Reminiscences of our School Days

Chapter I: First Day

Firstly, a disclaimer:

I, although, a huge fan of all beautiful things to do with -Man, am not the creator, mangaka, writer, translator etc. Therefore, I acknowledge that -Man will always belong to Katsura Hoshina. However, my OCs, Kaori and co. do belong to me so please, no plagiarism!

Dedicated to my favourite instant noodles, migoreng~


'Ow,' Lavi winced he felt the stinging red mark on his cheek, 'did you just slap me! That hurt, baka, what did you do that for!'

'If I did then you really did deserve it', Kaori's defiant yet hurt eyes stared back. Back into the emerald green, 'you traitor...all you care about is your B.S. reputation! This world doesn't revolve around you and your popularity. You're not cool at all, acting like everything is yours. I'm not you're toy, not your plaything. Don't just touch me when you feel like it! I'm not like your fanclub, Lavi,' she sneered, choking on the name, 'I have a decent brain…'

End of flashback


'Kaori, wake up!' Manami Yoshida gently shook her daughter, who was currently sprawled very unlady-like on the queen sized bed.

'Kaori!'

'Mmm, what?' Kaori sleepily opened one eye, 'I'm so tired…'

About to nod off to sleep again, Kaori turned over and happened to catch the time on her light blue alarm clock, which was looking rather battered after being hit on the snooze button a few hundred times.

'OMG, Mum, it's 8 o'clock already! Why didn't you wake me up! I'm going to be late…on my first day as a senior!'

Whipping on her school uniform, she grabbed a brush and quickly ran out of her room, leaving her helpless mother standing in the doorway.

'But I was trying to wake you up…'

After quickly brushing her teeth, she ran the brush through her hair and applied a light layer of makeup. Koari was eating a fruit bar while trying to put on her customised belted knee-high boots when her mother's face appeared in the doorway of the corridor. Kaori nodded but decided that getting to school on time was more important than what her mother had to say right now. First impressions as a senior were essential to become a senior honours student and she was determined to do so.

'Darling, the limo's outside waiting for you. I've just arranged it so you won't be late.'

Manami smiled hopefully at her daughter, waiting for her response which would hopefully be somewhat grateful. She's probably too frantic to ask about the limousine, she thought, but something tells me that she's too smart to not notice…

'Ehh? When did you buy a limousine, Mum? I thought the only person in our family who had a limo was my 'father'…wait a minute-'

Koari turned around to stare at her mother. The apologetic look on her face said it all.

'It's my 'father's' limousine isn't it, Mum.' She watched her mother's face as she nodded hesitantly, her expression now disappointed as the smile melted off. Kaori sighed and bit her lip in disgust at the very thought of her father, 'never mind, Mum, I'll just tell the chauffeur to drive back. I'm going catch a taxi, it's faster anyway. Go back to bed. Remember, the doctor said that your body isn't well.'

Koari turned, grabbed her handbag and quickly left the house, her long black hair swishing gently around her arms. Manami noted the clenched fists, and the skin stretched white around it. She sighed and headed off to bed.


Leaving the taxi, Kaori took a deep breath as she tried to rid her thoughts of that man. That asshole, who made my mother worry about me very day, made her unable to work so she could keep the house in order. I'll-I'll-

Koari bit her lip, fighting the angered emotions inside her. I've got to be careful, she spoke to herself, and I'll bury my pride and obey him now since he's my only source of financial insurance. After all, being the head of a major technology company has some advantages. But when the time comes, I'm seriously going to overtake him. Kaori smiled as the carefully plotted plan that she had thought about for years unravelled in her head. She flicked back her hair, turning many male heads as she did so, and sauntered smartly down the street to her high school.

The sign was made of black marble, polished to the maximum shine, with silver bold elegant script that spelt out 'Royal Black Cross Academy: An Prestigious School for Young Men and Women'. To the students however, who couldn't be stuffed to say the whole line when talking about it between friends, it was called Black Cross.

Entering the school, the effect of Kaori's calm stride was ruined as she was pounced on by something with a mess of wildly curled hair, red eyes and…knee-high laced up boots!

'Kaori-chan~ we're seniors now~ doesn't out new uniform look so awesome!'

The scary person started raving, swinging around her handbag and binder folder dangerously.

Then, she finally took in the scared kitten look on her best friend's face. Mizuki smirked, and then straightened up, smoothing down her hair and fixing the decorated chain acting as a belt on her skirt into the right place.

'For your information, Kaori-chan, this hair was professionally curled by five star beauty salon and my eyes are rose not red. And yes, I am psychic.'

Kaori shook her head, unable to think of a response, and then hugged her friend tightly. She was still her bestie, no matter how…abnormal she got. However, this friendly greeting was soon interrupted by…a stampede of mad girls?

'Wahh! I mean - what?' Kaori corrected her mistake subconsciously as she watched the girls charge at a guy with flame-coloured hair. Hours of lessons on lady-like manners could do that to you, 'What was that all about?'

Mizuki shook her head sadly, playing with the rose coloured metal hearts dangling down her belt.

'This is why I call you a dreamer sometimes, Kaori. They were there since grade 8. Those girls are the Lavi Fan Club members. I think they have issues or something, they're so obsessed with anything related to him.'

Kaori was dumbfounded for a moment. How many girls were in that stampede? Thirty, forty, a hundred? Who was this guy? A celebrity? But then, half of the population of Black Cross was either related to or a celebrity. Surely this guy couldn't be that popular?

Immersed in her thoughts, she didn't notice the flash of red do a U-turn, escaping from the stampede towards her until…

'Ouch!'

Unlike Mizuki, who had stepped smartly sideways before the red object/thing had collided with her, Kaori wasn't so lucky. Rubbing her backside, which had landed hard on the floor, she looked at the red-haired guy with his eyes closed and hands held tightly together sitting on the floor. This was Lavi?

'Sowie~' He apologised and then he opened his eyes to wait for the response.

Kaori gasped quietly as he mentally corrected herself again. Eye, not eyes since one were behind an eye-patch…but still. Kaori, who was both the Visuals Arts president and an accredited junior honours student in that area, had to appreciate the colour of his eye. It was a brilliant green. She could think of hundreds of thing that had the same colour, but would only be half as pretty as it. New leaves on a tree after winter, fresh grass, a hidden meadow, forests…

Mizuki, noticing the captivated look on her friend's face, sighed internally. Dreamer, she confirmed silently. Stepping in, she smiled apologetically (but for some reason, to Lavi almost, menacingly?) and replied, 'No problem. I don't think she's hurt, just a bit dazed…' She poked Kaori hard on the ribs in an attempt to revive her. A six Dan karate black belt's worth. She didn't feel it.

'Um, I'm sorry, we have to go now. Um…personal issues, yeah…'

Dragging Kaori away from the scene without checking to see if Lavi was hurt or not, she led her to the Main Hall for roll call. Mizuki had not appreciated seeing the look on Kaori's face. The last thing she wanted was for her friend to transform into another mad fan girl. Unforgivable.

Kaori, by then had recovered from her stupor at seeing such a beautiful green. She laughed to herself, art freak much? I have to stop this habit of daydreaming somehow…

Then she felt an excruciating pain in the place on top of her ribs.

'OWWWW!'

She ran to the restrooms, followed closely by Mizuki, and lifted up her blouse, exposing a huge red mark where a bruise was beginning to form. Mizuki, who was examining her rose colour streaks in the mirror, turned around lazily and suppressed a grin.

'Did I do that?'

Kaori gaped at her friend in disbelieve while she stared back innocently. It served her right anyways, it was her fault for just standing there~

'What?'

'I'LL KILL YOU! WE HAVE SWIMMING ON THE TIMETABLE NEXT!'

And that concludes the first chapter of 'Reminiscences of our School Days'~ please review as it would be greatly appreciated. More reviews mean faster chapter uploads. BYE~

xx