Chapter Text
“Ugh, Nyaaaamoooo! Let’s just leave and go grab some drinks!” Yukari said as she leaned back in her chair, almost falling over.
“No, we have to finish these lesson plans before the semester starts,” Minamo said as she continued creating the worksheets for the first semester’s classes. The teachers room was completely empty as for most of the school. All the other teachers had finished their work several days before Yukari did. She was too busy sleeping in or distracting her childhood friend to actually do any work over the summer. This led to Minamo offering to help Yukari get her work done before the next semester officially started. Yukari would not have finished otherwise, but she really wasn’t worried. It wasn’t the first time she’s gone into a new semester completely unprepared. She couldn’t figure out why Minamo was so insistent on her being prepared this time.
“One more hour then I leave,” Yukari said.
“No, you have all new students and you’re teaching first year again, it won’t be like the past three years,” Minamo said.
“I miss those brats. They made work a lot easier,”
“More like they were content with your laziness,” She said. Yukari sat forward in her chair with a smirk.
“Don’t pretend you don’t miss them!”
“Of course I do, but that’s not the point,”
“I’ll call Tomo right now and tell her she was your least favorite student then,”
“Please don’t. And also why did you have to let the students have your number anyway?”
“They asked,” She shrugged.
“Honestly I have no idea why I keep offering to help you,” Minamo sighed as the conversation once again trailed off. Yukari leaned back in her chair again and stared out the window at the heavy rain afflicting the school grounds. She found her mind doing anything she could to not focus on work. She glanced over at her friend who was still focused on her paperwork. Several more thoughts ran through her mind; Why is Nyamo still helping me? No matter what I do she always seems to be right there next to me. Why is she still even at this shitty school? She can’t like PE that much.
“You don’t really mean that do you?” Yukari finally said.
“What do you mean?” She asked, counting the number of papers she would need to print.
“Well, like. You’ve had so many opportunities to get a higher paying job, but you still stay here,”
“I like my job here. I like teaching PE so I don’t really need to change it. And what does that have to do with me helping you?”
“Not only did you offer to help me now when I insisted I was fine, but every other time. You helped me get a job here, you helped me all throughout college, so why do you stick around?”
“Because you’d be a mess without me. Now stop talking and get some work done,” Minamo said, frustrated.
“So you didn’t take any higher paying jobs because of me?”
“Whatever you’re trying to do, it's not gonna work,”
“I’m not trying to do anything,” Yukari sighed. It is true being this serious was very out of character, but something has been eating at her lately. Their lives have calmed down a lot since last school year. The students they knew and taught for three years of their lives, now all moved on and gone their separate, more exciting ways. However Minamo and Yukari are still here; same school, same job. “Even Kimura transferred to a higher paying job. Pretty sure he got the offer because we both declined it,”
“You were offered that teaching position in Kichijoji too?” Minamo said surprised.
“Yeah, I guess they gave it to Kimura when we both said no,” Yukari said. Minamo stopped doing her paperwork for a second and just stared off into the distance. Why would Yukari decline? She must have assumed it would have been a lot more work. Honestly, how lazy can she be… Minamo thought to herself. Could she even imagine her life without Yukari? Both have been friends since they were kids and neither of them ever really dated too often so all they’ve really hung out with was each other. I don’t think Yukari’s ever actually had a boyfriend… Minamo thought again. She brushed off the thought and continued her work.
The storm was getting louder outside and the light of the day was still barely hanging out. Both of them just wanted to leave, but Minamo’s stubbornness would not let Yukari get out of her teaching duties. The silence lasted for almost 10 minutes before Yukari spoke up. “Say, Nyamo,”
“What is it this time?”
“You remember in high school, about the love letter?”
“What?! Why are you bringing this up again! Using as black mail for the 100th time?” Minamo said, a bit embarrassed but also frustrated.
“No, not this time,” Yukari said, deep in thought.
“Then what?” Minamo was getting less embarrassed and more frustrated now.
“Well, it’s just that. When you showed me the letter first, why didn’t it have a name on it?”
“What do you mean? My name was written on the bottom,”
“Yeah, yours was. But letters always have someone they are addressed to. Doesn’t seem like you to forget that,”
“W- well, because I wanted to give it to him in person,” Minamo said adamantly.
“Ok, but the weirdest part is when you gave it to him, he just looked so confused and looked like he’d never seen you before,”
“Don’t remind me… What is the point of bringing up one of the most embarrassing parts of my high school days,” She said and Yukari paused for a minute. Minamo was very cautious of Yukari’s uncharacteristic behavior and kept waiting for her to burst out laughing. But no, her face was completely serious.
“Who did you really want to give the letter to? You showed it to me to proofread it, but your grades were way better than mine so why would I be able to help with that? After I read it, you looked even more scared. I laughed at you and then you quickly just turned around and ran right up to the guy and gave him the letter. Why did you even show me?”
“Because I just needed your encouragement and you just laughed at me,” Minamo said as quickly as she stood up. Her face slowly going red with embarrassing high school memories. “I need to go get a drink, do you want anything?”
“Sure, just get me whatever,” Yukari said with a sigh. It looked like she wasn’t going to get an answer out of her. Yukari knew exactly how to push her friend’s buttons and make her angry, but the one time she wasn’t trying that, she got absolutely nothing.
Minamo stood in front of one of the nearby vending machines, trying to catch her breath. It’s true she did write a love letter and showed it to Yukari. But what wasn’t true, and Minamo would never admit this to anyone, but the letter wasn’t meant for any guy. The guy had simply been a backup plan. A flash of light illuminated the somewhat dark hallway and caused Minamo to jump.
“A nice tea, yeah, that will calm me down,” she said out loud to no one. She got out her coin purse from her pocket and started fishing out some coins. She found her hands trembling and almost dropped her 100 yen coin. As soon as she put the coin in the machine she heard a voice behind her.
“Nyamo,” Yukari said.
“AH!” Minamo jumped.
“What’s taking so long? The vending machine’s just outside the teacher’s room, you know,”
“I know, I was just uh, having trouble choosing,” She said as Yukari stepped closer to her. Minamo took a step back and her heart felt like it was gonna burst out of her chest. Yukari slowly reached her arm up near her and then pressed a button on the machine behind her, causing the drink to fall to the bottom.
“I wanted green tea,” Yukari said as Minamo still stood between her and the vending machine. Lightning flashed again and lit up the pair as they stood adjacent from each other.
“Oh, of course. Sorry, I guess I'm just not myself today. Let me grab your drink then,” She said and turned around.
“I understand now Nyamo,” Yukari said as Minamo had her back turned to Yukari, grabbing her green tea. She then stood back up and turned towards Yukari as she spoke again.
“Understand wh- Mmmh!” Her voice was muffled by Yukari’s lips on hers. Lighting struck once again, but Minamo did not flinch. She dropped the tea bottle and her body instantly relaxed. Before she knew it, she found her arms wrapped around her childhood friend. Would friend be the right word for it now?
Their faces finally separated after what felt like an eternity. They stared into each other’s eyes as the storm illuminated both of their faces. Without a word they locked lips again. Only this time, more passionately. Yukari pushed her back until she was leaning against the vending machine. Their lips were not only locked, but their arms as well and neither of them had any intention of letting go anytime soon. However, a few seconds later, Minamo regained her composure and gently peeled Yukari off of her.
“What, had enough already?” Yukari joked.
“No, but remember we aren’t the only ones here. I’m pretty sure there are clubs still in session or some students still somewhere in the school. If anyone saw us…” She said.
“Worried it’s too stimulating for a mere student?”
“I’m serious! Let’s just go back to the teacher’s room,” She said and walked towards the offices as Yukari picked up her tea and followed.