The next morning Naoki and Kotoko walked side-by-side to the train station. Mrs. Irie had stridently insisted that Naoki escort her and when Kotoko had looked at her quizzically, Naoki had shaken his head at her in silent warning.

"But wouldn't it be normal for us to walk together? Why was she—Obasama—making such a big deal out of it?" she asked, almost trotting to keep up with his longer stride. "And insisting that Yuuki-kun stay behind and travel on his own to school?"

"You don't know?" he asked, turning. He noticed that she was out of breath and moderated his pace. "She really, really wants you to call her Okaasan."

"Huh?" She stared blankly at him. "I know I'm in Class F, but even I don't see the connection."

"She's match-making, Kotoko!" he said through gritted teeth.

Kotoko stopped dead in her tracks. "Are you freaking kidding me, Naoki-kun? She thinks that me," she pointed to herself, "and you," she pointed to Naoki, "should date?"

"Yep." He stared at her, grim-faced.

"But we just met!" she wailed. "This is so—so Meiji era!"

"Believe me, you will hear more than you want to know about Mother's intuition before too long," he added, resuming their walk. "Logic flies out the window when she gets a 'feeling'! She acts as if she is an oracle with a direct line to eternal truth. Speaking of which—" He stepped to the side of the path and opened his shoulder bag. "I suspected that she'd try something, but the first day—!"

"What is it?" Kotoko looked into his bag. "Hey, why is my lunch in your bag?"

"She's sneaky," Naoki informed her as they traded bentos.

"Well, I don't know why she chose me," Kotoko complained as they repacked their school bags. "I'm just the daughter of a restaurant owner! You—why, you are the famous Irie-kun, teenage genius of Tonan High! I'm in Class F, far removed from being compatible with you."

He nodded. "Under normal circumstances, our paths wouldn't cross. Actually, that's the appearance I'd like to keep at school."

"Huh? You mean, not talk to you there?"

"Yes, to try and keep the fact that we're living together on the down-low. Not that it will stay that way forever, but I prefer a quiet school life and would like to keep it that way as long as possible."

"I see. If you're seen with a lowly Class F person, then your reputation may suffer."

Naoki's mouth twisted. "I wouldn't put it quite that way. It's just that our school loves to get all excited over new and interesting gossip, and two unrelated students living under the same roof would certainly be an explosive scoop."

"Hmm. And my class sure doesn't need any more reason to act crazy, with midterms coming up. I get your point. Secrecy it is!"

"Until the inevitable happens. So," he asked, relieved that she had agreed so easily, "how do you think you'll do at midterms?"

She shrugged. "I just hope to pass them so I don't have to do retakes."

"Just to pass? Your teacher should be encouraging you to excel!"

"Well, we are Class F. I don't see why you're that surprised."

He shook his head. "Well, if you want to pass, I could probably give you some tips and hints."

"Even being from Class A? Aren't you super ahead of us?"

"Probably. If you can find what material you'll be tested on, I can pinpoint what's most likely to be on the test. We just shouldn't let Mom find out about it..."

"Sweet!" Kotoko danced in front of him, walking backwards as she raised a hand.

He looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"Raise your hand, Class A! Don't you know anything?" When he did so, she slapped it with hers. "High five!"

He stared at his palm. "I know what a high five is, but I also know that it's usually a 'guy' thing. What does it mean to girls?"

"Pffft!" She expressed her derision. "You need to stop thinking that I'm going to act like a 'girl'."

Naoki looked skeptically at her swaying short skirt. "I'll try. Let me rephrase. What did that 'not-to-be-associated-in-any-way-with-a-girl' high five mean?"

"That we're teammates now! Secret teammates, but hey!" As they approached the train station, Kotoko noted, "Now that I've moved, I can meet Satomi at the transfer station instead of the school stop. If I travel the rest of the way with her, that should help keep our living arrangements under wraps. Do you think you and I should ride in separate cars for the first leg?"

"I don't think it's that critical. Besides, I've heard there's been a rash of gropers on this line. Not they've bothered me, but…"

"As long as I'm not squashed in so much that I can't move, anyone who tries something with me is going to come off the worst!" she declared.

He looked her up and down doubtfully. "But you're so…"

Kotoko glared at him. "I just got used to thinking that you weren't as stuffy as everyone says, so don't say anything that's going to get you in trouble."

"...Um, " Naoki gave up trying to come up with a word that wouldn't be upsetting, since she appeared to be sensitive about her height. "Please continue," he gestured.

"Remember last night when Otosan was talking about my old friends…?"

"The, uh, hooligans?"

"Yeah. Well, I learned to fight pretty young, not holding anything back."

"Sounds like it'd be interesting to watch, but I think I'll still stay with you and ward off any potential threats. We can separate in the station before we meet your friend."

Kotoko was deliberately vague when her classmates asked about her new living arrangements. "Yes, they're very nice. My dad is really excited about renewing his friendship with his old pal."

"Are they treating you all right, Kotoko?" Kinnosuke leaned over the back of the chair behind her. "I've heard about bad places where they pretty much turn poor innocent girls into household slaves."

"Stupid Kin-chan!" Jinko shoved him away and took his seat then began to rebraid Kotoko's hair. "What dramas have you been watching?"

"Yeah! Don't forget that her dad's living there too!" Satomi reminded him.

"B-b-but he's at work a lot. A whole lot of bad things can happen when he's away!" He squatted in the aisle next to Kotoko's desk. "You be sure and tell me if they try to use you as unpaid labor!"

Kotoko shuffled paper on her desk. "I don't think that's going to happen. Mrs. I—, uh, Obasama is really nice. But she keeps thinking that she's going to make a lady out of me. You know I'm not cut out for that nonsense!" she protested to Satomi and Jinko.

Satomi smacked her hand in rebuke. "And because you call it 'nonsense' is the exact reason you should pay attention to her!" she averred. "Goodness knows, Jinko and I have done our best, but you still have some rough edges."

Jinko shushed Kinnosuke when he began to protest Satomi's description of Kotoko. "It doesn't hurt to listen to her, Kotoko. And you already admitted that she was nice, didn't you?"

"Yes. She decorated a room just for me." Kotoko nodded for emphasis. "Even kicked her son out of it!"

Kinnosuke leapt to his feet. "You mean there are men there!? That does it! You need to be protected from their lecherous desires!"

"No, no, Yuuki-kun is in, like, third grade. I don't think I have to worry that I'll be ravished in my sleep. Hey!" She raised her hand. "Sensei, what sections of the history book will be on the midterm?"

"Hmph!" Kinnosuke stood over her, arms akimbo, watching as she scribbled down the teacher's response. "I suppose I can relax on that front. But what brought on this need to study?"

"Yeah, Kotoko!" Jinko tugged on her hair so that she had to tilt her head back. "Since when have you cared about grades?"

"Since I don't want to waste my free time doing retakes my last year of high school!" she retorted. She jerked her hair free and waved her arm. "Sensei! Is it going to be multiple choice or short answer?"

Satomi and Jinko put their heads together. "How's that supposed to help her?"

"Yeah! The last time we tried to study together, we didn't know enough about what we needed to study to learn anything!"

"Somethin' smells about this whole situation," mused Kinnosuke, leaning over to overhear their conversation. "I'm not gonna rest until I figure out what it is!"