Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Alice and Masayoshi are Indifferent:Prologue

2011-06-24T18:38:04Z

219.79.104.229:

* Gripping the overhanging safety handle, Masayoshi Suzuki gazed out from the
train window at the passing scenery. Because the train for commuting to
school was always overcrowded, it was a view he was quite fed up with.
Besides those taking the train to their offices in Tokyo, along the Uchibou
Line there are a large number of High Schools and Universities, as well as it
being part of the Keiyou Engineering Area, the morning rush wasn't something
to take lightly. He could hear the conversation of a group of office ladies
nearby.

"That looks like a groping"

"Really? Which girl?"

"By the window with the curly hair, and the white sailor uniform."

"Ah, it is. Poor thing, she's shaking like a little bird."

The white sailor uniform was the designated uniform for Motochiba High
School. Thinking "Eh?" to himself, he turned his head towards the door and
saw waving, lightly dyed hair.

He couldn't make out the face without squinting, but he could make out some
color distinction around her collar. Her ears and cheeks were flushed red,
and he could tell she looked about ready to cry.

The girl with the small build was Alice Azekura from the same class.

---She was a strange one.

Alice was someone who really stood out.

Just short of being an celebrity singer she was otherworldly beautiful, and
wore her classically designed uniform such that all the girls would think of
it as a fashionable piece. Her large dark eyes and long eyebrows stood out,
and when she smiled it reminded one of Alice in Wonderland from the Disney
animation.

She was often called the hidden Idol of Motochiba High. She was undeniably
someone who would be sought out as a target for groping.

The university-like student who stood just behind her had a strange smile on
his face, as his arm moved strangely up and down. His sordid expression made
it hard to draw a conclusion.

"Poor thing, she's crying..."

People were whispering quietly, but nobody said anything, nobody did
anything.

The train was ruled by a certain type of nervous atmosphere, as it continued
on unslowing to the next station.

"Excuse me, please let me through."

As Masayoshi proceeded through the crowd of people, he twisted his body
before Alice. The office worker he displaced looked annoyed with the action.

"Suzuki-kun..."

With her eyes brimming with tears, Alice looked up at Masayoshi. Keeping her
covered with his back, he whispered to her.

"Stay behind me, and I'll protect you."

Masayoshi glared at the university student. He didn't say any cool lines like
"Stop groping," but just moved his school bag behind him, and continued to
stare intently at the groper.

---This is scary after all...Ah, I'm freaked...Dang I'm sweating...
---Don't shake...Don't shake, me...

Telling this to himself, he suppressed the shaking that was welling up deep
in his body.

"Wh, what is it, jerk?"

The university students voice came out weak and stuttering. The perverted
smile from a moment ago had vanished, replaced with an expression that
revealed his nervousness.

Masayoshi knew how others thought of him.

Of average build and normal height. The collar on his uniform wasn't popped,
but kept neat. His face was nothing special. His grades showed he was good at
the sciences, but was weak in the liberal arts. He preferred track-and-field
to sports where a ball was used. In other words he was just an ordinary
student like any other.

However, if one thing could be said of his differences, it is that his hair
was of unusual length proceeding past his shoulders, and his bangs covered
his eyes, causing him to be called dark or creepy on occasion. Rumors of his
parents only added to the scariness, and were like spurs to a horse.

So taking his impression in a different direction, he should be able to help
out his classmate without resorting to physical means.

"Hey, ain't that Suzuki?"

"Yeah, isn't he the son of a Yakuza member?"

"Aah, I've heard that. He's a punk around here right? His old man is shaved,
and called Boss or Teacher."

"Also Suzuki's mother wears a kimono everywhere, is called Big Sister and is
crazy strong."

With inexplicably good timing, the students at Motochiba High started voicing
the rumors about him. Usually upon hearing these rumors he wouldn't feel
pleased in any way, but just this once he felt thankful for them.

The university student turned a shade of deep green. It seemed he really
thought the long haired youth in front of him really was the son of a Yakuza
gang leader.

The train stopped suddenly, and the door slid open. It was Motochiba Station.
Extremely nervous and fearful, Masayoshi hadn't noticed the train decreasing
in speed.

Pushed out by the crowd he exited onto the platform.

"Kyaa!"

He grabbed ahold of Alice just before she fell.

"You okay?"

The hand was small yet warm.

"Waaa!"

The university student had disembarked simultaneously, and letting out a
small cry he leapt back into the train. Masayoshi noticed his face was pulled
back and pale.

The doors closed, and the train holding the terrified university student
headed off to Chiba Station.

Alice, who's face was redder than a tomato, turned her head downward, and
with a face tearing up, sniffed quietly.
[[Image:Alice07.jpg|thumb]]
"You okay?"

Upon hearing his question a second time, Alice blew her nose, and scrunched
up her face. Tear drops continued to drip from her eyes. Masayoshi had an
epiphany that a cute girl looks cute no matter what.

"So....Na.....I..."

"Heh?"

"Suzuki-kun, I hate you.....!"

Her sharp voice lashed out, and she shook her fists violently. Averting her
gaze, she turned on her heel and ran off. The direction she chose wasn't for
the Station's West Gate, which most of the students exited by, but the East
Gate. The East Gate was farther away, so what kind of reason could she have?

Her attitude was just as if he had bullied her, which caused him to feel a
pain in his chest.

He took a deep breath.

---Whatever, it's no big deal. I'm used to this kinda thing anyway.

It seemed his act of kindness had been unwarranted. Human relations is such a
difficult topic. But, Masayoshi thought to himself, it didn't really matter
because he hadn't helped her while hoping for gratitude in return.

There was no one he could really call a friend. Nearly a floating existence
in the classroom, he wasn't really connected, but he still knew what people
said about Alice.

"It can't be helped. After all, she is strange-chan."

Masayoshi shook his head, causing his hair to wave around. Giving out one
more deep breath, he ejected his melancholic mood, then proceed off towards
the West Exit.

At this time, practically all of those exiting the station are Motochiba High
students. The road that led to the school was filled with students wearing
the dull colored, standard school uniform.

"Kyaa...!"

As though his feelings were conveyed through a dark aura surrounding him, a
first year girl walking beside him let out a faint scream.

There was another student with a concerned expression on her face watching as
the long haired boy walked off.

It was a girl wearing silver glasses and giving off an impression of deep
wisdom.

Atsuko Yuzuki. The Student President of Motochiba High.

She wore her uniform per code, and her scarf was evenly balanced to the left
and right.

She had just been about to call out to Masayoshi when she had been tapped on
the shoulder by a friend. After talking light heartedly with her, she turned
again to the station exit, but Masayoshi had already gone.

Her lips formed the words, "Sorry."

<noinclude>

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"

|-

| Return to [[Alice and Masayoshi are Indifferent|the main page]]

|-

|}

</noinclude>

Chapter 1 – First Period - The Strangeness of Alice Teaser

2011-06-24T18:34:14Z

219.79.104.229:

Alice continued walking disparringly.

---Ah geez, why do I always end up like this.

Without giving a proper thank you, she had actually yelled something
negative. It was too cruel.

---It's because of things like this that everyone calls me strange-chan. I
have to do better.

She was in the mood to pound her head.

Being lost in the fear of being groped, and the feeling of security after
having being helped, and the self-dislike at her embarrassment, many feelings
had mixed together, and she had yelled that she hated him...

Her face was still burning. Her cheeks must be really red.

She trudged forward, her gaze directed towards the ground.

Even if a shining tomorrow awaited, Alice could only feel the irony of her
selfloathing.

"Alice-chin, morning!"

"Kyau!"

Slapped on the back Alice had nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Oh, Yuka. Morning."

Yuka Tajima. A lean, tall figure, and a smile that showed she could tolerate
anything. She was Alice's close friend, and somewhat of an older sister to
her as well.

"You're late today."

"Yeah. You think we can make it?"

"No problem, we'll definitely make it. It's going to be close though."

Panicking, she had taken the East Exit, resulting in her taking the longer
route.

The usually student filled street to Motochiba High was now nearly empty,
resulting in a severe decrease in the amount of white from the uniforms one
could see.

"What were you making all those faces for?"

"Uhm...ehh...n, no reason really!"

There was no way she could say she had been groped.

Having her bottom touched was too embarrassing.

The fact that Suzuki-kun who had helped her had looked like a prince was
something she could never mention.

"Hmmmm. It was probably because you were busy reading one of those Saphire
novels, and nearly missed getting off the train."

Alice's already scarlet face deepened further.

Safire novels were books written for girls that depicted acts beyond kissing.
In the sparkling world of a prince and princess, these romantic scenes were
added compared with other novels.

Alice had reading one of the Safire novels in the train. It had happened
right as the Prince had pulled the Princess close and kissed her.

That's when she had her bottom touched.

---It might be all my fault.

Because she had been reading a slightly erotic girls novel, a special aura
had developed, and that might be the reason things had turned out the way
they had.

Trying to run away from her embarrassment had only created more embarrassment,
and had led to her shouting the word 'hate'.

"That's not it, I really did get off alright."

"Don't look like your about to burst out in tears. Ah, geez, it's because
you're so cute Alice. When you start to get flustered, you say a whole bunch
of stuff that doesn't make any sense."

Yes. That was exactly right.

In a panic, she would say things she wouldn't mean. She had yelled something
really extreme.

"That's why I'm always called strange-chan huh..."

"What's wrong? You're pretty dark today. Your good point is that you're
always pretty easy-going."

Alice was easy-going. Because of that she wasn't able to match the world's
rhythm. She always tried her hardest to be a part of it, but she was always
one beat off.

She was always thinking of her own fancies, and would say things that didn't
match some situation, which had led to her being called strange-chan.

"You don't have to try and match, just be yourself, and we'll follow you."

Yuka's words were very soothing.

Alice hugged Yuka tightly, causing the area of her uniform covering her
breasts to rub against Yuka's.

"Yuka is like my older sister! Gee I just love you...!"

"Ahn, okay okay you're cute! I like you too."

Yuka rubbed Alice's head.

The other students on the road watched the rare romantic scene unfolding
before them.

*

Masayoshi was erasing the blackboard on which had been written all manner of
rumors and the like. He wanted to have the blackboard clean before class
started.

Erasing the blackboard was a daily assigned job, but somehow Masayoshi had
become the one in charge of erasing.

The morning sun streaming in brightened the room and softly lighted all the
students who were passing time in their own ways.

"Haha, that so?"

A laughing voice could be heard. It was Azekura Alice and Tajima Yuka as well
as Sasaki Kaori were all laughing happily together.

"Haha, No way. geez Kaori..."

The combination of easygoing Alice, tall, older sister Yuka, and the quiet
Sasaki who didn't speak much, was strange, but they all enjoyed each others
company and were good friends.

Alice lifted her face.

Her eyes met Masayoshi's.

"Hauu..."

Alice let out a strange sound, and took a sharp breath.

Her pupil had become as large as her eye.

He wanted to avert his gaze but couldn't.

Even while thinking this was bad, he couldn't help it. Alice's face lowered.

"Eguu..."

When she lifter her face, tears were streaming down it.

It's not like he was trying to glare down at her, but just like with an
elementary school kid a while back, she was crying after looking him in the
eyes. Tajima held Alice while Sasaki patted her on the back.

"Suzuki-kun, why are you making Alice cry?"

Tajima's voice was sharp and piercing.

The classroom which had been lively until now suddenly turned silent.
Everyone stared intently at Tajima, Masayoshi and Alice trying to find what
was going on.

"What? What's happening?"

"Seems Suzuki's been bullying Alice."

Whispering had broken out in the room.

Masayoshi replied softly.

"I didn't do anything."

"Don't lie, you were glaring at Alice. She's scared."

"I wasn't glaring."

"Then why is she crying?"

"Tajima, let's stop there."

Perhaps it was due to the silver glasses she wore, but the girl who spoke
looked full of knowledge.

"I didn't see Suzuki-kun do anything wrong, and Tajima you should know as
well."

The clear voice one would expect from the Student Body President had the
affect of silencing Tajima Yuka who had been acting to protect her friend.

"Azekura, what you're doing isn't right either. Don't you feel bad for
Suzuki-kun?"

The Student Body President addressed Alice as though she were giving a
lecture.

Alice hiccupped lightly, turning to face Atsuko.

The classroom became even quieter.

Wrapped in nervousness, somewhere not too far off a chime rang.

Alice stood up abruptly, causing the chair to make a great deal of noise as
she did. She turned her head this way and that frantically. Her lightly dyed
hair flew back and forth. The scent of her floral shampoo filled the air.

"I was just crying from remembering something is all. It has nothing to do
with Suzuki-kun. I'm so sorry! Hwaaaaaaah!!"

Alice's voice resounded loudly through the room.

It seemed everyone was willing to accept that response.

"She is strange-chan after all."

No matter how one looked at it bursting out in tears was a rare occurrence,
but it seemed to be accepted as part of the strange girls personality.
Laughing out loud all of a sudden and staring off in to space, causing the
teacher's question to be answered off the mark were aspects of who Alice was.

She was off beat with the rest by just a small margin. Yet it matched her
strangeness and surrounding atmosphere that it had all but become a matter
that took a little forgiveness because she was cute.

She wasn't an existed that shone brightly, instead she was a pretty girl who
was enjoyable to watch. The schools hidden idol.

That was the standing of Azekura Alice.

Glad that he was able to unlock his gaze from hers, Masayoshi returned to
vigourously erasing the remaining remarks written on the blackboard.

Atsuko released a deep breath, and returned to her seat.

"We're starting shortened homeroom everyone!"

The classroom door slid open with a rough shaking sound, and thee homeroom
teacher Sadou entered.

Masayoshi returned the eraser to its place on the blackboard, and returned to
his seat.

"Woooah! Azekura, what happened?! Why are you crying?! Someone wasn't
bullying you were they?! Or are you crying from remembering something!?"

The classroom boiled over. After all, Alice's sobbing had come from her
remembering something.

"I, I'm going to go to the restroom."

"No, it's okay Kao-chan. Thanks though."

"Use this."

Tajima held out a tissue.

"Thanks. I'll be back soon. Mr. Sadou, excuse me."

"Make sure you return before overtime."

"Shouldn't it be before class ends?"

With someone's weak attempt at a joke following her, Alice exited the
classroom, the sound of her shoes on the floor revealing the speed at which
she left.

---Ah~, why did I cry...I can't believe me...!

Alice was vigorously scrubbing her face at a sink in the girls bathroom. As
class had already started, there was nobody in the restroom, which meant
Alice was alone in the silence.

To her burning face, the cold water came as a welcome relief.

When she and Masayoshi had locked gazes, she had recalled everything that had
happened in the morning train, filling her with embarrassment and causing her
to burst out into tears.

The way she had cried was just as if the wall to a flood gate had burst.

"All of a sudden crying like that really isn't good."

It was just as the student council president had said.To not just refrain
from saying a word of thanks to someone who had helped her, but to go so far
as to yell loudly that she hated him and run away was the worst possible
thing she could have done.

Differing from the time she was in middle school, she had friends now who
would cover for her when she did something odd, so her eccentricity was able
to be played down somewhat, but it's not as if her friends would always be
there.

If things continued the way they were, there was no guarantee things wouldn't
become a repeat of her middle school days.

When she had been groped, when something bad she didn't like happened, she
had wanted to be able to say "stop it."

When she had been helped, when someone had shown her kindness she wanted to
be able to say "thank you."

If she could only change little by little, if she could just become a little
bit more positive, she should be able to stop doing things like bursting out
in tears all of a sudden, and getting separated from the rhythm of everyone
else.

--I'm definitely going to tell Suzuki-kun. Courage, Alice!

"I can do this!"

Alice clenched her hands into fists beside her, and shook them vigourously
back and forth.

She was determined to say "thank you" and "I'm sorry" to Masayohi. By the end
of the day at all costs. It's still morning, so if she continued following
Masayoshi, she should be able to talk to him when he's alone.

--That makes me wonder, Suzuki-kun. Why were you erasing the blackboard? Ah,
it's because you're the class rep, right?

Suzuki-kun is that kind of person...Alice, her eyes reeling from shock,
continued to watch Masayoshi.

During the break after first period and before second. After promptly erasing
the blackboard, he moved to the back of the classroom.

Taking out the trash bag lining the garbage bin, Masayoshi then carefully
replaced it with a new one.

He took the bag full of garbage, and walked out into the hallway. He returned
back to the classroom just as the chime signaling the next class sounded. He
must have gone to the school's disposal facility, as when he returned he did
so empty-handed.

During second period.

Going to the staff office to retrieve a printout the teacher had forgotten
and asked him to retrieve, Masayoshi had picked up a piece of trash and upon
returning to the classroom quickly threw it into the bin.

During the break between second and third period.

After erasing the black board careful to make sure nothing was left, he
cleaned the blackboard eraser.

During the break between third and fourth period.

Having Handed out the notes for the Language class, which the teacher had
requested of him, he erased the black board before returning to his seat.

--I had no idea...Suzuki-kun did this much of the classroom cleaning. Is it
because he's the class rep? That just can't be it. Erasing the blackboard is
the job of the one who's day it is, and throwing out the trash can't be one
of the duties of the class representative.

To Alice, Masayoshi was a classmate with long hair who had a rather dark
atmosphere about him. Nothing more, and nothing less. Masayoshi's family
being associated with a Yakuza gang was famous, and so Alice had heard it of
course, but had never really given it any thought.

She had only spent a single day watching him, and already the scales were
falling from her eyes.
[[Image:Alice23.jpg|thumb]]
The true form of the so-called protligate son with a frightful dark demeanor
was actually a boy who would make an excellent bride.

The scales that had clung to Alice's eyes had been so thick that she couldn't
help but be totally taken aback.

"You know, Suzuki-kun is always doing the classroom jobs nobody else wants
to."

Eating her fried egg home-made lunch, Alice tried bringing him into their
conversation. The lunch she hand-made everyday was colorful and looked truly
delicious.

Masayoshi took a bento-like box wrapped in cloth, and holding it close to his
chest, left the classroom.

She actually really wanted to follow him and continue her observations, but
lunch time was a time for her to be with her friends, so she couldn't.

"Huh? Really?"

Yuka said, continuing to eat her meatloaf.

"Isn't it because he's the class rep?"

"Nah...It's like he's doing things beyond his duty as the class rep, or you
could say it's like he'll make a good bride..."

"Hah, a bride...?!"

Kao-chan said laughing, as she ate a sandwich from a convenience store.

"That's right. Alice you started crying after he glared at you. There's no
way love has blossomed is there?"

Yuka said, poking fun at her.

--Love has blossomed?

The cooled crab cream croquet she had been holding with her chopsticks
dropped to the ground.

Alice remained spaced out, oblivious to the fact.

"Alice, you dropped your croquet."

"Heh? Ah! My croquet...! It was my favorite and I dropped it..."

Tears again began streaming down her face.

"Don't cry over a croquet! I'll give you mine, okay?"

"Alice, don't go on a trip while eating your bento."

It was a lively moment the group of friends shared.

Masayoshi must be eating his bento around now. Perhaps with his friends, at
the school cafeteria or maybe even on the roof.

--It couldn't be, not with...his girlfriend?

--I wonder if Suzuki-kun has a girlfriend?

--Ah, geez! What's wrong with me? Why am I so concerned about Suzuki-kun?

Before her eyes there was an explosion as of a balloon popping.

Kao-chan had clapped her hands in front of Alice's face.

"Geez, Alice. You're all spacy today. If you going for a trip, do it after
you've eaten your lunch. Otherwise you'll miss out and won't be able to eat."

Kao-chan said in a worried tone.

"Ehh...you're right. Yuka, Kao-chan, thanks."

Alice began moving her chopsticks in a flurry.

<noinclude>

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"

|-

| Return to [[Alice and Masayoshi are Indifferent|the main page]]

|-

|}

</noinclude>