Obliviousness to what Hitomi was up to helped the maid to avoid having another little panic attack.  Everything about the girl showed how beyond the shadow of any doubt she was a very fancy lady!  She began to wonder (rather than question herself) whether she too could learn these ladylike ways from her kind oneesama.  The first mental image Hikaru got was one of herself in a fancy white lace dress with a green ribbon sash about the waist, sitting in a carriage and laughing in a demure way behind one hand.  Like proper ladies did in anime!  With Hitomi-oneesama's guidance maybe that could someday be her!  Quite the happy girl in that moment she felt warmth rather than panic as the older girl told her about having never window shopped before.  Of course the lovely lady whom she was serving had never had to only window shop - she could probably just snap her fingers and acquire whatever she desired.  For her part Hikaru could never imagine having that much power, but she was definitely in awe of Hitomi for it.

"I think it's your calming presence, Hitomi-oneesama," Hikaru told the older girl about how she'd stopped trembling, "I mean.. um.. maybe it just took a little while but I'm used to how lovely you are.. I mean.. you're very nice and kind and gentle and I'm really thankful I get to be your maid?"

Yeah, that sounded better.  Since the discussion shifted to books she was much more readily smiling as she responded, "Novels aren't just trivial, Hitomi-oneesama!  They are ways for us to take a break from how stressful life is and let us escape to another world!  It's like a movie but better since you don't have to make anybody want to act in it or something.  There are so many worlds you can go to, so many different types of books you can enjoy that it's not just trivial.. it's ladylike!  Or... at least.. um.. at least it's fun."

Just after that exchange Hitomi withdrew her hands, reminding Hikaru that they'd effectively been holding hands.  Those hands she'd been awestruck by had been holding her simple orphans' hands in them, imbuing her with ladylike clamness and grace!  Probably.  Hikaru blushed herself at realizing they'd been connected like that the whole time, but then quickly was dumbfounded when the older girl said she might need some help with science.  The lady was asking her maid for help in something that Hikaru hadn't dared to offer help in for fear of causing her to lose face.  Gulping, she tried to think of how to respond.  Part of her brain was already panicking about not being ready to try and tutor a lady, making mistakes in doing so and incurring the wrath of Hitomi in the process.  The other part, though, tried to follow the older girl's example and remained calm like Hikaru thought a lady would.

Without realizing it she reached over to gently touch Hitomi's hand again.  Nodding slightly Hikaru answered, "Whenever you wish, Hitomi-oneesama.  I'll do whatever you want if it makes your life easier or makes you smile.  That is a maid's duty!  And sometimes it's easier to think about science if you also read a bit of science fiction first.. that way it's exciting instead of boring and demanding.."

For some reason, Hitomi just wanted to reach out and pet this cute, little maid. All her facial expressions were adorable. Even her nervousness pulled on the part of her heart that was addicted to cute things. It made her wonder what sort of noises the girl would make when surprised. That would have to be left for some other time though, once they became more acquainted. Then she could unleash a bit of her playful side. Right now she needed to focus on being the proper onee-sama for Hikaru. So, the older student happily watched Hikaru's innocent expressions play across her features and simply smiled softly in return. But then it was her turn to blush once more. She was use to brushing off compliments toward her looks from her father's business partners, for they were shallow and only trying to flatter her. Hikaru's comment seemed.. refreshingly honest. Enough so that her cheeks continued to redden until a full flush covered her features, ending at the tips of her ears.

"Th-thank you, Hikaru-san." It was all she could manage for the moment, but then she continued, though her blush remained. "I think you're quite lovely yourself." Then another shy smile quirked up the corner of her lips.

She pondered the girl's words a moment afterward, tilting her head so a bit of her hair spilt over her shoulder. Hitomi didn't want to sound cold.. but she tended to speak the truths that she knew. "Please, don't take offense to this, Hikaru-san, but our opinions may differ on that. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy books as much as the next person, but you can only escape for so long before responsibilities to the real world come rushing back. Often it is better to not put such things off. On the other hand, you can learn much of the experiences you'll encounter in life in the pages of a book." Now she seemed to be arguing with herself, or more like debating. Afterall, Hitomi could never turn down a good debate and this one would have her pondering for a good while after lights out in the dorm hall.

Hitomi seemed a bit startled by the touch that was given, but she didn't voice such feelings, that would be rude. It wasn't often that someone, beside herself, would initiate contact. Other than her dressing servants at home and even that seemed like a distant memory. It was kind of.. nice. She smiled lightly and turned her hand over, keeping their contact, but using the movement to gently tickle the girl's palm with her nails.

"I'll look forward to your teachings, Hikaru-sempai." A soft twinkle of laughter had her bringing her free hand up to her lips. "Maybe you can read to me before we start the lesson?"

"M-me?  Lovely?" Hikaru asked in utter disbelief, pointing to herself with a single index finger.

This was something that utterly confounded the poor maid, perhaps more so than anything she studied in school.  How in the world had it transpired that a truly noble lady, someone so fancy and graceful it had Hikaru in a state of awe, had told her such a thing?  Time itself slowed down as she stared at the older student seated across from her with mouth agape out of her sheer surprise.  There were a lot of compliments that she'd received over the years from other students and adults alike.  Dependable?  Yes.  Friendly?  Sure.  Hospitable?  Certainly.  Cute?  Some of the nuns had definitely called her that, though she'd never been adopted despite their compliments in front of prospective parents.  Lovely was not one of them whatsoever - that was for someone who had mastered all the traditional arts, walked with confidence and poise, spoke kindly and had the total look of a proper lady.  Someone like HItomi-oneesama, not someone simple like Hikaru.  Despite her shock she blushed more at the compliment, not about to let Hitomi in on her mental image of being a proper lady some day.  That would be simply too embarrassing.

"Thank you for your very generous compliment, Hitomi-oneesama," she spoke politely, bowing her head in appreciation.  Then she sat looking utterly confused yet again as HItomi proceeded to speak about novels to some length.  At first she said they might have differing opinions but this quickly turned into what seemed like an inner debate.  Despite wanting to appear properly respectful Hikaru's head tilted to the side, curious expression replacing the confusion as Hitomi spoke.

"I guess you know more than I do, Hitomi-oneesama.  I'll follow your lead on books then.. but isn't it okay just to read for enjoyment?  I mean.. um... recreation is really important for young ladies.. um.. nevermind," HIkaru responded, biting her lip just a bit as she lost her train of thought.  

When her touch was reciprocated by the older girl, Hikaru's blush was back in full force.  The gentle movement of the older girl's fingernails across Hikaru's palm was actually really nice and relaxing at first.  Then she started to realize how utterly ticklish it felt and suddenly the dark haired girl was engaged in a battle to not laugh.  As one might expect this played out across her face, first with widened eyes.  Then her lips trembled as she tried her hardest not to break down in amusement at the feeling.  Finally she couldn't hold it in and started lightly giggling at the sensation of being tickled.  This lasted for a short moment before she realized again whose presence she was in and managed to calm herself enough to stop laughing and think straight.


"I apologize.. I guess I'm kind of.. ticklish," she stifled another giggle.  And then she realized what Hitomi was telling her and asked, "W-wait, do you want me to read to you now?  Because I don't have any books with me that would help with science being easier.. I could tell a story, but it wouldn't.. um.. really be as good.. er. you.. um.. do.. maybe.. you have something.. I could read?"  By her expressive face it was clear that she was nearing a panic again as she worried about not having anything on hand to satisfy her oneesama's wish.

Just before Hikaru spoke, the older teen was about to tease her about catching flies if she kept her mouth open much longer. She kept her silence for a moment longer though and grinned shyly. "I only spoke the truth." Then she tapped her lower lip and gave her head a slight shake. "I only know what I was taught," more like pounded into her head repeatedly, "and I've found that many of these things aren't true out in the real world. Recreational reading is indeed a good thing and can open the mind. So there are ups and downs to it, I suppose. In any case, I wouldn't give up reading even if it caused me problems. You learn far too much in books to never open one after you graduate from school."

Then she had the joy of watching those cute expressions play over Hikaru's face. Hitomi enjoyed it enough that she kept up the actions until a giggle finally rang through the air. That was much nicer and far more pure than any of the nervous chuckles she had given before. How had she been so lucky to have such a sweet girl for a maid? What had she done that would make God bless her in this way? Her lips parted for her to say these thoughts aloud, but then closed and the smile was replaced on her cupid's bow. She wouldn't bother the girl with all her inner questioning of the ways of the universe. Instead she would focus on the joyous sound that hadn't lasted long enough. Yet, she didn't protest when Hikaru went silent once more. It had been nice while it lasted, at least.

"There is no need to apologize. That was my goal in the first place." She stated this matter of factly and withdrew her hand to take another drink of her coffee. As she set the glass back down, Hitomi licked her upper lip then gave her hand a slight flick at the wrist so it gave a lazy wave in her kohai's direction. "Dinner bell will ring soon. Though, I'm sure I have something that would suffice. We can do that some other day when we're both free, alright?"

As if on cue, the church bells rang softly in the distance, chiming out the time. Hitomi tilted her head a bit, listening to the countdown then nodded. "Are you hungry, Hikaru? We could go get dinner together if you like." Then as if an after thought, she added. "I can wait while you go get changed. That outfit does look very cute on you, but I'm sure it'll be harder to eat in than your school uniform."

It was a bit reassuring to have the hostess explain what she had meant by the vocalized inner dispute about recreational reading.  Hikaru's impression had always been that a fancy upper class lady would regale herself with entertaining tales while waiting for the next social event.  Relaxing in her sitting room, in a big frilly dress while reading a story of her own choosing, not a care in the world!  To hear the rationalization by Hitomi of why it was that she'd doubted the value of reading for pleasure, Hikaru felt much more enlightened on the subject.  At least the subject of fancy ladies and their attitudes toward reading for pleasure.  Really it sounded like the older girl was just parroting what someone had told her, much like you'd repeat the answer to a homework question when called upon in class.  Those things she'd been taught were not what made Hitomi so fancy, though, if they were all prohibitive.  Just the girl's bearing, looks and personality gave Hikaru that impression.  Hitomi was fancy by virtue of being Hitomi.

Despite knowing it was probably bad to speak out of turn, HIkaru frowned a little as she said, "Forgive me for saying but.. if you were taught that reading for fun is unladylike, then whoever taught you that is wrong.  So I'm glad that you won't give up reading because I think it's one of the most ladylike things in the world!"  There was a passion and conviction in Hikaru's words that hadn't been present before, and soon disappeared as she laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head, "Ehe.. I mean.. I think you should decide what you want to do, Hitomi-oneesama.. nobody should tell you how you should act.."

Being told that the entire point of the light tickling had been to make her laugh, Hikaru just sat staring at the older girl for a long moment.  Every time she thought she had HItomi somewhat figured out the fancy lady surprised her and threw definition to the wind.  Now she was showing that beyond having the grace and poise of a noblewoman, the gentleness of a nice lady and the interests of a normal girl, Hitomi also had a mischievous side.  Hikaru wanted to pout at being duped, but her little frown didn't last very long.  A smile tugged at its corners and it was again a battle to determine what expression her lips would show.  If Hitomi looked she'd see the poor girl's mouth flinch a few times until the pout fully transformed into a smile.  Another giggle came out of her as she just accepted that Hitomi had gotten the best of her, and that the older girl was happy.  Her being happy was really what put Hikaru at ease - there was no way that this lady was a tyrant like her classmates complained their oneesamas were.

"Dinner?  It's that late already?  Um.. I mean.. what should we do?  It would be nice.. um.. to have dinner with you, Hitomi-oneesama," Hikaru responded, tenseness coming back with a vengeance as she worried about what order to do things in.  At the older girl's suggestion of her changing out of the maid uniform, Hikaru nodded quickly in agreement. Yet something was wrong with the suggestion - it involved leaving her oneesama for a bit to put on other clothes, and she wanted to make sure this first time spending the day with the older girl went well.  That meant looking after every need and wish of the girl she was in the service of, and she couldn't do that if she left the room for a bit.

So instead, still blushing from being called cute, Hikaru suggested, "Hitomi-oneeesama, I would be honored if you'd visit my room and wait for me there. I'm afraid that if you don't I won't be able to help you with whatever you need and.. um.. er... I don't have a roommate yet so you have plenty of room to wait... and I have books there if you'd like to read while you do.. not that I think you're into the same stuff I'm into.. I mean.. um.. I hope that's okay with you.."

The golden eyed teen leaned forward onto her elbow and smirked at Hikaru in a pleased manner. To see her get so fired up over what she believed in showed confidence. At least it wouldn't take much to make the girl more confident in herself. She just doubted after the words were already out. That could be worked with. She then brought her other arm up to the table and tucked her fists under her chin. "Your first statement was clear enough, Hikaru-san. I understood exactly what you meant. No need to apologize. We are in like mindset on that point, but doubting yourself will make other's doubt you. You don't have to explain yourself. Stick to your guns, as my grandfather would put it. Stick to your word to a fault and you'll go far in life." Hitomi then lowered her hands to cross her arms over the table. And keep that innocent mindset too.

Hitomi did in fact, steal a glance at the girl, which turned into a lip parted stare. She was just too cute.. It took her breath away. Finally, when Hikaru giggled Hitomi took a breath and quickly turned her head away. Her lower lip was captured between her teeth and worried back and forth as she looked around the room, catching the clock and the time. This made her blink. How was it that late already? Dinner bell was going to ring soon. If they were to get warm plates they would have to head there shortly, but.. Hikaru was in her maid uniform and no one else was allowed to see that. Wait. What? Hitomi's face twitched into a confused expression, but shifted back to a relaxed one before she looked back to Hikaru. Of course others would and had already seen that. She had to travel floors of the door to get to her room. How odd.. She pushed the thought off for a closer analysis later on.

"The honor would be my own. I'd love to see your room. That way I can come pester my Imōto whenever I like." The teen then moved to her feet and offered Hikaru her hand. "I wouldn't mind taking a look through your books either. You never know what you may like until you try it. I tend to shy from judging books by their covers." She brushed back her hair with her free hand as she easily helped Hikaru to her feet after the girl accepted her hand. "I'll fill you in on a little secret on our way to your room. Come on." Keeping their hands together she turned and started moving from the room. As if from a last second thought, Hitomi grabbed the silver necklace that held a key and was hanging next to her door. After stuffing it into her pocket she led Hikaru out and shut the door behind them. Since all the first and second years were on the same floor she knew the way for the most part, just not which room. So she let their arms hang comfortably between them, connected at the hand.

"Okay then, secret." Hitomi grinned and tilted her head toward the girl. "Don't tell your friends, or my classmates will get upset with me. Eventually it'll get out, but I know the real reason they make first years do the maid duties. It's not for you to wait on our whims, Hikaru-san. It's to teach responsibilities. A lot of the girl's in Miator have a background much like my own. Coddled and waited on hand and foot. It's a complete flip of picture and allows us to see what it is like to be on the other end. It teaches compassion for those who are in our employment. So while I truly appreciate you wanting to help with whatever you can, don't feel obligated to do so. I can already tell that your heart is full of nothing but compassion, so there isn't much of a lesson to be learned." She grinned and raised her other hand to pat at Hikaru's head. "I was lucky to get such a sweet kohai. I was afraid I might have to bump heads with a little me." This time a giggle parted her lips, but was quieted quickly as she bit into her lower lip.

Hikaru knew very well just from watching Hitomi that she had a long way to go before she'd be similar to other Miator girls.  As nice as everyone in her class had been she honestly compared herself to them and noticed the difference in backgrounds.  The comparison was pretty stark.  A lot of them seemed like they were younger versions of the oneesama she had been assigned to, proto-Hitomis in a way.  Some day they would probably just as cultured and elegant as the girl who was seated across from her, their every gesture the very definition of fancy lady.  Attentive to the older girl's needs she also tried to take mental notes on how she held her hands, how she sat, anything that could help her emulate that example.  Her own smile widened as her hostess reinforced her outburst rather than chastising her.  Maybe the cultured lady was also much more her own woman than a simply fancy lady could be defined as.  This thought struck such a chord with the maid that she nodded vigorously in agreement with Hitomi's advice.  

"Okay, I'll do my best to follow your advice Hitomi-oneesama.  Sometimes I meet people who really need help and sometimes you have to act differently to make them feel better... and a lot of times I spend a lot of time taking care of other people because I don't like to see them upset.. um... but Sister Mary always told me I had too big of a heart to have time for myself," Hikaru laughed nervously, quickly wondering just where that all had come from.  Why was she telling Hitomi-oneesama that?  It seemed awfully abrupt and strange to be telling the older girl such things out of nowhere.  Just as her hands started to tremble a little out of anxiety, Hikaru sighed.  Maybe she was just hungry and her brain wasn't quite working right.  What other reason was there for burdening Hitomi with this?


It made her feel better when the golden eyed girl expressed her interest in seeing Hikaru's room.  Getting to be called someone's Imōto brought her smile right back out, as well as a bit of that warm feeling to her cheeks.  She knew that a number of her classmates would likely turn white at the thought of their assigned oneesama knowing what room they inhabited.  Getting a tyrant showing up at your room in the middle of your homework to demand that you brew fresh tea for her was a nightmare other first years might have.  For her part Hikaru felt incredibly blessed to have this kind lady as her mentor and mistress, and didn't mind at all the thought of her showing up out of nowhere.  Instead of demanding tea it might well be for something really nice like a surprise tea party at night with some sci fi reading before turning in for the evening.  Yes, this was a wonderful arrangement.  It was even nicer to have the chance to link hands with the older girl, which she happily seized.  Connected at the hand, the pair could travel to her room and jointly share the positive energy of companionship.  Something tugged at the back of her mind, something about how nice it felt to have that soft smooth ladylike hand encompassing her own.  Such thoughts didn't make a whole lot of sense, so she cast it aside even though she felt her heart beat a little faster.


As they walked, she listened intently to the older girl's big secret and then found herself smiling a little in amusement.  Then her smile turned to a giggle as she couldn't contain herself.  After giggling all the way down the stairs which led to the floor she dwelt on, Hikaru looked up and met Hitomi's eyes as she confided, "That makes a lot of sense, Hitomi-oneesama.  It's really a nice learning experience for ladies so that they're aware of everyone's feelings.. and um.. I appreciate your compliments,  but I'm not that special compared to everyone else.  Most of my classmates are going to be fancy ladies some day too, they're all pretty well off and all that, so they've got excitement in the future.. "

She blushed as she added, "I've just always worked extra hard to make sure everyone can be happy.  It makes me happy that others are happy, so whatever I can do to make as many people as possible happy, I'll do it!  At my orphanage we all had jobs to do to make sure our home was nice and neat.. it made us proud of where we lived too.  And it made the adults who visited really happy too, which meant that more kids might get to.. um.. go home.."

Realizing that was maybe not the best subject to go on, Hikaru pointed to a nearby door, "Well.. we're here!  This is my room.. I don't have a roommate yet, but it's kind of comfy anyway..  welcome, Hitomi-oneesama." 

She opened the door, then led the older girl in by the hand with stars in her eyes.  Somehow she'd gotten really pumped up to show off her living space to Hitomi, so much so that she hadn't recalled some problems with that idea.  Like how she was supposed to be a responsible maid to an older girl but had left her own room in a bit of anarchy.  It was especially sub-standard compared to the impeccable cleanliness that Hitomi kept her room in.  Immediately visible in the living space were a few textbooks left either on her chair or opened on the writing desk.  Her (at the moment) spare bed had some of her extra clothes piled haphazardly on it as she'd just done some laundry and suddenly recalled she had to go return a book to the school library.  A large plush dog rested at an odd angle in front of her night stand, having fallen off during her earlier rush to get things ready for Hitomi.  Even as this all came into view Hikaru was totally oblivious to it and looked back up to Hitomi with a thoughtful expression.

"Hitomi-oneesama.. I know it might be out of place to give you advice but.. um.." she tugged anxiously at her braid and looked at the floor as she suggested, "You should let yourself laugh instead of stopping yourself.. your smile is pretty and I bet that your laugh is too.. but it's your choice, so please excuse my outburst..."

"If it's for another's happiness then I suppose shifting your stance would be for the benefit of the situation." She was terribly tempted to reach out and ruffle Hikaru's hair. "You know, no one has ever made me rethink so many situations and concepts in such a short period. I really am lucky." She let out a soft giggle, then grinned. "Well, now I'll know that I'll have to look after you and make sure you don't work yourself too hard then, hm? How could you help anyone if you collapsed?"


As they made their way to the younger girl's room, Hitomi fought the urge to link her fingers between Hikaru's and kept the clasped hands in a platonic position. She didn't bother refraining from swinging their hands though. Happiness was coursing through her and absolutely nothing was going to bring her down. After all, her kohai had invited her over to her room then they were going to have dinner together! Generally, she'd take her food back to her room and study or she'd sit with a few classmates, whom she kept polite conversation with, but not much else.

"Of course it makes sense. I said it. Sometimes young girl's need a reminder of how hard working with your hands is." She grinned and then winked at the girl. This was followed by a gentle squeeze to the younger girl's hand. "You're far more special than you give yourself credit for, Hikaru-san. I know plenty of silver spoon ladies that don't hold a candle to you. You have a natural beauty about yourself. You are you. That is special in and of itself. Also, I wouldn't be so quick to think that they will have a lot of excitement in the future. Many of the girl's here still have marriages arranged for after they graduate. Families to be made." This made her grin sour a little, but she perked up as she turned her attention back to Hikaru.

"Thank you for having me, Hikaru-san." Hitomi caught herself before she could bow as she normally would when being welcomed into a new place and give a slight nod of her head, it would be rather silly to bow while holding hands. She followed in after Hikaru, glancing around room. It was rather homey. For once, she wasn't instantly drawn to the out of place items. It took her a few moments, actually. Her attention had been drawn back to Hikaru soon after her entrance and she locked eyes with the girl. A breath locked in her chest until Hikaru dropped her gaze to the floor and a slow exhale collapsed her chest. "I.. Thank you, Hikaru. I will try." The color of her cheeks tinted toward a red and she nibbled at her lower lip, trying to hide the happy smile that was working its way onto her features. In order to distract herself from the swell of giddiness, Hitomi looked around the room once more and then finally let her cheeky grin break through. "It looks like perhaps our roles are reversed and it is you whom is in need of a maid."

Hitomi's giggle bubbled, unhampered as she crossed her arms over her belly. "I'm only teasing, Hikaru-san. I know how crazy the first few weeks can be here. You're doing quite well settling in, it seems." Then the tipped over plush dog caught her eye and she moved over to it. First thing, she righted it then crouched down so she was almost face to face with it. "This is very cute." Her head tipped back, letting her long hair spill over her shoulders and almost brush against the floor behind her, so that she could look up to her kohai.

Growing up in an orphanage under the care of nuns had been a pretty positive experience for Hikaru all around.  It had instilled her with a strong work ethic and a love for her brothers and sisters there.  Even if she had never been brought into a permanent home herself the knowledge that her assistance had helped a number of those siblings-by-circumstance do so made her happy.  Anything she did that could assist others took precedence over doing things that were purely out of self interest.  This made the praise from Hitomi all the more meaningful for the younger student, as it indicated her efforts were already making a difference.  With the true purpose of serving as maids to older students revealed to her moments before Hikaru was pretty sure now that she was satisfying the goal as well as genuinely helping her oneesama.  Maybe the elder student didn't need as much help with menial tasks like cleaning, but Hikaru could still make a big difference just by being herself around Hitomi.  


As they held hands she felt incredibly content with that direct connection to Hitomi.  How the meek had risen in this world!  To think that a simple girl like her had gone from being a regular fixture at the orphanage to accompanying this fancy lady was quite crazy to her.  Yet here it was, happening on her first day in that fancy lady's company.  Without thinking too much about it she went along with swinging their hands, thinking that this was pretty normal and that since Hitomi had initiated it she should go along anyway.  It felt playful, light and overall nice to do so in fact.  Anxiety had left her person as she was smiling in a way that reflected her contentedness though she knew Hitomi's smile outshone hers.  It was very flattering to her that her oneesama would choose to have dinner with her over other girls her age too.  All in all this was shaping up to be a pretty good day!


"If you say so, Hitomi-oneesama.  All of this - the fancy uniforms, the fancy dorms, the fancy ladies.. all of this is brand new to me.  Being blessed enough to live in such an amazingly fairy tale world as this is a dream come true... um.. er.. it's better because I get to help you out, though.  You're the fanciest lady of all.. .er.. not in a cookie cutter way.. more like the princess who goes out and isn't afraid to be herself, who's really kind to everyone and is elegant but approachable.. um.. this isn't making any sense," Hikaru attempted to respond, only seer giddiness at the moment overriding the returning anxiety from being praised.  Could she really live up to such praise?


She had already begun to pull out her regular uniform and subsequently remove the maid's uniform when Hitomi mentioned that their roles had been switched.  Apron draped over her arm, she nearly dropped it out of surprise at the choice of words.  It was only then that she realized she had failed to pick up after herself before heading up to attend to Hitomi's needs.  Every little thing that was out of place jumped out at her as if it had large flashing neon signs indicating the problem.  For as excited as she'd been to host the girl in her room it was embarrassing to realize that she had made such an oversight.  Hikaru twitched a bit as she was locked into an inner debate about whether she should finish changing first or clean up the mess first.  Then she heard the light sound of laughter coming from her oneesama and felt great relief; it had only been teasing.  Visibly relaxing, Hikaru went along with the mood and giggled as well even though she was clearly blushing as a reaction to the teasing.  While Hitomi was investigating the plush dog, Hikaru went about unzipping her maid's dress, feeling that changing now had the priority.  

When the next comment came in, Hikaru was standing before her wardrobe in a state of partial undress.  She held her Miator uniform in one arm while she had just finished unzipping the back of her maid's dress with the other.  Not thinking much of this she turned to face Hitomi and nodded in response to her comment about the toy.  Maybe it was a little immature for a girl now attending a fancy fairy tale school, but it was an important object in Hikaru's life.  This being the case she decided that for whatever reason HItomi ought to know more about the plush dog.

"His name is Mochi," she explained, then added, "I'm sure he's happy that you helped him sit up properly."

Then she glanced off to the side for a moment, second-guessing her decision to share the story.  However she soon looked back to Hitomi  and told her, "He used to belong to my friend Saya...  we played together every day and even went to school together too.. and then one day she moved out.  She lives in Shimonoseki with her family now, and she says that her new brother is really nice too.  I'm happy for her.. but she left poor Mochi behind and when I asked if she wanted him to move in with her, she said he'd be happier with me.  So I kind of adopted him.. and he reminds me of her.  Mochi is like me I guess - it took a long time for him to find a place to belong, but now that he found it, he must be happy."

Her wistful smile changed into a bit of panic again and was accompanied by a nervous laugh, "Ehe.. sorry, that sounded weird didn't it?  I mean... um... he's not actually alive or anything but... um.. he's been my best friend for a while now.."

Hitomi didn't bother in correcting Hikaru as she went on about how she was such a perfect lady. She was far from it, but she doubted that saying it would change the girl's mind. Just because she put on this front, didn't make her a lady. It was simply a part of her reality that she couldn't shake no matter how much she wished to. Having manners and such things were a necessity, but the overall outlook on her life was.. dismal to say the least. It had all been planned for her and these six years were the only break she would receive from that life. Shortly after her graduation she was to be married. Her head gave a slight twitch. She had been thinking to shake it to rid herself of these thoughts, but that would draw attention from her younger partner. Instead, she tilted her head a fraction toward Hikaru's direction and spoke. "I think I know what you're trying to say. The humble princess, no?" A soft smile and she shook her head. "You'll get use to it soon enough. But I'm glad to be a part of your dream come true." Hitomi's left eye blinked close in a wink.

"Mochi. A suiting name for such a handsome creature. I'm glad I could be of service." A light pat to his head and Hitomi turned her head, only to freeze in her movement then whip her head back around so she was staring down at the dog. She narrowed her eyes a bit as she locked eyes with the plush. "You could have warned me.." Was murmured under her breath playfully, but with a little serious hint to it. She kept her gaze down as she listened to Hikaru's story. It must have been so hard to watch so many friends come and go. The girl bit into the side of her cheek, wondering if she should speak her thoughts out loud, there was no need to bring such a great atmosphere with sympathy. So, instead she reached out and straightened one of the ears of the pup. "I'm sure he is happy. To have such a considerate owner, anyone would be happy. It isn't weird at all. Just because something doesn't breathe or respond back to you, doesn't mean it can't hold significance in our heart. Sometimes we just need someone to talk to or be there for us and human's aren't always as reliable as our huggable little friend here."

As she looked back toward Hikaru, she had forgotten about her kohai's apparent state of undress and felt a blush keep over her cheeks once more. "I.. uhm.. I actually have a bear hiding in my pillows." Her head turned soon after that, to give Hikaru some privacy to change and she could refrain from having a nosebleed all over the cute doggy. She couldn't believe she had just admitted to still having a stuffed animal in her room, but it had kept her sane at times. And Hikaru wouldn't judge her for that. She moved back to her feet, smoothing her uniform's skirt as she rose then slowly paced over to Hikaru's bookshelf. While she walked, she made sure that her hair was falling across her own features so that Hikaru couldn't be seen. Hitomi really wasn't good with nudity, or semi-nudity for that matter. It made her nervous and stutter. So much so that when they changed for gym, she'd find an empty room to use or a bathroom stall.

After reaching the shelving unit, Hitomi clasped her hands together in front of her, letting them hang loosely at her hip level. She scanned a few of the titles then lifted a dainty hand to tip one of the books outward before removing it from it's space. The cover looked like something sci-fi-ish, but one could never be sure so she flipped it over to read the description. It certainly sounded interesting. Not a book she would have picked up at the library for a pleasurable read, especially since she had a soft spot for romances and there were plenty of those to keep her occupied for years to come.

"Say, Hikaru-san? What's your favorite genre?" She was so use to looking at the people she spoke to, that she turned her head in Hikaru's direction without thinking and felt her face heat to the boiling point.

"Humble but.. classy.  Really classy and.. um.. maybe just needing a lady in waiting to help her do less ladylike but still enjoyable things," Hikaru spouted off, trying to further explain that which didn't necessarily need explanation.  She giggled nervously at Hitomi's remark about being part of a dream come true, though the comment was accurate.

She was indeed fortunate to have this particular lady as her senpai, especially at this point in her life.  Already Hikaru had noticed that the taller girl had seemed a bit more relaxed since the initial awkwardness.  Judging by her most recent comments and observations about the fairy tale nature of the arrangement and Mochi's feelings, Hitomi also was becoming more open to her already.  Such trust was something Hikaru knew other girls found hard to place in someone; Saya had been that way before finally being adopted.  At first she hadn't really wanted to let anyone even get close to her, played mostly by herself and looked incredibly sullen all the time.  That is until Hikaru would show up and together they'd been all smiles.  She knew what it meant to have someone you could trust with your feelings so it was with extra care that Hikaru listened to her oneesama's words.  Even if she blushed at the compliments granted to her.  At the admission of owning her own plush companion Hikaru grinned at Hitomi.  First glances wouldn't even suggest that the fancy lady kept such a cute thing in her room, but Hitomi wasn't a typically fancy lady.  Inside the fancy mannerisms and look she was a normal girl in some ways.. even if Hikaru still saw her as an example to live up to, a princess!

"It's okay for a fancy lady to keep one too, Hitomi-oneesama.  Everyone needs a best friend to talk to when things are tough.. or just when you need to let everything out!  Mochi's a really good listener for that sort of thing, and I'm sure your bear is too.  I'd love to meet.. him.. er.. her.. your bear some day," Hikaru responded as she continued changing clothes without a second thought.  

It turned out that getting out of a maid's uniform was a whole lot quicker than putting it on.  Probably because she had never worn one before and had been a bit confused by some of the lacier elements of the ensemble.  Now that she was putting her equally fancy uniform back on it went much more smoothly than her first change earlier.  No thoughts of what Hitomi would think of her changing in such cavalier fashion even crossed the younger girl's mind.  In all honesty she wouldn't have been able to complete the swap of attire if they had; she would have been a trembling nervous wreck instead.  Rather than panicking she pushed ahead with a happy smile on her face due to the warm mood in the room.  A really kind oneesama, a new friend for Mochi, dinner together with someone coming up - it was all looking up for Hikaru!  She was in such a hurry to get ready for dinner that she tossed her maid uniform onto her bed to be hung up later, not paying attention to how crumpled it had become.  Soon she was zipping up her Miator uniform,  careful to keep her braid from getting caught in the zipper's teeth.  Her first time changing that had happened, and removing the hair from the zipper's grip had been quite time consuming and worrying.  Having completed her transformation safely Hikaru stepped over to the older girl just in time to hear the question about books.


"Favorite genre?  Well.. um.. I really enjoy things that take me to a different world.. something that can make even a boring rainy day when you can't do anything outside exciting!  So... things like science fiction or fantasy.. though I do like romantic stories too," Hikaru responded, tapping her chin thoughtfully as she spoke, "And if a book can combine two of those three, then it's even better!  Almost perfect.. um.. Hitomi-oneesama, would you like me to read that book you're holding sometime?  I'd be really happy to.. er.. um.. if.. you don't have any other plans.."

Perhaps.. but a friend sounds nicer. Hitomi didn't speak her thought out loud, even in her head it sounded needy. Instead, she gave a slight smile and nod. She didn't need, nor did she want anyone waiting on her. It was bad enough at home. But a little help here and there.. That wasn't too bad, right? Especially from someone who wasn't paid to enjoy her company. There she started down that treacherous path to a bad mood once more. Instead of following that rocky road, she turned her attention to the relationship she was forming now. All Hikaru wanted to do was help. She couldn't fault the girl for that. It was a part of her, a no matter what, she wouldn't change that part of Hikaru.

"Indeed. And sometimes the things that need expressed shouldn't fall on human ears.." The way she stated the words sounded like she was talking in verbatim once more. "That said, Yuriko has helped me many times over. I'd never be able to give her up. She's been a constant in my life for far too long." She smiled lightly and patted the pup's head once more. "I'd be happy to introduce you to her. Maybe she and Mochi can become friends too."

The girl had been too interested in Hikaru's bookshelf to notice that she had simply tossed the clothing she once wore onto the bed. But, she transferred her center of attention to her shorter counterpart when she stepped next to her. Nodding to show her agreement, she passed the book to the girl and gently adjusted her tie. It had been slightly out of line, not enough for many to notice, but her perfectionist's eye had caught it almost instantly. And maybe she was just trying to find a reason to touch the girl again. What an odd thought.

"I would enjoy it very much if you would read it to me." A small smile turned up her lips as she looked up from the tie she had just straightened. "But you have to change your voice when the characters speak, that way I know which is which and don't get dialog mixed up." It was a tease of course, really it was easy to tease Hikaru and she enjoyed it immensely.

"Well, we should get going, dinner won't wait on u-" She had begun to turn for the door and caught sight of the uniform that was crumpled on the bed. It was hard not to plop her hands on her hips and sigh. Instead, she moved to the bed, lifted the still warm clothing and retrieved a hanger from the closet before Hikaru could even complain about her actions. She made hanging the uniform look easy, after all she had plenty of practice from doing it the first year she took residency here. The now properly hung article was placed on the hook on the front of the closet door and she grinned at Hikaru. "Alright. Now let's go get some food. My stomach is going to start eating itself soon and I'll waste away to nothing." Hitomi grabbed Hikaru's hand and off they went once more!

"Yuriko sounds like a wonderful friend, Hitomi-oneesama!  I'm sure that she and Mochi would be the best of friends," Hikaru nodded emphatically, "He's a simple guy with a good heart, and someone as caring as Yuriko would have a lot in common with him.  I'd love to meet her sometime."

Hikaru was a little surprised that her oneesama was immediately on top of a fashion gaffe though.  Not the attention to detail - that was to be expected of someone who was so focused, cleanly and well put together.  Rather it was the suddenness itself which caught her off guard just as she'd been offering to read the book to Hitomi sometime.  It shouldn't have surprised her, really; Hitomi was such a fashion-conscious person that even the smallest of imperfections would be as obvious to her eye as a science fiction book in a library of classic literature.  The fact that Hikaru was pleased to have occasion for her oneesama to make contact with her directly was kind of confusing.  As best she could interpret the feeling, Hikaru assumed it was just nice to have someone who was looking out for her and who was kind enough to show affection through hugs and such.  That must be it.  Saya had hugged her a lot, and they were like sisters almost.  Probably just that sort of thing!

In response to Hitomi's desire to be read to, Hikaru nodded firmly and with a serious tone announced, "I can totally do that, Hitomi-oneesama!  You can count on me to read the book in whatever way you want.  It's important that you can tell who's talking when, otherwise it gets really mixed up.. um.. but I'll do my very best."

She would have said more about the book and how to read it properly if HItomi hadn't gone and announced that they had to go to dinner.  And then stopped mid-stride to hang up the maid uniform which Hikaru had tossed aside.  Instantly Hikaru blanched and tensed muscles all over her body.  That was a pretty major faux pas in the presence of a fancy lady who strove to keep everything neat and organized.  There was a bit of concern over that which quickly dissipated as she stood in awe of how effortlessly the older girl put together the mess of clothing.  So quickly had HItomi gotten everything organized and hung up that Hikaru hadn't processed it all by the time the older girl returned to her side.  What an amazing lady!  Her smile returned in time for the reuniting of their hands, and off they went to dinner.

Dinner.. had been a different matter.  Mostly it had been lovely and uneventful as both girls conversed about little things and some recent experiences in classes.  Hikaru had been micro managing her eating habits so that every gesture reflected what she had seen in manga and TV shows as ladylike habits.  Not that the older girl had been too picky about how Hikaru went about feeding herself in the end.  It was more that it only seemed appropriate for a maid to attempt to live up to the example of nobility displayed across the table.  Nobility that was somewhat shattered by the fact that toward the end of their meal Hitomi had face planted near the table.  No blood, but Hikaru had instantly panicked at the event, going so far as to rush over to the older girl's side and check her for injuries.  After confirming the girl was all right she had gone ahead and helped Hitomi back to her own room, taking it slowly so as to not risk another fall.  

Once there Hikaru had insisted on helping the older girl sit down on the bed which was still as yet unoccupied.  Next she had asked the girl to rest there with Mochi as company, whilst she hatched her plan to make up for allowing Hitomi to fall like that.  When you had an accident a good way to get yourself feeling better was to relax with a good book.  Since she'd already been asked to read the science fiction novel to Hitomi, so why not make a night of it?  That being the plan she wanted everyone to be as relaxed and comfortable as possible.  What was more comfortable than pajamas?  Hikaru had taken the time in her room to change into a hand-me-down pair of her own which she'd owned since her last year or so at the orphanage.  Only once she'd changed had she grabbed her book, a small bag of cookies she'd made in home economics and a spare pillow.  With that pillow tucked under her arm she'd escorted Hitomi hand-in-hand back to the older girl's room without a word, though she'd hummed cheerfully all the way upstairs.

When they were safely in the older girl's room she explained, "Don't worry, Hitomi-oneesama, I have a plan to make up for that fall.  I.. um.. I'd like to read to you tonight.  So we should be as comfortable as possible too.. so.. er.. we can both relax a lot.  I brought some cookies.. that.. I.. I.. made..  in class.  Not sure how good they are, but I though some snacks would be nice."  

She hesitated, then suggested, "Would you like to change into something more comfy too, Hitomi-oneesama?"

After the whole dinner disaster, Hitomi was fully aware of the blush that spread across her cheeks. How could one not be when it felt like steam would start rising from her head at any moment. Thankfully Hikaru had gotten them out of there before many could gather around them. At least she hadn't smacked her face off the table either.. That could have been far more troublesome. The teen let out a soft sigh and rubbed her cheek for a moment as she was asked to wait on the bed. Her arms reached out for Mochi a few moments later and drew him in to her lap so she could hug the stuffed animal and watch Hikaru move around the room. She really didn't need to rest, she was perfectly fine other than the hit to her pride. Another quiet sigh and she rested her cheek against the side of the dogs head and closed her eyes. Now everyone and their sister knew of her clumsiness. Great.

All of these worries were soon washed away though, any thought was drawn from her brain really as soon as she glanced up and caught sight of Hikaru in her pajamas. All thoughts other than the soft coo of how cute the girl looked. Hitomi shifted Mochi into one arm and happily clasped their hands once more. If falling meant she got to hold hands with her adorable kohai then she would gladly embarrass herself a million times over. A light blush touched to her cheeks and she glanced at Hikaru from the corner of her eye to make sure she wasn't watching her, then allowed a soft smile to play at her lips. Since it didn't take long to make it from one room to the other, Hitomi couldn't even relish in the feelings that lifted her spirits. Instead she was forced to focus on getting her door open with a tricky wiggle of her key.

She gently drew the girl into her room and nudged the door shut behind them. Before she could offer a girl a seat on her bed, Hikaru knocked her brain off balance and started her cute rambling. Hitomi worked hard to not let her smirk pull at her lips, but finally gave up and grinned at the smaller girl. This in turn led to her setting Mochi down on her bed, then she turned back to Hikaru and placed her hands on her cheeks.

"Breathe." A barely audible chuckle was heard before she motioned to the bed, indicating she take a seat. "It was just a little trip, Hikaru. I've had far worse happen. I appreciate your worry, but I promise I'm alright. You don't have to make up for it. It was my own fault."

Hitomi took the cookies from her and set them on the stand next to the bed, ruffled Mochi's fur then turned for her closet. "I'm sure the cookies taste perfectly fine. Especially if you put your all in to them."

Once those words were said she disappeared into the small room, but left the door open. Afterall, she wasn't all that modest. All her life she had maids looking after her and dressing her. She kept her back to the girl as she got ready for bed though. Only turning once the knee length, lacy nightdress was rippling into place. Her bare feet padded over the floor and she eased herself down next to Hikaru, tucking her nightie under her as she did so. Then, she reached behind her to draw out the pink and white bear she had spoken of before.

"Hikaru, Yuriko. Yuriko, Hikaru."

She smiled lightly and lifted the bear's arm to make it seem like she was waving at Hikaru.

There was a statement which Hikaru recalled hearing somewhere, sometime in the past.  Simply put, it was a mission statement for some TV show, movie or book which began 'Space, the final frontier'.  This only occurred to the flustered girl because of how she thought of her oneesama's dorm room - for Hikaru, this was truly the final frontier.  Or at the very least it certainly seemed like it; she never would have imagined she would already be spending time inside for things other than her maidly duties.  Even though she'd been here not too long ago it was still a little overwhelming for the girl who had been assigned to serve such a fascinating lady as Hitomi.  She really worried if just showing up in her simple pajamas was acceptable, but something told her that Hitomi was just unconventional enough of a lady to allow it.  Still she worried about how she should read the book, where she should sit while reading it and whether the other girl was really okay.  Plenty of people would say they were okay when they really weren't all that okay.  

In fact the concern only subsided due to the distraction of Hitomi's soft, gentle fingers on her cheeks.  Surprised at the gentle touch she trembled a little, not sure just what to do in the initial moment.  Ultimately she just told herself to breathe.  Just as Hitmoi had instructed Hikaru breathed in and out a couple of times to regain her bearings.  Things slowed down enough mentally that she was able to overcome the surprise at the touch itself; she found she liked the contact, thought more of it would even be nice.. and then blushed at the thought of Hitomi hugging her.  Maybe even snuggling while she read the book to her!  What was getting into Hikaru?  She had to get a hold of herself lest she embarrass herself in front of her aristocratic and demure oneesama!  After some hesitation she sat down on Hitomi's bed without really thinking about it too much.  Only once did she chance a look over at Hitomi as the girl was changing, and only after the change of clothes had mostly been completed.  That was still enough to make her think how pretty Hitomi was, how amazing it was to be in her company!

"W-well, I'd be happy for you to try one of the cookies first, Hitomi-oneesama," she spoke, finding her drive again, "It seems improper for me to just eat the cookies I made by myself.  Things like them are meant to be shared!"


Then she was introduced to the pink and while plushie which the other girl had promised to share earlier.  Hikaru's remaining anxiety dissipated as she waved lightly to Yuriko, even though she knew the plushie wasn't alive per se.  After a bit of thought she grabbed Mochi and sat him on her lap.  Her face screwed up a bit in concentration as she tried to figure out what kind of a voice the stuffed dog would have.  You couldn't just give him any voice, it had to be just the right fit!  After a moment or two like this her expression lit up as she settled on something.

"Nice to meet you, Yuriko.  I'm Mochi," she spoke in a somewhat poor imitation of a Tokyo shopkeeper's voice, borderlining on kindly grandfather.  She lifted Mochi's arm to have him wave back, then started giggling at the exchange.

"At least, that's what I imagine he would sound like.  A kindly soul who's always there to look out for you and help you feel better when you're down," Hikaru explained eagerly, "I hope that makes sense..."