A/N: Hi everyone, this is my first V3 fanfiction and I’m hoping to continue it for a mini-series, depending on how well it goes. The predominant ship here is Maki x Kaede but other characters will be present. The main theme is college AU and the characters will be based on the personalities displayed in V3. Thank you for reading and any feedback would be appreciated, enjoy!
(In this AU Maki will be studying chemistry as assassin training is unlikely to be something the college provides or something that Maki enjoys)
The morning was not going quite as Kaede had expected. Stuffed into the constraints of her parent’s small car, the entire family was preparing for a move. Stacks upon stacks of plastic bags lined each corner of the car, to the point where the back window was blocked with a multitude of bags and Kaede and her sister, Saeko, were hidden among the rubble.
The two twins were beginning their move to their new college out of state. This day had been anticipated for months now and the siblings were more anxious then ever about the move. They were attending the same college but had decided to separate for the dorming experience. They were close but making their own friends were their priorities and after 18 years of being around each other, they were glad of the fresh air. Kaede was particularly pleased with this at this point as confrontations with Saeko had already began, 8am on a Saturday morning.
“Saeko, please move your leg, your pressing on the keys of my keyboard”
“Then move it”
“It’s on your side! You move it!”
“Girls please.” Kaede and Saeko’s mother spoke up, turning to the back of the car to see two upset, huffing girls peaking out from below bags of clothing.
Kaede did however know someone who had been accepted into the scholarship program. Her childhood best friend Shirogane Tsumugi had been accepted for a scholarship in fashion design. The two had become friends after Tsumugi accidentally squirted apple juice from a cartoon on Kaede in elementary school and the friendship blossomed from there. Kaede was of course so pleased for her friend but her scholarship status meant that Tsumugi would be dorming with others under the program, as housing was paid for by the college. The two agreed to keep in touch and to meet up regularly, so Kaede was excited to meet new friends also.
The rest of the ride there consisted of petty arguments between the two siblings, numerous snacks and some loud music playing which led their father to open the window to try to silence the repetitive beat that was shaking the car. Registration was an emotional experience which left both Kaede and Saeko sobbing softly to their parents, who they were departing from. After a few heartful goodbyes, the two girls separated from their parents and each other and headed to their own respected dorms.
The midday sun was undisturbed above Kaede in the spring sky, an occasional drift of wind would fly past, providing Kaede with some comfort against the heat of the weather. This was especially helpful as she climbed the stairs to her apartment dorm which was located three flights of stairs off the ground. It was halfway up that she realised it was probably easier just to take the elevator.
Luckily for Kaede, she already knew who most of her roommates would be, after connecting with them before arrival day but the two girls she had communicated with wouldn’t be arriving for a few weeks after the current day which left Kaede a bit apprehensive about who would be dorming with her until then. She had agreed to take the room the with unknown person because of the two moving in late and she still didn’t mind this, seeing as it was an opportunity to make a new friend, perhaps one studying the same course as her.
“Hello?” Kaede called out into the seemingly empty apartment. The place had been scrubbed spotless, the worktops and counters giving off a scent of freshness from the cleaning liquid and the windows were open to let the fresh day breeze in. It didn’t seem as if anyone had entered but Kaede wasn’t really expecting anyone to be there yet. In the front room sat two two seater sofas facing a small tv with two windows adjacent to this, with views onto the college campus. The kitchen that was attached to the front room was small but had everything the apartment needed: an oven, fridge, toaster and kettle. A small dining table and four chairs had been set up between the two places. The two bedrooms off these rooms were almost identical to each other, the only difference being the views from the windows and the size.
Placing her stuff onto the bed closest to the wall with the door, Kaede claimed the smaller of the two rooms out of compassion for her fellow dorming friends. She hadn’t really minded where she stayed as she was happy to be there. As she began unpacking, she looked at the other bed. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t noticed it before, but it seemed as if someone had already set up on it. A plain bed sheet had been set up on the bed and some toiletry items lay set out on the bed. Kaede guessed this was a good sign as it meant the unknown roommate had moved into the right room with her, but said roommate was nowhere to be seen.
“Hello? Is anyone in here?” Kaede called out again only to be met with the almost silent hum of the fridge in the other room. She supposed her roommate had gone out to finish registering or to look around. With a huff, Kaede sat down onto her bed, upset that she couldn’t introduce herself and walk around with her new friend beforehand. Perhaps the new roommate was shy?
Pulling out her phone, Kaede opened a text message chat between her and the other two roommates she would be staying with, to let them know of the situation.
Kaede: Just turned up ^-^~, roommate unknown isn’t here but we’re in the same room so all is good !
Angie: OOOO! Is she nice?
Miu: Are you stupid? She just said she’s not there gyahah
Angie: Yeah but they’re in the same room so her stuff must be there at least >:/~
Miu: … :O oh
Kaede: ahaha, yeah, it’s just her stuff here
Kaede: I guess I’ll walk around and see if I can see her ??
Kaede: I dunno, I was kinda hoping we’d get to look around together waah :<~
Angie: Have fuuun ~
Putting her phone away, Kaede climbed from the bed, making sure to take all her valuables like her purse and id with her as she searched for her roommate. Although it was a new experience, Kaede thought that her roommate wouldn’t have walked far in the heat of the spring. After concluding the house was empty, searching the bathrooms and even the supply cupboard, Kaede decided to leave the apartment. Perhaps her roommate had gone for a walk after all?
It didn’t take Kaede as long as she thought to bump into the stranger that would be her roommate for the following year, as she stepped outside of the apartment, she was met with an unfamiliar face. The person before her was shorter than her, by only a few inches and had long black hair that fell beneath her waist, she didn’t think she had ever seen someone with such long hair, apart from on those documentaries on tv. The woman had bright brown eyes that when hitting the reflection of the sun had slight tints of red in them. Her expression was distant but harsh, her eyebrows furrowed, and lips drawn in a line. The look took Kaede back slightly by how isolated the woman appeared, but she tried to not let it put her off. Her outfit was appropriate for the summers day, she was wearing a black shirt which fell just above her knees and a short-sleeved shirt with a red pattern on it. Red seemed to be a theme with this person.
Most distinctively, her presumable roommate was dripping with sweat. It was clear she had been out in the sun for a bit too long, and without a hat and sunglasses, she must have been boiling outside. In her hands she carried two bags of shopping, looking as if it was filled with food and extra toiletries. Immediately Kaede spoke to the woman, as she was headed in her direction.
“Are you the new roommate? Let me take something from you, you look a bit warm” Kaede bubbly spoke, extending her arms to take the shopping from her roommate.
Despite Kaede’s friendly approach the roommate simply glanced her way and ignored her comment as if Kaede wasn’t standing there. She walked past her and placed the groceries on the kitchen counter. Shutting the door behind her, Kaede hesitantly spoke again, attempting to approach her new friend.
“I’m Kaede Akamatsu! I’ve set up my stuff in the room you’re in because our other roommates are moving in in a few weeks, I hope that’s ok!”
The woman sighed, taking the stuff out of the bag and placing it out on the worktops. Her expression was unchanged, and she rarely glanced over to Kaede, keeping her distance from her.
“I’m Maki, feel free to use this food but please leave me alone for now, I’m not really interested in being friends.”
Kaede hesitated with her mouth open to say anymore, her hands folded over her stomach and she nodded with a pleasant smile. She wasn’t about to annoy the woman anymore than she had done.
Seeing Kaede’s apprehension, Maki picked up the rest of the supplies.
“Sorry” She stated sincerely before heading to their shared room.
Kaede: WAAAAAAAAH
Miu: What happened? @-@
Angie: wooooah are you ok??~
Kaede: The new roommate is here and she totally brushed me off :’<
Angie: whaaaat, I’m sure there’s a mistake somewhere
Angie: you’re too cool to be ignored !!
Miu: : (
Kaede: I didn’t even do anything : ( … mayb she’s just tired
Miu: Go make her some snacks or something ~
Kaede: I dunno, she seemed adamant she wanted to be alone
Kaede: …She even said that she doesn’t want to be friends : ‘<
Angie: : (
Kaede: I’ll talk to you later !! Don’t worry, I’ll fix this !!
Laying on one of the sofas staring at the ceiling, Kaede contemplated what she could do to befriend Maki. It wasn’t like she wanted to be best friends with someone who had no interest in befriending her but if they could at least get on, this experience would be better for both of them. It had been hours since Maki and she had last spoken, and the sun was beginning to set without another sighting of the new roommate. Despite the situation, Kaede rose from the sofa. It was getting late and she hadn’t begun to unpack yet.
Approaching their shared room, Kaede knocked before entering, thinking it would be rude to just barge in.
“Come in” Maki replied, somewhat quietly.
Inside the room, Maki’s bed had been cleared and she was sat upon the covers, facing Kaede’s bed and organising through what seemed to be like a lot of papers. Kaede scratched at her arm in the door way, eyeing the paper Maki was flicking through and Maki herself. She seemed busy but Kaede was eager to start up a conversation.
“Do you need any help with anything?” Kaede pipped up, taking a seat on her own bed to face Maki as she kicked at the soft carpet of their floor.
“No, I’m ok, thanks.”
“Boo, don’t be like this!” Kaede complained. She wanted to respect her new roommates boundaries, as they didn’t know each other very well yet, but her isolation from Kaede was starting to get a bit ridiculous.
“I’m not sure why you’re acting like this but let’s at least try to get on, I was excited to meet you today!”
Maki glanced up from her papers, shooting Kaede a look that caused her eyebrows to furrow even more. Kaede jumped back a bit, her face glowing red with embarrassment. Was Maki a teacher telling her off now? Her roommate promptly returned to her work, turning the papers over and inserting certain papers into the folders she had stacked around her bed. It was interesting to see someone so dedicated to their work to the point where Kaede felt as if she was admiring a working bee or butterfly; something that was out of her control.
Maki’s fingers were long and delicate. The hands were always something Kaede first noticed about someone, but this was different. As Maki flicked through the papers, Kaede couldn’t help but watch as her fingertips would scan through the markings on the page, tracing the delicacy of the paper. Her fingers had nails that were short but well designed, filed into an oval shape and painted with a soft red color. She wondered if Maki would be good at piano, seeing as the spacing between her fingers seemed so natural.
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