恋のシグナル - aqua - ch 01: The Unexpected Reunion

It was a sunny and warm days at the very beginning of new semester. Sanada Tsubaki, 16 years old just gets up from her sleep and went straight to her kitchen. 
“good morning father.” She greets formally as an old man, grey haired with a simple moustache and beard walks in both hands hidden inside his kimono sleeves. 
Sanada Masayuki sits down and opens the news paper placed on the table, arrived early this morning. 
“oh, what a good way to starts morning with a nice scent of coffee.” Another man who looks mature walks in soon afterwards, he has a gentle kind eyes. Went to the kitchen and peek from Tsubaki’s shoulder.
“oh, looks good.” He smiles after seeing today’s breakfast being cook. 
“where?!” 
“ah! You shouldn’t just take food out of the pan!” Tsubaki turns as another grown-up man just deliberately took a piece of food from her frying pan. 
“Oh, this is good, I want more. Ack! Oh geez Tsubaki don’t slap your brother’s hand.” This loud, tall and muscular looking man rubs the back of his hand, Tsubaki gives him quite the slap and now he feels slightly stinging feeling. 
The other man, who looks older and gentler, laughs amusedly while helping Tsubaki preparing the breakfast. 
The four Sanadas sit on the table, clap their hand together and bow before bring their chopsticks to their food. 
“today is your first day in second grade.” The gentle looking man starting first.
“yes it is.” Tsubaki just smiles with a faint nod. “thank you for coming all the way to Shonan, Nobue nii. I really think you shouldn’t go through such trouble just to celebrate my second year in high school.”
“the first day of your first, second and last year of high school, I wont miss it for the world.” 
“true, we got to make sure our precious lil sister will be treat it with respect.” Now the muscular looking man joins the conversation with a strong note.
“I think that’s unnecessary.” Tsubaki’s frowning her brows. “and Yukito-nii just what exactly you mean to treat with respect? We’re not living in Sengoku era anymore.” 
“well, both me and Nobue are just worry Tsubaki.”
“both of us are far from you now.” Nobue nods agreeing his younger brother statement.
“I know that brothers, that is why I’m enrolling in female private school, so you don’t have anything to be concern.”
“how was Nakajima?” Nobue who sits next to his father asks, face curious.
“…” Tsubaki movement come to a halt at the name, she quickly regains her composure and smile calmly. “he’s doing great, Kitagawa High is a renowned boys school. I believe he did his best to get his dream too.”
“he was always the kid who determine on doing everything.” Yukito murmurs as if speaking to himself.
“yes he is.” Tsubaki tries to minimize her answer with a slight nod before bringing her chopsticks to her lips.  
“its your junior year now, have you decided your future?” Masayuki who has been quiet the whole time, speaks in his usual stiff and stern voice.
“I have father.” Tsubaki nods with confidence.
“good, now lets all eat and less talking.”
“yes father.” Everyone submit without further a due.   
Tsubaki now stands at the train station, from a far her best friend, Mika waving her hand, calling out her name.
“Tsu-Chii!!!”
“Good morning Mika-chan.”
They exchanging greeting and pep talks before the train arrive on the platform and they climb in.
“ugh, its so packed like always.”
“it is isn’t it.” Tsubaki nods while pulling her bags and hold it in her arms.
“I cant breathe!” Mika started her words half shouting.
“its not that packed, is it.”
“no…my…bra I think I might gain some weight and now its crushing me.” now her voice is barely audible and she leans close to whisper.
“you eat too much during the winter break, aren’t you.”
“I cant help it everything was 100 times tastier when you’re on holiday.”
“reasons.”
“hehehehehe.” Mika just laughs as Tsubaki’s cold yet sharp argument. “oh hey Tsuchii.”
“hm?”
“is him, that guy again!” 
Tsubaki instantly turns her head to where Mika pointing with her head. 
“…” a guy in high school uniform, who just climbs two stations from theirs, is looking towards their direction.
“I think he likes me!” Mika states with confidence, her eyes widen.
“how so?”
“he always ride the same train and ALWAYS glance this way, more than once our eyes accidently met.”
“hm…”
“things like that sometimes happen you know.”
“of course.”
“geez, how come you sound so sarcasm. See, he’s checking on us again!”
“Mika, your voice is too loud.”
As Tsubaki addresses her friend she looks to the guy again, this time their eyes met, she was unsure but she saw a faint shy smile before he turns his face and look at the window. 
“did he just…smile?” Tsubaki wonders a bit, her brows knit while she’s thinking. 
One station before Fujiwara, the mysterious guy climbed down.
“he’s always get down on this station too.” Mika’s whispering and now both of them could seat down with the less passenger on the cart.  “wait isn’t Kitagawa High is in walk distance from this station?”
“yes, come to think of it, I think his clothes does resemble to Kitagawa’s uniform.”
“right.” Mika’s nodding. “our stalker is Kitagawa’s student.”
“hey, don’t call people as stalker when we barely even know them.”
“then what did you call a guy who always looking at us secretly.”
“…secret admirer?”
“that’s it Tsuchii secret admirer! Wow I didn’t know I could get one, hehehehe.” 
“still confidence I see.” Tsubaki’s sighing as Mika grinning from ear to ear. “maybe your face remind him of something unpleasant? Or scare perhaps, that is why he keep glancing worries you might charge into him.”
“hey! That’s rude!”
“ah, forgive me.”
“you didn’t sound like you ask for forgiving. Oh well hahahaha.”
Together they laugh and fill the cart with their giggling voice until the train arrives at the last station, Fujiwara.
BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING 
The home bell ringing at Fujiwara High. Mika as usual, skips along towards Tsubaki’s seat.
“lets go home, and buy some gelato on the way!”
“I’m afraid you will return all alone today Mika chan.” Tsubaki answers while packing her bag. 
“why?”
“I have a council meeting right now.” She gets up and holds the bag in front. 
“already? Geez the semester is just begun and you guys already busy? Come on we’re high school student not labor worker.”
“you’ll be fine on your own?”
“sure, I’m good. Good luck with the meeting.”
“thank you, see you tomorrow.”
“bye!”
Tsubaki went to the council meeting room, once Mika leave the classroom. 
“good afternoon.” She greets opening the door.
“Oh Tsubaki, welcome.” A tall, long haired girl standing in front of a white board, hand busy writing today’s discussion. 
“take a seat Tsubaki, did you see Nat on your way?”
Tsubaki slides a chair and sit down, put her bag down. “I don’t senpai.” She replies the VP.
“Hello, am I late?”
“oh welcome Nat, we just talking about you.” The VP attention moved to the girl in bob cut.
“tsuchii, hey.” Nat sits herself next to Tsubaki. They were close friend since the freshman year, unfortunately in the junior year their class separated.
Soon afterwards the other council member walks into the meeting room.
“now, is everybody here, lets start today’s meeting, shall we.” Saori says with an assertive tone yet a charming smile, take a seat in the middle of the U shaped table. 
“today’s meeting is about the merging plan of Kitagawa High and Fujiwara High.”
The meeting room soon fills with murmurs and obvious whispers among the council member.
“but, so far it was still a plan in progress.” The vp continue. “Kitagawa High known as a modern school however, because of the high competition between boys school there aren’t enough applicant to keep the school from opening until next year.”
“so the broad of commissionaires agreed to merge our school with Kitagawa and make one co-ed school.”
Most of the students seem shock with the news. 
“I know many students here in Fujiwara High, chose to be here because we are a private female school, and some want to keep it that way, besides its lot easier to maintain school and students relation with just female member.”
“like they say boys could mean troubles.” The vp make a soft chuckles. 
“that is why, we will make a proposal by gathering signatures from all the students of Fujiwara. To just make Kitagawa a co-ed school and keep Fujiwara as it is, it’s hard I know most likely impossible…” Saori let an obvious sigh under her breath before speaking again. “but the school promise to consider the idea with a condition.”
“condition?” nat tilts her head with a pen on her hand.
“we are to send representatives to do a “trial” on Kitagawa.”
“trial?” the question came from the council member almost together as if on cue.
“easy to say.” The vp answers with her finger on her chin. “Fujiwara high will send some students to try to be Kitagawa ever first female students there for a whole year, if we could through the year with a good grade. The commissionaires will consider the idea to make Kitagawa a co-ed school while keeping Fujiwara as it is.”
“and since the trial will be a whole year, most likely the participant will come from either freshman and junior year.”
The room once again fills with even louder noises, no one even tries to lower their voice anymore.
“the chosen participants will be announce later, they are to be expected to join Kitagawa school by the middle of this month.” 
The meeting went with a heated discussion, apparently many parents send their daughters here to protect them or avoiding being worry from unnecessary involvement with boy students. Such as sexual harassments and “adult-like” dating that often happens in co-ed schools.
“Kitagawa High is Yuto’s school… I wonder if everything is alright there?” Tsubaki lost in her thought when the meeting finally over that late afternoon. The red sunlight shines through the train windows, paints her face in slight red. The train gently shaken and make a hissing sound at the station. Suddenly she spots a familiar face.
“oh…”
“he’s riding in the next cart over…now that I pay extra attention, he does look familiar maybe because I often see him every morning even when I didn’t really realize it before today. But I believe this is the first time I’ve ever seen him while on my way home.”
Tsubaki cautiously steal a peek into the other cart. He’s standing next to the door like always, alone. 
“now I’m sure that he wears Kitagawa uniform, I wonder if he knows Yuto?”
All sort of thoughts run through her head again, and soon enough the train arrive at Kagenuma Station. “He gets on at this station in the morning…so he’ll probably get off here, now…”
Tsubaki take another covert look, and see that he really get off at this stop… or did he…?
“huh? He gets back on…?”
“…Do you need help?” he’s talking to a woman with a stroller who’s trying to get off at the same stop…
“Here you go…” He picks up the stroller, setting it down on the platform outside the train. As he does it, Tsubaki see him smile kindly at the baby…
“sorry, about that, thank you so much for your help.”
“don’t worry about it…” he murmurs it softly, bowing slightly and walking away as if nothing had happened.
“…He seems so kind…”
The door close and Tsubaki watches his receding back from the windows of the moving train. His black uniform, and those broad shoulders… remind her so much of a certain guy who was once part of her life.  
Tsubaki opens her phone, she looks at several pictures. Her finger stops at one picture made long ago. it was a funny looking picture, Tsubaki and Yuto making funny faces in front of the camera. It was the very first time Tsubaki make such hilarious face, she’s always laugh whenever she sees this picture. This time she laughs… painfully. 
In a different place, in a room, left a bit messy. A boy laying on his bed looking at the same picture. A deep sigh escapes his lips as he brings the picture to his face as if he makes a wish out of it.
Yuto rolls in his bed still holding to his phone, with that picture on it. He’s remembering to what happened today at school.
“Yuto!” Yuto was walking with open book in his hand.
“bucho.” He replied the other student who almost jogs to him.
“on your way to the council?”
“you’re the leader, aren’t you a bit careless to be here?” Yuto checks his wrist watch, the council meeting supposedly takes place almost half hour ago, yet the council president actually here.
“yeah, well you know me, busy, busy.” He smiles amusedly and walks faster, leaving Yuto sighing with a faint smirk on his face. 
“Wait for me!!!”
“you too?!” Yuto surprised to see a short guy running, panting trying to catch up to the president’s long legs.
“hahahaha, hi Yuto, bye Yuto, I say wait! Kota!!!”
“goodness… both president and vice president… are hopeless…” he says softly, yet… 
“I hear ya!” from afar the council president shouting, his voice echoing through the empty halls. 
Less than 3 minutes Yuto arrives at the council board room, he enters and saw the VP panting on the corner, while Yabu Kota the president has start talking while writing on the black board.
“you okay, Daiki?” a member of council looks concern and offer him a glass of water.
“no…hah hah…so tired… I thought… I’d die….hah hah.” Daiki the vp bent down on his knee trying to catch his breath.
“are you an idiot trying to catch up to Kota.” A member that almost look like a delinquent lean behind with folded arms.
“and he even walk…” Yuto added as he places himself next to the “bad boy” looking guy.
“have you drink enough milk, want share mine?” a cute guy with a cat comfortably sleeping in his arms crouch down and show him a carton of mocha flavored milk.
“and what the heck are you doing here?” the long haired guy knit his eyebrows, looking obviously angry.
“I shouldn’t?”
“does that even need to be answer!” the cute guy replying innocently making the “bad boy” looking guy snaps. 
“hm?” he tilts his head, even when he knows he was not welcome there, he acts like he didn’t understand.
“come on, cut it out Yuya.” Yuto who sits next to him, elbowing him. Yuto knows no matter how mad Yuya be, that cat lover, Inoo Kei wont go anywhere, he has a severe buddy-complex with the council vp, Daiki. 
“does anyone even pay any attention to what I say?” Yabu Kota the council president slams the table while force a smile across his face.
“I don’t.” another cute guy, who appears like a jr high student rises his hand in the air, as if his ignorance was something to be proud of.
“he don’t but I do!” the guy sitting next to him also rising his hand while smiling.
“enough, Yuri, you too Ryosuke. And everyone else, if you’re not listening…” he presses his words, then a strange smile appears on his face. “I will punish you.” The words sound casual yet there was something in his smiling face that scarily convincing. Everyone hurriedly take a seat and sit properly.
“thank you Hikaru.” Kota raises his pen as his way of saying his deep gratitude.
“now… we all know. No Yuri, I’m not going to listen to your “I didn’t know.” Cliché.”
“awww…” Yuri pouts his lips and brings his raised hand back down. 
“hihihihhi.” Ryosuke hides his face as he giggling at Yuri funny disappointed look.
“our school… has a very low registrant this year… if things repeated in the next year, Kitagawa will be close.”
“…I know that.” Yuri said innocently.
“keep your mouth shut.” Yuya glaring, yet Yuri stick his tongue out. 
“so the broad of commissionaire hold a plan to merge our school with Fujiwara high, our school sister. A private female school.”
“female…sounds like trouble.” Kei commenting while leaning his head to one hand.
“hearing that from a guy who always mistaken as girl are really smart.” Daiki says almost laughing. 
“so, they’ll be sending some representatives for a trial, to see if Kitagawa can become a co-ed high school.”
“I feel sorry to them.” Yuri turns to Ryosuke.
“why?”
“I mean… to send to a school full of hungry wolves.” His eyes widen, looking obviously concern.
“you part of those wolves, idiot!” Ryosuke slaps Yuri heads with a folded book. 
“ahahahaha.” Daiki couldn’t hide his laugh at the sight, seeing Yuri holding the back of his head. 
“shut up!” Kota throws his pen towards Daiki. “aren’t you the vice president!”
“oh, right, sorry.”
“…” Kota checks all his pocket and quickly walks towards Daiki. “give me my pen, that was the last one.” Keito bent to the floor and return it. 
“all my pen went missing.” Kota grumbles while put his last pen back to his pocket. 
“once the pen lay on a desk….” Hikaru said.
“it belongs to anyone.” Yuto added with a knowing grin across his face. 
“that’s why I keep this one in my pocket… wait…” Kota looks to his pocket, and sigh in relief. “still there.”
“huh?” Yuya knits, curiously.
“I have a huge hole on the other uniform, my pen keep on missing from it. ANYWAY back to the topic. Some students’ even teachers are objected with this idea, so to say. So I was hoping… the best cooperation from the council member to save this school.”
Most of them nods, except Yuto who raises his hand firmly. “could we knows who will be sent here in advance?”
“of course, just… there are no names, yet. Fujiwara council are still discussing regarding that. Apparently they didn’t want to send their students here that easily too… so a further preparation and selection will be held…”
“oh geez, are we that bad?” Yuri looking toward his president in pleading eyes.
“yes we are.” Kota lean forwards and answers abruptly. “that is all for today, oh Student Relation please stay, I need to discuss something with you.”
“roger bucho.” Ryosuke stretch himself while everyone else standing from their seats. His eyes accidently met with Yuto’s. they didn’t smile or nod or anything, it was rather to a cold exchange before Yuto’s attention disturb by Hikaru’s arm around his shoulders. 
“going home now?” 
“yeah.”
“lets get going then.” Hikaru pulls Yuto shoulders a bit forceful, behind them Yuya is following. 
Ryosuke couldn’t let his sight go even after Yuto was nowhere in sight. 
“let it go… let it go…” Ryosuke’s eyes narrow hearing his best friend suddenly singing a theme song on his ear. 
“shut it.” Ryosuke’s slap his book towards Yuri who obviously teasing him. Yuri dodges it and laugh before they finally went into a more formal discussion with the president and the vp, along with illegal member who sits comfortably by the window. 
Before anyone else, the student relation has a leaking info of who will be transfer to Kitagawa. The name brings both excitement and anxious to Ryosuke. His mind flew out of his head, before he knows it he has reach his station, until he notices a mother has trouble with her stroller. As he helps her, he didn’t notice, the girl that has been in his mind, more than it should, was there watching him. 
“say what again?” today Tsubaki standing in the council meeting room along with other students. Each one of them looking at each other, same look, surprise.
“excuse me, Asano Mayu is here! Ah-“ everyone was still in complete shock when suddenly the door barge open and a loud girl jump into the room become the center of attention.
“f-forgive me!” she bows her head repeatedly.
“ahahahaha, its alright, come on in Mayu-chan.” Saori laughs faintly to the panic-looking girl.
“tehehehe, thank you senpai.”
“mind to close the door Mayu-chan.” The vp smiles as she gestures the young girl to close the door she just slammed open. Mayu look behind and awkwardly close it, very slowly this time.
She takes her seat like everyone else, right next to Tsubaki. She was fanning herself hot from all the running, her last period was P.E and now she has to run all the way from her class to the meeting room in different building.  
“the 10 of you assemble here right now are officially the chosen representative of Fujiwara to be transferred to Kitagawa for a whole year.”
“but-“
“excuse me-“
Everyone raising their hand, and talking at the same time. “now, now one person at a time.” The vp correcting them with a disturbing look.
Each one of them voice their opinions and objections with lots of questions. Mayu watches in awe. “most of them hates the idea of being transfer to Kitagawa, huh.” She steals a glimpse to the girl who looks completely compose, right on her side. 
“she’s the only one who remains calm, maybe she’s as excited as I am to move there? I mean… Kitagawa is so famous with their nine Lords!!! I’m so exciting to finally see the rumored charming guys that has been such big hit when I was in Jr High!!!”
Mayu was drown in her little fangirl world as Saori explains many things to the other 9 representatives. As everyone seems to calm down even a little, Tsubaki shows an obvious objection yet she wishes to speak her mind alone with Saori. 
Everyone finally leave the council room, the meeting takes pretty long time. Now the meeting room fills with bright orange from the setting sun. 
Saori looks extremely tired, she sat down hanging her head in both hands, looking to her feet. Kiara the vp looking through out the window. Tsubaki was standing in front of Saori.
“Saori senpai.” Tsubaki starts her words half worry, seeing her senior looking so tired. 
“what is it Tsuchii?” even so she look at her with a gentle eyes.
“may I ask you the reason you chose me?”
“ahahahaha… you do know I was personally put your name there, did you?”
“…yes I do. All of the student are not a council member above all are students who academically top scorer yet has almost zero participation to any school clubs.”
“well… Fujiwara does only required top notches student to go there, however the clubs will be fill with boys so, passive club activity are a must. As for you, its true me and Kiara put your name on our recommendation.” Saori lets an exasperated laugh as she lean backwards on her chair.
“Listen tsuchii, Kitagawa unlike Fujiwara, not only to the term of gender but also tradition and habit… don’t you know they have rehabilitation class for troubled student? The program was made few years ago to attract parents who’s having hard time finding school for their dropout boys, those who are released from school due to violence, drugs, smoking habits, vandalism even harassment. True the program now has been closed and most of the “special’ students has been graduated, yet there are also them who remains in that school, postponing their graduation on purpose.”
“sounds very troublesome…”
“that is the main reason why Fujiwara refused to be merged.” Kiara walks closer, rested some of her fingers in her chin. “that program seems leaving a deep impression, in a bad way, one of the reason there are few applicants lately.”
“Fujiwara has been around Shonan for almost 100 years, I don’t, we don’t want our long history to be stain by things we didn’t even do. So Tsuchii.” Saori speaks with a deeper, pleading look on her face.
“I know I might put a huge burden on your shoulder, but you the only one I can trust to make this trial a success. And even when Kitagawa alone has some opponent to the merging idea with their own reason…”
“if the school merged then most likely they’ll reduce the number of teachers and school staff of Kitagawa. So things will be rough over there too, they’ll surely hates you even when you meant no harm.”
Kiara added few words, making tsubaki furrows knit even deeper than before, eyes looking confuse. “even when our transferring will actually benefiting them too, they still going to hate us, aren’t they.”
“I’m afraid so, its easy to think the best, so lets think the worst for caution.” 
“very well.” Tsubaki still having the same troubled look on her face, yet she seems to be agreeing Saori’s request. She tousled her hair before turn around and takes her bag from the table.
“I-I will explains this to your father… and brothers too, hahahaha, they’ll gonna hate me.” her pained smile soon turned her lips upside down, and Saori looks completely exasperated.
“thank you.” Tsubaki bows formally and leave the meeting room, leaving only Saori who sits back to her chair. And the vp who look any less tire than her.
“ahahahaha, well that’s the risk of being a leader, doesn’t it. Don’t worry Saori I’m coming with you.” Kiara’s walking to her side and caresses her shoulder gently. 
“yeah, we have to visit all the ten students parents and explain things to them with plenty of apologies...”
Tsubaki walks along the empty school yard, she was pretty sure she was on her own, until…
“tsu-chi!!!” Mika waving at the school gate.
“Mika chan? What are you doing here?”
“I was super worry you know, about the whole transferring rumors, especially when they mention your name on the school radio.”
“yes… well, I was chosen as one of the student to be transferred there.”
“seriously?!” Mika eyes widen, she was probably look more shock than Tsubaki herself. The two of them walking together towards the station, the sun has starts to sink on the horizon and the road is empty.
“but geez Tsuchii, if you transfer there, wont that mean you…well you know, meet with Yuto?”
“its more likely unavoidable…”
“meeting your ex… your ex that dumped you for no reason!!! GAH just imagining his face making me…. making me!!”
“calm down…” 
“Damn it…” for strange reason it was Mika who gets even worked up with the whole transferring issue. Especially now Tsubaki will be transferring to the school where her ex boyfriend is. “but there plenty other guy there too, don’t forget the secret admirer too!”
“hmm.”
“he’s kinda cute too, you definitely should ask his number for me Tsuchii!”
“and who was it again who worried about me being transfer?”
“oh, right! But hey this can also mean you’d get to get new BF and make that stupid Yuto jealous, right on his two eyes.”
“I don’t know about that…” Tsubaki makes an obvious sigh as her eyes wonder out to the ocean line. 
“hmm…” Now Mika who walks slowly, adjusting their paces make a thoughtful look. She knows how painful it was for tsubaki to get through the breaking up. Tsubaki always takes things, anything, seriously even dating. So when she learns that day as Yuto told her “you’re…making me hard to see what I want… lets break up, I want… to be able to see my future.” Saying all those painful things as he holds her close… “I don’t know whats got into Yuto… there were hardly a fight, or another person, even interference from their family, it was… out of the blue… so I kinda understand if that hurts Tsubaki a lot…he’s a total jerk that yuto!” Mika palms turn into fists on the side of her skirt. 
“but it would certainly will make a good experience…”
“hm?” Mika turns and look at Tsubaki’s face. the two of them stop at the breakwater and gaze to the ocean. Tsubaki’s face look calm, gentle even, her lips curled a faint smile.
“right, of course it will, man school full of boys kinda like a reverse harem!”
“harem?”
“you’re going to be like heroine from otome love games, Tsuchii! Man I’m so jealous!!!!”
“otome games? What’s that?”
“just promise me to get a guy for me okay, I don’t want ended up a single at graduation day! I want boyfriend!”
“with that kind of attitude, I think its going to be hard.”
“jerk!” Mika pouts as Tsubaki speaks in a teasing tone. “ahahahaha” but soon they burst out and laugh together and running, chasing each other until they got to the station. 
The following days come and the atmosphere in Kitagawa council room has turn into a complete tense. Yuto didn’t bother to hide his surprise, he even drops his book when he enters the room and hear a familiar name being mention as one of Fujiwara students to be transferred.
“You okay?” Kota who stands affront and went pause by Yuto shock, look at him, puzzles along with the rest of the member, except Ryosuke.
“n-no, sorry, I just… never mind.” Yuto waves his hand around, force a small smile while he bent to pick up his book and went to take his seat. 
“o…kay… so as I have said, Fujiwara will send 10 female students to study here at Kitagawa for one year, they are 7 junior students and 3 freshman. Each will be divided into different classes. Details as follow…” with his head Kota order Daiki his vp to hand the rest of member the description for the student transfer. 
Everyone has their eyes on the paper in hand. Keito, Hikaru, Yuri, and Ryosuke seem absorbed and reading it with dead serious expression. Yuto on the other hand steal a glimpse every now and then towards Ryosuke, who reads his paper while leaning his chin on the table and hold the paper in both his hands. 
His face was clearly hiding a hint of happiness, his thin lips curl a faint gentle smile as he set his eyes focus on the paper. Yuto unconsciously knits his brows and heaved a heavy pained breath.    
Everyone has left the council room one by one. As usual Kota always the last one to leave, cleaning his last works alone. His vp like usual casually leaving him and went home. 
“bucho.” Yuto pick his bag pack to his shoulder. 
“wait Yuto, I need to sort these before I forgot, that stupid vp of mine, never does his work, sigh…. I give up.” Kota tosses his paper looking irritated. 
Yuto laughs faintly and drop his bag back. “I’ll help.” He starts taking some of the documents and start sorting them out, while Kota staplers them together. 
“so…about this transferring students.” Yuto speaks while checking the papers. “is this really necessary, sending 10 girls into all boys school… sounds like it’ll turn into bad news very soon.”
“what do you want me to do? Its not like any of our member even give any better idea.”
“why cant we… save Kitagawa with our own power, we’ll think of something.” Yuto eyes were still focus on the paper, places one paper one after another into different stacks. 
“and mean while we think about this… unknown way to save it, we have no choice but to accept the commissionaires decision.” Suddenly the stapler on Kota hand jammed and he tries to fix it while keep on talking. “some teachers even come to me and try to pursued me to ignore if any of the boys bullies the girls… they want these girls to leave Kitagawa and shows the commissionaires that Fujiwara’s effort is useless… darn it! Where is the other stapler go?” Kota puts the now jammed stapler and opens the cabinet behind him. 
“maybe that’s a good idea.”
“what?” Kota head’s turns as he hears Yuto exciting tone. 
“if the girl gets bullies, we the disciplinary committee will pretend that nothing ever happens.”
“isn’t that a little too cruel?” 
“If Fujiwara allowed to stay as female private school, why cant we do anything to stay as boys school as well? I think we just need chances and opportunity to be as good as Fujiwara.”
“…do you have any idea what you’re blabbering about Yuto?” Kota still talking while looking from his shoulder, his hands still searching across the cabinet. As his hand finally found what he searching for. Kota returns to the table and staplers the paper back. 
“you just doesn’t want to see Tsubaki here, that’s your real reason, is it.”
“that is just one of them.”
“Listen, this decision is beyond my authority-“
“but disciplinary committee is.” Yuto shows a knowing grin, his voice was determined. 
“…” Kota sighs put one hand in his waist and shakes his head, but Yuto just smiles amusedly as if he wins this debate, and soon his mind filled with many plans to keep Fujiwara students away from Kitagawa, or keep Tsubaki away from him. 
“ugh today is the day!” Mayu one of the freshmen selected for the transfer students couldn’t sit still in the bus. “are we there yet, are we there yet! I’m so excited!”
Comparing to the nervous air coming from the other students, Mayu cheerfulness does stand out so much. 
“cant you believe!” she speaks while looking to her left and right. “we’re transferring to Kitagawa high where the nine lords of Kitagawa are!” her voice was pitch high like she was holding not to scream.  
“I think you’re the only one exciting about this… Asano.” Another freshman sighing with disturbed look. 
Tsubaki looking at Mayu who’s fidgeting in her seat out of excitement, she smiles feeling somehow envious with her innocent and carefree-ness. 
As the female students reached Kitagawa they were welcome by a huge banner hanging on the gate. 
“welcome our dearest Ladies to Kitagawa High!!”
“what a suspicious looking welcoming…” Tsubaki sighing while the other students whispering with each other. 
“welcome Fujiwara Students to our humble school.” Yabu Kota as the council president giving his greeting with a graceful bow. “my name is Yabu Kota, on behalf of Kitagawa I welcome you.”
Suddenly the tense air from before breaks into an intense squeak and fangirling screams as one by one member of the council also known as nine lords of Kitagawa make an appearance behind Kota. 
“d-did all boys school like this???” as Tsubaki shows an obvious confusion and slight disgust across her face, behind her, Mayu practically bouncing on her feet.
“omigosh, omigosh!! The nine lords are all here!”
The rest of the female students escort by two teachers made their way to the school building looking less anxious and more exciting. 
Tsubaki stops his footsteps in front of Kota letting an exasperated sigh. “Kota-san.” She calls out.
“hi, lady Sanada, who knows we’ll share school, eh.” He raises his hands with a mischievous smile.
“sigh” Tsubaki made an obvious sigh while staring back at Kota, her gaze steady. 
“w-what?” 
“Kota-san, I hope you didn’t plot anything behind that half-hearted smile.”
“…I didn’t plot anything! And my smile was genuine!”
“of course.”
“you’re being sarcasm I know you well tsubaki.”
“of course you do, Yabu Kota-SAN.” Tsubaki make a knowing mischievous smile, sending a bolt of unpleasant vibe on him.  Her calm face move and met Yuto who’s been standing and did nothing as far as blinking. “it has been awhile Nakajima Yuto.” She bows formally and walks away with the same cold smile.
“you really are beautiful.”
“pardon?” Tsubaki’s footsteps halted when someone suddenly stands in front of her, she looks up, and soon enough recognize his face as the mysterious secret admirer who always steals a glance at her and Mika.
“I say you’re really beautiful, the name Yamada Ryosuke, Student Relation Committee.” Ryosuke offers his hand in one firm move.
“oh, nice meeting you.” Tsubaki responses his greeting with a formal bow. 
“oh right, nice to meet you too.” Awkwardly Ryosuke soon follow and bow at her. As Tsubaki raises her head back, she notices even though Ryosuke sounds casual with his words and holds a steady gaze, she saw that his eyes were in deep sincere with a faint blush on his cheeks and his smile that somewhat shy. 
“maybe this is what Mika often call as cute guy…?”
Other male students’ starts to pack the yard, looking to the female students just arrived at their school. 
Mayu was still awing at the gate, unrealized she was showered with stares from other students.
When she notices a familiar face, she lights up and smiles widely. “Yuya! Ah!” before she could finish her words. Yuya warps his arms around her shoulders and glare at the boys around them.
“this is my good friend, you know what happen if you lay a finger on her, right?”
“s-sure.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Yuya’s friend.”
“welcome to Kitagawa!”
The boys that were once glaring, glancing even studying her from head to toe, quickly making a friendly face, greeting her warmly and all.
“did you just treating people, Yuya?” still wrap in his arms, Mayu turns and make a sinister look.
“whats wrong with that?”
“everything is wrong, Yuya that I know wont do such horrible thing.” Mayu says later on with a spoil tone, pouting her lips and look cute.
“…” Yuya shares unpleasant look at her complains, sighing he releases his arms and walks away. “whatever.” He snorts.
“ah Yuya don’t leave me!” Mayu quickly chases him like a lil girl tailing her big brother. 
“it seems Asano Mayu has acquaintance here too, somehow that’s a relief.” As Tsubaki smiles watching Mayu chasing after Yuya into the building. Another man standing in front of her, clearly trying to give a distance between her and Ryosuke.
“we prepare a small welcoming ceremony for Fujiwara students, this way.”
“so you were.”
“…” Ryosuke knits his brows as Yuto “forcefully” take Tsubaki away from him. Everyone has leaves the yard, Fujiwara students, council members, and rest of the boys students too.
Kota pats Ryosuke’s back after giving him a faint smile.
“lets go?”
“yeah.” Ryosuke nods with a smile and walks on his president’s side. 
“what, come on don’t laugh on your own, share me some happiness too.” Kota circles his arms around his junior, noticing Ryosuke has snickering merrily with hands in his trouser pockets.
“just…some unexpected reunion.” He replies softly enough to be heard by himself.