"Hey! You with the glasses, wait up!"

My pitiful yell fell on deaf ears, drowned out by the cacophony of the school's life. He still had an enormous head start on me, and I felt the distance grow with every second. I pumped more steam into my legs, willing myself to push beyond my untrained body's limits without breaking into a run. That would be too attention grabbing.

You may recall that I ran into this individual briefly before. During my restroom hunt. Yuuki, the boy with glasses at least three times the size of my own. He also had a respectable crush on Katsura. As I tailed him, I found myself confused as to why this kid bore into Makoto with the death glare. It's not like he and Katsura were a couple yet, and they never would be if I had any say in it.

This guy may be shorter than most girls, but he walked faster than a pyrophobic on a bed of coals. His stare followed Makoto all the way to the school's entrance before he broke off from the larger crowd of departing students on to a different path. I hesitated to follow, fearful that I may spend the night outdoors. The buildings and streets all appeared the same to me, getting back to where I started without aid sounded an unlikely feat. I made up my mind and pushed through the sea of skirts after the kid. Hmm. Maybe there did exist a significant difference in the male and female populations.

At some point, along what I observed to be some sort of shopping district, I heard a distinct set of giggles erupt from my six o'clock. I swiveled my head around to face the source, granting a shock to my pursuers with my jerky movement. I recognized the small group of girls from my bathroom incident, the girl with the ponytail in particular. Her face grew a shade darker at my abrupt halt.

"Eh, um," Otome stuttered, hoping for her friends to rescue her her. Instead, they continued to giggle and egged her forward. She sure seemed less confident than before, but I had no time for this.

"Can I help you?" I asked, trying my best not to sound too harsh while my patience ebbed away. I decided to save them the embarrassment of directly asking why they were following me.

"I'm Katou Otome. I-I was just wondering," she muttered with words so soft that I had to lean forward to hear her. "I mean, I heard that you were good at taking pictures."

Well that came as a surprise. She must have heard that from someone in my class. The smallest things sure did spread quickly, I had forgotten how gossipy schools could be.

"Ah, no," I laughed in a forceful manner. "Sure I like taking photographs, but I'm no good at it. It was sort of an amateur hobby of mine."

"Oh," Otome murmured, her disappointment unrestrained. I felt a shard of guilt for my lie now. "Well the school basketball team needs someone to take photos for the yearbook since the usual photographer moved away. You don't need to be that good, you can just come to our practice sessions and snap a few shots."

I peered at her with suspicious eyes. Surely they could afford to find someone more appropriately qualified for this. Isn't there a photography club?

"I'm not sure," I responded. "I don't even have a camera anymore-"

"I have one you can use!" Otome exclaimed out of nowhere, making me flinch. She realized right away that she had just yelled that and the pallor of her face transitioned from a light pink to a startling beat red. "S-sorry, I mean, you can borrow mine."

I nodded my head gradually, still unsettled by the outburst. "Sure, alright, I'll do it," I agreed. Her entire frame seemed to liquify as some of her pent up anxiety freed itself. Why on earth was she so nervous? I took this moment to take a glance behind myself. I nearly cried out loud when Yuuki was nowhere to be seen.

"I need to be somewhere," I informed them as I began taking quick hopping steps away from the group. "Just find me at school and let me know when you want me to take those pictures." Before any of their staring faces could respond, I spun on my heel and dashed clumsily away.

An alarm shrieked in my head, or was that just a car horn? Okay, think. How long did I talk with that girl? That conversation could not have lasted any more than a minute or two, but this kid was nowhere in sight. Shops lined the street for as far as I could see, no turns within a reasonable distance. With this busy traffic, I doubted he crossed the street so quickly. So that at least placed Yuuki in one of the shops on this side, and I had no intention of venturing into every single one. Instead, I opted to stay light on my feet while taking brief glances into the shop windows.

I ignored the startled eyes of the local pedestrians and focused on each figure concealed behind the many shopping displays. My eyes scanned unblinking. Clothing shops, convenience stores, shoe stores, tailors, bars, restaurants, none containing a boy as small as Yuuki. I actually found myself surprised at the amount of familiar uniforms, these kids flooded out here fast. And to think I rushed to get here.

One building managed to catch my eye with its out of place brick layout and bright windows. It looked like some sort of cafe, and entertained a healthy stream of couples. The door might as well have been propped open. Within the boundaries of this glowing little establishment, I could see mountains of sweets and baked goods contained behind a glass counter. A slice of cheesecake sure would hit the spot right about now, I thought before I slapped myself. Focus, idiot.

Well would you look at that, I'm not the only one with a sweet tooth. At the counter, having his order taken by a bouncy waitress with two large hair loops, stood fleet-footed Yuuki. The waitress left after a moment to retrieve his order. I guess now would be the ideal time to make introductions, but what was I going to say? Oh hey, would you like to join me in a convoluted plot to keep some kid from causing the murders of multiple individuals, including himself though he might as well deserve it? I sighed and pressed my forehead against the glass, fogging up my view. Perhaps I should once again play the role of the unknowing foreigner, I might even win myself a way home.

As I tried to brush by the flow of customers through the double doors, I wondered briefly about the center of the love triangle, Makoto. Sure, he may have shown some good in his brief life, but maybe he was just a bad person at heart? Would pairing him with the right girl early on really keep this guy from botching up other people's lives in the future? Forget it, if I think about all this too hard, I'll have to sign myself up to be committed. Let's just make sure that the key horror points of the story avoid execution.

The door's bells chimed as I scuttle insided, almost bumping into my target. After taking a deep breath and procrastinating a few unnecessary seconds, I gave the shorter boy a few taps on the shoulder. He swiftly spun around, his small, surprised face engulfed by his glasses. They were even bigger up close.

"Yes?" came his soft voice, ladled with suspicion.

"Oh, um, I couldn't help but notice your uniform," I spouted lamely, attempting to cover up the fact that I already knew who he was. "You're from Sakakino, right?"

"Of course," he smiled, glancing at our matching blazers. At least he seemed openly friendly.

"My name is Hudson Rupert," I bowed a tad, still not knowing exactly how introductions went around here. "I'm a transfer student, so I'm new to the area and I've been trying to make friends on my first day."

He returned the bow, whether or not to humor me I did not know. "Ashikaga Yuuki," he replied. "It's always good to make friends in unfamiliar lands. So what brings you to this cafe? The food is good but," he leaned in close and whispered, "The service here kinda sucks."

"I heard that!" howled the loopy haired waitress who had materialized back at the counter with a small box. Those maid uniforms sure were something when you saw them in person. "Maybe I should ruin this cake so your sister kills you."

Yuuki spun around and began making his excuses with flailing hands. The girl simply refused to listen, replying only with a pout. She shoved the take-out box into his arms, then her eyes hooked onto mine, causing a tiny falter in my stance.

"Who's your friend," she asked in a loud manner, clearly not caring if I heard. She evaluated me from top to bottom.

"Geez, Kuroda," he groaned, still fishing money from his pockets. "This is Hudson Rupert, he's a transfer student."

At this she sent an enthusiastic wave in my direction and exposed a toothy grin. I raised a weak hand back and smiled back, giving off a more reserved aura than I would prefer. Being caught off guard had always seized up my cognitive abilities

"Hello," I replied, going the route of brief conversation. All these faces to keep track of, and I'm terrible with names. To my great fortune, Yuuki shared my longing to leave the busy little cafe. He began to lead me away from the talkative girl.

"I go to Sakakino too," she called as I was almost forcibly pushed toward the exit by the smaller boy. "Don't be shy if you see me in school!"

"Well, thanks for that," I laughed when we stopped out on the sidewalk. "I feel I've hit my quota for new acquaintances for today."

"I can imagine," He smiled back, swinging the small box in his hand as he walked. "I guess none of them take the same route as you home?"

"Ah, actually I did make friends with someone that lives near my house, but I managed to lose track of them after school."

Yuuki raised an eyebrow at my dilemma and slowed his gait. "So you're lost?" I rocked a pathetic nod in response. After admitting my inability to read and find my way home, he humbly insisted accompanying me until I remembered. We spun a quick one-eighty and trundled back in the direction of the school, with the hope of me recognizing my way back from there. I held only a smidgen of confidence, though without the distraction of hunting a character down, maybe my subconscious would pick back up and lead me home.

"Geez," he sighed. "Who's the friend that went and left you behind?"

"Oh I'm sure he didn't mean to," I responded in an understanding manner. "His name is Itou Makoto, we're in the same class."

At the mention of the dark haired boy, Yuuki's face changed dramatically. His eyebrows furrowed in obvious anger and his pupils dilated. Had I not noticed his sudden silence at my side, I would not have seen his expression before it dissipated and morphed into something that lacked emotion.

"You should stay away from that guy," Yuuki stated in a blank and eerie voice. I knew this kid would end up hating Makoto, but so soon? The romances hadn't even started up yet, had they?

"Why do you say that?" I chuckled falsely, trying to ignore his change in mood. "Is he some kind of delinquent?"

"I've just seen him do things, things that aren't right."

Ominous. "Care to elaborate?" I poked. "You don't have to worry about it getting out from me, I never tell about these sorts of things."

He paused for a minute, looking into my eyes as if to read my mind and decipher whether I spoke the truth. His amber eyes darted around me from behind his enormous glasses. For a second, I wondered what potential secrets those spectacles could hold. Built in x-ray? I shouldered my comical imagination and remembered that this was serious.

"Okay," he finally breathed. "I guess it would be nice to have someone I can trust."

So throughout the course of our walk, he relayed to me his story as one of the school's librarians, today being one of his days off. Katsura apparently visited the library nearly every day, checking out a book or two with every visit. Many were romance novels, but that mattered not. Young Yuuki here developed quite a crush on the fair girl.

Of course he didn't say this to my face, but with his flushed skin and onset of stammering, one hardly needed to be a criminal mastermind to put that together. His discontent with Makoto stemmed from overhearing a conversation between Saionji and Katsura. Katsura had admitted to Saionji that she liked Makoto.

"Sounds like a bit of jealousy," I smirked.

"I-I'm not jealous!" he blurted with a lack of conviction. "Besides, that's not all. I've heard from his classmates that he is going out with Saionji. But earlier today I found out that during lunch, Makoto confessed to Katsura and she accepted."

I nearly tumbled over my own feet at this, my arms wobbling comically to keep my balance. This couldn't be true. No... Damn! This threw a nice pile of wrenches into my plans. As if I didn't have a hard enough time figuring this all out when Katsura wasn't attached to him, but now I risk the possibility of her insanity should I try to pull them apart. Things were not looking good for Saionji, or my mentality for that matter.

"I know right?" Yuuki acknowledged, misunderstanding my stumble. "This guy is a two timing jerk."

"It's not just that," I groaned, rubbing my temples together to repel the oncoming migraine. "That whole thing on the rooftop, I didn't know that happened."

"Rooftop?" Yuuki said quizzically. "What are you talking about?"

The sky had taken on a calming blend of orange and pink, the sun faltering from its perch. I couldn't believe how late it was. We were back at the school now, surrounded by a plethora of paths that seemed to spiral in every direction. Then, before my hope evaporated I recalled seeing a bakery on our way to school. The memory jogged the image into my mind and pointing out the street came easily. I motioned for Yuuki to follow while I explained my situation, taking care to leave out certain bits.

"Earlier today, we all had lunch together on the rooftop; me, Makoto, Saionji, and Katsura. On a side note, never eat a sandwich made by Katsura," I pointed, wearing the expression of a man who had brushed with death. "Anyway, Saionji dragged me out of there after a while to give the other two some privacy under the guise of showing me around the school. Makoto and Saionji are not a couple, but she eventually told me that she wishes they were despite the fact that she tried to help Makoto with Katsura. I then vowed to make her wish happen, without the knowledge that Makoto would confess while we were away."

I took a quick breath and shrugged my shoulders, "So that about sums up my little conundrum."

Yuuki walked silently for while, the scrunched look on his face telling me that the sudden onslaught of information proved difficult to process. His glasses misted and his brow twitched, and his hand kept rummaging through his mess of chocolate hair. I feared that the silence would grow awkward before he finally said something.

"That is a problem," he answered, telling me what I already knew. "How would you have gotten Makoto to focus on Saionji if he likes Katsura?"

Good, he knew to ask the right questions.

"I tested whether he had feelings for her by bringing up the idea of me asking her out," I replied. "He was clearly jealous of the thought, and the two are nearly inseparable. He's a romantic mess, so I honestly don't trust him with Katsura." I decided to leave out the part where I actually convinced Makoto that I was Saionji's boyfriend. So many lies... So much potential for backfire.

Yuuki nodded with more enthusiasm than necessary. "I see. This jerk is sounding worse every minute. You know what, I think we should work together on this. He could end up hurting a lot of people."

"Mmm," I nodded sagely, the envy of every knowledgeable sensei. "I'm sure that's your reason. I guess I would need someone to make Katsura happy as well."

"Th-that's not-"

"It's all fine, Yuuki," I cut him off, holding up my hands in defense. "I understand completely. I'm a professional on human psychology."

"Why do I doubt that," he squinted, turning up a skeptic nose. We both popped with a series of snickers, which slowly grew when we heard each other. It was several minutes before we settled down. I closed my eyes to wipe away the joyful tears and then opened them to the familiar view of my station.

Yuuki assisted me in purchasing my ticket this time, instilling me with a wave of relief and gratitude. According to the schedule, which my new ally read for me, the next train would be arriving in five minutes. I thanked him for coming so far out of his way to help.

"Yeah, well, it all turned out to be very informative," he beamed reaching out a hand in a manner that surprised me. I sent him a smug grin and firmly clasped his hand, happy to accept the familiar gesture of friendship. "I'll see you tomorrow at school then, Rupert."

"You'll be in the library, I take it?" I asked, releasing his hand. "You know, you could just meet up with us at lunch. Get you more familiar with how these kids act."

"I'll see what I can do about that, but I don't really want to deal with that guy in person," he grunted with a face like he had inhaled a foul smell. "Oh, do you have a cell phone so I can give you my number?"

I gave him an apologetic look. "Actually I-"

Cutting me off was a muffled chime vibrating from the depths of my backpack. It took me a second to realize that the sound was mine. I pulled the pack off and dug into it, bringing forth a loud little cell phone that I had no idea I had. I flipped the blue device open and kissed it with my ear.

"Hello?" I greeted slowly.

"Rupert," came a stern voice I recognized as my mother's, or rather my pretend mother's. "You weren't home when I left for work. What's taking you so long?"

"Sorry, I got caught up making new friends."

Her released breath came through in a flurry of static, like leaves against a cheese grater. "Well, I'm glad you're making friends. Just don't worry me so much. At least call me if you're going to be home late."

"Got it, you don't have to tell me twice."

I ended the crisp conversation with a clack and looked back to Yuuki. I held the small phone out to him.

"Do you think you could swap our numbers for me?" He nodded with understanding. I really needed to get some kind of basic reading abilities under my belt.

We said our friendly goodbyes after he handed me back my phone. When he walked off into the night, I only stood alone on the platform for a minute longer before the rails began to shudder audibly. My long awaited carriage squealed to a stop before me. It's sliding doors parted, bathing my solitary frame with the otherworldly glow spilling out from within. My dress shoes clacked through the still, dusk air as I ventured forth into the blinding void.

Under the mask of night, the street took infinitely longer to map out than I would have liked. The street lamps did little to help my untrained eyes differentiate between the plethora of blocky buildings. Panic nearly paralyzed me as I began to wonder if I had come to the wrong station. It took me nearly an hour before I braved the door of one of the hundreds of identical houses. When I had left that morning, I barely spared the building a passing glance. This time, I took note of the number '221' hanging next to the entrance.

Upon entering, I immediately recognized the furnishings from within, dispelling my crippling anxiety. I made a bee line for my room, ignoring the lack of life within the home. I tore off as much of my clothing that would come off without much hassle, and promptly collapsed in a heap on the bed. My brain had finally decided to give up for the day, a wise choice that my body applauded. But a pang of guilt still gnawed at my insides. Is this the proper path to take? Sticking my nose into other people's relationships? I tried to justify this by believing that I would save lives, but was I really? Many events had already unfolded differently than I remember, maybe there was no danger.

I filled my lungs deeply and locked the feelings away. They were animated characters, they should be happy I care so much. The last thought that echoed through my mind before it powered down was, to my displeasure, how on earth a beauty such as Katsura could put together a sandwich so horrid that it deemed hazardous enough to warrant for a quarantine.

AN: Getting back into the swing of writing these! Feel free to review and criticize at your leisure and convenience! I cannot stress enough the power of you feedback, be it constructive or otherwise.