Shinrabansho: Myriad Souls

After that, we got dressed in our seifuku, and I hurried straight into Aoi-chan’s kitchen.

“What should we do for our bento today?” I asked out loud, peering into her refrigerator. There were leftovers of our cream stew, but not enough of anything else. Not enough eggs either, so tamagoyaki was out.

“We could just stop at a convenience store and pick some up like I usually do,” Aoi suggested from the doorway.

I nodded thoughtfully. “Even if we shopped properly, there still wouldn’t be enough time to make anything.” I sagged, my eyes misting. “I already failed as a housewife.”

“Nah, don’t worry.” Aoi crossed to me, wrapped an arm around me, and kissed my cheeks. “We were focused on dinner... and each other last night. We’re both to blame.”

Heat crept into my face as I nodded and nuzzled against her. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Anyway, convenience store lunches aren’t that bad. You never complained whenever I shared mine with you.” Aoi grinned.

I pouted and huffed. “That’s true. That puts you feeding me your lunch in a new light. I always suspected you were buying yours at a conbini.” I giggled. “You’ve been enjoying my mom’s homemade cooking, right?” I raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Aoi giggled and nodded, raising her hands. “Caught red-handed.”

“So kissing wasn’t the point?”

“It was still the best part,” she said without hesitation, wagging a finger playfully at me. “Win-win.”

I giggled and threw my arms around her. “I should tickle you mercilessly for that!”

“Don’t!” Aoi flushed. “I don’t want you to see my weak side.”

I wondered if she was serious.

She’s actually ticklish?

My lips pursed playfully and my eyes sparkled.

“Not without a fight!” She took a few steps back and shifted into a fighting stance without any real intent.

I straightened, smiling, and mused, “We could stop by my house, but there’s no guarantee Mom made extra this morning. She probably only made one for Haru.”

Aoi mock-relaxed and smiled more seriously. “You could call or text them first, but don’t worry. My parents give me plenty to live on. So we could do conbini bento today, and you could make us something tomorrow after shopping.”

“Okay!” I grinned, already looking forward to it. “We’ll do that. As you know, my tamagoyaki is pretty good.”

Aoi nodded eagerly. “Sounds like a great plan!” She flashed me a victory sign, raising two fingers like she’d won a prize.

After that, we left her apartment, and she locked up behind us, my stomach fluttering. It was strange how much her place already felt like home after I’d informally moved in with her.

We went down two flights of stairs and unlocked my bike.

“You take it easy this time,” I said, looking at her with a smile. “I’m feeling extremely energetic thanks to... certain things.” I blushed as I took the seat and turned the front wheel, waiting for her to get on.

“I think we only got about six hours of sleep. My bad,” Aoi said, yawning behind her hand as she climbed onto the bolts.

“Don’t worry. I enjoyed your story.” I smiled as I pedaled forward. Instead of standing upright like usual, she wrapped her arms around my upper chest, pressed her breasts close against my upper back, and rested her chin on my shoulder as we rode, the way I liked to do. Being held like that by her made me feel even warmer.

We passed several intersections and reached my house like that.

Haru had stepped through the gate a short time earlier on his way to school in our direction. He stopped short when he saw us and waved. I braked beside him, and Aoi rested her leg on the side I leaned toward.

He rushed forward to hug me, eyeing Aoi suspiciously.

“Good morning,” I said brightly.

“Good morning, Onee-chan. How was your night at her place?”

I flushed and giggled, having to suppress an urge to fidget as I remembered how we’d spent our time last night. “...We had a lot of fun.”

Haru let go with a raised eyebrow and laughed, shaking his head.

“By the way, I’ll be staying with Aoi-chan every night I can from now on.”

Haru nodded slowly, sighing. “That was kind of obvious last night when you left. Just... make sure you come back home and play some Tekku with me sometimes, okay?”

“I will. We’ll visit plenty...” I fell quiet, looking down, but forced a smile. “This isn’t permanent. I’ll probably be back sooner or later, so we’ll get to play plenty of Tekku. Aoi might come over to play sometime too.” I winked and leaned in to whisper in Haru’s ear. “She’s probably as strong as Riko-chan.”

He gaped. “What?! She’s as good as...” He coughed and laughed. “Well, anyway, I get that it went well, but it’s scary thinking that you’re intending to break it off again.” His eyes flickered to Aoi and narrowed thoughtfully.

“It’s not like that, Haru!” I waved my hands. “We’re not breaking up ever again. We just... have limited time, and I want to make the most of what we have.” I clapped my hands together and bowed my head. “Please don’t tell Mom and Dad about this, okay? Just let them know that I’ll be back.”

A quiet sadness settled in my chest, but I kept it off my face.

Aoi took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Um... may I speak to him?”

I nodded. “You don’t need to ask my permission, Aoi-chan.”

She hopped down and bowed seriously to Haru. “I’m very sorry that I hurt her so much before,” she said sincerely. “I promise I won’t do it again... at least not intentionally. I’ll take good care of her as long as I’m able. Even when I’m gone, I’ll look after her for the rest of her life. You can bet on that. It’s a promise between us.”

Haru crossed his arms, frowned, then sighed.

“I don’t like the sound of this... but make sure you do.” He still looked at me with open concern, like he sensed something we weren’t saying. “Are you sure you want to do this to yourself?”

I nodded. “Be good at school, Haru,” I said softly, then looked at Aoi. “Let’s hurry on so we aren’t late.”

Suddenly Mom burst out of the house.

I gasped and Aoi stiffened.

Mom smiled, holding up one familiar bag and an extra that matched it. My bento. My eyes widened.

“I had a feeling that you two would be coming this way.” Mom beamed at us.

“Wow! Your mom has amazing maternal instincts,” Aoi said, putting her hands behind her back. “Thank you!” She bowed.

“You’re welcome, Aoi,” Mom said.

Aoi’s eyes widened and turned a little misty at hearing her first name. I lowered my bike’s double-leg stand and rushed to Mom, hugging her. She laughed as I leaned my forehead against her chest.

“Thank you, Mom.”

When I let go, she handed me the two freshly made bentos. I carefully turned and settled them into my bike’s basket under our school bags.

“Your tamagoyaki is delicious!” Aoi said, beaming.

“Oh?” Mom asked, smiling. “You’ve had my eggs before?”

“We’ve shared lunches for a long time. I always look forward to lunchtime,” Aoi said seriously.

“Such a sweet talker.” Mom’s lips twisted humorously. “Now there’s even more to go around. Please take good care of our Sumire.”

Aoi nodded, flustered, and put an arm around my waist. “...I will. Though she takes care of me. She’s the wife between us.”

I froze, my face going bright red.

Wah—

Haru burst out laughing. Mom stared for a second, then laughed too.

“...I may have underestimated you, Aoi,” Mom said.

Aoi flushed. “Ne... doesn’t it bother you that Sumire-chan likes girls?”

Mom considered it. “Yes. Honestly, it does.” She sighed. “You won’t have any children unless you adopt or...” She waved a hand. “But that’s a conversation for another day when you’re older and wiser. Just be responsible and let us know where your apartment is so we can drop by now and again.”

“I’ll text you her address, I promise,” I said quickly. “Thank you... for accepting us.”

By the time we reached the school’s gates, things had already changed from yesterday. People still noticed us, but no one reacted as sharply. Heads turned, then turned back. Conversations dipped for a moment and picked up again. No one gasped. No one pointed. Whatever had been whispered had already made its rounds.

Aoi-chan walked beside me without showing any embarrassment or anxiety. Maybe that helped. Maybe people didn’t know what to do with how natural she made it look.

We parked my bike, locked it up, and headed inside. As we passed through the entryway, bits of conversation reached me.

“They look the same as they did a few weeks ago... but who knows.”

“Not really, baka. Kurobane-san looked like she wanted to murder anyone that stared too long at her.”

“Yeah... and Shinohara-san was so miserable, no one could miss it.”

“She was so unapproachable...”

“Kurobane never was unless you’re a member of the Volleyball Club.”

“Maybe the rumors about them are true.”

“Yeah. Just look at how they’re holding hands like that.”

“It’s a little too much, isn’t it?”

“It’s none of our business.”

“But they’re two of 2-B’s Madonnas...”

“Figures that the only ones in their caste would be each other.”

Warmth crept into my face. We’d held hands without hesitation as we entered the school, not even thinking about it. I didn’t pull away hearing all the talk around us, even though the attention still bothered me a little.

There was a short pause in the murmuring, followed by a quieter, resigned sigh.

“Guess that’s that.”

I pretended not to hear, but my ears still burned.

At the shoe lockers, the reactions were harder to ignore.

“Man... seriously?”

I glanced over. A few boys from our class stood clustered together, half-distracted, their shoes forgotten. One of them ran both hands through his hair like the world had been flipped inside out.

“You’re telling me both of them are really together like that?” he muttered.

Another snorted. “Like that, too... So brutal.”

“That’s just unfair,” the third added. His tone wasn’t angry so much as quietly defeated.

“It’s your fault. You didn’t have the courage to confess to her.”

“Shut up, asshole.”

Aoi-chan paused long enough to look at them. She didn’t glare or smile. She just met their eyes, calm and unbothered, and the conversation died immediately.

I slipped into my indoor shoes, my heart thudding harder than it should have. When I straightened, Aoi-chan offered me her hand again without any hesitation. I took it with a smile.

You’re right. We should always be proud of our love.

A girl nearby smiled openly at us. Another leaned close to her friend and whispered something I didn’t quite catch, but the way she looked at us afterward was warm, almost approving.

As we climbed the stairs together, voices followed us.

“Guess they’re off the market.”

“Were they ever really on it? Dream on.”

“Ouch.”

I squeezed Aoi-chan’s hand without thinking. She squeezed back once, steadying me.

Outside 2-B, the hallway felt almost normal. There were fewer stares and more familiar faces. A few students made a point of looking anywhere but at us, which somehow felt like progress.

Riko was already inside.

Her eyes flicked to our joined hands the moment we entered. She inhaled slowly, then offered a small, controlled smile.

“Morning, Sumire-chan... and Aoi,” she said.

“Morning, Riko-chan,” I replied, my voice steadier than I felt.

Yuna looked up from her desk and took in the scene, her eyes moving between us with quiet focus. Whatever she saw made her tilt her head slightly, thoughtful.

As we sat down, I set my bento carefully on my desk and Aoi’s on hers. They felt heavier than usual. Mom was probably making up for all the meals I’d skipped after the breakup.

I wondered how much weight I’d lost over those three weeks. I hadn’t let myself think about things like that.

Aoi-chan leaned in just enough that only I could hear her.

“I’m glad giving up on keeping us a secret didn’t end the world,” she murmured.

“Yeah... and yet...” I whispered back.

Aoi smiled at me, confident and unshaken, and reached over to squeeze my hand gently.

The chime rang and Wednesday officially began. It felt strangely good, crossing that quiet invisible line together.

The classroom door slid open a moment later, and Kurosawa-sensei stepped in with her usual brisk stride. Chairs shifted as everyone stood. The movement was automatic now, more habit than ceremony.

“Stand!” Daichi said unnecessarily.

“Good morning,” Kurosawa-sensei said.

“Bow.”

“Good morning,” the class replied, bowing together before settling back into our seats.

She set her bag down and glanced over the room, her eyes already moving toward the schedule written on the board.

“Before we begin,” she continued, “a reminder about the upcoming cultural festival.”

A few heads lifted. Megumi straightened slightly in her seat.

“We’ll be shortening regular lessons again this week to allow for time to rehearse,” Kurosawa-sensei said. “This afternoon will run later than usual, so plan accordingly. Anyone involved in the play should be prepared to stay until we’re finished.”

There was a soft murmur of acknowledgment. No groans. No excitement. Everyone just accepted it.

I wasn’t too worried. I only had a surprising few lines, and over the last three weeks I’d memorized them and practiced my delivery enough that I wouldn’t need much rehearsal time.

Kurosawa-sensei capped the marker in her hand and turned back to the board.

“All right. Let’s get started.”

The rooftop door opened onto surprising heat and wind. The late-summer air moved more freely up here than it ever did below. The city noise thinned out at this height, reduced to something distant and flat. This used to be a place where we hid our relationship, our oasis. Now it was just a place to eat and cool off, even if the concrete still held the sun’s heat from all morning.

I didn’t hesitate. I set my bag down near the wall and knelt, already pulling out our bentos. Aoi-chan stood close behind me, close enough that I could feel the warmth of her before she even spoke.

“You’re already moving like we’re short on time,” she said. “That’s good. I had something special in mind.”

“What?” I asked, flipping open the lids.

“I want to use part of lunch to push your training a little harder.”

I tilted my head. “You think you don’t have much time left?”

Aoi-chan nodded seriously. “You never know. Once I’m gone, you’ll have to finish your training on your own. Honestly, a martial artist’s training never really ends and all things considered, I think that what I’m teaching you is really just the starting point. I need to know that I’ve brought you as far as I can take you.”

I swallowed and chewed my lip, then forced a smile. “You make it sound like I’m trying to become some kind of a master. Let’s not worry about things like that yet. But... you’re right about one thing… I want to be your equal, Aoi-chan.”

She hummed softly.

“So let’s eat quickly,” she said, then winked and opened her mouth expectantly.

I giggled and shook my head, picking up my chopsticks to lift and hold a piece of tamagoyaki to Aoi’s lips.

Aoi wrapped her lips around the chopsticks happily and smiled at me as she pulled back. “Mmmm... Good as always.”

“You really love being spoiled,” I said, giggling.

“I really do,” she replied, winking. “Your mom’s tamagoyaki is special, but the eggs you made before our date were even more delicious.”

Fweh?! I went pink.

“I-I’m not sure I can really compete with Mom, but I’ll be sure to make you some more of my own eggs sometime.” I smiled, offering her another bite.

She fed me as well, eating quickly and efficiently. Our rice disappeared faster than usual with a few grains falling to the rooftop that birds or bugs would find. Side dishes passed back and forth without comment. Our hips rubbed against each other. It felt extra domestic now, in a way that made me feel calm and full at the same time.

Aoi-chan checked the time on her phone and exhaled quietly.

“I’ll use as much of the rest of our lunch time to squeeze in a sparring match, if you’re okay with that,” she said, slipping her phone away.

I swallowed, then nodded. “It might make the rest of the day tougher.”

“It will,” she said frankly.

“But you’re right,” I added, meeting her eyes. “We should do it.”

Something tight and restless stirred in my chest as we rewrapped the empty containers. I was already strong enough to protect myself. I knew that much. I could move now without freezing anymore.

I couldn’t help wondering why my training felt so urgent now.

Is she really going to disappear soon?

I frowned at my own thoughts, not at her.

Maybe she wants me to become her equal... but I don’t see myself crushing smartphones one-handed anytime soon.

The thought of catching up to her made my face warm.

Catching up with her somehow felt important. Like if I stopped reaching for her now, I’d regret it later.

Aoi-chan shrugged off her blazer and set it aside before moving toward the center of the rooftop, to a stretch of open space where people usually didn’t gather. Her posture changed at once. Her shoulders loosened and her feet planted, her weight spread evenly. I slipped off my own blazer and followed her, stepping into place across from her. My shoes scraped lightly against the concrete rooftop as I set my stance.

A few students near the railing looked at us, figuring out that something interesting was about to happen.

She didn’t announce the start, just stepping in.

Her left hand brushed my wrist and knocked it off target before I even realized I had moved. It was instinct. Her right palm tapped my shoulder sharply, not enough to hurt, just enough to tell me I was open there.

I turned with it and brought my other arm up, trying to catch her forearm on the way back.

She withdrew before I could touch it.

“Again,” she said.

I stepped in first this time. She shifted a half step right, let my hand slide past her arm, and clipped the outside of my thigh with a low kick.

My leg jolted.

I reset my footing and went in again.

She let me get closer. Then her hand cut down across my wrist, her shoulder turned, and her hip slid in front of mine as if she meant to throw me. I widened my stance and shoved against her arm before she could turn me all the way.

She nodded once.

“Better. Again.”

We started with short exchanges. She caught my wrist, turned it, and made me adjust my footing. I slapped her hand off, stepped back in, and tried to redirect her other arm before it could touch me. She changed angles without warning, half a step to one side, then back in, making me turn with her instead of guessing where she would be next. When I reached too far, her palm smacked my shoulder. When I left my side open, her knuckles tapped my ribs. Then she was already past me, making me pivot and go after her again.

“Reset,” Aoi barked.

I inhaled, set my feet again, and came back in.

She jabbed straight toward my face and I parried. Her shin cracked into the outside of my lead leg before I could answer. I hissed and took a quick step back.

“Don’t rush,” she said. “Stay with me.”

“Yes,” I replied.

She snapped a front kick at my stomach.

I got both forearms down in time to catch most of it, but it still shoved me back half a step.

Someone laughed near the door.

I barely heard it. Aoi-chan came right back in, one hand catching my arm, the other reaching for the back of my neck. I batted her hand away, stepped to the outside, and drove a short straight punch toward her chest.

She turned just enough that it landed on muscle instead of striking her solar plexus.

More footsteps approached.

“Are they really fighting each other? What’s going on?!”

“It’s just sparring, idiot. They’re not really serious. Aren’t you listening? Kurobane-san is teaching Shinohara-san.”

“You’re sure they aren’t really going at each other?”

“Just look at their faces, idiot.”

The voices spread. More shoes scraped against the rooftop as more people came through the rooftop door.

“Is this really just practice? They’re moving so quickly!”

Aoi-chan said nothing.

She just came at me harder.

Her jab snapped into my guard. Her right low kick slammed into my thigh. Before I had fully taken that hit, she stepped closer and drove a knee toward my side. I turned with it so it glanced instead of driving straight in.

My breath caught anyway.

“Again,” she said.

I advanced this time without hesitating. My straight punch made her guard close. My left hand rode over her forearm and shoved it aside while I chopped a low kick into the inside of her leg.

It landed.

For half a second she gave ground.

Then she smiled.

That smile hit me harder than the kick. Something lit up in me and I moved forward again, not faster, but cleaner. My feet stopped chasing her and started putting me where I needed to be. When she tried to pull me off balance by the wrist, I turned with the twist instead of fighting it, stepped through on that side, and pulled my arm free before she could lock it down.

Murmurs shivered through the rooftop.

“Shinohara-san...”

I didn’t look at whoever said my name louder than the rest.

Aoi-chan came right back with her fist instead. Her jab touched my guard and her elbow crashed in behind it. I twisted, but not enough. The point of it thudded into my side and folded me halfway over. Before I could get my breath back, her shin hacked into my lead leg.

My knee buckled.

I dropped with it, caught myself on one hand, and rolled across my shoulder before she could step in again. My palm burned against the hot concrete and my knee stung as I came back up.

She was already there.

Her front kick shot straight at my stomach. I got both forearms down and caught most of it, but it still drove me back a step. I had barely planted when she cut in close, shoulder first, crowded my chest, and ripped a short body shot into my ribs.

Pain flashed white.

I sucked air through my teeth, staying on my feet, and shoved back into her space before she could build on it.

“Good,” she said, low enough that only I could hear.

A voice cut in from the crowd.

“Is this serious, or is it just couple stuff?”

Aoi-chan didn’t turn toward the speaker.

She looked at me instead.

Can you keep going?

I nodded once, understanding what she was asking without her having to ask it out loud.

She stepped in again and I met her halfway.

Our forearms collided. Her hand went for my arm again. I jerked free quicker and kicked low toward her shin. She checked it with her own leg and answered with a sharp backfist that glanced off my guard. I felt the hit all the way down my arm.

“Again,” she said.

I went in harder.

She met me closer than before, not moving faster. She gave me less room to think and less room to pull back. When I tried to slip around her right side, she cut me off with her shoulder and drove a short body shot into my ribs.

My teeth clicked together.

I stumbled, caught myself, and went right back in.

Someone behind us sucked in a breath loudly.

“This isn’t for their play, I think,” a girl muttered. “It’s not acting... but she kind of really looks like a prince fighting a dragon like this.”

“Yeah... I didn’t know Shinohara-san could make a face like that...”

“Kurobane a dragon? I could see her with a yakuza-style tattoo on her back.”

Someone snorted.

“If I tried thinking about that, I’d get a bloody nose.”

“Might be worth it.”

Aoi-chan swept low again, trying to take my ankle. I hopped my foot clear and put it down farther back before she could catch it. She came up off the sweep and drove straight in after me. I cut her off with my forearm and turned my hips into a kick toward her hip.

She took it and kept coming.

The concrete felt hot through the soles of my shoes. Sweat slid down my spine. My uniform’s blouse clung to my skin, my lungs working harder. My body had stopped feeling soft, pretty or even embarrassed about how I looked. It was just in motion.

She feinted high with her hand.

I almost bit.

At the last second I saw her weight shift and jerked back instead. Her knee cut up where my body had been a breath earlier. Her elbow brushed my ribs on the way through, close enough that I felt the air move.

The crowd had grown. I could hear it now, the low roar of people trying not to react too loudly.

“Is this for real?”

“It looks like it.”

“Are they allowed to do that up here?”

Aoi-chan didn’t react to any of it. She stepped in again, her right hand testing my guard, her left coming in behind it. Her foot turned for another low kick.

I checked it with my shin.

Pain flashed.

I held my ground.

That was the difference between training in private and sparring like this. I could feel every eye on me. The urge to rush. The urge to show off. The urge to panic because if I went down now, everyone would see it. 

I forced myself not to do those things.

I slowed just enough to keep my form. When she tried to turn me by the arm again, I shifted my hips first and stayed upright. Her hand slid off my arm instead of catching it.

A flicker crossed her face.

Surprise.

Then her mouth curved.

She came at me harder.

This time she didn’t bother with feinting. Her strike hit me cleanly in the side and knocked the breath out of me. I went down on my shoulder, rolled, and felt grit scrape along my skin through the thin fabric.

For a split second, the rooftop tilted.

Then I pushed myself back up.

My chest burned as I dragged in air. My hands shook once, then steadied.

The rooftop had gone quiet.

There were no whispers. No comments. Only the sound of our shoes scraping against concrete and my own breathing hammering in my ears.

Aoi-chan stopped a few steps away and held up her hand.

I froze, my muscles still ready to move if she asked.

She looked at me for a long moment. Her eyes stayed on me, steady and intent.

Then she nodded once, slow and clear.

“That’s enough for now,” she said, smiling as she relaxed.

“Aww… but we just got started!” I gritted my teeth.

“Our blouses will be soaked and stained if we keep going.”

I nodded with a sigh. She was right. If I’d been wearing my gym clothes, we could have kept going… but then again, we only had so much time up here. 

Everything loosened at once. The rooftop noise rushed back in, louder than before. Someone laughed nervously. Someone else let out a low whistle.

“Holy shit,” a boy said. “She got back up every time.”

I straightened and brushed grit from my skirt and blouse with trembling fingers, blushing hard. My legs felt heavy now that the adrenaline was draining. My whole body buzzed and it ached in various places.

Aoi-chan stepped close enough that only I could hear her.

“You held your form very well,” she said. “Even when they were watching.”

I looked up at her, my face hot, my chest still rising and falling too fast.

“...Was that okay?” I asked.

Her expression softened a little. She reached out and straightened my collar and the bow on my chest, her touch brief and warm.

“It was more than okay,” she said. “You’re catching up.”

Warmth spread through me at those words, cutting through the ache in my ribs and the sting in my knees.

The lunch chime rang. This time it pulled me back into my body instead of startling me. Around us, students began drifting away, the excitement already turning into a story they would carry downstairs.

I gathered our things slowly, my hands still not quite steady.

She took her rewrapped and empty bento, and we both put our blazers back on, though I left mine loose for the moment while my body heat dissipated as the sweat dried.

As we headed for the door, I still felt eyes on us. It wasn’t the same sharp curiosity from before, something else. Recognition.

Aoi-chan walked beside me, close to me, appearing  to be completely unbothered by all the eyes on us.

I didn’t feel like hiding anything about us anymore.

“At least this will help prevent anyone messing with us like those senpai,” I said, smirking.

On impulse, I reached up, caught the back of Aoi-chan’s head, and bent her down to me, enough that our lips could brush.

Aoi-chan flushed, her eyes widening a little, and turned my brushing gesture into a full, but gentle kiss.

Several students gasped or shouted.

Our kiss didn’t last long.

She took my hand as we headed downstairs, her fingers tightening around mine.

Her fingers spoke louder than words.

I’m proud of you.

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