"Again."
The ruler snapped against her wrist, quick and loud. That was her 5th mistake, the 5th time she was forced to restart.
She wanted to cry, but she didn't. That would only make him hit her again, make him hit her harder.
And so, she started again, fingers against each key, as she played once more.
For the next hour she played, and for the next hour after that her body ached as the bruises burned.
Alas, this was what Kouki Yukishiro had grown used. She had the one purpose, and the one purpose only: live up to her parents expectations. How unfortunate it was for her that she couldn't.
*Time-skip*
Her father was far angrier today than he usually was, and her mother even more distant, even more cold. It was clear: they were most certainly disappointed with her. And that was not good, not good in the slightest.
She had lost what her parents had considered to be the most important event in her life. At least, they called it failure. She had come second. It had seemed silly to her in the beginning, admittedly. A musical competition, a debut event for many up-and-coming child prodigies. Second in an occasion with such tough competition was good, wasn't it? At least that's what many of the people who congratulated her said. She even won over a few sponsorships from real big name talent companies! Her parents should've been proud of that, shouldn't they?
They weren't. Not in the absolute slightest. And that had hurt more than she expected. They barely looked at her now, barely acknowledged her. The last words her father ever said to her after the competition still echoed in her mind. He had called her a shame. A waste of effort. He gave up on her, utterly and entirely. All because she came in second. All because she was a singular point behind.
Kouki Yukishiro remembered the name of girl she lost. Remembered the name of the wretch who ruined her life. Remembered the name of the person who made her father disown her all but in name. Aira Shiratori. That was the name she swore to hate and blame forever. The name that destroyed her, the name became her obsession.
*Present time*
Kouki Yukishiro wasn't sure how to feel about this. About having friends. Much less about being friends with Aira. Being friends with the person whom she blamed for everything that went wrong in her life. She was much less sure about the crush she had on her.
Her life was miserable enough as it already was - she didn't need this. Or maybe she did. She still wasn't sure. She's been trying to get over her tendency to be self-deprecating, but that just proved to be difficult. It was even more difficult when being around Aira. Perfect Aira. With her neat hair. With her dimpled cheeks and soft smile. With her pretty doe eyes. Her straight posture and confident stride. (Gosh she was beautiful when she walked, the way she carried her. Kouki could never.) Aira Shiratori, with the students always giving her their attention, always interacting with her. She was everything Kouki Yukishiro was molded to be by her parents, but yet for whatever reason could never become.
Kouki hated it. Resented that she never got that acknowledgement, never got that chance to be loved. To be seen. And yet.. She didn't hate Aira. Well, not anymore. Ever since the gymnasium, she's been nothing but sweet to her. Kind. Dotting. Attentive. Caring. She practically fed Kouki with all the attention she poured onto her.
And another part of her hated that too. Poor, poor Kouki, unloved and unseen by all, the outcast everyone forgets, loved by the angel of a human that was Aira Shiratori, loved by everyone, seen by everyone. It was cruel, cruel irony. Or maybe.. was it poetic justice for her? Kouki wasn't sure. Whatever it was... She hated and loved it at the same time. It made her confused, but it also made her feel calm. Her heartbeat was always in a fritz, fast and loud in her ears. She felt like she was—
"Your head looks like it's going to explode." A voice scoffed. "Are going to sit there all of lunch? Have you even eaten yet? Break's almost over."
That snapped Kouki back to reality almost instantly. She looked up to see who it was and.. Surprise, surprise. It was Aira. (Speak of the devil and she shall appear...)
Aira raised her eyebrow. "Well?" She asked, impatient. "You going to get something to eat, or no?" She didn't wait for an answer, pulling up Kouki by the arm. Her face turned red. "Wha- where are you taking me?!" Aira scoffed. "To eat. Duh." She replied, as she pulled Kouki towards the nearest vending machine. "You look like a starved Victorian child. You need to eat." She declared.
"Can you please let go of me-?" "No."
Kouki awkwardly stood next to Aira, who still had her arm wrapped around hers, watching as she put cash in the vending machine, and took out a carton of Pampy and a granola bar, shoving them into Kouki's hands. "Now eat." Aira demanded, foot tapping as she glared at her.
Kouki looked between the food items in her hands, and back at Aira, mouth slightly agape. She looked so lost. "What, do you need me to feed you now? EAT, dumbass." Aira scoffed, as she took the granola bar out of Kouki's hand. "Eat." She demanded again, poking the bar against her lips. "C'mooooon. Open your mouth. Eat." She continued to insist.
Kouki, awkwardly and slowly, parted her mouth open. That made Aira smile. "There! Was that so darn difficult to do? No." She shoved the bar into her mouth, just as the bell rung. "You better finish quickly! And next time I better not catch you not eating!" Aira scolded Kouki, as she skipped off for her class. Kouki was left standing there, the bar stuffed in her mouth, the Pampy left unopened in her hands. She was left dumbfounded, face red and heart beating fast. There was only one, singular thought in her mind: Aira had just fed her. (Albeit, by force.)
*Time-skip*
This past week had been weird for Kouki Yukishiro, especially during lunch period. For one, Aira constantly sat by her. Like, always whenever it was break. No excuses, no exceptions. She always found a way to be there, right next to Kouki. It made her heart beat so fast you could practically hear it across the room.
Secondly, the rest of the group also happened to always be there. From Jiji and Kinta, to Rin and Vamola, to Momo and Ken. It was unusual for Kouki, to say the least. It felt.. Strange to have friends (if she could call them that.. They were friends, right?? After all, they did hangout every free lunch period.. That's what's friends do, isn't it?)
Kouki Yukishiro had never felt this happy before. Kouki Yukishiro had never felt... This seen before. And that's where she felt confused. It was as alien to her as the pygmies had been when she first saw them, It felt.. Nice, being seen like this. Being accepted. But.. She wasn't sure if she deserved it. She had been an outcast for as long as she was alive. She wasn't sure if it was right.. If it she was allowed to have this. Because after all, what did she do to earn this?
Her parents saw her as nothing but a waste of any efforts spent, and others saw her as a waste of incredible potential. She was so easily replaced, so easily overlooked. So, what did she do to deserve something so good? What made her worthy of having such—
"Are you ignoring me, or are you just deaf today?"
Aira aggressively poked the spaced out Kouki in the side, jabbing her thumb into her. "Are you listening or not? Cuz if you ain't, then I'm going to make you listen." She flicked her forehead lightly.
That brought Kouki back to reality. "Ouch— What was that for?!" She muttered, rubbing a thumb over her forehead. Aira scoffed. "For not listening to me." She said with a 'hmph', arms folded as she turned away from Kouki.
That just made her confused. "Wha— okay I'm sorry?? I didn't realize you were speaking—" "Well, you should've. I spent a good ten minutes ranting there, and I don't appreciate it being wasted." Aira muttered, cheeks puffed as a frown covered her face. ".. You gotta make it up to me now." She pouted.
Kouki sputtered as her neck snapped to stare at Aira. "EH?!? And how am I supposed to do that exactly?" Aira scoffed. "Figure it out yourself."
On that note, the bell rang, and everyone was quick to disperse, exiting the cafeteria for their next periods. "You better make it up to me!!" Those were the last words Aira said to Kouki, before she sprinted off for her class. Kouki was left there, flabbergasted and confused. This week had just gotten so much weirder.
*Next day, lunch*
Kouki could feel Aira's gaze burrowing a hole in the side of her head. She awkwardly cleared her throat, as she turned her head to look at her.
".. Are you going to just stare at me all lunch?"
"Yes."
".. Could you not?"
"No."
".. You're not going to stop until I make it to you, are you?"
"Yes."
Kouki scoffed at that. (She wouldn't admit it ever, but a part of her liked having Aira stare at her. Even if her gaze was a bit scary.)
".. How do I make it up to you, exactly?"
"I told you to figure it out yourself."
".. Not exactly giving me much to work with."
"What, need a hint or somethin'?"
".. Would you give me one if I said yes?"
".. Maybe."
Aira thought about for a moment. "You're hanging out with me this weekend. All of it, no excuses."
That made Kouki sputter. "What? And if I already have plans made? What then?"
"You can do them next week. I'm more important." With that, Aira stuck her tongue out at her. "No arguing. You said you'd make it up to me, so this is how you're gonna do it."
Kouki just stared at her, eyes narrowed and mouth agape. ".. Are you serious?"
"Do I sound like I'm trying to make a joke? Who knows. It might even be fun. Besides, you already said you'd make it up to me, so no takes-backsies."
Kouki continued to stare at her. ".. You're petty." She declared. "And childish. Very childish."
Aira made an offended noise at the accusation. "I am not."
"You are."
"You're a bully."
"You started it!"
"I didn't start anything. You just don't wanna hang out with me."
"I never said that."
"You insinuated it."
"Did not!!"
"You so did."
"This is why you're petty."
"And this is why you're a bully."
The two of them stuck their tongues out at one another, cheeks puffed and faces pouting.
The next moment, the bell rang, and the students all got ready to exit for their next classes.
Following the rest of the herd, Aira and Kouki both left the cafeteria, not before making one final face at each other as they parted ways.
Internally, Kouki was freaking out about the whole ordeal. Why? Because she had essentially just scored a date with Aira. And that thought sent shivers down her spine, and made her face redder than a tomato. God why couldn't she have kept her dumb mouth shut?
*Time-skip*
Kouki wasn't sure exactly why she felt so nervous about this. She's done this before, hasn't she? (Not really—) It shouldn't be this nerve-wracking. Yet it was. Because Kouki had never done this before, she'd never been invited to hang out with anyone before, much less been asked out on what was essentially a date, especially by her crush.
Kouki took a sharp breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Relax. She could manage. This was Aira, she knew Aira. She wouldn't kill her. This was just a simple hangout, a simple outing between friends. It wouldn't be anything scary, anything daring.
She instantly took back any possible confidence she had when she saw Aira. Because she looked stunning (when didn't she-?) It was as if she didn't even try to be, it just came to her so naturally. She wasn't dressed in anything fancy, in nothing lavish. It was a simple long-sleeved top, white and black striped, with dark colored jeans and a denim jacket. Yet it still made Kouki feel so underdressed. Their outfits weren't so different, both casual, but just the way Aira carried herself created a contrast between her and Kouki, that she just couldn't help but feel. It made Kouki feel small. The only saving grace was Aira's excited smile when she saw Kouki.
"You actually came. I'm a little surprised, I'll be honest." Aira snickered, as she found herself standing right in front of her. That caught Kouki off-guard. "You thought I'd bail on you?" She scoffed, looking her in the eye. Aira poked her in the cheek, giggling. "Well, apart of me did. I had my doubts~ But I'm glad you proved them wrong!~" That made Kouki's face turn beat red. "W-well you shouldn't've had any doubts to begin with—!" She stuttered as she replied. That just made Aira giggled harder. She couldn't help but find Kouki adorable.
Suddenly, she grabbed Kouki by the arm. "C'mon! Let's go do something!" And like that, ignoring Kouki's protests as she dragged her around, the date began.
*An hour later*
Kouki would be lying if she said this wasn't fun. This was a brand new experience for her — she was never one for shopping really, but the way Aira dragged her around, store to store, trying on different clothes, eating sweets and purchasing all these small little ornaments and trinkets, it was exciting, chaotic. It was fun. Most of all, it was scary.
Because she wasn't sure if this was going to last, if she would get to do it again. It was a constant buzzing in her mind, this slowly growing fear that she'd lose this new experience she had been introduced to.
But every single bright smile Aira shone at her, every soft giggle she made while showing her something she found cute or dumb, it reassured her. She wasn't sure why—
Every smile and giggle, it seemingly told her that this was something she wouldn't lose, something that'd find a way to always wiggle it's way into her life, one way or another. And it made her feel so happy.
In turn, that just made her feel scared again. It was a constant cycle. And Aira took notice of it, the slight way Kouki always seemed to spiral out of focus when left alone for too long, spacing out to the point she had to flick her forehead several times to bring her back. It was concerned her, and she wanted to hug Kouki so much that it hurt her.
Kouki was spaced out, yet again. This time, Aira didn't flick her forehead, instead pulling her into a tight hug. She wasn't sure what was going on in the other girl's mind, but she knew it wasn't good.
Kouki could feel Aira's arms wrapped around her gently, her face buried into the crook of her neck. A gentle sniffle escaped her, as she pressed her head against Aira.
They stood there for silent moment, no words spoken between the two of them. Slowly, with a gentle hand, Aira guided Kouki out of the shop, towards a bench so that the two could sit.
The Sun hang low in the dusk sky, on its path to set as the day shifted to night. Kouki and Aira sat there, Kouki partially attached to the other. She cleared her throat, taking a short breath as she did. "I.. Don't want today to end.." Her voice was low, barely a whisper, but Aira heard the words nonetheless.
Aira's hand rested atop of Kouki's, her grip tightened around it. "I don't want it to end either."
They stayed like that for a while, huddled against one another as the Sun descended beneath the horizon, and the sky darkened into nightfall, the Moon nestled high in the sky.
Kouki shuffled slightly, fixing herself against Aira. Her mind was still storming with thoughts, a single question bugging her. ".. What are we?"
Aira didn't have an answer to give her. "I.. Don't know." She muttered, her head against Kouki's.
A beat. Then another. The silence between them was heavy, yet.. Comfortable.
".. Do you want to.. Figure it out, maybe?" The question hung in the air. Kouki didn't expect a response. But Aira found herself answering.
".. I think.. Yeah. I.. I think I do."
"Oh."
The two sat there in silence once again, before Kouki slowly (andunwillingly) stood up, detaching herself from Aira. ".. Ahem. I, uh, think I should head home now. It was.. It was a fun day. A... A good day. Thank you.. For inviting me." She gave an awkward bow as a sign of her gratitude.
Aira, standing now too, held a soft smile on her face. "I'm happy you enjoyed."
The two of them stood awkwardly for a moment, before Kouki leaned in quickly.
The action was a swift motion, barely a second second long. ".. Take care, and have a good night." With that, she sped off, walking as fast as she could.
Aira stood there, red in the face and frozen in place. She had only one thought in her mind, and one thought only. Kouki Yukishiro had just kissed her... And she liked it.