Chapter 2: The New Transfer Student

Call me Shinichi. Kudo Shinichi.

Pretty much everyone used to call me slow. Not physically of course. I am a soccer star after all. Slow in the mind. I guess that's the impression I give them, because my reaction speed's not that fast. I think first before doing anything. It takes up a lot of time, though.

Did you notice the 'used to'? That's because I've changed. A lot has happened. I'm not sure where to start... so I'll tell you all about it. It all began that morning, the day the new transfer student came.

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I walked to school, kicking a soccer ball. I was alone. At the moment, anyway. I'll have company later on, when I meet up with Kaito, my closest friend, on the next intersection.

Kaito's na- What? You already know him? Hmmm... Doesn't matter. I'll tell you about him anyway.

Full name: Kuroba Kaito. Gender: Male. Status: Single (for now). He's pretty much gone out with every girl in school. Though he dumped them the next day, mercilessly you could say. He's never dated a girl for more than a day and if you passed the 24 hour time limit, you'd be considered a legend.

At first, I was against this 'hobby' of his, but as time went on, I got used to it. And I also noticed this; Kaito wasn't serious with the girls he went out with, and likewise, the girls weren't serious with him. Everything they felt for each other was mere mutual physical attraction, and even the 'mutual' part's not very common in Kaito's case.

Anyway, there he was, leaning against a pole near the corner. I kicked the ball in his direction, trying to catch him in surprise before calling out, "Ohayou."

He raised his hand in greeting. "Yo," he said, expertly receiving the ball and kicking it back to me.

I caught it with my hands, stopping just in front of him. I looked at the black and white hexagons of the ball and blinked. "You know Kaito, you would've made a great midfielder if you joined the soccer team."

We started walking. He grinned at me, that trademark grin that makes half the people at school faint, including girls, gays and teachers. "Soccer's your stage, Kudo. Track's mine. By the way, have you heard? There's gonna be a new transfer student." He turned to me grinning. "Tell me she's hot. Please tell me she's hot."

I stared at the ball for a moment, thinking of what to say next. Then I threw it in the air, keeping it up with my head. "Rumors say it's gonna be some guy from a rich family."

"What!?" he exclaimed in disgust. "Damn... I was kinda wishing for a new target," he sighed.

I smiled chidingly. "Kai-" was all I got out. We had reached the school gates and Kaito's ever-loyal fans were waiting for him.

"It's Kaito-sama!" shouted one of them.

"Kaito-sama? Where!?" chorused the others.

"There!" she said, pointing to us.

"Kyaa! It's really Kaito-sama!" they squealed, spotting him.

They stampeded towards us. Kaito and I looked at each other, grinned and shrugged. I stepped away, leaving him with his fanclub. He didn't mind, it was always like that. Everyday, without fail. We get to school, the fanclub spots us, I go away, he entertains them. I was used to it. It was almost like routine.

Envious? Me? Do you want me to be?

I'm not interested in stuff like that. I'm all pretty much mystery and soccer. But... Just for the record, I also have my own fanclub. They're the group beside Kaito's. Day after day, they wait for me to come to school, smile in delight when I appear but keep their distance. Well, everyone thinks I'm absent-minded anyway, so I ignore them, acting as if I didn't know they existed.

Why? I dunno... I guess I just wouldn't know what to do... I'm not like Kaito anyway.

So I walked to my classroom, alone. Mostly everyone I passed by would stop to turn and look at me. That's what usually happens when they see a soccer star.

Sitting down on my chair, I looked outside, a desk separating the window from me. The seat beside me was empty. An empty seat huh? Since Toyama-san's (2-2), Hattori's (2-3) and Kaito's (2-5) classrooms have no empty seats, there's a fifty percent chance this is where the transfer student would be. I hope he doesn't bother me too much.

After about seven minutes of staring at the window, the class representative, Hondou Eisuke came running in while shouting "Big news, everybody! Big news! The transfer student is a girl!"

When I first heard that, my first thought was, Kaito's gonna kill me for this.

I know. Stupid, right? It's not like I was really to blame for telling Kaito that the tenkousei (transfer student) was a guy. That's what the rumors said, not me. I just relayed to him what everybody else thought. I soon forgot that, though, when the teacher stepped in, the new student a few steps behind him.

When I first saw her, my mind went blank. Seriously. I couldn't think of anything. And, I'm kinda ashamed to admit this but… I stared at her. Unabashedly stared at her. Looking-at-her-with-wide-eyes-without-even-bothering-to-act-like-you-aren't stared at her.

That was the first time in years I've done something like that. The only times I did something like that was when I got a first edition copy of Sherlock Holmes for my birthday, twelve years ago, and when I first watched a soccer game, back when I was four.

I guess that was the sign that I would be-

"She originally lived in Japan, but due to certain circumstances, they moved to America. And now, she's come back to Japan so make her feel at home," the teacher announced. "Her name's Miyano Shiho."

Miyano... Shiho... The name was foreign to me. I've never heard it before, yet somehow... It was familiar. I don't know how, I don't know why. All I knew was the warm feeling I got as I heard her name.

"Okay, Miyano-san. You sit beside..." Mouri-sensei looked for an empty seat. "Kudo-kun. He's the guy at the back row who looks like he'd rather be at the field than in class."

That was the last thing I wanted to do at that moment. By then, I had managed to force my gaze away from her and to the window. But it was taking a lot of effort. What I really wanted was to look at her, and keep looking for God knows how long. I wanted to know the reason why she made my mind blank, why she felt familiar.

"Kudo," sensei said, addressing me, "It's your responsibility to show her around school."

I didn't answer. I never did. Sensei didn't mind. He never did. All that mattered to him was that he told me what to do. If anybody complained, he can just bite me afterwards.

With how my head was turned, I couldn't see her clearly. But I could hear her footsteps. I waited, and she finally came into view, her seat being the one between mine and the window.

She didn't say anything. I didn't either. Neither did anybody else. They were all waiting to see what would happen between us. We disappointed them. Nothing happened.

Classes came and went. Just like usual. I didn't pay attention. Just like usual. Instead, I focused on the girl beside me, trying to figure out what was so special about her. Finally, lunch break came around.

"So..." I said, in an attempt to start a conversation, "Would you like me to show you around school?" I hope she doesn't know her way around school already.

She didn't look at me. "No."

That's all she answered. 'No.' Just that one little word. But... This might seem weird to you but from that one word, I got a funny feeling inside. Like when I heard her name, but this time, familiarity wasn't what came with it.

I frowned, disappointed. Wait... Disappointed? Why should I be? It's not like she... I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I took a sports mag from my bag and started to read, the fourth best way to help me think.

I was half-way through sorting out my feelings when Kaito opened the door.

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Okay, that's it for today. Was it a cliffhanger? Haha. Don't worry, it won't be long before I tell you the next part. For now... Just wait, okay?

signed, ~Kudo Shinichi~