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Chapter One
The room was quiet as the two girls inside it went about there separate activities. Nodoka Miyazaki sat in the lower bunk of the twin beds, her violet eyes quickly running over the pages of the old book in her hands. She was engrossed in the tale of a dark wizard and a green knight.
A short distance away Yue Ayase sat looking over her homework while sipping on a juice labeled mango mint. When she was satisfied with (or more accurately, bored of) her work she pushed back from the desk and stretched out, her hands over her head. Her eyes drifted up to the window that overlooked the desk she was working at.
Suddenly she perked up as something outside the widow caught her attention. There was a brief moment of concentrated thought visible in Yue's features. She stood quickly and strode over to Nodoka with a purposeful expression. Nodoka was so distracted by the story that she didn't notice Yue until she put her hand on the book she was reading. Then Nodoka looked up and saw the look on Yues face.
"What's..." Nodoka started to ask before being cut off by Yue.
"Negi's outside." Yue said. The instant Nodoka heard his name she felt a sudden warmth as her face went pink. Nodoka opened her mouth to respond (although she wasn't sure what she'd say) but Yue cut her off again. "He's by himself and he seems to be looking for something. You need to take this chance, go see what he needs, spend some time with him."
Yue could clearly see the panic that was building inside Nodoka. Wide eyes, a slight lip quiver, raised shoulders, Yue could tell that if she hadn't placed her hand on her book she would have raised it up in front of her face.
She needed a push.
Yue plucked the book from Nodoka's grasp marked her spot and placed it on the desk before turning back to Nodoka. Nodoka was staring at her recently vacated hands her face slowly deepening into a bright red color. Yue grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her up from the bunk. "Wait! Yue... I... I... what..." she tried to protest. Yue pretended not to hear her. She opened the door and moved Nodoka into the hall. She pulled some money from a pocket of her waistcoat and shoved it into Nodoka's hands. Nodoka stared blankly at it for a moment before looking up at Yue for explanation.
"Go to the drink machine out front, get you and him a drink. Get him one of the teas. Use it to break the ice. Quickly." Yue instructed before closing the door on Nodoka's slightly confused and very red face.
Yue took a step back and waited a moment listening to see if Nodoka would try to come back in. After the clock had ticked off a minute she felt satisfied and went over to the window. She quickly caught sight of the young teacher in the open area in front of the dorms. He glanced at something in his hands before looking around. From the distance Yue had some trouble making out his expression but he seemed to be confused.
Negi glanced at the dorms and for a moment; Yue felt he was looking right at her. Her heart skipped a beat but she tried to put that out of her mind as he glanced back at whatever he was holding. She listened as the clock ticked off more and more time. She began to wonder where Nodoka was. She sincerely hoped Nodoka wasn't standing outside the door with a handful of yen and a flushed face.
She almost got up to check when she saw Nodoka rushing at Negi. Yue smiled, that smile lasted right up until the moment Nodoka tripped and collapsed right on top of Negi.
Suddenly Yue was questioning the wisdom of sending Nodoka out by herself. She watched what followed with bated breath. Nodoka lay on top of Negi for a long moment. Then it looked to Yue like she was offering Negi a drink while still laying on top of the professor. Then it was clear that Negi was laughing. Yue couldn't tell if that was good or bad, she looked at Nodoka. Her shoulders relaxed, relieved. A good sign.
Eventually they both made it to there feet. Even from here she could see the red of Nodoka's face. That was unsurprising. What surprised her was the pink of Negi's face. But again that was a good sign.
She watched as Negi showed Nodoka whatever it was he was holding. She seemed to study it for a moment before stiffening up and flushing even redder. Then she pointed off towards the restaurant district of Mahora. She didn't know what it meant but it could go very well for Nodoka. If she kept her head she could well be going on an impromptu dinner date.
Yue smiled hopefully and watched the two until they disappeared down the road.
"They look good together." Yue leaped at the sudden voice in her ear. She hadn't heard Haruna enter much less start watching over her shoulder. It was surprising just how silently she could move about.
"Not bad for your first time playing match maker," Haruna commented.
Yue wasn't sure how to respond so she turned her attention back to her juice carton; she quickly found it was empty. She stood, "I'm going to get myself another juice," she said in her usual monotone voice.
"You've earned it," Haruna said with a smirk.
A short distance away Yue Ayase sat looking over her homework while sipping on a juice labeled mango mint. When she was satisfied with (or more accurately, bored of) her work she pushed back from the desk and stretched out, her hands over her head. Her eyes drifted up to the window that overlooked the desk she was working at.
Suddenly she perked up as something outside the widow caught her attention. There was a brief moment of concentrated thought visible in Yue's features. She stood quickly and strode over to Nodoka with a purposeful expression. Nodoka was so distracted by the story that she didn't notice Yue until she put her hand on the book she was reading. Then Nodoka looked up and saw the look on Yues face.
"What's..." Nodoka started to ask before being cut off by Yue.
"Negi's outside." Yue said. The instant Nodoka heard his name she felt a sudden warmth as her face went pink. Nodoka opened her mouth to respond (although she wasn't sure what she'd say) but Yue cut her off again. "He's by himself and he seems to be looking for something. You need to take this chance, go see what he needs, spend some time with him."
Yue could clearly see the panic that was building inside Nodoka. Wide eyes, a slight lip quiver, raised shoulders, Yue could tell that if she hadn't placed her hand on her book she would have raised it up in front of her face.
She needed a push.
Yue plucked the book from Nodoka's grasp marked her spot and placed it on the desk before turning back to Nodoka. Nodoka was staring at her recently vacated hands her face slowly deepening into a bright red color. Yue grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her up from the bunk. "Wait! Yue... I... I... what..." she tried to protest. Yue pretended not to hear her. She opened the door and moved Nodoka into the hall. She pulled some money from a pocket of her waistcoat and shoved it into Nodoka's hands. Nodoka stared blankly at it for a moment before looking up at Yue for explanation.
"Go to the drink machine out front, get you and him a drink. Get him one of the teas. Use it to break the ice. Quickly." Yue instructed before closing the door on Nodoka's slightly confused and very red face.
Yue took a step back and waited a moment listening to see if Nodoka would try to come back in. After the clock had ticked off a minute she felt satisfied and went over to the window. She quickly caught sight of the young teacher in the open area in front of the dorms. He glanced at something in his hands before looking around. From the distance Yue had some trouble making out his expression but he seemed to be confused.
Negi glanced at the dorms and for a moment; Yue felt he was looking right at her. Her heart skipped a beat but she tried to put that out of her mind as he glanced back at whatever he was holding. She listened as the clock ticked off more and more time. She began to wonder where Nodoka was. She sincerely hoped Nodoka wasn't standing outside the door with a handful of yen and a flushed face.
She almost got up to check when she saw Nodoka rushing at Negi. Yue smiled, that smile lasted right up until the moment Nodoka tripped and collapsed right on top of Negi.
Suddenly Yue was questioning the wisdom of sending Nodoka out by herself. She watched what followed with bated breath. Nodoka lay on top of Negi for a long moment. Then it looked to Yue like she was offering Negi a drink while still laying on top of the professor. Then it was clear that Negi was laughing. Yue couldn't tell if that was good or bad, she looked at Nodoka. Her shoulders relaxed, relieved. A good sign.
Eventually they both made it to there feet. Even from here she could see the red of Nodoka's face. That was unsurprising. What surprised her was the pink of Negi's face. But again that was a good sign.
She watched as Negi showed Nodoka whatever it was he was holding. She seemed to study it for a moment before stiffening up and flushing even redder. Then she pointed off towards the restaurant district of Mahora. She didn't know what it meant but it could go very well for Nodoka. If she kept her head she could well be going on an impromptu dinner date.
Yue smiled hopefully and watched the two until they disappeared down the road.
"They look good together." Yue leaped at the sudden voice in her ear. She hadn't heard Haruna enter much less start watching over her shoulder. It was surprising just how silently she could move about.
"Not bad for your first time playing match maker," Haruna commented.
Yue wasn't sure how to respond so she turned her attention back to her juice carton; she quickly found it was empty. She stood, "I'm going to get myself another juice," she said in her usual monotone voice.
"You've earned it," Haruna said with a smirk.
