So here's Chapter 2 as promised! I'm hoping to make my future chapters longer than this one but it depends ^^lll. But without further ado here's Chap #2!

Chapter 2: The #2 "Haru"

She took in a deep breath, shook her hands a few times hoping to take away the jitteriness that was eating at her for weeks now. Keeping her face straight, she walked through the sliding doors of the classroom with "confidence". As she traveled to the front desk beside the teacher she heard shuffling and whispers spread through the class.

Yup it's me the "mysterious" transfer student… so many rumors ooohh~…. She thought sarcastically and let out a gruff sigh. As the teacher introduced her like any other new student, the bulging eyes that focused on her made her want to run out of the classroom and find the closest trash bin to puke out all of the butterflies that was speeding inside her stomach. She clenched her fists at her side that had turned cold and kept her face blank, looking above all of her new classmates' heads to the black boards that hung in the back walls.

"Now, transfer student-san why won't you introduce yourself, like name and a personal fact about yourself?" The teacher said smiling kindly. The said girl stared at her for a moment unable to reply. Transfer student-san...? But she noticed the troubled look behind the teacher's smile and sighed inside.

You forgot my name already didn't you... She thought, a bit hurt inside. Turning to the board, with the least shaky hand manageable she wrote her name. The screeches of the chalk was amplified in the quiet classroom with every stroke as she wrote her surname first. Aki-mo-to Ka-. Her hand stopped in the last couple of strokes to her name. Her throat had turned dry and took effort to swallow properly. Come on what are you hesitating for?! She scolded herself. Quickly she finished it off, spun herself around and bowed deeply towards the class.

"My name in Kaede Akimoto, please pronounce it as 'Kei-de!'" She announced speedily with her eyes shut. Standing straight again, Kaede fought a war to keep her face straight and look as calm as possible. Whispers erupted again.

"Isn't that a name for a guy typically..." "...And she has such short hair too, poor thing" "She looks like a bishounen!" "Maybe she's a cross-dresser!" "Ahh I feel so bad for her…" The whispers "whispered".

I'm getting so much pity already…. She thought glumly to herself. And cross-dresser…..? Really?

"Well, um Akimoto-san, you can sit in the back near Miss Chigusa Hanamura- san" The teacher announced pointing to the empty seat near a window beside a brunette whose hair was done up nicely into a bun held with a pink rose barrette. Following the direction the finger pointed, Kaede shuffled stiffly to her designated seat. As classes began like any other day with the addition of a new transfer, Kaede constantly noticed her neighbor the brunette sneaking peeks at her. They didn't seem like curious glances but more scrutinizing, like she was analyzing Kaede.

Is there something on my face…? Kaede wondered to herself feeling her cheeks cautiously and fixed her short but straight black hair. When she caught the girl staring again Kaede decided to give her a small friendly smile but the light brunette blushed and snapped her head back to the front board. Kaede blinked at the reaction and hunched back over her textbooks. I really do look like a guy don't I...? She thought sadly with a bad taste in her mouth.

But all that was days ago, it turned out her brunette neighbor was a close friend of the petrified red haired girl she encountered during her second day at the school. The two had gone up to her together and chatted with her for a quick moment but ended up stuttering with a horrified expression before running away after she smiled while replying one of their questions.

Maybe I had something in my teeth… but they didn't need to have such a big reaction to it… Kaede muttered to herself fixing her bangs habitually. I shouldn't have cut them shorter... She sighed regretfully, but she couldn't stop getting annoyed with the hairs poking at her eyes mercilessly. But that was really the least of her problems right now. There was another thing. This Haruka person was very curious. She must be pretty popular though since people kept looking for her. How many times has she been stopped or apologized to now… Five? Eight times now? She recounted. Didn't they even give her nicknames too, what did that the blondy call her again? Haruka-chan? Haru-chan?

Imagining this Haruka person, Kaede strutted through the second years' hallway exploring her new school while she was at it. During her previous strolls around the place, Kaede had searched around for someone who resembled her in the tiniest bit. But mostly all of the girls she saw had shoulder length hair, past it, or were able to tie them up at the very least. Nothing like her boyishly short hair.

But I wonder how much we might have in common if I ever do find her...wonder if she already knows about me… Kaede thought dreamily to herself. Maybe she'll-. Her thoughts were cut short when a large hand pressed on her right shoulder. Turning around she was faced with a towering tall boy with olive brown hair and soft green eyes. Kaede just stared at him silently a bit overwhelmed by his height while the boy looked stunned as if he had just committed some terrible crime.

"H-Haru….?" It was that dreaded name again.

End of chapter two!

In case anyone was wondering the name Kaede is pronounced as Ka-ei-de, but to make it sound a bit more feminine in Japanese you could pronounce it as Kei-de which kinda sounds like the name Katy! Just a fun fact :)

Anyways, hope you liked it and would be great if you could leave a review too!

Please look forward to the next chapter! ^^