Dream Solister

Kumiko was alone, walking the crowded streets with thoughts jumbled in her head. She felt inadequate. Her efforts were wasted. She knew she could play the part, but not in the state she was in now. She had lost something she wanted and it was rare that Kumiko ever had the drive to pursue something she wanted.

However, after the Agata Festival, Oumae Kumiko started to understand herself better.

She was never one to pursue her own path, but that was because she never had a passion for anything in life really. The euphonium? That was thanks to her big sister. She loved her sister and wanted to be like her, so she took up the euphonium. It wasn't anything that she decided on her own. It was one of the many things in Kumiko's life that made her feel like another face in the crowd.

Her life was boring.

She was bad at making friends. Her high school life was nothing out of the ordinary.

Even Shuichi's advances were run of the mill. Kumiko would never admit it to anyone, but she knew he liked her and it was comforting to have someone think of you as special, but she never wanted him. She never wanted his attention.

He was boring.

Like her.

But now, things were different.

The festival changed her. The side of Kousaka Reina that she saw…it was enthralling, captivating. She had always thought Reina was attractive with her snow white features, her alabaster skin and her ebony black hair, her perfect proportions, her fathomless violet eyes.

Kumiko swallowed hard. Her pulse was racing just thinking about the other girl.

She was salivating.

Reina was different. She was special. That was her goal and in Kumiko's eyes, she had already achieved it. Everywhere the black haired beauty went, Kumiko would be drawn to her like a magnet.

It wasn't a gradual realization, but sudden one. With just a glimpse of Reina's true nature, Kumiko knew she wanted more. She was hooked after a taste, addicted, still craving. It was like a mantra ran through her mind.

She wanted Reina.

Kumiko wasn't a naïve girl by any means, and she knew this side of her was attributed to anything but innocent intentions. It started off as something much like admiration, but after the festival, the dreams changed everything.

They started with innocent touches, imagined kisses behind the school after class, but one night, her imagination got the best of her.

Her dreams became more twisted and dark…Instead of friendship and curiosity, the lines blurred into blatant lust, want, hunger.

The dreams were haunting.

It affected Kumiko even more so than being in Reina's presence. The dreams distorted reality and forced her to look at Reina in ways she had never understood until now.

Often, the euphonium player would have difficulty distinguishing between fact and fiction. It took tremendous effort to tell the difference between their normal flirtatious exchanges and those imagined midnight rendezvous where their voices would become raw from screaming each other's names in ecstasy.

It was hard to deal with at first, but Kumiko managed to cope with pretending. She would act as normal and awkward as always, toss her brunette curls with an innocent smile, and call it a day. She would pretend to be disinterested in Reina the way she was disinterested in everything else, but Kumiko knew that her eyes betrayed her. Her gaze would always fixate on Reina in a way that she knew was purely predatory.

Kumiko wanted Reina.

She knew she wasn't supposed to feel this way.

Some days, Kumiko felt that she was going crazy, but other days, she felt like a functioning human being.

There was nothing scarier than to know how much her thoughts and moods could fluctuate in the span of 24 hours. She could start off the day feeling normal and in control, but end off struggling to repress her urges to throw Reina backwards over the desk and take her right there in the classroom.

It never got easier.

The complicated part was the reciprocity. Kumiko wondered if it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but it was obvious that Reina was aggressive in their friendship. Kumiko would almost say the girl goaded her.

It was hard enough to act normal, but Reina was too flirtatious. Those stares, those touches, the times when they were only centimetres away from kissing. At times, Kumiko swore she felt sexual tension thick in the air, but seconds later, it would dissipate.

The breaking point came when Taki-sensei gave Asuka the part to play by herself. It was crushing, devastating. The only time when she wasn't thinking about Reina was when she was practicing. Band practice was therapeutic, with them being in separate sections. However, as the dreams intensified and began to haunt her almost every night, daily life became much harder. She was losing her concentration. Reina was taking over her life in more than one aspect. Kumiko didn't think it would escalate to this level, but she couldn't cope anymore. Her obsession took hold of her and she lost something else instead, the only thing that gave her some semblance of normalcy.

She let Midori and Hazuki take her out to dinner tonight, to try and comfort her.

They thought this was just about losing the part, but it was about so much more.

Now, as Kumiko wandered through the streets, she contemplated her descent into Reina's unrelenting hold. It was frustrating, but exciting. It was painful, but it gave her life purpose.

"Kumiko!"

The girl turned at the sound of her name, spotting Shuichi across the road, waving to her, a lopsided smile plastered on his stupid face. Of all people, he was the last one she wanted to see. He was like her. He was boring, unremarkable. It reminded her too much of what she was before Reina.

Kumiko stopped suddenly in her tracks. What was she like before Reina? Normal? An idea started to spread through her mind. It was crazy, but it might work.

She needed to see Reina.

Now.

The euphonium player didn't know what else would help her regain her sanity. She reached for her phone in her bag, but it wasn't there. She paled, wondering where it could possibly be. Right when she had finally reached a decision, it had to be delayed. Was this a sign?

Her heart ached. Never mind the sign from above, Kumiko needed to see her. It went beyond just wanting to carry out her plan, but more of an instinctive want to be near the other girl. After being free from Reina for a few hours, she felt like she was suffering from withdrawal.

She knew it was time to stop this.

Her legs carried her faster than ever through the streets and the tears came naturally. It was almost vindicating to know that there could be a solution for this. Why didn't she think of it before? All she needed to do was return to how things were before Reina took over her life. All she needed to do was to destroy what they had now, destroy their friendship, sever their ties.

Kumiko knew exactly how she would do this. She would confess her darkest desires to Reina, show her what kind of sick appetite she had and everything would be over.

Reina would be disgusted.

Reina would hate her.

After that, Kumiko would be free from the hold that the girl had on her.

But that was naïve. There was no way a simple rejection would put a stop to those dreams, those longing stares, and those desires. Kumiko paid no heed to the voice that reasoned with her, wanting to believe that she was in control for once.

It seemed like an eternity later that Kumiko was standing in front of the convenience store, checking her phone compulsively. Her hands were shaking, her breathing fast.

It had been five minutes since she spoke to Reina, five minutes since they had agreed to meet at the convenience store in front of Reina's apartment. Reina had agreed without question.

Kumiko took a deep breath, feeling the slick sweat build on her palms. She was nervous and excited. Part of her was nervous that her plan would go well, resulting in the dissolution of their friendship. However, part of her was excited that her feelings would be reciprocated. In the deep recesses of her mind, Kumiko had convinced herself that Reina was just teasing her. The trumpeter had implied she was a masochist, but the way Kumiko saw it, it seemed like the girl was more of a sadist. Reina goaded her, knowing how tormented Kumiko was.

Despite her conflicting thoughts, Kumiko was still clear on one thing.

She wanted Reina.

It was an almost animalistic urge, rising up in waves as the minutes passed. Kumiko grit her teeth together, biting her lip until she tasted copper on her tongue.

The waiting was stifling.

"Kumiko!"

Kumiko turned abruptly, her heart jumping out of her chest, her breathing becoming ragged. The sight of Reina was stunning, clad in a simple red floral skirt and a white chiffon dress shirt, the epitome of grace. Kumiko felt a tinge of embarrassment strike her, being dressed only in a simple yellow pullover and grey shorts.

"Reina…" Kumiko's eyes lit up. She closed the remaining distance between them.

The black haired beauty ran over, enveloping the brunette in a crushing hug. Kumiko was paralyzed, her breath caught in her throat. She breathed in the scent of the trumpeter, feeling her knees go weak.

"I was so worried, Kumiko…" Reina tightened her hold on the girl, burying her head into the nape of Kumiko's neck, her lips flush against the brunette's skin.

Kumiko shuddered, trying to compose herself before she spoke. Reina's scent drove her wild, making her head spin. "I-I….I'm so sorry, Reina. I left my phone at school and by the time I realized, I-"

Reina broke their embrace abruptly, keeping her hands on Kumiko's shoulders as she held the girl at arm's length. The two locked gazes, and Kumiko wondered if Reina could see how dark her soul was.

"I wanted to see you." Reina's gaze smouldered, her violet eyes darkening to an almost deep wine-color.

Kumiko swallowed her nerves, feeling hope well up within her, but she needed to keep her sanity. She kept her thoughts to herself, her hands clenched at her side. Just a few minutes more.

Reina's want was different from hers.

"Kumiko." Reina leaned in closer, her lips parted, her words tickling Kumiko's cheek as she stared the girl down. The tension was thick, her touch electrifying. Her name hung heavily in the air and neither of them dared break the following silence.

The dark haired beauty was close enough to kiss, but the euphonium player managed to keep a lid on her urges for a few minutes more until Reina moved away.

The silence was heavy between them.

It would have been a strange sight to an observer, to see the two girls standing on the dark street corner, unmoving.

"Can you come with me, Reina? There's somewhere I want to take you."

Kumiko's voice sounded alien to herself. Her words were crisp, clear, and confident. It was the opposite of what she felt at the moment, her heart fluttering in her chest.

"I'll go wherever you want, Kumiko."

Without another word, Kumiko took Reina's hand in her own, leading her down a path that she was more than familiar with. It was a dark and twisted road, the two girls walking in silence through the dark alleys. Kumiko's heart rate increased with every twist and turn.

The brunette's brisk walk quickened and Reina matched her pace.

After several minutes, the high schoolers found themselves in a neighborhood with cookie cutter houses that lined the streets. They all looked identical, with the same color and shape, warm lights glowing in the windows.

Reina looked up as they continued to walk and a house at the end of the street caught her eye. She had never been to Kumiko's but she knew that one was it. It was different. It stood out among the others. It was disguised, like Kumiko under the guise of normalcy, but Reina knew.

Right on cue, Kumiko stopped at the house in question, leading Reina through the gate. There were no lights in the windows, the inhabitants seemed to be absent. The brunette let go of Reina's hand momentarily as she fished out her keys, her hands fumbling before she got the door open. Shortly after, Kumiko's hand returned to its place in Reina's, lacing their fingers together.

Kicking off her shoes and with Reina doing the same, Kumiko never once looked back as she continued up the stairs. She felt like she was leading a sheep to the slaughter, the air growing heavy with the thoughts of what she planned to do.

The euphonium player paused midway up the stairs. Squeezing Reina's hand.

"My parents and my sister are away for the weekend. They won't be back tonight."

Kumiko offered no explanation for her declaration, but Reina nodded in the darkness, a hard swallow permeating the silence that had settled again.

Hearing that, Kumiko felt the blood rush to her head, her heart racing in her chest. She was beyond excited to know that Reina was feeling uneasy. She was excited to know that she was in control this time.

The click of lock echoed in the dark room, Kumiko throwing her bag onto the floor as she gestured for Reina to do the same. Hesitantly, the trumpeter followed suit, following Kumiko with her eyes as the brunette paced the room slightly.

"Kumiko, I-"

Turning abruptly, the brunette closed the distance between them, placing a gentle finger against Reina's parted lips. "Shh…" Reina's words caught in her throat, swallowing them again.

Taking the black haired girl by the arm, Kumiko led her over to the double bed in the corner of the room, positioning Reina so the backs of her knees were pressed right up against the foot of the mattress. With a gentle push, Reina toppled and fell backwards onto the covers. She put up no resistance.

For a few seconds, Kumiko just stood at the foot of the bed, drinking in the sight of the girl on the mattress, her black hair splayed out around her, her skirt riding up, exposing long and perfect legs. Soft moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating Reina's face, showing Kumiko the slight flush that the girl had on her cheeks. So complacent, so docile. The euphonium player was pleasantly surprised by how easy this was. Her original intentions were gone. Before Reina rejected her, Kumiko wanted just a taste, just a taste to remember the girl by. She needed to know what it would have felt like to finally indulge herself in the guilty pleasure that was Kousaka Reina.

Tugging at her sleeves, Kumiko pulled her sweater over her head, flinging the garment onto the floor. She was left in a thin T-shirt, still feeling warm from the excitement she felt. Slowly, she mounted the mattress with her knees first, on either side of Reina's outstretched legs. She crawled up to the girl until they were face to face, Kumiko looming over the black haired beauty.

Her head turned to the side, Reina let her voice permeate the silence. "Why are you doing this, Kumiko?"

The girl's voice was quiet, but Kumiko froze, hearing the uncertainty that was uncharacteristic of Reina's usual confidence. Had she been wrong? Was she actually delusional? Why else would Reina have been so willing?

"You know why." The words left Kumiko's lips without any thought, laced with more venom and resentment than she intended.

At this, Reina looked over, taken aback by the other girl's tone. Their gazes met, the swirling darkness in their eyes matched the other's intensity. Kumiko tried to read Reina's expression. For the first time since ever, she saw clearly what the black haired beauty felt. It was a mix of anxiety, fear, excitement, and to Kumiko's surprise, desire.

There was no doubt about it, but Kumiko couldn't bring herself to believe her misguided senses.

"I'm sorry, Kumiko…" Reina looked truly apologetic, not breaking her stare. She continued on after a pause. "…for leading you on like this."

Kumiko scoffed, shaking her head. She could feel her chest tightening, a pain in her heart. The end was coming, wasn't it? She knew it. Reina was just playing along. In no time, Reina would let her down, explain that she didn't feel the same way. Kumiko's hands trembled as they rested on either side of Reina's head. She leaned down, her lips brushing right up against the girl's right ear. "So you admit it, don't you?" She wanted to play the bad guy here, to play on the trumpeter's guilt.

Reina shuddered and Kumiko felt the movement through her own body. She trembled in excitement this time, a grin spreading across her lips.

"I do, so…" Reina paused, hesitating slightly before she brought her hands up to her chest, shakily beginning to undo the buttons on her blouse. "Let me take full responsibility."

Wait.

The sudden silence became deafening.

Kumiko could barely control her ragged breathing, her mind spinning with the revelation of what Reina just said, with what Reina was doing.

She couldn't tell if this was real or not.

Clarity broke through for a split second and the brunette gave in to her senses. She wanted this, but some part of her cared about Reina enough to override her desires. She shot up a hand to stop the other girl, black brassiere already peaking out from behind Reina's dress shirt.

"Are you sure you want this, Reina?"

At this, the trumpeter smirked, relieved to see a glimpse of the innocent Kumiko she knew was so elusive these days.

Slowly, Reina took Kumiko's hand in her own, moving it as she placed it over her left breast, pressing it down slightly. "Does it seem like I'm unsure?"

Kumiko swallowed as she felt the smoothness of Reina's skin, the heat rolling off her, and the thudding of her heart against her hand. The brunette moved her hand away as if it had been burned. The sensation was too real, too visceral to be a dream.

"I want you, Kumiko." Reina was starting to regain her confidence as she felt the other girl falter. With that, she continued on as she did away with the buttons on her shirt. She shrugged it off expertly as she moved her hands down to the side of her skirt. The sound of the zipper being lowered was loud in Kumiko's mind and it brought her back to reality. Shifting slightly, the brunette straddled Reina's legs, helping the girl maneuver out of the piece of clothing.

With more skin being exposed, Kumiko's inner demons regained control, her hands trembling as they explored Reina's body. She finally caved as she leaned down, capturing Reina's lips with her own, gently at first, but pressed on with a hunger that took the other girl by surprise. For a few minutes, the girls fought for control, but Kumiko was more aggressive, gaining entry to Reina's mouth with her tongue, making her let out a moan she never knew she was holding.

After what seemed like an eternity, they parted, panting, breathing hard, yearning heavy in their eyes.

"I-I'll ask you again, Reina…Do you want this? I can't guarantee that I'll be gentle." Kumiko started to trail kisses down Reina's jawline and her neck, pausing slightly as she sank her teeth into alabaster skin, marring it with her lust.

"Ahn-" Reina let a gasp through her lips, her small body quivering with pleasure. Her own hands started to wander, snaking up under Kumiko's top and around the girl's waist. Her hands found the bare skin of Kumiko's small back and her nails raked her against skin as Kumiko bit down again. "But I-I don't hate pain…"

"That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say."

Taking Reina's lips again, Kumiko couldn't help but grin into the kiss.

They parted once again, breaths heavy. This time, Reina leaned up, her teeth grazing Kumiko's ear as she whispered, the smile evident in her voice. "Pervert."

Kumiko felt the shock of excitement strike her and she pushed Reina back down none too gently, pinning her to the bed as she held her hands down at the wrists. She loomed over the girl with a mischievous grin on her face. "This is my declaration of love, Reina."

"I know, Kumiko. I've been waiting."

Kumiko finally felt her sanity returning as she indulged herself. The real thing was much better than her dreams could ever have her believe.

A/N: Getting more out of touch with anime and fun things as school gets busier, but I'll be in school for a while now! Excited for Hibike S2. Hopefully Kyoani won't sink the Yuri boat with Taki-sensei. or that guy...Tsukamoto whatever. I have faith that this yuri bait will blossom. Or crash. Can't get my hopes up too much!

Well, thanks for reading! As per usual, review if you liked it :P