"..."

Silence engulfed Akashi and (F/N) during lunch. She didn't want to pry more about Takizawa, but she was curious

To break the awkward silence ambiance, Akashi handed the souvenirs he bought

"Thank you. They are all beautiful" (F/N) responded but noticed that some of them were really girly "these, you chose them with Takizawa?"

"Y-yeah"

"Is that so?" She responded in low voice and made a faint smile. She then gasped and turned to Akashi "Sorry, I am really happy. But to be honest, I feel jealous that she spent winter break with you, and I didn't know at all. Well, I know she exaggerated that she was with you 24/7. She can easily call you by name too"

"My apologies. There was a special circumstances, and indeed I was with Kaoru all the time. However, I want you to don't feel jealous. I assure you there's nothing to be jealous of. I am happy though that you feel that. As much as I wanted to tell everything, I need Kaoru's consent regarding it."

"Sorry, don't mind it. Just, please let her know that you have a girlfriend"

Akashi chuckled, and (F/N) felt annoyed by it "sorry, actually, it should be me who needs to be wary"

"What do you mean?"

"I give up. I won't let you feel that" he chuckled and got his phone out to call someone "Kaoru, meet us in the student council room"

"Huh? Why? Where are you anyways?! Why are you leaving me-"

"Just go there" Akashi ended the call then look at (F/N), who was confused "let's go"

"Eh, wait-"

But even before she retorted, Akashi cleaned up their lunch box, and they headed to the student council

~

"You are late!" Takizawa hissed

"(F/N), lock the door" Akashi ordered her. As she locked the door, Akashi crossed his arms, then asked her to stand next to him "Kaoru, my girlfriend here needs to know everything"

"Eh? I don't want. It's only our secret"

"You really changed since the last time we saw each other" Akashi sighed and glared at Takizawa "when I last saw you at the airport, I was sure, you were a guy. I wonder what happened in those few days we didn't see each other"

Takizawa remained silence, not answering Akashi's question

"Wait a second... did I hear correctly?" (F/N) looked at Akashi in disbelief "a guy before?"

"Precisely, he is a guy. Also, you met him during my birthday party" Akashi sighed

"Birthday party... so she isn't related to Takizawa who I met last time, but the Takizawa himself...?" She asked and felt dizzy from what she heard. She grabbed Akashi's shoulder and sighed "sorry, I feel dizzy."

"Kaoru, get that wig off, and your voice too"

Takizawa clicked her tongue, wrong, his tongue and then removed his wig

"Why do I need to reveal myself the day I transferred here?" He again clicked his tongue "(F/N)-chan asked you?"

"No, I just don't want her to misunderstand." Akashi responded, wrapping his arms around (F/N) "do you want to sit down?" He worriedly asked her

"Yeah... my head is spinning"

Takizawa sighed then crossed his arms "you really are head over hills with her. She was able to get Masaomi-sama's side as well"

"Of course, even I was surprised." Akashi chuckled then turned to (F/N) "I hope that clears the misunderstanding"

"...no... I am still at lost. It's fine if you don't answer, just, why are you acting like a girl? To the extent of wearing, and even the voice"

"You, you don't watch TV, do you?" Takizawa asked and she immediately shook her head "I give up"

"Huh?"

"Kaoru is part of a famous idol group. He is known as K-kun." Akashi explained then turned to Takizawa "so after all, because of your trip in Thailand?"

"Yeah. I told everyone that I have family business trip. Then paparazzi was able to take pictures of me during our trip." He explained but (F/N) tilted her head "it's my vacation, but paparazzis were still able to find me."

"Sorry, I still don't understand why do you need to wear such clothes"

"I want to enjoy a normal life. Wherever I go, paparazzis are there, I can't enjoy my teenage life at all." he responded, but he was taken aback when (F/N) questioned him back

"Then quit being an idol. Why do you become an idol in the first place if you want to enjoy your teenage life?" She asked him, making Akashi chuckled on the side "sorry, I know I don't have the rights to say this, but for me, you seemed like faking face in front of your fans then. As if, you are betraying them"

"What do you know about my experience?!"

"Indeed, I don't know, but I at least know that it's hard to be an idol, and you should have courage and confidence to do it. Again, why do you become an idol in the first place?"

"...I wanted to entertain people using my talent. But ever since our group became famous, paparazzis followed us all the time, and make nasty news. It's hard to handle those false stories"

"Then you just need to become true to your actions. If they make a fake news, then you just need to be honest and tell your fans the truth. It seems like you don't have any trust and connections to your fans at all." She sighed "If you can't handle the criticism, then, quit being an idol. If they criticize you, you just need to prove yourself that they are wrong. If you aren't doing anything wrong, then you don't need to retort. You have your friends, your agency, and your fans with you."

Akashi smiled on the side and patted (F/N)'s head "very well said. Indeed, Kaoru lost his confidence after all"

"I want to enjoy my high school life still. And this is the only option I could think of"

"Well, it's up to you still" she sighed again "but, you are not being honest to yourself and to your fans. Interact with your classmates to who you are, and create a connection not as an idol and fans, but friends instead. Sorry, I talked unnecessarily"

"Don't worry, Kaoru knows what to do now. You did your part" Akashi patted her head again

She hid her face behind her hands and whined "but still, I felt jealous without knowing anything. I am such a failure"

"I am happy though. However, from now on" Akashi turned to Takizawa and he became serious "it should be me who needs to be careful."

"Takizawa-kun?" (F/N) called him, but he hissed and put on his wig

"Call me Kaoru-chan" he hissed with his girl's voice "I have work now, so I'll go" but before leaving, he turned to (F/N) and smiled widely "I'll think about everything. I'll say my gratitude if it works out" he winked then left

Akashi sighed then turned to (F/N) "Kaoru is a guy, so it's me who should be careful"

"Why?"

"My girlfriend, she attracted people unexpectedly." He responded and she felt shy all of a sudden "but don't worry, as if I will give you to anyone else."

"Don't say such embarrassing things"

"Even though you said those to him. Also, you stood your side against father, so I am looking forward how are you going to do it"

"I'm doing my best"

"I know" he responded then checked the time "let's go, next class will start soon."

The two headed back to their class, and Akashi explained also that the teachers knew about Takizawa's real gender, and because of special consideration, they let him do it.

~

That week, Takizawa still dressed as a girl, and got close to everyone in their class.

However, the week after.

"Takizawa-kun..." (F/N) stare at him in surprise

"What?! Don't stare at me! I already think about it. And indeed, I need to have confident and trust towards my friends and fans" he responded and smirked "so I hope you take responsibility to it"

"Why would I?" She questioned him

"Huh?! Cause you made me -"

"No, she will not take responsibility of your own realization" Akashi stood next to (F/N) and glared at him "you have explanations to do to our classmates"

Everyone was staring at Takizawa, and they knew him as an idol, and they couldn't comprehend what's going on.

As their teacher arrived,

"Eh, before we start our homeroom, I would like to re-introduce our transfer student, Takizawa Kaoru-kun"

Takizawa stood in front and immediately bowed down towards them "I am Takizawa Kaoru, please to be in your care. My apologies that I look like that last week. Well, because of my new project, I needed to be like that. Also, so I could be like a normal student as well. I hope to be in your care, as Takizawa Kaoru"

Silence was their response, but laugh long after.

"Well, we are surprise, but being an idol is hard after all. Also, school is different." One of them told him

"You have your private life too, so enjoy your time here" another one added

"Everyone"

"But, it's funny now knowing the Kaoru-chan is the cool K-kun" the girls laughed "we'll look forward to your new project"

"Did he just made it?" (F/N) mumbled in confusion

~lunch~

"So he asked to do a project wearing that? Just to hide the real reason?" (F/N) confusedly asked Akashi, who was sitting across her

"Yeah, well, his agency agreed on it. The members of the idol group laughed at him anyways" Akashi responded and chuckled "well, at least he learned something."

"Yeah"

"By the way, are you free on the last weekend of January?"

(F/N) looked at her phone and shook her head "sorry, I have plans with my cousin. He asked me to go somewhere. Why?"

"Nothing. If you have plans already, then it's fine." Akashi responded and finished his lunch "I will go first, I need to stop by the teacher's office"

"Yeah, I will stay here before our next class."

"I'll see you later then" Akashi stood up and left (F/N) by herself.

She then got something from her bag, and she started knitting "I need to finish before his birthday after all"

~Friday, 2nd week of January~

"I just noticed where were you and Akashi-kun during lunch?" Takizawa asked as he was walking next to (F/N) to get something to drink

"Nowhere" she responded

"Hmmmm"

"What?!" She irritably asked

"Nothing. But somehow I get why Akashi-kun chose you and Masaomi-sama agreed on you too." He chuckled then moved closer to (F/N) "by the way, I said I will say my gratitude" he moved closer to her ears and put something on her pocket "I just put a special bromide set of Akashi Seijurou's Thailand version. There are half naked shots of him, so until he stripped off in front of you, enjoy these special bromides"

(F/N)'s face became so red, and she wanted to see them right away. However, she was surprised when her whole body elevated, and it was Akashi who was carrying her

"A-Akashi?!"

"Kaoru, I told you before, you can have all the women in the world, except (F/N). She is mine" Akashi seriously told him "let's go (F/N), you need punishment too"

"Eh, wait?!"

~

Akashi led (F/N) to their secret room, and he let her sit on the table, glaring at her

"You, why do you easily get affected by other guy's words?!" He asked in intimidating voice

"No, you got it wrong"

"What's wrong with what I saw? I saw your face so red"

"That's because Takizawa-kun told me something"

"And that is?!"

She shyly gazed away and got the pictures from her pocket "to show his gratitude, he gave me these special bromide set Akashi Seijuro Thailand version" she responded and showed Akashi the pictures, his eyes though widened in surprise "then, he told me that he also included Akashi Seijuro's half-naked campaign"

"What the heck is that? Give them to me-"

"I don't want to! He gave these to me!" She retorted and put them back on her pocket "l-like, it's my prize possession now"

Akashi laughed loudly and moved closer to her "even though the person himself is standing in front of you, you prefer the pictures"

"Of course not. These are Akashi Seijurou's special bromide set in Thailand! Besides, as if I could ask you to strip and show me your half-naked self! Besides, I didn't see you last winter break."

"Hmmmm, so you want to see me half-naked? I want to see you full naked though"

"Don't retort with that kind of comment!" She hissed then gazed away, and shyly told him "of course, I want to see, but I'll wait for the right time"

"Is that so? We'll wait for the right time. Enjoy the pictures for now then" Akashi chuckled and he moved closer to her "this is your punishment, for being cute then" he sweetly kissed her, and didn't stop until the bell for their next class rang.

~TBC~