Katsuko Honda watched the rest of her classmates as they tried their hardest to get to know the new student. A sudden transfer was bound to get all kinds of attention but there was something quite...unusual about this one. Of course, they were only in 5th grade so their social interactions were limited at best. School relationships were everything to young kids, family was usually a close second since they were required to love you unconditionally. But this one, the boy by the name of Hanajima, effectively ignored all the prying, the questions about why he came in the middle of the school year or where he was from. His dark eyes focused on a book about psychic abilities. The other kids only seemed to be spurned on by his silent act. They came up with even worse theories than the initial theory of one of his parents getting a new job in the city.

When someone brought up a particularly nasty false rumor about him causing all sorts of mischief at his old school, the young Honda snapped. "Hey! That's not cool! If you don't know, don't start crap! Obviously he doesn't have to answer you! And there's no one on Earth who would answer such rude people!"

The group's aggression was then focused on her until the teacher came in and class began. Lessons passed with the speed of a catatonic glacier until it was time for break. Katsuko stretched her arms over her head, light orange hair falling down to her waist. With a smile, she looked to make sure the new student was okay. But froze when she saw him standing next to her, that same serious look on his face from before. He didn't say anything but his eyes... her smile returned and she replied, "You're welcome... oh, I'm Katsuko Honda. It's nice to meet you, Hanajima-san."

He watched her for another moment before nodding, a tiny smile lighting up his face. She could tell that this was the beginning of a great friendship.

Xx.xX

It took some time but slowly Megumi Hanajima opened up to the outspoken Honda girl. Rarely he spoke to her in school but not a lot. The other kids still spread rumors, most around the idea that the new student was being coerced into joining a gang with Katsuko, the daughter of the Red Butterfly. When he had asked her what they were talking about after school, she smirked.

"It's not like they're wrong... but they're not right. Mom was the Red Butterfly but I'm not in a gang. I just take after her way more than my sister. She's more like our dad..."

Megumi tilted his head. "My sister has been talking about a girl named Tohru..."

"Ah, that's my sister's name! So your sister must be Hana-chan? Probably from her last name... oh, but you guys share the same family name so... may I call you Megu-chan?" She smiled happily, blue eyes sparkling with joy. "Mom gives friends nicknames. I know that she'd call you Megu-chan anyway and once she decides, it sticks. So... is that okay? You can give me a nickname too."

"...alright... Katsu-chan..."

Xx.xX

After that, the two were practically inseparable. They hung out together, sometimes with their sisters and their mutual friend Arisa Uotani or Uo-chan as deemed by the Honda sisters mother Kyoko. There were times when they were teased for being girlfriend and boyfriend but a sharp glare from Megumi and the poison tongue of Katsuko quickly squashed those meanies. And thankfully, the Hanajima boy was so used to hanging around girls that he didn't shy away from their friendship. He had nothing to prove to a bunch of boys whom he didn't like anyway.

Uo-chan was blond, brash, and one of Tohru's best friends. The older girl had been a former gang member, following in the footsteps of Kyoko, the Red Butterfly. Katsuko could still remember the explosive temper of a disappointed young girl who had her dreams ripped from her. And shortly after that, the same girl had been dragged home by the panicked brunette who had been out buying tofu for dinner. That was the one day that Arisa had decided to try to be by her side, to try to adjust to something that made her uncomfortable and lonely. The Honda sisters had sat beside her, Tohru leaning against her shoulder while Katsu curled up and put her head in her lap. She could still feel those fingers in her hair, rough from the brutality that she had honed them with. It was so soothing that the young girl had fallen asleep. Uo-chan was also very doting on Tohru and helped Katsuko with her fighting technique under the condition to never use violence against the weak. She vowed to use it to protect Tohru, the more innocent and polite of the two.

Hana-chan looked remarkably like Megu-chan though they both denied that they looked similar at all. Both possessed wavy dark hair, hers was much longer. Her eyes were dark with a hint of purple that gave her a mysterious air. And both dressed in black. Hana-chan seemed to prefer more Gothic lace and Katsu thought she was very pretty. But also very sad. She didn't know the whole story--only that Hana-chan was born with powers over waves and heard voices from the hearts of others. She was picked on by her previous schoolmates and for her safety, the Hanajimas moved. That was the reason for their transfer. Thankfully, eventually Hana-chan got the hang of her powers, being able to shut out the voices that tormented her daily.

Kyoko Honda had aided each of Tohru's friends with their own inner turmoil and strife. She had experienced a lot of Arisa's gang-related troubles as the Red Butterfly and when it came to Saki's insecurities about her powers and being friends with other people, the woman offered wise words that comforted her as her brother held her hand and nodded. He had his own issues but had an easier time accepting them, never letting them keep him down since his sister needed him to be strong. Still, the Honda matriarch doted on the Hanajima siblings and Uo-chan as if they were her very own and they loved her in return. Life seemed so perfect, like nothing could go wrong now that they had each other.

And then, May happened and their wonderful world came crashing down. They needed each other now more than ever...because Kyoko Honda was ripped from their lives and reality was a cruel fickle bitch.