| Fan Fiction |
by biniBningPunkista
I tried to brace myself up and act tough as Aoi had told me yesterday but the façade I tried to build up came crumbling down to pieces when I found five guys who looked like seniors were hanging out by the stairs as if waiting for someone. As soon as I saw them I quickly turned around to make a detour to avoid them but a hand suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Whoever it was, that person made me turn around to face the five guys who were loitering at the stairs.
“Isn’t she the girl who was on the posters yesterday?” One of the guys said as they pulled me closer to them. The guys look like they came from a well-off family, not at all the type who would struggle to pay for their tuition fees.
“She doesn’t look THAT special.” Someone commented while another chided in, “But I bet she would look good without those clothes. How much do you think would it cost for her to remove it? 500 yen?” The five of them started roaring in laughter as my heart raced in alarm. I darted my eyes to my sides, thinking if I could make it out of here if I ran as fast as I could.
A 500 yen coin was tossed in front of me, mocking me to take my clothes off. I wanted to cry in anger but I wouldn’t let myself be humiliated like this. Other students who were passing by stopped to watch what was happening.
A guy from the growing crowd suddenly shouted, “Take it off. Take it off!!!”
More coins started to fall on my feet, my ears were burning from rage. I took a step backwards to run away but one of the guys grabbed my wrist, gripping it so hard that it made me wince in pain. Tears were now brimming at my eyes as more coins dropped on the ground, a hand grabbed me and one of the guys started to unbutton my blouse but I nudged them off as hard as I could. When the groping didn’t stop I started screaming.
“Stop it!!! Stop it!!! It was a prank. I’m not a hostess! Please stop it!!!” I shrieked, praying that a professor would walk this way even though that part of the school was mostly for students alone.
They all just laughed harder and started touching me everywhere that I thought I’d grow crazy in this kind of harassment. This was worse than being groped on the butt unknowingly; this was way beyond that kind of feeling. This was like the time when some men tried to drag me into their car, the same cold fear was there. Only this time I was also in anguish. I didn’t want to feel humiliated and afraid so I strained harder away from these people, I tried to cover my chest where my blouse was almost opened halfway with my eyes shut tightly to stop the tears that have been threatening to flow out. I was struggling and nudging off hands that were groping on me when all of a sudden the jeering stopped.
The pain from my hand was gone and I was swiftly covered in a black leather jacket. When I turned my head to look behind, there were already four guys and one girl standing there, two was unfamiliar while the other three were people I knew, relief immediately washed over me as I recognized them.
It was Aoi who led me away from the crowd as I let my tears silently fall down on my cheeks. Two of the guys I knew where Ohno and Shun, it was the other guy who covered me with his leather jacket whom I didn’t know. He was very tall, fair skinned with blue eyes and looked like a foreigner. The other unfamiliar guy was standing along their side; he had a pointed chin and a messy hair but looked like he was about to punch someone anytime. The crowd quickly dispersed as they have come, Shun instantly clutched the collar of the guy who was gripping my wrist awhile ago and slammed him on the wall. The four other guys where suddenly cowering at each other. My eyes turned to the foreign looking guy who grabbed the arm of the person who was fumbling at my blouse earlier and what he did made my jaw drop. He gave my harasser a sounding head butt. All the while, Ohno along with the other pointed chin guy stood there watching. Ohno looked complacent, like his usual demeanor while the other guy was squinting his eyes and clenching his jaw as if he was trying so hard to control himself.
Shun said something to those guys which I couldn’t hear, but it made all five guys scurry away as fast as they could even stumbling on their own foot as they ran.
“That was really very brave of you to endure, but still entirely stupid.” Pointed chin guy said as his face turned calm.
“When you know trouble is coming at you, it’s better to run.” Shun said exasperatedly as he raked his hand through his hair.
“Thanks. I’ll try to remember that.” I hiccupped as the tears where drying on my cheeks, all the while feeling self-conscious and yet very relieved.
After a few seconds of silence I spoke up in a hushed tone.
“I didn’t know this could happen.” I muttered as my lips quivered and tears brimmed on my eyes once again.
Aoi smacked Shun’s head and patted my back.
“Jerk.” She hissed at him.
“It’s not your fault Mao… we’re here now. No one is going to bother you again.”
“Thanks.” I knew I was going to be ok when I looked at their faces.
“Let’s ditch class for today.” Aoi suggested.
“I think… I’ll just go home.” I told her.
“Are you sure?” She asked worriedly.
I nodded.
“Ok. Do whatever would make you feel better… wait. Before I forget, let me borrow your phone.” Aoi carefully loosened the grip of my hand from the bag I was clutching as if my life was hanging on it then fished out my phone and started thumping on the keys expertly.
“There. Since you already have Shun’s number, I’m adding mine, Ohno, Kame and Yu’s in it as well.” She shoved the phone into my hand as I blinked at her.
“Kame? Yu?” I turned to look at the two new faces in front of me.
“Yu is half Australian and he grew up here in Japan, so he can speak the language fluently. We met him here in the university during freshmen year. Kame is a black belt in Judo and we’ve known him since high school. Back then he really didn’t have a good temper but I think he’s pretty matured now and wants to stay away from fighting unnecessarily as much as possible. Well, Shun is just a goon; so ignore him. Most guys are scared of him anyway… by the way, Yu is also a biker. He has a biker gang!” Aoi gushed at me, “We can hang out with them one of these days if you like.” She said it as if it was the most common thing in the world.
There was a tiny smile that escaped from Ohno’s lips which caught my eye, our eyes met and we understood each other. Aoi was definitely an amusing person as she is, scrap – off the Lolita attire and she’s one hard chic to crack. Not as naïve as me anyway.
“Thank you guys.” I bowed my head in deep gratitude.
“Don’t sweat it. It’s this oaf’s fault,” Aoi burrowed her knuckle on Shun’s temple making him wince before looking back at me, “that’s why you’re in this mess.” Kame also smacked Shun’s head.
“You guys have to stop doing that to me. It’s too much unnerving especially in front of Mao.” Shun rubbed the back of his head where Kame hit him. Aoi rolled her eyes at him then placed her hand on my shoulder.
“That’s what friends do. They help each other especially when one is at fault.” Aoi darted her eyes at Shun, who ducked his head out of our gaze.
“Friends…” I said quietly to myself. I’ve never had any real friends my age.
“Do you know how to cook?” Yu suddenly asked out of context.
I stared at him like he was talking in another language but I was just surprised that he could speak so fluently even though he looked like a complete foreigner.
“I-I’m still trying to learn.” I mustered to say.
“Oh…” Yu sounded disappointed.
“He lives in take out and noodles. None of us could cook, he’s been yearning for homemade for so long that he can only have them during vacations when we get to have our breaks and go to our own homes.”
“I can make rice balls?” I suggested to Yu, which made him beam at me.
“I’ll bring you some tomorrow if you like.” I told him, feeling pleased that I knew how to make at least one food I can be proud of.
I slowly stood up and turned away from them to remove the jacket that was covering me. Then I buttoned my blouse back and looked at my wrists. That’s when I noticed that it had red marks on them and it hurt whenever I flex it.
“I better get home, thank you for helping me out.” I bowed sincerely at them.
“Call me if you need anything and if anyone is bothering you again.” Shun told me as Aoi nudged her elbow at his ribs.
“He’s too unreliable, it’s better to call me instead.” She told me brightly.
I gave her a big smile and said my thanks again before turning around to leave.
“Wait!” I turned around to see Shun walking towards me.
“I’ll take you home.” He offered then walked beside me in a very guarding manner.
“You don’t have to feel obligated to take me home Shun. It’s nobody’s fault, not even yours.” I told him with a smile, trying to appease the guilt that was so obviously written across his face.
“No. You could shove me away but I would still follow you.” He insisted his face determined to bring me home.
“Ok… I don’t think there’s anything I could say to change your mind. It looks like you’re already decided.” I shrugged and sighed as I walked with him to the bus stop.
Shun only gave me smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Shun and I were already on the bus, I suddenly remembered that no one was supposed to know where I lived. I almost banged my head on the window for being too careless. The one thing I could think of was get off on the bus stop one block before Yamapi’s house and excuse myself from Shun. He insisted on walking me to the door but I told him that it was right on the corner and that the bus was about to go so I hurriedly jumped off before he could even go after me.
I was sighing loudly in the living room and putting ice on my wrist when Yamapi suddenly barged into the house looking furious as he threw the beeline eye glasses to the floor along with a green cap and a wig.
“The hell with those stupid reporters! Can’t I even smother my face with a woman without having my pictures taken at?!?” He shouted to himself as he banged the door to his room.
Not even a second has passed when he opened the door from his bedroom and was throwing so many words that were too fast that I couldn’t even understand what he was saying. He went to the kitchen and paused from the things he was saying then quickly drank water in a huge gulp then started talking again until he noticed me. This made him stop abruptly from his trail of incomprehensible words.
“How long have you been watching me?” He asked with a shocked look.
“Since you came in?” I answered, unsure if I should have lied instead.
“Great! Just great!!!” He raised up his hand to the sides of his head.
“Why are you even back early?” He asked then he saw the ice-pack on my wrist, “What happened to you?” This time there was a slight change in his tone obviously masking the concern in his voice.
“Ummm… I was sort of harassed by my school mates. But I’m ok now. Some friends helped me out.” I quickly added.
This made Yamapi stop short as he was approaching me.
“YOU GOT WHAT?!?” He asked looking bewildered.
“Uhhh… harassed. There was this incident yesterday, some freshmen students playing a prank on me, announcing on the bulletin board that I was some sort of a hostess in a club and a… bi-” I couldn’t bring myself to continue the word, so I stopped by saying, “just a hostess.”
“That’s why they harassed you?” Yamapi said in a discerning tone.
“Why don’t you just transfer schools if it’s too much for you already?”
I couldn’t tell him that going to that school was part of my agreement with my mother.
“I would survive this, besides today is only my third day in school. It would look like I’m running away from problems as simple as this.” I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.
Yamapi was already seating beside me as he sharply pulled arm to show my wrist clearly to my face. It was already turning bluish.
“This,” He pointed at my bruised wrist, “isn’t just a simple thing!” He exclaimed, making me recoil from his voice at the same time wince at the pain he’s inducing to my arm.
When he saw my reaction, he gently moved it back on the pillow and placed the icepack on my wrist.
“Stupid cat.” He whispered softly then exhaled loudly and lay his head on the couch while slowly closing his eyes.
“This makes me look like a whiner as I sit here next to you. I keep complaining about not being able to date someone properly while you, on the other hand…” He shook his head in frustration, not letting me know what he was thinking but he did say, “You’re more unfortunate than I am.” Then he patted my head in a comforting way.
“I’ll let you off the hook in cooking today, what do you want to eat?” He asked as he sat up straighter, looking at me.
This made me smile and think.
“Can we have something Italian?” I asked.
“Italian cuisine?” He frowned, I nodded.
“Lasagna.”
He nodded in agreement without blinking an eye then stood up, but before he took a step towards the kitchen he looked back and pointed his index finger at me.
“Next time you do the lasagna, so watch carefully.”
“Yes sir!” I saluted using my better arm with a huge grin on my face.
------------------To be continued------------------
Notes from the Author:
Writing that harassment scene was too aggravating. I didn’t know how to word it properly and I hate to imagine how it is happening. *phew* At least I’m over that kind of description now. (This is why I want to stick on lighter comedies.)
Can someone please throw me a donut? I need some comfort food… *sniff* I just made other people harass Mao. *sniff*