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Mary
After a hard day at her part-time job Mary couldn’t wait to get home and relax. Lately she’s been getting more and more tired of the constant moving between school and the place she works at. She really wished to just have a normal vacation for once, but she had made a big mistake of gambling against Kirari to save Yumeko again. And yes, she did save her in the end, but it also led to a lot of money lost for her to save her roommate.
2 AM.
Yeah, she did not have a lot of free time left. Maybe she could at least sleep for a while. She made sure to lock all the doors at the front of the shop and went through the back exit. She opened the heavy door and looked outside. No one out. Figures. Although the blinking lights of the company’s name letters weren’t much to help her make sure of that. She stepped into her car and started driving off to her house. It really was quiet at night, even for a city like this. Not hard to imagine on a Tuesday night. She turned on the radio.
“I’m in a field of dandelions, wishing on everyone that you’ll be mine.”
“I see forever in your eyes, I feel okay when I see you smile.” Mary started singing along. Something about that song made her feel at home like nothing else. She remembered singing it with a girl years ago. She used to see her in a hospital when visiting her grandmother. She had short, black hair and was always dressed in the most expensive dresses. Mary used to hate that kind. The girls who only wear dresses to be pretty even though they were the most uncomfortable thing ever. There was something else about her though. The girl was always gloomy when sitting alone in the waiting room and her eyes felt empty as if you were looking through her instead of at her. But somehow she could always crack a smile when you talked to her, as if she was taught that since birth.
7 years ago
“Do we really have to go? Grandma will be fine, I was planning to go to Tsuzura’s birthday party!” Mary yelled.
“Behave yourself! Grandma feels sick and you have to be there for her. If you don’t stop being such a brat you won’t be going to the birthday party at all.”
The blonde crossed her arms.
“Well, then I’m not going into that room.” She pouted. Her parents left her pouting in the waiting room as they went into one of the other rooms.
Mary could hear a giggle next to her. She turned to see a shorter girl keeping her palm in front of her face trying to hide herself laughing. The girl was dressed into a red, jean skirt with a white button-up shirt. Her hair was short, but it still had some accessories like red bows and hairpins. Her skin was snow white and didn’t have a single scratch unlike Mary, who had bandaids on her knees and scratches on her face.
“What are you laughing about?”
“You should make time for your family, Saotome-chan.” The girl said, her voice was a lot higher than Mary’s, she could maybe even go to the extent and say it sounded cute.
“How do you know my name?” The girl pointed to Mary’s bag, which had her name written on the top with big letters scratched with a marker, clearly written by a child.
“Makes sense.” Mary frowned. “Why do you care?” Mary brought her legs onto her chair and pressed her knees to her chest, taking glances to her left every few seconds.
“Well, from my experience you don’t have too much time to spend time with family members, they can leave you before you even know, so it’s nice to spend every free moment you have.” Mary looked at the ground in shame, she didn’t mean she didn’t care about her grandma, she just really wanted to spend time with the one friend she had. She had the feeling that her grandmother didn’t even like her, so why bother visiting?
“Why are you here?”
“A family member. ”
“Oh.”
“I’m sorry”
The shorter girl giggled. “It’s okay, you didn’t know.
Hey, you wanna get out of here?”
“Don’t you need to see your family member?”
“She’ll be fine, don’t think much will change.”
The next few weeks the two girls had gotten closer. They didn’t really share any personal information like where they live or what their phone numbers were. They mostly just went outside of the hospital every time to lay on the grass and talk about their day. Mary mostly complained about her rich classmates, while the other girl listened, but from what Mary had learned, her parents were gone a lot, she has one sibling, and she’s very,very rich.
“Do you know this song?” The black haired girl turned a song on on her phone. The mobile seemed a lot more expensive than Mary’s block which she could only call with, but she wasn’t going to complain about it. The shorter girl let her play games on it sometimes.
“Wishing on dandelions all of the time.”
“All of the timeeeee~”
The girl wasn’t a singer, her voice was making Mary cringe and she had some voice cracks trying to sing the high notes, but it felt peaceful to just hear her singing her favorite parts.
The girls made it a tradition to listen to the song and Mary was even convinced once to sing along. She had to at this point, she was forced. She was being tickled until accepting.
“Saotome-chan, you don’t really seem like the type who has a lot of friends.”
“Excuse me?” The blonde perked up.
“Oh gosh no, that’s not what I mean.” The girl blushed a little, Mary had guessed that she wasn’t the type for friends either, considering how blunt she sometimes was towards her. Not that she really cared about it. She was quite ‘honest’ about people as well.
“Like, you don’t let people in a lot and I feel like you dislike a lot of your classmates.”
“I mean, I guess.”
“Why?” She sat up and looked down onto the blonde who was still laying on the grass and looking up at the sky.
“I feel like everyone makes friends just to have this group of people who would save them if they needed it, they’re scared and just need guard dogs. I don’t need guard dogs. I’m capable of saving myself. I don’t want to act like someone I’m not just to have a group of fake friends.”
“Would you say I’m trying to make a guard dog of you?”
….
Mary sat up.
“No, you don’t need that, you have a lot of those.
I think you are just too kind for this world.”
The girl smiled. She wrapped her arms around the blonde. Mary didn’t really know what to do, so she just patted the other girl’s shoulder and sucked all of the remaining air into her lungs before the girl would choke her. The girl let loose and Mary blew the air out again.
“Kind people have it hard though, don’t let people use you for that. My friend used to do the same.” She squeezed her shoulder a little.
“Okay.”
“Promise.” Mary looked at her suspiciously, not trusting if she was actually taking her words seriously.
“I pinky promise, Saotome-chan.”
Yumeko
She couldn’t sleep.
Even if there wasn’t any rain or thunderstorm, she wouldn’t have been able to sleep. She felt sick after that dumb poison they had given her once again, and once again her friend had to go on and save her. Sometimes she really didn’t get how her friends still wanted to help her after all the times she had gotten them in trouble. Yumeko sat up and went up to her kitchen counter, turning her coffee machine on.
“I wouldn’t have been able to sleep either way.”
She poured herself a mug and sat down by the table. She felt the mug burn the tips of her fingers while she was thinking of the dream she had. She couldn’t get the picture of the blonde girl yelling at her out of her head. She was left alone again the second she thought she had someone by her side.
7 years ago
“My grandma passed away.” The blonde said, laying on the grass with her arms under her head. Yumeko turned her head to the girl, still not being able to make out any emotion behind the girl’s bangs. She sat up in front of her, with a frown on her face. The blonde girl pushed her head up a little, looking into Yumeko’s eyes.
“I’m sorry to hear that Saotome-chan, how are you feeling?” Yumeko stared into her eyes, trying to find sadness or guilt behind, but not being able to find anything.
“I mean, I expected it.” She laid her head down once again.
“You were right though, I should’ve appreciated the time with her.”
There was something weird about the blonde which Yumeko wasn’t able to explain. Yumeko was famous for being able to dig out someone’s emotions like a pro, without any problem. Saotome on the other hand was confusing to her, her emotions seemed all over the place, although her face said otherwise. She never got upset or sad about things, she always looked at Yumeko with a neutral expression, as if putting on a poker face her whole life. She would’ve for sure been a good Momobami clan member now that she thinks about it.
They went back inside, Yumeko’s aunt already waiting for her in the lobby. She ran up to her aunt, hugging her legs tightly before turning to the blonde girl behind her.
“I won’t be coming here anymore. You know… with the reason being gone and all, heh.” Yumeko’s face dropped, she was so blinded by the fact she had a new friend next to her on her visits, that she forgot the whole reason the blonde was even there. The raven haired girl could feel tears welling up in her eyes. The blonde really made her visits to the hospital so much more enjoyable, with her bullying and rude remarks which could only make Yumeko laugh more. She would miss the way the taller girl would always stand like a pole while being hugged or the way her face flushed every time Yumeko would give her something close to a compliment. She knew she didn’t like them, her face always turning into a pout if she did say something nice to her, but it was way too much fun to tease her to stop.
She pushed herself off of her aunt and ran up to the blonde, jumping onto her and wrapping her arms around the taller girl’s neck. She tried hiding her tears, rubbing into the other girl’s shirt. Unfortunately her sobs gave her away instead. Saotome held her arms stiff far from the sides of Yumeko’s dress, but slowly gave in to the hug and buried her own forehead into Yumeko’s shoulder, pulling the girl in.
“I’ll miss you, Saotome-chan.” The girl sniffled into her neck, probably staining her shirt in the process. The girl didn’t care though, she would miss Yumeko as well.
“Stop sulking, idiot.”
She tightened her hold onto the blonde, if that was even possible. The taller girl could barely breathe, but she let her hold her for a little longer before patting her back. She let go of the blonde before backing off to go next to her aunt again. Taking her hand into her own.
“It was nice to meet you, Saotome-san. My condolences for your loss. Unfortunately Jabami-san’s sister is going to be transferred leading to Jabami-san moving.”
Saotome widened her eyes, feeling her eyes start to sting. It was her turn to take the shorter girl into her embrace, before waving her goodbye. She turned and walked up to her parents, looking into their eyes before showing them a sad smile.
Yumeko smiled, wiping her tears away and turned to the other side, walking the opposite way. She started rambling about something to her aunt, trying to not pay attention to the lost friendship she could’ve kept. Her hand reached for the door and pushed it open.
“Wait!”
Yumeko turned around, seeing the taller blonde run up to a distance Yumeko could hear her from.
“What’s your name?”
Yumeko closed her eyes, smiling. She waved her hand in front of her face before answering.
“Yumeko, Jabami Yumeko. Bye Mary-chan!”
Mary’s face turned bright red, realizing Yumeko knew her full name the whole time.
“We’ll meet again, Yumeko!” Mary screamed at the top of her lungs, her arms pushed up to her sides with her eyes closed, furrowing her brows.
Yumeko sighed, turning away to the door once again.
“I will certainly hope so, Mary-chan.”
Mary
Mary walked out of her car.
3 AM.
She unlocked her door and walked in, expecting complete darkness. Yumeko for sure would’ve been asleep by now. She turned on the kitchen light and started heating up water to make some noodles. Perks of being home so late, no food. Fun.
She walked over to the bathroom, taking out her contacts before searching for her glasses.
“Where the hell are they, I’m sure I left them here-”
She turned down the hallway and noticed a small line of light coming from her room. She wouldn’t forget to turn off the light in her own room, but what would Yumeko be doing there?
She slowly opened up the door and tiptoed in. The girl was sleeping on her bed, tucked in under her covers with a pillow in her arms. Yumeko had an adorable frown on her face while sleeping, as if she was overthinking everything in her sleep and snored lightly into the pillow. Mary couldn’t really complain about the girl being in her room when she had such an adorable sight in front of her. She could hear a song playing from Yumeko’s phone on Mary’s nightstand.
Dandelions.
She sat down onto her bed next to Yumeko, keeping her hands close to her sides and looked up, singing along quietly.
“I’m in a field of dandelions,”
“wishing on everyone, that you’ll be mine.”
“I see forever in your eyes. I feel okay when I see you smile.”
“Wishing on dandelions all of the time, praying to god that one day you’ll be mine.”
Yumeko
“We’ll meet again, Yumeko!” She could see the blonde smiling, slowly moving away from her into a car.
“Mary! Don’t leave me! Please..” Her arms reached out to her, but she was too far away. Her aunt pulled her along to her own car.
If only she knew it wouldn’t be the last time she saw her, maybe she wouldn’t have been so depressed for the last years, thinking a friendship like that was only once in a lifetime.
“ Mary..” Her eyes hurt from the light. She squinted her eyes and put her hand onto her face, trying to block out some of the light. She looked up, seeing the blonde next to her.
Mary
“Maybe it’s the way you say my name..” The blonde looked next to her, seeing Yumeko wide awake singing along.
“Maybe it’s the way you play your game.” Mary smiled slightly.
“Dandelion, into the wind you go.” Yumeko reached out her hand, looking into the blonde’s eyes.
“Won’t you let my darling know.” The blonde took her hand, squeezing it slightly.
“I'm in a field of dandelions
Wishing on every one that you'll be mine, mine
And I see forever in your eyes
I feel okay when I see you smile, smile
Wishing on dandelions all of the time
Praying to God that one day you'll be mine
Wishing on dandelions all of the time, all of the time
I'm in a field of dandelions
Wishing on every one that you'll be mine, mine”
Yumeko smiled,beaming onto her and her arms wrapping around Mary’s neck.
“It was you!” She rubbed her face into Mary’s neck. She got herself comfortable straddling tje shorter girl. The blonde kept her arms away from the girl’s waist. Classic. How hasn’t Yumeko realized it sooner? She was literally acting the same way as the blonde girl she had forgotten the name of until now. The awkward hugs, the not accepting compliments, the overly honest opinions.
“Huh? I’m confused. What?” Mary put her hands on Yumeko’s waist so lightly she could barely feel it. The blonde looked into Yumeko’s eyes and questioned her further.
“What do you mean, it’s me?” The blonde frowned.
“Mary, do you remember a girl in a hospital from 7 years ago? Your grandmother passed away then.”
Mary pulled her hands away. Yumeko got off of her lap and kneeled on the bed, looking into her eyes with a sad expression. “Y-you don’t remember me?” Yumeko could feel tears well up in her eyes. She didn’t think that if she ever found the girl she had been looking for her whole life, the other girl wouldn’t even remember her face.
Mary looked up at her, with tears in her eyes. She put her hand on Yumeko’s cheek.
“You’ve gotten taller than me.”
“What-”
Mary pushed the taller girl onto the bed, holding her for all the years she had been missing from her life. Yumeko could hear loud sobs from Mary. The blonde put her arms onto Yumeko’s chest while the ravenette tucked her in with blankets before wrapping her arms around her shoulders and laying her chin onto the shorter girl’s head.
“I can’t believe I found you.” Yumeko squeezed the blonde tighter into her.
“I told you we’d meet again.”
“So you remember that, but you didn’t even remember my name?” Yumeko laughed, burying her face into the blonde hair.
“Shut up, as if you did until now.” Mary closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around Yumeko’s waist.
“Touché.” She kissed the top of her head.
“I was thinking about you today.”
“Wow Mary, I’m honored.” Yumeko giggled, playing with the blonde locks in her hands.
“I mean the younger you, I can’t believe I didn’t realize, you two acted the same.”
“We are the same.”
“You are, you really are.” Mary could feel herself smile like an idiot. Yumeko really was the same person as the girl from 7 years ago. The two people who were the most important people in her life were actually the same person. The girl from years ago was the same best friend as the one from today. They had found each other.
“You’re not taller anymore.”
“Shut up and let me enjoy this.” The blonde bit her shoulder.
“Yes ma’am.” Yumeko squeaked and tensed up, before relaxing once Mary stopped the abuse.
“It’s been 15 minutes of seeing the person I wished to see for years and the first thing that happens is abuse by them.”
“You like it.”
“If it means I won’t have to leave you again, I will take it anyday.” She pulled the blonde’s cheeks up and looked into her eyes lovingly, not believing the sight. The same rosy cheeks, the same nose that was always crunched up, the same bangs that were always messy, the same skin that had always been bruised in that hospital.
“Your hair has gotten so long since then.”
“Shut up and stop making excuses for not knowing it was me.”
“But I’m no-” Mary felt her cheeks being pulled into Yumeko, her lips pressed hard onto the other girl’s. Her eyes became wide before relaxing into the kiss, closing them slowly. She grabbed the strings of Yumeko’s hoodie and pulled in more, this time softer. Yumeko rubbed her thumbs onto the rosy cheeks, smirking into the kiss. Yumeko’s lips were soft and gentle. It wasn’t an intense kiss, it was soft, gentle, a little teasing, just like Yumeko. Mary would’ve sworn her lips are harsh and chapped, in comparison to Yumeko’s. But when she felt the smile of Yumeko grow wider into the kiss, she realized she didn’t care. Yumeko was there, they met once again, this time they would do everything differently, they wouldn’t leave.
“You’re so annoying.” Mary looked down, her face flushed red from the kiss, and her lips puckered into a pout.
“I know.” She tightened her hold onto Mary again, wrapping her leg around the blonde’s waist.
“Wishing on everyone that you’ll be mineeee~”
“Go to sleep idiot.” She kicked Yumeko’s leg.
“Yes ma’am!” Yumeko’s giggles started again, turning to lay her whole body weight onto the blonde. They both embraced each other, giggling and talking about the hospital adventure before falling into a deep slumber.