Chapter 6
Surprise, surprise!
April 3, still Wednesday
-=ALAINA=-
(canteen)
I've been here for almost 20 minutes and the line seems to be still. And yes, I am still alone. Poor me. I bet no one's even going to talk to me for the whole day. I'm thinking of trying to be atleast friendly but my guts won't let me. I'm not in a good mood.
I wish there's someone here I know…
-=AYAKO=-
The school canteen seems to be really full, not to mention noisy. They're too busy story telling - pisses me off. The queue is too long and I still have an errand to do... I wish there is someone near the counter already whom I know. And hey, is that the girl again? The one who looks really like Alaina? Or is it Alaina… She seems lost. Gotta try my luck.
"Hi!" she turned around.
Told ya. It's her.
She looks quizzical. "Ayako?"
"Yeah. I didn't know you'd be studying here."
"I didn't know soon enough…" Not soon enough? But that was just two days ago… "…Good to see you! I'm quite lost." That's what I thought.
I smiled. "Yeah. Actually, I saw you this morning but I'm not quite sure if it's you. I was about to approach you but the ball has rung… You're in second year, right? What section?"
"10."
"Made friends yet?"
"Don't even ask. Not a single one. The only one I've ever talked to this day is that cross-eyed guy who knocks me down every single moment I see him."
Interesting. There's only one guy who knocks on everything… when he's asleep.
"You know his name?"
"Uhh… I thought I heard Ukawa this morning…" Just as I thought. "… And that's what Akira called him too… I think. I don't really bother much."
Amusing. She didn't even care knowing super rookie's name.
"Oh. You mean Rukawa? The sleeping guy at Hanamichi Sakuragi's party? Not to mention, YOUR classmate."
-=ALAINA=-
I looked at her puzzled. What does she mean?
"That guy is actually the one sleeping at Sakuragi's party?? And he is MY Classmate??"
Red alert!
"Yeah. Don't say you didn't notice. Monday, he went home ahead of us. Meaning, he actually stood up and walked pass us. And yes again, he belongs to year 2 section 10."
He did? And he is?? "Uh… actually, no. I didn't. I was too busy talking with Mitsui."
"No big deal. Mitsui, huh? He seems to like you a lot."
Don't mention it. You're giving me hopes. "What makes you say that?" I almost blushed.
"I just know." She winked.
What now, like she knows how Mitsui's mind works?
"And he just graduated from here too."
Wait a minute. It means that the whole team I met actually studies here and I've never seen anyone of 'em?
I was about to say something when…
"Yes? And what will be your order?"
I looked at the person. An old lady - canteen staff.
Why is her hairnet red?? Doesn't she even know green suits her brownish-white hair better? Boy, she's got a pathetic fashion sense. But she's old anyway, why bother?
Ayako muttered something about fish…
Huh?
"And yours will be..?"
"Fish sauce."
What did I just say? I didn't even hear what she asked me… Must be my order.
"Yes, you can get the fish sauce in that counter. But what would you like to eat?"
Who needs fish sauce? Ah, must be Ayako…
"Ice cream please." I smiled.
I'm not up in eating regular lunch so I bought ice cream.
But did the old lady just sweat-dropped? And so as Ayako??
What's the big deal? Ice creams as lunch? It's still food, right?
I have to say… people here are acting abnormally.
-=AYAKO=-
*Sweat-drop*
How can anyone eat ice cream with fish sauce? She must be a food-mixer specialist…
But THAT is really gross.
-=OLD LADY (canteen staff)=-
Oh my, the teenagers now have really different tastes.
I can say this one has a tough stomach.
-= RUKAWA=-
Damn. 30 minutes has passed and I still can't sleep.
-=AYAKO=-
Alaina seemed to forget to get her fish sauce so I looked for it. But it seems she'll only get the last drop. I looked at her and brought the small container up, signaling there's no fish sauce. She just smiled and shrugged.
Guess that'll be better for her. I still got things to do and I'm not planning to accompany her to the farthest toilet possible… unless if she's really got the tough appetite.
-=ALAINA=-
Ayako seems to be taking it really hard she can't have fish sauce for her meal. She even waved the empty bottle off to me. Poor her. I didn't know she likes fish sauce that much…
-=SAKURAGI=-
"Ore wa tensai basket-o-man Sakuragi Hanamichi---"
I am lucky today! It's the first day of classes and Haruko came to me first thing in the morning. Haha! I knew it… she doesn't really like that kitsune! She just made that all up to make me jealous!
And what's the latest reports? Kitsune has just been in-love with rats! Nyahaha! His cat must have killed a mouse and he took pity on it… found out that he's a more suited companion for big rats!
"Nyahahaha!"
This tensai would have never leveled himself with such inferior beings…
"Nyahahaha!"
-=GUNTAI=-
*sweat-dropped*
When will he ever get tired of laughing menacingly? He just heard that Rukawa's new favorite pet is a rat…
-=ALAINA=-
"Hey, it's Hanamichi and the guntai."
I turned around. No wonder I heard one of the familiar eardrum-deafening songs.
"Oi." Ayako greeted them.
They looked at us, smiling - surprised to see me.
"Alaina??! Is that you? You're studying here??"
Sakuragi. He's really funny, his reaction and all.
"Yep." I smiled too.
"How come you never mentioned?"
Mitto. I never really had the chance to talk to him but he seems kind - and the others too.
"Didn't know you're all from here." Actually, I just knew it a day before I met you all… so I wasn't really sure.
-=RUKAWA=-
*Ring!*
Fuck. I'm just about getting real sleepy. And this time, my eyelids are becoming heavy. Good sign.
Cutting classes on the first day isn't that bad, right?
-=MITSUI=-
I'm thinking of visiting Alaina. It's been two days since I last saw her. Maybe Sendoh can show me her house. Good thing I know his.
-=ALAINA=-
We had a great lunch together – me, Ayako, Sakuragi and the guntai. Though I heard Miyagi is spending his lunch with their coach… If only the others are here, it would have been happier… just like Monday.
Another thing, I haven't seen Rukawa around the classroom. Maybe Ayako is just joking on me when she said that. Why would she, anyway? Whatever her intention is, atleast my reactions are on safe ground
I can also say that Rukawa isn't that close to them. Sakuragi seems to hate him so much. Haha… and I do too.
I suppose he doesn't even have friends. The way he acts, so cold. Face expressionless… yeah, I know… just like me.
But atleast I'm not that cold! And I know how to treat people right.
Yeah, he's sourly pathetic.
… Still, I've got a funny feeling that he really is my classmate. The only seat vacant is the one at my back and I thought I saw someone slee-
It IS him.
That's why I felt uncomfortable. Nah! Seems no to be the type to take revenge… even if the whole world knows that he kissed a rat – and it's because of me.
*Ring!*
Ooh. Time flies real fast this afternoon. Akira must be waiting... Must go home now.
I'm really glad they're studying here. Maybe my doubts on migration isn't that bad at all.
-end of chap-