Crying Night

Five: First Friend

When I returned home, Hoshi-onee-sama was already asleep. I could tell by her snoring and the fact all the lights were still off. I went upstairs to turn off my room's light and slept.

However, I failed to see anything around me that night. Taiyou's confession made me oblivious to my surroundings, and also of the person voice-recording behind us.

The next morning I found the strength to go to school, but stopped in front of the gate.

"How can I go in now?" I sighed.

I suddenly heard something like a raging stampede of bulls. Maybe it was, considering how many people were running towards me. They stopped near me and encircled me.

"Tsuki-sama! Is it true that you're the Earth's Sun's Lover now?"

"Wha—?!" I got flustered, "w-w-w-why are you asking me that?!"

"You really did... I was going to confess to you next..." A guy sighed.

"The Icy Blade has a boyfriend now! I hope I'll be popular with the boys now!" Some girl giggled.

I was appalled by their comments. How did they know about that? I didn't tell them, nor would Taiyou do so on his own! He didn't brag like that, even if it WAS about me.

"So? How do you know?" I asked, my voice shaking with rage.

"It was voice recorded by Senaka Teko!" A girl answered but immediately covered her mouth.

I snapped. Not only did Senaka Teko take a picture of me, she also voice recorded Taiyou's confession? How much of a stalker was she?!

I ran to the Newspaper Club with a fist in tow and kicked the door down.

The Clubroom was littered with wads of paper, and past newspapers lined the walls. Even though there were 3 people, the club's influence was enormous. There was only one who earned that influence, though.

"SENAKA TEKO!" I screamed and stomped towards her desk.

The short-haired brunette with foggy glasses stood up from her chair. Around her neck was an old-school camera.

"I only told the school about the scoop! Why are you so upset?" She shrugged.

Senaka Teko had no popularity, but her reporting skills could shame any professional. Her incredible writing and her photography skills made her someone every news network wanted to have for their own. For some reason, though, she had no interest in taking the offers. She only wanted to stay St. Kieli's unpopular news reporter.

"A scoop!? You mean gossip! You can't tell me that someone's private life is a scoop!" I slammed my hand against her desk.

"Ah, you mean that confession? Ah, that was such a sight! The Earth's Sun confessing to the Icy Blade right next to that pile of—"

I covered her mouth immediately so hard she couldn't even breathe. The other two members suddenly jumped up.

"Pile of...?" One squeaked

"Trash! Pile of trash! Now, will you leave me and your leader here? ALONE?!" I yelled.

They ran out of the room as I punched the wall so hard it cracked, and when I heard their footsteps far away, I uncovered her mouth as she coughed.

"Don't tell anyone about this stuff! EVER!" I screamed.

Instead of cowering, she started scolding me, "Pile of trash? That's cruel. You can't tell me that corpses are trash, you know! They used to be living beings!"

She seemed unaffected by my intimidation.

"You do realize that they WERE human trash, right? They were all part of a circle that enslaved women!" I sighed.

"Well, still!" She puffed out her cheeks, "You shouldn't be killing people!"

"No. I have to. It's my duty." I looked away, "I know that it's terrible in the eyes of a normal person, but for someone who was born into it, I don't know another way of life."

"Huh... And? Wait, you were born into murder!? Are you a villain? This is super juicy!" She asked.

"What are you-?" I turned my head to her to find she was taking notes.

Immediately I took her notepad.

"You can't do this, goddammit!" I yelled, "Nobody can know about this! If they do, my effort to get into this school will be useless! More than that, I'll die! In more ways than one!"

"OK. I won't tell the world what you are. I can't have you dying yet." Teko said.

"Huh? Why the sudden change of--" I started to glare.

"On one condition."

"What is it!?" I screamed.

"Be my friend." She declared.

I was speechless! In these circumstances, usually it would be, "Be my gopher!" or in her case "Let me report on your darkest secrets!"

But a friend? That was unexpected.

"Why?" Was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

"Just think about it! You're the Icy Blade! The most popular girl in school! You have so many secrets about you! You're really cool and beautiful! If I became the friend of someone like you, I could get so many scoops unlike any before! This is the best chance ever!" Her eyes sparkled as she told me her ulterior motives.

"You're really OK with that?" I asked.

"Yes! I've wanted to be your friend for some time." She admitted.

"I guess that's OK." I started.

"REALLY!?" She yelled.

"But I'll add some conditions, too."

"WHAT ARE THEY!?" Her excitement went through the roof.

"One: You can't report on my secrets." I held up my first finger.

"Ehh?" Her disappointment started to kick in.

"Two: Tell me what friends do." I blushed as I held up my second.

"Eh?" This time her reaction told me she had no idea this was coming.

"I've never had a friend before," I admitted, "So I have no clue what to do."

"Oh. Is that it?"

"...yeah. But if you break my conditions, I kill you." I held out my hand with a little bit of bloodlust.

She took it right away and smiled, "OK! Sealed and done!"

I smiled slightly at this. My first friend...!

Then I heard a click and saw a flash.

"You smiled! A first!" Teko drooled as she checked the picture, and then looked up from the camera. "Uh, I can report on the smile at least, right?"

"As long as it's not about my private life, my secrets, or my true reason for being here, it's fine." I replied.

"Even your relationship with Sora Taiyou?" She asked.

"What's done is done. I was going to talk about it today, anyway." I told her.

"OK! Sealed and done!" Teko said this line again.

This may very well be hell on Earth. Oh well. Having a friend might not be so bad. I thought as stepped out of the Newspaper Club.