Liberation

chapter 1

this isn't my story i found it on "archive of our own" by VR_silver its a really good story though with 9 long chapters, i though it would be good to share it with all of you but all rights reserved to the original creator.if your the original creator pls contact me to have it removed

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chapter 1: Unwind

The library was a quiet place, far from any of the other gamblers in the school. It was the perfect place for her. Sayaka was alone. The solitude helped her focus. The large textbook in front of her was open and dark eyes read each word carefully as her mind absorbed the information. This was her place. No one else bothered to come here. She was the only person in this school who really cared about her grades. At least, that's what they thought.

She didn't care about being number one. If it was up to her, she'd be an average student with average grades better than passing but not extraordinary. She wished she didn't have to study all the time. She still hated gambling but at least she didn't have to do all this work. Her parents were strict. She understood they only wanted what was best for her but she felt as if she no longer had a life of her own. Everything she did was for them. So much pressure was on her. Be the perfect daughter. Be the perfect student. Anything less would be disappointing.

She was so fixated on the book that she didn't hear the doors open. It wasn't until someone sat across from her did she realise there was someone else in the room. Sayaka looked up to see the last person she expected. Ikishima Midari. She's heard about her but they'd never spoken before. Slightly insane, impolite, definitely the kind of person her parents would disapprove of. Sayaka watched, peeved, as Midari propped a leg on the table. She wearing a skirt no less. Sayaka coughed as she averted her gaze.

"Can I help you?" Sayaka asked courteously.

She was extremely tempted to just ignore her but she wasn't raised to be bad mannered.

"Oh it's nothin'," Midari replied. "I'm just bored."

Sayaka hummed absentmindedly before concentrating on the book again. It wasn't even five minutes until she heard rhythmic tapping coming from the other end of the table. She looked back up to see Midari swinging her head back and forth. Her index fingers imitated drumsticks as she continued to... Sayaka wasn't exactly sure what she was doing. She wouldn't call it dancing, Midari was just sitting down. Still, she was displeased this girl came and interrupted her study time. Even from across the table, Sayaka could faintly hear music coming from Midari's headphones. She couldn't exactly make it out but she knew it had a fast tempo.

Midari suddenly opened her eyes. Sayaka flushed as she was caught staring. She buried her head into her book again.

"You wanna listen?" Midari asked her.

Sayaka felt her face heat up more. "N-No thank y-you. I-I'm alright."

Sayaka heard the chair being pushed back. She relaxed slightly. Now that Midari was leaving, she could enjoy the peace and quiet again.

She was startled when something went over her head and covered her ears. The music was loud. Very loud. Fearing she would go deaf, Sayaka tore it off so that the headphones now hung around her neck. Tiny music could be heard faintly. She looked up at Midari curiously.

"W-Why did youㅡw-what wasㅡ" Sayaka stuttered. She couldn't get her head around it for some reason. No one had ever done something like that before. She didn't know how to react.

"You looked like you needed to relax," Midari stated simply. "The best way to do that is music."

Sayaka stared at her, still confused. Midari stared back. It was like both of them were trying to understand how the other worked. Finally Midari spoke up.