Before I begin, I'd like to thank those who reviewed the summary and those future reviewers, readers and adders. This is quite long because I'm really quite inspired. Hoped you wouldn't get bored and I wouldn't bring your expectations down. Just read it and comment later about what you think with this.
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My Sacrifice ©
by Patchora
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PRELUDE
"A love that requires sacrifice is by far the truest love of all"
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Love
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If anyone were to ask you how it feels and what it meant, how would you answer them?
Would you blush and stutter thinking of the time you confessed to your crush?
Would you be angry reminiscing of how he broke your heart?
Or would you break down and cry remembering how he left you for someone else?
If you were to ask me, what is love?
Maybe, I would answer you this way.
SIMPLE. BLANK.
No expressions, no words are needed for me to tell you what that term is. For it is not in my nature to tell you about that matter. Or rather, it is something I'd prefer not to describe. Tears and regret are merely small words for me to be able to define that expression.
I'll have to experience mental breakdown just to describe what it is. I'd have to shudder at the thought of it. I'd have to eat hundreds of sleeping pills just to go through the night and forget the whole thing when in the end… in the end, the whole cycle has to happen all over again. I could never experience peace again. I could never sleep. And I could never… forget.
The experiences I had are enough to wipe the few remaining sentiments and sanity I had in me. Now all I have left are my dead tears and dried blood—the stench of combined tears and sweat as I recalled the past with just the mention of that word. Such terrible memories had haunted me day and night that I need to clench and unclench my fists to calm myself and scream so loud that wake the whole people up.
So, if ever you had a plan to ask me how loving feels.
Don't.
I already had enough of it. I cannot take another pain of narrating it to you how it feels. I had sacrificed enough.
If ever you had a plan to ask me what it is.
Don't.
For my heart can't bare the ache of going through all the meanings when in reality, those were just lies. Lies to cover the truth hidden beneath reality. Lies to mask and fool a person's emotions, making her think that everything is fine and bliss.
As I sit beside the table, I rummage through my pockets where I safely kept a small crystal bottle. I opened the cork to reveal the purest violet liquid. Emptying it, as it slid pass my burning throat, I smiled with mixed sadness and content.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Such stupid heart—so emo and lonely. So loud and noisy. Can't you just stop? End my life so that I may not experience these things ever again. So that I can stop recalling those events that kills my brain neurons inside. Will you just stop? So that, finally, I can now rest in peace.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP!
THUMP!
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Ah… such a sweet feeling. Endless bliss. That warm light slowly engulfing my very soul. Rest… so that I may now forget. And with a final dot, I close my diary together with my eyes as I submit myself to the solitary light where he awaits my arrival—our reunion.
CHAPTER ONE
Reminiscence 01: Alice Academy
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You might be surprise with the fact that recently, I just ended my life but here I am right now, narrating the whole thing to you. If surprise is your priceless expression for this, well, don't be. For I am not her who died. I am just her other half—her best friend. And I'll be the one who'll tell the whole story to you.
Truth be told, Mikan Yukihira was once a happy fool. She was, by far, the happiest person on Earth no matter how many problems you put in her shoulders. She always smiles. She always helps. She always sacrifices if it meant helping the person she loves… heck! She would do it even if it's for a stranger. As long as it meant helping, she fights.
Let's see, my best friend, yes, was smart and cheerful but beneath all of it is a mask she'd rather not show. Outside, she's a normal idiotic teenager like any other person. Yet, if you're going to grab your scalpel and tweezers and dissect her whole life, you'll see massive of jumbled and complex things inside. She never expects that due to too much complication, she would be caught in-between reality and fantasy. Between love and hate.
Before I'll start narrating using third person point of view, I want you to brace yourself and be vigilant. A lot of twists and turns had happened in our lives—both mine, now called Sumire Shouda, and hers. For you to follow, you'll have to open your minds and leave your fantasy worlds behind. You'll have to widen your eyes and broaden your tracking skills.
So, without further ado, here goes nothing. Umm, where do I begin? Ah… yes. Now I remember. Allow me to start at the place where everything happened in the first place… Alice Academy, the most prestigious school all over Japan and as said, a secret basement of a gang fiercer than hell itself. It is where enmities starts to grow and love begins to blossom. It is where everything is not what it seems to be.
-My Sacrifice-
HUFF…
PUFF…
HUFF…
PUFF…
HUFF…
PUFF…
A girl with shoulder-length pink locks ran across Alice Academy's hall as if someone was chasing after her—as if her life depended on it. Shoving past walking students, she didn't even take the time to pause and apologize. Her hair disheveled from fast sprinting as her blouse became ruggedly disarranged due to the pull of her sling. Her bag was left opened and her socks slowly folded down. As her body heavily slammed itself on the cold floor once in a while, she curse under her breath before standing up and running once again, not minding the laugh echoing from the people around.
Her thick black-rimmed glasses fogged upon her deep breath. Her heart pounding fast as she was determined to reach the classroom first. Sometimes, she couldn't help but sighed and wished for perceivable moments that her school's hallways were made a little bit shorter—or better yet, her classroom wasn't located at the very edge of it.
Anna Umenomiya knew her school was made home of astounding fighters ever since 1900s when it was first built. Though with the reputation that her school was far the most prestigious institution throughout Japan due to its high aptitude in learning. But truth be told, it only gained its title due to blackmails; Alice Academy had been feared by many. It has been feared not only for the fact that most students studying there are kids of influential people but because of the reason that most students, especially boys are members of blood-thirsty gangs. Only that, in her generation, its gang population shrank down to one with five daring boys as members—yup, they call themselves the Black Hole.
Seeing the sign that says Class 2-B from afar, she took one final deep breath before pushing herself to her unusual limits. Not minding how she appeared, she turned around and gasped before doubling her speed. Her back filled with sweats, for support, she finally held the wooden outline of their classroom door before panting. With half-opened tired eyes, she looked at her classmates and took a deep breath before relaying to them her habitual announcement.
"They, they're coming," she said, taking heavy gulps in between words. Almost immediately, her statement made every student abandon their fellow cliques as they sit in their respective seats. Kicking their bags in the process, they made sure a clear path could be seen across the room. Because of the full-effort Anna exerted on the run, she was about to collapse on the ground—only if it weren't for a certain blue-haired girl who automatically stood beside her and helped her regain her composure.
Nonoko Ogasawara, the blue-haired look-alike Anna besides the color preference and glasses, was always the one who automatically go to her side to offer balance. Rubbing her back with dry towels before placing another new one in it was her usual task to at least help her. She, then, took out a brush from her pockets before gently combing her hair. This remarkable feat didn't actually look quite new to most of the people. In fact, her classmates were already accustomed of these actions every weekday. Anna, one of the school's geek would always be the one who'll deliver certain news to them whilst Nonoko was the one who always complain; yet despite the complains, she was always there behind Anna's back—to make sure she doesn't fall. Some people who don't know them even thought of them as sisters but, yup, they aren't.
"Thank you," Anna said to her with a fake smile. Securing her glasses at the bridge of her nose, she faced back to stare at her blue orbs. Though with the weary state, she stretched her whole body as if everything was fine—as if her muscles never ache when she elongate her tired arms and legs just to make sure Nonoko wouldn't be in the fit of worrying once again.
"Anna, puh-lease, I know you're tired," Nonoko sighs.
"Why are you even doing this? Is it just because it was the first time you saw that one of them saved your life before? Stop making a fool out of yourself. You're acts are just mere absurdity for some. And if ever you wanted to repay them, why not repay them directly? Why'd you have to repay them by being the 'announcer' of the class? I mean, what's the connection? I don't really get it," Nonoko said. She tried to get some sense out of her best friend's mind, gradually increasing her voice for emphasis.
You see. If there would be any complains Nonoko mostly grumbles all about—this was it; Everyday. No misses; that it became one of the expected dramas the whole class is used to. Seemingly, her best friend's actions, the school's reputation of just allowing bully boys and girls to freely roam the campus and the fact that no one seems to care just totally pissed the hell out of her. She believes that peaceful education and right morals and impartiality should be valued and inculcated in their curriculum—not just fights and fake lessons-to-get-good-reputations thing. For that fact, she'd gone through different secret activists in school to show them what she truly feels. Joining it didn't seem to make her regretful nor did it made her seem afraid for she knew she never made anything wrong. In fact, she believes that what she's doing are all for the betterment of her Alma mater. Thus, it inspired her to gather more loyal members. She'd ask Anna a couple of times and yet a couple of times, she had been refused by her—especially after that incident.
"You don't understand, Nonoko," Anna simply answered her question as she slumped in her chair. With a deep sigh, she looked up to still see her standing figure by her desk.
"Aren't you going to sit? They'll be here in a couple of minutes. Please, I don't want to see fights today. Please Nonoko, just sit," the pink-haired girl pleaded her best friend once more. Yet because of her drained state, her voice quivered and was released not rather convincing. When her best friend didn't take the initiative to move, she merely let out a deep insightful breath before pretending to bend and grab some pen and paper from her sling bag thrown near the feet of her chair.
"Anna, I'm not going to leave if that's the thing you're asking. You knew better what I want and I don't leave without getting them. I want answers. That's all. Is it that hard to answer it? –SIGH– You know what? I'm tired of all these crap. Those dumbsh.t Black Holes are nothing—just arrogant freaky bastards who think they could control the world. Did they pay you or something just for you to do this stupid job? Tell me Anna, huh, did they? Tell me so that they'll get the beating they deserve. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't fight," Nonoko yelled, gaining the entertained stares from the people around—including the irritated glances of a group of girls who, unfortunately, heard the whole wave of insults.
Just then…
"WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU B!TCH?" a voice the sound of a screeching ghost reverberated across the quiet room. Both students already knew the source of the shrilly sound and the irritated Nonoko was about to give her the displeased response she's asking for. Sadly though, the phantom was the first one to act and Nonoko's reflexes weren't swift enough to dodge the big book that flew towards her direction.
THUD!
"Ouch! Damn it!"
"Nonoko-chan, are you okay?" Anna said, immediately leaping out of her seat to where her best friend is. Trying to comfort her, Anna rubbed Nonoko's back to ease the tension and anger she knew Nonoko's building up inside her this very moment.
"Please, no fights," she whispered in her ears. From the pleading sound that came out of her tired voice, Nonoko somehow couldn't bare and hesitate but withdraw her fists—for her best friend's sake.
"Remember, this isn't the last of you, Luna," she instead simply hissed as she gazed up to meet the hateful gray orbs of the woman known as Luna. Slowly but surely, Nonoko placed both hands on the floor before exerting some force—pushing herself to stand up on both feet once again.
"Puh-lease. Aren't you forgetting who the parasites here are? The ones found at the bottom of the food chain? Just so you know, I, the great Luna Koizumi, is not threatened by those simple words—especially if it came out from the mouth of a pest," Luna retaliated, making Nonoko's knuckles turn white out of sheer anger. Honestly, if it weren't for Anna's restraints, World War 2 might suddenly happen inside the room.
Unexpectedly, Anna was pushed back as Luna unknowingly advance towards their direction and hoisted Nonoko up using the collar of her blouse. With a playful smirk on, Luna then threw her victim at the farthest part of the room, disarranging the chairs and unfortunately hitting the students along the path where Nonoko was thrown.
The shocked Anna lying on the floor was left with no choice but to gather the small strength she has to go help her poor best friend.
"Nonoko," she called, running.
Meanwhile, at the background, Luna and her companions couldn't help but grin wider.
"You know, just an advice for the both of you and everyone else in this room. If ever I hear even one single insult coming from those unworthy mouths of yours towards the famous Black Hole, all of you will have to deal with me, got that? You're just a small speck of problem I could handle. Not a sweat. Black Hole still has to deal with that insignificant Mikan Yukihira's coming tomorrow. So, for the meantime, you and I will be the one seeing each other in hell, okay?" she powerfully yelled with an ample smile etched on her face—the smile of a devil.
Silence filled the whole place. Nonoko somehow managed herself to be in her sitting position, wiping the blood that drip from her mouth using the back of her hands. As she glared towards the slut's face, Anna kept on helping her stand and treat those wounds and bruises. The rest of the audience was still petrified in their seats, seemingly scared to take the first move. It might've had continued not until another panting lad appeared at their classroom's door.
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"THEY'RE, THEY'RE HERE"
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The boy said in between pants, distressing the people to fix the disarranged things once again. Just after a few seconds the lad relayed those words; a lot of people, mostly girls, were seen piling up in the halls. The rest just peeked from the windows and doors of their classrooms, frightened to be near even a single meter from the approaching 'celebrities'.
"Kya~ they still look hot as ever," every girl squealed in their heads or whispered to the person beside them. Unfortunately, they weren't able to say it loudly and publicly—afraid they might burn down to crisp due to their flaming and powerful knuckles.
On the center of the commotion, five guys along with one single girl walked with all their glories and charms—gorgeous and hot from the outside with matching two-button open, dishevel-styled hairs and undone ties; but in the inside? The inside is totally left empty. This emptiness was perceived in their blank eyes—eyes that could only see pride and victory. But as much as everyone is concerned, not all were able to detect this desolation.
On the farthest right was a lad with a basketball clipped between his right arms and waist. His short sandy yellow hair was done in a deranged fashionable way. A goofy smile was seen spreading across his face. Dribbling the ball once in a while for show-offs, he finished his every set of dribbling show with a combo of speed, spin and between-the-legs. For the finishing touches, he grabbed the ball with two hands and looked at the crowd before flashing to them his charming smile. Even though with this common gesture, it still made some of the people faint in their places. Hotness much?
You see, ever since the beginning, Kokoro Yome was already known for his talents in sports: swimming, badminton, soccer, volleyball, bastketball, you name it. He's an expert in all those fields—even those ones played only in game consoles. Honestly, in school, he was like the sport's god—the freak athlete with this extraordinary playful aura that acts as magnet and attracts every person he passes. What do you know? Her mom's the famous tennis player. And his dad? Of course, all of Japan already knew the famous basketball captain now coach Kitsu Yome, right?
Beside Koko, as everyone calls him, was a guy with the headphones. Most of his hair was covered by the white cap he always wears every day, only a few black locks peeped out of it. Yet according to some, these hairs hidden beneath his beanie was something worth adoring for—its style like SS501's leader Kim Yoon Jung as he star in the famous BOF. Silver cross earrings along with his cross-pendant necklace matched the fieriness of how he dressed—an open polo that showed his entire hunk body only covered by a sleeveless shirt. Bobbing his head whilst closing his eyes, his red lips puckered with the beat of the blaring music. Everyone is hypnotized by his song. Everyone is sucked in by his powerful lyrics—his heartwarming voice. Everyone simply couldn't deny the fact that they're attracted to him—Reo Mouri, Abyss's lead vocalist.
Moving on, on the left most part of the halls was another dude with long ebony hair. People may see him like a girl from behind, weird in some ways because of its uncommon length, nevertheless, Tonouchi Akira was one of the members who got that compelling charms. His long hair didn't act as a hindrance, a barrier for him to entice the female population. In fact, it is what appealed most of them to draw themselves on his side—making him the most playful playboy amongst the five. With hands dipped inside his pocket, he got that cool comfy feature which lightens up the mood as he passes. "Tonouchi-sempai!" as what most students called him. Well, he doesn't allow people to simply call him by his first name. Only Black Hole members were able to address him that way. As his deep brown orbs sparkle in a mischievous way, his lips were always seen in a curving smile—a smile that melts every girl's hearts.
Next to him was holding his usual thick quantum Physics book. He had the aura of a nerd—which in fact he truly is. Like Koko, he had sandy yellow hair, except that his hair was arranged in a neat stylish condition. Among the five, he was the only one with his polo fully-buttoned. Yet despite that OC attitude he has, students were still compelled by his wits and brains. No one could beat him in recitals. No one could outsmart him even his own intelligent father who is now a successful doctor. He was the unbeatable, the individual who knew no other number but one—Tobita Yuu.
Pushing back his silvery-white glasses, he emitted that scholarly aura every time he walks—wherever he goes. You give him a problem especially those that concerned Physics, he could readily answer that in a full-scale of five seconds—more or less. A lot of people go to him for help but only a few ever returned alive. It's just that every time students asked him for answers, he would answer them in scientific jargonic terms only aliens from Mars could understand. That is why normal people never survive without major nosebleeds and headaches after consulting the prowess Mr. Yuu or Tobs as what BH members call him, much to his dismay.
Then, the last but certainly not the least... the couple at the center was no other than the creamest of the crop, the one who got most of the spotlight—the god and goddess of beauty. If to relate in science, they were the centermost part of the extremely dense celestial body, the one that held the strongest gravitational field compared to Black Hole's other portions—Natsume Hyuuga and Sumire Shouda.
Natsume Hyuuga had been the center of everyone's attention, the apple of Japan's eyes ever since the day he was born. Who wouldn't be when your dad's a renowned politician and your mom's a hot model? Having the wealth, the power and the looks, basically and perceptively, that man with crimson orbs already got all the things far beyond what ordinary people want and need. With his sleek hair in its usual disheveled state, he walked around the campus with his common smirk that state the obviousness of this—his supremacy to every person he passes. With his 'dangerous' stance and hunk body that could surpass that of a god, Natsume Hyuuga can be declared no less than that of Japan's ruling head—with the abilities of a samurai, the influence of a shogunate and the power of an emperor itself.
Sumire Shouda on the other hand can be compared to that of a model—she has the skin like one, the face like one and the body like one. Besides her fair skin features, you could also actually say she had the most interesting eyes ever. It has an outline of mixed blue and green that goes lighter as it approaches the eye's pupil. But besides that fact, if you really find time to pause and look closely, you'll see deep brown tints in the background. Although not much is needed to be discussed in terms of her eyes—in terms of her, nevertheless, she and Natsume had been going out for almost a month. Besides the other four boys, Sumire Shouda is recorded to be the person with great patience, taking account that she was the only person who survived Natsume's wrath.
Walking at the middle of the hallways with utmost dignity and pride—leading the spectacles of their fellow hot people was no other than them both. Students all throughout Japan thought of them to be as the perfect couple. Everyone respects them, feared them the most compared to the rest of the members. They may be as gentle and soft as a pillow right now but when you see them fight—all hell breaks loose. They were considered the king and queen of Alice Academy, the group with five members who single-handedly defeated all other twenty groups almost four years ago—making them the only ones left to reign over the whole school. Nothing, as in nothing, could beat their knuckles filled with pure strength and agility. Because of that, their popularity spread even to the farthest ends of Honshu and some parts of Hokkaido. Pretty amazing, right?
Everyone could only watch them in absolute awe as the six paraded themselves in all their splendor and prominence. They were the gang most feared by Japan citizens; yet despite the hundreds of warnings, a lot of people were still attracted to come close and in return, get some beating. They bring down whoever comes in their way—may it be someone with greater status than them or not. They feared no one because they themselves are the ones who bring forth hell—the representatives of the underworld. They showed no weakness because they had no weakness. Of course, that is until… they'll meet her tomorrow.
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END of CHAPTER ONE
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