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(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1l09fsJUD1rsbd76o2_r1_500.gif)
THIS CONTEST IS NOW OVER
WINNERS
1. #20 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1025218#msg1025218): The Flower and the Sea (written by lionheartedvalor (http://lionheartedvalor.tumblr.com/))
See: The Flower and the Sea (Opinions of the Judges) (http://contest48.tumblr.com/post/22861847590/first-place-winner-opinions-of-the-judges)
2. #24 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1027903#msg1027903): A Figment of My Imagination (written by japanime1 (http://japanime1.tumblr.com/))
Special Prizes
For these, we went beyond what was voted on by the readers. A lot of our choices came from unique pairings, unique storylines, are overall great writing that we, unfortunately, couldn’t give first or second place!
#2: No Way
#5: In Spite of Everything
#6: A Change
#9: One Crazy Saturday Night
#10: Rivals
#11: Flicker
#12: Another Chance
#15: Full Speed Ahead
#16: Night the 20th/#19: Futile Excuses
#17: Unconventional
#21: Broken Locker
Thank you, everyone, for participating in our very first contest48!
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FANFIC LIST ╚══════════════════════╝
You can look at the complete list of fics with their respective authors here (http://contest48.tumblr.com/post/22862099230/the-authors-revealed)
| Title: To Breathe For The First Time Again. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Maeda Atsuko |
| Word Count: 2550 |
- Entry #2 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1019462#msg1019462) -
| Title: No way. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s):Shibuya-centric, Shibuya/Dance |
| Word Count: 1170 |
- Entry #3 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1019490#msg1019490) -
| Title: ちびみなみと麻里子様の物語 (Chibi Minami and Mariko sama's Story) |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Takahashi Minami, Shinoda Mariko |
| Word Count: 1208 |
- Entry #4 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1019793#msg1019793) -
| Title: Sakura. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Matsui Rena, Matsui Jurina, Shinoda Mariko |
| Word Count: 1624 |
- Entry #5 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1020581#msg1020581) -
| Title: In Spite of Everything. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Maeda Atsuko, Oshima Yuko |
| Word Count: 2529 |
- Entry #6 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1020583#msg1020583) -
| Title: A Change. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sashihara Rino |
| Word Count: 1644 |
- Entry #7 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1020584#msg1020584) -
| Title: The Diary of Sadness |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Maeda Atsuko, Itano Tomomi |
| Word Count: 1029 |
- Entry #8 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1020803#msg1020803) -
| Title: 同じ名前の絆 (Onaji Namae no Kizuna) |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Minegishi Minami, Takahashi Minami |
| Word Count: 2418 |
- Entry #9 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1020841#msg1020841) -
| Title: One Crazy Sunday Night |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kashiwagi Yuki, Kuwabara Mizuki, Matsui Jurina, Watanabe Mayu (Some extra AKB girls) |
| Word Count: 1516 |
- Entry #10 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1022467#msg1022467) -
| Title: Rivals. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Akimoto Sayaka (Choukoku)/Nakanishi Yuka |
| Word Count: 1831 |
- Entry #11 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1022472#msg1022472) -
| Title:Flicker. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Takahashi Minami, Kojima Haruna, Minegishi Minami; Takamina/Kojiharu |
| Word Count: 1639 |
- Entry #12 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1022478#msg1022478) -
| Title: Another Chance. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Yokoyama Yui, Takajo Aki. Yui/Akicha |
| Word Count: 3031 |
- Entry #13 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1022492#msg1022492) -
| Title: Goddess or Angel? |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sae/Sayaka |
| Word Count: 1750 |
- Entry #14 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1022498#msg1022498) -
| Title:Temo Demo no Namida. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sado/Yuko, Rappappa |
| Word Count: 1730 |
- Entry #15 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1022530#msg1022530) -
| Title:Full Speed Ahead. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Ogiso Shiori, Kizaki Yuria; OgiYuri |
| Word Count: 1955 |
- Entry #16 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1024116#msg1024116) -
| Title: Night the 20th. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kinoshita Yukiko, Ogiso Shiori, GomaYukko |
| Word Count: 6154 |
- Entry #17 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1024126#msg1024126) -
| Title: Unconventional. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kojima Haruna, Kashiwagi Yuki; Haruna/Yuki |
| Word Count: 2413 |
- Entry #18 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1025205#msg1025205) -
| Title: 片想いFinally. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena, Furukawa Airi |
| Word Count: 1098 |
- Entry #19 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1025212#msg1025212) -
| Title: Futile Excuses. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Akimoto Sayaka, Shinoda Mariko |
| Word Count: 1449 |
- Entry #20 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1025218#msg1025218) -
| Title: The Flower and the Sea. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Hirajima Natsumi, Iwasa Misaki, Nacchan/Wasamin |
| Word Count: 2363 |
- Entry #21 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1026158#msg1026158) -
| Title: Broken Locker. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Mitsumune Kaoru, Shinoda Mariko |
| Word Count: 2997 |
- Entry #22 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1027325#msg1027325) -
| Title:Do We Live for the Fight? |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Center, Nezumi, Otabe |
| Word Count: 1119 |
- Entry #23 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1027434#msg1027434) -
| Title: Don’t Forget Your Keys. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko |
| Word Count: 1093 |
- Entry #24 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1027903#msg1027903) -
| Title: A Figment of My Imagination. |
| Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sae/Mayu, feat. Yuko, Sayaka. |
| Word Count: 9528 |
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Sounds exciting! Hahaha finally some action in the fanfic page! Everyone's gonna look like this... :mon study:
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So... no Atsumina, Kojiyuu, Mayuki or Saeyuki?? :dunno: Then I'll be a lurker this time.. :bingo: Can't wait for the submitted fics.. :onioncheer:
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Seems we have our first contestant! Feel free to leave a comment about it :heart:
Entry #1
Title: To Breathe For The First Time Again.
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Maeda Atsuko
Word Count: 2550
To Breathe For The First Time Again
My life… I’ve told the world that I have only made two big decisions in my life. The first to join AKB48 and my second is to graduate from them.
Six years. That’s how long it took for me to make my second decision. I have always battled my inner self. Always been torn at the crossroads in life that I have reached, and every step I have taken in life in the past six years have felt like it was hardly my own.
I have to be truthful to myself and believe that I made the choice to join AKB to help myself gain an understanding of myself and to boost my own self-confidence. When I was 14 years old I was never confident in myself. I was always scared to blossom because I never thought that I could be beautiful and could never make it anywhere in life. My perceptions of where I would end up would be that to follow a path similar to my older sister. To finish high school and then attend University if I got the marks before I settled down with a partner to get married. Life seemed to plain and simple. I had, in a way, planned my life ahead to be that of the ordinary.
That was until I crossed paths with a poster at the train station whilst waiting for my train home from school. It read something along the lines of “One Minute To Change Your Life and Take a Ten Year Journey With The Unknown.” I read it and for some reason I found myself ripping the poster down and hiding it in my school bag. For some reason I was scared I missing this opportunity and scared that someone else would take it from me. I was openly showing myself to everyone at the train station that day. I was a girl who was paranoid and scared. Scared of every second of the future. My friends at the time were similar to myself. We all spent our time joking around and studying. I was never good at studying at all. Most could say that I was that average student. Hence, I was never really noticed by anyone. Sometimes I wouldn’t attend school and my friends wouldn’t even message me to check how I was.
Back then I would go to random parks. I use to enjoy reading books and manga under the shade of the big trees. I enjoyed the sound of serenity and the sounds of the traffic going by. I enjoyed breathing in the fresh air, smelling the grass and listening to the leave rustle against the wind. I was always happy and content when I was alone. However, there were times when I wasn’t happy and the park was where I use to go to cry. I remember one time my parents had an argument about money and not being able to afford my tuition fees. I heard them complaining about my school marks and I left the house and went to the park near my house to cry.
The day after I stole the poster I went to the same park. I sat there under my usual tree and pulled the poster out of my bag. Unconsciously I was shielding it from being seen by anyone else. I read the same sentence over and over again. I’ve never thought that I could change my plans in life before. When this poster appeared I swear I felt my heart stop. I read through the rest of the information. It was an audition for a project. An idol project. I remember my fascination with the idol groups I use to listen to all the time. I never imagined myself actually trying out to be an idol. I was never good enough in my own eyes. I could never be beautiful enough, cute enough, dance well enough or sing well enough. I was in my own eyes a nobody. Just someone who blended into the ordinary.
I shoved the poster back into my bag and tried not to think about it. Instead I pulled out my homework and began to do it. However, I kept looking at my bag. I couldn’t stop this unnerving feeling I had. This feeling that if I didn’t grab the poster again my life would be over, my chest would burst open. I dropped my pen and pulled my bag towards me. Throwing everything out, I grabbed the poster and held it to my chest. I looked down at the poster and noticed droplets of water on it. It wasn’t until then I noticed that I had begun to cry. I wiped away my tears and read the details once more. I had three days. Three days to find the confidence in myself that I never had to audition for this life changing experience. I ran home that day. I ran like I had never run before. For the first time since I was a child I felt as though I was flying.
When I pushed open the door I leapt into my mother’s embrace. I began to cry frantically and she didn’t know what happened. She had thought I had been hurt. She held me tight and asked me what happened. All I could do was tell her I was scared that I could make a big decision and change my life. She laughed and ruffled my hair. She said something that made me less anxious. She said to me “Everyone has to make big decisions in their life Atsuko. And each time they do, they will step forward and breathe for the first time again.”
I looked into her comforting eyes. I thought endlessly about what she said. “Breathe for the first time again”. What did this mean? I had no idea.
For the next two days my mum and sister prepared me for my audition. Each day I would sing with them and dance with them in the kitchen. One day my dad arrived back from work and saw me happily smiling whilst I paraded around the living room singing. He walked over and patted my head. He looked at me and said “Atsuko I have not seen you this happy since you were in preschool, your smile makes me happy. I hope you can make the world smile one day.” I was quite shocked. Did my smile really have such an effect on people?
I skipped school on the day of the auditions. I arrived alone and I was surrounded a forest of girls. I felt myself being overshadowed by them. I was scared to enter. So scared. I felt as though I could not step into the audition room. It wasn’t until I decided I would take that first step that I finally breathed out a sigh of relief. Sucking back in the air of the room I could taste the freshness of the air. Is this what my mum meant when she said I could breathe for the first time again? That when I make big decisions I could taste the pureness of the air again.
Auditions went by and surely they could tell how nervous I was. When I made it in I swear I almost had a heart attack. That day everyone in the complex was crying. Some were crying because they didn’t make it in. But the group of unknown girls that I was hugging and crying with? We were crying because we had taken our first step into the unknown journey ahead. That day I made a lot of friends. Friends that I still strongly cherish today. These friends stood by my side through the thick and the thin. Each day I woke up knowing that they would be by my side. However now… now I don’t know anymore. Why? Because I had taken another step forward. One they have yet to have made. I had made my second big decision in life and I had breathed in that first breath of fresh air again. However this time I wasn’t as scared. That’s because I could still feel the girls surrounding me and supporting me like they use to. I was not going to be alone anymore. Not like when I was 14.
Now when I look back I remember the pressure I felt when Aki-P gave me the opportunity to be the centre of AKB48. I was scared and I felt that each day I arrived to the studio I was being glared at by some of my seniors. Lucky enough my close friends Takamina and Miichan always protected me. As we began our journey together it was joined by many others who had begun to realise that some decisions were out of my control. The opportunity to be the Ace, the opportunity to be the face. It was more like a media campaign then a decision that I had a choice in. I felt the pressure pull me down, however despite that my friends had always grabbed onto my outstretched hand and pulled me back to reality.
As the years went by and our popularity began to blossom I began to feel the pressure. Each day I went to work I would be spoken to by Aki-P. He would tell me that if I wanted to remain in the spotlight I had to show him that I was going to be “sellable”. I was like a product that had to make money. Lucky enough for me I had the full on support from my friend and captain Takamina. She helped me push through the worst times and gave me confidence that I never had. When she spoke after my announcement I felt supported to leave AKB48. I felt that she will always be there despite the fact that my time in AKB48 was ending.
Most people would say I had made a selfish decision. One that only benefited myself. However, I never thought this was true. I think I made a big decision. One that would give everyone the opportunity to step forward and finally breathe the first breath of fresh air like I had. No one knew that AKB48 was slowly suffocating itself. No one knew that the amount of groups being formed, the amount of movies, television shows and ads we had starred in was slowly taking its toll on us. Nobody knew, because they were too busy looking in from the outside. All they saw was us in our most commercialised form. We were a product. Who we really were was left behind when we entered this journey. The only time we had to show who we really were was when we had a time to actually think. Moments we could actually savour. These moments weren’t often with our busy schedule.
I was actually happy when I went into hospital when I grew ill. Why? Because that was the first time in ages I felt that I was human again. I felt the ability to feel weak and sad. I felt that I could have a normal life again. I loved the fact that I was not exposed to the media anymore. I enjoyed that my friends and family could talk to me and hug me without it reaching the tabloids for everyone to see. I felt how you all would feel. Comfortable and sheltered from strangers you have never met. You may be thinking “she must love the attention, she updates her blog all the time”. But the truth is, that is the cost to remain at the top, and also for me, this is my chance to show the world moments in life which I really cherish. Most of all, showing them who I cherish. I hope next time you see them you could tell them that they are the most important people in my life because sometimes I just don’t have the time to tell them anymore. Sad isn’t it.
Being an idol is never what it is cut out to be. Have you noticed the amount of rumours spread by tabloids? The pressure to look the best? The amount of weight on an actor’s shoulders when the ratings of each television show it released? Sometimes I think that the world is against me. But I have accepted what my first big decision has brought to me. I have accepted that I must face these faceless bullies and pull through to be a stronger woman. That’s all I want now. A chance to be a strong independent woman with my head held high. I want an opportunity to feel normal. The chance to attend university without everyone wanting my signature. Nor to be constantly watched and have endless cameras flashing in my face. All I want is freedom to choose my daily activities.
Where to now? Even I don’t know. I had taken that step out of this Unknown Ten Year Journey and now I have taken a step into my lifelong unknown journey. Each day I wake up and feel a sense of ease because I have not only given myself a chance to grow, but I have given others a chance as well. If I remained at AKB48, I am sure the other girls would remain as they are. Desperately trying to gain attention but still being overshadowed by me. I felt that I always was the road block for the other girls and waking up now I feel as though I am free from being a thorn to them. I am making my own decisions in life each day. I decide where I want to go and what programs I would participate in. Although there is a chance that I may become unpopular and a chance that I will have anti-fans, what’s important if I am growing each time I face such struggles. I am no longer protected by Aki-P anymore, and mistakes are mine to make. I will enjoy this opportunity and grow each day.
I hope that you would all continue to support me. Whether you liked me as a part of AKB48 or just liked me as an idol, even if you disliked me. All I can hope is that you will give me the opportunity to choose my own path and support me. In reality I just want to be like you all. I want to see the simplest things in life and be amazed. I want to feel the heartache of losing someone. I want to feel the struggles of balancing life without the help of others. I want to learn to drive a car and then be free to explore the world all I want. I want to go shopping and not be attacked by paparazzi. I want breathe a breath of fresh air each day and feel that I am still human. So please. I beg you all. Just let me take my first step again. Let me make a big decision again. Let me feel anxious again. Don’t let me be held back again. And just let me breathe that fresh breath of air again…
With much love,
Maeda Atsuko
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More and more to come! Remember that comments always make authors happy! :heart:
Entry #2
Title: No Way
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Shibuya-centric, Shibuya/Dance
Word Count: 1170
No way
"Gotcha!"
Miso ran into Shibuya, the young girl's eyes glinting with mischief.
The ex-queen could hear Dance yelp in the background, "Shibuya-san!" uselessly, too slow, too weak to stop the knife from ramming into her leader's back. A couple of the Yabakune grunts screamed in the background just as ineffectively as Dance- Shibuya wondered if their legs had rooted themselves to the ground.
Some yankees they were- afraid of a little first year!
The Yabakune leader glanced down at the first year, who had the distant trace of a smirk on her face. If this were any other day, Shibuya would have gotten away with a faint twinge of fear clutching her heart, and then the instant realization that there was no harm done, and the first year was just playing, that's all. Then Miso would back away, show her empty hands playfully- of course she would have already got rid of the weapon- and Shibuya would hit her hard, itching for a fight.
But not today.
Shibuya glanced down her back, to the middle of her side. At first she felt no pain, nothing to indicate right away that she'd received any injuries. Tentatively, she dropped a hand toward the impacted area. Her nails grazed the handle of the knife before her fingers did. Time froze, yet she dared to go further, carefully. Everyone in the room continued to ingrain themselves in the ground.
There was no way that crazy bitch had actually done anything to her. She wouldn't dare. She drew her fingers up and found a surplus of blood already covering the tips, dripping down their elegant length.
No way.
There was no way in hell that it was true.
Stunned, she looked over her shoulder at Dance (who looked like she was about to piss herself), then at Miso, then at the other Yabakune students. How much time had already elapsed? Miso was standing there, laughing, holding her wrists out like Shibuya was supposed to handcuff her. Time began to unfreeze itself at the sound of Miso's laughter, but everything seemed so slow. Just for a second, Shibuya's eyes blurred with both fear and pain.
But she didn't collapse, because the very next second she felt anger- hot, white anger boiling up through her belly and pulsing through her hands. How dare she?! That little runt had done it. She'd really done it, and Shibuya was going to make her eat dirt.
For Gekikara, one of her companions in Rappappa, she'd make sure of that-
As the Yabakune leader turned to lash out at the first year, she was blinded by a beam of pure agony. Clumsily, she crashed to the ground, gripping her side. Every breath hurt, yet her chest heaved up and down painfully anyway, her heart racing like it never had before.
Around her, the world around her lurched into fast-motion. There was chaos in the room- Dance began to cry in distress, Miso began to walk off, and the rest of the yankees present either stared at Shibuya or tried to do something about the situation. Some ran toward her, others went for Miso. A few tried to comfort Dance. Was someone calling an ambulance? Shibuya thought she could hear someone talking on the phone, but the words sounded like they were coming through a blocked tube.
The edges of Shibuya's vision began to darken. She was unaware of her own heavy breathing- her eyes were calm, searching the room for nothing in particular. Other than her labored breathing, the ex-queen made no noise, no cry, even now determined to take it like a real yankee, like a Rappappa member.
Fiercely, she held back tears, gritting her teeth with as much pressure as she could. Like hell any grunt was going to laugh at her- she would not be embarrassed again.
Yuko would have been proud.
Well, maybe if she hadn't switched schools.
Shibuya blinked hard, then opened her eyes again. They eventually settled and focused on her loyal servant, her only true friend- Dance. The little underling had finally managed to use her wobbly legs to wander over to Shibuya. Carefully, as if Shibuya were made of glass, she eased her leader's head into her lap, stroking her cheek with a shaky hand. "Sh-shibuya-san..." She began to wail, piercing to Shibuya's ears compared to what she perceived to be the rest of the white noise.
"Shut up..." Dance stopped her sobbing instantly (though her jaw continued to tremble violently) and fluttered her eyelashes at Shibuya, as if waiting for instructions like she normally did. Shibuya's hand shook, but she reached up to touch the other girl's wet cheek.
Dance had always been too affectionate for her own good, but Shibuya had never taken much notice of her before. Or at least, she tried not to. After all, what would she look like showing interest in a person like Dance? Pathetic, right?
Yet somehow, those nights Dance slept over- just the two of them- Shibuya always found herself holding on to the younger girl possessively in bed, sometimes even while they were both awake. She would dig her nails into that small body wherever she could and...
Now Shibuya thoughts were becoming jumbled.
Shibuya opened her mouth to snap at the other girl, but it came out soft- probably due to her lack of breath. "'The hell are you crying like a baby? Can't you do something more useful with your time?" Dance whimpered as if she were about to burst into tears again, clutching at Shibuya's lifted hand with her own. "B-but, Shibuya-san, you're..." Tears began to drip down the girl's face all over again, landing on Shibuya's cheeks.
The leader had expected the pain to fade away after the first burst, but it only worsened the more time went on. Was she losing consciousness...? "Dance," she murmured lowly, her hand beginning to shake more as weakness seeped into her limbs. She tried to lift her other hand, only to find that it was covered in blood that had leaked onto the floor.
So much blood.
Were those... sirens... outside..?
Or was it her imagination?
The injured girl's eyes fluttered. "Shibuya-san, hang on, they're almost here!" Even Dance's voice was growing distant now.
Dance.
The younger girl was still there, holding Shibuya's face as of trying to comfort her, even though the one who needed the most comfort was probably Dance herself. "... Why... are you crying...?" Shibuya asked, "... you're acting... like I'm..." The words seemed to turn to mush in her mouth, but Dance seemed to understand enough to answer.
"Because, Shibuya-san... I care about you... a lot. I love... Shibuya-san." Though her words were punctuated by whines and sniffles, Shibuya understood what her underling was saying.
... Love.
"Dance..." Pause, another hard blink. "... Don't worry."
And for the first time, Shibuya smiled at her.
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Oh, I like this one~ \o/
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Third one today! We are really happy to see people so motivated to write :heart:
Title: ちびみなみと麻里子様の物語 (Chibi Minami and Mariko sama's Story)
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Takahashi Minami, Shinoda Mariko
Word Count: 1208
ちびみなみと麻里子様の物語
(Chibi Minami and Mariko sama's Story)
People running trying to take cover from the sudden rain but there is one small shadow inside a cardboard box besides the street shivering. Of course, strangers also tried approaching the little one but the little one will not allow anyone to touch it. From its eyes you can see fear and hostility, its fur were all standing and it let out a low growling sound warning anyone that tried to come close to it. You can tell that this little puppy has gone through many things and has lost faith in human. People gave up and stop approaching this little offensive puppy since it’s none of their business.
Seeing that people has stopped bothering it our little puppy has gone back to its original position but then a sudden shadow has approach the puppy causing it to bite the hand that was trying to touch it.
“Ouch! What an offensive puppy… I just wanted to touch your fur.. so stingy. It’s not like you’ll die if you let me touch them..” complained an OL (office lady) who just finished her work and was on her way home. The bite didn’t hurt that much since the puppy is still small and its teeth hasn’t completely grown out yet.
The puppy thought that after the bite the lady will give up but instead the lady tries to approach it again.
The puppy barks at the lady but the lady just ignored it and grabs the puppy’s neck and put it inside her coat which makes the puppy struggle. But as the puppy starts to feel warmer it stops struggling and falls asleep.
“sigh* What a my pace puppy” the lady says to no one in particular and smile as she went home.
……………………………..Home……………………………..
“Now.. First of all I’ve got to clean this naughty little puppy” says the lady as she leaves the puppy on the sofa and went to the bathroom to prepare the water.
The puppy woke up and was surprised at where it was. The environment was totally unfamiliar for the puppy causing it to panic, simultaneously, the lady has finished preparing the water and saw the puppy woke up.
“Hi dear~ you’ve woke up??” says the lady as she approach the little frightened puppy.
“Woof! Woof! Grr!!” barked the puppy and growl at the lady trying to make it look scary but in the lady’s eye it is not scary at all.
“Hai, hai. You can bark as long as you want but I’ve got to get you this naughty little puppy a bubble bath first~” says the lady as she grabbed the puppy by the neck again and bring it to the bathroom.
After having a long water fight inside the bathroom the lady finally manage to clean the puppy but she got wet from head to toe so she decide to take a bath herself too.
…………………….After Bath……………………..
“Hmm.. Maybe the little puppy is hungry now.. but what does it eat? Bamboo?? Katsudon?? Pickle?? Curry??” after a long time thinking…. “Okay! Let’s make curry! Since curry is human’s greatest invention I’m sure even the little one will like it! Curry got vegetable and meat too so it’s nutritious!” so in the end the lady decided to make curry for dinner…
……………………Cooking Time……………………
“Done! Wow, it smells nice~~ Sasuga Mariko~~” the lady says to herself as she put some inside the plate, one for herself and one for the puppy.
Yes, this lady’s name is Shinoda Mariko an OL but not a normal one because she’s the president of S.M. Fashion Company! She’s also known to be a panda lover, curry lover and is a fascinating poker face!!!
While humming a song she just made herself at the moment she bring the curry to the little puppy that is hiding in one corner of the room.
“sigh*” Mariko put the plate on the floor “eat it, it’s delicious” and went back to the kitchen and eat her curry.
After making sure that Mariko left, our little puppy has come out from the corner because it is really hungry.
Stare~~~~~~~~~~~ the puppy stare at the mysterious food Mariko bring but gave up because it was too hungry to think what it was.
====================================================================
Mariko was happy that the puppy ate the whole thing~ “As I thought I’m a genius~ Curry is also popular among animals~ Got to tell Haruna about it next time so she could also feed her UsaMimi (the 2 dogs KojiHaru owns) curry~ And sooner or later it would be CURRY TO WORLD DOMINATION~~ XD”
Although the little puppy ate the whole curry but it still does not trust Mariko and still hides itself at the corner.
Mariko would’ve leave it alone but seeing the curry sauce all over its mouth, Mariko who wouldn’t let Haruna in because she wants her house to be clean (Haruna: Hey! I won’t make your house unclean!!), couldn’t ignore it. So, Mariko grabs a cloth and approach the puppy but the puppy would keep running away from Mariko.
“haa.. haa.. just wait when I catch you” says Mariko panting while the puppy seems to be making fun of Mariko as it suddenly stuck out its tongue…
This action has caused a few veins popping out from Mariko’s head and fire coming out from Mariko’s eyes…
Seems like our little puppy has sensed something but was a step too late since Mariko has managed to catch it and wipe the curry sauce from its mouth.
“Ha! I got you!” says Mariko while still rubbing the sauce from the puppy’s mouth and the puppy is struggling.
After cleaning, Mariko noticed something on the puppy’s neck which seems to be a collar. Mariko removes it and tries to read off the letters on it but it was too torn and worn off… Mariko was only able to recognize three words which is, みなみ.
While struggling the little puppy bites Mariko sama once again but this time harder causing Mariko’s hand to bleed a little…
“Ouch! You’ve got to stop biting me if not I’ll go to the vet and have all your teeth pulled off!” says Mariko with her queen aura.
The little puppy seems to be frightened by Mariko’s aura so it bows its head down like an abandoned puppy (which it is from the start…)
Seeing the puppy like this makes Mariko feel guilty, Mariko pat the puppy’s head “So I guess you’re name is みなみ? Nice name~ ^_^ You can call me Mariko sama” says Mariko while smiling at the little puppy みなみ. (-.-||| Mariko sama.. puppy can’t talk!!!)
Animals know who is good or bad and Mariko’s smile tells みなみ that Mariko is not a bad person so みなみ felt bad about biting Mariko and starts to lick on the wound which was bleeding a few moments ago.
As みなみ licks Mariko’s wound it also looks up to see if Mariko is still angry at it, also showing two shining eyes saying ‘I’m sorry’.
OMG~~~!!! How can it be so cute~~ >.< I want to hug it tightly~~ <<< our Mariko sama’s inner thoughts
Mariko smiles and pat on the puppy’s head saying “It’s okay, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt that much”
The puppy kept its 45 degree angle looking cutely at Mariko sama.
Kyaa~~ It’s just so cute~~ みなみ~~~ << our Mariko sama who is totally fangirling over our little みなみ
Mariko then stands up with みなみ still in her embrace.
“Time for bed~ Got to wake up early tomorrow~” says Mariko
“Woof!” responded みなみ
…………………………….Bedroom…………………………………..
“みなみ~” says Mariko with two stars in her eyes
“Woof?”
“Before we sleep, you’ve got to change into this little panda pajama that I bought a few days ago~” says Mariko still with the two stars in her eyes
“..??” みなみ doesn’t understand what Mariko means so she tilt her head to a side showing that she doesn’t understand.
Yaa~~~ >.< みなみ is just so cute~~ She’ll be even cuter with this panda pajama!!!
Since みなみ know that Mariko is not a bad person she allows Mariko to put on the panda pajama on her although the fangirling Mariko looks somehow scary (?) to her.
………………………After Changing……………………..
Yabai!!! Panda みなみ is just too adorable, too cute, too …….. <<< our Mariko sama who is in her world fangirling over panda (?) みなみ (Wait.. みなみ is a puppy!!!)
While Mariko is fangirling over みなみ, みなみ is just so sleepy to analyze what is Mariko doing….
みなみ yawns and look sleepily at Mariko “woof…” みなみ barks softly trying to ask ‘can we sleep now??’
Mariko who notices how sleepy みなみ is smiles and hug みなみ “Hai, hai. Let’s take a photo before we sleep okay??”
“Woof..”
Mariko who also changes to her panda pajamas holds みなみ, who is also in her panda pajamas, with one hand while the other hand took a photo of them.
Happy about her masterpiece Mariko bring みなみ to the bed and cover them with the blanket.
“Tomorrow, we’ve got to buy some clothes for you. Ah! Maybe a panda hat……..”
Mariko is talking happily, planning of what to do tomorrow while みなみ is already exhausted and has fallen asleep while snuggling into Mariko’s warmth.
Mariko sensing みなみ snuggling near her stopped talking and smile warmly at みなみ and says “おやすみ, みなみ。” in which みなみ responded with a soft ‘woof’.
-
...and says “おやすみ, みなみ。”
I prefer Oyasuminami~ :P
:mon baby:
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Good batch of stories so far; props to the writers. Interested to see more stories make their appearance. :thumbsup
I'll be stalking tumblr more than jphip though,
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We received two entries more today but we can only post one for now! Enjoy :heart:
Entry #4
Title: Sakura
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Matsui Rena, Matsui Jurina, Shinoda Mariko
Word Count: 1624
Sakura
“I will turn into an eternal cherry tree
Yes, I won’t move from here
Even if you get lost on your heart’s path
I will stand here so that you know where love is”
———————————————————————————-
The lyrics of the song kept lingering in my mind. It has been 10 years since that day. Do you remember? Those days when we would take strolls by the sidewalk while looking at the ocean. We would talk about the future that we were all looking forward too. So young and carefree. I remember the conversation we had that day.
“Ne, Rena-chan… what do you think you will be after 10 years?” you asked. “Hmmm… I’m not really sure… but…” I hesitated. “I hope we all still keep in touch with everyone even after 10 years.” I said with a shy smile.
“What are you talking about Rena-chan” My eyes blinked in surprise. “Of course we will, especially me. I’ll be right there when you need me.” You said with a confident smile.
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1q4pw4UY01qcbdug.gif)
I blushed darn it.. that smile always gets me. To cover up my flustered self I asked you, “How about you?”.
You thought about it thoroughly and said “Hmmm… A lawyer? or an Athlete? or maybe I’ll become a model like my older sister Mariko-neesan!” Your eyes would sparkle whenever you talked about your older sister. I didn’t mind it at all, since I thought you looked so adorable while boasting about her.
“But remember this Rena-chan” you continued “For sure I will be here when you need me, I promise.” You leaned over and gave me a kiss on the forehead, which made me blushed again. You smiled and teased me, but, I didn’t really mind. I loved that smile of yours.
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1q5jhqBjM1qcbdug.gif)
I couldn’t help but think, that I took those days with you for granted.
I stared at the picture that was hanging on the wall, A class picture. There you are smiling so brightly, a smile that would make everyone around you smile. So pure and so innocent. So dignified and so confident.
And that Cherry tree. That Cherry tree that we always used to go to with our friends. Always the place for hangouts. I wonder why, but whenever we go there, my mind would always be at ease. Ne, do you remember what you told me once?
“Can you hear the cherry tree saying hello?” you said with a serene face.
You closed your eyes and laid down. I sat down beside you and enjoyed the calmness of the moment, later our friends joined us. It was the happiest moments of my high school days. Just sitting there by the cherry tree. Not caring about anything.
Aside from being good with academic studies. We had absolutely nothing in common, You were very athletic where as I would prefer to sit at home, watch anime and read mangas. Very outgoing and friendly, and I’m just really shy, and is afraid to approach people. You act so cool to others and yet when you’re with me you act like a spoiled child. I felt so lucky to be able to see these side of yours that others didn’t see. Our teachers would always compared us, which we both hated but, we got along perfectly well. I guess its true what they say, that opposites attract.
But 10 years ago I would not have imagined that thing from happening.
You gave me a quick hug, a kiss on the cheek and with a carefree smile you said “I will see you tomorrow ok?” and waved goodbye.
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1q50dleHD1qcbdug.gif)
Somehow in my heart, I felt something strange, like I won’t see you again for a long time. But, I brushed it off and waved you good bye. Little did I know, after that day. You…would never come back to me again.
That night I got a call from your mother, informing me about what happened. Crying she told me “Rena-chan… earlier there was an accident… and J-Jurina… she…”
I couldn’t comprehend what I heard after that. But from what I recalled, I went straight out of the door to were you are.
Hoping you were still there, hoping that I see you smiling back at me.
Then there you were, not moving, not breathing. As your father tried his best to explain given the situation, my mind couldn’t process what he was saying. I just stood there in this belief. Staring at this lifeless body. A body whose similar to yours. Then reality struck me. I finally realized, after standing there looking at you. You’re dead.
Somehow I heard my heart being torn into pieces
.
Why didn’t I held you longer? Why didn’t I stop you from leaving? Why did I let you say goodbye? Why didn’t I ask you to stay a bit longer? Why did god took you away too soon? Why didn’t I do anything? Why… Why.. Why…
I won’t be able to feel those touches of yours anymore. I wont be able to receive those hugs and kisses that you gave anymore. I won’t be able to hear those silly puns you made anymore. I won’t be able to spoil you anymore. I won’t be able to see that smile of yours that I loved so much anymore…
I won’t be able to see you everyday anymore.
When I was at your wake, someone tapped me lightly on the shoulders. It was a really tall girl with short brown hair. I wonder if you would have grown as tall as her. I realized that it was your sister, Shinoda Mariko. She came back from her modeling job from France immediately when she heard the news.
“You must be Rena-chan” She said.
“You’re Jurina’s older sister N-nice to meet you” I said nervously and bowed my head.
“Ah, I see Jurina must have talked about me a lot haven’t she?” She said with a bitter sweet smile.
“Yes…sometimes too much actually.” I laughed at that memory of you bragging about your older sister, followed by the realization that you weren’t coming back. My tears started to appear again. I tried to stop it.
“She talks about you a lot too” She said, and I looked at her in surprise. “She said that Rena-chan always takes care of her and she really likes Rena-chan” the taller girl smiled.”It made me relieved to hear, that someone was taking care of my spoiled little sister, Thank you.” She bowed.
“Ah, It was more like she took care of me” I smiled and bowed back.
“No, really. Thank you Rena-chan. She sounded really happy when she talked about you.” She gave me a hug. I just broke down… I couldn’t hold it anymore. I never thought I would cry like this.
So, this is what is like… To lose someone. It hurts so bad. I want to see you. Jurina.
Years have gone by, I managed to accept the fact that you aren’t coming back. That I should move on. If I didn’t it would only make you worry, right?
Your sister was the one that comforted me, it kind of felt like she became my older sister too. No wonder you looked up to her so much.
Every year I visit your grave with our friends, but every year our group number declined. It made me felt a bit sad, then I realized they have moved on. I know they still treasure you in their memories.
You know what? What you said was true, we still do keep in contact with our old classmates, even though some of them moved far away.
After we visited your grave, we went to our old school. Ah, a lot have changed since then, the classrooms have been renovated, some of our teachers have retired. The uniform has slightly changed. But. The cherry tree is still there.
As we went towards the tree, I felt like we were being welcomed. I placed my hand on the center of the tree. I remembered those days. Our worry free days with each other.
I smiled. I remembered what you told me. “I’ll be right there when you need me” you said back then. Its true whenever I felt sad or troubled, when I remember that smile of yours. Somehow I manage to find away to get through it. Our close friends said the same thing. When they look at our old class picture and see your smile, they would have this feeling of ease.
Ne, Jurina you were looking after us the whole time right?
“MAMA~” A little girl exclaimed. I turned my head towards the direction of the little girl. I smiled at her.
“Ne, mama~” said the little girl. “Can you hear the cherry tree saying hello?” I froze. My heart skipped, I never thought I would hear those words again. It made me smile.
“Jurina-chan, lets go home, it’s getting dark.” I told the little girl who was playing with the fallen petals on the ground. She ran towards me and held my hand. I waved goodbye to our friends as me and my daughter went home.
Ne, Jurina… my daughter reminds me of you. Not because I named her after you. But, somehow your personalities are the same. It feels like you had been reborn. but, Jurina and my Jurina are different in their own ways. My Jurina still have lots to learn, when she gets older I hope she grows up like you. Always cheerful and confident.
Ne, Jurina. Thank you for the memories you gave me.
さよなら
(Sayonara)
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Sorry for no updating before, we were waiting for everything to get back to normal in here. To make up for it, it's triple update time :heart:
Entry #5
Title: In Spite of Everything
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Maeda Atsuko, Oshima Yuko
Word Count: 2529
In Spite of Everything
Just seeing her sends shivers down her spine. It’s like a chemical reaction. At first, Maeda Atsuko brushes it off as though it doesn’t exist. It’s not there, it’s not real, so it can’t exist. She tells herself that, day in and day out because girls that love girls do exist in this world but she’s very sure that she’s not one of them. She had a crush on a boy last year, but she doesn’t remember his surname or the way he smiled. She vaguely remembers him calling her name once and waving goodbye.
She thinks about trivial things like old crushes to divert her attention from the girl beside her. They’re sprawled out on the floor in her moderately sized bedroom along with pencils and pens, various textbooks and notebooks, bare knees pressing against the floor under their pleated skirts. There’s a groan that stirs her from her thoughts and she turns her attention to the way Oshima Yuko moves to drop herself down in front of her Geometry textbook, skirt fanning out over the backs of her thighs as she bends her knees to kick stocking covered feet in the air.
“I’m bored,” she says finally, breaking the silence between them, and the darker hair girl seems to shift away from the lazy drawl that comes from the other girl’s mouth. It seems to fall on deaf ears, so Yuko kicks her feet against the floor and lifts her head up off of the page that it had thumped against just seconds after this declaration. “I said I was bored!”
“I can hear you,” Atsuko replies with a grimace, nose crinkling as she draws her knees closer to herself, away from the mild tantrum that’s being thrown on the floor. “Yuko, you and I both know that you have to do well this semester,” she trails off because Yuko is looking up at her with an expression that probably shouldn’t make her chest so tight. She wishes Yuko wouldn’t look at her- through her. “Anyway, you know that we have exams to prepare for.” She starts to begin her daily lecture of how important a higher education is in today’s society but Yuko moves dramatically, sitting back up on her knees in a move so fast that her hair falls unevenly on her head. Atsuko goes to tell her what she has done, but Yuko is rising to her feet and pulling the other girl up with her abruptly.
“Let’s go,” is all that she says and even though Atsuko protests whole, well, half-heartedly all the way there, they end up at the arcade nearest Atsuko’s house. Yuko wins some character from some anime that she seems not to care too much about, pressing it against Atsuko’s chest when she’s just about to go home.
“Keep it! I don’t like that show anyway! If you don’t like it, you can throw it away, Acchan… I’ll see you tomorrow,” she calls out with a grin and a wave as she’s riding off on her bike in a wobbly fashion. Atsuko thinks very bitterly to throw it away just as she gets inside, but she keeps the doll pressed against her chest and falls asleep after staring at it on her bedside table until her eyes get heavy that night.
Atsuko decides that there is someone who is definitely out to get her, someone who has plans to ruin her entire life. There must have been a person that hated her back in elementary school, some kid that she might have been rude to, someone that was actually a demon… a god or something. She was sure that this person decided that it would be pretty funny to poke holes in the sky and let the rain fall in abundant amounts. Obviously, a demon wouldn’t have only sent the rain. No, he put Oshima Yuko in the coffee shop across from where Atsuko is standing so despondently under the shelter of the store she’d walked in just moments earlier, when the sky seemed to be clear and there was no way that she ever thought it could possibly rain. She glances up at the sky with a miserable sort of look, bag of snacks for a long night of studying in one hand. The rain doesn’t seem as though it’s going to let up and she stupidly decides to make a run for it.
“You there,” a voice calls and she drags her foot right back under the protected space she’s enclosed in, pretending as if she wasn’t just about to take a step. “Maeda Atsuko!”
“I can hear you, Yuko. It’s just rain, I can hear through the rain,” she snaps, watching as the shorter girl advances toward her with her track jacket stretched over her head, a tooth grin on her face that doesn’t get any sort of visible response.
“I saw you when I was with my friends and I thought, ah, she’s going to try and run through this to get back to her books.” Yuko gives a clever sort of grin, one that makes Atsuko stammer her way through an excuse to try and prove her wrong when she’s entirely right. It annoys her when Yuko knows that she’s flustered but doesn’t try to tease her in the way that a boy would, instead offering her shelter in the confines of that small jacket. Yuko has to shift her arm back around Atsuko’s shoulder to hold the jacket up around them, her breath close to Atsuko’s neck as they run down dimly lit streets.
Atsuko doesn’t think about that day too much, just every night after that when she’s holding that ugly (wonderful- most beautiful thing she’s ever had) toy close to her chest, nuzzling the soft fabric against her nose and heaving a long, cowardly sigh.
“I refuse to study any longer,” Yuko says in a deep voice, fist pumped up in the air as she lays on her back while using her literature book as a pillow, long brown hair fanning out over the pages. She lets her arm fall down to rest over her stomach weakly when she gets no response, tilting her head in the direction of one Maeda Atsuko who sits with with a textbook on her knees as she sits back against the side of Yuko’s bed. Her outstanding declaration doesn’t get any response and she narrows her eyes as if she’s suspicious. Once she goes to speak again, Atsuko clears her throat, eyes lifting over the top of her advanced textbook.
“If you put as much effort into sounding like Ultraman as you put into studying, we’d get a lot more done.” Yuko just laughs out loud but it trails off into a sigh, her leg extending to rest her sock covered foot against the side of Atsuko’s ankle. She taps the tip of her toes against the skin there absently as she stares up at her ceiling, hands stretching up above her head. “You know, Yuko,” Atsuko starts after a few moments of silence. She’s tried to keep this from slipping out but it’s something that she can’t help but to ask, fingers flexing against the side of her textbook as though it will help keep her steady as she continues with what she wants to say. “You always say you want to study, you’re always excited when you talk about us going home and studying, but once we get here, it’s the one thing that you don’t want to do above everything else in the world.”
Yuko’s foot stops tapping against her as the shorter girl looks thoughtful, lips pursed in a thin line before she’s speaking softly, “Spending time with Acchan… I like it. You don’t like to do much other than studying, so I thought I could spend time with you by saying that I needed to study.” It’s put so simply but it means so much more to Atsuko than it should and she can’t bring herself to look away from this textbook she no longer cares about. That is, until she hears the even sounds of Yuko sleeping peacefully, her chest rising and falling much slower than the thrum of Atsuko’s own heart. Even then, Atsuko can’t look at the other girl’s face, only at the flecks of sunlight that touch the tips of her fingers and the bend of her elbow.
Something doesn’t resonate well with Atsuko as she’s walking home that night and it stays with her through the next few days- weeks, even. She ignores Yuko’s phone calls and texts (which are few and far between because Yuko has always found something unsettling about not talking face to face). She even ignores it when Yuko calls her name out after school and pedals away as fast as she can on her bike, only stopping when she can no longer hear that voice to catch her breath.
Things don’t work as she’s been hoping precisely two weeks and three days later, not that she’d been counting or anything, when Yuko corners her right in front of the bike rack. She lurches backwards when Yuko comes running over, almost afraid that Yuko’s going to start yelling at her or push her on the ground. What she does do is much worse. It makes Atsuko’s chest hurt when Yuko looks at her solemnly, teeth worrying the corner of her mouth before she hesitantly speaks up.
“Acchan… did I do something wrong?” Her voice doesn’t sound like it belongs to Yuko and Atsuko vaguely wonders if she’s ever seen Yuko look like this- if she’s ever seen Yuko frown before. “If I said something,” Yuko starts in an unsure, shaky voice.
“You told me that you were just wasting my time,” Atsuko replies harshly and she doesn’t mean for the words to come out like thorns, but they even hurt her when she says them. “You know that I only like to study, so why are you trying to mess that up? Are you that stupid, Yuko? I have to get into college and you don’t care about college,” she says with her voice raising so loud that a few other students turn and glance in their direction, but carry on as if they aren’t witnessing a couple of broken hearts. “Life isn’t all about fun and games, it’s more important than that. You’re stupid for being so careless.”
Atsuko wishes she would say something, but Yuko doesn’t open her mouth. She just gives this slow, sad smile as tears brim up in the corner of her eyes. There’s a shaky intake of breath and a slow nod as that smile widens in a miserable sort of way. Atsuko’s hands are firm against the lock that’s binding her bike- keeping her from escaping. Yuko steps back with another nod, pushing her hand back through her hair before her expression softens.
A coward walks home with her hands tight on the handle bar, knuckles white as she drags her bike alongside her. The girl with the sweetest eyes that coward has ever seen stands at that bike rack when she departs, but Atsuko doesn’t know how long- she doesn’t want to know. She takes that stupid toy Yuko gave to her and she puts it in her desk drawer.
Atsuko can count the number of days until graduation on her fingers but she can’t count how long it has been since she pushed Yuko out of her life. She sees Yuko in the hallways or at the start of class and there’s always this sad smile that tugs at the corner of her lips, pulling at Atsuko’s heartstrings. It’s probably weird and cliche but she stares at Yuko’s back sometimes during class and waits for her to turn around and call her by her nickname, but her father always said that a person only gets what they deserve. He also told her that a person is better off alone if they want to succeed in life. She isn’t so sure what to believe anymore.
She dreams of the day that she’ll be sitting in the back of the classroom and Yuko will barge in and take whatever book she’s reading and kiss her once- maybe twice on the lips. Maybe she’ll cup Atsuko’s face in her hands and say, “you’re so stupid, Acchan. I knew all along,” before kissing her again. Atsuko thinks about the day that will come until graduation day, when they’re all listening to the speeches in the auditorium. She watches as Yuko stands and walks across the stage when her name is called, but Yuko never looks at her.
That night after the ceremony, she walks about ten paces behind Yuko, following the other girl to her familiar house. Atsuko thinks intensely about running up behind her and hugging her close, pressing her cheek against the back of Yuko’s shoulder, but she doesn’t do it. She keeps her distance and thinks about everything that she should do, everything that she won’t do. Finally Yuko stops right in front of the path leading to her house, but she doesn’t turn around. She just stays in place as though frozen, like she’s waiting for something to come, but it doesn’t. The wind ruffles through her hair and it hits Atsuko just a second later. It seems like Yuko stands there for an eternity before her shoulders slump forward and she disappears from view.
Looking back on that day, Atsuko thinks of a million things she could have said, but she couldn’t even bring herself to say one. Instead, she pulls the toy that Yuko didn’t want out of her desk drawer, rubbing over the button eyes with a forlorn sort of look on her face as her mom and dad busy with carrying her boxes out of their apartment and out onto the moving truck. Just as she’s about to leave the room, she looks back at the toy sitting on her desk and wills herself not to cry as she straightens her shoulders and shuts the door behind herself, only able to bring herself to look ahead.
(There’s still a nagging thought at the back of her head, one that keeps her up some nights. It’s a thought that involves her grasping warm hands and saying “I missed you,” and seeing Yuko’s brilliant smile. “I missed you, too, Acchan,” is what she would say back and then maybe they’d hug or their lips would brush, but Atsuko is only looking ahead.)
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Entry #6
Title: A Change
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sashihara Rino
Word Count: 1644
A Change
Sashihara Rino… Rino… That was her name. And yet, she never did hear anyone call her by that name. Not even her parents. All of them, be it from her classmates to family, call her stupid, a burden, stupid, and even useless. Well, she did, at one point have someone call her Rino. But that was her Grandmother. Her grandmother who soon left her as their next meeting after their last had her in a casket. On that very day, she felt abandoned.
Unloved.
Unneeded.
What was her purpose of living if the person who she thought cared for her the most has already left her side? To who was she supposed to run towards to whenever she felt sad, whenever she needed a crying shoulder? Even though her grandmother promised that she would protect her until she was strong enough to stand for herself… She still left her like that. Without even saying a word of goodbye.
She couldn’t blame her, of course. Maybe her time had just come. Her grandmother was already old. And even standing turned into a challenge for her already. So maybe… Just maybe, her grandmother finally had enough of living and went to an eternal sleep.
She didn’t like the thought of it at first.
She even went as far as lying to herself that her grandmother was still alive.
But it was useless.
Everything she did was useless.
Soon, Sashihara Rino came to accept the fact that her grandmother was gone. And eventually got used to the names people call her, be it from sour ones to plain cruel. She even came to believe that she really was hopeless. That nobody really needed her to be there. That anyone would be fine without her.
With that, she once again asked to herself…
What was her purpose of living?
She had none.
The thought of killing herself did come to her once. But she was a coward, a lowly coward who could only plan things, and yet, never actually do any of it. She wanted to leave the world badly; she wanted to just end all of her pain by following her grandmother, by dying as well.
But even after hours of sitting down by the bridge’s rail, she couldn’t jump.
It hurt.
The thought of living hurts.
And yet, she couldn’t put that source of her pain to an end.
She couldn’t kill herself.
When she was young, Rino had this weird passion on singing. So she would always sing a song to her family, to everyone in a karaoke. But being the young kid she was, she only knew so few of the songs listed on the song book. And eventually, everyone had enough of her singing the same song again and again.
Everyone, at first, would clap to her as she sings, but soon, all of them would wear frowns on their faces and began giving her cruel remarks. Even to the point of shouting shut up to her.
Because of that, she promised not to sing again.
She also knew how to draw. She loved Anime, after all. And because of that, she would draw things on her notebook, on a sheet of paper, or even in her books. But then her brother saw her drawing once. And immediately, after taking a quick glance of it, spat out how awful it was.
She wasn’t sure if her brother really meant it, or if he was just being the tease he was.
But knowing that someone actually hates her drawing,
Rino stopped all at once.
Still, even with such cruelty like that, her life continued on. And eventually, she reached the age needed for school. Clueless of how the outside world is, Rino was happy to know that she would meet new friends; the thought of having one thrilled her to no ends. But even in school, she was pressured by her mother.
Her brother had remarkable performances in school, and so, her mother wanted her to follow his foot steps as well.
But she was dumb. She knew nothing more than making excuses and apologizing. She couldn’t even read something as easy as ‘cat’, nor could she properly say all the alphabets without stuttering every now and then. The only thing she was really good at was being quiet. Just sitting down on her seat without saying a thing or two.
Her parents were always busy. Too busy to even spend a time with her. Her father was a famous welder, and there was never a day where she saw him out of his workshop. One time, she entered the said workshop, and there, she was her father forming something with metals. It looked like an armor to her. A robot.
Out of excitement, she asked her father if he was indeed making a robot.
Her father remained in silence for a minute or two, but eventually nodded his head with a broken yes. Being the idiot she was, Rino believed in this whole-heartedly and cheered. She talked about it to her classmates, and boasted at how her father was the greatest welder in the world. But none of them believed her. They told her that they would only believe her if they saw the robot themselves.
So Rino asked her father when the robot would be done.
“On your eighth birthday.” Her father promised.
And so, she held onto those words. Waiting impatiently for her eighth birthday to come.
And when it did…
No robots were in sight.
She felt ashamed of herself. Her friends called her a liar for having no robots in her birthday, and as a result, everyone began ignoring her.
Silently, she told herself,
Never to believe promises.
Going to school soon became a hindrance to her. Nobody wished to talk to her anymore. Everyone already labeled her as a liar because of that small incident. There were even some who would come to her just to bully her, asking for her money and tearing her books and notebooks apart.
But even with all of that cruelty, she couldn’t do anything. She wasn’t strong like them, she was weak, she was stupid… Hopeless…
Wanting to escape that cruel place, she decided to stop going to school.
And because of that, she wasted one year of school doing nothing, and when she came back… Everyone acted as though she didn’t exist anymore…
To Rino, it felt as though everyone could see nothing but negativity in her. Even when she tried her best in school, her mother would still scold her for having mistakes on a quiz, and whenever she would be forced to come home late because of some bullies, she would whip her. Rino did tell her mother that it was because of the bullies once, but she didn’t believe her. Nobody believed her. Slowly, she lost hope in searching for someone to help her escape from those cruel people,
And slowly, she stopped voicing out whatever she wanted to say.
Rino had always had troubles in school, especially when it comes to answering questions. She had a difficult homework once in math, and having no other option, she came to her brother to ask for his help, but instead of getting the help she wanted, the only thing her brother did to her was to call her stupid.
He kept on repeating how the questions were too easy, how even a kid younger than her would be able to answer it. He told her how she was only a bother to him, and ordered her to leave his room at once.
Being the hopeless girl she was, Rino could only obey with her mere ‘Sorry’ lingering in the room.
It was painful to see her brother call her a bother like that, and not wanting to experience the same pain again,
She swore to herself never to ask for help anymore.
Time slowly passed by for her, and soon, her family turned from a very poor one to middle-class.
Eventually, her mother bought her and her brother separate computers. For school purposes, she said.
Rino was bad when it comes to technology, but she gave it a try anyway, she turned the said computer on successfully, and repeatedly clicked on one application to another in hopes to find out which one was the browser.
After some time, she found it, and the first thing that greeted her was an article about an idol group.
Singers, singers who aimed for their dreams, it stated.
At first, Rino simply watched the said group’s video out of boredom, but soon she came to love them, soon, it became the reason for her to look forward to each day.
Of course, she never told anyone about her like towards idols, but that was fine.
She was envious of the girls she saw on the monitor, they were all happy, with a goal in mind. They all had friends to tease around with, and they all bore smiles on her faces. She thought of how she wanted to be like them too, she wanted to experience it too. She wanted to have friends whom she could smile with, she wanted to be happy, and she wanted to be just like them.
As though God heeded her call for the very first time, Rino saw a poster on her way home from school. It was a poster stating that there was an audition, a poster that had a really motivating quote written on it.
Reading that, Rino immediately wanted to try it. Even though she knew that she had no talent on singing, no talent on dancing, she thought of trying it.
She thought that maybe… Just maybe she would get in, and maybe…
Maybe for once, her life would change.
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Entry #7
Title: The Diary of Sadness
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Maeda Atsuko, Itano Tomomi
Word Count: 1029
The Diary of Sadness
March 2012, SSA Day 3
“I took the audition to enter AKB48 when I was 14 years old, which was a big decision in my life. Now, please let me make my second big decision. I am graduating from AKB48.
I have caused some troubles because of my mood swings, but thanks for everyone’s help, I am here today. To perform in Tokyo Dome was a dream since I was 14.
Now this dream has come true, at 20 years of age, I have to work hard towards my next dream.
I have worked hard for the past 6-1/2 years. I have to move onto my next dream at the age of 20. I am anxious and worried because I don’t know what will happen. But for the kouhai, I have to take the first step towards this. The details haven’t been decided yet. When it’s been decided, I’ll convey it to everyone. Thank you very much.”
You can hear the fans chanting her name after saying that. We sing ‘Aitakatta’ as the final song for that event while holding her hand.
In the backstage, the staff prepare a party for her. Everyone have their own thoughts about the sudden announcement, but no one of them really knows why or dare to ask.
There are person’s who knows why Atsuko will graduate, Akimoto-sensei, her parents and me. Tomomi Itano, a member of Team K and Atsuko’s Bestfriend.
The reason why is because of a cancer, a cancer that eating her inner body slowly. The doctor said that the cancer is cannot heal anymore, the stage of it was in the last. That’s why, no matter she eats many food, she never get fat and she only have 1 to 2 years to live.
???
May 2012, Releasing of our 26th single ‘Manatsu so good’ and Atsuko’s final single as a member of AKB48
We are celebrating at Yuko’s house with all the other senbatsu members. You can hear the loud music from the speakers, open and closed canned soft drinks and chips, other foods on a large table. The other one’s are dancing on the dance floor, while Yuko, Haruna, Mariko-sama, Mii-chan, Atsuko and me are sitting on the couch. Atsuko’s head was resting on my shoulder. She’s wearing a large jacket with a large t-shirt inside. She becomes thinner a little bit, but no one realize. At practice, her movers are limited. The doctor said that her body becomes weaker too.
Every night, she’s always crying. Saying, why she deserves this or why it has to be her. I have to be with her that times. I even moved to her apartment , so i can monitor her movements.
???
June 2012, 4th Senbatsu Election
Atsuko cannot join the election anymore., but she insist to watch it in the front seat (where the participants of the event seated). As expected, Yuko become the no. 1. As for me, i really not paying attention to the election. even when they called my name, i just stand and thank the fans who vote for me and sit to my assign chair. i just always looking at her, i can see the happiness for the members and the same time, the wish that she can participate too.
Her gain lose again. The doctor gave her medicines that can slow the thinning of her body. This time Yuko, Sayaka and Mariko-sama knows her condition. They cried all day on that day.
???
July 2012, Preparation for our biggest concert at Tokyo Dome
The staff and all the members are nervous and excited at the same time. Everyone are seriously practicing the routines and memorizing the songs assigned to them. I don’t know why, but i’m not excited from this event. Like the election, my attention is at Atsuko. She’s been pushing herself practicing, even it’s break time. Like before, her body become more thinner this time. The medicines are not effective like before.
I looked around and i saw her with Mii-chan and Haruna practicing the river steps. These two knows her condition. Atsuko said that they saw her visiting her doctor and spy at her. I was in a meeting that time.
???
Auguts 2012, The day Of the Concert
When the concert is about to end, it’s the last MC. I took the opportunity to announce my graduation. I decide to leave AKB to take care of Atsuko. The members, staffs, fans and especially Atsuko was shocked about my decision. But they didn’t ask anything.
After the concert, the staff throw a party like when Atsuko announce her graduation, but we gone home early. When we got home, she just go straight to her room and slammed the door.
“Atsuko please don’t get mad at me.” I tried to open the door, but she locked it.
“WHY *sob DIDN’T YOU TELL ME *sob THAT YOU’RE GRADUATING! * sob Is it because of me! *sobs”
“I’ll explain to you, but please open the door first.” After many seconds the door opens. I took her hand and guide her to the bed.
“I want to leave because i want to take care of you. I can’t take care of you. I can’t take care of you if i have many things to do outside.” She hugs me tightly.
“But what about your dream?”
“My dream is nothing, if i don’t have you beside me Atsuko”. I took out a key and show it to her. “I buy a house near the sea. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, If it’s okay to you to spend your remaining time with me?”
???
February 2013, The Happy Moments
At Atsuko’s remaining time, we able to spent all the time swimming at the beach, traveling caves and sometimes the girls visited her. Every time i can see real happiness in her, i know she’s content at this time.
???
April 2014, 1st Anniversary of Atsuko’s death
It’s been 1 year now, but don’t worry Atsuko. Now I’ll come to where you are now.
Sorry I make you wait that long.
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Daily update! A big 'thank you' to all readers and writers :heart:
Entry#8
Title: 同じ名前の絆 (Onaji Namae no Kizuna)
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Takahashi Minami, Minegishi Minami
Word Count: 2, 418
同じ名前の絆
(Onaji Namae no Kizuna)
AKB48 is a Japanese idol group produced by Akimoto Yasushi. The name is named after the place called Akihabara in Japan. AKB48’s concept is ‘idols you can meet’ which is why there is an AKB48 theatre at the 8th floor of Don Quijote store which is of course at Akihabara.
In year 2005, Akimoto Yasushi has started the AKB48 project and held an audition for selecting the members of AKB. Out of 7, 924 girls that applied only 24 passed and became the founding members of AKB48.
We, the founding members or the first generation of AKB48 has experienced many things before we come to what we have now. We were all newbie who didn’t know how to dance so we had training lessons every day. No matter how hard and tiresome it was we would continue our best because we are girls who wanted to realize our dream, who wanted to change ourselves. By the way, we are also known as members of Team A.
Finally at December 8, 2005 we had our first performance at our AKB theatre, there were 72 people but out of the 72 people, 65 were staffs and only 7 were customers. But that didn’t stop us from losing our spirits in performing every day at the theatre.
Later on Team K, Team B was also formed. More and more members also joined in, slowly increasing the population of AKB.
We had our first CD released, our first Kōhaku Uta Gassen, our first time on TV and our first time having a concert outside the theatre, etc.
Anyway to make the things short, what I want to say is that it took us a lot of time and effort to be what we are now. We’ve been through many things, many hardships, many sweats and tears. Before people used to call us skirt/panty flashing army but now people starts to acknowledge us and we can also be said to be the idol group representing Japan now! By the way I’m Minegishi Minami~
Through the hardships it deepens the bond between each member. We all have someone we’re close with within the members and that’s the same for me too. I am particularly close with members the same generation at me such as Acchan, Maeda Atsuko, Tomochin, Itano Tomomi, Haruna, Kojima Haruna, Mariko too although she is 1.5 generation and finally ‘her’.
She can be said to be a person I would never want to lose in my life. There are also bond between us, not only as the bond of both being the founding members of AKB but also the bond of sharing the same name, みなみ. Yes… I’m sure you guys also know her well. She is the captain of Team A, Takahashi Minami a.k.a. Takamina.
Although we’re both the founding members of AKB we were not close at all.
Although we both share the same name, みなみ, we do not talk much to each other at all.
Although we have training lessons and theatre performances every day we do not get involve in each other’s life much at all.
I thought we’ll never be able to be best friends but things never go with what we think at first.
In 2008 me, Haruna and Takamina formed a unit called No3b (ノースリーブス). We had our first single released called Relax. During the video making for the PV, Takamina was always alone during break and I and Haruna were always fooling around together.
But as time passes, we have spent more time together because of No3b activities such as the drama Mendol. Spending more time with Takamina makes me learned more about her and slowly we become close together.
As you guys know, because of the activities as an AKB member I didn’t spend much time at school. This result in me doesn’t have any friends at all… Of course it was lonely but I can’t do anything about it. So when I have my graduation in school I was really worried and I told Takamina about it. Then..!!! Guess what??!! She came to my graduation as my guardian!! I was so happy about it, it was really touching!! From that time on, I told myself that I will never want to let go of this person! And I’m serious about it!!
Everything seems to be going fine, but that was just the calm before the storm. Akimoto sensei has announced the Senbatsu Election to be held to decide for the Senbatsu Members. I was really shocked about this, not only me but everyone I’m sure. I do not have any confidence in the election and many worries pop out in my mind.
What if I didn’t get to be the Senbatsu Members??
There was a lot of ‘What ifs’
I hid myself at the bathroom crying… I have decided to myself that I’ll not get in for sure and think of the worst… At that time, Takamina came to me and comfort me…
‘Miichan will be okay’
‘Miichan should have more confidence in yourself’
But I was still young and was too insecure… I spilled out all my angst to Takamina…
“Takamina is popular so you don’t have to worry! Because you’re popular so you don’t know my worries! You don’t know how I feel! You don’t know how insecure I feel!”
But no matter what terrible things I said to Takamina, Takamina just hugged me and comfort me and say ‘everything will be okay’. At that time, I think that I’m the worst person ever…
I really thank Takamina for supporting me when I needed help the most…
“I must say that AKB or rather Akimoto sensei never fails to surprise/shock me…”
There then was a team shuffle after AKB Sports Day… this was really shocking… I didn’t think that there was a day when I have to leave Team A at that time… I was really sad about it because I truly love Team A. But now that I have to go to Team K, I’ll still do my best there!
I was also asked to write a letter to the captain of Team A which was Takamina. Since normally I didn’t have the opportunity to tell her how grateful I am, I used this chance to tell her how much I thank her and how much I know how lonely and many pressure it is to stands in front. She always works hard without complain and by looking at her back it always encourage myself to work harder and it was because of you that I was able to persist until now. And that I want to support her in her dream. I want to tell her that I’ll catch up on to her.
I’ll not forever be the little girl who always needs you to take care of…
One day I’ll be strong enough to lend you a shoulder for you to lean on…
One day I’ll not be standing behind you but by your side…
So for now please spoil me like you always do…
I love to stay overnight at your home because it’s comfortable and I felt important… Normally when at AKB or Team A your attention will always be on other members like Haruna and Acchan, but only when I’m staying over all your attention is on me.
You would always tell me to remove my makeup before I sleep,
I would always let you remove my makeup for me.
You would always prepare the water for bath and clothes for me,
I’ll always throw my clothes around and even took your panties sometimes.
You would always dry my hair for me,
I would always close my eyes and enjoy your hair-drying service.
You would always cook food for me,
I’ll always enjoy eating and making fun of the food you make but actually I like it… Like the time when you made a heart-shaped hamburger for me…
You would always wake me up every morning,
I would always tell you 5 more minutes.
You would always complain about me taking your panties,
I would always laugh and say because the panties were cute and have my mom bought you new ones. Besides, shouldn’t you be grateful that I took your panties?? Because of that you have something interesting to say at the TV shows!!! So stop complaining!!!
Takamina, you are always so kind to me which makes me falls for your kindness and gentleness… Although I always don’t want you to touch me it’s because I’m used to making fun of you and am not used to you taking the initiative to hug me. I do not want you to see me that blushing because I think it’s embarrassing so I always act like a Tsundere to you.
Takamina, I always remember everything you do for me… Do you still remember one time when we went to shopping..? Because you say that you like Yukarin and Haruna so I thought that you like mature woman so that time I wanted to look mature in front of you so I wore high heels that I’m not used of. Which resulted in my feet aching and it hurts so much that I can’t walk properly… That time, do you remember what did you say?? You say that, “Miichan, let’s exchange shoes!” You notice that my feet was hurting because of the high heels but I didn’t want to change because I felt embarrassed but you tell me gently that it wouldn’t be good if I force myself and remove my shoes and put on your shoes for me. I was really happy about it but I didn’t express it out, I just simple thank you that time but my heart was really pouncing hard that time.
New Team K First Stage Performance…
I was really nervous about it… But the message you sent to Tomochin’s mobile really gave me courage to do the performance that day. After reading your message me and Tomochin hugged each other and cried…
And remember on the 1st day of Team K’s new stage?? I still remember you brought along a cake for me that have the word ‘Ganbatte’ written on it…
No words can express my gratefulness and feelings for you…
I always wonder if there’s a time that I’ll be able to repay you back…
Ah! Remember the AKBingo Project?? That time during our new single ‘Kiss no Ryuusei’ I challenged backflip?? I was really sad about it… I wanted to do it but I was not able to do it. So that time when you challenged rakugo and was not able to perform it, I really know how bad it felt so I decided to perform it in your stead. I hope this can somehow make you feel better in not able to perform it… After you knew about it you really cry your heart out and I was happy that I can help you but felt pained seeing you cry, because no matter what kind of reason it is I never really want to see you cry…
Takamina, we’re no longer friends!!!
Of course I really appreciate having a friend like you but… There are also times when you piss me off!!!
I’m sure you knew that I’m allergic to cats, and… you just have to buy a cat!!! Now, how can I go to your home and have fun when I have to take the risk of getting allergic to your stupid Nyachan??!!!! Bakamina!!! Hmph!!!
Did you do that because you didn’t want me to go to your home??!!! If you hate it so much then let’s not be friends anymore!!! Stupid Bakamina!!!
So because of your new pet I decided to ignore you but I’ve got another problem… YOU!!! So dense!!! Don’t even know why I’m ignoring you!!!! Fine!! I’ll tell you!!
“Why did you buy a cat when you know that I’m allergic to cat??!! Did you do it on purpose??!!” I shouted
No matter what reasons you explained nothing went in my mind, it went in and out! Hmph! I won’t forgive you so easily!!
After you try to put down my anger by buying me cakes and sweet talking, me the kindest person you ever met, Minegishi sama, has decided to forgive you so you better be grateful about it! Hmph! Just don’t bring the cat too near me!!
But honestly to me it’s No Takamina, No Life!
There was a project that you’re going to marry and me as your best friend will have to write a letter to you. Although I didn’t like the idea of you marrying but since it’s a fake one I did my best in writing the letter. But as I write I kept recalling of the past memories we shared in AKB, from the time we first entered AKB until now…
To Takamina, (Author's Notes: Contents not exactly same from AKBingo!)
Now that you’re going to marry, from the bottom of my heart I really congratulate you. I hope that you’ll have a happy married life.
It’s now the 6th year we know each other right? You really spoiled me a lot… Whenever I went to your home you would always dry my hair for me, prepare the water and clothes for me to take a bath, cook food for me and wake me up. This is what I’m proud to say about, this is something that you do only for me. This is my only privilege and no one else’s. Remember the time when you went to my school graduation?? I was really touched about it and told myself that I never want to lose this person. And at that time both my parents have also became Takamina, your fans. I hope.. no.. I’m sure that we’ll forever be best friends. And please let me continue to be by your side. Lastly, Takamina!! I’ll always support you!
From your best friend Minegishi Minami
This is the story of the bonds between two people who shares the same name. So minna san, what do you think about it?
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One more update today! Writers are sure fired up! :heart:
Entry #9
Title: One Crazy Sunday Night
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kashiwagi Yuki, Kuwabara Mizuki, Matsui Jurina, Watanabe Mayu (Some extra AKB girls)
Word Count: 1516
One Crazy Sunday Night
I heard echoes of her twisted laugh as I tried to run away from it. I heard something metal being dragged. It was getting closer and closer. I felt something hit me. I wasn’t sure what it was but it hurt so damn hard. I felt some cold liquid gushing out of my head… and my vision started to get all red.
Well one thing is for sure. I’m probably going to get killed tonight.
I thought as I fell on to the concrete floor. I saw someone walking towards me.
“Shit.”
Mayu… Where are you? I thought and lost consciousness.
“-chan” “..ina-chan” “Jurina-chan~” I heard someone call my name, but It wasn’t the voice I wanted to hear. I looked up to see that person calling my name.
“Well, well, well you finally woke up~, For a second there I thought you died and joined everyone else. Like your SKE family there.” She smiled at the thought as if she enjoyed it, no she did enjoyed it.
“Ah~ you should have heard them screaming while they were all trapped in that theater burning. Do you want me to tell you how each of them died? Wait. Never mind I don’t know most of them anyway. Well by the time the firemen get there, they will all be burned to a crisp.”
She smiled again looking proud of what she did. I felt the anger that was rising within me. I want… To kill the person that is in front of me.
“You bitch.” I looked at her with anger in my eyes. She smiled like she didn’t do anything wrong. She was having fun.
“OH right! I also killed everyone in AKB as well. You know its so annoying when that girl, Acchan always gets center. Akimoto-san (Sayaka) tried to save her so she I killed her too. She was strong but I had her trapped. And you know what? Sae-chan got angry at me and tried to stop me so I decided to just kill everyone, since they all have each other’s back anyway.” She gave out a twisted laughter.
That laugh sent chills down my spine. This person is not normal. I thought there was something off the first time I met her. Now I know. She’s crazy.
She paused as if she had remembered something.
“OH! I almost forgot the most important thing!” She said smiling.
She threw something at me. At first I couldn’t find out what it was but when it got closer. It was a human heart.
“I ripped that off for you. So you can say goodbye to your precious Mayuyu.” She said and laughed again.
“YOU BITCH.” I shouted in anger “She looked up to you like an older sister!”
She looked at me and got closer. “You know she sends me 200 mails everyday? It’s so annoying! Always going Yukirin~ Yukirin~ at me. I hated how she always glued herself to me.” She said sounding really annoyed.
I felt my anger becoming stronger.
“You should have heard say her last words” She paused. “Please leave Jurina alone, she said. Then I ripped her heart off.” She gave me the most twisted smile that she had.
I felt my anger giving me strength. She was close enough for me to give her a head butt, she collapsed at the floor and was unconscious for a while. I ran out while tied to the chair.
“I have to find something sharp” I thought. So I can get rid of these rope tying me to this chair.
I need to find something to kill that bitch with.
Luckily this abandoned hospital still had the equipments. I found something to cut the rope with.
As I was checking each room for useful things. I stood frozen in front of one of them. There was a body that was lying there. I recognized who it was and ran towards it.
“Mayu…” I held her body close to me. My tears won’t stop falling down. And I held her tighter hoping that her body would regain its warmth.
“I~ found you~” Said the figure that was by the door watching us.
“This really hurt you know? Now my head is bleeding…” She held up the crow bar she was holding.
I closed my eyes expecting to get hit. But I heard it hit another metal instead.
“NOT OUR ACE YOU BITCH!” Shouted the girl whose body was a bit burned. She seemed a little exhausted but looked like she still had some energy to fight.
She had the same anger that I felt earlier. No I still feel that anger.
“Huh. how did you manage to escape that burning theater?” Asked the evil person right in front of me.
“I managed to un-jam the door and got out. The ceiling collapsed right after… killing everyone before I could even call them out. The fire was already too strong to put out…” Said the girl with regret.
“Jurina go!” Said the older girl.
“But Mizuki I-” I insisted.
“I SAID GO! I’ll Deal with this bitch for now! I don’t really have that much strength left. You have to think of a way avenge us.” Said the older girl.
I obeyed her words and ran away. “I will for sure. For all of you… And Mayu.”
After a few hours of searching. I found some useful things. A long metal pipe, gasoline, and some matches. These would be useful later and then I thought about my plan.
I looked for the perfect spot, a dark room that almost had no windows, just pillars. I waited in the shadows. Now its time to become the hunter.
Surely enough I saw her after a few minutes of waiting. She looked slightly weakened from her fight with Mizuki. Which is good for me since I wasn’t really able to heal the cut in my head either. I was starting to get weak as well.
“Come out come out whereever you are Jurina-chan~” she called out.
“Over here.” I said, and threw gasoline on her as she turned around.
Surprised. She didn’t have time to react and I hit her on the head with the metal pipe I had found.
“This is payback bitch.” I said to her.
She looked at me and just laughed. I kept hitting her. A few minutes later, she had stopped laughing. But I couldn’t stop myself from hitting her. What if she gets up again? When I was satisfied that she wasn’t moving. I lit her body up.
“That is for everyone.” I said, as I watch her body burn.
I set fire on the abandoned hospital. I went back to the room where Mayu’s body lies. But first I saw Mizuki lying on the hallway.
“Thank you Mizuki… I will join you and the others soon.” I said as I closed her eyes with my hand.
I embraced the girl with the twin tail hair that was on the other room.
“Mayu we will be together soon” I smiled and held her cold body.
I felt the harm fire reaching the room. I didn’t care. As long as I can be together with her again, I didn’t care.
I closed my eyes and held her tighter.
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“AND… CUT! OK PEOPLE THAT’S A WRAP!!! GOOD JOB EVERYONE” Said the director on his megaphone.
I opened my eyes to see the girl who I was hugging, smiling brightly at me.
“Good Job Juri-chan~” She said in a cute way.
“You did a good job too! You know… for a corpse” I smiled and teased her.
“Mou~~~” she said with a frown. So cute I thought. I couldn’t restrain myself and pinched her cheeks. She frowned even more. How adorable.
“Good Job everyone.” said the older girl which came out from another set.
“Jurina-chan, Did I hit you too hard back then?” She asked with concern on her eyes.
“No, I’m ok Kashiwagi-san, same here did it hurt?” I asked back.
“Ah I’m fine” She smiled and patted my head. She turned to the other girl “I’ll see you at the theater tomorrow ok? don’t be late~” And with that she went to her next job.
“AH MOU~ This is the second time I died.” Said the other girl who sat up from her position as she scratched her head. Everyone just laughed. Oh that Mizuki, never failing to make everyone laugh.
Then I looked at the girl right next to me who was fixing her bangs. Without any words I gave her a hug. She gave me a surprised look.
“Ju-juri-chan what is this all of a sudden?” blushing she asked.
“Because of that last scene, I realized that I should treasure my love ones, especially you.” I kissed her already blushing cheeks.
-
Wow, "One Crazy Sunday Night" was some crazy sick shit but man, I love every bit of it! AKB & SKE should totally do a high school horror drama like that for laughs!
Mizuki is awesome in this short fic! Appearing out of nowhere and protecting their ace just earned her lots of cool points XD And Yukirin has been hanging around Rena too much :nervous
Last but not least, Mayuyu can't help being cute at all times, even when she's dead :heart: :heart:
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We are happy to see you people are enjoying this contest :deco:
@anzai48 We cannot reveal the authors yet , but you'll know who wrote each fic when the contest is over :cow:
Also, sorry for the late updates here! I'm the only one in charge of forum updates and I had some personal matters to attend, so I couldn't update that fast. There are a bunch of fics waiting to be posted so let's begin now :heart:
Entry #10
Title: Rivals
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Akimoto Sayaka (Choukoku)/Nakanishi Yuka
Word Count: 1831
Rivals
From their very first encounter, they were drawn to each other.
But don’t get all gooey-eyed, it wasn’t all sparkles and unicorns, since their first impression of each other was rather…informal. Nearly destroying a classroom might have fallen under an overreaction from just bumping into one another by passing to get to their desks, though it did serve to give them some kind of impression of each other.
The day after their whirlwind encounter, high tension was felt within the classroom as the students occupying it went about their business cautiously, as one of the girls who was part of the chaos had arrived earlier and was sitting at her desk. Heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the hall from outside, the tension in the air seemed to thicken as the students worried for another crazy encounter that would turn their classroom upside down once more; would it be like this every day because of these two?
The door slide open to reveal a towering figure, everyone held their breath as the person at the doorway and the one sitting at the desk made eye-contact. It seemed like an eternity as they held their gazes, the figure standing moved forward and towards the one occupying the desk. The one sitting immediately stood up and met the other halfway; they both simply held their heated gaze as everyone else waited for the first strike. 5 seconds seemed to have lasted 5 years before both girls just smirked at one another and preceded to their desks, as if through their prolonged eye-contact they had somehow come to an agreement or understanding; the rest of the students within the room all breathed a sigh of relief as they slowly realized they wouldn’t be experiencing another morning of chaos.
Though it didn’t shake the feeling of intimidation they felt for the two.
After that fateful occurrence, the two seemed to have become quite close though once in occasion they would end up in a heated argument that would build up into a fight but luckily for anyone else, it would take place outside of their homeroom; they may have been yankees but it didn’t mean they were below manners. The empty storage facilities near their school would serve as their battle ground so no one would interrupt them, the fights would seemed everlasting, usually when the sun had long gone down and stars were already shining bright; even after such a prolong time they’d still have energy to spare even after their anger was long spent and the only reason for holding their fights for so long was for the enjoyment of battling each other.
Not so much friends, at least they wouldn’t admit it out loud, but opponents just challenging one another.
===
Those short years in middle school passed by quickly and the two rivals found that they would be separated from one another by attending different high schools, Majisuka Gakuen and Yabakune Gakuen.
“So, what are you going to be doing over at Majisuka anyway?” one of the girls asked the other.
“..I heard there was a strong group of fighters at that school, so I figured it would serve as a good challenge for myself.” the other girl answered leaning against the railing the two were both occupying, overlooking the town.
“So you’re just gonna throw yourself into a fight like that? Don’t you think it’s a little foolish, even for you?” the one who asked the question chuckled a little before erasing the playful expression from her face as the other girl quickly turned to her in a fit of agitation.
“You don’t think I can win? We both know I’m strong enough and capable of winning a fight on my own!” the agitated girl yelled at the other, frustrated and a little bit insulted that she would doubt her own prowess so quickly.
“It’s not about being strong or not, Sayaka. It’s the fact that you’re just throwing yourself into a den of lions instead of thinking this through. You yourself said that they were strong but how strong? Don’t you think it’s better to see where exactly you measure up so you don’t kill yourself?” the other girl quickly asked, seeing that she may have been misunderstood, only worried for her headstrong friend.
Agitation quickly washed from Sayaka’s face as she realized that maybe she was too rash in assuming that her friend doubted her own skills. “Okay, then what do you suggest I do?”
The other girl pushed herself off from the railing, taking a few steps forward before turning back around, “Well, they say experience helps building and strengthen skills so why not do a series of fights? Every time you beat one opponent, you find a stronger one, that should built your level up quite nicely don’t you think?”
Sayaka thought it over quickly before agreeing, “Alright but then how many fights should I complete before I’m ready?”
“Hmm Oh, I’d say at least 100 or so, I’m sure by the time you reach 90 you’ll be able to slaughter anyone and I know you’re not just going to go around and pick any delinquent you find to fight.” The other girl joked, walking back towards the railing and returning her gaze towards overlooking the town again as it was being washed over with the rays from the sunset, slowly seeing it turned to its nightlife.
“How about you, what are you going to do over at Yabakune?” Sayaka questioned, mimicking her friend as she watched the streetlamps slowly flicker on.
“Me? Well, I’m just attending the school since it’s close to where I live and I need to start helping out my family with our business; so I’m going to try and stay out of trouble as much as I can.” Sayaka chuckled along with her friend, though it didn’t stop the gnawing feeling in her stomach knowing that she wouldn’t see or hear her friend as much as before.
“Ah I better get home before my mom decides to yell at me for being late again. I guess…I’ll see you around then Sayaka?” The other girl slowly moved and away from the railing and started on her way home; Sayaka hesitated before turning towards the girl leaving.
“Hey Yuka…” Nakanishi Yuka quickly stopped and faced towards her friend in curiosity. “We’ll definitely meet again and when we do, I’m challenging you to a fight and I’ll show you how much stronger I’ve gotten.” Sayaka finished her plight and silently waited for Nakanishi’s rebuttal before being taken back by her friend’s chuckling.
“Y’know Sayaka, sometimes you’re too serious for your own good.” Nakanishi teased her before composing herself long enough to reply.
“But yeah, we’ll meet again and I definitely won’t lose to you.” The two friends slash rivals both knew that it would be quite some time before they would ever see one another again.
===
Akimoto Sayaka stood outside the Nakanishi family bakery; it’s been 4 years since she last saw her friend and honestly, she was a little nervous.
Immense guilt could not fully describe how she felt for not contacting her friend even once throughout the time they were separated but she was here now and the first thing she would do is ask for forgiveness.
The door chime ringed loudly as she entered; faint shuffling noises could be heard coming from the backroom before a voice called out.
“I’ll be right with you!” Though slightly deeper, she could recognize her friend’s voice quite clearly.
As the minutes seem to drag on, Sayaka’s nervousness continue to grow and gnaw at her stomach, almost giving herself a heart attack when she could hear footsteps nearing towards the open doorway from behind the counter, jumping slightly as someone appeared.
“Can I help you…?”
A few years may have passed without seeing one another but time didn’t really change them as much. Sayaka’s physique had developed somewhat through her training on her own and as a professional fighter but she was still same appearance-wise and Nakanishi may have cut her hair shorter and grown taller and slimmer but just like her friend she remained the same.
They stood staring at each other for quite some time before the honking of nearby traffic snapped them out of their stupor. Nakanishi gave a small smirk.
“You sure did take a while; it’s not like you to keep others waiting.” Despite not seeing her long-time friend and rival for so long, Nakanishi couldn’t help but tease her friend. Hesitant still, Sayaka felt great relief that there wasn’t any resentment in her voice.
“Yes well, it’s a long story.” The two proceeded to laugh as the awkward atmosphere dissolved; after the uneasiness faded away, Nakanishi closed the store and waved away any worries from Sayaka and informed her that that was fine closing so early in the day before moving to the upper level where the family lived and the two proceed to catch up after so long.
===
“So wait, you’re telling me this Maeda girl actually beat you?” As embarrassed as she was to admit it, Sayaka nodded her head, “And then there was a war between Majisuka and Yabakune?” Again once more, she nodded.
“What the hell? I missed out on a lot!” Sayaka quickly picked her head up to see her friend with disappointment painted across her face.
“Are you actually upset?”
“Of course I am!” Startled by her friend’s outburst, she quickly questioned Nakanishi as to why.
“I’ll tell you why, compared to me the only exciting thing I had going on was the small random fights from some of the other Yabakune girls and a few from the neighboring schools. I didn’t mind the downtime but it would have been nice to have SOME excitement.” Sayaka continued to gaze at her friend in astonishment knowing full well that despite complaining, this was just her way of dealing with being lonely and separated for so long from each other, at the moment she remembered something quite important.
“Hey remember what I said I would do whenever we would meet up again?” Nakanishi looked at her questioningly before realization slowly washed over her face and she broke out into a small smile.
“Is the great Akimoto challenging me to a fight after so long?”
“Why are you asking, don’t think you can beat me?”
Both girls stood up in excitement of the thrill of fighting each other once more after years of separation.
“There’s an abandoned building just a few blocks from here, how about it Choukoku?” Sayaka smirked before following Nakanishi towards the back exit of the store.
“Anytime; Otoko.”
-
Entry #11
Title: Flicker
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Takahashi Minami, Kojima Haruna, Minegishi Minami; Takamina/Kojiharu
Word Count: 1639
Flicker
The beat came to a halt
The crowds cheered
The lights flickered
They were ushered off the stage as preparations for the next act were hastily assembled. Walking towards their dressing room they passed through a sea of commendations and flattery. Gracious, the girls replied in modest gratitude, and each waved a pleasant farewell by doors of their destination.
Two of the girls went to one side of the compact room, giggling and whispering, the tallest one sat in front of a mirror and started removing her false lashes, the other sat by her and started unbraiding her long black hair.
”Next time make sure to end your jumps with a slight sway of the hips.” Takahashi announced from the other side of the room.
The two girls nodded noncommittally whilst continuing their chatter.
Upon receiving this response, she heaved a sigh, and went to sit by them grabbing a comb and untangling her hair.
”Miichan! Miichan take a picture of me!” Haruna exclaimed passing the former her cellphone, and posing with a ‘no3b’ sticker on the mirror.
”Take one of me!” Minegishi said after a giving various appraisals towards the latter. This led to another wave of compliments. This exchange lasted a good five minutes, and the two pondered what they should write about on their blog.
”Takamina, take a picture of us” Haruna said reaching her phone towards the former, ”please.”
Takahashi glanced at Haruna, who was looking straight at her. Haruna urged her on with her emotive eyes.
Takahashi begrudgingly accepted the phone and took a few snapshots, as soon as she passed the phone back she walked out of the room and was careful not to slam the door.
She heard murmurs of the two girls continuing their chatter nonchalantly as she walked further away from her dressing room and towards the nearest balcony.
The numerous skyscrapers of Tokyo glittered hypnotically gleaming as a substitute for the cloud covered stars.
”Deep breaths Minami” the girl said to herself. She was and always had been the type who was to hard on herself, as a result she often spent times after performances alone, deep in thought over what went wrong and what she could do to prevent said thing from happening again.
She went over the performance in her mind a hundred times, she was in a self-inflicted trance: three girls swaying hypnotically, gracefully, elegantly, dancing through her mind, each movement emphasizing an aspect that could have been improved, and as her mesmeric reverie elapsed only two girls danced, emanating sentiment, passion, and each undulation accentuated her current worries.
”Minami?” her daze came to a sudden halt at the interruption. She looked back to see her prepossessing peer. ’We need to hurry back soon you know-”
Her words were welcomed with a short uncomfortable silence.
”I know. I’ll be there in a minute Kojipa” Takahashi broke the silence with a strained smile.
”Oh, okay… That’s fine then” Haruna softly responded and walked towards the door, looking back with worry only to face her turned back.
She exited leaving Takahashi alone to her thoughts once again. Both girls sighed to themselves.
—
”There you are Nyannyan!” Minegishi said running towards her ”Where have you been, I was looking all over for you!” The young girl huffed with a pout.
”I was looking for Takamina, well, we need to leave soon, I don’t want to be late or anything. It’s an important interview, we haven’t even rehearsed what we’re going to -”
Minegishi interrupted her endless overwrought prattle ”Nyannyan don’t worry so much! You’re starting to sound like an old lady, no even worse you’re starting to sound like Takamina” she cheerfully laughed at her own wit, hoping it would serve its purpose of lightening the tense atmosphere.
”You know if either of us tried to even behave slightly more like her, we might be doing better in the charts” Haruna bitterly replied.
”Woah, I was just kidding, relax.” the younger replied wounded by her companion’s aggression. ”Both of you seem so on edge lately, I don’t understand why, we’re doing fine. So please for me can you just for one fucking minute relax!?”
”I..Miichan I’m sorry…I-” Haruna tried to comfort her companion, however it was to late. Minegishi had already stormed off leaving Haruna standing seemingly alone in the bland corridor, now that Minegishi had left she began to notice how cold the passage seemed.
”Kojipa.” Haruna jumped at the sudden resonance, and looked back to face Takahashi.
”Did-”
”Did I hear what just happened?” Takahashi finished for her. ”Yea..Yes I did”
”I don’t know what to say to her, I never know what to say to her!” Haruna said suddenly vexed ”What should we do?” She half screamed clenching her fists.
”I…I don’t know.” Takahashi responded ”We, we really can’t tell her. She’s young…she, she just wouldn’t understand. She might tell someone!”
”You don’t know if she would!” Haruna stubbornly asserted.
”You don’t know if she wouldn’t” Takahashi retorted regrettably ”I want to believe she wouldn’t, believe me I do, but it’s to much of a risk. If the management ever finds out, not only will be finished but we will have endangered AKB as a whole. Is that what you want?!”
”We already have endangered AKB. Come on Takamina face it, if risking AKB is the problem, it’s already been done.” Haruna exhaled miserably as she gravely countered.
”Y-yo-you’re right.” Takahashi admitted already on the brink of tears she leaned up against the nauseatingly colored wall. ”You’re right. I can’t believe I let this happen.”
”Wait, I didn’t mean it that way all I mean was that I really think Miichan deserves to-”
”I endangered AKB, I sabotaged it, I…I might have ruined everything we’ve worked for…I…I…” She propped herself from the wall and looked Haruna straight in the eye. ”We can’t continue this- ” as she said this she took her hand ”-any of this.
She let go of her hand, she tearfully smiled and continued speaking. ”I’m sorry I let this happen.” and with that she was gone.
—
”Who are you closest to in AKB48?” The vibrant talk-show host inquired flashing a incandescent curious smile at his enchanting guest.
His words were met with a thorny silence.
Haruna had a hard time thinking about anything but her, weeks had passed since that, that…event, nowadays they only spoke when necessary, in order to not evoke any suspicion amongst anyone they simply avoided one another as much as they possibly could, and in those situations were they were forced to speak they’d only say the bare minimum to each other.
Haruna’s heart ached every time they had a talk show, or a concert and Takahashi was placed as far away from her as possible, even then she could not keep her eyes of her, was there any sadness behind her eyes? She could not tell.
”Oh, you’re asking me?” Haruna replied breezily, slightly distracted by the loud cheery background music they played in the studio and the flashing lights.
Her ditzy delayed response queued a laughter within the crowd, her air-head personality always guaranteed joyous tittering.
The talk-show host laughed alongside his crowd, and urged her to answer.
”Oh that’s easy!” Haruna announced. ”It would of course be-”
”Takamina, Takamina!” the considerably taller girl cheerily giggled. ”Come over here!”
”I’m coming, stop being so impatient Kojipa!” Takahashi airily replied with a bright stunning smile.
They chased each other around the picturesque verdant park, and accompanying their joyous laughter was the wistful sound of birds chirping.
”Caught you” Haruna announced in a mock spooky voice as she grabbed Takahashi.
”No fair! You’re so much taller than I am” Takahashi whined as they ran towards enchanting part of the park suffused with stunning cherry blossoms.
”And what does that change?” Haruna lightheartedly laughed as she lay down in the airy shade of the trees.
”Well, it makes me so much easier to catch” She indicated her short legs and frowned at her companion.
”You’re so cute when you’re being a sore loser” Haruna laughed as she signaled for her to sit down.
”Stop being condescending! I’m not a sore loser!!” Takahashi pouted as she finally sat down in the damp grassy shade. ”I could just as easily catch you if I was just one centimeter taller, In fact make that one half-”
Haruna cut her friends speech off with a soft kiss.
”You’re my best friend” Haruna announced dewy-eyed and beamed.
”I think you mean best girlfriend” Takahashi grinned up at her, her delicate features accentuated by the spring sun.
And for the first time in a long time, Haruna thought to herself how perfectly happy she was.
”Yes?” The talk-show host encouraged his charming guest.
”Sorry, I was a bit lost in thought” Haruna dolefully smiled at her host.
This led to another eruption in the crowds ‘What an adorable air-head’ the people thought as they guffawed.
”What I meant to say was, that, that’s easy! My best friend in AKB48, and our beloved sub-unit no3b, is Miichan!” Haruna finished as she twinkled bewitchingly at the camera.
”Oh yes, you two do seem very close.” The host jovially agreed. ”Well, that’s the end of this episode! I hope you enjoyed our guest Kojima Haruna!”
”Thank you for having me!” Haruna replied fiddling with her hair, and it wasn’t until everyone, including the crowd, had left the set, she shed a tear.
The crowds cheered
The lights flickered
The beat came to a halt
-
Entry #12
Title: Another Chance
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Yokoyama Yui, Takajo Aki. Yui/Akicha
Word Count: 3031
Another Chance
Dark, dark, dark. Everything is dark. She can’t see anything. Slowly, everything becomes white and bright. Very bright. She tried to stand on her own feet and look around. There’s nothing. There’s no-one.
Only her.
She began to feel frightened. She tried to run, run, and run. But, she can’t reach the end of this place. There’s no ending. She gave up. She fell on her knee, and began to cry. She’s crying loudly. And try to remember what was happened.
Flashback
“Today is practice day, Ganbarimasu~!” she wrote on her google+ page. She is still on the way to AKB48’s training center. Yes, AKB48 is going to held a big concert with all of their sister group, next month. So, they should practice harder to give their best to all fans.
The traffic seems quiet. She told her driver to drive faster because the training will began in 10 minutes. She doesn’t wanna be late. The car she was riding went pretty fast. Everything seems to be ok. Nothing bad will be happen. Not yet.
Along the car’s speed that has increase fastly, the distance to the AKB48’s training center is being closer. She told her driver to drive faster.
With no realize, a huge truck drove very fast from the other direction.
Meanwhile, in AKB48’s training center.
The practice will be began in about 10 minutes. All members has arrived, except one girl who still on her way.
“Yuko! Is there any message from her? She never late like this” Takamina, the captain asked to the older member in Not Yet, Yuko.
“Iie, she always tell me if she’s gonna be late” said Yuko while still move her body, trying to remembered their newest dance move.
“Well, I think we should began our practice today. With, or without her. Just make sure she’ll get your punishment” said Sayaka, team K captain, to Takamina
When they about to begin their practice, someone shouting. Some members go up to their changing room, where the sound came.
“Akicha! What happened?” Yuki shout worriedly seeing her French Kiss mate stand on her knees.
“It’s broken…”
“What’s broken? Speak clearly!” another girl replied. It’s Sae.
Akicha didn’t answer to Sae’s question. She just pointed her finger to the picture that have fallen. A picture of her best friend. A girl that can’t make Akicha sleep just because of her smile. A picture of team K and Not Yet member, Yui. Yokoyama Yui.
“Don’t believe in myth! Maybe it was a sign, but maybe no. Just hope that she’s alright and just stuck in traffic” Mikapon try to calm Akicha down. Then Sayaka told them to continue their practice. All of them begin their practice. But, Akicha’s mind is not there. She’s still thinking about Yui.
Back to street, not so far from AKB48’s Training Center.
“Hurry call the hospital! We need an ambulance!’
It happened so fast. When the sun shine brighter than yesterday and the wind was blowing breeze. A huge truck accidentally hit a car in high speed. Some other cars also involved in the accident. The pedestrians who saw the accident was trying to help. They tried to free some people who trapped on the cars.
“Hey! Over here!” one of them asking for help. He try to pull out a girl from an overturned car. Some people join him and try to help the girl together. They’ve succesfully pull out the girl when the ambulance have arrived.
“Ah! No way!” A high school student who was help before, shout.
“Hey boy, what’s wrong? You know her?” Another man asked him when the ambulance took the victims to the hospital.
“She’s Yokoyama Yui. Member of AKB48”
End of Flashback
= = =
Now she has remember what happened to her before.
“So, I’m dead?” She began to cry in this all-white place. She still can’t believe that her peaceful trip to the AKB48’s Training Center will end her life, forever.
“Yokoyama Yui. Are you ready yet?” Suddenly, A mysterious beautiful women walk to Yui from behind. She looks bright and sparkling. She smile to Yui and stretch out her hand to Yui.
“Am I really dead?” Yui take the mysterious woman’s hand and try to stand up.
“I don’t know either. I’m here to accompany you, until someone come to pick you up.”
Yui cried louder than before after hear it. Yui can’t accept the fact that she had to leave this cruel world. To a better place, to the eternal life. She’s not ready yet. There’s a lot of things that she want to do. She not even become AKB48’s center. Things that she was dreaming for, a target for her to achieve since she still a Kenkyusei.
She hasn’t said goodbye. To the parents she loved, to Akimoto-sensei, to all members of AKB48, to all her fans. She still can’t leave the world now. Even Yui hasn’t tell her true feeling to her best friend. That she love her more than as a friend. That Yui want to have her as her girlfriend. Yui still doesn’t say that…
To her special friend, Takajo Aki.
= = =
”Ok. It’s enough for today. Let’s end the practice” Togasaki walks in, interrupting the practice.
“Eh~?” All members shock. Togasaki never been like this before. There must be something urgent so he must stop their practice.
“What happened?” Takamina asks Togasaki. She knows that something is wrong. And she wants Togasaki to tell it right now.
“All team captain, change your outfit and follow me” Togasaki ignores Takamina’s question.
“We’re not going. No until you tell us what happened.” says Sayaka, team K captain.
“Ok. Well, Yui still isn’t here right?”
“There’s something wrong.” Akicha talks to herself, deep in her mind.
“Yes, she isn’t here. So? What happened to her?” Yukirin asks Togasaki to the point.
“A while ago, there was an accident between 6 car not far from here…”
“It can’t be…” Akicha shocked
“…Yui is involved in the accident. And she’s unconscious now.” Togasaki finishes his sentences
Everybody in the room shocked. Some of them begin to cry. The others pray for Yui. Akicha, shocked too. More than the others. Her mind’s trying to digest Togasaki’s statement. Her legs suddenly become powerless. She falls on her knees…
“YYYYUUIII!!!”
= = =
After changing their clothes, all captains now following Togasaki. Akicha run towards them and begging to go with them to the hospital. She’s so worried about her best friend’s condition. Togasaki tries to stop her and not allow Akicha to go with them. But all captain defend Akicha, they won’t go if Akicha can’t go with them. Togasaki give in. He lets Akicha join them. They walk together to the hospital. Yuki hugs Akicha, trying to stop her crying and said that everything will be ok.
= = =
Back to the all-white-unknown-place
“Let’s go around for a while.” offer the mysterious woman to Yui. Yui can’t do anything except takes the offer. Now they are walking side-by-side. They walking, and keep walking until they arrived at a pond. The woman ask Yui to go see the pond. Slowly, the water change into display screen. Yui see a girl body lying in hospital bed. She can easily recognize that it’s her body.
“So, I’m not dead, yet?” Yui sighs and feel a little bit relief.
The woman didn’t answer Yui. She’s keep silent and tell Yui to keep her eyes on the pond. Suddenly, the view is changing, now she can see the situation in the waiting room. Yui can see that Togasaki and some members are there, listening to what the doctor tell about her condition. After listening to the doctor’s explanation, the 5 members suddenly crying. Yui know that the doctor tell them that she’s gonna die.
Now, Yui observed all of her friends face one by one. There are Takamina, her captain Sayaka, Yukirin, Minarun, and…
“Akicha…” she whispered and let tears escaping from her eyes. Yui can’t let Akicha, the girl that she love crying because of her. Yui starts to cry more louder when she saw Akicha’s body fall to the ground after hear the doctor’s explanation.
“AAKKKIIICHHHHAAA!!”
“What kind of friend am I? Leave the girl that I love like this? I don’t even tell her about my feelings” Yui is still crying when she saw all the captains try to wake Akicha up.
All memories now flashed before her eyes. All memories with Akicha. How can Yui fell for Akicha on the first day they met. She also remembered an important thing that make Yui and Akicha become a best friends.
Flashback
“Akicha!” Yui called and run towards Akicha.
“Ah! Yui-han! What are you doing here?” Akicha ask the girl who sit beside her now.
“Nothing, just wanna enjoy this beautiful scenery” “and you” Yui said deep in her heart
“How about the festival? Don’t you enjoy it?”
“Yeah, I enjoyed the festival. But, I’m not in the mood to go to the crowded place now”
“And also, because I can’t enjoy the festival without you around” again, she talking to herself
“…”
Suddenly, le wild awkward moment appeared. Both of them just keep quiet while enjoy the scenery. Well, maybe not both of them. Because Yui just looked at Akicha. Akicha suddenly turn her head just to see Yui busy looking at her.
“Why are you staring at me?” asked Akicha suddenly. Yui try to hide her blush and find an excuses.
“uh.. you looked sad” Yui said, while trying to change the topic.
“Eehh?” Akicha shocked. “I’m not sad at all!” She pouted denied while trying to hide her true feelings.
“Your lips may said that. But you can’t hide it. I can see the sadness through your eyes” Yui replied with smile.
“You’re thinking about them, don’t you? Sasshi and Kitarie” said Yui before Akicha could answer.
“Actually, yes! In fact, I’m happy that they can share their true feeling to each other now. I knew that they love each other more than friends. But, they leave me all alone here! They didn’t even asked me to go with them to the festival! What kind of friends they are!?” Akicha shout and reveal what she feels now.
“Ok, ok. Calm down Akicha. I know what you feel right now. But, maybe they just need more time.. You know just for two of them.” Yui tried to calm Akicha down.
“I know, i know! I’m ok with that!”
“Yeah, it’s good that you’re ok with their ‘new relationship’…”
“But, how can they become a lover? Both of them are girl!” Akicha interrupt before Yui manage to finish her sentence.
Yui look at Akicha, and smile. “It’s not only about gender. It’s about their true feelings”
“and I hope that you have same feeling with me” again, Yui talk with herself. Just in her mind.
“Fine! But they leave me alone!”
Yui just smile to her and say “You are not alone! Can’t you see that I’m here with you?”
“Thanks”
“You’re welcome”
“…”
“Uhh… Yui..”
“Yes, Akicha?”
“Can You give me a hug?” ask Akicha
Without answering to that question, Yui wrap her hands to Akicha. Unexpectedly, Akicha began to cry in Yui arms.
“thanks..” Akicha whispered to Yui . Yui smile and try to hide her blush.
End of Flashback
She also remembers what happened next when they go back to the hotel. She remember how Akicha decided to sleep in Yui’s room to avoid Sasshi and Kitarie who gonna have their “private time” in their room. Yui also remember when she wake up in the morning and see the older girl still sleeping beside her. Her cute face makes Yui spend all of her time just see Akicha’s face. Until she wake up from her sleep.
Another memories flashed before her eyes, again. The first time she tasted Akicha’s sweet lips. Friendship kiss, she said. But it’s more than enough to make Yui stay up all the night thinking about it.
Yui didn’t know that the same thing happened to Akicha. She also wake up ‘till morning just thinking about it. Yap, both of them still didn’t know about each other’s feeling. Affection as a friend that turns into love.
Both of them have planned to confess to each other. But none of the plan turns into confession of love. None of them have courage to confess it. They are to afraid of rejection, unrequited love. Day by day passing by, they always delay their plan.
Yui’s mind is full of doubt.
So does Akicha.
And it seems that they’ll continue doubting
= = =
Meanwhile, in the hospital
“Where am I?” her voice whispered softly.
“Ah~ Akicha! Finally you wake up.” said the team K captain, Sayaka.
“Yeah, all of us shocked because you fall suddenly and lying on the floor unconscious” Minarun look relieved.
“You make us worried, you know?” Takamina said it while pinch Akicha’s cheek
“Aaah!! Itai~” Takamina let go her hand of Akicha’s cheek.
“Uh.. where’s Yuki?” Akicha realizes that her French Kiss teammate is not there.
“She is in Yui’s room.” Minarun sighs
“Yui’s room? Hasn’t she awake?” Akicha looks worried and moved up from her bed. She walk out the door and looking for Yui’s room. No-one stop her. They know about Akicha’s and Yui’s feeling to each other.
The door open. Akicha enters the room and…
“Where’s her room? I forgot to ask it before” She strokes the back of her head.
“748. Right before the stairs, stupid girl” Sayaka answers Akicha’s and tease her
“Arigatou” She bows and go out, looking for the room, again. She saw the room number one by one.
“Ah! 748!” She entered the room and found her French Kiss mate sit beside the unconscious girl. Akicha walk to Yuki and pat her shoulder to wake her up.
“Akicha… I’m worried about you. I think that we’re gonna lose two member on a day” Yuki wake up and crying. Akicha hugs her and stroked her back.
“I need to go now. I have meeting about my upcoming photobook. Take care” Yuki pulled back Akicha and hold her shoulder. Then she walk out the door, wipe away her tears.
= = =
Akicha’s POV
I walk and sit beside her. She looks helpless. She just lying there. I looked at her face. Her beautiful face that makes me fall. I hug her body, it’s cold. Normally, she would hug me too. But now, she’s motionless. I kiss her on the lips trying to wake her up and then whisper to her ear…
“Yui-han… Wake up” Yui didn’t answer.
“Yui…” I whispered to Yui’s ear once again. Trying to wake Yui up by calling her name. But it’s useless. She still sleep quietly. Tears runs down from my eyes. I don’t know what to do. I love her. I don’t want to lose her. I don’t even express my feeling to her. I don’t even tell Yui that I, Takajo Aki has fallen in love with her so badly just because of her smile.
I brought my mouth to her ear and whisper again. “I, Takajo Aki, love you so much. I want you to be my girlfriend…” I kiss her mouth once again but still, she didn’t react.
Yui’s POV
I let another tears escape from my eyes.
If I have to die right now, at least I’m happy. Happy to know that Akicha have the same feeling. That she love me too. She even kiss me, twice! Hope that Yuko-senpai will tell Akicha about my feeling after my funeral.
But..but..but… I’m not ready yet! I can’t left her like this! No!
Another tears escape from my eyes. I’m crying louder. I was happy to know Akicha’s feeling. But now I’m sad. I don’t have enough time to tell her. And I’m sad to know that I’ll never see her again!
“I Love You… Akicha”
= = =
That mysterious woman tries to calm Yui down. She holds Yui’s hand and say…
“Your time is running out” That’s all she could say. But it makes Yui cries louder and harder than before. But it doesn’t make her stop. She pulls Yui from the pool and brings Yui with her. Yui try to resist, but the mysterious woman’s power is way stronger than her. Yui can’t remember what’s coming up next. All she can remember is everything became black again. So black, and very dark.
In the middle of the dark, Yui heard a crying voice. The voice calls her name repeatedly. The voice sounds familiar. Yui chasing the voice. She quickened her pace. Faster. Until she arrived to the place where the voice come from. Yui saw a girl. She walked to the crying girl.
Slowly, the darkness disappeared. She opened her eyes slowly and see a girl fall asleep in the right of her bed.
“Akicha…” Yui let her voice out softly. Akicha opened her eyes and raised her head slowly. She look to where Yui’s head leaned. Akicha can see that Yui looked and smiled at her. Akicha slapped herself to find this is a real life or just fantasy.
“Stop hurt yourself” Yui smiled to Akicha. Tears succeed escape from her eyes. And also from Akicha’s
“Yui~!” Akicha hug Yui tightly. They cried with joy. They are really happy to see each other, again. Whether what’s on their mind. Straight away, in the same time, they whispered to each other…
“I Love You”
-
Entry #13
Title: Goddess or Angel?
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sae/Sayaka
Word Count: 1750
Goddess or Angel?
She woke up from her sleep as she felt the first rays of the sun touch her face. She had left the window open because she was too tired to close them the night before.
“Good morning, Tomodachi…” she greeted to her only real friend, a lifeless object that listened to her every night after she went back home. I observed her silently as she yawned and stepped out of her bed. For one moment, my heart skipped as she looked into my eyes and smiled. However, I remembered that it was impossible for her to see me.
She did not even know that I was there.
“You know what, Tomodachi?” she said in her muffled voice as she brushed her teeth. “Last night I dreamed about a goddess.” She stupidly grinned at the doll and proceeded with her musings. “She had a very long wonderful hair and she’s very beautiful… like a goddess!”
After washing up and choosing what to wear, a very colorful combination that would make a normal person’s eyebrow rise, she thought a bit. “She’s wearing a white dress though, maybe she’s a ghost!” she shivered cutely. I looked at my dress. Do I look like a ghost?
This is bad…
Do beings like us supposed to have these kinds of feelings? I’ve been watching over her since she was a child. I saw everything that had happened to her life: her happiness, and her misery. I know the secrets behind that genki smile that she always had.
Today was actually a normal day for her. She was in a good mood so that made me smile a bit. I accompanied her to her work, not flying too high as I want to be just beside her. She greeted people she knew along the way, smiling tirelessly at them.
I couldn’t help but still be amazed with her energy. She had two part-time jobs for that day and I just followed her around as she smiled and served the customers. Sometimes she would look beside her and as if she was seeing me, she smiles goofily.
I couldn’t help but feel nervous when she does that.
“I’m so sorry…” she apologized repeatedly. The owner of the shop was shouting at her.
“Work faster, Miyazawa! Our customers are getting angry!”
“Yes…” she said in an exhausted voice. She was obviously tired, I thought. But she had to work hard. She had to push herself to her limit. She went around the small, noisy bar, distributing the orders.
If only I can help her, I would. She forced herself to smile even though some of the customers were yelling at her.
“Ahhh… I’m sorry!” she said as she accidentally spilled beer on a customer’s lap. The man seemed drunk. I had to rush nearer.
“You twerp!” he shouted as he swung a bottle over her dangerously.
“Sae!” I exclaimed, going towards her and embracing her tight. After all, it was my job to protect her anyway.
It would be dumb if the bottle would just bounce off by some invisible force but by my intervention, another man came to stop the drunkard from hurting Sae.
“I think you should go home for now,” the shop owner said.
I hovered behind her as she walked home, shaking due to fear.
Why should she be scared? I’m just here beside her always.
***
I think it was a short dream or maybe I was seeing things. As the man was about to hit me with that bottle, I felt warmth, like someone hugged me. I felt faint, and then I saw her.
The goddess that was in my dream. She was looking at me with worried eyes. She was whispering my name, too.
I stopped walking for a bit and looked around. No one was around.
I reached my apartment. Sitting on the small bed and sighing, “Ne, Tomodachi,” I asked. “Why are my days ending like this always?” I said, tears threatening to fall down. Leaning at the headboard, I hid her face between her knees and cried. “I’m no good… I’m always no good…”
I clutched Tomodachi as I cried. I was so tired of everything…
“I’m no good… I’m not good for anyone… I’m just here, all alone…” I sobbed. “What I only have is this stupid little doll…” I said painfully as I threw my inanimate friend on the bed.
***
I was bothered, really bothered.
I had to watch over Sae but at the same time, I wanted to leave. I was not supposed to feel anything but it felt painful as she cried her heart out.
But that was the first time she spoke her heart out. She would cry silently but she wouldn’t say anything. This was the first time I’ve heard her pleas. I had no power to read her mind. I cautiously wrapped my arms around her. It was embarrassing but I didn’t have any other way to console her.
“I wish I could spend my life with someone who would never leave me… And then… I would be happy…”
“But I would always be here with you forever…” I thought miserably. That was the first time I’ve heard her wish, the reason for her silent tears behind that energetic smile.
I would give everything to see her smile for real, forever.
After Sae fell asleep, her cheeks glowing with the traces of her tears, I flew out of her window. On top of the highest tower, Yuko and Atsuko greeted me as they both descended, their wings folding behind their backs.
“I know what you want to do,” Atsuko said with a sad smile. “Are you sure?”
I was anxious. “I cannot stand looking at her like that always.”
“Is there no other way?” Yuko whispered sadly.
Atsuko shook her head. “She came here knowing what you want to do.” She placed her hand on my shoulder. “Is there something stopping you?”
“I fear that I wouldn’t be able to protect her anymore…”
“You did your job very well,” she replied. I left my charge’s room with my made-up mind. But then I was also afraid to sacrifice. What a coward…
“All I wish is that for her to be happy…” I said, my hands on my chest.
“What would you give in exchange for your wish…?” Yuko gasped as my reply came out.
“My wings…”
As my feathers slowly faded, I started to feel human pain.
***
I woke up when I heard something fall down from the tree with a shriek. It was still dark. I got up immediately and looked at the window. Looking down, I saw a woman, lying on her back. It was obviously her who fell down.
“A…are you okay?” I called out. She just whimpered. I went down the stairs and got out of the apartment.
I thought I was still dreaming. It was the woman in my dreams. It was the vision that I see when I felt like I’m in big trouble. She was very beautiful…
She was biting her lip to stop herself from sobbing in pain, her eyes watery, making me realize that that was not the time to appreciate her features.
“I… I’ll help you up!” I said in panic. It seemed like nothing was broken. I half-carried her inside and laid her down my bed.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I tried to clean her wounds. “What happened to you?”
“I… I fell…”
“What? What were you…?”
Our eyes met and I couldn’t help but blush. I avoided her gaze and continued cleaning her up. She smiled at me and said, “I’m glad,” taking my hand and patting it.
It was the same warmth that I always feel during the night before I went to bed. It puzzled me yet it also amazed me. She was just smiling softly at me.
She did not tell me where she came from or why she fell from that tree but I think I could really trust this mysterious person without questioning her. I just… felt like it. My heart’s beating really fast!
“Why don’t you change clothes?” I suggested. I ran away immediately and tried to look for some pajamas… or anything. I found a large nightgown that I don’t wear often and I brought it to her. Without any warning, she started to strip.
“Hey!”
“What?”
“Tell me beforehand before you undress yourself!” I shouted in a shrill voice as I was really embarrassed. I turned around and let her change.
“What do you think?” she asked. I turned around and I smiled because she looked cute when she’s anxious.
“Okay!” I commented. “Let’s sleep now,” I said.
I wanted to give her the bed since she had some injuries but as I started to prepare the futon on the floor, she said, “Why don’t you sleep on the bed too?”
“Eh?”
“It’s okay,” she said, pulling me forcefully on the bed. She smiled softly as she placed the thick blankets over me like a mother. I felt shy but I didn’t want her to see that I was so I hid half of my face under covers.
“What… what’s your name?” I asked for the first time.
“Sayaka…” she said as she looked at me.
“Sa…yaka…” I repeated. What a nice name! “My name is Sae…”
She just nodded in reply. Both of us were silent as we tried to sleep. Unexpectedly, the rain started to pour. It got colder and colder.
Surprising myself, I wrapped my arms around Sayaka, searching for more warmth. She instinctively patted my head. She had a nice scent. But more importantly, her warmth was really familiar, like she had been beside me ever since.
“Sayaka…” I said shyly.
“Yes?”
“I don’t know where you came from or what you are but I felt that I’ve met you before. I wish you’re the person who will stay beside me forever…” I said.
She smiled again, making me gulp. She kissed my forehead and faced me. “I will, Sae…”
I’m still confused whether Sayaka is an angel or a goddess… But all I know is that she’s the answer to my wishes and that she will be beside me forever.
She is both…
-
Entry #14
Title: Temo Demo no Namida
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sado/Yuko, Rappappa
Word Count: 1730
Temo Demo no Namida
“Sado-san, why don’t you ever come out with us?”
“Sorry, I’m busy.”
“You’re working yourself too hard, you know. Yuko-san wouldn’t-“
“Wouldn’t what?”
“… I just thought we should all go out together. You know, for old time’s sake!”
“It wasn’t that long ago. You four can go on your own, Torigoya.”
“You’re always so grumpy. Come on, it’ll be fun!”
“… Fine.”
“Great! We’ll see you there, then!”
-
Sado sighed, dropping her phone beside her and leaning back onto the couch. A hand moved to rub her temple in mild irritation.
Back when she attended Majijo, Sado almost never came home. When Yuko was still coming to school regularly, she spent most of her time at her leader’s house, where they would sing privately on Yuko’s karaoke machine or just sit around, talking quietly (or noisily, on Yuko’s part). Yuko had been her best friend, and the only one ever allowed to tease Majijo’s great Sado. Often, the other girl would playfully threaten to tell the queens about Sado’s singing- which was actually fairly decent, if not pretty good when she tried.
Her favorite song, one which she had often sung with Yuko was “Temo Demo no Namida”.
When Yuko was hospitalized, Sado spent most of her time patrolling the neighborhood, keeping an eye on the situation with a certain Maeda Atsuko. Still, the only time she was home during that period was to sleep, maybe to eat breakfast. But to say the least, Sado’s relationship with her parents had been awkward, which was probably why she was living in own apartment already.
However, now Sado spent most of her time at home. The reason she’d always given everyone was that she was too tired or too busy from nursing school. After a while, everyone had either accepted that she didn’t have that much time on her hands or figured out that she was just unfriendly.
Of course, the reality of Sado’s desire to avoid socializing was obvious to anyone who knew Oshima Yuko.
Sado had shut down and completely withdrawn when Yuko passed away. Although the tears had stopped as soon as she could help it, every who knew her could tell how she was feeling. The great Sado- second strongest third year in Majisuka Jyogakuen, third strongest of all grades and most feared in the entire school- was heartbroken. Yuko had been the only one that Sado had trusted enough to show tenderness to, and she left, just like that. No one in the world could possibly comfort her.
Deep in her heart, Sado was afraid. Her time with Yuko had been so short, yet the short, energetic girl had made such an impact on her. If she got that close to another person, what if something like that happened again? She could hear Yuko’s voice in her head- “What? Don’t be stupid, Sado. You can’t mope forever- go on, have some fun!”
Oh, if only her imagination were reality! In any case, not even an outing with her old friends was going to change her feelings.
Sado was lonely. Sado was alone.
At least she could cry in peace.
-
“Ah, you’re finally here!” Torigoya… or Kojima Haruna, as her clients called her now, stood outside, appearing to have waited for Sado outside. “Mm,” Sado grunted in reply, feeling a little awkward meeting her friends without her school uniform and fur jacket. It felt even more odd to her knowing that she technically had no rank over the four anymore- that meant no more barking orders at them or aggression if they did something she didn’t like. “Haruna, I-” she started, but the other girl interrupted. “Oh, don’t bother with that. I’d rather you just keep calling me Torigoya.”
Sado swallowed and nodded. At least not everything had to change. “Torigoya, I’m not sure how long I’m going to stay. I might have to leave a little earlier than the rest of you-” Torigoya interrupted again with a dismissive wave of her hand, apparently ignoring Sado’s excuses.
The taller girl stared at her, mildly incredulous. If they were still in school, she would have never dared to do such a thing- no one would have, except perhaps Yuko. “Come on, the rest of the queens are waiting inside.” Before Sado had a chance to reply, Torigoya took her by the hand and practically dragged her into the karaoke bar.
-
The evening started off just as Sado expected- the five discussed what they had been doing after high school. Shibuya had been hired into a company, but she clearly wasn’t suited to the work. As Sado sipped her drink, she heard Shibuya mention something about quitting soon- she’d never liked being an underling in the first place, even to Sado. The only one she’d ever really respected was Yuko.
Black had given birth to her child, and was passing him around. He was a cute little boy, but Sado half-expected to drop him, though Black insisted that she see. For such a young mother, she sure was proud of her son. During their school days, her pregnancy had caused a mild scandal within Rappappa, but everyone had kept it under wraps- it wouldn’t have been pretty if someone had hurt the baby intentionally.
Gekikara (or Amakuchi, as she was now called) was still in school, poor girl. Despite the principal’s so-called “don’t leave anyone behind” policy, Gekikara hadn’t been allowed to graduate from Majijo. She kept surprisingly quiet as the other four spoke about what they had been doing, biting her nails.
Torigoya, to Sado’s astonishment, had become a prostitute- or “erotic massager”, as she put it. She had a little business card and everything. She kept trying to convince the others to come work evenings with her (even Black), which was mildly amusing until she began to pester Sado about it. No way was she going to degrade herself that far- besides, she might hospitalize someone with her strength.
In between these chats, of course, they sang… or at least, most of them did. Sado wasn’t big on singing in front of everyone- and neither was Black, but Torigoya pulled the other queen up anyway, keen on forcing everyone to have fun. Shibuya, when her turn came, was eager to show off solo. Gekikara kept laughing during her own performance, at first as if embarrassed, then as if she thought it was actually funny.
Sado resisted Torigoya when she tried to take her up. Sado was as firm as the other girl was persistent- she would stay with them, but no one would make her sing… not without Yuko by her side.
-
“What should we sing next?” Shibuya, at least, appeared to be having fun despite her pouty expression. “Hm… Classmate? Four people can sing it, and we all know it, right?” There were nods from the rest of the members. Sado, who hadn’t sang for the whole time, was silent, leaning forward with an empty glass, imagining that it was her kendama.
When would the evening be over? It had to be getting late by now. This particular room had no clock, so Sado couldn’t even check.
At the front, near Shibuya, Sado head Black chuckle at something, which was rare. Then, laughter that was not so rare- Gekikara’s. In a way, it was nostalgic to hear her sound like that; the noise was almost comforting if you could believe it. Gekikara, like a child to a mother, had always been able to make Yuko smile one way or another, even when Sado couldn’t. Yuko, she knew, had a soft spot for the insane girl, and Gekikara had taken to Yuko almost right away. Once, Sado had come into Rappappa’s club room to find Gekikara asleep, her head peacefully placed on Yuko’s lap. Somehow, Sado had been a little jealous.
Careful to act casually, she remembered fitting her white jacket over Gekikara’s shoulders. At once, the girl had snuggled into it and Yuko’s lap. That day had been strangely serene.
With that memory, Sado began to think of the other three queens. The four began to sing “Classmate”. Now that she thought about it, Rappappa’s old vice-president realized that she hadn’t thought of them as friends until recently. Until graduation closed in, they had merely been underlings- grunts with their own grunts. But through the pain of Yuko’s death, they had been the ones who had been there, trying to comfort her… and she had looked away from them, lost in her own mind.
A sigh escaped Sado’s lips at the thought, and she rubbed her eyes, which were beginning to become hot. Why? Gekikara’s cheerful expression changed to one of concern, and she rushed over to her ex-boss. “Sado?!” Gekikara got down on her knees and looked up at Sado, who appeared to be tearing up. “Sado, what’s wrong?!” Her voice was filled with distress.
Appreciation, affection, and especially apologies had never been very easy for Sado. She blinked back tears and shook her head at Gekikara, giving her a rough pet on the head. She could imagine Yuko’s voice in her head again- “What, are you going to cry again? You’re such a big baby.” She sounded so real, so close… Could it really be just her imagination?
Gekikara tried to shove the mic into Sado’s hands as the queen’s song ended, eager to try to cheer the other girl up. “Sado, sing! You’ll feel better, really!” And there was Yuko again- “Yeah, Sado, don’t disappoint Gekikara. Come on- I’ll even go with you.”
Finally, Sado stood up, quietly switching places with the queens. She put on her favorite karaoke song, then turned slightly to look at the faces of her friends. The four watched her, all eager to finally hear Sado sing. As Sado turned her head to look at the lyrics on the screen, she could have sworn she saw Yuko appear at the very edges of her vision.
Perhaps she wasn’t so alone after all.
She began to sing.
-
Entry #15
Title: Full Speed Ahead
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Ogiso Shiori, Kizaki Yuria; OgiYuri
Word Count: 1955
Full Speed Ahead
What got me the most was the fact that I was sleeping when it all happened.
It was just like any other day of school; first period was math, and that meant more sleep for me—as if sleeping at 10PM and waking at 7AM wasn’t enough—. I aced the subject without ever paying attention to the teacher’s words.
I woke to the 2nd period bell, again, just like any other days, but one thing was different from those “any other days;” alas, Kizaki Yuria had gone missing, and nobody even cared to wake me up, since they either thought she was playing hooky or was sick home. It seemed that not even the teacher cared—it made sense as Yuria was, figuratively speaking, barely present in class, often texting me when I’m not asleep or one of her other friends. One thing they’d fail to notice was the fact that today was the day of a tennis match, and as the captain, she would never betray any of her teammates because of a flu or stomach virus. I sensed trouble and immediately pulled my phone (a massive slab of metal called a smartphone—I didn’t quite like it, but Yuria seemed to love it.) out.
“Please enjoy the music while your party is reached,” the machine said. The hell I could. The machine played me a familiar pop tune that I couldn’t identify the name of; I became increasingly concerned as the tune continued without a human voice intervening. Finally, the synth tune (or auto-tuned voice—I couldn’t tell.) came to an abrupt end.
“Hello?” my voice came out huskier than usual, although that won’t be saying much. The English teacher who apparently walked in not long ago didn’t seem to care. Not that I did anyway.
“Nagoya University Hospital. Miss Yuria Kizaki is currently going through a surger…” I angrily hit the “end call” button (thank God it was a physical button; if it was on the touchscreen, that would’ve cost me), placed the phone back into the breast pocket of my uniform jacket, and then sprang out the door. I head yells and screams behind me, but I didn’t pay enough attention to comprehend it.
* * *
And that’s why I’m pedaling like a madman right now.
“Just a minute more,” I whisper to myself, “just a bit more to get there.”
My hands have been trembling the whole time; so much that the tremble interferes with the direction of the bicycle. Plus, as a result of extended riding, now all the moisture is gone from my hands and only coldness is left in them. I try not to imagine Yuria’s eyes below the surgical cloth and focus on pedaling, but I can’t resist thinking of what might happen to her (and me): What if she never gets well? What if she gets crippled? What if she never wakes up from a coma? What if… What if? The last question pops up in my head not as a question, but rather as a concept that isn’t—couldn’t be—worded. I am too afraid of what might happen to her if I even word the question in my head.
I try to clear my head yet again and focus; now I am quite close. I can make out the outline of the hospital building despite the morning fog, the figure growing larger by the second. The Fuji rocks from side to side.
I stop thinking of what might have happened and what might happen to Yuria because my brain is too busy thinking about the optimal route into the hospital entrance. As soon as I near the hospital enough so that I can make out the main entrance’s shape, I hastily toss my bike to the side, where the shrubs welcome it. I break out into an all-out dash; 100m, 50m, 25m—then run up the staircase, skipping 4 steps at a time and body slam my way through the heavy fiberglass doors. A few patients, as well as their families, nurses, and doctors stare at me wide-eyed; the sight of a panting 17-year old galloping into a hospital is, indeed, out of place, but I ignore them and run to the reception desk. The nurse asks me:
“May I help you, Ma’am?” to which I blurt out Kizaki’s name. The nurse types something into the computer with my breathes slowly decelerating to an allegro.
“Oh, she’s in the operating room, I’m afraid….”
“And where is that?” I ask, hastily cutting off her words.
“No, you don’t understa…”
“No, I’ll be waiting in front of it,” yet again cutting off her words.
“Second floor, operating room 2. You’ll find a bunch of signs leading up to it,” I start to sprint again as soon as I hear that. A thought flash by my head; is the nurse not irritated because of her professionalism or her understanding? I won’t know, but I sure like to think it was the latter. I reach the staircase and yet again skip over four steps at a time. My breaths and heartbeats race rapidly back to a presto. After a dash along the halls of the hospital, I finally discover the two swinging doors and a sign above it that says Operating Room 2. I also see two people on the bench before it; the Kizakis. I bow to them.
“Oh, Shiori-chan…” Mrs. Kizaki says, almost a whisper. I cannot say anything back—not because I have no words to say, but because I’m panting like a dog. When I look up upon hearing her words, Mrs. Kizaki looks more worried about me than her own child, but I decide that I must be imagining things. “I’m so sorry to make you worry,” she says. That’s my thing about the Japanese people (even though I’m a part of them); they apologize far too often.
“No,” inhale, exhale, inhale, “No, you don’t… you don’t have to be sorry at all,” I try to regulate my breaths but my words come out rather rudely, although I did avoid adding, “if you’re going to deprive me of my right to worry about her, what am I going to be left with?” in an effort to be as polite as possible.
I can’t meet eyes with her. Am I sorry to be there? Or can I just not control my emotion right now? I can’t tell, so I just decide to ask a question while looking down, her sandals catching my vision, which tells me about her rushing here also. When I open my mouth, however, I quite can’t get myself to verbalize the question. I feel something in my mouth as I hesitate to speak; probably from running around too much. I want to laugh at myself for that, but of course, cannot. I finally vocalize the question.
“How is she?” It’s such a simple question that I hesitate so much to ask. Of course, it probably cannot be answered so simply either, while it clearly will be an easy enough answer. I still can’t look into either of the Kizakis’ eyes. I choose a spot to look at in the wall beyond Mrs. Kizaki’s shoulder, so I wouldn’t be too rude. I can see Mrs. Kizaki opening her mouth even though I’m not looking at her. Mr. Kizaki, just like his usual taciturn self, keeps his mouth tightly closed (not that I can see him). I often wondered how a girl like Yuria can be born from such a reserved man, and presumably, household.
A sound comes from her throat shatters the silence.
“They…haven’t said anything yet.”
The world isn’t crashing down on me, not just yet—indeed, it is the answer I half-expected. Rather, I feel more disappointed. I let go of all the muscles in my body, which results in me collapsing in the faux leather bench.
How long would I have to wait? Minutes? Hours? Days?
And would I want to hear the results?
* * *
Apparently I fell asleep; I wonder how I fell asleep with that kind of emotions and thoughts going through my head. The hand that wakes me up with a pat on my shoulder belonged to no one other than Mr. Kizaki.
“A nurse just said that the surgery will soon be over,” Mrs. Kizaki explained.
“Ah, is that so,” I say simply. The sunset catches my eyes. Shame Yuria can’t see such beautiful sight.
A deadly silence hums in the corridor. No patients, no nurses, no doctors. What’s up with this hospital? I ask myself. If I’m not mistaking, this is the biggest hospital in the area. Hopefully that fact can contribute to Yuria’s welfare.
I contemplate pulling my smartphone out, but decide against it a moment later. It would be disrespectful to all of the Kizakis. So I cross my arms and sit, staring at the sky that’s growing more orange by the second.
What breaks the silence is the doors opening, and two doctors walking out. Behind it, two nurses are pulling and pushing Yuria’s bed. I run up to the bed, and the Kizakis go to the doctor. She looks peaceful, more peaceful than ever.
“Doctor, how is she?” I turn to the source of the sound; Mr. Kizaki was the first to speak, much to my surprise.
“She fractured six of her ribs and her sternum, but no severe damage were done to any of her internal organs, fortunately. She’ll have to be hospitalized for around six weeks.”
“Thank you, doctor. Thank you,” Mrs. Kizaki shakes one of the doctor’s hand with both of her hand. She looks like she’s about to cry. An American would’ve said, “Thank God,” but the term makes me feel like a weak person, turning to divine powers. I’m dizzy as hell—not enough oxygen pumping to my brain. But I guess that’s alright.
* * *
The sunset sure looks pretty from the room; the sun hangs lowly over the houses, painting the sky vermillion (maybe even scarlet). I don’t know how much time pass by, staring at the sky, Yuria’s sleeping face, and back at the sky, with my head resting on my hand, the arm resting on the table. Her parents wanted to leave me alone with Yuria, and had gone home. Every inch of my quad muscles hurt, but the scenery and Yuria’s angelic, if I dare to say, face makes up for it. No, actually, it’s Yuria herself that make up for it. Every millimeter of her and her being and soul and that is not to be measured and all the rest of her; all of that and me in the same room. I loved it.
Yuria opens her eyes, slowly. My smile is no bigger than the smile that has been on my face for a while, but nevertheless, air in the form of laughter is discharged from my throat. Silence ensues until Yuria choose to break it with a few clearing of her throat. Then she says:
“I’m sorry.”
“I told you I hated that,” I never like anyone apologizing for something that wasn’t her fault.
“Yes you have,” Yuria laughs. I close my eyes; it feels as though the room is now somehow warmer.
“Don’t you ever leave me,” I can feel Yuria giving her silly-girl-you-don’t-even-have-to-say-that smile when I say that, even with my eyes still closed.
“I promise.”
-
Another SKE48 update! And a really long one :heart:
Entry #16
Title: Night the 20th.
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kinoshita Yukiko, Ogiso Shiori, GomaYukko
Word Count: 6154
Night the 20th
“I’ll go to see you and spend the night with you until the darkness fades away in the 20th of every month no matter what.”
Her pledge, said to me in a quivery voice, never stops resounding in my head like a constant playback. Up till now, I still look forward to the 20th, but the promise itself had ceased to be fulfilled a long time ago. I am now always alone in the 20th, by myself, staring at her name.
I fear none. Pay me a visit.
The flat and hard surface, where she had been lying her head on before she drifted away to the land of unconsciousness, felt too soft, comfortable, and warm when she got back to her consciousness. Opening her eyes slowly as she adjusted her sight to the exposure of the bright sunlight, the awaken girl saw a smiling face looking down at her.
“Yukko, the bell has rung.”
Startled, Yukiko sat herself up and left the comfortable pillow, which turned out to be someone’s lap. She brushed her tired eyes before facing the girl, who was sitting next to her on the bench.
“Eh, Shiorin? How long have you been staring at me sleeping?” Yukiko wondered what kind of faces she made when she was out somewhere in the dream land. She definitely didn’t wish for her other half to see her snoring or worse, drooling, and even sleep talking.
Shiori just smiled tenderly before replying, “For a while, not long enough to feed my addiction.”
The romance that had bloomed between the pair of best friends was neatly hidden. If only they could be accepted normally just like how a couple of a boy and a girl, they wouldn’t have been bothered to tightly conceal the truth of their relationship. They too wanted to be able to display affections and call each other ‘my girl’ in public, in front of their friends, family, and acquaintances. They too wanted to tell their friends to stop inviting them to blind dates and meetings with male students from other schools. On top of them all, they longed for the day when they could stop lying. They both acknowledged the state that they were in, but somehow they were incapable of hindering their feelings from getting mildly pained when they had to deny each other.
The two delicate, fragile, and dependent teens were not ready to be opposed and oppressed. For that reason, they forced themselves to be satisfied of living in untruth regardless of their conflicting emotions.
Sadly, their simple wish of keeping things hidden until they became financially independent and capable of supporting themselves enough to obtain their happy ending was not granted by the cruel world. That one night when Shiori’s mom overheard their conversation was the beginning to an end, an introduction to the harsh reality.
Shiori used to be one call away, one message away. The unwanted turn of events had made things difficult for both of them to reunite. Yukiko missed her other half, so did Shiori. However, they were both toothless and too weak to take the big strip of distance Shiori’s parents had created in their attempts to disconnect them.
Shiori, why won’t you pick up my call? Why can’t you reply to my messages?
The hearsay of Shiori transferring school to a different city cost her sleepless nights of agony. Statements that came out of Shiori’s own mouth were all that she needed to put her at ease. The calendar kept replacing itself into even bigger numbers, telling her to stop waiting and urging her to hurry up and get in touch with her lost loved one. Making a contact was impossible without an effort from the other party. It wasn’t too long until negative thoughts and feelings overwhelmed the emotionally drained and frail teenage girl. Yukiko felt unsure of Shiori’s feelings for her and afraid of a change that might have occurred in Shiori’s heart. All kinds of ‘what-ifs’ filled her mind like traffic in peak hours, fast paced and crowded.
School was on a long break. It was the perfect timing to detach them and attach their daughter, Shiori, to someone else, a boy. Unsuspecting of Shiori’s capacity to rebel against the rules they made, Shiori’s parents were shocked at her strong rejection of the planned engagement and left speechless when she confidently reiterated her love for her known best friend.
Locking herself in her room, Shiori tried to reach Yukiko, whom she had yearned for; using a mobile phone she borrowed from one of her maids. It was late midnight. No one picked up the call, only beeping after beeping could be heard at the other end. Overwhelmed by negative emotions, Shiori was too drained to sit straight on the cold floor of her once comfortable room, which had turned into her confinement. She leaned against her bed waiting impatiently to hear the calming voice of the one she held dear to her heart.
What if she rejects this call or ignores it because the number is unknown to her?
Pessimistic thoughts crossed the tired girl’s head as she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. She bit her lower lip and rubbed her shins to soothe her uneasy state of mind.
“Hello?”
Not wanting to be swayed by waves of emotions that threatened to spill upon hearing the voice that possessed power over her mood and the ability to pacify her, Shiori clenched her teeth before uttering what she thought was in need of being prioritized.
“Yukko, listen! I’ll say no repeat. Don’t matter what people say, I never did believe them. I want you to do the same. Please listen to only what I say, my words. I’m the only one whom you need to trust. Do you copy?”
Grabbing a handful of her bed sheet, Yukiko had her head hanging, looking at her nails while listening cautiously to what Shiori said. She nodded a nod that Shiori couldn’t see before muttering an assuring ‘yes’ as a cue for Shiori to carry on.
“I’m sorry that we’ve come to this,” Shiori continued. The tremor in her voice could no longer be masked. She recited her next lines shakily as she tried to hold back the tears that had turned her eyeballs moist. At the same time, Yukiko was throwing her head back to prevent the teardrops from rolling down her face. She didn’t want to start sobbing as she knew that it would only concern the one talking to her on the phone.
“I can sneak out, make up excuses or negotiate my ways to see you although I can’t guarantee how frequent I would succeed.”
After her one sentence reached the full stop, the noise coming from Shiori’s raspy voice was immediately replaced by a poignant silence. They grasped their left chests before quickly tightening their grips as the pain grew unbearable. Hearts beating fast, minds wandering, both were searching for something to say, something that could lessen the heaviness that was pinning them down. They were so close to breaking down.
Gritting her teeth, Shiori said one last thing to finish off that sorrowful night, “I’ll go to see you and spend the night with you until the darkness fades away in the 20th of every month no matter what. Even though I lose my sight, my ability to walk, my freedom, I will stay by your side and hold you tight.”
As soon as she finished articulating her promise, Shiori hung up on Yukiko, leaving her wordless. For countless times, Yukiko had cursed her inadequacy in conveying her trains of thoughts. That time was no exception. She could have said at least ‘I love you’ to her girlfriend who seemed to try so hard to conceal her agony, if it wasn’t for her shortcoming.
The tormented young lovebirds stared off aimlessly into the ceilings as they swallowed the ruthless reality. Both were drowning in the tranquility of their rooms, separated miles away from each other; one was as lost and wandering as the other one. Their lips quivered and tears of anguish filled their eyes. Unable to suppress the explosions of their piled up emotions, they both cried, wailed to their hearts’ content, wishing for their worries and pains to be swept away.
Yukiko had never felt as impatient as she was when it came to waiting for a certain date to arrive. The 20th was everything that she looked forward to, at least until school started, or perhaps even after school started.
Purposely, Yukiko had rejected tagging along her parents to Tokyo to visit some relatives. She was waiting for someone, whom she had longed to see. That person didn’t come as early as Yukiko fancied, but as long as she could physically meet her, nothing mattered. There was that one issue too, which had been bothering the restless girl for the past few days she spent without conversing and interacting with Shiori, whom she needed confirmation from.
Face was flat on her own desk after she involuntarily fell asleep. The sound of constant pounding against her glass window was what she awakened to.
The house of Kinoshita family was rather short. Despite being a two-storey bungalow, it allowed people to throw things to hit the 2nd floor window without using much arm strength.
Yukiko stretched her body that felt sore after drowsiness sucked her into resting her mind and body in a strange position. At the same time, she stood herself and strolled toward the curtain-covered window. She shifted the dark colored curtain to the side before looking down to find the person, the only one who often threw small rocks lightly, knocking on the window of Yukiko’s bedroom.
“I’ve missed you,” Yukiko murmured as she was leaning her forehead against the window glass.
There she, Ogiso Shiori, was, standing and waving her arms vigorously at the sight of her lover peeking through the transparent window. Bright smiles beautified their pretty faces as they were gazing at each other.
A lot of things occupied Yukiko’s mind. There were just too many questions she wanted to ask, ranging from simple stuffs like, “How did you spend your days?” to the heavier topic; one of which was the hearsays she had been dying to check with Shiori. Feeling too impatient and curious, she went ahead with the not-simple topic, not minding her initial hesitation of turning the gleeful atmosphere of their reunion into something heavy and suffocating.
“I heard that you were going to get engaged with some guy,” Yukiko said in a flat tone as she tried to hide her anxiety.
That immediately grabbed Shiori’s full attention and got her turning her head to look at the girl who was sitting on the warm carpet floor, leaning against her own bed. She smirked. Yukiko didn’t understand exactly the meaning behind that smirk.
“Heard? Who told you?” Shiori asked in such a sinister tone; the smirk had not left her face. Yukiko could see her gripping the gadget she was holding rather tightly as if she was about to smash it.
“Your mom…” Yukiko trailed off. Her eyes were still hooked on Shiori’s clenched fists.
“I knew she would,” a quick reply came. It was faint. The sound was let out through her gritted teeth. At that moment, Shiori was no longer looking at Yukiko’s direction. Fingers pressing on the buttons of her charged phone, she was facing the wall, standing in front of Yukiko’s desk. “She told you to back off, didn’t she?” she questioned in a little bit raised voice.
“Yes, she did.”
“So, what are you going to do?” That time Shiori had stopped pressing on her phone buttons, but still remained in the same standing position; only her fingers stopped their movements.
Yukiko noticed the hints of Shiori’s changed mood, more specifically her emerging anger. She hesitated to reply but she did anyway.
“I need to know your feelings.” There she made it clear. She bared her intention and curiosity. However, it wasn’t quite what Shiori wanted to hear from her nor was it something that would instantly make her wrath subsides.
Putting her gadget down on the desk, Shiori inhaled deeply and exhaled before turning around to face Yukiko, who had not been moving at all since they first entered her room. “Which part of my feelings that you don’t get?” she questioned; arms were folded and hip was leaned against the desk edge.
Yukiko looked up to meet Shiori’s eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat before replying with an apology and explanation for what she said seemed to have upset Shiori even more than she already was at her mother’s attempt to widen the distance between her and Yukiko.
“Sorry. I won’t back off for sure. I just wanna hear your side of story.”
Shiori smiled, for the first time since Yukiko brought up that topic. A displayed positivity and faith were all that she needed from her lover.
“Long story short, they trapped me and I made a scene.” She told her anecdote in such a short, simple sentence because she did not want to recall that dreadful night.
Yukiko sat there, watching as Shiori was walking closer to where she was. The shorter girl sat herself, with her knees bent, right in front of the taller one. She held Yukiko’s hands, rested them on her own before pulling them to place the linked pairs of hands on her own thighs. They locked gazes for a while.
“Yukko,” Shiori said really softly. “Even if one day someone other than you had me as his wife and my body as his property, my heart would be the only thing no one but you can have.”
She stopped talking. She looked at their locked hands and tightened her grips. Clearing her throat, she looked back up to gaze into her lover’s beautiful eyes.
“No amount of threats, pressures and pains can cause me a change of heart. I will forever reject him and never will I deny you. You have my words.”
The waterworks threatened to break and flood their eyes. Yukiko pulled her girlfriend into her arms. She hugged her so tight, not wishing to ever let go even though she knew that after the night came to pass, Shiori would be gone; she would be anywhere but in her arms. She knew. They knew better than anyone.
“I love you,” came Yukiko’s hoarse whisper. “I won’t give up on you.”
She brushed her lips against her girlfriend’s forehead, down to her nose before planting a kiss on the lips. She wanted her everything that night, knowing full well that she would stop being hers once the morning came. They were intoxicated by the kisses and touches they shared. That’s how they spent the rest of the night before they drifted to sleep in each other’s arm; it marked the end of the 20th.
When the morning arrived, Yukiko was all alone again. She was gone. She left without a trace while everyone was asleep. Well, there was nothing weird about it. She could come and leave anytime she wanted as she had duplicate keys of Yukiko’s house and bedroom. They had been friends since forever, as long as Yukiko could remember.
She couldn’t recall how and when Shiori became a significant part of her life. Naturally, she just learnt how to hurt for her, how to suffer for her, how to connect with her; in an instant she became emotionally invested on her, involved too deep to release herself.
Days were dull and the 20th was too far ahead. After contemplating every night before she fell asleep, Yukiko finally decided to take the initiative, to be the one taking the distance. For the longest time, she hesitated on whether or not she should call Shiori first. She predicted a rejection and she was right. Shiori stressed for her to not come in the near time until the promised date, and even so she would be the one coming; all Yukiko had to do was waiting.
Waiting was a really boring activity to do. It had never been something that anyone would gladly do unless forced. Especially with piled up worries kept inside, waiting only made Yukiko grow even more impatient than she already was. Negatively she thought that Shiori must have been hiding something from her. For once, she ignored Shiori’s command and went ahead with her own will. However, on her way there, guilt and worries crept on her. She was well aware of the possible consequences waiting for her arrival. Nervously she fidgeted with her fingers throughout the not-so-long journey on the bus.
To her surprise, upon her arrival she found the Ogiso mansion crowded and unlike how it usually was at night. It seemed like a party was being thrown. She wondered what party it could be for, knowing that none of them celebrated their birthday in that particular month. Strolling into the garden, Yukiko brought hesitation, confusion and curiosity along with her. She was technically an uninvited guest; considering how Shiori’s parents were so against their relationship, her presence was pretty much unwanted too and despised, perhaps.
Yukiko realized that she was taking a huge risk by setting her feet on the area of the Ogiso. For the first time that night, she felt rather regretful of being a disobedient girlfriend, but it was like she had both her feet in the water already. At such point, backing off would be too cowardly of her.
Sneaking in, she tried to make herself as invisible as she could. Her aim was to meet Shiori, getting caught would ruin her initial intention on going against her lover’s command.
She was fortunate that the garden was big and quite dark at some parts. Bushes were everywhere for her to hide and camouflage herself; she deliberately wore dark colored outfits for that sole purpose. After crawling and rolling on the grass, Yukiko finally reached the side of the house where a huge window glass was at, allowing her to peek into it and look for Shiori.
Sighing soundly to herself, Shiori staggered toward the balcony barefooted. The party had been on for the whole day. Standing and walking on high heels tired her out. She also hated how she had to keep a smile on her face, a pretense that she was happy about this a matter-of-factly forced engagement.
Benefitting from the sight of the beautiful garden and all its green content, she felt a bit more refreshed. She had always loved the nature, the green grass, trees and pretty flowers. Besides sitting on the sand of a beach and staring into the wide mysterious sea, sitting under a tree to enjoy the calming green surroundings in the morning had always been Shiori’s way of releasing stress. She had briskly planned on doing either of them with the girl, who was blending in the darkness. “Eh?” Shiori said, with her eyes widened. She brushed her eyes several times as she thought that she was seeing things.
Truth was she wasn’t seeing things. It was really Yukiko, who was standing by the tree, looking carefully into the house through the window. Shiori immediately ran downstairs, feeling worried of her lover getting caught by her merciless parents and judgmental relatives. The pretense she had built was at risk of getting exposed too.
Shiori looked around to make sure that no one saw her go out of the door before she threw a candy to Yukiko’s head. One fail attempt, two fail attempts, Shiori managed to hit the target on her third attempt.
“Ouch!” Yukiko winced, rubbing the back of her head.
“What are you doing here?” Shiori asked agitatedly.
Turning around, Yukiko found her lover standing a few meters away from her with hands on her hips and a frown on her face. “Errr…. To see you…” Yukiko replied.
“Didn’t I make it clear enough? I told you to not come!” Shiori raised her voice. Evidently, she didn’t want Yukiko to be there. Saddened by her lover’s reaction, Yukiko stared down and brushed her fingers over her knuckles. “Why?” she asked.
“Because…” Shiori tried to explain but was cut by a sudden loud call. “Shiori!!!” It was her mom. Spontaneously, she answered in a loud voice to make her presence known to her mom while motioning Yukiko to crouch down behind the bushes.
Before she crouched down, Yukiko saw an unfamiliar guy walking along side Shiori’s mom. She saw him stretching his arm to hold Shiori’s waist.
Could he be her arranged fiancé?
“What are you doing outside, dear?”
“Looking for fresh air,” Shiori answered her mom.
Yukiko faintly heard the exchange between Shiori and her mom. The next few exchanges though were audible to Yukiko. It was impossible for her to concentrate on listening to the conversation when she witnessed the guy, who was side hugging Shiori by the waist, kissed her on the lips. Shiori didn’t push him away and just accepted the affectionate gesture. It was a devastating sight for Yukiko to see.
Yukiko sat on the grass back facing the three retreating figures. She had missed Shiori glancing at her direction before strolling back into the house. Mind was blank. Body was numb. In spite of all, she quickly stood on her two wobbly feet. The voice in her head told her to leave, go anywhere far from there. She dragged her feet, hands grasping her chest. She cared not of being seen. She wept throughout her long walk, till her waterworks dried up leaving her exhausted and hopeless.
Yukiko was an impeccable mess when she reached home. Unbeknownst to the devastated girl Shiori had been waiting, sitting on her doorsteps for a few minutes then. During regular days, Yukiko would have been pleasantly surprised to find her lover waiting at her doorstep, but that day was different. She just took a glimpse with her lifeless eyes and shifted them away as she was about to walk pass her.
Her arm was unexpectedly grabbed tightly and it stopped Yukiko in her tracks. “I did warn you to not come,” Shiori finally said, breaking the suffocating silence.
“I know. I shouldn’t have come,” replied Yukiko listlessly.
Clearly, some things needed to be explained and straightened. They needed to talk, but Yukiko was worn out. She didn’t know where she could possibly acquire extra energy to argue with her lover. Consequently, she pulled her arm away, releasing it from Shiori’s firm grip.
Shiori was too relentless to let this slip since she’s in the know of how it couldn’t wait till the 20th. It needed to be discussed right away or else it would hurt their vulnerable relationship. She swiftly clasped Yukiko’s arm once again and pushed her by the arm. That one strong push made Yukiko stumble backward, away from the door she wanted to open so as to gain entrance to her dwelling.
It turned out that exhaustion and heartbreak had Yukiko easily provoked. She clenched her jaw to suppress her anger, but to no avail. “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME??!!” Yukiko yelled harshly.
Shiori was taken aback by Yukiko’s sudden outburst. As far as her memory could take her, for the last few years she had never seen Yukiko so infuriated. At this rate, a rational discussion was impossible to obtain. The tension was too high.
Shiori wasn’t sure if a loud yell was the right way to get her points across. She did yell though because she was too brain dead and tired to find the right words to calm her fuming girlfriend.
“Do you think I enjoyed that kiss??!! NO!! It felt like my heart was scorched to ashes,” Shiori yelled back in frustration. “Look, you fool! The real Shiori is the one standing in front of you right now. Whatever I say or do to you in front of them is just an act. I’m only truthful when I’m alone with you!!”
After much huffing and puffing, Yukiko’s anger slowly subsided. Her breathing was still erratic and her eyebrows were still furrowed, but her eyes had become a lot calmer than they were a few minutes ago.
Hesitantly, Shiori stepped closer to narrow the space between them. She took a hold of Yukiko’s forearm, scratching her thumbnail across it. “It’s not the 20th yet,” Shiori murmured. “I can’t spend the night with you.” She tentatively reached her free hand up to caress Yukiko’s cheek lovingly. “Sorry,” she said, wearing a weak smile before she left.
Had she listened to Shiori’s warning, she wouldn’t have had her heart damaged. It had been a few days since the occurrence of that unpleasant night, but the heartbreaking sight she saw, the jealousy and dismay she felt were still so crystal clear.
What kind of face should I wear tomorrow when I meet her?
Yukiko sank down in her seat and buried her face in her hands. Even though they ended their argument rather peacefully that night, she still felt awkward about it and apologetic for blowing her top.
After getting her mind fresh the day after that night, Yukiko realized how she wasn’t the only one suffering. She was just unfortunate enough to witness her girlfriend getting kissed by some guy, while Shiori must have been so torn and pained by the false front she had to put up. She must have been enduring a lot for having to put up with her parents’ selfish desires.
Came to think of it, Yukiko became overly sensitive because of such a pity jealousy. She was feeling even more apologetic at those thoughts, on top of feeling embarrassed. They led her into disheveling her hair and tapping her feet on the floor fretfully. Her continuous tapping was stopped by the sudden knocking on her window.
“Could it be??” mumbled Yukiko. She headed to the window hastily and peeked through the small gap created from shifting the curtain a little bit to the side. Her initial prediction came to a realization. It was really Shiori standing at her doorstep. “But why??” Yukiko mumbled a bit louder that time around out of sheer confusion.
The 20th was supposed to be the next day. She wondered if Shiori was just being forgetful. Whatever her reason for coming earlier was, as a matter of fact Yukiko was not entirely ready to meet her. There were still some feelings that she needed to sort out. However, ready or not, Shiori was already there and she had to open the door for her as a good host.
“What took you so long?” Shiori said, pouting playfully at Yukiko.
Yukiko’s mind was pretty much incoherent and she couldn’t think of anything off the top of her head that could serve as a proper reply, so she just replied with a forced smile. That smile though, instantly got swept off of her face when Shiori leaned forward and stole a kiss.
“Let’s go!” she said enthusiastically.
Yukiko didn’t quite understand what Shiori meant, but she just followed her upstairs, presumably heading to Yukiko’s room.
“How did you get here so early?” Yukiko finally questioned when they were climbing the stairs. Shiori didn’t stop walking, but she turned around quickly and beamed. “By bargaining,” came her short answer.
Once they were in Yukiko’s room, Shiori pulled out a travel bag that Yukiko often used for school trips. “Now, start packing!” Shiori ordered. Before Yukiko started asking questions again, Shiori told her that she was going with her for a trip toAtsumiPeninsula.
It wasn’t even summer yet, but Yukiko decided to tag along anyway. As long as she got to spend time with her loved one, she didn’t mind. The beach during cold seasons was serene and the serenity must have been one thing that Shiori wanted to share with her the most.
A trip like that, with just the two of them, felt surreal. It used to be something that they could do whenever they wanted to but not after they got found out, after all the twists and turns.
Excitement slowly built itself. The two youthful souls were visibly pumped up. They most likely wouldn’t be able to play a lot as the weather was so cold, but they could just walk along the beautiful beach, chatting, and holding hands. There were just a lot to play and talk about when they were together. They had never run out of topics and games.
Both of them didn’t care about how short the trip would be as their time together had always been limited. Quality was much more essential than quantity. They both believed it. Spending a short but quality time together was more worthy of spending a week together with many people getting in their ways.
The sun had set. Their last night shortened itself. If she could, Yukiko would buy a few hours even with her almost non existent savings. She wouldn’t mind working part time every day if she could obtain more time with Shiori through monetary means.
“I told my mom that I would only stay inSpainfor two weeks the longest,” Yukiko said regarding her upcoming family trip to her mom’s hometown, which was initially planned for a month stay. “I can’t leave you for that long. It’s impossible in our current situation.”
Shiori took a careful look at her lover, whose eyebrows were furrowed and brow had lines forming. Tightening their linked hands, she proceeded to hug the taller girl’s arm. “Yukko, please go and have fun for the whole month. I’ll be fine,” assured Shiori.
“You sure?” Yukiko asked, seeking for a stronger assurance.
“Yes. Don’t mind me. You can always call me. When will you be back though?”
“At noon the 20th,” replied Yukiko.
Shiori beamed upon hearing her girlfriend’s planned arrival date. The date they both had grown to anticipate and look forward to the most. It was the date when Shiori’s parents had their regular business trip. In other words, the only one day she could spend with her beloved Yukiko. Prolonged business trips were bonuses but they had not happened for the past few months after her concealed forbidden relationship got uncovered.
Shiori let out a long sigh, which got Yukiko turning her head to check on her. Motioning the taller girl to sit next to her, Shiori rested on the sand, hugging her knees. Without saying a single word, Yukiko followed and sat herself right next to her girlfriend. They were both enjoying the regular noise of the waves rolling into the shore and the beautiful sight of the night sea.
“I could have rejected you and lied to me. I could have pretended to be anyone but me, but I didn’t. I was too selfish to not act on my feelings,” Shiori said, her eyes were swimming.
Blank was the state of Yukiko’s mind. Not knowing what to say or how to comfort her, she remained silent, listening to Shiori’s raspy voice and the recurring sound of rolling waves.
Not long after, the girl, who was sitting by her side, continued, “Never did I long to be born privileged. My only wish is to exist in a world that doesn’t condemn our love and treats it equally as acceptable as theirs.” By the time her words came to a halt, a drop of tears already rolled down Yukiko’s cheek. They were silent for a few seconds, as if time was freezing. Eyes fixated on the blue sea which wideness exhibited no boundary.
“So that, I can love you without feeling afraid,” Shiori finally said, turning her head to the right, where Yukiko was, and resting it on her own knees.
The night breeze blew their hair. Their bodies tingled a little due to the night chill. In the midst of the calm but poignant atmosphere, Yukiko took Shiori’s free hand, entangled their arms together, and intertwined their fingers. Their hands fit, as if they were custom made to compliment each other. Shortly after, shiori stretched her legs, shifted closer to the right, and leaned her head on Yukiko’s shoulder, prompting Yukiko to gently rest her head on Shiori’s.
No one knew and could foresee that it would be Yukiko’s last night with Shiori. When she came back fromSpain, on the date they had promised to reunite, she found her unalike with how she normally was; she became cold, stiff, and pale. She could neither talk nor hear. Yukiko could see her, but she couldn’t see Yukiko.
Oh, the memories.
It was exactly 10 years ago. I remember sitting here in front of her tombstone, weeping like a lost child. No more tears shed when I sit here, and I never fail to visit her grave in the 20th. That day, I was flabbergasted to find her parents generously allowing me to stand there to witness her burial. When I stayed after everyone left, her mom approached me, expressing her biggest regret in her life. She sobbed over the spilt milk.
“No one won, you see. We all lost her,” I said. She cried louder and more uncontrollably. Finally though, her waterworks dried up, leaving her eyes swollen. She asked me, “Are you not mad at her for leaving you like this?”
I snickered in response, confusing her. “Why would I?” came my reply finally. She furrowed her eyebrows, demanding an explanation from me. “I was never in her shoes. I was never in the care of parents who rejected me. I was never forced into admitting to being anyone but me, into doing things against my will. Who am I to blame her?!” I clarified my way of thinking, ending it rhetorically. Her eyes widened before they narrowed again shortly after, as if she had just seen the light flashing rapidly.
That was my first long exchange with her ever since we got exposed. In hopes of a change in her view, I entertained her despite wanting to be left alone to mourn my loss and keep mute for the whole day. It was really tragic how it cost a precious life for them to realize how wrong their ways were. What’s done is done though. We all moved on in the end, just like how she wanted us.
Sorry, I am not strong enough for us. Please move on to a greater love and happier life. I’ll be invisible from now on but I’ll watch over you. I love you. You’re my eternity.
Her last short message was successfully sent to me. It is still well kept in my inbox even after many years have passed. Being an ungrateful pity little thing, I often wish it was longer just so that I would have a longer message to reread.
She said she would be watching over me and it left me wondering if she was always with me. I’m not even sure whether or not an afterlife exists. I did as she wanted me to though. I moved on to a happier life. Yes, I am living happily, but greater love… greater than me and her? Perhaps, I can find it one day, but certainly not in this lifetime. In short, we were the perfect team, so meant to be. Nothing can ever top us.
Something suddenly vibrates in my pocket. How unsurprising, it is my mobile phone, alarming me the arrival of a message, so I take it out. The message is a short congratulatory message from my mom, on the release of my new novel. I successfully attained my dream to be a writer. If she were still here, she would have been a beautiful shining actress. That was her dream, her goal ever since she was a cute pampered kid.
Regarding my newly released novel, it was in fact inspired by us. Nowhere did I state the real life inspiration though, so most likely the readers wouldn’t have deduced. I thought it was wiser to do so, more so since I selfishly twisted the ending.
I wanted her to live.
I wanted us to be blissfully together,
even if it was only in fiction.
-
Entry #17
Title: Unconventional
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kojima Haruna, Kashiwagi Yuki; Haruna/Yuki
Word Count: 2413
Unconventional
Haruna isn’t exactly known as a very social person. AKB is her playground, but she might as well be the kid playing in the sandbox all the time, rejecting company and familiarity. Mariko and Miichan are brave enough souls for entering into her corner but that’s who they are, spontaneity and fun – fireworks exploding in the sky, it is expected of them to gloriously enter into someone’s life and have some effect on it. But Haruna knows what she wants is not fireworks at night, not sparks and colors and overflowing beauty. What she wants is the warmth of a flame in a winter day, the calm and serenity in the hazy cold.
The problem is the search is difficult. However plentiful people have come into her sandbox, none of them seem to be up to her liking. The playground expands but her sandbox is still only for her, no matter how selfish that may sound.
She receives compliments and flattery from research students, team members and non-team members alike. And she thinks of it as nothing but irony. They tell her she’s pretty, that she’s cute, that she’s funny, and everyone loves her but she never feel like it, Haruna is jilted and withered like a plant.
The door creaks open and for the first time she pays attention.
“Oh, Kashiwagi-chan.” Kojima declares, because beauty deserves to have an introduction every single time.
“Ahh, Kojima-san, you’re here early.” Yuki sets her bag down and looks over her reflection on the mirror instantly.
“I suppose you say that because you’re always here first.”
“Most of the time,” She pauses “I like to see this place before the chaos,”
Haruna takes her eyes off of her the moment Haachan arrives and takes Yuki’s attention away. They greet each other with an embrace and chat about things until the whole dressing room is crowded with people.
“Nyannyan, is something wrong?” Takamina approaches her with a worried look on her face, her eyebrows shooting up cautiously, and if Haruna hadn’t looked down to see what pants she’s wearing then she could have saved her a few more of her sincerity.
“Those pants, seriously. The only time I want to see those again is when you plan to burn them, so please don’t even hesitate to call me, I will gladly help you rid of ‘em.”
“What? Tomochin finds them interesting,”
“Interesting isn’t always good,”
But Takamina doesn’t hear any of it after running off to talk to some staff. Kojima thinks her statement might as well reflect on herself too.
*
Haruna is possibly the most withdrawn about the changes. Sometimes, even more scared than her mind lets her on. There are nights that fear rattles her ribs in the darkness and she gets up and sets herself a nice warm glass of milk to make it go away. On bad nights, a liquor from Paris she got from Atsuko because “you’re old enough, you could use it,” and she just looks out her window thinking about things – her career, her taxes, her nail polish until another day goes and another day comes by. Sometimes she cries herself to sleep, but it just makes her feel worse.
Mariko doesn’t ask, she never asks. No one ever asks. But Yuki never seem to have gotten the memo. “Kojima-san, you’re lagging behind the rehearsal today. Is something wrong?”
“You sound like Takamina,”
“I hope that’s not a bad thing,”
“It is,” Haruna pauses and laughs, “don’t tell me you’re going to start telling silly stories and expect people to laugh at them,”
“You didn’t answer my question.” Yukirin looks at Haruna with concern.
“Only a fool wouldn’t notice how many wrongs there are in the rights of the world.”
Haruna resolves that fool is herself.
*
They all practice hard.
Everyone dances until their own feet tangle and betray them and they fall down. They sing their hearts out and it doesn’t matter if they miss a beat or get a note wrong, just as long as they put their heart in it. Haruna wonders if she’s done enough. She hugs her knees at the back of the crowd huddled close to the small figure talking in front, and as she looks on and sees the fire, intensity and vigor in her eyes and heart, Haruna knows she will never be able to do enough.
Takamina finishes her speech with a clap and dismisses everyone with a cheer to do well tomorrow. Yuki stays behind with Haruna and waits for her to be the one to voice out her thoughts first.
“Say Kashiwagi-chan, how do you feel about eating out tonight?”
“Sure, I feel highly interested on knowing things about you too, Kojima-san. Should we get our bags?”
“Things like?” Haruna stands up and dusts and straightens her clothes.
“I don’t know either. You just… interest me.”
“The question is what doesn’t interest you, Kashiwagi-chan.”
They pass through the busy halls and into the dressing room to change into their casual clothing. Yukirin responds to her remark with only a smile and they both don’t know what it means. The moments they have shared are only small and fleeting. They used to only exchange polite smiles and words, and until now Haruna can’t seem to be on point with what Yuki is trying to say. So she just smiles too, bitterly (to herself) and walks side by side with the girl who has always been a mystery to her.
Over the bowls of hot ramen, Kojima realizes Yukirin is as princess-like as most of them say. She likes it when other people guide her or go out of their way to help her. Yuki liked it when Haruna picked up her phone and handed it to her. Yuki liked it when Haruna offered on opening and holding up the umbrella for both of them.
She pours her a drink and places it next to her bowl. Yuki says a quite ‘thank you’ and remains silent again, waiting for her food to be warm enough that it won’t burn her tongue the second she puts it in her mouth.
“You’re not all that special, but I like you.” Haruna puts it out there bluntly because it’s the only way she knows how and because she might lose the words again. She shoves a mouthful of noodles in her mouth afterwards and it burns her tongue and the roof of her mouth, but it’s better than having Yuki ask more questions. She doesn’t. It’s somehow comforting, much like the silence that hung between them. Haruna decides Yuki is her flame in a winter day – warmth, calm and serenity.
“Do you hate AKB?”
The question surprises Haruna, but this is Yuki after all, she’s not called Black for nothing.
“I call it my playground,” She laughs half-heartedly. It’s the still truth. Yukirin gives her a pointed knowing look and she knows she has to answer correctly, “Yea, I hate it.”
“Me too,”
“I hate it to the core of my bones, but I can never imagine myself out of it. I hate the system, I hate having to survive, but I can’t see myself doing anything else but be part of the 48. I don’t hate the people but sometimes I wish I do, just so it’ll be easier.”
Kashiwagi complains a lot about AKB too, probably to the point of hatred. Yuki doesn’t like how it changes the people in it and she hates herself for not being capable of correcting that. But Haruna’s point of view of it is different, because no matter how many times Yuki heard the word ‘hate’ from her answer, her voice didn’t mirror any of those feelings. Haruna is numb, Yuki muses inwardly, speaking only to her mind and she watches the tall pale female’s eyes and wonders how many times and how many more will those be brimming with tears.
Her ramen is cold and stale when she decides to eat again, not that she’s still in the mood to eat anyway. Yukirin just observes, tracing lines through the air and draws Haruna’s face, her movements, her slight smile until it’s time for a goodbye.
In the dark of the night, Yuki stares at the blackness of her room and holds her heart as it is about to burst. Yuki realizes albeit belatedly that fear is beautiful, pain is beautiful, destruction is beautiful; Haruna can attest to that.
Haruna never misses a day on seeing Yuki forecast the weather. It’s not always accurate but rain or shine, Haruna always brings her umbrella, one that’s big enough for her and Yuki. She likes the thought of having Yuki smile and thank her for opening it and holding it up for the two of them, but what Haruna likes the most is the proximity – how their elbows touch and how Yukirin is so close, she feels like she sees what the cameras doesn’t see.
She leaves her house early and a little too early maybe because she’s the first one to arrive in the waiting room. Haruna leans her head on the table and her thoughts drift over the noise that penetrates the walls of the room and how Yukirin will probably hate it. Until soon enough her brain picks up on the things Yuki might and might not like and lists them all, and then…. Haruna recalls clearly how she met Kashiwagi, just hanging by a tiny thread of a memory, but still beautiful memory at hand.
They have a mutual friend: silence. Yuki entered Haruna’s sandbox because of its silence and perhaps the beauty and the innocence of the back facing towards her. Curiosity as a pull and a push, a hello and a hello back and then comes quickly silence, but of course as their friend. The quiet is uneventful and boring and often the young Yuki wondered what could one have masked their thoughts in such almost lethargic atmosphere of nothingness. Haruna could have ruled the world with her mind and speak nothing of it. Haruna remembered Yuki as the kid who looked like they just grew out of puberty, limbs too long and knees that barely support them as she walked and she walked towards her.
They had a mutual friend and now they have two more: dreams and nightmares.
Yuki bends a bit to be on the same eye-level as her. But she’s up-side-down. “You like beating me in getting here the earliest, huh? This is the second time, Kojima-san.” Yukirin fishes her phone out of her bag and stands upright, shaking the tiny device in her hand, “Two-shot? I’ll mention it in my blog. Do you want it to be captioned as evil or sly?”
“Kashiwagi-chan, I want to be blogged about honestly. I am not sly or evil. You are,” Haruna stands up and Yukirin swiftly moves to her side, placing her mobile phone in front of them, counting up to three and captures a photo with a press of a button.
“Update your blog too!” Kashiwagi tells her without looking, punching the keys on her phone to type a coherent post along with the attached picture.
Haruna doesn’t. She just takes a million pictures of Yukirin mostly, with and without her permission and in truth, Haruna likes the candid shots better. She stores them in a separate folder in her phone, openly pleased because Yuki didn’t seem to have noticed the extra photos Haruna captured without her knowledge.
“Kojima-san,”
Haruna blinks and the next thing she hears is a shutter sound coming from Yukirin’s phone. “Wow, don’t tell me…”
“I want to put up a solo picture of you. Don’t worry I’ll blog about you honestly,” She says teasingly and begins to type again.
“Tell me if you posted it already, I want to see it,”
“No, it’s embarrassing. Read it later,”
She nods but checks Yuki’s blog on her phone browser anyway, opening the new entry she just posted entitled ‘Good morning,’ that says:
But instead of that greeting I got a ‘blog about me honestly’ from Kojima-san.
Recently, we talked about things that made me think ‘Ah, Kojiharu is the person I want to protect,’ ’Kojiharu is amazing,’ ‘I want to be with Kojiharu forever’ ♥
Then again, I only call her Kojima-san ^^
I took pictures but I thought these are the pictures I want to treasure forever! Let me be selfish just this once!!
Most importantly, I am lucky to have Kojima-san in my life.
So you!
Yes, you!
You’re an unlucky soul if you don’t know the kind, beautiful and loving Haruna we all love. Kyaa! This is too honest, Kojima-san. How embarrassing >///<
♥ ♥ ♥
Yukirin.
Haruna smiles and directs her gaze towards Yuki. “You should compliment me in person,”
“What?”
“Your blog, I read it,”
“Oh…” She trails off and distracts herself with meddling with the contents of her bag, not wanting to make eye contact. “You told me to blog honestly and I did.”
“Yukirin,”
Kashiwagi turns to her and their eyes meet. Haruna sees anticipation and joy pleasantly masked in her expression. “I-I can call you that, right?”
Yuki swallows loudly and nods frantically like there would never be enough emphasis on how she agrees and allows Haruna to.
*
Before going out to the stage, just by the mouth of the opening to the backstage, Haruna stands beside Yuki and holds her hand, interlacing their long skinny fingers. No one will see. No one will have to see. She knows the song playing is about to end and matching the ending notes and the cheer of the crowd, she whispers to her ear: “Thank you for being my playmate,”
A bunch of research students rush towards their direction and it’s their turn to perform. Yuki drags her towards the stage, not releasing her hand from her grasp.
“Thank you for being my playmate,” Yuki corrects and releases her hand only because she has to. But if they were both given the choice, they could’ve stayed that way –hands linked, eyes only on each other– and nothing else has to matter.
-
Wow a lot of those fics made me badding but they are really written well
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Thanks so much for this guys! ;A;
Seriously, I love you for doing this and I hope that maybe you'll run another competition in the future again after this is over.
If you ever do, I would be happy to donate some AKB-related prizes to help out because these fics are fab. :wub:
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@Kuji: Oh wow, that would be such a generous act on your part :deco: Actually, we thought about asking what kind of prizes people would like to see (once this contest is over), and we were thinking about asking for prize donations as well in case someone had extra stuff they don't need XD But we haven't decided on anything yet, since we want to finish the current contest first.
These fics are indeed fabulous, and we are surprised to see how many unknown authors appeared with good fics :heart: We are really grateful for all the participation. This contest would be soon over though, only a couple of days left. Everyone, remember deadline is April 16th, 23:59:59 GMT -4 There is still time to participate!
Now it's time to update! As always, sorry for the slow updates in the forum. I'm the only one in charge in here and I'm a little busy lately. Be sure to check our tumblr (http://contest48.tumblr.com) for fast updates.
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Entry #18
Title: 片想いFinally
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena, Furukawa Airi
Word Count: 1098
片想いFinally
Even though you are near me, I cannot do anything.
Rena's always talking about how cute Furukawa is.
How they have the same interest.
How Furukawa didn't mind accompanying her to the train musesum even though it's such a boring place.
How Furukawa doesn't mind listening to her talk.
How she loves everything about Furukawa.
I.
Am I just a sister to her?
A rival?
A team mate?
Or perhaps just someone who shares the same surname?
What am I to her?
I've always thought about this. But I get frightened each time I think about it.
I know that we have an age difference of 6 years.
But that's why I've been working hard all this while.
I want to continue to stand next to her.
I want her to look at me.
Not as someone who is younger than her.
For SKE, for Team S, for myself and for her.
If I work hard to grow up quickly, if I put in all my best.
Can I catch up to her?
That, is what, I, Matsui Jurina, have been working so hard for.
It's been four years.
Four long years.
So much has changed.
I have grown taller, grown older.
So has she.
The annoying age gap is still there.
But.
I am also glad.
Glad that I can use this to my advantage.
I can whine to Rena.
"Rena-chan~~~~"
"Hmm?"
"Hug me~"
Even if it's just a moment.
I am glad.
At least for that few seconds, Rena's all mine.
Only looking at me.
Not at Furukawa, or anyone else.
That is all I can do.
Even though I can kiss everyone, her included, I lack the courage to say those words.
That is why I reassure myself time and time again that even if I do not have her, at the very least, she would remember me for life for taking her first kiss.
Because, somehow I cannot seem to confess.
But I don't want to give up either.
"Please rest"
"I'm fine. I want to continue"
"Juri..."
"Rena-chan, I'm okay. Don't worry. Team S's Matsui Jurina can still do this. Just one solo song."
I did it again.
I got her attention.
I can only do selfish things like this to make her stay with me.
Even though I make her worry.
Even if it's only for a short while.
Even though I know doing this will not last long.
Even though I know I might be pushing myself over the limit.
Sometimes I wonder why I've not given up.
And then there was an announcement.
"Rental transfer to Team K."
"Temporary. Holding both roles concurrently"
I didn't know what to feel either. There were so many thoughts running through in my mind.
Amidst the chaos and confusion, I saw that she was crying. I was crying. Almost everyone was crying.
But my lips went up a little when I saw her cry then.
The hope, deep down somewhere in me seemed to have lit up, just a little.
I who was already overworked, will be working even more.
I do not mind having a huge workload.
Even if some of the work does not involve Rena.
I enjoy working hard. I like doing my best.
Maybe it's because of my personality.
Or maybe because it keeps my mind off things.
But.
Why?
Team K?
Why tear me away from SKE which I loved and worked so hard for?
Why tear me away from her?
Pulling me further apart when I was already at a distance?
Is this, telling me to give up on her now that I'll be away even more frequent than ever?
Now that you're even further away from me, I cannot do anything either.
I do not know what to make out of this.
But it does not matter now.
I cannot change anything.
I will continue to work hard as always.
To take this as an opportunity to learn, to continue to grow.
Because, they said the most important thing didn't they?
Temporary.
I will eventually return back to SKE.
Even though I do not know when that will be.
Even though I do not know how long I'll take.
But I will return.
Back to where I belong. Back to where you are.
Right now, I will just continue to do my best.
So do not worry.
I will not either.
I will continue to do my best.
I went for the handshake event despite the protests.
Rena protested too.
That seemed to make everything worth the effort.
But by making her worry, I'm just adding on to her burden.
I shouldn't be doing this, should I?
She's pretty tired too.
We all are.
I should put an end to this soon.
Although right now, I just want to put this to the back of my mind.
Those loud noises.
I'm not feeling very well.
Maybe I really did force myself too much.
I don't think I can do this.
---
I've been forced to rest.
Now that I'm in the hospital.
My mind is wandering off again.
I like her.
I certainly do.
But Rena seems happy with her too.
Should I give up?
There is really no point in keeping this up, is there?
This unrequited love.
I should end this. Just like the lyrics that I've been singing for the past few months.
片想いFinally.
I updated my google+.
I finally came to a decision.
If I get any reply regarding this from Rena in the next 5 minutes.
I'll give up.
I will not bother Rena anymore with my childish antics.
I will not let her worry.
I will not be a burden to her. Or to anyone else.
And if I don't get a response that quickly, or any response at all...
I'll confess the day I return back to SKE.
1 minute.
2 minute
3 minute
Rena who always checks her google+ all the time.
Please don't see it.
Please be busy.
As much as I want you to care for me, please don't see it right now.
There is really no need.
4 minute
4 minute 40 second
Just 10 second more.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Matsui Rena has shared a post
待っていてあげてください
…
Thank you.
Thank you for replying so quickly. Thank you for telling everyone to wait for me as well.
But why is it that I'm not happy to receive concern from you?
Why are there tears flowing down my cheeks instead?
There's a mail from her as well.
I'll open it later.
When my tear glands stop secreting.
When I've given up on you.
片想いFinally
An end to my unrequited love, finally.
-
Entry #19
Title: Futile Excuses
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Akimoto Sayaka, Shinoda Mariko
Word Count: 1449
Futile Excuses
Excuses after excuses, someday she will run out of them. Sayaka knows and honestly she is fed up with making up excuses, majority of which did not even make sense and was a dead giveaway of her reluctance to go.
She does not understand herself. She does not get why she has to constantly turn down Mariko’s offers. Going out for a meal is a typical activity people, as social beings, do with friends and colleagues in order to bond, get closer, and know more of each other’s virtue.
Standing and facing the wall of the restroom, Sayaka mumbles to herself, blaming her hidden awkwardness and inability to be more sociable. This morning she did it again; she turned down Mariko’s 1001th offer for a meal together. She does not want to recall the stupid excuse she made. She is sure that Mariko totally could tell that she made things up and was purposely avoiding her.
It is the day of an important rehearsal, so everyone has gathered together in that arena to rehearse their stages since early in the morning. Tagging along Yuko, who wanted to socialize with team A members so early, Sayaka ended up standing awkwardly for a short while inside the dressing room before approaching Takamina, whom she was the most chummy with in that team.
Suddenly, Mariko called her and motioned her to come to where she was sitting. Having no reason to disobey the older woman, Sayaka immediately strolled toward Mariko. She was in fact happy to see Mariko, who had been such a kind older sister to everyone including herself, but she could predict that Mariko would ask her to go for a meal together again. For some odd reasons, which were pretty much non existent, Sayaka was not ready to either say yes or no.
In the end though, she made up an excuse again. She was so helpless at that point. “Sorry, I can’t, maybe next time. I’ll have to use my free time to clean up my room that is much like a pig sty at the moment,” Sayaka reasoned, stuttering occasionally. Mariko understood and nodded in response as she positively replied, “It’s ok. There’s always next time.”
Quickly after that exchange reached its end, Sayaka intended to leave that room and go back to her team’s dressing room. Guilt had crept on her rather faster than usual, and it made her unusually nervous. Having her mind occupied and nervousness taken control, she walked carelessly and wobbly much like a drunkard till she finally bumped her hip on the edge of a table nearby.
“OUCH!!” she yelped very loudly, loud enough for all the occupants of the noisy room to hear. A storm of laughter broke loose after it occurred to everyone that Sayaka had clumsily banged her poor hip against the solid inanimate object.
“Are… hmmmph…you ok?” someone asked worriedly in a deep voice, besides obviously trying to stifle her laughter. She held Sayaka’s arm and patted her head gently. Sayaka, who was spontaneously making a weird face as her automatic reaction to the pain, turned around only to find the one she was trying to run away from standing at such a close proximity from her awkwardly standing body.
“Oh, Mariko-sama. I’m fine. I’m a superwoman. Don’t worry,” Sayaka said, giving her utmost to hide the pain. She gently pulled her arm away from Mariko’s grip before storming out the door along with her forced obnoxious laughter.
Recalling the embarrassing morning, Sayaka thumps her head on the wall lightly but repeatedly. “Why are you like this?” she mutters to herself. She palms her own cheeks in her hands, “It’s ok, Sayaka! GANBATTE!”
Sayaka really does not want Mariko to deduce that she dislikes her due to the constant rejections. There are some reasons that only she and a few closest friends, like Yuko, understand. If she tells Mariko her real reasons for turning her offers down, she will end up being laughed at. It is simply because of her unnoticed social awkwardness. She worries over trivial things like topics to talk about, how to make the conversation interesting, etc; concerns that only the socially awkward or timid bunches understand.
After a quick celebration of a staff’s birthday in the midst of the rehearsal, Sayaka runs, heading to her dressing room to get her towel, which she forgot to take out, still holding a piece of creamy cake in her hand and a microphone in her other hand.
She is about to run pass the Team A dressing room when someone suddenly pushes the door open, causing Sayaka to stop in her tracks so sudden that she loses grip of her cake. Knowing her luck today, not only she bumps her knee hard on the door, but her cake also flies toward the figure that is stepping out from behind it.
The creamy cake lands flat on the tall woman’s face and its whip cream dirties the neckband of her t-shirt down to the chest area of it. She spontaneously heaves a sigh as she is wiping her own face.
“Oh.my.goodness. Mariko-sama, I’m so sorry,” Sayaka says apologetically as she approaches the one in front of her, wanting to help cleaning the cream off her. “Ah, Sayaka,” Mariko says in a flat tone as she turns around to enter the room again. Sayaka guiltily follows her, walking in heavy steps. She frets about the possibility of having unintentionally upset the older woman.
“Do you bring another comfortable t-shirt to change in?” asked Sayaka. “I have two extra t-shirts. Do you want me to take one for you?”
Mariko smiles casually in response to Sayaka’s visibly concerned face and kind offer. “It’s fine. I have one in my bag,” Mariko replies as she is wiping her neck and jaw with tissues.
Thereafter, Sayaka takes a seat in front of Mariko and puts down the microphone she has been holding since the rehearsal started. “Are you ok?” Mariko asks. “You bashed your knee against the door quite hard just now.” Invisible to anyone, Sayaka feels touched by how Mariko can express her concern despite being the victim of Sayaka’s carelessness. “It’s fine. I’m made of steel,” she replies confidently.
“You’re strangely clumsy today,” Mariko says, suppressing her giggles.
“I wonder…” Sayaka trails off, with her hands rubbing her knee caps. Frankly speaking, she does not know why she is so careless today. Perhaps, it is just a bad day, one unfortunate day that she has to go through. “Eh, by the way, why are you alone in the dressing room?” Sayaka inquires.
“Oh, I was taking a quick rest for I had a light headache. I’m alright now,” Mariko explains the reason why she stayed all by herself in the dressing room, while the other members were rehearsing.
Grabbing her own bag and hanging the strap of it on her shoulder, Mariko stands up. “I’m going to the restroom to change, do businesses, etcetera. You can go back to rehearse or do whatever you were planning to do.”
Mariko has already placed her hand on the doorknob when Sayaka tells her something. “Hey, I’m going for the meal,” says Sayaka in a loud voice. That is a first for Mariko to get her offer accepted by Sayaka. Keeping her cool, she turns around to face the one who is still sitting. “Oh… cool!! Tomorrow, after our practice. You know I can ask Yuko or Sae to join if you want,” Mariko says, seemingly aware of Sayaka’s inner struggle.
Feeling mildly surprised of how sensible and understanding Mariko is, Sayaka shakes her head before firmly stating her willingness to go out for a meal with just the two of them. “Just the two of us is perfectly fine,” comes her reply.
Seeing how confident Sayaka of her own promise, Mariko is pleased. “Cast away all your worries. We’ll have fun,” Mariko promises, to which Sayaka nods. Before completely leaving the room through the opened door, the taller woman looks at Sayaka once again. “Sayaka, in the end your excuses are futile,” she says, beaming and winking mischievously.
Well, she is right. Sayaka thinks so too. Her doubts, resistance, worries and made up excuses are futile in the presence of Mariko’s persistence and sincerity. Burying her face in her hands, she wears a relieved and thankful smile on her face, expressing her gratitude for having crossed paths with such a compassionate friend, who is like a big sister to her.
-
Entry #20
Title: The Flower and the Sea
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Hirajima Natsumi, Iwasa Misaki, Nacchan/Wasamin
Word Count: 2363
The Flower and the Sea
“Please forget.”
“…Never.”
-
I reluctantly trudged about on the uneven dirt road, my temper flaring as the merciless sun glared down from above. Every step grew heavier and only added to the miniature dust storm swirling chaotically underfoot.
Tired of precariously dodging stray horse hooves and creaking wooden wheels, I found myself away from the hustle and bustle of the main street and in the relaxing shade of the local teahouse. One foot reflexively stepped over the entryway, thirsty for the cool shadows. My hand instinctively moved to save the ends of my robe from trailing behind in the dirt.
I settled on the nearest empty stool and let out a sigh of relief, gingerly picking up the steaming cup. Ironically, it would offer me comfort in the scorching weather I just escaped. After carefully wetting my lips, I slightly angled the hot drink, trying to inconspicuously examine my reflection.
Good, the heat doesn’t seem to have marred my disguise.
Placing the tea back on the table with a clack, I dug out a few spare coins and intended to brave the summer heat again.
That is, until a passing glance at her left me simply dumbfounded.
A calm pitter-patter of steps announced her arrival. Regal rays of the sun lighted her path, guiding her through the worn doorway, draping her in its golden warmth, and shading a slight cherry blush on her pale complexion. Her ebony eyes shyly surveyed the room, most likely looking for a familiar face.
She caught my stare and a gentle smile of acknowledgement flit across her thin lips before she continued searching. It seems her target was the owner, busily rushing from table to table.
“Ojii-san!” Her voice was surprisingly powerful, yet it retained the air of elegance and reservation she carried about herself.
The owner’s ears pricked up at the call of his name, frantically searching for whoever needed his presence next. At the sight of his new guest, he broke out into a splitting smile. “I was not expecting you so early! Please wait a few seconds; I’ll get your order right away.” With that, he quickly disappeared behind the counter and popped back up with a black box in hand. The two exited to the city streets, back into the staggering whiteness of the sun.
A few minutes later, the old man returned alone.
Thus, our first meeting, short and abrupt, was over.
-
“…So, want to tell me what happened today?” Haruka’s Cheshire grin invaded my line of sight.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I went out to get new ink and brushes. That’s all.” I replied, finding an intense interest in the grooves of the stone bench we were sitting on.
Haruka rolled her eyes. “Don’t play me for an idiot. I know something happened. Spill it.”
Her porcelain, doll-like face and sweet, delicate voice flooded my mind again.
Letting my shoulders relax, I closed my eyes and shallowly exhaled, murmuring, “She is perfection.”
“She? A girl? I leave for a few months and now you’re into girls! Natsumi, shattering barriers for thousands of years to come. Does your current situation make you forget that you’re actually a girl too?!” Her voice crescendoed.
My eyes snapped open, and I whipped my head, ponytail flailing from the sudden jerk, to glare at Haruka. My expression scrunched up with displeasure. “Don’t say that so loud! Besides, what about you and your beloved Kikuchi?” I added with a teasing smirk.
Now, it was her turn to throw murderous daggers my way.
“That is none of your business.” She said with a huff, angrily stabbing her spoon into the unsuspecting shaved ice and face ripening like a tomato.
“Actually, you being my little sister and Ayaka being my best friend already makes it more than my business. Anyway, tell Yuki that I won’t be able to help out at lessons tomorrow.”
“Going to hunt for your mystery girl?”
“…Maybe. Would she accept me? I guess the more appropriate question is if I’ll even see her again…” I sighed dejectedly, staring at the soft, trodden earth.
Haruka enveloped me in a bear hug, burying her face in my shoulder. “There isn’t a single human being, girl or boy, who wouldn’t fall in love with such a wonderful person like Nacchan. I’m sure you’ll find her.”
-
When light reduced to darkness earlier everyday, the passerby in the streets mainly consisted of fallen leaves that wandered into sight with the persuasion of the wind. However, as quickly as they came, the flying sparks and embers vanished from view after being doused by the same cutting breeze.
That day, fate, with its wispy hand, gently guided my lost heart towards her.
I was returning from another seemingly hopeless search. Each day’s journey took its mental toll. Today would have been the second to last until the suffering life of my hope was put down.
Before I was absorbed in the shadows of the side entrance reserved for residents of the school, I heard the low, rumbling creak of the front gate. Yuki stepped into the warm glow of the yellow lantern and bowed.
Then, she descended into the light. A king’s daughter, high in a white palace.
As the two were exchanging their final words, I briskly marched over. Drawing closer to her, my heart resounded with each anxious step I took.
“Yuki!” I called for his attention.
Perturbed at who would be out at this hour, he squinted towards the darkness with a furrowed brow. She waited with anticipation as well. Yuki’s face was instantly relieved of worry once the lantern removed my mask of night.
“Natsuo!” He replied with a single wave.
“Who’s our guest?” I questioned, determined to properly address my princess.
Introductions were made.
Her name was Misaki.
Of course, I was presented as Natsuo, one of the town’s top scholars.
And 100% male.
In the end, it was decided with not-so-inconspicuous, overexaggerated gestures from Yuki that I would be the gentleman to walk her home.
Haruka probably got to him, but grateful for any fragment of a chance, I desperately reached to snatch as much of heaven as I could.
-
“Look up.”
She slowed to a stop. Her eyes became mirrors, reflecting the faint shimmer of the night sky’s scattered pearls.
“Beautiful.”
Overhead, the cloudless moon illuminated the soft fog of her light breath.
“Are you cold?”
“…Just a bit.”
“Here.” I shifted the flickering oil lamp to my right hand and hesitantly drifted towards her. My free hand timidly wrapped around hers, hoping to shelter it from the brisk autumn breeze.
At first, her small hand was cold to the touch. Soon, it tingled to life with heat, permeating through both of our fingertips. Hand in hand, we continued the rest of the way in silence.
A quiet peace existed between us, smiles budding as we merely enjoyed each other’s presence.
When we reached the post with a blank, mounted placard, I was reluctant to let go. As her hand left mine, my fingers cried out for their lost friends, despairingly grasping the dark, hollow emptiness.
I let her escape into the confines of the front gate, but before she was gone for good, she fluttered back to my side and kissed my cheek.
“Thank you very much, Natsuo.” With that final whisper, she faded out of my sight, behind the locked gate in the world of lost dreams. The only proof of her existence was the lingering sweet scent of snowdrops.
She left me stunned, again.
“Misaki…” My voice came out as an inaudible and pitiful whimper.
I was a child who just lost something precious.
This is what love is.
-
Winter descended, glazing everything in a layer of lustrous ice crystals. The ever vigilant trees braved the prickling temperatures as their dull, coarse brown dresses were accessorized with a puffy white scarf and individual gloves on the tips of each branch.
The town drew upon the frosted landscape. It laid submerged in slumber, the dim burning coals behind misty windows its only sign of life, patiently waiting to be reborn under the blanket of purity.
My time with Misaki grew more frequent. She often visited the school, quickly taking a liking to my friends and colleagues. Nonetheless, whenever we wanted a private retreat from the raucous laughter, we would flee to the lonely pagoda on the outskirts of town.
At first, I remained far from her, seating myself at the opposite end of a table and choosing to admire from afar while she relaxed by the window. As our daily conversations smoothly flowed with gentle laughter, I was eased along the stream.
Before the end of the year, I sat with her in my lap by the window, protecting her from the biting temperatures.
Nobody ever disturbed us, especially not in the dead of winter.
We strolled through many idyllic days of young love, silently satisfying our growing hunger for each other simply by being together. The times we spoke were rare and soft. Our voices dropped, barely a low murmur since we were so close.
However, with every passing day, the ominous overhanging cloud grew bigger. I knew it was a sadistic trade off of relishing each glance, touch, or word and the mounting, stinging slap of reality that would eventually fall.
It only confirmed itself when I nodded off one day.
I was holding her and living through the connection between our hands. My chest evenly rose and fell with deep breaths, feeling safe with her.
In the midst of my peaceful slumber, a surge of honeyed snowdrops overwhelmed my senses. A soft, fleeting pressure lightly danced against my lips.
By then, I was wide awake.
I felt her sink comfortably back into me and securely re-lock our hands together.
I knew I had to tell her.
-
“Akemashite omedetou, Misaki.” I focused directly on her eyes with a small, wistful smile.
“Akemashite omedetou. Natsu, is something wrong?” Sensing the tense, melancholic air about me, her eyes bore back into mine, gleaming with genuine worry and tenderness.
“We need to talk.”
My heart contorted in anguish as I helplessly watched her gaze falter and drop to the ground. Her hand tightly gripped the cloth of her outer kimono, white knuckles noticeably defined against the dark ocean blue.
I cowardly turned away, foolishly believing, hoping that for a moment that my pain could be erased by not looking at her.
I could no longer hurt her.
Or myself.
I could no longer lie.
Everyday was another shallow, stinging cut.
Not enough to kill but enough to drive insane.
I can’t feel anymore.
My head aches.
My heart aches.
I need to know this answer.
“Misaki, do you love me?”
She gave me a curious, puzzling look like a confused puppy before evenly meeting my troubled gaze and firmly responding, “Natsuo. Natsuo, I love you. Unconditionally and uncompromisingly.”
I closed my eyes.
I weakly drew in a shaky breath, another constricted, piercing cut.
Inhale.
Exhale.
“Then call me Natsumi.”
I loosened my outer robe and it freely slipped off my shoulders, revealing my unbound chest and distinct feminine curves.
The silent seconds dragged on, every chilling moment agonizingly clawing away at my mind.
I did not want to open my eyes, fearing the worst.
“…Why?”
I clearly heard the torment of betrayal in her single, choked gasp.
I saw my dream shatter.
I was greedy and tried to take too much.
“Because I love you.” I painfully answered her as tears tortuously streaked down my face, even though my eyes were already dead.
The lock on my heart’s box cracked, my soul drifting through the rifts.
During the first night, I came to know love. But on the last morning, I came to know tears.
Now, I would stand alone, cold and emptily staring at the lifeless sky, a dark abyss.
I approached her and gently cupped her delicate cheek, selfishly wanting to engrave at least a final parting memory of utopia before I vanished completely.
“I’m sorry. Goodbye, Misaki.
Please forget…”
I would leave.
I would help her forget.
I would help her heal.
This love will sleep in my memories.
I stiffly put on my heavy, winter robe and was about to exit without a single glance back.
“…Never.”
She hastily caught my freezing hand.
Suddenly, my bleak, monochrome world reverberated with a pulse of lush color.
“Never.
Stay. Please, Natsumi.”
Hearing my name, I had no choice but to obey the command. I was still enslaved by the melodious, tantalizing voice I adored.
I hesitantly turned back to face Misaki, my coal, black eyes smoldering as her spirit from our contact persuaded me to live again.
She just stood and enduringly held me as I dissolved into tears. Every broken, heaving sob freed me, the misery of my burden eroding away. Under my tears, the suffocating chains rusted and collapsed.
I learned to breathe again.
When my eyes ran dry, Misaki led me to our familiar spot and sat down, never letting go of my hands.
She knew that she was the only thing keeping me alive.
She brought my hands up and pressed them against my stained cheeks, her fingers still interwoven with mine. My haphazard breaths slowly evened out as her revitalizing warmth caressed my exhausted body.
Misaki captured my swollen eyes, intensely training on the darkest depths of my pupils. Only absolute sincerity and passion blazed in her unwavering gaze as her words tenderly brushed my ears.
“I am right here with you, at your side. I’ll be fine with just Natsumi and no one else.”
A tired but satisfied smile found its way onto my face, longing to reciprocate even a fraction of her affection. I gently pulled Misaki into a tight embrace and felt her lips trace a smile on my neck.
The snow softly floated down from the endless, white sky.
The beautiful, blooming flower would forever rest in the waves of the calm, summer sea.
-
Entry #21
Title: Broken Locker
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Mitsumune Kaoru, Shinoda Mariko
Word Count: 2997
Broken Locker
“That’s it for today!” barked a gruff male voice and from all around her Mitsumune Kaoru heard groans of relief, her own joining in on that chorus though muffled by the table she had her forehead pressed against.
She had inadvertently made contact with it when she bent at the waist to take a deep breath and then decided to just stay clinging to it.
Practice was over. Finally.
Once she got her breath back she padded to the long stretch of bench at the back of the dance studio where her bag sat.
There were a couple of stragglers like herself but they soon tiredly waved goodbye and she found herself alone.
She wiped her brow and arms with a towel before quickly slipping on her midnight blue hooded sweatshirt with a bleach stain at the cuff trying to stave off the chill in the ever always cold room.
Looking down at the bleached white mark though Kaoru couldn’t help the surprise at how quickly her at-home clothing had started to make their way into dance rehearsal.
She had become fashion conscious in her early teens more so out of necessity in finding the right clothes to fit her lanky frame, which in turn eventually lead to things like modeling.
However lately she had been spending more and more time in basketball shorts or gray sweatpants.
She would still on occasion make a face at how she looked in the mirrored wall upon entering the room but for the most part she had grown accustomed to it all.
Possibly this new fashion trend also had to do with running through her wardrobe so quickly considering the 5 hours of rehearsals any given night.
Another possibility though, and it was a surprise to her at the time, how quickly she had felt at home among the girls.
Her fellow research students must have felt the same because it wasn’t usual for a few of the girls to turn up similarly attired, or sometimes in, what Kaoru was half sure was their pajamas. They also gotten into the habit of sharing snacks and swapping music playing devices during breaks. Never had Kaoru listened to such a wide array of music in a relatively short period of time. A lot of artists she wouldn’t have guessed the girls to like also.
And then there were times when they got a little too relaxed and Kaoru would have to sidestep girls who had fallen asleep on the piles of backpacks and handbags sometimes left in the corner.
Maybe the fact she had been around models for too long, who were careful to hide their weaknesses for fear that they would be exploited, explained some of her initial culture shock to the organization.
Another difference she had to acclimated to was being around girls much younger than herself – at times they were five years her junior. And still, they were more apt at learning dance steps than she was and Kaoru found herself falling behind middle school students, probably for the first time since middle school.
At those times the dance co-ordinator had taken her aside and reminded her that her body wasn’t as conditioned as some of the girls were and that she shouldn’t feel frustrated if it took her a little longer to learn the steps. Though what Kaoru heard and what seemed to hang above them unsaid was: ‘get better before you let everyone down’.
She gave a shivered and to prove herself and the memory wrong she did a quick run through the routine, careful to watch in the mirror that she was hitting her mark and would stay within formation.
She did it that time, but it was harder when among the seas of girls. More adjustments had to be made. Oh, and she had to smile.
Kaoru took one last look around and readied herself to leave, packing away her much abused water bottle when she heard a voice a little ways off and noticed the accordion-style room separator wasn’t totally closed.
Kaoru took a curious step towards the voices and heard a rather exasperated voice proclaim: “It has to be this locker! I’ve checked every locker on this floor. This has to be it.”
“You tried every locker on the floor?” asked a voice, different this time, calm with only the slightest hint of mocking.
“Every single one! This is crazy, how is this not the easiest mystery of them all?” persisted the first voice. “All you have to do is look for lockers!”
“And you’ve managed to track them all down?”
“Yes!”
“And found nothing?”
“Nothing at all” answered the voice glumly, “and I’ve tried every combination: bike lockers, shoe lockers, diary lockers…!”
“Wait,” interrupted the second voice, “you read someone’s diary?”
“Um.” And then there was an awkward silence. “Only a little bit,” admitted the girl and then paused, “Kobayashi-san draws a lot of treasure maps in her planner.”
“Not exactly one of the seven mysteries… but it does explain where she disappearing to every so often” answered back the second voice dryly.
“Uh. I guess?”
‘There’s a seven mysteries of the AKB48 theater…? Are they kidding?!’ Kaoru couldn’t keep the meddling tone of incredulity out of her thoughts, it sounded like something girls in dormitories would make up.
She moved away from the gap in the divider and back to the task at hand when without really meaning to, she let the idea sink in to the depths of her mind… and bits and pieces of discussions started surfacing, making sense to her like they hadn’t before:
“It’s not a cracked locker, it’s a broken locker…”
“She’s right, it’s ‘The Cracked Mirror’. You’re getting them mixed up.”
And
“What kind of ‘broken’ do you think it is? Like a locker without a key? Does this mean we’re looking for a key?”
And another time as all the girls were gathered together eating home-made cookies supplied by Team A’s Shinoda Mariko as a welcoming gift:
“Wait, how are there five? We’re calling them ‘seven’ but there’s only five?”
“Seven mysteries sound better, it’s like in a manga…”
“… you’re a manga.”
Kaoru wondered why she never bothered to ask about these obviously odd conversations. She guilty wondered if someone had brought it up once around her and she had been utterly dismissive. It wasn’t as though they had hidden this from her.
‘I guess, they didn’t think I’d be interested…’
She was older than a lot of them and even naturally fell into the caregiver role at times, mostly when it came to dress rehearsals: her fingers quickly knit together buttons, straightening bows and frame efficiently squatting down to tie loose shoe laces.
She hadn’t felt too much unease upon entering AKB48 as a 13th gen. (generation) research student even with the amount of attention she received for it, she had expected some degree of gossip, even ridicule… only it hadn’t happened.
Now she wondered guilty, if in waiting for someone to act unfairly to her… she made the first move.
She suddenly felt the need to keep herself busy and moving, her hands automatically went to the zips of her bag, mindlessly checking if they were all secure and the proceeded to sling it over her shoulder and made her way to the elevators.
As the doors to the lift shut and she began to descend a funny thought came floating to her, the oddball idea of a “broken locker”. She had encountered one.
‘It’s a long shot though….’
The girls had attended an orientation from theater manager Tomonobu Togasaki in the days before their introduction, where he had alerted them to the theaters use of alternative exits.
The most common ones were underground but there were times when different avenues had to be utilized to ensure the girls safety.
There was a surprising escape route that they had walk through that first day, it put the girls in front of the very people who should instantly notice girls within AKB48, even research students… yet, it somehow worked, since the tactic in use was ‘speed’.
By the time any one realized it was them. They would be gone.
Kaoru walked as discreetly and calmly as she could however, the Don Quijote department store was packaged and bustling as usual and with the added distraction of having her hat pulled half way down her face, she couldn’t help bump into people.
“Sorry, I’m sorry,” she said for the fifth time before coming to a halt in front of a display of squirrel costumes.
She tried to remember exactly where the exit was situated and drew a blank until she made the mistake of coming into contact with a novelty umbrella with a samurai sword handle – the same one that gave her a light scratch above her eyebrow the last time. She easily located the hidden door from there.
Kaoru peered around to see if anyone was watching, turned the handle and slipped inside.
‘Well, if there’s ever a prize for the most innocuous hallways to be kidnapped in…’
The hallway itself was unremarkable slate gray, floor to ceiling sharing the same color scheme, the only strays of color was the row of mahogany doors and the hanging ‘exit’ sign.
On the day of the tour, Kaoru had spent most of it shuffling in the back since it only made sense given her height… plus she wasn’t sure how the girls would react to her.
She hadn’t been paying much attention when the cuff of her sleeve caught on a metallic latch and it snapped off.
Since no one was watching she tried to fix it back into place to little avail, she took note of the door sign and hung back when the orientation had ended and the girls began their leave.
“Togasaki-san, sorry, one of the latches caught on my sleeve and broke,” and held it out to him.
Looking down at his palm a curious look passed over the theater manager’s face and then he chuckled. “Do you remember which door it came off of?”
“Yes sir, it last one before the exit.”
The door looked as it did then, the latch hadn’t been fixed and Kaoru noticed an amber light coming from under the door, so she twisted the knob and let the door swing open.
The room itself wasn’t large, about half the size of the rehearsal space, a perfect square. To her very right she caught sight of what she expected. A breaker box. It looked like it hadn’t been accessed for a while.
Taking in step inside Kaoru’s eyes swept across the rest of dusty expanse and was greeted with boxes of varying sizes, large bins and old pieces of sound equipment, all organized in a haphazard manner.
‘Should this really be called organized?’ she asked herself and then decided ‘yes’.
While not grouped in any particular fashion, there was a noticeable path and Kaoru found herself slowly zig-zaging between the uneven rows.
She jumped when she thought she saw a figure hovering on one of the industrial-sized metal shelves that took up the entire back wall and leap back, sending a pile of magazines and packing material clattering to the ground.
Then she realized they were a series of cardboard cut outs and reached out to flip through them.
Faded-looking, dusty and dented… but Kaoru recognized a few of the AKB48 members in the mix: Maeda Astuko wearing a Santa hat. Takahashi Minami in an elf costume. Oshima Yuko riding… a jetski?
Suddenly Kaoru sensed another person and turned to find an unconcerned Shinoda Mariko leaning against the door frame.
She forgot to breath for a moment, it almost looked like a beautiful sketch: dilapidated surrounds and Mariko-sama dressed immaculately in white and looking off into the distance.
“Sorry to intrude, Shinoda-san,” Kaoru began, “I had a hunch about something and…” she waited for Mariko to prompt her, accuse her of trespassing maybe? Delving into AKB48’s dirty secret.
‘Well, not so much secret as storeroom’, she corrected herself.
But Mariko only briefly looked her way and shrugged. “It’s alright Mitsumune-san.”
“What is this place? I mean, I know it’s some kind of storage room,” Kaoru added, “but is it ‘for’ something? A holiday celebration?” She guessed gesturing at Santa hat wearing Acchan.
“It’s junk”, Mariko said simply.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow at this… though she had to agree some of it was indeed junk-like.
There was a metal bin filled with rolled up posters and upon unfurling one Kaoru realized it had a corner ripped away and its surface was bumpy like it was hung outside and made to weather the rain.
There were several more of the same poster and then the stacks of what she first thought to be magazines which turned out to be programs, from AKB48’s debut year.
“Isn’t this a collector’s item?” Kaoru asked, holding it up to show Mariko before instantly getting into a coughing fit from the amount of dust that heaved off of it.
“It’s from 2005,” Mariko remarked dismissively, “hardly anyone brought it then.”
Kaoru wasn’t sure what to make of the situation, so she started to ramble.
“Do you come here often?” And then inwardly smack herself in the forehead for asking such a question and phrasing it in that way.
“I come here when I can. I love it here.”
“Ok.”
A short answer seemed like the best bet and found herself having to remind herself she was speaking with a sempai – even if it was a sempai who took to hanging out with inanimate objects like dusty storage room.
At this silence Mariko finally crossed pass the threshold of the door and she came to stand at the box closes to the entrance, her palms resting then drumming on a cardboard box.
It looked water damage and only one flap remained. The thing looked like it could disintegrate at any given moment.
“The first time I came down here,” Mariko began “I was passing out fliers. I passed quite a bit but I still had a couple left. A box left actually, this is where they were kept.”
“What were the fliers for?” Kaoru asked.
The older girl calmly pulled up the flap of the box and reached inside. “40% of drinks” she read and then placed the A5 slip of white paper face side down and reached into the box again. This time the paper was a pale green.
“Children in for free. Family bonus.”
And now a blue piece of paper, “Ooh lala” and then she used it to fan herself. “Free t-shirt.”
“I don’t get where you’re coming from,” Kaoru admitted, the moment in time feeling more than a little surreal.
“This entire room is filled with AKB48’s many failures. From contests and discounts. Christmas promotions… Easter, Halloween… there are key rings and covers to phones that have since been discontinued. Bobbleheads.”
“Bobbleheads?”
“Bobbleheads,” Mariko nodded, “they just didn’t sell.”
So Kaoru reached for what she thought was a forgone conclusion, “so, why keep it here? It seems a waste to keep them here for all these years….”
“It’s only been a few months since they were off the shelves.”
‘A few months?’
This news didn’t make sense to Kaoru. AKB48 had sold out stadiums. They sold a million of singles within a week. They held a Janken tournament at Budokan and appeared at Kohaku… They were opening franchises in other countries and now cafes.
‘Surely someone has to willing to buy whatever AKB48 has on offer…?’ And then Kaoru stopped in her tracks. A sudden cold ran through her veins. And realized she couldn’t go on thinking this way… it that all changed. It wasn’t an “other” to her anymore… not while she and the research students trained night after night together. Trying to get better.
“Kaoru, if this isn’t all that you were promised. Would you still want to practice, train and preform with those girls?”
And the answer was there, and it was simple.
From the day she stepped into the rehearsal room and took a look at her hair standing on end from her over-sized headphone raking through it and then laughed about it. The girls wandering in joining in on the laughter… some trying to bribe her with snacks so she’d pose with her hair looking ridiculous. And it working.
She knew she wanted to be there.
“Yes, I would still want to be here.”
Mariko smiled at this. “That’s good to hear.”
Kaoru took another look around and it felt as though the image was changing around her. What felt like crowded hoarder’s paradise before… now felt almost cozy.
She spotted a compact tea set sitting on one of the newer boxes besides a small red cushion and Kaoru could picture Mariko peacefully sipping tea and flipping through the old programs… or drawing whiskers on some of the cardboard cut outs.
Basking in good memories and taking note and learning to improving from the bad. And she suddenly felt like she was intruding.
“I’ll go now,” she said, taking a last look around.
Mariko followed her to the door, “Kaoru, is there a reason you came in the first place?”
“The label on the door, it was translated from English to Japanese to English again. I noticed when I accidentally broke the latch.”
“Good thing you did,” Mariko said nonchalantly, “I was inside at the time and waiting for someone to come get me.”
“What?” But by the time Kaoru had turned back around the door was already shut.
‘Mystery #4 - The Broken Locker.’ [Solved]
-
Barely 13 hours left! More than enough time to still participate :heart:
Entry #22
Title: Do We Live for the Fight?
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Center, Nezumi, Otabe
Word Count: 1119
Do We Live for the Fight?
It’s been a year. One year since since Shibuya’s downfall. Since Maeda was thrown in jail. Since the Kabkuki Sisters, Shaku, Gakuran, and Gekikara graduated. Since you left.
We defeated Otabe and Rapapa. We’d taken the top.
You claimed there was nothing left for you here.
Including…
Me.
-
Clunk. Clunk.
Nezumi’s dull goldenrod boots fell into a hypnotic step as she climbed the famous staircase. A shadow closely followed her, barely making a step.
The little mouse stopped and paused for a moment.
“Center, are you ready for this?” She asked in her slightly mocking, yet playful tone.
The shadow stepped into the bars of sunshine falling through the half closed blinds. She closed her eyes and ran one hand through her hair, successfully completing her pre-fight ritual.
“Of course. I will not be knocked down these stairs again.” Center locked onto the closed door of the Rapapa room. Her obsidian eyes were lusting for vengeance.
Her companion cast a wayward glance at the dirt-stained linoleum floor and smirked. She stuck her flavorless piece of gum on the faded windowsill and readjusted her gloves.
“Are you serious?” She asked the famous rhetorical question and gave a single laugh, which echoed eerily off the walls of the confined stairwell. Center simply stood muted and watched Nezumi casually pop a fresh piece of sickly, pink bubblegum into her mouth.
The two continued upwards, towards the gate of hell.
-
The beaten door creaked open with the turn of a silver knob.
Otabe was at her usual spot in front of the single window, silently overseeing all of the grounds of Majijo.
It was the calm before the storm and she was at the eye.
“I’m assuming you’ve come to challenge me.” She turned and calmly faced the two intruders, addressing them in the utmost polite Japanese. Her stone expression never changed.
Nezumi gave her sweetest smirk and stepped forward. Her shadow followed suit, never taking her eyes off her target.
“There’s no negotiating this time, Otabe. No Yabakune, Shibuya or Maeda to stop us. You have to fight now.”
Otabe blinked once.
She turned around and suddenly snapped the blood red blinds closed.
The famous Majijo symbol flashed into existence.
“Very well. Please follow me.” The current head of Rapapa disappeared behind another black, solid door.
Nezumi and Center followed her in.
The reached the legendary room where Maeda and Sado once fought.
The towering flag ofMajisukaHigh Schoolpresided as referee over the fighters, ensuring everyone was true to her yankee soul.
The iron door shut slowly shut with a barely audible click. Otabe reappeared.
“Shall we begin?”
Instantly, Center hungrily lunged forward with a frenzied shout, unable to keep the wild fighting instinct in her under control anymore. Her eyes ignited with joy at taking on the one of Majijo’s strongest.
A blur of brown was hurled in the direction of Otabe’s face.
TheKyotofighter easily dodged it, by taking just a single step to the right. She kept her unwavering calm expression. There wasn’t a single hair out of place.
The blur kept speeding along. When Center hit the wall, she bent her knee and propelled herself towards her opponent again. Moments before colliding with Otabe, her fist shot out and she attempted to deliver a crushing blow to the abdomen.
“Defeating me will not be so simple. Give me a real fight.” The short-haired fighter easily caught the incoming punch and stopped it with her left palm. Using her free hand, she gripped Center’s forearm and sent her flying into a dusty stack of chairs.
…
Center wiped the bleeding corner of her mouth, smearing the red liquid of life on her cardigan’s sleeve. The smell of iron and heavy gasps for air filled the room.
Otabe was recovering from her opponent’s savage assault. It was a bit frightening, to see Center’s eyes occasionally lapsing into the crazed realm of Gekikara. She clutched her bicep, surely purple and sore from one of Center’s sporadic attacks.
After several thirsty lungfuls of air, Center’s breathing evened out and she settled back into her fighting stance. Otabe gradually limped to the middle of the disoriented arena.
One, under the spell of her fighting spirit, and the other, under the pressure of possible defeat, were both entranced by her opponent and no one else.
Neither noticed the little orange mouse that wordlessly scurried out of the room.
-
Center found herself being able to comprehend again.
Otabe was laying still on the ground across the room, her shallow breaths the only sign of life.
She had been defeated for the second time in her life.
A light shadow fell across her face and she opened her eyes.
It was Center’s bruised hand, offering her help.
“Congratulations, Center. You defeated Rapapa.” Otabe gave her opponent a small smile, speaking in her ever polite form.
The great flag of Majijo waved approvingly in the background.
However, none of this mattered to Center.
She had to find her lost mouse.
-
The grafittied hallways were bathed in a red-orange light from the setting sun.
Center flew down the stairs, taking two at a time. There was only one word racing in her mind.
Where?
She sprinted through the school, rapidly glancing through each classroom window, hoping to catch any sight of an orange hood, black hair, or yellow boots.
She kept running, even though it was already dark.
The halls were empty. The classrooms were empty. The infirmary was empty.
Center roughly jerked open the door to the school roof. She slowly stepped out into the cool night air, intently listening for any sounds indicating Nezumi might be there.
When she reached the fenced barrier, Center stared out at the town.
The moon was high in the sky, casting its silver radiance over the darkness, allowing the evening to borrow a somber, magical quality.
Center saw the silhouettes of families enjoying time together in many homes, shadows of couples’ linked hands under the street lamps, and upbeat steps of friends on the sidewalk.
But, no where was her little mouse to be seen.
Only one place was left.
The gymnasium.
-
The door creaked closed behind Center. The faint lights lit up enough for her to see a lonely scrap of paper pinned to the stage.
“Congratulations, you defeated Rapapa and became the top. Goodbye.” It was signed from Nezumi.
Center dropped to her knees.
She should have noticed her leaving.
She should have stopped the fight.
She should have stopped her.
But she didn’t.
And now, she was left alone. Again.
Did she truly live for the fight?
-
Last entry? We hope still not! 8 hours until deadline :panic:
Entry #23
Title: Don’t Forget Your Keys
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko
Word Count: 1093
Don’t Forget Your Keys
Being trapped in a room with someone else wasn’t supposed to be as awkward as this. However, with an odd reason, this has become awkward for two Team A members.
“Ah, mou~ Why did I have to forget my keys…” Kojima Haruna stared at the door of the dressing room only to find it locked from outside.
“I don’t have my keys with me as well…” Maeda Atsuko, AKB48’s ace, replied from behind Kojima Haruna. “Is any more Staff-san going to be around anymore?”
“It’s already one in the morning… I seriously doubt that right now.” Kojima Haruna sighed and walked towards one corner (being someone who likes confined places and all), and sat there. “I’m sure we won’t be able to get out from here anymore.”
After those words were said, the sound of droplets from the sky resounded in the room. Apparently it had started raining, and a loud thunderclap made a sleepy Maeda sit up straight from her chair.
Acchan looked around for her companion and found her seated on a corner, and she walked towards the older female. “Can I… can I sit with you?”
KojiHaru just looked at her and nodded with a smile. Maeda Atsuko immediately sat beside the catgirl and snuggled close enough to her to pass heat as the rain continued pouring.
Again, there was comfortable silence.
The two had been together since AKB48 started. Even though not many people have seen them interact a lot, they were quite close as well, being people in the same generation. Being together, trapped in a room like this was a first though. Most of the time, when going out with each other, there would always be Yuko or Mariko tagging along, or an occasional WMinami.
Acchan brought up her knees to her chest, placed her arms atop her knees and rested her head on them. She looked at Haruna sideways and noticed her taking out her cellphone, then just sighed in defeat.
“Haruna… you’ve always been pretty,” Maeda Atsuko mentioned, which earned a raised eyebrow from the other female and a shy smile.
“What’s this all about, all of a sudden?” Haruna asked and leaned back onto the wall. “And you’ve always been the ace.”
“But I was appointed as ace. You… you’ve just been really pretty,” Acchan mentioned again with a straight face. “Most especially recently.”
“Well… thank you. You’ve been pretty yourself,” Haruna chuckled. “Especially after that reaction from Takamina after seeing your latest photobook.”
“Takamina is different,” Acchan answered with a sigh. “She’s just… a man.” Haruna laughed at this, and for some reason, a certain Maeda Atsuko found herself blushing, upon hearing the other female’s voice.
Another silence clouded over them. It felt like the two of them didn’t need words to communicate. Usually you would rarely find comfortable silences with other people, may they be your best friend, your lover, or whatnot. At some point in time, they would and will always turn awkward.
However with the two of them… occasionally looking at each other, smiling, then silence again, it felt like it was a normal situation.
After a loud BOOM on the roof, the lights flickered out and electricity died. Not noticing how or when, Acchan found herself desperately clinging onto Nyan-nyan’s arm, which left the female surprised.
“Acchan, are you okay?” she asked. After receiving a nod on her arm, she sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear.”
“Now we’re not just trapped here… there’s no electricity too,” Acchan said and leaned her head on Kojiharu’s shoulder.
Another type of silence engulfed them. This time… something was there, hindering them in the middle. It felt like they both wanted to do and say something but would rather not do and say this something.
“Umm…” They both started to talk.
“You go first.” Again.
“I’ll go first.” Another.
“Okay.” Again.
Turning to look at each other, they both started laughing at how in tune they were in this awkward (not to mention dark) situation. However, with the brisk and sudden head turning, their lips brushed over each other’s, turning the whole situation from comfortable to a whole new level of awkward.
With no one wanting to pull away, for another reason, the kiss started escalating into making out until each ran out of breath and pulled away with their foreheads together.
The lights suddenly opened and the two moved away from each other, staring awkwardly at the white and very interesting walls of the Team A dressing room.
You wouldn’t kiss your best friend like that, or a friend, or an acquaintance, or something. Seriously speaking, the both of them didn’t know what kind of friends they were. What kind of relationship they had. People usually think that they’re in the same generation but rarely spend time together.
Acchan would occasionally tease and troll the other female, while Kojiharu would just simply take the words and laugh it away as she always does.
A sudden ringing of a phone erupted amidst the awkward silence. Coming from the dressing room table, it seemed like it was Atsuko’s phone.
Hesitantly, the AKB48 ace stood up from her position at the wall (after staring at such an interesting thing) and took her phone to answer it.
“He- ehem – Hello?” She answered the call after swallowing what seemed to be the breath she had been holding. “Mom?”
Hearing the familiar name, Kojima Haruna turned to look at the figure by the dressing room table with a pained expression.
“Umm… I’m trapped in the dressing room with Nyan-nyan…” Acchan looked at the female by the corner, frantically texting. “Umm… yeah.”
“I see. I will go tell Togasaki-san to let the two of you out of there soon.” Mrs. Maeda said and then there was a clicking sound.
After a few minutes, the door bolted open with two midgets marching inside.
“ACCHAN!!” “NYARO~”
Miichan who happened to be around the area, and Mariko-sama who Togasaki-san asked a favor from, bolted inside the room and looked for the two. After a quick chat inside and finally deciding that they need to leave, Acchan and Haruna just looked at each other.
“Don’t forget your keys…” they spoke at the same time.
Not forgetting each other’s kiss meant that that kind of accident would never happen again.
Then again, the question remained unanswered.
What kind of relationship do they have, anyway?
おわり
-
And this is the last entry sent before deadline! Thank you everyone who participated :heart: Voting instructions will be up soon!
Entry #24
Title: A Figment of My Imagination
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sae/Mayu, feat. Yuko, Sayaka.
Word Count: 9528
A Figment of My Imagination
When I was young, I believed I was a prince.
I dreamed of castles in foreign lands, brave knights, mystical creatures, enchanted forests, damsels in distress; anything you could find in a fairy tale.
In my dreams, I wasn’t the princess locked away in a high tower that could only let evil stepmother’s up and be woken by true love’s kiss. No, in my dreams, I was the hero. The gallant rogue, legendary sword in hand, that rode up on the finest white horse…the perfect prince. And no matter how hard the deed, I always found a way to save my princess and carry her off into the sunset, to a happily ever after.
But…
Like I said, these were my dreams. Reality was far from my imagination.
There was no way I was a prince. And even if I didn’t care that I was born a girl, the princess of my dreams didn’t exist in my world.
But…
Then why…
Why was my princess standing before me right now?
Am I…is this still a figment of my imagination?
*****
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away… there lived a King and Queen, happily married. Their kingdom was prosperous, peaceful, and joyous. No citizen disapproved of their rule, especially when their marriage gave the kingdom one, beautiful, heir. A princess, by the name of…
“Mayu!” Curtains were thrust open. “Wake up Princess, today’s the big day.”
“Mmm…just five more minutes, Ai-chan…” A hump from beneath satin covers rolled away from the blinding sunlight that poured into the powder pink room.
“Your mother would have my head if I let you get away with that request this morning.” A young girl in pig-tails poured warm water from a porcelain pitcher into a bowl. “Now, wash up and come for breakfast downstairs. The Queen has personally decided your meal and proportions to ensure you look your best tonight. I will help you dress afterwards when you are done eating. There is an entire staff waiting to make you over; I doubt you will be doing anything else but preparing for the ball.”
Mayu groggily sat up and eyed her best friend, and personal maid, Aika. “I’m not looking forward to tonight,” the princess frowned.
Aika put down the pitcher and approached her ward. “Princess…” Mayu frowned more at the formality. “Mayu, as a friend who could only dream of such an occasion for herself, seeing you celebrate tonight to its fullest would be the next best thing. I, along with every other citizen in this kingdom, wishes for nothing more but your happiness.”
“But what if I’m not happy with who I choose, Ai-chan? What if all the potential suitors my mother will introduce me to tonight are not capable of ensuring me a marriage as envious as my parents?”
“Hmm…point taken.” Aika took her princess’s hands in hers, “Well, at least they will be handsome, right?” she winked.
“Ugh, you!” Mayu threw her pillow at the maid. “How can that be all you care about? That’s so typical! I want more than just a pretty face.”
The two giggled before a bell jingled above Mayu’s bed, concealed in a corner of the frilly canopy.
“Better not test the Queen’s patience any longer,” said Aika before leaving to attend other duties.
Mayu sighed and stretched out of bed, the ends of her white nightgown wiping the floor as she went to wash her face.
She patted her face lightly with a soft towel and met her reflection in the mirror above the bowl and spoke to herself, “Good morning, princess. You are officially seventeen today, and by tonight, you will be engaged. Whether you like it or not.”
* * * * *
Night came swiftly and the castle was filled with life.
Many important guests from neighboring kingdoms arrived by horse-drawn carriages and were ushered in by name and title, all the while descending a grand staircase into one of five ballrooms where the main event was to take place. Classical music resounded from every wall as guests mingled the dance floor and gorged themselves with foods unthinkable.
Citizens celebrated in their homes, in the town streets, all the way to the castle gates, lining up to catch a glimpse of other royal families they had only ever heard of.
Mayu stood peeking behind grand double doors, waiting to be announced after her mother and father.
She was nervous, to say the least.
“Stop fidgeting, darling. You will be nothing but the talk of the season after tonight.” Her mother patted her raven hair, styled down unlike her usual perfect pigtails, and smiled at her lovingly. “As well as your future partner.”
“Your mother is right,” her father, the King, approached and gave her a reassuring hug. “No one would dare ruin my princess’s night in my presence.”
“Papa…behave. Please don’t cause a scene like the time you thought I had a crush on someone.”
The man cleared his throat, “As you know, your mother will oversee those we have pre-picked for you, but I want you to decide for yourself who will be the lucky one to take your hand at the end of this evening. And when you do pick, I want to meet this person right away, is that understood, young lady?”
Mayu smiled at her father’s over-protectiveness. “Yes, papa.”
The older man almost shed a tear. “How you’ve grown up wonderfully. Your mother and I are proud.” He forced the following sentence out weakly, “Before we go out there, because I feel I will not be at ease tonight if I do not say this again…”
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry,” the king uttered, “for bringing this upon you at your age.”
The queen stepped in once more, “Truthfully, your father and I had agreed upon arranging your marriage within the next three years at most, but…with your father’s health at its current state, we…weren’t sure he would be able to see next spring.”
“Papa…” Mayu latched onto her father’s arm, taking notice of the wooden cane at his side. He was a masculine man, but if it weren’t for the layers of formal attire he donned every day, it was evident he had grown weaker and more frail in his step.
“If…if I were to pass before you are married, I would at least want you ready to take that step to inherit my throne. I want no one but the best to keep you company when I, and eventually your mother as well, leave you. So, for not only your sake, choose well for the sake of our people and this land. Love brings happiness, and that is what sanctions us all. Remember that.”
“I understand, father.” Mayu hugged her parents, willing herself not to cry at possibilities. “Leave it to me.”
“And one last thing.” Mayu looked into her father’s soft eyes, ”Happy Birthday, my dearest daughter.”
“Only daughter.” Mayu nudged.
The king gave a jovial laugh. “I do not regret not having a son. Do attempt to have some fun tonight as well.” He leaned in to his daughter’s ear so his wife couldn’t hear, “Unlike your mother, I would not mind so much if you decided to slip away for a while. A tip to a future ruler before you get too old and find your days filled with nothing but parchment paper.”
Hearing the final guest announced on the list, the king turned and nodded for the doors to open and have the appointed master of ceremonies announce him and his wife, the queen, officially to the party.
Mayu listened to the loud applause at their entrance.
Her father’s serious words from only a few moments ago rang in her head as she straightened any creases on the pastel pink gown her mother had specifically sent to be tailored for her. She stood tall in her white heels, matching the gloves she was grateful to be wearing, for her hands were still clammy.
“Love brings happiness, he says…well then, I will just have to find love tonight.” Mayu didn’t believe much about love at first sight, but for her father and kingdom’s sake, she was willing to believe it could happen tonight.
She heard the final fanfare blare and a voice clear.
“Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Tokimeki!”
The doors creaked opened in front of her, and she walked into the light.
* * * * *
“Thank you, princess, for allowing me to accompany you on that waltz. It was my pleasure.”
Yet another potential partner kissed her hand.
Mayu forced a smile, “Oh no, it was my pleasure, prince. You have quite the step in your right foot. How…is it…by the way?”
“Perfect, Your Highness. It is as if you didn’t step on it at all.”
“I do apologize, again…”
“Nonsense. I shall be back up to ask for another dance after a glass of wine. If you excuse me.” The young blonde man in front of her bowed and tried not to be so obvious in limping away.
Mayu sighed. It was an accident; her lessons in waltzing were not finished yet and although the heir to the Hetalia Kingdom of France had been devilishly charming, he had been leading way too fast for her to keep up with.
She could use a drink as well.
But there was no time for one as she was greeted with another eager but stoic face.
“Your Highness, if I may?” He held his hand out just as the small orchestra started to play another song.
If Mayu recalled what her mother had briefed her on, this suitor in front of her was one of her favorites. Next in line to the throne of the Durarara Kingdom of the east that specialized in trade. He was boyishly handsome with his dark hair, fair skin, and spectacles. Sharper looking than most. She was sure Aika would choose him in a heartbeat if she didn’t already have a crush on one of their butlers. What was his name…Sebastian? Yes, the heir to the Durarara Kingdom would be a quite the object of affections for her friend in place; it wasn’t a secret that their head butler was too taken with a duke’s son to pay attention to her lovesick best maid.
She eyed the outstretched hand waiting in front of her while searching for her parents, finding them on the opposite end of the crowded room. Her father was sitting in his throne conversing with kings of minor kingdoms while, to her convenience, her mother was turned away. The queen was instructing servers to relay the chefs in the kitchen to continue bringing out more orderves and spirits.
But Mayu made a note that despite the different matters her parents busied themselves with, they were always within reach of each other, their hands intertwined.
Brushing away her envy at the ever-happy couple, she knew this was going to be her only chance to get away for a while. Surely, entertaining twelve suitors were enough for now. She needed a break.
“I…I do not wish to be rude, but you’ll have to excuse me. I need a moment to freshen up. I shall find you myself when I come back, don’t worry.”
Without another word, the princess backed away, opposite anyone else’s notice.
* * * * *
Finding her home occupied in every nook and cranny, even loitering around the stairs to her personal chambers, she decided she had enough of being inside and took a stroll out, in the gardens.
The night was young and the breeze that passed was welcomed.
She allowed herself to linger a while longer before she suspected someone (moreover her mother) would take notice of her absence, and followed the stone path lit by colorful paper lanterns imported from the east.
There seemed to be something at the end of the path, hidden away by tall hedges.
She inspected it closer and found it to be a well.
But no ordinary well; a wishing well.
Mayu had almost forgotten this was here. She was much younger the last time she had played this far into the gardens. This section had been marked private.
“Mother was so scared I’d fall in when no one was around that she didn’t let me beyond a certain point ever again…” She muttered to herself as she felt the rocks beneath her palms and peered down into the dark abyss of the well’s mouth.
It actually wasn’t that deep. Some moonlight enabled her to make out water that was indeed there, a wooden bucket bobbing around as a sturdy rope ran from its handle straight up to the rusty pulley to her side.
Now that age had made her taller, she could probably stand in it even if she were to accidentally fall in.
“A wishing well, huh…today is my birthday, and one can never be too old for such a myth.” Mayu stood amused and closed her eyes. She thought about what her father told her and wished with all her might, “I wish…to find a love that brought happiness.”
After a few moments of silence, Mayu opened her eyes and peered down into the well.
There was nothing there, nor was there anything, anyone, around her nearby.
“I knew it was too good to be true…” She huffed, ready to make her way back to her party.
“What’s too good to be true?” A voice called out to her.
“Huh?” Mayu looked around, startled, “What was that?”
“Down here, sweet cheeks!” The voice called once more. It seemed to echo.
That’s when Mayu turned to approach the well again. “It can’t be…”
But it was. There, down in the well, illuminated by the moonlight and her own self-glow, was a woman. “Hey!”
“Ar-are…are you a…ghost!?” Mayu asked, immediately scared for her life. If this woman was a ghost, what was she doing greeting her and not halfway through the gardens by now? This was crazy. Was she dreaming?
“A ghost? How rude!” The water rumbled beneath the woman and she suddenly shot up like a rocket, sending Mayu back in fear. “Ouch! Damn, I forgot that was there.” The woman rubbed the bump she had attained from hitting the small wooden roof that shaded the circular stone well.
“Are you all right…?” Mayu asked out of concern but distanced herself.
“Ah, yeah, I’ll be fine. After two centuries I’m still alive and kickin’ so why wouldn’t I be well. Get it?” The woman clicked her tongue and winked at Mayu as she sat on the ledge of the well’s mouth, crossing her legs and pointing her fingers as if shooting the young girl.
Mayu nodded for safety purposes. She still wasn’t sure who or what she was talking to.
“What, no laugh? You’re supposed to laugh, darlin’. Ah, why bother, you look too young to get it. Anyway, back to business,” the woman dismissively waved her hand and cleared her throat. She rested her fists on her hips and spoke in a dramatically deep voice, “To whom does Yuko, the water spirit of this well, owe her services to?”
“You’re a…water spirit?”
“In the flesh,” Yuko grinned. “Ah-haa, got you again. Get it this time? No? Aww c’mon, work with me here! You’re no fun.”
Mayu stood defiantly. This was the first time anyone’s spoken to her this way. “Pardon me, miss water spirit, but I’ll have you know you are talking to the princess of this land which your well resides on.”
“Ooohh, so I got myself a bonafide drop of royal blood, huh? Interesting, interesting,” Yuko rubbed her chin, “Do go on. But I suggest making it short; I seem to have other clientele heading this way…”
Mayu followed Yuko’s gaze behind her and spotted a few servants at the very end of the pathway she had ventured upon, oil lanterns in hand, calling out her name in search for her.
“Oh no, I’m going to get an ear full from mother now…” Mayu said.
“Mother? Are you talkin’ ‘bout the Queen? How is she when she’s angry? I do like ‘em feisty!” The water spirit purred.
“Don’t talk about my mother that way! She and father are happy and they don’t need your interference.”
“Whoa, okay. Sorry, I was only joking.”
“Well I’ve had enough of your jokes and you aren’t funny and I’m probably going to end up the complete opposite of what my parents are and let down the entire kingdom at this rate and—!”
“Whoa, there, whoa! I don’t need to know your life story, toots.”
Mayu calmed herself, “Sorry, it’s just…not my night I guess. Well, it is my night. I mean, it’s my birthday.”
“Really? Happy Birthday then! Are you legal yet?”
“Um, I’m seventeen…?”
“Darn! I’d be thrown in the dungeons.” Yuko clicked her fingers in disappointment.
“What?” Mayu was perplexed at this deity…spirit…strange character…in front of her. This was a good water spirit she was talking to, right?
“Nothing, nothing.” Yuko waved off again.
“Princessss!”
“Princess Mayu! Are you out here?”
The servants were getting closer and Mayu began to berate herself at staying here conversing with what could be a figment of her imagination for all she knew!
“They’re going to be a problem, aren’t they? Why don’t we get to that wish then?” Yuko turned serious. “What was it, again? My ears were clogged with water I didn’t quite hear it well.” It took all her might not to play off her words for a third time.
“My wish…oh! My wish! You heard it? And you can grant it? Truly?” Mayu unconsciously took a few steps forward out of excitement, stopping right in front of Yuko.
“Yes, to everything. Now, unless you want a fresh red hand print on that cute butt of yours at your age, you’ll make that wish again. Right, now.”
The servants’ lights were making their way just behind the hedges.
Mayu panicked but found her voice, “I, um, I WISH TO FIND A LOVE THAT BROUGHT HAPPINESS!”
Another second later, Yuko grinned that Cheshire smile. “Wish, granted. But you’re not going to find it here.”
Before Mayu could ask what Yuko meant, the water spirit turned into liquid and wrapped her arms around the princess, pulling her down into the well.
* * * * *
2012. Modern day, Tokyo.
“I don’t care what you have and don’t have, I just better have it in my hands by next Monday! Your ass is on the line, Miyazawa!”
“I’m sorry, can’t you give me another week?”
“You asked that last week, and the week before, and the week before that—it’s been an entire freakin’ month past your deadline!”
Sae winced at the tone on the receiving end of her cellphone. “Okay, okay, I get it. Just please, an extension is all I ask. One more.” She pleaded.
After a moment, she heard a deep sigh breathe into the speaker. “Fine. But that’s the last one I’m giving you. I’m prying it from your ink-stained hands and submitting it smudged for all I care the next time I see you, and as your damn editor, I will personally be making the visit. You can’t pretend you’re not home this time, ‘ya got that!? I’ll break that door down!”
“Yes, ma’am! Thank you, ma’am!” Sae couldn’t hold in the relief and gratefulness bestowed upon her yet again.
“Just get me that damn manuscript by the end of the week, that’s three days from now, or your contract is terminated and you can find some other publisher to run your damn story! Get to work!”
“Just leave it to—!” The line went dead. “…me…” Sae sighed and slumped back into her chair. “Arrghh, what am I supposed to do!?” She ruffled her hair, stressed to the bone.
Tossing her glasses to the side, she scrutinized the papers scattered on her desk.
Nothing but uneven lines and a few sketches of scenery filled marked boxes plastered on each sheet. Pens of all sorts laid uncapped beside said sheets, on the floor, on her ear…
She gazed at the two stacks of papers she had deemed worthy and finished, closed off on a shelf, away from any other mess in her cramped apartment.
A picture frame laid face-down next to them.
Sae retracted her hand from reaching for it and forced herself to look at her desk.
“I need to finish this in a week…” She took the pencil from her ear and scooted her chair in closer, the tip of her pencil meeting the smooth white surface of paper.
But the pencil didn’t move.
At all.
Instead, it trembled. The lead cracked under the pressure.
Was it all the coffee she drank today on an empty stomach?
Was it the lack of sleep she’s been having for the past three days?
Was it that she just didn’t know what to do next with the story?
Maybe it was a combination of everything.
One thing was for sure though…
She could use a bath.
“Ahh, forget it! I’ll just set my alarm and start on it again in the morning. I’m not stupid, I’m working myself to death here!” She dropped her pencil, happy to be free of it, and switched off her desk lamp so she wouldn’t have to look at all her un-accomplishments. “I’m going to need a miracle.”
* * * * *
Scrub, scrub, scrub…
Her eyes were closed as she avoided soap suds from getting into her eyes, working the shampoo into her short dark hair as she sat on a bath stool in all her tan glory. Beside her, the bathtub was filled with waiting warm water.
She blindly reached for the detachable shower head and turned it on.
Eyes still shut, she was too busy humming and listening to the cooling sensation of the water raining down on her that she failed to notice the tub next to her begin to bubble with a soft glow…
More and more it bubbled, until a certain pink princess came gasping up for air.
Sae finished rinsing herself clean and stood, ready to relax in the tub. The washroom had become somewhat misty by now.
“Alright—“Just as she had one leg dipped in, every muscle in her body paused.
Her head craned slowly to the stranger in her water.
Brown orbs met another pair.
“…A-ah…”
“Um, greetings…” The girl stood up in the tub to curtsy, causing water to overflow from it due to her sudden movements. “I am Princess Mayu of the Tokimeki Kingdom. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“AHHHH!!!”
“AHHHH!!?”
They both screamed; one just because the other was.
“Who-who are you!?”
“I believe I have already introduced myself…?”
“No, really, who the heck are you!? How did you get into my apartment!? You look totally innocent but this is beyond weird,” Sae stumbled back, knocking the bathroom door open, consequentially letting all the mist out.
Mayu gasped and shielded her eyes. “E-Excuse me! I did not mean to…to pry.”
“Huh?” Sae regained consciousness that she was still naked. “OH! Oh my god…! DON’T LOOK!”
“I was not!” the princess retorted, still hiding behind her gloved hands.
Sae scrambled for her towel, wrapping herself loosely and holding onto the knot as the rest of the mist from the bathroom revealed her unexpected guest’s full form in plain sight.
“You…there’s no way…” Wide eyes couldn’t help but check, “Who…did you say you were again?”
The young girl lowered her hands from her flushed face and spoke again evenly, yet shyer than before, “My name is Mayu, and I am sole heir to the Kingdom of Tokimeki. I…I do not know of the customs of your kingdom but I assure you that you are not the only party feeling surprised at the current situation—eek!”
Something fluttered to the floor at Sae’s feet.
The taller girl stood gaping. She had lost her grip once more.
* * * * *
“Mm, this is delicious. What is it?”
Sae stared at the girl sitting across from her under her kotatsu. “Instant…ramen?”
“Ra-men?” Mayu pronounced curiously. “I see. This ra-men is magnificent. Better than the pasta the chefs cook at home. I would like another serving of ra-men, please.” Mayu set her fork down next to the styrofoam bowl and sat poised in some of Sae’s old clothes. Baggy, but cute, Sae noted.
The princess’s sparkly pink gown was hanging above the heater as Sae was too afraid to leave such an expensive-looking dress outside her window to dry on the clothesline, knowing her type of low income neighborhood…
“I think you’ve had enough ra-men for now…and you don’t have to keep saying it that way.” I hardly had anything in the fridge to begin with…oh no, not that look. She observed Mayu pout, “You w-wouldn’t want to ruin that slim figure and porcelain skin, ‘ya know? It may taste good but it’s full of crap fit only for poor, struggling artists like me, haha.” She rubbed the back of her neck.
“Oh? You’re an artist?” Mayu had noticed before from materials scattered around her but she did not want to assume.
“Ah, yeah…I am. Sort of.”
“May I see some of your work?”
“M-maybe later…” Sae changed the subject. This was still too weird for her to take in. This girl…she couldn’t really be who she says she is…it wasn’t plausible. “I know you might find me weird by asking this, but can I ask it anyway?” Sae started again, twiddling her thumbs.
“As I am a guest in your house, by all means, do as you please.” Mayu gestured, her body warming up from the kotatsu’s heating effects. She was suddenly very comfortable right now.
“Okay. Well, princess…um…how…” How is this happening? How did you get here? As far as Sae understood, the girl came from her bathtub but… This really is just too freaky. This must be a dream, yeah, definitely a dream. She only appears in those. I knocked out while working and this is just one of those lucid dreams or something.
“Y-es…?” The younger girl yawned.
“Are you tired?” Sae stopped herself.
“Don’t mind me, please, continue.”
Sae observed the girl for nth time; doll-like and pristine in every way. She dared not touch her in fear of her crumbling. Fair skin without a single blemish, midnight raven hair, perfect pink lips, rosy cheeks, long eyelashes, and the way the young girl struggled to control her head from bobbing with fatigue cemented Sae’s thoughts…this girl in front of her, princess or not, was simply…adorable.
“Maybe you really should get some sleep now. I mean, it must have been a long journey for you, right?” Sae awkwardly joked. “We can continue our conversation in the morning.”
“But it is already morning, is it not?” Mayu motioned to the faint rays of sunlight peeking through Sae’s tiny window.
“What!?” Sae shot up and tore at the blinds, setting her eyes on the rising sun peeking over tall buildings in the distance, “Seriously!?”
The few hours she had planned to finally get some rest with had been spent taking care of her unworldly visitor in front of her. She might as well start on the coffee and get back to work; she didn’t need another week, she was determined to finish her manuscript today. What else mattered in her life? She sighed, defeated.
The tall girl busied herself at her kitchenette, “Hey, I hope green tea is fine with you. It’s not much but it’s all I have right now so—” Sae turned with steaming mugs in her hands before pausing at the sight before her.
She set the mugs down and went over to the hunched frame. The princess had fallen asleep with her head nestled in her arms on the table.
Sae took a blanket nearby she normally uses to keep herself warm during late nights and draped it over the girl’s shoulders. “Now what kind of posture is that…quite unbefitting of you, Your Highness.” She arched her brow, amused. Bloodline and riches behind, princesses were normal girls after all.
Tentatively, she reached over to brush the girl’s surreal bangs away from her face; she couldn’t help it. ”She…really is what I imagined her to be…”
* * * * *
Mayu awoke to what felt like someone spitting at her face.
“Wakey-wakey,” a familiar voice prodded.
“Mmm…just five more minutes, Ai-chan…”
“What? First, a ghost, then you confuse me with some maid? This kid…”
…Hm? Mayu stirred. That didn’t sound like Aika.
Mayu gasped awake in an instant, “Yuko…!”
“About time you got up.”
“Yuko? I hear you, but I don’t see you…” Mayu looked around, still fairly unfamiliar with her new setting.
“I’m right in front of you.”
Mayu gazed at the sole object in front of her. A mug of tea gone cold.
Hesitantly, she leaned forward, inspecting it. “Yu…ko…?” It had grown eerily quiet…
Then, the mug shook by itself. Fingers crawled from the tea’s surface. If that wasn’t frightening enough, now, imagine this: a full-grown body prying itself out of a five-inch ceramic cup.
“Ahh, much better,” Yuko cracked her back. “Blegh, not my cup of tea if I must say.”
“H-how did you do that?” Mayu exclaimed, as if she could still be surprised after everything else that had transpired.
“I’m a water spirit, remember? I can inhabit and travel through anything as long as it’s a liquid,” Yuko explained, “I can also use water as portals to other dimensions, such as we did last night.”
“So, we really aren’t in Tokimeki anymore?”
“Nope, ‘fraid not Dorothy.”
“It’s Mayu…”
“Whatever you say Toto. Welcome to Tokyo. How goes your search for true love?”
Mayu’s cheeks tinged. Is that what she wished for? A love that brought happiness…true love?
“Are you telling me that I won’t find it here? I must still travel?”
“Hmm, I wouldn’t put it that way. I took you to where you could have a proper start. All you have to do now is let your heart lead its way to your prince charming.”
“That’s certainly easier said than done.”
“Happiness doesn’t come easy, darlin’. Love is even harder to find. But once you’ve found one, the other is sure to follow. Anyway, how do you like your new digs?” The water spirit looked around, piles of dirty clothes and unwashed dishes everywhere, “I take that back; what a dump.”
“I-It may be different from the castle, but it’s more humble than a…dump. It just needs a little sprucing up, that’s all,” she retorted despite evading a fly buzzing around her head.
“If you say so. Not my responsibility.” The water spirit shrugged. She may be free to inhabit any body of liquid as she wishes but you wouldn’t catch her dead in the murky sink water emitting poison from the kitchenette. Mayu would need to hire a welder to scrape off the moldy food that had homed itself on certain discarded dishes. She shivered… “So, where is the head of the household?” Yuko already knew but someone had to push things along.
“It seems she went out…” Mayu picked up a note that had been left on the table.
Princess,
I have something to do in the city.
Please stay where you are until I come back.
I won’t be long.
-Sae
Mayu smiled. So her caretaker’s name was Sae.
Last night, she had been expecting to greet a boy.
But after what she’s seen, there was no way Sae was a boy.
Was there a reason she was brought to Sae of all people? Sae was a girl…a tall, dark, and handsome… “Ara, what was I just thinking…?” She shook away her blush just as Yuko was about to ask her about it. ”Yuko.”
“Yeah…?” The water spirit had a feeling she wasn’t going to like what she was going to be asked to do.
“I want to repay Sae’s kindness for letting me stay here for the time being. Let’s get to work, shall we?”
Yup, she didn’t like it.
“As much as it’s an honor to serve you, princess, I told ‘ya. Not my business.”
“Wait! You can’t just leave me—!”
“Catch ya’ later!” Yuko positioned herself into a diving position and literally dove back into the mug of tea, leaving not only Mayu to extract her plans herself, but an extra mess to mop up. How did so much tea come from one small mug??
The princess gazed at the sink she had noticed Yuko leering at before abandoning her. It made a low gurgling before a green bubble floated from the surface and popped mid-flight.
Yuko was right. This wasn’t going to be easy.
* * * * *
Sae exited an elevator and approached a receptionist.
“Hi, I’m here for my two o’clock—”
“One moment,” the busy receptionist shushed her with her finger. The woman whose headset sat perfectly on her head nodded at her to take a seat and wait off to the side.
Sae slid into a leather armchair in a corner and tried to relax.
She stared at the manuscript in her lap. It was wrapped in brown paper and bundled with a thin rope.
It had taken her five hours to finish. Honestly, she hadn’t liked it; she knew she could do so much better than this rushed ending, but she just didn’t feel the same amount of inspiration she had had when she came into this. She only wanted to get it over with now.
Her mind drifted off to something else that had not been a big distraction as she thought would be when her brain went into work-mode. It was a miracle she even remembered the cute girl snoozing under her kotatsu before she left her apartment an hour ago. “I wonder what she’s doing right now. I hope she’s okay by herself and found the note I left…”
“Miyazawa-sama?” She heard the receptionist buzz her in, “Akimoto-san will see you now.”
Sae thanked the woman that didn’t seem to care and proceeded down the hall, weaving her way through the busy cubicles of the magazine firm. At the end of it all was a door with the name of her editor printed on a gold name plate.
The short-haired girl swallowed her nerves and knocked.
“Come in!” The voice commanded.
Sae opened the door and closed it immediately behind her.
“Have a seat. I’ve only got another quarter-mile to go.”
Sae wished she had convinced herself to come another day. Her editor was jogging on a treadmill set up in her office. That was not a good sign. The only time she got on the treadmill was to run off stress…and here Sae was, about to, maybe, pile it back on.
“Phew, okay. Much better.” The woman jumped off the machine and flicked her long hair back. She wiped her face with a towel around her neck and took a swig from her water bottle before swiveling around in her chair behind her desk to face her subordinate. “So, let’s see what ‘ya got. Hand it here.”
“Um, you know what Sayaka, maybe I’m not done after all…I think I want to redo—”
Sayaka snatched the manuscript from Sae’s hands. “Stop belittling yourself, Miyazawa. Now, let’s see…”
Sae shrank in her seat and averted her eyes from her boss. She couldn’t stand watching, waiting, for that look of disappointment.
“Mm-hm, okay…” Sayaka continued to skim the pages, “Not bad…uh-huh…eh?” Sayaka came to the end. “What…is this…” Uh-oh. Here it comes… “We can’t publish this!” Sayaka slammed the last of the manuscript down.
Sae winced. “I was trying to tell you…”
“What the hell did I just read? I gave you one more week, no, by now you have six days left! I refuse to take this as is. I don’t care what you have to do, but you better fix this, soon, now!”
“Yes ma’am! I’m sorry, right away!” Collecting the rotten fruit of her labor, Sae left the office in a rush, but was stopped by Sayaka’s voice.
“Miyazawa!”
Sae didn’t turn; she dared not show any more weakness. Even if it threatened to fall from her eyes at that very moment. She had not only seen disappoint from her boss, but she was disappointed in herself.
“Sae…” Sayaka spoke evenly. “I may be a hard ass on you all the time but I know you can write. I wouldn’t have signed you in the first place if I didn’t think your stuff had potential. DiVA Magazine caters to girls who want to escape reality through fiction. This fantasy world you created intrigued me in the beginning, a genuine fairy tale…your first series was a hit for god’s sake! But you can’t just let readers down like this by ending it that way. You’d be breaking hearts, dreams…” There was a pause. “What ever happened to your dream, Sae? Find that again.”
Her dream…?
What was that again?
Her dream…oh, yeah…that. This. She squeezed her manuscript to her chest.
Sae felt her feet moving before breaking into a run.
* * * * *
Each step felt heavy. She trudged her way to her apartment, exhausted. She had ran all the way home. It took all her might not to rip her life into shreds right then and there. Literally, rip the manuscript that equaled her life…her dreams.
“This is stupid. I’m an idiot…what did I ever think would come of this?” She mumbled, rubbing her tear-stricken face with her sleeve. She sniffled, “Why did I ever think I could become someone that I’m not?” It seemed nothing could keep her eyes from clouding over as she stared at her apartment door. “It probably was just a dream. Why am I expecting her to still be there? This isn’t some fanfiction or something.”
But, as if it was her saving grace, the door in front of her opened on its own.
She must still be dreaming…
“I thought I heard someone out here. Welcome back, Sae.”
An angel, no, a princess…smiled warmly at her.
“You’re still here…”
“Of course.”
“Why?”
“Because you told me to stay.”
It was simple; what Mayu said to Sae. But little did the princess know, choosing to wait for Sae’s return was the first step her heart was making.
Sae felt hers skip a beat. She entered her apartment as Mayu stepped aside and was shocked at its appearance.
It was…SPOTLESS.
“When did you…” She walked around; amazed she could do so without tripping over who-knows-what and her own two feet. Her desk had been organized, she noticed. Usually she would mind when someone touched her things without her permission, but heck, when was the last time she’s seen the surface of that desk? Everything was as when she first moved in, when she still had time to take care of herself, to take care of her home, before all she did was work all day and night. The sink…this princess had to have magical powers or something.
She turned to look at Mayu, meeting her eyes as the girl had been observing her reactions proudly. Her gaze drifted down to the girl’s petite hands. As expected, it wasn’t obvious but when she reached out for them, she could feel the difference in the amount of callouses earned from the girl’s hard work.
Mayu blushed at Sae’s touch. It was warm and gentle… “Um…”
“Thank you,” the truth had to be said. Was this a dream? Was she still dreaming? Maybe…this was the miracle she needed.
* * * * *
The following days, Sae had decided to delay any further confrontation about the princess. Mayu was not at all a threat and deemed herself her assistant at times.
Sae had accepted that the gods had given her a second chance at everything, and she dared not take it for granted. She was going to do everything she could to take care of this girl, and finish her manuscript properly.
Both had grown content in each other’s company, spending their days peacefully. The distance between them, whether they were conscious of it or not, grew slimmer by the hour. A day felt like an eternity they were willing to accept living in.
But fate had other plans as Sae’s deadline grew nearer. It was tomorrow.
“Sae…”
“Hmm? What is it, princess?” Sae answered without looking back at the girl that relaxed to the cool breeze from the open window. The tomboy was focused on her work; something she had found to pick up from last time. She still hadn’t slept all that much since the girl’s arrival, but she was liking the way her story was turning out more than before.
“I’ve been wondering. If it’s okay with you, may we…go out tomorrow?” Mayu asked shyly. “It’s been days and I have only ever seen you at your desk. Fresh air would be nice, yes?” In those days, Mayu couldn’t deny she had grown to feel something for Sae. But she didn’t want to confuse kindness and budding friendship for something more she was feeling. Thus, she had proposed a date.
Sae put down her pen and turned to eye hopeful orbs.
* * * * *
“Uwahhh!” Mayu gasped. “This is unbelievable!”
The tall tomboy strolled behind in ripped jeans, sneakers, and a knitted sweater over a flannel button-up as the princess frolicked in front of her, amazed at her surroundings. This really wasn’t her homeland anymore.
All the while, Sae had been reluctant on leaving her work and the safety of keeping Mayu inside, but she felt compelled to do as her muse wished. She watched as that muse became engrossed with a window full of character figurines, colorful makeshift garments, and wigs of every color.
Sae didn’t have much money at the moment and it wasn’t far from where she lived, so when Mayu had asked her to venture outside, she had taken her to a place where the princess wouldn’t stand out too much in her powder pink gown (as she had kindly refused to be seen in public in anything less than formal clothing).
So here they were, in Akihabara.
To the taller girl’s relief, the streets weren’t as crowded as it usually was this early in the morning. She could not risk losing the girl now at the speed she was going. Mayu had deemed this place her wonderland and she was the white rabbit.
After buying some crepes from a nearby stand, a food Mayu knew of and had a taste for, the young girl was mesmerized once more.
“Sae, Sae! Come, what is that building?” Mayu pointed to something in the distance.
“Hm?” Sae followed with her eyes, “Oh, that’s Animate. It’s like a big market store. Everything you see here can be found in there.”
“In that single building?”
“Yeah,” Sae glanced at Mayu, noting how cute the girl looked, somehow reverting back to being a noble with reservations in how she should act. The princess seemed hesitant at the building’s size, but there was a glint in those raven eyes. “Do you…want to visit it?”
“Can we!?” Back was the young girl that couldn’t get enough of this new world.
Sae laughed, “Of course we can, princess.”
Mayu ran ahead in excitement but turned around to her stunned escort, “Sae!” she beckoned for her to follow.
An image of a girl just like Mayu, though in casual clothing, clouded Sae’s mind for a few seconds.
“…Sae…”
The girl’s voice echoed and the blurred face smiled back at her, beckoning at her in the same way.
“Sae? Hurry!”
Sae blinked.
Now wasn’t the time to be having deja vu.
“Yes, yes, right after you, princess.” She ushered.
No…they’re different…don’t compare them. Sae repeated to herself as she followed the young girl into the massive retail store.
*****
After floors and floors of wandering and amusement with the most random things they could find, the duo had found themselves on a floor that catered nothing but manga.
“They’re like picture books; only more pictures and less words.” Sae explained.
Mayu nodded her head in understanding. “These picture books…are they not what you have been doing? If I recall, you did mention you were an artist. When I was cleaning your desk, I did not know what kind of art you were making; I merely thought you did sketches or something of the sort.”
“Ah, yeah…I’m a manga artist,” Sae scratched her head sheepishly, “Did I forget to mention that detail?”
No, she didn’t forget. She had not wanted to mention it.
While Sae had excused herself to find a restroom, Mayu had roamed up and down every aisle, admiring these picture books. She never knew there could be so many, each and every one with a distinctly different story.
“A person’s mind is a wondrous place…” she mumbled in awe.
She stopped at a book that had caught her eye with its illustration on the cover.
It looked all too familiar.
*****
Sae had finished using the restroom (she had needed to divert the topic and calm herself) and weaved through the aisles looking for the princess. She spotted the girl crouching with an open book in hand, skimming the pages.
She was about to approach the girl when she registered which book in particular the girl was reading.
Mayu turned her head hearing footsteps near her.
“Sae…this…” the princess trailed off as if she couldn’t believe it.
That confrontation Sae had delayed, had an expiration date.
*****
“I cannot believe you did not care to inform me of this!”
“Mayu, slow down! Wait, I said!”
Sae chased after the princess through the streets of Akihabara. The young girl was fuming and continued to stomp away from Sae’s reach.
Eventually, the inevitable happened and Sae had lost sight of her.
“Damn it,” Sae looked around desperately. It had gotten more crowded.
*****
“I’m not real, she says! How can that be true? I am real!” Mayu argued with herself as she paced back and forth in front of a fountain in a small park not far from the Akihabara district.
She sat herself down on the fountain’s rim and huffed before finding that she was alone and didn’t know how to find her way back. The sun was setting and she didn’t trust the darkness in this new area.
Even if she wanted to go back home to where she came from, she didn’t know how without Yuko’s help, and the water spirit had decided to take a vacation of her own the past few days. She hasn’t seen her since the mug incident.
The princess sighed, her emotions wearing her down. “I wonder…if she’ll come for me…” she whispered. She was no longer thinking about Yuko.
“Princess Mayu!”
Mayu looked ahead at the voice, the corners of her lips tugging upwards. She had done it a little too fast for she was not expecting Sae to find her right when she thought of her.
But, this wasn’t Sae.
*****
Tap, tap, tap…
Sae ran as fast as she could, her head darting around everywhere. It had been an hour and there was still no sign of the girl. A gnawing feeling in her stomach drove her to pick up her pace. Something was wrong.
She slowed to catch her breath when she reached an intersection that lead away from Akihabara and into a couple different wards.
“Come on, it’s only for a little while. I’ll be sure to treat you to something nice.”
Sae heard a greasy voice. A man.
“I told you, unhand me!”
Another voice; a girl. It was much higher.
“Princess…!”
*****
“Aw, don’t be like that. I just want to take you to my friends. They’re big fans.”
“I told you before, I am a real princess! Not a character in a book!”
“Yeah, yeah, you do look like the real deal. Best cosplay I’ve seen to date; no one’s been able to pull off Princess Mayu from Genking’s Synchro Tokimeki. My website’s gonna get so many hits with pictures of you. The guys are sure to get a kick outta this.”
The man grasped Mayu’s arm against her will and tried to tug her away to who-knows-where. He was rather large in width to make up for his short stature; if there had been normal citizens passing, he looked nothing more than one of those stereotypical otaku, heavy backpack and expensive DSLR camera attached to his body.
The man rubbed at the sweat forming on his brow and swept at his unkempt hair falling in front of his glasses. His grip tightened; he was getting rather annoyed now at Mayu’s reluctance to accompany him.
“Ow…! Let me go!” Mayu struggled.
“Yeah, let her go!!”
All distress faded away at the sound of Sae’s voice.
The man loosened his grip but didn’t release it entirely. “Who are you?”
“Eh?” Sae blinked. She hadn’t necesarily thought at what to say; she just came charging. “Uh…w-well, who the heck are you?”
“I asked you first.”
“I asked you second.”
“But I asked you first.”
“Still, I asked you second.”
“That doesn’t make any sense!”
Mayu couldn’t believe they were really arguing about this.
“Just let her go, okay!?” Sae cracked her knuckles. “I’m not afraid to kick your butt and call the cops on you for attempted kidnapping.”
“What? I’m doing no such thing!” The man bellowed, incredulous at her accusation. He only wanted to have the girl model for him and his friends…maybe more…
“Really? Taking someone against their will doesn’t classify as that?”
The man gritted his teeth, “Argh, fine!” Not wanting this to escalate into something unnecessary, he relented his hold and backed off without another word, leaving the two alone.
Mayu slumped to the ground, feeling weak in her knees. Who knows what could have happened if Sae hadn’t come in the nick of time.
“Mayu…are you okay?” Sae held out her hand.
The princess looked up at her savior. Did she just…? “That’s the first time you’ve called me by my name instead of my title…” Her heart raced.
Sae answered with a smile as Mayu took her hand, lifting the girl back on her feet. “I…didn’t want to compare you. I’m glad you’re safe…I really am…” Sae’s head began to spin. I must’ve pushed myself too hard this time with my work…and all that running… She couldn’t help but black out in Mayu’s arms the next second.
“Sae…!?”
*****
A silhouette watched from the fountain’s streaming waters as a princess laid her prince’s head upon her lap.
“You’ve almost found it, kid…just a little more.”
*****
“A prince?”
“Yep, that’s what I just said I was! I just saved you, didn’t I? It’s a prince’s duty to save princesses in trouble.”
Children…? Sae stirred from her sleep.
“You’re strange…but cool. Thank you for helping me.”
That voice…
The tomboy willed her eyes open and found herself in an elementary schoolyard from her past. “Is this a dream…?”
“The pleasure is mine, princess. I’ll always be there to save you!”
Sae followed the voices to sandbox where two young girls were building a sand castle. They were complete opposites. A princess and her prince. Make believe.
“Are you really okay?”
“Yeah, don’t worry.”
“This is right after I got into a fight with those boys that were bullying her…” Sae recalled, watching her younger self sport a fresh bruise on her cheek. The other girl next to her gently dabbing at the wound with a frilly pink handkerchief she had taken out of her dress pocket.
Sae smiled at the memory, willing herself not to cry.
“Sae! I heard some kids in the hallway telling the teacher about you. You shouldn’t get into fights. Dad will get mad.”
“Onii-chan…”
Sae watched her younger self converse with the younger self of one of her older brothers. She suddenly felt angry. She watched as her younger self introduced her childhood crush to her older brother after he had saw her.
*****
Mayu observed Sae’s sleeping face. The girl seemed like she was in pain. Was she having a nightmare? She didn’t like seeing Sae’s face without a smile.
“Sae…wake up…” she leaned her head down to whisper.
The tomboy stirred before fluttering her eyes open. “Ma…Mayu…?”
The princess smiled softly, “You were having a dream…but it didn’t look like it was going well so I felt I should wake you up.”
Sae remained silent before willing herself to tell the girl the truth. “…She ended up marrying one of my older brothers.”
“Eh?”
“The girl I loved. I grew up with her…and I deemed her my princess….I was foolish enough to love her enough that I did everything I could to get into the same college as her. She wanted to draw manga, you see. But one day…I found out she had been secretly seeing my brother. ‘You’ll always be my prince, Sae-chan’ was the last thing she said to me before the wedding.”
Mayu listened intently, absorbing everything, piecing things together.
“A week into their honeymoon…they went on a cruise. It was an accident. My brother didn’t know she couldn’t swim and couldn’t find another life vest before jumping. The news reported the names of all survivors that day…she…wasn’t on it. My brother though…he came home the next day and apologized to me instantly, knowing how I felt about her, but all I saw was red. After I punched him, I packed up and left to live on my own. I didn’t want to be in the same house as a coward who couldn’t even save his own wife.” Sae reached for Mayu’s face, ”You look just like her…”
“Why is that, Sae…?”
“Because, I based you off of her. The way you look, the way you move, everything…my princess…”
“Sae…I think you’re wrong about creating me.”
“What do you mean? I did create you. I created your whole family, the town you live in, your entire story.”
“Yes, but whether or not I am a work of art or not, no one but themselves can control matters of one’s heart. And from what you’ve told me, her heart didn’t answer yours…like mine is aching to do. Please, don’t look at me as a figment of your imagination, but look at me as a reality, for what I feel right now and am about to say is nothing but real…”
“Mayu…”
“My father gave me a choice to find love…happiness…and my choice is you.”
*****
It was the day of Sae’s deadline. Sayaka was set to pick it up in a couple hours.
But by then she’d be gone.
She left a note and a key so the woman didn’t have to break her door down.
“Ready to go?”
She set her finished manuscript on the table and took her princess’s hand, smiling.
They stood in front of her bathtub.
“Yuko…” Sae called. She knew for she created this water spirit as well. It was all part of her story.
The water glowed and they jumped.
This ending was no longer a figment of their imaginations.
-
VOTING PHASE BEGINS!All the submissions have officially been posted. We can’t believe how many entries we received (twenty-four! Say, “Wow!” with us!) and we especially can’t believe how many authors came out of their hiding holes to participate. It’s good to know that bribing with our prizes (http://contest48.tumblr.com/post/20054069401/contest48-prizes) worked out. Thanks so much again to all of the authors; however, your five-minutes (three weeks) of fame are over. We’re moving right along to…
The voting phase! We previously explained everything in our other posts. Check out what we wrote
for the reader (http://contest48.tumblr.com/post/20054386871/contest48-for-the-reader) and, most importantly, on
voting (http://contest48.tumblr.com/post/20078030048/contest48-on-voting)! Confused about anything? Feel free to send us a pm to this account, or a message (http://contest48.tumblr.com/ask) in tumblr with your question(s) and we’ll do our best to get back to you promptly! Understand everything? Maybe you should check our entries (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1019156#msg1019156) one last time before you vote! We will be counting votes for exactly one week, starting
NOW.
Voting phase will end on April 25th, 06:00 (JST)
[April 24th, 17:00 (GMT -4) in United States]
Remember to send either a pm or message via tumblr with your votes, not posting them in here! Votes posted in this thread won't count, so be careful!
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Aaaaaaaaand...
Voting Phase is over!
We are not accepting any more votes.
Thank you for participating everyone! We’ll check all the votes one more time to make we counted all of them correctly.
We’ll post the results of this phase soon!
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We are deeply sorry for the long wait! All of us were suddenly busy and couldn’t post this earlier :panic:
Here it is, the long-awaited list of fanfics which passed to the next phase:
- #2 No way
- #3 Chibi Minami and Mariko sama’s Story
- #4 Sakura
- #5 In Spite of Everthing
- #6 A change
- #9 One Crazy Sunday Night
- #14 Temo Demo no Namida
- #16 Night the 20th
- #17 Unconventional
- #18 Kataomoi Finally
- #20 The flower and the Sea
- #24 A figment of my Imagination
If you are curious, top 3 by readers was like this:
- #2 No Way
- #4 Sakura / #9 One Crazy Sunday Night
- #14 Temo Demo no Namida
Congratulations to all of them!
We are still deciding the winners among those entries, but they will be announced by the end of this week!
To everyone who didn’t pass, don’t worry! Half of the fics were eliminated, we know, and we are sad they couldn’t make it, but… remember this?
SPECIAL PRIZE - 2 TRADING CARDS
That’s right! Even if your fic wasn’t able to pass voting phase, you can still win this one, so look forward to the final winner announcement!
Thank you again to everyone who participated! :heart:
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yosh~! The results are here! Congrats for everybody who pass to next phase :on woohoo:
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We’re terribly sorry about the delay. Our finals schedule seemed to really collide and crash down on us this previous week. Thankfully, they’re all over with and done! So, here we go!
WINNERS
We'll be updating the authors of each entry. Meanwhile, you can look at the complete list of fics-authors here (http://contest48.tumblr.com/post/22862099230/the-authors-revealed)
1. #20 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1025218#msg1025218): The Flower and the Sea (written by lionheartedvalor (http://lionheartedvalor.tumblr.com/))
See: The Flower and the Sea (Opinions of the Judges) (http://contest48.tumblr.com/post/22861847590/first-place-winner-opinions-of-the-judges)
2. #24 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32404.msg1027903#msg1027903): A Figment of My Imagination (written by japanime1 (http://japanime1.tumblr.com/))
Special Prizes
For these, we went beyond what was voted on by the readers. A lot of our choices came from unique pairings, unique storylines, are overall great writing that we, unfortunately, couldn’t give first or second place!
#2: No Way
#5: In Spite of Everything
#6: A Change
#9: One Crazy Saturday Night
#10: Rivals
#11: Flicker
#12: Another Chance
#15: Full Speed Ahead
#16: Night the 20th/#19: Futile Excuses
#17: Unconventional
#21: Broken Locker
Wow! What a long list of special prize winners! Amazing, right? As this is our first contest, we decided to be generous. What we hope to encourage with contest48 is a variety of pairings and character choices within the 48fandom. We hope that this will encourage everyone to try, try, and try to submit an entry for our next contest!
Congratulations! If your entry was selected by us, the judges, then please message us as soon as possible with your akb oshimen, 3-4 of your other biases, and your complete address (don't forget name and country!). We will respond with “received!” and we will double check your address as well. We will also let you know when your package has been sent out.
Please do this as soon as possible, preferably within a week.
Thank you, everyone, for participating in our very first contest48!
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HOPELESS!? :luvuluvu: :k-inlove: :ding: :hee: :luvluv1: :shy2: :shy1: :nya: :wriggly: :on bleed: :k-inlove: :luvuluvu:
yeah!!!! :twothumbs no kojiyuu?..... :shocked :drool: :shocked :mon cute:
:mon inluv::mon blood: so :w00t: it's time for
MARIHARU!!?? :mon blood::mon inluv:
yeah!!!!hope they submit MARIHARU fanfic!...>
:mon dance:
I CAN'T WAIT!!!! :mon dance:
:mon dance:
I CAN'T WAIT!!!! :mon dance:
:mon dance:
I CAN'T WAIT!!!! :mon dance:
◄I L O V E M A R I H A R U ! ! ! ! ! ! ! :tama-apeshit: :tama-lotsaluv: :tama-excite: :tama-heart: :tama-laff: :tama-yeeaah: :tama-excite: :tama-bigheart:
That's all weeeeehhhh!!!!
:on gay: :nya: :mon angel: :nya: :on gay:
FLAMEEYES!!!