Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi nor do I own its characters. I am merely borrowing it for this story. It belongs to its creator, Yuu Watase and to those people who bought the rights for it. But I do own Michelle and Ayashi.

Summary: The famous band Scarlet Phoenix is back in Japan from its tour around Europe. The four band members are forced to study in Jonan High while preparing for their next tours and concerts. They bump with two high school girls who, coincidentally, also studies in the same school. Love, friendship and forgotten memories unfold as they get to know each other as well as other people.

Scarlet Phoenix

Chapter 5: Jonan High

---Next Day, Jonan High---

---In front of the school's gates---

"Ohayo Mi-chan!" Ayashi greeted her friend with a smile.

"Ohayo…Aya-chan…" Michelle greeted back.

"You don't look so well…" Ayashi remarked.

"I'm fine…" Michelle replied wearily.

"I think you should go home." Ayashi said skeptically.

"No…I'm fine…I'm just not a morning person, that's all…" Michelle protested.

"Hmm…I don't know…" Ayashi said, still skeptical. 'Is it acting up again…?' she wondered to herself.

"Today marks the end of our summer vacation. Aren't you happy?" Michelle said, changing the subject.

"Yeah. I LOVE to wake up early and go to school. Then get stalked until I get back inside my house." Ayashi said sarcastically. 'I'll ask her again later. She's not getting away that easily.' She thought, determined.

"Oh come on, you don't really mean that." Michelle said, chuckling softly.

"Yeah. I just LOVE being stalked." Ayashi said, rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry! I'll protect you!" Michelle joked.

"Yeah, I feel REALLY safe now." Ayashi cackled.

"Hey!" Michelle pouted as they entered the school's gates.

"Ohayo Hanamoto-san, Sakamoto-san." A group of male students greeted shyly.

"Ohayo!" Michelle greeted back, smiling and waving at them cheerfully.

"Ohayo." Ayashi said politely. 'Not THIS routine again!' she thought, mentally groaning.

"Hay, you should be more cheerful to the members of your fan's club Aya-chan!" Michelle teased.

"Ugh…don't tell me…they haven't given up yet…?"

"Yup!" Michelle chirped.

"And why are you so happy about it?" Ayashi asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm not. I'm just glad you still have a LOT of admirers." Michelle answered calmly. "Oh wait, let me rephrase that, I'm glad you still have a lot of suitors."

"One day, I'll set you up so that you'll the same problem that I have."

"Well then, I'll wait till you to finally formulate a suitable and effective plan."

"Just you wait and see, one day for sure." Ayashi vowed.

"Well then, since that would be in the far future, let's stay in present first. Meaning, let's go to class."

"Alright."

"AHHH!!!!!" a girl screamed.

"Ehh?! What---?!" Michelle said, surprised.

"What's going on?!" Ayashi said.

A black limousine swerved up the driveway. As its door opened, Hotohori stepped out gracefully, wearing the school uniform.

"OHMIGOD!!!!!" a girl screamed as she unceremoniously fainted.

"HOTOHORI-SAMA!!!!!!!!!!"

"It's Hotohori of the Scarlet Phoenix!!!!!"

Hotohori swiftly went back inside the limousine as the girls swarmed it.

Michelle sweat dropped as she stared at the commotion. She shook her head and sighed in exasperation as a group of excited girls rushed pass her.

"Uhh…I think I'll go to class now…" she said, hurrying towards the school's main building.

---Inside the limousine---

"See! I told you! I told you that this wasn't a good idea!" cried Tasuki as he pointed at the girls around the car.

"I think you were wailing and complaining about not wanting to go here." Tamahome corrected him.

"Will you shut up for once?!" Tasuki snapped.

"You don't need to bite my head off!" Tamahome snapped back.

"That was a close one…" Hotohori commented, sighing in relief.

"Yeah, you could have been squashed or something." Nuriko agreed.

"Uhh…don't you think you're exaggerating a bit…?" Chichiri asked, sweat dropping.

"Who is exaggerating? You try and go out there." Nuriko said.

"Uhh…no thanks, I'm fine here no da." Chichiri said nervously.

"So…how are we going to get out of here…?" Hotohori asked.

"Uhh…let's pray and wish for a miracle…?" Chichiri suggested.

The others groaned.

---Outside---

Michelle was now a few steps away from the commotion when she noticed that her friend was not following her. She turned around and saw that was Ayashi still standing there.

"Ayashi? Aren't you coming?" she asked softly.

When her friend didn't answer her, she went back and gently shook her friend. "Hey, are you all right?"

'H-huh?" Ayashi said, snapping out of her reverie.

"You spaced out." Michelle explained softly. "I had half my mind to leave you here gawking at that car." she added teasingly.

"Oh." Ayashi said, blushing in embarrassment.

"So…are you coming?"

"Ehh? Where?" Ayshi asked, confused.

"To class silly!" Michelle answered.

"Oh…uhh…" Ayashi stammered.

"Well? What, are you stuck on the pavement or something?" Michelle teased.

"Umm…"

Michelle sighed impatiently. She looked back at the limousine when she realized something. 'No way…does she…?'

Michelle abruptly turned to be face-to-face with her friend again. She studied her friend's facial expression before finally breaking the silence. "Don't tell me you want to look." She said, eyeing her friend intently.

"O-of course n-not!" Ayashi stammered.

"Oh no, no way. No way! You're not serious, are you?" Michelle said, exasperated.

Ayashi lowered her gaze to the ground guiltily.

"Later. I'll help you meet them. I'll even drag you if I must. Okay?"

When Ayashi did not respond, she crossed her arms in front of her and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently.

"Ten minutes," she said in a controlled voice. "I'll only wait for ten minutes."

Ayashi looked up and grinned in glee. Michelle stared at her affectionately before she slowly shook her head and laughed.

"Hurry before I change my mind," she teased.

Ayashi nodded and ran off to the crowd of excited girls. When she couldn't get past them, she turned to look at Michelle with pleading eyes. Michelle's eyebrow twitched but she forced herself to go anyway. 'You owe me big time.' She thought to herself. When she reached the other girl, she stood beside her and took a deep breath before speaking in a clear, gentle voice. "Ladies,"

The girls stopped pushing against each other.

"Would you all please be kind enough as to please move away from the car? I don't think those inside it would be able to get out with all of you attacking it like that." She finished.

The girls turned to see who was talking. When they saw her, they blushed and murmured apologies as they quickly broke apart. Michelle smiled and thanked them before bowing apologetically at the car and gracefully leaving.

She walked towards her smiling friend who joined her as she walked towards the school's main building. They entered the building without ever looking back to even just catch a glimpse of the young men getting out of the car.

They were walking along a half-crowded hallway when a male student approached them.

"Excuse me, Hanamoto-san?" he said, slightly blushing.

"Yes?" Michelle said, smiling warmly.

"Uhh…t-the teacher asked me to tell you to come to the teacher's lounge…" he explained.

"Oh…thank you." She said, smiling at him gratefully.

"Y-your w-welcome…uhh…I better go now!" he stammered then he ran off.

"Uhh…Aya-chan? Will you please accompany me..?" she said quietly.

"Ehh? Sure…I guess," Ayashi replied.

"I have a feeling something interesting might happen." She explained.

"Alright then, let's go." Ayashi said as she led the way to the teacher's lounge.

'Hmm…yeah…something interesting is going to happen…I wonder what?' Michelle mused to herself as she followed her friend.

They reached the faculty room within minutes and Michelle knocked on the door before entering.

"Tatara-sensei? You called for me?" Michelle asked politely.

A young man, about twenty, with dark green hair and green eyes looked up from the pile of paper that he was studying and smiled at her warmly.

Author's Notes:

Hi everyone! I wasn't able to update earlier. I was supposed to update yesterday but my brother was using the computer. Sorry about that. I'll update earlier and do better next time! Yesterday was the last day of our exam. Hurray! I'll be able to focus more on the story now! Reviews, comments, criticisms, recommendations, suggestions, etc. are welcomed except for ill words. I don't take too kindly about it. Suggestions for songs to be used for the story are also welcomed as well as suggestions for the pairings. Please leave a review! Anonymous readers can also review this story now; I fixed it up so please kindly review! Please? I would really, really appreciate it! Thanks in advance! Oh and thanks to Fiction101, mai2 and silvermoonangel for the reviews that they gave me! Thank you very much!!!

Next chapter: Unexpected Acquaintances