CH2

Monday morning. The school is quickly filling up with new and old students, as it is the beginning of a new school year. Some complain about how Summer Vacation is too short, others about how hot it is or how crowded it is. While Takumi and his group of friends just walk calmly onto the school grounds smiling, waving hi to everyone who turns their way for they are the most popular guys in school. Whether it be smart, sexy, funny, or athletic, the four guys in his group bring it all.

While walking to the gymnasium, they hear a few students talk about a student from overseas coming to their school. Takumi asks about this new student, and one of the girls explains to him that she is supposed to be a very pretty and smart girl in her last year of high school. With a questioning look, Takumi asked, "Why would she move to Japan in her last year of high school?" Another student chimes in saying that it is not completely known, but some say to be independent of her parents while others say her parents made her."

Before they knew it the bell rang and everyone was to be seated. Takumi and Dai, another from his group, were sitting on the stage-they are part of the student council. As the Principal finished his speech, he passed the microphone onto Takumi, who is the Student Council President. Once Takumi finished everyone applauded and then left for their appropriate classes. In class, Takumi chose to sit in the back by the window, careless about who else was in his class. When the time came for free time, he started to look around, noticing a girl reading a book, ah but it was not a book from school, it was in English! That quickly got his attention, so he walked up to the girl and introduced himself, knowing as soon as her emerald eyes met his, that the girl before him reading in English had to be none other than the beautiful and smart transfer student he was told about.

Marie looked up at the boy in front of her and also introduced herself. When he didn't say anything else, she went back to reading her book. It was a rare awkward situation for Takumi since most girls would continue the conversation, mostly fawning over his looks or trying to go out with him. Gathering his thoughts he was about to say something when his friend Hiroshi walked into the classroom. Hiroshi froze at the sight before him, seeing his best buddy in front of his Angel of strength, meaning that in a good way. Walking straight toward them, he happily greets them "Good morning!"

Hearing his voice, Marie realized it is the boy who tried to flirt with her at the park. Not wanting anything to do with him, she simply gets up and walks away, leaving both boys dumbfounded as she didn't react the way either boy thought she would. Hiroshi started to think that she was playing hard to get, while Takumi was curious as to why his friend seemed to be soo happy to see this girl as this was their first-day meeting, albeit she was beautiful, even so, his friend had girlfriends who were similar in beauty, so then... 'could it be her', he thought as he remembered a girl leave the park where Hiroshi had been laying on the ground. Hiroshi even said that an Angel had knocked him down and seemed to be infatuated with the "Angel". But then again, he looked towards the way she had gone thinking she was too small to be able to knock Hiroshi down.

"Hey, Hiroshi! Is she by any chance 'the Angel' that knocked you down?" Having mixed feelings about what just happened, he slowly answered yeah. "How could she knock you down, you are twice her size, but most importantly why would she knock you down?" Fully out of his daze, Hiroshi answered and explained how it was love at first sight and how shy 'his Angel' is, causing him to make the first move. Takumi thought a moment before asking his friend in disbelief at what he had just said, "You are telling me that it was a mutual love at first sight and she just threw you to the ground because she was shy of your advances?" In denial and lovestruck, his friend didn't see anything wrong with what he said and said yes. His answer left Takumi a bit shocked as well as angry as his friend was thinking it was ok to force a girl to like him. Noticing how his friend was in denial and he himself was upset he just decided to walk away as well.

***

After school, everyone seemed to be in a hurry to leave, minus Marie. Takumi took this chance to speak to her in English. He asked her if she was going home, in English and she said to him with just as clear English as he spoke to her, "Yes, I will be going home, now that school has ended, aren't you as well?". Dumbfounded by her answer, he answered her question with a simple yes-in Japanese- and let her walk away. "Ok, so she can definitely speak in English." He thought to himself, wondering what he wanted to prove or say if she didn't know English. After that, he really couldn't find a reason to talk to her and wasn't used to being the one to start a conversation with a girl since they always take the initiative to talk to him first. So he only kept looking at her from afar.

Also, every day after that Hiroshi would visit Marie's classroom trying to swoon her, which did no good. Interestingly enough there arrived a new 'boy' at the dojo as well. Takumi knew right off the bat that it was Marie, but continued to only watch her from afar. She was strong, using her speed to help her as well. She was very agile and quick on her toes, "it kinda looks like she's dancing" thought Takumi. Wondering why she would dress as a boy since anyone could join, but dare not question her he remained silent until curiosity got the best of him and he asked her to duel with him.

He was the only one in his group of boys that practices martial arts daily, helping him keep a nice built body. Due to being in the same class as him, she was hesitant but then thought about how she's covered her top and doesn't even talk much with him in class so there shouldn't be any risk.

As they were fighting, Marie noticed that he was stronger than she thought. Being distracted by how well he does at school as well as how good he can fight, Takumi was able to pin her down. He looked down into her emerald orbs, filled with surprise, then saw her slightly open pink lips and almost, almost kissed them. As quick as the thought came, it left. He got up and excused himself as she laid for a moment before also getting up, confusion struck not knowing what happened. She thought he discovered her and she was a bit nervous, thinking she would be kicked out of the dojo, assuming that it was only for guys.

With the last thought, she quickly went to the locker rooms and walked right into Takumi changing. He had the uniform halfway down his sculpted abs as she walked in. She looked him up and down as he was "nice" to look at, starting from his slick black hair to his light brown eyes, to his lips to his six-pack. He smirked as he knew who " he" really was and enjoyed her eyeing him. When their eyes met, she blushed a little regaining her composure, then asked him why he suddenly got up and forfeited the match.

Of course, he wasn't going to tell her how he was going to kiss her as she lay under him, not even trying to get free as they stared into each other's eyes. Happy she was dressed as a man or he probably would have done more than kiss. Coming out of his thoughts he apologized and felt embarrassed since he ended up needing to use the restroom right when he pinned her down.

She didn't know what to think about his excuse, let alone say, so she just asked him if he was ok and that he fights well. His smirk turned into a smile as he thanked her and said she did the same. She then excused herself and he, curious of what she would say, asked her why she wasn't changing too, since it was almost closing time anyway.