Chapter 8: Runo Misaki

Dan stared at the girl not at all surprised that she had blue hair since nearly half the class had blue hair in one shade or another. He knew she would fit in fine especially since they had been so nice to him. Like the rest of the class she adorned the school uniform.

"The seat behind Baron Leltoy there," The homeroom teacher said pointing out the muscular dyed fuchsia haired boy who waved, "is empty."

She nodded and quietly took her seat.

"Kinda cute." Keith murmured, but only Dan heard him.

She looked around at all the gentle smiling faces and held her gaze with Dan for the longest. He was a little weirded out by the way she was staring at him, but thankfully class was starting so he could easily pull his attention away from the blunette. The day went on with every break having Runo surrounded and being asked all sorts of questions like how Dan's first day had been. Only it didn't look like Keith was going to rescue her and Dan was getting a little flustered with all the commotion. He was about to say something, but Mira beat him to it.

"Alright everyone, calm down you're wearing the poor girl out with all this interrogation." Mira said taking a stand next to Runo.

The crowd immediately dispersed and only Mira stayed.

"You aren't the first and certainly won't be the last. Sorry about all that." Mira said to Runo with a soft smile.

Runo smiled back and Mira began to slowly walk away, "Don't be afraid to tell people off now."

Runo giggled and returned to her books, but looked up once she felt a gaze on her. Dan nearly leapt out of his chair as he forgot he was staring and he immediately whipped around to look the other way. Something about her seemed familiar yet she was still a complete stranger.

It was like this for the rest of the day and Dan was so lost in thought as he walked with his bike and had Keith chatting his ear off.

"Hey! Kuso! Wake up!" Keith called noticing that the brunette was ignoring him and not purposely, "EARTH TO DAN!"

"Huh? Oh sorry, Keith, had my head up in the cloud for a moment." Dan apologized scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

Keith looked mad for a moment and then a wry smile formulated on his face.

"Lost in the cloud, pffft more like lost in the new girl." Keith teased, "You like her don't you? I saw that you two couldn't stop staring at each other."

"No! I mean she's nice and all, but that's not why I was kinda staring at her." Dan said in his defense and paused to look down in thought.

Keith scoffed and then realized something with the brunette was up.

"Why were you then?" Keith asked clearly puzzled.

"Well, I thought she looked familiar, but yet not." Dan said not able to pin down what exactly it was about the girl that made him feel as if he knew her.

"Maybe she just has one of those faces. Anyway don't get so dreary, so what sports team you going to join this spring? You should go for the baseball team or maybe join up with me and Gus in the Kendo club."

"Oh yeah, well I was thinking football." Dan said glad to change the subject and focus on something else.

"Football?" Keith asked with rhetorical disgust, "You need major muscling in order to survive that sport."

"Yeah I know, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try out the different sports before totally deciding." Dan said with a chuckle as they slowed down to the corner which Keith would normally split from Dan to go to his house.

"Wanna come over again?" Keith offered.

Dan shook his head, "I'd love to, but I kinda fell behind on some homework I couldn't exactly finish in class fast enough. See ya tomorrow."

The two friends waved a small farewell and the brunette carried on only now on his bike.