Taiga Ayano wasn't very… noticeable. She blended in most of the time. That girl with the maroon colored hair. Nobody really knew much about her. They saw her around the school, occasionally raising her hand in class, and eating her lunch alone, but nobody tried to walk up to her and talk to her.
She was just… there.
Niou Masaharu definitely got more attention. The prankster who was also a regular on the famous tennis team, yeah, he was much more well known. A fanbase, fanboys and fangirls alike, and got at least 5 confessions a week. He was, simply put, popular.
So how did these two cross paths?
Well, it certainly helped that they were both attending Rikkaidai. And that Ayano was a third-year and Niou was a third-year both in the same class. Normally, they would have gone the rest of their lives without exchanging anything more than pleasantries and small talk since they were so unlike each other.
This was where he came into play. That tricky, devious creature. Not even human was he, indeed, he was…
A cat.
The title might make a lot more sense now, ne?
Jeez, I wonder what's going to happen today? Nothing? Again? What. A. Shocker. I lifted my head from my arms and yawned. Oh, lunch time. I took out my bento and began to eat it, not moving from my seat.
I finished fairly quickly, and it seems as if I have some leftover sushi. Might not have been a good idea to drink so much Ponta during class, now what am I going to do with my leftovers? Not as if I have any friends to share with. Rikkaidai has some of the worst student hospitality ever, I swear.
I sighed and stood up, my chair scraping against the floor. Not one person turned to look at me as I walked out into the hallway. I just don't understand what the Hell is making me so unapproachable. Like, God, what did I ever do? Nothing? Is that it?
Do I have to do something extraordinary? Reveal that I'm some mystical being? Become the absolute best in academics? Join the tennis club and become a regular?
Oh, isn't that guy a regular? Yeah, I think so. That silver-hair and rat-tail is pretty distinguishable. Somehow, don't know how, but he pulls off the 'long hair on a male' look while still looking hot as damn that dude's got class.
I passed so many people and nobody has said even a greeting to me. I am sorely disappointed in this, I shall rant to my dear friend tonight through texts. Hope he's ready to be bombarded with chimes of incoming digital mail on his phone.
I have reached the back of the school without any casualties. And there is an adorable little cat.
...
I have found my new leftovers disposal-
"What are you doing here, puri?" A voice cut me off.
I turned to possibly see the first person who has ever spoken to me at this torturous building known as a highly ranked educational institute for preadolescents, or somebody who was talking to the cat. Aaaaaaaaand drumroll please, it's silver rat-tail dude.
"..." I didn't dare make a sound. Was I hallucinating? In a dream? Did I actually shower this morning or was it a part of my fantasy too? Hope not, otherwise I must stink.
"Oi, I'm talking to you." He spoke again. I repeat, he has spoken again! Doesn't he know cats can't answer back in our language, but only in meows and purrs and those devious little smirks meaning they will either kill you or take your food? Doesn't he know that? Doesn't he?!
He raised an eyebrow as I simply sat next to the feline and opened up my bento box again. I met his gaze and stayed silent. I watched as he sat down next to me as well.
"Are you mute or just stupid, puri?" He questioned, taking one of my sushi rolls and plopping it into his mouth.
I blinked. Blinked again. Okay, once more people, and do it with me, I blinked in disbelief and shock and all things holy and foshizzlanoly-
"Did… Did you just speak to me?" A weird, lopsided, and possibly belonging to a mental patient kind of smile formed on my lips.
He slowly nodded as if I were crazy. I probably am, but let's not tell him just yet, shhhhhhh. Shhhhhhhh...
"You, and this is without any dishonesty, lies, or trickery of the verbal language I produce with my mouth, are the first and foremost other earthly being beyond simple minded, four-legged creatures, twig-legged and bird-brained avians, and the more complex aliens who instruct our learning in this cruel and strange location, to have verbally communicated more than exchanging of the work we must complete in our households with me."
I fed a sushi to the cat as I finished, turning away for a moment. When I looked back to see if I was really drunk off the Ponta I had and was making up the guy, I saw a very amusing sight. He was blinking slowly, closing his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. He looked at me strangely.
"What?"
Ah, such a simple sound that tells us so much. The human brain computes it as,
'I have no f*cking idea about the words that came out of your mouth, so I'm attempting to get you to explain it in simpler terms so my puny mind can understand.'
Or sometimes as,
'Dude, I just wasn't even paying attention.'
But I shall give this mortal the benefit of a doubt and go with option numero uno. I simply nodded at him and rephrased my extensive use of the Japanese language that I mercilessly crammed into one jumbo sentence.
"You are the first student at this school who has ever talked to me. Un-der-stand?" I mocked, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.
He raised an eyebrow back at me.
"Damn, loner much, puri?" An amused smirk shaped his lips.
I shrugged, rolling my eyes a bit.
"Well I apologize for the truthful fact that my flock of educational prisoners in which I share a metaphorical cell with don't have any desires to express their feelings to anyone else other than those whom they have created standing bonds with, therefore effectively shutting me out into my own delusional fantasies and methods on passing the drawn out existence we measure ourselves by, known as time."
"What?"
I merely grinned at the deja-vu feeling and high I got off from speaking in riddles around this guy. I found this so amusing.
"I mean that nobody's ever come up to me and tried to become my friend, or even talked to me." I explained, my tone of voice taking on a more resigned note.
He raised an eyebrow at me once more.
"Sad."
"Yup."
"Oh, so now you'll talk like a normal human being, puri~."
"I apologize that your miniscule brain couldn't comprehend-" I was cut off, and I don't know if I'm happy or sad about it. Because a) I. Was. Cut. Off. And then again, there's also b) He was listening and paying enough attention to be able to effectively cut me off.
"Please speak normally again. Whoever you are…" He grumbled.
I fed another sushi to the little feline and nodded without looking at him, or in his general direction. It was just the kind of nod, like I was staring off into the sky and infinity and space and beyond.
"Sooooo, what's your name?" I asked a conversation starter. It seemed legit.
"Ah, so uneducated. Niou Masaharu, regular on the tennis team, puri~." Good, now I can stop referring to him as 'that dude with a silver rat-tail' in my head.
I nodded again. Seems like I was right about him playing tennis. I continued to feed the little kitty. I'm going to fatten him up-
"You?" He asked.
"Huh?" I turned to look at him.
"Your name." His lips were still in that smirk. I got the feeling it was natural for him to always look that sneaky.
"Ah, the verbal sounds that have been strung together in the futile and strangely endearing effort to make me distinguishable-"
"Name. That's it. No need for all of that extra stuff." He cut in again.
"Taiga Ayano, pleasure to formally greet you Masaharu-san." I leaned back and fell ungracefully onto the ground. With a yawn, I held out the bento box with the last sushi inside. He took it.
"A-ri-ga-to~" He sing-songed, popping it in his mouth.
"At least you have manners." I said approvingly.
We sat in a silence for a while. The cat left. The bell has yet to ring. I'd be reading a book or drawing at the moment, but I'm here instead, seated next to one of the most popular boys in my school, and all I can wonder is,
"So, what are we now?" I rolled over onto my side to look over to him. The grass is surprisingly soft.
He lazily glanced over to me and smirked. But it was different, it seemed more tired. And he looks sleepy.
"Hm, you interested in being friends with benefits, puri~?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
I gave him a blank stare.
"Remove the 'with benefits' part and I'm in." I told him in a business-like tone.
"Just friends then?" He seemed so amused by the prospect.
"Yup." I confirmed.
"An interesting idea, puri~." He tilted his head, seeming to think about it for a bit before nodding. "Yeah, I think this just might work."
I grinned and sat up once more. Combing back my hair with only my hands, I let another concern bubble up.
"So, what exactly do we do?" I asked. I'm pretty sure this friendship is going to be different from the one I have with my childhood friend.
"Hm, you can start with bringing me a bento tomorrow. Meet me on the roof." He commanded, waving his hand with a flourish.
"Oh, and you can buy the drinks. I want a grape Ponta." I told him, not for a moment thinking I was overstepping any boundaries at all. I bring food, he brings drinks, seems fair.
"Then it's settled, puri~" He smirked at me with an incline of his head. "Let's see how this 'being friends' works out."
"Hopefully not like one of those cliche novels." I piped up just as the bell rang. "I hate those romances."
Laughter from my newly made friend. He stood up and offered a hand to me, which I gratefully accepted. He pulled me onto my feet and released my five fingers and palm before sticking his elbow out.
"Shall we, puri?~" He asked in an almost mocking tone that was oh-so polite and completely unfitting for him.
I lightly covered my mouth with my fingers as I reached out with my other hand and gently latched onto his arm with a small gasp.
"We shall." I confirmed in the same mockingly, polite tone he used.
We both laughed at the same time, and the matching sh*t-eating grins we wore proudly made it just so much more humorous. Now I have more to tell my old friend!~
Sent to: KXX-XKXK
From: XOX-XOXO
Ahhhh, I made a friend today Nimi! I made a friend! An actual human being talked to me and became my friend! Can you believe it?! :D :D :D
Sent to: XOX-XOXO
From: KXX-XKXK
Barely. Who is it? And did you even finish your homework yet?
Sent to: KXX-XKXK
From: XOX-XOXO
Uwah, so mean Nimi-chan! And his name is... Not telling! Because you got all mean. :P And about that homework... Maybe? You'll never find out now! Mwuhahahaha! :D
Sent to: XOX-XOXO
From: KXX-XKXK
Be careful. Don't let your guard down and finish your homework. Are you still coming over this weekend? Okaa-san misses you.
Sent to: KXX-XKXK
From: XOX-XOXO
Yup, I miss her too! Don't worry, I'll be careful, especially since my new friend has a lot of fangirls. They might be out for my blood soon... And yes, I will be over this weekend, I am sharing the bed with you again Nimi! I'm going to sleep soon, you?
Sent to: XOX-XOXO
From: KXX-XKXK
I will sleep soon too. Goodnight Aya, sweet dreams.
Sent to: KXX-XKXK
From: XOX-XOXO
Awww, I love you too Nimi, goodnight! May sweet dreams visit you and the nightmares haunt your worst enemy! :)
Sent to: XOX-XOXO
From: KXX-XKXK
A tad bit extreme about the nightmares. Love you as well. Now sleep.
