PROLOGUE
The pavement in itself was pristinely white, perhaps because no one, absolutely no one, ever set foot on the concrete. Because, of course, everyone arrived in gigantic limousines that screamed 'Moneybags!' and lived by the motto 'if you got the money, flaunt it', and everyone certainly had the crisp notes and shiny cards to speak for themselves. Naturally.
It said much that the people there did not consider themselves the elite of Japan. No, they much preferred the term, 'otherworldly', for such was the difference between the outside world and the expensively gilded one they lived in, where credit cards and banknotes rained from the sky in torrents, and personal bankbooks had to be commissioned because the chain of zeros ran so long that it simply fell off the page of an ordinary one.
Such was this Eitoku High School - social gathering of fabulously wealthy brats. It would be too far of an imaginative stretch to name such a place an educational institute, even if everyone was outfitted in the same attire.
Then again, said "uniform" was custom tailored, famously branded, and worn with atrociously expensive accessories. Everyone's hair was done by a personal stylist, and shame on you if you actually brushed your hair yourself this morning. If you were owner of the most expensive mobile phone to be purchased in Japan, le gasp!, because how totally gauche was it to own a phone that was accessible to the hoi polloi?
Perhaps not quite the same attire, after all.
Of course, everyone knew everyone who was worthy enough to be known. Eitoku, was, after all, an elevator institute, and everyone had known each other since they were in diapers, not that they would ever use such a plebian word to describe baby wear.
Yes, it was an exclusive community in which everyone's parents were socialites, political big-wigs, company presidents and oil magnates who kept periodical contact with everyone else's parents, at least those deemed important enough to maintain association with. Though, it was certain enough that no one was anyone's friend, because being ridiculously rich meant that you were ensconced into the whole cloak-and-dagger business, where you expected allies to turn into enemies in a matter of moments, depending on who had more money to burn.
High school was a perfect time to forge political alliances and corporate bonds left and right, and because you never knew who would stab you in the back, you had to make sure you had two constantly sharpened knives – one to stab the person whose back was facing you, the other to counter the one about to strike your otherwise unprotected back.
-
It was the first day of school. Or at least it was, for the common public. Certainly not for this prestigious institute, though. Because it was understandable that if the upper echelon were to have ordinary anything, the commoners would rise above their station in life, and the balance absolutely could not be shifted. Obviously. It was in Snobbish Socialite 101, didn't you pay attention?
"-have you heard? There's a new girl coming…" hushed whispers swelled to excited chatter, as fresh gossip made its daily morning round, in the form of giggles and dramatic reactions.
"…a commoner! From a public middle school, even. How vulgar! Daddy will have a fit when…" Another round of titters and whines.
"Ne, isn't your father a director of the board? Can't he do something? Fancy letting riffraff like that into our school…" Outrage; it wasn't right, granting the lows of society access to what they had. Too many privileges and it'd get to their heads, and the next thing you knew, they'd be trying to rub shoulders with you, crude action that it was.
"On a scholarship, I heard. Too poor to afford Eitoku, apparently. I bet she's ugly, too…" Clearly, the fact that the yet unnamed girl had enough brains to obtain a scholarship was not a plus point.
"Yes… Not even upper middle class. Barely even middle class – she's one of those struggling to keep within middle-income range, you know. Fancy even thinking of coming here! Idiot." Commoners were an alien breed, and their individuals were all equally repulsive.
The girl, apparently, was unsophisticated, ugly, and hideous. She had an eye patch, filthy fingernails and matted hair. She was missing at least five teeth, and had had three abortions by the time she'd hit the ripe age of thirteen. She had a fishy body odour and dreadful halitosis. She picked aluminium cans for a living and got into fights regularly.
Because all commoners were like that, weren't they? Honestly, what was the school board thinking?
-
The students were in the midst of a scandalized uproar when pin straight black hair made its unobtrusive appearance through the gleaming gates of Eitoku. 'Unobtrusive' being the lack of a flamboyant entrance via a flashy car.
Immaculate maroon material hung off a slender figure, stiff fabric lending a quietly stern atmosphere. She didn't look out of the world; she could even be classified as pretty, though it wasn't as if anyone would admit that on pain of death. Still, there was something different about her.
The gossiping voices grew louder and abruptly stopped as they noticed her, for her Plain Jane appearance stood out in stark contrast to the glitter-fest of Tiffany diamonds, the golden glint of Cartier watches, the expensive sheen of Louis Vuitton snakeskin wallets, the one-of-a-kind handphone charm personally crafted by Coco Chanel, and the buttery gleam of Gucci leather shoes. Talk about heaven meeting earth and angels meeting mortals.
The crowd parted silently for the lone figure, though it was in no way because they were awed into silence. More like shocked into speechlessness, stunned that the school board did actually permit a commoner into the school; gossip was never supposed to be true.
Even as the cluster of bodies reacted to the foreign intruder like the Red Sea did to Moses, people were starting to come to their senses, and hisses of disapproval spread through the mass in a discontented ripple. Noses were upturned, and haughty sniffs were heard in ludicrous tandem.
Three girls stepped into her path. The new girl stopped, brown eyes coolly meeting haughty, angered gazes.
Asai and co., she would soon be familiar with, though never in pleasant connotations. They blatantly stared at her, appraising eyes narrowing as they skimmed for branded labels and found none.
When it became clear that said snobs were not about to move out of her way, the commoner girl inclined her head slightly, eyes downcast, and proceeded to make her way round them to the principal's office.
Asai and co. were left with gaping mouths more than large enough to stuff a tennis ball, appalled expressions etched across previously picture-perfect faces. Many were surprised, for it seemed that Makino Tsukushi, as they soon learned the girl's name was, had shown absolute subservience (as she should) like the humble commoner she was.
Asai and co. were livid. The low-class girl had muttered, softly, under her breath, "Watch out, bitches."
Makino Tsukushi was so going down.
-
Contrary to what everyone thought, Makino Tsukushi was not poor. In fact, Makino Tsukushi did not exist.
She was known to the world as someone else altogether, both in name and status: Kurimaki Ayano. Daughter of the iron magnate and Japanese senator, Kurimaki Teruo.
With a highly independent streak since young, she had always yearned to do things herself, to gain through her own efforts. Unlike other face-value rich kids, she truly believed in the satisfaction of doing something from her own worth. With liberal and trusting parents, her boundaries stretched far. This resulted in a new apartment of her own, a new life (with continued voluntary financial backing), and a new identity – Makino Tsukushi.
However, the cookie bites both ways. With practically free reign from her parents, she was to attend Eitoku High School, turn up at necessary business functions and take over the reins of her parents' empire at the age of 21. Just three conditions. It was under such an agreement that Makino Tsukushi was printed on a spanking new identity card.
-
The days passed swiftly, and soon the first year of Eitoku High School drew to an end, as most of the Eitoku population got used to the new addition of Makino, and some even ventured so far as to greet her in the morning, surprised at the well-bred air she somehow seemed to possess. Professors paid high compliments to her hardworking attitude and intelligent questions. Perhaps commoners weren't so bad, after all.
Though, it was expected, Asai and co. were still against her; they even went so far as to spread rumours about her merely biding her time to snag a rich husband at Eitoku, but few paid such malicious and patently untrue news much heed.
Makino Tsukushi even got herself a friend: Sanjou Sakurako. The girl had transferred in the middle of the year and was shy and soft-spoken, unusual traits for girl used to living in the lap of luxury, with scores of servants at her beck and call. She was pretty, but never snobbish, and spent breaks with Makino laughing at jokes or reading manga.
And thus did the days pass rather uneventfully, and all seemed rather mundane at Eitoku, till the fall of Makino's second year.
There hadn't been that big a commotion since they found out that a commoner was to join their ranks at Eitoku. This current news vastly overshadowed that of Makino's arrival.
The F4 had arrived in Japan.
-
Okay. So I've revamped the prologue (and significantly lengthened it by almost 4 times). If you've noticed, I decided to add Sakurako into the mix. Continuing on this plot would have Makino working at the dango store with Yuuki; basically being more dramaverse-compliant. Do drop a review to let me know which you prefer – the original or the new. I'll go along with the majority :D