Instincts

-----Kaede's POV

We ended up spending most of the day at the dirt track as we sat around the side of the river. I was hesitant on joining Yui's club, but with how excited everyone is about it, I just couldn't say no. I just hope I'll still have time to tend to that garden.

But suddenly, a phone began to ring as Maria was the one to answer it as she puts her phone to her ear. Of course we couldn't hear what the person on the other end was saying, but after a few moments, the call ended.

Maria: "Sorry guys. My parents want me back home."

Emi: "Alright, I'll walk with you then. What about you two?"

Both Yui and I look at one another for a brief moment before looking back over to Emi.

Yui: "...My house isn't too far from here. So I think I'll stick around a bit longer."

Kaede: "Yeah... Same here."

Maria: "Okay~ Oh! Did you hear from your captain yet?"

Yui: "Not yet."

Maria: "Alright, then we can discuss the club on Monday at school?"

Yui: "Mm!"

Emi: "Well then, we'll be on our way now. Take care~"

Kaede: "See ya."

...

And just like that, the two of them leave us alone to ourselves as I look back over to the river as watch the cherry blossom petals fall around us, landing on the surface of the river, creating numerous tiny ripples.

Kaede: "Huh..."

Yui: "Hmm?"

Kaede: "I'm not sure why, but I just got hit by a wave of nostalgia just now."

Yui: "You been here before?"

Kaede: "...I'm not sure."

I know for a fact that I haven't, yet for some reason, I feel like I have. Sort of like how one gets déjà vu.

Yui: "...Hey."

Kaede: "Hmm?"

Looking back over at Yui, who's sitting about half a meter away from me, I can't help but notice that her ears have gone a bit red. It could still be from the running we did earlier, but we've long since calmed down now.

Yui: "What uhm... What is..."

Judging from her demeanor, I can't help but think that this is a serious conversation that we're about to have. Even my heart stopped for a few moments as I patiently wait for Yui to finish her sentence.

Yui: "...Is tiramisu your favorite?'

Kaede: "...Huh?"

Yui: "Well, it's coffee flavored, right? S-so... I was wondering if you were a fan of coffee."

Is this really what she wanted to ask? I won't push her if she changed her mind, so I guess I'll just play along.

Kaede: "Hmmm. Well, yeah. I love tiramisu, and coffee flavored things in general... But I don't think I like the taste of actual coffee itself, hehe."

Yui: "Really?"

Kaede: "Mhmm. But I do like tea!"

Yui: "I'll be sure to remember that, haha."

Kaede: "Hehe."

Wait, remember that? Is she planning on paying me back or something?

Kaede: "But don't think that you need to pay me pack for earlier."

Yui: "Eh?"

Kaede: "The brownie and the cheesecake. It was an apology from me, okay? So no pay backs."

Yui: "...I still don't think you need to apologize though."

She mutters those words, but I still managed to pick up on it.

Kaede: "..."

I still wonder why though. It's not normal for two girls to-

Just then, I recall those visions and dreams I've had. I most certainly did. Wait no, that wasn't me, but it was... Right? No, no, either way, that doesn't excuse what I did to Yui before... But it's scary... It's like I'm losing control over myself. Like I'm not in control over my own body. This morning... I can still feel the sensation of her lips even now. And just before as well! All of a sudden, I felt like I could go faster, even going as far as passing Yui! It's like it was physical proof that I'm changing...

Yui: "Hey."

Kaede: "Y-yeah?!"

Yui: "We're... Friends, right?"

Kaede: "Of cou-"

Why did I just stop mid sentence like that?! Am I now not even control over my own voice? Well, I mean, I know friends don't kiss, so I can understand that, but then what would our relationship be?

Kaede: "..."

Yui: "Kaede?"

This is bad! I'm getting that weird feeling in my chest again, like someone's just lit a fire in the pit of my stomach. I need to-

In that moment, I stand up from the grass abruptly as I look down at Yui, her eyes filled with confusion. But I seriously don't think I can answer that.

Kaede: "S-sorry! I think I'll go."

Yui: "What?"

Kaede: "D-don't stay out too late!"

And just like that... I ran. I couldn't even hear if Yui said anything, but I just need to cool down. I know that if I were to stay there any longer, I was surely going to do something to Yui again.

.....

...

Once I managed to get home, I threw myself into the shower to cool off, both mentally and physically. My parents aren't back yet but I really need to get myself together before they do. But no matter how long I stay in the shower, my chest refuses to calm down.

Kaede: "...Yui."

I'm not sure why I said her name, but in that moment, after saying her name, I felt the pain alleviate somewhat.

Kaede: "I'm sorry..."

Sorry for running away just now? I already said that to her. For some reason, I feel like there's something more to it than just that... Also, wait... Has my chest grown recently? I was too busy thinking about Yui, but after looking over my body, it does seem a bit different. Maybe I need to cut back on the tiramisu...

...

I end up getting out of the shower after cleaning all the sweat and dirt off of me. I'm still shocked at how fast I ran before, but I wonder if I can even replicate it? I remember trying my hardest, yet I couldn't catch up to Yui at all. But out of nowhere, my body felt incredibly light as my body began to move almost as if I was flying. It was like-

Kaede: "Eh?"

Just then, as I looked at myself in the mirror in the bathroom, I saw myself. But something was definitely off... Instead of seeing the eyes I'm familiar with, what I saw instead was a pair of glowing, scarlet red eyes, staring back at me through the mirror. In a panic, I flee from the bathroom, not bothering to change into clothes as I run into my room in just a towel. Wait, I could just be seeing things, right? I've had those weird dreams and visions before, so maybe it was just something like that?

Skeptical, I turn to the mirror in my room, hoping that what I saw in the bathroom was just that, an illusion, or a vision. But-

Kaede: "No way..."

Am I still hallucinating? Or do I seriously have those red eyes? They don't even look human!

Kaede: "..."

Just then, I recall one of the dreams where I was flying through the sky with someone who's apparently my daughter. And another dreams where I bit into Yui's neck...

Kaede: "..."

I'm scared to check, but I need to, right? And after a bit of time staring at my eyes in the mirror, seeing them not changing back, I slowly open my mouth, only to reveal my normal looking teeth. I wave of relief washes over me, but I still can't look away from my eyes. Wait, don't tell me that my eyes were red earlier when I was talking with Yui and the others! No, I'm sure they would've noticed and said something, my eyes even look like they're glowing a little! Or I could just be imagining that.

Mom: "Kaede~ We're home~"

No! No, no no! I'm not about to deal with this right now! I can't show my face to my parents, right? What will they think? I look back in the mirror to confirm, and once again, my eyes are still dyed in scarlet.

Mom: "Kaede?~"

Hearing my mom's approaching footsteps coming upstairs, I begin to panic as I grip the towel that's around me.

Kaede: "I-I'm still changing!"

Mom: "Ah, okay~ We picked up dinner on our way home. Come down soon, okay?"

Kaede: "Yup! Thanks mom!"

Hearing her footsteps slowly go quieter as she moves downstairs quells my nerves for but a moment. But that doesn't change that fact that my eyes have changed?! I could try out contacts, but I've always been scared about placing anything directly on my eyes...

Kaede: "..."

Either way, I can't sit around doing nothing. So, I pick up my phone while still wrapped in a towel as I quickly send a message to both Emi and Mika in our group chat, asking if they can help out. I know full well that Emi will have so many more questions, but I'll deal with that when the time comes.

Almost immediately after I sent that message, Emi responded just as I imagined.

Emi: "What? Where is this coming from? Is this for Yui? Is she interested in these kind of things?"

Of course she'd think that.

Kaede: "No. This is for me. Could you help?"

Emi: "WHAT?! Are you serious?"

Kaede: "Yes, will you help me or not!"

Emi: "Sure! Are you still out there?"

Kaede: "No, I'm at home now. Could you maybe grab some contacts for me?"

Emi: "I can try, but the shops might be closed."

Maria: "Nope~ The shop should still be open."

Nice save, Maria! I was dreading that the shops might be closed, but thankfully Maria seems to have some knowledge regarding it. Maybe I can discuss it in detail with her later with how to apply it or something. I'm still scared about actually doing it, but there's no way I'm going to school like this...