Here We Go Again
Chapter 1: Behold St. Marie's
The sun at St. Marie's is always bright, or so I was told by the taste-testing prodigy that is my mother. She beamed down at me at six-thirty in the morning as I sat up at the kitchen table, crunching away on my fruit loops. I had always wondered, despite the stories and the physical proof before me, how my mother and her clumsy ways had managed to graduate from a prestigious baking school. I mean, you can't blame me really. Even those of us who know her inside and out sometimes find ourselves marvelling at the results my mother earned at her time in St. Marie's. My father, on the other hand, had somehow cleared all his doubts about her graduation. Arata always tells me it's just because love makes people blind to stupidity. Dad had shamed him in front of his girlfriend after that. I, despite my inheritance of bluntness from my father, had hidden all my worries about starting St. Marie's away from my parents. Lord only knows how mum would fuss if she caught me giving myself a pep talk aloud to keep the nerves away at two a.m. You see, it isn't my baking skills or academic skills that worry me, no, I've always been the top in both of those respective areas, but my inheritance of that untimely clumsiness that only the eldest daughter of Kashino Ichigo seemed to have received. I envy my siblings very dearly for having caught dad's train of luck. They skipped 'Clumsyville' all together, well, except for Mizu when she was younger but she's grown out of it miraculously, much to my dismay. Though I shouldn't be one to argue: I have the brains and the baking skills whilst Mizu can barely stand in front of the oven without fearing for her life.
"Have you packed all your bags Aoi?" Dad asked from across the table, swatting away mum's hand as she tried to tidy up his hair a little. "Leave off it Ichigo. I'll fix it before we go." He murmured as mum sighed defeatedly and both heads turned back to me, expectant of my answer.
"I-um-," I swallowed my mouthful of fruit loops. "Yeah dad. The majority of them anyway." I watched on as his eyebrow raised and he opened his mouth to speak when Amiya came storming down the stairs, earning everyone's full attention.
"What's wrong Ami?" Mum asked as Amiya buried her face in mum's shoulder. She murmured something that was muffled into mum's blouse sleeve until it was incomprehensible. "Speak up honey. And take your mouth away from my shirt while you talk." With a stressed huff, Amiya pulled away and pointed hastily up the staircase.
"Arata told me off." Even my eyebrows raised at this. Arata, though he was easily embarrassed by most anything, genetic courtesy on dad's behalf, he was never one to reprimand any of us younger Kashino children, no matter the situation.
"Well, what do you mean he told you off Amiya?" Dad asked, seemingly more interested in her story now than he was about my half-hearted packing job that consisted of tops and books and valuables strewn across my and Mizu's joint bedroom upstairs.
"I caught him halfway out the window with his foot on the tree and told him he'd get in trouble so he shouldn't be sneaking out-" Dad was already halfway up the stairs by this point as Amiya continued with her explanation. "And he told me to mind my own business and to shut up if I valued my life." Mum, clearly exasperated with her son's behaviour, stood and made her way out of the front door here she single handedly caught Arata with his hand on the door handle to his grey Honda accord.
"Busted." I heard Amiya suppress a triumphant yell from across the room as I stood in the open doorway watching mum and Arata. "Hand me your keys young man," Arata's mouth fell open. Mum's hand extended firmly and she waited with a hand held prominently on her hip as Arata gave a frustrated sigh and dropped his car keys into her open palm. "You can see Rize on a day when your sister isn't starting school. Plus I'll be holding onto these for a week, you do not threaten your sisters. Do you hear me Arata?" I watched as my older brother ran a hand through his hair and pushed his way past me into the house. I ducked before he could actually touch me but mum yelled 'two weeks' up the stairs anyway. I had to hand it to her, she had a pretty good hand when it came to disciplining teenagers, and children in general. "Right, as for you cutie," The tight lipped frown she'd had moments earlier was replaced by her usual over-the-top smile as she bent down to Amiya's height whilst I closed the door. "Mummy's sorry that your brother did that to you. He certainly shouldn't have. Tell you what, after we've dropped Aoi off we can make some cupcakes. How does that sound?" My heart clenched painfully in my chest. The sunday cupcakes, the goodnight kisses, the heart warming smiles and nightmare cure, I'd be leaving it all behind. And I didn't want to. My eyes began to water and I swiped at them hastily as Amiya, smiling, disappeared back upstairs. Mum turned to me and took in my upset figure, her eyes falling as she crossed the room and wrapped me in her warm embrace. She kissed my forehead and crouched down so that she could look up at me, wiping gently at my tears. "It's okay to let it out baby." And so I bawled into her shoulder. It was times like these when I thanked God for my mother's overly generous and extremely loving personality. She knew exactly what to do and she was always so lovely and understanding. I didn't want to lose her. And so I finally told her everything I'd been bottling up for months on end: ever since I'd gotten my acceptance letter last June.
"I don't want to be alone mum! I want to stay with you and dad and everyone else."
"Come now baby, don't be silly. You won't be alone. You'll have heaps of new friends and all of the teachers are really nice. My best friend Mari is going to take good care of you. And you can come and visit us every weekend if you like and every holiday. This is still your dream right, Aoi?" I nodded my head. I really was.
"I know I'm being silly but I just needed to tell you." She hugged me closer as dad appeared at the top of the stairs.
"I know baby. Go on then, go give your father a hug and go finish packing. I'll be up in a minute." So, hugging my confused father, I ran upstairs and hung a sharp turn into my and Mizu's room. I found her laying on her bed with her cellphone pressed to her ear. Her eyes zeroed in on me and she suddenly seemed alerted.
"I-ah- I gotta go. Bye!" Her cellphone snapped shut and she eyed me warily as I picked up a stray top and folded it.
"You're awfully suspicious. Who was that?"
"Absolutely, one-hundred percent, nobody." She proclaimed hastily, shoving her phone in her bedside drawer and sitting up to watch me, crossing one leg under the other. "And what have you been doing? Your eyes are red."
"Absolutely, one-hundred percent, not telling you unless you confirm for me that that was Mikado-kun." Mizu fidgeted under my watchful gaze.
"Not worth telling you if I don't really care for your answer is it? You go ahead and pack then. I'm going to have myself some fruit loops." And so she disappeared out of the room.
"Rookie," I tutted, pulling open her bedside drawer and clicking her cellphone on. The screen lit up and I entered her name as her password. "Again, absolute rookie." I flicked through her recent contacts and, lord behold, there was Mikado's name under the latest contact with a half-an-hour phone call time in bright red below his name. "Gotcha." With that little win, I returned to packing just as mum entered the room.
"How are you getting along sweetie?" She asked, picking up a top I'd thrown into my box at random and folding it neatly before returning it to its new spot in the corner of my clothes box. The first of three clothes boxes if I'm being honest.
"I'm doing okay ma," I smiled back.
"Do you know who Mizu was calling so early in the morning?" Mum raised her eyebrow with a devilish grin, something she'd clearly gotten over the years from dad.
"I may have checked," I replied, folding a pair of white shorts. "And it may have been Mikado-kun." Mum giggled and closed the box.
"Say, Aoi, if there was ever a boy you liked, you'd tell me, right?" Unlike Arata, I hadn't inherited dad's easily embarrassed trait. So I just smiled.
"Of course ma. Maybe I'll meet someone on campus like you and dad did." Mum smiled fondly at me.
"Just don't tell your father if you do. He'd go mental. You saw what he was like when Arata met Rize."
"Mum," I laughed. "Wasn't it your fault that dad went off like that? You got him so worried that he had to know every little thing about Rize." Mum scratched the back of her head and smiled.
"Well, maybe."
"Is it bad that I'm scared?" I asked and mum pulled me away from the last of my boxes and into her embrace.
"Mmm," She mumbled softly against my hair. "You'll be fine sweetie. I'd ever send you anywhere that would put you in danger. Remember that." Dad's head appeared in the doorway.
"Is everybody ready in here?" I put masking tape over the last box and beamed up at my father.
"All good to go dad."
I don't know why but I'd always imagined 's to be a sugar palace. It wasn't a sugar palace, sadly, but it was magnificent. As we pulled up to the school, Arata, Mizu and Amiya all kissed my cheek and wished me good luck. I poked my tongue out at them and raved on about how I was going to be just like mum and dad before hopping out of the car. A tall lady in a black chiffon blouse and a white pencil skirt was strolling towards us, her black heels clicking against the paved ground as she walked. I watched as mum and dad's eyes lit up and mum bounded forward and enveloped the woman in a hug. I stood there blinking, half wishing I could hide behind dad. I wasn't all the best with meeting new people. With some hesitation, I walked forward as mum flicked her hand to beckon me towards her. Dad stood by my side and he too hugged the short haired blonde.
"Always a pleasure Makoto." She smiled. And, rather surprisingly, my father smiled back.
"Likewise."
"You must be Aoi," She had such a lovely smile that I couldn't stop myself smiling back. Mum beamed at me.
"Honey, this is Tennouji Mari, she'll be your headmaster whilst your here. Mari, this is my eldest daughter, Aoi."
"I've heard great things about you Aoi. After all, you really are Ichigo and Makoto's child I suppose," She bent down to whisper in my ear. "But I do pray you're not as clumsy as your mother."
"Mari!" Clearly she hadn't spoken quietly enough. I laughed without thinking about it. I liked Tennouji-san. "Say, Mari, do you still have sweets princes here?"
"The sweets princes?" I piped up. Tennouji gave a tinkly laugh.
"Yes, for some reason. I believe Aoi is in their group. This might end up being a repeat of your lives."
"Let's pray that none of those so called 'sweets princes' touch my daughter." Dad hissed and mum had to stop herself laughing as she wrapped an arm around his waist.
"Oh hush you. You were in that position once and look how you ended up. Happy." Dad rested his hands on my shoulders.
"Beware of the sweets devils my girl. Don't end up like me and your mother," He got an elbow to his ribs for that.
"You do whatever you feel is right sweetie. So what if you end up like us, we're a perfectly happy family." Arata chose this moment to poke his head out of the van.
"Hurry up mum! Just give her her boxes and lets go!" Tennouji raised her eyebrows and mum laughed awkwardly.
"Shut up and wait in the car Arata." Dad yelled back at him. Arata made an attempt to open his mouth but dad got in first. "You do as you say and I'll give you your car keys when we get back home. Can't keep Rize waiting, can you?" That shut him up. Mum was clearly embarrassed.
"Ah- sorry about them." Tennouji just smiled.
"You needn't apologise Ichigo. You have to remember that I attended school with Makoto too. I'm really very used to him by now. But another little Makoto, well, I give you my congratulations for that." Dad's head snapped up somewhat.
"What is that meant to mean Mari?" Mum gripped his shoulder tightly.
"That you have a very fiery temper, honey." My family certainly had their own way of life, but I wouldn't trade them for the world. "Right, I'll help you carry your stuff to your dorm. Say goodbye to your father then," I turned and wrapped my arms around dad.
"I love you," I whispered. He smiled gently and kissed my forehead.
"I love you too. Have fun aye?" He looked at Tennouji. "You look after her right Mari. Anything happens and it's on you."
"Makoto!" Mum hissed, whacking his shoulder and shaking her head. "Oh, just get in the car." Mum picked up two of my boxes and called out to Arata. "Arata, come help me with your sister's boxes." He didn't complain and hopped out of the car, taking three of the remaining six boxes. I took two and looked over at Tennouji sheepishly. She got the memo and helped with the last box.
"Thank you." I murmured.
"That's okay. I have to show you your dorm room anyway. Though, your mother will know where it is." And at that moment, mum called back to us.
"Mari, which dorm is she in?" Tennouji smiled.
"Your and Rumi's old room." Mum began grinning again as she led us through the dorms. She stopped at one of the doors and pushed it open. A girl with long white hair was sitting on one of the beds, her boxed spread around her, her eyes bubbling with tears.
"Oh, um-," Mum mumbled, not sure of what to do. The girl looked up and wiped hastily at her tears.
"Oh, you must be my room mate. Please, don't mind me. Come in." With an uncertain nod, mum led us into the room. She brightened up though once she saw what I presumed was her old side of the room. She set the boxes down and I began to get curious as she knelt down by the dresser and took out the bottom drawer, putting her hand underneath it and pulling on something that had been sellotaped to the bottom.
"Mum? What are you doing?" She grinned and held up a faded piece of paper.
"It was a piece of paper your father and I signed declaring our love. There's one in his old room somewhere too." She turned the paper over and handed it to me. Neatly printed on the paper in black pen was a message that read: To whoever finds this, well, I hope you're the future me and that you're bringing your daughter in here! That would be so cool! And it would certainly be Makoto's daughter as well, right? The ink changed to a blue pen and I could hear my dad's embarrassment through the paper. Well, yeah, I guess. Maybe. Black again. What he means to say is of course it will be Ichigo because I will only ever love you. But he's too embarrassed to admit it, even on a piece of paper. It's rather cute really. So, hi future daughter! (Because I assume I'll remember where I put this when I'm older. Or that I made it in the first place. I hope no one else finds it first) Umm, what else do we do? Oh! Let's sign this piece of paper! Blue again: Why? Black: As a symbol of our love! Oh please Makoto, just sign it! Blue: Kashino. M. Black: Yay! Kashino. I (Hopefully. But I better put Amano. I just in case) Okay, bye bye! "Imagine if you hadn't had gotten this room and someone else found it!" Mum laughed.
"Can I go now?" Arata broke in. "I've done my part." Mum nodded and I was suddenly swept into my brother's hug. "Bye sis." He kissed my head. "Don't be ruining everything like you do at home!" And with that he was gone.
"You have a very lively family don't you Ichigo?" Tennouji laughed.
"A very lively family indeed. Well sweetie, I have to go now but I'll see you soon, okay?" She hugged me close and I clung onto her like my life depended on it.
"I love you ma,"
"I love you too my baby." She gave me several kisses and stood to hug Tennouji. "Thank you Mari," She smiled down at me and ruffled my hair. "Be good baby." Tennouji followed my mother out of my new dorm room and suddenly it was just me and the white haired girl. I'd forgotten she was there.
"Um-hi," I sat down awkwardly on my new bed and heard the springs creak slightly in protest. Her eyes met mine across the way and she smiled, her sapphire eyes sparkling with the tears that still remained. "Are you- okay?" I asked. I was used to Mizu and Amiya crying so I was thankful that, in that respect, I knew how to handle it. She gazed out of the window.
"I've never been away from home," She explained. "But I'll be okay. Oh, I'm Ichido Yumi, by the way. May I be as so bold to ask of your name?" She had that sort of 'old fashioned' air about her. I had a feeling I would like her.
"I'm Kashino Aoi." Yumi blinked.
"Kashino? As in, Kashino Makoto and Kashino Ichigo's daughter?" I laughed slightly. "You mean, the woman that was in here with the headmaster was the Kashino Ichigo!?"
"I'm guessing you've heard of my parents." I shrugged as if it were no big deal. And really, it wasn't for me. I was used to this kind of attention around our family by now. But Yumi seemed so genuinely intrigued with my family blood line that she seemed to forget her tears.
"Oh, well, ask anybody in this academy. Everybody's heard of your parents! And Hanabusa Satsuki and Sennosuke Andou! I hear that their children are in this academy too!" By 'their children' I knew she meant Hana and Ikuto, uncle Hanabusa and aunty Rumi's kids, and Aiko, uncle Andou and aunty Kana's daughter. They're like cousins to me those three.
"Yeah, Hana and Ai should be in their dorms by now, Iku's probably with Uncle Hanabusa in the rose gardens." Yumi stared at me in awe.
"You're so close to them! I hear that you and Satsuki-kun are going to be in group 'A'!" Now this was news to me.
"I didn't think Iku had it in him honestly," I laughed. "My cousin as a sweets prince. Just like his father. Typical. Do you know who the other two are?" Yumi pressed a finger to her lips in thought.
"Um, I believe their names are Usui Kyou and Mabuchi Daichi." My cellphone rang in my pocket and I nodded in apology to Yumi who just smiled in return as I answered the video call from my sisters.
"Hi Mizu, hi Ami. What's wrong now?" I watched as the two of them fought to be in the line of the camera.
"We wanna see your room sis!" Amiya squealed and I heard dad in the background asking them to pipe down. I held up my phone and showed them my bed, desk and set of drawers.
"Lemme see your room mate Aoi." Mizu demanded. I looked up at Yumi who nodded in return. So I walked across the room and came to sit by her, holding my phone up so that my sisters, and my brother who had popped his head into view out of boredom, could see Yumi.
"This is Ichido Yumi. Yumi, this is my sister Amiya," Amiya beamed and waved. "This is my sister Mizu," Mizu grinned. "And that creep in the background is my brother Arata." Yumi turned to whisper in my ear.
"Can I see your parents?"
"Sure," I turned my attention back to the screen. "Ami, are you guys moving right now?" Amiya shook her head.
"We're getting out for lunch." She explained, hopping out of the car.
"Give the phone to mum and dad." I said and waited as Mizu's phone was passed around until finally mum and dad came into the shot. Yumi positively beamed.
"Hi baby," Mum grinned. "And hello to your friend. Oh, you're the girl from before, right?"
"Oh- hello miss. I've heard all about you and your husband. The legends of 's! It's a pleasure. My name is Ichido Yumi." Being as observant as I am, I could see the tip of dad's ears turning red from behind his blonde hair. Being called a legend really set my father off.
"Oh, did you hear that Makoto? We're the legends of 's! How cute is that?" Dad said nothing and mum elbowed him in the ribs. "Well come on Makoto, say something. The poor girl is awestruck."
"Uh-hello," Dad replied awkwardly. "Are you fitting in okay Aoi?" He turned his eyes to me and seemed to calm down somewhat. I grinned.
"I'm fine dad. Ma, did you show him the paper you found?"
"What paper?" Dad watched mum curiously as she pulled the piece of paper from her pocket. "Oh dear lord. How did you even remember that this was there?" He skimmed through the paper quickly. "Aoi, honey, did you read this?" I let out a giggle.
"You haven't changed at all dad." He was struggling with his embarrassment, I could see it. And so could mum.
"Well, we better go sweetheart. Call me before you go to sleep, okay?" I nodded.
"Love you mum, love you dad."
"Love you honey."
"Love you baby." And with my mum's smiling face and my dad's red-tipped ears, the call ended.
"I'm going to the rose garden. Wanna come?" I looked down at Yumi who was still somewhat awestruck by my parents.
"Oh- yes, of course!" So we made our way out of the dorms and I followed the path that mum had told me about that led to the rose garden. The sight before me didn't surprise me, but it surprised Yumi. Crouched before us and smelling the roses were uncle Hanabusa and his son Ikuto. They didn't seem to notice our entrance so I made my way up to them slowly and tapped on uncle Hanabusa's shoulder. He nearly jumped in fright, his eyes wide at the sight of me. He set a hand to his heart.
"Dear lord Aoi, you scared me half to deaf, darling!" I grinned.
"Hi uncle Hanabusa, Iku," Ikuto nodded to me in return and eyed Yumi cautiously. She was awestruck again.
"And you must be Aoi's room mate, I'm-,"
"Hanabusa Satsuki. A legend here at 's." Yumi stammered hastily and I rolled my eyes. I could only pray that this was a one time thing. Uncle Hanabusa raised his eyebrows and looked over at me.
"Uh- Aoi, how are you fitting in here?"
"Fine I guess. We got mum and aunty Rumi's old room."
"And I got dad and uncle Andou's room. Don't know my room mate yet though. Let's just pray he isn't as bad as your dad once was, Aoi."
"I hope he's just like a younger version of my dad. He'll put you through hell I hope." I smiled and poked my tongue out at Ikuto who smirked in return. Yumi, on the other hand, seemed to think that we were starting a fight and she took a worried step behind me.
"Don't mind those two," Uncle Hanabusa cut in, looking towards Yumi with a soft smile. "They're always at each other's necks but they love each other like family when it comes down to it. Isn't that right kiddies?"
"Whatever you say dad."
"Oh, Aoi!" I turned to find aunty Rumi and Hana walking towards us and she wrapped me in a warm hug. "How are you? Has Ichigo left?" I nodded.
"She and dad and the rest of the rascals left a while back." Aunty Rumi always referred to us four as the Kashino rascals. I don't blame her honestly.
"Well, I suppose we best be off then Satsuki. Bye my darlings." She kissed Ikuto's cheek and then Hana's and then mine. And then they were off, hand in hand, down the garden path. Which left Yumi, Ikuto, Hana and I alone in the rose gardens.
"Has anybody seen Ai?" I asked, breaking the moment of silence that had been awkwardly bestowed upon us. Ikuto looked between his sister and Yumi before looking back at me, shaking his head.
"Nope. Haven't seen her since your birthday last week."
"Me neither." Hana interjected. I didn't even bother asking Yumi. She probably wouldn't have a clue what Aiko even looked like.
"If we were uncle Andou, where would we have taken Ai in the academy grounds?" I looked between my cousins as they became lost in thought.
"Well, knowing uncle Andou he probably would've taken her to-" Hana began.
"The first year kitchens." Her twin finished for her.
"Precisely."
"I think I'll go unpack if you don't mind," Yumi piped up. "Farewell."
"Bye Yumi." And so Ikuto, Hana and I began on our hunt to find the first year kitchens.
"Ai~," Hana's grin broadened as she pushed open the doors to the first year kitchens. It had taken fifteen minutes of searching the academy grounds high and low before we'd run into headmaster Tennouji and she'd pointed the way. I was just glad to be inside as the rain was starting to fall in fine droplets, slowly but surely getting heavier. And besides, the kitchen let of a wonderful aroma. Uncle Andou, aunty Kana and Aiko were bent over one of the benches and they looked up at our entrance.
"Aoi, Hana, Iku, hi!" Aiko smiled back with a small wave as uncle Andou and aunty Kana straightened up.
"How are you lot?" Uncle Andou asked as he hugged me gently, passing me along to hug aunty Kana.
"I'm fine. Oh- dad says that he wants everyone over at the house tonight." I smiled as I poked Aiko's forehead gently. She rested her head on my shoulder, eyes closed, mouth pulled up in a content smile. She'd always really loved sticking close to me.
"Well, we were just leaving any way. Thanks Aoi," Uncle Andou patted my, Hana and Ikuto's head and pulled Aiko into a warm hug. "Be a good girl Ai," Aunty Kana pulled us all close and kissed each of our foreheads in turn, though as Aiko's mother she kissed her properly.
"Bye bye sweetie. We'll see you all soon, okay?" And just like my parents and Hana and Ikuto's parents before that, they waved goodbye and were off. And so, in the first year kitchen, all us close bonded, cousin-like children stood. A bonk on my forehead brought me out of the small smiling silence. Looking up, I saw a purple shaded butterfly. It was shimmering. How odd.
Hi guys! Welcome to my 2nd generation Kashigo fanfiction! Enjoy!
P.s: If the words 'St. Marie's' seem to be missing, I have no idea why it did that so, sorry about that 3
Xx SweetsPrincess-Sama
