Someone told me that Nanimori was spelt as Namimori (though Nanimori looks better to me) so I have changed it. ^^ Thank you, microwaffle! Hehe, sorry for the mistake. *bows apologetically*

Thank you for all your reviews! TT_TT It's over thirty already and I was like O_o. I love all of you! And also thanks to my sister, for beta-ing. She rules, ya know?

And stopping my rambling to let you read... (assuming people read this, that is), please enjoy! (and review? *puppy eyes*)


'Now we are doing our every quarter year test! First is the vaulting horse! Please line up everybody!' Our Teacher, Mr Fukawa, yelled out to us. The class groaned as they slowly moved into a line.

My first PE lesson… was a test. Joy.

'Asawa Haruko!'

'Yes!' A nice looking girl looked at the third level of the vaulting horse and started running, landing perfectly. The Teacher scribbled something on that clipboard of his and looked up.

'Bright Alice!'

'Yes…' I mumbled out, and walked towards the mat. I yawned and stared at the vault. Then I started a light jog and vaulted over, giving a perfect landing anyway. Then I stumbled a bit, cursing.

I hate PE.

Today was not a good day. I was already in a bad mood from these random boys hanging around my desk in an inconspicuous way. Glaring at them had also made more rumours, which made even more rumours which spawned even more rumours until there were so many rumours about me floating around that I had given up keeping track of them all.

No, scratch the PE. I hate school in general.

The Teacher scribbled something on his board and yelled the next name. The people who passed were put on the end of the line so that we could attempt one level higher. The people who failed were given one more chance and sent to the other side to watch.

I watched with shrewd eyes at everyone until the name I had been waiting for was called.

'Sawada Tsunayoshi!'

'Y-yes!' Tsuna stumbled forward, his face an "I'm going to fail anyway" expression. His fluffy brown hair still stuck up as always as he started running awkwardly towards the vault, him pausing in front of it and then stumbling on it, knocking the three boxes over. I frowned.

Technically, he would have been able to vault over it. But he hesitated…

'Haha, no-good Tsuna as always!' Someone yelled as Tsuna rubbed his head in an "I knew it..." Type of expression.

'I'm surprised he didn't skip!' Some boys laughed at him. He sighed and slumped.

'Failing on the third level? I thought so…' some girls muttered. I glared. This blatant verbal abuse! I looked at the Teacher, and I was enraged that he had this bored expression on his face. I kept my face calm.

I can't do anything yet. I have to wait.

'Again, Sawada? This is your third testing you know. Do you want to try a second time?' He shook his head wildly. 'Then, Sareno Makina!' A pretty athletic girl raised her hand and grinned. The boys immediately stared at her (obviously very popular). Then she vaulted over the vault perfectly, giving Tsuna an even worse impression.

I shook my head in sympathy. He had the worst luck, hadn't he?

The vault level was increased every time everyone in the class had vaulted over it. The ones that had passed anyway. I failed on the ninth level though. As I walked to the sidelines to watch, a voice stuttered a greeting to me.

'G-g-good work, Bright-san.' I looked up surprised. Someone talked to me? I looked up to see a girl with glasses and braids, giving her the classic nerdy look that was becoming oh-so-fashionable in teenage-dom back in the time before I died. She looked nervous, fidgeting slightly on the spot.

Karuya Setsuna. Grades were one of the best, expected to go one of those super smart prestigious middle schools. From behaviour at class, she was shy, but liked to make friends. She was a "middler". Not high on the social stats like Sareno Makina but not as low as Tsuna. Normal. Just how I like it.

I smiled at her.

'You too.' She looked surprised at my smile and smiled shyly.

'Do you like sports?' She asked as I walked towards her and leaned on the wall, my hands in my pockets. 'You look like you do a sport.' I stared at her blankly and she backed away a little. I blinked.

'Sorry. I forgot staring at people makes them scared.' I said offhandedly. She looked at me incredulously.

'You… you weren't glaring at me?' This time I looked incredulously at her.

'I was just staring. I do that when I'm bored.' She blinked owlishly behind her glasses and suddenly laughed.

'So that's your default expression?'

'Yeah. And by the way, I don't do a sport.' She was still giggling, as if she just made a startling revelation. She straightened out and looked at me. 'I'm only good at dodging.' I added.

It was true. I was only good at dodging because of those freaking meat cleavers Jack threw at me. My reflexes were good. That was all. And oh, my leg strength was good too, from all that training I got while running away from said meat cleavers. Nothing more.

She smiled. 'You're only good at dodging?' she said teasingly.

'Yup. Not a useful skill, but I'm good at dodging.' I nodded mock-wisely. 'It is particularly useful when you need to dodge fan-boys that lunge at you in hallways.' She laughed and stood a little closer.

She wasn't leaning on the wall. She didn't seem the type anyway.

'You're not as scary as I thought, Bright-san.'

'Don't call me by my last name. I don't like it.' I said with a scowl. She looked at my expression, tensed a bit and seemed to force herself to relax.

'You shouldn't do that expression you know. It makes people not want to approach you.' She said chidingly, though still a bit tense. Maybe she was afraid of my reaction.

'Oh. Then I should stop doing it then.' I changed my scowl into a forced smile. 'Better?' She looked at me and laughed.

'You look like you're constipated… Alice-san?' I smiled at her.

'Better. Can I call you Setsuna-san?' She smiled blindingly. I blinked. She was actually pretty cute herself.

'Of course!' I smiled back at her and laughed. All the people in the waiting section for the freakishly super athletic people to go through the level twelve vaults stared.

'Did she just…'

'Yes. Bright-san laughed.' Mutters and whispered immediately pervaded the room. I rolled my eyes and scowled.

'I hate those people who're making rumours. I didn't even do half of them!' I grumbled. Setsuna giggled slightly and pointed out that I was scowling again. I groaned and was trying to change it when I was interrupted by the Teacher.

'We'll do the flexibility tests next lesson. But we have some time left so what game do you want to play? Two options. Dodge ball or warm-ups. Choose.' Majority went to dodge-ball. Obviously. And I said majority because one person had voted for warm-ups.

Tsuna.

I didn't blame him though. With his bad luck… he would probably die in a few seconds. Or get ten balls to the face. Or something as bad as that.

The Teacher walked around, giving us ones and twos and we grouped up.

To my disappointment, I wasn't in Setsuna's group. Though interestingly, as I surveyed my team, I saw a very scared Tsuna in the corner fidgeting. My whole team groaned.

'With Tsuna we'll never win!'

'Yeah, the team with Tsuna always loses...' I frowned again. All of them just kept on muttering about how Tsuna was a failure. No wonder he had a low self-esteem! But Teacher blew the whistle and the game started giving each team having two balls each, effectively cutting off any more complaints about Tsuna. The balls soon started flying around surprisingly fast.

Nothing compared to knives though.

I stepped to the left as a ball whizzed by and hit the legs of the person behind me. I heard the person sigh and head off to the sidelines. The ball bounced back and a random classmate took it and threw it.

This continued for a time. Just keeping to myself and dodging the random balls that passed my way.

Until I realised I was the only one left on the middle of the court. Then Fukawa-sensei (that is what I should call him now, yes?) blew the whistle and stepped forward.

'How many people on Team 2?'

'Two!' Someone called out.

'How many people on Team 1?'

'…' I didn't answer. Then someone called out

'Two!' I looked around curiously, trying to find my teammate. I found no-one. The Teacher raised an eyebrow.

'Who's the second one?' Everyone pointed to Tsuna. I looked at him. He had been standing at the side blending in perfectly with the crowd. I guess his plan of "blending in until the game had ended" failed.

He had that expression again. That blank eyed, open-mouthed, I-can't-believe-this look.

'Sawada, go into the middle of the court and at least try to look like you're playing.'

'Y-yes sensei!' Students laughed at the Teacher's comment (I was glad to see Setsuna wasn't laughing) and Tsuna walked/stumbled towards me. When I looked at him, he tripped flat onto his face in... fear?

I mentally groaned in my brain. He must've heard the rumours as well.

'Rules are the last team with the most numbers wins! Begin!'

'Ah, then we'll lose then! Bright-san might be good but Tsuna can't play dodge-ball for his life!' A vein ticked in my forehead.

We'll lose huh… Let's see about that.

The first ball came, aimed for Tsuna. I shoved him to the side, jumping over the ball myself. Then pushed his head down as another ball came from behind his head, using his head as leverage to land behind him. I pulled him towards me as another two balls came from the side-lines, missing us completely.

I caught a ball that came from behind me and threw it at one of the two in the other team. It missed, unfortunately.

I had never been good at aiming…

This continued for awhile. Me shoving Tsuna and the people on the sidelines throwing the balls. Some boys were snapping pictures suspiciously in my direction.

...

At least now I knew who the fan-boys were. I glared at them and shoved Tsuna out of the trajectory of another two balls at the same time.

The wonders of multi-tasking.

We were doing pretty fine; even I would say that. That was until Tsuna tripped over his own feet, sprawling on the floor. He got up slowly. My eyes flickered to him and the people in the other class took advantage of it and...

'THWACK!' Tsuna got a ball in the face. I winced in sympathy.

*BEEEEEEEEP* The whistle blew and the Teacher gave his "wonderful" proclamation.

'Team 2 wins!' The people on my team groaned.

'And I thought that maybe this time the team with No-good Tsuna will actually win.'

'Yeah, No-good Tsuna's fault.' A girl agreed. I grumbled. I was trying to help discreetly. Made it worse instead.

Looking at Tsuna who was still on the floor, I reached out a hand. He stopped rubbing his head and stared at the hand.

'Help.' I stated simply, my face back into its bored expression (didn't want to force a smile and looked constipated).

He flinched at my face (mental note to myself, try and look friendlier) but took the hand anyway. I hoisted him up, made sure he wasn't going to fall again and turned around, ready to walk off. I was thirsty, see.

And the sight that met my eyes.

Nearly all of the boys in the class were on their butts or faces in a falling position.

'Bright-san! I fell over, please help me up!'

'Bright-san! I think I had gotten a ball to my face as well! I need help to go to sick-bay!'

'I think my ankle twisted, Bright-san... Help me up!' Another boy moaned out.

My eyebrow twitched. I stalked right through them, not helping anybody or even glancing at them.

'You're all annoying,' I told them, and went out of the gym to the bubblers.

Annoying fan-boys...

After my drink, I went and changed, Setsuna chattering about some homework or another. I nodded, enjoying non-fan-boy company. She was nice too, offering a study session together later in the week. I agreed and we went out of the change rooms together, her babbling happily and me just nodding.

I looked around in the crowd outside the change rooms.

'Where's Tsuna?' I asked Setsuna.

'I don't know. The losing team usually needs to clean up afterwards, but they look like they're mostly here...' She trailed off looking doubtful. I frowned and walked off towards the gym.

'Thank you for your invitation Setsuna-san. I will make sure to go afterwards. Meanwhile, good bye.' She nodded confusedly, as I walked away. PE was the last period for the day, and if Tsuna had to clean the whole gym...

I peeked into the gym to see Tsuna dozing in a corner in the sunshine. I smiled at the sight, and stared at the messy gym.

No wonder he wanted to sleep, what did kids do in here? There was dirt everywhere!

I sighed and started with the vaulting horse we had just used, packing it up into the storeroom. Then I swept the floor and packed random PE objects back to their original positions.

As I sneezed because of some dust on some random baseball gloves, I asked myself exactly why I was doing this.

Then I looked at Tsuna and reasoned it was good exercise. And with him sleeping that way, his hair lit up like that...

He kind of reminded me of Jack. Not as in Spartan Teacher 1, but Jack, as in my little brother. The thought made me nearly tear up, but I glared at the gloves instead and continued packing up, wishing it won't make me sneeze too much.

After all, I wouldn't want to wake Tsuna. And he was kind of in this predicament because of me anyway (well... indirectly), and didn't Liza say to help discreetly? Doing this made me feel useful, somehow.

I packed the last of the mats into the corner and looked at the corner where Tsuna was sleeping in. He was in a different position (was he awake? Nah, if he was awake he would've screamed at the sight of me or something.)

Frowning in disapproval, I ran up to the boy's change room (peering in first, of course) and took the only bag left. Then I ran back down and put the bag next to Tsuna, his jacket over him. I nodded in approval.

Looking in this angle, I really could imagine him as my little brother... I crouched down and stared at him in the face. Then I left, thinking Grey would be worried or something and so I walked out, bag slung over my shoulder.

Right after I left, there was a tiny muffled "Oomph!" as if someone had tripped over but when I peered back in, only Tsuna was there, sleeping again. I shrugged and left for real, walking out of the school.

It was only later I realised that the jacket over Tsuna was placed in a different direction that I had originally placed it. But I just shrugged it off, thinking my memory was weird again.

The next day, Tsuna didn't run away from me.

Though he still flinched when I stared at him, at least he didn't immediately fall from his chair.

I mentally shrugged as I sat down. At least it was an improvement... right?


'Class, we have our annual camp coming up! I know it's a month away, but some people,' she looked pointedly at Tsuna, who shrank into his seat, 'always put payment in late, so here it is! Please remember to pay by next month! It's your last year at Namimori, and there's only three months of school left until you go to Middle school, so enjoy this little trip!'

Everyone started chattering excitedly as I yawned. Setsuna came up to me.

It had already been... a week? But Setsuna had become my friend. Only friend. Her other friends were a bit...air-headed. And others were a bit too obsessed with guys, that type of thing. Though I don't wonder about that, it seemed like every girl in this class was like that.

I'm not talking or complaining or whatever... But sometimes I just want to ask them 'Isn't thirteen a bit young to have those thoughts?' But I never do.

Not bothered. Let them think what they want.

'Alice-chan! Want to bunk together?' I smiled up at her. The guys in the class immediately swivelled around and 'aaahed' in this... totally disgusting and creepy way. I immediately scowled.

'Yes.'

'I heard we'll be going as a joint trip with the other elementary!' I nodded.

'Wonderful.'

'Yup!' She continued babbling, and I kept my usual role and nodded.

I guess Grey could take care of the guardian's signature and whatnot. I yawned and nodded a yes to Setsuna's question about bringing sunscreen.

School passed normally (which was a rarity these days). I kept an eye on Tsuna, noting his tiny little habits and such (seriously, I felt like a stalker...), listened to Setsuna, and handed in homework. I stared out the window in thought.

School trip huh?

A normal school trip? I briefly perked up until I realised what world I was in.

Impossible... I don't believe in normal anymore, seriously.

...

Though I do hope that it would at least be remotely normal...


Sunlight pierced through the curtains to my eyes when Grey opened them up for me. I mentally squirmed at the light.

I hate mornings.

'Wake up, Miss. Breakfast is ready.'

'Mmmrpgh.'

'If you don't wake up now, you might be late for school.' He added gently. I groaned as I levered myself up and rubbed my eyes.

'I hate Mondays.' Grey chuckled gently as he wheeled the breakfast tray in. This was practically routine already. One month into my first year with Tsuna (even though I had started school in the last quarter in the school year, so it technically wasn't a year…).

Though it wasn't going well, to say the least.

I stared blearily at my breakfast. Eggs and bacon, toast and a cup of soy milk (since I hated milk). Pretty simple, just as I liked it. I picked up a fork and stabbed at the egg.

School was not exactly horrible... I mean, I wasn't being bullied or looked down upon, or anything like that. It was just annoying when a random guy came along and fidgeted next to my seat in a way I knew all too well (hey, I was Amanda's letter bearer for years, give me some credit) until I glared at him, which would then make the guy meep and run away.

Of course, that doesn't stop them from coming. Oh no, it couldn't be that simple. They had pinned me for the "tough cute" type (though the cute part was mainly due to the coercion of my eyes. I swear to Heaven, I have never been "cute").

Tsuna however... Well, he keeps avoiding me (for some odd reason or another. It was fine after the PE lesson... the he suddenly just kind of started avoiding me again. I think it had to do with that incident).

I could even imagine those purple lines covering half of his face in that weird pose he does on one leg when he's surprised.

How was I supposed to help him then? I didn't even feel particularly scary!

...At least I had become good friends with Setsuna.

Though not the rest of the other girls though (as mentioned before). Those people reminded me too much of Amanda's female stalkers in my previous life. Just the thought of spending my second life with them makes me want to barf.

I picked up my toast and munched into it. Grey fussed around in the big room, arranging my school uniform and cleaning up stuff. Grey was my constant companion. I loved him for that.

I finished demolishing my breakfast and stood up, where he immediately gave me my school uniform. I took it and started to change slowly, still groggy from the morning. I didn't like it when other people tried to dress me, so Grey let me do it for myself. Of course, his perfectionist nature wouldn't allow for my collar being slightly lopsided or anything, so I would've been fussed over anyway.

'Grey, drive today?'

'Of course, Miss.' I yawned.

'Thank you…' I yawned out as I stumbled out to the corridor. Go toilet, come out, end of the hallway, put on shoes and go to the elevator, wait for Grey, press a single digit number, go out on that floor and slide down the fire escape to the parking lot.

Much simpler than being swarmed.

I slid into the seat and Grey closed the door for me. Then he slid into his own driver's seat (we didn't trust any of the real drivers) and started the engine, pulling out of our spot and down the driveway. I stared out of the window, bored out of my brain.

'Miss?' Grey asked from the front.

'Yes?'

'I heard that there was a school camp coming up.' I blinked. Oh, that.

'How did you know?' I could practically see his smile.

'What type of butler would I be if I didn't know my employer's affairs?' I nodded. True. 'I have already signed it for you and put it into your bag. The payment is also there.'

'Thank you, Grey.'

'My pleasure, Miss.' I nodded sleepily and stared out of the window again, and my reflection.

I personally didn't like looking at my reflection. My own eyes creeped me out too much. They seemed to see through me, and I didn't like that one little bit. They (as in Liza and them) said that it was a family trait, since we had to intimidate sometimes to get information. Just that some colours are more intimidating than others.

Yellow, for example, was more intimidating than pink.

The streets passed by in a blur as I thought. I wonder if that was what other people felt when I looked at them. Maybe that's why Tsuna always ran away.

Wasn't he always chased by his un-usefulness before he met Reborn?

Grey turned a smooth corner. The houses blurred and straightened out again.

You know, I was truly tempted to befriend Tsuna. But that was Reborn's job, so I was looking forward to Reborn coming. But there was a problem when he actually came. Reborn, from our information files, was not one to be easily trifled with.

How do I join Tsuna's family? I remembered every fight Tsuna and the Guardians had (it was the highlight of the whole series) but I couldn't for my life remember what had happened before Rokudo Mukuro came into the picture.

I screwed up my forehead in thought. When Reborn came up, he had been looking for…

'Miss, please get out now.' I smiled up at Grey and got out, dusting my skirt and checking if anything was out of order.

'Grey, wait for me here when it's after school?'

'Of course.' I grinned at him and started walking. 'Are you certain you don't want me to walk you to school, Miss?' I froze. I unfroze myself and twisted the corners of my mouth up looking at Grey.

'No! You definitely don't need to come to school with me. Hahahaha!' I laughed nervously as I speed-walked away. The last time Grey followed me to school… I shudder just thinking about it.

Let's just say it involved many towels and oranges and leave it at that.

'Then I shall be here waiting when you finish school.'

'Thank you!' He just bowed in response and stepped into the car. I hummed happily as I walked down the street like a normal student. I breathed in and smiled. Normality. I've been missing this.

No more random knives flying at me! No more sitting position without a chair when I was concentrating on typing fast! No more hard maths!

Yup, just like a normal student. I nodded. How could I ever hated being normal?

...Though knowing this world, this sparse moment of normality wouldn't last.

I reached the school and walked into the courtyard in front. Entering the school, I went to Setsuna. We greeted each other and started walking towards the classroom, her chattering about some new science topic or another while I listened. We reached our classroom just as the bell rang and we dispersed into our individual seats. I sat at the back of the room near the window, so I could practically see the whole class without moving my head much. I watched Tsuna as he put his bag down but stopped when the Teacher came in.

Get up, say greeting, bow and sit down to start lesson.

It was third period before anything interesting happened.

'Does anyone have notes to hand in?' I got up and gave in my camp note, as well as the payment. The Teacher nodded and marked something off on her ever present clipboard.

'The grade camp trip is next week, so Asawa Haruko and Sawada Tsunayoshi, please hand in your notes before Friday.'

'Yes!' Asawa said. Tsuna wasn't as confident.

'Y-yes...'

I shook my head. Not looking forward to the school trip. Who knows what could pop up?

At least I was bunking with Setsuna. That should make it better... right?


School trip next time! ^^ I hope I continue getting lovely reviews from you all... =^= You guys are the best!

Shall see you all next week... hopefully. Haha!