A/N: Once again, thank you for reading my story. Now, they are currently discussing towards people who are different than normal people and to make it not offensive and hurtful, they just called them "special" people. The guest that gives me a constructive criticism, thank you. Otherwise, I haven't noticed that Hanamaru is somewhat OOC when it comes to technology. So, its time for this chapter to start. :3.
Disclaimer: The songs aren't even mine to begin with and only used for entertainment purposes.
Chapter 2: Research and Music
Uranohoshi All Girls Academy (Room 2-B)
An orange haired girl, currently day dreaming for the concert for Aqours as she smiled, looking at the window before it was disrupted causing her to get startled, while jumping out of her seat before she glanced at the perpetrator, who has a short ash brown hair with baby blue eyes, smiling and salutes like a sailor, greeted with enthusiasm.
"Ohayosoro! Chika-chan!"
"You-chan~!" The girl, Chika Takami frowned as she gripped her chest, huffing and glared at the girl named You Watanabe, a member of the swimming club and also a member of Aqours, "You almost jumped my heart out of my chest!" After that response, she crossed her arms and pouted.
"Sorry, you seemed to be spaced out for awhile," You stated, putting both of her hands at the back while still smiling, asking her, "Say, what were you thinking right now?"
Chika points her lower left jaw and eyes are in a slant mode, thinking as hard as she can. They knew that the girl named Riko Sakurauchi is busy in her piano lessons when she's alone, yet they never know that possibly... She knows about the "special" ones when she's in Tokyo. Before said girl would answer to her question, a girl with maroon hair and golden eyes saw them discussing about some, especially the leader of Aqours.
"Oh, Riko-chan!" The girl noticed her, as she looks at her sights and waves her hand, "What cha doin' here?"
"Chika-chan... You-chan," The pianist of Aqours smiles and greeted them as well, You only salutes to her before facing to Chika. Then, she informed the two when she's eavesdropping by hearing about some certain boy, who acts really strange and not normal, especially the news about Yoshiko and Hanamaru, "I was wondering what were the first years are talking about?" This leaves they second year duo's raising their eyebrows, confused.
"Eh?"
"What do you mean?"
"The girls were murmuring something about... "Special" people."
"You mean autistic people?" You shrugged, which she hasn't befriended one before and Yoshiko doesn't count because being a chunnibyou doesn't mean she has autism and its just temporary. Chika was surprised to that statement her friend makes. Riko was taken back because she remembered about them when she was an Otonokizaka student and heard about medical groups that helps them, particularly located in Shinjuku.
"Yes! That's it You-chan! I heard that males have bigger chances to become one than females, according to studies."
"Isn't that discrimination to males?" Chika asked, tilting her head because that's unfair. Unfortunately, science can be very cruel which Riko pinches the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.
"It doesn't pick anyone Chika-chan."
"Oh."
"That's surprising. I mean, they are also people too you know," You turned to be serious because she didn't liked that some of her club members are just murmuring and found autism strange, when she heard one of her group was autistic and they just stay away from that person, due to her talking without any sense whatsoever though they appreciated her talented.
"I just don't understand why," Riko sighed as she went to the nearest chair and sits in that vacant seat, facing them, "When I was an Otonokizaka student, I kinda feel sorry to them. Yet..." She paused for awhile, then she takes a deep breath, closing her golden eyes. She continued, "... People really judged them due to their outside appearance or what they act differently. There are good or bad people."
Chika lowered her head, because the teachings or her inspiration of being a µ's fan was not like this. Yet, no matter what she'll do, people won't change and it will stick to their minds until they themselves will do that, causing her to groan, "I wished that we could have a charity program for them."
"That's actually the plan of the student council," You informed, when she heard of the girl, talking about compassion towards those people to her friends, "Dia-senpai was actually planning to go to a hospital that cares for the disabled. So, we might be getting informed though."
"Eh? What are we waiting for girls, lets go!" Before Chika could stand up and run, Riko tells her the bad news. They have different schedules of their classes, "Uhhhh, I think that we have class. Gotta go now and good luck," She smiled as she stood up and left the scene, causing the girl to slump her desk as she wanted to sleep.
'Autism? Well, I hoped that we'll have a concert for a cause to make them happy and Mari-chan's family to endorse us as well.'
Shizuoka Gakuen School (Lunch time at the cafeteria)
During lunch time, I took my bento box out of my bag as I saw Hatsumei-san waving his hand to have lunch with him. Gulping, sweat beads formed around my forehead, looking at my surroundings and the people around me. Lowering my head to avoid any single eye contact towards them, I gripped the bento box that my mother created for me, even if it ain't my favorite sukiyaki. I opened the door, as I'm happy that no one ever looked at me or even murmuring about my condition. Hatsumei-san waved his hand to come over, making my body go near to him and my nervousness is rising off the charts and finally I arrived, sitting down beside my friend as he glanced a bit, raising his eyebrow.
"My savant friend, you are sweating too much. What's wrong?"
My mouth is like being stitched, glancing to my friend nervously and at the same time opening my bento box yet I'm shaking. Not sure whether its nervousness or out of fear if the people will notice and bullying me at the same time. A lump formed in my throat, looking at my lunch box when I didn't notice that I was in my classroom with Hatsumei-san. Am I hallucinating or getting paranoid thanks to my past? Thinking too much, I shake my head to get my thoughts out of the gutter, facing him with a smile, chuckling nervously.
"Nothings wrong. I'm just over imagining things."
I stopped talking when we heard of our girl classmates singing a song, at least there are six of them. I could expect that its gonna be the Aqours song called "Aozora Jumping Heart" because I heard that song on the radio. Instead, I'm hearing this... While Hatsumei-san's in a trance of relaxation. Eh? A cheerful song can be relaxing? I expected for him to be happy and cheerful, like his younger brother. Instead, he feels peaceful. Great, now I'm confused than ever as I listened to these lyrics...
bouken ni derunda saisho ha hitori
yagate minna to meguriaeru kamo
ZERO kara ippo ha yuuki ga hitsuyou
kawaritai Step! All right!
nayami no TANE no happa sodatta
tsumandeshimae, sonna no!
motto sutekina TANE wo makimashou yumenaru youna
machi wo arukeba kisetsu no oto ga sasoi wo kaketekuru
ashi ga katte ni atarashii SUTEPPU kimi no moto he
shigeki wo motomenagara fuan wo kazoeru mujun da ne
Ah! moya moya no kokoro
dou yattara sukkiri suru no kanatte oshiete
kawaresoude kawarenai toki datte kanjiteru kara
kondo koso kondo koso
ZERO kara ICHI no tobira wo akeyou kawaritai toki nanda
tabun kono saki no mirai ha nazo no mama da ne
ZERO to ONE, ZERO to ONE, ZERO to ONE… STEP!
ZERO to ONE, Steppin' my heart!
mayoedo HANA ha asa no hikari wo
machinozomu yo saku yo!
dakara kirei na HANA ni narimashouka yume miru youna
ashita he isogi nagara ima wo tanoshiku sugoshitai
Ah! fuwa fuwa no kokoro
dou yattara shikkari suru no kanatte oshiete
ugoki soude ugokanai toki datte hirakinaotte
kondo koso kondo koso
ZERO kara ICHI no dansa wo koeyou
ugokitakunarisouda
demo kono saki no mirai ha nazo no mama da yo
ZERO to ONE, ZERO to ONE, ZERO to ONE… STEP!
ZERO to ONE, Steppin' my heart!
kawaresoude kawarenai toki datte kanjiteru kara
kondo koso kondo koso
ZERO kara ICHI no tobira akeyou kawaritai toki nanda
tabun kono saki no mirai ha nazo no mama da yo
bouken ni derunda saisho ha hitori
yagate minna to meguriaeru kamo
ZERO kara ippo ha yuuki ga hitsuyou ugokidase Step! All right!
I remained silent, when I savored the lyrics and listening to the music from start to finish. The song might be called... Ummmm... What was that? Before I could strain my head to think about its meaning, my techie friend tapped my shoulder even though he's in front of me and he told me the song title as I was only my trance still. It seems that Igarashi-san knows the song of the Aqours group.
"Kouichi, the song is called Step Zero to One. You seem to like the song."
'Change, courage and take one step from zero at the time huh? Its inspiring... For someone like me.'
Feeling peaceful, I continued to eat my lunch before Igarashi-san shrugged and does the same thing. My hopes didn't last long and those delinquents went to me as one of them slammed his hands, causing myself to startle, forcing myself to look at the guy while Igarashi-san snorted, looking at the guys, annoyed and wanted to take action. I feel that I become the errand boy of those mean people, thinking that I will always be a loser. The man had a gruff voice, asking me in a harsh yet normal way.
"Hey Abnormal Boy, do you have extra cash? I don't have an extra, gimme some of your money."
Why is he asking me if I have money? I don't wanna give it to him because I can't go home once class is entirely finished. There are at least three of them and he slammed his hands hard, sends my bento flying but I catch it because the food was cooked by my mother. I don't care if he insults me, but never insult the cooking of my mother... Yet, I don't wanna fight as I can hear him shouting in front of my face and Hatsumei-san's seems to be pissed off.
"Don't fuck with me you imbecile!"
I can feel the tears coming out from my eyes, lowering my head because I can't hit him even though I have the opening. It hurts that if you want to be accepted by the society. I guess that it won't be easy. The bullies saw Hatsumei-san grinning, itching for a fight. But since that we are at school, those guys doesn't want to get kick out of school before leaving me and Igarashi-san alone. They don't want to have a public scandal, as I noticed that they are murmuring about a sports team, probably the soccer team of our school and they don't want to be kicked out. The inventor muttered, chewing some of his food.
"Sucks that some of them is a part of the soccer team. Jeez, those aren't good role models."
Uranohoshi School Library (After School)
After all the school activities, Hanamaru decides to go to the library as she seems to be wondering about that boy and she wanted that thought to get out of the gutter. Ruby did accompany her, alongside with Yoshiko, who's currently using the table as a set to sleep while using her right arm as a pillow, muttering that acting normal is a pain or tiring. She only wants to be Yohane, yet the book reader reasoned the fallen angel out that they are in the library and they must behave. Now, the Red Head noticed that Hanamaru stood up as she asked her something, while using inside voice.
"Maru-chan, what are you searching about?"
"Zura?" She faced the curious one.
"You seem to be wondering about that boy you and Yohane-chan saw at the bus stop before. Is it about his actions?"
Sighing, she knew that she can't lie to her because she'll still know about what she's reading. After taking a deep breath, she answered, "I told you that its about the "special" people zura," Ruby only tilts her head, while Hanamaru stand up and looks for more books.
This time, Yoshiko sits up and was on her fallen angel act, looking at the girls yet it was surprising that she can manage to keep her inside voice and smirked, crossing her arms, "So Zuramaru is wondering about the strange one at the bus stop before. I'm also curious that the mortal is different from all normal humans I observed."
"What makes the person different Yohane-chan?"
"Its natural that he's scared of me," She laughed in a haughty manner, before getting serious, "However, he's also scared of Zuramaru, as if that he thinks that he's gonna get destroyed by my power of darkness thinking that he bumped her on purpose," The younger Kurosawa wanted to scream because of the guy's action. But she can't due to the fact that they are currently at the library.
"Yoshiko-chan," The brown haired girl has returned, holding a book of psychology researching about Kouichi on why he acts like that while the chunnibyou wanted to correct her childhood friend that her name is Yohane, with an emphasis if she wants to and huffed, crossing her arms under her chest again. Hanamaru added, sitting on her chair, "I think that I might solve the problem about this boy zura."
"Maybe its a facade," Yoshiko, in her normal self replied as she thinks that Kouichi was acting crazy and just trying to get sympathy of the people which that didn't work obviously, making his "plans" getting work. Hanamaru just looks at her, knowing that said boy didn't want any sympathy while trying to analyze that situation. She begins to search about this word... Autism. Reading a lot of books, she could explain about it but seeing one, she wasn't sure.
"Yoshiko-chan. What do you know about autism?"
"Eh?" She got caught off guard when that question is directed to her and remembered that she doesn't want to be normal because its a pain. Yet, she answered, "Ummmm... I don't know."
"Figures," Hanamaru sighed, before looking at Ruby who was actually surprised that the girl looks serious, "What about you Ruby-chan?"
"Ummmmm... Onee-chan might know more about that topic and even I don't know much about autism. But all I know is that, they are hyperactive and doesn't listen that much even to simple instructions," Ruby did share her experience on meeting autistic people.
'Hyperactivity and stubbornness? Yet, he doesn't show that to me and Yoshiko-chan. I need to know more and confirm if he does have autism zura...' She closed her eyes and even though she read a ton of books, experience is a different kind of situation to face these kind of people and application is difficult to understand them. She has solution, '... How about making friends with him which in no doubt difficult due to his timid approach towards strangers zura?'
"Maru-chan?"
"Zura?" She snapped out of her trance and then chuckled, looking at the two friends, "Ahhhh... That's an interesting statement Ruby-chan."
Yoshiko uses her right hand to lean against her lower jaw feeling bored and wanted to act all Yohane, though Hanamaru has that black feather to stick it at the bun part of her hair. She groaned that she's getting all bored about this stuff as she stood up and said, "We should just go home now. Being limited is too painful," By being limited, she can't be Yohane.
"You're right Yohane-chan, I have to go or Onee-chan will scold me for being late."
They were wondering if Hanamaru would come and she just did. They just left the place to go to their places as she hoped that Yoshiko participates this mystery about Kouichi. She might be not as determined like Chika but since her curiosity peaks high, she's even reading books about autism, hoping that the tips might help. She knew that Ruby is also shy towards strangers, especially men. Hanamaru closed her eyes, knowing that this task is just the beginning of overcoming the walls and the difference between normal and "special".
Road leading back to the Satomi Residence
As I lead down my way back home, life could be very cruel for my every day life and Hatsumei-san is not enough. Its not that I'm begging for people to help me out. I just need more emotional support because the longer I keep this up, the more chances of me getting crazy is a possiblity and I don't want that to happen. Bullies think that I deserve to be at the cave, judging me because of my condition. I gripped the leather of my bag, huffing and I stopped walking while lowering my head down and the shadows around the upper part of my face is covered, avoiding my true emotions to be shown... Broken, helpless, bullied. When it will end? When will this absurdity die out?
Picking myself up, I realized that people won't change and will never change unless their minds told them to do so. Yet, some doesn't even want to. If some might see me, they would say that I'm being overdramatic. It might be true or not, it depends on how people interpret actions. As I'm almost there at least a few more blocks away from my home, I saw a man whom his actions that he doesn't want to be seen. He just went near me, while I'm trying to back off and thinking that he's a bad guy. Though, he assured me...
"Calm down man. I don't mean any harm towards you."
"Eh?"
"I just teached those people a lesson. They won't harm you again~" With that, he left me as if he just passed me by, leaving myself so confused. Eh? What does he mean by that? He just acted all mysterious and I can feel an aura that sends shivers down my spine that he really means it. Sighing, I can tell that my real life as a student and as a person starts here while continuing walking at the road as always, like I'm in a journey of life and the pictures around me.
You are not somebody else. You are you. Embrace well, the memory of quagmire. - Nakashima Mika, Life, from the album VOICE.
A/N: Now, chapter two is done! :3. Okay, I've done a ton of research on searching a ton of songs to fit on how music can affect and even change a person's life. Also, it seems that the curiosity about "special" people or simply called "autistic" people caught a peak of interest of the girls of Aqours about them, possibly helping them by using the power of music to give them colors in life. I'm sure that they have fans like them. Its really hard for them to be helpless and I even remembered a movie I've watched before that the father is autistic and he was sent to jail, ridiculed and being judged by the crime that he never committed. Its a tearjerker to anyone who knows and even watched the movie (Its a Korean movie though). So, I would like to thank you for reading this story and I always accept constructive criticisms, for me to improve and correct my mistakes. So, until next time everyone. :). If anyone wants the English version of Step Zero to One, check out SliverIvy13's "English Love Live songs". :)
Birthdays of the OC's:
Kouichi: February 12
Shirayuki: September 24
Shizuka: October 17
Hatsumei: April 1