The whistling of the winds as it carried waves after waves of water along the horizon of the sea settled her wild burning heart. Each wave of the water that hits the shore of the isle gives her a new sense of relaxation as the wind blew again carrying long blue hair up the wind.
Yuyu stared at her hand and the ring on her hand as she stood on top of a mountain hill looking at the calming horizon of the morning sea near the training grounds.
“It must have a been a while since I last had this much time to myself… I must admit it is both refreshing and lonely at the same time.” Yuyu smiled wryly as she continued to watch the horizon whilst the sunrise peeking from in between the line. “Today is quite the nice weather and I…”
She placed a hand to her heart as she listened to its uneven and nervous beat. “…feel a storm brewing right here.” She watched the sun rise from behind the horizon as the rays shone on her whole being. “…Warm and bright… just like Riri.” She smiled to herself as she lightly clutched her chest and wished that this unsettling feeling would just go to rest.
Riri opened the door to their Legion Room and awkwardly looked around the room before resting her eyes onto Fumi, Shenlin, and Yujia who were equally staring at her.
“Riri-san? Is something the matter?” Fumi asked with a headtilt while she carried in her arms a set of papers and books which Riri assumed was for their next class which was battle strategies. It has been a year since their legion was established, and those who were once first years have now become second years.
“Ehehe… I want to say ‘It’s nothing…’ but I haven’t seen Onee-sama since this morning so I’ve been looking for her…” Riri stared at the floor then sighed. “I thought maybe she was just busy this morning but I’ve already found and asked Mai-sama but she said she didn’t go to class too…”
“Since Yuyu-sama has already finished taking some of her classes when she was a first year, it was not odd for her to already not be in classes.” Shenlin put a hand on her chin. “I’m sure you have already checked the old school building and the cemetery as well?”
Riri nodded with a sigh.
“Speaking of odd… I don’t think I’ve seen Kaede around yet too.” Yujia looked around as well.
“Ah… Now that you’ve mentioned it…!” Riri lit up at the possibility that maybe they were together… but would Yuyu and Kaede truly go somewhere together?
“Kaede-san temporarily went home today because of an errand for her family but I’m not sure about anything else beyond that, Riri-san…” Fumi frowned.
“It’s okay, Fumi-chan. I’ll continue searching for Onee-sama until classes, okay? See you guys!” Riri waved her hand as she excited their Legion room and checked her phone once again. “Onee-sama… Where are you?”
That day, everyone had only seen Yuyu at around evening near the dorm’s curfew. She was normal, her usual self, aside for one fact. It was their first time seeing each other that day, but all Yuyu had to say to her Schild was “Good work today, Riri. I’m a little tired so I’ll be resting up, okay?” and gave her a pat on the head before disappearing into her room.
It felt weird to continue and ask her where she had been, and the fact that it continued for a few days has kept the whole legion unsettled.
Riri sighed as she walked towards her next class still worried and unsure of where her Onee-sama had been going.
“I don’t think I’ve seen Yuyu-sama at school lately.” A few girls voices piqued Riri’s interest.
“So maybe this time we can make friends with Riri-sama!”
“Or if possible, ask her if she can be my Schutzengel!”
“As expected, it’s easier to try and attempt to approach Riri-sama when Yuyu-sama’s overwhelming presence isn’t around her…”
Riri could not help but approach the three girls chatting near the large tree around the school, the very same one Tazusa and Mai frequented for cats. “Um…?”
“Riririririririri-sama!” One of the three girls quickly stood as the three lf them immediately noticed her. “Good day.”
“Good day.” Riri smiled at them. “Have you seen my Onee–um, Yuyu-sama?”
“We didn’t!” All three of them answered in perfect unison. Riri smiled at them and excused herself.
“Whoa! Riri-sama…” The three first years who has fallen for the charms of the Hitotsuyanagi-tai’s leader continued to flail over her charming sides.
Riri returned to their legion room late in the afternoon with everyone but Yuyu in it. She took this opportunity to ask Kaede if she had seen Yuyu, to which she answered she had been away since morning.
“I think… I’ll take a look around again!” Riri ran for the door and almost collided into it as it opened. “O- Onee-sama!”
“Riri? What’s with the rush?” Yuyu looked at the surprised pink-haired girl.
“Onee-sama! I’ve been looking for you!” Riri threw her arms around Yuyu as it was met with a warm hug. “I haven’t seen you all day, and you didn’t tell anyone where you went…”
Yuyu looked at everyone, her eyes landing on Tazusa who only looked back at her. “I had an urgent mission given to me by Moyu, I’m sorry I didn’t have time to let everyone know where I had been.”
“I’m glad you’re okay…” Riri sighed as she hugged Yuyu tighter.
“I’m sorry for worrying you, Riri.” Yuyu patted her head. Soon thereafter Yuyu excused herself to rest.
“Miriam-san is something wrong?” Fumi looked at Miriam who seemed to be in deep thought for a while now.
“I was together with Moyu-sama the whole day, so I was wondering about what Yuyu-sama said.” Miriam scratched her head. “Of course I’m not saying that Yuyu-sama lied or anything! I wonder if Moyu-sama had invented new communicative devices.”
They had engrossed into the discussion as they tried to come up with what it could have been, and Miriam promised to ask Moyu about it.
Mai looked at Tazusa, who stared at the doors of their room, then to Kaede who was calmly sipping her tea without saying anything.
For that day, Riri was just happy to finally have found Yuyu, but then the same behavior continued the day after, then the day after that, and then it continued on for a whole week.
“I wonder where Onee-sama has been going the past few days…” Riri sighed as she bit off a small corner of the cookie in her hand. “She seems to just be so urgently busy lately, usually she would let me know where she would be going…”
“But haven’t you been busy yourself recently too, Riri-san!?” Fumi turned to her excitedly. “You’ve got fans from the first years! And you seem to get along them very well!”
“Ehehe~ I just happen to run into them often.” Riri scratched her head. “I still don’t think I’ve gotten a step closer to an exemplary Lily like Onee-sama, but I hope I could set an example for them.”
Everyone nodded in agreement as they became silent. Riri then suddenly stood up.
“I’ll go and look for Onee-sa–“
“Don’t you have anything to say, Kaede? Tazusa?” Mai suddenly spoke up in a stern voice. “Usually, this is the part where I scold Yuyu where she has been to, leaving her Schild alone… but I think you two may have an idea of what’s going on, maybe?”
“Mai-sama…” Kaede turned to Mai. It was true that Kaede seemed more calm and unprying the past few days. Normally she’d be all over Riri when Yuyu wasn’t there, but she hadn’t done that in a while. “That’s true. Maybe what I know may have had a something about Yuyu-sama’s behavior.”
Riri walked up to Kaede. “Can you please tell me? Kaede-san.”
Kaede turned to look at her bright and shining pleading face and she knew she was a goner. “When I said I had to go on an errand, that was true. I went out almost the same time as Yuyu-sama. However, before I made it to the gates, we ran into a group of first years who mentioned that they think that Hitotsuyanagi Riri-sama is unapproachable because Shirai Yuyu-sama always chased away the people who tried to get close to her.” She drank some of her tea as a pause. “Yuyu-sama asked me if that was true… and I may, or may not have agreed with the first years.”
Miriam sighed. “I know that you probably meant it as one of your usual jokes, I guess it may have sounded a bit differently to Yuyu-sama this time.”
“She just smiled at me and said ‘I see. You would say that.’ and took it in a stride as she usually did, so I didn’t really think too much about it.” Kaede turned to Riri. “I’m sorry, Riri-san. It didn’t seem like something was wrong then…”
Riri only smiled at her and held both of Kaede’s hands. “Thank you for telling me, Kaede-san.”
“How about you, Tazusa?” Mai asked as she placed an arm around Tazusa’s shoulders.
“…I saw her went up the mountain. She told me to keep it a secret so I did.” Tazusa answered nonchalantly. “I also didn’t ask. It didn’t seem like my place.”
Riri also smiled at her warmly. “Thank you, Tazusa-chan. I guess it’s my turn now.”
Tazusa explained the mountain. It was the ones near the training grounds that most people usually doesn’t go to. Although it is still within school grounds, it was too high up that teachers always scolds everyone to be careful hiking up the location.
Riri thought about why Yuyu hiked up these mountains. All these days was she always here? It did not even occur to her to try and find her here… but once she’s reached the peak… she couldn’t believe that she was actually there. Her long blue hair flying with the wind.
If it wasn’t such an odd situation, it could have been a romantic location. The weather was great, and the view of the sea was also amazing. However, Riri went here to receive answers.
“Onee-sama.”
Without any sort of surprise, Yuyu turned to look at her with a wry smile. “Riri.” She returned her gaze to the horizon. “Did Tazusa-san tell you?”
“…Mm. Onee-sama… Can I go over there?” Riri clasped onto her hands as she nervously awaited Yuyu’s answer.
“Of course.” Yuyu answered in her usual gentle tone and Riri immediately paced forward. Stopping short behind Yuyu in a sign of respect. “Stand next to me, Riri.”
“Y- Yes, Onee-sama.” Riri took a few more steps forward and faced Yuyu. “Onee-sama?”
“I would guess Kaede-san has spoken too?” Yuyu turned to face Riri. She continued to look at the ground as she spoke.
“Yes…”
“I see. I expected no less of Hitotsuyanagi-tai’s leader.” Yuyu lifted her chin up as she stared into Riri’s eyes. “You’re a second year now, soon, you would be soughted by first years to be their own Onee-sama. It pained me to hear that I may be the cause of you being unable to get along with them. So I spent the past few days reflecting here.” She returned her gaze to the horizon again.
A lot of students came to this spot of the training grounds, but none of them knew the higher spot which was hidden behind larger rocks. There was a perfect shading from a large tree, and it had the perfect view of the hills and the sea.
Riri didn’t say anything as she waited. Yuyu turned to look at her, “It seemed like you still wanted to say something else so… I was waiting.”
“I’ll be graduating soon. It pained me here.” Yuyu motioned for her heart. “That I may not be able to spend the rest of our remaining year, together. I suppose it would only be proper if I had apolo–“
“Onee-sama. I will stop you right there.” Riri held onto both of her hands as she pulled her closer. “I went to this school to become a Lily just like you Onee-sama, a year has passed and I don’t think I’m an inch closer and–that is not the point! I want to spend my time with you, Onee-sama.”
Yuyu had opened her mouth to say something but hesitated.
“It also pains me here,” Riri motioned for her heart, “To see that look on your face, Onee-sama. It’s been my early freshman years since I last saw it. Onee-sama, I will never leave your side, I promised, didn’t I?”
“I know, but–“
“I know that maybe one of these days I’ll find a new student that would pique my interests, but in my heart, there’s only one Onee-sama, and I would like to spend the rest of my life with her!” Riri squeezed her hands tighter as she looked at Yuyu with those determined eyes… similar to the ones she had every time she saved her. “How was that!?”
Yuyu smiled at her as she wiped away the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. “…Are you proposing to me, Hitotsuyanagi Riri?”
Riri blinked as the words that came out of her mouth just echoed inside her empty brain.”EH!?” Yuyu laughed at Riri’s panic. “I can’t say it’s not what I meant because I meant it so yes!!!”
“You really are…” Yuyu sighed as she squeezed back Riri’s hands. She turned to face the horizon. “…What am I doing, seriously?”
“I- I’ll be waiting for your answer!” Riri let go of Yuyu’s hands as she stood up in an awkward salute.
“What are you talking about?” Yuyu took a peek at her face before turning away. “You’ve known my answer all this time, haven’t you?”
Riri blinked as she noticed the brewing redness from Yuyu’s ears and neck. She rushed forward as she tried to peek at Yuyu’s blazing face but she kept on dodging away each of her peeks. She stopped chasing after her and only stood next to her like a dejected puppy.
“…Thank you, Riri.” Yuyu turned to her and patted her head.
“Onee-sama.” Riri turned to look around and faced Yuyu again. “…May I kiss you?”
“K- Kiss?”
“It’s been a week since I’ve last had my Onee-sama… and let’s consider it as a renewal of our vows! Please?” Riri clasped her hands in front of her and looked at her with that thrown away puppy face.
“Ugh… All right…”
They held hands as they kissed, with only the nature’s eyes a witness to the union of their new promise. A renewal of their bond, together.
Afterwards, they returned to the legion room and Yuyu had apologized for causing trouble the past week. Kaede is annoyed (see: happy) that their legion is back to their usual. Tazusa apologized to Yuyu for being unable to keep her promise, but Yuyu made sure to let her know that she was grateful instead and she understood.
Riri started approaching her ‘fans’ and introducing to them how amazing her Onee-sama is, and somewhere in the freshmen is a “Yuri Club” that Fumi is eyeing carefully.
Yujia considered finding a schild but the sound of a guncocking not far away from her let her know that it was probably not a good idea.
Maybe Kaede can find someone named Futatsuyanagi Riri so she can lay off her hands from Riri, likely is a wish Yuyu had in her head.
(END)
