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Assam pretends she doesn’t know where Darjeeling was going when her juniors looked to her for answers. Their commander would disappear, each time pressing a slender finger to her lips and leaving only a single “it’s a secret,” for a clue when asked.
Assam just shrugs in reply. Every time Darjeeling returns, an irrepressible smile on her face, was confirmation enough where her friend had been. Assam knew. Darjeeling likely knew she knew. But it didn’t matter. Darjeeling could tell them on her own terms. It wasn’t for her to tell, nor ask until Darjeeling herself felt comfortable to tell her. Being the only one who knew also felt nice, as always.
Naomi pretends she doesn’t hear Kay as she noisily stumbles in the dark in a ham-fisted attempt to sneak back into their shared room past curfew after she vanished without a trace when club practice ended.
When they make their way to class the next morning, she doesn’t bother asking Kay why a hair tie identical to the ones the St Gloriana commander used for her signature hairdo was stuck to her blazer collar.
Naomi quickly plucks it off before someone could see, before popping another piece of gum in her mouth. Covering for someone as absent-minded as Kay was tiresome, but if her friend was happy, Naomi didn’t mind.
Rosehip pretends she doesn’t see Darjeeling-sama and the Saunders commander when she was on her evening run, this time finally managing to convince Rukuriri to come. Rosehip sped past the vending machines near the bridge on her evening route, Rukuriri fifty meters back, when she caught sight of her commander.
Rosehip was about to yell out a greeting before she doubled back, spotting another blonde figure locked in a tight embrace with her commander. When Rukuriri had caught up, panting, asking why she looked so shocked, Rosehip almost talks before she remembers Assam-sama saying “A lady never tells.” They were always telling her to be more lady-like, so she just shouts; “Nothing, let’s go!” before ushering Rukuriri away over the other girl’s protests.
Alisa pretends she hadn’t been testing her new drone that Kay had specifically warned her against using when Naomi asks where she had been. She definitely didn’t see her commander and Darjeeling from St. Gloriana in the bushes near the practice fields through her drone’s camera.
When Kay swings her arm around Alisa from behind asking her how she’s been, Alisa tries to put the image of the two in varying stages of undress out of her mind and hides the hot blush on her cheeks as she tries to stutter a coherent reply. Alisa briefly flirts with the thought of asking her how to approach someone as she watched her commander dart off to greet their other club members. Perhaps Takashi and Darjeeling had similar tastes?
Orange Pekoe pretends she doesn’t smell the sickly-sweet scent of cola from the damp spot of Darjeeling-sama’s jumper. As she wheeled their club’s clothing hamper to the cleaners, she noticed the curious wetness of Darjeeling-sama’s jumper as she picked it up, before holding it near her nose to discern what it was.
Orange Pekoe notices how her commander’s subtle smiles grew just a little wider and her eyes grow just a little softer every time they mentioned the woman from Saunders during the meeting with Assam-sama about the next inter-school meeting. Orange Pekoe was glad Darjeeling-sama had found someone, but wished her commander’s partner would be more careful with the spillages. The laundresses were not amused.
Kay pretends she has an idea of what she’s doing as she’s pulling Darjeeling along around one of Saunders’ many shopping centres on a secret date, both of them in disguises to avoid attention. She had a plan beforehand of course, but the moment her girlfriend had stepped off the supply ship, all plans went out the window as she rushed forward to embrace Darjeeling over the other girl’s warnings to be careful with her disguise.
They bounced from place to place in a daze. When Darjeeling tugs on her arm to turn her around and says: “Kay. Stop,” her heart does just that.
Did she screw up? Did Darjeeling hate her now? Was it over? She squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of the inevitable “This isn’t working out”, or a “We need a break”, or the ever-dreaded “Let’s just be friends”. Instead, Darjeeling planted a kiss on her forehead. “Just be yourself,” she said with a smile. Kay felt her day brighten immediately; all her worries long forgotten. She would not trade her Darjeeling’s smile for anything.
Darjeeling pretends she doesn’t notice when Kay knocks over her cup of tea as she lunges towards her in excitement, the contents soaking into the white lace of the tablecloth. She does notice the sweet taste of her lover’s lips on her own as Kay pressed against her, the other girl’s hand already pawing at the hems of her clothes to find a way under them. When the other girl’s fingers inevitably found an opening, Darjeeling felt shivers of electricity fly across her skin from the spot Kay's fingers danced on.
As they broke for breath, she whispers an “I missed you,” to which Kay cheekily smiles and grins an “I know babe,” back before nuzzling at Darjeeling’s chest. Kay was always warm; friendly to absolutely everyone without exception. Was it selfish for Darjeeling to want to keep all her warmth, her attention and passion for herself and hold Kay in her arms forever?
Kay and Darjeeling stopped pretending a long time before their wedding. The perfect day, both in white, surrounded by friends, nothing could ruin it.
They had come out half a year before the end of their final year. It seemed, to their embarrassment, that everyone from Katyusha to Miho to Nishi knew as they congratulated them with knowing smiles. They planned the wedding for immediately after graduation. Wherever they may go after, however far they may be from each other, they’ll be united in matrimony.
Kay had wanted to hold their wedding right there on one of their school ships right after the graduation ceremonies. Darjeeling tried to persuade her to opt for a chapel in Yokohama. They settled for a beach wedding near Tokushima.
As they exchanged their vows and slipped the silver rings onto their fingers, they pretended no longer as they felt tears of joy run down their faces. She was hers from this day until the end of time. The church bells thundered as they drove away from the cheering crowd to their honeymoon.
“I love you Darjeeling.”
“I love you Kay.”