AHHH! I am so terrible T.T Mina-san, gomen nasai! I am SO sososososo sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time (over a month)! I totally lost track of time over break. It's not fair to you guys...

I thank you all so much for your encouragement and loyalty to this story, and for being patient as I try to get back into something of a routine here in my second semester of freshman year (college).

I won't be doing review replies this time so you all can get right onto the story. Because you've waited long enough! Alright, let's go with chapter 34 (the start of one of my most favorite episodes in the entire series ^.^)! Happy reading!

-XXXIV. First Day-

Before we knew it, spring was upon us, and it was time for a new school year! We couldn't believe that it was our second year of high school, and Sachiko's first year of high school!

Of course, there were some drawbacks to spring. Because Miki had allergies along with her asthma, she had to start wearing a mask over her mouth and nose. It was just a precaution, but she didn't want to take any risk of getting a bad reaction. Like hives.

"So, where's Yuki today?" Sachiko asked.

"He's been busy helping out with the Orientation Committee," Miki said, her voice muffled by her mask.

"It's gotta be rough," I said.

"Yeah, what with all the first-years girls' lovey-dovey attacks," Sachiko said. "I've already heard nearly every girl in my class talk about how much they want to go out with him."

Kyo rolled his eyes like, "Whatever."

We laughed.

3_3_3_3_3

"Um, excuse me," a first-year girl said to a second-year with the Orientation Committee. "I think I dropped my student handbook somewhere."

He sighed. "So why're you telling me?"

"Oh, is that bad?" she asked nervously.

"Where did you last see it?"

She looked at Yuki, and all her higher brain function ceased.

"Start by looking there. We'll keep an eye out for it, too. What's your name and class?"

She gaped at him, then went into full fangirl mode.

"I'm Arimori Satomi! Fifteen years old! I'm a Scorpio, blood-type B! I like arts and crafts, and everyone says I have really cute ankles!"

Sadly for Yuki, this girl wasn't alone.

"I'm Sonomiya Rina, and I was the most popular girl at my old school!"

"No she wasn't!"

Yuki and the other second-year stared at the mass of girls, clamoring to tell Yuki their whole personality make-up.

"You know, Yuki," he said, "one of these days, you have got to tell me your secret."

Yuki sighed. Sadly, it was so secret that even he didn't know it.

3_3_3_3_3

"He's a shoo-in for Student Council President," I said, "as popular as he is."

"Though," Miki said, "I don't think Yuki would want all that attention."

We nodded in agreement.

"Oh, I just remembered," Sachiko said. "I'm pretty sure I saw Shigure at the entrance ceremony. I thought he wasn't coming?"

"He decided to at the last minute," I said. "I talked to him. He decided, since you and Hatsuharu and Momiji were coming, that he couldn't miss it."

F_F_F_F_F

"They're like younger brothers to me, Hatsuharu and Momiji, you know. And, of course, Sachiko is your and Miki's best friend. I had to come and support them."

I stared at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Okay, why are you looking at me like that? Don't think I came just to look at all of the pretty high school girls. Tsk, tsk. Oh, you youngster of little faith."

Don't sell yourself short, I thought, after those so-called presents you gave us for White Day.

F_F_F_F_F

"Idiot," Kyo muttered.

"No kidding," I said.

"Speaking of Momiji and Hatsuharu... Yo, Orange-top," Miki said, poking his foot, which was propped up on his desk. "Go get 'em."

"Huh?" he asked, looking up from his book. "Why do I gotta do it? ! Make her go! She's the one that's all excited about 'em being here!" he said, pointing at me.

I rolled my eyes.

"And what kind of friends would we be if we made Kiku do that?" Sachiko asked.

"What about me? !" Kyo cried.

"Oh, you?" Miki said. "That's fine."

"You know," I said, "I was already thinking of going to find them anyway. I don't mind going."

"Take Orange-top with you," Miki said. "I think he's making my allergies act up."

"I am not! !"

I know for a fact Miki's not allergic to cats, I thought with a smile.

"Come on, Kyo," I said. "We could look for them together."

"Oh, please," he said. "I already see way too much of those guys as it is."

I leaned closer. "But meeting them at school would be a whole new experience. It could be a lot of fun!"

He looked at me for a moment, and I sensed that he was...remembering something.

I blushed at my guess of what. Especially since he was looking at the orange ribbons in my hair.

He stood and followed me.

"Be back soon!" I called over my shoulder.

3_3_3_3_3

"Orange-top has a hard time saying 'no' to Kiku, huh?" Miki asked.

"Very interesting..." Sachiko said. "You don't think that..."

"What?" Miki asked.

"Well, do you think something...happened between them?"

"Something like...?"

"I don't know. Just...something... I mean, he did give her those ribbons and all..."

They looked at each other. "Nah!" they said in unison.

"So he got her a present," Miki said.

"Yeah, Kyo's not exactly the romantic type," Sachiko agreed.

Yet the idea that something had happened kept tugging at their thoughts. It didn't seem all that far-fetched, considering that they had noticed subtle differences in their behavior since the trip to the hot springs.

No, they thought. No way.

3_3_3_3_3

"So what class are Momiji and Hatsuharu in, anyway?"

I stopped walking and turned to Kyo, a nervous smile on my face.

"You don't even know? !"

I smacked myself in the forehead. "I guess I wasn't thinking!"

He sighed. "Okay, just wait here. I'll go ask."

I leaned against the wall and sighed. Geez, way to go, Kiku, I thought. You kiss him on the cheek, and suddenly you turn into an idiot who can't think straight.

Oh, wait, I already am one of those. Duh! I sighed again.

Oh, Mom...I'm just going to make a mess of everything again, aren't I?

3_3_3_3_3

Kyo walked over to two first-year girls. "Hey," he said. "You know a couple of guys named Sohma? One's got white hair, the other's blonde?"

"Yes," the first girl said a little nervously, smiling. "They're in our class."

"Go get 'em, will ya?"

"Okay!" they said, and scurried off.

Hell, why didn't she ask where they were before we started wandering around the whole damn school? he thought. Not that I really mind-

"Hey, man. Check it out!"

"Hmm?" He turned back around, using his cat-like hearing.

"That girl's pretty cute, huh?"

His jaw dropped in surprise and anger when he saw they were talking about Kiku.

"Yeah, I guess so," the second guy said. "But she kinda looks like an airhead."

She is not! Kyo yelled in his head. She just spaces out, is all!

"Yeah! Just my type. I'll bet I can talk her into going out with me. I don't do so hot with smart girls."

Then you don't have a chance in hell with her, Kyo thought. ...But why even let you try?

"Well, you have a point there. So what are you waiting for? Go over there and work your magic."

"Watch and learn, man-"

Kyo rushed back over to her. He punched the wall above her head and looked down at her, trying not to get caught up in her eyes like he usually did. To the untrained eye, it looked like Kyo could've been her boyfriend, standing protectively over her.

Kyo glared at the guys.

"On second thought, never mind!"

Kyo chuckled in his head as they ran away.

3_3_3_3_3

I felt thoroughly confused as I looked up at Kyo, practically leaning over me. I blushed. What was he doing?

He stepped back and smacked me in the back of the head. I fell foward a little when he did so. "See what happens when you stand there like a space cadet?"

"Oh," I said. "Uh...was I?"

He sighed and looked at me. "At least stay alert when you're by yourself. Or else it's gonna be your own damn fault when someone kidnaps you."

"You're right," I said, focusing on being alert and not on what I had been thinking about before.

"I said when you're alone...?" he said.

"Right," I said.

"You don't have to worry about it if you're with me. You can space out as much as you want."

"Right," I said, relaxing against the wall.

Kyo started, as if just realizing what he'd said. "And I didn't mean anything funny by that, either! I was just sayin'! S-so don't get the wrong idea!"

I looked at him. "Huh? I- What do you mean?" I asked.

He grunted and blushed. "Mm..."

3_3_3_3_3

What the hell am I saying? ! he asked himself. I sound like an idiot! It's like she gives you a little peck on the cheek, and suddenly you're a blabbering idiot who can't even control his own damn mouth! Get a hold of yourself, Kyo!

He wouldn't tell Kiku, but he had been thinking a lot about what happened at the hot spring. He kept picturing a younger her dancing with fireflies in a field under a full moon. That might sound a little strange, but what he kept seeing was this ethereal being, floating between the the earth and the realm of the fireflies. And it startled him every time he looked at her, realizing that that ethereal being was standing right in front of him.

He wondered what it meant, that he was thinking these things about her -things that he had never thought about any girl before. He wondered what it meant that he couldn't seem to get her out of his head. (Not that living in the same house helped much.)

He wondered what he was supposed to do, how we was supposed to react to these feelings he couldn't understand.

Of course, all his confusion did nothing but make him even more angry. But that's Kyo.

3_3_3_3_3

Before I could ask Kyo what was wrong, I heard my name being called. I turned to see Miki and Sachiko approaching.

"There you are," Miki said. "Thought we'd come help you look."

They looked at me and Kyo.

"Are...you guys alright?" Sachiko asked.

"Fine," Kyo mumbled.

"Never better," I said, smiling. I glanced over their shoulders. "Ah! Momiji!"

They turned and followed my line of sight.

"Kiku! Miki! Sachiko!"

All our jaws dropped.

Kyo hit Momiji on the head before he could hug any of us. "What are you, stupid? !"

"Waahhh! Kyo's hitting me!" he wailed.

"Idiot! What the hell are you doing wearing a girl's uniform? !"

Yeah, that was why we were so surprised. He was wearing shorts instead of a skirt, but, still... It was pretty plainly seen that he was wearing the wrong uniform.

"Kyo, quit causing a scene," Miki said annoyedly.

"Good morning."

We all turned to look at Haru.

"Oh, Hatsuharu," I said.

Sachiko was silent, staring at Haru.

Miki and I laughed a little.

He smiled a little at her when he saw the ribbons in her hair, and she started blushing.

"Well, at least you're not wearing a girl's uniform, too," Kyo said.

"It's okay, isn't it?" Haru asked. "It suits him."

"Yeah!" Momiji said, suddenly cutting off his wailing.

"What difference does that make? !" Kyo shouted.

"What the-?"

I'm getting whiplash from turning around so much, I thought, looking at Yuki.

"Momiji, what on earth are you wearing?"

"Hi, Yuki!" Momiji said happily.

Haru stared at Yuki for a moment, then scurried over to him, grabbing his shirt in his hands.

Yuki sighed. "Hello, Haru."

"So, Yuki, are you finished with all of you work yet?" Miki asked.

"No, not quite," Yuki said. "I was just making the rounds and I heard the commotion."

"Hey! Listen! Listen!" Momiji said, waving his arms. "I'm really not supposed to goof around too much when I'm here. 'Cause if I do, it'll be too easy for me to crash into girls! So I'm gonna try and play it cool at school!"

"How the hell can you call wearin' a dress 'cool'? !" Kyo yelled.

"A valid point, Kyo Sohma, Class 2-D," a voice said.

We all looked up.

"Oy vey," we three girls muttered.

"And while I find that orange head of yours disagreeable, I will ignore it for the moment. What I cannot ignore is a boy who would wear a girl's uniform to school! This goes beyond outrageous! And even if your teachers allow it, I will not! For I am this school's Student Council President, Makoto Takei! Also known as...Captain of the Campus Defense Force!"

Two girls at his sides clapped.

"What a complete idiot," Kyo, Yuki, and Haru said together.

We laughed a little.

Momiji just looked confused.

"I can see already that you're going to be a problem student!" he said to Momiji. "And the same goes for you, Hatsuharu Sohma! I will not tolerate that white hair! Or those gaudy necklaces!"

"'Gaudy'? !" Sachiko hissed. "Let me at 'im!"

Miki and I held her back. I saw Haru smile a little at her.

"President Takei, it's his natural color," Yuki said.

"Oh, Yuki," he said annoyedly. "So nice to see you. But 'natural color'? ! I can see that his hairline is black!"

"Yes, that's natural, too," Yuki said.

"That's ridiculous! I don't believe it!"

Haru had started twisting one finger in his ear, probably in an attempt to pop his ear drum so he wouldn't have to listen to Takei rant on.

This is a problem, I thought. I guess we can't really tell him Haru's hair is like that because he's a cow... Just like we can't say Kyo's hair is like that because he's a cat.

Kyo glared at him, Haru stared at the wall, and Yuki just stared at the floor.

Oy vey, I thought.

"And I suppose wearing this dress is 'natural' for you, Momiji Sohma? !"

Why does he keep calling it a dress? I wondered.

"Uh...uh..." Momiji stuttered.

"Have you no pride as a man? ! You had best change your ways, and your clothes! Before this incident becomes the ruin of your life!"

Momiji sniffled. "But, uh...this uniform...looks better on me."

I stepped in front of him. "Please, don't yell at him anymore," I said.

Had I been in middle school, I probably wouldn't have asked that nicely. I probably would've said something like, "Quit yelling at him, you jerk!" and then I would've decked Takei. But, like I said, I wasn't in middle school anymore. Besides, I had Kyo for that now!

...I'm kidding. Seriously.

Momiji grabbed onto the back of my shirt and peeked around to look at Takei.

"If I am yelling, Kiku Oshiro, it is to be sure he hears this advice, which should've been obvious to anyone with common sense! Also for the time being, Kiku Oshiro, Sachiko Fujioka, I will ignore that color in both of your hair as well."

"Would you believe it's natural?" Sachiko asked.

"Very funny, Sachiko Fujioka."

She shrugged.

"Shut up."

Takei's jaw dropped.

"Quit shoutin' like you're kind of the freakin' world. You're making my ears bleed, you bastard!"

All our eyes widened as we looked at Haru.

Or...maybe I would've said something like that back in middle school, I thought.

Haru walked away from Yuki and toward Takei. "Now I've got some 'common sense' for you."

Takei took a step back with every step Haru took forward.

"If I wore a tie, it wouldn't change who I am. If I had no piercings, it wouldn't mean I'm 'nice'. And if my hair was black, it wouldn't stop me from kickin' your ass!" He grabbed Takei's shirt in his fist. "Who do you think you are, anyway? Do you think you're God? Huh?"

We all looked at him nervously. "Black Haru..." we whispered in unison.

He started shaking Takei. "What's the matter? Run out of things to say? No more advice? ! You're not so high and mighty now, are you?"

Takei's cohorts cried out worriedly.

"Hey! Cut it out! He's just an idiot!" Kyo yelled.

"Shut up!" Haru yelled back, swinging Takei around in a circle next to him. "No one asked you, you stupid cat!"

That's Yuki's line, I thought.

"Don't call me stupid, you little brat!"

Haru stopped and glared at Kyo. "You run away from our last fight, and you still think you can tell me what to do? !"

"What? !" Kyo shouted. "You were the one who called it off, remember?"

"Well, I'm calling it back on!"

"That's just fine with me!"

Takei's cohorts tried to comfort him as they picked him up off the floor.

"Hey, girls, you want some candy?" Momiji said, smiling and holding out three suckers.

"Uh, no thanks, Momiji," we said, not taking our eyes off the fight.

"Hey, sweetheart," Haru said, putting a hand on each of the girls' shoulders.

"Leave them alone!" Kyo growled.

"Tell me somethin'. You ladies think Momiji's outfit is okay, don't you? In time, after he grows up some more, then he'll be able to start wearing men's clothing. And if you think he looks good in that girl's uniform, just imagine what he'll look like as an adult."

From the looks on their faces, that was exactly what they were doing. "Lovely..."

"Don't be brainwashed!" Takei ordered.

Haru put his hand on Momiji's head. "For now, he should wear the clothes that look best on him."

"No! There's a dress code! It's not fair to the other students!"

"You stubborn idiot," Haru said. "What would you do if it was Yuki wearin' a girl's uniform?"

Now it looked like Takei was the one imagining.

Miki put her face in her hands as she turned bright red. I put a hand on her shoulder. She was shaking, and I knew she wasn't crying.

"Haru, cut it out or I will cut you off," Yuki said.

"Aw, have my words...made you angry?" Haru asked.

"It's beautiful!" Takei cried.

"Stop imagining me!" Yuki yelled.

It was all I could do not to burst out laughing.

Takei started. "Oh my... I guess I got carried away..."

The two girls were still picturing Momiji, I guessed, since they were still staring dreamily off into space.

"You are a worthy opponent, Hatsuharu Sohma, but still... Your hair is unacceptable! And you'll never convince me that's your natural color!"

Haru stared at him.

Takei chuckled smugly.

Then Haru grabbed Takei's shirt in his fist and dragged him off. Into the bathroom?

What the...? I wondered.

Silence fell over our group. No one spoke or moved.

Haru and Takei came back out a few moments later. They walked over to us.

Haru looked very smug.

Takei looked...shaken.

Takei took his glasses off. "Impressive evidence," he said, his voice shaky. "There are still many strange things in this world that are unknown to me."

Yuki and Kyo started.

"He didn't!" Kyo said in disbelief.

"I think he did!" Yuki cried.

Haru smirked and laughed once.

"You may have won today, Sohma!" Takei yelled, pointing at Haru as he and the girls ran off. "But you won't be so lucky next time! I'll get you! I'll get you all!"

Who does he think he is, I wondered, the Wicked Witch of the West? Surprised he didn't say, "I'll get you, my pretties! And your little dog, too!" ...Does that make Shigure our "little dog"? Now I'm just getting carried away with this.

Momiji looked at us. "So, who were those people, anyway?" he asked.

"Beats the hell outta me," Haru said.

Sachiko turned to him. "Um, Haru? I don't get it. How did you convince Takei that that's your natural hair color?"

I saw Yuki and Kyo start again and stare at Sachiko.

Haru smirked. "Alright." He stepped closer and put a hand on her cheek and under her chin, pulling her closer.

I could practically see a shiver running down her spine.

"Why don't you come with me and see for yourself?"

Kyo and Yuki ran up, both of them decking Haru at the same time.

"That Black Haru is too much," Kyo muttered.

"So...how did he do it?" Miki asked.

"Never mind," Yuki said. "Don't worry about it, ladies."

Haru sat up, putting a hand to his head. "Why do I feel so exhausted?"

Yuki and Kyo sighed and slumped forward.

"Oh brother... You think you're exhausted?" Kyo asked.

The bell rang and we all looked up.

"There's the bell," I said. "We'd better get back to class."

"I already am!" Sachiko said.

"What do you mean?" Miki asked.

"I'm in the same class as Momiji and Haru!" She skipped off into the classroom.

Kyo gave me a look.

I laughed softly, then smiled and shrugged apologetically.

"So we'll come find you all later," Miki said.

"Bye!" I said.

Kyo and Yuki trudged along after us.

"Um, actually... Yuki! Kyo!" Momiji called. "I have something I need to tell you. Could you stay for a minute?"

They looked back at him, then at us.

"That's alright," I said. "We can go ahead and walk back by ourselves."

"See ya!" Miki said as we turned to walk away.

"Wait!"

We turned back.

"I have to get something from my locker. It's down by your guys'," Sachiko said.

"Alright," we said, then went away.

Wonder what Momiji has to tell them, I thought as we walked away. Oh, well. If it's that important, I'm sure we'll hear about it.