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Once upon a time, in a land far, far away was the kingdom of Strawberria. The people in Strawberria were very small — about the size of a real life strawberry. They lived in cozy cottages painted in the warmest of colors and lived the simplest of lives. Agriculture, music, and taking care of animals were very important to them. There was no poverty, no war, and all disagreements were solved through calm conversation.
This paradise had one princess. Rini Kiichigo. Her dark brown hair was cut in a soft pixie cut. She had tanned skin. Her eyes were the color of amber gems. She wore a lovely red dress. Her royal duties were taste-testing the strawberries, napping in the afternoon, petting the royal cats, and playing the royal guitar. Rini was understood and loved by her subjects. She had the biggest heart, but she wasn't completely content. There was something her heart longed for. Or.. someone.
People watched her play guitar, but there was no one she could play guitar with. She loved napping with her cats, but she sometimes wishes she were napping with another person. She wanted someone to share quiet life with.
One day, while Rini was walking in town, she tripped on a crack and fell. She didn't fall to soft ground, she fell and landed on rough concrete. She looked up and saw people walking around her. No one cared that she had fallen. No one even spared her a glance. The sun was too bright and the noises were too loud. She realized she was no longer in Strawberria. She was on Earth.
Overwhelmed by the noise, Rini cried in pitiful silence. After some time, she got up on her legs and stood up. She couldn't stay there. She needed to figure out how to survive in this new world.
Earth was different. People smiled when they weren't happy and said things they didn't mean. It wasn't like that back home. Rini had to adjust if she wanted to survive, so she started smiling even if she wasn't happy. She still couldn't say things she didn't mean. That part would never change no matter how hard she tried. People thought she was too honest. They thought she was childish. They made her think she was too much and not enough at the same time.
At first she tried to make everyone happy. Maybe then she'd be understood and loved like she was in Strawberria. Unfortunately, Earth wasn't Strawberria. You can't make people understand you. You can't make people love you
When she realized this, she decided to make her own world. Her Strawberria. She would then teach people how to play guitar to make money so that she could buy small things that would make living on Earth a little easier. She bought all the strawberry trinkets she could afford. She bought jasmine tea. And of course, she bought actual strawberries. She was no longer trying to make people love her. She was now trying to love herself.
And then she met a student that wasn't like the rest. She was different. Her hair was blue and she wore dark clothing. Her name was Shiori Fujimoto.
Shiori saw her. Really saw her. She saw the strawberries, the soft clothing, and honesty. She also saw the fake smiles and loneliness. She was intimidating and weird to other people, but to Rini, she felt like home.
Rini decided to tell Shiori the truth. That she was different. That she wasn't from this world. Shiori didn't seem surprised.
"I think I always knew." Shiori said
"Earth isn't anything like Strawberria. I'm sure you know that by now, Rini. People are complicated. You're never going to be enough for them. That's just the truth."
She paused.
"But you're never too much for me. You're exactly the right amount. I can't promise that you'll get home. I can't promise that we'll be together forever. But I can promise to be your quiet. It's not much, but it's all I can give you. Is that okay?"
Of course it was okay. It was more than okay. It was everything.
Rini hugged her tight and cried.
This is who she was waiting for.
Shiori was who she waited to play guitar with. Shiori was who she wanted to nap with. She finally had someone to live with.
Rini had to lose Strawberria to gain Shiori.
She thinks it was worth it.