bougainvillea spectabilis (ycsh)

[ bougainvillea spectabilis ]

The member of Edels usually spend her lunch time at the student council room. The cafeteria is big and there are other spots to use like rooftop or the school grounds, but the five will likely gather there.

Michiru would snack her walnut and leave quick, except when she is engaged in a conversation with Akira. Yachiyo and Mei Fan would grab their grub from the cafeteria since it got wide selection of food from Chinese, Japanese, even Western foods. Yachiyo would comment on how the flavor changed sometimes, much to everyone’s surprise. Yachiyo seem to be keen on even slightest detail, so Shiori concurred. Akira would snack on her Reaper chips, or taking any spicy food with her like spicy udon or extra hot mapo tofu. She will talk normally like there’s no single spice in her food, everyone is awed and didn’t say anything else.

Meanwhile for Shiori, she is quite flexible. If she wanted to make her lunch, she can – only if she doesn’t have morning equestrian club rounds or whether she is waking up late. She didn’t mind to buy from cafeteria, either. As long as she could brew her tea in the student council room, it’s already an okay treat.

That day, Shiori greeted Michiru, who’s alone by the student council room, about to finish up with her snacks. The yellow-haired senior talked about random things before she went out, likely following Akira to the training room.

Shiori prepped her tea for the cutlet sandwich she made, when there’s a knock on the door. Only Yachiyo entered the room. She brought a plastic with her, a bowl-shaped compartment is visible from a glance.

“Huh? It’s only the two of us here?” Yachiyo asked.

“Mei Fan-senpai won’t join us?”

“Ah, well, when we passed on the training room and she sees Akira-senpai, she’s raring to go on practice instead~ she ditched me~” Yachiyo feigned defeat.

“That’s so Mei Fan-senpai to do that.” Shiori giggled. “Do you want some tea, too, Yachiyo-senpai?”

“Is there any coffee left? I feel kinda sleepy today.”

“Are you working on a clothes again until late?” Shiori narrowed her eyes, suspecting. The pinkette only widened her smile.

“There’s no escaping from you, huh, Shiori~”

Yachiyo occupied a chair beside the one that Shiori has pulled out to sit. The blonde skimmed on the nook and cranny of their small tea station to find there’s no coffee left. Did she forgot to stock up or maybe Yachiyo already came in the morning to drink some?

“Rather than drinking coffee, how about you take a nap instead, Senpai?”

Yachiyo was taking out her bought dish, turning over to the younger girl with a whine. “Ehh? But there’s no pillow here in student council office~”

“… There is a pillow.”

“There is?”

Shiori fidgeted a bit before continuing, “My … lap.”

They were deep in silence. Shiori looked away, flustered. She was backing her attention to the tea that has yet to be poured, ignored Yachiyo whose lips hung open, eyes rounded in surprised manner.

“You’re so bold, eh, Shiori.” Her usual teasing remark came late, though it doesn’t fail to make her face grew redder. “Though … will it be okay for me to take the offer?”


---


Thinking that sleeping on the chairs of the student council room will be bad for the backs, Shiori opted to use a picnic mat that they ever bring out during the picnic of Edels. The blonde set up the mat beside the space between table and the window overlooking the school ground, then called Yachiyo to lie down.

Yachiyo was somewhat reluctant at first – was she embarrassed? Though she kept on hiding behind her remarks – until Shiori gestured and reassured the older Senpai not to worry. Shiori also promised to wake her up when it is close to next period’s bell.

It wasn’t the first time Shiori watched Yachiyo when she is sleeping. Yachiyo is not a fast sleeper, Shiori concluded as the pinkette always found a way to tease her by the next morning when they are awake; ‘Your sleeping face is cute’, so she says.

There would be times, just like now, when Yachiyo is too tired that she is closing her eyes and going to her state of slumber right away.

Yachiyo tried to look indifferent even though she lacked sleep, Shiori ever heard once from Akira and Michiru that once, Yachiyo walked to the school with bloodshot eyes from the lack of sleep. ‘Edels should look proper, or at least, not garnering unneeded questions and attention’, quoted Akira, ‘I yelled at her and told her to get a drops to relieve her eyes’.

Shiori learned over the course of time that Yachiyo is a type who won’t let an unfinished work pass by. She will likely to do her own costume work until it is done for the night. Shiori helped occasionally, though, Yachiyo seem to enjoy working on her own with her own pace, or she simply doesn’t want to rope anybody to her chores.

“… You can rely on me more, though, Senpai?” Shiori whispered. Her fingers ran through the pink bangs. “Or do you think … I’m incapable to be of a help?”

Of course, the sleeping girl doesn’t answer, and Shiori collected her sighs to herself.
Sometimes, she couldn’t help but to wonder if she is /actually/ be of any help – to bring the prosperity to Edels, and to the person she holds so dear.