The wind blew as Chisato and Takina stood by the railing of a park atop a hill. It stood over the majority of the area, and the bright morning sun shone on down on them while they used this spot to watch over the city.
“Takina.” Chisato leaned her stomach onto the railing and stressed her arms above her head. “What do you want to do tomorrow?”
Takina watched her in confusion. “…Tomorrow?”
“Mm!” Chisato turned to face her, her elbow onto the railing as she motioned a hand gun towards Takina’s way. “It’s your birthday isn’t it? August 2nd.”
Takina blinked once, twice… before her mouth made an ‘o’ in realization. “You’re right… ” She started thinking about it, thumb under her chin and all. “It’s not like I was actually born that day. It’s the day I came to the DA–“
“Don’t sweat the details! Come on, tell Chisato Onee-san what you want for your birthday~” Chisato grinned at her.
“Hm…” Takina placed a finger under her chin as she thought about it.
Chisato raised an eyebrow as she watched Takina. “Go on, go on~ Well, if you don’t want to celebrate, I totally understand. There aren’t many who celebrates them in the DA after all. We’re all just disposable firepower and all that…” She looked towards the city. “But!” She clapped her hands together and stretched them up again. “We always celebrate what we can celebrate in Cafe LycoReco! So give Chisato-Onee-san your orders for your birthday, come on, come on~”
Takina looked at her, her eyes serious. “…Would you help me with my move?”
“Eh?” Chisato looked at her confused. Showing her her most confused expression in her life ever.
“…The manager told me that, like you, I should also get my own house. Since the cafe is closed tomorrow, I thought I’d get it done tomorrow… but with this…” Takina looked down at her bandaged leg. “I was thinking of doing it slowly, with building the furniture and such by using the whole day.”
“Ahhh. Well then, you’re in for a surprise!” Chisato grinned at her widely. “I’m an expert furniture builder, so we’ll get it done in the morning, and then head to the cafe to celebrate your birthday with everyone!”
“…Okay, maybe Chisato-Onee-san overestimated this particular table…” Chisato looked intently at the manual to building a dining table. “I was so sure this part had to go there, but it says A-screw goes into this hole, but it should be the front, and this one is the back, but…?”
“…Chisato. Should we take a break?” Takina stood up to go to her new home’s fridge that she recently (see, 10 minutes ago) stocked with a few bottles of water and tea. “I’ll get some tea.”
“No-no-no-no. You, sit down. Me, tea.” Chisato dropped the manual somewhere on the couch and pushed Takina back down the couch and dashed for the fridge that wasn’t too far from them.
Takina moved into a house unit similar looking to Chisato’s own, but in another side of the area near the cafe. It had a comforting living room next to the house’s entrance where you could see the dining room and living room immediately. Further into the house was the bathroom, the main room, a guest room, and a closet. It seems that it was Sensei who helped Takina find and rent the place so it was really spacious and not too expensive.
“Chisato, I can at least walk around, and do little things, you know?” Takina sighed as she watched Chisato move about the kitchen, getting glasses, pouring tea. She complained about it, but she sat in her spot obediently. She sighed again when Chisato just murmured things she couldn’t understand at her, something about it’s fine, and not moving meant healing faster, and the like. Turning to her side, she saw the dining table’s manual and looked at it.
“Here’s your tea milady~” Chisato settled the two glasses of cold tea on the coaster on top of the small living room table. “Hey, hey, hey~ You can’t be doing that~ Hm?” She immediately went around to the other side and sat next to Takina.
“Chisato, I think this part goes into this part.” Takina pointed at the screw next to them, and then at the other leg. “Look here, this diagram says that the leg should be that one, and connected here.”
“Ohhhh! Takina, you’re so smart!” Chisato immediately grabbed the screwdriver and started putting together from Takina’s directions.
“I’d like to continue helping this way, Chisato.” Takina smiled at her.
“Okay then. Order me as you see fit, Captain Takina!” Chisato saluted her before going back to making the dining table.
With Takina’s top-notch orders, and Chisato’s speed, skill, and energy, they were finally able to finish building the dining table that was good for four people. It was to Takina’s surprise that Chisato was even able to lift the table and reposition it… She wanted to ask about it, but maybe she’ll just reserve to ask it elsewhere… When she remembers to do so.
“Alright! All done! Mmghhh!” Chisato stretched her arms and placed her fists on her waist, proud of her handy work. “It’s already this time?! What do you want to do for lunch, Taki…na…?”
Chisato slowly walked towards the couch and crouched in front of it. Takina laid down on the couch, both her legs curled on the couch, her head on one of the pillows with both her hands under the pillow.
“Takina? Takina-san~ Are you sleeping?” Chisato peered into Takina’s face but she was peacefully sleeping, her chest rising up and down in a steady rhythm. “Well, I guess she might’ve been tired.” She looked around them. Tons of boxes, plastic foam, and other things were scattered on the floor. “…Guess I’ll clean up then.”
Takina opened her eyes and found herself in a dark room. She looked around for a source of light and followed a direction that seemed to emit even just a sliver of light. She ran after it and as she got nearer and nearer, she found a familiar silhouette. It was warm like the sun, and it was comfortingly bright.
“Chisato!”
The silhouette turned to look at her, with its bright smile. “It’s cool, right? It doesn’t beat at all.”
Takina ran towards the silhouette, her hands stretched out to reach for it. She was so close, she closed her hand to touch her and it immediately disappeared from her hands.
“It doesn’t beat at all.”
“Takina…? Takinaaaaa. You’re kind of like a cat.”
“…And you’re kind of like a dog, Chisato.” Takina slowly opened her eyes as her own were met with curious amber colored ones staring right at her. “That was really random, what is it?”
“I’m done cleaning and all that, made all the ruckus I could and you were still sleeping… Like a cat.” Chisato put a finger under her chin. “Well, it seemed like you were having a nightmare. As expected of a top-notch lycoris from the DA. You don’t flinch even during a nightmare.”
Takina swallowed and her throat was dry. She definitely was having a nightmare. The cold sweat on her hands and back were clear indicators of a nightmare. She sat up from her position and closed her eyes for a while before opening it. “It wasn’t much.”
Chisato only looked at her for a while before standing up and stretching her back and arms. “If you say so.” She smiled at her and turned around towards the kitchen but felt a tug at her shirt. “Yeah?”
Takina blinked at what she just had done and quickly let go. “Ah, no, nothing…”
“Weird Takina.” Chisato headed for the fridge to get a cool glass of water but she felt a presence behind her. “…Takina?”
“…Don’t mind me.” Takina looked away and continued following Chisato for a while.
When Chisato picked up the cartons of boxes and put them away somewhere to be taken out on box day, Takina was just nearby watching her. When she put out the bags filled with plastic, she was still right near her watching her every move. As she swept the floor, or washed her hands, or went back to the fridge for some water, she was there.
Chisato walked towards the center of the living room. “Taki–” Before she could spin around and face her, she felt slender arms wrap around her waist, and a warm body press onto her back. “…Takina?”
“…Please let me be like this for a while.” Takina closed her eyes as she buried her face onto Chisato’s hair and neck.
“…Okay.” Chisato put her arms down her sides as she met Takina’s weight with her own to let her know it was okay to lean on her. “…You can start talking anytime you want. I’ll be here.”
It went on for a while. There was nothing aside for their breathing, or the occasional car, bicycle, motorbike passing by the nearby road. Time passed by slowly… until Chisato felt those arms around her stomach tighten.
“I had a short dream that you were there, but then you suddenly disappeared.” Takina started, her cheeks still pressed onto Chisato’s back, unsettled by the fact that her heart wasn’t beating, but she was this warm. “You were warm, and bright, like how you always were… but then you just suddenly disappeared.”
“Mm…” Chisato responded in affirmation.
“…And then I was afraid. What if something happened, and then you wouldn’t wake up? I wouldn’t know. Because… I have no way to know.” Takina pushes her face and nose onto Chisato’s back. “For the very first time, I was afraid. I thought with being a lycoris, I was prepared to do everything for all my tasks. I got shot at, I was okay. I did feel pain, but I did not panic. However, now… I’m afraid.” Her voice hitched, the last few words almost in a whisper.
“Ahhh. No, no.” Chisato grabbed both of Takina’s wrists and released her from the hug. She immediately turned around to face her and peeked at her face. She wiped those tears suddenly falling from those amethyst orbs. “Why are you crying? Geez.” She wrapped her arms around Takina’s body letting her face rest onto her shoulders as she hugged her tightly one of her hands on the back of her head patting it softly.
“…After I had lost my place in the DA, I finally found it again, with you. What am I going to do if I suddenly lost you? How will I know? How would I…” Takina leaned her whole body onto Chisato’s as she wrapped her arms around her tightly. “Chisato… What do I do?”
“Sshh, sshh… There, there. Let’s calm down first, okay?” Chisato cradled Takina as she swung left and right rubbing her back with a hand up and down. “I’m here, I’m here.”
Takina closed her eyes as she fumbled her hands around Chisato’s back, clasping her clothes tightly as the uncontrollable tears fell from her eyes.
It took a while until Takina’s sobbing calmed, and Chisato finally could breathe a sigh of relief. It was well beyond her calculations to see Inoue Takina, the Inoue Takina, crying, and on her own birthday, too.
“You are the worst birthday planner, Nishikigi Chisato.” She gave Takina’s back a few more rubs before calling for her. “Takina?”
It seemed like she had fallen back to sleep again. Chisato clumsily tried to get her to a comfortable position, but her hands grasping her back were too tight, she had to settle for a weird sitting position on the couch. However, not for a while longer, Takina finally opened her eyes.
“Are you okay?” Chisato asked with a grin.
Takina’s cheeks flushed as she slowly let go of Chisato’s clothes and nodded. “Yes.”
“Okay.” Chisato nodded as they parted from their intense hug and sat side by side on the couch again. “…We’re lycoris. We don’t know what the future has for the two of us. I don’t want to be irresponsible and promise something that I can’t keep, but I have one thing I want to say.”
Takina nodded.
“I will never leave your side by choice.” Chisato smiled at her warmly. “I’ll be right here, because this is where I want to be. No one can take my choice for me. I decided it, and what I’ve decided is that I will be right here, for as long as you’re having me, of course.” She grinned.
“…Okay.” Takina nodded once again, followed by a sniff.
“Ah. For those times that I can’t be beside you, you know, like when you go home or something.” Chisato gave Takina’s hands a squeeze before standing up from the couch and rushing towards the kitchen. She crouched behind the counter and there were some sounds of crumpled plastic and paper alike.
“Chisato?”
Chisato’s head then popped up from behind the counter with a wide grin on her face, and a paper bag in her hands. “I bought this a few days ago, for your birthday.” She walked towards Takina and sat back down next to her. “Open it.”
Takina wiped her eyes with her hands first before taking the paper bag and taking out what was inside it. “A penguin?”
It was a small rounded penguin pillow. Takina stared at it and squeezed it.
“Yeah! You know, the last time we went to the aquarium, it seemed like you liked penguins, so I bought this one for you.” Chisato smiled. She scratched her cheek with a light blush on her cheeks. “…You can hug it, or do anything you want to it, when you know, I don’t know. When you miss me?”
Takina looked at the stuffed penguin’s face, and kissed it on the cheeks, before turning it around and letting it sit on her lap wrapping her arms around its small body.
“Ah~~” Chisato was about to complain in jealousy but only closed her mouth shut when she saw that warm smile on Takina’s face as she lovingly looked at the stuffed penguin.
“Thank you, Chisato.” Takina closed her eyes as she hugged the penguin.
Chisato pouted and wrapped her arms around Takina’s body. “…I am right here, though?”
Takina laughed as she nuzzled Chisato’s face with her head. “… Really, thank you, Chisato.”
“Happy Birthday, Takina.”
(Your Special Day/END)
Bonus
“I thought they were supposed to be here an hour ago.” Mika asked Mizuki and Kurumi who just shrugged at him. “I tried calling Chisato but she wasn’t responding.”
“Just let them be, they’re young.” Mizuki sighed as she chugged down a glass of sparkling wine. “Why aren’t you serving the alcohol, Mika!”
“The celebrant’s underaged, what are you expecting me to serve?”
“Bring alcohol for the adults!”
Mika only sighed.
(END)
