Hanayama's Princess

chapter 7 - A soul found

(Sophia's POV)

The news that my brother was back sent me reeling. I'd been going to school and practice but sitting in class felt weird. I couldn't remember anything that was said and I often brought a recorder to school, taping my lessons to watch later. When I wasn't at school or practice I was in the hospital. Some anonymous donor had paid for all the expenses and thanks to hospital policy I wasn't allowed to see who. Well, that's what doctor Kureha insisted anyway... I wasn't sure what it was but Takeda didn't like him and often accompanied me to the hospital. I felt bad dragging him around but my stoic teacher insisted that he had nothing to do and was more than happy to accompany me.

Dad was still overseas. He was chief executive at his firm and couldn't leave in the middle of his projects. He had come home for three days, spending all of his time with my brother and me if I was there before he gave me a kiss on the head, a long hug and an order to call him if anything changed. I watched him slide into the yellow cab like some many times before and watched till it disappeared. I'd had a few people circle the hospital, waiting outside the room or bringing me food but doctor Kureha didn't want many people in the room. Should my brother wake up, the sight of twenty people he may not remember would be too much? He didn't anyone in the room with me either, only family but Takeda and Kinuyo only smiled before nicely asking which people planned to keep them out. Takeda could take care of himself and Doctor Kureha didn't dare do anything to Kinuyo with Baki looming around the corner.

I sighed, grabbing my books off the shelf and turn, walking through the crowd of people. I gasp, dropping my books as I hit someone. "Oh, I'm sorry," I state quickly and pick up my books. I glance up to catch a flash of brown hair.

I'd cleaned up my mess and made my way to science class. On the way into class, I tripped over someone's bag, barely managing to catch myself

"Hey, would you watch it?" an angry voice states and I glance up at one of my classmates, her long brown hair now tucked behind her head.

"Sorry."

The class went smoothly and I managed to take some of the lessons. I had my phone screen down on the edge of my desk, I'd told the teachers about my brother and I would be called should he wake up. Some of the students weren't happy about it, stating I was getting 'special treatment' because I was a foreigner. Well, they didn't say the foreigner part but it was easily implied. I had to fight the urge to glance at the screen and forced myself to write down my notes. We learned about the periodic table and the contents of that before the bell rang.

I grabbed my phone and slipped it into my pocket, double-checking the speaker was on high beforehand and grab my bags. I was determined to make it out of class without running into anyone and thankfully managed to do that. I walked to my locker, pulling out my lunch bag when I got hit in the back. My body hit the locker beside me and I fell to the floor. A few people stopped to stare at me and I glance up, seeing –yep you guessed it long brown hair walking down the hall.

I narrow my eyes as she turns the corner. Okay... I had let it slide because I'd been more distracted than usual. One time was on me, two times was on her but three times in one day?

A bit of laughter comes from my left "Damn Sophia, I know I'm drop-dead gorgeous but this is overkill don't you think?" I didn't have to look to see Kozue standing beside me, her laughter stops when she notices my frown "Hey, you look ready to kill someone, what's up?"

I feel her arms pull me off the floor but my head was still looking down the hall "I'm not sure... but I think I'm being bullied?"

"Bullied? In what way?"

She reaches down to grab one of my books and we walk to the lunchroom. I explain to her my problem and Kozue nods every so often, adding in her input.

"Do you know who it is?"