After days of hard work, we finally managed to complete the preparations. Automatic Brightness Changing Lamp or ABC Lamp are now working perfectly. As of now, we the science club are in 3rd and last day of testing phase. 

Tomorrow will be thursday which marks the start of the fair. A lot of things happened but we succeed nonetheless. 

"Marie! You can plug it now." Jun said.

"Okay!" I replied as I plug the lamp in the switch before turning the light off.

The room went dark. We can barely see anything. Jun, holding the switch for the lamp starts counting.

"Okay I will turn it now in 3...

2...

1...

Switch on!" He pressed the switch after saying it.

The room shines. It is bright enough to make it comfortable for the eyes.

"Now try opening the door a little Arnold!" Jun said.

"Alright!" Arnold replied as he open the door a little to let the light enter.

After 3 seconds passed, the brightness of the lamp changed to adapt the current light level in the room.

"Alright for the last test, turn on the lights Marie!" Jun said.

"Here I go!" I replied as I press the switch.

And then after 3 seconds, the light in the lamp is gone since the room is filled with light from the fluorescent lamp.

"Good work my assistant and my disciples. I now declare this ABC Lamp to be a success!" Nola claims as she stand on the chair with dignity.

"Alright alright. Lets put you down now." Jun said as he carried Nola and put her down from the chair.

"HAHAHAHA!!! I CAN SENSE THAT THIS FAIR WILL BE A SUCCESS FOR US!!!" Nola said while laughing loudly.

"Nola's point aside, we indeed manage to finish this lamp. Now we can take a break and relax. Lets eat at the canteen. I will treat you guys." Jun said.

"Good job my assistant. I know you have it on you. For the record, I want curry and ice cream." Nola said as she pat Jun's shoulder.

"Yes. Yes... what about you guys?" Jun said while looking at us.

"Curry sounds good." I replied.

"Yep. Let's all go curry!" Arnold said.

"Ah sorry. I forgot. I'm on diet today. You guys guys can go." I replied.

"I see. It can't be helped then." Jun said.

"Too bad my disciple... but training is training. Keep it up!" Nola said as she head out while dragging Jun.

"Marie..." Arnold said in a low voice.

I returned to my table and stack papers without looking back at them. When everyone is out, Maki finally talked to me.

"Hey Marie... are you okay?" Maki asked.

"Hmmm? I'm fine. Why?" I asked back.

"Well... if you say so... but sorry to say this. I think you are avoiding Arnold aren't you?" Maki said while hugging me in my side.

"Hmm... does it look like that to you?" I asked.

"To be honest, yes. Did something happen? Want to talk to me about it?" Maki asked with a concerned voice.

"Nothing much happened. Really... it's not important. I guess for him..." I said as I stand from my seat and walked outside the hallway. "You see... I tried confessing to him the other day. And he thought I'm just joking and he laughed at what I said." I said while looking outside from the hallway blocked by nothing but grills for safety.

"Marie..." Maki said as she lets go from her hug and look at me with sympathy.

"I seriously plan to confess to him that time. I mean... the mood is perfect and so is the place. No one is also around. So I thought, if I where to confess... that time should be perfect. But... I did not recieve any rejection... he doesn't even take it seriously... am I really that plain for him? Too plain that he can't even see me? Too plain that he can't even take me seriously?" I said as tears slowly starts flowing from my eyes as I turn around and face Maki.

"Maki..." Maki said while holding herself from hugging me.

"You know... I am starting to hate myself. Why am I born like this? Why am I born as someone who looks like this? Why am I born as someone who loves reading books like this? Why am I born inlove with him? And why am I..." I paused for a while before saying. "Even born as I am..." I continued as I look down.

As soon as I said that, pain suddenly emerged in my right cheeks... maybe I'm too focused in staring at the ground or my mind is in jumbles. The fact that I did not noticed it sooner when, Maki managed to slap my cheeks using the pad paper she controlled using her ability.

"Don't say that..." Maki said with sad voice.

I looked at her when she replied while my right hand is touching the place she just hit.

"Don't say that you hate the fact you are born like that." Maki said with a serious face while her eyes are tearing.

"Don't say all of that. The Marie I know is not as weak as that. The Marie I know managed to keep her feelings for so long while kindly watching her love with affection. Despite being treated as a side character." Maki said as she wiped the tears in her eyes.

"But no one even love me or accept me. He can't even think of me as someone who have feelings for him..." I replied with a loud voice.

"You might be the most plainest girl in the world. You might be a loner, you might have hated yourself for turning who ever you are now. You are free to be whatever you want to be. But please, don't deny my feelings for you. I might have long been gone in this world, but I assure you that I love you the way you are. So trust me and learn to also love yourself. Even if you don't return this feelings of mine. At the very least I dont want to see you became something I once failed to protect." Maki said while looking at me with teary eyes.

"But..." I replied but she cut me off quickly.

"No buts!" Maki replied.

"You're unfair..." I replied.

"Yes I am. So what? This is how I am born afterall." Maki replied.

"But that's you and this is me." I replied.

"Of course we are different after all." Maki replied.

"See? You know it yourself." I replied.

"Yeah I know. So what? Is it bad to love something different from me?" Maki replied.

"Now you are just possessive!" I replied with a loud voice.

"Ofcourse I am. That's how I was born after all." Maki replied.

"What does that even mean?" I replied.

"I don't know!!!" Maki replied.

"Then what are we even doing?!!" I replied.

"Like I said. I don't know!!!" Maki replied.

I crouched as I cover my face.

"I don't even know anymore..." I said.

"You know marie... someone told me this before... you don't have to be the same as the others. Even if you are alone, even if you are not the same as the others. It doesn't matter. If that is what you are, just be the conductor. You see, in the orchestra, many instruments plays together. There are bunch of violins, bunch of guitars, and even many trumpets playing together. But they all managed to coordinate together. They made it possible by the help of two things. First is mutual love in their case that is their love for the music or their wish to make the performance a success... and the other one is the sole conductor. The conductor stands alone in the center. He is always alone. He do things by him/herself. But you know what? Even if he is alone, even if he is different from the others... he is still a part of the whole." Marie said as she lift me up from crouching.

"Maki..." I said while looking at her.

"Just like the conductor, it doesn't matter if you are different. Even if you are a plain girl. Even if you loves reading. Even if you are not liked by the guy you liked. You just need to conduct him. Make him fall for you. After all, conductors leads the musicians in staying at the same note as the others." Maki said while smiling at me.

"Leading..." I said.

"Yes thats right! The ends justifies the means! Even if you need to push him or pull him, as long as the goal is to make him fall for you! Then the way how you do it doesn't matter. The way how you look like doesn't matter or how you are born doesn't matter." Maki said as she hugs me.

I simply feel her embrace. I may not feel her directly, but right now. Just at this moment... I feel her...

"So don't run away Marie... after all I love the Marie who stays strong while hiding what she feels. I love the strong, quiet and plain Marie. We are the same after all. I know you since it is normal to know better the person you love right?" Maki said as she pulled herself away from the hug and smiled at me.

After hearing those words... as if the lock in my heart burst open. The heaviness I feel, the pain in my heart, everything suddenly emerged. The gears came flooding. I can't hold it back anymore. And just like that, I cried my heart out in Maki's embrace.