A/N: So, I read your reviews. Please keep on reviewing :P
Guest: You keep on going back in forth with "sempai" and "senpai," the correct one is "senpai" if you follow the hiragana here in the parentheses...
- If you noticed, Maya's the only one who calls her se'n'pai, se'm'pai. It seems that she can't pronounce the 'n' when the senpai is a -suffix to a name. I don't know why.
Guest: you do know Takao Kazunari, Takao is the surname and Kazunari is the first name.
- OMG. Yes, I'm sorry about that. Please, point more mistakes. :3 Its greatly appreciated.
NB. Next chapter we are back on Maya's POV.
Chapter 21
The Perks of Being a Teenager
The Perks of Being a Teenager
"Teenage hormones plus a few hot guys equals Barbie blood bath."
― Veronica Wolff, Isle of Night
PART 2
A Certain Journalist - on her Certain e-Journal:
Entry #257November 6
It is the duty of the writer as a journalist to write about a strange event that all started on the night of October 30th in a certain subdivision involving certain people. To say that it is a tragedy is an understatement. The humbled writer can clearly say that upon the celebration of this certain event, it caused a lot-of-headaches to the people who participated the morning after. Although most parents were glad because their children now cursed the unidentified alcoholic beverage, other parents got mad for all the trouble they had caused, i.e. the most noticeable among them: vomits - everywhere.
It ended quite all right, except, to a family and a group of teen-age boys (age ranging from 16-17), who both settled the matter yesterday (November 5) in a very serious manner. The 'matter' is the strange event which was mentioned above.
The 'strange event' is the person sitting beside the writer as of this moment.
Name: Maya
Age: 16
Race: Unknown
She's a dear friend of the writer, who upon waking-up the morning of October 31st showed signs of altered behavior which scared the wits out of everyone. Their family doctor said that it is a "very mild case of post-concussion syndrome" (refer to Google for explanation).
A very concrete example is with how she is eating her lunch right now. Usually, Maya would use her hands to eat the chicken leg but now she is using a spoon and fork as her medium.
Upon further observation, the writer noted some present behaviors which are not the (obviously speaking) characteristics of the subject which includes: Modesty, Kindness, Warmth, Sensitivity, Sincerity, Politeness and other seemingly lady-like traits.
Most disturbing of which is the increase in her Sex Appeal and Female Pheromones. (Discussed in Entry #254 to #256)
These behaviors caused everyone to spew profanities out of their mouths due to pure shock and astonishment.
N.B. (If a small pot can cause someone to act like this, then the writer must try and hit her own head with it.)
Excerpt: Toru Shinda's Journal:Entry #254 November 03
Days have passed since the accidental pot-dropping on the writer's friend. The only sign that she received a blow in the head was the pink band-aid on her forehead. The writer received the news that she is suffering from a behavior change syndrome (XshitX). The writer can't remember if her friend even likes pink. Is this the behavior change that they are talking about?!
And what's this hallucination that the writer is experiencing? The writer is seeing flowers in her friend's background.
Maybe the writer really is hallucinating.
All the boys in the classroom are blushing when they see her.
And the writer means ALL.
What the (XfuckX) on earth is this phenomenon?
Victim #1
Kagami was caught off-guard. Maya came to the classroom changed. Well. He actually knew about the disorder she is suffering right now, partly because it's his fault, but still he was caught off-guard. She, for the first time, wears her uniform properly and her hair is fixed in this girly-way which isn't like her but it suits her anyway.
Kagami shook his head. What the fuck is he thinking?! He actually thought Maya looks good.
He puts a fist over his mouth. The realization shook him.
Oh god, he actually thought she looks pretty! Well, ok, she is actually pretty-decent looking, but HE thought she is pretty. That is a VERY different thing!
"Kagami-kun, are you blushing?!" Toru asked him as she looked at him incredulously.
"Pwha!? Ha? What are you talking about?" Kagami said, a little bit loudly.
"Err, it's just that your face is red and you're staring at Maya." She said.
"N..nn. I am not staring at her! Why would I stare at her?" Kagami stuttered."Wo…who would stare at her?"
"Good morning, Toru-chan, Mika-chan, Taiga-kun and Tetsu-kun." Maya said in a very soft and moderate manner, it gave Kagami the creeps or something. An electric shock went through his body. She never greeted them good morning! Usually it's just, "Hey!"or "Oi!".
He, Toru and Mika stared at Maya with an open-mouth while Kuroko stared at Maya stupidly in his own way. Even their classmates were stupefied by her change.
Victim #2
Before lunch break, the news about a cute freshman spread around Seirin High like a bacteria. This does not escape the ears of Noa Suzuka, who is, contrary to the rumors, actually a straight guy. It just happens that he has a feminine-side and idolizes Kise Ryouta all at the same time. Hearing the news, it's his chance to prove himself.
The moment the clocked chimed-in for lunch break, he moved like a ninja to gather information about this cute girl that rocked the whole school, only to find himself minutes later in front of a familiar classroom. When he opened it, he found his arch-nemesis, Maya, eating with her two demon-friends, Kagami-san and probably Kuroko-san who Noa cannot see yet at the moment.
His guts say she is the cute girl. But hell, who would believe that?! The only thing she changed about herself was her hair and the pink band-aid on her forehead. That doesn't make her a cute girl at all!
Noa walked toward her. Maya looked up at him.
"Oh, Suzuka-kun!" Maya smiled at him so sweetly he, for some reason, started to melt.
Noa blushed. And then suddenly, he started seeing flowers in Maya's background. Her eyes started to sparkle, her skin suddenly became smooth, and her lips suddenly became kissable. It was too much of a bewitching transformation. Noa's heart started beating fast that he thought he was going to faint.
And then he started forming tears from his eyes. He can't believe himself!
He's attracted to his arch-nemesis!
"Hidoii! Why are you doing this! Maya-no-baka!" Noa wailed and ran away from the classroom.
Victim #3, #4 and #5… and #6
The practice that afternoon did not go well because of a certain person. It's totally her fault. She was emitting a pink-aura that enveloped the whole gym causing all of them to stop and just stare at her. The aura was causing all of them to be aware that there is a member of the female species among them.
"Ano, uhm, is there something on my face?" Maya asked them, blushing. Flowers bloomed around her. Even pink bubbles started to pop out of nowhere.
The act instantly killed Kawahara and Fukuda who dropped on the floor.
"Maya-chan, please give us a break. Can you please stop that?" Kiyoshi begged with his nose bleeding.
"Eh, stop what, Teppei-oniichan?" Maya craned her neck on the other side looking so innocent and cute.
Kiyoshi froze. He turned serious all of a sudden.
"What did you call me?!" He demanded.
"Teppei-oniichan?" Maya repeated.
Kiyoshi walked toward Maya but before he could touch her, Hyuuga punched him in the face. "You pervert!"
"Riko, can you do something about this?" Hyuuga asked their Coach.
"Even if you asked me, I can't really do something about it." Aida said, irritated. "Besides, she wouldn't act like this if not for certain people!"
Kagami, Kuroko, Mitobe, Izuki and Hyuuga were electrocuted at the mention of 'certain people'.
Aida sighed and went to the very feminine Maya.
"Maya could you please go to the clubroom and stay there for a while? The boys can't really practice with you around."
Maya's face fell in a pretty kind of way. Aida cringed. That is totally not Maya-like.
"Oh, okay then senpai." She said.
She took her things on the bench and then removed a folder from her bag. "By the way, Aida-sempai, I already finished the report that you asked me to do. Although you said I can submit it next week, I figured I can do it last night."
"You finished the report?!" Aida said, amazed. The real Maya never did that. Usually, she needed some nagging before she would finish the report. Aida took the folder and opened it. She saw the neatly encoded words in the bond paper.
Aida covered her mouth. Tears started to come out from her eyes. And then she hugged Maya.
"Uwahhh! Please stay like this forever!" Aida said happily.
"Err… I don't think that's a good idea." Hyuuga remarked as he watch the scene.
Excerpt: Toru Shinda's Journal:Entry #255 November 4
It has come to the writer's attention that the change in the writer's friend has caused a commotion not just in the school but in the club where she posed as the manager. She is unconsciously creating a (XdamnX) sphere of men around her. And she (XfuckingX) seems not to be aware of it!
The phenomenon is also known as the reverse harem.
Yes.
It will be good, if the writer could experience that too. So, the writer could write a study about it.
(XOr something.X)
Victim #7, #8 and #9
The school cafeteria is packed like the usual lunch time crowd. Mitobe, Tsuchida and Koganei are hyped to get their desired lunch for the day and are ready to thread into the dangerous waters when they heard a "Kyaa~"
It was a very feminine "Kyaa~". The three of them looked where the sound came from.
They saw Maya being pushed down to the ground.
"Maya-chan, are you alright?" Koganei asked.
"Koganei-senpai…" She said looking up at him, almost to cry. There's a 'dokyuun' sound. And Koganei suffered from a heart attack.
"What are you doing?" Tsuchida asked her.
"Mika-chan and Toru-chan asked me to buy them lunch but…" Maya pouted.
There's a 'dokyuun' sound again and Tsuchida was shot by something in the chest.
"Yosh~! I'm going to try again." Maya said, boosting herself. She got up and ran toward the crowd, but it was futile. She was pushed out like before.
She was about to fall down in a lady-like manner but Mitobe held her in place. He took the money from Maya's hand and sacrificed himself.
And there was the 'dokyuun'.
Again.
Excerpt: Toru Shinda's Journal:Entry #256 November 5
The writer heard news about a secret organization that was formed just for the writer's friend. No matter how you look at it, it's probably a fan-club.
This has been happening for three days already and honestly, the writer is getting worried about it.
This, seriously, has to stop.
She is getting worse.
Victim #10
They got a call from Maya's parents. All of the Basketball Club members were asked to go to Maya's house because her parents are going to talk to them. Of course, this was inevitable. After how Maya-san has been acting for the past few days, who wouldn't get worried?
The Basketball Practice was cancelled and Kuroko was fixing his things when Maya came inside the classroom. She ran toward him.
The lady-like run.
"Tetsu-kun! Is it true that my parents called for all of you?!"
"Yes, Maya-san."
Maya took his hands and Kuroko was stunned. She gave him her big-brown-puppy-worried eyes look.
"Don't worry; I don't think my parents would get angry."
"Erm, I'm not actually worried about your parents." Kuroko said.
"Huh?" Maya angled her head on the side.
Kuroko was about to say he is actually worried about her but changed his mind. Kuroko tried to pull his hands away, but Maya won't budge.
"Ano, Maya-san, I think I should meet with the guys now."
Maya, who realized she has been holding his hands, released them.
"Oh, sorry." She said. She is blushing when she shouldn't.
And Kuroko felt something fuzzy inside.
To:real_iron_heart (kiyoshi teppei); izuki's_pun_is_s'suki(izuki shun); a_man_of_few_words (mitobe rinnosuke); koga_is_the_jack (koganei shinji); satoshi_tsuchida (tsuchida satoshi); me_going_to_be_the_best(furihata koki); a_random_member(kawahara koichi); when_will_i_play(fukuda hiroshi); i_am_the_sixth (kuroko tetsuya); number0ne_tiger (kagami taiga);
From:clutch_it_baby (hyuuga junpei);
Subj:M.A.Y.A.
Date:Wednesday 11/05 8:08 PM
If you want the Nationals (or if you love your life), let's meet at the clubroom. NOW. This is an EMERGENCY!
Everyone is breathing hard. They can all feel the coldness of the November night. It seems that the clubroom was too small to contain all of them. Except for Hyuuga who is standing in the middle, all of them were seated on the bench situated near their lockers. Nervousness was filling them up. For a few minutes now, since they arrived, no one dared to speak.
All of them knew why they are here.
For a moment, everyone saw a trickle of sweat dramatically fell from Hyuuga's forehead.
There was a 'plop' when it landed on the ground.
The Operation-Bring-Back-Maya-TO-Maya has been set.
"I presume you already know why we are all here…" Hyuuga started.
The freshmen gulped.
The second-years furrowed their eyebrows.
It is, after all, a serious situation.
"This is getting out-of-hand. Our practice is already behind the schedule, and, minna, can I remind you that the Winter Cup is already this Saturday?! We are against a tough school and I fear that what's happening to Maya, whatever it is, is not going to be a benefit to us!"
Everyone understood Hyuuga's point and they all nodded.
"That's why…" Hyuuga continued. "I called all of you to help bring the original Maya back, ASAP!"
He swished his hands in the air for further emphasis.
"Hyuuga-senpai! How can we do that?" Kawahara asked.
"I, err, I actually don't know, but I have an idea. And it's the only thing I got."
"And that is?"
"We'll hit Maya in the head at the same spot with the same force as when the pot fell on her."
There was a complete, disturbing silence.
"Hyuuga-san… I don't think I could do that to Maya-chan…" Koganei said as he raised his right hand. He is trembling.
"I… I.. I just can't…she..she… I mean… when she said… when she looked at me…" Koganei started mumbling deliriously. Seeing this, the other guys cried for his suffering.
"Koganei-san, gambatte." They said.
Suddenly, a spotlight fell on Kiyoshi. He was standing on the bench. A rope was tied on to the ceiling and the loop is on his neck.
"I understand Koganei…" He said with a sad tone.
"Kiyoshi! What are you doing?" Izuki asked.
"I don't deserve to live anymore. I can't believe myself for thinking 'that' about my sister. I want to go back, but I can't!"
"Are you talking about Maya?" Hyuuga asked Kiyoshi incredulously.
"What is 'that'?" Izuki pressed.
"Senpai, she is not your sister…" The freshman said.
Kiyoshi was about to jump, but Hyuuga punched him in the stomach. Kiyoshi fell, with the rope still on his neck.
"You perverted weirdo!" Hyuuga roared.
"Hyuuga, is that the only option we have?" Izuki asked. "Everyone here can't do that to her. It seems that she got hold of our weaknesses."
"Well, does anyone have another idea?" Hyuuga asked the congregation.
Instead of answering, all of them looked at Kagami and Kuroko's direction.
Kagami and Kuroko stepped back.
"Whoa! What's with the staring?!" Kagami said.
The boys walked near them. Hyuuga put his hands on Kagami's and Kuroko's shoulder.
"We are expecting that the two of you will do it… but I guess she did you too, huh?"
"What do you mean she did us, senpai?" Kuroko asked.
Kagami swatted Hyuuga's hands away.
"The hell she did! No freaking way!" Kagami denied earnestly.
"Then, will you do it?" Hyuuga asked the question. Kagami looked at the other way.
"No. We barely escaped death today, you know…" Kagami said, meaning the talk with Maya's parents earlier.
Hyuuga and the others looked at Kuroko's direction, but he disappeared like a bubble.
"Whoooiii!" They screamed.
"Do we really have to do that to Maya-san?" Furihata asked bravely.
All eyes turned to him. Furihata gulped and sweated like crazy.
"Ah, I mean, it's not like it's that bad…" Furihata said blushing.
The guys continued staring at him.
"Am… I wrong?" Furihata squeaked.
Doom fell on the Seirin Basketball Club members. They went on their knees. Thunders came in their background.
"We are so dead!" They all cried. Kawahara and Fukuda tapped Furihata's shoulder to give him the guys' support, whatever that is.
When all was in despair, Mitobe coughed to get attention. He gave Hyuuga a piece of paper.
And there, written in bold letters, was the plan. Everyone crowded around it. Their eyes sparkled with amazement. And from despair, there was hope.
In that paper was the great big plan to turn Maya back to the way she was before.
Excerpt: Toru Shinda's Journal:Entry #257 November 06
Summary of the Discussion between the Family and the Group of Boys (From a Credible Source):
The discussion started with the Group of Boys bowing and groveling at their feet to sincerely apologize to the Parents. The Group of Boys were so scared about the awaited punishment but instead of getting that, all they got was a laugh from the Wife. Apparently, the change in the Subject brought great joy to the Parents. The Parents thanked the Group of Boys for taking care of her for the past few days. The reaction greatly surprised the Group of Boys because they were expecting to be scolded to the point of imprisonment – even death. The discussion ended with the Parents telling the Group of Boys "not to worry because the change of behavior is part of the healing process of her brain."
Comment: The writer doesn't think the Group of Boys even understands the healing process of the brain, so it's useless to explain it to them.
"Toru! What are you doing?!" Mika asked, scowling.
"What do you think I am doing?"
"It isn't the time to be writing on your journal!"
"Mika, you don't have to scold me!"
"I am not scolding you; it's just, I mean, look at her!" Mika said in a panic as she points Maya who is sitting in front of them, eating. "I should be very happy for her but it's starting to scare the crap out of me! Why do I want to hurt her?!"
Maya has been emitting the moe-moe aura for four days already, the worst type of pheromones that she could possibly excrete out of her body. And everyone knows she isn't the moe-moe type. That's why aside from creepy, it's bordering the line of disgusting.
Well, that is, in the girls'-point-of-view.
Emitting the moe-moe aura, Maya just gave herself her own death sentence.
The boys can't take their eyes off her.
And the girls wanted to kill her.
At first, Mika and Toru thought that her change was interesting, but now, they want the real her back. It's just too strange to talk to her when all she was doing was to make a pretty face. And all they want to do to her was slap her face.
And then there's something about Kagami and Kuroko. Since the day started, the two guys have been kind-of out of it. Both were fidgety. And their eyes were unfocused. Mika and Toru could smell something fishy.
"Whoa. Kuroko, did you receive the senpai's text message?" Kagami said in this robotic, it's obviously a memorized line, kind-of-way. He took out his cellphone to make it credible.
"Yes, I did, Kagami-kun." Kuroko said in his monotone-voice.
"It seems that we have a meeting… so, Kuroko and I have to go. Now. Uhm, sorry."
"Yeah. We have to go."
And so they stood and started walking out of the room. While Maya waved them goodbye, Toru and Mika stared at them suspiciously.
The next thing Kagami and Kuroko knew, Toru and Mika grabbed their necks from behind and the four of them fell flat on the ground.
"WAAGHHH!"
Mika was grabbing Kagami's neck, while Toru was on Kuroko.
"What the fuck, Yoshimura!" Kagami yelled.
"Spit it out!" Mika demanded.
"What?!"
"Tell us what the two of you are planning to Maya?" Toru demanded.
"Shinda-san, my neck…please…" Kuroko pleaded.
"What plan are you talking about?! And are you crazy!? You left Maya in the classroom alone, when you know she is like that!?" Kagami said.
"We left an apparition. She's too stu…err... innocent to think that we're not there." Mika explained.
Kagami crunched his face. If Kuroko could really be expressive, he would crunch his face too.
"What are you talking about?!" Kagami said exasperatedly.
"Yoshimura-san, you almost called Maya-san, stupid right?!" Kuroko asked.
"Don't divert our talk to other subjects!" Mika said.
"What are the two of you planning?!" Toru asked once again.
"Nothing!" Kagami and Kuroko denied in chorus.
Toru and Mika grabbed them tighter, near to chocking or death.
"Aggh! Ok! Alright! Damn it! Get off of me!" Kagami conceded.
The girls got off the two boys. The four of them, then, look at each other, weighing the situation, if there was any, in, for a minute. And then Kuroko nudged Kagami's side to make him do the talking. Kagami cursed at him and then grunted.
And he talked.
He told Mika and Toru about the plan that Mitobe-senpai wrote -
The plan to bring Maya back to herself before the winter tournament.
…
Epilogue:
The day ended like it ended yesterday, and the day before yesterday, and the day before that. The only thing different today are the envelopes that were secretly placed on a locker of a certain girl who lost her head to a clay pot.
And so, after class, this certain girl, Maya, found these envelopes. Inside are all letters that coincidentally came from people she knew well professing their admiration to her.
Oh, what a dilemma! Maya doesn't know what to do.
And like other girls, she confided this to her friends.
"Uhm…so, what should I do?" she asked, flustered.
"I don't really know what you should do." Her friend, Toru said, in all honesty.
"But it would be rude if you won't reply to their feelings. I mean, they did put some effort in writing them." Mika, the other friend, said.
"Hm. You're right. But it's just weird, all the letters are telling me to go to the same place." She said.
Toru and Mika gasped, quite exaggeratedly.
"Masaka?!..." Mika said.
"What?" Maya asked.
"No, I don't think they would do it."
"What do you mean, Mika-chan?"
"What she meant was they might fight each other so that when you arrive, there would be only one guy left." Toru said seriously.
"That's ridiculous!" Maya said.
"Surely, they wouldn't do that! They're friends, so they wouldn't… tabun…" She continued.
While Maya is weighing the possibility of a fight, Mika and Toru are having mixed emotions. They wanted to laugh but were annoyed at the same time.
"Shit!" Mika whispered to Toru. "She's buying all of it. Like WTF!"
"She's grossing me out! I haven't heard a single cursing from her mouth today!" Toru said.
"I'm going to kill those two if this plan doesn't work." Mika said.
"Yappari! I have to go now!" Maya proclaimed.
"Yes, you should. I think we should come with you." Toru said.
"Toru-chan, Mika-chan,…" Her eyes watered. "Thank you! You two are like the best girlfriends ever!"
And then, Maya hugged them.
"Urkk…" Toru and Mika said as they shuddered.
The river bank is three blocks away from Seirin High School. This is the place indicated in all the letters that Maya has read. And when the three girls arrived, the only guys standing were Kagami and Kuroko. The rest of the guys were all lying on the ground unconscious.
Kagami and Kuroko were face to face, huffing and puffing, like tired animals.
"Pfftftt!" Mika and Toru chorused. The two covered their mouths to prevent laughs coming out from it. But their eyes started to water. Mika can't take it anymore so she knelt; holding her stomach, biting her lips so there wouldn't be any sounds. Toru's shoulders are trembling so hard.
"That isn't funny!" Maya reprimanded.
"Hahaha! Maya, seriously?!" Mika asked her.
"Yes, I'm serious!"
"I'm sorry! Haha!" Mika said. "They really did it, hahahahahah!"
They walked nearer towards Kagami and Kuroko, at a distance where they can hear what the two boys are saying.
"Kuroko, you bastard!" Kagami said.
"Kagami-kun, please accept defeat." Kuroko said.
"In your dreams!"
"Then I have no choice."
"Bring it on!"
And then Kagami and Kuroko ran towards each other, their fist in fighting form. They were about to punch each other's faces when Maya screamed.
"Dame!"
The two boys froze in place.
"You shouldn't fight because of me!" Maya said, already crying. "That isn't right! Please! Stop!"
"Ahahahahahahahahahhaha!" Mika and Toru laughed at the background.
Maya ran, lady-like, towards them.
Just then, Kagami and Kuroko jumped away from each other like a ninja. The unconscious people on the ground stood up and then a ball flew towards Kuroko.
"Kuroko!" Hyuuga yelled.
"I'm sorry Maya-san!" Kuroko said. He, then, put the measured force on the ball, hitting it with his palm and it flew towards Maya.
And then one second later, it hit Maya's face.
"GRAWGHGH!" Maya said as the ball fell from her face.
"What…" She took a step backward.
"..the…" and then another.
"FUCK, TETSU!"
And then she fell in the river.
There were bubbles.
Kuroko knelt on the ground. He was trembling. Kagami put a hand on his shoulder.
"Good job!"
"Kagami-kun, she said my name. She knew I hit her with a ball…" Kuroko said. And for the first time, Kagami heard fear in his voice. He doesn't know what to say to him, because he also heard Maya say Kuroko's name – which is a bad omen. The only thing he did was to tap Kuroko's shoulder again.
Meanwhile, Toru and Mika are gazing down the spot where Maya fell. They waited a fairly considerable time, just to be sure, before speaking.
"Err, guys, Maya's not floating up…" Mika said.
All of them just stared at each other.
"Maya doesn't swim well." Toru said.
And then the guys screamed.
"WHAAAAA!"
"Her Mother will kill us this time!" Fukuda wailed.
"Shit! Shit!" Hyuuga said in panic.
"Kagami-kun, go!" Tetsu said, still kneeling. He would have gone instead but right now he can't feel his legs.
Kagami, without thinking how cold the water is, immediately jumped to the river. Seconds later, he was up with Maya, who was coughing like there's no tomorrow. Kagami laid her on the ground.
And then, with all the energy she had left, Maya lifted her right hand and gave them all The Finger.
"I'm going to kill all of you! *cough*" She said. And then she lost consciousness.
Despite her threat though, the boys were happy.
"She's back!"
"She's Maya again!"
"Yatta!"
All of them were wearing smiles of victory and glee on their faces.
Except, of course, for Kuroko and Kagami.