Her heart was beating loudly in her chest as she watched, hands clasped against her chest. She could see the shadowy figures of her boys on the stage in the middle. The crowd had colored light sticks, matching the bracelets and necklaces she wore. A small gasp escaped her as there was a burst of fireworks. 'Woah… The stagehands really went all out!'

Shifting, she let her eyes rest on the moving forms of the members of STARISH. Her head bobbed to the beat, toes tapping as she leaned into the wall, completely focused on the performance in front of her.

Watching the boys sing and dance, the girl recalled the beginning of the year, how she only wanted to make music for that idol, to thank him for what he did (however unknowingly) for that girl. As that idol moved around the stage, a bright smile on his face, she got the feeling he more than knew that.

When the song finally came to a stop, she joined the cheers, casting the boys a wide grin despite the lights having gone low.

'No matter what, for these boys, for her, I'll do my very best until the end!'


With a grimace, she wiped away the snow falling on her face. 'Eesh, the things I do for her… Hayato-baka better be worth it, for heaven's sake.'

Switching into a jog, she glanced quickly at the large TV screen in the plaza. "I have 45 minutes still, I can make it. Only a couple more blocks… Heavens, please don't make me go up any large staircases."

At the thought of missing the exam, the girl switched into a run, light eyes furrowed in determination. 'Ruka-chan is unable to go to Saotome Academy, so I have to go in her place. It's only fair for all that she's done for me!'

The streets blurred, the only time they were clear was when the teen stopped at the lights and when she had to slow to avoid other people. Eyes darting around, a huge smile formed on her face as she spotted the plaque declaring 'Saotome Academy' and the gate beside. Pushing her legs more, the girl almost body slammed one of the gate guards, a hand latching onto the gate.

"Sir, sir, am I late?" She gasped, bending over slightly.

The guard she nearly ran into stared at her in bewilderment as the other guard looked at his watch. "A couple minutes more and you would have been turned away."

Catching her breath, she grinned and fistpumped the air. "Totally worth the soreness than!" She cheered, earning amused looks from the guards.

"Do you know where to go?" He asked. At her nod, the guard added, "Make sure not to run, I don't think the gardners got all the ice covered in salt."

She nodded. "I'll be careful. I've been looking forward to this for so long, I'm not going to let it stop now. Thank you!" She bowed and quickly hurried up the path. 'Ahh, I'm going to need to buy a new umbrella. Of course, the little girl's smile is completely worth it.'

Looking around, she saw a bunch of cars dropping other examinees. A lot of them she couldn't see clearly, but two stuck out, both boys.

One was a redhead, his hair bright against the snow. The other had long strawberry blond hair. Him, she almost tripped after spotting him. 'The Jinguji scion?! Well, I guess even rich people want to become really famous.' Smiling to herself, she wondered as she entered after them into the building, stomping her feet to get rid of the excess snow. 'I wonder if they'll be accepted, as well as me. That'd be cool, especially if they have nice tones and, well, are nice.'

Looking around, she spotted a teacher, and after speaking with him, hurried to the classroom she'd be testing in. Taking a seat in the far back, she slid her coat and scarf onto the back of the chair. Her bag was placed to the side of the desk, a mechanical pencil and eraser placed on the desk. Linking her feet together, she straightened and faced forward, waiting for the examiner to pass out the test packets. The man began passing out stacks of booklets to the people in front as he explained the rules. She listened intently as she watched the people in front of her. Receiving the booklets, she placed one on the desk and passed the others back.

As soon as the examiner gave the word, she focused on the booklet, thinking fiercely to herself, 'Ganbatte!'


Eyeing the goat with an exasperated air, she placed her hands on her hips as she bent over to stare the creature in the eye. "Alright, Camel, you listen well and you listen good. We've already done this dance a couple times now, so why don't you be a sweetheart like Llama and let me clean you?"

The goat looked away, letting out a loud, bland-sounding bleat. "Bla-ha-ha-hah."

Her brow twitched as she shifted, ready to lunge at the goat. "Are those fighting words?"

There was a laugh from the porch and the girl and goat turned their heads in the direction of Nanami Aiko. "Darling, forget about washing Camel for the moment."

"Eh?" The girl blinked and straightened. She was a bit bewildered as the older woman was usually insistent on having the animals clean and healthy. "Gran? Is something up?"

"You've got a letter from Saotome Academy," Aiko informed her granddaughter, smiling at the nervous look on her young face. "Want me to read it out loud?"

The girl flailed for a moment before nodding nervously, kneeling and tugging Camel close into a hug.

"Dear Nanami Hikari, I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted as a full-time Composer and part-time Idol student…" The woman trailed off as she watched her granddaughter lose her mind in glee as she bounced around the small farmyard, Camel getting caught up in his owner's happiness as he bounced too, almost tripping Hikari a few times. Aiko read the rest of the letter, a wide smile forming as she looked over the list of requirements. "Hikari! That isn't all!"

The girl let out a loud happy laugh. "What else could there be?"

"Well, it says here that there's a uniform…." the woman answered, watching as the bouncing slowed, the joyful grin wavering slightly, "and girls have to wear skirts-"

"WHAT?!" Came the expected scream. Aiko watched in amusement as the girl tripped over Camel, unable to steady herself and-

Splash!

-landed in the bath she'd set up for Camel. Hikari spluttered as she wiped uselessly at her face, facing her grandmother with a panicked expression. "G-gran, that's not true is it?!"

The woman simply waved the paper in the air, chuckling when Camel jumped into the pool with his owner, soapy water smacking Hikari in the face again. "Sorry, darling, but I'm afraid it is."

A loud wail escaped Hikari as Camel splashed happily in the pool, unheeded by his owner's anguish.


"Hikari!" The girl turned her dark, peach colored head, smiling as she saw the redheaded girl, Shibuya Tomochika. "Hikari, we're in the same class together!"

They were at the opening ceremony, and Hikari couldn't be more excited to get started. The teen easily accepted the tackle-hug from Tomochika, squeezing the girl just as tightly. "What a relief! I was worried about not knowing anyone!"

Tomochika laughed. "I know, right? And you can call me Tomo-chan, ya know, since we'll be sharing a dorm."

A faint blush lit up Hikari's cheeks as she smiled apprehensively. "If you're sure."

They sat down and Hikari smiled when she noticed Tomochika looking into a compact mirror. 'That's right,' she recalled, 'Tomo-chan is going for a full Idol course. I wonder if those boys are going full Idol or Composer. I know the examiner said I was one of the few rare examinees going for a full course and half of another.'

Straightening in her seat, Hikari watched the stage with the other students.

"Well, everyone, welcome to the Saotome Academy Entrance Ceremony," the announcer said, voice echoing through the speakers. "First, we have an address from the headmaster." The man looked around, a bit puzzled. "Ah, headmaster? Headmaster?"

Hikari frowned slightly as she and Tomochika looked around. "You don't think the headmaster would be late, would you?"

"Well," the redhead started, hesitant, "I don't think so, but he is Shining Saotome. Who knows how busy he is?"

"Mm…" Hikari shifted in her seat, twitching as a laugh echoed throughout the area.

"Ha ha ha ha," it was deep, Hikari noticed absently as she shifted in her chair. "Anyone who doesn't know love, don't even think to speak of songs! Just leave here at once!"

"Wha…?" Tomochika began, sharing a bewildered look with Hikari.

"Over there!" Hikari heard a boy call out, and almost in sync, the students turned to look at one of the towers. Squinting slightly, her head tilted in confusion at the sight of a dark figure at the top. 'Dracula?'

"The beating of a heart is the first source of music!" The headmaster boomed, still laughing slightly. There was a loud chorus of panicked yells and screams as the man abruptly lunged off the tower, carrying something with him. Hikari noticed the weird mask as she clutched Tomochika's hands.

A slight noise of relief escaped her as she noticed a glint, slumping and loosening her grip on Tomochika. At the redhead's glance, she simply said, "Wires."

The man swooped through the air and hovered a bit in the air above the crowd and stage. People were calming down a bit, though some girls were still squealing. "Yes, my friends. The headmaster is me, Shining Saotome!" Everytime he bounced in the air, there was a faint twang! Music began playing, something that was lively as the man grinned at them. "Welcome to Saotome Academy, or rather, to this shining world!"

He whirled in the cloak after posing, releasing the staff and robe as he dropped onto the stage, striking a quick pose before dancing around. "Music is love!"

Hikari blinked a couple times, spotting the mic that appeared out of nowhere. "What the heck?" She wondered.

"Come now, soul! Enshrine it! Put your whole soul into the songs!" He crowed, picking up the mic and spinning it like a baton before slamming it into the stage. "Make your life bloom! Shine ever brighter, people!"

Hikari stared with an open mouth as he went up in the air again, with more wires attached to him. "Congratulations on your acceptance here," he added, making like he was walking in the air as he left, confetti poppers going off. "Thank you."

"That's the headmaster?" The girls shared bewildered, but excited looks as they focused on the stage again.


After the ceremony, they headed to the classroom they'd be spending a lot of time in. "I guess the school owes its existence to the headmaster?" Hikari half-stated, half-asked.

The redhead smiled and shook her head. "Kind of, it's more the super megahit song he sang. 'Owing to Love.' From what I heard, it sold 20 million CDs. It may have been more though."

"20 million?" Hikari echoed, eyes widening as she perched slightly on the desk, hands on both sides of her. "Woah."

Tomochika nodded as she closed her eyes. "Either way, from first to last, this school is first class." She flapped a hand, trying to emphasize it. Both reeled back when a redheaded boy suddenly moved into their space.

"Hey!" Hikari and Tomochika both shifted away, eyeing the teen with a wary look. "You're that girl, right?!"

He was looking at Hikari, who frowned at him in confusion. "What?" She asked, poking him backwards with her index finger against his chest as she straightened.

A slight blush came onto his face as he stepped back, rubbing his head. "Sorry. I just wanted to know if you were the girl doing the full Composer course and half the Idol."

Tomochika raised an eyebrow while Hikari shrugged. "Yeah, I passed the exam for both of them." She paused and frowned. "The examiners talked about it?"

He flailed his hands slightly. "Ah, only a bit. They just mentioned a girl who signed up for both. They stopped talking when they saw me though…" The boy wilted.

"Cherry?" Tomochika cut in, pointing at the redhead, who got a look of confusion on his face.

"Mhmm," Hikari hummed before holding a hand out to him. "Nanami Hikari."

"A-ah," he stammered, taking her hand and shaking it. "Ittoki Otoya, Idol course. And you?" Ittoki looked at Tomochika.

The girl smiled and shook his hand. "Shibuya Tomochika, Idol course. You can call me Tomo-chan if you want."

Ittoki grinned at them. "You can call me Otoya."

"Any variation of Hikari except Ri-chan is fine," the peach-haired girl said, hands linked together. Hikari got a slight smirk on her face as she snickered. At their looks, she motioned to their hair. "We're all redheads of a sort."

The other two snickered at the realization.

"ELIZABETH!" The shout startled the trio and they turned, blanching at the sight of a blond-haired teen rushing towards them. Hikari paled further when she saw his eyes on her. Panic filled her when she saw him leap into the air.

"Wha-?!" Not getting the chance to move, a hand caught her arm, spinning her out of the way. Chartreuse green eyes landed on cyan blue as Hikari steadied herself and watched in bemusement as the blue-haired boy elbowed Ittoki into the blond's way.

Hikari cringed as Ittoki yelped as he was tackled, the blond teen wrapped around him like some sort of octopus. "Get off of me!" The redhead cried, eyes shut as he leaned away from the blond as much as he could without falling.

The blond let out a slight noise before abruptly releasing Ittoki. The redhead flailed and Hikari, shoved past her savior and the blond, snagging Ittoki's arm while Tomochika caught the other one after seeing Hikari move. "Alright, Otoya?" Tomochika asked as the girls steadied him.

"U-un, arigato," he offered them both a shaky smile, which they returned before looking at the strangers among their group.

The blond was the first one she took in, wanting to know what he looked like before he went mental. He was actually nice-looking, with his green eyes and blond hair- no, Hikari, he just tried to tackle you, no- with glasses over his eyes. He was also quite a bit taller than her. The blue-haired teen was also a bit taller than her, a beauty mark resting beneath his right eye. 'Isn't he the Hijirikawa scion? There really are a lot of rich people here.'

Catching his eyes, she nodded her thanks and he tilted his head in acknowledgement. Meanwhile, Tomochika snapped at the blond.

"What was that about?" She almost hissed, eyes narrowed at the blond. "Someone could've gotten hurt!"

Hikari shifted slightly so she could easily move between her friends and the blond.

Said blond smiled a bit sheepishly at them, lifting a hand in Hikari's direction. "I beg your pardon. It's just, she looks so much like Elizabeth, I lost myself for a moment."

"E-Eli…?" Tomochika stared at him blankly while Ittoki frowned, looking between Hikari and the blond.

Said girl frowned. "I look like someone from another country?" She voiced the question they were all wondering.

"No," he said, shaking his head before smiling brightly. "Our family dog."

Hikari blinked before scowling heavily at him. "I beg your pardon?"

The blond recoiled at the sudden hostility coming from the girl, Ittoki and Tomochika sharing startled looks while the Hijirikawa scion watched with a blank face. "W-what..?"

"Is that you're round-about way of calling me a bitch?" Hikari moved closer to him, ignoring the way Tomochika and Ittoki were holding her shoulders. "I mean, a female dog is called a bitch after all." She bristled.

The blond shook his head fervently, arms forming an 'X' as he answered. "That's not what I mean at all! I just meant that you're adorable and tiny like Elizabeth! Ah, I'm Shinomiya Natsuki? I love things that are small and cute!"

Hikari eyed his hand before leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest. "Nanami Hikari. I have a goat who loves sampling clothes." She paused and eyed his body before smirking. "Camel especially loves silk."

The boy blanched and stared at her speechlessly. Tomochika snorted, covering her mouth. Hikari glanced at her. "Are you saying you have a goat named Camel?"

Hikari nodded and Ittoki choked on a laugh. "Why?"

"So I can say with a straight face that I got me a damn Camel," she replied before looking at Hijirikawa.

The boy blinked before turning his face away. "I'm Hijirikawa Masato."

Hikari hummed then asked carefully, "Do you mind if I call you Masato-kun?"

He glanced at her for a moment and nodded hesitantly. Ittoki butted in, bumping his shoulder lightly with Tomochika, earning a face from her. He simply grinned before looking at the blond. "Since you're Natsuki, can I call you 'Na-chan'?"

The blond blinked before pointing to himself. "Na-chan?" He echoed, staring for a moment before beaming. "'Na-chan' is cute, isn't it?"

Hikari and Tomochika shared looks before smiling. Hikari huffed a slight laugh while Tomochika giggled, bumping shoulders with Hikari. "And think, it's just morning."

Hikari let out a slight hum. "Guess that means we have more people to meet. Fun."

Tomochika snickered at her dry tone.

"Ne, Masato-kun," Shinomiya began, looking at him, "Mind if I call you 'Masa-chan'?

"Whatever you want," the bluenet sighed, turning and walking back to his seat.

Giggling slightly, Tomochika noted, "Masato-kun is kinda cute, ne?"

"Eeeh?" Hikari drew out as they all headed back to their seats. "Is Tomo-chan a gold digger, by any chance?"

The girl flapped a hand at her with a small pout. "That isn't what I meant and you know it."

The peach-haired girl simply giggled and winked at the darker redhead mischievously as she sat back down.

Snap!

They looked over at the windows blinking as the curtains closed. Multi colored lights lit up the ceiling and Hikari looked towards the front, hearing a bright and cheery, "Good morning-pu!"

It was a pink-haired man (Hikari would have mistaken him for a woman if it hadn't been for an ad on a plaza TV screen he was in with short hair) in a pastel-like yellow sweater dress with dark leggings, ankle boots finishing the look. "Okay, okay, minna, take your seats!" He called, smiling cheerfully at them as he clapped his hands slightly.

Hikari gave him a look over as she faced forward, other girls exclaiming over him. 'Tsukimiya Ringo, a crossdressing idol… I still can't believe he's a man. No man has really nice legs like that- dammit, Hikari, he's a teacher!'

She didn't realize that she'd zoned out and ignored his words, flinching when he abruptly slammed his palms on her desk. "Oi, are you even listening to me?" Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the dangerously lethal, but really cute pout on his face.

Flailing on the inside, Hikari blurted out the first thing that popped into her mind. "You're too cute to be a man!"

Ringo pulled back, baffled, while Hikari stared at him with wide eyes. A dark blush burned its way onto her face and she simply buried her face into her desk, letting out a strained whimper when she heard Tomochika burst into a fit of giggles.

Hikari had to resist the urge to run when she heard other classmates begin to giggle.


"Waah, between the entrance ceremony and homeroom, there's a strong impression!" Tomochika exclaimed, stretching her arms up as they entered the Great Hall. "Almost too much to take in!"

"Speak for yourself," Hikari sighed, rubbing her cheeks. "I didn't get any of it."

The dark redhead giggled, taking a look around so she wouldn't see Hikari pout. "And this place is huge. Hope I don't get lost."

"That's what people said about the Titanic," the other girl drawled.

Tomochika's shoulders shook before she faced the front. "Heh, anyway, what are you gonna eat? I'm gonna get a hamburger."

Hikari hummed, eyeing the options. "Maybe something with chicken?" She voiced aloud. "Ooh, they have fries!"

"Oh yeah, can't forget the card." Tomochika said, almost making Hikari run into her as she pulled a card from her pocket.

"Oh, yes, almost forgot about that." They shared faces at that before smiling. Hikari startled when she felt something bump her shoulder from the back. Looking over her shoulder, she frowned.

It had been (yet another) blond teen. He wore a hat, almost the same height as her, not in the usual uniform, and a spiked bangle on his arm. The teen offered a sheepish smile before turning his head and scowling at a tall, strawberry blond haired male. "Oi, Ren, watch it! I almost knocked her over!"

Hikari sweated slightly at the description. 'He didn't bump me that hard… ah! It's the Jinguji scion! Apricot-san!'

Said male smiled apologetically, and dare she say it, a bit flirty at her. "Sorry about that, little lamb. I didn't mean for Ochibi-chan to bump into you."

'Little lamb?' she thought in bemusement, shifting away from the smaller blond as he exploded at the taller blond.

"Don't call me Ochibi-chan!" The smaller blond snapped. "My name is Kurusu Syo!"

Her brows went up at their interactions, eyes watching as the taller blond turned to her, smile becoming more flirtatious. "I wonder," he mused aloud, "do you think us meeting is fate?"

Hikari adopted a flat expression as Tomochika appeared beside her, a puzzled expression on the girl's face. Hikari offered her an apologetic smile as they heard someone cut in.

"A flirt as always, I see," Masato said as he walked up behind the girls. Watching him, Hikari saw something on his face before disappearing quickly behind a stoic mask. Sharing a look with Tomochika, the other girl had clearly seen it, too.

"And as always, you're a stiff," Jinguji retorted with ease as he walked closer.

"Apricot-san is Jinguji Ren?" Tomochika asked softly, leaning closer to Hikari. At her nod, Tomochika hummed before murmuring, "I wonder what their history is?"

"Dunno… Jinguji has a lot of fans, though," Hikari noted as the two scions spoke to each other. "And it's only the first day."

"Yeah… it's like a cat fight," Tomochika mumbled, leaning into Hikari slightly.

Hikari nodded her head. "Yeah, and apparently, I'm going to be the one clawed."

"Eh? Why?"

Hikari pointed to the tray in Tomochika's hands. "We need food, too."

"Oh, right. Want me to grab a few seats?"

"Yes, please."

Tomochika slipped away while Hikari moved forward and latched on Masato's arm, surprising the boys. "Masato-kun, have you gotten your dinner, yet?"

"Huh?" The bluenet, stared at her in confusion. "Ah, no. Why-?"

Not letting him get the chance to speak or squirm away, Hikari tugged him back to the line. Absently, she noticed he wasn't fighting her much. "Great! That means we can eat together with Tomo-chan! I was thinking of getting yakitori and fries. Maybe a lemonade?"

"Do I get a chance to speak?" Masato managed to cut in, stopping behind her in line.

She craned her head to grin at him impishly. "Only if you can! Carrying on, do you think we have to come back for desserts? Maybe I should get green tea? So many options to choose…"

Masato chuckled, lightly tugging his arm free as she bounced in her spot. "I would think we'd have to come back after for dessert or go to the school store. If you're planning on tea, why not wagashi?"

Hikari paused in thought before shaking her head and continuing to bounce. "Nah, I'd feel like I'd need to participate in a tea ceremony."

"Is that a bad thing?" Masato asked as they moved up a bit.

"Huh?" Hikari looked at him in confusion and shook her head. "No, but I wasn't really raised in a fully formal setting, so it'd be a bit weird and hard for me."

"I see…" He murmured. "I think I'm know what I'm getting."

"Oh?" Hikari voiced, glancing at him and noticing how Jinguji and Kurusu were a few people behind them, staring. Ignoring them, she turned to the server and smiled, pulling her card out. "Hi, can I get a serving of yakitori and fries, with lemonade?"

The woman nodded, pressing buttons on the device she was using. "May I get your card?"

Hikari passed it over, asking curiously, "Do we have to come back for dessert?"

Another nod. "You'd have to order it with your meal and come back to receive it. What would you like for dessert?" Hikari retrieved her card.

"A small kakigori dish with orange slices and tapioca pearls, please." She waited a bit before reaching up for her tray, smiling at the woman. "See you in fifteen! Masato-kun, I'll wait for you."

The woman smiled back, glancing at Masato. Hikari moved out of the way, heading to the back and bypassing Jinguji quickly. She didn't have to wait long for the boy to join her, a slight frown on her face. Looking over, she could see Jinguji staring after the other scion. Absently shifting to get between them, Hikari pointed out Tomochika for the bluenet.

They made their way easily through the crowd and seats. Hikari spotted Otoya with Shinomiya. Straightening to her full height, she saw a head of bluish-black past them and alone. Strangely, it seemed familiar to Hikari, but she couldn't place it. Pushing it to the side, Hikari set her tray down across the empty seat beside Tomochika. She sat down next to Masato.

The redhead looked between them, chewing on a fry. Tomochika swallowed and leaned towards Masato, catching their attention. "Ne, Masato-kun, are rich people parties as boring as they seem?"

Masato blinked at her in surprise before his face relaxed and he set about eating his casual kaiseki meal, answering lightly, "They are exactly as they seem."

Hikari frowned as she picked up a skewer. "How come you have melon bread?"

He glanced at her, swallowing a bite of rice. "They come prepackaged."

Hikari huffed, a bit miffed at the thought of having to get up when he didn't have to. "That's not fair at all."

Tomochika snickered at her, earning a pointed finger from the other girl.


Sticking her tongue out, Hikari carefully pressed the pin through the poster and into the corkboard she'd placed on the wall. Checking that it was smooth, she heard Tomochika sigh gustily and a small pompf. Pulling away from the wall, Hikari looked over at Tomochika and smiled at how her face was smooshed against the bed, resting her hands on her pillow. "You okay, Tomo-chan?"

"Today wore me out…" the redhead mumbled.

Hikari hummed before focusing on the masculine features on the poster, eyes narrowing and lips turning up into a determined grin. 'I'll do my best, Ruka-chan!'

"Say, Kari-chan," Hikari blinked at the new nickname as she turned to face Tomochika. The redhead was sitting up and clutching a pillow to her chest. "About the poster…"

Hikari let a crooked smile form. "Let me guess, you want to know why I've got a poster of Hayato?"

The redhead nodded, resting her chin on the pillow. "You don't really seem like the kind of girl to like an idol like him."

"That's because it's not me who likes him," Hikari said, smile warming. "It's my cousin."

"Cousin?"

"Yeah, a while back, Ruka-chan had gone into the city from the country, which to her was like a major culture shock with the huge amount of people and pollution. Her health didn't help." Hikari grimaced, remembering how Haruka had said she'd nearly had a panic attack in the middle of the city. "Hayato was the one to bring her back from the brink. She said she wanted to come here, to learn to compose for him but there was an incident and she was unable. I came in her place."

Tomochika furrowed her brows. "I'm sorry, this may be because I don't have any relative close to me, but I don't really understand."

"What, why I would come here for her?" At Tomochika's nod, she shrugged. "Ruka-chan is like my sister. Hayato gave her a purpose to leave the countryside, one that she couldn't fulfil. Ruka-chan… she's special. Since I've got the ability to compose, I decided to come here to find a way to thank Hayato. I just need to figure out what kind of songs would fit a comedic and frivolous idol." Hikari sighed and slumped against the wall. "I'm more for songs that aren't comedic though… I'm so screwed, Tomo-chan!"

With a slight wail, Hikari dropped onto her bed. Tomochika giggled. "I'm sure you'll do okay. I mean, he's got some songs from the time of his debut that were stirring."

"Hmm… maybe." Hikari sat up. "Do you know where to find those CDs? Ruka-chan could only get the recent few."

"I have no idea, you may have to use the internet," the redhead answered, dropping her pillow and standing up with a stretch. Tomochika offered her a soft smile. "You're lucky, though, to have a grip on a goal you can believe in."

Hikari smiled lightly, glancing at the poster. "Un." Her shoulders drooped after a moment. "We should probably unpack since we have class tomorrow." They shared looks of despair.

"I'm going to focus on my clothes… at least we only need a notebook and pencil for the first week." Tomochika sighed.

Hikari nodded in agreement. "Not to mention bath stuff. I've also got a few picture frames to put up along with whatever odds and ends I might have packed."

The two set out, finding the boxes containing what they'd need for at least the next week. Hikari could hear Tomochika muttering grumpily as she shifted through her boxes, letting out happy noises when she found something.

Hikari herself quickly undressed and got into her lazy clothes (which also functioned as sleepwear). Eye mask settled around her neck, she pulled books out on composing and history of composers. There was the device she had for her music (it was a baby version of a mixing console from her uncle) which she set down on the left side of her desk. The middle, Hikari decided, would be for when she was writing down the songs. Thumping her writing utensils on the left, she also squished in some of the notebooks she'd already doodled in beside the printed books. Eyeing the shelf, she snapped her fingers and looked for the box containing the handkerchiefs Haruka and Aiko had made her. She found not only the box, but also the cord for the console. She stared at it in bewilderment, treating it like a snake. 'I could have sworn that was in my electronic box.'

"Hey, Kari-chan!" The peach-haired girl looked at the redhead, her head tilted. Tomochika looked done and Hikari's lips twitched. "You want a drink?"

"Drink?" The girl echoed, looking at the cord and then beneath the desk. Hikari grimaced. "Yes, please."

The redhead bounced to her feet, abruptly cheerful. "Great, I'll buy us something!"

Hikari watched in mild amusement as the redhead ran from the invisible hellhounds. Dropping the cord on top of the desk, Hikari got up from her kneeling position and snagged a handkerchief, falling onto her bed and pressing it to her face, eyes closing. Breathing in, she could smell hay and lavender, with hints of faint bluebell and just plain grass. Everything that reminded her of home. Opening her eyes, she stared at the ceiling in thought. 'I wonder if Tomo-chan would be okay if I asked Gran to send us flowers for our balcony?'

"Mrrow."

Hikari blinked at the ceiling. '... please tell me Tomo-chan doesn't have a creepy sounding cat doll. Please, please, please…'

Rolling off the bed, Hikari landed awkwardly on her feet and hands, handkerchief left on the bed. She eyed Tomochika's stuff, frowning when she noticed nothing shaped like a cat the redhead's side of the room. Turning her head, she looked at the boxes before shrugging and turning to her bed and freezing. Heart skipping a few beats, Hikari stared into bright green eyes settled in a dark face. A scream caught in her throat until she realised it was just a normal, black cat. Legs giving out, she plopped on the floor and swore at the cat. "Little shit…"

The cat tilted it's head at her, green eyes unblinking.

"Where the hell did you come from, Akuma-chan?" She pondered, staring at it as it glanced at her handkerchief. Her jaw dropped as it stared between her and the fabric piece. She breathed out, "You wouldn't…"

Stepping lightly on her bed, the cat seemed to ask, 'Whatcha gonna do 'bout it?'

The girl shifted, eyes narrowing as the cat bit the handkerchief, lifting it up. Hikari lunged, the cat dodged and went quickly towards the balcony. She squawked in protest, watching blankly as the cat disappeared from side. Resisting the urge to screech, Hikari straightened and shot out of the room, heading for the stairs. Thankful she'd shoved her hair into a bun, Hikari launched herself over the railing, twisting and bending her knees as she landed on a step. Hurrying towards the entrance, Hikari took the stone steps two at a time.

Exiting the building, Hikari looked around, slipping her hoodie on quickly. To the left, she caught sight of white. Head moving, Hikari noticed with slight relief that it was the cat. Jogging quickly towards the cat, it moved off towards the large pond. Hikari followed it in the direction of the gazebo. Breathing carefully, Hikari stopped and looked around. "Little Akuma-chan, where are you?" The words were accidentally laced with danger, not that Hikari cared.

Spotting white, a relieved, huge smile spread as she squatted and plucked it from the ground. Folding it gently, she slid it into her hoodie pocket.

Rustle rustle rustle

Flinching, Hikari lifted her head and glanced towards the bushes. Tugging her hood up over her head, Hikari watched as the boy from earlier, with the black-blue hair, walked from the bushes. Verdant eyes widened as they took in the side profile. 'No way… he already debuted, right?'

He knelt beside the water. Hikari glanced around, double-checking that no one was nearby before focusing carefully on him. She walked closer, lowering her hood (no need to surprise him), letting her feet make noise on the dirt path and grass. "Hayato-san?"

Her voice was light, but he clearly heard her since he lifted his head and faced her. His features resembled Hayato's really closely, despite the features being stoic.

Hikari paused a few meters away. "Are you Hayato-san?"

His eyes closed and he shifted his head away. "I'm Ichinose Tokiya." It was stated flatly, cold. Hikari stepped back with a small frown, which only deepened as he stood and continued. "Please refrain from confusing me with that shallow dullard, Hayato."

Light brows furrowed as she stared at him in bewilderment, body tense. But Hikari didn't get the chance to say anything further.

"HA HA HA HA!"

Even Ichinose was caught off guard.


Ahahaha, would you look at that, yet another plot bunny! (Author spies something off to the side, recognizes it as a KnB plunny- Author kicks it away forcefully) So, as it turns out, Author really shouldn't read fanfics containing a fandom not related to the one being currently written (Author finds it hard to regret). Expect sporadic updates for everything