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Ruby stared at her phone. The background was a selfie she'd taken of herself and Leah, and Leah's smile was faint but sincere. They were spending more time together lately, as Leah, Sarah, and their parents were visiting family near Numazu, so whenever Leah was free, she visited Ruby and Ruby was happier than words could describe.
She rolled over onto her side and her bed sheets wrinkled beneath her. But it was only a matter of time before Leah returned home, and they lived too far apart to visit each other regularly. Ruby's fingers tightened around her phone, and from the picture Leah's bright eyes stared back at her. Every night she dreamed of Leah, holding her, kissing her, and…
Her cheeks burned as she shut her eyes tightly. She'd been reading too many romance novels again, but even though people told her she wasn't supposed to like them, she still enjoyed them, and what she loved most about them were the happy endings. Of her circle of friends, only Hanamaru knew of her love for romance novels.
As her eyes fell upon the time displayed on the screen, she stood and began to collect what she needed for yet another day out with Leah. Her fingers brushed against one of her newest romance novels, and a smile tugged at her lips. It was a lesbian romance, which she hadn't expected, and she had finally realized why she wanted more with Leah. Maybe this outing could be something like a date, but she didn't dare cross that line.
Staring into her mirror once fully dressed, she pulled her hair into her usual twin tails, and her fingers trembled. If life was like a romance novel, then maybe her happy ending with Leah could've been a certainty.
Once finished, Ruby left her bedroom and headed into the kitchen, where Dia prepared breakfast. Their parents were away on a trip, and Ruby and Dia alternated on who prepared breakfast and who prepared dinner.
When the eggs and toast were done, Ruby and Dia sat at the table and began eating. "Are you going out again today?" Dia asked.
"Yes!" Ruby exclaimed, trying to fight the blush that threatened to rise to her cheeks. "I want to show Leah-chan more around the city."
Dia smiled. "If you're with her, then I'm sure she's enjoying herself."
This time Ruby couldn't suppress her blush, but if Dia noticed, she made no comment.
After they finished breakfast, Ruby and Dia bid each other goodbye and Ruby grabbed her coat and bag as she headed outside. Although it was nearly the start of the new school year, it was still a bit cool, but the reason Ruby shivered wasn't simply because of the chill. She'd soon be going to a completely new school in a different city. She had looked forward to attending Uranohoshi because Dia had been there, and now not only had her sister graduated, she had to get used to an unfamiliar location with far more unfamiliar classmates.
She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn't worry about that now, not when Leah was waiting for her. With a deep breath to calm herself, her fingers tightened around the straps of her bag and her feet headed in the direction of where Leah was waiting for her, but she couldn't ignore the dark thoughts that nipped at her heels. She worried about her relationship with Leah too, and whether or not she could ever be honest about her feelings without losing Leah…
Ruby walked with her eyes downcast, and her heart felt heavier than ever. Even if she did confess, what if Leah didn't feel the same way? What if she couldn't? What if she was disgusted by Ruby's feelings? Ruby froze, and she tried to push that thought from her mind. She couldn't be scared. She had to be brave, she told herself. After all, she had fallen in love with Leah because they had believed in each other. So maybe, just maybe, there was a chance Leah felt the same way.
She soon came to the intersection that overlooked the beach, and she spotted Leah leaning against a lamppost. She rushed toward Leah, not wanting to make Leah wait any longer, but when Leah lifted her head and their eyes met, Ruby couldn't help but remember all her fantasies of Leah, and her mouth went too dry to speak.
Yet Leah didn't seem to notice. "Ruby," she said with a slight nod. "Good morning."
Butterflies fluttered in Ruby's stomach, and she tried to smile. "H-Hi, Leah-chan," she stammered. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
Leah shook her head, and her expression softened. "I just got here myself."
Ruby willed herself not to turn away from Leah's piercing gaze. The more Leah watched her, the more her body burned, but it was a passionate kind of burning, almost like performing a new song. Maybe the rhythm of her racing heart was a kind of song, just for Leah, she thought to herself.
They began walking together, and Leah kept close to Ruby, so Ruby constantly had to resist the urge to take Leah's hand, even when it brushed against hers. It was one thing to hold hands during a performance, but to hold hands while simply walking together like this felt far more intimate.
But Leah would soon be returning home with her sister and parents, so even if Ruby mustered the courage to be honest about her feelings, what would happen next?
"Are you sure it's all right to spend so much time with me?" she asked Leah. "What about your parents and sister?"
"My parents don't mind as long as I'm with a friend," Leah answered, and a small smile crept to her lips. "And my sister is visiting Takami-san."
As they wandered the streets, Ruby pointed out some of her favorite places to Leah, like the first ice cream shop Dia had taken her to as children, or the fabric store where she brought most of the material she used to create cute crafts. Leah listened carefully, but she kept watching Ruby so intently that despite the chill Ruby's cheeks were more than warm enough.
And sometimes, just sometimes, she swore she saw hints of a faint blush across Leah's cheeks too…
When they passed a bookstore, Leah stopped and touched Ruby's arm, and Ruby nearly jumped out of her skin. "This looks like a nice store," she said to Ruby.
Ruby couldn't help but smile. "I come here a lot with Maru-chan. Do you want to go inside?"
Leah nodded, and as they stepped inside, she asked, "What kind of books do you like?"
"Oh, um…" Ruby chewed her lip; of course Leah would ask that. It was a perfectly normal, innocent question, and yet… "Just a little bit of everything, I guess."
"I-Is that so…?" Leah replied, and maybe it was just Ruby's imagination, but she almost looked disappointed for some reason.
The bookstore was fairly small, and at this time of day there were few other customers inside. Ruby tried to keep close to Leah, wanting to see what genres Leah was interested in, but instead a new display caught her eye.
Several new releases by some of her favorite romance authors were on display around a bouquet of artificial flowers, and Ruby drew closer, trying to take a look at the titles discreetly. One cover caught her attention, of a beautiful dark-haired woman in a rose pink ball gown, and in her arms she carried a bouquet of lilies. The author was one of Ruby's favorites, and she was about to reach for the book, but a certain voice stopped her.
"Do you like romance novels?"
Ruby jolted, and Leah stood beside her. "U-Um…" she stuttered, trying to think of some way out of this mess, but then she just sighed. There was no point in hiding anymore. "Yes," she finally answered.
Leah blinked in surprise. "Then why do you sound so sad?"
Ruby gulped, and her heart pounded painfully against her ribs. "Because everyone says I'm not supposed to like them," she blurted out, and she couldn't stop herself. "That they're horrible and immature… I know all that, but I can't help it…!"
"Oh." Leah crossed her arms over her chest. "People who say that are just idiots. There's nothing wrong with liking romance novels, so if you enjoy them, that's all that matters. And besides…" She blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. "I like some romance novels too…"
"Really?" Ruby squeaked. "You too?"
Leah's blush deepened. "I mean, I've read a few and liked them, so…"
Ruby giggled as she took the novel she'd been eying into her hands. "This author is one of my favorites. I really like how she writes love confessions."
"Love confessions, huh?" Leah's cheeks were still a bright red, but she managed a smile. "That does sound like something you'd like."
This time it was Ruby's turn to blush, and she couldn't speak. What did Leah mean by that? Did she know about Ruby's feelings? Or maybe, just maybe, Ruby thought as her heart soared, Leah wanted to confess her feelings too? She clutched the book in her hands tighter, and headed toward the cash register to pay for the book, and she could barely think straight as she paid the cashier.
They left the bookstore together, falling again into a familiar rhythm, and once more Ruby's body burned the closer Leah was to her, but she also felt lighter than air. Leah liked romance novels too. She didn't think Ruby stupid or childish for liking them. Maybe Ruby could share some of the lesbian romance novels she'd read with Leah too. Her arms tightened around the shopping bag, feeling the weight of that new romance novel. Ruby also liked that author because she mainly wrote lesbian romances, usually in the style of pre-war girls' fiction, invoking a kind of gentle love she wanted to share with Leah.
Ruby and Leah soon reached a beach, and Ruby dashed forward as Leah followed carefully. The water would still be cool this time of year, so she didn't plan on swimming, but one couldn't visit Numazu without visiting at least one beach, she knew.
Yet Leah seemed skeptical. "I didn't bring a swimsuit…" she muttered.
"Oh, no, we don't need to swim!" Ruby couldn't help but laugh. "But we're famous for our beaches around here, so I wanted to show you at least one of them!"
Leah let out a sigh of relief. "It really is pretty. And you know, I wouldn't mind going swimming with you when it's warmer."
Again Ruby blushed, as she couldn't help but imagine Leah in a swimsuit. Leah, speeding through clear waters and basking in the sun, as water droplets glistened upon her bright skin… "Y-Yeah, I'd like that too…" she managed to say, her voice barely more than a squeak.
Leah turned away and stepped closer to the water. "It'd give me a reason to visit again, at least."
Ruby tensed, feeling a pang in her chest. "You'll be leaving soon, won't you?"
"By Saturday, yeah," Leah answered, her voice quiet.
Ruby clutched her hand over her heart. It wasn't as if Leah was leaving for good, she told herself, and they would still be able to call and message each other, and sometimes they would be able to visit too. But Leah was with her right now, and she couldn't even…
As she stared at Leah, so close to her yet so far, her eyes began to hurt and her chest felt as if it were about to burst.
"Ruby?" Leah now stood in front of Ruby, and her eyes were wide in worry. "What's wrong?"
"Huh?" Ruby touched her face, and she felt tears. When had she began crying? She clenched her teeth; why did she cry so often? She was in high school now, closer to graduation than not, and still she acted like a scared, needy child. But she wanted to prove to her sister that she could be fine on her own. She and the rest of Aqours had won Love Live. She'd fallen in love, and there was nothing shameful about what she felt toward Leah. So she had no reason to cry, and yet…
Carefully Leah raised her hands to cup Ruby's tear-soaked face. "Ruby, are you…?"
Ruby cried as she threw her arms around Leah, and still her tears wouldn't stop. She didn't want Leah to leave. She wanted to hold Leah and kiss her, and more. She just wanted to be with Leah, like two hearts beating as one. "Leah-chan, I love you…!"
"L-Love?" Leah repeated, her body tensing.
"Not just as a friend, but more." Ruby's heart raced as she clutched Leah's shoulders and forced herself to meet Leah's gaze. "I… keep reading all those romance novels, imagining that they're you and me, because… I want to be with you, Leah-chan!"
"Ruby…" Leah whispered, their eyes locking together for a breathless moment, and then their lips met.
They kissed, over and over. It wasn't like what Ruby had imagined, as they were both clumsy and hesitant, but Leah's lips were soft and warm, and her scent filled Ruby's nose as Ruby held her tight. That burning desire keep within Ruby grew stronger, and an intense stirring filled her.
Soon they sat on the cool sand of the beach, resting against each other with their arms linked together, and a gentle silence fell over them as they watched the waves. The taste of Leah still lingered on Ruby's lips, a taste she wanted to cherish forever.
"I don't want to leave you either," Leah said, finally breaking the fragile silence.
Ruby slipped her hand into Leah's. "I'll visit you on the first school holiday," she said quickly. "And we'll still be able to call and message each other."
Leah raised her free hand to stroke Ruby's hair. "Maybe when we graduate, we can move in together."
"That's so far away…" Yet Ruby couldn't help but smile. "We'll have time to figure everything out."
A faint smile came upon Leah's lips, and she rested her head against Ruby's shoulder. "This is like one of your romance novels, isn't it?"
"Yes," Ruby answered as her brushed her lips against Leah's soft hair. "And romance novels always have happy endings."
Eventually the girls stood, hand in hand, and their fingers laced together as Ruby drew closer to Leah for another kiss.