Meeting Sang *COMPLETE*

Mr. Blackbourne

The knock comes just as I've finished submitting the last of the Academy paperwork for our team's seamless transition into the public school system. I look up, expecting to find Dr. Green's grinning face as he opens the door. I'm not disappointed.

"Dr. Green, you don't have to knock. This is your office too, now."

"Sorry," he says, taking a seat on the desk across from mine. It's then that I notice the petite blonde standing a little ways behind him, hands clasped at the front, eyes wide.

"Old habit when I see a shut door." My attention snaps back to Dr. Green when he starts speaking again. "Besides, the offices here are so small. If anyone were standing behind the door, I'd hit them."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Dr. Green is perfectly aware of the fact that I never stand behind a door for that very reason. But I refocus my gaze upon the young lady still standing timidly near the doorway, her eyes never quite having left my face.

"What are you doing here?"

Dr. Green looks up and raises a hand. "Oh, this is Miss Sang Sorenson. Miss Sang, this is Mr. Blackbourne."

Her expression flickers, completely open for the world to read. It looks like the strangest thing, as if she knows of me or knows who I am. But that's impossible. Dr. Green probably just mentioned my name in passing while bringing her in.

Which returns me to the present. And her reasons for being here that I still remain unaware of, although judging by Dr. Green's expression, I can take an accurate guess.

"Hello," says Miss Sorenson, with a curt nod. Polite. Sweet. She's dressed nicely, nicer than the other students in a blouse and skirt.

"That's wonderful," I reply. "Now why are you here?"

"I am assisting her with getting registered," Dr. Green interrupts. He proffers his hand, reaching towards hers for the slip of paper she's holding. "Shall I help you?"

I cut my eyes at him. He shouldn't be hitting on a student.

"She should be outside with the other students," I tell him, before turning to her. "Couldn't you wait in line?"

"She's perfectly capable of doing so. But she had a run in with Mr. McCoy. I didn't want a good student to be scared away because of him."

I grunt a response. That man is indeed unpleasant. There is something about him that I don't like, but that is exactly the sort of thing we are here to find out, rather than strutting around finding cute girls to flirt with.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you." The quiet voice disrupts my flow of thoughts, and I swing my gaze over to Miss Sorenson again, watching her eyes turn downward. Dr. Green starts again, and I keep half a mind open to their conversation about classes and registration while I continue about my work.

Until I hear a very familiar name.

"Kota. A friend of mine."

Dr. Green is squinting at the piece of paper, and I watch, curious. He could be anyone, certainly, but Kota isn't a common name.

"Do you know Kota Lee?" I venture.

Miss Sorenson faces me, and everything is revealed in those unusually-colored depths. This girl is an open book like I've never seen. But underneath her awe and curiosity I begin to notice something else. Something darker lurking.

Then she speaks softly. "Dark brown hair? Glasses?"

Dr. Green meets my gaze. Our suspicions proved true. But why is Kota interested in this girl? As a girlfriend? I'm shocked he hasn't mentioned anything. And by the look on Dr. Green's face, I can tell he's also surprised, and just as ignorant as I am. He scribbles something down on the piece of paper before handing it back to the girl.

"Do you think you could handle this?"

Miss Sorenson's jaw drops open. It's—admittedly—adorable. "How do I bypass the restriction? And I'm not allowed in Japanese for at least another year."

She wants to take Japanese as an underclassman? I wonder.

Dr. Green props his head up with his hand on the desk, smiling broad. The girl clearly doesn't know yet that he is the new Japanese teacher. It seems she is about to find out, from the idiotic smirk on his face.

"But is that what you want?" he asks.

"I want to try."

So the girl likes a challenge. So do many other people. "Why are you causing trouble? You don't know anything about this girl," I ask. I don't mean to speak of her as if she's not in the room, but this needs to be sorted out now. Especially considering she somehow became "friends" with Kota while the two of us remained unaware.

Dr. Green shakes off my protest. "I have a good feeling. Besides, who is going to tell me no?"

Clearly that was directed at me.

I return to my paperwork while Dr. Green types away on his computer. Then I hear distinct tapping, in tune with the violin melody playing on my stereo.

Curious, I glance up. Miss Sorenson is moving her foot in perfect rhythm, almost as if she can predict the melody. Or she knows it already. "Do you know this song?"

"It's the song about the swallow, isn't it?" she says.

Well, well. I raise a brow, more than a bit surprised, and nod.

"But it's the version by Micarelli, isn't it?"

"How do you know it's her?"

"Well, she's got this style. She plays soft. It's hard to explain, but it's different than other violinists. I really like it." Her eyes go soft, shadows disappearing for a moment as her voice becomes almost wistful. Her body sways slightly, in a way that makes it appear she doesn't realize she's doing it. In that instant, she is beautiful.

And suddenly I want to know more. "Do you like the violin?"

Miss Sorenson fiddles with her blouse button, biting her lip. "I do. I like the piano, too. I think if I had to pick just one to learn, though, the violin would be my first choice." She stares at me, all the while still tampering with that single button on her blouse. I tamp down the inexplicable urge to reach out and hold her hands still. Who is this girl? I can see shadows lurking underneath her delicately pretty features, eyes full of answers waiting to be revealed, almost begging to be. If only someone asks.

I make a mental note to hound Dr. Green later, see if he knows more than I do even though I've already pretty much confirmed he hasn't. And why Kota is interested. Possibly as a girlfriend, but the situation calls for something more. Something deeper, perhaps. I don't know. And I need to.

I remain fixated upon her while I hold out a hand. "Would you kindly hand over Miss Sorenson's registration paper, Dr. Green."

Miss Sorenson's eyes widen, but Dr. Green looks pleased. I skim over the piece, all the while explaining that most students would have had a study hall. "It's worked into a student's schedule," I say, "but you won't have one."

Dr. Green stands, still with that knowing grin, and opens the door for Miss Sorenson. She makes to turn, then hesitates, facing me once more.

"Thank you," she whispers.

I feel my mouth moving up at the corner as I acknowledge it with a nod. Yes, I am definitely going to have a discussion with Dr. Green about this girl. And I look forward to seeing more of her in the coming weeks at our violin lessons. Though I doubt she realizes that it will only be the both of us alone playing.

That thought for some reason brings another smile to my lips.

Seems this will make for quite an interesting year.