In past years, he had tried to gain respect by following everyone else's rules. Dress like they do. Eat what they do. Hang out where they do. Wear what the kids on TV wear. This year, Aoba was not going to gain popularity by being just like everyone else. He was going to be cool - the kind that no one recognizes at first. He had spent a good few days on the computer over the summer looking for everything he would need to gain people's attention. His allowance was not very high, so he could only afford one thing to start off the new year, but this would be enough.

It was sleek. Bright. Beautiful. No one had ever heard of it at this school - they wouldn't know where to find it. Jerry Blaine was some new designer, and Aoba had gotten his hands on one of the jackets in his "Blaine Nuts" line. It was popular among college kids. That's how he knew it would make him so cool that he might even be unappreciated in his time. It may have been too hot to wear in September, but he didn't care. As he pulled it on in front of the mirror in his bedroom, he felt like nothing could stop him. The people at school wouldn't even know.

"Aoba! What's taking you so long? You're going to be late!"

"Fashionably late!" he retorted. His grandmother hated when he did stuff like that. Her comeback was admittedly impossible to argue with: "The bus won't wait forever," she said. Aoba rushed downstairs and didn't bother giving her a kiss. That was for toddlers. He picked up his white and electric blue backpack and headed for the door. His grandmother's nagging voice made him stop in his tracks when she asked, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

She gestured to a form by the front door. It was Sei - his hypochondriac of a twin. Sei was seated on the wooden floor, struggling to tie the laces on one of his black boots. He was entirely absorbed in the act.

"Granny, we're in eighth grade. He can walk by himself to the dumb bus," Aoba complained. Granny Tae pushed her eyebrows together in frustration. She put her hands on her hips.

"Aoba Sera-"

"That's not my name anymore."

"I am not calling you that silly nickname. It sounds like a hooligan street rat," Tae barked. She pointed at Sei and added, "Help your brother and walk him to the bus."

Sighing as loudly as possible - the effort he put into it was truly a force to be reckoned with - Aoba knelt down in front of Sei and finished tying his stupid shoe for him, then helped him stand. The things he did for this stupid kid. Most of the time, he felt like he was the older twin.

"Thank you, Aoba," Sei said and clung to his hand, even as they walked out the front door. Probably every single kid on the bus could see. They looked like such dorks. Aoba couldn't even let go because Granny was watching from the window. As soon as they reached the bus, however, he pulled his hand out of Sei's flimsy grasp and left that sucker in the dust. By the time he picked a seat, Sei was just reaching the top step at the front of the vehicle.

"Dude, he has a condition." Mizuki gestured with both his hands as if it would make his argument any less lame.

"Yeah. It's called being a baby." Aoba replied. "He just acts all wimpy so I'll hang out with him and walk him places."

Mizuki was unconvinced. He gave Aoba the I-can't-believe-you-right-now look. He shook his head disappointedly and argued, "It's a legit medical thing, Aoba. He was in the hospital a while back, remember? Why are you suddenly bothered by it? You used to piggyback him to school because you were worried he would get rocks in his shoes."

Oh God. So embarrassing. He wanted to hide even though no one was listening. Mizuki was one of the few people Aoba could actually call cool, but sometimes he could be a drag. Seriously- who brings up elementary school stuff anymore?

"Okay, but that was a long time ago. He's old enough to take care of himself now. I can't let him depend on me forever. I'm being a good brother through tough love, see? He'll thank me someday," reasoned Aoba. His legs were crossed on his desk. Not very comfortable because the desks were somewhat small, but damn, did he feel cool. When the teacher walked in he was told to put them down. He did, but rebelled by sitting in his seat sideways instead of facing the front. Mizuki stopped arguing with him since the teacher started to call roll. When Aoba's name was called, he did not answer. The teacher looked directly at him and called it again, expecting an answer. None was given.

"Aoba, is there a reason you want to be marked absent?" the teacher asked. Aoba raised his eyebrows inquisitively. This was it. Time to make himself known. The new Aoba would be born in this moment. His title of Coolest Kid in Midorijima Middle School was so close he could taste it. It tasted like the pancakes Granny had made that morning.

"My name isn't Aoba," he said simply.

"Then what do we call you, not-Aoba?"

Silence spread through the room like a plague. Students turned their heads to stare at him. Take a good look, everyone. They were in the presence of a legend. He grinned and slacked in his seat, keeping eye contact with the teacher as he gave out his new identity.

"Call me Sly Blue."