http://clampfix.fanworks.net/ccd-fix/new3.txt </head><body><pre>The New Student By Shara /\_/\v The artists of Clamp own the triad. I am only borrowing them for this story. I hope you all enjoy it!! Oh and it turned out to be longer than I thought. <G> So now it has four parts. Imonoyama Nokoru the kaichou for the Clamp Campus grade school sat calmly at his desk reading through his morning agenda as members of the third grade class flitted around the office setting up video equipment for the impending interview. The light from the window cast a golden glow over the fair silk that crowned Nokoru's elfin face. His head jerked up as the double doors were thrown open vigorously and a small figure in a grade school uniform dashed into the room. Nokoru's face lit up when he saw the dark haired boy he had talked to the day before. It had been refreshing to chat with someone who didn't know him. That didn't often happen to someone as well known as he was. It was a shame that his little charade would soon be over. Something in those clear silver eyes had touched him. A flash of emotion that flickered and was gone before he could touch it like a silver fish gliding swiftly through the currents of a stream. He hoped that the younger boy wouldn't be too angry with him for not revealing himself sooner. But if he had, the poor lad would probably have just been that much more nervous than he had been. As much as he didn't like the idea, it was probably for the best if Ijyuin were angry. That way he wouldn't have to try and distance himself from the exuberant third grader. Akira had such a kind and caring nature that, Nokoru felt himself already liking the boy. It would be easier than breathing to become friends with Ijyuin. *How can I possibly pull such an innocent soul into the dangerous world that surrounds me? No, it's better to keep him out of danger. Besides I have Suoh, I don't need another friend.* No matter how many times he told himself this, he still couldn't convince his heart. If he was to be completely honest with himself he had to admit that Akira had already managed to charm his way through the barriers that he held around his heart. It was already too late to do anything about it. But he didn't intend on acting on his feelings. As much as he knew it would hurt both himself and Akira, he knew it would hurt far less than if Akira were hurt because of him. Maybe he wouldn't have to hurt Akira at all. If the boy took offense at having been misled. Nokoru wondered how long it would take before Ijyuin recognized him. Well, he wouldn't have long to wait now. Settling back into his chair, he snapped out his fan and began fiddling with the crimson cords that hung off the end as he waited for the fireworks to start. "Sumimasen, I am so sorry I'm late." Akira bowed low a fine pink color brushing his ivory cheeks as he swept into the student council room. With one hand he smoothed down the wild thatch of black ink that served as his hair while the other clutched tightly to a bright blue notebook. It was the same one he had been carrying the day before Nokoru noted, as he watched Akira collect himself. Akira paused mid way through examining the room when his roving eyes stopped at a familiar figure sitting in the kaichou's high backed leather chair. "It's you!" Akira bounced in place as recognition lit his cherubic face. "So that's how you knew who I was." He exclaimed with a beaming smile and clapped his hands together against the notebook in delight. "How splendid! I wanted to get the chance to talk with you again. You left yesterday without telling me who you were." Ijyuin's enthusiasm was catchy and Nokoru couldn't help but respond in kind. Smiling broadly he motioned for Akira to sit in the chair that had been pulled up next to his desk with the tip of his fan. "I am Imonoyama Nokoru, and it is a great pleasure to meet you Ijyuin. I was afraid that if I had admitted that I was the one you would be interviewing, I would only make you more nervous about the interview than you already were. Sliding into his seat the raven-haired boy nodded in agreement. "I'm glad you did. I think I would have been upset when there isn't any reason to be. Doumo arigatou for helping me out yesterday. I probably would have worried all night if it hadn't been for you." Gazing into those ingenuous pools of silver Nokoru winced inwardly. Akira hadn't minded the deception one bit. So now it was left to him to push this vibrant heart away. His mind knew it was needful, but his heart rebelled. He didn't want to bring even the smallest pain to that open face. *So what will happen when he gets tangled in the dark web that surrounds your life? How will you feel then?* A soft voice whispered in the back of his mind repeating what he knew only to well. *I would never forgive myself. But I need more friends than just Suoh. It's childish to give into desire when I know better. But I AM a child.* The inner voice didn't respond and Nokoru sighed. It was foolish and self centered, but he just couldn't bring himself to hurt Akira in order to scare him away. *What a rationalization. I am such a weakling.* Nokoru thought despondently as he wound the cords of his fan around his fingers. The polite mask of the student council president hid the inner struggle that was happening deep within the kaichou's heart. No one in the room was even aware that a battle was taking place. Nokoru nodded graciously accepting Akira's thanks. "Your welcome, Ijyuin-san. As I said yesterday, I was happy to help. So did you come up with some good questions for me?" "I'd like to think so," Akira's dark bangs fell into his eyes as he nodded vigorously. "The video equipment seems to be ready so I think we can begin at any time." Ijyuin glanced over at the classmate who was filming the video. The boy gave Akira the thumbs up sign and a nod of his head. "I'll start the tape going. On the count of three start the interview." Ijyuin waited as the cameraman counted down the numbers using his hands so the sound wouldn't be picked up on the tape. One…Two…Three… Konnichiwa students and faculty, I am Ijyuin Akira of the third grade class and today I have the honor of interviewing a person well known to all of you. Kaichou Imonoyama, doumo arigatou for agreeing to speak to us about the student council today." "It's my pleasure." Nokoru smiled for the camera before turning slightly to his right to face his interviewer. The nervous boy from yesterday was gone. In his place sat a composed young man with a charming smile leaning forward with an with an eager expression. "Being in charge of something generally entitles the person in charge many benefits. That's why so many people wish to be in charge. But every story usually has two sides. My question is, are there some of the parts of leadership that you do not like? And if so what are they?" Nokoru blinked slowly as if trying to ascertain if the person in front of him was a changeling. He hadn't been expecting such a shrewd question to come from the shy boy he had reassured the previous day. Obviously he had underestimated the lad. Even reading Ijyuin's records hadn't prepared him for this surprise. Nokoru filed the information away for later use. You never knew when a good mind could come in handy. After all, Akira would have to be intelligent or he wouldn't have made it into a clamp school. Now more than ever he wished there was some way he could befriend Ijyuin-san. "That's a very good question Ijyuin-san. I think that this is the first time that anyone has ever asked me about the downfalls of being in charge." Folding his slender hands in his lap to keep himself from fidgeting, Nokoru considered the question thoughtfully. The first thing that popped into his mind was on his lips before he could stop himself. " I might mention Paperwork." It was the easy answer and everyone in the room laughed and applauded in response. His dislike of paperwork was well known on campus. But such a quip would never do as a final answer. Tapping his fan on the arm of his chair he waited for the room to quiet down before continuing. "Seriously, this is a very good question. I think that responsibility, weather it has to do with government or some other agency can be a heavy burden. It forces you to make difficult decisions that you would rather not make. Also there will always be someone who disagrees with whatever decisions you do make. You must listen to his or her complaints to be fair. But in the end the choice is yours as is the responsibility for the results of your choice. Weather your decision turns out to be good or bad, as leader you are wholly responsible. I can tell you from experience, that the right choice is rarely the easiest course of action. Often people don't like to hear that things might get worse before they get better. Because of this being a leader often means being lonely." The silence that had enveloped everyone in the room after he finished speaking finally penetrated Nokoru's awareness pulling him from his abstraction. Realizing he had let his mask slip he smiled brightly up at Akira and the people behind him. "On second thought I think the paperwork just might be worse." The decisive proclamation broke the tension that had been building in the room, just as Nokoru intended. A wave of laughter washed over the room and even Ijyuin broke out in a grin. But the owner of the sharp silver eyes was not deceived. He could see the distraction for the diversion that it was. Nokoru inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. Checking his notes Akira waited for the room to quite down before speaking. "I can guess from that answer that paperwork makes up a large part of your duties. What does the council do when you're not doing paperwork?" "Oh we arrange festivals, sporting events, dances and many other recreational events for the school. We find the locations for the events and then plan for all the arraignments that need to take place so the event can happen. That can be a lot of fun." Turning towards the camera he opened a fan that had, "But mostly we do paperwork" written on it in blue ink. Next to the words there was a frowning face drawn in the same ink. The fan seemed to take Akira by surprise though he didn't mention it as he started to ask his next question. "Who are the members of the council and what are their duties?" Nokoru fanned himself with his fan as he answered Ijyuin's question. "There are two council members at the moment, Takamura Suoh, the school secretary. He implement's the decisions that I make as Kaichou. I managed well on my own before he came to CLAMP campus, but now that he is here I can't imagine the student council without him. I rely upon him constantly. We have yet to find an appropriate person for the position of treasurer." An evil thought tickled the back of Nokoru's mind as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He had to lift his now pristine white fan to cover the wicked smile stretching across his angelic face. *Should I? This would give me a chance to be around him in a school setting. There is no safer place than Clamp campus. So if he were a member of the student council we could be friends and I wouldn't have to be afraid of him getting hurt. Damn the consequences, I want him to be my friend. I am a social creature. I need people to socialize with. Would it really be so terrible if I had just one more friend?* Nokoru asked his inner voice. When he got no answer he shook his head slightly and looked over at the younger boy. "I really shouldn't put him on the spot like this. But I want him in my life and this is the only way he'll be safe. Besides his grades are impeccable. I couldn't ask for a better person to be treasurer.* Mastering his expression, Nokoru lowered his fan as he leaned a little closer to his interviewer. " Ijyuin-san, may I ask you a question?" "Hai," Akira responded watching him warily like a rabbit might eye a fox. There was something in the tone of the Kaichou's voice that made him nervous. "If I recall correctly you have very high math scores," Nokoru paused as Akira nodded in agreement. "Would you be interested in taking the post?" "You want me to be the treasurer, "Akira asked with a blank expression on his open face as if the question hadn't quite registered yet. Applause broke out around the room startling him as if he had forgotten that the rest of his class was in the room with them. Nokoru's heart clenched when he saw the refusal in those sliver eyes. But the words never left Akira's lips. To be continued</pre><p><a href="./">Back</a></p><p><a href=http://www.dreamhost.com/donate.cgi?id=216><img border=0 alt="Donate towards our web hosting bill!" src=https://secure.newdream.net/donate1.gif></a></p></body></html>