"See ya, buds!" Amelia and Gura waves to the two other girls, grinning wide. Turning back to each other, they exchange glances as their smiles eventually melt into genuine pure adoration for each other.
Walking down the dark streets, Ina ponders over the answer to Calli's problem. Her fingers fiddle with each other. Her eyes glue onto the ground. Her skin prickles with cold sweat tracing her arms and face.
"Ina," after a long while of letting Ina stew in her thoughts, Calli finally broke the silence. "You're pretty quiet."
Stopping from under a lamppost, she looks down at her feet, hearing nothing but AO-chan's voices ringing in her ear.
'You've really dug into your own grave now.'
'Face it, Calli has made you miserable since you've met her.'
'You need to end this nonsense soon or else--'
"Why--" Gulping down, she tries to ignore the voices, "Why do you want my help? I-Is it because you think I'm experienced in relationships-- Which I'm not-!" She struggles for words, shuffling the dust on the floor as she drags her foot through the path.
"No, it's not that." Stopping, Calli glances over shyly, "You're the closest... I mean, it's not like I don't like the other girls-! I've just spent more time with you."
Ina makes an 'O' shape with her mouth, blinking slowly. Her lips curl into a small smille, giddy for a moment. However, the topic of conversation soon dawns on her.
"I trust you and you seem like you're close to Kiara so... I wanted an opinion."
"Oh..." scratching the back of her neck, Ina glances up to Calli pensively, "I-I... I think you guys were almost made for each other." With a monotone voice, she speaks the words she said to Kiara. "You guys fit so well, it's almost a joke."
"Is that how you think of us?" Calli sighs, shuffling her feet awkwardly. "Honestly... I never thought of her that way."
"Huh?" Quizzically, Ina stares into her eyes. While a little part of her was happy, the most of her was confused. They were so perfect that it seemed like every star aligned just for them... but Calli looked at the ground instead. "You guys hang out a lot. You're telling me you've never thought about her that way?"
Calli scoffs, chuckling, "That's stupid. I mean, that's like saying because you and I hang out a lot that I--" Taking a breath, she looks at Ina'nis, inspecting her for a moment. Shaking her head, she waves her hand off, "Nevermind but I really haven't thought of Kiara like that. She's always just been kusotori to me."
A small smile tugs at the corner of her lip, "More like... kusatori."
"Ina, oh my gosh." Calli drags her hand down her face, "That was so dumb!" She laughs heartily, failing to contain it even with her cupped palm.
"You're laughing!"
"Because it's idiotic!"
The two laugh, soon bubbling into small giggles and dissipating into panting breath.
Calli nudges her, "So uh, you and Enma?"
Ina blinks, remembering how attached she was to her at the karaoke hang out. "Yeah- uh- what about her?" Apprehensively, she scratches her neck shyly.
"Do you-" Calli clears her thoughts, sucking in air through her gripped teeth, "Like her? I mean, you two hang out a lot."
"You were just saying that logic need not apply."
"Well, it's your way of thinking so I thought that there had to be a reason as to why you thought that way, y'know?" She smiles lopsidedly, nudging her teasingly. "So, Enma?"
Ina scratches her neck, chuckling shyly. "I guess so--? I mean, yeah! She's really cool." Pinching her wrist, she breathes in slowly. "Like, she and I really understand each other. We may be a little different and honestly the contrast between us is astounding, yet we care about each other a whole lot." Walking ahead, Ina puts her hands on the back of her neck. She looks straight ahead, avoiding Calli's eye as her face grows hot. "She's a little awkward for how cool she tries to act. She's usually quiet but that's only because she's shy but when she's comfortable, man is she a firecracker--" Stopping suddenly, Ina clasped her hands around her mouth.
'Dammit! I was describing Calli way too much!'
"Wow, Enma's much more different around you huh? Almost like a different person." Calli smiles, "I'm glad she's comfy around you. Sometimes she seems so uptight and guarded."
Slowly, Ina removes her hands away from her mouth."Weren't you the same at the start? Don't tell me you're surprised." She follows Calli's pace, matching her footsteps as they walk.
Shaking her head, Calli scoffs, "Yeah, but... it's a little different--"
"You're both soft-spoken initially yet know exactly what to say to someone. You both seem scary and intimidating yet are the sweetest people I know... other than Kiara."
"Other than Kiara," Calli repeats with a nod.
"And when I speak, you guys really seem like you hang onto every word." She leans forward, making eye contact with Calli as she smiles wide. "And I think that's what I lo... like about you guys."
Calli's face lights up, beaming, "Enma and I are really similar, huh... Maybe I'll take the time to talk to her." She looks down in thought, scratching her chin. Her eyes fixate themselves on the ground. "Oh wait-" in realisation, her eyes widen, "- but I'd hate to cut into your time with her. Seeing as... you like her 'n such! I-I don't want to get in the way of anything-"
"There's nothing wrong with hanging out with who your friend likes." The priestess shrugs, giggling, "If that were true, don't think Kiara would've liked this too much." She points between the two of them, only stopping when she realised. 'It feels like I'm alluding to us having some sort of deeper relationship.'
"Ah, true. She's too nice for that drama..." she trails off, face darkening with a stormy expression. "The confession..."
With bated breath, Ina's eyes glue themselves onto Calli's face, wanting to see every microexpression in her face. She needed to know if it was true, if every word she'd say was her own or out niceties for Kiara. Mostly however, it was for Ina's reality check.
A little part of her knew that AO-chan was right. That lying and letting her feelings for Calli fester wasn't right. It was unfair to Calli, to Enma, to Kiara and to herself. She needed to move on-
"I want to reject Kiara."
It felt like time stopped as the words came out of her mouth. A mixture of emotions waiting to explode out of her in the next second. Happiness. Sadness. Confusion. Anger. Guilt and... Shame. Shame that a large part of the mixture was happiness. With this meant the hurting of Kiara's feelings and Ina was internally celebrating it? No. She couldn't get ahead of herself.
"Uhm... huh?"
Repeating her words, Calli raises a brow, "I want to reject Kiara. I don't know how to do it in a nice way though."
"Oh... Okay."
"What's wrong? You seem disappointed. Were you really rooting for Kiara and I?"
Flicking her gaze down then up, "Oh? Oh- you- I'm- No! I mean, I'm not like some advocate asking for TakaMori or something like that--"
Scoffing out a small laugh, the reaper tilts her head curiously, "Wait, you made us a ship name? Why is my name even?" She chuckles, shaking her head as the laugh dies down and her smile shrinks into a more serious expression. "But seriously, the Kiara thing."
"The Kiara thing."
"Yeah, the Kiara thing." Calli nods, gesturing for Ina to speak.
She looks down at the ground, walking until she notices that she has already reached her home. "Oh..." Ina stares at her house, about to move to go in until turning back to Calli with a bittersweet smile. "Kiara's a kind person. Just saying 'sorry' with a small reason like 'I don't feel the same' will be enough. Give her some space and time after that. I'm sure she'll bounce back after a night or two." Opening the door with a click, she shrugs, "At least, that's how I'd she would."
Calli looks around uneasily, stepping away from the house, "Alright. I'll try-- uh- thanks!" She loosely waves, walking off with her head down. Undoubtedly, she had a lot to think about.
"Haah..." Entering the house, she was face-to-face with Anenis. "Oh gods, I didn't think you'd be right there!"
"She's cute."
"Huh-- What?"
"Good taste," Anenis pats her shoulder, walking up the stairs with a smirk.
Ina watches her with disdain. "Okay?" Quietly, she follows behind, too tired to formulate a proper response.
'I want to reject Kiara.'
Would Calli have felt the same if she went on this double date with Kiara?
Would they have connected on a deeper level?
And rather, could Ina have moved on if she just... not hung out with Calli and invited Enma?
What if Gura had invited Enma and Ina?
The questions Ina asked herself were endless, leading herself into a spiral of blame and shame into the late evening..
...
"Ah! Wasn't the weekend fun, buds?" Gura jumps giddily as she approaches the usual table, holding Amelia's hand extra tight and keeping her closer than usual. Her big smile almost gave it all away. "Huh- Where's Calli?"
"Late." Enma shakes her phone, bringing the two's attention to Calli's text.
"Ah alrighty," Amelia nods, looking down to her phone with a wide grin.
Kiara raises a brow. "You're extra happy aren't you?" She smirks, leaning forward with a teasing eye, "Did you guys get smoochy smoochy?"
The two stare back at Kiara with unflinching eye contact, not answering her question verbally. The stare was enough to express how spot on she was.
"Wait... you guys kissed for the first time on the weekend?" The phoenix gasps, squealing loudly and in a high-pitched tone.
"... Maaayyybeee." Embarrassedly, Gura pulls Amelia close, wrapping her arm around her and her tail swishing excitably. "Speaking of which--" She turns to Ina, "How was your night- Hm?"
Ina, in comparison to the other girls, was a lot less cheerful. She had stayed up the night before poring over every event in the past few weeks and the terrible realisation that Calli was torn over rejecting Kiara even after Ina's comforting words and Gura had tried to set Ina up on a date with her while she was obviously focused on another matter. Plus, Ina couldn't just go for the girl Kiara had liked! It was just rude! Especially when she had just shot a confession to her.
With arms covering her and her face down on the table, Ina groans into the table, "Terribly manufactured."
"Huh? Are you okay? You seem tired--" Amelia leans down, unhooking her arm for a moment to touch her shoulder when Ina viscerally smacks her hand away.
She raises her head, revealing her deep set, tired eyes, "It was a date, wasn't it?" Her eyes fall on Gura in annoyance. She crosses her arms, waiting for an answer.
"Where is this coming from?"
"You know where it came from."
Gura scoffs, stepping up to Ina with a piercing gaze and furrowed brows, "Yeah. I heard. I knew you wouldn't do anything though so I wanted to give a small push! I thought you would've been more appreciative-"
"It was so obvious, Gura!" she frustratedly marches forward, causing Gura to jump back with each step punctuated. "Not inviting Enma and Kiara. Taking us to a sweets fair. Staying apart from us despite inviting us. The fact that you and Watson's a couple and invited two other people to join! They were all clear indicators you were trying to force something!"
She growls, yelling back, "Well, you're too terrified of your own feelings to even do anything! You're a hypocrite, y'know?" Gura gestures to Enma, "You bring new people in like Calli and just when you feel at least the tiniest bit of connection, you shut down despite the fact that you were the one to become friends with them! Just like in the sleepover!"
"What-?!"
"After you said those things in the bathrooms, what happened at the sleepover made sense. You looked at Kiara and Calli's kiss and got jealous. You wanted that feeling too, didn't you?"
"Gura--" Amelia interjects, only to be shut down.
"Watson!" Sternly, Gura stares her down, returning to Ina, "I see things y'know? You two clearly have something goin' for you! It's baffling me how comfortable you are with each other, which are opposite you guys are."
Ina shakes her head, putting a hand to her temple as AO-chan grew unsettled, "But maybe Calli didn't see me like that. Point is you should've asked her first or better yet, stay out of it!"
"You're cowardly!"
"And you're disrespectful of other people's feelings!" The priestess steps forwards once more, AO-chan's voice leaking out with her own, "Calli had her own stuff going on already- ROMANTICALLY- and you invited her on a double date! With me! Because you thought it was a great idea!" She gestures back to Kiara, jabbing a thumb back.
As Kiara hears that, she moves forward, "Wait- Ina!"
"Kiara had confessed to Calli the day prior! And you invited me with her!"
Gura's eyes widen, surprised, "Oh cr-- I'm sorry-"
Ina shakes her head, AO-chan taking over her form more as her tentacle extruded from her back. "Y'know what's the worst part? Calli asked me for advice. I liked her." Her eyes meet Kiara's as she glances back at her. "I liked her and she asked me for advice for another girl."
"You should've said--"
"I couldn't have!"
"Well, excuse me for trying to help!"
"I didn't ask for help!"
"But that's what friends do, right?"
"The forceful ones!" Ina yells extra loud, tentacles whipping out to attack Gura.
The small girl braces for the hit, closing her eyes in anticipation...
Only for the connection to never be made.
Ever the warrior Kiara was, she had leapt between the two, allowing the thrashing tentacle to hit her violently and throw her, crashing against the concrete wall.
"KIARA!"