I groan when my alarm goes off.
I'm not ready to get up yet, so I just roll over and cover my head with a pillow to drown out the sound. After getting comfortable again I fall back into a blissful sleep, only to be woken up sometime later by a rapid fire knock on my door.
"What?!" I moan loudly as I burrow deeper into my covers.
"Nao wake up!" I hear Akira shout from the other side of the door. "You have to be at school twenty minutes!"
It takes a moment for my groggy brain to process the information before my eyes shoot open and I'm sitting bolt-upright in bed.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" I scream as I topple out of bed and scramble over to my bathroom.
"Yes!" he replies through the door. "I'm heading out now so don't fall asleep again!"
"Yeahw yehao," I yell back through a mouthful of toothpaste.
As soon as I'm done I toss the toothbrush on the counter and pull my hair into a ponytail and scramble to get dressed at the same time in addition to being half blind. I almost trip over my shoes I dash for the door, picking up my book bag and contact lens case from my vanity table and stuff it into my blazer pocket.
Grabbing an orange that may or may not actually be a wax decoration, out of a fruit bowl at the bottom of the staircase before sprinting down the hall and out the door to the limo. During the ride I do my best to pop in my contacts without a mirror, and almost poke my eyes out in the process. Then I alternate between eating my thankfully real orange and trying to tie my tie. It's hard. I still haven't completely figured out the right way to tie it yet and all the ones I bought myself were clip-ons.
But luckily for me, against all odds we pull up to the school with five minutes to spare.
I take a deep breath before stepping out, running my fingers through my disheveled hair. Now would be the time to put up the mask of utter indifference. But that's a bit harder than I thought, because as soon as I step through the gates the passing students start whispering and pointing.
Well…I guess new students are big news around here. But then again that's understandable. I vaguely remember Akira telling me a good 95% of these kids have been in the same classes together since pre-k.
So maybe a new student really is that big a deal.
I get to my classroom quickly, the pointing and stares working as motivation to walk faster. But they were still there not matter how quickly I moved. Even my classroom offered no refuge. Collapsing into my desk probably wasn't the best idea, but the jarring it sends up my spine now definitely has me awake. Dumping my bag next to my feet, I roll my shoulders, attempting to loosen the tension that's built up in them over the past day.
Those fights usually leave me drained, and today is no exception. My neck cracks rather loudly as I roll it as well, causing a few nearby people to jump in surprise. I shrug it off, but what keeps bothering me is how they all continue to stare at my face. I mean honestly, you'd think their etiquette lessons would have taught them that it's not polite and what not.
As soon as they see I've caught them staring, they look away. But then as soon as they think I've turned away their gaze wanders over again and it begins to piss me off.
What?! Do I have something on my face or something?
"Ummm Fujisaki-san?"
I raise my head slightly to see group of three girls standing in front of my desk.
"Hn?" I ask as look them over.
The only one I recognize is the one on the right. She's the girl who offered to show me the way back to class yesterday. She looks at me shyly from over her friend's shoulder, her large brown eyes swimming with what looks like concern.
"Well…"the one in front says. "We were just wondering what happened to your face."
"What are you talking about?" I ask, trying to keep my voice level.
"You have a black eye," the blond girl on the left says.
"I do?" I ask stupidly after a few seconds of silence.
"Here," the blond says, offering me a small jeweled compact.
I grab it without thinking and flip it open. And promptly swear under my breath. I never washed off my makeup before I went to bed last night. One eye is wiped almost completely clean, but the other is a smudged mess of black and mauve. Some of it is even on the side of my nose.
Well, at least these rich kids don't seem to realize fresh black eyes are usually a bluish purple swollen mess, or else I'd have a tough time explaining my way out of this. Not to mention it would have been even more difficult if Shoko had used sparkly eye shadow.
Ah…ignorance really is bliss.
"I hadn't realized," I reply honestly as I hand the girl back her mirror.
"Maybe you should go see the nurse," the girl in front suggests. "I could show you the way."
I give her a once over. She's around my height with dark brown hair that's pulled into two braids accented with light green ribbons. Her light brown eyes are bright with hope that I'll say yes.
Lovely.
If I go to the nurse she'll know right away that this is just makeup. So I take the alternative route.
"It's not a big deal," I say as I give her my best imitation of Akira's lopsided grin. "Trust me; it's nowhere near as bad as it looks."
Her cheeks flush and I almost give myself a pat on the back.
"Alright! Everyone take their seats!"
Sensei walks in, sporting a navy blue dress suit and sky high pumps. She sets a huge book on top of her podium and flips open to the middle.
"Alright class, open to page 245," she says before turning to write something on the board.
I duck my face down and begin sketching behind my propped up book.
I pretty much tune out the lesson. After all, I'm supposed to have transferred from an American school. It would look stupid if I tried too hard to follow an English lesson like the people around me. I'm just glad I actually can write and speak the language without an accent.
I smile to myself as I remember trying to read over Akira's shoulder when I was little, begging him to teach me. He was already in middle school and acing the class…and of course there was nine year old me trying to be just like my big brother.
XX
I suppress a yawn as the lunch bell rings and I pack all my stuff away. I try not to feel too disappointed in my latest drawing. I'd never admit it out loud, but that argument with my parents has shaken my confidence more than just a little. And now as I shove my picture hastily into my art folder I can't help but feel like nothing looks good enough.
A moment passes as I debate on what to do with my eye. I know from past experience that water will do nothing but make it worse…and I have no makeup remover on me.
So I just end up sulking down the halls until I come across library 4 again.
I spend a majority of my lunch playing Otome games, but then halfway through my current chapter I get the feeling that this is probably a really bad idea. What would I say if someone looked over my shoulder while I was playing My Sweet Bodyguard?
How the hell would I explain that?
Now suddenly overcome with paranoia I hastily shove my phone in my bag. Now what am I supposed to do? I guess I could wander around a bit…
I shuffle out of my comfy chair and towards the library door. And then I see her.
That weird Yuki girl from yesterday.
She's making her way towards the checkout desk with about thirteen books stacked in her hands. This girl is ranked #3 on the list of people I don't want to see. Lucky. At least she's low on the list.
"Shit," I curse under my breath.
All of a sudden her head jerks up and she trips over an electrical cord. She goes flying and books rain down around her, making me feel somewhat guilty as I fight the urge to laugh.
"Why me?" I sigh as I walk over and begin picking up the books closer to me.
Then my jaw slackens as I scan the titles.
World Methods of Torture.
Voodoo Made Simple.
Scalping 101.
301 Poisons and How to Use Them.
A History of Pagan Rituals.
What to do About That Skeleton in Your Closet.
Dying Hair for Dummies.
An Idiot's Guide to Using Chinese Water Drop Torture.
How to Kill a Man 30 Ways with a Ketchup Bottle.
So you want to be an Evil Overlord?
How Sadako Did It.
And then there are the latest volumes of Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi and Junjou Romantica.
"What the hell are you reading?" I almost screech in a very unmanly way.
"Wha…?" Yuki mumbles incoherently as she pulls herself into a sitting position.
Then she sees me and recognition sparks in her eyes.
"What the hell? New kid?"
"You know I do have a name," I reply, irritation seeping into my voice.
"Well duh," she spits as I start handing her books back. "So what the hell are you doing here?"
"It's a library," I snap back. "Anyone can come here."
She groans as she adds another book to the stack.
"No one actually COMES to the library at lunch. They're socializing in the dining hall."
"Hello," I snap while pointing to myself. "NEW KID."
She just rolls her eyes and continues talking.
"But still, I would think the girls would be drooling over you now."
I stop myself before saying that they already are. Somehow I feel like her knowing would open a whole new level of harassment that I wouldn't be able to deal with.
"And that would be because of...?" I trail off, honestly wanting to know where I messed up.
"Because of that," she says as she points to my 'black eye.' "It's the badass type. Girls eat that up."
"But I'm not badass," I reply in an exasperated tone.
"I know," she says in a giddy tone. "If I wanted to I could break you like a toothpick, but you know…"
I send her a glare as I hold up the copy of World Methods of Torture.
"You haven't figured out a preferred method yet?" I ask in a sour tone.
"My dad wrote that book you know," she says with an evil grin.
Somehow the shock manages to slide over my head.
"Then why are you checking it out at a library?" I ask incredulously.
"I'm not," she snapped as she yanks it from me. "I had him sign it. And all these other books I have to put back. The librarian put me in charge of this library because no one ever comes here."
She puts emphasis on the last five words that's impossible to miss.
"Plus I like books better than people. People are stupid."
"Now there's something we can agree on," I mutter as I get to my feet.
I offer her a hand but she brushes it aside.
"Yeah alright," she mutters. "Now go away."
And with that she picks the stack of books again and stalks off in the direction of the checkout desk. I watch her walk away without really knowing why I'm still standing here. She makes a shooing motion with her hand when she gets behind the reception desk and sees that I'm still there.
I roll my eyes at her before stalking out.
XX
I suppress a yawn as I shove my books into my desk.
This has been one long weird day. I am ready to get home and fall face first into bed and sleep until Akira wakes me up for dinner.
Just then my phone buzzes, announcing a text from said big brother.
Hey kiddo, my lecture is running overtime. Can you stay put for about an hour?
I sigh as I type back an unenthusiastic 'sure' and head for the doors.
Only my path is blocked by the two ginger twins that sit behind me.
"So you're Naoki Fujisaki huh?" the one on the right says.
"Why are you saying it like that?" I ask.
"Isn't that how they do it in America?" the one on the left asks.
"But I'm not in America anymore," I reply. "You don't need to do that."
They just smile evilly and swoop down on me, hooking their arms under mine and proceed to carry me out of the room and down the hall.
"What the hell are you doing?" I yell at them as my feet dangle a few inches off the ground.
"Recruiting," they say in unison before they proceed to drag me down numerous hallways.
I don't quit struggling, but I'm also glad no one seems to be around to see this. Every one of the halls they carry me through is practically empty.
Eventually they drag me into a large room labeled Music Room 3. They fling open the doors and march me up to a guy that's even taller than they are.
"Alright Boss," the twin with the lower voice says. "We brought him like you asked."
They finally set me back on my feet and I'm looking up at a tall blond with an ego that's practically visible in the air around him. Oh…I don't like him already.
"So you're Naoki," he says as he inspects me. "So what do you think Kyoya? I think he's perfect!"
"We still don't have much to go on," a tall dark haired man with glasses who are glinting in a dangerous way. "There's hardly any data on him in the school's system, so why not have an interview first?"
He glances up at me, pen poised over a black notebook that looks more than a little suspicious.
"Full name?" he asks in a pleasant tone.
"Fujisaki Naoki," I reply warily. "But I prefer Nao."
"Last school?"
"An all boy's reform school in America," I say, trying to be as vague as possible.
"Why were you enrolled in said school?"
"I was a problem child like my sister," I say, reciting the script I had written out the day before I transferred. "But at the time I wasn't as aesthetically pleasing as she was so my parents shipped me off rather than have me embarrass them."
"The name of this school?"
"Boy's Republic..." I trail off.
Why was I even bothering to answer his questions? I guess it's just the creepy look in his eye as he continues to jot down every word that comes from my mouth.
"Hobbies? Or talents?"
"Look, why do you even care?" I ask.
"We are looking to make you the newest member of the Ouran Host Club!" Blondie says with overdramatic flair.
"Host Club….." I trail off.
"A place where the school's handsomest boys with too much time on their hands, entertain young women who also have way too much time on their-"
"I know what a host club is," I snap.
Blondie seems to wilt at my words but suddenly snaps back into his character.
"So what do you say? Will you join our ranks?"
I take a second to let this all soak in.
Sadly the first thing that comes to my mind is how this is exactly like those Otome games I love playing so much. And now I have a chance to be in one of them. And who knows? Maybe this experience will spawn some ideas for my story.
My inner, more honest self, is jumping for joy right now, but I exhale heavily and force myself to stay calm. Make it look like I'm really thinking this over. I can't seem too overeager. Right?
"Alright," I sigh. "I'll do it."
The blond jumps for joy and all but crushes me in a hug.
I freeze. Being touched by other people is such a foreign concept for me at this point I almost make an attempt to shove him off of me. But before I really need to, he's bounced back and is pulling a black rose from nowhere.
"These are for your guests," he explains as I take the rose from him. "I hereby dub you…the rebellious type!"
"Are these even real?" I ask as I inspect the flower.
"Genetically altered," the glasses guy clears up for me.
"Alright!" Blondie yells. "Let the princesses in!"
"Hey hold on a second!" I yell as I stumble after him. "What the hell am I supposed to be doing?"
"Just be charming," he answers in a way that makes me want to hit him. "You can manage that much on your own right?"