Chapter Text
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In a different time, there was a girl who was unlike her fellow peers. She cannot relate what girls are normally into such as fashion, romance books, anything cute – or the like. Compared to her, she likes what boys are normally into such as video games, action movies, anything manly.
She wishes that her peers aren’t mean to her though.
Girls are visibly and physically weirded and grossed of her interest. She can recall all of their comments, and each comment gets meaner than the other. Eventually, hearing all those unnecessary comments prompt her to leave, not willing to change her interest for their sake.
As much as she likes what they also like, they treated her like they were forced to take care of their younger sister. She may not hear the mean comments like her peers, but action speaks words too.
Still, her need for acceptance remains the same,
always craving to be part of their group.
WEEK 1
FRIDAY
Majority of her classmates had known each other since last year, and though they are some classmates who normally prefers to keep to themselves, they have impressive feats. Moeko may not know them personally, but people would always talk about them. So on a normal day, whenever Moeko has no one to talk to, she has a habit of listening to her classmate’s conversation.
“Excuse me, Sakanoue-senpai, will you be returning to the Newspaper club?” says a male, brown haired classmate.
A classmate named Sakanoue sighs, being referred to as a Senpai despite the same age as him. “First of all; we’re the same age, so no need for the formalities, Honda. Second of all, I’ve been a member since last year, I want to do something different this year.”
Another day, another lonesome day.
Moeko Rakuyona blankly stared at her opened notebook. Out of everyone in this class, she’s not close with someone, and her seatmate would rather be in the library than here. Moeko can’t blame her.
After all — this class is filled with impressive classmates here with such impressive feats; There’s a member of a student council, a famed junior detective, an athlete, an honor student, some rich girl, a yamato nadeshiko , a school librarian, and three delinquents (Daisaku Aragaki was one too, but he’s reformed) in this class. Beside those mentioned, there’s some classmates who are remarkable in some way, like at least they have hobbies and a social life. And then there’s Moeko.
Moeko really wished she transferred to a different section beside this one.
XXX
The class is on break for lunch. Moeko’s clique classmates proceeded to hang around.
“Hey, guys!” one of the black-haired pompadour classmates approached his fellow delinquents, “Guess what? Chigusa-sama’s on the front cover of the magazine!” in his hand, it’s a young woman who wore a… swimsuit? Moeko wanted to gag.
Out of curiosity, his delinquent friends took a peak. Unfortunately, that includes the student council member, who happened to be a former delinquent.
“Wow, you sure are brave, Hiranaka. Perhaps you and your pals show it to me in the office.”
“Eep!” On cue, Hiranaka ran off with the magazine in his hand as Daisaku chased him off in the distance. “I regret nothing!”
“No running in the hallway, you f —”
His fellow delinquent friends sighed at their friend’s idiocy. Moeko couldn’t agree more.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
“Um, Funakoshi-sama…” Two girls, one with red hair and another with yellow hair, personally approach her classmate, who’s still in her seat. “Can me and my friend accompany you to lunch today?”
Gross.
A classmate named Funakoshi gave a serene smile to her two classmates, causing the girls to look like they’re happy to be alive. “Of course, let me get my lunch box first.”
At the same time, there is a separate conversation between a student and a teacher.
“Nagasako-sensei!”
As soon as the class ended for lunch break, a long-haired brunette classmate approached her teacher before she left the room, ”Please, allow me to help you.”
Nagasako gave a polite smile. “Thank you for the offer, Nabatasai-kun, but I can handle it myself. You should spend time with your classmates.”
Seeing that everyone goes on to their personal business, Moeko readies her lunch box to eat and meet with her new friend group.
Unbeknownst to Moeko, a certain boy passes her by as she climbs up on the way to the rooftop.
XXX
“So guys,” Sota brings out his lunch box, “I have fries if you guys are interested.”
Haruto sighs, “I don’t wanna hear this again, Fuyuki. I mean it.”
“What? You need catch up , Hisayuto!” Sota laughs, realizing his joke, “Get it?”
All of the guys and Moeko blankly stared at Sota.
“Sheesh, you guys are too cold, you need to chill out!” He laughs at his joke again. “Pun unintended.” Yet he still laughs.
“That’s not funny, Fuyuki!”
“Now, now, Yuto-senpai,” Moeko pat Haruto’s back, “You gotta admit the joke’s a classic.”
“Exactly, we need to have a spice here!”
“You mean the conversation, right?” Sora asked.
“Actually, I do happen to have a chili pepper here somewhere in my lunch box...”
Haruto facepalmed his friend’s words, “Since when chili and fries work together?”
Meanwhile, Ryusei looked at Moeko and started a conversation, “How’s class going, Rakuyona?”
Moeko blinked, surprised at being personally asked in a conversation, “So-so. Everyone’s impressive as usual.”
“That’s to be expected,” Ryusei exhaled, “How’s the exchange diary project?”
“I don’t like my partner, Abikoki!” Moeko looked down, depressed, “My partner is a delinquent — A DELINQUENT, out of all people!” she grabbed his shoulders, “Seriously, Nagasako-sensei is bullying me!”
“Welp, it was nice knowing you, Rakuyona,” Ryusei simply ate his lunch. “Do tell me your stories when you’re alive.”
“Wow, Abikoki, you’re so nice ,” Moeko sarcastically said, “I still haven’t forgiven him for ruining the painting you made two days ago!”
“L-Like I said, it’s OK; I just happened to bump into him on a bad day.”
“But he’s always in a bad mood, Abikoki.” Moeko sighs, “If he’s going to bother you again, guess me and that girl would give him a talk!”
“Girl?” Ryusei blinked, then realized Moeko’s referring to, “Oh you mean, Aishi?”
“Yeah, her, Aishi - whatever the name is!”
“I definitely know that Aishi will help you, but I wouldn’t like it if you two are fighting for me.” He smiles, “Besides, I’m pretty sure something is going on that is more important than Atatsuma.”
Moeko swallowed. “Mm, that’s true. Sorry for the outburst.”
“Hmph, I’m happy that you’re angry for my sake, Rakuyona! Also, since you’ve already vouched for Aishi, are you saying you and her are friends now?”
“Nah, she and I aren’t classmates to begin with. Besides, aren’t you two classmates?”
“Well, yeah, but —”
“ABIKOKI!” Haruto shakes his hand in front of his mouth. His face is red. “PLEASE GIVE ME WATER!”
The normal day continues.
XXX
After lunch, Moeko simply paid attention in her class. As usual, her classmates are remarkable during class - a classmate perfectly recited an answer that a teacher asks, a classmate gave a sensible suggestion when a teacher asks for a problem, or etcetera and etcetera. The teacher is happy to divulge her students’ enthusiastic participation.
Moeko can’t wait for the class to end.
XXX
Before everyone went to their cleaning duties, a cyan-haired classmate went in front of the classroom. “Hi, everyone! I,” she showed her flier, “Ai Doruyashi, is inviting you all to listen to Ai’s newest original song at the school gym this week after class! Here’s the flier for those interested!” as she says, she began placing the fliers one by one, with Moeko the first one to her right.
A blue haired classmate gave an unnecessary comment to Ai. “Hmph, I’m not interested in hearing from you peasants.” She leaves the classroom.
“No need to be so rude, Chikanari,” a magenta-colored hair classmate exhaled as Chikanari left the classroom. She does, however, take a flier from Ai. “I’ll come for your concert, Doruyashi.” she looked at the flier for a bit, then at her, “Did you say the original song?”
“Yep, Ai wrote it myself!” Ai gave a sheepish smile, “If Ai aims to be an idol, then performing live would be a fresh start.”
“Well, good luck with that!”
Ai spots the shyest classmate about to leave the classroom. She manages to give the flier to her, “Here you go, Horoshima! You should come by my show when you’re free!”
A classmate named Horoshima looked away, slightly bothered, “It’s actually… Hodoshima…” she exhaled, trying her best to converse properly, “Uh-ah-um I mean,” she stuttered as if already fearing that her classmate was already bothered enough with her trying to correct her name. “I… I have, I have plans for the school — I have plans for the school library.” Hodoshima looked away, feeling guilty, “I’m, I’m sorry…”
“Aw, it’s OK,” Ai thankfully didn’t look like she’s bothered by getting rejected. “Would you at least mind if I place the fliers in the library later?”
“I, I would need to ask the — I would need to ask the school librarian for that.”
Moeko blinked and thought, Aren’t you the school librarian though?
Welp, time to escape.
For today’s cleaning duty, Moeko’s task is to wipe the window of the hallway on the second floor, outside of her classroom. It’s a so-so day.
Until, in the middle of wiping the windows, Moeko audibly gasped when all of a sudden, something dropped, covering her head. Using her other free hand, she took it from her head, and immediately looked up. Fortunately, it’s just a towel, and unfortunately, it’s a wet towel, just used too.
Holding this wet towel, Moeko cannot wait to meet this person.
XXX
For a second there, she wants to roast this person in public as soon as she climbs to the next floor.
But, looks like Moeko didn’t have to find that person herself when the boy in question immediately came to her in the same location where she’s at. Doesn’t help that this is a senpai, her senior, who dropped this towel in her face. One specific thing about him is that he has bangs that cover his left eye.
“I’m very sorry, miss! I didn’t mean to drop my towel on you!” The boy in a bangs bows in an apologetic tone.
“Hmph,” Moeko turned her head, “I’ll let this just this once since you approach me instead of running away. But,” she gave a smile, grabbing his collar, “That doesn't mean I accept your apology!”
“I understand.” Amazingly, this senpai is unfazed by her outburst. “I’ll buy you lunch.”
The audacity! “Did you honestly think that money fixes everything?!”
“What can I do to make up for it?”
Moeko stared at him, still surprised that he remained unfazed. By that point, Moeko now looks like a bad guy here. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she says, “You know what — I’m willing to let it slide.”
“Still…” the boy still felt guilty, until he took something from his pockets, “It’s not enough, but you can use these to wipe your face.” He offered her his folded black handkerchief, “I haven’t used it, of course.”
Moeko stared at the handkerchief, then at him. After two blinks, she took it. “Thank you.”
XXX
After the cleaning period was over, Moeko took her belongings to go meet with her friends. Along the way, she glances in the window of the Classroom 2-1. She’s surprised to see two familiar people.
Wait, is that Aishi?
The last thing she said to her, she’s willing to defend Ryusei from Atatsuma for bothering him. The pink-haired girl, on the other hand…
Isn’t that girl the one who was caught having Aishi’s console during lunch time?
Speaking of consoles, does that mean Aishi is like her too? If that’s the case, perhaps Moeko can —
“Oh,” Moeko realized that she shouldn’t stare at them too much. Whatever they are doing is not her business after class, especially on a day like this is not her business.
And so, Moeko continues to walk away.
XXX
A few steps later, Moeko meets up with her friends. However…
“So guys!” Hayato was the first to speak in the group, “Wanna go to the convenience store?”
“What exactly are we gotta do in the convenience store, Hayato?” Haruto crosses his arms.
“There’s a new issue in the C3 Magazine!”
Oh, not this again…
For anyone curious, do you recall that in the lunch period, one of the delinquents showed the magazine with Chigusa on the front cover? C3 Magazine is basically, ahem, a gravure magazine. Moeko wanted to be mad for such an indecent item, but really, she couldn’t blame them for being, ahem, boys.
“Uh… that’s great and all, but how are you able to buy that magazine? To begin with, we’re not old enough to buy that magazine.” Sota asked.
The boys all look at Sora, since well, he’s the oldest of the group.
Sora widens his eyes in realization, “Oh no, don’t pin this on me!”
“C’mon, Sora- senpai ! You’re our only hope here!” Hayato pleaded, to the point of referring to him as Senpai. “Aren’t you supposed to be our big brother in the group here?”
Sora rolled his eyes as sarcastically said, “Wow, I am honored to be called a Senpai.” He sighs, “Sorry, I’ll pass. Go ask your brother or something.”
Hayato grabbed his friend’s arms, “Please, Sora-senpai! This is all I ever ask for!”
“Give it up, Hayato, as if our Senpai would buy it for us.” Haruto pats his friend’s back, “Besides, don’t you think you’re embarrassing Sota and Rakuyona?”
Hayato blinked in confusion, “Why would Rakuyona be embarrassed about this?”
Haruto gave him an uncharacteristically stern look. “Would Rakuyona allow Sora to buy the magazine?”
“Since when did it become an agreement that I buy a magazine for all of you?!” Sora shouted, “Also, Haruto’s right here. Once we buy that magazine, Rakuyona wouldn’t like us anymore!”
“Calm down, Sora — she won’t be mad as long as we don’t mention that.”
“Mention what?” Right on cue, a wild Moeko appears! “What’s with you guys? I can hear Sosuke-senpai screaming over here.”
“Rakuyona! Right on timing!” Ryusei pushed the guys away, “All of us are planning to hang out in the convenience store, wanna join?”
Moeko shakes her head, “Nah, had something to do.” After all, you might have had fun if I wasn’t there anyway, “You guys have fun without me.”
Sora turned his head to look at her, “Do you need help, Rakuyona? I don’t mind helping you out.”
“No he can’t!” Hayato shouted, then realized that could blow the boy’s cover, “I mean,” he looked away, “I mean, Sora said he’d helped me study my homework!”
Everyone stared at Hayato.
Moeko coughs, continuing her point, “Nah it’s OK guys, you go have fun!” Moeko gave a convincing smile, “Besides, I already got help. Three’s a crowd for us anyway!”
“Let me guess, Aishi’s helping you out?” Ryusei smiled, patting Moeko’s shoulders “Well, that’s expected!”
“Who’s Aishi?” Hayato asked.
“My classmate!” Ryusei excitedly says, “She’s the girl who always helps me out. This week, I had her help me with the painting for my friend and surprised, she delivered!”
“Aishi’s suspicious.” Haruto looked away. “She’s way too mysterious.”
“C’mon Yuto-senpai, Aishi’s nice you know!” Ryusei looked at his friend, “Didn’t you have her buy you a drink because you forgot your lunch money?”
“And she refused to pay her back the next day afterward.” He looked down in annoyance, “I don’t want to get owed…”
“Pshh, Aishi’s not like that, you know!” Ryusei then looked at Sota, who’s been quiet for a whole time. “If anything, you’ll get along with her, Sota!”
Sota gasped. “Does this Aishi-senpai love puns too? Puns are fun!”
“Ugh, not this again…” Haruto's face palmed. “Aishi’s too cool for you, Sota. As if she’d be fool enough to like your puns.”
“Wow, Haruto-senpai, I didn’t expect you to make a rhyming sentence coming from you.” He gave him a cheeky grin, “Also, Ryusei-senpai was the one who told me she and I would get along.”
“I wasn’t talking about your puns, Sota.” Ryusei sighs, “I was talking about video games.”
“Really? She doesn’t fit the image though…”
“Oh!” Hayato realizes, “Do you mean the time where Aishi’s friend got caught bringing her console two days ago?”
“Yeah, that one.” Ryusei laughs, “Honestly, I’ve been meaning to ask her about that but forgot about it. Can you ask her about that, Rakuyona?”
“Sure.” Great, now Moeko really had to talk to Aishi if Ryusei suggested it to her. “Anyways, I gotta go now. Don’t want to keep her waiting.”
“Great!” Hayato’s been waiting for someone to interrupt their out-of-tangent discussion, “C’mon, Sora-senpai, you promised to help me out!”
“What, no!” Sora shakes his head, already pleading with Moeko. “C’mon Rakuyona, are you sure you didn’t need an extra hand?”
“As I said — three’s a crowd, Senpai.”
“No worries Senpai, Rakuyona’s is in good hands!” Ryusei smiled. He, along with his friends, started to push Sora to go on to their plans.
“Have fun! Tell me about it on Monday!” Moeko waves to her friends.
“Will do! Hope you and Aishi get along!” Ryusei waves to his friend. Moeko waves them back in return.
XXX
Moeko hopes that one of the student council members is not there to witness her making a fire.
Unbeknownst to her, someone is passing by as Moeko went off to her usual place.
At times like this, doing this makes me calm.
Once in a while, whenever Moeko is down, she would visit behind the boy’s locker room to start a fire. It’s nothing dangerous though — while Moeko bought up the matches, she also made sure to fill up the watering can to remove the fire. Of course, she also made sure that no one’s following her.
As much as Moeko wanted to make one female friend, she’s incompatible with them. It sounds petty to hear that she won’t make a female friend anymore just because she’s unlucky in her childhood, but now she’s getting older and recently learned the importance of social cliques, she’d be safer to stick to a group she’s compatible with instead of changing her interests. Moeko accepted that fact, so she’s not bummed about it.
(She does admit that she wishes that her guy friends at least show decency. But hey, her mother comments that boys this age are a bunch of horny teenagers, so she gotta thank her mom for spoiling her.)
The wind enhances the fire. At the same time, someone ran away coming from the direction of the Track Field.
“Oh, I should put this fire down…” As she says, she pours out the fire by emptying out the watering can. Now that fire is no more, Moeko stretches out her arms and tilts her body left and right, “Welp, time to go and play video games!”
“Hey, we meet again!”
Moeko turned, curious to see who’s calling her. “It’s you!” she gasped. “You’re the senpai who dropped the towel on my face!”
He scratches his neck, “I do have a name, thank you very much.”
Moeko panicked, fearing for a possibility of getting caught doing her hobby. She turned to the left to see what direction he came from.
That direction comes from a track field, but he doesn’t have his uniform on, unless…
“... Am I interrupting something?”
“Pardon?”
“That direction, isn’t that one way to the sakura tree?” She pointed at the track field. “You don’t seem the type to go running, no offense.”
“My, my,” he smiled, “Are you implying that I’m handsome enough that I went in that direction?”
Moeko blushed then looked away in embarrassment, “In your dreams, you’re not my type!” she coughs, “Anyways, that’s not the point!”
He giggled, “Heh, sorry about that. Just wanted a laugh since I got rejected a while ago.”
Oh, no, did I come across as insensitive here?! Moeko apologetic looked away and changed her tune, “O-oh, my bad.” She looked at him, “So, what are you going to do now?”
He shrugged, “Eh, I’ll figure something out, but well,” from the moment he looked at her, he had an idea, “since you’re here, wanna have dinner with me? My treat.”
Now that she thinks about it, she’ll be seeing him again tomorrow, isn’t she? “I haven’t introduced myself; I’m Moeko Rakuyona. Hope we get along.” She raises her hand for a handshake.
“Jokichi Yudasei,” He handshakes with her, “likewise.”
WEEK 1
SATURDAY
Long story short, she and Jokichi had a good day, as the latter does end up keeping his words of treating her to lunch. Jokichi had just rejected yesterday, so Moeko wanted to pay for their lunch. Of course, that ended up paying for their own meal because arguing who’s paying who is a waste of time.
(Well, actually, it’s more like, they’ve been arguing for ten minutes and ended up agreeing that they’ll pay for their own meals.)
Moeko is unlike her peers. She doesn’t understand fashion, romance books, anything cute – or the like. She likes what boys are normally into such as video games, action movies, anything manly. But perhaps, perhaps.
If she's hanging out with Jokichi-senpai, Moeko can experience what it’s like to be a normal girl for once in her life.
