A/N: I'll only be able to update this on weekends for now. ^^"
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"Sooo...about that," Miyano twitched her eyebrows and grinned, her special grin which hid an evil plan. "How do you feel about it?"
"About what?"
"The mid-year results, duh!"
I clicked my tongue. "I don't want to remember about that, please." I glanced over for a second at my left, which was Akashi's seat. It was empty, though. Arghhhhhh, why?! I have studied so hard already, why can't I overtake him?!
"Haha, it's like you're obsessed with Akashi--"
"WHAT? No!" I almost screamed. I covered my mouth instantly at the sight of faces looking at me. After the classmates had turned their attention away from me, I continued, "Anyway, we're just... uh... friends?" I don't know either.
"Friends? Yeah, sure," said Miyano skeptically. "If you provide a valid reason."
I thought for a while.
"... He's perfect. TOO perfect. I don't like him. How can he ace EVERY SINGLE SUBJECT?! Is he even human?!"
"Oh c'mon! You're too competitive! I'm fine with just twentieth in class already..."
"..." I suppressed my words in. What I'd really wanted to say was, how can one NOT be competitive when grades are as important as our lives! Do you not understand the frustration I feel?! but I decided not to, because this would sound kind of insulting to Miyano.
Instead, I just replied, "...I was so close to getting first in class! And. HE. STOLE. THAT. TITLE."
***
That day, the teachers had put up the ranking of our overall percentages for the first-years on a bulletin board. Miyano had to go to a netball practice game this afternoon, so I was on my own after school. I strolled along the corridors, nearing the bulletin board and the crowd which was stuck there like bees to honey.
Sighing, I walked past the whole lot of them, without even giving an eye to the rankings.
On the way to the school's gate, I was going to walk past the music room, when out of the blue, the music room's door opened. A certain red-headed guy stepped out. We exchanged gazes. I froze on the spot, pursing my lips.
"Oh, nice timing. Shizuko-san, do you mind finishing our cakes?" Akashi smiled, gesturing towards me.
"C-Cakes? Of course I want to eat them!" I squealed in excitement, ignoring the fact that Akashi had just found my weakness -- confectionery. I also did not take into consideration that my character had just changed in front of him.
"Come in," Akashi stepped back inside.
"But isn't eating in the music room not allowed?" I questioned.
"The teachers don't come in here very often."
Doubtfully, I followed behind him and stepped into the wooden, polished floor of our spacious music room, complete with a piano and several huge beige-coloured cabinets containing a variety of instruments. I murmured a "wow" under my breath. It was just at the moment that I spotted a green-haired guy inside, standing behind a white table. Small white and pink boxes stood beside each other on the tabletop. I placed my schoolbag at a corner.
"What is this, Akashi?" The green-haired guy's deep, seemingly stern voice and tall build intimidated me. I stepped back. Ah, he also wears spectacles...
"I apologise, Midorima. I was about to get the rest of the team here, but then Shizuko-san was coincidentally there when I stepped out. I'm sure she's able to help us finish," Akashi smiled at me, again.
"Midorima"? That "Midorima" he was talking about last time?
"If it's cakes...I can eat everything..." I stared at the pink and white boxes with a gleam in my eye. "Oh, uh, I'm Shizuko Ichigo. N-nice to meet you, Midorima-kun."
"I see. We were tied in the mid-year rankings," Midorima adjusted his spectacle with his hand. I raised an eyebrow at his taped fingers.
"Huh? We did?!"
"Did you completely ignore the complete list of names in the ranking?! I can't believe you," He sighed, then continued with a steely gaze, "Don't tell me you're also thinking of overtaking Akashi."
"I am," I narrowed my eyes at Midorima.
"How naive," he almost laughed. "I can see that you're very well academically-able. However, do you know how to excel in 'soft skills', such as communication, leadership and so on?"
His words hit me hard. What was I supposed to say? After all, I didn't have those exemplary qualities he had mentioned above...
"Then you're just an empty-headed academic. A person who has immense intelligence, but is an idiot when it comes to real life skills. You will never surpass Akashi."
"Fine," I huffed, working my way towards the boxes of cakes. I'll stuff myself with cakes now.
Then Akashi stepped in to mediate the situation, "Shizuko-san, Midorima, I appreciate your competitiveness but we should all relax once in a while, shouldn't we?"
I thanked Akashi internally for those words but I certainly did not have a good first impression of Midorima Shintarou. Why did Midorima-kun have to say those words?!
Even so, my anger and exasperation was immediately appeased when we had opened all the boxes of cakes. The slices of cakes seemed to be carefully decorated with the finest touch; the white cream glimmered in the beams of sunlight filtering through the windows. With utmost care and caution, I lifted a strawberry shortcake by placing my hand underneath its metallic plate, which this delicious slice of cake was resting on.
"Cakes are beautiful," I commented, taking a whiff at the fragrance.
"Just eat it already!" Midorima yelled in irritation.
---End of Chapter 5---
A/N: This chapter was shorter than my usual ones. I'm sorry >< But anyway, tomorrow will be the release of Chapter 6 :) Also, I'm an empty-headed academic...just saying. XD I got this term from No Game No Life.
(My end-of-year results were released, it was all good! Especially Art, I got the highest in cohort! *^*)
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Lost in a Pursuit
Fanfic[AKASHI X OC] "He's perfect. TOO perfect. I don't like him." "You're too competitive." "How can one NOT be competitive when grades are as important as our lives! Do you not understand the frustration I feel?! When I was so close to getting first in...
