It Must Be a Cute Thing

I do not own any Hana-Kimi characters, only my own. Enjoy.

Late, Of Course

Kadoma dropped his luggage in a large pile at his feet. Slightly panting he sat down hard on his heavy trunk. He glanced around before rescaning the map he had been given at first year's orientation. 'Dorm one, dorm one, dorm one..." He scratched his head, looking up with confusion on his cute face, 'where is it?'

"Lost?" Came a deep voice from behind.

Startled, Kadoma jumped up and whipped around to see-- a t-shirt. Then he looked up, and a very tall upper-classman with piercing grey eyes was looking down at him. A shiver went down Kadoma's back and he tumbled backward over his trunk.

"Uhh, umm do you," realizing his voice was coming out in a girlish squeak, Kadoma made a show of coughing then cleared his throat deepening his voice to a more manly tone, "do you know where dorm three is?" For a split second, Kadoma thought that he saw the upper-classman's eyes crinkle in bemusement, but then before he knew it, the guy had already saddled Kadoma's heaviest duffle over one shoulder and was walking in the opposite direction. Quickly darting to his feet, Kadoma gathered up his backpack and grabbed the handle to his trunk, trying to catch up to the impossible pace the upper-classman's long legs were making.

Before he knew it, they had arrived at a stout building. Kadoma didn't even have time to contemplate feelings of anticipation about his new home, before the doors were thrown open and he caught the first impression of his new home. The upper-classman stepped in and to the side, letting a powerful wave of stench buffet Kadoma's poor little body. As he staggered, a crinkle returned to the corner of his guide's eyes. After taking a glance around Kadoma's heart filled with dread. Everyone was huge, tough, and macho looking.

"Hey! Kujou! No girls allowed you know that," some shirtless guys lounging on a beat up counch guffawed like they had said something clever. A little pink came to Kadoma's cheeks. Hadn't he left home just to get away from this kind of atmosphere? All of his older brothers were huge, buff, masculine, and total jerks who pointed out how small and girly Kadoma was at every turn. He thought that by coming to an all boys school, his emotional scars would heal. Must not have thought that one through too well.

Kujou spoke, "First year rooms upstairs." Kadoma gave him a tenetive smile, "Thanks. I'm Kadoma, by the way." Kujou nodded his head slightly instead of offering his own name. With that, Kadoma grabbed all his things, and as best as he could, akwardly began making his way up the staircase. No one offered to help him this time.

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Kadoma looked up when he heard a knock at the door. At first he thought it was his roommate Umachi, but then thought better of it. From what he had observed so far, Umachi was a very discreet, sullen boy who would be more likely to slide into a room without knocking than to knock and draw attention to the fact that he was there. Kadoma was a little put out that Umachi didn't seem to want to have any kind of a friendship, but then again he didn't riddicule Kadoma's stature either, so Kadoma was content with that.

The door opened and standing there, taking up nearly the entire frame of the door was another impossibly huge upper-classman. His black buzz cut hair bristled as his thick brows knit together. "You Kadoma?" He said in a gruff voice.

Kadoma nodded. The upper-classman's eyes narrowed as he inspected Kadoma.

"You're late." Kadoma didn't quite know what to make of this guy, so he tried giving the best answer he could. "I was separated from the group and got lost. Sorry."

"Well get up! I've got to give you a tour of the dorm before dinner and I'm starving!" Slightly taken aback by the shouting, Kadoma leaped to his feet and rushed to follow the already retreating upper-classman.

"I'm your dorm leader Tennouji. The tatami matts in the rooms are to be kept clean, so don't spill anything unless you want to spend a sunday getting it off the underside of the tatami. Showers are over here, and can be used from five in the morning untill eleven o' clock. There's a t.v. in the common room, and those halls lead to the third year rooms. Up on your hall are all first and second year double rooms." Without warning, Tennouji's hand shot out and grabbed the top of Kadoma's head twisting it so that he could study his face. Kadoma's big eyes grew wide with confusion, and at that, a competitive grin crossed Tennouji's face. "Oh yeah, were a shoe-in for Miss Osaka..." Tennouji muttered before letting go of Kadoma's head. Before he could say anything, Tennouji cut him off by saying, "and here is the dinning hall."

Kadoma sighed internally, giving up trying to say anything to the over-bearing upper-classman. As he began walking away, he felt a heavy hand fall on his shoulder. He turned around. It seemed like Tennouji had one more thing to say.

"If I were you, I'd find some sport to join. Our dorm is athletic-dominant, and if you want to fit it, it's best to join something." Seeing the doubtful look on Kadoma's face, he added, "You don't have to be good. Just a member." And with that, Tennouji walked off into dinner line without a parting word.

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Kadoma walked out of the line with a relitavely small amount of food on his plate. He'd always been a light eater because of his size, but was used to the enormous portions boy's his brother's size tended to consume. Holding his tray and scanning the room for a place to eat, he thought it was an interesting first day, and didn't quite know what to make of it. Although, he didn't know what he had been expecting in the first place either. It was pretty much like most first impressions of something you anticipate are; dissapointing compared to the original expectation, but not as horrible as a cliche' novel.

There were ups and downs he supposed. The upper-classmen he had met seemed like good people, even though his roomate wasn't the most desirable and he didn't like being back in an all-macho environment again. It smelled like home (although that was not a good thing either), and as long as the sexual harrasment was kept down to a minimum, Kadoma supposed this would be an okay place to live.

He kept glancing about, trying to find familiar faces, even Umachi would have been better than sitting alone. The flurry of movment coming from the masses of boys, jostling eachother as they tried to see who could eat the fastest was intimidating when Kadoma realized he actually only knew the names of three people in the entire dorm. Slowly, wandering eyes began to casually train on him as he stood longer and longer, helpless, in front of the cash register. He could only guess what they were thinking. Heat coming into his cheeks from embarassment, Kadoma finally decided that eating in his room was the best option, and began moving, hoping to dislodge some of the funny glances he was getting.

Just as he was about to exit the dinning hall, he was suprised by a low voice evenly calling his name. He turned around, and there was Kujou with an empty seat across from him. Kadoma quickly hurried over and took the seat, pertrubed by the fact that the number of eyes glancing his way were growing even more numerous now.

"You should do Karate." Kujou said suddenly, as he studied Kadoma's reaction with those piercing grey eyes. The corners of his eyes crinkled in amusment at what he saw. Kadoma was completely taken aback and it was written clear as day across his face.

"Please don't joke."

Almost seeming offended at this comment, Kujou replied, "Karate isn't for the strengthening of the body, but for the mind. It is a discipline. By training the body, you discipline the mind and emotions to become stronger. It is for those with great will. Not great size." That was probably the most words Kadoma had ever heard heard Kujou say at one time, but he still felt a little unsure. No one, not even his own family, had ever believed Kadoma capable of anything involving coordination or physical activity.

"And you think I could actually do it?" Kadoma asked tennatively. Kujou nodded his head sharply. Tennouji had said to join a sport, and the idea was beggining to grow on him. Maybe he could come home over christmas break and actually show his older brothers a thing or two... Kadoma was vaguely aware that he was now falling into dellusions, but that couldn't keep the hope from swimming into his big brown eyes. Seeing the soft dreamy look on his face, more than one of the onlookers couldn't help thinking to himself, 'cute kid.'

Finnally a smile broke out onto Kadoma's face and he looked Kujou straight in the eye and said, "I'll do it!"

Many nearby boys were amazed to see Kujou actually flash a small smile as he said, "Practice begins at three in the building behind this one tomorrow. We'll begin there."

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As always, the first chapter is boring, but please tell me what you think. I have several chapters already planned out and I'll get to writing them if I get reviews, so PLEASE REVIEW!!!