Simply because the university is on hold and I cannot find inspiration to finish any of my *counts* thirteen other fanfics, have something completely different. A tale of romance told through other romance. Is this what trolling is? I can honestly say that it's been really fun to write. :D

CHAPTER 1 - NENE

"I kissed her, Nenecchi!" a voice shouts in a panic, but those aren't the four words you expect to hear at two in the morning, so you think you can be forgiven for hanging up. When the phone rings again twelve seconds later, you realise that's not the case.

Your phone falls as you reach out for it, numb fingers sending it to the floor instead of into your hand; subsequently, you find yourself half on the carpet and half in bed, answering for no other reason than to shut it up. The little green symbol disappears from the screen as you swipe to the right, sleepily mumbling, "Hello?" into what you think is the speaker.

A sniff. "Nenecchi?"

Something clicks – the nickname? The awkwardly timid voice? – and you find yourself wondering what could possibly have put your best friend in such a state. You pull your feet out of bed and push yourself up against the wall, trying to force yourself awake.

"Aocchi. What's wrong?" You've known each other so long that the uplift at the end of the sentence is only for show – asking what's wrong? isn't a question, but an indication to the distressed party that you're actually listening. Even now as she doesn't say anything, you can hear her quiet hiccups and uneven breathing. You don't even have to imagine the tears rolling down her flushed cheeks like marbles, or the dark, wet stains across her sleeves: Aocchi is anything if not predictable, and you've seen her cry hundreds of times. Even if it's for a different reason, her misery always looks the same.

"I kissed her," she whispers, and you consider the notion that it's both funny and cruel that Aocchi is so expressive. It means she's as trustworthy as she is transparent, but someone so kind should be allowed a few secrets to herself, you believe.

"Who?" you ask, very much redundantly.

There's the almost inaudible sound of fabric rustling before it's replaced by a dragging noise. Proof that Aocchi has run out of tissues or can't bring herself to get some. Later, you'll be half-amazed, half-horrified that you know someone well enough to interpret every sound they make. Now, you're more concerned with the girl on the other end of the call.

"Hi – Hi-umi… n… pai," she sobs, before breaking down in tears.

You don't bother telling her that what you heard was mostly her making phlegmy noises interspaced by ununderstandable syllables; instead, you let her cry heartbrokenly into the receiver as you tug your legs closer to your body and wonder how she hasn't noticed it yet. Takimoto-san might not make her feelings as obvious as the rest of the people there – how dense is Yagami-san, anyway? – but everyone can see it.

Everyone but Aocchi, apparently.

The line goes quiet without you noticing, so you're startled back into the present when you catch your nickname being spoken ever so softly.

"Mm?" you respond, wondering if there is anything you can do for her.

"Nenecchi, I…"

She pauses.

It's almost twenty past two. The second hand on your alarm clock glows faintly – white on black – as it moves across the radial lines painted at the edge. You've waited this long for her to say something; you think you can wait just a little bit longer.

"I think I'm in love with her."

You expected it, this seriousness, but it still catches you by surprise.

And so, in true best friend fashion, you burst out laughing.

Yes, I have another chapter done. I'd rather get chapter 3 done before I post that. But it is now 23:44 and I have to be up in five hours, so you'll have to make do with this for now! I'll be back!