First day of school. Everyone was watching me. It was obvious who I was, I mean, I look just like my brother, Satoshi Hiwatari.

Several people spoke to me, and I made small talk. Unlike my brother, I yearned for companionship…friends. Although I think he secretly does, too. I don't know enough about him to know about that, however, even if he is my twin. But he has his reasons for remaining distant from everyone, even me. But he allowed me to come live with him, and for that I was grateful.

I looked around. Everyone looked so happy. The school day was almost over.

I stood as the bell rang. Time to return home.

Daisuke Niwa was having a bad day.

First of all, it was raining, and he had forgotten his umbrella. And if that wasn't bad enough, he had a cold. He sat in his desk, looking around. Everyone looked so happy.

Only Aria Hiwatari looked like she might be having as bad a day as he was.

Why are you staring at her? Dark asked him from inside his head.

I-I wasn't staring! Daisuke felt a blush start on his cheeks.

She's Hiwatari's sister, Dark replied. You should be as wary around her as you are around him.

I've never even met her, Daisuke replied. I heard she just moved to this country from America.

She's still a Hikari at heart. Even if she wasn't raised as one.

The bell rang. Daisuke stood—and sneezed, tripping and falling against Aria, knocking her over into the desk.

"Ouch," she said. "Bless you."

"Huh?" Daisuke was confused. Why was she saying that when she should be mad at him for knocking her over? Any other girl would be.

"Oh, it's an American tradition," she replied, looking embarrassed. "If someone sneezes, we say 'bless you.' It originally comes from Germany, where they thought that bad spirits were released when you sneezed, so they wanted to chase them away with blessings…ah, sorry. Never mind."

Aria blushed, gathering her books off the floor.

"Stupid Aria," I muttered to myself. "Now he thinks you're a raving lunatic."

"No, I don't," the boy said. "I've…never met an American before."

"So…you know I'm Aria Hiwatari, then?" I said in response, finished gathering my books.

"Yeah…I'm Daisuke Niwa," he replied.

Niwa…Niwa…didn't Satoshi tell me to stay away from the Niwa boy? Well…he's not the boss of me, generally speaking, so…

"Nice to meet you," I said, smiling. "Well…I've gotta go meet my brother now, so…I'll see you, okay?"

"Okay," he replied.

You've got to be kidding, Dark said to Daisuke. You like the Hikari girl, don't you?

NO! She's just a friend—

Yeah, a friend that you like.

"What did I tell you?" Satoshi said on our way home from school. "I told you to stay away from Daisuke Niwa."

"Well he's the only person who talked to me, Satoshi," I replied. "And besides, I like him. He's really nice."

Satoshi stopped in his tracks. "You…like him? Interesting."

I turned red. "N-No…that's not what I was…oh, never mind."

"Does he feel the same?" Satoshi asked.

"I just met him!"

"I'll find out soon enough," Satoshi replied.