A person makes his own choices in his life. Everyone can say things like fate, god, opportunity, circumstances were at fault at one point or another, but actually it’s the person himself, who made all decisions, who chose the path, who advanced further. And when people say they lost a job or position because they were looked down... That’s not true. They just made wrong decisions. They had to try harder, to show to others what they’re capable of. Or they chose not the right path from the very beginning. If others don’t accept you, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. It means they can’t see your beauty, because they have their own problems and issues, right? Well, while it might be true, mostly it’s that you are not showing enough appeal, enough courage and you’re not open to all opportunities.

Women are stronger than men, and saying males can do better is as old as the world. Nowadays females are striving hard to be the perfect bosses, housewives, mothers and friends; all in one package. They show us that it’s possible to be able to do all those things and keep yourself tidy, good looking and entertaining at the same time. And also being still as sweet and loving as always. While most men say they won’t clean the house, do the dishes, go shopping or look after kids because it’s a woman’s job, females tend to do not only all house chores, but also to knock a nail, patch up the roof, drive her favorite sports car, change a light bulb, chop firewood, and all other supposedly ‘manly’ jobs. They are more capable of doing things their own way, understanding the children’s and men’s needs, taking care of everyone, especially men, elders and babies. They might be afraid of spiders or rats or frogs or even bees, but usually they find snakes, fishes and other abnormal living things – like men – very much to their liking.

And they live for money and fame, which evolves into beauty and shopping. Or that’s what Oshima Ryouka used to say to her daughter Oshima Mai. Oshima Mai, while reminiscing about her diseased mother, told the story to her daughter Oshima Yuko. And said, that her grandma was an interesting person, who had her own quirks, which made her different from others, and that alone made her lovable. Oshima Yuko, being a very keen and curious child, who couldn’t stay still even for a minute, took that into her little head and never let go. When she grew up... That’s where our story begins.

~

“Nee nee, Yuko, come play with us basketball on Friday afternoon!”
“OKAY! Hey, Sayaka, should I bring Takamina?!”
The laughing echoes through the hall and then tall beauty with a bit masculine features smirks.
“She can’t even skip properly! But bring her anyway. I want her to meet my cousin. Well, I want you all to meet her.”
“Wakatta. Then, see you on Friday!”
“Wait! So you really won’t come to school tomorrow?” asked another tall girl, with short messy black hair.
“Nope, Sae. I have someplace to go...”
“Ah, okay. See you on Friday.”

“Jaa ne!!” shouted the short girl with brown wavy hair and flashed everyone a wide smile, something like 300 watt light bulb in a dark room, showing her cute dimples and squirrel-like teeth. Then she turned around and rushed away, waving to all the friends she met along her way, saying good-bye to all the teachers. The only place where she made a short stop, was at the library. She opened the doors and went in, scanning the area with her beautiful brown orbs. Spotting the person in need, she flashed her charming smile again, making her kouhais in the library melt only from one glance, and straddled straight to the very end of the huge room.
“Shiriri-san!”
“Oshiriko-chan, do not shout in the library, how many times I have to tell you?” a young looking girl in black twin pigtails calmly noted, and looked up from the manga in her hands at Yuko. “Going already?”
“Hai. Nee, Mayu-chan, can you do me a favor? While I’m away, take care of Rena for me, okay?”
“And why aren’t you asking Yukirin for help?”
“She’s busy with her own problems, you know that, I don’t want to disturb her serious mode. You know what happens, when she snaps. Please, Shiriri-san..” Yuko tried her best at showing puppy eyes and 300 watt smile at the same time.
“Okay. I’ll do my best. Just don’t take too long there. I know, you forget anything else while you’re there, but still...”
“I’ll be back on Friday, I promised a basketball match for twin towers.”
“Who’s on your team?”
“Takamina.” and they both giggled, trying to keep their laughter in as much as they could. After calming down they both hugged each other.
“Inform me about the condition, when you know anything, okay?”
“OKAY. Bye bye, Shiriri-san.”
“Mata ne, Oshiriko-chan. Take care.”

They showed each other oshiri sign, shared understanding and comforting glances and then Yuko left the library. From there she made no other stops until she reached her home. Usually she would take a slow walk, enjoying the scenery around her, but today was not the right day for that.
After having lunch with her father, Yuko packed the needed things and looked at the mirror.
“There, all set. Now, do I look good enough?...” she sighed, closed her eyes, then sighed again. “You always look good, Yuuchan...” said she with a silent voice, trying to mimic someone in particular and at the same time keeping her eyes closed. Then she opened her eyes and smiled widely.
“Arigatou. Now I’m all set.” she took her bags and went downstairs. Her father was waiting outside.
“Don’t forget to call your otousan when you get there... Ah, who’s going to pour me sake, Yuko-chan?”
“You can do it yourself. I’ll make it up to you, when I comeback, I promise. And don’t worry, you’ll be the first one I’ll call when I get there.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this decision?”
“Un. I have to move on, and this way is the only way I can do that. Daijoubu.” she tried her best to show her courageous face, but her father knew her too well.
“Your eyes show me everything, Yuko-chan. Just know, I’m always there for you.”
“Un... YOSHI, ittekimasu!” with those words she gave a small peck on her father’s forehead, then tossed her bags into the trunk. “I’m all set, Miichan.”

“Okay, let’s go then. Have a nice day, father!” shouted the bubbly black haired, and jumped into the driver’s seat of her red Toyota Camry Hybrid LE. Yuko joined her, as she sat next to the driver’s seat.
“Don’t call him father so casually!” while laughing noted she.
“But he is a father!!” protested Minegishi Minami, a childhood friend of Yuko.
“He is MY father, not yours, how many times I have to tell you that?!”
“Still, it doesn’t change the fact he is a father. Yours or someone else’s, but a father nonetheless.”
They made casual and fun jokes throughout all the journey, not forgetting to scan gorgeous bodies along the way. Their ertedness was positive though, and just an observing one, as they each had someone else in their lives to gloat at. And not only gloat. But now they were both trying to shake away the heavy feeling, which got stronger the nearer their destination got, so they preoccupied their minds with jokes.

As the sun sat down, they reached the place. Miichan stopped her car and turned to look at Yuko.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.” even though her voice was shaky, and water started to gather in the corners of her eyes, the determination  she had was felt and Minami understood things will get gloomy. But that was the right thing to do, she understood it.
“Hey, I’m staying over Mariko’s, as usual. And you?”
“No, I will stay here...”
“Do you have the keys?”
“Un...” Yuko’s voice was barely heard, and Miichan understood it’s time.
“Just...don’t forget to call your dad.”
Yuko just nodded, got out of the car, took her bags and watched Miichan driving further into the town. She carried the bags inside the house and then slumped down on the floor. Even though tears were already flowing like rain, she made no sound, and just stared in front of her. There was a small table, which had lots of flowers on it, and in the middle a photo of a very pretty girl, with long brown hair, slightly big ears, indifferent look and gorgeous smile.

While staring at the photo, Yuko absentmindedly dialed father’s phone number.
“Yuko-chan, are you there already? How are you?”
She couldn’t speak, and started crying aloud, phone fell out of her hands. Her earnest, longing and heart stabbing sobs made her dad hang up the phone and let her deal with it by herself. She crawled to the table and took the photo in her hands, fingers tracing the features in the photo she knew so well. Even though the view was blurry to her due to the waterfall of tears, she didn’t need to see the photo to know how the girl looked. She remembered everything about her. Her cute high-pitched voice, clumsiness, air-headiness, stubbornness, gorgeous body, gentle eyes, soft skin, tenderness, and, most importantly, last words. That made her cry even more, making her lie on the ground while hugging the photo and whispering the girl’s name through sobs.
“NyanNayn... NyanNyan... NyanNyan!!!”

~

When the morning came, Yuko got out of bed and gazed through the window with empty eyes. She cried all her tears through the night, and now all she could do was think about the certain person. She combed her messy hair with her fingers, jumped into sweatpants and put on a hoodie. Then went downstairs, ignoring the too well-known surroundings. In the kitchen she ate what she found in the fridge, then put on the shoes in the hallway and went outside. Her journey was short, just down the small path behind the house, to the beach. While sitting on the sand, she looked at the waves and tears started trickle down her cheeks again. She wiped them away, yet they kept falling down. Then Yuko felt a comforting pat on her shoulder and she knew it’s time.

“Are you going like that?” asked the tall short haired woman in fashionable black and white jumper suit.
“No, Mariko. Let me change.” she stood up, and went back to the house. Miichan and Mariko looked at her with worrisome gazes, while holding hands.
“She is determined to end this misery, so to be free, right?”
“Un. It’s hard to see her like this, but it’s for her sake.”
“And for all of us, actually.”
“Well, you’re right. Mayu mailed me, said Rena is missing. I’ll tell that to Yuko later.”
“Not good news... But maybe Yuki will find her.”
“No, I don’t think so. Yuki.... She has problems.”
“Problems like...? Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?”
“I missed you...” pouted Miichan.
“More like you missed my body... So, back to the topic?”
“She’s pregnant...”
“I know that.”
“From Mayu’s brother.”
“Say WHAT?!”
“Un. Ah, here comes Yuko.”
“You will tell me EVERYTHNG later.”
“Okay...”

Yuko came down the path back to them, wearing a simple cream-colored dress, carrying a bouquet of flowers in one hand and an urn in another. Her eyes were all swollen, hands and legs shaky, yet she had this determined aura around her, and the two just followed behind her silently.
After what looked like an eternity, they finally reached a very beautiful clearing, with lots of huge rocks by the sea. The three climbed up, and stood there silently, observing the sea, and reminiscing about the certain model-like person, who left them, and especially Yuko, too early...

~

“Yuuchan! Mitte! How do I look?”
“NyanNyan...” Yuko just stood there dumbstruck, drooling all over her chin, unable to move or make words.
“Hehe, Yuuchan is so cute now, so huggable.” Kojima Haruna, a girlfriend of Yuko. She went nearer the squirrel-like girl and placed a kiss on the cheek, making the short girl blush dark red and close her eyes tightly.
“Is Yuuchan embarrassed?” the tall girl again, and went to change from the y underwear into her casual clothes. She was happy she listened to Tomochin’s advice and bought this red-black lace bra and . She was sure Yuko is already nosebleeding in her mind. She smiled to herself and was about to unclasp her bra, when she suddenly felt warm hands embracing her into a tight hug from behind.
“NyanNyan... You tease me too much... And give me nothing at all... Am I too demanding? Am I not okay to you?”
“Yuuchan... You are fine the way you are. Yuuchan is Yuuchan. And I love Yuuchan.”
“Then why?”
“Why what?”
“Why can’t I skinship you? You know it’s my way of showing how much I love you.”
“Is it the only way you know?” asked Haruna, already hot from the warmth of Yuko’s body pressing against her back. Why, why is that damned squirrel just in her underwear too?!
“No. But I already showed you all my other ways of affection towards you. I repeat to you many times I love you, I clean your house, make you food, abandon school and friends just to come to you and spend time with you. Even my father agreed he can do nothing about my crazy endless love to you. Is it still not enough?” Haruna could feel Yuko was a bit hurt that her feelings were not appreciated.

“Yuuchan.” Haruna turned around so now she faced her dear squirrel. And then she noticed Yuko’s wide open eyes and drooling mouth, as her face was really close to Haruna’s assets. She decided Yuko deserves some service and pretended not to notice it. “I love you. And I’m thankful for all the things you do to me, especially for all the love words. I was just teasing you, silly squirrel.”
Yuko felt like in a dream. Was this happening for real? Haruna let her do anything she wanted?! Not like she voiced it, but Yuko understood it in that way.
“Can I?...” and without waiting for Haruna to answer she snuggled deeply into Haruna’s assets, making the tall girl shiver and moan a bit. Yuko grinned and with a tip of her tongue the place between two mounds...
*smack*
Yuko jumped aback and covered her head with her hands.
“Ittai~~~~!”
All flushing red Haruna turned away.
“You could have waited for the evening.” murmured she. “It’s too bright now...”
Yuko grinned and her hands d empty air, her erted mind already imagining all the things she’s going to do to Haruna, when the night comes...

~

Friday morning was the worst morning Yuko ever had. She had to say goodbye to this house, to all the memories she had here, to the person she loved so dearly, to her dreams and hopes. She cried again, until the phone rang. It was Mayu.
“Moshi moshi.” Yuko’s shaken voice didn’t sound too good.
“I know it’s hard for you, but if you are making a decision, do it quickly. Or you will loose both, not one.”
“I asked you to look after her!”
“When I went at her place, she already was gone...”
“Thank you for calling... So she’s missing since Wednesday... And now it’s Friday... She can be anywhere!!!”
“It’s up to you now, Yuko. Can you leave past behind, forget Haruna and move on? Or can you live knowing you let an important person slip out of your life so easily, only for you to understand you’re all alone?”
“Why are you so clever, I wonder...” Yuko knew this time will come, she just needed more time. But she had no time, and it was now or never. “I’ll call you later. Check up on Yuki, okay?”
“THAT you don’t have to tell me. I always take care of my beloved one in any ways I can. Good luck...”

She needed this, this push. It was like a lighthouse for a ship in a very dark and stormy night. She felt like she was reborn. She walked through all the rooms in the house once more, shedding no tears, just smiling lightly. Then Yuko left the house, locked it, and placed a key under the doormat. She went towards the car, where Miichan was already waiting for her. But then she stopped, turned back to the house, and smiled lightly, one last tear falling down her cheek.
“Good-bye, NyanNyan.” with those words she turned around and went into the car. “Let’s go. I have to find Rena.”
“Do you have any idea where she might be?”
“No. I mean, I’m not sure... She might be at a few places, but.. She also might not be... And she had a secret place with Jurina, so... She might also be there...”
“So let’s ask her!”
“Even though they are sisters, Jurina cut all the ties with Rena a long time ago, after she find out Rena is not interested in sisterly love... Imagine you being separated from Yui.”
“IMPOSSIBLE!!! She’s my dear sister!”
“Yeah, well they are sisters too. And yet, Jurina made this decision. Rena was devastated and, … You know the latter...”
“Yeah... You think she might be doing that again?”

“I hope not... We have to hurry... I’ll call Mayuyu.” Yuko dialed Mayu’s number, but after the conversation she found out nothing knew. Yuki being in back-pain and all too sensitive, Mayu trying to soothe her pain with ‘massages’, that is, skinship. Yuko would be proud of her at any other time, but now her mind was occupied with other things. Like were to find a certain raven-haired girl. And then suddenly it hit her.
“Turn left and then all the way forward. Don’t ask.” Miichan didn’t argue and did what asked.
After two hours of driving Yuko asked to let her out.
“Now, go home and ensure everyone I’m fine. And I promise, I’ll bring her back safe and sound.” she was so determined, so strong, so convincing, Miichan immediately left, without asking more questions.
Yuko knew what she was doing., She asked Miichan to leave her here, because going alone is the best way to approach the now probably crazy girl. She listened carefully. Being in a meadow, with a few houses here and there, and a forest further ahead, she knew she will hear anything out of context. And she was right. She heard a scream and she hurried to that direction. There she was, standing in the doorway, and looking how her beloved is punching some man, while his daughter and wife shiver in the farthest corner of the room. The man was badly bleeding, he probably had many wounds, as a broken bloody pencil was lying on the ground not faraway from Yuko’s leg.

“Rena.” her voice was not the one she used with Haruna. Not the whiny, childish one. It was the serious one, the mature one. She now was twenty four, and she couldn’t be so miserable as she was these past two years. She was an adult, who had responsibilities, who was in love again. But this time, that love was very different. It was not the love who took. It was the love who gave. The love, who had no boundaries. The love she finally understood exists. And only that one word, said with such a deep feeling, only that was enough for the berserk-gone girl to stop in her actions. She fell on her knees and started crying, while apologizing, not making clear who is she apologizing to, the man she beaten, his wife and daughter, or Yuko. But Yuko knew it was Jurina she was apologizing to. Yuko went to the mother and child and calmed them , saying things will be alright. She called the medics, gave first aid to the man, and then whispered something to his wife. The woman nodded and hugged her daughter.
Yuko took Rena in her hands bridal style, and carried through the woods to the river, where she gently washed the blood away from the shivering, crying and hallucinating girl’s porcelain white skin. She then called her friend, Rino, who knew about Rena’s condition, and asked if she can bring clean clothes and melon pans. After the call, she hugged the poor girl, and started gently rocking her, while singing to her silently.

 sashidaa SAYONARA wo
tenohira de tsutsunde kureta
yasashisa ga myaku wo utte
atatakaku naru

kaze ni mau konayuki wa
itoshisa no you ni
tokete shimau nara
zutto kono mama de...

naki nagara hohoen de
anata wo miokuri mashou
nando mo tachidomatte
shinpai sou ni furikaeru keredo...

naki nagara hohoen de
hitori ni nareru made wa
koko kara mada ugoke nakute
sotto te wo furi
chiisaku naru omoide no chikaku ni itai 

She did it. She sent her last goodbye to Haruna for herself, and to Jurina for Rena. She felt the girl calming down in her hands, and she knew what comes next. She now hugged Rena tightly, locking her firmly in her embrace, while the raven-haired started trashing, shouting, crying harder than before. It lasted about ten minutes. After that, Yuko looked with a loving gaze at peacefully sleeping angel in her hands. Things will work out somehow, she could feel that. She was going to make sure things will be alright.

~

“HA! We won!!! Yatta!!!”
“Takamina!!!” Yuko pretended to be mad and ran after the midget.
“What?! It’s not my fault, not my fault that we lost!!!” shouted Minami and started running faster.
“It’s so fun to watch Yuko like this.” noted Miichan. “She’s back to her old self finally. No gloomy weekends anymore.”
“Un. So, Rena, how are you?”
Three months passed since that memorable Friday. And only now they were finally able to play basketball, all together. Rena blushed a bit and bitted melon pan with closed eyes, while making a silent moan from the taste in . That didn’t go unnoticed by a certain squirrel and she stopped chasing Takamina. Instead, she came to the pale girl and kissed her forehead, making her blush in deep red and nearly choke on melon pan.

“Things are going very smoothly for us. Unlike for someone.” And everyone laughed, as another midget now was running from a certain black haired, who was shouting ‘KISSU!’ to Minami. “And Yuki is fine. She gave birth to a boy. Mayu decided to call him after her brother. Aki.”
“Ah, so sweet. So, are they going to get married? Just imagine, Takajo Mayu and Takajo Yuki. Aki would have been proud.” said Sae.
“And he is. He’s watching from up there. And...” Sayaka didn’t want to end the sentence, as she was not sure of how Yuko would react.
“And Haruna too.” sad with a simple smile Yuko and kissed gently Rena’s cheek. “I think they both are happy for all of us.”
“And for them too?” asked Miichan, while laughing and showing the shaking bushes.
“Good job, Acchan!” shouted Mariko and everyone giggled.
“Un, I think for them too.” finally spoke Rena and leaned her head onto Yuko’s shoulder.

~

Was the grandmother right? Who knows. But in this story girls fell in love with girls. Maybe it’s because the times changed, and Yuri is more appreciated than before. Also, maybe because they were not afraid to show they have feelings to the same gender. But the main reason is probably love. No matter how different you are from others, you are you. Like Haruna once said to Yuko, Yuuchan is Yuuchan. Yes. They are who they are. And they learned to love each other the way they are. Is it complicated? Yes, Yuko still has feelings for Haruna, and Yuki still might have feelings for Aki. And Jurina is still probably deeply in love with Rena. But now they have other important people in their lives. And they, especially Yuko, understood, that only after going through the hardships and pain you can find real happiness and tranquility. Only then you can find true love.