Fine then. Don't give a starving author any reviews. It's not like I "wanted" you to read this anyway. * sobsniffcry*

Oh well, shall write anyways. For my sanity. Twahaha.

Oh, er, note: I don't know Japanese. Thus, some names mite be kinda messed up. Kk? Kk! ^.^

:: chapter 1: The New Student ::

"Happy Birthday, Chihiro!" A mob of people surrounded Chihiro as soon as she entered the bleak brown doors of Koramoto High Monday morning. Chihiro sweatdropped. It definitely wasn't normal to have fifty girls stampede you with presents this early on Monday morning.

She felt a small tug on her arm and felt herself pulled into the nearby bathroom. "Shh, if you want to escape that mob of psychos."

Chihiro smiled gratefully at her best friend. "Thanks, Miki. Coming to the rescue yet once more."

Miki Hanabashi rolled her eyes. She tugged at her blue jumper, the school uniform all students were required to wear. "Super Miki, that's me." She peeked out the door. "Ok, Chihiro, it's all clear. Let's hurry up, before the old hag-man starts PMSing and marking tardies."

The two girls were only a flash of blue cotton as they dashed to the class. They pushed the door open, and a fat, dumpy man with piercing black eyes squinted at them. "You're not late."

"Konichiwa, Mr. Maruimoto." The irritable man sniffed in reply and went back to reading his book.

Chihiro and Miki quickly went to their seats at the back of the room, where they met their other friend, Aiko Osaka. "Wow, you two are early, considering that the whole 'We Worship Chihiro Club' was waiting to ambush you, Chihiro."

Chihiro shook her head in a mock sad way. "I don't know what they see in me, a small, scrawny, untalented freshman."

Miki rolled her eyes again. "Oh, puh-lease, Chihiro, you don't know? It's SO obvious. I mean, you're just radiating 'cool' all around you. And you're so pretty too!"

Chihiro snorted. She hated to be called pretty.

Aiko giggled. Mr. Maruimoto glared at her with venomous eyes. Aiko stifled her laugh mid-giggle.

Mischievously, Miki decided to rub things in a bit. "Oh, and don't forget: Chihiro is also a talented violinist, a great artist, number one in our Geometry class, straight A student, . . ."

"MIKI!!!"

"Ms. Ogino! Please quiet down!" Mr. Maruimoto bellowed, looking angrier than ever."

Chihiro sat down and kicked Miki savagely to stifle the giggles emitting from the green-dye haired girl.

"Class, settle!" Silence filled the room when Mr. Maruimoto bellowed out these words that were heard every morning.

"We shall start this morning with our history exam."

Chihiro was sure she noticed a small smirk on the man's tight, cold lips.

"But before we start. We have a new student today."

"Poor fry," Chihiro heard Miki mutter. "Doesn't know what they're in for."

The door opened, and a boy with floppy black hair walked in. Chihiro caught her breath sharply; this guy looked almost identical to Haku, except his eyes were a strange lime color.

"Introduce yourself." Mr. Maruimoto barked at the new boy, using his schoolwide recognized first-day student apprehension technique.

The new student leaned casually against the desk. "Takahashi Hirata. Was in New York for a foreign exchange program before coming back to Japan. Nice to meet you all."

Mr. Maruimoto squinted his eyes dangerously. This Takahashi Hirata wasn't intimidated by him. That was bad. "Go sit down," he growled in a dangerous voice.

Takahashi flashed a relaxed smile. "Will do, Mr. M."

The class suddenly broke into excited chatter. "He called him Mr. M!" "Oh my gosh, he isn't scared!" "I can't believe it!"

Chihiro had to admit, this guy had guts. No one else had yet dared to be so loose around Mr. Maruimoto.

Mr. Maruimoto's face became a vibrant red. "Sit down, Mr. Hirata. By Aiko Osaka. Ms. Osaka, raise your hand."

Aiko giggled nervously as she raised a trembling hand. It was just her luck; this really cute guy would be sitting next to her!

As he casually walked up to aisle, Chihiro whispered, "Good going, Takahashi!" and flashed him a smile.

He settled down in the empty seat behind Chihiro and waved off that compliment. "Ah, no big deal. Mr. Maruimoto is way too arrogant, I just thought I'd let him have a taste of the real world."

"I'm Chihiro Ogino. Nice to meet you."

"Takahashi Hirata. Well, you already know that. You can call me Hashi."

"Ms. Ogino, and Mr. Hirata, stop talking!"

Chihiro immediately turned her head back forward again, but Hashi had a smile plastered across his face. "Ah, loosen up, Mr. M. I mean, the tardy bell hasn't even rung yet, old bean."

Laughs rang across the room. Chihiro turned back quickly. "Bravo, Hashi, bravo!"

Chihiro smiled to herself contentedly. This Hashi was truly a strange boy, but nonetheless, he was about the coolest person ever.