Boundless Kakera
...
Author's Note: Hi, everyone. Vindigo back here with another piece for this compilation of one-shots. Before we get started, I want to annouce that this story will no longer be known as Higurashi: Fragments. Instead, from here on out, it will be referred to as Boundless Kakera. I've already made the changes for the title in the previous two chapters. And personally, I think that Boundless Kakera is a better and more befitting title for this story.
And as promised, this chapter is centered between Keiichi and Mion.
I'm not that big a fan of Mion to be honest, particularly when she's all condescending in the club activities and starts picking on Keiichi via punishment games (it's more or less the same thing for Satoko too). Otherwise though, Mion's okay enough for me to tolerate writing. I'm not the type to be (too) incredibly biased by making certain characters seem like bad people anyway. Plus, Mion does have some redeeming qualities- ones that I tend to use more to overlook the traits I don't favor.
It's shorter than the other two stories I've previously written, but that's a good thing. I intend on writing stories that reach up to 5,000-10,000 words (maybe lower) from now on. It'd be easier and faster to get stuff posted that way.
Hmmm... what else? Oh, there's one thing about this site that's been bothering me. Why, on God's great green earth, are Higurashi and Umineko merged together? I mean, I get the two series were made by the same person and there are certain connections that link the two together, but you'd have to squint really hard to notice the little similarities (even then, it isn't enough to place them both together). That, and both Higurashi and Umineko seem way too different to really be compatible with one another. None of the main characters from their respective series even meet...
For the story itself, it's a cute one, mostly just about Keiichi being confused over a certain character trait from Mion, making bold but endearing advances through curious questions, and Mion getting all flustered in embarrassment. This story isn't really set in a particular kakera, so it'll work for any of the worlds but Matsuribayashi-hen since Hanyuu is absent here. It also won't be set in Minagoroshi-hen, Watanagashi-hen or Meakashi-hen for... well, reasons that require you to read this story.
I can't really say for certain, but I think some of you KeiMion shippers would like it. Well, anyway, leave reviews and feedback on what you think (no flames), and enjoy!
~STORY ORGINALLY POSTED ON JULY 2, 2019~
[-x-]
Summary: Keiichi was always left perplexed by Mion's "Old Man" persona. And one day, finally fed up from having to hide in his shell of befuddlement, he starts to inquire his best friend's antics. (KeiMion)
[-x-]
2. Old Man
...
Keiichi Maebara felt the inner regions of his intellect spiral in a contorting daze. It had been a sporadic occurrence since he transferred over from Tokyo's busy streets and polluted air to Hinamizawa's quiet countryside and fresh, savory oxygen. There wasn't a day where his mind hadn't succumbed under the craving urges to meander at least once.
His musings all centered towards one person: a woman who surpassed him by a measly year in age, the leader of a group competitive in board games and outdoor activities.
He recalled his initial encounter with her, set at a school so small it was comprised of fifteen students (and that didn't count the single teacher and principal there).
It was around the time where he made his first appearance in the classroom as a new transfer student. He politely greeted the band of students he'd come to know later as his peers, silently noting the peculiar detail how most of the students were no older than eleven at best, and that there were so few of them that were around his age.
Everyone welcomed him in kind dispositions, and the teacher was quick to put an end to his introduction before starting the usual class session. Once lunch break arrived, Keiichi was immediately bombarded by the mass of students who flocked all over his desk. Inquiries were thrown at him from every direction, badgering him to reveal more about himself, to which Keiichi would so kindly reply through trival facts based on his favorite foods, color, hobbies, sport interests, etcetera.
And that was when four girls, the group who Keiichi would be most acquainted with in the future, approached him.
Two of them- a blond and bluenette who were in the tender ages of eleven and ten respectively- flashed friendly smiles at the brown-haired boy.
The child with deep-sea blue hair, dubbing herself as Rika Furude, was innocent and rapturous in her visage. As for the other with aureate hair, who revealed herself by the name Satoko Houjou, while she appeared just as cheery, Keiichi couldn't help notice the glint of mischief shimmering in her eyes, and the distinctive, tiny vampire-like fang that poked out from her mouth. It was clear Satoko was the more troublesome and elfin between the two.
The third girl was a teenager, with short auburn hair resembling a dragon's glorious breath of scorching inferno in color, and a pair of blinking blue eyes that contrasted her fiery-shaded hair with an aquatic sea of rings circling around her pupils. She had happily introduced herself as Rena Ryuuguu, once again welcoming Keiichi to Hinamizawa, but in a more personal, face-to-face manner.
Then lastly, there was the final member who was associated with the bunch. Both an upperclassmen and head of the student body class, she had lengthy resplendent hair as green as the vibrant grass of the village's serene setting thrown back in a graceful, eye-catching ponytail that reached down to her waist. Her radiant eyes glowed a lovely greenish-cyan, leaving Keiichi mesmerized in its richly-pigmented rondures.
The green-haired teenager had her hands hidden behind her head, forcing her arms to spread out and reside near her ears, folded in such a way that made it appear wing-like. She sniggered light-heartedly, her voice ever so charming and perky. She grinned a lopsided grin- one that spoke an appealingly impish nature. This person was offworldly! She was like an angel who fully embraced the prankish tendencies she thought she never had; a true beauty with mischievous personality. And already, Keiichi could feel himself liking this girl.
As Keiichi swooned inwardly at the mysterious ponytailed girl before him, his fixated eyes watched the teenager's mouth move, and his ears perked in fascination, preparing to indulge into her spellbinding, melodious vocals. The source of his interests spoke gleefully,
"...Ku ku ku ku ku! Salutations to you, newbie. I go by the name, Mion Sonozaki," Mion pulled her arms away from her head, dropping them down to her sides. She pointed her thumb at herself proudly, stretching out her frolicsome grin. "Though around these parts, you must address me as Uncle Mion."
"Wha...?" blinking blankly, Keiichi was thrown for a loop. He was enthralled in his fascinations over the class representative's outer phenomenal attributes, very much so that the last part of her statement snapped him back to reality. "Sorry, what?"
"Nyaha ha ha ha! It seems you are one to be absentminded, huh, boy?" the green-haired girl joked. "What was your name again? My apologies, but at my fragile age, I tend to forget quite easily. Hmmm..."
Mion lightly poked her chin with one finger, pretending to be in thought. Her eyes widened briefly before narrowing, baring her shiny white pearls from her smirking lips. "Oh, that's right, I can remember now. Kei- i- chi- Ma- e- ba- raaa~" she tasted the syllables in hunger-like yearning before throwing in an amused chuckle. "Oh, Keiichi Maebara, aren't you the noble, entertaining one? Heh-heh!" [1]
Keiichi said nothing. He could only stare at Mion with a discombobulated expression.
"Well, Kei-chan- hope you don't mind if I call you that by the way- I will only say this once," Mion crossed her arms and leaned back slightly. "I am an old man, one of the oldest around in this small place I call home. And as a senior, it's my responsibility to look out for the little hatchlings here. So as such, Kei-chan, you better treat me respectfully since I'm your superior."
The baffled boy was ready to voice his protests, though Mion was quick to cut him off, "I'm not done yet. Yes, while I am as old as an ancient relic, I most certainly do not wish to retire just yet. Uncle Mion still has enough zest to last her a couple more years. Of course, this old man needs some more spunk and fun in her life, and I think you're the right person to help provide me with that fuel."
A lofty simper laughed its way out of Mion's lips. "What do you say, newbie?" she stepped closer to Keiichi. "Are you up for the job? I warn you, I'm not someone you can handle or trifle with so easily."
"Ermm... I- uh- err- I-I-mean-" Keiichi stumbled in his words as Mion leaned in to show off her playful, blinking green eyes. He looked unsure. "...I don't know..."
"Ah, good, so glad you said yes," Mion deliberately mistook his doubts for an affirming reply. She pulled away from Keiichi's face, dismissing his hesistancy entirely. "You've made the right decision. Uncle Mion's the life of the party. And if you have any discomfort associating yourself with this old man, don't. I know what it's like to be juvenile, even in my ripe old age."
The other three girls present with Mion simply smiled at their green-haired leader. Keiichi still appeared baffled.
Mion flicked her left thumb up and winked at the boy with short, bundled chocolate hair. With a light tilt of her head to her left and a thickened right curve of her lopsided grin, she remarked delightfully, "I have a feeling we both will get along well, Kei-chan. Better talk with this old man often, boy, 'cause you'll be seeing a lot of Uncle Mion from here out. Nyaha ha ha ha!"
It was like encountering a sheet of water out in the arid desert and diving head-first into its refreshing watery body, only to find oneself eating the cruel, insipid grounds of sand littering all over the barren land, having been deceived by the mirage's eye-fooling illusions. Mion was... not how Keiichi had imagined her.
For one thing, Mion always refered herself as either "Uncle Mion" or "old man"; nothing else. And she didn't even use the correct pronouns for her elderly male persona. From every morning, from every school day, and from every evening, whenever he and Mion crossed paths, Keiichi was often face-to-face with a woman who commited herself to enacting the role of an old geezer.
Keiichi thought it was meant to be a whimsical joke of some kind at first. He played along with Mion's antics, giving her a mock-salute and an inapt greeting meant to address the so-called "Uncle Mion".
But later on, he realized how serious Mion was in her old man character. Address her by anything else, and she would scowl and seeth (maybe even bare a grudge and hold ephemeral enmity on the unlucky chance she'd be in a bad mood). Once, he decided to joke around and call her "grandpa" instead. That earned him a very intimidating glare accompanied by loud, offended protests Mion threw at him, and a stern chastising from Rena to boot, courtesy of a painful slap to the head.
And then there were the times when Mion took a complete one-eighty in her coveted facade.
Keiichi wasn't sure if any of his other female companions were aware or not, but presumably, Mion was very much fascinated over dolls- particularly the more girly kind. Just last Sunday in the postmeridian hours, when he went out groccery shopping with his mom in Okinomiya, Keiichi stumbled upon the baffling sight of the green-haired girl gawking in awe at a princess doll held in the toy store's glass display, and holy shit, was it the most unmanly thing he had ever seen.
He recollected the doll's appearance- a small female figure with a surreal vanilla complexion, cascading ginger-blonde hair, and blue eyes, its false gleams of the stars enhanced its midnight-toned irises. A white veil hung over the doll's head as its whole body was embellished with a long, rich pink dress that came with a blood-red bow and a row of decorative roses and white ribbons circling around the bottom part of the gown. [2]
The prissy, effeminate appearance of that doll alone was enough to drive Keiichi, or any other men for that matter, away. Though strangely, Mion, the tomboyish girl who acted like a man, was the opposite. She was drawn to the toy like a magnet. From Keiichi's perspective, it looked as though Mion was ready to pull a Rena and take the doll home. Had it not been for the glass barrier in her way, she probably would've commited the act.
Keiichi couldn't understand. Mion wanted to be seen as a guy, yet she was heavily fond of girlish dolls? What a contradiction! Such a concept seemed almost inconceivable to him.
Women... such breathing enigmas, Keiichi believed. He couldn't comprehend them at all, not especially the epitome of riddles that was Mion Sonozaki. The class president was an evident far cry from the usual feminine girls he met throughout his whole life.
Mion was quite bold and unafraid to speak what thoughts formed in her head, whether it'd be lewd or improper. Keiichi figured that out when she had teasingly asked him how long his dick had grown since the last time she saw him, which was around that time when he went on a three-day trip to Tokyo a couple weeks back.
Mion was a firm extrovert, constantly socializing with him, their other friends, and everyone else in Hinamizawa. Her mouth never zipping shut for even a minute, she always had the most teasing, friendly, or most jaunty things to say.
Mion was also a dependable and conscientious person. True to her notable tic as "Uncle Mion", the oldest man of Hinamizawa who sought to help others, she looked out for both the elderly and youthful inhabitants of Hinamizawa and Okinomiya. On her free days, Mion was often seen volunteering to help out the seniors in farming, and during school, she assisted the children in any problems of depression they had. Many people appreciated her well-versed social skills and admirable, paternal aegis.
In short, the teenage, grass-green-ponytailed girl was a cheery, playful, and reliable companion of Keiichi who was nuanced in her character.
Though as appealing as her attributes were, Keiichi couldn't help but feel bothered. There was an irritably itch in the back of his head bugging him about Mion, that she was more than what met his naked eye. And maybe the hunch was right; there had to be more about old man Mion than what she was known for. The clear-cut memory of Mion admiring that girlish doll was big proof of that.
He wasn't able to explain it, but Keiichi felt there was another side to Mion, one that had yet to be known to the public. Mion's attributes were a sedentary two-sided coin; there was the familiar, social, gender-defiant disposition that sat above and attracted the attention of many, and then there laid the other hidden (possibly self-reserved and more feminine) trait face-flat on the bottom for none to see.
The concealed personality trait that Mion most likely didn't want anyone to know was an unsung topic, a pique of the human mind, and most importantly, an unanswered question.
And when it came to questions with no answers, Keiichi Maebara, as a remarkable, academic-excelling student who loathed the concept of missing answers, would be dead set on finding its resolution. In his principles, every mystery in life had an explanation; it was all about striving to find it, and that's what Keiichi planned to do: delve into the puzzle of Mion Sonozaki's character, and seek the answers that would end his befuddlement once and for all.
"Kei-chan!"
Speak of the devil. Upon hearing his nickname exclaimed loudly, Keiichi broke out of his contemplations and instinctively turned his head over to the person who called him, wincing over the loud volume as he did so. His dark-ocean eyes were locked against the stern teal eyes penetrating his own. He grumbled in an irritated tone as he stood up from his seat, "Yes, Mion? Can I help you, Ms. I-Like-Deafening-People?"
"Yes, you can. I'd like you to stop drifting off into space and get your ass over here," Mion huffed, glaring at Keiichi. "I have no clue what you've been daydreaming about, just sitting all alone in your seat, but it's time for you to join us. We finished setting up our desks and seats together to start our after-school club activites now, no thanks to you."
"Yeah," Satoko piped out with an exasperated expression. "Quit stalling! You aren't allowed to neglect your club attendance, not unless you want double penalty."
The brown-haired boy sent a scowl towards Satoko. Oh, how this snot-nosed brat annoyed him so. Being a nuisance of a prankster, she often set up many traps for him to fall into, all just to satisfy her sadistic urges to piss off her victims. It angered Keiichi greatly, considering he was the prime target in her stunts.
Mion grinned at the eleven-year-old blonde, "That can arranged, assuming Kei-chan continues to be lazy and not participate. I don't mind making him cross-dress right now."
"Hauu, no, that's not very nice," Rena eyed Mion and Satoko with a disapproving frown. She placed her hands on her hips. "You two need to not be so mean to Keiichi-kun," the redhead turned over to Keiichi and softened her gaze. "Keiichi-kun, I've noticed you spacing out a lot lately, and it's okay if you don't want to play today. People can get a bit of an off day sometimes."
Scratching his cheek, Keiichi laughed sheepishly, "No, no, it's alright, I'm not sick or anything like that. I just... have many things going on in my head right now."
"You sure have a custom to ruminate, KeiKei," Rika indicated politely as she flashed a warm smile. "But that's a good thing. Studious students do like contemplating, that-is-so. Though while I commend you for being pensive, you should also know better not to fall under your musings for too long. Excessively exploiting that smarty-smart, dutiful brain is unhealthy. Makes it go boom-boom."
Keiichi pushed his seat under his desk and walked over to Rika, an amused grin plastered on his face. He then knelt down and affectionately ruffled the indigo tufts belonging to his hime-cut-haired friend. "Remarkable wisdom there, Rika-chan, don't waste it."
"Mii~!" mewed the bluenette happily.
"Well, what's this? Rika-chan here has been stepping up on her vocabulary, has she?" Mion observed, stroking her chin as she chuckled, "How impressive, little one. Keep that up and you'll grow up to be a very sophisticated woman."
"Indeed," Keiichi agreed. "Rika-chan has the most likely chance of becoming a refined, diligent lady as opposed to some of the more..." he glanced at Satoko, subtly pointed his thumb at her for everyone else to see, and chaffed, "...unfortunate people around here."
"Let's be respectful of others now, Keiichi-kun," chided Rena lightly.
Satoko merely crossed her arms and scoffed, "Whatever. I can still be a prim and proper lady without the big words, so bite me."
"Prim and proper?" Keiichi quoted in a questioning tone. He began to jab teasingly, "That almost sounds like an oxymoron for a lady like you, Satoko. Forget the traps, and I'll be more convinced."
"Never." Satoko promptly denied, stubborn in withholding her passion for snares.
Everyone laughed collectively, filling the air around them with their ebullient squalls of rapture. Satoko, at first believing that her friends were making light of her, sulked and puffed her cheeks in pouty fashion. But eventually, she joined in giggling alongside her companions.
It wasn't long until the laughter died away. By then, the group had composed themselves. Mion started, "Okay, Uncle Mion believes we wasted enough time as it is. Sit your butts down while this old man picks out today's game. C'mon, let's go, get to it, your venerable elder has very little time in her hands before she reaches retirement."
'Uncle Mion... old man...' Keiichi's frown made its reappearance as the other girls complied and took their seats. He remained standing, his sour expression thickened the longer his thoughts slowly named out each of Mion's sobriquets. 'Venerable elder... retirement?! I think this buffoonery has gone off long enough.'
Keiichi scrutinized the flowing cascade of green before him, watching her hum a cheerful tune. Mion had her back turned away from her friends, oblivious to Keiichi's solemnity. She rummaged through her locker, which was crammed with a plethora of board games and squished costumes that were close on the verge to exploding from the inside. Just how did Mion manage to fit all that stuff in her locker anyway? Actually, forget that question; it was irrelevent to him. What mattered most was what he was about to do next.
"I refuse, woman," denied Keiichi, crossing his arms.
Gasps went all around from the seated trio of girls. Pairs of sea-blue, gem-amethyst, and flower-fuchsia eyes, all as wide as pancakes, stared at the adamant boy in shock. Then, they looked over to their club leader.
Mion's hands ceased their scavenging around the stuffed locker, ending the clangs that rang throughout the compartment's jam-packed interior. The class president felt her stiffening body twitch.
That was when Keiichi sensed the sudden shift of atmosphere in the classroom. The air inside started to thicken to the point where it seemed harder to breath. The silence screeched a siren's call, deafening the room so harshly only muffled sounds of the thrumming cicadas outside could pass through everyone's ears. No more did the pleasant, tranquil, warming wafts roam the classroom background; there now only remained an unwelcome, biting aura of tense air.
"Kei-chan," a grave, scarily calm voice exuded from Mion, slicing through the inspissated ambience of the lecture room. The teenage girl had her head lowered, her leaf-green fringes shadowed her downcast eyes. She kept her back turned against Keiichi. [3]
"Yeah...?" Keiichi responded carefully, very much unnerved though still maintaining a steady composure regardless.
"You are not to deny your club leader's orders. That's mutiny at its finest. And another thing," Mion circled around in alarming speed. She fixed Keiichi a death stare so menacing that armies of demons would fall petrified under its threatening and unwildering gaze. "You don't ever assume peoples' genders in that regard, not to this old man especially. Uncle Mion doesn't take too kindly to such offenses."
A relieved grin surfaced upon Keiichi's countenance as he felt the classroom's atmosphere lighten. It was fortunate that Mion decided to be nice and let him off with a warning. He made a mental note to thank Lady Luck for his mercy later. "My deepest apologies, Mion."
"That's Uncle Mion to you, boy," corrected the greenette as she huffed an ire expulsion of air.
"Right, right. Sorry, Uncle Mion, ha-ha!" Keiichi recitified his last words, raising his hands in a surrender gesture.
Rena, Rika, and Satoko all simultaneously did an intake together and sighed in ease. Satoko mumbled quietly to herself, saying stuff along the lines of how foolish and reckless Keiichi could be. Rena looked as if all weight was lifted off her shoulders, glancing up at the ceiling and silently thanking the gods for the absence of bloodshed. Rika just smiled her usual happy-go-lucky smile.
"Humph! Youngsters like you these days have utterly zero respect for the veterans. Disgraceful," Mion assumed her favored role and grumbled bitterly. She directed her attention back to her locker and resumed fishing through the abundance of board/card games in her storage.
"Again, I'm really sorry," laughed Keiichi. "It's just..." his smile melted away as a glum look emerged in its place. He slumped down slightly in dejection. "Just that I don't understand."
Mion sighed and halted her search for gaming entertainment. She turned back to gaze exasperatedly at Keiichi and placed her hands on her hips. "What's not to understand, Kei-chan? From the first day we've met, I've told you everything you needed to know about me. I'm the illustrious Uncle Mion, an ol' man of great esteem. I don't see what you're so confused over."
"Well, uhh, that's the thing, see," Keiichi rubbed the back of his tilted head. Choosing his words carefully so not as to anger Mion again, he began to elaborate, "You keep on calling yourself an old man... yet all I ever see is a- uhhmm, ermm..."
The teenage boy winced as he hesitantly concluded, "...young, beautiful woman."
Rena and Satoko both snapped their heads back to Keiichi, staring at him with mouths agape. Even Rika was visibly surprised; the blue-haired child scrutinized Keiichi through her widened bubbly eyes, sitting in a more up straight position as she marginally reclined her head back from the stunning turn of events. Though neither of the other girls were as flabbergasted as Mion.
For Mion Sonozaki, Keiichi had saw something incredibly out-of-character from the tomboyish girl.
Truthfully, he expected her to bite his head off, hence why he had used his hands to shield his ears and prepare for any ear-splitting displays of aggresive enmity that could potentially leave him deaf with bleeding ears. But his worries washed away when he glimpsed more upon the Sonozaki girl's disposition.
Mion, who was normally seen as a loquacious and out-going girl, was now quiet and a complete contrast of her typical hoydenish character. The sudden changes in his best friend's persona were inexplicit to Keiichi, though that hadn't stopped him from noting down all those differences.
Stripped of her posture of self-confidence and assertiveness, Mion buckled her knees, falling back into a recoiling- almost cowering- pose. Her big teal eyes, which usually flickered in high-spirits and appeared steady observant globes, were dilated and quivering in bashful behavior. Her lips tore open its crevass briefly before closing shut, and Keiichi grew mesmerized at the unidentified look on her face.
She still retained her frown, yet there was a distinct sense of reticent qualities behind it. Just what was going on?
"Is... is that what you think you see, Kei-chan?" a self-conscious Mion smothered her hands in her cleavage, glimpsing away from Keiichi every now and then.
Keiichi was taken aback. The clover-colored girl before him spoke in a timid voice that was so foreign to him; never had he heard such a set of slurring vocals uttered from Mion until now. It was like he was talking to an entirely different person, as if Mion somehow had another living being a part of her who could assume her name.
Then it hit him, the unexpected strike of rememberance to the head, the unforeseen flash of recollection which blinded his clear vision momentarily. Images dating back to that peculiar day where he found Mion gazing fondly at that girlish doll from the store were reaching over to him like a tsunami. That instance was the only time he seen Mion as someone unalike from the neighborly old man, "Uncle Mion". Could this person be the same individual he had discovered once before?
"...uhh...yes? I'm very sure of what I see," Keiichi quirked an eyebrow, shooting a dubious look at Mion. He sent a pointing finger to the greenette. "Hey, you alright? You're acting a lot stranger than usual."
"Keiichi-kun, that is extremely rude! You know better to point fingers and make inconsiderate comments," Rena scolded Keiichi. She glared at him sharply as she stood up from her seat. "You need to apologize to Mi-chan right this instant."
"Ahh... no, no, that won't be neccessary," Mion reassured, waving her hands in a placating gesture at the auburn-haired girl. "It's fine, Rena-chan, really. I..." her cheeks began to flush crimson as she smiled shyly. "...I don't mind at all."
The brown-haired male looked to and fro between his two teenage friends. He quietly observed them both, his marine orbs fixated particularly on Mion's bashful form. Keiichi tilted his head in curiosity. Mion became more and more perplexing by the minute. Still, she was an intriguing subject worthy of attention, and Keiichi felt his inquisitive side yearn louder to pry into the topic.
He started to approach Mion, who jerked slightly upon perceiving his brusque advances. Keiichi's shuffling feet came to a standstill once the distance between the boy and greenette was severed in an adequate-length gap. "Hey, Mion."
Mion let out a tiny squeak, her cheeks saturated in a deeper tone of rich red. "Oh, uh, yeah, Kei-chan?"
"Is everything okay with you? I mean- I'm not trying to insinuate that you're weird or anything in that regard, but- uh, erm, well, uh- I guess what I'm saying is, uh," Keiichi looked for the right words to use. "You seem... different."
"I-I see," Mion glanced below at her shifting feet. Her face grew perturbed. "Well, uhmm, I am just a bit startled, is all. Sorry if it bothers you."
"Nah, don't you worry about it. I'm not rattled or anything like that," Keiichi dismissed Mion's worries, shaking his head to signify a friendly decline. He flashed a warming, white-toothed smile. "Au contraire, I'm not troubled at all; I'm surprised, rather. Never have I seen you so reserved before."
The lush-leaf-haired girl lifted her gaze up to meet Keiichi, her countenance visibly less disheartened. She eyed him in bonafide naivety, angling her head off to the side before querying the boy nervously, "Is that a bad thing?"
"Of course not. Like I said, I'm simply shocked you have this other character to yourself. It's an intriguing revelation. I don't mind if you're bashful or whatever," the boy upraised the corners of his lips. "And in fact, I really like this softer side of you."
Mion found herself stunned, immensely flabbergasted at his last statement. "You what?"
"I said I like this softer side of you," he repeated casually, not addressing the astonished look sent his way. Whether Keiichi did or didn't notice was anyone's guess. "This distinct Mion Sonozaki I see before me is an arcane debutante, yet strangely, I feel drawn to her like a bee to honey. She's more... honest with herself, more demure, and unpretentious. But most importantly, she's more encompassing of her own interests over what she wants people to perceive her as in terms of gender."
Keiichi then shook his head.
"God-damn it, I don't know what I'm saying; I'm just making this up as I go..." he glimpsed below briefly before looking back up and continuing, "Back on topic, my point is that I want to see more of this unacknowledged persona of yours, Mion. She- whoever this other Mion is in name- seems like a down-to-earth, affable person I can acquaint myself with easily, and it'd be nice if I got to see more of her, rather than old man Mion."
"...Kei-chan..." whispered Mion, nearly breathless in her speech.
The only male teenager in the classroom guffawed loudly, "It's funny, really. I feel as if I'm already getting to know you. Perhaps that's because I've seen you previously back last Sunday, around the toy store in Okinomiya what it was afternoon."
"Eehhhh?! You've went there?!" the class representative exclaimed in a staggered tone, heavily flustered. She could hardly believe it; here Keiichi was, revealing that he went over to her part-time work place and had apparently caught her staring at a doll there. The disclosure alone sent her close to fainting.
"Yup, I so happened to be in the neighborhood when I discovered you, completely fixated at that little princess doll. Boy, you sure threw me off, Mion," Keiichi responded cheerfully.
Satoko scooted over to Rika and muttered curiously, "What is Keiichi-san talking about? Mion-san, staring at girly, princess dolls? This has liar written all over it. Rena-san should chew him out."
The indigo-haired girl bit back the urges to giggle. She glanced at her confused blond friend with an amused look and murmured back, "Erm, no, sir. KeiKei isn't lying. Cleaver Girl knows that, and she aware of what's also going on here, as am I." [4]
"Huh? What do you mean by, "What's also going on"? Isn't it simple," Satoko furrowed her brows. "Keiichi-san is obviously talking crap. That's all there is to it."
Rika rubbed her friend's head sympathetically. "You poor kitty. If only you'd look inside the box instead of looking at it from outside," she went back to watching the spectacle involving Mion and Keiichi, though not before adding sweetly, "But ignorance is bliss, sir. Keep on being a good girl."
Satoko frowned and looked at Rika with a confused expression, musing over why she was suddenly talking about boxes.
Back to Keiichi and Mion, both teenagers were still locked in gazes with one another; Keiichi's fixed look was chipper and friendly, whereas Mion's appeared awkward and diffident. The latter trembled subtly enough to avoid detection from the eyes of all her friends, though internally, the profuse embarrassment subjected her heart to a fast, dangerous beating rate.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, you misunderstand the situation!" Mion spluttered as she quickly formed excuses in her mind. "That wasn't me, not me at all! You were sorely deceived. The person you saw that day was my twin sister, Shion. She was who you had encountered."
Keiichi shook his head with a sigh. "Mion, please don't concoct that exaggerated twin idea. Neither me nor anyone gullible would fall for such a thing, and frankly, I find it hard to understand why you feel so ashamed. You are aware of what I'm talking about, yes?"
"Oh... yeah, I know what you're referring to..." Mion trailed off in her words under hesistance briefly. She tuned up her voice to speak louder, "...the doll with gold hair. My Uncle Yoshirou was the one who decided to put it on glass display."
The sole boy amongst females bobbed his head comprehensively as he expressed his surprise aloud, "Ah, I see. Do you like that doll?"
"Well, uhmm, I-" Mion, though unsure and slow in her speech, was about to reveal her answer...
...only for Satoko to cut her off. The eleven-year-old prankster interjected, "Keiichi-san, stop bullying our club leader. Just because you always lose in our games doesn't give you the right to be a sore loser and go around ruining Mion-san's reputations by making up this false rumor of her."
"Shut your mouth, you cheating tyke, you know absolutely nothing. I only ask and speak truth in its unripe form," retorted Keiichi angrily.
Satoko snorted, "You want truth? Okay then, here's your desired truth. Tomorrow, I'll be more ferocious in my traps ten-fold, as punishment for you wasting all of our precious time today. You'll be so sorry you wished you-"
"I do."
Both Keiichi and Satoko ceased their bickering. They whipped their heads around to face the source of the faint-but-clear voice that had just intervened. The two members of the Gaming Club widened their eyes in surprise upon discovering a timid Mion, who flinched from her peers' sharp stares.
Keiichi blinked in confusion and began, "Mion, did I hear right? Did you say-"
"Yes, I did. I said, "I do". I do like that doll very much," Mion turned away to her left timorously. She spoke in such a way that was blunt and swift, befitting of her nervous state.
"No way..." Satoko uttered incredulously, disbelief clouded over the concoction of vivid-purple and blood-red that were her eyes.
As for Keiichi, he simply walked the front of his chest away from Satoko, guiding it over to face Mion and to keep his focus on her entirely. He hid the exasperated disposition used on Satoko and replaced it with a more pacific look. "Good to hear. And would it be right of me to assume that you want to buy that doll?"
Mion curved the edges of her lips in a descending slope, louring externally towards the Maebara boy. "No, it wouldn't. I admit I like the doll, but for me to buy it? Hell no. Your foolish notions bring no end to my bafflement. Such a stupid question you ask me."
She moped harder as her teal orbs lowered below and darkened in sadness, "...besides, even if I did want to take that doll with me, I would never subject myself to humiliate myself for it. Just imagine the responses I'd get from everyone."
The brown-haired male teenager simply chuckled in response, "Is that it? C'mon, Mion, I know you like pretending to be a man at times, but there's nothing wrong with taking interest in girly things. You are a girl after all. Don't let those insecurities stop you from relishing what you truly adore. What people think of you, it shouldn't matter. Be yourself as you wish."
Mion didn't bulge from her crestfallen state. She sulked hard, her shoulders slouched and her dejected arms drooped.
"Aww, man, you just have to be all pouty and difficult, don't you?" Keiichi sighed exasperatedly, his breath blew out in a thick, heated haze. But his frustrations soon dissipated. He placed his hands on hips and beamed, "Well, if your going to continue acting like this, then that just means I have to take action. Alright, it's decided, I'll buy you that doll."
"Eeehhh...?!" ejaculated the Sonozaki girl. She scrutinized the boy in front of her with open-mouthed astonishment. Rika, Rena, and Satoko all shared similar gaping looks.
Keiichi smiled warmly, "Why are you girls agape? All of you act as if I've suddenly become King of England. Personally, I'm okay with spending my money for you ladies, so I don't see any issues in my decision."
The brown-haired male began to explain, "Mion said she likes the doll, but won't buy it herself since she's overly concerned about other people's opinion. That's where I come in, and purchase the doll for her. That way, Mion here can get what she want and won't be troubled anymore. Heh-heh, am I or am I not a man of plans?"
"B-Bu-But you're a boy, and a stupid one at that. You aren't supposed to pick up girly things!" Satoko stammered, heavily disgusted.
Then, realization made its dawned awakening upon her, and before long, the horrified Trap Master pointed an accusing finger at Keiichi and cried out, "Eeuughh, Keiichi-san is one of those weird boys who like taking home lady-like items. Disgusting. I knew making him wear dresses for penalty games was gonna convert him some day."
"There you go again, using that nasty, cold-steel tongue. You little brat," Keiichi frowned disdainfully towards Satoko. His eyes shimmered a murderous glint. "If you weren't such a good friend, I'd have grab a pair of sissors and clipped off that tongue by now."
"Haauu... Keiichi-kun, that's a very sweet gesture. You're willing to help Mi-chan even if it'll cost you your dignity. That's admirable," Rena opined in an effusive voice, quick to defuse the arousing banter.
Keiichi redirected his focus to Rena. His grin returned. "What are companions for? And it's not like you girls hadn't already ruined my dignity enough anyway."
He then went back to gazing at Mion, broadening the corners of his mouth further and exposing his gleaming white pearls. His buoyant periwinkle eyes scanned the green-haired girl's stupefied visage keenly. "So, yeah, you can expect a tiny belle of royalty in your arms tomorrow. I'll get you that princess doll later in the afternoon today when I can."
"...K...Kei-chan..." Mion breathed out in a whisper, her mind utterly befuddled by the unforeseen offer Keiichi propounded to her. "I... I- I- uh- nhhg- gffhn- uhh..." she fumbled with her speech, spewing out an incoherant jumble of words no one could understand.
Though eventually, the class representative fell silent. She drew in a large scoop of air and expelled it out from her nose. Mion collected herself and asked curiously, "Why, Kei-chan? Why would you do this for me?"
"Because we should all be entitled to what we love, regardless of the inane and negative thoughts people bare towards us. Don't let judgement bring you down," Keiichi answered with honesty as he flashed his thumb up. "Be the person you wish to be, and follow your desires that you believe will make you happy. No matter what actions you take, no matter what kind of person you want to live as, you'll always be the same charming girl that I and everyone else admire dearly."
Mion gasped, thrown in a dumbfounded disposition. She placed a hand over her mouth. Her cheeks bloomed in flowers of sweltering red, and her vivid chlorophyll eyes sparkled with thin sphere bubbles of light glossing over the quaking pupils and irises.
"Oi, you alright, Mion?" Keiichi detected the thunderstruck greenette's unswerving daze. He leaned in and examined Mion closely. His eyes marginally opened up even more as he then indicated, "Woah, what's up with your cheeks right now? They've gone as red as tomatoes all of a sudden."
The burnt-umber-haired boy stepped into Mion's personal space, standing just a strand of hair away from her face. He raised a hand and lightly settled it over the class representative's forehead, disregarding the warm, thick and silky feel of her curtaining sward-like bangs kissing his palm.
"W- Wha...?" Mion felt her heart throb intensely as her face rose in calefaction.
"Damn, this isn't good. You're heating up pretty bad," observed the teenage male. Then, he did the unexpected. Keiichi promptly took Mion's hand, his fingers closed together over her dainty hand in a secure but tender hold. "We should take you to the infirmary. I'll guide you through the corridor."
Keiichi turned away and tugged Mion's seized hand in signal for her to follow. Though he anticipated a compliant reaction, he was instead treated to the sounds of a swooning moan and a hard thud to the satiny, mahogany surface of the classroom's square-tiled flooring. At the same time, he suddenly lost his grip over the small, soft hand belonging to Mion.
Alarmed, Keiichi spun around and his perse eyes flashed lively in panic. Veiled over his vision was the sprawled form of Mion, laid down on her side nearby his feet. "M-Mion!"
The emerald-haired girl made no verbal response. She had her beryl eyes sewed shut. Her face was painted in scarlet pigment, and her body sporadically twitched every now and then. But the strangest facet to her collapsed state was the small, blissful smile that formed from her lips.
"Shi- er, I mean- Shoot!" Keiichi refrained from cursing, aware of the two pre-teens amongst him. He placed his hands on top of his head and overreacted, "What just happened? What did I do?"
"That is my exact question to you! What did you do, Keiichi-san?!" Satoko chewed him out. She marched over to the boy and rudely shoved him, sending him back a few steps. "This must be an elaborate scheme of yours. Admit it, you were planning on making Mion-san faint from the start in attempt to snake your way out of today's club activity. You stoop so low."
Keiichi growled angrily through his breath. He stomped towards the blonde before reciprocating the pushing gesture, forcing her to stagger back. "Back off. I've had no insidious intentions like that in mind. I'm innocent."
"Keiichi-kun, Satoko-chan, cease this senseless violence. No fighting," Rena intervened. She stepped in between her two quarreling friends, extending both open hands out at each of them in restraint as she gave glancing glares to the opposing sides.
Satoko and Keiichi loured at Rena, then exchanged harsher glowers to each other, before looking away with crossed arms. They both let out exasperated, discontented grunts.
Standing firmly in the middle of the diminished dispute, Rena blew out a sigh of relief, pleased to have prevented the likely dangerous outcome that could've ended badly for Keiichi and Satoko.
Rika skipped about towards Keiichi, her apple-red Mary Jane shoes tapped the floors repeatedly. Below the blue-haired girl, the ground emitted repetitive pitter-patters in mild protest of her light footsteps stamping its many squared faces. Opening her dainty, loving arms, she reached over to Keiichi and trapped him in an encircling embrace. "Mii, you have done well, sir. I'm so proud."
"Huh?" Keiichi softened his disgruntled disposition as his gaze descended to the petite child before him. He wiggled in pleasure over the affectionate warmth transmitted from Rika's small form to his waist. "What for, Rika-chan?"
"For beginning to delve deeper into a girl's hidden interests and then grasping a better understanding of them. It's nice to see you're finally being more considerate of Mii's feelings. She's delicate and difficult to deal with, so witnessing your actions leaves me in awe," answered a smiling Rika in admiration.
The Furude girl tightened her hold in a cordial squeeze. "Most men have trouble accomplishing such a feat. You should feel extremely proud of yourself, KeiKei. I know I do, and for that, you deserve a hug," she buried her face into his hip as her grin broadened. "Huggie, huggie. Nipaahhh~!"
Keiichi shared Rika's cheerful expression. He chuckled and patted her scalp encircled in the surrounding, rich floods of her royal blue hair. "Wow, thanks, Rika-chan. I appreciate the hug." he then added in thought. '...even though I don't quite understand what you mean with all that hidden interest talk. Ah, oh well, Mion's happy and I finally got to know her a little more. That's what's important.'
"Miii..." Rika cooed adorably under his rough-but-amiable head massage. "...mew... mew..."
Satoko's cheeks began swelling up, forming to be as round as balloons. The petulant prankster, with her penetrating eyes concocted with washing colors of royalty's purple and blood's red, gazed at Keiichi contemptuously. "Hmnph... if Keiichi-san's truly as great as Rika believes, then he wouldn't be making girls faint."
She closed her eyes and sighed with a disappointed shake of her head, running a hand through her golden locks. "I swear, these people... I'll never understand them..."
Rena let her eyes wandered over to the fainted Mion behind her, peering down at her best friend's inert form. The auburn-haired girl felt a curling soft smile skulk its way over her light-pink lips.
Unbeknownst to everyone (with the possible exception of Rena), Mion Sonozaki was conscious and very much informed of what was transpiring with her friends currently. In truth, she did indeed swoon momentarily; the touching compliments Keiichi threw in about her being a young, beautiful, and charming girl were hard for her gentle heart to handle, and the friendly gesture of him volunteering to escort her to the infirmary was just the icing on the cake.
Though Mion didn't mind too much personally. If the green-haired girl had to be painfully honest about it right now, she'd say the whole display of Keiichi's charismatic ignorance was rather endearing to her. Most people were accustomed to her spunky, tomboyish guise in spite of the fact that Mion had other- more preferred- qualities to her. Yet, out of all of them, Keiichi didn't seem to share the same opinions.
No, Keiichi wanted to discover and acquaint with the other side to her- one that Mion herself preferred greatly as well. He had the audacity to boldly defy what was widely accepted by most, all for the sake of seeking the demure and feminine persona she hoped to expose once she mustered enough courage. Should Mion have been pissed for his flamboyant and daring bravado?
Probably. But she was too enthralled with the kindness behind his actions to be irated. The echoing words of his gallant offer to buy her the doll remained as vivid and cordial to Mion as the intricate lush scenery of Hinamizawa's rural land. The thought of her accepting the bought gift from Keiichi in the next day left Mion shivering in excited anticipation.
Wait... Mion halted in her musings. Now that she delved more into the topic regarding that doll, there was just something about it bothering her. She distinctively recalled how Keiichi encountered her at her part-time work place. He had said something about her admiring the doll put on public view last Sunday afternoon.
That was very peculiar. Mion didn't remember herself drooling over a girly object out in the open; in fact, the greenette knew for sure she didn't commit such a deed. Sunday afternoon was one of her shifts. She couldn't have had the time to admire the doll, not especially since she'd be too busy handling customers...
And at that moment, the brief visit her twin sister, Shion, paid to her on that same day came into memory.
Mion frowned to herself, displeased. 'Stupid Shion! As per usual, sis attracts attention that gets me thrown into her messes. It was already bad enough she only came to my work-place to annoy the hell out of me, but then she had to go around dressed as me, gawking over girly dolls in public.'
The Sonozaki girl continued to berate her twin sister internally. Whether her actions came deliberate or inadvertent, Shion always seemed to find ways to embarrass her. Mion had specifically asked her sister to keep a low profile, especially with Keiichi around.
She went so far to even make Shion dress up exactly how she did whenever the twin felt like going out, in the same mustard-yellow shirt, azure-blue jeans partnered with a white sweatshirt wrapped around it, and long cascading green ponytail Mion herself usually sported on her free time, as opposed to her usual, more-girlish clothing and untied, green cataract hair.
Damn that Shion sometimes. Thanks to her sister, it was likely Mion wouldn't be able to live down the humiliation, and Keiichi would probably pester her more about her girly side.
'But then again, I appreciate how Kei-chan's starting to see me as a girl now...' the green-haired girl felt her beet-red cheeks heat up as she smiled heartily. 'Maybe for once, Shion actually done something right this time. Boy, do I have a story to tell her when we meet up later.'
Mion giggled. One thing was certain, things between her and Keiichi were sure to turn out interesting from now on in.
[-x-]
A/N II: Alright, that's it! This one was pretty relieving to write out, especially since I don't have to write too much this time. I think I've reached out around 8,000+ words here. Not too bad, not too bad. The ending here is alright, though I feel like I could've come up with something better; there was something that crossed my mind, but I couldn't remember so I settled with this ending. Hope no one isn't too upset about it.
Up next will be about Rena, and it's going to be a bit of an AU too, because y'know, it's about time I started adding a bit more spices into my stories, ha ha!
And as usual, below here will be notes marked by [X] for some of the references and interesting trivia facts I made here. Don't hesistate to check them out.
Until next time, beautiful people. See you then!
[-x-]
Notes:
[1] In Japanese, Keiichi's name translates to "noble one" in English, with "Kei" meaning noble and "ichi" meaning one.
[2] Ha ha, before you ask, yes, this is the very same doll Mion wanted Keiichi to give her in Watanagashi-hen, Meakashi-hen, and Minagoroshi-hen. I thought it would've been a nice jab to canon.
[3] I've been getting back into Pokemon lately (Super Mystery Dungeon specifically, if you're wondering), so here's a nice reference to one of the older DS games.
[4] Cleaver Girl is Rena's nickname dubbed by Rika. She uses this for Rena in Tsumihoroboshi-hen during the whole school hostage situation. It references the fact that Rena keeps a cleaver in Hinamizawa's trash heap.