Chapter 1: New Girl

Students dressed in identical uniforms were drifting into the large courtyard of Asahi High School the large clock face nearby struck eight o'clock and the deep chimes started up. As they entered the school, the students were laughing and talking cheerfully. A navy blue sedan with silver tinted windows pulled up in front of the gates of the school and passing students looked curiously at the idling car.

"Well, here we are. This is Asahi High School, one of the highest ranked schools in all of Japan for high test scorers and enrollment of popular actors and actresses," Ryosuke Kimura said, lowering his cool shades to observe the school's morning traffic of students. The 25-year-old looked towards the backseat, at the beautiful 16-year-old girl who was pulling the clasp shut on her thin black backpack.

The girl looked out the window at the school and its students. She turned back to her agent with a smile, seeing his slightly worried expression. "It'll be fine, Ry. Don't worry about me," Hikari Kobayashi reassured him.

"Now Kari, I'm just looking out for you. I don't want the past to repeat itself."

"Oh come on, Ry! I was 13 then, and I was still naïve in the world of acting and the injustice in it. I'm not going to automatically put a title on everyone just because what those few people did," Kari told him, "so stop being prejudice of non-acting people."

Ry sighed. "All right, all right. But just make sure—"

"Ry, I gotta go," Kari interrupted quickly. "I've still gotta go find out my schedule and where my class is, and it's eight o'clock, so I don't have much time until class starts. Have fun at the meeting, don't sign me up for anything yet, and don't forget to come pick me up at 5:00. Bye!" Kari opened the door and stepped out into the bright sun. She closed the door after her and slung her backpack over one shoulder. Kari started through the gates of the school, following the other students, oblivious to the stares she was getting and the gasps of surprise around her.

Most of the students around her had stopped walking and were watching the girl walk passed. They recognized the girl with the shoulder-length, stylishly-layered black hair from commercials, on posters announcing anime movies and TV shows, as well as martial arts movies, posters, and televised advertisements for a now-well-known martial arts school. None of them could believe that this girl was here, dressed in their school's uniform of navy-blue and dark-green plaid skirt, white blouse, navy-blue blazer, navy-blue tie, and the black closed-toed, heeled shoes that were required for the female student population of the school.

"Hello. I'm Kobayashi, Hikari. I'm starting school today," Kari bowed respectfully to the woman at the desk.

"Oh Kobayashi! Welcome to our school!" the woman greeted her with a bright smile ad gestured for her to sit in one of the two seats in front of her desk. "I've looked through your files and I've learned that you're a very promising student, the highest high school exam scores of your previous high school, and you were involved in many clubs and extra-curricular activities too," Principal Kiyoko Ichinouchi said, an impressed expression upon her face.

"Yes," Kari replied in a respectful tone, "Because of my excellent grades, I was allowed to be involved in the soccer club, archery club, and the martial arts club at Akage High School. They told me that as long as my grades did not slip, I would be allowed to join as many clubs as I wished. I'm hoping that you will allow me to do so here."

"Well, I see no problem with it. Amazingly, it seems you've been able to keep the same grades, even with all your club and acting commitments, and you've led your soccer team to earn the ranking of the number one team in all of Japan, as captain, as well as taking your martial arts team to the national competition and earning several honors there. Not to mention your archery skills. I've found that you were even scouted by several international agents for your talent in archery. You are indeed a remarkable young woman."

"Please Ichinouchi Sensei. It was nothing. I just do what I enjoy doing and that's helping everyone around me to achieve great things. I don't really give much thought to myself," Kari objected modestly.

"Well, as it is, you seem to be able to handle a lot of work at once, and so, I will allow you to join no more than three clubs, I don't want you to burn out so early on this magnificent streak you're making in your life," Principal Ichinouchi told her and wrote the information down on a notepad. She handed the paper to Kari with a smile and bowed to her.

Kari accepted the paper with a respectful bow and, "thank you," and left. She got her schedule and school map from the front office and stepped out of the office, only to run smack into the chest of a tall person.

"Oh! I'm sorry," Kari said as she looked up at the guy with an apologetic smile.

"It's all right. I don't bruise that easily," the guy replied with a grin.

Kari gave a small laugh. "Neither do I," she grinned. "Oh sorry, I'm Kobayashi, Hikari, but people call me Kari," she said, having forgotten to properly introduce herself.

"I'm Sasaki, Yamato. It's nice to meet you, Kobayashi."

"You too," Kari returned the smile he sent her. "Well, I have to get to my new class," she looked down at her watch. "Do you know where the 2nd year building is, by any chance?"

"Yeah, that's my building. Come on, I'll take you to your class, so you don't get lost," Sasaki offered.

"Thanks," Kari fell into step with him. "I'm new to this school so I don't really know anybody here."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that, considering I've never seen the famous Kari Kobayashi here at Asahi High School before." He laughed when he saw Kari's expression of surprise. "You didn't think I'd recognize you?"

"No, I didn't think anyone would. I mean, I'm not that famous," Kari confessed.

"Not that famous?! Everybody knows who you are!" Sasaki told her.

"Really? I mean, I just figured people would be more into all those other stars that are in those big-time movies and stuff. I've only done a couple anime TV series, some televised advertisements for my cousin's martial arts school, an anime movie, and a martial arts movie, that's about it, besides releasing a single. I didn't think people would actually pay attention to someone like me," Kari told him.

"Oh come on, Kobayashi. Haven't you ever seen yourself in a mirror or one of your movies?! You're totally beautiful and you've got some great talent in acting and martial arts!" Sasaki objected incredulously. "Plus, everyone loves that song you wrote and recorded!"

Kari blushed a light pink. "Whatever," she told him, not believing what he was saying. "I mean, okay, I'll admit that I'm a little above average in the looks department, but people shouldn't notice me because of just that. And I admit, my song has been in the top three for a few weeks now, but people will probably move on to a new song by next week."

"You can't avoid it so don't try to," Sasaki laughed. "People are practically addicted to your acting and singing style. It's like….." Sasaki trailed off, searching for the right words, "it's like you're bringing real personality to those characters you either voice or play. Those characters seem so real in the way they talk or act because you've portrayed them as such with so much skill."

Kari studied her companion as they walked. Then she said, "You're a voice actor, aren't you?"

"Guilty," he confessed with a warm laugh.

"Now I recognize you!" Kari exclaimed. "You're from that anime movie, 'Walking on Water', that just came out a couple weeks ago. You're the voice of the main character Hiro! I saw you on a show about the premiere night."

"Guilty again," he admitted.

"So what are you working on now, or is that confidential?" Kari asked him. She looked at the other students as the two passed them and she noticed for the first time how her peers stared at her in awe, surprise, and envy.

"Not to other actors and actresses. I'm planning on working on this anime movie. It's going to be about this guy who loses his girlfriend when she dies in a car accident. He's just about to kill himself of heartache when suddenly; his girlfriend's ghost appears and helps him to understand what happened and why it happened. She stays with him throughout the year and helps him when all these crazy problems arise in his life. Basically, the whole series is about fate and how no one can prevent things from happening. But the ending of the film is going to be pretty cool. After the ghost of the girlfriend disappears to go to the afterlife, the guy wakes up in his bed and realizes that it was all a dream, a dream that changes his life forever."

"Wow, sounds interesting. I'll have to watch it."

"Well, you might not be able to. The director is Akira Kou and he hasn't been able to find just the right actress to play the role of Akemi, the guy's ghost girlfriend, and if he doesn't find someone by the end of the month, they're going to cancel the production of it," Sasaki said bitterly. "I was kind of looking forward to that movie. It's really something that I think about a lot; about how life never seems to go the way we plan and why we can't ever stop fate, and how in the end, everything turns out all right."

Kari listened to him talk, then she inputted her own view on it, "Well, I guess fate isn't something mankind can do anything to change. It's just something that has its own solo life that's running on a one-way track and can't be bothered by anyone or anything."

"Hmmm…..that's a good way to put it," Sasaki told her, thinking about her views of it all.

"So who's tried out for the part of Akemi so far?" Kari asked.

"Well, there's been Kana Matsunaga, Ryoko Takeda, Sachiko Kunigawa, Mai Takahashi, and a few other famous girls, but the director, Mr. Hashimoto decided that they didn't have the qualities or skill to show the character's complicated personality and role in the movie," Sasaki stopped and suddenly perked up. He looked down at Kari, "Hey, why don't you try out for it? You're great at voice acting!"

"I'm sorry. I've already got some things coming up. My manager says these people having been waiting for months for me to accept their offers and I finally agreed so I can't back out of them. Sorry," Kari said to him.

"Oh," Sasaki looked droopy again. "That's alright. Do you know of anyone else that might be able to voice the part?"

"Hmm, well, my friend might be interested in it. Her name's Sakura Takenouchi. She's just starting out in voice acting but she's got some really good natural talent. And she loves those kinds of anime."

"Really?" Sasaki seemed interested. "How old is she?"

"She's 16," Kari told him. "She's played a part in one of my anime movies. In 'Wind Whispers Love' she was the best friend of my character."

"Oh yeah! I know her voice now. Her voice acting is pretty awesome," Sasaki agreed.

"Great, well, I'll have her manager give your director a call," Kari told him just as they reached a doorway with the sign 'Class 2A.' From inside the classroom, a steady stream of chattering and noise could be heard.

"All right. Well, this is your class. I'm the next class down, so if you're wanting to see a familiar face, not that you won't see many here, come by alright?" Sasaki offered.

"Sure, and thank you so much!" Kari waved to him as he headed down the hall.