The Pocky Girl

'Pocky'

Yes, Pocky... Chocolate-, strawberry-, green-tea-, vanilla- and all sorts of flavors of Pocky were everything a certain high schooler could think of on her first day of a new semester.

'Pocky, pocky, pocky...' trailed in her mind as she skipped on her way to school without paying much attention to the road.



'Which flavor should I have for lunch today?' she thought happily, 'I'm sure mom packed some into my bag!'

"Jirou, watch out!" A feminine voice warned her, but she didn't listen and continued to skip without looking until she hit the back of a certain senior.

"O-ouch!" she exclaimed in pain.

"This is what you get for daydreaming on the way to school, Jirou!" the feminine voice from before scolded her.

"Now, now, Gakuto-chan," the senior Jirou bumped to chuckled while offering his hand to help Jirou back on her feet.

"Gomen, Echizen-senpai! I was thinking of which flavor of Pocky I should have for lunch today," Jirou cheerfully said. Gakuto sweatdropped at what supposed to be an excuse for Jirou bumping onto this senior who was just smiling at Jirou.

"It's okay, Akutagawa-chan. You look full of energy today," the Echizen-named senior commented.

Jirou nodded, "Of course, senpai! Marui-san told me that I should be looking forward to his visit!"

"Marui-san?"

"Uh-huh! He told me that he'll treat me to the newly opened sweet shop near to the train station," Jirou happily replied.

"Jirou, let's go. We have morning duties, remember?" Gakuto reminded her as she was getting too uncomfortable at the stare that were shot to their direction from the three girls walking to their right. She assumed that they are this Echizen Ryoga fangirls. No, she was definitely sure that they are Echizen Ryoga's fangirls. 'Che, annoying atmosphere as usual.'

Jirou halted on her spot, "Ah, that's right! See you later then, senpai!" Jirou waved as she was dragged away by Gakuto towards the school gate.

'How can they be so close to our dear Ryoga-sama?' A second year said. 'I totally envy them,' another commented with hint of jealousy in her voice. 'What have they got that we didn't anyway,' and another said while the other two nodded.

Ryoga getting tired to the whispers of the girls, he turned around and shot them his usual smile, "You girls look pretty as always. Let's head to school together."

"Y-yes, Echizen-senpai!" all there of the girls swooned their way to their beloved Ryoga-sama.

'Marui, huh,' the smile he wore moments ago turned to a frown that goes unnoticed to the girls.

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"Ne, Jirou... Don't you feel that Echizen-senpai acts too friendly with us?" Gakuto asked as they entered their classroom, 1-3, and dropped her bag above the class shelves nearby.

"Hm? Isn't Senpai being his usual self?" Jirou also dropped her bag beside Gakuto's.

'Usual self, eh...' Gakuto wondered. "I did feel that his mood changed when Jirou mentioned Marui-san," she mumbled as she began to wipe the board clean.

Jirou, not hearing what Gakuto said, just hummed happily while dragging a table to front of the class.

"Good morning, Gakuto-chan, Akutagawa-chan," Yuushi greeted them as he stepped in the class.

"Oi! It's Mukahi for you!" Gakuto fumed. "First was that Echizen-senpai and now you. Can't anyone have their attitude right?" Gakuto complained as she stretches her hand out of the class window to hit the two board erasers to each other so the dirt will get off of it.

Yuushi just chuckled at Gakuto's reaction. Looking at Jirou humming happily while arranging desks, "You girls seem rather cheerful today."

"Ah, good morning Oshitari-kun! When did you arrive?" Jirou greeted him and asked after a while.

"Just a few minutes ago, Akutagawa-chan," Yuushi replied as he started to help her arranging the tables.

"I'm going to get some wet towels to wipe off the dirt off the desks and chairs," Gakuto said before heading off to the nearby Janitor's closet.

"Thank you, Gakuto-chan!" Jirou said as she finished placing the last desk and Yuushi put the chair accordingly. "I'll go help Gakuto-chan, Akutagawa-chan," Yuushi said before following Gakuto.

"Mm, I'll wait for you guys here!" Jirou cheerfully replied. "They get along so well, don't they?" Jirou said to herself.

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"Akutagawa-chan sure is happy today," Yuushi started talking while holding a bucket of water with his dominant hand.

"Yeah, she said that Marui-san will treat her some sweet soon," Gakuto replied.

Yuushi suddenly stopped, "Marui? Marui Bunta of Rikkai?"

"Un," Gakuto nodded, "They seem to get along really well since that one time Rikkai paid us a visit."

Yuushi resumed walking back to the class. "Ah, when Marui-san and Jackal-san came to give an approval for Atobe's request."

Gakuto laughed, "Yup! They have lots in common, especially their sweet tooth. I didn't even know they exchanged their cellphone number until last week when I dropped by her house."

"I see..." Yuushi mentally noted down the new information he just received.

Gakuto's ears perked up at the short reply Yuushi gave. She smirked, "Why? You interested?"

"Why, of course, I am," Yuushi replied coolly, expecting himself to be amused from Gakuto's reaction.

As he expected, "You are?", Gakuto curiously asked with her eyes wide, feeling a slight pang in her chest.

"Jealous, Gakuto-chan?" he taunted her.

"O-of course not! Why would I be, hmph," Gakuto hastily denied and rushed in to their classroom as Yuushi smirked.

"Jirou! Here's the-" Gakuto paused as she spotted Jirou by the window.

"Seeeeennppaaaiii!" Jirou shouted, popping her head out of the window and waved at Ryoga who was walking outside, "Want to join us during lunch?"

"Oi! Jirou! Don't just go off inviting people to lunch like that!" Gakuto tried to pull her back in.

Hearing Jirou's request, Ryoga smiled and replied, "Of course, Akutagawa-chan."

Still with Gakuto pulling her back in, Jirou cheerfully told Ryoga, "We'll be waiting at the rooftop, senpai!" With that, she waved him for the last time before Gakuto finally succeeded in pulling Jirou in and shut the window closed.

"Oh, Gakuto-chan, you're back!" Jirou said.

Gakuto smacked her head, "Of course I am, you idiot! What were you doing inviting that Echizen-senpai just like that, huh?"

"You're right, Gakuto-chan! I should have walked out of the classroom and properly invite him instead of shouting from in here," Jirou exclaimed.

Restraining herself from smacking her once more, Gakuto could only sweatdrop at what Jirou said.

Yuushi chuckled, "Having him accompany us for lunch won't hurt, right, Gakuto-chan?"

"I guess it won't," Gakuto mumbled. "And don't call me 'Gakuto-chan'!"

Jirou smiled, "As I thought, you guys do get along really well."

"No, we don't! We certainly-" Gakuto denied.

"Ah, where's the water, Gakuto-chan?" Jirou asked not really listening to Gakuto's denial.

Amused once more at Gakuto's reaction, Yuushi chuckled. "Here, Akutagawa-chan," Yuushi replied, putting the bucket of water he was holding on the floor.

"Thank you, Oshitari-kun," Jirou thanked him as she neared the bucket and dip the towel in and wringe it dry. Then she started to wipe desks.

Gakuto sighed and helped Jirou. Yuushi too.

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It was now the lesson before lunch break. Ryoga was sitting quietly in his classroom, paying no attention whatsoever to what the teacher was teaching. He couldn't care any less. He'd already read all the textbook during the last week of the break and that's thanks to none other than his dear mother. He understood every word of every textbook. He couldn't help it, he was fast in understanding and remembering and the lesson being taught now was just the very basic.

He sighed as his thought drifted towards a certain kouhai of his. He had to admit that she pretty cute. She was such an airhead most of the time, that's what he liked about her along with some other quality of hers. Like her love for Pocky and sweet snacks or her childish and honest personality or even her sleeping habits. He slightly chuckled at the thought of her being able to easily fall asleep anywhere.

He could remember the first time his eyes land on her. It was at the middle of last semester. He'd just gotten transferred to Hyotei because his old man suddenly decided to move to this area. That day, he just couldn't help but to be in a slightly bad mood because he had to adjust to new environment. Even though that day was his first day, the girls were immediately head over heels over him. Of course he was annoyed, but putting on his poker face, he'll never admit it. He might as well enjoy most of this or so he thought. At the end of the day, most of the students had already left the school, however he had some business to take care of concerning clubs, schedule and some other related issues.

As soon as he was done, he headed home. On his way out, a tennis ball hit him hard on his forehead and he fell. "Ack! Who threw this-" he angrily complained only to be cut off when his eyes found the guilty ones. 'A girl?'

"Gomen, gomen, gomen... I was trying out some move. You know, like swinging it this way," the girl demonstrated what she was doing with the ball before it hit him.

Ryoga heavily sighed, 'Trying out some moves, she said.'

The girl realized that Ryoga was still on the ground, "Ah, gomen... I got carried away. Here," she offered him her hand and Ryoga took it.

"It's okay," Ryoga said and stood up.

"But..." Jirou started, "You don't look okay," and she slightly tilted her head sideways.

"I said I'm okay," Ryoga sternly replied. 'What's this girl problem?' he was certainly getting annoyed and he was uncharacteristically expressing it, even though the girl was looking as innocent as she can be.

"I know! Wait a second, okay," the girl dashed away.

'I guess she is the type that can't handle responsibility,' he thought as he made a turn and started walking towards the school gate.

"You- waaaaaiiitt," the girl wailed while running to him. He stopped as he heard her. "Here!" she stretched her right hand revealing a box of chocolate-flavored Pocky. "Pocky will always light up your mood," she brightly smiled at him.

Surprised at her action, he hesitantly took the box and thanked her, "Thank you, I guess."

"You're welcome!" the girl gladly replied.

"Jiiirrooooooouuuuuu!!!" an angry shout from far away made the girl stand up and tense. 'Huh?'

"Gah, Gakuto is here. Nice meeting you, mister. I'm Akutagawa Jirou," the girl said in a rush.

"Mister?" He raised his eyebrow. "Ryoga," he told her.

"Huh?" Jirou looked back in a haste.

"My name. It's Echizen Ryoga," he explained.

"Sou ka! Echizen-san it is then." Jirou said as his words were registered in her mind. "So, Echizen-san, I'll be going now. See you later," and with that she dashed away with full speed and a feminine figure from the direction of the shout was visible. He figured that Jirou must be running away from this girl.

The feminine figure who appeared to be a red-headed girl stopped by him, out of breath, as she spotted him with a Pocky box on his right hand. "You!" the girl pointed a finger at him.

"Have you seen a girl with dark brown hair tied in a high pigtail?" the red-headed rudely asked him.

He winced for a split second at her rudeness, "If you mean the girl who just hit my forehead with a tennis ball," he pointed to his forehead, "and gave me this," he showed her the Pocky box, "then, she was heading that way," and with that he pointed the way Jirou ran away to.

"Thanks!" the red-headed girl thanked him and she ran in the direction he just pointed, leaving him with dusts everywhere.

Ryoga was left speechless at what just happened. He sighed and started to walk home. That evening, after letting out his frustration at his dad in a tennis match, he put back his racquet beside his bed. He sat on his bed and his eyes were looking around his new room until it lands on a Pocky box poking out of his bag. It reminded him of the girl who gave it to him. 'Jirou, Akutagawa Jirou, huh,' the girl had undoubtedly perked up his interest, especially the strength of the tennis ball that she accidentally hit him with.

RRIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNGGGGGGG!!!

The bell signifying that the lunch break has started rang and Ryoga snapped out of his train of memory. Ryoga stood up and head towards the school cafeteria. 'I'll buy something and then go to the rooftop,' he happily thought.

---------------------To be continued---------------------