Summer passed by so quickly and before they knew it, it was finally day 1 of their senior year.

kotoko yawned tiredly as she walked sluggishly with terrible posture..

Today was the first day of school for the new academic year and she was already off to a bad start. she exhaled. 'irie -kun's back looks so broad, and he's getting taller' she thought

As she continued to watch him carefully, walking a few feet behind him just like how they usually do, because it was a rule naoki insisted on. Before she was angry about it but as time passed, it became a ritual to be walking behind him, it made her feel slightly lucky because she can watch him from afar, even if she can't talk to him or hold his hand, she was content and even happy, her footsteps following each of the ones he's making, kotoko couldn't help but be in high spirits just by admiring her dear irie-kun from afar.

They soon parted ways as the opening ceremony started. Kotoko sat with her former classmates, jinko, and satomi alongside with kinnosuke and his posse, while naoki sat with watanabe. The ceremony went as predicted, but before the ending of the program, the students we instructed to stay seated for a special announcement by the new principal of tonan high.

A tall female figure appeared on stage, the woman adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat and then introduced herself as the new principal of the school.

"Woah she's pretty" satomi commented

"I know right?" jinko agreed. But kotoko kept her mouth shut as her friends chattered away, she sat in silence and for once, tried to pay attention to what the new principal had to say.

"The board and the education committee has discussed this over the summer and they have worked their best to make tonan high one of the best schools in tokyo, we want to be a school that represents diverse learning, and open minded students who don't discriminate based on appearance, gender, financial status, and academic ranks, therefore, we have come to a conclusion to remove the class rankings and have adapted to random class shuffling, meaning that the classes are not ranked based on anything, they are chosen randomly. To promote diverse learning and a new and fair education system, please head over the announcement boards to locate which class you are this year, please look forward to a good school year and embrace change and growth, thank you"

The crowd started chattering, most of the former class F students were confused and the former upper rank classes were asking questions while complaining , the whole auditorium was filled with mixed emotions and everyone was instructed to make their way out and find their rooms.

"They're taking out the system… that's interesting" watanabe stated.

Both him and naoki stayed seated since it was crowded by the entrance doors, everyone was trying to get out the same time, excited and anxious to see which class they ended up with.

"I was not expecting that, especially since we just got a new principal" naoki said cooly

"Well, i think it sounds kind of fun, alot of other high schools have the same random system so i guess it's about time we adapted to change, it gives the teachers more of a challenge"

"That's true, i'm sure the ministry of education thought this through the end" naoki assured him.

"kotoko, do you see your name?" satomi shoved by some students to reach her friend

"No, i can't this crowd is huge"

"I hope were not split up" jinko wore a worried look

"Ah, aihara!" a random girl called out to kotoko

"Your in my class, i saw your name" she

"Eh?" kotoko raised a brow

"Here, see?" she pointed to the piece of paper that had several names on it including hers,

"Oh yeah! I see my name!"

"Kotoko! I see my name!" jinko yelled out

"Me too!" satomi shouted

"Lets go aihara, were going to be late!" the random girl pulled kotoko's arm hurriedly

"B-but my friends…" she didn't budge

"They're not in the same class as us, you'll see them at lunch! Come on, were going to be late!"

Kotoko felt a stab of loneliness as her two friends mirrored the same expression she wore, they waved her goodbye as her new classmate dragged her away.

Jinko pouted as she looked at the board one more time, "i can't believe kotoko got seperated from us, we were always in the same class"

Satomi squinted, her long fake lashes slightly touched as she scanned the paper

A smirk slowly curved her lips

"Well, she won't be lonely without us , she has a familiar face waiting for her there"

"Who?" jinko demanded to know, when she sees the name, her eyes grew twice their size as she screamed in surprise,jinko gave satomi a look and they both scream and dance in excitement.

Meanwhile,

"Hey, wait a sec, i don't even know your name" kotoko pulled her arm away from the girl

"Oh sorry! Call me yui-chan, i was in class E last year"

"I see…" they resumed walking

"H-how do you know me ?" kotoko couldn't help but ask as she shuffles to keep up with her new classmate.

"Are you kidding? Everyone in the school knows you, your like a hero to all the lower ranked girls in this school, your the girl from class F who made it to the top 100 list! aihara , kotoko!"

Kotoko couldn't stop herself from blushing, most of the gossip about her was always bad, except for this one, that was probably the nicest thing someone has ever said to her.

"I'm no hero" she scratched the back of her head embarrassed, i just studied my brains out"

"Doesn't matter how you did it, what matters is that you did, i hope we become great friends from now on" yui said as she pulled a strand of hair away from her face

"Please take care of me" kotoko bowed slightly

"Were here!" yui sighed.

They both opened the door and the sound of youth laughing and talking echoed the classroom.

"There's two vacant seats there" yui motioned for kotoko to follow her, she nodded without hesitation, class was about to begin and she wanted to call dibs on the window seat. Kotoko then places her belongings on to the table and settles in quietly, she looks around in disappointment since nobody from class F was there and all the chairs were occupied already. She sighs and looks out the window 'this is going to be a difficult year' she tells herself.

The teacher walks in and they say their greetings.

He gives an introduction and proceeds to go over the curriculum for the semester.

Most of the time kotoko was out of it, she was just staring out to the window feeling so empty and bored inside. one whole year in this class without satomi and jinko was going to be really hard.

Before another thought could cross her mind, she felt a small poke on her cheek. A stack of paper awaited her gaze along with a long stumpy hand that suggested she'd take a hand out

"Arigat-"

She paused as she felt all the hairs in her body rise up

"EHHHHHHH!?" she exclaimed loudly, the teacher stopped speaking and all heads turned towards her

"Take one and pass" naoki ordered her

There, right in front of her , in the same classroom, sat irie naoki with an irritated expression on.

"Aihara-san! Is there a problem!?"

"N-no sensei"

The teacher kissed his teeth in annoyance and kotoko took a hand out and passed on the rest to yui who was beside her.

She just wanted to disappear, sinking in lower on her seat as some girls giggled

"What's the matter with you aihara-san, pull yourself together"

Kotoko shot her a look and motioned towards naoki's direction using only her eyes.

"Ohh i see, it's irie-san from class F, the one that rejected you" she bluntly whispers in an understanding tone. Kotoko wasn't surprised, everyone knows about what happened before, rumors spread like wildfire and people never forget the memorable ones.

"I can't believe you only saw him now, he's been in front of you this whole time, i thought you didn't care because you didn't react…. Well, till now"

"Well, i wasn't really paying attention to anyone" kotoko hissed

"GIRLS, is there anything you would like to share with the class!?" they both jolted as the whole class turned their attention to them.

"No, nothing really… gomen sensei" kotoko apologized as she bowed a little her cheeks flushing red as she prayed for her teacher to show them some mercy.

The lesson was continued and they all seemed to forget the small disturbance.

It was finally lunch time and she was happy because she can finally go head over to see jinko and satomi.

The girls had their lunch on the school rooftop and they both happily told each other who was on who's class. Apparently satomi and jinko found kinnosuke and his posse in the same class as them. Meanwhile, kotoko and yui only knew naoki and watanabe who were from class A.

Kotoko couldn't help but sulk. She missed her friends and wanted so badly to join their class.

"Don't worry kotoko, just enjoy your last year in highschool, it's not like were not friends anymore, we can have lunch all the time, and we'll hang out after school" satomi comforted her with a gentle pat on the back.

"Yeah i guess.."

"Besides, now your in the same class as irie-kun, just what you've always dreamed of remember?"

"Yeah but he hates me" kotoko said as she took a big bite of her onigiri

"I don't think that's true, he helped you study for the exams last year right?"

Jinko pitched in

"That's not possible, i heard irie-naoki never hangs out around any other girls in the school, but there are several occasions where you two have been seen talking"

"See?"

"Yeah well that's because we live in the same house"

"He talks to you as if you guys are such good friends, maybe you don't see it kotoko, but whenever he talks to girls he's usually emotionless like a human robot"

"Well all he does is make fun of me and tease me"

The bell rings, making it known to students that lunch is almost over.

As they pack up jinko gives kotoko a look

"Im telling you kotoko, you have a chance… were rooting for you!"

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AN: just in case you missed it , i changed my original plot a bit, for those who read the original story from before, don't worry. It's still the same story, but i just decided to make it more youthful and fun. Please let me know in the reviews what you think of my story so far, thanks so much!