" "-characters talking
"( )"-characters innerthoughts
High school had just begun. Everyone was excited to start their new life at Shirokawa High School, one of the most prestigious schools in the city. Some of them had the thrill of experiencing their first romance. For others, it was the joy of making new friends. The air was filled with chatter and anticipation as students gathered at the main gate.
A tall boy and an average-sized girl walked through the main gate. Their snow-white hair and crimson red eyes stood out immediately. Their mere presence was enough to draw every gaze toward them. As they passed, whispers spread through the crowd of students.
"Hey, why is that guy wearing a mask?"
"I don't know. Lets ask him!"
"NO WAY! He's scary!"
"The girl next to him, isn't she beautiful?"
"Yeah… is she a famous model?"
They entered the classroom and took their seats, placing their school bags on their desks. Miyako turned to her brother and asked:
"Did you bring everything, brother? You didn't forget anything this time, right?"
"Yeah, everything's in place. Didn't forget anything this time."
"Good, because you definitely forget something every time we go outside."
"That's because you're always rushing me!"
"Isn't it because you get up late?"
"Ugh…"
The classroom bell rang, and the teacher walked in. Everyone quickly returned to their seats and greeted their teacher in unison. Their homeroom teacher was Ms. Eiri. She introduced herself and asked students to introduce themselves as well. Everyone introduced themselves except the six in the back seats.
"That only leaves six of you. Introduce yourselves and we will talk about this school's educating system."
"My name is Aoi Mizuhara, my hobbies are doing gymnastics and cooking food."
"I am Byakuya Kanzaki."
"You don't have anything else to say about yourself?"
Miyako raised her hand to have a word.
"He doesn't like to talk too much, so let him be."
Ms. Eiri didn't ask anything else and gave the word to the boy behind Byakuya.
"I'm Renji Mizuhara. Things I like are games and competitive sports!"
"I'm Reika Kurobane. I love watching K-dramas, listening to pop, and reading books."
"My name is Takuya Kurobane." He got up from his seat and walked to the front of the blackboard. "I am aiming for the top of the academy. You are free to challenge me, but I don't think I can let you go without crying." He challenged the whole class.
Ms. Eiri gave him a flick on the head and told him to stop messing around. The whole class burst into laughter.
It was finally Miyako's turn.
"Nice to meet you all! My name is Miyako Kanzaki. I'm really looking forward to the years I'll spend with all of you. I'm planning to become the Student Council President in the future. I would be grateful if you support me through my journey. I hope to become a person that every one of you would admire."
Everyone was captivated by Miyako's warm greeting. The room filled with applause.
After the introductions, Ms. Eiri started talking about the lessons, school clubs, and the educating system of Shirokawa High School. Every month, teachers tested students' knowledge about subjects. You needed to score at least 60 in the monthly tests. If you got bad scores, you would be attending after-school lessons. The same thing applied for gym classes too—if you couldn't keep up with the teacher's program, you would fail.
Shirokawa High School brought in a variety of talented people as teachers, so the classes were hard and challenging. Ms. Eiri held a mock exam after talking about the school system. The bell rang.
"I'll announce the exam results tomorrow," Ms. Eiri said.
Byakuya got up and left the classroom. Because of Miyako's speech earlier, many of her classmates gathered around her and started asking questions.
"Is that the real color of your hair?"
"Y-yes."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Are you free after class?"
"No, I…"
Takuya noticed that Miyako got nervous because of the crowd.
"Give her a break, don't you guys see that she got nervous because of y'all?" he told the crowd.
"Tsch, are you jealous because no one's interested in you?"
"HAH?" he shouted. He got Miyako's interest. Unintentionally, she smiled and licked her lips while looking at Takuya. Takuya felt a chill down his spine. Reika joined the conversation.
"By the way Miyako, you said you want to be the Student Council President, right?"
"That's right, I want to become the Student Council President and make improvements on many points."
"That is a great motivation you have there, don't you?" Takuya said.
"What would you like to do when you get to the top of the academy then?"
"Isn't it obvious? I will dictate over them! Like many people in history—"
"Ok, that's it. Shut your mouth, bro. Miyako, can I be your Vice President then?"
"Yeah, I would be grateful to have someone as smart as you standing next to me."
"Good luck to both of you then!" Takuya knew something would happen, so he tried leaving the conversation.
"Where are you going? You will help us."
"Who said?"
"I said."
"I don't want to!"
"I will burn the mangas you stored in my room."
"OKAY OKAY, GOSH!"
"Oh, I need to talk about this to my brother though."
Reika and Takuya were confused—"Brother?"
"Yes, Byakuya Kanzaki, he is my twin. You didn't recognize it?"
Reika and Takuya: "EH?"
"Why are you surprised? We have the same family name. Even our hair and eyes are the same color."
It was true that Byakuya and Miyako had similarities. But they didn't believe the fact that those two were siblings. Just look at them—Miyako was overshadowing him in almost every way!
While they were talking about student council matters, Byakuya was looking for a place with fewer people around. He arrived at the back of the gym while wandering. Hearing some noises, he started walking toward the sound. A few guys were trying to harass a girl. He ran toward them and stood in front of the girl, covering her. Not knowing what to say, Byakuya decided to scare them away. He grabbed the guy in front and tossed him aside. "GET LOST!" he shouted. Two guys ran away in fear, leaving the other one behind. "We'll come back!" the last guy screamed while running.
"Are you okay?" Byakuya kindly asked the girl and turned toward her. The girl he saved was Aoi Mizuhara from his class. Aoi asked him why he was walking outside. He told her that he didn't like crowded places, so he was looking for somewhere quieter. And when he saw those guys harassing her, he stepped in.
Aoi looked at her watch and realized they would be late if they kept standing there. As they headed back to class, they chatted and properly introduced themselves. Surprisingly, they got along really well. Aoi didn't care about Byakuya's intimidating look. When Byakuya mentioned his sister, she said, "I know her, Miyako Kanzaki, right?"
"Huh? How did you know?" Byakuya was a little surprised. Until now, nobody had suspected they were siblings.
"What do you mean how? You two look exactly alike, you even share the same surname. Besides, even though you don't talk much, you're kind like her!"
In the corridor, they saw a guy anxiously searching for someone. When they approached him, he shouted,
"Where have you been, sis? I was worried!"
He was Aoi's brother, Renji. Aoi tried to avoid his question, but Byakuya explained what happened.
"Some guys from the second year were pressuring her."
"I KNEW I HAD A REASON TO WORRY! Did they do anything to you? If they did, it won't end well!"
"No, no, don't worry. Byakuya helped me in time."
"So they didn't hurt you, right? Thank goodness!"
Renji thanked Byakuya for saving his sister. They got back to class just in time. Miyako asked Byakuya why they were late. Byakuya told her what happened and introduced his new friends. The bell rang, and class started.
Byakuya and Miyako goes out for lunch break after class. Curious why they left to eat alone, Takuya and the others go after them. When they reach the rooftop, they saw Byakuya and Miyako having lunch together. Seeing Byakuya's face they were surprised. Aoi, terrified, asked Byakuya what happened to his face. Byakuya didn't have lips and cheeks. Miyako stands up, her eyes locked on Takuya. She didn't look happy.
"Did you follow us?" she asked him.
"Nope, we just wanted to have lunch at the rooftop," he corrected her and asked if it's okay for them to have lunch together. Miyako was not satisfied with his answer but didn't overreact. She said it's okay.
Takuya asked Byakuya again, "So, who did that to you?"
Miyako asked him why he thinks someone did that to Byakuya.
"Because he is not looking like a mentally unstable person," he answered.
"My dad…" Byakuya answered. He said it was his dad who did this to him. Byakuya was always smiling as a kid. He was more social and always loved by people around him. That pissed off his alcoholic dad. One day while their mother was away, his dad took a knife from the kitchen, held Byakuya down and cut his lips and cheeks.
After that, when they were in middle school, other kids and teachers said he was looking disgusting. That's why Byakuya wears a mask and hides his face while going outside.
"I don't think you look disgusting! With your face cut off, you kinda look cool." Aoi said it with a blush on her face. Is she really okay? Takuya and Miyako were concerned about her mentality.
"Yeah man, your face looks cool! It's like you're out of a horror movie!"
"Yea I get it, if I had seen his face at night I would probably faint."
Seeing Renji and Reika's comments on Byakuya's face Takuya said, "You two are not really good at comforting or praising people, aren't you?"
"Shut it, four-eyes!" Reika and Renji shouted at Takuya.
"Anyways, how to put it, as others said, your face doesn't really matter. You are a reliable, precious friend for us."
Byakuya got moved by Takuya's words and hugged him tightly.
"Ok stop stop you will break my ribs!" he almost killed Takuya.
Miyako was relieved. It was the first time she had real friends that weren't criticizing her brother's looks. After that they ate lunch together at the rooftop.
School was over for today. Our group is on their way home. Miyako stopped and said they have arrived.
Renji looked a little surprised.
"Ohh, we are neighbors!"
Reika said that they live in this street too. Looking at sleepy Byakuya, Aoi was smiling and blushing. Knowing that they can go to school together made her happy. Seeing that, Reika put on a smug face and said, "Aoi, why are you looking at Byakuya with perverted eyes?"
Aoi got puzzled. "EH? No, I am not looking at him like that!"
"Yeah sis, it really looked like you were fantasizing about something." Renji kept up with Reika's teasing.
Takuya looked at them and said, "You two have a very bad personality, don't you?"
"SHUT IT, NERD."
"Don't you think you're being too rude towards me?"
Seeing them acting all silly, Miyako burst out a big laugh.
"We are back!" they shouted while taking their shoes off. A cheerful voice rose from inside. "OHH, welcome back Miyako, Byakuya. Did you have fun at school?"
It was their auntie Akira. She had a tall, beautiful figure, long white hair and silver eyes. She had been living alone until Miyako and Byakuya settled in after their mother's death. For almost a year now, she had been taking care of them like a big sister.
Akira told them the bath was ready.
"Sis, you can go in first. I'll go in after finishing my training."
"Ok, got it."
"By the way, what should I prepare for dinner? I'll cook whatever you want just for today."
"Meat curry!" they shouted in unison.
"Ok, I'll prepare it."
While setting the table, Akira asked about school.
"So, did you two have fun? Byakuya was sleepy when you came in."
"I dealt with some guys trying to corner a girl."
"And he started going out with that cute girl, right brother?"
"OOH, way to go Byakuya! I didn't expect you to make a girlfriend from the first day of school!"
"NO I DIDN'T! We are friends with Aoi, don't get the wrong idea!"
"Oh really? It didn't seem like that though. You two were flirting in front of us!"
"Stop it."
Akira turned to Miyako. "What about you? Did you make any new friends?"
Miyako blushed. "Y-yes, I made new friends."
It was unusual for her. Normally she only treated outsiders as tools for her goals, but this time was different.
Akira & Byakuya: (She's so cute when she's blushing!)
"You two are thinking something rude, right?"
"Geh! (She saw right through us.)"
After dinner, they went to sleep.
The next morning, Byakuya woke up earlier than usual.
"You woke up early, huh? What is it, are you excited to see Aoi?"
"Yes! I'm excited to go to school together!"
"You're not denying it? Hmph, you never wake up early and always make me wait though!"
"Ugh, I'm sorry. I was just excited and woke up early."
Akira came downstairs. "Morning. Ooh, Byakuya's early—that's unexpected!"
"Is it really surprising to see me up early in the morning?"
Akira & Miyako: "Yes."
After breakfast, Akira left, saying she had some work to do. Miyako and Byakuya got ready to meet up with Takuya and the others.
Right after they leave, they see Aoi and Renji standing outside.
"Did we make you wait?"
"No, we were early because of my sister. She insisted on seeing Byakuya."
"Is that so Aoi?"
Aoi, blushing, stays silent. Renji and Miyako thought that this is the chance! And turned their gazes to Byakuya. But he was just standing there. It felt like they were talking to a rock.
After a minute or two they saw Reika in a distance waving at them. Behind her was Takuya, sleepy, he let out a big yawn "morning!"
On their way to school Renji told them that there will be a new PE teacher. Reika asked him how did he get that information. Their mother Ms.Shion told them about it. She is principal.
"EH? so Ms.Shion is your mother?"
"Yes."
"That's why Aoi's looking like her!"
"Yea you can say that. She got most of her looks from our mother."
They've arrived at school. First lesson was PE. So they got their clothes changed and went out to sports field. The new PE teacher Renji told them before was standing there. Taking a closer look Miyako and Byakuya recognized her, "big sis?" They were both confused.
"It's Ms.Akira at school!" she scolded them.
"No you can't be a teac—" Akira interrupted Byakuya and kicked him in the stomach "stop running your mouth Byakuya, it's not your style! Show me what you've got!"
Students were terrified. Aoi worried, runs towards Byakuya. She shouts at Ms.Akira stating that teachers are prohibited from hitting students if it's not an official match.
"HUH? REALLY? I am so sorry Byakuya!"
"Oh don't worry. From now on it is an official match!"
Byakuya got angry and started rushing at her.
"Ms.Akira! Stop this mess right NOW!" a loud voice was heard behind the students.
It was school principal Ms.Shion. Hearing her, Byakuya stands back. Ms.Shion scolds Akira and introduces her to students.
"Let me introduce you our new PE teacher, Ms.Akira, she is an ex-special forces military soldier. She will be teaching and training you in martial arts and sports."
"It's nice to meet you all! From now on, I'm looking forward to our endless training sessions together!"
(She is going to train us until we FAINT! I don't want to attend this class!) Miyako was thinking to herself in fear.