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There were a lot of things that Zakuro Fujiwara was confident in. Her strong and deep vocals that captured every listener’s ears, her variety abilities that made every host and viewer fall in love with her, her slim and sexy physique that made even the most atrocious articles of clothing look like the hottest of couture. Without a doubt, Zakuro had an array of talents and reasons to be so self-assured. Everyone wanted to be her, or be near her.
And yet, she was experiencing a feeling she wasn’t used to.
Zakuro Fujiwara was experiencing insecurity. And the cause of her insecurity was Mint Aizawa.
It happened so slowly, that Zakuro hadn’t even realized the situation she found herself in until she was already knee deep. Since the day she met the bluenette, she had followed her around like a love sick puppy. Most days Zakuro just ignored it. This type of fan behavior was something she was used to, and Mint’s fawning never kept either from completing their work. As long as no one got hurt, why put a stop to it? But that pause is exactly what started Zakuro’s problem…
It wasn't any different than any other day. The girls all met at Café Mew Mew after school, a chimera animal appeared, and they all went to fight it off before it caused any harm to civilians. Same old, same old.
That is, until Zakuro got knocked off her feet.
Blindsided, faster than she could register, Zakuro hit the pavement. Even faster, she felt a presence before her.
Mint.
With elegance and grace, Mint shot an arrow at the chimera animal, stunning it so Ichigo could finish it off. No hesitance, Mint reached her hand down to help Zakuro back to her feet. “Are you alright, onee-sama?” Mint asked, that warmth in her voice that she only had when speaking to—or about—Zakuro. Taking her hand, Zakuro nodded, quickly thanking Mint for her help. “I’m so glad!”
Then, the next day, when Zakuro entered the café for her shift, Mint was already there having her afternoon tea. Instead of enthusiastic sparkly eyes and a voice going up an octave in a trance of admiration, she was met with a polite “Hello onee-sama.”
Noticing the difference, but not pushing the change of speech, Zakuro politely said hello back to Mint. Maybe she was tired from her personal schedule. Surely she will be back to her usual energetic fangirl tomorrow.
But the next day, it was the same thing. A polite and concise hello, and nothing else. Perhaps a quick comment or question relating to cafe work. “Table 5 needs their sundaes.” This didn’t go unnoticed by Zakuro, but she still didn’t bring it up with Mint. She was still herself. Still the arguments with Ichigo, still sipping her tea with her pinky out, not a single strand of hair out of place. Her tone change was so subtle, and she was still well mannered to the other girls and customers alike. It wasn’t an issue. At least, for Mint it wasn’t. But for Zakuro? It was a big problem.
Reason number one it was a problem: Zakuro couldn’t pinpoint why Mint was treating her differently. Typically, Zakuro is able to recognize the others’ problems before they do. Even if she was cold and didn’t speak often, she was very good at observation. This skill came in handy whenever the other girls needed a confident push. How could Zakuro approach this problem to fix it if she couldn’t figure out a source in the change of behavior?
Reason number two it was a problem: she was realizing how much it was bothering her. Typically, Zakuro couldn’t care less if she had an issue with someone. Heck, her and Mint, along with the rest of the Mew Mews, had a rocky start for that exact reason. If something was bothering her, it would show up in her work. And with her new movie filming, she couldn’t afford to not give an exceptional performance. Why couldn’t she get this out of her head? What was causing her to be so insecure?
Reason number three it was a problem: Mint’s change in attitude made Zakuro realize that she held feelings for her.
Zakuro had never experienced anything like this before. No one that she has ever crossed paths with caught her eye. She was far too busy, too closed off, too dedicated to her craft to let anyone in. So why did Mint sneak her way in? Mint had always placed herself leagues far below Zakuro’s. Even though Mint was the one who always made her admiration known, she had made the game plan herself to never catch up to Zakuro, no matter how close to her she wanted to get to her. So what was Zakuro to do to close that distance?
Lost in thought, she had knocked over a teacup while washing the dishes in the back room of the cafe, the shattering of the ceramic brought her out of her daze. Lettuce, who also happened to be in the back room cleaning, turned at the occurrence.
“Is everything alright, Zakuro-san? You didn’t cut yourself did you?” Lettuce asked, ready to go fetch a first aid kit before the older girl could even respond.
“I’m fine. Just wasn’t careful enough,” she replied simply.
“Let me sweep that up for you,” Lettuce offered as she dropped her rag, her voice making it clear it was not a suggestion.
Zakuro nodded, quietly thanking Lettuce as she fetched the broom. Going back to the dishes, her mind wandered back to Mint. She was completely lost on what to do, or how to properly process her own feelings towards the ballerina. They both had extremely hectic lives. Ichigo tries to balance her life with her relationship with Aoyama, and that doesn’t always work out as planned. She was always complaining about how she always had to cancel her dates with him to work at the café and fighting monsters. Outside of the Mew Mew Project, both Mint and Zakuro had to spend their free time dedicating themselves to their personal responsibilities. If Ichigo couldn’t find time to go on dates with her boyfriend, how could someone like Zakuro fit love into her schedule?
“Zakuro-san, are you sure you’re alright?” Lettuce asked, more hesitantly than before.
The verdant girl’s question breaks Zakuro out of her inner rumination. She quickly turned to face Lettuce, feigning her usual facade. “Why wouldn’t anything be alright?”
“Y-You’ve been scrubbing the same spot on that plate for several minutes…”
What? There was no way she was-
“Ah. So I am,” Zakuro stated obviously. Quickly, she came up with an excuse. “There’s just a spot on here that won’t get clean. So I need to scrub it thoroughly.”
Immediately, Lettuce started bowing profusely and squeaking out her apologies, her words rushing out so fast they blended together. She said something about doubting Zakuro’s cleaning skills and assuming her feelings and prying. Lettuce was too hard on herself. She was very kind and a very good listener. Maybe … maybe Zakuro didn’t have to be so secretive after all.
“Actually,” Zakuro started, her new sentence causing Lettuce to pause her apologies. “There is something that’s been on my mind. It’s been causing me a lot of distraction..”
Immediately, Lettuce realized what was happening. She nodded encouragingly at Zakuro, urging her to continue. If Zakuro was speaking about her problems with her, it must be a huge enough bother.
Zakuro caught on to Lettuce’s signal, preparing herself internally for what she was about to say. “Mint has been acting strange lately. But, not in a way that makes me worried about her. She’s just acting differently than usual. And …” She paused, taking a moment to gather the courage she needed to admit to Lettuce what she was having trouble even admitting to herself. “Mint has been treating … me differently. I don’t like it. I’m not sure why Mint started acting differently after our last mission. And I’m not sure what to do about it…”
A silence filled the air of the back kitchen, leaving Zakuro to grow more and more anxious as the seconds passed between the two girls. Despite her hair being pulled back into a ponytail, she could feel beads of sweat travel down the back of her neck. Was this information really so daunting that it left Lettuce speechless? What was she supposed to do then?
Setting her broom aside, Lettuce took a few steps closer to Zakuro, craning up neck to look the taller girl properly in the eyes. “You like Mint?” she asked her softly.
Feeling a flush creep upon her cheeks, all Zakuro could do was nod. It was strange hearing the question be asked out loud…
With that acknowledgment, Lettuce’s lips spread into a soft and caring smile. “That takes a lot of courage to admit, Zakuro. Thank you for sharing that with me!” Taking her hands, Lettuce smiled directly at Zakuro. “But, I think you should also share this with Mint.”
Panic struck Zakuro’s insides. What would telling her even do? How would it even solve anything? Mint wasn’t even treating her badly. She was just …
Civil.
“But, Lettuce, haven’t you seen how Mint has been acting the last few days?” Zakuro asked earnestly, her tone losing the typical cool-as-a-cucumber stability as her questions sprinted laps in her brain. “She hasn’t treated me normally at all. But she isn’t avoiding me like I upset her, either. I don’t think telling her this would change anything.”
Lettuce’s eyes only grew softer at Zakuro, as if she was a much older sister giving a preschooler advice about sharing snacks with a puppy crush. “Mint will understand. She’s a very kind girl. Just be honest with her. I don’t think she would ever want to hurt you, Zakuro. You are her idol, after all.”
While she was hesitant to agree with Lettuce, (due to her not entirely following her logic on the issue) Zakuro nodded. Lettuce squeezed her hands for encouragement before letting go. “I don’t think Mint had anywhere to go today after her shift. She should be at home.”
Zakuro took the nudge, nodding again at Lettuce. Quickly throwing her a “thank you,” she practically sprinted to the locker room to change out of her uniform. As she sped changed (even more than she had to for fashion shows or TV appearances) she felt a guilty for leaving Lettuce behind to finish the chores herself, but she couldn’t help but catch the small glimpse of Shirogane and the porpoise smiling at each other as she made her way out of the café. Maybe Lettuce really did know what she was talking about .
Her lungs burned as she ran, her legs growing sore the faster she tried to run, but she barely noticed any of it. All that flooded Zakuro’s mind was Mint. She liked Mint. Even if it just a moment ago felt foreign in her mouth to admit, it was all she could think over and over.
I like Mint.
I like Mint.
I like Mint!
Before she knew it, Zakuro made it to Mint’s residence. Using her adrenaline to easily hop over the fence, she sprinted across the pristine lawn, and then used her last burst of energy to jump up onto Mint’s balcony.
Her landing less than the most graceful, Zakuro ended up stumbling and falling face first onto the stone flooring outside of Mint’s bedroom window. She hadn’t realized how hard she pushed herself to get over here so fast … maybe she should let herself take a break next time she has an emotional epiphany.
“Onee-sama?”
Eyes bolting up, before her stood Mint. Her navy hair was damp, a ribbon tied around her head to keep the drying strands from falling in her face. She wore her typical pale blue nightgown, accompanied by an adorable pair of matching fluffy slippers. It was strange. Zakuro had seen her in this attire before, and it wasn’t until now that she noticed how darling and innocent Mint looked in her sleepwear.
Realizing she had been staring, Zakuro snapped out of her daze. She took a deep breath to try and stun her panting, but her throat was too dry to get a single syllable out. Locking eyes with Mint only made her feel more embarrassed. How could she be so messy in front of her like this? This was only going to make Mint treat her even worse!
“Onee-sama, come inside. Let me get you some tea.”
Like dejavu, Mint reached her hand out to Zakuro. She hesitantly took it, failing to notice Mint’s fingers lingering as long as they did as she led her inside. Zakuro also failed to notice how long Mint kept her gaze on her figure before she left the room to fetch a warm pot that was freshly brewed.
Once Mint returned, the two awkwardly sat at the small tea table in her bedroom as they both sipped on a new pot of chamomile. Zakuro was too humiliated at her clumsiness to look up from her tea cup, but her hiding her eyes made her miss how Mint’s eyes were only on her.
Not wanting to press on the issue, Mint kept quiet. Zakuro was acting very out of the ordinary, but she was frazzled enough as is. She saw it better to wait for Zakuro to catch her breath before explaining herself.
Several minutes passed, and Zakuro still avoided Mint’s eyes at all costs. “I know I came abruptly. I’m sorry,” she started.
Mint just shook her head understandingly. “If you came over this way, it must be important.”
Zakuro froze again, losing all edge she had on the way over. “Mint, I need answers from you.”
“Answers?” Mint asked, not having a clue what she could be talking about.
Still not making eye contact, Zakuro slowly started to get her usual edge back. “Why have you been acting strangely lately, and only to me? You still fight with Ichigo every day, you still take your tea at the same time during your shift, you stillattemd your ballet rehearsals with no stress. You act the same with everyone except me. Why is that? Why am I the only one that is being treated differently by you?”
Hearing the desperation in her voice, Zakuro was ashamed, but kept that hidden under the strength of her voice. Finally getting some courage, she finally raised her eyes to Mint, her brow furrowed as she was anxious for a response.
And yet, Mint was silent.
She just sat there, mouth agape, staring back at Zakuro with a mirrored amount of discomfort. Zakuro’s frustration was only growing exponentially by each second. With Mint, she was always patient. She was younger and had a sheltered upbringing. There were things she just didn’t experience or understand the way Zakuro had learned. But staying silent over something like this was really testing that patience, even if she did think she was really pretty.
“I thought I was your idol!” Zakuro exclaimed, fire laced throughout every word. “I thought I was important to you! All of us are, aren’t we? Ichigo, Lettuce, and Pudding. But they are getting this distance from you. Why are you acting like this, Mint? Why am I nothing to you so suddenly?”
“Nothing? Onee-sama-“
“Why don’t you talk to me anymore? You always said you loved me!”
“I do love you-“
“If you still love me, then why are you so distant? That’s not love!”
“Onee-sama-“
“Don’t you see that you distancing yourself is making me upset? Why, Mint?”
“Onee-sama-“
“Mint, I like you!”
“ONEE-SAMA!”
Slamming her hands on the table and standing from her chair like lightning, Mint finally was able to let the dice roll to her. “You’re always so dense!” Mint made her way to Zakuro’s side of the table, towering over her still sitting figure. “I didn’t want to! I hated not talking to you! But I told myself …” She paused, biting her lip and breaking the eye contact she locked herself. Zakuro swore she saw Mint blink a few tears away .. “I couldn’t protect you. I can never protect you. I’m never strong enough to keep you from getting hurt. You always save me, and that just gets you in danger. I can’t do that anymore. I need you to be angry and stay away until I get stronger!”
There was no way Zakuro was hearing her correctly. Mint was distancing herself, for her own sake? So that neither of them would get hurt again?
“Are you delusional?” Zakuro retorted. “What on earth would make you think that would be a solution?”
“You worry too much about me and always get hurt. Because of me! I need to be able to protect myself, and you!”
“Mint, you’re acting idiotically. You’ve always been strong.”
“But I can never do anything by myself! I always have to rely on you!”
“And why is that an issue?!” Zakuro spat, finally standing up from her chair. “All of us rely on each other! Why are you acting like you have to be alone?”
Mint stayed silent. Zakuro could tell that she was holding back. Lips sealed, as if she was forced to keep them closed or else words would erupt. She never broke contact with Mint’s stare, but still didn’t miss the sudden tight grip she had on the edge of the tablecloth. Each second felt like a ticking time bomb, with the tension only rising with each small flicker of Mint’s scowl. But Zakuro could handle the heat. She held her own back as she waited for Mint to crack.
Zakuro expected an explosion, but not a dam breaking.
Before she realized it, Mint’s eyes broke away, tears spilling from the edges as she shrank in posture before her. The tablecloth was released from her hand, quickly replaced by her own arms clutching each other as she wrapped them around her frame.
“But that’s it ..” Mint breathed out, so quiet Zakuro would have missed it if she split her attention to anything else at that moment. “I’ve always been alone …”
Confused, Zakuro let Mint take her time to explain. It wasn’t her time to speak. She just needed to listen. “My parents were always gone. The nanny is only here because we pay her and give her housing. My brother is always studying… Who is going to be there for me if you aren’t around anymore?”
She couldn’t take it anymore. Hearing Mint’s sobs and knowing she felt this fear for all the time they’ve been together, Zakuro couldn’t believe she was so blind. Has she truly known Mint? Did she learn nothing from all of the experiences they endured together? Was Mint just that guarded this entire time? Not hesitating anymore, Zakuro pulled Mint close, cradling her head against her chest. Knowing her heartbeat would betray her outward composure, she tightened her grip on Mint’s shoulder with no hesitation. She doubted Mint would even realize; both were incredibly overwhelmed, but also incredibly hyper focused on each other.
Feeling Mint catch her breath beneath her chest, Zakuro took a moment for them to bathe in the silence before murmuring in her ear.
“Mint, when will you realize?” Zakuro asked rhetorically, not waiting for her to answer. “I won’t ever leave you. Never again.
“We’ll do everything together,” she assured her. “We’ll figure it out together. So until then, don’t be scared to depend on me when you need to.”
It was then that Zakuro curled her posture down to be closer to Mint. She told herself it was to comfort Mint, give her the happy pressure of a hug or a warm blanket, but Zakuro couldn’t stand the distance between them even when she held Mint as tight as possible. Mint, soaking up what she just heard, let out another sob. This sob, however, was different. Zakuro realized when she heard it. This wasn’t a painful, lost, grieving sob. It was a sob full of knowing she wasn’t alone. Mint knew she didn’t have to be alone.
Mint knew she was loved.
Finally letting herself love back openly, she wrapped her arms around Zakuro, pulling on her taller frame to fill any millimeter left between them. “Onee-sama” she whispered. “Please don’t be scared to depend on me, too.”
Zakuro couldn’t help but smile. “I never was.”
The two girls just held each other. Gripping at the other’s garments, so desperate for each other’s warmth. After what seemed like hours, Mint eventually lifted her head from Zakuro’s chest, looking up at the taller girl. “Onee-sama?” she asked, her voice returning to its usual volume with her tone having a hint of sweetness Zakuro never heard before.
“Yes, Mint?” she asked, her eyes meeting Mint’s.
“Will you stay the night?”
Zakuro nodded, her hand going to Mint’s cheek to gently move a stray strand of hair from her face. Her hand stayed floating over her cheek, the tips of her fingers the only part making content with Mint’s soft skin.
Mint, not being able to hold back anymore-she knew she didn’t have to now-pushed herself onto her tiptoes and smashed her lips against Zakuro’s. The new center of balance caused her to rely more on Zakuro’s body, which in turn caused Zakuro to stumble a step back from being caught off guard. But she didn’t mind. Immediately, Zakuro smiled into the kiss. All she could think about was how she could feel Mint pressing her lips and puffing her cheeks out, almost like she was pouting. The image didn’t fail to make Zakuro view her as adorable, even when Mint wasn’t pouting.
After a few moments, Mint’s face relaxed, the feeling of kissing Zakuro overtaking her and calming her. She melted into Zakuro, her frame fitting into Zakuro’s perfectly. They were equal. A midway point of cool and fiery, of delicate and boldness, a perfect shade of indigo.
Not parting from each other, Zakuro guided Mint to her bed. Mint giggled as she finally pulled away first, crawling over to get under her covers. She guided Zakuro over to follow, pulling her duvet over their shoulders and snuggling close, her face mere centimeters away.
“I love you, Onee-sama,” she said softly.
“I love you, too, Mint,” Zakuro replied just as tenderly.
Mint once again leaned forward for a chaste kiss, followed by her closing her eyes and resting her head against Zakuro’s chest.
“It feels like you’re meant to be here. Like we were supposed to find each other and be together.”
Zakuro closed her eyes, her head resting on top of Mint’s like before.
“I felt it too,” Zakuro admitted. “Even when we fought before. You still felt like you were supposed to be in my life.”
Mint smiled hearing that, relaxing as the events of the day were drifting her to sleep. “I'm never going away.”
Zakuro smiled too, following Mint’s lead.
“Neither am I.”