Irhaboggle Pride (2023) I Saw the Signs and Symbols

Lilies

Haruna and Miyu circled one another slowly in the warm water of the hidden pond. Save for a handful of lily pads drifting lazily across the glass surface, the water was utterly still. At one point, one of the lily pads bumped into Miyu's back. The pink-haired girl gasped in surprise and jerked her head over her shoulder. When she realized what it was, though, she relaxed and chuckled at herself, shaking her head.

Silly me! she thought. It was only a lily... No matter where she went, though, it seemed as if they were destined to follow. Was it the Red Thread of Fate? Perhaps so. After all, the flowers weren't the only lilies in the pond that day. Miyu was far too humble for it to even cross her mind, but someone else would've jokingly called her the Patron Saint of Lilies, and that legacy was born the day she made a band called Lyrical Lily.

"Are you all right, Miyu?" Haruna interrupted Miyu's thoughts, concerned. She was a natural worrywart, and those tendencies only increased whenever she had any reason to believe that Miyu was in distress, no matter how small the reason or distress.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Miyu laughed reassuringly, waving off the other girl's worry. Then, a brilliant idea struck her. She turned to the lily for a second time, both to retrieve it and to conceal a mischievous smile. Once she had it, she waded over to Haruna. "It was just this!"

"Oh, a waterlily!" Haruna's face brightened, and Miyu's expression mirrored hers. She waded closer and closer until they were only inches apart.

While Miyu met Haruna with a smile of confidence and contentment, Haruna herself had an internal crisis.

Asdshasdfhjlk! Haruna thought as Miyu came closer. Why is she so pretty?! The swimsuit, the lily, her smile, her eyes, the way her pink hair gleamed in the sun, her fluid and hypnotic movements... If anyone asked Haruna her name, doubtless, she would've panicked and shouted, "Miyu!"

"I was wondering, Haruna... would you accept this flower from me?" Miyu made a funny face as she did her best to balance on one knee in the pond's gently rippling waters. The pond was not deep, but on one knee, the water reached up to her chest, and that made the rippling and swaying more noticeable than when it barely reached her stomach. She was also torn between being serious, and bursting into a fit of giggles. Haruna's own funny face didn't help. While the corners of Miyu's lips kept twitching up and down as she tried to control herself, Haruna babbled.

"Wh-why Miyu... th-that's... very generous of you! But... why? What's the occasion? To what do I owe the honor of receiving such a lovely girl from such a precious, treasured friend? Unless... Oh, that's it, isn't it? A token of affection, of course, right, silly me!" Haruna slapped her forehead to partially conceal the fact that her face was the same color as her hair. "I mean, I'm sure you're just giving it to me because it was near—"

Oh, Haruna, Miyu gave Haruna a sympathetic smile and pushed the lily at her again. "I can tell that you perceive this gift in many different ways, and you're trying to figure out my true motivation by going through all of your theories. Allow me to expedite the process and tell you that it is indeed a sign of my affection for you, a symbol of love!" While Miyu beamed, Haruna's eye twitched. Love...

EEHHHH—?! The two had known one another for almost their entire lives, growing up together because of the academies they attended. Recently, however, the relationship advanced beyond childhood, platonic feelings. It started with Haruna, a crush growing into the full bloom of a White Day white corsage for Miyu (and a White Day white Margaret from Miyu). Now here they sat (or swam) two months later.

"Oh, M-M-M-Miyu... Th-th-thank you! I shall treasure this one as well!" Haruna finally remembered what words were, referring to the white Margaret from two months prior. Of course, by then, the flower was long dead, but the photo of it right by Haruna's bed was forever.

I shall take another as soon as I am home! She thought with a smile as she at last took the lily from Miyu, eyes reverent and grateful.

"You know?" Miyu said suddenly. "I remember Miiko mentioning something about one of her trips to America." The thought came to the girl, thinking about lilies, corsages, and Margarets. For a moment, Haruna frowned, the reminder of the gremlin girl setting her teeth on edge. That was why this was a private outing between just herself and Miyu, and not their other two bandmates. But Haruna did not interrupt Miyu.

"In America," Miyu continued, "Miiko said that a white knot can symbolize support for same-sex marriage as both the color and the knot are symbolic of weddings. Here in Japan, we have the lily..." Miyu's pink eyes were stuck on the white flower beside Haruna. Red roses were for gay men, lilies were for lesbians. In Miyu's opinion, therein lay another fascinating overlap. In both Japan and America, colors such as red, white, and pink could represent love, especially romantic, queer or not. What colors were associated with Lyrical Lily and its four members?

It must be fate! Miyu thought again. She wasn't sure how much she believed it, but the coincidences were amusing, if nothing else. Let the Red Thread of Fate intertwine with the White Knot as roses, lilies, corsages, and Margarets in every color of the rainbow fill the chapel. And then, she thought with a private smile for herself, we can add pink cherry blossoms for me, Ms. Sakurada!

"WAAAHHH, OHMYG— ... WHAT IS THAT?!" Haruna managed to remember her Catholic sensitivities for just another few seconds until panic fully overtook her and sent her flying away from the lily. The still waters turned white as she ran-waded away, all four limbs flailing.

"GROSS! GROSS! GROSS! Ew, ew, EW! Getiawaygetitawaygetiaway!" She was running so fast that she crashed right into Miyu and sent them both underwater. There was no real danger, for the pond was shallow, but the next time they were sitting upright, they were soaked from head to toe.

"Ohmygosh, Miyu! I'm so, so sorry!" Haruna held out her hands, eyes wide with terror, as if she was scared Miyu was about to drown.

"What did you see?" Miyu asked back. She knew that no matter how she acknowledged Haruna's frantic apologies, they wouldn't stop unless she got the girl thinking about something else. Plus, Miyu was curious. What could Haruna have possibly seen that evoked so strong a reaction from her?

Miyu waded slowly towards the lily, ignoring Haruna's horrified protests. She at last saw the cutest, sweetest, littlest frog she'd ever seen before resting on the lily pad. Remembering Haruna's intense phobia of snakes, it became clear. Frogs weren't snakes, obviously, but Haruna hated anything similar. By contrast, Miyu was more than happy to pet the frog, and when it didn't jump away, she picked it up in delight.

Haruna was still on the opposite side of the pond, eye twitching, mouth agape in disbelief and disgust. Miyu was acting like it was a cute little baby kitten! Was she insane?! Then again, if there was anyone pure and perfect enough to tame even woodland creatures like a princess out of a storybook, it was Miyu. As if on cue, Miyu looked over her shoulder at Haruna, still holding the frog.

"Come on, Haruna, pet her! Hold her! She's gentle and friendly, she won't bite!" Miyu encouraged wading over to the other girl again. She stopped halfway across the pond. She wasn't going to force Haruna to do anything, but she didn't want Haruna to be afraid.

The furthest she got that day was lightly tapping the frog's head for half a second with the very tip of her pointer finger before ripping her arm back and holding it tight against her chest as if it was about to fall off. Not bad for a girl nearly paralyzed by fear. Her favorite part of it, though, was when Miyu was finally forced to release the frog. She would take a flower home, but not a living creature, it deserved to be free and home.

After setting it by the water's edge, Miyu hopped out as well, but not before pressing a quick, surprise kiss to Haruna's cheek on the way. Once again, Haruna's mind went blank and her body froze as she tensed up.

Maybe... frogs aren't so bad after all... Then a big goofy grin slowly spread across her face. She would've gladly held every frog on Earth if it got her more kisses from Miyu. The entire ride home, she kept the lily close to her chest, right beside her heart.

AN: THEY'RE TURNING THE FRIGGIN FROGS GAY! Also yall, "White Margaret" is FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY out! (ha ha, out)! Do me, Lyrical Lily, and Pride Month a favor and listen to it at least once today! I was listening to it while editing this, LOL