DAI ISSHOO: "GREEN"

Arima Souichirou. a perfect individual in every sense of the word...

At first glance, he seems to be the person that exemplifies all of the good qualities of every human put together. Perfection personified. He is good-looking, an exceptional student, a born leader, and the son of a good family. I envy him a lot.

But...

All this is just a lie. I know it. You know it. I can see it. You can see it.

You want to know why? I won't tell you just yet, but here are some facts to give you a hint: I know of the sides that he never showed. The sides he bottled up... He is embarrassed to let it loose, except for that one time in the Taikuusai in Hokuei Koutou-Gakkou... I saw it all, and he cannot deny it. Not even to Miyazawa.

"SHIT!! DON'T ASK ME TO DO EVERYTHING!!!"

But he quickly recovered. I must admit that I am impressed by his capability to rebound from such ill-timed mistakes. But that was not the last time. Since he met that nutty girl Miyazawa, he's been letting most everything out nowadays...

He's becoming more and more... normal.

Why?

I don't understand it. I've been observing him since he was in Junior High. I might know him even more than he knows himself. I've been spending many sleepless nights thinking about how I can help him the same way that he helped me, but before I had the chance to act, Miyazawa happens.

I put him on a pedestal, and he steps down from it to be "normal".

My name is Kirishima Midori. A name you wouldn't recognize. It is a name that no one would care to remember. A girl with no soul. I am a miserable loner. Since elementary school, every kid in class has shunned me.

Apparently, the parents told their kids not to play with me.

Reason?

My family. I came from a broken family.

And even the word "broken" is an understatement.

My parents got divorced. I stayed with my mom, who remarried several times, each of her husbands having a bone to pick with me for no apparent reason, chastising me until mom catches them in the act. Even after seeing that, my mom never learns. She seems to attract men who value that kind of physical relationship. She is currently married to her third husband who hasn't touched me... yet.

There is not a soul in Kawasaki that has not heard of our story.

Even Arima-kun knows, and yet he is the only one who doesn't look at me with white eyes... eyes of contempt, of hate.

In our second year of Junior High, Arima found me crying my eyes out near the entrance to the rooftop. I had no idea that he loved to hang out there to be alone. All I knew was that time, not only was I shunned by my whole class, I was the butt of every cruel joke, except maybe those instances that they would tease that chunky kid Tonami. But even he is getting a lot less raps than I am now. Arima walked up to where I was and sat down next to me.

"What's wrong?" were the first words he said to me.

I did not answer. I was too busy crying.

I could not stop crying. Even if I wanted to, I just can't.

The kerchief of my uniform was damp. It reeked of my tears that seemed to flow endlessly.

I was afraid.

I was afraid to go back home...

Afraid to face the wrath of another wicked stepfather...

Afraid to see my mom acting all calm despite the visible bruises that she finds on my arms...

Afraid that Arima would add insult to injury by showing exorbitant amounts of pity...

Afraid that he would sugarcoat it by saying that his life is much worse...

I do not know how to live. I don't know how I survive.

Despite my degenerate environment, it's a miracle that I can still maintain decent grades. Not at par with Arima's, but good enough to get me to where I want to go in life.

But where do I want to go?

I know I do not want to be here. Not here, in the rooftop of the school during after-hours crying like a baby.

Not here with the object of everyone's admiration and respect showing pity for me, who is considered to be nothing by others.

"Tell me what's bothering you..."

That was it. I was tired. It may have been the first time that someone pitied me aside from my mom, but admittedly, having someone pity you gets old really fast.

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW!? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ME!!"

I lost control.

All of the blows I took...

All of my frustrations came rushing out with those words.

And Arima, of all people, was at the receiving end of it.

"You're right. I don't know what it's like..."

I was shocked. His response felt cold and distant.

He stood up and walked away. I never got the chance to explain myself.

He looked stricken as he left.

I never apologized. I never even got near him again.

But I was always in the shadows, watching him.

I was like a stalker, obsessing over the one person who has cared enough to talk to me.

This isn't right. Am I in love? This isn't love. What is love?

I don't know. I just want to see him. I just wanted to talk to him. To tell him the things he wanted to hear during my moment of weakness.

To let him hear the words that would elicit a solemn, yet comforting verbal compensation.

To be pitied by him. To feel... "Love"

All throughout Junior High, I was watching him.

I was alone. I was miserable. I wanted him. Think what you will.

When I found out that he was planning to go to a high-standard public high school instead of a private school during his last year, my spirits soared.

I can follow him. If I pass the entrance exam, I can follow him. It will be easy.

Maybe when we get to high school, I can tell him everything. Everything.

I will follow him to Hokuei Koutou-Gakkou...

And then I will tell him.

END OF CHAPTER 1