Hikaru & Kaoru's first year of middle school

Kaoru

I absentmindedly shove my books into my bag as other students scramble for the door. Tomorrow is the last day of school before summer break, and everyone seems more than eager for their few weeks of freedom. Soon enough it's just Hikaru and I in the large room.

I think Tadashi-sensei booked it out of here faster than some of the students. But then again, there's nothing really surprising about that. All the senseis are the same here. They always start the year all eager hand happy, but then seem to realize that they're back to teaching another heard of bratty prepubescent kids. Many of them overestimate their abilities for holding down a classroom.

Maybe they should stick to the elementary building. At least there they might have an easier time with the kids there. Most of them haven't learned that they can be independent yet. Or have a choice in how they act.

But adults never like to admit defeat. So they'll continue to torment themselves, unable to simply face the simple facts that stare them right in the face. But then again, watching our sensei fumble and scramble for control is one of the small things that make sitting in this class for hours on end bearable.

I lean back in my seat, propping my feet up on my desk since there's no one to tell me not to. Our limo is going to be late today, since Oka-san is doing a show somewhere here in Tokyo, so we wait in the empty classroom. She's trying to look more Eco-friendly and got rid of all the extra limos, so now we wait.

And as usual, there's nothing interesting going on, so Hikaru pulls out one of our video games and begins starting it up.

"How dull," he mutters, pressing the controls mechanically.

Eventually I get bored enough to resort to cleaning out my desk, having forgotten my own game today. There's not much in there, mostly some old junk. Some old notes and doodles, old tests, even a few food wrappers. I don't even remember half of this stuff going into the desk.

I get up and bring one of the small trash bins back over to my seat and begin shoveling all the stuff out. It looks like it will fill it up quickly since it's tiny, and meant to be more for decoration than actual efficiency. Like most duff her at this school.

I begin shoveling the stuff into the bin, my mind elsewhere, but then my hand brushes over something that's not crumpled or plastic. It brings me back to reality for a split second, and I pull out a small ivory envelope from the bowls of the desk.

It must be another love letter.

My eyebrow twitches in slight annoyance.

Most likely from an equally annoying girl. I think back in my head, how many have we already gotten one from? We had thought about getting a copy of the class roster to keep tack, but that was too troublesome. I ponder on it as I pull out the thin piece of paper and begin scanning the contents of the letter. It started out the same as any other letter either of us receive.

But that changed after the first sentence.

Most girls would just compliment us, spilling out mindless mush they think we'd find romantic. But this was taking a different approach. She didn't compliment any random feature of my face.

She talked about how it was always my lack of expression that drew her towards me. My eye color didn't make her swoon, but the faraway look made her wonder what trailed through my mind. She wondered if there was ever anything she could do to make me smile, anything to make me laugh.

She wanted to know if I'd ever give her a chance to try.

That was it. I'm only mildly curious to see who wrote a letter like this. My eyes linger on the signature.

I try to place a face to the name there. The teacher calls role every morning by alphabetical order so that would put her at the back of the class. It's not the class rep, she's in front of her.

So that would make it...

"Kaoru…Kaoru?"

I glance over at Hikaru, still trying to put a face to the name. My thoughts are interrupted momentarily, pulling my attention to my brother.

"…Yeah?" I ask.

"What's wrong with you?" he asks.

My eyes flicker to the paper for a nanosecond and go back to him. But Hikaru catches it. Just like always. I can't hide anything from him. Not that I feel that it's worth it to try anyways.

"What are you reading?"

He takes the letter from my hands, which don't even try to stop him. He scans over the first few lines, frowning at the paper. After a few seconds he shoves it back in the envelope.

"It's just another stupid love letter," he scoffs. "What's got you so captivated? It's just the same old same old."

"It's nothing," I reply, looking towards the back of the room. I feel his questioning glance on the back of my head. The last desk in the back row, a picture starts to form.

A small wiry girl with light gray eyes and long deep burgundy hair that falls down her mid-back from a scruffy ponytail. She's good at athletics, but not much else. She's quiet, but observant. She notices things. I think we worked on a project once together. The other girl in the group did all the work.

I've never seen her publicly swoon over any boy, and she's never pestered me on a daily basis. That nothing has a smile that put a hairline crack my defenses, if only for a split second. I was able to patch it up until the next time, which was the last day of the project, when she told us she had had fun working with us. It was a project that only lasted a week and we haven't spoken since.

Yamasaki Yuuna is usually off the radar. Almost completely forgettable. Until now that is. Interesting.

"So how are we getting rid of this one?"

I glance back to see Hikaru pulling out a pen and paper from his desk. He's going to write the letter this time.

"They're holding a dance after school tomorrow to celebrate the last day," Hikaru muses. "Sounds like the perfect backdrop. Almost like a movie."

I stare silently as he scribbles out the reply we always give to these girls. But Yuuna is too observent for that kind of trick. She even put the letter in the right desk. I can't see this being very fun.

"Hikaru?" I whisper.

"Hmm?" he replies, not looking up from the note.

"Aren't you getting tired of this?" I ask. "I mean, you're right, they are all the same."

He must have noticed something. Either it was in my voice or actions, because his head snaps up, the pen clattering to the floor.

"You're interested in her."

It wasn't a question. I lower my gaze, fixing it on the discarded envelope on my desk, remaining silent.

"Answer me Kaoru."

I don't have interest in stupid girls. But this may be the one person that could see through our game. I don't quite know how to put my concerns into the right words for Hikaru. But do I really need to? He is my twin after all.

"You are."

Hikaru sounds choked, as if it's agonizing to spit the words out. I nod solemnly.

"Don't be such an idiot Kaoru!" he suddenly yells.

I flinch back in my seat. Apparently it was foolish to think he'd understand.

"This girl is just like all the others!" he spits. "All she wants to do is boost her social status! She'll drive a wedge between us! She'll fall for the same tricks as the others do!"

My hand clenches until the knuckles start turning white. I see Hikaru collapse in his seat out of the corner of my eye. His cheeks are flushed and he's breathing heavily.

"You're wrong."

The words escape my mouth before I can think. Hikaru's face goes slack before it's replaced by one of his trademark smirks. For the the first time I'm on the receiving end. Not sharing it like usual. It's a bit unnerving.

"Care to bet on it?"

I blink, trying not to let on my shock or unease.

"If you're right and she doesn't fall for it, go ahead and play around with her as much as you like. Date her even. But if I'm right and she does fall for it, you know what to do."

I nod, swallowing hard. I never said anything about dating, but it's not an unappealing thought now that he mentioned it.

"And you must try your hardest to fool her Kaoru. You can't alter the outcome to fit your wants."

He holds out his hand, his smirk returning.

"Do we have a deal?"

I take his hand, shaking it while meeting his unwavering gaze.

"Deal," I mutter.

He bends over, picking the piece of paper off the floor.

"Now, where's her desk?"

I taker the paper from him, folding it into a small square. I get up, walking to the last row in the back corner of the room. Her desk is right next to the window. As I open her desk, the only thing crossing over my mind.

I'm not bored.

If she could make my boredom evaporate for those few minutes, she's already miles ahead of any girl I've met. To think that that could all disappear by tomorrow night scares me more than I feel it should. Hikaru was always calling me the soft one. I guess he may be onto something.

But I shake the thought away as I close the desk. She won't fall for it. She's smart, I reassure myself. She can tell the difference.