A/N: Still don't own Itakiss.

[Olly olly oxen free: Olly olly oxen free is a phrase used in children's games, which is generally used to indicate that people who are hiding (in a game of hide and seek, for example) can safely come out into the open. (urbandictionary)]

"Oi, there! No PDA in the school cafeteria!"

Naoki squeezed Kotoko's hand and released it with a sigh. "Tell me again when the college declared Ikezawa the head of its morality committee?"

"You don't have to listen to him, you know," she countered.

"Unfortunately, I do," he frowned in Kinnosuke's direction, "because he will not stop his hollering otherwise."

Kotoko snickered. "And then everyone will turn to see what's going on and make you the center of attention, which you hate."

"You know me so well, sweetheart. So," he pressed her laptop screen down to see her better and gain her full attention, "how are you doing with the English irregular verbs?"

"Pretty well. I made an 82 on the first quiz."

"Only 82?" He raised an eyebrow.

"That's outstanding, especially if you consider that I'm taking more advanced courses than most of my classmates."

"Well," he winked, "I wouldn't want all of my good tutoring to go to waste."

"Yeah. Whoever thought I'd get the nickname, 'Genius of Class F'?"

"Remember, there aren't class divisions like that here."

"Little do you know!" She pointed a finger at him. "You're stuffed away in a different environment over there in the medical building. Here in the regular world the people with an undetermined major are considered the 'Class F' of the college. The teachers even make fun of us when they think we aren't listening."

He frowned. "That's not right. Some people don't decide what they want to do until later in life. Why, it was only a few months ago that I—"

"But if you hadn't made a choice, you probably would have been in the business department with the other smart folks." She stuck out her bottom lip. "I recognize a lot of Class A, B, and C's from Tonan High heading that direction in the morning."

"I'm sure once teachers recognize your superiority that you will not feel as if they hold you in disgust."

"But my friends—!"

Naoki glanced at his watch. "Speaking of them, isn't it about time—"

He broke off when Jinko slid dramatically across the bench and bumped hips with Kotoko, Satomi following close behind. Luckily, his girlfriend had finished eating and her ever-hopeful swain had removed the dishes or else a crockery and cutlery calamity could have occurred.

"What is it, Jinko?" she asked, waving at Satomi.

"Kotoko!" she wailed. "Sensei has given us three poems from the Meiji era to read out loud."

"So?" She asked, "it's in Japanese, isn't it?" indicating the language on her screen, which definitely did not include kanji.

"But I can't read those old characters!" she cried.

"And the meaning is pretty obscure," Satomi added.

"I'll do what I can to help you," Kotoko offered, "but I have enough trouble getting on with modern Japanese." She groaned, "I think I have ancient Japanese literature next term."

"Drat!" Jinko swore. "Why can't they align the advanced and regular courses?"

"Probably so you'll do it on your own," Naoki interposed with a fairly broad hint.

"If we could do it on our own, we wouldn't be asking Kotoko, now would we, Irie-kun?" Satomi smiled at him brightly.

He thought rapidly. "You know, Satomi-san, Watanabe always did quite well in Japanese. I'm sure by now he'd like a break from dry legal cases."

"Really?" Her eyes brightened. "We haven't seen each other much since hanami. Maybe it's time to meet up casually."

"So that's how it's going to be, is it?" Jinko crossed her arms. "Kotoko says she doesn't know it well enough, and I know better than to try to horn in on your date...say, Irie-kun," she wheedled, "I don't suppose you—"

"No," Kotoko rejected her swiftly. "Naoki is taking on entirely new and difficult acaralogic courses. I feel bad enough for what he's doing to help me. I can't let you distract him and take away from his study time."

Before Naoki could correct her word choice, a student from another table approached him. "Irie-san, did you understand the procedure that Konoe-sensei was discussing this morning? I thought I did, until Iwaya-san talked about it, and now I'm all confused."

"Sure, Sonada-san." Naoki pulled up his notes. "Here is what I wrote."

The student leaned over his shoulder. "Oh, I see! I was closer to being correct than I thought. Er, do you mind if I check with you after lectures to make sure I understood everything?"

"No problem," he replied. "I'm usually here from the end of that class to," he pushed his cuff up and peered again at his watch, "about now." He stood. "Sorry ladies, it's time for Latin class. You're in that one also, aren't you?" he asked the student. After receiving a nod, he said, "We can walk together. Coming over tonight?" he addressed Kotoko.

Smiling, she shook her head. "Your mom and dad are going out on the town, so I'm staying with Yuuki-kun."

He pinched her nose. "Don't get distracted by video games and forget to study."

She stuck her tongue out at him and raised an eyebrow as his fellow student followed slavishly behind when he exited.

"So, you won't let him teach me but he can teach others."

Kotoko laughed. "I can't do that much to control him. Besides, this will make sure that more of the medical students understand the subject and become better doctors."

"But still," Jinko pouted, "I'm the only one without my own private tutor."

Kotoko and Satomi set out to assure her that they would help her to the best of their ability.

Kotoko did her best to shrug off her annoying shadow on the way to class. "Kin-chan, why are you following me? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Nope!" He shook his head violently, almost dislodging the chef cap from it. "You're too important!"

She halted her progress and dragged him to the side of the hallway. "You do remember that I am not your girlfriend, don't you?"

He scowled. "Yes, I do, though I still don't see the attraction of Irie."

"You wouldn't." She began to stalk down the hall again, but he soon caught up to her. "Tell me, baka," she bit out, "why did you wait over two weeks into classes to start being a pest?"

Ignoring the insult, he explained with plenty of arm movements. "I thought fer sure that bastard was takin' care to protect you here at college, but I only found out today that he's in an entirely different building."

"What did you think?" Kotoko asked. "He's going to be a doctor, and I'm not."

"Yeah, but I thought Satomi and Jinko would be havin' classes with ya, but they said you have some higher classes. Now that," he wagged an index finger at her, "is also Irie's fault."

"Yes, he's such a villain, making sure that I do well in school." She rolled her eyes.

"What I mean is that the girls can't watch over you and keep those slick college guys away." He scowled. "For all I don't like Irie, these guys are even worse."

"I'm sure that my classmates are harmless," she tried to assure him.

"No, no!" he disagreed. "There're a whole bunch of 'em away from their parents' watchin' eyes so they're gonna be up to god-knows-what kinda mischief." He followed Kotoko through her classroom door. "I need to find a safe place for you to sit, outta their reach. Aha!" He grabbed her arm and dragged her down several stairs. "Here's a nice sturdy person to protect you!"

"Sturdy?" A statuesque young woman turned to glare at him. "In what universe is that a compliment?"

"I meant that you're so much taller that guys would probably avoid you," he corrected with a wide grin. "So you're a real safe person to leave this little gal!"

"Sorry about him." Kotoko grimaced and held out a hand which the person ignored.

"You're not the one who owes me an apology. I'm generally considered to be quite attractive," she bit out to Kinnosuke.

"Okay, okay! I'll admit you're all right looking, a little tall for my taste, but if you say the guys like you, then all the better." He beamed. "Then they won't pay attention to my little Kotoko."

"I'm not your little Kotoko," she growled. "I'm not his girlfriend!" She waved her hands at the other person.

"So he's more like an annoying insect that keeps flitting around you?" she asked.

Kotoko nodded. "An extremely annoying one. Maybe a gnat...or a mosquito? Possibly a horsefly—I'm not sure."

"Doesn't matter." The other girl flicked her fingers at Kinnosuke. "Buzz off, now."

"Oi! What a hoity-toity girl!" He flicked his fingers back mockingly.

"Fine," she seated herself and waved Kotoko down next to her. "I'll just let the professor have you thrown out for trespassing."

"I'm leavin'!" he hollered as he loped back up the stairs. "Kotoko, you hide behind her!"

"Sorry again about that," Kotoko said with a half smile. "My name is Aihara Kotoko."

"Matsumoto Yuko," she replied shortly. "If you don't mind a bit of advice, I'd cut him off quickly. His type doesn't know the meaning of 'No'."

"I've tried for the past three years. Even now that I have a boyfriend, he still hangs around."

"Persistent, isn't he? Well, I don't mind running him off for you this time. We girls have to stick together."

"Great!" Kotoko grinned at her then turned her attention to the front when the professor called the class to order.

As she gathered up her notes, Kotoko turned to Matsumoto. "Thanks for the help earlier. If there's anything you need, just ask me!"

She grew thoughtful. "I have been looking for someone…" She shook her head. "No, never mind; you won't know him."

"You might be surprised," Kotoko told her. "A lot of the people here went to high school together."

"Even so, I'm sure you don't run in the same circles."

"What makes you think that?"

"Look. I heard your answers in class. The person I'm searching for is a genius and you...are not."

"I know I'm not as good as most of the people here, but I'm trying really hard!" Kotoko was beginning to feel a little offended.

Matsumoto set her jaw and turned to Kotoko. "I'm going to be frank with you."

"Huh?"

"I'm planning to ace this almost elementary class in this ridiculously podunk school. I don't want the professor to associate us together; he might grade me down. No offense." She circled Kotoko and exited the classroom.

Staring after her in shock for a few seconds, Kotoko finally recovered and shook her head. "Gee, and I thought we'd bonded so well," she commented sarcastically.

Hearing a choking sound, she turned to see a person with his head down, shoulders shaking.

"Sorry," she said, "I guess that wasn't too nice."

The slightly overweight student raised his eyes and gave her a shy grin. "She didn't hear it, and besides, it's not as if she doesn't deserve it. That was pretty arrogant of her."

"Yeah, I guess it was. Wonder why she's so stuck-up? Anyway, I'm Aihara Kotoko."

"Aoki Takeshi."

A/N: With the holidays coming, I won't be able to keep up with my usual rapid uploads. (Besides the fact that I haven't finished the story yet!) I beg for your patience and hope you understand.