As per tradition, I need to post something on my birthday. However, because of life and because I am finally a working girl, I could only go through with my long-time plan of editing this. Here's the first chapter again, though it hasn't really changed much...

For new readers, please enjoy! Succeeding edited chapters would be up soon, hopefully.


THUD!

I woke up with a start… and a pounding head. I'd rolled over the bed too much again.

It was that dream once more. Youko Kurama, the legendary fox thief, was being chased down by hunters, and I was running after them, begging them to stop. As if I could get them to listen. And then the dream would always end whenever the fox's hind leg gets shot by one of the hunters' arrows, leaving him unconscious.

But what if I did stop them? Would Youko Kurama be able to escape? What would happen then? Would I be able to save him?

If only I could be in that moment…

I shook my head. I've been reading too much on this legend.

Having made up my bed, I got dressed and went downstairs.

I'm off on an adventure today.


Meiou Private High School—this town's most prestigious school where students should have either the money or the brains to qualify to attend. Ranking first in the entrance exams, I got in through its scholarship program.

I stood in front of the huge gates in awe. It's still two months before the school year starts, yet I'm already so excited.

I could've stood there forever just daydreaming, if it hadn't been for the sun's rays starting to shine brighter overhead. Shielding my eyes with my arm, I turned to my left to continue walking… and crashed into someone. The impact had me lying flat on my back on the concrete sidewalk. I lay still with my eyes wide in shock, unable to make a sound.

"Oh no!" I heard a worried voice nearby, and shuffling of feet towards me. A guy appeared before me and knelt by my side. "I'm very sorry," he continued, gently grabbing my shoulders and sitting me up, "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

Wait a minute. This guy looks kind of familiar. He has red hair that runs past his shoulders, with two long forelocks framing his face. Those emerald-green eyes seem to pierce through any soul and would make you think he could see right through you.

Oh, that's right. I remember now. He's called Shuichi Minamino, Meiou High's top student. I saw his picture when I got a tour of the school last week.

His lips moved, as if he was saying something, but I must've tuned out the words.

For a while I was too entranced to talk, until he helped me on my feet.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized again.

"It's okay," I finally responded, smiling kindly at him.

Afterwards was an awkward silence as we just stared at each other. And he was still holding my hand.

I could feel myself blushing, so I cleared my throat to break the silence and get away quickly. "Well," I turned to the direction of the next street on my left, where I intended to go in the first place, and then waved at him, "thank you anyway, for helping me up. I'll be on my way now. See you around."

I heard him laugh lightly as I walked away, and all of a sudden he was walking by my side. "Would you mind if I accompany you?" he asked. "It's really lonely to walk alone on a hot summer day."

Wow. A really cute guy asking to keep me company? How sweet of him! "No, I don't mind," I replied.

He smiled. "What's your name, then? I am Shuichi, by the way."

Are we going by first-name basis right away? "Yukiko," I answered. "But most people call me Yuki."

"That's a nice name. So, Yukiko-san, may I ask where you are off to?"

"A library…"