Chapter Text
It was another day for Hoshino Ichika. Or at least that’s what it was supposed to be.
Things were supposedly going really well for her. She had friends, and a band filled with people that care about her. And yet, there was still something nagging at her, something that kept her up at night.
Love.
It’s something that came up in light conversation from time to time. She would be talking with friends after class, and Saki would bring up crushes. Why wouldn’t she? It was normal for girls to talk about guys after all.
No matter how many times this conversation topic would come up, however, Ichika’s answer remained the same.
“Guys? I… don’t know how to feel. I guess I’ve never thought about them much.”
Saki would always gasp dramatically, “How could you not be thinking about guys?! We’re in high school!” and Ichika would be forced to wave it off with a shrug and a sigh.
Even with all of this, love never seemed like a pressing issue to Ichika. So then why was she thinking about it, staring into her reflection in the mirror at 7 in the morning?
Ichika forced a sigh out of her mouth, and grabbed her toothbrush to begin her morning routine. Brush, shower, eat. That’s how it always is. No reason thoughts about love should interrupt it. Yet, as Ichika stood in front of the mirror, brushing her teeth.
Ichika took her shower right after, but the warm water cascading over her body only made her brain more restless. Is this what it would feel like? This warmth, is this what being held by someone would feel like?
The thought started to annoy Ichika only once she began eating, and realized that she was eating with no one. Where were her parents…?
Well, that’s okay. She still had her cacti to eat with her. They loved her after all. She didn’t need to think about boys when she had her friends, her bandmates, and her cacti.
But maybe it’d be a good thing to ask Saki about today.
And so, As Ichika prepared for another day of school, she pulled out Saki’s contact, and texted her.
Saki. Rooftop after school?
Ichika lets out a massive sigh as she sends the message, but the second she closes her phone, she gets a response. Typical. She opens her phone back up to read the text.
Secret rooftop meeting?! Count me in!
The tension in Ichika’s shoulders drains away. Why would she think that Saki would turn her down? Saki’s never turned her down before, and she always wants to be with her.
Ichika sets out for school a few minutes later, bag slung over her shoulder as she walks. Why is her heart racing? It’s just another day at school. Another day to spend with friends. Another day in the life of Hoshino Ichika.
At least school is about as interesting as every other day. Boring classes, friendly greetings and pointless conversations with Honami and Azusawa. But no amount of class or conversation could get her mind off her upcoming conversation.
And so, when class is over, Ichika makes her way up the stairs, and onto the roof. Ichika’s eyes scan over the area. It’s empty for now. That’s… good. Ichika gets some time to think.
But that doesn’t last long.
Suddenly, Ichika can’t see. Her entire body tenses up as she feels breath on the back of her neck. And then, a voice in her ear.
“Do exactly as I say… and you’ll be okay.”
Ichika shakily nods her head. Maybe this was all a mistake, who knew there was a freak on the rooftop waiting to ambush her!
But then, sight comes back to her eyes, and she hears… laughing behind her. Ichika looks over her shoulder, and sees Saki there, hunched over herself and laughing.
Ichika crosses her arms over her chest, already pouting.
“That wasn’t nice…” Ichika mutters, just below her breath.
And yet Saki heard it, “But you should’ve seen the look on your face! It was so precious!”
But even as Saki teases Ichika, she shuffles forward awkwardly, wrapping her arms around Ichika as some sort of twisted comfort after her twisted joke. As much as Ichika would want to say that she’s still mad, when this girl’s holding her, she feels like she couldn’t be mad at anything.
A moment later, Saki pulls back, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Sorry!~ I just couldn’t help myself. What did you ask me up here for today?”
Saki leans forward, her hands clasped together behind her back. It’s not abnormal for this to happen, but to the Ichika of today, it’s the strangest thing.
“I— well… I think I’m struggling with something.”
Ichika guides herself and Saki over to one of the benches, where they both settle. Saki shuffles a little closer to Ichika than she may like, which only causes a little bit more delay in Ichika opening up
“I guess this has to do with… boys.”
Saki’s eyes INSTANTLY light up, “For real?! Okay okay, this is REALLY something! Who is he? What’s his name? Is he hot? OMG, do you think you have a chance?”
“W-Wait, Saki! I’m not interested in a guy, I’m more worried that I… don’t like guys at all.”
Saki’s excitement dies down fairly quickly, but not into something unkind. She tilts her head to the side, examining Ichika’s expression carefully. Saki just… stares at Ichika for a long time. Ichika shifts uncomfortably under the weight of Saki’s examination.
And then, with an excitement only a Tenma could have, Saki leans forward again, this time definitely too close “So you’re DEFINITELY like my brother. Or… like Shiho! Yeah, definitely more like Shiho.”
Ichika looks puzzled for a moment. “What does this have to do with Shiho? Or Tenma-kun, those two are so vastly different…”
“Oh, I thought it’d be obvious! They’re both gayer than a rainbow!!”
Ichika pauses mid thought. She looks at Saki, smiling and joking like she hadn’t said anything earth shattering. Shiho… Tsukasa… gay? The thought had never even occurred to Ichika. Sure, she’d heard about gay people online, but to meet one…?
“Shiho’s gay? Tenma-kun too? What… what are you even trying to tell me?”
Saki looks genuinely confused for a moment. And then she laughs, a cheery, bright sound that makes Ichika’s heart rate spike. “You seriously don’t get it?”
Saki leans her shoulder against Ichika’s “Listen, you ever just get a feeling that a girl is really pretty? Like, a whole lotta ‘I wanna kiss her’ energy?”
Ichika tenses up. Again. Why is she so damn tense?! They’re just touching shoulders. Shoulders, Ichika, stop thinking about Saki’s shoulders. Ichika forces her eyes straight forward towards the horizon. “G-Girls? I’ve never… never thought a girl was pretty before.”
That’s just a straight up lie. The crack in her voice said that all. Ichika stares at Saki’s back whenever they walk away. She spends nights staring at Saki’s contact on her phone when she’s lonely.
Saki spots it immediately. “Icchan, is there something on your mind?” Saki looks at Ichika with those eyes. Those damn eyes that just make everything spill.
“What would it mean if I was gay? I mean, I’ve never considered it. How would I even know?”
Saki slipped off the bench to kneel in front of Ichika, taking her hands into her own, “Icchan… do you want my help with this?”
Ichika doesn’t know what she’s about to agree to. How could Saki help? But, Ichika trusts her. She’d let Saki do anything. And so, Ichika nods her head.
Saki smiles and rises to sit next to Ichika on the bench again. No words are needed between the two of them, even as Saki holds Ichika’s face so gingerly, or even as Ichika realizes what’s going to happen next.
The first thing that Ichika registers is softness. The softness of Saki, her childhood best friend, against her lips. That doesn’t get her to pull away. The second thing is the smell of something suspiciously close to plums. Is this what Saki has always smelt like?
Even after Saki pulls away, nervously giggling, Ichika is still stunned. She isn’t seeing anything, even with her eyes wide open. Her face is flushed. Her ears are burning. It takes a disastrous 17 seconds for Ichika to catch back up to reality with a sudden shake of her head
“S-Saki! W-What was that… for?”
Ichika knows the answer before she can even get the question out. Saki doesn’t even say anything, just offers a smile for Ichika.
It was not just another day for Hoshino Ichika.