STARLIGHT

6. Auditions

"Good morning, girls, I'm sure, by now, many of you might be aware of the few changes about to take place at Ohayo Girls'. Due to our academic ambitions, the school planning board has decided to make this school a co-educational one, i.e. a school for both girls 'and boys'. Thus, Ohayo Girls' will change to simply Ohayo Higher Secondary School. So, two weeks from now, dear students, our school will have a formal welcoming ceremony for our new male students. I request the Activities Head to start preparing for the big event. I hope to see co-operation among all students and teachers. Further details will be given to you later. Thank you. Have a good day," came the announcement from Principal Minamoto, as the students stood in the auditorium, most of them daydreaming and uninterested.

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"I never liked her; never did and never will!" Neori said which made Saomi chuckle.

"Well, all I know is, she lied about one thing," Saomi said as she walked up the stairs with Neori.

"Lied? About what?"

"They haven't made this decision because of 'academic ambition', it's because of business. More students means more..."

"Money!"

"Correct! And since there's only a 10% chance that more girls would join this school as there already are many good girls' schools in the country, they decided to let boys join."

"But what are the chances of boys joining? Especially now, since school's already started?"

"Well, from what I've heard, boys have already taken admissions. Ohayo is such a reputed school that they've transferred from their own schools."

"Woah! Really?!" Neori was surprised.

"Yeah. About 700 have already been admitted."

"That's a big number...........By the way, how do you know all this?"

"Oh......um..... Actually, my uncle is part of the planning board. So, he fed me information," Saomi said with a grin.

"Oh, I see................Hey, watch it!" she shouted at someone who pushed her and ran past.

"Hmm.......yeah whatever......Huh? Neori-chan. Oh............I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you," said the girl who pushed her. It was Nina, one of her three followers.

"Yeah yeah..... Go," Neori said with a disgusted look.

Saomi just watched quietly.

"Why is she talking so rudely?" she thought to herself.

"Alright, Saomi, we'll meet at lunch time then. Bye," Neori said and went to class.

"Yeah. Bye, See you," Saomi also said.

As Saomi walked towards her class, among girls rushing to their own classrooms (yes, there was not much discipline), she saw two girls crying in a corner. They looked like juniors. They were surrounded by five girls, bigger than them.

"Tch......Bullies!!!" she thought. She couldn't do anything to help the juniors. Well, she 'could' but chose not to. She didn't want any attention coming to her. She just walked by but suddenly stopped.

"Wait a minute!" she thought and turned, "Keya? What is she.........Oh my! She's with those bullies?!"

Surprised, Saomi quickly walked to her classroom and sat in her seat, so Keya wouldn't see her.

"I didn't think her gang would be an actual 'gang'," she mumbled, "She looks so innocent. Wow, I guess looks 'can' deceive people."

Her thoughts were cut off when the teacher entered.