"Harima…listen…"
"Hmm?" Harima frowned, setting the ruler and drawing a line.
"…"
"Yeah?"
"…"
Harima set his pen and ruler aside and turned around. Yakumo stood not ten feet away, wringing her hands, her face scarlet. "Hey…Imouto-san…you alright?"
"I…I'm fine…" she choked back.
"No…you're not." Harima rose from his seat and walked over to her.
"No…really," she picked up the tray, about to leave, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you."
Harima watched her. "Yakumo."
She froze. He had never addressed her by name. And whilst she welcomed it, his tone was odd, and it frightened her. Timidly, she turned to face him. "Y-yes?"
Harima drew near. "I'm not really good at telling emotions…hey, I'm pretty useless at it. I don't have your gift."
"My…my gift?" Yakumo stammered. "I-I'm not sure I understand – "
"You always help me. Always when I need it most. You're not like the others. I know that you look out for Tenma too. She's lucky to have you. You're always there for us. What I guess I'm trying to say is…you've been anxious lately. Look, you're shaking. Maybe it's personal, so I won't pressure you…but Yakumo…it's not good to struggle alone." He sighed and shook his head. "You've always been there for me…I suppose what I want to say is…I am here for you too. If there is something you want to tell me…something I can help you with…please, just let me know, alright?" He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled his simple, friendly smile.
Yakumo dropped the tray and burst into tears.
Harima looked about in panic, then back at his assistant and raised his hands. "H-hey! Whatever I said, I didn't mean it like that! P-please stop crying! Crap! If Tenma sees us like this…
"N-no…" Yakumo sniffed, and swallowed hard, wiping her eyes on her sleeves. "No, you haven't said anything wrong. You…you've said everything right! I…"
"Huh?" Harima stared, ever more puzzled as she grabbed him and held him close. "I-Imouto-san?"
"Yakumo…please…call me by my name…" She rubbed against him.
"Yeah…sure…if you want…" Harima looked down at her nervously, acutely aware of her tears soaking through his shirt. "Yakumo…y-you're freaking me out a little…what's up? Did you and Tenma have a fight or something?"
Yakumo shook her head and laughed despite herself. Dumb, simple, funny Harima. She swallowed again and looked up at him. Her lips quivered. "T-there is something…something I must tell you…something I will tell you…"
"Is it…something…real bad?" Harima asked in apprehension. "If it made you cry…hey, something didn't happen to Tenma did it?"
Yakumo winced at her sister's name, and stared at Harima in anguish, thinking perhaps her hopes were in vain after all.
"J-just tell me, will you?" Harima almost yelled, his eyes wide with confused panic.
"I love you!" Yakumo almost yelled back.
Silence.
They stared at each other, Harima in astonishment, Yakumo in shame. She hung her head and drew a shuddering breath. "I…I know you have feelings for my sister…and I know…that you know that she has feelings for Karasuma…" She looked up. "But even so….I…" She blinked. Harima was smiling. That same friendly, honest smile she loved so much. He reached out, and cradled her in his strong arms. Yakumo's legs almost failed her. She'd been longing for his embrace for so long…
"Yeah…I know…about Tenma…and Karasuma…" Harima conceded. "And yes, you….you were right. My manga is based on my feelings. Even if they are one sided, I must honor them."
"Why pursue something one sided?" Yakumo whimpered, rubbing her head against his chest. "I am here. You needn't forget Sis. Your manga is your dedication to her. It is a beautiful story. You put such effort into it. Even so, I would hate to see you end with only your manga to read, and thoughts of what could have been. Harima…please…this is difficult for me…but I do love you. I do care about you." She glanced up at him fearfully and whispered, almost inaudibly, "Do…do you have feelings…for me?"
Harima stared back at her. He felt her tense. His silence became deafening. He had an answer. He knew it was a true answer, but would admitting it be for the best?
"Harima?" Yakumo's eyes began to fill with tears.
He kissed her on the cheek. "What about Glasses?"
Yakumo cocked her head, perplexed.
"Hanai."
"I don't care about Hanai!" Yakumo cried, almost offended by the thought. She saw Harima grin, and anger kindled within her. Was he laughing at her? For the first time in years, Yakumo scowled. "You're…teasing me?" Then her eyes widened. If he's teasing me then…does that mean…?
Harima chuckled, and cuddled her and kissed her. "I knew I'd make you mad one day." He laughed and, lifting her chin, he stared into her eyes. "There isn't a guy in our school who doesn't have feelings for you, but I doubt any of them are as sincere as me. I owe you a lot, Yakumo. I've enjoyed our time together, and during that time…well…" it was his turn to blush, "I guess I kinda got to know you better. A lot better. You're right, as usual. That's another gift you have. It is good to honor feelings, but I'm probably wasting my time, chasing a girl who already has her heart set on another." He looked down at Yakumo, suddenly anxious. "Please, don't think I consider you second best or anything! Damn…this is hard to explain! What I mean is…I love both of you…I…" he trailed of lamely and shrugged his shoulders.
Yakumo smiled in relief, and wiped her eyes again, this time drying away tears of mirth. "I understand." She heaved a sigh and smiled broadly, as though a terrible burden had been lifted from her shoulders. "Well…I am very grateful that you feel the way you do, Harima-san."
Harima raised his hands. "Hey there, fair is fair; if you want me to call you Yakumo, how about calling me Kenji?"
Yakumo's eyes widened. "Umm…must I? I mean…at school…it will be awkward…I mean…you are my senior, after all…"
Harima regarded her fondly. "Yeah, you're right. I wouldn't mind, but the others might. Okay, school as normal, but anywhere else, its Kenji now, alright?"
"Alright." Yakumo agreed. Picking up the tray, she sniffed, regaining her composure. "Do you need anything else?"
Harima paused. "What were you doing in the lounge?"
"Nothing…" Yakumo faltered. "Just…watching TV."
"Well," Harima mused, "I could use your company. You could read, listen to music…or just chat. I can work and talk; I'm only sketching these panels out. Conversation might even help. That is…if you're not tired…it is quite late, after all."
Yakumo shook her head, beaming with pleasure. "I will stay. Sis is already in bed. I have nothing to do. But first, let me get some cake and coffee for myself. Oh…and if you need my help…to model for a scene…just let me know."
Harima called to her as she reached the door. "Yakumo…thank you."
Yakumo smiled back, the happiest smile she had smiled since her life at school began.
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