Lady Maiya

Hi everyone! I've actually tried to merge the sixth chapter with the first post that I made, but it wasn't accepted since it would mean crossing the line of over 6000 characters. So I made a new thread for the sixth chapter instead. I hope it's alright. ^_^ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [CENTER][B]CHAPTER SIX: When Angels Fall[/B][/CENTER] "Alright everyone, time's up for your group discussion. I expect all the group outputs to be submitted next week. Class dismissed." On cue, the school bell rang. Some of the students stood up and made their way towards the canteen while the others who brought their own lunches stayed. While she was among those who brought their own, Chie always ate her lunch outside with her friends, their favorite area being the Cherry Blossom tree nearest to the river. On the way out, she passed by Naoya, who was currently kindly turning down the offers of some of the LAFC. "I'm sorry, I know you've all prepared these, but my sister has already prepared my lunch for me. She'll be terribly upset if I don't eat it. And I can only eat with one bento..." Instead of getting mad or being upset themselves, the LAFC sighed dreamily in unison. "Naoya-sama is truly an angel..." "Um, Obinata-kun..." The boy did not turn. "What?" "...what about our group project?" "Didn't we discuss it already? Or did you not understand your part?" Chie swallowed. "I..I did. I..I just wanted to know if there's something else I could do...you know, to make it better..." Naoya picked up an onigiri from his bento. "Well, there is something you could do." Her face brightened, and she leaned closer. "Yes?" "You could...leave me alone and let me eat in peace." Chie could only just bite her lip to overcome the waves of pain, confusion, sadness and disappointment she was experiencing. Not only that, the loud laughter of the students echoed in her ears, which had become red from humiliation. She immediately left the room, tears brimming in her eyes. [I]Why has Obinata-kun become so mean?! Did I do something wrong?! I must have...he..he is nice to everyone else but me![/I] During the first few days she thought he was only busy from preparing numerous activities, but it had been this way for two weeks already! [I]What's going on...?[/I] Chie thought to herself. As she rounded the corner, she didn't notice that a foot suddenly stuck out from behind it. [I]Why is---[/I] "ACCCKKKKK!!!!" Her arms flailed wildly before she fell down to the floor, her foot having caught in it. She sat up, rubbing her aching knee. "Owwww......who put that rock on the floor...?" "That was my foot, you moron." That feeling of impending doom soon draped upon her again, as she looked up hesitatingly at Ichiro's cold blue eyes. "You...you tripped me!!" The boy crossed his arms. "A very intelligent deduction, Miss Obvious." "What did you do that for?" "Your face is a sight to behold. That's why I was going to place it to where it truly belongs..." Ichiro turned his back at her, placing his hands inside his pockets. "...the floor." Chie was unable to speak as he walked away, but as the snickers which came from her surroundings grew louder, she could feel her blood boil. She clenched her fists, and stomped her way out of the building and into the school grounds. PI]That?s it! This is too much!![/I] The tears had already gone out, and were already running down on her cheeks, but no longer did she feel sadness. Rather, anger was in its stead. She needed to seek solice with her friends. "Those bastards!!!!" She cried, causing Eiichi, who was currently strumming on his guitar, to jump slightly. "Chie-chan!!" He said, looking at her as she plopped down on the ground. "You startled me!!" Then he leaned closer to her. "Are you actually angry?" "What does it look like?!" She snapped, taking Eiichi aback. [I]This is unusual! Chie-chan never gets angry![/I] He thought, blinking incredulously. She sighed, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I'm sorry, Ei-kun. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that...it's just that these past two weeks has been hell for me..." It didn't take him long to figure out what she meant. "Oh. I see they're still doing stupid stuff at you..." Chie nodded. Cherry blossom petals fell down across their shoulders, and some landed at the river surface. "I can't understand why they're acting that way, especially Obinata-kun! He's normally kind and polite towards me, but now....he and Daishi-san always look for ways to dispute me whenever I recite in class, he makes snide comments at me, and ignores my suggestions regarding class projects" She sighed again, then looked back at Eiichi. "...and Daishi-san! I mean, I know he already hates me, but lately he has been acting unbelievably mean! Last week, he placed a dead cockroach in my locker! Three days ago, he stole my school shoes! And just awhile ago, he tripped me! In the hallway! In front of so many people!" "That mean, huh?" Eiichi punched his fist against his palm. "I say we fight back!" "Fight back?! Ei-kun, you're dealing with the two biggest persons of the whole school here! It's like you're facing the gods themselves!" She laid a hand upon her aching temple. "What should I do?" "Well, there's only one thing left..." He reached into his pocket and took out a cd walkman. "Listen to this. It'll tell you what to do." He held out the earphones towards Chie. She took it, though a bit hesitant. "What is it?" "It's from a Broadway Musical. It's one of my favorites. It should give you some inspiration." She nodded and placed them upon her ears. Eiichi pushed the play button, and Chie could hear the beginnings of a song. [CENTER][B][I]"I'm not wearing underwear today, No I'm not wearing underwear today Not that you probably care Much about my underwear Still none the less I gotta say That I'm not wearing underwear today."[/I][/B][/CENTER] Eiichi could feel his sides splitting from laughter upon seeing Chie's shocked face, and was nearly hit by the rock she threw at him. "Hahahahaha!! That look is priceless, Chie-chan!!!" She, however, was definitely not amused, and she was starting to feel angry again. "NOT funny." Her friend wiped the tears from his face, his laughter subsiding into chuckles. "You're right, I'm sorry. But I do have a purpose for making you listening to that." Chie crossed her arms. "Hrmph. I'd say it was rather pointless." "That's just it." "I mean, think about it, Chie-chan. You getting so worked up about a couple of guys with egos bigger than the sun and moon combined is rather pointless. It's not worth your energy at all. There are a lot of things you can get yourself worked up in, like joining clubs or other school activities." "Well then, let me remind you just who are the people responsible for those clubs and activities," She began to count with her fingers. "Obinata Naoya is the Student Council President, as well as the Basketball Varsity Team Captain. Daishi Ichiro is the head of the school orchestra." "You're only bothered by that because you're letting them intimidate you, Chie-chan." "What's there to intimidate? They've only got the backing of the whole school population." She said sarcastically. Eiichi shook his head. "Yae-chan, Rei-chan, and I are part of the school population but we don't back them. And you're only talking about most of the female student population. What about the male students? And I'm sure that there are a few female students out there who choose not to be in the LAFC or the DAFC. What I'm saying is, there are a whole lot of people out there who would gladly be your friends. You should meet and interact with them, and not limit your world to just those two." He placed his guitar on his knee. "And the reason they're acting this way towards you is that THEY'RE the ones who are intimidated by you, Chie-chan." "What? Intimidated by me? Why?" "For years now, only Obinata and Daishi have reigned the top two spots of the Hana. But then suddenly you come in, taking the second place in just one swing. Obinata is pissed because you suddenly outranked him, and Daishi sees you as a threat especially since there is only a 0.5 difference in your averages. The solution? Kick you out of the school." It took a lot of time for all this to sink in, but when Chie finally understood, it was her turn to punch her fist against her palm. "So that's their plan, huh?! Those scheming, ruthless, (I won?t say stupid because obviously they?re not) cruel cowards! Well, I'll have them know that Saeki Chie will graduate from high school in THIS campus!" Eiichi grinned, as he started to strum his guitar again. "Like the song says..." [CENTER][B]?Hikari to kage no rabirinsu daijobu dayo kitto Mou ichido ashita e to aruki dashite miyou yo?[/B] [I](I'm in a labyrinth of shadows and lights, and I know that it's okay Because tomorrow's nightmares have already been destroyed)[/I][/CENTER] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Author's Notes: Hi everyone! Here's the sixth chapter! Phew, for a moment there I thought I was stuck in writer's block! Luckily I somehow managed to pull myself out of that spot, and even somehow put in a Tanaka segment, hehehehe. Please feel free to answer the question, alright? Anyways, here are the stuff to clarify in this chapter: 1. In Japan, the school year starts in April, which is in the Spring Season. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom in this season. 2. If you're wondering about the underwear song, that is indeed from a broadway musical entitled "Avenue Q". I haven't actually seen the musical yet, but my friend's professor had the students listen to the soundtrack. In turn, she had me look at the lyrics, and that's where I got the idea. 3. If you're wondering about the other song, it is a Japanese song entitled "Hikari to kage no Labyrinth" (Labyrinth of Light and Shadow). Although I haven't actually heard the song yet, I thought the lyrics fit the story. 4. Bento - lunch box 5. Onigiri - rice ball [CENTER][B]CHAPTER SEVEN: Transition[/B][/CENTER] [I]The next two weeks proved to be a period of regaining of inner strength and self-esteem for Chie. The daily insults and pranks thrown at her by the Angels and their respective fan clubs were still occurring, but instead of pulling back and crying over it as she used to, she held her ground firmly. Naoya's snide comments would bounce back with her own remarks...[/I] "...that is all, Kagasaki-sensei." "Hrmph," The Light Angel crossed his arms. "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard." Chie looked back at Naoya, crossing her own arms. "That's funny, I thought the very same thing with what you said." [I]...and Ichiro's pranks would now often backfire because she was prepared.[/I] Once, Chie held out an empty jar when she opened her locker. A frog hopped out, and fell straight into the jar. She placed on the lid, and held up the jar at eye level. "Aww, did the big red demon steal you away from your home? Don't worry, I'll bring you back to your home after school..." Nearby, an anger vein popped onto Ichiro's temple. "Big red demon?!" [I]As time passed, Chie found herself not fearing class recitations anymore. True, there were times when she would be put down by the criticisms of both Angels, but there were times that her answers would embarrass them, and with that she couldn't help but cry out in triumph or even make faces once their backs were turned. By the end of April, Chie felt like she was now back on track. Her friends had different ways of helping out though. Under the leadership of Eiichi, they formulated their own version of [B]"How to get back at the Two Angels/Demons for making your friend miserable"[/B]. Take the Ichiro's case for example...[/I] Classes have ended, and both Ichiro and Sadaharu made their way to their respective lockers. "Yo Ichi-kun," Sadaharu began. "Did you get that last item in the test? The [I]Challenge[/I] one?" "Tch. Piece of cake." The Dark Angel said, running a hand through his hair. (Somewhere nearby, loud DAFC-sounding squeals could be heard.) "Heh, good for you." His friend said, opening his locker. "By the time I figured out the answer it was already time to pass the papers." Ichiro shrugged and opened his own locker. But suddenly, what looked like a little pink blob leapt from the locker right into his arms. "What the hell?!?!" "Sqquuuuuueeeeee!!!!" The boy bent his head, and found himself looking down at a small round-eyed piglet. Shocked, he took a step back, letting go of the animal in the process. "O---oi!!!! Sadaharu blinked, looking from Ichiro to the pig and back. "I didn't know you had a pet." "It's not mine. I don't know how--hey! Let go, pig!" Ichiro shook his right leg in an attempt to keep the piglet from clinging to it. "Squeeeee!!!" Ichiro shook his leg harder. But the pig kept on clinging, and the poor thing looked like it was going to get knocked out of consciousness. "Oi, you're making it dizzy, Ichi-kun!" "Sqqqquuuuuueeee!!!" The Dark Angel's patience was wearing thin. "Fine! That'll get it to let go of my leg!" A dark shadow suddenly hovered over both boys. "Uh oh...." Sadaharu said, not even daring to look. [B]"IIIIICCHHHHHHIIIIIIRROOOOOO-CCCHHHHHAAAAANNNNNN!!!"[/B] Came a tenor voice, causing Sadaharu and Ichiro to cringe. Principal Tanaka hopped over to stand in front of Ichiro's raised leg. "What is this?! My beloved nephew, as cute as this little Buta-chan is, you know the rules." He twirled, sending cherry blossom petals all over the area. "[B]NO PETS ALLOWED IN SCHOOL!![/B]" He sang. Then he picked up the piglet from Ichiro's leg. "Buta-chan...I hate to say this...but you have to go." Then he literally kicked the poor piglet. "Bye, Buta-chan!!!!" "[B]SQQUUUUUEEEEEEEE!!!![/B]" It cried as it flew out of the building. Principal Tanaka sighed heavily, placing a hand over his chest. "It is with a heavy heart that I tell you, Ichiro-chan, this is your first warning. I hope there won't be a second one." With that, he twirled out of the area. Outside the building, Yae tearfully held an unconscious piglet on her lap. "So-se-ji-chan! I'm so sorrryyyy!!!" Eiichi scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Er, that wasn't supposed to happen..." Yae stood up and glared at him with fire in her eyes. "This is all your fault, you [B]BAKA!!!![/B]" The boy slowly backed away, feeling another chase coming on. "Oh dear..." As his fuming childhood friend started to walk, he turned and broke into a run. "Help!! [B]Kaiiiiijuuuuuu!!!![/B]" As for Naoya... After giving a few instructions to his fellow officers, he went straight to his locker to change into his school shoes. But his actions were suddenly halted when he saw that they weren't there. "Where are my shoes....?" It wasn't his nature to be immediately suspicious, and figured that someone might have opened his locker by mistake. At that moment, Rei was passing by, and Naoya thought it a good idea to ask her. "Excuse me, Yakuta-san?" "Yes?" "Have you seen anyone hanging around here earlier?" The girl shook her head. "I just got here myself." "Oh." "Is something wrong?" Naoya crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Well, my school shoes are missing. I imagine someone might have opened my locker and might have gotten it by mistake." The girl named Uboshita appeared in front of them all of a sudden. "[B]WHAT?![/B] Did I hear right?! Your school shoes are missing, Naoya-kun?!" The boy nodded in answer. "Yes..." "Hold on," Uboshita said, "I think I saw a pair somewhere...I'll be right back!!!" She left the area, and looked around briefly. She then spotted an unsuspecting boy and grabbed a hold of him. "I'll take this, thank you!!" Before the boy could resist, she grabbed his shoes and immediately ran back to Naoya and Rei. "Here, Naoya-kun!!! I found them!!!" Naoya's expression brightened, and he gratefully took the offered items. "Thank you, Uboshita-san! Where did you find them?" "Ummmm......" Uboshita looked away briefly, before turning back to him, grinning. "...I found them by the hallway. Whoever took your shoes was a jerk for not returning them to you." "It's fine. So long as I have them back." The boy said, putting them on. [I]Besides, it's the only pair I have.[/I] He added to himself. He looked up and smiled at Uboshita. "Thank you again, Uboshita-san. I owe you one. And I'm sorry to trouble you, Yakuta-san. I'll see you girls in class." With that, he waved at them and left. "Naoya-kun....." Uboshita sighed, hearts in her eyes. However, what happened on that day kept on repeating on the succeeding days. Naoya opens his locker, finds his shoes missing, Uboshita runs off to take the shoes of unwary boys and gives them to Naoya, which he accepts thinking that they were his. Rei, after having just witnessed the latest "shoe incident", went off to her own locker. As she opened it, she let out a quiet sigh. "Oh my, I'm running out of space..." She said, looking at the more than twenty pairs of boys shoes piling up inside. She stiffened however, as an arm went past her head, the hand laying itself upon one of the lockers nearby. "Oh, so that's where they all went." Rei looked up at Sadaharu, not knowing what to say. He smiled in amusement. "I knew it was someone who kept on hanging around the lockers at this time." She raised her pointer finger against her lips, a pleading look in her eyes. "It's for Chie-kun..." Sadaharu pulled back, straightening himself up. "Don't you worry your little head. I don't particularly care for Obinata." He turned, and just as he took a few steps away from her, he stopped. "Take care not to get yourself caught, it won't look good for your ranking." He waved without turning back, and continued on his way. Rei could only stare at him as he left... [I]These incidents continued on for some time, but were eventually stopped because Chie had found out about her friends' activities. As grateful as she was (and there were even times when she laughed at their stories) and despite their protests, she wouldn't allow them to continue. In the succeeding days, the initial tensions which had started on the first day subsided. There a few quirks here, and a couple of arguments there, but these were only because of the conflicting reasons between individuals. For example, one does her best to excel despite the lack of support from most people. Another one tries keep others from taking his place. And still another struggles to retrieve what he has lost. Such was the flow of lives within Tougenkyou. [CENTER][B]Beloved Author Maiya-sama Proudly Presents[/I] TOUGENKYOU First Season: Spring's Warmth[/B][/CENTER] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [B]Author's Notes:[/B] Hi everyone! Here's the seventh chapter! You know, truth be told, I was actually stuck in writer's block for awhile. I didn't know what to write, and when I finally came up with an idea, it took me another while thinking of how to write it. Fortunately I managed to overcome the dreaded state. Phew. Anyways, I've got a lot of things to explain in this chapter: 1. For one thing, notice that the font styles were interchanged. That was intentional. It was my way of writing a transitional chapter. Now what do I mean by a transitional chapter? The first six chapters were actually parts of the introductory phase of the story. These were the areas where I established the setting and brought in the major and minor characters. The seventh chapter is the transition, where I move from the introductory phase into the story proper itself. 2. As you may have noticed, there was a sequence at the end of the chapter. This marks the start of the first of four installments of [B][I]Tougenkyou[/I][/B], patterned after the four main divisions of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. 3. Classes in Japan start in April, during the spring season. 4. [B]-sensei[/B] - teacher. 5.[B]Buta[/B] - pig. Pirincipal Tanaka doesn't know the pig's name, so he calls it "Buta-chan" instead. 6.[B]So-se-ji[/B] - now we find out that this is the pig's real name (and that it belongs to Yae). Literally, it means "sausage". Hehehehe. [CENTER][B]CHAPTER EIGHT: The Class President[/B][/CENTER] "Stand. Bow. Sit." The voice of the class president was quiet, yet everyone in class followed the voice's instructions completely as their homeroom teacher, Mr. Kagasaki, entered the room. "Good morning, class." The handsome, golden haired and golden eyed man smiled at his students. "Good morning, Kagasaki-sensei!" Chie joined in the enthusiastic greeting of her classmates. "First off, I have a few announcements to make. As you all know, we will be conducting our annual school field trip this term." The teacher smiled as a low buzz of excitement occurred in the classroom. "Our principal has given us the freedom to choose our destination, provided that it is of course, educational. Now to be fair, we will be voting on the destination." He turned to look at the girl seated at the second row. "Ebisawa-san, since you're the class president, will you help me?" She nodded in return. "Yes, Sensei." She stood up and walked towards the board, taking a chalk in hand, then faced the class. As the teacher and the class president stood side by side, Chie gasped slightly for a moment, then smiled in amusement. It was the first time she had noticed, but their golden eyes were so strikingly similar that they could have been mistaken for brother and sister. The only difference was that Tadako's were wider and more childlike. A hand shot up. "Yes, Hachiborei-san?" "How about the Tokyo Tower, Kagasaki-sensei?" "But we've already been there last year! It certainly won't be any different!" A student argued. "Yeah maybe so, but the girls there this year will definitely be." The boy grinned, and the class laughed. After which, there was a continuing show of hands and a series of nominations were made. Throughout it all, Mr. Kagasaki patiently accommodated all the students' suggestions, and Tadako faithfully wrote down each proposal. This was one thing that Chie admired about the class president. Tadako is a patient and obliging girl, always willing to hear out what others want to say and is never seen getting angry at anyone at all. She was also amazed at Tadako's ability to command respect and authority even though her voice was soft and quiet and her physical appearance was like that of a child. "Okay, who are voting for the Hiroshima Peace Park?" Chie joined in the string of hands, and as fate would have it, the Hiroshima Peace Park was now the official choice of destination for the annual school trip. "Hrm," Mr. Kagasaki seemed a bit thoughtful at this unique turn of events, but remained optimistic. "Hiroshima is very far from Akita, so I am not sure how the principal would react to this. But I will definitely try to convince him to allow us this destination. After all, majority wins, right?" He winked. At this, the girls clapped loudly and the boys hooted in approval. "Now, our next agenda will be the changing of seating arrangements. Ebisawa-san, you may now have the floor." This time, Tadako lead the activity. Unlike in Chie's old school where the class president would always resort to drawing lots, Tadako already made an organized pre-arrangement of seats which she read from a piece of paper. It was clearly shown how she took everyone, friends and enemies alike, into account. Naoya and Ichiro were seated on opposite sides of the classroom, and Chie found herself next to Eiichi and a vacant chair. By the end of the movement, the class was settled and astonishingly, everyone was happy with the new arrangement. Perhaps this was one reason for the students' respect towards the girl--she always takes care of each one no matter what the circumstances may be. She wasn't a snob either, as Chie had found out one afternoon when they were both given the task of classroom cleaning. "Saeki-san, I heard from Nagai-san that you play a musical instrument?" Chie, though a bit surprised by the sudden question, nodded in answer. "Yes, I play the cello." "Oh, so you are a musician. Just like Daishi-san." "Kind of. Though I'm not as famous or as good as him." "You don't have to be famous. You only have to love what you're doing." She walked over to her bag and pulled out what seemed to be a rolled-up poster. "Do you like art, Saeki-san?" "By art, you mean by painting, sculpting, and sketching?" The class president nodded. "Well," Chie began thougthfully. "I'm not as knowledgeable as art critics, but I do know how to appreciate good work." "I see." Tadako nodded. Then, she placed the rolled poster upon Chie's hand. "Here, put this up." The girl did as she was told, unrolling stapling the poster at the class's [B][I]Goal of the Month[/I][/B] board. It was a beautifully decorated poster, with an array of watercolors depicting the sky and a powerful phrase written at the center:[B][I] Live by the minute with full trust in your capabilities.[/I][/B] Chie glanced at Tadako, astounded. "Sometimes I wonder if you are a psychic of some kind." The golden-eyed girl laughed, and Chie found herself joining in moments later. They were so engrossed at their amusement that they failed to notice someone enter the classroom. "Bonjour, ladies. May I know the cause of your enjoyment?" Both girls turned to look at an amiable-looking smiling boy. Chie did not know him personally, but she recognized him as one of the students from the other class. "Kadoma-kun!" Tadako cried in pleasant surprise. Chie thought that the class president's demeanor had somehow brightened, and saw a low blush had formed upon her cheeks. She grinned inwardly. [I]Ooh, I believe things have just gotten interesting...[/I] The boy walked up to them, his smile not leaving his lips even for a second. Chie was immediately struck by the unique orange hair that was cut short, and which one might consider as a bit unruly. His laughing eyes were a dark blue, and although he was a bit shorter than the other boys in their class, he carried himself with confidence. "Are you sure this should be up here?" He said, looking up at the poster. It was only then that Chie noticed that there was a hint of French within his smooth and cool voice. "Of course," Tadako followed his gaze. "In fact, such beautiful work should be posted at the school bulletin board, for everyone to see everyday." Kadoma glanced back at the girl. "I would rather have you see it everyday instead..." The class president bit her lip and looked down at her feet, the blush on her cheeks deepening even more. This was both a lovely and entertaining sight for Chie. She felt like giggling, thinking that a million ants might attack the two suddenly because of their extremely sweet disposition. She was also amused at the thought there was actually something that could make the usually calm class president to lose her composure. At the same time, she was pleased to have stumbled on something that was as wonderful as this. It was like a soap opera that she wanted to keep on watching. However, she also knew that if she did not make her presence known, the cleaning would never be finished and she would never get the chance to be introduced to this mysterious boy who had caught the class president's attention. And so she cleared her throat. "Ahem." "Oh!" Tadako exclaimed, with an embarrassed expression. "I'm sorry, Saeki-san!" Quick as lightning, she resumed putting up the other posters. "Whoa, whoa!" Chie said, laying a hand upon Tadako's arm. Then she leaned in and whispered to her ear. "Please, call me Chie. I was just curious about this prince of yours..." The color upon the girl's cheeks deepened even more (Who knew there were that many shades of red?). "Oh! Um...yeah.." She straightened up, and started to gesture with her hands. "Kadoma-kun...this is Chie-san, my classmate. Chie-san...Kadoma-kun." Kadoma tilted his head. "Ah, the famous Saeki-san. The brave rose who broke through convention." "Kadoma-kun!" Tadako chided. "Chie-san did a good job." The boy lifted up his hands in defense. "Don't be angry, Mademoiselle. I meant that as a compliment." Chie chuckled, and moments later the two joined in. After which Chie asked, "So Kadoma-san, what brings you here?" "I knew it was Mademoiselle's turn to clean," Kadoma began, tilting his head towards Tadako. "So I thought I'd stop by and help. But it seems like I wouldn't have much to do." He gazed at the classroom, now spic and span. "You really don't have to, Kadoma-kun. It's our job..." Tadako said. The orange haired boy glanced back at the girl and smiled. "But I want to, Mademoiselle." A silence ensued, and Chie once again felt giddy from the sweetness these two were emanating. "Well, we do have a few more things to do before we finish. You are welcome to help, Kadoma-san." Kadoma nodded. "My pleasure." With Kadoma's help, Chie and Tadako's chores were finished earlier than usual. During the process, Chie was also able to learn more about him. He was an artist, and watercolor painting was his forte, as shown by the poster Chie and Tadako had put up on the board earlier. He was, indeed, of French blood. His father, once a Parisian, moved to Japan to open a small restaurant business which flourished in time. Four years later, he fell in love with a Japanese woman and married her. From the time of Kadoma's birth until he was twelve, they lived in Paris. Then they moved to Akita, where they permanently settled. "It must have been pretty difficult," Chie commented offhandedly. "For a long time you're used to being in a French school. But now that you're in a Japanese school...I bet you must have had a culture shock..." Kadoma nodded. "That I did. But your class president made things easier for me." He smiled fondly at Tadako, who promptly looked away and blushed. He glanced at his watch, then sighed. "I hate to do this ladies, but I have to leave to do some errands." Tadako shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Kadoma-kun." "Yeah, we're done anyways," Chie added. "If that is so, I will take my leave." Kadoma stood up. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Chie-san," He tilted his head towards Chie. "And it is always a pleasure to see you," Smiling, he took hold of Tadako's hand and kissed it lightly. "Mademoiselle." Once the boy was out of sight, Chie turned to Tadako. "He is really nice, quite a gentleman..." The class president was still staring at the door Kadoma had exited in. "...he is, isn't he...?" She said warmly. A playful grin settled itself upon Chie's lips. "...I didn't know you had a boyfriend, Tadako-san." The warmth and happiness that was Tadako's manner suddenly disappeared, and was replaced by that of sadness. "He isn't." Chie blinked, surprised. "What? Why? From the way you two acted earlier I thought---" Tadako cut her off, her voice once again firm and authoritative in the way whenever she was carrying out her duties. "He is not my boyfriend, Chie-san." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [B]Author's Notes:[/B] Hi everyone! It's been quite awhile, but I've finally gotten the eighth chapter up! Yay! (dances around) It's all mushiness and waffiness, I know. I never knew I could write this kind of stuff! It's hard though. Anyways, on to the usual stuff! 1. As you can see, I've added a bit of French into the story, hehehe. 2.[B]Bonjour[/B] - good day 3.[B]Mademoiselle[/B] - this is Kadoma's nickname for Tadako; literally means "Miss" [CENTER][B]CHAPTER 9: Meet the Parent[/B][/CENTER] "I'm home..." Tadako called out as she entered her house. There was no answer, but the girl did not mind and kept going in anyways. Along the way, she switched on all the lights, until she reached the kitchen. After placing her school bag upon the dining table, she made her way towards the refrigerator. On it were a lot of post-its. Heaps of it in fact, there were so much of these papers that it gave the refrigerator an uncharacteristic yellow color. All were written by the same hand, and almost all were written with the same contents-- [CENTER][B][I]"Ta-chan, I won't be coming home tonight. It's (insert-name-here)'s birthday today. He/She'll be crushed if I won't show up. There's dinner at the fridge. Don't wait up for me. Love ya lots! -Mom-"[/I][/B][/CENTER] Tadako opened the fridge, not caring much whether it was a Chiharu or Chimitsu or whoever it was celebrating her birthday. She straightened up, after having taken a plate with a piece of some leftover chocolate cake for herself. Right now, all she could think about was her encounter with Kadoma earlier, and that Chie had seen everything. [I]It's ironic that a new student such as Chie-san has seen this, the girl thought, as she climbed the stairs towards the direction of her room. I've been very careful to hide my feelings. I guess it was bound to be known sooner or later...[/I] She opened the door, entered her room, and opened her dresser. From it, she fished out an unfinished yet framed watercolor painting... --- [I]Two years ago?[/I] After a day of shopping at the nearest mall, Tadako found out that the road home was blocked due to some construction going on. She would have to take the route through the park instead, though that didn't bother her much since it was the more scenic one anyways. She especially liked to go through the park at this time of the year, since the cherry blossom trees, together with the hydrangea bushes, were all in full bloom. The gentle wind which blew the petals and leaves across her path made it even more picturesque. "Beautiful..." She breathed. "I wish I could draw this..." Then she laughed softly. "Yeah right. Like I have the talent for it." Tadako walked on, enjoying the sights on the way. She stopped however, when something blue caught her eye in one of the benches. As she headed over to investigate, she soon saw it was actually a sketchbook. "Oh dear..." She said, picking it up. "The owner must have forgotten it..." In an attempt to find out the name of the owner, she opened the sketchbook and leafed through its pages. Her breath suddenly caught, as soon as she saw what was inside. On each page, was a collection of watercolors depicting a particular scenery. An art lover herself, Tadako had seen many great creations of art, but none compared to the uniqueness of this artist's style. Out of all the pieces, she liked the one on the last page best. It was an illustration of the park she was in. The trees, the falling leaves and cherry blossom petals, the hydrangea which bloomed amongst the bushes, the benches...all looked as they were caught in a state between dreams and reality. It was indeed, truly nature. The only human feature within the piece was the figure of a female walking down the pathway. Although the face wasn't clearly portrayed, it was obvious that the female was a girl her own age. "Oniichan! Oniichan!! That girl's stealing your sketchbook!!" The sudden appearance of a little girl, with a mix of French in her voice, surprised Tadako so much that she dropped the sketchbook. "WAHHH!!! She dropped it, Oniichan!!!" The little carrot-head ran over to the girl and pointed at her. "You meanie!!! You're going to ruin Oniichan's work!!!" Tadako, feeling terrible, immediately picked up the item. "Oh, I'm so sorry!! I didn't mean to, I--" "Kae-chan!" Came a boyish, yet stern voice. "You shouldn't talk like that!" "But Oniichan! She--" Tadako looked up to a boy with the same hair color as Kae's. He walked over to the little girl and leaned down a bit. Tadako thought he was going to scold her, but instead his voice was soothing. "I'm sure she wouldn't steal my sketchbook. So don't worry." He patted her head, before straightening up. "I'm sorry for my sister's words." He bowed in apology. The golden-eyed girl shook her head frantically and held out the sketchbook. "No, I'm sorry! I saw your sketchbook at a bench, and while I was looking for a name I suddenly got hooked, and..and...I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" The boy smiled, coming closer and taking a hold of the offered item. "It's alright. I'm just glad it wasn't lost. Though it seemed to be in good hands, after all." He winked, causing Tadako to blush. Kae, after seeing this, crossed her arms and looked away. "Hrmph! Oniichan's just too nice!" But as she saw her brother's look, she sighed and raised her arms in surrender. "Whatever. I'll go play now." With the anger and annoyance gone, Kae skipped off just like that. The boy let out a loud sigh. "I'm really sorry about that." Tadako smiled, relieved that the situation was improving for her. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure she just wanted to protect her oniichan's work. Which is rather exquisite, by the way." "Thank you, Mademoiselle....?" "Tadako. Ebisawa Tadako." She was quite taken aback when he suddenly took her hand and lifted up to his lips. "Enchanté, Mademoiselle. My name is Renaudierre Kadoma. That little carrot-top--" "Hey, you're a carrot-top yourself!" Came a voice from behind some bushes. "--is my sister, Kae." Tadako smiled, though the blush hadn't quite subsided yet. "Pleased to meet you, Renau--Rena--Renu---" The boy chuckled. "Just call me Kadoma." "...Kadoma-kun." She felt quite embarrassed at not having to pronounce his surname correctly, but his charming smile soothed her. "I must say, you really do have a wonderful talent, Kadoma-kun." Kadoma bowed again. "Thank you, Mademoiselle. I find the scenery here in Akita inspiring." "Oh? Have you recently moved here?" The boy shook his head. "No, we've been here for quite awhile. Though I would be starting in my new school in a couple of days." "Really? What school are you going to be in?" The wind picked up a bit, and played around their hair. "Tougenkyou," Kadoma responded. "Once I heard the name, I couldn't help but love it. It sounds like an artist's paradise." The golden-eyed girl immediately perked up. "Tougenkyou? That's my school too!" "Is that so? Then I hope you wouldn't mind me asking you to show me around?" "Of course not. I'll be glad to." Tadako smiled. "I'm sure once you see it, you'll love it even more." Kadoma grinned. "With you in there, what's not to love?" --- Tadako had taken the artwork from the wall, and held it in her hands. At that moment the door burst open, revealing a very happy and very drunk woman with short dark brown hair and styled with two buns at the sides of her head. She had an arm around a man. "Mom!!" Tadako exclaimed, standing up (though not before hiding the framed art under the blanket) and making her way towards her. "Taaaaaaaaaaaaa---[I]hic![/I]----cccchhhhhhhaaaaaaa--[I]hic![/I] "I guess she had a little too much to drink," The man beside her said, grinning, as he was holding her up. [I]Oh no....[/I] Though she couldn't say she liked the man, Tadako was at least glad that he wasn't as drunk as her mother. "Saito-san, thank you for bringing her here." "Oh, don't mention it. She's my sweetie-pie Eimi after all," He said, grinning and kissing the older woman's cheek. Eimi giggled, kissing the man's cheek back. "Awwwww....[I]hic![/I]...you're tooooo scchhwweeeettttttt Reeeiiijiii-kkkuuuuuunnn.....[I]hic![/I]" [I]This is so disgusting,[/I] She thought, though she kept on holding up her arms to support her mother. "Could you help me bring her to her room, Saito-san?" To her annoyance, the man chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Sure thing, Ta-chan!" [I]Don't you ?Ta-chan? me![/I] Her mind screamed. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help but be deeply irritated every time that man was here. Heck, she gets deeply irritated every time A MAN was here. Yes, such was the life of Ebisawa Eimi. Traumatized on getting a divorce when her daughter Tadako was only five, she developed this freakish obsession on having relationships. Every time she would break off a relationship with a man, she had to have a boyfriend in two days time else she would do something drastic. Why, there was even an instance when Tadako barely managed to convince her from jumping off a building after being "boyfriendless" for three days. After she and Reiji had finished helping Eimi onto her bed, Tadako decided it was time to make him leave just in case he was entertaining some unpleasant (for her, at least) thoughts which involved her mother. She bowed politely. "Thank you for your help, Saito-san." "Like I said, don't mention it." The man grinned. "I believe Mom would like to rest now," She said, gesturing towards the front door. "Alright then, I guess I'll take my leave now." He walked out, though he stopped midway. "Are you sure you wouldn't want me to stay? I could play with you. What games do you want? Hide and seek? Monopoly? Or do you want to play horsey-horsey?" He grinned again, tapping his shoulders. [I]What an idiot,[/I] She thought. "I'm sorry, Saito-san. But I am tired as well. Besides, I am too old for those games now." Reiji laughed, rubbing the back of his head (though he was not the least bit embarrassed). "Oh that's right! How old are you now, Ta-chan? Eight? Nine? Ten?" "Sixteen. Good night, Saito-san." Then, she slammed the door in his face. She sighed and shook her head before heading upstairs back into her mother's room. "Mom?" She called, opening the door. "Mmmrrrghhh.....[I]hic![/I] Reeeeiijiii-kkunn...? [I]hic![/I]" She sighed again, and walked up to her mother. "No, Mom. It's me..." "Taaaa-----cccchhhaaaaannn...? hic!" The woman turned her head towards the girl, smiling drunkenly. "....how iiiissss sssccchoooooll? [I]hic![/I] Doooo youuu haveeee a boooyyyfrrrieenddd alllreadddy? Yyyoouuuu looookk iiiinnn loooooveeee...heeeeheeee...[I]hic![/I]" Her daughter took ahold of her shoes and took them off, then pulled a blanket over her mother's body. "You should rest." "Mmmhhmmm..." The older woman half-closed her eyes, smiling at the girl. "I [I]hic![/I] don't mind [I]hic![/I] you having a boyfriend [I]hic![/I]" Tadako only smiled slightly at her mother, before getting up to leave. "Good night, Mom." She was about to turn off the lights when a voice stopped her momentarily. "Taaa-cchhhan." The girl looked back. "Yes?" To her surprise, her mother had sat up upon them and had somehow become sober all of a sudden. She stared at Tadako with a serious expression. "So long as it's not that artist, Ta-chan." Tadako was unable to respond for a moment, before smiling slightly at her mother. "I'm not interested in anyone as of yet, Mom." As quickly as it had appeared, the serious expression upon her mother's face had gone and the drunkenness had sunk in again. "Thhhaaattt'sss gooooddd toooo. [I]hic![/I] Gooooooddd nnniiiiggghhhhttt." The lights went off, and the door was closed. Tadako went back to her room, and after changing into her pajamas, lay down upon her bed and let out a frustrated sigh. [I]Not interested in anyone as of yet, huh? What a lie.[/I] It was evident that since that day at the park, she had developed an attraction for the French-blooded artist. His talent, his gentleness, his genuine concern for her, and his thoughtfulness to help even when she did not need help had somehow worked their way into her heart. And what's more, he seemed to reciprocate her attraction as well. She had no doubt that when their hands touched and their eyes met, sparks would fly in between them in such a way that had never happened before. As she stared at the ceiling, an image of a certain orange-haired boy with gentle blue eyes looked down upon her. "I'm in love with him..." She whispered. But such a relationship between them was forbidden by her mother. She understood the reason though. It was because Renaudierre Kadoma was an artist. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [B]Author's Name:[/B] Hi everyone!! Wee, there's another Tanaka segment! I love these segments because I love knowing what is in your mind, hehehe. Anyways, here's the ninth chapter! I hope you would all enjoy reading it! Here are the stuff to clear up: 1. The note on the refrigerator which I mentioned is like a template, since the contents in Eimi's notes are almost the same anyways. 2. [B]Oniichan[/B] - What Kae calls her older brother; literally means...well, "brother". 3. [B]Enchante[/B] - "A pleasure to meet you" in French [size=1][color=red]Since your previous thread was rated PG, I've continued this rating rather than closing your thread. In future, please don't forget to rate your thread. ^.^ -- Lady Asphyxia[/color][/size]

When I saw the series I fell so in love with it, I had to get my own copy. Though I thought that it had a hanging ending, and even today I'm still expecting a sequel.

I prefer watching subs more than dubs, but if the English dubs are okay, like the ones in Rurouni Kenshin or Slayers, I'd watch it. To me, nothing beats the original.

I do not believe in love at first sight either. Attraction at first sight, yeah, that's more like it. Love cannot be love without knowing the other person first.

Animators probably don't get paid much, but their works amount to a lot of fame. That would work for me. ^_^ At least they know their works are appreciated.

Thank you for correcting me, Lady Asphixia. I'll make sure to do so the next time I post a new chapter. I'm glad you liked my story. I'll have the third chapter up soon!

The bishies I like have varying personalities, except from one constant trait that I always look for--concern, even if it is hidden, for other people. Such examples are: 1. Yuki Sohma from Fruits Basket 2. Loki from Matantei Loki Ragnarok 3. Larva from Vampire Princess Miyu 4. Inuyasha from Inuyasha 5. Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho 6. Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin 7. Chrno from Chrno Crusade 8. Yukito, Touya, and Syaoran from Card Captor Sakura

A very well-written story. It reminds us of how cruel war can be.

Experiences enhances the feelings put into one's work. It is like the spices in food. It is not necessary, but it adds flavor.

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum, and as I was browsing I immediately noticed this forum. I am glad there is something like this, because I have always wanted to improve my work to be reviewed and given constructive criticism. Anyways, here is the first chapter of an original story I'm currently working on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [CENTER][I][B]TOUGENKYOU[/I] CHAPTER ONE: The Angels of Tougenkyou High[/B][/CENTER] Saeki Chie tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear as a sudden breeze blew around her. It was early in the morning, but already she could see some people coming out of their houses, to head off to either work or school. This was a sight typical of Akita, and one that had recently become familiar to her, ever since she and her grandmother transferred here from Tokyo. "Wow, I can't believe Obaa-chan and I have already been here for one year..." Chie said to herself, as she started to walk. As always, she took time in making her way to school, taking in the scenery. Along and across her side of the street stood rows of houses, some were small and simple like hers, and others were big enough to hold families of five or more. She passed through a couple of blocks before arriving at a busy intersection on the road, telling her that she was already out of the residential area and into the town proper. As Chie waited for the green light, a familiar soft and gentle voice sounded beside her. "Good morning, Saeki-san." She turned, and though she was surprised, she smiled back at her classmate. "Good morning, Obinata-kun." The warm smile he had given her made her almost forget how to breathe. It made her feel silly, but who could ever resist the charming smile and the gentle emerald eyes of Tougenkyou High's Light Angel, Obinata Naoya? Chie immediately tore her gaze away from him and stared at the ground, obviously embarrassed. She wished that the green light would hurry up. She was trying to keep her large glasses from slipping off her nose when a hand suddenly caught her arm. "There's the green light, Saeki-san." Chie looked up and true enough, the red light had already switched to green. "Oh, uh..y-yes..." She stammered, while staring down at Naoya's hand holding her arm as he pulled her across the street. When they reached the other side, Naoya released her. He looked at her and grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry I had to do that. It seemed like you didn't notice the green light?? Chie felt a light blush coming onto her cheeks. "I-it's alright, Obinata-kun. I would have stood there all day if it weren't for you. Thank you." He chuckled and that made her blush even more. "Your humor amazes me, Saeki-san." Then he looked on ahead. "Anyways, I think we should head over to school now, or we might be late." Chie nodded. "Yes, I agree." As she started to walk, her eyes fastened themselves either ahead or on the ground. She couldn't believe that she was right here, WALKING with Naoya, which was something that had never happened before. Hrm, something about that last thought struck her curiousity. "...It's the first time I've seen you around here, Obinata-kun..." She said quietly. "Hrm?" Naoya glanced at her briefly, before looking on ahead. "...oh, well I live nearby. Though I'm very much surprised myself to see you at that intersection. Do you live around here, Saeki-san?" She nodded in reply. "Obaa-chan and I live at the residential area past the intersection." "...just the two of you?" "Yes. My parents....died long ago." "Oh," Naoya fidgeted slightly, and turned towards her with a concerned look. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a painful topic.." Chie shook her head. "Not your fault at all, Obinata-kun." She glanced at him and gave him a reassuring smile. "I've gone past the depression stage already." His face showed an unreadable expression before he smiled and looked back on the road ahead. Naoya and Chie walked the rest of the way in silence, though it amazed her that the silence between them was She had imagined it to be quite opposite, since Naoya seemed to be an unreachable person, what with his beautiful features, great talent in sports, popularity, kindness, and gentleness. He had also just recently won the seat of presidency in the student council in last year's elections, and of course he is known for his intelligence and diligence in studies. Obinata Naoya had the second highest grade point average in the whole of Tougenkyou High, and has been consistent in that rank since his first year in high school, she had heard. But their walk now had led Chie to think otherwise. In the past year, the only way she got to talk to him was through class projects, class presentations, and other academic whatnots, but perhaps this year... ...perhaps this year, she could be his friend? They soon reached a quiet river, one that Chie was now familiar with, and along the end of the path stood the school campus. Though a public school, Tougenkyou High had the most unique and beautiful campus in Akita. Besides a crystal clear river greeting its students at the entrance, it was situated within the recesses of a forest. Just a few ways behind the campus, is a lake where the river ends. It was no wonder that to be able to go to this high school has been a source of pride for its students as well as a dream of every elementary school student. And it was no wonder that to be able to go to this high school, a student must shed his blood and sweat in order to pass its entrance exam which was known for its utmost difficulty. Even more bloodcurdling, was the exam for transferree students. Chie felt thankful and lucky enough to be able to get into the school last year. "...earth to Saeki-san. Earth to Saeki-san." The sudden wave of a hand in front of her face made her jerk back to reality. She blinked twice, and turned her head to stare at the hand's owner. "Obinata-kun! Were you calling me?" Naoya grinned. "Yes, I was, for a good five minutes." Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth in surprise. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I was thinking about something, and..and I didn't realize that you were calling and..and um...er......" There it was--that endearing sound which was Naoya's chuckling. He waved a hand carelessly. "It's alright, don't worry about it. Though it made me wonder...just what IS going through that head of yours, Saeki-san?" The abruptness of that question as well as feeling him moving close to her made her cheeks burn a bright crimson. "A-a-ah..!! I was just admiring you---I mean the trees around you! And uh..the river! Notice how it's so clear today? And uh..the frog that just crossed the path! It's so green and slimy and uh...forget I said anything." Chie looked away, really embarrassed now. A frog? Just how dumb can she get?! For the third time, Naoya chuckled. He paused on his step, and was about to say something when... "Eeeeeeeee!!!!! It's him!!! He's arrived!! The Light Angel has arrived!!!" In less than two seconds, a mob of excited and squealing school girls have rushed over to where they were. Chie almost suffocated from lack of air and almost fell into the river as she struggled to get herself away from the swooning girls. Finally, she made it to safety. She looked back at the crowd looking for her classmate, and saw that he seemed to be trapped in the middle of them all. ...and he was still nodding and smiling like a gentleman. [I]Poor Obinata-kun,[/I] She thought to herself. Just then, she felt herself being shoved to the side by a girl. "Step aside, person of no importance!" The girl glared at Chie rudely, before joining the crowd. "Naoya-kun! Look my way, Naoya-kun!!!" Chie shook her head and sighed. "Yesterday it was 'Girl with Big Glasses', today it's 'Person of No Importance'...they sure are getting more and more creative with names everyday..." She turned around, and was about to resume walking when she felt her bumped into someone "Ouch!" She exclaimed, and held a hand up to her nose. That chest she had bumped into must have been made of steel! She thought that she actually heard her nose crack... "Watch it, Four Eyes!" Chie bit her lip, the feeling of impending doom creeping upon her as she recognized that voice. She slowly lifted her head up to stare at the baby blue eyes of Daishi Ichiro. "Hey hey hey, Ichi-kun. It's only Chie-chan. No need to kill someone this early." Chie sighed in relief as another voice entered the conversation/potential humiliation. She looked up gratefully at another boy whose blue eyes showed humor and kindness instead of coldness like Ichiro's. Thank God for Sadaharu! Ichiro glowered down at her for a moment, before turning away abruptly, causing his long flowing red hair to flip to his back. As if on cue, roars and shrieks sounded throughout the area. "Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!" "Don't his blue eyes make you melt?!" "God, I love his hair! "God, I love ALL OF HIM!!!" "He's so hot!!" "He's so cool!" "I love you, Daishi Ichiro-sama!!!!" Chie saw Ichiro's form stiffen and his fingers clenching tightly into fists. She could almost see his anger veins popping out of his head. It was rather relieving though, that Ichiro's fans--one half of the student female population (the other half being Naoya's fans)--love to admire him from afar and not glomp him, unlike Naoya's fans. She looked away, barely stiffling a giggle as she heard as them cry out their declarations of undying love for him. And just why, would many girls fawn over this young man? He was the other most popular guy in school, and why wouldn't he be? He had [B]extremely[/B] handsome features, [B]extremely[/B] famous parents, is [B]extremely[/B] rich, and an [B]extremely[/B] talented musician. And of course, who could ever forget that he owned Tougenkyou High's top academic rank, having the highest grade point average in the whole school? Just as Obinata Naoya was Tougenkyou High's Light Angel, Daishi Ichiro was its Dark Angel. He was called "dark" because of his cold and rude demeanor, but for some reason that only endeared him to his fans all the more. This must be really humiliating for him. Chie thought to herself. She felt sorry for him...well, ALMOST. [I]Serves him right for being so rude all the time![/I] It's not that she actually hated rude people, but this particular person was not only rude but also seemed to have some kind of hatred for her. There was never a day that passes by without him throwing glares or insults at her. ?All because of one little [B]UNINTENTIONAL MISTAKE[/B] the day Obaa-chan and I moved here.? A year ago? [I]Chie and her grandmother were standing at an intersection, and the young girl was looking around for any sign that would tell her where they should be. A certain store nearby caught her attention, and she immediately perked up. "A music store!!" She grinned giddily. "You might want to take a look at that store later, WHEN we have settled down in our house, don't you think, Chie-chan?" A soft laugh sounded by her side, and Chie turned to face her grandmother with a sheepish smile on her face. "Sorry about that, Obaa-chan. You know how I get whenever I see a music store." Her grandmother nodded. "Yes, you forget everything." "Obaa-chan! It's not as bad as that!" Her grandmother only grinned. That's what Chie loved about her grandmother. She was so unlike other old women. She was rather young, still in her early sixties in fact. She was also strong enough to clean and cook. But what she loved most about her grandmother was that she always had a smile on her face, no matter what the circumstances are. "And as an apology, I'd like you to go up to that nice young lady over there by the music store and ask her where the residential area is." "Alright, alright." Chie stuck her tongue playfully at her grandmother, before walking up to a woman with unbelievably long and beautiful red hair who was currently absorbed with reading a magazine. She tapped lightly on the woman's shoulder. "Excuse me, Miss....."[/I] "How was I supposed to know that woman was actually as HE? Oh man, if I knew that it was HIM standing there I would have stayed as far away as possible." She said to herself. "Tch. You have four eyes and you still are blind." Ichiro said over his shoulder, as he and Sadaharu walked away from her. Chie groaned, though she had followed the two inside the school gates. "It has already been one year and he STILL hasn't let me live it down...." -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [B]Author's Notes: [/B] Hi everyone! I was looking through the files in my laptop when I came across this story that I wrote last year. It doesn't look too bad in my opinion, so I decided to post this here and see how everyone thinks of it. Unlike my other story, Angel Chronicles, this one has a Japanese setting. As usual, I do have some things to clear up: 1. [B]Tougenkyou[/B] - this is Chie's high school, the main setting of the whole story. When translated to English, it means "Eden". 2. [B]Akita[/B] - it is a prefecture (province) in Japan that is known for its abundance of nature 3. I'm sure most of you, if not all, are familiar with Japanese honorrific suffixes such as "-chan", "-san", etc, right? 4. Words in [B]bold[/B] or CAPS are emphasized; words in [I]italics[/I] can either be a character's thoughts or flashbacks from his or her memory. 5. [B]Obaa-chan[/B] - for those of you who aren't familiar, this is what Chie calls her grandmother, somewhat like "Grandma" or "Granny". Well, that's all I could think of for now. I hope you will all enjoy reading this! Till the next chapter! [CENTER][B]CHAPTER TWO: The Principal of Tougenkyou High[/B][/CENTER] "Chie-chan! Over here!" Chie jogged over to the source of the call, her friend Nagai Yae. "What took you so long?! We've been waiting for an hour already!" Her pretty friend demanded. "Don't mind her, Chie. She's just exaggerating. It's only been fifteen minutes." Another of her friends, Obuchi Eiichi, said. "I am [B]not[/B] exaggerating! It felt like an hour to me!!!" Eiichi cowered under Yae's glare, but refused to give in. "That's because you don't like to wait, Baka!" ...and he was then rewarded with a punch in the jaw. Chie chuckled. It didn't worry her to see this, as she had already gotten used to the two childhood friends bicker and fight almost every day. It was even rather amusing to watch, so long as things didn't go too far. "Good morning, Chie-kun." Said a voice from behind her. Chie turned around to smile at the girl. "...good morning, Rei-chan." Unlike Eiichi and Yae, Yakuta Rei was a quiet girl who once preferred to be alone. Chie liked her and became her friend because they both shared a fondness for reading. Rei handed a small book towards Chie. "I've just finished it last night. Thank you." Chie nodded, taking the book. "How did you like it?" Rei paused for a moment, tilting her head thoughtfully. "It's rather sad. The manager of the band should have told the lead singer how she felt about him." "Oh, you mean Yuka? Yes, I agree. I'd rather have her to be Sakuya's partner rather than Aine." Chie closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. "Sakuya and Yuka [B]belong[/B] together. I wonder why he didn't pair them up?" "I think the author purposely made it that way." Chie gasped. "So you're for the Sakuya and Aine pairing?!" Rei only took ahold her bag and started to walk into the building. However, as she walked past Chie, she looked at her and smiled slightly. "Who said I was?" She looked up at the sound of the school bell. Then it was followed by the sound of a voice over some loudspeakers. "Attention all students. Please proceed to the auditorium immediately." The message was repeated before they heard Eiichi say "Meh". "That weirdo and his speeches scare me to death, especially the 'start-of-the-year ones'. I'd rather light someone's ass on fire than listen to him." That comment earned him a punch to the face by his lovely childhood friend. "I'll light [B]your[/B] ass on fire if you don't stop that! What if the principal hears you? You'll immediately be expelled!" "That would be good! That way I would be far, far away from you!" "Why you little--!!!" Chie was confused. "What are you talking about, Ei-kun?" She crouched down a little, to look at her friend who was currently in a headlock by Yae. "You'll see Chie-chan. Once he gets up on stage, there's no turning back... you'll get sucked into his strange world and run the danger of becoming like him...urk!" He gulped as Yae's arm tightened around his neck. "Ignore the dork, Chie-chan," Yae looked at her friend and grinned. "Tanaka-kouchou may be somewhat odd, but he was always amusing. And at least this time there's something at the end that would be worth it." Chie blinked in confusion. "What?" "The announcement of the Top Ten," Rei said from behind Chie. "The Top Ten?" Chie turned towards her friend in interest. "Oh come [B]on[/B]," Eiichi said, massaging his neck when Yae had finally released him. "That happens every year too." "But this time, the top ten from [B]our[/B] batch will get up on stage." Yae said. "It's something that's exclusively for seniors," Rei explained to Chie. "The lowerclassmen do get their ranks, but they're only posted on the bulletin boards. For the seniors however, the top ten will go up to the stage and be recognized by the whole school. It's a way to encourage them to maintain their status, so that they will be able to get scholarships from the best universities." "Really?!" Chie said, struggling to suppress her excitement. Yae laughed. "Don't even try to hide it, Chie-chan. I know you're already hooked on it." Chie blushed, waving her hands in front of her to hide her embarrassment. "I didn't..I mean, I wasn't...!!" "I think Chie-kun will be one of them." Chie turned to look at Rei in surprise. But the normally quiet girl only smiled, "I have heard the teachers say that you've done very well last year, even though you were a tranferree." Chie felt hope grow and swell within her. She opened her mouth to say something but couldn't, for fear it might make her sound boastful. 'But I hope...I really do hope.....even the tenth place would be good enough for me, just so I can get a scholarship...' Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a snort coming from Eiichi. "Sorry to burst your bubbles, ladies, but we need to go in now before we get locked out." He was answered by nods coming from the girls (with a slight punch from Yae), and soon the four went inside the auditorium. [CENTER]---[/CENTER] When Chie stepped inside, she was greeted by loud buzzes of excitement (and boredom for some). As she followed her friends down the steps, she could hear bits of conversation from the students around her. "So, who do you think will be in the magic ten?" "I think it will be the same as the ranking from last year." "Oh, I hope Naoya-sama will get first place this time!" "No way girl, Ichiro-sama will never let anyone take his throne!" "Ochiai Naisen-san will most likely get the fourth place." "I heard the teachers debating on whether the tenth place should be given to Ebisawa Tadako-san or Hachiborei Oharu-san...." "Hm..that's actually a tough one. They've both worked hard last year..." Hearing all of this made Chie's confidence drop. Of course she hadn't thought of all the other competition she might be having. Of course she hadn't thought of the other students who had also given their best performance in the last year. Of course she hadn't thought that there will most probably ten other people more deserving to be in the Top Ten than her. As she sat down on her seat, she sighed in resignation. "Guess I was too optimistic...." "...too optimistic about what?" Chie nearly jumped out of her seat as she heard a familiar voice snap her out of her reverie. "O-Obinata-kun!" She gasped out, looking at the one seated to her right. "I..I didn't realize you were seated there!" But instead of Naoya answering her, she felt herself being pinned down by the angered gazes of the LAFC (Light Angel Fan Club) surrounding her. "What are [B]you[/B] doing seated there like you belonged?!" One girl said, hovering her frowning face above Chie's. "[B]No one[/B] ever sits next to our Light Angel!!" Another girl cried, pointing to the empty seat on Naoya's right for emphasis. Chie bit her lip, blushing at being in that embarrassing state. "Oh..I'm..I'm sorry..I'll move to another seat then..." She started to stand, but was suddenly held back by a grip on her wrist. She looked back, and was surprised to see that it was Naoya. "Obinata-kun..." "I think her current position is just fine." Naoya ignored the girls' cries of woe as he looked at Chie kindly. "You don't have to change seats, Saeki-san." Chie looked down at him, and couldn't help but blush at his beautiful and kind face. She didn't know why, but it felt uncomfortable and yet welcome at the same time. She considered shaking her head no and walk away, but before she could do that she found herself sitting back down on that seat next to him. "This is your first orientation, isn't it?" Naoya asked. Chie nodded. "Yes, and most probably my last." She smiled slightly. Naoya chuckled (much to the dismay of his fangirls!). "Oh, that's right." "My friends told me that the principal will announce last year's Top Ten...." Chie saw the boy nod in reply, but her gaze was soon cut off when one of the girls from the row behind them stuck her face next to hers. "Naoya-sama will take the first place, and don't you dare refute that, Person-of-No-Importance!" Oh joy, it was the girl who had pushed her aside earlier. "Please stop doing that, Uboshita-san." The girl squealed giddily. "Eee!!! He talked to me! Naoya-sama actually TALKED to me! He even said my name!!" The other girls beside her clapped. "Congratulations Uboshita-san! We wish we were you!" Naoya shook his head in exasperation, then looked apologetically at Chie. "Don't mind them, Saeki-san..." To his surprise though, he saw that she was smiling back at him. "They're right." The boy's eyes widened in shock. "Saeki-san?" "Obinata-kun is surely going to be in first place." Naoya paused in his place, not expecting that at all. It was only after a short while that he finally found his voice again. "You're a pretty smart person yourself, Saeki-san. You will likely have a place up there on stage." "To tell you the truth, Obinata-kun...I'd really be happy if I could make it to tenth place..." Chie said quietly, looking down at her fingers that were fidgeting nervously upon her lap. She gasped in surprise however, as she felt a hand upon hers. She looked up, and almost melted at the smile he made at her. "Who knows, Saeki-san. Perhaps you will." It was only then that she had actually gotten a close look at Naoya's face. The short, golden brown hair was obvious, but the eyes that were almost always hidden behind his bangs needed further scrutiny. They seem like the ocean with an emerald green color, deep and yet lustrous at the same time. Chie blushed as she realized that she was staring at him. So to push away her embarrasment, she started to say something...only to be interrupted by a snort. "Tch. She'd never make top anything." Chie and Naoya looked ahead, and saw Ichiro staring at them lazily from the seat directly in front of them. He was leaning his elbow against the top of the backrest, and his chin upon the back of his hand. The girl felt Naoya's hand shake a bit, and soon she heard him speak again. "Ignore him, Saeki-san." His voice was still soft, but this time it was icy instead of the usual warmth she felt from it. She looked up, towards Ichiro, and saw that his gaze held the same coldness that was present on Naoya's voice. Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable. Tougenkyou's Angels, in their four-year-long race to the top, obviously do not hold any positive feelings towards each other. In fact, she thought that if she didn't get away right now, she would freeze to death because of the icy demeanor that hung in the air. "Erm...well....." Chie struggled to say something that would break the ice, but was saved from doing so by the sound of someone onstage clearing his throat. "Ahem, good morning to all of you, dear students." A sweet sounding alto voice sounded all over the room. It belonged to a tall woman, wearing a red vest over white shirt with matching red skirt. She was beautiful, with her long blonde hair held up in a bun and dark eyes hidden behind her eye glasses. Unfortunately though, she seemed to lack confidence while facing the students--more often she would fidget in her place and stare down towards the podium instead of her audience. "Good morning, ahem, dear students. For those of you, ahem, who don't know me, ahem, I am Sato Machi, your, ahem, vice principal. It is my pleasure, ahem, to welcome you all back to Tougenkyou High." Roars and hoots of admiration came from the boys from the front row seats. Three of them even had a [B]?Sato-sama is the BEST![/B]? banner waving around. It may have been a bit too much, but then from a school with a LAFC and a DAFC (Dark Angel Fan Club), there is no such thing as ?too much?. "And now, ahem, to formally welcome you all, ahem, I give you, ahem, your principal, ahem, Principal Tanaka Ichirou." Suddenly, everything happened dramatically. A loud drum roll sounded across the auditorium . A spotlight shone on the center stage. An orchestra played an overture. Cherry blossoms, roses, and daisies fell from above the stage. Finally, a there was a laugh. "[B]OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!![/B]" Most, if not all, of the students cringed at this. [B]"GOOOOOOOOOOD MORRRRRRRNIIIIINGGGGGGG MMMMMMMMYYYYYYY PPPPRRRREEEEETTTTTTIIIIEEEESSS!!!![/B]" The scent of cherry blossoms filled the air, and a man with long purple hair wearing a bright yellow overcoat twirled from the backstage towards the center. He stopped and posed, one hand upon his hip and the other hand holding the stem of a rose which he was also biting with his teeth. "I am your principal!" He winked, and threw a daisy towards the students. Unfortunately, it just landed on the floor. The boys in front just stared at it, the freshmen were either shocked, speechless or unconscious already, and the older students either rolled their eyes or have fallen asleep. Even after more than a year of studying in this high school, the poor students still couldn't make any sense out of their strange principal. It was a wonder how he kept this school together and manage a prestigious reputation across the country. Sadaharu was laughing in his seat. "Oh boy, your namesake sure is getting funnier every year, Ichi-kun!" Ichiro crossed his arms, closing his eyes in annoyance. "He is [B]not[/B] my namesake. My name is Ichiro. Not Ichirou. Principal Tanaka blew kisses to his audience. "Oh thank you, thank you all!!! I know you're all very happy to see me!!! I'm very happy to see you too!!!" He laid a hand on his cheek and posed 'shyly'. "Oh stop it, I know I'm very beautiful...but you're making me blush!!!" Sweatdrops appeared at the students' heads. He then placed his hand over his eyes, looking over at the students. "I see many familiar faces...but I'm happy to see new faces as well!" He then stopped, then grinned, then waved. "Yoohoo!!!! Ichiro-chan!!! My nephew!!! I'm so happy to see you here!!!" Sadaharu chuckled harder. "Hahaha!! 'Ichiro-chan'!!!!!" The boy turned his head away, an anger vein popping against his temple. "I am [B]not[/B] related to him." The principal straightened himself, and cleared his throat, but he retained his grin and held the rose with his hand. "I am proud and happy to formally welcome you to a brand new school year! I am sure that...." Chie was trying very hard to suppress a giggle. Of course she didn't want to appear rude in front of Naoya, and bit her lip instead. 'Hahahahahaha!!!! Serves him right!' However, she didn't know that Naoya was inwardly laughing as well. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author's Notes: Hi everyone! Here's the second chapter, and as usual, here are some clear-ups: 1. baka - "stupid" 2. Sakuya and Aine - the two main characters of one of the anime shows that I liked, "Kaikan Phrase". 3. -kouchou - a suffix that is attached when one talks to a school principal (ex. Tanaka-kouchou) [CENTER][B]CHAPTER THREE: Hana no Tougenkyou (Part One)[/B][/CENTER] "I am very happy to say that we still are one of the best high schools in the country. Last year, our senior students were..." Thirty minutes later... "...last summer, I had the priviledge to go on an overseas trip to Europe. My! There are so many flowers there! I was very happy..." Another thirty minutes later... "She said, 'You have very beautiful hair, Tanaka-san,', and I said, 'Why thank you! I'm so happy you noticed! You know, I'll let you in on a secret...I'm the most beautiful man in Japan! Not that I'm bragging or anything, of course.'" He looked proudly at the students. "I was very humble, wasn't I?" The boys in front were peering at computers and car magazines. The girls were either filing their nails, or gossiping with each other about the latest volumes of the Obinata Naoya/Daishi Ichiro newsletters. "I got a six and a one," Yae said, placing down her set of cards. "Ha! I win!" Eiichi exclaimed triumphantly. "A five and a two!" "Don't be so sure of yourself," Yae warned, then turned to Rei. "What have you got, Rei-chan?" The quiet girl put down her own cards. "An eight and an ace." "Ha! Rei-chan wins!" Yae exclaimed triumphantly. She grinned even more at Eiichi's sour face. "Sore loser!" "Well, I'd rather have Rei-chan winning than you, Kaijuu..." He murmured "WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY?!" The poor boy was suddenly pulled into a headlock again. At the other block of seats, Ichiro and Sadaharu were both sleeping. Sadaharu was snoring loudly, and the DAFC journalists were taking this opportunity to photograph Ichiro, to be published for next week's newsletter. Behind them, Chie was also trying her hardest not to fall asleep. "Tanaka-kouchou likes to talk, doesn't he?" She commented to Naoya offhandedly. "And he always mentions the word 'happy'..." The boy beside her nodded. "He has always been this way since I first came here." "...and so I said...." Principal Tanaka stopped, as Vice Principal Sato walked up to him and whispered something to his ear. "Oh!" He said, waving the rose in his hand. "Unfortunately, my pretties, I have to cut this short. But since I am so sure that you want to hear more, I invite you all to come to my office. I'll finish my speech for you! But no pushing, alright? And make sure to fall in line!" He twirled around, and posed once more. "And now, for the part that you've all been waiting for (next to my speech, of course), I am going to announce this year's TOP TEN!" It was interesting to see how the students reacted at this. The boys in front immediately closed their magazines. The girls had stopped talking and instead were shouting at the top of their lungs and raising their respective LAFC/DAFC banners. The girls at the left block of the auditorium had an "NAOYA-SAMA IS NUMBER ONE!" and the girls on the other side had an "ICHIRO-SAMA IS OUR KING!". Chie stared in awe at the people around her. "Wow...it's as if we're in a championship basketball game..." Naoya smiled. "An interesting analogy, Saeki-san. It's been like this for the past years." "But this year will be different. Because this would be the year Naoya-kun would be crowned Top One!" The girl called Uboshita butted in, but was immediately hit in the face by a flying shoe. Her followers quickly huddled over their fallen LAFC president. "Uboshita-sama!" At the other side of the auditorium, with a foot on a backrest, and the other supported by the hands of two other LAFC members, stood a proud girl, laughing triumphantly. "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Chie cringed at this. As if her ears weren't damaged enough from the principal's laughter. "Is she related to Tanaka-kouchou?" She whispered to Naoya. "I thought so at first, but apparently she isn't," He whispered back. With a whoosh, she extended her pointer finger towards the girl. "You white boneheads don't know right from wrong as usual! But not to worry, I, Matsushita Aemi, the vice president of the Dark Angel Fan Club, in the absence of the president, will correct you, pathetic people!" She snapped her fingers. Two other DAFC members shone their flashlights upon her. A girl sat upon a backrest and a strummed a guitar chord once. "Are you sure she isn't related to him?" Chie asked again. Aemi brought up a microphone to her lips, and started singing. "Ahhhh....There is only one king, and he is the only one! There is only one number one, and he is the one! There is only one angel, and he is the one!" Then the other members joined in, "DAISHI ICHIRO-SAMA IS OUR ONLY ONNNNNEEEEE!!!" Oh. My. God. Chie thought, her jaw hung open, her tone-sensitive ears ringing. That was the worst singing I've ever heard! She glanced ahead at the boy in front of her. "I wonder how that guy puts up with it?" Sadaharu was shaking Ichiro's shoulder. "Yo Ichi-kun! They're singing that horrible song again!" The shaking caused two plugs to pop from the redhead's ears. "Huh? What?" He picked up the plugs and placed it in his ears again. Oh. Chie thought. The LAFC president stood up, and opened her mouth to say something, when a dozen roses was suddenly thrown into her mouth. The DAFC vice president had a dozen daisies inside hers too. "OHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!" Came a laugh from onstage, drawing all attention back to the principal. "I'm sure all of you children have your own reservations about who's going to be top what, but let's get on to the announcement so we could find out who the real top ranking students are!" Then the orchestra played Pachelbel's "Canon in D" as the lights went out, leaving only a couple of colorful spotlights dancing on the stage. The spotlights focused on a large screen as it came down from above the stage. The screen flashed, showing a beautiful garden--with lots of glistening flowers and trees, a small bridge, a pond, and a small fountain at the middle. Principal Tanaka raised the microphone up to his lips and spoke in a more serious tone this time. "This is Tougenkyou, so named after the most famous and most beautiful garden of heaven, where many lovely flowers are in bloom." Then he faced the audience, his expression matching that of his voice. "Here on earth, I am proud and happy to say that we have our own Tougenkyou, with our own beautiful flowers. But of course, there are those in full bloom, those who stand above the rest. These treasures, we honor today." The piece stopped playing. Again, a drum roll sounded throughout the auditorium, and Principal Tanaka went back to his perky self. "And now, presenting.....the few and the chosen...the most qualified and the most diligent.....the Hana no Tougenkyou!!!" Chie gazed in awe at the stage. "Wow...." Naoya chuckled softly at the girl's reaction. "Tanaka-kouchou really likes to make this event special for everyone." Chie turned back at him, her expression still awed. "It's working for me, at least." Naoya smiled, and both he and Chie turned their attention at the screen. On it, was the picture of a babyfaced girl with wide golden eyes and dark brown hair. Chie sighed. There goes my dream... But then she smiled at the girl in the picture. "How cute..." "The tenth place, the Ajisai, goes to Ebisawa Tadako-chan!!" Along the seats to the right, Chie saw a small girl stand up shyly. Chie thought that the blush which formed on her cheeks made her even cuter. One of the boys on the front, punched his seat in frustration. "Dammit!!!" Principal Tanaka waved a finger at the boy. "Now, now...Hachiborei-chan, no need to get violent." He straightened up. "And surely there's no need for frustration because the ninth place, the Hasu...goes to you, Hachiborei Oharu-chan!!!" Oharu looked up incredulously at first, then he stood up shooting a triumphant fist into the air. "Alright!!!!" He rushed on stage, all this time grinning widely. He was a tall boy, with gray eyes and long black hair tied into a low ponytail, and some long bangs hung about his forehead. "Now for the eighth place, Tsutsuji, goes to Ito Ai-chan!" A mature-looking girl stood up and flipped her long silver hair, her equally silver eyes shining with confidence. Most of the boys, including Sadaharu, howled and hooted. The girl smiled and blew a kiss towards the boys, and winked at both Ichiro and Naoya. Ichiro rolled his eyes and turned to Sadaharu. "Shut up, you're hurting my ears." "Aww, can't a boy show his appreciation for beauty?" His friend said. "And you wasted a good opportunity, man. She winked at you!" Ichiro looked back towards the stage in disinterest. "So?" "She's like the most sought-after girl in this school, man!" "So?" "Grr!!! Never mind!" Sadaharu threw his hands up in exasperation. Then he gasped, as if realizing something. He turned back to Ichiro with a questioning look. "Are you gay?" He was immediately rewarded with a punch on the face. Chie gazed at the girl as she walked up to the stage. Her strides were smooth, her shoulders were straight, and her head was held high. She was the image of a princess. "She's very beautiful...." Naoya nodded in agreement. "Undoubtedly." She turned towards Naoya, with a questioning look. "Why didn't you respond to her?" He smiled. "I don't like her that way." "Oh." She said, looking away from him. That last sentence made her think. Who does he like? What kind of girl does he like? Perhaps a quiet and amiable girl like Rei? Or a perky and cheerful one like Yae? A fragile and cute girl like Tadako? Or, more likely, a confident and regal one like Ai? She sighed. How could a thorn like her fit within a sea of beautiful flowers? Author's Notes: Hi everyone! Here's the third chapter! I'm sorry it took awhile to finish this, school has already started and I've gotten busy already. Anyways, I know I've got a lot of stuff to explain in this chapter, and here they are: 1. Kaijuu - Eiichi's nickname for Yae. It's not a very nice one though, because it means "monster". Hehehe. 2. Canon in D - One of my favorite classical pieces. Some of you may know that this piece is also featured in Neon Genesis Evangelion (one of my favorite animes, btw). 3. Hana no Tougenkyou - Tougenkyou's ten most outstanding students. It means "Flowers of Tougenkyou". I found it suitable, since Tougenkyou means "Eden", and Eden is almost always associated with a garden. The following are the Japanese names of flowers, and their English counterparts:. 4. Ajisai - Hydrangea 5. Hasu - Lotus 6. Tsutsuji - Azalia [CENTER][B]CHAPTER FOUR: Hana no Tougenkyou (Part Two)[/B][/CENTER] How could a thorn like her fit in a sea of flowers? This was a question that she had often asked herself, but unlike all other instances, it did not stay within her mind for a long time. The cheers of the girls, the hollers of the boys, the banners waving in the air, the lively voice of Principal Tanaka...it drew that very thought away. This event affected Chie in such a way that had never happened before. As the number of students onstage increased, so did the excitement of the whole student body. Even the shy Vice Principal Sato was clapping and grinning widely next to the principal. Principal Tanaka wiggled animatedly in his place. "Ooooohhh! We are having an epidemic of excitement here, my pretties! I feel so happy!! We are getting closer and closer to the top!!!" "Wow..." Chie breathed, "I've never experienced something like this before...not even in my old school..." Naoya turned to her and smiled. "Welcome to Tougenkyou, Saeki-san." Chie smiled back. "Well, I can't help but think how lucky I am to get into this school." Truly, she felt what Principal Tanaka always mentions...happy. "And now for the seventh place...the [B]Momo[/B]...goes to Obuchi Eiichi-chan!!!" "WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!" The said boy jumped up and threw his fists into the air. "Congratulations, Ei-kun." Rei said, smiling slightly. "Oh yeah, uhuh! Who's the man?! Uhuh!! That's me, alright!" He did a little dance (though seriously he looked like he was stomping on a dead cockroach). "Yeah, you!" Yae interrupted, standing up and crossing her arms. "What're you so excited about? You're in the same place as you were last year! Now get your ass up on that stage before we all turn sixty!" She literally kicked his behind to get him moving. "Owwwwwww!!!" Eiichi rubbed his sore spot and glared at Yae. "Damn Kaijuu, why did you have to do that? Here, in all places!" Then he turned around, and started walking towards the stage. "Now I know you want me bad." That caused all of the girl's anger veins to pop. "LIKE HELL I WOULD!!!" She was about to march towards him when Rei pulled on her hand. Eiichi turned around and winked at her. "Yeah, I love you too, Yae-chan." He quickly turned back, and jogged up the stairs to take his place next to Ai. "Hrmph! Conceited, selfish jerk!" She sat down and looked away, to hide her contempt AND the huge blush that was coming onto her cheeks. In the meantime, Chie was also cheering loudly for her friend. "YAY!!!!!! Go Ei-kun!!! I knew you could do it!!!" She had stood up from her seat and was clapping hard. She even joined in his little victory song by answering "You're the man!" everytime he shouted "Who's the man?". Unfortunately, when she stopped she realized that she was the only one doing this, and that everyone--including the two Angels, were staring up at her. She immediately turned tomato red, and slid down her seat. "Erm, yeah...go Ei-kun.." "And now," said Principal Tanaka, while twirling the microphone around like a baton, "For the sixth place...the [B]Yuki Yanagi[/B]...goes to Yakuta Rei-chan!" Unlike her previous reaction, Yae squealed in delight and hugged her friend. "You did it, Rei-chan! Congratulations!" Rei hugged the girl back, squeezing her slightly to show her happiness. A long year's work rewarded by two steps up the rank? Not bad at all. Chie was also showing her delight, though it was a bit quieter than before. She didn't want to embarrass herself anymore than she did. It was then that Ichiro turned around, once again leaning his elbow upon the backrest. "You know Four Eyes, you don't have to hold back. You're less of an annoyance than them anyways." He said, jerking a thumb towards the LAFC. Chie stared at the boy incredulously. I can't believe it! She thought it shock. He actually said something NICE to me! Then she looked down as she felt someone patting her hand. "Yeah Saeki-san," Naoya said, smiling. "There's nothing wrong with cheering for your friend." Chie nodded slowly. "Y-yes..." "Naoya-sama...." The girl Uboshita began. "Ichiro-sama...." Aemi continued. "...ACTUALLY AGREED!!!!!!" The two finished together. Suddenly the whole auditorium became silent, and it was only after five minutes that the students came out of their shock. "WHAT?!" "THEY DID?!" "It's a miracle!" "No, it's doom!" "I never thought they would actually...!!!" "This is going to make front page news!" The buzzing and gasping continued on for awhile, until Principal Tanaka threw bouquets into everyone's mouths. He twirled around in his place, still grinning. "Oh my pretties, as interesting as the happening was, we shouldn't divert! We have to finish on time, so that we can start our classes!" "Awwwww......." Came a unified groan from the audience. "Tut tut tut," The principals said, wagging his finger. "Remember my pretties, I want you all to leave this school with a secure future!" He held his arms up dramatically. "And now where were we?" He held the microphone up to his lips again. "Aha! The fifth place! The [B]Kinofuji[/B]...goes to...Watanabe Sadaharu-chan!!!" Sadaharu stood up. "Well, that's me. See you onstage, Ichi-kun." Hands on his pockets, he walked up on stage. He tilted his head towards Rei, eyes twinkling, as he took his place next to her. "Hi there." She did not answer. He shrugged, placing his hands inside his pockets again. "Quiet, as usual." "Only four places until the top, my pretties!!" Banners were put up. Flags were waved. The screams of "ICHIRO-SAMA!" and "NAOYA-SAMA!" became louder and louder by the minute. Once again, excitement filled the auditorium. "Now for the fourth place! The[B] Mokuren[/B]...goes to Ochiai Naisen-chan!!" Along with Tadako and Oharu, this was also someone Chie did not know. Curious as to who it was, she waited for someone to stand up. But no one did. Confused, she looked back at Naoya. "Where is Ochiai-san, Obinata-kun?" "Right now he's at the hospital, Saeki-san," Naoya said, his expression serious this time. "Oh..." "Since Naisen-chan can't make it today, let's wish for him to get well soon, alright my pretties?" Chie found herself nodding with the other students in agreement. Principal Tanaka closed his eyes and became silent for a moment. Then when he opened them, he was back again to his usual self. "And now.......the moment you have all been REALLY waiting for....the last three Hana...drum roll please!" The drum beat sounded, and so did the hearts of many inside the auditorium. Who will be at the top three? "As you all know, the three highest positions are very special both to me and to Tougenkyou. Special to me because they hold the names of my three favorite flowers, the daisy, the cherry blossom, and the rose. Special to the school because they will carry the name of Tougenkyou in competitions and conventions. Also, if they maintain their status at their senior year, they will have the opportunity to be recruited into the most prestigious universities in the country, such as Tokyo University." "So first, I am proud and happy to present to you all...in third place, with an average of 97.5...the [B]Hinagiku[/B]...goes to Obinata Naoya-chan!" The whole auditorium went silent. Chie looked sideways at the boy next to her, and saw that he had somehow stiffened. There was shock in his eyes. "Naoya-chan? Hello, Naoya-chan?" Principal Tanaka said, "Come on up now, Naoya-chan!" Chie laid a hand upon his, hoping to gently shake him back to reality. But he blinked, and before her hand could touch his, he pulled it back and stood up. Was it just her? Or did he just pull his hand back a bit too quickly? The auditorium was still silent. "Now this person is second place is very interesting. She is new, but I am happy to see her make a big jump...and so in second place, with an average of 98...the Sakura...goes to Saeki Chie-chan!" That announcement froze Chie in her seat. What?! Me?! In second place?! Her thoughts went blank, and it was as if all systems within her brain had shut down. It was not only after Principal Tanaka's tenth calling, did Chie snap out of her reverie. She blinked once, took a deep breath, then stood up and walked towards the stage. She found herself slowly smiling as she did. The auditorium was still silent, save for the clapping of Yae, Rei, and Eiichi. "And last, but certainly NOT the least...in first place, with an average of 98.5...the Hana no Bara...goes to Daishi Ichiro-chan!" With his eyes closed, the long haired boy stood up and walked up towards the stage. "Now normally," Principal Tanaka began, "I'd clap for you Ichiro-chan, but I don't want to appear biased, so I won't. I'll clap for all of you instead!!" He, together with Vice Principal Sato, put their hands together in an applause. But despite it all, the auditorium was still silent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [B]Author's Notes:[/B] Well, that's the fourth chapter! As you might have all noticed, I threw in an extra segmant so I can interact actively with you guys. Also, your opinions and ideas are going to be my sources of inspiration, so that I can make this story better. Anyways, as usual these are the stuff to clear up: Hana no Tougenkyou 1. Momo - Peach 2. Yuki Yanagi - Snow Willow 3. Kinofuji - Spiketail 4. Mokuren - Magnolia 5. Hinagiku - Daisy 6. Sakura - Cherry Blossom 7. Hana no Bara - Rose [CENTER][B]CHAPTER FIVE: When the Light fades?[/B][/CENTER] The silence of the auditorium was only broken when there was a spectacled-boy raising and waving his hand. "Alright everyone! Please pose for the school paper!" "Oh goodie, media!" Principal Tanaka clapped his hands gleefully. He jogged over to Ichiro's side. "I'll be right here, next to my lovely nephew! Machi-chan, you stay over there, next to Tadako-chan!" He wrapped one arm around Ichiro's shoulder, as Vice Principal Sato shyly walked over next to Tadako. "Alright, smile everyone!" A couple of clicks, then the principal held up the microphone once again. "And now, I give the floor to your elected student council president, Obinata Naoya-chan!!!" A roar rose throughout the auditorium (mostly coming from the LAFC side), as Naoya gracefully bowed at the principal and took center stage. "Good morning, my fellow students!" High pitched shrieks answered him, coupled with waving the LAFC banner. "Good morning, Naoya-sama!" "During the break, we of the Student Council have worked hard to plan the school activities for this year, of course with the approval of Tanaka-kouchou. And I am proud to tell you that there is a whole lot of activities in store for you. We made sure that these are events everyone can participate in. For example, students who have acting talent can participate in the school play..." "Yaaaayyyyyyy!!!" "Our athletes can participate in the school olympics..." "Ooooh yeahh!!!" "And this year, we'll be putting up a musical production for our student musicians!" Chie was definitely thrilled upon hearing this, and clapped loudly. [I]Obinata-kun really is a good leader...[/I] "There are many other activities, and I'll be posting them on the school bulletin board, so please make sure to pass by there. That's all. Thank you very much for listening!" A loud applause from the audience, as well as with those onstage, ensued. The student council president smiled and bowed, before handing the microphone back to the principal. "So we end here, my pretties! Today is the start of a new year, (the last year for some of you) and with it comes countless opportunities, possibilities, and responsibilities. Let's make the most out of it!" There was a final applause from the audience, before the teachers started to usher the students out of the auditorium. The other ten onstage began to move as well. Ichiro and Sadaharu were among the first ones to leave, but Chie was surprised when Naoya left his place without saying anything to her. Thinking that there was only probably something on his mind, she followed him down the stairs. "Obinata-kun!" He didn't seem to hear her, and kept on walking, making his way towards a girl standing by the aisle. "Obinata-kun!" Chie said again. She was able to catch up to him, but when she was about to lay a hand on his shoulder he turned to her abruptly. "What is it, Saeki-san?" The girl was taken aback. Instead of the sweet and kind voice he had earlier, it was replaced by the same icy demeanor that she had encountered earlier. The look he gave her was very much different too. His eyes were slightly furrowed, and his eyes were a bit narrowed. Suddenly, Chie found herself stammering. "I--I....Obinata-k-kun..." "If you do not have anything to say, please leave. I have to talk with Vice President Nakamura." She could only stare at his back, which was turned to her as abruptly as when he faced her. Feeling utterly confused, ashamed, and saddened, she left the scene, failing to notice the triumphant grin of the Student Council Vice President. --- The first day of school was finally done, but Naoya was still in a bad mood. True, he might have expected getting the second place again, but the third place?! That thought did not even cross his mind! And what's more, that [B]girl[/B] had outranked him! Talking to her was a huge mistake, He thought to himself. When he opened the door to his locker, a computerized letter and a piece of notebook paper fell at his feet. He picked both up, but focused his attention to the letter, remembering the talk he had with Principal Tanaka a year before... [I]"Naoya-chan," Principal Tanaka began, leaning back against his chair with a serious look on his face. "I am pleased with your performances in the past two years. Not only did you manage to stay in second place in the academic ranks, you also were active in the Student Council as well as in the Basketball Varsity. Truly you are an achiever, which is why Tougenkyou is willing to finance your studies at the University of Tokyo." Naoya sucked in a breath in surprise, his eyes widening. "Tanaka-kouchou...I..I don't know what to say...T-thank you, I..." The principal shook his head. "Oh don't be so assuming, Naoya-chan. You haven't got the scholarship yet." The boy immediately closed his mouth. "Paying for a student's stay at one of the country's top universities would be quite a feat for this school, which is why you have yet to prove your worth. You have two more years to maintain that good performance. You graduate with at least the Salutatorian title, and I will make sure you will have your scholarship. Anything less than that, it's goodbye Tokyo U for you, understand?" Naoya bowed and nodded humbly. "Yes, Tanaka-kouchou..."[/I] The boy clenched his fist, gritting his teeth angrily. [I]She's going to rob me of my scholarship! I have to do something![/I] He stopped as he heard what sounded like crumpling paper. He looked down at his fist, and saw the notebook paper from earlier. "What's this?" He asked himself, uncrumpling the paper with both hands. On it was a familiar handwriting that had always triggered an anger spark within him, though that spark was overrun by the surprise and curiousity brought about by the 2 simple sentences written there: [CENTER][B][I]If you value your scholarship, meet me by the lake after school. Do not be late.[/I][/B][/CENTER] Naoya knew that this would probably amount to trouble, but he knew that maintaining his rank takes precedence above all others. Crumpling the letter and putting it into his pocket, he went out of the building. [I]What is he planning?[/I] He thought to himself, as he rounded the corner towards the back of the building. Hundreds of trees loomed around, but he knew that in between two of these was a partly hidden and narrow road towards the lake. Inwardly glad that there were no other students in the area, he entered the forest, taking the narrow pathway. The huge trees hovered on top of him, causing the sunlight to slowly fade away. But it didn?t take long for his vision to brighten again, as he entered the lake area. And there he was, true to his word, standing by the edge of the lake with his hands inside his pockets. He turned around, hair flailing wildly against the gush of wind which suddenly blew around them. ?You?re late, Obinata.? ?Your note was hardly noticeable, Daishi.? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [B]Author's Notes:[/B] Booya! Here's the fifth chapter everyone! It's a rather chapter I know, but I hope it made the impact I intended on you guys. Anyways, there is just one thing to clear up here: 1. [B]University of Tokyo[/B] - also known as Tokyo U, is the highest ranking university in Japan and is also the highest ranking university in Asia. [size=1][color=red]Edited thread to merge the double post. ^_^[/color][/size]