Maybe if Tenshi had been wearing a suit, or maybe if she had been introduced to Hoshi as she had been introduced to Neko's family, as Neko's bishonen koibito, or maybe if Neko wasn't one of Hoshi's best friends, Hoshi wouldn't have been so torn up watching Neko and Tenshi out on the dance floor.
But Tenshi was most obviously a girl. The gorgeous evening gown she wore continued to keep Hoshi from truly accepting their relationship, even as she watched how in sync they were while dancing. How Neko's entire being seemed wrapped up in Tenshi. How in love they obviously were.
She had learned that Tenshi was a good person. And she clearly made Neko happy. But Hoshi couldn't forgive her flaw. She didn't understand how someone could live so mixed-up like that.
But what was she going to do about Neko?
As Mi-chan and Jian-wa made their way off the dance floor after the last slow song, Hoshi tried desperately to decide what she was going to do. "Mi-chan?" she said softly as her friend sat down. "Would you mind horribly if I stayed with my okaa-san tonight?"
From the expression on her face, Mi-chan did mind. "You're just going to leave? Demo Hoshi-chan, we only have one more full day together! And when are we going to see each other again?" Mi-chan actually looked a little hurt. "You can't just go!"
"You don't know how hard it will be for me around Neko-chan-"
"Well, get over it!" Mi-chan snapped at her. "I don't know if you noticed recently, but she's not your only friend at that house. And as, occasionally, the world does not actually revolve around Neko-chan, I would very much appreciate it if you spent as much of your remaining time with me."
*And if you just happen to get over whatever dumb thing is keeping you from being comfortable around Neko-chan, then that'd be good too!* was the unspoken part of Mi-chan's admonishment.
"Okay," Hoshi agreed reluctantly. "I'll come."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Neko could hear Tenshi heartbeat as she continued dancing close to her. It seemed to beat to the same rhythm they danced to.
*Neko-chan?*
As Mi-chan butted into her mind, Neko finally became aware of something other than Tenshi. And then she realized that she couldn't hear the piano and violin anymore.
"Tenshi-kun," she said softly. "There isn't any music anymore."
"I know, but that's okay. Do you really want to stop?"
Neko didn't, demo� "Mi-chan's calling me."
Tenshi came to a standstill and let go of Neko. "Then you should go to her," she suggested. But Neko couldn't help feeling that she seemed a little sadder than she should.
*Neko-chan!*
She turned to go and found Mi-chan right behind her. "Oh, Mi-chan! Why'd you-"
"What were you doing?" Mi-chan wanted to know. "I was calling you, and you ignored me!"
"No, I was just dancing with Tenshi-kun and I had to say goodbye. What's wrong?"
Mi-chan looked furious. But Neko couldn't think of a single thing that could've happened in the minute that it had taken to say goodbye to Tenshi that could have ticked her off so much.
Mi-chan grabbed her wrist and pulled her off to the side. "I told you I didn't want you to see Tenshi-kun anymore."
Neko gaped at her in horror and confusion. "No, that's not true. That was a dream!"
"You wish," Mi-chan said as she started to pull Neko farther away from Tenshi.
"No, Mi-chan. Tell me you're kidding! Tell me it's not true!" Neko cried frantically, trying to pull free from Mi-chan's hold.
"Hey, let her go!" Tenshi came to her aid, as it became obvious that Neko was being dragged against her will. "Mi-chan, what are you doing?"
She tried to free Neko, but as soon as she touched Mi-chan's arm, Mi-chan backhanded her. "Don't come near me or my sister again," she shouted at her.
Neko paled. "Tenshi-kun!" She liberated herself from Mi-chan's grasp and ran to Tenshi. Looking back at Mi-chan, her face full of shock and dismay, she asked accusatorily, "What are you doing?!"
"You're choosing her over me?!" Mi-chan asked, infuriated.
"No, Mi-chan. I love both of you. Don't do this!"
"You can't have us both!"
"I can't choose between you!" Neko cried. She ran from Tenshi's side to plead to her. "Mi-chan, please, I can't! I love you both! Please!"
But Mi-chan's features were hard. She wasn't giving up and Neko couldn't persuade her otherwise.
"Goodbye, Neko-chan," she said, as she turned from her sister.
"No, Mi-chan! Please!" Neko began to sob as she fell to her knees unable to comprehend what Mi-chan wanted from her. "Please!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She woke up, breathing hard from her second nightmare in a week. Glancing over at Mi-chan, she tried to figure out if she was awake and found herself blocked. Apparently, Mi-chan was having a nightmare of her own.
By the light of the clock, Neko could see that Hoshi's sleeping bag had been disturbed, but that she wasn't actually in it. She wondered where her friend could be at three in the morning.
Neko tiptoed down the stairs, trying not to wake anyone. "Hoshi-chan?" she whispered as she searched for her friend. She found her sitting on the family room couch in the dark. "Hoshi-chan?"
She heard some sniffling as she joined Hoshi in the dark room, but she stayed standing, wordlessly.
Finally Hoshi turned on the light. Her eyes were rimmed in red, as if she'd been crying for a while. Neko's eyes widened. "Oh, Hoshi-chan, are you okay?"
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