Chapter Text
"Who am I even anymore? Am I still Fukuda Kiyomi or am I someone else?"
🪞⭐️
"Kiyomi, remember that you don't have to change anything about yourself to make friends, okay?"
"Okay, Mama!"
Kiyomi smiles widely before waving a 'goodbye' to her Mum and taking her bunny cross bag with her, "Okay! I'll be back soon, Mama!" A little Kiyomi waves. "Be safe out there, Kiyomi!" Her Mama smiles. Kiyomi runs out the door with her shoes and heads in the direction where the park is. "Finally at the park!" Kiyomi sighed to herself, she sat down on a bench near the playground and watched the other kids play.
I wish I could be like them... Why can't I be like those kids?
I'm exactly like them though, I'm normal too, I'm also human just like them.
Kiyomi dozes off for a bit before deciding to hop off the bench and join the others — for a change of heart, of course! "Hey!" She calls out to the other kids with a smile. "Can I play with you guys?" She calls out, the breeze scattering past here — maybe luck is on her side today? "Im... sorry, we don't want to play with you." One of them answers. It was a little girl around the same age as Kiyomi, her hair was sleek. Kiyomi's hair was wavy and layered. She is popular. Kiyomi is not. "O-Oh!... Thats okay." Kiyomi's face expresses shock that she was being excluded, but, it is what it is, I just have to accept it, right?
Why is it so hard to accept that things are just like this?...
⭐️🪞
"Being a different person is tiring..."
Kiyomi flops onto her bed and checks her phone — the day still hasn't ended yet, how long does she have to keep up with this personality that was never truly hers? The next day, Kiyomi goes to high school as usual. "Hey, Kiyomi!" Her friend calls out to her, "Oh, hey, Yumeko!" Kiyomi smiles — The other Kiyomi is smiling, its twin is not. "We have English class soon! Can you believe that?" Kiyomi's mind blurs out the endless yaps from Yumeko's tongue, she zones out, her smile cracking.
No, no, Kiyomi, keep yourself up, you won't be accepted if you show your true personality.
"Hello?~ Earth to Kiyomi-San!" Yumeko teases, "O-oh! I'm sorry... You go to class with me, I'll catch up to you soon." Kiyomi stutters accidentally — shit, maybe she shouldn't have said that. "Okay! See you later Kiyomi!" Yumeko waves dismissively before tagging along with her other friends to English class. When Kiyomi is left alone she heads to the bathroom and collapses in front of the school bathroom mirrors.
⭐️
Kiyomi wakes up.
In her bed.
Safe in her home.
But reality snaps as she realises shes not in highschool anymore — sure, she has finished school but that doesn't mean that this shattered mirror has fixed themselves, she sits herself upright, everything feels like a dream, Kiyomi knows its not a dream, well, she actually doesn't know, she wants to get up, wash herself, brush her teeth, get herself ready, eat something, go to work, talk to her friends, and-
Suguru...
But all she can do is just sleep and not do the basic human daily needs! Kiyomi toss and turns, left to right, left to right. Tears couldn't even stream down out of her lakes of the place where she expresses her emotions the best. For the first time, her eyes are hollow. Until she hears a knock on her door. For the first time in a few days she finally gets up and opens the door, "Hello?..." She greets weakly. Her tone fragile. "Kiyomi." A voice calls out — a familiar voice, in fact. Kiyomi slowly raises her head.
Her eyes lights up, as she immediately wraps and hugs her best friend.
"Suguru. Come inside as you please."
⭐️🖤
"Are you really okay, Kiyomi?"
How is she supposed to answer that question? Theres a lot of answers that she wanted to blurt out all at once, but, I guess, the only really way she could answer that is, 'no.' Kiyomi nods a 'no' quietly. "You know, to know that you're important is that the whole workplace has been awfully silent without you for the past few days. Even the ones who hate you, Kiyomi." Suguru ruffles her hair affectionately. "No need to comfort me like that..."
"Why? Want me to leave?" Suguru smiles.
"You're so annoying..."
"Now the Kiyomi I know is back"
Kiyomi couldn't help but smile at that, it felt heartwarming at best. It felt nice to be comforted like that every once every while. "Thanks, Suguru." Kiyomi smiles. "Now mind telling me whats happening these past days? I swear, you're gonna lose your salary." He chuckles sarcastically. "I guess you could call it a identity crisis." Kiyomi smirks. "You're a damsel in distress right now and im saving you."
"Cut it out!"
...
Now I don't feel alone again. Now I can feel the need to get myself up, wash myself, brush my teeth, eat my breakfast, change clothes, go to work, and meet my friends!