Update: Hey guys! Sry for the late update on the story! I've been on a bit of a writers block, so I haven't been writing much. Hopefully I'll write more! Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter! If you're confused on how this is going to link back to the original story, just keep reading. It will make sense as the story progresses, although it may not for a few more chapters. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 1

Summer: a time of fun. A period in which students are free from the bonds of schoolwork and test-taking and a time in which they can be all that they wish to be but couldn't be in the confines of the school.

Sadly, this period of freedom was over for the students of Misuki High School. On this bright and sunny August morning, the students were once again walking on campus, reuniting with old friends and boasting of their summer vacation. Others moaned and groaned about having to return to the learning part of their life. Some fussed over new students and new haircuts and whatnot. But one boy refused to be a part of all this new school year panic. He simply kept quiet and slunk through the hallway. His tall and scrawny figure easily passed through the crowds of people and no one tried to talk to him. He found himself a bench and sat down, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes.

He was irritated; angry and annoyed that he had to suffer through this torture again for nine months. The only thing that he had to look forward to was that after this year, he would never have to return again, for this year he was finally a senior. He tried to relax his tense muscles, breathing deep and telling himself that after only nine months, he would be free to do whatever he wanted, instead of being stuck in this prison that people called a school.

"Kiso!" he heard a girl's voice call to him. He opened his eyes and looked in the direction the voice was coming from. He groaned as he saw a group of students running towards him. It was a mix of third years and second years, boys and girls. There were about 12 of them in all.

I knew it, he thought. Somehow they all found out about it…

"Hey, Kiso!" the leading girl said, smiling sweetly. "How was your summer?"

He shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

"Really? Well that's good…" the girl said, looking away nervously.

"Is that all you all came over here to ask me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um… n…no…" the girl stuttered. "Um… we actually wanted to ask you… about your cousin…"

I knew it, he said to himself.

"Yeah, what about him?" he asked casually.

"Well… we heard… we heard that he went missing… over the summer…"

Kiso sighed. "So you heard about that huh?"

Everyone in the group nodded.

"Yeah, so what? He's missing."

"Aren't you worried about him? I mean, he just disappeared without a trace!" She was beginning to grow firm in her voice.

"Nah, I've only met the guy once. I don't even really know him. I mean, yeah sure, I'm a little worried, but why should I care?"

He ran his fingers through his spiky silver hair, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes again.

"Because he's your cousin! You should care! He's a member of your family!"

Kiso shrugged. "Whatever."

The girl stepped back, irritated, then stomped away. Soon, the others followed her.

Kiso laughed, happy to have them gone. Why can't people learn to mind their own business.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. Kiso got up and made his way to his classroom. He was in class 6-D this year. He soon found his classroom and walked in, taking a seat in the back of the room near the window.

"Hello class," the teacher began. "Welcome to third-year class 6-D. I am your teacher, Mr. Hiro."

As the teacher went on to explain the rules and expectations of his class, Kiso let his eyes wander around the room, studying each student carefully. This was his routine every year: study your classmates first, pick out the good and bad of the bunch, decide which ones were most eligible for you to hang out with, and then choose one specific person to befriend. It was the same every year, and every year, he refused to hang out with anyone who wasn't in his class.

Finally, the teacher ended the lecture on his criteria and told each of them to stand up and introduce themselves, giving three facts about themselves, as well as their name, age, and one interest they have. He began with a boy named Shion Dojo, the student Kiso had chosed to hang around his first year. Soon, it had made it all the way around the room to him. He stood up and spoke loud and clear.

"My name is Kiso Kunisaki. I'm 17 years old. I am most interested in music. I don't plan on going to college. I've been playing guitar for nearly nine years. And I'm not interested in girls or dating whatsoever." He retuned to his seat. He smiled, laughing at himself on the inside. Every year the teachers asked him to say at least one fact about himself, and every year it was the same fact: that he wasn't interested in girls or dating. He threw that in every time because ever since is first year of middle school, he had been asked out by at least 89% of girls in his grade every year. So, he came up with the idea that he would tell them straight up that he wasn't interested to save them the embarrassment of being turned down.

Class began as usual and the day seemed to drag on. Finally, it ended and Kiso nearly ran out the front door. He was even more agitated than he was when he arrived at school. His teacher had assigned to the class a paper about themselves and their goals in life and by the end of the day, four girls had already asked him if he would be their boyfriend. He was desperate to get out of there and escape to the confines of paradise that he called his bedroom. He was almost to the gate when he stopped short. Something had caught his eye; someone had caught his eye across the school grounds.

She was a tall, thin girl with pale, ivory skin. Her long pine green hair was pulled back away from her face, tied neatly in a large white bow on the back of her head. Her neon green eyes reflected in the afternoon sunlight and her gold hoops dangled from her ears ever so perfectly. Her purple and black uniform dress was blowing softly in the breeze.

Kiso stared at her for a long moment. He had never seen her before today, so she had to be a new student. She looked too young to be a first year; she seemed to be about 16 years old. She was sitting next to another young girl with extremely long teal colored hair and dark chocolate brown eyes. Kiso recognized this girl as one of the girls in his class whom he believed had the name of Miname. The two were talking casually and laughing. He couldn't take his eyes off of them, especially the first girl. There was something about her that he was drawn to; it wasn't just her looks, it was something more than that, though he couldn't figure out what.

Suddenly, Miname looked over at him, noticing that he was staring at her. She whispered something to the other girl, who then, in turn, looked over at him. Their eyes met for a single moment and that was enough for him. He had to talk to her. He began to walk towards them. As he neared, he could see Miname whisper to the girl again, who then said something back. His heart began to race inside of his chest and he could feel the palms of his hands get sweaty. He couldn't figure out what was happening to him. He had never felt this way before.

"Hi," he said as he reached them. "Name's Kiso… Kiso Kunisaki…"

The two girls looked at him.

"Hi, Kiso!" Miname said cheerfully. Her voice was extremely high pitched and childish for a third year, but it matched her bubbly looks either way.

"Hello, Mr. Kunisaki," the other girl said unemotionally. She bowed her head politely.

"You and I are in the same class I think…" Miname chimed in.

Kiso nodded. "Yeah, we are… Your name is Miname, right?"

"Yep!" she giggled. "Miname Kaito."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said. Then, he turned his attention to the other girl. "And you are?"

"My name is Kigame Takmo," she said. "I just moved here from Hokkaido. I'm a second year, in class 3-C."

"A second year? Really? You look older than that… I woulda guessed third," Kiso said jokingly, running his fingers through his hair again, averting his eyes away for a moment. "So you don't know anybody, huh?"

Kigame shook her head. "No, only Miname here had the courage to introduce herself to me. I've never been good at making friends…"

Kiso smiled. "Well, if it means anything to you, I'll walk you home. You and I can be friends."

What are you doing, you idiot? What is wrong with you? he thought. He didn't know what was happening to him. Why was he saying that?

Kigame smiled. "Sure! Miname has already offered, so we can all go together!"

Kiso nodded in agreement. Oh well, he thought. I've already offered. I may as well go through with it.

Kiso's thoughts raced as they walked out of the school yard. What was happening to him? Why was he being so ridiculous? What was this feeling deep inside him, burning away at his heart? He had never liked a girl before; never REALLY liked a girl. And he had never been interested in them. So why was he so interested in her? She wasn't any different than the other girls at his school. They were all pretty and most of them were shy… but something about Kigame made Kiso's heart race and that bugged him.

I have to get the bottom of this, he thought. He didn't want to be plagued by the mystery of what was so alluring about her. He hated how she made him want to just be by her side, to protect her. What the hell is wrong with you? he screamed in his mind. You just met her! How could you already feel so strongly about her; so… protective? He clenched his fists and took a few deep breaths. You're just being ridiculous. Calm down. She's just another girl; like any other girl in this school.

"Kiso?" Kigame's voice snapped him back to reality.

He looked at her, his face burning from embarrassment.

"Are you coming?"

"Uh… yeah…" he stuttered. "Coming."

And with that he followed the two girls out of the school yard.