#the 9

"That tone of "I" wasn't quite right!" Barbara interrupts, brows furrowing. "You have to say it with a conviction that says that it is you alone who feels this way about her! No one else!"

"..."

Akko inhales.

"I like yo-"

"Is it just me, or is "like" too like... not enough. Shouldn't you use stuff like, 'love' or 'adore' or something cheesy like that?" Amanda butts in mindlessly, and Akko has half a mind to kick the chair legs Amanda is precariously balancing on, tipping her seat backward.

"I love you-"

"That the best you got?! More emotion!" Lotte and Barbara cheer.

"I love you."

"Not enough passion, tension!" Lotte roars.

"I LOVE YOU!"

"Too harsh!!" The pair of Nightfall fans critic.

"I Love you!"

"Want a potato chip?"

"Maybe later, Jas-"

"FOCUS AKKO!"

"H-hai!"

"I l-love-"

"What a weakling."

"Shut up, asshole."

"What did you just call me?!" Amanda stands from her seat, ready to throw down.

"Amanda. Sit. Down."

"Yes, babe." Amanda replies to one of her girlfriends meekly. She does not want to be on the couch.

"Now from the top, Akko. We want this to be as convincing as possible. As touching, moving, emotional, dramatic, driven, passionate-"

"We get it." Sucy sighs, drily.

"Now, Akko. With everything you have, confess your love to Diana in sheer perfection that she cries!!"

"You all do know that this is just for a play, right?"

"So?"

Their collective response is scary enough.

"Is Diana just a game to you, Kagari Atsuko?!"

"W-wha?! No! Diana is... Diana is... Diana is my whole world. My joy, my... l-love. She-... I wish my actual, genuine confession didn't have to be botched by this stupid play. How will I even do it for real afterwards?"

Akko slumps onto the floor, sitting with arms wrapped about her knees.

"Will she even say yes without the script?"

"..." Akko looks up and smiles gratefully as Constanze pats her head.

"I know it's easy enough. It should be... I love you, Diana Cavendish. With everything I have and with everything I am. I love you. To the ends of the world, I'll love you. And if the world has no end, all the better. Because loving you forever is the joy in and of itself."

Akko breathes, not even following the simple confession on paper anymore.

"If you love me back...

I could die happy. Or live forever if it meant I'd never leave your side."

A clatter of items being dropped.

Props spilled all over the door greet Akko's sight. Trailing her eyes upward, she sees a red Diana and a sheepish Hannah.

"W-we've arrived?" The latter scratches the back of her head, supposedly in charge of fetching Diana for the practice session.

"..."

"..."