The bell rang and the teacher called for attendance. Everyone introduced themselves and cla.s.s started.
*After cla.s.s*
Takamaru got up and walked out of the cla.s.sroom to have breakfast. Before she left, she heard Mr. Kawamata say that there would be a quiz. But even after hearing that, Takamaru left without any reaction.
She came to the secret garden, went in and saw a greenhouse. She opened the door. There were some plants that she hadn"t seen before. She slowly took her time appreciating them.
The bell rang, signalling the end of breaktime. Takamaru closed the door and walked back to cla.s.s.
*The next day*
Takamaru was surrounded on her way to cla.s.s. Smiling, she greeted the others. Yuu noticed her when he pa.s.sed by. Then, something came up the moment she stepped into the cla.s.sroom.
“Takamaru Chiko!” Shirasawa stopped her.
“Ah, Shirasawa. What can I do for you?” Takamaru asked with a smile.
Shirasawa pointed at Takamaru"s face and said, “I"m declaring war on you!”
"Why is it already so noisy early in the morning?" Takamaru thought.
At this time, Yuu came in. Seeing the situation, he slowly walked over and asked, “Um, can I ask what happened?” Shirasawa merely stared at him ?.
“Ah, Yuu, it"s nothing,” said Takamaru when she saw Yuu approaching.
Bang! Shirasawa violently slammed the table, frightening Yuu. Both he and Takamaru looked over.
"Takamaru Chiko, I"m going to beat you!” Shirasawa pointed at her.
“What do you want to beat me at?” Chiko asked with a smile.
“This quiz!” Shirasawa shouted.
“What do you want if you win?”
"Why…."
Shirasawa smiled. “I want you to concede defeat!”
Takamaru looked at her and said, “Okay.”
"Why should I promise you anything?"
“Huh?!” Yuu listened from the sidelines.
“What"s the matter, Yuu? Would you like to join us too?” Takamaru asked.
“No thanks, I"m fine,” answered Yuu with a wave of his hand.
“Then you can be the judge!” Shirasawa said.
“Are you afraid?” Shirasawa"s sneer made Yuu feel as if he couldn"t refuse her.
“Okay, okay.” Yuu said helplessly ?.
“Alright. Then we"ll meet in the exam room tomorrow.” Shirasawa said as she leaned in towards Yuu"s face and went back to her seat.
"I clearly didn"t want to, yet I promised her… Sigh," thought Takamaru.
Gao Huang Group was controlled by Takamaru"s father, Takamaru Takeshi. Although he seemed imposing, in fact, they hardly saw each other when they were at home.
Aside from her mother, who was his legal wife, her father"s second, third and fourth wives as well as their three children also lived in the Takamaru house. Takamaru called them Second Mother, Third Mother and Fourth Mother. They had a child one year older than her, Takamaru Yukiri, another child one year younger than her, Takamaru Makoto, and Takamaru Yukima who was two years younger than her. They all disliked Takamaru and her mother. Takamaru"s mother, Mushima Kisaka, had a n.o.ble but kind temperament. She knew that the others disliked her and Takamaru but she silently bore it.