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Author Topic: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [ First Contest Winners Revealed!]  (Read 19463 times)

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #10-#14]
« Reply #20 on: April 07, 2012, 07:02:22 PM »
Entry #15
Title: Full Speed Ahead
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Ogiso Shiori, Kizaki Yuria; OgiYuri
Word Count: 1955

Full Speed Ahead


     What got me the most was the fact that I was sleeping when it all happened.

     It was just like any other day of school; first period was math, and that meant more sleep for me—as if sleeping at 10PM and waking at 7AM wasn’t enough—. I aced the subject without ever paying attention to the teacher’s words.

     I woke to the 2nd period bell, again, just like any other days, but one thing was different from those “any other days;” alas, Kizaki Yuria had gone missing, and nobody even cared to wake me up, since they either thought she was playing hooky or was sick home. It seemed that not even the teacher cared—it made sense as Yuria was, figuratively speaking, barely present in class, often texting me when I’m not asleep or one of her other friends. One thing they’d fail to notice was the fact that today was the day of a tennis match, and as the captain, she would never betray any of her teammates because of a flu or stomach virus. I sensed trouble and immediately pulled my phone (a massive slab of metal called a smartphone—I didn’t quite like it, but Yuria seemed to love it.) out.

     “Please enjoy the music while your party is reached,” the machine said. The hell I could. The machine played me a familiar pop tune that I couldn’t identify the name of; I became increasingly concerned as the tune continued without a human voice intervening. Finally, the synth tune (or auto-tuned voice—I couldn’t tell.) came to an abrupt end.

     “Hello?” my voice came out huskier than usual, although that won’t be saying much. The English teacher who apparently walked in not long ago didn’t seem to care. Not that I did anyway.

     “Nagoya University Hospital. Miss Yuria Kizaki is currently going through a surger…” I angrily hit the “end call” button (thank God it was a physical button; if it was on the touchscreen, that would’ve cost me), placed the phone back into the breast pocket of my uniform jacket, and then sprang out the door. I head yells and screams behind me, but I didn’t pay enough attention to comprehend it.

*     *     *

     And that’s why I’m pedaling like a madman right now.

     “Just a minute more,” I whisper to myself, “just a bit more to get there.” 

     My hands have been trembling the whole time; so much that the tremble interferes with the direction of the bicycle. Plus, as a result of extended riding, now all the moisture is gone from my hands and only coldness is left in them. I try not to imagine Yuria’s eyes below the surgical cloth and focus on pedaling, but I can’t resist thinking of what might happen to her (and me): What if she never gets well? What if she gets crippled? What if she never wakes up from a coma? What if… What if? The last question pops up in my head not as a question, but rather as a concept that isn’t—couldn’t be—worded. I am too afraid of what might happen to her if I even word the question in my head.

     I try to clear my head yet again and focus; now I am quite close. I can make out the outline of the hospital building despite the morning fog, the figure growing larger by the second. The Fuji rocks from side to side.

     I stop thinking of what might have happened and what might happen to Yuria because my brain is too busy thinking about the optimal route into the hospital entrance. As soon as I near the hospital enough so that I can make out the main entrance’s shape, I  hastily toss my bike to the side, where the shrubs welcome it. I break out into an all-out dash; 100m, 50m, 25m—then run up the staircase, skipping 4 steps at a time and body slam my way through the heavy fiberglass doors. A few patients, as well as their families, nurses, and doctors stare at me wide-eyed; the sight of a panting 17-year old galloping into a hospital is, indeed, out of place, but I ignore them and run to the reception desk. The nurse asks me:

     “May I help you, Ma’am?” to which I blurt out Kizaki’s name. The nurse types something into the computer with my breathes slowly decelerating to an allegro.

     “Oh, she’s in the operating room, I’m afraid….”

     “And where is that?” I ask, hastily cutting off her words.

     “No, you don’t understa…”

     “No, I’ll be waiting in front of it,” yet again cutting off her words.

     “Second floor, operating room 2. You’ll find a bunch of signs leading up to it,” I start to sprint again as soon as I hear that. A thought flash by my head; is the nurse not irritated because of her professionalism or her understanding? I won’t know, but I sure like to think it was the latter. I reach the staircase and yet again skip over four steps at a time. My breaths and heartbeats race rapidly back to a presto. After a dash along the halls of the hospital, I finally discover the two swinging doors and a sign above it that says Operating Room 2. I also see two people on the bench before it; the Kizakis. I bow to them.

     “Oh, Shiori-chan…” Mrs. Kizaki says, almost a whisper. I cannot say anything back—not because I have no words to say, but because I’m panting like a dog. When I look up upon hearing her words, Mrs. Kizaki looks more worried about me than her own child, but I decide that I must be imagining things. “I’m so sorry to make you worry,” she says. That’s my thing about the Japanese people (even though I’m a part of them); they apologize far too often.

     “No,” inhale, exhale, inhale, “No, you don’t… you don’t have to be sorry at all,” I try to regulate my breaths but my words come out rather rudely, although I did avoid adding, “if you’re going to deprive me of my right to worry about her, what am I going to be left with?” in an effort to be as polite as possible.

     I can’t meet eyes with her. Am I sorry to be there? Or can I just not control my emotion right now? I can’t tell, so I just decide to ask a question while looking down, her sandals catching my vision, which tells me about her rushing here also. When I open my mouth, however, I quite can’t get myself to verbalize the question. I feel something in my mouth as I hesitate to speak; probably from running around too much. I want to laugh at myself for that, but of course, cannot. I finally vocalize the question.

     “How is she?” It’s such a simple question that I hesitate so much to ask. Of course, it probably cannot be answered so simply either, while it clearly will be an easy enough answer. I still can’t look into either of the Kizakis’ eyes. I choose a spot to look at in the wall beyond Mrs. Kizaki’s shoulder, so I wouldn’t be too rude. I can see Mrs. Kizaki opening her mouth even though I’m not looking at her. Mr. Kizaki, just like his usual taciturn self, keeps his mouth tightly closed (not that I can see him). I often wondered how a girl like Yuria can be born from such a reserved man, and presumably, household.

     A sound comes from her throat shatters the silence.

     “They…haven’t said anything yet.”

     The world isn’t crashing down on me, not just yet—indeed, it is the answer I half-expected. Rather, I feel more disappointed. I let go of all the muscles in my body, which results in me collapsing in the faux leather bench.

     How long would I have to wait? Minutes? Hours? Days?

     And would I want to hear the results?

*     *     *

     Apparently I fell asleep; I wonder how I fell asleep with that kind of emotions and thoughts going through my head. The hand that wakes me up with a pat on my shoulder belonged to no one other than Mr. Kizaki.

     “A nurse just said that the surgery will soon be over,” Mrs. Kizaki explained.

     “Ah, is that so,” I say simply. The sunset catches my eyes. Shame Yuria can’t see such beautiful sight.

     A deadly silence hums in the corridor. No patients, no nurses, no doctors. What’s up with this hospital? I ask myself. If I’m not mistaking, this is the biggest hospital in the area. Hopefully that fact can contribute to Yuria’s welfare.

     I contemplate pulling my smartphone out, but decide against it a moment later. It would be disrespectful to all of the Kizakis. So I cross my arms and sit, staring at the sky that’s growing more orange by the second.

     What breaks the silence is the doors opening, and two doctors walking out. Behind it, two nurses are pulling and pushing Yuria’s bed. I run up to the bed, and the Kizakis go to the doctor. She looks peaceful, more peaceful than ever.

     “Doctor, how is she?” I turn to the source of the sound; Mr. Kizaki was the first to speak, much to my surprise.

     “She fractured six of her ribs and her sternum, but no severe damage were done to any of her internal organs, fortunately. She’ll have to be hospitalized for around six weeks.”

     “Thank you, doctor. Thank you,” Mrs. Kizaki shakes one of the doctor’s hand with both of her hand. She looks like she’s about to cry. An American would’ve said, “Thank God,” but the term makes me feel like a weak person, turning to divine powers. I’m dizzy as hell—not enough oxygen pumping to my brain. But I guess that’s alright.

*     *     *

     The sunset sure looks pretty from the room; the sun hangs lowly over the houses, painting the sky vermillion (maybe even scarlet). I don’t know how much time pass by, staring at the sky, Yuria’s sleeping face, and back at the sky, with my head resting on my hand, the arm resting on the table. Her parents wanted to leave me alone with Yuria, and had gone home. Every inch of my quad muscles hurt, but the scenery and Yuria’s angelic, if I dare to say, face makes up for it. No, actually, it’s Yuria herself that make up for it. Every millimeter of her and her being and soul and that is not to be measured and all the rest of her; all of that and me in the same room. I loved it.

    Yuria opens her eyes, slowly. My smile is no bigger than the smile that has been on my face for a while, but nevertheless, air in the form of laughter is discharged from my throat. Silence ensues until Yuria choose to break it with a few clearing of her throat. Then she says:

     “I’m sorry.”

     “I told you I hated that,” I never like anyone apologizing for something that wasn’t her fault.

     “Yes you have,” Yuria laughs. I close my eyes; it feels as though the room is now somehow warmer.

     “Don’t you ever leave me,” I can feel Yuria giving her silly-girl-you-don’t-even-have-to-say-that smile when I say that, even with my eyes still closed.

     “I promise.”

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #15: Full Speed Ahead]
« Reply #21 on: April 11, 2012, 10:24:18 PM »
Another SKE48 update! And a really long one :heart:

Entry #16
Title: Night the 20th.
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kinoshita Yukiko, Ogiso Shiori, GomaYukko
Word Count: 6154

Night the 20th

“I’ll go to see you and spend the night with you until the darkness fades away in the 20th of every month no matter what.”

Her pledge, said to me in a quivery voice, never stops resounding in my head like a constant playback. Up till now, I still look forward to the 20th, but the promise itself had ceased to be fulfilled a long time ago. I am now always alone in the 20th, by myself, staring at her name.

I fear none. Pay me a visit.

The flat and hard surface, where she had been lying her head on before she drifted away to the land of unconsciousness, felt too soft, comfortable, and warm when she got back to her consciousness. Opening her eyes slowly as she adjusted her sight to the exposure of the bright sunlight, the awaken girl saw a smiling face looking down at her.

 “Yukko, the bell has rung.”

 Startled, Yukiko sat herself up and left the comfortable pillow, which turned out to be someone’s lap. She brushed her tired eyes before facing the girl, who was sitting next to her on the bench.

“Eh, Shiorin? How long have you been staring at me sleeping?” Yukiko wondered what kind of faces she made when she was out somewhere in the dream land. She definitely didn’t wish for her other half to see her snoring or worse, drooling, and even sleep talking.

Shiori just smiled tenderly before replying, “For a while, not long enough to feed my addiction.”

The romance that had bloomed between the pair of best friends was neatly hidden. If only they could be accepted normally just like how a couple of a boy and a girl, they wouldn’t have been bothered to tightly conceal the truth of their relationship. They too wanted to be able to display affections and call each other ‘my girl’ in public, in front of their friends, family, and acquaintances. They too wanted to tell their friends to stop inviting them to blind dates and meetings with male students from other schools. On top of them all, they longed for the day when they could stop lying. They both acknowledged the state that they were in, but somehow they were incapable of hindering their feelings from getting mildly pained when they had to deny each other.

The two delicate, fragile, and dependent teens were not ready to be opposed and oppressed. For that reason, they forced themselves to be satisfied of living in untruth regardless of their conflicting emotions.

Sadly, their simple wish of keeping things hidden until they became financially independent and capable of supporting themselves enough to obtain their happy ending was not granted by the cruel world. That one night when Shiori’s mom overheard their conversation was the beginning to an end, an introduction to the harsh reality.

Shiori used to be one call away, one message away. The unwanted turn of events had made things difficult for both of them to reunite. Yukiko missed her other half, so did Shiori. However, they were both toothless and too weak to take the big strip of distance Shiori’s parents had created in their attempts to disconnect them.

Shiori, why won’t you pick up my call? Why can’t you reply to my messages?

The hearsay of Shiori transferring school to a different city cost her sleepless nights of agony. Statements that came out of Shiori’s own mouth were all that she needed to put her at ease. The calendar kept replacing itself into even bigger numbers, telling her to stop waiting and urging her to hurry up and get in touch with her lost loved one. Making a contact was impossible without an effort from the other party. It wasn’t too long until negative thoughts and feelings overwhelmed the emotionally drained and frail teenage girl. Yukiko felt unsure of Shiori’s feelings for her and afraid of a change that might have occurred in Shiori’s heart. All kinds of ‘what-ifs’ filled her mind like traffic in peak hours, fast paced and crowded.

School was on a long break. It was the perfect timing to detach them and attach their daughter, Shiori, to someone else, a boy. Unsuspecting of Shiori’s capacity to rebel against the rules they made, Shiori’s parents were shocked at her strong rejection of the planned engagement and left speechless when she confidently reiterated her love for her known best friend.

Locking herself in her room, Shiori tried to reach Yukiko, whom she had yearned for; using a mobile phone she borrowed from one of her maids. It was late midnight. No one picked up the call, only beeping after beeping could be heard at the other end. Overwhelmed by negative emotions, Shiori was too drained to sit straight on the cold floor of her once comfortable room, which had turned into her confinement. She leaned against her bed waiting impatiently to hear the calming voice of the one she held dear to her heart.

What if she rejects this call or ignores it because the number is unknown to her?

Pessimistic thoughts crossed the tired girl’s head as she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. She bit her lower lip and rubbed her shins to soothe her uneasy state of mind.

“Hello?”

Not wanting to be swayed by waves of emotions that threatened to spill upon hearing the voice that possessed power over her mood and the ability to pacify her, Shiori clenched her teeth before uttering what she thought was in need of being prioritized.

“Yukko, listen! I’ll say no repeat. Don’t matter what people say, I never did believe them. I want you to do the same. Please listen to only what I say, my words. I’m the only one whom you need to trust. Do you copy?”

Grabbing a handful of her bed sheet, Yukiko had her head hanging, looking at her nails while listening cautiously to what Shiori said. She nodded a nod that Shiori couldn’t see before muttering an assuring ‘yes’ as a cue for Shiori to carry on.

“I’m sorry that we’ve come to this,” Shiori continued. The tremor in her voice could no longer be masked. She recited her next lines shakily as she tried to hold back the tears that had turned her eyeballs moist. At the same time, Yukiko was throwing her head back to prevent the teardrops from rolling down her face. She didn’t want to start sobbing as she knew that it would only concern the one talking to her on the phone.

“I can sneak out, make up excuses or negotiate my ways to see you although I can’t guarantee how frequent I would succeed.”

After her one sentence reached the full stop, the noise coming from Shiori’s raspy voice was immediately replaced by a poignant silence. They grasped their left chests before quickly tightening their grips as the pain grew unbearable. Hearts beating fast, minds wandering, both were searching for something to say, something that could lessen the heaviness that was pinning them down. They were so close to breaking down.

Gritting her teeth, Shiori said one last thing to finish off that sorrowful night, “I’ll go to see you and spend the night with you until the darkness fades away in the 20th of every month no matter what. Even though I lose my sight, my ability to walk, my freedom, I will stay by your side and hold you tight.”

As soon as she finished articulating her promise, Shiori hung up on Yukiko, leaving her wordless. For countless times, Yukiko had cursed her inadequacy in conveying her trains of thoughts. That time was no exception. She could have said at least ‘I love you’ to her girlfriend who seemed to try so hard to conceal her agony, if it wasn’t for her shortcoming.

The tormented young lovebirds stared off aimlessly into the ceilings as they swallowed the ruthless reality. Both were drowning in the tranquility of their rooms, separated miles away from each other; one was as lost and wandering as the other one. Their lips quivered and tears of anguish filled their eyes. Unable to suppress the explosions of their piled up emotions, they both cried, wailed to their hearts’ content, wishing for their worries and pains to be swept away.

Yukiko had never felt as impatient as she was when it came to waiting for a certain date to arrive. The 20th was everything that she looked forward to, at least until school started, or perhaps even after school started.

Purposely, Yukiko had rejected tagging along her parents to Tokyo to visit some relatives. She was waiting for someone, whom she had longed to see. That person didn’t come as early as Yukiko fancied, but as long as she could physically meet her, nothing mattered. There was that one issue too, which had been bothering the restless girl for the past few days she spent without conversing and interacting with Shiori, whom she needed confirmation from.

Face was flat on her own desk after she involuntarily fell asleep. The sound of constant pounding against her glass window was what she awakened to.

The house of Kinoshita family was rather short. Despite being a two-storey bungalow, it allowed people to throw things to hit the 2nd floor window without using much arm strength.

Yukiko stretched her body that felt sore after drowsiness sucked her into resting her mind and body in a strange position. At the same time, she stood herself and strolled toward the curtain-covered window. She shifted the dark colored curtain to the side before looking down to find the person, the only one who often threw small rocks lightly, knocking on the window of Yukiko’s bedroom.

“I’ve missed you,” Yukiko murmured as she was leaning her forehead against the window glass.

There she, Ogiso Shiori, was, standing and waving her arms vigorously at the sight of her lover peeking through the transparent window. Bright smiles beautified their pretty faces as they were gazing at each other.

A lot of things occupied Yukiko’s mind. There were just too many questions she wanted to ask, ranging from simple stuffs like, “How did you spend your days?” to the heavier topic; one of which was the hearsays she had been dying to check with Shiori. Feeling too impatient and curious, she went ahead with the not-simple topic, not minding her initial hesitation of turning the gleeful atmosphere of their reunion into something heavy and suffocating.

“I heard that you were going to get engaged with some guy,” Yukiko said in a flat tone as she tried to hide her anxiety.

That immediately grabbed Shiori’s full attention and got her turning her head to look at the girl who was sitting on the warm carpet floor, leaning against her own bed. She smirked. Yukiko didn’t understand exactly the meaning behind that smirk.

“Heard? Who told you?” Shiori asked in such a sinister tone; the smirk had not left her face. Yukiko could see her gripping the gadget she was holding rather tightly as if she was about to smash it.

“Your mom…” Yukiko trailed off. Her eyes were still hooked on Shiori’s clenched fists.

“I knew she would,” a quick reply came. It was faint. The sound was let out through her gritted teeth. At that moment, Shiori was no longer looking at Yukiko’s direction. Fingers pressing on the buttons of her charged phone, she was facing the wall, standing in front of Yukiko’s desk. “She told you to back off, didn’t she?” she questioned in a little bit raised voice.

“Yes, she did.”

“So, what are you going to do?” That time Shiori had stopped pressing on her phone buttons, but still remained in the same standing position; only her fingers stopped their movements.

Yukiko noticed the hints of Shiori’s changed mood, more specifically her emerging anger. She hesitated to reply but she did anyway.

“I need to know your feelings.” There she made it clear. She bared her intention and curiosity. However, it wasn’t quite what Shiori wanted to hear from her nor was it something that would instantly make her wrath subsides.

Putting her gadget down on the desk, Shiori inhaled deeply and exhaled before turning around to face Yukiko, who had not been moving at all since they first entered her room. “Which part of my feelings that you don’t get?” she questioned; arms were folded and hip was leaned against the desk edge.

Yukiko looked up to meet Shiori’s eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat before replying with an apology and explanation for what she said seemed to have upset Shiori even more than she already was at her mother’s attempt to widen the distance between her and Yukiko.

“Sorry. I won’t back off for sure. I just wanna hear your side of story.”

Shiori smiled, for the first time since Yukiko brought up that topic. A displayed positivity and faith were all that she needed from her lover.

“Long story short, they trapped me and I made a scene.” She told her anecdote in such a short, simple sentence because she did not want to recall that dreadful night.

Yukiko sat there, watching as Shiori was walking closer to where she was. The shorter girl sat herself, with her knees bent, right in front of the taller one. She held Yukiko’s hands, rested them on her own before pulling them to place the linked pairs of hands on her own thighs. They locked gazes for a while.

“Yukko,” Shiori said really softly. “Even if one day someone other than you had me as his wife and my body as his property, my heart would be the only thing no one but you can have.”

She stopped talking. She looked at their locked hands and tightened her grips. Clearing her throat, she looked back up to gaze into her lover’s beautiful eyes.

“No amount of threats, pressures and pains can cause me a change of heart. I will forever reject him and never will I deny you. You have my words.”

The waterworks threatened to break and flood their eyes. Yukiko pulled her girlfriend into her arms. She hugged her so tight, not wishing to ever let go even though she knew that after the night came to pass, Shiori would be gone; she would be anywhere but in her arms. She knew. They knew better than anyone.

“I love you,” came Yukiko’s hoarse whisper. “I won’t give up on you.”

She brushed her lips against her girlfriend’s forehead, down to her nose before planting a kiss on the lips. She wanted her everything that night, knowing full well that she would stop being hers once the morning came. They were intoxicated by the kisses and touches they shared. That’s how they spent the rest of the night before they drifted to sleep in each other’s arm; it marked the end of the 20th.

When the morning arrived, Yukiko was all alone again. She was gone. She left without a trace while everyone was asleep. Well, there was nothing weird about it. She could come and leave anytime she wanted as she had duplicate keys of Yukiko’s house and bedroom. They had been friends since forever, as long as Yukiko could remember.

She couldn’t recall how and when Shiori became a significant part of her life. Naturally, she just learnt how to hurt for her, how to suffer for her, how to connect with her; in an instant she became emotionally invested on her, involved too deep to release herself.

Days were dull and the 20th was too far ahead. After contemplating every night before she fell asleep, Yukiko finally decided to take the initiative, to be the one taking the distance. For the longest time, she hesitated on whether or not she should call Shiori first. She predicted a rejection and she was right. Shiori stressed for her to not come in the near time until the promised date, and even so she would be the one coming; all Yukiko had to do was waiting.

Waiting was a really boring activity to do. It had never been something that anyone would gladly do unless forced. Especially with piled up worries kept inside, waiting only made Yukiko grow even more impatient than she already was. Negatively she thought that Shiori must have been hiding something from her. For once, she ignored Shiori’s command and went ahead with her own will. However, on her way there, guilt and worries crept on her. She was well aware of the possible consequences waiting for her arrival. Nervously she fidgeted with her fingers throughout the not-so-long journey on the bus.

To her surprise, upon her arrival she found the Ogiso mansion crowded and unlike how it usually was at night. It seemed like a party was being thrown. She wondered what party it could be for, knowing that none of them celebrated their birthday in that particular month. Strolling into the garden, Yukiko brought hesitation, confusion and curiosity along with her. She was technically an uninvited guest; considering how Shiori’s parents were so against their relationship, her presence was pretty much unwanted too and despised, perhaps.

Yukiko realized that she was taking a huge risk by setting her feet on the area of the Ogiso. For the first time that night, she felt rather regretful of being a disobedient girlfriend, but it was like she had both her feet in the water already. At such point, backing off would be too cowardly of her.

Sneaking in, she tried to make herself as invisible as she could. Her aim was to meet Shiori, getting caught would ruin her initial intention on going against her lover’s command.

She was fortunate that the garden was big and quite dark at some parts. Bushes were everywhere for her to hide and camouflage herself; she deliberately wore dark colored outfits for that sole purpose. After crawling and rolling on the grass, Yukiko finally reached the side of the house where a huge window glass was at, allowing her to peek into it and look for Shiori.

Sighing soundly to herself, Shiori staggered toward the balcony barefooted. The party had been on for the whole day. Standing and walking on high heels tired her out. She also hated how she had to keep a smile on her face, a pretense that she was happy about this a matter-of-factly forced engagement.

Benefitting from the sight of the beautiful garden and all its green content, she felt a bit more refreshed. She had always loved the nature, the green grass, trees and pretty flowers. Besides sitting on the sand of a beach and staring into the wide mysterious sea, sitting under a tree to enjoy the calming green surroundings in the morning had always been Shiori’s way of releasing stress. She had briskly planned on doing either of them with the girl, who was blending in the darkness. “Eh?” Shiori said, with her eyes widened. She brushed her eyes several times as she thought that she was seeing things.

Truth was she wasn’t seeing things. It was really Yukiko, who was standing by the tree, looking carefully into the house through the window. Shiori immediately ran downstairs, feeling worried of her lover getting caught by her merciless parents and judgmental relatives. The pretense she had built was at risk of getting exposed too.

Shiori looked around to make sure that no one saw her go out of the door before she threw a candy to Yukiko’s head. One fail attempt, two fail attempts, Shiori managed to hit the target on her third attempt.

“Ouch!” Yukiko winced, rubbing the back of her head.

“What are you doing here?” Shiori asked agitatedly.

Turning around, Yukiko found her lover standing a few meters away from her with hands on her hips and a frown on her face. “Errr…. To see you…” Yukiko replied.

“Didn’t I make it clear enough? I told you to not come!” Shiori raised her voice. Evidently, she didn’t want Yukiko to be there. Saddened by her lover’s reaction, Yukiko stared down and brushed her fingers over her knuckles. “Why?” she asked.

“Because…” Shiori tried to explain but was cut by a sudden loud call. “Shiori!!!” It was her mom. Spontaneously, she answered in a loud voice to make her presence known to her mom while motioning Yukiko to crouch down behind the bushes.

Before she crouched down, Yukiko saw an unfamiliar guy walking along side Shiori’s mom. She saw him stretching his arm to hold Shiori’s waist.

Could he be her arranged fiancé?

“What are you doing outside, dear?”

“Looking for fresh air,” Shiori answered her mom.

Yukiko faintly heard the exchange between Shiori and her mom. The next few exchanges though were audible to Yukiko. It was impossible for her to concentrate on listening to the conversation when she witnessed the guy, who was side hugging Shiori by the waist, kissed her on the lips. Shiori didn’t push him away and just accepted the affectionate gesture. It was a devastating sight for Yukiko to see.

Yukiko sat on the grass back facing the three retreating figures. She had missed Shiori glancing at her direction before strolling back into the house. Mind was blank. Body was numb. In spite of all, she quickly stood on her two wobbly feet. The voice in her head told her to leave, go anywhere far from there. She dragged her feet, hands grasping her chest. She cared not of being seen. She wept throughout her long walk, till her waterworks dried up leaving her exhausted and hopeless.

Yukiko was an impeccable mess when she reached home. Unbeknownst to the devastated girl Shiori had been waiting, sitting on her doorsteps for a few minutes then. During regular days, Yukiko would have been pleasantly surprised to find her lover waiting at her doorstep, but that day was different. She just took a glimpse with her lifeless eyes and shifted them away as she was about to walk pass her.

Her arm was unexpectedly grabbed tightly and it stopped Yukiko in her tracks. “I did warn you to not come,” Shiori finally said, breaking the suffocating silence.

“I know. I shouldn’t have come,” replied Yukiko listlessly.

Clearly, some things needed to be explained and straightened. They needed to talk, but Yukiko was worn out. She didn’t know where she could possibly acquire extra energy to argue with her lover. Consequently, she pulled her arm away, releasing it from Shiori’s firm grip.

Shiori was too relentless to let this slip since she’s in the know of how it couldn’t wait till the 20th. It needed to be discussed right away or else it would hurt their vulnerable relationship. She swiftly clasped Yukiko’s arm once again and pushed her by the arm. That one strong push made Yukiko stumble backward, away from the door she wanted to open so as to gain entrance to her dwelling.

It turned out that exhaustion and heartbreak had Yukiko easily provoked. She clenched her jaw to suppress her anger, but to no avail. “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME??!!” Yukiko yelled harshly.

Shiori was taken aback by Yukiko’s sudden outburst. As far as her memory could take her, for the last few years she had never seen Yukiko so infuriated. At this rate, a rational discussion was impossible to obtain. The tension was too high.

Shiori wasn’t sure if a loud yell was the right way to get her points across. She did yell though because she was too brain dead and tired to find the right words to calm her fuming girlfriend.

“Do you think I enjoyed that kiss??!! NO!! It felt like my heart was scorched to ashes,” Shiori yelled back in frustration. “Look, you fool! The real Shiori is the one standing in front of you right now. Whatever I say or do to you in front of them is just an act. I’m only truthful when I’m alone with you!!”

After much huffing and puffing, Yukiko’s anger slowly subsided. Her breathing was still erratic and her eyebrows were still furrowed, but her eyes had become a lot calmer than they were a few minutes ago.

Hesitantly, Shiori stepped closer to narrow the space between them. She took a hold of Yukiko’s forearm, scratching her thumbnail across it. “It’s not the 20th yet,” Shiori murmured. “I can’t spend the night with you.” She tentatively reached her free hand up to caress Yukiko’s cheek lovingly. “Sorry,” she said, wearing a weak smile before she left.

Had she listened to Shiori’s warning, she wouldn’t have had her heart damaged. It had been a few days since the occurrence of that unpleasant night, but the heartbreaking sight she saw, the jealousy and dismay she felt were still so crystal clear.

What kind of face should I wear tomorrow when I meet her?

Yukiko sank down in her seat and buried her face in her hands. Even though they ended their argument rather peacefully that night, she still felt awkward about it and apologetic for blowing her top.

After getting her mind fresh the day after that night, Yukiko realized how she wasn’t the only one suffering. She was just unfortunate enough to witness her girlfriend getting kissed by some guy, while Shiori must have been so torn and pained by the false front she had to put up. She must have been enduring a lot for having to put up with her parents’ selfish desires.

Came to think of it, Yukiko became overly sensitive because of such a pity jealousy. She was feeling even more apologetic at those thoughts, on top of feeling embarrassed. They led her into disheveling her hair and tapping her feet on the floor fretfully. Her continuous tapping was stopped by the sudden knocking on her window.

“Could it be??” mumbled Yukiko. She headed to the window hastily and peeked through the small gap created from shifting the curtain a little bit to the side. Her initial prediction came to a realization. It was really Shiori standing at her doorstep. “But why??” Yukiko mumbled a bit louder that time around out of sheer confusion.

The 20th was supposed to be the next day. She wondered if Shiori was just being forgetful. Whatever her reason for coming earlier was, as a matter of fact Yukiko was not entirely ready to meet her. There were still some feelings that she needed to sort out. However, ready or not, Shiori was already there and she had to open the door for her as a good host.

“What took you so long?” Shiori said, pouting playfully at Yukiko.

Yukiko’s mind was pretty much incoherent and she couldn’t think of anything off the top of her head that could serve as a proper reply, so she just replied with a forced smile. That smile though, instantly got swept off of her face when Shiori leaned forward and stole a kiss.

“Let’s go!” she said enthusiastically.

Yukiko didn’t quite understand what Shiori meant, but she just followed her upstairs, presumably heading to Yukiko’s room.

“How did you get here so early?” Yukiko finally questioned when they were climbing the stairs. Shiori didn’t stop walking, but she turned around quickly and beamed. “By bargaining,” came her short answer.

Once they were in Yukiko’s room, Shiori pulled out a travel bag that Yukiko often used for school trips. “Now, start packing!” Shiori ordered. Before Yukiko started asking questions again, Shiori told her that she was going with her for a trip toAtsumiPeninsula.

It wasn’t even summer yet, but Yukiko decided to tag along anyway. As long as she got to spend time with her loved one, she didn’t mind. The beach during cold seasons was serene and the serenity must have been one thing that Shiori wanted to share with her the most.

A trip like that, with just the two of them, felt surreal. It used to be something that they could do whenever they wanted to but not after they got found out, after all the twists and turns.

Excitement slowly built itself. The two youthful souls were visibly pumped up. They most likely wouldn’t be able to play a lot as the weather was so cold, but they could just walk along the beautiful beach, chatting, and holding hands. There were just a lot to play and talk about when they were together. They had never run out of topics and games.

Both of them didn’t care about how short the trip would be as their time together had always been limited. Quality was much more essential than quantity. They both believed it. Spending a short but quality time together was more worthy of spending a week together with many people getting in their ways.

The sun had set. Their last night shortened itself. If she could, Yukiko would buy a few hours even with her almost non existent savings. She wouldn’t mind working part time every day if she could obtain more time with Shiori through monetary means.

“I told my mom that I would only stay inSpainfor two weeks the longest,” Yukiko said regarding her upcoming family trip to her mom’s hometown, which was initially planned for a month stay. “I can’t leave you for that long. It’s impossible in our current situation.”

Shiori took a careful look at her lover, whose eyebrows were furrowed and brow had lines forming. Tightening their linked hands, she proceeded to hug the taller girl’s arm. “Yukko, please go and have fun for the whole month. I’ll be fine,” assured Shiori.

“You sure?” Yukiko asked, seeking for a stronger assurance.

“Yes. Don’t mind me. You can always call me. When will you be back though?”

“At noon the 20th,” replied Yukiko.

Shiori beamed upon hearing her girlfriend’s planned arrival date. The date they both had grown to anticipate and look forward to the most. It was the date when Shiori’s parents had their regular business trip. In other words, the only one day she could spend with her beloved Yukiko. Prolonged business trips were bonuses but they had not happened for the past few months after her concealed forbidden relationship got uncovered.

Shiori let out a long sigh, which got Yukiko turning her head to check on her. Motioning the taller girl to sit next to her, Shiori rested on the sand, hugging her knees. Without saying a single word, Yukiko followed and sat herself right next to her girlfriend. They were both enjoying the regular noise of the waves rolling into the shore and the beautiful sight of the night sea.

“I could have rejected you and lied to me. I could have pretended to be anyone but me, but I didn’t. I was too selfish to not act on my feelings,” Shiori said, her eyes were swimming.

Blank was the state of Yukiko’s mind. Not knowing what to say or how to comfort her, she remained silent, listening to Shiori’s raspy voice and the recurring sound of rolling waves.

Not long after, the girl, who was sitting by her side, continued, “Never did I long to be born privileged. My only wish is to exist in a world that doesn’t condemn our love and treats it equally as acceptable as theirs.” By the time her words came to a halt, a drop of tears already rolled down Yukiko’s cheek. They were silent for a few seconds, as if time was freezing. Eyes fixated on the blue sea which wideness exhibited no boundary.

“So that, I can love you without feeling afraid,” Shiori finally said, turning her head to the right, where Yukiko was, and resting it on her own knees.

The night breeze blew their hair. Their bodies tingled a little due to the night chill. In the midst of the calm but poignant atmosphere, Yukiko took Shiori’s free hand, entangled their arms together, and intertwined their fingers. Their hands fit, as if they were custom made to compliment each other. Shortly after, shiori stretched her legs, shifted closer to the right, and leaned her head on Yukiko’s shoulder, prompting Yukiko to gently rest her head on Shiori’s.

No one knew and could foresee that it would be Yukiko’s last night with Shiori. When she came back fromSpain, on the date they had promised to reunite, she found her unalike with how she normally was; she became cold, stiff, and pale. She could neither talk nor hear. Yukiko could see her, but she couldn’t see Yukiko.

Oh, the memories.

It was exactly 10 years ago. I remember sitting here in front of her tombstone, weeping like a lost child. No more tears shed when I sit here, and I never fail to visit her grave in the 20th. That day, I was flabbergasted to find her parents generously allowing me to stand there to witness her burial. When I stayed after everyone left, her mom approached me, expressing her biggest regret in her life. She sobbed over the spilt milk.

“No one won, you see. We all lost her,” I said. She cried louder and more uncontrollably. Finally though, her waterworks dried up, leaving her eyes swollen. She asked me, “Are you not mad at her for leaving you like this?”

I snickered in response, confusing her. “Why would I?” came my reply finally. She furrowed her eyebrows, demanding an explanation from me. “I was never in her shoes. I was never in the care of parents who rejected me. I was never forced into admitting to being anyone but me, into doing things against my will. Who am I to blame her?!” I clarified my way of thinking, ending it rhetorically. Her eyes widened before they narrowed again shortly after, as if she had just seen the light flashing rapidly.

That was my first long exchange with her ever since we got exposed. In hopes of a change in her view, I entertained her despite wanting to be left alone to mourn my loss and keep mute for the whole day. It was really tragic how it cost a precious life for them to realize how wrong their ways were. What’s done is done though. We all moved on in the end, just like how she wanted us.

Sorry, I am not strong enough for us. Please move on to a greater love and happier life. I’ll be invisible from now on but I’ll watch over you. I love you. You’re my eternity.

Her last short message was successfully sent to me. It is still well kept in my inbox even after many years have passed. Being an ungrateful pity little thing, I often wish it was longer just so that I would have a longer message to reread.

She said she would be watching over me and it left me wondering if she was always with me. I’m not even sure whether or not an afterlife exists. I did as she wanted me to though. I moved on to a happier life. Yes, I am living happily, but greater love… greater than me and her? Perhaps, I can find it one day, but certainly not in this lifetime. In short, we were the perfect team, so meant to be. Nothing can ever top us.

Something suddenly vibrates in my pocket. How unsurprising, it is my mobile phone, alarming me the arrival of a message, so I take it out. The message is a short congratulatory message from my mom, on the release of my new novel. I successfully attained my dream to be a writer. If she were still here, she would have been a beautiful shining actress. That was her dream, her goal ever since she was a cute pampered kid.

Regarding my newly released novel, it was in fact inspired by us. Nowhere did I state the real life inspiration though, so most likely the readers wouldn’t have deduced. I thought it was wiser to do so, more so since I selfishly twisted the ending.

I wanted her to live.

I wanted us to be blissfully together,

even if it was only in fiction.

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #16: Night the 20th]
« Reply #22 on: April 11, 2012, 11:53:36 PM »
Entry #17
Title:
Unconventional
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kojima Haruna, Kashiwagi Yuki; Haruna/Yuki
Word Count: 2413

Unconventional

Haruna isn’t exactly known as a very social person. AKB is her playground, but she might as well be the kid playing in the sandbox all the time, rejecting company and familiarity. Mariko and Miichan are brave enough souls for entering into her corner but that’s who they are, spontaneity and fun – fireworks exploding in the sky, it is expected of them to gloriously enter into someone’s life and have some effect on it. But Haruna knows what she wants is not fireworks at night, not sparks and colors and overflowing beauty. What she wants is the warmth of a flame in a winter day, the calm and serenity in the hazy cold.

The problem is the search is difficult. However plentiful people have come into her sandbox, none of them seem to be up to her liking. The playground expands but her sandbox is still only for her, no matter how selfish that may sound.

She receives compliments and flattery from research students, team members and non-team members alike. And she thinks of it as nothing but irony. They tell her she’s pretty, that she’s cute, that she’s funny, and everyone loves her but she never feel like it, Haruna is jilted and withered like a plant.

The door creaks open and for the first time she pays attention.

“Oh, Kashiwagi-chan.” Kojima declares, because beauty deserves to have an introduction every single time.

“Ahh, Kojima-san, you’re here early.” Yuki sets her bag down and looks over her reflection on the mirror instantly.

“I suppose you say that because you’re always here first.”

“Most of the time,” She pauses “I like to see this place before the chaos,”

Haruna takes her eyes off of her the moment Haachan arrives and takes Yuki’s attention away. They greet each other with an embrace and chat about things until the whole dressing room is crowded with people.

“Nyannyan, is something wrong?” Takamina approaches her with a worried look on her face, her eyebrows shooting up cautiously, and if Haruna hadn’t looked down to see what pants she’s wearing then she could have saved her a few more of her sincerity.

“Those pants, seriously. The only time I want to see those again is when you plan to burn them, so please don’t even hesitate to call me, I will gladly help you rid of ‘em.”

“What? Tomochin finds them interesting,”

“Interesting isn’t always good,”

But Takamina doesn’t hear any of it after running off to talk to some staff. Kojima thinks her statement might as well reflect on herself too.

*

Haruna is possibly the most withdrawn about the changes. Sometimes, even more scared than her mind lets her on. There are nights that fear rattles her ribs in the darkness and she gets up and sets herself a nice warm glass of milk to make it go away. On bad nights, a liquor from Paris she got from Atsuko because “you’re old enough, you could use it,” and she just looks out her window thinking about things – her career, her taxes, her nail polish until another day goes and another day comes by. Sometimes she cries herself to sleep, but it just makes her feel worse.

Mariko doesn’t ask, she never asks. No one ever asks. But Yuki never seem to have gotten the memo. “Kojima-san, you’re lagging behind the rehearsal today. Is something wrong?”

“You sound like Takamina,”

“I hope that’s not a bad thing,”

“It is,” Haruna pauses and laughs, “don’t tell me you’re going to start telling silly stories and expect people to laugh at them,”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Yukirin looks at Haruna with concern.

“Only a fool wouldn’t notice how many wrongs there are in the rights of the world.”

Haruna resolves that fool is herself.

*

They all practice hard.

Everyone dances until their own feet tangle and betray them and they fall down. They sing their hearts out and it doesn’t matter if they miss a beat or get a note wrong, just as long as they put their heart in it. Haruna wonders if she’s done enough. She hugs her knees at the back of the crowd huddled close to the small figure talking in front, and as she looks on and sees the fire, intensity and vigor in her eyes and heart, Haruna knows she will never be able to do enough.

Takamina finishes her speech with a clap and dismisses everyone with a cheer to do well tomorrow. Yuki stays behind with Haruna and waits for her to be the one to voice out her thoughts first.

“Say Kashiwagi-chan, how do you feel about eating out tonight?”

“Sure, I feel highly interested on knowing things about you too, Kojima-san. Should we get our bags?”

“Things like?” Haruna stands up and dusts and straightens her clothes.

“I don’t know either. You just… interest me.”

“The question is what doesn’t interest you, Kashiwagi-chan.”

They pass through the busy halls and into the dressing room to change into their casual clothing. Yukirin responds to her remark with only a smile and they both don’t know what it means. The moments they have shared are only small and fleeting. They used to only exchange polite smiles and words, and until now Haruna can’t seem to be on point with what Yuki is trying to say. So she just smiles too, bitterly (to herself) and walks side by side with the girl who has always been a mystery to her.

Over the bowls of hot ramen, Kojima realizes Yukirin is as princess-like as most of them say. She likes it when other people guide her or go out of their way to help her. Yuki liked it when Haruna picked up her phone and handed it to her. Yuki liked it when Haruna offered on opening and holding up the umbrella for both of them.

She pours her a drink and places it next to her bowl. Yuki says a quite ‘thank you’ and remains silent again, waiting for her food to be warm enough that it won’t burn her tongue the second she puts it in her mouth.

“You’re not all that special, but I like you.” Haruna puts it out there bluntly because it’s the only way she knows how and because she might lose the words again. She shoves a mouthful of noodles in her mouth afterwards and it burns her tongue and the roof of her mouth, but it’s better than having Yuki ask more questions. She doesn’t. It’s somehow comforting, much like the silence that hung between them. Haruna decides Yuki is her flame in a winter day – warmth, calm and serenity.

“Do you hate AKB?”

The question surprises Haruna, but this is Yuki after all, she’s not called Black for nothing.

“I call it my playground,” She laughs half-heartedly. It’s the still truth. Yukirin gives her a pointed knowing look and she knows she has to answer correctly, “Yea, I hate it.”

“Me too,”

“I hate it to the core of my bones, but I can never imagine myself out of it. I hate the system, I hate having to survive, but I can’t see myself doing anything else but be part of the 48. I don’t hate the people but sometimes I wish I do, just so it’ll be easier.”

Kashiwagi complains a lot about AKB too, probably to the point of hatred. Yuki doesn’t like how it changes the people in it and she hates herself for not being capable of correcting that. But Haruna’s point of view of it is different, because no matter how many times Yuki heard the word ‘hate’ from her answer, her voice didn’t mirror any of those feelings. Haruna is numb, Yuki muses inwardly, speaking only to her mind and she watches the tall pale female’s eyes and wonders how many times and how many more will those be brimming with tears.

Her ramen is cold and stale when she decides to eat again, not that she’s still in the mood to eat anyway. Yukirin just observes, tracing lines through the air and draws Haruna’s face, her movements, her slight smile until it’s time for a goodbye.

In the dark of the night, Yuki stares at the blackness of her room and holds her heart as it is about to burst. Yuki realizes albeit belatedly that fear is beautiful, pain is beautiful, destruction is beautiful; Haruna can attest to that.

Haruna never misses a day on seeing Yuki forecast the weather. It’s not always accurate but rain or shine, Haruna always brings her umbrella, one that’s big enough for her and Yuki. She likes the thought of having Yuki smile and thank her for opening it and holding it up for the two of them, but what Haruna likes the most is the proximity – how their elbows touch and how Yukirin is so close, she feels like she sees what the cameras doesn’t see.

She leaves her house early and a little too early maybe because she’s the first one to arrive in the waiting room. Haruna leans her head on the table and her thoughts drift over the noise that penetrates the walls of the room and how Yukirin will probably hate it. Until soon enough her brain picks up on the things Yuki might and might not like and lists them all, and then…. Haruna recalls clearly how she met Kashiwagi, just hanging by a tiny thread of a memory, but still beautiful memory at hand.

They have a mutual friend: silence. Yuki entered Haruna’s sandbox because of its silence and perhaps the beauty and the innocence of the back facing towards her. Curiosity as a pull and a push, a hello and a hello back and then comes quickly silence, but of course as their friend. The quiet is uneventful and boring and often the young Yuki wondered what could one have masked their thoughts in such almost lethargic atmosphere of nothingness. Haruna could have ruled the world with her mind and speak nothing of it. Haruna remembered Yuki as the kid who looked like they just grew out of puberty, limbs too long and knees that barely support them as she walked and she walked towards her.

They had a mutual friend and now they have two more: dreams and nightmares.

Yuki bends a bit to be on the same eye-level as her. But she’s up-side-down. “You like beating me in getting here the earliest, huh? This is the second time, Kojima-san.” Yukirin fishes her phone out of her bag and stands upright, shaking the tiny device in her hand, “Two-shot? I’ll mention it in my blog. Do you want it to be captioned as evil or sly?”

“Kashiwagi-chan, I want to be blogged about honestly. I am not sly or evil.  You are,” Haruna stands up and Yukirin swiftly moves to her side, placing her mobile phone in front of them, counting up to three and captures a photo with a press of a button.

“Update your blog too!” Kashiwagi tells her without looking, punching the keys on her phone to type a coherent post along with the attached picture.

Haruna doesn’t. She just takes a million pictures of Yukirin mostly, with and without her permission and in truth, Haruna likes the candid shots better. She stores them in a separate folder in her phone, openly pleased because Yuki didn’t seem to have noticed the extra photos Haruna captured without her knowledge.

“Kojima-san,”

Haruna blinks and the next thing she hears is a shutter sound coming from Yukirin’s phone. “Wow, don’t tell me…”

“I want to put up a solo picture of you. Don’t worry I’ll blog about you honestly,” She says teasingly and begins to type again.

“Tell me if you posted it already, I want to see it,”

“No, it’s embarrassing. Read it later,”

She nods but checks Yuki’s blog on her phone browser anyway, opening the new entry she just posted entitled ‘Good morning,’ that says:

But instead of that greeting I got a ‘blog about me honestly’ from Kojima-san.

 

Recently, we talked about things that made me think ‘Ah, Kojiharu is the person I want to protect,’ ’Kojiharu is amazing,’ ‘I want to be with Kojiharu forever’ ♥

 

Then again, I only call her Kojima-san ^^

 

I took pictures but I thought these are the pictures I want to treasure forever! Let me be selfish just this once!!

 

Most importantly, I am lucky to have Kojima-san in my life.

 

So you!

 

Yes, you!

 

You’re an unlucky soul if you don’t know the kind, beautiful and loving Haruna we all love. Kyaa! This is too honest, Kojima-san. How embarrassing >///<

 

♥ ♥ ♥

Yukirin.


Haruna smiles and directs her gaze towards Yuki. “You should compliment me in person,”

“What?”

“Your blog, I read it,”

“Oh…” She trails off and distracts herself with meddling with the contents of her bag, not wanting to make eye contact. “You told me to blog honestly and I did.”

“Yukirin,”

Kashiwagi turns to her and their eyes meet. Haruna sees anticipation and joy pleasantly masked in her expression. “I-I can call you that, right?”

Yuki swallows loudly and nods frantically like there would never be enough emphasis on how she agrees and allows Haruna to.

*

Before going out to the stage, just by the mouth of the opening to the backstage, Haruna stands beside Yuki and holds her hand, interlacing their long skinny fingers. No one will see. No one will have to see. She knows the song playing is about to end and matching the ending notes and the cheer of the crowd, she whispers to her ear: “Thank you for being my playmate,”

A bunch of research students rush towards their direction and it’s their turn to perform. Yuki drags her towards the stage, not releasing her hand from her grasp.

“Thank you for being my playmate,” Yuki corrects and releases her hand only because she has to. But if they were both given the choice, they could’ve stayed that way –hands linked, eyes only on each other– and nothing else has to matter.

Offline kahem

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #17: Unconventional]
« Reply #23 on: April 13, 2012, 11:29:17 AM »
Wow a lot of those fics made me badding but they are really written well

Offline Kuji

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #17: Unconventional]
« Reply #24 on: April 14, 2012, 02:38:24 AM »
Thanks so much for this guys! ;A;
Seriously, I love you for doing this and I hope that maybe you'll run another competition in the future again after this is over.
If you ever do, I would be happy to donate some AKB-related prizes to help out because these fics are fab. :wub:

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #17: Unconventional]
« Reply #25 on: April 14, 2012, 04:44:27 PM »
@Kuji: Oh wow, that would be such a generous act on your part  :deco: Actually, we thought about asking what kind of prizes people would like to see (once this contest is over), and we were thinking about asking for prize donations as well in case someone had extra stuff they don't need  XD But we haven't decided on anything yet, since we want to finish the current contest first.

These fics are indeed fabulous, and we are surprised to see how many unknown authors appeared with good fics :heart:  We are really grateful for all the participation. This contest would be soon over though, only a couple of days left. Everyone, remember deadline is April 16th, 23:59:59 GMT -4 There is still time to participate! 

Now it's time to update! As always, sorry for the slow updates in the forum. I'm the only one in charge in here and I'm a little busy lately.  Be sure to check our  tumblr for fast updates.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2012, 12:50:10 PM by Dino »

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updating! #18-20]
« Reply #26 on: April 14, 2012, 04:47:07 PM »
Entry #18
Title: 片想いFinally
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena, Furukawa Airi
Word Count: 1098

片想いFinally

Even though you are near me, I cannot do anything.

Rena's always talking about how cute Furukawa is.
How they have the same interest.
How Furukawa didn't mind accompanying her to the train musesum even though it's such a boring place.
How Furukawa doesn't mind listening to her talk.
How she loves everything about Furukawa.

I.
Am I just a sister to her? 
A rival?
A team mate?
Or perhaps just someone who shares the same surname?
What am I to her?
I've always thought about this. But I get frightened each time I think about it.

I know that we have an age difference of 6 years.
But that's why I've been working hard all this while.
I want to continue to stand next to her.
I want her to look at me.
Not as someone who is younger than her.
For SKE, for Team S, for myself and for her.
If I work hard to grow up quickly, if I put in all my best.
Can I catch up to her?

That, is what, I, Matsui Jurina, have been working so hard for.

It's been four years.
Four long years.
So much has changed.
I have grown taller, grown older.
So has she.
The annoying age gap is still there.

But.
I am also glad.
Glad that I can use this to my advantage.

I can whine to Rena.

"Rena-chan~~~~"
"Hmm?"
"Hug me~"

Even if it's just a moment.
I am glad.
At least for that few seconds, Rena's all mine.
Only looking at me.
Not at Furukawa, or anyone else.

That is all I can do.
Even though I can kiss everyone, her included, I lack the courage to say those words.
That is why I reassure myself time and time again that even if I do not have her, at the very least, she would remember me for life for taking her first kiss. 
Because, somehow I cannot seem to confess.
But I don't want to give up either.

"Please rest"
"I'm fine. I want to continue"

"Juri..."
"Rena-chan, I'm okay. Don't worry. Team S's Matsui Jurina can still do this. Just one solo song."

I did it again.
I got her attention.
I can only do selfish things like this to make her stay with me.
Even though I make her worry.
Even if it's only for a short while.
Even though I know doing this will not last long.
Even though I know I might be pushing myself over the limit.

Sometimes I wonder why I've not given up.

And then there was an announcement.
"Rental transfer to Team K."
"Temporary. Holding both roles concurrently"

I didn't know what to feel either. There were so many thoughts running through in my mind.
Amidst the chaos and confusion, I saw that she was crying. I was crying. Almost everyone was crying.
But my lips went up a little when I saw her cry then.
The hope, deep down somewhere in me seemed to have lit up, just a little.

I who was already overworked, will be working even more.
I do not mind having a huge workload.
Even if some of the work does not involve Rena.
I enjoy working hard. I like doing my best. 
Maybe it's because of my personality.
Or maybe because it keeps my mind off things.

But.
Why?
Team K?
Why tear me away from SKE which I loved and worked so hard for?
Why tear me away from her?
Pulling me further apart when I was already at a distance?

Is this, telling me to give up on her now that I'll be away even more frequent than ever?

Now that you're even further away from me, I cannot do anything either.

I do not know what to make out of this.
But it does not matter now.
I cannot change anything.
I will continue to work hard as always.
To take this as an opportunity to learn, to continue to grow.
Because, they said the most important thing didn't they?
Temporary.
I will eventually return back to SKE.
Even though I do not know when that will be.
Even though I do not know how long I'll take.
But I will return.
Back to where I belong. Back to where you are.
Right now, I will just continue to do my best.

So do not worry.
I will not either.
I will continue to do my best.

I went for the handshake event despite the protests.
Rena protested too.
That seemed to make everything worth the effort.
But by making her worry, I'm just adding on to her burden.
I shouldn't be doing this, should I?
She's pretty tired too.
We all are.

I should put an end to this soon.
Although right now, I just want to put this to the back of my mind.
Those loud noises.
I'm not feeling very well.
Maybe I really did force myself too much.

I don't think I can do this.

---
I've been forced to rest.

Now that I'm in the hospital.
My mind is wandering off again.
I like her.
I certainly do.
But Rena seems happy with her too.
Should I give up?
There is really no point in keeping this up, is there?
This unrequited love.

I should end this. Just like the lyrics that I've been singing for the past few months.
片想いFinally.

I updated my google+.
I finally came to a decision.
If I get any reply regarding this from Rena in the next 5 minutes.
I'll give up.
I will not bother Rena anymore with my childish antics.
I will not let her worry.
I will not be a burden to her. Or to anyone else.

And if I don't get a response that quickly, or any response at all...
I'll confess the day I return back to SKE.

1 minute.
2 minute
3 minute
Rena who always checks her google+ all the time.
Please don't see it.
Please be busy.
As much as I want you to care for me, please don't see it right now.
There is really no need. 
4 minute
4 minute 40 second

Just 10 second more.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Matsui Rena has shared a post
待っていてあげてください


Thank you.
Thank you for replying so quickly. Thank you for telling everyone to wait for me as well.
But why is it that I'm not happy to receive concern from you?
Why are there tears flowing down my cheeks instead?
There's a mail from her as well.
I'll open it later.
When my tear glands stop secreting.
When I've given up on you. 
片想いFinally
An end to my unrequited love, finally.

Offline Dino

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  • Posts: 83
Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updating! #18-20]
« Reply #27 on: April 14, 2012, 04:51:04 PM »
Entry #19
Title: Futile Excuses
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Akimoto Sayaka, Shinoda Mariko
Word Count: 1449

Futile Excuses

Excuses after excuses, someday she will run out of them. Sayaka knows and honestly she is fed up with making up excuses, majority of which did not even make sense and was a dead giveaway of her reluctance to go.

She does not understand herself. She does not get why she has to constantly turn down Mariko’s offers. Going out for a meal is a typical activity people, as social beings, do with friends and colleagues in order to bond, get closer, and know more of each other’s virtue.

Standing and facing the wall of the restroom, Sayaka mumbles to herself, blaming her hidden awkwardness and inability to be more sociable. This morning she did it again; she turned down Mariko’s 1001th offer for a meal together. She does not want to recall the stupid excuse she made. She is sure that Mariko totally could tell that she made things up and was purposely avoiding her.

It is the day of an important rehearsal, so everyone has gathered together in that arena to rehearse their stages since early in the morning. Tagging along Yuko, who wanted to socialize with team A members so early, Sayaka ended up standing awkwardly for a short while inside the dressing room before approaching Takamina, whom she was the most chummy with in that team.

Suddenly, Mariko called her and motioned her to come to where she was sitting. Having no reason to disobey the older woman, Sayaka immediately strolled toward Mariko. She was in fact happy to see Mariko, who had been such a kind older sister to everyone including herself, but she could predict that Mariko would ask her to go for a meal together again. For some odd reasons, which were pretty much non existent, Sayaka was not ready to either say yes or no.

In the end though, she made up an excuse again. She was so helpless at that point. “Sorry, I can’t, maybe next time. I’ll have to use my free time to clean up my room that is much like a pig sty at the moment,” Sayaka reasoned, stuttering occasionally. Mariko understood and nodded in response as she positively replied, “It’s ok. There’s always next time.”

Quickly after that exchange reached its end, Sayaka intended to leave that room and go back to her team’s dressing room. Guilt had crept on her rather faster than usual, and it made her unusually nervous. Having her mind occupied and nervousness taken control, she walked carelessly and wobbly much like a drunkard till she finally bumped her hip on the edge of a table nearby.

“OUCH!!” she yelped very loudly, loud enough for all the occupants of the noisy room to hear. A storm of laughter broke loose after it occurred to everyone that Sayaka had clumsily banged her poor hip against the solid inanimate object.

“Are… hmmmph…you ok?” someone asked worriedly in a deep voice, besides obviously trying to stifle her laughter. She held Sayaka’s arm and patted her head gently. Sayaka, who was spontaneously making a weird face as her automatic reaction to the pain, turned around only to find the one she was trying to run away from standing at such a close proximity from her awkwardly standing body.

“Oh, Mariko-sama. I’m fine. I’m a superwoman. Don’t worry,” Sayaka said, giving her utmost to hide the pain. She gently pulled her arm away from Mariko’s grip before storming out the door along with her forced obnoxious laughter.

Recalling the embarrassing morning, Sayaka thumps her head on the wall lightly but repeatedly. “Why are you like this?” she mutters to herself. She palms her own cheeks in her hands, “It’s ok, Sayaka! GANBATTE!”

Sayaka really does not want Mariko to deduce that she dislikes her due to the constant rejections. There are some reasons that only she and a few closest friends, like Yuko, understand. If she tells Mariko her real reasons for turning her offers down, she will end up being laughed at. It is simply because of her unnoticed social awkwardness. She worries over trivial things like topics to talk about, how to make the conversation interesting, etc; concerns that only the socially awkward or timid bunches understand.

After a quick celebration of a staff’s birthday in the midst of the rehearsal, Sayaka runs, heading to her dressing room to get her towel, which she forgot to take out, still holding a piece of creamy cake in her hand and a microphone in her other hand.

She is about to run pass the Team A dressing room when someone suddenly pushes the door open, causing Sayaka to stop in her tracks so sudden that she loses grip of her cake. Knowing her luck today, not only she bumps her knee hard on the door, but her cake also flies toward the figure that is stepping out from behind it.

The creamy cake lands flat on the tall woman’s face and its whip cream dirties the neckband of her t-shirt down to the chest area of it. She spontaneously heaves a sigh as she is wiping her own face.

“Oh.my.goodness. Mariko-sama, I’m so sorry,” Sayaka says apologetically as she approaches the one in front of her, wanting to help cleaning the cream off her. “Ah, Sayaka,” Mariko says in a flat tone as she turns around to enter the room again. Sayaka guiltily follows her, walking in heavy steps. She frets about the possibility of having unintentionally upset the older woman.

“Do you bring another comfortable t-shirt to change in?” asked Sayaka. “I have two extra t-shirts. Do you want me to take one for you?”

Mariko smiles casually in response to Sayaka’s visibly concerned face and kind offer. “It’s fine. I have one in my bag,” Mariko replies as she is wiping her neck and jaw with tissues.

Thereafter, Sayaka takes a seat in front of Mariko and puts down the microphone she has been holding since the rehearsal started. “Are you ok?” Mariko asks. “You bashed your knee against the door quite hard just now.” Invisible to anyone, Sayaka feels touched by how Mariko can express her concern despite being the victim of Sayaka’s carelessness. “It’s fine. I’m made of steel,” she replies confidently.

“You’re strangely clumsy today,” Mariko says, suppressing her giggles.

“I wonder…” Sayaka trails off, with her hands rubbing her knee caps. Frankly speaking, she does not know why she is so careless today. Perhaps, it is just a bad day, one unfortunate day that she has to go through. “Eh, by the way, why are you alone in the dressing room?” Sayaka inquires.

“Oh, I was taking a quick rest for I had a light headache. I’m alright now,” Mariko explains the reason why she stayed all by herself in the dressing room, while the other members were rehearsing.

Grabbing her own bag and hanging the strap of it on her shoulder, Mariko stands up. “I’m going to the restroom to change, do businesses, etcetera. You can go back to rehearse or do whatever you were planning to do.”

Mariko has already placed her hand on the doorknob when Sayaka tells her something. “Hey, I’m going for the meal,” says Sayaka in a loud voice. That is a first for Mariko to get her offer accepted by Sayaka. Keeping her cool, she turns around to face the one who is still sitting. “Oh… cool!! Tomorrow, after our practice. You know I can ask Yuko or Sae to join if you want,” Mariko says, seemingly aware of Sayaka’s inner struggle.

Feeling mildly surprised of how sensible and understanding Mariko is, Sayaka shakes her head before firmly stating her willingness to go out for a meal with just the two of them. “Just the two of us is perfectly fine,” comes her reply.

Seeing how confident Sayaka of her own promise, Mariko is pleased. “Cast away all your worries. We’ll have fun,” Mariko promises, to which Sayaka nods. Before completely leaving the room through the opened door, the taller woman looks at Sayaka once again. “Sayaka, in the end your excuses are futile,” she says, beaming and winking mischievously.

Well, she is right. Sayaka thinks so too. Her doubts, resistance, worries and made up excuses are futile in the presence of Mariko’s persistence and sincerity. Burying her face in her hands, she wears a relieved and thankful smile on her face, expressing her gratitude for having crossed paths with such a compassionate friend, who is like a big sister to her.

Offline Dino

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  • Posts: 83
Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updating! #18-20]
« Reply #28 on: April 14, 2012, 05:01:47 PM »
Entry #20
Title: The Flower and the Sea
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Hirajima Natsumi, Iwasa Misaki, Nacchan/Wasamin
Word Count: 2363

The Flower and the Sea

“Please forget.”

“…Never.”


-

I reluctantly trudged about on the uneven dirt road, my temper flaring as the merciless sun glared down from above. Every step grew heavier and only added to the miniature dust storm swirling chaotically underfoot.

Tired of precariously dodging stray horse hooves and creaking wooden wheels, I found myself away from the hustle and bustle of the main street and in the relaxing shade of the local teahouse. One foot reflexively stepped over the entryway, thirsty for the cool shadows. My hand instinctively moved to save the ends of my robe from trailing behind in the dirt.

I settled on the nearest empty stool and let out a sigh of relief, gingerly picking up the steaming cup. Ironically, it would offer me comfort in the scorching weather I just escaped. After carefully wetting my lips, I slightly angled the hot drink, trying to inconspicuously examine my reflection.

Good, the heat doesn’t seem to have marred my disguise.

Placing the tea back on the table with a clack, I dug out a few spare coins and intended to brave the summer heat again.

That is, until a passing glance at her left me simply dumbfounded.

A calm pitter-patter of steps announced her arrival. Regal rays of the sun lighted her path, guiding her through the worn doorway, draping her in its golden warmth, and shading a slight cherry blush on her pale complexion. Her ebony eyes shyly surveyed the room, most likely looking for a familiar face.

She caught my stare and a gentle smile of acknowledgement flit across her thin lips before she continued searching. It seems her target was the owner, busily rushing from table to table.

“Ojii-san!” Her voice was surprisingly powerful, yet it retained the air of elegance and reservation she carried about herself.

The owner’s ears pricked up at the call of his name, frantically searching for whoever needed his presence next. At the sight of his new guest, he broke out into a splitting smile. “I was not expecting you so early! Please wait a few seconds; I’ll get your order right away.” With that, he quickly disappeared behind the counter and popped back up with a black box in hand. The two exited to the city streets, back into the staggering whiteness of the sun.

A few minutes later, the old man returned alone.

Thus, our first meeting, short and abrupt, was over.

-

“…So, want to tell me what happened today?” Haruka’s Cheshire grin invaded my line of sight.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I went out to get new ink and brushes. That’s all.” I replied, finding an intense interest in the grooves of the stone bench we were sitting on.

Haruka rolled her eyes. “Don’t play me for an idiot. I know something happened. Spill it.”

Her porcelain, doll-like face and sweet, delicate voice flooded my mind again.

Letting my shoulders relax, I closed my eyes and shallowly exhaled, murmuring, “She is perfection.”

“She? A girl? I leave for a few months and now you’re into girls! Natsumi, shattering barriers for thousands of years to come. Does your current situation make you forget that you’re actually a girl too?!” Her voice crescendoed.

My eyes snapped open, and I whipped my head, ponytail flailing from the sudden jerk, to glare at Haruka. My expression scrunched up with displeasure. “Don’t say that so loud! Besides, what about you and your beloved Kikuchi?” I added with a teasing smirk.

Now, it was her turn to throw murderous daggers my way.

“That is none of your business.” She said with a huff, angrily stabbing her spoon into the unsuspecting shaved ice and face ripening like a tomato.

“Actually, you being my little sister and Ayaka being my best friend already makes it more than my business. Anyway, tell Yuki that I won’t be able to help out at lessons tomorrow.”

“Going to hunt for your mystery girl?”

“…Maybe. Would she accept me? I guess the more appropriate question is if I’ll even see her again…” I sighed dejectedly, staring at the soft, trodden earth.

Haruka enveloped me in a bear hug, burying her face in my shoulder. “There isn’t a single human being, girl or boy, who wouldn’t fall in love with such a wonderful person like Nacchan. I’m sure you’ll find her.”

-

When light reduced to darkness earlier everyday, the passerby in the streets mainly consisted of fallen leaves that wandered into sight with the persuasion of the wind. However, as quickly as they came, the flying sparks and embers vanished from view after being doused by the same cutting breeze.

That day, fate, with its wispy hand, gently guided my lost heart towards her.

I was returning from another seemingly hopeless search. Each day’s journey took its mental toll. Today would have been the second to last until the suffering life of my hope was put down.

Before I was absorbed in the shadows of the side entrance reserved for residents of the school, I heard the low, rumbling creak of the front gate. Yuki stepped into the warm glow of the yellow lantern and bowed.

Then, she descended into the light. A king’s daughter, high in a white palace.

As the two were exchanging their final words, I briskly marched over. Drawing closer to her, my heart resounded with each anxious step I took.

“Yuki!” I called for his attention.

Perturbed at who would be out at this hour, he squinted towards the darkness with a furrowed brow. She waited with anticipation as well. Yuki’s face was instantly relieved of worry once the lantern removed my mask of night.

“Natsuo!” He replied with a single wave. 

“Who’s our guest?” I questioned, determined to properly address my princess.

Introductions were made.

Her name was Misaki.

Of course, I was presented as Natsuo, one of the town’s top scholars.

And 100% male.

In the end, it was decided with not-so-inconspicuous, overexaggerated gestures from Yuki that I would be the gentleman to walk her home.

Haruka probably got to him, but grateful for any fragment of a chance, I desperately reached to snatch as much of heaven as I could.

-

“Look up.”

She slowed to a stop. Her eyes became mirrors, reflecting the faint shimmer of the night sky’s scattered pearls.

“Beautiful.”

Overhead, the cloudless moon illuminated the soft fog of her light breath.

“Are you cold?”

“…Just a bit.”

“Here.” I shifted the flickering oil lamp to my right hand and hesitantly drifted towards her. My free hand timidly wrapped around hers, hoping to shelter it from the brisk autumn breeze.

At first, her small hand was cold to the touch. Soon, it tingled to life with heat, permeating through both of our fingertips. Hand in hand, we continued the rest of the way in silence.

A quiet peace existed between us, smiles budding as we merely enjoyed each other’s presence.

When we reached the post with a blank, mounted placard, I was reluctant to let go. As her hand left mine, my fingers cried out for their lost friends, despairingly grasping the dark, hollow emptiness.

I let her escape into the confines of the front gate, but before she was gone for good, she fluttered back to my side and kissed my cheek.

“Thank you very much, Natsuo.” With that final whisper, she faded out of my sight, behind the locked gate in the world of lost dreams. The only proof of her existence was the lingering sweet scent of snowdrops.

She left me stunned, again.

“Misaki…” My voice came out as an inaudible and pitiful whimper.

I was a child who just lost something precious.

This is what love is.

-

Winter descended, glazing everything in a layer of lustrous ice crystals. The ever vigilant trees braved the prickling temperatures as their dull, coarse brown dresses were accessorized with a puffy white scarf and individual gloves on the tips of each branch.

The town drew upon the frosted landscape. It laid submerged in slumber, the dim burning coals behind misty windows its only sign of life, patiently waiting to be reborn under the blanket of purity.

My time with Misaki grew more frequent. She often visited the school, quickly taking a liking to my friends and colleagues. Nonetheless, whenever we wanted a private retreat from the raucous laughter, we would flee to the lonely pagoda on the outskirts of town.

At first, I remained far from her, seating myself at the opposite end of a table and choosing to admire from afar while she relaxed by the window. As our daily conversations smoothly flowed with gentle laughter, I was eased along the stream.

Before the end of the year, I sat with her in my lap by the window, protecting her from the biting temperatures.

Nobody ever disturbed us, especially not in the dead of winter.

We strolled through many idyllic days of young love, silently satisfying our growing hunger for each other simply by being together. The times we spoke were rare and soft. Our voices dropped, barely a low murmur since we were so close.

However, with every passing day, the ominous overhanging cloud grew bigger. I knew it was a sadistic trade off of relishing each glance, touch, or word and the mounting, stinging slap of reality that would eventually fall.

It only confirmed itself when I nodded off one day.

I was holding her and living through the connection between our hands. My chest evenly rose and fell with deep breaths, feeling safe with her.

In the midst of my peaceful slumber, a surge of honeyed snowdrops overwhelmed my senses. A soft, fleeting pressure lightly danced against my lips.

By then, I was wide awake.

I felt her sink comfortably back into me and securely re-lock our hands together.

I knew I had to tell her.

-

Akemashite omedetou, Misaki.” I focused directly on her eyes with a small, wistful smile.

Akemashite omedetou. Natsu, is something wrong?” Sensing the tense, melancholic air about me, her eyes bore back into mine, gleaming with genuine worry and tenderness.

“We need to talk.”

My heart contorted in anguish as I helplessly watched her gaze falter and drop to the ground. Her hand tightly gripped the cloth of her outer kimono, white knuckles noticeably defined against the dark ocean blue.

I cowardly turned away, foolishly believing, hoping that for a moment that my pain could be erased by not looking at her.

I could no longer hurt her.

Or myself.

I could no longer lie.

Everyday was another shallow, stinging cut.

Not enough to kill but enough to drive insane.

I can’t feel anymore.

My head aches.

My heart aches.

I need to know this answer.

“Misaki, do you love me?”

She gave me a curious, puzzling look like a confused puppy before evenly meeting my troubled gaze and firmly responding, “Natsuo. Natsuo, I love you. Unconditionally and uncompromisingly.”

I closed my eyes.

I weakly drew in a shaky breath, another constricted, piercing cut.

Inhale.

Exhale.

“Then call me Natsumi.”

I loosened my outer robe and it freely slipped off my shoulders, revealing my unbound chest and distinct feminine curves.

The silent seconds dragged on, every chilling moment agonizingly clawing away at my mind.

I did not want to open my eyes, fearing the worst.

“…Why?”

I clearly heard the torment of betrayal in her single, choked gasp.

I saw my dream shatter.

I was greedy and tried to take too much.

“Because I love you.” I painfully answered her as tears tortuously streaked down my face, even though my eyes were already dead.

The lock on my heart’s box cracked, my soul drifting through the rifts.

During the first night, I came to know love. But on the last morning, I came to know tears.

Now, I would stand alone, cold and emptily staring at the lifeless sky, a dark abyss.

I approached her and gently cupped her delicate cheek, selfishly wanting to engrave at least a final parting memory of utopia before I vanished completely.

“I’m sorry. Goodbye, Misaki.

Please forget…”

I would leave.

I would help her forget.

I would help her heal.

This love will sleep in my memories.

I stiffly put on my heavy, winter robe and was about to exit without a single glance back.

“…Never.”

She hastily caught my freezing hand.

Suddenly, my bleak, monochrome world reverberated with a pulse of lush color.

“Never.

Stay. Please, Natsumi.”

Hearing my name, I had no choice but to obey the command. I was still enslaved by the melodious, tantalizing voice I adored.

I hesitantly turned back to face Misaki, my coal, black eyes smoldering as her spirit from our contact persuaded me to live again.

She just stood and enduringly held me as I dissolved into tears. Every broken, heaving sob freed me, the misery of my burden eroding away. Under my tears, the suffocating chains rusted and collapsed.

I learned to breathe again.

When my eyes ran dry, Misaki led me to our familiar spot and sat down, never letting go of my hands.

She knew that she was the only thing keeping me alive.

She brought my hands up and pressed them against my stained cheeks, her fingers still interwoven with mine. My haphazard breaths slowly evened out as her revitalizing warmth caressed my exhausted body.

Misaki captured my swollen eyes, intensely training on the darkest depths of my pupils. Only absolute sincerity and passion blazed in her unwavering gaze as her words tenderly brushed my ears.

“I am right here with you, at your side. I’ll be fine with just Natsumi and no one else.”

A tired but satisfied smile found its way onto my face, longing to reciprocate even a fraction of her affection. I gently pulled Misaki into a tight embrace and felt her lips trace a smile on my neck.

The snow softly floated down from the endless, white sky.

The beautiful, blooming flower would forever rest in the waves of the calm, summer sea.

Offline Dino

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  • Posts: 83
Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #18-#20]
« Reply #29 on: April 15, 2012, 05:43:03 PM »
Entry #21
Title: Broken Locker
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Mitsumune Kaoru, Shinoda Mariko
Word Count: 2997

Broken Locker

“That’s it for today!” barked a gruff male voice and from all around her Mitsumune Kaoru heard groans of relief, her own joining in on that chorus though muffled by the table she had her forehead pressed against.
She had inadvertently made contact with it when she bent at the waist to take a deep breath and then decided to just stay clinging to it.

Practice was over. Finally.

Once she got her breath back she padded to the long stretch of bench at the back of the dance studio where her bag sat.
There were a couple of stragglers like herself but they soon tiredly waved goodbye and she found herself alone.

She wiped her brow and arms with a towel before quickly slipping on her midnight blue hooded sweatshirt with a bleach stain at the cuff trying to stave off the chill in the ever always cold room.

Looking down at the bleached white mark though Kaoru couldn’t help the surprise at how quickly her at-home clothing had started to make their way into dance rehearsal.

She had become fashion conscious in her early teens more so out of necessity in finding the right clothes to fit her lanky frame, which in turn eventually lead to things like modeling.
However lately she had been spending more and more time in basketball shorts or gray sweatpants.
She would still on occasion make a face at how she looked in the mirrored wall upon entering the room but for the most part she had grown accustomed to it all.

Possibly this new fashion trend also had to do with running through her wardrobe so quickly considering the 5 hours of rehearsals any given night.
Another possibility though, and it was a surprise to her at the time, how quickly she had felt at home among the girls.

Her fellow research students must have felt the same because it wasn’t usual for a few of the girls to turn up similarly attired, or sometimes in, what Kaoru was half sure was their pajamas. They also gotten into the habit of sharing snacks and swapping music playing devices during breaks. Never had Kaoru listened to such a wide array of music in a relatively short period of time. A lot of artists she wouldn’t have guessed the girls to like also.
And then there were times when they got a little too relaxed and Kaoru would have to sidestep girls who had fallen asleep on the piles of backpacks and handbags sometimes left in the corner.
Maybe the fact she had been around models for too long, who were careful to hide their weaknesses for fear that they would be exploited, explained some of her initial culture shock to the organization.

Another difference she had to acclimated to was being around girls much younger than herself – at times they were five years her junior. And still, they were more apt at learning dance steps than she was and Kaoru found herself falling behind middle school students, probably for the first time since middle school.

At those times the dance co-ordinator had taken her aside and reminded her that her body wasn’t as conditioned as some of the girls were and that she shouldn’t feel frustrated if it took her a little longer to learn the steps. Though what Kaoru heard and what seemed to hang above them unsaid was: ‘get better before you let everyone down’.

She gave a shivered and to prove herself and the memory wrong she did a quick run through the routine, careful to watch in the mirror that she was hitting her mark and would stay within formation.

She did it that time, but it was harder when among the seas of girls. More adjustments had to be made. Oh, and she had to smile.

Kaoru took one last look around and readied herself to leave, packing away her much abused water bottle when she heard a voice a little ways off and noticed the accordion-style room separator wasn’t totally closed.

Kaoru took a curious step towards the voices and heard a rather exasperated voice proclaim: “It has to be this locker! I’ve checked every locker on this floor. This has to be it.”

“You tried every locker on the floor?” asked a voice, different this time, calm with only the slightest hint of mocking.

“Every single one! This is crazy, how is this not the easiest mystery of them all?” persisted the first voice. “All you have to do is look for lockers!”

“And you’ve managed to track them all down?”

“Yes!”

“And found nothing?”

“Nothing at all” answered the voice glumly, “and I’ve tried every combination: bike lockers, shoe lockers, diary lockers…!”

“Wait,” interrupted the second voice, “you read someone’s diary?”

“Um.” And then there was an awkward silence. “Only a little bit,” admitted the girl and then paused, “Kobayashi-san draws a lot of treasure maps in her planner.”

“Not exactly one of the seven mysteries… but it does explain where she disappearing to every so often” answered back the second voice dryly.

“Uh. I guess?”

‘There’s a seven mysteries of the AKB48 theater…? Are they kidding?!’ Kaoru couldn’t keep the meddling tone of incredulity out of her thoughts, it sounded like something girls in dormitories would make up.
She moved away from the gap in the divider and back to the task at hand when without really meaning to, she let the idea sink in to the depths of her mind… and bits and pieces of discussions started surfacing, making sense to her like they hadn’t before:

“It’s not a cracked locker, it’s a broken locker…”
“She’s right, it’s ‘The Cracked Mirror’. You’re getting them mixed up.”

And

“What kind of ‘broken’ do you think it is? Like a locker without a key? Does this mean we’re looking for a key?”

And another time as all the girls were gathered together eating home-made cookies supplied by Team A’s Shinoda Mariko as a welcoming gift:
“Wait, how are there five? We’re calling them ‘seven’ but there’s only five?”
“Seven mysteries sound better, it’s like in a manga…”
“… you’re a manga.”

Kaoru wondered why she never bothered to ask about these obviously odd conversations. She guilty wondered if someone had brought it up once around her and she had been utterly dismissive. It wasn’t as though they had hidden this from her.

‘I guess, they didn’t think I’d be interested…’

She was older than a lot of them and even naturally fell into the caregiver role at times, mostly when it came to dress rehearsals: her fingers quickly knit together buttons, straightening bows and frame efficiently squatting down to tie loose shoe laces.

She hadn’t felt too much unease upon entering AKB48 as a 13th gen. (generation) research student even with the amount of attention she received for it, she had expected some degree of gossip, even ridicule… only it hadn’t happened.
Now she wondered guilty, if in waiting for someone to act unfairly to her… she made the first move.

She suddenly felt the need to keep herself busy and moving, her hands automatically went to the zips of her bag, mindlessly checking if they were all secure and the proceeded to sling it over her shoulder and made her way to the elevators.

As the doors to the lift shut and she began to descend a funny thought came floating to her, the oddball idea of a “broken locker”. She had encountered one.

‘It’s a long shot though….’

The girls had attended an orientation from theater manager Tomonobu Togasaki in the days before their introduction, where he had alerted them to the theaters use of alternative exits.
The most common ones were underground but there were times when different avenues had to be utilized to ensure the girls safety.
There was a surprising escape route that they had walk through that first day, it put the girls in front of the very people who should instantly notice girls within AKB48, even research students… yet, it somehow worked, since the tactic in use was ‘speed’.
By the time any one realized it was them. They would be gone.

Kaoru walked as discreetly and calmly as she could however, the Don Quijote department store was packaged and bustling as usual and with the added distraction of having her hat pulled half way down her face, she couldn’t help bump into people.

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” she said for the fifth time before coming to a halt in front of a display of squirrel costumes.

She tried to remember exactly where the exit was situated and drew a blank until she made the mistake of coming into contact with a novelty umbrella with a  samurai sword handle – the same one that gave her a light scratch above her eyebrow the last time. She easily located the hidden door from there.
Kaoru peered around to see if anyone was watching, turned the handle and slipped inside.

‘Well, if there’s ever a prize for the most innocuous hallways to be kidnapped in…’

The hallway itself was unremarkable slate gray, floor to ceiling sharing the same color scheme, the only strays of color was the row of mahogany doors and the hanging ‘exit’ sign.

On the day of the tour, Kaoru had spent most of it shuffling in the back since it only made sense given her height… plus she wasn’t sure how the girls would react to her.
She hadn’t been paying much attention when the cuff of her sleeve caught on a metallic latch and it snapped off.
Since no one was watching she tried to fix it back into place to little avail, she took note of the door sign and hung back when the orientation had ended and the girls began their leave.

“Togasaki-san, sorry, one of the latches caught on my sleeve and broke,” and held it out to him.

Looking down at his palm a curious look passed over the theater manager’s face and then he chuckled. “Do you remember which door it came off of?”

“Yes sir, it last one before the exit.”

The door looked as it did then, the latch hadn’t been fixed and Kaoru noticed an amber light coming from under the door, so she twisted the knob and let the door swing open.

The room itself wasn’t large, about half the size of the rehearsal space, a perfect square. To her very right she caught sight of what she expected. A breaker box. It looked like it hadn’t been accessed for a while.

Taking in step inside Kaoru’s eyes swept across the rest of dusty expanse and was greeted with boxes of varying sizes, large bins and old pieces of sound equipment, all organized in a haphazard manner.

‘Should this really be called organized?’ she asked herself and then decided ‘yes’.

While not grouped in any particular fashion, there was a noticeable path and Kaoru found herself slowly zig-zaging between the uneven rows.

She jumped when she thought she saw a figure hovering on one of the industrial-sized metal shelves that took up the entire back wall and leap back, sending a pile of magazines and packing material clattering to the ground.
Then she realized they were a series of cardboard cut outs and reached out to flip through them.
Faded-looking, dusty and dented… but Kaoru recognized a few of the AKB48 members in the mix: Maeda Astuko wearing a Santa hat. Takahashi Minami in an elf costume. Oshima Yuko riding… a jetski?

Suddenly Kaoru sensed another person and turned to find an unconcerned Shinoda Mariko leaning against the door frame.
She forgot to breath for a moment, it almost looked like a beautiful sketch: dilapidated surrounds and Mariko-sama dressed immaculately in white and looking off into the distance.

“Sorry to intrude, Shinoda-san,” Kaoru began, “I had a hunch about something and…” she waited for Mariko to prompt her, accuse her of trespassing maybe? Delving into AKB48’s dirty secret.

‘Well, not so much secret as storeroom’, she corrected herself.

But Mariko only briefly looked her way and shrugged. “It’s alright Mitsumune-san.”

“What is this place? I mean, I know it’s some kind of storage room,” Kaoru added, “but is it ‘for’ something? A holiday celebration?” She guessed gesturing at Santa hat wearing Acchan.

“It’s junk”, Mariko said simply.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at this… though she had to agree some of it was indeed junk-like.
There was a metal bin filled with rolled up posters and upon unfurling one Kaoru realized it had a corner ripped away and its surface was bumpy like it was hung outside and made to weather the rain.
There were several more of the same poster and then the stacks of what she first thought to be magazines which turned out to be programs, from AKB48’s debut year.

“Isn’t this a collector’s item?” Kaoru asked, holding it up to show Mariko before instantly getting into a coughing fit from the amount of dust that heaved off of it.

“It’s from 2005,” Mariko remarked dismissively, “hardly anyone brought it then.”

Kaoru wasn’t sure what to make of the situation, so she started to ramble.
“Do you come here often?” And then inwardly smack herself in the forehead for asking such a question and phrasing it in that way.

“I come here when I can. I love it here.”

“Ok.”
A short answer seemed like the best bet and found herself having to remind herself she was speaking with a sempai – even if it was a sempai who took to hanging out with inanimate objects like dusty storage room.

At this silence Mariko finally crossed pass the threshold of the door and she came to stand at the box closes to the entrance, her palms resting then drumming on a cardboard box.

It looked water damage and only one flap remained. The thing looked like it could disintegrate at any given moment.

“The first time I came down here,” Mariko began “I was passing out fliers. I passed quite a bit but I still had a couple left. A box left actually, this is where they were kept.”

“What were the fliers for?” Kaoru asked.

The older girl calmly pulled up the flap of the box and reached inside. “40% of drinks” she read and then placed the A5 slip of white paper face side down and reached into the box again. This time the paper was a pale green.
“Children in for free. Family bonus.”
And now a blue piece of paper, “Ooh lala” and then she used it to fan herself. “Free t-shirt.”

“I don’t get where you’re coming from,” Kaoru admitted, the moment in time feeling more than a little surreal.

“This entire room is filled with AKB48’s many failures. From contests and discounts. Christmas promotions… Easter, Halloween… there are key rings and covers to phones that have since been discontinued. Bobbleheads.”

“Bobbleheads?”

“Bobbleheads,” Mariko nodded, “they just didn’t sell.”

So Kaoru reached for what she thought was a forgone conclusion, “so, why keep it here? It seems a waste to keep them here for all these years….”

“It’s only been a few months since they were off the shelves.”

‘A few months?’

This news didn’t make sense to Kaoru. AKB48 had sold out stadiums. They sold a million of singles within a week. They held a Janken tournament at Budokan and appeared at Kohaku… They were opening franchises in other countries and now cafes.

‘Surely someone has to willing to buy whatever AKB48 has on offer…?’ And then Kaoru stopped in her tracks. A sudden cold ran through her veins. And realized she couldn’t go on thinking this way… it that all changed. It wasn’t an “other” to her anymore… not while she and the research students trained night after night together. Trying to get better.

“Kaoru, if this isn’t all that you were promised. Would you still want to practice, train and preform with those girls?”

And the answer was there, and it was simple.
From the day she stepped into the rehearsal room and took a look at her hair standing on end from her over-sized headphone raking through it and then laughed about it. The girls wandering in joining in on the laughter… some trying to bribe her with snacks so she’d pose with her hair looking ridiculous. And it working.
She knew she wanted to be there.

“Yes, I would still want to be here.”

Mariko smiled at this. “That’s good to hear.”

Kaoru took another look around and it felt as though the image was changing around her. What felt like crowded hoarder’s paradise before… now felt almost cozy.

She spotted a compact tea set sitting on one of the newer boxes besides a small red cushion and Kaoru could picture Mariko peacefully sipping tea and flipping through the old programs… or drawing whiskers on some of the cardboard cut outs.
Basking in good memories and taking note and learning to improving from the bad. And she suddenly felt like she was intruding.

“I’ll go now,” she said, taking a last look around.

Mariko followed her to the door, “Kaoru, is there a reason you came in the first place?”

“The label on the door, it was translated from English to Japanese to English again. I noticed when I accidentally broke the latch.”

“Good thing you did,” Mariko said nonchalantly, “I was inside at the time and waiting for someone to come get me.”

“What?” But by the time Kaoru had turned back around the door was already shut.

‘Mystery #4 - The Broken Locker.’ [Solved]

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #21: Broken Locker]
« Reply #30 on: April 16, 2012, 04:19:47 PM »
Barely 13 hours left! More than enough time to still participate :heart:

Entry #22
Title: Do We Live for the Fight?
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Center, Nezumi, Otabe
Word Count: 1119

Do We Live for the Fight?


It’s been a year. One year since since Shibuya’s downfall. Since Maeda was thrown in jail. Since the Kabkuki Sisters, Shaku, Gakuran, and Gekikara graduated. Since you left.

We defeated Otabe and Rapapa. We’d taken the top.

You claimed there was nothing left for you here.

Including…

Me.

-

Clunk. Clunk.

Nezumi’s dull goldenrod boots fell into a hypnotic step as she climbed the famous staircase. A shadow closely followed her, barely making a step.

The little mouse stopped and paused for a moment.

“Center, are you ready for this?” She asked in her slightly mocking, yet playful tone.

The shadow stepped into the bars of sunshine falling through the half closed blinds. She closed her eyes and ran one hand through her hair, successfully completing her pre-fight ritual.

“Of course. I will not be knocked down these stairs again.” Center locked onto the closed door of the Rapapa room. Her obsidian eyes were lusting for vengeance.

Her companion cast a wayward glance at the dirt-stained linoleum floor and smirked. She stuck her flavorless piece of gum on the faded windowsill and readjusted her gloves.

“Are you serious?” She asked the famous rhetorical question and gave a single laugh, which echoed eerily off the walls of the confined stairwell. Center simply stood muted and watched Nezumi casually pop a fresh piece of sickly, pink bubblegum into her mouth.

The two continued upwards, towards the gate of hell.

-

The beaten door creaked open with the turn of a silver knob.

Otabe was at her usual spot in front of the single window, silently overseeing all of the grounds of Majijo.

It was the calm before the storm and she was at the eye.

“I’m assuming you’ve come to challenge me.” She turned and calmly faced the two intruders, addressing them in the utmost polite Japanese. Her stone expression never changed.

Nezumi gave her sweetest smirk and stepped forward. Her shadow followed suit, never taking her eyes off her target.

“There’s no negotiating this time, Otabe. No Yabakune, Shibuya or Maeda to stop us. You have to fight now.”

Otabe blinked once.

She turned around and suddenly snapped the blood red blinds closed.

The famous Majijo symbol flashed into existence.

“Very well. Please follow me.” The current head of Rapapa disappeared behind another black, solid door.

Nezumi and Center followed her in.

The reached the legendary room where Maeda and Sado once fought.

The towering flag ofMajisukaHigh Schoolpresided as referee over the fighters, ensuring everyone was true to her yankee soul.

The iron door shut slowly shut with a barely audible click. Otabe reappeared.

“Shall we begin?”

Instantly, Center hungrily lunged forward with a frenzied shout, unable to keep the wild fighting instinct in her under control anymore. Her eyes ignited with joy at taking on the one of Majijo’s strongest.

A blur of brown was hurled in the direction of Otabe’s face.

TheKyotofighter easily dodged it, by taking just a single step to the right. She kept her unwavering calm expression. There wasn’t a single hair out of place.

The blur kept speeding along. When Center hit the wall, she bent her knee and propelled herself towards her opponent again. Moments before colliding with Otabe, her fist shot out and she attempted to deliver a crushing blow to the abdomen.

“Defeating me will not be so simple. Give me a real fight.” The short-haired fighter easily caught the incoming punch and stopped it with her left palm. Using her free hand, she gripped Center’s forearm and sent her flying into a dusty stack of chairs.



Center wiped the bleeding corner of her mouth, smearing the red liquid of life on her cardigan’s sleeve. The smell of iron and heavy gasps for air filled the room.

Otabe was recovering from her opponent’s savage assault. It was a bit frightening, to see Center’s eyes occasionally lapsing into the crazed realm of Gekikara. She clutched her bicep, surely purple and sore from one of Center’s sporadic attacks.

After several thirsty lungfuls of air, Center’s breathing evened out and she settled back into her fighting stance. Otabe gradually limped to the middle of the disoriented arena.

One, under the spell of her fighting spirit, and the other, under the pressure of possible defeat, were both entranced by her opponent and no one else.

Neither noticed the little orange mouse that wordlessly scurried out of the room.

-

Center found herself being able to comprehend again.

Otabe was laying still on the ground across the room, her shallow breaths the only sign of life.

She had been defeated for the second time in her life.

A light shadow fell across her face and she opened her eyes.

It was Center’s bruised hand, offering her help.

“Congratulations, Center. You defeated Rapapa.” Otabe gave her opponent a small smile, speaking in her ever polite form.

The great flag of Majijo waved approvingly in the background.

However, none of this mattered to Center.

She had to find her lost mouse.

-

The grafittied hallways were bathed in a red-orange light from the setting sun.

Center flew down the stairs, taking two at a time. There was only one word racing in her mind.

Where?

She sprinted through the school, rapidly glancing through each classroom window, hoping to catch any sight of an orange hood, black hair, or yellow boots.

She kept running, even though it was already dark.

The halls were empty. The classrooms were empty. The infirmary was empty.

Center roughly jerked open the door to the school roof. She slowly stepped out into the cool night air, intently listening for any sounds indicating Nezumi might be there.

When she reached the fenced barrier, Center stared out at the town.

The moon was high in the sky, casting its silver radiance over the darkness, allowing the evening to borrow a somber, magical quality.

Center saw the silhouettes of families enjoying time together in many homes, shadows of couples’ linked hands under the street lamps, and upbeat steps of friends on the sidewalk.

But, no where was her little mouse to be seen.

Only one place was left.

The gymnasium.

-

The door creaked closed behind Center. The faint lights lit up enough for her to see a lonely scrap of paper pinned to the stage.

“Congratulations, you defeated Rapapa and became the top. Goodbye.” It was signed from Nezumi.

Center dropped to her knees.

She should have noticed her leaving.

She should have stopped the fight.

She should have stopped her.

But she didn’t.

And now, she was left alone. Again.

Did she truly live for the fight?

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #22: Do We Live for the Fight?]
« Reply #31 on: April 16, 2012, 09:12:36 PM »
Last entry? We hope still not! 8 hours until deadline :panic:

Entry #23
Title: Don’t Forget Your Keys
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko
Word Count: 1093

Don’t Forget Your Keys 

Being trapped in a room with someone else wasn’t supposed to be as awkward as this. However, with an odd reason, this has become awkward for two Team A members.

“Ah, mou~ Why did I have to forget my keys…” Kojima Haruna stared at the door of the dressing room only to find it locked from outside.

“I don’t have my keys with me as well…” Maeda Atsuko, AKB48’s ace, replied from behind Kojima Haruna. “Is any more Staff-san going to be around anymore?”

“It’s already one in the morning… I seriously doubt that right now.” Kojima Haruna sighed and walked towards one corner (being someone who likes confined places and all), and sat there. “I’m sure we won’t be able to get out from here anymore.”

After those words were said, the sound of droplets from the sky resounded in the room. Apparently it had started raining, and a loud thunderclap made a sleepy Maeda sit up straight from her chair. 

Acchan looked around for her companion and found her seated on a corner, and she walked towards the older female. “Can I… can I sit with you?”

KojiHaru just looked at her and nodded with a smile. Maeda Atsuko immediately sat beside the catgirl and snuggled close enough to her to pass heat as the rain continued pouring.

Again, there was comfortable silence.

The two had been together since AKB48 started. Even though not many people have seen them interact a lot, they were quite close as well, being people in the same generation. Being together, trapped in a room like this was a first though. Most of the time, when going out with each other, there would always be Yuko or Mariko tagging along, or an occasional WMinami.

Acchan brought up her knees to her chest, placed her arms atop her knees and rested her head on them. She looked at Haruna sideways and noticed her taking out her cellphone, then just sighed in defeat.

“Haruna… you’ve always been pretty,” Maeda Atsuko mentioned, which earned a raised eyebrow from the other female and a shy smile.

“What’s this all about, all of a sudden?” Haruna asked and leaned back onto the wall. “And you’ve always been the ace.”

“But I was appointed as ace. You… you’ve just been really pretty,” Acchan mentioned again with a straight face. “Most especially recently.”

“Well… thank you. You’ve been pretty yourself,” Haruna chuckled. “Especially after that reaction from Takamina after seeing your latest photobook.”

“Takamina is different,” Acchan answered with a sigh. “She’s just… a man.” Haruna laughed at this, and for some reason, a certain Maeda Atsuko found herself blushing, upon hearing the other female’s voice.

Another silence clouded over them. It felt like the two of them didn’t need words to communicate. Usually you would rarely find comfortable silences with other people, may they be your best friend, your lover, or whatnot. At some point in time, they would and will always turn awkward.

However with the two of them… occasionally looking at each other, smiling, then silence again, it felt like it was a normal situation.

After a loud BOOM on the roof, the lights flickered out and electricity died. Not noticing how or when, Acchan found herself desperately clinging onto Nyan-nyan’s arm, which left the female surprised.

“Acchan, are you okay?” she asked. After receiving a nod on her arm, she sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear.”

“Now we’re not just trapped here… there’s no electricity too,” Acchan said and leaned her head on Kojiharu’s shoulder.

Another type of silence engulfed them. This time… something was there, hindering them in the middle. It felt like they both wanted to do and say something but would rather not do and say this something.

“Umm…” They both started to talk.

“You go first.” Again.

“I’ll go first.” Another.

“Okay.” Again.

Turning to look at each other, they both started laughing at how in tune they were in this awkward (not to mention dark) situation. However, with the brisk and sudden head turning, their lips brushed over each other’s, turning the whole situation from comfortable to a whole new level of awkward.

With no one wanting to pull away, for another reason, the kiss started escalating into making out until each ran out of breath and pulled away with their foreheads together.

The lights suddenly opened and the two moved away from each other, staring awkwardly at the white and very interesting walls of the Team A dressing room.

You wouldn’t kiss your best friend like that, or a friend, or an acquaintance, or something. Seriously speaking, the both of them didn’t know what kind of friends they were. What kind of relationship they had. People usually think that they’re in the same generation but rarely spend time together.

Acchan would occasionally tease and troll the other female, while Kojiharu would just simply take the words and laugh it away as she always does.

A sudden ringing of a phone erupted amidst the awkward silence. Coming from the dressing room table, it seemed like it was Atsuko’s phone.

Hesitantly, the AKB48 ace stood up from her position at the wall (after staring at such an interesting thing) and took her phone to answer it.

“He- ehem – Hello?” She answered the call after swallowing what seemed to be the breath she had been holding. “Mom?”

Hearing the familiar name, Kojima Haruna turned to look at the figure by the dressing room table with a pained expression.

“Umm… I’m trapped in the dressing room with Nyan-nyan…” Acchan looked at the female by the corner, frantically texting. “Umm… yeah.”

I see. I will go tell Togasaki-san to let the two of you out of there soon.”  Mrs. Maeda said and then there was a clicking sound.

After a few minutes, the door bolted open with two midgets marching inside.

“ACCHAN!!” “NYARO~”

Miichan who happened to be around the area, and Mariko-sama who Togasaki-san asked a favor from, bolted inside the room and looked for the two. After a quick chat inside and finally deciding that they need to leave, Acchan and Haruna just looked at each other.

“Don’t forget your keys…” they spoke at the same time.

Not forgetting each other’s kiss meant that that kind of accident would never happen again.

Then again, the question remained unanswered.

What kind of relationship do they have, anyway?

おわり

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [Updated! #23: Don’t Forget Your Keys]
« Reply #32 on: April 17, 2012, 05:30:35 PM »
And this is the last entry sent before deadline! Thank you everyone who participated  :heart: Voting instructions will be up soon!

Entry #24
Title: A Figment of My Imagination
Main Character(s)/Pairing(s): Sae/Mayu, feat. Yuko, Sayaka.
Word Count: 9528

A Figment of My Imagination

When I was young, I believed I was a prince.

I dreamed of castles in foreign lands, brave knights, mystical creatures, enchanted forests, damsels in distress; anything you could find in a fairy tale.

In my dreams, I wasn’t the princess locked away in a high tower that could only let evil stepmother’s up and be woken by true love’s kiss. No, in my dreams, I was the hero. The gallant rogue, legendary sword in hand, that rode up on the finest white horse…the perfect prince. And no matter how hard the deed, I always found a way to save my princess and carry her off into the sunset, to a happily ever after.

But…

Like I said, these were my dreams. Reality was far from my imagination.

There was no way I was a prince. And even if I didn’t care that I was born a girl, the princess of my dreams didn’t exist in my world.

But…

Then why…

Why was my princess standing before me right now?

Am I…is this still a figment of my imagination?

*****

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away… there lived a King and Queen, happily married. Their kingdom was prosperous, peaceful, and joyous. No citizen disapproved of their rule, especially when their marriage gave the kingdom one, beautiful, heir. A princess, by the name of…

“Mayu!” Curtains were thrust open. “Wake up Princess, today’s the big day.”

“Mmm…just five more minutes, Ai-chan…” A hump from beneath satin covers rolled away from the blinding sunlight that poured into the powder pink room.

“Your mother would have my head if I let you get away with that request this morning.” A young girl in pig-tails poured warm water from a porcelain pitcher into a bowl. “Now, wash up and come for breakfast downstairs. The Queen has personally decided your meal and proportions to ensure you look your best tonight. I will help you dress afterwards when you are done eating. There is an entire staff waiting to make you over; I doubt you will be doing anything else but preparing for the ball.”

Mayu groggily sat up and eyed her best friend, and personal maid, Aika. “I’m not looking forward to tonight,” the princess frowned.

Aika put down the pitcher and approached her ward. “Princess…” Mayu frowned more at the formality. “Mayu, as a friend who could only dream of such an occasion for herself, seeing you celebrate tonight to its fullest would be the next best thing. I, along with every other citizen in this kingdom, wishes for nothing more but your happiness.”

“But what if I’m not happy with who I choose, Ai-chan? What if all the potential suitors my mother will introduce me to tonight are not capable of ensuring me a marriage as envious as my parents?”

“Hmm…point taken.” Aika took her princess’s hands in hers, “Well, at least they will be handsome, right?” she winked.

“Ugh, you!” Mayu threw her pillow at the maid. “How can that be all you care about? That’s so typical! I want more than just a pretty face.”

The two giggled before a bell jingled above Mayu’s bed, concealed in a corner of the frilly canopy.

“Better not test the Queen’s patience any longer,” said Aika before leaving to attend other duties.

Mayu sighed and stretched out of bed, the ends of her white nightgown wiping the floor as she went to wash her face.

She patted her face lightly with a soft towel and met her reflection in the mirror above the bowl and spoke to herself, “Good morning, princess. You are officially seventeen today, and by tonight, you will be engaged. Whether you like it or not.”

* * * * *

Night came swiftly and the castle was filled with life.

Many important guests from neighboring kingdoms arrived by horse-drawn carriages and were ushered in by name and title, all the while descending a grand staircase into one of five ballrooms where the main event was to take place. Classical music resounded from every wall as guests mingled  the dance floor and gorged themselves with foods unthinkable.

Citizens celebrated in their homes, in the town streets, all the way to the castle gates, lining up to catch a glimpse of other royal families they had only ever heard of.

Mayu stood peeking behind grand double doors, waiting to be announced after her mother and father.

She was nervous, to say the least.

“Stop fidgeting, darling. You will be nothing but the talk of the season after tonight.” Her mother patted her raven hair, styled down unlike her usual perfect pigtails, and smiled at her lovingly. “As well as your future partner.”

“Your mother is right,” her father, the King, approached and gave her a reassuring hug. “No one would dare ruin my princess’s night in my presence.”

“Papa…behave. Please don’t cause a scene like the time you thought I had a crush on someone.”

The man cleared his throat, “As you know, your mother will oversee those we have pre-picked for you, but I want you to decide for yourself who will be the lucky one to take your hand at the end of this evening. And when you do pick, I want to meet this person right away, is that understood, young lady?”

Mayu smiled at her father’s over-protectiveness. “Yes, papa.”

The older man almost shed a tear. “How you’ve grown up wonderfully. Your mother and I are proud.” He forced the following sentence out weakly, “Before we go out there, because I feel I will not be at ease tonight if I do not say this again…”

“What is it?”

“I’m sorry,” the king uttered, “for bringing this upon you at your age.”

The queen stepped in once more, “Truthfully, your father and I had agreed upon arranging your marriage within the next three years at most, but…with your father’s health at its current state, we…weren’t sure he would be able to see next spring.”

“Papa…” Mayu latched onto her father’s arm, taking notice of the wooden cane at his side. He was a masculine man, but if it weren’t for the layers of formal attire he donned every day, it was evident he had grown weaker and more frail in his step.

“If…if I were to pass before you are married, I would at least want you ready to take that step to inherit my throne. I want no one but the best to keep you company when I, and eventually your mother as well, leave you. So, for not only your sake, choose well for the sake of our people and this land. Love brings happiness, and that is what sanctions us all. Remember that.”

“I understand, father.” Mayu hugged her parents, willing herself not to cry at possibilities. “Leave it to me.”

“And one last thing.” Mayu looked into her father’s soft eyes, ”Happy Birthday, my dearest daughter.”

Only daughter.” Mayu nudged.

The king gave a jovial laugh. “I do not regret not having a son. Do attempt to have some fun tonight as well.” He leaned in to his daughter’s ear so his wife couldn’t hear, “Unlike your mother, I would not mind so much if you decided to slip away for a while. A tip to a future ruler before you get too old and find your days filled with nothing but parchment paper.”

Hearing the final guest announced on the list, the king turned and nodded for the doors to open and have the appointed master of ceremonies announce him and his wife, the queen, officially to the party.

Mayu listened to the loud applause at their entrance.

Her father’s serious words from only a few moments ago rang in her head as she straightened any creases on the pastel pink gown her mother had specifically sent to be tailored for her. She stood tall in her white heels, matching the gloves she was grateful to be wearing, for her hands were still clammy.

“Love brings happiness, he says…well then, I will just have to find love tonight.” Mayu didn’t believe much about love at first sight, but for her father and kingdom’s sake, she was willing to believe it could happen tonight.

She heard the final fanfare blare and a voice clear.

“Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Tokimeki!”

The doors creaked opened in front of her, and she walked into the light.

* * * * *

“Thank you, princess, for allowing me to accompany you on that waltz. It was my pleasure.”

Yet another potential partner kissed her hand.

Mayu forced a smile, “Oh no, it was my pleasure, prince. You have quite the step in your right foot. How…is it…by the way?”

“Perfect, Your Highness. It is as if you didn’t step on it at all.”

“I do apologize, again…”

“Nonsense. I shall be back up to ask for another dance after a glass of wine. If you excuse me.” The young blonde man in front of her bowed and tried not to be so obvious in limping away.

Mayu sighed. It was an accident; her lessons in waltzing were not finished yet and although the heir to the Hetalia Kingdom of France had been devilishly charming, he had been leading way too fast for her to keep up with.

She could use a drink as well.

But there was no time for one as she was greeted with another eager but stoic face.

“Your Highness, if I may?” He held his hand out just as the small orchestra started to play another song.

If Mayu recalled what her mother had briefed her on, this suitor in front of her was one of her favorites. Next in line to the throne of the Durarara Kingdom of the east that specialized in trade. He was boyishly handsome with his dark hair, fair skin, and spectacles. Sharper looking than most. She was sure Aika would choose him in a heartbeat if she didn’t already have a crush on one of their butlers. What was his name…Sebastian? Yes, the heir to the Durarara Kingdom would be a quite the object of affections for her friend in place; it wasn’t a secret that their head butler was too taken with a duke’s son to pay attention to her lovesick best maid.

She eyed the outstretched hand waiting in front of her while searching for her parents, finding them on the opposite end of the crowded room. Her father was sitting in his throne conversing with kings of minor kingdoms while, to her convenience, her mother was turned away. The queen was instructing servers to relay the chefs in the kitchen to continue bringing out more orderves and spirits.

But Mayu made a note that despite the different matters her parents busied themselves with, they were always within reach of each other, their hands intertwined.

Brushing away her envy at the ever-happy couple, she knew this was going to be her only chance to get away for a while. Surely, entertaining twelve suitors were enough for now. She needed a break.

“I…I do not wish to be rude, but you’ll have to excuse me. I need a moment to freshen up. I shall find you myself when I come back, don’t worry.”

Without another word, the princess backed away, opposite anyone else’s notice.

* * * * *

Finding her home occupied in every nook and cranny, even loitering around the stairs to her personal chambers, she decided she had enough of being inside and took a stroll out, in the gardens.

The night was young and the breeze that passed was welcomed.

She allowed herself to linger a while longer before she suspected someone (moreover her mother) would take notice of her absence, and followed the stone path lit by colorful paper lanterns imported from the east.

There seemed to be something at the end of the path, hidden away by tall hedges.

She inspected it closer and found it to be a well.

But no ordinary well; a wishing well.

Mayu had almost forgotten this was here. She was much younger the last time she had played this far into the gardens. This section had been marked private.

“Mother was so scared I’d fall in when no one was around that she didn’t let me beyond a certain point ever again…” She muttered to herself as she felt the rocks beneath her palms and peered down into the dark abyss of the well’s mouth.

It actually wasn’t that deep. Some moonlight enabled her to make out water that was indeed there, a wooden bucket bobbing around as a sturdy rope ran from its handle straight up to the rusty pulley to her side.

Now that age had made her taller, she could probably stand in it even if she were to accidentally fall in.

“A wishing well, huh…today is my birthday, and one can never be too old for such a myth.” Mayu stood amused and closed her eyes. She thought about what her father told her and wished with all her might, “I wish…to find a love that brought happiness.”

After a few moments of silence, Mayu opened her eyes and peered down into the well.

There was nothing there, nor was there anything, anyone, around her nearby.

“I knew it was too good to be true…” She huffed, ready to make her way back to her party.

“What’s too good to be true?” A voice called out to her.

“Huh?” Mayu looked around, startled, “What was that?”

“Down here, sweet cheeks!” The voice called once more. It seemed to echo.

That’s when Mayu turned to approach the well again. “It can’t be…”

But it was. There, down in the well, illuminated by the moonlight and her own self-glow, was a woman. “Hey!”

“Ar-are…are you a…ghost!?” Mayu asked, immediately scared for her life. If this woman was a ghost, what was she doing greeting her and not halfway through the gardens by now? This was crazy. Was she dreaming?

“A ghost? How rude!” The water rumbled beneath the woman and she suddenly shot up like a rocket, sending Mayu back in fear. “Ouch! Damn, I forgot that was there.” The woman rubbed the bump she had attained from hitting the small wooden roof that shaded the circular stone well.

“Are you all right…?” Mayu asked out of concern but distanced herself.

“Ah, yeah, I’ll be fine. After two centuries I’m still alive and kickin’ so why wouldn’t I be well. Get it?” The woman clicked her tongue and winked at Mayu as she sat on the ledge of the well’s mouth, crossing her legs and pointing her fingers as if shooting the young girl.

Mayu nodded for safety purposes. She still wasn’t sure who or what she was talking to.

“What, no laugh? You’re supposed to laugh, darlin’. Ah, why bother, you look too young to get it. Anyway, back to business,” the woman dismissively waved her hand and cleared her throat. She rested her fists on her hips and spoke in a dramatically deep voice, “To whom does Yuko, the water spirit of this well, owe her services to?”

“You’re a…water spirit?”

“In the flesh,” Yuko grinned. “Ah-haa, got you again. Get it this time? No? Aww c’mon, work with me here! You’re no fun.”

Mayu stood defiantly. This was the first time anyone’s spoken to her this way. “Pardon me, miss water spirit, but I’ll have you know you are talking to the princess of this land which your well resides on.”

“Ooohh, so I got myself a bonafide drop of royal blood, huh? Interesting, interesting,” Yuko rubbed her chin, “Do go on. But I suggest making it short; I seem to have other clientele heading this way…”

Mayu followed Yuko’s gaze behind her and spotted a few servants at the very end of the pathway she had ventured upon, oil lanterns in hand, calling out her name in search for her.

“Oh no, I’m going to get an ear full from mother now…” Mayu said.

“Mother? Are you talkin’ ‘bout the Queen? How is she when she’s angry? I do like ‘em feisty!” The water spirit purred.

“Don’t talk about my mother that way! She and father are happy and they don’t need your interference.”

“Whoa, okay. Sorry, I was only joking.”

“Well I’ve had enough of your jokes and you aren’t funny and I’m probably going to end up the complete opposite of what my parents are and let down the entire kingdom at this rate and—!”

“Whoa, there, whoa! I don’t need to know your life story, toots.”

Mayu calmed herself, “Sorry, it’s just…not my night I guess. Well, it is my night. I mean, it’s my birthday.”

“Really? Happy Birthday then! Are you legal yet?”

“Um, I’m seventeen…?”

“Darn! I’d be thrown in the dungeons.” Yuko clicked her fingers in disappointment.

“What?” Mayu was perplexed at this deity…spirit…strange character…in front of her. This was a good water spirit she was talking to, right?

“Nothing, nothing.” Yuko waved off again.

Princessss!

Princess Mayu! Are you out here?

The servants were getting closer and Mayu began to berate herself at staying here conversing with what could be a figment of her imagination for all she knew!

“They’re going to be a problem, aren’t they? Why don’t we get to that wish then?” Yuko turned serious. “What was it, again? My ears were clogged with water I didn’t quite hear it well.” It took all her might not to play off her words for a third time.

“My wish…oh! My wish! You heard it? And you can grant it? Truly?” Mayu unconsciously took a few steps forward out of excitement, stopping right in front of Yuko.

Yes, to everything. Now, unless you want a fresh red hand print on that cute butt of yours at your age, you’ll make that wish again. Right, now.”

The servants’ lights were making their way just behind the hedges.

Mayu panicked but found her voice, “I, um, I WISH TO FIND A LOVE THAT BROUGHT HAPPINESS!”

Another second later, Yuko grinned that Cheshire smile. “Wish, granted. But you’re not going to find it here.”

Before Mayu could ask what Yuko meant, the water spirit turned into liquid and wrapped her arms around the princess, pulling her down into the well.

* * * * *

2012. Modern day, Tokyo.

I don’t care what you have and don’t have, I just better have it in my hands by next Monday! Your ass is on the line, Miyazawa!

“I’m sorry, can’t you give me another week?”

You asked that last week, and the week before, and the week before that—it’s been an entire freakin’ month past your deadline!

Sae winced at the tone on the receiving end of her cellphone. “Okay, okay, I get it. Just please, an extension is all I ask. One more.” She pleaded.

After a moment, she heard a deep sigh breathe into the speaker. “Fine. But that’s the last one I’m giving you. I’m prying it from your ink-stained hands and submitting it smudged for all I care the next time I see you, and as your damn editor, I will personally be making the visit. You can’t pretend you’re not home this time, ‘ya got that!? I’ll break that door down!

“Yes, ma’am! Thank you, ma’am!” Sae couldn’t hold in the relief and gratefulness bestowed upon her yet again.

Just get me that damn manuscript by the end of the week, that’s three days from now, or your contract is terminated and you can find some other publisher to run your damn story! Get to work!

“Just leave it to—!” The line went dead. “…me…” Sae sighed and slumped back into her chair. “Arrghh, what am I supposed to do!?” She ruffled her hair, stressed to the bone.

Tossing her glasses to the side, she scrutinized the papers scattered on her desk.

Nothing but uneven lines and a few sketches of scenery filled marked boxes plastered on each sheet. Pens of all sorts laid uncapped beside said sheets, on the floor, on her ear…

She gazed at the two stacks of papers she had deemed worthy and finished, closed off on a shelf, away from any other mess in her cramped apartment.

A picture frame laid face-down next to them.

Sae retracted her hand from reaching for it and forced herself to look at her desk.

“I need to finish this in a week…” She took the pencil from her ear and scooted her chair in closer, the tip of her pencil meeting the smooth white surface of paper.

But the pencil didn’t move.

At all.

Instead, it trembled. The lead cracked under the pressure.

Was it all the coffee she drank today on an empty stomach?

Was it the lack of sleep she’s been having for the past three days?

Was it that she just didn’t know what to do next with the story?

Maybe it was a combination of everything.

One thing was for sure though…

She could use a bath.

“Ahh, forget it! I’ll just set my alarm and start on it again in the morning. I’m not stupid, I’m working myself to death here!” She dropped her pencil, happy to be free of it, and switched off her desk lamp so she wouldn’t have to look at all her un-accomplishments. “I’m going to need a miracle.”

* * * * *

Scrub, scrub, scrub

Her eyes were closed as she avoided soap suds from getting into her eyes, working the shampoo into her short dark hair as she sat on a bath stool in all her tan glory. Beside her, the bathtub was filled with waiting warm water.

She blindly reached for the detachable shower head and turned it on.

Eyes still shut, she was too busy humming and listening to the cooling sensation of the water raining down on her that she failed to notice the tub next to her begin to bubble with a soft glow…

More and more it bubbled, until a certain pink princess came gasping up for air.

Sae finished rinsing herself clean and stood, ready to relax in the tub. The washroom had become somewhat misty by now.

“Alright—“Just as she had one leg dipped in, every muscle in her body paused.

Her head craned slowly to the stranger in her water.

Brown orbs met another pair.

“…A-ah…”

“Um, greetings…” The girl stood up in the tub to curtsy, causing water to overflow from it due to her sudden movements. “I am Princess Mayu of the Tokimeki Kingdom. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“AHHHH!!!”

AHHHH!!?

They both screamed; one just because the other was.

“Who-who are you!?”

“I believe I have already introduced myself…?”

“No, really, who the heck are you!? How did you get into my apartment!? You look totally innocent but this is beyond weird,” Sae stumbled back, knocking the bathroom door open, consequentially letting all the mist out.

Mayu gasped and shielded her eyes. “E-Excuse me! I did not mean to…to pry.”

“Huh?” Sae regained consciousness that she was still naked. “OH! Oh my god…! DON’T LOOK!”

“I was not!” the princess retorted, still hiding behind her gloved hands.

Sae scrambled for her towel, wrapping herself loosely and holding onto the knot as the rest of the mist from the bathroom revealed her unexpected guest’s full form in plain sight.

“You…there’s no way…” Wide eyes couldn’t help but check, “Who…did you say you were again?”

The young girl lowered her hands from her flushed face and spoke again evenly, yet shyer than before, “My name is Mayu, and I am sole heir to the Kingdom of Tokimeki. I…I do not know of the customs of your kingdom but I assure you that you are not the only party feeling surprised at the current situation—eek!”

Something fluttered to the floor at Sae’s feet.

The taller girl stood gaping. She had lost her grip once more.

* * * * *

“Mm, this is delicious. What is it?”

Sae stared at the girl sitting across from her under her kotatsu. “Instant…ramen?”

“Ra-men?” Mayu pronounced curiously. “I see. This ra-men is magnificent. Better than the pasta the chefs cook at home. I would like another serving of ra-men, please.” Mayu set her fork down next to the styrofoam bowl and sat poised in some of Sae’s old clothes. Baggy, but cute, Sae noted.

The princess’s sparkly pink gown was hanging above the heater as Sae was too afraid to leave such an expensive-looking dress outside her window to dry on the clothesline, knowing her type of low income neighborhood…

“I think you’ve had enough ra-men for now…and you don’t have to keep saying it that way.” I hardly had anything in the fridge to begin with…oh no, not that look. She observed Mayu pout, “You w-wouldn’t want to ruin that slim figure and porcelain skin, ‘ya know? It may taste good but it’s full of crap fit only for poor, struggling artists like me, haha.” She rubbed the back of her neck.

“Oh? You’re an artist?” Mayu had noticed before from materials scattered around her but she did not want to assume.

“Ah, yeah…I am. Sort of.”

“May I see some of your work?”

“M-maybe later…” Sae changed the subject. This was still too weird for her to take in. This girl…she couldn’t really be who she says she is…it wasn’t plausible. “I know you might find me weird by asking this, but can I ask it anyway?” Sae started again, twiddling her thumbs.

“As I am a guest in your house, by all means, do as you please.” Mayu gestured, her body warming up from the kotatsu’s heating effects. She was suddenly very comfortable right now.

“Okay. Well, princess…um…how…” How is this happening? How did you get here? As far as Sae understood, the girl came from her bathtub but… This really is just too freaky. This must be a dream, yeah, definitely a dream. She only appears in those. I knocked out while working and this is just one of those lucid dreams or something.

“Y-es…?” The younger girl yawned.

“Are you tired?” Sae stopped herself.

“Don’t mind me, please, continue.”

Sae observed the girl for nth time; doll-like and pristine in every way. She dared not touch her in fear of her crumbling. Fair skin without a single blemish, midnight raven hair, perfect pink lips, rosy cheeks, long eyelashes, and the way the young girl struggled to control her head from bobbing with fatigue cemented Sae’s thoughts…this girl in front of her, princess or not, was simply…adorable.

“Maybe you really should get some sleep now. I mean, it must have been a long journey for you, right?” Sae awkwardly joked. “We can continue our conversation in the morning.”

“But it is already morning, is it not?” Mayu motioned to the faint rays of sunlight peeking through Sae’s tiny window.

“What!?” Sae shot up and tore at the blinds, setting her eyes on the rising sun peeking over tall buildings in the distance, “Seriously!?”

The few hours she had planned to finally get some rest with had been spent taking care of her unworldly visitor in front of her. She might as well start on the coffee and get back to work; she didn’t need another week, she was determined to finish her manuscript today. What else mattered in her life? She sighed, defeated.

The tall girl busied herself at her kitchenette, “Hey, I hope green tea is fine with you. It’s not much but it’s all I have right now so—” Sae turned with steaming mugs in her hands before pausing at the sight before her.

She set the mugs down and went over to the hunched frame. The princess had fallen asleep with her head nestled in her arms on the table.

Sae took a blanket nearby she normally uses to keep herself warm during late nights and draped it over the girl’s shoulders. “Now what kind of posture is that…quite unbefitting of you, Your Highness.” She arched her brow, amused. Bloodline and riches behind, princesses were normal girls after all.

Tentatively, she reached over to brush the girl’s surreal bangs away from her face; she couldn’t help it. ”She…really is what I imagined her to be…”

* * * * *

Mayu awoke to what felt like someone spitting at her face.

“Wakey-wakey,” a familiar voice prodded.

“Mmm…just five more minutes, Ai-chan…”

“What? First, a ghost, then you confuse me with some maid? This kid…”

…Hm? Mayu stirred. That didn’t sound like Aika.

Mayu gasped awake in an instant, “Yuko…!”

“About time you got up.”

“Yuko? I hear you, but I don’t see you…” Mayu looked around, still fairly unfamiliar with her new setting.

“I’m right in front of you.”

Mayu gazed at the sole object in front of her. A mug of tea gone cold.

Hesitantly, she leaned forward, inspecting it. “Yu…ko…?” It had grown eerily quiet…

Then, the mug shook by itself. Fingers crawled from the tea’s surface. If that wasn’t frightening enough, now, imagine this: a full-grown body prying itself out of a five-inch ceramic cup.

“Ahh, much better,” Yuko cracked her back. “Blegh, not my cup of tea if I must say.”

“H-how did you do that?” Mayu exclaimed, as if she could still be surprised after everything else that had transpired.

“I’m a water spirit, remember? I can inhabit and travel through anything as long as it’s a liquid,” Yuko explained, “I can also use water as portals to other dimensions, such as we did last night.”

“So, we really aren’t in Tokimeki anymore?”

“Nope, ‘fraid not Dorothy.”

“It’s Mayu…”

“Whatever you say Toto. Welcome to Tokyo. How goes your search for true love?”

Mayu’s cheeks tinged. Is that what she wished for? A love that brought happiness…true love?

“Are you telling me that I won’t find it here? I must still travel?”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t put it that way. I took you to where you could have a proper start. All you have to do now is let your heart lead its way to your prince charming.”

“That’s certainly easier said than done.”

“Happiness doesn’t come easy, darlin’. Love is even harder to find. But once you’ve found one, the other is sure to follow. Anyway, how do you like your new digs?” The water spirit looked around, piles of dirty clothes and unwashed dishes everywhere, “I take that back; what a dump.”

“I-It may be different from the castle, but it’s more humble than a…dump. It just needs a little sprucing up, that’s all,” she retorted despite evading a fly buzzing around her head.

“If you say so. Not my responsibility.” The water spirit shrugged. She may be free to inhabit any body of liquid as she wishes but you wouldn’t catch her dead in the murky sink water emitting poison from the kitchenette. Mayu would need to hire a welder to scrape off the moldy food that had homed itself on certain discarded dishes. She shivered… “So, where is the head of the household?” Yuko already knew but someone had to push things along.

“It seems she went out…” Mayu picked up a note that had been left on the table.

Princess,

I have something to do in the city.

Please stay where you are until I come back.

I won’t be long.

-Sae


Mayu smiled. So her caretaker’s name was Sae.

Last night, she had been expecting to greet a boy.

But after what she’s seen, there was no way Sae was a boy.

Was there a reason she was brought to Sae of all people? Sae was a girl…a tall, dark, and handsome… “Ara, what was I just thinking…?” She shook away her blush just as Yuko was about to ask her about it. ”Yuko.”

“Yeah…?” The water spirit had a feeling she wasn’t going to like what she was going to be asked to do.

“I want to repay Sae’s kindness for letting me stay here for the time being. Let’s get to work, shall we?”

Yup, she didn’t like it.

“As much as it’s an honor to serve you, princess, I told ‘ya. Not my business.”

“Wait! You can’t just leave me—!”

“Catch ya’ later!” Yuko positioned herself into a diving position and literally dove back into the mug of tea, leaving not only Mayu to extract her plans herself, but an extra mess to mop up. How did so much tea come from one small mug??

The princess gazed at the sink she had noticed Yuko leering at before abandoning her. It made a low gurgling before a green bubble floated from the surface and popped mid-flight.

Yuko was right. This wasn’t going to be easy.

* * * * *

Sae exited an elevator and approached a receptionist.

“Hi, I’m here for my two o’clock—”

“One moment,” the busy receptionist shushed her with her finger. The woman whose headset sat perfectly on her head nodded at her to take a seat and wait off to the side.

Sae slid into a leather armchair in a corner and tried to relax.

She stared at the manuscript in her lap. It was wrapped in brown paper and bundled with a thin rope.

It had taken her five hours to finish. Honestly, she hadn’t liked it; she knew she could do so much better than this rushed ending, but she just didn’t feel the same amount of inspiration she had had when she came into this. She only wanted to get it over with now.

Her mind drifted off to something else that had not been a big distraction as she thought would be when her brain went into work-mode. It was a miracle she even remembered the cute girl snoozing under her kotatsu before she left her apartment an hour ago. “I wonder what she’s doing right now. I hope she’s okay by herself and found the note I left…”

“Miyazawa-sama?” She heard the receptionist buzz her in, “Akimoto-san will see you now.”

Sae thanked the woman that didn’t seem to care and proceeded down the hall, weaving her way through the busy cubicles of the magazine firm. At the end of it all was a door with the name of her editor printed on a gold name plate.

The short-haired girl swallowed her nerves and knocked.

“Come in!” The voice commanded.

Sae opened the door and closed it immediately behind her.

“Have a seat. I’ve only got another quarter-mile to go.”

Sae wished she had convinced herself to come another day. Her editor was jogging on a treadmill set up in her office. That was not a good sign. The only time she got on the treadmill was to run off stress…and here Sae was, about to, maybe, pile it back on.

“Phew, okay. Much better.” The woman jumped off the machine and flicked her long hair back. She wiped her face with a towel around her neck and took a swig from her water bottle before swiveling around in her chair behind her desk to face her subordinate. “So, let’s see what ‘ya got. Hand it here.”

“Um, you know what Sayaka, maybe I’m not done after all…I think I want to redo—”

Sayaka snatched the manuscript from Sae’s hands. “Stop belittling yourself, Miyazawa. Now, let’s see…”

Sae shrank in her seat and averted her eyes from her boss. She couldn’t stand watching, waiting, for that look of disappointment.

“Mm-hm, okay…” Sayaka continued to skim the pages, “Not bad…uh-huh…eh?” Sayaka came to the end. “What…is this…” Uh-oh. Here it comes… “We can’t publish this!” Sayaka slammed the last of the manuscript down.

Sae winced. “I was trying to tell you…”

“What the hell did I just read? I gave you one more week, no, by now you have six days left! I refuse to take this as is. I don’t care what you have to do, but you better fix this, soon, now!”

“Yes ma’am! I’m sorry, right away!” Collecting the rotten fruit of her labor, Sae left the office in a rush, but was stopped by Sayaka’s voice.

“Miyazawa!”

Sae didn’t turn; she dared not show any more weakness. Even if it threatened to fall from her eyes at that very moment. She had not only seen disappoint from her boss, but she was disappointed in herself.

“Sae…” Sayaka spoke evenly. “I may be a hard ass on you all the time but I know you can write. I wouldn’t have signed you in the first place if I didn’t think your stuff had potential. DiVA Magazine caters to girls who want to escape reality through fiction. This fantasy world you created intrigued me in the beginning, a genuine fairy tale…your first series was a hit for god’s sake! But you can’t just let readers down like this by ending it that way. You’d be breaking hearts, dreams…” There was a pause. “What ever happened to your dream, Sae? Find that again.”

Her dream…?

What was that again?

Her dream…oh, yeah…that. This. She squeezed her manuscript to her chest.

Sae felt her feet moving before breaking into a run.

* * * * *

Each step felt heavy. She trudged her way to her apartment, exhausted. She had ran all the way home. It took all her might not to rip her life into shreds right then and there. Literally, rip the manuscript that equaled her life…her dreams.

“This is stupid. I’m an idiot…what did I ever think would come of this?” She mumbled, rubbing her tear-stricken face with her sleeve. She sniffled, “Why did I ever think I could become someone that I’m not?” It seemed nothing could keep her eyes from clouding over as she stared at her apartment door. “It probably was just a dream. Why am I expecting her to still be there? This isn’t some fanfiction or something.”

But, as if it was her saving grace, the door in front of her opened on its own.

She must still be dreaming…

“I thought I heard someone out here. Welcome back, Sae.”

An angel, no, a princess…smiled warmly at her.

“You’re still here…”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“Because you told me to stay.”

It was simple; what Mayu said to Sae. But little did the princess know, choosing to wait for Sae’s return was the first step her heart was making.

Sae felt hers skip a beat. She entered her apartment as Mayu stepped aside and was shocked at its appearance.

It was…SPOTLESS.

“When did you…” She walked around; amazed she could do so without tripping over who-knows-what and her own two feet. Her desk had been organized, she noticed. Usually she would mind when someone touched her things without her permission, but heck, when was the last time she’s seen the surface of that desk? Everything was as when she first moved in, when she still had time to take care of herself, to take care of her home, before all she did was work all day and night. The sink…this princess had to have magical powers or something.

She turned to look at Mayu, meeting her eyes as the girl had been observing her reactions proudly. Her gaze drifted down to the girl’s petite hands. As expected, it wasn’t obvious but when she reached out for them, she could feel the difference in the amount of callouses earned from the girl’s hard work.

Mayu blushed at Sae’s touch. It was warm and gentle… “Um…”

“Thank you,” the truth had to be said.  Was this a dream? Was she still dreaming? Maybe…this was the miracle she needed.

* * * * *

The following days, Sae had decided to delay any further confrontation about the princess. Mayu was not at all a threat and deemed herself her assistant at times.

Sae had accepted that the gods had given her a second chance at everything, and she dared not take it for granted. She was going to do everything she could to take care of this girl, and finish her manuscript properly.

Both had grown content in each other’s company, spending their days peacefully. The distance between them, whether they were conscious of it or not, grew slimmer by the hour. A day felt like an eternity they were willing to accept living in.

But fate had other plans as Sae’s deadline grew nearer. It was tomorrow.

“Sae…”

“Hmm? What is it, princess?” Sae answered without looking back at the girl that relaxed to the cool breeze from the open window. The tomboy was focused on her work; something she had found to pick up from last time. She still hadn’t slept all that much since the girl’s arrival, but she was liking the way her story was turning out more than before.

“I’ve been wondering. If it’s okay with you, may we…go out tomorrow?” Mayu asked shyly. “It’s been days and I have only ever seen you at your desk. Fresh air would be nice, yes?” In those days, Mayu couldn’t deny she had grown to feel something for Sae. But she didn’t want to confuse kindness and budding friendship for something more she was feeling. Thus, she had proposed a date.

Sae put down her pen and turned to eye hopeful orbs.

* * * * *

“Uwahhh!” Mayu gasped. “This is unbelievable!”

The tall tomboy strolled behind in ripped jeans, sneakers, and a knitted sweater over a flannel button-up as the princess frolicked in front of her, amazed at her surroundings. This really wasn’t her homeland anymore.

All the while, Sae had been reluctant on leaving her work and the safety of keeping Mayu inside, but she felt compelled to do as her muse wished. She watched as that muse became engrossed with a window full of character figurines, colorful makeshift garments, and wigs of every color.

Sae didn’t have much money at the moment and it wasn’t far from where she lived, so when Mayu had asked her to venture outside, she had taken her to a place where the princess wouldn’t stand out too much in her powder pink gown (as she had kindly refused to be seen in public in anything less than formal clothing).

So here they were, in Akihabara.

To the taller girl’s relief, the streets weren’t as crowded as it usually was this early in the morning. She could not risk losing the girl now at the speed she was going. Mayu had deemed this place her wonderland and she was the white rabbit.

After buying some crepes from a nearby stand, a food Mayu knew of and had a taste for, the young girl was mesmerized once more.

“Sae, Sae! Come, what is that building?” Mayu pointed to something in the distance.

“Hm?” Sae followed with her eyes, “Oh, that’s Animate. It’s like a big market store. Everything you see here can be found in there.”

“In that single building?”

“Yeah,” Sae glanced at Mayu, noting how cute the girl looked, somehow reverting back to being a noble with reservations in how she should act. The princess seemed hesitant at the building’s size, but there was a glint in those raven eyes. “Do you…want to visit it?”

“Can we!?” Back was the young girl that couldn’t get enough of this new world.

Sae laughed, “Of course we can, princess.”

Mayu ran ahead in excitement but turned around to her stunned escort, “Sae!” she beckoned for her to follow.

An image of a girl just like Mayu, though in casual clothing, clouded Sae’s mind for a few seconds.

…Sae…

The girl’s voice echoed and the blurred face smiled back at her, beckoning at her in the same way.

“Sae? Hurry!”

Sae blinked.

Now wasn’t the time to be having deja vu.

“Yes, yes, right after you, princess.” She ushered.

No…they’re different…don’t compare them. Sae repeated to herself as she followed the young girl into the massive retail store.

*****

After floors and floors of wandering and amusement with the most random things they could find, the duo had found themselves on a floor that catered nothing but manga.

“They’re like picture books; only more pictures and less words.” Sae explained.

Mayu nodded her head in understanding. “These picture books…are they not what you have been doing? If I recall, you did mention you were an artist. When I was cleaning your desk, I did not know what kind of art you were making; I merely thought you did sketches or something of the sort.”

“Ah, yeah…I’m a manga artist,” Sae scratched her head sheepishly, “Did I forget to mention that detail?”

No, she didn’t forget. She had not wanted to mention it.

While Sae had excused herself to find a restroom, Mayu had roamed up and down every aisle, admiring these picture books. She never knew there could be so many, each and every one with a distinctly different story.

“A person’s mind is a wondrous place…” she mumbled in awe.

She stopped at a book that had caught her eye with its illustration on the cover.

It looked all too familiar.

*****

Sae had finished using the restroom (she had needed to divert the topic and calm herself) and weaved through the aisles looking for the princess. She spotted the girl crouching with an open book in hand, skimming the pages.

She was about to approach the girl when she registered which book in particular the girl was reading.

Mayu turned her head hearing footsteps near her.

“Sae…this…” the princess trailed off as if she couldn’t believe it.

That confrontation Sae had delayed, had an expiration date.

*****

“I cannot believe you did not care to inform me of this!”

“Mayu, slow down! Wait, I said!”

Sae chased after the princess through the streets of Akihabara. The young girl was fuming and continued to stomp away from Sae’s reach.

Eventually, the inevitable happened and Sae had lost sight of her.

“Damn it,” Sae looked around desperately. It had gotten more crowded.

*****

“I’m not real, she says! How can that be true? I am real!” Mayu argued with herself as she paced back and forth in front of a fountain in a small park not far from the Akihabara district.

She sat herself down on the fountain’s rim and huffed before finding that she was alone and didn’t know how to find her way back. The sun was setting and she didn’t trust the darkness in this new area.

Even if she wanted to go back home to where she came from, she didn’t know how without Yuko’s help, and the water spirit had decided to take a vacation of her own the past few days. She hasn’t seen her since the mug incident.

The princess sighed, her emotions wearing her down. “I wonder…if she’ll come for me…” she whispered. She was no longer thinking about Yuko.

“Princess Mayu!”

Mayu looked ahead at the voice, the corners of her lips tugging upwards. She had done it a little too fast for she was not expecting Sae to find her right when she thought of her.

But, this wasn’t Sae.

*****

Tap, tap, tap…

 Sae ran as fast as she could, her head darting around everywhere. It had been an hour and there was still no sign of the girl. A gnawing feeling in her stomach drove her to pick up her pace. Something was wrong.

She slowed to catch her breath when she reached an intersection that lead away from Akihabara and into a couple different wards.

“Come on, it’s only for a little while. I’ll be sure to treat you to something nice.”

Sae heard a greasy voice. A man.

“I told you, unhand me!”

Another voice; a girl. It was much higher.

“Princess…!”

*****

“Aw, don’t be like that. I just want to take you to my friends. They’re big fans.”

“I told you before, I am a real princess! Not a character in a book!”

“Yeah, yeah, you do look like the real deal. Best cosplay I’ve seen to date; no one’s been able to pull off Princess Mayu from Genking’s Synchro Tokimeki. My website’s gonna get so many hits with pictures of you. The guys are sure to get a kick outta this.”

The man grasped Mayu’s arm against her will and tried to tug her away to who-knows-where. He was rather large in width to make up for his short stature; if there had been normal citizens passing, he looked nothing more than one of those stereotypical otaku, heavy backpack and expensive DSLR camera attached to his body.

The man rubbed at the sweat forming on his brow and swept at his unkempt hair falling in front of his glasses. His grip tightened; he was getting rather annoyed now at Mayu’s reluctance to accompany him.

“Ow…! Let me go!” Mayu struggled.

“Yeah, let her go!!”

All distress faded away at the sound of Sae’s voice.

The man loosened his grip but didn’t release it entirely. “Who are you?”

“Eh?” Sae blinked. She hadn’t necesarily thought at what to say; she just came charging. “Uh…w-well, who the heck are you?”

“I asked you first.”

“I asked you second.”

“But I asked you first.”

“Still, I asked you second.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

Mayu couldn’t believe they were really arguing about this.

“Just let her go, okay!?” Sae cracked her knuckles. “I’m not afraid to kick your butt and call the cops on you for attempted kidnapping.”

“What? I’m doing no such thing!” The man bellowed, incredulous at her accusation. He only wanted to have the girl model for him and his friends…maybe more…

“Really? Taking someone against their will doesn’t classify as that?”

The man gritted his teeth, “Argh, fine!” Not wanting this to escalate into something unnecessary, he relented his hold and backed off without another word, leaving the two alone.

Mayu slumped to the ground, feeling weak in her knees. Who knows what could have happened if Sae hadn’t come in the nick of time.

“Mayu…are you okay?” Sae held out her hand.

The princess looked up at her savior. Did she just…? “That’s the first time you’ve called me by my name instead of my title…” Her heart raced.

Sae answered with a smile as Mayu took her hand, lifting the girl back on her feet. “I…didn’t want to compare you. I’m glad you’re safe…I really am…” Sae’s head began to spin. I must’ve pushed myself too hard this time with my work…and all that running… She couldn’t help but black out in Mayu’s arms the next second.

“Sae…!?”

*****

A silhouette watched from the fountain’s streaming waters as a princess laid her prince’s head upon her lap.

You’ve almost found it, kid…just a little more.

*****

“A prince?”

“Yep, that’s what I just said I was! I just saved you, didn’t I? It’s a prince’s duty to save princesses in trouble.”

Children…? Sae stirred from her sleep.

“You’re strange…but cool. Thank you for helping me.”

That voice…

The tomboy willed her eyes open and found herself in an elementary schoolyard from her past. “Is this a dream…?”

“The pleasure is mine, princess. I’ll always be there to save you!”

Sae followed the voices to sandbox where two young girls were building a sand castle. They were complete opposites. A princess and her prince. Make believe.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

“This is right after I got into a fight with those boys that were bullying her…” Sae recalled, watching her younger self sport a fresh bruise on her cheek. The other girl next to her gently dabbing at the wound with a frilly pink handkerchief she had taken out of her dress pocket.

Sae smiled at the memory, willing herself not to cry.

“Sae! I heard some kids in the hallway telling the teacher about you. You shouldn’t get into fights. Dad will get mad.”

“Onii-chan…”

Sae watched her younger self converse with the younger self of one of her older brothers. She suddenly felt angry. She watched  as her younger self introduced her childhood crush to her older brother after he had saw her.


*****

Mayu observed Sae’s sleeping face. The girl seemed like she was in pain. Was she having a nightmare? She didn’t like seeing Sae’s face without a smile.

“Sae…wake up…” she leaned her head down to whisper.

The tomboy stirred before fluttering her eyes open. “Ma…Mayu…?”

The princess smiled softly, “You were having a dream…but it didn’t look like it was going well so I felt I should wake you up.”

Sae remained silent before willing herself to tell the girl the truth. “…She ended up marrying one of my older brothers.”

“Eh?”

“The girl I loved. I grew up with her…and I deemed her my princess….I was foolish enough to love her enough that I did everything I could to get into the same college as her. She wanted to draw manga, you see. But one day…I found out she had been secretly seeing my brother. ‘You’ll always be my prince, Sae-chan’ was the last thing she said to me before the wedding.”

Mayu listened intently, absorbing everything, piecing things together.

“A week into their honeymoon…they went on a cruise. It was an accident. My brother didn’t know she couldn’t swim and couldn’t find another life vest before jumping. The news reported the names of all survivors that day…she…wasn’t on it. My brother though…he came home the next day and apologized to me instantly, knowing how I felt about her, but all I saw was red. After I punched him, I packed up and left to live on my own. I didn’t want to be in the same house as a coward who couldn’t even save his own wife.” Sae reached for Mayu’s face, ”You look just like her…”

“Why is that, Sae…?”

“Because, I based you off of her. The way you look, the way you move, everything…my princess…”

“Sae…I think you’re wrong about creating me.”

“What do you mean? I did create you. I created your whole family, the town you live in, your entire story.”

“Yes, but whether or not I am a work of art or not, no one but themselves can control matters of one’s heart. And from what you’ve told me, her heart didn’t answer yours…like mine is aching to do. Please, don’t look at me as a figment of your imagination, but look at me as a reality, for what I feel right now and am about to say is nothing but real…”

“Mayu…”

“My father gave me a choice to find love…happiness…and my choice is you.”

*****

It was the day of Sae’s deadline. Sayaka was set to pick it up in a couple hours.

But by then she’d be gone.

She left a note and a key so the woman didn’t have to break her door down.

“Ready to go?”

She set her finished manuscript on the table and took her princess’s hand, smiling.

They stood in front of her bathtub.

“Yuko…” Sae called. She knew for she created this water spirit as well. It was all part of her story.

The water glowed and they jumped.

This ending was no longer a figment of their imaginations.

Offline Dino

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VOTING PHASE BEGINS!

All the submissions have officially been posted. We can’t believe how many entries we received (twenty-four! Say, “Wow!” with us!) and we especially can’t believe how many authors came out of their hiding holes to participate. It’s good to know that bribing with our prizes worked out. Thanks so much again to all of the authors; however, your five-minutes (three weeks) of fame are over. We’re moving right along to… The voting phase! We previously explained everything in our other posts. Check out what we wrote for the reader and, most importantly, on voting! Confused about anything? Feel free to send us a pm to this account, or a message in tumblr with your question(s) and we’ll do our best to get back to you promptly! Understand everything? Maybe you should check our entries one last time before you vote! We will be counting votes for exactly one week, starting NOW.

Voting phase will end on April 25th, 06:00 (JST)

[April 24th, 17:00 (GMT -4) in United States]

Remember to send either a pm or message via tumblr with your votes, not posting them in here! Votes posted in this thread won't count, so be careful!

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [ Voting Phase! Send us your votes! ]
« Reply #34 on: April 24, 2012, 11:07:49 PM »
Aaaaaaaaand...

Voting Phase is over!

We are not accepting any more votes.

 Thank you for participating everyone! We’ll check all the votes one more time to make we counted all of them correctly.

We’ll post the results of this phase soon!

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [ Voting Phase is over!]
« Reply #35 on: May 02, 2012, 03:18:58 PM »
We are deeply sorry for the long wait! All of us were suddenly busy and couldn’t post this earlier  :panic:

Here it is,  the long-awaited list of fanfics which passed to the next phase:

  • #2 No way
  • #3 Chibi Minami and Mariko sama’s Story
  • #4 Sakura
  • #5 In Spite of Everthing
  • #6 A change
  • #9 One Crazy Sunday Night
  • #14 Temo Demo no Namida
  • #16 Night the 20th
  • #17 Unconventional
  • #18 Kataomoi Finally
  • #20 The flower and the Sea
  • #24 A figment of my Imagination

If you are curious, top 3 by readers was like this:

  • #2 No Way
  • #4 Sakura / #9 One Crazy Sunday Night
  • #14 Temo Demo no Namida

Congratulations to all of them!

We are still deciding the winners among those entries, but they will be announced by the end of this week!

To everyone who didn’t pass, don’t worry! Half of the fics were eliminated, we know, and we are sad they couldn’t make it, but… remember this?

Quote
SPECIAL PRIZE - 2 TRADING CARDS

That’s right! Even if your fic wasn’t able to pass voting phase, you can still win this one, so look forward to the final winner announcement!

Thank you again to everyone who participated!  :heart:
« Last Edit: May 03, 2012, 03:17:20 PM by Dino »

Offline Pwoper48

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [ Voting Phase: Results]
« Reply #36 on: May 03, 2012, 10:09:23 AM »
yosh~! The results are here! Congrats for everybody who pass to next phase :on woohoo:

Offline Dino

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Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [ Voting Phase: Results]
« Reply #37 on: May 12, 2012, 01:19:08 AM »
We’re terribly sorry about the delay. Our finals schedule seemed to really collide and crash down on us this previous week. Thankfully, they’re all over with and done! So, here we go!

WINNERS
We'll be updating the authors of each entry. Meanwhile, you can look at the complete list of fics-authors here

1. #20: The Flower and the Sea (written by lionheartedvalor)
    See: The Flower and the Sea (Opinions of the Judges)
2. #24: A Figment of My Imagination (written by japanime1)

Special Prizes

For these, we went beyond what was voted on by the readers. A lot of our choices came from unique pairings, unique storylines, are overall great writing that we, unfortunately, couldn’t give first or second place!

#2: No Way
#5: In Spite of Everything
#6: A Change
#9: One Crazy Saturday Night
#10: Rivals
#11: Flicker
#12: Another Chance
#15: Full Speed Ahead
#16: Night the 20th/#19: Futile Excuses
#17: Unconventional
#21: Broken Locker

Wow! What a long list of special prize winners! Amazing, right? As this is our first contest, we decided to be generous. What we hope to encourage with contest48 is a variety of pairings and character choices within the 48fandom. We hope that this will encourage everyone to try, try, and try to submit an entry for our next contest!

Congratulations! If your entry was selected by us, the judges, then please message us as soon as possible with your akb oshimen, 3-4 of your other biases, and your complete address (don't forget name and country!). We will respond with “received!” and we will double check your address as well. We will also let you know when your package has been sent out.

Please do this as soon as possible, preferably within a week.

Thank you, everyone, for participating in our very first contest48!
« Last Edit: May 12, 2012, 01:24:49 AM by Dino »

Offline flameeyes

  • MARIHARU 4EVER?..LOVE is POSIBLE even it is FORBID
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  • LOVE ME and I WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING!!!!
Re: ~ 48Fandom Writing Contest ~ [ First Contest Winners Revealed!]
« Reply #38 on: May 17, 2012, 10:05:45 AM »
HOPELESS!?

 :luvuluvu: :k-inlove: :ding: :hee: :luvluv1: :shy2: :shy1: :nya: :wriggly: :on bleed: :k-inlove: :luvuluvu:

yeah!!!! :twothumbs no kojiyuu?..... :shocked :drool: :shocked :mon cute:

  :mon inluv::mon blood: so  :w00t: it's time for MARIHARU!!?? :mon blood::mon inluv:

yeah!!!!hope they submit MARIHARU fanfic!...>
 :mon dance: I CAN'T WAIT!!!! :mon dance:
 :mon dance: I CAN'T WAIT!!!! :mon dance:
 :mon dance: I CAN'T WAIT!!!! :mon dance:
◄I   L O V E   M A R I H A R U ! ! ! ! ! ! !  :tama-apeshit: :tama-lotsaluv: :tama-excite: :tama-heart: :tama-laff: :tama-yeeaah: :tama-excite: :tama-bigheart:
That's all weeeeehhhh!!!!
 :on gay: :nya: :mon angel: :nya: :on gay:
FLAMEEYES!!!

HUHUHUHUHU ヽ(╥﹏╥)ノ
PUTANG INA
ANG HIRAP MA IN-LOVE
(´∩`。) 。:゚
 

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