DISCLAIMER: I claim no rights to K-on!
WARNING: Rated T for safety though I doubt there will be little to no explicit content.
When two worlds collide
The tension earlier was impossible to discern in the raven-haired girl's face, sleeping like a princess in a certain fairytale - - - accursed to slumber for eternity. Her creamy skin and long black hair that hung freely in the side of her face will draw more suitors to serenade her with songs to capture her elusive heart.
A growing number of competition; yes, that is what she is unconsciously capable of… being the subject of men's affection and of women's disgusting nature - - -jealousy. She never wanted to be the center of attention but her innate beauty was undeniably hard not be exalted for: she's an angel who descended from the heavens, walking alongside the mortals.
Life was harder even from the start: she had to deal with multitude of men flocking on her way to school or at home. She also had to read all the letters that were flooding her locker, inbox and even their mailbox - - - all from her admirers… as well as her haters. She could just grab all of it and burn it in the incinerator yet her soft spot kept reminding her that these letters were the fruit of one's determination, courage and hardwork. With that alone, she had to endure this in the daily life basis!
If she could just wish away her beauty, she could have atleast a normal life of typical Japanese highschoolers which she knew will always be forever in her dreams. Perhaps this trait should be blamed to the Akiyama bloodline, producing fine men and women in the line. Her late father was no exception; girls will still fawn on him despite he always shoved them away, declaring "I'm already married!" to which no one will ever dare to believe not unless he had to pull his wife close to his lips and kissed her in public much to their daughter's embarrassment.
Despite her enormous popularity and influence, becoming a living icon of fashion to all girls following her footsteps; this could even made worse by her current condition. People will come to love her more now that she could no longer walk in twos let alone she had to rely on someone else to help her throughout her life.
It wouldn't be surprising if some people will storm at her house, raising the diamond ring hidden in his pocket, proposing to 'marry him and he'll be her legs forever till death does them apart. ' Yet knowing Mio, she would hardly ask for anyone's help even in this unfortunate state. It's already a given that she will try her utmost best not to become a burden in someone's eyes and this determination will be more evident when she's out of the confines of the hospital.
The effects of the sedative subsided; the girl gradually opened her eyes while twitching her fingers that were resting peacefully at her side. Her vision was adjusting: zooming in and out as she tried to identify the figure before her. It was her grandmother, leaning close to her face with a worried look accompanied by the overlapping wrinkles that were prominently showing in her forehead, revealing her true age.
"How do you feel Mio-chan?" the old woman asked, her hand on Mio's hair, stroking it gently like a pampered puppy.
The girl remained still while looking at her relative with a blank expression. Steel met steel. Even the light was easily dispersed upon contact, it's like the dark hue was held a unanimous victor by absorbing the entire luster that enveloped their surroundings. A war waged between two contrasting colors through the Akiyama eyes.
For a moment, she glanced at her hand, seeing the IVs reattached prompted her to wobble violently on her bed. Alarmed, the old woman rushed to Mio's side whilst holding her thin wrists to stop her attempts, "Mio-chan, stop it." Her voice was shaky, stifling a cry while pleading, "Please stop."
Her grandmother never wanted to take the doctor's suggestion to tie her up if she continued her actions that could cause bodily harm. She held the girl tightly, her eyes already filled with tears that were forming alongside the corner of her eyelids.
Mio stopped. She slowly loosened her fists when she was struggling out from the old woman's clutch, laying it carefully on the ruffled sheets. She realized that she's adding salt to the fresh wounds her grandmother had sustained at the same time hurting herself which will bear nothing but a prelude towards living life in complete despair.
'Dad used to tell me to live a happy life, but how am I supposed to be happy when the ones I held dear were taken away from me?' She lowered her head, clutching her gown, crying. This time, she didn't make a wailing sound; she just let her tears spoke for her, flowing freely in her rosy cheeks that her classmates had always admired. All her feelings were channeled on her tears: sorrow, pain, regret of being alive and her shattered dreams to walk in twos while performing on stage together with her bandmates.
She looked up above; the fluorescent lights were hurting her eyes than her tears. Taking a few deep breaths, she finally settled down.
Seeing the opportunity, the old woman tucked Mio's hair on her ear then whispered something comforting, "Mio-chan…. I'll be right back" she smiled, "I'll just inform the nurses that you're already awake."
The patient nodded without further protest. The old woman walked towards the door, wearing a faint smile in her face, still clinging on the last remainder of hope that the two of them could get through this ordeal that besmirched their happy life.
With a soft click, gone was her grandmother. Mio laid on her bed, uncertain what to do in life when her legs couldn't function anymore like it used to be. Her right hand atop her forehead, providing a temporary shade from the ever luminous fluorescent lights; she sighed, "How I wish the lights weren't as bright as these when the room is not worthy to receive a praise. The bland texture of the walls and dull atmosphere weren't of help to promote a sense of wellbeing."
+Mio's P.O.V+
Someone knocked on the door; I bet it was my grandma returning to the room with the healthworkers alongside her almost seemingly-frail body that will break anytime soon if she collided with a much harder surface. Yet the knock persisted, like a child playing pranks to their friend's house.
"Ahmmm… excuse me, we're coming in" said the voice behind the door, her tone sounded too childish.
I sighed, I knew who's behind the other end of the wall; it was none other than my airhead bandmate - - - Hirasawa Yui. Though we're not officially considered as a club yet because we lack a member; still, we're using the music clubroom for practice with the teacher's permission of course… and with the help of Mugi's bribes.
"Come in" I said nonchalantly that gave an opposite effect when Yui opened the door widely while her face clearly said, 'I can't believe it.' Mugi dropped the basket full of variety of fresh fruits; maybe they weren't expecting me to respond after all I spent my time on a wakeless state.
Yui ran towards my direction, ready to pounce on the bed and rub her face over mine but the bespectacled woman grabbed her collar to impede her attempts. She hissed, "Yui-chan, how many times should I have to tell you that you need to restrain yourself otherwise you'll further aggravate Mio-chan's injuries."
My brunette friend chortled, her right arm rubbing her nape, "Gomen, Sawa-chan…" she apologized childishly, "I was just carried away."
The guests shifted their gaze towards me, implying 'how am I doing?' but they never coated it in words not until Yui broke the growing tension with her question, "Mio-chan, when are you coming back to school?"
Her blunt question earned a facepalm on Sawako's face while Mugi was laughing nervously, unsure on how she should rephrase Yui's question to appear less insensitive.
The lead guitarist was oblivious to it. I gave her a reply while curving my lips slightly, "I don't know… maybe I won't return a year or two."
"No way" she frowned, disheartened after hearing my reply, "we were looking forward to play with you again. If Mio-chan's not in the clubroom, no one's gonna scold Sawa-chan for slacking off from work."
Her answer almost triggered Sawako-sensei's suppressed side, trying to restrain it at all cost while wearing an obvious fake smile, "Oh… I'm not that lazy, Yui-chan" she continued while tightening her hold to Yui's shoulder, "I just want a breather after a long day work." She turned around to our keyboardist, begging for a backup, "Right, Mugi-chan?"
"Yes, Sawako-sensei" my blonde friend replied while wearing her usual oujo-sama smile that rendered her impeccable in the face of arguments, "Sensei needs to unwind from all the stress besides we have lots of sweets and teas stored in the clubroom's cupboard."
Yui pouted, she felt that she's on complete defeat when Mugi started to give a verdict. This time, she's on sensei's side, "I knew that Mugi-chan will always be on Sawa-chan's side no matter what" her crocodile tears forming on her lids trying to win Mugi over with sympathy.
Our short conversation was interrupted when another group of people showed up in my room: my grandmother together with the health professionals.
A man, who previously injected me with a sedative, approached the bedside, greeting me with a warm smile, "How are you feeling today, Akiyama Mio-san?"
"I'm fine" I instinctively replied, "I'm sorry for causing you great trouble."
The doctor shook his head, trying to say that it's not my fault because it's a natural response of human beings who had just found out the untimely demise of their loved ones after sleeping for two months.
Later, he ordered the nurses to obtain my vital signs and give me an appropriate nursing care by checking the level of fluid remained in the IVs then changed my beddings to new ones while carefully moving me on the side rails.
He said that he wanted to take an x-ray particularly on my lower half body to further assess the severity of my injuries. They exited afterwards when they already got what they wanted; then later on, Sawako-sensei and my friends bid goodbye despite Yui's protest.
"We're still coming back tomorrow, Yui-chan."
"But, Sawa-chan… I want to talk more with Mio-chan."
Mugi stepped in, convincing Yui much to her dismay, "Yui-chan… Mio-chan needs to rest. We can still visit her by tomorrow, okay?"
Defeated, Yui agreed to Mugi's suggestion then they left by thanking us for allowing them to visit me to which I politely declined, thanking them for their continuous visit despite I wasn't able to entertain them with the best of my abilities.
+END of Mio's P.O.V+
Months had passed; Mio was able to break free from hospital life. She is now residing with her grandmother in their ancestral house somewhere in the remote places of Japan. The virgin forest was the most noticeable selling point when you stroll around the area, emanating a scent of living life in Ancient Japan.
Their neighbors were far from each other, atleast a half kilometer before you could take sight on another household.
'The place was dull' Mio thought as she sat on the wooden floors, her feet on the ground, facing the fish pond filled with kois and high walls that surrounded the house. It was similar to the feeling of staying in the hospital, only that she could now wander around with the assistance of her crutches or her wheel chair which she rarely used because it promoted dependence.
She asked her grandmother who was busy preparing their dinner in the kitchen, "Obaachan, is the shrine still there?"
"Which shrine?" the old woman asked; the question seemed vague to be given an appropriate answer.
"The small shrine in the woods which father used to visit."
"Aah… That shrine in the woods?" she reiterated, "To me, it was no shrine. It was just a pile of rocks which your father believed was the house of this village's deity, Great Gisei-kamisama." She asked, perplexed to her granddaughter's random question, "Why do you ask?"
"Nothing" she shrugged while sitting gracefully, "I just felt paying it a visit some other time after eight long years."
The old woman never bothered to answer back. Perhaps Mio just wanted to see for herself the small shrine which her father used to frequent during his childhood days, thanking the god for all the blessings he had received and offering something like his favorite shirt, socks and toys.
Mio watched the sky turned orange, signifying that day is about to end and the moon will rise up to illuminate the place during the night. She used to love this scenery together with her parents, taking walks in the boulevard to witness the beautiful sunset.
She smiled faintly, remembering the times when her parents were still alive until the ball rolled over her foot, coming into a halt when it hit her toes. She glanced at the ball, wondering where it came from when she and her grandmother were the only occupants of this old house.
'Perhaps it's a ghost' she shivered on the thought because she disliked things that would induce fear and pain. She trembled as she tried to crawl out from her current position when suddenly a figure appeared on top of the oak tree outside the high walls.
"Kyaaaa!"
"Yo! Can you pass me that ball over there?" a voice of an unknown figure said, hanging on the tough branch in twos while looking at the direction of Mio's.
Mio held the ball in question, her soft hands sullied by its filth. She glanced at the figure which revealed a young girl, probably two to three years older than her. Her hair was light brown in color which was given a much better contrast when the sun reached the portion of her wild unkempt hair. Her bangs were covering most of her eyes which were later exposed when the cold breeze blew away her hair, swaying it at the opposite direction with a glittery effect. The leaves rustled, its luster foliage coated with orange because of the sunset.
Somehow, Mio felt an overwhelming sensation that was surging all throughout her body as she held the ball in her hands. She knew that this ball will be the 'beginning of everything' and the end of what she called 'nothing' - a fated journey when two worlds collide.
A/N: Hi, IQzero here. Before anything else, I would like to thank the following people: kuro baka aki, guest and Gia B87 for their reviews.
-Kuro baka aki: Sorry, I couldn't think of a good title. If I could think one, then I might change the title of the story in the near future. For now, I'll stick with this not unless you want to suggest one, I'll be glad to welcome your proposal. :) Thank you very much.
-Guest: Thank you for the review. Sorry if it took me days to update, here's the second chapter.
-Gia B87: Thanks. :) I'm not much confident with my ability to tell a story but I'll try my best. Sorry for the late update, got into lots of trouble these days. :)
-To the other readers out there: thank you for reading this story.
Anyways, sorry if I changed the 'fully paralyzed' to 'paralyzed'. I felt bad when Mio will be forever helpless without a chance for recovery, which will make her a dependent one. I skimmed my books, and then I read a portion about paraplegia (paralysis of the lower body). Complete paraplegia means that the client will lose the ability to move her legs and she could no longer sense if her bladder's full because of her lack of control to her abdominal muscles. That would be too harsh, I never wanted to make Mio wet her panties all throughout the course of the story.
So if you're wondering why the grandma's eyes were the same as Mio's; well, in Japan, marrying your cousin is not an unusual happening though it has declined over the years. (Oh what am I saying, this is completely irrelevant!)
Mio got out from the hospital after a few months, completing her rehabilitation and showing good progress on her condition though she still had difficulty walking or standing up without the help of her crutches. She got into an accident during her first year in Sakuragaoka and now she temporarily left the school but she's going back next school year though regrettably, she had to repeat her first year while Mugi and Yui will be incoming sophomores in April.
Okay that's all; sorry if the A/N's a sore in the eyes because of its length. Thank you very much for reading. For the next update, maybe it will take some time because of school stuff and I was planning to get a betareader to help me in the construction and flow of the story.
Ahmm.. Chapter 3 is now available.