Immortality Comes With a Price ~ Chapter 1



You waited in the small office and waited for the woman to return, telling you that your enrollment process was completed. You examined the small and organized desk of the headmistress and picked up a small photograph. In it was the headmistress with a gentleman about the same age and a child roughly about the age of six.
          “Okay! That’s everything, Miss Serendair,” you head the headmistress call out. You quickly put the photograph back on the desk in its correct position as she walked through the door. “I still can’t believe your school record!” she exclaimed more to herself than to you. “The United States, Guam, Greece, Australia, China; all places you’ve lived. It must be remarkable.”
          You nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” you answered as you stood. “Is that everything?” you asked quickly before she could ask about your life there.
           “Hm?” the headmistress asked, snapping out of a reverie. “Oh, yes. If you’d like we can have Tanaka-san show you to your class,” she said, mentioning her secretary.
          You shook you head, causing your wavy, golden locks to shake and then settle back down to the middle of your back. “There’s no need to trouble him. I’m positive I can find it on my own,” you answer. “I’ll be sure to bring my schedule back with the teacher signatures at the end of the day.” You bow politely and say, “Have a good afternoon.” And before the headmistress can speak a word, you’re out the office door with your bag and walking down the school corridors.
          You walked down the twists and turns of the school hallways and looked at the classroom number you were given. [I guess I’ll have to get used to not getting to go to a different class for each class], you thought to yourself. Finally, you stopped in front of a door, knocked and then opened the door to reveal a man handing out papers to a classroom of students.
           “Sumimasen,” you said quickly as you bowed. “I’m the new student that you were supposed to get earlier,” you said, answering the blank look on the man’s face. You walked into the classroom, shutting the door behind you, and walked up to the man handing him the schedule you were supposed to have all of your teachers sign and give back to the office later that day.
          The classroom started muttering to one another as the teacher examined it. “Ah, yes,” he said absent mindedly as he examined you. He turned to the class. “This is Serendair Antaria. She’s recently moved from the United States, and I’m sure we’ll all make her feel right at home.”
          The man turned to you and smiled. “I’m your World history teacher, Nakamura Saito,” he said as he introduced himself. “I hope you don’t mind, but it’s tradition for the class to ask three questions so they can know something more about the new student. You don’t, do you?” he asked with a nervous look on his face. It was like he expected you to be angry or something.
          You shook your head. “Not at all. Ask away,” you answered with a giant smile on your face.
          The classroom began muttering and a hand shot up immediately. You nodded to the girl who raised her hand. “You don’t look like an American to me!” she exclaimed. The whole classroom roared with laughter as Nakamura’s face paled.
          You laughed and shook your head. “Yes, I suppose you’re right,” you said with a laugh. Whenever you came to a new school, your appearance was always the first thing brought up. No matter where you went, you were an oddity with your 5 feet and 3 inches of height, light olive-tan colored skin, mid-length wavy golden hair, your slim, athletic figure, and especially your eyes. Your eyes were and oddity all on their own, and were usually the first thing noticed about you. You left eye was a light, icy blue one, however, your right was a noticeably deeper and darker blue.
           “Actually,” you began to answer, “I’m not from America. The truth is I’ve moved around so much that I don’t really remember where I’m from. My employers take care of all that business.”
          This entered the class into another uproar of whispers and muttering. It didn’t take long before another hand shot up into the air. “What do you mean by ‘employers’?” he asked curiously.
           “I was an orphan when I was little. A woman adopted me who turned out to be on the board of a major corporation. I used to move around with her on her job to other countries as a representative to the corporation. But when I turned 10, the board decided that I had done it enough with my guardian that I could represent the corporation by myself. So, now they pay me to go to different countries and represent them at important meetings outside of my school time,” you answered with a smile. There were a bunch of ‘whoas’ at this since not many 16 year olds in their first year of high school represent major corporations for a living.
          The classroom fell silent as the students quietly whispered to one another, trying to determine what their last question should be. They sat there for minutes before anyone spoke up.
           “Why are you so willing to tell us this? Most people would consider it none of our business, nor mention something so willingly about being adopted.”
          You looked around the classroom for the source of the question. It took a second, but your eyes finally fell upon a tall boy with long, crimson hair and emerald green eyes. You read his expression and could tell that he meant his question in all seriousness.
          You thought about it for a second just for effect. “It’s been my experience that if you keep information about yourself to yourself, rumors spread that can become troublesome. It’s easier to be honest and upfront so that there’s nothing that can be said about oneself later on.” This leaves the whole class in silence as you give them a reassuring smile.
           “Um, okay. That’s three questions,” said Nakamura. “Will you please just take a seat at any open desk and that’ll be your permanent seat.” You obeyed as he started to pass out the papers he’d been distributing when you walked in. “We’re about to take a test on China’s Dynasty Era. You have the choice of not taking the test or study the material and taking the test at a later time,” he said to you when he reached the desk you chose in the very back.
           “Could I go ahead and take the test with everyone else?” you ask quietly. “I’m pretty sure I’ll do just fine.”
          Everyone in the classroom turned and looked at you like you were crazy. You were being given the choice between not taking the test or getting more time to study, but here you were; wanting to take it now.
           “Did you cover this at you previous school in America?” Nakamura asked, clearly confused.
           “Sorta,” you answered with a smile.
          The teacher nodded and handed you a test and the classroom was filled with silence. You pulled a pencil from your bag and got to work. You quickly worked your way down the test, filling in the answers. It was pretty easy, truth be told. You knew all the answers, so it came to no surprise when you stood up about fifteen minutes later and walked to the front of the classroom without even making your desk squeak.
          You put the four-page test on the teacher’s desk and quietly took your seat back in the back of the classroom. You took your book out of your bag and started to read it. About five minutes later, Nakamura walked back to your desk and stood there with your test. You closed your book with a sigh.
           “Can I speak to you out in the hall, Serendair-san?” he asked quietly.
          You stood with a sigh. “Certainly, Nakamura-sensei,” you replied and followed him through the door and into the hallway, followed by the mutterings of your classmates. The two of you stood out in the hallway for a second in silence before Nakamura got to what he wanted to say.
           “Have you covered this at all, even just a bit, at your previous school?” he asked waving your test in front of you.
          You looked at him confused. “No, why? Is there something wrong with my answers?” you asked getting more and more puzzled.
          Nakamura laughed. “Wrong? No! That’s the thing,” he replied, only adding to your confusion. “These are answers I’d expect to see on a college exam or in a paper, they’re so detailed and perfect!” he exclaimed enthusiastically. “Even your answer for the paragraph. It’s like a miniature thesis paper; way beyond the level of a first year high school student.”
          A slight blush grew across your face. “Thank you, Nakamura-sensei.” He nodded and the two of you quietly walked back into the classroom.
          The rest of your classes go pretty much the same way; with the teachers and students getting to see exactly how intelligent you are. And it was all simple fore you. No matter the subject, you excelled beyond what the students and teachers had expected.
          The last class of the day for you was PE. You followed the rest of girls and changed. You had to admit that the girls PE uniform would take some getting used to with its unnaturally short shorts. Not to mention everybody just about freaked when they saw our arms, legs, and midriff. What was covered by your school uniform before, now showed to be years old scars all over yourself. It rather made you the center of attention, though you didn’t mind. You were comfortable with the scars.
          By the time school had finally ended, you were tired of it and you wanted to leave. You gathered up your things to leave and shouldered your bag when you noticed a pair of feet behind you. You turn around to see this small, petite little girl with brown hair and light brown eyes looking up at you with puppy eyes.
           “Serendair-san?” she squeaked.
           “Yeah?” you asked looking at her.
           “My name is Sakamoto Aiya. My friends and I were going shopping after school and we were wondering if you’d like to join us?” she asked with a pleading tone in her voice.
          You cast the girls she had motioned towards when she said ‘friends’ and looked back at Aiya, a cold and placid look set in stone on your face. “Sorry, I can’t,” you said as you headed past her towards the door.
          You hear the ‘friends’ get all upset and start saying how rude you were, shoot them a cold stare and exit quickly. You head down the halls, retracing the steps you took to get to your classroom earlier this morning and come to a cross section of two hallways. You look at them puzzled. [I don’t remember this cross section from earlier] you think to yourself.
           “Serendair-san?”
          You looked around to see a familiar looking boy walking down the hall you came from. You suddenly recognize him as the boy with red hair who asked you the third question this morning in class, but you realize you never learned his name.
          As if reading your thoughts, he walked up to you and extended his hand in greeting. “I’m sorry; you don’t know who I am. My name is Minamino Shuichi.” You shook his hand with a small smile and looked back around.
           “Are you lost?” he asked quietly.
          You bite the side of your cheek and decide to admit it. “I’m supposed to head back to the office, and I’m positive I cam this way, but I don’t recognize this,” you mumbled.
          Shuichi nodded his understanding. “That’d be because you already passed it.” He motioned for you to follow him back the way you came and about halfway down the hallway was the giant office area.
          You nod. “Thanks.” You walk into the office and deliver you schedule with all of your teachers’ signatures on it to the headmistress’s secretary, Tanaka-san. When she left the office, she was surprised to see that Shuichi was still there at the door; waiting for her. He opened his mouth to speak, but you silenced him before he could and listened by the crack you left in the office door.
           “Was that her?” a woman asked.
           “Yeah,” came a male’s. “You know, I heard she’s at a college level education. She totally astounded her teachers. Nakamura-san came in during lunch and talked to the headmistress about her, saying she should be moved up to a senior level or to a more academically challenging high school. Wonder why she’s here…”
           “You didn’t hear?” asked another female. “Her file says she works for some super huge and secretive corporation that actually wanted her to go to one of the high school college academies where they do college work with genius high school students. She didn’t want to and asked to be sent here and her employers accepted.”
           “That’s amazing…” said the first woman. There was a pause and then she spoke again so low you could barely hear. “I was picking her file up off the headmistress’ desk on Tuesday, and I saw something shocking. The girl has no birth records, no parents, and no information about her past; nothing. It was her who filled out all of the forms her guardians should have. She came up here on the previous Friday, met privately with the headmistress and a member from the board, and walked out of here with everything her parents had to fill out. When I asked the Headmistress about it, she just simply said the girl had no guardians.”
           “How sad!” exclaimed the other woman. “She’s all alone-“
          You close the door all the way and look at Shuichi. “And the pity fest is when I stop listening.” You smirk at the expression on his face. You can’t tell if he’s astounded by what he just heard or what. His expression seems to be a mix of different emotions, making his face unreadable.
           “Is what they were saying true?” he asked simply.
          You shrugged. “Some of it is and some of it isn’t. But that’s how those darn rumors I was talking about get started,” you say with a slightly foretelling tone in your voice.
          As if remembering something, Shuichi’s face lights up. “That reminds me. I wanted to apologize about before; my question. It was rude of me.”
          You shrug again and start walking down the hallway. “Whatever gets you off at night,” you say, obviously not caring if he apologizes.
           “Huh?”
          You look to see Shuichi’s face contorted in confusion. “Whatever gets you off at night. You know, like: whatever floats your boat, or whatever tickles your tummy?”
           “Okay… I’ll guess I’ll see you tomorrow, Serendair-san,” he says warily.
          You give him a backward sort of wave and continue to walk off down the hallway. You leave the school and walk outside, looking up and down the street. You notice that there’s a person leaning against the school wall. Without looking obvious, you cast a glance his way and examine him. He’s about four and three quarters of a foot, has black hair that seems to defy the laws of physics with a starburst pattern in the middle, and dressed in a black school uniform, unlike the ones at your school.
           [Bored… Time for a bit of fun] you think evilly to yourself.
          You walk up to the short boy and look at him all admiringly. “Awwww! How cute! Are you waiting for your older brother, little boy?”
          The boy’s face twitches a bit and he glares at you.
           “Don’t tell me you’re lost?!” you exclaim in fake shock. You start franticly looking around. “Where do you live? I’ll take you home to your mother.”
          The boy’s face twitches again and he looks read to pounce at you to kill you.
          You roll with laughter on the inside. “Come on. What’s your name, little boy?” You pinch his cheeks and pull them outward. “You’re just a cute little boy. I wish you were my little brother. I bet you have all the girls at your primary school!”
          The boy snaps and pushes you away with an unexpected strength. “Leave me alone, you flat-chested onna!” he growls. You notice his crimson eyes sparkle with emotion.
           “FLAT-CHESTED?!” you yell, looking down at your breasts and growl. You were NOT flat-chested. Not even close. “You should be nice to those older than you, you little midget, grade-schooler!”
          You can see the fury in the boy’s eyes and smirk.
           “Hiei, are you getting into another fight?” asks a familiar voice from around the corner of the wall.
          You look up and see Shuichi emerge from behind the wall and your face goes into shock while the rest of you points.
           “Serendair-san?” Shuichi asks, confused.
           “AWWW! Minamino-san! He’s your little brother?!” you ask all excitedly. You face suddenly goes dead and you say, “You look nothing alike.”
          The boy Shuichi called Hiei looks from Shuichi to you. “You know this baka onna?”
           “Who you calling a baka, you kid?!” you ask angrily.
           “The flat-chested, blonde air-head in front of me!” Hiei replies. The two of you give each other death glares.
           “Serendair-san, this is Jaganshi Hiei. He isn’t my brother;he’s my friend, and he isn’t a kid. He’s in the same grade as you and me,” he replies nervously looking at the two of you. “Hiei, this is Serendair Antaria; a new and important student in my class.”
          You look at Hiei and see that he’s calmed down a bit. “Oh!”, you exclaim. “So he’s just a midget,” you state as simply as if you had just said the sky was blue.
          Hiei throws himself at you, but Shuichi foresaw this and intervened by sticking himself between the two of you.
          You take a step back and watch as Shuichi gives Hiei this look. What surprises you is that it immediately calms the midget down. You watch as if an unspoken conversation happens between the two of them, and it hits you like a freight train.
           “OH! Oh…..” you said slowly. “When you said he was your friend, you meant ‘friend’. I’m sorry. I’ll leave you two alone then.”
          A look of comprehension crosses both of the boys’ faces. “Oh, no!” starts Shuichi. “Serendair-san-”
          You cut him off. “No, I should go. I’ll see you in class tomorrow!” you call as you run off down the street.

~NOBODY’S POV~
          The two boys are left standing there, stunned that they were just mistaken for being lovers. Hiei looked to Shuichi. “The others are never to know about this,” he muttered. Shuichi agreed, saying they’d never hear the end of it.