Disclaimer: Same thing I said in the last chapter.

Author's Note: Now the real story begins. - Hehe…I just really felt the need for the prologue.

simmic: Thanks so much for the review! ;D Ella's the one going for an exposure trip during the summer and Erica's going to be left behind. I really emphasized on their relationship because Erica's going to be entering somewhere in the middle of the story (hehe… ;D ) and I sort of needed to make sure everyone knew who she was. Sorry about that. ;D I'll put more details on Ella in this chapter. Thankiesh! ;D

So here it is. Please read and review. -

Chapter 1

"Rukawa, you stupid fox, would you hurry up?"

Ryota exchanged a laughing glance with Ayako as he stepped out and joined her in the hallway outside the basketball team's locker room. Class had just finished and they were about to start the first practice of the season. Sunlight streamed into the hallway the same way it had less than a year before…though things were quite different now.

Now there was no tall, large figure dominating the hallway—no big, booming voice to fill the ears of the players and the passers-by. There was no slender, bespectacled young man next to the taller one, his presence asserted despite the strong, overshadowing presence of his two companions…the other of which was also missing on this particular day, his smirking face and bad-boy demeanor no longer causing people to pause either out of admiration or fear.

Instead, there now stood a pretty girl with dark curly hair and a young man only slightly taller than her, his earring flashing as the sunlight settled on it.

He paused, looking around the empty hallway and feeling a strange, indefinable pang in his chest.

"It sure is different with all of them gone," he said quietly, temporarily oblivious to the commotion in the locker room.

Ayako nodded in solemn agreement, understanding what he felt.

"Lots of things have changed," she said, identifying the feeling in the air as nostalgia. "I'm not sure if I should be glad or not."

"I don't know why I bother to wait for you, you stupid jerk! Just how damn hard is it to put on a goddamn jersey and pull on your nasty shorts!"

"You know, you whining little turd, you can always go on without me. It's not like I can't walk without you."

Ryota grinned as the voices became louder and two tall sophomores came barging out of the door.

"Well," he commented to his girlfriend—who was also the team manager—"that's one thing I'm glad of."

Standing side by side the two players were something to look at. Almost shoulder to shoulder, they exited the locker room one after the other, arguing as they walked.

One was more muscular, his features stronger and rougher in comparison. He had dark eyes and a large mouth that's size was nothing compared to outpour of bragging that came out of it. There was a strange goodness stamped into his face though—an inner coating that shone through the shell of the physical and superficial.

The other was handsome by far, with striking blue eyes and features so fine and skin so fair that it was impossible not to look at him and temporarily be stunned. He had hair as black as the darkest night and against his fair skin his brows and long lashes stood out in beautiful contrast. He was cold however—as though the color of his skin went deeper than just his physical appearance.

But they balanced each other out, the two sophomores, as they began walking down the hallway, bickering as they went. Sakuragi was one of the few people that could actually goad Rukawa into replying—which he was at the moment, and quite enthusiastically as well. Colorful words flew between them, but there was something between them now that went deeper than just skin-deep jealousy and resentment.

They were friends now—though odd ones. They rivaled each other in the sport they both loved and though Sakuragi considered Rukawa a rival for a girl's heart as well, they were constant companions on court and off court. Though Rukawa still declined from joining Sakuragi's antics with his old crew they could be seen having one-on-one matches in public courts before going to school. There was a productive bond despite the things they said and did to each other, and as they both sought to outplay each other in basketball their dependency on each other grew.

"Come on, Ayako," Ryota urged, feeling his heart lighten at the sight of his two teammates. "We should get going as well."

"Of course," Ayako replied, falling immediately into step with him. "But remember, I have to go an hour earlier today. I've got to catch up with my English class."

"I still don't understand why you're taking an extra class. And is it even called a 'class'? You're already very good at English and besides, formal classes are already over at this time."

"It's part of the activities of the club sponsored by the English department of our school. If you're a member you get extra credit for each class you attend. I'm vying for honors this year and I'm planning to apply at Tokyo University. I've got to have something that'll give me an edge."

"Okay, okay. I was just asking." He paused and frowned, turning to look at her. "But what happens to us if you get in?"

Ayako realized what he was feeling and gave him a reassuring smile. "You know me, Ryota. If there's one thing that I don't want to change, it's us."

"Are you feeling quite comfortable, dear?"

Ella looked up from her desk and smiled at the middle-aged Japanese lady who stood in front of her. She was a small woman with fine features and a very frail-looking figure, but she had a deep, soothing voice that sounded lovely in whichever language she chose to address Ella with.

"Yes, Miss Kawazaki," she replied to Miss Kawazaki's eloquent and proper English question in smooth Japanese. "Just a bit nervous."

It was a game they both loved playing since they had come to know each other in the previous week and Miss Kawazaki's brown eyes warmed with mirth.

"It'll be fine," she said reassuringly, reverting to her natural language. "You're a very charming girl and I'm confident you'll be able to relate with the students attending this class just as well as you do with your classmates from your regular class."

She left Ella on that note and walked to the front of the class just as more students began filing into the room. Ella shifted uncomfortably in her seat, sitting up straighter while trying to keep from breaking out into a sweat by breathing deeply. While it was true that she got along with her classmates in her 8-3 classes, they were all freshmen and because of their jitters they warmed up to each other quickly. This club provided a class for students of all year levels, and as proven by the confident, easy movements made by many of the people now taking their seats, she knew that she would very likely have to interact with people who were in other year levels.

"Settle down, everybody, settle down," Miss Kawazaki said in her beautifully intoned English, her voice filling the room and silencing the noise that came whenever there was a large gathering of people. There were about fifty people in the large lecture hall and she could identify the mixing and merging personalities everywhere. Contrary to what she expected, there weren't just bookworms or academicians in the room. She was certain she could see a group of rockers in one corner, one of them impossible to miss with his spiked, neon green hair.

As they say in the Philippines, she thought, smiling at his fashion statement even as a pang of homesickness tugging at her heart, 'Kanya-kanyang trip.'

"I'd ask you all to introduce yourselves one by one," Miss Kawazaki continued, this time in Japanese, as all attention in the hall focused on her, "but we're pressed for time. We've got one hour to get through with our opening activities and then the formal classes will have to start in our next meeting. To start off, I'd like to welcome you to the English Club's Special Extra-Merit Classes. Here you're going to be developing your proficiency in the English language. Your improvement will not only reflect in terms of your performance in your regular English lessons but your own performance here will be considered as extra merit in your academics. Therefore I encourage you to use these classes for your maximum benefit. I'm the adviser of the English Club. My name is Maori Kawazaki and I'm very pleased to meet you."

An appreciative applause rippled through the crowd and Ella joined in enthusiastically, seeing that she was not the only one who found Miss Kawazaki to be more than likeable.

"I'd also like to introduce this year's English Club president. I have no doubt she is a familiar face, because she's also headed the Broadcast Club since last year. Ladies and gentlemen—Miss Mari."

Heads swiveled as a girl from the front row stood up and made her way to the stage. She was of average height and medium build, her fashionable blue-tinted hair cut into an efficient bob. She was pretty, but there was a sharp, determined look in her eyes that Ella wasn't certain if she liked.

Mari took the stage and gave Miss Kawazaki a polite nod before addressing the waiting congregation.

"Hello everyone," she said, her voice polite but measured, "I'm very pleased that all of you have decided to join the English Club. I will do my best as club president to promote our interests as a club and I hope you will do the same." She gave them all a polite smile and promptly flicked her palm out to observe the small sheet of paper in it. She cleared her throat before turning back to them.

"Today's agenda," she resumed, "is getting to know each other. As Miss Kawazaki said, however, we don't have the time to go through an introduction of all of us one by one. I doubt that you'd remember all fifty of your classmates here as well even if we were to do that. And so I've decided that the introduction should be by pair and then we can move on from that. For example, I would introduce myself to Miss Kawazaki and after we get to know each other a little better we would go over and introduce ourselves to another pair. I do encourage you to introduce yourselves to people you don't know and not stick to your friends. The whole point of this activity is to promote a wholesome bond between members, and I'm hoping all of you will cooperate."

A murmur was rippling through the class and people turned to look at each other, as though sizing up who they would be most comfortable introducing themselves to. Ella herself cast her seatmates speculative glances and found that they were doing the same. Upon meeting her gaze, however, they quickly looked a way and she stifled a pang of disappointment and proceeded to smile anyway.

"Come on, everyone!" Mari said impatiently, giving them exasperated looks. "Introduce yourselves already!"

Further Notes: There was a phrase I placed in the chapter where Ella quoted a saying in her own language. I'm going to translate it here. In English, "Kanya-kanyang trip" means, "To each his own tastes and preferences." Just in case you were wondering. ;D Please read and review. ;D