A/N

no characters belong to me, besides Sakura Katsumi (Sakura-chan, Sumi-kun, or Katsumi) and her younger sister Sakura Hitomi (Tomi-chan). this is a love triangle story btw 3

thanks (: and leave feedback maybe? 3

It was a new day and I was attending yet another school in the middle of the semester. It was mid January. The snow was starting to go away, but the air was still curt and unforgiving. I hugged my overcoat closer to my body.

"Sumi-kun, you shouldn't splash in puddles," my younger sister chided me. I smiled and laughed. She was quiet for a bit, until her school was in view. I was always the more immature one.

"Sumi-kun," she said, "what if the other kids don't like me?" I sighed.

"Tomi-chan, all the kids will like you!" I replied enthusiastically. She nodded.

"Don't forget to pick me up from school," she said softly.

"I won't. Have fun, Tomi-chan!" I said, waving bye to her.

Hitomi and I were completely opposite. She was quiet and reserved; her blonde hair was always straightened in the morning, and her uniform was ironed and hung the night before. She took on a big responsibility, even though she was only 8.

I, on the other hand, was a clumsy. I let my wavy blonde hair fall naturally. My uniform always had wrinkles in it (though I never let it stink), and my homework was always pushed aside for social events. And I was twice her age!

Hitomi became this way after our father left for America. He works there now, and sends us money. Our mom works too, but dad makes more in a week than mom makes in half the year. She does work because she enjoys it, not because she has to.

Because of our financial blessings, we live in a mansion in the mountains, not far from where my new school is. I hate mentioning that I'm rich, but the truth comes out eventually. I had to transfer because my last school kicked me out. I'm not bad, but I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Hey, Kaoruko!"

"Did you get the answers for the math worksheet?"

"Do we have practice today?"

"That's awesome!"

My eyes widened. The students had already found friends (judging by the fact that it was already halfway into the first semester). Cliques were formed, and I was left out.

I tucked a couple strands of my hair behind my ear, sucked in a deep breath, and walked forward. I earned stares from lots of people; boys, girls, teachers, even random bystanders.

"Who's she?"

"I heard she's dangerous."

"No way. She's hot."

"So pretty..."

"Stay away from her! I heard she got kicked out of her last school."

"Wow, a badass. I like it."

I ducked my head lower and nearly ran. I was nearly around the school to enter the back entrance.

"Ow!" I fell forward as I put my hands out to catch myself.

"Ow," I muttered.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked. I looked up. There was a redhead girl a little shorter than me. She was cute, in a way that made boys fall hard. She smiled.

"I'm fine," I said, and smiled back.

"You fell kinda hard," another voice said. I looked behind the girl. There was a boy just a bit taller than me with black hair and attractive features. He was holding onto a bike.

"Oh, no! I'm fine. Oh! Are you okay?" I asked, returning my gaze to the girl.

"Yep!" she said with a smile. "I'm Natsume Asako! You must be the new girl! What's your name? Do you have any friends?"

I laughed. I liked this girl. She was like me!

"I'm Sakura Katsumi. I just got here, so no..."

"Well, consider me your first friend!" she said enthusiastically. I smiled.

"Really?" She nodded.

"And this is Sasayan, your second friend!" Sasayan smiled.

"Sasahara Souhei, at your service!" he said, and made a peace sign.

"Cool," I smiled. "I've never had real friends before."

"Eh!?" Natsume gasped. "Sasayan, we have to introduce her to Mitty and Haru! Oh, and what about Ooshima-san, and Yana..."

She grabbed my hand and started running towards the school building.

"Sasayan, hurry you slow poke!" she shouted behind her.

"I'm in 1A," I told her.

"I am too! And so is Sasayan and all my other friends!" she said. I was pulled into class 1A. Barely anyone was here.

"Haru-kun! Mitty!" A girl and boy looked up from a desk next to the window. I gasped.

"Shizuku?" I asked. She cocked her head.

"Sakura Katsumi, still perfect as ever," she replied bluntly, and looked back down to her papers.

Everyone froze.

"S-Sakura, you know Mitty?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, we're cousins," Shizuku replied curtly, "and I don't like her."