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"The bunkasai is next week, isn't it?" Asako wrapped coat tighter around herself and looked up at the night sky. The wind carried the beginning of spring, but cold lingered these last few days of winter. A sliver of crescent moon hung in the black velvet sky surrounded by stars twinkling like jewels. The wind picked up, ruffling her hair and skirt. For once she was thankful for the thick wool skirt and jacket of her uniform. The roof was theoretically off limits, but for once it had been Masa-chan willing to break the rules. She turned to the girl next to her, "Masa-chan?"
"Yeah...it's next week," Osa leaned against the railing and stared absently into the distance at the city skyline.
"..and after that, you'll have your hatsubutai, right?" Asako fumbled with the buttons on her coat and tried to keep her voice steady. Spring always meant changes, and she hated that. Especially this year...
"Yeah..."
"...and you'll be in a troupe and everything and..." she sniffed, "...and..." Whatever else she wanted to say was lost in sobs that finally broke free of her control.
"Asako...Asako, what's wrong?" Osa turned, her eyes widening as she noticed the distress written across Asako's face.
"...nothing...it's nothing...I'm just being silly," Asako whispered though the tears that streamed down her face. "...I just don't want you to leave...that's all..."
"Oh Asako," Osa smiled gently and pulled her into a tight hug. She stood still, surprised the unexpected contact. "Asako, don't cry. Please?"
Asako sniffed again and buried her face in Osa's shoulder, relaxing as she felt Osa's arms around her. "Masa-chan..." Masa-chan, who was her sempai but never acted as such, never demanded the respect that other honkasei seemed to think was their right. Masa-chan, who she ran to whenever something had gone wrong in class. Masa-chan, her closest friend. But after the bunkasai and the graduation, she would be alone. She would still have her batch mates, but they weren't Masa-chan.
"I'll still be here, and we'll still see each other. It won't be quite the same as living in the dorm together, but I'm not going to disappear or anything. I'm sure I'll see you on weekends when you go to the theatre. And you'll come watch, right? Even when you're busy being a honkasei?"
"...of course. I'll never be too busy to come watch you," Asako looked up with a small smile. She was warm now, with Osa standing so close to her and holding her like this.
"And it'll only be a year before we're together again. A year's not that long to wait," Osa kept one hand on Asako's waist and smoothed Asako's disheveled hair with the other. "It'll be no time at all before it's your hatsubutai. And we'll be in the same troupe after that. I just know it."
"Promise?"
"Promise," Osa smiled. "I'll miss you too, Asako. It won't be the same without you, you know? I'll be lonely without you to cheer me up or to just be here." Their eyes met; chocolate brown shining with emotion with ebony sparkling with tears that have yet to fall. Asako pressed closer into the hug and felt Osa's breath brush against her cheek. Then Osa leaned forward, erasing the last space between them, and kissed her. Her first kiss. It was a chaste kiss, and yet not. Their lips barely touched, but sparks of electricity ran down Asako's spine at the light contact nonetheless.
"Masa-chan..." Asako blushed as they pulled apart.
"I...I hope I wasn't being too forward," Osa stammered, looking much like an embarrassed teenage boy despite wearing her school uniform. "...but seeing you like that...I...I couldn't help myself. You're not upset at me, are you, Asako?"
"No..." Asako shook her head. A rush of warmth to her face made her realize that her cheeks were probably flaming red by now. She ducked her head and gave Osa a bashful grin. "...I'm not upset, not even a little, Masa-chan."
"Really?"
"Really," Asako's grin grew wider, and feeling just a bit bold, she slipped her hand into Osa's. Osa gave her hand a quick squeeze and smiled back. For those precious few moments, nothing needed to be said as they looked out over the lights of the city. The only sounds were of the cars below and the wind rustling through branches. Part of her wondered how silly they looked, a pair of schoolgirls holding hands on the roof late at night, but in truth, she couldn't care less, not with Masa-chan standing next to her holding her hand.
An incandescent bolt streaked across the sky, leaving a trail of silver sparks. Asako gasped and pointed at the shooting star. "Masa-chan, did you see it? That shooting star?"
"Yeah," Osa beamed. "It was gorgeous, wasn't it? Did you make a wish?"
"No, I don't think I need to," Asako said quietly and turned to meet Osa's eyes once more. "I think I've already gotten my wish."