Me: Okay, today we'll make a trip back in time, up to seven years before the beginning of the series!

Yuma & Kotori: *stares silently at me*

Me: What the...

Akari: They're upset with you for some reason.

Me: *understands and nods* Okay... this story is very lighthearted, so I think it's worth the K+ rating. Actually, it's a kids story. Enjoy!


Today was the first day of school in Heartland City.

And for the 6-years-old girl named Mizuki Kotori, was the first day at the Heartland Elementary.

She was currently dressing in her room. She was wearing a light yellow dress with a white tied scarf on the collar. Her shoes were tufted and pink, each tied by a red ribbon. Her mid-long green hair flowed freely on the right side of the head, but on the left one they were tied up in a bun by a big orange ribbon, matching with her big hazel eyes. To complete the outfit, a pink fluffy handbag hung on her left hip.

She heard a knock from the door of her bedroom, and her mother entered with a smile on her face. «Honey, are you ready?» she asked. The child smiled brightly and nodded. «Yeah! » The mother took her daughter's hand. «Let's go then. »

. . .

«Are you sure you know where is your class? » Mrs. Mizuki asked worried. There was some confusion, and she was a little afraid that the girl would lose herself. Kotori nodded. «Yeah mommy!» The woman ruffled her daughter's hair. «Do not forget: look if in your class there is a boy named Tsukumo. He is the grandson of a friend of your grandma.» Kotori nodded again. «Okay mommy! See you this afternoon! » she said, before she bolted in the building.

. . .

The classroom was crowded with children, and Kotori was sitting in the central rows. –I wonder who will be my first friend. And who among them is Tsukumo?– she thought.

The door opened, and a woman around her 20-30s entered in the classroom. «Good morning miss teacher!» said all kids together. The young woman seated at the desk and smiled. «Good morning class! I'm miss Takuma!» [AN: I don't really know from where this comes from. It simply popped out in my head while trying to think to a japanish surname.] She clapped her hands. «Who's the first one that wants to present itself?»

A boy who sit right in front of Kotori suddenly slammed his hands on his desk and stood up, stunning everyone.

He was wearing a red jacket over an orange t-shirt. A strange gold pointy thing dangled from his neck. His hair was spiked and coloured dark blue with two pink bangs pointing upward. His big red eyes shined with enthusiasm. «My name is Tsukumo Yuma, my dream is to become a Duel Champion!» he shouted loudly. Kotori's eye widened.

«Hey, you...» called out another voice. Kotori turned, and saw an overweight kid with a pinkie in the ear. He wore large pants with braces, a orange t-shirt, and a red reversed hat. He had spiky black hair, but less spiky than Yuma's, with a green topknot.

«Are you really that good at dueling?» asked the big boy. Yuma gasped and looked away. «Although I haven't won a duel for even once...» he grumbled. The entire class burst into laughs, except the teacher, who just giggled, and Kotori, who sweatdropped instead.

«Are you stupid? Hahaha!» laughed the weighty kid.

Kotori didn't laughed. She felt sad for Yuma.

. . .

The bell rang, signalling the end of the morning and the beginning of the lunch hour.

Some of the children started eating in the classroom, other ones in the hall. Kotori noticed Yuma running out of the classroom, and decided to follow him.

«Hey, look! He's Mr. "I wanna be Duel Champion but I never win"!» taunted a kid, making the others laugh. «SHUT UP!» cried the young Yuma, hiding behind a corner. «Hahaha! He's a chicken!» they said, walking away.

Kotori carefully approached to the corner where Yuma hid. «Are you alright?» she asked. «Go away...» was the reply. Kotori didn't obeyed, but instead seated next to him. She then put a hand on his shoulder. «You shouldn't listen to them.»

Yuma didn't replied, and continued to eat his meal silently and staring at the floor. «You're Yuma Tsukumo, right? I want to be kind with you.» He looked up at her. «I don't remember your name... it's maybe Odori?» The girl giggled a bit. «No, silly! It's Kotori. Kotori Mizuki.» Yuma's eyes lit up. «Now I remember! You're the granddaughter of the friend of my grandma!» Kotori nodded. «Yes! Nice to meet you!» The two shook their hands.

Yuma looked embarrassed and began twiddling his thumb. «I would never have imagined you were so... pretty...» he said nervously. Kotori blushed slightly and giggled again. «Well... thank you... actually, you're really pretty too...» she admitted.

Yuma grinned, and stretched his hand. «You are very likeable! Do you want to be my friend?» Kotori smiled, and shook his hand. «Yes! You're my first friend!» Yuma pouted slightly. «Really? A girl like you with no friends?» Kotori nodded. «It's a pity. Anyway, you're my first friend too!» They both grinned. «We'll be friends forever!» they both said.

«Hey Kotori, do you think we'll marry when we'll be adults?» he suddenly blurted out. Kotori blushed again. «Now you're going too fast!» She playfully smacked his arm, making him chuckle.

Then, Yuma noticed the boy who teased him in the classroom. «Hey you!» The boy turned, and grinned. «Ah, you! What do you want?» Yuma smirked. «I challenge you to a Duel after school! So I'll avenge myself you for what you said!» The rounded kid grinned. «Deal. By the way, I'm Tetsuo. And I'll crush you!» he said, walking away. «We'll see!» Yuma replied.

«Yuma, can I come to see?» asked Kotori. Yuma turned to her and grinned. «Sure! It will be fun!» They both laughed.

. . . 7 years after . . .

Yuma and Kotori, now 13 years old, were on the roof of the Heartland Academy, holding each other's hand. «Yeah, the good old days...» he said, wrapping his arm around her.

Kotori smiled and leaned against him. «So, since we've already spent an afternoon together at my house...» She moved her face in front of his, blinking flirtatiously, «...can I come to your house today?» she asked sweetly. Yuma grinned widely. «How could I say no?» The two then shared a deep kiss.

From afar, the rest of the Numbers Club watched them. Useless to say, the boys were pretending to throw up, while the girl was scowling. «I would never have said that Yuma could be so sugary...» muttered Tetsuo. «To summarize, my theory is, having no parents to love, Yuma has accumulated inside himself all his affections, and now that he finally has someone on which dump them, he's letting them out all at once.» explained Takashi. «I wonder what they're blubbering about, ura...» mused Tokunosuke. Cathy said nothing, her face shadowed.

Near them, Rio sighed. «They looks so cute together!» she squealed. Shark grumbled. «Oh come on, Ryoga, I know you want a girlfriend too!» Shark tched. «Shut up... it's disturbing...» Rio smirked. «You're only jealous because Yuma found his soulmate before you.» Shark groaned. «Oh, please... you don't really think I'm like that, do you?» Rio giggled. «I think you only need some love.» The girl hugged her big brother. «Well, I wouldn't mind another girl doing all what I want...» he murmured. Her eye shot opened and twitched.

The next thing the purple haired teen knew was a strong aching in his head and Rio holding one of her shoes. «Male chauvinist!»

Apparently, the other must had noticed the two bickering siblings, because they were all laughing.


Me: I think Kotori's sentence was enough vague. I tried to make this work with the canon, so I put their grandmothers as already friends. Besides, about the marrying, you know, children tend to exaggerate. :P

Akari, Mrs. Mizuki & Rio: *hearts in eyes* SO CUTE!

Takashi, Tokunosuke, Tetsuo & Shark: *makes faces*

Yuma & Kotori: *simply snuggles to each other*

Me: So, well, since I messed up with my grades this year, I have to study for all the Christmas holidays. And this means that you probably will not hear me often, until January.

If you didn't read "Naughty Dreams", I'll repeat myself: there is a poll on my profile about my next multichapter fiction. Again, vote if you liked "The Different Dimension Hunter". Bye bye.