Can I Be Fleeting Too?

Chapter 7 - Realisation

The stars twinkled, sending their sparkly vibes straight into Tomoe's soul. Still holding her lover's hand, she strode slowly down the path, wishing to never leave Himari. She wanted to spend her nights with Himari nestled in her arms. However, as Himari's house approached, Tomoe was forced to snap out of her trance.

Himari sighed wistfully. "Here we are."

Tomoe replied. "I guess so."

"God, I don't want to leave you..." Himari remarked, before blushing madly at the statement. "Uhm, erm, I mean..."

Tomoe giggled at the sheer adorableness her crush was emitting.

"You want to play the 'Imaginary Pocky Game' again?" She teased lightly.

Himari fidgeted. "Uuu! Tomoe~! I was trying to subtly get you to kiss me! It was the best I could do~! I tried so hard wi-"

Tomoe planted a kiss on Himari's head, causing Himari to blush harder. "It was a good suggestion of yours."

"Can we..." Himari toned down her voice a bit. "Can we play it again?"

Himari was pulled closer by Tomoe, and her lips touched Tomoe's softly. Himari concentrated on the kiss, as if it were the last one she was ever going to have in her life. The boldness, the gentleness, the delight... the way Tomoe treated her was something else. The way Tomoe was... she gave Himari a very familiar feeling: she reminded her of someone she knew. The way Tomoe held her, the passion the seeped through her very lips... she wanted for Tomoe to cradle her in her arms, to never leave her. Why did she need to go home now, of all times?

Tomoe eventually pulled away, though she wanted the moment to last forever. They both tried to catch their breath and ended up laughing, their smiles brightening up each other's hearts. The cute smirk adorned on Tomoe's face made Himari's heart flutter in longing. As for Tomoe, she was blown away by Himari's beauty - her legs felt like jelly and her knees shook slightly.

"Tomoe..." Himari asked quietly. "I... I... you... uhm..."

"May I ask you something?" They both said in unison, before chuckling.

Tomoe gazed into Himari's eyes. A captivating emerald tone shone back at her. The moon itself was captured in Himari's eyes, its light reflecting through and brightening Tomoe's very soul.

"I... well, ahaha, I mean..." Tomoe - for once in her life - was lost for words. She tried to maintain her aura of coolness, however this was seeming to be harder than it once was.

"You've snatched my breath away... holy hell. First my heart, then my very words, and now my breath. Damn, I love you." Tomoe muttered without thinking. She then glanced at Himari's joyful smile and heavy blush, and realised what had just passed her lips. "Aah! Did I say that out loud?! Uhm, erm, what was I going to say?"

Himari whispered quietly, giggling. "Something about me being your girlfriend?"

"Yes exactly! That's exactly what I was going to... hang on, when did I ask that?" Tomoe chuckled, blushing.

Himari smiled in triumph. "I figured that was what you wanted to ask me~ I wanted to ask you the same thing though... ehehe~"

"Ehehe... you got me! Wait, you wanted to ask me that?" Tomoe smiled somewhat bashfully.

Himari giggled. "You weren't expecting that~? Fufufu~ After all this time, you didn't think I felt the same way about you? Awe Tomoe, I've been in love with you for as long as I remember. Now I realise that I love you as a romantic interest, not just as a best friend."

Tomoe was in awe with Himari's statement. For once in her life, Tomoe had lost her cool; her heart and soul melted from the warmth. A restless, restful, cold, hot, heart-pounding, heart-stopping feeling surrounded her.

"You... you... you really feel that way?" Tomoe could barely form a sentence.

Himari beamed. "I don't say things I don't mean~! Ehehe, Tomoe, you look like a tomato!"

"I-I-I do?!" Tomoe squirmed.

"Yeah! Ahaha, you kind of remind me of Kaoru-Senpai!"

Tomoe gasped. "H-how so?"

Himari held Tomoe tightly and whispered. "You're brave, supportive, kind to everyone, understanding and compassionate. Not to mention incredibly good looking~ Oh, and you rarely get flustered, but it is a rare and adorable sight!"

Tomoe's face flushed. She had never recieved a compliment of such magnitude before. She grinned and thanked Himari gratefully by giving her a light kiss on her head.

"Also, I realised you have been quoting Kaoru lately Tomoe~ That wasn't all for me, was it?" Himari hugged Tomoe tightly. The feel of Tomoe's body on hers made Himari feel safe and sound; nothing could harm her as long as she had Tomoe by her side.

Tomoe fidgeted. "What if it was...?"

Himari kissed Tomoe lightly. "Thank you, but it was very unnecessary."

"Wait... what?! Why?!"

"Becuase I love you anyway~! No matter what~!" Himari laughed, nuzzling Tomoe gently.

Tomoe stood, shocked at the realisation. "Even though I'm not like Kaoru?!"

Himari enveloped her girlfriend in a kiss. No matter how many times Himari had kissed her, Tomoe felt the buzzing, tingly sensation in her brain.

"You're Tomoe Udagawa. That's why I love you. Just becuase I like Kaoru doesn't mean that you should act like Kaoru! That's like Ran wearing a bread costume becuase Moca likes bread!"

A bead of sweat trickled down Tomoe's face. "Ran gave me the same example."

Himari laughed. "And you didn't listen?"

"N-no..."

"Oh Tomoe, what am I going to do with you~?" Himari chuckled. "Sometimes your impulsive decisions are not the best ones."

"I know..." Tomoe blushed abashedly.

Himari giggled. "Ah Tomoe, I wish I didn't have to leave you. But I will definitely see you tomorrow!"

"Ah! I forgot we're outside your house! What if people saw us?!"

Himari smiled sweetly. "At this point, who cares? I have you Tomoe, and I don't care what other people say about that!"

"Will your dad mind?!" Tomoe fidgeted worriedly.

Himari beamed. "Not at all~ Anyway, I better get going."

Himari gave her lover a kiss for safe travels, before turning the key in her lock and disappearing into her abode.

As Tomoe ambled back, she grinned to herself. Her insecurities had been banished to a realm unknown, and her hope and happiness replaced them. She couldn't wait to see what fate had in store for her and her girlfriend.

As Tomoe lay in bed that night, she thought to herself. She didn't need to be a prince, nor a 'fleeting' wonder. She just simply needed to be the one and only Udagawa Tomoe.

~Fin~