A soft, cool breeze made a beautiful mess inside a wide field with a large, white jasmine tree in its middle. The field had flowers varying in colors and because of its simple elegance, it could bring tranquility to those who would visit. It had become popular because of it and eventually, they named it the Sanctuary Garden.
Below the tree was a gravestone and it looked fairly recent. This place was never a cemetery so there had to be a reason for its existence. It looked lonely, though.
Until someone approached it — a woman.
She had blonde hair tied into a high ponytail with baby blue eyes; her overall physique and he way she dressed concluded her to be a middle-aged adult. the maturity of her face complemented the sharpness of her jawline and pointed nose.
The woman knelt down and gently placed a bouquet of primroses on it and if the headstone had eyes, it could see both the calmness and nonchalance at the same time painting across her face. There was a glimmer in her eyes that was difficult to decipher but she had that soft smile as she stared down at the epitaph.
She spoke: "Hey, it has been a long time huh?"
She then sat beside the grave and peered through the beauty of the garden, "Just as I thought, this place never changed. Still beautiful. How have you been?"
She received no answer and she knew that would be impossible. A deep sigh escaped her lips as her mind began to wander, "I know. I must be crazy talking to you like this but, I wonder what you have been up to."
And just then, something sparked within the blonde's mind, causing her to look back at the grave.
"Do you still remember?"
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"Nozomi!!!" A raven-haired girl rushed towards the purple-haired girl who was arranging a couple of boxes inside a shop. The purple-haired then turned her head to look at the other girl.
"Ah Nicocchi! What is it?"
"Hey, Rin and the others were inviting us to watch movies this Saturday! You up?" Nico smiled and Nozomi shook her head to decline.
"I have work on Saturday, maybe next time?" Nozomi replied at Nico who pouted.
"Daawwww fine. When are you free then?"
Nozomi hummed as she placed an index and a thumb below her chin, "How about next Saturday?"
"Deal! You keep your word! So how's work going on?" Nico then looked around, seeing clothes hung around their shelves.
"It is going steady!~" The purple-haired giggled.
"You work really hard even while your boss is away. Have you gotten enough time for yourself? Don't you have a girlfriend or something?" Nico raised an eyebrow and Nozomi blushed.
"W-Well... I don't have plans on chasing someone you know. Instead, I let them come to me. Love appears when you least expect it, right?"
"Right.." Nico rolled her eyes as she walked around, exploring the whole shop, "You always put most of your time in here, why don't you go outside and find someone this time? I'm sure she is just around there or something."
"Like I said Nicocchi—"
"Okay okay, I get it, I was just joking." The raven-haired chuckled while raising her palms on her head level to express her playful resignation.
"Anyway, would you like a cup of tea?" Nozomi asked.
"No thanks." Nico grinned.
Then, something caught Nico's eye outside the shop, making Nozomi blink in curiosity.
"Hey look, there's your soulmate." Nico blurted out as she pointed at a tall, blonde woman who was at a café right across the shop; she was with a red-haired woman and they were having coffees while talking to each other.
"What? Where?" Nozomi instinctively peered towards Nico and as she saw where she was pointing at, she averted her attention towards the two women — immediately realizing that she began to eagerly focus her eyes on the blonde.
Damn, she's handsome. Nozomi thought to herself.
"Damn girl, you're totally into her huh. You had been like this whenever you see her. What are you feeling towards her exactly?" Nico smirked.
"In love." Nozomi smiled softly with her eyes glistening.
"I feel like I can do all of my work in a swift and get through the day without being tired at all. She's like magic. My soulmate." She then looked at her palm and she could visualize a red thread tied around her pinky finger and the other end around the blonde's.
"I could feel it. She is the one for me." The purple-haired sighed with her eyes closed.
"Oh yeah? Can you also tell which one is my soulmate?" Nico whispered to her. She was trying to play around but whatever.
"Of course. That one." Nozomi casually pointed at the red-haired woman and Nico froze with her cheeks heating up.
"R-Really?"
"Yep, I could see the red string between you and her." Nozomi replied before she turned to look at the blonde again, "I wonder what's her name. You know, that blonde woman..."
"I heard she has a dick."
"I don't care. In fact, it will be a great convenience for me. I will still get pregnant." Nozomi sighed dreamily, "I wonder when she will notice me..."
"Never, unless you do something."
The purple-haired pouted at the raven-haired, "Nicocchi—"
"Alright I get it, you want her to do the first move, right? Well, let her see you for once."
"Perhaps, you're right." Nozomi sighed.
"I have to get back to work." She said as she turned around and went back into tending to the clothes while Nico watched her.
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"So like I was saying, tomorrow will be the deadline of the report for the Ayase Constructions. I expect to see you first thing in the morning." The blonde told the red-haired woman who nodded before sipping her coffee.
"You don't have to worry about that. You sure put an awfully lot of your time into your work rather than doing something else, why don't you get a girlfriend?" The red-haired smiled and the blonde was taken aback at the sudden change of topic.
"W-What? Just stop that, Maki."
"I know that you have been looking forward to have a good talk with that girl, Eli."
"Which girl?"
"Don't you dare play dumb with me. The girl from the shop! Just a few feet from us! You wouldn't put us here for no reason!"
Eli sighed, "Fine. It's just that..."
"Just what?"
"W-Well... nothing..."
Maki smiled as she turned her head to the side to look at something. Or rather, someone, "Hey, your wife."
Eli blinked and gazed towards the direction where Maki's eyes were, seeing Nozomi who was busy folding clothes. She let out a small smile, "She is beautiful as always. Just look at her. Her hair... her eyes... everything. She looks so simple."
"I could tell." Maki looked back at the blonde, "Why don't you talk to her?"
"Well..." Eli rubbed her nape, "What if she gets creeped out because I have a... you know..."
"You don't have to tell her right away, you idiot. Just approach her and say hi."
"Well... I feel nervous just thinking about it."
"You shouldn't be. You are an Ayase. I thought Ayases are very damn tough and strong? Be a man."
"Be a woman or be a man?"
"Since you have that genital, then be a man." The red-haired smiled and the blonde just sighed.
"Or do you want me to help you?" Maki winked.
"W-What?"
"Just pretend that you are gonna buy a shirt or something, alright?" The redhead stood up.
"Let's go." She walked out of the café, leaving the blonde astounded.
Eli snapped back and rolled her eyes then stood up to follow Maki.
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After a while, the duo entered the shop and looked around.
"Whoa, these clothes are pretty much simpler than I thought but they are elegant at the same time." Maki said in awe, grabbing one.
"I agree. Just like her." Eli whispered as she looked around also.
Nico was looking at her watch but when she looked up to see who came in, her eyes widened in shock as she quickly rushed to Nozomi, "N-Nozomi, Nozomi!" She whispered sharply.
The purple-haired looked at her friend, "What is it?"
"They are here."
"Who?" Nozomi scanned her eyes around and saw Eli and Maki who were checking the clothes out with curiosity. she blushed when her eyes landed on the blonde, "She—"
"Go! This is your chance!" Nico told her as she lightly pushed Nozomi towards them.
"R-Right." Nozomi gulped the nervousness down as she walked towards the two, "E-Excuse me, may I help you?"
Maki turned to look at Nozomi with a smile, "Ah, just this friend of mine who was searching for a blue shirt made in cotton."
Eli looked down at Nozomi and her eyes slowly widened.
The same went for Nozomi, but her eyes softened after a moment and smiled, "Is that all?"
"A-Ahh..." The blonde stammered as she stared at her.
'Oh god...' The blonde thought
'I'm totally into her, aren't I?'
A/N:Hey guys! How's it going? Good? Good! Bad? Relax for a while and listen to music! Hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Have a nice day there!
Another A/N: Haayooo! So, I just beautified this first chapt! Same plot and shiz, hope y'all liked it!