~~~Ayano's POV~~~

Holding on to my toy, I was walking around the halls when I heard the voice of a doctor talking to my parents. "I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Aishi. We don't know what is her condition, therefore cure her. Though we do know that due to this condition that she have, she will never be a normal person nor will she live a normal life." Leaving them in the hallway, I immediately went back to my hospital room. Pretending to be staying in the room the whole time as the doctor returns. He did few more things to try and figure out what my condition is, but alas the results are the same. 

My parents soon came and picked me up to bring me home. At the house we live in, my father tried to explain why I was like this but my mother is nothing like my father. She said that she was just like me when she was younger. That one day, I would meet someone very special. Someone that would make me feel complete. My father heard this and started being angry at my mother. He wanted a normal child more than anything in the world. My father tried to make me happy by buying toys and bringing me outside to play but nothing worked. I didn't felt anything except for one thing, Pity.

Pity for the sad man that tried his best to make me feel happy. I did not want my father to worry on silly things. So one day, while my father is bringing me outside, I pretended to be 'normal'. My father is happy, I am happy, my mother is happy. We finally became a normal family.

While my family and I were in the park, I made my way to the other kids. I pretended to be someone who is interested in becoming their friend. They accepted. We were playing a game of tag when someone asks to join. We all agreed to let the other kid join our game. At the end of game, the newcomer came in-front of me and said, "Hello! my name's Mai, Tsubaki Mai. I'm seven years-old. What's yours?" (Her look is the picture above.)

"Ayano, Aishi Ayano. 8 years-old." I told her, smiling as I remember that it is how other people greet each other.

"May I ask a question?" 

"Yes, Tsubaki-san?"

"Mou~... Just call me Mai-chan Yan-chan, may I call you Yan-chan?"

"OK, Mai-chan."

"Why does your smile look fake, Yan-chan?" 'Mai-chan' questioned as she tilts her head to the side.

I was so shock that my smile fell as she saw through my mask. How did she know that I was pretending to be 'normal'? I did everything to become normal, even the kids and my father didn't notice that I was only pretending.

"Dearie! Come here! It's time to go home!"

My mother's shout snapped me back to the living. Running towards my parents, I tried to ignore voices in my head that keeps talking how that little girl shouldn't have known about my mask, and that I should kill her for knowing my secret. Hiding my face in my father's shoulder, I peeked to see her smiling and waving towards me. Suddenly I felt something unsettling. Is this what 'fear' is? 

--*Timeskip*--

A week comes by when my family and I went back to the park where I played with other children. My parents sat at the bench while I moved towards the swings. Playing for a few minutes, a kid stopped in front of me.

"Yan-chan!! Hello!!"

Looking up, I see Mai-chan, smiling again.

"Hello, Mai-chan" I greeted her, smiling. This time making sure that my smile didn't leak any intentions.

Mai-chan sits down on the other swing and started to swing herself. "...You know, Yan-chan? You haven't answered my question from last time." 

"..."

"..."

"...How did you know?"

"I just know."

"..."

"...You know. Yan-chan I'm kinda like you."

"...?"

"Yup. It's kinda annoying that even after all things you've done you felt nothing right?"

"*nods*"

"I'm kinda like that. Though I feel small emotions, really small. I have to pretend that I'm happy so that my family wouldn't worry about me. But when I saw you, I felt that you can be my 'true friend'."

"...'True Friend'?" I asked, tilting my head at the unknown words.

"Mhmmm." Mai-chan nodded. "I've read that a 'True Friend' will stick with you even if bad things happen and your 'True Friend' will help you steer away from bad events that you want to do."

"..."

"...Soooo, can I be your 'True Friend'?"

"..."

"..."

"...*nods*"

"YAY!!!" Mai-chan exclaims, jumping from her swing to hug me. I feel warm as she hugs me. This never happened with my father or my mother, I wonder what this feeling is. Hugging back, I thought to myself that my world will be upside down from now on.

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Heya guyz, thx for checking this story out. It's my birthday today and I wanted to share this special day of mine to everyone. So I'm making this first chapter of this book to be published on my birthday. Hope you liked it!!! See ya guyz in the next chap, or other story.