Peach Girl

Hands off, you freaking pervert!

-- --

But... I... thought...

Wow, Momo.

With my dark, tan skin and my hair

bleached to a popping red from the chlorine,

people always think I'm either some kind of loud-mouthed tomboy

or the easiest chick on the block.

It's amazing how wrong people can be.

Ugh! Old guys like that really piss me off.

You really can't see why they come at you like that?

No offense, but look at you.

Any guy would think you're available.

Wait...

What's the deal with the bag, Sae?

What, this...?

Oh, yeah, I picked it up last night.

You went back after I left you?

I was broke when I saw that bag yesterday at the mall

so I was gonna go back today to get it.

What the hell?

Yeah, after you went home last night,

I decided I'd look great with it, so I bought it.

But why...?

You said you didn't like flowery bags.

Hmm... Well, I was wrong.

Liar!

All day at the mall you were telling me

what crappy taste I had in everything!

And now you show up with the one thing I wanted!

What a conniving, pinhead.

Oh, my gosh, Sae!

Did you get a new bag?

It's cute!

Heh, yeah!

I'm so sick of her copying me!

She wears the same shoes, socks, skirt, make-up,

and nail color as me.

But what really gets under my skin

is that she looks better with it than I do.

Not to mention she's got a small frame

and the kind of pale complexion

all the boys seem to go for these days.

Hey, there, Sae!

Ha-ha. See you in class.

I've only known her for three months

and I already wanna hurt her.

Badly, sometimes.

Oh, hey, Tojigamori! How's it goin'?

It's all good.

Hey, Momo, I ran into Tetsuya and Machako yesterday.

Oh, really? How are they?

It's been forever since I've seen them.

They're cool.

And, they both made me promise to say "hello" to you.

It's just a little photo stamp we took.

See ya.

Thanks, Toji.

I can't believe it.

Toji gave me a picture of himself!

Momo, you certainly do enjoy chatting it up

--with Toji, don't you? --

Considering you don't speak a single word to any other boys.

We're old friends.

We sat next to each other in homeroom

all throughout eighth grade.

Sure.

Time to go change out the water for the colors.

That was close.

I can't let her know.

The hottest chick is easily Sae Kashiwagi!

No doubt! What a fox!

She's got the best skin.

The perfect shade of white.

Yeah, she looks even better

when she's standing next to Momo.

What?

Totally. What's the deal with her skin anyway?

Maybe she goes to a tanning salon.

-- Don't be an idiot. --

Momo's been on the swim team forever...

That's the reason she's always so tan.

You should keep your mouth shut

if you don't know what you're talking about.

Toji...

You know if you keep slapping that sunblock on

you'll clog up all your pores, Momo.

I don't care. I just wanna make sure

that whatever happens, I don't get tan this summer.

When my skin is finally whiter than Toji's,

I'll tell him how I feel.

So is there some boy you're diggin' on?

I knew it.

Oh, crap...

Let me guess... It's...

-- T-- --

I tried so hard to hide it...

But you pick up on these things so well, Sae.

I suppose I have to tell you now.

The boy I like is right over there.

Yeah. That's him.

It's a good thing that Kairi,

Mr. Unattainable, was right there.

Uh!

Oh... my... gosh.

I've never had a guy wink at me before.

What's going on? And the most popular boy in class?

I mean, sure, he's hot,

but I never really paid attention to him.

He's outta my league.

I'm not surprised the other girls go crazy for him.

But still, my Toji is a hundred times cuter.

Sae!

Oh, Kairi, you're so funny.

So, what's up with the new bag?

Oh, this? I just love it.

That's a one-eighty from last night.

Huh?

I was there and heard you go off on how crappy it was.

Ugh... Ha...

After your friend said she liked it,

you tore her a new one about how her fashion sense sucks.

But, it's not like I stole the bag from her.

Look, Sae, I've always been a big fan

of the girls who are nice...

Skinny pale things like you don't do it for me.

I prefer healthy-looking girls with some character,

like your friend.

Keep up this selfish routine and you'll end up alone.

Here! Take your stupid tacky bag!

What?

Hmph...

What climbed in her butt?

I don't know.

Maybe Kairi didn't share her feelings.

That means she confessed her feelings to him.

Kairi, you're my hero!

In one swift move you tore up Sae and earned my love!

But not as much as Toji, of course.

Morning, guys.

Why did you do that?!

Do what?

You're saying it wasn't you

who wrote that stuff on the board?!

Wrote what?

Cut it out! You're the one person who knows I like him.

Who else would have written that...?

Now what's gonna happen

when this leaks out across the school?

What does it matter?

It's the truth, right?

Look... I didn't write it...

People like to eavesdrop all the time at this school...

But you never stopped to consider that, did you?

Oh, whatever! Nobody else has a reason to write those things!

She doesn't want people to talk

about her getting dumped on by Kairi,

so she hangs me out to dry in front of the whole school!

What a cow!

How'd you get your claws in Kairi?

Huh?

You're the one who was putting all the moves

--on him, right? --No, you've gotten this whole

story all turned around...

Honestly, I don't think I've even talked to him

since we were in grade school.

Sweetheart, we know you kissed him.

Kissed?!

Who would have said something like that?!

Was it Sae?

Kairi said it.

I can't belive that. Urgh. He's dead!

You can't do this!

You'll just embarrass yourself!

Just stay away from Kairi.

You need to move your foot.

What?

I said, move your foot!

How dare you stomp your dirty feet down on my Toji!

Ugh! I am so going to get you for this.

-- -- Uh?

I always love a good cat fight.

Oh, Kairi, help us!

No... Don't stop just because of me.

The fight was just about to get interesting.

Wait... Momo, what about the fight?

This whole thing is all your fault!

-- --No!

Nice one... Have you ever considered