Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Persona 4 and (500) Days of Summer. I don't intend to gain any profit from here. This is simply a fan work.
Note: I'm very sad to say that how repetitive this may be, this is a chapter about their first meeting…in other words, the dreaded first day of school and Morooka and all that. Most fanfictions include this part and I just hate how I needed to include this too. But please read on because I tried to differ from the game's (well maybe, I borrowed a few dialogs for Morooka). This is short but I'm not rushing things, I only included the important defining moments that would emphasize Yuu and Yukiko's impressions and perspectives of each other.
There's only two kinds of people in the world: there's women, and there's men.
Yukiko Amagi was a woman.
Weight: Average
Skin Type: Average
Body Type: Average
Shoe size: Average
Height: Slightly above average
For all intents and purposes, Yukiko Amagi = just another girl.
Except…she wasn't.
To wit: In 2010, Yukiko quoted "Fried tofu is really my favorite!" during her lunch at the cafeteria. This spike in Inaba's sale of tofu (specifically the small restaurants' sale of fried tofu) continues to puzzle Marukyu Tofu Shop Owner.
When she wore her hair short during middle school, the bob style cut had been the most requested service at Inaba's hair salons for a good two years and a half increasing their revenue for 586.3%. Women from 7-49 years of age had flocked the beauty salons week by week, totaling 87% of the ladies in Inaba, until Yukiko herself can no longer reserve a good schedule, thus forced to wear out her hair long.
Yukiko's employment at her family's very own Amagi Inn during summer of her middle school coincided with an inexplicable 118% increase in revenue. And the increase kept rising and rising every summer since then, with an inclined amount of male guests.
Every negotiation Yukiko ever had engaged in, dealing with the needs of their family's inn, gave offers at an average rate of 20.7% below market value. With the lowest offer of 32% off from Konishi Liquors.
Her every other day round-trip bus commute to school averaged 26.4 double-takes per day. On some days, her hikes from school to home will average 56.3% increase of students taking her route.
99.9 % of the sporty students, and even those who are not, in town (and on the neighboring towns) have already signed up for a new Varsity—that also has a yearly increase of members at about 89.5%. The new Varsity Game: The Amagi Challenge
It was a rare quality, this "Yukiko Effect". Rare, and yet something pre- and adolescent male has encountered at least once in their lives.
Well that is the third kind of person in the world…
…the kind that breaks hearts without even trying.
Alone, oblivious in her own world.
For Yu Narukami to find it now, after cities and cities of transfers, just in a town with 215 Offices, 149 Small Businesses, 2 High Schools, 2 Middle Schools, 1 Big Department Store and roughly 9,000 number of people…
Well that could only be explained by one thing… "Fate".
o~o~o~o~o~o
[001]
Yu is already at the front door neatly putting on his black school shoes. Of all things in the world, it's his feet and footwear that he's faithfully tidy on. And it sucks how his second day in town is such a rainy one.
"Today is your first day of school right?" his little cousin asked.
Yuu stood up after donning his shoes and gave Nanako a small nod. "Yeah."
"My school is in that direction as well so let's walk together" she offered as she walked out the door whilst opening her umbrella.
Oh yeah. The directions to the school never occurred to me until now. She's a pretty thoughtful kid alright.
Yuu followed her lead, holding his own umbrella with his left hand. Not so long after, they already reached the Samegawa Flood Plain and Nanako has to part to another direction. The kid instructed Yuu that the high school is straight ahead his path. They both exchanged a courteous nod before the little girl walked to her left and Yuu carried on forward.
He could see the school gate from the partly elevated entrance. He carefully walked up the sloped road making sure he doesn't dirty his shoes and pants with the drizzling rain and the muddy puddles it formed (dirtying his shoes is the last thing he'd ever make himself do).
Yuu originally planned to go there early and present himself at the faculty office: a thing he failed to do the day before. There were hardly any students walking at this time of the morning, but he noticed a guy with a different uniform lurking on the school gate without an umbrella. The guy looked awfully strange, soaking wet without even bothering to move from his post. Yuu brushed it aside (his personal hobby: never minding people) and continued to walk his way to the main building and looked for the office.
With the help of the school's floor plan posted at their main bulletin board by the entrance, Yuu found his way on the left wing of the first floor where he finally took sight of the Faculty Room.
He knocked the door thrice before coming in and a bundle of busy buzzing faculty teachers came to his view upon opening it. "Good morning kid, what can we help you for?" One of the middle-aged man right by the door offered assistance.
"Oh. He must be the transfer student, aren't ya kid?" his cheerful companion wearing the faculty's maroon varsity uniform inquisitively guessed.
"Good morning." Yuu bowed his head politely. "Yeah, I am."
"Come on right in! We'll introduce you to your new homeroom advisor." The teacher with graying hair signaled him to follow them.
For Yuu Narukami, the faculty office was perpetually cramped. The walls, almost entirely covered with tall shelves, are congested with old books and folders and papers. He also saw a few boxes full of scratch papers and worthless drafts. These boxes were right below the three office desks that are straying outside the trammels of the cubicles (they were too close to each other making the aisles an invariably narrow single lane that would pass only a person at a time).
He followed the two teachers through the squeezing path making sure he doesn't bump in to tables and spill somebody's coffee on top.
"Morooka-san, the new boy's here. He's in your class, yes?" The man who led the way greeted and asked the short frumpy man with funny hair and terrible smile—that is, if he were even smiling.
"Why hello there Hosoi-san! Good morning to you!" the short man, Mr. Morooka, gleefully greeted back as he shuffled a few pieces of paper in his hand.
"Alright so, uh, we'll leave him to you now." Mr. Hosoi pointed at Yuu.
The other teacher in varsity uniform leaned over to whisper his advice, "Just don't listen to anything he's blabbin' kid. Nothing personal." Yuu took note of the name stitched on the right upper chest part of his maroon varsity jacket. It read 'Kondo'. Then he nodded in polite agreement before this teacher endorsed him over to Morooka.
After leaving him to his said to be new homeroom teacher, Yuu greeted the man with a "Good morning" and a quick bow. Only, Mr. Morooka responded with a sharp glare and continued to arrange the papers he was holding. It took him the longest three minutes of bustling over his desk before he finally spoke to the young boy standing beside his cubicle.
"Name, kid" he grunted.
Somebody woke up at the wrong side of the bed. "Narukami, Yuu" He bluntly informed.
I guess being grumpy suits him better. His annoying smiling face earlier was much more nauseating.
Morooka once again shuffled through his paper works, flipping each page with his fingers that he casually moistens with his tongue. After a few flips and grumbling about 'disrespectful city kids'—which was totally coming out of nowhere, he had found the name 'Narukami' and grouchily handed Yuu the paper. It contained his room assignment, shoe locker number, ID number and where to claim it, and the class schedule.
Yuu briefly ran his eyes through the sheet until Morooka decided to snap at him, "What're ya waiting for?!"
All at once, Yuu turned his back towards him as if ignoring Morooka's bad mood and grumbling about 'disrespectful city kids: the sequel'. He continued to read the details of his daily schedule and list of subjects as he slowly walked away.
"Hurry up and change yer shoes and don't ever think about skipping the first period! You better get yer ass at the classroom before the last bell rings, you got that?!" the discontented Morooka nagged some more to the boy who was already walking his way out of the office.
'Change your shoes' was all Yuu's ears processed for his mind to hear. With his eyes still on his paper, he walked back at the building's main entrance to where the shoe lockers are located.
Students have already flocked and populated the hallways of Yasogami High School. Yuu Narukami could feel numerous pairs of eyes staring at him as he walked the course and it felt as heavy as a ten foot boulder latched on his back. With the corners of his eyes, he could see them staring and whispering. This isn't supposed to be a new experience for him but as small of a town Inaba is, Yuu Narukami really sticks out like a sore thumb.
Now with his hand on his pocket, he fidgeted. His fingers playing with the silver coin he had inside (One of the souvenirs his parents got for him, and as simple as a small coin that it is, it had been his major source of tension relief). And that is the ultimate secret of his calm exterior.
Luckily, it's true as the saying goes: 'Saved by the bell', and the first ring of the school bell fleeted the first floor corridor. The students woefully dragged themselves inside their classroom in obvious protest, bringing with them their ten-foot-boulder of heavy eyes. It lessened the awkward burden on the silver-haired boy. But of course there were still some students who stayed chatting outside the doors and still there were four to six students more who ran their way into the main entrance.
Yuu took his sweet time as according to his schedule, the first class is to start in fifteen minutes.
He reached the locker area and proceeded on looking for his assigned space. The square lockers walled up the entrance of the building. There were two benches, one for each side of the left and right wall. His eyes followed through an ascending order of numbers until he found his—midway to the corner on his right.
Lucky that his locker is directly where the bench is in parallel with, he opened his locker and found his pair of white school shoes. Yuu sat down on the bench to undone his black ones and he rested his school bag beside him.
There was already someone sitting on the bench at the opposite end. A girl who's docking down fixing something on her shoes with her bag left wide open sitting beside her. Her raven long hair waterfalled down to cover her face.
"Arrrgh!" the girl silently whined.
Yuu, as usual, just left her be. And as he had taken off his shoes, he held it on eye-level to inspect for a splatter of stray mud. Since there's barely none, he proceeded to wear his white shoes.
But the girl muttered to herself again, "I hate this".
This time, Yuu decided to sneak a peek. And he managed to do so without turning his head to her direction. His eyes traced her slender arms that were digging something from her bag. It appears that after several attempts of unsuccessful rubbing on her thigh-high black stockings, she finally gave up and decided to wear a new one.
Yuu smirked, thinking of the probable reason. Then he confirmed it as soon as she splayed her used ones just on the mouth of her bag while she wiped off the scant traces of muddy water on her pale silky legs (droplets that seeped through her previously worn stockings). Right after that, she carefully changed in to the fresh new pair.
He was about to think that she's being a bit too obsessive-compulsive about it, but then he had to admit that sometimes, so was he.
It's hardly noticeable since she wore something dark but evidently, just like Yuu, she must've disliked the rainy days due to the same reason. Only that Yuu know how to walk properly and she doesn't.
She gently rolled her first pair of stockings, sacked it in a small dust bag inside her school bag. And when she was good to go, she stood on her foot, picking up the two notebooks from where she sat—the ones that she overlooked returning to her bag. She's already in a rush but then a piece of small powder blue envelope fell as she lifted up her notebooks from the space between her bag and his.
"This yours?" the girl with long ebony hair, pale white skin, and vivid red sweater took the nameless envelope on her hand, inspecting for any writing of ownership then bluntly asked Yuu Narukami the question.
He had just closed his locker, and glanced at the girl who darted the query. Who me? Are you talking to me?
Of course she was. It's just that…
She didn't even have eye contact because her gaze is fixed on the envelope. And as quick as she asked the question, she promptly left the small stationary on the bench, right beside his bag, without even waiting for his response. Then, she gracefully walked out of his sight, leaving him with a sweat drop.
o~o~o~o~o~o
Room 2-2. Naturally…at the second floor.
Yuu placed back his sheet of paper inside his pocket after rechecking. He kept it on the same pocket where he had the powder blue envelope that the girl in red deliberately left beside his bag.
Since she had thought it's his, Yuu felt obliged to find any printed name of the real owner. Luckily, the small envelope wasn't sealed so he just assumed it was rightful to check what's inside.
"Y.A.
I've been hoping to meet you tomorrow lunch time
I'll be at the back of the school gym"
It was addressed to no one and signed by no one as well. Unless this Y.A. means someone, then there's no way this could be mine.
Apparently, it is a note of invitation. He's no expert in deciphering love letters but logic tells him that a punctuation-deficient, straight-to-the-point note written on plain white paper, enveloped in light blue stationary, and asking for a one on one by the school gym…no doubt about it. It's written by a guy.
Maybe that girl took it out of her bag without knowing it was there at all…or somebody else might own this too.
There's roughly six minutes left before the final ring of the bell when Yuu already found himself on the second floor. There were still students on the corridor, band together in a small circle talking about stuff he doesn't want to concern himself with. Others were already inside their respective classroom, already keeping their places on their seats and some still buzzing around the room looking for a quick chit chat while waiting for their teacher.
Yuu looked at the room numbers and as he neared his, a girl sprang from behind him, walking fast towards the second room and went straight ahead to the formed circle of chattering students.
"Oh man, King Moron handles this class right?" she asked.
"Yeah, welcome aboard" a boy responded.
"And he wasn't around yesterday? I thought being on his class couldn't get any worse. Damn, I skipped the first day of school to escape his ear-crushing sermon only to show up today with his actual sermon." The girl sighed.
"Actually, he'll probably yell at us every day of this year anyway" another guy retorted.
Who's King Moron? Yuu was just about to step inside the room when a familiar ear-crushing voice shook from behind him.
"You there! Hadn't I told ya to be right inside when the bell rings?!" He glanced back, and just like added audio effects to a thriller scene, the school bell rang. Thus Yuu have then again faced the short frumpy man with the hideous overbite.
His teacher walked past him marching heavy footsteps as he entered the room. Oh yeah, he's my homeroom teacher. Yuu sighed and trailed right behind him then stepped up the platform in front of the class as the teacher did.
"Awright! Go to your seats and shut yer traps! I'm Kinishiro Morooka yer new teacher for the whole year" He stressed out the last word, "and I'm gonna introduce this transfer kid even though I don't want to!"
Yuu didn't really care about his teacher. The man is clearly having a bad morning and he doesn't want to share it. His eyes just surveyed his new classroom starting from the back: plain white painted walls; a broom cabinet; desks straightly aligned with mostly the boys sitting on the back; and then to the front…
Oh. So I see her again.
He referred to the familiar jet black haired girl sitting at the second row of the middle column. The vivid red of her sweater and head band is eloquent enough not to get noticed within the gloomy classroom. From where Yuu is standing, he could definitely see more of her face now. Nothing special, Yuu noted. She only has a slim pointy nose, her lips are small, beautifully plump and scarlet, and cheeks that's pale and bangs that are just resting at her brow level — thankfully not covering her pretty almond eyes that's sharply chinked on its corners. Indeed, nothing special. Really. And she is staring right at him. Yuu thought for a moment that maybe she recognizes him now.
"This poor guy got thrown out and sent to this remote town from the irritating capital, so to say, he is a fugitive. And he's just as much as a loser as he was there, so you girls better not get the idea about hittin' on him! Hurry up and introduce yourself!"
Fugitive? Loser? Who? His eyes are still on the girl, who in turn, innocently stared back. With only the last part that heard, Yuu cleared his throat before he made his introduction.
"I'm Narukami, Yuu", he finally managed.
She looked at him with a gaze nothing but indifferent. Not that Yuu expected a wink or batting eye lashes, or even a spark to happen but that look on her eyes made him think again whether he was recognized or not. He gulped, thinking about the powder blue envelope inside his pocket.
The girl seeming to notice that she'd been staring at him almost rudely, let out a little sigh and turned her head on to the foggy window. Something I hate more than the rain, is this foggy-rainy weather. She let her thoughts ponder deeper away outside her classroom, hearing less and less of Morooka's banter, except the part of a transfer kid coming from the City.
Yuu was struck when she disinterestedly turned her head away while everybody else acted by default—which is to ogle him with a curious stare. It's settled…she doesn't realize it was me. He became curious about what this girl has been looking so intently by the window but before he could even subtly roll his eyes completely to his left…
"INFIDEL! YOU JUST LEERED AT THAT INNOCENT YOUNG GIRL BY THE WINDOW, DIDN'T YA?!" Morooka suddenly snarled and pointed a finger on him.
Startled as he was, Yuu turn to look at the frumpy man who was just about to burst his carotid. "Ha?" was all he can say as he sweat-dropped in confusion.
Wha…what just happened? Me? …by the window? I haven't even looked yet. Is he telepathic or something?
"YOUR NAME IS GOING DOOOWWN ON MY ROTTEN SHIT-LIST! I DON'T KNOW WHAT FILTHY INSTITUTION FROM THAT SCUM-FILLED BIG CITY OF PERVERTS AND ASSHOLES YOU COME FROM BUT I'M TELLING YOU WE'RE MILLEEESS AWAY FROM THERE AND WE DON'T DO THAT HERE!"
Now I don't know where you're getting at but Mister, you have issues. Yuu stared blankly at this ticking time-bomb, this primeval caveman of teacher, wondering when he'll finally explode so that they can both leave each other alone.
And as if not contended, Morooka pursued, "YOU BETTER NOT THINK ABOUT GETTIN' INVOLVED WITH THE GIRLS HERE, LET ALONE ABUSING 'EM!"
W-Whaat? Excuse me?
"Uhm. Sir!" A female student interrupted as if to end the early morning fiasco their teacher's starting. Yuu turned to see who it was, saw that raven haired girl staring back again, with an arm raised…only, she had a deviating yellow and green sleeve. Yuu then realized it was the girl behind her who called out. So much for keeping hopes up. Thus the girl continued, "This is an empty seat. Can the transfer student sit here?" she pointed at her left.
Nobody knew what kind of sorcery that interlude was but it actually worked. Mr. Morooka let the transfer student go take his seat and everybody had the look of relief painted on their faces.
Yuu marched down to his new desk hearing a couple of classmates talking about how unlucky he is being transferred right into 'Moron's class' and how they might really get suspended if they get on Moron's bad side. So basically, each other is off limits with each other under Morooka's advisory. Not that it matters to Yuu. Seriously.
o~o~o~o~o~o
Lunch break came. And all class 2-2 had ever heard was hours of whining and agonizing ear-ringing sermon from King Moron with a delightful two minute commercial of Philosophy 101 in between hours.
The students have immediately formed their respective chitchat circles just like ants to a fallen candy or flies to unattended piece of raw meat. Some flew right out for the cafeteria, restroom and where ever for a little cellphone break.
For some reason, some nauseating-whining-and-agonizing-ear-ringing-sermo n of a reason, Yuu didn't quite have the appetite for the break and decided that his menthol candy would suffice him better until the school bell rings dismissal. He reached for his pocket for his green crystal-like meal and as he did, he remembered the note he's been keeping.
He buried his candy inside his mouth and argued in his mind whether to give the letter back or no. He concluded his meditation with maybe it's safe to observe this girl first before I make any rash movements. And so for the time being, he just left her be. Yuu busied himself with his notes, mainly just making sure if what he had written actually made sense.
He tried to focus on his notes, but apparently a gossip-loving circle of students by the window had their voices echoing all over the place. Suddenly, one of them approached the second column of desks, towards the girl with long black hair. Yuu who was merely dawdling with his notebook noticed this and subtly 'observed' them (since eavesdropping is something he'd deny as usual activity).
Yuu unconsciously stopped flipping pages when he heard the student call her by her name.
So it's Yukiko, huh.
The guy asked some things that she appears to refrain from giving a concrete after saying her brief apprehensive reply, she shied away and looked back down at her notebook, as if it's the most interesting must-read novel in the world.
And I assume, she doesn't like to talk.
And so does he.
Truth be told, Yuu Narukami is just a transfer kid, but beyond that reason he's also not the type who approaches first. Definitely not if it's someone who kind of looks so withdrawn; the kind who wouldn't initiate conversation; the kind who lives in their own world…and topping cherry to the sundae, this kind happens to be a girl. While it's also true that she was the one who talked to him first early this morning, still, Yuu Narukami would, by default, just leave her be.
Or would he?
Because there's something about this nothing special girl that had, for the first time, put a sudden halt on his just-leave-them-be hobby. It's surely because of the envelope she confused of, he decided. But does a thing so menial really had anything to do with the sudden change of urge inside him? He doesn't know either. And at this young time of the encounter, Yuu Narukami hasn't really cared for reasons behind. Nor was he aware that his indifference is starting to melt down.
He slumped his back on his chair and pocketed his hand—searching for his fidget coin, just to flicker it with his fingers. He didn't remember losing it…but in the depths of his pocket, riffling his hand inside over and over, the comfort coin was lost and the metaphor for changing habits is slowly conspiring within his little world.
Author's Note:
I hope you read this entire short chapter. Sorry that I really had to go through his first day of school introduction. It was really heavy to my heart considering how redundant this already is (like yeah duh, we already know of their dialogs) but I still needed to include it for the sake of characterization…knowing a bit more of the Yu Narukami in this story. I hope you enjoyed my version of his day.
Okay…so I had the trouble of figuring whether to use Souji or Yuu (I only realized it's spelled with double u).
Well, I personally think that Souji Seta sounds more formal, slick, sophisticated, serious, 'sexy' but more aloof than Yuu Narukami who's more of a cool, witty, teenage jackass of a swagger.
While both of them are still the protagonist… I just think that Souji Seta of the manga is more serious and indifferent and he's aware of his loneliness. On the other hand, Yuu Narukami of the anime, although he's lonely, his only aware of the physicality of it…I mean, he interacts with people awkwardly, maybe because he haven't really had a good record with people interaction and he unconsciously built a wall around him, but despite that, he doesn't mind exploring the realms of communication anyway…as opposed to Souji Seta who's more aware of himself and the boundaries he's created. Maybe Yuu will eventually evolve to Souji though, may it be for the better or worse of him…but anyhow, I'll always accept suggestions and I can always change the names in accordance to what the readers are more comfortable with…just let me know!
Also, I'm still having a difficulty about the title. I'm weighing options of naming this under a season, since Yukiko's name is related to 'snow' after all. But I guess it kinda sounds too cold for a romantic story if I name it (300) DAYS OF SNOW, or (300) DAYS OF SNOW-CHILD… the latter sounds horror to me. I don't know really, any suggestions?
Reviews and Suggestions are very welcome.
And BTW, do you wanna know if Yuu Narukami ended up talking to her after all? If you do, then you can read on. This was part of the original draft of this chapter that I excluded because it felt too general for me instead of Romance/Friendship. Although, it's still between him and her. And ChiexYosuke fans, I'm sorry for cutting them out in this chapter…but if it makes things better….here goes:
o~o~o~o~o~o
The clock is about to ring its final call and Yuu's eyes has been relentlessly checking the time every now and then until the last three minutes had finally come. He has already imagined how he'd storm out the door like lightning so as to say that 'Yuu Narukami is hungry' will be deemed as an understatement. He is already dying to go home and make a nice hearty warm meal for his grumbling stomach.
To all staff and students, there is an incident that has occurred near the school area. The police are currently patrolling the road to school…
An announcement suddenly took hold of everyone's attention, making them listen while gossiping at the same time.
We will hold an urgent meeting and requesting ALL STAFF MEMBERS to report to the Staff Office as soon as possible…
And aside from being in Morooka's class, Yuu Narukami's misfortune is evident in the next words from the intercom…
All Students, please wait inside your respective classrooms and refrain from leaving the school grounds until further notice.
Oh man, seriously? He almost dropped off his seat hearing the conclusion of the announcement. To think that he's already down to the last piece of candy from his pack of a dozen, he isn't exactly confident it would suffice him this time.
As if not contented, like he always had been, Morooka decided to rub salt to Yuu's wound with his threatening hiss, "Do as they say awright?! Don't leave this classroom until further notice!" then he stormed out of the door like lightning. Yuu sighed to think that he'd probably run faster than his teacher just to save himself from dying out of starvation...but unfortunately, right now wouldn't make that possible.
He resumed to stuff his belongings inside his bag. Yuu barely leaned on his seat out of eagerness to make a run for it. With his bag already on his lap, he rested his arms atop his desk. While his left elbow propped his palm up to cup his chin, the rest of his fingers started tapping his desk showing, and at the same time, fighting the urge of his impatience.
"How much longer does it gonna take?" Yuu heard his seatmate ask another, her voice is tired and dead just like his would probably be.
Yup. She just took the words right out of my mouth. Yuu tilted to his right, curious to the answer of the rhetorical question he also thought of.
"I don't know either" came a response of a light and soft voice, as if 'gentle' is not enough to describe it and it's from no other than the raven haired girl with the red sweater. As soon as he realized it, Yuu stopped his fidgeting fingers, debating in his mind whether to continue his 'observing' or better not.
Oh, so they're friends.
"Ah by the way Yukiko, have you already tried that 'thing' I told you about? You know…that TV thing…during rainy midnights?" his seatmate with golden brown hair continued to ask.
"Ah! I'm sorry. I didn't try it yet" she responded yet again, apologetically and with a smile.
She has a very soft voice and a very charming smile too. She sounds so sweet and kind that Yuu is almost convinced to ditch his snobbish preconceptions about her. Well if it hadn't be because of his stomach grumbling that made him think that maybe he's just deluded that things are being angelic even if they're not. His hunger may have made her fascinating and he could've sworn that his jaw dropped a bit as he continued to watch them have a chat about whatnots.
Apparently, someone from behind walked his way towards the pair of girls (before Yuu could ever mistake one as a food already). Yuu snapped back to his reality as soon as the guy struck a conversation.
"Ah, Satonaka….san?" The guy greeted, standing about three feet away from the two girls.
"Huh? Whut? And what's with the –san?" the short haired girl pouted and made an effort to entertain the guy but with her brow muscles already pulled together.
"The DVD I borrowed from you before is totally amazing. With all those attacks thrown at each other… 'twas seriously gurrrr-reat! AHAHAH" he faked a laugh but the short-haired girl isn't completely listening. And she's looking like she has the word 'So?!' on top of her forehead. With his faked laughter drying out, he suddenly bowed and reached out the DVD over to the owner, "I'm terribly sorry! It was an accident! Just wait until my next paycheck, okay?"
The girl is still processing what that was but before she could do so, the guy who handed her DVD back is already making a run for it, leaving her with just "Bye for now!"
"Hey Hey! They said not to leave the classroom yet!" She yelped and jumped out of her desk, oddly exhibiting such reckless kung-fu skills. "Just what did you do to my DVD?!"
Yuu could only wince looking at the poor guy who looks like he'd be needing a new ribcage after being jumped and sat on by a fairly rough girl—a petite at that. He could only hear her shrill nagging cry of "My Trial of the Dragon! Uwaaaa! You snipped it in half! Hu hu hu"
Is he even breathing? Yuu remained on his seat feeling his jaw drop a bit heavier just by the sight of this sloppy action scene right before his eyes. But before the scene turns any more red, he remembered his hunger and the girl who suddenly became charming probably because of it.
He wearily turned his head back at her direction. And without permission from his brain, he said "You have quite an energetic friend."
Oh. Did I just think aloud?!
Yuu still has that tired sad look on his face but he is already mentally slapping his mouth flat and whacking himself in the skull. Ugh. Darn hunger. Well, whatever.
"Hmm." She nodded, also looking at the mini action scene. "True." She added, glancing back at him with a soft sweet smile.
Then he froze then gulped, she actually talks back! Yuu found himself confounded with it and is yet again debating whether it is just the effects of hunger or this girl really is angelic in some ways.
The bell finally buzzed the special ring and that announcement had made them free to leave the school grounds. Everything that Yuu thought was taking forever actually happened quite in a snap. He was just coming up with the nerve to return the letter back to this girl in red sweater but she already stood up, ready to take her leave. Yuu instinctively jumped to his feet as soon as she did and then he remembered what he was supposed to do…which is to run his ass back home and do his hungry self a big fat meal for a favor.
This moment in time, food is the priority. He moved towards the door walking past the short haired girl who's comfortably sitting on someone else's back while whining over her broken DVD.
"Hey new guy!" she called and Yuu forced his neck to look back at her. Fighting between I'm on the process of dying and starving, I gotta get home versus I'd totally be dying an excruciating damaged-ribcage-and-lungs death if I don't turn to look at her now.
She finally stood up from her 'throne' all completely recovered from the grief of her DVD's eternal rest.
"Going home by yourself? This incident happening with all the police and stuff is kinda freaky, you know. Wanna walk home together?" She offered again, and Yuu remembered that she was still the same hospitable girl from early this morning, maybe with just added adrenaline and kung-fu reflexes, but still she was nice to save him from Morooka and offer him a seat. He just might as well be mindful when around her then. She still has that bully-vibe after all. And the poor guy she had just beaten down is now totally forgotten. Or maybe not.
"Are you okay?" The girl in red sweater daintily asked the trampled boy who's still lying face-on on the floor. He managed to squeak "I'm okay!" making the ok-sign with his fingers.
But the short girl snapped at her friend, "Yukiko! Don't give this Hanamura-jerk the time of his life! Forget him! We're going home!" then she started walking out the door making the raven-haired girl follow.
Somehow, Yuu felt that his seatmate has already decided on his behalf regarding the offer she made seconds ago, thus he believes he's now supposed to follow her as well.
"I'm Chie Satonaka, your seatmate, remember?" she smiled ever so gleefully that he really had to respond "Of course, nice meeting you."
"…and this is my friend Yukiko Amagi." Chie added waving her palm towards her friend for a proper introduction.
So it's Amagi, huh. Yuu didn't know why he selectively took note of that and he wanted to mentally slap himself about it, again.
"It's nice to meet you" Yukiko politely bowed "And sorry for pestering you."
No, not at all. The pleasure is all mine. Yuu was sure he's been smiling, although not entirely certain if it's like that of a mad dog. Crap. This is weird. Ugh. I need food. He snapped back almost instantly, keeping his cool and trying to rationalize. It's only because I'm too hungry.
"Don't apologize Yukiko! You make me look bad!" Chie is not a blusher, but her voice obviously tells the same. She started to lead their way again, walking their way out of the lobby. "I just wanted to talk to him a bit!"
The three of them found their way out of the hallway, then out of the building, and eventually the school's grounds with Chie casually interrogating Yuu about his previous school, present residency and finally, his reason for transferring.
And for the second time for the day, Yuu noticed the same guy lurking by the gate again. He couldn't help but notice the way he stands out by the entrance with a totally different uniform. Lucky him, it's not raining anymore. A lot of students huddled up all around once again talking about the incident nearby school. For a small town like Inaba, people really do get too excited about every little commotion and they have this glorious past time of transmitting it all over. So he just left them be and turned his attention back to his companions.
"This year my parents had to work on a project abroad. It would disrupt my course of education if they bring me with them to a country that absolutely has language barriers. So yeah, I had to stay here, with a guardian." Yuu replied as they walked down the slope. Yukiko was one to shy away from asking him personal questions and walked a couple of steps ahead of them.
Yuu tried to keep on with her pace but she walks a bit too quick for him to catch up without splattering his shoes with tiny bits of wet rainwater that hadn't dried down in the road. That's how you manage to create an artwork of mud on the back of your legs, miss. You march too fast.
"Oh. So you're only here for a year and that's just because of your parents' work. Sheesh, I was actually hoping for something juicier than that…" Chie retorted as she walked side by side with Yuu.
"Chie, don't be rude." Yukiko chided her friend as she glanced back to the pair. For a second, she looked at him meekly then resumed her own pace ahead of them.
"Yukiko wait up! What's the rush?", Chie called out, then gestured to Yuu that they both keep up with her.
Maybe she's just not comfortable with the idea of going home together.
Yuu kept up with them, still cautious with his footsteps even though he'd been itching to make a leap for it. His stomach is silently grumbling a reminder. But a part of him is thinking that walking home with two new acquaintances may not be such a bad idea after all.
And when they've managed to keep up, a smile crept into his lips.