This is a chapter after quite a while.. I suppose I won't be updating this one often since I will be focusing on Rainbow Drops. Well, enjoy~

Pairings : Undecided

Warnings : Teikō Middle School Days.

Disclaimer : I own only the OCs.


Chapter 9 - Ignorance is bliss

Something fun for you might not be as fun for another. Which is why balance is important to reach an agreement for both parties.

However, things don't always turn out as expected. Sometimes, the one with stronger force wins, even with the expenses of another.

Momoi is very excited that her feet and fingers won't keep still. She hums and taps her fingers against the table following the tune.

Next to her seat, Yume is in a whole different dimension as she is so anxious that she twiddles her fingers and her feet shifts nervously under the table.

Unlike Momoi who is well-acquainted with the tanned male, Yume has just known the stranger. She fears of making the wrong remarks, or just being plainly rude by being unresponsive.

What is she supposed to talk about with boys her age?

*RINGGGGG*

The bell signalling the start of lunch break rings, and Yume's dreaded meeting is just around the corner.

"I've been looking forward to this day!" Momoi squealed in delight, her eyes sparkling. "..and to Yuu-chan's cooking!"

Yume managed a smile. Maybe she should see it from the positive side? Like having another friend..?

"Okay, GO!" Momoi pulled Yume's wrist without warning, and the latter almost lost her footing if she hadn't tried to keep up with the sudden jerk.

"Gah! Watch it!" Aomine squawked and Momoi forced a giggle. Momoi almost bumped into Aomine who was about to enter the classroom. "Yo." He lifted his hand at Yume, who bowed.

"Wh-" Aomine was about to ask where they are going when the excited Momoi pulled his arm with her other hand, humming a happy tone.

'..Sat-chan is kind of like a bull when she is excited..' Yume kept her thoughts to herself, gazing subtly at the pinkette. She stole glances at the gruff male. '..but Aomine-kun is actually behaving.. He isn't mad?'

'Anyway.. I'm honestly quite tired always getting pulled by Sat-chan..' Yume let out a sigh, - which happened simultaneously as Aomine's sigh.

The two teens blinked before turning to stare at each other. Yume smiled wryly, and Aomine returned the wistful smile. If the male that knows Momoi best is Aomine, then the female that knows Momoi best is Yume, excluding said girl's parents, of course.

That's why Aomine and Yume can relate to each other, and how hyper the cheerful pinkette can be. Also how seemingly impossible she is to be stopped.

For the past few minutes, Yume has been shifting restlessly while peeking to her side once in a while. Momoi is sitting in between Yume and Aomine, enjoying her lunch (Yume's courtesy), with Aomine scarfing down his lunch (which is meat-exclusive).

To be very honest, Yume is feeling so nervous that she can't even properly taste the food she's eating. It's been implied that she isn't as welcoming towards stranger, she is still reluctant around Momoi as it is.

With Aomine in the equation, Yume is in a dilemma. She knows she can't just brush him off since he's Momoi's childhood friend, and it also wouldn't be polite when they are now acquainted.

Yume knows, but she can't just readily accept his company. Her brain is telling her 'it's okay', but her heart is refusing firmly. What is she to do?

Aomine tsked. He bit his chopsticks as he eyed the music room around. He narrowed his eyes. "This place is lacking breeze and sunlight. How can you girls eat in an eerie place like this?"

Momoi huffed. "Dai-chan won't understand the charm of this place!" There's always a music room romance in Shoujo mangas! Her eyes sparkling. "Isn't it romantic? Eating in a quiet, peaceful place with an old elegant piano by the corner.." Momoi murmured dreamily, picturing her 'prince' reaching for the black and white tuts. "..then if someone were to play a music to accompany the leisure lunch time..."

Yume sweat dropped. She knows Momoi is a girl full of fantasies, but she knows no bound, eh?

"What's with that ridiculous, impossible talk?" Aomine scoffed. Momoi need to get her head whacked and see straight. "What's likely is that a ghost will pop out somewhere in the room." Aomine's face turned grim as he mentioned the ghost.

Momoi paled slightly, taking Aomine's plausible comment. She never likes ghost. Fact is, both she and Aomine share their fears of ghost.

Yume only listened as she bit on her lunch, feeling slightly relaxed now as the conversation goes. She never really believes in ghost and supernatural stuffs. Yume is the type that, seeing is believing. So she won't, until she sees one.

"..This is all because of Dai-chan..." Momoi muttered weakly, almost inaudible. She glared at her childhood friend. "I'm scared now, and I can't calm down!" Momoi pouted accusingly.

"I'm not the one that choose this room!" Aomine retorted, returning the glare. Momoi doesn't back down, she keeps on glaring at the male.

Eventually the tension is too much for Yume. "U-Um.. Please calm down, Sat-chan.. Aomine-kun.." Yume spoke meekly from her seating position. Maybe she should say something else? "..Uh, and it's fine. Teikō never mentions their 7 mysteries involve an empty, unused music room.."

If Yume's intention was to calm the two teens, then she did wrong. Momoi and Aomine stiffened before they shuddered, their faces blue.

"How did you know of that?!" They screamed bloody murders. "And I don't even know Teikō had one of those 7 mysteries things!" Momoi added with horror. Her data was supposed to be flawless!

Yume blinked, and she opened her mouth to answer. "I r-"

"No. Stop." Momoi and Aomine cut in, shoving their hands at Yume's face. "We don't need to know that."

"I want my school life in peace and ghost-free." Momoi quickly added. Her face pale. "I don't need nor do I want to know."

"I-I'm not interested. It's not like I believe in ghosts." Aomine reasoned, laughing shakily. Although, it's obvious he is when he stammered, his fingers even trembled.

All the while, Yume kept her indifferent expression. 'I was about to say it was from one of the books in Teikō's Library..' From their reactions, she can conclude; Momoi and Aomine are scared of ghost.

Of course, Yume wouldn't mention it in their presences. There's something known as a 'decency' and this is just one of those cases.

"..We can have lunch somewhere else then..?" Yume suggested. She is actually secretly hoping they won't have to eat together until they found a place to eat - which considering Teikō's strict policy involving lunch on the school grounds, is much more than just possible.

"Hmm..." Momoi hummed in thought. "I agree that we should move somewhere else so peace could be reinstated.. but where in Teikō?"

Even Aomine is actually thinking hard as he mentally pictured places around the school.

After awhile of silence, Yume is inwardly relieved as the two teenagers are showing no reactions. This means she won't have to have lunch together.

"Hmmmmmmm..." Momoi is deeply in thought. 'Dai-chan wants a brighter place with open breeze.. Open..?' Momoi's eyes widen in realisation. "That's it!" she shouted. "The rooftop!"

Aomine's eyes widen before his grins stretched to his ears. "That's the perfect place!" He high-fived Momoi.

Momoi grins. "Teikō had more than one rooftop with the huge buildings, so we'll be able to get one reserved for us only! I'm a genius!" she squealed.

Well, Yume certainly doesn't share the joy. She grieved as her face turned purple. Her plan failed her. This means a three-some lunch will be a regular occurrence from now on.

'I can feel my stomach dropping..' Yume cringed inwardly. She would have to put up with this awkwardness, which hopefully won't be long until she get used to it, or the boy, whichever comes first.

"Awesome! I can even take a nap on the rooftop! Wonder why I don't think of it earlier?" Aomine asked himself, biting on his chopsticks.

Momoi snickers, giving Aomine an underestimating look. "Isn't it because you're an idiot, Dai-chan?"

That statement irked Aomine and the two started to bicker like primary grade children. They certainly are excited.

Meanwhile, Yume is trying to keep up with their excitements. She can't help but conclude that it's no wonder the two gets along, they're almost on the same wavelength.

If Momoi was a guy, Yume is sure she and Aomine would hit it off like a home run. They'll get along amazingly great with an undoubted chemistry and unwavering bromance.

Yume sighed inwardly with a faraway look. She had given up on the normal, peaceful school life she dreamed of. '..At the very least, please don't let me encounter anymore of problematic schoolmates on my part-time works..."

It's only a matter of time before Yume's sincere prayers are answered otherwise. The girl would be frantic, but far from distressed.


The next day comes too fast for Yume's liking. She should have ran, and it's not like she didn't try. Unfortunately, Momoi had Yume's arm hooked, restricting her movements.

As a sensible girl she is, Momoi actually noticed Yume's reluctance to make friends. But it's because she knows, that she wanted Yume to make more friends.

Like the day before, Aomine was already at the doorstep minutes into lunch break. It honestly makes Yume wonder just when did the boy leave class, and how fast did he ran.

Nonetheless, the three teens head to the third rooftop after exchanging brief greetings. The rooftop is just perfect, and they are more than glad for having find an empty one for themselves.

"The announcement is today, isn't it, Yuu-chan?" Momoi asked suddenly. The girl next to her nodded, chewing on her food.

Aomine raised his brow. "What announcement?" he asked dumbly. The boy came to school for afternoon naps and basketball after school.

His childhood friend knows that by heart. She finds it so 'Dai-chan'-like. "The Student Council selection, of course!" Momoi huffed.

He raised his brow even more. "So what if today's the announcement? It's not like any of us is in it."

The boy's helpless ignorance earned him a whack on the head, courtesy of exasperated Momoi. "What is it this time, Satsuki?!" he hollered, holding the part where it hurts. "and honestly, stop doing that!"

Aomine's lack of remembrance actually lowered Yume's confidence. '..Did I make that little impression that Aomine-kun doesn't remember me..?' she frowned inwardly.

"Yuu-chan is one of the candidates!" Momoi cried out in distress. Yume is already lacking self-confidence as she is, and he had to make it worse!

Aomine's eyes widened the sizes of dinner plates. "Seriously?" he asked in a disbelieving tone.

Momoi puffed her chest. "Seriously. For your information, Yuu-chan applied for the Treasurer seat." she then deflated, shaking her head in defeat. "I'm sure you had your eyes open then. I don't get how you could miss Yuu-chan speaking on the stage?"

Aomine ignored Momoi's statement to stare at Yume with new-found respect. As ignorant and stupid as he is, even he knows those entering the Student Council election are the elites of elites in terms of academics - a feat he would never ever achieve.

Obviously, Yume noticed that sparkling dark-blue eyes boring into her. She can only laughed nervously.

"I-It's nothing that great..!" Yume waved her hands dismissively, her cheeks flushed pink. "I'm just a little better with monetary works since I work part-times..."

This time, Aomine gapes openly. "Woah..! Does that mean you have lots of allowance? Maybe I should get one, too.. Kaa-chan's been giving me less..!" he grumbled.

Momoi wordlessly whacked the boy's head, again. "Don't you know it's rude to just ask like that, Dai-chan?" she asked menacingly, said boy flinched. "and Obaa-san is doing that because you ranked bottom 5th on the whole school year!"

Yume sweat dropped. Momoi sure got a unique way to express her love. "I-It's fine, Sat-chan. I don't mind." she smiled meekly. "..and, no, Aomine-kun. I don't have lots of allowance." Yume forced a smile. "My family, no, I am a little tight on the economy since my hometown is in Kyoto, not Tokyo."

'Aomine-kun..?' Aomine cringed. He doesn't really like the way he was addressed. It sounds... disturbing.

On the other hand, Momoi teared up. "I-I'm sorry for asking you buy things on our outings, Yuu-chan! I didn't know!" she cried, feeling guilty.

Aomine smirks, feeling like he won. He crossed his arms. "So you're the bad one here, Satsuki."

"Mm-mm..." Yume shook her head. "It's okay, Sat-chan. I wanted to buy it, that's why I did." she smiled sincerely. "You don't have to feel bad about it."

Momoi is still crying, sniffing. "..Re..Really?" she asked mid tears. Yume nodded, giving the girl a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"So what part-time works do you do?" Aomine asked with curiosity. It could be a reference for him.

"Mm.. quite a variety." Yume answered, smiling slightly. "I have a part-time work as a clerk in a nearby convenience store. There's also the helping the bookstore near where I live. I have one at the florist and a small cafe, but I would have to resign.." she smiled wryly.

Aomine whistled. "That's a lot. You're quite durable, aren't you?" he means that as a praise.

It's a weird word of praise, but Yume didn't take it to heart. "..Thank you, Aomine-kun." she stifled a laugh. '..durable... That's actually funny..!'

Later on the day, the announcement was broadcasted as planned. The content itself isn't exactly unexpected, Yume did know how it works.


Teikō Junior High xxth Student Council

Student Council President

Akashi Seijūrō (1-A)

Student Council Vice President

Midorima Shintarō (1-A)

Student Council Treasurer

Manai Yume (1-B)

Student Council Public Relations Committee

Takeda Shirou (2-C)

Student Council Secretary

Kuga Miyuki (2-A)


On the same day as the announcement, Yuki resigned from her part-time works at the florist and the cafe to make time for Student Council works. She intends to look for one more on weekends, although that could wait.

Yume walked home mentally exhausted. It's like so many things happened today. Oh, Momoi and Aomine congratulated Yume on the spot when the announcement was made. It make her tingles with happiness somehow.

The apartment Yume lived in is thankfully not very far from her school. She walked in and opened her mailbox, where some letters and brochures are placed.

Yume picked one letter and smiled at it. 'To: Manai Yume, From: Manai Ryūsuke and Manai Kyōko'. It's from her grandparents back at Kyoto.

She glanced over all the papers, but finds none from other whom she also expected, or rather hoped to see. "..Still none.." Yume smiled wryly, sighing a bit.

The girl knows her name should have been for her to dream for the sky, but she doesn't want that.

Not the sky, but the ordinary ground where everyone she loves live is where she wants to stay. It's enough for her dreams to be on the earth.


Author's note:

So yeah, how is it?

Read and Reviews~