"WHAT!!!!!!" Kei-kun choked on the milk she was drinking.

"I said 'Isn't it exciting Sempai?'." Otaru repeated as he patted his sputtering best friend on the back.

"No before that." Keikun tried her best to wipe up the mess she had made with a paper napkin.

"I said we'll be having an assembly later today for this year's camping trip." Otaru grinned at her sweetly, "Why? Don't you like camping Sempai?"

"I hate it!" 'Sempai' declared and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I would normally agree with you but this year we get to go hiking at Mt. Fuji and ...."

"I still hate it!" Keikun pouted. What in the world am I going to do? She panicked. If she went on this trip her secret would get out for sure!

"...and we'll still get to see each other as the Juniors and Seniors go at the same time..." Otaru stopped in midsentence and looked down at her, "Are you alright Sempai? You look a little pale."

"I-I-I'm f-fine. I just really HATE camping." Keikun answered a little weakly. "Is there anyway I can get out of it?" --Twylise

Later that day, in Anji and Kei's room..

Kei-Chan was pacing back and forth, pulling her hair as she walked around in her newly put on PJs.

She grabbed Anji's collar,

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!"

Anji looked up from his book, "What? Oh..OH.." His look turned from calm to panicky.

"The CAMPING trip..Uh..um..What's so bad?"

Kei-Chan just poked his shoulder, and whacked him with a mallet from nowhere, "You idiot!! Ugh," muttering, "Idiot..for once..or so..". She started glaring at him, "I'm going to be exposed for SURE. You HAVE to help! You're coming, Anji.. --;;" --A-Chan Yuy

"Just what do you expect me to do?" Anji glared at his Stressed-out little sister.

"I dunno..SOMETHING!" Keiko frowned, Anji wasn't being any help, she really doubted kakeru would be, and that was all she had...unless..."Anno...Anji..." she put on her best "sad puppy" face (which was....overdone to say the least).

"That's a stupid looking sad puppy face..." Anji ducked from the flying pillow coming from Kei-chan's direction. "okay...out with it! What do you want me to do?"

"Get me A Bubble bath, Bras, stuffed animals, shopping sprees and make up."

**Sweat Drop** "Other than that...." --LaNnY

"Can you get me out of it, wonderful, compassionate and brilliant brother o' mine?" Kei-chan whined from her position kneeling on the floor, her hands clasped as if she was praying.

Anji rolled his eyes, "You forgot dashing, handsome, athletic...." He trailed of as his little sister shot a withering glare at him. "......but I can't help you. The camping trip is compulsory. Its part of the physical education corriculem." (i just know that was misspelled..)

"I'll pretend I'm sick!"

Anji shook his head, "Your 'pal' Hiiragi Gohei tried it last year. Claimed he was coming down with the measels. Of course real measels don't wash off...."

"Give me some credit Anji, I'm not THAT stupid." She ignored his dramatised look of disbelief. "I'll just say I've got a cold, that's fairly easy to fake."

"Convincing mum your sick is completey different from convincing the school nurses. You'll never get it past them. Besides...."

"Besides what?" Kei-chan was gettin pretty annoyed with her brother's excuses by this time.

"BESIDES if you don't go all the other students will think your a wimp, a bludger, a do-noth...Ow!" He rubbed the shin that Kei-chan had given a rather painful kick to. He glared at her, "If you think the beatings Otaru got were bad it's nothing compared to what you'll get."

"B-but ANJI whoever I'm sharing a tent with will know.....Anji! Share a tent with me!"

"I'm sorry sis.... but I can't. Tennis championships are on the week of the camp."

"So you get to get out of going and I don't!"

"See this is why you should get involved in clubs....."

"Well that won't help me now..."

"Why don't you put your name down to bunk with Otaru?"

Kei-chan looked down at the floor, "I just can't tell him....I'm to afraid that he won't want to be friends with me anymore...The only people who know I'm a girl are you and Kak....."

"THAT'S PERFECT!!!!!!" Anji cried and pulled his sister into a crushing hug. "He knows your a girl AND he's Obari-sama's little pet so if he put his name in to tent with you he'd get it for sure."

Kei-chan sweatdropped, "Aren't you worried about me sharing a tent with him or ANY guy as a matter of fact?"

Anji waved his hand dismissively, "Oh no. Me and Kakeru have a-ah 'understanding' about what he is and isn't allowed to d..."

Kei-chan's sweatdroped doubled in size, "I don't think I want to know how you got this 'understanding' of yours but I guess I better go talk to him now since I've got work."

And with that she picked up her jacket and strolled out of their room towards the music hall.

--Twylise

Suddenly remembering that she was only in her pajamas, Keiko rushed back to her room. She wasn't surprised to find Anji standing in the doorway, looking irritated.

"It can wait til tomorrow," he stated, jerking a thumb in the direction of a chair, where a pile of gauze sat. Keiko nodded, folding her arms over her chest. Anji ran a hand through his thick ginger hair before patting his sister gently on the head. She looked up to him and pouted. Her eyes shimmered, slightly, and Anji sighed.

"If you want," he said, sitting down on his bed, "I can ask Kakeru tomorrow... You know, so you won't embarrass yourself or anything..."

Keiko shook her head. "No, I think I'd like to ask him," she said resolutely, sitting down on her own bed and pulling the covers around herself.

Anji raised an eyebrow. "Alright, then. If you want to."

"I do."

"Yes, I know that," Anji sighed, "If he agrees to this, then I'll explain the rules to both of you tomorrow."

Keiko layed down in her bed, raching for her lamp. "Rules?" she questioned tiredly. She clicked off her lamp.

"Yes, 'Rules'," Anji replied, stifling a yawn. "You're gonna be staying in a tent with a GUY, I remind you. I don't want anything happening that... shouldn't."

Keiko, half-asleep, threw a pillow at her brother. It didn't reach him, in her tiredness. "I can't believe you don't trust me...!"

Anji raised an eyebrow to the darkened ceiling. "What reason HAVE I to trust you? You've gotten yourself into so many messes, it's amazing you weren't found out at the beginning of the year. And need I remind you, Little Sister, that the school year is not yet over and--"

His voice was cut off by the stifled sound of a snore from his sister's side of the room. Shaking his head, he pulled his covers up to his chin, and rolled over to his side.

"'night, Sis... you moron..." --TD

Otaru and Keiko were eating breakfast together the next morning. Otaru was chattering on excitedly about the camping trip while Keiko was doing her best to try to ignore him.

"... and the view from the mountain is AMAZING! I can't wait!"

"Humph." Keiko paused from shoving food into her mouth. "Why are you so excited about this trip anyway? I didn't think of you as the type for camping..."

"Well, not really for CAMPING, but I'm excited about it this year because of the hike. I've always been fascinated with Mt. Fuji... the beauty, the mystical aura surrounding it... did you know that a long time ago people used to think that the mountain was a God?"

Keiko stared at her friend. It certantly was true that you learn something new every day...

"So, Sempai, while we're on the subject, let me ask YOU a question... Why are you NOT excited about the trip?"

Keiko laughed nervously. "Um, well, you know... all the bugs, wildlife... it sounds really dangerous to me! I mean, what if you fell off a cliff while you were on that mountain?"

She didn't say this convincingly.

Otaru laughed. "Don't worry Sempai, I'll protect you! After all, we will be sharing a tent, of course!" He patted her on the back.

Keiko's mind raced as she tried to figure out a way to get out of this mess. "Um, of course I'd LIKE to share a tent with you, but... um... I don't think it's possible!"

"Why not?"

"Well, because... Kakeru already asked me to share with him and I said yes!"

"Really?" Otaru looked surprised. "I didn't think that you two were on the best of terms."

"Yeah, well, we made up! Now we are very good friends!"

"Whew," Keiko thought to herself. "That was pretty smooth, if I do say so myself..."

Otaru blinked. "Ok, if that's really what you want... I guess I'll try to find another partner."

"Ok! You do that! Gotta get to class..." And so she made her quick escape.

"Uh, Sempai? Classes don't start for half an hour...!" --Joanna

"I have some homework to finish before classes..." keiko said awkwardly.

Otaru frowned. "Alright, I'll see you later then."

"Kay!" Kei ran off towards her dorm, leaving a slightly confused otaru behind her, and she of course, while passing the music hall, slammed right into kakeru...(what do you know?). "Ack! Gomen ne!" --LaNnY

It didn't take Keiko long to realize exactly who she had bumped into, for his reply to her apology had been a mere grunt. She brought her head up to look at him directly.

"Eh... hi, Kakeru!"

The dark-haired Kakeru raised an eyebrow. She was being unusually pleasent... He swallowed.

"Is there something you needed?" Kakeru asked, taking a step back. Keiko grinned nervously.

"Actually, there IS something I needed!" She stated with false enthusiasm. She clasped her hands together and looked at him imploringly. Kakeru took another step backwards.

"You've heard of the camping trip to Mt. Fuji, haven't you?" Keiko questioned.

"Of course I have," Kakeru replied, wondering where a question like that might lead. Keiko paused for a minute, wondering how to ask the question that was in her head. She paced for a second until she noticed the irritated and bewildered look on Kakeru's face. She faced him nervously.

"Kakeru..." She mumbled, kicking the floor underneath her feet. Kakeru gulped again.

"Yeah?"

Keiko sighed. "Will you sign up to share a tent with me for the camping trip to Mount Fuji???"

All this was said in a rush, and it took Kakeru a minute to figure out what she had said, and, when he had, his jaw dropped.

"You... you've GOT to be kidding!" he spluttered, now leaning against a wall for support. Had he really just heard what he thought he did...?

"No, I'm not," Keiko replied, looking just as displeased as he was, if not more. Kakeru nearly dropped to the floor. His mind was racing. Share a tent... with a GIRL? And Keiko, no less...

"Why aren't you sharing one with Anji?" He finally managed to say. Keiko's shoulders slouched.

"'Cause he's got a tennis tournament that weekend..." She replied miserably. Kakeru's heart was now thumping so loud, he was surprised Keiko hadn't heard it yet.

"What about that Otaru guy?!" He said desperately.

"Are you kidding?! I can't tell him! He's my best friend!"

"Well, what about--"

"Kakeru!" Keiko whined, silencing him. Kakeru crushed himself further into the wall.

"But... I..." His eyes darted around the deserted hallway. There was no way out of this, now... He couldn't simply plain-out refuse and risk having Keiko's secret found out. He had a responsibility, now... Keiko looked toward him, pleadingly. Behind her glasses, Kakeru could see the girl's eyes shimmering. He sighed.

"So... where do I sign up?" --TD

Otaru walked down the hall towards his first class... 'Sempai is sharing with Kakeru-san...am I...jealous?' ...thinking about things... --LaNnY

Keiko managed to get to her class early, much to her own suprise. She had just been so shocked that Kakeru had agreed that she felt she needed to get away as quick as possible. She allowed her mind to wander as she unpacked her bag and set her books neatly on her desk.

Soon enough, the bell had signaled the beginning of class, and the room had become full with students. Otaru took his usual seat next to Keiko, who smiled at him brightly. He waved meekly, before averting his eyes to study the top of his desk. Keiko's lips curled into a frown, unsatisfied with the weak greeting she had been given. She opened her mouth to insist upon a better greeting, when the teacher walked up in front of the room, staring the class into silence. ((erm... forgot teacher's name... ^_^;;sorry))

Keiko quickly forgot the greeting as she raced to get her notebook out from her bag to copy notes. --TD

Otaru frowned, trying to focus on writting notes, but his mind was racing, mainly around Kei-kun, and a sudden dislike of Kakeru. 'I gave him such a weak hello, he'll be trying to figure out what's wrong later...but I'm not quite sure myself' He stopped writting and glanced over at Keiko, who was busy with her notes, and smiled softly, before going back to work.

Otaru rested his pencil against his lower lip while thinking more 'Maybe this camping trip isn't all as wonderful as I thought...Sempai...' before he knew it, the class ended, and he put everything back in his bag, when their eyes met.. --LaNnY

All of Otaru's previous worries faded when he saw the concern shining in Kei-kun's eyes. "Otaru? Are you o.k?"

He smiled at her. "Yes I'm fine....I just had a hard time sleeping last night."

She laughed, "Still excited about that camping trip huh?" She nudged him with her elbow. "or should I say that EVIL camping trip."

"Really Sempai! I'm sure the school didn't organise the trip just to torment you."

"Depends on wether or not Jiro-chan organised it."

Now it was Otaru's turn to laugh. What did he have to worry about? So what if Kakeru and Keiko had become close friends as well? Keiko would always be his best friend no matter what....But still....WHY did he still feel so jealous of Kakeru. And it seemed to him that this jealousy didn't just centre on the matter of his and Sempai's friendship but also on the matter of Sempai just being around Kakeru.

These thoughts plagued Otaru throughout the the day. He didn't like feeling this way at all....In fact he was very rarely jealous of anyone else.

Otaru smiled absently to himself as he packed up his books and headed to the cafeteria.

It was only Sempai who seemed to make him jealous, whether it was her friendship with Kakeru or that cute Amura girl. --Twylise

".....person A is forbidden to be in the tent when Person B is changing, likewise Person B is forbidden to be in the tent when Person A is changing, Persons other than A and B are prohibited from entering their tent after dark....no cancel that.... Persons other than A and B are prohibited from entering their at all times..."

Persons A and B sweatdropped simultaneously. Anji ignored them and continued reading the list off, "...when persons A and B go to sleep at night they will sleep as far away from each other as possible and will place AT LEAST four pillows and both their campbags between them....Person A will no..."

Keiko nervously put her hand up. "Am I person A or B?"

"Person B. Now where was I? oh yes Person A will not attempt to flirt, come on to or seduce Person B in any way...."

'Person A' turned bright red, "WHAT KIND OF GUY DO YOU THINK I AM?!"

Anji silenced Kakeru with a very icy and indimidating glare. "Don't make me answer that. ~Ahem~ Person A will not attempt to flirt, come on to or seduce Person B in any way even if Person B gives 'permission' or ~cough~ 'encouragement'."

Now it was Keiko who turned bright red. She wacked him in the face with her photo copy of 'The Rules: compiled, written and published by Amura Anji 2001'. "WHAT KIND OF GIRL DO YOU THINK I AM?!"

Anji quickly clamped his hand over her mouth and glanced around nervously. "Quiet someone might of heard y....AHHH! No need to bite!" He shook his wounded hand. "Well I think that's all of them. Any questions?"

Kakeru's hand shot up, "Are you serious?" He held up his copy of 'The Rules'. "There's like 30 pages in this thing!"

Anji put his hands on his hips, "OF COURSE I"M SERIOUS! Now will you both sign it?"

The pair gave a defeated sigh and took out their pens.

"Oh no you won't be needing those....." Anji took a pin out of his pocket. "We're gonna sign this contact in BLOOD."

K and K facevaulted. "W-w-wh-why?" A very shakey Kakeru enquired as he and Keiko tried they're best to back away from the obviously insane Anji.

"It's more binding this way." He held the pin up. "So who's going first?"

Keiko calmly walked up to her older brother and accepted the pin fro him. Kakeru gasped, She was actually going to do it? Than Keiko opened the window and threw the pin out of it.

"Oh man! I'll never be able to find it again it'll be like looking for a pin in a...."

While Anji was distracted mourning the loss of his pin Keiko and Kakeru both sighned the contract (the NORMAL way with pens, mind you!) and walked out of the dorm room.

"Sorry about my brother he's a TAD overprotective...."

Kakeru gave her a look. "JUST a 'tad'?" --Twylise

ALTERNATE SCENE:

Otaru quickly averted his eyes. Flinging his bag back over his shoulder and smiled to his friend. He was being silly, he shouldn't be jealous of Kakeru, because Kei-chan was still his best friend. He'd just been to slow to ask. He'd make sure he would act quickly, next time.

"Walk you to class!" Otaru offered sweetly, causing Keiko to smile. She nodded and walked out the door of the classroom, Otaru close behind.

The remainder of the day had passed fairly quickly; Otaru was relieved that his friend hadn't noticed anything about his attitude. If Kei-chan had known that he had been jealous...

He preferred not to think about it.

As for Keiko, however, her mind had only been on one thing the entire day: the camping trip. Or, more specifically, how she would be able to successfully share a tent with Kakeru during the camping trip. She found it rather hard to accept that she would, indeed, be sleeping with him--

/no, wrong wording/ Keiko thought on her way to her room after dinner had ended. She would be sleeping in a tent with him THERE.

When she reached her room, she was not in the least surprised to see her brother sitting by the desk, tennis ball in hand and looking rather thoughtful. He looked up as she entered the room, his eyes following her intently.

There was a moment's silence between the two siblings, in which Keiko felt as if she should be saying something. Finally, Anji spoke.

"So?"

Keiko turned and raised an eyebrow. "So what?"

"So, are you sharing a tent with Kakeru?"

"Oh!" Keiko blinked, and nodded. "Yeah... Yeah, I am. yeah." she quickly busied herself with taking books out of her school bag, and placing them neatly on her desk. Her brother, meanwhile, observed her carefully.

"Well, it's time to explain the rules, then," Anji stated. Keiko turned to him.

"But, first, we'll need Kakeru," Anji said, rising from his place on the bed. "I'll go get him, since I don't feel like explaining things twice."

Keiko stared after her brother as he closed the door and left. She slumped to the floor, unable to believe how quickly her brother managed to carry out his plans. She had begun to wish she were as smart as her brother when the door opened.

Kakeru emerged first, closely followed by Anji. Kakeru had obvoiusly put up some kind of argument, for Anji held him by the collar, wearing a sour look. Keiko stifled a laugh before rising to her feet and sitting on her bed. Anji shoved Kakeru onto his sloppily-made bed, and took the chair from the desk for himself.

"Now," he said, glaring at the two teenagers who sat oppisite from eachother on the beds. "I want to make a few things clear..."

Keiko rolled her eyes, knowing that her brother was going into one of those long-thought-out-speaches of his. She grabbed a pillow from her bed, prepared to fall asleep.

"Well, I'm sure you are both quite aware of the camping trip next week," Anji began, "And, to my knowledge, you will both be sharing a tent. Now, I'm here to set up some ground rules for the both of you. First off: the only time either of you are to be in that tent together are when you are SLEEPING. Changing clothes and such will be taken care of while one person is out of the tent. When the first person is done, the second one will go in and take their turn."

Keiko and Kakeru both nodded. Anji pulled a hand through his hair before continuing.

"Secondly: there will be no fighting out of either of you. If I hear that even one, small argument occured while I was not there (and believe me, I'll have people watching you), you will pay for it, dearly. Since you will both be sharing a tent together, everyone is to think that you two are friends. If a fight happens, people might be suspicious as to why two enemies chose to have a tent together."

Keiko yawned falsely. Kakeru nodded to Anji cautiously.

"Alright. Lastly and most importantly, NO GETTING FOUND OUT. If the secret gets out, then we're all screwed. 'Specially you two. If Headmaster Obari found out that you guys were sleeping together--"

"Sleeping in the same tent!" Keiko interrupted, "NOT sleeping TOGETHER."

"Right, right, whatever," Anji waved off her comment. "The important thing is that you both work to keep the secret safe. Understood?"

Keiko and Kakeru both nodded in time. --TD

An assembly had been held with the Juniors and Seniors the next day to fully organize the Camping Trip. During the hour-long assembly (in which Keiko sat drooling the entire time over Headmaster Obari in hiking shorts), Keiko learned that it would take place ten o' clock Monday morning. The students had little time to prepare, since it was already Friday. They were also taught basic safety procedures for camping (more drooling ensued on Keiko's part, for Obari had shown them how to stomp out a fire properly), and what to do in case a wild animal attacked. Lastly, the names for tent partners were announced.

Obari, who was reading out the list of names, came to a pause when he undoubtedly, came to Keiko's name next to Kakeru's.

"F-Fujishige Kei and... Shiranui Kakeru," he spluttered out. His eyes moved to Keiko's direction, for a moment, before he moved on to the next two names. Keiko slunk down in her seat as the eyes of the people around her pierced through her skin. Kei-chan and Kakeru? In the same tent?! Who would have thought!

Keiko could feel movement beside her, and she turned to see the the source of it. Her face contorted miserably as she recognized the dark hair and pale skin of Shiranui Kakeru.

He sat down in the seat next to her, and grinned. Keiko raised an eyebrow at him, questioningly.

Bringing his face close to hers, his grin contorting madly as he brought his lips to her ear, so only she could hear his voice. "Today, Keiko, is the start of a very beautiful friendship..." --TD

Keiko froze, Kakeru being so close, and people still giving her an occasional confused glance because of the tent assignments. "Isn't this against one of Anji's rules?" ((^_^ I adored the person A person B thing...)) she mumbled as she shoved him gently away from her and shot him a glare, hoping no one starts rumors about them being some kind of gay couple.

Kakeru turned red and began stuttering "t-t-that's not what I ment!" ((okay, who can resist a blushing, stuttering, embarressed kakeru?)) And he immediatly turned away, the blush not fading, but becoming brighter perhaps...

Otaru looked at Keiko and Kakeru, still feeling a slight tugging at his heart ((I love sap)) but confusing it for jealousy that Shiranui-kun was acting so friendly around his 'sempai'.

Jiro sat, very confused about how those two got paired up ((not in a romantic way of course...)) and that he should 'inquire' about this later.

Rina was talking with Staci.

Aika and Naoki were working on a giant "I love Amuro Anji" Banner.

The Mai was Eating a Banana.(I dunno...)

And the Day was saved by the powerpuf- oops...wrong thing. --LaNnY

"Sunscreen?"

"Check."

"Soap?"

"Check."

"~cough~ Underwear?"

"Check! Anything else?"

"That's all."

Anji tossed the checklist unto the bed beside Keiko's over stuffed backpack. He picked it up, "Now what should we take out?"

Keiko snatched said bag out of his hands and clutched it to her chest protectively. "Why should I take anything out?! This is the EXACT amount the school dictated. I didn't back any extras, you wouldn't let me!"

Anji gave a long suffering sigh and wrenched the bag back out of his little sister's grasp. "Yes and the school always gives us to much stuff to pack. Come on are you really going to need 6 jumpers?"

Keiko's eyes filled with tears. "But what if five of them get dirty?"

"Trust me sis, you don't want to be carrying all this stuff up to the top of Mt. Fuji and by the end of the tree everyone's going to be cold, tired, hungry, sore and above all other things dirty." He flashed her a cute grin. "So don't worry you'll fit right in!"

"I don't wanna fit in with a bunch of stinky, sweaty mach...." For the second time in the past few days Keiko found her brother's hand clamped over her mouth.

She prepared to bite him again when she saw what had prompted his reaction.

Standing in the doorway was none other than Obari-sama himself. For once Keiko didn't go all mushy at the site of her 'beloved'. She was far to shocked.

He smiled at her gently and gave a slight bow. "Konbanwa Fujishige-kun." She quickly returned the greeting and glanced over her shoulder to find that Anji had disappeared.

"Aahh...w-what brings you to my dorm s-sir?" Her heart started pumping as fast as locamotion.*Doki, Doki* (sorry LaNnY couldn't help myself.)

*Doki,Doki* "I was just curious about how you and Kakeru chose to tent together. I never new you to were such good friends." He tilted his head to one side. That gentle and oh so charming smile still on his face. *Doki, Doki*

"W-we-well...ah."

"Well? Hurry it up will you Fujishige! I don't have all day!"

Keiko blinked had Obari-sama just said? No. Not Obari-sama. It was a very irritated looking Jiro who was standing in front on him. She glanced over her shoulder. Anji was still there.

"Well?" She glanced back at the president.

"Well since I started working at the music centre it was decided that things would be a whole lot easier if we just got along and it kinda grew from there Iguess...Why?"

Jiro snorted. "I don't know. I'm just suprised. I just assumed you'd be with Otaru." He's

eyes narrowed and he leaned forward. "You're just chock FULL of suprises aren't you Fujishige-kun? There's alot more to you than meets the eye."

Keiko gulped. Even though she knew Obari-sama was nowhere nearby her heart started pumping again. Faster. Did he know? How?

Jiro's voice had become low and very very sinister, "I'll just tell you this now Fujishige-kun..." She cowered under his fierce gaze. "I've got my eye on you. And if you are planning to help Shiranui-kun with any of his little 'pranks' you'll find yourself kicked off this trip and in detention so fast it'll make your head spin." He gave her a harsh slap on the shoulder to prove how serious he was than turned around and stalked away.

Keiko was flooded with relief. Her secret was still safe. Than she face vaulted. Pranks? Kakeru?

Anji obviously knew what she was thinking. He chuckled. "Kakeru's famous for throwing at least one elaberate practical joke each camp. Last year we went on a white water rafting camp. In the middle of the night he dragged a particular heavy sleeper onto a raft and pushed them out onto the lake. It was a real riot."

"I can't imagine Kakeru doing something so-so mischievious! I mean I know he acts like that around me but he's such a goody two shoes around the teachers and...."

"Exactly! His reputation protects him and he's to smart to get caught in the act or leave any "solid' evidence behind."

Keiko raised an eyebrow. "Than why does everyone think its him?"

"Alot of students see him doing it."

"But you just said he doesn't get caught in the act."

"Not by the teachers and the other students don't dob him in because they think its funny."

"So why's Jiro after him?"

Without warning Anji burst out giggling.

"Ah...Anji?" No response. "Anji?" By now he was rolling around on the floor. "ANJI!" Keiko tried to kick him but he rolled out of her way and picked himself up off the floor.

"A few years ago when we were all Freshman....~snigger~ before Jiro was president. ~chortle~ K-Ka-Kakeru ran a pair of Jiro's boxer shorts up a flag pole."

Keiko stared blankly at her brother for about ten seconds than burst into laughter and threw herself down onto her bed amongst all the clothes Anji and unpacked for her. --Twylise

It was Monday morning. Keiko was standing nervously among the crowd of boys waiting to be loaded up into the buses. For some reason she felt more nervous about this than her first day of school at the Unicorn Academy. "Well," she rationalized to herself, "of course I'm more nervous! CAMPING with boys is different than going to SCHOOL with boys." Besides, this time she didn't have Anji to protect her...

She shook her head roughly, as though to push those thoughts out of her mind. "Quit thinking like that, Keiko! You don't need Anji or anyone else protecting you. You are an Independent Woman! You will Survive! Including... sharing a tent with Kakeru... "Ah! How am I going to live through this trip?!" --Joanna

The students began pushing their way roughly onto the bus. There bags had been taken by some of the teachers to be put onto a seperate bus, where they would be riding. Immediately, the students (who were all very large because it was only Juniors and Seniors on the trip) filled up the seats in the back. The back of the bus was always an ideal place to sit, since the bus driver couldn't see as well back there. Keiko was forced to make her way to the front three rows of the crowded bus, when she felt a hand tap her on the shoulder. She spun around to face the person, but fell into a seat in the process.

Kakeru grinned. "Hey, Buddy!" he said cheerily, and pushed her over to the window to adjust himself into the seat. Keiko's mouth dropped open.

"What're you doing?!" she demanded hotly. Kakeru continued grinning.

"We're friends now, remember?" he teased, poking her in the shoulder. "Can't I sit next to my very best friend in the world?" He then proceeded to hug her around the shoulders, causing Keiko's face to turn red in anger.

"GET OFFA ME!" she screamed, only loud enough, though, for Kakeru to hear. It would have been awful to draw attention to herself, at that moment. Kakeru finally let go, grinning to himself wildly. He laughed to himself, softly, before elevating his feet onto the seat in front of the one he sat upon. Keiko folded her arms in irritation.

"You're not sitting here."

"Yeah, I am. Don't want anyone wondering why two best friends aren't sitting together."

Keiko found herself unable to put up a reasonable argument. Kakeru had a point... Besides, bus rides usually weren't for that long...

"Hey, Kakeru, how long is this trip?" Keiko asked. Kakeru glanced at her before laughing outloud.

"Only two hours!" he chuckled, going into another fit of laughter at the expression on Keiko's face.

Keiko, in her frustration and Kakeru, in his amusement, had not noticed as Otaru passed by them on his way to a back seat, which had been left open.

He sighed as he lowered himself onto the seat. From where he sat, he could see Keiko and Kakeru.

/He really knows how to make Kakeru laugh.../ he thought enviously, wondering why Kakeru was sitting next to his best friend, and not himself. /although... they do look like they really enjoy eachother's company.../

"Perhaps it's time I start making new friends, too..." he murmured to himself, staring resolutely out the window as the bus lurched to a start. --TD

Otaru stared blankly out the window, wondering if sempai didn't want him around anymore, because he had Shiranui-kun now, and why he was so jealous now more than ever, 'it's not the first time Kei-kun had been spending time with kakeru, or his friends from Pheonix. I've always enjoyed his company, he's been such a good friend to me, I shouldn't expect too much of him...why am I jealous *now*? or-'.

Jiro tapped Otarus Shoulder from behind and Otaru looked up groggily. "H-hai Kanzaki-kun?"

"Oy, Otaru, you don't look so good, didn't get enough sleep?"

"Aa, something like that."

"It seems Fushige has made good friends with Shiranui, know anything about it?"

"Iie, Jiro-san."

"You're not the slightest bit curious as to why he's been ignoring you?"

"I wouldn't say he's ignoring me, Kazaki-kun."

"You didn't answer my question..." --LaNnY

Otaru decided it best to stay silent. Jiro looked Otaru over for a moment, before shoving him closer to the window and taking the space on the seat for himself. Otaru raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"You know, Otaru," Jiro mumbled, folding his arms behind his head and relaxing, obviously planning to stay in that seat. "You DO have other friends in this school besides Fujishige-kun, you realize."

Otaru's eyes went wide. "Are... are YOU my friend, Kanzaki-kun?" he asked nervously. Jiro shrugged his shoulders and grinned.

"Yeah, I guess so..." he said, "I mean, we ARE stuck sharing a tent together... might as well be, ya know?"

Jiro pushed Otaru's shoulder playfully, attempting to rid the dark-haired boy of the blank expression that had spread across his face. At Jiro's sudden friendliness, Otaru laughed.

"Right!" he chirped, and grinned childishly at Jiro, his new friend. Jiro smiled back, and Otaru was surprised to notice that it was sincere.

Jiro reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object.

"How about you come sit back with me and my friends?" He offered, waving around the object, which appeared to be a pack of playing cards. "We can play a game!"

Otaru considered the offer, staring intently at the pack of cards in the hand of the Senior Class President. He frowned.

"But, Kanzaki-kun," he said softly, looking to the back of the bus where Jiro's normal friends sat. "What if they don't want to be my friends? They already don't like me..."

Jiro patted his new friend on the shoulder. "No, they just don't know you, that's all!" he said encouragingly, "I'm sure that if they knew you, they'd like you!"

Those words struck Otaru as familiar. He nodded to Jiro and smiled. Jiro grinned.

"Atta boy!" he said, and stood. "C'mon! There's some room next to Gohei--I'm sure he won't mind!"

Otaru nodded and followed Jiro. "Thank you, Kanzaki-kun." he mumbled. Jiro's face glowed with satisfaction. He had never realized how gratifying making friends could be... --TD