I will never fall for him.

(After some years)

[Ayumi Chihiro POV]

Dear Diary,

Hi.

My name is Ayumi Chihiro and this is my story.

I am writing today to recall my earliest memories. Who knows if I will ever forget my childhood.

As far as I know, I have always been an A-student. I have always worked hard and reaped its benefits to the fullest. My mother can be described as fun and easygoing. I remember her telling me how I was a stutterer and shy at a younger age.

Heh, Me, shy?

Impossible.

I-who was an expert in martial arts from a young age. The one who was easily able to get into one of Kyoto's finest high schools, shy? She cracks me up sometimes.

I was branded as a genius. I was someone who could grab the attention of anyone with either beauty or intellect. Some boys had even started calling me 'Goddess'. I am not a narcissistic person but such a title sure boosted my confidence.

Anywhere I went, people would flock to me like moths to a fire. They know that even coming close to me will burn them, yet they could not stop their instincts. I was someone who received confession letters in bunches. On Valentine's Day, even the most athletic kid would only think of asking me out and no one else.

Sure, my popularity did come at a cost. I was unable to make any friends. They felt threatened by me. They did not want to hang out with someone who could easily snatch their boyfriend away from them.

Sigh. Kids these days. Don't they know I won't accept them even if they tried their hardest? I have rejected all confessions to date.

It's not that I did not want to ask anybody out. I was a teenage girl and like many before me, I too wanted to experience youth. This meant enjoying a walk with a boy, doing some shopping with him, and sitting in a park embracing him with the sun setting in the background.

But you see, I had made a vow...

I made a vow that I would not enjoy my personal life before I became the first.

The first, at least in my school.

Despite being hailed as the perfect student. As a 'genius' and a symbol that others could only look up to and never climb, I had a wall to overcome.

A mountain that is so high that even after 10 years, I still cannot see its peak.

Him.

Marcius Sizuki.

He is what can be termed a childhood friend. We have been together for as long as I can remember, and although I can't remember the exact reason, I have always hated him.

He is nothing but annoying. Perhaps it is how he is the only one who does not look at me with worship that bugs me.

It appears he is a bit of a nerd (maybe I am not sure). Every time I see him, he is either devouring books or practicing martial arts.

Did I tell you that we used to be in the same martial arts academy? However, I left after 3 years after making sure I knew enough to defend myself?

He has white hair something very rare in this country because of which he is often made fun of, but I have never seen him get angry for real.

Whenever he is called names, I could sense it bothers him. However, I could also see the playfulness in his eyes as if an adult was watching children bicker over silly things.

It is his face of him that pisses me off the most.

As for how he is in my way?

He is literally a wall...

Let me explain. Every time, I succeeded in impressing the teachers with either my elegance or my intellect, there he would be using his maturity and superior intellect to defeat me. In all the years I have known him, I have never once won against him.

He is always aloof, in his own world. It is as if he is thinking deeply, which is why he is usually ignored. It helped to generate a mysterious aura around him, making him look attractive.

Don't get me wrong. I do have an interest in him. But not the romantic one. I want to know more about him. Although I have known him for 10 years, I still have not discovered much about him, surprisingly.

He always does something out of the ordinary, and it always works out.

He is not handsome, he is cute, but not handsome. Seeing him one would be reminded of a bear. It looks cute but it is always ready in case of danger.

Perhaps due to his loner nature, he is not viewed as a once-in-a-century genius, but it did get him a nickname 'The Anomaly.'

Not gonna lie, it is a pretty cool name.

Like me, he too has received many confessions and love letters though he himself may not be aware of it.

You see, every Valentine's Day, I would arrive at school before him and tear all of the letters he would receive.

What?

As I said, he is annoying and the meanest, so I didn't want any other female to fall for him.

What if he too fell for her?

What if they get married?

It could ruin a person's life if they live with this guy.

As his childhood frien-acquaintance. I know him the closest. It would be more appropriate if he did not marry anyone. Kyoto's population is already decreasing, let this guy contribute to the cause.

I was irked every time my mother mentioned us together because I knew his real 'annoying and mean' side. It did not make it easier that since we lived close he would occasionally come to our house for dinner.

Mother would often tease him, about how happy we would be together, but he always deflected the question by mentioning our age. It was one of the few times I agreed with him. Indeed Mother, what are you thinking? We both are just 14.

Our normal day would consist of me first venturing out on a short walk in the morning after which I would jog together with Mark for 10-15 min before I would go home eat breakfast, walk to school with him, attend classes and then walk home with him.

Huh.

Wait a minute...

I see...

No wonder people give us weird glances.

I always thought that people were fascinated with both Mark's white hair and the fact that a beauty like me was walking with him. However, it seems they actually saw us together, and let me clarify one thing.

They did not see us together as siblings.

Take deep breaths, Ayumi.

No matter how much you think he is annoying, no matter how much he is disinterested in almost everything alive, No matter how much just thinking of him drives you mad. You can't kill him.

Haa...

I hate the guy.

He is annoying.

Mother is wrong about everything.

We don't look right together.

I will never fall for a guy like him.

[Log: 25th March 2010]

******

[Ayumi POV continues]

Haa...

'Being on the student council sure is tough.'

I thought as I stretched my shoulders.

"Ummah."

I moaned as I glanced at the clock in front of me, it was already 5.

"Mark must have gone home till now."

I muttered as I rested my head on my hands. I had, last year, been elected as the student body president against my wishes. Oh~This grueling work.

"Well, let's go home."

I muttered before packing my stuff and walking away. While I passed the school gate, my eyes were drawn to a figure. Wait...is he...

"You finally came, huh? I was wondering if you were sleeping inside."

It was Mark. Was he waiting?

"Let's go. I have already missed today's afternoon training session. I don't want to miss the evening one too."

He said before waving his hand signaling me to start walking. I nodded absent-mindedly, before raising my head to match his height and asking

"You were waiting?"

He tilted his head as if confused and replied.

"Of course. We always go home together. It is like a system."

"B-But weren't you going to be late? I was in there for at least 4 hours."

"Meh. I can wait for you, no big deal."

He replied casually. I know his love for punctuality before anyone else, at least according to me, he has never either missed or been late to an event in his entire life.

"Why?"

I asked stopping in my track. This question lingered in my mind, and in my memory, he always stayed with me, whether I wanted him to or not. Perhaps when we were younger he would always try to get away from me but gradually it changed.

He would be there to console me if I ever failed, and make me laugh when I feel down, but why? Why was he like this?

He stared at the sky for a moment before turning at me and replying

"You have been an inspiration to me, you know."

This time it was my turn to be flabbergasted. Is this bastard mocking me? He is better than me in every literary category and this guy calls me an inspiration?!

I frowned and tried to say anything but he beat me to it and said.

"Don't get me wrong. What I admire is your tenacious approach. Your efforts. Your hard-working personality. The fact that you never gave up."

He said coming closer to my face.

"Yet, you are always ahead of me."

I said trying to control my heart to stop pounding as he approached me.

He smiled as if only he could understand its meaning and replied.

"Me? I am an anomaly, don't worry about me. What you want to know is why I care for you, right?"

At that moment, we were so close that I could smell his breath. It was a breath of fresh air. I could feel my face becoming red and my heart beating fast. I could also feel something in my stomach.

"Did you really think that even after 10 years of being together, I would still only treat you as a friend?"

He said making me look straight into his eyes.

Wait.

Wait!

WAIT!

I could feel a bunch of questions forming quickly in my mind.

Is this a confession? Did he like me? Was he planning to kiss me? Should I accept it? It won't be that bad, will it? Mother did say we looked great together.

"You see."

Okay, here goes nothing. I thought closing my eyes.

"Over the years, I...I have started viewing you like a little sister."

Huh?

I opened my eyes to find him at a distance.

Wait, what did he just say?

"Just think about it. We bicker. We fight. You think I am annoying. If this does not describe a healthy sibling relationship, I don't know what does."

He finished shrugging his shoulders before walking forward, leaving me thunderstruck.

What...just happened?

Was I just sister-zoned?

I could feel my anger boiling and being reminded of my previous actions just fueled my anger more.

"Mark! You Bastard!!!"

I shouted chasing him, he seemed confused before disregarding any reasoning that made sense and started running too.

While I was running I had a single thought in my mind.

Mother, you were wrong.

I will never fall for this Bastard.