Girl Next Door

Chapter Seven

Risa giggled.

"Oh my God," said Takeru, eyes widened, "Is it really you? Whoa."

"Tee-hee," giggled Risa, "Of course it's me, baka."

Takeru laughed. "Hey, your hair's longer. Now I barely recognize you."

"Really?" replied Risa, stroking her hair. "I just decided not to cut it the past three years."

"Wow," said Takeru, pushing his orange hair back. "Three years. Now this." He ran his eyes up and down Risa's body.

"Um, what are you looking at...?" said Risa, smiling awkwardly.

Kyosuke glared at Takeru.

"Ah, nothing," answered Takeru, smiling widely. He then took Kyosuke under his arm and took him a distance from Risa.

"Yo, Kyosuke," whispered Takeru into Kyosuke's ear, "look at this chick, man. What a stunner! To think I used to tease her in elementary school. Is there any chance I might hook up with her?"

"That chick," hissed Kyosuke, "is our friend, Takeru! You can't do that to her!"

Risa stood by, wondering what the two boys were mumbling about.

"Are you kidding me?" whispered Takeru in reply. "Risa-chan's perfect! Look at that body, man. I mean, haven't you ever fantasized about that humongous rack? I have never seen breasts that big on a girl barely older than me."

Abruptly Kyosuke struck the back of Takeru's skull with the side of his closed fist.

"Ow!" exclaimed Takeru, rubbing the back of his head with both hands.

"You pervert," said Kyosuke, obviously annoyed. "I am NOT planning on getting involved in another peepshow with you. Especially if it involves peeping on her."

"You know you want to," replied Takeru mockingly.

"Shut up!" hissed Kyosuke.

"What are you guys talking about?" Risa interrupted, smiling.

"Nothing," answered Kyosuke, looking at her with heavy eyes.

"Hey, Risa-chan," put in Takeru, "what clubs are you planning to join this year?"

"I don't know," replied Risa. "We'll see."

As Risa and Takeru talked, Kyosuke caught sight of a small, timid-looking schoolgirl from a distance. Her dark, straight purple hair was tied in a ponytail slung over her right shoulder, and her bangs covered most of the left side of her face. She wore glasses with red frames and hugged a book to her chest. She wasn't quite as buxom as Risa, but she had good looks just the same. Kyosuke recognized her as Yukie Nakamura, a classmate he had during junior high. He approached her.

"Yukie-chan?" he spoke her name.

As Yukie turned to meet him, her eyes widened and she suddenly hid her face behind her book.

"K-K-K-Kyosuke-kun?" Yukie stuttered, peeping from behind the book. She looked as if she'd seen a ghost. She had a long-standing crush on Kyosuke during junior high, and it seemed she still has.

"Hi," Kyosuke greeted her. "How are you? Didn't know you were planning on going to go to Yoshiba after junior high."

"I-I'm fine," replied Yukie, trying to smile to hide her blushing pink cheeks.

Kyosuke chuckled. "Wow. It seems you haven't changed a bit, but that's what I like about coming back to school."

Yukie gasped as she turned redder. She hid her face from Kyosuke once more.

Kyosuke saw Risa and Takeru approaching them.

"Ah, let me introduce you guys," said Kyosuke. "Yukie-chan, this is Risa Takanaka, the childhood friend I mentioned to you before, Risa, this is Yukie Nakamura, my classmate in junior high."

"Lovely to meet you, Nakamura-san," said Risa, smiling sweetly as she bowed and eagerly shook Yukie's hand with both of hers.

"Ah, nice to meet you too, Takanaka-san," replied Yukie, bowing back and smiling gently.

"Oh, Yukie-chan," said Kyosuke, "you remember Takeru here, don't you?"

"Yo, Yukie-chan," Takeru greeted Yukie, waving.

"H-Hi, Takeru-kun," Yukie replied.

"Hey shouldn't we be in the auditorium for the freshmen welcoming ceremony?" put in Kyosuke.

"Yeah, I think we should," said Takeru.

"Let's go then," said Risa. "Lead the way, boys."

"Right," said Kyosuke.

Once inside the auditorium, the four friends were joined by countless other students. Risa and Kyosuke had to sit apart, since some of the seats beside the empty seats were taken. Takeru tried to find a seat next to many girls, but to no avail. He decided to sit beside a tall boy with chestnut hair and who wore glasses.

After the principal made his welcoming speech, the next speaker approached the lectern. The principal introduced her as Megumi Iwamoto, who was to be the class adviser for one of the first-year classes. She was a pretty, blonde-haired young woman who wore glasses and whom Kyosuke had a hard time not fantasizing.

"Now that we have welcomed our new students," spoke Megumi over the microphone, "it is time for us to vote our student council president."

There was quite a large amount of chatter in the audience after that statement.

"The floor is now open for the nomination of the student council president," said Megumi. "Any volunteers?"

Takeru had been a prankster since the first grade, and he new very well how to make people's lives miserable through funny practical jokes. This time, he decided to make sure no one nominates him for student council president like he once did in junior high. He spoke to the glasses-wearing boy to his left.

"Hey, buddy."

The boy turned to face him. "Yes?"

"What's your name?"

"Uh, Ichiro Toyama."

"Nice to meet you, man," replied Takeru as he shook Ichiro's hand.

Suddenly Takeru stood up and raised his hand. Megumi noticed him.

"Yes, sir?" she said. "Is there anything...?"

"Yes," said Takeru aloud, "I would like to nominate Ichiro Toyama here."

The whole auditorium gasped. The gasps were followed by murmurs. Ichiro was in shock.

"That idiot," said Kyosuke quietly.

"Very well," said Megumi, trying hard not to laugh, "Toyama-kun, step forward please."

Ichiro, though shocked, tried to stay calm. He stood up and walked towards the stage.

Other students were nominated, including Kyosuke, who was nominated by Risa (to his annoyment). But after twenty minutes of nominating, Ichiro came out on top. A great applause followed Ichiro's unwilling victory.