The day had started like any other; meaning, in short, Mai Taniyama was perfectly, acceptably early. She liked being early so she could go over the material before class started...not that the teachers needed to know that. Mai was what many would call an underachiever. That is, unless they really knew her at all. But alas, that is another story for another day. As Mai walked beneath the blooming cherry blossoms, her gaze taking in the natural beauty of the early morning, she couldn't help but revel in the quiet. Though, if you asked her, she enjoyed the bustling cities a bit more-the sonder of those bustling through the streets, the intoxicating aromas of cooking food, and the tall buildings are enough to take her breath away. It is a necessity, Mai believes, to be alone, sometimes, in order to find oneself, but only once in a great, great while. There is a difference between being alone and being lonely after all. Besides, Mai's a people person through and through.
Mai's inner one-sided monologue was cut short when she caught sight of the Old Schoolhouse. Thinking of the stories told the night before, she gave the building a wide berth, even while cursing herself for behaving like a small child. Haunted or not, she refused to be intimidated by a rickety old structure, even if the accidents (supposedly) reported there did make her heart ache. In that moment, Mai resolves to find out more tonight when she and the girls get together for telling ghost stories.
"I am sooo ready for this!" Mai says brightly to her two best friends, Keiko and Michiru, respectfully, as she grins through the beam of her flashlight.
"That's creepy, Mai-chan!" Michiru cries, slapping her arm. Mai pouts in response, but obliges the unspoken command and quits deliberately looking like a lunatic. "Much better," Michiru sighs.
"Alright, alright. Who wants to go first?" Keiko-chan asks.
"Four," a disembodied voice adds. The two girls jump, both much too invested in trying to scare the others to pay attention to anything outside of their circle. "Gah!" Keiko and Michiru cry, clinging to each other for dear life. Mai struggles to hide a giggle behind her hand. She's not one to scare easily.
"Five!" another voice adds, popping his head around the corner and grinning at the terrified girls endearingly. That, and she may have noticed the two boys-twins, she noted-lurking in the doorway, seemingly listening to their storytelling. When they didn't attempt to interrupt, Mai simply shrugged mentally, but watched them from the corner of her eye, whether it be from paranoia or curiosity. She wasn't sure which.
"I'm sorry; were we interrupting?" one boy asks buoyantly. The two girls shriek cheerful denials, gathering around the boys. Mai sighs inwardly.
"What grade are you guys in?" Keiko-chan asks curiously.
"We're seventeen," the other twin answers, smiling. It's forced,Mai muses. He's faking it, but why?
"That means you're both our sempai," Michiru says cheerfully. Why didn't he just answer with what grade he's in? Something wasn't right about this; Mai didn't like it one bit. "Do you want to join us? We were just-"
"Leaving," Mai interrupts. "We were just leaving."
"Maybe next time," the other, more genuine boy says. "Oh, we didn't get your names!"
"My name is Keiko, this is Michiru, and that's Mai-"
"And you are?" Mai asks coolly. Something wasn't quite right about them; she couldn't put her finger on it, but something's definitely off. She narrows her scrutinizing gaze in an attempt to sniff it out. What is it?
"Oh, I'm _ and that's Kazuya Shibuya."
"Well it was nice to meet you and all, but we've got to get going."
"Why don't you guys join us tomorrow?" Keiko asks.
"Sure," _ replies easily. Even as she says a quick goodbye, after dragging the girls from the classroom, she still can't figure it out. It's not something she's seen before and she's damned determined to figure it out.
Then it's suddenly morning and she can barely get her eyes open not to mention actually sit up and function. Get used to it, Mai thinks, huffing, medical school's not going to be kind, ya'know.