Point of View

Summary: So many opinions, so many different views. Takumi agrees with neither of them. To him, Misaki is only one thing. OneShot.

Warning: none?

Set: Story-unrelated, future-fic

Disclaimer: Standards apply.

A super-human demonic president.

That's what Misaki Ayuzawa is to the vast majority of the male student population of Seika High. Yukimura isn't of the same opinion, but as motivated as he is, he isn't really able to persuade them otherwise, is he?

"God, where she is now, have you seen her?"

The boy, man, male, whatever – Takumi doesn't really care about him – actually trembles in fear as he comes rushing around the corner and almost slams into him. The fear in his face turns into surprise – and to horror.

"Usui-kun – I'm sorry – I didn't mean…"

Takumi brushes him off with a shrug and a non-committal smile and watches him stuttering another apology, throwing nervous glances over his shoulder.

"I didn't see the tree, I thought it was you – I mean, I didn't see you, I thought there was a tree – I didn't mean to barge into it – ehm, you, I'm sorry, I have to be going…"

He continues in his run that looks suspiciously like a flight to Takumi. Slightly curious, he follows the student, his hands buried in his pockets. Nobody comes after them, though.

"Takamura? What's the matter, you look like you've seen a ghost…"

Three other male students are standing at the lockers, watching the oncoming boy with matching grins. Hounded Takamura hides behind one of them and takes a deep breath, still shaking.

"It was her – she found me while I was reading magazines on the roof – but I swear, they weren't bad ones, I just wanted some peace…"

"The President?" One of his friends asks, his voice showing his alarm. "Ayuzawa?"

"Yes – her! I tell you, she's a monster, a demon! She just looked at me and…"

"You did well by running away," his friends tell him and shudder. "She's scary, isn't she? Absolutely!"

Takumi listens, his brows lifted. They don't notice him. And then, something comes rushing around the corner.

"Ta-Ka-Mu-Raaaaa!"

"Eeep!"

The culprit hides behind his friends who shrink several centimeters at the sound of the voice. Misaki Ayuzawa walks along the corridor, her face carrying the promise of a long, painful death.

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again! I won't ever read porn magazines in school, I won't ever read them at all, I swear!"

For some reason Takumi has to laugh, so he quickly vanishes from sight before Misaki can see him.

A model student and a responsible head of the student council.

That is what Misaki Ayuzawa is to most of the teachers. Well, Maria sees a lot more in her, but she isn't the one to be asked for her opinion, right?

"Ayuzawa?"

Minamoto-Sensei glances around the door to the student-council room. His white hair gives a shocking contrast to his dark suit. The only people in the room direct their glances towards him: Yukimura, Misaki, Kanou and Takumi.

"How can I help you, Minamoto-Sensei?"

The old teacher enters the room entirely and throws a doubtful glance at Kanou and Yukimura, who are silently squabbling over some documents in the far corner.

"I wonder whether you could help the teachers to prepare the new student's implementation ceremony this summer? We know there's a lot you have to do and you have even more work since you agreed to take over the preparations for the summer camp, but…"

Say no, Takumi urges her. Yukimura has turned his head to listen.

Misaki ponders the question.

"What would I have to do?"

Say no.

"The programs have to be designed and printed, and a few teachers would like to organize a game of basket ball as a major event. We would need someone to monitor the preparations and to organize the students – we want to offer cake and coffee and other little sweets, and there has to be someone to hold the opening ceremony…"

"Yukimura – we have the summer camp to organize, and the latest bills need a check. But other than that…"

"You have volunteered to organize the sports festival, too, President…"

"Yes, that, too. What do you think – can we help with the new student's ceremony, as well?"

"Well, it will be a lot of work…"

Say no.

"Minamoto-Sensei, I would be happy to be of assistance to you and the other teachers. Count on me!"

"Thank you, Ayuzawa. You're always so reliable. And your grades were very good once again. If we had more students like you…"

She blushes. She actually blushes.

Idiot.

"It's my pleasure. We all want Seika High to be a great school."

Sometimes, Takumi would like to strangle everyone who thinks Misaki is nothing better than a slave. Even if their praise makes her smile like that.

A hard-working person and a cute little girl.

That's what her colleagues think of Misaki Ayuzawa. They treat her like a little sister, like a good friend. They occasionally make fun of her, but that is what friends are for, even he knows that much.

"Misa-chan, have you seen the cat's ears?"

Takumi really loves her nickname. It suits her so well.

"No, I haven't, but didn't you put them on the cabinet over there last week?"

"I don't know – but here they are! Thanks a lot!"

Subaru-San has no trouble reaching the high cabinet Misaki has indicated at. Watching her from behind the kitchen counter, through the open door, Takumi sees a slender woman in a black dress, wearing a white, laced apron and cape. Her hair falls to her shoulders as she moves through the room both speedily and gracefully. It's not her maid uniform that makes him think she looks particularly cute today. He is long past those sentiments. Whatever she wears, she is beautiful.

"Misa-chan, Misa-chan… I hear you went on a date last week?"

He doesn't need to see her face to know she is blushing deep red.

"Who – but I – no – Who told you this?"

Honoka-San grins dangerously while Satsuki-San seems to be ready to take off with happiness.

"Oh, just someone who saw you. So it's really true! Congratulations, Misa-chan! That's great!"

It takes her a few seconds to regain her balance, although her face still has a peculiar color.

"What – It's not like that, it just was a… There wasn't anything…"

Define anything.

Aoi-chan snorts without ever looking up from the pages of paper on which he is designing his new collection. Takumi has seen them – they really do look promising.

"Of course there wasn't. Just tell the idiot you want to go out with him again."

Without an answer, she storms from the staff room and finds him standing in the kitchen. Throwing him a glance, she shoots past him and leaves through the back door. Her face, as always, is a mixture of embarrassment and something he has come to associate with her but cannot fully name. Grinning at Satsuki-san, who watches her leave, and knowing full well her colleagues have done this on purpose, he continues his work. They are right; Misaki is cute when she is embarrassed. They love to tease her on every available occasion. To her, she is the little sister they have to take care of, and Takumi can't help but feel grateful towards them. Misaki is so much elder sister and responsible president that she forgets she is a normal girl, too.

An ideal future wife, a perfect girl-friend.

It is that what Shintani Hinata believes Misaki Ayuzawa is. When he pictures a perfect being, he sees her face. Her beauty is breath-taking, her resolve, her enthusiasm, her motivation and her work-ethics outstanding and her character plain perfect.

"Hinata-chan!"

Suzuna greets him at the door. "Come in! Mum, he has brought vegetables!"

Her mother appears at the door. "Hinata-chan! It's good to see you! Come in. We were just preparing dinner, would you like to stay?"

Since he has come exactly for this reason, Hinata enters the house and immediately feels at home.

"Is Misaki-chan here?"

"Yes, she is upstairs. Would you like to call her for dinner? Suzuna, will you show him the way?"

Hinata follows Suzuna up the staircase and they come to halt in front of Misaki's bedroom door. He hesitates.

"Don't be shy," Suzuna says and knocks at the door before sprinting back down the corridor. Surprised, Hinata watches her leave and then turns back to the door, his heart suddenly hammering loudly. But the voice he expects doesn't come. Carefully, he knocks again.

No answer.

So he presses down the door handle. Makes sure to make noise so she can hear him. Carefully peeks through the door, ready to pull back his head immediately. But there is no threat.

Misaki has fallen asleep.

She seems to have fallen into her bed without caring about taking off the school's uniform. She must have been tired. Her face is relaxed, calm, and there is a tiny smile on her lips.

Grinning fondly, he closes the door again and walks back downstairs and imagines a thousand different ways to win her over. In his eyes, she is perfect. There is nothing she cannot do, no one who can stand in her way. In his eyes, she only deserves the best of everything. Her mood-swings pass him like a soft wind because he knows she is perfect in any way that counts, there is no need to dwell on her faults because she has none.

Takumi watches her sleep another day and another place and understands why Shintani believes she is perfect. But differently than him, he knows that she has her faults. That he loves her even more for it goes unsaid.

A patient listener and a good friend.

No one regards her higher than Sakura and Shizuko, even if they sometimes are worried by spontaneous outbursts and occasional violence. As Takumi, they know the way she really is.

"Misaki!"

Sakura comes running along the corridor, grinning from ear to ear and almost knocking over another pair of girls casually strolling along. "Oops! I'm sorry!" She stops briefly and continues on, seeing Misaki on the other side.

"Misaki!"

Misaki looks up in worry but her forehead clears again when she sees the girl smiling broadly.

"Sakura – oof!"

The smaller girl almost runs her over in her enthusiasm.

"What's the matter?"

"Misaki, Misaki, Misaki!"

The other one seems unable to utter an entire sentence. Shizuko, who had been coming after her, though at a calmer pace, is smiling, too.

"Guess who's been asked out on a date this weekend?"

Misaki tenses. "Don't tell me…"

"Misaki!"

Finally, Sakura finds her voice. "I'm so happy! That's thanks to you, Misaki! If you hadn't accompanied us on our trip to the hot springs last month, he wouldn't have asked me, I'm sure!"

"But I haven't done anything," Misaki answers, a crease still marring her forehead. "Besides, this guy…"

She stops and sighs and strokes Sakura's hair. When her friend looks up at her, she is smiling.

"I'm happy for you, Sakura. So where are you going?"

"He said he wanted it to be a surprise!"

As Sakura starts talking happily, they wander down the corridor of the almost-empty school. Sakura tells them of his call and his voice and what she was thinking of wearing and Misaki listens to her because she likes her friends and she is happy for them. Sometimes she wonders whether she would have been able to change without them, whether she would be able to smile and laugh at all.

"Misaki," Sakura says and looks at her. "I'm sorry I'm boring you with all that stuff."

"Don't be," she answers, smiling. "I like to listen to you."

Again, Sakura throws her arms around her friend. "Misaki, if you have trouble or if you just want to talk – we are always there for you. You know that, do you?"

"I do."

She does, and there are few things she is more thankful for.

"So are you going to stalk her?" Takumi asks her, about an hour later.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Sakura. Are you going to stalk her? Or why did you ask for where they are going first?"

"Shut up, pervert! I'm not you!" She snaps and blushes. Takumi grins.

A caring daughter and elder sister.

That is what Misaki Ayuzawa is to her mother and her sister and from what he knows about her family he surmises that they are doing well without a husband and father because she is there. The only time he stays for dinner, he watches her clean up the kitchen after the meal, talking to her mother quietly. In the living-room, Suzuna and Shintani are playing silly games.

"Mum, have you called the carpenters for the leak in the roof? It has to be closed soon, otherwise we'll have water in the living-room before we can say "Get a bucket"."

Her mother hits a foamy hand against her forehead.

"I knew I'd forgotten something! I'll call them tomorrow. What time should they come, what do you think?"

"Umm… Since you're working afternoon shift's next week, they'd better come on Wednesday or Thursday. I don't have afternoon lessons those days and can come home to let them in."

"So, about 4pm?"

"Yeah. Hopefully, they'll be quick. I don't want them running around on our roof for days."

"Misaki, I forgot – one of Suzuna's friends called earlier, but I cannot remember the name…"

"Was it a girl? Quiet voice, very shy?"

"Yes, that was her! What's her name again?"

"Momoko, Mum. Suzuna! Momoko called earlier, you might want to call her back!"

From the living-room, a loud, shattering noise is heard and Suzuna pokes her head through the kitchen door.

"I'll call her back immediately. Misaki, have you seen my address book?"

She answers without turning around.

"On the small table in front of my room. Don't ask me how it ended up there."

"What would we do without you, Misaki," her mother smiles lovingly.

Takumi watches and suddenly feels like he has to get out of the house as fast as possible. This is yet another Misaki and although he has no problem coping with that, something in the atmosphere makes the air too heavy to breathe. It's probably the fact that he is looking at a family mostly intact that makes him run.

There are so many of them.

From inhuman demon to helpful president and model student, from hard-working girl to perfect girlfriend, from good friend and elder sister to faithful daughter, Misaki Ayuzawa is seen from many different points of view.

They never stay the same.

They shift as time passes, return to their origin or alter themselves. As Misaki goes through life, the people around her catch new glimpses of her character, learn new things about her ethics and her past and gather understanding of her ways of life. As constant as a human being can be, she still changes, slowly, carefully, unnoticed by herself. That's what life is like, he thinks and keeps watching her.

She shouts at the student council members.

She talks to teachers and offers her help.

She smiles at her friends and bitches at him.

She laughs at his jokes – often they are at his own expense, because he knows they will make her laugh and he loves her smiling face – and serves him ice-cream and coffee and sweets. She goes out with Shizuko and Sakura and comes back with a new dress, she falls asleep at her desk from working into late hours and smiles at the customers of the Maid Latte. She and her family take a break and visit the sea and eat apples at the shore. She lets him take photos and play with her hair and steal kisses. She prosecutes trespassers of school rules and makes her council work into the night and then invites them for tea. She listens to his life and to his dirty jokes and even to the words he never says and blushes whenever he accidentally touches her and her honest, embarrassed expression sometimes is just too much to bear.

(It's typical that he doesn't realize his honest smile when he sees her has the same impact on her, but that's another story.)

She's a normal girl and yet so much more. He feels confirmed in his thoughts whenever he sees other people look at her, whenever he sees her from other peoples' eyes. So many different points of view, so many opinions trying to define her. And yet – she cannot be defined entirely, the same as she can be described with only one word. Sometimes, Takumi has the feeling she is so much more than one normal person. She seems like many individual beings at once. Still, she is only one person, a normal girl. She might not be ordinary at all, but she is just a girl.

At least, to anyone else, she is.

To Takumi, she always and overall is a woman first.

A/N Because there is a difference between a woman and a girl.