Tokizaki Maya's Story

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Masami woke up on the bad side of her bed, as usual. Waking up early in the morning, especially for school, was always a pain in her eyes since she liked to sleep in like any other human being. Her mom was at work, like usual, and her little brother was already brought to his kindergarden along the way, leaving her alone, like always. It didn't bother her of course since the party always came.

With her usual sigh, she got out of bed and changed, brushing her teeth and putting her messy hair into messy pigtails at the sides of her head and headed downstairs to the empty kitchen. On the table was a plate covered in aluminum foil that had a note on it, 'Left for work, be sure to eat before you leave!" Of course that note would be from her mother.

But Masami didn't really feel like eating anything at the time and instead took a few bites out of her omelet that her mother had prepared for her before leaving and got her bags ready, not bothering to put on makeup or fix her school uniform, or do anything around that sort. Although her parents were rich, they still lived in an average house and had average cars and whatever else there was.

Within the hour, she simply slipped on her shoes and began to head straight for her new and modern school, that was actually quite large for such a small amount of people. Then again, it was for the rich and people who had the highest or highest grades, so it was understandable, in some manner. Good students had to have an appropriate school while the rich kids were always enrolled into the best, even if they weren't very smart, such as people like Masami, who was actually just an average student who never really excelled in anything other than art and english.

She didn't really even like school. I mean, what student would? You'd have to go there for seven hours without returning home just working your butt off and studying. Side effects included stress and depression. Yeah, school wasn't the most cheerful thing in Masami's mind, but she always had something to look forward to there. For example, she had her art class. Masami was taught by her older brother, who is now in college, about art, and ever since then she's been amazing at painting and drawing, whether on the computer or on a sketch pad. Art was a hobby of hers too so the class always put her in high spirits unlike others.

And the second thing she had to look forward to was her friends also. Masami doesn't really seem like the type of person to be friendly since she actually had quite the cold and hostile nature, but some people tend to dig into her personality a little more than others and finds the little rare jewel inside. Not to mention she had also found an interest of hers that year; Roen Ookami. She fell for his innocence compared to the rest of the group and how kind he was to other people without a doubt. Even a cold person can have feelings on the inside.

After walking for a mile or two more, Masami arrived at the school, looking much worse than she did at home, somehow. Her hair was still messy as always, she had a tired look on her face, and she blocked out the noises of all the new freshman by putting a pair of headphones over her ears so that everything was a blur compared to her dear music. Music was an essential part of her life actually. Without it, Masami thinks she'd never survive school, or just the world in general.

Oddly, a few students tried to talk to her and find out where their classes were, but Masami couldn't hear most of them, and the one's she could she shouldered off and continued to walk towards her own classes, which she had found out a week prior to the first day of school. But it wasn't really the classes she was headed for.

Masami went to the second floor where her homeroom was, but she was actually waiting there for the other seven friends. Since she got to her school early, she didn't know who to go to or where to go to, especially since her friends hadn't arrived, so all Masami did was lean on the wall near her classroom, turn up her music, and wait patiently, "Hurry up... idiots..." She murmured about them all underneath her breath.

6:00am she woke early. She opened her eyes, stood up in pink Jammie's with blue floral patterns. She walked through her closet into her private bathroom. The marble was cold on her bare feet, she looked in the mirror. Perfect, well almost she stripped turning the knob and pulling the shower chain. She made sure that she was perfectly clean, she dried herself afterward. She put on the uniform that had been washed, pressed, and ironed. She then applied all of the appropriate makeup, after two hours of critiqueing, "perfection". She left the giant mansion on her bike, yes she had a car but she would rather bike to keep up her figure.

She reached the school she locked up her bike, she met her friends with smiles fake ones because they were her fake friends. She had her schedule early so she already knew where to be. She headed to first period, Math, pre calc. Maya was only a sophomore bit her test scores and four point GPA secured her a place in a senior math class. She was approached by some stranger. Or was he a stranger? What was his name again? Tim, Tom, Tony? Tony! His face turned red, he was a decent looking guy. "Maya will you be my girlfriend?" He looked very nervous so she decided to put him down softly. "Tony you don't want me," she lied in a pretty tone, "You could have someone much nicer... Like Bridgett here." He grabbed some random girls hand and put it in Tony's. She sat down in her seat. That was a close one, she looked out the window and saw him walking to his class, the only guy she wanted. "Yuuto." She half hummed his name in a sing song tone.

---

“Masami, good morning!”

Masami's ears registered a familiar voice immediately, even through her headphones which she took off and looked up to see a friend of hers, Yuuta Tono. Even though he was a bit of a wimp, she didn't really care hanging around him since she figured all people were even. She let out a sigh of relief after seeing him in the classroom, thankful that someone finally came, "You took long enough..." She said quietly, pausing her music and placing the headphones onto her desk, "It was getting a little awkward without knowing anyone in your class while the others are off talking to each other. Well, morning, Yuu." She called him by his nickname, since she made one for pretty much every one of the few friends she had.

Just as she was about to say something else, just then, someone else bursted through the classroom doors, "GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!!!!!" He exclaimed.

Masami's face flushed. Of course it'd be him.

"Well look at my two favorite buddies," Roen said as he put his arm around Yuuta, "How are you guys doin'?"

"G-Great!" Masami said, a little loudly, which she didn't expect or want as the outcome of her speaking back. Even though she and Roen were friends since the beginning of high school, and even though she actually found him annoying at first like she did with everyone else, over time, she began to enjoy his company which eventually turned into a little something more.

"Hope you weren't waiting on me to start the party."

Masami looked the other way stubbornly, still blushing furiously like the stereotypical tsundere she was as she answered, "Tch, of course not, idiot! You weren't even needed!" She said rudely, although that was how she always acted around him, and everyone else also. Masami did, after all, come off as a rude and cold person even though her intentions were the exact opposite, for some reason. Although she acted this way, she always knew her friends could tell what she would really say if she weren't embarrassed.

"It's been a while, everyone." Another one of her friends came through the doors.

The lovely and pretty Kiyoko came through the doors. Masami only met her recently compared to others, but from what she knew, she was a good person, which was why she slowly came to like her also, just like the others and how she first met them all.

She noticed then that she was being starred at by Kiyoko and started to ask, "What? Is there something wrong-" Then she got a bit of a hint when she sighed. Her eyes were obviously on Masami's messy pigtails, which she grabbed in her left hand and felt how unusually messy it was. Actually, it was normal for her hair to be messy, but she didn't really recall it being that messy, which kind of surprised her as she murmured, "Oh... I guess I should have taken more time to put it up properly..."

"Well..." Masami said, letting her tangled hair drop down as she, too, sighed, "If you're that annoyed by it, I guess you could fix it..." She said quietly, not used to asking people for requests. It was odd since Masami didn't know how to put her hair up, but tried to do it anyways.

She then noticed that the whole group wasn't exactly there, and wondered out loud, "Where's the others? I think I saw Subaru pass by a few minutes ago in the corner of my eye... but I can't say for sure. Are they all in a different class this year?" Masami looked up at the three, wondering where everyone else went.

Maya was just getting settled in talking to her friends and casting short glances over to Yuuta. She nodded her head and copied down all her classes onto the sheet of paper. Then all of a sudden she heard a small smack, he eyes darted to the source of the rude sound. Roen was nursing a red hand, and Subaru had Yuuto up on his shoulders taking him away to the hallway like some war hero. Maya frowned at this and struggled to contain her anger towards the guy, treating Yuuto as if he was his. "What the heck is wrong with Subaru today, he looks like someone fought him." And he better be ready for round two! "I'll go see if he's okay."

She exited the circle and walked hurriedly out the door, peeking around a corner. Subaru's face was awfully close to Yuuta, every inch made her hart sink a mile. He seemed to go back to his normal self, he handed Yuuta something. She tuned her back to the wall, sliding down to the ground. She clutched her legs close to her, in a fetal position. She hung her head, why was life so unfair why did everyone seem to not notice her, at least the people she cared for. She began to sob, makeup smearing and her fake happiness dieing. "My god why? Why can't he feel the same way I do?" She couldn't stop crying like a baby, freshman laughing at her as they past. The great Maya weeping like a child, a goddess no more just a plain Jane.

"Tch, of course not, idiot! You weren't even needed!" Masami retorted. This only made Roen chuckle a bit. After knowing her for so long he could tell if she meant the harsh words that came out of her mouth and he could tell that this time she was just acting cool. He felt something itching around the hand that he had against Yuuta but was forced to ignore it when suddenly, a person of all the beauty in the world, swept inside the classroom like an angel descending from the heavens.

"It's been awhile everyone." Kiyoko said. She even had a profound bow, probably from ancient times with respectable woman who would bow for the emperors. She was so magnificent, so refined, so..... so... beautiful.

By this time, Roen was already in a dead stare at her. It must've almost been two minutes before he was snapped out of his trance by Subaru. "Hey man. Whats up?" He asked while smiling at Subaru after the guy brushed his hand off of Yuuta. Roen looked down at his hand an saw that there was a big bug bite on it. He rubbed his hand over and over to stop the itching. "Thanks man. I bet there was a bug on me and slapped it away, huh?" He said as his eyes sparkled in awe at his friends dedication to him.

"Excuse us, but I need Yuuta for a moment." The boy said to him.

"Sure Broski. Do what you have to do." Roen replied, but Subaru might not have heard him since he was out of the classroom so fast. Awe and I didn't get to thank him for slapping that bug off my hand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Maya running out the door next. He turned back to Masami. "Well, we at least know that Subaru is here and Maya was here all along.... Or maybe she can teleport. Hehehe. So I guess that just leads two more of us hmm?"
Right on cue as he said that, Akira walked in. "Hey guys.. long time no see... Whats up?" she asked. "Where the hell is everyone else?"

"Hey Aki. Nothing really. Subaru took Yuuta somewhere and Maya left the room. They should be back though."

As soon as he said that Sadao walked into the room. He greeted them and Roen greeted him back. "Looks like we at least go to see everyone this morning." He said with another big smile. He reached into his bag. "You know how we should celebrate that achievement?" Quickly, he yanked his hand out the bag and pulled out a huge cheese stick. "With some food. Mmmm---Mmmmm." He nibbled softly on the Cheese and rubbed his cheek in delight. "You can't go wrong with a snack after a reunion. Look," Roen reached into his bag once again, "I brought you both some cheese sticks." He said as he tried to hand both Masami and Kiyoko a cheese stick of their own.

Kiyoko smiled at Masami, feeling slightly embarrassed.

S-Sorry...

Kiyoko went towards the back of Masami's head and pulled out a small comb that could flip into a bigger size. She flipped it open and dug into Masami's brown locks like a meal.

Kiyoko ran her slender fingers over the top of Masami's hair then sighed. She couldn't at least brush her hair? Kiyoko combed the bottoms of her hair, grabbing onto the middle part of her hair so it wouldn't hurt when she tugged out the knots. In a matter of seconds, Kiyoko managed to get all the stubborn knots out of Masami's hair. Then she brushed through the rest of Masami's hair smoothly. Still brushing it, she looked up at the group and noticed Subaru giving Roen a death glare. Kiyoko sweat dropped and looked back down at Masami's hair as he lifted him out of the class. But she noticed a particular brunette on the corner of her eye rush out after them. She sighed.

Kiyoko seen a certain teal haired girl come in the class, with a smile on her face.

Hi! Well, Subaru-san just lifted Yuuta-kun up over his shoulder and left... Maya-chan just went after them and--

Kiyoko heard a familiar voice and she turned her head with a smile and blush.

Here's Sadao-san.

However, he was clearly too occupied with Akira to notice her. He bumped into her and basically ignored her, just to go sit down beside Akira. Kiyoko kept a calm face and quickly put Masami's hair into perfect pigtails.

Kiyoko knelt down in front of Masami and smiled.

You look really pretty with your hair in pigtails, Masami-chan. But maybe you should make them a little neater...

Kiyoko said that last part with a nervous chuckle as she slightly touched Masami's hair. Kiyoko wanted to get out of that classroom. She stood up, took one last glance at Akira and Sadao, before turning around with a fake small at her group of friends.

I'll be right back, I'm a little thirsty.

Kiyoko walked out of the classroom and exhaled with an almost depressed look on her face.

Kiyoko walked into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her side ponytail and exhaled. I'm aware that I'm not as pretty as the other girls he hits on... Kiyoko exhaled again and turned the cold sink water on. She splashed some in her face and looked back up. Behind her, she seen some girls (pretty ones) crossing their arms in anger. Suddenly seeing them shocked Kiyoko and she made a small squeal. She wiped her head around and tensed up a bit. "Why is a commoner like you always around the prince?! You're just a bother!"

There were always just those random girls that behaved this way, but then there were the really cheery girls that questioned her about how she could afford clothes and hair accessories and always tried being friends with her because she was a commoner. And who could forget the girls that just straight up ignored her. Of course, they were all stunning. After much bowing and apologizing for something Kiyoko couldn't really control, she gave her a "warning" to not walk out rudely when the prince was around and sprayed her with water from the sink before leaving. Kiyoko sighed and pulled her now soaked hair out of it's side ponytail and looked sadly at herself in the mirror once more. Now I look even worse...

Kiyoko walked down the hallway, running her hands through her wet hair. She exhaled until she seen some freshman whispering about a "hot girl" crying on the floor. One of them made an... interesting joke about "comforting" her and Kiyoko gave them a slightly disgusted look.

P-Please don't...

Kiyoko knew exactly who they were talking about and she found her sitting on the floor. Kiyoko went up to her and knelt down in front of her. She placed a wet hand on Maya's knee and pushed away all her depressing thoughts. Right now, she had to worry about Maya and nothing else. She didn't want to pressure Maya into telling her anything she didn't want to, so she took it slow for now.

If something is troubling, we can go to a quieter place and discuss it... O-Only if your comfortable with that.

Maya got chills when she felt a cold wet hand touch her knee, she stopped crying. She breathed through her nose, instead she made a pathetic sniffling sound. She raised her head as to gaze upon the pervert who was trying to touch her. Once she saw who it was her guard went down, but that didn't change how embarrassing it was. Her heart was aching, she looked into Kiyoko's eyes her own were red and puffy. Eye liner, mascara, and her arsenal of makeups were streaming off of her face. She sniffled again before speaking, "Kiyoko, that would be nice." Her voice was hoarse from all the crying, she slowly stood up. She walked silently expecting to he followed, she headed to the place where she could always be alone. It used to be a small library, but now that all books are files it was a closet. She opened the old knob the wood creaking as it was pushed open. She reached into the darkness on the right there was a switch that he flicked on. She motioned for Kio to come in, "No one will be able to hear us in here, it's where I go when things are bad and when I feel helpless." She shut the door behind them the room was cluttered with supplies for school that are no longer in use, or cleaning materials. Maya sat in a chair and gestured her friend to sit in one across from her. She stared blankly at the ground, thinking about how much she confide in Kiyoko . They weren't best friends or anything, their personalities are quite opposite actually, Maya sometimes would never shut up. She finally decided to be vague on the details, "Kiyoko have you ever had the feeling that your 'special someone' didn't care for you in the same way? That all your attempts are useless to impress the person, let alone catch his attention? I know it might seem silly but it is a feeling I have grown accustomed to. Do you have someone you care for, do they hardly notice you?"

Kiyoko smiled at Maya. She may have seemed like a total mess, but she was still pretty to Kiyoko. Kiyoko followed Maya to the place she was bringing her to. Kiyoko nodded at Maya when she motioned for her to go inside the old library. Kiyoko sat down in the chair across from Maya. Kiyoko didn't want to push Maya into telling her anything that she didn't want to say, so she just sat silently and waited for Maya to speak up.

Kiyoko looked up at Maya's face when she finally began talking. Her heart skipped a beat when Maya mentioned having a 'special someone'. But her heart seemed quite normal after she finished the question. Kiyoko sank down in her seat and exhaled.

Maya... I know exactly what you're talking about. It's only the first day since I've seen him since last school year and he already doesn't notice me... again.

Kiyoko placed her elbows on the dusty table in front of them and placed her chin in her hands.

The person I care for never notices me. As cruel as this may sound, I think I'm just too normal for his likings. I'm just a "commoner" and he has much better options.

Kiyoko was already starting to feel sad, but then she remembered. W-Wait! I'm here for Maya, not myself. I can't believe I'm talking to her so openly about this... Kiyoko exhaled and looked at Maya with a smile.

Maya-chan, you're the most charming young lady that I know, you can get close to this person, I just know you can. I think the problem is that he's only seeing your outer beauty, you just have to go further than that and show him your inner beauty too.

Of course, this could never work in Kiyoko's case... (Or so she thought.)

Love won't just fall right into your hands. You have to work for it, no matter how hard the obstacles may be.

Kiyoko felt so ashamed. She's giving Maya all this great advice that she can't even take herself and while she feels like she's going to die of a broken heart on the inside, all she can do is smile and cheer for the great friends that surround her.

---

“I saw him napping on the bench in the court yard. It seemed like he has no plans on going to any classes today. Though he did have a folder on his chest, maybe he went to the main office this morning.”

"I see..." Masami said, slowly spacing out as she let out a tired yawn since, after all, she wasn't a morning person, so waking up in the morning, and going to school early was also an inconvenience. A terrible inconvenience, and she could have been grumpier that morning, unlike the rest of the group that was in high spirits, but she didn't.

“Here is a way to keep track of everyone. Masami, write down your classes and time, then we will get everyone else to follow.”

Masami saw Yuuta hand over a piece of paper to her as she read over it quickly and noticed what it was for, since she spaced out and picked up her pencil, starting to answer, "Alright then-" Before Subaru suddenly came in and called for Yuuta, taking him out of the room. She watched as she left and thought to herself while writing down her schedule, 'I'll just hand it over to him when I see him later.'

"Well, we at least know that Subaru is here and Maya was here all along.... Or maybe she can teleport. Hehehe. So I guess that just leads two more of us hmm?"

"H-Huh?" Masami asked, lifting her head from her writing and seeing that it was Roen who was speaking. As usual, her face turned a bright red and she turned back to her writing, not wanting her face to be that noticeable, "I-I guess so..." She said quietly, laughing a bit at the teleporting part until she heard that the two were alone.

'Alone?' Masami wondered to herself before her face became redder. It seemed like the energy just flowed out of her since she let her head lay onto her desk as she responded, "Y-Yeah..." Just the idea of that made her really anxious until-

"Hey guys.. long time no see... Whats up? Where the hell is everyone else?"

Her anxiety saved her when the homosexual girl walked through the door. "Morning Akira." Masami answered, lifting her head with a sigh of relief and finishing writing down her schedule, then putting it in her pocket. In some manner, she was fond of the girl, being able to stand up for herself even though she was different from others for being homosexual. Of course, Masami wasn't, but there were a lot of things she was unable to stand up against too.

"How have you been doing lately?" Masami saw Sadao enter the classroom and get near by Akira.

Something about him annoyed her a little bit, just as everyone else had a little part of them that annoyed her, but, well, they were friends after all, so there was no way she could actually be annoyed at someone. She simply said her usual hello with the roll of her eyes.

Masami was about to answer Akira's second questions before a few others spoke up in return.

"Hey Aki. Nothing really. Subaru took Yuuta somewhere and Maya left the room. They should be back though."

"Hi! Well, Subaru-san just lifted Yuuta-kun up over his shoulder and left... Maya-chan just went after them and-- Here's Sadao-san."

All Masami did was nod in agreement.

"S-Sorry..."

Masami heard Kiyoko say quiet as she began to do her hair. She sat still, of course, but turned her head slightly to look at the girl and felt bad, or guilty, and said, "I... don't get what you should be sorry about..." Masami said, turning forward again to allow her to work on her hair.

"You look really pretty with your hair in pigtails, Masami-chan. But maybe you should make them a little neater..."

Masami heard Kiyoko say when she was finished putting her hair into its new style. She wanted to check, but that would obviously put her out of character, so she said, a small blush across her face, "T-Thanks... I'm pretty sure it looks good... And I'll try, from now on, I guess..." She raised her hands to feel how neat her pigtails had been put up.

"I'll be right back, I'm a little thirsty."

"Alright, but come back soon since class'll start." Masami said while giving a small wave to her as she walked away, a smile on her face which didn't look too genuine to Masami, making her slightly suspicious that something was wrong since Maya seemed to be with her too (Nothing wrong with Maya, but just seemed a little odd). She didn't want to poke her nose into it though, so she didn't say or ask anything, just yet.

"Looks like we at least go to see everyone this morning. You know how we should celebrate that achievement? With some food. Mmmm---Mmmmm. You can't go wrong with a snack after a reunion. Look, I brought you both some cheese sticks."

Masami looked at the cheese stick that Roen handed out to her and blinked at it, only staring for a while before taking it with a little thank you, her regular tiny nod of her head before giggling silently and murmuring, "You really are a weirdo... aren't you?" While the words themselves sounded a little harsh and mean, the way she said it said otherwise.