Chapter 1

She couldn't believe her own luck - or un-luck to be more precise. Not only had her mother forced her to cut her beloved hair short for the first time in her life - into a bob - she now found herself sitting behind the most luscious, long-haired girl on the first day of middle school. Not only would she be spending the rest of the year trying to grow out her hair as fast as she could, she'd be doing that while being reminded every second of what she didn't have.

The girl suddenly turned around and asked in a rather assertive tone "do you have a problem?"

This gave Makoto a small fright. Not from their sudden movement or tone, but rather that the girl that Makoto had been admiring was in fact a boy. Not that his facial features gave that away either, which leaned more on the feminine side with his cat-like eyes and delicate lips. If not for him wearing pants and a certain boyish charm about him, Makoto would've continued thinking the otherwise.

"Nope," she said, shaking her head.

"Then why do you keep staring at me and giving me the stink eye."

Makoto felt herself start to pout as she once again was reminded of her hair. "I had hair just as long and beautiful as yours just two days ago," she tucked her hair behind her ears subconsciously "until it was forcefully ripped away from me by my own mother who carried me in her body for nine months."

"Oh…" Shishido replied, not sure how to respond to the dramatised rendition of his classmate getting her hair cut, "I thought you were trying to pick a fight with me or you'd fallen in love with me," he grinned cheekily.

Makoto snorted at the nerve of this guy, "sorry sweetheart, guys who have longer hair than me are so not my type."

"What a coincidence. Girls who have shorter hair than me are so not my type," he mocked.

"You've really limited your dating pool to zero then since there's no girl at this school with longer hair than you," she laughed. Shishido found himself smiling back at her without realising.

"I'm Shishido Ryou," he said, extending a hand.

"Ryou-kun it is," she returned his handshake with another bright smile "I'm Kinomoto Makoto."


Later on that week, the two were wondering around the school grounds together, exploring all the different clubs that Hyotei had to offer.

"Jesus," Makoto gave an overwhelmed sigh, "kind of feels like the number of clubs and activities at this school is limitless."

"That's what our parents pay for, I guess," Shishido said nonchalantly, "for us to have the resources to do whatever we want to do.

"What do you want to do?"

"I sighed up for the tennis trials already with Mukahi," he replied.

Makoto recalled meeting Mukahi earlier that week. "That's your friend with the red hair, right? The one you met playing tennis in elementary school." Shishido nodded his head. "Maybe I'll come watch your trials if I've got the time. Confirm for myself whether you're as good as you say you are."

"Sure thing, I'll show you my cool side."

"Yeah, yeah," she shoved him playfully.

"Are you going to join any?" He asked.

Makoto pouted and shook her head. "I don't think I'll be able to have any time for clubs."

"That's right, you're in that elite music program… what was it called again?"

"The chamber orchestra program."

"Yeah, like how I'm going to be a regular on the tennis team, you're already a regular in the music program," Shishido nodded to himself, proud of how he was able to explain that one.

"I guess that's one super loose way to put it," Makoto appeased. "Anyways, symphony orchestra rehearsals are once a week, chamber orchestra rehearsals and my private lessons are twice a week. Which leaves no time for any other clubs."

"But rehearsals is like being in a club right?" Shishido asked.

"I guess, but…" she trailed off.

"Ah!" Shishido made a realisation, "you're worried about not making any friends, aren't you?" he asked as he hooked his arm over her shoulders and knocked his head against hers lightly.

"Of course I'm worried about that! Its the end of the first week of school and the only friend I've made is you," she whined, "I can't live like this - my only friend being an tennis freak who only has capacity to think about tennis."

Shishido place his hand on his chest and faked a hurt face. "You don't want to be my friend?"

"You're super popular with the girls so I'm not even going to be sorry about that call," Makoto replied bluntly.

"Don't worry. When I join the tennis team, I'll introduce you to all my new friends," he said proudly.

"Don't wanna," she furiously shook her head and crossed her arms.

"What?" Shishido said in a faux shock. "I am graciously offering my kindness to you and you dare reject me?"

"More tennis freaks who only think about tennis? No thank you!"

"Makoto, my dearest friend whom I've only known for four days, they say that beggars cannot be choosers."

Makoto stuck her tongue out at him, "If I were to choose, I'd rather not have any friends than be stuck with you," she said cheekily and began running away from him.

Being a dash specialist, Shishido easily caught up to her and latched himself onto her, "you got some nerve running away from me," he said as she struggled to escape from his grip, both losing their breath and strength to their laughs.

"Let me go, you oversized barbie doll!" Makoto huffed between breaths.

"Nah, you're stuck with me."


Makoto had watched the entire tennis club debacle from her practice room. How convenient that the music building was right next to the tennis courts, and even more conveniently Makoto's practice room looked out over them.

After watching a whole afternoon of the boy's tennis team trial, Makoto had come to one conclusion - boys were so stupid. Anything could be a piss competition if they made it so. Just watching the trials unfold was probably the most entertaining thing she'd ever seen, just a bunch of hyper-privileged pre-pubescent boys trying to out-arrogant each other.

That Atobe guy who made that speech at the opening ceremony would probably be crowned King Arrogant. Still, he did kick both Shishido and Mukahi's butts simultaneously. She had to admit, those two weren't bad, Atobe was just better.

Makoto could help but grin as she watched Shishido play. She could see why he was so popular now. It was a little cool how he was good at tennis, and he actually looked kind of, sort of, not completely like a girl when he was on the court. Even to her untrained eye, she saw that Shishido was better than most of the third years. She'd never admit that to his face though.

After all his matches, Shishido made his way to the water fountain to fill up his bottle. It had been a long, eventful day. Even though he hadn't beaten that arrogant bastard Atobe, he beat enough third years to become a regular.

"So, did you make it into the team?" a familiar voice woke shocked him from his thoughts. Shishido instinctively jumped back and raised his fists into a fighting position. Looking up, he found Makoto leaning on a windowsill of the music building with a doubtful expression, as if the say 'do you even know how to throw a punch?'

He regained his composure, deciding not to go down the path of whether he knew how to fight or not. "Even better, I made the regulars" he grinned with excitement.

"I saw you beat some of the third years," Makoto said. "My practice room is in a pretty convenient place, huh? I can see from here if you get into any trouble, and testify against you if necessary."

"Haha, very funny," Shishido said, sarcasm dripping in his tone. He stuck he head through the window to get a good look at the room. "So, this practice room is yours?"

"Yeah, I get it until I graduate. Each chamber orchestra student gets their own practice room to use whenever they want," Makoto replied, "Symphony orchestra members have shared rooms that they have to book out. Not sure how it works for the school band students though."

"How many chamber orchestra students are there?" Shiseido asked.

"Around 15. Most of them are third years since that's when they enter the program." Makoto said. "They're not very friendly to first year chamber orchestra students."

"Why?" Shishido asked.

"Is seems that music students are the crème de la crème of elitists in this already elitist school" she explained.

"Just form alliances with the other first years," he said.

"There aren't any," she said.

"Second years?"

"None."

"That's lame," he said. He peered into the room again. It was a small room, big enough for a piano, a table and chair, a music stand and a person. "Just to clarify, you can do whatever you want with this room?" Shishido asked.

"I guess," Makoto replied cautiously, unsure of where the conversation was going.

"Great. Would you mind taking a step back for me?" Shishido asked and she complied. He opened the window all the way, easily climbed through and sat on the floor against the wall. "We'll need to get a couch in here," he said as he closed his eyes.

"We?" She asked incredulously, "lets make it clear, there's no 'we.' This is MY practice room to practice MY music." She nudged him with her foot, seeing that he was already starting to drift asleep, "Your practice room is out there in the heat, on the grass with no shade or air conditioning and other smelly boys."

"If this if your practice room, then why aren't you practicing?" He said without opening his eyes. "You've seen me play tennis, now I want to hear you play the violin."

"You mean I've seen you get your ass to handed you by that Atobe guy," Makoto muttered under her breath, but still loud enough to reach Shishido's ears.

Shishido opened one eye, ignoring what she just said, he said "I've played 4 matched today and won three of them, let me rest and see if you're as good at music as you say you are."

"Not once have I said I'm good at music," Makoto mumbled whilst obediently picking up her violin. "Count yourself blessed, I don't do private performances for just anyone."

"Just play."

Makoto took a deep breath in as she felt a gentle breeze enter the room from her window. "This piece is called Spring. It's an easier piece I've been playing since I was young, but I think it's fitting for the occasion."

Shishido was enraptured by the image of her playing. Her fingers moved skilfully and her short hair blew in the wind. Shishido closed his eyes and leaned his head back. She was good. She should be.

Shishido was later awakened by Makoto standing over him, poking her bow into his thigh. "Ryou, at least have the decency to not fall asleep when someone is playing."

"Sorry, I was just so tired from the trials." Shishido rubbed his eyes. He also failed to mention that classical music generally made his eyelids go heavy.

"Speaking of trials," Makoto said as she looked out the window, "I think they're handing out jerseys right now."

Shishido shot up and bolted out the window, "I'll see you after practice."