Disclaimer: None of the main characters in this fan fiction are owned by me with an exception to a few and are owned by the author/mangaka, Hiro Fujiwara. No money is being profited by this story. No copyright infringement.

Author's note: Hey guys! So, this is one of my first fics, so I'm sorry if my writing isn't really your cup of tea. But, anyway, I came up with this The Giver/Hunger Games sort of setting and imagined how I could build a Misaki/Takumi story on that. Anyway, this is simply inspired by several Dystopic-society-books I've read so...err...yeah. I hope you enjoy it! Oh and there was some mistakes where I wrote guy names for some secondary characters and forgot that the academy was for girls(sorry)...So I fixed that.

Summary: In a defective society, which relies on a systematic cycle of castes, a Misaki Ayuzawa has been accepted, despite belonging to a family of extreme poverty, to the Elite Private Academy for girls in the mainland; a training school for careers that had been decided beforehand for female students of noble families to pursue. But, if only there wasn't a change of events. If only matters hadn't twisted to an edge where not even Ayuzawa could stand. If only she hadn't met him. Maid sama fic: Takumi/Misaki.

Rated: PG-13(just in case).


Friday, November 30th, 2055, Dorms.

Mad. They're all mad.

This whole school. Everyone.

It's not the first time I'm saying this. Actually, it's perhaps the millionth time. Since, not one of those three has any idea that this school was not built for mere violations of dress code. No. Not at all. But, much, much nobler, and bigger purposes.

Honestly, this job is just far too hard. And, tiring. And, complicated.

I mean, I never asked to be president. I honestly never did. Actually, I'm just far too grateful that they accepted me here.

I'm a Five.

And, if you ask any sane person in their right mind, us Fives don't really belong sitting in a chair, signing contracts and important administration letters to faculties of rich, elite schools. That's actually the last thing we'd be doing.

We're the lower castes. We're the ones looked down upon. We're the ones who fight for survival. Even if sometimes it may have not been available.

And, even though it sounds much dramatic when I say it; but, that's exactly how things were before I came here.

Day and night. Working down to the pulp under the aching, broad sunlight that laughed at me while I loaded crates and crates and even more crates into the Plac-Deliveries trucks.

And, you can thank my dad for that.

Indeed. Dad. The very same man who abandoned my family as if we were meaningless and that finding jobs, especially when we were Fives, would be the easiest task on the planet. Well, let me assure you; It wasn't. Not in the slightest.

Sigh. But, that was a long time ago. And, gladly, there aren't any men in this school, in the first place, to remind me of him. So, it doesn't matter, really. Except the fact that now that I'm not there to provide bread for the family; Suzuna's taken charge. And, that was the last thing I wanted. Working as a part-time waitress at Trusty's (an old burger shop across the street from where we lived). I mean how's she going to manage that? She's only thirteen...instead of taking orders for customers, shouldn't she be swooning over blokes and giggling along with best friends?

And, what about Mum? What about her health?

This is worrying. Very, very worrying. Should I really be here in the first place?

'You're assigned the duty of Guardian', those were the words that brought me here. 'To guard your community from what lies beyond'.

I had never really understood what that meant. Nor did I want to understand.

Double sigh.

Let's just hope that those three girls button their shirts and wear longer skirts next time. Before, Professor Landmark wrings their neck in Politics' class.


Monday, November 31st, 2055, Revising notes for Defense class.

The Basics of Detecting Lies

- Dilated pupils.

- Failing to communicate normally.

- Physical movement is limited and stiff; few hand or leg movements.

- Evasion of eye contact.

- Gestures/expressions are limited and short.

- A guilty person is rather defensive whereas an innocent is more offensive.

- Unconscious placement of objects between them and another (Another source of evidence to defensive mechanism).

- Consistent changing of subject.

- Use of distancing language.

I studied until two in the morning for this test, along with the almost five foot long essay for Memories class. Besides, it doesn't seem too complicated. I mean, lie detecting was covered last year. Oh well.


Monday, November 31st, 2055, Later, Memories class.

My mind is simply reeling into a bundle of utmost misery.

I stayed up until two in the morning. Thrusting down all the knowledge I possibly had related to the Area 2 rebellions back in the 70's, blistering my fingers to the extent where I don't even think they were bleeding...and now this. Really? You've got be kidding me.

The essay was due in January. Yeah. January.

Is it me or does Professor Pemberly need to be more careful with her wording...?

But, then again nobody else did it in my group...


Monday, November 31st, 2055, Much Later, Dorms.

"MISAAAAKIIIII!" I heard.

Wait...Sakura?

At least a dozen questions popped up on the tip of my tongue while the door banged shut and as quick as the wind(nearly giving me a heart attack at that), her pigtails bouncing up and down, a Sakura with a large rucksack dangling by one shoulder, wrapped her arms around me.

Wasn't she supposed to be at the UniTrip?

"Err...Sakura...?" I asked, clearly, very confused. She released me from the tight grip of her arms and grabbed my wrists all of a sudden, saying excitedly, as always, "The trip was awesome and...and..."

The rest was practically an incoherent rant. I smiled, "Calm down, Sakura...I don't understand a word you're saying" Nevertheless, she continued with her breathless explanation.

"We brought back presents!" was the only thing I could make out of what she was saying.

"...Presents?" I repeated slowly. She flashed me a broad grin, "And, Shizuko got a haircut!"

Err...what? But... I really liked her hair when it was long. Oh well.

But, just as I tried to cover my disappointment, the door creaked open once again and I noticed yet another best friend drag her feet inside our room with an entirely different look. Well, not entirely. I mean, she looked much, much different than usual. However this look actually suited her.

Even though I adored her silky, long wavy locks that practically shined as she walked down corridors, making girls stop and ask her what products she used on her and what not; this new pixie cut really suited her personality and her face shape as well. I felt my face brighten yet again, "Whoa..." I grinned. "Careful there, I barely recognized you"

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Well, good. I was planning on getting a break from the Theatre club..."

"Theatre?" this came from Sakura. "Yeah..." replied Shizuko while taking off her pale trench coat and hanging it onto the hook beside the entrance. "They've been following me ever since the beginning of this term..."

"Really?" Sakura said just as surprised as I was. "I never knew you could act, Shizuko"

"Well, I can't" she said matter of factly, now strolling down towards us only to stand beside Sakura. "They just need to recruit more members and out of the whole, entire school, for some reason, they manage to chase me down..." she paused. "So, it'll be nice to not get tracked for once..."

"Wait...but..." I began. All of this was really confusing. "How'd you guys return so quickly?"

Yeah. How did they? I mean, the UniTrip usually took around two or three days. Visiting another Area was really time consuming; with lots of bureaucratic needs to be ensued, the millions of papers needed to be signed along with the documents and all. Besides, even on the fast, electric buses we used for field trips, the distance between the mainland and other communities was usually very large. It was no wonder they only did it with seniors and not anyone below that. I was actually rather relieved more than anything when I was excused from not going there due to the student council meeting earlier.

"We're kids" was Sakura's casual reply. "They wouldn't do any of that lengthy mumbo jumbo with us"

Shizuko agreed and I sighed, "I suppose that makes sense"

A while passed and we had all decided to spend the rest of the evening lying back on the three bean bags next to each other in front of our bunker beds.

"Well..." Sakura began. I could just hear the enthusiasm in her voice. It was so obvious. "The Christmas Festival is coming up..."

"Oh great" Shizuko replied with her usual sarcasm.

"Honestly, guys, aren't you excited at all?" Sakura had asked with a bit of disappointment in her voice.

"Why would we?" said Shizuko indifferently, as always.

"Well, it's just that..." she paused. "I don't know...you get to choose a date and dress up into nice, fancy dresses and fall in love and...Well, it seems like a fantasy coming true..."

Well, I suppose for people like me dressing up into fancy, expensive clothing would be something apart from the usual, but I didn't understand why it should've been something different for Sakura. I mean she was the daughter of the CEO of a famous modelling company. Wasn't it usual for her to wear long, flamboyant dresses?

I decided to ignore the thought since it was just me considering stereotypical beliefs. It could've been that Sakura's lifestyle before coming here was different than what most imagine Ones to experience.

"What about you, Misaki?" Sakura asked from beside me. I gawked at the square light above me on the ceiling and thought it over for a second in a still silence, "Well...it doesn't really matter for me...I'd rather spend my time more productively than that-"

"Misaki!" Sakura whimpered. "Why can't you just have fun for once?"

"Yeah, it would be nice if you took a break from all your President work" now this came from Shizuko.

I sighed, "Maybe someday I would. But, right now...is just a really bad time to have..." I stopped and then finished wearily, "Fun" The word sent a weird, tingly feeling down in my stomach as if it was something I didn't particularly like listening to.

"That's our Misaki!" I heard Shizuko say as Sakura chuckled.

What? What did they mean? Did I?

Need to have fun, that is? Why? When I could be making this school a better place? The idea sounded absurd. And, it still does.


Tuesday, December 1st, 2055, Guarding class.

"What is the one fundamental rule for all Guardians?" Professor Black asked in her posh British accent, crossing her arms by the projected screen up in the front of the room.

My arm shot up as quickly as possible in the darkness. I noticed a tiny smirk appear on her face as she said, "Yes, Misaki?"

"Anticipate" I explained all the way from my bench in the last row. "Never hesitate as your duty is to be completed through natural instinct and never actual planning"

Professor Black nodded her head lightly, "Exactly" she paused and then continued, her tone, noticeably, becoming much more serious. "Other than Ayuzawa, I'm quite disappointed in all of you for not raising your hands...this material was covered in your first class with me. It should be something crystal clear by now"

Hina from beside me raised her hand and then said without yet being called on, "But, it's so complicated..."

Professor Black flashed one of her frightening glares at her, "And?!" she said, her voice echoing through the open room. "Does that mean you throw away what was decided for you? This is your future" she began, the light of the projector shining brightly on her face as she gestured towards the poster glued to the wall, Guard, it said. "Respect it"

A silence passed and no one dared utter a word, knowing how hard it was to calm Black down once she had started. "You shall guard. And protect. Without you this community will collapse. Be grateful you have such an honour"

The words repeated in my head. Honour...But had we all been prepared to face such a thing?


Tuesday, December 1st, 2055, First Interval.

Things to do:

- Collect spare uniform from the Laundry since it hasn't been delivered yet.

- Complete essay for Politics class.

- Complete essay for Guarding class.

- Complete yet another essay for Languages class.

- Separate forms for all available clubs.

- Find Sakura and tell her Shizuko was looking for her this morning.

- Find Laura and ask her to distribute the register of last year's infirmary patients to Haley so that she can submit it to Professor Black.

- Eat.

- Sleep.

- Breathe.

- I don't even know.


Tuesday, December 1st, 2055, Lunch.

I'm kind of disappointed. I have to use the upstairs lunchroom now that Professor Black is our new student council advisor since Professor Lincoln moved away. She said we're different because we're the student council and hence, we always have to dine at the fancier tables upstairs.

Does it really make the slightest difference? Eating upstairs or downstairs, that is? Besides, I'd like to have lunch with Sakura and Shizuko and talk to them like I used to unlike now where I'm forced to eat up here. But, nevertheless, I'm not going to complain since we all know how easy it is to set Black off her tolerance level...

"Hey, Pres" I heard.

Oh, it's Mary.

I watched as she pulled out the Windsor chair across me on the round table I was seated on and place her plate with leaves of salad lurking on top of it. "Hey" I answered, half-smiling.

The chandelier above our heads screeched, dangling back and forth, and I cringed, "Whoa"

"Yeah. They give me the chills" she said loudly, trying to overcome the noise of the chattering going about the tables as she bit her lip while poking her salad about with her fork.

Ugh. They do. I remember once, our music classes were transferred from the first floor classroom where they usually are, to this creepy, rusty room back at The Forbidden Corridor during our freshmen year; even thinking about that weird place is making me shudder.

"Anyway" she said abruptly, changing the topic. "Have you heard?"

The randomness was clear to me and I just said, dumbfounded, "Huh?"

She sighed, her voice changing into a loud whisper as if I were missing out on some big news, "There was a fight..." she cuffed her mouth with her hands, leaning in closer to me. "Between a One and a Two"

"A fight?" I repeated, whispering back.

Ugh.

Not that nonsense again. Why can't everyone just coexist without doing such things?!

"Yeah" she said, twiddling the ends of her blonde locks. "A serious one too. Heard one of 'em pulled the other's hair out to the point where all that was heard was shrieking in the dorms..."

The words struck me like never before, "What?!" My volume had increased to right about...A LOT. But, of course that didn't matter. "Really?" I paused and then felt my cheeks burn red, "That's just absurd. How did it start?"

"Just a regular evening when one of them, think it was Lucy the sophomore, you know?" she paused and I nodded, remembering the girl who always skipped class and ended up in the office.

"Yeah. Her and Ellie" she said slowly, studying my face for any hints of excitement. But, I wasn't excited. I was angry. Very, very angry.

She then said, her voice now switched to its regular volume, "It'd be nice if these things stop, you know"

I stared off into space for a second and then went on to say, "Yeah"

"What d'you think about it? As a Five?" she asked. And, then added quickly, "I mean...doesn't it...bother you?"

I raised my eyebrows, "Of course. It should bother everyone" I said. It was the only thing that was on my mind. Why did it only have to be me sometimes? Who noticed such things and didn't take them lightly? Why weren't people more like Mary? Wasn't it obvious that things such as that were wrong on so many levels? It had to be.

Sigh. Once I had asked Professor Black about why the castes are destructive at times (as research for an essay) and she simply chuckled and said 'That's not a good topic'.

Snapping me back to where I really was, Mary nodded her head and then agreed in a tone of sincerity, "I don't know how to feel sometimes. Why do the castes even exist?" she shook her head. "They don't help at all"

Her words lingered onto me as a pause passed. I simply said wearily, "I wonder if things will ever change"

I glanced down at my potato soup, feeling sick to the stomach at the sight. No food for me, please.

"Are you worried about Decision day?" I heard from across me.

Decision day.

Well, of course.

The whole purpose of the event, as the title suggested, was to either permit you to carry on with the career you were assigned or to live a jobless future. In other words, either you had the skills and stayed otherwise you were kicked out. And, for people like me who didn't have the convenient circumstances placed out; that would be a nightmare. For the Ones and the Twos and even the Threes, failing the test wasn't as bad as failing the test for people like me. Since, us Fives aren't exactly rich. Or at all, to be exact.

I nodded my head and she said, "Yeah. I remember when I got 'artist' at The Judgement Meeting, though. It was a dream I wanted to pursue since I was a little girl" her expression darkened. "But, what if...What if...I fail? Then what?" she paused and then shook her head, managing a tiny smile. "It's scary, isn't it?"

"Yeah" I said worriedly.

"But, I shouldn't be complaining" she notified me with a warm grin. "Others have it worse"

Say, for example, us Guardians.

Fluttering, my stomach became as cold as ice while only worry roamed in my mind. We did have it worse. Was I going to manage? Was I going to have a future? Or, was I to fail and live a life of misery and bitter work, struggling to aid my family?

I had to be careful. One slip and a nightmare, waiting eagerly on an edge, would haunt me. And, unlike usual nightmares, in this one I would never wake up. Or so I thought.


Ending note: I hope you enjoyed! I have some ideas for this fic and they can't get out of my head so I better not procrastinate(Ah...it's one of my prime talents. Procrastinating, that is) and write them down before they're lost. Oh and I wouldn't mind a review, please :) Please suggest any ideas or advice or anything!

-Hazel.