初日

First Day

Hi people! Since my first Bleach story "Memories of an Angel" hinted that Michiko had a relationship with both Kusaka and Toshiro, I decided to write a fanfic on it. If anything is unclear, please go to my first story if you need clarification.

It was the first day of school. Toshiro arose early and hastened to change into his uniform. Knowing that Michiko was to become a Shinigami soon, he hoped he would run into her there at the Shino Academy. He slung his book bag over his shoulder and bid his grandmother a farewell before hurrying off.

###

Meanwhile, Michiko was already prepared. She had been to the academy before, but she was attending strict private classes because of her rank of nobility, so she would have to repeat her first year. This would be the first time she could attend classes with other students. She was outside giving her usual prayers to her parents' graves. She looked down at the two granite headstones instituted from the ground. Miharu Michishige and Hideaki Michishige, a former Shinigami; those were the two names that were engraved on those two pieces of stone. She had been taken care of thanks to the hospitality of Captain Ukitake and the others of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Still, she had no gotten used to the fact that she could never see them again.

"Michiko are you ready, you'll be late if you don't go now." She heard Ukitake call out from the estate owned by the Michishige Family.

"Sorry, I'm coming Ukitake-Ojisan." She said, snatching up her bag and rushing back inside.

"How do you feel Michi-chan?" he asked, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Just fine Ukitake-Ojisan, why do you ask?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "No reason. Oh I forgot to tell you, you're cousin Yoko's here. She said she was really excited that you'd be attending school with her, so she rushed just so she could walk with you." He explained. They walked a little more and heard rapid footsteps.

"Michi-chaaaan!" They heard someone shrill loudly. She looked and saw her cousin sprinting towards her at break neck speed. She looked a lot like Michiko. Her hair was styled almost the same way except her hair was indigo black instead of blue. Her blunt bangs were clipped to the side by a red barrette. Besides that (and the fact that her body was more curvaceous than Michiko's flat board features due to her age) they looked like fraternal twins, rather than cousins.

Yoko pounced on her tiny doll like cousin, wrapping her arms around her small shoulders and embracing her tightly enough that Michiko felt like she'd die from the lack of air.

"I-it's good to see you too, Yoko-chan." She managed to say. "Ouch, uh, you're hugging me too tight, Yoko-chan." She told, gasping for air.

"Sorry Michi-chan, you're just so cuddly!" she exclaimed, hugging her tighter and burying her face between the crook of her slender neck.

"Well you better get going you two, school starts soon. You don't want to be late on your first day." Ukitake interrupted.

"He's right and thus let us head off!" Yoko exclaimed.

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The melodious chime of the academy's carillon rung out, signaling the short amount of time the students had left to head into class. Michiko clutched Yoko's hand tightly, in fear that her tiny doll like self would get carried away by the sea of jostling freshman, seniors, and students of many years. Yoko continued dragging her cousin to their classroom when she saw a familiar face strolling down the corridors. It was a fairly tall freshman who had his blackish purple hair tied back and his bangs coming down to the side of his face.

"Kusaka-kun!" Yoko bellowed out joyfully. He turned around, forced a meager smile and attempted to continue walking. Great, not her again he thought. Michiko felt her hand slip out of her cousin's. She ran to him.

"Hey, didn't you hear me, Kusaka-kun?" she asked, beaming a wide happy grin.

"Oh, hi, Michishige-sama." He greeted back with a lack of enthusiasm.

"What's with the formal greeting and honorifics; I told you can call me Yoko." She said. Afraid that she would get lost without her guide, Michiko slipped past many taller students. Suddenly she felt herself slam in to someone.

"Hey are you…?" Kusaka began asking. Suddenly he found himself smitten and silenced by the little girl that stumbled into him. She was almost half his size if not less. Her brown eyes were big and childlike and she had a faint perpetual blush airbrushed on her lightly tanned cheeks. Her blackish blue hair on the other hand was frayed and loose; nevertheless Kusaka couldn't find the right words to describe her. The word cute didn't suffice.

"H-hey are you alright?" he asked, offering her his hand. She looked up and rested her small hand in his.

"I'm so sorry about that." Michiko lamented as he helped her off the ground. He smiled at her.

"It's okay." He was about to ask her for her name when suddenly the final bell chimed away. Yoko yanked the dollish Michiko by the wrist.

"See you later, Kusaka-kun!" Yoko bellowed as she dragged Michiko away. Kusaka finally snapped out of his daze when he felt a passing student bump into his shoulder. Dammit, that girl must've been wearing a magic charm or something he thought to himself as he ran towards his classroom.

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It was his first day; he knew that teachers would look down on him if he was late. Toshiro ran dashed down the halls looking for his classroom. He looked at the writing on a piece of paper he scrawled on earlier and looked at the classroom sign. 4-A the advanced class. He halfheartedly opened the door. Thank heavens he came in seconds before the late bell rang. When he entered the classroom silence abruptly fell. He was expecting such a reaction. All the kids in his neighborhood were afraid of him or thought he was weird; because of his snow white hair, because of his lustrous turquoise eyes, and mostly because of his distant and icy mannerisms. He scanned the classroom, looking for her but Michiko wasn't there. Perhaps they had been separated once again. The silence was broken by a breeze of quiet chatter and mousy whispers.

Unlike many of the students who gawked at the fair haired boy, Kusaka paid no heed and kept his nose buried in his book. Yoko began pestering him by jabbing her pencil relentlessly in his shoulder. At first, he tried to ignore her, hoping she'd stop soon. But it became evident that she wouldn't stop until he gave her a little attention.

"Will you stop that!" he demanded, turning in his chair and yanking the pencil out of her hand. "What is it that you want anyway?"

"Did you see that knew kid? He's so, so…?" her words were curtailed when she couldn't find the right word.

"So what?" he asked.

"I don't know; he kinda reminds me of Michiko because of his shortness and cuteness, but then again his details are so unique that I'm speechless! You must have a word to describe him right? Since you're such a little genius." She rambled, kneeling on her chair, reaching over and pinching his cheeks.

"Ow! Ow! Don't touch me, Yoko." He said harshly, swatting her hand away.

"Just give me a word dammit!" she pleaded. He stole a quick glance over at Toshiro, who was looking for a place to sit. Yoko was right, his features were rather unique than odd. Kusaka tried to find the words to fit him. He began mumbling a few words that came to mind.

"I… I don't really know. Rare, unique, distinguished, incomparable…"

"Uh, I only asked for one you dictionary." She teased. He was still staring blankly at the boy. "Why are still staring at him?" Yoko caught his gaze and sneered wickedly.

"Don't tell me, you're smitten, infatuated with the new kid!" she presumed hastily with glee. He snapped out of it and his face was reddened.

"Shut up Yoko! It isn't like that. Everyone else is staring at him too you know." He denied in a flustered manner.

"There's a difference between gawking and staring my dear Kusaka-kun." She vexed with a wink. He glowered at her. The quiet chatter was ceased when the teacher dropped a book on his desk to gain their attention.

"Silence class!" his voice boomed. He then looked down on his roster. "Hitsugaya Toshiro, please take a seat. You may sit anywhere you like." He said. Toshiro kept looking around. Yoko suddenly sprang up and shot her hand up in the air.

"Sensei! Kusaka-kun and I would be delighted if Hitsugaya-san sits with us!" she bellowed out. Kusaka's blush returned but scantly.

"Go ahead." The teacher permitted. Toshiro walked through aisles between the desks and made his way towards Yoko and Kusaka. Eyes followed him. He then heard a snicker behind him.

"Hey I wouldn't sit behind Kusaka-san if I were you. You might not be able to see the board." A student teased.

"How did a little kid like you get into the advance class? You sure you're not looking for an elementary school?" another taunted.

"Everyone be quiet! I wouldn't be so smug young man. Hitsugaya Toshiro entered this class with the highest grades." The teacher belittled. Everyone was silent.

"Whoa, he topped even Kusaka-kun?" Yoko asked, making a cutesy puzzled look, resting her forearms and her chin upon Kusaka's head. The teacher nodded. She then smiled broadly and radiantly, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a tight squeeze.

"Heh, hear that Kusaka-kun you finally have a rival!" she said gleefully.

"Yeah, yeah now let me go already Yoko." He said, squirming about a little so she could release him from her grip.

"Alright now everyone take their seats so class can begin." The teacher ordered. "I am your teacher Masanori Daisuke. Welcome to the advanced class freshman…" With that the chatter ceased and Toshiro sat behind the Kusaka's row and a few chairs away from Yoko. He was sitting seldom to himself. As the teacher began his introduction lecture, Kusaka looked over his shoulder and caught a glance of Toshiro. He didn't know why but he really wanted to get acquainted with him.