The white-haired girl was perched on a lunch table outside her middle school. Because of gym, her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, showcasing the bright green color of her eyes as she aimlessly stared up at the sky. She was so bored, she was making scenes out of the clouds. She couldn't wait to be in the same school as Takashi and the others that was for sure. At least then she could hang out with someone. Here, no one would approach her.
It was her fault, to be honest. She was horrible when it came to talking to people and froze anytime someone did approached her, but still—it sucked being by herself all the time.
"Are you Yuki Hatsune?" a sweet voice asked.
Yuki looked down at a petite brunette staring at her. She had short, cropped hair that went just above her shoulders with bangs outlining her dark skin. Her school uniform matched Yuki's: white long-sleeve with a maroon bow and matching skirt. The black heels she was wearing made Yuki's flats look like garbage, so she tried not to look at them for too long.
When the girl cleared her throat, Yuki realized she was waiting for an answer.
"Uh, yeah," she muttered, confused.
The girl smiled. "I'm Miku Yuuki. We're in the same gym class."
Realization hit her: this was the girl that played on her baseball team today.
"Hi," Yuki mumbled.
Why was Miku talking to her now? In class, she and everyone else acted as if Yuki wasn't even on the team, preferring to believe she wasn't there and do all the work themselves.
"I was just wondering why you wear those leggings," Miku said matter-of-factly, tilting her head. "You have such pretty long legs; it's a shame to hide them."
"Uh, I just... Well, you see..."
But she didn't her enough time to make up an excuse. "Afraid those friends of yours will find out?"
Yuki blinked, taken back. "What are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about," Miku said. "Those scars on your legs aren't from just anything, are they? I saw them during gym today; they were absolutely horrendous."
She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything, watching as Miku casually sat next to her.
Miku's expression didn't change; the same carefree smile on her as she looked at Yuki. "Not that I blame you. If I was so horrible that my parents had to beat me, I'd hide it too, especially if I wanted to keep my friends."
Yuki physically flinched, recoiling.
But that didn't stop Miku. If anything, it encouraged her. "'Cuz, you know, if those upperclassmen that you hang out with ever found out how pathetic you are, they'd hate you. If your own parents don't like you, how can you expect anyone else to?"
Yuki hadn't planned it. One minute she was horrorstricken, mind racing with the sudden apprehension that this girl was right, the next her fist was throbbing and Miku was holding her bleeding face, outraged.
"You bith!" she screamed, "You brokeh my nothe!"
Yuki ran, just turned on her heel and bolted. Tears were burning her eyes, and she was shaking so badly, she could hardly open the gate to get out.
If your own parents don't like you, how can you expect anyone else to?
They'd hate you.
They'd hate you.
They'd hate you.
Like a mantra, Miku's words repeated in her head.
Hisashi walked up the steps to his house, cracking his wrist as he dipped in his hands in his pants' pocket to get his keys. When he reached the top, however, his eyes widened, stopping dead in his tracks.
Yuki was sitting at his door with her knees tucked under her chin, arms around her legs.
"Yuki?" he asked gently, kneeling next to her.
Hisashi didn't hate her, but that was because they'd been friends for years. Takashi and Rei, though... they didn't know anything. What if they saw what Miku saw? What if they saw how disgusting and worthless she was? She couldn't bear the thought of them hating her. She wouldn't be able to handle it.
Yuki looked up. "I'll live with you," she said, voice hoarse from crying. "But Takashi and Rei can never find out that I am."
He studied her for a minute. She looked distraught. Her eyes were swollen red from crying, cheeks still wet, and her uniform was dirtied. Clearly, she had been wondering the woods again.
"Alright," he agreed. "They won't know anything."
–xxx–
Rika Minami's Apartment, Fujimi, Japan
Z-Day+1 11:17pm
–xxx–
"Come on, Yuki~" Rei complains. "You don't have to be shy! We're all friend here!"
I shift my weight from one foot to the other, uncomfortable.
We're already inside Ms. Shizuka's friend's house, standing at the bottom of a winding staircase. Kohta and Takashi are upstairs, restricted from coming downstairs until we go up there to get them because the girls wanted to bathe. Which brings us to my problem.
"It's not about being shy, Rei, I just don't want to take a bath yet," I mutter, avoiding her gaze. "I want to eat first, take a breather. I'll take one later tonight."
"But Yuki!" she continues whining, dragging out my name.
"Cut it out, Miyamoto," Takagi snaps, grabbing my wrist roughly. "I'll take care of her. You go ahead and join the others."
Before Rei or I can protest, she drags me to a bedroom, slamming the door shut. I stare at her in utter disbelief as she flips the light switch, light flooding the room, and leans against the door.
"Okay, spill," she orders, crossing her arms.
I blink, lost. "Spill what?"
She scoffs. "Don't play dumb with me, Hatsune. It's obvious you're hiding something. Now, spill it."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Takagi," I say harshly, returning her gesture and crossing my arms.
"You have scars all up and down your legs, you flinch when someone raises a hand to you, you cringe when you hear anything getting hit, and the moment a hand is touching you, you become rigid." She looks me dead in the eyes. "You were abused, weren't you?"
My eyes widen, fear building a lump in my throat. I try to swallow it, but it doesn't help. "W-what are you talking a-about?" I stammer.
She rolls her eyes. "If you weren't, be my guest and strip now. Prove me wrong."
I bite the inside of my cheek, avoiding her eyes.
"That's what I thought," she says. Her voice doesn't sound proud or accomplished like it usually does when she gets something right, however, it has something else in it: worry, uneasiness. She sighs. "You know, no one's going to judge you if they find out."
"It's not about that," I say. "It's just... I don't want Rei and Takashi to know."
"Why not?" she asks, eyebrows raised.
"I don't..." My eyes are burning, and I'm shaking so hard I have to clamp my arms tight against myself to keep Takagi from noticing. "I don't want them to see that side of me, the side that was so awful, my own father had to beat to fix. After all, how can I expect them to like me when my own parents don't even like me?"
"God, this is why you're so much more stupid than Komuro," she gripes, sighing. "Look, whatever his reasons were, your father is the one to blame for those scars, not you. Having them doesn't make you an awful person. Besides, if Miyamoto and Komuro are any sort of friends, the only thing they'll care about is why you didn't tell them sooner."
"But, Takagi—"
"Stop, Hatsune," she says sharply, straightening herself and standing in front of me. "Do you honestly think that what a bastard left on you is going to change the way they feel about you? Komuro got off the bus for you. He left the safety of a vehicle and went after you because he didn't think he'd see you again if he let you go alone. Miyamoto was so worried that her last words to you would've been out of hate that she was crying and pacing the bus. Ms. Shizuka had to keep her from getting off after you two so many times that I lost count. Do you really think that people who care that much about you are going to just up and leave because of an asshole?"
It hits me then: she's right. Rei, who glared at anyone who even glanced at Hisashi, willing let it all slide because she knew there wasn't anything between Hisashi and I. Sure, she was irritated, but compared to how she usually reacted, it was like she ignored it complete. And Takashi, who barely lifted a finger to persuade Rei to stay with him even though that's what he wanted, who would rather sleep on the roof than waste his efforts in a classroom; he risked his own well-being to make sure I didn't get hurt.
You have me.
The tears fall before I can stop them, splashing to the ground.
"Do you get it now?" she asks, a little gentler this time.
I nod, rubbing away the wetness before my eyes started turning red. "Thanks, Takagi."
Her own eyes widen. "Don't get me wrong, Hatsune, I don't like you," she says quickly. "I simply thought I'd tell you why you're so stupid."
I grin. "Don't try to act cold now. You actually care about us, don't you?"
"Please," she scoffs, "I just need you guys because it's convenient."
"Well, you would be pretty useless by yourself," I agree evilly. "Brains alone can't fight off the undead."
She glares. "I'm a genius, Hatsune; it wouldn't take me long to figure out how to use a gun or something."
"Yes, yes, of course." I wave her off, opening the door. "Better not keep them waiting; Rei will come looking for us if we don't show up soon."
She rolls her eyes again, trying to keep her face indifferent, but I see a hint of a smile.
We head out of the bedroom, flipping off the lights, and through the walkway. Across from the curling stairs, right besides an archway leading into the kitchen, is the door to the bathroom.
I open the door casually, ignoring the hammering in my chest, and step in, Takagi not far behind me.
"'Bout time," Rei says, leaning out of the bathtub.
"Blame her," she says, pointing at me with her thumb. "She seems to think she's too good to bathe with us."
Rei and I roll our eyes, but no one pays any attention to what she said other than that.
Takagi starts unbuttoning the shirt of her uniform, revealing a white cami that's barely covering her, slipping off her bra in one go before starting on her skirt.
"C'mon, Yuki!" Rei cheers, "Strip!"
I sigh and follow Takagi's lead, unbuttoning the last few buttons on my shirt. The first few buttons, and my tie for that matter, had been ripped off during the man's assault, so all I have to do is slip it off, showing the white bra.
"Wow," Ms. Shizuka pipes in, "Such pretty skin~"
She says that now, I think darkly, still terrified.
Takagi sends me a hurry-up-you're-only-making-yourself-look-more-suspicious look, joining Saeko on at the showerheads.
With a resigned breath, I let the long-sleeves fall off, softly landing on the ground.
Everyone breaths in sharply, almost in sync, staring with surprised eyes at my arms—even Saeko can't conceal her surprise, though she makes it less obvious than the others. Takagi is the only one who continues what she's doing, barely sparing me a glance.
Besides the scars lining my forearms, which are now faded and just whispers of darker skin from years of healing, there's a long scar trailing diagonally from my left side to just below my right breast. That one, unlike the others, wasn't caused by me. Thankfully, over the years it'd faded, now lining my stomach like a dark tan-line-gone-bad.
"Those are..." Rei starts, completely lost for what to say.
The stares are suffocating me, like the walls are going to concave because of the weight from their eyes, but I can't just back out now; I need to face this.
I pull off my skirt and green underwear in one go, taking the shredded leggings with them while I'm at it. The scars are now more visible, practically sparkling with spite in the brightly lit bathroom. Small ones, like the ones trailing from my knees down, are less noticeable, but still very much there.
Nervously, I grab my arm with my opposite hand, covering my breasts as much as possible as the three girls stare with confusion.
"You act like you've never seen a naked girl before," Takagi barks.
That snaps them out of it. Rei looks down, not meeting my eyes, and I feel the lump in my throat reforming. Saeko, however, whose long violet hair is setting in a small puddle of water, offers me a seat next to her, pulling up another stool.
"Thanks," I say sheepishly, uncomfortable.
"Sure," she says, smiling at me. "We just got done discussing how 'big' Ms. Shizuka is."
I blink. "Big? You mean..." My eyes widen, and she chuckles.
"I'm only telling you because you're fairly 'big' for your age," she says.
Why do I feel like she's teasing me?
"They don't feel fake," Rei joins, stepping out of the bath and taking a seat next to me. "Not that I know what fake feels like."
I snicker, but even I know it's weak. "Well, glad you approve."
"Gah!" she shrieks, eyeing Saeko. "More big ones!"
Takagi flees, heading to the side of the bathtub as Rei grab Saeko's chest, firming juggling them in her hands.
"Ow!" Saeko complains, cheeks reddening.
"Rei, maybe you should stop," I say, touching her shoulder.
"Do you see these?" she demands, holding them towards me. "How can they all be so big?"
I chuckle, shaking my head. "Seriously, Rei, there's something wrong with you."
"Oh? Is there?" Her grin creeps me out.
Before I can do anything, she tackles me. We crash land on the bathroom tiles, into a pile of water, and slide a bit before she manages to straddle me.
"Why is it that you're two years younger than me, and yet you're almost the same size as me?" she questions, grasping my chest. "It's so unfair!"
"Ow, Rei, get off it!" I order. "It's not my fault!"
"No way!" she says, continuing with her groping. "Everyone here must have had boob jobs or something."
"Did you forget who you're tackling?" I say, laughing as I roll us over, successfully pinning her instead. "First, most of us are too young to get breast implants. Secondly, it's none of your business anyway."
"Grr." She wriggles around. "Lemme up!"
"Only if you promise not to touch anyone else's chest," I say. When she nods, I add "or butts," just to be safe.
"Okay, okay, fine," she grumbles.
I release her, standing up and getting into the bath with the rest. Sometimes during our wrestling match, Saeko had found her way to the tub too, letting her feet dip in the hot water as she sits on the ledge with Takagi. Now, we're all sitting around, soaking up and relaxing.
"So, are you going to tell us what those are?" Rei asks after a few minutes of comfortable silence.
I sink into the bubbles, hiding my mouth in the hot water.
"Isn't it obvious?" Saeko questions quietly.
"It's just... why didn't you tell me?" She looks at me, upset. "I would've understood."
My shoulders slump, engulfing themselves in the water as well, and seconds tick by while she waits for an answer.
"She obviously didn't want to make you worry," Takagi answers for me, her voice implying she's speaking to a mentally handicapped child.
Rei accepts this answer even though I wasn't the one who said it, playing with her wet hair for a few moments. Then, suddenly, a light goes off in her eyes like a veil of understanding. "Did Hisashi know?"
I give her a jerky nod.
Rei opens her mouth, but Ms. Shizuka interrupts her. "Let's talk about something else," she says. "How about we see if Ms. Miyamoto can avoid my canon?"
"Can—?"
She cut off by Ms. Shizuka again, who pushes her boobs together. Water squirts out at Rei's face.
"Ah!" Rei shrieks, causing the rest of us laugh.
She does it again, but Rei manages to avoid it, nearly falling over the edge of the bathtub. With a last attempt, she gets Rei right between the eyes, making her tumble down beside Saeko, who shields her face with her hands to keep from getting attacked as well.
I yawn as everything settles down. "I'm going to raid the closet for clothes, then look for something to snack on."
"There's a few cases of alcohol in the cabinets," Ms. Shizuka says. "You can help yourself with it, if you want."
I give her a noncommittal nod, stepping out of the warm water and into the cold air. "You might want to get out," I add when I get to the door, "I think you're starting to get a little loopy from the steam."
"She's right," Takagi agrees, yawning. "Besides, I need to get some sleep."
"Do you mind getting some alcohol for the rest of us then?" I hear Shizuka ask as I slide the door close behind me.