Aya glanced behind her, her cheeks blushing madly, then felt disappointment.

Hikaru was already dressed in the outfit that she picked out, glancing at herself in the mirror.

“W-what do you think?” Hikaru asked. She turned around, doing a twirl.

Ah… she’s still so cute though…

The disappointment quickly turned into happiness.

“You look really good!” Aya said in a genuine voice. “I mean it.”

Hikaru held her hand to her lips, the sleeves of the white jumper covered her hands. The denim shorts stopped above the middle of her thighs, showing her slender legs. She had perfect skin that looked extremely soft to touch.

“Y-you should definitely get it!” Aya said, her face starting to redden more. “N-now, let’s get you back in your clothes so we can buy those new clothes right away!”

“Okay…”

Hikaru nodded, then glanced over at Aya who was staring at her with a lustful look, her eyes shining.

Ek! Why is Aya looking like that?!

Aya was staring at Hikaru unblinkingly, cheeks red.

“L-let me help you!”

“Um!”

Before Hikaru could say anything, Aya reached over, pulling the bottom of her jumper up. Hesitatingly, Hikaru lifted her hands up so that Aya could take her jumper off.

Oh god, oh god, thank you, thank you…!

Aya’s eyes were wide open, staring at Hikaru’s stomach as the jumper lifted off slowly, revealing her bare stomach. Her skin was soft and warm, and despite Hikaru’s lack of athletic skills, she had no useless fat under her jumper.

Slowly, the jumper went further up, Aya’s hands now shaking as she continued to pull higher.

Hikaru’s face was hidden behind the jumper, and she couldn’t see anything.

“Ek! You’re pulling the jumper so slow!” Hikaru said, feeling her face getting hot inside the closed space of the jumper. “I-I can’t breathe!”

But, Aya couldn’t hear anything. She was still slowly pulling up the jumper, until…

Oh my god…

Aya mouthed to herself.

Hikaru wasn’t wearing any bra.

The jumper had lifted off to the point that she could now see Hikaru’s naked chest, her nipples sticking out towards Aya. Her chest was only slightly raised, so it wasn’t completely flat, but even the smallest bra would have trouble fitting Hikaru. The skin on Hikaru’s entire body was perfect, emitting an attractive warmth.

At this point, Aya felt herself losing consciousness, crumbling down to the ground with a thud.

“A-Aya!”

Hikaru was still stuck with the jumper halfway off her head. She quickly pulled the jumper the rest of the way off, then glanced down at her friend.

“Aya!”

Oh no! Why is Aya on the ground?! What on earth happened?!

Hikaru kneeled down to the ground, panicking, not caring that she had nothing covering the top of her body.

“Aya! Aya! Are you okay?!”

Hikaru shook Aya’s shoulders, trying to wake her up.

“Aya!!”

Instantly, footsteps started approaching from outside the door.

“I-is everything okay, young mistress?!”

Saburo’s worried voice could be heard outside the change room.

“Um!” Hikaru glanced around her anxiously, then quickly grabbed her hoodie, pulling it over her body. “I-it’s Aya! She fainted! I don’t know what happened!!”

----------------------------------------

Aya was sitting at the back of an ambulance that had parked outside the store, tissues stuffed into her nose that had started to bleed while she was unconscious. The back of the ambulance was popped open, allowing her to sit and face the outside.

“Lack of oxygen.” The paramedic standing outside the ambulance was scribbling something down on a pad in front of him.

“W-what?” Hikaru was also standing outside the ambulance, next to the paramedic. She was staring at the paramedic with a concerned face. “How can that be? We were just inside a change room!”

The paramedic put down his pad, glancing at Hikaru, then over at Aya.

“You need to remember to keep breathing, young lady.” The paramedic told Aya with a dull voice. “You shouldn’t hold your breath for no reason.”

This… this is so humiliating…

Aya smiled politely at the paramedic, but it was hard to look elegant with a bunch of tissues stuffed inside her nose.

“T-thank you… I will keep that in mind…”

Hikaru was still confused, staring at the paramedic then at Aya, as the paramedic walked away to talk to an anxious Saburo that was waiting at the side, in front of his store.

Another paramedic walked over to them, a female with a warm smile. “Are you feeling better now?” The paramedic asked Aya.

“Y-yes…” Aya replied.

“I checked your blood pressure and it is all fine. Maybe sit down and rest for a while, but, you are okay to go home any time.” The paramedic smiled, before walking off.

Yeah, as if I’m going to keep sitting here. Thank god, I don’t have to go to the hospital… it was already embarrassing enough having to explain what happened…

In fact, Aya had tried to lie about what happened, blaming something about her low blood pressure which was revealed to be not the case.

Hikaru was relieved, hearing that there was nothing wrong with Aya.

“Ah, thank goodness…” Hikaru sighed. “I thought it was something serious…”

Aya pulled the tissues out of her nose, throwing them in a bin inside the ambulance then washed her face at a water outlet that was there. She just wanted to get out of here and continue the rest of her day with Hikaru as quickly as possible.

“Come on, let’s go…” Aya said, walking out from the ambulance, patting her face dry with paper towels.

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“Okay.” Hikaru nodded, staring at Aya with a concerned look.

They walked back to Aya’s limousine that was parked behind the ambulance.

The doors popped open as they approached, and Aya allowed Hikaru to get on first, before getting on herself.

“Young mistress! Are you okay?!”

The driver turned his head, looking at Aya as she entered the limousine.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine!” Aya said in an annoyed tone, then chucked the paper towels she was holding into a bin inside the limousine.

“I called your father and told him what happened!” The driver said. “I—”

“You WHAT?!” Aya’s eyes widened, her head whirling to face the driver. “W-why would you do that, Thomas?!”

Thomas? Hikari thought to herself, then glanced at the driver, who was looking at Aya with his head turned towards them.

He was in his 50s and did look western, after all. Ah… I didn’t get to see his face properly before…

“Argh!!” Aya palmed her face, groaning. “He’s going to do something stupid…!”

“I-I’m sorry, young mistress, I just thought I should let him know…” Thomas said, then quickly raised the blinds between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat as Aya continued groaning. He was anxious, seeing Aya upset.

“Is your father really strict…?” Hikaru asked.

“No… he just… overreacts to everything…”

Aya sighed, then shook her head.

I-I can’t keep complaining about it… I have to try to refocus! I have Hikaru here with me! She’ll feel uncomfortable if I’m upset!

“A-anyways…” Aya tried to regain her composure. “I’ll tell the store to place an order for the clothes you picked out… otherwise, it might not be there again next time…”

“Thank you, Aya…” Hikaru said. “I’ll pay you back, how much do the clothes cost?”

“I don’t know.” Aya said. “I’ll let you know when they send me the receipt.”

Aya had very little sense of what money was worth. She had no idea that there was no way Hikaru would be able to afford the clothes.

Hikaru, like Aya, also had very little sense about money. She also had no idea that there was no way she would be able to afford the clothes.

“It was a really good outfit but.” Aya smiled. “I think it suited you very well!”

“Thank you.” Hikaru said, blushing. “I don’t look anywhere near as good as you though…”

“N-no way…” Aya’s face reddened, hearing Hikaru’s compliment. “Y-you’re very cute!”

Hikaru shifted on her seat, feeling embarrassed.

Aya is always so nice to me! Even though she knows that I look like nothing compared to her, she still tries to make me feel better about myself. Hikaru thought to herself. I wish I could be like Aya…

S-she’s so cute being embarrassed like that… Aya was staring at Hikaru with a red face. I want to just hug her like a doll… Oh god… control your breathing, Aya… you don’t want to faint again…

Aya glanced away from Hikaru, breathing in heavy puffs.

“A-Aya…?” Hikaru glanced up. “You okay…?”

“Um… I’m just practicing my breathing…! Since that’s what the paramedics said!” Aya said.

“I see…” Hikaru said, then glanced around the limousine. She hadn’t taken a proper look before, but there were so many gadgets inside Aya’s limousine.

Minibar, mini fridge, tables that pop up from the side, television, karaoke machine, disco balls… It was like a mini house! A mini party house!

“Um… where are we going now…?” Hikaru glanced down at her pockets, taking her phone out to look at the time. She didn’t tell her mum what time she would be getting home, and it was getting close to sunset.

“Oh, ah, do you want to come to my house…?” Aya said. “We could eat dinner… um… watch cartoons… have a sleepover…” Aya said the last part in a quieter tone.

“T-that does sound very fun…” Hikaru raised her head, her cheeks blushing.

Ah, I want to have a sleepover! I’ve never had a sleepover before! And Aya said we could watch cartoons together! Is this what it’s like to have a best friend? I’m so happy!!

“Yeah…” Aya could see that Hikaru was getting tempted. She had purposely mentioned the thing about cartoons to try to lure her into coming to her house. “It will be very fun! I have spare clothes for you, so you don’t need to worry about not having sleepwear or anything…”

“Um…” Hikaru really wanted to go, but she knew she needed permission first. “L-let me call my mum…”

With that, Hikaru pulled her phone out in front of her hastily, unlocking the phone, to call her mum.

Aya smiled to herself. Hehe… Now I can have Hikaru all to myself tonight… us two… sleeping in one bed… maybe we could even do something more than kissing—

NOOOOO!!!!

Aya turned the other way, clutching onto her head with both hands. I-I’m not a lesbian. I don’t like girls. I just want to… just want a sleepover with a friend! That’s right! It’s nothing but an innocent sleepover!

“Hello, mum?” Hikaru said as the line on the other end answered.

Hikaru’s mother was in their apartment, doing some yoga to help calm herself down from worrying about Hikaru all the time.

“Yes, what is it Hikaru?” Hikaru’s mother had her eyes closed, taking a deep breath as she listened to the yoga tape she had played on the television.

“I-I was just thinking that if I could… have a sleepover with my friend…?”

“S-sleepover?!” Hikaru’s mother snapped her eyes opened. She had spent all that time to try to relax herself, but now it was like she had wasted all her time. “W-with whom?! You didn’t even tell me who you were going out with when you went out!!”

Hikaru’s mother had restrained herself from quickly calling Hikaru straight away, to ask who she had went out with. She thought that she should have more trust in her daughter, in order to allow her to become independent. But a sleepover? This was too much for her to handle.

“I-it’s just a school friend!” Hikaru laughed weakly into the phone. “They’re a very nice person!”

Y-you think everyone is a nice person! Hikaru’s mother thought.

“Please… please, please, please tell me it’s not a guy…” Hikaru’s mother said, squeezing her eyes shut and praying to whatever god was up in heaven. Don’t let my daughter be going out with some perverted guy! She’s going to be completely taken advantage of with her personality! How will she ever get married?! Ah!! Why is it so hard being a mother?!

“It’s not a guy!” Hikaru said, and Hikaru’s mother breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s a girl! She has been taking care of me at school!”

“Well…” Hikaru’s mother was more relaxed, hearing that Hikaru was with a girl. What she didn’t know was that Aya might be more dangerous than any guy she could ever encounter. “I guess it’s fine… if it’s with a girl…”

“R-really? Thank you mum!! I love you so much!”

“I love you too, Hikaru.” Hikaru’s mother sighed. “Don’t sleep too late! And try to come home as soon as you can!”

“I will! Bye mum!!”

“Bye.”

Hikaru’s mother hanged up the phone, staring around her at the empty apartment. The yoga tape was still playing on the television.

Ah… I hope Hikaru will be safe… But, at least she won’t be taken advantage of since she’s with a girl…

----------------------------------------

Hikaru hanged up the phone, then glanced back at Aya excitedly.

“I-I can sleepover!” Hikaru said. “My mum said yes!”

“Oh, that’s great!” Aya tried to control her emotions with a smile, but she was leaping for joy inside.

“I’ve never had a sleepover before!” Hikaru said. “What do people usually do in a sleepover?”

“Well…” Aya coughed. “Um… they watch television together, eat snacks, shower together, do each other’s hair, sleep together… um, and cartoons.”

She added the last part hastily. She never actually showered with anyone during a sleepover or watch cartoons for that matter, but Aya felt that Hikaru didn’t have to know that.

“Oh, wow…” Hikaru missed the part about showering together that Aya had sneakily added. “That sounds really fun!”

Aya smiled, relieved that Hikaru wasn’t questioning her about any of what she said.

“We also tell each other about our romantic life during a sleepover!” Aya said, then hesitated. “H-have you ever had… a boyfriend…?”

Hikaru shook her head.

“Kissed anyone?”

Hikaru shook her head again.

Aya turned away from Hikaru, feeling joy pouring out. She’s so pure! Ah, I knew Hikaru would never do stuff like that!... But I haven’t done any of those stuff either…

“What about you?” Hikaru asked. “Have you ever had a boyfriend?”

“Er…” Aya turned back to Hikaru, thinking about what to say for a second. “No…”

“Kissed anyone?”

Except that time we indirectly kissed! I never even shared drinks with people up to that point!

“No…” Aya said.

“Oh, you’re like me then!” Hikaru laughed. “I don’t really want to do any of those stuff.”

Aya felt happy and disappointed at the same time. She was happy that Hikaru didn’t want a boyfriend, but disappointed that Hikaru didn’t want to kiss anyone.

“Ah, is that right…?” Aya said.

Hikaru nodded. “Well… not till I’m older anyways… Mum keeps saying that I would be taken advantage of if I make any guy friends… that’s why she doesn’t let me hang around guys…”

“That’s a good idea!” Aya said. Ah, thank you, Hikaru’s mother! Hikaru should never hang around guys… ever… “It’s never a good idea to rush into things.”

“You’re so smart, Aya.” Hikaru said. “I feel like I can take your advice for anything!”

“Y-you can!” Aya said. “Um… by the way, do you have anyone you like?”

“Anyone I like?”

“Yeah, like a guy…” Or girl, Aya wanted to say. “Or just anyone you have a crush on…”

“Um… not really…”

Aya felt happiness and disappointment again. It was a confusing feeling.

“What about you?” Hikaru asked. “Do you have anyone you like?”

Gah! She was turning the question back on me again!

“Um…” Aya thought about what to say.

“You can tell me the truth.” Hikaru said. “I won’t tell anyone!”

“Uh…” Aya glanced at Hikaru, who was staring at her with excited eyes. “Sort of…”

“R-really?!” Hikaru squealed. “W-who is it?!”

“I-it’s complicated…” Aya said. “I-I’m not really sure about my feelings yet…”

“Oh, that does sound complicated…”

“And I don’t know if that person will like me back…”

“But, you’re so beautiful and smart, Aya! Anyone would say yes to you!”

“Y-yes, that’s true, but…” Aya didn’t know why she was telling Hikaru about this. “They don’t know I like them… and they might not… accept it…”

“T-that does sound complicated…”

“People around… might also not like it…”

“Like a forbidden love?”

“Sort of…”

“So, it’s like Romeo and Juliet then?”

“Um… I guess so…”

“Wah! That’s so exciting!”

Aya laughed weakly at Hikaru’s reaction.

Ugh, what am I doing… there’s no way, right…? Why am I saying this…? Do I really like Hikaru…?

“Hikaru…” Aya called out.

“Hm…?” Hikaru glanced at Aya.

“What do you think about… being with a girl…?”