Music Box

Shizuka Matsuki hated the life of a princess. She hated how it constantly caused her to study and learn the ways of her country. She hated how large and empty the castle was. She hated how she had no friends. But most of all, she hated the special treatment she received from others. No one saw her as a person, just as her title. She didn't want to be treated so differently because she was royalty, she wanted to be treated like any other person, or even just like any girl her age. She wanted people to call her by her name, or let her do things on her own. If she had a way to do it, she'd gladly switch places with someone else.

So when the opportunity for her to attend school in Japan came, she gladly took it. She'd have time away from the life she hated, and could spend some time as a normal girl. She could make friends her age! But things didn't go as planned, because she found herself accepted to Hope's Peak Academy with the title of Super High School Level Princess. Even in a new land far from home, she couldn't escape her heritage.

And it persisted there. People calling her a princess and treating her as if she was above them. That wasn't what she wanted! She just wanted people to treat her like a normal girl! Why couldn't anyone understand that?! Treating her like that just alienated her from them! Couldn't she just meet someone at this school who treated her like a normal person?!

As luck would have it, she managed to get her wish.

She happened to be in the right place at the right time, for on her way to class she saw one of the boys fall backward. He wasn't one of her classmates, but that wasn't going to stop her from helping him. She ran over and caught him in the nick of time. "Are you alright?" she asked, helping the boy stand back up.

The boy brushed off dust from his uniform. "I think so." he said. He looked up at his savior, though he started to dart his eyes away. "T-thank you!"

"It'a no problem...um..." Matsuki said, unsure how to refer to him.

"I am Kiyotaka Ishimaru! Super High School Level Mechanic!" he said.

"It's nice to meet you, Ishimaru-kun." Matuski said. "My name is Shizuka Matsuki."

"Greetings, Matsuki-kun!" Ishimaru said with a smile. "And what is your talent?"

She couldn't tell him. If she did, then she'd be treated differently again. This was probably her only chance to make a friend. "I'm sorry, but I'm not very comfortable talking about my skill." she said.

"I-I see. In that case, I won't pressure you about it!" Ishimaru said.

Matsuki breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, she met someone who would see her as Shizuka Matsuki. She finally had a friend. "If it's alright with you, do you think we could meet up for lunch?" she asked.

Ishimaru's face seemed to glow. "O-of course! I'd be glad to!" he said with a huge smile on his face.

And for a time, things were fine between them. He never prodded her about her talent, and she enjoyed his love for mechanics. But the truth couldn't be hidden for long. Especially when Ishimaru showed up to lunch with a black eye.

"Ishimaru-kun, what happened to you?!" Matsuki asked, rushing over to the mechanic.

He looked away from her. "Some people were angry because they think I'm not worthy of your time." he said.

"Not worthy of my time?" she said. "Why would they say that?"

"Because they think a princess can do so much better than me." he said.

Matsuki felt her world break apart. Someone told him the truth. Now she would be alone again. Ishimaru would think he wasn't someone important enough to be her friend. She just looked down at the floor and waited for it to end, trying to hold back the tears.

"So I told them that they were wrong!" Ishimaru said.

...What?

Matsuki looked back up, seeing Ishimaru look at her with a smile. "What was that?" she asked.

"I don't see you any differently knowing you're a princess!" Ishimaru said. "You're a person, and my friend, and that's all that matters to me!"

"You mean, you don't care that I'm a princess?" Matsuki asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "It doesn't matter that I'm royalty?"

"Of course not!" Ishimaru replied. "I know you as Matsuki-kun, and that's how I see you! Your social status doesn't matter as far as I'm concerned!"

Matsuki couldn't hold back. Without thinking, she hugged him, startling Ishimaru and the people in the room who happened to notice. "You don't know how long I've longed to hear those words, Ishimaru-kun." she said. "Thank you."

Ishimaru's face went red. He had never been hugged like this before, and it was all so sudden. "Y-you're welcome!" he stuttered. "Oh, I almost forgot!" He backed out of the hug and pulled a small box wrapped in red paper. "I, um, I made something for you!"

Matsuki was surprised by the sudden gift, taking the box into her hands. Placing it down on the table, she carefully opened it and found a small music box inside.

"You told me you like music, so I figured this would be the perfect present for you!" Ishimaru said, scratching the back of his head.

Matsuki leaned towards the mechanic and startled him again, this time by kissing him on the cheek. "It's perfect."