Sorry I took so long to update I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. I've been on a writers block lately. Hope this makes up for it! X3 Again, I don't own IMMSE. Mala is my own character.
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Chapter 2 - Cold Heart
Fujio walked eagerly out of her homeroom. "I don't mind it. Not at all." A huge smile appeared on her face as she paced down the halls. She was happy to get out of that horrible classroom. More so... she just wanted to get away from it all. She watched the halls to make sure no human was in sight. Quickly, she fled opposite from the head office, avoiding to confront the principal.
"If I take this way, no one will catch me." She thought gleefully to herself. Fujio thought for a moment of ditching school. She wasn't the kind of girl to go that far, but she felt she had to. She was good at not getting caught. These couple of months had changed her. She hadn't really known why...
"You changed, Miss Himejima."
Fujio turned to her friend in confusion.
Seiko quickly glanced into her eyes, pleeding. "Please tell me. Did someone say or do something to you? Was it Fukae-kun?!?"
"Enough!!" Fujio turned away angrily. "He has nothing to do with it now. I am who I am. I will never change."
"Is that so?" She slowly walked away from Fujio's desk, heading towards her own. That was all. Even quiet Seiko noticed the 'new' Fujio Himejima.
"Have I really changed?"
"You have, Miss Himejima..." She quickly felt a hand touch her arm, pulling her around to face whoever was behind her. Fujio gasped, almost pressing against the wall in surprise.
"Fukae-kun?!?" She was turned around so forcefully. Their eyes met unexpectedly. She tried not to blush. Quickly, she snatched her arm away and folded her arms. "What is it?"
"I got in trouble."
"You? What did you do this time? Start another riot against the school? Taking notes on breast sizes of all the girls in our class?"
"Don't be so stupid." He hadn't realized he raised his voice. Quickly, he turned away, blushing. "I stood up for you."
She looked up at him rather suspiciously. What was he talking about? He would never do such a thing for anyone, not even her. Well, maybe for Fuuko-chan. He had a charming nature to him somehow when he wasn't so ruthless and arrogant. But Fujio could never forget how betrayed her heart felt. "You fool." She said simply. "You wouldn't go so low for anyone."
"You're right."
"See? Then why get in trouble for me? I'm not even worth it."
"But I'm curious, Himejima." He turned towards the windows facing the courtyard, trying to think up something to say to her. "You havn't been yourself lately."
Fujio tilted her head a little. She was surprised at first, feeling herself wanting to fall for him all over again for just one moment. The next was another surprise to her. She quickly shook her head, turning away. "That's none of your business."
He forcefully grabbed her arm again, glaring into her now frightened expression. "You made it my business. If none of your friends notice, then who will? You can't just go moping around in depression forever. You try too hard to hide it."
Fujio felt her cheeks flush a bright red. She sadly nodded and stared out the same window he had just been looking through. "Of all people...why now?" She thought to herself. "You're one to talk, Fukae-kun. You changed..."
"Huh?"
"It's true, isn't it? Ever since Fuuko-"
"Shut up!!" He said immediately cutting her off. Without thinking, he pushed her away. She almost lost balance. He snapped awake in the moment of realizing what he had done, wanting nothing more in his heart but to apologize. He couldn't find the right words to tell the girl. Fujio felt a little hurt by his sudden actions. Without another word, she quickly fled from him, finding the door leading to her one freedom. He tried to grab her arm, but didn't reach her on time. In his mind, he battled on whether or not to follow the girl. "Follow." He quickly did so.
"Why am I doing this?" He thought to himself. "I remember the way she looked at me that day Hibiki left. She still had her hope for me. It troubles me so much that she would hang on that long for...a jerk like me. I can't even tell whether or not...my feelings for her are even true." He continued in thought as he ran after her. "Maybe...there was a time I really did love her..." He smacked his forehead. "Why now?"
The words 'festival' were written in big bold letters on the black board. The sensei watched all the students carefully. She was a very sneaky snake-like woman, never taking her eyes off the class. She suspicioned every one of her students, from quietest to class clown. One of her victims was always Fujio-chan. She always tried to crumble the girls pride in front of her class, getting a good laugh once in a while. Fujio often laughed to play along. Either that or just nodd, and blush in embarassment.
"Students, hear me out. Pay attention. This summer, our classroom representatives have decided for us a drama for the upcoming festival."
"Festival?" The class of students looked at each other, and pondered at the thought of this years theme.
She stared at the now dull-eyed and uninterested students. She quickly slammed her yard stick against the black board, scaring the half asleep students to death.
"This year's play is going to be about a princess and a curse. It is most appropriate for this year's festival theme."
"Eh?" Were the reactions of some of the students.
"Sensei, what is it about?" Asked Fuuko after raising her hand.
"In this play...the princess can only be lifted from the curse by the man she loves. She is greeted by many men who reach out to her. The real test proves through a mirror. If a man who comes to greet her looks at her from the mirror, they see her true form, a rather ugly creature on the outside, but beautiful on the inside. The one who can see past her form is the only one who can break her curse. But it seems to be that none of the men know of it. She eventually gives up on all the courtship's and runs away from her castle. She appears to be the lovely young lady unless she greets a puddle of water or a mirror. So for a month, she tries to stay away from such things." She blurted out quickly.
"Sounds interesting." Thought Miho. "I'd like to be the princess!!" She giggled cheerfully to herself. "I'm just perfect for the part!"
"She's off in her world again." Seiko smiled pleasantly at her friend. "But if Miho is princess, who will be her one and only?"
Miho turned blank and thought a while. "Hmm..." She gazed around the room with a look of disgust soon appearing on her face. "I think...I change my mind...hehe." She giggled embarassingly to herself.
"Fukae-kun would make a wonderful prince." Thought Fuuko.
"Yeah...he certainly has the looks. Just not the real gentleman type though." Added Miho. "But hey...he likes you still right? Can't you be the princess, Fuuko-chan?"
She shook her head. "No." Her eyes became a little shaky. "It's not the same, him and me. But I know of someone." A grin came across her face.
"Really, Fuuko? Who?"
Fuuko smiled and glanced over at Fujio's empty desk. She then turned to her sensei. "Sensei, I'd like to volunteer the prince and princess."
"That would be greatly appreciated, Kuzuha. Let's see first if anyone would like to volunteer for the two leading rolls. Any hands?" She waited ten seconds. Not a single hand went up. The class was more worried about Fuuko's decision, hoping he or she wouldn't be chosen for such a large role. She then turned to Fuuko, smiling. "Since no one volunteered, I'll allow you to choose, Kuzuha."
"There you are..." He finally caught up with the girl. She found a shady little bench to get out of the sun. She had almost collapsed on arrival. Fujio was blank and worn out. Not a tear escaped from her face. The love she felt for him had almost vanished. She lightly rested on her side, letting her mind wander. "You really are hard to come by."
"Why do you continue to follow me?" She asked sadly.
"Well..." He couldn't look her in the eye. He simply found a bench next to hers and sat there.
She scooted up in a sitting position, tilting her head at him curiously. She tried not to blush. "You certainly are strange, Akira."
"Yeah, I guess." He tried to come up with something to say. "I haven't really said a word to you in two months. And don't ask why I followed you. I didn't even want to walk back to class. It's a joke anyway." Fujio looked upset. She didn't know what to say. In fact, neither of them could say anything for two minutes. Finally, Akira sighed, and forced himself to look into her eyes. "Forgive me." He blushed slightly. "I must have said cruel things to you. I must have...broken your heart."
Fujio sat there in confusion. She felt her heart wanting to beat violently out of her chest. He sat there willing to admit all those things to her. She was happy and sad all at once. She thought of words to say. Shakily, she could only make out so little. "You did break my heart."
"..." He said nothing. His heart also pounded violently in his chest, wanting this very moment to mean more than it was implying to him. He couldn't control his thoughts anymore. He slowly placed his hand over hers, clutching it tightly. Fujio almost lost her breathe. He moved in a little closer to her. She too did the same. She pushed her body forward, inching her knees closer to his body. He stared down at her soft features, lost in her eyes. "Since when...have Fujio's eyes been so beautiful?" He thought. He was lost in her glimmering honey-filled eyes, leaning ever closer to her lips. They paused. Fujio ignored his lips, instead collapsing onto his chest. Fresh tears sprang in her eyes, and she began to cry softly.
"I was the fool to think that I could win your cold heart. I wanted to do all those things for you...like Fuuko did. I came all the way to school that night when you boys took over and protested on the injustice given to all the boys at school. I brought food...but I saw that Fuuko-chan came before me with that very idea. She won your approval. I sadly went home embarassed to even show my face to you. All those times she was there...I had been there too. But I couldn't just make myself known to you while she was there. I thought of you just as much as she did, but even more. She loved you as a close friend. I..." She turned away from embarassment. She refused to show him anymore new tears. He noticed despite the fact she was avoiding eye contact. "I was in love with you, Fukae Akira!" She found herself whispering to him.
He just smiled and took her chin under his fingertips. "Why are you torturing yourself?" He didn't sound harsh at all anymore. He said it cooly with that little grin adding to it, to give her a hint that he wasn't the bad guy she made it seem to be. She blushed. "Even after all I've done, are you still in love with me?"
Fujio looked away, nodding a little. "Do you still love Fuuko?" She was almost embarassed to ask.
He shook his head. "Fuuko is in love with Hibiki. I've just recently understood that no matter what I do, she will never love me.. However...whether I will love again, I don't know. All I can really give you is my apology..." He quickly got up and left her side. She watched him leave until he was no longer in sight. She finally decided to head back in her own direction.
"Even after two months. You can imagine what It's like to be in love and be told you aren't his one and only." She sighed and walked ahead. She placed her fingertips against her lips, blushing a little. "He almost..."
And all of a sudden, it was thrown on them, Just like that.
"Fukae-kun is the prince and Fujio-san is the princess."
Both of their faces flushed a bright red. They turned away.
"Who the hell set this up anyway?" Demanded Akira. He waited for about 5 seconds before Fuuko-chan stood up. She bowed her head in an apology.
"I'm so sorry, Fukae-kun. I just thought-"
He only sighed, cutting her off. "Fine...I'll go with it."
"Really?!?" She was surprised. An immediate smile came to her face and she quickly sat back down. Akira blushed a little.
"Maybe he still likes her." Thought Fujio. "I can't let it get to me." She stood in front of Akira. "Wait!!! Why do I have to be a princess?? That's just not me-"
"Class vote." Said the sensei simply. "Majority counts."
Fujio and Fukae looked over at each other and pouted.
"The rest of our 'beloved' men will be the suitors to the princess."
"My...SUITORS?!?" She made a disgusted face, almost falling over. "Fukae-kun is my prince?" Fujio was almost in disbelief.
"Is there a problem, Himejima?"
"Eh...eh no maam!!!"
"I guess it's fine." Akira said lowly. "I mean who cares right? It's just a dumb play. Let's do it and get it over with."
Fujio stared blankly at him. She had no words to say. He did sound like the usual Akira back before all these sudden changes came about. "In a way...I wish you did care, but I really prefer you this way...just as you are now."
"You think by setting them up as prince and princess going to make him fall in love with her?" Miho questioned to Fuuko who stood proudly smiling towards the gate. They had just been dismissed from classes and were on their way home. Seiko also nodded and tried to join in on the conversation. Fujio strangely wasn't around to hear their babbling.
"So...why is it that we are trying to get Akira and Fujio together again?"
"Because they love each other, that's why." Miho winked at her. "Our little Fujio's growing out of her tomboyish side and becoming a woman right before our eyes, my dears." She beemed. "We just have to reattach them."
"But Miho. What if Akira rejects our little Fujio all over again?"
"He won't resist her." She chuckled. "We will make Fujio so hott that every guy would beg before her." She grinned at the thought. Seiko and Fuuko laughed nervously behind her. "Say, where is Fujio anyway?"
"Fujio? Don't worry about her. She was telling me that her friend was going to pick her up after school today and take her down to the beach."
"The beach?!?" All were astonished.
"Hai. Don't you know? She is trying to go national I guess. Or at least she's in training to become one of the best female surfers and compete. I guess that's what she told me."
"Wait a minute. Since when?"
"Two months, I believe."
Fujio quickly got out of the car to unload her surf board. "Wish me luck!! I hope to get real good at this." She said to her friend who just nodded and drove off. With a wide grin on her face, Fujio marched excitedly down the tall hill of sand to get to the salty waters. She had already been dressed in her swimsuit, and ready for any challenge. All she needed was practice. The sun was beating down on her delicate skin, already burning her within the first minute of contact. Fujio had never really learned how to surf before Hibiki-sensei left. She took an interest from Fukae-kun when she immediately discovered his love of surfing. Even though she had some sort of dislike for him, surfing had become a big part of her life within these two months. She remembered her first attempts on a surf board, always falling or injuring herself. She sprained her ankle after collapsing from her surf board the second time. How she hated waiting for a while til she recooperated.
"I'll do my best this year." She grinned.
"Don't get your hopes up, little girl." Interrupted a feminine voice from behind.
Fujio immediately felt her pride fly away. Her face fell. Fujio spun around, almost slamming her head against the board from astonishment. She eyed suspiciously a tall blonde woman with green eyes grinning unpleasantly at her. She wore a small pink bikini, and carried a surf board tucked securely under her arms. She lightly poked Fujio on the forehead, making her flinch back in anger.
"What the hell was that for?!? Who are you anyway?"
"So...you are the girl that keeps troubling Fukae-kun, eh? I'd say, miss Himejima...you aren't very much of a competition when it comes to beauty. You are rather dissatisfying to look at."
She clutched her fists together. "You have no right to talk to me like that. However, you are familiar, and I won't let that pass."
"Figure it out." She said simply. Akira soon joined the womans side with a surf board in his own hands. He eyed Fujio suspiciously. "Oh, Akira." She lightly pecked him on the cheek.
"How sickening." Fujio turned to walk away.
"I didn't know you could surf, Himejima." Akira was rather surprised.
She paused and turned around. "You never asked, Fukae. Now if you will excuse me. I have to practice. I'm determined to win."
"You won't ever beat me, little girl." The woman scoffed. "By the way. My name is Mala and I'm going to win for my beloved Akira. He can judge who is better." She grinned evilly. She looked over at Akira with
Akira rolled his eyes. Ignoring Mala, he continued to question Fujio with interest. She could tell just how shakey he seemed. He wasn't the type to really talk or even look at people. She knew this from experience. She almost pulled back in surprise after seeing him smile for the first in what seemed like forever. "How long have you...been surfing?"
"Two months. Thanks to you." She winked and quickly set out.
Mala, impatiently screamed after her. "Oh no you don't!!!"
Akira watched carefully, almost amused at Mala's attempt to rid Fujio's pride.
"Damnit, this girl doesn't quit. What is she trying to prove anyway? I thought I was being stubborn." She made a disgusted face.
Mala rode alongside Fujio aggressively. She snickered and slid a little closer, cutting off space for Fujio.
"What are you doing?!?" Fujio panicked. Mala quickly grabbed hold of the string behind Fujio's swimsuit. "Oh no you don't!!" She quickly jumped off her surf board landing on Mala, knocking her off her own surf board and into the water. Minutes later, Mala washed onto the shore just in front of Akira. He simply laughed at her.
"Akira...please help me up?" She said in a somewhat gentle voice.
He simply waved his hand in front of her displaying a serious look to her. "You brought this upon yourself, you know. Stop being so ignorant."
"Hmph."
"By the way, where's Himejima?"
"THAT girl?" She laughed aloud. "Who knows. She diserved what she got in the end, though."
He took her roughly by the arm, jerking her towards him. "What are you saying?!?" He barked at her. "Where is she?!?"
"Oh, Akira. Don't be so silly. She will come back when she feels like it." She sat up brushing the sand off her swimsuit, and twirling her hair with her fingers. "I hope you aren't planning anything."
"Nevermind." He quickly ran past her and dove straight into the water. Mala's eyes widened out of the shock that her 'boyfriend' was trying to pull off hero for another girl and not her.
"What does he think he's doing?!?"
Akira searched endlessly for Fujio, almost scared to death that perhaps Fujio might have drowned in the endless blue. He called out her name desperately hoping for an answer. He dove in once more. As he gazed around under the water, he could feel his eyes burning from the salt as the water made it's entrance into his thin goggles. Nevertheless, he kept going. Finally, he spotted Fujio sinking rather slowly but just a few feet away. Quickly, he swam to her.
"Fujio." He thought. "Don't die here..." He quickly snatched her arm, pulling her close to him in an embrace. He shot up from the water, gasping for air. Thankfully he wasn't too far out. He thought it to be difficult to track Fujio but he assumed too early.
Mala's face fell as she saw Akira approaching the shore carrying Fujio in his arms. "HOW COULD YOU?!?" She went balistic. "Holding another girl in your arms is FORBIDDEN." She screetched to the top of her lungs.
He glared at her. "Then you aren't 'my' girlfriend anymore." He said coldly.
"What?!?"
"You heard me. It's over." He snapped angrily at her. He had been worried about Fujio's safety, knowing it was all wrong what the witch had done to her, even if Fujio supposedly meant little to him. He was tired of her. Simple as that.
"But...why?" She stood there in question. She was almost in tears. (Reader, don't pity her. They are rather stubborn tears shed by another vicious whore.) She clutched her fists together, clobbering the sand beneathe her. "Fukae-kun!"
"It's over!" He turned away from her. "I should have said it the first day we met. I was the fool all over again." I never even loved her, Akira repeated in his mind.
Mala also turned the opposite direction and started walking away. "You will regret this, Fukae." She thought of many ways she could think of to get back at him. If anything, she wanted to be in control.
Fukae paid no attention to her. He instead gave his full attention to the young girl who needed it. As soon as he lie her down, Fujio started coughing up water on her own. She took a while to breathe on her own. Akira could only sit beside her and wait. He had almost considered CPR before lying her down, blushing at the thought of his lips curling up against hers.
"Fukae-kun?" She coughed up a bit of water, taking a while to breathe. She forced herself to sit up beside him, feeling a bit shaky all over. "Fukae-kun...why did you-"
"You know..." He stared out at the ocean and sky while speaking to her. "Enough sea water could poison your body."
She looked up at him with her shiny brown eyes, forcing him to look at her. She indeed was beautiful when she wasn't so angry or tomboyish around him. She was calm yet pleeding with him. He couldn't help but blush.
"Her eyes." He thought to himself. "I've never seen her this close. It feels like...she's reading my mind. Her eyes are beautiful."
Fukae thought he lost it. He found himself leaning closer to her, unwillingly. He couldn't help himself. She even noticed how bright red his face was. She smiled as he approached her. Her eyes slowly closed as his lips almost touched hers. Akira was beginning to wonder why Fujio had suddenly stopped. He felt warmth on his lap, almost surprised. Fujio nearly fainted on his lap. Akira almost panicked and couldn't help but notice where her hands were. He felt extremely red in the face, knowing that Fujio wasn't fully conscious before him. She let herself fall on his lap, smiling.
She was almost too comfortable to think about moving any time soon. "Fukae-kun..." She whispered. "Thank you..."