How We Met Again

Chapter 1: Why We Don't Play Sports

As the teacher began to write on the board, I forced myself awake, and began to take notes. After all, one doesn't become the top student in the class by dozing during lectures. At the end of the school day, a small crowd formed around the new girl, but I immediately packed my bags and left. After all, I still had several hours of studying that I could do at the school library.

The next day, at lunch, I resolved to spend it as peacefully as possible, reviewing the English vocabulary that would be on the next test. After I got my barbecue meal (minus the barbecue), I began to hunt for a table in the cafeteria. Solely by chance, I happened to make eye contact with Nakano Itsuki as I walked by her table.

"Sorry," she said with a smirk on her face, "this table is taken."

Around her were four other girls -- all with similar hair. One had a bob cut and a sweater wrapped around her waist, one had long hair and bows in her hair, one had headphones wrapped around her neck, and the final one had a giant green bow on her head.

"Yeah, right. Ok." I muttered, and kept walking.

"Oh? You're leaving?" the girl with the sweater said, standing up and trotting over to me. "Why don't you eat with us?"

"She... literally just said that the table is taken. I'm going to go find my own table," I said back, looking her dead in the eyes. In the corner of my eye, I noticed the girl with the headphones laugh quietly, and then carefully re-arrange her face to be deadpan.

"Aw, come oooon. Don't you want to eat surrounded by gorgeous, gorgeous girls? I know you don't have a girlfriend -- have a little snack with us, wouldn't you?"

"Who says I don't have a girlfriend?!" I retorted, a little louder than I intended.

...Maybe a lot louder.

The girl with the sweater gave me a knowing look -- whatever that meant -- and then said, "right, right. I'm sure you do."

"Uh... huh..."

"Which is why you're after Itsuki-chan, right? Come on, no need to be shy!"

This woman is a pain in the ass.

"Come on," she said, clearly smirking at me. "I'll call her over. Get a good mood going. You know what I mean?"

As she turned to walk back to the table, I grabbed her wrist.

"I handle my own relationships. Mind your own business."

She looked surprised for a second, then laughed and smacked my back.

"Wow, manly, manly! Very manly."

Then, she leaned in close to my ear, and whispered, "Well, if you have any trouble, come talk to big sis Ichika. I can get you sorted."

She laughed, and then walked away. Looking back at the table, they seemed to have mostly gone back to their conversations. However, the one with the bow... was looking at me with an unreadable expression on her face.

Whatever. Complete weirdos.

I returned to my table, and ate my food while flipping through my flashcards. About ten minutes later, something seemed to be permeating the edges of my consciousness.

"Uesugi-san. Uesugi-san. Uesugi-san!"

With a start, I looked up, and found the redhead with the giant green bow right in my face, our lips mere centimetres apart. I reeled back, shocked.

"Wait, what? Who are you?"

Laughing, the girl smiled at me. "Hey, you finally looked at me."

I just stared at her dumbfounded. For a moment, I felt almost... mesmerized. Then, I shook myself out of it.