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The following references have been used in the making of this fiction and are subject to modification as necessary at any time as deemed by the author and/or administration of this site. These references may or may not be copyrighted. Credit is given both to the creators and publishers of these references: Mahou Sensei Negima; Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja; Onegai Sensei; Winter Sonata; Love Hina; The .hack// Universe

11:49

Three...

Two...

One...

The monotone ding that echoed through the halls and in all the classrooms clung stubbornly to the walls. They seemed to reverberate in minute increments. From the front, the building looked to be completely quiet. The seconds dragged on, until one minute became two. Then the ground seemed to shake. Without warning, the doors were blown back with the force of a truck. Students poured forth from every single exit. Enthused screams and shouts filled the air.

Inside, the silhouettes of flustered teachers, parents, and other bystanders, slowly resumed their travels. Unperturbed, a young man with orange hair crossed the hall and walked up the stairs, his satchel slung lazily over his back by his hand.

Tatsuki Arisawa sat before her desk, quietly packing her things away. The science instructor, Shizuna-sensei, was leaning back in her chair, reveling in the freedom of summer vacation. The well-endowed woman noted Tatsuki's presence, looking at the clock. It was unusual of the girl to stay behind after class, particularly since it was summer vacation. After several moments she grinned, "Nice to finally be free isn't it?" Silence, broken only by the sound of Tatsuki's bag being zipped shut.

She mumbled something of an agreement and turned to the door. Well... that part of her hadn't changed much. The instructor spotted a document on her desk. Empathizing somewhat with Tatsuki, she called her over as the student was just placing a hand on the doorknob. When Tatsuki was staring her down with a confused expression, she waved a folder labeled "AP Chemistry" in her face,

"Normally I'm not supposed to do this, but would you like to know the results of your AP application?"

She mulled it over for a period much longer than normally expected. In the awkward silence that ensued, the instructor perused through the papers and names. Finally, she located Tatsuki's and chimed, "I've got it right here...!"

With conviction, she nodded her head, extending her hand as if to ask for the file.

Ichigo Kurosaki stood before the door to classroom 4-C. He was there to receive the results of an exam, which he had requested he receive the week prior. If there was any indication to his nervousness, his unwillingness was perhaps the only visible sign. The AP entrance exams had been hectic. On multiple occasions his mind had blanked out on a question.

In the end, he'd even ended up finishing the last half of the final section in the span of three minutes. Each section was supposed to take fifteen minutes. There was a soft thud on the other end of the door. Ichigo looked up. The old instinct inside him began to tingle. Without hesitation he threw the door open, fists ready for a fight.

"Oh! Ichigo! What perfect timing!"

Primary science instructor Shizuna Osagara clapped her hands together with a grin,

"You're here to receive your exam results, yes? Arisawa here has also received hers."

At Tatsuki's name, Ichigo stopped. A raven-haired girl, Tatsuki Arisawa, stood in utter shock as she looked up and down a piece of paper. When she turned around and saw him, she seemed to lose all self-restraint. Beaming, she ran up to Ichigo and waved the paper around. "I passed!" she cried, "I really passed!" Even though he remained silent, she continued to celebrate. He noticed her bag lying on the floor, slightly deformed from a probably impact.

She'd dropped her bag straight down when she'd seen the results...

The instructor tapped on a form dangling over the corner of her desk. He continued to watch Tatsuki, until he had finally had enough of looking at her. There was a strange, though recognizable pain in his chest.

Taking the paper in hand, he hastily folded it and tucked it into his bag. Bowing, he walked past Tatsuki, who finally grabbed him by the arm. "Hey! C'mon now!" she had just noticed his lack of interest. He exhaled suddenly, as if her touch had surprised him. She stared for a long time, before finally speaking,

"You were the one who tutored me. Should you, of all people, be celebrating?"

Ichigo groaned, as if he loathed being where he was. The science instructor stood up, as if about to do something, but stopped, unsure of herself. When he pulled his elbow from her grasp, she did nothing to maintain to hold. Managing the best fake smile he could, he threw Tatsuki a thumbs up, before hurrying out the door. With a sort of desperation, he quickly made his way down the hall, vanishing around the corner.

Tatsuki gaped, "Ah... hey!" She darted to her bag and threw the straps over her shoulders while she dashed after the runaway boy. "Ichigo!" she flared, "Get back here you little—"

From the bottom of the window, Ichigo swung loosely, his hands tightly gripped around the edge of the building. He waited for Tatsuki's footsteps to echo below him, before pulling himself back up and through the window. He waited for the girl to burst through the doors, watching her as she looked left and right for him. In frustration, she growled angrily to herself.

He felt the urge to say something aloud. Something deep inside him hoped that if he said what he was holding inside, the person he intended them for would hear it. Of course, he said nothing. He didn't even fill in the blanks he made in his thoughts. But he knew what when in those ambiguous slots. He would have to get home soon. Ichigo glanced at the clock.

12:01