Disclaimer: I do not own POT. If I do? I will give Atobe-sama more exposure! LOL

Author's Note:This is my first story.

Prologue

The War Begins

It was the beautiful month of May. The season of spring has just begun. Full bloomed sakura flowers spread fragrant scent all over the place with the cool and refreshing spring breeze.

Spring is Cassie's most favorite season, particularly Japan's spring .She missed it so much. Three years ago, she studied middle school in Milan and lived with her Italian grandfather and Japanese grandmother. Her mother was born and raised in Italy. When her grandmother asked for her to stay with them, she fulfilled her wish to ease her longing with her deceased mother. She had fun staying with them and she also loves Italy but deep inside her heart Japan is still her home country.

Riding her sleek black limousine, Cassie is on her way to her new school; Hyoutei Gakuen. With a smile plastered on her lips, Cassie watched the scene outside the car's window; sakura flowers are falling down from the trees branches and the usual sheer crowd walking down the street, mostly students clad with their respective school uniforms. The weather is great, the sky is so blue with magnificent huge cumulus clouds.

The raven haired girl rolled down the car's window and let the cool spring breeze touch her face. She closed her gray eyes and breathes in the sweet scent of the sakura flowers. She missed everything in this place; the weather, the culture, the breathtaking sceneries and especially her loved ones. She insisted to go back and continue her studies in Japan to her beloved grandma. Of course, her grandma was sulky about her decision at first but the old lady still approved of her choice after exerting all her convincing powers on her.

She opened her eyes again and closed the window. She took a glance at her wrist watch; she only have ten minutes before the classes starts.

"Are we there yet?" She asked the chauffeur, her voice a little irritated. Her heart was full of excitement today but if she'll be late on her first day, of all days, it'll be a disaster!

"We are almost there ojousama," the middle aged man answered.

After a few minutes, they finally reached the gate of Hyoutei Academy. The chauffeur opened the door for her and she moved out from the car gracefully. Cassie slung her signature shoulder bag on her forearm and clutched her books against her chest. "Have a nice day, ojou-sama," her chauffeur told her.

Cassie smiled at her ever reliable chauffeur. "Arigatou."

She glanced through the crowd of students walking inside the school grounds. With their looks, most of them are evidently from the upper class of society and there are also smart-looking scholars. Wait a minute, why am I wandering around? I'm almost late! After realizing it, she hurriedly marched toward the high school department. After a few moments she finally found her classroom, class 1-A .Thank Kami-sama that she's not late on her first day.

Cassie was eager to enter the room but to her disappointment, there are two boys blocking the doorway; busy talking to each other like they don't care with anyone else around them. These guys don't even have manners. Didn't they know that it's rude to block the doorway? she thought.

One of them has a bit long dark blue hair and the other one has purple-gray hair. She can't see their face clearly because they were facing each other, she just caught a glimpse of their side views.

She crossed her arms and cleared her throat. "Excuse me? Can you move a bit because you're blocking the doorway," she said in an authoritative tone.

The Hyoutei Tennis club didn't win at the National Tournament on their last year in middle school. Their team captain, Atobe Keigo, was really determined to win this time. Now they wanted to dominate the High School Tennis circuit. Atobe was discussing his plans with Oshitari about the High School Boys tennis club outside Atobe's classroom when they suddenly heard an authoritative female voice reprimanding them.

"Excuse me? Can you move away because you two are blocking the doorway."

Both of them turned their head and face the owner of that voice. The girl has gray eyes, her with long and thick lashes. Her long black hair with perfect big curls at the end falls freely across her back. She's fair and has natural red and slightly pouted lips. Yes she is indeed prettier that the others but she is just another pretty face. This girl dare to talk to ore-sama in such unpleasant manner, she should pay.

Oshitari adjusted his eyeglasses. He was surprised by the way the girl talked to Atobe. He knows what will be his reaction. No one dared to talk to him like that.

Who is this girl who dares to talk to ore-sama that way,Atobe thought.

The two boys faced Cassie, both of them possess handsome faces, but she thought that the one with purple-gray hair with a tear mole looks hotter than the one with eyeglasses. Yes, she was stunned by his looks but she should not be blown away with just good looks.

The guy with the tear mole spoke, "Who are you to talk to ore-sama like that?"

He's so arrogant! And addressing himself as ore-sama, I should fight back. Minami Cassandra never accepts defeat." And who are you to ask me who I am?" she said and raised her one eyebrow.

"What-" the guy was cut off when the bell rang as signal of the start of the classes.

"Excuse me," she said and slightly bumped the arrogant guy. She sauntered inside the classroom and figured out that most seats are already occupied...that's what she get for arriving almost late. She looked around and saw a vacant seat at the back. She walked towards the unoccupied seat.

Her gray eyes gazed back to the doorway and saw the purple-gray haired boy walking towards her direction, wearing a smirk as he looks at her. She just raised her eyebrow at him. The guy walked past her seat and took the seat beside the window.

A woman entered their classroom and greeted all the students. She looks young but she was their homeroom teacher.

"Ohayou!" the teacher greeted cheerfully. "I'm your homeroom teacher, Haruna Kyoko. Most of you look very familiar to me because I also teach in the middle school of our Academy but there are also some new faces who studied from a different middle school. Since this is just the first day, let's start with introducing yourselves." The young-looking sensei smiled warmly at the students."Please introduce yourselves and come here in front, let's start from this row." Haruna sensei motioned the row near the door.

The students started to introduce themselves each; some are shy but most are cheerful. Most of her classmates are really from the upper class of the society as how they introduced themselves. The girl sitting in front of her just finished and now, it was her turn. She thought that she must give a good impression. Cassie stood up and walked with confidence and poise. She faced the class and gave her million dollar smile. "Hi, my name is Minami Cassandra but I prefer to be called Cassie. I am the youngest child of Minami Souji of the Minami Group of Companies. I hope we can all be good friends. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." She bowed her head lightly.

Almost all students were done with the self-introduction, except for one. "Okay, so seems everyone had introduced themselves shall we start the lesson?" Haruna-sensei said.

Cassie raised her hand. "Yes, Minami-chan?" the sensei asked her.

"Sensei, there's a student who hasn't introduced himself yet," she said and looked at the direction where the guy he encountered earlier was seating.

The teacher looked at the purple-gray haired boy.

"It is simply because everyone already knows ore-sama," the guy said, still sitting on his chair coolly, arms crossed against his chest.

"Is that so? But not everyone knows you, because I don't know you," she said with narrowed eyes. This guy is really annoying!

"If that's the case, ore-sama shall introduce myself to you. Ore-sama is Atobe Keigo," he said proudly.

So he is the infamous arrogant heir of the Atobe Empire, richest family in Japan. "It's so nice to meet you, Atobe Keigo," she said with sarcasm and flashed him a fake smile. She doesn't like people with such arrogance.

Since the first day of school, Cassie hated Atobe. Despite being arrogant and pompous, he is the most sought after student in the school.

Ever since she was a little girl, she is the center of attention; always the most popular among everyone else. This is the first time that someone is more popular than she is and better than her in academics. She can't accept the fact that someone is better than her, she was never a second best. This is the very first time and she hates it!

It was lunch break and Cassie was with her new found friends, having their lunch in the cafeteria. The girls can't get enough of Atobe, they were always talking about him. She was tired of listening to the topic of their conversation whenever they are together, Atobe, Atobe always Atobe! Her ears were irritated with just the sound of his name!

"Oh Atobe-sama," said Hikari and glimpse at the table occupied by Atobe and his friends. "He's so charming, I just love him." Hikari sighed dreamily.

"Please look at me..." Miyabe heaved a sigh. Atobe glanced towards their table as if he heard Miyabe. "KYAH! He's looking at me!" Miyabe shrieked and buried her face against her palms.

"Are you blind? He's looking at me, didn't you see?" Hikari told Miyabe with a scowl. Miyabe looked up and started arguing with her friend.

"He's looking at me!" Miyabe declared.

"No, he's looking at me. Why would Atobe-sama look at you?" Hikari said sarcastically.

"Because I'm pretty, prettier than you, my friend," Miyabe stated matter-of-factly.

Hikari snorted. "Did you look at yourself on the mirror?" she asked. "Maybe not, because if you did you won't say that lie. You know that I'm prettier than you." Hikari mockingly covered her mouth as if startled and point at Miyabe's face. "Oh my! Your nose is starting to grow longer!"

Miyabe grimaced at Hikari.

"Please stop arguing," Cassie cut them and rolled her eyes. "What did you like about him?" her two friends stared at her gave her that you-don't-know-why look.

"Cassie-chan, don't you see that he is so handsome!"Miyabe said with wide eyes.

"And don't forget, he's hot and athletic, he is the reason why we joined the tennis club during middle school," Hikari added and Miyabe nodded vigorously, agreeing to her best friend's statement.

"Okay, I know that he is so handsome and totally hot but don't forget that he is arrogant, pompous and self-centered. He is a 'walking ego'. Why do you praise him like he is a God?"

"Walking ego?" the two girls said in unison.

"Yes. A walking ego. He is the most egotistic person I've ever met," Cassie said to her friends who looked horrified with her given title to their Atobe-sama.

Miyabe and Hikari looked at each other and both of them just shrugged. "We just don't care about his attitude,"Miyabe said.

"Or being a 'walking ego,'" Hikari added.

"All that important is he is our king," the two stated together and giggled. Cassie can't help but rolled her eyes.

Biology class.

The topic was about genetic engineering. The sensei asked the students about their views and opinion about genetic engineering and cloning.

"Genetic engineering is a very big help to mankind. It helps us in agriculture, industry and in medicine. With cloning, we can use this to reduce the number of endangered species. This science must be implemented," Atobe answered when the teacher asked him, he did not bother to stand up as he recites. Cassie scowled. He's really conceited!

"Any other opinion?" their sensei asked. "Yes Minami-san," the sensei called Cassie when she raised her hand.

Cassie stood up and spoke her opinion, "I am so against genetic engineering and cloning, man has no right to manipulate the laws and course of nature. God created these creatures so why don't we just let them be."

"But we have to admit that we really need genetic engineering nowadays. Let me give some examples of the greatness of it. With genetic engineering agricultural crops can increase the growth rates and even resistance to different diseases," Atobe stated.

"That's my point, why should we have to improve those crops? I don't think it's necessary because our ancestors survived even without this genetic engineering," she reasoned out.

"Then go back to stone age," he said with a smirk.

"What?" she asked with a knotted forehead.

"You must accept change, lady. It's the new trend. If you stick to that belief of yours, you should go back to Stone Age," Atobe told her, still wearing a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know why I am so against genetic engineering and cloning? It is because I can't imagine a world with another two or more Atobe. Shocks I don't think I can live with that; two or more Mr. walking ego? O-M-G." she said with a naughty smile.

"What did you say?"Atobe asked her, his voice seems infuriated.

"I'd rather live in stone age than living in a world with more than one Mr. walking ego."

The other student just kept silent while they were arguing. Luckily the bell rang and that made them stop.

Saved by the bell.

The preliminary exam was finished. Cassie studied hard to make sure that she will be the top one. For her, the test was a piece of cake. She was scanning the bulletin board for the result of the exam and she was expecting that she will be ranked first. Her eyes widened when she read the name of the rank number one, it was Atobe Keigo and she only ranked second.

"What! I can't believe this!" she almost screamed.

"As expected, ore-sama is number one," a familiar voice that annoys her said from her back.

Cassie's blood was boiling, she can't accept this defeat. She was never defeated in the rankings, not even once. She spun to face the owner of that voice. She placed her left hand on her waist and chinned up." Atobe Keigo, a.k.a. Mr. walking ego, I swear, I will definitely beat you next time! You'll stoop down from your pedestal, remember that," she declared to him with confidence.

"Ore-sama will be waiting, gutsy lady," Atobe smirked

Cassie glared at him. How dare he call her gutsy lady. "Gutsy lady? How dare you call me that!"

"Ore-sama will call you whatever names ore-sama wants. Gutsy Lady is perfect for you because you're only all guts and courage, nothing more," he said matter-of-factly.

"No guts, no glory. I'd rather be a gutsy than being a 'walking ego'" she said with a grin.

The other students were stunned by the aura of these two students, both with pride. The Hyoutei Academy will never be the same again.

A/N My OC Cassie may seem to be mary sue in the first few chapters but as the story progress you will see her other side and imperfections.

Hope you guys like it, please leave a review! Arigatou!