I didn't know what type of emotion was flowing through me... It felt like anger but relief, but it also felt like humiliation or merely failure...

After the events that occurred when Nakaseko-senpai gave up her victory of winning the solo part to me, I felt quite dumbfounded but also disappointed.

Was it because I felt that Nakaseko-senpai should have just accepted her rightful victory or was it because I was disappointed in myself for the lack of skill I used in that competition to beat Nakaseko-senpai fair and square...

No it was not that. During that moment I turned my gaze over to Kumiko she already knew the reason why I felt so conflicted...

It was because I swore to her during that moment I proclaimed that I would become someone "Special" among everyone else back at the Agata festival.

Gripping my blanket in sheer frustration, these conflicting emotions were still flowing within me and I can only whisper the words, "I failed..."

But in reality I did not fail, I did win the solo part but what I failed was to show everyone that I was "Special", I especially failed to show Kumiko that I could make it true.

All I truly wanted to do now was scream my lungs out in pure anger.

But I knew that this was my fault... Even when I had Kumiko herself tell me that she believed in me and that she would stay by my side even if it meant her death, I still couldn't take this humiliation...

For now everyone will view me not as "Special" but as a person that merely won the solo part because of the kindness that everyone knew Nakaseko-senpai had...

Punching my fist into my bed with the feeling of humiliation and anger being poured into the impact, I was angry but ashamed, especially ashamed since I failed to show Kumiko the person that I proclaimed my ambitions to that I would truly make my dream of becoming "Special" come true.

What was worst I felt afraid that Kumiko herself would feel pity towards me and that was the one thing in this whole world no... Universe that I never wanted to witness become reality.

Tears mixed with these conflicted emotions that I felt started to fall on my grounded fist.

Truly failure was one of the worst feelings to ever feel... Since it was the greatest form of humiliation, since even the ones that you cared about that most would feel pity and disappointment towards you...

Falling down onto my bed and covering my face with my pillow, I hoped that within the darkness that my eyes saw right now that once they saw the light of the world that I would have been able to actually win the competition with my skill and see the faces of everyone finally knowing that I was truly someone "Special."

But what I really wanted to see was Kumiko looking at me with a face full of pride along with her strange smile.

"Kumiko..."

I gently cried out her name from within the darkness of my pillow.

I knew that she was the one that had the most faith in me but she was also the person that I could truly say that I "loved" the most within the concert club.

In my eyes she was the only one that I could see among the vast amount of students that were in the club, even if she had a terrible personality and sometimes didn't know when to keep her true thoughts to herself she was the only person like me in this world.

Even if she didn't have the same ambitions as me I still felt drawn to her, even during that time when we were in middle school and her terrible personality sadly made me cry when we didn't win gold during the last concert competition.

But the feeling that almost every living person in this world feels whenever they have found someone that they believe that they can pour all of themselves to, came upon me during the "date" we had at Agata festival.

I knew that I have fallen in love with Kumiko and that she was the last person that I wanted to disappoint but I wanted to be with her right know and cry out my emotions to her...

I then laugh a little at the thought, since I knew Kumiko wasn't the type of person that could take a "bawl session."

Her terrible personality would probably tell me under her breath, "Be glad that you still got the part."

Just reminding myself of that made me feel a little better, the conflicted feelings flowing through me have finally calmed down after I focused my thoughts on Kumiko rather than on my failure at today's competition.

All that was on my mind now is that I wanted to be with Kumiko right now but I was a little scared to still know if she felt disappointed that I failed to show my ambitions to everyone...

I then jump out of my depressed state and scream out in frustration.

"I feel so embarrassed!"

Embarrassment? Was that the feeling that was making me feel so conflicted? Wait no.

Embarrassment couldn't truly make someone depressed could it? But what if you embarrassed yourself in front of someone you truly cared about?

Realizing my statement I then fall back face down on my bed and cry again, but not tears of sorrow but tears of embarrassment, tears that showed that I was embarrassed by the fact that even if I told Kumiko that I truly would become someone "Special" among the others in a fashion that would make anybody embarrassed in the blink of an eye, and how before the competition she swore she would stay by my side even if it would kill her... And for all of that only ended up with me losing but actually winning the solo part because of Nakaseko-senpai's kindness?

"I want to die..."

The sheer embarrassment was too much for me or actually anybody to take.

I then hear someone knocking on the front door of my house from my window.

Peeking out through my windows I then see a very familiar figure with light brown wavy shoulder length hair at my front door.

Realizing who the figure is my face becomes red with embarrassment, I run back quickly to my bed covering my red face with my pillow hoping that Kumiko will leave since I didn't want her to see me in this state, since knowing her she might actually make fun of me...

"Reina~"

I can hear Kumiko calling for me at my front door, her voice was always the same but it had a bit of a worried tone in it.

Did Kumiko come all the way to my home since she was concerned for me?

Shaking my head to deny that belief, I knew Kumiko would have rather been home resting rather that come all the way to my house to comfort me in my pitiful state...

"Reina!"

Kumiko must have realized that after her attempts of hoping someone will open the door that no one else is here aside from me since the light of my room shined brightly in the darkness of the night.

She was right about that, but still I was hoping even praying that Kumiko would go away... I did want to see her but not in this state...

"Reina! I know you're home, please I want to talk!"

Kumiko's voice quivered with the tone of a person who was worried about someone they cared about.

My heart ached a little to know that Kumiko herself was worried about me but I also felt a little happy knowing that somebody that I truly cared about showed some concern for me.

But sadly I did not want her to see me right now, even if my mind was telling me not to open the door for Kumiko my heart wanted me to get up from my bed and run downstairs in a split second to open the door for her.

"Hey~ Reina! You do know if I decide to go back home there may be a chance I may be attacked by some molester~"

That moment Kumiko said that sentence in the tone of a mischievous child, I immediately got out of my room and ran downstairs to the door in the blink of an eye.

Yes it may have seemed strange that I have in submitted myself into the very thing I didn't want to happen even if Kumiko's words sounded like the words of an immature child, I still couldn't even bear the thought of that happening to her.

"Surprised that got you to finally open the door..."

Once I open the door Kumiko greets me with these words with her usual strange smile.

"Well I know you despise bugs, so I let you in since a Summer's night is a mosquito's paradise."

I throw aside the true reason why I opened the door for Kumiko and calmly lied and replaced it with one of the things she truly hated in the world, bugs.

"What's this? Seems like you were crying a little." Kumiko says to me in a teasing tone after she was able to fully see my face once the light from my house was fully able to fill some of the darkness of the outside.

I still maintain my regular stature in front of Kumiko but inside I am truly embarrassed since honestly before I came running down to the door to open it for Kumiko I tried with all my effort to clean up the little "mess" I had in my room beforehand.

"Well you do know that Summer is the season for allergies."

once again I bluntly lie to Kumiko so that I can keep the image she has of me engraved in her mind.

She then puts on a bit of surprised expression which says "You have allergies?", I then give her a small smile and welcome her into my home.

"Pardon me..."

Once entering into my home Kumiko does the usual manner of excusing herself and taking off her shoes before entering into my home.

I was a bit surprised myself since I thought Kumiko's bad personality would also affect her manners.

"Why are you looking at me with such a surprised face!?"

Ha, it seems like my thoughts showed on my face.

After getting a bit of revenge on Kumiko at my front door we then are in my room, Kumiko sits on the floor on top of a mat with bit of a nervous expression while I sit on my bed.

Honestly I loved to see the vast amount of expressions Kumiko had. Her nervous one was especially my favorite since it was one of her states that I can easily make her embarrassed.

"So, why did you come all the way from your "mosquito free home" to visit mine?"

Kumiko shows a bit of embarrassment, knowing that she WAS the one that decided to come all the way to my house to talk to me so I shouldn't be the one asking her why she was here but she should already be talking to me about the topic that she was so willing to leave her home during a mosquito infested summer night.

I already pretty much had a plain idea of what was the topic she wanted to speak about though.

Regaining her posture Kumiko then stares at me with eyes I have never seen before but wait... I have seen these eyes before...

That gaze, that gaze that threw away all of the thoughts she had in her mind which she wished to speak, that gaze which took my hand while mine was on her cheek...

Yes... These were the eyes I saw when Kumiko gave her "Confession of love to me" before the solo auditions.

The moment when she swore to me even in death she wouldn't leave me.

Honestly I was surprised but also a little happy in my heart since these eyes, this gaze Kumiko gave to me during that moment was a gaze I was thinking that I would never see again...

"I know that you aren't happy about winning the solo part."

At that moment I could feel the image I wanted Kumiko to always see me as start to fade, the tears that I cried before she came to visit me start falling down again.

Kumiko a bit shocked by these tears quickly gets up and sees if I'm all right, "Reina!? Aggh! I'm sorry! I didn't know you weren't THIS happy to win that way."

I then start laughing, to Kumiko's surprise the tears are no longer tears of sorrow or embarrassment but tears of joy, why joy? well it was because...

"That terrible personality of yours never will go away huh?"

"Huh?! W-well I'm sorry about that?"

I continue to laugh with these tears of joy while Kumiko is still in a confused state to why I am laughing and is still confused about if she said something wrong.

Taking a long peaceful breath in I then wipe my tears with a pure white cloth I left at the side of my bed to clean up my former "mess."

I then wish to clear up Kumiko's questions since I don't want her to worry anymore about me and I just wanted to talk to her right now.

"You are right, Kumiko. I was not happy with the way I won the solo part."

Kumiko then does a small sigh of relief once upon hearing my answer, "And I was guessing once again I had to feel guilty for making you cry again..."

"What, don't want to feel awkward around me like how you were before?"

Kumiko then gives me a little angered expression since she does know I'm teasing her, and I'm doing it on purpose.

Not that I was doing it to make her feel bad I just honestly loved teasing her.

Kumiko then does a sigh, a sigh showing sympathy towards the emotions I felt during that moment when I won the solo part.

"Man it sucks how you won that way, since now Nakaseko-senpai is going to get more popular while more people especially bunny ears are going to hate you now."

By bunny ears, I knew she was talking about Yuuko, I could care less if she hated me even more but if the other members starting hating on me it would be quite an annoyance.

I show a bit of that annoyance by gripping on my pillow's sheet.

"I could care less if anyone hated me... The only thing that angers me is how I lost and that I only won by the kindness that made Nakaseko-senpai popular."

"I know right? Nakaseko-senpai should have just took the solo part instead of humiliating you like THAT."

Kumiko says while gazing at me with her usual expression.

I then giggle a little at Kumiko's response, "What's this? You're going to use your terrible personality on others?"

Kumiko then plays with her hair a little while showing a bit of an annoyed expression,

"I knew Nakaseko-senpai was a good trumpet player and how hard she practiced for the solo part so that she could play before she graduated but pulling that move? Don't you think instead of being kind she was showing pity to you?"

"You know your going to be hated along with me if you truly think that."

I say with a small smile to Kumiko.

Honestly I was happy she thought like this, even if she was not that one that was being pitied or humiliated on that stage she felt sympathy for me and felt the same way as did, but her very next words were unexpected.

"I don't care if it means to be hated if it means being beside you, and anyways I did promise you I'd never leave you even if it meant you killing me?"

At that moment I could feel my face turn hot and red while my heart was beating fast, I also turn my glance at Kumiko to see her face also has turned red.

But her face turned red because of embarrassment while mine became red because of a very much different emotion...

"So... That promise also counts even if I failed your expectations?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Even if Kumiko did confirm that she would stay true to her promise I needed to truly know one thing...

Even if it may have meant the very thing I didn't want Kumiko saying or showing all this time I needed to know...

"Do you feel disappointed that I failed to show everybody I was "Special?"

"Reina..."

Kumiko then gazed at me with surprise once I spoke my question.

Yes this was the thing I feared of knowing... If Kumiko felt disappointed that I failed to conquer my ambitions at that very moment but not only that I was also humiliated...

I knew that the only reason why Kumiko was drawn to me was because of that vow I made to her on that mountain during the Agata Festival...

I also knew that it was probably the reason why she was willing to stick by my side all along.

But if Kumiko was disappointed in me and no longer wished to be associated with me I would understand and actually be a little happy since I couldn't bare the sight of seeing Kumiko being hated because of me.

At that very moment Kumiko gets up and slaps me,

"Are you an idiot or something?!"

I can hear anger in her voice, but also a little shaking...

Why was Kumiko angry? Why was she angry enough to slap me? I was actually shocked that I touched my cheek still to see if the pain I felt from her slap was real.

"I'm not disappointed in you!"

Kumiko's voice then starts shaking even more, I can now see that tears are falling from her eyes... This was a new Kumiko I've seen... Her eyes were full of anger but sadness.

Was her anger directed to me or herself? I did not know since I didn't know what Kumiko was thinking at this moment.

Kumiko then does a loud sigh of annoyance and falls face down beside me on my bed.

"Sorry I slapped you..."

"H-huh?... I-it's okay I guess..."

I was surprised like really, Kumiko after a burst of emotion threw it all away in one loud sigh and decide to lay down next to me on my bed, though face down that is.

Kumiko still keeping her face on top of my sheets then sighs within them.

"But you do know what you did say really pissed me off..."

"Pissed you off?"

I then stare at Kumiko's back with a gaze of wonder.

She was pissed off? Why would she be pissed off? I was just asking her if she was disappointed in me.

"You still know that you have two more years to try to make those ambitions of yours come true right?"

At that moment, Kumiko's words were surprising because of her character but they seemed like words she would say.

Kumiko finally removing her face from my bed sheets gazes at me with a small smile,

"So just wait a bit because everyone will finally see that you are "Special", just like how I did..."

I was at a lost of words, honestly I was so happy that I could just jump on top of her and hug her in joy but at the same time I was embarrassed.

So embarrassed that I quickly turned my face away from her gaze since I think my heart would burst if I saw her right now...

Kumiko picks up her body from my bed and then places her hand on my shoulder in concern,

"Reina? Are you okay?"

"Kyaa!"

"Kyaa...?"

At that moment... Yes if I had a list of most embarrassing things this moment would probably top the list now.

"Kyaa" the very reflex and voice I said it in that moment Kumiko touched my shoulder in concern probably has shattered the image Kumiko has had of me ever since we first met.

Since when is it that you expect a girl that had the appearance to make you feel like you have lost your life because you were drawn to a beautiful thing, despite your fears, was actually a girl that did a high pitched cry of embarrassment once you just did a light touch on her shoulder?

'She's so going to tease me'

I thought to myself during this moment of surprise, I knew that Kumiko would do that since well she is Kumiko...

"Well... I guess you can do cute noises sometimes..."

Kumiko's voice hinted with nervousness, since she was probably worried about how I would respond to her statement after witnessing my embarrassing moment.

After all of this I feel all those emotions I felt all day and ever since the auditions have just washed away, but now they have been replaced by an even more powerful emotion...

An emotion towards Kumiko which I so desired to know if she had the same emotions for me lurking within herself...

"Kumiko, When you proclaimed your "confession of love" back at the auditions... What type of "love" did you mean?..."

"Eh?"

Kumiko just stared at me with a blank expression, I guess I can understand why since she's probably confused about how her visit to cheer me up ended at me asking her what type of "love" she used at her confession back then but I truly wanted to know no... I needed to know...

Kumiko can feel the anticipation that emits from my gaze, she turns her gaze away from mine with a flustered face then scratches her cheek a little with her index finger.

"D-does it really matter?"

Kumiko asked nervously.

I can understand why she was nervous but honestly at this moment I was "hungry" to know what type of love she meant to use during that moment so I had to use a method that would get her to answer right away.

"An example can be like that time how I told you I "love" Taki-sensei or how you love fried eggs."

"Can you really compare the difference of love you have for Taki-sensei with my love for fried eggs?"

Kumiko makes a bad joke to my question with her strange smile, I actually felt like laughing a little but I didn't since I wanted her answer NOW.

"Then to make matters easier, Kumiko do you love me?"

Kumiko's face instantly became red as a tomato once I brung upon her my honest to heart question.

By the looks of her reactions it seems like I made matters more difficult for her.

Well unlike me Kumiko isn't straight forward so I'll take a bit of the weight off her shoulders.

"I love you, Kumiko. The love I have for you isn't the love I have for Taki-sensei... Nor the love you have for fried eggs..."

Kumiko actually looking like she did a small snicker at the last bit of my sentence then seems like she has regained some of her posture back.

"Then can I ask you something?..."

Kumiko asks me while staring with an anxious expression.

Truly it seemed like she was worried about something, I wondered what it was since I thought that it would be able to clear the table so I can get an earnest answer from her.

"When you said you love Taki-sensei... What type of love did you mean?"

Kumiko continued to look at me with an anxious expression but this time it seemed like she was a little worried as well, I could see that her hands were shaking a little.

Ah, how love has been interpreted into so many ways that when we say we "love" something it doesn't particularity have one meaning but I think Kumiko was worried that the love I proclaimed for Taki-sensei may have been the form of love I have for her...

"The "love" I proclaimed for Taki-sensei was admiration. I truly respect and admire Taki-sensei for all his achievements and how hard he works for the concert band."

I can see Kumiko has done a small sigh of relief upon hearing my answer, honestly I don't know why she was relived I thought she already knew the love I had for Taki-sensei wasn't the one I have for her...

Finally bring my left hand and trying my best to reenact the moment we shared during her "confession of love" I stare at her at the same gaze I gave to her when we had that heartfelt moment...

I can see Kumiko's eyes become a bit dreamy and her body posture has began to submit itself to the atmosphere that has filled the room.

"The "love" I have for you is the greatest form of love that humanity has have ever felt since the beginning of time, the love I have for you transcends all the forms of love we have created over the years... The love I have for you Kumiko is when Eros, Phileo and Agape are combined... Intimacy."

Kumiko then stares at me with an expression which shows lack of comprehension to the words that I have just said, but I can she that she does understand that I LOVE her.

Running my hand through her shoulder length brunet wavy hair I then ask her with an earnest expression,

"Do you feel the same way? Kumiko..."

Kumiko then places her hand on top of my hand which is peacefully placed on her left cheek, she then does her strange smile at me once again.

"Well, I guess I can say I love you more than fried eggs."

I then giggle at Kumiko's response, "Once again that terrible personality of yours strikes again."

Kumiko then realizes that the two of us are just a lip distance away, she nervously glance at my lips.

"U-uh... Y-yeah... So... T-this pretty much mean we're lovers right?"

"Yes." I nod in response to her nervous driven question.

Kumiko just continues to quickly glance at both my eyes and lips, she then tries her BEST to imitate that moment we had at the mountain during the Agata Festival.

Nervously and clumsily running her index finger along my forehead to my lips, she then blushes a little in embarrassment.

"U-uh... Y-yeah... So you pretty much know what that means right?"

I did know what her actions meant but I was in a good mood today so I felt like playing around with her.

"Hmm? Whatsoever do you mean?"

I try my best to act natural so Kumiko doesn't find out I'm actually making fun of her.

"Hey, you're just lying to tease me right?"

Kumiko stares at me with bit of an angry expression since she saw right through me.

"Guess you found out."

I sigh at my failure of having some fun with Kumiko.

"R~E~I~N~A!"

Kumiko exaggerates saying my name in a very annoyed angered tone, I then giggle in response.

"Sorry! Sorry! I understand what you meant back there! No need to be so angry."

Kumiko crosses her arms, "I swear for once I was trying to be honest..."

I then sigh and then grab both of Kumiko's hands.

"I'm sorry okay? I know what you meant. So cheer up and I'll give you what you desire."

I apologize to Kumiko with a sincere expression that is both shown on my face and eyes.

Kumiko in response glances at me to see if she will accept my apology and then nods.

"Fine, make sure you don't mess around with me anymore, okay?"

I nod in agreement to Kumiko's terms.

"Yeah, Okay... Now I'm guessing this was what you desired?"

I gently bring in Kumiko's face closer to mine, I can feel her face is heating up from embarrassment, but as her chest approaches mine I can start feeling her rapid heartbeat.

It's not like my heart isn't beating the same way, my mind has almost been flooded with excitement and ecstasy that my heart is beating at the same rate Kumiko's heart is, but I will not hesitate.

Finally this moment that the both of us have been waiting for has approached us.

Sure I felt the emotion of love towards Kumiko ever since we met again in High school but I was wondering if Kumiko felt the same way or she gained the feelings of love she has towards me through time.

Closing her eyes once my lips are just a breath away from hers I then place my lips onto her moist faint rose lips.

It was warm but I can feel her body shaking, was it fear? Pleasure? Excitement? I didn't know but I wanted to take advantage of this weak Kumiko.

I then tighten the grip of my hands on Kumiko's arms then go in for a more deeper kiss, Kumiko shivers a bit.

Maybe this is because she never knew that just a simple kiss was going to become aggressive.

I wanted to engrave this very moment into my lips, tongue, body, mind, and soul... I wanted to remember to feeling of being able to kiss the one I loved the most in this world for the first time.

I skilfully move my tongue within her mouth while Kumiko just clumsy tries her best to keep up with my aggressiveness.

The sounds and the scent of the very moment were very erotic... I wouldn't be surprised if we went further tonight.

"Mmph! R-Reina..."

Kumiko calls out my name while my tongue continues to explore her mouth, Kumiko's probably too shocked to even try to give in to this moment.

I can almost feel her hand patting my back to stop but... I didn't want to stop.

Gently closing my lips on Kumiko's soft tongue, I start sucking on it.

Kumiko responds in moans of surprise, I actually wonder what she was thinking during this moment.

Feeling a little sympathetic towards the young virgin I then loosen the grasp of my lips on her tongue and move my face away from hers, and what follows is a trail of my saliva mixed with hers.

Kumiko breaths heavily trying to catch her breath, once regaining full control over her mind and body, she then exhales.

"R-Reina... T-That was a little too much..."

Kumiko cries to me with an expression of an innocent of a young maiden who has just been violated.

I know it was wrong to be turned on by this expression but honestly seeing Kumiko like this I couldn't hold myself back any longer...

Pushing my body weight against hers she falls down onto the bed I then block all methods of her resisting by holding down her arms with a grip of a woman who is just about to have her purse stolen by a robber.

Kumiko stares at me with a shocked expression she then chuckles a little.

"Are you going to make your desire of wanting to peel the "good-girl skin" off of me become true?"

I then do a small playful sinister grin, "I'm glad that I can finally peel the "good-girl skin" off of you, Kumiko..."

Kumiko and I have now completely submitted ourselves to the ecstasy of this moment, the light of a crescent moon and the cries of crickets filled the night.

For this night was not only the moment I realized that Kumiko viewed me as "Special" in her eyes but also the moment when I realized she became "Special" to me.