A/N: In this chapter, italics represent singing :D Just a note, so keep that in mind!
Mimi leaned against the school benches and sighed. Solitude never felt so nice. All she wanted to do was to run away from the love-crazed girls who never stopped gossiping about Yamato. It was wearing her out.
"There she is!" Four stylishly dressed girls strutted over to Mimi's huddled figure and exchanged wicked grins.
Narita stood over Mimi with looming eyes. A malicious leer developed across her features and she pulled out a pair of scissors from her shirt pocket. "Let me tell you something, Tachikawa. Ishida-san…is mine. So stay away from him, he'll never like a girl like you."
'A girl…like me?' Mimi's forehead creased as she stared at Narita who was advancing towards her. "But I don't like him! Have him, Narita-san! I don't care."
Narita arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh, yeah? Why don't you take a look at this." She drew out a snapshot of Mimi and Yamato talking. She tapped the photograph with a long, polished nail. "Looks like you guys have some chemistry to me." She cackled and tore the photograph into two.
"You, skank!" Suki, one of Narita's minions came forward and slapped Mimi across the cheek. "Don't touch Ishida-san."
The brunette winced at the sting and rubbed the sore spot on her face gently. "But I didn't touch him! Stop all this bullcrap and let me go!"
"After I cut off your lovely hair…" Narita's jade eyes scrutinized Mimi's shoulder-length locks. "Then I'll let you go."
'This can't be happening to me,' Mimi squirmed desperately as she watched Narita collect a large chunk of her caramel hair.
"You'd better stop playing this stupid game."
The scissors tumbled from Narita's hands and Mimi unlocked her tightly shut eyes. 'Ishida-san?'
"What is this, a lynch mob?" Yamato hurried towards Mimi and held her protectively with his arms.
Narita and her clique gulped. "Ishida-san! You don't understand, Shiko-senpai (the King of Gossip) made us do this."
'I'm melting…' Mimi thought as Yamato held her close to his chest. 'This is the first time in my life…that I've ever touched a boy. I know I'm going to melt…but why does this feel so comforting?'
The four girls scampered away in humiliation, as the blonde's frosty fixed stare trailed after their backs. "Mou, the people in your school are terrible!" He glanced down at Mimi, who was growing quite pale. "Miss Tachikawa?"
'He's slim, but his arms are so strong. His bones are sticking out and it kind of hurts…but he's so big and warm. And he smells so good.' Mimi thought as she shut her eyes jadedly.
"Hey! You're not suffocating are you?" Yamato interrogated as he peered at Mimi's features.
"….!"
"Whoa, daijoubu? You're soaked with sweat."
"Don't…come so close. Please!" A tear skated down Mimi's face as she pushed herself out of Yamato's warm embrace, ignoring the persistent yells from the butler as she dashed out of sight.
"Tachikawa! Come back here! What's wrong with you? I was only trying to help!" Yamato shouted as he watched the girl sprint off into the gardens of the school. He kicked a stray pebble and muttered, "Baka." Before walking away, he detected two ripped pieces of paper on the ground. He picked them both up and turned them over. 'A photo of Tachikawa-san and I…? Strange. Is that why the girls attacked her?' He ogled the picture a while longer and stuffed it into his pants pocket.
"That girl…" He exhaled and strode back to class.
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Shortly after Yamato returned to class, a brunette with red, puffy eyes decided to skip the last two periods.
Mimi walked back towards the mansion, replaying the afternoon's events. "I hate Narita, that bitch! Why is she so quick to assume that I –gag- have chemistry with Yamato? He's my butler for crying out loud! Kami-sama…" She grumbled to herself, attracting a few strange stares from people on the street.
She appeared in front of Tomoko's mansion and fumbled for the key. 'Eto…keys, keys…where did I put my keys. Oh, there they are.' She pulled it out and inserted it into the keyhole.
Once inside, Mimi collapsed on the couch and let out an exhausted sigh. 'Makenai..(I won't give up)! Mimi…you can survive for the rest of the day.' She encouraged herself before switching on the TV.
World news. Boring. Flip. National Geographic. Yawn. Flip. Interview with a psychic man. Uh, weird? Flip. Japan MTV. Perfect!
Mimi smiled in relief as she finally found something interesting on television.
"Now, we shall play a video of The Wolves in concert two years ago. Ever since their lead singer dropped out about seven months ago, there is no current activity in the band. Here it is, listen up everyone!" The DJ grinned with zeal as the video clip came on.
"Masaka! (It can't be!)"
To much of Mimi's horror, she saw Yamato come on stage, shirtless. Is this the conservative butler she knew?
No.
Does he wear tight jeans and carry a guitar?
No.
Her attention snapped back to the singer on TV who was smiling happily, anticipation shining in his azure eyes.
"Thank you everyone, for coming to my ninth concert. As some of you know, I'm Yamato Ishida," Thunderous cat calls sounded from many female fans. He smiled with a tint of embarrassment on his face before continuing: "And I will be singing for you all tonight! So everyone, have a good time or I'll have to make you!" He chuckled before nodding towards his other band mates.
"Ready? 1, 2, 3, GO!"
Music blasted from the amplifiers. The camera swerved to the stimulated crowd who were yelling non-stop.
"Yeah I'm fadin'
And I call out
No one hears me
Never been never felt never thought I'd say a word…"
Mimi's eyes shimmered in disbelief. 'What…is happening? Yamato-san, my butler….is an ex-rock star? This can't be…' A hand flew to her mouth as she heard the blonde croon to the words of the song.
"Weighed….
Down…
Safe…
Now…"
'Sou na! Sou na! (No way! No way!)' The girl shook her head as she fixed her eyes at the ecstatic boy on TV, singing with passion. 'Yamato…is never like this. He's so…preserved! Is this the true Ishida-san?'
"You're naked inside your fear
You can't take back all those years
The shots in the dark from empty guns
Are never heard by anyone
Never heard by anyone
Yeah I'm hiding in the fallout
Now I'm wasted
They don't need me don't want me don't hear a word I say"
The fans shrieked in delight as he incited, strumming his guitar robustly. He flashed them a dashing grin, winking at the same time.
"Weighed...
Down...
Safe...
Now...
Inside your head
No one's there
And I don't think I'll ever be
And I don't care
You're naked inside your fear
You can't take back all those years
The shots in the dark from empty guns
Are never heard by anyone…."
The song ended, and with flourish Yamato bowed as the audience cheered with enthusiasm.
"Arigato! To all my fans: you are the ones that made me become the singer I am today! Thank you!" The blue-eyed boy waved and exited the stage.
Flip.
The television turned off. Mimi sat there, dazed and her expression blank. 'This is all a dream, this is all a dream, Ishida-san, aka. my butler is NOT an ex-rockstar. It's just impossible…"
"Nani shitteru no? (what are you doing?)"
Mimi swiveled around, facing a glaring Yamato. "Eeep! Don't surprise me like that, you baka butler!" She cried as she fell off the sofa in shock.
"Mattaku! (Oh for heaven's sake!) Miss Tachikawa, with all due respect, you are the world's number one klutz." The butler commented as he shook his head with amusement.
"Ugh…aren't you supposed to be in school? You're back an hour early."
He shot her a look before inquiring, "What's with the interrogation? You're supposed to be at school too, Miss Mimi."
"Yare yare! (Oh brother!) Please, Ishida-san…I've had a bad enough day. Don't start sounding like my otou-san!" The girl rolled her eyes before bringing her knees to her chest.
Yamato stared at her before his eyes grew icy. "Fine, be that way. I lend you a hand today and in return you give me your whining and crap." He stamped in the direction of his room, leaving a close-to-tears Mimi huddling on the sofa.
'What do I do now?'
A/N: What do you think, ne? Reviews please! And the song Yamato sings in this chapter is NAKED by Goo Goo Dolls. It's really good if you're into slow alternative rock!