Tsukasa stared in something boarding on confused horror; Yuki looked quite surprised; Konata, though, had the most disturbing expression by far; a smug, content look.
“Oh, you want to know about dating sims, Kagamin?” She asked, her voice smooth and knowing, with the affectionate lilt that anyone else would take for arrogance.
Blood flooded into Kagami’s face as her cheeks turned the exact color of a ripe tomato.
For moment nothing but sputtering could escaped a very beet-red Kagami, but eventually she managed to speak in whole sentences.
“It- it’s not that I want to know about them… I just don’t get why you like them so much…”
Konata, however, didn’t seem convinced, though luckily for Kagami, Tsukasa and Miyuki seemed to accept this explanation and turned back to their lunches.
“Well, if you really want to know, come over today and I’ll show you.”
Konata’s words were laced with something subtle, a certain invitation that involved more than simple show and tell.
Kagami gulped nervously, but knew that come dismissal, she would be right along Konata as the blue-haired girl made her way home.
----
Waving bye to Tsukasa at the school gate was odd for Kagami; when you spent most of your waking moments with someone else, it was strange not to have them there.
However, her mild discomfort was soon forgotten as she enjoyed her train ride with Konata, and the short, adorable girl’s full attention. If there was any opportunity, though, it was largely wasted; unsure of what to say, as seemed to be the norm when Kagami was alone with Konata, the time passed in silence from Kagami and was used as nap time for Konata. A mere five minutes into the 45 minute train ride, and it was clear Konata was fast asleep. Though she felt a bit putout, Kagami couldn’t manage to be mad at her; no matter how hard, that was always the case. No matter what Konata did to get Kagami riled up it was always from embarrassment, embarrassment that she got a secret thrill when Konata fanned up her skirt with her book, was actually wanting Konata to touch her in that moment and when she unexpectedly got what she wanted, Kagami was so surprised and scared that she might seem to like it that she fled from Konata. If anyone suspected her feelings for Konata… but no, there was no way. Even she herself had only realized it recently. Surely, no one else could have seen it? Konata didn’t suspect, did she…? Konata… Konata…
Kagami stared at her, fascinated; how could she sleep in such a noisy, unfamiliar place?
She looks so peaceful though… gosh, she’s really cute when she’s asleep…
So absorbed by this newfound and adorable aspect of Konata, Kagami nearly jumped out of her skin when, due to a particularly hard bump, Konata’s head came to rest lightly on her shoulder. After the reaction to recoil in fear had passed, and her heart had returned to a pace that didn’t threaten to cause it to explode, Kagami realized how this position; Konata leaning lightly against her, the other girl’s head resting comfortably on Kagami’s shoulder. It felt… natural. Without thought or conscious decision, Kagami’s arm moved of its own accord to encircle Konata’s waist. Several seconds passed before Kagami realized what she’d done and her eyes widened in surprised at her own boldness.
Frantically, her eyes swept the train car, but it was nearly empty, and the other 5 passengers had their own business to mind. With no onlookers, and Konata fast asleep, Kagami nervously and somewhat guilty, kept Konata snug in her embrace. The time passed with only the constant clack of the tracks to break the silence, the other passengers absorbed in their own little worlds. 15 minutes from Konata’s stop, however, Kagami hit a snag; Konata rolled in her sleep. It was just one little movement, but that was all that was required to turn the questionable position of Kagami’s ‘friendly’ embrace into one that was more than ‘friendly’; with Konata’s shift, and Kagami own subsequent, unconscious movement to keep the blue-haired girl from falling off the seat, Konata’s head now rested a fraction of an inch above Kagami’s right breast. Kagami’s arm also, somehow, ended up with Kagami’s fingertips up Konata’s shirt, resting lightly against the silken texture of Konata’s porcelain skin. With the situation so changed, Kagami didn’t know what to do. It felt so right for Konata be against her like this, but how was she going to explain this?!
Unable to decide what to do, Kagami opted for inaction, hoping that she’d think up something suitably convincing when the time came. Until then she could just enjoy this. It was Kagami’s guilty pleasure to enjoy all the little things that passed between her and Konata; the little brushes when one or the other sat down, the familiar hanging on, the sort of thing that happened between close friends…
It was just too bad for Kagami that being ‘close friends’ wasn’t exactly what she wanted to be with Konata. What she wanted to be to Konata, she wasn’t entirely sure, but she knew exactly what Konata was to her: everything.
Even though Kagami had no experience with the emotion, had hardly given it a second thought before she’d realized that she felt that way about Konata, Kagami knew what she felt for Konata: Love.
Kagami was in love with Konata.
Wincing at the thought, Kagami pulled herself back into the present, forcibly stopping herself from dwelling on it too much; it wasn’t going to help anything by getting all riled about it.
The train slowed, Kagami barely noticing it until prompted by her unconscious that if she wanted to go to Konata’s home, this was the stop they had to get off at.
Gulping down the lump on ther throat and relying on her tsundere character, Kagami leaned down.
Oh Kami-sama… I can’t believe I’m doing this…
“Konata… hey, Konata, wake up…”
At least, those were the words she was going to say, but somewhere along the way she had forgotten how to speak. Perhaps it had been when she smelled the intoxicating scent of Konata’s shampoo mixing with her own natural scent. Perhaps it was the utterly peaceful and content expression upon Konata’s impossibly adorable face. Perhaps it was when Kagami’s eyes had wandered and discovered that from this angle she could see down Konata’s shirt. Said eyes were still glued to same place they were earlier, answering the question.
A pale pink camisole… it suits her…
Blood rushed into Kagami’s face as she realized she was appreciating Konata’s underwear and, more specifically, how the other girl’s bust filled it in an adorable manner; Konata may have had a small chest, but Kagami found it at once both unbearably adorable and unquestioningly sexy. Gulping again, her heart beating so loudly Kagami wonder how everyone else didn’t hear it, leaned down further, determinedly keeping her eyes on Konata’s face. So focused was she, in fact, that her lips actually brushed Konata’s ear before she realized how close she was. But there wasn’t time to crawl into a corner and die from embarrassment, and another feeling Kagami refused to name, now; the train was seconds from the station.
“Ko-ko-Konata… Wake up…”
The words came out in a feather-soft stutter.
A moment passed, and the train slowed to a stop. One person got up and stood by the door as the bell sounded, reminding all to be careful of opening and closing doors.
Determined to try again, Kagami took a steadying breath.
“Ko-“
Konata turned her head, looking directly up at Kagami.
Their lips brushed lightly.
Kagami was frozen in place by a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, not the least of which was elation.
OH MY GOD I JUST KISSED KONATA!!!
Elation, however was quickly followed by terror.
What if she thinks I was trying something sneaky like kissing her in her sleep?! She would hate me…
Konata blearily blinked her eyes, clearly disoriented. Her sleepiness, however, quickly passed.
“Oh hi Kagamin.”
And she smiled.
Kagami was flooded with relief, the sensation so great she was grateful to be sitting or else, she suspected, she might have fainted. Without the slightest hint of discomfort, Konata sat up straight again, rolled her shoulders to get a quick stretch, and looked out the window at the metal and concrete pillars that rushed past with increasing speed.
She turned to Kagami who was still to busy being relieved to notice much.
“Um, Kagamin… we missed our stop.”
(. . . Part 2 . . .)
he most embarrassing part wasn’t that they missed the stop; it wasn’t that they sat in silence the whole way back, Konata humming quietly to herself. No, the most embarrassing part of it was that Kagami kept replaying the accidental kiss in her mind over and over, her face turning redder and redder with each repeat. It wasn’t that she particularly wanted to remember it (though she had to admit that it wasn’t unpleasant by any means), it was that each time she dwelt on it, she was sure Konata should be mad at her.
So why isn’t she? I freaking kissed her in her sleep… more or less.
Kagami’ subconscious once again decided to relive the moment: Warm, chocolate-scented breath. Bottomless, half-closed emerald eyes. Pale, silken lips against her own.
The unmatched and undeniable flush of heat that spread through her for a split second.
The memory of that feeling, that rush of, of… whatever it was, that was what made Kagami’s face flush; what made her breathing deepen and come in short, ragged gasps. It was that feeling that made her want to kiss Konata again.
Glancing over at Konata, and her blissful ignorance of Kagami’s rampant thoughts, Kagami decided that this feeling was dangerous; it made her want to do rash, reckless things. Like touch her. Hold her. Kiss her and-
No more thinking! Kagami mentally yelled at herself
It was bad enough that she’d kissed Konata; it was another thing to think such… such inappropriate thoughts about her friend. It… it wasn’t right. It was something sneaky, or dishonest, to think these things about Konata; the girl was so innocent. It felt like she was being some kind of pervert.
Kagami glanced at Konata again, her gaze drawn like a magnet.
Expecting to only see Konata’s profile, Kagami nearly yelped when all she could see were those emerald green eyes that she adored so much.
Konata’s face was mere inches from her own, so close Kagami could feel Konata’s breath on her.
It was warm, and a bit fast. It smelled like chocolate cornet.
Konata stared intently at her, unblinking. Kagami stared back, afraid to move at all, even blink.
“Kagamin…” Konata began, her voice slow.
Kagami gulped nervously, wondering- ok, praying, that Konata was about to say she’d liked the accidental kiss. Praying Konata was going to ask if they could do it again.
“… your face sure is red. Are you catching a cold?” The blue-haired girl finished anti-climatically. Kagami was dumbfounded for a second, but disbelief quickly turned to a want to yell at Konata for being so dense.
This too, however, passed swiftly; Kagami found that simply the sight of Konata dissipated her anger… and her embarrassment… and her frustration… and, basically, made her feel nothing but endearment and affection for the short girl.
“It-it’s n-n-nothing…” Kagami choked out, very conscious of how close they were; it would take hardly any movement at all for Kagami steal another kiss.
Konata stayed close for a few silent seconds, then drew away and plopped back down.
Several seconds passed before Kagami realized that Konata was not right in front of her anymore, and was in fact not even looking at her, rather was gazing straight across the isle and out the opposite window.
Kagami felt both relief and disappointment; if Konata had asked to kiss her, Kagami honestly had no idea what she would have said. She wanted to say yes, because she really did want to have Konata kiss her; why, she wasn’t sure; if just felt right to her. After all, that’s what people in love did, right? Like on TV and stuff…
But, could she really do that? Just outright kiss Konata? The thought both terrified and excited her. Was she really ready for that; either herself or Konata?
Lost in her worry, Kagami was completely preoccupied with these despondent thoughts, her mind running in circles with unanswerable questions and groundless worries. Embroiled in her thoughts, it seemed like mere minutes and they were back at their stop, having completed the whole circuit. Kagami absently followed Konata off the train, out of the station, and down the street, dutifully staying by Konata’s side without fail even though she was as distracted as she was.
So distracted in fact, it wasn’t until they were literally in Konata’s room before Kagami realized where she was. Berating herself, she dragged her attention into the present, hating and ashamed that she wasn’t paying attention to Konata; it was rare they had time alone with each other, and rarer still that Kagami was alone with Konata in her room, with no distractions. She should be enjoying this, dammit, not stressing out about a relationship that couldn’t possibly happen… wasn’t even sure she wanted.
Suddenly finding herself in this private place, Kagami grew nervous; it was the first time she had had the opportunity to be alone with Konata since she realized… exactly how she felt. It was like everything was different, changed somehow. She felt like she was being watched, that her every move was being carefully dissected and analyzed, looking for her to betray Konata’s trust in her.
Looking around, Kagami found herself alone on Konata’s bed, with only the anime posters and PVC figures to keep her company. Kagami refused to degenerate into a vaguely panicked worry again, like she had on the train, so she occupied herself with staring at the PVC figures and posters. Surprisingly, she found herself approving of most of them, even though there was a lot of Haruhi stuff (she’d never understood that show very well…).
Kagami’s gaze wandered, tracked over the walls, then snapped back to a poster that seized her attention mercilessly. It was tacked up in the corner, a small 10x14 poster. It was a cheap little thing commonly sold at the smaller conventions, but it was the content that attracted her; two girls, one with long white hair and the other with short-ish pink hair, under a tree in cute, almost Gothic Lolita, uniforms. The taller, white-haired girl had the pink-haired girl’s chin cupped gently, pulling her up with heart-breaking tenderness, their lips hardly any distance apart.
Kagami stared. And stared. Blinked once, then stared some more.
Her mind struggled vainly to wrap itself about the enormity of the situation. Konata had an anime poster. Of lesbians. In her room. On her wall.
The door opened and Konata came in carrying two glasses and a bottle of cola.
“Sorry for the wait Kagamin.”
Kagami whipped around to face Konata, her eyes still wide and her cheeks flushed, feeling embarrassed for staring at the innocuous poster.
“Oh, um, it’s no problem…” Kagami stuttered out, a bit frazzled by what seemed like a close call. Had Konata noticed her staring at that particular poster? If she had, what would she think? Would Kagami be found out?
“So Kagamin, you wanted to know about dating sims, huh?” Konata asked, suddenly breaking into Kagami’s wandering thoughts.
“Uh uh uh, yeah… I don’t get it at all; what’s the deal? It’s a bunch of pics of… erm…”
Kagami tried to go on but found she was too embarrassed to go any further, just thinking the words “hentai” made her face sear like a fireball.
Luckily for the thread of conversation, Konata had no such misgivings.
“Dating sims are a lot more than hentai pics, Kagamin!” Konata exclaimed a tone torn between amusement at Kagami’s embarrassment, and a soft kind of exasperation; really, it was so hard to explain things to non-otaku.
Kagami gave her the most puzzled expression in the history of puzzled expressions. Having never played, or even seen, a dating sim before and only having rumors to go on, Kagami had simply assumed that all dating sims consisted of was a waek plot designed solely to show off the characters, erm… doing ‘it’…
Seeing a long road ahead of her, Konata dragged Kagami over to her computer and flicked the monitor on, the computer itself already on and ready to go (little did Kagami know that Konata kept her computer on almost 24/7; one never knew when the opportunity to hop on her MMO and level up would present itself).
Double clicking a discretely placed icon, then tiptoeing over and closing her door, Konata began her lesson on dating sims.
Needless to say, Kagami learned a lot.
Then again, she had an excellent teacher. Konata lead the way through Fate/Stay Night, explaining the story and plot as they went, showing Kagami once and for all that dating sims were far more than ecchi pictures.
As the final scene of the “Fate” scenario drew to a close, Kagami actually found herself holding back tears; the ending was so wonderful, and moving.
Sniffling, Kagami managed to say “That was great, Konata.”
Konata only smiled at Kagami, then mischievously glanced at the monitor.
“You know Kagamin, there are two other endings…”
The hopeful look on Kagami’s face told Konata exactly what to do.
Reloading a save at the first crossroads point, Konata started the “Heaven’s Feel” path.
