CHAPTER ONE
Lovely Cursed

The MOON, who is caprice itself, looked through the window of a young girl's room and said to herself, "I like this child." And softly she descended the staircase of clouds and passed softly through the window panes. Then she stretched herself over the young girl with the tenderness of a new mother and laid her colors upon the child's face.

That's why the pupils of your eyes have always remained so colored, Kozue.

It was while contemplating this visitor that your eyes became so strangely enlarged; and she clasped your neck so tenderly that you have retained forever the desire to weep

&-&-&-&-&-&-&-&-&

"Ah, Mr. Sohma. I'm relieved I've found you."

The low, masculine tones of the familiar voice made Yuki turn away from the billboard, shifting the stack of fliers beneath his arm to compensate for the motion. A few slipped free and floated to the floor, rectangles of pale blue line pools on the white linoleum. He knelt to retrieve them, catching the last before it was scattered off down the school hallway by the breeze that passed in through the window.

"I'm sorry, have I disrupted you?"

"Not at all." Yuki rose to his feet, straightening his uniform jacket and managed to muster a polite smile that he felt to wary to give. "Is there something I can help you with, Head Teacher?"

Yamaguchi-sensei patted his brow with a square of linen, bestowing on Yuki that radiant good humor he only shared with the top students. A shallow mad who worried more for grades then students, he wasn't one the cursed boy admired but authority was authority.

"Yes, actually. I have a favor to ask of you."

Somewhere the bell rang, signaling the start of classes. So, he was late again. It had become a trend, arriving to classes after the bell. Ever since he took over a student council president.

"Yes?"

"There's a new student arrived. Well not new exactly. You see, she transferred out some time ago in order to attend a more prestigious private academy. However her family is having a bit of trouble so she's been re-enrolled in the school again. I'm the sure the adjustment will be a bit hard for her. I'd appreciate if you'd keep an eye on her."

"Does she really need help if she's attended this school before?"

"She's a very special student, you see. Possibly a genius in fact, I'm sure she'd benefit from association with someone of her caliber, if you understand." A painfully conspiratorial smile.

So that was it.

"Yes, Head Teacher."

"Wonderful, wonderful. Well, I won't keep you any longer. Do your best."

Yuki stared after his retreating back; face a mask as expressive as the chiseled features of a statue. Do his best? An ostentatious man. He put up the last of the fliers then went to return the stapler to the store room before making his way back to class. Already fifteen minutes into homeroom.

"Yuki, you're late." Uehara-sensei's voice held some measure of exasperation, frowning at Yuki were stood, framed in the classroom's entrance.

"I apologize." He bent his head with proper humility, lifting it on the teacher's sigh.

"I suppose. Please take a seat. As I was saying, please welcome Amatsuka Kozue. She's just transferred to our school." Yuki's progression to his desk came up short at the announcement. The transfer student? He turned to glance back at the girl that stood by Uehara-sensei's side. "Her mother is laboratory technician. I hope you'll all be courteous and make her feel at home."

The hair that waved and curled over her face was the color of molten copper, thick and hanging like a lion's mane to the back of her knees. She was fine boned, slenderly made and on the tall side, nearly meeting Yuki's own 5'7. Her skin was luminous pale and when she lifted her head her hair slid back to reveal her eyes to be equally sallow. A glacial silver, nearly colorless in pigmentation. Dahlia lips quirked into some imitation of a smile.

"Pleased, to meet you all."

"I heard she's got an IQ of two hundred."

"You're exaggerating, Saki. Why would someone that smart be at our school? They'd be in a university or something."

"Well, I think she seemed nice." Tohru smiled, radiant in her usual optimism.

"You're blinded by your own good personality." Arisa in toned sagely to Hanajima's quiet nod. "Did you see that smile? That girl's cold as ice, if you asked me. She gives me the creeps."

"Arisa!" Tohru admonished in shock. "You shouldn't say such mean things. You don't even know her."

"Yea? I bet you your cooking skills that I'm right. If she is, you have to make me lunch for the next week."

"A whole week!?"

"Yep. With three courses and everything."

"Me, as well." Hanajima interjected in that haunting, monotone voice of hers.

Tohru's fists trembled in indecision as she glanced back and forth between her two friends. Finally she let out a strained sound and pumped one hand into the air in determination. "Okay, then!"

"Great!" Arisa's grin went from ear to ear and she clapped Tohru on the back heartily. "Just remember, my favorite is sashimi."

"Or class is here, Arisa." Hanajima said, stopping before room 3-C.

"Oh, right. Later Tohru."

"Bye. Do your best." She waved as the Hanajima rolled open the classroom door and she an Arisa disappeared inside. The unsure sigh she'd held hostage in her throat liberated it once Arisa's gold tresses were no longer in view. Her fingers lifted and she toyed with her color, glancing over at Yuki who'd remained silent at her side. "What do you think?"

"About what?"

"About Miss Amatsuka."

She waited as a musing patience descended on him, leaving the rush of the students around them the only noise. "Well, she must be very smart. The Head Teacher told me so."

"The Head Teacher!?"

Yuki nodded. "He came to me this morning and asked me to help her if she has any trouble."

"Wow. That's pretty considerate of Yamaguchi-sensei. I didn't know he was so compassionate, to worry about a new students. That's great."

Not really. But there was no harm in letting her think what made her happier so Yuki didn't correct her assumption, just smiled indulgently.

"Anyway, I've never believed you could tell much about a person just from looking at them. So I couldn't say what sort of personality she has."

"I suppose your right. But if she's such a good student she couldn't really be mean, could she?"

Yuki relinquished a small laugh. "I guess not."

"Mm-hmm. I agree!"