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Thought I'd post something I had mulling around in my head for a while. Constructive criticism is welcome Oh, and if some spellings or terms seem weird, I'm Scottish, so I use the English Dictionary. Thanks to Mirage_GSM for checking this

New Experiences Chapter 1

It's been a while since I went on a trip with friends. And even then it was only an overnight trip with Natsume. As nervous as I am about the trip though, I'm still excited.

Packing for any sort of trip is always a hassle for me though; I'm always sure I'll forget something, so I tend to over-pack. I've learned from last time though, Natsume was kinda pissed when I turned up with a suitcase. Well she would be, she only had a small rucksack with toiletries and a change of clothes.

I know the trip's longer this time, but I still tried to limit the amount of crap I packed. I even worked out with Hanako what stuff we could share or buy when we got there. Hanako. I'm still a little surprised we're doing this. We've become good friends since she joined the newspaper club, and she's come a long way since Hisao arrived, but I wouldn't have thought a few months ago I'd be going travelling around Japan with her.

Natsume was surprised as well, but she said it was good for me to do things with people other than her all the time. She's going abroad with her parents over the summer anyway, so it isn't like I had other things to do. Hanako said Lilly left for Scotland a couple of days ago, so I guess she could use the company as well.

I'm surprised at how well she's taking Lilly moving away. Before Hisao came they were inseparable, she wouldn't talk to anyone else. Maybe he's helped her more than I give him credit for. I wonder how he's taking Lilly's departure, they were going out after all. Maybe I shouldn't get too involved. I'll ask Hanako later.

I glance around my room, making sure I haven't left anything obvious unpacked. All that's left is my phone and wallet, both which go in my pocket anyway.

"Do I have my phone charger?"

After reopening my suitcase for the third time, I confirm the last of what I need is indeed packed. Along with five sets of clothes, six sets of underwear, toiletries and some things to do for the trip. Anything else can be bought when we get there.

It's only five thirty, still enough time to meet Hanako downstairs and get to the train station with time to spare.

I might as well go to her room and see if she needs help with anything. I leave my room and make my down the hall to hers. With most students gone, and the rest readying to leave, the usual hustle and bustle of the girls' dorm has all but gone. I never have been a fan of the noise, so it's a welcome change. I knock three times on her door, it isn't long before she answers.

"H-hey Naomi!"

"Hey Hanako. Packed?

“Y-yeah, I finished last night. Actually, there...there's something I wanted to ask you about...”

“Uh...alright, ask away”

She's starting to worry me now, does she want to cancel the trip. No, if she did she wouldn't have packed already, and she doesn't seem like the kind to lie. While trying to figure out what could be on her mind she motions for me to come into her room. Once the door has closed behind me, I once again realise just how bare her room is. I've been in her room before, and it has the essentials, sure, but apart from a couple of dolls and a stuffed bear on her bed there isn't much of a personal touch to the room.

No longer hiding behind the door, I get my first view of what she's wearing: a dark blue, short-sleeved dress with a lighter pair of stockings with some flat, brown shoes. The cute hat she often wears, from what I understand, to hide her scars, sits perched on the top of her head. I feel fashionably inferior in my jeans, light green top and pumps, although I once again doubt that's why she wears a hat. My attention straying from the girl in front of me, I remember why she invited me in.

“I was...wondering if there's anything I...I needed to know about, y-your...” She starts mumbling under her breath, trying to hide what she's trying to say, but I have a pretty good guess.

“If it's about my Epilepsy, you can just ask, you know, I don't mind”

She seems relieved at my words, and takes a deep breath. She composes herself and, without wavering, asks “Is there anything I need to know about your Epilepsy?”

To be honest, I'm a little relieved. I thought she was going to say something else came up and she's dropped had to drop out. Although I'm not surprised by the question. She knows I have epilepsy, and it's only natural she would want to know if there's anything she should watch out for. I even planned for this in advance.

“My medication helps keep it in check, and there are other things I watch for myself. You'll only need to help if I have a seizure” She's never seen me have a seizure, but if she follows the guidelines the Nurse gave me she should be able to cope if one happens. “I've a got a list of things you can do to help if I have one, I was going to give it to you eventually anyway, but don't worry, I've not had any big seizures for a while”

That last bit seems to have calmed her down. I'm glad. When she's calm we talk more fluidly, not that I mind her stuttering,. I think it bothers her though.

Then something comes to mind. I never considered it before, but is there anything I should watch Hanako for. She's had panic attacks in the past, although she seems to be better in social situations now, I still have no idea what to do if one occurs. Mutou usually just talked to her then escorted her to the Nurse. My turn for a deep breath. I suddenly realise why she was so nervous.

“Is there anything...anything I should know about you for the trip?” She stands still for a moment, as if to think of how exactly to word her response. She stops and starts to talk before finally telling me.

“If...I still get tense if a lot of people...stare. All I really need is somewhere quiet or time to calm down...I guess”

“That's fine, if that's all you really need. I prefer calmer places anyway, not a big fan of getting crushed by the masses” That last part entices a giggle from Hanako. I like seeing her come out of her shell, I wish she'd do it more often, she really is a nice person.

"We should leave soon if we want to get there early"

"Yeah, I'll just take my case downstairs"

I tell her I'll do the same and meet her outside the dorms. She nods and I head back for my things. Once I have my case, wallet and phone, I lock my door and head outside.

She's there already, patiently waiting with her plain black suitcase and light purple rucksack. Despite her shy exterior, I can tell by the way she waves me over she's at least a bit excited. After confirming we do indeed have everything we need for the trip, we make our way over to the main gate, dreading the long train journey awaiting us at the station.

quite a good start. persoanly, i liked seeing hanako change on her own in lillys route more then in hers so im exited to see how you relay that, and ofcourse a side refrance to lilly staying would be awesome

If I interpret the story correctly it is set after Lilly's bad end, i.e. after Lilly has left for Scotland for good.
Oh, and by the way, this post contains spoilers, but if you've read the story to get here, you should probably expect that.
Anyway, I guess this is the beginning of a longer story. Let's see what you come up with.
One small thing: In the time Naomi tells Hanako that she'll tell her later what to do in case of a seizure, she could have easily told her directly: Remove hard and/or sharp objects from her vicinity - if available replace by cushions or something similar - and keep your distance. It's really not all that complicated

Cool idea for a story. It'll be awesome to see Hanako interacting with somebody other than Hisao or Lilly, and I really like the idea of Naomi as the protagonist. I love stories about the side characters, often more than stories strictly about the story ones - it'll be cool to see what kind of story you come up with for her. This is a great start, and I'll definitely be watching this.

A few things I noted:

First, I was really confused for the first half of the story (until Hanako actually says her name) as to who the protagonist was. I got it when her name was said, and REALLY got it when she was identified as the girl with epilepsy, but before then, even with her friend mentioned, I couldn't figure out who it was -- probably because the characters are so minor that I didn't know her as much more than someone in the class, and it took something distinctive like that to jog my memory. Could an indication be thrown in earlier? Perhaps near the beginning she's packing her epilepsy medication?

Second, traveling around Japan is a big step for Hanako, at least as we know her. That's awesome! A great development, and fitting for her character at this point in the story. That said, why are they traveling? Knowing Hanako, and NOT knowing Naomi, it might strengthen the story if we're told why they've decided to go on this trip together from the get go. Are they going just for vacation as friends, or is it more business like (like for the newspaper club)?

Make sure the dialogue has punctuation at the end of it, whether it's a comma or whatever.

Some comma splices - sentences like "I knock three times on her door, it isn't long before she answers," should have a conjunction after the comma (...door, AND it isn't long before she answers), be made into two sentences (I knock three times on the door. It isn't long before she answers), or use a semi-colon or em dash instead of a comma. Commas on their own aren't strong enough to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction.

Great work on this! Can't wait to see more.

That's a pleasurable read, but for me, it reads more like an introduction ~ I can't see the plot (or rather, what the conflict / problem is, I've got no problem with a plot being surprising).
So, eagerly waiting for more!

New Experiences Ch 2

After we arrive at the the station, there's still about half an hour before the train is set to arrive. I mentally gloat to those who will undoubtedly miss the train that we will be on. The platform has a quite a few people on it, but I wouldn't exactly call it busy.

"Maybe we s-should have left later?"

"Nonsense!” I wave my hand in the air for added dramatic effect. “If we had left later, we would have somehow missed the train, and as such would have missed out on our trip." She doubts my reasoning, but doesn't argue against it.

We sit on the platform chatting idly for about twenty five minutes, as well as buying some drinks and snacks for the journey. Hanako also made some lunches for the train, so at least we don't have to waste money buying overly expensive meals.

Soon after, the train arrives on the platform a few minutes before its predicted time.

“See Hanako, we came early, and so did the train.”

“Y-your right, we almost missed it twenty minutes...ago...” Her face turns nervous after her snide remark.

I pout. Why did she have to start being sarcastic now “...don't ruin my moment...”

Realising that I'm not actually annoyed at what she said, she looks my way and sticks out her tongue.

Once we're on the train, I notice how empty our carriage is. The only others on our coach are an elderly couple quietly chatting away to themselves and a foreigner in a large green coat who bids us good evening as we walk past. After we get our cases safely stowed away, we we decide on somewhere to sit. We choose to sit near the entrance of our carriage and Hanako opts for the window seat, not that I'm complaining. Despite her new found confidence, I guess she's still shy about certain things.

“I wonder if it'll stay this quiet the whole journey?” I try and sound optimistic, but I know for a fact that a train ride this long is going to pick up more than a few passengers.

“When I came with Lilly and Hisao, the train was never full, but it still got busy.” I sigh in defeat, acknowledging a completely peaceful journey is out of the question.

“We'll see how it goes then, I'll probably try and sleep most of the trip anyway.”

“I've brought some books so I'm good.”

I've also noticed that, while she does still stutter in certain social situation, she seems more calm when we're on our own. It makes me feel kinda good that she thinks she can trust me.

That reminds me, I should give her my seizure to-do list. I reach into my right side pocket and pull out a folded piece of paper. I open and check over the list, even though I already know what's on it. Not that it would do me any good, I'd be the one having the seizure.

“I meant to give you this at the station; it's my list of things to do if I have a seizure. You could always read it when I have one, but I'd be kinda grateful if you gave it once over now.” I don't like sounding needy, especially next to one of my few friends, but I would like to be safe in the knowledge that she knows how to help me if something does happen.

She reaches out takes the paper from my hands and gently unfolds it. She looks over the list I gave her carefully, as if committing each line of text to memory. She needn’t bother, she could always look at it again, that's why I gave her a list in the first place. Although it is comforting to know she's taking this seriously.

“You don't have to look so serious, you know. It's just a 'just in case' kinda thing.”

“I'd like to think I could help you if something happened, rather than just stand there panicking and...a-and not know what to do.” I notice her wavering mid sentence, but I don't bring it up. Maybe she's had a bad experience with someone else's disability, but that's not my place to ask; some people are more private about their ailments than I am. She cares about my well being and that's all that matters.

After she finishes reading, she folds it away and puts it in her rucksack. We're using her rucksack to put things for the train ride in, which is great considering we need somewhere to store food and drinks. It also means we can put more personal items in there in case we lose our cases, such as my medication. We also have money on us in case we lose all are stuff,. Maybe I am too fussy with these kind of of things.

I somewhat regret not being able to get a bullet train to Sapporo, but if it gives us the ability to have more spending money, then it can't be that bad...right?.

After a couple more hours on the train and reading a book I borrowed from Hanako, I begin nodding off. I've never been good with vehicles, I always fall asleep on long journeys eventually. Not that it bothers me though.

Giving out a rather unladylike yawn, I turn to Hanako, and tell her I'm going to sleep. She flashes a smile my way and nods, jokingly bidding me good night.

The rhythmic motions of the trains slowly steal me away of conscious thought, slowly lulling me to sleep. The sky outside is still light, despite it being early evening. The sun slowly disappears behind the moving landscape, and with it brings the promise of the starry sky. And with that last thought, I'm gone.

I groggily sit up after my motion induced slumber. The sky is now a deep, dark blue with stars littered across the skyline. The coach is all but silent; quiet whispers filter between the passengers still awake, but remain overshadowed by the sound of the train connecting on the rails below. Hanako is partially slumped against the window, her book still sitting between her hands as the they lay idle on her lap. Having taken in my surroundings, I suddenly remember why I woke up.

“...I need to pee.”

I make my way down the carriage to the toilet we passed on the way to our seats, trying my best not to disturb the sleeping passengers. I hate train toilets, most of them smell and you don't know who or what’s been sat on the seat. Accepting my fate, I get my business done as quickly as possible and wash my hands before leaving.

Sitting back down, I notice Hanako's sleeping face as she leans against the window. Her eyelids look peaceful and her features are emphasized with each ray of light as it passes through the glass. Her mouth sits open, and a small line of drool trickles from the edge of her lips. Her breathing is steady and tranquil, giving her an air of serenity.

As the train jerks from side to side, she shifts her head towards mine; the scars on her face now squarely in my line of sight. I once felt scared or nervous to look at them, but now pay them little or no notice. I only think of them as a part of her; no more than the colour of her hair or the shade of her eyes.

“...you really are pretty...”

Thinking through what I just said, I move my body away from hers. I hope she didn't hear that. As accepting as she is of other people, I don't know if I should admit to her what I am just yet. I'm not sure how she would take it but I don't want to ruin our trip because of it.

Yay, some sort of plot is forming...and it's yuri. If you don't like yuri, don't blame me, blame Naomi.

Catgirl Kleptocracy wrote: -Not knowing who protagonist is.
-That said, why are they traveling?
-Some comma splices

Yeah, rereading it I should have name dropped her sooner, I might try changing it later. Secondly, in Hanako's route she says she's going to go travelling with Naomi, so I just ran from that. And it's a trip as friends. And as for commas, its a disease. I probably should use them less, but its hard to break habits.

Mirage_GSM wrote:If I interpret the story correctly it is set after Lilly's bad end, i.e. after Lilly has left for Scotland for good.
One small thing: In the time Naomi tells Hanako that she'll tell her later what to do in case of a seizure, she could have easily told her directly

Its after Lilly's good end actually. I worked out the time of events...kinda, and I'll reference this fact in later chapters. Technically, it all still works out because Hisao hasn't regained conciousness in hospital yet. This means he hasn't convinced Lilly to stay in Japan and as such means everyone thinks she's moved away.

very good. this is a very promising story ^^ also. awesome sauce! i hoped it would be along the lines of lillys good end, its good to know it will be. even if its not directly related.

New Experiences Ch 3

After apparently falling back into the realm of the sleep, I'm being shaken awake. The sun is too bright for my liking and the now loud voices of the other passengers is annoying at best. I sit up, and confirm it is indeed my travelling partner that's shaking me awake. After squinting my eyes to adjust to the newly discovered brightness, I bid her a good morning.

"...Ugh...wha' time is it?"

"Just past half six..." She lets out a small yawn, signalling she probably hasn't been up that long herself.

"Why did we get an overnight train again?" I ask even though we both know the reason.

"I-it was cheaper in the long run"

It's still bitter-sweet though, now we'll be tired for most of the day. At least we have a three days 'till the next train, so we get at least one day to look around after a good nights sleep.

"How long 'till we get to Sapporo?"

"That's...k-kinda why I woke you up. We have to get ready"

Wow, now I am glad I fell asleep. We begin putting our stuff back in Hanako's rucksack, and wait until it's time to get our cases.

We wait among the crowds of passengers for the doors to open. Hanako looks a little tense, but when I inquire she assures me she's fine. We step of the train and head for the front of the station. People line the platform in droves, minding no ones business except their own. Men in suits and teens on phones are especially prominent, then again it is the summer holidays. The amount of people around us dwindles until it's a fraction of what was in the middle of the station, until we're finally outside.

Hanako seems relieved as well, but probably not for the same reasons as I am. She takes off her bag and pulls out a piece of paper, with what I presume is a picture of a map to the Inn.

"Soooo...where to now?"

She points to her left tells me some rough directions, then shows me the same directions on the map. It's clearly been printed off the internet, and a think, blue line shows the direction to our lodgings Luckily, we're not far from our destination, so even without the map I doubt we'd get lost on the way there.

We head off in the direction of the Inn, looking around at the different buildings as we pass. We're not in the centre of the city, but we're within walking distance. While I have visited cities before, it's good to be somewhere new. Hanako seems to share my sentiments, although I would have thought she would be a bit more tense. I decide not to follow up on it though; if she's feeling fine then I shouldn't spoil it.

"Are we going out straight away, or are we resting for a bit first?".

"I...I'd like to r-relax for a while if, if you don't...don't mind." I wouldn't mind doing the same, I'm still tired from last night. It's still early so we have plenty of time to look around later.

"All right, I could do with a rest anyway. And don't be nervous if you don't want to do something. Just tell me, we're in this together" I say it as casually as I can. We're going to be together a lot for a while, and I'd like to think she trusts me enough to not get angry if she doesn't fancy doing something.

"There's things I can't or don't want to do as well, and I'll tell you if there is, just relax."

She nods her head and gives me a confident smile. "Okay...and thanks"

"No problem. Any time"

After chatting and taking in the sights for another ten minutes, we arrive at the hostel. It's a plain white building with a black, slated room. It looks distinctively Japanese and, from what I saw from the pictures, is quite traditional inside as well, despite the low cost.

Walking inside confirms it. It's quaint and simple, but still gives the place a nice feel. It has a small restaurant the left of the entrance as well as a check-in desk and a corridor leading of to the right. Hanako heads to the desk and gets the keys to our room without any fuss. We're apparently in room 7.

Once we're inside, we glance at what will be our home for the next few days. It's nothing extravagant, but it looks nice enough. It has the same style furniture as the foyer and has a little table in the the middle with a teapot and some free bags of tea. To my surprise there's also a small bathroom to the right, closed off by a western style stained glass door.

"It's quite nice in here, and there's even an en suite"

"I wouldn't call it an en suite, it's only a tiled room with a s-shower, toilet and stool".

"It lets me pee and have a shower, so it's an en suite. It'll sound fancier when tell people about the trip"

We share a laugh and dump our cases at the back of the room, sit ourselves around the table. I ask Hanako for the rucksack and rummage around until I locate my medication. I'm meant to take it after waking up, bit seeing as that was only around half an hour ago it should be fine. Hanako's trying not to watch me as I swallow my medication, which too be honest, makes me a little nervous. I swallow the last of them and put the plastic container back in the bag.

“It doesn't look like you enjoy them very much”

“I don't actually, but I've gotten used to them. I was offered suppositories instead, but they weren’t as convenient” At the mention of suppositories, Hanako's face turns a deep shade of scarlet. I have to admit, she...looks kinda cute when she blushes. Maybe I should change the conversation...

“Were they easier to take? The s-suppositories I mean” ...or not. I think I've turned a shade or two redder than she has.

“Um...they...I...didn't dislike them...I guess” With conversation quickly taking a route I'd rather not go down, I decide to change the subject.

“Do you want to take a shower first, we haven't washed since yesterday” Pride successfully saved.

“O-okay” I can tell she's as happy about the change in conversation as I am. Remembering I'm the one that packed the toiletries, I go over to my bag, reach in and pull out Hanako's shampoo and conditioner, both or which are apple scented. I hand them over and, after grabbing her towel, she heads for the bathroom.

With Hanako out of the room, and nothing of interest to do, I take a proper look around the room. There's a wooden cupboard next to the bathroom containing two futons, as well as pillows and bedding. Apart from that and the table, the only other thing in the room is a telephone on an small corner table. I assume it's for calling the manager, but even if it wasn't I doubt we'd use it much anyway.

As I complete my rather pointless in-depth look around the room, I hear the first bursts of water from the shower head. I instinctively look towards the sounds of running water but then almost right away look away. I may be into girls, but I'm not stupid enough to try and sneak a peak at my friend in the shower. It isn't like I don't want to, I've never actually been 'intimate' with a girl, but without the shared feelings I'd just feel dirty for doing that to her. It'd be pointless anyway; there's a blurry glass door in the way.

Apart from my parents, I've only ever told Natsume I was gay. It was about a half a year ago, and I didn't have a lot of friends. Me and Natsume spent most of our free time together, and we were really close, so I felt like I could trust her. I didn't know how she felt about this kind of thing but I was hoping she would be open minded enough to still be my friend if I told her.

I told her I wanted to talk to her and made her promise not to tell anyone else. In the back of my mind, as sad as the thought was to me at the time, I knew she would keep that promise even if she didn't like what I told her. We went into her room and sat on her bed. I didn't feel comfortable about 'coming out' in her room, but I didn't see the point in putting it off any longer. So I told her I was a lesbian. And she immediately and nervously said she wasn't. For a moment I was worried and confused about what was going on, and saw she was becoming uncomfortable. I realised her fears and assured her I didn't see her the way she thought I did. And that was it.

I could tell she was apprehensive for a while after I told her, and that she was worried it would hurt my feelings. But I assured her I didn't mind giving her time to adjust. And she did, and it was like we were closer than before. She even asked if there was anyone I liked. It was so nice having someone to talk about me with, the real me.

Coming out of my reverie, I hear Hanako opening the bathroom door. She's dressed in nothing but a dark red, almost Hawaiian, floral towel. Her hair is wet and frayed, and her shoulders glisten with the moisture from the shower. I can see the scars on her arm going up from her hand to her shoulders. Realising I've spent more than an appropriate amount time staring at her, I go to my case, and as nonchalantly as I can, fetch my towel, head for the bathroom and close the door. Why did I do that. Why would I even risk doing that. Did she see me looking? I have to calm down. Deep breaths...deep breaths. Have to keep my stress down. I turn on the shower, and in an attempt to calm down both my mind and my hormones, I loose myself in the soothing pulses of warm water.

I have to say I was pretty surprised with the way the character became. Not that I have a problem with that she's lesbian, but it just kinda took me by surprise.

Regardless, I'm loving this story. I love the pacing; it's nice and slow. Nothing seems rushed. Keep it up!

After reading ALOT of KosherBacon fanfic i read this and I'm almost expecting that lesbian twist.

Sorry.

It has still been an excellent read so far hoping for more soon!

Conflict established!

Now, time to see if you'll go for the obvious Yuri plot or will surprise us. But I like your inner monologue, so I'll be along for the ride anyway.

Thanks to Mirage_GSM for proofreading

New Experiences Ch 4

Fresh from our showers and in a clean set of clothes, we set off for a look around the city. It's not as warm as I would have liked, but at least it isn't raining. I'm wearing a long sleeved top with white and red stripes, as well as a pair of beige trousers and my pumps. Hanako is in a white top, a dark blue jacket and is wearing an equally dark pair of jeans. She's also wearing her adorable little hat. Maybe I should get a hat. It seems she doesn't feel like being brave with her clothes today. Then again, maybe it's just the temperature; it was a bit warmer yesterday evening than it is this afternoon.

We spent most of the day window shopping as well as looking into a few shops that piqued our interests. For me it was clothes shops. I'm not a big follower of fashion, but I still like getting new clothes every now and then. I bought a cute, white puffy cap. It's like Hanako's, but pudgier. And it was only ¥850!

Hanako didn't buy anything, but she still had a look around the clothes shops with me. I felt bad just going in shops I wanted, but she said she didn't mind clothes shopping, and that no other shops had caught her eye yet anyway.

After entering yet another clothes shop, rather than running off or dragging Hanako around with me, I stick with her. I have my puffy hat, plus I've had my fill of looking at what I can't buy anyway - don't want to blow my budget on the first day after all. While I'm with her, I try to pick out things she'd like, but don't actually have any idea what she's looking for; I've been searching around and trying on things in a few stores, but haven't seen her doing the same.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for? Like a brand or a style?"

"I don't r-really know. I usually just buy...long clothes, I guess" I'd be pretty a mean friend to ask why.

"But you looked pretty nice in that dress yesterday. How about we get you a new one?"

"A few people kept looking at my arm on the train, and...I just don't feel confident in a dress."

Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. I feel like a bit of a dick now, to be honest.

"I thought if I tried to wear a dress to make myself feel better, I would. But once we were away from around the school I knew it wasn't...a good idea.”

She may not feel confident in a dress, but that doesn't mean she can't wear nice clothes. There's plenty of things she could wear. I tell her as much and search around for something she would look good in while not having to feel that every ones staring at her.

I pick out various tops and trousers, skirts and and even a couple of jackets; anything I think she may like, but she looks unsure about most of them, and outright states she doesn't want to wear the rest. Maybe the jackets were a bit tacky. At least she has taste.

“How about this?” I pull up a loose, black and white striped top. “It doesn't look tacky, and the sleeves are wider at the end, so you won't sweat too much if it gets too hot. And it's on sale. SAAAAAALE!”

I love shopping.

“I...I don't know Naomi, it might show p-part of my shoulder...”

“Yeah, your left one, so it'll be fine.” She still doesn't look sure about this, maybe I am just pushing her. “If you try this one on, and you don't like it, I promise we can go.”

She agrees with a small nod and we head for the changing rooms. We head towards the available cubicles and, after being acknowledged by the attendant, Hanako heads inside. She looks back towards me and I give her a thumbs up, after which she heads inside. I wait a few minutes for Hanako to come out, but she doesn’t appear.

After another few minutes I hear her calling my name from the cubicle. I reply asking what's wrong.

“You can come in now.” I'm about to ask why she just can't come outside, but quickly decide against it. She sounds somewhat more confident now. I reply again and make my way inside.

She's standing in the cubicle, wearing the top I found for her. As well as the top, she also has a smile on her face, but there's something about it that tells me in isn't totally honest.

“Do you think I look okay in it” Yeah, she looks cute. The colour scheme also somewhat matches what she is wearing, giving it the illusion she had planned the outfit in advance. Her left bra strap is showing on the free shoulder where the top stretches, which makes me blush slightly, even though it shouldn't at this stage in my life. I wonder how I should reply to her question. Do I just say she looks nice, or will she take that the wrong way. Or should I just say what I really think?

“I think it looks good on you...” But then that nagging feeling I got when I walked in comes back. I decide to speak my mind.

“...but do you like it?”

“I'm not sure. I mean, I like it. It looks...nice.” Yay, she does like it.

“but...I'm not sure if I'll ever wear it. I like it now, sure, but...I might feel less confident once I've bought it."

I'm about to ask what she means, but she senses my question and answers before I can can.

"I bought a dress once when I was shopping with Lilly. It was nothing special, but I thought it looked okay on me. It was nice. I felt pretty. But when I wore it a few days later I noticed...people looking at me. I could hear them whispering behind my back, and...” I cut her off before she starts to get upset. She's come so far in the last month, I'm not gonna let her get herself down like this.

“But you said you were more confident now, and you are, you have been for a while. You joined the newspaper club, you came on a trip with me. I would never have imagined you doing this before. And you are pretty, so you shouldn't let those complete strangers tell you how to live your life. All you need to do is take it ones step at a time” Shit, I just called her pretty.

“You know what, I'm going to buy this top for you. That way, if you don't feel up to wearing it, you won't have lost any money. And don't bother refusing, or do you not like it?

“No, I l-like it but y...”

“There we go then. Consider it a gift. Get changed and get your butt out here”

Looking at herself in the mirror, this time with a genuine smile, I tell her I'll be waiting outside for her to get changed. While waiting for her to come out, I can't help but feel good knowing that I've made a friend happy today.

She steps out of the cubicle with the top in hand and, as if she thinks I won't notice, tries to sneak off to the checkout herself. I grab the top from her hands, and reassure her that I'm still buying it for her.

“But, you don't need to, it's not my b-birthday or anything special...”

“I'm buying it for you as a friend, because I can. End of discussion” I purposefully and mockingly block her out and buy her the top. The clerk then takes of the security tag, places the top in the bag and hands me the receipt. I hand Hanako the bag, sans receipt, which I put it in my wallet.

“Thank you Naomi”

“Your very welcome, Hanako”

The rest of the day is spent pleasantly meandering around the city, noting places we should visit tomorrow. Since the incident at the clothes shop, Hanako seems to be...well, happier. She isn't acting differently from usual, still occasionally coming to my side when a larger crowd approaches, but she doesn't seem as tense, almost as if it's simply a habit rather than a feeling that she has to stay out of the way. I can't say I don't enjoy having Hanako walking by my side. It feels pleasant. I know I shouldn't get these kinds of feelings when hanging out with her, but does it really matter? It isn't like I'm going to act on them. I just feel like I can be myself around her. Maybe I should tell her soon.

The ringing of a phone brings me out of my thoughts, and as I absent-mindedly check to see if its my own, Hanako brings hers out of her pocket.

“Hello...Oh, h-hey Lilly” She turns to me “It's Lilly”

She converses with her friend for a good few minutes, but I ignore the conversation out of courtesy. Her face changes from worry to joy from time to time, but I can't gauge what she is actually talking about.

After a few more minutes, she bids her friend good bye with a smile, saying they will talk again later. She closes her phone and puts it back in her pocket.

“What was that about? Lilly get home safely?”

She's smiling “No, Lilly decided to stay in Japan. She's not moving after all.”

“That's wonderful. Today's been good to you hasn't it, first yours truly bought you a cute top, and now this. What made her change her mind?”

“Hisao”

“Oh, how romantic. Did he chase after her all the way to the airport?”

“Yes. Yes he did” Her smile disappears for a second, but it returns as quickly as it vanished.

I wish I could have seen it. Someone chasing after the one they love; no idea what could possibly happen, not knowing if going after them will even make a difference. Not that it's enough to turn me straight or anything, but Lilly's caught herself a keeper.

Oh that was nice. Good way to draw in Lilly's good end, too.

One typo I found:

She steps out of the cubicle with the top in hand and, as if she thinks I won't notice, tries to sneak of to the checkout herself. I grab the top from her hands, and reassure her that I'm still buying it for her.

Correction: off, not of

Very nice story , kept me coming back for more , hahhaha

Cant wait for the next part of the story