(J.I.C.) Disclaimer: I don't own Free! or it's characters. I only own my OCs. *Cover art by Mikorin on Tumblr!
Chapter One:
"You are to be graceful.
"You must always succeed.
"Because you are a Ryuko."
Poetry acts as liberation from reality. But, when spun from the commands of my strict grandmother, it is burrowed into the mind like a seed to soil, planted to bloom later. No matter how many times I deny it the waters of my obedience, to cut it down with my hopes, I still breathe in its perfume to forget the inevitable reality: I am not free. I am but a butterfly slumbering in its cocoon, waiting to break out.
My mornings are no extraordinary event. They begin at the rise of dawn as the sparrows break into a harmony of chirps, and the sunlight melts away the night's chilly grasp; all in which upon realizing, I had taken for granted until one April day: the first day of high school.
"Good morning, miss," greeted my maid, Shizu. I blinked away the fog of sleep clouding her familiar features, finding her hair in its usual bun, all but her astray bangs pinned underneath her headpiece. Her brown eyes immediately spotted my untamed hair, and her standard mask of composure shattered at the corner of her lip. It was a sign of anxiety that hadn't been put to rest for this particular day. Of course, she had doted on me like a mother, always there to make sure I was in good health and listening to my frets. I would be surprised if there were ever a chance that she could be coaxed out of such a habit.
"Shall I help you dress, miss?" she asked.
"No, thank you. The material is quite simple enough for me to put on alone."
A shaky breath faintly escaped her. "Very well. I'll be outside the room. Madame Ryuko will be in the dining room as per the usual."
After she left, I leaped out of bed, ungracefully and giddily in contradiction to Grandmother's rules. For a moment I was fascinated with my uniform hanging from the open-door closet. There lay an unforeseen future, an opportunity to strive in the red of the shirt bow, a chance for common ground amongst the others my age in the dulled black of the coat. None of it would have been possible without my mother's wishes.
Her miniature shrine sat at the corner of the dining room door, awaiting my arrival in the main hallway. I bowed in respect to her picture that was placed on the middle shelf, finding myself staring into her eyes. I had once been able to catch her scent of green tea and cinnamon, cherished the genuine smile she had for me, but when I looked at her now, I saw nothing but phantoms of her former glory. The whispers from those phantoms tried to speak, dying on the breeze of the forested gardens outside. I imagined that it had something to do with her motherhood, the daily lessons she once had for me always to see something breath-taking around me. But, a fox of her similar kind can easily be admired at the same time missed. She was a force that could never be tamed, a spirit that could slip through your fingers when you least expected it. And I yearned so badly to relive it all again.
"M'lady," greeted a voice from behind me.
"Good morning, Hyousuke-san."
Our head butler was one for appearing out of the blue, but to his dismay, I have learned to detect his presence after all the years.
"Madame Ryuko is waiting in the dining room requesting that you attend breakfast as soon as possible."
"I was just on my way, but, thank you."
Wordlessly, my coat-tailed butler led me to a large, rice-papered door and opened it for me. Upon entering, I felt the electric glare of my Grandmother's eyes on me before I saw her, sensed her presence like an animal would a storm. She watched me without a blink as I approached my seat next to her and sat on the cushioned mat. I already knew what she was looking for before she moved to stand and observe; my posture had been slacking since my eagerness for this day and had bled through my routine. But I pulled back my shoulders, pushed my chest out more as she circled me. To my surprise, she walked back to her seat with only a mutter of disapproval to my glasses sliding down my nose.
"Are you prepared for today?"
I nearly jumped in my seat, fearing lightning would strike but found it was her addressing me.
"Yes, Grandmother."
She paused for the moment when the breakfast trays entered. I savored the opportunity of temporary relaxation in food. Her daily lecture sounded more positive in between bites of rice, all until her final words rang profoundly in the air, and on my shoulders just as Atlas wore the heavens.
"You are to be graceful.
"You must always be the best.
"Because you are a Ryuko."
Because I am a Ryuko, I thought, having pondered on the phrase during the car ride to school. The words themselves formed into a limitation on my daily routine. Because I am a Ryuko, I couldn't speak out of terms, or when I wasn't addressed. Because I am a Ryuko, I had to act a specific way to obtain a golden status. As a Ryuko...where was I to go with a label like that in a changing world?
When the car door opened, my eyes squinted at the light coming off of the school building, adjusting to and fixating on the view before me. Trees garnered behind the red-bricked gate, giving the sun-bleached walls of the school even more glow. What was considered a public eye-sore by my grandmother was deemed fitting for a new life awaiting me, numerous opportunities bounding towards an unforeseen future in an unsuspecting way.
I was determined to fit in, to blend with the crowd when I saw the entrance of the school. The surge of hope raged in my chest...but settled to a flare as Hyousuke stayed put at my side during my visit with the faculty. My teacher, a large, balding man, greeted me like any other student, but even I could sense the uneasiness he had towards the lurking butler. I didn't blame his quick feet as he led the two of us up the stairs towards the classroom.
Hyousuke was gaining more and more attention as I waited to be called into the classroom, and not of the right nature. He was a harmless man, but all the others seemed to see was a dark-haired, pale butler that watched them back with a menacing look. With that, I had to intervene.
"Hyousuke-san?"
"Yes, M'lady?"
"Do you think it...Would it be too much to ask if I were to be unattended...during class?"
"Are you certain, M'lady? Madame Ryuko specifically ordered-"
It wasn't like Hyousuke to stop mid-sentence. His head snapped up to something I could not hear, and like a dog on the hunt, he quickly disappeared down the stairwell without another word.
Whatever could be the matter with the staff today? I hope he'll feel better after settling in at home after school, I thought.
"Miss Ryuko?" the teacher called, peeking his head out in the process. "You may come in now."
Any other trail of thought was immediately erased by the tide of my nerves, faded into the sound of my nervous heartbeat. But I wasn't scared. I wouldn't let myself slip into the dark under waters of uncertainty. With the new shore came the new horizon, and I would embrace such a change, starting with the first step inside the classroom.
The smell of fresh parchment and dusty chalk greeted me in return, exhausted yet greedy stares in the wake. I found my strength siphoned from such eyes, yet there came relief when our instructor directed me to the front of the room. It was a short reprieve when he called on me to give my introduction.
No matter...If I could suffer through Grandmother's dressing tutelage, I can give a short speech.
"Good morning," I started out, looking around for some sign of support. When none appeared, I pressed on, "My name is Ryuko Michiko. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
Rising from my greeting bow, I noticed my glasses slipping from the bridge of my nose. I moved to adjust them, finding my peers smiling in amusement, a small chuckle arising from the back. Heat of humiliation flushed across my cheeks.
Our instructor seemed oblivious to us all, taking no time to start his lesson. "Alright, everyone, if you'll all look up at the b-"
"I'm sorry I'm late!" called a voice, the classroom door flying open to reveal a short, teenage girl nearly falling into the room. The person in question flicked away strands of her long, blond ponytail, brushed back her straight-cut bangs out of large, caramel eyes.
Despite her attempt to keep face, most of the class was shaken, some letting a chuckle loose in front of the ashamed teacher. He grew red, appalled by her interruption. But most importantly, no one could ignore the fact that she had just spoken in British-accented English.
She blinked. Once, twice, looking around at the room before realization dawned on her lips.
"Oh, bollocks, I can't believe this!-" she muttered to herself before she suddenly closed the door before her. A second passed before it opened, her demeanor bordering calm and polite as she entered, closed the door, and bowed in apology and said in perfect Japanese, "I'm sorry I'm late, sensei. I'm Takemono Ella, one of your new students!"
A "halfie," as others were whispering to each other, was a slang term in relation to her. A person of half-Japanese, half-other relation apparent by her appearance was something still new to the community, even to me. By the reaction of the teacher and my classmates, I could tell that it was the same circumstance. But when I looked at her, I felt nothing but pity that she committed, what they said, to be "social suicide." That in mind, I couldn't fathom the strength she had to calmly walk to her appointed seat in front of laughing classmates.
During pre-calculus, another teacher had us working on practice problems, although my struggle to act appropriately on the worksheet was not a similar one to others. Having been lectured on the topic over two years prior, the sheet itself was mere child's play, but I couldn't fill out the answers right away. To blend in was to act like the others, and none of my peers, save for the one or two who made it their mission to study, seemed to have the answers.
The act itself was near irritable, and my focus drifted off onto the backs of my peers. On my right was my other classmate, Takemono, leaning forward every so often. At first, I was moved by her academic prowess, but then her pencil slipped out of her hands, her head hanging lower than ought to be...
Is it an appropriate time to take a nap?! I thought to myself. And evidently, that was the same question on our teacher's mind.
The teacher, her eyes strictly on Takemono, slapped her long ruler on the chalkboard. Most others jumped, stifling a gasp, but there came a broken snore from none other.
"Takemono-san!" the teacher exclaimed.
My classmate jolted into a better posture, her response switching from English to Japanese. "Yes-oh, drat-er, yes, ma'am?"
"If you had bothered to show up at the entrance ceremony, you would've learned that most of us teachers do not tolerate sleeping in class."
"B-but-I-"
"Oh? Would you like to answer the problem on the board, then?"
Takemono gave a derisive grumble as she marched to the front. Students like me were shocked by the challenge while others had amused sparks in their eyes and rebellion in their smiles. The atmosphere shifted, the silence splitting hairs. Her daring was most captivating; I must admit. Not many had the gall to rise against to an authoritative figure.
Her numbers looked as much as a chicken would scratch at dirt, sharp and edged with impatience. The equation she filled in was, at most, correct, but her stroke of luck ran out before the answer. I sucked in a nervous breath.
It's too obvious! The teacher will see how she's struggling because she's not executing it properly! I thought.
Her chalk-piece hovered longer in front of the board, adding pressure to the impatient silence. Pursing my lips, I watched as she bid her time by checking her work, correcting some of the things I knew were wrong. I wondered if anyone else noticed her apparent stalling...
Then her eyes shifted, her head turned to the clock, then, suddenly, bending back as if to stretch, and settling on me. But that couldn't be right. I blinked, yet her eyes never wandered elsewhere.
"Is there a problem, Takemono-san?" the teacher demanded.
Her body lurched at the sudden voice, a movement too quick to be considered accidental. The chalk in her hand sailed in a sharp arc, landing in front of my row. Takemono went to retrieve it, coming ever closer toward me. Slowly, she rose with it, her eyes pleading for me to help. I panicked, fighting for a conclusion to the scenario. If I didn't help her, she would fail to prove herself to the class, and she would possibly hold a grudge against me. But if I did help her...
Time was of the essence. I didn't have enough to consider my other option, and so I gave in. Before she turned around, I mouthed, "PEMDAS," hoping and praying that I wouldn't be caught. She acted none the wise, approaching the board and answering the equation quickly. The room seemed to have released a breath as the teacher checked her work. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed my help when her cheeks pinked in shame, and she dismissed Takemono with a warning. Our classmates gave her appreciative looks, but I looked on, hoping my choice wouldn't come back to haunt me.
The morning classes came and went with no sign of Hyousuke. I was surprised that he had taken that long to address the unknown issue, much less fail to meet me in the hallway. While I worried on his behalf, I couldn't help but fall to the temptation of walking freely on the grounds and did so with eager steps.
Each step felt...lighter. Invigorating. I traced the paths other students walked, from the cafeteria stalls to the left corner of the grounds where tennis practice was being held. The upperclassmen of the sports' teams eagerly handed out flyers by their fields, speaking in a tongue only salesmen would use. I held onto the different fliers I'd collected, seated myself in a patch of unoccupied grass to smell the parchment and printed ink. It added to the hum of the grounds, a slow tune that played in the winds of everyday life around me, something I'd been unaccustomed to; which made the sound even more lovely.
Behind me and the trees came a rustling, something too wild to be a squirrel. As I turned, there was a thud, a flash of orange hair, and a familiar face appeared.
"Hello, Michiko-sama."
"Noritaka-san, what-how are you here?" I stuttered.
It seemed impossible for my father and his group to know where I was when I had Hyousuke for a butler.
"You doubt your father and his trusted kobun? Perhaps you've forgotten that we have eyes and ears in this entire town."
His triumphant, cat-like smile on his lips didn't make the matter any better. If Grandmother knew that Father had a spy on school grounds...well, the same would be said for a gazelle being caught by a lioness: it wouldn't be pretty.
"How-how is Father?" I asked, hoping a subject change would bring better news.
"The usual. Wondering how you are and disciplining the lackeys."
I laughed, picturing Father doing precisely that. It made me all the more eager to see him the following Saturday, though on better terms than the kobun.
Noritaka's lips tried to form a word when there came voices from around the corner. I turned only briefly, and when calling to my companion, did I find that he left as Hyousuke had.
"Oh-em-gee," someone said. "There she is. Just like I said."
Upon turning back, I realized that I was surrounded by three of my classmates. All females, and all looking to me as if I had recited a horrible pun.
"I-I beg your pardon. Can I help you with something?"
"Yeah," said the girl in front of me. "All of us totally saw that 'thing' you did earlier, y'know, for that other new girl?"
Oh, no...
I was sure I had been discreet. And if memory served correctly, then the girls wouldn't have been able to see me do anything when they sat in the far back of the classroom. The only possibility would be that they had been watching over me since I'd first introduced myself...And, if that were true, then I couldn't acknowledge the gesture for our classmate as anything more than a whim.
"I-I'm not exactly sure if-"
"Girl, seriously, we don't care. We just wanted to know how much you pay to 'help us out' with tests and stuff."
"You must be mistaken. I don't offer business like that."
She blinked at me for a moment; a sudden idea seemed to dawn on her.
"Oh-em-gee! So that's it!"
"Excuse me?"
"You're one of those losers who do stuff to suck up to people."
"Now, wait, just a-"
As I reached out, trying to reason with them, my shoe caught on loose grass, and I was sent tumbling to the ground below. Laughter met with me when I sat upright, along with shame. I had never embarrassed myself like so, and in the middle of a misunderstanding of all things, as well.
"Here's the deal," the leader said, although I couldn't see her. Only then did I realize that my glasses came off during the fall. "How about, like, we don't spill anything to the teachers about today, and you do your thing for us until we say so?"
"...Is this blackmail? I won't support any of it. This is utterly nonsensical!"
"Of course, we can 'persuade' you differently, if this talk isn't enough. It's your choice, so-"
"Yumi, someone's coming!" the other girl said.
With a click of her tongue, they were all off, their footsteps thundering in the opposite direction of another set drawing closer. I began the search for my glasses, crawling on my knees to feel for them unsuccessfully. Not only that, but my first day of high school had suddenly escalated, changing favor for me in a matter of seconds. And it was my fault that happened. I chose to give aid to the other classmate. It was, most likely, a consequence, an act of karma for betraying my path it had for me.
"Is somebody there?"
The sudden voice came on the sigh of the spring wind, which carried itself sturdily yet curiously. One that belonged to the body of the male kind.
At the sound, I turned my head, finding nothing but a blur of blue and white. His figure drew closer, the beam of red around his eyes seeming to induce a faint memory from morning classes. Soundlessly, he kneeled in front of me, in his hands the familiar teal of the rim of my glasses. I nodded gratefully, and when donning my spectacles, did I notice his striking pair of purple eyes. I couldn't help but feel...awestruck. In them, I saw certainty. A sense of calculation that a philosopher knew all too well. But there was also a yearning. A hope for something...something "extraordinary"...No, that wasn't it...
"Are you all right?" he asked me.
A breath left me I wasn't aware was abated. I rose before the boy, hoping to regain myself before he realized that I had looked at him far too long for comfort.
"Y-Yes, yes, I'm quite alright. Unfortunately, I seemed to have lost my balance."
"Do you...need to see the nurse? You could've skinned your knee."
"I...no, no, thank you." I tried to keep my gaze from his eyes, because, in all respect, it would be hard to concentrate on the sun when its blazing heat could stain your eyesight. "You must forgive me, of course. It seems you've caught me at a vulnerable moment. But, thank you, for going out of your way to help me."
"It...It's no trouble. Aren't you...?"
"Yes?"
"One of my classm-"
A soft thud of the earth signaled an abrupt end of our conversation.
There came the voice from none other than Hyousuke," Forgive me for my late arrival, M'lady. Have you already eaten?"
My classmate gave a startled gasp. It reminded me that not everyone knew about Hyousuke, and so I tried to explain the situation when my classmate exclaimed, "When you said your name was Ryuko, you don't mean the extinguished Ryuko family that produces the most famous pottery, do you?"
"It seems as though you have a, how do you say, 'fan,' in your midst, M'lady," Hyousuke commented.
"Oh? You know of my family's work?"
"How can't I? Their work is beautiful!"
That was the word: "beautiful." When the boy said it, I knew that was what he was indeed looking for, which made me all the more curious as to what kind of beauty he fancied the most. There is never one type of beauty in this world. The mind was a beautiful thing, as others would say, next to the outdoor wonders of the world, but in all respect, there was always something to behold of such quality, even when it was to stand right in front of you.
I wonder...
"May I ask for your name?"
"Ryugazaki...Rei..."
Rei...a kanji that can be read as "wise",...which is even more fitting for him.
"Ryugazaki-kun? I was wondering if we could keep my family history a secret for now."
He shifted onto his other foot as I continued, "You see, if the word were to spread that I came from...well, the family I come from, then there might be some...hard bearings."
"Uh-yes...of course."
"Beg pardon, M'lady," said Hyousuke, "but I believe the afternoon classes should start in five minutes."
"Thank you, Hyousuke-san."
Then I addressed Ryugazaki.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Thank you again...for understanding."
He gave me a small smile. "Naturally."
We went our separate ways after that, and at the end of class, I noticed him in the hallways reading a book while walking on ahead. Of course, the attention I received from my less supportive classmates wasn't as pleasant.
Nonetheless, the first day of high school had a lot to offer. While I feared the attention I'd receive later, I yearned more for the excitement of friendship and academics, just as Ryugazaki had an eye for beauty.
And I couldn't wait to find it.