Living a Life that is Not Yours

It was supposed to feel okay, you see. It was supposed to make her feel happy....

"Mo----Moriyama... What the hell are you doing? What the.... This..." Erika said one phrase at a time.

"You did not like it? I thought I did well! I thought you wanted to feel like a princess!"

"I wanted to feel like an empress for your information----but holy crap. These stares. THESE stares. They're staring, aren't they? They must be."

Kairo wasn't fully aware of their situation right now, but she was right. All students present in that particular hallway were looking at them.

"Is this a proposal?"

"No way.... we are students, right?"

"In the middle of a hallway."

"Idiot, this is a confession."

"It must be a confession."

"Should we clap?"

"I think so..."

Just then, there was a raising volume of applause from the students, and that made Kairo stand up on his feet. He looked around and realized what he just did, then he looked at Erika who was now covering her face with both hands in embarrassment.

"Um..." Kairo said while scratching his nape.

"Idiot." Erika mumbled softly.

--------

"It was a gesture of honor, I tell you!" Kairo said for the nth time.

"I understand the feelings and emotions of a growing adult, Moriyama-kun, but there are particular times, and particular places for that." Shinichiro-sensei explained, also for the nth time. They are in the faculty room right now, since one of the teachers told the situation to Shinichiro Mario, the adviser of Class 1-B where Erika and Kairo are in.

"You know the ancient gestures of gentlemen to ladies at first meeting right?! Like in movies?! Princess movies? Please sir, I just don't want to get into trouble." He whimpers as he tugs Shinichiro-san's sleeve.

"Calm down Moriyama-kun, it's not like I would expel you for this." The teacher said with a slight chuckle.

"I won't be expelled?"

"Of course not. This is the first time you did it, right? And besides, you learned from your mistake. Just don't do it again around here. Do it privately."

"Like I said.... it is a gesture of respect and hon---"

"Enough. Your next period will be in 5 minutes, return to your classroom, seriously."

"THANK YOU SENSEI! You are an angel in disguise! A blessing from heaven! Thank you, may the great Buddha bless you." Kairo said excitedly as he rushed his way back to their classroom.

"Uwaahh sensei... so that's how you become an angel huh?" The Science teacher, Maeno-sensei teased him a bit.

"Shut up." Shinichiro-sensei said as he sighed. It's unbelievable how they talked for 10 minutes with the same sentences and argument all over again. He was about to go to his next class when he noticed someone else.

"Oy Hatsugawa-kun, what are you still doing here? Moriyama-kun already left."

Erika twitched a bit upon being called all of a sudden. But then she slowly approached the aged man full of knowledge.

"Shinichiro-sensei... Do you get pregnant by being kissed on the hand?"

"Please go back to class, Hatsugawa-kun."

-----------------------

"Unbelievable! Unacceptable! How dare he----"

"I'm literally beside you, Hatsugawa-san." Kairo said while scratching his nape. You know the person you get to go to school with would also be the person you'll get to go home with.

"Yeah! You! How dare you! You... imbecile!" She said, pointing her finger at him like he just did something horrible, but her facial expression contrasts her tomato-red face.

"I don't really understand why you were offended. If you love royalty so much, you should know that a kiss on the hand is a gesture of respect, greeting and whatnot."

"Yes. I love royalty. And you are right, why haven't I thought of that."

Kairo chuckled lightly in amusement because of the situation there are in right now.

"If you wanted to hear an apology from me, then I am sorry."

When Erika heard him apologize, for some reason she felt something different.

"I.... didn't really... mind that though." The lady looked down, watching her kick a certain stone while walking on the road. She was twirling her hair and even biting her lower lip.

Kairo decided to break the silence in between them. "By the way, which street are you living in the neighborhood."

"Me? Our house was along the street where the Ajisen Ramen is. You know, in front of the 24-7 convenience store."

"The gigantic beige house there?"

"No way.... beside that."

"The....other gigantic house?"

"Idiot."

The man paused walking while thinking about that particular street, and wondering what was on the other side of the beige house. Could it be.....

"The rundown haunted house?"

"How dare you! It is not haunted. I live there."

"Well if you live there, it must be haunted."

"Wha----- How dare you talk to me like that?! You just met me."

"You're right, you're right. Hahahaha. I'm sorry."

"It's rundown alright... But it's not that bad."

"But I thought you live the royal life?"

Erika just chuckled softly with what Kairo said. She looked at him with her pure, goal-settled eyes. "Well I am living the royal life."

It was at that very moment it actually hit Kairo..... Erika really is beautiful.

"It's like I am in the wrong body.", she further explained while looking at her small, petite hands. "I mean look at me. Am I not dashing?"

Kairo's imaginations shattered like glass and he looked blankly at her. Yeah. This woman is beautiful until she opens her mouth.

"I don't know about dashing, but you have an amusing personality."

"I am not trying to entertain you."

Kairo held his laughter once again that he even bit his lower lip to keep himself from bursting. They stood up waiting on the bus stop.

"What kind of life have you been living, Moriyama Kairo?"

"Me? Well.... It was kind of a nice life until one looks what's actually behind it."

"Are you a drug dealer?"

"Hahahahahahaha!"

This time, he couldn't hold his laughter any longer. "How could you jump to such conclusion? You're really unbelievable."

"But if you put it that way, anybody would be confused!"

"Yeah well.... Let's just say it's a messed up life."

"Looks like we're the same."

"It's like I am in a different body." the two said at the same time. Upon hearing their simple declaration, they looked at each other and chuckled together.

"I like you Erika Hatsugawa." Kairo said straightforwardly while looking at the bus approaching to its halt.

"W--What?" Erika even stuttered that single word.

"I hope we could be friends forever."

"A...Ah.. That. 'Kay."

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"There's no way it could've been a confession. After all, who confesses right after they met? Dumbass, what the hell are you thinking?"

"Nee-san.... Feel sorry for the dishes. They do not deserve to be called dumbass."

"Shut up, I'm not talking to them?! Who the hell talks to random things?!"

"The random princesses you idolize. You know, Belle from Beauty and the Beast?"

"Yeah well.... THIS IS THE REAL WORLD."

"I wish you heard what you said and actually apply it, Erika." Her mother said while cooking their dinner.

"I mean, it was okay dreaming about being the empress when you're four or five years old but sweetie, you're already 16."

"Dreams will stay dreams until you do something to fulfill it, mom."

"Yeah but, look at us, Erika. Do you really think you would be someone to become an empress? We can barely pay for the tuition fee for the school you wanted to be in. Seito Gakuen is an expensive institution."

"I know mom. But being from a prestigious school is a stepping stone to fulfilling my dreams. The emperor might took a liking to me when he meets a lady from a renowned school."

"Come to think of it, how do you even imagine crossing paths with the imperial family?"

"Well..... There'll be something like, me being bumped by the car and then they'll pay for my bills and get to know me... you know."

"Nee-san is reading too much fictional novels."

"Shut up Akito!"

"Sweetheart.... Why would you want to be bumped by an imperial car?"

"I don't actually know why... But it might happen! There's always a room for every possibility."

"You're crazy." Her mother chuckled as she watched her. She held on her daughter's arm, gently caressing it. She actually prefers her this way rather than being someone who's lifeless.

"If it happens, then I'll probably be the happiest mother in the world, watching my daughter fulfill her dreams."

"Ehehe~ Just so you wait, mom."

Just so you wait....

Knock, knock, knock.

"Yeeeees~" Akito, Erika's little brother opened up the door. "Um... what do you need?"

"Is Erika Hatsugawa living here?"

With her name being called, Erika wiped her hands dry and approached the door.

"Moriyama Kairo?! What are you doing here?!"