Wow… almost a whole year with no update. Sorry for deadness, anyone who… you know, still remembers/read this fic. xD Anyway, about to start sophomore year is high school so hopefully I'm a better writer, although my freshman English coarse was utter crap.

Volume One: Part Two: Chapter Two

Lessons were dull again that day, but at least Chiya got through. It was better to scrape by than to fail, after all. The bell rang, signaling the end of the school bell, and she stood up and stretched back. Turning around to face her closest friend, Zozu, she grinned and tapped him on the shoulder. "So, just what now is my reward? It had better be good this time – none of that I.O.U. crap like last time. Come on, treat me. There's an ice cream shop on the way home." She shouldered her school bag, which was heavy with the day's assignments, and got ready to leave.

"Fine, fine, I will. I guess you've helped me enough," the boy said, grumbling. He tossed too-long blond bangs out of his eyes with a slight shake of his head and readied himself quickly.

At that moment, Tosuke brushed passed them, his shoulder bumping Chiya's. She glared at his back and called out, "Hey, at least say sorry!" The teacher had packed up and left quickly for his "appointment" – which meant he was seeing his girlfriend again – making it safe for her to be not quite as nice to the new student as he would like. But Tosuke didn't turn around – either he didn't hear or he didn't care. Chiya frowned after him, looking grumpy.

"Come on, then," Zozu said impaciently. "If I'm taking all the trouble to not only treat you, but walk you home, then you should at least move quickly."

She rolled her eyes. "You're my next door neighbor. We walk home together every day, idiot."

It was easy for her to forget all about the new transfer student once she and Zozu had set off, talking about the day and things in general that concerned them – they had been best friends all their lives and yet somehow Chiya's making fun of Zozu's height never really grew old. They always had something to talk about and had never really seriously fought. It was a good friendship, but one that would meet unsuspected hardships.

…

Tosuke made his way quickly from the school building, his breathing sharp and heavy. His health was still critical – a deficiency he would have to change if he was to continue here. He coughed into his hand, feeling his temperature rise. But that wasn't saying much, as he was always cold in this place. It chilled him far too much for a little fever heat to bother him too much. It would pass, as it always did, and the bone-numbing chill would seep in again.

He made his way slowly home, although he was moving as quickly as he could, and collapsed as soon as he was inside. But there was no mother here to take care of him, a contradiction to the teacher's words. He lived here. Alone.

………………

Mmkay, well, hope that was alright. '-';; Know it's short (as always), but at least it's here?

Also, I have up pictures of some of my characters. They're kinda old (like… a year xD ), though. Ff won't let me post them, so please visit my DA mie-tanuki. and note me (I don't think I have NR pics up there, but I'm not sure) or talk to me on Gaia (my sn is Mie-tanuki).