"Good work today, you guys!" Ibuki clapped her hands together, signaling the end of their practice session for the day. Noa and Towa immediately collapse to the floor, exhausted. "Finally done for the day...I can never have enough stamina for your lessons, Ibuki." Noa sighed. "Me too! I'm beat!" Towa chimed in. "Hehe, it looks like I'm going to have to work you two harder in order to keep up!" Ibuki replies playfully. "No wayyy!" Noa and Towa respond in unison.
"Phew..." Saki exhaled, standing a couple feet away from her fellow unit members also feeling quite tired from today's practice. "Good work, Saki.You alright?" Ibuki asked approaching Saki with a water bottle in hand, gesturing it towards her. Saki smiled softly as she accepted the bottle from Ibuki's hand. "Yes. Thank you, Ibuki-san." Ibuki smiled back at Saki, that special smile she always seemed to reserve for Saki only. The one that always gave Saki butterflies.
"Noaa, go grab our water bottles .." Towa groaned. "Why do I have to do it? You go get them!" Noa replied, her tone both annoyed and tired at the same time. "Because I have no energy to move my body anymoree." Towa whined, now sprawled out on the floor. "Oh, you two. I'll get them for you." Ibuki said with a laugh as she turned her head towards the pair still laying on the floor. "Get some rest now, Saki." Ibuki placed a hand on Saki's shoulder before walking past her into the locker room.
Saki nodded and watched her go, a slight blush staining her cheeks. She could definitely feel the butterflies in her stomach now. Lately, she's been acting so nervous around Ibuki sometimes. Every time she looked at her, and whenever she's in her presence. But that was only because–
"Saki-chan? What's up?"
Letting out a small gasp, Saki turned her head towards her other unit members. Towa was looking at her with her usual perky smile, while Noa had a suspiciously knowing expression on her face.
"Ah, it's nothing. I'm alright." Saki replied with a smile.
It was only because Saki had a huge crush on Ibuki, of course. She's been feeling this way about Ibuki for so long now. Ibuki is her favorite sound, her favorite color; and she loved being in her presence. Saki just wished she could tell Ibuki all that she felt for her.
Ibuki came walking back into the practice room with Noa and Towa's water bottles in hand, a big smile on her face. "I've just been told some exciting news!" she said brightly.
"Oooh! What is it, what is it?" Towa asked excitedly. "Our staff will be holding a Christmas party on Christmas Eve. They'll handle booking the hall, but we can help decorate!"
"Yayyy!! It's a good thing we have a free schedule right now! We can take this time to gather all the decorations for the party!" Towa cheered enthusiastically.
"Yeah! Do you think we could bring some treats too?" Noa questioned. "Everyone will be bringing food to share, so I think that's a great idea." Ibuki answered.
"Perfect, then it's decided! Towa and I will go and pick out some decorations, while you and Saki-chan make some yummy Christmas treats!" Noa declared with a satisfied smile on her face.
"Eh?" Saki, Ibuki, and Towa all said in unison. "No fair Noa! I wanted to make some delicious crepes and cookies!" Towa pouted, turning to Noa with a frown. "If you were in charge of making the treats, I can guarantee they would all turn out terribly. Trust me, I'm doing everyone a favor here." Noa replied as a matter-of-factly. "Ehhh?? Meanie!" Towa crossed her arms with a huff. "And besides, Saki-chan and Ibuki are much better at cooking than you are." Noa added.
"You're also good at baking! How come you're not gonna do it?" Towa pointed a finger at Noa, a judgy expression on her face. "Well, that's because...." Noa, hesitant, shot a glance at Ibuki and Saki, both waiting expectantly for Noa's answer. There's no way she could reveal her clever scheme; that would be no fun at all. "Because I think you'd be a big help in picking out decorations with me. You have a good eye for flashy things." Noa swiveled her head back to Towa. "Really? You really think so?" Towa was staring closely at Noa, eyebrows raised.
"I do agree with Noa on that." said Ibuki. "So do I." Saki said softly. Towa grinned, happy to be complimented by her unit members. "Ehehe! Then sure! I'll make sure to pick out the prettiest decorations for the party!" Towa pumped her fist in the air. "Yeah, yeah. I'll have to make sure you don't go overboard though." Noa said, shooting Towa her annoyed look she usually gave her when Towa was being...well, herself. A pouty frown appeared on Towa's face once more.
Saki and Ibuki watched the two of them discuss (and bicker about) when they will go shopping. Noa's spontaneous idea certainly caught the pair by surprise; Saki especially. What with her feelings for Ibuki and all, Saki was feeling a tiny bit nervous inside. Ibuki looked at Saki and noticed her nervous expression. "Saki." Ibuki whispered gently and placed a hand on Saki's back to grab her attention. Saki turned her head to look over at the taller girl, who was smiling sweetly at her. She could feel her cheeks slightly warming from Ibuki's gentle touch. "What do you say we make some Christmas treats together this weekend? I'm fine with doing it at either your place or mine."
A small smile appeared on Saki's face. She felt all her nerves melt away. How could she stay nervous when a smile from Ibuki was always enough to calm her down? "I'll come over to your house, Ibuki-san. I can bring some extra ingredients if you'd like." "That would be great, Saki. Thank you."
The two were smiling warmly at each other. Noa eyed them with a smug look on her face mixed with the expression she made whenever she saw something cute. "Hehehe...it's all going according to plan." "Noa? What's with that look on your face?" Towa said to Noa under her breath. She glanced at Saki and Ibuki, a quizzical eyebrow raised.
It seemed like things were going to get pretty interesting for Photon Maiden!
~
"Pardon the intrusion."
Saki entered the front door of Ibuki's house holding her bag of extra ingredients. "Come in, Saki. I've already cleaned up the kitchen for baking." Ibuki said. The two were in for a lot of baking today.
Stepping into the kitchen, Saki placed the bag on the counter and Ibuki handed her an apron. As she was putting it over her head, Ibuki stepped behind her. "Here, let me help you tie it." she said taking the strings of the apron in her hands. For just a moment, Saki could faintly catch Ibuki's scent: vanilla and pine. She could feel the close presence of Ibuki behind her and it was making her feel rather nervous, but it was that good kind of nervous mixed with a bit of excitement.
"There we go! Now, time to bake some cookies! You think we should throw in some crepes for Towa?" Ibuki began grabbing some bowls from one of the cabinets. "Hehe, I think she would be very surprised and happy to receive some." "Then let's do it! But first we'll deal with the cookies. We can make chocolate chip, and ones with frosting and sprinkles! Oh, and I have some cookie cutters we could use too!" Ibuki said as she turned around to rummage through another drawer.
Saki couldn't help but watch Ibuki with a smile. It was endearing to see Ibuki get so excited. She giggled contentedly. "Ibuki-san, you're very cute when you're excited."
Ibuki turned to face Saki, her face now a little red. Such a sight was even more cuter to witness! "Y-You think so? Maybe a little too excited?" Ibuki said with a nervous laugh. Saki immediately covered her mouth thinking she might've accidentally said something wrong. "No, of course not! It's something I really admire about you, Ibuki-san..." Saki's voice trailed off, her cheeks now flushing red suddenly feeling flustered herself. "Please don't hide your excitement." Saki continued despite feeling extremely embarrassed at that moment. It was silent for a moment but then Ibuki started laughing, her cheeks still tinged red. "Hehehe! Thank you Saki. You're very sweet as always." Ibuki smiled warmly. Her voice was soft. Gentle. The voice Saki adored so much to hear, always hearing it in her daydreams. It felt like she was going to burst right then and there.
"Now then! Shall we start baking some cookies?" Ibuki said, now reaching for her own apron. It had a cute cat pattern on it.
Saki still felt like she was in a daydream. One full of utter bliss. For the love she had for this girl was almost too much to bear.
"Yes!"
~
A few hours pass and the last batch of cookies are just about finished. As Ibuki was taking the last tray out, Saki was cleaning up the counters and packing the other cookies away into containers. The whole room smelled of warm chocolate and sugary sweetness.
Placing the tray down, Ibuki turned to Saki with a mischievous smile. "Do you wanna sneak two cookies for you and me? They're hot right now, so let's wait until they cool."
What an adorable smile...Ibuki-san, you really are so cute...
"Mhm! They look very delicious, Ibuki-san. We worked really hard today and...I truly enjoyed doing all of this with you!" Saki replied happily. "Me too. It was really fun. Thank you for coming to help, Saki." Ibuki said before reaching for one of cookies on the tray and took a bite. "Mmm! These are really good! We've really outdone ourselves."
Saki soon followed suit, and indeed, the cookies tasted very scrumptious. Soft and decadent with a bit of a crunch. "They're very sweet. I'm sure everyone will love them!"
Ibuki looked out the window and noticed the sun had just set. "Ah, I didn't even realize it's gotten this late. Saki, would you like to stay over? I wouldn't want to make you walk home at night, and I have some leftovers we can share for dinner. There's plenty for the both of us."
Saki's heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She wasn't expecting such a sudden invitation from Ibuki. "E-Eh? Would that really be alright with you?"
"Of course, Saki. I don't want you getting sick out there in the cold. I care about you, you know?" Ibuki gently placed a hand on Saki's arm. "Ibuki-san...thank you. I'll be in your care then." Saki replied, feeling like she was going to melt. "Great! Let's clean up, have dinner, and then I'll run a bath for you, okay? You can borrow some of my clothes."
The thought of wearing Ibuki's clothes almost made Saki blush like crazy. Sleeping over at her crush's house, and wearing her clothes to boot?
Saki wondered if she was even awake or just dreaming.
~
Later that night, Ibuki opened her eyes to her ceiling. She had been tossing and turning all night trying to get some decent sleep. Yet every time she closed her eyes, all she could think about was Saki sleeping there just a couple feet away from her bed. Ibuki turned to face Saki. There she was, fast asleep tucked into a futon Ibuki lent her. Moonlight filtered through the curtains casting a glow onto the sleeping girl. Her pale lavender hair spilling over her pillow seemed to shine from the light. Looking so peaceful and beautiful all at once, just like an angel.
Ibuki watched her longingly. Many a night has she spent dreaming of Saki, yearning for her. Her heart had belonged to this girl since the beginning of Photon Maiden. When they first met at auditions and Ibuki heard Saki sing, she thought she was extraordinary and so very talented. Overtime, however, she began to fall for her bit by bit. Now here she was, so in love with a girl who possibly doesn't feel the same way.
Ibuki couldn't help watching her like this. Saki just looked too cute curled up her blanket wearing her one of her shirts. She always daydreamed about letting Saki wear her clothes; it was something she's always wanted to do. She really wanted to tell Saki how she felt but she was just too nervous.
Suddenly Saki began to stir in bed, snapping Ibuki out of her reverie. She watched Saki nuzzle her head into her pillow as a sleepy groan escaped her lips. "Ibuki-san...." she mumbled. Ibuki's heart skipped a beat, a deep blush filling her cheeks. It took everything in her to not scream so she buried her face into her pillow. Did that really just happen?
Slowly, Ibuki peeked back at Saki. She was still asleep. Still adorable. Ibuki gazed at her with soft eyes for a few moments longer before turning to face the wall again. "Saki...what are you doing to me?" she whispered underneath her breath.
She soon felt sleepiness begin to take her as she closed her eyes, seeing only Saki in her mind as she drifted off again once more.
~
The next day arrived; Christmas Eve was finally here, and Photon Maiden were helping with setting up the party decorations that afternoon. Saki and Ibuki stood at one end of the room decorating the walls with streamers, while Towa and Noa stood a few feet away from them sorting through boxes of other decorations. Noa watched the two of them with that same smug expression from the other day. Towa was standing beside her and giving her the side eye. "Noa, you've been acting so weird. Why do you keep looking at Ibuki and Saki-chan like that?"
"Keep your voice down, Towa! We don't want them to overhear us." Noa brought a finger to her lips, glancing to Towa with urgent eyes. "Ehh..? What's the big deal?" Towa asked. "Well...." After making sure no one was listening, Noa inched closer to whisper into Towa's ear.
"Saki-chan has a crush on Ibuki and I'm pretty sure Ibuki feels the same way, so I'm trying to play matchmaker and set them up." Noa said. She spoke seriously and excitedly, like the way she would speak when talking about cute things. Towa's eyes widened in shock, but immediately covered her mouth to stop herself from making a surprised noise.
"Noa, is this really true?" Towa whispered back. Noa nodded confidently. "I'm absolutely sure of it. The other day at practice? That was just a scheme to get the two of them alone. Hehehe...I wish I could've witnessed their cuteness!"
"Ah...so it was just a scheme, huh?" Towa said, making an expression at Noa that said "You're crazy". "But it's not over yet! There is a very important goal that needs to be accomplished during the party!" Noa grinned gleefully. She truly was in her element right now. "And that is....?"
Noa turned and pointed at the entrance door of the hall. "To place a mistletoe above that door without them knowing!!"
There was silence for a moment. Then Towa sighed. "You really are crazy."
"Of course not. This plan is fool-proof! And you'll be helping me with it too." Noa said smugly. "Ehhh?? No way! Why am I being dragged into this?" Towa protested, placing her hands on her hips. "Your job is to distract them later while I go place the mistletoe. There's something in it for you too, you know."
"Really?? What is it?" Towa immediately perked back up with excitement. She looked up at Noa with bright eyes. It almost made Noa lose her cool. "I can make you some crepes again...." Noa turned her face from Towa, trying to hide the slight blush in her cheeks. "Even more crepes?? I'm in!" Towa cheered. She sidestepped back into Noa's line of vision with a big smile on her face. "Your crepes are just the best after all!"
Now Noa was really trying hard not to lose her cool. She was never one to actually say it, but she did believe Towa was the cutest girl she's ever met. Of course she'll never admit it though.
"N-No promises."
~
Within a few hours, the Christmas party was in full swing. Lively conversation echoed throughout the hall and Christmas music played in the background, creating a festive ambience all around. Photon Maiden all stood around the snack table, watching the partygoers mingle as they helped themselves to some treats.
"Mmmm! These cookies are soo yummy!" Towa, the girl with a huge sweet tooth, exclaimed with her mouth full. "Towa, it's rude to talk with your mouth full. But she's right, they really are tasty. You guys did a great job." Noa added, grabbing a cookie decorated with sprinkles. "It was a team effort. Saki's cooking is always excellent." Ibuki shot Saki a kind smile. Saki immediately got flustered by Ibuki's sudden compliment. "T-That's not true! Ibuki-san, you are a much better cook than I am." She looked up at Ibuki with confident eyes, even though she looked flustered at the same time. "Mm, not as much as you though." Ibuki replied in a slightly teasing tone.
Saki's face turned a bit more redder, softly laughing. "Hehe..thank you. It was indeed a lot of fun making those cookies with you. I would love to do it again. With all of you."
"I would love that too, Saki." Ibuki responded.
"Yeah!! I wanna make a bunch of super sweet snacks!" Towa clapped her hands excitedly. "I said before that they would all be ruined if you were the one making them, and I still believe it." Noa insulted. "Quit picking on me, Noa!" Towa crossed her arms and made her usual pouty face at Noa.
"Now now, you two, behave yourselves." Ibuki said with a laugh before noticing Saki staring off into space."Saki? Are you feeling alright?" she whispered. Saki met Ibuki's eyes, seeing the slightest bit of worry in her eyes. "I'm okay, Ibuki-san." she replied with a small smile, but Ibuki could see it in her face that something was off. Without thinking, she took Saki's hand in hers. "I-Ibuki-san..!" Saki gasped in surprise. Noa and Towa watched them silently, their mouths slightly agape; Noa specifically looking like her eyes were going to bulge out of her head.
"Do you want to get some air for a little bit?" Ibuki asked gently, her eyes still not leaving Saki's.
Ibuki-san....
Saki couldn't know what to say in that moment, but she knew she needed this right now. It had to be now. "Mhm...." she nodded.
"Alright. Towa, Noa, we'll be back. Let's go, Saki." Ibuki said still holding Saki's hand and began leading the two of them outside. As soon as they were out of earshot, Noa whipped her head to face Towa, determination in her eyes. "It's go time Towa!" "Yes ma'am!"
~
Ibuki and Saki stepped outside onto the quiet street a bit away from the hall, snow crunching beneath their feet. The cold breeze burned into their cheeks, with each breath they made turning into whispy puffs in the winter air. "It sure is cold out here. It's nice to get some air after being in there for so long." Ibuki said as she looked up into the inky night sky. "And the stars look so bright too."
Ibuki looked back down at Saki, and to her surprise, she was looking right back at her with a pensive expression. She almost looked...nervous? She then noticed she was still holding Saki's hand and bashfully let go, now feeling the cold beginning to bite into her skin.
"Is something wrong?" Ibuki asked quietly. Her tone remained ever so gentle. Saki lowered her eyes to the snowy ground shyly. She could practically feel the nerves eating away at her. She looked back up to meet Ibuki's eyes once more.
"Ibuki-san...you are so very kind. So gentle and warm, like the summer's wind. Your colors are ones that I adore so much. Yellow and periwinkle...and so many others. I see so many beautiful colors in you. Being with everyone in Photon Maiden means so much to me. I cherish everyone so deeply. But you, Ibuki-san...you're special."
Ibuki felt her heart skip a beat, stunned by Saki's words. "Saki...."
"I love having you by my side, you're always there to keep me going...you've helped me learn so much." Saki continued, holding her hand up to her heart.
"What I'm trying to say is....I love you, Ibuki-san. I've loved you for forever. Ever since the beginning...it's always been you." Saki's cheeks were flushed red, and not just because of the cold. Ibuki stood frozen in place. Has time stopped? Was she dreaming? Her face reddened and her chest felt so light. It felt as if her heart was singing and glowing with happiness. It was happiness.
Saki watched her for a moment in silence, then brought her hands to her mouth once she noticed Ibuki's shock sinking in. "I-I'm so sorry! That was very impulsive of me. I understand if you don't feel–"
But Saki couldn't finish her sentence because Ibuki reached out and pulled her into her arms, nearly taking Saki's breath away. "Saki...you have no idea how happy I am right now." Ibuki mumbled into Saki's hair. "Eh..?" The surprised noise escaped Saki's lips. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Ibuki pulled away slightly to look Saki in the eye, still keeping her close. "I feel the same way about you, Saki. I love you too." she gazed at Saki warmly, eyes full of love.
Saki's eyes widened, absolutely breathless. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Really...? You do?" Saki said, her voice barely above a whisper. It trembled as she spoke. "Yes. I do. It's just like you said. Ever since the beginning."
Saki's whole face lit up. Her soft eyes glimmered with happiness. And then...
Warm tears trickled down her cold cheeks.
"S-Saki? Are you okay??" Ibuki's voice filled with worry. Saki rubbed at her eyes, her voice shaking as she laughed. "I'm sorry...I'm just so happy...!"
Ibuki laughed too and wiped the tears off Saki's cheeks. She took Saki's hand in hers and slowly brought it to her lips, kissing her knuckles tenderly. To Saki, it felt so warm and comforting against her cold hand. "I want nothing else but to be with you, Saki." Ibuki smiled lovingly. A wide smile spread onto Saki's face. She quickly pulled Ibuki back into a hug, more laughs bubbling out of her. "So do I! Always!" she exclaimed.
Ibuki wrapped one hand around Saki's waist to keep her balanced and the other rubbed the top of her head. She couldn't help giggling with happiness as well.
Yellow. Everything was so yellow. So warm.
Once their laughter ceased, they both looked at each other once more with fond expressions. Ibuki rested her forehead against Saki's, her smile not leaving her face. Saki was practically glowing with delight. The two were silent, savoring this special moment together.
"This is the best Christmas present I could ever ask for..." Saki murmured.
"Me too, Saki."
~
The pair shuffled back into the hall, warmth relieving their bodies from the cold.
"Stop right there, you two! You've been caught under the mistletoe!!" Noa jumped out in front of them, pointing a finger towards the girls who now wore startled expressions. Towa stood behind Noa with an apologetic look in her eyes. Saki and Ibuki looked up, and indeed, there was a mistletoe tacked above the door.
They looked back at each other, both feeling immediately flustered. "Noa, what are you–" Ibuki began to protest, but was swiftly cut off when Saki reached up on her tippy toes and planted a kiss on Ibuki's cheek. Towa's mouth fell open and Noa instantly squealed quite loudly, pumping her fist. "YES!!!!!"
As Saki pulled away, she bashfully glanced up at Ibuki. Her expression was crossed between looking astonished and completely lovestruck. She smirked at Saki and then, taking Saki by surprise, cupped her face in her hands and kissed her right on the lips. When they separated, Ibuki still wore that satisfied smirk on her face and now Saki was the one blushing furiously.
Noa's jaw dropped, her crazed squealing stopped. Towa snickered behind her.
"How's that?" Ibuki whispered to Saki only, her tone teasing and sly. God did Saki love this girl with all her heart. "Good...really good!" Saki replied happily.
Finding each other years ago, now creating something new and exciting together.
What a good night it was indeed.