A/N: Hello again, everyone! Sorry for taking so long to update. I've been unmotivated.
But this chapter is full of contrived comedy so I'm sure you'll love it.

Marth and I had exactly four classes together. My schedule went like this

1A. English 11

2A. Pre-Calculus

3A. Chemistry

4A. Japanese

5A. Writing

6A. Art- Graphic Design

1B. U.S. History

2B. Spanish 3

3B. Physical Education

4B. Japanese

5B. Writing

6B. Study Hall

The classes we had together were English, Chemistry, History, and P.E. Also, Senpai was in my Japanese class and Ike was in my pre-calculus class. Although, I didn't talk to Ike much if we weren't with Senpai.

In any case, it was the first Tuesday in October and I was in History, finished with my assignment. Our teacher, Mr. Kennedy, would let us spread out in the cafeteria and hall we were in to work quietly in groups. Marth was finished with his assignment as well, so we were sitting by ourselves at one of the lunch tables, waiting for the class to be done. At this point, I was ready to consider Marth more than an acquaintance, because he really was the only classmate with whom I ever really spoke. I had more conversations with him than I did with any other person in my grade, probably a ratio of twenty to one. It must have been something like that. So it would have almost been ignorant of me to keep denying the fact that Marth and I were some sort of friends.

"I'm thinking of switching my last period class to study hall," Marth brought up casually, as I was beginning to become drowsy from the lack of mental stimulation. This often happened to me during the last periods of the day when not much was going on or we were being lectured.

I eyed him with suspicion- my last period class was study hall, and it couldn't be a coincidence that Marth wanted to join the class that I was in. "Uh, why? What are you taking during that period right now?"

"I'm taking economics," he replied. With a sigh, he added, "And as for why I want to switch, it's a long story."

"Since when was that ever a real excuse to not give a reason?" I challenged.

Marth smiled in amusement. "Good point. I never really thought of that. Anyway, do you really want to know?" he asked, sounding pleased I was taking interest in something other than just asking for help.

I hesitated at first, and then nodded. I mean, why not? Besides, I was curious to know why this answer would elicit such a long explanation in the first place. All I wanted to know was why he was switching classes- could there really be a complicated underlying reason?

"Well…" Marth began, "I am correct in assuming that you are aware I transferred to Mr. Stubbs' Academy for Gifted Youth this year, right?"

I nodded. "Although, I wouldn't have known, and honestly I'd have never guessed, if I hadn't asked anyone why you were so popular before I got to know you. Since, you know, I'm new here as well and all." That's right, I thought. I've known Marth was new since the very first day of school. That's what started this whole thing, isn't it?

"Do you know what I was accepted here for?" Marth asked, interrupting my thoughts, which was alright with me this time. Normally I found it irritating to be interrupted while I was trying to think. Sometimes, though, I was glad someone could relieve me from them.

"Eh… no…" I admitted with a guilty wince. Seriously, why hadn't I ever asked that? That was one of the first things you got to know about someone at this school! I wasn't exactly normal and I rarely conformed to the status quo, but this was just common sense. Then again… I didn't have common sense.

"I was accepted for my 'academic excellence'," Marth said. "Does that sound boring and unoriginal to you? Well, at the school I previously attended, I took many advanced courses and did well in all of them." He looked at me to make sure I was following, and I beckoned for him to continue. My mind smiled a little because his eagerness about my investment in something he had to say was somewhat adorable and even a little bit endearing.

"I'm assuming you don't know where I transferred from?" Marth inquired.

"You are assuming correctly," I confirmed. "Should I know? Is it relevant?"

Marth shrugged. "Perhaps. You might be able to recall my introduction on the first day of school, I wonder?"

It took me a moment to recreate the scene in my mind. My mouth opened slightly in shock. "It couldn't be…" I didn't say what I was thinking. I didn't want to be wrong. But I was also nervous to be right.

Marth smiled, giving me the notion that he knew something I didn't. Or maybe the notion that he knew his next words held a lot of power and he enjoyed sharing them with others. Or maybe he was just continuously amused at my reactions to his story.

"It's Japan?" I blurted out.

"It is." He was still smiling, as if he really had found my reaction funny.

"Why is this so amusing to you?" I asked defensively. Maybe if I spent more time thinking about it, I could come up with a plausible explanation for why Marth was acting the way he was. But at that moment I was feeling impatient and wanted to know the end of the story. Unfortunately, Marth seemed determined to drag out this guessing game for as long as possible. Gosh dang he's not a sadist is he? ...Okay never mind why did I even have that thought? I'm making myself feel awkward.

"What do you call Corinne?" he asked, instead of answering my aforementioned question.

I sighed. "What do I call Senpai? Senpai, of course."

"And… what do you think that makes me think?" Marth prompted.

"Oh…" It hit me. Like I'd just been high-fived in the face with a brick. I should have seen that conclusion a mile away, but I was too thick-headed to see anything even if it was right under my nose. "You would think I know Japanese."

Marth golf clapped. "Good job! However, somehow I feel that isn't entirely the case."

"Sou desu yo ne…" I said sadly. "I'm terrible at it… but… wait, what's the point of all this?" He still hadn't answered my original question and I was beginning to wonder if he was purposely avoiding it.

"Right," Marth said. "Because I know Japanese, you could assume I am from Japan. But you didn't assume this because I'm not ethnically Japanese, as you can tell."

I blinked. It was true I didn't really pay attention to peoples' looks and I could be pretty dumb in general, but I knew enough to see that Marth did not have an Asian appearance at all. In fact, he had blue hair, blue eyes, and white skin. I'd never really taken the time to truly analyze Marth's attributes, but now that it had suddenly been called to my attention, I couldn't help myself.

His face was round, slightly boyish, but I could see why the other girls thought he was attractive. His hair was short and looked soft to the touch, like silk. Soft blue silk. His skin was smooth and flawless, a perfect shade that was neither too light not too dark. His eyes were round and he had long girly eyelashes that curled upward delicately. He was neither well-built like Ike, not scrawny like Link. Rather, he was in between, obviously someone who exercised to some extent (more than I did, in any case) but not too much, not too seriously. His eyes were full of many emotions and had a personality of their own- happiness, kindness, determination, and contemplation.

You could say he looked rather… graceful.

"Very true, I mean, even not-very-smart people could see that," I said quickly, hoping there hadn't been too long of a pause, and pretending I hadn't noticed anything. "So you're from Japan even though you're not ethnically Japanese." I clarified.

Marth nodded. "My family has lived in Japan since archaic times, or so I was told. However, we've never had actual Japanese blood run in our family. This was probably an intentional action on my ancestors' part; they wanted to keep the bloodline…" Marth trailed off, seemingly reluctant to finish his sentence. "…Anyway, I'm staying with my aunt and uncle temporarily, and so I of course had to switch schools. Due to complications and similar issues, I was given the option to repeat a year of high school. I decided to go for it because I could take more classes and I have nothing to lose, only to gain. Since I was accepted for my academic excellence, I need to take it seriously and learn as much as I can. Coming from the Japanese culture, I feel a lot of academic pressure to do the very best that I possibly am able to do, and that means getting extra education."

"Wait wait wait," I said quickly. "You're telling me you could be a senior but instead you're retaking your junior year?" Unbelievable. Utterly unbelievable. This guy was insane, and possibly someone I should not be involved with. People who liked to learn were dangerous.

Marth laughed apologetically. "It's not that big of a deal, trust me. This way, I have more leeway with my classes. Which, at long last, brings me to your original question."

I took a breath of relief and tried not to make it sound like a sigh. "Finally!"

"My schedule hasn't been completely decided yet. I don't have a fourth period; I've been spending it in the office, similar to Study Hall. And since Study Hall is so useful, I want to make that my last period instead of economics, and use my fourth period for something else."

"Makes sense…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Honestly, my brain had just received so much information in a few minutes and our conversation had been all over the place, so I was still trying to gather my thoughts. So… Marth Lowell is from Japan, speaks Japanese, but is not Japanese. He moved to America for some reason, is staying with his aunt and uncle, goes here because he's super smart and an over-achiever goody-2-shoes, is actually seventeen aka senior age, and now he wants to be in the same Study Hall class that I'm in. Oh, I can't believe he actually speaks Japanese! And he's lived in Japan! Ahhhhhh I finally met someone who's culturally Japanese, this is like a miracle- this is like a dream come true! Wait a second…

"Your accent!" I blurted out suspiciously.

"Huh?" Marth tilted his head in confusion.

"You don't have an accent," I said pointedly.

"Ah, that's because I grew up speaking both English and Japanese. My parents, grandparents, and nearly all the ancestors before them could all speak English fluently, and could all pass the skill of speaking the language down to each rising generation. Therefore, I've never had trouble speaking with correct accents."

"Really? None at all?" I was almost disappointed. Japanese accents are adorable.

"I suppose… if I'm stressed, sometimes you can hear my 'r's sounding funny," Marth admitted with a sheepish smile. Frankly, I couldn't even imagine Marth stressed out. But frankly, I didn't know him very well as it was.

"Well, I'm jealous," I admitted with a sigh. "Japanese is so beautiful, I love the way it sounds."

"Indeed, the way the vowels flow off the tongue and the soft rhythmic lull you can hear when you listen quietly is a most profound sensation." Marth agreed. "Hmm… are you taking Japanese?"

"Actually, yes, I am. I'm no good at it, but I still ignorantly hold onto the hope that I can at least try."

"I can tutor you if you'd like," he offered. The words hung dangerously in the air, silencing me. I couldn't believe it- I'd wanted a Japanese tutor for so long, more than almost anything else, and now I had the opportunity to have one. It was finally in my reach, and it was a feeling most surreal. But accepting Marth's offer would mean staying after school with him, which I wasn't yet comfortable with.

"I, uh, have a bus to catch. I don't want to drive to and from school every day. It's a pain…" I said, kind of lying. I did have a bus to catch, and I didn't want to drive every day, but that was really just an excuse. When it came right down to it, driving every day wouldn't be too difficult, just tedious.

"I can give you a ride," Marth said, not missing a beat.

A few moments passed in silence as I considered my response and reviewed my options. "I'll think about it," is what I ended up doubtfully replying. Of course, I pretty much had no intention of ever accepting his offer. Everything was too complicated, and I could deal with just taking my Japanese class, nothing more, nothing less.

Just imagine my dismay when I walked into Japanese the next day and Marth was there. In the classroom. In fourth period.

"Uh, what are you doing here?" I asked after setting my stuff down on my desk. Carrying a big zipper binder and textbooks and notebooks and all the unnecessary stuff I had with me was quite the pain. "Don't tell me this is the class you chose…"

Marth nodded an apology. "Sorry to surprise you. This is the class I chose, and I'm sure you can get used to it quickly."

"No, I mean- you already know Japanese!" I protested. "You're wasting your elective by choosing this class."

"I don't think a class spent with you is a class wasted," Marth replied. What the heck does that mean? I wondered, giving him an incredulous look.

At that moment, Senpai walked in and saw us talking. "Hey," she waved at me. "What's up?"

"The ceiling."

"No, really."

"Well, Mr. Marth here decided to join Japanese even though he already speaks it." I rolled my eyes to express my growing exasperation.

"How… peculiar…" Senpai said, even though she didn't actually look all that concerned. "Sounds like a waste to me but my opinion is obviously irrelevant on this matter."

"Don't worry, I'm not here to take Japanese," Marth assured us. "I'm the teacher's assistant. I wanted a class where I could have less work so I could have more time to focus on my other homework. I also wanted the opportunity to help teach something I'm good at, as I believe it would be a good learning experience for me. Most of all, I simply want to help others."

"Isn't that what study hall is for?" Senpai whispered to me under her breath. "Well, I think that's a pretty good idea," Senpai added, conceding to Marth's logic. "Right, Kouhai?" She nudged my side.

"I'll admit you make a valid point just this once," I said through gritted teeth. I can't believe he became a TA so I couldn't say no to him tutoring me in Japanese. Wow.

Senpai and Marth laughed at me. I did doubt my choice in friends.