Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.
Chapter One
"The Engagement"
It was second semester already. It was truly unexpected that an exchange student will still be allowed to enter at Shohoku High. Nevertheless, she was allowed to enter because her parents had just transferred from Kyoto to Kanagawa. However, unknown to school officials, her parents left her at the care of a friend because they were actually going to Europe.
Her name. Ayeka Shiori. A freshman.
As she entered the gates, eyes were instantly glued to her. Boys and girls follow her with their eyes and murmurs were heard. She wore a cap which was unusual for a girl but then she always loved to wear a cap. Her elder brother would sometimes whack her at the back because it was so unladylike. But growing up with so many brothers (3 elder brothers in college) made her somewhat boyish. But that boyishness went unnoticed by the admirers she had during her junior high. She was very beautiful. But sometimes, she felt it as a burden because not so many girls would like to be friends with her in fear that she might took their boyfriends away. That is why she doesn't want to make the same impression thus she made herself more boyish again. She however cannot bear to cut her hair short so she settled for a ponytail.
The day past by without a hitch. She actually made friends with one of the girls namely Haruko Akagi. Unfortunately, she was her classmate in only one subject, that is, Mathematics. All the other girls were unfriendly because they thought of her as a threat to Kaede Lukawa who was her seatmate in most of her subjects and also Math. Though she noticed that Haruko seems to have a crush on Lukawa, she still befriends her making her the more at ease with her.
Reflecting on her seatmate as she made her way home, he is cute in a certain way but definitely snobbish. He reminds her of one of her friends in junior high who was way too cold to others but not to her. She doesn't mind Lukawa much since he was sleeping all the time. In fact, she finds it funny that he actually gets up when the bell rings but refuses to get up when the teachers tried to wake him up. None of her classmates would dare to wake him up which made her curious on what if she did…. A thought formed in her mischievous mind. She 'sometimes?' go into trouble by poking into other else's business. Her brothers would usually defend her but now, she doesn't have anybody. She missed home already.
Home. She was standing in front of a huge house. It was her 'temporary?' home at the moment but she dreads to enter the place. It reminds her of someone she can't really accept at the moment. Her fiancé.
"Afraid to come inside?" a guy asked from behind her. His voice was mocking in a way.
She was startled. She saw him opened the gate and led her inside. It was her fiancé.
"You're early today," she said as way of a conversation. Until now, she can't accept the fact that he was her fiancé. She bet the feeling is mutual on his part.
"Yeah, we don't have any basketball session today so I went home already." By that time, they entered the house. It was very spacious and beautiful. There was a gazebo inside the house. Upstairs were the bedrooms.
"You play basketball?" in fact, she wouldn't be too surprised since he was really tall.
He smiled that infamous smile of his. Ayeka felt that he was hiding something with the smile he just gave. "Yeah, I do. Why don't you go upstairs while I prepare our food? Dad is going to be late today. He told me we go ahead and eat and we don't have to stay late to wait for him."
"Okay. Wait up for me. I'll help you with dinner." She hurriedly went upstairs and changed. Her fiancé was a bit nice offering to cook. Admittedly, he is absolutely gorgeous, charming and handsome. Any girl could easily fall for his charms, which is why she was very hesitant to like him. He is the type of guy who would easily break her heart with his playboy attitude. After changing, she went to the kitchen to find him wearing an apron. She stifled a laugh when he saw him. The apron definitely wasn't a match to Sendoh Akira's appearance. (A/N: Yeah, I know. Many of you probably cried knowing Sendoh's the fiancé. Hehehe… too bad)
He merely raised an eyebrow. "You've got a problem?"
"No… no of course not!" she said still stifling a smile. "You look kinda cute in what you're wearing."
"Of course I always look good in what I wear." Then they proceeded to make their dinner. "So how was school?"
She sighed deeply. "Just fine."
"It seems to me that you don't seem to enjoy your first day? What happened?"
She doesn't know if he was genuinely concerned or just curious. "Well, the distance is one factor. It's really bad that Ryonan High wouldn't accept me. Shohoku High is really far you know. I have to travel by train just to get there."
"If you want I can drive you there in the morning."
To this, Ayeka laughed. "Please Sendoh-san. You've got to be joking. You can't get up that early and besides, you only have a student's license. You might get caught you know."
"I was just playing nice."
"So how was your day?" Ayeka asked.
Sendoh thought of his day. It was mainly routine. Late for class, almost slept during class, swarmed by fangirls, ate lunch with the gang, challenged by some boys afterwards, swarmed by fangirls, went to class, late for basketball practice because he was busy asking the cutest girl in Ryonan High for a date. She was playing hard to get and said that she was going out with the Captain of Judo. He was going to ask her again especially when he found out that there was no practice that day but then his father called to remind him of the squirt beside him. It's not that she is not beautiful but her green eyes were very intriguing.
"The usual," he said with a smile. He still couldn't believe that she was his fiancée. They've talked about the arrangement days ago when she came to his house with their parents. It was really a shock because Ayeka thought he was her cousin. It meant she doesn't know about the arrangement until that day. They both agreed that they would play the part but they would really just remain friends. They still depend on their parents.
Just then the phone rang. Sendoh answered it. "Oh hi Hikari-chan! Yeah sure, Saturday night's fine with me. I'll pick you up by five, ok? Bye."
Ayeka sat and ate the food in silence. She doesn't really mind that Sendoh- san was dating other girls. It meant that she could also date other boys of her type.
Meanwhile, Sendoh was oblivious of his surroundings. He just got a date with one of the hottest babes in school and he was somewhat in cloud nine. He forgot about Ayeka who was watching him with curiosity. She stood up and left him to do the chores which she think he wouldn't mind because she thinks he has probably forgotten that she was there in the first place. That means she doesn't have to do the chores by herself.
She went upstairs to her room and quickly took a shower. Her shower was attached next to Sendoh's room which she considered a real bummer. She was glad nothing out of the ordinary has happened yet. Sharing a bathroom was what their parents think as something that would make them feel as married couple. She was glad they don't necessarily have to share a room!
Lying on her bed, she though of her status and how it really changed her life. She is finally becoming independent of her parents and brothers. The only family she can consider now is Mr Akira and his son. Mrs Akira died five years ago much to her disappointment. She was really looking forward to a mother figure at that moment. Mr. Akira was much like his father. So business minded and has less time for his family. It was really a bonus that she has her brothers. But when they moved out to the city for college, she felt alone.
The 'Engagement' came as a shock to her really. Her parents argued that it would be better that she finally get engaged with their best friend's son who could actually take care of her until they get both get old. She thought it could only happen in TV but apparently not. She was a victim. She was glad that she didn't fell in love with him at first sight because she really thinks of him as a playboy type. Staying with him for a week, she couldn't remember how many girls called on the phone at night. And to think that the voices really differ. She laughed one day when some boys are also attracted to Sendoh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following days passed by quickly. She still wears a cap to hide her face and hair. She still wears a ponytail so that during class she can hide her crown of glory. She had a very nice deep red hair that makes her green eyes look like emeralds. And it makes her skin paler giving her an ivory skin. She finds it hard to hide her legs considering the short skirt she has to wear everyday. But then, it was always the face that is noticed first in a girl. Time would tell when some thugs would notice her legs and make advances. But she's always prepared considering she knows karate and judo. Two of her brothers were team captains while the youngest was in basketball.
"Hi Ayeka! Daydreaming again?" Haruko asked. They were walking along the corridors.
"Sorry Haruko. Just thinking about my brothers. So where do we go now? I'm glad our PE (Physical Education) teacher is not around yet. It means you can give me a tour of the school."
"Why don't we go to the basketball courts? We can watch my brother play. He's the captain of the basketball team of Shohoku High. He's a senior. They ranked second in the prefecture."
"Really? That's cool!" As they went there, two of Haruko's friends joined them. She was doubtful that they were going to watch her brother. Having three brothers and considering they were all captains of their teams, she knows that she tags along if she finds some cute guys in their team. Much to the dismay of her brothers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they entered the courts, many girls wearing pompoms and uniforms were busy practicing in the bleachers.
"Rukawa's fangirls," commented one of Haruko's friends.
"What?" Ayeka asked.
"Rukawa-kun," Haruko whispered. Ayeka sighed. She forgotten for a while that Rukawa is a member of the basketball team. And the girls above were cheering for Rukawa. She remembered one of them harassing her in the corridor. She rightly put her in place by pushing her to side. Luckily, she wasn't put into detention or worst called in by the principal. It would really be embarrassing to call Mr. Akira to school!
Just then, they heard someone shouted, "Haruko-san!". They all turned to see a red haired boy approached them. He has small hearts printed in his eyes and obviously not aware of his surroundings but only of Haruko.
"Oh, hi Sakuragi-kun!" Haruko greeted back.
Meanwhile, Ayeka was pale. She was really, really pale as if she had seen a ghost. Some were already looking at her oddly.
"You!" she shouted to Hanamichi. It caught his attention but then he shifted back his gaze to Haruko. Moments later, he turned to her again and almost shouted, "Ayeka-chan?"
"Hanamichi-chan?" she almost cried. Then they hugged each other much to the surprise of everyone in the room. What was most surprising is that Hanamichi was hugging a girl in front of Haruko! O_o
Chapter One
"The Engagement"
It was second semester already. It was truly unexpected that an exchange student will still be allowed to enter at Shohoku High. Nevertheless, she was allowed to enter because her parents had just transferred from Kyoto to Kanagawa. However, unknown to school officials, her parents left her at the care of a friend because they were actually going to Europe.
Her name. Ayeka Shiori. A freshman.
As she entered the gates, eyes were instantly glued to her. Boys and girls follow her with their eyes and murmurs were heard. She wore a cap which was unusual for a girl but then she always loved to wear a cap. Her elder brother would sometimes whack her at the back because it was so unladylike. But growing up with so many brothers (3 elder brothers in college) made her somewhat boyish. But that boyishness went unnoticed by the admirers she had during her junior high. She was very beautiful. But sometimes, she felt it as a burden because not so many girls would like to be friends with her in fear that she might took their boyfriends away. That is why she doesn't want to make the same impression thus she made herself more boyish again. She however cannot bear to cut her hair short so she settled for a ponytail.
The day past by without a hitch. She actually made friends with one of the girls namely Haruko Akagi. Unfortunately, she was her classmate in only one subject, that is, Mathematics. All the other girls were unfriendly because they thought of her as a threat to Kaede Lukawa who was her seatmate in most of her subjects and also Math. Though she noticed that Haruko seems to have a crush on Lukawa, she still befriends her making her the more at ease with her.
Reflecting on her seatmate as she made her way home, he is cute in a certain way but definitely snobbish. He reminds her of one of her friends in junior high who was way too cold to others but not to her. She doesn't mind Lukawa much since he was sleeping all the time. In fact, she finds it funny that he actually gets up when the bell rings but refuses to get up when the teachers tried to wake him up. None of her classmates would dare to wake him up which made her curious on what if she did…. A thought formed in her mischievous mind. She 'sometimes?' go into trouble by poking into other else's business. Her brothers would usually defend her but now, she doesn't have anybody. She missed home already.
Home. She was standing in front of a huge house. It was her 'temporary?' home at the moment but she dreads to enter the place. It reminds her of someone she can't really accept at the moment. Her fiancé.
"Afraid to come inside?" a guy asked from behind her. His voice was mocking in a way.
She was startled. She saw him opened the gate and led her inside. It was her fiancé.
"You're early today," she said as way of a conversation. Until now, she can't accept the fact that he was her fiancé. She bet the feeling is mutual on his part.
"Yeah, we don't have any basketball session today so I went home already." By that time, they entered the house. It was very spacious and beautiful. There was a gazebo inside the house. Upstairs were the bedrooms.
"You play basketball?" in fact, she wouldn't be too surprised since he was really tall.
He smiled that infamous smile of his. Ayeka felt that he was hiding something with the smile he just gave. "Yeah, I do. Why don't you go upstairs while I prepare our food? Dad is going to be late today. He told me we go ahead and eat and we don't have to stay late to wait for him."
"Okay. Wait up for me. I'll help you with dinner." She hurriedly went upstairs and changed. Her fiancé was a bit nice offering to cook. Admittedly, he is absolutely gorgeous, charming and handsome. Any girl could easily fall for his charms, which is why she was very hesitant to like him. He is the type of guy who would easily break her heart with his playboy attitude. After changing, she went to the kitchen to find him wearing an apron. She stifled a laugh when he saw him. The apron definitely wasn't a match to Sendoh Akira's appearance. (A/N: Yeah, I know. Many of you probably cried knowing Sendoh's the fiancé. Hehehe… too bad)
He merely raised an eyebrow. "You've got a problem?"
"No… no of course not!" she said still stifling a smile. "You look kinda cute in what you're wearing."
"Of course I always look good in what I wear." Then they proceeded to make their dinner. "So how was school?"
She sighed deeply. "Just fine."
"It seems to me that you don't seem to enjoy your first day? What happened?"
She doesn't know if he was genuinely concerned or just curious. "Well, the distance is one factor. It's really bad that Ryonan High wouldn't accept me. Shohoku High is really far you know. I have to travel by train just to get there."
"If you want I can drive you there in the morning."
To this, Ayeka laughed. "Please Sendoh-san. You've got to be joking. You can't get up that early and besides, you only have a student's license. You might get caught you know."
"I was just playing nice."
"So how was your day?" Ayeka asked.
Sendoh thought of his day. It was mainly routine. Late for class, almost slept during class, swarmed by fangirls, ate lunch with the gang, challenged by some boys afterwards, swarmed by fangirls, went to class, late for basketball practice because he was busy asking the cutest girl in Ryonan High for a date. She was playing hard to get and said that she was going out with the Captain of Judo. He was going to ask her again especially when he found out that there was no practice that day but then his father called to remind him of the squirt beside him. It's not that she is not beautiful but her green eyes were very intriguing.
"The usual," he said with a smile. He still couldn't believe that she was his fiancée. They've talked about the arrangement days ago when she came to his house with their parents. It was really a shock because Ayeka thought he was her cousin. It meant she doesn't know about the arrangement until that day. They both agreed that they would play the part but they would really just remain friends. They still depend on their parents.
Just then the phone rang. Sendoh answered it. "Oh hi Hikari-chan! Yeah sure, Saturday night's fine with me. I'll pick you up by five, ok? Bye."
Ayeka sat and ate the food in silence. She doesn't really mind that Sendoh- san was dating other girls. It meant that she could also date other boys of her type.
Meanwhile, Sendoh was oblivious of his surroundings. He just got a date with one of the hottest babes in school and he was somewhat in cloud nine. He forgot about Ayeka who was watching him with curiosity. She stood up and left him to do the chores which she think he wouldn't mind because she thinks he has probably forgotten that she was there in the first place. That means she doesn't have to do the chores by herself.
She went upstairs to her room and quickly took a shower. Her shower was attached next to Sendoh's room which she considered a real bummer. She was glad nothing out of the ordinary has happened yet. Sharing a bathroom was what their parents think as something that would make them feel as married couple. She was glad they don't necessarily have to share a room!
Lying on her bed, she though of her status and how it really changed her life. She is finally becoming independent of her parents and brothers. The only family she can consider now is Mr Akira and his son. Mrs Akira died five years ago much to her disappointment. She was really looking forward to a mother figure at that moment. Mr. Akira was much like his father. So business minded and has less time for his family. It was really a bonus that she has her brothers. But when they moved out to the city for college, she felt alone.
The 'Engagement' came as a shock to her really. Her parents argued that it would be better that she finally get engaged with their best friend's son who could actually take care of her until they get both get old. She thought it could only happen in TV but apparently not. She was a victim. She was glad that she didn't fell in love with him at first sight because she really thinks of him as a playboy type. Staying with him for a week, she couldn't remember how many girls called on the phone at night. And to think that the voices really differ. She laughed one day when some boys are also attracted to Sendoh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following days passed by quickly. She still wears a cap to hide her face and hair. She still wears a ponytail so that during class she can hide her crown of glory. She had a very nice deep red hair that makes her green eyes look like emeralds. And it makes her skin paler giving her an ivory skin. She finds it hard to hide her legs considering the short skirt she has to wear everyday. But then, it was always the face that is noticed first in a girl. Time would tell when some thugs would notice her legs and make advances. But she's always prepared considering she knows karate and judo. Two of her brothers were team captains while the youngest was in basketball.
"Hi Ayeka! Daydreaming again?" Haruko asked. They were walking along the corridors.
"Sorry Haruko. Just thinking about my brothers. So where do we go now? I'm glad our PE (Physical Education) teacher is not around yet. It means you can give me a tour of the school."
"Why don't we go to the basketball courts? We can watch my brother play. He's the captain of the basketball team of Shohoku High. He's a senior. They ranked second in the prefecture."
"Really? That's cool!" As they went there, two of Haruko's friends joined them. She was doubtful that they were going to watch her brother. Having three brothers and considering they were all captains of their teams, she knows that she tags along if she finds some cute guys in their team. Much to the dismay of her brothers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they entered the courts, many girls wearing pompoms and uniforms were busy practicing in the bleachers.
"Rukawa's fangirls," commented one of Haruko's friends.
"What?" Ayeka asked.
"Rukawa-kun," Haruko whispered. Ayeka sighed. She forgotten for a while that Rukawa is a member of the basketball team. And the girls above were cheering for Rukawa. She remembered one of them harassing her in the corridor. She rightly put her in place by pushing her to side. Luckily, she wasn't put into detention or worst called in by the principal. It would really be embarrassing to call Mr. Akira to school!
Just then, they heard someone shouted, "Haruko-san!". They all turned to see a red haired boy approached them. He has small hearts printed in his eyes and obviously not aware of his surroundings but only of Haruko.
"Oh, hi Sakuragi-kun!" Haruko greeted back.
Meanwhile, Ayeka was pale. She was really, really pale as if she had seen a ghost. Some were already looking at her oddly.
"You!" she shouted to Hanamichi. It caught his attention but then he shifted back his gaze to Haruko. Moments later, he turned to her again and almost shouted, "Ayeka-chan?"
"Hanamichi-chan?" she almost cried. Then they hugged each other much to the surprise of everyone in the room. What was most surprising is that Hanamichi was hugging a girl in front of Haruko! O_o