Chapter 3: Encountering Paragons


The cold breeze of early morning gently hit her body, she closed her eyes before releasing a content sigh. The last she checked the time it was still 04:17 in the morning, heaving a sigh again and remembered how she woke up first before her alarm clock rang.

"That dream again."

She murmured to herself as a frown appearing on her face thinking about it, ever since she came to a decision on coming back to this town her dream about that night became frequent and because of that she's having trouble in sleeping. Shaking her head to clear her mind and decided to have a walk since it was still early to prepare for school, maybe at the park but she's still new in this town and she didn't know where it was even though they used to live here, she was too young to remember this place, plus she wanted to go to a convenience store to buy some goods at least until tomorrow and decided to have her groceries this weekend.

Changing her sleeping clothes immediately, she put on a gray jacket that reaches her knees with hood and a black tight and a pair of shoes.

"Let's use the power of asking Rina..." She mumbled locking her apartment's door and walked away.


ᴥ ᴥ ᴥ


Oh Great. Now I'm lost.

Rina sourly thought. She was planning to ask whomever she saw on her way but saw no one and decided to find it by herself, in the end she got lost and having trouble of where she was now. Ugh so much for a walk. Rina groaned in frustration, thinking about asking some help from Ema but she didn't want to bother her friend because it was still early and she might still be sleeping. For almost twenty minutes of walking she got confused with the intersection streets.

A frown suddenly showed on her face noticing that it was still empty.

"Where to go now?" Asking herself and placed her hands on her hips.

"Uhm."

Rina jumped a bit hearing a voice from behind. She turned around and saw a nice-looking tall man with grayish black hair and grey eyes? She wasn't sure and he's wearing a jersey with logo of Meiji University, a white shirt inside and a bottle of water in his right hand.

Finally!

Rina mentally jumped in happiness and smiled widely at him, but when the guy saw this he was taken aback which made her smile weakened and created a perplexing look after.

W-What's wrong with him?

"A..Are you lost?" He shyly asks. Rina blinked her eyes at his question.

"How did you know that?"

His feature turned panic and uncomfortable air surrounded them, noticing his uneasiness at the unexpected query she decided to ask a different question since he's the only person who can help her right now. "Never mind that, where is the nearest convenience store here?" A relief look showed on his face but this time his cheeks turned pink while scratching the nape of his neck and his eyes wavering and completely avoiding looking at her face, signs that the guy was not comfortable in talking... Specially with women. She tried to hide the light tugging upward of her lips and just tilted her head to the side as if looking for something.

"Just turn right and head straight you can find it there..." He quietly said.

"Ah thank you so much." Rina smiled, turned her back at him and walked away. She was about to cross the street but stopped again remembering she doesn't know where her apartment's direction was. Returning her gaze back at the stranger guy and noticed that he was going to leave also. "Wait!" He stopped from his track and stared back at her.

Running back at him she asked again. "Sorry but can you tell me where the direction of Yugihama Building is? I was living there so I might get lost again you know kinda new in this place..." She grazed her arm in embarrassment and noticed how understanding dawned on the guy's face and nodded his head again. "When you reach the store you'll have to turn right again then you'll see a building turn left and you will reach what you're looking at."

She grinned at him this time. "May I know your name senpai?" His face turned into a deep shade of red.

"A..Asahina Subaru." He stammered.

Ohhh an Asahina…

"Well thank you so much for the help." Rina gave him another smile. "By the way I'm Inagami Rina, nice to meet you." She turned her back again this time and waved her hand while walking away. "I'll see you around Subaru-san!"

Subaru remained on his feet and watched the vanishing form of the girl. He thought that somehow he had heard her name somewhere...

It was really familiar.


ᴥ ᴥ ᴥ


Rina was silently reading a book when Ema and Yusuke entered the room. "Good morning Rin-chan." Ema greeted seating on her chair.

"Ema-chi! Good morning! You too Yusuke-kun~" Rina beamed at them. She was sitting behind Ema and Yusuke who just nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Rin-chan are you vacant tomorrow?" Ema questioned with an excited look on her face.

"Ehh... Are you perhaps asking me on a date my Ema-chi? Because I'm certainly free tomorrow..." She teasingly asked and grabbed her chin to lean Ema's face closer to her. Yusuke who was silently watching them saw what Rina was planning to do to his Ema.

"O..Oi! What are you doing?"

Gotcha.

She slants her head at Yusuke's direction and a smirk appears on her lips. Rina saw the pink shades on his cheeks and can't help but widens her smile. "You know Yusuke-kun... If I didn't know you are her step brother I would think that you're an overprotective boyfriend." She bluntly stated, Yusuke was so stunned and blushed harder instead. Curling her lips, Rina tried her best not to laugh at his face that was redder than his hair.

"Hey! I...I'm not!" He stuttered. "You don't have to do that to Ema you know!"

Rina can't stop herself anymore and laugh...

Hard.

"Oh god that was hilarious Yusuke-kun! Your face and your hair, oh man you're like a strawberry." Wiping away some tears in her eyes and can't stop from laughing again whenever she looked at him.

"W..What strawberry?" Yusuke whispered.

"Uhh.." Ema sweat dropped.

"Oh c'mon Yusu-kun! It's Ema-chi's favorite fruit!" Then she leaned this time to him and whispered seductively into his ear. "Don't you like it? You-are-her-favorite-now~" She said the last few words in a teasing manner and winked at him. Yusuke quickly got up on his seat, pinching his nose hard and ran instantly outside their classroom.

"Is he all right? I think I saw blood…" Ema asked concern etched on her face.

"Na... He's fine Ema-chi, he just need some fresh air~" A mischievous smirk seen on her face.

"Are you sure?"

"Uhu, soo am I right? Are we having a date tomorrow?" Changing the topic right away Ema's face turned bright.

"Yes. I want to spend some time with you..." Rina smiled fondly at her friend.

"Sure. As long as your brothers won't intervene our little time~" Speaking of Ema's brothers Rina didn't mention about meeting Subaru today because the guy seems so nice, so far and besides she likes the thrill of surprise.

"Uhm yes of course. Can Juli come? He really wants to see you."

"Aww he said that! I'm so touch! Yes he can come, that squirrel and I need a little catch up also." Investigation of Ema-chi's Step Brothers Initiate. A devilish smile appeared on Rina's face as she thought about her plan, Yusuke may be harmless for her friend but she doesn't know about the others, including Subaru that she met today.

"I'm so excited for tomorrow."

"Me too Ema-chi!"


ᴥ ᴥ ᴥ


"Goodbye Eri-sensei..." Bowing her head and closing the classroom door Rina finally released the huge sigh she was holding the whole time before walking away to that room. She didn't manage to go home early with Ema because Eri sensei asked her to stay for a while. An impassive look shown on her face as she recalling their 'talk'.

"Please sit down Inagami-san."

Rina nodded her head and do as Eri sensei said.

"Ah Inagami-san you must be wondering why I've asked you to stay." Eri sensei started and smiled at her. "You see, since you are a late transferee and all of the senior students have passed their forms in which university they are going..." Rina suddenly gripped her bag's handle tightly. "I need you to tell your parents to come here tomorrow so that we can talk about your plans and—"

"Sensei." Rina interrupted. "First of all I am planning to go to Meiji University since it was convenient considering it was few miles away, second my mom was dead two years ago, my dad left us when my younger brother was born and I don't have any relatives live near in this place I don't even know if I have one. My only guardian now is my mom's friend that was supposed to be looking at me but she was out of the country for some business matter." A blank look while telling those things to her sensei who on the other hand was really surprised at her unexpected confession.

An awkward stillness has enveloped the room.

"Oh? Uhm sorry Inagami-san I didn't know that... "

"It's fine sensei, I should be the one saying sorry for interrupting you… " She quietly said. "Can I ask you a favor?"

Her sensei batted her eyes. "O..Of course."

"If it's okay, can you sign the form for me sensei? Just say that you are my guardian instead since..." Trailing off her words Rina lost in her thought unconsciously.

"Okay Inagami-san. I'll see what we can do about it." Eri sensei answered softly and a smile casted on her face. Rina stared at her in surprise and bow her head.

"Thank you so much sensei. I owe you for this." She said and a thin line formed on her lips.

Shaking her head to clear her mind and gripping her bag tightly again she leisurely walked down the school stairs but abruptly stopped. To her dismay, she saw the rude guy on her first day and looked like he was going upstairs. "Well well well... Look what we have here." Rina rolled her eyes at the arrogant attitude of this guy. "We meet again stupid woman." She glowered at him but didn't respond to his comment instead she continued to head down when all of a sudden the rude guy blocked her way.

"I don't have time with your antic brat so get out of my way." She blankly stated.

"Ehh... What's with the bad mood miss?" Rina didn't reply, crossing her arms on her chest and still giving him a void look.

"Are you perhaps… Dumped by your boyfriend?" She twitched in annoyance and saw how a smirk showed upon his lips. That crappy smirk really unnerves her.

"That's the most stupid question I've ever heard." She spats, pushing him to the side and was about to leave him when the rude guy speaks again.

"I know~ since it's impossible for you to have one."

Snap.

Rina stops midway on her walk and stares at him through her shoulder.

This jerk! You are so gonna pay for that!

"What, did I hit a nerve?" He mocked and widened his smirk.

Turning around and went in front of him Rina immediately grabbed his collar's shirt which really surprised him and adjacent his face to her. "You know I do have a boyfriend before... But I broke up with him since he technically used me." Her eyes trailing down to his lips up to his nose until meeting his surprise brown eyes, she tried to ignore how positively he was so charming but she set it aside and moved even closer. The next thing she said made the guy widened his eyes again. "Why don't you be my new boyfriend?" She huskily whispered to his ear. Grinning in triumph at the lack of response from the rude guy she harshly let him go and an impassive mask casted her feautures again. The guy seemed to snap from his dazed at the sudden pushed. "Just kidding moron, I would never like to have a boyfriend especially someone like you. Jerk!" Sticking out her tongue after and ran instantly leaving him alone.

The guy seems to freeze on his spot until his phone rings and breaks him from his reverie, a scowl immediately emerges on his face at what happened. Hearing his phone rings again he takes it out of his pocket and swipes the answer button. "Masa-nii..."

"Fuuto where are you? I thought you're free today why didn't you come home with Ema and Yusuke?"

"I just left something in my room and… Something came up, but I'm heading home now." He answered, smirking to himself.

"Okay, be safe then."

"Yeah see you later." Putting his phone back into his pocket and gazed back where he last seen the stupid yet interesting girl, a laugh escaped from his lips after that.

Aside from Ema who seemed to be immuned from his looks and advances... this girl is kinda different. She didn't give a shit about his physical appearance and a feisty one might he add, she seemed to know the weakness of men and used it as a strong weapon. And now Fuuto found her very interesting.

I would never like to have a boyfriend especially someone like you. Jerk!

He grinned. "Very interesting indeed..."


To A. A. Crystal Blade:

Awww... That's so sweet of you also... and thank you for that. I decided to dedicate the second chap because you are my first ever reviewer Π_Π I hope you stick around until the end and see more of your reviews! Thanks for following this story!

Faeries323:

I'm glad you like it! Thank you so much for 'favorite' and 'follow' I would love to see another review for this chapter

-Aza