"Ready to give up?"
Seiya frowned internally. She knew Taiki was right (no surprise there). Seiya had spent the last half hour going over the ordeal in her biology class, and Taiki had then proceeded to tell Seiya exactly why trying to befriend the girl was a hopeless endeavor.
"And give her exactly what she wants? Never!" Seiya faked a huge smile. "Besides, what's the fun in doing something if it's not a challenge?"
Taiki gave her a scornful look. "If you spent half the time studying that you do chasing girls…"
"Is that all you think about?"
Taiki answered her with a definitive silence.
"It's no wonder you're not with someone!" Seiya clapped her friend on the back, not noticing the girl's brief expression of pain. "After all," she proclaimed, her hands going on Taiki's shoulders as she walked slightly behind her, "a girl as smart, beautiful as you—there's no other reason for it. You should look around realize how popular you are, Taiki." Even as she said it they passed a group of students who looked up dreamy eyed at the tall genius.
"It's a waste of energy."
Seiya stopped her, stepping in front of her and looking at her seriously. "You don't really believe that?" she said doubtfully.
The brown haired girl simply stared back.
"Taiki, there are things more important than books and computers. No matter how much you talk to one, it's not going to respond to you, make you feel warm or safe or wanted. You can't look at a book and wonder what it's thinking."
"You're too much the romantic."
Seiya crossed her arms, taking a semi-defensive stance. "And you're too distant."
Taiki dropped her eyes, looking at the ground. Seiya fell back into her seat.
"I'm sorry, I've offended you too…" She frowned with regret. Why did everything have to come out wrong? Taiki looked up, startled.
"No Seiya, you're right. I am too distant. I wish that I could be just like you, that I could go up to someone I'd never met and make friends. I wish that it was me who was begged by half the school to join their juuball game. You're brave and wonderful—everyone loves you for that." She reached across the table and gently took Seiya's hand. "Don't listen to a girl who's too afraid to say what she means." She stood and walked over to Seiya, then bent over her friend and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't give up," she said quietly and solemnly, then walked away.
Seiya was stunned for a second before she leapt up out of her chair so quickly that she knocked it over. "I won't! For you Taiki, I'll never give up!"
Taiki waved without turning and disappeared into the lunch crowd. Seiya was filled with a new determination.
Now all she needed was a plan.
Seiya spent the entire day brainstorming about how to win the girl over. She even sat down to discuss the matter with Aje, who was more than happy to go over all of the different manners of courting and seduction that he had used over his long history as a playboy. Yet nothing he said seemed appropriate for Yaten (half of it wasn't appropriate at all), and so Seiya was left worrying that she might fail before she even got started.
The answer to Seiya's prayers came to her unexpectedly two days later in her biology class. The teacher was discussing local anti-histamine plants when suddenly she clapped her hands together. "I have a wonderful idea! Everyone, how would you like to take a field trip?" Several people cheered and made favoring comments, much to the delight of the small woman. "Great! Tomorrow we'll meet outside at the greenhouse C on the north-eastern wing of the campus. Dress for hiking, and be prepared with a lunch and canteen. Oh, and you'll need a partner."
No sooner had she finished her sentence than Seiya was surrounded. "Seiya, let's be partners!" "Hey Seiya, you wanna pair up?" "Seiya, you promised me last time…"
Seiya noticed that the one person who wasn't rushing to hook up with her was Yaten. The platinum-haired girl was staring dismally ahead, apparently ignorant to the storm that was brewing next to her. The crowd slowly quieted as they realized Seiya wasn't responding to them. This seemed to get Yaten's attention, and she turned her head to see Seiya staring at her. She flinched visibly under her gaze but before she could break it, Seiya stood and the crowd parted. From the looks on their faces Yaten hadn't been the only one who was surprised.
Seiya smiled and said with charm and arrogance, "Yaten will be my partner."
"Her?!" someone choked out in astonishment, voicing the thoughts of the entire class.
To the shock of everyone—Seiya included—the girl stood abruptly, so close that the taller girl actually had to back up into her chair. She leaned forward, hands clenched into fists at her side. "Yaten will not be your partner," she said with quiet defiance. Her voice shook with restraint. "Don't mistake me for another one of your brainless fans, and don't ever think that you can speak for me," she warned dangerously. Seiya's mouth dropped as Yaten picked up her things and headed for the door.
"Hey!" she called after her, and the girl stopped. The rest of the class looked between the two as the drama continued to unfold.
"Don't flatter yourself. I only asked you because I felt sorry for you. I knew no one else would ask you and I didn't want you to feel embarrassed."
Seiya waited for a sharp retort, but after a few seconds Yaten simply walked out of the room.
She sighed and sank back into her seat. No one else seemed to know what to say. The ending bell broke the silence and slowly people began to filter out of the room. At last all that was left were the dark haired girl and her teacher.
Mistress Karada seated herself in front of Seiya, with the desk in between them. She folded her hands on her lap, her face set with patience as she waited for her student to acknowledge her.
Finally Seiya looked up. "Why do you think she hates me?"
The woman smiled back gently. "I don't believe that she does. Is hatred what you see when you look at her face, in her eyes. Is it hatred or sorrow? Both can be so passionate, one is easily mistakable for the other."
"And you think she's just sad."
"More than sad, but if there is hate it is not directed towards you." Seiya perked up at this. The teacher obviously knew something she wasn't telling.
"Well she sure likes to take it out on me. And if not me, then who?"
Mistress Karada looked away, her gray eyes falling into shadow. "It is not in my nature to reveal another's secrets. Suffice to say, her transfer to this school was not under ordinary circumstances."
Seiya stood, her hands pressed firmly on the counter. The chair flew out from under her in the motion, causing the teacher to jolt. "Don't keep me guessing! I need to know."
The woman shook her head and gracefully rose from the seat, retracing her steps to the front of the classroom. "For your sake, Seiya, I think it's best if you forget about her."
In a fit, Seiya slammed her fist down. "Why does everyone think that leaving her alone is what's best? If you know something—"
"If you cared then you would consider how your pursuits are affecting the girl. Now, I'll see you at the greenhouse tomorrow morning. Make sure you're prepared."
And with that the conversation had ended. Seiya opened her mouth but realized it was useless. Feeling defeated, she collected her things and made her exit.