Chapter 1

10th grade was supposed to be hard. Touya leaned back in his chair, balancing his scale on a finger, bored. Class had yet to start and he could see his classmates cramming for today's quiz. He closed his eyes in relief. He was so glad he had studied this chapter in advance. He studied his reflection in the window next to him, pointedly ignoring the three girls looking at him and giggling. Uncomfortable, he was about to take out his book and pretend to start studying when the class door opened and the homeroom teacher walked in.

Mr. Tobari cleared his throat and the class settled down, "I would like to introduce a new transfer student. He will be joining us from today and I expect you guys to be accommodate him."

He looked towards the door, expectantly. One beat. Two beats. He cleared his throat, awkwardly, "Mr. Tsukishiro. You may come in now."

The door opened slowly and silver haired boy peeked in, "May I enter?"

Touya's eyes met his and widened. There was something odd about this boy.

"Yes." Ushering him to the front of the class, Mr. Tobari smiled at him, "Introduce yourself."

The boy smiled, a sweet, unassuming smile, "My name is Yukito Tsukishiro. I hope to be friends with all of you. Please take care of me."

He bowed and then looked up at the teacher, expectantly. Mr. Tobari looked around the room and his eyes settled on the vacant seat next to Touya. "You may sit there. Now class, where were we last?"

As he droned on, Touya's fist clenched. There was a shadow lingering behind the new boy, as if firmly attached. As he approached his seat, Touya had to force himself not to move. It was not just a shadow but an entire being with the purest wings.

Yukito sat down and looked over at Touya, immediately aware of the stare and smiled cheerfully. Touya didn't reply in kind. He was too busy staring at the angel that slept peacefully at the boy's back. He seemed to be floating, his wings closed. Long silver strands of hair glimmered in the sunlight, allowed in the by the window. Eyelashes closed, lips parted softly and skin so translucent that Touya was scared the angel would shatter if he touched him. Yet the boy remained completely oblivious to his guest.

Assuring himself that the angel was deep in slumber, Touya studied his new classmate. Short silver hair, pale skin, soft brown eyes which were staring at him, dancing in merriment. Touya jumped in surprise, making his chair scrape against the ground, making a loud screech.

"Mr. Kinomoto!"

"Sorry. Sorry."

He glared at his silver haired neighbor who was chuckling at him. Cheeks dusted with a faint blush, he looked down at his book, refusing to look at the source of laughter. However, he couldn't stop sneaking glances at the boy. Who, also, kept looking in his direction, and smiling whenever he got caught.

The lunch bell couldn't ring soon enough. As everyone grabbed their bentos and made for the door, Touya closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down. There was something about his new classmate which made him feel weird. And he couldn't explain it.

"Hi."

He looked up to see the silver haired boy staring at him. He had turned his chair and was straddling it, his curious gaze on Touya. He stuck out his hand, "I'm Yukito. Yukito Tsukishiro."

Touya studied the hand warily before taking it, "Touya Kinomoto."

Yukito smiled, "Yes, I know. I read it on your book."

"Oh." Touya couldn't find anything to say.

"Listen, um, I don't know anybody here, and so," Yukito took a deep breath and rushed forward, "WouldYouLikeToShareMyBentoWithMe?"

Touya blinked, "What?"

Yukito pushed forward his bento, "My bento. Would you like to share it?"

He wanted to refuse. Something about Yukito put him on edge. But when he saw the hopeful look in those brown eyes, he couldn't find it in himself to say no.

"Yeah, sure." He smiled.

Yukito sure ate a lot. Touya watched him, his own meal forgotten. He was at such ease with himself,

"Why do you stare at me?"

Touya blushed at the curious question, "No reason. Let's just eat."

"We're friends now, right?"

Touya choked on his rice ball. Yukito dropped his chopstick and thumped him on the back, "You okay?"

Coughing, Touya raised his eyes to meet a pair of dark brown ones, bright with concern. He nodded and drank some water to ease the burning in his throat. Breathing hard, he waved his hand, "I'm fine."

"Was it something I said? You got so worked up."

Touya glanced at him and was silent for a moment, "Stop worrying. I just choked. That's all."

Accepting this explanation, Yukito packed the empty bento and put it aside. He flopped onto the ground, his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. "This sure is a nice place. A little different from what I had imagined."

Touya couldn't help but be drawn into the conversation, "Yeah? Where you came from, is it different?"

"We lived on a farm, but we had to sell it for some reason."

"We?" Touya asked, curiously.

"Yeah," Yukito mumbled, sounding sleepy, "My grandparents. I live with them."

"What about your parents?"

Yukito was silent for a moment and Touya wondered if he had fallen asleep, "I don't know. I never met them."

A silence ensued till Yukito spoke, "I've never had a friend before, so thank you."

Those earnest brown eyes met Toya's startled ones. It was hard for the brown haired boy to think that Yukito had never had a friend.

The question blurted out before he could stop himself, "Why didn't you have any friends?"

Yukito smiled and shrugged, "I never left the farm. We didn't meet many people."

They sat in comfortable silence and Touya stared at his new 'friend' who stared at the sky with such a wonder in his eyes. He was strange and the first person Touya had ever been comfortable with aside from his father and Sakura. The words slipped past his lips before he could stop himself, "You're my first friend, too."

Yukito didn't look surprised or shocked. Instead, he beamed at Touya as if he had just shared a delightful secret with him.

A soccer ball flew from the trees and headed straight for Yukito. Without a second thought, Touya stepped in front of his friend, and caught the soccer with both his hands.

"Touya! Are you all right?!" Yukito jumped to his feet and rushed towards him. Two guys ran out of the bushes and their eyes widened, "You okay?"

"Yeah." Touya dropped the ball to the ground and kicked it towards them, all the while gritting his teeth against the sting in his hands.

"You're not okay. Let me take a look at your hands." Yukito grabbed his wrists and studied the redness of his palms. Worried, he looked up at Touya, "This must hurt."

"It's not a big deal." Touya tried to pull his hands away but to no avail. Yukito had a surprisingly strong grip, "Let's go to the infirmary."

"Yukito, I'm fine."

Added to that, he was stubborn as well, and two minutes later, Touya found himself sitting in the infirmary, his hands being tied with gauze.

The nurse smiled at him, "Just don't go around catching any more soccer balls, Mr. Kinomoto."

A faint smile and glower at Yukito who just smiled back, "Can we go now? We're late for class."

"Yes, of course. Hurry back. Here, take this note."

Thanking the nurse, the two ran towards their class and as they entered and apologized to their teacher, Touya was aware of the stares and whispers.

'Kinomoto is friends with the new guy?'

'Woah. When did this happen?'

"Do they know each other from before?'

Awkward, Touya tried to ignore the whispers till Yukito passed him a note.

'Is it so strange for you to have a friend?'

Touya crumpled the note and then after a second thought, smoothed it out, and wrote, 'Apparently so.'

He could see Yukito try not to laugh and it somehow made him feel a bit lighter, more relaxed.

After school, as he was unlocking his bicycle, he noticed Yukito walk towards a black one. "Where do you live?" he called out. Yukito pushed his cycle towards him and pointed in the same direction where Touya's house was, "The Rosendi Place."

Touya frowned, "It's pretty huge for just three people."

Yukito grinned, "That's what I said but Grandpa liked it."

"I'm going in the same direction. Let's go."

The rode their bikes in silence which was comfortable in an odd way. It felt like they had known each other for ages. The afternoon breeze was light and cool, and the sakura petals danced in the wind, creating an illusion of peace and tranquility.

"This place is just beautiful." Yukito breathed.

"Yeah." Touya nodded. "Wait till you see our Autumn."

Yukito beamed at him. However his smile faded as he reached his destination. The house was dark, none of the lamps lit.

"They haven't reached yet." He said, sadly.

"Who?"

Yukito parked his bike, letting it lean against the fence, "The movers. They were supposed to put everything in by the time I got home. They didn't want me under their feet."

He sighed and put on his helmet again, "I guess I'll go have dinner outside."

Touya grabbed his wrist, "Come to my house. My dad and my sister are there. You can have dinner with us."

Yukito hesitated, "Would that really be all right?"

Touya smiled kindly, "Of course it will. Let's go."

A.N: This was LONG overdue! Somebody needed to write this DOWN! This is going to be about how Touya and Yukito met, became friends, fell in love. Sit tight for the ride.