Bound by Fate

“Hmmm,” Harumi peaked her head out of the bedroom door. “Alright there’s no sight of her.”

She opened the door, allowing Matsuri to leave her room. “I still don’t see what’s the big deal.” The pink hair girl smirked as she exited.

“Hey Yuzucchi I’m sleeping with your little sister, cool? Cool.” Harumi said in a sarcastic tone. “Does that sound like a fun conversation??”

“We could just tell her we’re dating,” Matsuri shrugged.

“We aren’t,” Harumi replied.

“No? So I’m nothing more than a booty call to you?” Matsuri asked with a fake pout.

“Well no you’re....I mean we’re....,” Harumi blushed as she actually pondered over what they were.

“Hey big sister, I’m your roommates booty call,” Matsuri said sarcastically. “Does that sound better?”

“You’re not a booty call!” Harumi said defensively. “Now please get out of here before Yuzucchi wakes up.”

“Why? Don’t wanna admit I’m your girlfriend yet?” Matsuri smirked.

“If it’ll get you to leave than fine we’ll be girlfriends! Now please. Before Yuzucchi wakes up.” Harumi lightly lead Matsuri to the door and opened it.

“Not even gonna offer breakfast after our night together?” Matsuri smiled widely.

“You ate plenty last night,” Harumi sighed, hoping to get her out of the apartment.

“Yeah I did,” Matsuri devilishly smirked at Harumi and licked her lips.

“......,” Harumi blushed ferociously. “Well anyway I’ll call you later okay? Okay. Bye girlfriend.” She shoved Matsuri out of the apartment and closed the door.

“Bye girlfriend,” Matsuri said on the other side of the door loud enough for Harumi to hear. With that, the pink hair girl left triumphantly.

“Girlfriend,” Harumi chuckled with a roll of her eyes. Then it hit her. Girlfriend. She was , for the first time in her life, someone’s girlfriend. Plus it was the first girlfriend she had ever had.

“We’re dating....,” Harumi covered her hands in her face and blushed, smiling so wide it hurt.

She felt so happy right now, this feeling was unheard of before. The girl she’s crazy over is hers now. And she is Matsuris. Just saying it made her heart race happily.

~Yuzus Room~

“Mmm,” Mei groaned as she dreamt of the last time she felt true happiness. Her father had won custody and that meant Mei was gonna be with him rather than her mother. At least, that’s what Mei thought.

“Mei...lets leave,” Shou offered his young daughter.

“Please Don’t leave me....,” Mei cried as her dream went south. As soon as she pictured Shou leaving her eyes shot open.

Mei instantly felt an unbearable headache as a result of her hangover. “Jeez.. I guess I over did it.....?” She then noticed what or rather who she was holding.

It was a blonde woman Mei only vaguely remembered anything about. She remembered everything up to when she started drinking those really good drinks. If things were different, it wouldn’t have been that bad of a birthday.

It was then Mei looked around the unfamiliar room and sighed heavily. Even with the hangover it was fairly obvious what happened.

“Oh god!” Mei thought to herself, feeling ashamed and humiliated. Ignoring the resting beauty, Mei started getting out of the bed.

“Mm?” Yuzus’ eye winked open as she squeezed Mei, still not being awake.

“Let go.” Mei demanded and instantly felt her head hurt more. She made a mental note to get something for it when she left.

“Wh..wha...?” Yuzu blinked her eyes as she looked up at Mei, feeling more awake than before.

As she stared at Mei, it all came coming back to Yuzu who instantly shot out of bed. “M-Mei! I...uh...I mean...,” Yuzu panicked.

She couldn’t help but be embarrassed, Yuzu had never slept with anyone before. In both a sexual and non sexual way.

“I-I-i didn’t..we didn’t...you know??” Yuzu gestured towards them as Mei raised an eyebrow.

“I know how it may look but nothing happened I swear!” Yuzu said as Mei hissed and grabbed her forehead.

“Could you keep it down?!?” Mei sighed.

“D-do you need something for the hang over?” Yuzu asked.

“I....,” Mei sighed, “if you have something I’d appreciate it.” As far as Mei could tell she hadn’t had anything wrong with her outside the headache. She was fully clothed too so she did feel lenient towards believing the stranger.

“Y-yeah, come on I’ll make some breakfast too,” Yuzu offered as Mei got off the bed and checked her phone. She had revived various calls and texts form Himeko asking if she was safe and Mei simply responded once to confirm she was.

“Just something for the headache would be....,” Mei said before her rumbling stomach cut her off.

“Are you sure?” Yuzu smiled. “It’s the least I can do. After all I didn’t get you home last night.”

“But you....,” Mei started as a knock came from the door.

“Yo Yuzucchi! Ya wanna get breakfast?” Harumi asked.

Mei cringed at picturing telling Mitsuko Senpai the fact that she got drunk and went home with a stranger.

“Y-yeah Harumin I’ll be out in a minute,” Yuzu yelled as Mei grabbed her forehead in pain. “Right...sorry. Let’s get ya something for that.”

Yuzu had gestured towards the door and Mei sighed. Getting up, she followed the blonde into her former classmates apartment.

Truth be told, Mei wouldn’t have guessed it was Taniguchis apartment. Granted she didn’t know anything about her former classmate outside of her relation to Mitsuko.

There were magazines scattered in front of the TV. Some take out boxes that had piled up. It wasn’t too dirty outside of those 2 details.

But at the end of the day, it’s their apartment. Despite any misgivings about the condition of the apartment, Mei knew it made no real difference to her.

“Morning Yuzucchi. Morning Prez,” Harumi said casually as messaged Matsuri, oblivious to who all was here.

“Wait....,” Harumi lifted her gaze from her phone and locked eyes with Mei.

Even Mei could see the gears cranking in her mind before the brown haired girls’ eyes went wide. “Pre-I mean Ai-I mean Amamiya?!?!” She stammered.

Meis hand returned to her forehead as she sighed, both from pain and annoyance. “Taniguchi.”

“Y-y-you....,” Harumi pointed to Mei then to Yuzu. “Yuzucchi! We need to talk!” She dragged her friend into her room.

“Yuzucchi! You’re banging a married woman! You’re banging a woman?!? You’re banging!?!?” Harumi asked in disbelief. Despite leaving the room, they were so loud Mei heard everything.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mei thought to herself. She doubted anything happened, or more she hoped nothing did. One scandal from Mei and the last few years could go to waste.

“No! I’m not ‘banging’ anyone! A-and I’m straight by the way!”

“Then why are you blushing?!?” Harumi gasped.

Mei sighed as she looked through her phone. She had sent Himeko a text confirming her safety and was reading over emails.

She wanted to leave but she knew that, hypothetically, if Yuzu had looked after her like she did than she’s entitled to a thank you. Despite any personal opinions it’d just be rude to leave.

“I’m not!” Yuzu countered Harumi. The constant yelling had begun to really make Meis head pound more and more.

“Excuse me,” Mei knocked on the door. “I’ll be going now. Thank you for the hospitality.” She couldn’t handle the bickering with her headache on top of the fact she’s slightly humiliated.

“Hang on Harumi,” Yuzu said before she opened the door. “I’m sorry, if you want I’ll get to that break....,”

“I appreciate it but I’ll pass,” Mei answered honestly.

“Oh...okay.” Yuzu started. “There’s some good headache medicine on the counter if you want at least that much.”

“Thank you, take care Taniguchi.” Mei said to her former classmate.

“Y-yeah Ai-mamiya,” Harumi caught herself. “Take care.”

With that, Mei took her leave from the apartment, leaving Harumin free to question Yuzu. “So you’re into girls huh?”

“No! Nothing happened!” Yuzu defended. “All that happened was she fell asleep while..holding me....” she heard how it sounds.

Yuzu couldn’t help but remember how nice it felt to be held. The warm, calming feelings with Meis scent, probably her shampoo, was a surprisingly nice combination.

“You’re blushing...again,” Harumi gasped. “Also why was she holding you anyway??”

“She was drunk and I was tired that’s all!” Yuzu stuck her tongue out. “I’m gonna get breakfast.” She proceeded to leave, feeling a little annoyed.

“I’m not into girls....,” Yuzu thought. “She was warm though.....,”

She couldn’t help but also remember Meis cries of pain. “I hate him...my husband.” Just picturing it was enough to make a slightly annoyed mood go to a saddened one.

“Oh cmon!” Harumin hugged her friend after seeing her demeanor drop.“You know I’m just messing around. If you’re into girls or not it doesn’t matter to me.”

“I know,” Yuzu sighed. “It’s just...I..it’s...,” Yuzu barely whispered. She couldn’t forgive herself for letting Mei go without doing something. Didn’t help that she got distracted several times. The blonde doubted she could forget the pained cries and felt she should do something.

“Hey...,” Harumin started, wanting to know something important. “It’s fine you’re not into girls but like.. you don’t have a problem with it do you?”

“Huh?” Yuzu looked confused. “No..I don’t really have any problems with it. Why?”

“Oh I was just wondering,” Harumin felt a wave of relief. “So! Breakfast? My treat.” She smiled.

“Okay?” Yuzu chuckled as they started heading out. “Oh did Matsuri ever stop by?

“Nope! Im not seeing her...I mean I didn’t see her.” Harumi panicked as she put on her shoes and almost fell over.

“You even came back here just to let her in,” Yuzu sighed. “Sorry, she can be pretty inconsiderate.”

“She’s more caring than ya give her credit for,” Harumin thought as she thought about last night.

“No problem.” Harumin said flatly as they left for breakfast.

~Meis’ apartment~

“You’re home,” Sugou approached his wife with a smile. “How was your birthday?”

“I am. It was a pleasant experience,” Mei answered in her usual calm tone.

“That’s great but to be honest...,” he cupped Meis’ cheek. “I wish we could’ve celebrated together.”

Mei couldn’t tell if this nauseating feeling was from his attempt to be charming or from her hangover.

“I...,” Mei was cut off by her husband kissing her. As much as Mei hated it, she allowed their tongues to dance.

Fortunately, he’s probably tasting alcohol from the night before. Unfortunately, Mei was currently tasting what she assumed to be the taste of her husbands assitant.

They kissed until he felt satisfied and ended it, leaving a trail of saliva between them. “Don’t worry, we’ll celebrate later tonight.” He put his hands on Meis’ hips.

“Just the two of us though,” he whispered into her ear. Mei hated whenever he did that, it was the closest he ever got to actually turning her on. She mainly hated it because it worked, but she would never admit it.

“Alright,” Mei said flatly, “excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”

“Of course,” Sugou smiled and stepped aside for his wife. The moment Mei closed the bathroom door behind her, she slid down to the floor and grabbed her knees.

“Just....a little longer.” She thought to herself. At first Mei thought she could handle it, but as time went on that confidence faded. Every time they had sex or even kissed felt like a slow chip away at Meis sanity.

Now Mei questioned how long she can handle this, her only source of motivation is for her dad to return. That and the fact that if she were to give up now, the last few years and everything she put up with would’ve been for nothing.

“He’ll come back...”

“This’ll be worth it....”

“He will be back....,”

“He has to.....”

“Please