SPEEDY UPDATE, HUH?

DISCLAIMER: No, I really DO own OHSHC, even if I'm underage, haven't gotten a college degree, or graduated from high school! (If you can't understand the sarcasm of it all, here: I DO NOT OWN IT.)

Okay, I decided to take things at a slower pace. I'm sure some of you noticed something in chapter 2, WHY IS THE TRANSITION SO FAST? I must agree with this. It seemed too fast for me as well, when I re-read it.

So let me make it up to you guys, the next few chapters will show a steady progression, each one (or two) meeting Shizuka. That way you won't find it as complicated to understand the relationships between the characters.

I appreciate all your continued support, I'll do my best!

Meeting Haruhi: Second Best

Diary Journal Entry #742

On the way home from Ouran, I met up with Nekozawa-senpai's younger sister, Kirimi.

I must say, the similarities between the two siblings are little to nothing.

Apparently, she was lost. She was looking for the Black Magic club room and got lost somewhere after entering the high school area, so I decided to escort her, since Nekozawa-senpai's my best friend. While we were walking, I caught her saying a few terms used for shoujo manga. She complained that she couldn't figure out if I was either a "glass character" or a "gariben"

So let's fast forward, I searched online what a "gariben" meant, because obviously "glass character" means someone with signature glasses as his/her most noticed feature. *click* and lo and behold:

Kirimi thinks I'm a nerd.

Oh dear God, or whatever idol I should worship, do I really study too much? Is it my fault that papa owns a publishing company, and I just happened to pick up a habit of studying due to reading most of the books we publish?

Maybe I should read through the "Manga Section" more thoroughly next time I go to the library.

Unnnnnn... It's really bugging me ever since the little kid said it. Am I really that stiff? Do people in my class really think I'm a nerd, and just hide the fact? It can't just be blamed on me anymore. I'm a fully-grown 17 year old teenager. I no longer have the freedom to do the things I use to do when I was a kid.

I find it suckish. When you realize, for example, you find grade 5 hard. But when you hit grade 6, you wish you were in grade 5 again because it was easier. Right now, I wish I were a kid again. As in like, 8 or 7 years old.

What I really need, is to relax. I just don't know what I can do, because what I find relaxing is studying!

DATE: May 19

WORD FOR THE DAY: spurious

Shizuka let go of her mechanical pencil and fixed her glasses up, so it wouldn't drop so lowly on her sinus. She closed the worn-out organizer, its leather already visibly peeling off, before any of her classmates around her could take a look at what she was writing. Even if it was already after classes, she still paid caution to her surroundings, in this case, classroom 2-B.

For some reason, she didn't reach Class A this year, even if she had outstanding student records. Perhaps it's because of her family background that caused the drop, since a publishing company without much accomplishment nor acknowledgement would be prestigious enough to allow her the title of an elite or honor student. Even if a month since the first day of school had past, it still lingered on her mind as to why she didn't become a top student.

From what Shizuka had heard, there was a commoner student in Class 1-A, Fujioka Haruhi, that managed to reach honor. Upon receiving this information, Shizuka was lead to 3 conclusions. Firstly, it was that this person's 'commoner' background was faux. Secondly, that the commoner's family happens to be good friends with the superintendent. And lastly, that Shizuka just wasn't studying hard enough and the commoner was just smarter than her.

Shizuka guessed it was the third option.

"Tachibana Shizuka-san was it?" a girlish looking boy, who had been standing next to Shizuka the whole time, had finally asked. When Shizuka finally had it in her to see who was talking, she gawked at the sight. She couldn't tell at first glance whether this person was a male or a female. She wrinkled her nose and adjusted her glasses, thinking that her eyes were just blurry and playing mind games with her, but the view in front of her didn't change at all.

Shizuka was certain of one thing though, this person was a damn good crossdresser.

She shook her head to clear her focus back to his/her question, "Yes, I'm Tachibana Shizuka. Why do you ask?" the girl-boy seemed to give a look of relief.

"Finally! I've been looking all over for you! One of my senpais told me to look for you, but being the jerk he is, he didn't specify any other details!" she laughed out, then gave a depressed look to the side "He told me I couldn't go home until I found you..."

Shizuka stood up and patted her back in sympathetic comfort. She figured out her gender due to her pitch of voice, her vocal cords being slightly higher than Shizuka's own.

"So, what is it your senpai asked you to do, umm...? What's your name?"

"Haruhi. Fujioka Haruhi." So this is the commoner that reached elite class?

"Oh, so you're the honored commoner?" she asked a tone of pure curiosity, even though deep inside, her blood was boiling.

"Yes. Apparently it seems I'm only famous for being a commoner here..." she darkened her expression yet again. Shizuka noticed the emotion and took back her words,

"Oh, I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to!" she said hurriedly. Even if I am jealous, She silently added. Shizuka may not look like it, but she has always been a person of competitive nature. "It's my fault I'm such a socially awkward person, please, my apologies."

Haruhi's mood changed considerably, now showing a hint of earnest happiness, "No, it's fine. I'm used to being surrounded by rich bastar—I mean people." Shizuka noticed the error, and played along with it.

"Nah, it's okay. I'm not exactly what you'd call the wealthiest, most spoiled and pampered person in this school." She snickered, making air quotes with her middle and index fingers. "In fact, I'd find myself to be in a class in-between first and second class." She continued, having a embarrassed expression before turning to her. And yet, you, a social class lower than me, became an honor.

"Well, I was here to tell you that there was apparently a mix up in your class arrangement. It seems you were qualified enough to be in Class 2-A. You are now entitled to the decision to stay in Class 2-B, or move to Class 2-A." Haruhi read out loud, word per word, what was typewritten on the papers attached to the clipboard she was holding.

All the competitivity she kept inside her had washed out, realizing that the school had really had made the mistake, and it wasn't Haruhi intelligence quotient making the difference. The realization made Shizuka look at Haruhi in a better perspective, one that made her feel guilty for ever feeling jealous. After learning this, Shizuka decided to inwardly turn over a new leaf, even though the two of them just met.

She returned to the option and thought about this for a while before coming to a firm decision, "I think I'd like to stay here. Thanks for the offer. Please tell that to your senpai." she concluded with a smile.

Haruhi gave a look of approval instead of a look of shock, "Good choice." she mused out loud, continuing, "I have another senpai there. You wouldn't want to stay in the same class as him, he's very obnoxious." Haruhi whispered in a hushed voice. "But why aside from that, I can't help but ask, why would you decline such a rare offer?" she asked, back at her normal voice volume.

"I don't really know..." Shizuka stared openly into the empty space in front of her. "I'm not one to believe in spurious assumptions, but..." she stopped talking, being in a daze.

"But what?"

"But..." Shizuka nonchalantly continued, "I always find myself luckier when I'm being second best."

Haruhi gaped for a while, processing the sentence in her head, not understanding the double meaning of it. The two garibens in the room stayed mute for a few ponder-full seconds before Haruhi broke it, "Well, I'm not in the place to decide for you. I respect your decisions." She included almost nonvocally heard as she walked to the door in a slow but sure movement.

"Wait, one more thing," Shizuka called her out before she could leave the room. Haruhi faced her attention to Shizuka once more, all ears at what she had to say. "Yes?" Haruhi urged her to continue, a sincere greeting lingering on her lips.

"Do you crossdress voluntarily?"

HOW HARUHI SEES IT: This person's really mysterious, however she has a nice but misunderstood personality. She seems to be more particular to details than most, since she found out I'm a girl.

HOW SHIZUKA SEES IT: She's my rival! I will defeat her for the title of the true 'gariben'! But we should really hang out some time. I wonder what kind of books she reads?

My Christmas break ends on January 7. Maybe I can update tomorrow and the day after, but after that, I can't attend to the computer as often. I'll be busy. So the Update progress would be approximately 1 or 2 chapters per week?

IN CASE ANYONE MISSED IT LAST CHAPTER: Go to my profile, click on link, that's how Shizuka looks like.