Author's note: Hey guys, this is my first "Another" fanfic, so it may be a bit mediocre but I hope you enjoy it anyway! R&R and I may/may not continue on with this story. You'll just have to wait and see...

Also, please excuse any incorrect uses of honorifics in this story (I'm not too familiar with the context of all of them!)

1998:

After the calamity of 1998, Kouichi Sakakibara and Mei Misaki can never say that their lives will ever return to a completely normal state. However, they both vow that in the future, they will do whatever is necessary to help future students of the 9th Grade's Class 3 make it through the year alive; regardless of the physical and emotional tolls the two of them will have to pay. They are the only two in Class 3 of 1998 that fully remember the calamity and so they are taking it upon themselves to take action as soon as possible.

2007:

Nine years after their experiences in Class 3 at Yomiyama North, Kouichi and Mei Sakakibara now find themselves happily married. Kouichi and Mei both work at Yomiyama North Middle School, as the homeroom teacher of 9th Grade's Class 2 and the school librarian respectively. The reason for both of them seeking employment at the same school? To observe Class 3 each year, and to successfully prevent the calamity from occurring.

Kouichi and Mei put their plan into action when first employed at Yomiyama North. Since Mei's artificial eye can see the colour of death, whenever observing Class 3, she can accurately determine who the "extra one" of the class it for that year… And take appropriate countermeasures to ensure they are sent back to death. Since Kouichi has a copy of all of the class rosters (and thus the addresses of the students), Mei can subsequently arrive at that person's house in the dead of night, and dispose of the extra one in silence. When the task has been carried out, there is no risk of Mei being found out, since it will be as if the extra one never came back to life in the first place. The perfect crime; of course being carried out for the safety and protection of the other students of Class 3 and their families. Both Kouichi and Mei feeling a crushing sense of guilt from having to murder a child each year, but they justify their actions by preventing more deaths that would occur from the extra one's resurrection.

So, this continues for the next 6 years. Until…

1st May 2013:

Today is the day I start my new life in the quaint town of Yomiyama, a small rural area in the middle of nowhere, which is nearby somewhere, about 20 miles from Japan's East coast. My name is Kazuki Kobayashi. I'm not particularly interesting at first glance; average height, light brown straight hair, thin build; a pretty average appearance overall. However, I like to think I have at least a couple of redeeming qualities. I get good grades, I can play the trumpet pretty damn well and I'm pretty sociable when it comes to meeting new people. Hopefully this will come in handy considering today is also my first day attending Yomiyama North Middle School.

There's a lot of thoughts that are running through my mind as I stroll through the new neighbourhood, making my way to school. Who's going to be in my class? What will my teacher be like? Will I make lots of new friends? Will I be able to fit in with everyone else?

As these questions begin to build up at the back of my head, I feel an inner apprehension worming its way to the surface. My palms start to sweat and I swallow a cold hard lump lingering at the back of my throat.

"No, don't be stupid," I say to myself, shrugging of my feelings of discomfort I had felt beforehand. "Just relax, Kazuki, it's going to be fine."

I did say I like to think of myself as a sociable person, but that doesn't mean that I don't get anxious easily!

Before I know it, I've already arrived at Yomiyama North. I observe in my surroundings, and take a deep breath as I step over the threshold to the entrance. Everyone seems to be absorbed in their own conversations, as small groups of people pass by me, without so much as a glance in my general direction, not wondering who this strange newcomer is to this establishment. I feel slightly relieved that the attention isn't focused on me straight away, but that'll probably be different when I meet my classmates.

I then turn my attention to the main reception, and walk towards the young lady sitting at her desk, her eyes scanning the surroundings of the entrance hall.

"Hello," I start. "My name is Kazuki Kobayashi and I'm new to this school. Could you please tell me which class I am in?"

The women looks up at me, suddenly aware of my inquiry.

"Um yeah, just a sec…" she replies, tapping vigorously on her keyboard, bringing up a class roster on her computer monitor.

"Kobayashi, Kobayashi, Koba… Oh, here it is! Kobayashi-kun, you're in Class 3, which is up two flights of stairs on your right, and it's the second door down the corridor. Your teacher will be Matsumoto-sensei.

"Okay, thank you very much," I say with a small smile. I give the receptionist a quick bow and made my way towards the stairs, wondering what my first day of my 9th grade class at this seemingly normal, average school will be like.