Along with the beginning of the new school year, new and old acquaintances also began. Completely new people, teachers, adventures and all kinds of romantic stories.

Young Kojima was a bit afraid of what the new school year might bring, but after a few days of its beginning, she found that there was nothing to fear at all. She met many interesting people and also made a friend, Emma. The blonde stuck to her and didn't leave her even for a step, which didn't bother her companion too much. Both enjoyed each other's company. Emma told her a lot about herself, most often about the tall blond man, with whom she had a crush and for a long time she was trying to get his attention.

"And you?" She looked at her friend. "You have someone in mind?" She asked curiously.

Kojima thought for a moment what she should answer.

"Well..." She spoke in deep thought. "Maybe once there was someone like that..." Ami started hesitantly, and that made her friend even more interested.

Kojima told her about the meeting with the mysterious boy. She also mentioned that he called her "Ami" even though that wasn't her name. She guessed that, because she was crying then, he mustn't have understood her words, but still, she didn't mind the fact that he called her that.

"Ami-chan!" Emma said. "So from now on, I'll call you that too." She smiled. "It's really cute. If you met after all this and fell in love with each other, it would be even better. "

Ami chuckled.

"It'll never happen. " Girl replied amused.

"How can you know?" Emma looked at her. "Anything is possible these days. Maybe what you are looking for is closer than you think."

Ami was thinking about what her friend was saying. Immersed in deep thought, she came to the conclusion, that the boy who helped her, might be her first love. Just thinking about it, the teenager felt that she was starting to blush, so she quickly shook off and focused on further conversation with the blonde.

"Are we coming back together today? " Kojima asked.

"I wanted to, but I can't do it today." Emma replied with sadness. "My brother is coming to pick me up, we still have to go somewhere."

"Brother? " Ami repeated after her. "The one you mentioned to me recently?"

"Yes. You'll have a chance to meet him."

"He didn't seem so bad from your stories."

"Because he's not." Emma nodded. "But sometimes I feel like... Like I want to strangled him."

Kojima herself did't have any siblings, so she liked to hear her friend's stories.

Class was over, the girls were outside and were directed to where Emma was to be picked up by her brother. After a few minutes they reached the right place, and the blonde's brother was waiting there. He was a bit taller than the girls. He had blonde hair, just like Emma. Young man was standing his back to them, leaning against his bike and eating something.

"Oh, he's here." Emma said and walked towards him. "And you eat these dorayaki as usual."

"Dorayaki?" Ami wondered.

"I was hungry." The boy replied.

He had a very familiar voice.

"You're always hungry." Emma shook her head.

The boy peeked from behind his sister, and his gaze lingered straight at Ami. They were both surprised to meet again.

"Ah! Isn't that my dorayaki supplier?" He said amused which only pissed off his sister's friend.

"That is your brother?!" Ami pointed to the eating boy.

"You know each other?" Emma was surprised.

"Mmm... You could say." Sano finished eating his delicacy.

"Of all the people in the world, it had to be you ...?" Kojima shook her head, which amused Manjiro.

"I'm glad to see you too." He smiled.

"Ami-chan, you didn't told me anything about it." Emma looked at her friend, and the blonde's words caught Mikey's attention.

"Ami-chan?" He repeated surprised.

"Yes, meet Ami-chan." The younger of the siblings came to her companion and put her arm around her. "A lovely nickname, isn't it?" She glanced at the green-eyed girl, and then she looked back at her brother. "Call her Ami-chan because Ami-chan can't forget that mysterious man who called her that, right?" She spoke proudly and smiled at the girl who still couldn't believe that Mikey was her best friend's brother.

"I didn't say anything because I didn't even know it was your brother." Ami said.

"Well, what a small world this is." Emma walked over to her brother's bike, tucked her bag away, and grabbed her helmet while Mikey looked at Ami with great interest.

A moment later, the blonde moved towards her, which surprised the other a bit. Teenager couldn't read what was on his mind. Ami hesitantly took a step back just as Sano leaned over her and whispered in her ear.

"You know..." She felt his breath at her neck. "That I love you, right?" He said what shocked Ami.

"E-eh?" She looked at him confused.

"Can I have a kiss?" Sano asked with that smirk of his.

"Mikey! Stop your jokes, see Ami-chan blushed!" Emma said to which Manjiro laughed and got on his motorcycle.

"Well, see you later... Ami-chan." Sano smiled at still shocked and blushed Kojima. Moments later his sister punched him on the head and told him to drive.

~*~

More days passed. Ami was just returning from shopping when she heard a familiar voice calling her. So the teenager stopped and looked where it was coming from.

"And we meet again." The blond boy waved at her with his free hand, and with the other he was guiding his bike next to him. "What's up, Ami-chan?" He stood in front of her.

"Nothing interesting..." She replied surprised to see him in this area. "Umm... Sano-kun...?"

"Call me Mikey." He smiled.

"So... Mikey-kun..." She began hesitantly. "What are you doing around here? I didn't expect to see you here."

"I went to buy dorayaki." He replied as if it was obvious. "But they closed the store where I always bought them." He added sadly.

"There's a bakery down the street where they sell dorayaki..." She said without thinking . After all, it was the same bakery where Ami helped from time to time! She didn't want anyone from school to find out about it, especially him!

"So I'll go there! Are you going that way too? I'll accompany you." He caught up with her, and the smile didn't leave his face.

But despite the smile that he showed, Ami saw something else. The boy was smiling but it wasn't so sincere smile, there was a quite deep sadness behind it. Kojima saw it immediately, and it surprised her a bit. What happened to him?

"Something's wrong? " Sano asked, seeing the girl staring at him.

"N-nothing... So you and Emma are siblings ...?"

"Yes, half step. Emma came to live with us at the age of three. But I don't see any major difference, I love her as much as if she were my own sister." He admitted smiling, his words bringing a smile to Ami's face.

"That's cute. " She said. "With you and... "

"Grandfather and our older brother." He finished for her, and the last words made him really sad. Moments later, Sano shook himself and smiled sadly again.

"I'm sorry about your brother. " Kojima said. "Emma mentioned that he's dead..."

"Yes, but he's still alive in our memory. He was a great brother... I learned a lot from him. And you? Do you have any siblings?" Manjiro asked curiously.

"No... But I know how it hurts to lose someone important to you..." She admitted sadly. "My mother passed away quite recently." Ami said and looked thoughtfully ahead. "I know this pain very well."

They went on their way talking to each other on various topics and, to the teenagers' surprise, they had a great time talking together. Ami was a little scared that she wouldn't like Emma's brother,but now she's changed her mind. Mikey isn't that bad. You can see that he hides something deep in his heart. Kojima didn't know why, but she was very interested in what it was. Why does Sano bring up such a sad smile on his face? She didn't know him that much, but during the time they spent together, the boy never smiled so sincerely. There's always something behind it, as if he's wearing a mask and doesn't want to show his true self to anyone. It was sad but undeniable truth. The teenager herself was also somewhat surprised that she noticed this. She was wondered if someone else noticed it too?

"Why do I feel like I should know your name from somewhere?" She said thoughtfully. "Sano Manjiro..." Kojima repeated which made her companion laugh.

"If the name "Toman" tells you something, then you are on a good way." He spoke chuckling, and after a while Ami got an answer.

"Really?! " She looked shocked at him. "So it's you? The leader of the famous Tokyo Manji Gang?"

"In person." He nodded.

"You don't look like a gang leader. " She watched him carefully. "You're less scary than I thought."

"I'll surprise you yet." He laughed then looked down the road to the bakery. "Ami-chan..." He looked at his companion again. "You're a really kind girl. I hope to see you again. Maybe next time you really bring me dorayaki. " He chuckled.

"We'll see." She replied amused and waved to him and then she went in her direction, and Sano in his.

Moments later, the teenager ran into two strange guys, one wasn't very nice towards her. The second, on the other hand, tried to stop his companion, but it didn't work out well for him. The whole situation was noticed immediately by Mikey, who, as soon as he heard the familiar voices, turned back to check out what was going on.

"Let me go!" The student called, but the older boy wasn't going to give up.

After a second, Ami felt someone put an arm around her and pulled her against him. She looked shocked at her savior and saw Emma's brother.

"M-Mikey-kun...?" She whispered, still a bit scared.

"Hey man, don't disturb me! I was first! " The guy shouted at him.

"Stop. Stop it! " His friend tried to control him, the boy looked with scared at Sano standing in front of him. He immediately recognized who they're dealing with. "Calm down, look what..." He didn't finish, because the other guy got free from his arms.

"She belongs to me! " He wanted to attack the couple standing in front of him, but before he could do so, Mikey swung only once and knocked the opponent to the ground with one, powerful kick.

"She doesn't belong to you. " The gang leader said severely.

Ami was speechless, she didn't expect Mikey to be that strong, that he really was Sano Manjiro, the leader of Toman.

Sano approached the other boy and wanted to deal with him too. Kojima noticed that during the moment of the fight, Mikey had put on a rather cold expression on his face, and he seemed to be in a trance that was impossible to pull him out of.

"Mikey! " She shouted at which the teenager stopped and shook a bit. "He wanted to help me." She ran up to Manjiro and stopped him by grabbing his hand. "Don't beat him." Ami pleaded looking at his eyes.

"Good work, President!!" The defeated boy's friend bowed low to Sano and again called their famous greeting. "Good work, President!!" He was still bowing. "We apologize for this situation, it won't happen again." He was sweating, meeting his leader was really stressing him out.

"Raise your head." Mikey said coolly and the other hesitantly obeyed his order. "What's your name?"

"A-akihito, sir." He replied, still scared.

Manjiro approached him, which only scared the teenager even more.

"So "A-akihito" " He repeated after him, then put his hand on his shoulder, making the other guy close his eyes, fearing that he would hit him. "Well done, Akihito." Mikey smiled kindly at him and tilted his head to the side. "Keep going, remember our rules." He spoke in a soft voice. "We need more people like you. And tell your buddy that he doesn't belong to Toman anymore." Sano turned and walked over to Ami. "I don't tolerate such behavior." He glanced at him over his shoulder.

"Y-yes, sir! Yes, President! " Man bowed again, which made Manjiro smile.

"Let's go. " Mikey took Ami's hand. "I'll drive you home."