Hello, everyone, I'm back with a rewritten version of Secret Afterschool. Entirely rewritten, and I'm not going to tell why, because if I do, I will be giving a 10,784 (officially tested) word rant on how the original fiction was horribly written; harem based plot, cluttering anime references, and no respect to the reality of romance.
The entirety of the plot will change. Same characters, same character personality types, similar scripting and humor, NO student-teacher harem. I mean, it may or may not be a romance genre at all. My new envision of this story is something sweeter and more innocent. However, I'm keeping the shipping of Kiyoteru and Lily since that was the lady who won his heart according to a vote count. Maybe, maybe some implied Luka and Kiyoteru because they came really close to being in first place. But these shippings I am keeping very light. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, the title is going to have to change as well, since the original song of Secret After School is a very... intimate one. I look forward to working with these characters again, they were a lot of fun.
The current title displayed is bound to change into a more meaningful one sooner or later...
This chapter was originally going to be longer, but I had to split the chapter in half because it was too long. Plus, I want to know if this chapter can be appreciated as an apology for the discontinuation of the original story, and an introductory concept of who the characters were intentionally supposed to be. I'm going to update cautiously, in accordance to the best interests of the viewer.
Please let me know what you guys think.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own VOCALOID. 'Nuff said.
The Secret Club!
Chapter 1: Meet Our Contestants!
…
Welcome to Yamaha Academy; one of the world's most prestigious schools, located a little far outside of Tokyo. Students from around the world attend here for a promising education and a bright future. But only with prestige, there comes hierarchy…
Only Yamaha Academy you will find categories of students. No, not cliques, but prestige according to the valid system of this private academy.
The students in the red uniform are VOCA students.
The students in green; are everyone else.
VOCA students are the "smartest", most "talented", and "best exemplified" in the school, whose families paid a little extra in interest of the "brightest future" for their child.
Only VOCA students engage themselves in conflict with themselves.
Why; for reputation, of course!
The sophomore VOCA students wage this war for only the freshman to follow up and choose a side between two competitors.
Sophomores Hatsune Miku and Furuwaka Miki are at war for reputation, one for popularity and the other for humble appreciation. Every other sophomore VOCA student are divided by "two teams"
KU, for Miku, and KI for Miki.
Two very differed sides, in which hold the junior VOCA students:
"By the balls!"— Iroha Nekomura, a VOCA sophomore on team KI.
But, can be strive together with dedication and hard work, only to benefit together.
…
Third Person POV
(Meet Team KU)
…
Walking to class room 110, she has never been so anxious. Aria, a freshman VOCA was introduced to the systematics of "Team KU" as she is, after all, a new "recruit".
Miku Hatsune! Live. In the Flesh! The girl that she heard so much about—graceful, charming, sweet; everything that any girl would strive to be! Unlike that Miki character, who is nothing but trouble, rumoured to be a nuisance. It was probably Miki who started this whole dispute, with that rebellious nature of hers!
"Aria, wait up!" called out her friend, Yukari, who was trying to keep up, given by the gasps of air between every word. Aria turned to her friend and laughed softly.
"Sorry Yukari, I guess I'm just a bit excited." She admits with a sheepish giggle.
Yukari puffs out laughter "Well, me too, but we're not in a rush." She then returns beside Aria, who looks somewhat in a daze.
"I remember a time when Miku and I went to school together…" she smiled, tracing the picture in her mind while staring at the blank white ceiling as its canvas.
This sudden memory earned the interest of her friend, who looks at her with an eyebrow raised. "You went to school together?"
"Yes." She nodded lightly, picturing everything still, "She was the one who protected me from those bullies."
Yukari knitted her eyebrows together, trying to recall a hazy memory. "Yeah… I remember now, you told me that sometime after you moved to my school."
Aria nods at her friend "Yeah. And remember what she said to me?" Upon remembering, Yukari couldn't help but smile, contagious enough for Aria to tag along.
"She said 'If we ever meet again, the only change I want to see in you is confidence.' right?" Yukari rehearsed, earning a silent, but heart-filled grin from Aria, who nods at such a blissful memory.
Things were silent and calm after that quote, but the subtle tension was raised as they were getting closer to the destined room, and when it came time that they had arrived, the two friends inhaled deep breaths before the door that suddenly opened before them (much to their surprise). The door revealed a small, unfamiliar girl. She was short and slim, had not just blonde, but yellow hair with a white bow tied on the very top, and blue eyes to compliment her appearance.
At first glance she seemed like a very sweet girl to Aria, so Aria greeted her with a smile, being a bit shy. In return, the older girl sneered, unpleasantly for such a pretty face.
"What are you doing? Standing there like an idiot." She spat, short fused. Aria's smile soon faded into a frown, which didn't stop the older girl from raising her voice, "Get out of my way unless you want to get Miku her coffee yourselves!"
Aria stands there not knowing how to react, so Yukari reacts by butting in front of her friend and defending her from the yellowette.
"What's your problem?" Yukari demanded in a low voice, that didn't seem to scare the older girl. Instead, the older girl smirked at her, and shoved Yukari back a bit, letting her bump into Aria lightly, who was still shocked.
"Why don't you make yourself some use and get her the coffee yourselves?" she proposed, in a mocking sort of tone, earning a well-deserved glare from the lilac-haired freshman; thus, she continued anyway. "2 cream, 3 sugar."
Yukari was about to protest, but was cut off by the door slamming in her face
On other side of the door…
A growl was heard from the other side of the door, in reaction, Rin just sighed wearily. Her friend Luka glanced over from the empty teacher's desk but soon after continued with her studies as if nothing happened; opening a text book and beginning to take notes.
Rin had noticed her, however and she ambled over to her friend's location and sat down in the chair conveniently in front the desk. There was a long pause between the two sophomores; one held an inward debate whether to start a conversation or not, the other was not really interested… The debate was settled.
"Do you think I was a bit harsh on the freshmen?" Rin asks out of the blue, slightly hoping that Luka will respond.
A pause later, Luka responds "No.", ever so nonchalant, her blue eyes fixated at her work, "You seemed natural about it."
Rin pouts childishly at Luka's response. "Are you being sarcastic? I can never tell with you."
"No." she replies, ever so uninterested.
"… Was that sarcasm?"
Another pause again, no noise was heard from Luka, which left Rin guessing between two options, which was really frustrating for her. Soon from silence came a boisterous ambience of laughter and chatter coming from the swinging door. Coming in through the door was Meiko, Gakupo and her boyfriend Kaito, linking arms and giggling like crazy, aggravating the studious Luka and concerning Rin with curiosity (and the enthusiasm of finding someone else other than Luka to talk to).
Rin turns to the brunette senior with a grin "Hey, what's happening here?"
Given a bit of time to breathe out her laughter, Meiko spurted out between chuckles and giggles. Listening closer, you could tell that her words were slurred.
"Okay, okay." Meiko began, giggling. "So, we were doing that soda pop rocket in Science. Remember?"
Rin recalling to it, she nods "Yeah? What about?"
Meiko's laughter deepened as she tried hushing it, only so she could actually speak. "We carried on with it anyway after school…"
"Yeah…?"
"And we were setting them up…"
"Okay…?"
"And just as they went off… Gakupo had to be right there in front of one of them…"
Rin stifled her giggle, knowing what was coming up "Yeah?"
Meiko, catching on to Rin's mirth joined her, laughing maniacally until she was unable to speak, so Kaito had to finish for her, between chuckles of course.
"Now he has to wear bandages over his groin for a month!", in which the told result triggered a maddening cackle from Rin, tearing up and holding herself together. Luka however… didn't find this to be the least bit appeasing. Instead, she cringed, trying to get back into studying the English language.
Gakupo joins in on the group's laughter and decides that he wants to carry things on a bit further…
"I've got it on right now! Wanna see it?" he guffawed, as the one left laughing because everyone else went silent. Rin shrivelled up, and before she could protest, a text book was thrown at his face—more specifically a hard cover text book.
Rin peered from the direction of the toss; it came from the aggravated Luka, who said nothing afterwards, but instead retrieved her text book and walked out of the classroom.
Rin sighed, "Is she angry or something?" she asks Meiko, who's known her for years.
Meiko responds with a smirk, knowing her pink haired friend like the back of her hand. "Dude, she's always like that." She begins, looking at Rin and shrugging "If she had her way, she'd be all alone—probably locking herself in the library."
Rin intercepts, "Why can't we lock her in the library then?"
At the suggestions, Meiko lets out a short-lived cackle. "I don't know." She admits. "But I think if I left her all alone, she'd be miserable!"
Rin rolls her eyes "Yeah, right."
There was another silence that seeped into the room, until Gakupo spoke out.
"Too bad, I really wanted to show her my—"
"Gakupo, shut up before I smash a soda pop bottle over your head." Rin threatened, half-heartedly.
A moment later, Gumi ambles into the room aimlessly. The greenette does everything aimlessly, mind you.
"Hiya Guys~!" she chirped. The turns her head around the room, making sure she doesn't miss an individual.
"Hiya, Gakupo. Kaito, Meiko aaaaaaannnd….." she squinted slightly at Rin, trying to recall who she is.
"Ah! Hiya Len!"
"What did you just call me?" Rin hissed at Gumi, causing Gakupo to shutter.
Gumi did not flinch. She did not blink. Given the silence after that she smiled innocently at her and said.
"Len!"
Rin paused for a moment before she did something she'd regret later… mind you that the very thought of her attitude towards the freshmen crept in her mind. Shivering, she shrugged it off the best she could and continued with the inward debate about the matter at hand.
Come on. This is Gumi; the same person who can't tell the difference a spoon and a shovel. Rin thought to herself as a memory of their group in junior high eating ice cream, that Gumi couldn't finish because, well… you get the drift!
"So Gumi…" Meiko began, snickering "did you get us anything from your little hike?" Rin turns to Meiko curiously.
"Is that where she was during fourth?" she asks her friend, gesturing a slight titter. Meiko nods holding her breath.
Gumi, clueless as to why they were giggling, she answers Meiko anyway. "Uh-huh! Here!" she unzips her bag to reveal a whole bunch of carrots, in fact, in her bag was nothing but carrots. Earning a weird look from Rin, Rin asks as Gumi handed handfuls out to everyone. "Gumi, where did you get all those carrots?"
Gumi tries to recall where; the location was familiar, but she didn't know how to describe it.
"Um… Somewhere big!" she responds.
"… And?"
"Spacious!"
"… " Rin paused to collect ideas of what it could be…
"Cows!" Gumi blurted another clue, leaving Rin with the answer: A farm. She was worried that she stole carrots from a market or something like that
Kaito looks at the carrots, slightly charmed. "Um, thanks Gumi!" If there's one thing to like about Kaito, it's that he's appreciative of anything, as long as there is thought put into it. Then again, besides Gumi, he's probably the nicest one in their little group.
Meiko, on the other hand, scowled at the bundle of carrots, but set them down anyway.
It wasn't too soon when Len and Miku came in through the door, holding hands, as they themselves are a couple as well. Both of them were laughing about something, it seems. Miku giggling that sort of candy-sweet, cutesy-wootsie (almost intoxicatingly adorable) kind of giggle, as Len chuckled with her. All this Lovey-Dovey talk was getting Rin sick, but nonetheless, she is curious about what they are laughing at.
"What's so funny?" the girl twin asked her brother, while Miku herself was headed to the room next door.
Len chuckled and smirked. "Oh, just that cross dresser."
"Namine Ritsu?" Meiko guessed
Len shakes his head "No, the one that has his eyes on my girlfriend."
"Piko?" Rin asked "Utatane Piko?"
"Yeah, I think that's his name." Len shrugs. "The dork confessed his feelings for Miku a couple of days back. I stepped in, and shoved him into some kid's locker."
Rin's stomach lurched in response to that.
Gumi's stomach lurched, but for different reasons. She double-takes at the twins, leaving the both of them confused. And without saying anything, Gumi leaves, marching out to the hallway wide-eyed and silent.
Rin knew why she left and rolled her eyes at her.
Len and everyone else couldn't care less.
Miku comes in through the door at the back of the class room, proudly walking fourth, untying her ponytail and letting her hair falling like teal ribbons—Gakupo stared at her, enviously.
Miku smirks, "And you should've seen it," she begins, gathering everyone's attention to the story Len was telling.
"He had some nerve to walk up to me—especially with Len around."
Rin intercepts, a bit defensive of Piko, "Yeah, but did he know that you two are dating?"
Miku smirks, "I don't really care if he knew or not. No friend of Miki's are worthy of my presence." She chimes snidely "They're not even good enough for Gakupo."
"Hey!"
"Anyway" the diva continues, ignoring Gakupo and taking a seat beside Len, who instinctive pulled her closer to him with his arm around her waist, "It was funny watching him try to fight back. He's still crazy about me because I acted hurt about what Len did."
Len added in the general message getting across: "As long as he likes Miku, I can beat him up all I like."
Rin's stomach ties in knots and her limbs slightly shake. "T-that's..." she couldn't say anything, so Miku helped her with a glare. Rin responds by springing up slightly and laughing maniacally. "That's HILARIOUS!"
Meiko turns to Miku and leers "You little bitch!" she laughs, nudging Kaito to laugh as well.
One will wonder what keeps those two a couple…
Miku turns back to Rin and stares again, but not as intimidating. But certainly, Rin responds with a simple shiver that goes unseen.
"Um, yes Miku?"
"My coffee, Rin?" she demands in a rather calm demeanor.
"Oh, well…" Rin leans back in her chair, giving off a toothy simper. "Yeah, some wannabes came by, and I made them get your coffee instead."
Miku says nothing at first, wearing a blank expression for a moments peace. But soon drawn from that blank expression was a devious grin.
"Well, alright. But I personally find coffee better when you make it."
And from that, it was only innate to hear a little grunt from the annoyed Rin.
Quite coincidently, Aria has returned with the coffee. She enters the door shyly, looking around the area to see if that mean girl with the bow was still in sight. In which she was, and thankfully, so was Miku! Aria smiles in response, with relief and heads over to Miku.
As for Miku and Rin, it was time to put their game faces on!
As Aria approached Miku, Rin abruptly bumped in front of her, spilling some coffee on her uniform.
"What do you think you're doing?" Rin interrogated bitterly, Aria shrivels up again and shakes, obviously intimidated.
"I-I retrieved t-this for—"
"Me?" Miku asks sweetly, making her way past Rin as she tilts her head at the younger VOCA and smiles, gracefully, earning a twinkle of hope in Aria's eyes.
"Here, I got you your coffee Ms. Hatsune!" Aria beams and gives to her the warm paper cup.
Upon receiving it, Miku frowned slightly. "But dear, you didn't have to give me anything." She chimed sweetly.
"No, please have it!" Aria gestured kindly, "It's to show you how much I appreciate you for helping me in the past."
Miku pauses for a bit, but then draws simply the cutest giggle anyone in the entire room has ever witnessed. Ever. So cute, even the freshman VOCA swooned.
"Well, thank you!" she held the cup close to her. Rin shot the younger one a bitter glare, which frankly went unnoticed with Miku's presence.
Aria continued, on with business! "So Miku," she begins shyly, shuffling her feet, receiving the fullest of Miku's attention—
"I was wondering if… you had any more room on team KU…?"
Miku paused, furrowing her brows slightly. "Pardon me," she proceeds in a rather light concerning tone, as if she were offended. "I don't believe in such a thing!"
Aria stood there, a little confused, so Miku continues anyway.
"I don't believe in having this 'war' with Miki." She admits solemnly to Aria, who's a bit surprised.
"I don't think that there is a war going on between us." The tealette told her, "But a slight misunderstanding. Please, I'm not intending to continue such a dispute, so please, don't choose sides for a quarrel that's hardly worth anything. I don't want anyone getting hurt…" she sighs, "not even Miki…"
Such humility, kindness and grace! Aria couldn't believe the angel before her eyes! Tears started swelling in her mulberry eyes.
Rin… was going to upchuck.
Meiko contained herself from laughter.
Kaito and Gakupo were astonished. Gakupo, almost peed himself, actually.
Len, he just smirked.
Aria ran up to Miku and gave her a big hug. "I'm so sorry!" she cried. Miku tittered slightly, sounding more like a giggle than anything. "Oh no, it's alright, dear." She smiles at her the moment that they split. "I'll see you tomorrow though, I believe you may have a bus to catch!" she waved her perfectly manicured finger. Aria jumped up in realization!
"R-right!" she perked up and retrieved her things in a hustle. Before she officially left the premises, she waved at Miku. "See you tomorrow!" she chirped.
"Bye for now, sweetie!" Miku chirped back before she left… and when Aria was outside of hearing range:
"Finally." Miku whiffled, as she made her way back over to Len.
"You might as well have blown her a kiss." Len scoffed, Miku smirked in response.
"Whatever, I just don't want some loser to barge her way into my life like it's her business." The tealette sneered. "What's between Miki and myself is our business. I don't need the entire school to be a part of this."
Meiko turned to Miku with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah… what started that anyway?"
Miku turns to Meiko with settled distaste, but replied smoothly anyway. "I said it's ours—as in mine and Miki's business; not yours."
Rin turns to Miku, "And what of that girl?" she asked, "that girl that waltzed her way in here. Do you know her?"
Miku shrugged. "No. And I don't care. She's just another pawn at the lunch table, wrapped around my finger like the rest of them." She sighs as she throws the full cup of coffee in the garbage, coiling her focus to Rin, who was a bit shocked.
"Honestly Rin," she begins coolly, "I always have this conversation with freshman like her, and the result ends up being the same. I thought you would've gotten the hint."
Len nods in agreement. "Haven't you noticed that Miki doesn't sit in the cafeteria anymore?" he asks his twin, who shook her head, so he carried on.
"It's because our group, or should I say groupies, have taken up all the space of the cafeteria." He reveals bluntly.
Miku chuckled. "And it will probably continue like that. Increasing until the point where not even the cafeteria can hold us."
Rin sighed in reaction to Miku. "Right." She muttered, probably unheard or uncared for by Miku. "I'll see you guys tomorrow…" she leaves the room, not looking back at the eyes that glared.
Thinking back to that girl that walked in conjured many questions that spawned in Rin's mind:
Why did that girl come in here in the first place?
Who was she?
Why didn't Miku drink the coffee?
Ohmigosh! Did she buy that coffee all by herself!?
And, where did that friend of hers go…?
Upon the cruel realization about the 'unjust oppression' Rin exhaled a weak groan as her heart ached and her stomach was tied in knots.
Is this what guilt is? 'Cause it's starting to annoy me…
…
…
Yukari was mad. Aria wasn't 'playing with a full deck'. The young girl relentlessly tried forgetting about the fight that they had in the cafeteria:
The yelling, tear and curses; an argument that silenced both of them. It's going to be tough for them to apologize to each other. Only if they bite their own lips and gather the courage to, will these friends be reunited.
But as of right now, Aria was no more than a stranger to Yukari, and that goes vice versa.
Yukari had been treading aimlessly about the school halls, a little miserable since the last fight with Aria. Her eyes spot someone passing her, someone familiar. Only to reveal her old acquaintance in middle school, who had noticed her the moment they locked eyes, also having those creepy Zola brothers pursuing close behind her, as if they were fighting over who gets to walk closest to her.
After a year of not seeing her, Yukari couldn't believe her eyes and what they just saw…
Did she always wear her hair like that?
Did she always have that rambunctious black streak in her hair?
Why are her clothes all rugged like that?
What's with all those accessories?
Since when did she have that creepy fan base?
What is she going to do with that baseball bat!?
All these inquiries circulating in Yukari's head, all of them she could have probed, if not for Veronica who was the first to speak.
"Well, well. If it isn't Yukari!" she lets out a toothy grin. "Where's your girlfriend?"
Yukari rolls her eyes. "Aria? She is not my girlfriend!" She snapped, then in a mocking tone, she spat. "And she's probably with that Miku Hatsune girl right now."
Veronica looks at her acquaintance, dumbfounded. "Really I thought Aria was better than that fake…"
Much to Yukari's curiosity, she asks, slightly jumbled of thought. "What do you mean by that, Veronica?"
Veronica turns her direction towards Yukari with a distorted glare of displeasure, frightening Yukari a little. "First of all," she begins with a growl, "You don't refer to me as Veronica, I am V. Flower. Got it, bud?"
"Um… Okay." Yukari nodded timidly.
"Oh V. Flower, you're so cool!" chimed Kyo Zola.
"Oh V. Flower, you're a total badass!" chanted Yuu Zola.
"Truly an inspiration!" cheered Wil Zola.
Veronica—erm, I mean, V. Flower, inhaled all the compliments given to her, fuelling the ambition to continue.
"Secondly, how can you not see it, Yukari? Girls like Hatsune; teddy bear giggles and rainbow sugar drops? No one has the tolerance for acting that sort of way. It's only a matter of time before she loses it." V. Flower told, which has Yukari consider the possibility.
"V. Flower is super wise!" chimed Kyo.
"V. Flower is totally smart!" chanted Yuu.
"Truly a deep thinking philosopher!" cheered Wil.
The constant praise has Yukari thinking otherwise, but none the less, V. Flower brought up a fairly good point. But, she can't be sure yet without meeting Miku first. However, there is a lot said about a person by the people they hang around with, so Yukari is given the impression that Miku is a total phony.
Yukari sighed, a little hurt that she was deceived into believing in such a thing as 'the perfect person',
"Yeah, I guess you're right." She shrugged, but as V. Flower turned around to make her leave, Yukari was just getting started on a new conversation.
"Almighty V. Flower!" she laughed, receiving the attention of so, "Where are you going right now?"
"I'm going to challenge Miki Furuwaka to a fight!" she grins, clenching her fist.
"Wait a sec…" Yukari mutters; processing, processing, processing…
"Huh!? Do you want to get yourself killed!?" Yukari cries.
V. Flower holds up her baseball bat and rests it on her shoulders, "That's why I got this."
"Are you plotting to kill someone!?" Yukari is still astonished, upon thinking about the question, V. Flower drops the bat onto the floor and begins walking to the direction she was headed. "Yah, I guess you're right, I shouldn't bring this with me..."
"Are you just going to leave that bat there." asks Yukari, keeping up with V. Flower.
"Yeah, I don't need that; I can just use my fists!"
"Veroni—"
"That's why I got these!" she raises her wrists up to reveal the brass knuckles that were hidden under her sleeves.
"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"
…
Third Person POV
(Meet Team KI)
…
"Wish me luck!" V. Flower winked at her group of fan boys who already drowned in their tears of joy. Yukari held her breath in hopes that nothing will happen.
Knocking on the door with her palm, V. Flower smiled at the thought of defeating the toughest person in school, Miki Furuwaka.
However, she'll have to get past the man—or boy, given by the uniform, with a mean exterior. Consisting of stitches on his forehead and arms, sizing up to almost 7 feet tall, crossing his arms and looking down at his opponent with naturally vicious eyes, crusted amber irises ablaze.
"-*angry-sounding-foreign-language*-?"He said in a rather peaceful manner, but his voice was deep and cold.
The freshmen stared up at the boy, utterly confused, and a tad bit petrified! As given that V. Flower was trembling, her knees shaking, she mumbles. "W-what?"
The tall one sighs and rolls his eyes, his voice rising slightly as he takes a step forward, "-*angry-sounding-foreign-language*-?"
"EEP!" V. Flower yelped, and within the blink of an eye…
"Where did she go?" Yukari muttered to herself whilst searching the area for Veronica.
No sign of her. She's all talk…
Yukari spotted the bigger kid standing there, a little lost himself, without noticing the Zola Brothers hanging off of him.
"You're super cool, mystery man!" chimed Kyo.
"You're totally awesome!" chanted Yuu.
"Have my babies!" cheered Wil.
"What's going on over here?" a new voice asks from behind the big one, who covered the door. Pushing her way through revealed a girl with coral pink hair tied up in a ponytail that draped off her shoulder, peeping out of her Hello Kitty hoodie. Her golden eyes blinked twice, before glancing around the area to fully understand what is going on. She turns to Yukari, being the one shiftless person.
"I'm sorry that you had to deal with our English speaking friend." She consoled the frightened Yukari. "He's a nice guy, but it must have been awkward trying to understand him, right?"
Yukari nodded timidly.
She turns to her friend and glares him dead straight in the eyes.
… *dolphin noises*
Yukari didn't know how to respond, but this incredulous situation made her curious about how the English Speaker will respond to her chipmunk noised statement...
… *even more dolphin noises* he replies, the pink one responds again,
*some more dolphin noises*
This time, the giant says nothing more but nods and walks away with the Zola Brothers latched onto him like a triplet of spider monkeys.
Yukari turns her head to watch the boy wander away like as if he was told to by this bewildering conversation between sea-mammal chatter. She turns to the pinkette with her jaw hanging slightly.
"Yeah…" she chuckles awkwardly, "we don't really get each other's native languages, so it's how we communicate."
"What were you guys talking about?"
"Oh, I just asked him to kindly drop those leeches off in a large body of salt water somewhere." The older girl in the hood shrugs casually.
…
The remaining girls stood awkwardly in front of the door way…
"So…", the one in the hood tapped her foot in the ground, "did you wanna come in? We're having coffee and doughnuts right now."
"… Uh, sure."
On other side of the door…
"Rii, would you like more tea?" Miki asks sweetly, smiling at her transsexual doppelganger UTAU friend, holding up the pot in position.
"Why yes, my dear. Please and thank you~!" cooed Ritsu, holding up his cup, letting Miki pour a delicious cup of piping hot lemon tea. He turns to the very lady-like and traditional Mizki, flattering his long lashes, "Mizki, will you be a dear and hand me the honey?"
Mizki sighs and turns to Ritsu, "Why yes, Ritsu." She hands over the jar of sweet honey over to him.
Once retrieving the honey, he puts about a tea spoon of the gooey substance in his tea. He twists the cap on tight and tosses it under the desk, north of him, in order to hit Lily in the shin with it.
"Pain hurts!" she chokes up an exasperated grunt, gritting her teeth in order to ignore the forming bruise. The girls beside Lily glance up at her.
"Something wrong, Lily?" Ritsu titters like a princess.
"Nothing, dear." Lily growls.
"Are you alright, Lily?" Miki inquires as she tilted her head to the side. "You've been hurting yourself a lot this week."
"No, really Miki, I'm fine." Lily reminds Miki as her eyes shift towards the shameless Ritsu.
A moment after everything was settled, all four of them began to enjoy everything that was offered on the desk: from sweet lemon tea, to finely grinded coffee, to cream filled pastries and sugar cookies. If there was anything that Ritsu was appreciated for, was his love of sweets. And his love of sweets would be shared with the world if he could.
"You know," Miki initiated a short lived conversation, slightly solemnly, "I wish Piko was here right now, he would have loved these…"
"He didn't come with my homework…" Lily grumbles, "We wouldn't have been here if he had just come with my work done."
"But you really should do it by yourself Lily," Mizki stated, Lily was about to make a comment, but Ritsu had cut in instead.
He leers snidely, "It's not like you have anything better to do…"
Lily growls at the remark viciously, low enough for no one to hear.
Things have become silent between the four of them again until the door leading into the hallway swung open.
"That big guy back there? We call him 'Big Al', he may look the part of intimidating, yeah…" a familiar voice says. Everyone looks to see their friend Iroha talking to a new girl that no one has seen before. "But he's like a big teddy bear! You'll grow to love him even more if you speak English… or dolphin!"
Iroha walks in with the new girl, Yukari, and introduced her to her friends. "Hi everyone! This is Yukari: a Freshman VOCA student."
"Nice to meet you Yukari!" Miki waved and smiled giddily, happy that someone new wants to join their friendly intervention. "I'm—"
"—Yukari, this is Mizki Victoria Yakahama." Her hand leads to the black haired girl, casually drinking tea at her own pace. Mizki nods at Yukari in recognition. "Probably one of the most elegant and cool girls you will ever come to know. She knows how to weild a sword, and she's all ninja-like, like, wazamo-kerblamo ,pew pew p—"
"I think she gets it, Iroha. But that's not how you introduce someone wields a blade..." Mizki comments bluntly. Iroha blushes out of embarrassment holding in position, stopped midway from the flailing arms that came with those sound effects.
"Right…" she shakes herself out of it and clears her throat, continuing to the next person, waving her hand at Lily. "This is Lily Masuda."
Lily winks and blows Yukari a kiss, only for her eyes to witness.
"She's a fun-loving, spunky girl with a hot head and a snarky attitude!"
"Hey, toots. Like 'dem pigtails." Lily toys with Yukari again. This time, everyone noticed.
Iroha rolls her eyes and assures the flustered freshman. "Ignore her, she's just teasing you." She carries onto the next person, that person being Miki who smiles charmingly at Yukari.
"This is Miki Furuwaka—"
Yukari swallows a lump in her throat.
"—now, I know what you're thinking: that Miki is a big fat bully who'll beat you up, even if you look at her funny, or pronounce her name funny, right?"
The freshman nods shyly.
"Wrong! Miki is not like that at all!" Iroha defends, "Miki is single-handedly the sweetest, kindest, most responsible, supporting, beautifully natured, charmi—"
"Oh stop it, Iroha! You're embarrassing me!" Miki's cheeks colour themselves pink.
"But you are!" she guarantees her friend, "You are the bestest, best friend I'll ever have!"
"Aw! You too, Iroha. You're the best!" the red head cheered.
The atmosphere of the room felt awkward, like some sort of cozy air about the two that smelled of candies and flowers when they interacted with each other.
All this loving affection is making Lily nauseous.
"You can come hang out with us if you like." Iroha proposes to Yukari, who gazes at Ritsu "We always enjoy having new faces in our little group, really."
Yukari wasn't fazed. She was curious about the most admirably beautiful sophomore that sat before her, sipping tea like a true lady. The way that Ritsu sat; legs crossed and back straight, so elegant that it was something that Yukari wanted to be herself.
"Who's she?" Yukari drawled out in a daze. Iroha rolls her eyes,
"Don't bother, it's a trap." She states, leaving Yukari slightly puzzled.
"You should just stop trying to introduce us, Iroha." Ritsu remarks tastelessly, in the same manner as Mizki's statement. Ritsu walks up to the new girl, gracefully in her treading that Yukari still idolized. "Coffee or tea—"
"There's a worm in that skirt—"
"Lily!" Ritsu hissed as the other girls choked on their beverages.
Yukari blinks twice. "A worm?"
"Never mind that." Ritsu digresses with a sigh, "I'm Ritsu Namine, a member of the Vippers. Heard of them?"
Yes she has.
Everyone knows the aggressive school gangs called "Vip2ech". They're a highly feared gang of bullies that swarm the helpless like sharks and eat them alive. Every individual in that group is known about:
Teto Kasane: the leader who likes to start a scene and virtually humiliates their victim. (Rumour has it that she's a double agent between KU and KI!)
Ruko Yokune: the 6'5" hermaphroditic brute who is a big pervert.
Ritsu Namine: a transvestite who also likes to start a scene and twists nipples like nobody's business.
Ted Kasane: Teto's twin brother who is also a giant pervert.
'Rook': a rumoured to be 'lycanthrope' that is known to be Ruko's assistant brute and is noted to be slightly... underdeveloped.
And worst of all, Tei Sukone: rumoured to be the very reason why some people in the school go missing…
All of them rumoured to be allied with the toughest girl in school, Miki.
Yukari gulped, standing this close to Ritsu, now that she knows who he truly is. She turns to Miki, who is slightly embarrassed as of right now.
"Y-you're really associated with the V-v-vippers!?"
"It's not like that!" Miki cries, "They're not bullies! They're just misunderstood."
… No one in the room makes a comment. Everything was dead silent, except for a complimentary cough from Lily that implied otherwise. Miki sighs.
"Okay… well they are…" she confesses drearily, hiding her face in her hands "But, they're just trying to protect me…"
"You see, Miki is the one getting bullied by that teal-headed witch." Ritsu explains.
"Yeah, but you're only making it worse." Iroha intercepts hastily.
"Oh, well, what could you do about it? Call an authority?" Ritsu scoffs at Iroha. Iroha couldn't reply herself, since that was done before, which only made things even worse. "Miki contacting the Vippers was 'Plan Z' out of the entire alphabet of plans to end this conflict. But the option came up because she and I were friends long, long before." Ritsu explains to her, eyeing Iroha with a sneer. Iroha growls at the Vipper, her heart clenched when Ritsu categorized himself and Miki as friends.
Miki exhales a fluttery breath, feeling somewhat hopeless "I really don't want to fight like this with Miku anymore, honestly! But I can't do anything about it, no matter how much I try."
"So you're getting people to stand for you?" Yukari contemplates, questioning Miki, "Have you tried talking to her yourself?"
"Yes, but she would just ignore me and get someone else to beat me up or humiliate me…"
"Miku did technically start this." Lily commented.
Miki sighs confessing, puzzling everyone in the room, "Neither of us did."
Mizki furrows her eyebrows, "May I enquire what caused this conflict between the two of you?"
"No, that's between me and Miku." her voices began to quiver slightly, her face remaining hidden in her hands. "And if Miku doesn't want to talk about it, but instead make a fool out of me and my friends, then perhaps a good 'kick in the pants' would hopefully tell her something."
There was a silence that seethed into the room again.
… "Kick in the pants?" Lily repeated to herself out loud, forming Miki's attention.
Miki glances at Lily, "Yeah? What about?" she asks, clueless.
"Aw, well miss, that was so lame, it was cute!" she gushes whilst pinching Miki's cheek lightly, causing Miki to laugh at herself. "Miki, you're a dork, you know that?"
"Yeah, yeah." Miki chuckles, jokingly rolling her eyes and flushed a bit.
"But, you're our dork!" Iroha makes her way over to her best friend and traps her in a tight, but whole-hearted squeeze, "Our adorkable, and lovable little dork!"
Soon after, it's as if everyone in that room; Lily, Ritsu and Mizki, were magnetically pulled over to Miki, and joined in on the embrace.
"I love you guys!" Miki cheered.
As of observing that embrace, Yukari was relieved about Miki not being who she's said to be and is pleased at the sight of a beautiful friendship. However, there was a hole in her heart that wished that everything between her and her friend Aria would just patch up and everything would turn back to normal again.
Miki observed Yukari with a soft expression of empathy, not exactly sure what she's upset about, but at least showing that she cares…
"Yukari."
The Freshman looks up at her Senior, who smiles at her kindly. "Thank you for joining us today. You're always welcome to come tomorrow if you like…"she suggested, Yukari smiles return, relieved that Miki isn't as bad as she was in the public eye, that she and her friends were very accepting—even if the Vippers were involved, unlike Miku's group.
"Thank you, Miki" Yukari nods, before heading off to walk home, "I'll keep that in mind."
"Are you walking home?" Iroha asks Yukari as she turned around, staring at the window that soft rain prickled against. "In the rain?"
Yukari chuckles, in spite of herself, "Well, drat! I forgot my umbrella at home!"
"They said there'd be no rain today…" Lily shrugs.
"Wow, you actually watch the weather network…" Iroha teases, as if the two couldn't ever be put together. A small huff comes from Lily, not impressed with Iroha's indirect statement.
Miki, for once, struggles her way out of their embrace to walk over to Yukari.
"I have an umbrella you can use Yukari." she offers.
Yukari jumps at the sudden act of kindness, "eh, what? You don't have to, Miki!"
"No, seriously, I'd like you to take it! The rain is only going to get worse!"
"Really?" Yukari perks up, bowing down to Miki soon after, "T-thank you!"
"Oh come on! It's no big deal. Come with me to my locker, I have it there!" She tells her new friend, leading her outside of the door. Turning back to her friends, she informs "I'll be right back!"
With the two of them out of the room (namely Miki), Lily and Iroha turn to Ritsu with a similar glare.
"May I help you?" he questions them both, irritant.
"Why did you throw a jar of honey at my leg? I'm forming a bruise thanks to you!" Lily was the first to speak, cutting in front of Iroha. However, she was aggravated more from Ritsu than Lily, because of given reasons.
Ritsu replied, "What do you mean?"
Iroha snaps, "You know exactly what she was talking about, but that's beside the point!"
"Well, what do you have to say then?" Ritsu queries, shifting his focus elsewhere, to annoy Iroha even more.
"Well, you obviously can't get along with anyone here." Iroha stated, "So why don't you do us all a favour and jump off a cliff? You and your little gang are nothing but trouble for us and quite frankly, you're really annoying and—"
"Iroha, enough." Mizki interrupted calmly. "Stop bullying him."
"But, he—"
"—No buts. You're the one taking things too far."
Ritsu triumphantly chortles, "Thank you—"
"As for you, Vipper..." With a glare at the corner of her eyes, Mizki warns, "You should lay low on your little schemes because you know how much Miki hates it when you do that."
"…"
The room was grew quiet again, noises made up only by the sounds of slurping tea and the crisp sound of eating cookies. That was until…
"Hiya guys~!" Gumi perks in through the door, with Piko and Big Al (who was soaked and reeked of salt and fish), both a little exasperated it seems, as opposed to Gumi, who is always so (if not, too) full of bubbling energy, waving a baseball bat in the air.
Iroha notices Big Al.
*dolphin noises* she asks him with a clap.
*dolphin noises* he replies with a firm nod from his head.
The two of them laugh, leaving Lily thinking, Dude, I wish I knew what they were saying.
And Ritsu left thinking, Where did they have the time to learn something this ridiculous?
And Piko thinking, Sign language would have been the more sensible option…
Lily strolls her way over to the heterochromic boy and slings an arm around his shoulder, startling him slightly.
"Hey, buddy." She coos.
"Hi, Lily." He glints his hesitant focus to his blonde friend.
"Why weren't you in class today? You had some completed homework to give me." She simpers while nudging his shoulder lightly with her knuckles, "I had to stay after class and finish homework thanks to you."
"Is that why everyone is here after school?" his eyebrow twitched, even after everyone nodded in response, he continues anyway "Because we normally don't stay here after school like this…"
Mizki shrugged, "Food was the only way to get Lily to finish her work. If we knew this ahead of time, Lily would have been an honor student."
Gumi gazed at Mizki with starry eyes, "Ya' mean that if I were to eat food, I would be an honor student?"
"I wish it worked like that." Lily rolled her eyes. Disregarding the topic, Lily turns her focus back to Piko with more concern than played out sarcasm. "Seriously dude, where were you? We were worried about you."
Gumi perks her head up, "Oh, I found him in ma locker again. I couldn't figure how to unlock the lock, but now, I'mma be thankful that this thingy was there to smash the lock!" she spins the bat around playfully.
Mizki shook her head, "Gumi, this is the very reason why you have to get a new lock, every day." She rolls her eyes, "You're going to need a new one tomorrow."
Gumi's starry eyes popped out in astonishment, "Wow… How'dya know?"
Mizki sighs, "Because Gumi, I—"
"You're a psychic!" Gumi pointed at Mizki with a dorky grin.
"That's the only explanation, given by her ninja powers or something." Iroha teased Mizki, but then turned to face Piko, worry in her eyes. "So, why were you in Gumi's locker, Piko?"
Piko sighs with his heart slightly heavier. "I had another intervention with Len Kagamine," he mutters.
Gumi froze by the very name that Piko mentioned.
"Piko, you should've learned by now that Miku is nothing but trouble." Iroha waved a finger at him, "You keep crawling back into the same mess that he forces you in. Just give up already."
Piko shook his head, repelling the memories of everything that has happened already with Len. "No. I know Miku likes me. He's just possessive over her because they've got that reputation to uphold." He then snarls at the thought of his rival in love, "That stupid jerk. I've seen him flirt with other girls like the pig he is." He would have continued his rant if not for Iroha cutting in.
"But, how can you be so sure that she even likes you?" she questions him with furrowed eyebrows. "Can't you see that she's nothing but a fraud?"
Piko grinds his teeth, "You're so biased, Iroha." He spat, "You don't know what's going on. For all we know, Miku doesn't have a say in what's happening. If not for the Vippers causing trouble, then Miku's group wouldn't oppress us like this! It's her friends that are trying to protect her. For all we know, Miki is the fraud!"
Iroha's glare sharpened like knives. "Don't you dare—"
"Why are the Vippers involved with us?" he questions out loud, turning to Ritsu who scowled at him as well, "How did she even meet you? And if she's not a fraud, then how does she even get along with this snake?"
"Piko, that's enough!" Lily shoved at him aggressively, throwing him off balance, "If Miki didn't care, then she wouldn't have invited you to sit with us, she wouldn't have been worried about you missing class like you did."
"And if Miku did care," Mizki added smoothly, "She would have discussed this issue with you about it herself."
The room seeped into another soundless bliss. Hearts heavy after their little argument, as Piko held an inward argument in his head.
Is Miku really who she is? Do I really know her?
"… I hate it when ya fight…" Gumi mutters, out of the blue after not having the chance to speak after a while, "I dunno what ya fight about, but I don' like it."
"Me neither," Iroha admits, unsure herself on what the term 'fraud' even means anymore, "but, when Miki comes back, I don't want her to know that we fought like this. It would break her heart if she knew."
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Lily turns her head to Piko,
"I'm sorry that I pushed you." She began with Piko, "And that I expected you to come with my homework completed."
Chuckling at the last part of Lily's apology, he smiles softly, "It's okay, Lily. I completed it anyway." He turns to Iroha then, inhaling an air he was unsure of, "I'm sorry for being so stubborn, I shouldn't have said anything."
Iroha sighs, "It's okay, we're just worried about you…"
Piko nodded, "Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right." He sighs, "I think that I should just go for someone of my standards."
Lily pats her friend on the shoulder, "Piko, from what we see, you're the one who's way out of hers." She assures him, earning a modest smile from him.
"I think you might be right." He gestures.
Everything was calm again with everyone returning to the desk and enjoying some tasteful treats and carrying on with their business as if nothing had happened: Piko and Lily going over homework for next week, Ritsu and Mizki calmly drinking probably their 4th cup of tea, and Iroha and Big Al trying to teach Gumi how to speak Dolphin.
All of them waiting for Miki to come back so that they can all go home, she invited all of them over to her place to hang out with each other.
Thus, Miki comes into the room eager to see everyone, but particularly focused on Mizki.
"Hey Mizki, your brother is in the office right now!" she chirps.
The relatively calm Mizki spits out her tea and chokes on it, "W-what!?" she gasps and wheezed slightly out of character.
"Yeah…" Miki raises an eyebrow at her, "Is something wrong…?"
Mizki races out of her chair, clumsily knocking it down in the process, hastily scampering outside, pushing Miki out of the way of the door frame.
"… What's her problem?"
…
TO BE CONTINUED
...
Okay, firstly, Big Al was originally supposed speak Wingdings to demonstrate the lacking understanding of English to the other Japanese students. But of course, the website couldn't display that sort of font.
The reason why I referred to it as -*angry-sounding-foreign-language*- is because of a little inside joke in campus. There's a foreign girl from I believe Germany in our program who claimed English to sound very angry... Some would claim this statement to be ironic, but I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I sheepishly admit that French doesn't sound very romantic to me, but many others would disagree, so who am I to exploit such bias?
Anyway, getting back on track because I have no idea what more to say before signing off...
Please let me know what you think by leaving a comment. I look forward to compliments or critiques, I appreciate both. Also, since this is a parody (mostly), I may or may not have offended someone without intending to, and if I did, please let me know, and I can try and arrange an for alternative effect.
That's all I have to say for now. Thank you for checking out my profile and I hope that my stories are enjoyable and won't suffer that same hiatus and cancellation as Secret Afterschool did.
~Rocky