Author's Note: So here's chapter one. We get to really meet our two main characters. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

There is an annoying first-year staring at me.

She is crouched down before me, fidgeting, and what's worse? She won't shut up. Her eyes are wide as she stares at me, and even though I've been continually ignoring her for what must be nearly five minutes, she hasn't left.

"W-what are you reading?" she asks for the I-don't-know-what-time-it-is-th time. "I read a lot of light novels myself, so there's a chance I've read it before."

I really couldn't care less.

"Do you come up here a lot?" she asks. "Do you read a lot? Are you a third-year? What's your name?"

Again: she won't shut up.

I flip to the next page, but then I have to return to the previous page when I realize I actually hadn't been reading it. Stupid girl. She's distracting me.

"I'm Kiyabu Tsukiko," she says. She may have already said that. I don't know. I don't particularly care, either. "I'm a first-year. Ah, I probably already said that. Um . . . Rakuzan is really nice, isn't it? It's a really fancy school. I was kind of surprised by how high-end it is."

I close my book with a snap and lay it down. Her expression lights up.

I say, "I'm attempting to read, thank you."

The smile on her face falters for a moment. "I-I'm sorry," she says. "I mean, I noticed that. And I didn't mean to interrupt you, but . . . I thought that maybe we could be friends. Since we both read light novels."

"Why would I want to be friends with you?"

She looks slightly taken aback. Then the smile appears again, like it never disappeared. "Are you a second-year?" she asks.

"Third-year," I say, before I can stop myself.

"Ah, so you're going to graduate next year? Do you know what college you're going to yet? Do you have any idea of what you want to do with your life?"

I stare at her. What a pain.

She glances down at the light novel in my lap, the cover now face-up, and her eyes light up. "I have read that one!" she says. "It's great, isn't it? You're about halfway through . . . so you haven't gotten to the really good part yet, but the characters are already really well-developed, yeah? The action scenes are written pretty well, too. Don't you think?"

I cock my head. "Mmm. Whatever." I pick it up once again, find my spot, and return to reading.

She doesn't leave, like I hoped she would, but continues to stare at me and the book. I sense her discomfort, though, because she continues to fidget. Maybe if I continue to ignore her, she'll become so uncomfortable that she'll eventually disappear.

I decide that will be my strategy from now on.

The problem is, our lunch period ends before she gets uncomfortable enough to leave, so we end up walking down together. Now that I've had to put my book down, she chatters cheerfully. She asks me for my name a few more times, and I don't answer. She also gives me her name a few more times, which I promptly make sure to forget.

Finally, we part ways, her going to the classroom hall for the first-years, while I head to the one for third-years. She waves good-bye to me. I ignore her, and by now, I don't think she's surprised by it.

The next day, I'm not really surprised either when she shows up on the roof during lunch with her very own bento.

"Hello, Senpai!" she says, waving with one hand, the other holding her bento. I hope she doesn't drop it, because it seriously looks like she might.

"Yeah, no need to reply," she says, her usual note of cheerfulness present. "I'm good with being ignored. I don't mind being ignored at all. I can be ignored all day."

My eyes read over two lines. I then have to re-read them because I can't comprehend anything I see when she's around.

"Hey, Senpai, do you even eat lunch when you're up here? If you're hungry, you can have some of mine. I have a lot of extra. Rice balls and sushi and some of this yummy-looking stuff . . ."

"Hey, Senpai. That's different light novel, yeah?" She twists her head upside down to view the cover. "You already finished the other one? How'd you like it? I don't think I've read this one . . . How is it so far? You're already really far! You must be a fast reader. I'm not too fast myself . . . about average, I'd say."

"Hey, Senpai, do you ever read manga or watch anime?"

"Hey, Senpai, are you ever going to tell me your name?"

"Hey, Senpai, are you in any clubs? A sports club, maybe? Perhaps you do swimming! Haha. No . . . maybe the literature club! That's probably it. Or perhaps you're more artsy? Calligraphy, maybe? I haven't joined a club yet . . . don't know if I'm going to."

"Hey, Senpai —"

I slam the book down with such force that she starts and drops her rice ball onto the ground.

"Hey, Senpai, look what you did!" she complains.

"Mayuzumi Chihiro," I say with as much calmness as I can muster.

"Huh?"

"My name is Mayuzumi Chihiro."

Her eyes widen. Then her grin appears and she says, "That's a great name! Mayuzumi-senpai! I love it."

"No, I do not eat lunch up here. I usually don't eat lunch here. Yes, this is a different light novel. Obviously. I'm a very fast reader. I read some manga, watch some anime. I am in a club, not that you need to know. Were those all of your questions? Because, seriously, I don't want to answer any more. And answering those were just to shut you up."

Her smile broadens even more, despite what I've just said.

"That's great!" she says. "How are you not starving? I'm always so hungry when lunch time comes around and when I get home! Will you really not tell me what club you're in? I'm really curious now."

"Doesn't matter."

"What club do you think I should join?"

"Don't care."

Despite my answers, her eyes are shining.

What is with this girl?

"What's your favorite subject?"

"Don't have one."

"What's your best subject?"

"Not worth knowing."

"What teacher is your least favorite?"

"The one who gets on my nerves."

"Do a lot of people get on your nerves?"

"Just the first-years with teal streaks in their hair."

She lets out a peal of laughter, and for a moment, I wonder if she's crazy. Did she even understand what I just said?

She says, "You're hilarious, Senpai. I mean . . . you're so refreshing."

Refreshing?

"Different than everybody else," she clarifies when she sees my face, which must look somewhat confused. "You don't put up with anything that you think is a waste of time. I kind of admire that, honestly. I wish I had the ability to say no to people."

"It's probably not as hard as you think."

"Maybe not," she says, looking thoughtful. "You should teach me a thing or two, though."

"Why should I?"

"Well, we're going to be friends, aren't we?"

"Who said?"

"You're talking to me. And friends talk to each other."

I'm about to reply, but then snap my mouth shut.

She laughs again and says, "It's hard to not talk to someone when they talk to you."

"You'd be surprised," I say. "I have superior abilities in the art of ignoring people." And being ignored . . . but that's not the point.

"I believe it," she says. "You pretty much ignored me the whole time yesterday! And most of today! I'm glad you're not ignoring me now, though."

"Who says I'm not?" I ask, snatching my book up and turning back to my spot.

"Mayuzumi-senpai," she says, and there's a note of amusement in her voice. "You really are kind of funny, you know? Are you trying to be tough or something? Are you tsundere or what?"

"Definitely not," I snap. "I just don't like to be bothered by anyone. And definitely not annoying people like you."

"You can whip insults out at me all you like. I'm used to it. And yours are hardly that bad."

I lean back, slightly disconcerted by her words. Despite myself, I find myself asking, "What do you mean?"

She cocks her head. "What is this? You're actually asking me a question? Now, then, would you like to know how it feels? For me to not answer you when you're curious about something?"

I scowl at her and she grins back.

"In truth, though," she says, and her expression darkens somewhat. ". . . I don't want to say."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. And I'm not just trying to parrot your own words back at you, though that would be ironic. But no, that's the truth. I'd rather not talk about it."

"Fair enough," I say, shrugging. "It's not like I care about you that much, anyway."

"Wow, thanks, Senpai. You're such a great friend."

"We're not friends."

"You've said. But you're still talking to me."

"I —"

"Don't worry, Senpai. I know I'm irresistible." She sends me what I suppose is supposed to be her best winning smile.

"No. You're just irritating."

"So mean, Senpai! So mean!"

"Rather, I like to think I'm honest."

"Honest can be another synonym for mean!"

"Whatever. Just let me read in peace."

"But we're having such a good conversation!"

"This is what you define as good?"

"Totally! It's deep and full of thoughts and, you know, I finally got your name! Mayuzumi-senpai!"

I send her a look and she actually shuts up for once.

It doesn't last for long, though.

"Actually, Senpai, I just looked up that light novel you're reading, and it turns out, I do know it. I've read the manga and the anime, they're just under a different name! Who knew, haha? Have you read the manga or watched the anime? What do you think of adaptations of light novels? Do you originally prefer the originals? Personally, I think it can go either way. Sometimes the original is better, and sometimes the adaptation can be surprisingly good."

She won't shut up.

I close my book, and her eyes light up at the prospect of me answering her questions. While that's what she assumes I'm going to do, I fully have the intention of whacking her alongside the head with the light novel.

But then I look at her.

Really look.

She looks like a typical first-year. Round-faced, her eyes large and innocent. Her skin is a bit pale. She's a little short, a bit petite. But most noticeable of all, of course, are the teal streaks in her black hair.

She's cute, I suppose, in a little-girlish way.

But that's not what makes me answer. More so, it's the look in her eyes.

It was a mistake to look at her, I realize.

Because her gaze is so . . . earnest. Innocent. Curious and happy. She's nothing like me, full of shadows and venom. Who am I to ruin her with my poison?

So I find myself opening my mouth and answering, "I have heard of the manga and anime, but I haven't really looked into either of them. I mean, I did just start the light novel. As for adaptations . . . I suppose you're right. They can go either be good or bad."

I can't believe I just said that. My cheeks color.

But the glow in her eyes as she responds, her hands motioning wildly, her face alit . . . it kind of makes it worth it.

A/N: All the lovely banter! This story will have a lot of that, haha. It was so fun to write. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! I'll try and post chapter two soon.

~ J. Dominique