Rewritten Hope

Author notes: I'm back! After a long break. I wanted to redo this story entirely and start fresh, but I decided to just continue the story where I left off. Though, I'll be writing like I'm starting fresh, reintroducing the characters and all. Hopefully, I can make their descriptions clearer this time around (still working on my descriptive writing).
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Another day in the music room during lunch hour, the gang forms a circle on the floor near the grand piano at the front corner of the room. Danzo sits between Koutarou and Samie. Yoichi and Akari sit beside each other across Danzo with Akari right next to Samie. The curtains dance in the air as the gentle breeze flows in and out of the windows. The stack of chairs they pushed to the back of the room makes the room seems bigger and emptier.

"Say ah!" Samie holds up her chopsticks with a piece of meat at the end. Her long, wavy hair swings forward as she reaches for his mouth.

The small, timid-looking Koutarou leans back blocking Samie's chopsticks with his arm. "Stop it! I have my own food and I can feed myself." Softly pushing Samie's hand back to her to which she responds with a pout.

"I really don't get you, Koutarou," Yoichi laughs. "You already have the prettiest girl in the school head-over-heels for you but you keep pushing her away."

"I'm not pushing her away," Koutarou softly response while he chomps on his food.

"Then why are you not satisfied? Any guy in our school would kill to date Samie."

"Popular people like you just won't understand!" Koutarou prepares to lecture Yoichi. "O friend, Yoichi, listen very carefully. Samie and I have known each other since birth. No, even before we were born! Of course, we are very close, but dating because of that?" His fiery eyes lock onto Yoichi as he clenches his fist. "There is absolutely no romance in that, goddamnit!"

"You read way too much romance novels," Yoichi holds his palm up telling Koutarou to calm down. Sitting beside him, Akari fixes her ponytail and continues eating, not bothered by the noise around her.

Samie sits back down and heaves a sigh. Suddenly, a loud click. The sound of chopsticks hitting the plastic lunchbox. Everyone turns to Danzo who is digging into his food aggressively, looking irritated. His chubby hands grip the lunchbox tightly.

"What's wrong, Danzo?" Koutarou asks.

"Why...," Danzo swallows and stops chewing. He looks like he's about to cry. "Why am I the only one without a partner here?! I want a sexy girlfriend, too! I hate you all!"

"What are you talking about, Danzo? I'm also looking for one. I'm with you on this," Koutarou speaks in a calm tone.

"Shut up, shorty! You keep saying that even though you always have this cute Samie-chan by your side, you happy lucky guy!"

"Who are you calling shorty, fatty?! My height is normal! You and Yoichi are just too tall!" Koutarou starts raising his voice. "And if there's a happy lucky guy in this room, it's him!" He points at Yoichi. "Flirting with Akari-chan and all!"

"Yeah, that's right, Yoichi!" Danzo agrees. "You're already getting attention from every girl you meet and now you're playing around with Akari-chan! Shame on you, you.... you...," Danzo tries to find a flaw in Yoichi that he can use as an insult, but he can't think of anything. "Aghhh! You're pissing me off even more!"

"I'm not flirting or playing around," Yoichi calmly takes a bite. "I told you, I don't have time for those things."

"You say that, but what does Akari-chan think?" Everyone turns to Akari who just finished eating.

"I...," Akari puts down her chopsticks ever so gently, then looks up with very serious eyes. "I will do anything for Yoichi-san because he agreed to be my accompaniment!"

The room turns quiet. Everyone is stunned and dumbfounded while Akari cleans up.

"Friend Danzo," Koutarou whispers in a low voice. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah, I did, Friend Koutarou. Loud and clear. She said she'd do anything."

"So I wasn't just hearing things. Anything, huh?"

"Yeah. Anything."

"Any...," Koutarou clicks his tongue. "I knew it, Yoichi! You pretend to be our friend but you laugh at us behind our backs, don't you?!"

"You won't even share your blessings with us! Happy lucky piano guy!"

"Happy lucky piano guy!" Koutarou joins Danzo's chant.

"You two just shut the hell up and finish your food already! Lunch break is almost over!" Yoichi irritatingly replies.

"Let's go back to the classroom together, Akari," Samie stands near the door waiting for Akari.

"Okay," Akari grabs her violin and follows behind Samie leaving the three guys still shouting at each other in the music room until the bell rings.

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"Danzo," their classmate, Rin, calls for Danzo right after class ends.

"Hm? What's up, Rin?"

"Are you free right now?"

Danzo's eyes widen. "What?! A date?! Did you finally realize your feelings for me? What should I do? I didn't think the tomboy of the class would be interested in men. But... I have to admit you do have a nice body. So fine! Let's-"

"Dumbass. Kan-sensei was wondering if you can help Fumi," Rin interrupts him with a queasy expression. "Like I would fall for you, of all people. That's disgusting," she adds while stomping away.

"Geez. You didn't have to be that harsh," Danzo murmurs.

"Wow. She sure is mad," Koutarou walks up to him. "What did you do this time?"

"The usual."

"Oh," Koutarou sends a quick and silent prayer to the part of Danzo that just died. "Anyway. Ready to go?"

"Uhh. Sorry, something just came up."

"Could-You duties?"

"Pretty much," Danzo lifts his bag.

"Ugh. I guess I'll go straight home today, then. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Later," Danzo starts walking towards the homeroom teacher while Koutarou leaves the room.

Koutarou walks down the corridor looking disappointed when suddenly he feels someone creeping up beside him.

"Kou-chan! Let's go together," Samie pushes herself onto Koutarou from the side, hugging his arm.

"Oh, Sacchi. Don't scare me like that."

"Where's Danzo?"

"Could-You duties."

"I see. Does he ever say no to that? I kinda feel bad for him."

"Danzo has a soft heart, you see. He can't refuse to help someone out," Koutarou sighs. "We were supposed to check out the freshmen girls at Kayla High today, too. I was really excited about it."

"I can come with you instead," Samie smiles at Koutarou.

"Is there even any point in that?" he whispers to himself.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Nothing. I said let's just go to the bookstore instead," Koutarou picks up his pace. "The new volume of that manga you were reading the other day should be out now."

"Is it? Nice! Can't wait to see what happened next."