Ha. I'm writing the first Mahiro/Hotaru fic. I know, I know, weird, but really, I read volume 18 and thought 'maybe...'. I mean, he smiles at her! Cute! Anyway, updating will be random, due to me using my mom's computer because mine kicked the bucket. Hopefully mom can revive it...if not...I'll probably die.

Please enjoy.

Disclaimer- I don't own!

3rd Year Highschool

Mahiro- likes spiders.

Tokito- tough tomboy. Mahiro's best friend.

Yuya- friend of Mahiro. Dating Kyo.

Benitora- Mahiro's ex-boyfriend

Shinrei- Mr. Popular.

Saisei- Shinrei's girlfriend. Aspiring nurse.

Saishi- Flirty Aspiring Nurse.

Akira- Tokito's boyfriend (?). Kyo's roommate.

Hotaru- New student. Shinrei's half-brother.

Middle schoolers

Sasuke- Yukimura's ward. Likes fighting.

Antera- Cute but violent.

Santera- Shy. Antera's best friend.

Kotaro- Sasuke's best friend

College students

Kyo- Yuya's ex-gang member boyfriend.

Kyoshiro- Sakuya's fiance.

Sakuya- Yuya's adopted sister.

Okuni- in love with Kyo.

Akari- drag-queen in love with Kyo.

Teachers

Bontenmaru- Gym teacher.

Taihaku- History teacher.

Kosuke- Cosmetology teacher.

Fubuki- Science teacher; Tokito's father.

Others

Muramasa- Mahiro's brother-in-law, Tokito's godfather/uncle. Doting brother.

Mayumi- Mahiro's sister, Muramasa's wife. Yukimura's secretary.

Nozomu- Yuya's adopted brother. Owns a restraunt

Yukimura- business man. Sasuke's guardian.

Saizo- Yukimura's assitant.

Shindara- Sasuke's glorified babysitter.

Bikara- Antera and Santera's guardian.

Chinmei- Kyoshiro's hippie brother.

Chapter One

"Hey! Mahiro!" Tokito yelled into her best friend's ear. Mahiro jumped, letting out a small scream.

"Tokito! How many times do have to tell you not to do that?"

"Only five hundred more, and I may consider listening," Tokito grinned, pulling a chair over. "So, guess what?"

"You made-out with Akira under the bleachers?"

"Not yet," she said, taking the statement in stride. "He has something against PDA. No, this is better," Tokito's grinned widened and her eyes practically glowed. She may not look like it, but Tokito was the school's gossip queen. Any whiff of a possible rumor and she was there, beating the information out of whoever had it. "Get this- we have a new student."

Mahiro rolled her eyes. "So? We have new students every month."

"Yeah, but this one is different." Tokito looked a the other side of the classroom. There sat the class's 'Golden Boy', Shinrei. Good grades, good looks, bad attitude. He rarely talked to anyone, making exceptions for teachers and his girlfriend Saisei.

"It has to do with Shinrei?" Mahiro asked. She couldn't imagine how anything having to do with Shinrei could be better than Tokito's love life, but Tokito knew good gossip.

"Yes!" Triumph entered Tokito's voice. "Yes, it does. And it must be killing him!"

Mahiro gasped. "Don't tell me! Did he get Saisei pregnant?"

"No! You idiot! Saisei's a wanna-be nurse, I'm sure she knows how to prevent that!"

"You never know," Mahiro pouted.

"Shinrei's brother is the new student! Well, his half-brother, and Shinrei hates him. He's joining this class."

Mahiro gaped. "Wow. Wow. Wow."

Tokito huffed. "Can you say something else? Like 'Oh, this must be killing Shinrei, having the brother he hates in the same class and having to deal with him everyday, especially since-'"

"Quiet, everyone!" Taihaku, the teacher, said, directing his comment towards Tokito. "We have a new student joining us today. He's Shinrei's brother, so don't do any of your hazing tricks."

"But that's even more of a reason to haze him!" Toikito protested. Taihaku glared at her.

"Don't do any tricks," he said sternly. "Anyway, come in, Hotaru."

The door slid open and in walked a young man with gold hair and gold eyes. He had a semi-dazed, out-there expression on his face, as if he wasn't all there.

"Class, this is Hotaru. Hotaru, this is the class." Snickers went through the room at the introduction. "You can sit over there, next to Akira. Now, today we'll be learning about the causes of World War Two and how it could have been avoided."

Mahiro tuned out and looked over towards Hotaru. He did have the same eyes as Shinrei, but other than that, she couldn't see much of a resemblance. Maybe they took after different parents?

A wad of paper hit her cheek. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Tokito looking at her. The lime-haired girl smirked, then pointed at where the paper lay on Mahiro's desk. Shaking her head, Mahiro unfolded the note and quickly read it.

M-

Lookin' at Hotaru pretty hard. Like him? Beware, he's an airhead.

-T

Mahiro scowled, then scribbled the reply:

T-

Get a clue. I just broke up with B. I'm not interested in a new guy.

BTW, how do you know he's an airhead?

-M

She threw the note directly at Tokito's eye. A minute later, it flew back, hitting Mahiro's nose.

M-

1: Who cares about B? He's in the past- get a new guy.

2: I know he's an airhead because he lives in my building.

Also, he was in Akira's gang.

-T

Was she the only one who didn't know the new guy? Shinrei was related to him, Saisei was always at Shinrei's place, and she and Saishi lived in his and Tokito's building. Now Akira was a friend of his? Benitora probably knew him- he always followed Kyo around. Did Yuya know him? Speaking of Yuya, where was she?

The door slammed open.

Speak of the devil.

"Sorry I'm late, Taihaku-sensei!," Yuya huffed.

"Be careful, Yuya-san," Taihaku said. "That's your third late this month."

"I know, I'm sorry," Yuya fell into her seat.

Mahiro looked at her other best friend and raised an eyebrow. 'Where were you?' she mouthed.

Yuya smiled and shook her head. Her hair moved enough for Mahiro to see a red mark on her neck, and the question was answered.

"Alright, since the bell's almost over, I'll give you guys some time to chat." Before Taihaku finished speaking, talking began.

Mahiro leaned over to Yuya's desk.

"Yuya, if you don't want people to know why you were late, you may want to do a better job covering that hickey," she said gleefully.

Yuya blushed. "Thanks." She said as she rearranged her hair.

"So, hot date with Kyo?" Mahiro teased.

"Why's Hotaru here?" Yuya asked, not-so-subtly changing the subject.

"New student."

"Yuya-han! Mahiro-chan!" Benitora yelled happily, running over. "Yuya-han, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Benitora. Just slept in," Yuya said.

Mahiro snorted. Yeah, slept in with a guy named Kyo...

Yuya glared at her suddenly, as if she knew what she was thinking. Mahiro raised her hands in surrender just as the bell rang and everyone filed out of the classroom.

Hotaru glared at Shinrei. It was the end of the day, and Shinrei had the keys to the car their father had so generously allowed them to borrow. Hotaru wanted to get home soon so he could get away from the hyperactive idiots that populated this school. Already five girls had asked for his number, and none of them believed him when he said he couldn't remember it. And by the way a girl nearby was looking at him, she'd probably be over to ask that question.

"Shinrei," he said. "If you're going to stay here all day flirting with Saisei, give me the keys."

"No," Shinrei replied. "Last time you drove, you totaled the car."

"So?"

Shinrei rolled his eyes, kissed Saisei, and motioned for Hotaru to follow him to the car. The car ride home was slightly amusing, because he managed to convince Shinrei to let him chose the radio station. He chose rock, knowing that Shinrei couldn't stand anything that wasn't classical.

When they reached their building, Shinrei rushed in, probably to call Saisei and make sure she reached her job safely. He didn't seem like it, but he was an extremely devoted- and overprotective- boyfriend. It almost made Hotaru like him. Almost.

He used the stairs even though he lived on the twelfth floor. When he was walking down the hallway, he noticed a girl standing in front of Fubuki's apartment. Well, it was also Tokito's, and the girl was wearing his school's uniform. And she did look like someone in his class...yeah, she was definitely in his class. Hotaru didn't think anyone else could have hair like that. It was black, puffy and curly.

"You're...?" he said, pointing at her.

"Ah! I'm Mahiro!" she answered. "And you're Hotaru. We're in the same homeroom class."

"Ah. And you're...?"

"Waiting for Tokito."

"Oh."

Mahiro blinked. "Ah, so why did you transfer so late? I mean, if you live here, shouldn't you already go to our school?"

"I lived with my mother out in the country. She died recently, so I moved here."

"Oh," Mahiro squeaked, blushing. "I'm sorry."

Hotaru shrugged. "Whatever. Bye."

"I'm so sorry!" Tokito said. "I completely forgot we were supposed to study!"

Mahiro glared at her. "I know. You took so long getting home, your father asked if I was moving in."

"I know, I screwed up! But Akira asked me if I wanted to get some food, then we saw a movie and ran into Yuya and Kyo-"

"Tokito, it's okay."

"Really?"

"No." Mahiro laughed at Tokito's expression. "Yes, it's fine. I used to be the same way. We'll study tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now, I've got to get home, or Muramasa'll have a heart attack."

"Bye!"

Mahiro got on the train and waved as it left. She had just arrived at the station when Tokito had gotten off the train, and needless to say, Tokito was shocked to find her best friend glaring at her. Now, headed home, Mahiro frowned deeply.

'Damnit. I didn't get to study. I'm so gonna fail math...'