I know this is an unexpected pairing, but somehow I liked the idea of excitable, romantic Hihara with shy, nervous Fuyuumi. It won't really be centred on the romance though - every chapter will feature interaction with a different character, and I promise I will spread it evenly no matter how unlikely the friendshipseems. Lots of cute Shimizu and Fuyuumi and evil Yunoki appearances. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own LCDO, else I would make another season.


It was a chilly autumn day in Tokyo, Japan. The wind blew strongly, whipping up mini tornados of multi-coloured leaves, while trees slowly allowed the leaves in various shades of bright red, rich orange, brilliant gold, deep ochre and dull brown to drift off their branches and either descend to the ground gracefully or be swept off by the breeze. Children squealed with delight, kicking up piles of leaves that had been meticulously raked together.

Unfortunately, not everyone was enjoying the scenery so much. In Seisou Academy, a bell rang shrilly, alerting all its students that lunch break was half over. Somewhere in the school grounds, a petite young girl playing a beautiful, unnamed tune on the clarinet suddenly started and hit a sour note.

Wincing at the sound of it, she turned and began to pack her clarinet back into its case. It was a beautiful affair, artfully made from Honduran rosewood - all shiny keys and joints with a sheen that caught in the light of the sun filtered through the leaves of the tree she was standing under. It was obvious how well-loved and groomed it was from the way it glowed, without a trace of dust or dirt on the long cylindrical tube.

The girl paused for a moment to pick up a reddish-orange leaf that had drifted onto the velvet-lined case. She packed her clarinet carefully, then picked the case up and began to jog back to the school building. The wind ruffled her short, neat hair, green as the sea, and blew her bangs back, displacing the pink clips that tidily held them in place. She sighed, reaching up to pull the clips out.

She turned a corner and slowed slightly, cocking her head curiously. Standing by a bench was an exceptionally handsome young man with features that could put a pretty girl to shame. There was nothing wrong with that, of course – it was a face the girl was all too familiar with – but it was odd to see the Yunoki Azuma alone. At all times, he would be surrounded by the usual gaggle of fangirls who drowned in his dazzling smile and kind words. At best, even Hihara Kazuki-senpai would be with him. Yunoki-senpai was very, very popular, which came with a price – privacy. Besides, he rarely came to school – or rather college, for him – anymore. Rumour had it that he had been taking an active role in the management of the family company, Yunoki Ikebana, ever since his second brother had fallen into a coma after being involved in a violent car crash.

But standing in front of her was indeed the Yunoki Azuma, completely alone. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his crisp white pants, normally sharp yellow eyes now gazing out into space. His straightened deep purple hair had grown even longer – the breeze tugged absent-mindedly at the ends, but he didn't seem to notice. Odd for him, whose every strand of hair was always in place.

"Ah… konnichiwa, Yunoki-senpai," the girl ventured. The gorgeous bishounen turned his head elegantly and smiled at her, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.

"Konnichiwa, Fuyuumi-chan. I've been waiting for you," he chided gently.

Fuyuumi Shouko. That was her. Her pretty pink eyes widened slightly. Yunoki-senpai, waiting for me? Shouko thought, stunned into silence.

Yunoki continued to smile kindly. Shouko had never been very comfortable around the wildly popular senpai – even though she could actually count the people she was comfortable with on one hand, it wasn't just her. Yunoki-senpai was different. Somehow, the overwhelming kindness which he extended to everyone seemed strangely unreal, and his words rarely seemed to hold any meaning. After a conversation with Yunoki, one tended to forget what he had been talking about. He was so cultured, so perfect, that it was strange.

"You were practicing the clarinet?"

"A-a, hai!"

"You play as beautifully as ever, Fuyuumi-chan."

"Arigatou…"

The introverted clarinet player couldn't say anything more as she stared at her feet. Sometimes she hated herself for being so shy.

"Disappointed Hihara-kun isn't with me?"

Shouko's head snapped up. "E-eh?"

Yunoki smiled innocently as she flushed with embarrassment. Oh no! What if he tells Hihara-senpai? He's going to hate me!

"Fuyuumi-chan, don't think I haven't noticed.

"Whenever someone mentions Hihara-kun, you blush." He took a step towards her. She took a step back, eyes widening.

"When Hihara talks to you, you come close to fainting." Another step. Another step, and she was trembling.

"When Kanazawa had announcements during the concours, you always volunteered to tell the third-years, although you're usually too shy to volunteer." He noticed? Shouko thought in a panic – she suddenly realized that he had dropped the honorifics.

"The songs Hihara performed for the concours are now in the Favourites playlist on your iPod, am I right?" He wasn't smiling anymore – he was smirking. The usually gentle eyes now held a glint she didn't recognize.

"And most obviously, you follow Hihara around. Although he doesn't notice, and possibly no one else does, you watch from the shadows when he plays basketball at the court or practices the trumpet in the courtyard." Yet another step – her leg met the bench and she fell back on it, staring up at the approaching figure with scared eyes.

"You like Hihara, don't you? Fuyuumi?" She wished a hole would appear in the ground and swallow her up and drop her straight into the core of the earth, where at least her cheeks wouldn't feel so hot.

She bit down on her lower lip, which was trembling violently. One of her hands clutched the clarinet case protectively to her chest; the other hand, clenched in a fist, shook as it rested below her chin. What do I do? She thought desperately, her pink eyes caught in his predatory golden ones like an insect caught in a spider's complex web. A length of purple hair brushed her shoulder and she shuddered, horribly reminded of pincers. The spider's going to eat me!

Yunoki placed one hand on the bench next to her and leaned down, smirking evilly as she shuddered. He hadn't actually planned to reveal his evil side – he had wanted to talk to her for a reason, which he hadn't carried out yet. But in some ways, Shouko was even cuter than Kahoko when she was scared. I'm such a sadist, he reflected ruefully. But then again, as Shouko's eyes filled up with tears, the flutist was reminded of why he liked teasing Kahoko so much. With this green-haired girl, there was actually a danger of him going too far, which never happened with the willful violinist.

He straightened, tucking his purple hair behind his ear and then sliding his hands back into his pockets.

"Don't worry, Fuyuumi," he said sweetly, watching her reaction with amusement. "I won't tell him."

"R-really?" Shouko gaped.

"Actually, I think I can help you get him. I am his best friend, after all," he continued. Utter rot, he thought inwardly, although he smiled on the outside. However cute she is, someone so introverted and unelegant can never woo a man, and in any case, Hihara likes Kahoko. But the aim justifies the means, and that goes for both of us.

"A-ah… really?" she was hesitant now. She, get Hihara-senpai? It seemed like a dream.

"Of course! But if you want me to do something for you, Fuyuumi, you have to give me something in return."

"S-something?"

"I'll tell you what it is later. Don't worry, it won't be against your will." You'll never have wanted anything more, but it will be difficult. "So, do we have a deal?"

"Eh? H-hai!"

"Wonderful," Yunoki smiled and brushed a non-existent speck of dust off his white blazer. "You should get going, Fuyuumi-chan, otherwise you won't have time to eat."

And with that, he casually walked off, feeling rather pleased with himself for completing his mission, leaving Shouko sitting on the bench, dazed.

After what felt like forever, Shouko's muddled brain began to process thoughts again. She quickly got up, holding the bench to steady herself, and began to run.


Yunoki action! What could he possibly want from Fuyuumi? Next chapter: Shimizu Keiichi!

Read and review, please!