Chapter 17: Student Exchange Month

~June's POV~ "Now, students, please listen up! Monday officially begins our annual Student Exchange Month! A month where our school and our neighboring school, Hashimoto Prep, exchange some of our students to the other school so they can see what it's like going to a different school for a month! This system helps establish community and good citizenship with both students and faculty of each school! And, as the Headmaster said in his email, we are all expected to be on our best behavior and welcome our neighboring school's students with open arms! This year it's Hashimoto Prep's turn to have some of their students come to our school! Everyone, please be on good behavior! Let's make Hope's Peak Academy proud!" Mr. Xander said in our homeroom class.

We all just stared back at him.

The Student Exchange Month? I certainly have never heard of it up until now. I wonder what type of students we'd be getting...

Oh well, it doesn't seem to really matter.

"And, with all that said, class is dismissed." Mr. Xander said before the bell rang and we all proceeded to go to our first period.

"The Student Exchange Month? What the heck is that supposed to be?" Erin said as we walked to our first period.

"It's what he said it was. We did the exact same thing last year. Only some of us were the ones going to Hashimoto Prep." Kyouko said.

"Hashimoto Prep? I've heard some things about it... Like that it's supposed to be our rival school." Erin said.

Kyouko nodded. "It is. But, every year, we do the Student Exchange Month. The teachers think it'll help ease the rivalry. It doesn't."

I nodded. "Whatever. I doubt things will be different when their students come over here anyway."

Kyouko nodded. "You're right. When they come over or when we come over, nothing seems to change. It's like they were never there, really. It's not a big deal. No one cares."

"It doesn't seem to matter. It probably won't this year, either." Erin said.

~Byakuya's POV~ "The Student Exchange Month? We're doing that again?" I asked.

"We do it every year, Byakuya. We did it last year too." Naegi said.

"Unfortunately, I remember. You and I were two of the students selected to go over to Hashimoto Prep. I hated it. I hated the students, I hated the teachers, and I never quite got used to my new schedule and all my new classes. I'm glad this year we don't have to do it." I said. The Student Exchange Month was the most utterly useless thing I've ever heard of. I honestly don't see how it improves Hope's Peak or Hashimoto Prep at all.

Apparently, the teachers and I don't see eye to eye on that.

"Don't make such a big deal of it. It won't matter anyway. This year they're coming to us, so it'll be like they aren't even here." Naegi said.

I hope so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The weekend went by fast enough, and soon it was Monday, and time for the Student Exchange Month to officially begin.

The Hashimoto Prep students made their arrival apparent by arriving in their Hashimoto Prep buses, complete with the Hashimoto Prep logo on the side and painted Hashimoto Prep's school colors; purple and yellow.

Naegi and I were both on our way to homeroom when we suddenly noticed something.

A large crowd of students were blocking the hallway, the very hallway Naegi and I usually use to get to homeroom.

They weren't Hashimoto Prep students, however, they where our classmates.

The crowd mostly consisted of girls but there were a few guys in there as well.

Most of the guys, however, weren't in the crowd but were just standing to the sides of the hallway, quietly just watching the crowd of students curiously and possibly waiting for them to move.

Our normally rowdy male classmates were just whispering quitely amongst themselves.

This wasn't normal at all.

Everyone in the crowd was talking excitedly and some of the girls were gushing and sighing.

"What's going on?" Naegi asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" I asked.

Naegi shrugged before he said, "This is our only way to class. Let's try and break through the crowd and get to class already."

"I actually agree with this. Let's go, Naegi." I said before he and I proceeded to walk through the crowd.

We pushed and shoved our way through.

"Out of my way!" I said.

"Excuse us...!" Naegi said.

Soon, Naegi and I got to the center of the crowd.

Standing in the middle of the crowd was a guy.

Just a guy.

He had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and tan skin.

He somehow seemed... familiar... But I couldn't put my finger on it.

It felt like I had seen this guy before... but where?

I tried to move past the guy. "Excuse me, but my associate here and I need to get to our class. So, with all due respect, move out of our way." I said, irritated.

The guy just looked at me, blinked a couple times, then he laughed. "Well, I'll be damned! I can't believe it's you, Byakuya, mi amigo! I mean, it's been years since the last time we saw each other! You look... the exact same way!" he said.

What?

Wait a second... That voice... that tone of voice... I know that from somewhere...

Naegi gave me a confused look. "Byakuya, you know this guy?" he asked. "How many people at this school do you know that you haven't told me about???"

The guy laughed again. "Oh no! I'm not from this school, I'm one of the exchange students, from Hashimoto Prep!" he said.

I know this guy... I definitely know him from somewhere...

All the girls are swooning over him... He reminds me of--

Suddenly, it clicked.

My eyes widened as my jaw dropped.

No... It can't be...

"Uh... Byakuya...?" Naegi said before he waved his hand in front of my face. "Uh... you alright...?"

"L-Leo Gonzalez..." I muttered.

Naegi gave me a look. A confused one. "HUH? What'd you say?"

I swallowed hard. "Leo Gonzalez." I repeated.

"Leo Gonzalez? Who's Leo Gonzalez???" Naegi asked.

"Why, I am! I am the one and only Leo Gonzalez! I would have introduced myself if it weren't for Byakuya's... Ahem... interruption." Leo said.

I can't believe this... I can't believe this is happening...

After all these years... I thought I was RID OF THIS ASSHOLE!

This feels like the time when I met June again at the beginning of the school year.

Talk about deja vu, and NOT the good kind.

Naegi nudged my shoulder. "Uh, that still doesn't answer my question; who on Earth is Leo Gonzalez?"

I groaned. "Leo Gonzalez is one of my... classmates from middle school... I went to school with him during sixth and part of seventh grade..." I said.

"Class, class! We have a new student joining us!" our teacher said.

We were all in our first period class.

June and I were sitting next to each other in the middle of a game of table football.

I had flicked the piece of paper through her fingers and it hit her forehead. She giggled. I smiled at her.

I'll never get tired of her laugh...

"Ahem. Miss Takahashi, Mr. Togami, I would really appreciate it if you two would kindly PAY ATTENTION, PLEASE." our teacher interrupted us.

June and I stopped playing table football.

"S-Sorry, ma'am..." June said as she blushed out of embarrassment.

"Yeah, sorry..." I said.

Our teacher gave us a curt nod before she continued. "As I was saying, we have a new student joining us! I would like to introduce you all to Leo Gonzalez, who just moved here from Mexico!" she said before a boy walked in the classroom.

He had dark brown hair and brown eyes.

"Now, he's new to Japan so please, all of you, treat him with the kindness and respect you treat each other with. Okay? Great!" our teachers said. "Leo, you may have a seat anywhere."

Leo nodded before he made his way over to June and I's table and sat down.

Leo shook June's hand. "Hello, I'm Leo Gonzalez. As you just heard, my family and I moved here from Mexico! I have to say, I never thought the girls in Japan would be as beautiful as the ones in Mexico, but YOU are especially beautiful," He winked at June. "What's your name, chica?"

June blushed. "Uh... it's J-June..." she replied, studdering.

Leo shot June a bright smile. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, June. What a beautiful name you have!" he said.

"Th-Thanks...!" June said.

Well, THIS GUY'S a real CHARMER...

I immediately leaned in front of June and stuck my hand out. "Hi, I'm Byakuya Togami. June's BEST FRIEND. We're what you would call CLOSE." I said.

Leo shook my hand. "Uh, charmed. Let me just say that you're lucky to have a girl as flawless as her as a friend. I hope you realize that, amigo." he said.

I narrowed my eyes. "YES, I do realize that."

Leo shrugged. "Good."

"Good"? What's THAT supposed to mean??? And why does he think it's okay to just up and FLIRT with a girl he just MET??? Like, WHO DOES THAT???

Something tells me I'm not gonna get real fond of this guy.