[color=ec008c][center][h1]Yukine Tachibana[/h1][/center][/color]

[u][center]Classroom 1A[/center][/u]

Yukine stared at herself in the mirror, brushing her hair, straightening her skirt, and pulling at the sleeves of her uniform to make sure everything was just right. This was her first day in a new school in a new town full of new people that she knew nothing about. It was a good school, and it was close to where her parents worked, but now the only contact she had with her all her old friends was through pictures and text messages, but those were no substitute for actually being around. [color=ec008c][i]Think positive, Yukine,[/i][/color] she thought. [color=ec008c][i]There's bound to be lots of nice people, and you can tell everyone about the great time you're having with your new friends.[/i][/color] She took a deep breath and adjusted her hair clip with a white lily on it. Even if people were nice, appearances still mattered. When she was finally satisfied with how she looked, she snapped a picture and sent it to one of her friends. Of course she didn't expect a response right away; they were getting ready for school too. But still, a quick "You look cute!" would've been great for her confidence. Maybe it was taking a while for the message to send...

She headed out her door, picking up her bento box with a sticky note that said, "Good luck on your first day of school! We're proud of you! Love, Mom and Dad." It would've been nice to hear it in person, but they had to leave for a morning meeting. It wasn't a long walk to school. She noticed some students in the Uesugi uniform zip past her on their bikes, but she didn't have one. Her last school had been very close as well, and she honestly preferred walking. She glanced to the left and right, making note of any stores that looked like a good place to eat or shop. [color=ec008c][i]If you make some friends, they'll tell you what places are good...[/i][/color] She scurried through the crowds as the students converged by the school gates, made a brief stop at her locker, then navigated her way through the halls to classroom 1-A.

She took a deep breath and stepped inside. [i][color=ec008c]So far so good,[/color][/i] She thought as she took a seat at the front of the room. She always liked to sit up front, close to the board so she could hear and see the teacher with the fewest distractions. She was definitely no athlete, tiny as she was, so she had to make sure her academics were top notch. Before the teacher arrived, she took out her notebook (which had a floral design on the cover), a pen, and some whiteout. She dated the top of the page and took a deep breath. [color=ec008c][i]Okay. All set. Now, just to wait for the teacher...[/i][/color] She folded her hands and waited. And waited. And then the bell rang.

A chill ran down Yukine's spine and her heart thumped heavily in her chest. [color=ec008c][i]Why is there no teacher? Oh God, did I go into the wrong room!?[/i][/color] She bit her lip and was about to check the door, just to make sure she was in the right place, when a disheveled man hobbled into the room, casually tossing around apologies. Yukine let out a breath of relief. Better to have a tardy teacher than be tardy herself. He introduced himself a Tanaka-sensei and seemed nice enough, then it came time for introductions. One girl volunteered immediately to go first, and she certainly seemed cheerful and friendly. [color=ec008c]"Matsutoya-san..."[/color] Yukine whispered to herself, committing the name to memory. She seemed approachable, and she was even from Fukushima, so maybe she could show her around. A few more students went, including a music enthusiast and an awkward boy, then Yukine took advantage of the brief lull to introduce herself. 

She stood up, turned to face the class with her hands folded behind her back, and gave everyone her brightest smile. [color=ec008c]"Hello, everyone. My name is Tachibana Yukine. I just moved to Fukushima, so I'm still trying to take everything in. I hope I can make lots of friends. Everyone seems super-nice so far, so I don't think that will be a problem."[/color] She gave a quick glance around the classroom to take in everyone's face, but then her eyes went wide. That face was so familiar, but it couldn't be... [color=ec008c]"Ah... K-Kotone? I didn't know--"[/color] She cut herself off. What started off as an awesomely executed intro was now tapering off into the new girl gawking at her cousin. [color=ec008c]"Oh, sorry!"[/color] She quickly took her seat again and stared down at her notebook, praying that she didn't secure her reputation as "that weird girl." 

[@Sola]