a/n: i was supposed to update She's a Fujoshi! first but i had to rewatch kaijou's part for the winter cup arc so--//shot.

anyway, here's an unedited chapter. bc i'm sleepy. will proofread when i get the time. 
(school's starting again hori shitto i just had 3 days of vacation glob why)

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"Aren't you going home yet, Akiyama-san?" 

Startled, I tensed in my seat and immediately found Ayashikawa-san's curious gaze. She smiled a bit once she knew she had my attention and tilted her head, her finger playing with a lock of her shoulder-length hair. "I noticed you always leave right after the moment the bell rings."

I nodded meekly, taking out the slightly damaged class' notebook. "I'm on class duty today...," I replied softly as my thumbs rubbed against the notebook's smooth surface and my gaze, being uncomfortable with eye contact lasting for more than three seconds, fell to the bear charm hanging from one of my classmate's bags. 

"Pardon?" she uttered as she bent over my desk, in an attempt to hear me better.

"...Class duty," I repeated, a little louder this time, ignoring the urge to bow and hide my face due to embarrassment. 

She straightened up---thank goodness---and nodded thoughtfully. A girl waiting by our classroom's door called for her first name, and she turned then held up a hand. Ayashikawa-san turned back to me with the same easy-going smile. "Well, good luck on that. See you tomorrow!" 

I nodded.

She took that as a passable answer, one equating to "See you tomorrow, too", and turned away after one final wave. I watched her leave, her friend sparing me a quick glance then looking back at her.

I hunched over the notebook the one previously in charge gave me and flipped through it just to get a clue on what I was supposed to write. Realizing that the whole process of writing important details regarding what happened each period would time-consuming and tiring, a sigh left my lips and my right hand started to write.

It was just then did I realize that being on class duty meant that one should not be sleep-deprived on the day that person is assigned to. I had wrack my mind to search for the slightest memory on what happened during some periods today---I was too sleepy to pay attention to some of them. I just found myself watching my classmates leave the room until the last one left. There were some bags still left in the room; they're probably those whose owners had to attend club activities and decided not to take their bags with them. One of which was Akashi-kun's---Argh. 

Stop. Don't think of him. 

Nope. Nope. Nope.

I poured my attention back to the notebook laid in front of me. Grumbling to myself, I continued writing my half-assed class duty assignment, partly because I didn't know what to write and partly because I wasn't in the mood. I just wanted to get home, (procrastinate on life, basically,) finish my homework, and continue playing Tsukimori Len's route in La Corda d'Oro, an otome game. I needed my fictional violin romance to distract my thoughts from the redhead.

Halfway through my work, the classroom's sliding doors was pushed open. I looked up, and saw Mariya-san give Akashi-kun's bag a look. "Ah, it's here!" she exclaimed, her grin widening. Her golden eyes then traveled to me, and I swore they sparkled like real gold the second they met mine. "Saki-chan! Hi!" 

I waved at her with my free hand, managing a small smile as I watched her make her way toward me. Her curls bounced and her hips swayed with each she took that it made me wonder if she's actually a celebrity and I just didn't watch enough television or look through those girly magazines to actually recognize her. She pulled the chair in front of me and turned it around before sitting on it. Grinning with her arms crossed, her eyes scanned the notebook then went back to scan my expression.

"I guess you won't mind me keeping you company for a while? I know how boring it is to be left alone in your classroom with this kind of work!" 

"...I don't," I answered timidly, even if I really did mind. "It'll be my pleasure..." Her presence intimidated me, but it's not the same kind of intimidation I receive from Akashi-kun. Akashi-kun's kind is one that emanates and demands authority, while Mariya-san's kind is something that makes you feel that you're not worthy to be seen next to her because she's simply too perfect.

I continued writing down what happened during fourth period, slightly unnerved by her watchful eyes. If there was something more uncomfortable with being with Mariya-san, I decided, it would be being with her in silence. I took a deep breath and resolved to be the first one to speak up (for the first time in forever). "M-Mariya-san---"

"Just Mari, please!" she corrected, laughing. At me. And my pitiful stutter. I think.

"Uh... Mari-san," I noticed her frown at the honorific I used, "What brought you here?" The slight coldness of my words dawning on me, I wanted to slam my head on the wall. It's like I didn't want her around.

"Sei-chan asked me to bring his bag for him since we're going home together today," she explained almost immediately. Her words made me even more aware of their closeness and sent a quick pang to my chest. They're actually close enough that Akashi-kun---the Akashi Seijuurou---actually lets her go home with him. "He has basketball practice today and I'll have to wait for them to get done. Thank heavens you're here! I would've died of boredom watching them practice. I mean the players are pretty good-looking and their training seems interesting to watch at first, but it gets boring, you know?" 

I nodded slowly as I attempted to smile, my eyes watching my pen leave words on the page.

She hummed. After a second, she spoke again. "Tell me something about yourself, Saki-chan~!" she said in a sing-song tone, melodious enough that I could start making a short tune with those words.

Being asked this kind of questions made me question my identity and my existence. What was I supposed to tell her? That I'm socially-awkward? That I'd like it if she won't ask something like this? Ha. "Uhhh...," was all I could respond with, pretending to be too busy with my work to actually think of something decent to say.

"Hn?" I could sense her watching me, possibly waiting for something decent to come out of my lips. "Then, I'll just ask questions which you and I will answer! Okay?"

"Okay."

"What's your favorite color?" she asked, like the question entailed the answer that would make the world's best gossip of the year.

There was a certain spectrum of colors I prefer and find appealing to the eye. If had to pick one, it had to be that. "Purple."

"Oh? Mine's orange! Not the vibrant kind or the neon one, though. Sometimes it's hurtful to the eyes." Her voice was chirpy, and I could tell that making conversation with people with few words was definitely her thing. 

"Oh." Again, I wanted to slap my forehead for replying with something stupid.

"Hmmm... Cats or dogs?" She entwined her fingers and rested her elbows on top of my desk, placing her chin on her hands and making a perky smile.

I worried on whether or not she'd take it as an offense if I picked the one that she didn't like. I didn't like to argue, especially when the topic is about one's preferences. I didn't know Mari-san enough to know if she was the type to try to impose her ideals to others, but answering the question still made me uneasy. Finishing a sentence in the class journal's page, I glanced at her unchanging grin and looked back at the page. "Cats."

Her perfectly-shaped eyebrows rose. "Oho? What kind? Breed?"

Did I really have to answer that? I simply liked cats better than dogs, but that didn't mean that I disliked dogs. Wasn't it only dog owners who are particular with their pet's breeds? I regretted my answer. I knew what kind of dogs I liked, not cats. All I knew with cats is that they could be black, orange, white, gray, or a combination of those. I stopped writing for a second to think of any cat breed, and only one surfaced in my mind. "Siamese."

"Siamese cats are nice! I like how their faces are of a different color from their bodies." She made a toothy grin. It still looked doll-like. (Why?!) "I actually like dogs. Small ones! shih tzu? They're really really really cute! Ah, chihuahuas are fine too. And poodles. It's also fun dressing them up! Like you could have matching clothes with them and be adorable together~!" She giggled, gushing over the dogs. She had this dreamy look in her eyes. "I actually have a dog at home! He's my baby~! His name's Mallow!"

"Eh... Are you close?" I asked, as it was the first thing that came to mind. Look at me!  I cheer internally. I'm actually trying! 

"Yes! Oh my gosh! We are!" she squealed and slammed her palms on the desk's surface, subtly startling me. She gave me an apologetic look. "Do you want to see him? I have a picture of him in my phone!" Without even waiting for my answer, she was already fishing out her phone from her blazer's pocket. I finished another sentence in today's class journal entry before looking at the picture flashed in her smartphone's large screen. In the selfie, her hair was held up by a pink polka-dot ribbon and a white shih tzu was in her arms. She was smiling happily, her large eyes somehow narrowed due to her large smile. Even Mallow seemed to know how to pose. His snout was up to the camera, and his cute little tongue was sticking out.

The picture made me smile. "You guys are adorable," I commented awkwardly, noting how her smile grew wider when the words left my lips. That somehow sent a sense of satisfaction deep inside of me.

"Thanks!" She turned off her phone's screen and placed it back to her pocket after giving one final look.

I smiled, and turned back to my work. Currently, I was writing about the sixth period.

"So, Saki-chan~ What do you do during your free time?" Now, it was just her right hand that was being used as support by her chin and cheek.

"Internet...," I replied lamely, my eyes focused on the notes and what I was to write next. When she didn't reply for a few seconds, I added, "Sometimes, I bake, too... There's lots of recipes in the internet and they're pretty easy." Hopefully, that somehow improved her impression of me. I mean, answering 'internet' only added up to me being a former shut-in. I was pretty sure she knew about that.

"I see! What do you bake usually, then?" Her tone didn't change, thankfully.

"Snacks, usually." Finally, I was writing about the seventh. "Cookies, cupcakes, tarts. But I most usually make chocolate chip cookies." If there was something other than composing I could pride myself with, it would be my chocolate chip cookies. Besides being a snack, they're also my fangirl food---food I eat whenever I fangirl or whenever I have too much feels. So imagine how often I bake them to the point that I could just make some using my own recipe. Even my apartment's manager was pretty impressed by it.

"Oooh~! Would you let me taste them sometime?" She tilted her head adorably, and I knew she often used that technique to get what she wanted. But, for the present situation, I think she was merely being nice. I could tell that she was raised in a rich family; they might have their own personal chef. In short, why would a rich kid ask her classmate to bake something for her?

But of course, I couldn't say that to her. "Sure," I replied anyway, trying to make a decent smile.

"Yay!" she giggled, and it was the sound of wind chimes. "During my free time, I take care of Mallow, of course! And I go shopping! It's like the most useful kind of exercise for me. Ah, we should go shopping sometime, Saki-chan!" She made a friendly smile, and I smiled back.

Nope. No, thank you. Anything but shopping, please.

"Sometimes I go to the park. Sometimes I also go to art museums. Especially when they have new exhibits!" She flipped one of her curls that fell in front of her shoulder back to her back. "I'm sort of a frustrated artist, you know. So that makes me appreciate art better!" She made a sheepish laugh, and I smiled at her sympathetically. I knew how it felt.

"Practice goes a long way," I remarked as I gave her a quick glance. 

She shrugged. "Maybe painting and I aren't just meant to be, you know? Maybe there's another talent that's actually meant for me," she said hopefully. 

I nodded, not really knowing what else to say.

We remained in silence for a few moments, until she spoke up, her voice quite softer than how it was previously. "Hey, Saki-chan, would you mind if I asked something more personal? I'd keep it a secret, I promise. Nothing will go out of this room," the seriousness in her voice shifted the earlier uneasy sensation in my chest. It intensified.

"Okay." The word of consent flew out of my lips before I could even think of an answer. I was supposed to not to say anything!

She took a deep breath, and her carefree posture straightened. She was looking right into my eyes, through my bangs. I have a bad feeling about this. "Please be honest with me, Saki-chan. Do you...," she trailed off, her eyes straying to the side for a moment before going back to mine, "Do you like Sei-chan?"

My hand stopped writing. My body stiffened up. My breathing stopped. 

The realization from that day in the infirmary flashed in my mind. After that, I could no longer deny the said fact. I bit my lip, unable to decide whether or not I should tell her. I tried my best to keep my eyes away from her prying ones. It was one thing to admit it to Yuki-chan. It was another to admit it to Mari-san, who was obviously closer to Akashi-kun than she was to me. Why was she asking this in the first place?

"Saki-chan?" she called for my name, bending lower to see my face. "Do you like him?" 

Our eyes met, and I averted my gaze automatically. I was never a good liar, but I didn't want to tell her, either. 

"You do, don't you? Why won't you answer me?"

My hands began to sweat and my thumb and my pointing finger rubbed against my pen's metallic surface. "I...," I muttered, still not knowing what to do at the moment. I couldn't even think of any way to avert my current predicament.

"I can tell with how you're acting right now," her tone changed into something unlike her. It was stern, and it oddly reminded me of Akashi-kun. "I can tell with how you look at him."

I couldn't look at her. "...I do," I whispered, feeling like a lamb trapped to the corner of a cage with no other choice but to give up. 

She released a sigh of relief, but her tone still wasn't near friendly. "I see. So you do like him, after all. You know, Sei-chan, he's---"

"Mariya. That is enough." 

Our gazes immediately went to the person we were currently talking about. The stern look he was giving Mari-san terrified me; his eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes staring straight at her, and his lips stretched into a fine line. He glanced over at me, and I bowed my head and kept my gaze away from him.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Sei-chan, I---"

"We're going home." I heard his footsteps going toward his seat. He snatched his bag and walked away, without a single word addressed to me.

Mari-san stood up, gave me a glance, muttered a brief apology, and quickly followed him.