Chapter 6: Just ask

Why is it that at school Misaki is the one in control, the one who can fix anything, solve any problem? She's the one everyone admirers (even the guys though they mask it by pretend hatred and fear) and respect. She's Ayuzawa Misaki and she doesn't need anyone's help.

But she does need help. But she's just too proud to ask, or naïve enough to think that she doesn't need it. She does need it. But she goes it alone. She works herself to the ground at school and maid café. She comes home to homework, council work, her weary mother and her coupon clipping sister. She struggles to help her family's ends meet, yet she never asks for help.

She never expects genuine words of kindness and concern to come from my mouth. So she shoots me down, denying the need for help. She doesn't want my 'charity'. But it's not charity. It's legitimate worry. She does need the help. And deep inside she knows it. All she needs to do is ask. But she doesn't; because its Misaki and she can take on anything.

"I've seen her brave a hoard of hormone crazed boys. When she was alone, though her stance was determined, I saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. And that's when I stepped out of the shadows to help. And this time she didn't get angry at me. She even bantered playfully with me while we beat the idiots to a pulp. And of course Shitani came blundering in like an ox and began to do his bit. Throughout all of this, she didn't ask for my help, yet I gave it anyway. Because I know her like I know my favorite book. Every page is memorized and easy to read. She tries very hard not to seem vulnerable, yet she is the most emotional woman I've ever seen.

She overthinks things, and gets suspicious easily. Sometimes, this is helpful. But when she went to Miyabigoaka High to meet the President of the Student Council there, I tagged along. She didn't know of course. She never seems to look behind her which in my case is good.

I knew she'd been gone to long, and those guards seemed rather unnecessary. So, I got a little suspicious. And then I heard her call my name.

"Usui!" And then I knew something was very wrong. I took out the guards easily. You'd think if Tora was going to have guards, he'd have them properly trained. Then again, I might just be an "outer space alien" like Misaki says. But when I broke down the door, I nearly lost it.

Igarashi had Misaki dressed in a very revealing maid outfit, and had pinned her on a desk. He was apparently stronger than her in a certain form of martial arts. I didn't really care. He hurt Misaki. He'll be warned. But that is his one and only warning. So he better think wisely. Once I'd rescued Misaki threatening Tora that she wasn't the kind of girl that you can just "put your hands on like that", (and she scoffed under her breath basically calling me a hypocrite- slightly guilty) I pulled her out of the room and into the corridor. She'd chosen to stay at Seika High. But she didn't know why I was truly happy. Because by calling my name, she'd been asking me for help. And that was the first time I'd really heard it from her.