Chapter One


Like the start of any April, the air is chilly from the winter months and the fact that there is a light shower of rain have persons huddled close in their jackets with umbrellas open. Ikebukuro, as usual, is bustling even at a time like this with people rushing to work and school. One lone figure within the seas of umbrellas sprints with a dark jacket held above their head. That person just happens to be me, Shizuka.

"Excuse me!" Most move out of the way to let me through -some yelling profanities after me for bumping into them. "Sorry!"

I would hope they recognize that I am a school student running late and would understand my mad dash to reach on time. Seisen Middle School appears ahead and I can't help but let out a sigh of relief. It sucks having no umbrella while the rain fell.

"Why didn't I leave with that goddamn umbrella?" I mutters under my breath, not slowing in my pace even when I pass the still open gates of the school. Finally reaching the shelter of the building, I remove the leather jacket ignoring the looks of my fellow students. Slinging the jacket over my shoulder, I make my way to class.

It has only been a week since I started middle school, but I had somehow already gained a reputation of being unapproachable -which I really don't know how that came to be- so like elementary, everyone kept their distance. Seeing as Shinra didn't attend the same middle school as myself -he had been rather depressed over this- I had no one to talk to.

"Hei-chan," But I had somehow managed to get another idiot to keep my company. Tan hands grasp mine and I find that my passage is blocked from entering my class. "I thought you wouldn't have come today."

Akira Matsumoto is short - only reaching to my shoulder - with big brown eyes and short black hair that curls around her chin. She is always seen with a head band that changes color every day- today it was a grey that matches the color of the sky at the moment.

"Woke up late." I answer. She finally gives room for me to pass through and I walk to the middle row of chairs and tables, where I take my appointed seat that were several seats from the front. Akira takes her place in front of me and immediately turns around. It seems our teacher was a little late as well and so students were still lounging around, talking with their friends.

"I hope you at least had time for breakfast, Hei-chan." Akira frowns, and I can't help but wonder why someone who has only known me for seven days seem so worried about me. It's rather odd.

"I grabbed an omelette." I say. This of course isn't enough for Akira and she decides to give me half of her lunch - even though I have my own - seeing as I didn't get a proper breakfast. I don't find it in myself to argue with her both because our homeroom teacher appears just a few moments later and the fact that it is pointless to argue with her- she is rather stubborn. It doesn't help the fact that her lunches are always good.

"You kids behave," warns Ajibana-sensei jokingly after finishing roll call. Pushing his glasses up, he collects the register from the desk and makes his way out of the class while saying goodbye. "Prepare for your English class!"

"Don't you think Ajibana-sensei is kinda cute?" Akira asks swiveling around to face me again. I shake my head as she swoons, blushing and giggling over the teacher.

"He could be as old as your dad." I wrinkle my nose. Now that I think about it, he might be the right age for me seeing as I am technically in my late twenties.

"I heard he's only twenty-four," There is no way I could see my self talking Akira out of fantasizing over our teacher and resign myself to her three minute talk of how perfect Hiro Ajibana is. I think she would have gone on longer, but luckily our English teacher appears and once again our class quiets down to begin our first lesson for the day.


Middle school's work is actually not all that hard and I soon find myself sailing through the classes with above average grades that has my teachers praising me along with some students looking to me for guidance. It seems that they are more scared of their failing grades that the below achievers begin to approach me for help. Not too long after, they find out I might not be a stuck up know-it-all (Tsukishima-kun looks abashedly away from me when saying this at the time) and begin to actually hang around me.

The news of my goodness spreads like wildfire and soon I find myself being surrounded by students who do not find me so scary after all.

"I knew you weren't that bad," Hisao says smugly, and I give her a smile (wasn't she the one who had weeks prior been giving me dirty looks?) but do not say anything.

The news of my sudden growth of popularity and the keeping of my grades of course makes my family not only happy but proud, which in turns makes me think that the attention I am being shown wasn't all that bad (I like attention too).

"I think it's because you always have this unapproachable air about you," Akira comments one day.

"Unapproachable air?" I repeat, finding myself thinking things over. Did I really give off such a thing? I always thought I was being nice by minding my own business and looking straight ahead. Maybe I should loosen up a bit...

"You could try by not looking so uptight," Akira comes to stand in front of me, putting a finger to her chin as she examines me. "Maybe lose the too tight ponytail hair style could start things off." She doesn't wait for my response and makes her move of removing my hair tie which release the mid length dark hair to fall around me. Messing up the front a bit, she steps back and nods. "You look way cuter with your hair down."

"Thanks?" I usually keep my hair away from my face and neck due to it easily trapping heat while I'm in school. But I guess Akira's idea wouldn't be too bad.

"You should wear head bands like me too!"

"No thanks."

That idea, of course, is a bad idea.

It seems my popularity also attracted bad company as well. Some are jealous females who find it necessary to try to outdo me which of course I do not back down from and instead challenge them to. This did not seem to be what they thought would've happen at first but soon they get over their stupor and accept the challenge of taking me on.

"You're not as cool as you think you are." Kou Watanabe sniffs, her nose high in the air before walking away from me followed closely by her followers. Looking after the female I can only shrug my shoulders before finishing up on packing up my bag. The day has come to an end and everyone is headed either to their homes or to their clubs. Seeing as I am not apart of any, I take the latter option and begin my walk to my home.

Unfortunately, Akira is apart of the female soccer team and so would not be accompanying me on my way home. Not that I mind anyway, I enjoyed the few times I have away from the talkative female.

The afternoon sun has my eyes squinting when I find myself outside of school. Putting a hand above my eyes, I sigh as I once again forgot to walk with an umbrella to combat the heat. Spring is coming to a close bringing along the heat of summer and the closing of our first semester in middle school. I have always looked forward to summer holidays in my past life, but now I find it rather annoying of the heat and how easily my skin could catch sunburns.

"Really shouldn't have left that umbrella at home." I mutter, making my way out of the compound.

"Hey, hey, Heiwajima-chan!" The call of my name has me looking back to find a male walking up to me followed closely by three other boys. I do not recognize him and he seems to be older. Maybe he is an older student...

"Can I help you?" I ask when he is in hearing range. He is about three inches taller than myself and has a rather prominent nose and short black hair. Not easy on the eyes and neither are any of his friends who stay a few feet away from us, but of course I keep this to myself.

"Ah yes, you can." He smiles at me, scratching the back of his head. "I was wondering if you would like to go out with me."

"Excuse me?" My eyebrows are now furrowed as I try to comprehend just what exactly the boy is telling me.

He blushes, not looking me in the eye and instead looks away while continuing to explain himself. "My name is Suzuki Kunio and I'm from Class Two B, please go out with me!"

My lips part as I rapidly blink my eyes. He's asking me out...

I quickly regain my bearings and shake my head slightly. "Um, I'm sorry but I will have to decline."

"W-what-"

"I do not know you and frankly don't give two shits who you are," I find that I can't help myself at this moment and continue. "I am only twelve years old and you're what? Thirteen? Shouldn't you be studying?"

"I-I-"

"And what's with bringing your friends?" I gesture towards the staring three boys behind him. "Are they here for moral support? Or maybe they're here to try to force me to go out with you? Either way, I don't know and don't care. Please leave me alone, I need to go home now."

I do not look to him and instead turn around and begin to walk once more.

"W-wait!" my hand is grabbed which stops me from continuing, and I look back to give the boy a glare.

"Please let go of me, I need to go."

"Let me just explain-"

"I said to let go-"

"Just hear me out!"

"Let go of me!" I wrench my hand out of his hold which is a bad move on my part as it sends the boy stumbling and hits into me which causes me to trip and we both fall to the ground. "Get off!"

"S-sorry!"

His weight is suddenly removed from off of me and I look up to see someone had appeared to help.

"I think you should leave Heiwajima-san alone now."

"T-Tanaka, what're you doing here?" the boy in question doesn't answer and instead offers a hand to myself. I stare at the tanned hand before accepting it and allowing his help to get myself off of the ground.

"Thank you," I say to the boy who gives me a small smile before he turns to the supposed Suzuki person.

"Suzuki-san, please leave before you cause more trouble." Suzuki stares at us both before gritting his teeth and turning away and walking off. His friends send us one last look before following after him.

Dusting my skirt clean, I look to the boy once more. He's taller than me by a good four or so inches and has dread locked brown hair that he keeps in a ponytail with a few framing his face where he also wears square framed glasses.

"Tanaka was it?" I ask, garnering his attention once more.

"Ah yes, my name is Tanaka Tom." He gives me another smile holding out a hand. "Sorry about my classmate. He should've apologized, so I'll do that in his place."

"It's okay," I mumble, shaking his hand. "My name is Heiwajima Shizuka, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well, Heiwajima-san." he says releasing his hold on my hand. "Is it okay if I treat you to some food as an apology?"

I blink, pursing my lips giving him a look. "As long as you don't try to hit on me like your friend did, then I guess it's okay."

"I promise, I won't."

And he didn't.


Like I promised, a new chapter two weeks later!

Thanks are going out to all who favorited and followed (you guys are awesome) and to Gomerah and Mary D. Black2000 for reviewing! Your words of encouragement were very nice. Thank you again.

Try again by Shakira got me through this week (still is actually) and Happy International Women's Day! ^_^