Hakuouki: Hitsuzen (SSL)

The First Day of School

The next day, on the first day of school, despite all of Sumiko's preparations, she was in danger of being late. She panted as she ran for it with Chizuru and Heisuke. The two girls were wearing their uniforms properly, but Heisuke had a yellow hoodie on under his blazer.

"Quick! Chizuru! Sumiko! Otherwise, we'll be late!" Heisuke said, in the lead, despite being the reason they were late.

"It's your fault for oversleeping, Heisuke!" Chizuru said.

Sumiko was a little impressed that he could run, talk, and keep that piece of toast he had in his mouth all at the same time. The girls had time to eat a proper breakfast, but he had missed his chance and had to settle for one piece of bread.

"I couldn't help it!" Heisuke said. "I couldn't find my safe deposit!"

"Safe deposit?" Sumiko asked.

"Oh no, Heisuke! Were you playing games again?" Chizuru asked, dismayed. "You shouldn't stay up so late."

DING. DING.

"Hey, that's the school bell ringing. Damn it!" Heisuke cursed as he realized how screwed they were.

Sumiko pushed herself to move faster and pulled up next to Heisuke, who held his hand out to Chizuru.

"Chizuru, run quicker!" Sumiko and Heisuke said, worried they weren't going to make it in time.

"All right!" Chizuru said.

A hand reached out and grabbed Heisuke's, but it was not from the person he had expected.

"You sure have some guts this morning, Heisuke," Okita told him a little menacingly with his eyes cast in shadow as they ran together.

"Huh? O... Okita!?" Heisuke said, taken aback.

"I can't believe you were daring enough to hold hands with one of the only two girls in the school," Okita said. "Although you are childhood friends."

"Okita-sempai..." Chizuru said. "Good... Good morning."

"'Morning," Sumiko said, greeting him, too.

They were both a little surprised when Okita grabbed Chizuru's hand, too, and smiled.

"Good morning, Chizuru-chan. Sumiko-chan," he returned their greetings pleasantly. "Now, let's go!" He pulled ahead with a big grin on his face, taking the lead as he pulled Chizuru and Heisuke along with him. "Try to keep up, Sumiko-chan!"

"Ehh?" Sumiko said, sweat-dropping.

"What sort of situation is this?" Heisuke asked, a little weirded out.

Fortunately, the school was in sight, and they were closing in on their destination fast.

"Gooooaaal!" Okita said as they reached the school gate.

Unfortunately, it was at that moment they appeared.

"I'm very sorry..." A quiet-looking boy with purple hair said as he and a boy around Chizuru's age, who could've been her twin, came out from behind the wall to cut them off. "You're late."

Okita let go of the others' hands and walked forward to face the newcomers, who Sumiko noticed were both wearing special armbands. She guessed they were members of the disciplinary committee.

"Good morning, Saitou," Okita greeted the purple-haired young man with a smile.

Saitou's expression did not change.

"... Saitou, you're so strict. We were only late by one or two minutes, right?" Okita said, still smiling.

"I'm just performing the duties of the committee," Saitou said.