~ 48Fandom Writing Contest Fall Edition ~ [ Winners revealed! ]

[Dino]

Entry #38
Title: A Lonely Heart Without Friendship
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Takahashi Minami, Oshima Yuko
Word Count: 1768

A Lonely Heart Without Friendship

As a child, you would think that there's always such a thing as 'forever'. The skies never seem to change. The roads were all the same. The slope up to hill to the park was always the same. Your mama and papa were always there to support you, to drop you off to school and pick you up, and to help you with the homework the little you had. The teacher was always sweet and nice. You and your friends were always side by side because your moms and dads let you sleep over.

But on the contrary, there is no such thing as forever. The skies do change, especially when it rains or snows. The roads are never the same, there's always construction somewhere on the old overridden road. The slope up the hill to the park doesn't lead to the park anymore, but to some kind of business building. Your mama and papa aren't always by your side supporting you, now they're too busy with work. Your teachers have gotten stricter. And last but not least, your friends no longer have enough time for you.

At least... it was like that for me.

-

Yuko was always something like a miniature social butterfly. When she was little, she didn't know how to stay friends with one person and often transitioned herself from one group to another, from one person to another, and she didn't have to try that hard. The longest she's ever been friends with another person was for several years. Three perhaps? Four? Probably.

I held the record for longest friendship with her. Perhaps it was because of our associated heights that she could relate to me as I could relate to her. Perhaps it was because she was so annoyingly easy to get along with and love. Perhaps it was just like that.

I'm not sure if she understood the pain that would be left behind when she left others, the feeling of emptiness and a living feeling of liveliness absent. To be frank, I didn't either. Not until it was my turn.

I knew her pattern though. I knew it wasn't long until she would leave me behind as a friend, but even as I prepared myself, the void of missing a friend was there and it wasn't pleasant. After her 'departure', I was often seen at the side of the playground reading a book or manga, or laying down in the middle of the field in peace during recess.

Despite having a shy character, I liked to protect others, or just defend them. But because boys were boys, their characters were nasty and always spit rude comebacks at me because I wouldn't let them have their way and bully who they wanted. I actually always had Yuko for that because I was sensitive to their comments. As I was her best friend one time and she was mine, she would protect me whenever she could.

-

After a few years in my solitude, it wasn't before long when news of her sudden transfer out of the state got around. The other kids threw a departure party for her as I watched sitting from afar, holding a book to my chest.

Somehow, the emptiness I felt turned into hatred, and as I watched her smile and laugh with her new friends, it made me want to rip the pages of the precious book I was holding. It made me want to kick the dirt until my shorts were dry and dusty, and tear the grass from its roots from the earth. But instead, I stood up and walked away instead, and I wasn't sure if I felt her stare behind my back.

-

Once, because of my blinding unreasonable hate, as she walked past by me in the hall with her to-be old friends, I whispered a, "Good riddance" to her on her last day. I knew she turned around to look at me, I saw her turn her head just as I was about to look at her.

But after a few years, I've felt far responsible for that. Did I leave something horrible for her to think about in her mind? Did I hurt her by saying those words? Did I make her feel uncomfortable or horrible for leaving? Did I make her feel bad for not saying anything? I didn't consider her feelings. If I could say it, I'm sorry.

-

Cue another three years in and I'm in high school now, as should she be. I haven't gotten any better at my social skills. I have a few acquaintances here and there, but they're nowhere close to being a friend like she was.

However, today, we had a new transfer student. And as she walked into the room, I felt shame fill me up as she smiled brighter than the sun could've and introduced herself.

"Yahoo~ My name's Oshima Yuko. I transferred out of Akihabara back in sixth grade, and now I'm back as a second year in high school! Please treat me well~"

The teacher excused her to sit in a seat near the back behind me, and in that way, I am completely visible to her. The shame in me messes with my senses. I can't tell whether she's looking at me, the board, or out the window. My heart is heavy as I copy down the necessary notes for the class.

Anxiety builds up likewise to my shame and impatience. It's stressing to know that she, my ex-best friend, is sitting behind me. The parting words that I left her haunts me unpleasantly with this thought. I can't ask for forgiveness. Not yet. Or maybe, not ever.

She taps my shoulder, asking me to turn around. Her head is down, resting upon her arm as she shows me her smile. Oh gosh, what did she want?

"I'm Oshima Yuko, what's your name?"

Ah... so she doesn't remember me...

"Takahashi Minami," I said with a distant smile.

"Minami, huh?" she repeated, smiling fondly. "I like it."

-

And that was the last time we spoke after a few weeks. Emptiness grew onto me again. It became my habit once again to watch her from a distance while she made new friends. This time, something unlike hatred, something I couldn't identify grew inside of me. It had the presence of hatred, but an aura of something else. It was and felt different...

I sat on a shaded bench across the field from hers' and her friends', slumped forward with a new book limply hanging onto my fingers, secure, yet still in danger of falling to the ground. My eyes gave out a set of longing stares at the friendship she shared with her friends. When she laughed, they laughed with her, or when they laughed, she would laugh. They would laugh at each others' jokes no matter how lame it was. When someone needed help, she wouldn't hesitate to comply, nor would the other party. If there was something to talk about, there wouldn't be a second thought to indulge into it. There was no hesitance, just friendship without any barriers.

It wasn't until a while that I realized the growing presence in me wasn't hatred, but something we commonly called jealousy. It became quick associates with the loneliness and emptiness in me. Nonetheless, the shy me couldn't say anything, wouldn't say anything. So I just sat there. Watching, and watching...

-

All my high school activities didn't involve watching Yuko all the time. I mean, I wasn't a stalker. I mean, not really. Sometimes it wasn't my fault. Sometimes I would see her randomly walking by with her friends outside of school, maybe just previously heading out of the theaters. I wouldn't know.

Right now, I was sitting on the roof, with the latest volume of my favorite manga in my hand, and a small lunch and drink. It was merely a sandwich and a bottle of juice. The sky was a clear blue today. There were no clouds to shade, but it was relatively cool and warm at the same time, the perfect weather for anything.

"Heh... so you read One Piece too," said a strangely familiar voice from behind me. I knew who it was before I even turned my head to see their face.

I nodded cautiously. She walked past me and leaned against the railing, her head on her arms. She looked up at me. "Which part did you like the most?"

I shrugged. There wasn't any particular part that I didn't like or love, but there were a lot of emotional scenes that just got to me.

She sat next to me, yet apart. She started to discuss things about it, leaving me no time to finish the manga in my hand. Normally, as I would've been annoyed, I felt a sense of peace and satisfactory. Her being next to me felt natural and normal, like we've been doing this - talking - for years.

Already, I could feel it. I didn't want our moment of friendship to stop. I didn't want anything between us to ever stop.

-

"Oshima, where is your textbook?"

A nervous chuckle. "I forgot it at home..."

"Well then share with someone next to you."

Coincidentally, her neighbor was absent. Coincidentally, I was in front of her. And coincidentally, I was the one she was most familiar with.

She pulled her chair over to my desk, physically asking me to scoot my chair further to the wall so she could sit without taking up the entire row. "Hey-a," she smiled, nudging me slightly and playfully.

Our seats were almost touching, leaving a two inch distance between us. The time slowly passes as the teacher prattled on and on about the subject. I feel something soft hover over my hand before it landed there lightly. I could see it was a hand. Yuko's hand.

I looked at Yuko, who just smiled wordlessly and softly grip my own hand in a hand hold. A folded post-it note was flicked over to my side of the desk. I opened it with the only free hand I had, unwilling to let go as much as Yuko.

"I remember. I'm sorry for leaving you alone."

My previously light squeeze on her hand tightened in a way that told her, "I forgive you." Her soft smile widened.

A new post-it note was thrown to her side before she looked at me curiously.

"I'm sorry too."

Instantly, I knew she understood what I meant. The face she made almost seemed to laugh. In reply, she squeezed my hand, complimentary to mine.

[Dino]

Entry #39
Title: Don't Look
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Suda Akari
Word Count: 1302

Don't Look

The SKE48 senbatsu members gather together in their practice room. After two hours of practising the latest summer song, all of them are exhausted and sticky with sweat.

“It’s so hot.” complains Suda Akari, sitting down as she stretched her aching limbs, flapping her shirt like a bird’s wing, attempting to cool herself down, unaffectedly.

“Let’s tell scary stories.” excitedly suggests Kizaki Yuria.

Akari stops and frowns. She was expecting someone to offer to turn up the air condition, which is located outside the dance room, being too lazy to do it herself. Instead, all the members start to excitedly chat about their own recently heard stories, making Akari sigh.

“Have you heard this one?” Hata Sawako timidly asks, sitting against the far wall.

Surprised, Akari gazes up at Sawako, the usually quiet character rarely heard above the other loud personalities. Members quickly swarm, and sit around her, intently listening. However, though she approaches, Akari just sits at the edge, not particularly interested in horror stories. Nevertheless, her ears perk as she hears Sawako’s voice, putting on her story-telling voice; monotone and slightly deeper. Sawako always told stories very well, being dramatic and well-articulated, turning even the most seemingly boring tale into something interesting. 

With a deep inhale, Sawako begins her story.

~~~~~

A group of girls sat in a group, spending long hours after school just socialising with each other as high school students do. After watching a film, they ate, and now were in one of the girls’ houses, forgetting completely about the time.

Passing around a jar of olives, one girl noticed something.

“Don’t you think olives look like eyes?” she said, biting into the salty and sour cuisine.

“Oh yeah.” piped one, accepting the passed jar.

“Eww that’s gross.” squealed another, ignoring the jar, not suited for the acquired taste. 

“Speaking of eyes, have you guys heard of the story about the woman who lost her eyes.”

“What?” sounded the others.

“Fifteen years ago, there was this story on the news that a young woman committed suicide. Apparently, she was blinded by her boyfriend in a fight by throwing boiling cooking oil at her as they were arguing while they were cooking dinner. Then, after she came home from the hospital, she broke into the house while he was at work. When he came home late at night, going to his bedroom, she jumped him and killed him. Then, with a fork, she ripped both his eyes out. Finally, she killed herself by jumping out of the house roof. Even now, they say that if you go past that house alone at night, she appears. She silently follows you until you are at your own home, and then she calls out to you. However, you should never turn around because as soon as you see her, you will freeze, unable to move. Then, with her fork, she’ll take out your eyes.”

There was a rigid hush when the girl finished her story. All a sudden, one of the girls jumped up making the others scream.

“I have to go.” she exclaimed, seeing the time and knowing she was to be in deep trouble with her parents.

“But its late.” said the one. “You should stay overnight.”

“I can’t. You know my parents. Besides, I only live like five minutes away. It’ll be fine.”

After a few protesting grumbles, the friends were finally convinced and with their quick goodbyes, the girl exited into the night. However, just before they closed the door, one of her friends called out.

“Whatever you do, don’t ever look back.”

The girl stopped and scoffed. “Please.” she replied. “I don’t believe in ghost stories.”

~

Her light steps sounded piercingly through the normally busy street. However, tonight, it seemed like no one was out or going home. With the weather chilly, though summer, the girl quickened her steps. Constantly shifting her gaze around the dark street, starting to feel nervous and skittish, she was relieved when her eyes spotted her house. Already at the door, she rummaged through her bag and took out her house keys. Pushing the key into the door, she was just about to unlock it.

“Look behind you.”

The whisper was so close to her ear that she automatically spun round.

However, nothing is there.

She scoped her eyes over the landscape. Hauntingly quiet, she thought it was nothing.

However, with closer inspection, she sees a shadowy figure by the far bushes across the street, their face hidden by the dark, facing directly at her. Instantly filled with pure terror, the girl felt herself freeze, unable to move even though she urgently willed herself to do so. Tears of desperation swelled in her wide eyes while her body trembled as her body chilled with panic. Her heart pumping furiously and her lips trembling, she kept her eyes on the approaching figure. She wanted to scream, but even her throat was tight and suffocating. As soon as the person steps under the street light, the girl is completely petrified.

The person was female. Or rather, used to be. Wearing a wearing simple grey dress, and with lengthy straight black hair, with a simple glance the woman was seemingly young and pretty. However, with closer inspection, you could see the abnormally pale skin, with white bones grotesquely poking from her frail and broken body. Then, there was her face. With ugly discoloured scars splayed across her ghostly face.

A terrifying sight.

But what made the girl truly horrified was that from the woman’s face, where her eyes were supposed to be, were two gaping holes. And from these black holes, blood fell and the dark crimson liquid dripped down from the ghostly pale face, passing the wide toothy smile on the woman’s face.

All of the air was sucked out of the girl as she stared at the eyeless woman, watching as she took out the glinting fork from behind her, easily stepping forward.

“Give me your eyes.”

~

The next day, the body of a school girl was found outside her home. No one knew who caused the death, or what, but what inspectors found extremely odd was what was taken from the girl. The only thing taken from the girl.

From her spotless body, both of her eyes were missing.

~~~~~

Sawako finishes her story.

After a silent moment, the members begin to applaud, sounding their amazement and exclaiming their fright.

Even though Akari didn’t want to admit it, she is chilled to the bone.

~

“See you tomorrow.”

After bidding farewell to the members, Akari heads the opposite direction, walking alone to her house that was only five minutes away from the studio. Immediately, away from the noise of the members, Akari notices how quiet the usually crowded street is. Her pores prickle with the oversensitivity as her senses tune into the still ambience. The deserted atmosphere makes her jumpy, with the slightest rustling making her jump. Though the air is warm as it enters her open mouth, the night is cool even though its summer and quickly Akari becomes cold as her nervous sweat begins to evaporate. Her footsteps loudly hit the pavement as she increases her walking speed.

Then, even though it has been only been five minutes in reality, it feels like hours before Akari is in front of her house. Finally she breathes a sigh of relief as she safely stands on her doorstep, taking out her keys. Suddenly, the hairs on her neck stand and a feeling of someone watching her makes Akari stop. She spins round but sees nothing. With a quick scope, Akari laughs at her own paranoia. With a light heart, Akari puts her hand on the door handle.

“Look behind you.”

[Dino]

Entry #40
Title: Fate of Love
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Jessica Veranda, Devi Kinal Putri; VeKinali
Word Count: 1710

Fate of Love

Jessica Veranda’s PoV

‘I have no emotion.’

—-

Sunset’s light passed through a big tree and made a shadow behind it. I sat below the tree while observing the most beautiful scene in life. I always spent my day here, below the tree and waiting for sun to set. Because in this hour, I can see your smile. Yes. For me, the most beautiful scene in life is your smile. You and your school friends always passing by this place at this hour. At that time, I quickly took out my drawing tools and began to draw your smile. I never forget your smile that has changed my life.

At the first time, I just got bored and when I walked around I found this big tree which perfect place for me to be alone. I sat below it while hugging my knee and lowered my head. I wanted to cry out but I just couldn’t. I lost my parents when I was child and I lost my emotion due the shock I got at that time. I never felt the thing named love since then. But, when I saw you for the first time, with your beautiful face, middle-short hair and a nice school uniform that you wore, I think I have fallen in love with you in the first sight. Not only that, I love your smile the best.

I didn’t have enough courage to approach and talk with you. So, in the next day, I came to this place again while carrying my drawing tools to draw your smile. At least this was the only thing I could do. I wish someday you would recognize my existence then approach me. I want to be your friend, or more than that. So I could smile and laugh with you.

One day, when I saw you with your friends passing by, I didn’t see your smile. You pouted all the way. I wondered what did happen to you. But it seemed you had a fight with your friends. You didn’t chat with them like you always did before. I even saw your friends scolded and shouted to you. Could it be they bully you? At that time, I really wanted to help you but I couldn’t.

After that day, I never saw your smile anymore. When you passed by this place, you were all alone. Where were your friends? Did they leave you alone? How could them. I didn’t know what I should do. Almost every day I drew your smile because I couldn’t smile and drawing was the only way for me to convey my emotion. I wish I could make you smile again, but how? I myself couldn’t smile and I wanted to make you smile, that just impossible.

Suddenly, when I looked at you, you also looked at me as our eyes met. I quickly looked away and without realizing, I blushed hard. How embarrassing. Then you approached me and sat beside me. I didn’t know what exactly you were doing. But I kept look away to hide my blushed face. I also hid my drawing. I didn’t want to you to look at it yet. After that, you started a conversation. You introduced yourself, and which made me surprised was when you said that you observed me all this time, like I always did to you.

After heard that, I introduced myself and said the same thing as you. You got surprised but then you laugh. Was I dreaming? I could see your smile right in front of me. Too bad, I couldn’t smile with you though I felt really happy that time. You realized that and asked me why I never smile. I said to you the truth that I lost my emotion when I was child. At first I was afraid if you would think that I was weird, but after seeing your smile, I believed that you would be able to bring my emotion back.

After that we talked a lot about our self. You didn’t think that I was weird. You even said that I was unique and interesting. We shared each other problems, from being lonely until about our parents. We found that we had a lot of similarities and we were match to each other. My heart was beating faster and faster, and my feelings toward you grew stronger and stronger.

We chatted a lot and without realizing it was already dark out here. We were too busy talking nonstop. Before went home, I decided to show you my drawing, so I took it out and showed it to you. You got surprised again and suddenly you hugged me. You hugged me really tightly while I was blushed hard. After that you broke the hug and we stared to each other. We stayed at this position for a while, until you said a sentence that made me at my highest happiness.

“I love you.”

Due the happiness, I smiled and cried at the same time. You really brought my emotion back. The only thing that could bring my emotion back was indeed a thing named love, and you just gave me that…

==========

Devi Kinal Putri’s PoV

‘I don’t have any friend.’

—-

I was always lonely. My family was rich and because of that I rarely met my parents. They went to work all day. Never had a time for their only daughter. I was lack of love. At school, I didn’t have any friends. My classmates, they just took an advantage from me because I was rich. Every day after school, I had to accompany them to arcade or mall until sun almost set. After that we went home together. Even though I always chatted and laugh with them, I never thought of them as my friends.

But then, when I was passing by a big tree on my way to home, I saw you. You hugged your knee and looked down. Were you crying? You were alone below that tree. Suddenly, you raised your head and looked at me. I quickly looked away, and when I glanced a little at you, I could see your beautiful face, with your long straight black hair which makes you look perfect in my eyes. How I really wanted to approach and talk with you, but I couldn’t. I was afraid if my ‘friends’ would be mad at me.

Actually, my classmates wanted to be my friends because I gave them money. Before that, I always got bullied by them and other students at my school. That because I was weak. That’s why I didn’t have any choice except paid them to not bully me and become my friends. Then they gave me one condition. I must not play with others beside them. At first I against it, but like I said before. I didn’t have other choice. So I accepted that and since then they became my ‘friends’.

I thought this way was better than being bullied every day. But I was wrong. Since the day I saw you, I got that its better being alone than have a lot of fake friends. Every day I passed by a big tree, you were always there. You with your drawing tools. I wondered what you drew. Day by day I observed you. Though I always looked away every time you looked back at me. I couldn’t forget you from my minds. Maybe I have fallen in love with you.

Because of that, with my little courage, on my way to home, I said to my friends that I don’t want to be their friend anymore. As I expected, they all got angry and scolded me. I just lowered my head. I didn’t dare to fight back or even look at their eyes. After they got tired for scolded me, they left me and said that I must be prepared for getting bullied again tomorrow. But I didn’t care. What I want was just a true friend.

The day after, I went home all alone. I didn’t regret it.  Then I passed by the big tree and I saw you. You sat alone like always. I stopped for a while and watched you. Not long after that, you realized that I was watching you. When our eyes met, I smiled at you, but then you blushed and looked away. I approached you and sat beside you. You got startled and quickly hid your drawing.

I started a conversation by introduce myself. I even said that I always observe you. After heard that, you blushed all the way. Then you introduced yourself. I got surprised when you said that you were also observed me all this time. I also laugh after I heard that. But weird, I never saw your smile even once, so I asked you about that. You told me that you lost your emotion.

I didn’t think it’s weird at all. I never met a person like you before so I thought you were unique and interesting. Then we continued on chat and without realizing it was already dark and I forgot that tomorrow I still had class. So I excused myself to go home but you stopped me as you wanted to show me your drawing. When you show me your drawing, I surprised plus happy because what you drew was me. I really didn’t believe that. I hugged you to say thank you, but when I broke the hug and we stared to each other, I felt like my heart beating so fast.

‘I love you’ I said. I could see your eyes suddenly became watery and your lips shaped a smile. Looked like your emotion already back. Then you hugged me tightly like never wanted to release me from your embrace. I put my hands around you and tightened the hug to feel each other warmness.

“I love you too”

You whispered to me between the hug. I really really happy that you replied my feeling. After that I broke the hug and stared to each other again. This time, I slowly put my lips against yours. You kissed me back as I could feel your soft lips…

‘Thank you for the love you gave me’

[Dino]

Entry #41
Title: Of a Bird and a Peculiar Frog
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Furukawa Airi, Takayanagi Akane; Furuyanagi
Word Count:  2487

Of a Bird and a Peculiar Frog

Akane could not control herself any longer and pushed forward with her advances on Airi. It was during their hotel stay together (for work related purposes!) that Akane got really fed up with Airi's continuous babbling and squees about how cute her Rena-san is in a swimsuit for their PV shoot. Heck, Rena is cute alright, Akane thought, but all of the participating members are cute too, and they too were in swimsuits, yet Airi pays them absolutely no attention.
   'I know I shouldn't be thinking about it like this but...' Akane thought in annoyance, 'I was there at the shoot too, wearing almost the exact same thing as Rena-san. And Airi has not uttered a word about me at all.'
   “Akane? Is everything alright? Are you tired? We can go to sleep now if you want.” Airi asked seeing how Akane has grown all quiet all of a sudden. Akane's frown must have been very obvious that even the oblivious Airi has expressed minute concerns about her well-being.
   Akane, who is trying exceptionally hard to suppress her jealousy and the temptation to stop Airi from talking nonsense with her own lips, answered with the most normal voice she could conjure up at that moment. “Yeah.. Everything is fine. I'm not tired..”
   “Oh, okay. That's good to hear. Yeah, so by the time we got back to the shop, Rena-sa----”
   “Stop!” Akane raised her voice, cutting off Airi. “No, I change my mind, everything is not alright. Nothing is fine. You should stop talking about Rena-san because I can't hold myself in any longer!”
   “Eh?” Airi blurted in surprise.
   The mixture of surprise, innocence, and confusion on Airi's facial complexion at that very moment awakened Akane's predatory instincts that were very carefully and securely kept deep inside her. With her conscious logical mind completely thrown off the window, Akane slowly, but firmly push Airi down onto the bed and positioned herself on top of her.
   Airi's eyes widened as she quickly realize her situation (beneath Akane). Akane could feel Airi's hands applying very little pressure on her shoulders in an attempt to push herself away. Akane smirked at Airi and took a mental note on how feeble Airi's resistances were.
   Akane closed the distance between the two slowly. And at the moment it started, it ended. The contact was very swift and light. It seemed almost as if Akane's critical mind has resumed it control before things got messy. But when Akane pulled back and saw that inexplainable look of desire in Airi's eyes, she dived in again and captured Airi's lips with much more aggression.
   The night that followed was a really awkward one. Airi became mute and hid herself under the blankets, while Akane, who even though regained her usual composure physically, freaked out massively about her outbreak of impulsive sexual emotional frustration. However, despite the freak out, Akane did not regret her actions at all, mainly because the kiss felt amazing and Airi, who was incredibly shy and passive at first, kissed back with equal, if not more, passion.

_______

   The incident happened around a week ago, but Airi still could not get it out of her head. Airi often finds herself replaying the moment over and over in her head. The distraction has become so increasingly obvious now that Airi is receiving concerned remarks from other members during rehearsals.
   “Airi-san, did something happen between you and Rena-san?” Ishida Anna asked with a hint of concern in her voice, snapping Airi out of her inner turmoil.
   “Huh? No. No.” Airi responded trying to look as calm as possible.
   Anna, though unconvinced with Airi's reassurance, thought it would be inappropriate to press on the issue and asked no further. Not long after, Anna left the dressing room with Manatsu, but leaving her words lingering behind in Airi's mind.
   'No, nothing happened between Rena-san and I, but with someone else, and that's exactly the thing that is bothering me..' Airi thought.
   Not before long, Airi's mind wandered back to Saipan, to the beaches, members in swimsuits,  Rena-san, Akane, the hotel, and the things that happened when all of those are combined together. It's not like Airi disliked it or anything, in fact her feelings deviates far from dislike, which led to another problem.
   She has been avoiding Akane like plague for the past week, because looking at Akane even just a fleeting glance brought back to many fresh memories..
   '...of how soft and sweet her lips tasted on mines-' Airi gasped at her vulgar mind. Shouldn't she be trying to discard these thoughts away instead of drooling over how dominant Akane was in the hotel room, or how that aggressiveness drives her submissive heart off the chart. She shouldn't be recalling how hard her heart pounded in her chest as Akane pulled on her chin slightly to make way for a more convenient entrance. Airi gasped and blushed again for the nth time of the day for retreating back to those thoughts. It is impossible now for Airi to look at Akane in the eyes without burning her face red or averting away immediately.
   'What if Rena-san finds out about this?' Airi panicked, 'This is not right. I can't betray her for someone else! Wouldn't this be equivalent to oshihenning?'
   Airi has been too occupied to notice that the dressing room is now vacant except for two souls. The other members have already left for home or dinner hangouts with each other. From the other side of the room, a sharp pair of eyes stared with a predatory intently at Airi drilling holes in her ridiculously thick skull. The intensity of the glare resembles that of a ferocious eagle on hunting, yet Airi remained in complete oblivion untouched by it. Not before long, the owner og the eyes had to give up such a vengeful act and approach Airi with another method. She has been waiting for this one on one confrontation void of pesky member who liked to meddle with other people's business for a very long time. There is no way she will let this opportunity pass by without fruition.   
   “Airi!” Akane cried causing Airi to blip out of her trance to see Akane standing on the opposite side of the table, arms hanging stiffly to her sides and her fists clenched tight. Her cheeks are puffed up showing signs of annoyance, and are tinted with a pinkish hue. Akane's signature side-ponytail is tied clumsily on the side of  her head loosely in an amiable way. The sadness in Akane's voice was touched slightly with desperation. Airi blinked at the image in front of her and after two seconds, realization his her like a brick wall in the face. She is alone with Akane in the dressing room, god knows if the door is locked, and Akane is furious judging from her voice and expression (although she doesn't look like it). Airi knew that she needed to say something, anything remotely intelligent, and fast.
   “He-y.” Airi managed to pathetically squeak out. Upon hearing Airi's voice, Akane began to stomp from her initial spot to stop in from of Airi. Airi gulped as she saw Akane's white patterned jacket move closer and closer to her face (she didn't dare to look up).
   “Look at me.” The younger commanded in an ice cold voice. Airi meekly raised her head up only to see those eagle eyes piercing into the pit of her soul. She shuddered and felt presperation droplets form on her forehead. She wanted to wipe them away before any of it slid into her eyes, but Airi lost control of her nervous system under the tension. Somehow, the increasingly heated dressing room became filled with Akane's scent which made the Hentai agitated. Akane bent down to decrease the distance between them and then suddenly swooped in for a quick kiss. In the 0.65second time that Airi had to react, Akane has already pulled away. Immediately after, she felt a strong tug on her right arm and she was slammed against the metal green locker of the SKE dressing room, causing a loud bang. Luckily, her head did not come into contact with the locker, but before she could move away, Airi found herself sandwiched in between the very, very cold metallic surface of the locker and the very, very warm, smooth and incredibly soft skin of a too familiar bird loving girl. Airi could feel herself breathing in a mixture of Akane's hot breath and the cool air-conditioned air. The combination of extremes made the situation very arousing for Airi, and she wondered how emotionally deprived Akane must have been in order for her, right now at this moment, to act like a sadistic yandere girl high on aphrodisiac. Not that it was a bad thing. Airi gasped when she felt Akane's knee push up against the area between her thighs.
   “A-Akane! What are you doing!?” Airi exclaimed as she tried to feebly push Akane away from their extremely provocative position. “Someone might walk in and misunderstand!”
   “Eh? What are you talking about? What is there to misunderstand?” Akane feign innocence with a smirk. “It seems pretty obvious what we're doing.”
   “You're out of your mind!” Airi cried. “What is Rena-san knows about this?”
   “She won't. Unless one of us tells her, which I don't believe will be happening, ne, Airin~” Akane grinner triumphantly, sending shivers down Airi's spinal cord.
   “What if Jurina walks in?” Airi half-shouted out of frenzy. The moment those words left her mouth, Airi realizes that she had said them a couple of notches too loud and hopes that they did not appear offensive to Akane, especially when Jurina and Akane has been rather close laterly.   
   “Jurina has nothing to do with you and me, so it doesn't matter. You know what, Airi? The person I want right now is not Jurina.” Akane frowned and leaned closer towards Airi's ear. Airi could feel hot breaths on her ear as Akane breathes. Warmness crept up Airi's neck as she awaits, impatiently, for Akane to finish her sentence.
   “But you.. Airi.” Akane whispered, causing Airi to squirm at the tickling wind caressing the delicate parts of her ear. Despite the situation they are in, Akane expressed her feelings in a tone so solemn that it drove a hefty sense of guilt up Airi's throat. This roller-coaster ride of emotions may be too much for the otaku, completely inexperienced about relationships and romance, to handle. Those mangas Airi had read offered no real applicable solutions to the complications she is facing presently. Real life, sometimes, is unexpectedly complicated and strenuous. 
   Airi struggled to find the right words to reply, and she is also quite unsure whether if there need to be a reply to Akane's words at all. Deciding that choosing the wrong word and voicing out opinions in the wrong way is probably not the method to go, Airi wrapped her arms around Akan's waist for an embrace. The action may seem out of character, but it is a genuine one. Akane was surprised at first by Airi's display of intimacy, but then calmed down immediately when she felt that the arms around her had the familiar stiffness and uncertainty to it, which is unique only to Airi.
   Airi's heart rattled away as they hug. She was glad that she had chosen not to say anything, but instead had gone for the physical resolution. It was as if all of Akane's temper melted away as they touch, leaving only a level-headed, yet a tad crazy girl behind. The sight and warmth of a normal Akane relieved Airi from all former tension, and she relaxed in the younger girl's arms, engulfed in each other's presence. After a while, Akane loosened her grip and shifted out of the embrace. The distance between them was optimum for a close range eye contact. Akane's dark brown orbs were deep and unreadable.
   “Seeing you always appearing on Rena-san's blog and how you two flirt with each other all the time... had made me.. jealous.” Akane said, looking away from embarrassment and bitterness. “It really burned. And I thought that if I try hard enough, I could achieve everything I want, and I don't really have a reason for holding back like how I did. Now I know though that that isn't always the case. I think, Airin, that maybe I've tried too hard and that pushed you away from me even further. I want to admit that I have given up all hope about you reciprocating my feelings...” She paused, took a deep breath to relieve herself from the accumulating pain in her chest. Airi watched Akane's expression flash in pain, so she grabbed hold of their hands.
   “..But honestly, that's just what I want myself to believe. I really can't give up, no matter how hard I try, not when every time we go out with each other on our so called 'dates', and not when you keep on looking at me with those eyes.” Akane finished in a crackling voice.
   Airi stood still allowing those words to sink in. Akane likes her, not in a friendly way, but something a little bit more, that she have guessed. Airi warmed up slightly to have her hypothesis confirmed. This is the first time since high school (and that was quite a long time ago) that she had been confessed to. Being obviously lacking in this department, she didn't know how to respond properly. Normal confessions only need replies like 'yes', 'no', or the clichéd 'give me some time to think about it', but Akane didn't really ask a question, it was rhetorical. Airi didn't know what to reply, and, no longer able to suppress them, her discomfort and embarrassment became visible to Akane.
   “I'm sorry I made you feel weird and stressed. I just want you to know that I love you, Airin, and that you should appreciate yourself more. I'm not expecting you to feel the same way because I know that Rena-san is the only one for you.” Akane said, voice quivering. “I guess I better get going. You should go too, Airin. It is getting late.”
   Akane picked up her belongings and headed to the door, not bothering to look back at Airi, who is in a messy confused state.
   “Wait! Churi!” Airi called out, turning to meet Akane's confused face. “Don't hastily make conclusions by yourself. I'll think about what you've just said. So please wait until then okay? Is that fine with you?”
    Akane brightened and smiled softly. “Yes, it is. Just tell me when you have the answer. See you later, Airin.”
   Then she quietly left the room, leaving Airi standing alone.

[Dino]

Entry #42
Title:Her only reason
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Shimazaki Haruka, Mori Anna
Word Count:  1267

Her only reason

Shimazaki Haruka once wore a bright smile on her face. One that was big enough to even make her eyes seem like they themselves were smiling. Her smile, as how everyone would else put it, seemed like it was a star.

But before she knew it, it was gone.

Along with her, her smile was gone.

Motivation, emotions, everything. It felt like all of them disappeared. She couldn’t even bring herself to ‘give it her all’ in her performances. She felt empty.

Without Mori Anna beside her, she didn’t feel like doing anything.

It’s funny, really. How even though she’s been doing things half-heartedly now, she still receives a huge push by the management. A push that’s big enough to even give her a lot of antis. But that didn’t matter to her. It’s not like she wished for it anyway. People can hate her if they want to, she couldn’t care less.

Because she knew that everyone noticed it too. How she isn’t being herself anymore.

Her talks were now dull, her answers all half-hearted and even though she still puts on a smile on her face, be it to her fellow members, senpais, or in photoshoots and taping, they were all hollow. Empty. A mere mask just to shut everyone up.

Sadly, Akimoto Yasushi seems like he can’t understand anything at all. Giving her countless of roles in AKB even though she obviously didn’t ask for them. She knew that she could have turned down his offers, but by doing so, she also knew that it would be like rubbing to the others’ faces that she’s acting like a spoiled princess, turning down wonderful offers that the others would kill for. She had no other choice but to accept.

Sometimes she can’t help but wonder: What is AKB for her?

At first, in the past, she could answer such a question confidently with cheesy lines like “My life” or “Everything”. But now she found it hard to agree with those words anymore.

Sometimes, she can’t help but be amazed at how one person could affect her so much.

There are times where she wants to ask this one particular question to herself too-

“How long are you going to remain butthurt about her graduation?”

The first person she heard that from was Oba Mina, right after she joined Team 4. She couldn’t even answer such a normal question straightly. And at that time, the only thing she could do was move her mouth open and close again and again, almost resembling a goldfish in search for water.

While she had no idea on what to say, however, she had the urge to simply shrug it off with a “Forever” too. Because to be honest, she believed that she will remain hurt about it until she herself graduates- or hell, maybe even by then, she’ll still be butthurt.

Mori Anna was, and will always be, her only motivation- her only reason for living after all.

She greatly depended on her. She clung on to her as if she was her only lifeline. But then she still disappeared. Even though she wanted to stay with her forever, even though she wished to be by her side until she dies and even though they promised to each other that they will be together until the end of time, Mori still left.

And now she felt like her own world was empty. She felt like no one could understand her anymore. In her eyes, everyone seemed like they were thinking of nothing but evil plots on how to make her suffer- she felt lonely. She had no one to rely on anymore, no one to share secrets with anymore.

Now that she’s gone… Well, the idea of leaving AKB was slowly starting to sound tempting for her.

It would be better if she does that anyway. With her doing everything so half-heartedly, she was more than sure that the others wished for her to disappear already- to give them all of the offers she received and she’s currently putting in a waste.

The leading roles for two dramas and then a leading role for a movie too, appearances in commercials, in variety show. All of those, she participated without even putting much energy into it. And now she even won the Janken tournament which she hardly cared about. After all, she simply used scissors all throughout the game, hoping that someone would beat her. But then the opposite happened.

Sometimes she can’t help but wonder, is this fate’s way of mocking her?

She knew that the feeling of ‘Happiness’ came up to her at the very moment she knew that she won. Hell, she even got excited about it, putting on a surprised face while scanning at the venue with wide eyes, but then that feeling didn’t last long at all.

Because she knew that even though she won, it won’t change anything.

Even though her winning of the tournament was announced nationwide, even though her face was plastered in the newspapers the very next day, it’s not like it would mean that her dearest Nanchan would suddenly come up to her just to congratulate her.

Though secretly, she did hope for something like that to happen…

After the Janken, she kept her phone in her hand, after all, immediately flipping it open whenever it vibrates in hopes that she would see the name “Mori Anna” on its screen. Be it a mere message or a wonderful call congratulating her, she just wanted to have a short conversation with her again.

As time passed by, she felt like her chest was slowly sinking away. She could hardly pay attention to anyone by then at all- though she was kind of happy that the others came to her just to congratulate her- as the only thing she had in mind was her phone.

But then, even after waiting for hours,

Even after keeping the small gadget in her hands from budokan up until she was lying on her bed, it never came.

And as soon as the digital clock beside her wrote 12:00 AM on it, she decided to give up, tossing her phone aside while smiling to herself pitifully,

“It’s no use… I won’t hear her voice anymore…”

Shimazaki Haruka once wore a bright smile on her face. One that was big enough to even make her eyes seem like they themselves were smiling. Her smile, as how everyone would else put it, seemed like it was a star.

But before she knew it, it was gone.

Along with her, her smile was gone.

Motivation, emotions, everything. It felt like all of them disappeared. She couldn’t even bring herself to ‘give it her all’ in her performances. She felt empty.

Without Mori Anna beside her, she didn’t feel like doing anything.

It’s funny, really. How even though she’s been doing things half-heartedly now, she still receives a huge push by the management. A push that’s big enough to even give her a lot of antis. But that didn’t matter to her. It’s not like she wished for it anyway. People can hate her if they want to, she couldn’t care less.

Because she knew that everyone noticed it too. How she isn’t being herself anymore.

And she was more than sure that it will never come back again,

That smile everyone used to compare with a star.

[Dino]

Entry #43
Title: Path of Captain, Path of the Center
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Takahashi Minami, Maeda Atsuko, Takamina the 5th, Acchan 13th, Shinonome Kanata, Motomiya Nagisa
Word Count: 1283 

Path of Captain, Path of the Center

None can deny that the first Center Nova was Maeda Atsuko. Of course, the position as such did not exist during her time, and the Kirara had yet to be discovered, making discovery of true idols easier, but many claim that had Kirara been available when she performed Yume no Kawa, the song written specifically for her own graduation, near the conclusion of the AKB48’s legendary Tokyo Dome concert, that they would have glown much brighter than they did even at the Lancastar concert of 0048, wherein the 9 performing Kenkyuusei shone brighter than records of any Center Nova, even the legendary Acchan the 13th, display.

It is universally accepted, even by those who refuse to acknowledge Maeda Atsuko as the Center Nova, that Takahashi Minami was the first leader of AKB48. Akimoto Yashushi may have created the group and written it’s songs, and Togasaki Tomonobu may have been the first theatre manager, but the first leader is universally recognised as Takahashi Minami, so much that it is said she was recognised by all as the leader of some 200 girls even before the Tokyo Dome concert officially made her the General Manager. It is testament to her skill that all subsequent Takamina’s in 0048 have shared her leadership, and some say the Shinonome Kanata of the 75th generation kenkyuusei also shares those abilities, and would be the ideal candidate to inherit the position. Some claim she already should have.

The succesor to Takahashi Minami as AKB’s leader is not recorded in the annals of history. It’s claimed she once named Yokoyama Yui as a potential successor, but some feel she remained the leader of AKB for it’s entire existence, only ceasing to be such when it died during the Great Space War and AKB0048 emerged as it’s successor.

The successor to Maeda Atsuko as Center is similarly not well known, although in that case, due to a knowledge of her graduation taking place immediately after the Tokyo Dome concert, there are clues that we can look at to guess the truth. Two possible choices are the only two members to take the Center position while she was a member, ignoring the winners of the Janken Tournaments, only Matsui Jurina and Oshima Yuko had achieved this. Additionally, the limited footage available from the song UZa indicates the pair did in fact serve as W Center for that song. However, Yuko is generally discarded as a candidate due to her age at the time. The other two generally considered candidates are Watanabe Mayu, who receives focus near-equal to Maeda’s in Manatsu no Sounds Good!, the last song featuring Maeda, and Shimazaki Haruka, who Akimoto-snsei is known to have had his eye on at the time and happened to win the Janken Tournament immediately following from Maeda’s graduation. No other possibilities really exist considering ages, although some think the choice should be a girl as young as Maeda was when she was chosen as Center.

It’s generally accepted that every Takamina also served as Team 00 captain during their time in 00, with Takamina the 3rd even serving as Center Nova at the same time, matching Yamamoto Sayaka’s legendary feat. The question of who held the position when there was no Takamina is a whole different question. It’s agreed that at times the position was held by successors of both of Takamina’s fellow legendary captains Sayaka and Yukirin. A few times the position had been held by Umechan’s, Yuuko’s, Mariko-sama’s and Minarun’s but Takamina, despite only 5 having served throughout 00’s history, is the most common name in the records of 00 Captains. It is even noted that Shinonome Kanata, the girl touted by numerous fans as the ideal Takamina, serves already in such a capacity for the Kenkyuusei. Despite this, many feel she will never succeed the position, though some believe Takamina the 5th will graduate soon enough.

With the Center Nova the records are fully up-to-date and readily accessed, and a gallery of all Center Novae’s last Profile photo’s prior to graduation is stored in the 0048 dorms and a digital version can be viewed on the 0048 site. All of the remaining first generation members at the time of Maeda Atsuko’s graduation have at least one successor appear in the gallery, as do the most well known of the following 3 generations, as well as successors of Akicha, Yuihan, Paruru and Kaoru. The last 5 to hold the position are the aforementioned Takamina the 3rd, Yuuko the 7th, Yuihan the 6th, Miichan the 5th and Acchan the 13th, the Center Nova to create the brightest light from Kirara on record. Unfortunately, no record exists of the activities of any Center Nova following graduation, save for the rumblings that Miichan the 5th is somewhere on Atamistar. Only one member directly expected to become Center Nova has failed to do so, after her announcement it was widely assumed that Acchan the 12th, appointed in 0041, would be Center Nova following Miichan the 5th, instead she was graduated suddenly and within 3 years at the legendary Lancastar Concert her replacement was not only wearing her name, but also claimed Center Nova for herself, although given the success of that particular Center none can truly mourn her loss. At one stage it was even teased that the 0048 central mainframe ‘Aimi’ would take the stage as the latest Center Nova, even gracing the stage to perform Ice no Kuchikuze, which, in hindsight, is when we should have recognised the ruse.

Looking to the future, there is no clear direction of what the future may hold. Takamina the 5th seems content to remain in the seat she has held since at least 0041, and it is possible Kanata will not remain in the organisation by the time she graduates. The Center Nova position hasn’t been held since the day Acchan the 13th graduated in 0046, though many presume that the next Center Nova is amongst the 9 kenkyuusei who performed at the Kenkyuusei Concert at Lancastar, given the lights they spread on that day. Exactly who amongst those girls could succeed is something there is intense speculation about, though none doubt Kanata’s eventual position. Her generation mate, Kishida Mimori is another story, her age being considered it has fast become a joke amongst fans that she will eventually serve as the successor to Oya Shizuka. Of the 77th generation members though, the favourite to inherit the position in Sono Chieri, some even positing she will be the first full member to serve under her own name, though no-one really knows who she could succeed. Ichijouji Yuuka is also considered often, some claim she was the first to produce a Kirara amongst the 9 during the evacuation of the Lancastar concert, before that same event continued. Few believe Aida Orine to be ready to achieve her goal of succeeding Sashiko, therefore discounting her, but a number believe Shinonme Sonata to be a candidate in a way that would mean she succeeds Matsui Jurina, her age making her the perfect candidate for both. However, aside from  Chieri, the most vocal support for Center Nova goes towards Motomiya Nagisa, similarities with Acchan have bee used and some areas of the fandom have already began to proclaim her as Acchan the 14th.

Addendum: Year 0098.

By this time 0048 was all but destroyed, the nominal Center Nova is the only known existing 0048 member, Acchan the 26th. It is hoped that the group will return to one of it’s former levels of strength, and through that be able to have a new Center Nova, and captain, once more. If anyone reads this and knows of anyone who could succeed Takahashi Minami, Shinoda Mariko, Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, or Minegishi Minami, please send them to allow for the rebirth. Party ga Hajimaru yo.

[Dino]

We are not accepting any more submissions!

The rest of entries will be posted in the remaining days before voting phase starts.  Voting period will be from October 4 to October 15. We will make a post about it to remind you all the details when the voting begins!

Entry #44
Title:Moving Forward
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Akimoto Sayaka, Miyazawa Sae, Matsui Jurina, Oshima Yuko; SaeYaka
Word Count:  2999

Moving Forward

"Matsui Jurina is the future of AKB48. Possibly the next center. Now having dual positions between SKE48 team S and AKB48 team K, the young girl is full of surprises. Coming live from Akihabara Theatre is former Team K captain Akimoto Sayaka. Let's hear her thoughts about Jurina's seedy rise to fame."

The reporter walked over to me and I only smiled as the bright flashes of the cameras flicker in my eyes.

"Tell us your thoughts about the young Matsui Jurina. Do you think she will do fine in both SKE and AKB?"

" I personally think Jurina will be fine. Things are going to get tough but I'm sure that if she works hard and keeps her focus on the task at hand then she will be fine."

I manage to pull a fake smile that I am just so good at doing. The reporter buys it and ends up leaving me alone. I don't need the paparazzi on me if they're just going to flash bright lights at my eyes and ask me questions I've already answered dozens of times before. To be honest it was getting really annoying. I sometimes wish they would all just go away and leave me alone. Just stop bothering my and and pretend I never existed.

I walk away from the large group of reporters and head to my car. As I pass them I hear the same rumors I hear everyday. Everyone says the same thing everyday. They say I'm going to be the next one to graduate. Now that I'm no longer the captain of team K, everyone thinks I have no other reason to be there. And to be honest I think their right. I never make the top in Senbatsu and ever since that dumb scandal I've never been looked at the same way. To be honest I've been starting to question why I even joined AKB in the first place. I hate being lost in thought. Because then people sneak up on me without me noticing.

"Hey Sayaka!"

I jump and turn around to see the new team K captain Oshima Yuko. Yuko and I are good friends. The only difference is she's in the top Senbatsu and I'm part of the Under Girls group. It's not that I don't like being part of the group it's just that I hate being pushed down. No matter how hard I try to strive for the top I always get pushed back down. Yuko on the other hand is lucky. She has everything people look for in an idol. A cute face, a great body, good bust and an overall good personality. With me on the other hand I always get told I look like a gorilla and I've been told I act like a guy. I'm as flat as a board and I have a six pack which isn't normal for girls like me. I should be more like Yukirin or Mayu but instead I look like someone you'd see in a female wrestling program.

"So are you coming to the party tonight?" Yuko asked.

"What party?" I said.

"The Welcoming Party. Remember you wanted to welcome Jurina to team K by throwing her a welcoming party. You should remember since you're the one who planned the whole thing."

"Oh yeah that's right. Where is it again?"

"At the karaoke bar next to the maid cafe. Come on Sayaka get with the program! We've been planning this since Jurina go transferred."

"I will. I just need to go home and freshen up. I'll see you later Yuko."

"Alright I'll see you. At six so don't forget!"

"On it."

Yuko left and I got in my car and drove home. I had completely forgotten about Jurina's welcoming party. I thought it would be nice to throw it since she was probably going to be nervous so I thought it would be a great way for her to get to know everyone. But right now I don't feel like going to a party. Right now I just want to lay on my bed and not move. I just want to rot away and hope no one notices me. I don't want to go out into world knowing I'm only going to get judged. As I lay on the bed I hear the door bell ring. I walk over and open it and was surprised to see Miyazawa Sae who was supposed to be off to Shanghai.

"Sae? What are you doing here?" I say.

"I heard you were having a party and you didn't invite me? Now that's mean Sayaka." she says in that peppy voice she always has.

"I thought you were leaving for Shanghai which is why I didn't ask."

"Baka! I'm not leaving until next week. We can still be together for a while!"

"Yeah but then after you're leaving and you'll be gone for a whole year."

"Mou quit being such a downer! I'm coming in!"

Sae pushed past me and charged into my home.

"Jeez Sayaka this place is a mess!"

She was right. I hadn't cleaned my house up in days ever since I found out Sae was leaving. I just came home and had a fit throwing things across the room and screaming. Things got so bad that my mom made everyone leave the house and stay at a hotel.

"Where are your parents?"

"They're out."

"Well then instead of you being alone here then how about we head out to the party! It should be starting soon."

"I don't think I can go. I have a headache." I lied.

"You don't look like you're in pain. So then let's go!"

Sae grabs my arm and starts to pull me. But then she stops and her entire face scrunches up into a look of disgust.

"God you stink Sayaka!"

"That's because I just came from practice."

"Go take a shower."

"No I'm not going to the party."

"Do it or I'll make you."

"Try it."

Sae got a pout on her face and I couldn't help but smirk. Sae knows I'm stronger than her and knows she can't beat me in a physical fight.

"If you don't get in then I'll spray you with a hose."

"You can't be serious."

"Really?"

I watch Sae walk to the kitchen and over to the sink. She pulls the extension line and aims it at me.

"This is your last warning."

"You wouldn't dare..."

"Would I?"

I next thing I knew, I was blasted with cold water right in the face. I turned so I had my back facing the line of fire and tried to protect my face.

"Alright I'm going!"

I run to the bathroom and get in the shower. I let the warm water run down my body. It was so soothing and relaxing. For once I didn't feel as upset. I was actually content and didn't want anything to ruin the moment. But then there was a loud pound on the door and Sae shouting from the other side.

"We don't have all night Sayaka!"

I finish up and then get out. Before walking out of the bathroom I look at my body in the mirror. It's a natural thing for me to do. I try to point out all the flaws in my body so I know why I can work on. I see my legs need to be shaved and toe nails clipped. There are more wrinkles on my face than from last time I checked and I think I'm starting to get crows feet.

"What are you doing in there? Hurry up!"

I open the door and Sae screams and covers her eyes.

"What?"

"But a towel on or something Sayaka!"

I remembered how Sae didn't like me running around naked after a shower. But everyone else in my family does it so I don't see the big deal. It's my house anyways. I come back out with a towel on and Sae smiles. Then she takes my hand and leads me to my room where she has all my clothes laid out. I guess she wanted my to pick my outfit. I grabbed a black on piece and some cute heels. Sae shakes her head at me and makes me put the clothes down.

"Sayaka we're going to a karaoke bar not a five star restaurant."

Sae picks out my outfit which was jeans, a T-shirt that says "Fighter" on it and some sneakers. To be honest I thought it was too causal but Sae looked pleased with it so I had no choice but to go along with it. I wondered why I was taking fashion advice from the girl that was ranked Ugly in the past four fashion shows we've had on AKBINGO.

When we arrive at the karaoke bar the place is surprisingly packed. Lot's of people must come here and the fact that it's a Saturday really doesn't help the situation. I didn't want to come. I didn't want to be in front of the others. I was afraid what they would say. I haven't talked to any of the other members since the concert and those who did try to talk to me I ended up blowing off. Now I regret that and wished I hadn't because now they were probably going to give me an earful for ignoring their calls. We walk into the room we reserved and already saw Yuko and Jurina waiting for us.

"It's about time you showed up!" Yuko said.

"Sorry. Mrs. Slowpoke here wouldn't hurry it up." Sae said as she took a seat next to Yuko.

"Sayaka you should've told me. Then we could've scheduled a later time."

"Oh no it's fine. Besides I probably would've been late regardless."

"That's so true."

I shoot a glare at Sae who only smiles and laughs it off.

"So where are the others?" I asked.

"They all had stuff to do so it's just you, me, Sae, and Jurina!"

"Great."

"Now let's get this party started!"

"Yuko quit shouting people can hear us on the other side."

"Really?"

Yuko walked over to the wall and knocked on it three times. A couple seconds she got three knocks back.

"Ahh! How scary!"

"I told you."

"Yeah yeah anyways let's get started!!"

The ones who mainly sang were Sae and Yuko. To my surprise Jurina didn't sing once and I wasn't going to either mainly because I didn't want to. I looked over at Jurina who was staring in awe at Yuko was was reenacting the dance scenes from a KARA music video. The girl really knew how to flaunt her stuff. I watched Jurina and how she reacted to Yuko's movements. Jurina seemed so into them. It was kind of cute. I can see why people say Jurina is going to be the future. She's basically going to replace Mariko when she graduates so it's only a matter of time before it happens. But by then I'll probably over and done with AKB. For a while now I thought about quitting and want to do something else involving acting. But yet somehow I managed to stay.

"Sayaka you sing now!" Yuko said.

"Uh no thanks. I'd rather not."

"Come on~" Sae said.

"Do it for Jurina. You want to see Sayaka sing to right?"

Jurina nods her head excitedly. Seeing how I have no choice I had to follow.

"What song?"

"I got one picked out for you."

Sae hit the play the button and the song began. I immediately knew the tune and glared at Sae. She was the one that picked up the song. Why out of all songs this one. I hold the mike with both hands and hold it up to my mouth. Then I sing with a sad tone in my voice.

ore wa hitori de
hageshii ame no naka
zubunure
utaretetakatta
yogoreta karada to
minikui kokoro wo
arainagasou to shitetanda

konna jidai ni
nani wo shinjite
ikite ittara ii no darou
toikaketemo
kotae wa denai

kizutsuku koto wo
osorete wa inai
donna ni kitsui
michinori mo
chippokena chippokena ore wa
maenomeri ni
tatta ippiki no mushi ni naru

At this point I start to feel like a real bug. What is my point of existence if no one listens to me. I'm ugly and no one will listen to me. No matter how hard I want to cry out no one hears the cries. I want to reach out and touch the light. I want someone to see me. I want someone to hear my and know that I'm here and I'm not some random person in the background. I want them to know that I am someone and I want to be noticed. I won't be stepped on and crushed. I won't be walked over. I will be noticed and I will step up to the spot light one day.

I feel like quitting but Sae and Yuko encourage me to go on. I press further and reach the ending of the song.

inochi no kagiri
buzama demo ii sa
jibeta de sakebu
tamashii yo
ikiru koto ikiru koto ore wa
shigamitsuku

kizutsuku koto wo
osorete wa inai
donna ni kitsui
michinori mo
chippokena chippokena ore wa
maenomeri ni
tatta ippiki no mushi ni naru

As I finished the song I realized that no matter what happens I won't give up and I will keep on trying. I will do my best and go out there on the stage and give it my all. I won't let my fear and doubts stop me. I won't let people get in my way. This is my life and I get to chose what I do to it. I live it out and no one else. No one controls me except me. Even if I'm small and no one pays attention, I will do all I can and hold onto to what is dear to me for as long as I can. I won't give up and I won't back down. This is my life and I plan on living it to the fullest.

After the party, Yuko takes Jurina home and Sae comes home with me. We enter the house and sit on the couch. Then Sae moves in close to me and says,

"You were awesome tonight."

I blush and look away. But then she forces me to look at her.

"You want to know why I picked that song?"

"Yeah."

"Because I knew you were going through time Sayaka. I know with all this stuff going on with Jurina and the reshuffle that things but me tough for you. I picked that song because it's your song. It's the song that was made for you to sing out your heart and soul. It was made so you could share your feelings with everyone else and let them know what it's like to be you. Let them know that they're not alone and they're not the only ones that struggle. This song is your song and no one else can sing it except you."

I look at Sae with a serious gaze. Her eyes were swirling with all kinds of emotions. Sadness, anger, hate, the same eyes I had when I first started in AKB.

"I'm sorry Sayaka. I'm sorry I'm leaving you. I'm sorry for not being able to be by your side. I guess I'm not your eternal partner after all."

"Don't say that."

"Eh?"

Sae looked up at me with tears starting to form around her eyes.

"Don't say that Sae. No matter what you will always be my eternal partner. I will always be with you and you with me. Nothing can separate us because we're the Twin Towers of AKB. I'll do my best her to support AKB and you do your best in Shanghai. Just remember that even thought we're apart, we'll aways be together in here."

I place my hand on Sae's heart and she starts crying.

"Come here."

I embrace Sae in a long hug as the usually peppy and cheerful genking cries her heart and soul out onto my shoulder. Usually I'm the one who's crying. But I guess today Sae wanted to be the one to let her heart out. I could see why though. She's always happy around the others but if you ever see her alone she's always crying. That's one of the many things Sae and I have in common. We're both good at hiding our emotions. So on nights like these when it's just the two of us, we cry on each other's shoulders and let out all the pain stored up in our hearts because we know that we'll always be there for each other.

"Sayaka..."

"Yes?"

"Promise me that when I'm gone... you'll never stop thinking about me?"

"I never have Sae and I never will."

We enjoy each others company one last time before saying our last final good bye. After that night Sae and I never saw each other again. I never even said good bye at the airport because that night was our goodbye. And now I'm all alone with no one else to go to. But even if I'm alone, I'll never forget Sae. She's going be gone but I know when she gets back I'm going to welcome her with open arms.

"Come back soon Sae. I'll be waiting."

I'll be waiting for her right here. This is her true home. Her true home is here at AKB in my arms. I will never let go of her and hold onto her for as long as I can because she is the one I love. While Sae is off in Shanghai furthering her career, I will be here doing my best to make it to the top. And even if I don't I will still try and never stop. I won't back down and won't run away. I will keep moving forward.

[Dino]

Entry #45
Title: Little Monster
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s):  Gakuran, Gekikara; Gakuran/Gekikara
Word Count: 1898

Little Monster

I knew I shouldn’t have let you leave so soon a couple days ago.

There were still things I needed to talk to you about, to ask you, to explain.

Plus, there was this strange gut feeling inside that told me to keep you a bit longer.

Yet I blew it off.

So I feel like it’s partly my fault that you got stabbed by that crazy Yabakune girl, landing you in a hospital bed a couple rooms down from mine.

I could barely eat the first couple days as you got carted in and out of the emergency room. Shaku practically had to force feed me, and even then, I had no appetite.

“She’ll be okay. That one’s reaaalll strong, y’know?” She tried to comfort me one day, even though she was obviously just as worried.

“Mm.” I acknowledged her comment with a small nod before looking down to play with the little origami crane you gave me, cradling its fragile wings in my hands. It’s become something of a habit of mine recently.

“You guys have gotten pretty close this year, huh?” Shaku spoke up again. I responded with a small tilt of the head, trying to feign ignorance, before she swatted my arm.

“Don’t act stupid with me. So…when did it start?” She pried with that goofy smile.

“I don’t know. We’re in Rappapa together so it’s normal to become friends, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah but you and Gekikara ha—“

“I’m taking a nap. Good night.” I flopped down with my back towards her.

After a few seconds of incoherent mumbling, retreating footsteps and the door sliding shut, I was left to my thoughts.

The truth was I remember exactly when we started getting close.

—-

Five months ago…

“Ne, Gakuran. I didn’t know you were smart.” You blinked at me while nibbling on the end of a pencil. That better not be on its way towards my nose.

“It’s Youran now. And I’m only in the top percentage because this is a yankii school, it’s not like Majijo is known for its academics.”

“Mm, sure.”

Was that not a satisfactory answer? You haven’t budged an inch from the side of my desk, only continuing to stare as I threw my books into my bag.

I stood up to leave while you kept gnawing at the eraser, eyes cast down in thought. The fangirls who wanted to greet me after class dispersed the moment they saw you next to me.

“Uhh, can I help you?”

You looked up with those big round eyes, blinking stupidly before grinning at me.

“Yes! I promised Yuko-san I would graduate this year you know…”

“And?”

“I need you to tutor me.”

—-

“Does that make sense?”

“No.”

I sighed. You didn’t understand a single thing from our course material, so I had to backtrack to teaching everything from 2nd year. Yet even that made no sense.

“Umm…okay, let’s put it this way.

If you break this pencil into three parts, and then break my pencil into 4 pieces, how would you add this and this to get a fraction answer?”

“Hmm…

Break them all until they’re both have the same number of pieces?”

…she actually got it.

—-

After pulling the metal stool up to your bed, I sat down to watch over you as you slept. Visiting hours were already past, but since I was only a few doors down, I could easily come over without the nurses noticing. Even though you woke up from your operation yesterday in stable condition, blurting about meeting Yuko-san, I’m still worried sick about you. While your complexion was always light, this sort of paleness made you look overly skinny and weak.

Otabe had told me what you said to her, about knowing fear for the first time.

And it was most apparent when you slept. Every once in a while, your eyebrows would furrow as you turned and tossed violently, only calming down when I held your hand in mine.

I never would’ve imagined it last year, but since our time together has grown, I started to realize you were almost like a child at times.

You’re impulsive. Not completely morally sound. Have a short attention span. Constantly wants to play. But most surprising of all is when you’re not covered in blood and giggling like a maniac, you’re incredibly innocent.

—-

Three months ago…

I walked through the clubroom doorway, cursing the kid who kicked down the door repeatedly. Every time I went to the trouble of bolting it back, she would come back in a couple days to look for a fight, knocking it down again.

“She should be the one fixing it if she wants to break it every week. I didn’t get promoted as one of the queens just to be a repairman, sheesh.” I grumbled before sitting down on the bench against the wall, finally snapping out of my thoughts when the sound of sizzling hormone didn’t greet my ears.

“Nobody up here today?” I stood before heading towards the inner door, rapping on it. “Otabe?”

No answer.

Turning the knob, I poked my head in to see you sprawled belly-down on the floor, your left cheek smushed against the crack of an English textbook.

I choked down a laugh. So much for the fearsome Gekikara.

When you’re not mad, you honestly resembled a kid. Especially compared with the other queens from last year. With those round eyes, pretty face, and innocent expression, a normal person wouldn’t ever be able to guess that you’ve been sent to correction for nearly killing someone before.

As I laid my coat over you for extra warmth, a particular thought crossed my mind for the first time.

You’re kinda cute.

—-

“Gakuran!” You suddenly looked up in the middle of one of our study sessions as if you just had a revelation.

“What?”

“I like your hair this way more.” You smiled at me while reaching out to stroke my carefully combed locks. Even though I still tried to ignore it, I could feel my heartbeat thud loudly as your face came within inches of mine.

“Thanks to you for cutting up my headband last year.” I scowled jokingly before swatting the hand away.

“Mm, good job, me.”

—-

“Guess what?!” You skipped into the clubroom one day, with your hands holding something behind your back.

“You didn’t break any pencils today?” I randomly guessed, earning the enthusiastic applause of Wota in the background.

“Actually, I broke two. But look!” You shoved a piece of paper in my face, so close that I couldn’t see anything but white. “I got a 82 on my test!!!”

“Really??” I jumped up in genuine excitement before snatching it out of your hands. And sure enough, there on the exam paper, a big red 82 was circled in marker.

Next thing I knew, you wrapped your arms tightly around my waist. The light smell of cotton candy made its way to my nose as your warm body leaned into me.

Now here’s a couple things I never would’ve expected before.

One, that I would get a hug from you.

Two, that it would feel so good. And so right.

And three, that it felt better than hugging Atsuko.

Ignoring the speechless expression on Team Hormone’s faces, I gladly returned the hug.

“I’m really really proud of you.”

 —-

But there was one thing that still bothers me.

Even though I grew to like you more and more everyday. (I was even starting to feel guilty about losing my maji for Atsuko.)

I feel like my feelings would never be reciprocated.

Or more like, the creature that is Gekikara wouldn’t know how to reciprocate those feelings.

I know that you love Yuko, the previous queens, and cared for the rest of the new Rappapa now, but that was all friendly love and respect.

Does Gekikara even know what romantic love is?

—-

“Ohayou.” Your raspy voice greeted my ears as I lifted my head from the side of your bed, our fingers still intertwined.

“Ah, ohayou.” Looks like I fell asleep again.

“Thanks for watching over me.” You smiled while gently tightening your hold.

“Ah, don’t worry about it.” Why do I start feeling shy when you look at me like that? It never happened with Atsuko before. And it sure as hell didn’t happen with Daruma.

“Gakuran.” You said my name gently, but without the usual playful air. “I’m a little mad.”

“About what?”

Your eyes moved down to our hands as you started to fidget. Your eyebrows furrowed again as a small frown graced your lips.

“You and Shaku. I never got to ask before this happened.” You point towards the right side of your stomach.

Ah. That.

Honestly, I was so worried about you since then that I completely forgot about that. Or the fact that you walked in on it.

—-

5 days ago…

“Gakuran…” Shaku closed her eyes and puckered her lips, inching closer by the second.

I chuckled, not realizing that she was still coming closer. Since joining Rappapa this year, Shaku had started to vocally pronounce her newfound crush on me. I shot her down continuously, and I’m pretty sure she knew that I wasn’t interested. But she never seemed to give up.

It wasn’t fair to let my fangirls shower me in love but not let her, she said.

By the time I looked up again, she was within mere inches of me.

Ah, hell. Maybe if I act like a really bad kisser, it’ll be enough to make her lose interest.

Yet when I closed my eyes, it was your face that I saw in front of me.

So of course when the sound of the door snapped me out of it, and I saw you staring at me, I tried to play it off. Badly.

—-

3 days ago…

“Shaku, about the day Gekikara got stabbed…”

“You mean our almost-kiss?”

“Uhh…yeah, that. I just want to apologize. I don’t—mmrphh.” She stuffed a peeled apple into my mouth to shut me up, like I was a roasted pig or something.

“Yeah, I know, you stupid playboy.”

—-

“So there’s nothing between us.” I finished explaining, watching the look of realization dawn on you. A second later, a big grin spread across your face.

“Yokatta.” It was barely above a whisper, but I heard you loud and clear.

“Why were you mad?” I asked, trying to suppress a grin when the question visibly startled you. You didn’t know how to answer.

“I…I don’t want anyone else to…” You trailed off as you grew more confused by the second.

But I don’t need to hear the rest of it.

I understand well enough.

I shifted my spot on the bed before carefully pulling you against me, avoiding the still raw wound on your side. I felt you relax into the hug, resting your chin against my shoulder with a sigh.

Maybe it’s possible for a little monster like you to love me back after all.

[Dino]

Entry #46
Title: Cat on the Ribbon
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s):  Takahashi Minami, Kojima Haruna, Minegishi Minami and Shinoda Mariko; KojiTaka
Word Count: 2837

 

Cat on the Ribbon

Akihabara  is a district of Tokyo. Akihabara was  also known as Akihabara Electric Town. Akihabara is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items. Around 2006, a man name Akimoto Yasushi made a Gakuen in Akihabara. And the gakuen’s name was AKB48.

   It was a normal all girl school,but theres a special class which is divided into 3 class and only about 20 people were allowed in the class.The 3 class are A, K and B. The way they divide the special class is by the Principal.The top in those special class was that they doesnt have to pay for lunch,school fees,the AKB goods too,have special uniforms and special classroom,they are allowed to eat during the class, have their own private room,they doesn’t has to go to class, and has free laptop in the class rooms. You will never know when the principle will shuffle the class student and when will more students in the special class increase. And I should tell you about my first love.
 
 Let me introduce myself. My name is Takahashi Minami a girl at the special class, I am the class rep in class A and the girl who is standing beside me is Kojima Haruna my best friend but I call her NyanNyan.
 ”NyanNyan~ I failed with my science quiz and I have to retake it.” I told her but she didn’t care much.
 ”So? Just don’t give me your baka virus.” she said coldly. She is so cute and beautiful but…why does she has this cold heart? If she has my good personality she would be even more popular. And of course she knows that I want her to help me with my retake quiz but she acted like she didn’t care. I look at her and try my best at my puppy eyes and look and NyanNyan. I tried to make my voice to sound cute as I said NyanNyan~~ She looked at me with some cold eyes with the face your disgusting.
 ”Stop it Takamina your so disgusting.”
See!! And how can she do that??!! She know it obviously that I was trying to act cute but she meant to tell me that isn’t she so bad?
 ”Anyway I won’t help you with the retake quiz since I am very busy not like Takamina.”
 ”What do you mean by that! If your like me it’ll be better!” I protested.
Now she look at me with a pity face witch makes me wants to punch her and that face piss me off.
 ”Takamina are you serious…?” she asked me.
 ”Of course I am always serious!!” I told her but she didn’t seem to care and guess what she told me.
 ”If your serious then you wouldn’t fail your quiz bakamina.”
She called me bakamina isn’t she so mean!!?? So if you add something and then mina at the end you will be calling me?! Misomina? Takomina?! This really piss me off so I decide not to rely on NyanNyan! Shes too terrible.
I take out my phone and text mii chan by the way mii chan is minegishi minami another best friend of mine. I wait for 5 minute she didn’t reply me. I decide to wait another 5 minute because I even make the tittle emergency! Its no way that she will ignore me as after all I am her best friend. But after 5 minute she didn’t reply I had the why face.
 ”Isn’t it because you never! reply message so mii chan decide to not reply your message.” that cold witch told me with no expression on her face.
The reason why I don’t reply is because! why do you have to text while you can call? You can even hear their voice am I right? And I am a very busy class rep! So then I decide to use call and why did I text her while I don’t have to. So I call mii chan and ignore what NyanNyan said. Mii chan accept the call very fast but she didn’t sound so happy in the call.

 ”Moshi Moshi?” the first thing I said to her.
 ”Huh..What?” she answered in a low voice.
She sounded so mad that I was so scared to talk to her but I must talk if I don’t say anything and end the call I would just be putting oil on the fire. So I breathe out and in and finally talked.
 ”Ah mii chan? You know I failed the science quiz! And I have to retake the quiz! So I want mii chan to help me!!” I said it as fast as I can to try to not waste any time since mii chan sound very very mad.
 ”I am very busy not like takamina go ask haruna to help you.” mii chan answered as she ends the call.
Why is she so cold like NyanNyan? Why are my best friends so cold like a ice?? As I do the OTZ action.
 ”I can teach takamina if you beg me.” said NyanNyan. By the way you have to kneel down also.
Oh my when I have a request for my friend I need to beg and kneel down? Does all friends is like this? But when I was at other school it wasn’t like this!! I have no choice well probably other choice but I still decide to kneel down at NyanNyan ,but then she told me that she was joking I was happy to know that my friend still have a warm heart. We walked to NyanNyan’s private room. When we went in I saw nothing but trashes and clothes I was so supprise because I just helped her clean up 2 days ago. I cannot find the table and a space to sit when I look at NyanNyan she has no expression on her face and tell me to get in. Why can she be so normal?! I tell her lets go to my room but why does she has to be a sellfish queen?? She refuse because she is LAZY to walk and she tell me to clean up the room for her! What in the world am I to her? A maid a servant?
 ”A no use butler” NyanNyan answered.
Huh? She can read my heart???? What in the world?? But why? why? why!! my body is moving its self I start cleanning up the room why? In the dump of trashes I found a empty can tuna, the new latest magazine, a black sock with no other pair, bikini?!, broken alarm, the one piece manga she borrowed from me… which is also wet, her phone, her psp, and c..chopstick!? well there are more but I am too lazy to list them all. After 40 minutes later the room was much cleaner at least I was sasitified with it and for some reason there was a bed.
 ”Hm… Normal… 4/10” NyanNyan suddenly said.
Whaaat? Whats with that? She sounds like she is a queen or what!! Is she the high class one and I am the low class. But! of course I didn’t tell her since what if I made her mad and later she refuse to help me again? So I take out my notebook,textbook and test paper I try to cover my score but NyanNyan took it away.  Then she laugh at me and she told me that I had no help I think she laugh for 15 minutes.
 ”Your so smart~” NyanNyan laughed at the same time with a pity face.
This piss me off alot so what? What if I am bakamina! Hmp!
 ”But..This is the first time seeing this low score 0.5 out of 100?”
Hahahahahahaha…Why did she said it outloud?? If theres a hole I want to go inside.. So I went to sleep on her bed.
 ”Oi….”
NyanNyan  sounded really scary this is the first time I saw NyanNyan this mad and the reason is really stupid.
 ”Your lying on my teddy bear…”
Eeekk!! I really can’t describe her scary face!! I hurried and stand up and shouted I AM SORRY!!! So loud ,this is also my first time shouting that loud.
 ”I decide now I will not teach bakamina now.. I will only lend you my notebook.”
I have no choice but to study myself,when I open NyanNyan’s notebook it was so bright…The words are all pink,orange,yellow,red,blue and purple. I was a little bit supprise and I even saw a drawing of dog and cat. I also found a page with a drawing of me,NyanNyan and Miichan for some reason I am the ugliest one and NyanNyan was the prettiest one. I read it but I still can’t remeber I write them serveral time but I still cant remeber anything I was also starting to lose concertration. Then I take a peep at NyanNyan hoping that she saw me in trouble so she would help me but she was reading her magazine. Later I saw she start playing a galgame…. I heard my voice in the galgame since she is playing the galgame that the characters are base on the students in special class. What I am really sad about is that NyanNyan she dump me!! And she choose to be with Mariko sama , Mariko sama is Shinoda Mariko another student in the A class sometimes NyanNyan will talk with Mariko sama about fashions. The noise of the galgame is distracting me alot I became curious since I never play it before not so long I found myself sitting beside NyanNyan and watching the game. Later I went closer to see the screen better which distract NyanNyan so she move away alittle bit which I follow along.Finally NyanNyan say something.
 ”Takamina go study and get away from me. Don’t lean on me your heavy..”
 ”But…your distracting me…” I told her which I can see that she got pissed.
 ”Then go to your room Bakamina”
 ”Eeeh….” I was lazy to go back now I told her to plug the earphone or close the sound but she refuse since she don’t like me ordering her around. She even say that if I lick her feet then she would listen but of course I won’t do that. Sudenly mii chan come in without knocking and she start talking with NyanNyan about some game I don’t know. Then later they decide to go to mii chan’s room. I don’t want to be here alone so I follow them.Suddenly NyanNyan stop walking and turn around at me.
 ”Oi Bakamina go study”
 ”Why do you have to call me Bakamina??” I asked her since no one would like to be made fun of.
 ”Because you got 0.5 at your quiz” NyanNyan said
I think that it wasn’t my fault but Mii chan start laughing I think my face has starting to be red as an apple.
 ”Your so smart Takamina no maybe I should also call you Bakamina~”
Mii chan made fun of me I feel like I am going to explode. I tell mii chan to stop making fun of me since I am still older than her. But she refuse and she say that she don’t like to be order around especially Bakamina. And she said that if I buy her a big cake and a milk tea she would not call me bakamina only today.
I feel like that she is so simillar with NyanNyan probably because NyanNyan showed her bad example and she didn’t followed me the good example well I may not be smart but NyanNyan is only good at Science! But mii chan!! She is good at very subject why can the god be this mean?? Oh so thats why she has the bad personality.
I write the vocabularys many times and read it again and again I feel like I remeber some of the vocabularys but then suddenly NyanNyan disturb me.
 ”Takamina go back to your room.”
 ”EHHH??!! Why?” I asked her isn’t it so suddenly? Asking people to go back to your room is she my mom or what huh!? But I am so jealous of mii chan being able to play with NyanNyan….Is not that I wanted to play with NyanNyan okay?! Is that….I wanted to play….
 ”Bakamina,your too noisy and I have a secret to tell mii chan…”
What in the world can’t she tell me??? Only Mii chan??! I am getting so angry…maybe I was getting jealous. I was mad and jealous I went outside angrily and slam the door to show my anger. I ran to the kitchen of the school just to get a glass cup and to eavesdropping what are they talking about. I couldn’t hear much but bakamina so I am sure that they are talking about me and not so long I heard mii chan shouting and NyanNyan telling her to be quiet. If I was mii chan in that situation NyanNyan would tell me to shut up instead of be quiet. Later I heard NyanNyan saying bye to mii chan but forgot to hide. The door open I almost fall down then I saw NyanNyan in a shocked face. I don’t know what to do but I ran away I look at the back and saw NyanNyan chasing me in a ridiculous speed. I was in a big supprise since NyanNyan was suppose to be a slow runner maybe she was mad. I ran in the hallway and met Mariko sama in the way she stopped me and tell me not to run since its dangerous well since NyanNyan was running in a ridiculouse speed I was scared and just apologize to Mariko sama and continue to ran and I looked back hoping Mariko sama would stop NyanNyan but all she did was give NyanNyan a high five. I ran to the gym and now I notice that I was really bakamina since theres no place to run at the gym. Suddenly I saw NyanNyan at the door of the gym I was freezed NyanNyan seems so tired and I wants to ask her if shes fine but now is not the timing my heart was beating very fast. No one really speak for 5 minute since we’re both tired and it was really awkward. Suddenly NyanNyan walks toward me and asked me if I hear what they are talking about.
 ”So..takamina hear it??”
I wasn’t sure what should I tell her but I just said some. NyanNyan’s face was so red and she say tell me what you heard. My mouth was very dry and I was sweating alot and I starts to speak and my heart was beating very fast.
 ”You were talking about love?” I was just joking around but I didn’t expected it to be true. NyanNyan’s face became so supprise and bright red.
 ”so…you know…my feelings…..?” she asked me with her face so red her eyes with curiousity “takamina whats..your…answer??..”
 ”Huh???” I was so confuse what she was talking about.
 ”So takamina know that…I ..likes …you right?..” she asked ,but my head was still blank. A few minutes later my brain finally isn’t blank and I finally hear what she said and I shouted EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?? Later a footstep was coming near us so NyanNyan pulled me and hide beside the cones and other equipment in the gym. I heard Mariko sama’s voice.
 ”Huh? Whys the gym’s door open so big?? geez… as the student council I must close it now since I am responsible for this!” after saying that Mariko sama closed the door,locked it and skipped away.
NyanNyan and me was still in a supprise to notice that we got locked. Suddenly NyanNyan stand up and asked me.
 ”Nee….Takamina…did Mariko sama locked we inside here??”
 ”Well…She wasn’t meant to do it but she did lock us inside.”
NyanNyan’s face was in supprise and suddenly ran to the door and punch,kick,slap the door but no one came. I also ran to the door and did what NyanNyan did still no answer. We gave up since we’re so tired and we went to the stage and sit down.
 ”Takamina…You also like me..? Not…as a friend…” NyanNyan suddenly asked me.
I was supprise and I told her that I wasn’t so sure but I think that I likes her. Then NyanNyan smiled she say thank god that at least she wasn’t really dumped so she say that lets go slowly and I agree. Suddenly I got something on my mind so I ask NyanNyan.
 ”Can’t we just call Mariko sama to open the door?”
NyanNyan looked at me in a supprise face while taking her iphone out and starts calling Mariko sama which is so funny.
Later Mariko sama unlocked the door and apologized. I invited NyanNyan to my house for sleep over and the day had ended.

[Dino]

Entry #47
Title: Good Night
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Miyazawa Sae, Akimoto Sayaka
Word Count: 1271

Good Night

“Sayaka where did you go…” the girl with short hair in a white dress thought to herself. She had been running and searching for her partner. It was raining that day, All she heard was echoes from her footsteps, which she carefully tried not to make. She didn’t want to get discovered by that man. Her foot was covered with cuts and now dirty from the wet floor, her white dress… well its not even white anymore. It has got all sorts of stains on it, stains which looked like blood, but it wasn’t hers. She wondered how she got there in the first place.

Last night after she had watched a movie with Yuko she immediately went back to the hotel to find Sayaka sleeping. She went to go change and went to sleep. Then she woke up here. In this cold abandoned place. She saw some other girls too, but they weren’t alive any more. Somehow she managed to escape her cell. She couldn’t remember how, she was still trying to process what had happened.

For now she just focused on finding the other girl who was two years older. She stopped at a large empty room. She saw a figure standing on the other side, whom she recognized.

“Finally” she thought. She ran towards her but stopped in the middle. She thought something was up since the other just was just standing there, she had her head down.

“This is bad” she thought to herself and ran faster towards her partner, but It was too late.

The older girl fell down on the floor but the younger one managed to catch her. She saw the sharp object that was penetrating the other girl’s back. She had lost a vast amount of blood and, felt her partner trying to breathe.

“S-Sae….” The older one uttered. Holding on to the younger one’s arm tightly, and desperately trying to tell her something. Sae looked at her, she was still shocked about the whole thing. “Sayaka…”

“Run.” Sayaka gave her partner a last warning before collapsing on her partner’s arms.

Sae couldn’t move she just sat there, holding on to Sayaka tightly as the warmth escaped from her body. She didn’t know what else to do. Like a stone she just sat there frozen. Tears started to form in her eyes, why would this happen to someone as sweet as her?

“Sayaka…” She started to calling her. Shaking her so she could wake up. “Ne, Sayaka… Weren’t we going out of this place together? Wake up! Sayaka!” crying and still in denial. She didn’t want to leave her there.

As she was sitting there she felt a sharp pain on her throat. She felt a warm fluid come out from it, she touched the wound that had suddenly appeared and looked at her hand. Her throat was bleeding and she started to choke, letting go of the body she was holding. The pain that she felt made her want to scream but the cut was too deep, which made that even impossible.

She collapsed beside the body of her partner, then she turned to see the person standing behind her. The cause of her pain, the one who brought them there. Before, she wanted to run away, but now that didn’t matter anymore. Her partner is no longer alive and in a few minutes, she will probably join her later too.

The Man was wearing a mask which covered half his face. He also had blood all over his body. It seemed that he had killed more people since the blood that was decorating him seems fresh. She had wondered what kind of creature was behind that mask. She was sure of one thing though, he probably isn’t human.

He held up the hammer that he was holding and gave an eerie smile. She looked at him with horror as the hammer made contact with her head. You can hear something crack open. She probably flew a few feet away from where she was laying. It was like he was playing golf.

He took both of the bodies back, dragging them both leaving a trail of blood everywhere. It didn’t matter. The place was abandoned anyway.

He placed one of the girls on a tiled table, she was barely breathing. He then threw the dead one on stack of bodies beside it. He started sharpening one of his knives, whistling.

He held the girl’s head back. Her eyes looking at him, but that doesn’t bother him much, He found it amusing actually. He gave another one of his sick and twisted smile as he held the butcher knife up. The last thing the girl saw was the knife going down to her neck.

The only thing that  could be heard was a loud crack that echoed the room.

-

-

-

-

The girl gave a horrifying scream as she woke up from her nightmare, which woke up the person sleeping beside her.

“Sae?!” Alarmed, the girl instantly turned to her looking concerned. She placed a hand on the younger girl’s cheek.

“S-sayaka?” The girl said in surprise. She then gave a sigh of relief since all that happened was just a nightmare, and they are both safe and sound. The older girl gave her a hug to calm her down. “Did you have a nightmare?” She asked.

Sae could only nod and she started to cry. Her partner smiled at her and told her to go back to sleep. She held her again and started to stroke the younger one’s hair. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here to protect you”.

Sae smiled. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her throat again. The same pain she felt on her dream.

She looked at her partner confused at what just happened.

Sayaka was just smiling at her, but it was the same smile that the man gave in her nightmare.

She help up the knife that she was holding on her right hand, It had Sae’s blood on it. The older girl kissed the younger one’s forehead, before stabbing the poor girl’s heart.

“Go to sleep now, Sae.” are the last words the girl heard before she closed her eyes.

-

-

-

-

“GAH” Sae woke up, breathing heavily and sweating. She rubbed her face as she had two nightmares in a row. She tried to calm herself down and she looked around to see if everything was clear just to be cautious. They were back at the hotel, no serial killer, no knives, no hammers, no dead bodies, just Sayaka. She was sleeping on the other bed opposite to Sae’s.

“Ah mou… Why did I watched that Suspense movie with Yuko last night…” She sighed, scratching her head.

 ”S-sae…” Sayaka called sleepily which made the younger girl startled. “Y-yes?” She asked still afraid from her last dream.

“Are you ok? I thought I heard you scream…” She said still very sleepy. “I’m fine Sayaka… I just had a bad dream…” Sae tried to explain but it seemed Sayaka had fallen back to sleep.

Sleep talking? How cute. Sae thought as if forgetting about her previous nightmares.

“Good Night… I love you.” She told her partner before going back to bed.

“Good Night, I love you too”.

A reply back, making Sae look at Sayaka’s direction. She had been listening the whole time even though her eyes were closed. She smiled and went back to sleep.

[Dino]

Entry #48
Title: Home
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Yamamoto Sayaka, Watanabe Miyuki, Matsui Rena; SayaMilky, Sayaka/Rena
Word Count: 2657

Home

“How come every time I come to your house there’s a different pair of shoes?” Sayaka asked calmly.

“Sayaka, please, this is all a—“

“Miyuki, frankly, or, actually, luckily,” she rolled her eyes, “I don’t care. I don’t care if you’re cheating on me. I really don’t, believe it or not. What I care about is that you didn’t even put the minimal effort of hiding your affair from me. What I don’t like—hate, is the feeling that I’m getting treated like a maggot. You know what else I hate? I hate that you know I’ll keep on coming back to you no matter how bad you treat me,” Sayaka tried her best to hold her tears back but that didn’t work too well; it never worked well when she was up against Miyuki. “And I want to say I hate you but I can’t say that even in my head and I hate myself for that. I want to fucking shoot myself in the head for thinking that for even a moment but at the same time that idea is so stupid I just want to kill myself. Why… why did we have to become like this? Why couldn’t you just love me back?”

“I do, Sayaka, I just—“

“Then you weren’t supposed to do it like this! I know I’m being ridiculous, but I can’t stand it if this another guy gets to stroke your cheeks! OK, maybe I do care if you cheat on me. In fact, I care about it more than anything else! Why can’t you just put in the little effort of hiding those things from me? Am I asking for too much?” Miyuki couldn’t say anything to her. All she could do was to embrace her and let her tears wet Miyuki’s shoulder. Sayaka held on to her tightly.

Was it all really Miyuki’s fault? Sayaka thought, feeling calmed down by Miyuki’s scent. All those guys and girls Miyuki met never cared if Miyuki was a cheating slut. Whether or not they were in because of the sex didn’t matter at all; it didn’t make their relationships any less than Sayaka’s with Miyuki. Maybe the fault was on Sayaka’s side. Sayaka counted to five before she detached with Miyuki.

“I…I’m sorry. I got… I got carried away.”

“No, no, Sayaka. That’s not it. It’s my fault after all, right?” Sayaka hated herself for doubting Miyuki’s “sad and concerned” face. Sayaka let Miyuki take her lips for the make-up kiss but couldn’t help but to wonder about what kind of face Miyuki would make behind her back.

***

Sayaka couldn’t sleep. Not after that, and definitely not next to Miyuki.

Miyuki, though, slept soundly. Sayaka stroked Miyuki’s cheeks, gently enough so she wouldn’t wake her up. If only she was peaceful like this all the time. I sound like a psychopathic killer, don’t I? Sayaka chuckled. She thought her chuckle sounded rather like air escaping out of a balloon.

Her blouse was wrinkly but she was happy with a relatively clean pair of clothes. After a good look at Miyuki’s face (as if she was capable of forgetting that face), Sayaka left.

Sayaka walked slowly. Even though she did that, the subway station was way too close and so she got there in less than ten minutes. Pity, she thought, I wanted to walk for a little bit more. She climbed down the stairs and walk through the gate extremely slowly, but nobody was giving her the look due to the fact that everybody else was either practically sleeping or drunk. Sayaka stepped into the train.

A sleeping girl caught Sayaka’s eyes. She didn’t like that she so naturally looked at somebody else other than Miyuki with such desiring eyes, but Miyuki started with physical attraction too, so she couldn’t say too much against it. The sleeping girl was almost as beautiful as sleeping Miyuki—almost, though. She’s not quite on par with Miyuki, Sayaka thought. Sayaka sat next to her.

If it was this girl instead of Miyuki she met that day, would her life be different? Probably, but only because this girl and Sayaka wouldn’t have become anything like Miyuki and Sayaka. Sayaka shut her eyes; her muscles were screaming and her central nervous system threatened to shut down if she didn’t shut down herself. She fell asleep like that.

***

Sayaka felt a careful pat on her shoulder and flung open her eyes. The girl stood before her.

“Um, this is the last station…” Sayaka realized it before she even heard it. Not knowing whether to frown or to smile, she first decided to get off the train that was about to leave the station.

“Did you miss your station?” the girl asked, walking along with Sayaka.

“Yeah, I was supposed to get off at three stations ago. I guess I’ll catch a cab or something.” The girl was interested in Sayaka, no doubt. Sayaka just didn’t want more complication in life by dragging this girl in.

“No, no, don’t do that. Since it’s weekend and what-not, why don’t you stay at my hotel? I’ll give it to you cheap.”

“Really? You can do that?” Was it a pickup line or soliciting? Either way, Sayaka didn’t care. She was tired and didn’t want to pay crazy taxi fare. She can think about her life later, when she had time.

“Yeah! I mean, the rooms are nowhere near full right now. You know, nobody’s on vacation in mid-September. “ Sayaka smiled to her. Cheerfully, the girl started climbing the stairs.

Though the stores’ lights were on, none of them were open. The street gave off the kind of peacefulness Sayaka haven’t felt in a while.

“Didn’t catch your name,” Sayaka asked.

“Rena. Matsui Rena,” turning to look at Sayaka, Rena said, and then smiled. Miyuki used to smile like that, Sayaka thought. Now I can’t tell if her smile is for real or not.

“Yamamoto Sayaka. Good to meet you.”

Other than the occasional car passing by or a flickering light bulb about to die, the street was almost completely silent, which made Sayaka think. She didn’t want to but couldn’t help it; it was like how Sayaka’s feeling towards Miyuki was involuntary.

Was she allowed to do this? Even though this isn’t romantic or anything, isn’t it double standards? Or was she just being a timid loser? Would she even care? In fact, did Miyuki even love her back? Or was she worth everything even when she didn’t love Sayaka back? If Sayaka wanted to change her, would she remain as the same Miyuki she loved? How’d she think of it when it was Sayaka that changed like Miyuki, not vice versa? Questions sprang to her head, the ones that she could never answer. When she came off her daze, she was already in front of the building.

The building wasn’t huge, but it certainly wasn’t little. At about ten stories, it was probably a solid business—and probably run by the Matsuis, not just her.

“Welcome to the Hotel Washington,” Rena smiled. The woman at the reception desk nodded and gave Rena a card key automatically. Easiest check-in of her life.

“Washington? Like George Washington?”

“After the state actually. When we were revamping the place, we renamed it. My dad wanted to name it Hotel California but I said it was way creepy, so he had to settle with Washington.”

“So I can checkout anytime I like but I can ever leave?” Sayaka joked as she got on the elevator.

“Don’t say that!” Rena broke into a laughter. Sayaka shut her eyes as if to enjoy the sound of it. The elevator dinged.

The hallway’s red carpet felt cheap under the soles of her flats, but the night’s stay was free (Sayaka assumed), and besides, she wasn’t sleeping in the corridor, so why did she care?

Rena opened the door that looked a bit massive for a girl like Rena. The room was just like the building; not too huge but certainly not little. Sayaka collapsed on to the bed and smiled satisfactorily. Rena had on a complicated face as she looked out the window, which gave a reasonably good view of the city. Sayaka sat back and just watched her. The girl was nothing like Miyuki but certainly (admittedly for Sayaka) as beautiful as her. Sayaka took a moment to appreciate the surplus of beautiful people in her life.

What went so wrong? Why did Miyuki need other lovers in her life? Looking at Rena somehow seemed like it would give solution to those kind of questions. Rena stood there so still that Sayaka started wondering if Rena was a statue. Even though she was not, she might have been something like that.

“Well, then, I’ll take my leave,” she said after a long, long pause.

“Wait,” Sayaka pleaded. Sitting up, she looked up at Rena with watery eyes. “Don’t go.” Rena beamed back at Sayaka.

“I won’t,” Rena promised. The two collapsed on to the bed.

***

“You’re up,” Rena noted, beaming into Sayaka’s eyes. Sayaka looked back at her reluctantly. “What’s wrong?”

Sayaka sat up on the bed. Rena followed suit. “I… I messed up. G— I— Ugh! OK, let’s think about this…” Sayaka closed her eyes, clutching her head. First things first, she stood and reached for her underwear.

“You can tell me, right?” Sayaka knew those eyes. She had the same pair, actually. Sayaka wanted to cry. It was probably quite a sight if someone else got to look at it—a half-naked girl who wants to cry looking back at a fully naked girl who was about to cry. What would Miyuki say to that?

“I…” Sayaka sighed. “I’m already dating somebody else, and it’s not—“

“I don’t care about that.”

“No, but—“

“I can wait.” Now Sayaka really wanted to cry. Of course, it was probably the worst possible time for her to cry, and besides, it was difficult to cry when most of your skin was exposed to the air.

Sayaka had to think now. Did she regret acting recklessly? No, not really. What she regretted was breaking the promise with herself. I will not inflict the same kind of pain upon Miyuki, she once said to herself. Even though she technically wasn’t (and likely would not be) hurt from Sayaka cheating on her, Sayaka still felt that she can no longer criticize Miyuki for sleeping with everybody.

You know what? I don’t care, Sayaka concluded. If she felt that she loved Rena more then she’ll choose Rena over Miyuki. If it’s the other way around, she’ll choose the other option. Sayaka thought she was starting to understand Miyuki; she went through all those guys and gals, but never found one that was better than Sayaka. It was fucked up, but it was a nice thought. Sayaka felt herself slowly becoming like Miyuki.

“OK. What do you want for breakfast?”

***

“Miyuki,” Sayaka said over the phone.

“Yeah?” Miyuki replied through the speaker.

“We have to talk.”

“We’re talking right now, aren’t we?”

“I don’t think I can say it over the phone.”

“I know, I know. Time and place?”

“Right now, right here,” Miyuki turned to find Sayaka standing in the lobby of Miyuki’s apartment. It wasn’t all marbles and bells and whistles, but it was a decently clean looking place. Enough to break up, at least, thought Sayaka.

“You scared me,” Miyuki said, putting her phone away.

“I’m sorry about that.”

“You sound a bit drier today,” crafty, insidious, or sly—whatever word you could think of to describe Miyuki, she was more than that. Sayaka couldn’t get rid of the feeling that Miyuki was reading her mind.

“I might have a good reason to.”

“Oh? And what would that be?”

“I… I’ve been cheating on you.”

“Really?” Miyuki still wasn’t serious, and Sayaka didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. “You call that ‘good’ reason? For how long?”

“For about three months.”

“That long?” Miyuki frowned. Sayaka saw that she was genuinely unpleasant. Sayaka hesitated to say the next sentence.

“And… and I’m going to have to break up with you,” Sayaka said anyways.

“What?” Miyuki apparently sensed that Sayaka meant business; she was here to break up with her no matter what she would say.

“I’m… I’m tired of trying to convince myself that you still love me, and she—Rena—she treats me like a living person, not a maggot. She loves me for what I am, and I love her for what she is. That has never existed between us, did it?”

“What— How—“ Miyuki paused, biting her lower lip and thinking. “Sayaka, I… I love you too, I just…”

“No. No, you don’t. If you were still in love with me you would have called me at least once when I didn’t call you for 24 days. You should have. You just found a partner that was as good as me in bed and didn’t need me anymore. I—I just… I really want to slap you right now but I can’t, because I’m still in love with you and that’s the fucking part I hate!” Sayaka took a deep breath. “There’re—I… I just realized that I can’t dedicate my everything to you, and I’ve found somebody that will love me even when I’m half-assed about her. I’m sorry that I’m a loser, but I can’t do that. I’m not a saint. I’m sorry I couldn’t…” Sayaka couldn’t speak anymore, thanks to a lump in her throat. A stream of tear managed to escape her eye as she swallowed hard. Miyuki stared at her, not quite comprehending the situation yet.

“Sayaka, no, I can—” Miyuki’s eyes were visibly watery now.

“I just wanted some love back! Call me when I’m gone for weeks, try to hide your sex partners’ shoes, say the food is good even though it sucks, go out to movies time to time…. Was that so difficult for you? Everything else that other people do? Like, was I asking for too much?” Tears streamed down Sayaka’s reddened face. “Did you ever say that you loved me when we weren’t fighting or having sex? No, not once. Miyuki, I…” she wiped her tears. “I’m tired. I don’t think I can go on. I just… Right now, I’m sick of all frustration. I’d thought that with you, I didn’t need a home to return to, that I’m fine, that I can stand it, that I can take everything you do to me but no, I do—I do need a home, someone that’s going to heal me. You know, we—we were never compatible to start with. When we started, I was too full of myself and didn’t realize that. So… So… Sorry to cause you trouble. Take care. I mean it,” Sayaka spat out all the things she needed to. She turned and started to run, only to be stopped by Miyuki.

“Don’t go!” Miyuki pleaded. “Don’t… go… Sayaka…”

Sayaka didn’t turn. She was too afraid to. Instead, she grabbed Miyuki’s hand, feeling her warmth—only to shake it off. She started walking again and this time Miyuki didn’t clutch on.

[Dino]

This is the last entry! Voting period will start tomorrow  We'll be sure to make a post to remind you all the details!

Entry #49
Title: What if...
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s):  Kasai Tomomi, Itano Tomomi, Shinoda Mariko; TomoTomo
Word Count: 2589

What if...

Itano puffed out a pretty circle of smoke as she removed the cigarette from her mouth; it had been a while since she last smoked but the pressure from the overwhelming workload was slowly suffocating her to a point that she was about to snap. To Itano, the best way to give her exhausted body a break was a puff from the cigarettes that she had desperately been trying to not touch.

She sighed, pushing up her spectacles and looked at the clock on the wall opposite her; 1:30AM it reads, late enough, Itano mused. Standing up, the girl tidied her table before stuffing a few documents into her briefcase and walked out of the office, hoping that whatever she prepared over the past few nights would be enough to help her secure the business the next day.

“Sometime I wish I didn’t have to inherit this big a company,” Itano mumbled, hopping into her convertible as the engines roared to life. Stepping on the accelerator, she sped home whilst enjoying the cooling midnight breeze caressing her face.

“Sometime I wish I’d have time for myself…”

-

Pushing up her black-rimmed spectacles as she stood up, giving the Director of the other company a firm handshake, Itano smiled as she watched him walked out of the conference room. Another successful acquisition, another closed case; Itano heaved a sigh of relief seeing that her hard-work over the past few nights had pulled off. Just as she was packing up the documents and signed contract, a knock on the door interrupted her.

“Itano-san, your new personal assistant is waiting at your office,” her secretary informed as Itano dismissed with a nod. Why on earth did she arrange for her new assistant to start work today, Itano had no idea; she was too exhausted after the presentation to go through all the drills with her new assistant but she knew she had to.

Being extremely particular about a lot of stuffs, Itano’s personal assistants never lasted for more than a month or two; her picky nature made her seemed hard to work with but Itano always argued that if only those assistants had put more heart into helping her, it won’t be that difficult to stay in the job. Moreover, Itano liked to point out, she paid them really well and it was only right for them to put up with her demands and practices.

-

“You must be Itano-san! I’m Kasai Tomomi and I’m your new assistant!” a sweet voice rang out as she opened the door to her office even before she stepped foot inside. The bright smile on the other girl’s face seemed to be glaring sunlight and Itano couldn’t help but squint her eyes as she tried to look at the new and very energetic, assistant.

Buttoned-down light pink blouse coupled with a pleated sky-blue skirt, topping off with a black blazer thrown over the get-up, completed with fanciful high heels; it seemed a little too much for Itano, whose wardrobe consisted of black, grey and surprise? White.

Taking a seat, Itano gestured to the empty chair opposite hers, “Take a seat too.” The other girl, whom Itano noticed was rather bouncy, stared at Itano as she sat down. She didn’t look as hard to handle as what the interviewers warned her to be, Tomomi thought to herself. “Well, I believed the rest had already told you how hard it will be to work with me. I guess, I’m rather picky, but I hope we’ll work well together,” Itano started, taking out a file from the drawers beside her table. “I’ve saved us some trouble,” she passed the file across the table to Tomomi, “and prepared the instructions for you as well as everything you need to know about working with me.”

“Now if you would excuse me,” Itano said, standing up from her seat and walking towards the door, “I’d like to take my leave. Just spend the rest of the day reading this or do anything.”

Unknown to the both of them, Itano’s worn out heart gave a slight flutter.      

-

“So, how’s the new assistant? Did you scare her off on her first day?” Mariko teased her best friend as she tipped the glass on her mouth, letting the cold champagne slid down her throat. Itano glared at the older girl before shaking her head.

“I didn’t even talk to her much,” she laughed, “I just passed her a file with all the instructions in it and left.”

“You did what?” Mariko chuckled. “I hope that you didn’t think the file won’t scare her off!”

Itano shot Mariko another glare and sighed. “You know, I really hope she’ll stay…”

Mariko turned and looked at her best friend, interest igniting within her from the tinge of melancholy that lingered from Itano’s mutter. The older girl nodded, standing up as she gave Itano’s head a light pat, “Let’s go. We’ve work tomorrow.”

-

“Coffee~” Tomomi’s bright voice rang in the office as she placed a cup of coffee on Itano’s desk. Her usual white coffee mug had magically transformed into this pink flowery mug that Itano felt her insides turned just by looking at it. Raising her eyebrows at her cheery assistant, she felt all her scolding died on the tip of her tongue and decided to let this go for once. “And……” Tomomi grinned, taking up a prettily wrapped bento box from behind her, “breakfast!” the girl said happily, placing the box on Itano’s desk.

“I’ll be outside if you need me,” Tomomi chirped, turning around and left the room though not without one last blinding smile. Itano looked bewildered at the bento in front of her; not only did the thick file of instructions not scare off the new girl, she was given a bonus?

A bonus in the form of a very optimistic, absolutely adorable and everything that Itano wasn’t, kind of assistant.

Rubbing the back of her head unconsciously, Itano unwrapped the bento; prettily-shaped sandwiches that looked like they took hours to cut into, each with a different filling. A smile tiptoed its way onto Itano’s face as she picked up the note stuck on the underside of the bento cover.

The file didn’t tell me what’s your favorite filling for sandwiches, so I tried to make a few. I hope at least one is to your liking. Good morning!

 -

Tomomi heaved a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the office; she was prepared to work with a difficult boss but this one was a bigger handful than she thought it would be. She spent the last night going through the file given to her, memorizing almost everything in it and hoping that she wouldn’t step on Itano’s toes on her second day of work.

How’s the monster boss of yours? – Sae-chan
I’m surviving! Good morning Sae-chan! – Tomo-mi
Good morning too. Have an amazing day at work! You can do it! – Sae-chan

Before Tomomi could send a reply, a cough interrupted her and raising her head, she came faced with her monster boss. Obviously not looking pleased, Itano gestured to Tomomi into her office. Hastily, Tomomi grabbed her notepad and slipped her phone into her pocket, following meekly behind Itano into the office.

-

“Thank you for the breakfast,” Itano started when she heard the door clicked shut. Passing Tomomi the emptied box, Itano asked for her schedule for the day; Tomomi tried to juggle both the box and her notepad, all while taking her phone out from her coat’s pocket and reciting the day’s schedule to Itano.

Amused, Itano bit the side of her lips to stop herself from smiling at Tomomi’s struggles. Watching the younger girl, Itano felt herself getting lost in her voice and gradually, everything just faded out and all she could focus on what how adorable Tomomi was. Tomomi felt eyes on her and her voice trailed away under Itano’s intense gaze when she finished reporting about the day’s schedule.

Itano stood up and walked towards her; Tomomi took a step back and let out a soft whimper, squeezing her eyes shut as she watched Itano raised her hand. Itano looked at Tomomi’s frightened expression and let loose a loop-sided grin while giving the younger girl a light pat on her head.

“Thank you,” came the breezy reply as Itano stepped out of the office, away from a confused Tomomi.

-

Very quickly, Tomomi came to know more about the Itano that she worked for; a workaholic who would not accept a piece of work that is anything less than perfect, an icy woman who finds perverse joy in teasing Tomomi to no end, a scary boss who would not hesitate to fire any workers who tried to take shortcuts in their work and though it scared Tomomi…

A girl that she found herself falling in love with…

-

“Tomo~chin~~wake up,” Tomomi coaxed the sleeping body on the huge bed, tugging the pillow away from the sleeping girl as a final attempt to wake up the sleepy-head.

“Tomoc-ooooaf!” A blink of eye later, Tomomi felt arms around her body as she was pulled onto the bed, used as a substitute pillow by her boss. Before she could protest, her head spun; light snoring on the left side of her face as warm breath caressed her soft skin, it was the closest she had ever been with Tomochin.

Tomochin; the nickname that Tomomi used with Itano whenever they are alone.

It became part of Tomomi’s job to wake the boss up and cook breakfast every morning at her place; not that she really minded it, but morning like these when Itano refused to get off the bed were quite a handful to handle.

And it was especially hard today when Tomochin pulled Tomomi onto the bed with her…

-

Itano grinned against Tomomi’s soft skin; she liked cuddling with Tomomi whenever she could though she didn’t show it. She knew that she had some time to spare today and decided to play a little prank on her trusty assistant, pulling her down onto her bed and using her as the pillow.

Closing her eyes, she thought back about the chat she had with Mariko a few nights ago…

-

“You know something,” Mariko mused, taking a sip from her wine glass. Itano looked up from her own glass and looked at the glint in her friend’s eyes and waited. “You’ve changed…”

“The Tomochin that I knew is coming back, and the Tomochin that we’ve all grown accustomed to…she is slowly leaving,” the older girl pondered, looking intently at her best friend. “Not that I’m complaining,” she added, “I like the old Tomochin better.”

Itano swirled her champagne in the glass and slowly nodded; she noticed the change herself as well and that somewhat scared her. The walls around her heart that she had been building over the past years were slowly starting to crumble down with every new day she spent with Tomomi; that clear and crisp laughter, that bright and blinding smile, that sweet and whiney voice and that serious and earnest attitude towards work…that irresistible girl, Kasai Tomomi.

This certain Kasai Tomomi worked better than cigarettes in relieving the pressure on Itano’s shoulders, in waking Itano up in the midst of the long nights where she needed to rush through proposals and  Itano didn’t know if Tomomi caught wind of it, but she was slowly thawing her frozen heart, making it beat once again…

“Maybe it’s time for you to put down your burdens and man up,” Mariko’s voice interrupted Itano’s thoughts, “before you know,” she paused, “…before you lose someone important.”

-

“Tomo~chin,” the whiney and irresistible voice sliced through the silence, tugging on the sleeping girl’s blankets once again. A routine almost every morning, Tomomi sighed. “If only there’s an easier way to wake you up,” the younger girl started, watching as Itano slowly peeled an eye open and grinned at her.

“There is,” the sleepy girl offered, puckering her lips. A light smack on Itano’s face later, Tomomi climbed off the bed, puffing her cheeks in mock irritation. “Hey, I was offering you an easier way of getting me out of the bed,” Itano complained, rubbing her face.

Tomomi suppressed a smile, blowing the strand of stray hair off her hair in mock annoyance, “But Tomo isn’t an easy girl!”

Itano stared at the cute girl; hand sneaking up to hold onto Tomomi’s and gently pulled her back onto the bed. “Tomochin isn’t an easy girl too,” the older girl muttered. Tomomi raised an eyebrow in surprise; it was Tomochin’s first, addressing herself in third person like how Tomomi liked to. Snaking an arm around Tomomi’s waist, the older girl pulled Tomomi closer to herself.

“What if Tomochin tells Tomomi that she fell in love with someone?”

-

“What if Tomochin tells Tomomi that she fell in love with someone?”

Tomomi felt her body stiffened up when she heard Tomochin asked the question, breath hitched in her throat. Turning her head slightly away from the other girl, Tomomi tried her best to keep her tears from falling; she knew that they aren’t exactly a couple but in Tomomi’s heart, she had long regarded them as something more than friends, and to deal with Tomochin falling in love with someone else was too much for Tomomi.

The arm around her waist tightened its hold on her as the other came up to her face and turned her head around to face the other girl. “What if…” Tomomi could hear Tomochin whispered, face dangerously close to her own, eyes sparkling with a mischievous yet uncertain glint.

“Tomochin fell in love with Tomomi?”

-

Tomomi bit down on her lips, nearly hard enough to draw blood, checking if she was dreaming while Tomochin gave a hearty laugh, patting Tomomi’s head and using her finger to poke on Tomomi’s lips, giving it a light fleeting caress on the spot that Tomomi bit on.

“Tomochin…really likes Tomomi but she’s too shy to let Tomomi knows because she’s afraid that Tomomi didn’t feel the same,” the older girl muttered, fingers playing with Tomomi’s shyly. “When Tomochin knows that she’s starting to fall in love with Tomomi, she was frightened but also excited. Tomomi, in her own absolutely adorable way, starts to win Tomochin’s heart over even before Tomomi know it herself…” lowering her eyes, Tomochin continued.

“Tomochin is now at Tomomi’s mercy…”

Tomomi pressed her lips together, taking in all that Tomochin had said and the pair remained in each other’s arms in silence for the next minute or so. Slowly, Tomomi noticed the air of confident around Tomochin started to waver as time passed and the sparkle in her eyes starting to dull as Tomochin grew increasingly worried.

Planting a chaste kiss on Tomochin’s lips, Tomomi grinned. Watching the other girl’s eyes thinned into a line, forming a pretty eye-smile, Tomochin smiled.

“What if Tomomi says that she had fallen in love with Tomochin too?”

[Dino]

It's Time to Vote! The Voting Period will Run from October 4 to October 15.

Hi there! We managed to receive a staggering amount of 49 submissions to our Fall 2012 Contest48! That is more than twice the amount of entries that we received last time, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you so much to the authors!

Now, readers, have you been keeping up? It’s time for you to participate as well and enter to win some prizes of your own.

Here is a quick list of links that will (hopefully) help out all of our voters!

• On Voting
• Fanfic List
• Voter’s Prize - 2 AKB/SKE TRADING CARDS |OR| YOUR CHOICE OF 1 PICTURE FROM THESE
• Submit your votes! Either via pm in this forum or our submit option in tumblr

Furthermore, we remind you that every author who submits an entry must also submit a vote during the designated voting period. The vote cannot be for your own entry/entries.

We will be keeping careful track of this and we will not be sending out personal reminders or messages to our authors. Please take the time to encourage the other participants and become involved.

So, how easy is it to vote? We’ve tried our best to keep it simple. We’re literally bribing you to have an opinion, so please send in your votes and encourage your friends to as well!

Confused about anything? Feel free to message us with your question(s), or ask in this thread, and we’ll do our best to get back to you promptly!

Thank you all, and happy voting!

[Dino]

Thanks for Voting!

The voting period is now over.

Everyone had a week and a half to submit their votes, so we are now no longer accepting votes. Thanks to everyone who sent in a vote!

We’ll have the numbers sorted out soon. We should announce the entries that made it past the first round by this Friday, and the final winners - with comments from the judges - sometime next week.

Again, thank you for your interest in our contest! You’ll hear from us soon!

[Dino]

Final Results

Better late than never!

✣ First Place ✣

“And Darling” / Entry #33 (written by kid-alpha)
    See: First Place Winner (Opinions of the Judges)

  ✣ Second Place ✣

“Nakeru Basho” / Entry #28 (written by choshi-chii)

   ✣ Special Prizes ✣

Entry #2 - The Quick Shot

Entry #6 - A Maiden’s First Love

Entry #24 - we have not touched the stars

Entry #27 - One Bullet

Entry #31 - Wordless

Entry #34 - By the Rooftop

Entry #35 - That 1830m

Entry #37 - A Guide to Marine Life

 

   ✣ Voter's Prizes ✣

kiri-el
rabiscandoecriando
sara-chan-otaku-fangirl
paupauri
swiftease
harleymar

Don't forget to check readers' comments on our entries!

#1-8 ✣ #9-16 ✣ #17-24 ✣ #18-39 ✣ #40-49 

First off, thank you to everyone for all of your patience. We are late (specially here, in the forum) - we acknowledge this and we apologize. Furthermore, thank you for all of your patience throughout this entire Fall 2012 Contest48. We’ve had a few bumps in the road - less than last time - but we still haven’t perfected it yet. Thank you all for your advice and suggestions so far : )

A specific thank you to all the authors and readers who participated. We hope that everyone will remain active and that the authors, specifically, continue to polish their skills in preparation for the next Contest48. It’s unfortunate that not everyone can receive a prize, but please continue to try your best! We were really excited by the amount of interest we gathered this time around. Hopefully we can get together even more photos next time and continue to grow!

Lastly, our decisions are not up for debate. Thank you for respecting our choices and for being so encouraging all along! Prizes will be sent as soon we have everyone's info, and we'll announce when they are sent out

Important! Due to this forum's new rules we'll have to revise and maybe delete some of the fanfics in this thread. In case we need to delete a certain story, its link in the first post will be replaced with a link to that same entry in our site