Author: Shuichu Sarahari

Editor: Shuichi Sumiyoshi

Story: Bestranged Love

Disclaimer: ( Shuichu: Do I really have to say it again?) ( Shuichi: Yes you lazy baka no baka!) ( Shuichu: Fine…) I don't own Hana-Kimi or am associated with the author… ( Shuichu: Happy?) (Shuichi: That wasn't so bad now was it?) ( Shuichu: Damare…)

Rating: M

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"Thanks a bunch, Mizuki. You're a real lifesaver to me. Just one thing left to say," Sano paused for a moment pondering weather he should speak his thoughts or not. "don't ever let me see you and Nakatsu together again. I won't lose you to a gay man like him! He still likes girls! He still can't accept that he's chosen a boy! He isn't worthy of you!" Sano seemed a bit insane as if he couldn't hold himself back.

"Izumi Sano! Contain yourself; you're acting like a spoiled girlfriend! God Damnit, Sano! I can easily ask for a transfer to another dorm mate or a new dorm! If you don't want to lose me, then stop acting like this!" Sano was dumbfounded at her last statement. He had never seen her stand up for herself. It was always him that she stood up for.

"I have said this about 100 times more than usual this year, but I'll say it again. I am truly sorry for acting like this… I really am not worth your time." He looked at the ground and walked to the other end of the room. He opened the door and casually walked out with an arrogant kind of stride.

Sano-kun, I don't know what's wrong with you, but please stop it! You're totally freaking me out!

The next morning, Sano was in his bed as if he had never left. Just as Mizuki was about to leave, he stopped her.

"Mizuki, I think it's time for me to tell you why I have been acting like this. There is something I MUST tell you." Sano looked as serious as he did last night except for now there was a burning fire in his eyes that was pressing him on.

"But, Sano, we'll be late for our classes, and the sensei will not be happy with us. I mean he is already mad at us for how late we are now; do you really want to make him even madder?" Mizuki was still rubbing her eyes and blinking away the sleep. Her cute body was swaying back and forth trying to keep her consciousness.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, a loud bang arose from the far campus, startling both room mates. Mizuki, already tired and wobbly, fell over from the sudden commotion. Sano on the other hand simply looked stunned.

"What was that?" Mizuki chirped from the ground. Her eyes were twinkling on her face as she stared up to the world. She palmed the ground as she pushed herself back onto her feet, blinking a few specks out of her eyes.

"Dunno, Mizuki, let's get going though." He turned around looking preoccupied like something was bothering him in an eternal struggle between life and death. His face expression was a puzzling one that changed from a frown to a grin and back again in an instant.

"Didn't you want to tell me something Sano-kun?" Mizuki was bobbling along beside her room mate; her head barely reaching his shoulders. She stumbled for a second as she tripped over her shoelace which she forgot to tie after the loud bang. Sano's veined muscular arm shot out to catch her fall. "T-thanks…"

"Don't mention it, Mizuki. Just be careful to your shoelace next time." This was a time when his smile was genuine. His warm eyes seemed to cheer her up as her harsher firmed up expression melted away in his presence. His arm slowly let go of her abdomen as she stepped forward into the clearing to see what was with the commotion.

"Gah! Sorry about that guys! We were testing out a bit of new equipment and it kind of… you know? Exploded?" Nakao seemed a little flustered as he spoke, looking this way and that from his friends' startled faces to the mess of burnt grass ahead of them. "Really sorry… umm… Just go on to your classes; I'll be with you shortly."

Sano and Mizuki shuffled forward into the main school building for the last ten or so minutes of breakfast for a fast snack. The wolfed down a couple bowls of rice and started towards the door only to be stopped by Nakatsu. His hair was once again in the floppy mess it was in the mornings (he took about an hour to fix it once he woke up).

"Hey! Ohio! Kinda overslept if you guys can't tell. My hair is going to be a mess today… damn…" Even with his hair in a total mess the guy's mood was never affected since the day he fought with his mom over being a professional soccer player. He still shivered and dreamt about it sometimes some of his dorm mates recalled.

"Ohio, Nakatsu." The two friends recited in unison. The three of them shuffled out of the hall into their respective classrooms. Sano and Mizuki took their usual seats near the back of class while Nakatsu took his seat right next to the teacher. It wasn't his first choice but it was the only way for the sensei to make sure he wouldn't fall asleep.

"Now class, today we will be," the teacher paused to sniff his nose. "we will be learning some of the more casual English terms. I'm sure that if you need help our own Ashiya Mizuki will be able to help you out." He turned his back to the class as he started to write down some of the terms on the blackboard. The chalk made a small screeching sound as it moved up, down, and sideways creating the strange shapes that made the English language.

"Sano, can you please spell the first word on the board please? It is pronounced 'pickle'."

"Erm… pi-ai-shi-kei-eru-i?" Sano's English had greatly improved since he had been practicing with Mizuki.

(Shuichu: Once again, I am using katakana reference to how to spell words.)

"Impressive, Sano, you really have improved your spelling. Now will you kindly use it in a sentence?" A smirk crossed the sensei's face as he asked his final question. He knew that Sano didn't know enough English to use 'pickle' in a sentence.

"Tsukemonoki wa ao no desu." Sano set out this sentence with precision of a pro such as Mizuki.

(Shuihcu: Tsukemonoki wa ao no desu translates to: A pickle is green.)

"Um…" The sensei stammered a bit, not knowing what to say. Sano never could have answered that question before. "Very good, Sano… Nakatsu… Please spell the second word on the board. It's pronounced 'ugly'."

"Erm… Next question? Pass? Skip?" Nakatsu was stalling for time as the sensei impatiently awaited his answer. His foot started tapping on the floor as he bore his eyes into Nakatsu's skull. "Gah! I give up sensei!"

"I expected nothing more from you Shuichi… It is spelled yu-ji-eru-wai." With that, he put on a satisfied smirk on his face as he saw at least one of his students succumb to his English questions. "Tomorrow is your first grading period test! You will be tested on fifty English words. You must know how to spell them and how to use them in a sentence. Anyone who cannot answer these questions will fail and be flunked out of Osaka High School."

A gasp broke out from his attentive audience as he finished his remark. About ten mouths dropped from their heads as the figured out that they would be sent home if they were to fail their teacher's test. Some of the heads slammed into their desks in exasperation; cries of pain springing out all over the place.

"Mizuki, I know we are on sorta thin ice right now, but I really need you to tutor me for the teacher's final test. I don't want to leave Osaka, and my mom already wants me to come home. I cannot fail this! Please, Mizuki, help me!" Nakatsu dropped to his knees as he begged for her help. He knew that he was sort of taking advantage of her because she couldn't say no to anyone, but he really needed the help.

"Erm… Well, the thing is, Sano sorta told me to stay away from you after what happened in the cafeteria. I really want to help you, but I'm also kinda iffy whether I should help you or not. I don't want you to have to go home, but I don't want a repeat… of that incident." She looked at the floor as she spoke, not being able to look Nakatsu straight in the eye. Her thumbs twiddled around as she made flustered gestures.

"Mizuki, are you going to let something one person told you affect our friendship? I really need your help here!" By this time, he was holding her against the wall shoving his face into hers. He felt her cringe under his crushing grip, but he pretended not to care.

"Ouch, Nakatsu. Stop that! That hurts. Do you even want me to help you? Maybe I should just listen to Sano and not help you!" These words stung him worse than a pissed off bee. The dropped her immediately and walked away. He knew the way she worked, having known her for about three years. If he walked away she would sympathize him and accept to help him, only it didn't come.

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What will happen to Nakatsu Shuichi during the sensei's final test? Stay tuned to find out in the next chapter of Bestranged Love! Glad you guy's are such an attentive audience, but if I don't have at least 15 reviews (I have 12 right now) after I post this chapter I swear I won't update again! Got that?

Arigato Gozaimasu

Shuichu Sarahari

P.S. Huge author's note here people. I have only just finished reading the entire Hana-Kimi manga, so I just now learned that there are only 3 years in their high school... I feel really stupid but no way to change it now... I'd have to start this story over entirely. Don't wanna do that, so please forgive me.