Day and Night

Prologue

"Nakawai, Sinkhato?" The Sensei asked.

"Here!" I called in reply, quickly zoning out after I did so. No point in hearing everyone else's name, right? Especially since you could write them all down in your sleep; knowing most of your classmates since before First Year could do that to you.

As I sat there, I could her the Sensei's muffled voice, see the muted shapes and colours surrounding me. The only thing I could see clearly were my pencil point-and the paper it was drawing on. For the past month or so, all I could think about drawing-and all I ever did draw-were intricate suns and moons, intertwined with each other. The two seemed so far apart, but at the same time, seemingly unable to survive without the other. The delicate balance between opposites.

Just as I thought this, a balled-up paper hit me in the back of my head. As I turned to glare at the perpetrator, his name was spoken.

"Souma, Kukai?" The Sensei. Said boy winked at me and my glare, then shifted his attention to the Sensei from two seats behind me.

As he called to the teacher, I turned back to my desk, seeing the strangeness in my picture. I had always imagined the Sun as male, and the Moon female – if they had genders. But in my quick sketch, they both had feminine characteristics to their faces.

So similar, yet so different, the thought echoed through my mind again, also recalling a conversation with my...friend, Suuschi, regarding a minor argument I'd had with Kukai about a week ago. She had said something similar to my thoughts-not about the celestial bodies above us, but me and Sir Jacked-in-the-Head himself.

I didn't see how we could be similar-we had been fighting about sports. Something I don't particularly care for; something he certainly did.

"Just because you and me both know I'm not trying out for the girls' team, doesn't mean the option shouldn't be open!" I was very particular about people's rights.

"Why should it matter to you? You said so yourself-you're not trying to get on the team." He argued back.

"People change Kukai. I imagine you know something about that?" As I said this, he flinched.

I'd used my secret weapon-or, rather, his secret fear. Kukai did know about change. Somewhere around Third Year, he seemed more serious at times-others, going overkill on the humour. I heard Eiji say that he was –and still is- found talking to himself sometimes.

This is around the time that Kukai went from Just-Another-Classmate to the Second-Reason-Why-I-Hate-Going-To-School. He made a big leap-something that takes a lot of work. Well, he put work into it all right. I'd have to go to the bathroom often-taking a hairbrush with me to rid my hair of spitballs. There were other things-rubber snakes in my bag, gummy worms in my sandwich.

Actually, he'd started off with real worms, but I threatened him, saying they were proof and he'd get caught. So he started to use gummy worms. I found myself craving to go home everyday – including Wednesdays, when I had to go with my sister for two hours and watch her...dance. Or, run away from the giant baboon of a teacher the whole time. And yet, I found myself wanting baboon dancing, anything, to get away from the little spitball horror. I never though things would get worse.

In some ways, it did though. And in others, it was better. He stopped the pranks, tried not to overkill the jokes, tried not to be too serious. All good...but nothing could amount up to the bad.

He became the Jack's Chairholder in the Guardians' Council. This new side of him, Kukai, was so much worse in so many ways. He became unbearable to be around-so energetic, boastful; in some twisted way, he was a strange kind of happy. A bittersweet kind.

I wondered what had happened-the first, quiet boy; second, the twisted, joker/prankster; and third, this well-kept, humorous, respectful...when he became the Jack, he became responsible. It was like he grew up too fast, or something.

Suuschi had remarked that we seemed separate and apart, different. But then she said that whenever she thought of me, Kukai popped into her mind-and vice versa. I laughed it off, told her the connection was inevitably from all the fights we had with each other. But, thinking now, maybe she'd had something.

I had the genders opposite, but-it fit. Kukai reminded me of the Moon, always changing, but always there–of course, never there for me, but there. And me, always the same, never changing-the Sun.

Contemplating my revelation, I sat there, unaware of my surroundings. Until something hit me on the back of my head.

I swung around and put my hands on Masami's desk-she was away, as she often was-and hissed, "What, Kukai?"

He replied in the same quiet fashion, saying "I think Sensei asked you a question." He had that horrid, annoying smirk on his face, and I realized that everyone was looking at me, smiling, with Michiteru-sitting one row away-barely holding in his laugh.

I slowly turned and saw that Sensei Okabe was-unlike everyone else-not smiling. At least not with his mouth. My artist eyes could read his like an open book-he found the situation just as funny as Michiteru did. Sensei's are just good at hiding their emotions.

"Nakawai-san?" he asked.

"Yes, Sensei?" I looked down, involuntarily flinching; I was expecting the worst.

"Are you paying attention now?" This caused Michiteru to burst out laughing, with a few others. He was definitely the loudest though. Eiji turned in his seat to grin at me, and then quickly turned back. He probably didn't want to laugh straight in my face.

"Y-...Yes, Sensei." I replied, resigned.

"Good. Now is there any chance that you know the answer to the second math problem from the homework given yesterday?"

"Yes, Sensei." Broken record, much?

The lesson continued on, and everyone paid good attention-no one wanted my treatment. Finally, it was over, and I had my drawing class, the best class of the day.

As I walked towards the door, a tall figure walked in front of me, startling me. A book fell off the pile in my arms. My drawing book, opening up to yesterdays Sun-and-Moon sketch. I reached down to grab it, but a hand beat me to it. I looked up, and immediately felt...exposed. I didn't want this boy holding my book. My drawings showed bits of my soul, as my aunt had said.

I quickly tried to snatch it back, but it was held above my head, tempting me. Reason #2 wasn't going to just give back something of mine without having some fun. I stopped jumping and just did my usual glare. Kukai looked down at me and started to laugh.

"Is that all you ever do? Glare?" he asked jokingly. I was not finding this funny.

"Only when you're around," I shot back, making him drop his grin. He looked at my picture from yesterday and remarked,

"This must be what kept you from focusing today," he turned the page and saw the one I had worked on during lunch and math.

"Or...not?" he was confused? It was just a couple of pictures. Before he could react, I grabbed my book back and tried to get passed him. He blocked my exit and grabbed my arm.

"I think you owe me something." I jerked my arm back and sneered-something I'd been able to perfect being around the Jackster.

"Me? Owe you something? If I owed anybody in our year something, it would probably be anyone but you."

"Why's that?"

I sighed, "You're hopeless. Don't you think you're logic's a bit backwards?"

"My logic? You don't mean to say-I owe you?!"

"Now we're getting somewhere! Did you finally get it thro-"

"Why would I owe you anything?" Kukai asked with a shocked tone. This made me feel shocked and exasperated.

"I don't know Souma. Why would you owe me anything? Think about it." I pushed past him into the hallway, which was deserted. I guess the bell had gone during me and Kukai's...conversation. I started walking down the hallway resignedly - Sensei didn't like latecomers - until Kukai stopped me with words.

"Sinkha-chan, wait, I..." he trailed off as I turned and gave him one of the cruellest glares ever.

"Don't call me that. You can call me Nakawai-san, or even Sinkha if want. But don't call me Sinkha-chan. That's what friends call me." I stared at his shocked(again) face, waiting to see what he would say. His answer was typical of him.

" And who would they be, Sinkha? Your friends?" he asked pointedly. I may have thrown a grenade, but he just dropped a bomb.

I swirled around and started to walk away again, ignoring his futile and useless attempts to apologize.

That was the last time I spoke to him that whole semester, which was to the end of Year Six. I graduated from Seiyo Elementary, receiving my diploma from the five Guardians. I pointedly ignored the tallest one in the group, leaving the others confused and a little shocked. Kukai? He seemed...resigned, sad in a way. Probably about not Royal Jack-in-a-Box anymore.

I didn't see him all summer either-which was a relief, due to the fact that he lived one block away. Summer's a break, which was exactly what I needed.

In fact, the next time I talked to Kukai willingly, it was halfway through the first semester of Year Seven. And it was so trivial too. What we said. It seemed so stupid, but it was a moment I would remember for my whole life...

Alright, I know that the graduation thing was messed up, but just go with it. So, what did you think? Please review!