History Recap / ZekkyouGakkyuuPeriod43MarionettesLover

Aki has been behaving odd lately. One day while showing her friends some recent pictures to her friends he comes by to request that she not bring their date images to school again. He also turns down her request for a date to an upcoming movie premiere she was invited to, claiming to have last-minute practice -something he has been saying frequently- and he takes off. She recalls how close they used to be six months ago when they hooked up, and in class she is mentions this to her friends. They assure her that it's probably due to her birthday being the next day, he might be planning a surprise. Finding this explanation reasonable, she drops the subject.

It's then the group spot a wrapped package addressed to Lala that contains a marionette. Her friends are concerned as two nearby classmates recognize it as something recently sold on an online auction they saw; it's rumored to control the person the current owner loves the most. Lala is doubtful, and believing she has Aki's unconditional love already she tosses it to one of her friends -Junko- and teasingly reminds her that she's the only one without a boyfriend.

After school Lala and Aki hang out at a cafe, where Lala informs him of what happened. When he suggests she is overthinking it as she wonders if she has a stalker, he attempts to say something else but she interrupts to ask if he noticed her new lip gloss yet. He briskly excuses himself to the restroom rather than answer, leaving her concerned until seeing that he left behind his phone. She finds a text from ''Junko'', asking him what side dish he would like for lunch. Barely given time to register this, the distraught Lala throws it back into his bag before he returns. Is this Junko the same one she knows?

Lala's thoughts remain preoccupied by that text the following day when her friends give her their presents and warm wishes. She can't think it's possible because of how plain Junko is, she also has no dating experience. But at that moment she overhears someone mention that a couple of boys asked for Junko's phone number recently, and recalls spotting her look up bento recipes recently. She might have a boyfriend after all. Seeing Aki and Junko's interact causes Lala further anxiety, and by the time class resumes she comes to the decision to break up with Aki and find someone better- but she likes to be the envy of everyone, and if they found out he cheated on her things would only get worse.

It's then Lala spots the marionette sticking out of her bag, and during break she swipes it and retreats to the girls restroom. She recalls what she was told and puts a strand of Aki's hair into the marionette, along with one of hers and rejoins her friends while holding it behind her back. She begins to move it and mentally requesting that Aki ignores Junko, and to her delight it works when he turns from her to head to practice. Junko is shocked, but she approaches Lala to speak to her, only for Lala to trail behind her boyfriend and offer to make him a bento for his upcoming game.

Seeing Junko's expression eases her mood, but Lala remains vengeful. Throughout the day she and Aki cuddle up together and act very loving, flustering her friends as they observe them and remark on how unusual it is. Seeing how angry it makes Junko -enough that she storms off- satisfies Lala, to the point she regrets not using it sooner.

After Aki requests that Lala wait for him until club ends, her friends gush over how romantic they were today. Lala remains in high spirits as she decides to keep going, she's not had enough yet. She sits down and takes out the marionette while wondering what to make Aki do first. She wants him to focus on club less and her more, he should be pampering her and every need. He should take her out on dates more often, buy her things, and of course get down on his knees to beg for forgiveness.

She decides to start there and poses the marionette, but when Aki doesn't copy it she expresses confusion before collapsing with frustration. Junko arrives to see her and asks if they can talk in private, and they head to the girls restroom. Junko hesitates to start until Lala confronts her with what she discovered, and Junko begins to cry while profusely apologizing for betraying her trust. She explains that she has had feelings for Aki since they were first-years, and how often they used to hang out and talk about things. She knew she would have to move on because he's dating Lala, but she can't help feeling the way she does. She asks for her forgiveness, and Lala coldly informs Junko that Aki could only ever like her, so she needs to stop.

Aki joins the girls much to Lala's joy, until he takes Junko's side and apologizes for not coming clean sooner. He explains that this is why he asked her to wait earlier, because he was going to bring this up. He realized how much he likes Junko in the time they spent together, and she likes him back. Lala insists that she also likes Aki; but he cuts her off by saying he isn't her puppet. She ''never'' loved him, only the popularity that came from it. She only loves herself.

As the duo leave Lala behind, she angrily yanks the marionette from her bag and proclaims she will set Aki free if that is what he really wants. She violently mangles the marionette and throws it out of a nearby window, just in time for her to notice her arm is hurting. It has become bloody and a bruise is forming.

Outside, as some classmates wonder where Lala is they are frightened hearing a scream erupt from the school. They run to he location to find Lala, battered and bloody on the ground; her body posed similarly to the Marionette. Unable to speak, Lala stares at it and slowly comes to a realization. The pain she thought she was causing only happened to her. Every demand she made to Aki was indirectly done through her, such as ignoring Junko after she told him to, and she was the one initiating their romantic mood. When she tried to make him kneel down, it was her who was on the floor.

She only loved herself.

She was the marionette.

As Lala succumbs to her injuries, Junko and Aki are some distance away from school as Junko mumbles to herself that everything went the way she expected. She is overjoyed, and Aki seems to notice but Junko coyly insists it's nothing. She's just happy that they can finally be together in the open now, happily clinging onto his arm. Aki looks at her with concern and seems to realize something, but he says nothing as they continue on.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: As Lala attempts to control Aki, she indirectly does what she requests. For example, she wanted him to ignore Junko and he abruptly walks away from her. Junko spots Lala and attempts to talk to her but Lala leaves with Aki.
* HereWeGoAgain: Aki is left with another super possessive girlfriend who greatly cares about her own happiness at the end of the story.
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: Lala's birthday was celebrated for a majority of the story.
* GoryDiscretionShot: Lala isn't shown falling from the window or hitting the ground, the scene cuts away to some students who hear her scream. The scene then returns to a bloodied and badly injured Lala on the ground.

* KarmaHoudini: Junko caused Lala to be severely hurt and possibly killed, but nothing happens to her.

* MurderTheHypotenuse: Junko got the marionette for this, stating at the end of the story that she and Aki can openly date with Lala out of the way.
* SecretlySelfish: Both Lala and Junko, girls who openly [[BitchInSheepsClothing look harmless and innocent but only care about their own wants]].
* TheFakeCutie: Lala when she isn't putting on the "adorable girlfriend" routine.
* VoodooDoll: The Marionette acts as one, requiring the owners love for their target to make it work. Lala was also told to put a lock of Aki's hair in it to control him, but this didn't actually do anything.

* {{Yandere}}: Junko is a downplayed version. She set everything up to [[WithFriendsLikeThese get rid of Lala]] one way or the other.
* YourCheatingHeart: Junko and Aki began a relationship behind Lala's back, and it was what spurned her into using the marionette. Aki did seem remorseful but she made it difficult and he never got the chance to say anything, until he lost his patience with her.

Lala Nishino has the perfect life; her beauty is recognized by talent scouts and magazines, she has many admirers, and she has a handsome, talented boyfriend whose a member of the basketball team and is very well-liked.

One day, Lala notices how oddly Aki is behaving after he asks her not to bring the picture from their date to school again, then turns down her request for a date at the movie she was invited to see. He claims he has last-minute practice -something that has been happening frequently- and he takes off. She recalls how close they used to be six months ago when they hooked up, and in class she is quick to bring this up with her friends. They don't seem to be worried, reasoning that because her birthday is the next day he is probably planning a surprise. Finding this explanation reasonable, she drops the subject.

Their attention shifts to the wrapped package containing a marionette that someone left for Lala. Her friends are concerned as two nearby classmates recognize it as something recently sold on an online auction they saw; it's rumored to control the person the current owner loves the most. Lala is doubtful, and believing she has Aki's unconditional love already she tosses it to Junko -one of her friends- and teasingly points out how she is the only one within the group without a boyfriend.

After school Lala and Aki hang out at a cafe, where Lala wastes no time informing him of what happened. He assures her that she's probably overthinking it when she wonders if it was a gift from a stalker, and he attempts to say something else but she interrupts to playfully ask him if he noticed her change in lip gloss. But he briskly excuses himself to the restroom rather than answer, leaving her concerned until noticing his phone sitting nearby. She picks it up and checks to see if he has any texts and finds one from ''Junko'', asking him what side dish he would like for lunch.

She is given little time to register this and distraught she throws it back into his bag before he returns. He notices her uneasiness but she claims to be fine, wondering if this is the same Junko as her friend.

Lala's thoughts remain preoccupied with concern the following day when her friends give her their presents and warm wishes. She continues to think about the text and it's meaning, but she can't see how it would be possible. Not only is Junko really plain looking, but she has no dating experience. But she overhears someone mention that a couple of boys asked for Junko's phone number, and she did see her look up bento recipes recently; so it is possible she got a boyfriend.

Seeing how the two interact near each other makes Lala resume worrying, and throughout class she reasons that breaking up with Aki to find someone better would be the best solution. But she enjoys being the envy of everyone, and letting them discover he was cheating on her would only worsen things.

If only she could make Junko go away...

It's then Lala spots the marionette sticking out of her bag, and during break she swipes it and retreats to the girls restroom. She recalls what she was told and puts a strand of Aki's hair into the marionette, along with one of hers and rejoins her friends while holding it behind her back. She begins to move it while mentally requesting that Aki ignores Junko, and to her delight it works when he turns away to head to practice. Junko seems concerned and she spots Lala, but just as she tries to speak to her, Lala trails behind her boyfriend and offers to make him a bento for his upcoming game soon.

Seeing Junko's expression eases her mood, but Lala refuses to quit now. Throughout the day she and Aki cuddle up together and act very loving, flustering her friends as they observe them and remark on how unusual it is. Lala smirks when she notices Junko become enraged and storms off, leaving her to regret not using the marionette sooner.

It's then Aki asks that Lala wait for him until club ends. She agrees as her friends gush over their romantic behavior while she decides that she has to keep going until she gets her revenge. After everyone else leaves Lala pulls out the marionette and wonders what to make Aki do first; she wants him to stop focusing on club so much and pamper her and every need she could have, take her out on dates, buy her things- and of course get down on his knees to beg for forgiveness.

Deciding to start there, Lala poses the marionette but to her confusion she notices Aki seems unaffected. She collapses in frustration, just as Junko arrives to see her and asks if they can talk in private. Lala agrees and they head into the nearby room, where Junko hesitates until Lala confronts her with what she discovered, causing Junko to begin crying. She apologizes for betraying her trust and explains that she has had feelings for Aki since they were first-years. They would often hang out and she would give him advice whenever he got stressed out over club. She knows that because of him dating Lala she had to move on, but she can't help how she feels.

She asks for Lala to forgive her, and Lala remains silent or a moment before briskly informing Junko that Aki could only ever like her, so she needs to stop. It's then Aki shows up much to her joy- until he approaches Junko. He apologizes for not coming clean sooner and explains that when he asked her to wait earlier it was to bring this up. He realized how much he likes Junko in the time they spent together, and she likes him back. Lala insists that she also likes Aki though- only for him to bluntly point out that he isn't her puppet, and she ''never'' loved him, only herself.

Lala is stunned by these words as the duo leave the room. Enraged, Lala yanks the marionette from her bag while proclaiming she will set Aki free if he wants that so badly. She mangles the marionette violently and throws it out of the nearby window; but a moment later she notices her arm is hurting. She is shocked to see it has become battered and bloody.

Outside, as some classmates wonder where Lala is they are frightened when they hear her scream and rush towards the location to find her on the ground, broken and covered in blood with her body posed similar to the marionette. Unable to speak, Lala stares at the marionette and she slowly begins to realize that the pain she caused only happened to her. Every demand she made to Aki was done by her; she ignored Junko, and she was the one enforcing him to act lovingly in class, and when she made him get on the floor it was her who fell down.

Lala slowly reaches over and opens the head of the marionette to find the hair strands she inserted. She realizes Aki was right, in that it was never about him; she only loved herself...

This marionette was herself.

As Lala slowly loses consciousness, Junko and Aki are some distance away from school and Junko mumbles to herself that Lala did just as expected. She is very happy, but when Aki asks if she said something Junko quickly insists it was nothing. She's just happy that they can finally be together in the open now, happily clinging onto his arm. Aki looks at her with concern, as if realizing something before they continue to head down the path.

* KarmaHoudini: Junko is the only main character not to suffer in the story.

* MurderTheHypotenuse: Junko got the marionette for this matter, stating at the end of the story that she and Aki can openly date with Lala out of the way.

* YourCheatingHeart: Junko and Aki began a relationship behind Lala's back, and it was what spurned her into using the marionette.