Chapter 3
It was Friday, and Kaori was doing one last double check of her items she needed to take, stuff like swimsuits, spare clothes, pajamas, hygiene equipment, and so on. While struggling to decide between tight denim jeans or more baggy pants, she accidentally knocks a folder over and some paper spills out all on the floor.
Kaori: "A-ah!" she leans over to pick it up again, as it contains some of her work for her astrology club, as well as some other drawings that she just did for fun.
As she's picking up the last few, she notices a picture she forgot she even had. It's a picture of Miss Sakaki on the beach, laying in her bikini. Immediately, as if a lesbian switch was triggered in her brain, she starts to blush.
Kaori: "I-I forgot all about what i missed out on last time, but this time I'm gonna get to be there!" she suddenly gets a look of fiery passion, possibly rivalry in her eye. "And this time, it wont be tomo cuddled up to her! It'll be me! Me, I tell you!"
Kaori's mom: "What's going on, are you alright up there?"
Kaori: "Eep-! Uhh, uhh, e-everything's a-ok mom! Just making sure i have everything!" she quickly tucks the picture in her pocket and turns back to the suitcase, finally deciding on the tight jeans. "Well, I think im ready, and usually the best way to tell is from learning mistakes!"
As she carries the smaller than average suitcase down the stairs, she does a quick time check as well. 10am, right on schedule. She has a quick breakfast that her mom cooked up for her, says her goodbyes for the weekend and embarks to meet with the two idiots as well as Osaka and Yomi so they can all go to Chiyo's together.
Yomi: "Ah, there she is. Hi, Kaorin!"
Kaori: "Hi guys, I didnt really know what was necessary to take so i just packed a bunch of stuff"
Yomi: "I dont blame ya, I hate not knowing what to pack, it's just safer when you prepare for all of the possibilities"
Kagura: "So, is that everyone?"
Osaka: "Lemme see..... One, two, three, four.... We're missin' three!"
Yomi: "Sakaki is at Chiyo's, Chiyo is... At Chiyo's... And did you seriously forget to count yourself??"
As they walk the route towards chiyo's, and Osaka tries to justify how her brain works, Kaori starts to wonder to herself. How is she gonna get Sakaki to realise she has a crush on her? Does she even want to make her realise, or is it easier that she doesn't know so things dont get awkward for the two? After all, the absolute worst scenario here would be Sakaki not wanting to talk to her or feeling worse around her, she'd take a blunt rejection over that any day. As they arrive at the house's gate, she can already feel her heart pumping, a bit like if Sakaki was right there. The nervousness doesn't loosen upon the gate opening either, as it slowly reveals Sakaki sitting against a tree, petting mr tadakichi. She immediately flushes red and before tomo can even introduce her, she's standing opposite from her. It takes a couple seconds of silent admiration before Kaori can even think of what to say.
Kaori: "H-hehe..."
Sakaki: "Uh..."
Kaori: "..." she bows somewhat formally "I-I hope we will get along on this trip!"
Sakaki: "Uh-huh.."
Kaori: Without thinking, she accidentally blurts out "E-even though i am not worthy!" luckily Sakaki responds with about the same as the first time.
Chiyo: "Miss Kaorin! I'm so glad you could come this time! I felt super bad about how you couldn't come the first time, so it'll be a really nice addition with you here!" she turns to look at kagura, who seems to be admiring some flowers she doesn't know the names of. "And you too, Miss Kagura, since you weren't here for the first."
Tomo: she immediately raises her loud, boisterous voice "Kyahaha! I was here for the first one, which I guess means I'm in the lead so far! You two better start catchin' up!"
As unaffected Kaori was by the total non-insult, Kagura immediately tensed up as if she had just accepted a challenge, with the forfeit being death. As usual, though. She remains fixated on one person, Sakaki. To her, it's like she's the only one present, and even she is just a simple observer of that life. Sometimes though, Sakaki will directly talk to her without prompting, which immediately crushes any hope of confidence or composure, and religates her to just blushing and the occasional answer back in the hopes she keeps talking to her. Fortunately, it seems like Sakaki quite enjoys the relationship they share, even if it means only one talks while the other listens. She gradually starts to look more down. What if she's actually just taking pity on her, due to her constant failure to be confident towards or even around her? What if she's just pretending to like her and their talks? What if everything she thinks of her is negative, or just about her being annoying. After maybe half a minute, she snaps back to reality- uh, her own version of reality anyway, and shakes her head softly.
Kaori: 'S-surely there's no need to panic, right...? After all, Miss Sakaki seems to at least enjoy the company Kaori brings, but after all this staring I'd be surprised if she even wants to sit next to me in the car ride...'
Sakaki: "Hey, are you ok?" she looks up at her and speaks in a bit of a worried tone
Kaori: "Ah- Yeah, just- Um- Wondering about the trip, yknow? I've never been, so I'm just curious as to what'll be there."
Seemingly off in their own world, this is probably the longest she's EVER talked to Sakaki without totally losing it. Unfortunately for Kaori, the preparation of the ride to the summer house cuts their conversion short, as they have to decide who rides with Nyamo, and who risks dying.