No Other Woman

Noriko shot up from her bed with the sheets falling from the side. Her head stung and, she covered her face with her palm. Where was she? She couldn't remember anything else. She looked over to the girl with strawberry orange hair and a boy with messy black strands. She recognized them before. They were her classmates.

"Why am I here?" She asked. Her eyes drooped but, she extended them wide enough to stay awake. The orange girl was staring at her like she was concerned about her. She took the bed sheets and covered half of her face and redirected her eyes to the window.

There doesn't seem to be a problem with her. She only has a few of her hair strands out of place but, so far she was fine. But the question was why of all people that could bring her here had to be the girl she had injured intentionally?

There must be an ulterior motive, Noriko thought in her mind. She locked her hands together and kept a neutral facade.

"You were knocked out when we found you," Eika answered. She played with her fingers. She didn't stare at her. She was looking down at her feet while the boy beside her was observing them.

Noriko couldn't tell if the girl had ill intentions. She didn't sense any lies within her statements. Alright. Maybe she can trust her words for a few moments.

"Really? How come you've found me?" Noriko averted her attention to the window. She speculated it's 7:30 or so in the morning. Classes start at 8:45.

"We were there... earlier," Hikaru scratched his head and cocked it on the side. Noriko narrowed his eyes at him. Her bit her lip and her feet itched to move away from them. She knew it. They probably had ulterior motives.

Her eyes scanned around the room. She imagined herself escaping in different scenarios. She tried to pick one of the best options she could think of until she felt something cold touched with her skin.

"I'm sorry but you need the ice you have a bruise on your leg," Eika said gently. She placed the compress with a towel on her knee. Noriko winced. A cold sweat broke out from her forehead and, her hand itched to slap it away.

Her head dropped and, she was unable to respond. Eika took it as a yes to keep on going and so she did.

"So... you heard what went down? You spied on me?" Noriko raised her head. She pointed her finger at her and glared. Hikaru stepped in and shielded Eika.

"We didn't spy on you. We had a different reason for being there. This little idiot wanted to dance despite her injury," Hikaru smacked her in the head and, Eika slapped him back on his shoulder. They exchanged a few laughs and Noriko couldn't help but remember her own time with her best friend.

By tomorrow, his reputation is ruined thanks to her.

Her head stung again but, she lifted her head no matter the pain she felt.

"I'm guessing you're here to ruin my career too? Make it quick. It's already damaged," Noriko said bluntly. Eika's eyes expanded and, she stood up from her chair and, waved her hands around.

"No! I would never do that!" Eika exclaimed but, then she slowly sat back down at her seat and closed her feet together. "I want to help you,"

Noriko gasped in disbelief. She balled her hands into a fist and clenched her teeth. "Are you an idiot!?" She yelled and, Hikaru sighed. He threw his arms in the air.

"Been there, done that, told her that question a few times but even then she's an airhead to even think about her actions twice," Hikaru teased and, Eika frowned at him. She shoved him aside to move closer to Noriko. She sat down beside her and Noriko stared at her in disgust.

It wasn't that she was angry at her but, she's frustrated at herself. She needed the aid of someone she wanted to eliminate from the competition?

"Don't you dare act all nice! Don't you know? I caused your injury!" Noriko argued back at her. She hated seeing that child-like innocent face of hers! Disgusting! Just disgusting! Just like a shoujo manga protagonist!

Eika took a deep breath but, her knees were shaking. She resisted the urge to scream back at her face. She was never the type to do so. She held her knees together and stared up at her.

"I'm not acting nice. I am nice but, I'm not helping you for charity," Eika shot back. She leaned her back at the chair. Her palms sweated and, she looked up to Hikaru whose nodding back at her in approval. She smiled discreetly at him and, she gave her attention to Noriko.

"Oh?" Noriko was surprised. She rested her chin on her hand and, her bangs fell to the side. What a twist on her first impression of her.

"I want to know why the girl asked of you to do those horrible things to me. You're not the one at fault here," Eika confided. Noriko looked away from her again and, she stared out at the window. She gathered her thoughts. Not her fault? It's her fault for being too talented! Enough to be sabotaged by a woman who doesn't need a single effort to make a name on this society!

"Not the one at fault?" Noriko laughed in frustration. She slammed her hands on the bed and hunched her back. She didn't notice the tears that swelled up on her eyes. She drowned in the sea of her own shortcomings.

"I chased after my dreams instead of finding a real part-time job. My best friend is in danger of losing enrollment here and, I left my grandfather in the hospital," Noriko sobbed. She covered her face with her hands. She didn't care who would see and hear her anymore. She was desperate. She needed to climb the rankings on her own accord. She couldn't fall back behind. The more people she could send down below the ranking, the more she could succeed.

Someone's arms wrapped around her body. She knew it was Eika. She didn't resist or pulled away. Instead, she cried but, she could hear someone else's sobs.

When Noriko separated herself from Eika. She found tears trickling down from the girl's cheeks. Her eyes grew wide along with the boy beside her.

"Why are you crying?!" Hikaru and Noriko both said at the same time and, Eika couldn't respond. She sniffed and wiped her tears with her arm.

"S-sorry but, it's just that, I always cry whenever someone cries too," Eika said shyly. She tried to remove her endless tears and, Noriko's face softened.

She closed her mouth and watched the boy beside her make fun of her tears. She clutched on her own hand and hated herself more. She couldn't believe how low she had turned herself into.

There was no loser in this room but herself.

"Hey, Miyamoto," Noriko spoke up. She interrupted the two and Eika was able to pull herself together to voice out a response.

"Yes?" She asked and, Noriko took a deep breath. She braced herself to face shame. She figured she didn't want to go so far down.

"Everyone here thinks you're a threat because out of all the early birds that auditioned. You're the only one who passed," Noriko confirmed. Eika didn't seem to move. She was frozen on the spot and, so Noriko continued.

"No early bird was able to be recruited for years except you,"