Chapter 2: Entrance ceremony

One word to summarize the entrance ceremony – Boring. With a capital B. I seriously don't understand why there is a need for an entrance ceremony. I mean, I certainly do not need to know all the teachers in this school, especially when I am going to forget their names, or even remotely what they looked like the moment they get off stage. And I definitely don't need to know that the main canteen sells one of the best omu-rice one can find around the district, and the fact that the school is even remotely proud of this fact. Sigh, this is like high school all over again, maybe worse, since Nobu-Chan, my bestest friend since forever, Nakao-kun, Chihara-chan and Suzuki-kun are all in different universities. Although we are all studying in the Osaka district, it sure feels lonely not having them around with me in school.

This whole speech thing is really making me sleepy. I am suddenly reminded of this one particular ceremony in high school when I was caught sleeping in the middle of a speech, whilst standing with the rest of the cohort. Somehow, all my past memories revolve around me goofing up. I can't even remember a time when I was even remotely praised by anyone! Am I, Risa Koizumi, destined to have a horrible life?? Not only am I cursed with a man-body (read: tall height, no boobs), I am uncivilized, rough and not in the least sweet. I am surprised, that with my lack of feminine qualities, that I can even snag a guy this cool like Otani. He must have been deluded.

I am suddenly jolted out of my thoughts by a stifled sneeze. I turned around, and there she was, both hands covering her nose, looking slightly embarrassed. Wow, she is so ladylike, I thought in my head. Exactly the kind of girl Otani likes.

A long time ago, like last year, when Otani and I were still not together, he once commented that I sneezed like a man, and that he would very much prefer to date a girl who would cover her nose with her hands when sneezing. This is exactly the kind of girl that he would like. Not me, the girl who sneezed loudly.

"Oh what the crap, I should probably stop all these paranoid thinking, it's getting unhealthy," I thought in my head, "Didn't Otani just reassured his love for me? The unwomanly amazon? We are already together now. I should be basking in our romance, instead of treating every woman on the streets as potential competitors. And besides, I am sure every girl covers their nose when sneezing, not just this girl beside me. Nothing to worry about."

I was just feeling a lot happier when she, the girl who sneezed, lowered her hands. I stood these, eyes wide open, mouth agape. She was, she was so beautiful!

You know, there are pretty girls, and there are beautiful girls. She is the perfect epitome of beauty. The kind of girl who would stop traffic and cause jams. The kind of girl who would even make other women look twice. Black flowing hair that framed her symmetrical face, slim and shapely (read: booby) body, tanned and healthy flawless complexion. The girls that stood beside her paled in comparison. Wait, I am standing beside her. Great, Risa Koizumi, you managed to stab yourself in the back again.

I turned to look at Otani. There he was, face filled with concentration, listening intently to the speaker. Yes, Atsushi is the kind of guy that is focused on what he wants. He wanted university, he got into university. I am sure he wouldn't just give me up for any random girl who just happened to sneeze with grace. He likes me, the uncivilized and goofy me. That's all that matters.

"What's with that silly grin again? You look like you are having spasms."

Shit. My thoughts must have shown on my face again.

"You know, you better go for a medical check-up when you are free. Half an hour ago, you were crying hysterically, and now you are grinning like a plain-faced idiot. People who don't know you may think you just escaped from the asylum."

"SO YOU ARE SAYING I AM INSANE? IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!!"

Oh no. Big-mouthed-Risa strikes again. My faced immediately turned a shade of tomato red from all the rude stares I am getting.

"Gomen Gomen!! Carry on please, everyone!" I mouthed, hoping that my whispering would make everyone forget the deafening screech they heard just now, and at the same time using all my mental powers to will everyone to turn around and look straight instead. I thought this would be high school all over again. This is definitely worse than high school.