A.N. - If you've written anything under the sun, then you understand the frustration of writing an entire main project that you just can't finish, so you start wasting time doing useless crap. THIS is that useless crap. While my main story for NW Hebijo is still in editing-hell, I wrote this entire thing from scratch.

What am I even doing with the little free time I have?
Life is just so feeble, ain't it?

Anyway, these first few chapters have been in my 'trunked' folder since Christmas last year, so I decided to polish them somewhat and post them here. Still don't have anyone to help me with proofreading, so I hope they're not to difficult to get through (should be fine, I thunk!)
I'll continue updating them for a short while, before I start to feel guilty about my main project once again and continue FINISHING the damn thing.

Enjoy.

If there's one thing the current generation has improved on over the former, it's their ability to spread useless rumours.

Someone tells a friend their secret, that friend tells that secret to someone else, and that someone else just so happened to be part of the tea club, so now everyone knows.

The effect is so universal that you can get personal information that nobody should know, just by passing. Even someone out of the loop like me knows about the "secret" relationship between the new teacher and the janitor, or that recent peanut-scandal involving the school cooking club. Not because those topics intrigue me, mind you—

—But because they are truly unavoidable.

Which makes me all the more afraid of them.

With the newest and most controversial rumour going around the academy about—oh. Right. I suppose that if I were to tell you, I should introduce myself first.

Sorry. I forgot my manners. It's been a bit of a weird week.

My name is Riku. I'm Japanese by nationality. A second-year student at Foundation Cross Academy, a school for students with… special qualities.

…You do know what a shinobi is, right?

…

Ah, good. I was almost afraid I would have to kill you there, Hahaha…

W-well, anyway~

Star Cross Academy is more of a daughter company to a corporation than an actual school (even by shinobi standards). It doesn't train students so they can chase their own future prospects. Oh, no no no; It's a three year long integration program that forces teenagers to work in a corrupted, power-hungry corporation, whether they like it or not.

This corporation we're being handed off to originally founded the academy. It's basically built out of a desire to make super-powered, sacrificial pawns of their own. Of course, few people would accept the existence of such an academy, so we're mostly working clandestine.

You might believe that a secret organization would try to stay out of the public's eye, but that isn't the case. The CEO of the whole thing and his daughter are famous figures recognized throughout the entire prefecture.

The CEO gives to charity around 2 times a month, and his daughter has done model work. She's also a student at Star Cross academy, and my senior by one year.

Her name is Leo. The leader of the Zodiac Star Committee; A group that serves as the academy's elite team, and the student council.

As leader of the elite team, Leo is the bona fide strongest student within the academy. Her fame as a model and heir to whatever her family owns also helps the ever-increasing popularity. She's described as kind and elegant, and patient enough to humour even the first years. To top it off, She looks great too, so all the boys practically worship her.

The perfect role model, they say.

I'm inclined to agree.

So, let's digress. Here is that circling rumour that you've been waiting for.

The latest scandal, hot off the press. Brace yourself!

During the holiday of our first semester, where everyone received 3 days off from training (Yes, Shinobi holidays are that bad), they say that someone spotted Leo talking to the same boy after school, multiple days in a row.

And that's it.

That's the entire rumour.

It was enough to start a revolt.

It could be a friendly conversation with a friend, or the boy could be a pizza delivery guy from the pizza place she frequently orders. It could be anything, really! But alas, teenagers being teenagers, they find a way. It has snowballed into the question; is the elite student council president dating a boy since last holiday?

You can probably tell where this is going already. Because unlike most rumours—

And assumptions started from most rumours—

This one's true.

Whether they arrived at the correct conclusion through the right means is irrelevant. Although I highly doubt that was the case.

So you might ask "But Riku. How do you know if the rumour is true if no one knows for sure yet?" Well, I know because I'm the pizza guy. Not that I am one, I mean. That was just rhetorical.

Oh, right. So I have a girlfriend now.

Can you believe it?! I'm still pinching myself to see if this is actually a very vivid dream. Luckily, this is the reality of the situation. Or rather, frighteningly, this is the reality of the situation.

If anyone discovers it was me, I'd be hung. Staked to a cross. Keelhauled under the ship. I've broken the 1# rule of the bro code; "Thou may not date best girl."

If word gets out, my student life will be pretty much over.

Considering the profession we're studying, my life would probably be over, too. We're all trained assassins and soldiers. We kill for much less—I've seen a third year get assassinated over a juice box. True story.

Not that I don't understand. Juice boxes are the best thing in life!

Oh. I suppose you're more interested in my relationship with Leo, huh?

She's an odd one. Calling the kettle black, I know, but she doesn't think the way most people do. Not per se because of her smarts, though she doesn't lack any.

She has an interesting look at people. And she picks the weirdest friends. I suppose I should include myself in that group as well. It's likely the primary reason we started dating.

Okay, I'll just give it to you straight; Her friends are totally wackjobs. I'd never say that to her face, though.

I don't think I'll ever get on the same wave-lengths as the other members of the Zodiac committee. And I don't like to think that I'm the problem here. They're just insane.

How about I give you an example?

I still have a good story for you from about a week ago. Just listen to this…

Chapter 1: Ginrei - Studying and other activities of protest

"Enough Dabble. Now focus! I want you to recite page 23 in 20 seconds. Go."

"Hold on, I haven't even opened the book yet, I—"

"Go!"

Early evening, Star Cross Academy's shinobi room.

Training to become a shinobi doesn't just mean constant physical training, killing and abuse. Sure, that might as well be our acadamy's philosophy at this point, but that won't stop them from giving us school exams anyway.

There are specialized classes, such as creating poisons using chemistry and botany, or how to make deadly weapons with common day items like curtains and glass cups. And we still get basic stuff like math and Japanese.

I might've chosen the path of a trained killer, but I'll never escape math…

Obviously, theoretical courses require study. Star Cross Academy isn't very willing to give up their resources for us simple students, so even though they created a study room for us, they did it using the bare minimum.

Thus, The Star Cross Academy Shinobi room. It is utilized as both a training room and a study room.

Imagine crunching for exams while someone is cleaning the blood off of their sword three meters away from you. Not a mood-setter.

I think they purposefully made the room so bleak to prevent us from socializing as much as possible. Of course, teenagers find a way. It hasn't stopped many from working at their own leisure. Living at our own pace.

So…

If that was the case, then—

"—Why am I studying right now?" I sighed.

"Hm? Because you're stupid."

"You couldn't have said that a little nicer?!"

She said it like it was a matter of fact, too.

She was absolutely correct, of course…

"Riku, you are, in broad terms, a convenient person mentally." She retried.

"Okay, I'd honestly be happier if you called me stupid after all!"

"I was simply being subtle."

"No, it was obvious enough!"

It would've been better if she said nothing at all.

"It's not like I have horrible grades! I'm at no risk of failing my courses anytime soon. Why should I have to double down on my studies now?" I asked.

"Not at risk of failing? Is there really no self-respect left in that green-moulded brain of yours? The most successful luminaries are who they are because they did not only get by; They strove to their fullest potential. You would be nothing more than a footnote if you continued your own ways!"

"I wasn't trying to be the next Da Vinci or something…"

"Quit your idleness. How are you planning on reaching a position worthy of a model like her otherwise?!"

"So you were talking about Leo after all…"

"Of course! Unless there are other girls out of your league that you're currently flirting with?!"

"No…"

This nasty aunt I'm talking to is Ginrei, member of the Zodiac Star Committee and self-appointed aide of the student council president, Leo.

She was also the head of the academy disciplinary squad. Go figure.

"In my life so far, Riku, I've never struggled with anything that involved the word 'study,' so I can't comprehend what is making you this resistive."

She might say that, but it's not like I never studied. There would be no way for me to graduate without crunching for exams. I do it just like any other good student.

But I am stupid (as mentioned before,) so I spend more time studying than most of my classmates, just to keep up. I wouldn't be so resistant to the idea of a study session. I'm sure it would help me out a lot. Especially if my tutor is one of the most disciplinary students within the academy.

It becomes more of a problem when said tutor had attempted to corner me after class, by rushing me like a bull racing to tackle. In the middle of the hallway.

"Are you simply acting like you're stupid? To make me laugh?" Ginrei asked.

"Like I'd go that far."

"It's a lot more probable than you realize. People aren't born smart. And if you haven't filled in the work since birth, you're still as dumb as a fifth grader."

"Leave it to you to make being stupid a logical truth." I shrugged. "But even then, smarts aren't everything. Isn't it because of your blood, sweat and tears that you've maintained your position in the Zodiac committee? And not just your intelligence."

"Do you think that's the kind of thing people who work hard worry about?"

"…"

"…"

"…Okay then."

Point taken…

"Oh, but don't get me wrong." Ginrei clarified. "There are people who never see their hard work pay off. As are there people who don't even know how to work hard in the first place. People like you. I do pity those people."

"Please don't pity us?"

"Actually, I despair for you."

"No, you don't! Don't suddenly become an empathic person just to spite me!"

Is it a rule that every time I make a comment, she becomes even harsher? Even begging for mercy seems like a risky thing to do.

"Ugh, how rude." Ginrei complained. "Just be quiet. I've strangled you to death."

"In the present perfect tense?! Am I already dead?!"

I want to somehow say that I'm thankful to her for helping me with my studies (I mean, who doesn't want better grades in the end?), but she's not making it easy.

It would be a lot nicer if she could help another person without declaring them as unworthy of existence every 2 sentences.

"If you are actually planning on staying by Leo's side after our academy training is over, Riku, then you must at least become someone deserving of her position."

"Deserving? Isn't bringing each other mutual love and happiness enough compensation for a relationship? I kinda figured that was the whole point…"

"You heard me." Ginrei basically snarled at this point. " I can't read Leo's mind, so I'm unable to say what she saw in you. Your skills in physical classes might be optimal, but during thesis subjects you are an average at most. A second year, no less. Leo needs to maintain public relations with high society members, and an air of class for lower society ones. You bumbling about around her could impede both."

"Alright, I suppose Leo and I are on two different levels—"

"Understatement."

"Yes, yes." I sighed. "But our social positions and aptitudes in studies aren't the parts we build our relationship on."

She crossed her arms. "Then on what did you build it?"

"Euh, well… Our individual character… I guess?"

And here I was, running my mouth off as if I knew what I was talking about. I don't know the first thing about maintaining a relationship. I never had a girlfriend before; I'm a beginner who started off on the highest difficulty character.

Was Leo expecting me to rise to her station? Did she want me to stay the way I am now? Am I allowed to expect something from her as well?

It's not that I don't trust my new girlfriend, but Ginrei has a point. But I have to hear this personally from Leo. Ginrei really isn't the one who can decide on what Leo should expect from me.

"Y-you see." I forced the words out of my throat. "We like spending time with each other, so starting a relationship seemed like a clear next step. Who knows what the future can hold, right? We just want to be there for each other during it."

The answer came out even lamer than it did in my head.

Ginrei stared at me with a glare so severe, she didn't even blink.

"I refuse to believe such a simple relationship is Leo's form of love."

She didn't buy it. Chances are that she was right, also…

"You hold her in high regards, don't you..." I said, defeated.

"As second in command of the zodiac committee, I have to recognise my superior's qualities."

"You're both still students. You're devoting yourself a bit too much."

"You say as if that's an option. Hmpf. As another admirer of Leo, you should recognise her grace, her strength, her—"

"—compassion and her amazing looks, yada yada yada. Yes, I get it, Ginrei. you've told me that exact monologue five times today…"

"And you beg to differ?"

"No, not at all. She's an amazing woman. But the way you're idolising her makes me feel like second fiddle…"

"Are you criticising me?"

"Just my personal discomfort on it."

"I don't like the idea of you looking down on me. Is the turnout of your latest fling starting to go to your head? Then, by all means, say so. What is it you see in me that I have to improve on, Riku?"

"Euh…"

"What is it? You seemed so adamant about adding something to the subject. Right, Riku?"

"N-no ma'am!"

"Oh, so nothing at all?" She narrowed her eyes.

S-scary!

"No such thing! I don't think such a thing at all! I'm an idiot boyfriend who needs his classmates to tutor him!"

"Tsk." Ginrei leaned on her arm, looking away.

Oof… I got out unharmed. Or so I wish to say, but I still have a tutor-session with her to survive.

"Sigh."

"Your spoiled behaviour appals me."

"…I didn't even do anything." I defended myself.

Was I not even allowed to sigh? If she took this any further, she'd have to force me to stop breathing.

"Tssk. Unbelievable."

"Hold on, you are not seriously taking me up on a joke I made in my inner monologue! Did I say that stupid stuff out loud?!"

"The breath you expel doesn't even deserve to be used by trees to survive."

"There is nothing wrong with my output of carbon dioxide! "

"I hope your breath is the final straw that makes climate change destroy all of humanity."

"What an eerie way of reminding everyone about depressing world matters!"

She'd rather have humanity destroyed by natural disaster, just to spite me.

"Don't you care about what happens to humanity in the near future?" I asked.

"I might."

"You might care about humanity?"

"It's like ''a devil may care' attitude."

"You and the devil might have some other things in common!"

"Satan doesn't meddle with upper world affairs." Ginrei said.

"And neither would they tackle me after school and force me to study military theory!"

"That's because, unlike Satan, I do care about you."

"Wha—Huh. That's actually kinda sweet."

"Who knows what you could do to ruin Leo's image."

"And then you blew it."

"So chop-chop. Recite page 23. Don't think I haven't noticed how you're trying to waste time with all this incessant chit-chat."

"You were the one questioning me!"

"I believe I had said the word 'go' about five minutes ago now, Riku."

"But that isn't—!"

"Every second you do not recite this page will be another full read-trough of the entire book. Do you understand me?"

"Eep! Yes ma'am!" She started counting with her finger. It took me a few seconds to realize what she was doing. "Eh? Eeh! I mean—'A C-covert operation is a military operation intended to conceal the identity of the sponsor and intended to create a political effect which can have implications in the military, intelligence or—'"

As punishment for my 'repulsive defiance,' Ginrei made me sit through that entire book a total of 8 times afterwards. The exam of the subject came two days later.

That exam was the first time I received a perfect score.