Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Hot Gimmick, I'm just borrowing characters.

Unexpected Love Chapter 1- New Beginnings

Hatsumi ran down the alley next to their apartment building"Akane, stop kissing your boyfriend and come inside. It's almost 10 and you know mom'll get mad if you get in past curfew again. Remember what happened last time? Where are you"

Hatsumi stopped, peering into the shadows; she heard high-pitched giggles and knew without a doubt who it was. She yelled again"Akane I know you're out there. You're only 14; you shouldn't be doing this in the first place."

She sighed and walked back the way she came. Honestly she didn't know why Akane was so popular with boys. Sure, she is prettier and more outgoing, but she's only 14. She worried that if Akane wasn't careful, something unplanned might happen, like a pregnancy -not that it wasn't uncommon for a teen as young as her to have a baby in NYC, just that Hatsumi wanted to much more than that for her little sister.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the pitter-patter of Akane's steps as she ran to catch up with her.

"Why'd you have to spoil our good time, Ryan's such a good kisser and-"

"You mean Brian, right?" Hatsumi cut in. "Isn't your boyfriend named Brian?"

"Well one of them is..." Akane tried to explain.

"Wait, you mean you're going out with two boys at once?"

"No, not two. No."

"So then who is Ryan?"

"My boyfriend."

"And who is Brian?"

"Also my boyfriend, then there's Steve and..."

"No, no, don't tell me, I don't want to know. I still don't approve of you having a boyfriend, never the less more than one." Hatsumi sighed. "It was always so hard for me to even get a boyfriend. I don't know how you do it."

"Well, you'd have a boyfriend if you would just make yourself available to them. What happened to that guy you were telling me about?"

"Azusa."

Azusa Odagiri...the person Hatsumi had had a crush on for years...the one who didn't even know she existed. If only she had Akane's looks and personality, she could attract him like bees to honey. 'But there's no way of separating him from his "fan club"' she thought to herself. Ever since he had been "discovered" by that modeling agency he had been the most popular kid in school. 'I still can't help but think about him, that time in the hall when he helped me after some girls tried to jump me. He actually looked at me: the invisible.'

Hatsumi and Akane arrived at the apartment to find their older brother, Shinogu, lounged out on the couch, channel surfing.

"You're lucky, you've got 30 seconds left," he said over his shoulder. Akane let out the breath she had been holding.

Hatsumi walked over to her brother and sat down on the floor in front of him, crossing her legs. "I didn't know you were home, when did you get back?"

"About 5 minutes ago," he replied, switching off the TV. "How come there's never anything good on television anymore? It's all reality shows and courtroom battles."

"I never watch TV anymore; I'm trying to get my summer reading done for school. I go back in a week remember"

He laughed, "I remember. What book is it this year?"

She makes a look of disgust. "I don't know, some book called "The Things They Carried". It's about the Vietnam War. Certainly not my taste."

"No, you never were into historical fiction."

"So how was your first day of classes?"

"Long, I'm trying to finish up all of my prerequisites so I can focus on my Law major."

"And how was work?"

"Also long, and boring, but I need the money. At least they gave me tuition free at NYU. I couldn't afford to go there otherwise."

Hatsumi sighed; Shinogu always was the genius of the family. She was surprised she even saw him today. Usually between classes and work and friends he wouldn't even come home at night. In addition to his part time job, he also tutored kids in various subjects. Because of all this, any time he was home was a luxury.

"Well, I should really get to bed, I want to get in some reading time," Hatsumi said with a yawn, getting up and stretching like a cat. "You really should too, you've got an early class and I wouldn't want you to be late."

"I will in a minute, I just want to see the news."

"Okay, but don't stay up too late," she chided.

"Yes, mother," he mocked, as she walked down the hall to her room.


"Hatsumi, have you seen my white thigh-highs anywhere?" Akane asked, running around the apartment frantically. "I wanted to wear them with my plaid skirt and they're the absolute only thing that matches it. Ah! Here they are." She holds up the stockings. "Gotta look great for the first day of school," she shrugs. "First impressions are the key. And I have even more to worry about; it's my first day at the High School. Hey, what're you wearing?"

Hatsumi shrugged, "I just figured I'd wear what I usually do."

Akane walked over to the closed and frowned at all the drab clothing. "It would be better if you wore colors instead of your usual browns... How do you ever expect to attract Azusa's attention if this is what you're wearing" Akane picked up a brown wool skirt, holding it by the edge as if to protect herself from Hatsumi's seemingly horrible taste. She grimaces. "I think we should go shopping."

Hatsumi stood up and grabbed the skirt back. "For your information, I was planning on wearing that today," she retorted.

She didn't even thing it mattered what she wore, no boy was going to notice her anyway; she didn't have Akane's looks or Shinogu's intellect. 'What's the point of primping yourself up if no one's going to look at you? I'd rather spend the time doing other things.'

Akane's voice broke through her thoughts"Well, if you want to go to school at all, you need to get dressed, we need to leave in 10 minutes to be on time, and I want to be there early to see my friends. You better not make me late."
The bell for homeroom rang, 30 students filed into room D306. "Good morning students," the woman on the Public Announcement System droned, "and welcome to you're first day of the year at PS118. I'm sure this'll be a good year. As you've probably noticed, we have put metal detectors at all of the entrances and exits to prevent any mishaps. The school administration would like to apologize for the inconvenience but would also like to request your co-operation.

"In other news, I would like to formally introduce our new principal. As most of you may know, our principal of many years, Mr. Isaac, retired last year. He will be missed. Our new principal is Mrs. Tachibana. She comes highly recommended to the school and also brings a new student with her, her son, Ryoki. I expect a warm welcome for them both into our midst and hope you all enjoy the rest of you day."

Hatsumi groaned. She hated morning announcements, and today was the beginning of a long stream of them, 183 days left to go.

"Hey, have you heard about the principal's son? They say he's a genius or something, he got accepted to college early, but his mom wanted him to go here," the girl next to her said. "I hear he's really cute too, maybe he's single?"

Hatsumi starred at her, and the girl finally turned around and started a conversation with another girl near to her. She really wasn't interested in talking to someone about gossip. It was the one thing that Hatsumi avoided like the plague, gossip always ended up hurting someone, and she stayed out of it.

"Okay class" the teacher at the front of the room said, "I'm going to take attendance, so pardon the miss-pronouncing of names, I'll get them all eventually."

"Kevin Aaron."

"Here."

"Susan Bates."

"Here."

Hatsumi tuned it out, it wasn't that important. She had been in the same homeroom for 3 years now, with the same people and the same teacher. This one, for some reason, was a substitute, though.

"Hatsumi Narita."

Her name jerked her back to reality. "Here," she called.

"Okay," the teacher addressed the class, "anyone I didn't call?"

"You didn't call me" someone said from the back of the class.

"What's your name, then? Are you on my list?" the teacher asked.

"I'm Ryoki, Ryoki Tachibana."