#im not late

A/N: HAPPY BIRTH- I MEAN MERRY CHRISTMAS BINCH! SURPRISE, I’M YOUR SECRET SANTA. Dear Sky, I love you. Thank you for art. Amen.

A present to my fellow kumirei sufferer. May we never see the day they canonically screw.

I’m sorry because this turned out worse than how it seemed in my head, lol. No plot, only uh.. brainrot. 

Wtf is the color of Kumiko’s watch?! Is it pink? Is it tan? I been squinting at it for so long. Hell, let’s say it’s pink.

Kumiko interacting with Diana is my new religion.

The writing is as much of a disaster as Kumiko is throughout this whole fic.Sorry.

Enjoy?

~Shintori Khazumi

“Love? Do you have everything packed? We leave first thing in the morning!” Diana’s head popped through the open doorframe, checking in on her girlfriend who had been worryingly quiet the last ten minutes- quite the strange occurrence, especially in their household. Akko was a hurricane of joy, excitement and… sometimes accidents, though Diana said this with all the fondness in the world.

Crystal blues surveyed the room, searching for her favorite tuft of brown hair sticking out from possibly anywhere. Diana frowned when she’d spotted nothing of the sort, heard no sign of Akko’s usual antics or her supposed packing.

“Akko?”

“WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW?! SHE’S YOUR GIRLFRIEND!”

Diana jumped at the sudden boom of Akko’s voice that hinted at her whereabouts- hidden by the sliding doors leading to the pair’s balcony. Carefully making her way to where her lower seemed to be, Diana once more peeked her head in first, meeting Akko’s gaze and giving her a questioning look.

Akko gave her an apologetically sheepish smile as she made a gesture of apology while continuing her ongoing phone conversation.

“Listen, well- No, no. But like, aren’t you supposed to know even just a little bit what she would like? You’ve been together for what, nearly three years now? Why wouldn’t you know what she’d like for Christmas?”

[“Y’see, that’s just the thing. She’s mysterious like that. Frustrating, but sexily mysterious.”]- Diana managed to overhear as she stood next to Akko awkwardly, waiting for the sure explanation to come after.

“Ew, don’t tell me about your kinks, dude.” Diana stifled a laugh as she got closer to Akko, bumping her shoulder against the shorter girls as she leaned her head on Akko’s that had rested on her shoulder in a quiet show of affection.

[“Screw you.”]

“Jokes on you, I have someone who would.”

[“Gross.”]

“Says you.” Akko giggled, rolling her eyes despite the person on the other end of the line not seeing it. “But whatever. Lucky for you, the great and benevolent Kagari Atsuko-sama is heading your way not later than…” She looked up to Diana for a second, as if asking a question that Diana had no clue how to answer. Akko eventually seemed to find her own however as she continued, “two days, probs.”

[“Did you need to count on your fingers to get that number or something?”]

This time Diana did laugh at the gibe, unable to help herself as she continued to wonder who this amusing friend of Akko’s was. Akko looked up to her with a betrayed pout, smacking Diana’s arm with her free hand, but still not removing her head from the heiress’.

“Hmph, at least I’m not a disaster lesbian like you.”

[“Sure, you’re not.”]

Diana could almost see the tick forming on Akko’s head, her lover grumbling incoherently about ungratefulness and stupidly useless brunettes. She refrained from making any comments.

“Do you want my help or not?”

[“Oh, I do, oh great and benevolent Kagari Atsuko-sama.”] Sarcasm was just oozing from the device in Akko’s grasp.

“I see you don’t. Ayt. Bye, Ku-“

[“I’M KIDDING- WAIT! AKKO! COME ON, DUDE. I’m joking. You know that.”] The voice on the other line now panicked, trying to salvage the conversation. Diana continued to patiently listen in as Akko cackled in her triumph(?).

“Good to know, loser.”

[“Whatever, loser.”]

“Yeah, yeah. Love you too, jerk.” Akko said with an added smooch sound that made her conversation partner make gagging noises. “Glad to know you feel the same way, asshole. Admit it, I’m your favorite cousin.”

[“I’d rather die first.”]

“I’ll send flowers for your funeral.”

[“Thanks. Send lilies. Love you.”]

Akko chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. “See you in two days.”

There was silence on the other line and the lovers thought that was the end of it, Akko preparing to press the button to end the call. But just before the end beep, they heard a shy, hushed, [“I’m grateful.”] then Akko’s phone displayed the digits of the call duration, the owner shaking her head once more.

“What an honest girl.” Diana commented.

Akko chuckled, shrugging lightly as she turned to give Diana a peck on the cheek. “The most honest one I know.” She paused. “Stupidly honest, though. She kind of… doesn’t really have a filter sometimes and says things so bluntly, I’m scared for her.”

Diana mirrored the gesture, snorting at the thought. “Like someone else I know who, in addition, is reckless, if I may?”

“Heeeeyyy!” Akko gave Diana a light shove into the room. “That was years ago! I’ve matured!” She whined.

“Of course. So mature.” Diana teased, wiggling her brows before taking off into a sprint, already reading her girlfriend’s mind and getting a head start.

Akko dashed after her, yelling bloody murder that wasn’t the least bit threatening as it was laced with bouts of laughter as feet padded about the halls, slipping and stumbling on occasion before a thud was heard as the more athletic Akko finally caught up to Diana and pinned her to the floor.

They held each other’s gazes, smiling through their breathlessness, cheeks flushed, eyes adoring as their foreheads met and their lips followed in a sweet display of their love towards one another- a display that repeated itself over and over and grew heated as it went on.

“H-hey, wait! Atsuko! We’re-“ Diana broke away, clapping a hand lightly over Akko’s mouth, tongue poking between he fingers as Akko stared at her with a fervor that made Diana’s stomach flutter in familiar anticipation. “We are supposed to be packing!”

Akko’s eyes only glinted in mischief, teeth grazing against one of Diana’s fingers, a wink thrown in for added temptation.

“… fifteen minutes… wouldn’t hurt, maybe.”

They didn’t almost miss their flight in fifteen hours.

//-

“I shouldn’t have allowed you to coax me into that last night. Amanda saved us with her quick driving.” Diana complained as she grabbed the last of their luggage from the conveyor belt, handing it over to Akko to place on the cart.

“Oh please, like you didn’t enjoy it to the fullest~.” Akko grinned, watching Diana’s ears flush an adorable shade of red.

“That is irrelevant.”

“Is it now?”

Before Diana could retort, Akko gave an excited squeal, waving her hands in the direction of the glass doors that hosted various people behind them. Diana had no clue who her girlfriend was waving at, but maybe it was their pick-up service. Akko had told her that instead of grabbing a cab, she had already gotten transportation arranged last-minute. Diana had an inkling that it had something to do with her conversation yesterday- something that Diana had forgotten to ask about after certain other- ehem- events had taken priority.

“Hurry, Diana! I see her waiting!”

Diana shook her head with a resigned smile, extending the handle of her trolley bag and dragging it behind her as Akko pushed the cart with a spring in her step as they headed out of the arrival area.

They were immediately greeted by the bustle of all the people in the airport who were reuniting with other arrivals or meeting their services and/or scheduling rides to wherever else they were headed from the airport. That and the call of “Akko! Over here!” were among the first things that had welcomed her to the land of the rising sun, Japan.

Diana could already see her girlfriend vibrating with long-contained excitement that burst forth as she let go of their belongings and ran for a figure slightly taller than her petite lover, tackling her in a powerful hug that almost toppled them both over and onto the floor.

“Jesus, it was nice to see you too, but now I’m not so sure anymore.” The girl murmured, one hand secured around Akko’s waist, the other on her side. “Damn, did you accidentally punch my ribs in or something?” She continued to complain, slipping her arm away as Akko steadied herself on her feet.

“Don’t be such a wimp, dude.” She piped up, slapping a hand on the poor girl’s back as she coughed and then some, glaring at the shorter girl almost intimidatingly. Almost.

“Seriously, stop.” She warned, shaking her head to diffuse her irritation, it seemed before walking over to Diana who was holding onto the abandoned luggage. The brunette with curly hair and a lopsided grin gave Diana the standard bow, scratching the back of her head awkwardly before offering an open hand for a shake. “Sorry about Akko. Must be tough dealing with her on a daily basis, huh?”

Diana took the outstretched hand, giving a firm shake as she held back a smirk at the shiver she felt from the other girl (‘How adorable’, Diana thought), opting instead to wear her usual- as Akko so fondly called it- ‘resting bitch face’. “If anything, I should be apologizing for her brash behavior.” She followed up her statement with a bow so perfect, she just knew she intimidated the girl in front of her. She couldn’t help but want to tease her a bit more. She seemed the type that was fun to rile up.

She wasn’t wrong.

“Diana Cavendish. Heiress- well, no. Not quite anymore. Head of the Cavendish lineage, pleasure to make your esteemed acquaintance.” She said all in one paced breath, no friendly warmth in her tone, just a façade of her usual cordial mannerisms she used at stuffy aristocratic parties.

Immediately, her new acquaintance grew flustered at Diana’s behavior, an awkward shuffle of her feet clearly showed that alongside her “Uh- y-yeah, uh. Thanks- I mean! For earlier! You know, when you said the- when you apologized- I mean. Sure. Um… Shit, I’m not good at dealing with fancy ladies-”. Her eyes widened a comical amount. “I MEAN NO, I DIDN’T MEAN TO SAY THAT ALOUD, GOD AKKO, HOW THE HELL DID YOU- I MEAN, NO OFFENSE, YOU HAVE A GREAT PERSONALITY AND ALL BUT…shityourgirlfriendishotasshitandisrichandseemssmart, what kinda magic you learning back there-“

The girl purposely seemed to bite her tongue, looking anywhere but at Diana now as she grew redder with each statement that slipped from her mouth.

Diana still held her composure, determined not to give her character away too soon.

“Sorry, I’m stupid with my mouth. I mean- yeah. You get it.” She sighed resigned, glancing once at Diana before turning away once more, eyes darting about until they finally fell on the pile of luggage Diana was barely holding onto with her jetlagged hands. Taking it as an opportunity to divert her embarrassment, she gestured to the bags in her token awkward way that Diana had quickly associated with the girl. “Do you need any help with that?”

‘Don’t smile, don’t smile, not yet.’

With her hand hidden in her coat pocket, Diana pinched her thigh, managing a nod and an even, “Yes, that would be much appreciated. Many thanks.”

“Right, uh, thanks. Many thanks- oh wait, shit.” Diana quirked a brow at what seemed to be another realization from the other girl. “You speak Japanese!”

“Yes, I do. I have been.”

“God, should I have greeted you in English- wait no, uh, are you English? I mean the nationality not the- …”

Diana and Akko both waited for the girl to pick up from where she had trailed off.

“You know what? I’ll shut up now.” She said, picking up two of the suitcases and walking in the direction of where their transportation probably would be.

“…sure…?” Diana followed along, dragging her trolley as Akko did hers.

They followed closely behind the girl, trying not to lose her in the sea of people in the airport.

Maybe they shouldn’t have followed too closely as the sudden halt in her step caused Akko’s face to smack straight into the taller girl’s back as the snap of her fingers in realization was succeeded by a groan of pain from the two brunettes.

“WHAT THE HELL KU-“

“I forgot!” She whipped around to face Diana, ignoring Akko’s glare. “Nice to meet you, I’m Oumae Kumiko!”

Diana already loved her.

//

So Oumae Kumiko was her girlfriend’s cousin. Not a surprise to Diana, not counting the fact that she’d overheard Akko refer to the girl as such during their phone conversation the other day. It was just that… they were so… alike. In the funniest- er- Diana meant in the best ways. Their best qualities were shared, it seemed. From the adorable expressions and weird noises they made to their determined and straightforward personalities, Diana found herself quickly growing fond of her new companion, Oumae Kumiko.

“So, Miss Oumae.”

“Y-yes!”

It helped that she was just so easy to tease.

“I see your predicament.”

“Y-yes, thank you so much for uh… seeing my… predicament.”

Regardless of her positive impressions of the girl, however, it did not ease her distaste for the situation she was currently shoved into.

Diana could already feel Akko resisting the urge to facepalm from beside her. Both were not quite sure whether they were glad to be here to help Kumiko out or frustrated-slash-perplexed at how much of a disaster Kumiko actually was. DIana had assumed her situation to be more… manageable.

She turned to Akko staring deadpan at her otherwise tragic case of a gay cousin.

“And so?” She began, prompting her girlfriend to turn to her with a raised brow. “Why am I the one ultimately helping?” Diana had been under the impression that they had added this stop to their itinerary of otherwise barren Christmas vacation plans so that Akko could lend a saving hand to her dear cousin.

Not so Diana would play love doctor.

Akko shrugged, a coy smile on her lips as she threw an arm over Diana’s shoulder haphazardly. “Coz babe,” She spoke matter-of-factly. “You’re better at this.” Akko admitted, annoying grin turning sheepish and almost convincing Diana.

Diana sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she analyzed what she had to work with.

“I mean, my child here-“

“Not your child!”

Akko easily ignored that.

“-wants to give her girl a fancy dinner date to celebrate their third anniversary. Isn’t that sweet of her? So… y’know?”

“I don’t, in fact, know.” Diana crossed her arms over her chest with a frown. “Do you want me to teach her etiquette and how to act and all of that? I mean, I suppose I could.” Diana reached for her phone, already looking up nearby restaurants to suggest, thinking steps ahead of the cousins. “Where would she take her in the first place and how ‘fancy’ is fancy? I need to know these things so we know not to drill anything into her that could spell failure should she be too awkward.” Diana missed the way Kumiko squirmed in her seat, tugging at her collar as she shot Akko a helpless glance.

“Um, sure, yeah, you can teach her all that and stuff, but uh…” Akko and Kumiko exchanged a look, communicating something that Diana couldn’t hope to understand until they laid it out in words to her.

“Butwhat?” She asked, eyes narrowed, fingers stilled from tapping away on her phone. What could they possibly add to this flaming operation of catastrophe that would make it worse?

“Kumiko is well, more or less…”

“More or less?”

“Let’s just say… lacking in funding and sponsorships and financially incapable of providing the most convenient and classy of atmospheres required to lessen the burden for said arrangement in our plans thus we were looking into a more authentic experience, requiring only the most basic culinary knowledge and some dumb luck and youtube videos?” Akko finished all in one breath

“I would be impressed by how you worded that, and quite proud because it means you’ve clearly grown in terms of vocabulary, but… you mean to say-“

“Kumiko’s broke… basically.”

The lovers ignored the squeak from the tuft of brown seated in the chair in the middle of the room.

Diana looked from one girl to another before sighing, phone clicked and screen blackening. “And you propose she whip up dinner instead on that day; am I correct in my understanding?”

“Perfect! A hundred percent!” Akko beamed.

“Well… that sounds… reasonable?”

“It sounds romantic!” Akko encouraged the idea further. “And well, if anything on the food front faces troubles, I cook too so… back up, y’know?”

Diana looked at her girlfriend warily, still unsure. “I suppose we can manage then. So we have their little dinner date here, have you two prepare a course meal of sorts, and hope for the best?” She clarified their plan one last time.

“Yup!”

“Fine.” Diana acquiesced, drawing up a plan in her head on how to first evaluate Kumiko’s present status in terms of manners and etiquette. “I would hope you’ve already prepared a suitable attire for the occasion, or do we add that to our shopping list for when we buy dinner ingredients? We want to impress in freshness and taste- both you and the food. I also need to know enough about your lover, Miss Oumae, to make the appropriate preparations for this.”

“Wow, you sure are serious about this, babe.” Akko whistled from the side, earning her a glare.

“I never half-ass things, so if you want me to help, I want nothing short of the best results. We are sweeping that girl off her feet even if it kills you.”

“Not us?” Akko just had to ask.

“Did I stutter?”

“N-no, ma’am.” Suddenly, Akko felt kinda bad for Kumiko.

“Good.” Diana began making notes on her phone, once again missing the nervous body language of her companions.

It would not take long for her to be made aware of the reasons, however.

“I forgot to ask.” She looked up from her device, gaze steadily aimed at the pair. “When is the dinner taking place?”

Diana’s eyes narrowed, brows furrowed as a scowl formed on her lips. “Akko. Kumiko.”

“T-t-t…”

“When.”

“Th-the day after tomorrow…?”

Diana could almost entertain the thought of practicing Murowa right now.

//

“It’s five AM.” Kumiko whined, already fully dressed and downstairs in the living room, slumped against the couch.

“Perfect time to start training. Even Akko went through this back at Luna Nova… well, at least when she felt like it.” Diana whispered that last bit to herself.

“No way in hell am I buying that, Diana-san.” Kumiko and Diana had agreed upon first name basis as it seemed easier for them to get comfortable with each other that way if they were going to be working with each other- or well Diana with Kumiko- to make this impromptu operation a success. “Akko could sleep for thirty-two hours and stillbe tired.”

Diana chuckled. That was believable. And unhealthy.

“Akko aside,” she deflected. “Having to start this early in the day is your fault. You and Akko both, for not thinking things through sooner. We’re already late as it is to start teaching you whatever it is we need to teach. We managed to plan out the meal you both are to cook, but we still have to shop for ingredients, do the preparatory work, at least rent out a proper attire for you, and practice your manners.”

“I’m starting to regret all of this. Can I just take Reina out to a McDonald’s instead and call it a day?” They hadn’t even started, technically, and Kumiko already wanted out.

“No.”

“Ugh.”

And so began Kumiko’s crash course on how notto ruin her anniversary plans with her lover.

//

“So, uh… it’s this spoon, right?”

“No.”

Kumiko, with her series of grumbles, glared at the silverware, as if somehow hoping labels would pop up out of nowhere to tell her which one was the right one to use. “Why the hell are there so many?” She complained, struggling to memorize the order of placement and of use the past fifteen or so minutes.

The sun was well up in the sky and its light came streaming through the windows, bathing everything it touched in that fresh morning glow.

“This one-“

“No.”

Diana sighed tiredly. This wasn’t going according to plan. After she had given Kumiko some etiquette pointers (and ones on posture, because good lord, even Kumiko’s back wasn’t near as straight as her. And the girl wasn’t straight), Diana had opted to teach her dining manners, starting from how to set up the table. She thought that if Kumiko familiarized herself with the set-up, she’d be able to know which to use for each course instinctively.

Perhaps Diana was rushing her a bit, or maybe her hopes were too high.

As the pair took a break to make breakfast and make themselves more useful so early in the morning, a figure suddenly walked into the kitchen- someone Diana hadn’t seen before, but who looked very similar to her present companion.

Diana watched as the woman, with sleep falling from her eyes, went stiff, hands up in a guarded pose as the Cavendish could practically see the thoughts running inside the panicky woman’s head.

“Who? What? Why? Did you go through the back door? I know kung fu!” She exclaimed, reaching over for a nearby frying pan before she noticed Kumiko bent down in the drawers, taking out a pot before giving her a blank expression despite her blush.

“Nee-chan…” Kumiko groaned, embarrassed. “Chill. It’s just Akko’s girlfriend.” She said, not even bothering to pause from her task of getting their meal ready to clear-up her sister’s misunderstanding.

The sound of Kumiko chopping up vegetables soon filled the room, bringing with it a sense of grounding as Mamiko blinked away the remaining bits of drowsy confusion she still had. “Ooohh, Akko’s here. Huh.” She stated, scratching the back of her head as she looked around the room until her eyes finally landed on Diana. “They arrived yesterday?” She asked Kumiko more than the girl she was actually facing.

“Yeah, you came home too late to meet them, right?” Kumiko replied as her hands kept their moving.

“Well, work is work.” Mamiko sighed, walking over to the couch, and unceremoniously flopping down on it. “Mom insisted I come home for the holidays to babysit you so she and dad can go on a trip, but the commute is tough, dude. Don’t get me wrong, I love being with my baby sister and all that, but-“ She paused, whipping her head towards a startled Diana who hadn’t gotten a word in yet since the elder woman’s arrival. “Ah sorry, forgot you were there.”

Diana gave her a slow nod.

“Oumae Mamiko.” Said woman introduced herself.

“Diana Cavendish.” Diana replied curtly, inwardly amused at just how similar the siblings she had recently met were.

“So? What are you two youngsters up to.” Mamiko asked, rolling herself on the couch so that she laid on her belly to watch her sister at the stove lazily.

Before Diana could respond to the question, Akko entered the living area, rubbing sleep from her eyes accompanied with a yawn. “Oh look, the whole gang’s here. Sup Mamiko-nee.” She grinned, stepping closer to the older girl who already had her arms stretched out in front of her.

“Akko~ My favorite!” She said all giggly, hugging the girl around her waist as she nuzzled into her side.

“Yey~!” Akko responded with as much enthusiasm, combing fingers through messy toffee hair. “To answer your earlier question, “Diana here was just teaching Kumiko how to survive her date with Reina and not screw it up.” Akko explained with an evil grin, winking at Kumiko who scoffed.

“Oho~?” Mamiko turned to her sister with a shit-eating grin, not many words needed to further annoy the hell out of Kumiko.

“Go die.”

“Eeehhh, Kumiko, is that how you treat your beloved sister who came home for the holidays just to be with you???” Mamiko whined.

“That’s right, that’s right! Is that how you treat your lovely, incredibly sweet cousin who came ‘cross the world to help you get some pu- blegh! Kumiko! That was gross!“ Akko cried out as she ran for the sink to wash off lingering soap from the sponge Kumiko had thrown across the room with surprising strength and accuracy for something so light that far.

“Nice shot.” Diana praised.

“You’re my favorite now.”

“Oi!”

//

While Kumiko was glad that breakfast had been otherwise relatively uneventful, she was not enjoying the shopping session that she had been thrown into just hours after.

If accompanying Mamiko on her off-days was hell from how many shops the older Oumae could scour through, being with both her and Diana was killing Kumiko’s already tired feet after the eighth shop they’d entered.

“Are we done?” She asked, praying to any god out there that the answer would be a yes though she knew deep down that her supplications would bear no fruit.

“Nope.”

Of course.

“Not until you figure out which of these outfits we’ve chosen for you would suit you best. Plus, you never know. We might find something even better in shops we’ve yet to cover. It is our goal to explore as many options as possible.”

Kumiko could already hear her wobbly legs crying for rest.

“Can we at least take a break?” She pleaded.

Akko, who had been walking a few steps ahead, spared her a questioning glance. “Why are you this weak, Kumiko? Aren’t you in a marching band?”

“Oh, shut up. This and that are two different things.” Kumiko rolled her eyes at her cousin’s judgment.

“Are they really though?”

“Well, for one, it’s not like I have to carry more than just my instrument. Unlike you all who are letting me carry all of… these.” She held up the bags that occupied both her hands, shaking them for emphasis. “None of these are even mine! They’re all your own stuff!” She complained some more.

“Well, maybe you can change that by finally picking out your clothes for tomorrow night. Then it won’t be just our stuff.” Mamiko spoke matter of factly, already following Diana into the next shop.

“That wasn’t the point!” Kumiko groaned, nevertheless entering after them relentingly. She hoped they’d end at the tenth.

//

Diana yelped as Akko pressed a cool towel to her foot, freshly dipped from the tub of iced water next to her.

Diana’s feet hurt. So much.

Dancing was not Kumiko’s forte, and it showed. She briefly wondered why she had even agreed to this apparently grander than expected scheme that Akko casually referred to as a ‘date plan’. She didn’t appreciate the sudden addition of a dance either. A dance that Kumiko had yet to know how to do. Diana had wanted to reject the idea as it would only pose more difficulty for them in their already short-handed and short-notice preparation, but there had been this excitement in Kumiko’s eyes at the proposal that-

Really, Diana just couldn’t say no.

Diana took a peek at her lover, diligently caring for her feet. Why had they let Akko do the planning in the first place if Diana was doing all the teaching?

“Because. Again, you’re better at this kinda stuff Diana.” Akko replied with a teasing grin, urging a blush from Diana as she realized she’d spoken her thoughts aloud. “And if you planned, I’m sure you’d be pretty minimalist about it. Thorough, but… Efficiency and whatever. If we told you there had only been two days left, hell, you’d probably have just given Kumiko some cash, clothes, a couple tips and called it a day.”

“No, I would not be so cheap as to do that.” Diana argued, though some part of her knew she actually might have entertained the idea. “… I’d at least make her buy her own clothing.”

“See?” Akko laughed as she massaged Diana’s feet, soothing the aches and pains from dancing for hours and getting stepped on multiple times.

Sure, she could have healed herself with a flick of her wand, but Akko had told her that there would strictly be no magic while they stayed at Kumiko’s despite her knowing some bit about Akko’s circumstances. Mamiko had no clue after all, and they were not to let other people know of their identities as witches- or so Akko claimed.

Diana internally scoffed. It wasn’t as though they were broadcasted worldwide a few years back, being gay on a flying broom in outer space anyway, right?

A soft kiss to her knee pulled her out of her musings. She raised her brow, a silent question delivered.

“I’m sorry.” Akko murmured, leaning forward to rest her chin on Diana’s lap. “We were supposed to be on vacation and all that, but… I kinda ended up giving you a hard time. Again.” She gave a mirthless laugh. “I seem to do that a lot.”

Diana observed her girlfriend’s features. She suddenly seemed so fragile and small, and she hated that she was partially responsible for that, however indirectly. Reaching a hand to cup Akko’s cheek, she coaxed her eyes upward to meet her own, a tender smile greeting the brunette.

“Well…” Diana cursed her mind as is blanked, words dying in her mouth. After a few awkward seconds, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You know how I love a good challenge…?”

Akko blinked, staring owlishly for a moment or two before bursting out into a fit of giggles, hands on Diana’s thighs, squeezing carefully.

“That was terrible, Diana.” She laughed, kissing Diana’s knees one more time. “I love it.”

//

Reina was not quite what Diana expected from how Kumiko had described her.

The moment she arrived at the Oumae residence’s doorstep, Diana had already felt the air shift into some sort of tense atmosphere that she surprisingly did not find to be unwelcome. It was a mystifying allure that she wielded in her pretty hands, and Diana suddenly understood where Kumiko was coming from with her streak of gay panic each time she had to explain things to Diana concerning Reina.

Reina, for one, stared at Diana in unhidden surprise. Diana could see the cogs turning in her head- probably wondering who this random foreign stranger was at her girlfriend’s house. Diana stepped in before she could make any assumptions and jeopardize all their (Diana’s) hard work.

Diana tested the foreign words in her mind before she tasted them on her tongue. She had done her best to study Japanese for Akko, and she wasn’t too keen on having a repeat of her first meeting with Kumiko who had surprisingly held well with her English. Something told her Reina would be different, but still. Better to be sure than sorry.

“Hello, Kousaka Reina-san. We’ve been expecting you. I’m Diana. I’m a friend of Kumiko’s.” Reina still had the wary gleam in her eyes, and Diana decided she had to be clearer about her relationship with the house owner. “I’m her cousin’s girlfriend, if that makes you feel more at ease to know.”

Diana flushed, not expecting to be read so easily. Clearing her throat, she responded with equal courtesy. “Ah, yes. Uh. Thank you very much, Diana…? I’m- Apologies; is Kumiko in?”

Diana smiled, glad that below that seemingly intimidating exterior was a girl who deeply cared about her new friend, enough to be quite cute about it.

“Yes, she’s been excitedly awaiting your arrival. She’s in the dining room; if you’d please follow me.”

Diana escorted Reina along the dimly lit hall lined with lanterns and fairy lights. When Akko told them to leave the decorations to her and Mamiko, Diana honestly hadn’t expected much. She was pleasantly surprised with the results. It did well to set the tone for tonight’s dinner, and hopefully give Kumiko some form of confidence boost, knowing that everything was set to perfection.

They finally made their way into the dining room where the table was set with candles lit, covered platters sat on the kitchen island, ready to be feasted upon, and a sole pot was left over the stove, presumably being left to stay warm or finish cooking a dish that would be well-ready in a few minutes.

Kumiko stood in the middle of it all, suit pressed, and with a hand reached out to Reina. She gingerly took it, looking genuinely and speechlessly impressed. Kumiko guided her closer to the table before pulling out chair for Reina to sit in. Reina made sure to let her thanks show by catching Kumiko’s hand in hers and placing a kiss to her knuckles, rendering her a mess so early in the night.

Diana was beginning to feel nervous. Kumiko’s social graces- or well, lack thereof had just very recently been brushed up, and with how she was being around Reina, and how Reina was being… Reina, Diana had an inkling that everything she’d been put through the past two days would be for naught. She hoped not.

//

Kumiko was a mess.

Well, she usually was, but…

Diana facepalmed in the kitchen as she overheard Kumiko try to apply her tips on small talk, realizing too late that she should have told her to simply be herself rather than put on… whatever she was putting on right now.

It surely didn’t help that Mamiko had been gawking at them the entire time from the nearest hall, as inconspicuous as Chariot blasting the moon in front of hundreds of thousands of people. The eldest woman held a stupid banner over her head with ‘LET’S GO DUMBASSES’ scrawled on it. She was… a weird kind of supportive, Diana figured.

Diana broke into cold sweat when her eyes met Mamiko’s and the latter gave her a nod and a thumbs up, as if Diana had told her to do something- which she hadn’t- that was about to break Kumiko’s composure even further.

She watched as Kumiko was pulled aside for a moment after the appetizers had been consumed and they were clearing up for the next course. In that small timeframe, she had managed to make Kumiko go through enough emotions that Diana was amazed at how she wasn’t already exhausted- unless she simply didn’t show it. She vaguely overheard the words, “Alright, dumbass. You better not fuck this up. Your girlfriend is hot, she’s amazing-” before tuning out of the ridiculous pep talk between the Oumae siblings.

Diana wondered if she should consider converting into some religion after the amount of times she’d prayed tonight alone. Once more she shot up a desperate plea that this scene so painful to watch would not sour further.

//

Akko had gotten distracted.

That was usually never a good thing. Diana knew this from experience. She didn’t think it would be a huge problem when they became adults, but this proved otherwise. With her nose catching a whiff of something burnt, she immediately sought out the self-assigned cook for the evening, only to find her slamming the cover of the pot she was holding back down. Right away, she shot a look towards the dining table where Kumiko went on with her horrible conversational skills, the girl somehow sensing the gaze on her back.

The cousins’ eyes met, an entire exchange occurring between them, something Diana couldn’t read exactly, but she had a bad feeling about it.

“I-I’ll be back, Reina. Gimme a sec. I think I need to uh, grab the… uh… cake.” She stuttered through clammy teeth, pushing her seat back to stand up.

“Cake? But… we haven’t had the main cou-“

“Y-yeah! Actually, that’s what I’m going to go get! Yeah, sorry. Just a little nervous, ahaha…ha…ha.”

Reina gave her a suspicious stare but eventually relented. With a sigh, she stood up as well, cupping Kumiko’s cheek before planting a kiss on the other. “Don’t take too long?” She murmured into Kumiko’s ear, tickling it red, placing her lips there too.

“O-o-of course not! I’ll be back in a flash! In the speed kind, not the light kind. Though the speed of light is fast and all, but I- I’ll go… over there… in the speed of… bye for a sec.” She scrambled around the table, never used to Reina’s flirtations despite the years they’d been together.

Once she got to Akko, they huddled over the pot, Diana making her way to them.

“-the hell, then what are we supposed to eat, dude?!” Kumiko’s voice was the shakiest it had been all night. Diana had assumed it would have broken awhile ago with how Reina was with Kumiko.

Clearing her throat, Diana made her way next to them, voice as even as possible. “What seems to be the problem, ladies?”

“Eeep!”

Akko quickly slapped a hand over the jumpy Kumiko’s mouth, three pairs of eyes proceeding to check on their guest to see if she had heard. Fortunately(? Kumiko and Diana weren’t sure about it), Mamiko had taken it upon herself to entertain Reina at the table. Akko made a relieved comment, glad that she had stepped up.

Diana almost agreed as, from an outside perspective, you would think Mamiko was quite nice to Reina. Nicer than she was to her own sibling, but then she saw Mamiko make a slitting motion across her neck with her thumb.

Ah.

She was glad that Kumiko hadn’t seen that part.

Akkodid, however.  "Wow, glad I never had a sister to be this weird about us, right babe?“ She muttered under her breath before she and Kumiko went back to their hushed panic.

Diana stared at her lover’s form, remembering how Amanda and Sucy threatened to murder her and dump her body in the river if Akko so much as frowned. "Haha. Yes. Right.” She replied for the sake of replying.

She looked between the two pairs huddled together, feeling a headache coming on. “Yes. Of course. Right…. this is fine.”

//

Maybe… they should have just done it this way from the start.

Reina now sat by the kitchen island, watching contentedly as Kumiko tossed some fried rice in a wok, making quick work of the remaining ingredients they had managed to salvage from the fridge.

With the main course ruined to a beautiful crisp, and with no other ideas on how to fix her situation, Kumiko decided to just come clean to Reina, fully expecting her girlfriend’s disappointment as she told her she would have to leave her for a few minutes to quickly prepare them a decent enough dinner while Akko cleaned up the mess.

Diana thought the girl would have a heart attack when Reina first asked if she could at least watch. She was proud that Kumiko seemed to pull herself together however, and after feeling assured that nothing would further go amiss- not anymore, she decided to do the girl a much-deserved favor, ushering her troublesome family members away into their rooms to allow the couple to enjoy their evening on their own.

She was able to catch Kumiko mouthing a thanks to her before they left the area. Diana shot her a wink before disappearing from their sight.

She was sure this prayer on her lips would be the last.

//

It was a comfortably silent walk. With their ‘special’ dinner over and done with, Reina had invited Kumiko out for a stroll, glad that that Diana person had gotten rid of Mamiko and Akko better than she could ever. She wasn’t too keen on having another Mamiko-chaperoned date, and honestly, she’d had enough of those already.

Kumiko was rarely ever this quiet. With friends, she was fairly chatty even when she made it seem like it was a pain for her. Around other professional musicians, particularly during practice and performances, she could unexpectedly hold lengthy conversations about her impressions on many related subjects, and even go deep into musical theories that would surely bring a tear to Asuka and Taki-sensei’s eyes if they heard their unlikely protégé now. Their recommendations for Kumiko to get into a good conservatory were worth it.

Reina was proud of how far they’d both come- how special they had managed to become.

As for Kumiko when she was with Reina, well.  She was babbly in her adorable Kumiko way, tended to randomly blurt out stuff, and just kept up with Reina in discussion.

When Kumiko was like this, however, Reina knew she was in thought. Deep thought. Whenever Reina would offer a penny for those thoughts of Kumiko, she was often left deep in her own. It was something she was yet to get used to as well. It wasn’t as though Kumiko thought overly complicated things, but they were sometimes the most obvious of concepts. The type people knew were obvious but either actively ignored or remained unaware to.

She would have asked her like she usually did, but Reina knew she could be selfish at times and tonight had been a debilitating affair. For once, she just wanted the calm that came with being able to peacefully hog- er, spend time with your girlfriend away from interruptions and distractions.

So instead of throwing them both into a long-winding spiral of thought stacked upon thought, Reina opted for their usual lighthearted banter.

“You’re such a dork.” Reina giggled. Kumiko wore such a dumb expression, so lost in thought, so confused. “This whole evening’s charade- as amused as I am- why? It really… It looked like you put in a lot of effort.” Reina huffed, smiling softly as she tucked a loose curl behind her girlfriend’s ear.

“You- you…“

“Wha-! What’s this?” Reina nervously laughed, observing Kumiko’s watery eyes and quivering lips that she couldn’t help but kiss as Kumiko leaned forward to rest her forehead against Reina’s. “Are you crying?”

“I, becauseeee… You could tell?” Kumiko embarrassedly referred to Reina’s prior statement to which she responded with more boisterous glee.

“Of course, I could!” Reina kissed at Kumiko’s hair, tracing her hairline with her lips. “You’re my girlfriend. I know you.” Reina swiped her thumbs beneath Kumiko’s eyes, catching all the tears that had fallen.

“It sucked, didn’t it.”

Reina had to bite her tongue to physically hold back her bluntness- a trait of Kumiko’s that had rubbed off on her. “No.” They both called out the bold-faced lie as they fell into laughter.

“I love you, but you can’t just blatantly lie in my face like that. Come on.” Kumiko sighed. “I hated every minute of it.”

“Ehhh, did you now?” Reina pretended to pout as she poked Kumiko’s cheek. “And here, I actually enjoyed myself watching you suffer.” She laughed even more as Kumiko stuck her tongue out at her.

“You always do. Sadist. Bully. You always tease me like this.”

“I’m being honest, here. It wasn’t that bad.” Coming down from her hysterics, she wrapped her arms around Kumiko’s neck, nuzzling against her cheek. “Despite all the little mishaps, I loved it. I love you.”

“Give one instance that you loved then.”

Reina thought Kumiko would give in to her now, but the girl could be surprisingly difficult. “Ugh, Kumi-“

“That or I take that the dinner was shit.” Though she phrased it that way, Kumiko already wore a grin, mischievously warm.

“Fine.” Reina pinched Kumiko’s nape, earning herself a yelp that pleased her, before her fingers dug carefully into soft curls, twirling them gently and entangling her hand in Kumiko’s hair. “The dinner itself. The one you cooked for me.” Reina was being unusually honest. “I really… really… I really liked seeing you make dinner for me.” Really honest.

She could already feel the blush spread across her cheeks, mirroring Kumiko’s own.

“It… was so nice. Both the taste and seeing you make it for me… It was like we were married.” Whoops, too honest. “Or something.”

Reina felt her embarrassment peak, swiftly pulling away from Kumiko, attempting to walk a ways ahead of her so she could hide her shyness from Kumiko’s heated gaze, and maybe cool off in the evening breeze.

A hand wrapped around her wrist before she could get far enough, and her heart stopped beating for a second at the words she heard.

“Do you want to?” It was quiet, tentative and a little afraid, yet Kumiko’s voice had been the steadiest it had ever been this entire evening. “Get Married.” She spoke so careful, yet so sure. The words were heavy, the air tense. “Would you marry me?”

—

Kumiko felt Reina go stiff. Her mouth dried as she realized what she had just uttered. She berated herself, cursing her loose tongue as her mind scrambled to think of a way to save the moment. “I-“

“You’re such a horrible person, do you know that?”

“S-sorry… I know. Yeah. I- yeah.” Kumiko wondered what expression Reina wore.

When she finally noticed her shoulders quivering, Kumiko was thrown into a state of panic. She heard a sniffle, shaky mumbles of her name and being stupid spilled out from Reina. She was crying.

Kumiko’s heart plummeted. She really messed up. She really did. She’d done it now. She’d completed this full course mess and she had no idea how to-

“So? Where’s my ring?”

“E-eh?” Kumiko blinked, remaining in the same dumbfounded state as Reina turned around to face her, streaks of tears on her face, unfallen beads in her eyes. “Ring?”

Reina laughed. That bell-like sound that reminded Kumiko of summer nights and candied apples and fiery embraces, but also cool winds and gentle starlight. Reina laughed, beginning to walk towards Kumiko before breaking out into a short-lived sprint, crashing into the taller girl.

“Didn’t you just propose?”

Oh shit. She did.

“Oh shit. I did.”

Reina laughed some more, squeezing her arms tight around Kumiko, nuzzling into her neck, breathing her in her entirety in. “Idiot. Dumbass. Useless.”

“Sorry.” Kumiko whispered through a smile, snaking her arms around Reina’s waist, pulling her closer. “Sorry. I’m sorry.” She planted kisses along Reina’s shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you too, you terrible person.”

//

Kumiko ended up giving Reina her old watch. The one she had worn throughout their high school days. She wore it like a good luck charm through all her seasons; spring like joy and winter-like sorrow still sprinkled with dashes of comfort. She slipped it onto Reina’s wrist, a pink color like the Sakura during graduation when Kumiko had confessed, pink like their shockingly innocent love, pink like Reina’s lips that Kumiko loved to kiss like she did so now.

It was a temporary placeholder, Kumiko claimed they parted from their embrace. She apologized for having to give something so old, neither of them expecting the turn of events that had taken place.

Reina pretended not to like it, telling Kumiko to quickly get her a proper ring, but deep down, they both knew she loved the sentimental value of it. Kumiko was somehow afraid that she’d never return it anymore. Hmm, but maybe she didn’t really mind.

“You really are such a terrible person.” Reina whispered one final time against Kumiko’s lips before dragging her back home.

Kumiko grinned as she let herself be pulled along, heart fluttering in her chest for reasons beyond how Reina had coaxed them into a light sprint towards the Oumae residence.

“In a rush?”

“Maybe. I still haven’t had the last course of your mess.” Reina quipped.

“Oh? So you just wanna indulge in some cake?” Kumiko taunted, trying to get a rise out of Reina. She wasn’t ready to be countered so easily.

“I was thinking along the lines of… something else, sorry.” Reina replied, licking her lips as she gave Kumiko an evilly slow once-over.

Kumiko swallowed the painfully thick lump that had formed in her throat. She should have known she’d never win against Reina.

“Maybe we can count this as my Christmas gift too.” Reina smirked at her like they were back in high school, and Kumiko was some pining, lovestruck fool again. “You still have to make it up to me for the mess.” She snickered, finally reaching the home’s door. “And I fully intend to be satisfied. So… will you?”

She faced Kumiko fully, holding both the taller girl’s hands in hers against her chest, batting her lashes.

“You’re evil.”

“You’re terrible.” Reina smiled wickedly, dragging Kumiko indoors. “Yet we love each other.”

Kumiko sighed, albeit a happy one.

“Yes, we do.”

And she was intent on reminding Reina just how terribly they did, one messy night at a time.

Locking the door to her room behind her, she was sure that this was a mess she’d never tire of, even when the morning arrived.

~END~

[A/N: And now for some bonus scenes that I couldn’t work into the main story because I suck at it.]

BONUS SCENE 1:

Diana and Akko made quick work of the kitchen as the other pair of lovebirds took off into the night. They were certain that those two wouldn’t be home any time soon, and if by chance, they were,Diana didn’t think they’d be up for any cleaning. She would even bet that they wouldn’t even catch them at all the moment they stepped foot into the house and into Kumiko’s room. (She was right).

So instead, she opted to spend her own special holiday night with her lover, peacefully basking in the domestic feeling brought about by doing chores together.

“You really are so sweet.” Diana commented as Akko wiped the final dish, slotting its place in the cabinet.

“Psh, Obviously.” Akko replied jokingly.

Wrapping her arms around Akko’s waist from behind, she planted a kiss to Akko’s cheek, enjoying her gentle warmth.

“I think I deserve a reward for all my efforts these past few days.” She claimed, sneaking kisses along Akko’s neck.

Akko chuckled, squirming lightly from the tickling sensation. “Well, well, haha- What- what would milady desire? Ask anything and I shall give it thee.” She spoke as though she were Diana’s knight in shining armor, pulling away from her so that she could face her and getting down on one knee, clasping Diana’s hands in hers.

Diana played along, giggling. “Well, my fine knight. How ‘bout you take me to see that show we talked about before?”

“Show? Oh! Chariot’s anniversary rerun? Hmmm… but doth it suit milady’s refined tastes? It is but a, forgive my wording-ehem- knock-off of the original.”

Diana laughed at Akko’s unconvincing woe.

“It matters not dear Knight, for what I desire is simply time spent with you.”

Akko gasped loudly, clutching a hand to her chest, as though pierced by the spear of love near-tangible from Diana’s words.

“Milady…” She said in reverent awe. “Then it shall be so! I shall prepare only the finest carriage, and prepare a feast that nothing else that has graced milady’s palate can compare to!”

Diana was pretty sure Akko meant she’d borrow Kumiko’s car and make them some sandwiches and fried chicken, but honestly? It wasn’t like she minded. Not one bit.

“I look forward to it, my dearest Knight.” Diana curtsied as though she were back at the manor, an actual noble in every right; and Akko bowed deeply, more loyal than any Knight.

And with that, their little skit came to a close, both bursting into a fit of giggles as they switched off the lights and headed for the guest room.

Diana was sure that Akko would soon pull out her laptop for them to spend their Christmas binging Netflix shows and sneaking into the kitchen at midnight for some snacks.

A picnic lunch date was a worry for tomorrow. Right now, Diana would just take in this moment and drown in the comforts of Akko’s glow.

BONUS SCENE 2: Reina Dinner POV

She felt her feet nervously shuffle beneath the table covers. She hoped Kumiko wouldn’t notice how much of a wreck she was feeling like. This dinner date had been a sudden invitation from Kumiko two days ago, and she didn’t know what she was expecting, but it most definitely was not this.

She had sat through Kumiko’s tragic attempt at flirting- something that didn’t seem to be her style at all (Reina preferred her clumsy, adorkable tripping over words, but remaining endearing as hell). Then she had followed Kumiko into this odd imitation of a dance that got cancelled a minute in after Kumiko accidentally stepped on her own foot and fell over.

She did not want to think about how Mamiko gave her a sweet smile before calling her a dumbass and attempting to take her life if Kumiko so much as shed a tear.

Then there was… Kumiko confessing to their main course getting burnt and having to cook for Reina.

At that point, Reina honestly just wanted to spend time with her loving girlfriend, leave behind all the set-up that just didn’t seem them, and just… be. Just be each other, with each other. That alone would have been perfectly fine for their anniversary.

Sure, Reina may have looked like someone who expected grand gestures and large-scale showcases of affection, but really, she wasn’t. When it wasn’t for the sake of music, Reina loved the simplicity of the quiet, and the plainness life had to offer.

She would never say it aloud, but she loved the ordinary if it was with Kumiko because no matter how basic, Kumiko herself was what made it special.

And just like that, she had requested to watch Kumiko prepare their meal, happy to just watch her in her element as she prepped and tossed, mixed and served.

Reina stared at the plate set before her, stomach rumbling as the aromas hit her full force in all their delicacy and enticement.

Kumiko pretended to be occupied by her own food, already having taken a bite, but Reina could see from the corner of her eye that the girl was nervously watching her as she scooped up a good portion of the rice, bringing the spoon up to her mouth, blowing a few times to cool the piping hot freshness of the food.

It definitely smelled delicious. Her mouth watered as she prepared to partake of it, thinking that this might just be the turning point of this catastrophe of a dinner date. ‘Ok, maybe this isn’t a total disaster it’s actually kinda charming that Kumiko made food for me and-‘

It only took one bite.

‘Marry her, marry her, marry her.’

Reina stared at Kumiko, spoon still in her mouth, jaw unmoving, tongue soaking in the flavor.

“R-Reina?” Kumiko squeaked, waving a hand in front of her face. “Are you okay? Is something wrong with the food? Did you maybe not like-“

Reina swallowed. “I love you.”

“O-okay? I… love you too?”

BONUS SCENE 3: Mamiko in the morning

“Kumiko. We need to talk.”

“Hmm?” Kumiko looked up from pressing her clothes, wondering what her sister wanted from her.

“It’s urgent.”

“Okay? Just let me finish up, I guess?”

After placing the ironing stand aside, and hanging her clothes, Kumiko followed Mamiko into her room, a small amount of anxiety tickling at her heart. Just what did her sister want to speak about? Why did she seem so serious?

“Um, sis?”

“Kumiko.” Mamiko took a seat on her bed, crossing her arms on her chest, levelling Kumiko with a grave look. “Are you… a virgin?”

Kumiko stood before her sister slack-jawed, eyes popping out of their sockets as she searched each braincell of hers for a response appropriate enough to give to her sister.

“Why?”

Eh, it worked.

“What do you mean, why?My dearest baby sister, I just want you to realize that your girl, Reina, is quite the catch!”

“Okay? And?” Kumiko didn’t need reminders for something she and the whole universe already knew.

“And she is your lover, is she not?”

“Well, duh.”

“And she is spending Christmas with us, and you’ve been together for what, three years now!”

“Why are you telling me all thi-“

“Oumae Kumiko, how old are you?”

“E-eh? I’m… I just turned twenty-one, but what does that have to do with anything?” Really, where was Mamiko going with this talk.

Mamiko shook her head, looking incredibly disappointed in Kumiko for reasons the younger girl could never hope to uncover.

“Sis, just spit it out.”

“Kumiko, how could you be this dense?!” Mamiko cried- or at least, Kumiko thought that was what she was trying to do as she was doing this weird blinking thing with her eyes, wiping away nonexistent tears.  “It’s Christmas! It’s the season for losing your virgini-“

“MAMIKO-NEE PLEASE STOP, I BEG YOU.” Akko burst into the door, spatula dripping with presumably cake mix in her hand, face red. Kumiko didn’t know if it was from embarrassment, being out of breath from running here, rage, or all of the above.

“What? I’m just making sure my baby doesn’t get knocked up or anything!” Mamiko grumbled as though she’d been wronged, like her perfect logic had been disputed.

Kumiko deadpanned. “Nee-chan, I’m-“

“Mamiko-nee, Kumiko’s”

““Gay.””

“…”

“…”

“Well, of course she is! It’s Christmas! Merry Christmas, gay Christmas, whatever. IPS cells and all that.”

“What you said made absolutely no sense, but I don’t want to talk to you anymore about this matter or anything else for today, actually.”

Kumiko followed Akko out the door that clicked shut after them.

“JUST REMINDING YOU TO PRACTICE SAFE SEX!”

BONUS SCENE 4: Dinner Date, Reina Version

It had been a year since their unforgettable ‘Christmas Dinner Date’, and Reina had taken it upon herself to be the one to handle their anniversary for their engagement (regardless of how informal that affair had been).

She had soon realized how unfit she was for that particular task. She praised Kumiko in her head for always having had to deal with planning and coordinating for their dates.

She needed… advice.

“Why don’t you just take her to burger king or something-“

Reina swiftly hung up on Asuka who was of no help and still got on her nerves to this very day.

“If it were me, we’d probably go to the nearest KFC. Oh! They have this discount for couples for the holidays. You should try their specials Menu, and don’t forget their brownies either. They’re to die fo-“

Maybe… asking someone like Taki-sensei wasn’t a good idea either. How many years had it been since the man had gone on an actual date?

Should she try and contact Kumiko’s best friends instead? That one girl who liked that blasted shoe boy that Reina couldn’t really remember, what’s-his-face? Or should she try the Diamond girl? Or was it Ruby? Emerald? Whatever. Maybe they’d know what would please her girlfriend.

Ah. Fuck. She didn’t really have their contact details either.

Who else did Reina know…

Her mind drew a blank. No one in band really stuck out to her. She wasn’t sure if the senpais who were a year above her would be much help at all. Kaori-senpai was also… no. That would be kind of awkward, even if Reina had, all those years back, been so haughty and unbothered.

Reina sighed, taking her wallet. She really did not want to call them. For many reasons, not counting the enormous phone bill she was about to incur from dialing the number on the call card she fiddled with between her fingers.

‘Oh, screw it.’

A few rings, their vibrations tickling Reina’s skin as she held the device against her ear.

‘Please pick up, pick up, pick up… Or don’t.’

Reina wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore.

Their was a click and a crisp voice registered.

[“You have dialed into the Cavendish Manor. Diana Cavendish speaking.”]

Well. There was no use beating around the bush and prolonging her inevitable agony, Reina supposed.

“So, say, I wanted to take my significant other out for a dinner date on Christmas, how would you propose I go about doing this?”

A series of beeps replied to Reina, making her scowl. Oh no, she didn’t just hang up on Reina like that-

Her phone dinged; an incoming message, it read.

[So have you ever heard of this place called BonChon? I think you’d like it. Maybe. I like their bingsu, but Diana says I’m going to hurt my throat if I keep eating it! That’s not true, by the way. I ate five the other week, and I was absolutely fine.

Save my number. This is Akko~]

Reina clicked her phone shut, pushing it far away from her on the bed. She elegantly reached for a pillow, held it to her face delicately,

And screamed.

//

“Hey, Reina.”

“Yes, Kumiko?”

“Have I ever told you how much I love McDonald’s? I know it’s not like, the best or anything. Not even in terms of fast food, but like… I just love it.” Kumiko beamed up at her from across the table through her half-eaten cheeseburger.

“Well, obviously, I already knew that.” Reina flipped her hair over her shoulder, confidently smiling at Kumiko. “I’m not your fiancée for nothing.”

‘THANK GOD I RANDOMLY MADE THE RIGHT GUESS.’

“Maybe we should just order take-out next year.” Kumiko mused. “Netflix and chill?”

‘Yes please.’

“That sounds perfect.”