A/N: Yey, new story! Can you believe it? I can't either. This story would probably range for about another twenty or so chapter again and I hope, you would all like it the way you like Kiss and Tell. Haha. Thanks for reading The Grim Reaper and as always, do tell me what you think? And you don't have to worry because TGR is sort of a Supernatural-slash-Comedy type of story. There wouldn't be any heavy drama and cursing here so rest assured.

This is completely different from my previous fics. :D

But then again, it's still rated M due to some selected Mature content. :D

Read on!

AndyBunny

Death is only the beginning.
-;-
No one was able to know how much pain Ayuzawa Misaki has seen, how much torture she had undergone and how many deaths she had witnessed.
-;-

The Grim Reaper
.
The Grim Reaper
.
The Grim Reaper
.

Two:

The vacation was over before I realized it and the remaining days before the official start of classes was consisted of nothing but confirmation of grades, late night dinners and burnt muffins. My roommates were really funny the more I get to know the two of them. and it hadn't occurred to me that despite being rich, Sakura had dared to try her hands on cooking. They weren't much of a good cook—both Sakura and Shizuko—and since I've grown up under the custody of two immature and troublesome parents, I was able to make use of my secret abilities. On nights we won't go out to eat dinner and Twinkle Towne, we'd be either hanging out on the lounge-slash-café and out ordering croissants and coffees to warm our stomachs due to the extremely and abnormally cold weather—a practice my roommates aren't use to doing since they've got such huge appetites despite claiming they were on diets (Sakura, especially). And when I tried cooking them dinner once, Sakura insisted I be the cook if we're all too lazy to get out of the dorm and drive towards TT.

I couldn't be any thankful. Because you know, I'd rather we all hang out inside the dorm every dinner as long as it would mean few people would see me. And besides, it looked to me as though those two doesn't seem affected by my presence even if they were seeing me with my hair tied up in a messy bun.

But of course, I don't want to push my luck. Who knows when they would snap, right?

Sakura was always disenchanted and I would happily admit she had an attitude sometimes. She was a fashion-crazed maniac and if she wasn't prettifying herself, she was busy insulting me because of my fashion disaster style. Seriously, I don't feel bad about her nor do I feel hateful because she was too sarcastic. Her straightforwardness is a sign that she sees me for who I am. Don't you think being opinionated takes too much of a strong woman? It wasn't everyday people would walk up to me and tell me that my jeans suck. Her addiction to making one beautiful roots to the fact that her Mother is a dominant icon to the Fashion Industry since their family owns a huge clothing line that recently went international about three years ago. She asked me if she heard about Hanazonos and when I shake my head, I got chased around by her with a knife.

And because Shizuko got so irritated over our noise, she ended up tripping me with her foot and I slammed down on the carpeted floor, nearly smashing my head open and killing me on the spot. I didn't know really what to feel that time. I wasn't sure if I should feel grateful for her because Sakura had stop chasing me around or if I should kill her with my glares because she nearly killed me and didn't even look the least bit apologetic.

In the end, I decided to shut up because Shizuko looked like she was the type to murder someone she's extremely annoyed at and get away with it safely due to her multi-billion dollar inheritance and vast paramilitary connection. Yes, since her family deals with the international import and export of coal and gold—and some other minerals—she was raised in an uptight family wherein she couldn't go out of her house without being followed around by uniformed and civilian guards. I ask her once if it bothered her but the cold woman merely shrugged her shoulders. Note to self: never ask Shizuko again if you don't want to look like an idiot. But she was a fine acquaintance. In fact, she makes it look like what other people sees in me nonexistent with the way she hangs out with me. It's like I've got no effect whatsoever with her. And it seems as though people—or some of the students—are afraid of Shizuko since they tend to scram off whenever they'd see her on the same room or walking towards the same direction. Thus, I think her presence makes me feel pretty secured.

Snow piled on most corners of the open space and almost instinctively, I've tightened the scarf around my neck to avoid getting cold. The thin wind was biting and despite the heavy attire I've put on, it was still undoubtedly cold. I've kept my hair down, making sure I wouldn't get as much attention than necessary and walked as fast as I could amidst the piling snow. Walking as fast as I could, I kept my eyes down and allowed my hair to cover half of may face. My hands and cheeks were frozen and quickly, I held the latch of the heavily tinted glass door leading to the Registrar's Office and pushed it open with all my might, cursing under my breath when I nearly crashed down the floor and get stepped on by rushing students because I thought the damned glass door was damned heavy. I looked around, some people darting uninterested glances on me and kicked the door shut. It was a lot warmer inside the Office and by instinct, I searched for someone who had a striking shade of burgundy hair and when I spotted the person I was looking for, I made my way towards her quickly and noiselessly.

And of course, the Registrar Office had to be shared by both sexes, too.

"Hi, Sakura, sorry I was late. I—"

"Where have you been?!" she shrieked at me in lieu of her hello, ignoring students who shot quick and inquiring glances at her since her voice dominated the entire room despite the loud whispers and laughter the other students are doing. Sakura really had this hobby of claiming the spotlight that sometimes, I wonder if it was safe being around her. She looked like the type to want so much attention instead of dodging them all away. "I've been waiting for you for two hours already!"

I rolled my eyes. "Stop exaggerating. I arranged my things as soon as you were gone and it sure didn't took me an entire two hours." I removed the hood of my coat that was covering my head and started snuffling through my duffel bag, searching for my ID. When I found it, I handed it over to the attending staff by the window Sakura was at. "Ayuzawa Misaki."

Sakura snorted at that. "Stupid. Why do you have to say your name when that woman could identify you by looking at your ID?"

I smiled at her—another week of this and I would finally get used of her sarcasm. "Don't act so chummy now." I muttered, smiling and thanking the woman before me when she returned my ID with my schedule slip. I checked the scented and obviously special paper which had a bold and thick MA embossed on the gold card—which stands for Miyabigaoka Academy—and scanned through my list of schedules. Like what I've said before, it was sort of an American schedule thus, there were about three block sections that rotates every semester since the Academy is a trimester. So, if I'm on ABC block, I'd be on BAC on the second semester and CAB on the next until I return on the ABC block again for the next school year. Mostly, I've got English-related subjects since I came here with an English scholarship so everything was sort of easy.

I glanced at Sakura who was scanning her slip, too, and held back my laughter over the displeasured expression on her face. "You look like someone killed your favorite dog."

She scoffed at me. "I don't like my programs. They've got more Science in them instead of English."

"Really? Let me check." I got her card, scanning through the long list of subjects and saw that she got about two Advance Sciences and one Advance Math. "Hmm, so unfortunate. What do you plan to take in the future?"

Sakura shrugged. "Biology."

I rolled my eyes at that and when I realizing we were missing someone, I started searching for the woman with the cold eyes, cold demeanor and cold appearance. "Where's Shizuko? I thought you two went together?"

Sakura's nose was stuck in front of her slip as she continually glared and burned holes on the subjects that made her more displeasured. "I don't know. We were together one minute and next second I knew, she was already nowhere to be found. I told you that woman's an alien. She must be doing something hanky-panky with her hot boyfriend."

"Hanky-panky, huh?"

I jumped out of shock—Sakura and I—upon hearing her cold as ice and dull voice before we spun around in time to see her eerie presence standing right behind us. I stared at her cold exterior, her all black attire made her look like the Grim Reaper instead of the female heiress of the Kaga group. "You scared me."

"More like she killed me!" Sakura hisses, trying to hide her sudden loss of poise and grace by fixing her braids. "Seriously, Shizuko, continue doing that and I'd end up dead come December."

Shizuko merely ignored her—she's good at that—before she gazed at me through the thin frames of her prescription glasses, her cold eyes as cold as ever as they stare right through my amber orbs. Her cold and sharp yet emotionless eyes surveyed me from head to toe and even if I should feel extremely offended since what she's doing is extremely rude, I didn't know why I had taken no offense. But even so, it made me feel uncomfortable so I ended up trying to calm myself by shifting my weight on my left foot and arching an inquiring eyebrow at her. "What is it?"

She didn't answer to my questions—what a rude woman—and snaps her head instead towards the opposite direction where her gaze was suddenly fixated. I followed where her gaze leads her and saw none other than Suzuki Hideki walking towards our way, his sunny demeanor—which is in great contrast with his girlfriend's scary disposition—seemed to have brightened the entire room. Some girls started flocking around him while he would shortly but politely dismiss them before darting quick glances towards our direction—more like Shizuko's. Shizuko, on the other hand, look utterly bored.

The woman by the window called out for Shizuko's name and I hadn't even realized she already had her ID submitted until her slip was handed to her. Her gray eyes seemed to have turned a few shades darker as she scanned through her long list of schedules before she stuffed them inside her bag.

I smiled at her. "How's your schedule?"

"I've got Math and Sciences combined—all easy." She answered smoothly.

Well, that's what a genius would say to a bunch of idiots. Next to me, Sakura rolled her eyes. She really is easily displeasured. I wonder why she hated Science so much when she wanted to take something related to biology. I opened another topic again. "Shizuko, you're taking after you father, right? It must be so hard taking difficult programs like that."

"Not really. I like what I'm doing. The best opponents I've got are people inside my own family." She darted her huge eyes on mine again and for a moment, I froze over how transparent her eyes were. She surveyed me again from head to toe—and I swear it was beginning to tick me off since she was being very rude—and was astonished when she suddenly tear her eyes of mine as though something made her uncomfortable. "Don't look at me like that."

Sakura arched an eyebrow at her. "From what I see, you're the one who's been doing that odd staring thing ever since you've first seen her. Do you have a problem with Misaki?"

I paled. Oh no.

Shizuko darted another quick glance on me again before she shook her head. "No. I don't mean to be rude. It's just… your eyes. They're too big."

Sakura eyed me, too, and I quickly looked away. "Really? I think so, too. I like your eyes, Misaki. They've got a very unique shade. Are you a half?"

"No. I'm perfectly Japanese." I answered quickly.

"They're bothering me."

I paused momentarily, and stares back at Shizuko again. "Excuse me?"

"Your eyes, they are bothering me." another quick glance. "Well, whatever. It must be the cold weather." She zipped her coat closed and from somewhere I wasn't sure exactly where, Hideki-kun suddenly materialized and appeared right beside Shizuko. Shizuko looked still unsurprised, nonetheless. She really is an Ice Queen. "Suzuki, drive us back to the dorm." She ordered her boyfriend which made it look like he was more of a slave for her than her lover.

But Hideki-kun looked like he didn't mind her bossing him around and nodded at her obediently. "Sure. Are you cold? You want my coat?"

"I'm cold!" Sakura announced playfully, ignoring Shizuko who glared sharply at her while the boyfriend simply laughed.

I laughed, too, and quickly undo my neck scarf and drape it over her before grinning. "There. You can have mine."

"I don't want yours. I want Hideki-kun's coat."

"Clearly, Shizuko doesn't like that idea." I elbowed her on her ribs before pulling up my hood to cover the upper part of my head and walked ahead of them to the door when the glass entrance suddenly swing open and the cold wind blew so hard on my face it blow off my hood and send thick strands of my hair flying and whipping my face. Some strands covered my eyes and quickly, I brushed them off my eyes because it was obstructing my view before I gaze up and started searching around for Sakura and the others because I couldn't seem to find them anywhere. The wind continued to blow on my face and when I focused my eyes on the tall figure by the door, the first thing I noticed was a pair of extremely light shade of emerald green eyes. And for a moment, I thought I swallowed my tongue.

I didn't know what hit me because quickly—or almost based on primal instinct—I snapped my eyes to the floor and saw his pair of black runners and extremely long legs concealed underneath a pair of dark-washed jeans. I bit my lip as my eyes strolled upwards to regard the dark shade of knitted sweater he was wearing that covered nearly all of his skin except for his hands and face since the top was turtle-neck. I glanced up again, more on curiosity than out of courtesy; I gazed up at him again and nearly choke because he was just so beautiful I could almost cry. His lips were formed into a grim line—it was obvious he was scowling—and I was astonished because despite the scowl, he actually looked sensual. Behind me, I thought I heard the girls nearby squealing and gasping and screaming their guts out. The guy stared back at me and I immediately notice the way he frowned upon meeting my eyes. His smooth forehead creased and despite that, he still looked stunningly handsome that the only thing I could do is gaped at him like an idiot. But then I remembered what I was capable of harboring that I quickly stepped aside and tried to look like I wasn't affected by him when in truth, the sharp slope of his nose, his sharp jaw, slightly thick eyebrows and eyes the color of stone stuck and registered in my head. He walked past me while I pretended I was still searching for Sakura and the others when this time, another set of harsh blue eyes flashed on my peripheral view.

I snapped my head towards the direction of that shade, startled by the unique shade I haven't seen before since the boy's eyes were shades lighter and more noticeable than Sakura's and was welcomed by a feline-looking guy walking after the first guy I've seen with the blonde hair. He darted a quick glance on me, pausing momentarily because he had eyed me from head to toe before he started walking away, too, and entered the Registrar. The girls inside the Office screamed and I realized they weren't screaming at each other but rather screaming due to the arrival of the two men before.

I casually eyed them, too, as they walked away and gasped loudly when something hard crashed against me. "Oof!"

"Jackass!" Sakura screamed loudly against my ear it nearly rendered me deaf. I winced and tried cringing away from her because I thought she was already snapping but her firm grip on the collar of my coat was too compact I could barely move away. "How could you act like that in front of Usui Takumi?!"

My forehead creased. "Usui what? Usui who?!"

"That blonde Prince, you idiot!" she hissed, dragging me by my collar and hiding behind me like an idiot while peeking past my shoulders as if she was afraid someone would kill her if she was caught staring at that Usui whatever she was talking about. I tried pushing her off but she was holding me by the shoulder and since Sakura was a few inches taller than me, it wasn't really easy breaking away from her. I darted a quick glance at Shizuko who was actually standing on one corner—but because she was so quiet, I barely notice her. "Won't you help me?"

She shrugged and looks away again.

Insensitive fool. I glared at Sakura again. "Won't you get off already? You are really starting to freak me out." I shrugged her off—and thanked God she finally got her tentacles off my shoulder—before straightening my wrinkled clothes. "If you wanted to stare at the guy, I don't think you'd be held responsible for anything. You don't need to hide behind me, Sakura. And look, didn't you see our height difference? You're taller than me."

She paused momentarily as though she thought about it for a moment before she shrugged. "You're right. I'm taller. Haha. And more beautiful." To that, I snorted. "Anyway, what do you think of him?"

I craned one eyebrow at her and secretly darted a quick glance at Hideki-kun's direction. "What do you mean? Hideki-kun?"

"Idiot, Usui Takumi." And by God, she made it look like Idiot happens to be my second name. "I was talking about Usui Takumi. You know, the tall guy with the blonde hair and eyes as sparkly as that expensive stone called emerald. That guy with the admirable height, admirable personality, admirable grades, admirable upbringing, admirable features and admirable sex appeal? He could be a God if he wanted to, don't you think so, too?"

I wanted to laugh over her exaggerated description of that person called Usui Takumi but since she looked like she was going to bite my head off if I badmouth her crush, I decided to go along. "Well, I don't really know. You know him so much, why don't you date him—"

"Are you crazy?!" she was screaming like an ape again. "Date him? You wanted me to date Usui Takumi?! Are you friggin' crazy—"

"Okay, okay, point taken." I rubbed my ear since her voice was so loud it could almost bust my eardrum before I started walking out of Office, Hideki-kun and Shizuko trailing behind Sakura and I since they looked like they were having lots of fun watching my new friend and I bicker around. Sakura fell into place next to me and started ranting again.

"Usui Takumi doesn't date, okay?" she pointed out with obvious emphasis—as if she was speaking with a mentally impaired person. "He could do everything but date girls. He wasn't into that."

"Point taken. He's gay—"

"Not that, too!" she hissed sharply. "I mean, don't you think he was just so perfect that no one in this world would fit someone like him? A lot of girls in Miyabigaoka wanted someone like him and they've been chasing after him ever since probably elementary but nooo," I laughed at the way she said no. "—no one—as in no one—was able to capture his heart and I'm starting to think someone like me would be able to do that."

"Dream on, Hanazono." Shizuko, who hasn't spoken for the last five minutes, suddenly said as she walked past us and headed right straight to Hideki-kun's car. Hideki apologized for the rudeness of his girlfriend and run after the Ice Queen to open the door for her before he opened the backseat's door for us.

I smiled at him. "You really need not to do that. It's embarrassing enough that we are making you drive us back to our dorm and wherever—"

"Come on, Misaki-san, don't be strangers with me now. Shizuko's friends are my friends, too." he pushed Sakura and I inside his car and got on the driver's seat before speeding off at constant speed.

I turned to Sakura who had that ugly scowl on her face and smiled at her. "Okay, so, you were saying? You could delude that Usui Takumi guy into dating you?"

She snorted at the word delude while Shizuko laughed cruelly again. "That's not it, okay? Don't you have any romantic bone in your system? Don't you ready romantic stuff considering that you brought more books to this place instead of fashionable clothes?" I rolled my eyes at her exaggeration. If Shizuko is an Ice Queen, Sakura here is a Drama Queen. "This kind of story is your typically romance story! You know, the guy was arrogant and brutally frank and elusive and then he would meet this girl who had something about her that just makes him keep on staring."

"Let me guess," Shizuko said again. "—that's you, right?"

I nodded in agreement. "Are you a Princess?"

"Shut up and listen!" she wailed childishly, stomping her foot on the floor of Hideki's car and acting completely like a spoiled brat. I wanted to kick her sometimes. "Imagine this situation, he was sort of the bad boy of the school, right, Hideki-kun?"

"Er," Hideki darted a quick glance at Sakura on the rear. "—sure."

"When were you and Hanazono on first name basis?" Shizuko asked.

Sakura hissed at her again. "Shut up, you pauper!" the Ice Queen rolled her eyes at that as the Drama Queen went on with her storytelling. "Okay, look, he's sort of a bad boy and he hasn't been into other women because he was waiting for someone that would come along and sweep him off his feet." I sighed, and on cue, Sakura chuckled dreamily. "And I think, I want to be the girl whom once he lays his eyes on, he'd paused for probably and stare at me with interest in his eyes. I wanted to be the girl who gets him to change his bad boy ways and stick only with him. You know those kinds of stories? Don't you think they're the best?"

"Except that they don't really happen in real life." I mumbled while smiling apologetically.

"And that's way too clichéd, Hanazono. Can't you think of a better pattern?" it was Shizuko again. "And it's Usui Takumi we're talking about. He doesn't date and no one—and probably not ever—would his attention ever be caught by a woman." My forehead creased when she suddenly tilted her head towards my direction and eyed me from head to toe again before shrugging. "Well, who knows, right? Maybe, his match has finally arrived. What do you think, Hideki?"

Hideki, who was busy behind the wheels, squared his shoulders. "I still think you're most beautiful." Shizuko snorted at that.

But Sakura merely ignored the two. "Whatever. I don't care. I still think I would be that kind of woman. Maybe, it was me he was waiting all along. Have you seen the way he stared at our direction before?"

"He was staring at our direction because Misaki was on his way. In fact, he looked like he wanted to kick both of you for blocking his way." Shizuko says again.

I rolled my eyes. "So cruel. It wasn't my fault that I was leaving the building, too." I darted a quick glance at Sakura who is now humming a love song with hearts in her eyes. I exhaled. "Get a grip of yourself, Sakura. I don't want to see you off to an Institution."

Shizuko chuckled darkly at that. "Get used to her craziness. She's usually like that."

"Shut up, Kaga!" Sakura bit back violently.

I could only laugh. Those two are really something.

.

By the time I was able to apprehend what's going on, Monday already arrived and I found my way stumbling forward my first class which is, as unfortunate as it may sound, Math II. I wasn't really good with numbers and ever since I was a kid, I avoided anything Math related. My Mom was good with Math and she's been my tutor if I were unable to properly attend school since my teachers would dismiss me earlier than necessary. I wasn't a troublemaker but for some reasons I'd rather not reveal, people find something about me repelling and they tend to stay away from my path—and if they weren't staying away, they were too free with their hands and reaches the point wherein sometimes, they were already hurting me.

The map was stuck in front of my nose as I started looking around for the number of my classroom. What was I looking for again? Oh, right, room number 3045. The educational buildings were shared by both male and female students but since there were two sections dividing the two sexes from each other, my section is considered boy free which I nearly sighed with relief. I wasn't really good with dealing with men so I don't see myself interacting with them. And the only guy who was able to get this close with me is none other than my father.

But as one can see, he wasn't here now so I'm all by myself again.

I stared at the map before me, frowning because I wasn't one to clearly be able to read maps and regretted the idea of not accepting Sakura's offer of bringing me to my room. Because seriously, the sophomore building was so huge it could probably nurse about seven or more high schools back in the city. One look at the huge educational facility and I should have already figured I'd get lost in the place once I stepped foot in it. But then again, if I accepted Sakura's offer, I'd be automatically indebted to her and I'd be forced to do conditions from her (i.e. like eating her burnt muffins or drinking the tea she made when it was so obvious she's not good with the cooking.) I glanced around anxiously again, looking like an idiot, while the students around me were all running around looking for their own classrooms.

The sophomore buildings were entitled to all sophomores—obviously—thus, even if males and females were divided into two sections, there were still males lurking around the facilities. Defeated, I stared down to my slip and re-read my section: Miyabigaoka M-2. Perfect, that's what you get for being good in English, you suck on reading maps.

Don't get me wrong but I absolutely and extremely love English. In fact, I love English so much that I was planning to take whatever course that has a relation with it. Books, oh yes, I love books too. Reading simply makes my day and it practices my English as well. Since my Dad is an English college professor, he taught me well about the necessities of the subject so I could use it once I started studying here.

Ah, and there it goes, I'm gonna be late on my first subject which I have loathed ever since I was nothing but a fetus and there was even a risk that I'd get lost in this gigantic facility.

A frown erupted on my forehead and I started looking around again for the freakin' room—

I let out a startled shriek when I bumped against someone making me drop all my things on the floor. I know it was a man before I could even see it due to the structure of the back part so I swiftly distanced myself and started picking up the map of the school that I dropped along with some of my books. "I-I'm really sorry." I apologized while picking up my things—and wishing that the guy would simply ignore me and head off—and fixing them all inside my bag to prolong the moment that I wouldn't have to stare into his eyes. "It was my fault, I wasn't looking. I'm really sorry—"

"Were you always like that?" surprised, I glanced up and was instantly rooted on my spot upon recognizing it was none other than the person Sakura admired the most. What was his name again? Ah yes, Usui Takumi. I remembered Sakura nearly tearing my ear off because she keeps on talking about him before, during and even after dinner. And because she was already tired of hearing useless stuff about him, that traitor Shizuko decided to leave me on the hands of the Drama Queen.

I felt Takumi's gaze entirely focused on my eyes since we're, like, staring at each other and before things could turn wrong for my first day, I swiftly shot my eyes down and started picking up my things. "S-Sorry." Just go away, please. I don't want to associate myself with people like you. "Don't mind me. Just go."

I heard him snort at me. "Nobody orders me around."

What—what the hell is wrong with this guy? I thought he had such an admirable attitude? I should have known better than trust Sakura. Shizuko is right—when was she not? Sakura loves to exaggerate things. "Well, sorry for ordering you around. It won't happen again, Your Majesty."

"You're not very polite, aren't you?" he says again, not even minding to help me out since that is what gentlemen do. But then again, with the way he was speaking with me, I guess he is more of a frog than a Prince. Admirable attitude, huh? "You should have apologized properly while staring at the person you offended. Is that what your teachers before had taught you?"

Wha—can't he just let everything go? And what does he know about common courtesies when he was an epitome of rudeness, too? I glared at him, done stuffing my things inside my bag before I stood and tried to match the intensity of his smoldering gaze. "Well, what about you? You're not very polite either, aren't you? And how did I end up offending you, Mr. Usui Takumi?"

But to my intense surprise, he suddenly chuckled darkly—and sardonically—before running a hand through the unruly mop that was his hair. "I knew it."

My forehead creased. "You knew what?"

"You're a stalker and you purposefully bump me to get my attention."

"What?!" I spluttered in obvious astonishment. "Who the hell is your stalker?!"

He snorted at me—what a rude guy—before he shifted his weight on his other foot and by God, he just looked and sounded so arrogant I nearly considered kicking him on the place where the sun don't shine. "Do you really have to ask me that? The answer is obvious, isn't it? You're my stalker since you know my name."

God, I could really kill this guy right here and right now. I bit the lower part of my lip and clenched my fist tightly since this would be the first time I actually felt this angry before—well, totally not the first time. But then again, this would be the first time after so many years that I felt this angry before towards someone. I tried calming myself because I might end up doing something I would regret by the end of the day and forces out a smile past my lips even if what I really wanted to do is bite his head off and slapped that annoying arrogance off his face.

"You're right." I finally said after a moment of silence. "I really am your stalker before. But since you are such a jackass, I realized you're not worth my time after all." He craned an eyebrow at me and I could only shake my head in disbelief as I started walking off towards the left wing of the sophomore building. "God, you're such an asshole. I can believe guys like you existed in this God-forsaken world." I muttered while walking away.

"You're going the wrong direction, Stupid." And God, he made it sound like my name is actually Stupid. He and Sakura are really better suited each other. They are both arrogant people.

I turned to him again as irritation ease up my head. "Why the hell do you care if I'm going the wrong direction? What's it to you if I wanted to get lost in this friggin' building?!"

He chuckled darkly again—and for a moment, I was deeply enchanted since this would be the first time I heard him laugh when he's just so elusive on the first minute and arrogant next—before he bent down to pick a piece of paper on the floor and started scanning through it. "Math 3045 is on the right wing, third door to the last on your left." He paused momentarily and started grinning like an idiot again. "Could you even distinguish your left from your right?"

I glared at him, noticing the fact that his messenger bag was hugging his upper body as though it's got a life of its own and is marking its master. Seriously, do things really act that way if their owners' looks are waaaay beyond common?

"Of course I could!" I marched towards him and ripped the paper off his grip before I dash towards the direction he pointed out, not even bothering to say thank you since he doesn't deserve it anyway.

But before I could leave completely, he spoke again. "Good luck on your first day, Ayuzawa."

I ignored him and continued walking off only to pause right in front of my room. I got the slip he was previously staring at to search my name since last I remembered; only the Student Number is printed on the slip for identification since Miyabigaoka goes for numbers instead of names. And when I didn't see my name anywhere on the slip, a question popped out of my head.

How the hell did he know my name?

.

The person who introduced himself as Mr. Jinno was a cruel person who loves to terrorized students with his impossible math formulas. And since I was the new girl in town, he made it a habit into calling me just when I didn't know the answer to his questions. Next thing I knew, I became the laughingstock of the entire class because he had embarrassed me twice by calling me to answer on the board and the third time he called me, I ended up tripping on the sole of my boots and had to catch myself on the edge of the table of the female students next to me. Some girls laughed and started calling me a dummy but I did my best to ignore that even if I know staying invisible in Miyabigaoka for the rest of my stay here is already an impossible dream.

And I swear whoever discovered Math is a dead meat once I get the chance to meet them.

I quickly arranged my things after two more subjects and fished out my vibrating phone in the pocket of my jeans to answer Sakura's call. "Hell—"

"Where have you been?!" she screamed which was, again, her lieu for hello. "I thought we're all eating lunch together? I swear I'm going to kill you for leaving me in the mercy of Shizuko! Didn't you already know she's a friggin' monster whenever she's hungry?!" from the other end of the line, I heard Shizuko's very vague voice saying 'leave me out of it or I'd kill you.'

I exhaled and quickly arranges everything before I nearly fly out of the room—as if that was really possible—after swiftly checking out the shortest route to the cafeteria with my ever reliable map. There were many students around and I pulled up my hood to cover my head since snow was already falling and painting the gray path walk a dull shade of white. And since the snow had mesmerize me so much, I ended up lending out my hand to catch the unique snowflakes I could see with my abnormally clear eyes. I smiled and slowly look up at the sky that was releasing tons of snow, giving regard to the things nature had given humans and continued catching snowflakes when I heard footsteps coming my way.

"You look like an idiot." The guy said as he walked passed me, taking two more steps forward before he spun around and eyed me from head to toe. I immediately recognize him as the same guy who was with Usui Takumi in the Registrar's Office and I wasn't surprise anymore that he was as rude as that guy who was probably his friend. But what surprised me was the fact that he had spoken with me.

I got my hand down and although I was hesitant, I kept my hood up my head to make sure my entire face wasn't that visible. "Er, sorry. I didn't mean to look like an idiot."

The guy with the astonishing red eyes and hair a darker shade of blue rolled his eyes and started walking off again. I've never been into places with so many people the same age as me. Normally, I was always with my mother and I made it a habit to always stick with her wherever she go. And now that I'm walking amidst a place of dangerous students while completely unarmed and unaware of what might happen, everything was just so new and fresh I could almost see myself hyperventilating on one corner.

I walked towards a wide path, exiting the building and turning to a stony path where an arrow leading to the cafeteria was rooted on the dark soil. Male and female joined together on another huge space and it was beginning to freak me out since I feared that I'd get lost before I could even find Sakura and Shizuko. From the corner of the room, I saw the guy with the red eyes and bluish black hair seated all by himself on a table while reading some book I wasn't clear about.

"Hey, Misaki!" Sakura's voice appeared a few inches from me with Shizuko behind her. "—Over here!"

And that was when I saw her.

Earth to night and Earth to day,
be miserable infinitesimally

I didn't know why I paused on my tracks even if the world had continually spun before my eyes. Certainly, I didn't know her. I haven't even met her before—or so I think. She wasn't very familiar and this would be the first time I'm seeing her but my blood, it calls out for her. It's as if my blood calls out for her—as if it recognized her with too much intensity it was making my nerves send out varying emotions and different shades of fury it was already blinding me. People pushed me off the way but my eyes continued to be fixed on her. It was almost instinctive. And the urge to get violent was something I find confusing.

With these own hands, I cursed thee.
The lovely sight will be tainted by Death and Misery.

"Hey, Misaki, what's wrong with you? Why are you still standing there like an idiot?"

"…she?"

Sakura was confused. "What?"

"Who is she?" I was able to ask, congratulating myself for controlling my temper well. I stared at her when she was about to dish out another of her sarcastic comments again and poured the intensity of my eyes through hers. She blinked twice before her eyes turned clouded and blank and she followed the direction where my gaze was leading me and turns back to me again, still in a daze.

"Umekoji Kaon."

Pain sliced through the back part of my head and I swiftly snapped my eyelids shut, automatically cutting off my jurisdiction on her and massaging my temples in an automatic circular motion. What has gotten into me? Doing something stupid like that in public! How could I be so careless? I really am stupid.

"May I ask what you two idiots are doing here standing like utter fools?" Both Sakura and I snapped back to reality just in time to see Shizuko staring on both of us with obvious suspicion on her intelligent eyes. "Are you planning to stand here forever as if you weren't wasting other people's time?"

Sakura blinked, her face was ashen white and I instantly regretted looking at her since everything was my fault. And honestly, she looked as if she was going to throw up and faint. She locks her reddish and anxious eyes on me before frowning. "I feel weird."

Shizuko snorted. "Good thing you finally admitted it."

This time, she didn't say anything sarcastic as her response. "Why did I approach Misaki again? I seemed to have forgotten my reasons for coming here."

Shizuko scowled at her before averting her eyes back on me. I instantly avoided her gaze, afraid that she'd discover answer in my eyes since she looks like she's good on manipulating people either into admission, before pushing down the ugly feeling in my stomach. She sighed. "Are you both feeling better?" she asks, her voice was softer this time.

Absentmindedly, Sakura nodded. "I…I guess I am. I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy, I think. But a while ago, everything just went… blank? I'm not certain. It's as if my vision darkened and I felt as if my body was elsewhere."

"Maybe you're overly starved." I mumbled, trying to lighten the mood since my mood is becoming dark on its own. "Come on and let's eat already."

"S-Sure." I walked towards her, assisting her on walking for fear that she might suddenly fall down and tried to ignore Shizuko as much as I could even if I know she was giving me a full force stare, nearly burning holes on my back due to her suspicion.

From across the hall, Hideki-kun waved at us, pointing the table he was able to snag despite the early afternoon rush in the cafeteria. I notice Usui Takumi walking from the other direction of the cafeteria until my eyes landed on the new boy right in front of me. His eyes were dark blue and his hair was a shady tone of black as he smiled with too much enthusiasm, his eyes focused elsewhere, before a frown appeared on his cute face and when I followed where his gaze was leading him, I notice he was staring at Sakura who looked sickly and ashen white.

"Hey Sakura, what happened to you?" he asked, looking obviously worried. He stared up at me with the same anxious blue eyes. "What's up with Sakura?"

I was lost for words and excuses.

Until Shizuko butt in and spoke. "She got slammed by a book bag a while ago. She must still be dizzy from the exerted force against her head."

"Oh. You ought to be careful, Sakura." The boy made an effort to massage her shoulders in a really friendly way before grinning up at me. "The name is Yukimura Souichirou, pal. You can call me whatever you want."

Well, at least someone has still some resistance left to greet me with such enthusiasm. Forcibly, I smiled at him. "Ayuzawa Misaki."

I sighed. Welcome to Miyabigaoka, Misaki.

I slumped down on my own seat, and noticed—once again—Usui Takumi occupying the seat right in front of the guy who called me an idiot awhile ago. I decided to look away before they could catch me staring. The last thing I wanted is for those arrogant people to take notice of me and think I'm interested on them.

.

Despite the cold weather, I wasn't entirely sure why Sakura and the other wanted to hang out in the lounge outside the school and since I've got nothing else to do, I decided to come along with them and sit around while I was surrounded by crazy people—Sakura, Shizuko, Hideki and now, the tandem cousins, Yukimura-kun and Kanou Soutarou or Kanou-kun. While they were talking about whatever, I slumped down on my seat on the corner of the square table and indulged myself with the new book I recently found interesting: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children.

Although the weather was cold, there were still small traces of the sun and I chose the spot where I could warm my back and continued to read on, completely ignoring the noisy crowd before me since they were discussing something I wasn't really keen on listening. Well, not really all of them were into the conversation since Shizuko was busier scanning through her Management book than engaging into a topic she considers useless and unnecessary. Hideki was casually leaning forward his stoic girlfriend as though he was interested with whatever it may be she was reading while Sakura was busy pointing out something on the boy's magazine she was reading along with Yukimura and Kanou.

The school was already big enough as it is and I didn't dare ask anymore what else this school could have that my previous schools back then didn't have. But then again, it wasn't like I stayed long enough to attend school. Mostly, it is either Mom would pull me out or the Directors themselves would automatically kick me out after about a month of staying because they already regarded me as trouble. Not that I don't mind. It is a lot better getting kicked out instead of forcing myself to stay in a place where almost all people are trying to strangle me to death—teachers, included.

I run a hand through the messy mop that was my raven hair, accidentally pushing off my hood since even though I was busy reading, I still got my hood on just in time the afternoon wind started blowing a few strands of my hair heavenward. And almost automatically, five sets of varying shades of eyes snapped on my direction curiously. I notice the dark look on Shizuko's eyes and since her gaze got me rooted on the spot, I was unable to move.

I stared mostly at her for the longest time possible—ignoring the others—and gasp when a soccer ball suddenly came flying towards our direction and hit Sakura right straight on the kisser. I gasped—although I was thankful the attention was drawn away from me—before I quickly pulled back my hoodie on and throw my book away (I wouldn't have done that if we're under normal circumstances) and rushed towards Sakura who tumbled backwards and down the hard, cold ground.

"Sakura!" I yelped and kneeled beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Fuuuuck," she groaned while massaging her nose. "—hurts more than when you accidentally slammed the door on my face. Who the hell is that?!" she screamed angrily.

"Sorry."

I snapped my head up upon hearing that familiar voice, a small part of my hood obstructing my view of the person who spoke although I was quite aware whom the deep and alluring voice belong to.

Sakura fell stiffed underneath the smooth pads of my palm as she, too, glanced up and quickly pushed me off to arrange herself. "U-Usui Takumi!"

I thought I heard him sigh—and I wondered why soccer balls are allowed to be brought past the field area—as I got up, too, and dusted my pants from invisible dirt. Aside from the apology that doesn't really sound like he meant it, Usui Takumi said nothing more before he turned to the person next to Sakura and I.

"Soccer tryouts this Friday." He said, his voice was deep and alluring. "Kanou, you trying?"

Kanou looked less intimidated as he nodded in response of his question although I was quite aware some of the students in Miyabigaoka are quite averse into being involved with Usui Takumi since he was usually brutally frank, elusive and a royal snob. I wondered how girls my age still admire someone like him when he isn't as kind as Hideki-kun.

He eyed Hideki-kun next. "What about you, Suzuki? You trying out?"

"Yeah." Hideki-kun answered coolly, too, although his eyes were firm on Shizuko who, now that I've noticed, was actually and still staring at me.

My forehead creased as I met her gaze. What's wrong with her?

Everyone was submerged in an awkward silence until the girls around the area started pushing around to get towards our direction and before I could even get assaulted by admirers of Usui Takumi, I quickly snatched my book from the table—which was right in front of that guy I loathed most because of his arrogance—and pulled on my hoodie again that fell off my head when Sakura shove me away. Takumi eyed me—and I panicked when our eyes met since there was just something in his eyes that keeps on making me feel nervous—and stuffed my things in my bag before scurrying off.

I was almost relieved when I finally reached the bus stop that would drive me back to the dormitories that I ended up removing my hood after all to stare up into the dull grey sky.

Well, at least nothing bad happened today.

.

And Usui Takumi appears! Take note, he wasn't a playboy here, okay? He's your typical arrogant, elusive and snobby kind of guy.

Tell me what you think!

AB