Are you okay?
“Are you okay Nonon?” Nonon looked up to the person who asked the question, Satsuki Kiryuin, ex-student class president of Honnouji Academy and current CEO of REVOCS, also Nonon’s closest friend. They were sitting across from one another at a coffee shop like they did every friday of the week. It was a good way for them to catch up about things that happened throughout the week. It became a routine very quickly, Nonon would always arrive ten minutes before Satsuki and would order their drinks. Nonon would always get a caramel macchiato, and Satsuki would get a green tea. It wasn’t anything like Soroi’s tea that Satsuki had grown used to over the years, but it worked for the two women’s little get-togethers. Knowing that it had been a few seconds since the question was asked and that if she didn’t answer it would only prompt more questions, so Nonon quickly thought of a response. “Yeah, I’m fine, just thinking about things” It was only partially a lie, Nonon was thinking, but not about any things, she was too busy thinking about the woman sitting across from her to be thinking about anything else. It had been so long since she made the promise to always hold Satsuki’s hand (Nonon had kept that promise to the best of her ability, but there were plenty of times when she couldn’t), but her promise as childhood friends had developed into something deeper as they got older, or it did for Nonon at least, she couldn’t quite put a word on her feeling for her closest friend, but it certainly felt like what she had heard love felt like.
“I’m having a hard time believing that Nonon, you clearly had a troubled look on your face, and it started almost immediately after I told you I was going to try and enter the dating world” The statement cut straight through Nonon’s thoughts and brought her back into the real world. Satsuki knew her too well, normally this fact would bring a smile to Nonon’s face, but not now because right now it made it harder for her to keep certain emotions from being noticed. “I guess I just didn't expect to be included in such a… personal part of your life, at least, not until it had gotten a little serious between you and whoever you decided to date” Nonon explained with a small sigh at the end. She didn’t want to think about Satsuki with anyone. It hurt too much.
“Well, I'm telling you because….. I have a date tonight, and I admittedly need your help picking out an outfit, I don’t know much about how to dress ‘casual’ as I've been told to dress” Satsuki explained with some hesitation. Which was a little weird but not all that surprising to Nonon. Satsuki was always having trouble admitting she needed help with anything. Nonon was, however at a loss for words, It was going to be hard enough keeping her emotions in check whenever Satsuki would bring up her dating experiences from now on. But now she was being asked to help her closest friend, the target of her affections, with picking the right outfit for a date with someone else. What was she going to do though, tell Satsuki no, to try and come up with a lame excuse and just leave, no, she couldn’t, Nonon may not like the fact that Satsuki was going to date someone other than her, but it wouldn’t be right for her to abandon her friend for something as silly as jealousy. So Nonon donned a smile and looked Satsuki in the eyes with as much happiness she could muster “Of course Satsuki, anything for you, what time should I drop by?” The question was said with hopefully enough enthusiasm to show she was willing to help but not too much so that it was obvious she was faking. Satsuki studied Nonon’s face for a few seconds before looking down at her cup. “Well around three would be great, I don’t know how long it will take us to get me ready, and the date is at seven, is that a good time?” Satsuki actually had a hint of nervousness in her voice, it wouldn’t have been noticed by anyone other than those who knew Satsuki very well, but it was there, Nonon decided against asking why Satsuki was nervous at the moment, thinking it was probably just Satsuki still having trouble asking for help.
“Of course Satsuki, I might be a little early, or a little late, depends on traffic really” Nonon stood up and grabbed her cup “Well if that's all you’ll be needing Satsuki, I need to head home and take a shower, today was stressful, as i’ve told you already, and the hot water should help relieve some tension, plus if i’m going to be helping you to dress casual, I need to show you an example” The statement was true, so it flowed out of Nonon’s lips easily, but she also needed to get out of the coffee shop before her mental damn broke and she couldn’t hold her emotions in anymore. “No, and don’t worry too much about being punctual, A few minutes won’t make too much of a difference when I've planned us four hours to get me ready,” Satsuki explained with a wave of her hand. “Alright, well i’ll see you then Satsuki” Nonon quickly said before she turned and walked out of the coffee shop to her car. Once in her car, Nonon laid her head against her steering wheel and let out a shaky breath. “This is not going to be easy, but… if she's happy, that should be enough…. Right?” But if that was true, Why did Nonon feel like such crap.