I'm actually really proud of this one; it's just too cute. I'll definitely be posting more soon.


It was twelve am and everyone was eating their lunch in the classroom after being temporarily banned from the cafeteria. Well almost everyone. It exasperated Mr. Iverson how this batch of kids just seemed to be so much more troublesome than the rest. He'd had to pull of the third Mclain child to go through his class off of the unruly dark haired child after a minor spat before things got too bad. But now said unruly haired child was sniffling silently into his-what were those-rice balls? As their caretaker he felt it his duty to talk to the child but right at this moment he had to stop another child from inhaling his pb&j before he choked.

"Ka-san." His keen ears picked up the moan from the child. He really needed to learn names. First thing after naptime, he was making them put on their name stickers.

He could just feel it in his bones; tears were imminent. That was something he could not let happen. If one child started crying then they would all.

Straightening up, he turned towards the child and noticed something out of place. Another child, an older one, was sneaking into the classroom and headed straight to the fusser.

"Takashi! You're not in this grade; what are you doing back in my class." He barked, capturing the attention of the others.

The kid straightened up, sheepishly rubbing his neck. "Sorry,"

"Shiro!" The other child wailed, bolting to the seven year old. He clutched at him, rapid fire Japanese coming from his mouth.

Mr. Iverson blinked.

Well. That sure was unexpected.

He turned back to where his assistant was trying to pull a glue stick away from another child who was trying to make a glue monster out of another. "When you're done with that, send a letter to Takashi's teacher in 16a letting her know he'll be here until recess is over."


"How are you holding up, buddy?" Takashi Shirogane hugged the ankle bitter back-or at least that's what his grandfather liked to call Keith. Shiro just didn't understand why.

"I don't like it here, I want okaasan!" He whined in Japanese, his tiny fists gripping onto Shiro's violet T-shirt.

Shiro's eyes softened. It hadn't even been a month since his mother had disappeared without a word. Keith had taken a while to understand his mother was not coming back and as a result, he's fallen into his habit of speaking Japanese with Shiro since his mother no longer could. Shiro's seen him try with his father but the southern man still struggled with basic grammar.

"Come on, have you eaten yet? Let's go sit down." Shiro pried his hands from his shirt and led him back to the messy bento Mr. Kogane had prepared. "What kind are these?"

"Shiozake." Keith grumbled, wiping his tears and climbed into his chair.

"English?" If Shiro didn't start encouraging him to speak in English now then he was going to have trouble making friends later.

"Salted salmon. It's the only kind dad knows how to make."

Shiro smiled. "Salted salmon is good too."

"But it's all he ever makes." Keith said grumpily. Shiro laughed. He had to admit, the past couple of time's Shiro's been over, salted salmon has always been on the menu.

"Keith's a crybaby!" A tan hand suddenly shot out and stole a rice ball. "What are these?"

Keith's eyes widened and he practically launched himself across the table. "Give it back!"

"Whoa!" Shiro squeaked, grabbing his younger friend by the back of his scarlet red T-shirt.

Lance just snickered before taking a huge bit into the stolen treat. "Yuck! What is that, fish? And why is there green paper on it?" He spat out the mouthful before dropping the rest on the table.

"Ragh!" Keith shouted, squirming out of Shiro's weak grip and tackled the other boy.

Squeals and screams erupted from the students around them, alerting the adults to what was going on.


Keith and his father sat on one end of the conference room while Lance's mother and grandmother sat on the other consoling a crying Lance in Spanish.

Out of the two, Keith had come out on top but as his father had scolded him, that was nothing to be proud of.

And in the center talking to a frowning Mr. Iverson and Principle Thace was little Takashi Shirogane and his grandfather.

Yes his parents had been called to, though lucky for him, his grandfather had picked up the phone.

"And that's when Keith tackled Lance." He concluded. He snuck a glance at the boy glaring furiously at the ground, clutching his bento box for dear life.

Principle Thace scrubbed his purplish auburn hair before looking to Keith. "Well, is this true?"

Keith said nothing and continued staring at the ground. Now that Shiro looked again he could see how they shone like glass marbles. "Keith!" He whispered.

He looked at Shiro for a moment before looking to his father who stared at him expectantly.

"Keith, tell the truth." Mr. Kogane said sternly.

Keith's shoulders slumped and he modded, loosening his grip slightly.

"And you, Lance?"

The young boy bit his lip before crying out. "Yeah but I just wanted to play with Shiro too! Keith always hogs him!"

This was a surprise.

Shiro blushed, hunching so his ears touched his shoulders. So this all somehow came back to him, did it?

His grandfather cuffed him on the back of the head. "I told you not to play favorites boy!"

"Somehow I'm not surprised." Mr. Iverson deadpanned.

"Alright, I won't suspend any of you but for the next three days no recess for the three of you. Keith and Lance, you boys have to apologize to each other. If I hear of you two fighting again, I'll make this a week. Got it?"

The three of them nodded glumly.

The adults started to apologize then and Shiro felt a distinct annoyance at his grandfather for making him bow in apology. Keith's father didn't make him do that. Papa says it's because he's lost his roots or whatever that means and that Shiro can't do the same. That's why Shiro has to teach Keith. So he doesn't lose his plant roots either.

Lance shyly stepped forwards. "I'm sorry for taking your food and spitting it out."

"And?" His mother stood with her hands on her hips.

"And for calling you a crybaby."

Keith nearly busted a gut muttering the tiny little ''I'm sorry'.

Mr. Kogane scolded him. "Keith Kogane!"

"Roots!" Shiro stage whispered.

Keith shot him a funny look before stepping forward and bowing as he muttered sadly. "I'm sorry too. I'll try not to do it again."

Principle Thace looked exasperated and Shiro's grandfather muffled a laugh.

"I'm sorry about him, he can be very difficult." Mr. Kogane rubbed his neck.

Shiro turned to Lance before he could forget. "Once we get recess again, Keith and I will play with you more if you'd like?"

He heard a muffled growl and a foot stomp but the glee on Lance's face was worth it.

"Alright, now that everything is settled you are free to leave."

Mr. Kogane was the first to leave. He grabbed Keith by the arm and pulled him out of the room with only a 'sorry for the trouble' before Shiro had a chance to say anything to Keith.

Shiro furrowed his brows and looked up at his grandfather who simply shook his head as he sighed.

"Bye Shiro." Lance tugged on the hem of his azure blue shirt.

Shiro smiled at him. "Bye, I'll see you at lunch."

Lance nodded excitedly before his mother motioned for him to come to where she stood by the door.

"You troublemaker, te voy a dar pao pao when we get home! I told you to behave today." Mrs. McClain huffed as the trio left.

"No! Not the correa!" Lance shouted as he was carried out the room slightly over her shoulder.

Shiro didn't know what that meant but he felt bad for whatever was coming Lances way.


Sorry but Lance is Latino so that means he would have had to come into contact with the dreaded correa or chancleta at some point. Lol, sorry Lance but just so you know Mrs. McClain didn't actually go through with it. Lance's father laughed at why Lance was in trouble because his boy is such a rascal and talked mama out of it. Then he proceeded to give Lance a chupa chup to calm his crying. Lance fears the correa.

I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.