Before Emiko could decline, she was promptly dragged away. After being dropped off, Suzume waved wildly before hopping off into the darkness. Emiko was sure that the girl would forget her promise to pick her up the next day. When she awoke, she was surprised to see Suzume already waiting. Just like before, Suzume would ask Emiko to walk home together and Emiko would try to decline. However, Suzume wouldn't take no for an answer. She just dragged her off. Emiko didn't mind. In fact, she found herself looking forward to it.
One day when they were walking home, Suzume stopped and turned to Emiko with a grin. She spoke, "Let's go on a walk."
Emiko stared her down with her characteristic glare, "I need to go home and study."
Suzume clicked her tongue, "Study, study, study. Don't you do anything else? I think you need nature therapy. Come on!"
Before letting Emiko escape, Suzume dragged her to away from the city and to an isolated path at the foot of a dense forest. The forest was eerie and ominous. It sent shivers down anyone's spine who got close to it. However, to Suzume, it felt like home. She led the way onto the path as Emiko hesitated at the entrance. Suzume noticed and turned to her in surprise. She smirked when she noticed the tentative look on Emiko's face.
She teased, "What? Are you scared of this forest?"
Emiko gulped, "N-No… It's just… It's going to rain soon…"
"Hmm…" Suzume glanced up at the sky, "Not for a while. We have time for a short walk."
"B-But…"
Suzume grinned and took her hand. She gave the other girl a wink, "Don't worry. I am here with you. I will protect you."
"Eh?" Emiko was dragged inside. As she walked, she felt strangely uncomfortable. The forest was strangely quiet without even the sound of birds. She felt as though hundreds of eyes were on her, but there was nothing around. Emiko gulped slightly unnerved and got even closer to Suzume. She intertwined her fingers with Suzume and gave a worried squeeze.
Suzume was surprised to feel Emiko squeezing her hand back in such an intimate way. She glanced at the girl and smiled at the sight of her looking around with a frightened look. She looked forward with a bright smile while thinking to herself: Hehe! I knew she would love it!
Little did she know that poor Emiko wasn't good with these kinds of things. She didn't love it in the slightest. Her voice was timid, "S-Should we go? I think I felt a raindrop."
"Eh? A raindrop?" Suzume glanced up and was hit by a quick procession of rain. It went from sprinkling to pouring in a blink of an eye. The two were quickly getting drenched. Suzume shouted, "There's a building close by! Follow me!"
She pulled Emiko off the path and into a small wooden shack. Emiko tried to catch her breath from running as she looked around, "What is this place?"
"It's a ranger station." Suzume wrung the water from her skirt pulling it up slightly. Emiko caught a glance of the black lacy underwear and snapped her head away in an instant. Suzume looked up and noticed Emiko with a reddened face. She panicked, "Eh? Emiko? Are you okay? Do you have a fever!?"
Emiko stepped back in a panic as her heart raced erratically from Suzume's closeness. She stuttered out, "N-No! It's just that-that I'm drenched!"
Suzume glanced down and noticed the other's flushed appearance. She bit her lip and forced herself to look away, "Maybe we should… Take off our wet clothes?"
"Eh???"
Suzume spoke quickly, "Just until they dry. We could get sick if we leave them on."
"Oh… Okay…" Emiko felt her body seem strange as she began to undress. For some reason, she felt as if a predator was watching her and waiting to pounce. She turned back to Suzume and gulped from the sight of her in her lacy underwear. This was a sharp contrast to Emiko who was in a plain sports bra and panties. Emiko found herself admiring the other's body. Suzume looked perfect and had curves in all the right places. Emiko's hands itched to feel it and make sure it was real.
Suzume hung their clothes up and could feel her staring. She tilted her head, "Eh? Emiko? What is it? Is there something on me? A bug?" Suzume panicked looking on her skin for something.
Emiko shouted in embarrassment, "N-No! Nothing!"
Suzume blinked in confusion, "Oh… Okay then… Should we sit down? It may take a while for the rain to stop."
"Y-Yes…"
Emiko sat down on the wooden floor refusing to make eye contact. She held her hand over her heart in an attempt to calm herself down. She kept telling herself not to get excited since her counterpart wasn't interested in her and had absolutely no ulterior motives.
Meanwhile, Suzume was trembling trying to ignore the ulterior motives Emiko didn't think she had.
Suzume felt something shift within herself. It was as if a primal beast was beginning to wake up inside of her. In the small shack, she could smell the other girl much more clearly. Combined with the somewhat humid air from the pouring rain, she felt as though her senses were being assaulted. She could almost feel her humanity leaving her. As they sat in silence, Suzume attempted to gain control of herself.
Emiko panicked the longer the silence drew out. Why isn't she talking?! She's always talking!! Why is she not talking now of all days!? Unable to handle the tension, Emiko cleared her throat. "Lots of rain."
Suzume strained to speak, "Yeah…"
Emiko frowned from the lack of conversation help, "It probably won't stop for a while."
"No…"
Emiko pressed her lips together anxiously. She shifted in place and accidentally bumped into Suzume who let out a yelp in response.
"EEP!"
Emiko turned to look at Suzume in surprise. Her eyes widened when she noticed Suzume shaking slightly with her ears burning. She felt a bit concerned, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah… I'm fine…" Suzume looked at her trying to control her urges. Instead of a sympathetic look, Emiko instead had on a frown. Suzume felt herself smile despite struggling to keep her sanity, "Emiko. Has anyone ever told you that you have RBF?"
"RBF?"
"Resting bitch face."
Emiko frowned at her and gave her a nasty stare. Suzume met her eyes and felt as if her soul was enflamed under that glare. She gnashed her teeth as she fought off the urge to bite the girl in front of her and consume her.
Emiko clicked her tongue without knowing the dangerous thoughts of the other. "Suzume is a bully."
Suzume lost all control at the sound of Emiko calling her first name for the first time. She pushed Emiko down panting erratically. Emiko's eyes widened, "E-Eh? Suzume? W-What's wrong?"
Suzume trembled unable to control herself. Her voice cracked, "E-Emiko… I'm sorry… But… But… I can't help it…"
Emiko tilted her head trying to see Suzume's expression, "Can't help what?"
Suzume's eyes turned up toward her. Her usual dark brown eyes now were the color of a raging fire. Suzume gave a crazed grin, "I want to devour you… No, I NEED to..."
Emiko gulped. "D-Devour?! What do you- MMF!"