Chapter 1: The East-End Boys and West-End Girls

You've got a heart of glass or a heart of stone
Just you wait 'til I get you home
We've got no future, we've got no past
Here today, built to last…

- West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys

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Present day…

Tomoeda East Independent High,
Somewhere in Eastern Tomoeda.

-

He was whistling to the tune of Incubus' 'Pardon Me' as he glanced at his wrist watch to check the time. Another eight more minutes before the bell rings. Kuso! He quickened his pace from the foyer and up the main stairs, with his Ralph Lauren bag swaying wildly over his left shoulder, while his right hand rested in his pocket in a casual manner. Clad in the usual crisply- pressed school jacket, shirt and pants, matched with a pair of polished black loafers, he emanated an aura of enigma, sophistication and maturity.

In other words, very noteworthy.

One simply could not help but watch Eriol Hiiragizawa as he passed by with confident strides. He breezed through the throng of students idling around the hallway, nodding coolly towards the usual greetings tossed his way. The majority of Tomoea East Independent's students were nothing but friendly kids.

As he moved down the hall, he spotted two familiar figures pacing around his locker restlessly. They kept glancing at their watches every few seconds and were cursing loudly in exasperation, ignorant to the curious glances thrown in their direction.

Obviously patience was not a common trait among his peers.

The idea of irritating several persons would kick off his day quite nicely, and it was a chance too good to be missed. He grinned wickedly and met the demons head-on.

Sadism, Eriol is thy name.

-----

The first assault came with a shove from the side, and from the most infuriated of the two… Naturally.

"Hiiragizawa! What the hell took you so long? Where were you?" A tanned teen with unruly brown hair and intense amber eyes growled out. His face was marred with his patented scowl - which, everyone swore, was permanently stuck there forever – as his arms folded across his chest in an infuriated stance.

Li Syaoran was anything but a smooth charmer. He lacked most social graces and had manners of an alpha wolf on the attack. A real straitlaced prude.

"Hai, you're always the earliest bird, Eriol man. What kept you?" Another guy with dark hair and small eyes drawled out, with a tiny hint of amusement in his voice. Takashi Yamazaki. Everybody's favourite jester and the number one fabricator of bullshit. He wasn't really much of a liar, but he liked to make a fool out of anyone when opportunity strikes.

"Good morning to the both of you." Eriol smiled politely, ignoring the surly faces flanking his sides.

"Come on, out with it. Tell me what kept you up all night." Yamazaki questioned cheekily from his left. He was leaning against his own locker, which sported the colourful words "Takashi Yamazaki, you asshole!", "Kisama!" and "Teme ga!" painted on it.

The 'graffiti' was the result of a joke gone wrong the previous year, and the four unsuspecting girls who had been gravely humiliated, had thought to retaliate with paint spray cans. Of course, vandalising his locker did nothing but boost his already-inflated ego and reputation as the resident prankster.

Eriol opened his locker before replying nonchalantly. "If you're implying I had a 'late night', you're sadly mistaken. I don't do one night stands, remember?" He stuck his head into his locker and busied himself with his books.

"So, what kept you?" Syaoran moved closer. Eriol was nothing but systematic and punctual, sticking to his schedules religiously. Something obviously must have detained him.

"Where's Akira and Hugosi?" Came a muffled question instead.

Syaoran sighed and silently congratulated himself for being more patient than usual. He hated to wait, and he definitely hated slow, non-committal responses. "They went to the toilet for a smoke. Now, what happened?"

"Kuso. The traffic was bad. And all because of one bloody car that broke down in the middle of the damn highway! Can you friggin believe it? Stupid driver caused a long jam!" Eriol hid a smile.

Bad traffic? Syaoran's ears perked. Was there a tiny bit of untruthfulness he detected in there?

Unfortunately, Yamazaki had beaten him to it. "Right. You may be able to fool Syaoran, but you can't bullshit a bullshitter, Hiiragizawa."

"Hey! I didn't believe a word of it!" Syaoran glared at Yamazaki for the insult and then turned to Eriol fiercely. "Tell me. Now."

"Fine. I had a brief run in with some Sekiyu High kids on my way here. It was nothing." He shrugged as he stuffed his Biology textbook into his bag.

Syaoran narrowed his eyes. He knew it. Damn Amamiya brats. "Hell! How did they get in your way? They wouldn't dare step onto our turf!" He gritted out venomously.

Eriol simply gave him a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Well, it seems that they did. They were waiting for me in the middle of Two Berks Lane."

An alternative to the Eastern highway, Two Berks Lane was a longer secluded road that stretched from the end of the south-east area to the heart of Eastern Tomoeda. And since Eriol lived in a remote, private estate near that end, he often took that quieter route towards school.

"Kuso! What did they want?"

"What else do you think?"

"Ahhh… So they wanted some payback for that trashing we gave their kids two weeks ago. What did you do?" Yamazaki asked, knowing full well that Eriol wouldn't foolishly engage in an unfair fight. He eyed his blue-haired friend more closely. There wasn't even a scratch on him, nor a wrinkle in his uniform.

"As always, I outsmarted them. Now, come on." Eriol frowned and slammed his locker shut. The school bell would be ringing soon, and he hated to be the last to arrive in class. He quickly adjusted his bag and headed towards the classroom with his buddies trailing him.

"And?" Syaoran waved his right hand impatiently, resisting the urge to strangle his half-English relative. "Details! Specifics, E-man!" He deliberately emphasised on one of the nicknames given to Eriol by some of the students around. Oh, he knew Eriol hated being called anything but his name.

"You know, if you're trying to irritate me into spilling, it won't work, Little Wolf."

Syaoran clenched his fist. That really hit a sore nerve. God knows why his mother had to name him Xiao Lang. It was effective when he was ten or twelve, but not when he's eighteen! He was anything but little! And definitely NOT in all places, too!

"Hiiragizawa…" He hissed threateningly; his rage rapidly mounting.

Yamazaki simply shook his head in amusement at the usual display of brotherly affection. What a fun-loving couple. "All right, enough. Stop stalling, Eriol. Spill!" He pestered as they entered their classroom.

Eriol chuckled to himself. It was so easy to get to his hot-tempered cousin. Too damn easy. Hmm, he would have to work harder on Yamazaki and the others. He walked to his desk, glanced at his watch and promptly removed the blue sunglasses he had been wearing. Let the mental countdown begin! 5…4…3… 2…1...

Brrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnnngggggggg!

And as if on cue, their teacher stepped into the classroom. "Class, settle down now! Everyone back to your own seats!"

Eriol smiled cruelly. "Awww, there goes the school bell. Lunch break, then?"

"Bastard!" Syaoran showed Eriol his middle finger and slumped in his seat.

Yamazaki simply snickered as his friend muttered more profanities under his breath. Eriol had, once again, managed to get Li Syaoran riled up within minutes. And on a Monday morning, too!

"You know, if it makes you any better, I can think of at least ten ways how Eriol avoided a morning bloodsport."

"Urusai!"

It was another typical day at Clow East Independent High.

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Miyazaki Girls Academy,
Somewhere in the outskirts of Western Tomoeda.

-

"Are you really sure?" Asked a sweet voice, tinged with desperation and worry. "Maybe she's right..." Kinomoto Sakura fretted fearfully, glancing downwards.

The well-respected Captain of the academy's cheerleading squad was energetic, hardworking, and blessed with a kind soul. And she was currently hyperventilating about the size of her, ummm… endowments.

"Iie, for the hundredth time, they aren't big, Sakura! Trust me on this." Mihara Chiharu said in exasperation as she unpacked her breakfast, tuning out the chorus of agreements around their table.

"Hai, Chiharu's right. Besides, Vicki deliberately said those things to hurt you. They're all lies. Shou ga nai darou, ne…" A comforting hand patted Sakura softly on the back.

Sakura turned to her bestfriend, who had always been there for her in times of great need. "Hai... Demo, Tomoyo-chan, I - "

"You should toughen up, Sakura. Let the little bitch know who's boss! You are an Amamiya descendent, remember? Your grandfather would blow his head off if he hears about you getting bullied by some insignificant tramp," Chiharu waved her fork precariously in light warning.

Yanagizawa Naoko nodded at her friend in agreement. Damn rumours. They're like viruses that existed everywhere. Especially in an all-girls boarding school where the ambitious ones play dirty in the competition for popularity. Basically, every little thing involved a petty catfight.

A fellow cheerleader named Vicki Sutaki – also labelled the school slut - had been eyeing the captain position ever since she made it into the team, but when she lost it to Sakura… Well, things had not been that easy for the green-eyed beauty.

And the most recent hit was a rumour about Sakura's breasts being too large – and siliconed – for her petite frame. Though it was obviously untrue, Sakura's weakness was her sensitive nature. And it had gravely humiliated and hurt her to be in reception to all the stares and snickering in the hallway.

Chiharu frowned at her meal. It was Monday, which meant weird-tasting salmon and buttered toast for breakfast. The damn Cook had a very badly organised menu and culinary skills that was, apparently, even worse! Canteen food really sucked. All in all, boarding school - with no boys - sucked big time!

"Just eat it, already. Stop drooling at it like you haven't eaten for months," teased Naoko, their resident geek. The shortest among the group by only three inches, she had a small slim face, which goes with her equally small size. Everyone called her a doll, for her sweet personality and doll-like features.

"I was not drooling at this… this pathetic excuse for fish-and-toast! Oh Kamisama, is Cook trying to kill us all by forcing us to either swallow this poison or starve to death?" Chiharu gagged at her meal melodramatically.

"Stop being melodramatic, Chiharu." Rika Sasaki laughed out loud. "Almost six years here and one would've thought you'd gotten used to the food by now." The sweet gentle Rika, mature beyond her 18 years, had the patience of a saint. Truth be told, no one had ever seen her upset or angry at all.

"Yeah, well, our parents enrolled us into this classy, expensive girls school for a hefty price and they feed us with crap? What a rip-off. They should have just sent me to public school! At least I'd have more freedom, too!"

"You mean freedom with boys?"

"That was not what I meant!"

"Ano ne… Guys, can we please get back to the problem here?" begged Sakura as she stabbed her fork into her food restlessly. This whole boob issue was ruining her appetite. Damn that Vicki.

The ever-assertive Tomoyo Daidouji silently wrapped a right arm around her cousin's shoulders. She knew it would bother the tender-hearted girl. But she also somewhat suspected that Sakura wouldn't let that insult slide easily.

"So, does that mean that my breasts are huge, too? Coz we're practically the same size, you know!" She teased, hoping to cheer Sakura up.

Sakura frowned. Were they still at that? She wasn't that naive as to believe the stupid twit! Sigh.

"No, of course not… Chiharu's right. I know that my breasts are completely acceptable. It's just that… I hate all the staring and those stupid smirks they gave me…"

Tomoyo nodded approvingly. The thirst for vengeance was strong in the Amamiya blood, and it seems that her cousin was finally catching up in this game. "Would you like me to do something about this?" She asked a little too sweetly with a shrewd, evil look in her eyes.

"Hmmm, now we're talking…" Sakura looked up with interest.

Chiharu perked up and quickly added with a glee, "Yatta! They know better than to mess with any of us!" She rubbed her hands together, ignoring her food. Nevermind the fish-and-toast! Dessert would be served soon - cold and sweet!

"An eye for an eye, and the whole world goes blind." Rika simply shook her head in resignation. She clearly remembered the last time a fellow student had offended Chiharu. It ended up really ugly - literally - when the girl limped out of the bathroom, crying, and with bruises on her face. Chiharu had a much-feared, violent reputation.

"Well, if you think about it, Rika… Then the whole world would be even. Everyone will be equally blind and can't do much damage when they can't see their enemies' faces!" Naoko reasoned with her usual morbid logic. She wasn't really up for the whole revenge thing, but hey, a girl could always enjoy the entertainment!

"Hai, Rika... Don't worry about it!"

Chiharu licked her lips in anticipation. Tomoyo's dirty plans were always straightforward, effective and downright scary. And that made her one of the most feared persons in town. Not to mention that she had tycoons in her family - in the forms of her mother and grandfather...

Sakura tapped a finger on her chin. "Hai, since Vicki loves to gossip, why don't we help her spread more rumours…"

"Well, with me being chief-editor of the newsletter and all… I think I do have an empty column for next week's issue before I finalize everything." Tomoyo flashed a wicked smile. Talk about power tripping.

"Sugoi! Have you anything in mind to write about, Sakura?" asked Chiharu enthusiastically. She sure had several mean ideas.

"I'm open to suggestions. I know you girls have plenty to offer."

Tomoyo fished out her organizer from her small carry-around bag. "Alright! Let's begin, shall we?"

And breakfast was soon forgotten as they made plans for petty revenge.

It was another typical day at Miyazaki Girls Academy.

A sneak preview of chapter 2…

Touya rubbed the back of his neck hard. This underground business was damn tiring at times. And irritating, too. Hell, it felt as if his life was part of some mobster movie, minus the Tommy guns and hardcore drugs!

The Godfather? Or how about The Sopranos?

Hah! No, forget those when there's Tomoeda's very own Yakuzas - The Amamiya, Reed, Kagawa and Yosano families…