Kingdom Hearts High School AUs are my milieu. This is a remake of a story I wrote when I was much younger… and much worse at writing. It's so fun going back and remaking this though!

FYI: This story is based on the Australian high school system - it starts at year 7 ( ages 12-13) and ends at year 12 ( ages 17-18). This story primarily takes place in year 9 (ages 14-15). Also, the school year runs from Jan-Nov with Summer just ending, and Winter marking the middle of the year. I hope that's not too confusing! Enjoy!

Namine Small was a very quiet person. She reveled in hushed environments, and had an air of eloquent calmness about her. Her imagery matched her personality well - thin blonde locks that swirled around her shoulder just so, and a slim figure slowly blossoming into womanhood. She had recently turned thirteen ("Oh my gosh, you're a teenager!" a still-twelve Kairi gushed) and was currently sitting at her desk, the white wood still new and glistening. Now that she had started high school, her parents decided it was time for her to receive her very own study nook. Wedged in the corner of her room, everything was clean and in its place.

Of course, she had only been in high school for two weeks, but Namine was a perfectionist, and wanted to get brushed up on her academic skills after a lazy summer. She opened up her glimmering new English textbook - her favourite subject, other than art - and began skimming this week's chapter. But her reading was rudely interrupted by a faint noise nearby.

Roxas. Again.

Namine tried to concentrate, but her hands curled into knuckles as she listened. Although far across the street, the boy's drumming could be heard clearly, if not a little muffled. The same exact tune. Over and over and over again. It was always the exact same tune. Was he completely stupid or did he just love the song so much he had to play it to death!?

She tried to read the same sentence three times before silently yelling in her mind. She had already memorised the sound of the drums and even though she couldn't read music, she was certain she could replicate it on any instrument. The sound had been ingrained in her mind for the past two weeks.

"Argh. That's it!"

Namine finally snapped. Her quiet study time had been destroyed and she could feel her brain turning to mush at the incessant repetition of his drums. Still in her new school uniform, she stormed out of her house and crossed the street, not knowing where the boy lived but knowing she need only follow the sound.

When the drumming evolved from muffled notes to distinct taps, Namine approached the front porch of the unknown house and rapped on the door, her anger overriding any sensible thought. She heard the drumming cease and footfalls from inside, and Roxas opened the door. He too was still in uniform, his white shirt sticking to his torso from the heat.

He furrowed his brow, but she didn't waver. They were in the same class but they'd never really talked, and she doubted he even remembered her name from the class's introductions two weeks earlier. Namine had been especially shy to introduce herself to everyone, but Kairi was raring to meet everyone in class, especially the boys. She'd even giggled and whispered to Namine that Roxas was pretty cute, but cute looks weren't going to get him out of this one.

"Your drumming is really annoying. You've perfected the song already, so would you please please play anything else other than that, or better yet, stop!?"

The blonde boy looked a little taken aback, and clutched the door handle awkwardly. "Uh... Sorry. It's just - I'm practicing for my drum exams."

Namine stopped her next angry sentence in its tracks. She softened. She had no idea drum exams even existed, but she suddenly felt some empathy for this guy, knowing how nervous she herself would get when faced with her dancing exams. She would practice the exact same thirty second exercise over and over again for weeks on end in the hopes of perfecting it. He was merely doing the same thing. His hobby was ten times more annoying, sure, but no less important.

"Oh." She said, then hesitated. "Oh - Well. Carry on, then."

She swiveled on the spot and walked briskly away, embarrassed, the sun shameless for her crimson cheeks.

"Wait!"

Slowly, she turned back to face Roxas. He was wearing a shy smile.

"Thanks. For saying I've perfected it, I mean. I'll move on to the next exercise, I guess."

Namine managed to smile at his genuine tone, then nodded and turned back. She didn't stop until she was safely inside her house, where she grimaced in embarrassment. Had she really stormed up to a classmate's house and yelled at him?

Kairi had said to Namine that high school would be different, but Namine wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not now that Roxas was in her life.