☆ Saniwa Sweet School Life ☆
RP by kitsunepeg & sheepdoll!
(2024 baby)
(2024 baby)
“That’s really strange…” she muttered half to herself and was finally torn from her thoughts by her best friend Lena.
“Aki-nee, we’ll see each other tomorrow, OK?” Lena was looking forward to going to his house with her boyfriend Shokudaikiri and was thinking about all the things they could do together.
“We will. Have fun today ~!” Aki winked at her before she saw Shokudaikiri standing next to Lena.
Aki decided to wait a bit in the classroom and heard the noisy sounds gradually die down. Now she was alone in the room. Silence enveloped her. She looked at Tsurumaru’s things once more and decided to pack them in his bag.
“Why isn’t he here?" she was starting to worry. Even though he probably drove her to despair sometimes with his teasing, she knew that he wasn’t a bad person. Instinctively she turned into the next corridor to look for him.
“Tsuuuru-kuuun!” her voice echoed off the walls, but no one answered.
Aki continued walking through the school building and looked in every corner. But she was unsuccessful. Sighing, she stepped out of the front door to continue her search around the building. As their steps led them behind the house, her gaze stopped in shock at one point. It was Tsurumaru, sitting leaning against the wall. She had finally found him. But Aki was horrified that he was covered in blood, bruises and scratches. She quickly rushed to him and crouched down by his side.
“What happened to you???” But suddenly he grinned happily at her: "Hey, what are you still doing here...? Haha! I was just about to leave.”
He tried to act as if nothing had happened, but was visibly struggling to get up.
“You’re not going anywhere except to the hospital room! Come with me…” Aki ordered. “It looks worse than it is, REALLY!” Tsuru tried to downplay it, but Aki didn’t believe him and pulled him along with her.
“There doesn’t seem to be anyone else in the hospital room, so I’ll try to get you some bandages…” Aki paused – this was all a bit uncomfortable for her now. Alone with Tsurumaru in a room.
He sat obediently on the hospital bed and waited. Aki quickly dug some cloths out of the closet to treat Tsuru’s wounds, as well as bandages and plasters.
“So, are you going to tell me what happened now?” Aki asked again as she cleaned the wounds. Tsuru looked away, embarrassed. He actually didn’t want anyone to know, and Aki of all people caught him like that.
“Well, well…” he stammered, “I was bored… I was just playing a prank… it was a really good one! If you know what I mean… Haha! Then one of the idiots started arguing and suddenly I had the whole gang against me. That was really unfair!” he lament.
“So you got beaten up because you went too far with your pranks?”
“Heeh, when you put it like that, it sounds like it was my fault.”
Aki looked skeptically at Tsuru as she stuck the last plaster on. “Okay, Tsuru-kun, everything is ready. We can go.”
Surprised by the suddenness, Tsuru thought for a moment and said, “Oh, actually I still feel bad.” With that, his body sank onto the bed. With one eye open, he looked curiously at Aki. But she saw through him.
“That’s not true. You’re already feeling much better.”
Tsuru sighed resignedly and slowly stood up while muttering: “Anyway, I should challenge myself more often in situations like this…”
“How?”
“Oh, nothing, no!” Tsuru suddenly grinned cheerfully at Aki again. “I’m just really happy that you took such good care of me today.”
Blushing, Aki quickly left the room. “Let’s go.”
---
Tsuru stared at Aki's back as she hurriedly left the hospital room. He sighed, running his fingers through his messy hair. He looked so uncool in front of her in that moment, not a good look, but he tried to make the best out of the situation.
The places where Aki stuck the plasters, Tsuru still felt her lingering touch. That made him smile. He knew she did care about him, then. So all his efforts were not wasted after all.
Maybe his next prank could be more... romantic, he chuckled to himself, as thanks to Aki for caring for him. That settled it! He was going to sneak a bunch of rose petals into her locker, so that when she opened it, they would all fall onto her like a bright red declaration of his gratefulness.
---
“Okay, Shoku-kun, I have to hang up now. The doorbell rang. Bye bye!”
Lena regretted that she couldn’t talk to her boyfriend any longer on the phone, but the tutor her grandma had ordered was already waiting at the door. She wondered if that was really necessary. Just because she had to stay in detention and had completely messed up her essay on Oda Nobunaga, her grandma now insisted that she get tutoring on the weekend.
“Let’s get this over with…” she muttered as she opened the door.
“Yooo! I’m the super tutor! Let’s start!”
That voice…that stature… Lena was shocked when she realized who she was looking at. “S-Sensei Munechika!”
She almost didn’t recognize him, he really looked different in his free time. When he taught, he looked much older with his hair styled back. Although Lena had to admit that his hair, which was now falling in his face, looked pretty good.
“Haha, please… You don’t have to call me that, not here. I’m Mikazuki.”
Lena’s heart skipped a beat. She should actually call her teacher by his first name? “Okay…M….Mikazuki-san…”
It felt really weird for Lena to call him that. But he insisted.
She invited him in as Lena's grandmother came out of the back room.
“Oh, how nice that you’re here to teach my granddaughter. Please look after her. She’s a handful... The other day she came home late because of detention.”
“Grandma…! Do you have to tell everyone everything about my life?” Lena complained, blushing. Of course, she immediately remembered the incident when she tried to prevent Sensei Munechika from falling backwards and fell on him herself. And afterwards, when she touched his back to check that he hadn’t sprained his spine.
Mikazuki grinned knowingly. “Ahahaha, you can safely entrust your granddaughter to me.”
“Ohohohoho, what good manners from a young man like you!” Granny exclaimed enthusiastically. She was very pleased with her choice of tutor and was thinking of thanking her friends later who had recommended this man to her. Then it burst out of her: “Are you still single? Do you have a girlfriend?”
This comment earned her a horrified look from her granddaughter. Lena wanted to sink into the ground out of embarrassment.
“I’m single and I don’t have a girlfriend,” Mikazuki answered honestly.
Granny couldn’t believe it… “Whaaaat? Such a handsome young man like you? I can’t believe it… ohohohoho!” and stared at Lena.
“Okay, time for you to go, Grandma!”
They both sat down at Lena’s desk in silence.
“Good, now I’m here,” Mikazuki began to break the silence.
“…Yes…now you’re here.” Lena replied nervously.
“I’ll help you study for your final exams in the next few weeks. But first…” he pulled out a piece of paper that looked very familiar to Lena. “…I’ll go through your essay with you.”
‘Of all things…’ thought Lena and looked away.
“Let’s see… If I were a warlord, I would unite Japan by…” he quoted before Lena interrupted him pleadingly: “Stop! Please!” But he continued reading and commented finally: “I understand. So
you would decide to do things this way… I must admit, very interesting, even if it didn’t correspond to the assignment.”
Lena sighed and noticed how Mikazuki’s gaze lingered on her.
“Hmm. If you were a warlord and I were your vassal, I would gladly serve under your command."
Lena quickly looked away again. “You enjoy annoying me…! A-anyway, are you feeling better
now? Your back…”.
“Ahahaha!” he laughed amusedly. “Yes, actually, I don’t have any back pain at the moment. You must have worked wonders.”
---
Lena blushed as Mikazuki’s laughter filled the room. She felt flustered, unsure how to respond to him. The memory of the awkward fall in detention replayed in her mind, making her squirm in her seat.
"Let's focus on your essay now, Lena-chan," Mikazuki said, his tone becoming more serious. He slid the paper toward her. “We can improve on it, starting here…”
Despite the awkward start, Mikazuki’s guidance helped Lena see the mistakes in her essay clearly. He was patient and explained the historical facts in a way that made it more interesting than the dry textbooks she had been struggling with.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of revisions, they reached the end. Lena slumped back in her chair, exhausted but proud. "Thanks... Mikazuki-san," she said softly. She still felt a little shy calling him by his first name.
He leaned back and stretched. "You're getting the hang of it. With a bit more effort, you’ll nail it next time. I’ll help you through the rest of the exams too, so don’t worry."
Lena nodded, appreciating the help, but still feeling a strange tension hanging between them. He was her teacher, but today...it felt different. He wasn’t just Munechika-sensei anymore. He was Mikazuki, a person she was seeing in a whole new light.
As Mikazuki packed up his things, he glanced at her with a teasing glint in his eyes. “By the way, if you were ever a warlord, you’ll have to make sure not to blush in front of your subordinates like this.”
Lena’s face turned crimson again. "W-who’s blushing!? Not me!!"
Mikazuki laughed as he waved goodbye, leaving Lena to her embarrassment once more.
When the door clicked shut, Lena exhaled deeply, letting herself collapse onto the table. Her heart was racing. Was this just a normal tutoring session? It felt like something more… and that confused her.
As she sat there thinking, her phone buzzed with a message from Aki:
“Hey, how did the tutoring go? Survive?”
Lena smiled and quickly typed back:
“Barely. But, uh... it was... interesting?”
Aki’s reply was instant:
“LOL, spill the details later! 😏”
Lena groaned. She wasn’t sure how to explain any of it, even to herself.
---
Before class started, Aki wanted to quickly get her textbook out of her locker. She hastily opened the door. But instead of books, she was met with lots of delicate rose petals dancing wildly around her. Surprised, she stood rooted to the spot and watched the swirling activity. She could already guess whose idea it was.
Lost in thought, she did not notice that someone was staring at her while she was standing in the rain of red petals. A new student entered the school building and could not take his eyes off this impressive scene. Only when the last petal gently slid to the ground did he continue on his way.
“And who is going to clean it all up again?” sighed Aki, knowing full well what red roses, or in this case red rose petals, stand for.
Aki also did not notice that Shokudaikiri took photos of her in the sea of flowers at exactly the right moment. He would surely give a print to Tsurumaru later.
When she arrived in the classroom, she gave Tsuru, who had already taken a seat behind her, a knowing but stern look.
“You really have a charming charisma today, Aki-chan!” he flattered her and pulled her chair and Aki over to his table.
“Tsuuuuuru-kun!” she began, but Tsuru couldn’t stop courting her. He really wanted to leave nothing behind to win her as his girlfriend. “And your hair is truly ROSY today!”
Aki got goosebumps when she felt a gentle movement in her hair. Tsuru carefully removed some petals from her hair.
“T-Tsuru-kun.” Aki took on a serious tone and tried to hide her embarrassment.
“Yes?” he grinned at her.
“Maybe you don’t realize it, but that thing with the rose petals was quite a mess. It was a lot of work getting everything back in order.”
“Oh, come on, don’t tell me you didn’t find the idea at least a little bit romantic…” he grumbled, insulted. But just as Aki was thinking about how to answer, their teacher, Sensei Munechika, came through the door. After the daily attendance check, he introduced a new student.
“I see he’s already sat down back there. Would you like to introduce yourself?”
Unfazed, the new student replied without making an effort to come to the front: “Oi. I’m Tadahiro Hizen. I changed schools and am now here. To a good cooperation.”
“Ahahaha, welcome to this class. It’s actually usual to introduce yourself from here at the front, but since you did it from your seat, we’ll leave it that way,” explained Mikazuki.
During class, Aki kept catching herself casting curious glances at the new student, Hizen Tadahiro. There was something fascinating about his dark aura, she thought. Why had he changed schools? He hadn’t told much about himself. Would she have the courage to speak to him one day?
Suddenly she was torn from her own thoughts by Tsurumaru, who was now standing next to her and clapping his hands happily right in front of her face. “Hello, didn’t you hear the school bell? We can pack up and go home!”
Tsuru grabbed his things and was about to leave the room with Aki in tow when someone blocked his way. Hizen stood in Tsuru’s way so that he couldn’t get past.
“And what do you want?” he asked skeptically.
“I want to make one thing clear, I don’t like bullies, and you’ve been harassing her all day.” He looked at Aki and reared up at Tsuru. “Stop it in the future. Or you’ll regret it.”
“Oooh…that surprises me..You’re calling me a bully?? And you’re seriously threatening me…?!”
But Hizen paid no attention to that, he grabbed Aki’s wrist and led her out of the room, and then out of the building. “There. Now you’re safe from him. Tell me if he bothers you anymore.” With that, he turned around and wanted to leave, but Aki called after him that he should wait a moment.
“Tsuru-kun…can be annoying, but he’s not a bully. Still…THANK YOU.” A slight smile appeared on Aki’s lips.
Hizen looked at her with wide eyes. “Oh…that’s what it seemed to me…Whatever. See you tomorrow.” He quickly turned to leave. Aki could have sworn she saw a slight blush on his cheeks. With a giggle, she headed home.
---
As Shokudaikiri stepped through the door of his house, he heard the sound of his parent's voices coming from the living room. They sounded like they were arguing. He sensed that something was off as he kicked off his shoes and made his way inside.
"Shoku-chan," his mother called out. Her tone was calm, but there was an icy edge to it. He froze for a moment, then slowly walked into the living room where his mother and father sat side by side on the couch. His mother held something in her hands. It was small, pink, and had a tiny, dangling charm.
It was a pencil case.
Lena's pencil case.
His stomach sank. She must have left it behind at his place the last time they hung out. He hadn’t even noticed until now, and here it was, in his mother's hands. The stern look on both his parent's faces made it clear this wasn't just about a lost pencil case.
"Is there something you'd like to tell us?" his father asked, with a disappointed look on his face.
Shokudaikiri awkwardly tried to find the right words. "I... uh... My classmate must have left it. We were working on homework together."
His mother pursed her lips. "Homework? And you conveniently forgot to mention this before now?"
"It’s not what you think," Shokudaikiri said quickly, though he wasn’t entirely sure how to explain the situation without sounding suspicious. His parents exchanged a glance, and his father sighed.
"You’re too young for this, my son," his father said firmly. "Dating while still in school? You need to focus on your studies. Not getting involved in relationships that will distract you."
Shokudaikiri’s jaw tightened, but he kept his head down, not wanting to argue with them. He knew they had high expectations for him, and they had always emphasized the importance of academics. But still... to him, Lena wasn’t just some distraction.
His mother placed the pencil case on the coffee table in front of them. "We didn’t raise you to be irresponsible. You’re only in high school, and relationships at this age… they’re not something you should be worried about. You should be thinking about your exams. And your future career!"
"I am focusing on my studies," Shokudaikiri muttered, but the words sounded weak, even to him. He could see the frustration growing on his father's face.
"Then why are we finding this in the house?" his father demanded. "You’re clearly not taking your responsibilities seriously. You’re letting yourself be sidetracked!"
His mother’s expression softened slightly. "Shoku-chan, we’re only saying this because we care about you. You’re a bright young man, and we don’t want you making mistakes that could affect your future."
Shokudaikiri clenched his fists, feeling a mixture of frustration and guilt. He knew his parents wanted the best for him, but the idea of giving up Lena, someone who made him feel happy... should he really do it?
"You need to end it with her," his mother said gently but firmly. "We’re not saying you can never date, but right now is not the time."
His heart sank at her words. "Break up with Lena?" he repeated, almost as if he hadn’t heard her correctly.
His father nodded. "Yes, it's for the best. Your priorities need to be in order, and right now, dating is not one of them."
Shokudaikiri looked down at the pencil case on the table. He didn’t know what to say. How could he possibly explain to them what Lena meant to him without sounding like some lovesick kid? And how could he just… end things with her because his parents thought it was what was best?
But looking at the stern faces of his parents, he knew this wasn’t a discussion they were willing to continue. Their decision was made. Now it was up to him to figure out what to do next.
---
It is the third time that Hizen has been invited to Aki’s family’s café for coffee and cake. Aki’s parents explained that it was a small thank you for accompanying Aki home so often. This time, too, he was fascinated by the warm atmosphere that existed between them.
Beaming with joy, Aki’s mom took the orders from Hizen, Aki and also Katsu, who of course didn’t want to miss anything and definitely wanted to be there.
“I’ll go and see if I can get an ice cream as well! Does your boyfriend want one too?” Katsu teased his sister and jumped up to look at the counter.
“Katsuuu! He is not…!” Aki called, but fell silent again out of consideration for the other guests. “The cheesecake was a good choice, I think you’ll really like it! It’s also… my favorite cake,” smiled Aki and shyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Hizen’s attention wandered from Aki to her parents, who were talked about who would serve whom. The first thing he noticed was the loving tone of their conversation. He also noticed the attentive glances the two gave each other. That's exactly how a family should be. From the very beginning, he was welcomed by them. He felt really comfortable among them. But in his own home, the exact opposite was the case. He always had to expect that his father would get angry and lash out when he was drunk. Then he would have to quickly get away. Hizen remembered the times when things were a little better, when his mother was still alive and could keep her balance somewhat straight. That was a long time ago. He missed her.
“Hizen-kun… what’s wrong?” There was a concern in Aki’s question as she brought him out of his thoughts.
“Hm? What…” he stared at her. Only now did he notice something wet running down his cheek. Tears? He quickly wiped his face with his sleeves and looked to the side. “Nothing… I have… I’m just not used to it…”
“Oh… What do you mean?”
After a long pause, Hizen finally answered: “…Well… This… Family…”
Aki looked at him with interest, maybe he would tell her a little more. But he didn’t. She could only imagine that it wasn’t so easy at home. In any case, she would make plans to invite Hizen over more often. Maybe one day she would surprise him with a homemade meal! She had noticed the poorly prepared contents of his bento box several times at school. The thought of her giving him her beautifully decorated, homemade food made her heart beat faster.
“Hey, sis, what are you dreaming about in the middle of the day?” grinned Katsu and brought his favorite ice cream.
“I wasn’t dreaming. Just thinking about...!” she justified herself.
“And whaaaaat exactly?”
“That’s private!”
Hizen suppressed a laugh as he listened to this kind of conversation.
“What’s there to laugh about?” Katsu wanted to know.
“Um…that’s…private too.” Hizen and Aki looked at each other and couldn’t hide their giggles.
“NOT FUNNY.” Katsu said, shoveling his ice cream into his mouth.
“Your drinks and cake are coming now!” Aki’s mom gallantly placed the ordered items next to the respective person. “Thank you very much!” Hizen in particular looked enthusiastically at the cake. He would definitely enjoy every single bite of this delicacy.
---
The sky was filled with thick gray clouds as Shokudaikiri and Lena walked side by side. It was a gloomy Friday afternoon, and the wind was starting to pick up, but Lena didn’t mind. She liked when Shokudaikiri walked her home, and even though the weather wasn’t the best, it felt like their usual routine.
But today, something was different with him. He hadn’t even glanced at her since they left the school.
Lena observed him, trying to figure out what was wrong. “Shoku-kun?” she asked, “You’re being really quiet today. Everything okay?”
His response was short, “Yeah. Everything’s fine.”
Lena frowned, she was not convinced. Normally they’d be chatting about their day or joking about the teachers, but today, he was so distant, his attention fixed on the pavement ahead with every step.
She tried again. “I was thinking we could hang out this weekend. Maybe at the café we like?” (Aki's family café)
“Maybe,” he mumbled. The usual warmth in his voice was absent.
Lena's steps slowed slightly. Something was wrong, and he wasn’t telling her. Normally, she could read him easily, but today, he was a closed book.
They walked the rest of the way in silence, and by the time they reached the front gate of her home, Lena turned to face him, but he still wouldn’t meet her eyes.
There was a long, awkward pause before Shokudaikiri finally reached into his bag. He pulled out something familiar, a pink-colored pencil case with a charm dangling from the zipper. Lena’s eyes lit up as she recognized it.
“Ah! My pencil case! I’ve been looking everywhere for it,” she exclaimed. She reached out to take it from him, her fingers brushing his hand. “Thank you so much, Shoku-kun! Where did you find it?”
Shokudaikiri’s grip tightened on the pencil case for a moment before he slowly let go.
“You left it at my place,” he said quietly, finally raising his gaze to look at her.
“Oh, I’m so forgetful,” Lena laughed, tucking the pencil case into her bag. “I’m glad you had it.”
But Shokudaikiri didn’t smile. Instead, he took a step back, as if putting distance between them. His gaze flickered down to the ground again, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Lena noticed his struggle, the way his breath caught in his throat like he was fighting against himself.
“Shoku-kun…?” Lena asked, her voice shaky. “What’s going on?”
Shokudaikiri felt his chest tightening as he tried to gather the strength to say what he had to. The words of his parents and their expectations of him echoed in his mind. But looking at Lena, seeing the confusion and worry in her eyes, it felt like he was about to break his own heart.
“I…” His voice cracked, and he had to force the words out. “… I think… we need to break up.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and painful. For a moment, Lena just stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. “W-what?” she stammered. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. “Break up? Shoku-kun, what are you talking about?”
He looked at her with regret. “I’m sorry, Lena-chan. I can't date right now. I need to focus on school. And I can’t… I can’t see you anymore in that way.”
“But… why? We’ve been fine, haven’t we? I don’t understand…”
At that moment, Shokudaikiri hated himself for putting that look of pain on her face.
Lena shook her head, her voice rising in frustration. “But we do study! We’ve been helping each other with school. Shoku-kun, this doesn’t make sense!”
Her heart raced as she took a step closer to him, her voice trembling. “We can fix this. We don’t have to break up, Shoku-kun. Please…”
He stepped back again, avoiding her touch. “I can’t. I… I have to do this. My parents... they're against our relationship..."
Tears welled up in Lena’s eyes as the reality of his words sank in. She searched his face, desperate to find some way to change his mind, but all she saw was resignation, and it broke her heart.
"Shoku-kun, please… don't do this..."
The first drops of rain began to fall, soft and cold, matching the tears that finally spilled down Lena’s cheeks. Shokudaikiri couldn’t look at her anymore. His throat was tight, and the ache in his chest was unbearable.
“I’m sorry, Lena-chan,” was all he could manage to say. He turned and walked away, his footsteps heavy as the rain poured down. He didn’t look back. He couldn’t.
---
Lena barely heard her grandmother’s voice asking how her day was as she hurried upstairs to her room, closing the door behind her.
She leaned against the closed door, her body shaking as the tears came and she sobbed into her hands, soaking the sleeves of her school uniform. After a few moments, she wiped her face, and tried to steady her breathing.
She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the pencil case in her hands, the one Shokudaikiri had just returned. Tears filled her eyes again, but she wiped them away, determined not to cry any more. At least not right now.
With trembling hands, she pulled out her phone and dialed her best friend’s number. It rang only twice before Aki picked up, her cheerful voice immediately reaching Lena’s ears.
“Hey, Lena-chan! What’s up?”
Lena tried to keep her voice steady. “Aki-nee… He broke up with me.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Wait, what? Shoku-kun broke up with you?!” Aki sounded shocked.
Lena nodded even though Aki couldn’t see her. “Yeah… He said that he has to focus on school. And that his parents don't approve of me."
“That’s ridiculous!” Aki stated, clearly upset on Lena’s behalf. “How could they do that?”
Lena tried to hold back another wave of tears. “I don’t know… He said he had to do it. I just… I don’t know what to do..."
“Oh, Lena-chan… I’m so sorry. Do you want me to come over? I can keep you company. We can talk, or just watch movies and forget about everything.”
“Aki-nee…” Lena suddenly began to cry again.
“Oh, Lena-chan,” Aki said gently, “It’s okay. You don’t have to be strong all the time, you know.”
Lena let the phone fall to the side as she buried her face into her pillow. She clutched the pillow tightly, the pain of Shokudaikiri’s words hitting her all over again.
Aki’s voice was still audible, though distant. “Listen… I’m coming over. You don’t need to be alone right now. I’ll be there soon, okay?”
“Okay… thank you, Aki-nee..."
“I’ll be there soon, Lena-chan. Promise.” Aki’s voice was warm and comforting. Lena's heart felt lighter knowing she had Aki by her side.
Lena hung up and stared at her pillow, now also soaked with tears. She felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. The pencil case was still beside her, a cruel reminder of the breakup that had just unfolded. She picked it up and clutched it to her chest, curling up on her bed as she waited for Aki.
---
Aki was worried about her best friend Lena. She sounded so sad on the phone. Aki quickly put on her rain gear and grabbed her sunny yellow umbrella.
“I have to go to Lena-chan again!” she called to her parents in the café as she passed. “It might be late today.” Then she set off out into the pouring rain.
When she got to Lena’s, Aki immediately threw her arms around her.
“Aki-neeeee… you’re here!” she whining, then cast a searching glance at her friend. “Aren’t you too wet? Do you need other clothes?”
“No, everything’s fine.”
Then Lena flopped down on her bed with a long sigh. “Oh Aki, what should I do now? I don’t know what I did to make him break up with me!”
“I’m so sorry for you! He’ll definitely regret this decision!” Aki tried to console Lena.
“And this stupid slate pencil case… keeps reminding me…” Lena held her pink case in her hand before handing it to Aki. “Here, you take it and throw it away. I can’t stand the sight of it anymore!" After a few moments, Lena took it back as if she had changed her mind. “Or maybe not…? Ah, life isn’t fair!” Lena had tears in her eyes again.
“Oh, Lena-chan…” Aki took Lena in her arms and didn’t let go until her tears had stopped flowing.
“Now… now you’re soaked after all… and that’s my fault…”
“Oh, nonsense, it will dry quickly! … So. How about this…” Aki rummaged in her bag and held up some movies.
Lena looked at Aki in surprise. “What, Aki… horror films? Where did you get them from? And anyway, you don’t like that sort of thing…“
“Heheh, I found them at my parents’ house. If I watch them with you and it distracts you, it’ll be fine…“
Lena was touched. Even though they weren’t the most horrific horror films, just the thought that Aki would do something like that just for her brought a small smile to her lips. “Okay, Aki-nee, get ready! Today we’re having a horror marathon!”
---
The movie they watched was 'Warm Bodies'.
Lena said to Aki, "Hizen has a similar red outfit"
Aki: "WHY you mentioned it?"
Lena observed Aki's reaction curiously. "What? I notice other people's fashion... Your reaction seems excited from mentioning Hizen-kun though, hehe... Could it be the end of one romance but the start of another???" Even Lena with her puffy eyes is laughing.
"I'M GONNA TELL HIM!"
"WHAT! NOOOO--"
The girls have a happy evening.
---
The party was in full swing by the time Aki, Lena and Hizen arrived at Ieyasu's home. Students from every class and different homerooms were chatting with each other and dancing to music playing in the background.
The invitation caught Aki and Lena off-guard, as neither of them knew Ieyasu personally, but Lena definitely wanted to go. A party seemed like the best place to forget her worries. As a result, Aki also made up her mind to attend, and since Aki was attending, Hizen decided to tag along as well.
"Why not?" Hizen said, "A party means free food." Outwardly he said this, but inwardly he wanted to make sure nobody gave Aki, or her friend, any trouble.
As they stood at Ieyasu's front door, Aki admitted, "I still don't know who Ieyasu is... I mean, I've heard his name, but who is this guy?"
Lena also shrugged. "Some popular guy from another homeroom? Everyone seems to know him, but I've never really talked to him at all. I think his last name is... Kogumi?"
Aki raised an eyebrow. "I guess we'll find out more about him tonight."
The two girls exchanged curious looks before stepping into the house with Hizen and entering the lively atmosphere. There were many familiar faces, and Aki, being her usual friendly self, was already chatting with a few other students, while Hizen stuck close by and was observing things quietly.
"Hey, you two made it!" Just then, a cheerful voice called out and they turned around to find themselves face-to-face with a boy who looked like he stepped straight out of a magazine as a model. His clothing and accessories were all name-brand and high quality, and his hair was neatly tied back in a stylish ponytail. Most of all, his bright eyes were complimented by his flawless skin.
Aki blinked in surprise, staring at the gold chain around Ieyasu's neck that shone as he walked. “Oh, are you… Ieyasu-san?”
The boy chuckled, “That’s me! I’m glad you could come. Yoshiya is excited to meet everyone.”
Lena smiled politely, but still felt a bit awkward inside. “Thanks for inviting us. We’ve heard a lot about you but… we didn’t really know who you were.”
Ieyasu laughed with a charming grin, “No worries! This party is for everyone to have fun. Yoshiya is an important friend of mine, and I’m sure you’ll get along well with him.”
As if on cue, another boy joined them, a bit taller than Ieyasu but just as strikingly handsome. Wavy ash blond hair framed his face, and his striking violet eyes made him stand out in the crowd. He had a confident, yet relaxed air around him.
"Ah, there you are!" Ieyasu gestured to his friend. "Here he is. Meet the birthday boy himself."
"Bonsoir. I'm Yoshiya Laurent," he greeted, his accent a unique mix of Japanese and French. "Thank you for coming to the party. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
Hizen shifted his feet impatiently amidst all the introductions. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and seemed more focused on something else.
"All right, everyone's met," Hizen said, cutting the conversation off. "Now, where's the food?"
Ieyasu noticed Hizen's impatience and chuckled. "Come on, have a little patience. We'll get to the food soon enough."
"Hmph, better be worth the wait," Hizen mumbled to himself. He wasn't interested in watching stuck up rich boys try to chat up girls. He was glad he came to keep an eye out for Aki and Lena.
While Aki and Ieyasu continued to chat, all Ieyasu's attention was focused on Aki. Lena started to feel a little out of place. She decided to sneak away, slipping through the crowd of students toward a quieter part of the room. When she turned around, she saw that Yoshiya had followed her and was now standing behind her.
"Um..." Lena stammered, and quickly thought about what she could say to him. "...Happy birthday! It's a really nice party."
"Merci! You're too kind. It's always nice to meet new people. Ieyasu told me about you, but I wanted to talk to you myself." His voice was smooth, with a hint of that French charm. "Can I get you a drink?"
Lena nodded. "Sure, that sounds great."
"I can get you a glass of champagne," he offered, his violet eyes sparkling under the dim party lights.
Lena hesitated; she never had champagne before, but it felt like part of the celebratory atmosphere. Finally she gave in and said, "Um, sure. I guess a little wouldn't hurt."
Yoshiya's smile widened and he nodded, disappearing for a moment to grab their drinks. When he returned, he held two glasses in his hands and offered one to her. "Here you go. It's not too strong, je te promets. I promise."
Taking the glass, Lena felt conflicted, but also grateful for his thoughtful gesture. She raised the glass to her lips and took a small sip. The bubbly liquid tingled against her tongue, along with the sweet grape flavour. "It's... better than I expected."
"It's an acquired taste," Yoshiya replied. "Tonight's about enjoying yourself, so, feel free to relax." He raised his glass toward Lena. "To new friends, and good times. On trinque. Cheers."
Lena hesitated for a second, then clinked her glass against his, feeling a tiny bit of the tension melt away. "To new friends," she echoed his words.
As Lena sipped her champagne, Yoshiya continued to talk, but her thoughts began to drift. She tried to focus on Yoshiya's easy conversation and his charming smile, but it wasn't working. The laughter around her and the upbeat music did not stop her from thinking about the afternoons she used to spend with Shokudaikiri.
She could almost picture him walking beside her, holding her hand, his calm voice bringing her comfort... and now, that closeness was gone. He broke up with her. The emptiness inside her chest felt overwhelming. No matter how friendly Yoshiya was, she couldn't just forget about Shoku that easily.
Lena glanced down at the champagne in her hand, watching the bubbles slowly drift to the surface. Without thinking, she raised the glass and finished the rest of the champagne in one go, hoping the warm buzz from the drink would drown the sadness inside her. She swallowed hard, forcing a small smile towards Yoshiya, who hadn't noticed her shift in mood.
"Whoa, someone's in the party spirit," Yoshiya joked, noticing only Lena's empty glass. "Want another one?"
Lena felt the warmth of the champagne spread through her, but the emptiness inside her still lingered. She didn't want to let her sadness ruin the night.
"Actually... yes," she replied against her better judgment, handing him her empty glass, "I'll take another."
"Coming right up." Yoshiya was clearly pleased by her response. He disappeared again. When he returned with the fresh glass, Lena accepted it gratefully.
"Thanks," she said softly before taking another sip, hoping the bubbles would erase the loneliness she was carrying. "So, where is your family from? Your Japanese is really good."
"Well, I'm an international student, but my parents want me to spend more time in Japan to get in touch with my cultural roots. I was born and raised in Paris, though. My mom's French and my dad's Japanese." He paused for a moment before adding, "I actually have an English name... it's Raphael. But I prefer Yoshiya. It's more like 'me', you know?"
"Raphael? That's cool... I get it though, Yoshiya suits you." Lena said, and then she added, "Yoshi is my favourite in Mario Kart."
"Is that so? I guess that makes me pretty special," Yoshiya teased.
"You can really win races with Yoshi!" Lena nodded confidently.
"Well, if Yoshi is your favourite, you can call me Yoshi if you like." Yoshiya's voice was gentle and inviting, as if the nickname meant more than a playful suggestion.
Lena's cheeks felt hot, whether from the champagne or from the moment, she wasn't sure. "Alright, then, Yoshi-san," she said with a shy smile.
Yoshiya liked the way his name sounded on her lips. As the evening went on, he noticed how Lena's face grew slightly more flushed after a couple glasses of champagne. He glanced around the crowded room, the laughter and music was louder now as more people had arrived. He learned in closer to Lena, his lips inches from her ear.
"This party's getting a bit loud, don't you think? How about we continue this conversation somewhere quieter?" He casually gestured toward the staircase at the far end of the room. "It's probably a lot less chaotic up there."
The champagne buzzed in Lena's head, and the promise of a quiet space away from the noisy crowd seemed appealing. Her mind briefly flashed again to Shokudaikiri and the hurt from their breakup, but here was Yoshiya--charming, friendly, and clearly interested in spending time with her.
"Okay," she gave in and agreed to his suggestion, "Let's go somewhere quieter..."
Without missing a beat, he offered her his hand, guiding her through the crowd toward the staircase. As they made their way up the stairs, Lena couldn't help but feel nervous butterflies in her stomach.
Meanwhile... Hizen was bored. He was bored of listening to Ieyasu's flirty chatter directed at Aki, and he was bored of Aki being polite to their host by not turning down his obvious compliments towards her. Still, Aki had told him to be more polite, as they were guests at this party, so he was trying his best to be on good behaviour. For her sake.
He shifted his attention to around the room, catching sight of Lena and that posh wannabe Yoshiya heading upstairs together. Something about that didn't sit right with him, and he immediately tapped on Aki's shoulder.
"Hey," Hizen began, his voice low but direct. "Is it really fine for your friend to go off on her own with that guy? She just met him, right?"
Aki blinked, momentarily pulled out of her conversation with Ieyasu. Her eyes followed Hizen's direction towards the stairs. "I... didn't think she would actually go off with him," Aki admitted, "but maybe she's fine? I mean, he's Ieyasu's friend, right?" Her voice sounded slightly shaky, as though she was trying to convince herself.
"I mean, that doesn't mean much," Hizen muttered, crossing his arms.
Ieyasu was still oblivious to the situation. He was happy to finally have Aki Shimura in his home, and he would do his best to impress such a fine lady such as herself. He couldn't care less about what anyone else was doing at the party...
Upstairs, Lena followed Yoshiya into a quiet guest room. The dim lighting and the antique furniture made the space feel quite intimate. Yoshiya closed the door behind them with a soft 'click', sealing them off from the noise of the party below.
He walked over to the bed and sat down, gesturing for Lena to join him. "Viens ici," he said in a pleasant and inviting tone, but there was an intensity in his eyes. "Come and sit."
Lena nervously started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, but the warmth of the champagne she had drank pushed her to go along. She moved slowly to the bed, sitting beside him, though she left a space between them.
"It's quieter here, isn't it? Just us." Yoshiya's gaze lingered on her flushed cheeks. He studied her face and her shy expression. "You look lovely tonight," he said, leaning in, "and I have to say, the school uniform looks really cute on you."
Without warning, his fingers brushed against her thigh as he moved closer, the touch was subtle but noticeable. Lena's breath hitched in her throat and she froze as Yoshiya's face was so close to her, that their noses were almost brushing together.
"I heard about what happened with Shokudaikiri," Yoshiya whispered, his breath was warm against her skin. "I know he hurt you... but I can help you forget about him... and take your mind off that man."
The room suddenly felt small, smaller than before. Lena's heart pounded in her chest. The way he spoke sent a shiver down her spine, but at the same time, something inside her felt wrong. She stared at the floor, her thoughts feeling clouded by the alcohol and the closeness of the man next to her.
"T-thank you for your concern..." Lena's heart raced as his words sank in. He was way too close. She inhaled deeply and placed her hands on his shoulders, pushing him back to keep him at arm's length. Lena struggled to continue, "Um... I think I need some space right now..."
Before she could finish talking, Yoshiya's hands shot up and grabbed her wrists firmly. Lena's eyes widened in shock. Before she could react, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers.
The suddenness of the kiss left Lena frozen in place, her mind screaming at her to do something to stop this! This wasn't what she wanted! Especially not now, not like this. Her heart raced with a mix of fear and confusion as she tried to pull away, but Yoshiya held her wrists tightly. She could feel his hands tightening as he tried to pull her closer.
This wasn't how things were supposed to go!
"Yoshi-san, stop," Lena said, her voice breaking as she struggled against him. "Please... I don't want this!"
Yoshiya was surprised at her reaction. He hadn't expected her to pull back, and for a moment he looked like he might protest. His grip loosened as he looked into her eyes, realizing the fear written all over her face. Lena used that moment to push him away, freeing herself from his grasp. She stood up shakily, her heart still pounding as she tried to catch her breath.
"I-I need to go," she whispered, backing towards the door. She needed to get out of there, to leave the suffocating room behind, and to be anywhere but here. She stumbled out of the room. The dim hallway blurred as she gripped the railing tightly, forcing herself to focus on each step as she made her way back downstairs.
She felt her cheeks burning, not just from the alcohol but from the shame and confusion that weighed on her. She didn't want Aki or Hizen to see her like this, vulnerable and embarrassed. Her hands were trembling as she reached the bottom of the stairs. The sound of music and laughter from the party sounded distant and faraway, as if she were suddenly transported to a different world.
Her feet carried her towards the front door as quickly as she could manage, her mind replaying the event upstairs. She felt dirty, shameful, and desperate to escape the party. Every step was a struggle, but she pushed herself forward, determined to leave before anyone--Especially Aki-- could see her in this state.
Reaching the door, Lena fumbled with the handle before finally pushing it open and stepping outside into the night air. The breeze hit her like a wave, cooling her flushed skin, and it was a relief. She could breathe again.
Now, she just had to figure out how to get home. Alone.
---
"Jiji-sensei. Or Sensei Jiji? Which sounds better?"
Aki and Lena looked at him in astonishment.
"His name is Sensei MUNECHIKA," Aki corrected.
"His name is Sensei MUNECHIKA," Aki corrected.
"You can’t talk about our teacher like that!" Lena protested, but Mikazuki just laughed and slowly realized why he was acting that way.
"I understand, I understand. Well, this one time I’ll overlook it."
Hizen, who barely noticed any of this, murmured quietly, "Hey, Aki-chan… let’s go out together sometime…"
Embarrassed, Aki looked out the window and saw the lights fluttering past them like fireflies as they drove. He wants to…. go out together….! Hizen had said so much today. But with this last sentence, the butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t stop.
It didn’t take long until they arrived at Aki’s family’s. Aki’s mom was still awake and agreed to let Hizen sleep here for the night. Mikazuki helped Hizen get into the house and put him down on the sofa. He immediately fell lengthways onto the seat and went into a sleeping position.
Aki thanked Mikazuki again. He had to promise her that he would bring Lena home safely.
"Of course. And you take good care of Hizen-kun. It will probably knock him out completely tomorrow."
"Oh yeah, and one more thing…" Mikazuki added as he left the house, "…don't be too disappointed if he hardly remembers anything tomorrow."
Aki locked the door and got a blanket for Hizen. ‚So it could be that he doesn’t remember what happened,‘ she thought, the memory of his statement about going out came back to her mind. The thought that he might not remember made her heart heavy.
Carefully, she went back into the living room so that she wouldn’t wake him up and laid the soft blanket over him so that only his head was sticking out. There he was sleeping soundly. It looked kind of cute, the way he was slumbering all wrapped up like that. Aki couldn't help but smile and knelt down on the floor to take a closer look. His features seemed softer than usual when he was sleeping.
His hair fell into his face, and after a little hesitation Aki gently pushed a few strands back. Then her gaze fell on his neck; it was tied in the middle with a black ribbon, which he always wore at school. What was he hiding underneath? Or was it just some kind of fashion accessory?
She was torn from her thoughts when she suddenly heard her name quietly.
"Aki… chan…" Hizen was talking in his sleep. Was he dreaming about her?
She felt her heart pounding and covered her blushing cheeks with her hands as if someone could see. She slowly got up to go to her own room. One last look at a peacefully sleeping Hizen, then she closed the door.
---
"There's… something I want to tell you," Lena said, unsure of how to even begin. She glanced at Mikazuki nervously, hoping that he wouldn’t judge her. "At the party tonight, I ended up in an awkward situation… with this guy, Yoshiya."
"What kind of situation?" Mikazuki asked, choosing his words carefully.
Lena bit her lip and looked down at her hands. "He… he was really friendly at first. He got me a drink, and we talked for a while, and I guess… I drank more than I should have. We went upstairs to talk, and everything got… really weird. He started getting close. Too close. I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I was until… until he kissed me, and things started feeling all wrong."
She saw Mikazuki's jaw clench slightly, though he kept his composure.
"I tried to keep some distance, but he didn’t take the hint," she continued. "It was hard to stop him… I don’t even know how I managed to get away and leave the party without Aki or Hizen seeing me."
Mikazuki’s hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "Did he hurt you?"
Lena shook her head. "No… no, nothing like that. I left before it got worse. But I still feel... I don’t know. Gross, I guess. Like I messed up. I was just trying to forget about Shoku-kun, but I ended up in a bad situation. And now I don’t know how to feel about any of it."
Mikazuki exhaled slowly, trying to collect his thoughts before speaking. "Lena-chan, you didn’t do anything wrong by trying to move on, and you certainly didn’t deserve what that guy did. It sounds like you were put in a situation where you felt vulnerable."
Lena nodded, though she still felt a lingering shame. "I don’t know. It’s like I keep making all the wrong choices."
"You’re figuring things out, and part of that is recognizing when things aren’t right. It’s good that you got out of there. From now on, we can talk about how to avoid situations like that. It's important to trust your instincts, even if things seem fine at first."
Lena managed a small smile, grateful for his understanding. "Thanks, Mikazuki-san. I didn’t know who else to talk to about this."
He gave her a reassuring nod. "You can always come to me. I’ll help you, however I can."
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Behave yourself, now. ;)