A Premonition, probably...

Every moment is fleeting, in a similar fashion,impermanent.

To cherish and admire what is brief.

That is what cherry blossoms signify.

"Miss Kuga, we have arrived"

Material things, days and months, appearances, feelings, ability and skill, even the amount of hair on my head today as compared to yesterday, all of those things follow this general and natural rule.

"A boarding school, huh? He's really going out of his way just to get rid of me" I mused apathetically, scanning the surroundings with little interest.

"Please don't misunderstand, young miss, your admission here is by no means a product of personal feelings, simply, what sir believes is best" the family driver, Kaburagi, was a loyal man, I've learned long ago never to trust what he says.

Social relationships

If everything was as fleeting and as impermanent as these falling cherry blossoms, how come the fact that I am my father's daughter, and there for my uncle's niece never change?

"Whatever's for the best, right?" I tease with a fast fading smile.

"Yes, please do not forget"

..

..

"Something about running full truffle" Haruka huffed, her face, a curious mix of uncertainty and pure annoyance.

"Do you mean throttle, Haruka-chan? Her mousy friend quipped, already used to her verbal impairment.

Today was the opening ceremony. In Fuuka, It was only customary that in the distance that separated the high school building and the gym, idle chit chat and gossip were to be tossed and turned in the vacancy.

"That's what I said Yukino! Ughh! But never mind that, you think it's about the council elections? Think she's gonna run?"

Yukino could practically hear the apprehension drip, it wasn't best to poke at a sleeping tiger she thought.

"Hmm, probably, she's quite popular the last I checked, It would be an easy win!"

"THAT B*TCH!"

"What a foul mouthed tiger"

Yukino laughed, watching her friend rant on and on from a simple, baseless assumption.

"She's got a screw loose I'm telling you, this morning, after yelling all that self encouragement I heard her murmuring in the bathroom, she was grabbing names or something, anything starting with Na, It-"

"Ara, ara such a spicy conversation we're having aren't we? Mind if I join you?"

"Bu-bubuzuke!" Haruka sputtered.

Obviously, it was a conversation not meant for her to hear.

"Eavsdropping is rude I hope y-"

"Sure Fujino-san, to get you up to speed, right now we're discussing the probability of you being somewhat mentally ill"

It wasn't best to poke at a sleeping tiger, Yukino thought; but caution aside, no one goes to a zoo to watch animals sleep.

"Ara, ara, a theory by Dr Suzushiro I presume?"

"Tha-That's!-"

"Yes! And just before your arrival, she was listing the evidence, um... let's see..."

"YUKINO!"

"oh, you left off at 'anything with Na' Haruka"

Shizuru mused, the cogs clicking into place.

"Haruka-han, please refrain from listening in on me while I am using the bathroom. Such a perverted hobby is not fit for a lady, tsk tsk"

To this, Haruka said nothing; clearly busy trying to fight the blush away.

..

..

"NATSUKI!" It was a familiar voice. One I've already anticipated to hear before coming.

"MOTHER!" I exclaimed with the same amount of enthusiasm.

I turned to face her with a smile.

In an instant I was enveloped in a warm, familiar presence.

... A fuller presence I noted, I wasn't jealous... Stupid Mai...

"Jeez! Why didn't you tell me you were moving in today? I ran here half way through the opening ceremony, have you unpacked yet? The principal told me to come get you"

"Sorry, sorry, It's just... well... you know" I muttered.

Mai was my first and oldest friend, my best friend. It probably started when we were in kindergarten when she dropped her ice pop and I offered half of mine, I tried splitting it only to drop both.

We counted all the change in our pockets and bought one to share.

A silly memory I'll never admit remembering.

We'd always been together ever since, always that is, until she was admitted to Fuuka.

"Oh, yeah I read your letter...do you still?..." She trailed, unsure.

"Yeah, I guess I still do, but this is for the best"

I tried smiling to ease her a little; hopefully a convincing one.

"Don't grin like that! It looks like you've got PMS"

"SHUT UP!" I laughed throwing a pillow from my open suit case; she caught it before impact though and offered to help me get everything in place.

Apparently, Fuuka doesn't get a lot of transferees this late into the year, the principal, Mai tells me, was hoping I could introduce myself to everyone at the opening ceremony, and the faster I get things settled, the less of a scolding she gets.

I go by my own pace though, I told her...

..

..

"Tic, tock, tick, tock" A man in priest's robes mocked watching his hour glass empty over to the lower bulb.

"Only a matter of time now"

..

..

Na-ru...

There was still half an hour before the end of the opening ceremony, by this time; most of the student body's attentions have gone in all directions.

Na-mi...

Shizuru's was no exception.

She remembered dreaming, but couldn't recall it in detail.

Something so impressive perhaps, that she woke up with a start...

Like a premonition.

It was bugging her, and she knew that it would continue to bug her for the rest of the day until she figured one thing out.

There was a name...

She felt that was most important.

Na-ra...

Na-na...

Na-tsu..

Natsu? That was, to some extent, familiar...

Was it a dream about summer? Probably... but there was something else...

"Na..tsu.." She tested, hearing it spoken strung a chord in her, she was close...

"Natsuo?" she mused

"Natsumi?" It was a girl. Her heart was thudding, she was getting so very close.

"Natsu..."

"Na-na-na-NATSUKI KUGA!"

Her unfocused eyes dilated, her vision clearing after a moment.

It was at the right side of the stage, where she saw her.

She watched, a scene so completely familiar, it was like a strong case of dejavu

"I...It's a pleasure to meet you all, I hope we ge-get along" she stuttered, her rigid body language so telling of a nervousness Shizuru was sure she found cute another time ago.

"bow" the principal instructed.

"B-bow?" She asked in a confused whisper.

"Ah! Bow!" Natsuki vocalized, bending into a very deep bow.

"Na-tsu-kiiii" Mai exhaled, it wasn't lost on her how much Natsuki had an aversion with being the centre of attention. She had placed hope on the fact that Natsuki had grown a lot since the last time she stuttered and went rigid on stage.

It wasn't that unpleasant to see that her friend hasn't changed much though... it was actually quite a relief.

"Natsuki...Kuga... maybe it really was a foretelling dream" Shizuru muttered, her eyes never leaving the new student.

The girl tried to compose herself, tucking her silky black hair behind one ear, she tried to smile, it was a very awkward one.

Like a sudden flash of comprehension, Shizuru reminded herself of her new resolve.

This time, hesitating was not an option.

And "Ikezu!" that smile... was just too darn cute...

Author: I had always found a great deal of stress trying to read conversations between Haruka and Yukino, mostly because Yukino's character is a tad... um... plain and squeaky(?) probably? So I deliberately changed her into a devious little mouse, please don't hate me for it. Also, if my memory serves me right. Natsuki had always had stage fright in the few instances she was actually put out front and centre in the anime, I thought that part of her was interesting and before I knew it, turned it up by eleven... oh well! I'll try to keep the OCness to a minimal in the next chapter. Till then! To-ta-loo