DISCLAIMERS: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Takehiko Inoue and other companies. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Only the new characters and plot are mine.
THE FOUR SEASONS I: AUTUMN LEAVESYoake Mae
Chapter Two
***
Ayami was walking down the corridor, clutching her heavy books closely to herself (because her bulky backpack doesn't have any more space). Her head was slightly bowed low and her eyes focused only on the floor, on where she was going.
A group of giggling girls was walking opposite of her. Because the hallway was cramped of jolly girls chatting carelessly before the first class starts, it could hardly be helped not to hit into others. And Ayami unfortunately bumped into the group of girls who passed by, causing some of her books to fall on the floor.
Ayami muttered an apology but a particularly nasty girl from the group whom she bumped into glared at her and snapped, "Watch where you're going, geek."
Her friends turned to Ayami too and together they all snarled nasty comments to her. Fortunately, the first bell rang, saving Ayami from further verbal (and emotional) abuse. Suddenly, all of the people lazing around the corridors, including the groupie looking daggers at Ayami, emptied the hall, running toward their respective classrooms.
Ayami let out a small sigh of relief then bent down to retrieve her books. As she was walking in the now-empty hallway, she didn't bother quickening her pace, for she very well knew her professor would surely be angry with her again. It seemed that most of her professors had this certain disliking towards her, though she have no idea why. So whether she would be late for her class or not, she predicted very well she'd be the end of her professor's fury for this day anyway.
And true to her premonition, the moment she opened the door and stepped into the classroom, the professor was already wearing a fierce frown meant only for Ayami.
"Late again, miss?" the professor started with obvious irritation.
"I'm sorry, sir," Ayami said indifferently under her breath, her voice barely heard. She was actually grateful that the professor disliked her for he often called his favorite students either by their first names or worse, by their full names. She didn't like saying her surname, nor hearing other people say it.
Trying so hard not show her embarrassment, she impassively walked to her chair, the one in the farthest end corner of the room, trying to ignore the stares of her classmates.
"Sorry sorry sorry!" the professor bellowed, exasperated. "And don't turn your back on me miss. I'm still talking to you, you disrespectful—"
Ayami suddenly felt something ignite in her that made her dare to turn around and face her angry professor. From an air of indifference, she unexpectedly felt mad. She was about to say something but held her mouth shut and clamped her jaws tightly.
She may have not said anything but her eyes showed clear defiance.
The professor raised a brow, surprised at the glint of rebelliousness in his meek and quiet student. "Going against me now, miss?" the professor challenged, stressing the word 'miss' to mock her.
Ayami was seething with silent anger. She was clutching her books tightly and staring hard at her professor. She ought to be answering the question. He was still her professor, right? Good students must always respond to their teachers' questions. But since when did she become a good student anyway? For all she knew, her professors hated her. The hell she cared.
At that very moment, Ayami felt like answering her professor but not in the expected proper manner.
However, something held her back.
There's always something that's holding her back.
So she didn't answer and forced the fury aside. She breathed in and out heavily then stared down at the floor, not answering her professor.
The professor gritted his teeth in annoyance. Yearning for a response from his student, he said nastily, "Detention, miss, for being late on your first class and for being discourteous to your professor."
Ayami then knew that her professor wanted her to retort back to him so he could gain more reasons for him to give her some kind of punishments. But she decided not to let him the gratification. So she just stared blankly at him as she received the small slip (for detention) from his professor.
When the professor still didn't receive any reactions at all, he then decided to ignore his "stupid" student (as what he was muttering about Ayami under his breath) and turned around to write something on the board.
Ayami hinted it was a form of dismissal so she walked toward her chair, with the small detention paper crumpled in her hand.
She could hear the low murmurs of her classmates. She could feel their hard stares. Even when she was finally seated on her chair, she could still sense their malicious curiosity and hostility towards her.
But like always, Ayami ignored them all for in the end she knew she would always be unseen anyway.
She was just a nobody.
***
It was lunch and she was in her favorite place in the school, the rooftop. It was quiet there that she could honestly read her books all day without any interruptions, with her earphones on her ear listening to her favorite music. Break in the rooftop was the only thing Ayami liked in her school.
She looked inside her paper bag. There were sandwich and a small pack of biscuits. She knew it was ham sandwich AGAIN. Her mother might never really know that Ayami hates ham sandwich as she was always giving it to their neighbor's dog just before she goes inside their house. Rather, she liked tuna sandwich… like her onii-chan.
She took her soda in can and drank up.
The air was quite chilly as November was fast nearing. But she didn't mind the coldness. Rather, she welcomed it. Somehow, the draftiness was offering her comfort for the numbness she wanted so much.
Ayami was sitting cross-legged on the cold hard floor, reading her book when a girlish scream suddenly resounded from the noisy grounds below. She tilted her head to the sound, but made no move to see it. She went back to her reading.
There was another excited scream then the chatting and buzz became louder. 'Really, we're in an exclusive school. Can't they act properly in their own ages?' Ayami complained silently.
All of a sudden, the door to the rooftop banged open and came out two girls, probably third years, talking and walking towards the edge of the rooftop. They hadn't noticed Ayami, who was silently watching them, for she was quite hidden in the shadow of the rooftop entrance.
"We can put the banner down here and tie the ropes up there," the taller of the girls said to her companion, pointing downwards then at the poles on both sides of the rooftop.
"Yeah yeah! This is a good place! We have to make it really big though," said the other girl with short spiky brown hair.
"Okay, it's settled then. We'll just inform the Arts Club on our plan and I know they'll be willing to do it," responded the taller girl.
The girl with spiky hair nodded. They started going back to the door so Ayami had to move slightly so she could be better hidden.
"Let's get back to the others. Bet when we get there the food's all gone."
The taller girl laughed. "I can't object. Knowing Kristy, her own lunch isn't just enough for her!"
As they went out to the door laughing and talking vibrantly, Ayami breathed out steadily. She bit her lip. Seeing the two girls chatting so freely and obviously knew each other so closely, Ayami immediately had to force down that familiar bitter feeling again. 'Why mind about it now, Aya? You're used to being alone, right?'
Unwanted childhood images of her and Akira flashed in her mind; both of them playing around the park 'til their chubby little legs and feet could no longer carry on further, them eating their ice cream in the park, in the beach when they were building a sand castle, in the basketball court with their father trying to teach them how to dribble…
She snapped out of her reminiscing, angry with herself. Why did she have to be so weak? Why did she have to remember those old times? Why did she have to be resentful? Why did she have to feel envious towards good relating people? Why did she have to hate herself and—
It won't be of any use sulking and loathing in the corner. Ayami won't do anything about it anyway.
***
"Spherical mirrors. Definition: the radius of curvature of the spherical mirror is the radius of the imaginary sphere—"
RRRRIIIIINNNNGGGGGG!!!
The students started to gather their things and stood up, not minding their professor who was still in front of the room, droning on with their assignment.
"It will be passed on our next meeting." And with that, the professor finally ended their lesson.
'Dismissal. Finally,' Ayami thought with great relief. She also stood up then walked out of the room.
But to her huge disappointment and annoyance, she found a mass of girls huddled together in front of the school's bulletin board in the hall, therefore blocking the exit. Ayami groaned silently. The other exit door she knew was on the other side of the building and she was too tired to walk away from the nearest exit she knew.
"What is it? A play?"
"Yeah. But hear this, it's a theatrical production in collaboration with KAINAN!"
"Oh my god Kainan!!! Shelstonn is working with Kainan?!"
"Yes! Isn't it great? OUR own school is going to have a performance play with KAINAN, another all-boys school!"
"Not only that, take note that Kainan is not just any other exclusive school for boys but it's also one of the highest standard academies in the district, like our school!"
"AND, it had always been top-notcher in most district activities… like basketball!"
"AND, don't forget that Kainan is one of the most popular schools ever! It's totally great they're teaming up with our school!"
Two girls screamed.
Ayami, unfortunately being near to the two loud girls with ear-splitting screams, heard everything and had to fight down the urge to roll her eyes. 'So that's what all this commotion is all about. So what if it's Kainan? Is it really a requirement to be overly excited about it? Kainan is just another school for god's sake.'
"It's just a play, big deal," Ayami muttered under her breath.
Unluckily, (and amazingly as they were really loud) the two girls heard her. They suddenly stopped their screaming, whirled their heads sharply toward Ayami, and dangerously approached her with evil nasty glints in their eyes.
When they were now cornering Ayami (who was still stuck in the hallway because she couldn't go through the exit), she noticed the two girls quite looked alike. 'Not only do they look alike but they obviously share the same qualities too. What a mess. Two bimbos now surrounding the air that I breathe. Fate is so cruel to me.'
"Did we just hear you correctly?" the 'first twin' (as Ayami distinguished them) said airily.
"JUST a play?" the 'second twin' butted in.
They both raised their brows and glared at Ayami.
"It isn't JUST any play."
"It's THE play. THE play with Kainan."
"And take note of that, it's KAINAN. K-A-I-N-A-N. KAINAN."
'I do know how to spell alright?' Ayami retorted back silently. Though she wasn't saying anything, she was just staring at them as indifferently as she could. 'These girls are REALLY irritating. I wonder how much I could take before they completely poison the air surrounding me…'
"That's why this play is going to be special."
'Right. They clearly explained how working with this stupid Kainan makes this play special. Sure, I totally understand it,' Ayami thought sarcastically.
"Because it's Kainan…"
'Wow thanks. I haven't got that fact yet. Gee. What a lifesaving grace.'
"…And Shelstonn working together," both 'the twins' finished the sentence.
When Ayami continued to stare at them, it came to them that she wasn't going to react in any way. So with a last haughty glare, they turned their backs away from her and screamed their excitement once again.
This time, Ayami didn't fight the impulse to roll her eyes.
For the last five minutes Ayami was standing there in the hallway, waiting for the crowd to disperse. She looked down again at her watch.
'Goodness! Aren't they ought to be going home now? It's dismissal now, right?' Ayami had to looked down again at her watch just to be sure. She found out she wasn't wrong; it was time to go home. 'Really. What's the big deal with this play anyway?'
As if on cue, a girl passed by her and Ayami heard her saying, "It's just a play with Kainan. No biggie."
Ayami was honestly surprised to find someone with the exact sentiments as her. She turned to look at that girl and found only a quick glimpse of her, as it seemed the girl was fighting her way through the crowd to go to the exit.
The girl was quite taller than her, probably two inches taller. Her hair was black with streaks of striking red. Ayami didn't get a complete sight of the girl's face though.
'If she was heading through that direction, it must be the exit too. Why not try…' Ayami said to herself, still looking at where the girl had disappeared among the throng of girls.
Ayami walked through. She got bumped into here and there but not that she cared. They could hit her as much as they wanted. All she wanted was air. She wanted to go away now.
Finally, she found the exit door. Without minding anything now, she ran toward the door. And escaped.
***
When Ayami finally reached their house, she found a blue van parked in front of their house. 'Onii-chan's team is here again.'
Stopping at the gate, she contemplated on whether to go through the front door and meet the Ryonan lot, or through the back door in the kitchen then she could ran up the stairs then at last to the protection of her own room. Of course, Ayami being the weak, introverted and coward Sendoh, she opted for the back door.
Finding the kitchen empty was a huge relief for Ayami. She put down her things in the kitchen table and decided to have a glass of juice first before running to her bedroom.
A terrible mistake.
A Ryonan player walked in inside the kitchen.
Ayami widened her eyes in surprise, and in the process choked in her juice. She coughed, putting the half empty glass in the sink.
Another wrong mistake.
The guy quickly walked up to her and gently patted her back. "Are you okay?"
Cough. "Yeah…" Cough.
"Hey, don't talk yet. Sorry I even asked you if you're all right. Just, er… cough on," the guy said, continuing to pat her back.
When Ayami finally regained her normal breathing, she quickly straightened up and backed a few steps away from him, looking at everything but him. She could feel her face heat up in embarrassment.
"Ayami, right?" he asked casually with a smile.
'How'd he know my name?' Due to her astonishment, Ayami looked up at him, reddening more.
"By the way, my name is—"
"Hey, what's up?" another male voice interrupted.
They both looked at the kitchen door and much more to Ayami's horror, found Akira looking at them with his signature small smile.
The guy started, "Your sister was just—"
"Nothing," Ayami finished. With her head bowed down, she grabbed her bag and books hastily from the table and rushed away from the kitchen then upstairs to her room.
"Yo Sendoh, what's up with your sister? She seems—"
"Don't mess around with my sister, alright Koshino?" Akira interrupted him again. This time, gone was his enigmatic smile.
"Er… okay Sendoh," was all Koshino could manage to say, quite taken aback by the seriousness Akira changed into.
Akira just nodded at him and said, "C'mon, the movie's starting already." He then walked out of the room.
Koshino got a glass of water then drank up. 'What a night. Interrupted by two weird Sendohs in one minute,' he thought, shaking his head slightly.
To be continued…
091303
***
Author's Notes:
The ANONYMOUS REVIEWS are now ACCEPTED. I didn't notice it until MoonPaper reminded me. Thank you! By the way, I hope you received my email. =)
For the sake of this fanfic, let's just pretend that Kainan is an all-boys school and Shelstonn Academy (my made up school) is an all-girls. ^^
Reviews are mightily appreciated and needed! ^_^
