Chapter Nineteen: Don't Run

Once her role on stage was complete, Kanako had to move quickly. "C'mon Kana-chan, hurry!" Chiyo called to her. With the gal's assistance, Kanako was able to get off her dress and most of the makeup in only a minute or two. Right after, she practically flung on her uniform, although she did take the time to fix her bow and make sure it was presentable.

"H-How do I look?" she asked Chiyo. "Like a girl ready to confess," the gal said back. "Now go, before Haru-chi gets back here." "Right!" Kanako said, going to leave but then stopping. "Hey Chiyo?" "Yeah?" "Thanks," Kanako said with a shy smile. "Just make sure you get her to listen this time, okay?" Chiyo said back. "I will," Kanako said, determined.

This was it. After having practiced for so many hours and crashing another class's play, the moment Kanako had been waiting for was here. All that was left was to go to the bonfire and get Haruna to meet her there. In order for that to happen, Kanako had agreed to let Chiyo handle directing Haruna. All Kanako needed to do was wait.

Of course, if she had wanted to move a little faster, she could've forgone getting changed. After all, Sydney Alto was a character that was meant to exude sex appeal. With the way she had been dressed, Kanako had easily looked like a knockout. However, something about that hadn't felt right. It almost felt like she'd be confessing as someone else, instead of herself. That was why she made sure to get back into uniform. She wanted to be 100 percent Kanako Nakatomi when she finally confessed.

Leaving Haruna to Chiyo had also been a part of that. Kanako wanted to make sure Haruna came as herself as well. It wasn't as if she didn't look handsome dressed as George Alto, it was just that Kanako didn't fall in love with that person. Perhaps it was selfish of her, but she wanted to see Haruna, and only Haruna.

Reaching the doors, Kanako headed outside, making her way through the slowly building crowd until she eventually stopped at around the far edge of the school's property. It was close enough that she could still be seen, but not so close that people would stare. There would be plenty of people confessing tonight, which meant plenty of watchful eyes, but honestly, Kanako didn't want that either. It was one thing for people to stare at her and Haruna holding hands, but she didn't particularly like the idea of her confession being made into a spectacle.

However, she also couldn't resist the pull of the bonfire. It was, of course, a great spot to confess. So, Kanako decided to set up as far from the crowd as she could without losing the romantic touch of the flames.

*****

At Iwanai High, there was a tradition. At the end of each cultural festival, a square-shaped stack of logs was set up and then lit ablaze to celebrate both the end of the festival and the hard work the students and staff had put in to make it a success. Unlike most schools, there weren't any rumors or stories about the bonfire (even though plenty of students tried to get one to catch on).

But, really, it didn't need one. There was an understanding about the bonfire. It was a night to celebrate, certainly, but it was also the night to perhaps find love. Being asked to be spoken with was a big enough deal, while being asked to dance might as well have been a confession in and of itself. Many individuals saw fit to leave the rumors and stories out of it, instead allowing the romanticism of it all to seep into everyone it touched.

So, throughout the week, there had been many bold students trying their hand at romance. Some asked to talk, while others asked to dance, and now, here in the soon-approaching night, they began making their moves.

Kanako watched on as the sun began to sink and the crowd grew in size. The fire was going strong, and with each passing moment, it seemed to glow brighter and brighter. "Ah, there goes another one," Kanako thought as she watched a boy and girl talk with very animated movements near the bonfire. Even with the heat next to them, it was easy to tell why both of their faces were red. Kanako couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "I wonder…" she thought. "Will that be me soon?"

While she had practiced her lines for the play, her confession had been left for the moment. She didn't want to plan what she was going to say. All Kanako was going to do was speak from her heart. As long as she said the most important words during that, she was sure her feelings would reach Haruna. "...as long as she sticks around anyways…" Kanako thought somewhat bitterly.

She felt the pangs of Christmas night. Would tonight be the same? Would she be able to get the words out before Haruna misunderstood or ran away again? At the moment, that was Kanako's biggest fear. What if she messed up again? Last time, she hadn't been able to move, and when she finally did, it had very nearly been too late.

"...But I moved," Kanako thought, finding her resolve once more. She had been ready to sink and wallow in her own failures, but instead, the people around her had given her the pushes she needed to go on. The blow that had been dealt to her on that terribly fateful night had certainly hurt a lot, but it also helped to show that compared to Kanako's feelings, it couldn't even hold a candle.

After being picked up, she chased. Was it frustrating? Most of the time, if Kanako was being honest. However, the heart is delicate, and as she learned, Haruna's especially was. It was something she wouldn't have expected of her, but once Kanako knew, she did her best to keep it in mind. So instead, she tried to chip away at Haruna and all of her fear and doubt.

Had it worked? Had her efforts done any good? Kanako wanted to believe so. She wanted to believe so much that she had managed to convince Haruna through her actions that she wasn't going to reject her. It was in fact, so far the opposite. Kanako wanted all of Haruna. If she could convey that in her words tonight, she was sure that would be enough.

*****

Outside in the slowly warming air, Haruna took short steps toward where Kanako was waiting. Along the way, she got various compliments on her performance, to which she gave small "thank you's" to before moving on. Already, the celebration was nearly in full swing, with a lot of the students already milling about. The sun didn't have much left to go either, bringing out the starry sky with its departure.

Step by shaky step, Haruna got closer. Her doubts would not cease. Her mind and heart both raced. Sweat formed on both her palms and forehead, and she was sure it had little to do with the heat of the fire not far from her. In essence, this was confrontation. The time had come when she had to confront the storm of emotions inside her. Would listening to Kanako put an end to it? Haruna didn't know, but, secretly, she hoped. She allowed a small amount of hope to appear and held onto it with everything she had.

By the time she reached the girl ahead of her, it felt like minutes had turned into hours. Upon approach, Kanako had her back to it all, but as soon as she heard someone coming, she turned. It wasn't a quick whip-around, nor was it done with any amount of urgency. Instead, it was smooth, gentle, and calm. When she faced Haruna, she simply stood there, a kind smile hanging on her lips.

"Hi Haruna," she said sweetly. "Um… h-hey…" the other girl responded meekly. The two of them stood face to face now, no more than two feet separating them. "You did great in the play," Kanako said calmly. "Y-Yeah, thanks- hey, wait a minute! You owe me an explanation!" Haruna shouted, momentarily distracted by the mention of the play. However, Kanako only shook her head. "I'll get to that later." "But-"

"Haruna."

The way her name came out of Kanako's mouth made her freeze. Had she stopped her own protest out of fear? Joy? Anticipation? Haruna had no idea anymore. The feelings inside of her raged to and fro, threatening to carry her heart and mind into dangerous territory. Truly, the only feeling she could grasp... was panic.

Not knowing any of this, Kanako continued. "There's… something I've been meaning to tell you… something I've been… trying to tell you." With each word she spoke, Haruna could tell Kanako was putting thought into all of it. Each phrase came out slow, but as she went on, it seemed like Kanako's confidence grew.

"On Christmas, when you ran away from me… I know I should've stopped you." Regret streaked across Kanako's face. "If I had just reached out then, then maybe… maybe things would've been different." Each phrase brought Haruna more panic. Her pulse was at levels she hadn't thought possible. She wanted… to run. So badly, she wanted to run away.

"Haruna," Kanako continued. "I-" Haruna took a step back. She was trembling. "I can't do this," she thought. "I'm too scared." It was irrational. Ridiculous even, at this point. A part of Haruna knew that, and yet she just couldn't shake that feeling that made her want to flee. However, perhaps all of that shown on her face. Across from her, Kanako's eyes went wide. Then, before Haruna could take even one more step back, Kanako's hand reached out and caught hers.

"DON'T RUN AWAY FROM ME!"

Kanako said those words with such desperation her voice nearly went ragged. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Her grip, so tight on Haruna's hand, also felt incredibly warm.

"Ah…"

This was it. This was what Haruna had been searching for. A hand to pull her out of the storm.

"Don't go where I can't reach you! Stay!" Kanako shouted. "Listen to me! Listen… to my feelings…" Her voice trailed off. Taking Haruna's other hand, Kanako put them together and clasped them with her own. Though she was aware of her own shaking, Haruna also became aware of Kanako's.

"For so long… for so, so long, I wanted one thing. It wasn't a career, and it wasn't some big goal either. Looking back, it wasn't even Akio-kun. When we had that big fight, and we weren't friends anymore, I wished… I wished every day that you'd come back to me... And then, one day, a miracle happened."

Tears began to run down Kanako's face. Looking right up at Haruna, she gave a smile. It appeared weak on the surface, but there were clearly strong feelings behind it. "You did," she said. "You came back, through the weirdest of circumstances. Our reunion wasn't really all that happy at first, but we managed to get through it in the end."

"And then, so much happened. We still fought, but we also laughed. We cried, but we also both found something. On that day in the classroom when you told me you loved me, I really didn't know what to do. It felt like my world had been flipped upside-down."

"But, once you told me, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The more I thought about it, the more my heart started to change. Before I knew it, my head was filled with you. These feelings that I've found have taken me over entirely, and you know what? I'm perfectly okay with that, because… you feel the same way, don't you Haruna?"

Finally being addressed, Haruna stared. If she had been able to see her own face, she would've seen that she was crying as well. "...B-But…" she said weakly. "Is that okay?" "Is what okay?" Kanako asked, a little confused by the question. "Is it…" Haruna said quietly. "Is it okay that I love you?"

"Yes," Kanako said easily.

"Even though I kept hurting you?"

"You're forgiven."

"E-Even though… I keep running away?"

"Then I'll keep chasing after you," Kanako said, putting as much warmth behind her words as she could. "Because with all of my heart, with all of my mind and with all of my soul Haruna…"

"I love you."

Haruna tensed up. Her face scrunched. Tears kept pouring out, alongside of Kanako's. "I…" she uttered. "I love you too!"

The storm was over. With clear skies in her head and heart, Haruna could no longer hold herself back. Slipping her hands out of Kanako's grasp, she wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her in tight. "I love you!" she said again. "I love you Kanako! I love you!" In response, Kanako returned the embrace, reaching one hand up to gently stroke the back of Haruna's head. "I love you too," she whispered. "More than even I know."

In the soft shadows left by the bonfire, the two girls held each other for some time. Neither wanted to let go of the other. But, after a bit longer, a song began to play behind them. "Okay everyone, it's that time of night!" a voice said over the speakers. "Grab that special someone you brought with you tonight and link your hands, because it's time for the slow dance!"

Upon hearing that, Kanako let go of Haruna. She took one step, then another, before turning around again to face her new partner. Reaching out a hand, she smiled. "Wanna dance?" she asked with a bit of a laugh. "I'm not really much of a dancer," Haruna admitted. "That's okay," Kanako said. "Neither am I."

Coming closer once more, Kanako took Haruna's left hand into her right, and placed her other hand at Haruna's waist. "Come on Haruna, put your hand here," Kanako said, motioning to her own waist. "R-Right," Haruna said nervously. Seeing that reaction, Kanako smirked. "No need to be shy," she cooed, quickly reaching up and grabbing Haruna's free hand. Just as fast, she placed it on her hip. "There!" Kanako said happily as she put her own hand back. "You don't need to be so aggressive," Haruna muttered. "Hm? It's not like you have to be nervous about touching me," Kanako said slyly. Getting up on her tiptoes, she gave Haruna a wry grin. "After all, you can touch me all you want now."

"K-Kanako!" Haruna yelped. "Since when do you say things like that?" "Hm, maybe Sydney rubbed off on me," Kanako joked. "That's just a character!" Haruna retorted. "You've probably been spending too much time with Chiyo." "Haha, maybe," Kanako said. But, as they joked and laughed, they both wore permanent smiles on their faces as they swayed back and forth to the music. After all, both of them were tremendously happy.

*****

On the other side of the bonfire, Chiyo stood by herself with a satisfied look on her face. "Finally," she said to herself. "Finally what?" a voice said behind her. "Gah!" the gal let out as an arm wrapped around her shoulders. "H-Hey big sis." With a good grip on her little sister, Chitose stared at her. "So that's what all of that on stage was about huh?" she said, motioning toward the new couple. "W-Well," Chiyo sputtered. "Yeah…" "Always the matchmaker," Chitose said with a sigh. "Y'know, if ya could've seen Mi-chan in the audience, ya would've wished ya hadn't done that switch." "Huh? Mi-chan?" Chiyo said, surprised to hear the girl's name. "Yeah, we sat together. Man, the look on her face when you walked out on stage was priceless," Chitose said. "I'm sure she was just surprised to see me on stage wearing another revealing dress," Chiyo said back in a demeaning tone.

Chitose let go of her sister. "Guess you'll have to find out for yourself." "What does that mean?" Chiyo asked. "Well, Mi-chan's lookin' for ya, so you can ask her when ya see her," Chitose said. "I'm heading home. Don't stay out too late." "Okay, see you at home…" Chiyo said as she watched her big sister walk away. "Mi-chan's looking for me?" she repeated to herself. "It's not like it'd be hard to find me. If she started looking after the play, then where is she?"

*****

In a hallway on the first floor, Michi paced. She had originally set out to talk to Chiyo immediately and confront her about her sudden switch with Kanako, but as Michi had been making her way to the gal, she slowly realized that her original purpose and her feelings weren't quite lining up.

Sure, she was angry that Chiyo had essentially thrown away all of her hard work, but Michi could tell there was more than that. For some reason, she felt more bothered by the fact that the girl who had looked so dazzling on stage to her had suddenly been replaced. It wasn't as if Kanako was bad. In fact, Michi could admit she had done quite well in her surprise role. Rather, her irritation was due to the girl she wanted to see no longer being there.

Having that realization made Michi both even more irritated and confused. Chiyo was her friend, but that didn't mean she wanted to see her. Usually it was better if she didn't have to deal with the gal. It certainly made her day a lot more peaceful. So, why was it that whenever Chiyo wasn't around, Michi felt so lonely? If she didn't want her around, then getting just that should've been a good thing.

And yet, it had gone beyond that. Michi now not only wanted Chiyo around, but she looked forward to the gal's appearances. She would never admit it, nor would she ever admit that she had actually been a bit excited to see Chiyo perform. Her solo performance had been so good the previous day, so Michi was curious to see if Chiyo could act too. As soon as she had stepped onto the stage, it hadn't taken long to find an answer to that curiosity.

Understanding all of this, Michi found it incredibly difficult to face Chiyo. "What will I even say to her now?" she wondered. "I had only planned to lecture her about what she did, but now…" ...What? What exactly was it that Michi wanted to say to Chiyo? Was it words of admonishment? Words of praise? Or, perhaps it was something else entirely. Once again, Michi was trying to look for answers deep within herself, in an area she understood very little. Of course, if she did understand, she wouldn't have to be looking for answers in the first place, because she'd already know them.

The cultural festival. The play. Chiyo's song. Each of these things piled onto the last, creating a larger and larger mountain of confusion inside of Michi. She called Chiyo her friend, but something about that label felt not quite right. She was annoyed by the gal, but her presence also brought Michi comfort. Chiyo could say the most pointless things, but sometimes, her words were so sweet that Michi felt like she could listen to her talk like that for hours.

What was it about Chiyo Wakabayashi? Why did she have such a profound affect on Michi's life? It was the biggest question the girl wanted an answer to. She had known Kanako for years, and yet their relationship had always remained even (until recently). Mayu and Itsuki were much the same, if not even less eventful.

So then why? What made Chiyo so different from them? Sure, her appearance was nearly the opposite of those three, and her personality was very bright and energetic… "But that's not really true, is it?" Michi thought.

Bright, but inside, fearful. Energetic, but at the same time, worried. For every surface-level description one could give Chiyo, there was a counter that rang just as true. It wasn't as if she was one or the other. In reality, she was both. Most of the time, she was honest with her feelings, but every now and then she put on a fake smile to hide her real feelings. Whenever Michi saw that, it always created a horrible feeling inside of her.

It wasn't anger, nor was it annoyance. All it came down to was that Michi hated to see Chiyo suffer. Whenever she saw that fake smile, Michi felt a desire to do something about it. She had no idea if she could really change anything, but it was better than just letting Chiyo go on as she buried her own feelings.

There, yet again, was something else that seemed to draw Michi to Chiyo. Her contradictory nature, her hidden feelings, and also, the depth of her heart. Perhaps what stood out the most were the gentle moments the two had shared.

Chiyo telling Michi about her past. Michi crying to Chiyo when she was hurt. The song the gal had sung that a whole crowd heard, but was only meant for one. Over and over, Chiyo had touched Michi's heart in ways she had never thought possible. Certain possibilities she would continue to deny, but there was no way for her to turn away from the truth.

Chiyo had changed her life. It bothered her, to be honest, considering how opposed Michi was to change. However, her stubbornness also had its limits. "Why…" she muttered. "Why is it you…" Was it a question, or merely a wondering? Michi had no idea. But, as she now stood still, she finally knew at least one thing she wanted to say to the gal that had barged into her life.

Just as she did, Michi heard music playing in the distance. "Ah, right. The bonfire." Several of Michi's other friends had invited her to go, but Michi hadn't been planning on attending. She had originally planned to just watch Chiyo's play, tell her she put on a good show, and then leave. But… "I wonder… if she's there…"

Slowly, Michi picked up her feet. Step by step, she went down the hall, coming ever-closer to the doors that would lead her to the one she sought.

*****

Chiyo continued to watch Haruna and Kanako from a distance, content with letting them have their moment. "I'm happy for them," she thought. Although, for as much as she hated to admit it, there was a tiny speck of jealousy mixed in. It was small, but its voice still carried in her heart. "I wish… I could have something like that."

For Haruna and Kanako, who had gone through so much already, it seemed only natural that they'd end up together after viewing things through a romantic lens for so long. However, Chiyo's love was different. Her history with Michi was short, and while some girls might be open to the idea of dating other girl, it was clear that Michi was ostensibly opposed. Her stance wouldn't budge an inch.

Through her own efforts, Chiyo hoped that she was chipping away, but there was really no real way for her to tell. Michi was hardly ever honest with her feelings, after all. Even if Chiyo was making progress, it would be impossible for her to know how much.

It was a love destined to be unrequited. So stubborn, so resistant was Michi that Chiyo was sure she had no chance. Even still though… she just couldn't let go of her feelings. The way Michi spoke to her with absolutely no sugarcoating of her words. The way she gets flustered when Chiyo pushes the limits of their relationship. The fact that deep down, Michi cared more deeply about the people around her than Chiyo had ever seen. These were the qualities that Chiyo fell in love with, over and over again.

She wanted more. She wanted so badly to have Michi at her side, always. However, that was probably impossible. After high school, they'd probably split up, and after that, Chiyo wasn't really sure if Michi would be willing to keep in touch. "Then again, if I bug her about it, she probably would be," Chiyo thought.

In the end, her deepest desires would probably go unfulfilled. But that was okay. For Chiyo, the girl who had been manipulated, lied to and thrown away by so many others, having someone in her life that chose to care for her as much as Michi could… that was enough. It was enough… it had to be enough. "Because there's no way… she'll ever accept me," Chiyo thought sadly.

"Why're you staring at the fire like that? It's weird," a voice suddenly said. Turning, Chiyo saw the very girl she had been thinking about standing next to her. "Kya!' the gal shrieked uncharacteristically. "Kya?" Michi repeated, surprised. "Did I actually startled you?" "N-No! Not at all!" Chiyo said, although her pouting face betrayed her words. Seeing that, Michi let out a small laugh. "That's what you get for always teasing me."

For a moment, the two of them stood in silence as the people ahead of them danced to the music. "...So, are you gonna yell at me?" Chiyo asked. "...I was," Michi said. "But I guess it doesn't really matter anymore… although… I wish… you would've been out on stage just a little longer." Hearing Michi say that caught Chiyo off-guard. "You liked watching me?" she asked. "O-Only a little!" Michi quickly said back.

It became quiet between them again. "...Hey," Michi said. "Speaking of being on stage… I wanted to ask you something." "Ask me what?" Chiyo asked. "That song you sang yesterday… you said it was for me, right?" Michi asked quietly. "...Yeah…" Chiyo answered. "I… don't want you to ever sing that song again," Michi said, her voice getting quieter. "...What?" Chiyo let out.

After putting so much effort into writing that song, Chiyo wanted to sing it everywhere. She wanted to be able to sing to everyone all about her feelings for Michi since she would never be able to say them to the girl herself. Feeling her anger rising, Chiyo was about to protest, but before she could, Michi's next words stopped her dead in her tracks.

"I don't want anybody else to hear it. It's for me, isn't it? S-So… I should be the only one who gets to hear you sing it."

Perhaps it was because of the lighting, or maybe the flickering fire was playing tricks on her eyes, but Chiyo swore she saw Michi blushing after saying that. It was different than all of the others times. Usually, it took Chiyo instigating her to get a reaction like that. Now, here Michi was, saying something like that on her own, and blushing all the while.

Was everything Chiyo believed wrong? She had thought she didn't stand much of a chance, but now, her crush was standing next to her making such a selfish request. Not only that, but it was one that, whether she realized it or not, brought some of her feelings to the surface and onto her face.

Seeing Michi like that, Chiyo couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed herself. "A-Alright…" she said shyly. "If that's what you want, Mi-chan." "Yeah…" Michi said softly. Then, before things could get more awkward between them, the next song started. It was slow, as it was still the portion of the night for slow-dancing.

"Hey Mi-chan," Chiyo said. "Wanna dance?" "No way," Michi said flatly. "I can't dance, and besides, even if I could, you're way taller than me. It'd be impossible." The word 'impossible' echoed in Chiyo's ears. It had only been moments ago that she had believed her love was impossible, and yet she had somehow gained a sliver of hope. With that new bit of confidence, she grabbed Michi's hand.

"Ah, h-hey!" Michi protested. "You'll never unless you try!" Chiyo said back with a beaming smile. "So c'mere Mi-chan!" With a strong tug, she pulled Michi in, all the way until they were nearly pressing against each other. "C-Chiyo!" Michi exclaimed. "This isn't going to work!" "Sure it will!" Chiyo said back happily. "Look! See, you put your one hand here…" "W-W-Whoa!" Michi cried. "M-My hand is touching your butt!" "It can't be helped with the height difference," Chiyo said slyly. "Now, I put my hand here." "W-W-Where do you think you're touching?!" Michi shrieked as Chiyo's hand rested dangerously low on Michi's back. "It's just your back Mi-chan," Chiyo said casually. "Or did you want me to go lower?" "J-Just let me go you harasser!" Michi cried.

"No way," Chiyo said, her tone suddenly becoming serious. Looking up, Michi's eyes met Chiyo's. "I'm never letting you go."

BA-THUMP!

Michi heart hit hard against her chest. "...What… was that?" she thought, though she could barely manage that much. Her mind felt like it was melting, and it felt like her body could just fall into Chiyo's. Michi's face was hot, and it wasn't just because of the fire. Then, as hard as she could, she pushed those feelings down. Something told her that acknowledging them would bring her nothing but trouble. However, the lid that had been covering them had been knocked askew. Trying to rein them all back in would be next to impossible.

"...F-Fine…" Michi muttered. "Hey, can I take your other hand now?" Chiyo asked gently. "W-Why are you asking now, stupid?" Michi said, keeping her gaze averted. Reaching out, Chiyo linked her other hand with Michi's. Easily, she began intertwining their fingers. "H-Hey! You don't need to hold my hand like that!" Michi yelled. "I can't?" Chiyo asked, her face conveying her hope and feelings. That expression killed Michi's resistance. "Just… just this once…" she mumbled.

Together, they swayed with the music, one girl finding a new hope for her love, and the other trying to understand what was happening inside of her.

*****

"Okay everybody, I hope you couples had fun with that!" a voice said over the speakers. "Now, if you you weren't so luckily to find that special someone, we've got just the pick-me-up for you!" What started to play was a song with an upbeat tone and a lot of energy. Some people started to dance, although it really did look like a gathering of individuals who had just gotten rejected.

Having had their fill of dancing, Haruna and Kanako separated, although they still held hands. "...I'm happy," Kanako said. "Yeah, same here," Haruna said. "Although, I wish this hadn't taken so long." In response, Kanako shook her head. "The amount of time doesn't matter. All that does is that we're together now." Turning, Kanako faced Haruna. "You're my girlfriend now, and I'm yours. Regardless of what happened, our feelings still reached each other." "Y-Yeah, I guess you're right," Haruna said, feeling a little bashful after being called Kanako's girlfriend.

"Hey you two!" Chiyo called as she walked up to them. Following behind her was Michi. "Ugh, why are you two holding hands? I thought Endo-san was avoiding you Kana-chan?" Michi said with visible disgust. "W-Well-" Kanako began to say, unsure of how to explain. There was no way she could tell Michi that she and Haruna had officially started dating.

"Huh? But we were just holding hands a second ago, and you always try to avoid me," Chiyo pointed out, quick to pick up on the situation and trying to distract Michi. "W-We weren't holding hands!" Michi shouted, now distracted. "We were only dancing!" "U-Um, Mi-chan, are you okay?" Kanako asked. "Your face looks pretty red." "IT IS NOT!" Michi yelled loudly. "Whatever! I'm going home!"

Flustered so many times in such a short time span, Michi stormed off, unable to handle anymore. As she did, Chiyo stared after her. "You could be next you know?" Kanako said kindly. "...Nah. I'm sure she just got swept up in the atmosphere," Chiyo said back, a somewhat sad look on her face. However, her mood quickly changed.

"Anyways, congrats!" she said. "Looks like you two are finally together!" "Y-Yes," Kanako said sheepishly. "Thank you for all of your help Chiyo." "No prob!" Chiyo said happily. "I'm just glad it all worked out. And Haru-chi, it looks like you finally stopped running away." "S-Shut up…" Haruna muttered. Admittedly, the truth was that she almost had anyways, but this time, Kanako had stopped her.

The girl who ran and the girl who chased after her. After so long, it was only fitting that one finally caught the other.

End of Chapter Nineteen.