A week flew by with students settling into early groups of what promised to be friends.h.i.+p later . Noriko was as usual drawn into a larger cl.u.s.ter of boys and girls . They came from several cla.s.ses rather than just their own . It was all Ryu's fault . Normal people got normal friends – she got a premium seat to the spectacle that was Ryu's personal fan-club .

The boys were the usual mix of people, who either admired Ryu too much to stay far from him or were too wary of a superior rival to chance staying away . The girls, well, the girls .

Girls usually came in three types . Those who had yet to confess to Ryu, those who had already been turned down but found his easy-going friends.h.i.+p attractive enough to stay around anyway and those who really should have been born boys, and thus followed Ryu for the usual reasons of admiration or rivalry .

That had always been true, and it stayed true for one week .

Then Ageruman Kuritina happened .

She happened the usual way . Teacher kept the door open, mumbled something watered out about a new student who had been sick since school began, and asked the new student to introduce herself .

Enter Ageruman-san .

Silence .

Exit any 'usual way' .

"I'm Christina Agerman . "

Silence .

"I'm from Sweden but have lived in j.a.pan for a year . "

Silence .

"If you find my j.a.panese poor I'm grateful for help . "

Nuclear detonation .

Ageruman-san was, what a foreign businessman would have said, well proportioned . And blond, a rich, golden blond falling over her shoulders and behind most of her back, with strands so fine they almost rode the non-existent wind in the cla.s.sroom . And tall, as tall as Ryu .

To complete the archetype of a stunning northern beauty she had eyes so blue you could drown in them . If you were a boy . Noriko corrected herself: if you were a human being or possibly anything even remotely related to the primates .

By now their teacher finally understood that she had invited an enemy of at least half the human population into the cla.s.sroom – and the desire of the other half, and made a half-hearted attempt to restore order .

It was half hearted, Noriko noted sullenly, because the teacher already showed less interest in her students than in protecting the male teaching staff . Probably because she had her fiancée there . Speaking of whom, he had already arrived on the scene to find out what the commotion was all about . And he showed no more resistance to the angelic apparition than any of the other boys in cla.s.s .

Ryu included .

"She's beautiful!"

"Wanna date me?"

"Whoa, a foreigner!"

"Taller than most boys!"

For a week there had been a centre of attention around Ryu even during lessons . Now Noriko could feel how it dissolved and moved between the benches towards the black board . Where Ageruman-san stood, effortlessly subst.i.tuting for Venus de Milo even though she wore an unmodified regulation school uniform .

Ageruman-san could most likely have dressed up entirely from a 100 yen shop and still ride roughshod over all rivals straight out of a fas.h.i.+on house .

Life just wasn't fair .

The new centre of attraction moved to the windows and took her chair at the least popular of all spots . Window, front . Always seen by the teacher yet isolated . Well, Noriko realized, that bench would become a whole lot more popular until the next seating change .

Then Noriko noticed a minor commotion just before Ageruman-san sat down . The girl in the seat behind her rose, and then the two of them exchanged very unladylike hugs .

"Same school, same cla.s.s and neighbour desks . This is the best!"

"Ko-chan! I'm so happy!"

The teacher's voice cut through the pandemonium . "Seats, take your seats and be silent!"

And with that the last addition to their cla.s.s started her year . And everything changed .

A week flew by with students settling into early groups of what promised to be friends.h.i.+p later . Noriko was as usual drawn into a larger cl.u.s.ter of boys and girls . They came from several cla.s.ses rather than just their own . It was all Ryus fault . Normal people got normal friends – she got a premium seat to the spectacle that was Ryus personal fan-club . The boys were the usual mix of people, who either admired Ryu too much to stay far from him or were too wary of a superior rival to chance staying away . The girls, well, the girls . Girls usually came in three types . Those who had yet to confess to Ryu, those who had already been turned down but found his easy-going friends.h.i.+p attractive enough to stay around anyway and those who really should have been born boys, and thus followed Ryu for the usual reasons of admiration or rivalry . That had always been true, and it stayed true for one week . Then Ageruman Kuritina happened . She happened the usual way . Teacher kept the door open, mumbled something watered out about a new student who had been sick since school began, and asked the new student to introduce herself . Enter Ageruman-san . Silence . Exit any usual way . Im Christina Agerman . Silence . Im from Sweden but have lived in j.a.pan for a year . Silence . If you find my j.a.panese poor Im grateful for help . Nuclear detonation . Ageruman-san was, what a foreign businessman would have said, well proportioned . And blond, a rich, golden blond falling over her shoulders and behind most of her back, with strands so fine they almost rode the non-existent wind in the cla.s.sroom . And tall, as tall as Ryu . To complete the archetype of a stunning northern beauty she had eyes so blue you could drown in them . If you were a boy . Noriko corrected herself: if you were a human being or possibly anything even remotely related to the primates . By now their teacher finally understood that she had invited an enemy of at least half the human population into the cla.s.sroom – and the desire of the other half, and made a half-hearted attempt to restore order . It was half hearted, Noriko noted sullenly, because the teacher already showed less interest in her students than in protecting the male teaching staff . Probably because she had her fiancée there . Speaking of whom, he had already arrived on the scene to find out what the commotion was all about . And he showed no more resistance to the angelic apparition than any of the other boys in cla.s.s . Ryu included . Shes beautiful! Wanna date me? Whoa, a foreigner! Taller than most boys! For a week there had been a centre of attention around Ryu even during lessons . Now Noriko could feel how it dissolved and moved between the benches towards the black board . Where Ageruman-san stood, effortlessly subst.i.tuting for Venus de Milo even though she wore an unmodified regulation school uniform . Ageruman-san could most likely have dressed up entirely from a 100 yen shop and still ride roughshod over all rivals straight out of a fas.h.i.+on house . Life just wasnt fair . The new centre of attraction moved to the windows and took her chair at the least popular of all spots . Window, front . Always seen by the teacher yet isolated . Well, Noriko realized, that bench would become a whole lot more popular until the next seating change . Then Noriko noticed a minor commotion just before Ageruman-san sat down . The girl in the seat behind her rose, and then the two of them exchanged very unladylike hugs . Same school, same cla.s.s and neighbour desks . This is the best! Ko-chan! Im so happy! The teachers voice cut through the pandemonium . Seats, take your seats and be silent! And with that the last addition to their cla.s.s started her year . And everything changed .