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Hitoka loves Kiyoko so much that she can’t even put it into words. She just… loves her.
She has loved Kiyoko since the moment they first met, back with Hitoka was a first year (and considerably more nervous than she is now). She remembers that moment clearly; seeing Kiyoko’s beauty, feeling amazed that a third year was talking to her, and blushing like a dork over her – and, of course, agreeing to join her club without even realising what the club was.
So much has happened since then, and her love has only grown stronger. She joined Karasuno’s volleyball club as a manager and helped Kiyoko with her duties and made friends with the boys (who aren’t nearly as scary as they look), and just had such fun this past year. And, of course, she started going out with Kiyoko, her wonderful, kind, beautiful senpai. It’s still a bit of a shock that Kiyoko likes her, but she certainly isn’t complaining. Because she likes her too. Ever so much.
But now… now things are going to change. Hitoka’s first year of high school has ended, which means the third years have graduated. And… and they’re heading off to college. They’re all leaving. Including Kiyoko.
Hitoka keeps crying, not sure how to feel. She has spent so much time with her girlfriend this past year, and now she won’t see her for weeks at a time. It’s going to be horrible. Some of the other students who have third year partners are feeling the same, all of them wishing their boyfriends and girlfriends were in the same year as them. If Kiyoko was a first year too, they’d have two more years together. But they don’t.
And now the day has come: the day when Kiyoko will move away to college. Hitoka tries to look like she hasn’t been crying on the way to the train station, from where Kiyoko will be starting her journey to the other side of the prefecture. But it’s hard to stay happy when your girlfriend is about to leave.
Wishing she could have travelled here with Kiyoko, Hitoka runs around the station the moment she arrives, trying to locate her girlfriend. She has to say goodbye.
Eventually, she spots Kiyoko. Her girlfriend stands in front of the ticket barriers, a huge rucksack on her back and an even bigger suitcase by her side. She’s with her parents (Hitoka has met them several times before) and a few friends who are all going to the same college (Hitoka has hung around with them with Kiyoko; they all seem nice), all of them talking and looking a bit nervous.
“Kiyoko!” she calls, waving her arms above her head.
Kiyoko turns her head and, when she spots her, a smile crosses her face. “Hitoka!”
Hitoka runs over, blushing when everyone turns to look at her, and wishes her conversation with her girlfriend could be private. She might not be a nervous wreck anymore, but she’s still shy.
“I thought I’d missed you,” she says, trying to catch her breath.
“No, we still have ten minutes until the train leaves,” Kiyoko says. She turns to her friends and family. “Could we have…?”
“Of course, darling,” her mom says, somehow understanding what she said.
“Sure thing,” one of her friends says, grinning. “We’ll meet back here in five minutes, okay?”
As Kiyoko nods gratefully, her mom, dad and friends all wander off in various directions, leaving her and Hitoka stood on the outside of the ticket barrier.
“Um…” Hitoka says, not sure what to say. “Uh…”
Kiyoko steps closer and gently clasps Hitoka’s hands; considering her girlfriend isn’t very big on public displays of affection, holding hands with Kiyoko in a busy train station is certainly a big thing for Kiyoko. Her cheeks getting redder, Hitoka stares up at her girlfriend.
“I know things are going to be different with me at college,” Kiyoko says. “But I promise I will stay in touch. We can text and talk over Skype, and we can visit each other every few weeks. I know we’re saying goodbye, but we’ll see each other again, Hitoka. Remember that. So, please, don’t cry.”
Wondering how Kiyoko knew tears have started burning her eyes (she sometimes forgets that other people can read facial expressions much better than her), Hitoka nods and forces the biggest smile she can manage. “Okay.” And despite being in public, Hitoka gives Kiyoko a quick peck on the lips. “Bye, Kiyoko. But… not really.”
Kiyoko smiles, a slight blush patterning her cheeks. “Yeah, not really.”
Hitoka stays at the train station until Kiyoko’s train has left, and only then does she let the smile fall from her face. But then her cell phone vibrates, and she scrabbles to look at the screen.
She has a text. A text from Kiyoko.
I love you.
Seeing the simple message brings the smile back, except it’s real this time. Kiyoko was right; they may now have a long distance relationship instead, but that doesn’t mean their relationship is over. They’re still together, even when they’re apart.
Love you too, Kiyoko! <3