New Money VS Old Money

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Maemi had to work on a school project in the library and didn’t mind being on her own. Her friends were busy with their classes and she focused on the studies, not caring much about the fact that she was on her own. She liked being with herself, and wasn’t desperate for company. She wouldn’t say no to anyone who might want to join her but people still held it against her for some reason, and it made her think that the kids from her generation really had closed minds. She was in Ouran, just like them, and yet, they thought it was funny to judge her because she had a voice and was what they called a new money family. Wasn’t money, money? She didn’t understand why they were like that and speaking of which, she saw a girl coming to her table and looked up. “Hirayama, we heard you went to the town center, you don’t have enough money to go to the mall?” They snickered at this and she wasn’t much phased by it, being used to it. “I don’t see why I should waste my money on things when I got get them for half the price in the town center.” She pointed out at them. They thought about it. “Once a commoner, always a commoner.” Her words irked her a bit.

Once simple-minded, always simple-minded, thought Maemi but she knew better than to say that straight at their faces. It was easier to lash out on people who had less money than the more fortunate ones as theirs. “We’re in a library.” The girl looked at Maemi. “And?” Maemi tried hard to restrain herself from saying anything that could be held against her. “It’s a place meant to study and I would like to keep doing so.” She knew that people disliked the fact she talked back to them, but it wasn’t enough to have the girl to leave her alone. “Has the library in Ouran High ever been quiet Hirayama?” She asked back. Maemi was starting to consider leaving her spot, she was starting to have enough of this and they were truly testing her capacities into using her words in a fine way that wouldn’t lead her to a suspension. “Aren’t we in a university now?” She said referring to the fact that they should have matured but it wasn’t the case.

SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE

[SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE]

Medecine was really not an easy thing to study and when you enjoyed skipping a class or two on occasion, it meant you had to work hard to prove you had what it took. Eventually, he would graduate from Ouran and go to a Med school and he needed the grades to get to the best one. His father wouldn't take anything short of perfection, even from his second - and illegitimate - son. If Kyousuke did that however, it was because he was good at school and would still make sure to study from time to time. This was one such moment.

He had not paid much attention to the others around the library when he sat down with his pile of books but girls not too far from him were talking too loudly. And they were badmouthing too! Kyousuke looked at the girl they were talking to. He had not lived with a lot of money for the first half of his life. Even when his father legitimised him and had him registered to Ouran, he went through comments about being a bastard child. As such, he immediately took for the girl they were mocking. He only looked though, as she seemed to have the situation in control. Still, the commoner comment irked him just as much as it did for her.

They were still on her case, somehow, not getting the hint to leave so she could study. This tiem, he intervened. "Well, I know for a fact that I would like to be studying in peace, so if you nice ladies wouldn'ty mind having your discussion elsewhere so I can focus on my books, that would be great," he told them. He was looking at the one who had a bad attitude. "Also, you have me curious, where did you 'hear' that? Isn't it more that you went there yourself?"

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Maemi didn’t expect to have someone stand up for her neither did she know that the person who stood up for her was suffering from the same kind of attitude from others as well. She looked at the boy who interfered into this chit chat who was becoming intimidation. To think that in a ‘normal’ school this kind of bullying wouldn’t be tolerated and the person would be expelled. Money really did unfair things to people and she wasn’t always all for it. Sure, you needed it to leave but not to get away from all possible problems either.

The girl didn’t care much of what Kyousuke said until he brought up that she heard this. She froze and raised her nose at them, obviously aware of who he was. “What a good pair you two make.” Said the person to both of them. Unlike them, she didn’t know of everyone’s names and such so she didn’t know what he went through high school, having enough to deal with on her end though. “I have my sources.” She simply said. Maemi got slightly annoyed by them. “I’d rather be a commoner than a person of your status who has nothing better than gossip.” She said, keeping her voice low. “Now if you don’t leave, I might have to report to the librarian that you are breaking the silence rule and not letting us study.”

“I’d never be as low as you are.” Said the person to both of them, before leaving them alone. Maemi was slightly irritated from this after they had left them.

[SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE]

Was she trying to insult them with that remark? "Well, thank you. Can't say I know her but if you're matching me with a pretty and studious girl, I'm quite happy with it. I'm afraid my heart is already taken though," he replied. The last line, he said to Maemi, wincing a bit as though he was sad of this but he was being sarcastic the whole time. He wanted to make fun of the girl's attitude.

He didn't quite catch Maemi's mumble but he could see she was annoyed. "Maybe you're the one who wishes to be paired up with her though, if you seek out sources about her," he added, sparks in his eyes as he was quite amused by this. Funny how some people could look down on people like them at times. His half-brother always treated him like family and never said anything about them having different mothers. His father acknowledged him as soon as he could. And yet some people had something to say about it.

"I'll make sure to remember that when you'll need a surgery and I'll be the one holding the knife," he told her when she chose to throw a last jab at them before leaving. He was not going to let her have the last word in this. You'd think people like her would grow up after graduating from high school, but they would rather keep the drama very much alive. He wondered what class she was in, certain that she wasn't that good at it if that was what she preferred to do.

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Maemi was a bit surprised and taken aback that the boy decided to take it on the good point. She never had someone who implied that she was pretty before, at least, not so openly. She took the compliment and even smiled a bit at the boy who said that, taking her side into this ridiculous fight. She didn’t see why she had to justify herself for being at Ouran University. She had to have the money for it, just as much as they do and yet, they preferred to make fun of them. She waved her hand in a way that showed to Kyousuke that it was fine when he said that his heart was already taken.

The girl looked at Kyousuke in disdain as he talked back to her and didn’t let his words bother her. Though, Maemi had to say that she appreciated the humour in this. She’d like to watch him react if he truly was going to be holding the knife in a surgery while treating her. If he indeed came from a similar background as she did, she couldn’t blame him from feeling satisfied to see they were at their mercy. She wasn’t someone mean or evil but sometimes, she wanted them to get what they deserved.

“Thank you, it seems they never grow up around here.” She admitted to him once she was out of their reach and leaving them alone so they could get back to their studies, at last.

[SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE]

You could attend this school only if you had a lot of money or were the best in studies. If she had the money to attend, then they shouldn't bother and if she entered because of her smarts, it just proved that she could go very far. Ouran wouldn't allow you in if they didn't think you had what it took. He found it funny that they would pick on the girl then, when she clearly proved herself by just sitting here.

Kyousuke had no resentment for the girl. She was an idiot and the reason why he had so few friends from his school. He didn't feel a connection with them and would rather ditch them once school was over to go do things on his own. He tended to turn down most invitations he received. He didn't even wnat to start to think how they would react if they knew of this little hobby of his.

With the girl gone, the other one thanked him. He nodded. "They need a good kick off their pedestal. Funny how they don't get how easy it is to lose reputation or money if you don't bother working for it." His family had both a good reputation and money, but they also worked for it. His father had to work to become the head of surgery, he couldn't rely only on the good reputation of their family, renowned for having quite a few famous doctors and researchers. Perhaps their parents should have taught them that. Then again, you'd think that if they were in university that they knew how hard you had to work. He frowned at the thought, looking at where she went. "Wonder what she's studying in if she's got time for this." He houldn't talk, with his laid-back attitude, but at least he delivered and worked when necessary.

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Maemi didn’t doubt her skills and didn’t feel like she needed to prove her worth to anyone. She never tended to bite whenever they were taunting her and it happened quite a few times. She simply stood her grounds with what she believe was the right thing to do. She wasn’t mean or a bully, but she didn’t let people talk down on her and they seemed to dislike that. As if she would let people walk on her. Her family worked hard to get there and she was willing to fulfill their dreams even if she wasn’t entirely sure that it was what she wanted but she thought it was the best route to pick.

She agreed with the boy who spoke to her, they did needed to be kicked off their pedestal. They thought they were almighty and could do anything they wanted. She did wonder what she was majoring in if she had been able to go to Ouran University. Probably not something as important or she probably didn’t care what she was studying it precisely because they were rich and were going to be given a good spot in whatever their parents were doing.

“Hopefully not a doctor because I’d prefer it’d be you.” She said honestly as she looked at him. She then realized she had yet presented herself to the boy. “I’m Hirayama Maemi by the way.” She said to him. His name was certainly worth remembering.

[SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE]

Some people might have an opinion on him and his status, but they couldn't go against the fact that his father ultimately recognized him and paid for his studies. He was even living with the man now. Illegitimate or not, Kyousuke belonged in their world somehow. Anyway, it wasn't like he really liked them or their world, so he didn't care if they wanted to try and ostracize him. Over the years, his perosnality and general behaviour helped him get some sort of reputation that might have countered his social status but he also didn't care too much about that. He had no prolem ditching them for other people and their attitude only encouraged him to keep doing this. His father never really said anything about forgetting his childhood friends so why should he?

Kryousuke was certain that a lot of the parents worked hard to get where they were and maintain that status. You'd think the kids knew about that and were ready to do the same, but they had been offered everything they wanted since birth and didn't grasp that important fact. Being at the university should help them realise it. If not... well, it wasn't like it mattered to him. He wouldn't even pity their enterprises when they would make them fall. It was that big difference of character in many of his fellow schoolmates that had him ignore them, but he was fine talking with that girl. She seemed to get it, unlike them. Or maybe she was just a brainy girl who wanted to study in peace. Either way, that was still a better behaviour than what that other girl had done.

He laughed as she replied to him. "Nice of you to trust me, even if you don't know anything of my skills. Though I should probably just say thanks for believing I can be a doctor." With his looks, mostly his spiky blonde hair, some might find it hard to believe. It wasn't like they were doing a lot of scalpel-handling right now. It was important to know the basics first. She introduced herself to him. He couldn't say he knew her, which sounded weird to him since he always figured that those in university also attended high school and probably even had been in Ouran since kindergarten. She must have been in a different year and class than him and they shared none of the clubs in common. "Shishido Kyousuke," he said in response. He didn't expect for her to recognize his name. He always found it weird when people recognized his father's name when they were not connected to a hospital in one way or another. Who knew the names of surgeons, really, even when they operate on celebrities and politicians?

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Reputation, while it seemed to be a word that mattered to a lot of people around here, she usually tried to stay away from them, and also didn’t care as much about it herself. Sure, she didn’t want her family to have a bad name because she said something she shouldn’t have but she couldn’t simply let people go by and calling her whatever they felt like calling her because she was a new money family. They deserved to be in Ouran Academy just as much as the others and if not more, considering that they worked hard to have it now while some of the families had it already established since decades.

She tend not to fit the mold for various reasons and one of them was that she stood up for herself, and wasn’t afraid to reply to people if they needed it. She could handle herself pretty well and wasn’t ashamed to buy cheaper quality things even if she liked going to the mall on occasions and offer herself some decent pieces of clothes. She just cared about money more than some of her classmates might.

She smiled at the boy as he replied to her, appreciating his honestly. It was a trait a lot of people around here seemed to lack of. “Why wouldn’t you? If you work hard for it.” She said as her smile grew wider. He might not have the typical style for someone who was studying medicine but she didn’t mind it much. She knew better than to judge a book by its cover. It was usually when she had the greatest friends. “It’s nice to meet you Shishido-san.” She replied cheerfully. “I’ll make sure to remember of your name, that way I can tell to people I know a doctor.” She added, using the same kind of humour he did. Feeling that she could be like that around him.

[SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE]

If that girl wanted to talk of clothes and snub them on where they got theirs, Kyousuke could argue that a bunch of the clothes he wore in his life came from his mother. It was her job after all, to make costumes for dramas and movies. She was an excellent seamstress. Some of the designs he had for his dresses also came from her, although she didn't make a whole lot. It was not a hobby she exactly encouraged from him, much like anyone else who knew of it. But he thought it fun and he always loved the clothes his mother made so of course he would ask for some dresses as well. But he bought some expensive things too. Mostly wigs, but he should probably not mention that here. He kept his hobby to himself, he didn't want to ruin everything for his father and brother after all.

"Hard work sure help, but you also need some talent and lots of guts to do anything major in life," he pointed out. He didn't know if he could be a surgeon, but he still had some time to determine exactly in what he wanted to specialize. He didn't want to think about the fact that it would likely be what his father wanted since he didn't know himself yet. Or more like he wasn't sure if he could eve think about what he'd like. Whatever it was, it was confusing even to him and he didn't think he should admit to Maemi that he wasn't certain he even wanted to be a doctor.

He nodded as she greeted him. He moved a bit closer, extending his neck to look at the books by her side and get an idea of what she was studying right now. "Might be best to mention my father and brother then," he couldn't help but say however as she brought up the doctor thing. It might give away that he wasn't sure himself, but it could also just be because one already was a doctor while the other was following in his footsteps. It would take longer to say the same about him.

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Maemi didn’t care about where she shopped for clothes. The other girl could be surprised to how many clothes that were expensive she could find in the stores that were in the market place. Even if she didn’t pay the full prices for the items, didn’t mean she didn’t know how to present herself. Besides, spending less meant that you got more money in your pockets. Sometimes, people didn’t seem to have the notion when they had a lot of money and the girl just proved it to her. Sure, she could appreciate buying one from a fancy place here and there, especially the dresses if she was attending to an event but she generally preferred not to waste her money.

She nodded at what Kyousuke said. He was right, money wasn’t everything in life and people from her status seemed to understand that concept better. It was why she never really bothered dating much, most of the kids wouldn’t understand her. There were a few good looking ones, she couldn’t deny it but she preferred to focus on her studies and let life move on. If love ended up being in the way, then so be it, but she wasn’t about to run forward it. She had her studies to focus on right now and was content with it.

She smiled as he talked a bit of his family. She never expected to start a conversation in the library but this guy managed to catch her attention. They seemed to have come from a similar background and it immediately had her sympathize with him. “Now that I think about it, I think I have heard of your last name but forgive me, I don’t really pay attention to people’s standings. I probably should though.” She admitted a bit sheepishly. She really didn’t care about what people were famous for. If they were happy with it. What was the point of flaunting your money or rank to people’s faces?

[SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE]

Kyousuke didn't get a lot of dates either, come to think of it. He did have some, briefly. He did go out with girls and had a few friends over the year he attended this private school. He might not have had as many as he could have gotten with his looks and charm though. It was mostly due to how interesting he found a lot of the people there. As soon as they started talking money or status, he was losing interest. He got it, if you were to marry, you might want someone who could financially support you, especially if you chose to become a housewife, he didn't hold it against the ladies at Ouran to be looking for that, but that didn't mean it would appeal to him. Some were cute, but they really didn't come from the same background. Then again, it wasn't like he was one of those rich trust fund kid anyway, so he doubted he attracted ladies purely based on the money he'd make someday. Compared to some of the kids around, he might end up not making a whole lot. How ironic to say that, when he was aiming to become a doctor.

Her books seemed to be about economics, from where he stood. Nothing that he was studying himelf but he thought he got the general idea right. He wondered what she planned to do with that kind of diploma. She said his surname sounded somewhat familiar. "Well, you probably heard it over the years. I've been here since middle school and Shun-kun for even longer," he said with a shrug to explain it. Mot people who attended the university have been students at Ouran for years already, all the way from kindergarten basically. It did make it a lot easier to get there if you joined that school from the beginning.

he shrugged off her apology. "I always find it weird when people know surgeon's names if they aren't connected to the hospital themselves in some way." Unless his father operated on her or her family worked at that hospital too, or owned it for that matter, it would have been weird to know where he stood from, socially speaking. "And I'm guessing you're a little young to know my brother, since he's twenty-five and all." Well, unless she did those dating things. Did Shun do those to find a future bride? He was a bit young for that though, Kyousuke always thought it was men in their thirties who did that. But maybe his brother saw it as an easier way to find a partner than actually going out and flirt.

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Maemi couldn’t say that she knew of everyone around Ouran Academy. Sure, she ended up getting a wider circle of friends in the end of her high school years as she implied herself in various activities and clubs but in the end, she still was one of the people who liked to have a smaller group of friends she tended to hang out with. She didn’t need to have a wide social circle unlike many people around here. She didn’t even care if some of them attended to the market like it seemed to offend the girl they confronted earlier. She wouldn’t even care that Kyousuke had a similar kind of background to her and was adopted by his father and embraced this new world. He was an equal to her and knowing that they had similar values and point of views had her to open up more to him than what she would normally do with other students.

“Probably.” She agreed. “Is he your brother?” She asked as he mentioned Shun-kun. It did indeed, sound familiar but she wasn’t too sure. She would have to pay more attention to people, in case it would offend them for not knowing what their families were known for and so on.

She had to agree with him, it was indeed weird. She bet that some people knew everything about everyone. She was curious to know what these people would have to say about her though, and also a little afraid had she to admit. She smiled and nodded as he talked of his brother. “Indeed, I’m twenty-one.” She said to him. Four years apart was noticeable when you were at school.

[SHISHIDO KYOUSUKE]

Just like the girl, Kyousuke had not spent that much of his time connecting himself with everyone of influence at Ouran. He had a few friends, people who didn't seem to value status as the most important thing and wouldn't care too much about money. People from his classes and clubs. But he still remained close of his childhood friends. While he did like being less tight with money, he didn't like when people acted as though it was a worthy value of one's character. Besides, he was not sure how any of the people at Ouran would react at knowing of his hobby. He was not ashamed of it but his father did tell him to be mindful of when and where he would crossdress.

He smiled brightly. He liked his brother Shun. Having a sibling was like a dream come true to him. He was glad that the old man had welcomed him as a member of the family and not as an intruder, based on his roots. He nodded at her question. "My big brother. He's been at Ouran since... well, always," he said with a laugh. Not that he was now. He was in med school, or, to be precise, he was doing his internship now to become a full-fledged surgeon.

He might have said that about his family name, but some did know of it. His father operated on celebrities and politicians over the years, it was what allowed him to be appointed head of surgery. But he still found it weird to want to befriend him based on that. Maybe it was why they generally did not. She told him her age and he straightened up a bit. "Ah, so that would make you my senpai right, Hirayama-san." He had been talking to her on a familiar tone but had yet addressed her in a similar fashion. He made a mental note that he should not, since she was a year older.

[HIRAYAMA MAEMI]

Maemi liked Kyousuke and thought that they were getting along quite well. She would make sure to add him on his friend list since he seemed to have the same values as she did and she liked that. He seemed more down to earth than a lot of the people around here and it was refreshing to see. She felt more at ease around him too, because of that and didn’t feel the need to be high end to impress her comrades. Not that she ever did that but she did sometimes was more careful with the words she chose to use depending on who she was hanging out with. She felt like she could talk normally to Kyousuke and she appreciated it.

“I also have a brother.” She said with a smile. They had a few things in common and it was a good thing. She wondered about if he would want to be her friend, or at least, if he wouldn’t ignore her once they were done talking to each other in the library. That would be nice. “People tend to go there since elementary school, I only started attending to it since high school.” She told him. He did defend her so she doubted that he would be offended to know that she attended to an elementary school for commoners.

She blinked as he called her senpai and used formalities towards her. It was so weird. She knew that usually people would do that but it felt odd, especially when Kyousuke was someone she wanted to befriend with. “It does if you are younger than I am but you don’t need to use formalities on me, it’s weird, I’m not used to it.” She admitted to him openly. She hoped that he wouldn’t mind.