Chapter 2: New Friend

“Akira-kun! You’re here?! I really missed you!” I cried at his shoulder.

                Then suddenly, I heard my ring tone. I jump out of my bed. So that was a dream, Akira is really the one whose on my mind. But wait, someone calling? How come there’s someone calling? I looked at it, an unregistered number. Who is this? Because of curiosity, I answered it.

                “Hello? May I know who’s calling?” I said.

                “Hi, Medori-chan! I’m one of your classmate, my name is Aikori Konako.” She said.

                “How did you know my number?”

                “Uh. You’ve been very popular because Prince saved you. Uh! You’re so lucky! I got your number from the students directory. I hope we can be friends. Is it okay?” I’m so shocked. Someone wants to be friends with me? I don’t know what to say. So this is the feeling I never felt before. I’m so happy that I feel like crying.

                “Really?! Is that true? You want me to be your friend?” am I weird by saying this?

                “Yah. I really want to be your friend.”

                “Sure! I’m so happy to hear that.” I smiled and so happy for myself. At last! I have a friend. Then, we talked and hung up the phone. She said she really want to see me again. Then I looked at the clock, it’s already 10 PM. I didn’t expect that I’ll talk too much to her. Maybe, she can say that I am really a person called “first timer”, because I really don’t know this feeling, having a friend. Ah! So happy!

                Six o’clock at the morning, I wake up. I feel very happy and I feel that I’m on the top of the world. I’m so excited to go to school right now, because of Aikori-chan.

                “Mom! I’ll go now!” with a smile on my face.

                “Oh? Too early eh? It seems that you’re happy today.” My mom said, maybe she really noticed my happiness.

                “So happy! Because I now have a friend!”

                 “Eh really? I’m so happy for you Medori.”

                “Thank you Mom. I’ll go now.” Then I kissed her goodbye.

                I rode the bus, and I reached the University. I am really excited right now. I’m walking towards the entrance.. excited to see Aikori-chan. As I enter the hallway, so many students staring at me. As I expected, the issue from yesterday was not yet erased to their minds. I quickly entered my classroom. As usual, girls were surrounding Kanou, Iuchi is there beside Prince reading manga, while Prince is sleeping.. again. I can’t find any vacant seat cause there’s so many people covering me. Then, I suddenly heard someone calling my name. “Medori-chan!” oh. I really can’t recognize the voice, am I really hearing my name? And then a girl approach me.

                “Medori-chan! Medori-chan?! Hey..” I didn’t see her at the first place. So she keeps on calling me. “Hey. I’m Aikori. It’s so nice to see you!” she smiled at me. She’s Aikori? She’s really cute. And even so friendly.

                “Aikori? Oh. It’s so nice to meet you!” I greeted her. We talked as I sit beside her. And the class now start. After class..

                “Let’s go to the cafeteria.” She said. We walked to the cafeteria, we take a table. And then we saw Prince and Iuchi coming. I looked at them, and I also saw Aikori looked at them too.

                “Hey..” Iuchi said. Who is he saying it to? Maybe to Aikori. So I just ate my food, but Aikori is still looking at them, and Iuchi is still there beside our table. “Medori-chan?” he continued.

                “Uh?” I asked him. Why me? Aren’t they close?

                “Hello, Medori-chan! I am Iuchi. Remember?”

                “Yes. I remember, how can I forget.” I smiled.

                “Oh.” He smiled. “So, bye.” He sat on the table with Prince. I continue eating.

                “Ey. Medori-chan.” Aikori said.

                “Yes? Aikori-chan?” I asked her politely.

                “Oh, nothing.” She just smiled. What is she going to tell me? I don’t know. But I really want to know, but I’m really shy to Aikori. After recess, we went back to our room. The first person I saw was Kanou Riuka. He’s at the door, I wonder why?

                “Hey, Ms. Todou.” He said. I was shocked by that.

                “Excuse me?” I said.

                “I didn’t introduce myself yesterday to you properly. By the way, I am Kanou Riuka. One of the best students of Riuka High. I am also the son of the owner.” He smiled too big. Is he being friendly this time? Or he really want to tell the whole world?

                “Oh. Nice to meet you.” I told him politely again.

                “Sorry about yesterday, uh.” He laughed. “Ha-ha-ha. Are you hurt?” he laughed again. What is he trying say? Tsk.

                “About?”

                “My words? Ha-ha.” Oh. That what he wants. Tsk.

                “Kanou-kun. Please, can you sit down now?” Aikori said.

                “What? Ohh. So you’re her savior for the day. Oh, hey. Ms. Todou, you’re really lucky to have these kind of saviors. Ha-ha.” He’s really.. err. I just can’t defend myself. I don’t want to be involve in this kind of situation. And also, he’s the son of the chairman.

                “Hey! Kanou-kun!” as I looked back, it’s Iuchi and Prince.

                “Oh, here’s the Prince. Tsk.” I heard Kanou.

                “What are you doing?” Iuchi asked him. And I saw Aikori staring at him. I wonder what there is.

                “Oh, nothing. Ha-ha.” Kanou said.

                “Iuchi-kun. He’s bullying us.” Aikori said.

                “Kanou. Until now. You’re being childish. Uh. Excuse!” he passed by us. Iuchi snobbed Aikori. I think Aikori was shocked.

                “I’ll just go to my seat. Let’s go, Aiko-chan.” I told her. I saw Prince was behind us, then he sat down. And then our class start again. Dismissal..

                “Hey, Medori-chan. Do you want to go to our house today?” Aikori asked.

                “Um. Can tomorrow work?” I asked her, because mom doesn’t know yet.

                “Sure. So, goodbye, then?” she smiled to me.

                “Bye. Take care.” I told her. then we separated ways.

Chapter 1: Familiarize

The world seems so unfair to me. I repeat and repeat this sentence.

I’ve been living this world for 16 years, with nothing, just a loving mother. My name is Medori Todou, a second year high school student. I just grew with a single friend only, Akira. I met him when I was six. He’s always the one defending me from my other classmates who teases me. But he left, his family went to America. Now, I’m alone again. Years passed, same words I can hear – ugly, stupid, freak. I’ve been used to it. This year, I transferred school. Today is my first day, my Mom drove me to school. I entered the university’s hallway, where I saw students who are very far from my looks, they are really different. They stared at me, I knew it. I reached my classroom – 2A, I saw beautiful students. I am so out of place. I feel like, I want to go home. I can’t see anyone interested to be friend with me. And then I saw a guy at the corner, sleeping.

“Hey!” another guy there in the corner, with girls around him. The girls are so noisy, screaming and gossiping.

                “Is Prince not yet awake?” a girl there said. So, I just knew that the guy gleeping there was named Prince. I can’t see his face, though he seems familiar to me. But how can I know him? I doesn’t even have friends before, just Akira.

               

                Our class was dismissed. I went out of the room, the suddenly, I tripped and fell off the ground.

                “Ha – ha! So ugly!” a girl shouted as I was there at the ground, not yet standing. Oh! This is my classmate, she’s one of the girls surrounding someone. But how could she do this to me?

                “I just saw you staring at Kanou-kun! You freak!” she shouted there. People were surrounding us. I don’t know what she’s saying. Who’s Kanou? I doesn’t even know that guy.

                 “Hey, girls. What are you doing there?” oh, who’s this? Maybe, he’s Kanou? Eh?

                “Kanou-kun!” the girls there greeted him. So, he’s really Kanou.

                “Oh. Hello there. Bullying a new student?” he laughed then looked at me. “old-fashioned, nerd and a kinky woman? What a waste!”

                “Kanou Riuka.” I heard a familiar voice, the voice from my past. Is he gonna defend me? Who are you? But I can’t see his face.

                “Oh, Prince! How come you’re here?” oh, so he’s Prince. Why is he here?

                “Can you stand?” he asked me, and helped me to stand. “Is it right to bully her? Do you have the rights to bully her?” I feel like defended. This is really the thing I miss about Akira. Prince is somehow familiar, his voice, his face and even his move.

                “What? Oh! So the prince is saving the princess?” Kanou laughed.

                “Let’s go.” Prince told me. We went outside. As we walk, I saw a guy running towards us.

                “Prince! What happened? I heard there’s something.” he asked Prince.

                “It’s nothing, Iuchi.”

                “Hello, Medori-chan. By the way, I am Iuchi Kiori, but you can call me Iuchi-san. Nice to meet you.” He introduced himself to me.

                “Uh. Hi? How did you know my name?” I curiously asked him.

                “Since you’ve been popular to this University.” He smiled. But how come I’ve been popular in just one day? Maybe of my looks? Or what? Hm.

                “How come? Because of my looks?” I asked him.

                “No? No. It’s because, this Prince..” he looked at Prince. “saved you.”

                “What? Is there something?” I looked at Prince.

                “Look, this Prince is one of the hearthrob of this University.”

                “Really? I’m sorry.” One of the hearthrobs? Eh? Who’s the other? I don’t know that one of these hearthrobs will come and save a girl like me.

                “It’s okay.” He smiled to me. “Uh. Wait! Prince! Can you wait for me here? I’ll just get my book inside.” Iuchi said.

                “Fine.” Prince nodded. Iuchi ran towards the building. Now were alone, I’m really shy and ashamed of myself. But I really want to thank him.

                “I just want.. to.. Thank.. you.” I finally said.

                “It’s nothing.” He replied. “Are you always been like this?”

                “Being bullied? Well, yes.” I answered him directly.

                “Uh..” he answered. It’s so embarrasing to be with him here alone. So I decided to go home by myself.

                “Uh, thank you again. I’ll go now!” then, I quickly ran away.

                “Oh.. –kay.”

                I ride a bus to go home. I’m sitting at the corner thinking about Prince and Akira. They’re really alike. But it’s impossible too! Akira is in America and he’s Akira not Prince. Duh? Oh! So confusing. Now, I’m home. Mother was cooking at the kitchen.

                “Mom, I’m home.” I greeted her.

                “Medori-chan. You’re here. How was your first day? Is it great?” she asked.

                “Oh. It’s not, as expected.” I frowned. “Mom, you know Akira, right?”

                “Yes. Why?”

                “I just met someone. He’s really alike with Akira. He defended me.”

                “Defended you? From teasing again?”

                “Yes.” My mother always knew of me being bullied.

                “It’s your first day, and you’re bullied already? Oh. What kind of classmates are them? Doesn’t have any respect?” she’s angry now.

                “Mom. I’m used to it.”

                “Medori.”

                “Oh, Mom. I’ll just do my assignments upstairs, okay?” I don’t want to talk with these kind of things right now. I just want to think about Akira. I went upstairs and open my books. But there’s nothing on my mind but Akira. I so miss Akira. How come he’s on my mind right now? Is it because of Prince? I can’t think of any right now.  Just Akira… A cute, lovely face of Akira.. Aki…ra… A..ki..ra..