PART ONE, CHAPTER TWO: "PLATINUM GIRL"

-THE GOLDEN BOY & THE INNER CITY-

It was seven months before the school year started.

"Yo, Gekkouhara."

"Oh my."

I glanced over at the person who'd called my name. I could place the voice as having come from almost directly behind me, so naturally turning my neck to get a good look at them would leave me pretty sore later... no, maybe not?

Well, it's all about the intimidation factor.

That voice had come from a girl who didn't look any older than myself. She had long, brown hair and a pair of amber-colored eyes. I knew this person. This was the sister of someone important to me. The rhythmic tapping of my foot sounded, making it seem as if I'd forgotten her name. In response, the girl glared at me through cold eyes.

I wonder, is she mad?

"My, you're..." I paused for a moment, quirking my right brow. "Shizuku?"

"Shizuka," she crossed her arms, "and don't act familiar with me."

"How about Shizu?"

"Shibuya," corrected Shizu.

"How boring."

She sent a sour glance in my direction. I smiled.

Shizu was one of the funnier people to bother... no, that's not entirely true. Once things had gotten a bit out of hand. That time, we had to make an anonymous call to the Fire Department. Such was the only way to put out the aftermath of her fit. How to put it, she had a volatile ability just like her brother.

Well, I won't say it wasn't a fun experience.

"So what did you want?" I asked. "Are you gonna ask me on a date? No way, what ever shall I do? If I say yes, Satoratorio might drop another skyscraper on me. The island might tip, you know? Still, it might be worth it for someone as beautiful as you, Shizu. I wonder, should I accept?"

Her expression contorted with disgust. That overwhelming pride was something that sister shared with brother, though the former only showcased it for those she disliked. Nevertheless, Shizu spoke. "I'm looking for my precious little brother."

"My, you two are the exact same." I chuckled.

Now she sneered. "Die."

Huh, I was wrong? No, that can't be the case.

Whenever the two were together, separating them became an impossible feat. Their closeness was almost unhealthy compared to most other siblings. I'd assumed it was an abnormal interest, though apparently this wasn't the case. Such left me even more interested in the nature of their clinginess.

"He hasn't come down here since that one incident," I stated.

"Incident?" She asked.

"You didn't hear? Weird."

Shizu tilted her head. "Huh, what happened?"

I explained how Satonka had come to our special base. He stated that he was done with living a life of delinquency, that he had bigger fish to fry. He'd also said something about becoming immensely wealthy and dating an idol, though I left those two things out. Those two were scarily overprotective of each other, after all.

This was no doubt Akane Akasaka's influence. It's good that she disappeared.

"It's not supposed to be like this. Is it Akasaka's fault?" Shizu sighed. Now she clicked her tongue. "As I thought, I should have annihilated her when I had the chance. At this rate—"

I snickered. "It should be fine. He hasn't given it much thought, so it'll work out. You should know better than anyone else, Shizu, that Satoto is kind of an idiot. Is that the right word?"

"Say it again." Fire burned in her eyes.

"Relax, you know what I mean. Besides, Shizu, this is how it was supposed to be from the start. It's why that two-faced mother of yours sent you to this island, isn't it? I wonder, I wonder. What could be the problem? This is the best possible outcome."

The girl quietly chewed her lip. She digested my words with irritation clear on her face, but she didn't refute my points. This was because I was correct, a fact that neither of us wanted to accept, but that's how it was. All I could do was pray she came to terms with it.

"Hey, Shizu."

"Shibuya," she corrected.

Still—

"What high school is Sasatou going to?"

It wouldn't hurt to play with him a bit.

-S0006-

"I won't accept this."

I couldn't stop thinking about that golden girl.

Honestly, what did she mean by that? Could I be faulted in this scenario? I couldn't really accept it either, though it wasn't as if I could do anything. While I could apologize, it felt weird doing so for someone who'd so quickly gotten the wrong idea. I had my pride, and I chose to stand by it.

Next there was the issue of my score. I'd certainly been listed as the top scoring first year, but that felt... off. I could tell a teacher that my score felt wrong, but that'd probably be fairly embarrassing to explain. No, where would I even start?

Hello, Teacher?

Yes, Shibuya? Responded my attractive but suspiciously single female teacher.

I don't remember most of my placement test.

No matter how I spun it, the scenario came across as increasingly suspicious. Weren't there some awful punishments for cheating in this school? No way, would I be forced to wear a degrading sign around my neck or something? I wouldn't be able to handle the humiliation! Oh, the humanity!

I sighed. "Youth is such a hassle."

"Eh? Something wrong?"

Unrelated... not entirely, but Shizuka walked next to me. Now much healthier, her previously unruly hair was tied up in a pair of long tails. It was the so-called twintails style of yore, I suppose. A bit childish, but I could recognize the appeal. Shizuka would find popularity at this school too.

Now then, now then.

A day had passed since I checked my placement test score. We first years went to the gymnasium to hear a speech from a second year, though I didn't really pay much attention because of a certain someone who was glaring daggers in my back. What was her name?

Yoshino Yamasawa? Yamasawa then?

Yes, Yamasawa had stared me down fairly hard. It was incredibly awkward, though it probably wasn't worth worrying about. All I had to do was avoid her, and things would probably go smoothly. Ah, but I digress.

After the assembly, we were allowed to head home (because it was a shortened day) and, as such, I took the liberty of checking Shizuka's test scores for her. I hadn't told her about my placement in first class, but on her end of things—

"To think that I got third class." Shizuka sighed.

"It's because you were late for the exam."

She frowned. "It wasn't even my fault!"

My sister had answered the latter fifty of the one hundred questions. She'd scored exactly fifty percent on her placement exam. To put things into perspective, Shizuka wasn't like me. She was a lot smarter, though her luck left something to be desired. What a terrible fate!

"I understand that, make no mistake. The fact that you got shoved out of the train at the wrong stop just strikes me as mildly amusing. Now, don't take offense to that though. Had I been there, I'd have atomized anyone in my precious sister's proximity." I nodded.

"I could get mad, but I won't. Behold, Satou! This is what it means to be an adult!" Shizuka smiled, holding her arms out at her sides. "Honestly though, I should have left at the same time as you. Nobody seems to get anywhere near you when we ride on trains. I wonder why?"

"So I'm not crazy?!"

I wasn't sure either! It was something I genuinely couldn't understand! I was perhaps the most unassuming-looking in existence person when I desired such, so why was it that nobody wanted to occupy the same space as me? Am I perhaps surrounded by pudgy black cats?

No, maybe I smell bad?!

"Shizuka," I leaned in, "How do I smell?"

"Kind of fruity. Like a pure maiden, I guess? Nice touch."

"Treasure your life, sister dearest."

"Yo, you're scaring me!"

We messed around in the snow for a short while. It was only afterwards that I patted my bulky winter jacket down and returned to my normal persona. My sister, left with mussed up hair, didn't bother to complain. There was be no point, I'd start messing with her again. Instead, she adjusted her leather jacket and changed the subject.

"Speaking of scores, how did you do?" Shizuka asked, fixing her hair then her scarf.

"Not too well, I think." I lied.

"I take it you got third class too? Well, it makes sense. All you did was cram a day before the placement exam, so naturally you'd get a bad score."

I frowned. "How rude."

"It'd be nice if we were in the same class," she paused, "or not. If I really think about it, you'd get in the way of making friends. No offense, but your presence is kind of overwhelming. You give off some serious bully vibes."

"Hmph." I crossed my arms, glancing off to the side. "Sorry for having an overwhelming presence, sister dearest. Go acquire some friends, but I won't allow any boys. You're absent-minded, one might take advantage of you... is what I'd like to say, but you'd probably suplex them first."

"What kind of super amazon do you think I am?!" Shizuka crossed her arms as well. "Er, um, I'm the older one of us, okay? I should be the one telling you not to do stuff. I'm in the prime of my youth, so it's only natural that I have some fun! No, even before that, maybe I want to have some male friends!"

"Odd. Even knowing I'll atomize them?"

Shizuka stepped away. "Yo, that's super scary!"

Anyway, we'd left bright and early in the morning.

Both of us had gotten on the train because, had waited another half-hour or so, we suspected it would be flooded with other students. Well, the main reason I'd gotten up this early was to pick my seat first. The other reason was because I didn't want to run into Yamasawa.

Shizuka and I had walked down the hill overlooking the academy. Honestly, I felt pretty bad for anyone who rode a bike to school. Such wasn't my problem though.

-S0007-

We arrived without any complications.

Things were fairly quiet when we entered the school. This was to be expected though; we came early, like I'd stated. I glanced off to the side and down the hallway, and was immediately blown away by the building's size. After all, I couldn't even see the end of the hallway.

"Which classroom are you in anyway?" Shizuka asked.

"Uh," I averted my gaze.

Classrooms in this school were represented by a number and a letter, with the number denoting the floor and the letter determining the actual classroom. First-class students were on the third floor, second-class students were on the second, and third-class students were on the first. This was only the first year building, hence why I found myself awestruck.

I pointed in an arbitrary direction. This time it was right. "I have to go that way."

"We're splitting up then."

"We'll talk later."

"Where do you want to meet up next?"

"After school?"

Shizuka shook her head. "How about lunch?"

That made sense. After some deliberation, we decided on a meeting point, then we were done. The two of us walked off in separate directions. I stood by the staircase leading to the second floor until the sound of Shizuka's footsteps faded into the distance.

This wasn't something I could keep up. I was positive Shizuka would figure out my score eventually... no, was there even a need to hide it? Probably not.

Perhaps I could convince the school that they'd mixed up our scores. If they made us take a retest, I'm sure Shizuka would easily get a perfect score. She was, after all, the smartest person I knew. No, even of the people I didn't know, Shizuka was probably among the smartest.

As I considered this idea, I made my way up the winding staircase and to the second floor. After arriving, I immediately turned my focused towards the adjacent third floor staircase.

"It definitely has to be a mistake." I scratched my chin. "How on earth would I score one-hundred percent in five minutes? I feel as if I sat there longer than five minutes. Could it be that I'm actually a genius? That'd be the logical conclusion, wouldn't it?"

"It's pretty weird to be talking to yourself, huh?"

An unfamiliar voice. I slowly turned my head towards the source. I wondered, who was the person that took time out of their day to address me? Certainly they had good eyes, especially if they chose one such as myself. Such good taste couldn't go unnoticed.

"Let's see, let's see..." I squinted. "Hm?"

A girl with a healthy tan stepped forward, fast on the heels of whatever trend she'd been chasing at the time. I think it'd been some tokusatsu drama, primarily because of the seven variously-colored badges pinned to her school bag. Her stride was practiced, precise, dare I say perfect.

Time seemed to slow as my brain kicked into overdrive, taking in every detail of the fast approaching(?!) person. The girl's black-gold blazer, buttoned tightly against her bosom, and the loose carmine tie around her neck. The too-short red plaid skirt, and the spandex shorts visible beneath.

While not necessarily short, her height couldn't compare to my above average 180 cm. Her wild platinum blonde hair, reaching nearly to her lower back, bounced with every wide step she took. Her strangely compelling smile was accentuated by the twinkle in her pale blue eyes.

"Eh?" The girl came to a halt directly in front of me. "You're..."

I quickly ceased my all-too-detailed analysis. "Ah, er..."

She tilted her head. "Souta... Shibuchi?"

"Satou Shibuya, actually."

You could at least remember my name. It's certainly not as if I scored one-hundred percent... or wait, it seems I did! It was the score that Satou Shibuya received, so obviously one should remember it. Or rather, it'd be stranger not to remember it. Who did this person think they were?

The girl dismissively waved her hand, but this action was enough to bring me back to reality. I cleared my throat, which served as a catharsis for the bad habits that were starting to resurface. I didn't want to say anything rude, so this was for the best.

"I have to admit," she scratched her chin, "You look pretty plain. Boring, even."

My reaction was abrupt. Curiosity overwhelmed my common sense. I stepped in closer, locking eyes with her. She seemed fairly confused at first, but took the act in stride. What great adaptability this person possessed. Was this the legendary trendy gal archetype? What a powerful weapon.

"You wouldn't be interested in pursuing a career as an idol, would you?" I asked.

The girl chuckled. "What? Why would I—"

"No, never mind. In any case, what about my appearance jumps out as plain? Better yet, what doesn't jump out at you? I haven't perfected my senses in regards to fashion. Is it my face?"

"No... that's kind of tough, you know?" She scratched her head. "Your hair covers your face. I mean, I could probably gauge what I can see, but it'd be an incomplete analysis! That'd feel kind of, I dunno, cheap?"

"I permit it, go ahead."

"Okay, got it!" She placed a hand on my shoulder.

This was a fairly strange conversation to have with someone I'd just met. Having had a moment to cool down, I acknowledged how strong I'd come on. Even so, that girl hadn't commented on it past her initial quip. Could it be that she hadn't noticed? Or maybe this wasn't weird for her? Either way, it worked out in my favour.

"Also, don't touch me." I swatted her hand aside.

The girl didn't seem to mind this. "I can't see your eyes, so whatever! The way you hold your bag, too cool! Your expression, again, whatever! Your hairstyle is a bit wilder than I'd expect from a top scorer too. The hair color, I guess it's fine. Don't quote me on that."

"You can't give the hair a definitive pass?"

"I mean, that black hair does seem pretty out of place. I don't think the style suits you either. What is it... right, the general purpose protagonist design! No, maybe the gloomy reverse harem candidate that gets paired with a side character in the end?" She bounced up and down.

"Could it be that you're overreacting?"

"Nah, it's super weird." Now she spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "Totally out of place."

Her words caused me to flinch. Shizuka! My coolest sister in all the galaxy! I trusted your guidance. I trusted you to handle my hair! You were my shining light! You dare betray my faith in you?! This is an unforgiveable act of defiance!

"Any suggestions?" I frowned.

The girl stepped in with a nod. "Of course!"

I watched (or rather, felt) her grab me by the hair. Then, with her other hand, she grabbed my face. I saw war-like, irritating flashbacks to a childish old friend who touched everything to satisfy her curiousity. I wasn't good with children, even as a child, and I especially wasn't fond of being touched.

"I thought I told you not to—" Before I could finish, she jerked my face to the side.

The girl easily dismissed my complaints. "It's fine, it's fine! Now then, let's see, jaw structure is pretty good. Or rather, this is a really nice jaw structure! Yo, why's your hair this soft? How do you get it like this? Your skin is super soft too. Hey, hey, how did you get it like this?"

Bloodlust oozed forth. "Filthy insect, you dare—"

"Is it an ability? That's super convenient!" She interrupted. "Do it for me sometime, okay?"

"I refuse. Why should I—" Now my face was jerked to the other side.

This went on for quite some time. In the end, I was forced to put up with this girl's brash treatment of my face. She continued jerking me around for several minutes, after which she released her grip and began to circle around me. It seemed she was enjoying herself.

I, on the other hand, was not.

It was after the tenth minute that I decided to put my foot down. I was not some child's toy to be mussed about with. To show such disrespect towards me was tantamount to asking for a swift defeat. I stepped forward, distaste apparent in my gait.

"I—"

"Okay, I got it!" She descended on me once more.

My eyes quickly closed. I'd expected her to abruptly grab my face again, though that didn't happen. The hair in front of my right eye was gently combed back by her fingers. When I opened my eyes, I found the girl pulling a black hairclip off of her own head.

"Huh?" I frowned.

"I thought about it! What is this person's deal, I wondered? No way, could it be that they've got an ugly face?" She clipped my hair into place. "That's not the problem at all! The hair seems good, and so does the facial structure! Then what is it?"

The girl retreated backwards and sized me up through a finger frame. She gave a satisfied nod. I could see this more clearly now, especially considering part of my vision was now unobscured. Or rather, I could see the entire area much better now. It was fairly pretty, I suppose. As pretty as a school could be.

Nothing groundbreaking, really.

"The problem," she grinned, "is that you're too gloomy! If I can't see your face, how am I supposed to know what you're thinking? You could've been pissed this entire time, and I wouldn't have noticed. I can't do anything about the dye, but the style is enough for now. Besides—"

"Besides?" I tilted my head.

She leaned in, smiling. "You're a good looking guy, see?"

What followed, of course, was dead silence. The two of us stared at each other, not breaking eye contact. She, staring up at me, and me, staring down at her. This went on for ten or so seconds, neither party giving an inch. In the end, I was the one who lost the staring contest.

My face heated. "H-hmph, I'm not such a simple person. Or rather, I'm quite high maintenance. It would take more than simple compliments to sway my heart. I'm already used to others singing my praises. Something like this pales in comparison to compliments I've received in the past."

"Eh? What are we talking about?" Confusion was apparent on her face.

"Ah, w-well..." I averted my gaze.

My conversational skills weren't were too poor, but this was certainly difficult. It was like trying to hold a conversation at gunpoint. She wasn't giving me anything to work with, and it certainly showed on my face. I needed to change the subject. Let's see, for a topic—

I glanced at the girl again. "Your hair color is odd too."

"...Hm, I don't think so." She murmured. "Maybe to humans?"

Non-human, is it? I'd figured as much.

It was a bit late to be noting such, but it felt as if I'd met this person before. She was acting too familiarly. Was it part of her character? That was probably the case, but it seemed like there was more to it. There was a chance, however, that I was overthinking things.

A-ah, but not for any particular reason.

Let's see, let's see. While I certainly felt as though I'd seen her somewhere before, she also had a certain air about her. It was like how two swordsmen in manga could tell each other apart from a crowd with just killing intent, or like how two delinquents could—

"Would you mind if I asked your name?" My brow tightened.

The girl smiled from ear to ear. It was far different from her warm, playful smile from earlier. No, this was a smile that showcased pride and, on some levels, ambition. It was the kind of smile I'd become all too familiar with in my middle school days, especially considering my crowd.

"Ha?" She stepped forward.

I took a step back. "Actually, nevermind—"

"Listen here, Souta!"

Her arm immediately wrapped around my shoulders. In response, a scowl registered on my face. I couldn't help it; such was ingrained in my character. The girl extended her free hand forward. I could almost visualize the scene she attempted to depict, and at the same time I... couldn't. Or rather, why was she touching me again?

How disrespectful!

It was as I stewed in my distaste that she spoke.

"For generations since Niflheim was built, each school's delinquents have been at odds with each other! What if all were to be united under a single banner, huh? The Golden King tried it, and he got pretty far! Where is he now? Being a terrible person... or something!"

"Or something, is it?" I reluctantly let that one go.

"That's why I'll do it!"

"Oh?" My skepticism was clear.

The girl nodded. "Damn straight! And the name of myself, the person who will take on this endeavor, is Minako Minakami! Mi for short! How is it, Souta? This passion of mine, can you feel it?"

Minako Minakami? Mi is out of the question, so that'd be... Minakami?

What an interesting name for the wannabe conqueror of all delinquents. Not to mention that absurd amount of self-confidence. She knew what she wanted, but I doubted she knew how to obtain it. That was ambition. Perhaps a bit too much ambition. Still, I didn't dislike that.

In any case, it was time to make my escape.

"Well," I slipped out from beneath Minakami's arm, "In any future meetings between us, I'd like to request you keep physical contact to a minimum. Not for any particular reason, that's just how it's supposed to be. There's an order to these things. Now then, if you'll excuse me—"

"You should join me, see?" Minakami prodded me with her elbow.

I frowned at her touch.

There was no reason to join another group; I wasn't interested in such petty offers. Or rather, nothing you offer me could ever satisfy me. Perhaps come back when you've got a few years on you, Minakami! Actually, that doesn't fit very well.

"I don't think there's much I could do," I stated. "I am, after all, your average student."

The girl shook her head. "Not true! An average student wouldn't grill someone they've just met. Besides, didn't you call me an insect? It was super cool!"

"In any case, there are certainly better options."

There it is! Copied from his precious elder sister, it's Satou Shibuya's strongest technique! With its use, he easily steers a conversation back on track! It didn't work on people who were incredibly persistent, but that could be workshopped later!

Minakami calmly waved a hand. "I just, I feel something, see? Like you're different. You've got this air about you, like you're secretly the final boss! Could it be that I stumbled on something good? My luck's been off the charts today!"

What good intuition.

"Plus, you look a bit familiar." She paused. "Actually, have we met before?"

That was my limit. I glanced backwards, scanning the third floor staircase- the perfect escape route. It was at this point that the most vigorous back-pedaling I'd ever done came to fruition, the likes of which would surpass even the fastest of wild animals. Minakami turned around, but I was already halfway up the stairs when she started speaking.

"Hold on, wait up!"

Pretending not to hear anything, I made my way to the third floor. About halfway up that winding staircase, I stopped hearing Minakami's voice. I don't think she ended up getting my name right but, all things considered, that was probably for the best.

It wasn't as though I'd been trying to be mean or anything, I trust that much was obvious. I was simply done with the bad apple crowd. I didn't want to get sucked into them again. Sure, it's "cool" and nobody would get in your way, but...

"The delinquent dating pool is small and unsavory. What was it? There was... no, Akane Akasaka doesn't count. Vane is... Vane is Vane, so that can't be helped. Then there's... Gagetsu?" My expression soured in response to that last name. "Ah, but I digress."

Point being, the costs far outweighed the benefits. An idol wouldn't come your way if all females avoided you like the plague. Granted, where would I find an idol to begin with? Or rather, don't idols get in trouble for dating people? Could it be that my dream was impossible from the start?

"No, it should be fine." I murmured.

I'd definitely date an idol someday, I just needed to strategically plan things out. It's a campaign that will take time to set up. What's more, it will be a long road. Even so—

"Ah, not good. I'm getting sidetracked in the worst possible way."

When I finally made it to the top of the stairs, I took note of the fairly large number of students present in the third floor hallways. This struck me as odd. There were almost exactly thirty minutes (I pulled out my cell phone to check) before the bell rang. What kind of fool came to school this early?

"Wait." I slowly glanced down at my feet.

I'd forgotten, I was now one of those fools. With a sigh, I made my way down the hall and towards my classroom. Several individuals tossed glances in my direction as I walked. I wasn't sure if it was because I looked strange, or if it was because they recognized me as the person who got one hundred percent.

I definitely wasn't feeling self-conscious. I was merely thinking about my appearance because of that white-haired girl, that's all there was to it. It didn't matter what these people thought of me.

After a minute or so of walking, I made it to my destination: Classroom 3-A. I assumed the "A" meant it was for the best of the best, so I felt a bit proud. Or rather, did I really score one-hundred percent? I'd asked this already, but it was still on my mind.

I gripped the door's handle and slowly slid it open. Almost immediately, I heard a voice.

"Ah."

"I see." I murmured.

Someone else beat me here- I easily reached this conclusion. I glanced towards the source of that voice after stepping into the classroom. Golden hair and eyes greeted me. Sitting near the center of the classroom was a familiar looking girl. Her face looked half surprised, and half as though she'd expected this turn of events.

"Shibuya," the one known as Yoshino Yamasawa(?) uttered.

"Yamasawa," I responded.

This was where the first of many problems arose.