LUKA

My yawn was interrupted by the throbbing pain that was taking place at the back of my head, my throat was parched, my eyes were burning too, much to my chagrin, "Aish damnit," I massaged my temples in attempt to soothe the pain, but when I touched the left side I felt something dry graze my fingertips.

I frowned for a second then looked at my finger, there was some dried stuff attached to it, what the hell? I slowly brought it under my nose and gingerly smelled it, but the moment I did I quickly put my head away, my face scrunched up in distaste. The sudden motion didn't do good to my headache though.

"What the hell?" I muttered in disbelief with a hand on my head and a pointing hand facing away from me as I suddenly became aware of what I smelled like.

"Oh you're awake," Miki's amused voice entered my ears making me look at her, "Wow, you look like shit."

"Thanks for the compliment," my voice dripped with sarcasm.

"No prob," she gave me a thumbs up, my eye twitched.

I groaned, "What the hell happened last night?"

"You don't remember?" her barely concealed laughter suddenly made me feel dread, I didn't do anything stupid, right?

"Anyway just go and take a bath first, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes," she gave me an unsettling giggle, "oh and your spare uniform is inside the bathroom,"

"Okay.." I looked her scrutinizingly, then decided to ask later, I felt really uncomfortable with myself right now, "Thanks."

"No problem!" she did a playful salute and proceeded to go outside, she seemed to be awfully delighted today, and here I thought she was going to scold my ear off because of.. I don't know whatever stuff I might've done since honestly my alcohol tolerance was embarrassing to even think about.

After taking a shower and rigorously scrubbing the stuff off my hair which I had confirmed to be my own.. I put on my uniform which was composed of a black blazer with white hemming, steel gray dress shirt, a black and white checkered skirt and a tie with the same pattern. When I was done checking myself and brushing my now stuff-free hair, I finally went downstairs.

When I was showering a while ago I tried to remember some things last night and all I got was a vivid memory of me kissing someone, I deemed it as a dream though since I would never do that.. right?

As I walked into the dining area along with Miki who I came across on the way, I rubbed the back of my neck in thought, "I had the strangest dream last night, I was kissing this—" I abruptly cut myself when I finally looked over the dining table, Miki's parents were grinning at me while Miki was laughing her ass off, her steps to the table never faltering until she sat, still laughing. But what made me pale, was that the very girl I thought I dreamed about was right in front me, staring at me with a look of slight embarrassment and amusement on her adorable face.

I flapped my mouth like a fish as I stood there staring at the teal haired girl in utter disbelief, a moment later I walked backwards to where I came from and hid behind the wall.

I took a deep breath to recollect myself.

I reappeared at the doorway and saw that the girl was still there, "..tsk."

She raised a brow at my tongue clicking.

"Good morning Hiroki-san, Marika-san." I greeted Miki's parents while they ushered me to sit down.. next to the girl, I could feel that she was awkward as I was at what I blurt out. It was embarrassing oh god, I averted my gaze to Miki who finally stopped laughing and gave her the 'we will talk later' look.

She just giggled at my face.

Ugh, I could feel the dull headache coming back again. As if on cue, Miki called out to me and threw a tablet across the table, I swiftly caught and saw that it was an aspirin. I also noticed that there was a mug of steaming coffee at where I sat, I gave her a nod of thanks. She was always so prepared, I guess that was one of the quirks of having well known scout masters as parents.

"Now that we're complete, let's eat!" Marika, Miki's mom who had red hair and forest green eyes, said with a smile on her still youthful face.

I started taking some food on the table, there were eggs, sausages, hams, bacon and all those typical breakfast cuisines. I loved their bacon the most. I noticed the girl beside me stay still however which bothered me for some reason, "Aren't you gonna eat?" I finally looked at her turquoise eyes and found myself lost in those orbs that had a glint of enigma in it.

I wonder why.

"I uh.." she broke the pseudo staring match and looked at her hands instead, I blinked, somewhat disoriented with the disconnection. I furrowed at the conflicted expression on her face.

"Luka, you're scaring her with your scowl," Miki laughed from across the table while I just glared at her, I swear she knew something I didn't, why was this girl here in the first place.. wait teal hair, I looked at her again to check if what I thought was true.

Wait, she was that Miku!

That girl who passed the chaotic entrance exam with the highest grade ever yet never participated in the system! This girl was a mystery to every student body in Vox High, and she didn't even seem to be aware of that.

"You're, Miku..!" I said dumbly in recognition.

She looked at me as if I'd grown five heads, "And you're Luka..?" she shook her head, "More like, how do you people know my name anyway?"

"What are you doing here?" I answered with a question of my own, I never thought she would be that dense, but it was cute in a way.

"Because of you," Miki chimed in, a wide grin on her face, "You really don't remember?"

"Remember what?" I snapped, what the hell was happening, I felt so left in the dark. I glanced at Miku and saw an amused glint in her eyes.

Something definitely happened last night and I was starting to not want to know.

"Girls," Hiroki, Miki's dad who had dark hair and crimson eyes with an ahoge on top, chuckled, "Sorry to interrupt but time is ticking," he tapped his watch with a grin on his face making me look at my own. We only have an hour before school starts or else we'll be locked out.

"I- I'll go now," Miku stood up from her seat earning all of our attention, her bangs casting shadow on her hidden face.

"But you haven't eaten yet," Marika tried to reason with the girl to stay.

"It's alright I wasn't really that hungry," she absently rubbed her arm, "Besides my uniform is not with me so I still have to get it back in the boarding house."

"I see."

"My apologies," she bowed slightly.

I don't know but I felt disconcerted on how she acted around Miki's parents, she looked very uncomfortable even though there was nothing to be bothered about, and she was too polite for her own good.

"It is very much fine, just be careful," Hiroki answered, his crimson gaze were calmly trained on Miku, he didn't look angry, just curious.

So was I.

After Miku left I received a quick sermon from Miki's parents about drinking on a school day—not about on why I was drinking in general—while eating breakfast with my head down in shame. When we finished we bid good bye to Hiroki and Marika before heading off to the school ourselves. Quickly when they were out of sight, I grabbed Miki by the arm and dragged her into a corner.

"Ah no! I'm not ready yet!" she hugged and faced her body away from me.

I bonked her head, "Just spill."

She rubbed her bump and pouted at me, "You're so rough Luka-chan."

I raised my fist again.

"I'm just joking! It hurts you know," she covered her head from my threat, "I'll tell you so get that away please."

I lowered my hand and sighed, "What happened?"

"Alright let me recall everything you've done," she started with her hands up to indicate counting, "After you escaped from me back at the bar, Miku found you crawling on the sidewalk and decided to help your ass up."

I grimaced, what a way to meet me.

"Okay so first," she held a finger up, the impish grin on her face filling me with dread, "You kissed her."

I looked at her in horror.

"Second," another finger, "You threw up on her."

My horror changed into mortification.

"Third," three fingers, "You nearly strangled the air out of her in your sleep,"

Disbelief.

"And fourth," four fingers and a smile, "You pulled on her hair with a death grip." she laughed at my face then abruptly stopped a second later and deadpanned, "You also slapped me in the face when I tried to get your hands off Miku."

"What?"

Miki shook her head with a patronizing look on her face, "Don't worry, even though she's really cute and attractive I wont take her away from you," she gave me a sadistic grin, "But I never thought you could be so possessive."

"Even in your sleep," she added and feigned a thoughtful on her face.

I gaped at her in exasperation, my tinting cheeks betraying me, "W- What the hell are you talking about!"

I shook my head a little too vigorously, "I don't like her like tha—"

"Oh look at the time!" she held up her wristwatch and ran, "We're going to be laaate~!" she sang in glee even though we really were going to be late.

"This isn't over!" I told her as I also ran, she just stuck a tongue at me. My brow twitched in annoyance, I was about to raise another fist until she increased her pace.

"Last one to reach the gate's a loser!"

"That's so childish!"

"Teehee~!"

"Ugh."

How was I gonna face Miku now?

MIKU

"Where have you been!" Rin's scowling face greeted me the moment I entered our room, it was a pretty large room that could've easily passed as a five star hotel suite.

There were two unnecessarily large personalized beds situated on both sides of the wall, tall side tables beside them, medium closets not too far and a large sliding window door at the front of the room that led to the balcony with white curtains draped over them.

Yes it was that grand.

The walls were painted the usual creamy white, the floors were of rich wood, there was also a circular blue green rug in the middle between Rin's bed and I where a small coffee table stood in the center, some more book shelves on each sides of the doorway, and lastly, some paintings and posters were strewn on the wall in our respective spaces, as well as a pretty large air conditioner in the middle of the ceiling that was adorned with light bulbs.

I always thought that it was too much even for a school like Vox when I first got here three months ago, but I soon started to kind of like it.

Anyway, the angry girl here, Rin, was my room mate and a fellow friend, "I've been texting you all night yet you won't answer!"

"You were?" I repeated, a puzzled look on my features as I felt up my jeans' pocket and pulled out my phone, "Well, I guess my phone died," I simply said and put it on my side table then proceeded to rummage through my closet for my uniform.

"Where were you anyway?" Rin's scowl softened, it suddenly went shocked, "Don't tell me you finally got lai—"

"No Rin, I did not," I deadpanned and took out my clothes, my half lidded gaze landing onto her small figure, "I'm going to change."

She just looked at me stubbornly, the expression on her face mirroring mine. Suddenly a thought lit a bulb in my brain causing me to smirk, "If that's what you want," I nonchalantly started to sensually pull my shirt up, giving her a view of my firm stomach until she suddenly shrieked in protest.

"NO! O- Oh my god Miku have some shame!" she put frantic hands over her eyes, her face flushed like a tomato, I just laughed at her, "I'm leaving! But this isn't over!"

"Yeah sure," I waved her off and proceeded to take off my shirt making her quickly dart outside. I laughed once more, her face was priceless!

"Damn you!" Rin's muffled curse behind the door added fuel to my laughter, it faded down when I heard consecutive footsteps running away from the door, "I'm telling Momma Gumi!"

I snickered as I put my uniform on, well I just hope Momma Gumi won't explode me with her aircrafts then. I walked over to the full body mirror next to my closet, I took a brush and combed my hair, pulling it up into a ponytail. Since I had already taken a bath back in Miki's house, that was all I needed to do.

I suddenly flinched at the memory of me hastily leaving them in breakfast.

I shook my head and sighed, to say the truth, I wasn't really comfortable with older people, especially parents. I don't know why honestly, it was just an instinct, but I guess it was somehow connected to the nightmares I had when I got out of my previous coma. I didn't know anything after that, it was as if all my memory had been wiped out, except my name. It was frustrating sometimes but I decided to forget about it and start anew with the old man who took me in.

Although I was scared of him at first because he always had this angry gleam on his face, I learned to open up to him and helped me with my rehab. I owed him a lot, he was a nice man even though his face looked permanently angry. He was also the reason I was still alive and here in this exclusive school.

Since it was said that I was found bloodied and in a brink of death under a cliff.

I scrunched my forehead in pain as I held my temple in attempt to soothe the sudden headache at the front of my brain, every now and them I would get these aches whenever I tried to think about my past. The doctors once said that it may have something to do with my missing memories, but I don't know.

I clicked my tongue, it really made me wonder sometimes though, I wonder what I was doing in that cliff, why was I dying? I groaned at the increasing pain of my headache, I guess I should stop thinking about it now, damn it.

"Miku?" Gumi's—green haired clad with aviator goggles—head popped from the cracks of the doorway, her expression immediately turned into concern when she saw the pained look on my face, "Hey, are you okay?" she quickly walked over and led me to my bed.

"Yeah.." I sighed, the last thing I wanted today was to cause any more trouble for anyone, "I'm fine."

"Really," she gave me an unconvinced look, "Where's your painkillers?"

"In my bag," I slumped in defeat, sometimes in moments like these I regret telling them about my circumstances, I didn't want to be a burden, but I couldn't really hide it from them forever. Actually it wasn't like I told them willingly, they just caught me being in the middle of a headache attack and at that moment I had to tell them.

She took a tablet from the container inside my book bag and walked back to where I was after reaching over to the water bottle I had on my side table, "Here." she handed them to me, after taking the pill I looked at her in thanks.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" she asked me in worry, I just gave her a crooked grin.

"Figured," she giggled as she sat up and walked over to the slightly ajar door, "Come on, school's gonna start," she nodded to the outside.

I sat up and stretched my limbs, my head was feeling much better now, "Alright."

After grabbing my bag I followed her and soon found ourselves walking outside the girl's boarding house, our leather shoes clacking on the stylized pavements that lead to the much massive school in the middle. Well maintained grasses, trees and several gardens filled the place, it was as if we were in the middle of a forest. Damn this school was metal, just how much money did they spend constructing this? Not to mention the system..

"So are you really sure you're not gonna participate in the system?" she asked with her hands behind her, "It's been three months since you transferred here and you've yet to show any signs of interest in it."

I glanced to her, she tilted her head, "Why should I?"

A thoughtful looked flashed her face, "Well aside from extra credits, it is pretty fun."

"I thought people took that seriously," I laughed slightly, she was such a strange girl.

"Well they do, but for me it's fun," she pouted at my reaction, "What's so funny?"

"You're strange," I said with a straightforward grin.

"So are you," she laughed, "Anyone would kill to just to be here, much less have anything to do with the system yet," she shook her head in mock disbelief, "Here you are even thinking whether to join or not."

"Hey! You make me sound ungrateful," I feigned hurt and clutched my wounded heart, she just laughed at my face.

"Ah!" a voice stopped us on our tracks causing us to look at the owner, it was Rin pointing a finger at me in accusation, "Momma Gumi! Don't come near that shameless girl!"

Gumi furrowed her eyebrows in confusion while I just tried not to laugh, "What are you talking about?"

"She flashed me!" she answered, a little too loud which attracted some stares from students passing by, Rin blushed in embarrassment.

I burst out laughing.

Rin glared at me in chagrin while Gumi looked at me in disbelief, "You what!"

"Hey girls, what's up?" Len's boyish voice came into the scene, soon he noticed the looks we were giving each other and stared at us in confusion, "Uh did I miss something?"

"Nope," I simply grinned, I was about to walk again, until I saw someone walk over to Gumi, it was a black haired guy with blue eyes whom I've never seen before, but then again this school was large so of course there were people I haven't seen yet, he looked like a foreigner though.

"Megpoid-san!" he exclaimed with thick English accent, oh cool, I also kind of already knew where this was going, "Please have a match with me!" he bowed his head into a ninety degree angle, I snickered at Gumi's shocked face.

"A- Ah well, okay," she said, blinking then ushered the guy to stand up, "Please stand up, people think I'm bullying you." she tried to wave the curious stares directed at them off.

"Oh, sorry," he scratched his cheek, "Well, shall we begin?" he gave out an excited grin.

"Oh boy," I muttered under my breath, Gumi looked a little conflicted, probably because it was right in the morning. Meanwhile Rin looked excited to see someone blow up while Len stayed confused the whole time.

The moment Gumi said 'accept' a square V symbol glyph appeared on the ground and enveloped them both, the glyph expanded for a while until walls started building up in each side, enclosing in the two inside a holographic cube. A normal match cube, well since it was colored green. My friends started going inside the cube causing it to expand to house all of them inside, I soon followed suit with a shake of my head.

"Match invitation accepted, " the system's female robotic voice echoed inside the cube that quickly generated a battleground which was a wide terrain that seemed to be in the middle of a dessert, I squinted my eyes and shielded them from the virtual rays of the sun.

Still believable as always.

I averted my gaze and landed them on the two combatants, the two were standing feets apart from each other, I saw Rin right across from where I was while Len was beside me. A few more nameless spectators appeared too, probably interested or trying to buy some more time.

In matches the time drastically slows as people gets into the system, everything inside happens in a split of a second in real time. In general, a match's duration usually takes half a minute to three minutes outside which could be more than an hour here. It was kind of convenient since we didn't have to worry about being late to school because we watched a friend's match.

"Commence battle in.. " the system—which acted as a referee of some sort started counting, "..3 "

The guy crouched down and touched the sandy ground, soon the ground rumbled as war tanks emerged from the dessert. I sweat dropped, so he had a fascination with war vehicles too? What a perfect match for Gumi, well this was going to be interesting.

"..2 "

Gumi grinned widely when she saw the tanks, she raised an opened hand and suddenly closed them firmly. Not a second later warplanes started to appear in the sky and flew like bees over Gumi's head, awaiting an order. The guy smiled in awe at the aircrafts.

"..1 "

A G cleff symbol with the size of a hand appeared behind Gumi's uniform, while an F cleff symbol appeared on the guys wrist, both shone luminously as the symbols mechanically attached themselves into their clothes. So the guy was an F challenging a G rank? What a brave boy, or maybe he just wanted to fight someone who also loved war crafts. I chuckled, that seemed more probable.

"GO BLAST HIM INTO PIECES MOMMA GUMI!" Rin cheered loudly in the sidelines, Len and I face palmed while the other spectators laughed. Gumi gave her a thumbs up as some planes descended next to her and a lot flew in front of her, blocking her view like a shield. The guy's tanks aimed in her general direction, keen on firing at her directly.

"Heh," I hummed comprehensively.

"Start, " the system's voice barely registered the spectators' brain as ear shattering explosions reverberated the area.

AN: Alright so the summary will probably make sense now at this point, the next chapter is where everything is somehow explained, well based on Miku's knowledge. Also thanks for reviewing Yuuki Koe and rest who favorited and followed! I actually never thought this would get attention in the first day XD.