5a) She was cute.

Hisao:

"Yeah, cute I guess."

Kenji:

"I knew it!"

"There are a lot of cute girls here. A strangely disproportionate amount... I believe this is one of the dark secrets of this school."

"I tried to warn you man, but did you listen..."

Narrator:

I don't remember any such warning.

Hisao:

"Dark secrets?"

Kenji:

"Yes, dark secrets. Extremely dark. Like a black hole."

"Have you noticed that the number of girls in this school is slightly but significantly higher than the number of boys? It's like 60-40."

Narrator:

He turns his head to the left and stares off into the distance at nothing.

Kenji:

"Why is it like this? I mean, to the untrained eye, it doesn't appear to be that bad, but that is a full 20%."

"One would think that a school with such a huge pool of women would be a man's dream. But no!"

"What I am about to tell you could blow your mind. Are you ready?"

Narrator:

I don't know where this is going, but I think I won't be missing much by cutting out now.

Hisao:

"No, I am not ready."

Narrator:

I only get as far as turning the doorknob before Kenji starts talking again, showing the he doesn't really care if my mind is blown or not.

Kenji:

"I believe that this school is a battleground. The site of a feminist infiltration."

"This disparity in the number of men to women is a clear sign of how far they have come. In case this cold war turns hot, they will have superiority in numbers."

"Just another skirmish in the eternal war against the forces of the feminists... They're everywhere. In Japan, women outnumber men. It's not a 60-40 split, but it's only a matter of time, man..."

"Even in America, women are the majority by a hair. They're building up their numbers. In the past, the buildup of a military has always been the clearest sign of imminent war."

"Japan is just the first step. Our economy is badass, and the country itself is small and isolated, yet a huge part of the Pacific in terms of political value."

"The perfect target. They are so cunning... As expect of women."

"Soon, the day will come, when..."

Narrator:

Kenji's voice trails off ominously.

Kenji:

"That is why you can't trust them. They will string you along, and then kill you, just as they killed me. You will end up just like me."

Hisao:

"Oh, hell no..."

Narrator:

I can't stop myself from blurting it out.

Kenji:

"Hey! What the hell does that mean?!"

Hisao:

"You said it, not me."

Narrator:

It's the best I can think of.

Kenji:

"So? You're not supposed to say something like that! Damn, so rude."

"Where was I? Oh, yeah, vast feminist conspiracy."

Hisao:

"Stop it. Stop! I lost you way, way back there somewhere. Somewhere around 'feminist infiltration.'"

Kenji:

"Too hard to follow? It's cool, I have some graphs and stuff in my room. An puppets. You like puppets?"

Hisao:

"No puppets."

Kenji:

"You don't like puppets, okay. Graphs are still cool, though, right?"

Narrator:

He speaks energetically, responding almost before I'm done talking, moving his hands in an animated way as he continues to rant on.

This is too strange. I had him pegged as relatively normal, but it's clear I was wrong.

Kenji:

"Something on your mind, dude?"

Hisao:

"Just thinking about what it's like to be the last sane man in an insane world."

Narrator:

Kenji frowns, looking deeply upset.

Kenji:

"You meant that's you? That can't be, because I'm the last sane man in an insane world. That is my dream, you can't just steal a man's dream."

"What the hell, there can't be two last sane men. It would invalidate that whole 'last' part... and that part is kind of important."

"There can only be one, like in that foreign movie where there could only be one, and in the end there is only one dude left, because that was the point."

Narrator:

I have never seen anyone talk so heatedly and so defensively about absolutely nothing before.

Kenji:

"Anyway, if you wait here, I can get my graphs. I also have a list of the other dark and complex conspiracies that this school holds, as tangled as..."

"Quick, finish my analogy for me. Be a pal."

Hisao:

"I'm going to go to bed now. It's extremely late."

Kenji:

"That doesn't sound like an analogy. But whatever."

"I like you, you seem like a cool dude."

"Most people don't understand what I'm talking about when I try to explain the vast feminist conspiracy to them. Denial is a terrible thing."

"Later."

Narrator:

He claps me on the back and then vanishes into his room so quickly and quietly it's like he didn't even open the door but instead walked right through it like a ghost.

I don't know if I can fully digest what just happened, so I give up and just go to my room, kicking off my shoes before falling facefirst into bed.

It takes mes some time to relax and get up so I can get started on homework.

It's because the sheets are cool and comforting against my cheeks, and it feels good just lying there with my eyes closed.

This school is like some kind of bizarre and surreal island. It's isolated on top of a mountain, and each person is stranger than the last.

I just can't seem to fit in. What irony, one would think that fitting in a place that's made for people who are unfit for anywhere else would be easy.

Hisao:

"Maybe I'm trying to hard."

Narrator:

Although I say that, it doesn't help take the edge off, and the words are left echoing off my empty walls.

I guess it's not as bad as I expected, though. This place really is more a school and less a hospital pretending it's a school than I thought it would be.

If nothing else, the scenery is beautiful.

I open one eye, seeing the schoolbooks and bottles of pills arranged side-by-side on my desktop.

Maybe this place is too much like a normal school, after all.

I feel very tired this morning, probably because yesterday itself was a very tiring day. On top of that, I woke up far earlier than necessary.

After saying hi to Shizune and Misha, I start doing the work as instructed from the board. It already looks like today is going to be heavy.

I don't have a problem with that now, though. Shizune and Misha might jump on me trying to get an answer about whether or not I've decided to join the Student Council, even if it's just one day.

I wouldn't put it past them to try, and I don't have an answer for them if they do. So, this situation is convenient for me.

About ten minutes into class, Hanako walks in and takes a seat, but no one looks at her. The teacher doesn't even comment on her lateness.

He does, however, stop us to say that we're going to break into groups again.

I turn my head and see that Shizune and Misha are looking at me. Shizune gives me a smile that is equal parts cute and menacing. This is a smile that says "We have you now. There is no escape."

Misha:

"Hicchan~, it looks like we're together again! Yay yay~!"

Narrator:

Misha leans sideways while Shizune pushes her desk closer to mine. There really is no escape now unless I were to jump through the window.

Jumping out the window isn't the best option, sadly.

Misha:

"What's wrong, Hicchan?"

"Oh... Hicchan, have you been thinking about what you said yesterday? You said that you would think about joining the Student Council, didn't you?"

"It's okay, Hicchan. We were talking about it after you left, and it would be rude to expect you to already have an answer for us this early, right? Right~!"

"Hahahahahaha~!"

Narrator:

I'm so happy you two are able to laugh at my expense, and even more pleased to know that you both know how crazy the two of you can be.

Now that that's over, Shizune snaps back into serious mode and smacks today's assignment with the back of her hand in an overly dramatic and important way.

When I actually look at the stuff, it's mostly just reading. In fact, there are only two problems.

I almost want to say something about how her rush to get started seems a bit much, considering the small amount of work. In fact, Shizune probably knows how little there is, and simply doesn't care.

Yeah, it seems like the workload doesn't matter to her as much as the fact that there is work; the actual amount is unimportant. She approaches everything with the same level of ambition.

While I'm reading, I let my eyes wander around the room and catch Hanako trying her hand at solving the problems. It looks like she's working alone.

I can't remember seeing her working with other people before.

Thinking back to how shy she is, it's understandable.

Hisao:

"Hey, that girl over there..."

Misha:

"Huh? Who, Hicchan?"

Hisao:

"Her. Hanako. Over there. Does she always work alone?"

Misha:

"I think so, Hicchan. Do you feel sorry for her because she's alone?"

Hisao:

"I was just thinking that maybe she could work with us, or something."

Misha:

"Hmmmm... No, I don't think that would be a good idea, Hicchan."

Hisao:

"Why not?"

Misha:

"Shicchan wouldn't get along with her."

Hisao:

"Why?"

Narrator:

Misha shuffles around the question, letting out a laugh that sounds very strange; it's nervous, but sill has that lilting up-and-down quality present in everything she says.

Misha:

"Just because, Hicchan."

Narrator:

By now, Shizune has noticed our conversation, and it makes me realize again how Misha has been signing everything she has been saying this whole time.

Misha:

"What, Shicchan? The friend of my enemy is my enemy? That's sounds so harsh, I'm not going to say that."

Hisao:

"You said it anyway."

Misha:

"I know, Hicchan, it's fine if you overhear~!"

Narrator:

I wonder if this is Misha's way of keeping things fair, since without her, I wouldn't be able to understand a thing Shizune is saying, and vice versa.

Is that also why she signs all the time, so there is never a conversation Shizune will be left out of?

Misha:

"Anyway, we should start on the problems now, Hicchan."

Narrator:

We finish with time to spare, and I decide to ask if there are any alternatives to the cafeteria, as frankly, the food so far has been subpar.

This sends Shizune and Misha arguing among themselves about their favorite restaurants. All of them are downtown, so I don't think we have time to go all the way there. And what about the bill?

Are they arguing just for the fun of it?

Maybe. They seem so distracted by it they don't even notice the start of the actual lunch break.

I look over my shoulder towards the back of the classroom.

She seems to be studying her notes from the previous class.

It's an odd sight; everyone else in the class is busying themselves with the lunch break.

Socializing, gossiping, rearranging desks, the ones with actual boxed lunches mixed in and chattering like everyone else, only interrupted by short bouts of eating.

But, when I watch Hanako, it feels that I'm the only one who can see her. Almost as if she was invisible; sort of hiding in plain sight.

Is she being bullied? Is she isolating herself from the rest of the class on her own accord?

I see her look over her shoulder towards the classroom's rear door.

Come to think of it, she hasn't turned a page since I've started watching her.

I guess she's waiting for someone.

What to do...

[Decision Point]

6a) Wait for Shizune and Misha to come to a decision. [Go to Chapter 8]

6b) Read my book. [Go to Chapter ?]