July 25, 2011; 11:14; Mihama Private Academy – Classroom

Chizuru's lecturing does not stop. Unfortunately, the caffeine rush I had hoped that would last me wore off just one hour short of when I wanted it to. Since then I've been drifting in and out of consciousness every few minutes. I'm certain Chizuru had noticed my drifting, despite not acting on it. This cycle went on for a little over three hours. Then suddenly for the fifth time this morning, the class bell rings.

Chizuru: "Ah, I guess I will see you all after lunch."

Chizuru exits the classroom, leaving all seven of us alone and unmonitored. She truly has faith in her students. She did however mention this was our lunch period. Thinking about it now. Did Chizuru ever discuss with me how this school handles lunch? I look over to Yuuji to find Suou, Irisu, Matsushima, and Komine huddled around Yuuji. Noting the absence of Sakaki, I glance back towards her seat to find her reading a book she had pulled out. Quickly deciding to forget about Sakaki, I decide to stand up and make my way back to the dormitory. Deciding to be better safe than sorry and make my own lunch and take care of protecting some information.

Amane: "Oh? Hey Hiroshi-kun! Where are you going?"

Hiroshi: "Lunch."

A simple answer should take their eyes off me.

Sachi: "No need to trouble yourself Akira, I'm currently taking everyone's requests of what they want for lunch. It'd be no problem taking yours."

Hiroshi: "A simple sandwich will be fine, I'll pay you for the sandwich this evening."

Sachi: "I refuse."

Did she just refuse money? Deciding to walk halfway over to them so I don't need to raise my voice, I noticed Yuuji looking at me analytically. Choosing to ignore him for now.

Hiroshi: "Then I refuse your generosity."

Michiru: "Oi! Don't refuse a girl's kindness! Especially Sachi's!"

Amane: "Michiru may have a point on this one. It is rude to refuse a beautiful woman's generosity."

Hiroshi: "I suppose Yuuji is the rudest person alive seeing how you plopped your moons on top of him despite his blatant lack of concern."

Yuuji: "I've told her multiple times to take them off me, I've grown numb to the feeling by now."

Amane: "Don't ya know how rude it is to insult a woman's figure!"

Amane stops sitting on Yuuji with her upper body and steps away with a pouting stance.

Hiroshi: "Perverted Woman."

Michiru: "As if you're one to talk! You watched Makina fondle my…. Anyway! You have no room to talk!"

Hiroshi: "Allow me to clear the air about the undoubtedly horrendous illusions some of you may have gotten about me by Matsushima's statement. Firstly, that incident occurred on the day I came here; two days ago. Secondly, Chizuru was with me when we happened to of heard what sounded like a dying banshee screaming 'NOOOO MAKINA'. Followed by a loud crash. If we had been in the dormitory our eardrums most definitely of been shot. Last but most definitely the most important thing to consider, we happened to of stumbled upon Irisu's massaging what I assumed to be a corpse when we attempted to make our way up the stairway. The site of it, if I'm being purely honest, left me feeling like I wanted to find the nearest helicopter and go sky-diving without a parachute. So, at that time I think I can excuse my reaction since it was the first time in my life I was left truly speechless

The reaction I had said was a bit of a lie, but it's true when I say the site of the massaging did leave me speechless.

Sachi: "Well said response, Akira."

Michiru: "You didn't have to go up that stairway! You could have taken the elevator!"

Sachi: "A valid argument, Michiru-sama. However, our dormitory does not have an elevator."

Michiru: "Ggh…Well…Anyway! Go fetch my lunch Sachi!"

With that, Sachi walks over to Sakaki for her request and leaves the classroom. I decide that rather than keep myself in the conversation.

Around seven minutes later Sachi comes back carrying everyone's lunches. She looked as though she could not even see where she was going. Without thinking, I jump from my seat and run over to Sachi.

Hiroshi: "Oi! Don't carry this much stuff on your own! You could seriously hurt yourself! Ever heard of shopping bags?!"

I, not noticing, say so with a tone of worry and anger. Everyone else however, did notice.

Amane + Michiru + Makina: "…."

By this point I've already taken over half of the lunches and placing them separately on the desks.

Sachi: "I appreciate your concern Akira, I'll be sure to do it less often in the future."

Finally getting the lunches sorted out, I notice everyone but a small few giving me looks.

Hiroshi: "Oh?...ha ha… ha ha ha...My bad, guess I dropped the ball."

I turn around and go back to my seat and continuing my reading. How idiotic of me to run up and take almost everything Komine was carrying. Then scold her for doing something so haphazardly. There was no reason for me to do it. There was no gain from it. I just mad an ass out of myself for no reason.

*poke*

Hiroshi: "Huh?"

Sachi: "You wouldn't respond to me calling your name, so I poked you. You forgot to pick up your sandwich when you returned to your seat."

Hiroshi: "I see, thanks."

Despite making an ass out of myself, she still went out of her way to give this to me. I don't want to cause much more of a scene and stand out even more. Best just eat my sandwich and retract myself from the social circle.

July 25, 2011; 15:07; Mihama Private Academy – Classroom.

OST ~ Orange Sunshine

They say hindsight is a way to look back and learn from mistakes. What isn't said, however, is how hindsight makes you criticize yourself for said mistakes. Of course, it may be a given. But considering how the circumstances of the event one would look back in hindsight can vary greatly, could cause self-induced depression, anger, etc.

Thinking back to the encounter with Yuuji at the dorm and the incident with Sakaki this morning. I can't help but wonder, what have I done wrong and what should I have done? The incident with Sakaki sparked Yuuji's suspicions about me. If I hadn't of shown a visible reaction to her presence, Yuuji more than likely wouldn't of spoke up. So that is my fault. So, say that was unavoidable, that would lead me to regard my emotions during the moment. I started slowly getting riled up when the thought of Sakaki torturing these people due to her own insanity. (I assumed of course.)

Foolish. Completely foolish of me.

Regardless, I'll be sitting in the classroom until sunset if I continue to wallow. The bell noting the end of today's classes rung a minute or so ago, I stand from my seat and walk towards the door until I'm stopped by hearing my name called.

Amane: "Hey Hiroshi-kun! Want to have a welcoming party?"

Hiroshi: "No. You have so much time, don't waste it on such a trivial matter."

Michiru: "Bah, what do you mean so much of it? We have plenty of time!"

Hiroshi: "You can die at any moment. Death can come at a moment's notice. Do what you can do today instead of putting it off until tomorrow, and don't knowingly waste your time unless your 'soul' is just a drifting log in the river."

Michiru: "Hypocrite! Idiot! You say don't waste your time yet you spent the entire day reading a book instead of talking during recess periods! Only one time did you actually do something that's not reading and go on a walk!"

Hiroshi: "Why you must always shout at the top of your lungs. I just have a thing for reading. You can learn so many things from books. Whether it'd be pointless trivia or how airplanes fly.

Sachi: "Akira, if you'd like, I could shut Michiru-sama up."

Hiroshi: "I'm in your debt."

Sachi seemingly pulls a loaf of bread out an invisible pocket and shoves it into Matsushima's mouth. The site of the woman practically gagging on bread was slightly amusing.

Amane: "Dark and edgy philosophies aside, let's all get together and celebrate your arrival Hiroshi-kun. I'm a very good cook, even Yuuji says so."

Makina: "Isin't because Onii-chan would daily eat borin ol' beans?"

Amane: "Maybe, maybe. That guy would eat actual garbage if you served it to him."

Hiroshi: "Doesn't have much of a standard then?"

Amane: "Not really. Yuuji prefers meals that provide nutrients and vitamins. Y'know, body essentials. He doesn't seem to care how it looks or tastes like."

Hiroshi: "That type of standard you'd see from people enlisted in the military."

In America, anyway.

Sachi: "You have a point, Kazami-san does behave like a soldier in military forces. However, the chance of Kazami-san being in the military are low. Japan does not have a 'military' if we're using the United States of America as reference."

Amane: "Nah, no way he could ever be from the military. Yuuji works a garbage collection job part-time."

Hiroshi: "I see."

He's got himself a stable position at a garbage job, swell. Maybe that has something to do with his lack of care over the appearance or taste of his meals. A brief silence looms over the room until Komine decides to interrupt.

Sachi: "I'd love to stay and partake of the conversation longer, but I got a list of chores to do before sunset, excuse me."

Sachi leaves, leaving just us four.

Amane: "So, Hiroshi-kun. What time will you be free?"

Hiroshi: "I recall myself declining the offer? If not, I will remind you. I don't want you to throw a welcoming party for me, it's more troublesome to host a party for someone who won't show up."

Amane: "It's just a one-time thing, not asking a whole lot of you. Just show up and eat the food. It isn't that hard."

Hiroshi: "What's really asking a lot of me is to show up to a student's room when we've only been acquainted less than one day and celebrate alongside the rest of the student body."

Amane: "…"

Thinking I finally got my message through, I start to turn around and leave.

Amane: "Hiroshi-kun, do you really not want a welcoming party?"

Suou's mood drops. Why is this woman, who would plop her rack on someone's head and not bat an eye, turn tail and retreat when someone denies a simple commodity? For some reason the back of my neck itches unbearably and its hard to maintain eye contact. I practically spat out every reason I could think of quickly to throw her off. Now I feel regret.

Hiroshi: "If you really want to host something, go ahead. Keep it small, I won't even bother coming out of my room if I find the entire student body attending."

Amane: "Yes! You won't be disappointed Hiroshi-kun! I'll have Makina or Yuuji drop by your room when things are set."

How troublesome, I suppose getting to know these guys shouldn't be that bad. Given the assumption that I won't be getting forcefully taken away by feds tonight. This should be a proper way to end the conversation. I leave the classroom.

Michiru: *Gasp*… "Amane, I swear I'm not the only who caught that, how he backed down once he saw your mood drop. I bet we got another tsundere! Bad enough to have two, now we have three!"

Amane: "You've been fighting that loaf of bread all this time Michiru? Hehe, maybe he is a tsundere. Too early to call though."

Makina: "Hes only ben here won day and hes already a bettur tsundere than ChiruChiru."

Michiru: "Bah! I can out-tsundere him anytime! He's below even Yuuji!"

While Makina and Michiru continued to debate who in the school is the better tsundere, Amane was zoned out of the conversation, intertwined in her own thoughts.

Amane: ("Hiroshi's attitude feels forced. He's purposely trying to keep us at a distance, like Sakaki. It would be bad if we have two Sakaki's on the same grounds. Hopefully this welcoming party will tell him we're not his enemy.")

July 25, 2011; 16:34; School Dormitory - Hiroshi's Room

OST ~ The Town Where You Are

Going off American time it is 6:34pm. So far, no signs of federal activity. I've done little to nothing aside from scouting for aforementioned feds. I did read a few news stories. Nothing considerably noteworthy save for McDonalds declaring their aim to make their happy meals healthier. How could you make McDonalds food healthier without changing the food altogether? In the past they have changed some of their recipes dramatically due to major health concerns, but today their food is still some of the unhealthiest fast food you can get. Which goes for practically every fast food restaurant. For quick food for food-starved citizens sure it could work. Wouldn't necessarily hurt you to eat it every now and then. It's the ingestion of their food day after day that could lead to health problems. Daylight is nearing sunset, which is when the true time for worry. If I'm to be taken away, it will happen sometime tonight.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

Yuuji: "Akira, Amane sent me to tell you everything is ready."

Hiroshi: "Yes, yes, I'm on my way."

I open my door to see none other than one Kazami Yuuji standing beside the doorway with a neutral expression. A much preferable expression compared to what I had seen hours ago.

Yuuji: "Ready to go?"

Hiroshi: "As ready as I'll ever be. That woman pestered me to give her the go-ahead for this party and that I'll show up."

Yuuji: "Troublesome woman."

We begin walking down the hall.

Hiroshi: "Who will be attending this party?"

Yuuji: "Currently me, Makina, Michiru, and Amane herself. Sachi is still tending to her errands, and Sakaki, well, is Sakaki."

My walk-speed slightly slows at the mention of Sakaki, thinking back to my thoughts earlier. It does not surprise me she isn't attending.

Hiroshi: "Did these people throw you a welcoming party? Any idea what am I to expect during this welcoming party?"

Yuuji: "Can't say I had one. Closest thing to a 'welcoming party' was seeing a stripper in my room."

Hiroshi: "Troublesome."

Yuuji: "Agreed."

Hiroshi: "On another note, what is the deal with Matsushima?. She seemed quite pissed at Irisu for something I can't remember. I think she chased her with a bug or something, causing Matsushima to fall down the stairs."

Yuuji: " Michiru plays the role of the typical tsundere character. She fails horribly at it, but it is better to give her words of encouragement when she fails. As for Makina… Sounds like something Makina would do. Although, if Michiru fell down the stairs and has no physical damage or bruising, she must have broken her fall with something or has the body strength of a taut body builder."

Hiroshi: "She looked fine to me, may have been mere luck that she came out of that uninjured. Although, there was something unusual. That being, Irisu fondling the woman's chest. She looks and acts like a little kid, despite Chizuru assuring me she was fifteen."

Yuuji: "I wouldn't let Makina's childish behavior and appearance fool you, she is potentially a deceitful genius."

Hiroshi: "So? Is she exceptionally skilled with photographic memory? Able to look at a page for a mere second and have all contents memorized?"

Yuuji: "Correct, Makina has exceptional photographic memory, Makina alongside my sister are the only two people I know who had this level of skill."

Hiroshi: "Then why did Irisu look dumbfounded during some of today's classes?"

Yuuji: "Her attention span is short, only time she truly pays attention is when it is for her benefit or if something is entertaining. If it's boring she most of the time falls asleep. However, she's quick and eager to learn whatever catches her interest. If she were to devote herself to a long-term goal, there's no doubt she'd be able to achieve it. Her childish behavior she emits daily is a façade, although I do not know why. That being said, as she is now; she won't last long out on her own."

She has potential, has no ambition, and runs around and behaves like a little kid.

Perhaps she's one of those spoiled video game shut-ins who had a traumatizing experience.

It's rich for me, of all people, to accuse others of being a shut-in.

*Crash*

Yuuji + Hiroshi: "Hmm?"

Deciding to ignore the fact that both of us hummed simultaneously, I shift my eyes toward the door six meters down the hall on the left. I'm expecting some screaming to shortly ensue for some reason, however

Silence.

Yuuji: "The vibration and noise level of that crash was too great to be Makina, the noise level I would expect to hear from Michiru. However, the span of the vibration was a bit drawn out. So, my current analysis, Amane tripped and fell down."

Impressive, Simply impressive. He can calmly and efficiently make such analysis's with so little to go on aside from the noise of the crash and vibration it sent through the building? Hell, I didn't even feel any vibration.

Hiroshi: "Let's just get this over with."

Deciding to take initiative for this occasion, I knock on the door and announce my arrival.

Amane: "Hiroshi-kun! Yuuji! One moment please. We've…had an accident,"

Hiroshi: "That skill of yours is invaluable, Yuuji"

Yuuji: "It has it's uses."

After several minutes of waiting in front of the door, it opens. Suou Amane, dressed in what I would call a white tank top; that of which is barely holding the package together. Alongside a pair of black jeans that look a tad too big for her size with a belt she doesn't even have buckled…

"Who ordered a stripper?"

Before I could voice this thought, she speaks.

Amane: "Welcome you two! Sorry for the wait, I kinda tripped over a pest while carrying the miso."

Makina: "That woodna happened if you jus' lemme have a bite of that onigiri."

Amane: "Makina, you- "

Yuuji: "Makina, your little stunt could have severely burned Amane if the miso spilled on her."

Makina: "What? Ama-nee coudnt be burnt any moar then she is, all burned out! Tryna burn fat she doesn't even have. Men wike nice and pwump don't you know Ama-nee?"

Amane: "Shut up Makina!"

In less than a second, Suou somehow manages to lock Irisu in a headlock. Despite Irisu standing behind her. What ensues can only be described as a hammerhead shark fighting with its prey, with said prey screaming out for help as the hammerhead slowly devours it.

Poor Kid.

Yuuji: "I thought that nikujaga was a bit dense. It isn't a problem for me, but I didn't expect Amane to eat it as well."

Hiroshi: "I'll never understand why some women in this country care so much about their figure."

Any country for that matter. I'll also never understand why they won't take their little spat elsewhere and let us have room to pass through the door.

July 25, 2011; 16:50; School Dormitory – Amane's Room

Suou and Irisu finally calmed down and stopped blocking the door. I walk in, searching for a clock. 16:50, it nearly took twenty minutes to get to this point. I may be in for a long night, SAT notwithstanding. The main room consists of a bed, a shelf filled to the brim with toys as well as a small aquarium housing a small creature whose name forgoes me now, and a chabudai in the middle. I sit down at the chabudai, to avoid as much interaction as possible. I wish I had pretended to sleep when Yuuji knocked on my door, but then I'd be interrogated for not showing up the next day. I bring my focus back into the present and decide to observe the character interaction going on around me. Irisu is trying to dig into the onigiri. I say trying, because Suou keeps swatting her away like a fly. Suou is multi-tasking swatting Irisu and quick kitchen clean up. Matsushima is trying to feign being interested in the little creature inside the aquarium. Yuuji is standing against the wall, observing the scene in front of him such as I am. As my eyes centered on him, his centered on mine. Deciding to avoid some nonsense BL fans would get a kick out of, I spoke up.

Hiroshi: "Planning to sit?"

Yuuji: "Sure."

As he makes his way to sit at the chabudai, Matsushima picks up on his movement and jumps from her position in front of the creature (she gave into her interest) to the opposite of where Yuuji presumably intended to sit. Which, from my perspective, is on my right.

Yuuji: "You nearly clipped the surface of the chabudai with your left hind heel. Had you actually hit it, you may of cause it to topple over, or much worse. Scream out in pain."

Hiroshi: "Most of the people I've known burst into laughter when they hit their hind heels."

Yuuji: "Depends on the location and the severity of the pain and varies from person to person."

Michiru: "It's called the funny bone! You hit it and it makes you laugh!"

Yuuji: "What you're referring to is scientifically recognised as the Ulnar nerve, and is located near the Ulna bone. Contrary to what is believed, the funny bone isn't actually a bone. Rather, it is a nerve."

Michiru: "What is a walnut bone?"

Hiroshi: "It is pronounced ulna bone."

I turn my right hand where my palm is facing Matsushima and with my left hand place my index finger on my forearm.

Hiroshi: "It is located in your forearm and runs the length of the forearm alongside the radius bone."

Michiru: "Doesn't the body have multiple ulna nerves then?"

Hiroshi: "Matsushima, I'm not experienced in the human anatomy."

Michiru: "Then get some exper-"

OST ~ Jumbo Fruit Parfait DX

Before she could finish that sentence, a wild Goblin appeared! Wild Goblin used BodySlam!.

Michiru: "Makin-egh-get off-agh-my face!"

Hiroshi: "It's Super Effective!"

Yuuji: "Hm?"

Hiroshi: "Don't mind me, my otaku just momentarily showed."

Yuuji: "I know a guy who I think you'd get along well with."

Hiroshi: "I'll pass, I'm not into neko shit."

For some time me and Yuuji shoot the breeze while Matsushima and Irisu continue to dust ball brawl as the evening entertainment. Surprisingly keeping their spat contained as to not cause a mess in the room.

Yuuji: "They've been going at this for eight minutes."

Hiroshi: "Do we have to intervene?"

Yuuji: "Intervene? Me?"

Hiroshi: "They would be embarrassments if they tired each other before the food was ready."

Makina: "I am onwe an embawassment if I lose! As if I'd wose to this punk!"

You pronounced 'lose' right the first time, what gives?

Hiroshi: "Can you two please knock it off, I'm surprised you're so hyper around me, since I'm the new kid."

Saying this flicks a mental switch in Irisu and her behavior completely changes. Allowing enough time for Matsushima to gain the upper hand and free herself.

OST ~ The Moon is Watching

Makina: "Sorry.. You hate me now dontcha'? Gwuess I got cauwt too much up in the fun…"

That is quite an illogical leap based on one sentence. I didn't glare or have any rude tone in my voice when I said that, did I?

Horishi: "That is nonsensical, I'm not going to hate you for having fun. There is a time and place for everything."

Makina: "I see..."

*Poke*

Makina: "Eh?"

Hiroshi: " It is probably not my place to say, but don't let one person's opinion of you define who you are. I've suffered greatly making this mistake. You've got a good head on your shoulders, the act is almost too convincing."

Makina: "Nice tsundere, Roshi."

Hiroshi: "I'm not an old turtle hermit."

Makina: "A what?"

Poking her forehead was a gambit, and I want to cringe in hindsight. However, in the moment I felt this girl was genuinely kicking herself because she thought I now hated her. A behavior I've seen before in myself. A behavior which, had someone taught me how wrong I was, some things may have turned out differently. Seeing it in her made me impulsive, I didn't want to see her live her life always hiding herself so people cannot hate her. I still don't think it's wise for her to do that, but I definitely could have gone without the forehead poking. This is the last time.

Michiru: "So what is a Crab Turtle anyway?"

July 25, 2011; 17:33; School Dormitory – Amane's Room

Dinner is fully prepared and already finished. I have to give credit where credit is due, Suou is an amazing cook. I've generally found most japanese dishes lacking in taste. Tonight's feast has been an exception. I can't help but find myself cracking a sly smile, content in the evening's filling.

Hiroshi: "Again, I must thank you for the food, Suou-san."

Amane: "Thank you! It was to celebrate your arrival to Mihama Academy afterall."

No one seems to notice I addressed Suou as 'Suou-san'. I realized while eating that not using any honorific would come off as disrespectable to some people in this country. Realizing I still have time to retcon this, I decided to start addressing everyone, save Yuuji, with '-san'. This way, honorifics are, well, honored.

Hiroshi: "That's interesting, because no welcoming party was hosted for Yuuji when he arrived. Only thing he got was a stripper in his room."

Amane: "I am not a stripper! Ya asshole!"

Luckily she was not looking at me, rather, at Yuuji. Who only gives her a look I can amount to "Why is this woman such a pain in the ass?".

Yuuji: "I never told him it was you who was in my room that morning."

Amane: "Oh..Uh...Can we just forget about this?"

Hiroshi: "It'd be my pleasure. With that said, you never quite answered my question."

Michiru: "It isn't like I'm not totally interested in you as a backup!"

Putting a mental block on Matsushima for the rest of tonight.

Amane: "Ah, I see. How to put it… I suppose seeing you acting so closed off kinda reminded me of Sakaki, and with the stand-off with Sakaki, I wanted to help you feel welcome here. As to why we never quite threw a welcoming party for Yuuji, it was a big change for the first ever male to be attending here. Now, things have settled down and your arrival seemed timely."

So Yuuji's arrival here was a massive shock for the female body here, more-so than my arrival. I can't say her motives are bad, I actually enjoyed myself some. I momentarily forgot about my troubles, and the issue at the forefront.

Sakaki Yumiko.

OST ~ Scab

Attending this party may have put me at a disadvantage at tracking any sign of federal movement outside the academy, but then again. What good would it do? I run up to the roof? What then? I jump to my death? I'm by no means in shape, no way in hell I'm fighting my way out. What about the other students? What if they're caught in the crossfire.

Even though you act so indifferent, you can't help but put others first.

No, I cannot do this now. I need to leave.

OST End

I interrupt the current chit-chat between Matsushima and Suou and announce my departure for the evening. The next few hours I will need to lock it down. I have to decide my route of action from here.