Chapter Text
Ogawa finally finished talking on the phone as he handled managing the venues, booking events, and negotiation contracts professionally. It was that time of year when Tsubasa’s voice would be within reach of any attainable concert hall in the world. Of course, Tsubasa’s tight schedule was already loaded with the possible jam session, so she began practicing choreography, and accordingly, adjusting her voice to the best performance. Although Ogawa had already witnessed the pinnacle of her stunning performance on stage, recently she seemed to be less likely to show fruitful feats in his line of vision. As her unfailingly tactful manager, he was worried whether she had some unsettling issues that pertain directly to her family or not. Moreover, what if she had an illness with serious effects on her physical condition? No wonder that would explain the lack of attention and proficiency in volume control.
Ogawa finally brought order into his plans on his notes and regulated his breathing to gently ask, ‘’Tsubasa-san, do you mind if I take some of your time?’’
Tsubasa turned her heels, as she wiped her sweaty forehead with the towel in her hand. ‘’Sure, Ogawa-san.’’
‘’I was planning to make arrangements with the owner of the Tokyo Dome to prepare a fresh concert, but I’m of two minds as to whether it’s too early for you to engage in a vocal presentation in such a crowded place after a long time.’’
Tsubasa crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow instantly. ‘’Ogawa-san, I understand your concern. It’s been long since the Noise attack in that place, but I’m mentally and physically feeling much better now.’’
This confirmation, as well as the undoubting tone in her voice, added plants of relief in his mind at the moment. He adjusted his glasses and smiled gladly.
‘’I’m glad to hear it.’’
A few days later, as the arrangements were made, Tsubasa found her rehearsals and sharpened workout schedule left her markedly more tired. However, she was accustomed to having a hectic program like this, yet failing to perform at her usual pace. Hibiki and others were there to encourage her and maybe planned to join to aid her at this rate. On that day, the group decided to visit her practice, and they just sat and waited for her to finish.
She breathed in and out, then sat down on the couch. ‘’I’m fine, it’s just my lower back, no worries.’’
Kirika popped up in her vision, quite feisty. ‘’Tsubasa-san, how about we take you out for a dinner tonight dess?’’
Shirabe nodded behind her.
Hibiki pumped her fist above like a victory pose, and Miku agreed yet trying to stop Hibiki’s bubbly self. ‘’Great idea. We know there’s a lot of pressure on you, so it’s the least we can do for you, Tsubasa-san!’’
Chris huffed. ‘’For God’s sake, get some damn rest, Senpai. Everyone is worried about you.’’
Chris’ words put an end to all discussion across the board. Maria was watching from the furthest bench, all she did was agree with Chris.
Tsubasa was surprised Maria hadn’t sniped her with her curt manner yet. Perhaps, there was nothing else to say, or rather to be said in public.
For the following hours, Maria joined her dance arrangement, which was playing a major role compared to the vocal practice since the audience would also be looking for visually pleasing choreography from the idol in addition to high quality vocals. Both of them stood opposite side mirroring each other’s moves keenly, as the music began to play in the background. Tsubasa found herself revving up a certain amount of energy in her as soon as she was caught in the moment she was on the dancing floor..
Maria took the microphone in her hand to let the lyrics echo in the room, eyes desperately searching for her partner. Her soft pink hair danced majestically as she sharply made turns from right to left. She danced her inhibitions away, communicating her thoughts without speaking a single word, electrifying the air with the fiery passion in her eyes.
Tsubasa was almost mesmerized by the enticement in her sight and the sound of her feet tapping on the floor to catch the rhythm. Her entire being turned to where the music was streaming from. She simply started walking to Maria with a wisp of a smile, then their free hands finally met. Together, they danced to the music, their feet in perfect sync to the beating of their hearts. Finally, they finished, breathless, without ever breaking eye contact.
The rehearsal room was filled with silence, followed by a round of applause. Chris pretended to be pretty unfazed by the visual show, but ended up miserably failing in the process. The others were just the definition of ‘impressed’ by the time it came to an end.
‘’That was amazing, Tsubasa-san, Maria-san!!’’ Hibiki shouted, squirming in her seat. She was inadvertently shaking Miku’s shoulders while hollering ‘’Look, look! They’re amazing!!! Yes, that's the Ignition!!’’
While Kirika was gushing about the performance and Chris admittedly muttered how balanced and impressive it was, Tsubasa’s vision got a tad blurry for a moment. Shirabe was first to notice and alerted everyone in the room to help Tsubasa have a seat quickly.
Ogawa watched in concern and finally asked, ‘’Tsubasa-san, maybe you should check in with a doctor soon.’’
Tsubasa refused to do so since she had little time to grasp whatever needed to be memorized and take action immediately. There was no pressure when she had danced with Maria, so it had to do with her body, not a mental instability or whatsoever.
‘’Not until after this concert,’’ she announced her decision, though her voice betrayed her uncertainty. Maria put a cold towel on top of her face when she sprawled on the couch haphazardly.
‘’Yeah senpai, we got you. The staff worked their ass off for you and you don’t want to wreck their hopes. But your health should be your top priority,’’ Chris objected as her gaze softened when she saw Tsubasa so worn out.
‘’Chris is right. I always tell Hibiki the same thing because I’m worried,’’ Miku added.
‘’Yukine… Kohinata…’’
‘’Just as they say, dess!’’
Hibiki took her hand in hers. ‘’If you don’t want to see a doctor sooner, then take a few days off. Please, Tsubasa-san,’’ Hibiki said in finality, her tone filled with worry. Hibiki’s words hit home, and much to the surprise of the others, Tsubasa stood and nodded her assent.
Maria was relieved that Tsubasa was convinced, yet that contentment was colored by concern as her turquoise eyes narrowed in worried speculation and "what-ifs".
That day in the apartment, Tsubasa finally called it a day and found herself a comfort zone to unwind.
‘’I always feel tired…’’ She sighed, drowned in the spur of the moment when she had sung with Maria. She always felt relaxed when thinking of her. Maria was always there whenever she was upset, whenever she was lonely, when she lost herself in grief; whenever Tsubasa needed her most, she was there. And so a mere word escaped her mouth filled her heart with love at its mention: ‘’Maria…’’
She needed to talk with her, physically at least. Her hand reached for her smartphone and her fingers dialed the number without paying attention to anything else in the world.
‘’Hey, wanna come over my place?’’
"Sure."
It was just one word she needed to hear, which Maria also knew by heart. So they kept it short on the phone. There was already a knock on the door. As Tsubasa opened the door, she was welcome with a growing warmth flooded into her chest when Maria brushed up against her. Goosebumps lined her skin when Maria’s fingers began to graze her soft flesh.
Her dull face slowly turned into a licentious grin. One touch and the intoxication was instant…
The next day Tsubasa felt her limbs numb after the actions of a rough night. She stole a side glance at the other side of the bed, and smiled at the sight of the older girl’s contented expression. Maria was sleeping quietly. The sheets were covering everywhere but her naked body, so Tsubasa draped a blanket over her and then got out of her bedroom. She stepped into the shower and turned the dial. Her sticky body met with thousands of lukewarm drops, and she let out a relaxed sigh. Soon after the warm shower, she chose her clothes to make herself presentable.
Some of their friends would’ve asked what kind of relationship it was if they had learned the truth. However, they both kept good secrets and concealing that required a good deal of effort. Tsubasa had many questions in her mind, whether their friends would finally learn the truth about her sexy relationship with Maria, or when she has to see the doctor and find out that she has a health problem. She knew something was bugging her inside and it never died down, even after a good frequency of sex.
A myriad of emotions flooded over her as she was confining herself with doubts and a hint of fear.
When she turned 20, she felt privileged to have that freedom and started to live independently out of the Kazanari clan’s will, and serendipitously discovered that there was a more special bond between her and Maria. Her little bar adventures and the London tour were continuously carried on with Maria. And countless nightly duets with the older girl gave a new color to her life. She was now a mature woman, of course, unlike Hibiki and the others.
Tsubasa snapped back to reality once she heard Maria roll on the bed as well as a groggy voice uttered, ‘’Tsu...basa…’’
Taking the coffee cup in her hand, Tsubasa turned back to look at the sleeping girl, her heart filled with warmth at the quiet sight. All the stress lifted off her shoulders. She remembered the last night engulfing her senses and stealing away her worries: Her hand entered Maria from below moving fast, as their tongues entwined in a fierce kiss changing their breathing with every thrust and fervent friction, hearing endless moans and all… It was just a perfect moment of pleasure and letting off steam.
Tsubasa’s face turned pink at the fond memory, so she shook her head to dismiss any newborn thought. She decided to check Maria’s face one more time. Her hand hovered over the older girl’s sleeping face and she gently caressed her cheek.
‘’Maria, I have to leave early today. I’ve got a lot on my plate so I’ll see you later ok?’’ She whispered to the sleeping girl and kissed her head, then left the apartment after drinking her coffee.
Tsubasa received a message from Ogawa, so she quickly got on her motorcycle and set off from the place. Of course, she would prefer working hard rather than lazing around, which was one of the reasons why she thoroughly rejected her friends’ offers for outdoor activities. Maybe Maria was the only one for whom she left her ‘socializing’ door ajar, or her bedroom door for that matter... Whenever sex became a part of her life, such notions like lust and pleasure have yet to enter her mind, allowing her to invite Maria to her apartment and open her heart in the process. Possibly, every night, either in her apartment or in Maria’s, it was just a never-ending dream. Of course, Tsubasa was able to manage both her private life and daily life well, because she was a mature woman that has taken her first steps to adulthood. She was just glad since all the unfortunate turn of events in her life, this was the elixir.
She was close to the destination. The fresh air filled her lungs. Once she reached the studio to practice her voice, Ogawa greeted her at the entrance.
‘’Welcome back, Tsubasa-san. I hope you slept well; it’s important if you’ve been feeling under the weather.’’ He took out his notes to show today’s plan to her after he received a weak nod from her. ‘’I called Chris-san to participate in your vocal practice since she had once offered her assistance long ago, I thought now was a good time to take her up on that offer.’’
‘’Yukine?’’ Tsubasa raised her eyebrow, quite surprised her dear kouhai would join her. ‘’I thought I’d be alone this time.’’
Ogawa adjusted his glasses. ‘’My honest opinion is it would be best to have a friend accompany you, and Chris-san said she doesn’t have a class to attend today.’’
Chris’ voice interrupted, ‘’Talking about me?’’
Tsubasa turned her back and saw her dear kouhai walking towards her. ‘’Hey, Yukine.’’
‘’I guess senpai wants to be alone all along huh...’’ Chris scoffed. Much to Chris’ surprise, Tsubasa changed her direction and walked up to her motorcycle where she parked just a few meters away.
Tsubasa’s lips formed into a small smile as she showed her dear kouhai the passenger helmet, ‘’Not at all. Let’s grab some smoothies first, get in.’’
Ogawa only smiled once they quickly left the place without having to explain. ‘’I guess my job isn’t done here yet. Time to change the whole schedule for today.’’
‘’You said you had breakfast right? And that’s your third smoothie.’’ Tsubasa commented with a quick quip on Chris’ messy overeating session. Her hand propped on her chin as she watched the younger girl gobble the whole thing on the table in one sitting.
‘’I lied,’’ Chris said in-between.
‘’Not buying it…’’ Tsubasa said, face resolutely unimpressed.
Chris flinched a tad, irritated by the turn of the conversation. ‘’Fine. I’m still growing so it’s my place to eat!’’
Tsubasa’s eyes turned downwards to Chris’ chest, ‘’Yeah, they ’re growing at least. Speaking of, why are they big, Yukine?’’
Chris stopped eating, and she gazed intensely at Tsubasa, ‘’I wonder if working your ass off really turns the scales in your favor? Because you seem tired and not fully awake. It’s unlike you, senpai.’’
‘’What does that mean? Care to explain?’’ Tsubasa raised her eyebrow.
‘’About yesterday, about the other days… You seem distracted.’’ She took a sip of her drink, eyes trying to elicit any useful information.
Tsubasa took a moment to question herself, as she laid back to her seat. ‘’I think you and others are worrying for nothing Yukine. My condition, stamina, voice, everything is fine. Nothing to worry about.’’ she cackled in the ending, sounding confident and all.
‘’What are you thinking exactly?’’ Chris reached her question pole directly at Tsubasa’s sight, unsatisfied by her answer.
‘I’m just thinking of doing it with her tonight.’ Tsubasa’s face showed no expression as she rubbed the back of her neck. ‘’Well, that’s a secret.’’
Chris leaped up from her seat and slammed her hands down on the dinner table. ‘’C’moooon senpai,’’ she has chided Tsubasa for her discreet attitude, a pout showing on her face
‘’No.’’ Tsubasa waved her hand to reject.
This time, Chris yelled at the top of her lungs, and every single eye in the diner turned to her. Noticing, she quietly sat back while her face was burning red in shame.
‘’I didn’t know so much rage could fit in such a small person,’’ Tsubasa chuckled lightly.
‘’Haha very funny…’’ Chris huffed sarcastically, playing with her spoon. Suddenly, she dropped the utensil and dared to return where her words were leading to, ‘’Are you seeing someone, perhaps?’’
Tsubasa almost spilled her coffee, and Chris took the reaction to yes.
‘’Gotcha, I freaking knew it.’’
Tsubasa’s cheeks tinted pink. ‘’I didn’t say anything.’’
Chris’ mouth turned upwards in a small smirk, as she thought it was time to tease her senpai. ‘’Want to know my second guess?’’
Tsubasa took a nervous gulp. Her kouhai definitely hit the bull’s eye. ‘’No.’’
‘’So, how’s the wifey?’’
‘’Come again?’’
‘’Wait, what were you calling her again... Le pinky bomb?’’
‘’I don’t understand—’’
A smirk traced Chris’ lips once Tsubasa’s face stiffened at the mention of the pink-haired girl. She finally pulled out her smartphone from her pocket, scrolled down the old text messages, and showed the bright screen to Tsubasa.
xx.xx.2045
Tsubasa: TITTS LE PINKY BOMBs
Chris: Senpai pls tell me you’re not drunk. I can’t take you back home when you’re in London.
Tsubasa: i want her babiesz smol sword babies
Tsubasa: swordsforkids.jpg
Tsubasa: our babieies
Chris: ok, I hope you won’t remember this conversation and never check your phone nor have your drunk existence again.
Tsubasa’s eyes widened in a split second. The shock registered on her face before she could hide it. She vaguely recalled what happened on that date, but only the rough kisses and moans in the back of her head. The blurry image of Maria sitting on top of her stripping—
‘’I might have gone overboard a bit.’’
‘’A bit? A bit?!’’ Chris shrugged, and narrowed her glance at her. ‘’After this message, I called that wifey of yours to get to know your situation at 4 in the morning. Little did I know, I made my worst mistake. She told me on the phone she was giving you a lap dance, and you’ve become a disco stick she was calling Lance of Love.’’
An awkward silence prevailed as long as they knew. Tsubasa’s sharp eyes narrowed at her.
‘’Yukine... do not ever talk about this little 'joke’ of yours again and I won’t tell anyone you’ve written a whole wall of sweet words of how much you love everyone.’’
Chris’ face dyed another shade of red, shifting her glance around the diner. ‘’D-did you read my DIARY?!’’
This time Tsubasa took the upper hand, ‘’Commander accidentally handed it to me. He must’ve thought it belonged to me in the health care center. I guess anyone can make a mistake.’’
‘’What the actual fuck?! I’ll have a word or two with the old man later.’’ Chris snapped.
‘’So, you knew about it?’’
‘’It’s obvious. You’re spending a hell of a lot of time with her.’’
Tsubasa hesitated for a bit. "Well, I suppose I can't hide it from you at all, huh. I've been dating Maria ever since the last huge threat was gone and our lives were back to normal."
Chris felt the deep tone in the blue-haired girl softened at the aforementioned girl’s name. The love was evident on her face.
Tsubasa fiddled with the coffee cup as she looked outside at the window nearby, observing the father and his kid smiling together hand-in-hand.
"I didn't choose to live my life losing every dear person to me, yet it was bound to happen. I always wondered if this feeling would pass. It was very difficult for me to reenter the social zone because I felt disconnected from the world for a while. What would life be like if I had no courage to attempt anything?’’
Tsubasa placed her hand over her chest where her heart was resting. ‘’The answer was right here. I’m not an emotionally driven person, but one thing I know is that I really love her.’’
She knew from the start. Those feelings grew out of her control as they both understood each other, embraced the acceptance, and moved forward. Together. Singing. Fighting. Always together.
Chris sighed in relief. Her face contorted to a small smile as Tsubasa's smile broadened in each word. The smile from her face was unwavering. ‘’Nee senpai. I’m glad we met Maria, Kirika, and Shirabe.’’
Just before Tsubasa could agree, her phone buzzed in her pocket. ‘’Ogawa-san texted. He’s saying we have to go back. So, you finished your second breakfast?’’
‘’Like I said I’m still growing!!’’
‘I guess I don ’ t have to tell her my nights are more alive and richly colored than before.’
After some BAYONET CHARGE practice, Tsubasa bid farewell to her fellow practitioner, Ogawa, and other staff members. She has already gotten on her motorcycle and headed out to her home in a jiff, but her phone was vibrating in her pocket. Maybe it was her manager who intended to notify the next program on the phone, or it was her uncle who would occasionally send her on a special mission. Blame it on having a pretty busy day already, but she never really considered that it might be Maria. She pulled her bike over to the side of the road to stop by the convenience store and at that time finally answered her phone.
‘’Hey Tsubasa, I hope you’re done with your work today~’’ Maria's cheerful tone emitted the forthcoming excitement through the line, and Tsubasa took it to heart.
‘’Oh hey, Maria. Yeah, I got to hang out with Yukine, and we sang songs together at the studio. Now, I'm done with work today. Why did you call me?’’
Tsubasa heard her sigh. ‘’How rude of you! Can’t I have a moment to call my lover? I was, at least, expecting some good return like 'Oh hey Maria, I miss you', kind of.’’
‘’Ah right,’’ Tsubasa said with a weak voice. "Oh hey Maria, I miss your boobs in my hand-"
"You’re a bakamori.’’ Maria promptly cut her off with a fierce comment.
‘’I’m what?!’’
‘’Tsubasa, I was going to ask if you’d like to have a physical exercise with me?’’
‘’Ah, you mean sex?’’
Tsubasa heard Maria (probably) slap her forehead. ‘’No! I was meaning to ask if we could have a 1v1 match. Belatedly, your mind barely catches up with your mouth.’’
Tsubasa chuckled on the phone, and let her mind rest at ease.
‘’W-what’s so funny?’’
‘’Nothing. You’re being cute again, Maria.’’
‘’Ah, you’re definitely not a cute sword at all!!’’
After a good moment of laughter, Tsubasa pushed the same subject again, ‘’Where do you plan to have a match with me?’’
‘’How about the S.O.N.G.’s training room?’’
‘’Gotcha. I’ll be there in twenty mins. Just don’t get too excited waiting for me.’’
‘’Huhh?! What’s that cocky attitude—?’’
‘’Haha! I’ll see you, Maria.’’ Tsubasa didn’t answer her question and hung up her phone. She had grown this side of her to tease her beloved, and had no qualms about it.
When Tsubasa entered the headquarters, Genjuuro was very happy to see her, as were Elfnein and the others. However, she wanted to go to Maria’s side without losing much time, so she excused herself and went to the training room after having some friendly chit-chat.
Tsubasa walked into the room. Not to her surprise, Maria was already there, bandaging her fists to ready herself. Tsubasa always loved the smoldering flame of determination in her eyes and it was a matter of fact she would totally stir things up, much to her liking.
‘’Maria, I hope you’re ready to get your ass kicked. I feel much better than yesterday. Time to beat you up!’’
Maria was dressed in her casual black tights and sports bra, her hair was tied up in a ponytail. Each muscle in her body was well defined, gushing out a strong sense of pride and energy. Tsubasa held her breath at the enticing sight as long as she knew. An irrational need to be touched, kissed, and taken erupted from deep within, her heart was rapidly racing through her chest.
‘’Ara~ You have finally arrived. I thought you’d never come. It’s been half an hour, you know?’’
Tsubasa turned her back scarcely, while her hands were rummaging through her training clothes in her bag. Controlling her breath and the rhythm of her heart, she pushed the words as normal as possible,
‘’Sorry. The Commander…" she cleared her throat, "I mean... The Commander and I had a few things to talk about beforehand."
"Like what?"
Meanwhile, Tsubasa's hands finally found the necessary clothing, she turned to Maria's direction to talk this time, "It's just family matters. The legacy and all."
Maria's expression instantly softened as she heard the sensitive topic. She drew closer to Tsubasa and brought her bandaged hands over Tsubasa's.
"I'm fine, Maria. Thank you for being by my side all the time." Tsubasa tightened her grip and kissed her cheek.
Maria felt her heart skip a beat, but she only smirked smugly with a faint blush on her face. "Charming aren’t we~? Shall we start practicing then?"
"After I change my clothes, let's see how you fare on this battlefield!"
Maria pulled out her phone and a small bluetooth speaker and set it to play some music as a soundtrack to their fight.
3
2
1
Ready? Fight. Now.
Tsubasa felt something ignite inside, as she was met with the vivid beats of music thumped through the empty training room.
They positioned themselves opposite each other, their stances in a fighter’s posture. The first move came mercilessly by Tsubasa that edged closer to Maria's face once the latter stepsided to seize the moment. Maria shifted backwards to dodge, but Tsubasa swung another punch from her other hand. This time Maria ducked down to let loose several body shots, then flung her fist right into Tsubasa’s jaw. Tsubasa took it with a grunt of pain, yet surprisingly she didn’t flinch.
Maria thought she would have dodged such a clear shot, but the blood smeared on her hand as she cradled her face said otherwise.
‘’Nee Tsubasa, you okay?’’ Maria’s concerned tone was thick in the air, yet she concealed it within the flames of ambition to win.
Tsubasa didn’t answer, but Maria sensed she was preparing herself to go berserk once silence spoke for her. She spat blood, then wiped the crimson liquid dangling around the corner of her mouth. She drew her fist back again, and simultaneously an abrupt kick ploughed into Maria’s stomach before the latter could react.
Losing her balance, Maria felt herself begin to fall, but she instinctively gripped Tsubasa’s bra strap to try to keep her balance. In the end, Tsubasa collapsed on top of Maria.
They stood there staring at each other for who knows how long. A small smile began to form on their lips, and soon turned to soft laughter. Maria pulled Tsubasa to her chest and the two basked in the mutual embrace. There was that delicious moment where both enjoyed each other’s company. The red infused their cheeks momentarily. Whenever they got this close to each other, the warmth would seep into them in comfort. And sooner, a tad bit of fond indulgence would linger.
Tsubasa wasn’t sure how to control her heartbeat as Maria’s fingers tampered with her shirt playfully. Her nose tickled her ear and she let out a tiny gasp, then squirmed uncontrollably. She felt Maria’s soft lips gently graze her slender neck.
‘’M-Maria!’’
‘’What cute sword noises!’’ Maria chuckled while savouring her fresh scent, but Tsubasa frowned much to her dismay. ‘’You’re no fun!’’
Tsubasa collected herself as she drew back. ‘’Are you aware that we’re in the headquarters? In our workplace?’’
Maria narrowed her eyes. ‘’Says the one who wanted to do it and actually did it at the Chris’ party. Remember you demanded to do it in her spare room.’’
‘’I-I was intoxicated!’’
‘’You chucked down only two sake and one beer. I know your tolerance is greater than that, but your libido-’’
Tsubasa blushed as she put her hands over Maria’s mouth to silence her, ‘‘-is bigger than your pride, Maria. Yes. I know..’’
Maria pursed her lips once Tsubasa drew her hands back. "Well, I still know the real you, Tsubasa. Cute or assertive, you know how to move your hips ~"
Tsubasa's smile awkwardly widened at the compliment for a moment, but she shoved those thoughts aside for now.
"Naa Maria, next time I won't be your dear pengin-san in bed if you continue to use your Empress Rebellion to me." She fought back with a smirk this time.
Both shared a smile in the end. The contentment in the air was allowing their inner world to become a place of tranquility.
‘’Come on, stand up lady!’’ Maria said. She stood up and helped Tsubasa to do as well.
Tsubasa wanted to call it quits for the training since her body was aching, especially her chin. Maria turned to face her, she gave her a quick kiss on her chin.
‘’Sorry about that.’’
Tsubasa touched where she was kissed. ‘’It was obviously my fault. I should’ve dodged that. As a sakimori, it’s my place to be on alert in any situation."
Maria brought her hand over her chin, ruminating on Tsubasa’s condition. She thought of many possibilities that what would be the cause of Tsubasa’s recent slump.
‘’Would you like to go to the hospital and get your health checkups?’’
"Well… How about tomorrow? I've to call Ogawa-san first."
"Deal. I hope you don't bail."
"I can't promise you that."
Maria grimaced, Tsubasa’s face of disinterest infuriated her. So she didn’t hesitate to use her trump card. "No sex until you promise me then."
There was a brief moment of panic. Tsubasa looked like a deer caught in the headlights, perfectly frozen in her place. It took quick turns as she changed her mind, "When do you plan to go again?"
Maria's lips traced a hint of smirk, managing to keep up a façade full of pride. "Afternoon."
"Deal."
In the end, Maria was able to make Tsubasa listen to her, and finally convinced her to take her health seriously. At the end of the day, they went to their home and waited for the next day to come quickly. Tsubasa had already called Ogawa and mentioned the change of plans. However, these changing plans were to tamp down her pre-concert preparations for the rest of days before the concert. There was nothing to do though, as there could be no attending to business matters without first attending to health. Though, in Tsubasa’s case, she often put her job ahead of her health. It was just Maria’s insistence on the matter that changed her schedule completely.
The next day, Tsubasa picked up Maria from her home and together they headed to the hospital on Tsubasa’s bike.
Her check-ups were done and they were sitting in the waiting room. As soon as her turn came, she entered the doctor’s office with Maria. The doctor welcomed them and showed where to sit.
"It is a pleasure to see the top idol like you, and you too, Maria Cadenzavna Eve-san. My daughter is a big fan of yours. I hope we will meet with good results today, Kazanari Tsubasa-san," the doctor said with a faint smile on her lips. Maria tilted her head down, and sat down on the seat.
Tsubasa was delighted. Her main purpose was to soothe the troubles of people with her songs, to reach them, to convey her feelings through melodies and many, many words written, and she felt like she had been living for this moment.
Her reverie was broken once the doctor received the results of her test in the folder. The doctor's gentle smile faded a little this time after flicking through a few papers.
"First of all, I would like to ask you a few questions before we get into what these results say, if you’ll excuse the delay, Kazanari-san."
"Of course." Tsubasa nodded. Maria was in front of her and listened carefully to the conversation of the two.
"Do you regularly consume protein and carbohydrates?"
"I have a healthy meal plan that maintains the balance between fat, carbohydrates and protein consumption."
The doctor took her notes on the paper. "Do you take vitamin D aside from the normal take-in? Regular sun exposure is rather a must in your case. Aim to get sunlight for at least 10 minutes... Your iron levels are pretty normal. Actually, you have very normal values, but there’s something else that underlies your fatigue."
Tsubasa was all ears now. The doctor had to check her results once again before anything else came to her mind to ask. "Are you sexually active?"
This conversation served to make Tsubasa startled. She instantly tensed where she was sitting. Being questioned like this only turned her cheeks crimson red. Eventually, words brimmed in her mouth, yet she didn’t hesitate to say, "Yes."
Maria only stared at her, and the doctor's smile turned back to her lips once she confirmed it boldly.
"Good. How often do you do it?"
The second wave of shock presented on her face, her brain tried to formulate what to say, "Uhh… Let’s say too often ?"
Maria turned to the side, trying in vain to hold back her giggles with her palm over her mouth.
‘’As your doctor, I can give you the right advice for your situation. As in your case, how often you experience sexual intercourse might directly affect your stamina.’’
The indigo eyes held a glint of great interest, ‘’So?’’
The doctor adjusted her glasses and folded her hands on the table.
‘’There’s no limit to the amount of physical intimacy you can have, but there are physical issues that might leave you a little… uncomfortable days later on. The prolonged contact may cause frictional pain for example. Sex means using a lot of energy, that means burning a lot of calories. The body releases many hormones and cortisol to the bloodstream during certain intimate moments, which results in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, muscle strength and glucose metabolism. All these activities are tiring when done more often than not. Your body seems to be unable to stand due to this case, which explains the occasional exhaustion."
The brief explanation dispelled the feeling of doubt and concern in a split second. Tsubasa exhaled the rest of the air she didn’t know she had been holding. She hadn't expected this outcome but it was better than what she had feared, at least.
‘’So, take my advice to your heart. You have to, at least, minimize the physical contact or take a break for a while.’’
‘’I see,’’ Tsubasa said with a husky voice, the thought of having to disclaim every feeling of Maria in her touch was genuinely upsetting for her. But nothing should get between her and this concert, and it wasn't making any harder to accept what the doctor advised. And she knew Maria would respect her decision after all.
She turned to Maria, a sudden air of confidence filled around her, ‘’That means we have to take a break, Maria.’’
No wonder Tsubasa's obliviousness to her frequent blatant comments were quite disturbing to Maria. The older girl was unable to even blink an eye after being faced with a reality that Tsubasa blurted out this secret in front of the doctor.
The doctor, on the other hand, lifted her eyebrows in astonishment. And even better than that, a loud bang was heard when Maria inadvertently slammed her palm on the table in an attempt to smooth out things in her favor. But the blush involuntarily crawled up to her neck in a moment's notice, and she miserably failed to hide the implications.
"Sooooo, doctor you're saying she needs to get a proper rest right? Right? Good. Good. Hahhahah," Maria tried not to laugh hysterically, but couldn’t manage to.
The only answer was the doctor's quite slow realization, where Maria couldn't stop her making assumptions upon one sentence, "Oh."
While everything was going disarray in Maria's case, Tsubasa took the prescription from the doctor's hand without having to talk further.
The doctor seemingly beamed a smile in the long run.
"Meticulous physical observations are meant to be done occasionally, Kazanari-san. Please take that in mind and consult with someone that tunes up your health program regarding your 'special' case."
Tsubasa thanked the doctor gratefully, then they bowed their head, and excused themselves to exit the room. They probably didn’t hear what the doctor muttered behind the door, ‘’Two divas, one love song huh?’’