Chapter 1

Lovely Girl

A yawn escaped my mouth as I waited inside an underground subway. This was my official ride to school, which was natural in a big city like Tokyo. What would you expect from someone so unnoticed, so typical?
I looked around the bus and found that there was an elderly lady to my right. She had her cane pressed to the ground and she was sound asleep. Curiosity swept my mind, I wonder if she has children or if she's still living with her husband or maybe she didn't get married.I looked to my left and saw a bunch of kids from our school watching the news on their iphones.
"OH MY GOD, did you here about AKIRA?! Akira decided to go to an average school with everyone!"
I wonder which one he'll go to.
"Akira is so CUTE! I have liked all his albums!"
"OH MY GOD! ME TOO!"
My ears rang as the screams continued till I couldn't hear any longer. Can this day get any worse? I groaned, feeling sick of the sweaty scent in the bus. When the bus finally stopped, the doors slid open and I hurried out the doors. I let out a huge breath as I came out. As always, my glasses kept slipping off my face while I ran up the stairs. While pulling up my glasses, I witnessed the enormous building ahead of me that read SAKURA HIGH SCHOOL.
I crossed the street and walked through the school gates while imagining what it'd be like to be someone other then a student walking through this building. I doubt that anyone would though.Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by someone.
"MIKA!" I turned around and glanced over at Sayuri who was slowly walking towards me.
"So... um... did you finish my homework for me?"
I nodded, "Of course.""Good. You know what happens if you don't, right?!"
Sayuri was my one and only friend. I met her when I first came to this high school. My first day of high school, I did not have anyone to speak with and I didn't know anyone. She was the only one to have courage to speak to me. I remember the first words she said to me. "Hi. I'm Sayuri and who are you?"
"Uh... I’m Mika."
"That’s really a strange name.."
"Oh thanks."
"Well, you seem nice, let’s be friends."
"Uh... okay."
After that, I became her friend. She can be a little bossy at times, but she's still a good friend. Well, that's what I thought, but without her, I'd be the most unnoticed, unpopular girl.I have long black hair, glasses, usual uniform, and I go by unnoticed and smart.I never even had a boyfriend, every guy I ever liked ended up rejecting me after they saw Sayuri, but that’s fine since its just a little sacrifice.
So ever since then I just gave up. Why does it matter anymore? It's better if I listen to Sayuri and be a good friend. I used to always wear make up and I never wore glasses because I had perfect vision but from Sayuri’s words, I learned that I look best this way and no other way. I understood that trying to look better only makes me look worse than I already am.
Once again, my thoughts were interrupted by Sayuri."Mika, did you hear about how there's going to be new 1st years coming to our school?They're hot too, but don't worry about them. You can't even get one, it doesn't matter, right?"
I replied, "Yeah. I guess."
Whenever she said this, it reminded me that I wasn't supposed to like anyone or even think about them as someone I liked. Truthfully, I think this is the best for me. I can just be myself.A yawn escaped her mouth as she muttered, "Let’s go to class, Mika."We headed towards our classroom and that's when we witnessed a bunch of students blocking the windows and screaming.
Annoyed, I shoved my way through the crowd and to my desk. As curious as she was, Sayuri shoved everyone aside and looked down the window at what everyone was staring at.After a while, she came rushing towards me. "It's AKIRA! He's coming to our school!"Another reminder rushed through my mind. Mika lets not try and see him. She'll think I’m annoying and if you fall for him, she'll take him away. It's just a bother. It was obvious that he was going to like Sayuri anyway.
I replied, "That's cool."
She grinned and then ran out the door with lots of other girls and a couple of guys.
Now, that everyone was gone, I realized that maybe I can just see what all this chaos is about. I stood up and walked to the window. There was a huge black van at the gates and everyone surrounded the car. Two security guards came rushing out and opened the door for someone.I stared at his black hair that covered his forehead and his perfect figure. My lips curved into a frown as I imagined Sayuri all over him. If only I was good enough for him. That'll never happen.I guess.. I'd better give up on trying to show him that I liked him as a celebrity. I liked him a lot too, but I knew the best thing was to secretly have a crush on him and never even try to say anything to him. Suddenly, I saw him staring up at where I stood. I reverted my eyes to the sky. That's when I realized that there was a bird with it’s' wings caught on a branch.
It was bleeding a lot and it looked like it was going to die.A frown formed on my face as I hurried and opened the window. While reaching for the bird, I realized that I was way too short and I couldn't reach it. I used the window sill as a stool and reached out for the bird. Right when I grabbed the bird and out of the branch, I noticed how high this window sill was.
Everyone was staring at me and fright swept my mind. I felt the adrenaline rush through my veins as I felt my foot slowly slip off the window sill. My heart sank and I felt like I couldn’t breathe anymore. I put the bird on this window sill as quick as I can while holding unto the window. I pulled myself up and climbed over the window sill. When I landed on the ground, I felt the world spin and my vision going blurry. Everything turned black.
---------------------------------------------------------------

As my eyes fluttered open, I witness someone staring at me. It was Akira.
“Are you okay?"
I sat up and glanced at the perfect male model.
Before I could say anything he questioned, “Is it that interesting that I’m actually sitting in front of you?”
I shrugged, “I guess.”
When I looked around, I realized that I was in the school’s infirmary.
"How long have I been out?"
He replied,
"The whole day."
My eyes were caught on the clock as my heart thumped rapidly. I slowly cleared my throat, "Uh... why are you here?"
He smiled, "Because I offered to."
Something about that smile made my heart beat too fast to even think I’m breathing.
"Thanks, but where’s Sayuri?"
He gave me a confused look, "Oh,... that girl? She offered to stay here with you but I told her I wanted to meet you.”
He said something I've never heard before. He wanted to meet me? Curiosity swept my mind as
I questioned, "Why do you want to meet me?"
He smiled once more, making my whole world freeze in time."I noticed how you tried to save that bird. You seemed to me like a sweet girl."
I stared down at the blankets and replied, "Thank you."
Right when I felt like telling him how much I admired him as a celebrity, I remembered that Akira would never look at me as a girl, but as a friend. I bet the reason for his unexpected kindness was to get closer to Sayuri. I quickly gathered my thoughts and decided that I was going to remain friends with him.
I told myself. Let's start fresh, "Um... since it's the first time meeting each other, I'll introduce myself. I'm Mika."
I let out a hand while saying this. His soft warm hands shook mine and my heartbeat increased by a hundred.
"I'm Akira." We both smiled, which seemed awkwardly warm. As we finished our conversation, we left the infirmary together. The hallways were empty and there was no sound to be heard.
"Where is everyone? Isn't everyone supposed to be crowding you?"
He laughed, "They went home, I told the guards to help me pretend like I left."
I felt so bad about him waiting for me, I blurted out, "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have fainted."
He said, "NO, it's fine... people can't help it when they faint."
It was the first time someone had ever made me feel like they cared for me. Sayuri would always say, yeah... you shouldn't have fainted. You just wasted a bunch of my time. I felt happy that I could actually be friends with someone other than Sayuri.
"it's getting late, are you going home?"
I replied, "No, I have to go to my part time job in an hour."
He questioned, "Really? You work? Why? I was going to ask you if you wanted a ride home."
I looked down at my feet once more. "I.. I live by myself."
He was shocked, "WHY? What happened? Do you have parents?"
I answered, "My parents passed away and so I've lived on my own ever since then."
I could see a little tint of sadness in his eyes. He put his hand on my shoulders, and for some reason, it seemed gentle.
"Don't worry... at least you have friends to support you and from now on, I'll also support you."
Bringing up my parents and the way he said it made my tears go streaming down my face. "Thanks."
I looked away embarrassed and shocked that I was crying in front of Akira. I didn't want him to see my tears, no one has seen me cry in public. He handed me a handkerchief and I gladly accepted it. While wiping my glasses and my eyes, I noticed the time and I was late to work.
"OH MY GOD, I'm LATE!"
I rushed down the hallway without turning around to look at Akira. I hurried out of the entrance of the school and out the gates. I crossed the streets and ran into the subway train let out a sigh. Before I could think back to what happened that day, I realized that I forgot to say bye to him and thank him. Maybe I’ll thank him tomorrow.
I thought to myself, too much happened today, I need a break. The subway finally began to move and I grabbed a seat. Good thing the subway wasn't as crowded as in this morning. After some time, the bus arrived at the destination and I had to get off the bus. As the doors slid open I speeded out of the bus and towards a wine restaurant. Asking why I work at this kind of place at my age? Well, this was the only job that offered me the most money and I was pretty close with the boss who owned the shop. He was my dad's best friend and I knew him. I worked as a waitress there.
While stepping into the restaurant, I felt an urge to skip work today, but I remembered the bills on my desk that remained unpaid. I slowly opened the door and walked in. I entered a door that read 'employees only'. There in the door, was a changing room. I hurried to my locker and changed into my uniform. A yawn escaped my lips as the thought of Akira swept my mind. I want to see him again and thank him for what he did today. Exhausted from all of what happened today, I went straight home after work. Everything was lonely and quiet at home. I lived with only a stray cat and it was because I fed it often.

The ringing of an alarm clock rang through my ears as I was sleeping peacefully.
I groaned, "ugh... can't I just get a break?"
I rolled off my bed with the blanket wrapped around me. I kicked the blanket away and stared at the reflection in front of me. I quickly wore my usual uniform and tied my hair. I slipped on my glasses and stuffed my bag with all my homework, I stayed up finishing, Including Sayuri's. Everyday was always the same routine. I rode the subway train to school and I met up with Sayuri at the front to of the school. Note that Akira wasn't in my class. This school separated girls and guys.
For some odd reason, I felt as if today was going to be different then usual. Sayuri sat next to me in class as I stayed buried in one of my books. Sayuri was sitting there flirting with some guys that were over at our class. She had nothing better to do, but I guess that’s just her. Suddenly I heard screaming and my mind was in shock. I almost fell off my seat, while reading one of my novels.
I put my book down and hit my chest. "I almost got a heart attack."
I sat up straight and began reaching for my book, when I saw Akira.
His lips curved in a smile and waved at me. "Hey Mika."
He suddenly reached towards me. He grabbed my hand and put something in it. I felt paper in my fist. That’s strange, I wonder what he’s giving me? Perhaps a note? He smiled once again and he took a run for it, before all the girls reached him. I thought it was kind of funny. I opened my fist and looked inside and realized that it was a folded paper. There it read, ‘Meet me at the top of the building after school.’ Right after I finished reading, Sayuri said, "So what was that for?"I crumpled up the paper and said, "Nothing, I didn’t do anything with Akira. That’s odd.. he came to me to ask if I was okay from yesterday.” I secretly stuffed the paper in my bag while I put a fake smile on my face. “Whatever.” I let out a sigh of relief as I wondered, what does he have to say to me?

CHAPTER 1 IS COMPLETE. PLEASE CONTINUE ON TO CHAPTER 2!!