Sorry guys for the wait! Here is chapter 7! I hope you'll enjoy it 
Thank you very very much for your patience and support! 
20
Chapter 7: The date
It was a cold morning.
Chisato entered hurriedly in °C-ute’s locker room. She was doing her best to look good. They had rehearsals again today. Airi and Maimi were already there, drinking tea, and Saki was lacing her sneakers.
As soon as Airi saw Chisato, she chocked violently on her tea. Maimi, startled at first, quickly came back to her senses and slapped gently her girlfriend’s back. She then served her another tea.
“That’s the spirit!” Saki said to Chisato with a big smile while putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The older girl then sat on a chair not far from there and began to comb her hair.
“You’re very…classy today Chissaa…” Maimi began awkwardly.
“Well…I have a date tonight.” The well-dressed girl answered matter-of-factly.
“Oh…Who’s the lucky one?” °C-ute leader continued. She was indeed curious about her friend strange behavior.
“Mai-chan.”
“You made it up with her?! That’s great!” Maimi exclaimed with a huge grin on the face.
“Not exactly…” The short girl answered and looked down. She seemed embarrassed.
“But you said you have a date with her tonight…” Maimi frowned.
“Well…she doesn’t know yet that she has a date with me tonight but I’m sure she’ll somehow feel lucky…” Chisato shrugged with a shy smile. To act with confidence was definitely not in her nature.
As soon as the girl’s explanation came to Airi’s ears, she choked on her tea, again. Maimi instantly patted her back with a sorry smile on the face.
“Chisato, are you sure it’s a good idea?” Saki asked frankly with her usual pragmatism.
“I…I don’t know…I follow Michishige-san’s advices and I…I decided to try anything!” °C-ute shorter member answered shyly.
“I do hope it won’t end in a drama again this time, that’s all…” Saki retorted, already annoyed by the difficult situation her friend put herself in.
“I’m sure everything’s gonna be ok! You know what we say Nakki, ‘fortune favors the brave’” °C-ute leader said with a reassuring smile.
“Unfortunately we say ‘forewarned is forearmed’ too!” °C-ute sub-leader retorted with conviction.
“Yes and we say ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’ and ‘Love laughs at locksmiths’” °C-ute ace added with a grin and sleepy eyes.
“Girls…enough with proverbs please…” Chisato pleaded on a quite exasperated tone.
“But I love proverbs battle!” Airi wheezed, frustrated.
“Yes I know and that’s why I’m saying that!” The tiny girl retorted with a smirk.
“You’re mean Chissaa!” Airi whined while wrapping her arms around Maimi’s neck and hugging her tightly. She rested her head on her girlfriend shoulder to hide it from Chisato. She was clearly pouting now. Maimi smiled apologetically while ruffling her Airi’s hair.
“Good morning everyone!” A high pinch voice announced while entering the room.
Mai looked at everyone and then looked at Chisato, blinked, and looked at her again. The tiny girl stared at her in awe. Mai was beautifully dressed. In fact, she was well-dressed everyday but today, she was more classy and feminine.
“Wow, you’re really pretty today Mai-chan!” Maimi exclaimed with Airi still in her arms.
“Ah…yes…I have a date tonight…” The younger girl answered with looking at her feet and blushing.
“Oh…with who?” °C-ute leader asked but instantly regretted what she just said.
“It’s a secret.” Mai retorted while looking away to hide her blushing cheeks.
“Does the person knows he or she has a date with you tonight or is it a surprise?” Airi asked shrewdly.
“No, she doesn’t know yet…I do hope she won’t reject me!” Mai confessed while looking at Chisato with a shy and pleading gaze.
“I’m sure she will not reject you Mai-chan, don’t worry.” Chisato said with a sweet and reassuring smile.
“That’s what I call a bold move!” Saki exclaimed enthusiastically while still combing her hair.
“I…I just follow Michishige-san’s advices…I saw her yesterday…” Mai confessed shyly.
Maimi, Airi and Saki nodded at the same time and then chuckled while looking at the two so perfectly dressed and classy girls.
The day promised to be fun.
***
Rehearsals were finally over.
The girls were tired and totally soaked for some of them. Maimi was laid down, peacefully resting on Airi’s lap while Saki was packing her things to go back home. The two lovebirds were planning to go to the restaurant this evening.
Mai was already in the shower. Chisato, still in the dance room, was breathing slowly to calm down. She kept on repeating all day what she planned to say to the one she loved.
It was finally time.
The short girl went to the locker room to find Mai dressing up. She gulped but didn’t back down. After taking a last deep breath, she finally proposed with clenched fists:
“Mai-chan, would you…would you go out with me tonight!”
“Is it…is it a date?” The younger girl asked out of curiosity.
“Yeah…yes!” Chisato retorted with conviction while looking the girl in the eyes.
“Hum…I don’t know…” Mai teased. She was highly amused by her best friend’s awkward efforts.
“Please…” Chisato pleaded on a soft tone.
“Ok but let me dress accordingly.” The younger girl asked with a sweet smile.
“Ah…yes…of course!” Chisato stuttered and blushed when she noticed that Mai was still in underwear. She quickly looked away to hide her flustering.
“It’s ok.” Mai reassured while taking her friend’s face in her hands and looking her in the eyes. She then planted a quick and yet soft kiss on her nose.
“Mai-chan! What…what are you doing?!” Chisato exclaimed, shocked and totally red.
“Nothing~, just enjoying the moment~!” The younger girl answered happily with a smirk. She then got back to what she was initially doing: to get dressed.
Chisato stayed standing there with a heart pounding madly in her chest and a crimson face. She decided to go take her shower. A cold one would be the best way to calm down.
***
-A Korean restaurant in Tokyo-
The two best friends went to restaurant not far from the place where they were rehearsing.
Mai was, as always, the chatty type. She talked about various things while Chisato was strangely quiet. Usually, the older girl liked to tease the younger one but not this time. Chisato seemed tensed and embarrassed. She even strived to stay focus on what Mai was talking about.
After all, it was her first date with the one she had loved for more than ten years and she was putting too much pressure on her shoulders. It was literally crushing her.
“Chissaa, are you ok?” Mai asked while sitting at a table, inside the restaurant.
“Yeah, sure!” The older girl babbled.
“Chisato...” The younger one whispered with concern.
Chisato lowered her sight to her hands resting around her glass of tea. She was worrying her best friend and it saddened her.
“Don’t be so tensed Chissaa! We’ve been together for more than ten years, we’ve always been together and…” Mai began on a pragmatic tone.
“But it’s our first date!” Chisato exclaimed on a quite panicked tone. She seemed vulnerable right now.
“Yes and we’re in a good restaurant, you’re very classy and pretty tonight and so I am. And it’s not like we didn’t know each other. I’m sure everything’s gonna be ok…” Mai pleaded confidently on a reassuring tone.
“But our relation will never be the same after…after what we’ve done…that night…at your birthday party…” Chisato stated still panicked. Her voice was barely a whisper now.
“Sure our relation is not the same anymore but it could be for the better, don’t you think so?” The younger girl answered with a sweet smile.
“After…after what I’ve done…to you?!” Chisato exclaimed, totally shocked.
“Don’t forget that I wanted it too and I regret nothing! Maybe our relation was destined to evolve that way? Anyway, I want to give it a try! Would you give me a chance?” Mai pleaded on a soft tone.
“Mai-chan…” Chisato uttered. She was totally stunned and believed she was dreaming.
“I’m sorry to have been childish and selfish with you all these years, to have made you suffered…Please, give me a chance Chissaa…” Mai begged while looking sincerely the girl in the eyes.
“Mai-chan…you know how I feel about you…I…I can’t say no to you. This may seem pitiful but I think I…I’ll love you for the rest of my life…” The short girl confessed in a sorrow. Her tone was sincere and yet so sad.
“We’ll go step by step, ok?” Mai announced on a soft tone, with a bright and reassuring smile.
“Ok…” Chisato nodded while wiping away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.
Mai took her °C-ute comrade, best friend, and now lover, in her arms and hugged her tightly. She gently stroked her hair while saying soothing words.
Their story was just beginning. Their path seemed still long but indeed promising.
A sweet smile made its way on her lips.
TO BE CONTINUED
