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It was somewhat frustrating, Maya would have to admit to herself, seeing Aijou Karen and the sheer potential the girl had, and how it took this long for anyone to see it. Some of the blame laid on the girl herself of course, but for everyone , even the teachers, to miss something that was now so blindingly obvious, it was nothing short of criminal for a school of Seisho’s quality.
Aijou was nothing special in their first year, just barely making the cut for the Starlight stage play she had loved and gushed about so often. There was a spark of brilliance in her when she had played the role of one of the goddesses, but Maya had simply thought that was the result of the stage bringing out the best in people, a moment of surprise genius, if one that had slightly impressed Maya.
Maya had looked out for that same spark in the productions past their first year’s Starlight, yet she’s never seen it again. In fact, Aijou’s fire had muted, was nearly snuffed out by their second year, and Maya had expected that she would forever be a supporting role at best in her future endeavors, if not drop out of Seisho entirely to pursue another career. Maya would have wished her all the best, but would have been disappointed, if she did so.
And yet , when one Kagura Hikari had transferred to Seisho, Aijou had, by all definitions of the word, transformed. The difference between the Aijou that Maya had remembered watching in their first year - with all her goofy acts and comical ineptness, almost like a class mascot - and the Aijou with Kagura by her side, was like night and day. Aijou Karen had never been more driven, never been more skilled, never been more brilliant than she was standing next to her childhood friend, and with only that, Maya knew that Class B’s decision to cast the two of them as Flora and Claire was the right choice, that they would play a Starlight that was just as brilliant as the previous year’s, possibly even more .
But what happens after? Their rendition of Starlight was only a few months away, and Aijou hasn’t shown any signs of stopping on her road to being the Top Star of the production , but Maya has seen more than most, the effects of that kind of dedication had on people not ready to handle it, with an improper outlet to channel it towards. They usually left the business entirely
Aijou burned hot now, a passion that blazed through everyone in their class and seemingly ignited a flame within everyone else in their year, but Maya knew that that those with only a single goal in mind - like Aijou and her lifelong dream to perform Starlight with her Hikari-chan - would always be left with two choices, and this one was coming sooner rather than later.
Aijou would either learn from their performance and continue on shining brightly, might even eclipse Daiba Nana, Saijou Claudine or - loathe as Maya were to admit it, her pride stinging at even the thought of it happening - might even outshine Maya herself. Or she would burn herself out, losing any and all passion for the stage, the memory of Starlight being the only thing left in her heart. An empty husk acting, not because of anything driving them, but because it was the only thing left of Aijou Karen.
Though Maya was a person that hated the idea of sharing, or worse, giving up her spot at the top, to the point of arrogance even she would admit, she loved the stage too much to deprive it of a girl with as much potential as Aijou. So she had decided, in one of their dance lessons, to skip past Claudine - and her heart ached to do that, it was one of the most difficult things she has done in Seisho so far - and stood in front of Aijou Karen.
“Aijou-san,” Maya extended her arm towards the current lead of Starlight. Beside her Tsuyuzaki’s mouth had dropped open at the break in routine, while Kagura was standing and staring at the wall. Maya took a quick glance to see what she was so focused on. Nothing.
Maya turned back to Karen, refusing to look back at Claudine and see her reaction. She always was weak to Claudine, and if Maya saw Claudine’s face now she knew her plan wouldn’t be able to take form, that she would crumble at Claudine’s expression, and she couldn’t afford that right now.
So she did the same as she did all those months ago, and reached out to Aijou Karen. “Would you like to stretch with me?”
“Aijou-san,” Maya started, gazing at Aijou from over the top of her cup, cutting into one of the few lapses in conversation - mostly on Aijou’s end, goodness could the girl talk - to ask one of the burning questions in her mind. “May I ask, if it’s not too personal, what exactly possessed you to rewrite Starlight? It’s quite a well-worn piece by now, and you even said yourself over the past years, that you loved it and that it was your favorite play. So why would you change it? Turn it from a tragedy into a comedy, change the very essence of it all?”
It was a beautiful day, the sun perfectly cast overhead, the breeze coolly coming in, and the tea Maya had brewed and the sweets Karen had brought (stolen/requested from Hanayagi based on the packaging) was perfect.
While normally Maya would have spent the day with Claudine for one of their numerous daily meetups, she truly did want to get to know Aijou better, to see what made her tick. She had felt bad, seeing Tsuyuzaki look like a kicked puppy when she invited Aijou for afternoon tea and even the ever-stoic Kagura seemed like she was about to pounce on her, and she had promised Claudine that she would make it for their usual after-class practices, but spending a few minutes of her day with Aijou made for an interesting shift in her daily schedule.
At Maya’s question, Aijou turned pensive, an unusual look for her. She was actually quite handsome, Maya had to think to herself, admiring Aijou’s side profile. She could understand why Tsuyuzaki - and quite a few of their underclassmen based on what Maya keeps hearing as rumors - was so smitten with the girl.
“Hikari-chan…hasn’t had an easy life in Seisho so far,” Aijou said slowly, eyes staring far in the distance. “Mahiru-chan and I try to make it better for her, but between coming from London, the auditions, having to adjust and everything, I thought that it wouldn’t be fair, if even the Starlight we were looking forward to so much, the one we promised to do together so long ago, was still a tragedy. I know that it’s silly to change the ending so much, but I just wanted to try and give Hikari-chan a happy ending, even if it’s just through that play,” Aijou laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. “I guess I’m not making much sense huh, Tendou-san?”
“You are making sense,” Maya reassured her, laying down her tea. “It’s just… it completely changes the meaning of Starlight. I always saw the beauty of Starlight in the ultimate futility of Flora’s struggle to reach Claire, Claire’s gratitude in what was, in the end, a fruitless struggle. It is one of my favorite depictions of loss, and even the meta aspect of Starlight is heartachingly haunting. Flora and Claire will forever be reborn and be separated, the struggle of Sisyphus given life by us and all performers of Starlight, past and present, and after all of that, I’m sorry but I just cannot see the two of them with their happy ending.”
“What’s wrong with wanting happiness?” Aijou asked, and Maya stiffened. “What’s wrong with wanting Flora and Claire to be rewarded after all they’ve been through? Don’t they finally deserve to have an ending where they’re with each other? Wouldn’t all that suffering they experienced make their love together so much sweeter? And thinking about the audience, they’ve seen so many Starlights now, wouldn’t it be nice to give them one where Flora and Claire finally end up together? Even if Sisyphus is happy doing his punishment, wouldn’t it be so much better if he finally does get his stone up the hill? Just once, finally reach the top and be glad for himself?”
Maya stared at Aijou. She…did not expect Aijou to actually know what she was talking about. Maya would have to reevaluate her view of the usually genki girl. Seeing her confusion, Aijou stuck her tongue out at Maya and accompanied it with a wink. “I sometimes listen to Junjun too, you know!”
“That’s quite a comparison, Aijou-san,” Maya chuckled, drinking more of her tea. She was actually pretty happy about the time she took off her day to just talk with Aijou. She had some very interesting insights. “But while we’re on the subject of the stone up the hill, what about you?”
“What do you mean?” Aijou asked.
“I apologize, let me clarify,” Maya cleared her throat. “What happens next for you? In just a short time, you will be performing Starlight with Kagura-san, and that’s been your lifelong dream has it not?” At Karen’s uncertain nod, Maya continued. “What comes next?
“I-I,”
Maya continued, ignoring Karen’s stuttering, “I apologize if this seems rude, but now has been the best I have seen you act, Aijou-san. In class and in practices, this is the first time I’ve seen your drive and hunger for the top position, and if it’s for the sake of Starlight then I will not judge. But what comes after? When the curtains close on you two, what happens after? A year from then? Five year? Ten? You’ve been driven by your promise to Kagura, you came to Seisho and became a Stage Girl in pursuit of that dream have you not? Then what happens to Aijou Karen when her very reason to become a Stage Girl disappears? Do you just cling to that memory of yours, hoping to recreate it forever, as Daiba-san did?”
“Starlight is precious to me,” Aijou said, looking so uncertain and scared that Maya felt a bit bad for asking, but she knew for Aijou’s sake that she had to press for an answer, that she had to make Aijou think. It would be too much of a waste if she gave up now, and risk Aijou burn away her brilliance into nothing. “Starlight is precious to me, but what’s after that…Hikari-chan…”
“I don’t know,” Aijou confessed, “I just, I really don’t know. I think a part of me never really…never really expected it would happen this soon? I always thought that our promised Starlight was going to happen when Hikari-chan and me were all grown up. Seisho…” She curled up on the chair, drawing her legs to her chest and laying her chin on top of it. Aijou took a deep breath, seeming to mull over Maya’s words. “Thank you for the concern Tendou-san, but as long as I’m with Hikari-chan, I’m sure I, the two of us, can handle what comes after. Whatever happens after our Starlight, I’ll get through it with Hikari-chan.”
The steely eyed look in Aijou’s eyes was genuine, she truly did believe in what she said, and at the very least, Maya had to acknowledge that backbone in her bearing. “Very well then Aijou-san,” Maya nodded her head at the girl, “Please consider this as a courtesy, from a previous lead to the new. While not my favorite, Starlight is a play I look fondly upon. I desire to see your interpretation of Flora, and hope to watch your brilliance upon the stages you stand on in the future. It would be a bad look for us if a Seisho Alumni dropped out of the industry after being the lead for our 100th festival performance. ” Maya joked.
Well, half-joked. Actors and actresses dropping out wasn’t exactly rare, but for a lead to do so after performing their most treasured play, and only in highschool, was unusual enough to raise a few eyebrows in the industry.
“What about you Tendou-san?” Aijou asked through a mouthful of one of the sweets from the box she had brought, immediately breaking Maya’s image of the cooler, introspective girl from just a few seconds ago. “What’s your favorite play?”
Maya immediately came up with the multiple productions she’s seen across the years that she found striking, interesting, ones that would stick with her forever, ones she still used as inspiration for her own performances.
National Theater’s
Phantom and RATS,
Season Theater’s
Death of a Businessman, Royal Academy’s
Sinful
and
Miss Ho Chi Minh
, all of them she loved, but for her favorite, there really was only one answer to that.
“Arrie,” She recalled, remembering the pretty little blond girl up on stage, singing her heart out and acting with the best of them. “My favorite play has to be Arrie. More specifically, the one with Taika Life a few years back.”
“Oh, that’s the one Kuro-chan is in!” Aijou exclaimed, nearly spilling her tea in excitement.
Maya nodded, “Indeed, the very same.” Maya could still recall her room in the Tendou household, still remember the poster of the Arrie performance up on her wall. Her father had even gotten Claudine to sign it, not that Maya would ever tell Claudine that. Maya would much rather see Claudine’s look of surprise when Maya shows it to her, if she ever comes over to her house. “I still revisit that performance from time to time. I own the Blurays for it,” Maya added for Aijou’s benefit. “I had my father buy it for me when I was a child.”
“Ehh, so you were a fan of Kuro-chan when you were a kid?”
“You could say that,” Maya hummed, picking up the teapot and pouring another cup for her, and then another for Aijou. “I watched Arrie live. My father took me to see it, told me to watch out for the lead. Back then, Saijou Claudine was one of the best actresses I’ve seen that was also my age, and it made an impression on me.” Maya stirred her tea as the memories continued to surface. “She’s always been the talk of the circles around me you know. In fact, I’ve auditioned for some roles and was passed up in favor of Saijou-san.”
“Kuro-chan?!” Aijou said, leaning over the table in her excitement or maybe shock, the two were interchangeable for her really.. “You were passed up for Kuro-chan!?”
“Yes,” Maya confirmed, “Quite a few roles actually.” The memories of those auditions still stung in all honesty, but ones she carried daily.
“Is that why you’re so obsessed with her?!” Aijou was practically laying down on the table now, though she seemed to not even realize she was doing it. “For revenge!? That’s so romantic!”
Maya quirked an eyebrow, “You have very strange ideas of romance, Aijou-san.” Maya continued to sip her tea, then frowned, “and no, that’s not the reason why I’m as attached to Saijou-san as I am.”
“So why are you and Kuro-chan that close then?” Aijou said, finally sitting back in her chair, though from the way she was vibrating with energy, she still didn’t let go of her energy. “Is it because you like her?”
Maya nearly choked on her tea at the upfront question. She coughed as her drink nearly went down the wrong pipe, dabbing at her lips with a handkerchief. “So inelegant,” she chided herself. “Why do you ask that?” She said, voice weaker than she meant it to be.
“Hikari-chan, and Mahiru-chan, and me talk about how close you two are, you know,” Aijou said, throwing her head back. “And Kaoruko-chan keeps saying that you two are already dating, but you just won’t admit it.” Aijou looked up and stared at Maya curiously. “Is it true?”
Maya leaned back on her chair and brought the cup to her lips, mulling over Aijou’s question.
Maya loved her current relationship with Saijou Claudine, love their rivalry and all it entailed, loved her fire, the way that they had taken each other to heights that would been impossible to reach on their own, loved their daily conversations about everything and nothing, loved the way Saijou Claudine seemed to perfectly fit with her.
But sometimes, just sometimes, Maya would have to admit it was exhausting to have to be number one, to perpetually flit out of Saijou Claudine’s reach, specially since the blonde grew ever brighter, ever more beautiful with each passing day. Even Maya, who strove to be the perfect Stage Person, recognized that Claudine’s approach to the stage was mesmerizing, almost to a blinding degree. It took everything Maya had, and more besides that, to keep on pace with Claudine’s almost frantic growth to be Top Star.
Aijou Karen by contrast, was easier to get along with. Always friendly, always eager to help, impossibly cheerful but - and Maya hesitated to even think it considering the past few occasions of brilliance that she had shown, but it was honestly just true - she could also be kind of adorably ignorant.
Maya privately thought that Karen didn’t even know who Maya’s parents were, though she wouldn’t confirm that anytime soon. It was a welcome breath of fresh air for Maya, to be able to let go of her parent’s expectations, and just relax. It felt the same as with Saijou Claudine really, though with Karen she didn’t have bouts of nervous butterflies in her stomach. Maya shook her head, she was getting distracted, she had to answer Aijou’s question, especially since the latter was looking more and more nervous with each second Maya didn’t say anything.
“Saijou-san and I,” Maya said carefully, setting her tea down. “Are what you could call friendly rivals. I appreciate her presence in my life, and that she helps me become a better actress every day.”
“Ehhhh.” Karen pouted, “Are you sure you’re just rivals? You guys are always together, even more than me and Hikari-chan and Mahiru-chan! You do your practices together, you always do the dances together, you even play all the roles together! You two are even really pretty, the prettiest in the school! You two are pretty perfect with each other you know!”
“Unfortunately, that’s all our relationship is,” Maya said softly, feeling a pang at the admission. “For now,” she added mentally.
“Okay, I’ve decided,” Aijou said, standing up and putting one hand on her waist, the other pointing at Maya’s face. “Mahiru-chan, Hikari-chan, and me are going to help you and Kuro-chan get together!”
Eh?
“Eh?”
“I know if we put our heads together, we’ll find a way to get you and Kuro-chan in a relationship!”
“A-Aijou-san, thank you for the sentiment, but that really is not necessar-”
“I’ll call Kaoruko-chan too, I know she’ll be happy to help!”
“I haven’t even said that I like Saijou-san,” Maya protested in alarm, moving around the table to prevent Aijou from contacting the devil. “And please, DO NOT contact Hanayagi-san.”
“It’s obvious you two like each other, you didn’t even deny it!” Aijou insisted, putting her palm on Maya’s face and pushing to prevent Maya from grabbing her phone. “Kaoruko-chan’s the only one with relationship experience, so I’m sure she’ll be able to give you some great advice!”
“I highly doubt that,” Maya stressed, batting away Aijou’s hand. “Hanyagi-san and Isurugi-san’s relationship isn’t exactly what I would call normal.”
“Just because they’re both girls?!” Aijou gasped in fake shock, hopping away from Maya. “I can’t believe you, of all people, would say that Tendou-san!”
“No, because one of them is a demon, don’t contact her!” Maya sprinted after Aijou as the latter ran away, the two of them passing a number of their classmates and underclassmen, even nearly bowling over Junna who was engrossed in a novel.
Maybe being friends with Aijou wasn’t going to be as easygoing as she expected, Maya mused as she pinned Aijou to the ground and grabbed her phone to see that the latter wasn’t even close to messaging Hanayagi.
Goodness, how does Tsuyuzaki handle both Aijou and Kagura at the same time? The girl must have the patience of a saint to keep up with those two.
Maya hummed to herself as Claudine stepped a bit too far back, nothing to completely mess up their flamenco, but enough for both of them to notice. Judging by the grimace forming on Claudine’s face, she wasn’t impressed with herself for the misstep, and called for a time out.
“You’re distracted,” Maya pointed out the obvious, taking steady gulps of water, doing everything in her power not to stare as Claudine bent over to grab her towel and bottle from her duffel bag. She failed as she always had of course, but that she made an effort at all should be commended Maya reasoned with herself. She instantly snapped her eyes away to stare at her phone that she had grabbed from her bag when Claudine turned to face her with a glare.
“No I’m not,” She grit out, pushing past Maya. “What would I even be distracted about?” Claudine angrily filled her bottle from the cooler in the dance room. “Why do you care anyway? Don’t you have Karen to chase after?”
“Is…is that why you’re mad?” Maya asked slowly, fiddling with her phone’s cover. “Because of Aijou-san?”
“I’m not mad,” Claudine sucked air through her teeth. “It’s just…what’s with you suddenly being buddy-buddy with Karen? Even shamelessly flirting with each other in front of the entire school? It’s been the talk of the entire school.” She added mockingly.
“Am I not allowed to be friends with Aijou-san?” Maya tilted her head at Claudine curiously. “She is a very entertaining person to be around, and if I’m not mistaken, you’re quite fond of her as well.”
“Yes,” Claudine snapped, “But you’re not exactly someone who invites people on a whim.”
Maya had to shrug. It wasn't a lie really, while she had been on good terms with most of her classmates, and would gladly spend the time with anyone if they asked, she isn’t particularly the type to have the initiative to invite them for something, Claudine being the only exception.
“I…just wanted to try and get closer to Aijou-san.” Maya hummed, leaning on the wall next to Claudine. “Ever since the…auditions, and the difference between the Aijou Karen I faced, and the one with Kagura Hikari by her side, I’ve been curious about her, I wanted to see what kind of heights she could reach.”
“Do you like her?” Claudine glared at Maya, and she had to step back at the suddenness of the accusation. “Karen already has Hikari and Mahiru, you know, they’ll eat you alive if you try to make a move on her.”
Maya slowly smiled at Claudine. Seeing her expression, Claudine genuinely looked mad -the first time Maya’s seen it, she’s seen Claudine annoyed, but never actually angry, and it hurt to see - and stormed away. Before she got too far, Maya grasped Claudine’s wrists, and gently pulled until she loosened up, facing Maya again, if reluctantly and with an angry tilt to her lips. Maya looked into Claudine’s eyes and tried to convey as much sincerity as she could.
“Saijou-san,” She said slowly, moving to hold Claudine’s hands. They were warm. It felt nice. “I promise, there is absolutely nothing between Aijiou-san and I..”
Slowly, gently, Maya intertwined her fingers around Claudine’s own. “Besides,” Maya said softly, stroking the back of Claudine’s hands with her thumbs. “I already have someone I very much like.”
“Vexing woman!” Claudine scoffed, though Maya was glad to see the dusting of pink on her cheeks that she wasn’t quite able to hide as Claudine turned away from Maya, but didn’t let go. In fact, Claudine grasped back, squeezing Maya’s hands, and she delighted at the comforting warmth from Claudine’s hands.
Wait, was she sweating? She wasn’t the type to have clammy hands, but if there was ever a time for it to suddenly be an issue, now would have been the exact perfect time for a cruel deity to give it to her. Her mother always did say that Maya’s body was unusually cold for…well for someone that was alive. Did Claudine think that was weird? Maya internally panicked at the thought, though she used every acting ability in her backpocket to maintain her cool expression.
“A-and who would that lucky person be,” Maya felt a catch in her throat, staring down at Claudine, her usual smirk replaced with a vulnerable expression, her eyes not looking back at Maya, but instead lower. At her lips Maya had to swallow at the realization. “to get the affection of one Tendou Maya?”
“Aijou Karen, entering the stage!”
Maya wanted to strangle the girl as she suddenly slammed open the door, proudly entering the room. Behind her, Tsuyuzaki looked like she was convinced she was still asleep as she stared at Aijou, and Kagura looked… well as she always did really. A weird mix of listlessness and attentiveness. Maya actually wanted to try and ask her sometime about that expression of hers, it was interestingly unique. Maya frowned internally. Would that be rude?
“Ara, Karen actually waking up early on a weekend? I feel like the world is going to end soon if you keep on doing this.” Claudine teased, back to her usual manner, any indication of her and Maya’s earlier conversation gone. “And what exactly possessed you to go practice this early in the morning? Poor Mahiru looks like she’s about to have a stroke Karen, you need to warn her when you’re doing something like this. I don’t think Mahiru can take it if you try to actually be responsible.”
“Talking with Tendou-san convinced me that I need to do better as the current lead for Starlight!” Aijou nodded to herself, drowning over Mahiru’s protests at Claudine’s statement. “That’s why I’ll be joining Kuro-chan and Tendou-san in weekend practices!” She gave Maya a wink and a thumbs up, and wriggled her eyebrows over at Claudine. Maya thought that Aijou believed she was trying to be subtle, but she really, really wasn’t.
If Maya had any doubts as to what Aijou was planning when she joined the two of them for their usual weekend practice, it disappeared when she, to Maya’s horror, began to play matchmaker for the two of them in the bluntest manner possible, even more when Kagura tried to help Aijou.
Brilliant actresses the two may be, but subtle and helpful in anything related to romance they were not.
It was probably the closest she felt to crying in Seisho, Maya thought, as Aijou and Kagura stretched and talked about how attractive Maya was, Maya’s good points, and how Maya needed a partner to deal with life, complete with nudging Claudine with her elbow.
Maya gave up trying to protect her image when Kagura helpfully said that Maya was a lesbian. Maya grabbed Kagura by the back of her neck and dragged her to the other side of the room to practice with her, keeping her away from Claudine and preventing her from shattering Maya’s dignity any further.
Thankfully, Aijou exhibited some degree of being able to read the room and left Tsuyuzaki with Claudine as her partner and bounded over to Maya and Kagura like a puppy.
“Nice assist Hikari-chan,” She whispered, loud enough for both Claudine and Tsuyuzaki to hear her. “We’ll get you and Kuro-chan together soon, Tendou-san.” She gave Maya another thumbs up, Kagura giving two. The two of them looked so proud of each other, Aijou even threw her free hand around Kagura’s shoulders in camaraderie. "It's a KarenHika promise!"
Maya wanted to beat her head against a wall.
“Did it work?” Aijou asked as she sat down on the chair across Maya, the two of them on the garden table they’ve met at previously. It was interesting, Maya had to admit, that Aijou actually believed that their haphazard plan would work. “Are you and Kuro-chan together now?”
“No it did not,” Maya broke the unfortunate news to her. Aijou frowned, snapping her fingers in distress.
“Drats, I can’t believe it failed,” She muttered, looking so honestly disappointed that Maya had to confirm if it was an act or not . “Hikari-chan told me it was perfect though.”
“Kagura has some…very interesting ideas about, well, everything really.” Maya observed, pouring a cup of tea for Aijou, thanking the latter for bringing another box of sweets, this time some baumkuchen from the nearby bakery, to her delight.
“Hikari-chan’s always been like that!” Aijou gushed, groaning in pleasure at the taste of the treat. Maya understood the sentiment wholeheartedly, though she made sure to keep any sound from leaking out. “Ever since we were kids, she could be a bit weird at times!” Maya inwardly raised an eyebrow. That was quite an accusation to make considering who it came from.
“Aijou-san,” Maya said suddenly, remembering something that she had noticed the past few days of observing the girl. “Why am I the only one you call by my family name?” Maya found it hard to believe it took her this long to become aware of the fact. Not just the eight people that Maya had interacted with the most in Seisho, but their entire class Aijou was in first-name terms with. And not only them, but the entirety of Class B, and all of their underclassmen, Aijou knew and called by their first name, and almost all of them reciprocated.
“Well,” Aijou scratched at her cheek. “It’s just, I always felt some respect for you as the class Top Star I guess, so it felt awkward calling you by your first name.”
“If that’s the case,” Maya said. “Wouldn’t it be appropriate for us to call each other by our first names now? You are currently the lead of Starlight.”
Aijou’s eyes widened as if she didn’t realize it yet. “That’s right,” She said in wonder, suddenly sinking back in her chair. “I… I guess I am.” Aijou took a deep sip from her tea, and Maya enjoyed the companionable silence between the two of them. “Is it okay?” She asked. “Can I really call you by your given name?”
“Only if you would allow me to call you by yours,” Maya smiled in response.
“Maya-chan then!” Karen grin lit up the garden. Maya could definitely see why so many people were so taken with her, she had that easy charisma that one couldn’t help but be drawn towards.
“Thank you, Karen-san.”
“You know, you really should ask Kuro-chan out, I’m pretty sure she likes you as well.”
“I’ll…take that into account, thank you.”
“Good morning Maya-chan!”
The silence that blanketed the classroom door when Karen greeted Maya wouldn’t be out of place in those dreadful horror movies that their dorm(Futaba and Kaoruko) insisted they keep watching at night.
Maya tilted her in acknowledgment of Karen’s greeting. “Good morning as well, Karen-san.”
Maya had to admit, she didn’t think it was possible for dead silence to become even quieter, and yet Class-A managed it with just a reply from her. Theater kids can be so needlessly dramatic at times. Maya was just greeting a friend, no need to react and stare that much. Behind Karen, Maya could swear that Tsuyuzaki was having an aneurysm, and Kagura looked like she was trying to burn a hole in Maya with just her gaze.
Out of the corner of her eye, Maya spotted Claudine openly gaping at the two of them. Maya smiled, and winked at her and mouthed something.
Claudine snapped her mouth shut and glared at the window outside. She probably didn’t understand what Maya was saying. Maya didn’t know what she said either, she just wanted to tease the blonde.
“Woah, why the sudden change Karen?” Futaba asked, coming over from her desk with Kaoruko in tow.
“Ara, is there something we should be knowing about?” Kaoruko poked her head in the conversation, as she usually did whenever something she deemed interesting was on the line. “Did you and Tendou-han have a secret tryst that no one is privy to?”
“That’s a secret,” Karen winked at Kaoruko, and then ruined the effect by immediately following up with, “What’s a tryst?”
Taking the opportunity for what it was, Maya left her seat to stand next to Claudine’s seat who was still stubbornly trying to ignore Maya’s existence.
Well if Claudine wanted to play that game…
“Saijou-san,” Maya breathed into Claudine’s ear while the rest of the class was distracted by Karen’s general exuberance. Maya delighted in the way Claudine’s ears turned pink, and the way her entire body stiffened at just a simple word from Maya. “I believe we still have a conversation to continue from earlier this weekend. I’ll be waiting in our usual place after class today,” Maya finished by blowing into her ear, grinning from ear to ear as she went back to her seat. Did Claudine hear her heartbeat? She must have, Maya’s heart was hammering at speeds that was quite frankly dangerous in overexcitement at what she just did.
While waiting for their teacher, Maya opened a notebook that Karen had helped her with the day previous. On the top of the page read How to sedoose Kuro-chan in Karen’s handwriting.
Maya was honestly impressed Karen misspelled the kanji that badly, though her plan seemed to be working so far, so Maya wouldn’t fault her for that. Maya would judge her for taking advice from Hanayagi though, even if it did look like it was effective against Claudine.
Maya continued reading the plans that she and Karen had thought up on how to get Claudine to admit her feelings. While Maya was pretty sure Claudine reciprocated - and GOD did she want to jump up on her table and sing to the world at just the thought of it - she also didn’t have confirmation yet.
Still, whether the stupid plan worked or not, Maya felt that reaching out to Karen was a good idea. It was nice, having a friend like her.