Ann joins her. 

She should really say something. 

"I... said I'd explain..." 

She swallows, looks down at her pancakes.

"... I — I've known since the championship two years ago, when you took that dive on the hardwood and scraped up your knee. It hurt, but you came up smiling."

She takes a bite of her pancake and thinks for a moment. It's soft and fluffy and sweet. 

"I think... I've always envied that strength in you, the fact you can do hard things with such dedication and focus. That's why I encouraged you so much."

Shiho reaches over to squeeze Ann's hand, smiling softly.

"You've always been so encouraging. I love that about you. That, and..."

She takes a bite of her own pancakes. The vanilla always adds a nice touch.

"It was... early in our second year of middle school, for me. We'd just started the new year, and we'd been talking over break about how hopefully the other students would be over everything, but our classmates were still so awful to you."

Another handsqueeze.

"And you just... kept being cheerful. You've always had this light in you, this shine, and you never let them put it out."

She looks down at their joined hands.

"It's always been easier for me to be strong when I can see your light."

Ann blushes intensely. 

She has no clue how to handle this. She was content to go on sharing a little of Shiho's life for so many years... 

Having it out in the open like this is jarring. It feels like anything could be possible, which is... terrifying and hopeful. 

"... It's been the same way for me. I've missed you so much since we started at Shujin. I just..." 

She squeezes Shiho's hand. 

"I never expected you'd actually be... interested in me as well. I've seen you looking at Ryuji, and... I guess I thought that settled the matter."

Shiho giggles ruefully. "Oh no, I did the same thing. You were so touched by how he dyed his hair just so you wouldn't be alone, and I assumed I had no shot."

She squeezes Ann's hand back.

"It was so hard, not talking to you, not spending time together. I told myself it was worth it if it kept Kamoshida away from you, but he was doing the same thing with you."

She looks down.

"I wish I'd known not to let him split us apart."

Ann giggles, despite herself. "What a silly thing to keep us apart for so long. I..."

She looks down at her hands. "I won't lie, Ryuji's charming too. He's got a kind of puppy-dog earnestness that makes an impression on you. But if I had to pick between him and you I'd pick you every time."

"As for Kamoshida... I did the same thing as you. Went along with it to try and make it less bad. I wish i'd had the courage to speak up sooner. I wish that... there hadn't been this gap between us that he could pry at to force us apart."

Ann sighs, then smiles. She squeezes Shiho's hand again. "Still. We're going to win, us two. Together."

She sighs, smiles, and nods. "We are. You've even got a whole squad to help us win it now."

Her thumb plays along the back of Ann's hand. 

... It's really, really nice to have Shiho here with her. 

She's done with waiting. She's done with hiding and biding her time and beating around the bush. 

"... Shiho?" Ann's voice comes out soft and a little trembly, despite all the confidence she's mustered. "... May I — May I kiss you?"

Her response is to lean in and kiss her first, lips pressing softly against Ann's.

Oh. 

Oh wow. 

Ann presses in gently, and savors it. Her heart flutters like a sparrow. She's no expert kisser, but — it's with Shiho. 

That's more than enough for her.

A warm sigh spills out of her as she pulls away from the kiss.

"Thank you," she whispers with a smile.

Ann's beyond flushed, but can't help but smile. 

"... You're welcome?" She rubs the back of her head. "I'm, um. I'm not sure how this is really supposed to work, but — you've always been there for me. It was the least I could do to be there for you."

"And I always will be."

She sighs softly and just smiles at Ann for a long moment.

They're together. They actually get to have this.

Ann's having a little moment of her own as well.

They're girlfriends. They get to kiss, and hold hands, and...

Suddenly she is very acutely aware that she's alone at home with her girlfriend.

She blushes even harder. "I... yeah. And I'm yours. For as long as you want me."

"Well that's convenient," Shiho replies with a giggle. "I'm going to keep wanting you, and wanting to be yours, for a long time."

"I guess we're just stuck with it then, huh?" 

Ann leans in and kisses Shiho again. Her hand in hers is so comforting. 

The kiss is soft, and sweet, and so so restorative, after all she's been through, and all she knows Ann's been through. She leans her forehead against Ann's when they break the kiss, smiling and gazing softly into her eyes.

"I love you," she whispers.

Somehow that makes it so much more real and solid. 

"I love you too," Ann replies, a little of her natural confidence slipping back into her tone. "You're so precious to me."

"You're my light. You're what I steer by."

"You're my strength. The rock beneath my feet." 

Ann sighs out softly and smiles gently at Shiho. "You said thank you, but I'm not so sure I'm not the one who should be thanking you."

She strokes the back of Ann's hand gently with her thumb and shakes her head. "No, Ann. You showed me how much more I had to live for. How much brighter my hope could be. So thank you."

Ann lets out a happy sigh and smiles. "Alright."

How would you like to thank me rises to the tip of her tongue for a moment, but she hesitates. Shiho's been through so much. Is it really fair for her to tease like that on — their first day together as girlfriends? 

Is it fair to either of you not to, cosita?

... No, no it's not. Kamoshida doesn't get to steal this from her. 

"... If you're so thankful, do you have any ideas about how to pay me back?"

Shiho blushes vividly, swallows, and nods.

"...Wanna go back to your room and make out?"