i never intended to write this fast.

but i got inspired by one of the memories i had with the one i love who just died.

when he was alive, i would always tell him: if i'm granted of just one power, i want to be able to read people's minds.

and with this, the story started.

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If every person has a projector attached on his nose, projecting everything that he thinks about, maybe there wouldn't be a word 'lie' in the Dictionary.

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I have always been an odd ball.

I have always been afraid of people.

But now that I'm older, I think I've gotten pretty used to the world I live in.

In the world I am in, what I hear is different from what they say.

In the world I am in, there's no use in having masks.

Because in the world I'm in, truth is what echoes.

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"No. Freakin'. Way.!" A girl's voice shrieked prettily that it caught my attention from watching the clouds out the classroom window. I know that voice. It's Yamada-san's voice, my classmate since middle school. Well, it's not really surprising to find people here who knows each other from elementary up to now since this is an elite private elevated school.

I didn't attend here in elementary since I was kept away from society by my parents. Why? Because –

This bitch! She's such a show-off!

Why's she always on the lead?

It's frustrating!

What am I going to do with my math homework?

I want to eat.

It's so noisy.

Having one of an abnormal child who can hear people's minds was really a trouble, but really, they never thought of me as a burden. They loved me the same and I'm grateful. When they first found out I had this ability, they shrieked out. They didn't know what to do, whom to call, who to trust. They knew that if they blabbed it out to the wrong people, I'd be a guinea pig – locked up in a research lab. That's why no one knows about this ability I have except for a few people we really trust.

But when I started middle school, I knew that I have to be responsible even just for a bit. And I asked my parents to send me to school. Then they sent me here to the school where my uncle is the principal and left me in his care. Uncle Kazu even reserved the whole top floor of the dormitories to be mine and Hotaru's only – not to mention the bodyguards around.

Those men in black has really made a ruckus. Because of that, I was like, kept away from the world again with this invisible boundaries. Well, being born from a rich and famous family had its benefits and disadvantages. People was wary of me.

But at least, I've come to taste a life out of the Yukihara mansion.

"Uwaa. Luna, you already have that yet to be publicized?" Wakako asked. I have to ask my uncle to bring me the new prada –

I shut my eyes tight, not wanting to hear anything.

But it was useless.

I can't control this power.

I don't have any idea how to turn it on and off, how to filter what I hear. Everything within five kilometres of me floods through me.

With a distance of five kilometres, no one can tell me lies.

Oh no, it's only ten minutes left before the homeroom starts.

What to do?

I hope Narumi's not wearing something ridiculous again.

He's just so dreamy.

Mikan, are you okay?

I snapped my head up, looking at the pair of amethyst eyes, standing right in front of my desk. Then I smiled.

"Hotaru!"

She's my best friend. And she's one of the few people who knows of my condition. Ever since I was young, she'd be with me to hold my hands.

Hotaru is the kind of girl who doesn't like to talk much. But since I know what she's thinking about, we don't have any problem. And besides, she's one of the few people who says what's on their mind. No pretence. No mask. Maybe that's why I like her. And maybe that's why I'm comfortable around her.

"Again. You okay?" She asked again.

"Hehe. Fine."

Her eyebrows arched. "Look here, Mikan. I may not have the same ability as yours but hell I can still read you like a book. Now, if you don't want me to shove a 'candy' in your mouth, better tell me the truth and take it yourself."

I gulped.

"But, but Hotaru, I'm really fine. Nothing's painful." Which is the truth. "I just got a little uncomfortable with the 'noise'."

Noise, huh. I heard Hotaru's mind asked.

For the sake of not being found out, we created these signals of words to be used. So, even if we're in public like this, we can talk about it freely.

Ability? Painful?

I almost jumped out of my chair when I heard what the boy behind me thought. And my reaction didn't go unnoticed by Hotaru.

She looked behind me, and raised her brows even higher, but still maintaining her poker face. "Kokoroyome, are you eavesdropping on a girls' conversation?" She asked directly and fearlessly.

Uwa! She's so sharp!

"O-of course not! Who, who would?" His voice trembled a bit. I even imagined him to straighten up his sit on his chair. Why? Of course because it's Hotaru. Who would dare cross path with the most famous 'Ice Queen'?

I snickered quietly, not wanting to catch anyone's attention. I have to stay away from the spot light as much as possible to avoid my secret leaking out. But I guess I was one of the people who gets attention whether I like it or not.

She smiled!

Yukihara just smiled.

It's so rare to see her smiling.

She's with the Ice Queen again.

Aren't they too much of a combination?

How can such two Icy princesses be together?

I covered my mouth to prevent myself from laughing. I guess Hotaru really has her own reputation. But then, inside the very same class room, I heard something not so funny.

She's such a faker.

Why are they paying attention to her when I'm here?

I can't believe that creepy Yukihara's being the center of attention.

She's not even pretty.

How cocky, just because their family's one of those standing at the top of the world.

Che. She even got the whole floor of the dormitory for her.

What's with the bodyguards anyway? Why does she have it? Not like someone's going to steal her.

Why's she acting so high and mighty?

She's so creepy. That's why no one's approaching her.

I closed my eyes and clasped my hands on top of my legs, controlling the raging of different emotions threatening to run wild.

It's not like I never wanted any friends. Of course I'd like to have some. But I want real friends, not someone who just approaches me because of power and political influence. That's why I rejected all those people who approached me just for mere petty things. They offered me many pretty words, some even gave me worldly possessions. But it's not like they could ever deceive me. Even if they don't say anything, I can hear their thoughts perfectly and clearly from five kilometres away.

Hotaru must have noticed the sudden change in me.

"What are you guys looking at? Nothing's here to be amazed about." I heard her say in a very cold voice. Hmp. Idiots.

Che. Bitch.

Waah, so cool!

Scary.

Why's she with that creepy Yukihara?

I bit my lower lip.

In my four years here in the academy, they have always looked at us as if we have some kind of a disease. They feared Hotaru who is a business minded freak and acts towards everyone with unparalleled coldness. They avoided me because they thought I lived in a very different world than them, thus earning me with no friends. At all.

Maybe it's because of me avoiding humans in all generality that they have come to the conclusion that I'm creepy.

I didn't let people enter my world easily, and I was always wary of them.

I talk to people with no ill thoughts. I avoided people who says and think differently.

Once I thought that I didn't want this power since it stripped me off of my youth. But then, it helped me a lot to unmask the fake reality.

-ome in when I call your names. Please stand here for a second.

I looked at Hotaru and then whispered, "Transfers."

She blinked. "Now?"

I nodded. And as if on cue, Narumi-sensei slammed the door open. Then, with a very huge smile on his face, he announced, "Good morning my very dear students!"

Wow. They're so adorable each and every day.

I smiled.

I like Narumi-sensei. What he says is always what he thinks.

I like him, even if he wears frilly clothes every day – which always earned him a glare from the students.

Oh? Why are they looking at me like that? Do they love my outfit that much? TeeHee.

I snickered. "Sensei's so cute."

Hotaru looked down at me. "Really. You're bad in the head."

"Whaaat. He's just so clueless."

"Well, ignorance's a bliss." She said as she walked back to her desk. I wonder who to blackmail this day? Oh. Right. Hope the transfers bring me good sales.

What the? Hotaru, really. She's still thinking of who to blackmail in this state.

"Okay! May I have your attention please?" Narumi announced in his teacher-like mode to catch everyone's attention. "We have transfer students today."

"Students? Plural?"

"Are they girls?"

"No! They must be boys!"

"They have to be cute."

"Why now?"

Questions flooded Narumi. "Well, they came from Alice Academy branch in Britain. They only transferred now because of some reasons. Hm, why don't you just ask them yourself?" He looked at the doors. "Please come in!" He shouted loud enough for the boys outside to hear him.

About time, jee. One voice outside said, not with the ill intention, but just pure expression.

I held my breath as I looked at the door, waiting for someone to appear. Then, a few seconds later, a tall man with a blonde hair, so blonde it could have been white, and a striking blue eyes entered the room. He was the typical image of a prince charming. So gentle, so kind.

Behind him, another guy followed. His total opposite.

It was a grumpy looking guy with a mess of raven black hair. His hair was sticking here and there, but magically enough, he still looked gorgeous. But what captivated me the most was his eyes. A very rare pair of bloody crimson eyes.

I didn't know how long I held my breath as I looked at him.

Everyone started to squeal and shout cheers, but I couldn't hear anything. It was… unexplainable.

I looked around.

"So cool!"

"Oh my God! It's them in flesh!"

"I can't believe they're here!"

I waited.

And waited.

And I couldn't hear anything else.

Nothing.

I didn't know what they were thinking.

I gasped some air, my eyes teary. Could it be possible?

My mind was quiet.

Nothing, there was nothing! Am I free?

...them.

ool.

Wow.

Red eyes.

I'm going to be rich.

It's really them!

Slowly, but surely, I heard it again.

They flooded me slowly and calmly, like a river.

My silence was gone. Everything was loud again.

But then, at least, even for a second there, I experienced the freedom of not hearing anything. I experienced to be someone normal, even just for a second.

I clutched my chest tight, trying to relieve myself of the pain.

Maybe there's a slight chance of me to be normal.

It happened, didn't it? There was a one moment that everything was turned off. Maybe, maybe I could be freed from this curse? Maybe, if I struggle hard enough, I could be like any other people?

Hope filled me.

Hope which I got from somewhere I didn't know.

Natsume? Where are you looking at? I heard one of the transfer boys.

I looked up, trying to figure out what was going on. And the first thing I saw was that pair of bloody eyes.

It pierced me, those eyes did. He was looking at me like he was shocked to see me.

Oh? She's looking at that girl. Do they know each other? The princely boy beside thought again.

And that Natsume guy was still looking directly at me. Shocked.

Moments passed.

Then I realized.

"What?" I gasped silently.

I can't hear any thoughts from him!

There really is nothing!

I can't hear him.

And then, I realized again, maybe I could be normal with him?

Hope filled me again.

Now I know that it came from him.

Then, without a warning, a tear dropped from my eyes.

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If every person has a projector attached on his nose, projecting everything that he thinks about, maybe there wouldn't be a word 'lie' in the Dictionary. Things would be a lot easier. I won't have to burn my self with thinking about things. I won't be decieved.

-i'd say.

But then, a life without a bit of worrying, getting jelous, confrontations and confessions, wouldn't that be a bit boring?

-he'd answer.

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this is from the memories i had with him.

thanks to this memory, i got to write again.

thanks to him.