Hi there! This is my first Clamp School Detectives fanfiction story, and I would like to inform readers that series is the only one I have read (Please note READ. I think there is a T.V series on it, but I'm not sure. I've just read the manga). So I wouldn't know what happened to Nokoru, Suoh, and Akira in the other series. Just saying! On with the story!

Edit: Edited April 19th, 2006. Just didn't like the way the paragraphs were bunched together.
Edit: Edited January 4th, 2007. For those little things.


THE UNDERSTUDIES-PROLOGE: LAVENDER SCENTS (SUNDAY)

"KAICHOU!"

A blonde head raised itself a little higher than everybody else's. "Suoh, is that you back there?" Nokoru Imonoyama's bright blue eyes twinkled in amusement as he brushed his adorably messy bangs from his face, sitting behind his desk inside the Elementary Division Class Board Meeting Room, watching a huge crowd of his female schoolmates scramble for a stack of papers on his desk. He whipped out his fan, chuckling behind it as the last female in the crowd, clutching the paper to her bosom and giggling madly, ran out of the room.
Suoh Takamura frowned after her and blew his neat blue hair out of his eyes, settling his amber orbs on his senpai. "What was that pack of girls doing in here?"

"Oh..." Nokoru now hid his face behind his trusty fan that stated 'I'm in trouble!' in neat, bold letters, already knowing what his kohai's response would be. "They came to get an application form to sign up as our understudies."

"Nani?" Suoh smacked a large stack of papers on Nokoru's desk with a loud thump. "Understudies?" He sighed heavily, waiting for what was to come.

"Hai!" the blonde replied cheerfully. He picked up the only application left on his desk and waved it in front of his friend's face. "All three of us work so hard, it would be nice to have someone else help," Nokoru said innocently. "And once we get out of elementary school, we'd leave some big shoes to fill, right? Understudies would be perfect in this situation! Plus, it would help our kohais realize what a responsibility being on the class board is!" Suoh rolled his eyes at the remark.

"Rijichou said it was alright," continued the blonde. "And besides..."

"Besides what?" Suoh asked wearily.

"Kaichou thought it would be fun!" a cheerful voice called. Akira Ijyuin came in rolling a cart of snacks with one hand, and holding a bright red folder in the other. His cutely cut black hair bobbed up and down excitedly as he coasted to a stop in front of Nokoru's desk.

"Kaichou, I got the information you wanted. Gomen nasai, Takamura-senpai. I know it's your job, but you were out and he was anxious to get it." Akira bowed respectfully to Suoh as the latter boy eyed the tasty sweets on the cart with interest.

"It's alright Ijyuin." Suoh waved it off and turned to Nokoru while accepting a plate of eclairs from Akira. "How many?"

"How many what?"

"How many understudies?"

"Three. One for each of us." Nokoru held up three fingers to make his point. "But I already have mine," he grinned.

Suoh sighed, massaging his temple. "Since you already have your understudy, I guess it's okay with me," he said resignedly.

"Yay!" Akira squealed. "That's good, since we invited her to have tea with us!"

"Her, huh?" Suoh allowed himself a small smile at this.

A barely audible knock sounded throughout the board room, and Akira rushed to the door to admit their guest in. "She's right on time!"

Nokoru walked over and smiled charmingly. "Aki Mitsui-chan." Suoh twitched at the familiar honorific. "The only child of the Mitsui zaibatzu, president of the everso helpful Resources and Information Department, an avid member of the Science and Technology Department, and..." He bowed low as he kissed her fingertips. "My childhood friend."

Suoh was, as you know, a descendent of a prominent ninja clan. His okaasan had taught him ever since he was a young boy to observe the people he would encounter and remember every detail about them. It was what he had done when he first met Nokoru three years ago, and then two years ago when Akira joined them as their treasurer. It was now that our young ninja took the time to observe Nokoru's new understudy, and make inferences about what kind of person she might be.

Aki Mitsui had a petite figure, which probably means she isn't much of a sports person, Suoh mused. Which would be why she was the president of the Resources and Information Department. They were, technically, the huge database and library that he himself had visited on numerous occasions to pull up information for their cases. Aki had a gentle face, with eyes that contained the palest shade of sapphire blue. Long, wavy locks of a lovely blue black color were pinned back with a single diamond barrette, which he thought meant that she might not think much of the way she looked except for an occasional accessory or two, seeing as she was not wearing any makeup. But she was neat. Aki was wearing a crisp and wrinkle-free female version of the school uniform, and it accented her body well. She carried the coat that went with the uniform on her arm, the one that Akira had graciously taken and hung on the coat hanger for her.

"Nokoru-kun, I'm still friends with you! How can you say that we are childhood friends?"

"Of course, Aki-chan. We are. How could I be so silly?" Nokoru bowed again, and led her to the chair in front of his desk. Suoh passed by the blonde and whispered, "You knew her before this?"

"I'll explain later," Nokoru murmured back. "Now...Aki-chan, let me introduce you to my fellow class board members and friends: Secretary Suoh Takamura and Treasurer Akira Ijyuin." Aki curtsied and smiled.

"Nokoru-kunhas told me so much about you two when he comes over to my house for tea," she said. "He speaks highly of you two. I'm glad to have met you personally."

Akira blushed a deep red, and Suoh smiled. Nokoru was in the background, his fluttering fan reading 'Compliments all around!'. Suoh saw this and smoothly replied, "Well, Mitsui-senpai, I've heard what you've done from the Chairman. I'm glad to have met the president of the Resources and Information Department. Your area of expertise has helped us in recent 'cases'."

"I'm glad to hear it." She put a slender finger on her chin. "Oh yes! That's right. Nokoru-kun told me about your detective agency. You helped sisters from all different grade levels! I really must thank you for that too. Nagisa-chan was more quiet than usual and I was getting worried. But all along, she was just daydreaming about you, Takamura-san!" Suoh sweat-dropped and sunk to the floor in embarrassment. Nokoru grinned and hugged Aki to his side.

"Isn't she the greatest?"

"Nokoru-kun!" Aki playfully pushed him, and then spied the red folder on his desk. "That's my folder isn't it? The one with all my information in it?" she queried.

"Hai. I was planning on going over it with you, just to double-check everything." Nokoru turned to take the folder, and the youngest male saw a fond look in the blonde's eyes directed at the girl.

Akira, filled with resolve, tugged on Suoh's sleeve. "Takamura-senpai and I will wait outside, Chairman."

"We will?" the other boy asked in confusion.

"Hai." Akira tilted his head at the other two, and Suoh blinked. "Oh...right. Yeah...we'll wait outside."

Nokoru nodded in thanks, and Akira added, "Mitsui-senpai, please help yourself to the eclairs on the serving cart. I made them myself!" He smiled and waved, walking out of the board room with Suoh.

Aki laughed softly. "I can see why you trust them."

Nokoru smiled his mysterious smile. "You know everything." He drew her towards him, pulling her into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you again, Aki-chan. I missed you."

"As did I, Nokoru-kun. It was lonely after you went away..."

"Gomen nasai," he said sadly.

"It's alright," she smiled. "Let's not dwell in the past. Come on, you wanted to go over my information with me, ne?"

Akira and Suoh were listening into the conversation, their ears pressed to the board room door. "I wonder what happened between them?" mused the treasurer.

"Must be something major for him to sound so sad," Suoh replied. "He said he'd explain it to me later."

"Hm..."

The door opened, revealing an amused Nokoru and Aki. "Ijyuin-san, Takamura-san. What are you doing sprawled out on the floor like that?" the female asked.

"Uhh...nothing," the two boys replied quickly. Nokoru smiled knowingly and hugged Aki again. "See you tomorrow?"

"Hai." She brushed back a stray lock of blonde hair in his eyes and giggled. "Ja ne!" And she ran off.

Nokoru waved after her and sighed happily. "Hm? Oh no!" he groaned.

"Nani? What is it?" Suoh looked at him.

"Aki-chan left her coat! Guess I have to go and return it to her." He whistled innocently as he picked up the coat, grinning as he caught the pleasant smell of lavender on it as he slung it on his arm. Suoh and Akira watched him go, and after the blonde was already in the distance, Suoh groaned.

"What is it, Takamura-senpai?" Akira questioned, a worried look on his face.

"He just left without doing his paperwork! KAICHOU! GET BACK HERE!"

And they heard said Chairman chuckling as he went.


Yay! My first chapter! Chibi Kitty signing off!