Chapter 1

Kosuke's P.O.V.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I roll over in bed, groaning at the sound of my clock's bleats. The numbers 7:45 stare at me in red, teasing me out of bed. I slap my hand down on it, almost sending it crashing to the floor. I toss back the quilted covers and fling my legs across the side of the bed, stretching my arms and arching my back. I move my aching legs across the floor to my bathroom and close the door behind me.

I stare into the mirror, and my reflection stares back at me, from my bony hips to the top of my head. My skin is pale, not exceedingly or unhealthily so, but pale. My candy apple red hair is even redder against it. My hair used to be light brown, like my mother's, but one day, at a Halloween event at which I dressed as the Little Mermaid, I dyed my hair this color and kept it such. My mother never complained once. People occasionally tell me and my family that we are beautiful, but I think I'm more unconventional than attractive. I'm a bit on the thin side, with a banana-shaped body and a B-cup chest. My ankles and wrists are bony, and I have no noticeable curves. My nose has a thin bridge and there's an indent of a scar at my hairline. But I suppose my eyes are pretty, a bright aqua color with thick lashes.

My name is Kosuke Nakahara, and today is the day I begin attendance at Ouran Academy as a first-year student. Last month, one of Mother's work friends had given her a brochure to the academy (apparently, his son attends there as well.) Mom thought this would be a good 'change of scenery' for me and, as of yesterday (after unpacking the last box of snow globes), we had officially moved.

I had mixed feelings regarding Ouran. It seemed nice, with a long list of great clubs and classes to partake in, but I was concerned about the people there. I had an impression that the students were a bit…self-absorbed? I mean, the brochure had its motto on the front: Lineage counts first, wealth a close second.

Oh, and there's one slight detail to add my attendance at Ouran:

I'm going as a boy.

I have been to two other schools in my lifetime. My first school, attending since Kindergarten, was fine, I suppose. I associated with other children during recess and participated just as much as the others. I had three friends named Molly (from America), Chuntao (from China), and Ryou (from Japan itself). My mother was offered a new job offer a few cities away, forcing us to move slightly closer. This school was not as welcoming. Most of the students were well and fine. Many girls were nice to me. Some boys, as well. I had perhaps one actual friend, Nozomi and Miori. I sat with a single group during lunch, although I did not say much. I dyed my hair while I was there, and more than one person was questionable about it. There was no rule stating against bright hair dye, but I was the only student with dyed hair. There was one group of students who were relentless to everyone, and I was no exception. They called me "Apple". I…didn't think that it was very creative, but I never spoke against it.

My mother was offered another job a few weeks afterwards. It was a step down from her current one, but she accepted.

Anyway, Mother thought that dressing like a boy would be good new start for me. Of course, when she told me, I thought she was MAD. What kind of mother actually suggests that her daughter cross-dresses as a boy? But she was quite serious.

I'm not upset. I don't blame her for worrying about me. I've just never been the same ever since…

First (after brushing my teeth and combing my hair thoroughly), I wrap my chest in gauze to hide its size. In the end, the bandages are very tight, like a bodice, and my breathing is a bit more challenged, but I'll be perfectly fine. Next, I grab my colored contacts and put them in. Not that the contacts are particularly necessary, but I'm sure they add to the illusion, and either way, if I were to be in public as a girl, then my eyes would be too distinct to deny. The contacts are deep red, not like blood, but more like rubies. Hopefully, with these and my pale skin, I'll come across as albino, or something of the like.

Next, I pull on my uniform: a pale blue blazer over a white button-up shirt, and a pair of black trousers. Over the left breast of the blazer, the Ouran seal is stitched into the fabric. Completing the uniform is a black tie with a vertical purple stripe.

"Kosuke?"

I pull open the door to see my older sister, Honami. Honami is ridiculosuly beautiful, with long, wavy black hair and our mother's grey-blue eyes. Her skin, much like the rest of our family's, is pale and flawless. Her full lips, long lashes, and hourglass shape make her look like a 'queen,' as my little sister Minami would say. She's wearing the female uniform, a long, pale yellow dress with a high neck collar and turn-up sleeves, white stockings, and brown-helled Mary Janes. And while she looks good in it, I'm happy I don't have to wear it. Honami will be attending Ouran with me, as a second-year student.

"Are you ready for me fit your wig?" she asks, holding up a leather suitcase and a head model wearing a pale blond wig.

"Yes ma'am, just a moment, please," I say, pulling on my loafers.

For the next ten minutes or so, she's expertly putting on my new wig. Honami is studying to be a cosmetologist, and she's taking weekly classes. I've no doubt she'll be one of the worlds best when she graduates.

When she's done, I look in the mirror. The wig I'm wearing is short and pale blond, with parted bangs. I was worried it would look very faux, but it actually looks real. I tug on it, and I'm surprised to find it securely kept in place.

When I look at my face, I'm shocked. In actuality, I've only had four changes to my appearance: a wig, colored contacts, a boy's uniform, and some chest bindings. But now, I am a believable male. My lips and eyelashes are feminine, but do not give it away.

"You make a cute boy," Honami beams, closing her suitcase. "You're going to have to beat those girls off with a stick."

"With my luck, I've no doubt," I sigh.

"Come on, breakfast's ready."

I nod and follow her downstairs. Mother is in love with Victorian-styled houses, so that's the kind of house we currently live in. The manor is three stories high. The bottom floor consists of the living room/entertainment room, the kitchen, the dining room, and the laundry room. The second floor has all five of our rooms, side-by-side, each with a bathroom, as well as two other bedrooms. The top floor consists of one bedroom, the attic, and the sun-lounging room. The pool house is outside, along with the tennis court, outdoor theater, garden and zipline. A few of our workers live in the small house near the tennis court. Honami and I step down the winding staircase into the dining room, where an okayu-and-nori awaits us.

"Good morning!" Our little sister, Minami, cries from her seat. Minami is probably the most adorable child to have evr lived. She looks just like Mother, with silky, pale brown hair and big, grey-blue eyes. She has her hair in its natural ringlets, pinned back with a pink, mouse-shaped hairclip. Being seven, she'll be attending Ouran Elementary, and she's now wearing the pink dress that serves as her uniform. She looks adorable in it, and the mouse-shaped clips on her Mary Janes match the clip in her hair perfectly. Did I mention Minami is obsessed with mice? She's carrying her orange-green-and-blue plaid blanket that Grandma Nakahara gave her as a first-birthday gift. When she sees me, her eyes go big and her lip trembles. Tsugaka, one of our kitchen maids, quickly lifts her plate and moves to bring in the next course before she begins to cry. "Where's Kosuke?"

I chuckle and walk over to her, ruffling her hair. "I'm Kosuke. I'm just dressing up for school, remember, Little Mouse?"

At the sound of her nickname, Minami pounces on me in a hug. "Oh yeah! I forgot!"

"Oh, sweetheart! You look so adorable!" Suddenly, a wild Mother appears and uses Glomp on me. Its super effective and I lose my balance for a moment. Mother is forty-five years old, and she doesn't look a day older than Honami. Mother has straight, pale brown hair usually kept in a bun and sparkling grey-blue eyes, with not-too-thin lips and high cheekbones. I inherited her slightly thin lips and thin nose bridge. She's in her usual working clothes: a lavender blouse and a grey pencil skirt, with grey heels. Mother works at the nearest Nakahara Catering Company building as a director.

"I'm glad you like it, I suppose." I gasp out, my face going blue as she squeezes me hard. "Mother. My lungs are giving out, please release me."

"Oh, sorry," Mother chuckles and lets go of me, and I take a deep breath of air. Honami chuckles and Minami giggles loudly. Mother steps over to the staircase and calls, "RITUKO! COME DOWN OR YOU WON'T HAVE TIME TO EAT BREAKFAST!"

A muffled grunt is all that replies from my older brother from the next floor.

We all sit down to the table, eleven seats remaining, and begin to eat our breakfast. As the chefs give and take our plates, Mother showers me in reminders for my school-life as a boy:

1. Don't join any sports clubs. (for more than one reason)

2. Stop by the bathroom at least twice a day to make sure everything's in place.

3. DO NOT date any girls.

4. DO NOT date any boys.

5. Don't tell anyone you're a girl. If they find out themselves, we'll find out what to do.

And so on, so forth.

Just as we begin to take up the dishes, Rituko comes stomping down the stairs. Rituko will be attending as a third-year at Ouran, and his uniform matches mine perfectly. Rituko is really cute (or at least, I think he is, the attraction doesn't work for me since I'm his sister) with shaggy black hair and aqua eyes that match mine perfectly. He's the tallest person in the family, well over six feet tall.

Mother sighs as he walks in, "You just missed out on breakfast."

"I'll just take an apple," Rituko says, grabbing a fruit from the cornucopia atop the table. "It's already 8:15, anyway, so we'd better get going."

"All right, family, move out!" Mother orders army-style.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" We all salute her and walk out the front door, the maids giving us our book sacks and whatnot, and make our way to the awaiting limousine. We all enter and wait patiently. As Mother talks into her phone, one of the small televisions begins to play Minami's favorite show.

A few minutes later, I look over at Minami, who's looking scared and anxious, not paying any mind to the television. "Little Mouse, what's wrong?"

Minami looks up at me, and then stares down at her feet. "I'm just scared of going to school, it's full of strangers."

"Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet," I smile at her.

"But you and Mommy always tell me to stay away from strangers."

"Well, I—uh...wh...touché. But listen, if you promise to be brave today, we'll play whatever you wish, alright?"

At that, Minami brightens like a light bulb. "Alright! I promise to be brave!"

When we pull up at the school, I'm pretty sure each of our jaws drop, except for Mother's.

The academy is a palatial landscape with towering pink towers of cathedral fashions. Each building is lovely and hand-carved from exquisite artists. Crystalline pools of water spout sparkling streams of water in the air. Students walk by in yellow sundresses and navy suits. The students walk to and fro to their opening classes. The academy is solely from a tale book.

As we drive down the paved loop-around driveway, Mother smiles at us. "If you get lost, don't worry, they won't count you late on your first day. Just ask someone for directions and you should be fine. Have a nice first day!"

Honami and Rituko step out of the limousine, and just as I stand, Mother says, "Oh, and Kosuke?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"The principal is the only one here who knows you're a girl. But other than that, none of the teachers know, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," I nod, and then I smile down at Minami encouragingly, "Be brave, Little Mouse."

"You too, Kosuke!" Minami beams.

I smile and shut the door, and the limousine drives off. With a deep breath, I look around me at the campus. I know I'm in Class 1A, so if I find out where that is, all I have to do is stay there, and I should be able to get my schedule and luckily, a map.

As I begin to walk into the building, I notice two things:

The first thing is that quite literally every student is beautiful. The females' hairs are flawless and neat, their bodies of Greek goddesses, skin flawless and angular. The males are tall and neat, their chins high. They carry senses of bureaucracy and confidence.

The second thing I notice is that almost all of the students (mostly females) are staring at me. Every time I pass by a group of girls, I can hear whispers and giggles behind me. I attempt to avoid direct eye contact, looking straight ahead, but I know my hands are trembling. Was my disguise not good enough? Did they know I was a girl? Did they think I was a cross-dresser, or an outcast?

Or both?

Taking my chances, I approach two girls talking to each other. One of them has auburn, waist-length hair and emerald green eyes, and the other has a black bob-cut and deep sapphire blue eyes. Again, they're highly attractive. "Excuse me?"

They both stop talking to look at me, and I believe I hear them take in sharp breaths. Oh cripes, they probably thought I was an abomination. "Yes?" they both asked.

"I just arrived here a few minutes ago. Could one of you please show me the way to class 1A?"

The girls glance at each other, wide-eyed, before they both turn to me, smiling brightly.

"Sure!" the bob-cut one chirps. "We both can!"

"I'm Misora Kobayashi," the green-eyed girl beams, "And this is Chiyo Mizushima."

"What's your name?" Chiyo asks, and suddenly, they both look very anxious to listen to me.

I hold out my hand, saying, "My name is Kosuke Nakahara. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Chiyo and Misora lean into each other, whispering and then giggling under their breaths. Then they both take turns shaking my extended hand. Misora says, "Here. We'll take you to Class 1A." She and Chiyo hold out their right hands for me.

I politely take them, saying, "Thank you very much, I greatly appreciate it." I think I see their faces tinge pink.

As we walk, Chiyo turns to me and says, "Me and Misora are in Class 1B."

"So what got you into class 1A?" Misora asks.

"My family owns the Nakahra Catering Company. The principal invited my siblings and me to attend here at Ouran." I reply.

As we walk for the next few minutes, Misora and Chiyo tell me about themselves. Misora is an only child who's parents own a five-class restaurant in town, and Chiyo has three older brothers and parents own the only animal hospital in town, and her extended family owns animal hospitals all over the world.

Now—in case you haven't already assumed—I have been considered as a ridiculously polite person, calling every girl 'ma'am' and every boy 'sir', no matter how old they were. Minami is the only exception. And it seemed whenever I called Misora and/or Chiyo 'ma'am,' they giggled and turned pink.

We finally reached the door to Class 1A. Inside, the students associated quietly. "I greatly appreciate your help. It was very nice to meet you both."

I wait a moment, to see if they were going to say 'bye' or 'see you later,' but instead, they looked at each other, nodded, and Misora asks, "Kosuke, would you like to eat with us at lunch?"

I'm taken by surprise for a moment, but then I smile softly and reply, "Yes, madams. I greatly appreciate the offer. Goodbye."

"Bye, Kosuke," Misora and Chiyo chirp, before walking away, giggling and pink-faced.

Uh-oh...

Pushing the ridiculous thought from my mind, I push the door open and step inside.

At first, everyone only glances at me and goes back to talking.

Then they look back and fall silent.

"Oh," the teacher stood and gestured a hand towards me as I closed the door. "Class, this is Kosuke Nakahara. He's new here, so I expect you all to be on your best behavior and help in any way possible." She opens a drawer at her desk, shuffling through it. "Kosuke-kun, if you would please come over and sign a few things, I can give you your new schedule."

"Yes, ma'am," I say, and I step over to her desk.

As I begin to sign my name onto a sheet of paper, whispers and giggles fill the air, following me all the way to my seat. As I sit down, I can only think, Maybe this won't be so bad...