I always thought I was average kind of guy. I never really had anything going for me, I usually lived in the back of crowds. I'm not great in school or athletics, but I'm not particularity bad either. Looking back I always find myself in some messed up situation one way or another. And this one seems to be the worst so far. Having your childhood friend, that you've been looking for; die in your arms isn't all that great to see if you get me. But let me explain a bit, it's been about two days since I moved back to my home town. Its the beginning of my second year of high school and I'm determined to make a name for myself. Not the ones back at my last high school, the ones no one really wants to hear. No, I want a name that everyone wants to call, I want to be someone, I want people to shout my name, "Hoshi Katsu."

Its my first day of school and I'm excited to be back. It's been a few years since I've been back in my home town. The place hasn't really changed much from back when I was little. If anything everything looks smaller than I remember, I guess its a good sign of growing up. It was a warm fall morning, summer wasn't quite gone yet. The trees were still green and there was cool breeze blowing through. Katsu wore his school outfit, tan slacks with a white dress shirt that bore the school emblem on the collar. He also had a tan and dark blue stripped tie that wasn't fully tied up and his one strap backpack. Katsu made his way down the street headed to school, other students walked the same path formed in groups laughing and enjoying the nice morning. When he came upon a girl standing underneath a tree at the school entrance. Her hair was a silver white with a ponytail that came down to her neck along with a few strands of her hair that partially covered her eyes. More noticeably were her eyes, a bright ruby red color. She stood there almost lifeless looking down at her phone. He stood their for a bit gazing out at her, something about her filled him with a bit of nostalgia. She looked up and their eyes met. For a second it was quite, but as he began to speak she ran off into the school. "Hey wait," but she was already gone, when he went around the corner of the entrance to see where she ran to, he couldn't find her. There was no one there, just him and the weird feeling he had.

Katsu made his way to class, the school was rather large in size, the halls were large and had large windows that stretched down the hall allowing to see further into the campus. The classrooms were about twice the average size and had twenty-five desks that sat on different floor levels that rose up as you went further back. Along the back wall were cabinets in which kids can store their belongings and large windows on the right side of the room. The bell had rung and class has begun. "Good morning class! My name is Ms. Katsuragi, and I'm going to be your teacher for this year, I hope we all can get along together." Ms. Katsuragi had a rather cheerful attitude for the first day of school, maybe a bit to cheerful. All her students looked at her as if she was crazy, her attitude was something none of them were expecting. She wore a sweater and long skirt along with socks and sandals. She had light brown hair that was done up in a bun and she had glasses that had a chained connected around the back. She came off as a house wife, although she looked rather young despite her attire. "Before we begin class we have a new student joining us today. Please why don't you introduce yourself?"
"Alright. Hello class my name is Hoshi Katsu, it's a pleasure to join you all this year." Katsu was a average height kid. He wasn't muscular, but wasn't thin either. His hair was black, but a patch of his hair on the front side was a grey, along with his pale neon green eyes.
"Thank you very much Katsu, now if you may take the seat over near the window please." Katsu made his way over to the window, behind him sat a girl who hid her face behind a book she was reading, so no one could see her. She had a pale black colored hair and a pony tail tied up in to a bun. Although the book covered her face, from the side her glasses can be seen. As Katsu took his seat she lifted her head from behind the book and stared at him for a bit before focusing back to class.

Mid day, the bell rang it was lunch time. Students left the class or took lunches they prepared out and sat around talking with fellow classmates. Katsu stood up and began stretching, but was interrupted by his stomach growling. "Man I should have brought my own lunch, I don't know where to get anything to eat in this place."
"If you want I can show you?" Asked a voice from behind. Katsu turned around and saw a boy with a big grin on his face and a leisure stature about himself. His hair was laid back, but was shaggy all the same and was fine rust color. He was a slight bit taller than Katsu and unlike most other guys he didn't wear a tie around his neck and kept his shirt collar loose. "Yea, if you want I can show you where to get food at around here."
"Really thanks man that would be great, my name is-."
"Katsu, Hoshi Katsu don't worry I remember your name from this morning. As for me you can call me Tomoe, at least that's what everyone else does."
"Sure that's fine by me, so where to?" The boys made there way out of class, as Katsu walked out he had the odd feeling he was being watched. He turned back to see, but no one was looking back at him. From behind her book the girl sitting behind him looked at Katsu as he turned back around and walked away. Katsu and Tomoe came to large room, one as large as a banquet hall.
"This my good man is the cafeteria. It's got it all, more or less a large variety of foods to eat to say the least." There were a few stations where kids lined up to get the food they wanted. Each area had its own style of food and different foods they could choose from. On one side of the room there were large windows that made up most of the wall with tables lined up against them. The tables had six chairs seated with it while other along the other walls were booths. In the center of the cafetiere were long lunch tables that stretched down the room in a orderly fashion and at the end of each table was marble column. The place was a bright pearl white color that made the whole area light up from the sun coming through the windows.

"Man its like going to a super sized fast food place." Katsu felt a bit overwhelmed, not quite sure where to go for his food. "Well then follow me lets get the food from over there they got the best deserts to go with their foods." Tomoe took off toward the line, "If you don't hurry up the line will get long." Not paying attention to his surrounds, he ran into another student, the schools star athlete Kazuma; knocking over his food.
"Hey you okay?" asked Katsu as he ran over to help Tomoe.
"Yea I'm good." Katsu turned to the other student to see how he was doing, but froze up when he seen the guy's raging face.
"Ah, are you okay?" Katsu sounded nervous, as the large student stood over him in full rage.
"Oh so you think this shit is funny, knocking into me and knocking over my food. Well guess what you piece of shit I hope you can pay for another meal, or your going be tasting your ass for lunch."
"What? Me? No no no it wasn't me it was this gu-." But when Katsu turned around to point to Tomoe, he was already gone. Katsu quickly scanned the area to find him. Back at the entrance to the cafeteria Tomoe's head was peering through. It was kind of hard to tell, but it looked like he was saying sorry. Katsu slowly turned back toward the guy. He swung at Katsu with a quick jab, but Katsu side stepped and avoided the hit. "Come on man we don't need to fight." But it was no use the guy was heated and ready to destroy Katsu. Punch after punch Katsu dodged them all till he found himself backed up against a column in the middle of the cafeteria. At this point the whole area had caught notice to the fight and had formed a circle around the two chanting, FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! "Alright man this is your last warning I said I didn't want to fight, but I will if I have too."
"Oh yea lets see what you got," the guy swung again at Katsu with everything he had. Katsu reached out his hand and quickly grabbed the guy's arm. With a quick motion, Katsu pulled his arm forward and spun around the guy. Much like a blur Katsu avoided the hit and smashed the guy's hand into the column, all the while shifting himself behind him. The guy clenched his hand and let out a yell. He dropped to the floor, there was blood on the pillar and a large crack in the structure. The crowd grew silent, confused at what they just saw. No one made a sound, Katsu closed his eyes and took a deep breathe, and slowly exhaled.
"Now then if you don't mind I'll be going." Katsu turned around to quickly make his escape, but sadly ran straight into the principle and gym teacher.
"Oh, what do we have here." Said the principle in a tone that was of great anger, while trying to keep his composure in front of the other students.
"Wait no, you see, it was...sigh," Katsu gave up he may have won the fight, but it looked like he had much more trouble headed his way.

It's the end of the day students band out of their classrooms and make their way to the entrance of the school to head home, while others have clubs or other activities to attend to. Being the second week of school, many clubs sought to prepare themselves for new members wanting to join, or finding potential students to join athletic groups. As for Katsu he was stuck with other obligations. Due to his reckless behavior, and disrupting the peace on his first day of school he now had detention for the rest of the week and had to clean the entire cafeteria each day. "Hey Katsu so how was the cafeteria food good stuff right." Katsu turned around and saw Tomoe standing at the entrance of the cafeteria, smiling that big big grin of his. Katsu gave him a face of utter annoyance and turned back to his cleaning. "Aw come on man don't be like that, you cant tell me the food here isn't good." Tomoe made his way forward, but was stopped by the large sound of Katsu's stomach growling.
"Oh yes, the food here is great did you get the chance to try the wind pudding and air sauce meal. Best thing I had to eat all day." Katsu refused to look at Tomoe, feeling that the sight of him may cause him to get into a another fight.
"Aw, see I said don't be like that man, here take this as a apology." Katsu turned around and saw Tomoe with a bean bun package, although Katsu was mad he took the bun and sat down at one of the tables and ate the food. "So are we cool?" Tomoe still grinning, but the smile wasn't as large as usual. Tomoe had a way of keeping his eyes closed or at least gave off the look of having them closed. But at that moment Katsu could clearly see Tomoe's bright yellow colored eyes. Katsu looked at him and gave him a grin and bumped fists with Tomoe,
"yea we're cool." After that the two talked and cleaned the cafeteria together and talked and laughed the whole way. It would seem like they were friends for a long time at first glance.

Later that night after the cafeteria was done and they left the school, Katsu was hungry again. It seemed that the bean bun had worn off, and it was time for something else. He stopped by the local convenience store near his apartment to get something to eat. It was a small shop located at four way intersection with a lone street light in front of the store. He made his way through the isles getting his snacks and drinks and made his way back toward the counter. In front of him was a young girl. She wasn't to tall and her hair was a dark grey color, from afar it would seem black almost. As Katsu got closer he realized it was the same girl who sat behind him in class. "Hey what's up, your the girl from class the one who sits behind me right?" He put on a smile trying to come off friendly, mainly hoping to get another friend, one that wasn't like Tomoe. She turned around to see him and quickly her face turned red and she looked down at the floor in embarrassment.
"G-g-good evening Hoshi." she was so nervous she barely could talk straight. The cashier uninterested in the young romance at play, turned around and put some headphones in to ignored them. Katsu not quite sure of the situation stood there with a awkward smile while scratching the back of his head thinking, Man I have no idea what to do now, this seems awkward.
"H-Hoshi, ah, I was wondering, why did you come to this school?"
"Oh, well mainly to start fresh in a high school. See I wasn't too popular, or ever socially accepted my the classmates of my old school. So I asked my parents to let me come back here." Katsu gave off a soft laugh trying to lighten the mode, but it looked like her stature didn't change at all. Man and now I'm back to square one it seems awkward again.
"Hoshi, is that really all you came back here for?" Katsu stopped for a moment to think it over.
"Well the other reason was to find a childhood friend of mine, he goes by the name Ritsu. We use to do everything together when we were kids. Life back then was so easy going, every day was a adventure with that kid." Katsu looked up at the ceiling and began to daydream back to his days as a kid hanging with his friend Ritsu.

Back then those two were always together. Ritsu was a young kid with a grey shaggy hair. His eyes were black, but it had a red hue to it. If they were to stand in the light it would change colors like a animals. Ritsu only lived with his father, the mother died the day after they were born. Most days it was lonely for him since his father was working, till Katsu came along. The days Katsu was suppose to move away he went looking for Ritsu, but never did find him. That was the last time he spoke or seen Ritsu, but he swore one day he'd come back and find Ritsu so they can hang out again. Katsu finally snapped back to reality after beginning gone in his mind for all of three minutes. He looked down at his classmate, her stare was set on him. She was blushing, but not as bad as before, she gave off more of serious attitude toward him.
"So Hoshi did you ever find your friend? Are you still looking for them?"
"Well honestly I'm not sure where to start, but I'm still looking. Hopefully I can meet up with him soon." Her face started to look nervous again, she put her head back down to avoid eye contact with him. She grabbed hold of his sleeve and asked him,
"What if I told you that your friend Ritsu is close by?"
"Hmm, you know about Ritsu. That's great, can you show me where he is?" Quickly the girl hugged onto Katsu. His face lite up red. "Wait what are you-."
"Katsu," before he could even finish freaking out she cut him off. He stood still not sure what to do, this young girl was hugging him and holding her head against his chest. "Do you know my name?"
"Actually now that you mention it you never did tell me your name. This whole time we've just been talking about stuff." She hugged him tighter and softly said, "Its Yoshirou Ritsuka."
"Sorry, I didn't catch that."
"My name is Yoshirou Ritsuka! I am your childhood friend Ritsu." She had let go of Katsu and stared him. She was no longer blushing, she had entirely turned her demeanor around to someone radiating confidence.
"But, wait, what? Your Ritsu? But Ritsu is a guy, how can you be him?" Katsu tired to think back to how Ritsu looked, but only brought back his face, the rest came back as a normal boy. Although looking at her face and thinking back to Ritsu he started to see the similarities, but he was still confused. "I don't know, I always thought Ritsu would have red eyes and his hair would get lighter and I don't remember him wearing glasses." The girl laughed,
"fine I'll prove it. You know your right about my hair and eyes." Ritsuka took a step back and took off her glasses. As she pulled them off her hair and eyes changed. Her hair turned to a silver white and her eyes became a bright red and in the light gave off a red hue. "Believe me now, by your own words this would be how Ritsu looked right?" Katsu's face was in shock, past the fact he found Ritsu his childhood friend, he was more stunned by the utter change in her hair and eyes by taking off her glasses. Even the cashier who seemed uninterested was stunned by her change in appearance. "Um... Katsu you still there?" Katsu had completely turned off for a minute there, but snapped back to.

"That explains it, that's why when I saw you earlier you looked so familiar to me, Ritsu its really you." Katsu reached out and grabbed her and gave her a hug. The situation was backwards from before, now she was freaking out, but accepted his feelings and hugged him back. "But wait what happened the day I was leaving. I went looking for you, but I couldn't find you any where." Ritsuka let go of Katsu and looked down at the floor in embarrassment. Her face turned slight red again and she started swaying in place.
"Well you see I thought it would be good for me to show you my new outfit. My dad had gotten my middle school outfit and I thought I'd show it off to you, but when I tired to show you I got too embarrassed. I was sure you would laugh at me." Her face became redder and she even started to stuttered. Katsu smiled,
"You know looking at you now I say you look pretty good in your skirt." Ritsuka was flustered, she couldn't speak. After a few tries and feeling silly she grabbed her stuff and ran out the store yelling "good night."
"So this is young love now a days?" Katsu looked over at the cashier. He had one arm on the counter and was holding his head up. He had taken one headphone out and was paying more attention to their conversation. Katsu looked annoyed, but he just put his food on the counter. "So how much do I owe?"