Oh dear. There Miss Saotome goes again. Almost every day, she talks about the same things. One day, she's in love with some man. The next? It's blah blah blah men don't like older women, blah blah blah men are so picky, blah blah blah I'm right, aren't I, Mr. Nakazawa? I wonder how she'd feel if she and her best friend were competing for the same man, and her best friend died for it.

No. That's not fair to anyone. Still, despite that one girl's assurances that Sayaka…that she would push on despite a broken heart, I can't help feeling guilty about it anyway. Sayaka did know Kyousuke for longer than I did. I should have given her more of a chance to confess. I'm only happy that Miss Sakura was there with her until the end, from what she told me. I could tell that she was attached to Sayaka, almost seemed to have a crush on her. How strange. I was taught that girls were supposed to find a nice boy to settle down with, and that was that. Girls can't love girls. I couldn't help but laugh bitterly at remembering when I said that. Perhaps that was the beginning of all of this.

Suddenly, I hear someone. "Do you find my love-life that funny, Miss Shizuki?"

I find my cheeks turning red in humiliation. The whole class is looking at me. Guess I laughed louder than I thought. "N…No, Miss Saotome. Just…thinking…"

"Well, you really should pay attention, Miss Shizuki! This could be important for your future!"

I nod off as she continues the "lecture" like nothing happened. I'm not really interested in hearing what she or anyone thinks is important for my future, not that I'd ever tell her or my parents that. I wind up catching the gaze of a girl near the front of the class. Miss Akemi, I think? She transferred to my class recently. For the most part, she keeps to herself, though I used to see her talking to Miss Sakura and that upper-classman Miss Tomoe. However, I can see she looks…sympathetic? Our eyes meet for a second, then she looks away. Strange. The way she did that, she seems almost shy.

After what feels like an eternity, our class finally ends. I've got time, so I just find a bench to sit on. I don't bother waiting for Kyousuke. I know he's probably going right home to practice for some recital. I don't mean to be so distant, but when I tried to talk to him about it, since Sayaka was his friend too, he'd always find some excuse. He does seem to be practicing more and more. I know he's trying to distract himself, but it still hurts when he cancels our date. Again. It hurts more when he doesn't talk to me when I need someone.

"Hey."

I look up, not realizing I was crying. Still, even with tears still blurring my vision, I only know of one person with long raven hair and violet eyes. "Hey? Um, what are you doing here, Miss Akemi?"

I can see her look down. Wait, is that a tear in her eye? Why would seeing me make her so sad? Her voice snaps me out of her trance. "Nothing, I suppose. I just saw you crying."

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I don't mean to be a bother!" I fully expect Miss Akemi to walk away, but to my shock, she actually sits down next to me.

"It's nothing to worry about," the girl replied. "As I said, I don't really have any plans. But what about you? Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Hmm…" Piano lessons are tomorrow, and the tea ceremony practice isn't until Saturday. "No. No, I don't think I have to be anywhere either."

I could be seeing things, but I swear I catch the slightest hint of a smile on Miss Akemi's face. Ever since I've met her, I've always thought she was a very pretty girl. It's almost unfair, but I've never been able to be mad at her for it. If anything, she always seems uncomfortable when everyone crowds around her. Maybe that's why she keeps to herself.

I look at her. She nods. "Then, I don't mind talking to you, Miss Shizuki."

For some reason, I'm way happier than I thought I'd be at her saying that. I smile at her. "T-Thank you…"

Homura looks away. "I'm sorry Saotome singled you out like that."

"O-Oh! That! Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind."

Her reply came almost instantly. "She still shouldn't have said that."

I nod, not really believing her, but I still feel happy as she says it. Then, I hear her continue. "But you didn't look like you were paying that much attention to her."

"Does anyone?" I laugh a little.

"If there is someone who does," Miss Akemi replies, then smiles a little. "I've never seen it."

We both laugh at that. I never knew Miss Akemi to be the type to say things like that. Then again, I didn't know she was the type to laugh. "Your laugh is nice."

"Excuse me?" Miss Akemi tilts her head. Wait, is she really confused? Why does she look like she's not used to hearing these things.

"Your laugh. I…like it." I look down, and I feel my cheeks getting warmer. "You should laugh more often."

I can't read her expression, but she seems to be deep in thought. Oh no! Did I offend her? "I'm sorry! I didn't mean…"

"No. I'm just not used to people complementing me. Um…thank you…" Once again, Miss Akemi looks so shy. Wait, did she say…?

"You're not used to…? But you're so beautiful! Don't people say nice things about you all the time?" She responds with a glare. I yelp. I see her gaze soften.

"No, it's not your fault. Let's just say that I've been lied to about such things before. I can't tell if people really mean it when they say such things. Even if they do, most of the people I know are a bit more fickle than I'd like." She looks away from me and flips her hair. "If all people need to like you is to let your hair down, stop wearing glasses, and act all distant and evasive, do their complements really count?"

"That," I begin, then begin to think about what she says. "That makes sense, actually."

"Wait, what?" Homura looks genuinely shocked. Wow. Is she really not used to this kind of thing?

"What you said about people makes sense. Besides my friends and…" I sigh a little. "And Kyousuke, nobody seems to know me. Like, yeah, I know I'm popular. I know boys like me. But when they don't think I'm listening, they say things about me."

"Oh?" Miss Akemi suddenly seems really interested. Okay, she's getting pretty close! "W…What do they say about you?" She then leans back and looks away. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"No! It's fine!" I give her a little smile. "It feels good to have someone to talk about these things with. It's just that people think that because I come from a rich family, that makes me hard to approach. There are even people who, when they think I can't hear them, call me spoiled or entitled. They think that besides my looks and money, there's nothing…interesting about me."

"That's not fair to you," Miss Akemi whispered. "Having all these expectations hoisted on you. Be a proper lady, make sure you stay beautiful, make sure you remember proper tea etiquette, don't act like the bad things are affecting you, even when you're feeling alone."

She really does understand. "Wow. You do seem to understand all of this."

"I'm not from a rich family, but I do know how overwhelming the expectations of people can be." A pause. "I also know how it feels to lose someone precious to me, but to have nobody to talk to."

"You do? I'm so sorry."

"It can't be helped, Miss Shizuki. I've had…a tough life. Lost a lot of people. I've been basically alone for so long."

"Well, you don't have to be alone anymore! I don't think I'll be of much help, but…"

A smile. When it comes to beauty, Miss Akemi truly is something else. "It's worth a shot. It's just been so long since I've talked to someone. Something happened between me and Kyouko, so we don't really talk anymore. And Mami? Mami was involved in that too. It was something that was my fault. I know that."

"Oh…" I almost want to cry for this girl. "Well, as I said, if you need someone…" I feel my phone vibrate. I gasp. "Oh no! I'm late! I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine. You've actually been surprisingly helpful. Thank you. Truly." She smiles at me. "Would you mind…calling me Homura?"

"O-Oh. Um, I suppose it's okay. And…it's only fair for you to call me Hitomi."

"I…suppose we can exchange phone numbers, Hitomi? So I can keep in touch with you?"

"Sure!" Try not to sound too desperate, Hitomi. "Um…if you'd like."

"It's fine." We exchange our numbers, and she waves goodbye to me. I sigh and begin the walk home. My mother will be so mad at me. But I'm actually happy. I look at Homura's phone number. When she began to open up to me, I could swear I saw a certain kindness to her. I find myself hoping she won't get tired of me.