Sayuri found herself standing up together with everyone, shouting, 'Protect Kyle' along with everyone else. Inside, however, she was grimacing and wincing but she had to blend in.

she thought to herself

She started thinking of his pained face should she actually kick him and that made her smile. To everyone else, she appeared to be enthusiastically joining in and they banded together as one.

After Assembly, the first-year students were ushered to their classrooms by the Prefects. As for Sayuri, who was amongst the second years yet, was new, she did not know where to go. She did have a map and she knew where Sage Class was, but she was unsure whether she was meant to go there now or was she expected to join the second years first?

Sayuri had never been to a public school before, hence her confusion. Things which were common sense to others took her a bit of time to figure out. That was also part of the reason why she was given this mission.

Though she didn't know that part.

All she knew was that her mission involved getting to know Kyle better. She was to become his friend and dig up any information that is not in the records that she had been given. That, in itself, was already difficult since the reports compiled by the Clan was quite detailed already.

The only thing left to find out was extremely personal questions such as his favourite food (since the report says he eats everything), how did the Elite Five form or even what he looks for in a life partner. Sayuri shuddered at the last one.

She was never, ever going to ask that one. He might think she was interested in him if she did!

Sayuri stood amongst the crowd that was slowly thinning out as she held the map of the school grounds in front of her. In truth, she already knew the layout very well but she had to pretend she was new, right? Was her confused face enough, she wondered.

Just then, she heard a voice calling out her name. Looking up, she saw that it was Samuel, the Student Council PRO, and fellow Sage Class member.

"Yes, here!" she shouted, waving her hand, which made Sam look at her a bit strangely. It's not like he was calling out attendance now, was he?

Sam took in her appearance in one swift glance, his facial expression not changing at all. Her features truly did not match the picture in the biodata that Kyle had sent him.

The picture had been a rather attractive girl with silky dark, wavy shoulder-length hair, deep-set chocolate brown eyes, high cheekbones, and a pixie-like nose amidst smooth, fair-skinned face.

Yet, in front of him, was a girl that tied her hair up tightly in a ponytail, her nose was sprinkled with freckles (Sam thought that was ridiculous, considering she's not a redhead), round glasses hiding hazel eyes and had braces. Braces!!

Sam thought with a smirk the amount of work she would have to go through each morning for this disguise. Why she would even do so was beyond him. All he knew was that Kyle told him about her and to keep an eye out on her.

Which he can do, not a problem.

If he could stop himself from laughing or rolling his eyes.

"I'm Sam, your classmate," Sam introduced himself and she shook his hand with a smile.

"Sayuri," she answered then laughed at herself, "But of course you already knew that."

Sayuri studied Sam closely, appreciating what she was looking at. He wasn't as pretentious as Kyle that seemed to scream 'look at my handsomeness' (all in her head, of course). Sam had his own aura that was striking. Her eyes traveled to his physique and from her training, she could tell that there was more there than meets the eye.

Just then, Sayuri saw a girl looking at them with narrowed eyes, and at their hands clasped together. Before she could figure out what was going on, that girl ran up to them and hugged Sam from behind.

Sayuri's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets at such a bold, public move.

"Betty?" Sam said in surprise, as his little bunny buried her face at his back, "What's wrong?"

Hearing the concern in his voice, Betty felt guilty. She didn't know why but seeing the way that new girl was looking at Sam had made Betty nervous. Very nervous. She trusted Sam but she didn't like the vibes she was getting from the new girl.

She could tell that the new girl was checking Sam out. The way her eyes studied his face. The way she looked at his body. No, no, no. That's her Sam. Hers! Before she knew it, she had run over to stake her claim.

Now that Sam was asking her, she was embarrassed and her face turned red.

"Nothing!" she said peeking out of his back and looked at him with a smile, "Just missing you. See you at lunch!!"

She gave him one last squeeze and was about to dash off but Sam caught her easily. He pulled her back to him, hugged her properly and replied, "I missed you too."

Sayuri just stared at such blatant PDAs and looked around. No one was even looking their way. Was this normal!? What sort of school is Sakura Academy??

Sam resisted the urge to kiss her, so he just smiled. Betty turned and skipped away, with Sam looking at her until she left the Hall. He wondered what the heck was going on as Betty wasn't the type to be so clingy - be it in public or when it was just the two of them ... but he liked it. He couldn't wait for lunchtime.

Sayuri watched with envy at the loving gaze Sam was giving towards the escaping girl.