Roommate Wanted. No Betrayers.

Chapter 5

Ouro Kronii had a crush. See, she could admit it. To herself. That was something. Progress.

It was also, pretty much unknown territory.

Sure she'd had crushes in the past, but that felt so long ago now that it must surely be useless. She was a different person now, for better or worse. Then again she didn't have any better ideas. Surely turning an eye to the past couldn't hurt. She might at least learn what not to do.

She closed her eyes and cast her mind back to the playground of her youth. The memories came easily to her, vivid and bright, the smell of fallen pine needles and the sound of a hundred unclear conversations in the background.

Ouro Kronii wore an immaculate uniform, her long blue hair tied back into a smart single ponytail. A nickel badge on her lapel denoted her status as prefect, two letters of the word she'd use to describe herself, but a point of pride nonetheless. She moved with dignified ease and purpose, to all outside observers she was the very image of dignified perfection.

On the inside however, it couldn't be further from the truth. Her internal world had been thrown into disarray some two weeks ago by the arrival of the transfer student, Tsukumo Sana, who had just... shown up, and started getting scores comparable to her, all while not holding herself to Kronii's own high standard.

"Tsukumo-San." She barked, finding the offending girl at the edge of the playground, idly shuffling a deck of cards. "A word if you wouldn't mind."

The other girl beamed. "Sure! What do ya need Kronini?"

Kronii scowled. "First of all, stop that."

"Stop smiling?" Sana tilted her head slightly in confusion.

"What? No. Stop using that nickname, it's disrespectful." She ordered. "Then, release whatever malefic spell it is you cast on me."

"Malefic? Spell?" Sana blinked. "What are you talking about Kro- uh, Ouro-San."

"I see you using those cards. You must have cast some spell to mess with my mind, it's so obvious don't even bother denying it."

"Hmmm..." Sana was unconvinced. "What exactly are the effects of this supposed spell I cast?"

Kronii felt her cheeks get a little hot as she remembered the thoughts that had led her to this conclusion. "Well, you know. You're trying to distract me with thoughts of you in class, so you can take my top spot."

Sana laughed. "Oh wow, that's a good one Kronini-San. But let's say you're right, why would I distract you with thoughts of myself? Surely that's too obvious."

"Er..." Kronii had no answer to that.

"Besides," Sana said, standing up to her full height, a dozen or so centimetres taller than Kronii. "Why would I want to sabotage you when you're so cute like this?"

"I- I don't know what you mean..." Kronii felt her cheeks burn and instinctively turned away from Sana's gaze and wide smile. "I just remembered I have, prefect business. This isn't over."

"See you later, Kronini!" Sana called as Kronii retreated. "Good luck with your prefect business."

In the present day, Kronii opened her eyes, banishing the memory back into the recesses of her psyche. Quietly she pondered it, and what lessons it might have to share, before picking up a pen and scribbling down Don't accuse her of Witchcraft.