A/N: Don't own.

"It's very kind of you to welcome us into your home." Kotoko straightened from her bow and managed a smile for the wife of her father's friend; that person was currently clasping hands in front of her and bobbing up and down on her tiptoes. "I hope that Otosan and I do not put you out too much."

"Not at all! What a bunch of nonsense that is! Oh, my dear Kotoko-chan–I can call you that, can't I?–it will be so delightful to have another female in the household."

"I believe you have two sons, Irie-sama?" She flicked her eyes in the direction from which several boxes of her belongings had disappeared.

"No! No! Not Irie-sama, that does not please me at all! How about…Okasan?"

"Mother?" Kotoko shook her head, despite the woman's eager look. "I would feel as if I were encroaching upon another's territory. I am not able to use that name."

"Oh, pooh!" Mrs. Irie's bottom lip protruded for a moment, then her face cleared. "I know! How about Obasan?"

"Aunt? Perhaps," she admitted, "but only if it is Obasama."

"So formal," she huffed. "Very well. Now, turn around and let me see all of you!"

As she silently obeyed, she shot an aggrieved glance in her father's direction. Unfortunately, he was so engrossed in his conversation with Mr. Irie that he did not notice.

"Aye-yai-yai! Kotoko-chan," she squealed, "your hair is so short!"

"Um," she shifted her weight, "there was an accident with chewing gum." At the resulting scandalized gasp, she quickly added, "It was not mine. Someone in class got careless."

"I heard about that." A tall young man leaned against the doorway.

"Onii-chan!" Mrs. Irie gasped in delight. "You know dear Kotoko-chan already?"

Both teenagers shook their heads. "No, Ma, but apparently the damage was bad enough that the news even reached us at the other end of the hall." He nodded his head in the girl's direction. "Irie Naoki."

"Aihara Kotoko," she responded. "I am sorry that your class was disturbed."

"Other end of the hall, Onii-chan?" A smaller version of Naoki appeared. "Does that mean that she's on the dumb end of the building?"

His brother's muttered "Yu-u-u-uki," was drowned by their mother's cries. "Yuuki-kun, how dare you so insult dear Kotoko-chan? She is a guest here and should be treated as your onee-chan."

"Um-m-m," Kotoko searched for a response to her promotion to sister.

"You only joined Tonan this year, didn't you?" Naoki asked.

"Yes," she replied. "I used to live with my mother's family in Kochi prefecture. The schools there," her mouth twisted, "are apparently much more inferior than I believed."

"But she will catch up," Mr. Aihara put in. "She knows what will be the result of poor grades."

"Nonsense, I am sure that this dear child will do quite well. She has likely had a rough adjustment, what with the hair and all." She smoothed it. "Of course, it does suit you. Makes you look like a pixie."

Kotoko shrugged. "Well, that is the cut the hairdresser gave me. Pardon me if I am rude, but I would like to get settled in my room."

"We'll show you the way," Naoki spoke up with a half-grin. "Won't we, Yuuki?"

"Yeah," he sniffed, "since it is my old room that she is taking."

"I am so sorry," she bowed, "I did not know."

"Why, it is of no bother at all, Kotoko-chan." Mrs. Irie joined the trio heading up the stairs. "And for my sake, I am delighted that you could join us here. After all, this gave me a wonderful opportunity to redecorate."

"And redecorate she did." Naoki grinned as he opened the last door. "Voila!"

"Er," she said, looking around wide-eyed, "it is very…pink."

"Yes, my dear! I think it came out lovely." Mrs. Irie danced into the room, adjusting the fall of the curtains and straightening a doily. "My two boys are so boring. It is either tan or blue or green. Never a color so happy as pink."

"Happy," she murmured then took a deep breath. "I thank you most sincerely Irie-sa—Obasama. I will endeavor to keep it as perfect as it is."

"Isn't it, though?" The matron sighed. At the sound of her husband calling for her, she quickly hugged and kissed the girl. "Now I must see what Papa wants. That man! If I wasn't around, I don't know how he would survive. Coming, dear!"

There were a few moments of silence before Kotoko shrugged and opened a suitcase. "Is your mother normally so lively?"

Both boys laughed before Naoki answered, "That was fairly muted for her. She is always on a high or low, but luckily it is mostly highs."

"I will keep that in mind." She stowed away several tops then glanced at the boys. "Are you going to stay while I continue to unpack?"

"Sure," Yuuki said before being dragged out of the room by his brother.

"Pardon us." Naoki bowed and closed the door behind them.

"What was that for, Onii-chan?" Yuuki frowned. "I like her."

"Yes," he said drily, "but do you like her enough to help stow her underwear?"

"Erk! Thanks, then." He stared at the door. "How long do you think it'll take her?"

"Let's leave her alone the first night." Naoki guided him to their now-shared bedroom. "You will have plenty of time to get to know her."

"Say, Aihara," Satomi leaned forward in her chair, "did everything work out with your temporary move?"

"Oh, yes," Kotoko turned and gave her a smile, "the family seems nice, and, of course, Otosan is happy to catch up with his old school friend."

"So, is it just a married couple or do they have kids?" Jinko asked.

"They have two sons. One is in elementary school, and the older one attends here."

"Really? Is it someone we know?"

"The family name is Irie, and his name is Nori? Natsu? No, those aren't right, but I know it begins with 'N'."

"Aihara!" Jinko gasped, pounding her chest with one fist. "Are you telling us that you are living with Irie Naoki?"

"Yes!" She snapped her fingers. "Naoki! That's it. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with her." Satomi smacked her friend on the back of the head. "It's just, well, Irie-kun is practically a legend here."

Kotoko raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"He's known as the Genius of Tonan High."

"They say he has an IQ of 200."

"He is an absolute dreamboat but wants nothing to do with girls."

"I've heard that several girls tried to confess to him, and he cut them off before they even finished."

"Well," Kotoko's brow furrowed, "maybe it's not girls that he's interested in."

"Nah," Jinko waved off the suggestion, "it's more like he's a demigod and doesn't want to consort with us mortals."

"Especially those of us in the lower class levels."

"Class levels?" Kotoko asked, recalling a comment from Yuuki the night before. "Do you mean that the letter designations mean more than just the location of the classroom?"

"No one told you? Class A has the best and brightest, Class B has lots of smart kids, and, well, Class F is known as the Drop-out Class."

"What?!" she exclaimed, offended. "Well, I am certainly not going to drop out. My father will not allow it."

"Ah, don't worry, it's not a requirement. It's just that the best teachers want to teach Class A or B, and we get the leftovers. Even though any student here could get into Tonan University if they pass their senior finals with a high enough score, I don't know if anyone in Class F has ever made it."

"My two older brothers went here, and I can tell you that no one did while they were in school."

Kotoko was appalled. "Don't the teachers care?"

"Well," Satomi shrugged, "they've mostly given up on us. Shoot, most of us have given up on us."

"But you won't have to worry," Jinko said, "because you're living with Irie-kun. I'm sure he'll help you make the grades."

"Irie?" Kinnosuke popped over. "Who's talking about that arrogant egghead?"

"Leave off, Kin-chan." Satomi tried to shove him away then leaned over and confided to Kotoko, "He's had his nose bent out of shape ever since Irie-kun beat him in the 100-meter race at the Fall Sports Festival our freshman year."

"Oh? He's an athlete?"

"Athlete, schmathlete," Kinnosuke scoffed. "He plays tennis. What a wimpy sport."

"I don't know," Kotoko argued. "There's a lot of running and accuracy involved with that game. What sport do you play, Ikezawa?"

"Kin-chan," he said, "I thought I told you to call me Kin-chan."

"And she told you that she wasn't interested." Jinko shoved him away. "This braying donkey doesn't do any extracurriculars, unless you count eating and watching movies."

"Hey!"

"Now, scram," Satomi ordered. "This is girl talk over here."

"Don't you be talking about that Irie," he ordered. "The guy's bad news. And remember, I called dibs on you first."

Kotoko covered her eyes with her hands as the other girls commanded the boy's two friends to drag him back to his seat. "Why does he think I'll want to waste my time with him? I have plenty of things to occupy me."

"Don't worry about him." Jinko patted her back gently. "We'll keep him out of your hair."

"Well," Satomi added dubiously, "what's left of it, that is."