The building was in view by now. I could see it loom over our car as we got closer and closer.

I hadn't been feeling the best this morning and the groggy feeling is really overcoming me. Maybe it was the fact I knew this day would suck.

Coming to a halt, I briskly grabbed my bag and exit. I turn to face the window wich was lowering for me to peek in. "Thank you bro, for dropping me off. But I could've just walked you know." I say.

"What's wrong with me dropping you off? At least I'm not dad." Onii-chan smirks at me. I'm not amused but I cant help but laugh a little at him because I know very well he is true. Behind me the schools bell begins chiming and I cant waste any more time. "I'm going then, see ya after school!" I started walking back from the car.

"Shall I pick you pick after school as we'll? I promise, I'll come."

"No. I'll walk back with a friend. Don't worry." I replied a little satisfied. I don't need my good looking and amazingly talented brother to steal all the attention at my new school. Of course I wouldn't say that and hurt his feelings.

As I'm about to run toward the gate Onii-chan stops me once more. I turn a little annoyed. What does he want now?

"Good luck. And you don't worry either." He smiles at me.

I get a little struck but brake into a smile myself. It is all I needed. I've been doubting myself a lot lately but maybe it really is all for nothing. If my own brother suggests that I don't panic on my first day of high school it's the only hope I can go off of now. And maybe a small fortune like that might do me some good today.

I say bye to my brother one last time.

Walking into into the school building and looking down the long hall I knew this was the beginning of something big. And something I'll have to go through with, alone. And that the matter with that this will be a hall way I'll be running down a lot, on days were I can't be bothered getting up. Luckily that day won't be today.

I make it to my locker just in time to empty my bag of some of my books. The little time I have between the first school bell and the one marking the begging of the assembly, is scarce. Once I finish, I shut the door, lock it and turn to head towards the hall for the opening ceremony, when I blindly walk right into someone. Both of us topple on to the floor like bowling pins. Painfully, the back of my head hits the stacks of lockers behind me. I grunt a little in pain as I lift my head. Luckily this doesn't seem too bad before my concern for the other comes running in at high speed.

I look at the them quick too see if they're hurt but to my surprise I see it's actually something else which crosses my mind. It's as if the past has come back to remind me of all those times in which worrying was a thing of the future. This person isn't someone I was expecting to see here, but just there presence has turned my worry into a full on smile.

"Mako-chan?" I ask confusingly. But absolutely thrilled I grab her hand and pull her up to her feet. Mako has been my best friend all through out elementary school. We are the best off friends and nothing can pull us apart. We're like two peas in a pod!

It happened in the second grade. It was raining and my brother hadn't picked me up yet from school. I wasn't counting on dad either because I knew he would be at work. But my brother, he always promised to pick me up. Soccer practice was of course important and I wasn't surprised of the every now and then late soccer excuse. But I waited and it was getting ridiculously late that day.....he never came.

After about an hour the teacher called my father. And it was soon that he arrived to pick me up. I was relieved but still I felt sort of betrayed. I asked dad why he came and why he was so late.

"I'm sorry honey, something came up at work. We're going home now."

And I went with that and kept my voice to my self. It Just had not been the right time to talk. It wasn't long after until my little curious mind discovered that Onii-chan had once again injured, and not just injured, but broke his leg and in such a way possible it was terrifying just thinking about it.

It happened during a practice match. I don't remember details and I don't think I want to remember. But it was bad. It suspended him from playing soccer for over 3 months. It really put him in a bad mood.

I wasn't even able to recognize my own brother any more. All he would do is sulk in bed or watch TV all day. He wasn't able to go to school any more either and each passing day dawned on him. It got worse as it began troubling dad. Keeping an eye on Onii-chan and watching over all his patients at the hospital was effort. And me. Well I just stuck too myself. Everything was working the wrong way round. And I didn't like it.

While on my way home from school with our house's servant one day, we walked past the river bank which always carried sparkling water down its banks. I used to stare at it a lot and it reminded me of my brother and all his friends at Raimon, who played soccer.

But this time I saw some other team. Not Raimon but a bunch of younger kids, around my age at the time. I stopped in my tracks to watch them. They were wearing the colours red and black and were a mixed gender group. Girls and boys all playing on the same field, passing the ball to each other and connecting them, and then watching them cheer and celebrate when they scored. And the support that their coach gave was so sweet and warming.

Ever since the incident had happened I never got the chance to go to practice matches or the soccer club to watch Endou-san and his team play. But this was something new. A whole new way of playing. And the one player which had caught my eye was Kisaragi Mako.

I was being pulled by my arm to stop gawking and keep moving but instead I forced my self out of the maids grasp and bolted to the field where they were playing. She noticed me running to her. We made eye contact and I stopped and shied away. I was a little nervous talking to her but instead she started making her way to me.

"Hey!" I remember her saying so positively. Mako looked similar then, to how she does now. Two short pinkish-brown pigtails, with gorgeous hazel colour eyes. Her hair reached a height of just above her shoulders and her cheeks were sparsely coloured a shade of pink.

"H-hey...." I replied quietly a little worried about what my approach should have been.

"Don't tell me your looking into joining the KFC's, are you!?!" Was her first statement. Quite up front if you asked me. Well she is like that most of the time.

"No, not really actually." I saw her face was filled with a bit of disappointment but it lead her on to her next question.

"Oh, you wanna join as a manager then!" Her enthusiasm made me me a little worried on saying no again, but it wasn't what I was there for either.

"Well actually I was hoping we could be friends." I insist.  I close my eyes tight, dreading not to hear a negative reply.

"Really? You want to be my friend?" she said.

"Y-yes! I've also seen you around school before. I love the way you play soccer so I wanted to ask you a favour." I waited patiently for her answer. And guess what. It was a big positive yes! The actual task at hand was that I wanted her to come over to my house and get Onii-chan back up again....and it was success.

There was something with her. When I introduced her to my brother, something clicked. As if they had known each other from the start. Because when she asked him to come to her next game, Onii-chan promised her he would come. By then his leg was almost healed and he was on one crutch. The game was brilliant too. The KFC'S won, it was a grand victory for them.

Onii-chan was finally motivated enough to play soccer again. And I was so relived. To see him finally smile, to see him cheer and raise his voice in happiness. The whole crowd was alive at the river bank that day. And Mako became my friend, my best friend for that matter. She said that her motivation with Onii-chan and me being there, gave her the courage and determination to push through. She was so happy. We met up after the match was over when she told me that.

"Thank you, Yuuka-chan." I smiled at her and held her hand, and she cried. Her tears of joy soaked my dress as I let her breath without the pressure on her shoulders. I didn't tell anyone though she cried. I kept it our little secret.

"Ughh," Mako groaned while rubbing the back of her head.

"Oh, are you okay?" I ask worriedly. She looks at me with little tears in the corner of her eyes but they soon disappear and she beams at me with a smile. "Yukka-chan!" We exchange smiles and our hands, which are holding each other, tighten. I'm actually really surprised because I never knew that Mako would be attending the same high school as me.

"Mako-chan you idiot! You never told me you were coming to Inazuma High." I say while thinking how much more better this day could get.

"I'm sorry." She apologizes. "After what happened before the holidays I never got the proper chance to talk to you.  And over that, I've been so busy with the KFC's, me being there manager and all. They really are trouble to watch over. And then to make to things worse, Handa-Kantaku got sick for a while so I had to make sure the team was training so they that they didn't miss out in there daily practise. I'm really sorry..." She sighs. I feel so bad. I know it isn't her fault that we haven't talked much over the holidays.

"Mako-chan, It's okay. I know your busy and stuff. Honestly, I'm so glad I'll at least have you to hang around with now! I was panicking like mad this morning, thinking I wouldn't be able to make a new friend." I say, trying to make her feel better.

"Really?! Well then I'm here so don't worry." She lifts our arm into the air and her enthusiasm makes me giggle.

We both begin walking towards the assembly hall. What happened before the holidays, huh?  I think to myself. My head hangs low as I stare at our feet which move in sync with each other. I think Mako realizes because she puts a hand on my back. "Is everything okay Yuuka?" Mako asks, worry coating her voice.

I quickly tilt my head to face her, "Y-yes of course it is. What makes you ask?" I question her, trying to cover up my thoughts which she easily reads off my face.

"You look...upset. Is something the matter?" I think for a minute. Should I mention it to her? She didn't mean to, but I'm so annoyed at Mako for bringing it up. My embarrassing scene at  the Raimon Jr. high leaving ceremony. I finally thought I had forgotten about it before she brought it up again. I'm so deep in my thoughts that I don't realize were already at the hall.

"Forget it then Yuuka-chan. We can talk about it later." Mako's smile reassures me. I'm a little nervous in entering but Mako takes my hand and I automatically follow her lead. She's so much stronger than me and it is why I really look up to her for it.

"Wussy."

Both mine and Mako's head turn to our left where we meet eye to eye with the person who just spoke.

"Exuse me?" Mako spits back.

"Nothing." The person replies.

This girl is strange. She stands near the entrance with her arms crossed and one foot up against the wall. A delinquent maybe? Her long black hair tied up into a ponytail, hangs over her shoulder and her green eyes stare at me.

"Well then, if you have nothing to say keep it to yourself." Mako replies before pulling me forward into the hall. That was weird. I've never met her before but yet, she seems familiar. But I've forgotten about it instantly. There's a whole new situation I have to deal with right now.

I'm sorry for the long Update, but It takes time to right these chapters because there's a lot of plot involved. Sorry, I'll try to be faster with updates. Thank you for reading this and let me know in the comment what you think. (Sorry for any grammar mistakes!)

Bye!

-Yan