~Kei-kun’s Suspicions!

"…eh!?" Keiko’s heart stopped for a beat.

"…you’re as good as dead!" Anji shoved Keiko’s schedule in her face. "You have Katsuhiko-sensei for your fourth period! You won’t make it through lunch!" Anji ruffled his hair in frustration. "How could I have forgotten?!!"

"What’s wrong with Katsuhiko?" Keiko blinked ignorantly.

"I had him for literature last year. He’s the toughest teacher." Anji explained. "His life goal must be to humiliate innocent students. Whenever someone acts up, he makes them strip down to their underwear and sit in class that way for the rest of period."

Keiko grew pale, and stiffened up. "You’re lying."

"Could I make up something like that?" Anji replied.

Keiko took the schedule in her hands, and looked at it. "I guess I’ll be careful then."

"That’s the understatement of the year…" Anji said dryly.

Keiko ignored her brother’s comment, and turned to the cabinets, shutting them. "Well, I’m off to shower."

Anji’s eyes widened, and he scrambled up. "Sh-shower?!"

"Yeah. I can’t shower at night, everyone else will be there." Keiko pulled out a neatly folded uniform from her brother’s bag. "Then I’m going to take a look around."

"Alright. Don’t be long. We have orientation tomorrow." Anji called.

With a bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap and a towel, Keiko called back, "You can count on me!"

Keiko eyed both ends of the hallway. Just as she expected, it was desolate and quiet. Amazing how quickly it empties out. She walked across the hallway to the showers. She quickly snuck into one of the showers, and began to take off her clothes. She set Anji’s folded uniform on the bench outside the shower stall, and hung her towel just outside the curtain.

She tossed her dirty clothes a few inches away from her uniform, her shoes underneath the bench.

She let out a sigh of relief as she undid the gauze around her breasts. "Man, I wasn’t sure how much longer I would’ve lasted…" she hung the gauze over her towel, and undid her ponytail.

Slipping off her glasses, she put her face under the showerhead, and let the warm water melt off the grimy feeling she’d been enduring all day.

She barely got the chance to enjoy herself when she heard someone running in, his breaths and raspy. Her eyes shot open when she heard him run past her shower stall. She spun around, her wet hair slapping on her bare back.

The pair of footsteps was soon followed by a group of rapid footsteps.

"You can’t run forever, Otaru!" a voice called.

"You’ll have to face up to us sometime!" another voice, this one a bit deeper, called out after the previous. "Why not just give up now?"

"C’mon guys, he’s not comin’ out. Let’s stop wasting our time."

The comment was followed by laughter.

"That coward."

"He’ll never grow up."

The group passed by her shower stall again, and she held her breath, hoping they wouldn’t check to see if this Otaru guy was hiding in her shower stall. They passed by her without stopping, insulting the guy they were after. She listened closely, until she no longer heard their footsteps on the tile floor. She peeped her head out from behind the curtain, and stuck it back in, turning off the shower. She grabbed her towel, and wrapped it around her. She didn’t bother too much with drying off. She wrung out her hair and threw her towel on the bench. Not bothering with underwear, she grabbed her brother’s button-up polo she was wearing earlier, and slipped it over. She hopped into her jeans and jumped out of the shower, her back facing the walkway as she buttoned up her jeans and zipped them. Hopping on one foot, she slipped on a wet spot, and fell flat on her back.

"…oww…" she began to push herself up, wincing, when two feet stepped on her stomach. She began coughing and sat up.

The boy stopped, and spun around.

Keiko shot up, and grabbed Anji’s uniform, holding it tightly to her chest to keep her gender hidden. She also slipped on her glasses. She focused on the young man who just squashed her stomach. He had thick brown hair in the pageboy cut, and large round green eyes. Her thoughts began to race as the young man stared at her in silence. She tried to think of something to do to "prove her masculinity". A-ha! She punched him in the shoulder. "Watch where you’re goin’, pal!"

"Ow!" the young man’s voice was high and youthful. He grabbed his shoulder, and winced. "It was an accident!"

Keiko "hmph"-ed and rose her eyebrows. "It was probably an ‘accident’ that got you in trouble with those other fellas, eh, Otaru-chan?" she grinned the gave him a patronizing stare.

Otaru blushed a bit, and backed away. "Y-you heard?"

Keiko nodded. "Take it from an upper-classman, Otaru-chan…" she patted the young man’s shoulder, "Just because you’re not a Freshman anymore doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be watching your back for nasty Juniors and Seniors! They’re all over!"

"Odd, I survived my Sophomore year without that information…" the young man said innocently. "And my Junior year was a breeze."

Keiko paused, and her smile faded. She backed away in a blur, and extended her index finger. "Y-y-you mean you’re a…a…!"

Otaru bowed formally. "Chinen Otaru. 2nd Honors Senior Class. Nice to meet you."

Keiko just stood there in shock.

"I should be going. Maybe I’ll see you in some classes…" he turned and ran out of the showers.

Keiko stood there in complete shock. A bead of water fell on her glasses, and she wiped them off with her shirt.

"Oh!"

Keiko fumbled her glasses back onto her face as Otaru stuck his head back in for a moment, an endearing smile on his face. "Sorry about your stomach…Sem-pai!" he put stress on the final two syllables. At that, he pulled his head back, "Mata ne!" he chirped, and was gone.

Keiko pulled off the towel on the hanger, and draped it over her shoulders. She gathered up her things, and with a furrowed brow, hurried out of the showers into her room. Boys are strange!

She slammed the door behind her and looked around, waiting for Anji to reply: "Don’t slam the doors," but nothing came. She found the room empty. She quickly shed the clothes she was wearing and fully dressed herself in clean garments and her brother’s spare uniform. Once she tied her hair back, she knelt next to the suitcase in the closet. In a very stealth-like manner, she opened the suitcase just a crack to slip out a bag. She scurried over to her bed, and with blissful tears in her eyes, she unzipped her bag and dumped out its contents on her bed. "Oh, my lovelies!" she squealed, on the verge of tears.

On the comforter was concealer, powder, blush, mascara, lipstick, and her most precious treasures…

"MY CONTACTS!" she cried out, and happily grasped them. She nuzzled them lovingly. "Don’t worry! You won’t be long-neglected! Somehow, I’ll find a way!"

She was interrupted when her brother walked in. Frantically, she scooped up her makeup and buried it under her mattress. She sat on her bed casually, staring at the ceiling.

"Back already?" Anji sounded very surprised to see his sister back.

"I didn’t feel like looking around, I’m tired…" she replied, and noticed her contacts were still out. She quickly snatched them and shoved them under her pillow.

"I can’t blame you. That bus ride was a booger." Anji replied. "You can go to dinner alone, can’t you? I’m exhausted, and I have tennis practice starting tomorrow."

"On the first day?!" Keiko gawked.

"Yup."

"Geez." Keiko stood up, "Yeah, I’ll manage by myself."

"Okay. Have fun." Anji said, "But not too much."

"Yeah, right." Keiko replied.

The cafeteria was a zoo. Keiko expected that much.

She tried to find a solitary seat in the corner of the mess hall to eat at. Keeping a firm grip on her tray, she bee-lined to an empty table underneath the stairwell. She wasn’t in any mood to socialize. She wanted to eat in silence.

She sat down, and undid her utensils, which were wrapped in a napkin.

"Good evening, Sempai!" a familiarly chipper voice came from across the table.

Keiko froze, and lifted her eyes from her tray to see Otaru taking a seat across from her.

"Good evening." Keiko lowered her eyes back to her tray, and began to shovel her food into her mouth. She decided to get in and out of there as soon as possible.

"Slow down, please." Otaru politely said, and rose an index finger. "First off, you’ll get sick, and second off, I wanted to talk to you."

Keiko chugged down a glass of milk. "Really, I don’t have time right now."

"Oh? Well, then…" Otaru sat back, "When would be a good time?"

Keiko lifted her fork again, her eyes stuck on Otaru. He’s not gonna let me get out of this…her eyebrows furrowed at his youthful smile.

"I guess now is as good a time as any…" Keiko put a spoonful of corn in her mouth.

"You’re new here?" Otaru chirped.

"Yeah. Why?"

"I could tell! Assuming I was a Sophomore was a true act of ignorance!" Otaru said with laughter in his voice.

Keiko felt a bit offended. "Well, look at you…" she stood, to try and find a new seat.

Otaru stood as well. "Look at what? You can’t exactly call me short."

Keiko looked at him. True, he was a good deal taller than her. He also fit his uniform quite well. She reached over with both arms, and pinched his cheeks, pulling on them.

"You’re got such a baby-face…" Keiko said, pulling his cheeks every which way.

Otaru pulled away gently, rubbing his cheeks. "Keep your hands to yourself!"

"And you sound so young…" Keiko sat back down, and continued eating. Taking a bite of her roll, she added, "…and kinda whiny."

"Well, you scream like a girl." Otaru sat back down, his arms folded.

Keiko’s bite of roll caught in her throat, and she began coughing.

Otaru leaned in towards the table. "Are you okay?"

Keiko nodded, grabbing her milk and washing down the roll.

Otaru sat back. "So, are you in any advanced classes?"

Keiko nodded, "Literature and History."

"Really? Well, then maybe we’ll be sharing a class or two." Otaru smiled. "Not many Juniors here are real keen on studying, so don’t be surprised if you’re the youngest there."

"Now who was just speaking against assuming things?"

"You’re not a Junior?"

Keiko’s brow furrowed, and she lowered her eyes shamefully. "Well, I am, but…"

"I’m good at those sort of things." Otaru chirped, "So, will I see you at orientation tomorrow, Sempai?"

Keiko seemed to have a rain cloud hovering over her. "Yeah…" she picked at her green beans.

"Great! I’ll be watching for you!" Otaru stood up, and pushed his chair in. "Sleep well, Sempai!"

Keiko didn’t lift her eyes from her tray until Otaru was gone. She put some green beans in her mouth, then realizing that she lost her appetite.

On entering her room, she faced Anji standing in the entrance, his arms folded and a glare plastered on his face.

Keiko nervously smiled, somewhat anticipating what was coming.

"Excuse me!" she chimed as she tried to get past her brother.

He blocked her, and held up her lipstick.

"Just what is this?"

Keiko closed the door behind her, and then reached for her lipstick. "Give it back."

Anji rose his arm, and Keiko jumped for it. "Answer me."

"Just…in…case!" Keiko said between jumps.

"In case what?! You get cast as a cross-dresser in a drama class?!" Anji backed away.

Keiko climbed onto her brother’s back, and reached over his shoulders to try and get it. "Give it back! I won’t bring it out! Promise!!"

"I’m not sure I can trust you!" Anji grunted as he tried to pull Keiko’s arms from around his neck.

"Oh, PUH-LEEEEAAASSSEEE, Anjiiiiii!!!!" Keiko bawled. "All this change is HAAARRRDD!!!"

"Get off of me, Kei!"

"It’s hard, Anjiiiiii!"

The dorm head opened the door and stuck his head in, "Time for lights out!" His eyes widened as he saw the spectacle Anji and Keiko were making.

Anji turned around, Keiko’s legs wrapped around his waist still, her arms squeezing his neck. They both went silent, and blinked, their faces blank.

The dorm head rubbed his forehead and closed the door. "You learn something new every day…"

Keiko snatched her lipstick, and let go of her brother.

"Give it back!" Anji screamed, chasing her around the room.

"It’s mine!" Keiko shouted back, jumping on top of her bed.

"KEEP IT DOWN!" a voice on the other side of the wall hollered, and pounded on the wall.

The siblings went still, and then glared at eachother.

"I better not see a trace of eye-shadow…" Anji hissed.

"Yeah, I know…" Keiko sighed.

The next morning was a real hassle. First off, Anji and Keiko couldn’t find one of the safety pins for her gauze, so they had to make do with one. The usual routine of Anji being slapped by his sister when he tugged the gauze too tight should be assumed without mention, and Keiko was having the worst time fitting into her brother’s shoes. She had to wear three layers of socks to fit into them, and she still was stumbling a bit.

"This isn’t working…" Anji frantically tapped his foot as he watched Keiko try to walk in his shoes. He pushed up his left sleeve to glance at his watch, and he slapped a palm on his forehead. "Holy smokes! We’re gonna be late!" he ran out of the room with his briefcase. "C’mon!"

"ACK!!!" Keiko tripped over her shoes, and fell face flat on the floor. Pushing herself up, she adjusted her glasses, "Anji, wait for me!" When she didn’t see Anji return, she burst into sobs, "Anji, don’t leave me! Heeeeelp!"

Anji ran back into the room, "Now, now, now! It’s okay, Kei! It’s okay! Shh-shh-shh!" he quieted her down.

Keiko sniffed, and pathetically whimpered, "I thought you were gonna leave me…"

Anji rolled his eyes, and smiled. "No, I wouldn’t leave you…c’mon. Get up…!" he pulled her up by her hands, and patted her on the back. "Now you gotta start your first day as a guy!" he led her out of the room.

"What about yesterday?" she quietly muttered.

"What about it?" Anji replied as he closed the door.

"Nevermind."

Keiko was nose deep in a tiny Unicorn Academy brochure. It won her vote for the lamest scholarly document she had ever read, but it was proving to be a helpful tool to keep Otaru from seeing her.

Anji noticed Keiko slouching low in her chair, brooding in a curled up ball. "Lemme guess…a hedgehog?"

"See this?" Keiko kept her face hidden behind the brochure. "This is me ignoring you."

Anji clapped his hands together. "Bravo!"

"Please, hold the applause." Keiko lowered her brochure just enough to show her glasses. "I’m hiding from an obnoxious Senior who can’t leave me alone."

"Who?! Which one?!" Anji’s eyes widened, and then he held his chin, his brow furrowed. "Damn, they move fast…"

Keiko lifted her paper again. She didn’t consider the possibility that Otaru might be gay. He did have some of the qualities…extremely polite, outgoing, he didn’t seem to be the athletic type, either…and to top it off, he seemed to take some pride in his appearance…a lot of pride, actually. And his voice was kinda soft…okay, so it’s not soft, but it’s whiny! That’s gotta count for something.

"I found you!"

"Hmm?" Anji leaned over to look at the person who just sat down next to Keiko.

Keiko cringed, her brochure crumpling under her grip. She slowly lowered her brochure, to see (who else?) Otaru smiling fondly.

"Sempai." He said.

Keiko whined deep in her throat, and buried her face back in the brochure.

"…Sempai?" Anji repeated. "Otaru-kun, Kei’s a Junior."

"I know Amuro-kun." Otaru chirped. "You’ve met, then? He’s new here."

"Yeah, we’ve known eachother for years." Anji gave Keiko a hearty slap on the back. "He’s been studying abroad in Spain, and came back home this year."

Keiko’s heart skipped, and her head shot up, her eyes wide, and a bead of sweat appearing on her head. (But with her thick glasses, her eyes were hardly noticeable.)

"Spain, huh?" Otaru looked at Keiko with a look of admiration, "Fascinating! I thought there was something about you!"

"Otaru-kun! Otaru-kun!!" a student called from the distance.

"Yes! Coming!" Otaru called back, and he looked back to Keiko, "I’ll let you go, I guess. Matsumodo wants to speak with me, I think." He stood, and bowed formally. "I’ll see you after orientation."

At that, he turned and left.

Once he was out of earshot, Keiko slapped her brother with her brochure. "Idiot! Studied abroad in Spain?!!"

Anji smiled, cowering beneath his sister, "Why not?!" he laughed.

"Idiot! Stupid! Jerk!" Keiko hissed with every slap. "I wanted him to STOP bothering me!"

Anji blinked, and gave Keiko a blank stare. "Why?"

"Can’t you tell?!" Keiko crossed her legs and folded her arms. "He’s arrogant!"

Anji nudged Keiko’s leg with his knee. "Ahem."

"Oh!" Keiko uncrossed her legs in a hurry, blushing.

"Actually, Otaru-kun is an extreme introvert." Anji continued. "This is the first time I’ve ever actually spoken to him."

Keiko’s mouth gaped. "No way!"

Anji nodded. "Ask anyone. He’s well known…" he paused, and folded his arms. "But mostly for coming into classes with injuries."

Keiko straightened up a bit. "What?"

"He’s so quiet, lots of guys beat him up, because he doesn’t fight back."

Keiko remembered her first encounter with Otaru. He hid from all those guys.

"Why doesn’t he fight back?" Keiko asked.

"Beats me. It’s just not like him." Anji leaned back in his chair. "It’s starting."

If he’s so shy…why was he so open to me? Keiko held her chin, and stared at her lap. She envisioned Otaru’s friendly smile. It’s so hard to imagine that such an outward guy doesn’t talk to anyone…

Keiko’s eyes searched the auditorium for Otaru all during the speeches made by the older teachers.

Amazing how I can’t find him when I want to…Keiko craned her neck over the seat in front of her. He’s got to be somewhere…!

"And now, to introduce you to your new headmaster," an elderly man standing at the microphone adjusted his glasses. Keiko observed that this old man’s throat looked like it was about to burst out of his collar. "Headmaster Obari, would you please step up?"

Keiko looked away again to look for Otaru. I wonder if Anji knew about the new headmaster…

"Ah--!" Anji gawked, and leaned forward on his seat.

Keiko turned her head back to the front to see the cause of Anji’s sudden reaction (along with the reaction of many other students). Her jaw dropped, and she leaned forward. Her face grew red, and hearts seemed to form in her eyes.

A beautiful young man of about thirty-six cleared his throat. His jet-black hair was neatly combed back, and his fair skin seemed to have a soft glow.

He adjusted his tie, and brushed his hands across his jacket. He bent over, and spoke into the microphone. "Good morning."

Keiko swooned. His voice is like honey! Ah~! How well he has mastered the art of the microphone! Truly a man among men!!!

"I’m in love…" Keiko sighed.

"Snap out of it!" Anji slapped her with a brochure.

Keiko winced, and rubbed her head. She sat back up, and focused on the handsome headmaster.

"My grandfather told me I would be taking a heavy load on my shoulders when I took over The Unicorn Academy this year." Obari was soft, but confident. Keiko hung onto every word. "But I am prepared for whatever you throw are me. I know what you are capable of!" Obari’s voice suddenly grew aggressive. ""I will not settle for anything short of championship! The Phoenix School won’t know what hit them!"

"Obari-sensei was BANZAI!" a chestnut-tressed boy shot up from his seat. "We will defeat them this year!"

Mumbling rose from the crowd.

"That’s Kanzaki Jiro. The council president." Anji murmured to Keiko.

"Oh!" Keiko shot to attention, and tried to get a look at Jiro’s face. Her view was blocked when a student sitting next to Jiro stood, and clapped.

Students began to rise and join in the applause, and soon, to Keiko and Anji’s fascination, the entire auditorium was thundering with clapping hands. They rose with the rest of the students and clapped, so as not to draw attention to themselves.

"A charismatic speaker." Keiko leaned in towards her brother.

"They love him. Why shouldn’t they?" Anji replied. "He wants us to be the best. Reasonable goal."

"Hmm…" Keiko replied, and watched Obari shake hands with authoritative figures on the stage. "Perhaps."

As students filed out of the auditorium, Otaru ran up to Keiko. "We have first period together!"

Keiko turned around, finding herself nose to nose with Otaru. She blushed a bit, feeling quite uncomfortable to be so close to a boy. "H-how do you know?"

"History, right?" Otaru held up his schedule. "You said you were in Advanced History."

Keiko held up her schedule, and compared it with Otaru’s. With a sigh, she admitted "You’re right."

"Tomahazu-sensei is extremely picky about timeliness. We should head straight over there." Otaru took Keiko’s elbow, which she instinctively drew back.

Otaru paused. "I’m sorry."

Keiko blushed furiously, realizing she might’ve just given a bit of herself away. "Uh…um…I…" Keiko laughed. "Sorry…I…I am still suffering from culture shock, that’s all." Her face began to cool off. Nice save…

"I see." Otaru began walking. "I totally forgot." Otaru turned to Keiko, who sped up to catch up with him. "Do you speak any?"

"Huh?" Keiko asked.

"Spanish."

Keiko sweatdropped. "M-me?! Well, I, uh…"

"You bet!" Anji barged into the conversation.

Both Otaru and Keiko jumped.

"Anji!!" Keiko shrieked at the top of her lungs.

"He would make all the Senoritas swoon when he spoke of amor…" Anji melodramatically clasped his hands together. "Ah, !Senorita! !Mi amor!"

Otaru nervously smiled as Keiko aggressively took his arm and shoved past Anji. "Ignore him."

"Know him for awhile?" Otaru asked.

"All my life, sadly." Keiko sighed.

"Ah." Otaru walked into a classroom.

Keiko followed behind him, and sat at a desk a few seats from the back. Otaru sat next to her.

Keiko got out her pens and journals, preparing for class.

"That was amazing!"

"Jiro-sempai, you’ve started something!"

Keiko looked up to see a blonde boy tagging behind the chestnut-haired boy that stood first at orientation.

"What can I say? I like this guy." The chestnut-haired boy (obviously Jiro) shrugged, and took the seat in front of Otaru. He glanced over his shoulder to see Otaru, and with a smirk, turned in his seat to face him. "Mornin’ Otaru." His voice sounded most mocking.

Otaru was writing in his assignment pad. For a brief moment he looked up, his pencil pausing. He got quick eye contact with Jiro, and looked back to his writing. His pencil began moving again, and he replied in a tone most opposite of the one he used with Keiko a moment ago. "Good morning, Jiro."

"Some party earlier, huh?" Jiro rose his eyebrows haughtily.

"Indeed."

Jiro looked over to Keiko. She jumped, not realizing she was staring. Sensing her fright, Jiro smiled again.

"You’re new." Jiro’s eyes were piercing and sharp, as was his mouth. His tone was nothing short of abrasive and powerful. He had a demanding air about him.

Keiko’s throat was dry. "Yeah."

"By the looks of things, I can guess you already know who I am." Jiro seemed extremely amused.

Keiko swallowed, not about the be pushed around by some big name. She was a man now, she had to act like one.

She leaned back, and folded her arms. "Kanzaki Jiro. So?" She lowered her voice considerably.

Jiro was suddenly taken aback by the change of face. He laughed. "You’ve got spunk!"

"Spunk?" Keiko repeated. "I wouldn’t call it spunk."

Jiro’s laughing ceased, a perplexed expression on his face.

Keiko could see she was on a roll. "Just a question, Jiro-kun…why is it the boy’s school is called "The Unicorn Academy’? I dunno about you, but I’ve always associated unicorns and ponies and stuff with girls."

Jiro’s face began to turn sour as Otaru muffled his laughter. Jiro spun to face Otaru again, and angrily snatched Otaru’s assignment pad from under him. Otaru lifted his hands without resistance, and showed no signs of disapproval. Jiro scanned the notebook page, and turned back to Otaru. After mockingly hitting Otaru on the forehead with it, Jiro dropped it back on his desk. "Practice some self-control."

"Yes." Otaru quietly replied.

Keiko couldn’t believe what she just saw! Just a moment ago, Otaru was outward and jocular! Now he was letting himself be pushed around like a sack of potatoes! She opened her mouth to protest when the teacher walked in. They all stood. "Good morning, sensei!" all the boys boomed.

"You may sit." The teacher walked to his desk.

They all obeyed. Keiko stole a final glance at Jiro before fastening her eyes on the teacher.

The class went by like a breeze. That was something Keiko remembered hearing about TUA-the teachers never tolerated disruptions. And each professor had his own creative way of dealing with delinquents…

Keiko shuddered a bit. Makes me glad to have been a girl…her thoughts drifted to Headmaster Obari. Surely such a handsome man had to be dangerous! He had such a tempting, forbidden appeal to him!

"Hmm?" Tomahazu-sensei’s attention was drawn to Keiko. "Fujishige-kun? Are you feeling ill?"

The class turned to Keiko, whose face was as red as a beet.

"Eh?" Keiko asked cluelessly, with a stupefied look on her face.

"Maybe you should go to the clinic…" Tomahazu-sensei said.

Keiko was still snapping out of it when Otaru volunteered to escort her.

"I’m feeling fine!"

"That’s nice, but let’s use the excuse to get out of class."

Keiko was practically being dragged down the hallway by Otaru. She would admit to feeling a little light-headed, but it was probably because her gauze was too tight! (Or so she scornfully thought.)

They walked into the empty clinic, where a young nurse greeted them.

"Already?! What seems to be the problem?" the adorable graduate stood from his desk.

Keiko’s face once again changed to a brighter hue, and she began to grow dizzy at the sight of the handsome medic.

"He said he felt fine, but he looks feverish to me..." Otaru expressed with a deep concern.

"There’s one every year…" the nurse sighed, "Really, if he says he’s okay, then I don’t see why you should interrupt your classes, so let me write you a pass to go back to class…"

As the nurse walked back to his desk, Keiko collapsed.

The two young men jumped, and looked at Keiko, sprawled on the floor unconscious.

"Sempai!"

"Oh, this is something."

"Sempai? Are you hungry at all?"

Keiko moaned a bit as she opened her eyes. Otaru’s beaming face was over her.

"Turkey and lettuce alright?" Otaru held a sandwich over her.

Keiko blinked groggily. She couldn’t seem to focus… "My glasses!" she squeaked, and squeezed her eyes shut, covering her face with her hands to hide.

"Oh, sure…" Otaru reached over to a small table next to the infirmary bed Keiko laid on. "Here you go."

Keiko took off one hand, and she put them on.

"What happened?" Keiko sat up, and looked around. She was in a small room with a curtain and a single seat next to her bed.

"You passed out. Lack of blood flow, I think." Otaru smiled. "Your timing is priceless, I must say." He offered the sandwich again.

Keiko took it, and unwrapped it. "Already lunchtime?"

"Way past. We’re in last period right now."

Keiko took a bite, and blinked. "What?!"

"You were out like a light!" Otaru laughed.

Keiko looked back to her sandwich. "Hey."

"Hmm?" Otaru stopped laughing, but still had a bright smile on his face.

"Why do you let those guys pick on you so much?" Keiko kept her voice low.

Otaru’s smile faded, and he sat back. His voice grew a bit more serious. "You mean, why don’t I fight back?"

"I guess." Keiko swallowed.

"Because it’s disruptive, I guess. Fighting is a rotten way to get attention." Otaru folded his arms.

"But they’ll never leave you alone unless you stand up to them!" Keiko replied.

Otaru remained silent for a moment, and then shrugged. "I don’t want to be seen as the type of person who would stoop so low as to hit back. They’ll grow tired of me, and go away eventually."

"So you’d rather be known as a wishy-washy wimpy boy?" Keiko replied, and suddenly regretted it.

Otaru stiffened a bit, and looked at Keiko. "I suppose you wouldn’t understand. I don’t want to be like them, so I won’t throw a punch, you see?"

Keiko nodded, and stammered. "I-I didn’t mean what I said."

"No, it’s okay, don’t worry about it." Otaru relaxed again. "People who grow accustomed to talking a lot take it for granted, and begin to use their gift sloppily."

Keiko felt a twinge of anger at that comment. With a pouty tone, she scowled and said "Maybe it’s your big mouth that got you in a fix."

"Couldn’t be, I never spoke to them." Otaru replied.

"Maybe that’s why."

Otaru smiled. "Can’t you just settle with the thought that they might just be bullies?"

"Nope!" Keiko piped, and held up an index finger. "It’s my job to find out why things are! It’s what I do!"

Otaru sighed in defeat. "You’ll be disappointed when you can’t find the answers to everything."

"That’s life!" Keiko smiled, and leaned forward vigorously. "It’s not meant to be that men know the answers to everything, but it’s fun to try!"

Otaru smiled wider. "I’ve never met a boy like you before, Sempai."

Keiko nervously smiled, and straightened up. With a laugh, she replied, "Is…that so?"

"Really!" Otaru unfolded his arms, and stood, "I have a feeling we’ll get along well, don’t you?"

Keiko watched Otaru walk to the doorway, and sweatdropped. "I dunno it’s kinda early to tell!"

"Say, why not come with me to the tennis practice after school?" Otaru took his briefcase. "It’s usually a very busy place, and I’m sure Amuro-kun’ll be there."

Keiko’s heart sank. She was planning to look around the music hall when she got back to her dorm. But she looked at Otaru’s sincere smile, and felt obligated to accept the invite. There would probably be people practicing anyway, so it wouldn’t be a good time to investigate.

"Sure, why not?" Keiko rose her eyebrows in a sincere expression. She stood slowly, and looked to her side. Her briefcase fell over by her feet.

"Oh, I got your briefcase." Otaru said.

Keiko bent down, and picked it up. "Thanks."

"We should head straight over to the courts." Otaru let Keiko exit first. "That way we can enjoy some time without hearing ridiculous squealing from the girls."

"Girls? At a practice?" Keiko was surprised.

"Well, naturally!" Otaru laughed and Keiko naivete. "Where do you think they meet them, in the locker room?!"

Keiko gave Otaru a cynical glare, and folded her arms. "I just think that it’s a bit crazy to go to every practice daily, that’s all."

"Well, that’s girls for you." Otaru walked out the door, into the hallway.

"Not all girls are like that." Keiko found herself getting on the defensive.

"I didn’t say that." Otaru held his briefcase behind his shoulder. "To be honest, I couldn’t know less about females. I’ve never held a decent conversation with one."

Keiko’s face once again turned a bit red. Why am I such a horrible liar?! she thought. "I’m kinda close to Amuro-kun’s sister." She began. Her entire family likes sports, except her. She’s not like that. She couldn’t care less for the athletic type."

"Oh. You would know?" Otaru teased.

Keiko blushed. "We’ve never dating anyone. We just have a lot in common."

Otaru smiled amusedly, and gave Keiko a slug on the shoulder. "You’re blushing!"

Keiko swung her briefcase at him. "I’m not!"

"Sempai’s got a cruuu-uuush!"

"Sempai does nooo-ooot!" Keiko growled, chasing after the laughing Otaru down the hallway. "She’s not even cute!" she froze in her tracks, just realizing she insulted herself. "I mean--!"

Otaru smiled, and slowed down. "It’s okay, I’ll lay off. You can tell me more about her during practice, if you like."

"I’d rather not." Keiko replied bashfully.

Keiko didn’t see Anji on the courts when she and Otaru arrived. They both sat on an edge of a bench, each on one side of the aisle between them.

Keiko heard the eccentric giggling of girls sitting behind her, and she noticed an agitated glare plastered on Otaru’s face.

"They’re hormones with lipstick." Otaru flatly stated.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Keiko glared over her shoulder, and her eyes bulged at the sight of two girls, one redheaded with freckles, and one with wavy black hair gabbing. She spun back around, and held her collar, which all of a sudden felt too tight.

"Sempai?" Otaru noticed Keiko’s horrified face.

"Is…there…a water fountain…anywhere?" Keiko quietly whispered.

"There’s a soda machine in the gym." Otaru stood, "I’ll go get you one." He went down the stairs, and jogged into the gym.

I can’t believe it! Aika and Naoki are both here…! Keiko’s heart raced. This is too bogus! Both of my friends are here! Keiko held her chin. Aika I can kinda understand…she is one of our star athletes…but sweet little Naoki--?! Aika must’ve dragged her along for company.

"He’s just the cutest, sweetest thing!" she heard Naoki squeal.

Keiko was completely thrown off by that! She tried to hold in any reaction she that would normally have, so she wouldn’t draw attention to herself.

"He’s such an awesome player! You should see how he moves! He’s like a shark!" Aika gushed in reply.

Keiko couldn’t help but smirk. Like a shark?

"And his smile is so perfect!"

"His backhand is unbelievable!!!"

Aika and I must’ve been switched at birth. Keiko thought. This idea went through her head a number of times before. They did share the same birthday, after all. And her parents LOVED Aika. Her father would always have a basketball match with Aika whenever she came over. (And Aika would always win. This thrilled Keiko’s father.)

Daddy would always try to drag Keiko into the game, but she refused no matter what, and watched them from the sidelines.

So who is this "stud-muffin" they’re not telling me about? Keiko wondered. And why didn’t they tell me?!!! She thought, getting watery-eyed.

Her thoughts were drastically cut off when her brother came out onto the court in tennis uniform, carrying on his shoulder his tennis racket. Anji!

The two girls went ballistic. They screamed and squealed and cheered at the top of their lungs. "WELCOME BACK, ANJI-CHAN!!! WE LOVE YOU! YOU’RE THE GREATEST!!!"

This time Keiko literally fell off of her bench. ANJI?!

Anji looked up to the benches, at the two girls who were screaming out his name. He smiled, and waved at them, to which they shrieked with delight.

Keiko shot up and spun around. "ARE YOU TWO NUTS?! ANJI’S GROSS!!!"

"…Keiko-chan?" Naoki quietly peeped.

"Keiko-chan?!" Aika stood, "What are you doing here?!"

Keiko just realized she blew her cover, and she stepped back in defense. Unfortunately, the back of her knee hit the back of the bench below her, and she fell back over it.

"Keiko-chan!" the girls both exclaimed.

"…oww!" Keiko moaned pathetically, and sat up, her legs dangling over the bench.

The younger Aika grabbed one of Keiko’s arms, and pulled her up. "What’re you doing in one of Anji’s uniforms?!"

"I go to school here!" Keiko adjusted her glasses. "And how do you know this isn’t my uniform?!"

"Simple!" Naoki rested a finger on the side seam of the jacket. "This side got caught in the door at home, and I sewed it up for him. I didn’t have any black thread so I had to use gray. See?"

Keiko sweatdropped. "You’re obsessed."

"Excuse me! Sir!" a mature-sounding voice came from behind Keiko.

Keiko turned around, "Hmm?"

A brunette with thick shoulder-length hair stood, holding a pen and notepad. On her head school uniform vest was a yellow pin that read "Press".

"I’m surveying students on their first impression of the new headmaster of Unicorn Academy. How does he compare to your former headmaster?" the girl was tall and slender, very un-Japanese-like qualities. Staci.

"Uh…this is my first year here…" Keiko lowered her voice. "I don’t know anything about the former headmaster."

Keiko noticed that Staci was looking just over her shoulders. Keiko turned around. Aika and Naoki were using sherade-like movements to try to tell Staci Keiko’s true identity. They suddenly froze.

"What are you doing?" Keiko calmly asked.

"N-nothing, Keiko-chan!" Naoki smiled, and then covered her mouth, realizing her sudden error.

"Keiko-chan?!" Staci gasped.

Keiko nervously clenched her teeth, and turned around. Putting up both hands palms out, she whispered, "Keep it down, okay?"

"You snuck into TUA?!" Staci’s voice remained loud.

Keiko wrapped her arms around Staci, and she put a hand over her mouth. "Call me Kei, and don’t let anyone know! It’s a secret!" she took her hand off of Staci’s mouth, who was now giggling madly.

"My, Kei-chan! Your arms are sooo strong!" Staci teased, and all three Phoenix Academy students giggled.

Keiko let go of Staci, and sighed. "Please, don’t even start!"

"This’ll be the best!" Staci scribbled on her notepad.

"What?! What are you writing?!" Keiko tried to catch a glimpse of Staci’s notepad.

Staci kept writing. "A big scoop! Worthless do-nothing student sneaks into rival school! It’ll be the talk of the Academy!"

Keiko grimaced. Worthless…?! DO-NOTHING…?! A blood vein began to swell on her forehead. "Have you been hanging around Rina in my absence?!"

Staci blinked, "You don’t know? Rina-san took over Mai’s position as Editor for the paper."

"Toseki Mai?!" Keiko gasped, "As if she didn’t hate Rina enough! First Student Council President, and now Editor?!"

"Yup. I speak with her on an everyday basis now." Staci noticed Keiko trying to steal a look at her notepad, and she held it against her chest. "Uh-uh! For my eyes only."

"Sempai? Is there trouble?" Otaru began walking up the stairs with a soda in each hand.

"Uh…no--! Uh…" Keiko nervously tried to give an explanation. "They’re just, uh…fans of Amuro, that’s all--!"

Both Aika and Naoki got starry-eyed. "Anji-chaaaan…!"

Staci sighed, and folded her arms. "Those two are, anyway." She looked at Otaru, and jumped right in his face, pen and paper ready. She flashed him a stunning smile, and batted her large green eyes. "What was your first impression of Headmaster Obari?"

Otaru looked taken aback by the foreign girl’s impulsive behavior. "What about him?" he quietly asked.

"Any complaints? Anything you liked?" Staci got closer to Otaru, as thought to force an answer out of him.

Otaru was beginning to nervously blush. "He…he…seemed to be set on begin the best…ch-championship, I think!"

Staci nodded, and jotted the comments down. "Name?"

"Ch-Ch-Chinen Otaru…" Otaru stammered.

"Okay, you got your story, now leave him alone." Keiko pulled Staci away from Otaru.

"Oh, Kei! Be gentle!" Staci moaned wistfully. "You can hurt a fragile girl if you can’t control your strength!"

Aika and Naoki both giggled like mad.

Otaru glared at the two younger girls. "You were the two hyenas sitting behind us."

The girls giggled harder.

Keiko sighed, adjusting her glasses. "I’m going back to my dorm." She started heading down the stairs. "See you tomorrow, Otaru."

"Sempai…?" Otaru murmured, watching Keiko leave.

Keiko undid her jacket, and threw herself on her bed. With a huge sigh, she looked at her bedside table, where a photograph of her family was set.

"Be sure to participate in every class!" Mom told her.

"And even if you don’t solve the mystery, we’re proud of you." Daddy added.

"I will solve the mystery!" Keiko told them. She repeated those words are she lay on her bed. She sat up, and rubbed her eyes, trying to unwind. "But how can I without any leads?!"

She heard a knock on the door, and she stopped whining. She walked over to the door, and let down her hair. "Honestly, Anji, don’t tell me you’ve already lost your key!" she opened the door, and got eye-contact with Otaru. "Otaru!"

Otaru held up a can of soda. "You forgot your drink."

Keiko blinked. She took the soda, and stared at Otaru.

"Nice hair." Otaru pointed. "You look like a samurai."

Keiko gasped, and pulled her hair back with a hand. "I-I was about to shower…"

"Oh! No problem! I was about to leave!" Otaru smiled. "See you tomorrow, Sempai!"

"Yeah." Keiko said as Otaru turned around to leave. She closed the door, and looked at the soda can. Just to give me this?? she frowned. "Doesn’t he have any other friends?!" she leaned against the door, and sighed. "I guess I don’t have a choice. I’m stuck with him." She smiled, and opened the soda. She slid down the door and sat on the floor, drinking her soda. "Could’ve been worse…" she pictured his smiling face. "I guess."

End Chapter Two

Go on to Chapter Three