You're My National Treasure

Get It Together

Mai stared at Yuuko for a few seconds, just outside the doors of Class 3-Q. She sat down, and gestured for Yuuko to sit down as well. Mai sighed and looked into Yuuko's eyes for a second, but then decided against it.

"So... about my career choices..."

"Yeah?"

"When I said that I was a lot... I wasn't exaggerating. There's so many things that I want to do that I'm not sure I can make a living off of. I want to be able to sell my music, I want to be able to sell my art... on paper. I'm confident in my sculptures, you know?"

"Yeah."

"But I don't know if it's achievable... I feel like people will just scoff at me and tell me I'm going nowhere. That it's all dumb and a waste of time."

"Yeah..."

"But after your talk with Mr. Takasaki... I feel like I have a bit more hope."

"That's good! I feel like you can be just as successful as me."

"But there's also other things that I've felt the same way towards..."

"Hmm?"

"I... don't wanna go to deep into it, but I wish that I could talk about my interests around anyone. I wish that I could talk on end about the things I... love..." Mai blushed and smiled a little, with Yuuko being in her mind again.

"Then... why not talk about them now?"

Mai looked up at Yuuko, staring into her eyes a little longer than she should have. Yuuko blushed a little, putting her hand in front of Mai's eyes.

"Mai?"

"Huh? Oh... um, I would talk about them, but I feel like you would appreciate a more... intimate experience with them."

"Ah... I see."

"...Would you like to go back inside?"

"Sure."

Mai stood up by herself, but noticed Yuuko struggling.

"Ah... cramps..." Yuuko groaned.

"Here." Mai pulled Yuuko up by the hand and helped her to her seat. Yuuko's hand felt really nice to Mai. It was a little soft, almost like she had moisturized it before leaving her house. Mai was so infatuated with Yuuko's hand that she kept holding it blankly even as Yuuko was sitting.

"Mai?" Both Yuuko and Mio called out.

"Ah... sorry... I don't know what's up with me, I think that I didn't get enough sleep last night." Mai knew she was lying. She quickly sat down and pulled out a book to read, which was hidden behind another book. Mai had decided to bring "How to Open Up to Girls, For Girls", a decision which didn't seem like much to her the night she packed it, but meant the world to her now that Yuuko had become so desirable to her.

"Where were you two, even?" Mio asked, a tad annoyed. "I had to get on the train by myself, and you know how much I hate that!"

"It's a long story." Mai replied. "We can discuss it during lunch... or at least... most of it."

"Yeah..." Yuuko added tiredly. "I wish today would be over already."

"You say that every day." Mio commented. Are you sure you aren't in like... a "funk", or whatever people in America call it?"

Yuuko sat there, arms crossed and head rested, facing Mai's desk. She stared blankly, focusing on the small details of the timid girl, some more personal than others. She noticed the shimmering black hair reacting to the light from the windows, the small creases on her uniform shifting while she breathed in and out. She envisioned a beautiful girl towering over her, holding her in a warm embrace, a girl talking for extended periods of time, shaking her hands as she formed sentences mostly comprised of words Yuuko didn't understand but still felt engaged in. She envisioned a girl with shining cherry red lipstick kissing her intimately as she held her hand, like the girl had done to Yuuko just a moment before. Yuuko's face slowly shifted to a shade of rhubarb as she buried her face in her arms.