Van was seated happily in his section of the staffroom where he was drinking coffee and marking assignments he had set for his students. It was his free period so he decided to use his time effectively.

'Is this student's first language another language?' Van thought startled with a mixture of outrage and feeling of nausea as he continued to mark the dreaded pile. 'I don't know if I should mark anymore as the average grade so far has been a 'C' and that's just an average. Who on earth was their last teacher? No wonder they sacked them. My word, the students don't have any depth into their work.' Van became more and more depressed as he strained to mark the rest.

"That bad?" Gaddess, the History teacher commented as Van's face showed all signs of discontent and extreme displeasure.

"Bad isn't the appropriate word," Van sighed as he motioned his head in Gaddess' direction and at the same time he devoured a large quantity of coffee. Gaddess was a tall dark haired male who was in his early thirties. He was well mannered and possessed a distinguished dress sense.

"Whose work did you just mark?" Gaddess asked in a concerned manner.

"Stella's," Van replied in a droned out voice.

"Don't worry; she's not exactly the intellectual type anyway. I had to teach her a while back and the answers and comments she made nearly gave me a heart attack" Gaddess said trying to comfort the youth.

Van let out a soft laugh. It was nice and refreshing to talk to people who shared the same intellect and worries he shared.

"I remember this one answer she gave in an essay," Gaddess chuckled. "It was to the question, 'How did World War II start?'

"What did she say?" Van asked with keen interest.

"It started because there were no malls in Germany and that they desperately wanted to have a 'wicked' fashion sense," Gaddess let out a sigh. "Its pupils like her that make me question, why I bothered to come into the teaching game in the first place."

"So can you tell me anyone who is an intellectual?" Van chuckled at Gaddess' remark lightly as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Hitomi Kanzaki," Gaddess replied immediately without a thought. "Now there is the perfect student. Her essays are always well researched, concise, and with the most impressive amounts of detail and information that I didn't even know about. You're sure to learn something new from her writings."

"Well her essay is the next to be subjected and scrutinized by myself," Van announced to Gaddess. 'Hitomi is truly a wonder,' Van mentally said to himself as he remembered their session in detention regarding 'Great Expectations.'

"Well get ready to be astounded. I swear that girl has got it all beauty, brains, and a very rich set of parents," Gaddess told Van in a serious manner.

"Gaddess, stop showing off," Millerna interrupted the conversation between the two men. "Van, he's just too proud of his niece."

"Hitomi, is your niece?" Van questioned baffled by the new revelation that was brought upon him.

"Yes she is, my older sister's daughter," Gaddess said proudly and then suddenly his voice changed. He sounded like he was upset. "But she's not lucky in some ways."

Van decided not question his remark any further, not with so many other staff members around. He then looked at the massive pile of papers he had to mark and let out a long sigh before he finally came around to proceed on with his work.

***

'Did I do badly? I'm a straight A student. I need to be valedictorian' Hitomi thought as she tried to concentrate on Mr. Fanel's advice on how to tackle essays. The young teacher seemed to be rather disappointed with the homework they handed in before so he decided to devote an entire lesson on how to write and answer essay questions.

"I can't believe that some of you, can't seem to get the simple idea of sentence structure and the fact that I think a lot of you lot don't know what a full stop is," Van said in a exasperated tone as he continued to comment on the classes work when trying to explain to them how to plan and write an essay. Van sighed and then spoke placidly. "You're all capable of writing better; I just don't understand why, nearly ninety per cent of you including the boy seniors handed me in this rubbish." Van then picked up their homework from his desk and handed their work back.

"After today's session I will expect everyone to hand in excellent pieces of work. I will not stand for anything less and neither will I expect mediocre work. If I receive work ever like this is, handed in again you will simply have to repeat the assignment. I may seem harsh but I can assure I have your best interests at heart. Turn to page two hundred and thirty four of your grammar book and do exercises A, B, C, and D for homework. This will be the first step to writing, grammatically correct essays." There was a simultaneous set of moans heard from the class, but they quieted as they saw the serious expression on their teacher's face.

'I bet I did badly,' Hitomi continued to ponder away. Her thoughts seemed to be amplifying as he came closer towards her. 'Oh please God. I need to do well.' Hitomi blew a strand of hair of her face and leaned forward as she laid her head on her desk awaiting her fated doom.

"Hitomi," Van said trying to get her attention. She looked up at him, her eyes were destitute and her lips were quivering slightly, a murmur escaped her lips. She seemed troubled by something. "Excellent Hitomi, the only piece of work, well, from the girl's class, that passed my standards. I have great expectations for you. Mr Castelo (AKA Gaddess) also feels that way too."

Hitomi rolled her eyes at the mention of her uncle's name. 'He would feel that, to him I'm his perfect little niece who can do no wrong.'

Van handed the paper back to her and moved back to the front of the classroom. Hitomi eagerly looked at her paper, but her face fell when she saw the score. 'Ninety-eight per cent, that's all I got. Mr Fanel, must really hate me, I normally get a hundred per cent maybe the occasional ninety-nine per cent but that's because I didn't study or research up on it. This is my worst score…ever.'


"Hitomi," Yukari spoke a little worried as she saw Hitomi's strange expression. "What's wrong?"

"I got my worse mark ever…" Hitomi replied hesitantly.

"But Hitomi, Mr Fanel said that you got a good mark," Yukari said trying to find the right words.

"Ninety-eight per cent," Hitomi said with gritted teeth.

"Wow Hitomi, you did really well," Yukari said shocked.

"I normally get higher, this is my worst mark. Yukari, I think I'm getting dumber," Hitomi said in an emotionally distressed voice.

"Hitomi you're over reacting," Yukari tried to assure her.

"Maybe," Hitomi said biting her lip. "I've just got to work harder."

"Hitomi," Yukari moaned. "No fun and no play makes Hitomi a dull girl."

"Yukari…" Hitomi started but she decided to retreat.

"Hitomi, please come with me to the fair today, I promise we'll have loads of fun," Yukari pleaded. Yukari had her hands clasped together and she was giving Hitomi her puppy dog eyes.

Hitomi sighed as she gave in but the back of her mind was still on her score. "Okay."

***

Van walked out the school building exhausted. 'Thank heavens for the weekend.' He thought. He was entering the school car park as usual when he noticed there were some people next to his car. He slowly proceeded towards them when all of a sudden he saw two little figures dart towards him. He then realised who they were and he kneeled down and opened his arms out ready to retrieve them, the two eager figures.

"Uncle Van!" they screamed.

"Hey Merle, hey Dilly," Van greeted the five year old twins as he scooped either one into each arm.

"We missed you Uncle Van," Merle said sweetly.

"You see me at home every day?" Van questioned Merle.

"But your so much cooler than dad," Dilandau his silver haired nephew, replied for her. He then noticed Naria, his sister in law in the background.

"So what do I owe the pleasure?" Van asked her politely.

"Hey Van, to cut a long story short, Folken and I were wandering if you could take the twins to the fair, they really want to go but Folken and I have other commitments," Naria asked and explained the situation.

"Uh…" Van hesitated for moment. He really loved the twins but Van was so tired from such a hectic day at work.

"Please Uncle Van," Merle coaxed her uncle with her innocence. Van gave one look at her and he melted.

"Okay," Van sighed and then smiled when he realized how happy he made his niece and nephew.

***

"Uncle Van, I want to go on the elephant ride," Merle squealed.

"Uncle Van, I want to go to the arcade and play the shooting game," a delighted Dilandau cried.

"One at a time, please," a very rushed and confused Van spoke.

"Elephant ride," Merle proclaimed.

"Shooting game," Dilandau cried harder.

'This is going to be a long day' Van moaned mentally as the children continued to protest to one another.

***

Hitomi walked slowly down the dirt ridden yet crowded path of fair ground. She couldn't believe her best-friend ditched her again for Amano. Hitomi let out a soft breath as her boots hit the ground softly. She looked stunning in her tartan mini-skirt and her white V-necked top. 'Why is everything in my life so complicated at the moment?' Her thoughts dwelled between on her parents, Yukari, and her score. Her mind was in complete turmoil when all of a sudden she heard something which caused her to stop walking.

Someone was crying, she turned to the direction where the noise was coming from and there she saw a little girl with pink hair crying to her heart's content. Hitomi suddenly felt a flash back emerge within her mind as she approached the girl cautiously, her face filled with concern.

"Hi sweetie, what's wrong?" Hitomi asked sweetly and asked in an impossibly motherish manner.

"I lost my brother and my uncle," The little girl cried. Tears were crashing down her eyes.

"Oh no," Hitomi said sympathetically. "What's your name?"

"I'm not allowed to speak to a stranger," The pink haired girl replied and eyed her strangely.

Hitomi laughed slightly and spoke. "Your parents brought you up right. Okay, my name's Hitomi and I'm going to help you find your brother and your uncle."

"Really?" The little girl said rubbing the tears away and sniffing continuously.

"Yep, now first can you tell me where the last place was you saw them?" Hitomi asked seriously.

***

"Merle," A disjointed Van yelled. 'Folken's going to kill me if I don't find her.'

"Uncle Van I'll be in the arcade," Dilly informed as he was ready to head off.

"No your not going anywhere out my site," Van said holding onto the back of his shirt desperately searching with his eyes for his little niece.

"I hate Merle, she's ruined my day," Dilandau protested.

"Dilly, I have no time for your sulking," Van informed his nephew. "We need to find your sister."

"Stupid Merle," Dilandau complained as Van held onto his hand guiding him through the crowd.

'Where was the last place I saw her?' Van thought frantically.

"Uncle Van," A girl screamed from behind him.

"Merle," Van yelled back as he turned towards her. Suddenly, a little girl was charging towards him. Van opened his arms out and scooped her into his arms and hugged her tight. "Oh Merle, you were giving me a heart attack. Don't you ever stray away from me again."

"I'm sorry Uncle Van," Merle cried.

"Yeah you better be sorry," Dilandau said raising his fist and shaking it wildly at her.

"Dilly, there's a time and place for that," Van informed him.

"Merle you found your uncle," A new voice cried. A familiar voice. Van looked up to see it was her. 'Hitomi.' She looked absolutely beautiful that Van couldn't help but to stare.

"Hitomi," Merle said happily and wedged herself out of Van's arms and went running into Hitomi's. "Thank you."

"Yes, thank you, Hitomi," Van managed to utter out as he heart rate returned back to normal.

"It's okay," Hitomi smiled. "Mr Fanel your niece is so sweet."

"Yeah," Van sighed.

"She's pretty," Dilandau blurted out innocently. Hitomi giggled at the little boy.

'Dilly, that is my student even though Hitomi does look partially nice today,' Van thought.

"Is he your twin brother, Dilly, Merle?" Hitomi asked.

"Unfortunately," Merle replied in a childish voice that didn't resemble the actual word at all.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Dilly asked curiously and very gravely. Van eyed Dilandau strangely.

'That boy never learns," Van moaned mentally as a mental picture of his brother yelling at Dilly in different situations cropped into his head

"No," Hitomi replied giggling.

"Can I be your boyfriend?" Dilly asked innocently with that same solemn expression.

"Dilly!" Van shouted a little hysterically. "She's too old for you and besides she's one of my students."

"Really?" Merle snickered gently to herself. If only Van knew what his niece was planning, he could have avoided all the turmoil that would be bestowed upon him.