A/N: My first fanfic published on ! I've written many before but never really got around to putting them up...anyways, enjoy! Read the warnings before you read the fic, alright?
Summary: Love was all just a theory to her. She's forced to fall in love, and when she succeeds, she only feels hollow. MaruixOC Oneshot. Cliche of all cliches.
Warning: You just might die from the numerous cliches and sweetness. Extremely bad original song lyrics ahead, it's cringe-worthy. And the OC just may be a Mary-Sue. My apologies.
Disclaimer: Marui Bunta will drown you in sugar, and I do not own.
Faked but Genuine
The first time you looked at me, I was soaring,
The first time you smiled at me, my heart was pounding,
The first time you touched me, it was electricity,
But you never took notice of my infatuation.
The last time you looked at me, I was drowning,
The last time you smiled at me, my heart was twitching,
The last time you touched me, there was nothing,
Because I'd forgotten about you.
Because your disappointment broke my heart,
Because your disgust at me tore me apart,
I forgot about you, never talked to you again,
Because I'd fallen out of love.
And so the next time I saw you, I shied away,
And so the next time I touched you, I pretended nothing was there,
Because there really was nothing, my heart was not held captive anymore,
It was then that we parted ways.
Oh no, the song was perfect. Entirely so. The melody consisted of a slow, sweet, melancholic piano, a forlorn violin, and a deep, reverberating cello. But the instrumentalists, although hired, weren't at fault.
It was the singer, who was currently beating herself up over that fact.
"Damn it!" she snarled, listening to the recording yet again. She clenched her fist, blue eyes angered and sparking in frustration.
Even to any untrained ears, the song was, at best, a very good imitation of an abandoned lover, hurt by her sweetheart but then moving on, forgetting about her flighty lover. But there was no emotion, nothing to please the eager masses awaiting for her next album. She was just singing the lyrics and tune, but there wasn't any substance.
"Why?" she questioned herself, frustrated. But she knew the truth...well, theoretically.
She'd never been in love.
XxX
The first time she entered Rikkaidai Fuzoku, she was searching for a suitable, nice, handsome boy. She'd intended to go to school instead of being privately tutored to be able to experience love, all in favor of that song. She searched for a suitable partner beneath her heavy makeup, wig, and opaque glasses.
Her seatmate was a pink-haired boy by the name of Marui Bunta. The overly sugary scent coming from him was nauseating at the very least, and that perpetual popping would never cease. She twitched, turning to politely tell the boy to stop before noticing his very handsome features.
He was quite the looker, with that reddish pink, eye-catching hair and light, vivacious lavender eyes. His face was boyish, and his lips were grinning at the boy in front of him, someone with silver hair and a rat tail.
She watched him like a predator would a prey.
XxX
"Marui-kun, please stop dumping your sweets on my desk. They're annoying me," she groaned for the nth time that week. The lavender eyed boy just smiled cheekily.
"But you put up with me because you're my desk mate!" he replied cheerfully, pulling a small pastry out of the mountain of sugary death in front of her.
Yes, she put up with it. Only for her song, her success, her reputation. They were on the line.
It'd already been a month, and the furthest she had gotten in this relationship was to chat with him occasionally. She usually fell asleep because her private tutors had already taught her the material.
Sighing, she twirled her wig-hair in her slender fingers, adjusted her glasses to conceal the fake color her contacts were emitting, and rubbed at her face concealed in makeup, oblivious to the frequent glances Marui's silver headed friend kept throwing at her.
XxX
Marui remembered the first time he saw the girl quite clearly. She had black, straight hair, glasses that occasionally revealed her violet eyes, and a face that was not exceptionally beautiful but not utterly revolting either. His eyes were drawn towards her when he discovered she was his desk partner, studying that confident aura she had.
"So...what school did you come from?" the boy asked the transfer student.
"I was home schooled," she answered, voice strangely familiar. Suddenly, as if struck by something, she smiled at him in a way that made him shudder. Yet, he was still interested. She was interesting. And the whole mysterious atmosphere around her even more interestingly drew his attention towards her.
XxX
The first time he smiled at her, he was treated to a raised eyebrow and a small smile in return. He caught a glance of something triumphant in her eyes behind her glasses before it disappeared.
"So, Marui-kun," she said slyly, lips twitching. "I heard that the tensai failed a chemistry test."
His smile dropped like a rock, and he vowed to never smile at her or let his guard down around her again. For safety purposes.
"That was a fluke. I could've passed it if I wasn't distracted," he huffed, once again turning to the pile of goodies his fan girls delivered to him. He picked a stick of green gum and ripped the packaging open.
"Oh? And what was distracting you, pray tell?"
His mind supplied helpfully that, on the day of the test, he had caught a glimpse of purple hair sticking randomly out of the girl's straight, ebony hair.
"Nothing," he muttered, popping the stick of chewy delightfullness into his mouth...only to choke and turn as pink as his hair. He rushed out of the classroom, seeking the water fountain to cool his burning mouth. The gum had tasted suspiciously like wasabi, and he could only think of two culprits for the prank.
Niou Masaharu, who was on the other side of school, though the tensai wouldn't put it past the trickster to sneak it into his pile somehow.
And his seat mate, who was covering her mouth in silent laughter.
XxX
Somewhere on the other side of school, a Niou-turned-Yagyuu sneezed.
XxX
The first time they touched, she was passing him a pencil that he had left at home during one of his I'm-not-a-tensai-but-pretending-anyways moments.
She jerked her hand away, pink tainting her cheeks as she glanced away, though Marui couldn't tell behind her makeup and glasses.
Her heart leaped as he smiled at her and thanked her. She only scoffed to hide her embarrassment.
Well, that was weird, she thought before shrugging.
XxX
It was during that god bedamned culture festival that she was, quite unfortunately or fortunately, depending on one's perspective, kissed by the one and only Marui Bunta.
As his lips pressed against hers gently, her heart fluttered weirdly and her stomach felt like it did during her debut concert. His lavender eyes were staring into hers intensely, and she hesitantly pressed back. They hugged each other, not quite sure when these feeling had manifested.
The fireworks above showered blues, yellows, reds, greens, and a myriad of other colors.
Later that night, not sure what to think of it, she attributed it to the fact that she had finally succeeded. Falling in love. And now she could sing her song, showing the feelings of love, happiness, and bliss. But for some reason, her endeavor with Marui felt empty.
She shoved the thoughts into the confines of her mind. As long as she was in love, it didn't matter. Her new album would be a success.
XxX
She shook slightly, unsure of what to say. For some odd reason, she never wanted him to find out that she had fallen in love with him to sing her song. That there was an ulterior motive to getting close to him deliberately.
She had been talking to Niou Masaharu, who had questioned her on why exactly she fell in love with Marui. He had suspected her sly glances at him that were not at all fangirlish but rather predatory. He'd cornered her, asking fiercely to protect Marui from whatever plans she had for him. Even though his pranks brought the tensai pain, the trickster never really hurt the boy.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"You have a motive...a drive in making Marui falling in love with you. And I want to know what it is."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You look at him like he's the missing piece in a puzzle, the part that was only being used to fulfill the owner's selfish desire to complete the puzzle without regard to the piece itself."
"...when did you get so eloquent, Niou?"
"Well?"
"Fine. I used him, alright? I used him so I could sing a stupid song that involved feelings of love."
"And did it work?"
"What?"
"Did the song sound like what you wanted?"
"...no."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Find someone else, I guess. Someone who I can really fall in love with."
And that silver headed man still had that knowing, fierce, utterly protective glint in his sharp eyes, piercing her soul as if he knew why exactly her song didn't sound like what it should have.
And that's when a nearby classroom door slammed open, Marui whisking out of it, head turned to avoid looking at her.
Her eyes widened, confused before understanding dawned on her. However, she could only stand stock still, staring at the back of her former boyfriend as Niou melted into the shadows behind her.
She told herself that she didn't care for him anymore...but she did.
XxX
The next day, Marui didn't look at her all day, not speaking at all, and she felt as if she was dying slowly. The heavy pounding hurt, and her mind was fuzzy all day. Finally, during lunch, when he was about to leave, she said, in a low voice, "Meet me after tennis practice today in here." And she swiftly walked off.
Her bento was still in her cubby.
XxX
Marui debated on whether to open the door. He had whacked the tennis balls with ferocity and anger, no control at all, during tennis pactice. He'd gotten laps for that, but he ran to burn away the acidic feelings in his guts.
He opened the door, stepping in to see his seat mate sitting on a desk away from him, back turned and eyes staring at the ceiling. However, something was different. A lot, actually.
Her straight black hair was short, purple, and messy. She had no glasses on, revealing her blue eyes, and minimal makeup on. So this is who she is, he sneered in his head. The famous idol, the one claimed to see everyone as only tools. He should've known.
The two were silent.
"What do you want?" Marui asked in a gruff voice, staring off to the side.
She turned then, blue eyes glinting. She stood and walked towards him until she was only a foot apart.
"Bunta, I'm very sorry for what I said. I never meant it," she began uncertainly. She'd never been good with apologies, anyways.
"It's Marui," came the sharp, irritated voice as he finally looked at her but avoiding her eyes. His eyes dug holes in her forehead, eyes narrowed dangerously. "And that apology won't change our relationship. It's over."
Desperate, she grabbed his hand. He jerked away, pulling hers off his and stepping away. She stiffened at the abrupt movement, nailed to the spot by his cold reaction.
"Please, Bunta, I'm sorry. I really am. And I don't know how to make it up to you. I-I've never been really good with apologies, but I want you to know that I'm sincere."
He stepped back again and pulled the door open, back still to it. He turned and stepped out.
"Bunta," she pleaded.
"It's Marui," he repeated, although the answer seemed hollow. He tilted his head towards her and smiled sadly, eyes finally meeting her own for a split second before walking away.
She was drowning, suffocating below the torrent of emotions, dying, pressed against on all sides by a black pressure. She sank to her knees, tears running down her cheeks for the first time in many, many years.
She now knew. She knew why people did crazy things or love. This crush was supposed to be disposable after the song debuted, but it seems as if the plan backfired. She laughed, slightly maniacally, at her idiocy, her obliviousness.
The mighty had finally fallen, and nobody was there to pick up the pieces.
XxX
The next day, everything was back to the same conditions that had been present on the first day.
Marui Bunta ignored her, glancing at her only occasionally and handing her anything she had dropped.
She only smiled politely, nodding in thanks and turning to the board again in a split second, pretending she didn't care when his hand brushed her, when his lips involuntarily twitched when she fell asleep, when his gaze drifted towards her occasionally.
She didn't care, she told herself firmly. It was over. It was all over.
XxX
The first time you looked at me, I was oblivious,
The first time you smiled at me, my heart was twitched,
The first time you touched me, it was a spark,
But I never took notice of my growing infatuation.
The last time you looked at me, I was drowning,
The last time you smiled at me, my heart was dying,
The last time you touched me, it was still electricity,
But one of an entirely different kind.
Because your disappointment broke my heart,
Because your disgust at me tore me apart,
But I never told you, never told you my secret,
Because I didn't know I had fallen in love with you.
And so the next time I saw you, I shied away,
And so the next time I touched you, I pretended nothing was there,
But I was dying, drowning, electrocuted on the spot,
Because you still held my heart.
The hired instrumentalists had been dismissed, although they were still paid. She had played the haunting melody herself, practicing and singing to drown out those feelings of hurt, disappointment, anger that were directed at herself. The melody consisted of a slow, sweet, melancholic piano, a forlorn violin resounding in her voice, and a deep, reverberating cello that sent tremors through her chest.
She finished the recording, eyes glassy when she listened to the altered lyrics, and she smiled bitterly.
The masses were going to like this, but she didn't didn't quite have the same feelings at all.
XxX
"Yo, fat-ass!" Niou cheered, slinging an arm around the boy's slumped shoulders, pretending not to notice his shadowed eyes and pale appearance. Tennis practice had been canceled.
"What?" the pink haired boy asked grumpily. Niou grinned, eyes sparkling.
"So, I was wondering wha-"
Suddenly, a hauntingly familiar voice erupted from the trickster's pocket. The piano in the background gave a depressing air, and the voice was sad, forlorn, hurt. And the tensai recognized it, freezing. He listened to the lyrics, heart pounding.
Niou took his sweet time fishing the device out of his pocket, talking to Hiroshi about meeting later for something or other.
"-yeah, hold on," he said, turning to look for Marui. He grinned at the sprinting boy and announced, "Thanks, Hiro-chan. Our plan worked."
After a moment's pause, the trickster feigned hurt. "My plans always work, and this was one of the more sane ones!"
Marui ran home and dashed up the stairs, turning on the radio in his room. He panted, sweaty and fatigued, but he didn't care as the beginning of that same song came on. He listened intently, eyes closed as everything was centered on that voice that he heard nearly everyday until the unfortunate event three weeks ago.
As the last, dying note sounded, he slumped, rubbing a hand through his hair.
"Damn."
XxX
It was the weekend, and she was jogging, focusing on the clean air and the feeling of the moon on her skin. Finally, she paused in a rather deserted park. After all, it was one in the morning, and nobody was usually out at that time.
She gazed at the stars, counting them slowly, sometimes missing some and recounting others, but she didn't care. It gave her mind something to do.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and she froze, crouching and ready to sprint if a sign of danger appeared. However, as she saw the familiar pink hair, those burning lavender eyes, and the thin frame of her friend...desk mate, she relaxed. He stood by her, both looking at the night sky.
"I'm leaving for America tomorrow," she said quietly, eyes closing. "I've been given an opportunity to co-star with another singer in a song."
Marui stayed silent, heart clenching. Finally, he sighed. "I heard that new song."
"Did you?" she asked and laughed, no humor in the sound at all. "It was a success after all."
The silence resumed, a pregnant silence falling over the two. Finally, the pop star shifted. "I guess this is goodbye then."
Marui started, looking at her with wide eyes. As she made a move to leave, eyes turned away and not daring to look at his, he grabbed her wrist. She jumped, looking at his hand before turning her gaze at the boy...no, man.
"Don't leave. I-I'm sorry for how I reacted. I was shocked," he admitted, his explanation feeling like someone else said them and he was drifting, in no control of his body. He was oddly detached from reality, the only thing clear to him her face.
"What?" she asked uncertainly.
"I apologize and...I'm asking for you to stay," he asked, cheeks flushing slightly.
She gazed at him steadily before tugging gently. His hand slid from hers, and she turned.
"Goodbye...Marui Bunta. And I'm sorry."
XxX
The next morning, the desk was empty. Many asked him where she was, but he only shrugged. He felt hollow, like some part of him had been taken away.
It was during lunch, and Marui was eating silently in the empty classroom, declining all requests for him to eat with them. The door slid open, but he didn't look up, suspecting it was another person asking where his desk mate went.
When a bag thumped heavily on the desk, Marui jumped, chopsticks dropping into his bento. His eyes turned to the stranger and widened, disbelieving. There was the purple, stuck up hair, the deep, blue eyes, and clear face. The stranger raised an eyebrow at his reaction.
"Really, is that how you treat your returned desk partner? I'm hurt."
And at that instant, he realized that she was there and not halfway across the globe. He swiftly stood and grabbed her arm, pulling her into a warm embrace. She clutched at his shirt and hugged back.
"Please tell me you're staying," he whispered into the girl's genuine hair.
"Well, I canceled the offer, and the guy wasn't too happy. Joustan Beebar, if I recall correctly," she said with a bit of humor in her voice. "He sang like a girl, too."
Finally, they pulled away from each other, and she smiled, genuinely. "I'm sorry."
"That's my line," Marui said, eyes twinkling. He stretched out a hand. "Truce?"
She grabbed it, and she felt as if she were drowning again, that electricity was coursing through her veins, like she was flying through the skies.
"Truce."
XxX
Outside, Niou chuckled, Yagyuu rolling his eyes in exasperation.
"You love getting involved in other people's business."
"Of course, puri~!"
XxX
Author's Note: Done! It took me two days to write this, and quite frankly, the ending was awkward. The whole thing was cliched, but ah well. I was doing this while I was supposed to be doing homework...oops. Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read this fanfic, and please review so that I can make adjustments to my other stories if need be. Flames welcome, but be warned, if you criticize my works without any stable evidence that it sucks, please refrain from commenting, for I will address it in the next chapter (or work...or not at all if I'm lazy), and it will be awkward...and I'm a very awkward person. Maybe I'll make a fool out of myself. Thanks!