• CHAPTER 1

    Hisako walked down the hall, books in hand, and rolling her suitcase along. She looked over to her left, and all she saw was green lockers, and a sea of kids her age. She looked to her right and saw the same thing. To Hisako, every year was the same at Mamoha high school. She had her best friend, Mai to support her, and her enemy, Eko-san to make her feel like crap when she needed it least. And every year she had fallen in love with the same guy, Kane-san. And every year ended the same too; Kane and Eko would fall in love and date over the summer. Hisako sighed walking over to her locker, which was also the same as last year. She dialed the combination and opened up her locker. But for once, Hisako’s locker was different. There was a small slip of paper in her locker. Hisako put her books in the locker and took out the piece of paper. She unfolded it, and it read, “Hisako-san, I’ve been thinking about you all summer. And as I did this thinking, I discovered that I love you. Please, at the end of the day, meet me in front of the garden. Truly yours, …” Hisako blushed at the thought that someone actually loved her, but who, Kane-san? The signature read dot, dot, dot, and no one at Mamoha had the name of Dot. Just then, the intercom buzzed, “Boys and girls, we welcome you back to Mamoha High School for another great year! Please put your books in your lockers, then go to your dorms to meet you roommate. Lets have a great year!” Hisako locked the door on her locker and went off to the girl’s dorms, thinking about her secret admirer.

    CHAPTER 2

    As Hisako reached the her room, she exhaled, knowing that just like last year, her roommate would be someone that she hated, or had never met before. As she slowly opened the door, a small squeal was heard. Hisako recognized the squeal, and quickly pushed open the door. “MAI!!” exclaimed Hisako. Mai quickly ran to Hisako and hugged her as tight as possible. “HISAKO! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! I mean, you are my roommate, right?” Mai stepped backwards one to let Hisako read her placement paper. “Room 360, right?” asked Hisako. Mai’s eyes widened as she hugged her friend again. “Oh my gosh, this has NEVER happened before! We’re actually roommates!” Mai backed away again, this time to hop up and down. Hisako looked at her best friend, smiling. Mai, surprisingly enough, was one of the smartest kids at Mamoha High School. She was medium height, and had blonde hair. Hisako hugged her friend once more, and then closed the door. Hisako told Mai everything that happened that morning, with a smile on her face because so far, this was the best year she’s ever had.

    CHAPTER 3

    All day long, Hisako had been anxiously waiting for her last class to come and end. Once the bell rang, Hisako ran out of the classroom, bumping into someone. She closed her eyes as she fell. She sat on the floor, across from someone. And that particular someone smelled REALLY good. Hisako rubbed her head and opened her eyes to realize that she bumped into Kane-san! “Oh my gosh. I-I’m SO sorry! I’m such a baka* sometimes! Gosh, I’m sorry…” When Hisako finally finished apologizing, Kane just stared at her. She blushed until she was as red as a beat. Kane stood up, silently helping Hisako with her books. “Um, your Hisako, right?” Asked Kane, breaking the silence. “Yea, I mean, well…yes.” Replied Hisako. “Well Hisako, I apologize for bumping into you. Can I walk you back to the dorms?” He asked. Hisako blushed REALLY hard at that moment. Not once in her life had any boy asked if he could walk her home. “Well, sure, I guess…” said Hisako.
    As Hisako and Kane walked down the hall, Kane asked, “Do you mind if we take the long way. I mean, past the garden?” At that moment, Hisako remembered that someone was waiting for her at the garden! “Um, sure!” replied Hisako anxiously. She and Kane walked passed the garden, and Hisako was sure to make sure she saw the person waiting for her, yet no one was there. “Hey, Kane…I know this is really none of my business, but what’s your relationship with Eko?” Kane stopped, and looked at the ground. “Me and Eko…” started Kane, “Me and Eko have had a bunch of crappy relationships. And she’s always making people feel bad, so I broke up with her. I told her that I never wanted to talk to her again, and for her to get a life.” Kane started to walk again. All Hisako could do was stare at Kane. He was beautiful.
    Finally, Kane and Hisako got to the girl’s dorms. “Well it was nice talking to you Hisako.” Said Kane. He handed her books back, and waved goodbye as he walked away. Hisako exhaled deeply and walked upstairs to the anxious Mai.
    *Baka is Japanese for moron, or stupid.

    CHAPTER 4
    “So, what happened!!??” asked Mai. Mai was rocking back and forth in pajamas on Hisako’s bed. “Nothing…” Hisako replied with a monotonous tone. “Nothing? Nothing at all??” Mai asked. “Well...I guess something did happen…”
    “What?! Tell me!!”
    “It was nothing Mai.”
    “It OBVIOUSLY was Hisako!”
    “Fine…Kane-san walked me home. We just talked, it was nice.”
    Finally there was a long silence. Mai’s face suddenly brightened up. “OH MY GOSH!! HISAKO! KANE-SAN WALKED YOU TO THE DORMS!” Mai squealed. She started running over to her bed and digging in a bag, which from the looks of it, Hisako knew this was Mai sketch/big idea pad bag. “Okay, so this is how I see it…” suddenly Mai started to rapidly scribble in the notebook, flipping the page every time she finished a sketch. Finally, Mai showed the finishing result. “Alright, so first,” she flipped to the first page, “Kane-sane walks you home.” She stopped to flip the page, “Then, you two will start to spend more time together until you’re friends.” Mai showed Hisako the page. It had a girl, who looked somewhat like her, and a tall, handsome boy. They were talking at a lunch table with another girl who was supposed to be what Mai wished she looked like. Mai flipped the page and continued, “Then He’ll start to have love interest in you.” Again, the handsome boy was there, but this time, he had a heart over his head, “Then he asks you to the spring fair.” The picture was the boy and “Hisako” in yukatas. She was feeding the boy takyoki. “Then you two kiss.” The picture was the boy and girl kissing. “Mai!” exclaimed Hisako. She turned completely red, although she wished that it could actually happen. “You never know Hisako! It could happen.” Said Mai. But Hisako knew it wouldn’t happen, because every year ended the same, Eko and Kane would kiss.

    CHAPTER 5
    As the sun finished rising, Hisako was just finishing breakfast. “Mmmmmm, smells good Hisako! So, watcha making?” asked a very bubbly Mai. “Bacon, eggs, French toast, milk and orange juice.” Replied Hisako. “Yummy!” exclaimed Mai. Once Hisako finished making breakfast, she told Mai to serve herself, as she got dressed. Once Hisako was dressed, she saw Mai in a panic. “Hisako, where’s my bag! I can’t find it, and class starts in three minutes!” “What! How is that possible!” exclaimed Hisako, now also in a frenzy searching for her bag. “FOUND THEM!” said Mai victoriously. She handed Hisako her bag and ran out the door. Hisako grabbed a piece of French toast and quickly followed. The two girls ran as fast as possible past the boy’s dorms, the garden, and eventually into learning quarters. Mai and Hisako made it right on time fortunately. As Hisako sat down in her regular seat, five down from Mai. Hisako sat, watching each one of her classmates. There was Mai, who was sitting in her seat doodling. Then Aimi, who was next to her was reading her book. Rikuma was hunched over Mai, taking notes as Mai drew. The twins, Haruka and Haruna were giggling in their seats with their pompoms in hand. And Aiko was was on her laptop. It all made Hisako smile. But suddenly, everyone got quiet. The room suddenly got colder, and Hisako knew what that meant. Eko walked into the room, making Hisako feel small. Everyone stopped what he or she was doing to let Eko walk through the room. “Oh, excuse me,” Eko said to Hisako, “um, you’re in my seat baka…” “Oh, I’m sorry…” Hisako replied. “Whatever. Oh, and FYI, I saw you with Kane the other day…you better stay away from him. He’s gonna be mine again by the end of the year, got it?!” said Eko. Hisako shrunk to the size of an ant. Not only was Eko beautiful, but also she was strong, commanding, and scary all at the same time. Hisako got out of her seat and moved over to the other side of Aimi. Everyone just stared at Hisako. They had a “I feel sorry for you look” on their faces. Hisako felt like crap. She was just told that she couldn’t talk to the one boy she was in love with. But what was she to do?

    CHAPTER 6
    “G’morning Mai.” Said Hisako. As always, Mai had prepared absolutely nothing. Mai putting take out on the table welcomed Hisako. “Sorry about the take out…” said Mai. She rubbed her head and continued serving. For a while, all the two girls did was eat. “Why didn’t you say anything yesterday Hisako! You’re stronger than that!” said Mai. She was angry. “Well I might say the same thing to you Mai!” replied Hisako. The girls then sat down. They ate in silence until it was time to leave. Hisako went her way, and Mai went her way. During art they didn’t talk, as the same with lunch. Suddenly, the unexpected happened. “Hey Hisako! Can I sit?” asked Kane. He was standing there, right above her head. “Oh, sure.”
    “So, where’s that friend of yours? What’s her name?? Mai, right?”
    “Yea. Her name is Mai.”
    “So where is she?”
    “I’m currently not talking to her.”
    “Oh.”
    “Yep.”
    “Um hey, I’m really sorry about Eko yesterday.”
    “What?”
    “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve it. You’re an amazing girl, and I can’t believe she would do that to you.”
    Suddenly Kane held Hisako’s chin. She blushed, and just wanted it to happen. She wanted her lips to touch Kane-san’s, but she remembered what Eko had said, and pulled away. “Do you know what Eko said to me yesterday Kane?” asked Hisako.
    “Well, Koji told me that Kira told him that Eko had threatened you to stay away from me. But trust me, it won’t happen. I can’t stay away from you. You draw my attention. You’re different.”
    Hisako couldn’t find the words to say. It was amazing. Was Kane-san falling in love with her? Then a thought popped into her head. “Oh, the letter”
    “What letter?”
    “Oh, I’m sure its something.”
    “No, it’s…well, maybe.”
    “Lemme see it.”
    “Okay.”
    Hisako handed Kane the letter. He read it in silence for a while. “So,” started Kane, “You got my letter.”

    CHAPTER 7
    Hisako walked home, though it was more of a flutter. Kane-san had just told her that he loved her. She walked through the garden, humming away. But suddenly, there was a rustle. “Who’s there?” asked Hisako. Another rustles. It wasn’t windy, so there went that excuse. Suddenly, a figure appeared. It was tall and curvy. “So Hisako, you decided to go against my wishes and got close with Kane.” Eko suddenly walked forward. She had a bag over her shoulder that didn’t appear to be a school bag, and her hair was tied back. “I’m sorry Eko-san! I really am!”
    “Oh really.”
    “Yes!”
    “I don’t believe you, baka.”
    “Please!”
    “Too late. You go against my wishes, I go against yours.”
    Suddenly, Eko dug into her bag and whipped out a bottle. “We all know you’re afraid of getting hurt, Hisako,” started Eko, “But too bad. You got close to Kane, like I told you not to.” Eko started walking closer towards Hisako. Hisako started crying, she knew what came next. She was too scared to run. “Please, don’t hit me Eko!”
    “Whatever Hisako.”
    “PLEASE!”
    “Too bad.”
    Eko walked closer and closer to Hisako, raising her arm as she went. Finally she got above Hisako’s head. ‘SMASH!’ Glass went everywhere. Hisako was on the ground crying. She looked up at Eko, who was smiling. Hisako touched her head. It was bleeding. “I…I….” that’s all Hisako could get out before she slowly ran home.

    CHAPTER 8
    “Hisako!” cried Mai, “Oh my gosh, are you ok?” When Hisako finally got home, Mai was there, holding her like she used to when they were little. “What happened!?”
    “Eko...smash…bottle.”
    “She smashed a bottle on your head?!”
    “Yeah…she did.”
    “I have to call head master Mamoha!”
    Mai ran towards the phone, and punched in the numbers. “You just sit tight, okay?”
    “Alright.”

    A few minutes later, the nurse came running in. “I got a call from the twins next door saying they heard moaning a couple minutes ago. Is every thing alr…Oh My God! What happened to you dear?”
    “Eko whipped a bottle over her head” replied Mai who was still on the phone
    “Is this true dear?”
    “Yes.”
    “Darling, tell me what happened.”
    Hisako explained what happened as best as she could. Her vision was a bit blurry at the time due to the tears. Mai walked over hugging Hisako. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have gotten mad. I see why you were scared now.” Whispered Mai. Hisako looked back at her friend and cried into her shoulder for the rest of the night.

    CHAPTER 9
    The next morning was definitely different. Hisako was ordered not to go to any morning classes including lunch by the nurse and head master Mamoha. Hisako had a feeling about what Eko was doing right now. She could image it all in her head. Eko was pulling the sweet act, saying that she was trying to save her, but couldn’t. That she nursed her back to health and carried her to her dorm. Then she would turn to Kane’s shoulder and cry. He would comfort her, and ask her to the spring festival. They would kiss, and the letter would mean nothing. Hisako cried into her sheets. “I guess this is hell, and Eko is the devil.” She cried some more. After awhile Hisako got up and got dressed. She grabbed her bag and headed out the door. As Hisako walked outside, everyone stared at her. A bloody bandage covered up her normal brown hair. She looked down as people whispered about her. Mai ran towards her. “Hisako! Welcome back! Guess what?”
    “What?”
    “I signed you up for the spring festival committee!”
    “What! Who else signed up!?”
    “Um, apparently, its you, me, Koji, Aiko, the twins, Oru, Kane and Eko. Oh, whoops…”
    “It’s fine Mai.”
    “No it’s not! I’m so sorry Hisako! I don’t want you to get hurt again! I’ll erase your name.”
    “No, Mai, I want to be on the committee.”
    “Oh…ok.”
    As the girls walked down the hall, Eko walked up to Hisako. “So, I hear you’re on the committee.”
    “Yep.”
    “Don’t count on it.”
    “Too late. My name is in pen.”
    “And? There is white out, baka.”
    “No there’s not.”
    “What are you talking about?.”
    “Well you know how our class president, Oru, is allergic to the stuff in markers, so they got rid of them?”
    “Yea, what about that loser?”
    “Turns out that particular stuff is also in white out. Read the bulletin.”
    “WHAT!”
    “Yep. Unless you’re signing something now, you are only allowed to use pencil.”
    Eko got EXTREMELY mad. She clenched her fists and huffed off. She turned back to look at Hisako and mouthed, “I’m warning you. Don’t get close to Kane.” Hisako just stared at her and mouthed, “I love him. You can’t make me.” Eko screamed and stormed off. Pushing whoever was in her way. “What did you say to her?” asked Mai. “Nothing really. Just to let Kane decide.” Replied Hisako.

    CHAPTER 10
    It was the first and last spring festival meeting, and everyone was excited. Mai and Hisako sat down together. And then more people started coming in. When Kane walked in, he smiled, and walked over to Hisako. When he sat down, he whispered, “Listen, I really do love you, but if I’m causing you to get hurt, I can leave you alone.”
    “Don’t even think about it.”
    “What? Really! That’s great!”
    “You know what Kane, I love you back for caring so much, and I always have….Eko can’t take that away from me.”
    “Well she can’t take that away from me either.”
    Suddenly Kane stood up walked behind Hisako’s chair. “So, do you…you know.”
    “No, I don’t know Kane. What?”
    “Do you, I don’t know…go to the spring festival with me?”
    “Yea, I would love to.”
    Suddenly Eko walked in. Her skirt was extra short today, as was her vest tight. She made a slight smile, and Kane walked away. “Alright,” Eko started, “Mrs.Nagamara said I was in charge until she got here, which will probably be in two weeks. So since I’m in charge, I’ve arranged assigned seats.” Eko started to walk around the room, handing out the slips of paper one by one. As she passed by Hisako she whispered, “Listen, I don’t give a damn about Kane anymore…I’m done with him, I did what I wanted to do over the summer, but not with him. Oh no, I found someone better,” She looked over at Koji and waved flirtatiously. Koji waved back, and Kira hit him, “I know what your thinking Hisako, Koji and Kira are dating, aren’t they? Well, he lives in the house next to mine in America. Our parents are good friends, and went out one night, so I decided to go to his house and watch a few movies. Fortunately for him, his parent love American beer. He offered me some, and I accepted. We had A LOT, and well…we got drunk. It all went down from there….so take a look at that seating chart, I’m sure you’ll be happy.”
    Eko walked away. She stopped in the middle of the room. “Alright everyone! Look at the seating chart, and move to your seat. We’ll start the meeting when Oru- san gets here…Speaking of which, has anyone seen him? He hasn’t been here at all.” Suddenly, a slightly muscular boy walked in. “Oh, I’m so sorry everyone. My parents and I were helping the victims of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Our plane kept getting re-scheduled. I humbly apologize.”
    “And you are?” Asked Eko. She seemed slightly interested in who the boy was. There was so much tension in the room that Hisako had to fan herself.
    “Umm, you don’t recognize me?”
    “No,” replied Hakura, “Who may you be?” Haruna finished.
    “I’m the class president. Oru? Do you all not remember me?”
    “Oru!?” Everyone exclaimed. What had happened to the scrawny, pasty boy with gazillion zits on his face? This boy had to be a fake. This boy was tanned, muscular and didn’t have a zit to his name. This boy had attracted the attention of every single girl in the room except for Hisako and Kira’s. Even Mai blushed, and ever since James, the American boy, went back to America, Mai had never blushed unless she did something embarrassing. “So, you like him?” Asked Hisako.
    “What?”
    “You know, do you like the new Oru?”
    “I don’t know, he’s cute I guess…”
    “WAI! I knew it! As soon as he walked in the room you blushed!”
    “Shhhh….Hisako, no one can think I like someone, including myself…ever since James left, I don’t know.”
    “Oh, alright. But someone is looking at you…”
    “WHAT!?” Mai quickly turned around facing Oru. He gently smiled at Mai through the crowd of girls surrounding him. Eko saw that Mai was staring back and began to caress Oru. She practically kissed him, and as she did that, all the other girls walked away, knowing it was practically over. Oru looked at Eko and replied, “Miss Eko, I don’t know who you think I am, and what I’m into, but I am NOT interested in girls that wear their skirts extremely short, and wear a vest that is TOO small for them. In my family, we would call girls like that a SLUT! In my family, we take manners VERY seriously, and manners would include caressing and kissing people that you just practically met! Now, Miss Eko, do I make myself clear?” Everyone just stared, mouths wide open. No one had EVER talked to Eko that way, especially a boy. If Eko had done that to any other boy in the school they would have practically melted. Eko just stared at Oru disgusted. She glared at him. And all of a sudden, a loud slap was heard. “How DARE you call me a slut!”
    “Well, Miss Eko, that is EXACTLY what you are!”
    “Well, Oru, I don’t know who you are to reject ME of all people! Now who are you going to date,” Eko pointed to Mai, “Her! The otaku?! The girl who hasn’t had a date since two years ago!”
    “That’s because I didn’t want to!” Screamed Mai.
    “And why not! Because you’re ugly!? Because you have no social life!? The only friends you have are Hisako and your other otaku friends on the Internet?! All you are is a loner loser!”
    “Excuse me, but I find Mai quite attractive. She seems like a very lovely girl. Oh, and you’re an otaku too?”
    “Wait a minute, you’re an otaku?”
    “Why, yes.”
    “What do you do?”
    “MMOs. I’ve been doing a lot of Ryuuk lately.”
    “Oh my gosh! Ryuuk! That’s my favorite!”
    Mai stood up. Oru walked forward. He began asking Mai a lot of questions about the game considering she was so experienced. Hisako looked at the seating list and saw that She and Kane would be next to each other, as would Mai and Oru. But what was weird was that Kira was completely isolated from everyone else. “Um, excuse me,” started Kira, “Why am I separated from everyone else?”
    “Because I put you there.”
    “Well everyone else is pretty close to each other, why am I behind the work table?”
    “Because I put you there.”
    “But I want to be next to Koji.”
    “Too bad, I’m next to him.”
    “Well why?”
    “Kira, why can’t you let it go?” asked Koji
    “Because you’re my boyfriend.”
    “Well right now you’re on thin ice.”
    “What!? Koji-kun!”
    “Listen, its time you know.”
    “Koji, lets not get hasty.”
    “Eko, she has a right to know.”
    “Know what?”
    “Kira, over the summer I lost my virginity.”
    “I know, you lost it with me, remember?”
    The room got quiet and everyone began to stare at Kira and Koji.
    “Oopsie…”
    “Anyway…”
    “Koji, please don’t tell me you had sex with someone before me.”
    “…”
    “KOJI!?”
    “…”
    Kira started crying. “Just tell me Koji.”
    “…”
    “Who. Whom did you do it with?”
    “a girl.”
    “Koji, I’m not stupid.”
    “Eko…”
    “WHAT!”
    “I lost my virginity with Eko, alright!”
    Suddenly Kira got very quiet. She looked at him for a while. Then she took her textbook and smashed the corner of it to Koji’s head. It started bleeding slightly, but not enough that you could see it. Kira just looked at kopi and said, “Listen, after 3 years of a great relationship, you destroy it by having sex with someone else! Really Koji, I thought you were better than that!” Kira ran out the room crying. All Hisako could do was look at Kane with questioning eyes. He stared back and shook his head no as he did the American scouts honor sign with his hands. All right, he was a virgin, as was Hisako. But how could Eko do that to Kira! It was terrible. Suddenly Eko began laughing. “Wow, you losers are worse than I thought!” Koji just stared down at the floor. Eko sauntered over to him and sat on his lap. She began caressing him and attempted to kiss him. “St…” murmured Koji.
    “What, darling?”
    “st…t”
    “What?”
    “STOP IT!”
    “WHAT? STOP WHAT?”
    “All the caressing crap! Listen, we were drunk! It meant NOTHING!”
    “What?! You were practically asking me for more!”
    “WHAT I DID WITH KIRA WAS REAL! I WAS ACTUALLY IN LOVE WITH HER AND NOW SHE’S GONE! WITH YOU, IT WAS JUST A LOT OF BOOZE! YOU NEED TO GET A LIFE, EKO!” Koji voice began to sound cracked.
    “I don’t get it?”
    “That’s because Oru was right! You’re a slut!”
    “I completely agree,” Started Kane, “When we were dating last summer, all you did was talk trash about every single other girl in this school! When I broke up with you, all you said was that if I dated any other girl, you would kill her! Now listen, my understanding is that you smashed a bottle on Hisako’s head! That is UNACCEPTABLE! And now since we’re dating, what are you going to do? Smash another bottle on her head? Well guess what, that isn’t going to happen because I’ll be right with her!”
    “Wait, we’re dating?” asked Hisako.
    “Well we feel the same way about each other, right?”
    “Yea, of course.”
    “Then we’re dating.”
    “WAI!!! HISAKO! DO YOU REALIZE I WAS RIGHT!! MY PREDICTION CAME TRUE!”
    “What was your prediction Mai?” asked Oru.
    “Well, first Hisako and Kane would be friends, then Kane would feel the same way about Hisako as Hisako does about him, then he would ask Hisako to the spring festival, then they would kiss, although that hasn’t happened yet…”
    “Well Miss Mai, would you like that to happen to you?”
    “W…What?”
    “Would you like to go the spring festival with me?”
    “you have love interest in me?”
    “I always have…”
    “Really, I never noticed.”
    “Well do you now?”
    “Yea…”
    “Great, I’ll pick you up at 7 tomorrow. In fact, Mr. Kane, would it be ok if we double dated?”
    “Well…of course! Unless its not ok with Hisako.”
    “It’s fine with me!”
    “WAIT A DAMN SECOND! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!”
    “What?”
    “WHAT HAPPENED!”
    “You lost for the first time in your life.” Said Hisako. Suddenly the bell rang. Flood of kids went running out of their classrooms to get ready for tomorrow. All Hiskao could do was smile as she walked out with Mai. And all Eko could do was watch everyone be happy except for Koji. Both of them were destroyed.

    CHAPTER 11
    “Alright, this one, or this one?” asked Mai holding two yukatas in front of her body. “Hmmm…the green one looks nice on you.” Hisako replied. She herself was spinning around in her yellow yukata. The obi hugged her stomach just right. Hisako grabbed her fan that her mother sent to her and sat down. Mai had gotten her yukata on and was attempting to tie the obi. Hisako laughed, “Mai, do you want me to tie that?” “Yea…” replied Mai patting her head. Hisako patted her bed as a signal for Mai to sit. “So…this is it.”
    “What?”
    “Our first dates in a while.”
    “Well you had one with Kane….sort of…”
    “He offered to walk me home out of pity. That wasn’t a date…”
    “Well, lets just say this is our first ever double date!”
    The girls squealed and hugged each other. “How many more minutes?” asked Mai.
    “Around thirty. Hey, do you hear that noise?”
    “Yea, I think it’s the twins.”
    There was a noise. Two girls going, “Hold still Haruna!” and “But Haruka, you’re tying it too tight!”
    “I am not! I’m doing it like mom taught us!”
    “Ugh…I’m getting Hisako-san.”
    Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Haruna stormed in with an obi in her hand. “Sorry Hisako, but could you tie this?”
    “Sure.”
    Hisako began to tie Haruna’s obi. Suddenly Haruka came in. “Why did you leave Haruna?” “Because you can’t tie an obi like Hisako or Mai can.” Haruna replied.
    “Well, I guess I won’t tie your obi anymore!”
    “Fine! You can’t tie an obi anyway!”
    Hisako had finally finished with Haruna and let her hop off her bed. “Thanks Hisako. Listen, Haruka, I didn’t mean that you were bad at tying obies, but you were tying it too tight.”
    “Well you could have said that…I’m sorry.”
    “It’s ok.”
    In all of her life Hisako had never met two people who could make up after about five minutes of time. She looked at the two girls standing side by side. They were extremely short for being sophomores in high school. They were exactly identical except for their hair. Haruna’s was always in baos on either side of her head, and Haruka’s was always down. Yet today, both of the girls had their hair down and had two flowers on either side of their head. “You guys look really pretty.” Said Hisako. “Thank you!” the girls replied at the same time, “Well we’re gonna go now, we need to get tickets.” Said Haruna. “Bye.” Said Mai. The twins walked out the room together. Suddenly the phone rang. Mai ran over to read the caller ID. “IT’S ORU!!!” The girls squeaked together and Mai picked up the phone. “Hello? Yes, hi Oru…… Yea, me and Hisako are ready……Alright…..We’re on our way down stairs…..Oh stop it…..Really……You can tell me more downstairs…..ok, bye.” “What happened?” asked Hisako. “Oh, Oru was just telling me something about his character. Now lets go!” Mai grabbed her fan and Hisako’s hand and closed the door.

    CHAPTER 12
    “Hello, Mai, you look lovely! As do you miss Hisako.” Said Oru. “Hey, watch it,” started Kane as he grabbed Hisako by the waist, “She’s mine.” Hisako just giggled as Kane held her hand. “Well, shall we ladies? Kane?” “We shall.” Replied Mai giggling. As the group got to the garden music could be heard and scents could be smelled. “Mmmmmm…I can’t wait anymore! C’mon Oru, lets go!” suddenly Mai grabbed both of Oru’s hands and pulled him forward. Oru just laughed. “Alright, alright! But a gentleman doesn’t let a lady walk, none the less run long distances.” Suddenly Oru swept Mai right off her feet as if they were married and just carried her to the festival. “Wow,” started Kane, “They really like each other.” “Yea.” Replied Hisako
    “You know what,” Kane stopped, “To me, you are the prettiest girl in the world. Nothing or no one can EVER outshine your beauty, be it the sun, the stars, and the flowers.”
    “Really?”
    “Really.”
    “Then what are we waiting for? Lets go!”
    Hisako pulled Kane forward as to pull him toward the festival, but instead Kane just got even closer. “You’ve been waiting for something, as have I, right?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Y’know…this.”
    Kane pulled in extremely close and kissed Hisako. It lasted for around 45 seconds. Just her and Kane, and their lips were touching. Hisako just dropped her fan and hugged Kane back. Hisako backed up and giggled. “wow,” started Kane, “That was amazing.” “So, lets go.” Said Hisako. The couple held hands and walked to the festival.
    CHAPTER 13
    As Hisako walked with Kane the progression of the year was right in front of her eyes. First of Kane and her were dating. As they walked past the game booth, Mai hugged a huge teddy bear and walked off with Oru. For the first time in two years, Hisako saw Mai truly and genuenly happy with a boy. Then Hisako sadly looked on at Kira and Koji, who was desperately trying to apologize. But Kira just shook her head, and walked off with another boy. Suddenly, Koji pulled Eko over to the dunk tank and began to scream at her. All Hisako saw before looking away was Eko crying. Suddenly Head master Mamoha walked over to Eko and handed her a slip of paper. Eko looked at it and yelled, “EXPOLTION!?” and began crying again. But Hisako looked at Kane and snuggled into his shoulder. The spring was finally over, and all Hisako could do was think about was her future with Kane in the fall.