Disclaimer: please refer to chapter 1. Thanks

Mizuki's jaw dropped. "You… like me????"

The girl straightened up from her bow, looked Mizuki in the eye and nodded. Mizuki opened her mouth to talk but was cut off by the girl.

"Please! Don't say no without even considering it! I know for a fact that you don't have a girlfriend. I asked around…" she blushed "Ah – no! I'm not stalking you! It's just that – her voice lowered to a whisper – I really like you! Please! Think about it?" She looked at Mizuki with pleading eyes.

Mizuki was frozen with shock. She didn't know what to do. This girl was so cute and sincere. How could she, so cold heartedly, reject her? But there was no way she could agree! She was a girl! And she was in love with Sano! What could she do? Lying was the best way to go here. She had to lie. There was no other way.

"Nakayama-san… I'm so sorry. But there's a girl I really like. Even though we're just good friends at the moment… and even though she's rejected me before I'm not going to give up on her so…" Mizuki felt horrible. She averted the girl's eyes.

But the girl's reaction was not one that Mizuki had expected. She cried out in delight. "Oh Ashiya-kun! You're better than I thought! You're so sincere! And your determination to stick with the girl you like is so touching! I'm going to follow your example! I'm not going to give you up! I refuse to believe that I have no hope with you! I have confidence that you will fall in love with me! I can be a better girl than the one that you like! Oh and please call me Ayako from now on!" And with that she gave Mizuki a sweet smile, waved and turned and left.

Mizuki stood, glued to the spot. What had she done? Her lie had not deterred this girl, but made her more determined?? What had she gotten herself into?? Oh this would not turn out well. Suddenly she felt her strength return and she turned and fled to the school infirmary.

0000000000000000000000000000

"Sensei!!!!!" Mizuki yelled as she ran down the corridor that led to the infirmary. "SENSEI!!!"

CRASH

She had slammed head-first into the unlucky Umeda who was ready to go home for the night.

"JEEZ! ASHIYA! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING WILL YOU??? AND WHAT'S WITH YELLING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE CORRIDOR???"

Mizuki grinned sheepishly. "Sorry Sensei…. I wanted to ask your advice about something but I was afraid that you had left already. So I had to run. And I had to yell so if you were leaving and you heard me you would have stopped and waited."

"IDIOT! I would turn to the opposite direction and run as fast as I can! Come see me tomorrow! I have no patience to talk to you right now."

"Seeeeeeenseeiiiiiii!" Mizuki pleaded as she grabbed his arm.

"Ok, ok! Gosh. Girls are such a nuisance!"

0000000000000000000000000000

After Mizuki finished telling him what had just happened to her Umeda burst out laughing. Loudly and uncontrollably. "Why do things like this always happen to you? Wow. I'm amazed. No one would have thought that you would attract girls. I can't believe this! Didn't something similar happen to you in your first year?"

"Sensei!" Mizuki protested. "Stop laughing! Yeah there was a girl who gave me chocolate once, but that wasn't so bad! She didn't even say that she liked me! But this time…. What should I do now?"

"Tell her," Umeda replied with complete indifference. "Tell her that you're also a girl."

"I can't! Sensei! You know I can't tell her! Also, I already lied to her!"

Umeda sighed. "Ok, ok. I'll help you think of a solution! But not right now! I've already endured you for long enough after my working hours you know…. And I've got a date!"

Mizuki smiled happily and jumped up. "Ok! Thank you Sensei!"

0000000000000000000000000000

Sano looked at Mizuki as she walked in. She seemed alright but he could tell that there was something on her mind.

"Ashiya! You ok?"

Mizuki looked up. "Huh? Oh yeah. Yeah I'm fine I'm just thinking about something."

"That girl…" Sano started.

"Oh! She was pretty cute huh? Her name's Nakayama Ayako. She just, uhhh, asked me to be her boyfriend." Muzuki watched Sano closely for any form on reaction from him. But she was disappointed to see that he remained expressionless and said "Oh. Is that so? And you said?"

"No, of course!"

Sano smirked and decided to tease her. "Oh really? Why is that? Why "of course"?"