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The girls of Poppin’ Party are hanging out as always. Tae is sleeping with her head on Saaya’s lap. Kasumi and Rimi are playing some game with their hands. And Arisa… Well, Arisa is staring at her crush.
“Ugh,” Arisa mutters.
“Hm?” Kasumi says. “What did I do this time?”
“She's so cute…”
“Please just talk to Eve-chan,” Rimi begs.
Arisa shakes her head. “No.”
“I'm sick of hearing you mope over her while doing nothing. That's bad practice, you'll never get a girlfriend if you don't try,” Saaya says.
“But this is Eve we're talking about!”
Kasumi grins. “Hey Arisa, you say she's sweet, right?”
“Yes! No! Whatever!”
“Then eat her! You know you want to!”
“Kasumi, you're too much!”
Tae lazily opens an eye. “Huh? Oh yeah. Eat her like she's a tasty cookie~”
“Shut up, O-Tae! Don't encourage her!”
The friends descend into bickering until Saaya holds up her hand. She has such a commanding aura that the other four girls quiet down immediately.
“Arisa, if you don't go talk to her, I will make sure to not sell you another poppy seed muffin for a week,” Saaya warns.
“Ooh, Saaya has been so pushy today~” Tae says teasingly.
“I just want Arisa to do something about her feelings.”
“Ugh, fine!” Arisa says. “I don't even care about the muffins. I just want you guys to stop nagging me.” She stands up in a huff and walks over to the other side of the courtyard where Eve and her friends are sitting.
“Arisa-san!” Eve says, waving her over. Chisato and Aya are next to her. That's fine, Arisa can probably figure out an excuse to get them to leave.
“Eve-san, hello,” Arisa says, praying she isn't blushing too hard. Obviously there are no gods listening, because Chisato immediately notices.
“Aya-chan, I think I left one of my textbooks in the library. Could you come with me to get it?” Chisato asks. Did she just wink, or…? Arisa must've imagined it, because Aya and Eve don't act any different.
“Eh? Chisato-chan, why do I need to come with you?” Aya asks, totally oblivious. Chisato just sighs and takes her hand. “Wh-- Chisato-chan! Wait, ah!” Aya is pulled toward the school building by her girlfriend, leaving Arisa and Eve alone together. Well, that takes care of the excuse.
Eve looks up at Arisa. “How are you doing today?” she says with an energetic smile.
“Uh, great! Yeah!” Arisa says nervously. “I'm doing really well!”
“Oh? That's good!” Eve says. She goes back to eating her bento.
Arisa tries to think of what to say next. Maybe she should just get on with her confession and-- No! Ugh, she's much too afraid right now. Easing into a conversation might help.
“So, uh-- chunks, huh?” Arisa says.
Eve gives her a weird look. “Pardon?”
“Oh! Um, I mean, I forgot what I was gonna say.”
The two sit in agonizing silence, but maybe it's only agonizing for Arisa. Eve seems totally happy and peaceful. She's just so beautiful like that, so pure and wholesome--
“Ah!” Arisa squeaks, burying her face in her hands.
“Arisa-san? Are you okay?” Eve asks. Her voice seems genuinely worried.
“I'm fine, yeah--”
“Should I take you to the nurse’s office?” Eve asks.
Arisa shakes her head. “No, no! I’m fine, really.” She does her best to fake smile, but it just makes Eve look more concerned.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Stop being so goddamn adorable maybe
, Arisa thinks. “Um-- Ah-- A walk!”
“Oh, I'd love to go on a walk with you, Arisa-san!” Eve says, flashing that pure smile.
Not
I’d love to go on a walk
but
I'd love to go on a walk
with you.
Arisa literally cannot take this. “There's an orchard behind the school I think,” she manages to get out.
“Sounds fun!”
The two girls make their way toward the orchard. As they approach it, sakura petals begin to float through the air.
Eve gasps and catches a couple flower petals. She giggles and runs forward into the orchard.
Eventually, Arisa catches up with her. “Eve-san, are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yep! The sakura flowers remind me of that party at Kokoro’s house!”
Arisa flinches in self-disgust. That sakura party… Arisa had yelled a bunch at the end. She still feels bad about that.
“Hey, um, about Kokoro’s party… Sorry for getting so angry. I guess, uh, I guess I'm not used to people like Kokoro, especially in a large group. There's Kasumi, but her--” Arisa catches herself before she can say
stupidity
, “Her energy is amplified around others like her. And I just couldn't take it. I really do feel like it was wrong of me to unleash my bad side. So… I'm sorry, Eve-san.”
Eve nods. “Well, thank you for the apology! But I think you're being much too harsh on yourself. That part of you isn't bad, it's just as much Arisa-san as the nice part!”
“...Thank you,” Arisa mumbles.
“Besides, you have your own kinda energy!” Eve continues.
“Really?” Arisa says, slightly surprised.
“Yeah! It's a really graceful energy! You act so reserved sometimes, but I can tell you're passionate about both keyboard and bonsai! Even if you hide your energy, it's there. I can see it clearly.”
“Oh…” Arisa smiles. “Thank you.”
“What kinda energy do I have?” Eve asks.
Arisa thinks for a second before replying. “You're very wholesome. I think your energy is like mine in the sense that you're very passionate, but you're also so good at expressing it,” she says carefully.
“Hm… I think you're holding back your passion even now, though,” Eve says. There's a cheeky sparkle in her eyes, like she knows something Arisa doesn't.
“What do you mean?” Arisa asks. Has Eve figured it out? Has she realized Arisa’s feelings, and is now just toying with her? Eve wouldn't do that. She knows Eve wouldn't. Not without a reason, at least.
“Just say what you want, Arisa-san! I promise I won't be hurt by your honesty,” Eve says, grinning. What reason would she have to do this to Arisa? Unless…
“I think you're really great. You're so wonderful and soft and just… I can't put it into words. But you're soft like O-Tae and her rabbits and you're smart and resourceful like Saaya and you're energetic like Kasumi and you're timid like Rimi. I really think you're wonderful.” Arisa takes a breath and closes her eyes.
“Eve-san, would you like to be my girlfriend?” she whispers.
There's a silence as Eve processes Arisa’s words. Then she feels a hand on her cheek.
“Of course.”
Arisa opens her eyes to see Eve close, closer than before, smiling as she had never smiled before.
Arisa reaches up to touch Eve’s hand on her face. They stay like that for a moment, and then Arisa curls her fingers around Eve’s hand and holds it. Her heart feels soft, so incredibly soft.
“Guess what?” Eve says.
“What?” Arisa replies quietly.
“You're super cute, Arisa-chan!”
The change in honorific doesn't bother Arisa. Actually, she kinda likes it. “Thank you.”
“Mhm! C’mon, let's go tell the others!”
“Yeah!”