I'd Rather Be With You
Pairing: Tamao x Nagisa
Genre: Drama/Romance
Disclaimer: I do not own Strawberry Panic or any of its characters.
Author's Note: Hello, everyone! My name is Yuri~! I haven't wrote a Tamao x Nagisa fanfic in a while, so I thought I'd start writing a "Should've Been" story, featuring this pairing.
Enjoy this story~!
"Nagisa!" An exhausted Shizuma takes a step forward upon entering the chapel. She thrusts her hand out and yells, "I love you!"
Everyone in the chapel gasps in shock, including Tamao and Nagisa.
"Nagisa!" Shizuma shouts again, holding out her arms.
"B-but…but…!" Nagisa stutters, almost tearing up. Shizuma had told her earlier to forget about her and now she wants to take her back? Why?
Tamao, on the other hand, completely heartbroken, lets out a sigh. She had loved Nagisa ever since she transferred here at St. Miator. But now the ex-Etoile is taking her loved one back. She just wanted to see her best friend smile again. She wanted to her best friend to be happy again. Tamao slowly walks behind Nagisa, grabbing hold of her ribbon. Nagisa can feel her best friend getting close to her with their bodies nearly touching.
"Tamao-chan?"
"I guess it can't be helped," the blue haired girl whispers in her ear. "She needs you, Nagisa-chan. Go to her." With that, she pushes the red-head forward, untying the ribbon in the process. Nagisa stops and turns back towards her best friend, who is smiling sadly and nods. The red-head turns towards Shizuma, who is expecting her to jump into her arms. However, Nagisa hesitates a bit longer, looking back at her best friend. She can see tears rolling down on her cheeks, making her heart ache.
"Please go to her, Nagisa-chan," Tamao says, gripping the ribbon tighter. "I know you want her more than me."
Nagisa glances back at Shizuma and then to her best friend. She then turns and walks over to the blue haired girl.
"N-Nagisa-chan?"
"Nagisa!" Shizuma shouts.
The red-head turns towards the ex-Etoile and glares at her. "Sorry, Shizuma-sama. But…I'm done with you. You've done nothing but use me to replace your broken heart for your deceased lover."
"Wh…what?" Shizuma's eyes shake in shock as she backs away with her body trembling.
Nagisa then turns toward her best friend. "Besides…I'd rather be with you, Tamao-chan."
Tamao gasps while tears start to appear on her eyes. Is she dreaming? Was Nagisa really serious about what she just said.
"Nagisa," Shizuma starts, but the red-head cuts her off.
"i'm really sorry, Shizmua-sama," Nagisa says. "But my heart has moved on."
Tears also appeared on Shizuma's face as she backs away a bit more. "I…I understand. Good-bye." With that, the silver-haired girl runs away in tears with Miyuki chasing after her.
The two best friends turn towards each other with Tamao still shocked about what happened a minute ago.
"N-Nagisa-chan," she says. "I-is it really true?"
"Yes," Nagisa says while caressing her cheek.
"B-but…why? Why choose me instead of her?"
"Tamao-chan?"
Tamao lets out her sobs as she buries her face on her best friend's chest. "Y-you love Shizuma-sama, right? So, you should've gone to her! I don't care what I feel after that! I just…I just…I just want to make you happy!"
Nagisa looks at her sympathetically. "Tamao-chan…"
The poet lifts her head up, still showing tears falling down from her face. "Nagisa-chan…I love you! I love you, okay? B-but since I found out about you loving Shizuma-sama, my heart sank. I thought I might get a chance! Get a chance to finally be with you during the elections! B-but…Shizuma-sama ruined it all! So, now-"
Tamao gets cut off by lips pressing against hers. Her eyes widen as she realizes that Nagisa is the one who is kissing her. Nagisa-chan's kiss, she thinks to herself. Her lips are so soft. So moist. And it feels…so right. Tamao wraps one arm around her best friend's waist and pulls her closer while returning the kiss. Every Student Council President from the three different schools watch in awe at this wonderful sight.
The two then break away from the kiss to catch their breath with Nagisa giving a gentle smile.
"I love you, too, Tamao-chan," she whispers. "Thanks for being the best friend in the world."
More and more tears spill from Tamao's eyes, but it's tears from happiness. She immediately hugs the red-head, saying "Thank you" over and over.
The crowd in the chapel raise from their seats as they release a thunder of applause. Chikaru steps in and grabs the microphone and clears her throat to signal the audience to quiet down for a second.
"Well, this certainly was an awkward, yet wonderful delay," the Lulim Student Council President says. "But let's get on with the elections. The winners of this Etoile election goes to…"
A dramatic silence…
"Nagisa Aoi and Tamao Suzumi!"
The crowd yells in happy cheers. The two new lovers intertwine hands and press foreheads against each other with smiles on their faces.
"I love you, Tamao-chan," she whispers. "Forever and always."
"Yes," the poet whispers back. "Forever and always."