Sakura High

My name is Aiko. Aiko Karasuma. I am a second-year student at Sakura High. It is a very beautiful school, and has many good classes. Although there has been some trouble in the past, I'm glad that I am enrolled there. I have lots of friends who treat me very kindly, I am popular with the students and the teachers, and I get good grades. I have my own table in the cafeteria now, because so many people want to sit with me. In the girls' dorm, I have the biggest room. It used to be for the headmistress, when Sakura was still an all-girls school. Now that she's retired, it's for me; I need all of that room for the girls who visit me every night. I have a job working in the cafeteria. I make breakfast, dessert, and sweet baked things for the entire school. I love to cook, and I think the Principal appreciates his morning crepes. And the best part of all; even though I'm a high school student, I'm engaged! My life, in short, is a happy, satisfied one. But I wasn't always like this. In fact, at the beginning of last month, I was shunned by the whole school, and had been since I started high school. This is a story of that time…

"Hey, Chiyo! Let's go to karaoke!" That was my roommate, Haruhi-san. Although we shared the same dorm room, she never spoke to me, except to tell me to "Turn off that damn annoying Otaku music!" when I listened to my CD-player. She was like Sakura's queen; tall and pretty like a fashion model, she controlled all of the girls in the school. She and I could not be less alike. She was tall, and I was short. She had a curvy adult figure, and I was only an A. We both had long legs, but only she looked good in the school's pink miniskirt sailor uniform. She listened to pop music, female singers, and teen boy-bands; I listened to Anime music by bands like Nico Touches the Walls and nobodyknows+, and songs by voice-actor Vic Mignogna, who I was obsessed with. She read classic novels, and books by popular authors; I read Manga. If asked who her favorite celebrity was, she would have an endless list; if anyone had ever bothered to ask me, I would have replied "Edward Elric, from the Manga Fullmetal Alchemist". She goes to fancy salons to get her sleek black hair styled and perfect nails done, and I cut my brown fluffy hair with my sewing scissors if I cut it at all. So you can see why she was the queen, and I was the mushroom in the closet; despised by everyone, looked at by none.

As Haruhi-san was followed out of the classroom by all the other students, I quietly began organizing my books. As I cleaned out my desk, I planned my afternoon as always. First I would take my books to my locker. Then I would retrieve my dorm key, which I always kept in the locker. This is because Haruhi-san's minions had stolen it before, and the only way they could steal it out of my locker is if they used a hammer. So I figured I was safe, leaving the key in there. After I got my key, I would walk through the long, quiet halls to reach my dorm room. Since all the other students were following Haruhi-san to the karaoke place, the school would be quiet. Then I would go to my room, unlock the door, and get lost in my little Otaku world.

I proceeded to follow this plan, but on my way to the dorm hall I passed the cafeteria. Even though there shouldn't be anyone in there, I smelled coffee. It made me hungry, so I decided to go get a snack and maybe a small cup of coffee. Usually I only drink coffee when I'm trying to stay awake, like when I'm finishing a Manga series, or looking on eBay for the newest Fullmetal Alchemist poster. I figured a small cup wouldn't hurt, though. The cafeteria door was open a little, and that's why I could smell the coffee. I opened the door very quietly, so I wouldn't disturb the person already in there. The door I had come through was the door farthest away from the coffee area, and I had to step into the cafeteria and look to the left to see the person, because there was a small wall that stuck out next to the door, and it blocked my view. I was expecting to see a pink uniform, since Sakura was an all-girls school. I was surprised when I saw that the person was wearing what seemed to be a bright-red cloak that had sleeves, with some black symbol on the back. The person had golden blonde hair, and wore it in a single braid that reached halfway down their back, and was tied with red string. For some reason, the person looked familiar. I knew it wasn't a teacher, because teachers wore an all-white uniform with pink trim. The person started to turn around. I quickly darted behind the wall, barely peeking around it so I could see where they were going. They walked over to a nearby table, and set down their coffee. Then, the person took off their cloak. Underneath it, they were wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt that hung open in the front, attached near the top by a metal clasp under the collar. Under that, they wore what looked like a black tank-top, and black pants with a huge, tan leather belt. Hanging from the belt was a silver chain that disappeared into the person's right pocket. They wore white gloves, even though it was a nice day. I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, I saw an image of Edward Elric from the Fullmetal Alchemist series. Surprised, I blinked again. The image was gone, and I was back to staring at the intruder in the cafeteria. I shook my head, confused. Why would Edward pop into my head now? I must stay focused. No getting distracted by Manga, I told myself sternly.

The person was now facing me, and I had a clear view of their chest, though I still couldn't see their face. I gasped in surprise, then hid behind the wall, my heart beating fast, afraid he had heard me. The person in the cafeteria was a guy! What is a guy doing in the cafeteria of an all girls school?! He could get in big trouble for that! He's lucky there's no one around except me! I peeked around the wall again. He was sitting now, drinking his coffee, and leaning back in his chair. I stuck my head out a little more, trying to see his face, but his back was to me, and his head was turned away towards the windows over the coffee area. He let out a big sigh, and I jumped. Then he spoke. "When will I find her?" I jumped again. I wondered what he meant. Was he looking for someone? He had said it in an exasperated voice, as if he was getting a bit tired of whoever he was looking for.

I wonder if I should help him, I thought. He said "her". After all, this is a girls school; there's nothing but "her"s! Though he's probably looking for Haruhi-san. Everyone wants to see Haruhi-san; people hardly ask about anyone else. Maybe I should wait and see what he does. I'll come back later after I watch an episode of Fullmetal Alchemist and see if he's still here.

I turned around, and snuck quietly out the cafeteria door, being careful not to make any noise. Well, that was interesting, I thought to myself. No coffee for me, I guess. Oh well. I walked down the hall, then turned left and walked down another hall. My room was at the very end of that hall on the right. Most of the girls decorate their doors, but mine was bare. The only reason it wasn't plastered with Manga pictures and logos was because of Haruhi-san. Remember, I share a room with her. And I'm smart enough to know that if I dared to put any Otaku-related thing on our door, no matter how small, she would kill me. Not personally, of course. She'd get one of her minions to do it for her. That's why our door is the only bare one in the whole dorm.

I got the key out of my pocket, and unlocked the door. As I turned the knob and opened the door, something fell on my head. Some sort of dust came out of it, and I sneezed. The thing fell off my head and landed on the floor behind me. It's probably a blackboard eraser, I thought. Another prank by Haruhi-san's loyal followers. I turned around to pick it up. But instead of a blackboard eraser, I saw a dark-pink envelope on the ground. I bent down, and poked it. More dust came out in a little cloud. I picked it up, and turned it over. My name was written on the front in a jagged scrawl, definitely not Haruhi-san's handwriting. But I knew it was connected to her, because underneath my name it said "Read this on Haruhi's orders or suffer". My feet were getting tired from standing, so I opened my door and went inside.

Closing the door behind me, I took off my slippers and sat on my giant beanbag. I figured that it would be smart to open the envelope as soon as possible. Who knows how long they would be patient before they started the "suffering". Hooray. "I wonder what it'll be this time?" I said, thinking out loud. "After all, this isn't the first time, and it sure won't be the last." I'm used to Haruhi-san's methods of "suffering". My school slippers go missing, juice is spilled on my homework, my uniform is stained with bleach, my toothbrush ends up in the toilet, and on and on. "At least I'm used to it now, but I'm not so sure that's a good thing," I said. "Maybe this time they'll put dirt in my desk?" Ah, well. As I opened the envelope, a fine dust began to fall out. The same dust that made me sneeze earlier. I pulled open the flap of the envelope. The whole thing was filled with the dust. In the middle of the dust was a pink piece of paper, the same color as the envelope. I took it out, and began to read the letter:

"Aiko Karasuma—

Our leader, Haruhi-sama, has shown you grace by tolerating you for this long. However, she has finally become bored with your infuriating presence, and has decided to put an end to you and your Otaku-ness. Meet us on the school roof at 4:30 p.m. sharp. Do not be late. As proof of our sincereness in getting rid of you, please examine the contents of the envelope."

I looked at the dust in the envelope. Now that I studied it closely, I saw that it was made of different shades of blue, tan, and gold. The colors seemed familiar somehow, but I couldn't quite place it. I went back to the letter.

"Remember, Haruhi-sama knows all of your secrets, as she is your roommate. She even knows about the hidden drawer under your bed…"

I gasped, afraid now. There was a bunk bed in our room, and the bottom bunk was mine. So Haruhi-san didn't get into my most prized things, I built a small drawer under my bunk, only big enough to hold a standard school notebook. Inside the drawer were two things. A bracelet that used to be my mother's, and my favorite Fullmetal Alchemist color poster, of Edward Elric. The poster's huge; 3 feet wide, and 2 feet tall. I kept it folded neatly in my drawer so it would fit. It was a beautiful picture, of him about to do a transmutation. He has a peaceful look on his face, and his eyes are closed. The background is blue, and his hair is gold, and he isn't wearing his shirt… I began to cry.

"We are sure that you have recognized it by now, even with your limited intelligence. Yes, those are the remains of your stupid Otaku poster from the drawer. The bracelet we left alone, because it doesn't look like it's worth much. But the poster, well, you see what happened to it. And this is all because of you. You had better come, Karasuma. Or we'll burn the rest of your things until there isn't anything left, not even dust…"

I was sobbing hard now. My hands shook, and the paper was just a blurry pink shape. I couldn't see anything because of the tears. I blinked, and my vision cleared a little. Still crying, I tore apart the letter, until it was nothing but tiny pink pieces of confetti. I took the envelope and hugged it to my chest, the same as I used to do with my poster before they destroyed it.

"How could they," I whispered to myself. "It's not fair. It's not fair. I want it back. Please…" I sat there, rocking back and forth, hugging what used to be my most beloved possession and crying.

I stayed that way for five minutes. Then I wiped my tears and stood up. I checked my watch; it was 4:25. I only had five minutes to get to the roof. But first I needed to do something. I grabbed what I needed from my side of the closet and rushed out the door. The bathroom was, fortunately, on the way to the roof. I ran in, slammed the door, and started undressing. Then I put on the thing I had taken from the closet. It was a white dress. It was tight-fitting at the top until the waist, and then the skirt flowed gently down to just above my knees. It was supposed to be longer than that, but it fit me differently because I had long legs. With the dress on, I stepped into the shower and turned on the water full-blast. It was ice-cold, but it felt refreshing to wash away my tears and cool off my hot face and body. Once I was completely soaked, I turned off the water and went out. I dried off my feet with a towel so I wouldn't slip on my way to the roof. Even though the dorm floors were carpeted, the small stairway leading to the roof was not. Done drying my feet, I looked at myself in the mirror on the wall. I was completely soaked, and the dress was dripping a little, full of water. Good. That's the way I needed it to be.

I had brought the envelope with me, and set it on the counter by the sinks. I walked over and picked it up. After opening the flap carefully, I took one more look at the contents. Then I dumped it out over my head. It made a big cloud around my whole body, and I moved gently so I wouldn't waste even a single speck. When the cloud was gone, every single piece of what was my poster had stuck to my body and my dress. I looked at myself in the mirror again, and was amazed at how I sparkled. I was glittery blue-and-gold from my hair to my feet. Even my face had some light-blue sparkles. "Alright," I said to myself. "Here we go."

Leaving my other clothes on the bathroom floor, I opened the door and headed for the stairs, bringing the now-empty envelope with me. I was prepared; I was battle-ready; I could take any form of punishment that they inflicted, as long as I had my poster with me. Well, not with me exactly; more like I had become one with it. It was a very comforting feeling, and it made me strong.

I reached the stairs and walked up. I was glad that I had dried off my feet; otherwise I definitely would have slipped. I stood in front of the door at the top of the stairs, and put my hand on the doorknob. Then I took a deep breath, and opened the door.

The sun was shining gently, and the sky was very blue. The roof was pink. Well, not really. The uniforms of all the girls standing on the roof were pink. And Haruhi-san was at the front of the group, with her arms crossed and a look of disapproval on her celebrity-like face. They couldn't see me yet because I had only opened the door a few inches. "I—" I began to say in a quiet voice. Then I looked at my arms, and the colors of my poster gave me courage. "I'm here!" I said loudly. I pushed open the door, and stepped out onto the roof.

Haruhi-san's face went from disapproval to shock, then back to disapproval again.

"Come here," she said, pointing to the floor in front of her. I walked over, and stopped about two feet away from her. She examined me from head to foot, glaring at my blue-and-gold self.

"I suppose those are the remains of that stupid poster that you loved so much. Since you seem to be wearing it, I assume that you received my message."

"Yes," I said, standing tall and proud. "Do what you will."

Haruhi-san looked at the girls standing behind her. "What exactly did you write in that note? Let me see," she said, turning back to me.

"I ripped it up." I smiled while I said this, to show her that I really couldn't care less, and that I wasn't afraid of her and her minions. "But I recall it said something about meeting you here at 4:30, or I would suffer, and you would burn all my possessions until there was nothing left, blah blah blah." The truth is, I was still a little scared. I had always been the quiet one in the class, never speaking unless completely necessary. But when I was alone in my dorm room, I would smile, and laugh, and talk cheerfully to my posters, since I had no one else to talk to. Sometimes I would imitate Edward, from Fullmetal Alchemist. When Edward talks, he talks in a way that shows he isn't afraid of anything. No matter what comes his way, he greets it the same; with a self-confident, couldn't-care-less-what-you're-going-to-do-to-me kind of attitude. That's how I was talking now.

"Did the letter say anything else? Like why we're here on the roof, of all places? Or what I called you here for? Hurry up and tell me." Haruhi-san looked impatient, and a little nervous. What? Why would she be nervous? I'm the one they're going to punish!

"Nope, nothing of the sort," I said, in my carefree-Edward voice. "So, why are we up here again? Oh, wait, you never told me."

Haruhi-san frowned. Then she sighed. "Alright, I'll give you a brief explanation, then you need to hurry up and do what you came up here for. I don't want anyone to see us." Huh? I wondered. What's she talking about? But I didn't get the chance to think more. Haruhi-san kept speaking. "I'll make it short and to-the-point, okay? Last week you scored better than me on that test we had. I scored a 97, and you scored 99. This doesn't make sense, because I'm much smarter than that dumb Otaku brain of yours. So I asked Sensei why she had given you a higher score than me. Turns out, we actually both scored 98. She took a point from my score because I came late to the test with a wrinkled uniform, wearing makeup, smelling like cigarettes. She probably knows where I was. You, on the other hand, were in the test room before anyone even showed up, including Sensei. On top of that, your uniform was neat and clean, your desk was organized, you were sitting formally in your chair, and you were proofreading an essay you wrote that was due the next day. Apparently, Sensei was so impressed by you, that she gave you the point she had taken from me. And that's why you scored higher than I did."

Wow, okay. "So?" I asked Haruhi-san, in my bored-Edward voice. "What's the big deal? I scored higher than you. Seems fair to me."

"The big deal," Haruhi-san said angrily, "Is that if I scored lower than 98 on that test, the school wouldn't let me go on the trip to the hot springs. I would have to stay at the dorm and study. Do you know how much I've been looking forward to that trip? I would have so much power there! I'd be able to sneak out late at night, and no one would catch me! What makes this even worse is that I'm the one who suggested the test score idea. I actually studied a little for this test! And you messed up the whole thing!"

"Um, not my fault," I said. "Blame it on yourself."

"Oh, that's not all. Your whole attitude—no, your whole existence is bothering me! You never even focus on anything but your stupid Manga stuff! So how you scored even a 98 is beyond me! You just sit in the dorm room all day, reading and talking to yourself! It's creepy, if you ask me! You obviously have mental problems! And this proves it!" she waved her arms, indicating my blue-and-gold body and dress. "What kind of weirdo would go and stick dust on themselves? Because that's all it is now! Dust! Don't you get it?!"

"No. It's a lot more than that," I said, crossing my arms, and talking like Edward does when he knows he's right, and he's trying to calmly prove a point. "You have no idea how much that poster meant to me." I tried to hold it back, but tears were flowing down my cheeks now. Even so, I continued calmly, my voice the same as ever. "You, who have everything. You, who control the students in this school. Heck, you even control the teachers. And when nobody's looking, you go and wear makeup, and smoke, and do who-knows-what else. You don't know what it's like to be alone. You have no idea. And it's your fault that things are this way. Not mine. I didn't do anything to bother you; it's all in your head. You—"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Haruhi-san yelled, pointing at me. "You are going to finally get out of my hair. Bye. See you—oh, wait, I won't. Because you'll be gone." She smirked at me.

"What do you mean? Where am I going?" I asked. Haruhi-san wasn't making any sense to me at all. I gently wiped my tears, so I wouldn't lose any of my poster.

"Hmm, how should I put this?" Haruhi-san had an evil grin on her face. "Let's see…how about, to the afterlife?"

I gasped, shocked. "You—you're going to kill me?"

"Well, no, not exactly. You're going to kill yourself. The story in the newspaper tomorrow will be like this: Haruhi ***sura, age 16, has been traumatized after experiencing firsthand the death of a fellow classmate. When she went up to the school roof to take pictures of birds, she saw Aiko Karasuma, age 15, standing near the edge of the roof. Haruhi called out to Karasuma, but Karasuma didn't respond. Haruhi rushed toward her friend, fearing the worst. It happened; Karasuma jumped off of the school roof, and died by falling on the concrete rubble pile down below. Haruhi has been excused from school for a week, and allowed to go along on Sakura High's class trip to the hot springs, as the doctors believe it will help her recover from the shock." Haruhi-san finished talking, and smiled at me.

"You're not serious. You can't be serious. All this, just to go on a class trip?!" I was angry now, and scared of what might happen.

"The class trip is, of course, the primary motivation here. But getting rid of you is also a very satisfying thought. I'll even have my own dorm room now! No annoying Otaku music! No stupid Manga stuff! I'll be the smartest student in the class! I wonder what they'll do with your belongings that you will soon leave behind? Maybe…burn them? Now, little girl," she said condescendingly, "Hurry to your death. Or I'll help you. Move it."

I stood there, thinking. Then I turned around and ran toward the door. I stopped short, however, because the door was now closed and guarded by two of Haruhi's minions. There really was no way out of this. I would have to jump. At least I don't have any family who would be worried about me, I thought. I really have nothing, don't I? No regrets, even. Oh, maybe one. I do wish I could have watched the final episode of Fullmetal Alchemist to see how the series ended. Darn. I loved that series.

"Well?" Haruhi-san impatiently, interrupting my thoughts. "I don't have all day, you know. We don't want anyone to see what actually happened, do we? Go on."

I would love some coffee right now. Oh, wait! Speaking of coffee, what about that guy in the cafeteria? I guess I can't help him now. I hope he finds who he's looking for. I should go now, before Haruhi-san gets mad. I started walking toward the edge of the roof. Six feet…five feet…I got closer and closer to my death. Almost there, I thought to myself. Just close your eyes and hold your breath when you jump. Pretend you're jumping into a pool. Goodbye, my Manga. At least my poster is going with me. It was a nice Otaku life while it lasted. I had fun.

Four feet away from the edge. Three and a half—

"STOP!" a loud voice came from behind me. It sounded like a boy's voice. A loud BANG came from the direction of the door, and the sound of two girls squealing. I spun around to see who it was that broke down the roof door, and lost my balance. I let out a squeak as I fell toward the edge of the roof, and closed my eyes tightly. This is it. This is the end. I imagined myself crashing hard onto the concrete below.

"Oof!" I said, as I landed. Huh? It's soft. And warm. Why? Shouldn't I be dead?

I opened my eyes, and saw red. Literally. My face was pressed into a red cloth. It smelled good. I closed my eyes again. If this is death, I thought to myself, then I don't mind it a bit. It's actually very nice.

"Thank god I caught you," came a voice near my ear. I jumped, startled. "For a second, I thought I wasn't going to make it! Phew!"

I opened my eyes and pulled my head back a little, so I could see who was holding me. A red cloak…black jacket…black tank-top…I kept looking, my gaze traveling higher. Beautiful skin…blonde hair…a smiling mouth…and golden eyes.

"MMMRRRPPHH!" I said in surprise. My face was still pressed into his shoulder. He laughed. "You're excited, huh?" He said, grinning.

"MRPH MRPH MRPH!" I said, squirming around. He loosened his arms a little, and I sat up. Looking around, I saw that I was still on the roof of the school. And I wasn't standing, or even sitting. He was holding me Princess-style, or like we were a married couple and I was the bride! He was standing near the edge of the roof, but now he moved away from it.

"We don't want anything to accidentally happen, do we?" he said, smiling at me.

"You—you're that guy in the cafeteria!" I said, finally getting my voice back.

"Oh, so you saw me, huh? I meant it to be a surprise. Darn." He made a pouty face, then kept talking. "I was going to come surprise you after class was over, but you left the classroom earlier than you usually do, so I came too late. And then I couldn't find you! So I went to the cafeteria to have some coffee."

"I saw you! You were sighing, and saying that you couldn't find someone! Wait—you were looking for me?! What?!"

"Yep, you. Surprised?"

"And I don't even know you, but for some reason, you look really familiar! Why? I'm so confused!"

"I'm confused too," he said, looking serious.

"About what?" I asked. Hey, I'm the one who doesn't know what's going on here. I'm more confused than you are.

"Why are you covered in blue and gold dust?" he asked, setting me down.

"Oh, that," I said, looking down at my dress. The dust was starting to float off of me now as it dried. "Well, I had this amazingly beautiful poster of someone I really liked, and Haruhi-san and her minions destroyed it. Uh, speaking of which—"

I turned around to look where Haruhi-san had been standing. She was gone. Her minions were still there, but most of them had fainted, and the ones that were still conscious just sat there, staring into space.

"Where's Haruhi-san? And why are they all just sitting there?" I asked him.

"I have a feeling you won't be seeing Haruhi ever again," he said. "And if you do, it'll be in the newspaper under 'runaway'. She left here, and she won't be coming back. After all, she wouldn't want to get arrested for attempted murder. As for the girls, they're in shock from the door blowing off its hinges, me appearing suddenly, and their leader fleeing the scene. They'll recover soon."

Oh. That's good, then. I looked at my rescuer again. He really did seem familiar…as I thought this, trying to recall where I might have seen him before, images began to flash through my mind. The words "Fullmetal Alchemist"…Edward Elric frowning…Edward smiling, at the beach…Edward climbing a tree…

"AH! What?! This doesn't make sense!" I yelled, shocked. I covered my eyes with my hands, trying to get control of myself, but the images kept coming…Ed pulling on his gloves…Ed in his red cloak…Ed grinning widely…Ed falling asleep at his desk while reading…Ed drinking coffee…

"Are you alright?" came a concerned voice from in front of me. He put his hands on my shoulders. "Aiko?" he said. His breath smelled like coffee. Coffee, I thought. The coffee should have been a dead giveaway, if the clothes weren't enough. Who else would wear clothes like that? I slowly uncovered my eyes, unsure of myself, wondering if I was right. I looked up into his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Edward?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes?" he answered. Oh my god.

"Edward…Elric?" I asked, just to be sure.

"Yes?" he said again. I opened my eyes wide. I tried to say something, but I was completely speechless.

"Hey, are you okay? Do you need to lie down somewhere? I'll bring you a drink if you want one," he said, looking worried. I laughed.

"No, I'm okay," I said, smiling. "This is crazy. Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, is standing in front of me. Am I dreaming? I'm dreaming, right? I actually died, and now I'm in heaven, and there's Edward Elric standing in front of me. This is amazing."

"No, it's not a dream, and you certainly didn't die!" he said, laughing. "I'm as real as you are. See?" he pulled me closer, and hugged me tightly.

"You smell good," I said quietly, and hugged him back. He laughed.

A few minutes later, he let go. "Alright. I think I'm going to need your help cleaning up this mess that Haruhi left for us. Oh, and can you tell me where the Headmistress is? I have to give her this letter," he said, taking an envelope out of his left pocket and waving it around.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's a letter from the Principal at my school—"

"WHAT?!" I said, shocked. "You go to school? Where?" Lucky people at his school, whoever they were.

"At Akatsuki High. It's an all-boys school a few miles away from here. This letter is from my Principal, agreeing that the two schools should be joined into one. Because both our schools have so few students, as they only accept students who are extremely intelligent, my Principal and your Headmistress had the idea to combine Sakura and Akatsuki. I have the letter that seals the agreement, and it will be final by next week. Since Akatsuki isn't very big, all the students will move into Sakura, and the building will be updated. A new dorm for the boys is already under construction."

"Wow. But how come I didn't hear about it?" I asked, wondering how this happened so quickly.

"They've been keeping the construction quiet, so none of the girls here at Sakura would know about it. Otherwise, there could have been problems." He finished explaining, and smiled. "So that means I'll be living here starting next week! Exciting, huh?"

I nodded, happy to hear that.

"Aiko? Is that you?" a girl's voice asked. I looked over to where Haruhi-san's minions were. They were all awake now, staring at me and Ed.

"Yes," I said hesitantly. After all, these were the girls that had done so many mean things to me. Who knows what they were thinking now. They stood up, and rushed towards me. I flinched, expecting to be hit.

"You're okay! We're so happy you're not hurt!" one girl said, and hugged me. The other girls gathered around me too, crying.

"Wh—what?" I said, shocked.

"We're so sorry!" another girl said, taking my hand. "We didn't want to hurt you! Haruhi forced us to do those things to you! Otherwise she would have tortured us and had us kicked out of the school!"

"I felt so bad!" said a girl behind me. "But I didn't think she would go so far as killing you! Please forgive us! We actually really like you a lot!"

"You do?" I said, surprised at what was happening.

"Of course!" said the girl who was hugging me. "Please don't hate us! We want to be your friends! Is that okay?"

I smiled. I was happy that so many people liked me. I looked over at Ed, who was standing by the door, and he grinned.

"I'd love to be friends with all of you! Let's be happy now that Haruhi-san is gone!"

"Ah, Aiko, you don't need to show her respect anymore," said one girl. "Just call her plain old Haruhi."

"Alright," I said, grinning. "Let's be happy now that Haruhi is gone."

"And that she never comes back!" said Ed, laughing. "Okay, ladies! Let's go back to the dorm and resume life! And I have to get this letter to the Headmistress! There's no homework, either, by the way. So go enjoy yourselves!"

The girls let go of me, and walked to the door, smiling and laughing with each other. I walked over to the door too, meaning to go retrieve my clothes in the bathroom from earlier before they inconvenienced anyone. Just as I reached the door, Ed took my hand, and stopped me. "There's one more thing I want to say," he told me, looking very serious.

"What is it? Is it something bad?" I asked, worried.

"No, no!" he laughed, shaking his head. "More of a question for you, actually."

Huh? I thought. He knelt down, still holding my hand. "Will you marry me?" he asked.

I started to say something, but before I could, he pulled something out of his pocket and slipped it on my finger. "It fits perfectly!" he said, "And it looks great on you! You can't refuse now!"

I laughed, and nodded. "Do you even need to ask? Of course I will!"

He stood up, and hugged me again, smiling. Then he kissed my head. "Your breath smells like coffee, by the way," I said. I looked at him, and we both grinned. Then, holding hands, we walked through the door.

Epilogue

"Edward! Come help me cook this!" I yell over my shoulder. "It's not working right!" I'm in the cafeteria making crepes with the new recipe Ed gave me yesterday, but I'm having a bit of trouble. The crepes themselves are great, but I just can't get the apples right.

"You're doing it wrong again. Gimme that," says Ed from behind me. He takes the apple and knife from me and does it himself.

"Thanks," I say. I watch as he puts the apple slices into the pan, and cooks them. Then he puts them onto a plate. I turn around to flip the next crepe.

"Aikoooo…." Says Ed, poking me.

"Yeah?" I ask, not turning around. I finish flipping the crepe and put down the spatula.

"You have sugar on your face," he says, and licks my cheek.

"EEP!" I squeak in surprise. He laughs. "You get surprised so easily!"

"Well, who wouldn't be surprised," I say, turning around and putting an apple slice in his mouth. "Here, eat this instead."

He hugs me, and whispers something in my ear. I smile, nod, and hug him back.

"Can we get married soon?"