Chapter 11 – Enemies, Fre-nemies and just plain backstabbers
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A/N – first up I'm so so so sorry it's been so long since I updated, my mum and dad made us go camping, which was NOT fun. And then when I got back I had heaps of school work to catch up on because quote from my mother 'I don't care, you can't let your grades drop!' so I finally caught up and am ahead, then wrote for 2 days straight to get the chapter up. It won't happen again at least I don't think it will.
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There was the normal questions, of what school we came from, do I have a boyfriend, is Koko also single, are we boarding or commuting, who is our favourite idol and what are our grade averages. But then a question I wasn't suspecting crept up.
"Ne, are you the Sakura's that we read about last week, you know the ones whose parents died, and are now minted?" a boy with short black spikey hair and slanted eyes shouted from his seat. I looked down pretending to be upset, but really I felt relieved, looks like my uncle has done a good job.
Koko grabbed my arm, and pulled me over to the seats sensei had assigned us, we had discussed this, whenever anybody mentioned our parents I would feign depression, and Koko would take on the role of the protective big brother and get angry at whoever upset me, effectively shutting down any and all queries. And making us seem mysterious, which should entice people to approach us to reveal our secrets aka an easy root into the class, I figure if Ichigo Sakura slowly reveals her personality to those close to her they will want to gain her trust, thus telling her secrets they normally wouldn't share with a stranger. And with a hostile brother who won't accept anyone but his sister, the boys will try to get his recognition.
"Mochu, you can't ask something like that" a girl with long curly pink hair shouted from her seat.
"Yeah, how would you like it if you just arrived in an unknown place and someone started asking such personnel questions?" another reprimanded him, she was right next to the girl with pink hair, and although she had straight navy blue hair and looked complete different I could swear she was the pink haired girls sister. Anna Umenomiya and Nonoko Ogasawara, I nodded to myself, I remembered there files well, both seem to attract a lot of attention for their ages, it's said that Nonoko is a genius Chemist, and is already helping pharmaceutical companies in the development of new drugs, whereas Anna is a master chief, and has a line of high class teashops dotted around japan under her control.
Did I mention this school isn't just for the rich, sure if you have money it's easy to get in, but most of the students are training to be CEO's of major corporations. Yes they maybe family run businesses and some don't care about grades, but everyone here is looking for future allies or enemies.
"Hey it was a fair question, we don't know anything about them, and whether or not there parents are dead is something I would like to know, and preferably I'd like to find out how they died as well." Another boy that looked shocking similar to Koko spoke up from his seat. This one must be Kitsuneme. I turned to Koko, to find he was lying on the desk pretending to be sleeping, so I nudged him, and whispered.
"Koko, make them stop, at this rate we might have to reveal more than we need to." He slowly sat up and stretched.
"Hey, I'm sleeping so be quite. Shouldn't you be learning or something." He barely shouted but the whole class listened. It went dead silent, so he gave a brief nod, and pretended to go back to sleep.
"Um... Sorry about my brother" I looked away quickly pretending to be shy of their stares.
"B… But, he is right… about the learning part… where did Narumi-sensei go?" I continue to change the subject.
This time a boy with big thick glasses answered me. "Well since transfer students are rare, Narumi-sensei allows for a free period, this way everyone gets to know each other." Yuu Tobita class representative, perfect student, his grades are some of the best and he could probably transfer into a higher year group, I wonder why he stays.
"That seems like a really fun idea, well you already know, a little bit about myself and Koko, but we don't even know your names." I let lose my best smile and waited for them to answer.
The boys of the class immediately started shouting out there names, Mochu and Kitsuneme included. Koko sitting up and glaring silenced them though. By this time those girls and glasses had slid from their seats and reached our table.
"Hello Sakura-san I'm Nonoko Ogasawara and this is Anna Umenomiya, but just call us Anna and Nonoko. If you need any help you can count on us… that includes your brother." I smiled at them.
"Nonoko, I'm the class rep, helping them is meant to be MY job" specs chimed in, Nonoko's smile almost turned evil.
"Hai, hai Iinchou. Sakura-san this is Yuu Tobita, he is super smart and well behaved so he is our class representative so just call him Iinchou, And speaking of you Iinchou if you want to help that much, we will give you Kokoro." Specs, or Iinchou as I have been told to call him gulped and glanced at Koko nervously, I decided to save him.
"It's okay, I can pass on the information to my brother, and please call me Ichigo" I tagged on my first name as an afterthought after all I'm not meant to be the unfriendly one. Thinking about it out of all the names that have been mentioned to me, I haven't found the Koizumi brat. If she isn't here, like she is meant to be then this whole endeavour has been pointless.
"Ne, Iinchou are there any other students in our class…" I turned on a cute face and stared at him.
"Arh, well let's see there is Ruka-kun, but he was called to the stables before school as the horses were spooked by that weird cat that lives in the woods nearby, and then of cause there is Koizumi-san and Shoda-san. They normally don't bother with classes since Koizumi-san's father owns the school." He frowned.
"It's not fair Luna does whatever she fills like and poor Sumari has to listen otherwise she threatens her." Anna huffed, surprising me since she hasn't said anything so far.
"Um, I see I take it that means I shouldn't get involved with this Koizumi person." I didn't expect an answer, and didn't really get one, only Nonoko's mumble of 'if only it were that easy' so it seems that Luna is hated just like her father, good that will make this a little bit easier.
"Ichigo, you're new to Tokyo right?" Anna was speaking again, after I nodded she continued. "Well after your parents… I mean since you just moved here, you don't know your way around yet and you probably didn't bring many personnel item, so I was wondering if you would like to come to central town with us after school, there's going to be quite a few of us so you can make more friends… that includes you Koko."
CHANCE!
"Really you want us to come… but why?" I stared up at Anna and Nonoko, searching for their reason.
"Simple it's because we are friends" the girls replied in unison, it can't be that easy, there must be some sort of plot behind this, but after close examination I can see no visible signs of lies, their eyes aren't flickering, their breathing is slow and even, and there isn't a drop of perspiration to be seen, these girls really want to be my friend… just like that, no test, no background checks it's really just shopping, wow normal kids have it easy!
"Friends… Koko I want to go, can we go." I turned to him with pleading eyes and I wasn't even acting.
"Whatever, if you go then I will come, I'm not going to leave you with a bunch of idiot strangers." Although he was speaking to me he was glaring at them. I squeaked and again it was real, surprisingly. To think that normal girls can make friends so easily. No I can't think that way; making them my friends would put them in too much danger. But I can use them for information.
After that the rest of the free period went without any unforeseen complications, I just got to know Anna and Nonoko, the next class was about to start when a blonde haired blue eyed boy walked in, I remembered from his file that Ruka Nogi is only half Japanese, hence his looks, but there was still no sign of Luna and her accomplice.
Now this period is maths, and Nonoko happened to mention the teacher is an ass, that likes to pick on people, lucky I'm good at maths, and now I even get to show it, unlike when I was living with Reo and if I dared get higher that a C+ I thought he might discover just how smart I am, but no longer am I the class clown, and as long as Koko keeps his mouth shut he'll be fine too. Sure he is smarter than most but he has a tendency to piss teachers off because their reactions make him laugh. But we get to be smart now in fact we HAVE to be it would look suspicious if we weren't.
Nonoko and Anna had both rushed for their seats when the door opened, and Ruka walked in, so evidently this Jinno person has got them scared, only when he can scare me will I be impressed.
Moments after Ruka had sat down the door reopened and in came the dreaded Jinno-sensei, he was average build and height with slick black hair, and a face with an expression like he was trying to be Yakuza (what us Japanese mafia are known as to the general public) god he looked ridiculous, to me he looked more constipated than daunting, hell maybe he was, the most threating thing about him was the little stick he is carrying around… I don't get it is he trying to be a gangster or a wizard?
I looked to Koko for answers only to see him with his head on the desk pretending to be asleep and grinning, damn it when I get home I'm going to get his head checked out, humans are not meant to be able to hear thoughts, maybe he is some weird form of alien lava. He opened one of his eyes rolled it then closed it again. I huffed and turned my attention back to class. Jinno-sensei had started writing equations on the board, equations that were wrong I might add, glancing around I noticed that nearly everyone was diligently writing down notes, must be a class of idiots, god if Hotaru was here I would fear for their safety.
Thinking about Hotaru makes my heart hurt after all she thinks I'm dead. I'm such a terrible friend, I don't deserve friends!
"Miss. Sakura, Miss Sakura" oh that's me.
"Yes Sir" I looked back to the front only to find Jinno-sensei staring at me with the vein in his forehead looking disturbingly big.
"I asked you, why you and your brother think its ok not to write notes in my class, and further more is he asleep." That veins getting bigger.
"It appears that he is sir, and as for why I'm not writing note, well its simple; it would be pointless writing down incorrect information, I can only imagine that my brother feels the same way, and has decided that learning from you would be a waste of time. Time better spent sleeping." There was no emotion in my voice nothing to hint how I feel; it was almost like I was reciting information from the encyclopaedia.
"Really well if you think you can teach this lesson be my guess." The vein was starting to recede and a thin smile formed to replace it.
"Gladly" momentary shock crossed his face, so he expected me to back down. Instead I stood and walked towards him.
"Sir, I'm going to need your marker" I stated holding my hand out for the white board pen. Turning towards the class I spoke in the same emotionless voice. Hotaru would be so proud.
"Unfortunately, you have been asked to find the roots of and equation that has no roots, it's a simple mistake to make and can quickly be checked or corrected by using b2-4ac. That will prove that there aren't any roots, I think sir meant to write these two numbers the other way round, and this plus as a minus now it can be solved". Am I right sir?" whoops I brought the vein back.
"You insolent rude brat, how dare you be so cocky in my class, I will lash you and show you your place. Your nothing but a child" he stormed towards me with his stick raised, so that's what it's for. It isn't surprising that a high classed private school like this still uses corporate punishment no wonder all of these sheltered rich kids are nervous around him, I was going to dodge when I noticed Koko had moved.
Within seconds he was standing in front of me with the stick clenched in his hand, his thumb pointed up towards its tip.
"Nobody touches or threatens my little sister; you were the one who was wrong deal with it." His voice also took an emotionless tone no doubt following my lead, with that said he flexed his thumb and pushed it up against the pointer snapping the thin piece of wood.
"Ichigo, why don't you go sit back down." He turned to me, a hidden warming in his eyes. But his speech held much more warmth, I had noticed of cause, the moment he moved to that I was going to break character, so instead of arguing or helping him, I nodded and pretended I didn't notice he was facing off against the teacher.
"Ok big brother, sorry that I woke you up." I used my sweetest voice on him, so he smiled back. And I took that as my queue to go and sit back down. From our seat I saw Koko whisper a few choice words before tossing the broken stick back at Jinno-sensei and walked up to take his seat beside me, I wanted to ask what he said but left it alone, there were to many people looking at us, he ignored all of their stares and laid his head back on the desk, I gave a weak smile before turning to look away.
Jinno left us alone and continued with his lesson after that. I wonder how they're going to react to us now, a couple of genius with personalities on the complete opposite sides of the scale yet in some ways so similar it's scary.
Well at least I can say that I'm not going to have any more problems in the maths classes… nor is Koko for that matter. Only problem now is how I'm going to explain that to the people that asked me to go shopping with them.
(A/N – this is the first time I've written at the bottom of the story, but I just wanted to say I know Koko isn't acting at all like Koko, but I really wanted to make him look cool for once, I mean he is always left as the dopey friend, but I figured for once I could make him cool enough to have his OWN fan club – and once again I really am sorry)