“Is it really necessary to know all of this information?!”
Natsuki groaned in her head, leaning back on the rough bark of the tree trunk behind her as she placed the open book in her lap, “I mean, I can understand learning all of the Otome Laws, but to have to memorize the entire history of Windbloom and the customs of every country in relations with the U.N.? It’s already giving me a headache…”
Closing her eyes, the girl thought about the stack of books awaiting her back in her room on top of the few she had with her, which only caused her expression to sour further.
“…And this is only the first book…”
“A bit of light reading for Natsuki this afternoon, is it?”
Glancing over her shoulder, the younger girl watched as Shizuru walked up from behind, a small wicker basket in hand.
“It’s not my choice,” Natsuki commented, sitting up once again while closing the book and adding it to the small stack beside her on the white blanket.
“Oh?” the chestnut-haired woman questioned, kneeling down beside her friend as she begun to remove her prepared food from the basket.
“Oleander-sama is making me do it…and this isn’t even half of it.”
“Ara…What did Natsuki do to make her that angry?”
“I didn’t do anything. She says I have to know all of this if I’m going to take the position.”
“Position?”
“You don’t know?”
Pausing for the moment, Shizuru glanced up at her friend and simply shook her head.
“She wants me to take her place as Gakuenchou. But I’m surprised that she didn’t tell you—!“
Reaching out, the older woman grabbed Natsuki by the wrist, eyes locking.
“Oleander-sama wants you to be the next principal of Garderobe?!”
“That’s what I just said, didn’t I?” the raven-haired girl remarked, “Are you sure she didn’t tell you already? ‘Cause I think that’s something she would want to discuss with the other Columns...”
“She…hasn’t said a word…” Shizuru mumbled in a quiet, yet serious tone before switching over to pure excitement, “But Natsuki, that’s great news! Congrat—!”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
All steam lost, the ruby-eyed woman visibly jerked back as if she had run into a brick wall, “What?”
“Whether I want to take the position or not…I haven’t decided.”
“Why wouldn’t you? Becoming the number two Column and Gakuenchou is a great honor. Headmistress Oleander-sama must truly have great faith in you and your abilities.”
“I know that, but…”
“But…?”
“…It’s just so sudden…I want to thoroughly think it through before I make any decisions. Besides, there’s still a lot of preparations Oleander-sama wants to put me through before I could even think of taking over, so I do have the time.”
“I see,” was all Shizuru whispered, busing herself with distributing the well-prepared food onto the soft cotton fabric of the blanket beneath the women.
Natsuki skewed her brow in confusion, “’I see’? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“…You’re considering going back home, aren’t you?”
“It is the reason why I came here in the first place.”
“I know that,” the russet-eyed woman began, “but isn’t Vedel safe now? You said that the war was over…”
“There are a lot of other peaceful countries that still have Otome, do they not?” the other smartly countered.
Shizuru was silent for a moment, pushing the now empty basket to the side, and remained that way even as she handed Natsuki a sandwich wedge from one of the boxes.
“You will…at least consider it…won’t you…?” the inquiry, nearly inaudible, drifted to the dark-haired girls ears.
“Well, yeah, but…I don’t want to think about it right now. You’re leaving soon…I just want to spend some time with you before you have to leave.”
Finally, a smile reappeared on the older woman’s face, “Yes, and I with Natsuki.”
Pushing the serious conversation aside, the two friends ate the food that Shizuru had delicately prepared that morning and chatted about whatever came to mind, which included a lecture from the chestnut-haired beauty about “acquiring proper clothing to wear while living on campus” while she was away since Natsuki was still stuck with only her Vedelian uniform.
After mowing through the meal, especially the deliciously sweet dessert Shizuru had made, Natsuki happily patted her stomach.
“That was amazing. I’ve missed your cooking more than I realized, Shizuru.”
“Ookini.”
Stretching her arms high over her head, the emerald-eyed girl released an unrestrained yawn, and was slightly surprised when she felt a pair of warm hands on her shoulders, gently pulling her back. Consenting with the movement, Natsuki allowed her older friend to draw her back until she was completely lying down, head resting on the woman’s lap as a hand stroked her hair. Lazily, she closed her eyes.
“Tired?” the accented voice softly asked.
The girl simply made a low noise of confirmation from her throat to which Shizuru chuckled lightly.
A few quiet minutes passed, both women enjoying their peaceful togetherness, before Natsuki’s features wrinkled slightly in thought.
“Hey, Shizuru?”
“Hm?”
“Do you think…if I were to take the Headmistress’s place…Would I be able to handle that kind of responsibility?”
“I know that Natsuki could,” the Column answered without hesitation.
“But how are you so sure?”
“I believe in you.”
Green orbs crept open, and Natsuki turned to look up at her friend who was gazing down at her lovingly, or at least she was until suddenly her red eyes sharpened in deliberation.
“I…know it’s selfish of me, but…”
Sitting up, Natsuki curiously watched her friend who seemed to be internally battling her emotions with downcast eyes.
“Shizu—?”
“I want Natsuki to stay.”
Straightening in posture, the younger girl sat dumbfounded as her mouth gaped. Shizuru, brow now furrowed, kept her crimson gaze on the ground, and Natsuki was shocked to see the slightest tint of pink forming on the older woman’s cheeks.
The raven-haired girl bit down lightly on her lip before she started the movement. Her heart pounded faster and faster as she leaned in, swallowing the lump in her throat at the ever-growing closeness. Ruby orbs met emerald ones, but that still didn’t stop Natsuki, and with a slight tilt of her head, their lips touched.
The kiss was awkward, clumsy, since it was a first for the younger girl, but even so, it was meaningful…passionate.
Shizuru’s eyes widened at the unexpected contact, but they slowly drifted shut to match the other girl’s while, unconsciously, Natsuki’s rough fingertips reached up, grazing the jaw line of the woman and lingering there.
Finally parting, the two pulled back but still kept their faces inches apart, half-lidded eyes staring into one another for a time before Natsuki’s went wide with embarrassment and she quickly withdrew, turning the other way to avoid Shizuru’s reaction.
An awkward silence drifted over the friends, neither really knowing what to do or say, especially since they were both too stunned, embarrassed, and flushed to even look at each other, but then a sturdy voice in the distance rang out causing both women to turn towards the source.
What they saw was Miss Maria, scowling as always, and marching right towards them.
“Shizuru-san, it’s about time for you to leave. You do have all of your belongings packed, correct?”
“Y-Yes,” the Column stuttered, something unheard of from the Graceful Amethyst.
The older instructor eyed the two girls questionably, clearly sensing the strange tension in the air, “…Good. The limo is ready, so please, come along. Miss Kruger, could you please take care of cleaning this up?”
“M-Mmh,” Natsuki mumbled as Shizuru stood, both still refraining from eye contact.
Still turned away, Natsuki didn’t even watch as the two women walked off, only listening to the pair of soft retreating steps as she sighed apprehensively at the impulsive course of action she couldn't really believe she had just taken.
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