CHAPTER 1 – AKANE'S STORY

Of Marriages and Volleys

"Aw, man! I hate this!"

With the first period after homeroom over, it was no surprise that Sanada Akane was starting to complain about the piles of homework their teacher gave them. True, Kondo-sensei was a kind man with honor and respect, but the fact that he gives out a lot of homeworks in hopes that his students would 'have a bright future' made it bothersome not only for her but to most of the class. Only a handful doesn't seem to mind about their early workload, but it's certainly not the red-haired female.

"You have to admit, though," Jyuubei said, pulling out her stuff for the next class. "Kondo-sensei's right about how you got the two countries mixed up. It was Sweden who named Russia, not the other way around." She only received a wail from the short-haired friend of hers as the eye-patch wearing female shook her head at the childish retort. "You might be good at memorizing our classmates, but try to use that to your studies."

"Not gonna!"

Another sigh before the raven-haired female sighed. "I suppose." She waited as Akane fixed her things before the two of them walked out from the classroom, heading to their next class which is Chemistry (They're going to use the laboratory for this subject), to be taught by Yamanami Keisuke, also known as Sannan-sensei by most, the Science teacher and vice-adviser of the Student council. Like Kondo-sensei, Sannan-sensei is also good with the students despite his strict regime in their studies and the almost-impossible works he gives to his students. Akane called him a sadist teacher, but he always claims that he's not a sadist compared to their English teacher (and homeroom teacher), Hanae-sensei. Well, he added as an afterthought, at least their Physical Education teacher, Ryuudo-sensei, keeps her down on the ground.

"So," Twirling the lock of hair, Akane, walked in pace with her friend, as the other gave a 'hm' for a reply. "D'you have any plans for the Cultural Festival's dance? I heard that there will be one on the last day and I heard there are a lot who wanted to ask you for it." She waited as Jyuubei thought about it, mumbling something about not entirely sure about it, as they walk past the door leading to a certain office. It was a bit noisier than usual, probably just a normal thing, but they couldn't seem to help but overhear snippets of conversation, most not relevant to their lives but a couple seem to have piqued the reporter's interest.

"Arranged Marriage?" She said out loud as soon as they are out of earshot from the room. "Man, I don't know what's going on, but that Kazama-guy's really creeping me out these days."

"You're still not used to him? You haven't even been to his office!"

A tut-tut sound was heard from Akane as she shook her head to her naive friend's statement. "Don't get me started," She said with a pout. "Someday, I'm going to get him for it. Just too bad that his sister gets to be the butt of his rage lately." Jyuubei shook her head in disagreement. "Really? You sure?" A shrug was her only reply before Akane decided to just drop the topic altogether.

"Though it's a bit interesting how you and Shirabuki-sempai have the almost-same first name."

Akane, in return, gave that a thought before she snapped her fingers. "Hers is only 'Aka' while I got 'Ne' on my name. So, basically," She explained while waving a finger, unaware that both Heisuke and Susumu Yamazaki, another one of their classmate, walked beside the girls to listen to their conversation of her explaining about names. "Basically, the kanji of our names is different despite the same meaning, in a sense."

"How come you're smart over useless, if not irrelevant things while you suck at our History class?" Heisuke butted in, earning him a smack in the face by Akane at his comment. "Geez, I'm only kidding! I didn't knew your name and that girl's name is same yet different." Another snort from the red-haired female for a reply. "Though, I do suppose it's a bit harsh forcing someone for an arranged marriage, don't you think?"

"I guess it depends on the person," Yamazaki mused, earning him a nod from the three of them.

"Still," Akane exclaimed with a frown. "I do wish that girl lighten up a bit. I mean, sure she's a third year and all, but man!"

"Reminds you of someone from another school, huh?"

"Don't get me started.

If there was one thing that Sanada Akane doesn't want, it's rumors... right next to red bean buns (a bit ironic, coming from someone whose name almost the same as the food she hate). The female, though she is highly good and cunning with blackmails, relies on hard, true facts, and rumors with no basis are something she does not want. She'll always have to get to the bottom of it and show that it is either true and false, the latter she will decline. It was a habit of hers, in retrospect, and even Heisuke knows about how she gets irritated about people spreading untrue or bias rumors. It got to have a basis in there somewhere.

So, with that in mind, the red-haired reporter deliberately 'shoo' off the girls who are talking a rumor about how a certain third-year student named Shirabuki Aka not because she feels sorry for her but for the fact that she doesn't like those girls to talk some false stuff about them. No no no, she thought while waving her hands towards them and directing them to the changing room, if it's not true and it has to stop right there.

"You're really a weird girl," Yamazaki commented with a frown after seeing the female's actions. "You blackmail people and, yet, you don't want to hear what they're talking about Aka-san."

"I have every reason for that," The female replied before gesturing that she'll go and change her clothes. As soon as she came out with her PE uniform, they heard a whistle signalling that their teacher, Ryuudo-sensei, has arrived and the class to begin. Compared to Sannan-sensei and Kondo-sensei, he was really somewhere between plain and sane. He doesn't give favoritism to his students, he keeps them in line, but he is also considerate of them, so basically he's a bit normal than some. It was still a mystery how he became Hanae-sensei's boyfriend, but if it works then they have no problem with it.

"Alright, class," He started, clearing his throat as the students line up with the girls on the left and the boys on the right. "Today, we're going to do Volleyball, so I'm going to group you into four teams consisting of both boys and girls. Same rules apply; the winner will get high marks for the quiz tomorrow." Seems legit, most would think, fair and square. Both Yamazaki and Jyuubei went to the first team while Heisuke and Akane went to another, and after the grouping was finished, Ryuudo-sensei declared the first set to start the match.

The good thing about this class is that, though everyone would get to play the game as their teacher had said, they also get to interact with each other and talk while the teacher focuses on the players. Luckily, It was Jyuubei's team that will play first, which means that it'll give Akane some time to take some candid photos here and there, as per request of Sanosuke and Shinpachi a while ago during lunch period.

"Ah, Sanada-san!"

Turning around, the female was faced with one of her classmates, a brown-haired female named Yukimura Chizuru- known to be Hijikata's girlfriend and a friend to everyone in the Student council as well as the daughter of Yukimura Kodo, a famous doctor- sat beside her as Akane decided to hold on the photography a bit and wonder what she wants. "Hi Chizuru-chan," She greeted with a wave as Chizuru replied with a nod. "If you're going to talk about the burrito in the cafeteria, it was not me but Heisuke's fault. I swear, I did not took the last burrito!"

"HEY!"

Chizuru giggled, admitting how she miss the sudden outburst the female would do when she was 'caught in the act'. They weren't really the best of friends, but it was Akane who first became her friend after entering the school and probably one of the first who discovered that Chizuru is a girl ("You can't really hide from my reporter eyes, girl!") when she was still pretending to be a boy for a reason. However, she thought, it all comes down that Heisuke's right about her being a reliable friend to have in times of need.

"I'm not talking about tha-"

"Oh, God! Is it about the lab activity a while ago, I promise you it will not happen again. I didn't even knew Ammonia could smell that bad- Please don't tell this to your boyfrie-"

"It's alright," Chizuru said with a mild smile, reassuring the red-haired female. "I'm not talking about that and I won't tell him it was you who let off the Ammonia and burn part of Sannan-sensei's hair," She paused a bit and giggled as Akane twitched at the memory (and earned her an extra homework to boot). "But I just want to thank you for stopping those guys, you're really a great friend."

"'Tis not me, actually," Akane admitted, taking a quick picture as soon as Jyuubei made a mean return spike to the ball. "I was just asked to help them stop those bullies. I don't like what they're doing, so I agreed." She said with a shrug though, deep down, she was actually saying 'You're welcome', it seems Chizuru knows so no great loss. "Anyway, I had fun messing their heads, I kinda forgot I owe them for leaving bugs on my locker on the first day last year." Chizuru only sweatdropped as their teacher blew the whistle and Akane stood up, preparing for her team's game.

"Well, I still think you're nice!"

The red-haired female stopped for a bit, turned her head as she gave the brunette female a smile and a shrug before meeting up with her team for the match.

"Good luck, Akane-chan."

"Nice game there, Jyuubei-chan!"

"Oh, and... I don't know why you're doing that but try to be a bit more discreet in taking pictures of me."

Akane nearly tripped despite the casual manner Jyuubei says it. How the hell...

END OF CHAPTER 1

Tags: Hakuouki SSL, OC, fanfiction | Writer: Icchan