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     1.2 +++ b/old/stories/firstkiss.txt	Fri Feb 19 20:53:12 2010 -0500
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     1.4 +First Kiss
     1.5 +by G. P.
     1.6 +A Sonomi and Nadesico Story
     1.7 +All characters are the property of Clamp. This work is in no way
     1.8 +meant to infringe upon their rights.
     1.9 +
    1.10 +I.
    1.11 +"He has to be strong. I want to be kissed by someone strong, who can
    1.12 +sweep me up in his arms, and protect me like a Princess from a fairy
    1.13 +tale. And not just strong outside, but inside, too. "
    1.14 +
    1.15 +Izumi glanced about the circle, and saw the other girls smiling in
    1.16 +agreement. Except for Nadesico, who was either distracted or deep in
    1.17 +thought; it was impossible to tell which. The rest concurred that
    1.18 +inner and outer strength was a must. The girls at the sleepover had
    1.19 +gathered in a circle on the floor, debating the necessarry qualities
    1.20 +of the boy who would give them their first kiss. After what seemed
    1.21 +hours of debate, Izumi had suggested that each girl state just one
    1.22 +quality, the one they thought most important. If the group agreed,
    1.23 +then there would be five characteristics by the end. This, it was
    1.24 +fervently hoped, would then help reveal to each the boy who would
    1.25 +bless them with their very first kiss. All eyes now fell on Mayu as
    1.26 +she distractedly played with a lock of her long, black hair. 
    1.27 +
    1.28 +The girls treasured Mayu as a sweet and beautiful soul. She was
    1.29 +always there to comfort, to support, and to reassure when a friend
    1.30 +was hurt, or sad, or lonely. Her features were somewhat plain, and
    1.31 +she was sometimes teased for it by those did not know her well. But
    1.32 +every girl in the circle would trust her with her heart, or her very
    1.33 +life. She stared at the plush carpet, meditating quietly on the
    1.34 +difficult question. Finally, in soft voice she stated firmly,
    1.35 +
    1.36 +"He would have to be honest. How could you ever trust somebody who
    1.37 +wasn't?"
    1.38 +   
    1.39 +The other girls nodded their heads sagely at Mayu's words. There was
    1.40 +no doubt that honesty and strength were essential. They waited now
    1.41 +for Sayaka to speak, but she sat silent, enveloped in a deep, crimson
    1.42 +blush. Izumi gently elbowed her and teased,
    1.43 +
    1.44 +"You're not getting kissed yet, Saya-chan. Come on, its your turn."
    1.45 +
    1.46 +Sayaka looked up with glistening blue eyes, fighting off the
    1.47 +embarrassment and struggling to speak. Though the first of their
    1.48 +circle to reach the age of 13, she seemed as naive and child-like as
    1.49 +ever. Endearing and exasperating in turn, they loved her dearly for
    1.50 +her gentle heart and naive innocence. Looking at the floor again, she
    1.51 +spoke in a feathery, halting whisper.
    1.52 +
    1.53 +"Handsome. I...I know it's silly, but I wouldn't want my first kiss
    1.54 +to be with someone who wasn't beautiful." 
    1.55 +
    1.56 +Had anybody else said this, there would have been giggles and
    1.57 +smirks. But not with little Sayaka. Besides, the girl was right, for
    1.58 +all of them prayed for a first kiss with their own ideal of beauty.
    1.59 +All eyes now turned to Sonomi, who looked aside in embarrassment. She
    1.60 +was often impatient with games like this, and the others half-
    1.61 +expected some sarcastic comment on the foolishness of the night's
    1.62 +proceedings. Though obviously uncomfortable, she spoke with
    1.63 +surprisingly earnest passion,
    1.64 +
    1.65 +"They would have to be kind. Otherwise, I'd be too afraid." 
    1.66 +
    1.67 +The other girls looked on in astonishment, for to them Sonomi was a
    1.68 +tower of strength. She seemed fearless and aloof, untouched by the
    1.69 +worries that haunted other girls in their daily lives at school.
    1.70 +Athletic prowess had earned her the nickname, "Diana", the proud
    1.71 +goddess of the hunt from the Western myths of long ago. That Sonomi
    1.72 +would so treasure kindness touched them deeply. And it was true. A
    1.73 +first kiss was a scary thing, and fragile hearts should only be
    1.74 +offered to those who would treat them gently. Izumi broke the warm
    1.75 +silence as she looked at the girl nestled next to Sonomi. 
    1.76 +
    1.77 +"OK, Nadesico chan. It's your turn. Yo-ho!"
    1.78 +
    1.79 +Nadesico turned from gazing out the window, smiling as always. She
    1.80 +looked pleasantly baffled, but no more than usual. Gathering her
    1.81 +thoughts, she said,
    1.82 +
    1.83 +"Oh. it's my turn?"
    1.84 +
    1.85 +The others nodded. For many, the first impression of Nadesico was
    1.86 +that of a perfect airhead. Her absent-mindedness was legend at the
    1.87 +school, and nearly everyone had a favorite story to tell. Everyone,
    1.88 +of course, except her cousin Sonomi, who protected the perpetually
    1.89 +distracted girl with fierce devotion. Nobody, not the nastiest bully
    1.90 +or strictest sensei dared say anything about Nadesico in front of
    1.91 +her. Izumi half-kiddingly held that Nadesico was an angel who had
    1.92 +unwittingly stumbled onto Earth, "She spends all her time trying to
    1.93 +remember why she is here, and how to get back again." Izumi's little
    1.94 +joke rang true, because there was an angelic aura about the strange,
    1.95 +beautiful girl. And they all loved Nadesico inspite of, or perhaps
    1.96 +because of, her odd otherworldliness. She loved everyone she met with
    1.97 +the same effusive sweetness. Invariably all hearts yielded to her
    1.98 +insistent kindness, and the love she poured forth came back tenfold.
    1.99 +So the girls were eager and curious to hear her contribution.
   1.100 +Glancing about the circle of faces, she blinked her large green eyes
   1.101 +in puzzlement. Izumi suppresed a giggle and reminded her that they
   1.102 +were each stating the most important quality of the one with whom
   1.103 +they would share their all-important first kiss. At this, Nadesioco's
   1.104 +face lit up as she spoke in an excited tone,
   1.105 +
   1.106 +"Oh, yes, I remember, sorry, sorry. Umm, that person would have to
   1.107 +be special. A first kiss is very special, so it would have to be with
   1.108 +a special person."
   1.109 +
   1.110 +The girls looked at one another, and then laughed their agreement.
   1.111 +Nadesico's logic was unassailable. A first kiss happened once in a
   1.112 +lifetime, and was a precious gift as well as a golden moment to
   1.113 +remember forever. It could only happen with someone special. Mayu,
   1.114 +who had written down each quality, read them off her list,
   1.115 +
   1.116 +"So, the person has to be strong, honest, handsome, kind, and
   1.117 +special, yes? Everybody agrees?" 
   1.118 +
   1.119 +All five heads nodded, so Mayu went on,  "And that means, ummm, we,
   1.120 +ummm..."
   1.121 +
   1.122 +Izumi quickly interjected,
   1.123 +
   1.124 +"And that means now we have to tell who we want our first kiss to be
   1.125 +with. And since Nadesico chan was last before, this time she should
   1.126 +go first!"
   1.127 +
   1.128 +As always, Izumi had maneuvered skillfully. Someone else would have
   1.129 +to go first in revealing such an intimacy. The other girls were
   1.130 +inwardly relieved, but Nadesico seemed utterly unconcerned as she
   1.131 +cheerfully exclaimed,
   1.132 +
   1.133 +"Oh, that's easy. I knew the answer before we ever started. I want
   1.134 +my first kiss to be with Sonomi chan."
   1.135 +
   1.136 +For once, Izumi was speechless. Sayaka looked puzzled, unsure of
   1.137 +what Nadesico could possibly mean. Mayu  stared down at her hands as
   1.138 +if they were the most interesting things in all the world. Sonomi
   1.139 +blushed a deep crimson and looked away in utter embarrassment. But
   1.140 +Nadesico simply smiled, oblivious to the pillow that sailed past her
   1.141 +head as Izumi laughed out,
   1.142 +
   1.143 +"Nadesico chan, you are such a weirdo!"
   1.144 +
   1.145 +Instantly Sonomi hurled her own pillow at Izumi, practically
   1.146 +knocking the cackling girl off balance. More pillows flew amid
   1.147 +squeels of laughter until one tore open and filled the room with a
   1.148 +blizzard of downy feathers. That brought Izumi’s parents in, and
   1.149 +resulted in lights out and everyone being tucked away. But it didn’t
   1.150 +end the whispers and the giggling that lasted far into the night.
   1.151 +
   1.152 +II. 
   1.153 +Walking home from school, the two girls made a peculiar contrast.
   1.154 +Sonomi strode straight and steady in utter silence as if she were
   1.155 +struggling for words that didn’t exist. Nadesico, on the other hand,
   1.156 +meandered from flower to tree to interesting crack in the concrete
   1.157 +sidewalk, stopping here and hurrying there, engrossed in the luminous
   1.158 +miracles of the everyday world. Sonomi suddenly noticed that she was
   1.159 +quite alone, and turned to see her cousin sprawled in the grass,
   1.160 +smiling at some sort of bug. A yellow and black caterpillar was
   1.161 +threading it’s way through the grass. Nadesico let it crawl on her
   1.162 +finger and laughed softly as it tickled it’s way up her arm. Sonomi
   1.163 +rolled her eyes and stalked back, calling out with feigned impatience,
   1.164 +
   1.165 +“Nadesico chan, what on earth are you doing?”
   1.166 +
   1.167 +The girl looked up and smiled sweetly. Gently she put the
   1.168 +caterpillar down and then rose swiftly, dusting off her knees and
   1.169 +straightening her  pleated skirt. Sometimes she looked gawky and
   1.170 +clumsy, a danger to herself and others that brought out a protective
   1.171 +spirit in her cousin. But at other times, like now, her movements
   1.172 +were as gracefully ethereal as a prima ballerina. It was only one of
   1.173 +the contradictions that left Sonomi utterly flustered, unable to
   1.174 +think straight, let alone voice her jumbled thoughts. For years she
   1.175 +had been her cousin’s best friend, delighting in her presence as the
   1.176 +two passed dreamily through childhood. Now her feelings were sharper
   1.177 +but sweeter, and so intense that some nights she tossed and turned
   1.178 +until the sun chased the moon away. Sometimes the very sight of
   1.179 +Nadesico set her heart racing wildly, and plunged her into a joyful
   1.180 +embarrassment. She looked at the beautiful, gray-haired girl and
   1.181 +suddenly blurted out the question that had obsessed her since the
   1.182 +night at Izumi’s,
   1.183 +
   1.184 +“Nadesico chan, why did you say what you did at the sleepover?”
   1.185 +
   1.186 +As soon as she said it, Sonomi felt regret. A hot crimson blush
   1.187 +spread over her neck and shoulders. But Nadesico blinked her lovely
   1.188 +blue eyes and asked in a puzzled voice,
   1.189 +
   1.190 +“What did I say?”
   1.191 +
   1.192 +Sonomi fought the urge to drop the entire matter, and with a steel
   1.193 +will forced out the words,
   1.194 +
   1.195 +“That you wanted your first kiss…to be with me.”
   1.196 +
   1.197 +Now poor Nadesico looked completely bewildered. She furrowed her
   1.198 +brow and looked at Sonomi helplessly, as if the question concerned
   1.199 +some arcane formulae of quantum physics. Perhaps repeating the
   1.200 +question would help, so she asked,
   1.201 +
   1.202 +“Why did I say it?”
   1.203 +
   1.204 +Sonomi nodded her head vigorously. Nadesico smiled and answered in a
   1.205 +matter-of-fact voice,
   1.206 +
   1.207 +“Because it’s true.”
   1.208 +
   1.209 +Sonomi gaped at her in silent wonder. Nadesico spoke earnestly in
   1.210 +her odd, sing song voice,
   1.211 +
   1.212 +“A first kiss should be special. That means it has to be with a
   1.213 +special person. No one is more special to me than Sonomi chan.”
   1.214 +
   1.215 +Breathing raggedly, Sonomi abruptly turned away and stared at the
   1.216 +horizon. She felt delighted and frightened by her cousin’s words.
   1.217 +Still looking into the distance, unable to face those shimmering
   1.218 +azure eyes, she whispered,
   1.219 +
   1.220 +“Nadsico chan, we’re both girls. We’re cousins.”
   1.221 +
   1.222 +“Um-hmm.” Nadesico replied distractedly, as if she were merely
   1.223 +confirming simple facts, which indeed she was. Sonomi realized that
   1.224 +such conventions as girls only kissing boys had simply never occurred
   1.225 +to Nadesico. Sonomi swallowed hard and managed to stammer out,
   1.226 +
   1.227 +“But when, where would we….” Her voice trailed off into silence.
   1.228 +Nadesico perked up, and started rummaging through her book bag.
   1.229 +Triumphantly she pulled out an astonishingly kawaii calendar book,
   1.230 +decorated with massive pink ribbons and plush red hearts. The pages
   1.231 +fluttered as she leafed through them. Finally, she announced in a
   1.232 +cheery voice,
   1.233 +
   1.234 +“Sunday after next is a full moon, and the sakuras should be in
   1.235 +bloom. How about at the Park, under the cherry trees? Can you come to
   1.236 +my house at 8:00 PM?”
   1.237 +
   1.238 +Sonomi could only nod her head yes. Suddenly Nadesico threw her arms
   1.239 +around her and hugged tightly. Then she picked up her book bag and
   1.240 +looked at Sonomi, all smiles. Still stunned, the red-haired girl
   1.241 +turned and started to walk home, but her cousin wandered over to a
   1.242 +hedge, enraptured by the stately progression of snails on the dark,
   1.243 +green leaves.
   1.244 +
   1.245 +III. 
   1.246 +Sonomi rummaged through the contents of her closet one more time.
   1.247 +The pink dress was too much. The black skirt with a white silk blouse
   1.248 +was nice, but just so plain. In frustration, she slumped down on the
   1.249 +edge of the bed and thought,  
   1.250 +
   1.251 +"I don't know what to wear for this. I don't have any idea. This is
   1.252 +just crazy. Nobody decides they will have their first kiss like this.
   1.253 +It's like being on....on a date or something." Suddenly inspired,
   1.254 +Sonomi exclaimed,
   1.255 +
   1.256 +"OK, that's it, I'll just wear what I would on a date!"
   1.257 +
   1.258 +But the girl had never been on a date, either, so this proved to be
   1.259 +of little help. She glanced at the clock on her dresser and grimaced.
   1.260 +Being a naturally punctual and organized person, she was rarely late
   1.261 +to anything. To be late for this was just not acceptable. With a
   1.262 +determined look she got up and stood in front of the rack of clothes
   1.263 +and began to think about what would be right.
   1.264 +
   1.265 +"It should be mature, but pretty. And it should match the sakura
   1.266 +blossoms." She placed her finger to her lips and squinted at the row
   1.267 +of clothing. Suddenly, her eyes caught the coral dress and she
   1.268 +snatched it from the rack and ran to the mirror, holding it in front
   1.269 +of herself. Perfect! Breathing a sigh of relief, she rushed for the
   1.270 +shower, quickly considering what shoes to wear.
   1.271 +
   1.272 +Walking to Nadesico's house, Sonomi struggled to sort out the
   1.273 +complex feelings she had for her cousin. They had been the closest of
   1.274 +friends ever since they were little girls. Normally high-strung,
   1.275 +Sonomi always felt perfect contentment in her presence, a calm,
   1.276 +peaceful sense that everything was all right. She felt safe with the
   1.277 +girl, confident enough to tell her anything without fear. Nadesico
   1.278 +was a gentle, sympathetic listener, and for all her flightiness
   1.279 +offered perceptive and insightful advice. So the red-haired girl
   1.280 +shared all her secrets, save one: her love. She had always loved
   1.281 +Nadesico, and her alone. But lately, that love had changed,
   1.282 +blossoming, from a cute little bud to a lush, sensuous, tropical
   1.283 +flower. All her friends had their crushes, their hidden passions and
   1.284 +desires. Most of it seemed silly to Sonomi, who scoffed at such
   1.285 +school girl melodramatics. But her own love mocked her. It shook her
   1.286 +skeptical heart and whispered, "Oh, so I'm not important, am I?
   1.287 +Something childish, that you'll soon outgrow, neh? We'll see, Sonomi-
   1.288 +chan, we'll see. Before I'm done, I'll set you on fire and break your
   1.289 +heart."
   1.290 +
   1.291 +And it was true. Recently love had become a passionate yearning she
   1.292 +could not still, a painfully sweet longing that distracted and
   1.293 +confused her. It was heaven, and it was hell. Sometimes, late at
   1.294 +night she lay in bed and whispered her name, over and over, just to
   1.295 +hear of the sound of it, "Nadesico.....Nadesico.....Nah-deh-shih-co."
   1.296 +She played ridiculous games like "She loves me, she loves me not".
   1.297 +She kept little treasures: notes passed in class, birthday cards, and
   1.298 +a garland of grass and flowers from years ago, now brown and dry but
   1.299 +still a crown fit for a princess because she had made it. In school,
   1.300 +her grades had slipped, worrying her parents. Sonomi couldn't
   1.301 +concentrate; she kept glancing towards the desk by her side, at the
   1.302 +beautiful, silver-haired girl who smiled back so sweetly. Nadesico
   1.303 +was all she thought about, cared for, wanted. In the last year it had
   1.304 +gotten even worse. It was as if her body was no longer hers, but some
   1.305 +alien presence with a will and a mind and desires all its own. Out of
   1.306 +nowhere she would cry for no discernable reason. One minute she was
   1.307 +hot and feverish, the next cold and shivering.   Her body ached with
   1.308 +a helpless longing that terrified her. And now this. Now, she was
   1.309 +walking to see Nadesico, to kiss her.
   1.310 +
   1.311 +Unlike most of her friends, Sonomi had never thought much about a
   1.312 +future love life. Yes, she would no doubt marry, and have a family
   1.313 +like everybody else. But for the red-haired girl marriage was of
   1.314 +little interest, and certainly not the topic of ecstatic speculation
   1.315 +that obsessed other girls her age. But now, her feelings confronted
   1.316 +her with the question of just what to do. What if I love her, but she
   1.317 +doesn’t love me? She sensed that Nadesico did love her, but not in
   1.318 +the same way. Nadesico loved everybody and everything. Yet, she had
   1.319 +said Sonomi was special, words that set her spirit soaring even as
   1.320 +she blushed in embarrassment.. And why, if she does not love me like
   1.321 +that, does she want to kiss me? The more Sonomi thought about it, the
   1.322 +more confused she became. She would have to ask the girl. Tonight.
   1.323 +She had to know.  Approaching the house, she breathed deeply and
   1.324 +clutched the pink sweater tightly around her body. She looked at her
   1.325 +watch: 8 PM exactly. Willing herself to knock, she quickly heard a
   1.326 +commotion inside as her cousin sang out,
   1.327 +
   1.328 +“I’ve got it!   
   1.329 +
   1.330 +The door swung open, and there stood Nadesico. The warm light from
   1.331 +inside the house formed a glowing aura all around her. She was wore a
   1.332 +delicate, ankle length white dress with long sleeves. The collar and
   1.333 +waistline were embroidered with exquisite lacework, and the dress
   1.334 +flared out from the waist with narrow pleats. White petticoats and
   1.335 +slips gave the dress a full, flowing look. Around her slender neck
   1.336 +was a simple white ribbon worn as a choker. Her long,  silver-black
   1.337 +hair was entwinned with white daisies, and cascaded over her
   1.338 +shoulders. Her pale face was framed by the dark, scenetd hair, and
   1.339 +her green eyes shone with gentle passion. Sonomi stood transfixed,
   1.340 +her breath stolen away by the dazzling vision. Nadesico bowed with
   1.341 +mock solemnity and cheerfully sang out,
   1.342 +
   1.343 +"Konbanha, Sonomi-chan"
   1.344 +
   1.345 +Sonomi felt herself dragged from a dream, and spoke haltingly as she
   1.346 +returned the bow,
   1.347 +
   1.348 +"Konbanha, Nadesico-chan. You look...so beautiful."
   1.349 +
   1.350 +The girl took both of Sonomi's hands in her own and spoke in her
   1.351 +feathery voice,
   1.352 +
   1.353 +"Arigato, Sonomi-chan. You look so lovely, too. Shall we go?"
   1.354 +
   1.355 +Coloring crimson at her cousin's touch, Sonomi could only nod hr
   1.356 +head. Suddenly, the pale girl let out a little gasp and whirled
   1.357 +about, muttering half to herself,
   1.358 +
   1.359 +"I almost forget! The bentoubako....there it is" Giggling, she
   1.360 +grabbed the enormous lunchbox, her white Hello Kitty sweater, and
   1.361 +dashed out the door. Smiling at her startled cousin she announced, "I
   1.362 +thought we might like a little snack." Turning to the house she
   1.363 +shouted, "I'm going now!" 
   1.364 +
   1.365 +Sonomi frowned, "That looks heavy. Let me carry it."
   1.366 +
   1.367 +Nadesico shook her head and smiled, holding the bundle tightly. With
   1.368 +that, the two began their walk to the park As usual, Nadesico was
   1.369 +fascinated by all that she could see. She walked erratically,
   1.370 +starting and stopping as one thing after another gained her
   1.371 +attention. The night was comfortably cool, and the stars shone bright
   1.372 +before moonrise. Sonomi moved in a daze, enraptured by the celestial
   1.373 +apparition beside her. Nadesico's dress make swishy sounds as she
   1.374 +walked, following the odd rythms of her perpetually distracted pace.
   1.375 +Finally they approached the park and turned into the entrance. With
   1.376 +the exception of a few couples, the walkway was deserted. Nadesico
   1.377 +led the way, though in her usual circuitous manner. Sonomi followed,
   1.378 +still entranced. Finally the dark-haired girl found a spot she liked
   1.379 +under the sakura trees, and busilly began unpacking the wrapping of
   1.380 +the lunch boxes. It was a beautiful pink and white silk, which she
   1.381 +carefully spread on the grass like a blanket. She knelt on both knees
   1.382 +and smiled as Sonomi sat down accross from her. Nadesico let out a
   1.383 +little sigh, and pointed to the horizon, where a great yellow moon
   1.384 +was slowly rising into the sky. Sonomi loked and nodded, feeling a
   1.385 +rush of emotions as she struggled to speak. But before she could, her
   1.386 +cousin chirrped,
   1.387 +
   1.388 +"Are you hungry? I wanted to make cookies, but they got sort of
   1.389 +burned. But I did make some rice balls, and there's pickles, oh, and
   1.390 +some fruit, too. Plums and grapes, I think. And tea, green tea. we
   1.391 +should have that while it's hot." In a flurry she produced the little
   1.392 +delicacies, plates, cups, and thermos. She laid the feast out
   1.393 +prettilly on the silken cloth, a heartfelt offering to her cousin.
   1.394 +Sonomi noticed that the rice balls were poorly shaped, and smiled as
   1.395 +she imagined the billowing smoke of the burning cookies. Like her
   1.396 +other home made presents, it was so typical of Nadesico. She was far
   1.397 +from talented as a cook or a homemaker. But what she made was imbued
   1.398 +with love and enthusiasm, and fortunate were those who received her
   1.399 +tender little gifts. Though not hungry in the least, Sonomi politely
   1.400 +nibbled as her eyes scanned the blossoming cherry trees above her.
   1.401 +Her cousin, crunching on a pickled daikon, looked up and smiled at
   1.402 +the sight of thousands of flowers.
   1.403 +
   1.404 +"Aren't they gorgeous, Sonomi-chan? I've always loved the
   1.405 +sakura.flowers. I love how they fall from the branch in full bloom,
   1.406 +never withering or growing old and sad on the trees. You know, if I
   1.407 +have a daughter, that's what I'll name her: Sakura." 
   1.408 +
   1.409 +Sonomi smiled back at her cousin, but thought to herself that there
   1.410 +were flowers she liked better. There was something haunting about
   1.411 +cherry trees, about a beauty so ephemeral and fragile. For some
   1.412 +reason this thought bothered her, and she shifted uneasilly as
   1.413 +Nadesico gracefully poured the steaming, hot tea. Sonomi craddled the
   1.414 +little round cup in her hands and felt the warmth of it in the cool
   1.415 +night air. She sipped the pungent green tea, liquid sunshine brewed
   1.416 +just perfectly. She looked at Nadesico, who glanced up at the heavens
   1.417 +with child-like wonder. Sonomi trembled, but from the cold or the
   1.418 +sight of her beautiful cousin all clad in white she did not know. As
   1.419 +the stars persued their stately courses, the two girls talked on into
   1.420 +the night. Nadesico was bright and cheerful as always, wondering if
   1.421 +flowers slept when they closed their petals for the evening, or if
   1.422 +stars talked to one another to keep from being lonely. In a wistful
   1.423 +voice she said,
   1.424 +
   1.425 +"Sometimes I talk to the stars, but it's hard to hear them."
   1.426 +
   1.427 +Sonomi looked at the girl in wonder, then smiled. Only Nadesico
   1.428 +would ever say such a thing. But if the stars listened to anybody on
   1.429 +earth, it was probably her. Being with her was always such joy, her
   1.430 +very presence magical. But Sonomi felt terribly nervous, remembering
   1.431 +the purpose of this curious picnic in the dark. Finally she could
   1.432 +hold it in no more, and spoke to up in a quivering, earnest voice,
   1.433 +
   1.434 +"Nadesico-chan, may I ask you a question?"
   1.435 +
   1.436 +The girl smiled and nodded, and Sonomi went on, forcing the words
   1.437 +out in a rush,
   1.438 +
   1.439 +"Why do you want to kiss me?"
   1.440 +
   1.441 +Unable to face her saying this, she bowed her head and stared at the
   1.442 +little dishes on the billowing silk. Her eyes averted, she didn't see
   1.443 +Nadesico's tender smile as she replied,
   1.444 +
   1.445 +"Well, you know it's my first kiss, and that has to be with someone
   1.446 +special. Sonomi-chan is my most special person. But I told you that
   1.447 +already. So, should I tell you why you're special?"
   1.448 +
   1.449 +The red-haired girl was silent, so Nadesico continued,
   1.450 +
   1.451 +"Well, Sonomi-chan is the strongest person I know. She's never
   1.452 +afraid of anything. I always feel safe with her, and know she would
   1.453 +protect me from anything that would hurt me. 
   1.454 +
   1.455 +And Sonomi-chan is honest. Sometimes other people are a puzzle, and
   1.456 +they say things they do not mean, or hide things they do not say. But
   1.457 +I always know Sonomi-chan's heart. I know that whatever she says is
   1.458 +true.
   1.459 +
   1.460 +Sonomi-chan is the kindest person I know. She is gentle, and caring,
   1.461 +and my heart feels cherished by her."
   1.462 +
   1.463 +"Sonomi-chan is all of these wonderful things, but she is also the
   1.464 +most beautiful person I have ever seen. Sometimes I think about those
   1.465 +green eyes and soft red hair and smooth, pale skin, and hanyaan! I
   1.466 +forget everything I am doing. Seeing her now in the moonlight just
   1.467 +now made me forget everything except how happy I am to be with her."
   1.468 +
   1.469 +At this Nadesico paused, and closed her eyes. 
   1.470 +
   1.471 +"But I don't need silly games from a sleepover to know why I want my
   1.472 +first kiss to be with Sonomi-chan. I knew it a long time ago, maybe
   1.473 +even when I first saw her. I want to kiss her because I love her more
   1.474 +than anybody."
   1.475 +
   1.476 +Looking up, Sonomi saw Nadesico's azure eyes opening again, and the
   1.477 +startled look as she beheld her tears. A rare look of worry clouded
   1.478 +the dark-haired girl's face as she asked,
   1.479 +
   1.480 +"Sonomi-chan, are you all right? I'm so sorry, did I make you cry?"
   1.481 +
   1.482 +Sonomi peered through teary eyes and smiled radiently, 
   1.483 +
   1.484 +"Baka. I'm not sad. I've never been so happy in all my life."
   1.485 +
   1.486 +Nadsico smiled again, and reached out, gently brushing away the hot
   1.487 +tears with delicate fingers. Her hand lingered on Sonomi's cheek, and
   1.488 +she gazed into her shimmering emerald eyes. Slowly, as if in a dream,
   1.489 +Nadesico leaned over, her body a delicate white arch bathed in the
   1.490 +moonlight. Sonomi breathed deeply as the girl's pale face came
   1.491 +closer, her eyes half-shut, her hair a cascading flood of liquid
   1.492 +silver. Their lips brushed ever so lightly, and Sonomi felt an
   1.493 +electric thrill streak through her shivering frame. Then their lips
   1.494 +met, gently at first, tenderly exploring, quivering with the soft
   1.495 +sensations that poured out from deep within. Sonomi tasted the
   1.496 +sweetest nectar as Nadesico's tongue playfully parted her yielding,
   1.497 +pink petals. The red-haired girl trembled, dizzy and breathless,
   1.498 +wracked by an indescribable ecstasy. They melted into one another in
   1.499 +a ravishing embrace, shuddering sweetly in each other's tender arms.
   1.500 +Suspended in an eternal moment, waves of passion swept over them like
   1.501 +an ocean storm, then slowly subsided as the ebbing tide. Finally they
   1.502 +parted, Sonomi breathing raggedly, her body still afire, shivering in
   1.503 +the chilly breeze that shook the trees and rained blossoms down upon
   1.504 +them in a delicate, pink monsoon. 
   1.505 +
   1.506 +Sonomi felt floaty and wonderful, her body as delightfully
   1.507 +weightless as a feather in the wind. Her first kiss! She felt a giddy
   1.508 +whirl of emotions, the vibrant throbbing of her heart, and the dewy,
   1.509 +lingering presence of Nadesico's lips. She hugged herself tightly,
   1.510 +and sighed in sheer joy. She glanced up, and was startled to see
   1.511 +Nadesico sitting beside her. The dark-haired girl smiled
   1.512 +enigmatically as she ran her fingers through Sonomi's short silky,
   1.513 +hair. Sonomi's eyes grew wide as her cousin delicately traced the
   1.514 +outline of her still wet lips, then gently caressed her tear-stained
   1.515 +cheek. She caught the scent of sakuras as Nadesico leaned closer, her
   1.516 +lashes fluttering. Their lips met in a another rapturous kiss that
   1.517 +plunged Sonomi into sugar-sweet darkness. As moonlight trickled
   1.518 +through the branches, illumining  the two lovers in an intimate glow,
   1.519 +Sonomi dimly realized that Nadesico wanted more with her cousin than
   1.520 +just a first kiss. Here under the cherry blossoms was a second kiss,
   1.521 +quickly followed by a third, and a fourth. And here, under the 
   1.522 +delicate flowers, and in countless other places as well, there would
   1.523 +be many, many more. 
   1.524 +    
   1.525 +
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   1.528 +
   1.529 +
   1.530 +
   1.531 +
   1.532 +
   1.533 +
   1.534 +
   1.535 +
   1.536 +Izumi
   1.537 +Sayaka
   1.538 +Mayu