Nakao didn't stand out in her second year of middle school. She was just another face in the crowd trying to get Minami Nanba's attention and failing miserably. He was tall with striking good looks and an easy-going smile that the flirt used shamelessly on the prettiest girls, the ones who might grow up to be models or actresses. Nanba ignored cute girls like Nakao who weren't quite worthy to receive one of his smiles.
When it came time to take entrance exams for high school all the prettiest girls chose St. Blossom because it was the sister school for Osaka Academy for boys; the school Minami Nanba attended. Blossom and Osaka only had two joint functions each year so there was a very slim chance of seeing him especially if you were cute instead of beautiful. Nakao needed an edge, a way to spend enough time around him to have a conversation and get to know each other. She'd accept being rejected if he wasn't interested in her at that point, but she wasn't going to be brushed aside because some other girl was thinner or had longer hair.
Nakao hacked into her school records to change a couple letters in her first name making it Senri and changed the F to an M. She wasn't going to be able to graduate from Osaka if she wanted to go to university, but she had two years to find a different high school and undo the two changes she just made. Doing well enough on the entrance exams to guarantee acceptance was easy, telling her parents not so much.
Senri Nakao received an allowance from her father until she graduated; receiving those monthly checks in otherwise empty envelopes was the only contact she had.
Shotaro Kadoma watched the boy stride across the mat and stand with perfect posture waiting for the official to start the match. From her seat behind her brother's karate team she had a clear view of high cheekbones, narrow eyes and a stern mouth.
"Point Kujo!" The official raised his arm indicating the team from Osaka Academy.
His moves were quick and silent compared to his opponent. The boy didn't yell 'Ha' or 'Ya' when striking the way everyone else did.
"Point Kujo!"
His cold expression didn't change for a moment and Shotaro wondered if he was this serious all the time.
"Point Kujo!"
That was quick. Didn't he know these were exhibition matches and not to be taken so seriously? She watched his precise bow and his purposeful stride back to join his teammates. Kujo's rigid posture reminded her of an ancient samurai wearing white pajamas.
"What are you smiling for, Shotaro? We lost."
"Sorry, brother" she apologized.
On the way home she persuaded him to help her study for the high school entrance exams.
Her brother was quiet for several minutes after she told him where she was accepted. His furrowed eyebrows and frown slowly smoothed out "I suppose it's a good thing you weren't named Ayame, but do you know how much some guys like to beat on someone as short as you? Getting a daily swirly won't be the worst of it."
'Brother is always right' thought Shotaro as she scrubbed her desk and hoped that at least one uniform was salvageable.
Mizuki Ashiya wasted no time convincing her father that being an exchange student in Japan will look good on a college application once she discovered which high school Sano was going to attend. She was so focused on getting to Izumi Sano that she didn't consider how easy it would have been for her parents or older brother to search Osaka Academy on the internet.
When her older brother showed up to take her home Mizuki's entire world crashed around her feet in little tinkling bits.
Shizuki Ashiya had never seen his younger sister looking so devastated. She stood there in a daze neither packing her things nor openly defying him as loudly as possible like she usually did. He didn't know how to handle her reaction; Mizuki's blank stare was a little scary.
"Fine, I'll let you stay for now, but I won't cover for you if Mom or Dad find out."
Mizuki knew it was a temporary reprieve. Her world could end at any time with only a phone call.