Shinomiya Kaguya S.S - Ribbon

Shinomiya Kaguya, the very first daughter of the Shinomiya family. That was all what Kaguya was known for.

No matter what she did, the only thing that made her powerful in the eyes of spectators were her surname.

People feared her, because they were afraid of being enemies with her family.

It was never because of her hard work, nor achievements. It was always because she was a 'Shinomiya'

To add to that, her family instilled a harsh mindset into her, giving her a sharp tongue, and a cold personality.

Due to that, people chose to stay away from her. They chose to save themselves from the carnage that Kaguya might bring them.

They were scared of her sharp personality, and her family.

And such isolation made Kaguya extremely lonely.

Her lack of friends had never gave her the opportunity to learn stuff that other people normally would.

Things like friendships were things she never found interesting, nor useless.

To her, all people around her were just that. People. People that don't matter to her life. And people that she doesn't really care about.

However, it seemed like even she had once, desired for a friend to spend time with.

"Shinomiya-san, would you like to have lunch with us?" The Class Representative, Hironaka Kaori, asked her a few days just after classes started.

Kaori's words made Kaguya's eyes narrow in confusion and suspicion.

People only talked to her if they needed something. That was why Kaguya's initial thought was that they needed something from her.

Well, Kaguya wouldn't put it past this girl, and her male friend, Kiyotaka.

Despite the duo's seemingly peaceful appearance in the class, Kaguya knew that they were far more powerful than that.

Truly, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Call it a gut feeling on her part.

There must be something behind that kindess that Kaori was showing her.

But for now, she just went along, knowing she could well defend herself from any harm.

However..

"Shinomiya, do you want some wieners?"

"Shinomiya, wanna trade a sandwich for that salad in your plate?" Kaguya's frown deepened.

It wasn't just Kaori. Shirogane Miyuki and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka are also being awfully kind to her.

This.. Felt different. Their treatment towards her felt real..

She cannot feel any hidden motived behind their actions, even as they made her meal a bit more unhealthy with their own.

At this point, even her own lunch became a mix and match of food that isn't even her's.

"Man, you really eat healthy, don't you? Try to fatten up a little bit."

"Geez, that's rude, Akabane-kun.." Then there's Akabane Karma whose always butting heads with her, for some reason.

However, even if he does such things, Kaguya didn't mind, for some reason.

Having people around her didn't feel bad, after all.

"Geez, you're quite odd aren't you, Akabane?"

"You sound like a grandpa, Ayanokouji."

"Haha.. I kind of see what you mean, Akabane.."

"Ouch.. Kaori, they're bullying me."

"Uhh... What am I supposed to do here exactly–?" Slowly, Kaguya became used to this kind of life. A life with her own friends that she can be around with.

Maybe, the reason that she gave in so easily to these people was, deep inside, this was something she had truly wished for.

Maybe, all this time, she yearned to have people she can get along with, and people she can relate with.

"Kaguya-chan, Kaguya-chan!" Kaori smiled, calling out her first name with such an embarrassing suffix that no one ever dared to call her.

It was yet another new thing that was presented to Kaguya by her friends.

However, she didn't feel annoyed. Rather, it gave way to some.. Rather pleasant feelings.

For once, Kaguya felt light, and happy, if it was even that.

"Hm, Kaguya it is then."

"Then, I'm Karma, Kaguya-san. Nice to meet 'cha!" Such words made Kaguya feel more lighter. She felt like she could do anything, right now, just from their words, alone.

Yes, even words from Karma.

Was this the effect of having friends, she wondered?

This feeling of holding someone close.. She never knew that it would be this pleasant.

However, if there was someone she had cherished more than anybody else..

"Shi.... Kaguya.. San. Want to grab some tea with me? Kaori asked me to buy some for some reason, but it's kinda boring to go alone." After their classes that day, Miyuki invited Kaguya out to a tea shop with her.

"Just us?"

"Just us." That was a first, Kaguya thought. No one had invited her ever to go out solo, all on their own.

But, Kaguya didn't hate it, for some odd reason. Rather, it made her feel more of that pleasant feeling in her chest.

And so, being the greedy girl that Shinomiya Kaguya is, she craved for more.

"Sure." Kaguya answered curtly. And thus began her friendly relationship with Shirogane Miyuki.

At first, things were awkward between them. Maybe, it was because Kaguya had never been alone with a man before. Or maybe, it was because Miyuki was never sociable in the first place.

Their walk to the mall was long, and quiet. No one bothered to talk between them, nor did anyone bother to start a conversation between them.

But, Kaguya didn't care. She was already used to this awkward silence, anyways.

So she just fastened her pace, hoping this'll end eventually. She didn't want to waste even more time with people.

Eventually, they arrived at the mall. And the moment they did, Miyuki seemed to have finally mustered up the courage to talk to Kaguya.

"So... K-kaguya.... San.."

"Just Kaguya is fine." Kaguya wondered why Miyuki was so flustered around her.

Unlike Kaori and the others who just jumped at the opportunity to call one another by her first name, Miyuki hesitated.

However, he never had any problems calling Karma, Kiyotaka, nor Kaori by their first names.

Somehow, it made Kaguya's heart ache a tiny bit.

"Uh.. Kaguya.. Do you have any hobbies..?" Hobbies..

That one word echoed endlessly in Kaguya's mind.

As a child from the Shinomiya family, she was not allowed such a privilege. The things she do are done because they're important for her to learn.

However, these past few days with her friends changed that notion. And so..,

"I guess.. I still don't know..?" Her words came out as a question. And yet, those words felt right.

Before, her maid had made her think of things she could say in situations like these; situations where one asks questions to get to know the other person.

And of course, Kaguya had already prepared a half-hearted answer that didn't even feel right. She honestly thought that her hobbies were the things that she does every single day like archery.

However, spending time with her friends made her understand that hobbies aren't just things that you do. They are something that you enjoy.

And.. She knew that she didn't have anything like that yet.

She could just lie to Miyuki right here and now. However, that.. Didn't feel right to Kaguya.

It was quite ironic, coming from someone like her. But well, at the end of the day, she's still a human that feels guilty, after all.

"Oh, uh.. Sorry for asking something like that..

But I guess, you won't have to worry about that anymore. I just have this odd feeling that someday, you'll eventually find something that you'd like." Miyuki smiled, his shy personality just from earlier suddenly disappearing.

Miyuki's smile made Kaguya panic a little bit. She was used to men smiling at her, and trying to catch her attention, yes. But, Miyuki's smile was a first for her.

A smile that didn't hide anything, but pure sincerity and kindness.

It was beginning to be something that Kaguya admired in Miyuki.

"By the way, what did Kaori-san ask you to buy, Miyuki-san?" Kaguya asked, curious as to what Kaori wanted him to buy.

"Uh.. Apparently, Kiyotaka found this hidden store in the mall, and she asked me to buy an extra phone." Kaguya blinkes in confusion.

An extra phone? What did she need that for? Is that even allowed?

Miyuki, as if seeing Kaguya's skeptism and caution, just chuckled.

"They asked Ellen-sensei, and apparently, she said it was fine.

Karma got this odd idea to make a class bank, or something by using a burner phone, and it actually became serious because Tatsuya and Jabami heard it." He explained, making Kaguya understand the reason for all of this.

What Miyuki said made sense. And, it was an unexpectedly amazing idea coming from Karma, of all people she had expected to think of something like that.

Making transactions as a class will eventually happen every now and then to them. And making such a 'bank' makes things a whole lot easier for them to make transactions as a class.

Plus, if it was also done occasionally like once per month, it would allow the class to save up money in case of emergencies.

"Karma propose that idea, you said? I never expected for something like that to come from him."

"Well, Karma said it as a joke, and it became real so suddenly when we realized just how useful it'll actually be." It was such a ridiculous way for such an amazing idea. However, it seemed like exactly what Karma would do.

'Something that he would do..?' Kaguya thought to herself, the question echoing in her mind several times.

Did they actually become that close, that Kaguya knew that it was something Karma would do?

It was.. Surprising.

There was actually someone that Kaguya knew well enough, that she knew exactly what their next actions would be naturally.

Of course, she could already do such things before. Reading the moves of other people was a necessity for her so she couldn't be controlled by others.

But, doing that naturally just because of the small time she had spent with them was something else..

Was she actually, beginning to get close with them? Was her life actually changing for the better now?

"Oh, that's.." Suddenly, Miyuki stopped in his tracks. His sudden stop made Kaguya stop as well.

Following Miyuki's gaze, Kaguya couldn't help but be surprised. It was a red, patterned ribbon. For some reason, the color of that ribbon oddly mirrored Kaguya's eyes.

"Don't you think that'll look good on you?" And once again, Kaguya was surprised.

Was Miyuki... Really offering Kaguya a ribbon?

"Such accessories would not fit me." She stated. However.. That wasn't really what she wanted to say.

She wants that ribbon, but she didn't know how she could wear it, or if it would even fit someone like her.

"How come? It looks just like your eyes, so I'm sure it'll compliment your looks." Miyuki said, grabbing the ribbon, and placing it behind Kaguya's head, almost like seeing if it'll look good.

Miyuki probably didn't notice, but doing something like that really lessened the distance between them.

Kaguya noticed, and her cheeks flushed red. She could hear her own heart beating in her ears at their close distance.

But, it didn't feel bad. Rather, it felt.. Nice..

She had never felt this way before, especially towards a man like Miyuki. So.. Something like this..

It made her really, really flustered, and embarrassed.

".. J-just give me that." Kaguya huffed, harshly taking the ribbon from Miyuki's hands, and begins to tie that ribbon onto her hair.

The moment she did, Miyuki's breath got caught in his throat.

Kaguya looked elegant with her hair down. She never felt like a fellow student with such an elegant aura, and a cold look in her eyes.

However, tying her hair up like this, paired with that innocent look in her eyes, made her look like their age.

It was something that made Miyuki's cheeks flush.

"I.. I told you it'll look good.." He complimented quietly, before walking away to pay for the ribbon that Kaguya was now wearing.

Miyuki was embarrassed as well, but he didn't want to show Kaguya, of course. So for now, he just ran away.

Seeing Miyuki's flustered expression, for the first time, Kaguya couldn't help but giggle genuinely.

Maybe, it wouldn't hurt for her to loosen up with her friends, especially Miyuki. After all, right now, she's inside a place where even her family cannot touch her.

Maybe, she'd finally be able to find herself within the walls of this school..

♕✾—✾♔

"Kaguya-chan... That's.."

"It doesn't look good, does it?" Kaguya mumbled, her expression somewhat down, as she fiddled with her hair.

Her three friends– Karma, Kaori, and Kiyotaka, surrounded her, while Miyuki stood behind her.

Miyuki.. Just fidgeted nervously behind her, showing he was absolutely guilty of the change in Kaguya's style.

Kaguya fully expected that her friends would think that she doesn't look good. After all, it wasn't something they were used to.

Plus, accessories weren't her thing. She wasn't fashionable at all, nor does she have the knowledge about such things.

As such, she fully expected them to not be happy about this change. However...,

"Gosh, Miyuki. Kaori only asked you to buy a burner phone.."

"Looks like Miyuki manned up, and took Kaguya, huh?"

"Waaah! You look so cute, Kaguya-chan!!" That was not the reaction she was expecting.

"Wait, huh?!"

"Wow, you're such a womanizer, Miyuki.."

"Taking advantage of our poor Kaguya-san.. How low could you get, Miyuki?"

"You should try out more accessories, Kaguya-chan! They look so cute on you!!" As the two boys of the group began attacking Miyuki jokingly, and Kaori fangirling on her, Kaguya couldn't help but smile.

This was certainly not the reaction she was expecting. However, it was something that she was really happy about.

Finally, after years and years of being alone, she could finally experience the life of having friends.

She still wasn't there. But, she's already on her way to experience the things she had never experienced before.

Touching the ribbon tied on the back of her head, she thanked the gods above for the blessing she got.

She hoped that the fun times would just go on, and on.

And, she hopes that these fun moments with her friends would never disappear, and end.

♕✾—✾♔

『 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚕, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜, 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 』

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