Summary: Masks are a great thing to hide behind. There are many masks in this world such as scary ones, fancy ones, or traditional ones. Then, there is mine: the invisible mask of 'happiness'.

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR or any of their characters.

Thank you and enjoy XD

I first wore my mask when I was seven years old and I've worn it ever since.

"Mommy! Don't leave me here! Please!" I yelled as I cried. Mommy was sick ever since I could remember, always in the hospital bed, looking fragile as if she was going to break any moment. I feared that she would and now, she was looking like that more than ever.

Mommy's weak, pale hand trembled as she tried to reach my cheek. I leaned closer and let her touch my cheek.

She started to gently stroke my cheek and weakly whispered, "Takeshi… Mommy is sorry that she has to go… Mommy wanted to cook for you, play with you, laugh together with you… Mommy is sorry..." from corner of mommy's eyes, I could see a single tear trickling down her face but she continued on. "Takeshi… mommy will love you forever and ever… Please remember that…"

I sniffed and nodded. "Hai, mommy! I know mommy loves me!" I said. "Mommy, get better soon so you can cook for me, play with me! We'll laugh together with daddy too! Get better soon, please mommy!" tears rolled down my face like a waterfall.

Mommy smiled at me. "Thank you. Takeshi… can you smile for me?"

I gave mommy my best smile I could muster. Mommy sighed and smiled. "Mommy loves Takeshi's smile. Can you smile and laugh like you always do?"

"Un! I will smile for mommy!" I said solemnly. Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Anata…" mommy weakly smiled.

"Daddy…" I said.

"Takeshi… Let's give mommy our last present. She said that she loves your smile, right?" Daddy said.

My eyes prickled with tears forming once again. 'Last present…' I thought. I quickly nodded my head.

"1… 2… 3…" Daddy whispered in my ear and when it got to three, I smiled fully, thinking of all the happy moments in my life and trying to smile.

Mommy smiled, "Thank you, Anata… Takeshi…" Mommy's hand went limp as the heart monitor shrieked a long 'beep' sound. The 'beep' sound resonated throughout the hospital room.

My shoulders shook as I sniffed. "Daddy… I think I had enough of crying. I won't cry anymore. I'll smile for mommy, laugh for mommy."

Daddy didn't say anything, just hugged me tightly.

News about my mom spread throughout the school. I kept on smiling, acting oblivious to everything.

"Yamamoto!" Someone yelled. I turned around to see Mochida-senpai.

"Hahaha. Mochida-senpai! Hi!" I laughed and waved at him.

"You make me mad. Disgusted, Yamamoto!" He sneered at me.

I grinned with my hands on back of my head and asked, "Did I do something wrong? Why are you so angry?"

"Why aren't you sad? Are you happy that your mother died?!" Mochida-senpai yelled with his chest heaving up and down. His fist clenched and unclenched.

"Hahaha, what do you mean?" I tried to act oblivious but I felt a piercing pain in my chest.

"Teme…" He glared at me and then attacked me with his fist. He punched me all his might and I fell backwards.

"Woah, senpai! Let's talk about this, neh?" I asked, trying to calm Mochida-senpai down, but deep inside my heart, I wished he would punch me more. I deserve this. I deserve all of this.

Mochida-senpai didn't say anything and kept on punching my face. I heard girls screaming at senpai to stop hitting me, boys trying to get him off of me. I didn't do anything. I just lay there, receiving the punches. Few moments later, teachers rushed in. They separated us and I was sent to the infirmary.

"All set, Takeshi-kun." The infirmary nurse said to me.

I smiled at her and said, "Thank you! I feel a lot better!"

The infirmary nurse smiled at me and said, "If you get hurt, then be sure to tell me! I'll fix you up!"

I gave her thumbs up and said, "Thank you, sensei!" I smiled at her and waved at her. "Bye!"

When I walked out the infirmary room, I stayed out the door for few minutes and then, I heard sensei on the phone.

"I can't believe this! Here I thought I would get some raise if I got to comfort that boy."

"No! He's happy like a kid going to an amusement park!"

"I hate that kind of kid! All he knows is how to smile!"

I could hear my heart shattering, broken down to pieces, but I tried my best to shake it off. Trying to smile, laugh… It's too hard!

Again and again, my heart was broken. I trusted nobody. I built a wall around my heart, a fortress so no one else could hurt me.

"Takeshi… Are you okay?" Oyaji asked me. I looked up and smiled at him.

"Of course! Hahaha! I have baseball practice today! I'll be home late." I laughed and waved at him. "I'll be back soon, Oyaji!"

"Come home safely, Takeshi. Don't get hurt." Oyaji smiled and waved back and continued to cut the fish with his knife.

"Hai, oyaji!" I yelled back.

When I arrived at the door to the changing room, I heard my teammates complaining. I leaned closer to the door to hear more clearly.

"Ugh. I hate Yamamoto and his stupid smile! He's popular, good at baseball, and he's not even good at his studies but never fails the grade!" I heard one person exclaim.

"I know right? I swear my position as a regular that Yamamoto only has smiles on his face. I have never seen any other expression other than that stupid smile! I bet he's laughing at us when we fail at baseball on the inside!" Another person said in disgust.

Sometimes, it doesn't work and I get hurt. There's a hole on my fortress and somehow, they figure out where it is and only attack there.

'I don't…' I thought. 'I really don't guys… I don't laugh at you.'

"He's such a show off! The only reason I have him as a friend is because he is popular! Who knows, I might get popular along with him!"

"He's my friend so that he stays in the team. He is the reason why we win, after all. No other reason." I heard my captain state calmly.

'Is this… what you guys think of me?' I thought. I didn't dare let any tear escape my eyes. I held it in. But, what is this sensation? What is this fierce pain in my chest?

'Smile… Put on a smile…' I thought. I slapped my cheeks in determination and walked in the changing room with a big smile on my face. "Hi, guys!"

"Yamamoto! You're late!" my captain yelled.

"Gomen, gomen." I said with a sheepish smile on my face.

"Change fast, okay?" my captain said as he walked out.

"You got some guts, Yamamoto! Being late the day before we have a big tournament!" a boy slung his arm around my neck.

I laughed. "I lost the track of my time! Hahaha!"

"Typical Yamamoto!" The team laughed. I laughed along with them.

Even though I look happy… Guys, I am crying on the inside. Why can't anybody notice that? Why? Please… Somebody… Notice my mask… My pain… Please…

Done!

Arigato gozaimasu for reading this! While I was reading the book "Lord of the Flies", there was a scene where a character was hiding behind a mask and it inspired me to write this fanfic!

I hope you enjoyed reading this story XD

Please review if you have any comment or suggestions!