CHAPTER TWO
Kiku walked into her new school with her head held high, backpack slung on one shoulder. Her waist-length black hair blew back as she walked, turning the heads of many boys and girls. Surrounding her was an aura of confidence, daring someone to approach.
She looked around at the school grounds, the large ovals and gyms, and the spacious auditoriums. The school facilities were all swarming with light blue uniforms, all doing who-knows-what.
A smirk played on her lips as she gracefully deposited her bag into her assigned locker and started towards the assembly hall. "So this is Rakuzan..."
"Every year, the 1st year student with the best marks in the school entry exam would deliver a speech, so this year's highest scorer is..." The principal frowned at the piece of paper he was holding. "Erm... Before we announce the student, we'll have the Rakuzan Choir perform for us. Please welcome them to the stage!"
A certain boy noticed a teacher out of the corner of his eye, beckoning him over.
"Akashi-san, the principal would like a word with you." He just nodded coolly and stood. It was definitely because he was the top scorer - he was always top scorer.
The boy strode over towards where a black-haired girl - with her back to him - and the headmaster was waiting.
"Ah, Akashi, there's been a slight problem. This year you two have tied first." (The great Akashi tied with someone? Impossible.) He gestured to the girl and she finally turned around.
He saw her blue eyes, sharp and crystal clear. Akashi recognised the long, silky hair and the way she held herself, head up and back straight. But there was something different about the girl, the way she radiated coldness...
He stood, shocked for a few more seconds before regaining his composure. "Tajima Kiku."
"Akashi Seijuro."
The principal was surprised. "You know each other...? Oh yeah you do..." He realised that Kiku used to be Akashi's old coach. "Well, I called you to say that both of you tied first in the exam, so which one of you is going to do the speech?"
"I'll do it."
"Me."
They said at the same time.
"Why can't we both do it?" Akashi then asked.
"Oh, well... I guess you can both do it then."
And that's how we ended up in this situation...
"Good morning, first-years of Rakuzan Academy. I am Akashi Seijuro and this is Tajima Kiku, and we are the tied top scorers of the school entrance exam."
"Morning everyone, ..."
Akashi thought about stuff (basketball and the GoM, obviously. What else is there to think about?) as he played himself in Shogi just before Biology started. Kiku is back...how come he didn't know that? He knew everything.
Just as he was contemplating his next move, a few quick, slender fingers reached to his black king and moved it a few squares.
His eyes narrowed and his hand went to his pockets automatically.
"Akashi." Kiku said, chin raised. "Your king would've died."
Where. On. Earth. Did. His. Scissors. Go?! And no one interrupts his Shogi games, absolutely no one moves the pieces. Especially not his king.
"Looking for something?" The girl twirled a pair of red scissors around. He frowned and glared at her. How did she manage to steal them from him? They were in his pocket...
"Yeah well there's this thing called distraction, you know, and you were so engrossed in your match." She said coolly, as if reading his mind (well anyone would be able to tell what he was thinking right now). Then Kiku just walked away.
"Kiku-san! You're so pretty!"
"I love your hair, what do you put in it?"
"OH! Did you used to know AKASHI-SAMA?!"
"KYAAAAAA! Akashi-sama is so cute!"
It was finally lunch, and Kiku was surrounded - and almost suffocated - by the girls in her class. She had instantly become popular, but she was losing patience fast.
Finally, she stood, the chair scraping back. "I'm sorry, but I can't stand dumb, brainless girls going on and on about stupid things such as hair and nails."
She gathered her things and, without turning back, left for her next class.
The girls stared after her disappearing figure in shock and a little bit of awe, too. Even though what she said was mean and quite annoying, no one really minded. She was cool, after all.
Akashi came in then to get his books, and all he saw was a crowd of girls staring at an empty desk. Specifically, Kiku's empty desk.
"..."
Meanwhile, said girl was striding along the corridors of this enormous school in her usual fashion. When she turned her 27th corner, she realised she didn't know where she was, or where Mathematics1A is...
"Excuse me." Kiku asked an upperclassman who was standing nearby. "Could you tell me where Maths 1A is?"
On closer inspection, this guy looked like he had vampire teeth... "Oh yes, it's just down this hallway, turn left, and it's the second classroom on the right."
"Thank you." She gave him a nod in acknowledgement, then turned to walk away.
"Oh wait." He called. "If you're in A Class, it means you must be good at maths, right?"
"Yeah." What was he getting at?
He grinned randomly. "Cool. I'm Hayama Kotaro, by the way."
"Tajima Kiku."
"Huh? Aren't you that girl from Basketball Monthl-"
"I'm going now, goodbye." She interrupted, gliding away, leaving a very confused Kotarou still pondering.
The first day of high school had passed by in a flash, and soon it was time for the basketball club tryouts (the 'club-finding' day was yesterday).
"Ahem, listen up, first years. I'm Coach Shirogane, and I'm in charge of the First String players. So, today, the tryouts are going to go like this: We're going to divide you up into four groups, shooting, passing, teamwork and dribbling. Then we'll put you into teams, and spread out across the four courts, and have 10 minute minigames." The coach announced. "The few girls who are here, please come see me."
Kiku sighed and jogged over to where he was waiting with three others, already in her sports gear.
"So." He said. "Just tell me the positions you are applying for, please."
"Um, I'm applying for the manager."
"Me too."
"Yeah, same!"
"I want to be a player." She said boldly. All three of the other girls turned to stare at her, looking slightly scandalised.
"A player?!"
"No way!"
"Can girls even be players?" One said with a haughty sniff.
The coach frowned at his slip of paper for a few minutes (while the girls - that instantly bonded - gossiped about her, no doubt), then finally replied. "Hmm, well yes you can try out, then if you are good enough we might consider it..."
That sounded pretty dodgy, all 'if' and 'might' and 'consider'. Hmph, if he saw the extent of her true powers, then he would beg for her to be on the team.
But then again it was partly her fault, because she'd kept a low profile after returning to Australia, and gradually her fame died down. Not many knew 'Tajima Kiku' by name nor face anyone, and she liked it that way.
Anyway, back onto topic... For the first section, she recognised the vampire-teeth guy from earlier in her group. Ah, so he was a basketball player.
Needless to say, her shooting, dribbling, passing and teamwork were all brilliant (how could she have been the Generation of Miracles' coach otherwise?), and she noticed some other talented players amongst the group members. There was a girly-looking guy who seemed pretty good, and obviously there was Akashi.
For the minimatches (they were what Kiku was secretly looking forward to), she got put in a team full of pretty average guys, and on the other team it seemed as though there were no one special either - when she used her Emperor Eye to scrutinise everyone, their strength, speed, agility and stamina... Until their fifth member came along.
You guessed it, it was none other than the powerful Akashi Seijuro.
I'm sorry peeps, that was kinda short too...
But it was such a great place to end a chapter, I couldn't resist :) Left you all on a clifthanger, huh?