"Class, we have a new student today. Ryuuzaki Ryuhei, is it? Let's help Ryuuzaki-kun get accustomed to his new environment and make him feel welcomed."

"Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu," the new student said drawing it out, but where these words usually conveyed a healthy amount of enthusiasm and respect, the monotone in which he had delivered this phrase made it sound like this person did not care much about the teacher's words or even being welcomed by his peers.

Raito turned his head towards the front of the class, drawn away from his usual day-dreaming by the new student, and he could not help but grimace as he took in the disheveled appearance of the other boy. This Ryuuzaki-person wasn't wearing his jacket for some reason, his tie was a little loose, he had not tucked in his shirt, and his gray dress pants weren't pleated and a little more loose fitting than they should be. Why the teacher wasn't saying anything to the new student about his appearance was beyond him. Raito wondered how this Ryuuzaki-person had gotten into this school. Either he was smart or he had money, which he didn't look like either. He actually looked like a foreigner. Since he had a Japanese name, he was probably half-japanese. Maybe that was why... Well it really wasn't any of his business if the new person wanted to look like a complete slouch.

"Please take a seat wherever you want, Ryuuzaki-kun," the teacher said.

"Doumo," Ryuuzaki said in a deep, nasally voice, bowing a little, but the way he was already hunched over the motion seemed more like a nod. With his hands in his pockets, the new student scanned the classroom before his dark eyes stopped and for some reason or another focused in on Raito, the brunette suddenly caught off guard by the magnetizing force behind the black void that was this person's gaze, and unable to look away for some reason as well, Raito was drawn into the very intense scrutiny of this…Ryuuzaki person.

Raito let his eyes drop from their shared gaze, as for an unchecked second, Raito had actually forgotten himself and had fixed the new student with his own sharp gaze, which he had a bad habit of reverting to when he was not wholly aware of it.

Raito did not know exactly what about this guy staring at him had made him instantly react, but whatever it was, it was probably nothing.

Raito tried not to outwardly scowl as the new student shuffled right up to him, rather right past his desk, and then nonchalantly took the seat right behind him. Raito could feel the gravity of that weighty stare transfer to the back of his head, and the brunette could not help but feel all the tiny pores on his neck raise, as he was suddenly made very aware of their proximity.

Raito wanted to tell him to cut it out, but then again, he looked like a foreigner. He might not realize he was being rude.

"Arai-kun, can you pick up where we left off from yesterday?"

"Hai!"

Raito turned the page in his textbook for show, as he had already read ahead much farther than where they were as a class currently, and then just as tersely turned his head in the direction of the window, so he could resume his daydreaming.

"Wow, talk about freaky looking," Raito heard one of the girls in his class whisper next to him. "What're you talking about? He's not your type," another boy whispered back sarcastically.

Blowing a wisp of his bangs from out of his face, Raito propped his chin up in his hand, and sighed louder than he should have, especially with the seat behind him now occupied. He was so over high school, especially with how petty and small everything seemed. Like there was nothing of worth here. This place could be so…boring.

"So I noticed you have a secret admirer?" Yamamoto said during lunch, laughing and nudging one of his other school acquaintances with his elbow. "Though he's definitely not the usual fair," the boy added with a somewhat uncertain tone, since pretty much every girl in Raito's class had confessed to the brunette already, and that had always bothered a lot of the other guys.

Raito shrugged. "I didn't notice," he lied.

"You looked like you noticed to me," one of the other boys said, and Raito could not help but be a little annoyed by the topic.

"Can we just drop it already?" Raito said, closing the lid on his bento box. These guys were being a pain.

"Whoa, you really do look bothered. I didn't mean to strike a nerve, ouji-sama."

Being nicknamed a Prince by his class had never bothered Raito, but for some reason he was not in the mood for it today.

"I'm heading back," Raito said, standing up, and as he turned sharply around to return to the classroom, he walked right into someone, the other person being knocked back a little, Raito regaining his balance as well. "Excuse m—" Raito stopped as he realized who he had suddenly run into.

"Ah, no, it was my fault," Ryuuzaki said, rubbing the center of his chest. "Though by the looks of you I did not think you would be so solid."

Raito narrowed his eyes at the new student.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

"I was actually sent here on an errand to retreat you," the new student said, as if he had not just told Raito in so many words that he was effeminate-looking. "I was told you would be the best person to consult on—"

Raito brusquely walked around the new student, Ryuuzaki's mouth still open mid-sentence, a stupid look on his face; and even though Raito wanted to thoroughly ignore the new guy, he still had a reputation to uphold as a model student.

"My notebooks are at my desk," Raito said, guessing what Ryuuzaki wanted from him, though he was still a little irritated at how the new student had approached him about it.

Ryuuzaki turned around and began trailing after Raito, his mouth still open, but now his finger hanging off his bottom lip. "The ones in your desk should be more than enough. Some of the material covered from the last month will probably be on the practice exam today. I just need a refresher."

Raito began to climb the steps toward the school entrance, but before he could clear the top step he stopped and turned back around to look down at Ryuuzaki. "You know, you might want to hold off on the practice exam since you just got here. Since it's your first day, the teacher will most likely make a rare exception for you so you don't have to take it. We have one pretty much every week, so you'd just take the one next week."

Ryuuzaki was half-way up the stairs, so he had to turn his eyes upward to look at the brunette; then the new student went onto do something very strange—and suddenly smiled at him, the expression strangely cute for someone whose features seemed accustomed to more somber, subdued expressions.

Raito blinked down at him, caught off guard by the expression and unsure as to what had brought out this reaction from the other.

"Since it can be very useless, I do not have much in the way of manners, but it is very nice to meet you, Yagami Raito, is it?" Ryuuzaki held his hand to Raito, and the brunette stared down at Ryuuzaki before he slowly slipped his hand in his own.

"It's... nice to meet you as well," Raito said hesitantly, as this Ryuuzaki person seemed to be really good at throwing him off for some reason.

Ryuuzaki shook his hand, but the way he was loosely holding onto it, it was less like a handshake and more like how someone would take your hand before they asked you to dance.

"So you write Yagami as in night and god, and Raito using moon? What a strange…and very beautiful name," Ryuuzaki said sounding somewhat awed, that small smile still on his face.

"T-thanks," Raito said, looking away before he slipped his hand from Ryuuzaki's grasp, the brunette a tad mollified since he was used to people commenting on the strangeness of his name and nothing else.

Clearing his throat, Raito turned around and headed back into the school building.

When he and Ryuuzaki made it to the classroom, Raito reached into the back of his desk, handing Ryuuzaki one of his notebooks as the brunette took the others out as well. Raito was about to start telling the new student what areas to focus on, that was until he saw Ryuuzaki drag his thumb against the collected pages of his notebook, his large dark eyes scanning quickly as he flipped through his notebook in less than a minute, and then moved onto the next in the same manner.

This guy…

Students who came to Daikoku Private Academy were not stupid, or at least were good at taking tests, since the score on their entrance exam was mainly what got them a spot at one of Japan's best private high schools. So Raito was not surprised that the new student could at least speed read. He was just doing it at a rate that Raito had never seen anyone do.

"I am glad you have such neat handwriting, it makes reading it so much easier," Ryuuzaki said, as he handed him the last of the notebooks. "I should be more than prepared now, and as thanks… you should let me buy you lunch tomorrow."

"You don't have to," Raito said, putting his books away. "I mostly bring my lunch. Plus, it might be too early for you to celebrate," Raito stated matter-of-factly. "You might not pass the mock today," he said and laughed, which was usually his way of downplaying the severity of his words.

"I will pass," the new student said simply, like that wasn't even up for debate, his confidence not something Raito was used to with his peers-and Raito could not say he disliked that trait, at all.

Trying not to smile, Raito took his seat. "Well, class is almost starting, so good luck…um…"

"You can call me Ryuuzaki," the new student said, as they had not clarified titles yet. "Yagami-kun."

"Everyone, please take you seats," Raito heard his teacher say, and Raito cast one more look Ryuuzaki's way before turning around in his desk so he could take out his pencil case.

"I'm going to start passing around your booklets and multiple choice sheets. If you would clear your desks so we can begin."

The next day Raito strolled into homeroom one minute before class was about to start.

If anyone knew Raito, they knew he hated showing up too early for anything. Mind you he was never late, but he was never early either. Raito liked to think that even with his hectic everyday schedule of cram school, student body meetings, and after-school activities, that he could at least gain back some free time for himself by showing up to these things at the very last acceptable minute; free time which could be spent doing any number of early morning activities—Raito could sleep in for a little bit, if he didn't mind skipping breakfast, or he could enjoy his walk to school instead of hurrying along with the rest of the students, and even read a book for leisure on the way. On his subway commute, he could put earphones in and listen to the music he had on his phone. Or he could stop into the bookstore or convenience store on the way to school to peruse their current stock, or buy himself a snack if he did miss breakfast.

And even though half the things Raito had listed as his morning routine were frowned upon by his school – Daikoku did not care for their students being seen in public acting like well…teenagers, as they had their reputation to uphold – Raito was still of the opinion that as the best and the brightest, he should at least be allowed to get away with little things here and there.

Following rules to a T could be tiring and overly-taxing. Raito was all for conformity, but when it helped society produce results and when people were working towards a shared goal, not when it created a bunch of boring mindless drones. The ability to use one's intellect to better one's position in life, and to strive for something greater than oneself should be one of life's most important goals. Being a useful member of society, fulfilling your roles, improving your situation and the situation of those around you, changing things for the better, so when you looked back on your life, you were proud of the difference you had made…

Exams had never been all that important to Raito. After all they were a means to an end. The only way to get into a prestigious university was by scoring high on exams, and the only way he could apply for the NPA was by getting into an impressive university. And even though Raito thought all of this, he had still done a double-take at the exam results on the board as he sat down.

Every week when results came out for their mock exam, the students who scored in the top five were ranked on the board for all to see and strive towards. This week the results looked no different from any other week, with the same five people scoring ahead of their classmates, the only difference was Raito was currently sharing first place with someone else.

Raito's brows knitted together. It was strange. He assumed everyone thought he was angry, since the class had gone dead silent when he had walked in, but Raito wasn't angry. Far from it- maybe a little annoyed that it had come out of nowhere, but he was also just a little…taken aback. If the new student had placed first alongside him, that meant…Ryuuzaki had made a perfect score. Honestly, Raito did not know what to think. This was a first for him. And again, it was just a mock exam. Nothing to get worked up over. These tests were a dime a dozen. They meant nothing. Just that you could retain facts, especially with the way tests were written to prioritize memorization rather than problem-solving.

Ryuuzaki might just have a photographic memory. It seemed likely with the way he had flipped through all of his notebooks. But if that were not the case, he might actually be dealing with someone with a very high IQ. Raito bit his lip. The next time the opportunity presented itself, he would just ask. There was no need to be shy about it, and with his mind made up, Raito turned to stare out the window, feeling himself suddenly in a better mood.

His next opportunity seemed like gym. Raito and the rest of his classmates were playing a game of soccer, and Raito could not say he terribly minded the game when outdoor activity was good at breaking up the monotony of the day. He liked soccer, and he had always been especially athletic. Physical activity was very important for the development of the brain, and as far as the Greeks had viewed it, academia and exercise went hand in hand together.

The ball had been kicked out of bounds and Raito ran after it, but slowed to a stop as he saw Ryuuzaki standing hunched over in the sidelines. He was wearing their winter uniform, which was a gray sweat-shirt and black pants; however, they still had a month left until they officially switched over from their summer uniform. The uniform that Raito was currently wearing consisted of black shorts and a gray t-shirt with a black border along the neckline. Since they were playing soccer, they also had to wear the socks that went along with it, which were black knee-highs that covered their shin-guards.

Raito scooped up the ball and tossed it back in bounds, but instead of running after his team-mates, Raito found himself walking over to Ryuuzaki.

There was a netted bag of extra soccer balls near Ryuuzaki, one of the balls having rolled out of its carrier, and Raito lightly kicked it over to the other boy, who easily trapped it with his foot. "You don't like playing soccer?" Raito asked, as he had no idea why Ryuuzaki was standing here by himself.

"No, I like it well enough," the dark-haired boy said. Ryuuzaki kicked the ball up, bounced it once off his right knee. "I just cannot make myself care about team-sports, especially when they involve other males." Ryuuzaki bounced the ball on his other knee. "However, if it were the girls' team…" Ryuuzaki bounced the ball again, then caught it with the inside of his foot. "I would not mind so much."

Not able to help it, Raito laughed at Ryuuzaki's completely straight face as he said this, and while skillfully juggling the soccer ball no less. "And here I thought you were just bad at sports."

"No, not at all," Ryuuzaki said, and then pitching the ball up again, he this time caught it with his head, balancing it for a second in the tuft of his hair, before he proceeded to remove said ball from its resting place.

"You also don't seem to care about our uniform policy either," Raito said, commenting on Ryuuzaki's wrong choice of gym clothes. He usually wasn't a stickler for these things, but since he frequently substituted in for the student-body president, he was expected to care sometimes, and Raito had noticed that Ryuuzaki seemed especially indifferent to their dress code.

"I do not care for shorts," Ryuuzaki said, staring at the black ones that Raito was currently sporting. "And they are certainly short," the other boy said, still staring at him, his finger now in his mouth, his gaze suddenly transferring to the black knee-high socks that Raito was wearing. "Nice socks," Ryuuzaki said.

Raito tried not to smile at the other boy. He really was funny in his too-serious, awkward, and strangely confident way. "I'd really appreciate it if you tried harder to follow our dress code, since I'll be the one having to chase after you if the teachers start having a problem with it."

"I will certainly not be doing that, but I appreciate the effort on your part in trying to correct me," the other boy said, and Raito would have been more ticked off, if the new student hadn't said it in such a factual way.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you," Raito said, signing. "Anyway, we should probably start heading back." His other classmates were starting to gather up their equipment from the field.

"After you," Ryuuzaki said, putting his hand out, and Raito stared at the other boy before leisurely strolling out ahead of him. "I noticed you did not bring your lunch today," Ryuuzaki suddenly said behind him. "Does this mean Yagami-kun accepts my offer to thank him for his help yesterday."

Raito pulled on the band of one of his socks even higher, not wanting it to slip down. "No…it means I just overslept and never packed my lunch," Raito said bluntly.

"Ah, I was being presumptuous then," Ryuuzaki said.

Raito turned around to look at the other boy. "I know you didn't really need my help yesterday," Raito said, finally coming out with it. He could be very blunt with people. He usually didn't make a point of it, but with this guy, it just seemed like the best way to deal with him.

"It certainly didn't hurt," Ryuuzaki added. "But yes, you have found me out. I was trying to…how do you say it 'break the ice,' which seems very appropriate, since Yagami-kun should know some of the various nicknames your class-mates have given you."

Raito frowned before he could stop himself from doing so. He knew what some of his more jealous classmates called him—Kori Oji (Ice Prince)- But bringing up something like that when you had only just met someone seemed pretty inappropriate. Raito turned around, continuing to walk ahead of the other boy, and tried to not look too offended while doing so. "It must be difficult switching schools in your last year," Raito said, trying to sound sympathetic.

"Oh very," the other boy agreed. "But I feel like Yagami-kun can be very sociable and outwardly friendly, and associating with him will make my short stay here a pleasant one."

Raito's eyebrows knitted together. He was trying to ignore the "outwardly" part of Ryuuzaki's semi-compliment.

"So it should not be too much trouble if we have lunch together?"

"If… you want to," Raito said slowly, and had no idea how he had just agreed to have lunch with this person, despite being insulted pretty much all the way through their conversation.

Raito had been about to walk over to the group of boys he usually had lunch with, when Ryuuzaki placed his tray on a small table right next to the glass-panel that ran along the outer wall of the cafeteria. He climbed into his chair in that strange way that he chose to sit, and then pulled opened the plastic package on one of the red-bean pastries he had bought.

"You don't want to sit with the rest of the guys?" Raito asked, setting his tray down on the table as well.

Ryuuzaki ripped a piece of dough from his dessert-bun and dropped it into his waiting mouth. "Ah, not really. I do not care for noise, and the view is much better over here," Ryuuzaki said, chewing noisily and staring right at him while he doing so.

Noise, huh? Raito looked over at the table on the other side of the lunchroom where his peers were seated. He didn't terribly mind sitting with other people, especially when they were good for a laugh, but it did get tiring sometimes when the conversation dragged.

"Once you get to know them, they're not so bad," Raito said, sliding his chopsticks out of the paper case, and neatly snapping them apart. "But they are loud." Raito lowered his utensils to his tray and began to take small measured bites out of his tofu-beef combo, his chewing almost noiseless. He pressed a napkin to his mouth, getting ready to speak as he finished chewing. "Thanks for lunch. You really didn't have to, especially when we both know you didn't need my help." Raito wiped his hands on his napkin, even though his hands were spotless, the act more subconscious than anything else. He picked up his water, drinking a small amount before he started in on his meal again.

Raito didn't get a response from the other boy and instead noticed that Ryuuzaki was staring at him as if he were studying him, and not knowing why he was being stared at so fixedly, Raito covered his mouth with his hand. "What?"

"You have good table manners," Ryuuzaki said, taking another noisy bite out of the fish pastry he had bought. He had gotten like ten of them for some reason. "It certainly makes the rest of us look bad."

"Because I eat with my mouth close?" Raito laughed. "It's really not that hard to make the guys around here look bad. They pretty much do it to themselves."

"It also does not hurt that you have the best scores in class too," Ryuuzaki said between mouthfuls.

"You mean, I used to," Raito swiftly corrected, setting his utensils down across his tray. Raito propped his chin up in one of his hands, studying the other person across from him. "Which brings me to my next point—you got a perfect score as well. I'm definitely not used to sharing first place with anyone, so you would see why I would be curious." Raito crossed his legs under the table, letting one of his feet tap the air. "Our teachers are also curious, because if you're this smart, they would immediately want you to be on the student body."

Ryuuzaki tilted his head, as if the shift in gravity would make all the answers come tumbling out of his head. "There is not much to me, so it should not be hard for Yagami-kun to see these things once I become more established here," Ryuuzaki said frankly. "And while I do have a photographic memory and an IQ of over 200, I would like to think that these are not the most impressive things about myself."

He had a what? Raito tried not to show the surprise on his face at what Ryuuzaki had just casually revealed to him. He had never run into someone with an IQ even remotely close to his own. Obviously, these individuals existed out there, but he had just never met anyone like that in person. Raito smiled at the other boy, trying to hide his curiosity. "So what would you consider impressive?" Raito asked, leaning more into his hand.

Ryuuzaki looked up the ceiling, his mouth falling open in thought. "Good conversation…a well-made cake… a person with inner and outer beauty...but mostly outer…"

Raito laughed. "I was actually taking you seriously. I should have known better."

"No, please take me very seriously," Ryuuzaki said, holding his gaze. "It does not look like Yagami-kun is used to any type of competition, but if you would like, I can change that very quickly."

Raito blinked at Ryuuzaki, caught off guard by the sudden change in his tone and the challenge in his voice, the other boy's gaze darkening in intensity as well. Raito could feel his heart-beat suddenly quickening in his chest and taking a small, discreet breath, he could feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

Competition was not something that Raito was accustomed to. It had always been easy for him to come out on top, and after years of being number one, it seemed only natural at this point that things would never change. But to suddenly have someone challenging him and so confidently at that, Raito did not know what to think.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might not like competition?" Raito said, and frowned at the other boy in an attempt to get Ryuuzaki to back off. He didn't really like the fact that Ryuuzaki was trying to provoke him for some reason, and it had worked.

"It is hard to say since we are just having a friendly chat, but you certainly look intrigued. However, do not let my posturing ruin what has been a very pleasant lunch. To be honest, I am also very interested in Yagami-kun. It is not every day that I run into someone that appears so…perfect."

Raito gave Ryuuzaki a long, wary look before he picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating. "What? Did my classmates give me another nickname that I don't know off," Raito said nonchalantly but still in a very catty way.

Ryuuzaki dropped the finishing cake morsel into his waiting mouth and licked one of his fingers. "No, it is just something I have noticed." There was a pause from Ryuuzaki before the dark-haired boy said, "We should have lunch again tomorrow."

"I can't tell if you're asking or directing me?" Raito said, humorlessly.

"I feel we should…play nice together," Ryuuzaki said, disregarding his sarcasm without even batting an eye. "You seem very territorial, and I am encroaching after-all."

"I'm not…" Raito sighed, and tried to change the subject. "I agree; we should try to get along, and since you're now at the top of the class as well, it's good to try and set an example for the lower-classmen and our classmates."

Raito picked up a book for the subway ride home. He noticed Ryuuzaki was looking over at him and Raito openly met his gaze. They had had a rough start, what with the fact that Ryuuzaki did not seem to have any type of filter and Raito had to play nice and share first place with someone, but after mulling it over, Raito did not think it would be too hard to get along with Ryuuzaki. When the new student wasn't staring him down and being a general butt, he didn't seem…too bad. And he did want them to get along for reasons that Raito did agree with.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Raito said to Ryuuzaki.

The other boy nodded, then he glanced at the book in his hand. "I see, the Republic. If you can create your very own utopian society on the subway ride home, I will be very impressed."

Raito chuckled. "It's just some light reading," the brunette said as he slid some of his textbooks into his satchel, and then slipped the strap over his shoulder. He began to walk out of the classroom, Ryuuzaki joining him.

"Are you taking the subway too?" Raito asked as they went down the stairs and exchanged their footwear at the shoe lockers.

Ryuuzaki shook his head. "No, I do not like it when people are in my personal space."

"Do you live near to school?" Raito said. They were walking out of the entrance towards the school gates, where for some reason a cluster of students were standing around.

"No, I'm staying downtown," Ryuuzaki said.

Downtown? Downtown was mostly made up luxury apartments and 4-star hotels. Was Ryuuzaki rich? "Then how are you getting home?"

"My driver," Ryuuzaki said, as he walked through the gates past the crowd. There was a classic-looking, black Mercedes Benz parked across the street with a white-haired older gentlemen in the driver's seat, and Raito finally realized why they had so many on-lookers. He had been wondering why none of the teachers were giving Ryuuzaki a hard time about how he wore his uniform or how he sat in class. He was rich.

Raito turned towards Ryuuzaki and sighed. "So that's why."

"Would you like a ride home?" Ryuuzaki asked, completely ignoring his comment. This guy seemed really good at ignoring him when it suited him. "I am not one for political theory or philosophy, but I am very well-versed in the Socratic debate—and you certainly look like the type that has never lost an argument, if you would not mind testing that out."

"I know you don't care about school policy, but you can't park there," Raito said, ignoring Ryuuzaki in his own way as well. This guy was going to be nothing but trouble.

Ryuuzaki stared back at him as if he could not comprehend why Raito was not getting in the car to see who was the better sophist. "So far today, Yagami-kun has explained to me all the things that I cannot do. Maybe tomorrow you will let me know what I can."

Raito tried not to roll his eyes at the other boy and his completely thorough way of dismissing him when he wanted to, and instead started down the sidewalk to the subway station.

"I look forward to our lunch together," Ryuuzaki called out after him, which was ridiculously loud and had also let the rest of the class know that he and Ryuuzaki had some form of lunch date tomorrow.

As Raito was walking away, he raised his hand so Ryuuzaki knew there was no hard feelings between them. While he did not normally care for people who were inconsiderate and bossy, he had found himself for some reason making an exception for Ryuuzaki.

A/N: So many stories to update and so little time lol. I know the school theme has been beaten to death in any fandom, but there's a lot of possibilities for character development. After all Deathnote started with Raito in school so I'd like to flesh that out more and then go from there, and obviously things are not going to be as simple as they seem.

Prosopon- the Greek term for masks. They were worn by actors in Greek theater.