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The tiny seaside town of Kinnoka is the only place Aya’s ever lived, and she hasn’t ever considered leaving. The place is dear to her- its picturesque shops and cafes and the sound of the ocean crashing on the shore that lulls her to sleep only to wake her up again the next morning. Everyone knows each other, and news travels fast, whether it’s about someone’s love life or how someone had received a very important letter that afternoon. Everything is predictable and light, just how Aya likes it. She has friends here, too, like Chisato and Tsugumi from the cafe, Maya, a pianist, and Maya’s friend Eve. Then there’s her best friend Hina, who has been there as long as Aya can remember, just down the street at her perfume shop. Aya doesn’t want anything to change.When she wakes up that morning to the sound of waves, she gets dressed in her favorite floral dress and combs her hair, tying it with two silk ribbons into low ponytails. The pink dress is a little bit worn out, but Aya doesn’t have the heart to give it away just yet. Not until she finds another one. It’s a fairly warm May morning, Aya notes when she opens the window. She looks out at the street in front of her and the flower shop, breathing in the sea-scented air and the sunlight. There are a few people already out and walking around Kinnoka, taking care of morning business like picking up bread and eggs. The pink-haired girl smiles to herself, greeting the new day with an optimistic attitude she’s worked hard on maintaining. She shuts the window and goes down to the flower shop. The lights are on, which she scolds herself for, as it means she forgot to turn them off last night. She wanders around the flowers for a few minutes before looking at the clock and realizing it’s almost a half an hour after the shop’s normal opening time. Someone is standing outside on the sidewalk with their back to the shop, and Aya smiles when she recognizes the bright blue wavy hair and striped shirt.Aya opens the front door to switch the ‘closed’ sign to say ‘open’, and the girl turns around, smiling. “I was getting worried,” she says. “I was about to go around to the back and wake you up myself. I’ve been here for awhile.” Aya scoffs lightheartedly. “Good morning to you too, Hina.” she says matter-of-factly. Hina giggles softly and swings her arm around Aya’s shoulders as the two girls enter the shop. Hina immediately goes to admire the flowers, and Aya heads to the counter.“Shouldn’t you be at the perfume shop?” Aya asks Hina, trying to make small talk.“Decided not to open it today.” Hina replies casually. She doesn’t look up from the flowers. It’s quiet for a little bit as Aya watches Hina smell some of the yellow roses, probably trying to decide on a new scent. “You know, you really should have a consistent schedule for the perfume shop.” Aya says after a few moments. Hina shrugs.“You’re not one to talk,” she says. Aya’s ears turn red. “That was a mistake!” Aya protests. “I didn’t mean to sleep in.” Hina laughs, then points to the roses. “What do these mean?” she asks curiously. “The yellow roses?”Hina nods. “Jealousy and infidelity,” Aya answers her. Hina curls her lip in an exaggerated expression of distaste. It’s Aya’s turn to laugh a bit at the other girl, whose face changes to a bright but small smile in a matter of seconds. Aya likes this about Hina; how lighthearted and carefree she is. It goes well with Aya’s more lowkey and shy tendencies.“Have anything else?” Hina asks.Aya walks over to Hina’s side, looking around the shop. She glances at all of her flowers in the shop, the daisies and pansies and lilies, before her gaze rests on a collection of violets half-hidden behind the white roses. “How about these?”Hina lowers an eyebrow. “What are those?”“Violets.” Aya responds. She picks up a bundle of them and gives them to Hina, who takes a whiff of their scent. “What do they symbolize?” Hina asks. Aya dons a small smile as she answers.“Being in love.”Hina studies Aya’s face silently for a few moments, then looks back down at the violets in her arms. Aya fidgets with the skirt of her dress, smiling at the floor. The atmosphere is sweet but thick, like caramel. “Do you have other flowers that mean something like that?” Hina breaks the silence and Aya’s head shoots up. Hina is still staring at the flowers she’s holding. “Yeah!” Aya confirms, walking around the flower shop again to find something that might fit. “Let’s see… roses have different meanings based on their colors. Red roses symbolize passionate love, and white means young or innocent love. Lilac roses mean love at first sight or some kind of desire, pink for admiration and happiness, orange for excitement and passion…” she explains enthusiastically, trailing off at the end. “Chrysanthemums have different meanings based on color too. Red means love, white is truth and loyal love, yellow is unreciprocated love,” “Aya,” Hina interrupts softly. “I’ll take lilac, pink, and white roses,” she states. Aya mentally scolds herself again for getting ahead of herself. It’s easy for her to talk a lot when she talks about flowers. “I’ll be back to get others later,” Aya nods in agreement.“Okay,” she says as she returns behind the counter to ring up Hina’s purchase. “Aya, you’re cute when you talk about flowers,” Hina tells her. “You’re like a flower yourself! Colorful, delicate, and pretty,” Aya feels her face grow warm at this remark. Hina’s bright spark has returned to her eye, and she’s smiling rosily again. Aya is at a loss for words taking it all in.“Hin-” she begins to protest, but she’s cut off by the ringing of the bell above the entrance. In walks a taller girl around Aya’s age with the same light blue hair and smart green eyes as Hina. She wears a short-sleeved button down white shirt and black capris. Her presence is strong, and so is the look in her eyes.“I knew I would find you here, Hina.” she says. Hina winks at Aya before turning around to face the other girl. “You left before I even woke up.”Hina laughs. “It’s not my fault you slept so late, Sayo,” she replies. “I have work to do today, so I got up early.” Sayo crosses her arms in front of her and sighs.“If you have work to do, why are you flirting with Aya over the counter at the flower shop?” she remarks. Hina chuckles again and turns back to face Aya, whose face has gotten steadily more pink as the moments pass.“I’m getting flowers here to make a new scent,” Hina replies. She doesn’t deny that she’s flirting, Aya notices. She doesn’t point this out, and neither does Sayo. “I see,” her twin sister says simply. “I’m going to Himawari Cafe to work on my book,” she informs the pair. “By the way, the reason I slept late is because I was writing,” “Oh, that explains why you didn’t get home at the normal time,” Hina responds, filing through the cash in her wallet, then putting it on the counter in front of Aya, who takes it and puts it in the cash register. When Aya starts taking out coins to give Hina her change, Hina says, “Keep the change. I don’t like coins.”“Good morning to you, Aya, by the way,” Sayo gives Aya a small, rare smile. “Working again?”Aya disregards the blush on her cheeks as she replies. “Yeah,” she answers. “I think I’ll take the afternoon off, though.” She adds as an afterthought. Sayo nods.
“You should, you deserve it.” she agrees. “I’m meeting up with Eve and Maya later today at the boardwalk! I bet they wouldn’t mind if you came too!” Hina exclaims excitedly, taking the flowers off of the counter. “We were going to invite Chisato, but she had plans to meet up with Kanon and Kaoru after she gets off from work.”Aya nods. “I’ll come then. What time?” she asks. Hina shrugs.“We didn’t really specify a time. Probably one-thirty?” she guesses.“Yeah, I’ll show up,” she decides. Hina smiles again at this, and Aya can’t help but to give a small grin as well. “I’ll be going then, Aya!” Hina says. Sayo, standing behind her, is still smiling indiscreetly. “I’ll see you later!” Aya waves in response. The two Hikawa twins exit the flower shop, leaving Aya alone behind the cash register.Aya helps a few more people that morning- two people looking for bouquets for their sweethearts, another looking for flowers to give someone after a performance, among a few other customers- but business is slow. That’s why, when the clock chimes twelve o’clock, she’s more than ready to close up for the day.She almost leaves from behind the counter to flip the sign in front, but before she can, a delicate blonde-haired girl wearing a collared yellow shirt enters the shop. Aya sighs lightly as the girl begins to look around at the colorful blossoms around her without saying anything to Aya.“Hi, Chisato,” Aya greets. Chisato looks up from studying a pot of light pink daisies.“Hello, Aya.” she says in response. “How are you?”“Bored.” Aya states flatly. Chisato chuckles and comes over to the counter, leaning on it slightly. “I just came in to see how you’re doing.” she says. “You didn’t come in this morning to get your muffin like you always do, I was a little bit worried,”“I overslept,” Aya explains. “I was going to, but I didn’t have time,”Chisato raises an eyebrow. “You haven’t eaten all day, have you?” she questions. Aya shakes her head. It hadn’t even occurred to her that she hadn’t eaten yet that day, but now that she’s realized it, she notices how hungry she is. Chisato stands up straight. “Aya, you should eat! There’s no one here, why don’t you come to Himawari and I’ll make you tea,” she offers.Aya sighs in defeat. It’s so like Chisato to act as Aya’s mother, always making sure Aya eats and takes care of herself enough. The pink-haired girl decides to go along anyway, wanting to get out of the shop as soon as possible.Before she knows it she’s standing inside of Himawari Cafe. A pair of girls is sitting by a window, sipping their beverages and chatting lightly about something, as a brown-haired girl stands behind the pastry case. Aya inhales deeply, taking in the scent of coffee and freshly-baked cookies. This atmosphere is so welcoming.The waitress at the counter waves at them when they enter. “Hi, Aya, Chisato,” she greets. “Hey, Tsugumi,” Aya replies. Tsugumi is a hardworking girl that works as a waitress at Himawari. She reminds Aya vividly of chocolate chip cookies because of her warm demeanor.“Aya!” the pink-haired girl hears from behind her, and turns around in surprise to see Hina and Sayo sitting across from each other. Sayo’s notebooks and messily organized papers cover half of the table, and she holds a white mug presumably filled with coffee. Hina has a piece of cheesecake in front of her and she’s holding a fork.“I didn’t expect you to be here,” Hina says. Sayo doesn’t look up from scribbling down words onto the page of her notebook. “She hasn’t eaten, so I brought her here to get food,” Chisato tells her. Hina takes a bite of cheesecake and nods. “Aya, what do you want to eat? I have this new tea I made yesterday, I can’t decide if it’s good enough yet…” the blonde girl rushes to the back to find it. Tsugumi giggles.“She’s so intense,” Tsugumi notes. Aya nods in agreement. “The other day, she stayed up until three in the morning trying to perfect a tea.” The other girl smiles knowingly in response. “Do you want the regular today? The raspberry white chocolate muffin?”Aya thinks for a moment. “Maybe,” she replies. “What else do you have today?”“Let’s see… chocolate chip cookies, of course, cinnamon coffee cake, blueberry scones, iced lemon bread, cheesecake, raspberry cake…” Tsugumi lists.“I’ll have raspberry cake,” Aya decides, and Tsugumi gets out a plate from the cupboard behind the counter. This is when Chisato comes back, a small bag of something brown in her hand.“It’s a very good afternoon tea,” Chisato explains. “A little bit of lemon and spice for a zing, but blackberry for sweetness.” She takes out a pot, fills it with water, and puts it on the stove, as Tsugumi hands Aya her plate of cake. “I haven’t paid yet-” Aya protests. Chisato shakes her head.“You don’t have to pay, Aya, I’m taking care of you,” She tells her. “I’ll pay for it.”Aya sits down with her pink cake in defeat, her stomach growling. She takes a bite with her fork and puts it in her mouth. She’s swallowing it when Hina comes over with her cheesecake and sits in the chair across from her. “Sayo is boring,” she complains.“I bet,” Aya replies. “Have you been here since you left the flower shop?” Hina nods.“Yeah. I ran home to put the flowers down, though.” she takes a piece of cheesecake with her fork. “They’ll make a nice perfume.” Aya smiles and nods at this. “You excited to see Eve and Maya?”“Hina, we saw them, like, two days ago.”“I know, I’m just trying to make small talk.” Hina admits.“Yeah, I’m excited.” Aya answers her question. She notices Tsugumi going over to sit down across from Sayo, and the two of them begin to talk. Pink dusts Tsugumi’s cheeks. “Sayo and Tsugumi have things for each other, don’t they?”Hina laughs, her mouth full. “Totally!” she says after she swallows. “Tsugumi is the only person Sayo will talk to when she’s focused. Sayo let Tsugumi read her drafts, too.” Hina’s voice lowers to a whisper. “Sayo won’t admit it, but I know they’re in love.”Aya observes them for a little while longer: Tsugumi’s rosy cheeks as she replies to Sayo’s surprisingly soft remarks, talking in hushed voices about Sayo’s book. It looked like an ideal romance to Aya; one you might find in a novel. It was just like what Aya wanted for herself. “Isn’t it nice?” she asks Hina.“What?”“Being in love. Romance.” Aya answers simply, then takes another bite of her raspberry cake.“Yeah,” Hina replies, studying Aya’s eyes. “It’s really nice,” There’s something behind her words as she says this, but Aya can’t put her finger on it.They spend the rest of the hour chatting about sweet and sour- a sunshine-like girl named Kokoro that Hina met one night by the sea and proceeded to stargaze with, Aya’s garden, the yearly fair that takes place in a big town nearby Kinnoka. It was casual, just like it always is, and once again, Aya doesn’t want anything to change.
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The boardwalk is an open deck built where main street ends and the sandy shores begin. The wood is sort of battered from years of resisting against storms, huge waves, and people walking on it, but it’s in no way out of order. It’s kind of a hotspot for both tourists and residents of Kinnoka to meet their friends and spend an afternoon by the beach.Since Aya arrived at the cafe, the temperature outside has been getting increasingly warmer. She almost wants to go home and change into something lighter than her dress, but she decides against it, because she doesn’t really have the time. When Aya and Hina get to the boardwalk, Maya and Eve are already there, chatting leisurely. It’s Eve that waves first, then Maya, who’s holding a short stack of sheet music to her chest. Maya’s hair is up in a ponytail, which is uncommon for her on a daily basis, but she has a lot of thick hair and it probably makes her neck hot.“Hina! Aya!” Eve calls to the two of them. She’s wearing a flattering light blue tank top and white shorts, which contrasts pleasantly with Maya’s white graphic tee and black pants, a red flannel tied around her waist. When Hina and Aya get close enough, Eve says, “Aya, I didn’t know you were joining us,”“I decided to close the shop early because business was so slow, and Hina invited me to hang out with you all,” Aya informs her. “Oh, okay,” Maya says. “Funny, my day has been super busy today. I had six lessons to teach, all before noon.” Eve nods in agreement.“Maya’s gotten a lot of new students recently,” she adds. “Yeah. Now I have seven piano students, four violin students, two flute students, and even a voice student.” Maya pushes her wire-rimmed glasses up her nose. “Voice is super difficult for me to teach, it’s so different from other instruments like piano or violin. I mean, I’m a trained singer, but teaching the breathing techniques and stuff is tricky. And it’s different for everyone, like some people have a better time with singing high, some people like singing fast…” she trails off, obviously deep in thought. Aya makes a noise of understanding. She wonders how Maya can handle not being tied to a predictable schedule, because it would drive Aya crazy if it was her. Maya loves the kids though, and teaching them instruments. With a person as kind and gentle as her, it probably comes easily. Hina hums impatiently and taps her foot against the wood of the boardwalk. “What are we gonna do today?” she prompts. “Aya and I just got here from Himawari Cafe, so neither of us are hungry,”Maya shakes her head. “I don’t have any ideas,” she huffs. “We kind of just said “Hey, let’s all meet up here”, but we didn’t ever specify what we were going to do.” Eve bobs her head in agreement.“We could go window-shopping,” Aya pipes up. “I need to replace this dress,” she gestures towards her pink floral frock.Eve claps her hands together energetically, smiling wide. “I would love to go shopping!” she says. “Hina, Maya, is that okay with you guys?”“Whatever you want to do, I’m okay with,” Maya answers. Hina nods in confirmation, and the four of them start walking away from the shore into the center of Kinnoka. They talk leisurely about gossip and some Kinnoka residents Aya barely knows. Apparently, a girl named Hagumi just came here, and she’s rumored to be a wonderful cook. Someone else named Yukina is passing through Kinnoka, and she’s going to be singing at Himawari next Wednesday, which Aya decides she’ll try to attend. It’s all the ordinary, familiar talk, and Aya can’t help but tune it out.Eve stops in front of a dark red colored storefront and points to it. The sign above the door says ‘Yurika Boutique’, and it looks pristine and clean. “This is a new clothing store that just opened a week ago!” Eve says, with the same enthusiasm as a tour guide. “We should check it out,”“Alright,” Aya assents, and the group of four enters the shop.The lights are a bright white, reflecting vividly off of the polished golden brown wood floors. The walls are a faint red, almost pink color, and the clothing displayed around the room is dainty but still eye-catching. It wasn’t really like anything Aya had ever seen before.“Hello!” greets a warm voice, and a woman a little taller than Aya comes out from behind a rack of sweaters. Her hair is long, wavy, and a little messy, and it matches the color of the floors. She reminds Aya faintly of a cat. “How can I help you?”“Do you have any dresses?” Aya asks the clerk. Her name tag reads Lisa, written in a bright red marker, matching her outgoing and playful aura. “I need to replace this one, I’ve had it for years,”Lisa examines Aya’s dress, looking up and down, then glances around the shop. “I believe we do!” she declares. She’s very animated, and has an almost big sisterly presence. “Give me a moment,” The other three girls leave Aya’s side and go to wander around the boutique.When Lisa returns, she has four or five different dresses slung over her arm. “I couldn’t find anything identical, but I found some close matches,” she reports. “Follow me to the dressing rooms, will you?” Aya obliges and follows Lisa to the back corner of the shop. “I have a lot here,” she says, giving them to Aya. “If you’re having trouble deciding on the ones you like, let me know, and I’ll be glad to help out!” she smiles and winks, which reminds Aya once again of a feline. The pink-haired girl mumbles a shy ‘thank you’ and ducks into one of the dressing rooms. She hears Lisa greet Maya, who asks something about green shirts.The first dress is an empire waisted pink and white pinstriped dress. The top has a placket edged with white lace, and the skirt is swishy, the bottom finished with the same white lace. It’s fun to twirl around in, but it seems a little too childish and fancy for what Aya’s looking for. It fits her nicely though, so she decides to keep it as a possibility.The next dress is bright pink with darker pink roses outlined on the fabric. The bodice is tight, the skirt is wide like a circle skirt, and it has thin straps that cross in the back. Aya likes this one, but it’s a little too bold, she thinks as she returns it to the hanger. So far, she likes the striped one the best.The third dress has a white peter pan collar and white edging on the sleeves. The bodice and skirt are a very faint pink, and rose colored flowers cover it. There are no buttons and the dress is fairly simple overall, but Aya thinks it might be her favorite. It may be plain, but it fits her.She pokes her head out of the dressing room, spotting Eve and Lisa having a conversation over some skirts. Stepping out of the tiny space with her socked feet, she waits until they finish speaking before calling for Lisa. Lisa, upon hearing her name, rushes over to Aya’s side excitedly.“What do you think?” she asks Aya.“This is my favorite,” Aya tells her.“It looks great on you!” Lisa almost squeals. “I love it. Did you try on the other three?” Aya shakes her head.“I tried the pinstriped one, which I liked, but it was a little too frilly, and the bright pink one was too bold.” She explains. “I haven’t tried on the other one.”“Keep that one in mind, but try on the last one,” Lisa advises. “It’s like a test. Read all the answers before you decide on the best option.” It’s a good analogy, Aya thinks to herself as she nods and goes back into the changing room.The fourth and final dress is light pink with white roses appearing to grow up the skirt on vines. It’s an interesting design, Aya thinks. It has puffy short sleeves and a collar with a simple placket. When Aya looks at herself in the mirror, she’s in awe at how grown-up she looks in it. It gives her a refined air, and she looks stark and clean. She calls to Lisa again, who is there in a matter of seconds. “It looks amazing on you,” Lisa flatters. “I’m glad you tried it on. It goes well with your eyes.” When Aya makes eye contact with herself in the mirror, she finds a glint of pride in her eye. She stands there for a moment, just looking at herself, then looking at Lisa, who’s also gazing at Aya in the mirror.“Which one, then?” Aya questions, partly to herself, but also partly towards Lisa. “I love this one, but the other one I tried on was really good, too.”Lisa nods, thinking for a moment. “They’re both really fitting for you,” Lisa tells her. “The third one looked more like the dress you’re trying to replace, but this one makes you look more grown-up and classy. It’s like, a beginning of a new era,”“Mhm,” Aya agrees.“A change isn’t bad every once in a while, right?” Lisa reasons. Aya looks down at the floor, trying to decide. She was hesitant to ‘begin a new era’, as Lisa called it, and she still felt connected to her old dress and her old image. “Style says a lot about a person,” Lisa says softly. “A change in style often means a change in heart or mind.”Aya makes eye contact with her in the mirror. “I had an old friend,” Lisa begins pensively. “She was my best friend. I lost contact with her a few years ago when she started moving around for work, even though she promised to write. She changed a lot, and one of the first things I noticed was how she abandoned her favorite lacy lavender skirt for a plain, practical looking black one.”The pink-haired girl nods, gesturing for Lisa to continue. “That was the beginning of the changes,” Lisa adds. “I hardly ever saw her smile again. She devoted her whole life to singing, and drifted away from me.” the clerk swallows. “I’m glad she’s doing what she loves now, though. I’d like to see her again,”“What was her name?” Aya asks curiously.“Yukina,” Lisa answers. “A pretty name. She was a pretty girl,” Aya’s eyes widen and she turns to face Lisa.“Yukina? A girl named Yukina is performing at Himawari Cafe next week!” she exclaims. “Maybe that’s her!” Lisa’s mouth drops open.“Really? Oh my god-” she covers her mouth with her hands. “Oh my god,”Aya nods. “I hope it is her!” she smiles. “I’ll be going,” Lisa rubs her eyes with her fingertips. “Lisa? Are you okay?” she asks the clerk worriedly. Lisa nods, but doesn’t look up.Lisa mumbles something Aya doesn’t hear. “What?” she asks, but Lisa shakes her head.“Nevermind.” she says, finally taking her face out of her hands. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”“Great!” Aya cheers lightly. “About the dress,” Lisa returns to the former conversation. “I’m not trying to say you should be afraid of changing, but a change in clothing can mean a lot.” Aya nods in understanding. “Your clothes reflect who you are, for the most part. I would say, if you decide to go with the one you’re wearing now, you’re starting to grow up and leave behind some of your childish views on things.”“Childish views?” Aya questions. Lisa nods.“Yeah. Wild guess, but do you like romance?” Lisa asks. Aya blushes a bit.“I do,” she puffs. Lisa laughs. It’s a loud, clear ‘haha’, and it fits her personality to a T.“That explains it,” Lisa tells her. “The simple style of this dress with the roses growing up the skirt sort of gives that impression. I would say you’re not necessarily becoming an adult, but you’re starting to fall in love with something. It could be anything.”“Wow,” Aya breathes. “You can tell all that with just a dress?”Lisa laughs again. “Sure can! I’m also just good at reading people,” She explains. “You’re changing,”Aya turns to look at herself in the mirror again, taking a deep breath. “I’ll go with this one, then.”Lisa bobs her head excitedly. “Wonderful!” she exclaims, and Aya returns to the dressing room to change back into the old dress. Something about the whole ‘change’ thing kind of scares her, but she’s almost excited for it. Maybe if it has something to do with love?Aya notes the white roses adorning the skirt of the dress. White roses, she recalls, mean innocent love, purity, and new beginnings.When the four girls exit the boutique, Aya is still deep in thought. She hugs the shopping bag carrying her new dress close to her chest and looks down at her feet as she walks, turning her and Lisa’s conversation over in her mind. “Aya,” she hears, and immediately her head shoots up. Walking next to her is Hina, a shopping bag from Yurika’s Boutique clutched tightly in her hand. “You’re being weirdly quiet.” Aya stares blankly at Hina for a moment, and it takes a little bit for her words to register.“Am I? Sorry,” Aya replies. “Just thinking.”“Of course you are.” Hina says. “You’re kind of strange, Aya, did you know that?” she tells her softly. “You’re fascinating.”Aya doesn’t know what to say in response. “Why?” is all she can get out.“You’re not really like me.” Hina says. “You think about things a lot.”“Not a lot of people are like you, Hina.” Aya replies. Hina shrugs.“I guess. I’m used to being the only one around that’s like me.” Hina remarks. “If I met someone like me, I don’t know what I would do.” Aya nods, looking back down at her feet.“Hina?”“Yeah?”“What do you think about change?” Aya asks, a newfound yet determined glint to her eye. Hina looks ahead. “I think it’s interesting.” Hina states. “And exciting. I like it because it’s exciting. You don’t know what’s going to happen.” she looks back at Aya, her eyes bright. “What about you?”Aya swallows, looking up at the blue sky. She doesn’t really know how to put how she feels in words, and her thoughts are all in a mess in her head. She feels something tugging at her heart, something she can’t name. Looking back at Hina, it feels like magic. It’s a wonderful feeling, but she doesn’t know how to explain it.“I don’t know,” she replies. “I really don’t know.”
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Over the next few days, Hina comes in to buy flowers everyday. Normally she’d pick a few based on a scent and rush home to make a perfume out of them, but now she would ask Aya about their colors and their meanings before picking only one or two flowers to bring home. She’s a little quieter than usual, and though Aya asks frequently what she’s making, Hina shakes her head and pledges secrecy. It’s curious to Aya what she’s doing, but she tries not to bother Hina too much about it. Tuesday rolls around, and Aya wakes up at her regular time of eight-thirty AM. Tuesday is the only day Aya has consistently to herself, and she does her best to be productive with the time she has. She normally spends mornings at Himawari, tends to her garden for a little bit, and then heads out to the library for tea with Eve, Chisato, Tsugumi, and everyone else, to chat about books and and the like.The weather outside is warmer today than it has been lately, Aya realizes as she’s walking to Himawari. She looks down at her white sweater in dismay, hoping she won’t be too overdressed today. She’ll be home during the day anyway, so she decides to just change then. It’ll be hard to get used to the changing temperatures.Regardless, the weather is actually quite nice. The sun is shining in the sky and a few fluffy white clouds dot the expanse of blue. May is ultimately one of Aya’s favorite seasons, because the light and energy of it all makes her feel more alive. She also loves December, partly because it’s her birthday month, but something about May is special.After a good ten minutes of walking, she’s pulling open the door to Himawari, and the warm, sweet scent hits her again. Chisato waves from the counter, which Aya returns. “Good morning!” Aya greets. “It’s a warm day today,” Chisato nods in agreement.“It is. You’re very overdressed,” Chisato points out, and Aya smiles sheepishly. “Tsugumi’s in the back, working on those muffins you like. She spent a lot of time decorating the cookies, and got carried away,” she giggles. “She’s been different ever since Sayo started coming here. A lot more of a perfectionist.”Aya laughs softly at that. Sometimes, she wonders why Sayo and Tsugumi get along so well. The two of them are basically opposites, but she sees a similarity between Tsugumi’s love for baking and Sayo’s love of writing. The pair is always eager to share their interests with one another and help each other with them. “Kinda interesting, isn’t it?” Aya says. Chisato raises an eyebrow. “How they get along and how they’re so different from each other at the same time. They seem so… enchanted by each other. I hope it happens to me someday,”“Oh Aya, you romantic.” Chisato laughs again, a soft ‘ufufu’ sound. “It will, don’t you worry about it.” Tsugumi rushes in from the back, a tray of muffins in her hands. “God, I’m sorry these took so long!” she exclaims. Ten minutes later, Chisato and Aya are sitting across from each other at a cafe table. Aya’s muffin remains half-eaten on its plate, and the other girl is talking dramatically about something Aya doesn’t really understand.Chisato nearly slams her teacup down on the table, making Aya jump. “-it’s so hard to find something that matches green tea, because it has such a distinctive taste. The mint felt overpowering and didn’t really match, and the honeycomb was boring, so I tried camomile, but that tastes like every other tea that exists. It’s impossible to use green tea, I know it is, but I’m set on finding something that works-”She’s interrupted by someone entering the cafe. Aya’s eyes widen when she sees it’s Lisa, her hair falling messily down her back in a thick braid. Lisa goes to the counter, and when she realizes it’s empty, she looks around, probably waiting for someone to come out from the back. Her eyes fall on Aya, and she smiles. Chisato jumps up to rush behind the counter, and Aya stands to talk to Lisa.“Hello, how may I help you?” Chisato asks cheerfully. Lisa hums.“I’ll have a latte? And a scone?” Lisa points to the cinnamon scones displayed in the case. Chisato nods, announces Lisa’s price, and takes her cash.“Lisa! How are you?” Aya asks the store clerk. Lisa chuckles. “I’m fine! Still trying to figure out this town,” she remarks. “It’s small, but there’s a lot to remember.” Aya nods. “How are you?”“I’m fine as well,” Aya replies. Chisato hands Lisa a mug full of coffee and a scone on a plate. “I don’t recognize you! Are you new?” she asks Lisa. “I know pretty much everyone,”Lisa nods, a smile forming on her face. “Yeah, I’m new. I just opened a boutique last week,” Chisato leans against the counter, encouraging Lisa to say more. “I’m from the cities. This was a pretty big change for me.”“What brings you to Kinnoka, though?” Chisato inquires curiously. “Why’d you come here?”“For a change of scene,” Lisa says. “I didn’t like the city much, and I wanted something new. A new life,” she sighs. “Since Yukina left, things were getting pretty repetitive, so I thought, ‘Hey! You know what you should do? Open a boutique! That’s your dream, after all. Yukina followed hers, so why don’t you?’ So here I am.” Chisato raises an eyebrow.“Yukina?” She asks. Lisa sighs. “An old friend of mine. A singer, now,” she says. Aya remembers Lisa talking about this a few days ago when she met her for the first time. “She’s, uh, performing here tomorrow? Right?”“Yep,” Chisato answers. “The first time someone has asked to put on a show here. I was surprised she even knew this town existed.” she laughs smartly. “I’m looking forward to the performance.”Lisa looks awkwardly at the counter. “Yeah,”“Don’t worry though, I bet seeing her again will go smoothly. And you’ll fit in to this town wonderfully. We’re all super nice.” Chisato smiles warmly. “I’d love to show you around sometime if you need it.”“Thanks, uhh-”“Chisato,”“Thanks, Chisato!” Lisa finishes. She sips her latte and goes to sit down. Aya returns to her muffin, picking wordlessly at the raspberries for a few minutes. Then, Chisato sits down across from her again, her face stern.“Aya,” Aya looks up from looking at her muffin. “What’s going on?”Aya stares at Chisato for a moment. “What do you mean?”“You’ve been oddly quiet, honey,” Chisato says softly. Aya looks down again at her plate. When Chisato says ‘honey’, you know she’s worried. “Is something the matter?”Aya shakes her head innocently. She hasn’t realized she’s been quiet lately. Maybe that’s true, but she’s not trying to be, and she can’t think of anything off the top of her head that’s bothering her. Things she’s contemplating, sure, but nothing bad. “I’ve just been… thinking,” Chisato beckons for her to go on. “About things like change, and the town, and all the people here, and Hina, and-”Chisato holds her hand up, telling Aya to stop. “Hina?” she asks. Aya nods. “Why Hina?”“I don’t know,” Aya breaks off a piece of muffin and puts it in her mouth. “But she’s been acting weird lately, and I feel so strange when I’m around her. Like… she makes me feel nervous. She’s pretty, and bright like the sun, but she seems kind of distant lately. I don’t know.” she repeats.“Oh, Aya, you’re so dense,” Chisato sighs. Aya looks at her again, her eyes wide.“What do you mean?”“You’ll get it eventually.”Aya is about to retort, but she notices Sayo and Hina walking up to the entrance of the cafe, chatting lightly. Chisato sees them too, and laughs softly to herself, taking a sip of now only lukewarm white tea. “Speak of the devil.”She stands up, still holding her tea, and disappears into the kitchen. Aya can hear her tell Tsugumi that Sayo is coming, and Tsugumi squeaks. Aya laughs at that.The twins enter the cafe, and Chisato greets them at the counter. Aya is weirdly self conscious of herself, and she kind of hates it. She swears she sees Chisato catch her eye and wink, so she stops watching them, and instead chooses to busy herself with her muffin again.When Hina comes over and sits in the chair across from her, a piece of lemon bread in one hand and a cup of cocoa in the other, Aya tells her good morning. Hina begins to complain about something, but Aya isn’t really listening. Instead, she’s focusing on the way the sunlight reflects in Hina’s eyes, filling her with brightness and energy Aya has come to love so much.-Aya did not like afternoon tea that much, but she still comes to the Tuesday library hangouts to talk to Eve, Chisato, Kanon, Tsugumi, and Kaoru, who is an unusual but still welcome guest. Kaoru seems to have read every single book in the library, rivalling Eve, and she has a colorful personality. While sipping her tea, Kaoru talks lavishly about Shakespeare and his works, and it would have probably been interesting to listen to had Aya ever read Shakespeare.Both Chisato and Kanon seem very enthusiastic about it. Eve and Tsugumi are whispering about something unknown to Aya, who sits between the two parties, quietly sipping her third cup of tea that day. Aya realizes numbly that she drinks a lot of tea, although she doesn’t particularly like it.“Aya,” she hears distantly, and raises her head from swirling her tea. Eve is looking at her. “I’ve been trying to get your attention,” Aya mutters an apology. “You look out of it.”“What?” Aya says lamely. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine.” Eve doubtfully raises her eyebrow.“You sure?” Tsugumi asks. Aya nods. “Okay.”“Anyway, read any good books lately?” Eve asks Aya. “I’ve read every book I can find. Of course, mostly the historical ones, you know how I am,” she chuckles awkwardly. “As long as they’re not sci-fi,” she adds, wrinkling her nose dramatically.“Oh, yeah! I have!” Aya rummages through her bag and pulls out a red leatherbound book, then gives it to Eve. “Agatha Christie,” she says. “A murder mystery. I know you might not like mysteries that much, but this one is incredible.” Eve pages through the book, skimming the pages.“Oh nice!” Eve comments. “Yeah, I’ll try this. Thanks, Aya!” Aya smiles and sips her tea again. Then, she turns her attention to Kaoru, who’s speaking loudly about Romeo and Juliet.“-A wonderful tragedy!” She’s animated as she speaks, her arms as expressive as her words. “The romance in the story is both amazing and terrible… it’s short lived and horribly heartbreaking. How fleeting.” she closes her eyes and breathes for a moment. “Tragedy…”Kanon and Chisato exchange fond glances, and Aya almost rolls her eyes. Kaoru, Kanon, and Chisato are unbearingly soft around each other.Aya looks down at her tea again and swirls it around in the teacup, watching the grains of sugar float around in the bottom. Her mind drifts back to Hina and her bright green eyes, talking happily about things, and she smiles softly at her teacup.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Wednesday morning, Hina wakes up a lot earlier than normal. Her hair is a mess like it usually is, so she tries to comb it back with her fingers before peering into her sister’s room to see her still sleeping. She wonders why she woke up so early, but brushes it off as a side effect of her nervousness about today. It’s a big day, after all.After combing her hair with a real brush this time and throwing on some casual clothing, Hina hops down the stairs into her perfume shop. The light pink bottle she’d spent so much time on perfecting is still sitting there on the counter, as if it’s saying hello. The blue haired girl smiles at it and whispers a greeting back.Humming a tune, she tidies the shop, beginning with the shelves. Tiny little bottles, each with their own unique scent. Hina likes to imagine all with different personalities and lives, like little people, all with different stories to tell. It’s a shame that the people who buy them don’t see them like that, she thinks.It isn’t until she checks the clock that she realizes Sayo is standing on the stairs behind the counter, watching her silently, still wearing her nightgown. Hina smiles at her, and Sayo narrows her eyes. “You’re up early,” she says.“Yeah. I think it’s the nervousness,” Hina replies. “Big day today, you know?” she gestures to the bottle on the counter.“Oh yeah, that’s right.” Sayo leans against the wall of the stairs. “Are you opening the shop early, then? I can work later today if you need it,” Hina nods in confirmation.“Uh huh, that would be zappin’,” she replies absentmindedly, her focus having returned to the shelves of tiny bottles. She hears Sayo sigh, and the stairs creak as she climbs back up them.The creaking stops. “Hina?”“Yes?”“Good luck,” Sayo says. “I hope everything goes, uh... boppin,” it sounds awkward, but Hina smiles to herself. Sayo is trying. “Thanks, Sayo,” she replies, staring at the floor. The sound of the stairs resumes, followed by the sound of footsteps on the floor above her. Sayo may be firm and a little bossy sometimes, but Hina knows she loves her. The two of them are inseparable, after all.The pink perfume returns to her mind, and Hina snaps back into focus on the shop. She hopes, more than she’s hoped for anything else, that everything goes exactly how she wants today.“Hello!” Hina hears, two hours later. A girl with dirty blonde hair tied into a high ponytail enters the shop, possibly one of the tallest people Hina has ever seen. Hina waves in response.“What are you looking for today?” Hina asks. The tall girl sighs.“I need a perfume for my girlfriend?” she says like a question. “Our anniversary is soon.”“Lovely!” Hina exclaims. “What’s your girlfriend like?”“Well, she's very energetic, and she loves sports. She moved here recently. I wanted to go to school in the college near here, in the port town, and she promised to meet me here afterwards so we could open a bakery together.” The customer describes fondly. “Her name is Hagumi, she has short orange hair and she's small. You can't miss her.”Hina thinks for a moment. “She sounds like someone who would wear Orange Blossom,” she walks over to a display of light orange bottles tied with yellow ribbon. “This is a very charismatic scent, and it's fresh but sweet.” The tall girl comes to stand next to Hina, who is wondering exactly how small Hagumi is compared to this girl. “She must look super small next to you,” Hina says as an afterthought.The other girl laughs awkwardly, then picks up a bottle and scans it. “She is. We look very different,” she says while analyzing the light orange bottle. “Can I smell this?”Hina nods. “Hold out your hand,” she directs. The customer complies and Hina sprays a small sample of the perfume on the back of her hand. She brings it to her nose and her eyes light up.“This is perfect!” she declares. “I’ll take it,”Hina smiles and the pair walks over to the cash register. “I’m Saaya, by the way,” the tall girl introduces herself. “I’m your new neighbor,” Hina nods.“Nice!” she exclaims. “I’m Hina. I’ll definitely drop by your bakery sometime soon.” Saaya smiles at her and hands Hina a few coins and some cash. “Thank you!” Saaya says. Hina decides this girl has some very strong big-sisterly vibes.“Yeah! Thanks for dropping by,” Hina replies as Saaya takes the bottle and tucks it into her purse. After a quick goodbye, Hina is left alone again in the shop. She sits and plays with the pink ribbon on the special bottle on the counter until Sayo comes down from the second floor, wearing a plain black dress with lace edging. “I can take over the shop now so you can deliver that perfume.” she’s smiling ever-so-slightly.“Okay,” Hina huffs and grabs the bottle, nervousness gripping her insides. “I’ll be back soon.” Sayo nods as Hina opens a drawer underneath the counter and grabs a note folded neatly on top of the pile. She closes her eyes, holds the bottle and note close to her chest, and exits the perfume shop.Only moments later, she finds herself standing in front of the door to Aya’s flower shop, readying herself for what she’s about to do. Aya notices her from the cash register, waves, and Hina waves back. She has nothing left to do except enter the shop and meet Aya at the counter, her hands clammy with sweat, holding the tiny pink bottle and the note like her life depends on it.“Hina,” Aya says. “You’re panting. Are you okay?” Hina nods lamely.“Yeah,” Hina assures her. “Just coming over to give this to you,” she clumsily places the bottle and small scrap of paper on the counter, hoping Aya doesn’t notice her slightly shaking hands. Aya looks at the bottle blankly before picking it up and looking it over. Hina’s fingers are crossed behind her back.“Okay, uhh, thanks?” Aya says. She sets it aside. “I’ll try it later,” Hina nods.“Well, no one’s looking over the shop, so I should probably get back there,” Hina lies. Aya smiles and tells her goodbye, and Hina can only muster an awkward wave back, before rushing out the door.Before she can leave, she hears Aya say softly, “Hina?” she looks behind her. Aya shakes her head. “-No, nevermind.”“Oh.” Hina replies. “Okay,”And then she darts back to the perfume shop.-Aya has no idea how formal Yukina’s performance at Himawari is, so she has no idea how to dress. She had closed the flower shop around a half an hour ago and taken Hina’s mysterious pink bottle, the note, and gone upstairs to get dressed. Her confusion in the event resulted in her standing in the middle of her room, comparing all of her dresses.She eventually decides on the dress she bought about a week ago from Yurika, styling her hair with her usual low pigtails. After she’s done getting dressed, her gaze returns to Hina’s bottle.She picks up the note and unfolds it, looking at the curly words scrawled across it:
“Aya, This is the scent I’ve been working on since Saturday, using all of those flowers I bought from your shop. It’s a special perfume only for you, and this is the only bottle of it that I made. The flowers will tell you everything I’m trying to express.”
The short message is followed by a list of flowers: lilac roses, for desire; pink roses, for admiration and happiness; white roses, for young and innocent love; daffodil, for unrequited love and new beginnings. There are other flowers in it too, and after staring blankly at the list trying to register it all in her head, it all finally makes sense to Aya.-Yukina’s performance is nothing less than spectacular. Aya sits next to Lisa the whole time, who’s humming some of the songs she sings. Aya swears she sees Lisa shed a few quickly-wiped-away tears, but she chooses not to comment.When the show is over and Yukina has left the stage, the audience- a colorful group of around fifteen people- stands and begins to chat with one another. This is when Aya realizes Hina isn’t here. Sayo is, though, wearing a simple black dress and talking to Tsugumi, who’s wearing a light yellow blouse and jean shorts.“That was amazing,” Aya remarks, and Lisa nods in agreement. The show had distracted her from the perfume, but now that it’s over, the tiny pink bottle is the first thing she thinks of. “It was,” Lisa replies. “She’s improved so much since I last saw her,”“Are you going to go see her?” Aya asks. Lisa’s eyes fall to the floor of the cafe. “I don’t know.” Lisa huffs. “I should, shouldn’t I?” “Yeah, you should,” Aya confirms. Lisa stands up confidently.“You’re right. I have too much to say.” Lisa says. “Where is she?” she turns to face Aya.Aya shrugs. “Ask Chisato,” she says. Lisa exhales in an attempt to relax and goes to find the blonde girl, leaving Aya alone in the crowd.The pink haired girl raises her wrist to smell the perfume she’d sprayed on it before she left. It’s a sugary, light scent, and of course, very floral, as it was made with mostly flower petals. All Aya wants to do right now is find Hina and tell her how she feels, but she has no idea where she is. She wants to tell Hina how finally, everything fits together. She wants to tell Hina how she feels about the perfume and how much she loves it. Most of all, she wants to find Hina and tell her about how pretty she is when her eyes catch the sunlight and twinkle like stars.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The first place Aya looks is at the perfume shop. It’s nearly dark out, but her heart overrules her mind’s better judgment, and all she wants to do right now is find Hina and talk to her. Unfortunately, the perfume shop is closed, and Hina is nowhere in sight. Aya won’t let that stop her.She decides to walk around Kinnoka and try to find Hina. She must be doing something if she didn’t go with Sayo to Yukina’s show. Sayo and Hina are nearly tied at the hip although Sayo would never admit it (Hina would, though) so it’s a surprise Hina wasn’t there.Aya starts thinking. Where would Hina be? All her friends were at Yukina’s show which would mean wherever Hina is, she likes to be there alone. She never eats by herself, so she wouldn’t be at a diner or a cafe, and Hina finds shopping boring if there isn’t a new shop or a sale somewhere. As she considers everything she can think of, she looks up at the stars. They look like they’re smiling down on her, happy to help Aya find her way to the other girl.The stars. Of course. Aya knows exactly where Hina is, why she’s there, and what she’s thinking about.It takes her only a minute to find Hina after that. She’s just right where Aya thought she would be.The boardwalk seems empty after being there earlier with Maya, Eve, and Hina. It’s gotten completely dark by now, the stars twinkling brightly in the sky. The sea looks deep and rich, like Aya could sink into it and its cool waves would welcome her safely into its arms. She and her light pink dress seem almost uninvited.This is when Aya notices how different Kinnoka is now. The thought almost makes her want to sob. Lisa and Yukina. Sayo and Tsugumi. There’s something new in this town now, and whether Aya likes it or not she has yet to know. Her new dress gives her a hint. White roses. Innocence. Purity. New beginnings. Love. That’s it.Aya has changed. There’s no doubt about it. Her little coastal town with its familiar people and repetitive schedule has changed. And it was all because of love. The dainty, fairy-tale like thing she has wanted so much is within her reach, and it has slowly made everyday life seem new and exciting, even though it hasn’t outwardly changed. Lisa and Yukina’s lives changed for love; although it seemed like it was their passion for individual dreams, underlying it is a familiar feeling of dedication to one another. Aya recalls Lisa’s words when she said she opened Yurika because Yukina had inspired her to. And then there’s Sayo and Tsugumi and their love. More obvious, but still as powerful. The two of them have become so much more hardworking and dedicated to their everyday lives since they began to get to know each other because of their excitement to share it with one another.Love, Aya realizes, is an incredibly powerful feeling.The name escapes her lips before she even has the moment to stop herself. “Hina,” She doesn’t expect an answer, but she keeps trying anyway. “Hina,” Again. It becomes a call. “Hina!” she’s yelling, having finally understood it all, the misplaced appearance of her light pink dress against the backdrop of the dark night becoming more stark every passing second.“Hina!!” she shouts again.“Aya,” someone says behind her, and it’s not Hina, but when Aya realizes who it is it’s almost as comforting as Hina. She turns around to face the other girl.“Sayo,” she breathes. Hina’s twin sister is smiling brightly and genuinely and Aya nearly breaks down into tears upon the sight. Sayo comes to Aya’s side.“You’re looking for Hina, I assume?” she questions. Aya nods half-heartedly. “If you thought she was here, you’re right. I think she’s probably as hopeful to see you as you are to see her.” Sayo mentions knowingly. “She always will be.”Aya looks at Sayo incredulously. “What does that mean?” The other girl chuckles.“Hina is fascinated with you, Aya.” Sayo begins. “She always has been. She’s interested in everyone to some extent, but you the most. Hina’s not the most understanding person if you haven’t noticed, and that applies to herself as well as other people. She knows how she’s feeling but has a hard time labeling it. When she’s at home with me she hardly ever stops mentioning you and little things about you. Your hair, your smile, even how you hold your teacup.” Sayo says. “I think Tsugumi and I made her realize she loves you.”The world stands still. The two girls are silent as Aya lets the words register as the thought of Hina’s sunshine-like smile returns to her mind. She still thinks that grin is brighter than the reflection of daylight on the ocean. She must have remained speechless for a while because Sayo takes a step back. “Good night, Aya,” she smiles. Aya nods in understanding but still doesn’t say anything as Sayo excuses herself.“Oh, and by the way,” Aya hears from behind, turning around to make eye contact with Sayo, “that dress looks wonderful on you.” Aya blinks in confusion.“Thank you?” she manages weakly. Soon, she’s left alone again, remembering that Hina is somewhere nearby.She continues wandering along the boardwalk, her mind focusing on Sayo’s words and how somewhere deep inside of her Aya has known it all this time that Hina loves her, and a warm feeling settles in her chest.Aya finds Hina only moments later, looking up and admiring the stars. The other girl hasn’t noticed her yet, so Aya takes this moment to watch the stars dance in her eyes. The sea hums a lullaby as waves slowly pull in and out of the shore. “Hina!” she calls softly, loud enough for the other girl to hear. She turns around, the stars behind her like a backdrop, illuminating her teal hair and bright green eyes. She smiles at Aya’s messy hair and quick breathing and invites her over. Aya almost runs over the boardwalk to her side and sits close enough to hear Hina’s breathing over the sound of the ocean.“Look at the stars!” Hina whispers, raising her hand to pretend to grab them out of the sky in a fist. “They’re bright tonight,” Aya nods, looking at the sky through the reflection of Hina’s eye. Hina turns to face her. “What’s up? You’re acting strange.”Aya blinks cluelessly for a moment and the adrenaline shoots through her veins. She can feel her face growing pink and hopes Hina can’t tell in the dark. “Uhh,” she stutters. Everything she wanted to tell Hina goes out the window as she realizes how hard it’s going to be to form words. “Well…” Hina is looking at her with a small smile forming on her lips.“Your face matches your hair,” Hina comments. “That’s cute.” The other girl opens her mouth to reply but her mind is so messy all she can do is let out a helpless “Aah!” in response. Hina’s complete lack of visual nervousness isn’t surprising, but it makes Aya feel even shyer seeing her so confident.“Hina,” she breathes. Hina nods.“Yep, that’s me!” she jokes. “I,” Aya starts. “The perfume? ...Uhh, the flower meanings… the note?” She says the words coming to her mind as soon as they form. Hina giggles and Aya wants to explode.“What about them?” Hina asks smartly.“I… like… you?” Aya forces out, and the look on Hina’s face is suddenly unclear.“You like like me?” Hina asks innocently like she had no idea this was coming. Aya nods furiously, her face still feeling warm. “I like like you too!” she says happily like it’s a pleasant convenience. “For a long time,” she adds casually.“I think,” Aya replies. “Me too?” she remembers everything she’s wanted to say to Hina since she realized but decides to save it for later when the air feels easier to breathe and Hina is easier to look at.Hina takes her hand in hers and squeezes it so tightly Aya squeaks. “What was that for?” she complains softly. Hina giggles again.“‘Cause,” she replies. “I gotta make sure it’s real.” she flashes a grin brighter and wider than the starry sky above. “Besides, you’re still holding my hand anyway.” Aya sighs pointedly. There’s a bit of silence until Hina asks, “does that make you my girlfriend? If we both like like each other?” The world ‘love’ hovers on Aya’s lips, but she keeps it tucked away with the rest of her realizations.“When two girls like like each other and hold hands, I think that would make them girlfriends,” Aya replies cluelessly. “So yeah?” That word feels new. Girlfriend. It’s because she’s never had one before.“Okay.” Hina smiles at her. “Aya Maruyama, you are my girlfriend, and I made you that perfume because I like you a lot and I thought you would understand if I told you in flower language.” Aya smiles softly back.“Yeah,” Aya says. “Okay. Thank you.”“No,” Hina’s smile grows. “Thank you for teaching me about flowers, Aya.”