After the initial disturbance had died down, Sakaki hung back and allowed Yomi to enter, before finally stepping into the room herself. The first one to arrive, but the last to enter. She glanced around at the room, everyone having already claimed a desk. She saw one at the front, isolated, alone but decided against it. Her head slowly turned and she spotted the empty desk next to one of the windows. It was second from back, the final desk of that row empty. She slowly moved across to it and carefully pulled out the chair, careful not to make much noise. Slowly she sat down, and spotted a girl sitting in front of her. She'd found a place to sit, and she wasn't alone either. She was on the outskirts of the class, but at least she wasn't alone.
As the teacher stood up and walked towards the board, a relative silence fell over the room, Sakaki slowly opening her bag, painstakingly unzipping it, not a sound being made. She reached into it and slowly pulled out the neatly arranged pencil case, labels having only just been removed. She gently placed it on the ground and slid the bag under her desk with a leg.
The teacher looked towards the class and cleared his throat. Tomo, who had been busy talking to Yomi (having not noticed she'd given up listening) was the last to stop talking. The man adjusted his designer glasses and then turned and quickly wrote on the board. He turned back, his name written upon the board.
"Hello class, my name is Mr Kimura. I've been a teacher for oh, about five years now" said the man. "And I have a very important message."
"What is it?!" asked Tomo calling out.
"All of you happen to be a very special class. That is because you are my last class at this particular school. Next year I'm moving on to a high school to teach there. That ought to be fun. Very fun." He adjusted his glasses and looked away for a moment. "I just hope I can handle it, and not have a breakdown or anything."
"Cool! Does that mean you'll allow us to get away with stuff, since you won't have to worry about us next year?" asked Tomo.
"Erm…no" said Kimura. "That wouldn't really work" he added.
"Oh" said Tomo, looking down at her desk, disappointed. "Couldn't we give it a try anyway?"
Sakaki glanced over at the girl and noticed that Yomi appeared to be resisting the urge to throttle Tomo for acting like that on the very first day of class at a new school. Tomo appeared completely oblivious, instead more focused on the disappointment that it would appear she wouldn't be able to get away with lots of stuff this year.
"This school's no fun" muttered Tomo to herself.
"Huh?" asked Kimura, slowly moving his glasses. "Anyway, welcome to my class. I will be teaching you classical Japanese this year, and this is your homeroom for the next year. You're lucky" he said, smiling, "We teachers have to move around, not you."
Sakaki supposed that meant there weren't many rooms to have to worry about- she had found her way here, she could do that easily. But what about sports, and assembly's and…no, no she mustn't let herself worry about that now, she'd only just arrived. She could worry about that later, when the time came… She looked down at her desk, feeling slightly worried. She had noticed how large the school was when she had first arrived. She suspected it would be very easy to get lost…and she might not have anyone to turn to for help…at least the teacher seemed kind. And she guessed if it was really bad she could turn to Yomi for help- she seemed kind, and mature for her age.
She doubted Yomi would be the type to bully. No she didn't seem to be that type of person…the other girl Tomo, she wasn't too sure. She seemed kind enough, energetic, but Sakaki knew from experience that people weren't all that they appeared. Seemingly kind people could very easily turn against you. And despite her nervousness, people at her old school had seen her as cold, uncaring…disinterested in people.
She tried hard…she really tried hard to overcome her shyness. She just found it difficult to open up to people, to reveal herself to them- she wasn't sure if she could trust them, or if they'd like her. And people might make fun of her- she was twelve now, she shouldn't be interested in cute things, everyone else had probably grown out of that by now. But she knew, that by not showing off her emotions, or her true feelings, she wouldn't leave herself open to attack. She felt stupid- no one else seemed to worry about that. But she just…she just found it difficult to laugh when something was funny, difficult to smile when she was happy…not that she didn't want to, she just found it hard…to do so.
It would be nice to have a friend though…she didn't care about having many, just one good friend would be something wonderful. She felt pathetic in herself. Here she was, aiming and hoping for one possible friend. But she doubted she'd be able to set her sights much higher then that…after all, who'd ever like her?
"Kaori?" asked Kimura having started the register. "Is there a Kaori here?"
"Here sensei" called out a girl sticking up her hand.
One month earlier…
"So Mr Kimura, you're interested in getting a job here?" asked the principal as they walked along the playground. "It'll be good to have a family man around, quite a few of the staff here are single. Gives me someone to share the pain with" he joked. Kimura laughed faintly.
"Yes sir, I think I could offer something to the school. I've always wanted to be a high school teacher" said Kimura.
"Why?" asked the man.
"Oh…I have my reasons" said Kimura. "And this certainly seems to be a wonderful school."
"Oh yes" said the principal. "We pride ourselves on offering excellent teaching, and excellent facilities- both educational and sporting. Why over there is our swimming pool."
"I see" said Kimura, his head slowly turning as he heard the splashing and laughing of girls. From distance he peered through the gate at the pool. High school girls…
"Mr Kimura, do you want to see the staff facilities?"
Kimura slowly turned away and sighed. "I guess so."
"Good good, come this way."
Kimura gave one last look at the pool. One day I'll get to see that pool every work day... Kimura's closed mouth formed a grin.
Author's note: Shortly after posting the first part of this story I realized the slight stupidity of naming something set in the past as a "New Adventure". Whoops.
