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”So…” I cleared my throat quietly. “Tomoe Mami, what are your intentions with Miki Sayaka?”
There, I asked it. Boldly. Out in the open! A most vital question.
My confrontation with Sakura-san had been… eventful. Dubiously successful, even! I managed to hold a full conversation with her, at least while we were dancing. That said, though my heart still raced at the memory, she’d since gone back to ignoring me entirely.
Tomoe-san, though, was different. Tomoe-san was someone I felt I could relate to. She was cultured, soft-spoken, and carried herself with a ladylike demeanour I also aimed to emulate. She was, in a sense, a much better match for someone like myself. She also attended school, which made her a much more reliable young woman than Sayaka-san’s actual girlfriend.
No, Tomoe-san was a much more trustworthy person.
If that was the case though, then why had I seen her striding purposefully down streets young ladies like us had no business striding down at hours we most certainly shouldn’t be striding anywhere? And why, while I had been investigating her for suspicious activity, did I see her spending time with Sakura-san, alone, and sitting ever so close!
No, there was something going on, behind Tomoe Mami’s perfect smile, flawless poise and melodic voice. And as Sayaka-san’s friend, I needed to get to the bottom of it! To make sure my dear friend wasn’t in any danger, of course.
So I’d reached out. I simply asked to meet up with her in private, and she invited me to her home. Much, much smoother than my time spent hunting down Sakura-san. She’d even escorted me to her home in fact, which I found very kind of her. We’d made pleasant conversation, even! She had a lot to say about my hobbies and interests, and I was delighted to find she had a passion for fashion and pastries! Were it not for her suspicious activities, I might be tempted to drop the whole thing right then and there.
But now, I sat across from her - cup of tea in my hand, and a slice of homemade cheesecake on the plate before me.
In response to my question, Tomoe-san giggled softly, a hand raised to cover her full lips.
“My, Shizuki-san - you make it sound ever so salacious! Whatever do you mean by ‘intentions’?”
”I...” my confidence started to waver. “I simply meant - I meant that, as Sayaka-san’s close friend, I’m looking out for her!”
Tomoe-san took a sip of tea, setting it elegantly down on its saucer. It was western-style tea of course, but I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d be interested in joining my tea ceremony club? Come to think of it, I wasn’t sure what club activities she engaged in.
”Of course. I must say, Miki-san is terribly lucky to have a friend as protective as you. And one as committed, I might add.”
“N…Naturally!” I exclaimed, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear. It was rather warm in here. ”We’ve been friends since we were very small.”
”So I’ve heard! She has a lot to say about you.” Tomoe-san went on, warming her graceful fingers against the body of her teacup.
”She.. she does?” I asked, oddly taken by Tomoe-san’s repetitive caressing of her cup.
“My, yes! She’s always spoken glowingly about the time you spend together.”
Time that was, of late, ever so sparse. I still wasn’t sure if Sayaka knew about my conversation with her girlfriend.
Wait- we were getting off-topic!
“I-in any case, I-“
”Would you like to try some of my cheesecake first, Shizuki-san?” Tomoe-san asked politely. Once again I found myself interrupted, but… well, it was a very inviting cake, and it would only spoil if I let it warm up.
I took a forkful. It was… well, it was marvellous! Light and sweet and soft, with just a hint of lemon adding a faint tartness? It took my breath away!
”Tomoe-san, this is… this is wonderful! The lemon flavour is so subtle, but so bold! And the biscuit base holds together so well!”
”Oh- thank you, Shizuki-san.” Tomoe-san laid a radiant smile upon me like a veil. “It’s a treat to have a guest with such a refined palette! I stayed up rather late last night preparing it, and my guests aren’t usually so discerning.”
”That’s a terrible shame, Tomoe-san!”
”Rather. You’ll have to come over more often, to sample my other treats.” As she spoke, she took a bite of her own slice. Her eyes closed in bliss, her soft features creasing for a moment. “Sakura-san doesn’t even like lemon flavouring. She says it’s too sour, the silly girl.”
The silly girl. Those three words, with a faintly annoyed tut, tickled my ears in such an odd way. Truly, this Tomoe-san was a fascinating character. No wonder Sayaka-san spent so much time with her!
Ah, but wait! I missed the most important word, for a moment!
Perhaps I could be a silly gi-
“Th-that reminds me, Tomoe-san. I was asking about your intentions with Sayaka-san, and your- and your relationship with Sakura-san…”
It felt… oddly rude to ask now, after enjoying so much of her hospitality.
”Of course, yes - I almost forgot, it’s such a delight to speak with you. Miki-san and I are just good friends! We may not seem like an obvious match, but we do have a lot of fun together.”
”I’m sure!” It did seem like Mami could have a lovely time with just about anyone… “Ah, but she- but you…”
”You should try the tea! It’s a good pairing, I promise.”
”Mm, of course.” How could I say no? I took a sip. ”Delicious! Is this Darjeeling?”
”Oh, very good! Well spotted, Shizuki-san.” Tomoe-san’s praise was like melted chocolate for my ears. She felt terribly indulgent to listen to.
”Well, I do like my tea… I’m in a tea ceremony club, you know.”
“Is that so? Do tell me more, I’ve never had the time for clubs!” Tomoe-san suddenly regarded me with wide-eyed enthusiasm.
”Oh, well, it’s-“ Wait, I’m gushing again! How did this keep happening!? “I mean, I’m trying to talk about Sayaka-san…”
Tomoe-san sighed and leaned back. ”Of course, of course. Isn’t she such a special person? You’re lucky to have known her as long as you have.”
”I am…”
”She’s ever so strong and brave. She does have such a tendency to hide her feelings away though… I’m sure you’re used to it, by now.”
”I… Yes…”
She picked at her cheesecake thoughtfully, taking her powerful eyes off me for a moment. “She keeps me company, though. She’s ever so lovely for that.”
”Y-yes! Well, about that, I… I’ve seen the two of you in some awfully strange places, I-“
Tomoe-san’s eyes snapped up to mine again. The strength I found for my little outburst melted away in an instant.
“Aren’t you perceptive, Shizuki-san! I assure you we’re not doing anything untoward, but I feel the need to remind you - Miki-san is in a relationship with Sakura-san, not me!”
”I-I’m aware of that!”
”I’m actually single, you know…” She had a faraway look in her eyes.
”I-I… You don’t say!” It still seemed so… hard to believe.
“It’s true! It’s just me, in this whole apartment, night after night. That’s why I like to step out of an evening, and why I’m so keen to have friends come to visit. Like yourself!”
Well, when she said it like that…
”I see, that makes sense…”
”It does warm my heart to see you so protective of her, though. Ah- would you like my raspberry? Your slice doesn’t have one.”
”Oh, I-“
She scooped up some cheesecake in her fork tipped by the raspberry, leaning across the table to hold it out to me. Her other hand was cupped beneath the food, as if someone with her poise, her grace, could ever drop a single crumb.
Well, of course I opened my mouth, and let her feed me. How could I say no? Clearly she’d been so excited to spend time with me, and she was being so kind…
Ah, it was perfect. Mami beamed in approval as I ate, her cupped fingertips barely a hair’s breadth from my chin.
She moved away. “Nice, hm?”
”W-wow…” I murmured, dumbstruck. Tomoe-san sat back down, but her hand remained outstretched, laying it down gently to rest atop my own.
The room around us seemed to fade away.
This was… Ever so nice. I could happily spend more time here with Tomoe-san. I hoped we could become good friends.
But… wasn’t there something else? Wasn’t I here for… Oh! How could I let myself forget?
“W-wait, I… I… I also saw… Sakura-san! She’s a delinquent, a-and dangerous… I-I know Sayaka-san loves her, but…” Gosh, it was so hard to think straight…
“Oh, you want to know about Sakura-san?” She looked almost.. disappointed, all of a sudden. “Well, I can understand that she might seem intimidating to those who don’t know her well…”
I nodded, though I felt that now I knew her better, she scared me even more.
”But she is a good girl deep down, and she treats Miki-san very well - even if they do bicker.”
“I-I’m glad, I… Wait, but I… You and Sakura-san, I saw you both… umm…”
Tomoe-san blinked in surprise, but her smile quickly returned.
“Sakura-san and I… Well, we’re good friends together. We go back a long way, though not so far as you and Miki-san… I suppose you could say we’re… old flames?”
That was an awfully evocative statement. For a moment my mind conjured images of the way that Sakura-san had grabbed me by the wrist, how she’d gotten ever so close, only with Tomoe-san instead… Those dangerous, animalistic red eyes meeting their match in Tomoe-san’s gentle gaze, perhaps? Or maybe she took advantage of her limitless generosity?
She squeezed my hand softly.
Or… Or perhaps, Tomoe-san had it in her to tame that wild beast? Perhaps she might spoon-feed her like she spoon-fed me?
”Shizuki-san?”
”A-ah!!” My face was burning. I felt ever so light-headed all of a sudden! Perhaps a fever, or something? “I’m terribly sorry, I think I might be falling ill. Maybe I should go home?” it felt ever so hot in here, all of a sudden…
Tomoe-san pouted. “Oh, really? But you’ve only just got here! If you’re feeling faint, you can lie down on my bed for a moment, I can-“
”N-no, thank you! That’s very kind, but I should-“ I leapt to my feet, bumping my knee painfully on the table in my haste.
“Well, alright… You’ll come back though, won’t you?” She asked softly, almost pleading.
”Of course!” I said without thinking, as I beat a hasty retreat. Sayaka-san was just fine with her new friends. Just fine! I would certainly have to get to know Tomoe-san much better in the future, though - just to be sure…