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"My-kel?" Miko tried the name out, wrinkling her nose a bit "Can I call you---"

"No!" Reiku's head snapped on his neck his scowled at Miko, speaking firmly. "No, you cannot call him My-kun. I mean it Nanahara, seriously. You wouldn't want me calling your friend there whatever you call her, ne?" he had not meant to speak so sharply, but he just knew what Miko was about to say. that girl and her nicknames, why couldn't she call people by the name they gave her. He never gave his consent for her to call him eith Rei or Ku, but she called him both wheneer the fancy took him. He'd long since given up that particular battle, but he was standing firm on this one. No one was going to call Michael by that name but him... at least as lng as he had any say in the matter. He blushed, but did not back down.

"Awww, fine, be that way. So what am I supposed to call him, then?"

"How about Michael, since that what he told you to call him, ne?" Reiku supplied. "Or you could shock the world and not treat everyone like you've known them forever and call him Yohokiro-san..."

"Aw, boo. You suck, Ku-kun." Miko pouted. "Not everyone has to be so formal all the time. Just because you are... and Sa-chan. Sa-chan, when are you going to stop calling me Nanahara?"

"Wha... why am I in it? I didn't even say anything. " Sachiko looked among the group in confusion. "i do call you nanahara-chan. Chan! Doesn't that count for something? Anywho, why don't you try Mike? It's what Ariko calls him." She looked over to Kiria and her constant companion, tilting her head curiously.

"You mean, you two aren't boyfriend and girlfriend? I always thought you were... I mean, you're always together. Maybe you're related then?"

"I wouldn't know..." Reiku murmered a bit sullenly, pressing closer to Michael's side. He glared over at the middle aged clerk, who was starting to give the group of teen exaperated glares of his own but at the moment held his tongue.

"This will be my first dance, ne", he murmured, his eyes on trhe clerk. Man he hoped the guy ddn't start yelling or anything, that would only make his headache flare up again.

"No, trouble at all, Mike-kun," Miko replied, giving Reiku a pointed look as she stressed the nickname. "I've been to lots of dances, ne? There tend to be a mix of things. Some rock, some pop, some American stuff. It's should be lots of fun. Old Lady Hitsaguya goes all out for the festival, cuz it's basiclly like a birthday party for herself, ne? A pat on the back. She started this school herself, you know."

The information mill that was Miko, however, once opened was not so easily closed, ad the girl seamlessly transitioned to another topic.

"Oi, I heard the Headmistress went and got knocked up right before the school opened, but she couldn't focus on both things at once and she chose the school." Miko nodded, as though it were the gospel truth.

"So, when it was born, she forgot all about it and one day went back to her room to find the baby dead. She buried the body under the floorboards of one of the dorms, that's why all the rooms hae such nice carpeting, ne? I heard the ghost of a little girl wanders the halls latenight, looking for someone to help her get revenge on her mean mommy...."

"Iie, it's true," Miko cried in all seriousness. Not that she knew if it was true, but she knew that she knew the story, and that was proof enough for her.

"And on the aniversary of her death, the little girl possesses the body of the kid closest to her age and makes an attempt on the Headmistress' life!" Miko nodded emphatically.

"Nanahara, are you making this up as you go along?" Reiku asked suspiciously. Nonetheless, his grip on Michael's arm tightened just a bit. Miko's story was giving him the willies!

"Iie, Ren-kun, I didn't open it. I think it's still in my pocket. These are the same pants..." he reached back to pull out the small box but nearly lost his balance when someone bumped into him from behind. He turned.

"Oi, gomen, I didn't realize there was..." he balked at the deathglare the kid gave him, taking a moment for it to connect that he didn't recognize him. He stared curiously at the scarred eye, before he realized that's what he'd been doing and he blushed, ducking his head.

"New student?" he asked sheepishly.

"Oi, Neko-chan, where did you hear something like that? Looks like you're creeping out...Inoue, was it?" she chuckled. The poor guy looked like he wanted nothing more than to be out of the store. She wondered if he was afraid of crowds or something. One of her girls back home had the same problem.

Kiria's head turned heavily red when Sachiko said if they where together.
"N...N...No..W..We are...you know, G..Good friends...I mean not good as in love but just good as in best friends....I mean"
It was obvious she was very nervous at this and if the group looked at Shuriku's face, they could see he was sad, although he tried to be smiling.

"Don't worry Kiria" He said "It's not that we are dating, The reason that i am always near her because im her personal bodyguard! Yes i sure am!"
He grinnend a bit as he could see that Kria was a little less nervous..but then Miko told about the ghost story.

"T..Thats so sad" Kiria said, still a bit nervous. "I really feel sorry for her...B.But i sure hope that ghost part is made up. That would be really scary" She smiled a bit uneasy, she wasn't really brave as it was about ghost story's...

Seeing conflict in action, the peacful Michael stepped into action with a light heart. "Anoo, Renji-kun, what's going on? No reason to shoot off at a new student like that, ne? It's just an accident ne?" He smiled, turning to Cyn. "Besides, you didn't really mind, did you Cyndir-kun? Now," he turned to the new boy. "Hajimemashite, boku no namae wa Yohokiro Michael da. Douzo yoroshiku." He grinned. "Omae?"

Rune's expression softened as the boy he'd bumped into apologized. He seemed harmless, however, the other boy... He didn't like the look of him one bit. His words were even worse, setting a fire in the pit of his gut that would burn for some time. His one eye twitched in agitation at the nickname.

He was about to snap back with his own comment when yet another boy approached them. His eye twitched a little more and his lips curled back to reveal his sharp incisors. He didn't understand a word this one said, but he recognized it as Japanese. He felt like cussing him out in his own native tongue, just to give him a taste of his own medicine. However, he held back the urge and snorted.

"Save it for someone who cares."

He said with a scowl towards the one called Renji. He brushed a hand back through his hair, causing it to fall down over his scarred eye. He glanced around momentarily and then back to the group that seemed to gather around him. He didn't like this at all, they were like a pack and he was a lone wolf. Very dangerous, so best to keep on his toes.

"Yeah, I'm new. Keep your distance, I'm not in a pleasant mood."

At least he warned, for all the good it would do. If someone wanted to start something with him, they would. As if he didn't look battered enough as is, the bandage about his neck began to darken with fresh blood. The patch upon his forehead also darkened, but it was covered by his strangely colored hair.