Chapter 1

First Impressions

Day One:

Keiko tried to slip into the classroom quietly and unseen. She was fifteen minutes late for her very first Mathematical Theory class. She hated math. Numbers had never made much sense to her, but it was a required course so there was no escape. She slid into the first chair by the door on the top level of the auditorium style seating in the room. Her eyes scanned the classroom to see that there was only ten other students, and they were all down front on the two lowest levels of seating. Oh, dear. So much for sneaking in.

The teacher, Mr. Iruka Umino, was looking straight at her, the glare of his dark brown eyes setting her face on fire with embarrassment. He had long dark brown hair pulled up in a ponytail at the back of his head instead of at the nape of his neck. His skin was a warm brown color like brown sugar; however, that withering look he was giving her didn't make him look so sweet. He had the strangest scar that went across his nose yet it did not detract from his looks at all. He appeared to be young maybe even close to her age. Teachers weren't supposed to look like that; not even in college. They weren't supposed to be handsome and they sure weren't supposed to be, in a word, HOT. College professors were supposed be bald or long haired (with the greasy looking ponytail at the nape of their neck); dirty old men who smoked pipes and preyed on their young beautiful students for favors in return for good grades.

"Would you like to join the rest of us down here?" he inquired, putting his hands on hips when she did not move.

"Y-yes, sir," she stammered, grabbing her book and her bag to carefully make her way down to everyone else. She was notorious for being clumsy and didn't feel like taking a tumble down the stairs.

"Please try to be on time in the future. Class begins at nine a.m., Miss…what's your name?" he asked.

"Keiko Mitsukume, sir," she replied, getting the typical snorts and giggles reaction to her name. Yes, she knew it meant blessing of the honey bear, and it just wasn't funny anymore. Her eyebrows drew together at the big grin of delight on his face.

"Now, as I was saying, rational numbers …"

Keiko crossed her arms over her chest attempting to pay attention, but it just made no sense at all to her. She loved words and preferred to explore the joy of language, written and spoken alike. Her mind thought back to the Shakespeare production of Romeo and Juliet she had seen a week ago. Poetic and lovely, it is a tragic love story that would just be pitiful if written in common, everyday language.

"Miss Mitsukume!" he said loudly to get her attention. "Class is over. You may leave."

Keiko jumped up, slinging her heavy bag over her shoulder. There was a little too much momentum from the loaded book bag when it swung and hit her in the back. She was sent her flying forward and would have fallen if not for the swift reaction of her teacher who moved to catch her in his arms before her face hit the floor. She looked up to be greeted by another amused smile on his face. Another blush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks when she found herself in his arms and against his body.

"Th-thank y-you," she stuttered, placing her hands on his chest to push herself to a standing position. His chest felt taut and muscled beneath the thin cotton button down shirt he wore with a dark green solid colored tie knotted loosely at the open collar. She gave him a brief, shy smile and moved toward the door.

"Be on time tomorrow!" he called after her as she departed from the classroom in a hurry.

Keiko was beyond embarrassed; she was downright humiliated. First impressions were never her strong suit and once again, she had successfully made a truly bad one.

Week Two:

Keiko had her chin propped on her hand as she listened to Mr. Umino's lecture on how you can use mathematical theories to prove that two plus two can equal five. She doodled on her notebook with her pen because she didn't know what to write down. It all sounded like pointless gibberish so she wasn't sure what was really important and what wasn't. Her eyelids drooped, and she shook her head to wake herself up. She hated her terrible job which kept her out far too late. It the only job she could find that paid enough money for her to afford both rent and food so she was stuck with it. The next time drowsiness overwhelmed her, her eyes shut completely and her head fell forward onto her book with a dull thumping sound that was loud enough to catch the attention of the other students and the teacher. Amazingly enough, the face plant in her textbook did not wake her up. When the sound of her snores began to emanate from between the pages of her makeshift pillow, Mr. Umino flung a ruler at her which delivered a sharp sting as it hit her ear.

"Ow!" she cried out, sitting up with her hand over her ear. Her eyes landed on her teacher who only sighed and shook his head before continuing his lecture.

Wow! She was doing an awesome job of impressing this teacher.

Week Three:

Today they would be getting their first test back. Keiko stared at her paper that appeared to be bleeding from all of the red ink marring it. Her eyes filled with tears when saw the big fat F in the corner in thick red slashes. She barely listened through the rest of class as she attempted to get over the bitter disappointment of the failing grade. To make matters worse, she had been late again today which unfortunately was not unusual for her. Her fingers gingerly touched her sore bruised ribs. Things had gotten a little out of hand with a customer at work last night, and she had gotten caught in the middle. She had been trying to find a different job, but so far had found nothing.

"Miss Mitsukume, can you please stay?" Mr. Umino requested as the other students bee lined for the door after class.

Keiko stayed seated in her chair at her table as they waited for the last person to leave. She watched him carefully as he walked up to the second level where she sat. She held her breath with nervous anticipation as he stared down at her with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What is wrong with you?" he inquired bluntly.

"Sir?" she asked in confusion from the rude question.

"You can't get to class on time. You fall asleep during my lectures, and you're failing. I know it's only been three weeks but if we're both wasting our time, you should just withdraw from my class now. At least you will have a withdrawal on your record instead of an F," he said, staring at her with hard eyes.

"I don't understand this stuff. I'm trying. I really am, but my mind just doesn't understand numbers. I fall asleep because I work a night job. I'm trying to find a new one, but it's really hard. Mr. Umino, please," she begged. "Can you recommend a tutor? I need someone to help me with this. I have to pass this class because it's required."

Keiko held her breath as he sighed noisily, walking back down to his desk. She observed him intently as he scribbled something a piece of paper and brought it back up to her. She took the paper from him to see it was an address that he had written down.

"Be at that address at ten o'clock Saturday morning," he said.

"But I –" she began to protest but he immediately cut her off.

"Ten o' clock Saturday morning. It is imperative that you arrive on time. Do you understand?"

"I understand, sir."