So first and foremost I wanted to respond to a guest review. As everyone knows, guest reviews can be abrasive and often downright abusive. This is one was slightly on the abrasive side.

So first off. Most OC's freeze up in front of Akashi because that's what most people do. If someone as intense as Akashi corners you like that and you know you are at fault, anyone would freeze. It would be unrealistic for me to make Kotone brush him off because that's just not her character. Hell, even Kagami froze up when Akashi actually confronted him. It's not unrealistic at all.

Second, no offense intended with this but, I don't really care what kind of girl you think looks better with Akashi. You can always write your own story with your own OC and make it as perfect as you want it to be. But this is my story and I'm not altering my original character to make it fit anybody's expectations. I think Kotone is a fun character to write and so I intend to make her how I imagine her to be. Also, this might not have been clear enough but Kotone isn't a pushover nor is she dumb. She DOES have high intelligence, enough to come second in her class. I think if those are your requirements you might have to search for another story…sorry. :( My OC will be written as I imagine she needs to be.

However, I will thank you for saying my story is great and that you will be reading. But if it's not up to par, you don't have to try to change my OC, I wouldn't be mad at you if you didn't read if it doesn't catch you attention, okay?

Also, if anyone has any critiques I hope you can leave them with your name on them instead of coming as a guest to leave critique/comments. I want to be able to interact with my readers and actually have a discussion about the story. I don't like to respond to comments in the actual chapter so I will say from here on out I just won't look at guest reviews anymore. If you have something you want to suggest then you can leave a signed comment (as in a comment with you logged in).

And thanks to anyone who read that. I hope you guys enjoy the second chapter! :) Sorry, it's short and a bit uneventful, but it will pick up, no worries!

~x~

"Asa-chan, isn't that so rude? Can you believe he just told me to be silent?! What goes on in that arrogant head of his?!"

"Kotone-chan, maybe you should lower your voice."

Kotone shot a dirty look at her childhood friend. She had her eyes glued to the screen of her game console as she played some sort of weird otome game. Typical of her stoic friend.

"Asa-chan, are you even listening to me?!" She snapped, smacking her hand on the table in an attempt to get the gamer's attention.

"Hai, hai. You're angry because Akashi-san explained the English project to you."

"No!" Kotone angrily stabbed an eggroll in her bento with her chopstick, "It's not that he explained the project, it's the fact that he was so rude about it! I spaced out a little bit while the teacher was giving directions, there's no reason to be so mean about reiterating!"

"Ah. I see." Asagi nodded solemnly, blatantly ignoring her friend's complaints.

"What makes him so much better than me anyway?! Just because he has a better ranking than me doesn't mean he can look down on me. Next time I'll win for sure. He's not so great. I'll wipe the floor with his pompous-"

"Kotone-chan."

"What?!" She snapped agitatedly.

"Akashi-san is sitting behind us."

She froze immediately before creakily turning her head to see a familiar pair of heterochromatic eyes looking directly at her. For a second, time stopped and her blood seemed to run cold. To the uninformed observer, Akashi was simply looking at her. However, there was an unmistakeable iciness under that gaze that told her he had heard everything she said.

She whipped back around and lowered her head to her desk futilely trying to disguise her reddening face. She was such an idiot!

"I'm so beyond screwed..." She moaned to herself, "So, so, so, so screwed..."

~x~

Akashi Seijuro wasn't pleased.

He was intently studying the loud-mouthed female across from him. She was whining to that otaku friend of hers about how terrible and unfair he was for demanding that she be silent.

Impudence. The one thing Akashi could not tolerate.

He narrowed his eyes at her just as she turned and looked towards him. She eyes widened in shock before she averted her gaze and turned back to her previous position. He watched as she lowered her head to the table and fell quiet.

The edges of his lips turned up in a cold smile. He continued to study her for a bit as he ate his bento quietly.

Kono Kotone. The name was not unfamiliar. She was always just behind him in the bulletin board postings. He supposed she held some bitterness towards him because of it.

But it didn't particularly bother him. The pettiness of people below him did not bother him. What did matter was correcting her disobedience which would be done in time. Sooner rather than later.

~x~

"Asa-chan, you have to help me~"

"Eh? Why?" Her companion didn't even seem to notice that she was nearly in tears at the prospect of another confrontation with Akashi Seijuro.

"I'm scared!" She was nearly shrieking now, "What do I do if he brings up what I said today?! He had to have heard it. What if he gets angry?"

"Any reasonable person would get angry, Kotone-chan." Asagi continued packing her bag to get ready to go home. "It's your own fault for saying all that just because you thought he was gone."

"I didn't mean it~" She whined in response as she clung to her friend's arm. "Please, Asa-chan!"

"Don't care." Asagi deadpan bed as she slung her backpack onto her shoulder and unceremoniously shook her friend off. "Good luck, Kotone-chan. Just remember you brought this upon yourself."

Kotone's jaw dropped as her friend walked out of the classroom. "Stupid Asa-chan! Idiot! Monster! Uncaring brat!"

But her friend (could she even say that?) wasn't in earshot because she didn't reply. She dropped her head dramatically into her hands. "What do I do...?"

Should she even bother coming to basketball practice? If she did Akashi would murder her but if she didn't then he'd murder her tomorrow for missing practice. There was no way out.

To practice she goes.