Chapter One

'Yamaku Academy?'

'Yes, Yamaku Academy. It's a school that specializes in looking after people with disabilities. You're going to be going there for the rest of your high school years.'

'What about my old school? My friends, where I live, everything?'

'You don't remember any of that though, do you?' countered the doctor.

I grimaced from where I lay in my hospital bed. A few days ago I had woken up to be told that I had been taken to the hospital after a stroke. The cause, apparently, had been drinking too much alcohol. Thanks to the stroke my left arm had been paralysed and it wasn't clear whether or not I'd be able to move it again one day.

'You'll live in the dorms at the academy, and I'm sure you'll find many new friends,' the doctor continued. 'Your guardian has already agreed to send you there, and all the paperwork has been completed. You'll start attending Yamaku next week.'

I stayed silent, thinking over my options. 'Alright, I'll go,' I said. There was no point objecting. After all, I had nothing to go back to. Or at least, I wasn't supposed to. After waking up in hospital I had pretended to have amnesia, for a few reasons regarding my past and what had caused me to drink enough to get a stroke. It'd be easier to live pretending I had forgotten everything, like nothing had happened. The doctor had seemed a little suspicious of my 'amnesia', but no questions had been asked.

'Good. As I said, you'll start next week. Your guardian's here to talk to you, so I'll leave now and let you two talk,' he said then walked out the door as a young man with a wild grin stepped in to take his place.

At the sight of him I smirked. 'I was wondering who my guardian was,' I said. I lived in Japan, but my parents had been living overseas for years now. They'd call occasionally to check up on me, but I hadn't talked to them for a long time. They knew nothing of my stroke.

The young man smirked back. 'Who else, but me? Though you're not supposed to recognize me are you, you amnesiac?' His expression turned serious. 'You haven't actually lost your memory have you?' he asked, already knowing the answer, but needing confirmation.

I sighed. 'No, it's just an act.'

'That's what I thought. How long will you keep this up for?'

I thought about it for a while. 'Who knows? I'll pretend as long as I need to. It's easier this way.'

'I see. It's probably for the better, yeah. Maybe it'll help you move on,' he replied.

'How have you been?' I changed the subject.

His grin returned to his face, 'Not bad, not bad, Kou. How 'bout you?'

'Not bad, not bad, Saku. Well, except for my arm,' I grinned, using his nickname like he used mine. The young man was Sakuya, my childhood friend, best friend, and the guy I treated as an older brother, both because he was older than me by a few years and also because of how protective he was, not just of me, but of our other friends too.

'So, new school huh?'

'Yep. This will be interesting. But how did you even become my guardian?' I asked, curious about how that happened.

'Easily. They couldn't find or contact your parents due to your 'amnesia', so I stepped in saying they were somewhere far, far, away, scribbled my signature here and there, and bam! Done. Sakuya Saito is Koujirou Natsume's guardian. Anyways, you need to get packing since you'll be living in the school dorms. Don't worry, I'll check up on your apartment every now and then while you're away.'

'Thanks, I really appreciate everything you've done,' I say, and I really mean it. I would be at a loss for what to do and how to go about doing things without his help.

He smiled, 'No problem. It's the least I can do for my little brother. By the way, before you start school do you want to dye your hair a respectable shade? Brown, black?' He smirks already knowing what my response will be.

'No way,' I protest, running my right hand through my dark blue hair. It had been that way since I was a child, and I liked it that way.

We talked some more before he left to go to my apartment to pack my suitcase for my trip.

Later, alone in my hospital room, I looked at my left arm. I gritted my teeth and tried to move it. Nothing. It refused to budge no matter how hard I tried, and just lay there, limp and useless. 'Dammit!' I cursed under my breath in frustration. I took a deep breath, calming down, and thought about what life would be like in a few days. Yamaku Academy. A school for kids with disabilities. Kids like me. The place where I would begin anew. Damn, this is making me nervous. Starting at a new school was always nerve-wracking. Hopefully I will be able to make some friends like the doctor said I would.

Ah, whatever, I sighed. No use thinking too deeply about it. What happens, happens. Watch out, Yamaku Academy. I, Koujirou Natsume, will be coming for you. School life will be interesting from now on.