"Stand up," Retasu ordered him. Kisshu did as told and Retasu walked a full circle around him, inspecting the new comer. Apparently satisfied with Kisshu, she smiled beautifully and held out her hand to him. "I'm Midorikawa Retasu," She introduced herself. Kisshu tentatively took her hand and shook it. "I'm Kisshu," He said carefully, eyeing the green haired girl warily. "Kisshu, it's okay. She's a friend," Ichigo said with a laugh. Kisshu nodded, not quite ready to trust this girl. The teacher came in and the class stood in respect, then sat back down and class went on.

After science Ichigo met with her friends for lunch. Kisshu walked with them on the side away from Retasu, still slightly fearful of the green girl. "So how long is lunch?" Kisshu asked. "About an hour," Ichigo replied. Kisshu nodded. Ichigo and her friends sat down on the grass in the shade of one of the many trees and unpacked her lunch. "Don't those uniforms make it hard to sit?" Kisshu asked, noticing the short skirts. "Not if you do it right," Minto replied. Kisshu nodded and took out his own lunch.

After the last bell rang Kisshu found Ichigo at the front of the school. "C'mon. Let's go home," Ichigo said to him and started walking. "So those are your friends?" Kisshu asked. Ichigo nodded. "Two in a million," She replied. "I see," Kisshu commented. "Is Retasu always that way with new comers?" Kisshu asked. Ichigo shook her head. "Nah. Usually she's more protective of me, but I warned her that we'd be having an exchange student," Ichigo replied non-chalantly. The pair walked on in moderate silence for a while.

"Have you been anywhere else besides England?" Ichigo finally broke the ice. Kisshu stopped watching his feet and looked up at her. "Yeah, tons of places," He replied. "Will you tell me about them?" Ichigo asked. "Sure. Which ones do you wanna know about?" Kisshu asked. "All of them. Tell me everything about all of them," Ichigo replied dreamily. "Ok, well, I guess I'll start with the US," Kisshu commented. "My aunt's been there. Tell me about California. She says its summer there all year long!" Ichigo responded. Kisshu nodded and told her all about the beaches and the sunshine and everything. Ichigo listened with glistening eyes and soaked everything in, interrupting every now and then to ask a question.

The pair reached Ichigo's house and walked upstairs. Ichigo went to her room and Kisshu followed. Ichigo sat down in the middle of the floor and gestured for Kisshu to do the same as he continued painting a picture of the outside world for Ichigo. It was four p.m. before Mrs. Momomiya got home and told the two teens to get to their homework and only an hour after that did Ichigo reluctantly start on her homework.

Kisshu stayed in her room to do his homework mainly because he needed help reading some of the kanji. "But doesn't that also mean 'sing'?" Kisshu asked. Ichigo shook her head. "Only if you add this over here," Ichigo said and made a mark on his homework. Both worked in silence for a minute. "Oh, Ichigo, I was listening to you sing the other night and I was wondering if you took lessons," Kisshu remarked. Ichigo looked up at him. "Oh, you heard me?" She asked as a faint blush rose in her cheeks. Kisshu felt his heart do a little flip. "Yeah, you were great," Kisshu replied. "Thanks. I don't take any lessons though," Ichigo admitted. "Well why don't you take some? You could be really good," Kisshu commented. Ichigo quickly turned back to her homework. "Dad won't let me. He says that he hates the teachers here and that the nearest one he'd let me go to is out of the city, but he doesn't let me travel. He's paranoid that some vulgar troll will magically appear and carry me off, never to be seen again," Ichigo replied agitatedly.

The rest of the night passed in silence. Ichigo's mother brought their dinner up to Ichigo's room and smiled to see them working so hard in silence. Hardly a peep all afternoon. Ichigo definitely seemed to have had a change of heart about the exchange student. Sakura closed the door as gently as she could and walked back down. She reported the strange phenomenon of Ichigo actually doing homework with another being present at the same time. Ichigo's father nodded approvingly. That girl was finally learning something about responsibility.

"Hey Kisshu, remember that new professor at school?" Ichigo asked as she was munching on an egg roll. The green haired one nodded. "Yup. He was going on about some sort of party, wasn't he?" Kisshu asked. "Yeah, and I just remembered what kind of party it was," She remarked. Kisshu looked up from his work. "Would you care to enlighten me?" He asked. "He was saying that Japan's famous for its hook-up parties, so we should have one next class period. He was gonna rent out a room and everything but I'm not sure that he knows what a hook-up party is. He's a foreigner after all," Ichigo enlightened Kisshu and looked up from her work. "Do you know what a hook-up party is?" She asked. Kisshu nodded affirmative although he had no idea what it was. "Good," Ichigo replied and went back to her work. "'Cuz you better not get any funny ideas about hitting on me or my friends," She continued. Kisshu shrugged off the warning and went back to what he was doing. And besides, whatever it was, it could be that bad.

The next day Ichigo's classes seemed to drag on by. She picked up on a rumor that was going around about her and Kisshu dating or some dung pile like that. Ichigo didn't really care. What she did was her own affair. However, what she was somewhat worried about was the upcoming hook-up party during eighth period. Thank goodness it was the last period of the day. But then again, all the more reason to be worried about it because her parents would worry if she stayed out too long. So Ichigo stood in front of her eighth period door. Deciding if she wanted to go in when the professor came up behind her. "Door locked?" He asked. "Sorry about that," He apologized as he slid the key in with a click and unlocked the door. Well, no choice now, too late to run away and skip class. Ichigo walked in. Not too late to feign sickness though. A stomach ache or migraine might work . . . The rest of the student body participating in that particular class began to trickle in, along with nervous murmurs relating to the party. Too late to feign sickness.

Some students that the teacher had recruited were helping to set up low tables, pillows, and food around the classroom. Also littered liberally across the tables amongst the food were fresh bottles of sake (a Japanese alcoholic beverage). What the heck was this teacher doing with sake? The teacher, on the other side of the room, said something like a greeting and instantly began wandering amongst the girls. A decidedly cross mood descended upon Ichigo and she instantly became suspicious of everything the teacher did. She nonchalantly walked over to a group of boys clustered in the corner and hid behind them. So he did know what a hook-up party was, the baka. The teacher passed by the cluster of boy with disinterest, not spotting Ichigo.

The magenta haired teen slowly made her way toward the door. Perhaps she could escape this social fiasco. She'd tell everyone she came down with some sort of ache and that she had to leave part way through. Yeah, that would the excuse. As she dodged between groups of people, most of them guys and making it a point not to notice her, she spotted Kisshu. He looked abandoned and somewhat forlorn. Being somewhat sympathetic and not entirely selfish, Ichigo altered her course and went toward Kisshu. So far, so good. The teacher hadn't noticed her at all, and, amazingly, neither had anybody else. Does anybody else care? Ichigo lightly wondered, but then pushed the question out of her mind.

She came up behind Kisshu and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped slightly and then turned around. "Oh, it's you," He said with relief. "What do you mean 'oh, it's you'?! Aren't you pleased to see me? Never mind, let's ditch this place," Ichigo said and turned toward the door. "Ditch?" Kisshu asked. Ichigo nodded. "You'll pretend to have a headache and I'll escort you out because you don't really know anybody else and I know where the office is," Ichigo explained and pulled him up next to her. "Act like your in pain of some sort," Ichigo whispered in his ear. Kisshu nodded. He grimaced and rubbed his forehead. Ichigo looked around for the teacher, and upon not seeing him, made a beeline for the door with Kisshu. Quite suddenly, a hand appeared on her shoulder and stopped her progress.

"And where are you going?" A drunk sounding and alcoholic smelling voice asked. Ichigo turned around. Baka teacher. "I'm escorting my friend to the nurse's office. His head's been bothering him all day, you see," Ichigo started. "Oh phooey. A little sake will take care of that," The teacher said and shoved an empty bottle at her. Ichigo took the bottle and handed it to Kisshu who groaned dramatically and shoved it away. The teacher took the bottle back.

"oh shilly me, is empty," he said. He dropped the bottle with a loud clink and grabbed another from a nearby table. "Here, you have shum," He said and suddenly grabbed Ichigo, shoving the burning liquid down her throat. Ichigo broke away and felt slightly confused. "Here, have anuzzer drink," The teacher said. Ichigo, her mind becoming somewhat foggy, took the bottle and drank it down. Kisshu tried to take the bottle away but Ichigo batted him back. "Go away, ish mine now," She grumbled and downed some more. The teacher took her by the shoulder and led her over to where he had gathered with a group of girls. "Sho, wassur name?" He asked. Ichigo laughed and leaned against him. "I'm Ishigo momiya," She replied. The teacher nodded. "Wanna play strip rock paper scissors with ush?" The teacher asked. "Wassat?" Ichigo asked him as they reached the group. One of the girl answered. "Is when you play rock paper shissors, but every time you lose you take off shum of yer cloths," the girl explained. "We jusht about to shtart," another said. The teacher leaned in toward Ichigo. "ish all of you againsht me. You do paper and I'll do shissors," The teacher whispered loudly. Ichigo, in her drunken state, nodded and took another swig of sake.

"Oh no you don't," Kisshu interrupted and took the bottle away from Ichigo. Ichigo turned toward him, glaring. Kisshu gave the bottle back, but began to steer her toward the door. Ichigo purred contentedly and downed some more of the alcoholic beverage. "You better thank me for this," Kisshu mumbled. At that point, Ichigo looked over at him. "Hey, you're hot. Do I know you?" She asked drunkenly. Kisshu colored slightly and looked over at her. "You must really be drunk," He commented and began moving quicker toward the door with her. "Shtop moving so fasht. Yer giving me a headache," Ichigo complained. Kisshu sighed. Almost to the door. Just another three feet to go. They reached the door and Ichigo stopped at the threshold. "Come on," Kisshu said and walked out. "I'm not leaving," Ichigo replied stubbornly. Kisshu suddenly swooped down and swept her off the floor, literally. He picked her up and carried her off down the hall.

Ichigo dangled her arms around his neck while clutching the half empty bottle of sake. "Am I yer princess now?" Ichigo asked. Kisshu looked down confusedly at her. "What?" He asked. "Yer carrying me off like da prince alwayz does to da princess," Ichigo explained. Kisshu shook his head in disbelief and walked on down the hallway. Quite suddenly, Ichigo pulled his head down and pressed her lips against his. Kisshu felt stars explode in his head and gently pulled away from Ichigo. "Wha- what was that?" He asked. "Da prince and da princess alwayz kish," Ichigo said by way of explanation.

Kisshu stopped at the girl's bathroom. Here was the dilemma. He heard a flushing sound from inside. He'd just ask whoever it was in there to dunk Ichigo's head in the water a couple times to sober her up. Yes. That's what he'd do. The door creaked open and lo and behold. Minto came out. She looked at them quizzically. "Are you two married or something?" She asked sarcastically. Kisshu set Ichigo down. "You're Ichigo's friend, right?" He asked. Minto nodded affirmative. "Then will you please take her in there and sober her up, she got drunk at the class party," Kisshu explained. Minto looked at Ichigo's flushed face and dazed expression before noticing the half empty bottle of sake. Minto wrestled the bottle from Ichigo and shoved it at Kisshu before hustling the drunken girl into the bathroom. Kisshu sighed. "The things I go through," He complained to no one in particular. "And just what is this stuff anyways?" He questioned as he raised the bottle to his lips.

When Ichigo came back out, with a splitting headache, but none the less sober, Kisshu was almost as drunk as she had been and the bottle of sake was empty. His face was flushed from alcohol. Unfortunately, neither Minto nor Ichigo picked up on this until Ichigo and Kisshu started walking down the hall again and Minto was gone. "Hey, don't I know you from shumwhere, prinshess?" Kisshu asked. Ichigo rubbed her forehead. "Kisshu, I don't have time for this. We need to find some way to get away from here," Ichigo said. "Well, lesh go back to da cashl," Kisshu suggested. Ichigo nodded. "What? No, we're going to my house," She replied and headed for the door. Kisshu came up behind her wrapped his arms around her waist. "Da prinsh loves his prinshess," Kisshu said and kissed Ichigo on the cheek. Ichigo, now grumpy beyond all reason, thunked him on the head and proceeded to drag him out of the school and crashed at her house.

When they woke up, Ichigo and Kisshu were curled up next to each other on Ichigo's bedroom floor. Ichigo woke up first. She shoved Kisshu's arm off of on top of her and stumbled down the stairs with the intent of getting some water. Luckily her mother was not yet home, unluckily, Minto was in the living room with Ichigo's backpack. Minto opened her mouth to speak, but Ichigo silenced her with her hand and walked into the kitchen. She splashed icy water on her face and down a glass of milk before going back into the living room. Ichigo sat down opposite Minto and leaned back in the chair.

"Can I talk now?" Minto asked. Ichigo grunted. "I'll take that as a yes. First of all, I grabbed your backpack and brought it home for you. That crazy teacher was rummaging through all the backpacks for some reason or other. Second, why were you drinking sake?" Minto asked. "The teacher had a hook up party. I decided to ditch class and was in the process of grabbing Kisshu and taking him with me when the teacher came up and shoved sake down my throat. I'm not sure what happened after that," Ichigo lied, after all the memories were a bit foggy. Sheesh, she'd told Kisshu he was hot. And kissed him besides. Best act like she couldn't remember. Yes, that would be the key. Fake amnesia.

"Kisshu carried you out of the classroom and down the hallway and I dunked your head in water until you were sober," Minto supplied. Ichigo nodded. "Great," Ichigo groaned sarcastically. "By the way, where is Kisshu now?" Minto asked. "I think he's on my bedroom floor," Ichigo answered. "I don't think I'll ask about that," Minto muttered to herself as she stood up. "Well, good luck cleaning up this mess, Ichigo. I shall see you tomorrow if your parents haven't killed you," Minto closed the conversation and walked out the door, closing it behind her. Ichigo sank deeper into the chair.

It was at that point that Kisshu chose to come bumbling down the stairs. He tripped on the last step and somehow managed to catch himself in an attempt not to go "splat" on the floor. "Hey Ichigo, where does your family keep the aspirin?" He asked after steadying himself on the railing. Ichigo pretended to be asleep. "Ichigo—no wait. Is she asleep?" Kisshu asked himself aloud. He walked over to the chair where Ichigo was pretending to sleep. "Faker," he mumbled to himself and wandered into the kitchen where he drank a painfully cold glass of ice water before splashing the rest on his face. He shook his head and dried his face with a towel. "Well, that's a little better. Now, to attend to the great pretender," Kisshu said to himself as he walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch Minto had been sitting on not moments before.

Let's see here, I could randomly poke her.

Or you could leave her alone.

I could douse her in water and quickly run away before she was fully awake.

She looks very comfy in that chair.

I could say all this aloud and play mind games with her.

Are you sure you want to interrupt her sweet slumber?

I could go up real close to her and shout something quite suddenly.

What if she's actually sleeping?

I could go up to her and kiss her.

Now there's an idea.

But she'd get really mad at me.

But you could pretend you were still drunk.

Nah. She already knows I'm not. I said something about that when I came down the stairs, remember, oh smart one?

Hm . . . you could still kiss her. See what she does.

She'd slap me.

But what if she kissed you back?