Rule Four || Dream

•15• END

The two missed each other very much. It was noticeable to the rest of the AS Girls, Ami, and Aya by the way Erie looked, how she performed, and how distanced she was from everybody else. She hadn't been getting the proper amount of sleep, due to thoughts about Shizuka, and having nightmares about the brunette that caught her heart.

Shizuka's parents called, questioning the lack of visits from their daughter. She brushed it off, saying she had work, and made sure to visit them twice before returning to her grieving. Other managers that she was friends with visited and called, checking up on her. Ami came to her house, with no warning call or anything. She just showed up and spent time with her best friend.

"I miss her, Ami," Shizuka said through tears. "I miss her so much, but I'm not allowed to have her."

Her head was lying on Ami's shoulder. The taller girl was stroking Shizuka's hair soothingly.

"I know, I know," Ami sighed.

"Why is life so cruel? I can't take this! My heart hurts whenever I think about her! I can't sleep anymore! Why has it gotten worse? Aren't I supposed to forget about her?"

Ami didn't say anything for a moment, trying to get her thoughts together. Then she asked, "Do you think it's possible that...you fell in love with her?"

Shizuka shrugged. "It can't be. She's just a teenager, and I'm a grown woman. We just...we just can't--"

"You can't sleep. You constantly think about her. You broke up with her so she wouldn't get in trouble. You want her to be happy, even if it wasn't with you. You're crying over her. Admit it, you're in love with her."

Shizuka wiped her red and puffy eyes to look up at her best friend. "So what if I'm in love with her? I can't date her anymore! I'll have to quit in order to! Then I'll be jobless! And people will wonder what happened, and I'll have to tell them I didn't want to date a trainee while--"

"You can date her," Ami interrupted, but Shizuka continued.

"...I was a manager, and it'll give you a bad reputation, and I can't do that to you--"

"Shizuka!"

"...And we'll stop being best friends, and it'll hurt me more, and I'll be on the brink of insanity--"

"SHIZUKA! SHUT UP!"

The brunette finally fell silent, full attention on her blonde friend.

"I said, you can date her," Ami said.

"I...I can?"

Ami nodded. "But it must be a secret. Nobody must know. Not even the AS Girls--"

"I can't do that. We're already so close and all--"

"Shizuka."

Shizuka agreed. Though she was granted permission to date Erie, it still left the fact that Erie was Aya's girlfriend.

Meanwhile, at Aya's house, the two cuddled on the couch. Aya kept kissing Erie's cheek, her hand playing with Erie's. It was obvious what her intentions were, and Erie didn't like them one bit.

"Aya-chan, please stop," Erie said, pushing the woman's hand away.

"Come on, Erie,"Aya murmured into the raven's ear.

"No, I'm not comfortable."

Aya paused, then sat up, forcing the two to stop cuddling. "I'm sure you were comfortable with Shizuka. Have you been talking to her?"

"And do what if I have?" Erie sat up as well.

"I told you not to talk to her!"

"You are not the boss of me! I can talk to whoever I want! I can do whatever I want! And if I want to go to Shizuka-chan's house, I will!"