'A dream...'
Heavy with thoughts and sore body, Ueno dragged her body into the bathroom. From the mirror stared at her ghostly girl. Pale face with dark circles under her eyes and smeared make-up would attract zombies or vampires at best.
Splashing water over it didn't wash away the circles, but it cleaned her skin form the messed make-up and awoke her a bit. Rubbing her face, she jerked back as she glanced herself in the mirror.
Her hand moved to her blouse, finding it ripped and dark stains of blood across her skin. Clenching her teeth, and cursing the woman that dared to demand to be called mother, she returned to her room.
School, her home, or any other place could burn do ground, and she would care less. However, staying in this house suffocated her. The everlasting presence of her dictator mother followed her every step.
On the other hand, in school, she could breathe a bit as her mother wasn't present every day, leaving a huge chunk of her duties to unfortunate subordinates. Grabbing one of many school uniforms, she prepared herself, glancing she had woken up sooner than she was used to.
"I'm leaving for school," she said to one maid she had met.
The woman bowed. "Have a pleasant day, young lady."
Sour taste gulped Ueno's taste buds. When did she have a pleasant day? Ignoring others around her, she made her way to the waiting limousine.
"Y-young lady!" One maid called her, rushing to her.
Ueno turned around, opening her mouth to ask in bored tone why she was bothering her. A strong stab pushed all her words back her throat. The maid had a bandaged head, and a big plaster covered almost her whole left cheek.
"Your school bag."
"Ah," Ueno said, unable to find the right words. She took the bag from her and got inside the car. A few streets later, she realized an important detail.
'Wait? Didn't I leave my bag in my locker?'
Opening the bag, she noticed it didn't hold any of her books or school supplies. Instead, it was full of sandwiches with a fizzy drink.
'Why did she?' She picked one, and as if puzzle pieces fell on their places, the mystery was solved. 'Did she... argue with my mother yesterday? Was it her voice I heard?'
Then those wounds had to be a result of her careless actions! 'Why would she protect me?' Her stomach growled like crazy, she dug her fingers into her belly. 'Right, I barely ate yesterday. I was so occupied helping that stray cat, I lost track of everything!'
Hunger is the best cook, as one saying says, and right now, Ueno would eat anything. Digging her teeth into the soft dough and crispy vegetables, she sent her taste buds into heaven.
Arriving in front of her school, she got out.
"Have a nice day, young lady," the driver said as he closed the door.
Ueno did a few steps, before she spun on her heel, showing the last sandwich into his hands. Without a word, she dashed toward the school. What was with her? Acting so friendly?
'No way... I'm just bored a bit. It'll pass like everything.'
Nearing the entrance, Ueno slowed down. Eyes watched her, and ears sucked in rumors and murmurs about her. She no longer was the Top Banana in the land of hungry monkeys.
Her steps took her forward, but instead of ending up in her classroom, she found herself in front of the rundown hut.
"Whatever," she mumbled, getting closer. "You there?" She peeked inside, needing time to adjust to the dim light. The smell of stale lingered, and it might never go away, but it was better.
Two shining dots turned her way, and a long, fluffy tail swished through the air. Ueno squatted down, and a small smile appeared on her face.
"How was your night?" the girl asked as if the cat could answer her.
A weak meow came as a reply, and then another and one more. Ueno blinked, not recognizing the voice. Then it hit her.
"Did you?" She leaned forward, digging her knees into the dirty floor.
Around the cat laid meowing kittens. Counting with her eyes, she had found four of them. All the bad mood sprinted away from her brain as squeaks of happiness and utter cuteness filled her mind.
"They are so small!" Ueno took out her phone, recording the cat family. Mama-cat licked her babies who yawned with closed eyes, lifting their tiny heads and pushing each other as they tried to get to the tasty milk.
\\_(''>_<'')_//
Freya looked out of the window. She had seen Ueno walk away from the school, but something was off. One could call it tingling sense or a woman's intuition, but Freya had never seen Ueno with gloomy aura around her.
'Is something happening?'
She didn't complain about her not minding them. It was quiet and peaceful thanks to it. On the other hand, she already had ten girls and boys approaching her and trying to get close. Freya wasn't sure if she was happy or freaking out.
Years of social distancing didn't help her confidence much less social skills and communication. A big number of those "newcomers" asked her about Greek Gods, but they somehow weren't honestly curios like the girl from yesterday morning.
'Is she getting bullied? She lost her Queen Bee status, didn't she?'
Even if the atmosphere in the school cleared a bit, she still remained invisible for most of the students. That way, she picked on small changes. Aiyoku still had his Fanclub, but it didn't seem Ueno had visited it in the past week or so.
Freya took a few notes, following the lesson as best as she could with the uncertain thoughts about Ueno bothered her.
'Should I care?'
Given their bitter past, nobody would find it strange that she wouldn't.
The lesson ended with her having notes, but not remembering a single word their sensei had said.
"Are you okay?" Aiyoku asked her as they were leaving the classroom for the lunch break.
Freya nodded. The brothers exchanged suspicious looks, sensing something was off. Whenever Freya said everything was okay, something bugged her. That's how she was. That's how they were. Hiding their worries from others to not cause problems or trouble often led to mental collapse. Just like it happened with Rigaku and Kagetsu.
Freya headed to the toilets, closing herself in the cabin. Girls came and left on a regular basis. One could catch a glimpse of various rumors.
"Hey, don't you think Ueno-san is weird as of late?" one voice asked.
"Yeah, I didn't see her usual flock of girls around her," another answered.
"Maybe they ditched her."
Both voices laughed.
"That would be hilarious!"
Freya clenched her fists and teeth, and not just because she was pushing.
"That slut would deserve it all!"
Their voices trailed off, and Freya left the stall. Washing her hands and face, she tried to splash all the thoughts of her brain.
'Don't think about it. She bullied you. A bit of loneliness or pain won't kill her.'
Opening the door, it was as if she stepped into a different world.