FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I've left for Kyoto, make sure you have breakfast. Your mom's cooking from dinner is in the freezer, love you.

God of all people to cook why my mother? Akage questioned as she got up from bed to get ready for school.

Akage showered and then she stared at the clothes in her closet. She picked out a white shirt, black pants, black vest, striped tie, and a check-patterned scarf with boots.

It may not be the uniform but at least it's similar. She justified another reason to break the rules as she heated up her breakfast.

Akage got to her bus stop with her eyes on her screen, rubbing it sleepily as she yawned again. She frowned even more at the sight of the bus approaching, reminding her to resume the boring days of being a high school student.

Akage hated crowded places especially public transport. If her luxury had not been stripped from her, she would have been riding her bike to school as she had in her previous academy, Zōyo High School.

She connected her headphone, placed it on her head and boarded the bus. Akage moved to the back of the bus and took a seat as she listened to music. She recognised students wearing Seika High uniform. The atmosphere in the bus got lively as the students chattered about Akage in admiration. The song drowned the noises from Akage's ears.

The bus stopped at another stop and another student boarded. She radiated cute little sister energy with grey hair, peach eyes, fair and smooth skin with tiny freckles on her cheeks, and a small structure. She was five feet one with her hair styled in a low braid that rested on her shoulders.

She walked straight, building up the courage to sit beside Akage. She was going to land softly when another girl pushed her and took the space beside Akage with a victory smirk on her face. Akage eyes moved, glancing between the timid girl and the mean girl beside her who coughed hurtful words at the timid girl close to tears.

"Shut up." Akage demanded and the mean girl kept quiet, realizing Akage was serious.

The mean girl, pretty, five feet six, with black hair, green eyes, a delicate and busty body with an air of arrogance, frowned. Her cheeks perked up when she realized this was her opportunity to shine.

"I'm from your school Akage senpai. My name is Hisa Akiyama and I'm in class 1B." She introduced but Akage selectively ignored her.

Akage stood up and sat beside her leaving everyone including Hisa speechless. Everyone whispered, a few laughing at Hisa as the timid girl smiled with a blush on her face. Akage was about to put on the headphone once again till a gentle, low voice stopped her.

"Thank you so much for your kindness senpai."

"I didn't do it for you. I don't like fussy and nosy girls, especially ones who degrade someone else to make themselves feel better." Akage responded.

"I'm Ena Hideki from class 1E. I'm not really a troublemaker but my grades are why I'm in E class."

"Nothing wrong with E. I prefer to be in E class than be normal. Besides, after E comes fun." She explained as Ena chuckled before Akage wore her headphone.

Ena wanted to talk more with the senior she admired but didn't have the courage to talk. She stared at Akage who listened to music with her eyes closed as the sun reflected on her pale skin.

"If you want me to be friendly Ena, know I'm a total jerk and timid people can't handle me." Akage informed her without moving as Ena's smile weakened a little.

"It doesn't matter if I'll be able to talk to the senpai I admire and that is more than enough for me." Ena responded as she placed her hand on her chest leaving a smile on Akage's face at how content and persistent she could be.

"I'm Akage Akazawa from class 2E. It's nice to know you, Ena Hideki." Akage introduced as Ena blushed.

The bus stopped at the closest bus stop to school and all the students came down. Akage said nothing as she listened to music while Ena walked by her side with a bashful blush on her face as they trekked to school.

"Hey watermelon." Akage teased Shizuno.

She squealed at Akage’s sudden appearance behind her and maintained a solid foot away from her, her back glued to the wall.

Everyone watched with anticipation at the only student that made Shizuno fumble.

Shizuno pointed a ruler at Akage with a bashful glare.

"Stay away from me you pervert! You unholy man!" Shizuno screamed as Akage laughed.

"Okay." Akage responded as she crossed the gate much to the student disciplinary committee's dismay because Akage mocked their power.

I seriously need to get my cool around that creep! Shizuno thought as she screamed. "Curse you Akage Akazawa!"

Akage entered her class from the back door and paused when she saw Yuuta. He cackled like a joker as he and a few of their classmates joked around. Akage said nothing as she walked closer and closer to her seat until the guys in front of Yuuta saw her and told him to stand up.

Yuuta had bright orange hair with orange eyes, openminded and a careless sense of living. He was funny, mischievous, energetic, cheeky, and loyal with a temper of his own that was rare to see.

"Why the hell do I have to stand up from this seat? It's not like the transfer owns the seat. It is a free world we live in." Yuuta jeered stubbornly as Akage smiled.

Her shadow towered his body that sat on her seat. He paused at the familiar aura that zapped into his body as he gulped.

"What did you say Yuuta? A free world huh?" Akage asked as Yuuta slowly turned back.

"B-b-boss." Yuuta stammered and yelled when a powerful punch landed on the crown of his head as the whole class laughed.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Why so hard?!" Yuuta screamed as he glared at Akage who raised her knuckles.

"Because you’re a freaking moron Yuuta Izumi." Akage responded coldly as she kicked him off the chair and sat down while the class roared.

"We'll settle things after school." Akage informed him as Yuuta rubbed the crown of his head.

Mr. Saki walked in for homeroom and his eyes glared at Yuuta who whistled as he stared out the window, knowing why Mr. Saki glared holes through his body.

"Yuuta report to my office during recess!" Mr. Saki shouted as Yuuta bent his head with a sigh.

"Izumi-kun is really aiming for the number one troublemaker of class 2E. That's totally amazing." One of their classmates said as she giggled.

Mr. Saki took attendance as his brows twitched when three students with poor attendance missed homeroom again: Kisho Makoto, Eiji Sena, and Daiki Hoshi. Mr. Saki fumed, muttering about their death as he stepped out of the class.

"Why is Mr. Saki so worked up about a bunch of losers?" Akage asked as Yuuta turned back and leaned closer to her.

"They are just some wannabe delinquents from the gang called Vipers. Vipers have a knack for picking fights, embezzling money, and invading weaker turfs. They've tried us once, but they had another thing coming with our low tiers. Those three will definitely pick a fight with you since your popularity has been going haywire." Yuuta informed her as she scoffed.

"Vipers. The name sounds like a joke. How come I've never heard of them?"

"You are the lazy patriarch of the Wolves. That's more than enough reasons." Yuuta scoffed.

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing." Yuuta smiled and the first-period teacher entered.

During club hours, Yuuta gave Akage a tour of the entire school while they searched for the perfect club for Akage. Akage received many offers and proposals from each club to join them because of her reputation but she rejected it to explore herself with assistance from Yuuta.

"Why not try the soccer club? I'm sure it'll be an amusing surprise to your rivals across the globe to see you play a sport that requires a lot of teamwork like soccer.” Yuuta said amused much to Akage's dismay.

"No. I only like to watch and play soccer games than the actual sport; the experience is different. It's not like I have a favourite; I love them all except soccer and swimming." She responded casually.

"I have a brilliant idea. Why not join the baseball club? The guys have been asking me to scout you but you’re you."

"One more word and I'll be playing you but it's nice a moron like you can provide solutions when needed. My Yuuta is finally learning." Akage teased as she patted Yuuta's head who playfully fought to get her hands off his head as they both laughed.

"So, I guess I can take that as yes." Yuuta said.

"Definitely. If the club is crap, I can always leave. My dad had a little chat with the principal so I can be in any club I want." She explained as they headed for the baseball club's pitch.

Akage's presence on the field caught a lot of the players attention while they practised. She and Yuuta chatted, being best friends when the president of the baseball club approached her.

"Are you Akage Akazawa?" The president, Kane Ichiro said as Akage Akazawa gave him her attention.

Kane Ichiro was six feet four, an inch taller than Akage and a little bigger. He had jet black hair, green eyes that could pierce through any defence, fair skin, and a fit body worthy of a baseball president. He was handsome, his resemblance felt strangely familiar to Akage who found Kane Ichiro amazing.

"Give me the bat and tell me the answer." Akage's gloated.

She took off her vest and tossed it at one of the benchers; she rolled up her sleeves, with a relaxed stance and selected her pitcher.

"Give me your best and hardest throw, pitcher." She demanded in a crude manner as the pitcher nodded.

Akage took her stance, her pupils dilated so time slowed down, her mind calculating the angles and predicting the pitcher’s movement. The moment the pitcher threw the ball, Akage hit the ball and the impact bounced past the pitcher to the wires backstop, breaking the ball.

His form was perfect, his timing accurate, speed wonderful and strength incredible. He is remarkable and now my rival. Kane thought as the referee yelled "Safe!"

"Welcome to the baseball club Akage Akazawa and as the president of this club." Kane pointed at her. "I acknowledge you as my rival."

Akage ran her hand through her wet hair as a bantering smile dawned on her face. "You’re welcome to be my rival, Kane Ichiro. I expect a lot from you." Akage responded as she collected her vest, leaving everyone except Yuuta, speechless.

The excited cheers from Akage's female fans and a few fujoshi fans who shipped her and Kane or Yuuta, surrounded her as they complimented and praised her while the timid girl from earlier, Ena watched from a hidden distance.

"You were so cool Akage senpai! Please give us your autograph!" The girls requested before Akage spotted Ena.

"Sorry girls but my girlfriend is here and she's a very jealous woman." Akage lied as she walked over to Ena and held the timid girl.

Ena blushed as she yelped when she faced the hateful eyes of Akage's crazy fan group reducing her from a bunny to a tiny baby mouse.

"W-w-what?! I'm, I'm honestly not senpai's girlfriend!" Ena exclaimed as the hateful glares got stronger before Akage's laughter broke the tension.

"Girls she's telling the truth, bye!" Akage ran off, putting a great distance between her and her crazy fans who chased after her.

"Aren't you going after him?" Kane asked Yuuta who laughed.

"Psst! Are you kidding? Things are just getting started." Yuuta responded.

Maid Paradise was a café Akage's mom owned but now she was the new CEO. A place where people could come and have fun, watch cute girls cosplay in different styles of maid outfits depending on their personality and taste. It was a lively place with a smooth operation so Akage's job was to make it greater than what her mother could ever do.

Akage observed the understaffed employees operate. They were seven in number and since the building wasn't particularly large, they didn't seem to have any issues running the place. Akage went to the back to meet their manager.

"Hi. I'm Akage Akazawa and I believe my mom, Kioko Akazawa, mentioned I was the new owner." She introduced herself to a lady with green hair, purple eyes, and fair skin.

The lady was confused at the sight of the new owner. She remembered Kioko talking about her daughter, but a son was not what expected. Maybe she's a tranny.

"Kioko told us her daughter was taking over not her son, I never knew she had a son." The lady explained as Akage burst into laughter confusing the lady even more.

"I'm a girl, looks can be deceiving." Akage responded as the lady touched her chest, feeling the bandages that tied down her breasts.

"Sorry we got off on a weird foot. I'm Hisano Akito and I'm the chief maid of the café. Let me give you a tour around the café." Hisano introduced as she scratched the back of her head with a smile.

They entered the kitchen where they saw the cooks, one with long orange hair and the other with short brown hair and brown skin who resembled a cat.

"This Kagome Yahiko." Hisano introduced as she pointed at the orange hair. "And that is Natsuko Reikage."

The two chefs waved at Akage before they intruded into her personal space.

"Wow! He’s so handsome like a prince." They both exclaimed as they gave Akage puppy eyes.

Akage's stern face transformed into a princely smile as she held both girls’ hands and placed a chaste kiss on their hands. Natsuko’s nose bled as she imagined Akage dressed as a prince in her head.

"My name is Akage Akazawa but please my ladies, call me Akage." She said as she winked at them.

All three of them, including the chief, closed their eyes as a cupid shot a huge love arrow while they cried in their head in sync, wondering how someone like Akage existed. Tranced by Akage’s charms, another maid with glasses entered.

"What are you girls doing instead of working?! You’re not paid every month to play around!" The meganekko scolded and the chief chuckled before the lady stared at Akage.

"She is Reiko Tachibana, our accountant and big sister." Hisano teased as Reiko folded her hands.

"So, you’re the new owner. It's a pleasure to have you work with us." Reiko's serious tone softened as she bowed.

"Likewise." Akage responded before three other maids joined the drama.

"This is Mai Hanasaki, Kurumi Iwabe and Sora Shun." Hisano introduced the other employees who bowed except Sora that hissed.

"Girls this is Akage Akazawa, and she is the new owner." Hisano informed them as they stared in surprise except for Sora at the thought Akage was a girl.

They inspected her, commenting, and praising her androgynous appearance as Akage let them check her out till they were content.

"She's tall, handsome, perfect body..." Kurumi said but Sora interrupted.

"And flat."

Akage said nothing as her face slowly returned to its neutral expression. Akage ignored Sora who rolled her eyes.

"My report says you’re eight in number, who is missing?" Akage asked.

"You must mean Akihito Toru. A part-timer, and assistant chef but he works on weekends. Plus, his cooking is delicious!" Mai exclaimed as she moaned at the thought of Akihito's cooking.

"I better get to work. Where can I change?" Akage asked as Hisano raised her hand.

"Follow me!" She stated before Akage followed her.

Akage was the centre of attention in the café. The concept of her maid uniform was steampunk. Her service to the customers was cold but attentive, earning her heart points beyond expectations.

"Akage is definitely rocking your nephew's design. You should take a picture." Reiko said to Hisano who raised her phone with a picture of Akage in her uniform.

"I already did." Hisano responded.

The little world Kioko built impressed Kioko. The staff were jovial, friendly, and caring like a family. They laughed, played, fought, celebrated, and cried together. Though she wondered why her mom couldn't do the same at home.

Akage entered her new house, walking straight to the table where food was placed – It was warm.

She picked up a note sticking out underneath the table.

Mrs. Akazawa appointed me to take care of you in her absence. She noted your eating habits, so I made you a nutritious dinner, Mrs. Sasori.

Akage changed out of her clothes and sat at the table. She quietly ate her meal, stared at the empty seats and sighed.

Things will change from now on.