Chapter Thirteen: The Second Time She Asks

The next morning, all of the students awoke to find a continental spread waiting for them downstairs. Various Western foods like waffles, french toast and sausages were laid out on a table to one side. Following it was another one, and it contained more traditional Japanese breakfast items such as miso soup, grilled fish and steaming white rice. Among all of the selections were world-wide classics as well, such as toast, eggs made up in several different ways, and bowls of fruit.

"Oh my God, look at all this!" Chiyo shouted with glee. "I wanna try it all!" "I'm not sure where to start," Haruna said. "I-It all l-looks so good," Hinami added with nervous anticipation. "Well, let's not hang around! Time to eat!" Chiyo announced, then took off for the Western table. Just as Haruna was about to do the same, she noticed the last member of their group standing back.

"Kanako, you coming?" she asked. "O-Oh, sorry. I got distracted," Kanako said. "Distracted?" Haruna repeated. Kanako nodded. "There are a few foods here that I don't see often. I was studying them a bit to see if I could figure out how they made them." "Studying?" Haruna said. "You could probably just ask the chef here if you really want to know." "T-True, but what if it's like some super secret family recipe?" Kanako said. "Only someone thinking of becoming a chef would ever think of something like that," Haruna said.

In the end, Haruna managed to pull Kanako away from her "studying" so she could actually get and try the food instead of stare at it. Grabbing a variety, Kanako joined her other group members at the table before giving it all a taste. "This is good," she said simply. "That review sounded a little lackluster," Haruna pointed out. "Well," Kanako said. "The flavor is good, but it's not amazing or anything." "You'd probably only get amazing from a hotel if it was five stars," Haruna said. "Yeah, you're probably right," Kanako agreed. The Sapporo Comfort Hot Spring Inn was certainly comfortable and provided nice amenities, but it definitely wasn't five stars.

Through breakfast, Chiyo did most of the talking as usual. "So what's everybody doing today?" "I was thinking of checking out Tanukikoji," Haruna said. "You wanna come with me Kanako?" Looking at her, Kanako gave a happy nod. Internally, Haruna was about to celebrate when a small voice stopped her. "U-Um, I was actually p-planning to go there too, s-so if it wouldn't be t-too much trouble, I'd a-appreciate it if I could come with you Endo-san."

Voicing the request was Hinami. Haruna had really wanted to go with just Kanako, but she also didn't have the heart to turn Hinami down. She was sweet, nice, and, most importantly, her fan. How would it look to Hinami if Haruna just turned her down? She had never been one for fame before, but now that she had someone looking up to her, Haruna had to admit that she wanted to live up to any expectations the girl may have. So, after a moment of consideration, Haruna said yes. Next to her, though she didn't see it, Kanako scowled.

"How about you Chiyo?" Haruna asked. "Mmm, you could say I have plans," the gal answered cryptically. "You won't even say where you're going?" Haruna asked, more out of annoyance than curiosity. Surprisingly sheepishly, Chiyo looked at Haruna. "Mount Moiwa," she said. "That's where I'm goin'." Not knowing much about Sapporo or the surrounding area, Haruna had to assume based on Chiyo's reaction alone that something about that place was special.

"Hello everyone," a girl suddenly greeted the others. Standing beside the table were Mayu, Itsuki and Jasmine. "Have you enjoyed breakfast?" "It was seriously delish," Chiyo said, satisfied and with a couple of empty plates in front of her. Taking a look at the dishes, Jasmine looked back at Chiyo. "You're totally gonna get fat." "How rude!" Chiyo cried. "And how many plates did you have, huh?!" "Less than you," Jasmine retorted.

Ignoring them, Mayu continued the conversation. "It sounds like you're all going to interesting places." "Where are you going Mayu-chan?" Kanako asked. "We're going to Otaru!" Itsuki chimed in. "Otaru?!" Kanako repeated. "Isn't that far?" "No, not particularly. In local guides, they said that Otaru makes for a good day trip, so the three of us thought we'd go," Mayu explained. "Huh? You're going too Jas-chin?" Chiyo asked. "Yeah. What, is that weird?" Jasmine said. "Nope, not at all," Chiyo said back, although it seemed like she had more to say.

The group of girls talked for a few minutes longer before the newcomers had to leave. "If we don't go now, we might not make it in time," Mayu said. "Alright, have fun you guys," Jasmine said with a wave. "See ya later!" Itsuki tacked on. And with that, they were gone.

A short time later, the others left the table as well, heading back to their room to get ready. "Okay!" Chiyo said after finishing her outfit and looking it over in the mirror. "Y-You look like you're going on a d-date," Hinami commented innocently. "Ahahaha… A date huh?" Chiyo said, appearing to be caught off-guard by the assessment. "I wonder if you could call it that." Of course, Hinami had no idea what Chiyo was mumbling about.

On the other side of the room, Haruna and Kanako were also getting ready. Due to the nature of where they were going, there wasn't any need for anything fancier than average street clothes, but after starting the day in uniform, both of them had decided to change. Only Hinami would look like a student, opting to keep wearing her uniform for the second day as well. Luckily, the school had planned for students choosing to remain in uniform, offering to collect the uniforms last night so they could be washed for those who wanted to keep wearing them. Then they were returned the following morning.

Once everyone was done getting ready, they headed their separate ways. The trio of Haruna, Hinami and Kanako left the hotel and began heading toward the area known as Tanukikoji. It didn't take them long, as their destination was only five minutes or so away from where they were staying. After being invited, Kanako had begun to wonder if the place would be difficult to find, but when they arrived, she found it was quite easy to identify.

Walking along a street, the three girls stopped in front of what appeared to be an entryway. The entrance stood tall and wide, with a large, bluish half-circle hanging at the top, highlighted by golden lights. By many, this was the place known as the Tanukikoji Street Arcade. It was well-known by locals and attracted a lot of tourists thanks to its over 200 shops and novelty. The arcade itself was practically an attraction on its own, spanning across seven districts with its length.

"So this is it huh?" Haruna said as she stared at the entryway. "It sure stands out…" Kanako commented. "A-And there are so m-many people," Hinami added nervously. Beginning to navigate their way through the crowd, the trio headed down the long corridor top by a curved, glass-pane covered ceiling. It didn't take them long to make their first stop, as suddenly Hinami split off.

"Whoa, where is she going?!" Haruna exclaimed, worried the girl might get lost in the crowd. "Yamane-san, wait up!" Kanako called. The two of them went chasing after her, ending up at a bizarre spot. "Alright…" Haruna said. "What the hell is this?"

Standing before them was a shrine. Of course, shrines were nothing unusual in Japan. In fact, there were quite a few in and around Iwanai, and even one a couple minutes away from Haruna and Kanako's houses. However, what made this one stand out were two things. One was that this shrine was sitting inside a shopping arcade. The other was that there was a statue resembling a tanuki.

"Is this… a shrine?" Kanako asked, wondering if it actually was. Aside from the tanuki statue, everything else looked normal. There was a wooden box with slats to make offerings, a rope to pull to make the bells jingle, and there were plenty of plants and rocks surrounding it. The only thing that made it weird was the statue of a creature standing with a curled staff in its hand and given a big belly.

"Isn't this adorable?!" Hinami suddenly squealed. "Um, Yamane-san, do you… like this kind of stuff?" Haruna asked. "Yes! I just think tanukis are precious!" she answered with glee. At the same time, both Haruna and Kanako had the same thought about the statue. "Oh, so it's a tanuki."

Thinking about it, Kanako did notice quite a few depictions of the bear-like animal in the arcade. There were statues that were more cartoon-ish and painted in bright colors. There were paintings on the walls of tanukis. It even seemed like half of the arcade had shops with tanuki somewhere in the name. "I wonder if tanukis are significant to the area?" Kanako thought.

While thinking, Kanako heard Hinami say something that caught her attention. "This shrine is named the Honjin-Tanukidaimyo Shrine, but most people just call it the Tanuki shrine. That little statue there is the guardian deity of this place. There's a belief that if you rub its belly, you'll be blessed." "Blessed?" Kanako repeated. "Mhm. A-Although it varies from person to person I think. Some say it helps with money, others say its just good fortune. Oh! I've even heard it can help with pregnancy!"

"HUH?!" Haruna exclaimed. Turning, Kanako saw her standing directly in front of the statue, hand outstretched and mere centimeters away from the belly. When Kanako spotted her, her eyes went wide just like the girl she was staring at. They both went beet red, and unable to hold the other's gaze, looked away. "P-P-Pregnancy, huh?" Haruna sputtered out. "W-Wow, that's some statue…" Kanako added. In between them, Hinami was confused by their sudden bashfulness.

Kanako knew her reaction was ridiculous. After all, she wasn't even dating Haruna. Thinking about having a kid with her was well beyond her currently situation, not to mention it was biologically impossible. But, even knowing that, Kanako couldn't help but give it some thought. "If Haruna and I had a child, I wonder… what it would be like?"

Before she could get that daydream going though, she got distracted. "E-Endo-san, aren't you going to rub it?" Hinami asked. "O-Oh, I don't know. Maybe some other time," Haruna said, trying to get out of it. "B-But it p-provides a blessing. It could be helpful some day," Hinami said, apparently wanting Haruna to rub the belly of the tanuki statue. "Well, yeah, but…" Haruna weakly protested. She was so self-conscious about the pregnancy bit and meeting eyes with Kanako that she couldn't consider anything else. And yet, Hinami was insistent. "As your fan, I'd love to see the person I look up to be blessed with everything they desire," she stated firmly. That was enough to convince Haruna, who then placed her hand on the cold stone, ran it up and down along the tanuki midsection a couple of times, and then pulled away.

Kanako watched it all unfold, and as she did, she felt a festering pain grow in her chest. "Why does this bother me so much?" she wondered. "There's just something about Haruna doing what Yamane-san suggested that just really irritates me." She knew where that irritation was directed too. Right at Hinami, who had no idea. Inside, Kanako felt conflicted. She really did want to like Hinami, yet, for some reason, whenever she saw the girl interact with Haruna, it drove her nuts. "Why is she so close like that anyways? Isn't she supposed to be shy or something?" Kanako thought bitterly.

When they finished at the shrine, the group continued on through the shopping arcade, stopping at several shops along the way before hitting one of the biggest. It had the perfect name for tourists, as it was called the Hokkaido Souvenir Shop Tanukiya. Walking in, the girls saw hundreds upon hundreds of various items, from shirts to snacks and everything in between. "There's so much stuff in here," Haruna said. "S-Should we l-look for souvenirs?" Hinami suggested. "Well, that's actually why I wanted to come here in the first place. I heard that it was a good place for stuff like that," Haruna said.

So, the two of them began to look around, leaving an increasingly irked Kanako behind. She had actually been just about to suggest that she and Haruna look around together, but Hinami had stolen the chance from her. "Whatever," Kanako huffed. She began going in the opposite direction as she fell into thought. "It's not like it's that big of a deal. I see Haruna plenty. If Hinami wants to spend time with her, that's fine." But, for as much as Kanako tried to convince herself, she failed.

It bothered her to no end that Haruna was following Hinami's suggestions. It wasn't like Hinami had some ulterior motive (at least Kanako didn't think there was). She was just a girl who looked up to another girl. And now, getting the chance to spend time with the girl she looked up to, Hinami just wanted to make the most of it. Her actions were innocent. And yet… "I kind of wish… she'd just go away."

When Kanako had been invited by Haruna in the morning, she had been happy, but as soon as Hinami had been allowed to come too, Kanako had felt her mood darken. It was like a cloud kept hanging over her head. While she tried to figure out if there was any way to get rid of it, she heard her name called. "Kanako!" Haruna said, getting the girl's attention. "Look at this thing!"

In her hands was a small tanuki that had one paw bobbing back and forth like a beckoning cat statue. "Isn't this goofy?" Haruna said, smiling. She was having fun, and it made Kanako smile too seeing that. However, behind Haruna, Kanako saw Hinami. "It's so cute, isn't it?" she said, immediately stripping Kanako of her smile. "Yeah… sure," she said shortly. Naturally, her reaction caught Haruna's attention.

"Is she alright?" she wondered. "Hey, Kanako-" Haruna began to say, but before she could finish, she heard Hinami shout. "Ah, hey Yamane-san, don't wander off!" Haruna called after her. She wanted to ask Kanako if anything was wrong, but she also didn't want to spend hours looking for a lost Hinami if it could be avoided.

Kanako watched her go, letting out a sigh. "Maybe I'll just look for souvenirs for my parents," she thought, beginning to browse through the selection. Eventually, she landed on one of the more standard ones. Kanako knew it was fine. As long as her parents got something from her, they'd be happy.

Not long after, Haruna and Hinami picked out gifts too and went to pay for them. When they finished, the three girls left the shop. "So now what?" Haruna asked. "I-Is anyone hungry?" Hinami asked. "Now that you mention it..." Haruna said. She had been full from breakfast, but she didn't feel that way any longer. Looking at the clock on her phone, Haruna's eyes went wide "We've been here for three hours?!" There was so much to see that none of them had even thought to check the time. "I-I guess it really is l-lunchtime isn't it?" Hinami said. "H-How about you Kana-chan? Are you hungry?"

Looking at Hinami, all Kanako said was a short "sure." "O-Okay, then if you don't mind, t-there's a place I heard about that serves good ramen. Is that fine?" Hinami asked nervously. "Yeah, that sounds good," Haruna said. Kanako only nodded, adding further to Haruna's concern. "Then it's decided," Hinami said. So, the group made their way to their next destination. When they arrived, they stood in front of a place called Kiraito.

Walking in, the girls entered a space done up nearly entirely in wooden décor. From the tables to the chairs to the walls, various wood designs covered the place. It matched well with the softer lighting, creating a calm and leisure atmosphere. Once they were seated, Haruna, Kanako and Hinami looked over the menu, placing their orders not long after. While they waited, they made conversation.

"K-Kana-chan, you're in the cooking club, right?" Hinami asked. "Yeah, that's right. H-How do you know that?" Kanako asked. "E-Endo-san, mentioned it earlier," Hinami explained. "Oh," was all Kanako said. "U-Um, the reason I brought it up w-was because it must be nice to t-try new foods like this. You know, s-since you probably like cooking," Hinami said. "Well, that's true," Kanako agreed. "I've never gotten to try much of the Sapporo specialties, so I am a little excited."

As their conversation wrapped up, their food was brought out. Three steaming bowls made their way to the table, each one being set down carefully to be sure not to spill a drop. "Please enjoy," said the server. "It looks so good," Haruna said. Sitting in front of her was a bowl filled to the brim with a rich, thick brown broth. Inside were several chunks of meat, cooked perfectly to match the broth, and bundles of noodles soaking in the flavor. To complete the dish, there was a small mountain of vegetables on top, made up of cabbage, green onions and the like.

"I-It smells amazing too," Hinami said. Both her and Kanako had gotten similar dishes, so they were taking in the sights and smells too. "Let's try it," Kanako said. So, after giving their thanks, the three girls picked up their chopsticks, got some of the noodles, and slurped away.

"This is amazing!" Kanako exclaimed once she swallowed. "All of the flavors are perfect together!" "I know!" Hinami added. "I could eat this for hours!" "I wish we had this back home," Haruna said, to which the other two nodded vigorously in agreement.

As they continued to eat, Kanako began to feel the heat from her soup. "It's starting to get warm in here," she said. "Y-Yeah," Hinami said. Since they had entered, the three of them had kept their coats on, but now that they were fully inside a building and eating hot food, there wasn't much of a need for them anymore. Quickly, Haruna and Hinami got their coats off, revealing Haruna's usual black hoodie jacket with blue lines on the zipper part, and Hinami's school uniform.

The way they had sat down had ended up with Haruna and Hinami sitting on one side and Kanako across from them. That had annoyed Kanako, but ever since she started eating, she had forgotten about it. "Phew," she let out, setting down her chopsticks. Slowly, she pulled the zipper down on her black coat, revealing the outfit she had put on earlier. Her navy blue sweater, paired with a white pleated skirt and black leggings, made for a simple, yet pleasing combination. It was one that Haruna had already seen earlier too, but as Kanako slowly stripped off her coat, there was a certain allure forming that made the outfit stand out in her mind more than it had initially.

First one arm, then the other. Kanako then took her coat and laid it gently in the empty seat next to her. "That's better," she sighed, bringing a hand up to her face. Just a little, she wiped a bead of sweat on her forehead, causing her skin to glisten a bit under the dim lighting. Her hand dropped lower, reaching her lips, where she lightly slid her finger along the bottom one to remove a slight excess of broth.

Suddenly, there was a clatter of noise. Looking ahead, Kanako saw Haruna, who was fumbling around with her utensils. "Sorry, my chopsticks just slipped out of my hands, haha…" Haruna said weakly. Inside though, she was freaking out. "Does Kanako realize how hot she was being just now?!" Haruna screamed internally. "I mean, come on! The thing with her lips was especially…" Taking a breath, Haruna steady her chopsticks as she regained her composure. "It seems like ever since last night, I can't see her the same…"

In the bath, Haruna had seen it all. Kanako's naked body had been right in front of her, right next to her, and even on her at one point. With that visual stuck in her head, anything Kanako did that could be viewed as alluring felt even stronger to Haruna. "Ugh, I've seriously got to get it together," she groaned to herself.

*****

While Haruna, Kanako and Hinami had headed to Tanukikoji, another trio was off to Otaru. Being only a 45 minutes train ride from Sapporo, it was a perfect place for a day trip. Before going to bed the previous night, Mayu had suggested that they go visit the city. Jasmine hadn't had anything in mind for her free time, so she had agreed, and Itsuki usually followed Mayu anywhere, so it was an easy sell.

The trip there was simple enough, and when they arrived, they took in the sights around them. Being from Iwanai, the three thought they knew what a small town was like, but being in Otaru gave them a completely different feel. While both were classified as small towns, Otaru gave off a more classic vibe, creating an atmosphere long since past. The buildings showed their age, but they still stood tall, and if you stood in place long enough, you could practically feel the history flowing through the streets.

"This is interesting," Jasmine said. "Why is this place so much cooler than Iwanai?!" Itsuki whined. "Aren't they both small towns?" "Well, Otaru used to be a major trade hub for Japan due to it being a port town, so that's probably why there's so much more here than back home," Mayu explained. "What the heck is with that?" Itsuki complained. "We're a port town too aren't we? What's the difference?!" Unfortunately, Mayu didn't have an answer, so all she could do was smile back calmly.

"Shall we go explore?" she suggested. "Sure," Jasmine said. "Anywhere in mind?" "I'd like to go see some glass-blowing if possible," Mayu said. "Glass-blowing?" Jasmine repeated. "Yes. My mother told me I should come here to see it if I had the chance. She talked about all kinds of things from here actually," Mayu said happily. "So it was your mom's idea to go to Otaru?" Jasmine asked. "Well, she only suggested it," Mayu said. "I see," Jasmine said back, her tone indicating something more to her words. However, it went unnoticed, so the three of them began looking around for a glass-blowing factory.

Thanks to the structure of the town, it didn't take long for them to find what they were looking for. The place they ended up at was called Kitaichi Glass Otaru. The outside of the building wasn't much to look at, as it was made up of large, gray bricks and some windows with old, dark brown wooden shutters on them. However, it was a case of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The inside was very decorative, playing into an old, wooden interior well with its more modern highlights. In some parts, there were towering high ceilings, held up by the criss-crossing of large wooden beams while the walls had what looked like straightened-out latticework.

As it turned out, Mayu, Jasmine and Itsuki just missed a glass-blowing demonstration, but it didn't feel like much of a loss due to the sheer volume of stuff to look at. The main attractions were the displays and cafe, both of which had their own high merits. The displays were packed full of various glasses, lamps, ceramics and other items all made by hand. There were seemingly thousands of them, all of them either different sizes, colors or both.

Not to be outdone, the cafe boasted its massive amount of space and relaxing atmosphere, having a large room full of round tables. They served plenty of food choices, among them being the ever-popular Hokkaido ice cream. After spending quite some time looking at all the glass, the three girls decided to indulge in the cold treat as they talked about all of the glasswork.

"Everything here is so nice," Mayu said. "Yeah, but like, it was nerve-wracking walking around in there," Jasmine said. "Felt like if I moved the wrong way I'd break somethin'." "I know what you mean," Itsuki sighed. "Does that mean you two didn't enjoy it?" Mayu asked, sounding a little sad at the prospect. "Oh, no, of course not!" Itsuki panicked. "It was really neat!" "The ice cream is good too," Jasmine added. "I'm not sure if that should be your reason for liking it," Mayu said.

"What was your favorite part Mayu-chi?" Jasmine asked. "I think I would have to say the old lamps. They were just so beautiful," Mayu said. "Old lamps huh?" Jasmine repeated. "Yes. We have some like that at home. They're mother's favorites," Mayu said. At the mention of her mom, Jasmine scowled a little. "Are you sure the lamps are actually your favorite?" "Huh? What do you mean?" Mayu asked, confused. "...Never mind," Jasmine said. It was clear that something about Mayu's reasoning bothered Jasmine, but she didn't seem to want to go any further with the conversation.

When they finished talking, the girls left the glass-blowing shop. "Where to now?" Jasmine asked. "Well, I had hoped to find a souvenir for mother in there, but everything was just too expensive… If we could, I'd like to find a place that sells souvenirs unique to here," Mayu said. "Then I guess it's time to go check out the town! Who knows, maybe we'll find exactly what you're looking for Mayu-chan," Itsuki said happily. So the three began making their way around the city, searching all over for the perfect store. Eventually, they landed on a small little shop that sold glassware. It wasn't nearly as nice of quality as at Kitaichi, but it still looked nice.

"These will be good gifts," Mayu said, pleased by her selections of a small lamp and decorative glass. "Glad you found something," Jasmine said. "Hey, is anyone hungry? It's just about dinnertime y'know," Itsuki said. "Then let's find somewhere to eat," Mayu said. Looking around, the three of them stopped in at a sushi place, which turned out to be quite delicious.

Once they were done, they had a decision to make. "It's getting late," Jasmine said. "We needed to be back by what, seven?" "I think so," Itsuki said. It was already a little past 6 p.m. Next to them, Mayu fidgeted. "What's up Mayu-chi?" Jasmine asked when she noticed. "Um, well," Mayu began. "There was still one more place I wanted to see. I was hoping that we could go to the canal."

The Otaru Canal was one of the most iconic parts of the city. It was what had helped allow Otaru to prosper back in its glory days, and now it was the perfect spot for sightseeing. People could take cruises along the canal in boats while looking at all of the old buildings and scenery, or they could follow a walkway and go at their own pace.

Seeing Mayu holding herself back was an unusual sight to Jasmine. It wasn't like the girl was normally aggressive. Rather, it was because Mayu hardly ever seemed to ask for anything. Because it was such a rarity, Jasmine couldn't help but want to give in a little. "So like, how long does checking out the canal take?" she asked. "Longer than the time we have to spare…" Mayu said dejectedly. "Is there a reason you wanted to see it?" Jasmine asked. "I happened to see pictures of the canal in a guidebook I bought. It looked so lovely, so I thought… it'd be nice to see it with my friends," Mayu said.

Her response made Jasmine's heart flutter a little. It was nice to know that Mayu really did consider her a friend. "Hey, how about this," Jasmine said. "Let's just go look at just a section of it. I know it's not the whole thing, but it shouldn't take as much time. Will that work?" Mayu's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Yes!" she said excitedly. So the three of them made their way to the nearest part of the Otaru canal.

When they reached the walkway, Mayu jogged over a little bit to the black fencing. "Wow…" she breathed. "It's better than the pictures." Before her were old, brick and mortar building that stood the test of time. They lined the waterway, and with the gas lamps casting their yellow glow on the night, the entire area looked very picturesque. Not even the cold air coming off the water had an effect on the scene. "Glad you like it," Jasmine said, unable to stop herself from smiling a bit.

While Mayu took in the sights, Jasmine and Itsuki looked around a short distance behind her. To the two of them, who weren't that big on history, the canal was nice, but that was it. It didn't take long for either of them to soon get bored as they waited for Mayu. Finding themselves standing next to each other, it felt odd. Itsuki and Jasmine were never alone together. Seeing this as an opportunity, Itsuki spoke.

"Hey," she began. Jasmine looked at her. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you." Jasmine simply stared, waiting for the question. "What does a girl like you like about hanging out with Mayu-chan?" It was a question Jasmine hadn't expected. "What do I like?" she repeated, then gave it some thought. "Maybe… I just like that she's so different from me, and yet so much the same."

"Huh? I don't get it," Itsuki said. "I know you have different appearances and personalities, but I don't see any similarities." "Yeah, on the surface we look pretty different. Mayu-chi is pretty book-wormish, while I'm the kind of girl most people assume is a slut." "I-I don't know if most people assume that," Itsuki tried to defend Jasmine, but she just shook her head. "Nah, they do. I'm betting even you did at one point." "W-Well, um… sorry…" Itsuki said meekly. Jasmine let out a soft laugh. "You don't have to apologize. If you see a girl with a different guy every week, it just sorta becomes the natural conclusion, y'know?"

"...But Mayu-chi… I could tell she was different. There was no way she had never heard the rumors about me or seen what I was doing, but she still was nice to me, like I was just anybody else. Looking at how she went about her life, it got me curious, I guess. When I found out about her home life, I only got more curious."

"Home life?" Itsuki repeated. "Yeah," Jasmine said. "That's how were similar. Our homes are just so… restrictive." "Y'know, now that you mention it, I noticed you looking angry whenever Mayu-chan's mom came up," Itsuki pointed out. Jasmine went silent for a minute before continuing. "Like I said, our home lives are restricting, but I don't think Mayu-chi sees it that way. She holds her mom up on a pedestal, and that's what annoys me." "Do you not like Ai-san?" Itsuki asked. "I just think parents shouldn't be held in such high regard," Jasmine said bitterly.

"If I could," she went on. "I'd like to show Mayu-chi just how much better off she'd be if she spread her wings a lil'." "Spread her wings…" Itsuki mumbled. "I'm not really sure I get it, but, I'm glad it sounds like you're looking out for Mayu-chan." "Oh yeah?" Jasmine said. Itsuki nodded. "When you first came around, I was real worried. I thought you might end up being a bad influence on Mayu-chan and make her do stuff she shouldn't. It didn't take long for me to realize that wasn't the case, but when I saw you were just being friendly, that ended up making me jealous."

"You were jealous?" Jasmine said, surprised. "Of me?" "Yep," Itsuki said back simply. "You're already really great-looking, and then you started spending time with Mayu-chan too. It felt like you might take her away from me or something. But, now that I'm saying it all out loud, it does feel a little childish."

Jasmine stared at Itsuki for a moment. She watched as the eyes of the tomboy girl stared at the girl standing by the water with a sense of nostalgia. "I've been with Mayu-chan for a long time," she said. "We're together a lot. I'm even super close with her family. For years, I've thought that everything would just stay how it was. Mayu-chan and I would walk home together, hang out and have fun, just like we always do. But… once you showed up, I noticed something. Mayu-chan… she started to change. Her speech isn't as polite and formal as it used to be. She's more expressive now too. And I think… those are good things."

Finally, Itsuki turned to look at Jasmine, meeting the gal's gaze. "You're the reason she's changing. After talking to you now, I can tell you care about Mayu-chan too. Knowing all of that, there's no way I could still be jealous of you. Not when you're doing so much good for the girl that's my best friend!" She finished with a beaming smile, and when she flashed it to Jasmine, the gal nearly had to look away.

For many, many years, Jasmine had been scorned. Guys saw her as a girl to use to get what they wanted. Girls saw her as evil and a poison. Teachers thought she was a lost cause, even though her grades were right in the middle. And, to top it off, her parents were… not people one would call "role model material."

She had never had many friends. In fact, the only people Jasmine had ever been able to call real friends were a girl from her childhood she no longer talked to, and Chiyo. It had been sad, and sometimes lonely, living every day like how she had been. And yet, somehow, through all of it, Jasmine had managed to stumble into a better life.

Chiyo had brought her to Haruna, who was gradually getting closer with her. Through Haruna, Jasmine had met Kanako, who she wasn't close with, but she could tell she was a good girl. There was Michi too, although Jasmine didn't like her. Lastly, there were Itsuki and Mayu, two girls who would normally be nowhere near a girl like Jasmine, and yet they were spending their school trip together.

No one ever thanked her. Jasmine never did anything deserving of thanks anyways, so that wasn't unusual. She had thought she had still been living like that, and yet, here was this girl, thanking her for something she wasn't even sure she did. It felt strange. Uncomfortable. Foreign… Warm. In that moment, Jasmine had a thought. Maybe, just maybe, if she stuck with these people, good things would finally come to her too.

"...Thanks," Jasmine said. Her face looked a bit pink, and she almost seemed embarrassed. Itsuki almost made a comment, but she decided to go with something better. "Hey, Jasmine-chan," she said. "Let's start over." Jumping out in front of her, Itsuki stood tall and stuck out her hand. "Hiya! I'm Itsuki Yukimura! Let's be friends!"

Jasmine stared, surprised by her actions before finally breaking into a soft smile. "I'm Jasmine Hiraoka. Sure, let's be friends." Reaching out her hand, she took Itsuki's and shook it lightly, drawing a laugh out of both of them.

*****

"C'mon Mi-chan!" Chiyo called happily. While Haruna, Kanako and Hinami had gone to Tanukikoji, and Jasmine, Itsuki and Mayu had gone to Otaru, Chiyo, thanks to her persistence, had gotten Michi to agree to go with her for the day to a different spot in Hokkaido: Mount Moiwa.

"Ugh… why is it so cold?" Michi groaned as she shivered. She had opted to stick with her school uniform, but with the additions of thick black sweatpants under her skirt and an extra long-sleeve shirt under her top. With a black-ish gray coat draped over it, along with a pair of forest green gloves and earmuffs to match, one would think that would be enough to protect against the cold. But, even with all of her layers, Michi could still feel the chilly bite of a Hokkaido winter seeping through her.

"It's not that cold," Chiyo said. "I bet you can only say that because your skin is numb," Michi retorted. Across from her, Chiyo was wearing a bright red coat bordering on being pink, but underneath she wore nothing except a thin, white top that hugged her body. Lower was an orange miniskirt barely coming down enough to cover her butt, and a pair of fluffy white socks that came halfway up her shins. She wore no gloves, nor anything to protect her ears, and her nose was already getting red from the cold air.

"But I feel warm when I'm with you Mi-chan," Chiyo joked, sending a wink Michi's way. "Gross," Michi spat back. "Also, are you going to tell me where we're going yet?" "Mmm, nope! I wanna see your face totally light up with joy when I surprise you!" Chiyo said. "I bet all my face will do is glare at you for showing me something stupid."

For most of the day, Chiyo and Michi had been going around to various shops in Sapporo. Chiyo had wanted to see a bunch of them, and as the day had worn on, it appeared that Michi was enjoying herself too. They had bought new clothes, tried a couple of different foods, and even played an arcade game, which Chiyo won. The gal had also tried to get Michi to go in a photo booth with her, but she absolutely refused, saying, "There's no way I'm getting into a space that small with you."

Now, after being dragged around all day, Michi had nearly reached her limit. Very begrudgingly, she was willing to admit that she had had fun, but that time had passed. Being taken to yet another place and not knowing where it was or what was putting a major strain on the remaining patience Michi had left.

"We're here!" Chiyo announced. "Huh?" Michi let out. "Wait, isn't this…" Craning her neck, Michi followed the pathway that led upwards. "Is this Mount Moiwa?!" she shrieked. "Yup!" Chiyo said proudly. "Chiyo, we don't have the time for this! We're supposed to be back by seven!" Michi protested. "It'll be fine! Let's go!" Chiyo said, running off. "Chiyo, get back here!"

Mount Moiwa stood tall in the southwest of Sapporo, and it served as a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike. The starting point was a small, gray-white building that looked fairly modern. Not much was around, but with a sign reading "Mount Moiwa Ropeway," combined with the incline they were already on, it didn't take Michi long to figure out where they were. Unfortunately for her, there was no going back, as Chiyo had already darted inside.

When Michi got through the doors, she found the gal standing at a desk. "Wakabayashi," she told the clerk. "What… are you doing?" Michi asked, short of breath. "Checking our reservations," Chiyo answered easily. "R-Reservations?" Michi repeated, but Chiyo ignored her, proceeding to confirm their spot before heading toward another spot inside. "Hey, wait up!" Michi called after her.

The next thing Michi knew, she had followed Chiyo all the way into a large, grey car set in a track. Looking ahead, Michi saw it was set to head straight out into the open. "Ah…" she let out as the doors closed. With a slight lurch, the car started to click forward, sliding along the rope that ran an unknown distance. Slowly, the car went out into the air, hanging high above the surrounding trees. Higher and higher it climbed, and as it did, the other occupants of the car looked out the windows, admiring the view.

"Look Mi-chan! You can see so much of the city already!" Chiyo said excitedly. "N-No thanks. I'm good," Michi said shortly. Turning around, Chiyo saw Michi shaking a little. "Hm? Mi-chan… Are you afraid of heights?" "What gave it away," Michi said darkly. "Whoops," Chiyo said, making a "my bad," sort of face. "Are you mad Mi-chan?" she asked. "Of course I am! You tricked me into this!" Michi yelled. "I didn't trick you. You just followed me," Chiyo said with a shrug. "That's practically the same thing!" Michi shouted.

Suddenly Chiyo got closer. "H-Hey, what're you-" Michi started to say, but she stopped. "Hey Mi-chan," Chiyo said in a whisper. "Are you scared?" "N-No…" Michi muttered. "Are you sure?" Chiyo asked. "If you want…" Getting even closer, Chiyo kept her voice in a whisper. "I can hold you."

The close proximity was enough to make Michi push the gal away. "W-What are you doing?!" she shrieked. Chiyo put a hand up to her lips. "Oh my. Mi-chan, you're making a scene," she snickered. "YOU'RE IMPOSSIBLE!" Michi screamed back.

By the time the two of them reached Chufuku Station, which served as a sort of checkpoint, Michi felt exhausted. "I can't stand her!" she thought angrily. But, regardless of her feelings, it would be even worse to go back, so Michi decided to stick it out with Chiyo. They had already come so far. It'd be a waste to turn back now. So, using that logic to justify her staying, Michi continued to follow Chiyo. However, before they continued, Chiyo made a brief detour. She slipped off into a store, bought something, and then quickly rejoined Michi. The girl was curious to know what was in the small bag that Chiyo had, but she didn't ask.

The next step was getting into a small, green cable car. Unlike the last car they had been in, this one seemed to be set to ride on a track, and the ride itself would be much shorter. After getting in, the doors shut and the car began its ascent. Looking out the windows, Michi saw the golden, fading sunlight peeking through the forest of snowy trees they were surrounded by. She had to admit, the view was rather nice. Michi hadn't paid much attention to the view outside of the previous cable car due to her disdain for heights and having to deal with Chiyo, so this was turning out to be the first part of the ride she was enjoying.

The cable car soon stopped, letting its passengers out. They had arrived at their final destination. "Come on," Chiyo said, sounding more serious than before. Without warning, she took Michi's hand and began pulling her along. "Whoa!" she let out. "Hey, let go of me! Are you listening?!" But her protests didn't reach Chiyo. In a way, seeing Chiyo look so serious was almost worrying. "What's going on?" Michi wondered.

Swiftly, they made their way through the interior of the building they were in, with no time to take in the rich atmosphere. Instead, they went for the stairs, and even then, Chiyo didn't slow down. "H-Hang on," Michi pleaded. "Chiyo, wait! I'm going to trip at this rate!" Finally, the gal stopped. "Oh, sorry Mi-chan," she said. Her voice seemed quieter than usual, and she looked a bit nervous. "Don't worry. We're almost there." Chiyo released Michi's hand, and then the two girls proceeded up the rest of the stairs.

Reaching the door, Chiyo pushed it open. A cold blast of air hit Michi's face, causing her to wince. Once she could see properly again, she looked out at the area she had come to. It was the roof of the building they had just been inside of. The top was a smooth, dark gray tile, and it filled in the space that could best be described as the shape of several partially merged together hexagons. The borders were lined with a simple, gray protective yet decorative fencing, and walking around the exit, Michi saw a raised platform with steps all around it. Atop it was a bell hanging from the frame of a 3-D diamond.

With the sun fully set, spotlights now illuminated the structure, and in the surrounding area, bar lights were sprinkled here and there to provide lighting. "Hey, Mi-chan," Chiyo suddenly called, getting the girl's attention. "Come over here." Michi was already intrigued by what she was seeing, but at Chiyo's beckoning, she turned away from it and went to meet the gal who had stopped in front of the foremost fence. "Look."

Spanning as far as the eye could see were thousands upon thousands of glittering lights. Buildings dazzled in the moonlight as they shone bright for the people below them, and they stretched out for miles and miles, covering land so far it was like it went up to meet the starry sky above.

"Wow…" Michi breathed. She was speechless. Completely and utterly speechless. The view was incredible, better than anything she had ever seen. It was even enough to make her forget her fear of heights. "Chiyo… this is amazing." "I'm so glad to hear you say that," Chiyo said. Michi looked at her, and she found the gal's face smiling at her. The expression contained what felt like an immeasurable level of kindness in it, along with relief and just plain happiness. It was a look that was new to Michi, and one that she had a hard time facing.

"Y'know, I actually made reservations for this way in advance," Chiyo said. "What?" Michi said. "I read somewhere that it can be hard to get up here if you just show up, so I wanted to be extra sure that I got to come here." "Wait a minute," Michi said. "Does that mean you knew I'd agree to come up here with you?" Turning to face her fully, Chiyo beamed. "Nope!" she said. "I just wanted to see this view. But, I'll admit… getting to see it with you Mi-chan…"

"...makes it all the better."

For the second time that night, Michi was speechless. "Why?" she wondered. "Why does it make it better with me? Don't you know I didn't want to be here with you? How can you say that to me with a face like that?" All the question that came to Michi's mind flooded her, and they all contained the common theme of desperation. She was so desperate for answers. Time and time again she threw insults at Chiyo, and they were returned with… what? It felt too weak to call it friendship, or even kindness. Love? Was that it? Or was it too much?

But if it was love, then what did that mean? "No, that's entirely impossible," Michi thought resolutely. "Chiyo may be a sex-crazed idiot, but she's not like that." However, that still left the question unanswered. What were the feelings put into the words that Chiyo said to her? Michi had no idea, and a part of her was beginning to think that it was possible Chiyo didn't know either.

"No matter what," Chiyo said, breaking Michi's train of thought. "I wanted to see this with you." "Why?" Michi asked. "A few years ago," Chiyo began. "I came here with a guy. Our relationship wasn't anything special, but I saw him more than most of the others. One day, he told that he wanted to take me to Sapporo. When we came to the city, he took me here, telling me it was a great view."

Chiyo turned, setting her eyes and gentle expression on Michi once more. "I was hoping… to rewrite those memories with you." Michi couldn't stop her eyes from going wide. "I'm so glad I got the chance," Chiyo said. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Before Michi could recover, Chiyo finally took out the object in the bag she had been carrying. In her hand was a basic, golden-colored padlock.

"A lock?" Michi said. "Yeah! Y'see, there's this legend that if two people-" Abruptly, Chiyo stopped. "A-Actually, let's go over there." Taking Michi's hand, Chiyo pulled her over to the platform with the bell. On the edges were railings, most of which were decorated with locks just like Chiyo's. Stopping in front of one of them. Chiyo turned to face Michi and held out the lock in one hand. "Hey Mi-chan. Can you put your hand on this? Oh, and without the glove please." "Huh? Why?" Michi asked, suddenly suspicious. "Please?"

Reluctantly, Michi did as she was asked, placing her hand on top of the lock and Chiyo's hand. "Now close your eyes," Chiyo said. "What? Why? Are you going to do something to me?" Michi asked, wanting to pull away. "Mi-chan," Chiyo said softly. "Close your eyes." After a pause, Michi closed them.

For a moment, it was quiet. The murmurs of the other patrons died out around them, and then the wind stopped blowing. The feeling almost made Michi feel like they were the only two on that roof, standing in the open air under the starry sky, the beautiful skyline serving as their backdrop. Michi could feel the warmth of Chiyo's hand flowing around the padlock and into her own fingers. Her heartbeat went up a couple points. The chill on her face began to warm. And then, for the faintest of moments, Michi thought she felt Chiyo lean closer toward her. "Is she going to…?"

"Okay," Chiyo said, breaking the spell. When Michi opened her eyes, she saw that her hand was no longer on the lock. Chiyo then walked away from her and clicked the lock onto the rail. "It's not exactly like the tradition, but this'll do," she mumbled to herself. Standing upright again, Chiyo looked at Michi. "Ready to go?"

It was a simple question. It was one that Michi was sure if Chiyo had asked only a half hour prior, she would've said yes without a second thought. But now, standing on the top of Mount Moiwa, she hesitated. Her thoughts wavered. Her heart spoke. And, without realizing it, Michi's lips moved.

"Can we… stay a little longer?"

Surprise crossed Chiyo's face, but soon she went back to smiling. "Sure," she said. For a little longer, the two girls stayed on the roof, staring out into the night skyline of Sapporo, standing shoulder to shoulder.

When the time came to leave, the two remained silent for a while. Climbing into the cable car, they rode back down to the station, where they then got into another car. As it started descending, the two girls found themselves alone. In that silence, Michi felt a question tugging at her. It tugged and tugged, until finally, Michi allowed a voice to it.

"Why me?" she said. Chiyo looked at her. "You said you wanted to rewrite those old memories. So why me? Why not Endo-san? Or Hiraoka-san? Or even Kana-chan? Why me, Chiyo? Why?" The repeated question kept coming out of Michi, and to it, it seemed Chiyo didn't have an answer. She stood in silence, the confliction inside her showing on her face. "Because," she started. "Because… you're…"

Her speech was broken, a rare sight. Then, Chiyo took a breath before speaking again. "Because you're Mi-chan." It was hardly an answer. In fact, to most, it would mean nothing, and could tell no one anything of meaning. And yet, when spoken by Chiyo, and said to Michi, it held meaning indescribable. Somehow, Michi knew exactly what Chiyo meant. "I see," was all she could manage to say back.

For the rest of the ride down and along with the walk back, the two girls were quiet, but it was a different quiet than before.

*****

After the events at Tanukikoji, Kanako had found herself to be in a bit of a foul mood. She hated that she felt the way she did, but she just couldn't help it. After having spent an entire day watching Hinami stick to Haruna like glue, of course she wouldn't be too pleased. Honestly, Kanako was ready to just eat a quick dinner, take a bath and then call it a night. But, to her surprise, Haruna invited her out again.

"Odori Park?" Kanako repeated. "Yeah. It's that place right next to here," Haruna said. Right near from their hotel was a well-known park in Sapporo. They had already gone past it several times since arriving, but this would be their first time actually checking it out. "But isn't it too late to go out?" Kanako said. It was already 6:30. "I doubt we'll be there long. And even if we are, it's not like it's far," Haruna argued. After a moment of thought, Kanako agreed.

While walking to the park, a light snow began to fall. "It's snowing," Kanako said. "Yeah," Haruna said absentmindedly. The time had finally come. Yesterday, she had had a realization, and now, it was time to ask once again. "Does she have an answer for me?" Haruna wondered. Her motives were two-fold. She definitely wanted to see Odori Park, but it also felt like the perfect opportunity to have a serious conversation.

When they got there, Haruna and Kanako looked around. "It's… not as good as I thought it would be," Haruna said. "M-Maybe it's because it's winter?" Kanako suggested. Before them was an open area covered in snow. The big fountain was off, and naturally, the plants had all retired for the season. With it still being December, not even preparations for the Sapporo Snow Festival were being made yet. The only stand-out was the Sapporo clock tower in the distance, shaped similarly to the Eiffel Tower and currently glowing a strong blue.

"Well this was a bust," Haruna thought. "Whatever. I'm not giving up on this. I can still talk to her." Looking for a bench, Haruna began. "Hey, Kanako. You wanna sit for a bit?" "I-It's getting pretty cold out here though," Kanako said, giving a little sniffle to emphasize her statement. "I know, but just for a minute?" Haruna said. Hearing her insistence, Kanako decided to take a seat on the nearby bench. The metal it was made of was freezing even through her clothes.

For a moment, it was quiet between them. "S-So, today was fun huh?" Haruna said awkwardly. "Yeah," Kanako said, although she didn't entirely mean it. Hinami's presence had put a damper on her mood. Haruna could gather as much from her response. "She seems like she's annoyed about something," Haruna thought. "Is it because I asked her out here? If that's the case, then she should've just told me no."

It was at that moment that Haruna's feeling and belief of distance between her and Kanako reared its ugly head. Although, this time, it helped. "This is why I have to ask her. If I can get a straight answer, then I can finally get rid of this feeling," Haruna thought. So, gathering her courage, Haruna decided to just go for it. "Hey, Kanako," she started. Kanako looked at her. Swallowing once, Haruna's lips parted.

"Do you have an answer to my confession yet?"

The suddenness of the question caught Kanako off-guard. "Ah…" she let out, but in her head, her mind was a flurry of activity. "Yes! I do! I have an answer!" she wanted to scream, but before any of that could get out, the blockade that had formed in her heart put a stop to it. "Ngh…" she groaned. She wanted to say yes so badly, but that feeling… The feeling she got seeing Haruna with Hinami… If she could just name it... If she could just deal with it, then maybe…

There was a solid belief in Kanako's heart that until she could rid herself of this feeling, she couldn't give Haruna an answer. It just wouldn't feel sincere. It wouldn't have the love in it that Kanako wanted it to contain. So, biting her lip, Kanako carefully chose her words.

"Not… yet…" she said, barely audible. Haruna stared at her, and when Kanako looked up, she swore she saw heartbreak on the girl's face. "Please…" she begged internally. "Wait for me… just a little bit longer." She needed to move quickly. Once whatever it was with Hinami was resolved, Kanako was sure she could finally give her answer.

Of course, Haruna didn't know any of this. All she saw was an uncertain girl refusing to give her an answer. "What's the deal?" she wondered. "Is it that hard?" She wanted to be mad, but more than anything, she just felt disappointed, and it was in that disappointment that her belief in the distance between them grew. "Why is this happening?"

Haruna stood up from the bench, not wanting to be in the park any longer. "Come on. Let's go back," she said, not looking at Kanako. "R-Right," the girl said back. It was easy to tell that the carefully chosen words she had picked hadn't gone over well. "I need to hurry," Kanako thought. "Because I'm starting to get the feeling… that I'm running out of time."

End of Chapter Thirteen.