1 01 - Is this normal now?

"Your dad sent your monthly allowance via mobile banking. If you're going to need more, just tell us, love. And congratulations on your high grades, darling." Kyouko heaved a heavy sigh. "Are you alright, Kyouko?" her mother, Mrs. Mizuhara, sounded concerned at the other line. Kyouko forced a smile, "Yes, I'm fine, Mom. Thank you for sending me my allowance." she said in a monotone. "Are you sure? You know you can always tell mom everything. Remember when-" "When are you going home?" Kyouko interrupted her. She just had to say it. "Dad and I are just wrapping up the deal here maybe in about 2 weeks. We miss you so much, love." Kyouko gave her the benefit of the doubt. It has been the 3rd time her mom told her they're going home but they never did. " Alright, I'll see you soon then, mom. Say hi to dad for me. I love you." Kyouko disconnected the call. Kyouko heaved another sigh.

Kyouko never considered herself rich. She lived simply and that was how her parents raised her. They always remind her how it's important to work hard so she wouldn't be like other kids who were dependent on their rich parents. Kyouko's childhood was fun until her grandfather passed leaving her father to be the CEO of the hotel chains and her mother, the COO. This made them leave Kyouko to a nanny's care. She was only 7 at that time. And over the years, she only saw her parents a couple of times. She wanted to rebel but she knows it wouldn't do anything good to her so she just accepted the fact that her family wasn't going to be the same after her parents got promoted. But it wouldn't hurt to hope from time to time that her parents would spend more time with her eventually.

"Kyo?"

"Hey, Kyouko?"

"Earth to Kyouko Mizuhara!"

Nozomi broke her train of thoughts. "You're spacing out again." Nozomi pouted at her. "I'm sorry, Zomi." Kyouko replied apologetically. "Are you alright? Did you skip therapy again?" Nozomi asked, concerned. "You know that therapy isn't really helping me, right?" Kyouko replied, nonchalantly. "If Ojiro finds out-" "Surely Ojiro won't know if you won't tell him, hm?" Kyouko moved her face closer to Nozomi making the other blush. "I'm just concerned! I know you don't like therapy but you need to. You're not even taking the prescribed medicines for you." Nozomi argued. "I really appreciate your concern, Zomi. I take the meds sometimes. I mean, if needed. Besides, I'm fine." Kyouko gave her a smile. Nozomi pulled her into a hug, surprising her. "Kyo, it's okay not to be okay. You can rely on us. You know that, right?" Nozomi mumbled, teary-eyed. Kyouko hugged her back, "I know. I know. And I'm thankful for that." Kyouko smiled. "We should be heading to our next class." Kyouko gave her a chuckle.

The day dragged on and just like any other student, Kyouko tried her best to keep focused in class. She was feeling sleepy but she couldn't. Every time she tried to fall asleep, she felt like drowning. This was the reason why she was in therapy. And the reason behind this feeling was because of what happened when she was 10. Kyouko barely remembers it but she can still feel how slowly her airways became constricted until she couldn't breathe then everything went black.

"My therapist told me to we have to reschedule therapy." Kyouko lied as she got into Ojiro's car. Nozomi gave her a curious look and she returned it by shaking her head. "That's the 5th time this month. Are you sure trying to skip?" Ojiro asked, glancing at her through the rearview mirror, looking concerned. "I'm a good girl, Jiro. I follow what my therapist tells me. Maybe she's tired of me." Kyouko replied in a monotone. "Why don't we just eat out or watch a movie?" Nozomi tried to divert the topic. "Yeah, I'm craving pizza." Kyouko seconded. Ojiro let out a small sigh.

"Thanks for the ride home, Jiro. Don't worry too much about me. You guys take care of yourselves." Kyouko bid her best friends goodbye after getting off of Ojiro's car. "Call us if anything happens," Ojiro said before driving away. Kyouko waited until the car wasn't in view before heading in. "I'm home." she announced, "Welcome home, Kyouko." her long time nanny/ caretaker, Mitsuko, welcomed her. "Kyouko, your parents sent you flowers. They arrived 10 minutes before you did. I placed them in your room." Kyouko smiled at her, "Call me when it's time for dinner, Mitsu. I'll be out by the garden." Kyouko said.

It was Kyouko's favorite place because she designed it herself. A zen garden with a small fish pond. It was her safe haven because she only used her room for storage. Her parents didn't know about her condition. She was too good at hiding it but it was tiring her. "It's been 9 years. It's hard pretending that you're fine." Kyouko told herself. She stared at her reflection in the water and for a split second, she saw a pair of red eyes. Startled, she shook her head and blinked again. "I should stop reading too much horror manga at night," Kyouko thought as she stood up to get fish food so she could feed her koi fish family.

After dinner, Kyouko turned her laptop on to play some music while doing her homework. It was a research assignment for her Cultural Adaptation class. She was halfway through her paper when Nozomi sent her a chat.

zomi_zombie: U awake?

kkkyou: Yeah. Halfway done with homework. Y?

zomi_zombie: I was wondering if you'd want to join the dating event our org's putting up?

kkkyou: WTH???

zomi_zombie: A lot of guys wanted to know if you'd go. It's fundraising so... UwU

kkkyou: Give me until tomorrow to think about it, k?

zomi_zombie: Thx!! <3 <3 <3

Kyouko smiled, she wondered how does it feel to be normal because she felt she wasn't normal. Her condition makes her abnormal. On her hypomania episodes, she felt like she could do anything and on her depressive episodes, she felt like dying. But it's been 5 months since her last depressive episode. "Is this normal now?" she said, thinking out loud, looking out her window. She was about to go back to working on her homework when she saw a flash of red eyes from the window pane again. Her eyes went wide in horror.

TO BE CONTINUED.

A/N:

Welcome to Paralyzed! In a world where the Almighty Being sends each one angels, Kyouko was sent a demon? Why?! Please look forward as every chapter unfolds a secret. :) -J.