy. Her anxiety kicked up a notch. She almost forgot to take the picture, but a part of her mind wanted her to preserve this moment forever.
Sarah giggled as she stopped next to her friend, noticing the look of awe on the gentle girl’s face. Yakumo limply let Akira take the camera and take her position as the minister.
The vows were a blur as Yakumo stared into Sarah’s blue eyes. There was even a candle ceremony and a pair of rings. Sarah’s heart fluttered as her best friend placed a golden ring on her finger repeating the vows. She enjoyed the blush on her friend’s face as she placed a duplicate ring on her finger.
Then came the apex of the ceremony. “You may now kiss the bride…” Akira announced with her normal, flat tone. They failed to notice the gleam in her eye as she prepared to take another picture.
Yakumo tenderly lifted the veil and slowly kissed her friend. To her surprise, Sarah responded with enthusiasm and the kiss deepened.
Suddenly, Sarah broke away. “I can’t be doing this; I’m training to serve the church!”
She took a step back and prepared to run, but her friend’s voice stopped her.
“But what if I need you more?”
Sarah blushed and felt a pain in her heart. “Give me a little bit of time to think. This is a big decision for me. I’ll be back here in a little while, okay?” She walked out the door as Yakumo settled into a pew. Akira settled beside her, comforting her.
----
Sarah, still wearing the bridal gown, sat on a bench in front of the school. “God? What should I do? Does this mean that the church no longer has a calling for me?” In her mind, she saw herself in her habit. Then, it disappeared. Her mind produced an image of Yakumo and her serving dinner in a soup kitchen, taking care of various children, and visiting sick people. “Maybe I can do both.”
----
It had been almost two hours. Yakumo was nervous, still sorting through her anxieties. ‘Do I love her like that?’ She thought about spending her life with Sarah and she didn’t feel as confused about her feelings anymore. She hoped that Sarah would be able to be return her affections.
“Yakumo…” A timid voice spoke. She turned to see Sarah standing in the doorway, tears in her eyes. She stood up, waiting for bad news.
“Sarah?” She asked worriedly. The girl in question ran up the aisle into Yakumo’s arms.
“I can love you and still serve God.” Sarah said, with a smile. Yakumo tenderly wiped tears away. Her gentleness was something the blond loved about the other girl. “I never asked how you feel…”
The other girl cut in: “I love you too, Sarah. I don’t want to face life without you.” They kissed again.
Akira spoke up. “So are we going to make this legal?” She held up a clipboard with a document and pen.
“What do you mean?” Sarah asked confused.
“I’m legally able to perform weddings since yesterday.” She answered. “The rings are real.”
Yakumo looked at the form. “Don’t we need two witnesses?”
“We have them.” Akira indicated a smiling Mikoto and Ichijou, the wrestler. An unconcious Hanai was lying on the floor with blood pouring out his nose.
“I’ll sign.” Mikoto said with a smile.
“Me too.” Ichijou said blushing.
“Do you want to go through with this, Yakumo? This is a pretty serious decision.” Sarah asked.
“It may not be easy at first, but I know I love you and meant those vows. Will you be my wife?”
“Yes!” Sarah declared, wrapping her arms around Yakumo again. They kissed before signing the document.
----
“Tenma!” Yakumo called out to her home.
“Hi, little sister! Hi, Sarah!” Tenma eagerly replied. “What took you so long? I was getting hungry.” She complained good naturely.
“We got married…” Yakumo started hesitantly. The dense sister looked at her sister holding hands with her best friend and noticed a pair of gleaming rings.
“What?! Who are those guys who talked you into it! I can’t believe the nerve of them!” She proceeded to rant about evil men while her twin pigtails thrashed about wildly.
Yakumo leaned closer to whisper to Sarah. “She doesn’t get it.”
Sarah sighed and turned to her new sister-in-law. “Tenma!” The girl stopped, when she noticed Sarah and Yakumo kissing. Then, she fainted. This would be a great start for the new happily extended family.
End Story One (Notes at end)
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Story Two: The Art of Love
“Itoko-sempai, would you mind…?” Youko asked with her calm smile.
“…posing for you again? Sure.” The dark, elegant beauty finished with a small smile. “Am I going to be nude again?” Youko nodded, while blushing, which was surprising to Itoko considering how many times the art teacher had seen her unclad form. “So when should I show up?”
“About 6 today, in the art room…” The brunette shyly replied.
“See you then…” Itoko said, with a smirk. ‘Perhaps it’s time.’ She thought as she left the faculty office.
----
The young artist gracefully moved her brush over the canvas, as she spared a glance at her lovely model who was holding a sheet to her front. “This is going to be a wonderful piece.”
“You think so?” Itoko asked. It was unusual for her old friend to sound so confident about an unfinished painting.
“Yes.” Youko said, with a smile on her face. “You’re free to move now.” She paused before giving a lasting glance at the woman. “You’re so beautiful.”
To the other woman’s immense surprise, she stood up and let the sheet fall to the floor. The dark-haired woman walked closer to the other woman to lean in and whisper. “You know you’re the only one to see me like this…”
“But that would mean you haven't…” Youko looked confused. Itoko nodded. “Why? For me?” Another nod. The brunette began to stutter.
“I was waiting for when we were older and independent. I think we shouldn’t have to wait any longer…” Then, Itoko dipped in and kissed her friend fully on the lips.
Even through her confusion and surprise, Youko managed to return the kiss with all her heart. She stood up and wrapped her arms around Itoko’s neck and leaned her head on the taller woman’s bare shoulder. “I’ve loved you for so long.” She said before sobbing.
“I know. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to endanger your future before you were discovered. Now, we’ve both got stable careers.” She caressed the other woman’s head lovingly, waiting for the tears to stop. Then, she drew her up into a kiss. Before it could get too heated, Itoko pulled back to whisper. “Let’s finish this at my place. I want to show you the last bed you’ll ever sleep in.”
----
When Harima returned from a manga convention the next day, he met the new member of his family with some surprise. He also bought a pair of high quality earmuffs, so he could sleep at night.
End Story Two
Notes Story One: No marriage is not legal in Japan. Akira probably could not have gotten a minister’s license either, but it’s fanfiction, so… Whee!! (runs circle around couch)
Notes Story Two: I have no in-depth knowledge of the two women’s pasts. Forgive me for romancing them a bit more. I think they would look really cute (or gorgeous) together.
I don’t know how many readers I’ll actually get with this one, since shoujo-ai is rare in this area. Here’s hoping I did the wonderfully, crazy series some justice.
Review, if you will. Thanks! (no death threats will be accepted)