*That's just like her to try to avoid a fight with me and be concerned with me all at the same time* Hoshi thought to herself. "No, it wasn't that bad."
"I'm sorry you were involved. She shouldn't have-"
"I know about you and Tenshi-san," Hoshi interrupted, not willing to go through the farce of pretending everything was the same as before. "I just want you to know that I don't really approve!"
Neko looked as if she had just been slapped. "Hoshi-chan�," she whispered sadly. Her eyes stung with tears of regret. "Please, don't hate me."
Hoshi held up a hand. "Let me finish. I don't approve of your relationship. I believe in traditional marriage and families. You know that." She continued, allowing her voice to soften, "But I understand that that's not what you want. And that you and Tenshi-san really make each other happy." She looked away. "I don't want to stand in the way of your happiness. So go dance with her."
"I don't want to leave you behind," Neko protested.
Hoshi lowered her eyes. "Neko-chan, you- you are so desperate to please everyone. Just go to her, okay?"
Neko threw her arms around Hoshi. "Hoshi-chan, you're such a good friend! Thank you!" Hoshi just sat there motionless. Neko released her. "Hoshi-chan?" she asked, slightly hurt.
"If you don't hurry, you might not get the chance," Hoshi responded coolly. She pushed her chair back and stood up. "I'm gonna go see if my okaa-san got the grant. I'll see you and Mi-chan later."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Tenshi, this party is boring," Puroko whined.
"I'm sorry, Kiddo. I did warn you." She ruffled Puroko's marine blue hair. "Why don't you go get yourself another cookie?" she suggested.
Like Puroko was going to turn down that offer. "'Kay!" She jumped out of her seat. "Hi, Neko-san! Are you going to dance with Tenshi now?" she asked with new vivacity as Neko walked up behind Tenshi.
"If she'll have me," Neko answered to Tenshi's surprise.
"Say hai, Tenshi! Say hai!" Puroko exclaimed, bouncing up and down.
"Go get your cookie," Tenshi said with a push towards the refreshment table. As soon as she was gone, Tenshi asked cautiously, "What about Hoshi-san?"
"You don't have to worry about her." Neko had decided that whether or not Hoshi was able to forgive her, it was her problem. Tenshi shouldn't have to deal with it. She smiled warmly at her. "She told us to dance."
"I'm glad." Relief washed over Tenshi's features. She knew nothing would make Neko happier right now than Hoshi's acceptance of them. And that meant they could relax and act normally.
Admiring her girlfriend, she pushed aside the hair that had fallen into Neko's face. "I'm sure that eye matches my outfit so well," Neko quipped.
"You're still the most beautiful girl in the room," Tenshi answered adoringly.
"Liar! Even if you're not counting gorgeous you, at the very least there's an unblemished Mi-chan here!"
"No offense to your sister, but even with that shiner, you look more beautiful to me." She ran a finger along Neko's eyebrow. "But if you want it gone-"
"I told you not to!" Neko responded crossly, forcing Tenshi's hand away.
"Koneko�," she sighed. If Neko didn't want her to do something, she knew she should respect that, even if it was dumb like this. But back at the fountain Hoshi had mentioned something about a guy acting against Neko's consent. And Tenshi wondered how much that really did affect Neko's relationship with her. "Koneko, Hoshi-san told me what happened with Kaido."
She sensed Neko tense up. "I- I don't really want to talk about that."
"I'm not asking you to," Tenshi insisted quickly. "But there's something I need to make certain of." Nervously, she inquired, "When we first met, I didn't- I mean, you didn't think I was too-" She took a deep breath and continued more slowly, "I mean, when I kissed you that first time, I didn't exactly have your permission to do it. And I kind of tricked you into that first date. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't think you were forced into anything."
"Oh, Tenshi-kun," Neko sighed. She cast her eyes down as she answered, not wanting to really look at her when she talked about what happened. She rarely talked about Kaido, and when she did, it always made her uncomfortable. "When Kaido-san asked me out, I was twelve and he was much older, and all I knew was that he was a bishonen and the first guy to ever really compliment me on something� I mean, other than my athletic ability. And I really didn't know then what I wanted. And he was the first person to ask me out, so I was kinda excited, demo�" she kicked her toe bashfully at the ground, "I don't know what it was, but something didn't seem right. Maybe my subconscious knew that I was supposed to be with a girl, or I sensed somehow that he was untrustworthy, but I just couldn't say yes. But the way he asked it seemed like it was expected of me� li- like he had already decided for me, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. And suddenly, he stole my first kiss from me� and I- I just felt so violated."
"You really don't have to talk about it," Tenshi reiterated.
"No, it's all right. What he did was wrong, and it made me sick to my stomach, even just thinking about that kiss. And so I was careful." She looked up at Tenshi. "But you�," she smiled adoringly at her. "When you kissed me it was different. It was like you opened a door to my heart. And I know we only knew each other for like four days, but I already knew that you were special. You have so much warmth and love to give out, and I was willing to accept it right from the moment you asked me if I was okay that first day." Nothing she said was as expressive as her eyes, which had begun to glitter like stars as she gazed at Tenshi. "Tenshi-kun, you don't have to worry. You've always had my permission."
"Even right this second?" Tenshi asked. Neko nodded. "Good, then trust me."
She took Neko in her arms, and gingerly kissed Neko's swollen eyelid. And this time, Neko didn't object or pull away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Puroko found Mi-chan and Jian-wa and decided that they were the perfect people to complain to. Mi-chan didn't visit her as often as Neko did, but she still liked her a lot. She had given her a piggy-back ride to escape
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