Chapter 2: Hopeless

Miyuki's POV

What should I make for our dinner… ? Fried rice is nice, curry is not bad, too… or sashimi perhaps? Oh I can't think…

I'm walking home with a bag full of groceries for this week. Life is really hard, not just for me but also our family, or I don't even know if I can call my home "family" anymore. We used to have such a normal day, until some big company shut down my dad's factory, my mom left us and dad became unemployed. Oh well, I think I'm kind of ok with it, I can take it, it's not so bad after all. We have somewhere to live, enough money for our life, and even though I had a rant about how my school, Shuchiin Academy worshipped their princess, Kaguya Shinomiya, we don't have to pay for our tuitions.

Talking about Shinomiya, I'm still a little angry of her. She thinks that she is on top of a mountain, the queen of some one square feet land, that she is allowed to treat pupils like peasants. Like I said, I really hate that attitude, especially when she is in the position of a student council's member, who is supposed to be the speaker of all students. I swear, if I met her somewhere on this street, there would be no way-

Huh, what's this? A… girl? There is a girl weeping in an alley way. She looks quite terrible, with torn skirt, muddy all over her legs, combined with scratches and wounds. She seems to wear a uniform, but this uniform looks familiar, as well, like I've seen it somewhere… oh it's my school's girl's uniform. No wonder…

Well, I guess that means she's one of Shuchiin's students, so as a student council's president, I should give her a helping hand.

"Hey, get up. Why are you crying…" I poked her arm to get her attention, and speaking of the devil… yes, it's Shinomiya. How unexpected… She looks like a mess, with messy hair, mud all over her face, with red scratches.

Oh well… except for any other student in Shuchiin, I don't have any business with her. Plus, she doesn't look like she wants to see my face. So I'll just leave her there and leave it for her butlers or any of her robotic servants to find anyway. "You know what? I should just go any-" I was about to stand up and leave, when Shinomiya grabs my shirts and holds me back. She's still facing down the ground, but her sniffing is still able to hear.

"What? So I have to pay up just because I looked at your face?" I asked her, tried to be as cold as I could. But she shakes her head. What for, your "majesty"?

"don't… leave me… here…" she whispered and I replied with a "what?", but received a much louder answer, more like a shout. "DON'T LEAVE ME HERE, OK?!" After that, her sniffing slowly becomes a weeping once again.

When I was young, my dad told me to be nice to the other girls, not knowing how nice or even how bad they were. Gain their respects or at least give them a good image of you is a way to survive in this society. Nowadays things are not as simple as he thought, but I'll still use it anyway. "Let's go…" I told her, while giving her a hand to guide her to my home, but still as coldly as possible, though I'm quite bad at it. Rice people these days, always taking and no giving. She grabs my hand, or more like my fingers, but still shivering, must be cold or something. But still, I lead her the way.

I've heard that some children are so dissatisfied with their life, even how rich and wealthy they are, that they're ready to leave their home instantly. But after a day or two, they will regret and go home crying. So I think this is also a case with Shinomiya, although leaving home with muddy clothes and scratches kind of rough. So you can stop making that pouting face, you rich sprout.

0O0

There we are, our flat. Small, but comfy and enough for three people. I unlock the front door and walk in, just to find my little sister, Kei Shirogane. She's in the age of puberty or some sort, so probably she has a view of a blond head alien as how she sees me. Oh and she's also looking at Shinomiya… oh boy…

"Hey… Kei, that's not what you think…" I tried to explain to her, but it's no use, as she's looking at the so-call vice-president with such an astonishing eyes.

"Dad! Nii-chan got high and brought home a street girl!" OH FOR GOD SAKE! I'M NOT! AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN I GOT HIGH?!

"Daddy's here, my dudes. What seems to be the problem?" Yep, that's my dad, Dio Shirogane, walking out. He always has that swaggy like voice, which I find it quite annoying, like you're not so young anymore, dad! Anyway, he's also looking at Shinomiya, and I have a feeling he might spit out something that make me mad.

"Don't worry, son. We'll keep quiet for you two tonight." WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?! But Shinomiya also has that annoyed look on her face. So should I go with the flow or just stop there?... Yeah I guess I have to stop and explain everything.

"Dad… Kei… This is my classmate and one of the student council's member, Kaguya Shinomiya." All right, say hi, Shinomiya! Don't be such that disrespectful or you'll be outside again!

"… where's the bathtub or shower, or something…?" Really? I just save your ass and the first thing you asked for at my home is a bathtub?! But anyway, I need to calm down, or things will be worse. If I lay a hand on her, maybe tomorrow my face will be on the front page of some worldwide newspaper while I'm still sleeping. So I point at the bathroom for her, lead her the way. She just goes in there, not saying a word.

"What's wrong, my son?" My dad asked me, and I let out a sigh. "Nothing, dad. Just… nothing." Shinomiya… you really are hopeless.

"Kei, can you give her some clothes? She might be staying here a day or two…"

0O0

Kaguya's POV

I just finished giving myself a bath. The water here was nice, but not even a percent of my bathwater back in my… family's… manor…

What should I do now? Dad is gone, the whole manor is destroyed, and Hayasaka… I'm not even sure if she's still alive or not… And all of a sudden, that poor blondie just led me to his flat. His family is just weird. His little sister looked like it's been months since they last talked, and his father is like a Lil Pump wannabe.

No, positive thought! Positive thought! I have to find a way to forget this. It's nice to see his little sister actually has such a nice clothes like this. Seems like his family is preparing table for dinner.

"Oh hey, wanna join…?" Blondie asked, but not so sincerely. Well, I reject. So I walk in his room and slam the door, acting like I'm angry, because that's exactly how I feel!

Well it's been 45 minutes. Seriously, all that escaping from those underground mafia really has taken my energy, so I'm hungry as hell.

But… seeing how I acted to them… I guess they won't leave anything for me, right? So I'll just sit down, lean my back on a wall and stuff my head in my knees.

*sigh* Kaguya, you really have messed up…

"Hey, you're still hungry, right? Have some curry rice." I lift up my head and find a bowl of curry rice, with blondie sitting in front of me.

"… Why are you… helping me?" I asked him, almost like a whisper.

"I just think I can't be cold for long. So... you're hungry right? Have something." Blondie said and gave me a small smile. What are you smiling for? You're actually happy to see me like this?

Oh well, guess I have to accept his good deed. I know it will taste awful, but I'll just take a bite and-

No way… it's… delicious… even better than the food at my… home… I enjoy it so much that… I don't know I just shed a tear.

"So? Delicious, right?" Don't give me that stupid smile, stupid! But… he was right. I can't stop eating it. This kind of reminds me of my… mom, when she's still in my world. She's the one that fully knew what I like to eat, how I want it to be… before she…

"Hey, why are you running away from your home?" Blondie asked me. What should I say? My father is killed, my butler is probably murdered, too?

"… NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" I shouted at him, made him slightly back off. "Anyway, where am I sleeping tonight?"

"My dad." Blondie answered. Oh no… A series of thoughts is flushing in my head right now! I can't sleep with him!

"I got you, didn't I?" NO YOU DIDN'T! Stop laughing like an idiot! Is that funny to you?! "You'll be sleeping with my sister, Kei. She has a spare cushion for a guest."

Yeah… I guess that's better…

0O0

Writer's POV

"Come up here, Kaguya! Look at all these petals!" A woman, with the same long black hair and red eyes, calls her daughter to see the sakura tree. Her dad is holding her hand, guiding her to the hill, where her mom's on, with her butler behind, or more like her childhood friend. She is running too fast that her dad can't keep up with her pace.

"Careful, Kaguya's sama. You might fall!"

"Don't worry, Hayasaka. I'll be fine."

However, as soon as she reaches the hill, the petals are in fire. The once beautiful blue and peaceful sky, now becomes bloody red.

"Mom, dad, Hayasaka… What's wrong with the petals?" Kaguya asked, but instead, she heard sounds of gunshot as replies. She turns around and surprises, to see her mom… dad… and Hayasaka… lying on the steep hill, with blood covered.

"WHERE IS SHE?! FIND HER!" A rough sound from a man, with his henchmen, holding guns and knives, go up the hill. Young Kaguya is too scared that her feet are frozen. Being unable to run, the boss points a gun at her face and pulls the trigger.

Kaguya jolt awakes, realizing that it was a dream, but not like any dream, it was a nightmare.

She is sweating, looking around with fears in her eyes. But there is nothing but darkness, surrounding her. She is sleeping with Miyuki's sister, Kei, but she can't even realize it. Therefore, not knowing what to do, she stuffs her face in her pillow… and starts crying, tears flowing uncontrollably…

"Father… mother… Hayasaka…"

And so, that's how Kaguya suffered the first night, the night that started it all…