One Sunday afternoon, Shinobu and her friends were hanging out in Shinobu's room, sitting on the floor. Karen had just finished telling a funny story that made everyone laugh. Yoko was to the left of Karen, next to Aya, and Alice and Shinobu were across from them. Shinobu kept fidgeting nervously, which caught Alice's attention.

"Shino, is something on your mind?" asked Alice, concerned for her friend.

"Huh?" said Shinobu.

"Yeah, I noticed it too, but I didn't want to say anything," said Aya. "Is something bothering you?"

"W-What?" said Shinobu. "I-Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah," said Karen. "You look nervous or something."

"O-Oh," said Shinobu. "Well... it's just that... there's something I've been wanting to tell you guys..."

"Ooh, a secret!?" exclaimed Karen, leaning forward. "Tell your friend Karen what's up~!"

Shinobu glanced at Alice, who just had a cute, warm smile on her face. Shinobu's heart started racing.

"Uh..." Shinobu said. "Well... Have any of you... ever had a crush on someone?" she asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I have!" said Yoko, grinning.

"W-What!?" screamed Aya. "Who is this person!? Tell me!"

"Aya, what's wrong!?" said Yoko, looking frightened by Aya's outburst.

"Eheh..." said Shinobu. "Well... Have you ever... had a crush on a girl?"

Aya's face turned extremely red.

For a while, no one responded.

Of course, Karen eventually ended the silence. "Yuri desu!" she said.

"I-I mean, I was just wondering..." said Shinobu, looking away and blushing.

Alice smiled comfortingly at Shinobu. "Gay marriage is legal in England. It's not so unusual there. It's more openly accepted than in Japan."

"Yeah, I heard that!" said Shinobu. "I was wondering if Japanese people just aren't as open to it as westerners..."

"I am totally accepting!" said Yoko, raising her hand. "I would totally date a girl! I don't care what anyone thinks!"

"I-Is that so?" said Aya, her eyes wide.

"Totally!" said Yoko. "What about you, Aya?"

Aya stood up suddenly. "Yoko, you're too embarrassing!" she screamed, running out of the room.

"Ayaya!?" said Karen. "Come back!"

"I don't understand why she reacted that way," said Yoko, shrugging. "It was totally a hypothetical question."

"A-Anyway..." said Shinobu. "What I was trying to say was... I'm..." Shinobu looked down at her lap, blushing heavily. "...a lesbian."

Alice put her arm around Shinobu. "Don't worry! We all accept you!"

"Y-You're too nice..." Shinobu stammered, her eyes watering up.

"Don't cry!" said Karen. "We all like you for who you are!"

Aya slowly reappeared in the doorway. "It's okay, Shinobu," she said softly. "It doesn't matter whether you love a boy or a girl... because it's all the same deep down!"

"Wow, Aya, that's so deep!" Yoko gasped.

"SHUT UP!" Aya screamed.

"...It was supposed to be a compliment," said Yoko.

"Thanks guys," said Shinobu. "I feel a lot better now!"

"To answer your earlier question..." said Yoko, "I've kinda wondered before what it might be like to date a girl."

"Really!?" said Aya.

"Yeah," said Yoko. "I think the thought crosses everyone's mind at least once."

"That's probably true," said Alice. "I mean..." Blushing, Alice looked away from Shinobu. "I can't honestly say I've never thought about it... a lot..."

"Me too!" said Yoko. "It's hard not to when there are so many cute girls at school, you know?"

"I know right?" said Alice. "Japan is full of cute girls, more than England!"

"No way!" said Shinobu, shocked. "Blonde hair is the way to go!"

"I agree with Alice," said Karen cheerfully. "When I first came to Japan, I was amazed by the cuteness of my classmates!"

"But... blonde hair..." said Shinobu, totally confused.

"Come to think of it," said Karen, "maybe I'm a lesbian, too."

"Really?" said Alice.

"Yeah," said Karen. "I never really think about boys much."

"Me neither..." said Alice. "Only about Shi... girls! Does that mean I'm also a lesbian?"

"Wow, this is really making me wonder!" said Yoko. "I'd never given it serious thought until now, but maybe I do like girls!"

"Could it be that all of us are lesbians?" wondered Karen aloud.

"That would be a weird coincidence..." Alice mumbled. "But... maybe... I..."

Everyone looked at Alice.

"S-Shino!" Alice cried out. "I think I'm a lesbian, too!" She suddenly leapt at Shinobu and hugged her tightly.

"Alice!" Shinobu gasped. "It's okay!"

"I am too!" Yoko said, joining in the hug.

"Yeah, I think so am I!" said Karen. She jumped on top of all of them, causing them to fall over on the floor.

All four burst into laughter. After the laughing ended, they looked up at Aya, who was still standing by the door and blushing more than ever.

"I..." Aya nervously squeezed the collar of her shirt. "I'm in love with Yoko!" She bolted out of the room and ran down the hall before anyone could respond.

"W-What!?" said Yoko. "Aya, come back!" Yoko jumped up and chased Aya down the hall.

Shinobu, Alice, and Karen sat up.

"Wow, good going Ayaya!" said Karen.

"No wonder she's always such a tsundere around Yoko," said Alice softly.

"Hm..." said Shinobu.

Karen noticed the clock. "Ah, the time! It's already supper time! Bye-bye! I had fun today!" she said, jumping up and waving.

"See ya," said Alice, nodding. Karen continued waving as she skipped out of the room and down the hall.

"That was really interesting," said Shinobu once she and Alice were alone. "Who would've thought that I wasn't the only one..."

"A-About that, Shino..." said Alice, blushing.

"Yeah?" said Shinobu, looking over at Alice.

"D-Do you have a crush on me?"

"Eh?" Shinobu said.

"I mean, you're really overprotective of me, and..."

Shinobu, blushing slightly, smiled. "...Yeah."

"R-Really?" said Alice. "Because... I like you too, Shino! That's why I always got so jealous when Karen first came here, and you seemed to like her more than me..."

"I like you more than anyone!" said Shinobu.

"I know that now!" said Alice, hugging Shinobu tightly.

Shinobu hugged her back, stroking her blonde hair. "You're so cute..."

"No, you are," said Alice, embarrassed.

"Will you go out with me?" asked Shinobu.

"Yes!" said Alice. "I want to be your girlfriend, Shino!"

Shinobu looked happier than ever. "I'm so glad..." She noticed Isami standing in the doorway. "Onee-chan?"

"So... all of you are lesbians?" said Isami.

"Apparently," said Alice.

Isami sighed. "Yeah... I knew it all along."

"Then why didn't you say anything!?" said Shinobu.

"I figured you guys already knew, because it was just that obvious," said Isami. "Seriously, anyone who's ever met you could tell that you guys are attracted to each other. They'd have to be blind and deaf to not realize it."

Isami walked out of the room, leaving Shinobu and Alice in shock, holding each other on the floor next to Shinobu's bed.

Meanwhile...

"Stop chasing me!" said Aya, finally turning around on the sidewalk. "Leave me alone!"

"But Aya!" said Yoko, panting. "I like you!"

"What!?" Aya gasped. "But... Why didn't you tell me sooner, idiot!?"

"I'm sorry," said Yoko. "I was going to tell you eventually."

"You're so cruel!" said Aya.

"But you know now!" said Yoko. "We can date!"

"D-Date!?" said Aya. She briefly looked furious, then she calmed down and sighed. "I... I guess I can't say no. But only because you suggested it! I would be perfectly content without you!"

"Of course!" said Yoko. "No problem!" She didn't really believe Aya would be content without her, but she decided against saying so. "How about we go out together right now? I mean, I don't have any money on me, but..."

"What do you mean you don't have any money!? Do you expect me to pay for it!?"

"N-No!" said Yoko. "That's not what I meant!"

"Yoko, you idiot!" Aya screamed.

THE END