Chapter 2

"So, this will be your classroom from now on. If you need anything, you can always ask me or report to the class officer. Your seat will be at the back of the class. I hope that isn't a problem, but, we don't normally get any transfer students at this time of year."

Even with the teacher talking, it feels like the only people are me and her. That girl, whose face I haven't seen, whose voice I haven't heard. And yet, I was attracted to her somehow.

I saw her head turn slightly as she looked at her desk. It was at the far corner in the very back, just beside the window.

"Near the window…"

"Oh, that's right. Where you come from, it was always rainy, wasn't it? Well, if you find yourself weak to the bright sunlight, just say the word and we'll figure something out."

"Yes."

I took a step forward, my hand reached up slowly to touch the girl's shoulder. I didn't know why, but I didn't speak up, even though I felt my lips shaking to relieve the choking sensation in my throat…

"Ah, Sayashi-kun!"

At that moment, the girl suddenly whipped her head back and looked at me.

After that, time seemed to stop in that moment. I was left staring at her in awe. I was amazed at her beauty, her face…

Again, I felt a tinge of pain. Pain that I only felt once before, but it went away so quickly, I could never figure out why. My eyes reflected off hers, both of us looking at each other for what seemed like countless hours. Her eyes… They were so dark, so deep… I could get lost in them forever…

"Pretty…" I finally found my voice.

Time started once again and a confused look appeared on her face. "Eh?"

"..Ah! Pretty! Y-your eyes! They're… Th-they're very pretty."

"Oh… Thank you."

"Um, just so you know, I wasn't creeping up on you. I just saw you and didn't know who you were, so I got curious and followed you. I-I'm not a bad person, it's just…"

"You don't know who I am?"

Eh? Wait, am I supposed to know?

"Riho!" I looked behind me and saw Ayumi, Sakura, and Nakanishi-kun had already caught up to me. "There you are. Why'd you run off?"

"Are? Who's this?" Ayumi said, pointing at the transfer student.

"Ah, sense you guys are already here, I'll introduce you. This is Wada Ayaka. She came here all the way from Europe and transferred to our school."

"Europe? No way, that's so cool!"

"Is that where Transylvania is?"

"Uh, I doubt that's where she's from, you scatterbrain."

"Don't get me started, hot head."

"Hot head?!" Ayumi's face turned bright red as Nakanishi-kun started laughing harder than ever, holding his stomach.

"Guys, can we not have ANOTHER argument, especially in front of a new student?"

"Fine~" They both harmonized as they crossed their arms.

I turned to Ayaka and smiled at her. I saw her cheeks blush a bit as she looked away from me shyly. Ah, that's so cute.

"So, Wada-san, that's pretty cool that you're from Europe." I said as I took her hands in mine, watching her eyes widen a bit. "I'm Riho. It's nice to meet you."

"Riho…"

"I sit…" I pulled her closer to the center of the room and sat down in my desk. Right in the middle, where I'm close enough to see the board and surrounded by everyone else. "Right here."

She stared at my desk for a long time before turning back to the teacher.

"Sensei, I want to sit there," she said pointing at the desk right next to me.

"Eh?"

"Ah, there? Hm… Well, I may have to discuss it with the board. Such a sudden change might-"

"Sensei."

Now, this was a sight. I've never seen someone negotiate with him like this. He was always a hard case, in particular, and some students would go to incredible lengths to get him to agree.

But she…

"Look me in the eye." I couldn't see her face or her eyes, but the teacher's face told me that she was probably giving a really intense gaze. "I want the desk beside Sayashi-san. I think I will be more comfortable there."

"…Y-yes. You're right."

No way. She actually did it!

"From now on, your seat will be beside Sayashi-kun. I will go make arrangements now." He left the room with a blank look on his face. Ayumi's jaw had dropped instantly and Nakanishi-kun's face was indefinite.

"Holy crap. I can't believe you actually cracked that nut! It takes a LOT to get to him."

"Really? I just told him the truth, that's all."

"You really are something else, Wada-san."

Ayaka simply shrugged it off and sat down in her new desk, right beside me. She pulled out a book and didn't speak another word, remaining silent until it was time for class.

...

I couldn't help but look over and see so many of the students surrounding Ayaka, curiously asking her questions.

"Nee, Wada-san, what's it like over there in Europe?"

"It's often cloudy, so I don't get a lot of sunlight."

"I heard it rains a lot where you lived, right? How did you deal with weather?"

"It was easy to forget about the rain."

Ayumi and the others looked with me. It was amazing how she could keep such a straight face with all those people surrounding her.

"Wada really is a cool girl, huh?"

"C'mon, let's go talk to her, too!" Sakura insisted.

"Riho-chan, you coming?"

"Uh, yeah."

We all got up and walked over to Ayaka's desk as the other girls talked.

"So, hey, Wada-san," Ayumi started, "Say, y'know, you're really pretty. Like your hair is so long and straight. How do you get it like that?"

"It's always been like that."

"Eh~? You sure you don't use any special shampoo or anything?"

"No."

"Seriously, though," Ayumi stroked her hair in her hands and smelled of it. "It smells so good. And so soft~"

"Ayumi-chan, I think you're freaking her out," Sakura said.

"It's okay. I don't mind." Ayaka said as she continued reading her book. It made me wonder if she was even paying attention…

Huh… That's kinda like how I get.

"And your skin is nice, too. It's so tan, and," Ayumi touched her hand and suddenly jumped back. "..Cold. You're freezing."

Ayaka moved her hand away and shrunk away from Ayumi, holding her hand.

"Are you sick? Maybe running a fever?"

"No. It's just… poor blood circulation."

"Ah, sou…"

Just then, Sakura started coughing. She would get like this sometimes, even when she properly took her medicine. Coughing, fainting spells, bruising. It was almost as if she was cursed.

"Are you okay, Oda-san?" Ayaka asked.

"I… I think I need to.. go to the infirmary…" she said in between her coughs.

Ayaka smiled and stood up from her seat, placing a bookmark where she stopped reading before closing her book. "I'll take you."

"Okay."

I watched as Sakura and Ayaka left the room together. I decided to go to check up on them and excused myself from the classroom.

As I made my way to the infirmary, I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw Sakura was leaned up against the wall, holding her chest. Ayaka was standing in front of her and staring deep in her eyes.

What is she doing?

Slowly, Ayaka's hand moved up and she bit her finger, making it bleed. She then put it up towards Sakura's lips and let her suck on her finger, drinking her blood.

When she was done, Ayaka said something to her I couldn't hear, and she just nodded and walked to the infirmary. Confused, I walked up towards Ayaka and tapped her shoulder.

"Hey, Wada-san."

"Riho?"

"Um, what happened with Sakura-chan earlier? Did something-?"

"You saw?" She shrunk away again and I saw her finger.

"You're bleeding. Come on, I'll get a bandage for-"

She suddenly grabbed my shoulder and pushed me towards the wall, staring at me intensely.

"W-Wada…-san?"

"Look into my eyes, Riho."

I looked up and my eyes instantly locked on hers. They seemed darker and more intense than ever. It made my heart jump a bit.

"You will forget you saw anything." She spoke in a monotone voice.

"Eh…?"

"You won't remember anything."

"Wha.. What are you talking about, Wada-san?"

That's weird… Her eyes… They…

She backed away from me, a confused look on her face.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"It didn't work?" I heard her mumble softly to herself.

"Huh?"

She shook her head and started walking away, but my hand acted on its own and grabbed her hand.

"Hey… if something's wrong, just tell me. You can trust me, okay? You're my friend."

"I am..?"

"Yes. Now, let's go. We need to take care of…" I looked at her hand and saw her finger was no longer bleeding. I check her other hand, but no wound. No blood. "But how?"

"It's fine, Riho." She said as she pulled away from me. "You were just imagining things."

"But I could've sworn-"

"It's fine!"

I suddenly stopped. Again, my throat felt choked. I've never felt like this with someone. I don't even think I've ever fought with a friend before.

She turned to look at me again, her eyes staring into mine.

"Everything's okay. Just forget about it."

"I…"

She gave me a soft smile before turning and heading outside to the courtyard. I held my chest, a strange feeling had washed over me when I remembered how she looked at me.

Her eyes… looked so sad.