Ichinose
Daisuke shoved his fists in his pockets as he headed to the bus stop, his shoes kicking up dirt with eat step. The keychain from yesterday was still in his hand and he remembered to keep a look out for that guy, but as he caught glances with Yasuhiko, he tried to look busy with something else. Still, his friend approached.
"Hey man! Long time no see!" the teen forced a smile, "How've you been?"
"..Uh...okay, I guess." he shrugged, letting the conversation die there. A long silence passed between them, Yasuhiko shifting awkwardly as considered discussion topics.
"...Daisuke?" he finally said, his voice no longer trying to mask his disappointment, "...are you...mad?"
"...N-No...not at you..." the teen sighed in defeat, "...I'm sorry, Yasuhiko. I just...don't feel like talking about it."
"Y-Y'know, you should log back in. It'll take your mind off things and...Blackrose really misses you."
The bus arrived just in time, and although Daisuke contemplated his advice, he simply walked past and took the seat at the very back. Luckily, his friend got the message and didn't bother talking to him anymore.
Heaving a deep sigh, he stroked the charm in his pocket and stared out the window. While he felt bad about how he was treating his friends, that still didn't push him to apologize. He was just too bitter and it'd be better to let those feelings subside before he got social again.
He wished he could sleep the day away; he was so tired of...being here.
Daisuke perked up as someone took the place opposite him and immediately turned away. It was an unfamiliar schoolboy he assumed might've been the same one from yesterday. So, he curiously scooted beside him and peered over his shoulder before suddenly meeting his gaze with their noses nearly touching. The teen quickly jerked back and raised the keychain to eyelevel.
"I-Is this yours?" the boy blinked, "...I found it-"
"What are you doing with this?! Why'd you take it?!" he shouted as he snatched back the item, "You people just...take things that aren't yours?!"
Daisuke froze, his cheeks reddening as students eyed the scene.
"...Sorry." he started back towards the window before the boy uttered a quiet word of gratitude.
"...N-No problem. Um...I'm really sorry about yesterday, by the way. It really was an accident."
The boy just looked into his lap, now caressing the charm admiringly. He no longer seemed to be all that preoccupied with the incident...or with Daisuke, so he ultimately gave up feeling guilty. The guy was probably an asshole, anyway. Not that he'd been acting much better, himself.
He kept his head down on the way to homeroom, ignoring the waves and friendly smiles being flashed his way. Once he took his seat, he briefly made eye contact with that guy from the bus. He looked just as surprised, being just a seat apart. They were placed in alphabetical order, yet he'd never noticed him there before! Glancing about the room, he saw the faces of his new classmates for what felt like the first time. For the past week or so, the only thing he'd really acquainted himself with was the surface of his desk.
"Good morning, everyone." Mister Tanaka greeted in his honeyed voice, "Before we start the lesson today, why don't we say what our plans are this weekend in English? Who wants to start?...Ichinose?" the boy in front of him didn't acknowledge the question, though the teacher was looking directly at him.
"Ichinose." he called, this time using an English accent "What will you do this weekend?"
No response. The teacher tried once more, but Ichinose had no intention of answering. Daisuke couldn't exactly blame him, but it was still a bit rude.
"Anyone else?"
Yasuhiko raised his hand like the good student he was, and amazed the class with his well-versed answer of "I'm going to play 'The World'." He studied hard at everything he attempted, which was why he was not only so knowledgeable about "The World", but a straight-A student, too. He wanted to be a computer engineer and possibly work for CC Corp, so it was inevitable that he'd be so diligent. Daisuke's career path wasn't so clear, but he was more interested in sports than computers.
The rest of the day went on pretty normally, though the scene at the bus stop added a bit of flavor to the monotony. There was that guy again...Ichinose: he hadn't looked up from that charm and students were starting to get annoyed with how he'd carelessly bump into them.
"Hey freak! Watch it!" one finally warned as he was pushed to the ground.
"Why are you wearing a boys' uniform, trans-freak? Hahahahaha!"
But Ichinose remained calm, not once looking up from the charm. It was fascinating to see him so collected with all that was happening, but perhaps that was why he'd exploded at Daisuke.
"Hey freak! I'm talk- " Yasuhiko suddenly cut in and helped the boy to his feet, "Tch...you..."
"Are you okay?" though the boy just blushed up at him.
"Stay out of this ORCA! You don't need to meddle in real world affairs, too! This is between me and him!"
"Now it's between me and you." the bully scowled in response, but ultimately backed down and returned to his group.
When the bus arrived, Daisuke sat alone while he watched Yasuhiko warm up to Ichinose. He couldn't catch much of their conversation, but he wasn't that interested, anyway. Yet, despite the lack of concern, Yasuhiko wouldn't let him leave without properly introducing himself to their classmate. With how sweetly they smiled to each other, Daisuke suspected he'd made yet another friend.
"Ichinose plays 'The World', too! He seems to know your character!" though all the teen could muster was a weak smile.
"...talking about me again, Yasuhiko? I don't even log on anymore."
"But—" Ichinose shyly lowered his head, "...uuh...n-nevermind. I have to go."
Daisuke followed suit and branched off towards the fish market, where his boss greeted him with a firm nod. He changed clothes in the back and approached the cash register with gloved hands. Although he mostly handled the money, he still had to weigh the fish and sometimes even cut it depending on how much there was. Consequentially, he was slowly losing a taste for seafood.
The following morning, his bike was still acting up, so he was forced back onto the bus where Ichinose and Yasuhiko were laughing about something. The second the two turned, the newcomer plugged his nose and whimpered.
"Ugh! Fish!"
"...So sue me, I have a job." Daisuke defended through narrowed eyes, "I don't like the smell either, but I can't do anything about it."
"...S-Sorry, I just...I don't like fish. Just the small makes me nauseous."
"Then don't talk to me." Ichinose was taken aback by his bitterness, and Yasuhiko only made it worse by trying to explain his situation. That he hadn't always been this way.
"Kaoru and I formed a party last night with Shouta! It was so much fun! You really should play with us!"
"I told you that I'm not interested." But they wouldn't drop it.
"Now I'm not surprised you invited him so often."
"...Excuse me?" Ichinose blushed.
"...Um...I suppose...we ended up meeting each other after all, Kite. You and Blackrose...after Mia ...was deleted...you two helped me and...we'd all planned to meet in Tokyo...to go shopping together. You guys were...my first friends, but...then...you stopped logging in."
Daisuke was speechless, not sure whether to be happy or upset that Yasuhiko had revealed his identity without his consent. Normally he wouldn't have cared, but he wasn't in the proper state of mind to be seeing old friends.
"...Daisuke?" the teen rolled his eyes and slid to the other side of the bus, making it as clear as possible that he didn't want to talk about it.
